Conveying Equipment

Abstract

To realize a technology that can ease the restrictions on a configuration of a conveying facility due to the temperature environment in which articles are conveyed.SOLUTION: A conveying facility 100 includes a specified temperature area A1 in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature. A conveying device 10 includes a moving unit 11 and a holding unit 13 that holds an article 2. A movement trajectory of the moving unit 11 is provided in an upper area A2 adjacent to an upper side V1 with respect to the specified temperature area A1. The movement trajectory of the holding unit 13 and the article 2 held in the holding unit 13 as a result of the movement of the moving unit 11 is provided in the specified temperature area A1. A heat shielding unit is provided to regulate the transfer of heat between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2 while allowing the movement of the conveying device 10 along a movement path 4 at an inter-area boundary B, which is the boundary between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyance facility including a rail and a conveyance device that moves along a movement path formed by the rail to convey an article. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of the transport equipment is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46-18177 (Patent Document 1). In the following description of this background art, the reference numerals in Patent Document 1 will be cited in parentheses. The transport facility in Patent Document 1 includes a suspended conveyor device that transports fish (18) along a path formed by rails (3). This transport facility is configured to transport fish (18) in a freezing chamber (1) for quick freezing the fish (18), and the suspended conveyor device uses a conveyor chain (16) equipped with an anti-icing device (26), thereby eliminating the adverse effects of freezing even in an extremely low-temperature environment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 46-18177 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, the conveying equipment of Patent Document 1 requires a conveying device configured to withstand extremely low temperatures in order to transport items at extremely low temperatures (a suspended conveying device equipped with a conveyor chain with an anti-icing device in Patent Document 1). In this way, when the configuration of the conveying device that transports items is restricted by the temperature environment in which the items are transported (an extremely low temperature environment in Patent Document 1), the cost of the conveying device is likely to increase. In addition, conveying devices that can be used in the conveying equipment are likely to be limited to specific types of conveying devices, such as conveying devices whose design can be modified to suit the temperature environment in which the items are transported.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a technology that can alleviate the constraints on the configuration of the conveying device that are imposed by the temperature environment in which the article is conveyed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The conveying equipment according to the present disclosure is a conveying equipment including a rail and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rail to convey an item, and further includes a specified temperature area in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature, the conveying device including a moving section that is guided by the rail to move along the moving path, and a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being disposed below the moving section and holds the item, the area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area is defined as an upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving section is disposed in the upper area, and the movement trajectory of the holding section and the item held in the holding section as the moving section moves is disposed in the specified temperature area, the specified temperature area is an internal space filled with gas, a boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area, which is a boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area, for restricting heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing movement of the transport device along the movement path; and restricting the flow of gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area. , a heat shield is provided. Another characteristic configuration of a conveying facility is a conveying facility including rails and a conveying device that moves along a movement path formed by the rails to convey an item, the conveying facility further including a specified temperature area in which an internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a first specified temperature, a work area in which workers work on the item, and a storage area in which an internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a second specified temperature and in which the item is stored, the conveying facility including a moving unit that is guided by the rails to move along the movement path, and a holding unit that is supported by the moving unit while being disposed below the moving unit and holds the item, the area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area being defined as an upper area, and the movement trajectory of the moving unit is disposed in the upper area. The movement trajectory of the holding unit and the item held in the holding unit as the moving unit moves is arranged in the specified temperature area, and a heat-shielding unit is provided at the area boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area to regulate heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveying device to move along the movement path, and both the first specified temperature and the second specified temperature are lower than the ambient temperature of the work area or higher than the ambient temperature of the work area, the storage area is arranged adjacent to the lower side of the specified temperature area, and the work area is arranged horizontally adjacent to at least one of the specified temperature area, the upper area, and the storage area. Another characteristic configuration of a conveying equipment is a conveying equipment comprising rails and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rails to convey an item, and further comprising a specified temperature area in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature, the conveying device comprising: a moving section that is guided by the rails and moves along the moving path, a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being positioned below the moving section and holds the item, and a connecting section that connects the moving section and the holding section, the area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area is defined as the upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving section is located in the upper area, and the movement trajectory of the holding section and the item held in the holding section as the moving section moves is located in the specified temperature area, and a heat shield section is provided at the area boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area to restrict heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveying device to move along the moving path, and at least a portion of the connecting section in the vertical direction is formed of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than metal.

