Lifting and conveying device

Abstract

This enables the realization of a lifting and lowering conveying device that simplifies the control of circulating the holding body. [Solution] The lifting and conveying device 100 comprises a plurality of holders 1 for holding objects to be conveyed, a circulation device for circulating the holders 1 along a circulation path CR having lifting sections, and a plurality of transfer sections 3 for transferring objects between the holders 1. The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member 21 arranged along the circulation path CR, and a guide mechanism 22 for guiding the transmission member 21 along the circulation path CR. The plurality of transfer sections 3 are arranged along the lifting sections. The plurality of holders 1 are connected to the transmission member 21 so as to be arranged in a line at regular intervals along the circulation path CR. The second interval P2 of the plurality of holders 1 is set to 1 / M of the first interval P1 of adjacent transfer sections 3 (M is an integer of 1 or more). The total length of the transmission member 21 is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval P1 (N and L are integers of 1 or more).

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , , , , , , , ,

[0005] , , , , , , ,

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting and conveying device including a plurality of holders for holding an object to be conveyed, a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path extending in the vertical direction, and a plurality of transfer portions for transferring the object to be conveyed to and from the holders.

Background Art

[0002] An example of the above-described lifting and conveying device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-217134 (Patent Document 1). In the following description of the background art, the reference numerals and names in Patent Document 1 are cited within parentheses.

[0003] The lifting and conveying device (vertical conveyor 1) described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of holders (transfer tables 20) for holding an object to be conveyed (conveyed object), a circulation device ( endless bodies 31, 32, 33), and transfer portions (transfer inlets, transfer outlets). The circulation device ( endless bodies 31, 32, 33) circulates the plurality of holders (transfer tables 20). The transfer portions (transfer-in machine, transfer-out machine) directly approach the holders (transfer tables 20) to transfer the object to be conveyed (conveyed object) to and from the holders (transfer bodies 20).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the lifting and conveying device (vertical conveyor 1) described in Patent Document 1, since the transfer portions (transfer-in machine, transfer-out machine) directly approach the holders (transfer tables 20) to transfer the object to be conveyed (conveyed object), the control for circulating the holders (transfer tables 20) tends to be complicated. Specifically, the transfer section (input machine, output machine) and the holding body (transport table 20) are shaped to interlock with each other, and the transfer section (input machine, output machine) and the holding body (transport table 20) transfer the object to be transported (transported goods) at the interlocked portion. For this reason, the lifting and lowering transport device (vertical transporter 1) must move toward the holding body (transport table 20) while matching its height with the holding body (transport table 20) at the timing of the transfer of the object to be transported (transported goods) between the transfer section (input machine, output machine) and the holding body (transport table 20). Consequently, controlling the height of the holding body (transport table 20) at the timing of the transfer of the object to be transported (transported goods) tends to be complex.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a transport system that allows for easy simplification of the control mechanism for circulating the retaining body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In view of the above, the lifting and conveying device is: As one aspect, A lifting and conveying device comprising: a plurality of holders for holding objects to be conveyed; a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path having a lifting section extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of transfer sections arranged along the lifting section for the transfer of objects to be conveyed between the holders, wherein the circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path, A guide rail that guides the movement of multiple holders along the circulation path, The plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, and the plurality of holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. Each of the plurality of holders is equipped with a guided mechanism that is guided by the guide rail, The distance between two vertically adjacent transfer portions is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval, wherein the second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), and the total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and L is an integer greater than or equal to 1). The guide rail comprises a first axial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first axial side, a second axial guide surface extending parallel to the first axial guide surface and facing the second axial side, and a first radial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first radial side. The guided mechanism comprises a surface and a second radial guide surface that extends parallel to the first radial guide surface and along the circulation path and faces the second radial side, and the guided mechanism comprises a first axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first axial guide surface from the first axial side, a second axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second axial guide surface from the second axial side, a first radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first radial guide surface from the first radial side, a second radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second radial guide surface from the second radial side, and a guide wheel holding mechanism that holds the first axial guide wheel, the second axial guide wheel, the first radial guide wheel, and the second radial guide wheel so that they can roll. .

[0008] According to this characteristic configuration, by moving the circulation device along the circulation path by 1 / M of the first interval for the transmission member, the holders arranged at positions corresponding to each of the plurality of delivery parts can be sequentially replaced. And even if the transmission member is repeatedly moved by 1 / M of the first interval, the state where any holder is located at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of delivery parts can be maintained. Therefore, the control for circulating the holders can be easily simplified. Furthermore, this configuration allows multiple holders to be moved along a circulation path while being positioned in the axial and radial directions.

