Transport vehicle

Abstract

To provide a transport vehicle that can suppress lateral shaking of a suspended container and can minimize wear of a mechanism for suppressing the lateral shaking due to contact with the container.SOLUTION: A transport vehicle that transports a container (7) in a suspended state is equipped with a lateral vibration suppression device (60) that abuts against an outer surface (71a) of the suspended container (7) to suppress lateral vibration of the container (7). The lateral vibration suppression device (60) is equipped with a rotatable abutment roller (62) that abuts against the outer surface (71a) of the container. A groove (62G) that extends continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of the outer circumferential surface (62a) of the abutment roller (62) that corresponds to a convex portion (71P) of the container (7).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in semiconductor manufacturing plants and the like, transport vehicles are used to transport containers that house wafers, reticles, and the like. An example of such a transport vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-88332 (Patent Document 1). The transport vehicle (ceiling transport vehicle 1) in Patent Document 1 is configured to run along rails installed on the ceiling and transports a container (FOUP 50) while it is suspended. The transport vehicle in Patent Document 1 also includes a lateral vibration suppression device (vibration suppression device 30) for suppressing lateral vibration of the suspended container during transport.

[0003] As shown in Figures 4 to 10 of Patent Document 1, the lateral vibration suppression device of Patent Document 1 includes an arm mechanism (first arm 32, second arm 34) and a contact mechanism (biasing member 36, pressing mechanism 37, rotating unit 40, and restricting units 42a, 42b) provided on the arm mechanism. The lateral vibration suppression device is configured so that, as the posture of the arm mechanism changes, the contact mechanism switches between a state in which it contacts the lower side surface of the container and a state in which it is separated from the side surface. The contact mechanism is configured so that the rotating unit 40 rotates as the container swings in the width direction, and restricting units 42a, 42b restrict the rotating unit 40 from rotating beyond a predetermined angle.

[0004] As described above, the lateral vibration suppression device of Patent Document 1 is structured so that the rotating part 40 abuts against the side of the container to suppress the vibration of the container, but as described in paragraph 0036 of Patent Document 1, the rotating part 40 is made of a material such as urethane. Therefore, depending on the shape of the side of the container, wear may occur in the rotating part 40, which may cause the generation of dust, etc. However, Patent Document 1 does not give any particular consideration to such wear of the rotating part 40. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-88332 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a transport vehicle that can suppress the lateral shaking of a container held in a suspended state and that can minimize wear on the mechanism for suppressing the lateral shaking due to contact with the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The transport vehicle according to the present disclosure includes: A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer surface of the contact roller that corresponds to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and protrudes outward compared to other adjacent portions at least on either the top or bottom.

[0008] According to this configuration, by providing a rotatable contact roller that contacts the outer surface of the container, it is possible to suppress lateral shaking of the suspended container during transport. In this case, if the outer surface of the container has a convex portion, there is a concern that the outer surface of the contact roller will come into contact with the convex portion and cause localized wear. However, since a continuous groove extending around the entire circumference is formed in the area corresponding to the convex portion, the contact roller does not come into contact with the convex portion of the container. Therefore, the amount of dust and other particles generated by wear of the contact roller can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to suppress lateral shaking of the suspended container, reduce wear of the contact roller due to contact with the container, and reduce the amount of dust and other particles generated.

[0009] 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]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] Front view of the transport vehicle [Figure 3] Side view of the transport vehicle [Figure 4] Front view of the container [Figure 5] Side view of the container [Figure 6] Plan view of the holding device [Figure 7] Front view of the holding device [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are side views showing changes in the posture of the support portion and the shielding member; [Figure 9] 10 is a plan view showing the attitude change of the fall prevention device and the lateral vibration suppression device; [Figure 10] Side view of the fall prevention device and lateral sway suppression device DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An embodiment of a transport vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. Transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is used to transport containers 7, for example, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, transport vehicle 1 includes a running unit 2 that travels along a travel path, and a transfer mechanism 3 connected to running unit 2. In this embodiment, the travel path of transport vehicle 1 is physically formed by rails 92 suspended and supported from a ceiling 91. In other words, transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a ceiling transport vehicle that travels along rails 92 formed along ceiling 91. Transport vehicle 1 transports containers 7 in a suspended state.