[0007] These According to this configuration, the items can be transported by the transport device while the moving part of the transport device is located in an upper area that is separate from the specified temperature area, while the items are placed in a specified temperature area where the ambient temperature is controlled to be the specified temperature. Here, since the upper area is an area where heat transfer between the upper area and the specified temperature area is restricted by the heat shield, the ambient temperature in the upper area can be made different from the ambient temperature in the specified temperature area. Therefore, compared to when the moving part of the transport device is also located in the specified temperature area, the constraints on the configuration of the transport device due to the temperature environment in which the items are transported can be alleviated.

[0008] Further features and advantages of the transport installation will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a part of a conveying facility according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of a heat shielding part [Figure 3] A diagram showing another example of a heat shield [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing yet another example of a heat shield portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an installation mode of a heat shielding part. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified example of an arrangement of areas in a transport facility; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the layout of each area in the transport facility; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a conveying facility will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the conveying facility 100 includes a rail 1 and a conveying device 10 that moves along a moving path 4 formed by the rail 1 to convey an article 2. As shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, the conveying facility 100 includes a plurality of conveying devices 10. Fig. 1 shows three conveying devices 10 lined up along the moving path 4. The rail 1 is supported by being suspended from the ceiling, for example.

[0011] The transport device 10 includes a moving unit 11 and a holding unit 13. The transport device 10 further includes a connecting unit 14.

[0012] The moving unit 11 moves along a moving path 4 while being guided by the rail 1. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the rail 1 is arranged in the horizontal direction (the left-right direction in the figure), and the moving unit 11 moves along the moving path 4 extending in the horizontal direction. Although not shown, the moving unit 11 has a guided part that is guided by the rail 1. The guided part is, for example, a roller that is guided in contact with the rail 1. In this embodiment, the moving unit 11 is supported and guided by the rail 1. That is, the moving unit 11 moves while being guided by the rail 1 while being supported by the rail 1. For example, a roller that rotates around an axis along the horizontal direction can be provided in the moving unit 11, and the roller is fitted into a groove formed in the rail 1 and supported and guided, thereby configuring the moving unit 11 to be supported and guided by the rail 1.

[0013] In this embodiment, the moving unit 11 is moved along the moving path 4 by another device. For example, the moving unit 11 is connected to a moving member (such as a belt or chain) that is driven to move parallel to the moving path 4, and is moved along the moving path 4 by the moving member. In this case, the moving unit 11 may be connected to the moving member or a carrier fixed to the moving member by hooking a claw or engaging a protrusion. Note that the moving unit 11 may also be moved along the moving path 4 by a driving force generated by a driving device (such as an electric motor) provided in the moving unit 11.

[0014] The holding unit 13 is supported by the moving unit 11 while being disposed on a lower side V2 relative to the moving unit 11. The holding unit 13 holds the item 2. Although the configuration of the holding unit 13 is not limited thereto, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the holding unit 13 is configured to hold the item 2 by wrapping it in a flexible bag. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the bag constituting the holding unit 13 is formed in a ring shape surrounding the item 2 to be held when viewed in a horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1) perpendicular to the movement direction of the moving unit 11. In this case, for example, the item 2 is inserted into or removed from the holding unit 13 through a side opening in the ring-shaped bag. Note that the bag may be configured to be able to change its position so that an opening is formed at the top, and the item 2 is inserted into or removed from the holding unit 13 through the opening. In addition, a fall prevention unit for preventing the item 2 from falling through the side opening may be provided integrally with the bag or as a separate member from the bag.

[0015] The connecting portion 14 connects the moving portion 11 and the holding portion 13. In this embodiment, the holding portion 13 is supported by being suspended from the moving portion 11 via the connecting portion 14. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the connecting portion 14 is formed to extend in the vertical direction V. An upper side V1 end of the connecting portion 14 is connected to the moving portion 11, and a lower side V2 end of the connecting portion 14 is connected to the holding portion 13. In this example, a hook 15 that is hooked onto an opening 12 formed in the moving portion 11 is provided at the upper side V1 end of the connecting portion 14, and a support portion 16 that supports the upper end of a bag that constitutes the holding portion 13 is provided at the lower side V2 end of the connecting portion 14.