[0009] A lifting and conveying device in view of the above, in one embodiment, comprises: a plurality of holders for holding objects to be conveyed; a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path having a lifting section extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of transfer units arranged along the lifting section for the transfer of objects to be conveyed between the holders, wherein the circulation device comprises: an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path; a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path; and guide rails for guiding the movement of the plurality of holders along the circulation path, the plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, and the plurality of holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path, and the plurality of holders Each of the holders is equipped with a guided mechanism guided by the guide rail, the distance between two vertically adjacent transfer portions is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the plurality of holders is defined as the second interval, the second interval being set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer of 1 or more), the total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), the surface encompassing the entire circulation path is defined as the circulation surface, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface is defined as the axial direction, and the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path at each position on the circulation path is defined as the radial direction, and a floating mechanism is provided at the connection between the transmission member and the holder to allow for variations in the axial and radial directions of the relative positional relationship between the transmission member and the holder.

[0010] This configuration prevents excessive loads from being applied to the transmission member, the guided mechanism, and the connection between the transmission member and the holder, etc., due to errors in the relative positions of the guide rail, the transmission member, and the holder.

[0011] In view of the above, a lifting and conveying device, in one embodiment, comprises: a plurality of holders for holding objects to be conveyed; a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path having a lifting section extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of transfer sections arranged along the lifting section for the transfer of objects to be conveyed between the holders, wherein the circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path; the plurality of transfer sections are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section; the plurality of holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path; the distance between two adjacent transfer sections in the vertical direction is defined as a first interval; the distance between the plurality of holders is defined as a second interval; the second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer of 1 or more); and the total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more). 、 The guide mechanism comprises a plurality of rotating bodies around which the transmission member is wound, and a fall restriction mechanism is provided to restrict the fall of the transmission member in relation to the target rotating body, which is the uppermost of the plurality of rotating bodies, with the direction along the rotation axis of the rotating body as the rotation axis direction and the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis as the rotation axis direction. The fall restriction mechanism comprises an extension portion extending from the target rotating body in the rotation axis direction along the rotation axis of the target rotating body, and a restricting portion extending outward from the extension portion in the rotation axis direction.

[0012] With this configuration, even if the transmission member detaches from the rotating body, the detached transmission member can be caught by the extension and regulating parts, thus preventing the detached transmission member from hitting other parts of the transport vehicle or lifting and transporting device.

[0013] A lifting and conveying device in view of the above, in one embodiment, comprises: a plurality of holders for holding objects to be conveyed; a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path having a set of lifting sections extending in the vertical direction; and a plurality of transfer units arranged along the lifting sections for the transfer of objects to be conveyed between the holders, wherein the circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path, the plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting sections, and the plurality of holders are arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path by the transmission unit The transmission member is connected to a material, and the distance between two vertically adjacent transfer sections is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the plurality of holders is defined as the second interval, where the second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer of 1 or more), the total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), the holder has a mounting surface that supports the object to be conveyed from below, and in one of the set of lifting sections the unit moves up with the mounting surface facing upwards, and in the other lifting section the unit moves up with the mounting surface facing downwards, and the object to be conveyed is placed on the mounting surface in the lifting section where the unit moves up with the mounting surface facing upwards.

[0014] Further features and advantages of the technology according to the present disclosure will become clearer from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the lifting and conveying device of the embodiment [Figure 2] Front view of the lifting and conveying device of the embodiment [Figure 3] Figure for explaining the first interval and the second interval [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the lifting and conveying device shown in FIG. 2 [Figure 5] Figure for explaining the guided mechanism shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI shown in FIG. 5 [Figure 7] Figure for explaining the movement of the guided mechanism shown in FIG. 4 [Figure 8] Enlarged front view of the fall restriction mechanism shown in FIG. 1

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] 〔Outline of the Lifting and Conveying Device〕 As shown in FIG. 1, the lifting and conveying device 100 raises and lowers the object to be conveyed 10, which is an article to be conveyed. By using the lifting and conveying device 100, even in a conveying facility having a plurality of floors with different vertical positions, the object to be conveyed 10 can be moved back and forth between different floors. The object to be conveyed 10 is, for example, an article such as a commodity, a container for storing the commodity, or a part for manufacturing a product.