[0012] The traveling unit 2 travels along a pair of rails 92. The traveling unit 2 includes a car body 21, a traveling drive unit 22, wheels 23, and guide wheels 24. The car body 21 supports the traveling drive unit 22, wheels 23, guide wheels 24, etc. The traveling drive unit 22 includes an electric motor such as a servo motor, and drives at least one wheel 23. The wheel 23 rolls on the upper surface of the rails 92. The wheel 23 drivingly connected to the traveling drive unit 22 functions as a drive wheel. The guide wheels 24 roll on the inner surfaces of the rails 92. The traveling unit 2 travels along and on the rails 92 with the guide wheels 24 in contact with and guided by the inner surfaces of the rails 92.

[0013] In the following description, the direction along the extension direction of the rails 92, which is the direction in which the traveling section 2 travels, is referred to as the front-rear direction X of the transport vehicle 1. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction X and along the arrangement direction of the pair of rails 92 is referred to as the width direction Y of the transport vehicle 1. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y is referred to as the up-down direction Z. Note that these directions are directions based on the transport vehicle 1, and the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y may differ depending on the position of the transport vehicle 1 along the travel route when viewed from a fixed point within the facility.

[0014] The transfer mechanism 3 is disposed below the rail 92 and is connected to the traveling section 2. The transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding device 30, a lifting device 40, and a cover body 45. The transfer mechanism 3 of this embodiment further includes a fall restriction device 50 and a lateral sway suppression device 60.

[0015] The holding device 30 is a device for holding the container 7. The lifting device 40 is a device for raising and lowering the holding device 30. The lifting device 40 raises and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 2 and a lowered position shown by a solid line. The cover body 45 houses the lifting device 40 and the holding device 30 in the elevated position. The internal space of the cover body 45 is sealed on both sides in the front-rear direction X and is open on at least one side (both sides in this example) in the width direction Y.

[0016] The fall prevention device 50 is a device for preventing the container 7 from falling when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. The lateral vibration suppression device 60 is a device for suppressing the lateral vibration of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. As shown in FIG. 3 , the fall prevention device 50 and the lateral vibration suppression device 60 are provided near the lower end of the cover body 45.

[0017] In the transport vehicle 1, for example, the travel unit 2 travels to the position of the target processing device 94 with the holding device 30 holding the container 7, and the lifting device 40 lowers the holding device 30 to the lowered position as shown in Fig. 2, thereby transporting the container 7 to the target processing device 94. Note that Fig. 2 shows an example in which the container 7 is placed on a mounting table 95 arranged adjacent to the processing device 94, thereby supplying the container 7 to the target processing device 94. Furthermore, the transport vehicle 1 can carry out the container 7 from the processing device 94 after processing has been completed by performing the reverse operation to that described above.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the container 7, which is an object to be transported by the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment, includes a bottom plate 71, side walls 72, and an inclined top plate 73. These are integrally formed. The bottom plate 71 is a support plate provided at the lower end of the container 7 and is formed in a circular shape in this embodiment. The side walls 72 extend upward from the outer edge of the bottom plate 71 and are formed in a cylindrical shape with an opening 75 in this embodiment. The inclined top plate 73 is provided at the upper end of the side walls 72 and is formed in a circular shape similar to the bottom plate 71 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the inclined top plate 73 is provided non-parallel to the bottom plate 71, in other words, is inclined with respect to the bottom plate 71. The degree of inclination of the inclined top plate 73 with respect to the bottom plate 71 may be very slight, and the inclination angle may be, for example, 1° to 10°.

[0019] In this embodiment, a circumferential groove 71G is formed in the bottom plate 71. The circumferential groove 71G is recessed inward from the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71. In addition, in this embodiment, the circumferential groove 71G is formed continuously around the entire circumference with a constant width and a constant depth. A portion of the bottom plate 71 below the circumferential groove 71G protrudes radially outward compared to the bottom surface (the surface facing radially) of the circumferential groove 71G. In the following description, this portion will be referred to as a convex portion 71P to distinguish it from the outer surface 71a of the portion of the bottom plate 71 above the circumferential groove 71G and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72. In this embodiment, the convex portion 71P is formed continuously around the entire circumference depending on the formation mode of the circumferential groove 71G. In addition, the outer surface of the convex portion 71P is located on the same cylindrical surface as the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72.

