Transport vehicle

Abstract

To shorten the time required for adjusting the movable range of a guide roller.SOLUTION: A conveying vehicle (1) travels along a track (2) having a pair of traveling rails (21) and an upper guide rail (22) arranged above a specific location of the pair of traveling rails (21). The conveying vehicle (1) has wheels (13) that roll on the pair of traveling rails (21), guide rollers (17) that roll in contact with either the left or right side of the upper guide rail (22), a switching mechanism (18) that switches the position at which the guide rollers (17) contact the upper guide rail (22) depending on a specific location on the track (2), and a movement restriction unit (19) that restricts the left-right movement of the guide rollers (17). The movement restricting unit (19) has a structure that allows the position at which the movement of the guide roller (17) is restricted to be changed at a plurality of points.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guided vehicle that travels on a track. [Background technology]

[0002] Transport vehicles such as OHT (Over Head Hoist Transport) and OHS (Over Head Shuttle) are devices that transport objects to a predetermined location using a carriage that runs on a track suspended from the ceiling, and are suitably used in fields such as semiconductor manufacturing and liquid crystal manufacturing. Such carriages run on wheels that roll on a pair of left and right running rails that make up the track.

[0003] At points where the tracks branch off and merge, one of the pair of running rails is interrupted depending on the direction of travel, and only one of the bogie's wheels rolls on the running rail. With only one wheel, it is difficult to maintain the position of the bogie. Also, because the wheels are not restricted to move along the running rail, at points where the running rail is curved, the bogie will try to move straight and will go off the running rail.

[0004] For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in the above-mentioned locations, the carriage runs while also being supported by an upper guide rail provided above the running rail as an auxiliary track. The carriage is provided with guide rollers supported by the upper guide rail, and the position at which the guide rollers are supported by the upper guide rail can be switched between left and right as needed.

[0005] However, because transport vehicles vary from vehicle to vehicle, the range of movement of the guide rollers required to change the position where they are supported by the upper guide rail varies. Furthermore, as the wheels of a transport vehicle wear, the relative position of the wheels and the upper guide rail gradually changes, which can cause the transport vehicle to lose its horizontal position where the upper guide rail is present. In such cases, if the position where the guide rollers are supported by the upper guide rail deviates significantly from the specified position, the transport vehicle tilts significantly. As a result, the behavior of the transport vehicle becomes unstable at the boundary between the area where the upper guide rail is present and the area where it is not. Specifically, if the transport vehicle tilts at the area where the upper guide rail is present and one of its wheels is lifted off the running rail, when the transport vehicle 1 moves to an area where the upper guide rail is not present, the transport vehicle 1 will no longer be supported by the upper guide rail. As a result, the lifted wheel falls onto the running rail, causing impacts and large vibrations to the transport vehicle.

[0006] Conventionally, the movable range has been adjusted to keep the variation in the movable range within an acceptable range or to optimize the variation depending on the wear state of the wheel. For example, the movable range is adjusted by inserting or removing a plate member of a predetermined thickness as a shim at a position that defines the movable range of the guide roller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-090933 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] To adjust the range of motion as described above, the carrier vehicle is placed on a jig that mimics the track, and the plate member is inserted or removed while checking the amount of wheel lift from the running rail with the guide rollers supported by the upper guide rail. This has the disadvantage of taking a long time to perform the work.