[0017] The lifting and conveying device 100 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the lifting and conveying device 100 includes a plurality of holders 1 for holding the object to be conveyed 10, a circulation device 2 for circulating the plurality of holders 1, and a plurality of transfer parts 3 for transferring the object to be conveyed 10 to and from the holders 1. Each of the plurality of transfer parts 3 is arranged at a position having a different vertical position from each other. The circulation device 2 raises and lowers the holder 1 that has received the object to be conveyed 10 at one transfer part 3 to a position adjacent to another transfer part 3. Then, when the holder 1 delivers the object to be conveyed 10 to another adjacent transfer part 3, the object to be conveyed 10 moves to the transfer parts 3 on different floors.

[0018] The plurality of holders 1 hold the object to be conveyed 10 received from the transfer part 3. The object to be conveyed 10 is held by the holder 1 by being arranged at a predetermined position in the holder 1 from the transfer part 3. In the present embodiment, the object to be conveyed 10 is a transport vehicle 101 that can travel on the traveling surface. The traveling surface includes a surface that supports the transport vehicle 101 from below. The traveling surface is, for example, a floor surface or the upper surface of a rail. The transport vehicle 101 moves to a position held by the holder 1 by traveling on the traveling surface. Thereby, the transport vehicle 101 is held by the holder 1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the transport vehicle 101 is held by the holder 1 by moving from the upper part of the transfer part 3 to the upper part of the holder 1.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, multiple holders 1 are circulated by a circulation device 2 along a circulation path CR which has vertically extending lifting sections. The circulation path CR is a closed path that can be repeatedly traversed. As the circulation device 2 circulates the multiple holders 1 along the circulation path CR, the multiple holders 1 repeatedly move vertically along the lifting sections. In addition to the lifting sections, the circulation path CR includes curved sections that are formed in a curved shape. The circulation path CR shown in Figure 2 is formed by a pair of lifting sections arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and a pair of curved sections that curvely connect the upper parts of the pair of lifting sections and the lower parts of the pair, respectively. In addition, the circulation path CR illustrated in Figure 2 is formed in an elongated shape in the vertical direction. In the example shown in Figure 2, the circulation device 2 circulates the multiple holders 1 counterclockwise toward the plane of the paper.

[0020] Here, the lifting and conveying device 100 includes a configuration defined based on the circulation path CR. For this reason, the configurations of the lifting and conveying device 100 may be described using directions defined based on the circulation path CR. Hereafter, for the sake of explanation, the hypothetical surface that includes the entire circulation path CR will be referred to as the circulation surface, and as shown in Figure 1, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface will be referred to as the axial direction L. One side of the axial direction L will be referred to as the first axial side L1, and the other side of the axial direction L will be referred to as the second axial side L2. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path CR at each position on the circulation path CR will be referred to as the radial direction R, one side of the radial direction R will be referred to as the first radial side R1, and the other side of the radial direction R will be referred to as the second radial side R2. In this embodiment, for the sake of explanation, the first radial side R1 is the side that faces inward from the reference configuration of the circulation path CR. Furthermore, with respect to the standard configuration, the side of the circulation path CR that faces outward is designated as the radial second side R2.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the transfer section 3 is arranged along the lifting section. More specifically, the transfer section 3 is positioned adjacent to the holder 1, which is located at any point along the lifting section, with their vertical positions aligned. Here, "adjacent to the transfer section 3 and the holder 1 with their vertical positions aligned" includes both the transfer section 3 and the holder 1 being in contact, and the transfer section 3 and the holder 1 being separated by a gap large enough to allow the transfer of the object to be transported 10. In this embodiment, the transfer section 3 and the holder 1 are arranged side by side in the axial direction L. For convenience of explanation, the side of the holder 1 on which the transfer section 3 is located in the axial direction L is referred to as the aforementioned axial first side L1. In addition, the transfer section 3 illustrated in Figure 2 is arranged along one of the set of lifting sections that form the circulation path CR. That is, the transfer section 3 illustrated in Figure 2 is arranged along the lifting section on the right side of the page.

[0022] Multiple transfer sections 3 are arranged in a vertical direction along the lifting section. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the distance between two vertically adjacent transfer sections 3 is referred to as the first interval P1. The first interval P1 is the vertical distance between the passage surfaces 33 of two vertically adjacent transfer sections 3, which will be described later. In this embodiment, two transfer sections 3 are arranged with a vertical gap between them. Hereafter, for the sake of explanation, the transfer section 3 located on the lower side may be referred to as the first transfer section 31, and the transfer section 3 located on the upper side may be referred to as the second transfer section 32. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first interval P1 is shown as the distance from the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31, which will be described later, to the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32, which will be described later. Note that the first interval P1 does not need to be determined based on the passage surface 33, but may be determined based on the corresponding parts of two vertically adjacent transfer sections 3.

