Goods transport equipment

Abstract

To improve the transport efficiency of an article transport facility as a whole by enabling efficient movement of transport vehicles in sections including branching or merging parts of travel routes.SOLUTION: A transport vehicle V requests a section control device Cz for first passing permission to pass through a first passing point when it travels along a first route. When the transport vehicle V travels along a second route, it requests second passing permission from the section control device Cz to pass through a second passing point. When the section control device Cz is requested by the transport vehicle V for both the first passing permission and the second passing permission, it permits the transport vehicle V to travel from the first route or the second route to a connecting route under the condition that both the first passing point and the second passing point are vacant and not occupied by any other preceding transport vehicle V, and causes the transport vehicle V permitted to travel to occupy both the first passing point and the second passing point.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an item transport facility that includes a transport vehicle for transporting items, a travel route along which the transport vehicle travels, and a section control device that issues passage permission to the transport vehicle traveling along a specific section of the travel route and controls the transport vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of such an article transport facility is disclosed as a transport vehicle system in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-313463 (Patent Document 1). References in parentheses in the following description of the background art refer to those in Patent Document 1.

[0003] In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, lock points are set at branching or merging points of the travel route of the transport vehicle (5), and a decision is made as to whether or not the transport vehicle (5) is allowed to pass at the lock point for each section where such a lock point is set (hereinafter referred to as a "control section").

[0004] Before entering a controlled section where a lock point is provided, the transport vehicle (5) issues a blocking request to the zone controller (11) to request that other transport vehicles (5) be prevented from entering the controlled section. If the zone controller (11) is to permit the transport vehicle (5) that issued the blocking request to pass through the controlled section, it issues a blocking permission and prevents other transport vehicles (5) from passing through. After the transport vehicle (5) has passed through, the zone controller (11) releases the blocking in the controlled section, making it ready to accept other transport vehicles (5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-313463 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the permission or denial of passage of a transport vehicle (5) at a lock point is determined for each control section, so multiple transport vehicles (5) cannot be present in one control section at the same time. Therefore, when the efficiency of transport vehicle passage in the control section is low and there are many similar control sections, there is a limit to improving the transport efficiency of the entire article transport facility.

[0007] In light of the above situation, it is desirable to realize a technology that can improve the overall transport efficiency of an item transport facility by efficiently allowing transport vehicles to pass through sections that include branching or merging points on the travel route. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] a transport vehicle for transporting an article; a travel route along which the transport vehicle travels; a section control device that controls the transport vehicle by giving a passage permission to the transport vehicle traveling in a specific section that is a specific section of the travel route, the specific section includes a first path and a second path that do not intersect with each other, and a connection path that connects a first connection portion of the first path and a second connection portion of the second path, each of the first path and the second path is a path on which the transport vehicle travels in one direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; a first passing point is set downstream of the first connection portion on the first route, a second passing point is set downstream of the second connection portion on the second route, When the transport vehicle travels along the first route through the first connection part, the transport vehicle requests a first passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the first pass point, from the section control device upstream of the first connection part, and when the first passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the first connection part and heads toward the first pass point, and when the first passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the first connection part, When the transport vehicle travels along the second route through the second connection part, the transport vehicle requests a second passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the second pass point, from the section control device upstream of the second connection part, and when the second passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the second connection part and heads toward the second pass point, and when the second passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the second connection part, when the section control device issues the first passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the first passing point related to the first passing permission, and when the section control device issues the second passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the second passing point related to the second passing permission, When the transporting vehicle intends to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, the transporting vehicle requests both the first passing permission and the second passing permission from the section control device; When both the first passing permission and the second passing permission are requested by the transport vehicle, the section control device allows the transport vehicle to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, provided that both the first passing point and the second passing point are unoccupied and not occupied by another preceding transport vehicle, and causes the transport vehicle that has been allowed to travel to occupy both the first passing point and the second passing point.

[0009] In the specific section described above, the first route and the second route do not intersect with each other, so when there are no guided vehicles traveling on the connecting route, separate guided vehicles can travel on the first route and the second route simultaneously. According to this configuration, the permission for the passage of a guided vehicle can be determined individually at the first passing point on the first route and the second passing point on the second route. Therefore, when multiple guided vehicles travel on the first route or the second route without traveling on the connecting route, the multiple guided vehicles can travel on the first route and the second route simultaneously. This allows for more efficient passage of guided vehicles in the specific section than when the permission for the passage of a guided vehicle is determined for the entire specific section. On the other hand, when a transport vehicle travels from the first route to the second route or from the second route to the first route via a connecting route, the section control device permits the transport vehicle to travel and causes the transport vehicle that has been permitted to travel to occupy both the first pass point and the second pass point, provided that both the first pass point and the second pass point are unoccupied and not occupied by other transport vehicles. This makes it possible to prevent multiple transport vehicles from interfering with each other in a specific section. As a result, it is possible to increase the overall transport efficiency of the article transport facility while preventing multiple transport vehicles from interfering with each other.

[0010] Further features and advantages of the techniques according to the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] Plan view of the goods transport facility [Figure 2] Control Block Diagram [Figure 3] A diagram showing the control of a transport vehicle traveling in a specific section [Figure 4] A diagram showing the control of a transport vehicle traveling in a specific section [Figure 5] flowchart [Figure 6] An explanatory diagram of a case where a transport vehicle travels along a first route [Figure 7]An explanatory diagram of when the transport vehicle travels along the second route [Figure 8] An explanatory diagram of a case where a transport vehicle travels from a first route to a second route via a connecting route. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the speed change of the transport vehicle upstream of the stopping point [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in the speed of a transport vehicle when the transport vehicle is granted permission to pass while decelerating. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in the speed of a transport vehicle when the transport vehicle is granted permission to pass while traveling at a constant speed. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a specific section according to another embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a specific section according to another embodiment; [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a specific section according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an article transport facility will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the item conveying equipment 100 includes a transport vehicle V that transports items, a travel route R along which the transport vehicle V travels, and a section control device Cz that controls the transport vehicle V by issuing a passage permit Sp (see Figure 5, etc.) to the transport vehicle V traveling on a specific section Za (see Figure 3), which is a specific section of the travel route R.