[0009] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to reduce the time required for adjusting the movable range of a guide roller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, a transport vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention is a transport vehicle that travels along a track having a pair of running rails and at least one guide rail arranged above a specific location on the pair of running rails, and is equipped with wheels that roll on each of the pair of running rails, guide rollers that roll in contact with either the left or right side of the guide rails, a switching mechanism that switches the position at which the guide roller contacts the guide rail depending on the specific location on the track, and a movement regulating unit that regulates the left-right movement of the guide roller, and the movement regulating unit has a structure that allows the position at which the movement of the guide roller is regulated to be changed at multiple locations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the time required for adjusting the movable range of the guide roller is reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a transport system for transporting a transport vehicle having a switching mechanism according to first and second embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transport vehicle. [Figure 3] 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the upper part of the transport vehicle, with the guide rollers of the transport vehicle switched to a left position relative to the traveling direction of the transport vehicle. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the upper part of the transport vehicle, showing a state in which the guide roller is switched to a position on the right side relative to the traveling direction. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in a first state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]6 is a perspective view showing the structure of a support plate and a bolt in the switching mechanism of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in a second state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in a third state according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the structure of a bolt and a nut in a switching mechanism according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the bolt and the nut. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in the first state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in a second state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the switching mechanism in a third state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram for defining a step provided in a movement restricting portion of the switching mechanism according to the first and second embodiments. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] [Configuration of the transport system] A transport system having a transport vehicle 1 according to first and second embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a transport system that transports a transport vehicle 1 having a switching mechanism according to embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transport vehicle 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the upper part of the transport vehicle 1, showing a state in which the guide roller 17 in the transport vehicle 1 has been switched to a position on the left side relative to the traveling direction of the transport vehicle 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration of the upper part of the transport vehicle 1, showing a state in which the guide roller 17 has been switched to a position on the right side relative to the traveling direction.

[0015] 1, the transport system is installed so as to be suspended from a ceiling 100. The transport system includes a transport vehicle 1 and a track 2.

[0016] The track 2 is provided for the transport vehicle 1 to travel on, and includes a travel rail 21, an upper guide rail 22 (guide rail), a holding frame 23, and a hanging metal fitting 24.

[0017] A pair of traveling rails 21 are arranged parallel to each other on the travel path of the transport vehicle 1. The traveling rails 21 are provided below a plurality of holding frames 23 that are arranged at intervals on the travel path of the transport vehicle 1. The holding frames 23 are supported by a plurality of hanging fittings 24 so as to be suspended from the ceiling 100.

[0018] The upper guide rail 22 is disposed above a location (specific location) where one of the traveling rails 21 is absent and a location (specific location) where the track 2 curves at the junction and branching points of the track 2. The upper guide rail 22 supports the transport vehicle 1 from above the transport vehicle 1 and guides its movement along the track 2. The upper guide rail 22 is attached to the lower end surfaces at the top of multiple holding frames 23, and has a left side surface 22a (side surface) and a right side surface 22b (side surface) at the portion that hangs down so as to abut against a guide roller 17 (described later). The left side surface 22a is the side surface on the left side relative to the traveling direction of the transport vehicle 1, and the right side surface 22b is the side surface on the right side relative to the traveling direction.

[0019] Note that Figure 1 shows a specific location where the upper guide rail 22 exists and the right-hand running rail 21 does not exist, but for convenience, the right-hand running rail 21 is included to show the relationship between the wheel 12 and the running rail 21.

[0020] The transport vehicle 1 transports a container (not shown) to a destination by traveling on traveling rails 21 in a transport direction. The container contains, for example, wafers, reticles, etc. used in semiconductor manufacturing. As also shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the transport vehicle 1 has a transport body 11, a drive unit 12, wheels 13, a support shaft 14, a horizontal support plate 15, side rollers 16, guide rollers 17, a switching mechanism 18, and a movement restriction unit 19.

[0021] The carrier 11 stores containers and has a transfer mechanism (not shown) disposed on the top. The carrier 11 has open sides on both sides so that containers can be taken in and out.

[0022] The drive unit 12 is a power source for driving the wheels 13, and is composed of a motor or the like. At least two drive units 12 are provided in the conveying direction, and each is attached so as to be rotatable on the upper surface of the conveyor 11. A pair of wheels 13 is arranged at positions where they can roll on the corresponding upper surface of the traveling rail 21.

[0023] The support shaft 14 is a shaft member that supports the conveyance body 11 so as to suspend it from the drive unit 12. The support shaft 140 is provided so as to connect the lower end surface of the drive unit 12 and the upper end surface of the conveyance body 11.