[0023] In this embodiment, the transfer section 3 is provided with a passage surface 33 on which the transport vehicle 101 travels. The transfer section 3 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is composed of a plate-shaped member with a passage surface 33 on its upper part. The passage surface 33 is connected to a transport area (not shown) on which the transport vehicle 101 transports the cargo 102 exemplified in Figure 3. Here, the cargo 102 is defined as the article to be transported by the transport vehicle 101. The article includes goods, containers for holding goods, parts for manufacturing products, etc., similar to the article as the object to be transported 10. For example, the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31 and the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32 are connected to transport areas located on different levels. By positioning the transport vehicle 101, which is holding the cargo 102, from the first transfer section 31 to the second transfer section 32, the transport vehicle 101 can move from the transport area connected to the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31 to the transport area connected to the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32. This allows the transport vehicle 101 to transport the cargo 102 from the transport area connected to the first transfer section 31 to the transport area connected to the second transfer section 32.

[0024] [Basic structure of a lifting and transporting device] The basic structure of the holder 1 and the circulation device 2 will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the holder 1 includes a structure for holding the object to be transported 10. Here, holding the object to be transported 10 includes supporting the object to be transported 10 from below and suspending the object to be transported 10 from above. In this embodiment, the holder 1 supports the object to be transported 10 from below. The holder 1 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 includes a support base 11 that supports the object to be transported 10 from below as a structure for holding the object to be transported 10. The support base 11 includes a mounting surface 111 on which a transport vehicle 101 that moves between the support base and the passage surface 33 is placed. The support base 11 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 is a plate-shaped member having at least an upward-facing mounting surface 111. The support base 11 is connected to the circulation device 2. The circulation device 2 circulates the support base 11 along the circulation path CR.

[0026] The circulation device 2 comprises an endless transmission member 21 arranged along the circulation path CR, and a guide mechanism 22 that guides the transmission member 21 along the circulation path CR. The transmission member 21 is connected to the guide mechanism 22 so as to be able to circulate along the circulation path CR. Multiple holders 1 are connected to the transmission member 21 so as to circulate together with the transmission member 21. Therefore, as the transmission member 21 circulates, the multiple holders 1 move along the circulation path CR.

[0027] The transmission member 21 circulates along the circulation path CR by, for example, applying a driving force. The driving force is transmitted from the guide mechanism 22 to the transmission member 21. An example of the transmission member 21 is a chain that rotates when a driving force is transmitted to it. The multiple holders 1 are connected to the transmission member 21 in such a way that their relative movement in the extending direction relative to the transmission member 21 is restricted, as shown in Figure 4. Here, the extending direction is the direction along the circulation path CR. In the example shown in Figure 4, the holders 1 are connected by the transmission member 21 from the axial first side L1. Therefore, at least a portion of the load due to the weight of the multiple holders 1 and the objects to be conveyed 10 held by the holders 1 is applied to the transmission member 21. In this embodiment, the load due to the weight of the multiple holders 1 connected at the position of one side of the lifting section of the transmission member 21 is balanced by the load due to the weight of the multiple holders 1 connected at the position of the other side of the lifting section of the transmission member 21. In this state, when a driving force is applied to the transmission member 21, the transmission member 21 and the multiple holders 1 circulate. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the transmission member 21 is a chain, it is preferable to use a chain with the smallest possible chain pitch, taking into account the weight of the conveyed objects 10 held by the entire device and the weight of the holders 1. By doing so, the noise generated when the chain rotates can be kept to a minimum.

[0028] The guide mechanism 22 comprises a plurality of rotating bodies 220, each around which a transmission member 21 is wound. At least one of the plurality of rotating bodies 220 holds the transmission member 21 so that it is positioned along the circulation path CR. The plurality of rotating bodies 220 may also include a function for positioning the transmission member 21 so that it is positioned along the circulation path CR. In this embodiment, the uppermost rotating body 220 of the plurality of rotating bodies 220 supports the transmission member 21 from below so that the transmission member 21 is positioned radially to the first side R1 relative to the circulation path CR. On the other hand, the guide mechanism 22 illustrated in Figure 2 comprises a pair of rotating bodies 220 arranged vertically. The transmission member 21 is wound around the lower rotating body 220 of the pair from below. In this manner, the rotating body 220 around which the transmission member 21 is wrapped is curved such that the transmission member 21 is convex downwards so that it follows the circulation path CR. The rotating body 220 is, for example, a sprocket around which a chain can be wrapped.