[0014] In this embodiment, the travel route R is divided into a plurality of control areas Z. Each of the plurality of control areas Z includes one or more specific sections Za (see FIG. 3). A section control device Cz is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas Z. In this example, each section control device Cz is configured to control the transport vehicle V in the control area Z that it is responsible for. More specifically, each section control device Cz is configured to determine whether or not the transport vehicle V is allowed to pass when the transport vehicle V attempts to pass through a specific section Za (see FIG. 3) that is provided in the control area Z that it is responsible for.

[0015] In this embodiment, the article transport facility 100 includes a host controller Ct. The host controller Ct is configured to control a plurality of section controllers Cz. The transport vehicle V, the plurality of section controllers Cz, and the host controller Ct are configured to be able to communicate with each other.

[0016] In this embodiment, the article conveying facility 100 includes a plurality of conveying vehicles V. Each of the plurality of conveying vehicles V is configured to perform its own task based on a conveying command given from a host control device Ct. Examples of the conveying vehicles V include an unmanned conveying vehicle that travels along the floor surface and a ceiling conveying vehicle that travels near the ceiling.

[0017] Various items are handled by item transport equipment 100. For example, when item transport equipment 100 is used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, the items include wafer containers (so-called FOUPs: Front Opening Unified Pods) that store wafers, reticle containers (so-called reticle pods) that store reticles, etc. In this case, transport vehicle V transports items such as wafer containers and reticle containers along travel path R between each process.

[0018] The host control device Ct is configured to control a plurality of transport vehicles V and a plurality of section control devices Cz. For example, the host control device Ct is configured to issue a transport command specifying the origin and destination of an article to each transport vehicle V. The host control device Ct is configured to be able to communicate with each transport vehicle V, and is able to grasp the current position of each transport vehicle V by receiving current position information Iv (see FIG. 4) from each transport vehicle V. In other words, the host control device Ct is able to grasp the planned route along which each transport vehicle V will travel. The host control device Ct is also configured to be able to communicate with each section control device Cz, and is able to grasp the status of each control area Z or each specific section Za by receiving status reports (reports on traffic conditions, etc.) regarding each control area Z or each specific section Za from each section control device Cz.

[0019] Each section control device Cz is configured to control the guided vehicles V traveling in the specific section Za of the control area Z that it is responsible for. Specifically, the section control device Cz controls the travel of multiple guided vehicles V in the specific section Za so that they do not interfere with each other. For example, FIG. 3 shows a state in which two guided vehicles V (one of which is a first guided vehicle V1 and the other is a second guided vehicle V2) are traveling in the specific section Za. When the first guided vehicle V1 and the second guided vehicle V2 are scheduled to pass through the same junction point in the specific section Za, the section control device Cz controls the travel of both the first guided vehicle V1 and the second guided vehicle V2 at different times. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the section control device Cz controls the travel of both the first guided vehicle V1 to pass the junction point first and the second guided vehicle V2 to pass the junction point after the first guided vehicle V1 by slowing down or stopping the second guided vehicle V2. As will be described later, the section control device Cz is configured to give a passage permission Sp (see FIG. 5, etc.) to the guided vehicle V passing through the specific section Za.

[0020] The host control device Ct and the zone control device Cz each include, for example, a processor such as a microcomputer, peripheral circuits such as memory, etc. Each process or function is realized by cooperation between this hardware and a program executed on the processor of a computer, etc. The article conveying facility 100 includes a control system that includes at least the host control device Ct and the zone control device Cz. This control system may include other control devices in addition to the host control device Ct and the zone control device Cz.

[0021] 3, the specific section Za includes a first route R1 and a second route R2 that do not intersect with each other, and a connecting route Rc that connects a first connecting point C1 on the first route R1 with a second connecting point C2 on the second route R2. Each of the first route R1 and the second route R2 is a route on which the guided vehicle V travels in one direction from the upstream side to the downstream side.

[0022] In this embodiment, the first path R1 and the second path R2 are arranged parallel to each other in a plan view. The connecting path Rc connecting the first path R1 and the second path R2 is arranged so as to be inclined with respect to both the first path R1 and the second path R2. That is, in this example, the first path R1, the second path R2, and the connecting path Rc form an N-shape in a plan view.

[0023] At the end of the specific section Za, i.e., at the downstream end of the specific section Za, a pass point Pp is set as an indication that the guided vehicle V has passed through the specific section Za. The pass point Pp includes a first pass point Pp1 and a second pass point Pp2. The first pass point Pp1 is set downstream of the first junction C1 on the first route R1. The second pass point Pp2 is set downstream of the second junction C2 on the second route R2. That is, in this embodiment, pass points Pp that the guided vehicle V will pass through when it obtains passage permission Sp (see FIG. 5, etc.) are set downstream of the first junction C1 on the first route R1 and downstream of the second junction C2 on the second route R2.

[0024] In this embodiment, a stop point Ps is set at the start end of the specific section Za, i.e., the upstream end of the specific section Za, as a guide for when the guided vehicle V stops before the specific section Za. The stop points Ps include a first stop point Ps1 and a second stop point Ps2. The first stop point Ps1 is set upstream of the first junction C1 on the first route R1. The second stop point Ps2 is set upstream of the second junction C2 on the second route R2. That is, in this embodiment, stop points Ps where the guided vehicle V will stop if it does not obtain passage permission Sp (see FIG. 5, etc.) are set upstream of the first junction C1 on the first route R1 and upstream of the second junction C2 on the second route R2.

[0025] In this embodiment, a deceleration section Ad is set upstream of the stop point Ps on each of the first route R1 and the second route R2, where the transport vehicle V decelerates in order to stop at the respective stop point Ps. When the transport vehicle V is unable to obtain a passage permission Sp and must stop at the stop point Ps, it decelerates in the deceleration section Ad and then stops at the stop point Ps.