[0016] In the conveying equipment 100 of this embodiment, the holding unit 13 is suspended and supported by the moving unit 11 as described above, which makes it easy to effectively utilize the space on the ceiling side (upper space). Also, in the conveying equipment 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the holding unit 13 is configured to hold the article 2 by wrapping it in a bag, which makes it easier to transport and store multiple articles 2 at a high density compared to when the articles 2 are contained in a case or container and transported.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer equipment 100 has a specified temperature area A1 in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to a specified temperature. The specified temperature may be a fixed value or a variable value that is changed depending on the operational state of the transfer equipment 100, etc. The same applies to a second specified temperature, which will be described later. The transfer equipment 100 further has an upper area A2, which is an area adjacent to the upper side V1 of the specified temperature area A1. Here, the boundary between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2 is referred to as an inter-area boundary B. In this embodiment, the inter-area boundary B is formed along a horizontal plane.

[0018] The upper area A2 may be configured so that the internal ambient temperature is controlled, or may not be configured so that the internal ambient temperature is not controlled. In either case, the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 will be different from the above-mentioned specified temperature. When considering the temperature distribution in the upper area A2, the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 may be, for example, the ambient temperature at the location in the upper area A2 where the moving unit 11 is disposed, or may be the average ambient temperature in the upper area A2. When the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 is controlled, the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 is controlled to be different from the above-mentioned specified temperature. On the other hand, when the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 is not controlled, the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 will be a temperature influenced by the ambient temperature in an area adjacent to the upper area A2 (such as the specified temperature area A1). For example, the ambient temperature of the upper area A2 is a temperature between the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1 and the ambient temperature of the area adjacent to the upper side V1 of the upper area A2 (an external area of ​​the building in which the conveying equipment 100 is installed or another area within the building).

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the movement trajectory of the moving unit 11 is located in the upper area A2. Meanwhile, the movement trajectories of the holding unit 13 and the item 2 held by the holding unit 13 as the moving unit 11 moves are located in the specified temperature area A1. Therefore, the movement trajectory of the upper V1 portion of the connecting unit 14 is located in the upper area A2, and the movement trajectory of the lower V2 portion of the connecting unit 14 is located in the specified temperature area A1. Note that the "movement trajectory" refers to the space in which the target object (for example, in the case of the movement trajectory of the moving unit 11, the moving unit 11) moves (i.e., the collection of movement trajectories of each part of the target object).

[0020] In this embodiment, the specified temperature, which is the control target for the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1, is set to a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2. In other words, the conveying equipment 100 is configured so that the ambient temperature of the upper area A2 is higher than the specified temperature. Specifically, in this embodiment, the specified temperature is set to a temperature below 0 degrees (for example, minus 25 degrees). Therefore, the temperature environment within the specified temperature area A1 to which the item 2 is conveyed is a frozen environment in which the item 2 can be conveyed in a frozen state. Although details are omitted, the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1 is controlled to the specified temperature by, for example, a refrigerator that cools and circulates the air inside the specified temperature area A1.

[0021] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the ambient temperature in the upper area A2 is higher than 0 degrees (for example, a temperature equal to or lower than 5 degrees but higher than 0 degrees). This makes it possible to place the moving part 11 in an environment with an ambient temperature different from that of the specified temperature area A1 (in this embodiment, an ambient temperature higher than that of the specified temperature area A1). Note that the conveying equipment 100 may be equipped with a heater that heats at least a part of the moving part 11 or a member or device that moves the moving part 11 (for example, the moving member such as the belt or chain described above and a device that drives it).

[0022] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, a heat shield 3 is provided at the inter-area boundary B (see FIG. 1) to restrict heat transfer between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2 while allowing movement of the transport device 10 along the movement path 4. By providing such a heat shield 3, it becomes easy to set the ambient temperatures in the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2 to desired temperatures. In order to improve the efficiency of controlling the ambient temperature in the specified temperature area A1, it is desirable to be able to restrict heat transfer between the moving unit 11 and the holding unit 13 via the connecting unit 14. From this perspective, it is preferable that at least a portion of the connecting unit 14 in the up-down direction V is made of a material (e.g., a resin material) having a lower thermal conductivity than metal.