[0029] In this embodiment, the guide mechanism 22 includes a pair of rotating bodies 220 arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction. At least one of the pair of rotating bodies 220 provides tension to the transmission member 21 so that the transmission member 21 follows the circulation path CR. The transmission member 21 is taut, for example, by being pulled radially towards the second side R2 by one of the pair of rotating bodies 220. Note that the pair of rotating bodies 220 do not necessarily need to provide tension to the transmission member 21, and whether or not to provide tension to the transmission member 21 and the amount of tension applied to the transmission member 21 are determined appropriately according to the specifications of the transmission member 21 and the magnitude of the load on the transmission member 21.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotating body 220 applies a driving force to the transmission member 21 for circulation. For this reason, at least one of the multiple rotating bodies 220 is connected to a drive source (not shown). The drive source is, for example, a motor that applies a driving force to the rotating body 220 to rotate it. The drive source rotates at least one rotating body 220, causing the transmission member 21 wrapped around the rotating body 220 to rotate along the circulation path CR. In the case where the drive source is connected to some of the multiple rotating bodies 220, the rotating bodies 220 that are not connected to the drive source are rotatably held on any of the structural members constituting the circulation device 2 so as to rotate in conjunction with the circulation of the transmission member 21.

[0031] In this embodiment, the guide mechanism 22 is fixed to a structure such as the floor. Therefore, the circulation device 2 further includes a fixing structure 23 for fixing the guide mechanism 22 to the structure such as the floor. The fixing structure 23 is composed of structural members that extend in the vertical direction, and the guide mechanism 22 is cantilevered to the fixing structure 23. With this configuration, compared to the case where the guide mechanism 22 is held from multiple points, the types and number of parts constituting the fixing structure 23 are reduced, so the overall cost of the device can be kept low and the overall size of the device can be made smaller.

[0032] The fixed structure 23 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a foundation extending in the axial direction L and support columns 234 extending upward from the foundation. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the foundation comprises a pair of first foundation sections 231 extending along the axial direction L and arranged at intervals, and a second foundation section 232 bridging the pair of first foundation sections 231. The first foundation sections 231 and the second foundation sections 232 are fixed to the structure with fasteners such as anchor bolts. A pair of support columns 234 are arranged at intervals from each other in the direction in which the second foundation section 232 extends. The pair of support columns 234 are provided with a bridging structure 235 that bridges each other. The guide mechanism 22 is positioned on the first axial side L1 with respect to the support columns 234 and the bridging structure 235, and is cantilevered to the support columns 234 and the bridging structure 235.

[0033] [Operation of the lifting and transporting device] The operation of the lifting and transporting device 100 will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0034] As described above, the lifting and lowering conveying device 100 lifts and lowers the object to be conveyed 10. In this embodiment, the movement of the lifting and lowering conveying device 100 from the object to be conveyed 10 placed in the first transfer section 31 to the second transfer section 32 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Note that the following description is an example of the movement of the lifting and lowering conveying device 100, and the movement of the lifting and lowering conveying device 100 is not limited to the following description. For example, the lifting and lowering conveying device 100 may also operate to place the object to be conveyed 10 placed in the second transfer section 32 to the first transfer section 31.

[0035] When transporting the object to be transported 10 from the first transfer section 31 to the second transfer section 32, as shown in Figure 3, the object to be transported 10 is first placed in the first transfer section 31. While the object to be transported 10 is being placed in the first transfer section 31, or after the object to be transported 10 is being placed in the first transfer section 31, the rotating body 220 of the guide mechanism 22 rotates to circulate the transmission member 21 along the circulation path CR. The rotating body 220 rotates until one of the multiple holders 1 held by the transmission member 21 is adjacent to the first transfer section 31 with its vertical position aligned. In the example shown in Figure 3, the holder 1 moves until the mounting surface 111 on its support base 11 is adjacent to the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31 with its vertical position aligned.