[0020] In this embodiment, recesses 73E are formed on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73, recessed inward from the side wall 72. The recesses 73E are formed at two different circumferential positions on the inclined top plate 73 (specifically, at two positions diametrically opposite each other across the center of the container 7). The container 7 is supported from below by the recesses 73E on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73, supported by the support parts 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1. More specifically, the container 7 is supported from below by the pair of recesses 73E formed on the outer edge of the inclined top plate 73, supported by the pair of support parts 32 of the holding device 30 of the transport vehicle 1.

[0021] As described above, the container 7 of this embodiment has an opening 75 in the side wall 72. In this embodiment, the openings 75 include a front opening 75a formed on the front side and a rear opening 75b formed on the rear side. The front opening 75a has a wide opening, which is wider than at least the maximum width of the contents 8. The rear opening 75b has a narrower opening than the front opening 75a, which is narrower than the maximum width of the contents 8. In this embodiment, three rear openings 75b are formed side by side at a predetermined interval.

[0022] The objects 8 contained in the container 7 are taken in and out through the front opening 75a. That is, of the openings 75 formed in the side wall 72, the front opening 75a is an opening for taking in and out the objects 8. Examples of the objects 8 include semiconductor wafers and reticles. The container 7 is configured to be able to hold a plurality of objects 8 arranged one above the other. Furthermore, the container 7 of this embodiment does not have a lid for closing the opening 75, and an open cassette, for example, can be used.

[0023] Returning to the explanation of the transport vehicle 1, the holding device 30 constituting the transfer mechanism 3 includes a holding main body portion 31, a support portion 32, a holding drive portion 33, and a shielding member 36, as shown in Figures 6 to 8.

[0024] The holding body 31 is a base of the holding device 30. The holding body 31 supports the support part 32 and the shielding member 36 so that they can slide freely in the front-rear direction X. The holding body 31 also supports the holding drive part 33 in a fixed manner on its upper surface side.

[0025] The support parts 32 support the recessed parts 73E of the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of support parts 32 is provided so as to simultaneously support a pair of recessed parts 73E located at different circumferential positions on the inclined top plate 73. The pair of support parts 32 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X with a predetermined gap between them. The pair of support parts 32 are configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction X, and are driven by the holding drive part 33 to move toward each other in the front-rear direction X or move away from each other in the front-rear direction X.

[0026] The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 is configured to include, for example, a holding electric motor and a mechanism (for example, a ball screw mechanism) that converts the rotation of the holding electric motor into propulsion force in the front-rear direction X. The holding drive unit 33 moves the pair of support parts 32 in opposite directions to each other so as to move closer to each other in the front-rear direction X or move farther away from each other in the front-rear direction X. When the holding drive unit 33 includes a ball screw mechanism, the spiral direction of the screw shaft is formed to be opposite on one side and the other side in the front-rear direction X, so that the above-mentioned moving close to each other and moving farther away from each other can be achieved by using only a single holding electric motor.

[0027] The holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 closer to each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding posture in which they support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and hold the container 7. Furthermore, the holding drive unit 33 can move the pair of support parts 32 away from each other in the front-rear direction X to assume a holding release posture in which they are removed from the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73 and release the hold on the container 7. In this way, the holding drive unit 33 can change the posture of the pair of support parts 32 between the holding posture and the holding release posture.

[0028] The shielding members 36 partially cover the front opening 75a of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is holding the container 7. In this embodiment, a pair of shielding members 36 are provided to partially cover both sides of the front opening 75a of the container 7 in the front-rear direction X. The pair of shielding members 36 are configured to change their position between a closed position and an open position. Here, the closed position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 36 at least partially face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73. The open position is a position in which the pair of shielding members 36 do not face the front opening 75a when the pair of support parts 32 support the recessed part 73E of the inclined top plate 73.

[0029] In this embodiment, the shielding members 36 are integrally connected to the support brackets to which the support portions 32 are fixed. One of the pair of shielding members 36 is connected to one of the pair of support portions 32 via a first support bracket, and these are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The other of the pair of shielding members 36 is connected to the other of the pair of support portions 32 via a second support bracket, and these are movable in the front-rear direction X in conjunction with each other. The pair of shielding members 36 are configured to change in conjunction with changes in the posture of the pair of support portions 32, so that they change to a closed posture when the pair of support portions 32 change to a holding posture, and to a opened posture when the pair of support portions 32 change to a holding release posture. In the closed posture, the pair of shielding members 36 prevent the contained items 8 from slipping out of the container 7.