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the heat shield 3 is equipped with a gas ejection device 20 that ejects gas G along the inter-area boundary B to form a laminar flow of gas G between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2. The gas ejection device 20 is configured, for example, to suck in and eject gas G within the specified temperature area A1. The laminar flow of gas G functions as an air curtain (or an air curtain if the gas G is air) that regulates the flow of gas between the specified temperature area A1 and the upper area A2. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the gas ejection device 20 forms a laminar flow of gas G that flows in a horizontal direction (hereinafter referred to as the "specific horizontal direction") perpendicular to the movement direction of the moving part 11. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 2, the partition wall 5 is arranged so that only one movement trajectory of the holding part 13 accompanying the movement of the moving part 11 is arranged in the space surrounded by the partition wall 5 on both sides in a specific horizontal direction (left and right direction in the figure), and the gas ejection device 20 forms a laminar flow of gas G that crosses the opening on the upper side V1 of the space in a specific horizontal direction.

[0024] Unlike the example shown in FIG. 2, the partition walls 5 may be provided so that multiple (two in the example shown in FIG. 3, which will be referred to later) movement trajectories of the holding unit 13 accompanying the movement of the moving unit 11 are arranged side by side in the specific horizontal direction in the space surrounded by the partition walls 5, and the gas jetting device 20 may form a laminar flow of gas G that crosses an opening on the upper side V1 of the space in the specific horizontal direction. Also, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the gas jetting device 20 includes a blowing unit 21 that blows out gas G and an inlet unit 22 that sucks in the gas G blown out from the blowing unit 21. However, the gas jetting device 20 may also be configured without the inlet unit 22. The laminar flow of gas G formed by the gas jetting device 20 may be a single-layer laminar flow or a multi-layer (e.g., two-layer) laminar flow. The gas jetting device 20 may also be configured to form laminar flows of gas G that face each other.

[0025] 3, the heat shielding section 3 is a wall provided along the inter-area boundary section B, and includes a heat shielding wall 30 in which a slit 31 penetrating the connecting section 14 in the vertical direction V is formed along the movement trajectory of the connecting section 14 accompanying the movement of the moving section 11. The heat shielding wall 30 is formed, for example, from a material (for example, a resin material) having a lower thermal conductivity than metal.

[0026] The width of the slit 31 in the specific horizontal direction (left-right direction in the drawing) is larger than the width of the connecting portion 14 in the specific horizontal direction. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the width of the slit 31 in the specific horizontal direction is smaller than the width of the holding portion 13 in the specific horizontal direction. Also, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the partition wall 5 is provided so that multiple (two in this example) movement trajectories of the holding portion 13 accompanying the movement of the moving portion 11 are arranged side by side in the specific horizontal direction in the space surrounded by the partition wall 5, and the heat insulating wall 30 is arranged to cover the opening of the upper side V1 of the space except for the formation portion of the slit 31. In this embodiment, the width of the slit 31 in the specific horizontal direction is set to include only one movement trajectory of the connecting portion 14 accompanying the movement of the moving portion 11. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 3, two slits 31 arranged side by side in the specific horizontal direction are formed in the heat insulating wall 30.

[0027] Unlike the example shown in Fig. 3, the partition walls 5 may be provided so that only one movement locus of the holding unit 13 accompanying the movement of the moving unit 11 is arranged in a space surrounded by the partition walls 5 on both sides in a specific horizontal direction (left and right direction in the figure), and the heat insulating wall 30 may be arranged to cover the opening on the upper side V1 of the space except for the portion where the slit 31 is formed. The example shown in Fig. 4 combines such a configuration with a gas ejection device 20. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 4, the heat insulating unit 3 includes the gas ejection device 20 and the heat insulating wall 30. The gas ejection device 20 forms a laminar flow of gas G that crosses the opening on the upper side V1 of the slit 31 in the specific horizontal direction.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates a portion of the movement path 4, the movement path 4 may include a straight section 41 where the path extends in a straight line, and a non-straight section 42 that is not the straight section 41. The non-straight section 42 includes, for example, at least one of a curved section (curve section) where the path extends in a curved line, a branching section where the path branches, and a merging section where the path merges. In Fig. 5, the movement direction of the movement unit 11 on the movement path 4 is indicated by an arrow M.