[0036] When the support base 11 is positioned vertically and adjacent to the first transfer section 31, the object to be transported 10 placed in the first transfer section 31 moves to the holder 1 adjacent to the first transfer section 31. In the example shown in Figure 3, the object to be transported 10 is a transport vehicle 101 that transports the cargo 102 from the transport area connected to the first transfer section 31 to the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31. The transport vehicle 101, which holds the cargo 102, moves from the passage surface 33 of the first transfer section 31 to the mounting surface 111 of the support base 11 adjacent to this passage surface 33.

[0037] After the holder 1 receives the object to be transported 10 at the first transfer section 31, the rotating body 220 rotates with the holder 1 holding the object to be transported 10. In this embodiment, the rotating body 220 rotates in the direction that the support base 11, which received the transport vehicle 101 at the first transfer section 31, rises. As a result, the transmission member 21 circulates along the circulation path CR, and the support base 11 that holds the transport vehicle 101 rises along the lifting section. In this way, the support base 11 that received the transport vehicle 101 can move to a position adjacent to the second transfer section 32 via the shortest path. The rotating body 220 illustrated in Figure 2 rotates counterclockwise toward the plane of the paper, thereby raising the support base 11 that supports the transport vehicle 101, as shown in Figure 3.

[0038] The rotating body 220 rotates until the holder 1 that holds the object to be transported 10 is adjacent to the second transfer section 32 with its vertical position aligned with it. In the example shown in Figure 3, the holder 1 that holds the object to be transported 10 moves until the mounting surface 111 on its support base 11 is adjacent to the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32 with its vertical position aligned with it. After the rotating body 220 stops, the object to be transported 10 held by the holder 1 moves from the holder 1 to the second transfer section 32. In the example shown in Figure 3, the transport vehicle 101, which is the object to be transported 10, moves from the mounting surface 111 of the support base 11 to the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32. Then, the transport vehicle 101 that has moved to the passage surface 33 of the second transfer section 32 travels towards the transport area connected to the second transfer section 32. In this way, the transport vehicle 101 can transport the cargo 102 from the transport area connected to the first transfer section 31 to the transport area connected to the second transfer section 32.

[0039] [Detailed structure of the lifting and transporting device] The detailed structure of the holder 1 and the circulation device 2 will be explained with reference to the drawings.

[0040] [Spacing between multiple holders] In this embodiment, the multiple holders 1 are connected to the transmission member 21 at intervals, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Here, the interval between the multiple holders 1 is referred to as the second interval P2. The second interval P2 is the vertical distance between the mounting surfaces 111 of two adjacent holders 1 in the vertical direction within the lifting section. Note that the second interval P2 does not necessarily have to be determined based on the mounting surfaces 111, but may also be determined based on corresponding parts of two adjacent holders 1.

[0041] The second interval P2 is set to 1 / M of the first interval P1 (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1). Figures 2 and 3 show the case where the second interval P2 is set to half of the first interval P1. In this configuration, when the passage surface 33 of a particular support base 11 is positioned to coincide with the vertical position of the mounting surface 111 of the first transfer section 31, the passage surfaces 33 of other support bases 11 are positioned to coincide with the vertical position of the mounting surface 111 of the second transfer section 32. Then, one support base 11 is positioned between the first transfer section 31 and the second transfer section 32 in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the transfer of the object to be transported 10 can be performed simultaneously at both the first transfer section 31 and the second transfer section 32. In addition, the overall height of the device in the vertical direction can be kept small.

[0042] The total length of the transmission member 21 is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval P1 (where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and L is an integer greater than or equal to 1). Here, the total length of the transmission member 21 is the length of the transmission member 21 along the circulation path CR. By making the total length of the transmission member 21 longer than 2N times the first interval P1, it is possible to secure the length necessary to provide at least one set of lifting and lowering sections in the circulation path CR. N is a value determined by the number of transfer sections 3, and the value of N is the number of transfer sections 3 minus 1. For example, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, if the number of transfer sections 3 is 2, the value of N is 1. In addition, for example, if the number of transfer sections 3 is 3, the value of N is 2. On the other hand, by making the total length of the transmission member 21 longer than 2N times the first interval P1 by L / M times the first interval P1, it is possible to provide a curved section that connects one set of lifting and lowering sections. As mentioned above, the second interval P2 is 1 / M of the first interval P1, so the total length of the transmission member 21 is the length required for one set of lifting sections plus L times the second interval P2. By setting the total length of the transmission member 21 in this way, the total length of the circulation path CR can be set to an integer multiple of the second interval P2, which is the vertical distance between two vertically adjacent holders 1 in the lifting section.