[0024] The horizontal support plate 15 is provided on the support shaft 14 and has a horizontal surface. The horizontal support plate 15 rotatably supports the side rollers 16 on the horizontal surface.

[0025] Two pairs of side rollers 16 are arranged on both sides of the support shaft 14 and come into contact with the side surfaces of the traveling rail 21. The side rollers 16 roll on the side surfaces to maintain the posture of the drive unit 12 within a specified range in the horizontal direction.

[0026] Guide roller 17 is a roller that rolls in contact with left side surface 22a or right side surface 22b of the hanging portion (hanging portion) of upper guide rail 22. Guide roller 17 can change its position relative to the hanging portion and come into contact with left side surface 22a or right side surface 22b of the hanging portion by sliding in the width direction of paired traveling rails 21 as shown by the arrow in Figure 1.

[0027] The guide rollers 17 come into contact with the left side surface 22a or the right side surface 22b on the side opposite to the side where no running rail 21 exists at the branching and merging sections of the track 2 described above. As a result, the guide rollers 17 maintain the horizontal posture of the transport vehicle 1 together with the running rail 21 present at the branching and merging sections. Furthermore, the guide rollers 17 come into contact with the left side surface 22a or the right side surface 22b on the side of the inner running rail 21, i.e., the running rail 21 with the smaller radius of curvature, at the curved section of the track 2 described above. As a result, the guide rollers 17 maintain the horizontal posture of the transport vehicle 1 together with the inner running rail 21.

[0028] The switching mechanism 18 is a mechanism that switches the position of the guide roller 17 by sliding it in the direction of movement of the guide roller 17, and is provided on the drive unit 12. The switching mechanism 18 has a frame 18a, a guide plate 18b, a carrier 18c, and a protrusion 18d.

[0029] Frame 18a is fixed to the upper surface of drive unit 12 and supports guide plate 18b, carrier 18c, and protrusion 18d. Guide plate 18b is a plate-shaped member that guides the left-right movement of guide roller 17. Carrier 18c supports guide roller 17 thereon and is a movable body that moves along guide plate 18b. Protrusion 18d is a member that provides a gap between carrier 18c and movement restriction unit 19 so that carrier 18c does not come into contact with movement restriction unit 19.

[0030] Although not shown, the switching mechanism 18 also has a drive mechanism such as a motor and a ball screw for driving the carrier 18c. The drive mechanism can drive the carrier 18c to slide left and right. As shown in FIG. 3, when the guide roller 17 moves leftward, the guide roller 17 comes into contact with the left side surface 22a. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the guide roller 17 moves rightward, the guide roller 17 comes into contact with the right side surface 22b.

[0031] A pair of movement restricting portions 19 are provided to restrict the left-right movement of guide roller 17, and are disposed at the left and right ends of frame 18a, respectively. Movement restricting portions 19 are disposed across almost the entire width of frame 18a along the traveling direction so as to extend in the traveling direction.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 3, when carrier 18c has moved to the left, protrusion 18d of left-side movement restricting portion 19 abuts against the inner surface of left-side movement restricting portion 19, thereby restricting leftward movement of carrier 18c. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, when carrier 18c has moved to the right, protrusion 18d of right-side movement restricting portion 19 abuts against the inner surface of right-side movement restricting portion 19, thereby restricting rightward movement of carrier 18c. Movement restricting portion 19 has a structure that allows the position at which movement of guide roller 17 is restricted to be changed at multiple locations. This structure will be described in the following embodiments 1 and 2.

[0033] Although one upper guide rail 22 is provided at the specific location as described above, multiple upper guide rails 22 may be provided at the specific location. Also, although two guide rollers 17 are provided as a set, the number of sets may correspond to the number of upper guide rails 22. This also applies to the first and second embodiments described below.

[0034] [Embodiment 1] The switching mechanism 18 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a first state. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the structures of support plate 191 and bolt 192 in switching mechanism 18. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a second state. Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a third state.