[0026] In this embodiment, a constant speed section Ac is set in addition to the deceleration section Ad. That is, a constant speed section Ac is set upstream of the stop point Ps on each of the first route R1 and the second route R2, where the guided vehicle V travels at a constant speed in order to stop at the respective stop point Ps. When the guided vehicle V stops at the stop point Ps without obtaining passage permission Sp, the guided vehicle V travels at a constant speed in the constant speed section Ac and decelerates in the deceleration section Ad before stopping at the stop point Ps. The deceleration section Ad is set at a position adjacent to the stop point Ps on the upstream side, but the constant speed section Ac or another deceleration section Ad may be set further upstream of the deceleration section Ad.

[0027] In this embodiment, the deceleration section Ad includes a first deceleration section Ad1 and a second deceleration section Ad2. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the first route R1 and the second route R2 are each provided with a first deceleration section Ad1 upstream of a stop point Ps, where the guided vehicle V decelerates to stop at the respective stop point Ps. The first deceleration section Ad1 is a section where the guided vehicle V decelerates to stop at the respective stop point Ps. The second deceleration section Ad2 is a section where the guided vehicle V decelerates to stop at the stop point Ps. The second deceleration section Ad2 is a section where the guided vehicle V decelerates to stop at the stop point Ps. The second deceleration section Ad2 is a section where the guided vehicle V creeps (travels at a very slow speed) between the second deceleration section Ad2 and the stop point Ps.

[0028] As described above, the section control device Cz is configured to give passage permission Sp (see FIG. 5, etc.) to the transport vehicle V passing through the specific section Za. This allows the transport vehicle V that has been granted passage permission Sp to pass through the specific section Za, and allows the transport vehicle V that has not been granted passage permission Sp to stop upstream of the specific section Za.

[0029] In this embodiment, the transport vehicle V that has obtained a passage permission Sp from the section control device Cz passes through the first passing point Pp1 or the second passing point Pp2, and then sends a passing completion notification Sc (see FIG. 5, etc.) to the section control device Cz. As a result, the section control device Cz that has received the passing completion notification Sc becomes ready to accept the next transport vehicle V into the specific section Za.

[0030] Here, there may be a case where the transport vehicle V that has been given the passage permission Sp does not subsequently respond to the section control device Cz (in this example, a passage completion notification Sc). This can occur due to poor communication or a malfunction. If there is no response from the transport vehicle V, the section control device Cz falls into a state where it is unclear whether the transport vehicle V is present or not.

[0031] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4, in this embodiment, if there is no subsequent response (passage completion notification Sc) from the transport vehicle V to which the passage permission Sp has been given, the section control device Cz makes an inquiry Si to the upper control device Ct. In this example, after giving the passage permission Sp to the transport vehicle V, if there is no subsequent response (passage completion notification Sc) from the transport vehicle V before a predetermined specified period has elapsed, the section control device Cz makes an inquiry Si to the upper control device Ct. This "specified period" is determined appropriately based on the travel distance of the transport vehicle V in the specific section Za, the travel speed of the transport vehicle V, etc.

[0032] In this embodiment, when an inquiry Si is received from the section control device Cz, the upper control device Ct determines whether the guided vehicle V has passed the first pass point Pp1 or the second pass point Pp2 based on the presence or absence of the guided vehicle V in the specific section Za. In this example, the upper control device Ct, having received the inquiry Si, confirms the presence or absence of the guided vehicle V in the specific section Za based on the current position information Iv of the guided vehicle V acquired from the guided vehicle V, and sends a response Sa to the section control device Cz regarding the confirmation result. The section control device Cz, having received the response Sa, continues to control the guided vehicle V in the specific section Za based on the presence or absence of the guided vehicle V in the specific section Za acquired from the response Sa. With the above configuration, even if there is no response from the guided vehicle V to the section control device Cz, cooperation between the section control device Cz and the upper control device Ct allows for more appropriate control of the guided vehicle V in the specific section Za. In this example, the upper control device Ct determines whether the guided vehicle V has passed the first pass point Pp1 or the second pass point Pp2 as described above only when an inquiry Si is received from the section control device Cz. In this way, by linking the section control device Cz with the upper control device Ct only when necessary, the processing load on the upper control device Ct can be reduced while the transport vehicle V in the specific section Za can be appropriately controlled.

[0033] The control in the specific section Za will be described in detail below.

[0034] 5, when the transport vehicle V attempts to pass through the specific section Za, more specifically, the passing point Pp, it issues a passing permission request Sr to request permission to pass (step #1). In this embodiment, the transport vehicle V issues the passing permission request Sr to the section control device Cz upstream of the specific section Za (more specifically, the first connection C1 or the second connection C2).

[0035] When the section control device Cz determines that the guided vehicle V that issued the pass permission request Sr can pass through the specific section Za, it registers the pass point Pp related to the pass permission request Sr to be occupied by the guided vehicle V that issued the pass permission request Sr (step #2), and simultaneously issues a pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V (step #3). The section control device Cz determines whether the pass point Pp related to the pass permission request Sr is in an occupied state, that is, occupied by another guided vehicle V that is preceding the guided vehicle V that issued the pass permission request Sr, or in an unoccupied state. When the pass point Pp is in an unoccupied state, the section control device Cz determines that the guided vehicle V that issued the pass permission request Sr can pass through the pass point Pp. In this example, the section control device Cz includes a memory unit M that stores occupation state information, that is, whether each pass point Pp is occupied or unoccupied (see FIG. 2). The section control device Cz issues a pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V based on the occupation state information stored in the memory unit M. Furthermore, the section control device Cz is configured to update the occupancy status information stored in the memory unit M as needed, depending on the situation of the specific section Za.

[0036] The guided vehicle V that has been granted the passage permission Sp passes through the specific section Za, specifically the passing point Pp (step #4), and after passing through, sends a passage completion notification Sc to the section control device Cz (step #5).

[0037] The section control device Cz, which has received the passing completion notification Sc, cancels the registration of the passing point Pp that was occupied by the transported vehicle V that issued the passing completion notification Sc (step #6). As a result, the unregistered passing point Pp becomes unoccupied, and the section control device Cz becomes able to accept the next transported vehicle V at the passing point Pp.