[0030] The lifting device 40 raises and lowers the holding device 30. As shown in FIG. 2 , the lifting device 40 includes a lifting main body 41, a lifting drive unit 42, and a wire 43. The lifting main body 41 is a base of the lifting device 40. The lifting main body 41 fixedly supports the lifting drive unit 42 on its upper surface. The lifting drive unit 42 includes, for example, an electric lifting motor and a winding unit that rotates integrally with the electric lifting motor. One end of the wire 43 is connected to the winding unit that constitutes the lifting drive unit 42, and the other end is connected to the holding device 30. The lifting device 40 raises and lowers the holding device 30 between an elevated position and a lowered position by driving the lifting drive unit 42 to wind or unwind the wire.

[0031] The fall prevention device 50 prevents the container 7 from falling when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the fall prevention device 50 includes a fall prevention member 51 and an advance / withdrawal drive unit 53.

[0032] The fall prevention member 51 is a member that is disposed below the bottom surface (the lower surface of the bottom plate 71) of the container 7 and prevents the container 7 from falling. When the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7, the fall prevention member 51 is disposed so that a portion of the fall prevention member 51 can overlap with the container 7 in a vertical view, as shown in the lower part of FIG.

[0033] The fall prevention member 51 of this embodiment includes a driven arm 51A, a parallel arm 51B, a first connecting arm 51C, and a second connecting arm 51D. The driven arm 51A is bent at an obtuse angle so as to have a long side portion and a short side portion when viewed in the vertical direction. The driven arm 51A is connected to a drive shaft 53B constituting the extension / retraction drive unit 53 at the bend at the boundary between the long side portion and the short side portion. The driven arm 51A is driven by the extension / retraction drive unit 53 and is rotatable within a predetermined angular range. The parallel arm 51B has the same shape as the driven arm 51A and is disposed parallel to the driven arm 51A at a different position in the width direction Y from the driven arm 51A. The parallel arm 51B is rotatably supported by the cover body 45 at the bend at the boundary between the long side portion and the short side portion.

[0034] The first connecting arm 51C is formed in a straight line when viewed in the vertical direction. The first connecting arm 51C connects one end (in this example, the tip ends of the long sides) of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B to each other so that the angle can be freely changed. The second connecting arm 51D is formed in the same shape as the first connecting arm 51C and connects the other end (in this example, the tip ends of the short sides) of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B to each other so that the angle can be freely changed. The first connecting arm 51C and the second connecting arm 51D are arranged parallel to each other.

[0035] The fall prevention member 51 is configured to change its position between a retracted position and a protruding position. Here, the retracted position is a position in which the fall prevention member 51 is retracted to a position where it does not overlap with the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in a vertical view, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, in the retracted position, the long sides of the driven arm 51A, the long sides of the parallel arms 51B, the first connecting arm 51C, and the second connecting arm 51D are all aligned along the width direction Y. The protruding position is a position in which the fall prevention member 51 protrudes to a position where it overlaps with the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in a vertical view, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, in the protruding position, the long sides of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arms 51B are aligned along the front-rear direction X, and the first connecting arm 51C and the second connecting arm 51D are aligned along the width direction Y. A portion of the first connecting arm 51C and a portion of the parallel arms 51B overlap with the container 7 in a vertical view.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 10 , the extension / retraction drive unit 53 includes an extension / retraction electric motor 53A and a drive shaft 53B connected to the extension / retraction electric motor 53A. The extension / retraction electric motor 53A rotates the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angular range, thereby rotating the driven arm 51A connected to the drive shaft 53B within the predetermined angular range. As the driven arm 51A rotates, the parallel arm 51B also rotates, and the first connecting arm 51C connected to the tip of the long side of each of the driven arm 51A and the parallel arm 51B extends and retracts in the front-to-rear direction X. As a result, the extension / retraction drive unit 53 changes the position of the fall prevention member 51 between a protruding position and a retracted position. When the fall prevention member 51 is in the protruding position and is about to fall for some reason, it catches the container 7 and prevents the container 7 from falling.

[0037] The lateral vibration suppression device 60 suppresses lateral vibration of the container 7 when the holding device 30 is in the raised position and holding the container 7. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the lateral vibration suppression device 60 includes a support mechanism 61, a contact roller 62, a support drive unit 63, and a brake 65.