[0036] 5, the switching mechanism 18 is provided with a movement restricting portion 19A as the movement restricting portion 19. The movement restricting portion 19A has a pair of support plates 191 (support bodies), a bolt 192, a first nut 193A, a second nut 193B, and a nut 194.

[0037] The support plates 191 are disposed near the left and right ends of the frame 18a, respectively, on the left and right sides of the guide roller 17. The support plate 191 is disposed across almost the entire width of the frame 18a along the traveling direction so as to extend in the traveling direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the support plate 191 is a plate-shaped member and has notches 191a on both ends. For convenience, the first nut 193A, the second nut 193B, and the nut 194 are not shown in FIG. 6.

[0038] The bolt 192 has a head 192a, a shaft 192b, and abutment portion 192c. The head 192a is provided at one end of the shaft 192b. The shaft 192b is a threaded shaft. The abutment portion 192c is provided at the other end of the shaft 192b and is formed in a disk shape. Since the protrusion 18d of the switching mechanism 18 abuts against the abutment portion 192c, a cushioning material is attached to the abutment surface to absorb impacts at the time of abutment. For example, urethane resin is used as the cushioning material.

[0039] Bolt 192 is arranged so that shaft portion 192b is located within notch 191a of support plate 191. Bolt 192 is arranged so that both ends are located on either side of support plate 191. Bolt 192 is fixed by first nut 193A, second nut 193B, nut 194, and head portion 192a at a position where abutment portion 192c faces protrusion 18d.

[0040] First nut 193A, second nut 193B, and nut 194 are fitted onto shaft portion 192b of bolt 192. First nut 193A and second nut 193B are disposed between the surface of support plate 191 facing guide roller 17 (inner surface) and face abutment portion 192c, and function as a double nut to increase the fastening force. Nut 194 is disposed between the surface of support plate 191 opposite the inner surface (outer surface) and head 192a.

[0041] 5, 7, and 8, bolt 192 is arranged so that its tip, which has abutment portion 192c, is positioned on the side of guide roller 17. Bolt 192 is supported on support plate 191 by first nut 193A, second nut 193B, and nut 194 or the head thereof sandwiching support plate 191.

[0042] In the movement restricting section 19A configured as described above, the movable range of the guide roller 17 is adjusted with the guide roller 17 in a position where it contacts either the left side surface 22a or the right side surface 22b of the upper guide rail 22. For convenience, in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the guide roller 17 is depicted as being in the center (a state that is not the normal adjustment state). This also applies to Figures 11 to 13, which will be described later.

[0043] 5, the first nut 193A, the second nut 193B, and the nut 194 are sandwiched in a position where the first nut 193A and the abutting portion 192c are in close contact with each other. In this first state, the distance L1 between the outer surface of the support plate 191 and the abutting surface of the abutting portion 192c is the shortest. Therefore, the movable range of the guide roller 17 is set to the widest.

[0044] 7, the first nut 193A, the second nut 193B, and the nut 194 are sandwiched between the first nut 193A and the abutment portion 192c at a distance from each other. In this second state, the distance L2 between the outer surface of the support plate 191 and the abutment surface of the abutment portion 192c is longer than the distance L1. Therefore, the movable range of the guide roller 17 is set narrower than in the first state.

[0045] 8, the first nut 193A, the second nut 193B, and the head 192a are clamped at a position where the first nut 193A is spaced the widest from the abutting portion 192c. In this third state, the nut 194 is not used, and the distance L3 between the outer surface of the support plate 191 and the abutting surface of the abutting portion 192c is the longest. Therefore, the movable range of the guide roller 17 is set to the narrowest.

[0046] As described above, according to the movement restricting unit 19A of the first embodiment, the position of the abutment portion 192c provided at the tip of the bolt 192 can be adjusted steplessly, not just between the first to third states, by adjusting the position at which the bolt 192 is supported by the support plate 191. This simplifies the adjustment of the movable range of the guide roller 17. Therefore, the time required to adjust the movable range can be significantly reduced compared to conventional methods for adjusting the movable range.