[0038] The above-mentioned pass permission request Sr, pass permission Sp, and pass completion notification Sc are each transmitted and received as a signal between the section control device Cz and the transport vehicle V. For example, the pass permission request Sr is transmitted and received as a pass request signal. The pass permission Sp is transmitted and received as a pass permission signal. The pass completion notification Sc is transmitted and received as a pass completion signal. The pass request signal may be of a type that allows the section control device Cz to recognize that the transport vehicle V has passed through the pass point Pp. Various types of pass request signals are possible, such as a signal requesting passage through the pass point Pp or a signal requesting occupation of the pass point Pp.

[0039] 6 to 8 show examples in which the transport vehicle V passes through the specific section Za under the control of the section control device Cz. FIG. 6 shows, as Example 1, a case in which the transport vehicle V passes through the first connection C1 and travels along the first route R1. FIG. 7 shows, as Example 2, a case in which the transport vehicle V passes through the second connection C2 and travels along the second route R2. FIG. 8 shows, as Example 3, a case in which the transport vehicle V travels from the first route R1 to the second route R2 via the connecting route Rc.

[0040] [Example 1] 6, when the guided vehicle V travels along the first route R1 through the first junction C1, the guided vehicle V requests a first pass permission Sp1, which is a pass permission Sp for passing through the first pass point Pp1, from the section control device Cz upstream of the first junction C1. In this example, the guided vehicle V requests the first pass permission Sp1 from the section control device Cz while traveling upstream of the first stop point Ps1 on the first route R1. If the first pass permission Sp1 is obtained, the guided vehicle V passes through the first junction C1 and heads toward the first pass point Pp1, and if the first pass permission Sp1 is not obtained, the guided vehicle V stops upstream of the first junction C1.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6(a), in this embodiment, when a guided vehicle V attempts to pass through a first pass point Pp1, the guided vehicle V issues a first pass permission request Sr1 to the section control device Cz. Upon receiving the first pass permission request Sr1 from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz checks whether the first pass point Pp1 is occupied by another preceding guided vehicle V, and if it is not occupied, determines that the guided vehicle V that issued the first pass permission request Sr1 can pass through the first pass point Pp1. That is, the section control device Cz determines whether the first pass point Pp1 is occupied or unoccupied, and if it is unoccupied, determines that the guided vehicle V can pass through the first pass point Pp1. Then, the section control device Cz issues a first pass permission Sp1 to the guided vehicle V that issued the first pass permission request Sr1.

[0042] In this embodiment, when the section control device Cz issues a first pass permission Sp1 to a guided vehicle V, it causes the guided vehicle V to occupy the first pass point Pp1 related to the first pass permission Sp1. As a result, the first pass point Pp1 becomes occupied for the guided vehicle V. In this example, the section control device Cz registers the first pass point Pp1 related to the first pass permission Sp1 in order to cause the guided vehicle V to occupy the first pass point Pp1. As a result, the section control device Cz excludes other guided vehicles V and prevents the other guided vehicles V from passing through the first pass point Pp1.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6(b), in this embodiment, after the guided vehicle V passes through the first pass point Pp1, it issues a passage completion notification Sc to the section control device Cz. After receiving the passage completion notification Sc from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz releases the occupation of the first pass point Pp1 associated with the passage completion notification Sc by the guided vehicle V. As a result, the first pass point Pp1 becomes unoccupied. In this example, the section control device Cz, having received the passage completion notification Sc, cancels the registration of the first pass point Pp1 that had been occupied by the guided vehicle V that issued the passage completion notification Sc. As a result, the occupation of the first pass point Pp1 by the guided vehicle V is released, and the first pass point Pp1 becomes available to accept other guided vehicles V.

[0044] [Example 2] 7, when the guided vehicle V travels along the second route R2 through the second junction C2, the guided vehicle V requests a second passage permission Sp2, which is a passage permission Sp for passing through the second pass point Pp2, from the section control device Cz upstream of the second junction C2. In this example, the guided vehicle V requests the second passage permission Sp2 from the section control device Cz while traveling upstream of the second stop point Ps2 on the second route R2. If the second passage permission Sp2 is obtained, the guided vehicle V passes through the second junction C2 and heads toward the second pass point Pp2, and if the second passage permission Sp2 is not obtained, the guided vehicle V stops upstream of the second junction C2.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 7(a), in this embodiment, when a guided vehicle V attempts to pass through a second pass point Pp2, the guided vehicle V issues a second pass permission request Sr2 to the section control device Cz. Upon receiving the second pass permission request Sr2 from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz checks whether the second pass point Pp2 is occupied by another preceding guided vehicle V, and if it is not occupied, determines that the guided vehicle V that issued the second pass permission request Sr2 can pass through the second pass point Pp2. That is, the section control device Cz determines whether the second pass point Pp2 is occupied or unoccupied, and if it is unoccupied, determines that the guided vehicle V can pass through the second pass point Pp2. Then, the section control device Cz issues a second pass permission Sp2 to the guided vehicle V that issued the second pass permission request Sr2.

[0046] In this embodiment, when the section control device Cz issues the second passage permission Sp2 to the guided vehicle V, it causes the guided vehicle V to occupy the second passage point Pp2 related to the second passage permission Sp2. As a result, the second passage point Pp2 becomes occupied for the guided vehicle V. In this example, the section control device Cz registers the second passage point Pp2 related to the second passage permission Sp2 in order to cause the guided vehicle V to occupy the second passage point Pp2. As a result, the section control device Cz excludes other guided vehicles V and prevents the other guided vehicles V from passing through the second passage point Pp2.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 7(b), in this embodiment, after the guided vehicle V passes through the second pass point Pp2, it issues a passage completion notification Sc to the section control device Cz. After receiving the passage completion notification Sc from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz releases the second pass point Pp2 associated with the passage completion notification Sc from the guided vehicle V. As a result, the second pass point Pp2 becomes unoccupied. In this example, upon receiving the passage completion notification Sc, the section control device Cz cancels the registration of the second pass point Pp2 that had been occupied by the guided vehicle V that issued the passage completion notification Sc. As a result, the second pass point Pp2 is released from occupation by the guided vehicle V, and becomes available to accept other guided vehicles V.