[0038] The support mechanism 61 supports the contact roller 62. The support mechanism 61 of this embodiment has a rotating arm assembly 61A, a support bracket 61B, and an interlocking arm 61C. The rotating arm assembly 61A has a base-side arm 61Aa and a tip-side arm 61Ab. The tip-side arm 61Ab is rotatably connected to the base-side arm 61Aa at its base-side end and is arranged vertically stacked on top of the base-side arm 61Aa. The rotating arm assembly 61A is rotatably connected to a drive shaft 53B constituting the extension / retraction drive unit 53 at the base end of the base-side arm 61Aa. The rotating arm assembly 61A is integrally connected to a support bracket 61B at the tip end of the tip-side arm 61Ab. The contact roller 62 is rotatably supported by the support bracket 61B.

[0039] In this embodiment, a biasing member 61D is disposed between the base-end arm 61Aa and the tip-end arm 61Ab that constitute the rotating arm assembly 61A. The biasing member 61D is provided so as to apply a biasing force that tends to rotate the tip-end arm 61Ab relative to the base-end arm 61Aa. The biasing member 61D biases the tip-end arm 61Ab toward the container 7 held by the holding device 30.

[0040] The interlocking arm 61C is rotatably connected to the second connecting arm 51D and the rotating arm assembly 61A (specifically, the distal arm 61Ab) that constitute the fall prevention member 51. The interlocking arm 61C serves to rotate the rotating arm assembly 61A about the position of the drive shaft 53B as an axis in accordance with the movement of the second connecting arm 51D.

[0041] The contact roller 62 is rotatably supported by the support mechanism 61 (specifically, the support bracket 61B). The contact roller 62 is arranged so as to be able to abut against at least one of the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. In this embodiment, the contact roller 62 is arranged so as to be able to abut against the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. In this embodiment, the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 corresponds to the "container outer surface." As shown in FIG. 10 , when the contact roller 62 abuts against the outer surface 71a of the container 7, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 (specifically, the central axis of the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71). In addition, when the contact roller 62 is separated from the outer surface 71a of the container 7, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be non-parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7.

[0042] At least the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 is made of an elastic material. In this embodiment, a portion (donut-shaped portion) of the contact roller 62 that has a predetermined thickness on the radially outer side and includes the outer peripheral surface 62a is made of an elastic material. The specific material of the elastic member that makes up the contact roller 62 is not particularly limited, but rubber materials such as urethane rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, butyl rubber, and chloroprene rubber can be used.

[0043] The contact roller 62 is configured to change its position between a separated position and a contact position. Here, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 9 , the separated position is a position in which the contact roller 62 is separated from both the outer surface 71 a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72 a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30. In the separated position, the contact roller 62 is positioned closer to the cover body 45 in the front-rear direction X. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 9 , the contact position is a position in which the contact roller 62 is in contact with at least one of the outer surface 71 a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72 a of the side wall 72 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 (in this example, the outer surface 71 a of the bottom plate 71). In the contact position, the outer peripheral surface 62 a of the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71 a of the container 7 from the outside. Note that the outer peripheral surface 62 a of the contact roller 62 is a cylindrical surface parallel to the rotation axis 62 x of the contact roller 62.

[0044] In this embodiment, the support drive unit 63 is configured using the extension / withdrawal drive unit 53, a part of the fall restriction member 51, and a part of the support mechanism 61. Specifically, the support drive unit 63 is configured using the extension / withdrawal electric motor 53A, the drive shaft 53B, the driven arm 51A, the second connecting arm 51D, and the interlocking arm 61C.

[0045] As described above, the retraction electric motor 53A rotates the drive shaft 53B within a predetermined angular range, thereby rotating the driven arm 51A connected to the drive shaft 53B within the predetermined angular range. As the driven arm 51A rotates, the second connecting arm 51D, which is connected to the driven arm 51A so as to be freely angled, and the interlocking arm 61C, which is also connected to the driven arm 51A so as to be freely angled, are displaced. As the interlocking arm 61C displaces, the rotating arm assembly 61A, whose end opposite the contact roller 62 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 53B, swings around the position of the drive shaft 53B. As a result, the support drive unit 63 changes the position of the contact roller 62 between the contact position and the separated position.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, the extension / retraction drive unit 53 and the support drive unit 63 share the drive power source (i.e., the extension / retraction electric motor 53A) and part of the link mechanism (i.e., the driven arm 51A and the second connecting arm 51D). Therefore, the contact roller 62 changes its position between the separated position and the contact position in conjunction with the position change of the fall restraint member 51 between the retracted position and the protruding position. Specifically, the contact roller 62 is in the separated position when the fall restraint member 51 is in the retracted position, and is in the contact position when the fall restraint member 51 is in the protruding position.