[0047] The work is performed with the guide roller 17 in a position where it contacts either the left side surface 22a or the right side surface 22b of the upper guide rail 22. Therefore, the adjustment work can be performed on the movement restriction part 19A on the side where the guide roller 17 is located.

[0048] Next, a description will be given of a modified example of embodiment 1. Fig. 9 is a side view showing the structure of a bolt 195 and a nut 196 in a switching mechanism 18 according to this modified example. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of the bolt 195 and the nut 196.

[0049] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the movement restriction section 19A provided in the switching mechanism 18 of this modified example has a bolt 195 instead of the bolt 192, and the first nut 193A, the second nut 193B and the nut 194 are all replaced with nuts 196.

[0050] Bolt 195 has head 195a and shaft 195b. Head 195a is provided at one end of shaft 195b. Shaft 195b is a screw shaft and has threads 195c. Thread 195c has a plurality of steps 195d (first steps) of a certain height H formed at certain intervals D. Although not shown, bolt 195 has a front end provided with an abutment portion equivalent to the above-mentioned abutment portion 192c.

[0051] Nut 196 has a screw hole 196a that fits onto shaft 195b of bolt 195. Screw hole 196a has a screw groove 196b. Screw groove 196b has a plurality of steps 196c (second steps) formed therein that match steps 195d. That is, steps 196c have a constant height H, like steps 195d, and are formed at constant intervals D.

[0052] According to the modified example configured as described above, the position of nut 196 on bolt 195 can be changed in stages at a position where step 195d of bolt 195 matches step 196c of nut 196. This allows the adjustment amount of the movable range of guide roller 17 to be adjusted in the specified minimum unit, that is, the height H of steps 195d, 196c.

[0053] Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, the double nut structure of the first nut 193A and the second nut 193B allows the bolt 192 to be firmly supported on the support plate 191. However, repeated impacts caused by switching of the guide rollers 17 while the transport vehicle 1 is traveling, vibrations during travel, and the like may loosen the first nut 193A and the second nut 193B, causing the fixed position of the bolt 192 to shift.

[0054] In contrast to this, according to the above-described modified example, the engagement between the step 195d of the bolt 195 and the step 196c of the nut 196 makes it difficult for the fixed position of the nut 196 on the bolt 195 to shift.

[0055] [Embodiment 2] A switching mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. For ease of explanation, members having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated.

[0056] Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a first state according to embodiment 2. Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a second state. Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the configuration of switching mechanism 18 in a third state.

[0057] 11, the switching mechanism 18 is provided with a movement restricting portion 19B as the movement restricting portion 19. The movement restricting portion 19B has a pair of support members 197, a pair of fixing members 198, and a pair of screws 199.

[0058] The support members 197 are disposed near the left and right ends of the frame 18a, respectively, on the left and right sides of the guide roller 17. The support members 197 are disposed so as to extend in the traveling direction across almost the entire width of the frame 18a in the traveling direction. The support plate 191 is a plate-shaped member and has a stepped surface 197a. The stepped surface 197a is formed on the side of the guide roller 17 and has a plurality of steps 197b (first steps). The steps 197b have a constant height H in the left-right direction and are formed at constant intervals D.

[0059] Fixing member 198 is a plate-shaped member and has step surface 198a that mates with step surface 197a of support member 197. Step surface 198a has a plurality of steps 198b (second steps). Like steps 197b, steps 198b have a constant height H in the left-right direction and are formed at a constant interval D so as to match steps 191b of support plate 191.

[0060] Fixing member 198 is detachably fixed to support member 197 in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction, i.e., in the traveling direction and the opposite direction, with steps 198b aligned with steps 197b at different positions. For this reason, fixing member 198 is provided with screw holes 198c at multiple locations spaced apart, into which screws 199 fit. Fixing member 198 is fixed to support member 197 by tightening screws 199 that pass through support member 197 into screw holes 198c.