[0048] [Example 3] 8, when a guided vehicle V travels from the first route R1 or the second route R2 to the connecting route Rc, the guided vehicle V requests both a first pass permission Sp1 and a second pass permission Sp2 from the section control device Cz upstream of the first junction C1 or the second junction C2. When the guided vehicle V requests permission to travel from the first route R1 or the second route R2 to the connecting route Rc, the section control device Cz permits the guided vehicle V to travel from the first route R1 or the second route R2 to the connecting route Rc, and causes the guided vehicle V that has been permitted to travel to occupy both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2, on the condition that both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are unoccupied by another preceding guided vehicle V.

[0049] 8 illustrates a case in which a guided vehicle V passes from the first route R1 through the connecting route Rc to pass through a second pass point Pp2 of the second route R2. In FIG. 8, the guided vehicle V makes a first pass permission request Sr1 to request a first pass permission Sp1 and a second pass permission request Sr2 to request a second pass permission Sp2 to the section control device Cz. The guided vehicle V makes the first pass permission request Sr1 and the second pass permission request Sr2 upstream of the first connection C1. Then, the section control device Cz grants the first pass permission Sp1 and the second pass permission Sp2 to the guided vehicle V that made the first pass permission request Sr1 and the second pass permission request Sr2, on the condition that both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are unoccupied. If at least one of the first passing point Pp1 and the second passing point Pp2 is occupied by another preceding guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz denies (does not permit) the travel of the guided vehicle V that has requested passage permission Sp. In this case, the guided vehicle V whose travel is denied stops upstream of the connecting route Rc. In this example, the guided vehicle V stops upstream of the first connection point C1.

[0050] 8(a), when a guided vehicle V travels from the first route R1 to the connecting route Rc and attempts to pass through the second pass point Pp2, it makes a first pass permission request Sr1 and a second pass permission request Sr2 to the section control device Cz. Upon receiving the first pass permission request Sr1 and the second pass permission request Sr2 from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz checks whether both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are occupied by another preceding guided vehicle V, and if they are not occupied, determines that it is possible for the guided vehicle V to pass through the second pass point Pp2. That is, the section control device Cz determines whether both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are occupied or unoccupied, and if both are unoccupied, determines that it is possible for the guided vehicle V to pass through the second pass point Pp2. The section control device Cz then issues a first pass permission Sp1 and a second pass permission Sp2 to the guided vehicle V that has issued the first pass permission request Sr1 and the second pass permission request Sr2. Note that the guided vehicle V also issues a first pass permission request Sr1 and a second pass permission request Sr2 when traveling from the second route R2 to the connecting route Rc and attempting to pass through the first pass point Pp1. The section control device Cz then determines whether both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are in an occupied state or an unoccupied state, and if both are in an unoccupied state, issues a first pass permission Sp1 and a second pass permission Sp2 to the guided vehicle V that has issued the first pass permission request Sr1 and the second pass permission request Sr2.

[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 8(b), the guided vehicle V travels from the first route R1 to the connecting route Rc, passes the second pass point Pp2 on the second route R2, and then issues a passage completion notification Sc to the section control device Cz. In this embodiment, after receiving the passage completion notification Sc from the guided vehicle V, the section control device Cz releases the occupation of the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 by the guided vehicle V. As a result, the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 become unoccupied. In this example, the section control device Cz, which has received the passage completion notification Sc, cancels the registration of the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 that were occupied by the guided vehicle V that issued the passage completion notification Sc. As a result, the occupation of the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 by the guided vehicle V is released, and the guided vehicle V becomes able to accept another guided vehicle V. Similarly, after the transport vehicle V travels from the second route R2 to the connecting route Rc and passes the first pass point Pp1 on the first route R1, the transport vehicle V sends a pass completion notification Sc to the section control device Cz. After receiving the pass completion notification Sc from the transport vehicle V, the section control device Cz releases the transport vehicle V from occupancy of the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2.

[0052] In this way, when the guided vehicle V travels through the junction and branching point along the first route R1, it requests only the first passage permission Sp1, which is permission to pass through the first passage point Pp1, from the section control device Cz. When the guided vehicle V travels through the junction and branching point along the second route R2, it requests only the second passage permission Sp2, which is permission to pass through the second passage point Pp2, from the section control device Cz. The section control device Cz allows the guided vehicle V that requested permission to occupy the passage point Pp, on the condition that the passage point Pp for which permission was requested is unoccupied. With this configuration, when multiple guided vehicles V travel along the first route R1 or the second route R2 without traveling along the connecting route Rc, the multiple guided vehicles V can travel along the first route R1 and the second route R2 simultaneously. Therefore, compared to when determining whether or not to allow the guided vehicle V to pass over the entire specific section Za, it is possible to efficiently allow the guided vehicle V to pass through the specific section Za.

[0053] When the guided vehicle V travels through the connecting route Rc and changes its travel route between the first route R1 and the second route R2, it passes through the first pass point Pp1 or the second pass point Pp2, and requests both a first pass permission Sp1 and a second pass permission Sp2 from the section control device Cz. In this case, the section control device Cz permits the requested guided vehicle V to travel and causes the guided vehicle to occupy both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2, on the condition that both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 are unoccupied. This configuration makes it easy to avoid multiple guided vehicles V interfering with each other in the specific section Za.

[0054] More specifically, in this embodiment, after the section control device Cz issues a passage permission Sp to the transported vehicle V, the section control device Cz is unable to determine the position of the transported vehicle V until it receives a passage completion notification Sc from the transported vehicle V. Therefore, for example, even if a transported vehicle V that is scheduled to travel from the first route R1 through the connecting route Rc to the second route R2 stops midway for some reason after receiving the passage permission Sp from the section control device Cz, the section control device Cz is unable to determine the stopping position of the transported vehicle V. If the stopping position of the transported vehicle V is on the first junction C1 or on the first route R1 upstream of the first junction C1, causing another following transported vehicle V to travel on the first route R1 will interfere with the stopped transported vehicle V. Furthermore, even if the stopping position of the transported vehicle V is near the first junction C1 on the connecting route Rc, the stopped transported vehicle V may interfere with the other following transported vehicle V. Therefore, when the transport vehicle V is involved in both the first route R1 and the second route R2 by passing through the connecting route Rc, even if the target pass point Pp is either the first pass point Pp1 or the second pass point Pp2, it is necessary to occupy both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2. According to this configuration, in the above case, since the transport vehicle V occupies both the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2, even if a situation occurs in which the transport vehicle V stops midway, the following transport vehicle V can be stopped at the stop point Ps. Therefore, interference between multiple transport vehicles V can be avoided.