[0047] As described above, the support mechanism 61 is provided with a biasing member 61D, and the action of this biasing member 61D biases the rotating arm assembly 61A (tip arm 61Ab) so as to approach the container 7 held by the holding device 30. As a result, the contact roller 62, which is rotatably supported on the support bracket 61B integrally connected to the rotating arm assembly 61A, is biased in the contact position so as to press against the outer surface 71a of the container 7. In the contact position, the contact roller 62 stably abuts against the outer surface 71a of the container 7 held in a suspended state, thereby suppressing lateral shaking of the container 7.

[0048] In this embodiment, the contact roller 62 does not have an outer peripheral surface 62a that is a cylindrical surface without any irregularities, but has a groove 62G that is recessed inward from the outer peripheral surface 62a, as shown in Fig. 10. The groove 62G is formed in an area of ​​the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 in the contact posture, which corresponds to the convex portion 71P of the container 7 held by the holding device 30. The groove 62G is formed to encompass the area of ​​the outer peripheral surface 62a of the contact roller 62 in the contact posture that is occupied by the convex portion 71P in the vertical direction Z. The groove 62G is also formed to extend continuously around the entire circumference. In this embodiment, the groove 62G is recessed in a V-shape from the outer peripheral surface 62a and has a triangular cross-sectional shape.

[0049] The brake 65 selectively restricts the rotation of the contact roller 62. For example, an electromagnetic brake can be used as the brake 65. The electromagnetic brake constituting the brake 65 may be an excitation-activated type or a non-excitation-activated type. The brake 65 is switched on and off depending on, for example, the traveling state of the transport vehicle 1. In this embodiment, depending on the position of the transport vehicle 1 on the travel path, for example, the brake 65 is deactivated when the transport vehicle 1 is traveling in a straight section, allowing the contact roller 62 to rotate freely, and the brake 65 is activated when the transport vehicle 1 is traveling in a curved section, stopping the rotation of the contact roller 62.

[0050] Other Embodiments (1) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the contact roller 62 is biased so as to press the contact roller 62 toward the outer surface 71a of the container 7 in the contact posture. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 does not have to be biased so as to press the contact roller 62 toward the outer surface 71a of the container 7 in the contact posture. In such a case, the biasing member 61D does not need to be provided, and the rotating arm assembly 61A may be integrated without being divided into the base-side arm 61Aa and the tip-side arm 61Ab.

[0051] (2) In the above embodiment, the contact roller 62 is made of an elastic material. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 may be made of a hard material.

[0052] (3) In the above embodiment, the groove 62G formed in the contact roller 62 has a triangular cross-sectional shape. However, the groove 62G is not limited to such a configuration, and may be formed to have various cross-sectional shapes, such as a rectangular, trapezoidal, semicircular, oval, or elliptical shape.

[0053] (4) In the above embodiment, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 when the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be non-parallel to the central axis 7x of the container 7 when the contact roller 62 is in contact with the outer surface 71a of the container 7. For example, the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 may be inclined at an angle of 10° or less with respect to the central axis 7x of the container 7. In this way, it is sufficient that the rotation axis 62x of the contact roller 62 is arranged along the central axis 7x of the container 7.

[0054] (5) In the above embodiment, the contact roller 62 contacts only the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 held by the holding device 30 in the raised position. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 may be provided so as to contact both the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71 and the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7. Alternatively, the contact roller 62 may be provided so as to contact only the outer surface 72a of the side wall 72 of the container 7.

[0055] (6) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which an electromagnetic brake is used as the brake 65 provided in the lateral vibration suppression device 60. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the brake 65 may be of another drive type, such as a mechanical brake or a hydraulic brake. Alternatively, the lateral vibration suppression device 60 may not be provided with the brake 65.

[0056] (7) In the above embodiment, the contact roller 62 changes its position between the separated position and the contact position in conjunction with the position change between the retracted position and the protruding position of the fall restraint member 51. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the contact roller 62 and the fall restraint member 51 may be driven separately and change their positions independently of each other.