[0029] 5 is a combined section of a merging section and a branching section. Specifically, in the merging section included in this non-linear section 42, a path extending linearly from a linear section 41 and a path extending curvedly from another linear section 41 merge together. In addition, in the branching section included in this non-linear section 42, the path branches into a path extending linearly to the linear section 41 and a path extending curvedly to another linear section 41.

[0030] When the movement path 4 has a linear section 41 and a non-linear section 42, for example, the heat shield 3 can be configured to have a heat shield wall 30 in the linear section 41 and a gas ejection device 20 in at least a part of the non-linear section 42. Here, when the heat shield 3 "has a heat shield wall 30," it means that the heat shield 3 has at least the heat shield wall 30, and the heat shield 3 may have the gas ejection device 20 in addition to the heat shield wall 30. Furthermore, when the heat shield 3 "has a gas ejection device 20," it means that the heat shield 3 has at least the gas ejection device 20, and the heat shield 3 may have the heat shield wall 30 in addition to the gas ejection device 20.

[0031] As described above, in a configuration in which the heat shielding section 3 is provided with a gas ejection device 20 in at least a portion of the non-linear section 42, for example, the heat shielding section 3 can be provided with a heat shielding wall 30 in the curved section of the non-linear section 42 with a constant curvature, and with a gas ejection device 20 in sections other than the curved section of the non-linear section 42 with a constant curvature (i.e., only in a portion of the non-linear section 42).

[0032] 5, the heat shield 3 includes only the heat shield wall 30 with the slit 31 formed in the linear section 41, and only the gas ejection device 20 in the non-linear section 42. As described above, in this embodiment, the width of the slit 31 (the width in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the moving section 11) is set so as to include only one movement locus of the connecting section 14 accompanying the movement of the moving section 11. Therefore, the opening formed in the non-linear section 42 in FIG. 5 does not correspond to the slit 31.

[0033] 5, the heat shield 3 (for example, at least one of the gas ejection device 20 and the heat shield wall 30) may be provided only in the straight section 41, and the heat shield 3 may not be provided in the non-straight section 42. Alternatively, the heat shield 3 may be provided only in the straight section 41 and a part of the non-straight section 42 (for example, a curved section with a constant curvature), and the heat shield 3 may not be provided in the remaining part of the non-straight section 42 (for example, a curved section with an inconstant curvature, a branching section, and a merging section).

[0034] As shown in simplified form in Figures 6 and 7, the conveying equipment 100 may include a work area A3 and a storage area A4 in addition to a specified temperature area A1 and an upper area A2. Here, the work area A3 is an area where workers work on the items 2. Furthermore, the above-mentioned specified temperature is set as a first specified temperature, and the storage area A4 is an area where the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a second specified temperature and where the items 2 are stored. The second specified temperature may be the same as or different from the first specified temperature.

[0035] When the conveying equipment 100 includes a work area A3 and a storage area A4 in this way, the conveying equipment 10 can be configured so that the conveying of the item 2 between the work area A3 and the storage area A4 is performed using the conveying device 10. For example, the item 2 required for the work performed in the work area A3 (e.g., the item 2 specified in a shipping order) is conveyed from the storage area A4 to the work area A3 using the conveying device 10. Also, for example, the item 2 to be stored in the storage area A4 (e.g., the item 2 that has arrived at the work area A3) is conveyed from the work area A3 to the storage area A4 using the conveying device 10.

[0036] Both the first and second specified temperatures are set lower than the ambient temperature of the work area A3, or higher than the ambient temperature of the work area A3. As with the upper area A2, the internal ambient temperature of the work area A3 can be controlled or not controlled. When the ambient temperature of the work area A3 is controlled, the ambient temperature of the work area A3 is controlled to be different from the first and second specified temperatures. On the other hand, when the ambient temperature of the work area A3 is not controlled, the ambient temperature of the work area A3 is affected by the ambient temperature of the area adjacent to the work area A3. The ambient temperature of the work area A3 is set, for example, to be the same as (the same as or approximately the same as) the ambient temperature of the upper area A2.