[0055] As described above, in this embodiment, a deceleration section Ad is set upstream of the stop point Ps on each of the first route R1 and the second route R2, where the guided vehicle V decelerates and travels to stop at the respective stop point Ps. In this example, a first deceleration section Ad1 and a second deceleration section Ad2 are set as the deceleration sections Ad in order from upstream to downstream. Furthermore, a constant speed section Ac is set between the first deceleration section Ad1 and the second deceleration section Ad2 on the travel route R.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment, the deceleration of the transport vehicle V in the deceleration section Ad is constant. In this example, the deceleration of the transport vehicle V in the first deceleration section Ad1 and the deceleration of the transport vehicle V in the second deceleration section Ad2 are set to be constant. This configuration makes it easy to simplify the deceleration control of the transport vehicle V. This type of deceleration control is used not only when the transport vehicle V travels through the deceleration section Ad, but also when, for example, the transport vehicle V stops at a transfer target location that is the destination, or when the transport vehicle V travels on a curved road.

[0057] In this embodiment, the guided vehicle V issues a passage permission request Sr to the section control device Cz upstream of the deceleration section Ad or in the deceleration section Ad. If the guided vehicle V obtains a passage permission Sp from the section control device Cz upstream of the deceleration section Ad, the guided vehicle V maintains its current traveling speed without decelerating. If the guided vehicle V does not obtain a passage permission Sp by the time it reaches the deceleration section Ad, the guided vehicle V starts decelerating, and if the guided vehicle V does not obtain a passage permission Sp by the time it reaches the stop point Ps, the guided vehicle V stops. As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the deceleration section Ad, a constant speed section Ac is set in which the guided vehicle V travels at a constant speed, so that a relatively long time is ensured until the guided vehicle V completely stops. If the guided vehicle V obtains a passage permission Sp before it completely stops, the guided vehicle V can continue traveling without stopping.

[0058] However, there are cases where the passage permission Sp cannot be immediately obtained from the section control device Cz due to the relationship with the other guided vehicle V, for example, when another guided vehicle V is ahead of the other guided vehicle V in the specific section Za. In this case, the guided vehicle V travels at a reduced speed in the first deceleration section Ad1, travels at a constant speed in the constant speed section Ac, and further travels at a reduced speed in the second deceleration section Ad2, assuming that the guided vehicle V will stop at the stop point Ps. Then, the guided vehicle V waits for the passage permission Sp from the section control device Cz while traveling in the first deceleration section Ad1, the constant speed section Ac, and the second deceleration section Ad2 in this way.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 10, when the transport vehicle V receives a passage permission Sp while decelerating in the deceleration section Ad, the transport vehicle V accelerates after transitioning from decelerated traveling to constant speed traveling. In the illustrated example, when the transport vehicle V receives a passage permission Sp while traveling in the first deceleration section Ad1, the transport vehicle V transitions from decelerated traveling in the first deceleration section Ad1 to constant speed traveling, accelerates after constant speed traveling, and travels at the same traveling speed as before entering the first deceleration section Ad1. In this way, even when the transport vehicle V receives a passage permission Sp while decelerating, the transport vehicle V does not immediately accelerate, but travels at constant speed once and then accelerates. This reduces the burden on the travel drive source, such as a motor, mounted on the transport vehicle V. It also reduces vibration acting on the article being transported by the transport vehicle V. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the transport vehicle V also accelerates after transitioning to constant speed traveling even when the transport vehicle V receives a passage permission Sp while traveling in the second deceleration section Ad2.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 11 , when a passage permission Sp is obtained while the transport vehicle V is traveling at a constant speed in the constant speed section Ac, the transport vehicle V accelerates immediately after obtaining the passage permission Sp. In the illustrated example, when the transport vehicle V decelerates in the first deceleration section Ad1 and then obtains the passage permission Sp while traveling at a constant speed in the constant speed section Ac, the transport vehicle V accelerates immediately after obtaining the passage permission Sp and travels at the same traveling speed as before entering the first deceleration section Ad1. In this way, when the transport vehicle V obtains the passage permission Sp while traveling at a constant speed rather than while traveling at a deceleration speed, the transport vehicle V can immediately accelerate, thereby shortening the time required to reach the destination. Note that the transition from constant speed traveling to accelerating traveling places a smaller burden on a traveling drive source such as a motor than when transitioning from decelerating traveling to accelerating traveling.

[0061] Other Embodiments Next, other embodiments of the article transport facility will be described.

[0062] (1) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the first path R1, the second path R2, and the connecting path Rc form an N-shape in plan view. However, without being limited to this example, the connecting path Rc may be arranged so as to be perpendicular to the first path R1 and the second path R2, which are arranged parallel to each other, in plan view. In this case, the first path R1, the second path R2, and the connecting path Rc form an H-shape in plan view. Furthermore, without being limited to the above example, the specific section Za can be set arbitrarily, and any portion of the traveling path R may be the specific section Za as long as the connecting path Rc intersects with the first path R1 and the second path R2. Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the connecting path Rc may intersect with the first path R1 and the second path R2 at any angle, or at least one of the three paths may be curved. Furthermore, multiple connecting paths Rc may be connected to the first path R1 and the second path R2. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, a specific section Za having the above-described configuration may be set in a portion (inter-process path) where a plurality of bays (intra-process paths) in the travel path R are connected.

[0063] (2) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a constant speed section Ac is set in addition to a deceleration section Ad upstream of the stop point Ps on the travel route R. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the constant speed section Ac does not necessarily have to be set. In this case, it is preferable that a continuous deceleration section Ad is set adjacent to the stop point Ps on the upstream side.