[0061] Furthermore, the surface (inner surface) of the fixing member 198 opposite to the stepped surface 198a faces the guide roller 17 and is formed flat. Since the protruding portion 18d of the switching mechanism 18 abuts against this inner surface, a buffer material for absorbing impact at the time of abutment is attached at least to the portion where the protruding portion 18d abuts. The buffer material is made of urethane resin, the same as the buffer material of the abutting portion 192c described above.

[0062] 11, fixed member 198 is fixed to support member 197 at a position where step 197b at the highest position of support member 197 and step 198b at the lowest position of fixed member 198 coincide with each other. In this first state, distance L1 between the surface of support member 197 opposite step surface 197a (outer surface) and the inner surface of fixed member 198 is the shortest. Therefore, the movable range of guide roller 17 is set to the widest.

[0063] 12, fixed member 198 is fixed to support member 197 at a position where step 197b at the highest position of support member 197 and step 198b at the second lowest position of fixed member 198 coincide with each other. In this second state, distance L2 between the outer surface of support member 197 and the inner surface of fixed member 198 is shorter than distance L1 by height H of steps 197b, 198b. Therefore, the movable range of guide roller 17 is set narrower than in the first state.

[0064] 13, fixed member 198 is fixed to support member 197 at a position where step 197b at the highest position of support member 197 and step 198b at the third lowest position of fixed member 198 coincide with each other. In this third state, distance L3 between the outer surface of support member 197 and the inner surface of fixed member 198 is shorter than distance L2 by height H of steps 197b, 198b. Therefore, the movable range of guide roller 17 is set narrower than in the second state.

[0065] As described above, according to the movement restricting unit 19B of the second embodiment, the position where the step 198b of the fixed member 198 coincides with the step 197b of the support member 197 is adjusted to one of the first to third states by moving the fixed member 198 in the forward direction and the opposite direction. This simplifies the adjustment of the movable range of the guide roller 17. Therefore, the time required to adjust the movable range can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional method of adjusting the movable range.

[0066] Of course, the number of steps 197b, 198b is not limited to the above example. This allows the adjustment of the movable range to be increased to four or more stages. Also, the movable ranges of the left and right movement restriction portions 19B can be adjusted separately.

[0067] [Provisions for steps] The definition of the steps in the switching mechanism 18 according to the first and second embodiments will be described with reference to Fig. 14. For ease of explanation, the same reference numerals are used to designate members having the same functions as those described in the first and second embodiments, and the description thereof will not be repeated. Fig. 14 is a diagram for defining the steps provided in the movement restriction portions 19A and 19B of the switching mechanism 18.

[0068] Here, we will explain how to specify the height H of the step 195d of the thread 195c of the bolt 195 and the step 196c of the thread groove 196b of the nut 196 in the modified example of embodiment 1, and the height H of the step 197b of the support member 197 and the step 198b of the fixing member 198 in embodiment 2.

[0069] As shown in Figure 1, when both wheels 13 are in contact with the running rail 21, the center of gravity of the transport vehicle 1 is at a lower position. From this state, even a slight deviation of the position of the guide roller 17 to the left or right will cause the entire transport vehicle 1 to tilt. For example, if the transport vehicle 1 tilts to the left and only the right wheel 13 moves off the running rail 21, the transport vehicle 1 will be supported by the contact point of the left wheel 13 with the running rail 21 and the contact point of the guide roller 17 with the upper guide rail 22. Ideally, the left and right wheels 13 should be horizontal with respect to the running rail surface, but if the amount of lift of the wheels 13 from the running rail 21 is within the allowable range ΔA, the transport vehicle can travel without any problems.

[0070] Here, the adjustment allowance ΔB of the left-right movable range of the guide roller 17 defined by the movement restriction portions 19A and 19B is expressed by the following equation according to the relationship ΔA:ΔB=L:T.

[0071] ΔB=ΔA(T / L) Here, as shown in Figure 14, L is the distance between a pair of wheels 13, and T is the distance between the position (center position) where the wheel 13 contacts the running rail 21 and the position (center position) where the guide roller 17 contacts the upper guide rail 22.