[0037] In this embodiment, when both the first and second specified temperatures are set lower than the ambient temperature of the working area A3, both the first and second specified temperatures are set lower than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2. For example, the ambient temperatures of the upper area A2 and the working area A3 can both be higher than 0 degrees (for example, a temperature below 5 degrees but higher than 0 degrees), and the first and second specified temperatures can both be set to temperatures below 0 degrees (for example, minus 25 degrees). On the other hand, in this embodiment, when both the first and second specified temperatures are set higher than the ambient temperature of the working area A3, both the first and second specified temperatures are set higher than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2.

[0038] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the storage area A4 is arranged adjacent to the lower side V2 of the specified temperature area A1. For example, the specified temperature area A1 is arranged on the upper side V1 of the rack, and the storage area A4 is arranged on the lower side V2 of the rack. The work area A3 is arranged adjacent to at least one of the specified temperature area A1, the upper area A2, and the storage area A4 (in this example, all of them) in the horizontal direction H. In this way, by arranging the two areas, the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4, which are controlled to have a lower ambient temperature than the work area A3, adjacent to each other in the vertical direction V, or the two areas, the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4, which are controlled to have a higher ambient temperature than the work area A3, adjacent to each other in the vertical direction V, it is easier to improve the efficiency of controlling the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 (e.g., cooling efficiency or heating efficiency) compared to when the work area A3 or the upper area A2 is arranged between the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 in the vertical direction V.

[0039] 7, the storage area A4 is disposed adjacent to the specified temperature area A1 in the horizontal direction H. The work area A3 is disposed adjacent to the lower side V2 of at least one of the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 (in this example, both). For example, the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 are disposed on the upper side V1 of the stand, and the work area A3 is disposed on the lower side V2 of the stand. In this way, by disposing the two areas, the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4, which are controlled to have a lower ambient temperature than the work area A3, adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction H, the control efficiency of the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 (for example, cooling efficiency or heating efficiency) can be improved more easily than when the work area A3 or the upper area A2 is disposed between the specified temperature area A1 and the storage area A4 in the horizontal direction H.

[0040] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the specified temperature (first specified temperature), which is the target for controlling the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1, is set to a temperature below 0 degrees. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the specified temperature (first specified temperature) may also be set to a temperature higher than 0 degrees (for example, a temperature below 10 degrees but higher than 0 degrees). In such a configuration, if the conveying equipment 100 includes a storage area A4 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), the second specified temperature, in addition to the first specified temperature, may also be set to a temperature higher than 0 degrees rather than a temperature below 0 degrees.

[0041] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the specified temperature (first specified temperature) that is the target for controlling the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area A1 is set to a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the specified temperature (first specified temperature) may also be set to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2 (for example, a temperature for drying the items 2). In such a configuration, if the conveying equipment 100 includes a storage area A4 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), the second specified temperature, in addition to the first specified temperature, may also be set to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2, rather than a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the upper area A2.

[0042] (3) Note that the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments (including combinations of embodiments described as 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 can be made as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] [Summary of the above embodiment] The following provides an overview of the above-described transport equipment.

[0044] A conveying facility comprising a rail and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rail to convey an item, the conveying facility further comprising a specified temperature area in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature, the conveying device comprising a moving section that is guided by the rail and moves along the moving path, and a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being positioned below the moving section and holds the item, the area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area being the upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving section being positioned in the upper area, the movement trajectory of the holding section and the item held in the holding section as the moving section moves being positioned in the specified temperature area, and a heat shielding section being provided at the area boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area to restrict heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveying device to move along the moving path.

[0045] According to this configuration, the items can be transported by the transport device while the moving part of the transport device is located in an upper area that is separate from the specified temperature area, while the items are placed in a specified temperature area where the ambient temperature is controlled to be the specified temperature. Here, since the upper area is an area where heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area is restricted by the heat shield, the ambient temperature in the upper area can be made different from the ambient temperature in the specified temperature area. Therefore, compared to when the moving part of the transport device is also located in the specified temperature area, the constraints on the configuration of the transport device due to the temperature environment in which the items are transported can be alleviated.