[0064] (3) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the section control device Cz registers the pass point Pp related to the pass permission request Sr so that the guided vehicle V that issued the pass permission request Sr may occupy the pass point Pp, and at the same time issues a pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V. However, without being limited to this example, the section control device Cz may register the pass point Pp and issue a pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V in a different time sequence. In this case, the pass point Pp may be registered first, and the pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V may be issued later. Alternatively, conversely, the pass permission Sp to the guided vehicle V may be issued first, and the registration of the pass point Pp may be performed later.

[0065] (4) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the passage permission request Sr, the passage permission Sp, and the passage completion notification Sc are each transmitted and received as signals between the section control device Cz and the transport vehicle V. However, without being limited to this example, each of the above signals may be transmitted and received between the section control device Cz and the transport vehicle V via the upper control device Ct.

[0066] (5) In the above embodiment, the guided vehicle V requests a first pass permission Sp1 from the section control device Cz when traveling along the first route R1 through the first connection C1, requests a second pass permission Sp2 from the section control device Cz when traveling along the second route R2 through the second connection C2, and requests both the first pass permission Sp1 and the second pass permission Sp2 from the section control device Cz when traveling along the connecting route Rc. However, without being limited to this example, the first pass permission Sp1 and the second pass permission Sp2 do not have to be distinguished. In this case, the guided vehicle V simply requests a pass permission Sp from the section control device Cz regardless of which route the guided vehicle V travels. The section control device Cz may be configured to obtain information about the route from a higher-level control device Ct that knows the route along which the guided vehicle V is scheduled to travel, and to occupy either or both of the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2 based on the information. That is, when the guided vehicle V that has requested passage permission Sp is scheduled to travel through the first pass point Pp1, the section control device Cz can grasp the schedule via the higher-level control device Ct. Therefore, in this case, the section control device Cz causes the guided vehicle V to occupy the first pass point Pp1. When the guided vehicle V that has requested passage permission Sp is scheduled to travel through the second pass point Pp2, the section control device Cz causes the guided vehicle V to occupy the second pass point Pp2. When the guided vehicle V that has requested passage permission Sp is scheduled to travel along the connecting route Rc, the section control device Cz causes the guided vehicle V to occupy the first pass point Pp1 and the second pass point Pp2.

[0067] (6) The configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments may be combined with configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as no contradictions arise. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications may be made as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] [Summary of the above embodiment] The above-described article transport facility will now be described.

[0069] a transport vehicle for transporting an article; a travel route along which the transport vehicle travels; a section control device that controls the transport vehicle by giving a passage permission to the transport vehicle traveling in a specific section that is a specific section of the travel route, the specific section includes a first path and a second path that do not intersect with each other, and a connection path that connects a first connection portion of the first path and a second connection portion of the second path, each of the first path and the second path is a path on which the transport vehicle travels in one direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; a first passing point is set downstream of the first connection portion on the first route, a second passing point is set downstream of the second connection portion on the second route, When the transport vehicle travels along the first route through the first connection part, the transport vehicle requests a first passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the first pass point, from the section control device upstream of the first connection part, and when the first passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the first connection part and heads toward the first pass point, and when the first passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the first connection part, When the transport vehicle travels along the second route through the second connection part, the transport vehicle requests a second passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the second pass point, from the section control device upstream of the second connection part, and when the second passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the second connection part and heads toward the second pass point, and when the second passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the second connection part, when the section control device issues the first passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the first passing point related to the first passing permission, and when the section control device issues the second passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the second passing point related to the second passing permission, When the transporting vehicle intends to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, the transporting vehicle requests both the first passing permission and the second passing permission from the section control device; When both the first passing permission and the second passing permission are requested by the transport vehicle, the section control device allows the transport vehicle to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, provided that both the first passing point and the second passing point are unoccupied and not occupied by another preceding transport vehicle, and causes the transport vehicle that has been allowed to travel to occupy both the first passing point and the second passing point.

[0070] In the specific section described above, the first route and the second route do not intersect with each other, so when there are no guided vehicles traveling on the connecting route, separate guided vehicles can travel on the first route and the second route simultaneously. According to this configuration, the permission for the passage of a guided vehicle can be determined individually at the first passing point on the first route and the second passing point on the second route. Therefore, when multiple guided vehicles travel on the first route or the second route without traveling on the connecting route, the multiple guided vehicles can travel on the first route and the second route simultaneously. This allows for more efficient passage of guided vehicles in the specific section than when the permission for the passage of a guided vehicle is determined for the entire specific section. On the other hand, when a transport vehicle travels from the first route to the second route or from the second route to the first route via a connecting route, the section control device permits the transport vehicle to travel and causes the transport vehicle that has been permitted to travel to occupy both the first pass point and the second pass point, provided that both the first pass point and the second pass point are unoccupied by another preceding transport vehicle. This makes it possible to prevent multiple transport vehicles from interfering with each other in a specific section. As a result, it is possible to increase the overall transport efficiency of the article transport facility while preventing multiple transport vehicles from interfering with each other.

[0071] After passing through the first passing point or the second passing point, the transport vehicle notifies the section control device of completion of passage; Preferably, after receiving the passage completion notification from the guided vehicle, the section control device releases the first pass point or the second pass point related to the passage completion notification from the guided vehicle.

[0072] According to this configuration, after receiving a passing completion notification from the guided vehicle, the section control device releases the first passing point or the second passing point related to the passing completion notification from the guided vehicle, thereby making the first passing point or the second passing point available to receive another following guided vehicle.

[0073] a stop point where the guided vehicle will stop when the passage permission is not obtained is set on the upstream side of the first connection portion on the first path and on the upstream side of the second connection portion on the second path, Preferably, the guided vehicle requests the first passing permission or the second passing permission from the section control device while traveling upstream of the stopping point on each of the first route and the second route.

[0074] According to this configuration, if a transport vehicle does not receive a pass permission before reaching a stop point, it stops at the stop point, but if a pass permission is received upstream of the stop point, it can continue traveling without stopping. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the efficiency of transport vehicle traffic in a specific section.

[0075] a deceleration section in which the guided vehicle decelerates and travels in order to stop at each of the stopping points is set on each of the first route and the second route upstream of the stopping points; Preferably, when the passage permission is obtained while the transport vehicle is traveling at a reduced speed in the deceleration section, the transport vehicle transitions from the decelerated traveling to a constant speed traveling and then accelerates.