[0043] Figures 2 and 3 show the case where the total length of the transmission member 21 is set to 3.5 times the first interval P1. In this case, the circulation path CR can be formed to include a pair of vertically moving sections. In this case, the curved section connecting the pair of vertical sections is formed on the upper and lower sides of the two vertical sections. With a circulation path CR of this shape, the total length of the circulation path CR can be kept short and the shape of the circulation path CR can be easily simplified, thus allowing the lifting and conveying device 100 to be miniaturized and its structure to be easily simplified. In detail, in the cases illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the value of N is set to 1 because there are 2 transfer sections 3. The value of L / M is set to 3 / 2. By setting the value of L / M to 3 / 2 (i.e., by setting the value of L to an integer greater than 1), the curved section can be set to ensure the length necessary for the wide holder 1 to move smoothly on the radial first side R1.

[0044] Preferably, the second interval P2 is set to be greater than or equal to the transport vehicle height 10L and less than or equal to twice the transport vehicle height 10L, as shown in Figure 3. The transport vehicle height 10L is the vertical dimension of the transport vehicle 101 when it is holding the load 102. With this configuration, it is possible to secure as many holders 1 as possible that are arranged in the vertical space while ensuring the minimum necessary second interval P2 for raising and lowering the transport vehicle 101.

[0045] [Guidance structure] In this embodiment, the holder 1 can stably circulate along the circulation path CR by the guidance structure provided in the holder 1 and the guidance mechanism 22. The guidance structure includes a guide rail 221 provided in the guidance mechanism 22 of the circulation device 2 and a guided mechanism 12 provided in the holder 1. The structure of the guide rail 221 and the guided mechanism 12 will be described below.

[0046] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the circulation device 2 includes a guide rail 221 that guides the movement of the multiple holders 1 along the circulation path CR. In this embodiment, the guide rail 221 is fixed to the fixing structure 23. The guide rail 221 shown in Figure 4 is fixed to the support column 234. The guide rail 221 shown in Figure 4 is positioned on the first axial side L1 relative to the support column 234. For the sake of explanation, in the following, the section in which the guide rail 221 runs vertically along the circulation path CR will be simply referred to as the guide rail 221's vertical section, and the section in which the guide rail 221 curves along the circulation path CR will be simply referred to as the guide rail 221's curved section.

[0047] The guide rail 221 includes an axial guide surface 22L that extends along the circulation path CR and faces the axial direction L, and a radial guide surface 22R that extends along the circulation path CR and faces the radial direction R. In this embodiment, the radial guide surface 22R is positioned on the first axial side L1 with respect to the axial guide surface 22L. In other words, the radial guide surface 22R is provided on the side of the axial direction L where the support base 11 is located, with respect to the axial guide surface 22L. With this configuration, the axial L dimension of the entire device can be kept smaller compared to a configuration in which the radial guide surface 22R is positioned on the second axial side L2 with respect to the axial guide surface 22L. The radial guide surface 22R illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 protrudes from the portion of the axial guide surface 22L on the first radial side R1 toward the first axial side L1.

[0048] The axial guide surface 22L includes a first axial guide surface 222 facing the first axial direction L1, and a second axial guide surface 223 that extends parallel to the first axial guide surface 222 along the circulation path CR and faces the second axial direction L2. The radial guide surface 22R includes a first radial guide surface 224 that extends along the circulation path CR and faces the first radial direction R1, and a second radial guide surface 225 that extends parallel to the first radial guide surface 224 along the circulation path CR and faces the second radial direction R2. In this embodiment, although not shown, the second axial guide surface 223 is fixed to the fixing structure 23 by a plurality of brackets. The radial guide surface 22R is provided at a position on the first axial guide surface 222 closer to the first radial direction R1. The radial guide surface 22R is positioned on the first axial direction L1 with respect to the first axial guide surface 222.

[0049] Each of the multiple holders 1 is equipped with a guided mechanism 12 guided by a guide rail 221, as shown in Figures 4 to 6. The guided mechanism 12 includes an axial guide wheel 1L that maintains the axial position L of the holder 1 relative to the guide rail 221 in a fixed state, a radial guide wheel 1R that maintains the radial position R of the holder 1 relative to the guide rail 221 in a fixed state, and a guide wheel holding mechanism 1F. The axial guide wheel 1L rolls in contact with the axial guide surface 22L from the axial direction L. The radial guide wheel 1R rolls in contact with the radial guide surface 22R from the radial direction R. The guide wheel holding mechanism 1F holds the axial guide wheel 1L and the radial guide wheel 1R so that they can roll freely.