[0057] (8) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the pair of shielding members 36 change their position between the closed position and the open position in conjunction with the position change between the holding position and the release position of the pair of support parts 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the pair of shielding members 36 and the pair of support parts 32 may be driven separately and change their position independently of each other.

[0058] (9) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 is described as having a shielding member 36 that partially covers the front opening 75a of the container 7. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the holding device 30 does not necessarily have to have the shielding member 36.

[0059] (10) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a pair of support portions 32 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction X has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in the width direction Y. Alternatively, a pair of support portions 32 may be arranged side by side in a direction intersecting both the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y.

[0060] (11) In the above embodiment, the holding drive unit 33 includes a holding electric motor and a mechanism that converts the rotation of the holding electric motor into a propulsive force in the forward / backward direction X. However, the holding drive unit 33 is not limited to such a configuration, and may include a mechanism that directly generates a propulsive force in the forward / backward direction X, such as a fluid pressure cylinder mechanism.

[0061] (12) In the above embodiment, the holding device 30 supports the recess 73E formed in the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 with a pair of support portions 32. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the inclined top plate 73 of the container 7 may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall 72 in a flange-like shape, and the holding device 30 may support the flange-like protrusion of the inclined top plate 73 with a pair of support portions 32. Alternatively, the side wall 72 of the container 7 may be provided with a handle-like protrusion at a different vertical position from the inclined top plate 73, and the holding device 30 may support the handle-like protrusion with a pair of support portions 32. The handle-like protrusion may be formed integrally with the side wall 72, or may be formed as a separate member from the side wall 72 and fixed to the side wall 72.

[0062] (13) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described as an example in which the portion of the bottom plate 71 of the container 7 below the circumferential groove 71G (the portion on the lowest end side of the container 7) is the convex portion 71P. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the convex portion 71P may be located, for example, in the middle of the container 7 in the vertical direction. In this case, for example, two circumferential grooves 71G may be provided at different positions in the vertical direction on the bottom plate 71 of the container 7, and the portion between these two circumferential grooves 71G may be the convex portion 71P.

[0063] (14) In the above embodiment, the configuration has been described as an example in which the outer surface of the convex portion 71P of the container 7 is located on the same cylindrical surface as the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the convex portion 71P of the container 7 may be formed, for example, in a flange shape so as to protrude outward beyond the outer surface 71a of the bottom plate 71.

[0064] (15) In the above embodiment, the convex portion 71P of the container 7 is formed continuously around the entire circumference. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the convex portion 71P may be formed intermittently in the circumferential direction. In this case, for example, a configuration in which multiple protrusions are arranged in the circumferential direction may be used.

[0065] (16) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the container 7 is an open cassette that does not have a lid that closes the opening 75. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a container 7 (such as a FOUP or a reticle pod) that has a lid that closes the opening 75 may also be used.

[0066] (17) The configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments (including the above-described embodiments and other embodiments; the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0067] Summary of the embodiment To summarize the above, a transport vehicle according to the present disclosure preferably has the following configurations. A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer surface of the contact roller that corresponds to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and protrudes outward compared to other adjacent portions at least on either the top or bottom.

[0068] According to this configuration, by providing a rotatable contact roller that contacts the outer surface of the container, it is possible to suppress lateral shaking of the suspended container during transport. In this case, if the outer surface of the container has a convex portion, there is a concern that the outer surface of the contact roller will come into contact with the convex portion and cause localized wear. However, since a continuous groove extending around the entire circumference is formed in the area corresponding to the convex portion, the contact roller does not come into contact with the convex portion of the container. Therefore, the amount of dust and other particles generated by wear of the contact roller can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to suppress lateral shaking of the suspended container, reduce wear of the contact roller due to contact with the container, and reduce the amount of dust and other particles generated.

[0069] In one embodiment, It is preferable that, when the contact roller is in contact with the outer surface of the container, the rotation axis of the contact roller is parallel to the central axis of the outer surface of the container.

[0070] With this configuration, the contact roller can rotate smoothly while in contact with the outer surface of the container, which also helps to reduce wear on the contact roller. Also, since the grooves of the contact roller and the convex portion of the container are positioned to face each other head-on, simply providing a groove of the minimum necessary size, just slightly larger than the convex portion, can appropriately reduce wear on the contact roller.