[0076] According to this configuration, when a transport vehicle is granted permission to pass while decelerating in a deceleration section, it does not immediately accelerate, but rather travels at a constant speed for a while before accelerating, thereby reducing the burden on the driving source such as a motor.

[0077] It is preferable that, upstream of the stopping points on each of the first route and the second route, there are set a first deceleration section in which the transport vehicle decelerates in order to stop at each of the stopping points, a constant speed section set adjacent to the downstream side of the first deceleration section in which the transport vehicle travels at a constant speed, and a second deceleration section set adjacent to the downstream side of the constant speed section in which the transport vehicle decelerates until it stops at the stopping points.

[0078] According to this configuration, when a transport vehicle attempts to stop at a stop point, it decelerates in the first deceleration section, travels at a constant speed in the constant speed section, and then decelerates in the second deceleration section. Because the constant speed section is set in order for the transport vehicle to travel at a constant speed until the transport vehicle stops at the stop point, a relatively long time is ensured for the transport vehicle to come to a complete stop. Furthermore, if the transport vehicle receives permission to pass before coming to a complete stop, it can continue traveling without stopping. This contributes to improving transport efficiency.

[0079] A host control device is provided, The travel route is divided into a plurality of control areas, Each of the plurality of control regions includes one or more of the specific sections, the zone control device is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas, The upper control device is configured to control a plurality of the section control devices, Preferably, when an inquiry is received from the section control device, the upper control device determines whether the transport vehicle has passed the first passing point or the second passing point based on the presence or absence of the transport vehicle in the specific section.

[0080] According to this configuration, the section control device and the higher-level control device cooperate with each other to appropriately control the transport vehicles in the specific section. [Industrial Applicability]

[0081] The technology disclosed herein can be used in an item transport facility that includes a transport vehicle for transporting items, a route along which the transport vehicle travels, and a section control device that gives permission to pass to the transport vehicle traveling on a specific section of the route and controls the transport vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 100: Goods transport equipment V: Transport vehicle Ct: Upper control device Cz: Section control device Z: Control region Za: Specific section R: Travel route R1: Route 1 R2: Route 2 Rc: Connection route Ad: Deceleration section Ad1: First deceleration section Ad2: Second deceleration section Ac: Constant velocity section C1: First connection part C2: Second connection part Pp: Passing point Pp1: 1st passing point Pp2: 2nd passing point Ps: Stopping point Si: Inquiry Sp: Passage permission Sp1: 1st passage permission Sp2: 2nd pass permission Sc: Passage completion notification

Claims

1. a transport vehicle for transporting an article; a travel route along which the transport vehicle travels; a section control device that controls the transport vehicle by giving a passage permission to the transport vehicle traveling in a specific section that is a specific section of the travel route, the specific section includes a first path and a second path that do not intersect with each other, and a connection path that connects a first connection portion of the first path and a second connection portion of the second path, each of the first path and the second path is a path on which the transport vehicle travels in one direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; a first passing point is set downstream of the first connection portion on the first route, a second passing point is set downstream of the second connection portion on the second route, When the transport vehicle travels along the first route through the first connection part, the transport vehicle requests a first passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the first passing point, from the section control device upstream of the first connection part, and when the first passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the first connection part and heads toward the first passing point, and when the first passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the first connection part, When the transport vehicle travels along the second route through the second connection part, the transport vehicle requests a second passage permission, which is the passage permission to pass through the second pass point, from the section control device upstream of the second connection part, and if the second passage permission is obtained, the transport vehicle passes through the second connection part and heads toward the second pass point, and if the second passage permission is not obtained, the transport vehicle stops upstream of the second connection part, when the section control device issues the first passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the first passing point related to the first passing permission, and when the section control device issues the second passing permission to the transport vehicle, the section control device causes the transport vehicle to occupy the second passing point related to the second passing permission, When the transporting vehicle intends to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, the transporting vehicle requests both the first passing permission and the second passing permission from the section control device; When both the first passing permission and the second passing permission are requested by the transport vehicle, the section control device allows the transport vehicle to travel from the first route or the second route to the connecting route, and causes the transport vehicle that has been allowed to travel to occupy both the first passing point and the second passing point, provided that both the first passing point and the second passing point are unoccupied and not occupied by another preceding transport vehicle.

2. After passing the first pass point or the second pass point, the transport vehicle notifies the section control device of completion of passage; The article transport facility according to claim 1, wherein, after receiving the passage completion notification from the transport vehicle, the section control device releases the transport vehicle from occupancy of the first pass point or the second pass point related to the passage completion notification.

3. a stop point where the guided vehicle will stop when the passage permission is not obtained is set on the upstream side of the first connection portion on the first path and on the upstream side of the second connection portion on the second path, The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein the transport vehicle requests the first passage permission or the second passage permission from the section control device while traveling upstream of the stopping point on each of the first route and the second route.

4. a deceleration section in which the guided vehicle decelerates and travels in order to stop at each of the stop points is set on each of the first route and the second route upstream of the stop points; 4. The article transport facility according to claim 3, wherein, when the passage permission is obtained while the transport vehicle is traveling at a reduced speed in the deceleration section, the transport vehicle accelerates after transitioning from the decelerated traveling to a constant speed traveling.

5. The article transport equipment of claim 3, wherein a first deceleration section is set upstream of the stopping points on each of the first and second routes, the first deceleration section being a section in which the transport vehicle decelerates in order to stop at each of the stopping points, a constant speed section is set adjacent to the downstream side of the first deceleration section being a section in which the transport vehicle travels at a constant speed, and a second deceleration section is set adjacent to the downstream side of the constant speed section being a section in which the transport vehicle decelerates until it stops at the stopping points.

6. A host control device is provided, The travel route is divided into a plurality of control areas, Each of the plurality of control regions includes one or more of the specific sections, The zone control device is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of control areas, The upper control device is configured to control a plurality of the section control devices, 6. An article transport facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, when an inquiry is received from the section control device, the upper control device determines whether the transport vehicle has passed the first passing point or the second passing point based on the presence or absence of the transport vehicle in the specific section.

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