[0072] Moreover, the height H of the steps 195d, 196c and the steps 197b, 198b is set to be smaller than the adjustment allowance ΔB calculated by the above formula.

[0073] In this way, height H is smaller than adjustment allowance ΔB. Therefore, even if movement restricting portions 19A and 19B adjust the position at which movement of guide roller 17 is restricted by one step 195d, 196c and one step 197b, 198b, it is possible to prevent the position from being adjusted beyond adjustment allowance ΔB.

[0074] 〔summary〕 As described above, the transport vehicle according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a transport vehicle that travels along a track having a pair of running rails and at least one guide rail arranged above a specific location on the pair of running rails, and is equipped with wheels that roll on each of the pair of running rails, guide rollers that roll in contact with either the left or right side of the guide rails, a switching mechanism that switches the position at which the guide roller contacts the guide rail depending on the specific location on the track, and a movement regulating unit that regulates the left-right movement of the guide roller, and the movement regulating unit is structured so that the position at which it regulates the movement of the guide roller can be changed at multiple locations.

[0075] With the above configuration, the position that restricts the movement of the guide roller can be changed at multiple locations, eliminating the need to insert and remove plate members to adjust the position as in conventional technology. This simplifies the process of adjusting the movable range of the guide roller, thereby reducing the time required to adjust the movable range.

[0076] A transport vehicle according to aspect 2 of the present invention is the same as in aspect 1 above, except that the movement regulating section comprises a pair of supports arranged on the left and right sides of the guide roller, a bolt, and at least one nut fitted onto the bolt, and the bolt is arranged so that both ends are located on each of the two opposite sides of the pair of supports, and the bolt is supported on the supports by its head and one of the nuts clamping each of the pair of supports, or by two of the nuts clamping each of the pair of supports.

[0077] In the above configuration, the position that restricts the left-right movement of the guide roller can be adjusted by adjusting the end of the bolt on the guide roller side, for example, the position of the abutment portion 192c shown in FIG. 5. The position of the end of the bolt is adjusted by changing the position of the nut where the bolt is supported by the support. This makes it easy to adjust the movable range of the guide roller. This significantly reduces the time required to adjust the movable range.

[0078] A transport vehicle according to aspect 3 of the present invention is the same as aspect 2 above, in that the bolt has a screw thread formed with multiple first steps of a constant height at regular intervals, and the nut has a screw groove formed with multiple second steps that match the first steps.

[0079] With this configuration, the position of the nut on the bolt can be changed in stages at a position where the first step of the bolt and the second step of the nut coincide, thereby allowing the adjustment amount of the movable range to be adjusted in the specified minimum unit.

[0080] A transport vehicle according to aspect 4 of the present invention is the same as in aspect 1 above, wherein the movement regulating portion has a pair of support members arranged on the left and right sides of the guide roller, each having a first step of a fixed height in the left-right direction formed at a fixed interval, and a pair of fixing members having a second step of a fixed height in the left-right direction formed at a fixed interval and a second step of a fixed height in the left-right direction formed at a fixed interval, and a pair of fixing members removably fixed to the pair of support members with the second steps matching the first steps, and the position of the fixing members relative to the support members in the direction of travel of the transport vehicle can be changed, thereby making it possible to change the position of the second steps matching the first steps.

[0081] According to the above configuration, by appropriately changing the position of the fixed member in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction relative to the support member, the position at which the second step surface meets the first step surface can be changed in stages. This allows the position of the surface of the fixed member facing the guide roller to be changed in stages in the left-right direction. Therefore, the adjustment amount of the movable range can be adjusted in the specified minimum increments.

[0082] In a transport vehicle according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in the above-mentioned aspect 2 or 3, the adjustment tolerance of the left-right movable range of the guide roller defined by the movement regulating unit is calculated by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the distance between the position where the wheel contacts the pair of running rails and the position where the guide roller contacts the guide rails by the spacing between the wheels, by the tolerance range of the amount of lift of the wheel relative to the pair of running rails when the guide roller contacts the guide rail, and the first step and the second step are set to be smaller than the adjustment tolerance.