[0046] Preferably, the heat shield includes a gas ejection device that ejects gas along the boundary between the areas to form a laminar flow of the gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area.

[0047] According to this configuration, even without providing a physical wall at the boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area, the laminar gas flow formed by the gas ejection device can regulate the flow of gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area, thereby regulating the transfer of heat between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveyance device to convey items.

[0048] Furthermore, it is preferable that the conveying device includes a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, and the heat-shielding portion is a wall provided along the boundary portion between the areas, and includes a heat-shielding wall in which a slit through which the connecting portion penetrates in the vertical direction is formed along the movement trajectory of the connecting portion as the moving portion moves.

[0049] According to this configuration, a physical wall is provided at the boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area so as not to impede the movement of the connecting part, thereby restricting the flow of gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area, thereby restricting the transfer of heat between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveying device to convey items.

[0050] In the configuration in which the heat shielding portion is equipped with the gas ejection device as described above, it is preferable that the conveying device is equipped with a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, the heat shielding portion is a wall provided along the boundary portion between the areas, and the connecting portion has a heat shielding wall with a slit penetrating in the vertical direction that is formed along the movement trajectory of the connecting portion as the moving portion moves, the movement path is equipped with a straight section in which the path extends in a straight line and a non-linear section that is not the straight section, and the heat shielding portion is equipped with the heat shielding wall in the straight section and the gas ejection device in at least a part of the non-linear section.

[0051] Because the operation of the gas ejection device requires energy such as electricity, it is desirable to install a heat insulating wall in a location where the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat insulating wall is likely to be obtained, and to install a gas ejection device in a location where the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat insulating wall is likely to be limited, from the perspective of reducing the operating costs of the facility and from the perspective of ease of responding to situations where energy availability is limited, such as during a power outage. When the travel path includes straight sections and non-linear sections, in the straight sections, the area of ​​the opening formed by the slit (area when viewed from above and below, the same applies hereinafter) can be kept relatively small, making it easy to obtain the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat insulating wall. On the other hand, in the non-linear sections, especially in curved sections where the curvature is not constant or in sections where the paths branch or merge, the area of ​​the opening formed by the slit tends to be larger than in the straight sections, making it easy to limit the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat insulating wall. According to this configuration, by providing heat shielding walls in the straight sections and providing gas ejection devices in at least a portion of the non-linear sections, it is possible to realize a conveying facility in which, as described above, heat shielding walls are provided in locations where the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat shielding walls is likely to be obtained, and gas ejection devices are provided in locations where the heat transfer restriction effect of the heat shielding walls is likely to be limited.

[0052] In each of the above-described conveying equipment configurations, it is preferable that the conveying equipment further includes a work area where workers work on the items, and a storage area where the items are stored, with the specified temperature set as a first specified temperature and the internal ambient temperature controlled to be a second specified temperature, wherein both the first specified temperature and the second specified temperature are lower than the ambient temperature of the work area or higher than the ambient temperature of the work area, the storage area is positioned adjacent to the lower side of the specified temperature area, and the work area is positioned adjacent to at least one of the specified temperature area, the upper area, and the storage area in the horizontal direction.

[0053] According to this configuration, two areas, a specified temperature area and a storage area, whose ambient temperature is controlled to be lower than that of the work area, or a specified temperature area and a storage area, whose ambient temperature is controlled to be higher than that of the work area, can be arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. Therefore, it is easier to improve the efficiency of controlling the ambient temperature of the specified temperature area and the storage area (for example, cooling efficiency or heating efficiency) compared to when the work area or the upper area is arranged between the specified temperature area and the storage area.

[0054] Furthermore, it is preferable that the conveying device includes a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, and that at least a portion of the connecting portion in the vertical direction is formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than metal.

[0055] According to this configuration, heat transfer between the moving part and the holding part via the connecting part can be restricted, which makes it easier to improve the efficiency of controlling the ambient temperature in the specified temperature area.