[0071] In one embodiment, The lateral vibration suppression device is a support mechanism for supporting the contact roller; a support drive unit that changes the position of the contact roller between a contact position in which the contact roller contacts the outer surface of the container and a spaced position in which the contact roller is spaced from the outer surface of the container, The support mechanism is preferably configured to bias the contact roller in the contact position toward the outer surface of the container.

[0072] This configuration makes it easy to start holding and release the container when the contact roller is in the separated position. Also, since the contact roller in the contact position is biased against the outer surface of the container, lateral shaking of the container can be effectively suppressed.

[0073] In one embodiment, a fall prevention member disposed below the bottom surface of the container to prevent the container from falling; a projection / retraction drive unit that changes the position of the fall prevention member between a protruding position in which the fall prevention member protrudes to a position that overlaps with the container when viewed in the up-down direction and a retracted position in which the fall prevention member retracts to a position that does not overlap with the container, It is preferable that the fall prevention member is configured to take the protruding position as the contact roller takes the contact position in response to a change in the position of the contact roller, and to take the retracted position as the contact roller takes the separated position.

[0074] With this configuration, even if the suspended hold of the container is accidentally released for some reason, the drop prevention member can catch the container and prevent it from falling. Also, by linking the positional change of the drop prevention member between the protruding position and the retracted position with the positional change of the contact roller between the abutting position and the separated position, it is possible to suppress lateral shaking of the container and prevent the container from falling in the unlikely event of an accident, with a relatively simple configuration.

[0075] In one embodiment, It is preferable that the outer circumferential surface of the contact roller is made of an elastic material.

[0076] With this configuration, the outer surface of the contact roller elastically contacts the outer surface of the container, effectively suppressing lateral shaking of the container. Although the outer surface of the contact roller is more susceptible to wear due to friction than when it is made of a highly rigid material, this is not a particular problem because the outer surface of the contact roller does not come into contact with the convex parts of the container due to the presence of the grooves.

[0077] In one embodiment, The lateral vibration suppressing device preferably includes a brake that selectively restricts rotation of the contact roller.

[0078] According to this configuration, the shaking of the container can be appropriately controlled by controlling the on / off of the brake depending on the traveling state of the transport vehicle, etc.

[0079] It is sufficient for the transport vehicle according to the present disclosure to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 transport vehicle 7 containers 7x center axis 30 Holding device 50 Fall prevention device 51 Fall prevention member 53 Ingress / egress drive unit 60 Rolling suppression device 61 Support mechanism 62 Contact roller 62a Outer surface 62G concave groove 62x rotation axis 63 Support drive unit 65 Brake 71 Bottom plate 71a Outer surface (outer surface of container) 71P convex part

Claims

1. A transport vehicle that transports a container in a suspended state, a lateral vibration suppression device that abuts against an outer surface of the suspended container to suppress lateral vibration of the container; The lateral vibration suppression device includes a contact roller that is rotatable in contact with the outer surface of the container, A transport vehicle in which a groove extending continuously around the entire circumference is formed in an area of ​​the outer surface of the contact roller corresponding to a convex portion, which is a portion that is distinct from the outer surface of the container and protrudes outward compared to other adjacent portions at least on either the top or bottom.

2. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation axis of the contact roller is parallel to the central axis of the outer surface of the container when the contact roller is in contact with the outer surface of the container.

3. The lateral vibration suppression device is a support mechanism for supporting the contact roller; a support drive unit that changes the position of the contact roller between a contact position in which the contact roller contacts the outer surface of the container and a spaced position in which the contact roller is spaced from the outer surface of the container, The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism is configured to bias the contact roller in the contact position so as to press the contact roller against the outer surface of the container.

4. a fall prevention member disposed below the bottom surface of the container to prevent the container from falling; a projection / retraction drive unit that changes the position of the fall prevention member between a protruding position in which the fall prevention member protrudes to a position that overlaps with the container when viewed in the up-down direction and a retracted position in which the fall prevention member retracts to a position that does not overlap with the container, The transport vehicle described in claim 3, wherein the fall prevention member is configured to take the protruding position as the contact roller takes the contact position and to take the retracted position as the contact roller takes the separated position in conjunction with a change in the position of the contact roller.

5. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the outer peripheral surface of the contact roller is made of an elastic material.

6. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral vibration suppressing device includes a brake that selectively restricts rotation of the contact roller.

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