[0083] In the above configuration, since the first step and the second step are smaller than the adjustment allowable amount, even if the movement restricting section adjusts the position that restricts the movement of the guide roller by one first step and one second step, it is possible to prevent the position from being adjusted beyond the adjustment allowable amount.

[0084] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 transport vehicle 13 wheels 17 Guide roller 18 Switching mechanism 19, 19A, 19B Movement restriction section 21 Running rail 22 Upper guide rail (guide rail) 22a Left side (side) 22b Right side (side) 191 Support plate (support body) 192,195 volts 192a,195a Head 193A, 193B, 194, 196 Nut 195c thread 195d step (first step) 196b screw groove 196c Step (2nd step) 197 Support member 198 Fixing member 197 Support member 198 Fixing member 197b Step (1st step) 198b Step (2nd step)

Claims

1. A transport vehicle that travels along a track having a pair of traveling rails and at least one guide rail arranged above a specific location of the pair of traveling rails, wheels that roll on the pair of running rails; a guide roller that rolls in contact with either the left or right side surface of the guide rail; a switching mechanism that switches the position of the guide roller that contacts the guide rail in accordance with the specific location on the track; a movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the guide roller in the left-right direction, The movement restriction portion is a pair of support structures disposed on the left and right sides of the guide roller; A transport vehicle having a regulating member that includes a regulating portion that determines a position at which the movement of the guide roller is regulated, is supported by the support structure, and the position at which it is supported by the support structure can be changed so that the position of the regulating portion can be changed at multiple locations.

2. A transport vehicle that travels along a track having a pair of running rails and at least one guide rail arranged above a specific location on the pair of running rails, wheels that roll on the pair of running rails; a guide roller that rolls in contact with either the left or right side surface of the guide rail; a switching mechanism that switches the position of the guide roller that contacts the guide rail in accordance with the specific location on the track; a movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the guide roller in the left-right direction, The movement restricting portion has a structure that allows the position at which the movement of the guide roller is restricted to be changed at a plurality of locations, and further a pair of supports disposed on the left and right sides of the guide roller; Bolt and At least one nut fitted onto the bolt; The bolt is positioned so that both ends are located on each of the two opposite sides of the pair of supports, and the bolt's head and one of the nuts clamp each of the pair of supports, or the bolt is supported on the supports by two of the nuts clamping each of the pair of supports.

3. The bolt has a plurality of threads formed such that first steps of a constant height are spaced at regular intervals, The transport vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the nut has a thread groove in which a plurality of second steps that match the first steps are formed.

4. A transport vehicle that travels along a track having a pair of running rails and at least one guide rail arranged above a specific location on the pair of running rails, wheels that roll on the pair of running rails; a guide roller that rolls in contact with either the left or right side surface of the guide rail; a switching mechanism that switches the position of the guide roller that contacts the guide rail in accordance with the specific location on the track; a movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the guide roller in the left-right direction, The movement restricting portion has a structure that allows the position at which the movement of the guide roller is restricted to be changed at a plurality of locations, and further a pair of support members each having a first step of a predetermined height in the left-right direction, the first step being formed at a predetermined interval, and disposed on the left and right sides of the guide roller; a pair of fixing members each having a plurality of second steps formed to match the first steps, the fixing members being detachably fixed to the pair of support members in a state in which the second steps match the first steps; and A transport vehicle in which the position of the fixing member relative to the support member in the traveling direction of the transport vehicle is changeable, thereby changing the position of the second step that matches the first step.

5. the adjustment allowance of the left-right movable range of the guide roller defined by the movement restricting portion is calculated by dividing the distance between the position where the wheel contacts the pair of running rails and the position where the guide roller contacts the guide rails by the spacing between the wheels, and multiplying this value by the allowable range of the amount of lift of the wheel relative to the pair of running rails when the guide roller contacts the guide rails, The transport vehicle according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the first step and the second step are set to be smaller than the adjustment allowance.

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