[0056] The conveying equipment according to the present disclosure may have at least one of the above-described effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1: Rail 2: Goods 3: Heat shielding section 4: Travel route 10:Transportation device 11: Moving section 13: Holding part 14:Connection part 20: Gas ejection device 30: Heat shield wall 31: Slit 41: Straight section 42: Non-linear section 100:Transportation equipment A1: Specified temperature area A2: Upper area A3: Work area A4: Storage area B: Area boundary G: Gas H: Horizontal direction V: Up and down direction V1: Upper side V2: Bottom

Claims

1. A conveying facility including a rail and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rail to convey an article, Further, a specified temperature area is provided in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature, the conveying device includes a moving section that is guided by the rail and moves along the movement path, and a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being disposed below the moving section and holds the item, The area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area is defined as an upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving part is disposed in the upper area, a movement trajectory of the holding unit and the item held by the holding unit accompanying the movement of the moving unit is disposed in the specified temperature area; the specified temperature area is an internal space filled with gas, A conveying equipment in which a heat shield section is provided at the area boundary between the specified temperature area and the upper area to regulate the flow of gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing the conveying device to move along the movement path and regulating the transfer of heat between the specified temperature area and the upper area.

2. A conveying facility including a rail and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rail to convey an article, The storage facility further includes a specified temperature area in which an internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a first specified temperature, a work area in which a worker performs work on the item, and a storage area in which an internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a second specified temperature and in which the item is stored, the conveying device includes a moving section that is guided by the rail and moves along the movement path, and a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being disposed below the moving section and holds the item, The area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area is defined as an upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving part is disposed in the upper area, a movement trajectory of the holding unit and the item held by the holding unit accompanying the movement of the moving unit is disposed in the specified temperature area; a heat shielding portion is provided at an area boundary portion between the specified temperature area and the upper area, for restricting heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing movement of the transport device along the movement path; Both the first specified temperature and the second specified temperature are lower than the ambient temperature of the work area or higher than the ambient temperature of the work area, the storage area is disposed adjacent to and below the specified temperature area; The conveying equipment, wherein the work area is arranged adjacent to at least one of the specified temperature area, the upper area, and the storage area in the horizontal direction.

3. A conveying facility including a rail and a conveying device that moves along a moving path formed by the rail to convey an article, Further, a specified temperature area is provided in which the internal ambient temperature is controlled to be a specified temperature, the conveying device includes a moving section that is guided by the rail and moves along the moving path, a holding section that is supported by the moving section while being disposed below the moving section and that holds the item, and a connecting section that connects the moving section and the holding section, The area adjacent to the upper side of the specified temperature area is defined as an upper area, the movement trajectory of the moving part is disposed in the upper area, a movement trajectory of the holding unit and the item held by the holding unit accompanying the movement of the moving unit is disposed in the specified temperature area; a heat shielding portion is provided at an area boundary portion between the specified temperature area and the upper area, the heat shielding portion restricting heat transfer between the specified temperature area and the upper area while allowing movement of the transport device along the movement path; At least a portion of the connecting portion in the vertical direction is formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than metal.

4. 4. The conveying equipment according to claim 1, wherein the heat shielding section is provided with a gas ejection device that ejects gas along the boundary between the areas to form a laminar flow of the gas between the specified temperature area and the upper area.

5. the transport device includes a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, A conveying equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat shielding section is a wall provided along the boundary between the areas, and the heat shielding wall has a slit through which the connecting section penetrates in the vertical direction, formed along the movement trajectory of the connecting section as the moving section moves.

6. the transport device includes a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, the heat shielding portion is a wall provided along the boundary portion between the areas, and includes a heat shielding wall in which a slit, through which the connecting portion passes in the up-down direction, is formed along a movement trajectory of the connecting portion that accompanies movement of the moving portion, A horizontal direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving part is defined as a specific horizontal direction, The conveying facility according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the slit in the specific horizontal direction is smaller than the width of the holding portion in the specific horizontal direction.

7. the transport device includes a connecting portion that connects the moving portion and the holding portion, the heat shielding portion is a wall provided along the boundary portion between the areas, and includes a heat shielding wall having a slit through which the connecting portion passes in the up-down direction, the slit being formed along a movement trajectory of the connecting portion that accompanies movement of the moving portion, the movement path includes a linear section where the path extends in a straight line and a non-linear section that is not the linear section, The conveying facility according to claim 4 , wherein the heat shielding section includes the heat shielding wall in the linear section and the gas ejection device in at least a part of the non-linear section.

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