[0050] The axial guide wheel 1L includes a first axial guide wheel 13 that contacts and rolls against the first axial guide surface 222 from the first axial side L1, and a second axial guide wheel 14 that contacts and rolls against the second axial guide surface 223 from the second axial side L2. The radial guide wheel 1R includes a first radial guide wheel 15 that contacts and rolls against the first radial guide surface 224 from the first radial side R1, and a second radial guide wheel 16 that contacts and rolls against the second radial guide surface 225 from the second radial side R2. The guide wheel holding mechanism 1F holds the first axial guide wheel 13, the second axial guide wheel 14, the first radial guide wheel 15, and the second radial guide wheel 16 so that they can roll freely.

[0051] Preferably, the guided mechanism 12 comprises a pair of axial guide wheels 1L and a pair of radial guide wheels 1R, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this embodiment, the guided mechanism 12 comprises a pair each of a first axial guide wheel 13, a second axial guide wheel 14, a first radial guide wheel 15, and a second radial guide wheel 16. Preferably, the pair of axial guide wheels 1L are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. Similarly, preferably, the pair of radial guide wheels 1R are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. In detail, the pair of first axial guide wheels 13 are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. The pair of second axial guide wheels 14 are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. The pair of first radial guide wheels 15 are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. The pair of second radial guide wheels 16 are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction.

[0052] More preferably, the spacing of the pair of first axial guide wheels 13 in the extending direction and the spacing of the pair of second axial guide wheels 14 in the extending direction are greater than the larger of the spacing of the pair of first radial guide wheels 15 in the extending direction and the spacing of the pair of second radial guide wheels 16 in the extending direction. With this configuration, the multiple holders 1, which are arranged biased toward the first axial side L1, and the loads of the objects to be transported 10 held by the holders 1 can be appropriately held while guiding the multiple holders 1 along the guide rail 221. In this embodiment, the pair of first axial guide wheels 13 and the pair of second axial guide wheels 14 are arranged at positions above and below the pair of first radial guide wheels 15 and the pair of second radial guide wheels 16, respectively. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 6, the spacing of the pair of first axial guide wheels 13 in the extending direction and the spacing of the pair of second axial guide wheels 14 in the extending direction are set to be equal. With this configuration, the first axial guide wheel 13 and the second axial guide wheel 14 can be aligned in the vertical direction and sandwiched from the axial guide surface 22L. Therefore, even if the axial guide surface 22L is curved in the axial direction L at different positions in the extending direction, both the first axial guide wheel 13 and the second axial guide wheel 14 can maintain proper contact with the axial guide surface 22L.

[0053] Here, the inner path in the radial direction R of the curved section of the guide rail 221 is longer than the outer path in the radial direction R of the curved section of the guide rail 221. For this reason, preferably, the spacing between the pair of first radial guide wheels 15 in the extending direction is smaller than the spacing between the pair of second radial guide wheels 16 in the extending direction, as shown in Figure 5. With this configuration, each of the pair of first radial guide wheels 15 and the pair of second radial guide wheels 16 moving along the curved section of the guide rail 221 can roll while in contact with the first radial guide surface 224 and the second radial guide surface 225, respectively.

[0054] The holder 1 is positioned offset in the axial direction L with respect to the guide rail 221. In this embodiment, the holder 1 is positioned offset in the axial direction L1 with respect to the guide rail 221. In the holder 1 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the guide wheel holding mechanism 1F is positioned to overlap with the guide rail 221 in a radial view R. The support base 11 is then supported by the guide wheel holding mechanism 1F on the axial direction L1 with respect to the guide rail 221.

[0055] The guide wheel holding mechanism 1F illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 comprises a first holding part 17 that holds the axial guide wheel 1L so that it can roll freely, a second holding part 18 that holds the radial guide wheel 1R so that it can roll freely, and a third holding part 19 that holds the support base 11. The third holding part 19 is positioned in a fixed position relative to the first holding part 17 and the second holding part 18. When the circulation path CR has a set of lifting sections as illustrated in Figure 2, in one lifting section the support base 11 moves up with the mounting surface 111 facing upwards, and in the other lifting section the support base 11 moves up with the mounting surface 111 facing downwards. In the example shown in Figure 2, the support base 11 that moves up and down in the lifting section on the right side of the paper moves up and down with the mounting surface 111 facing upwards, while the support base 11 that moves up and down in the lifting section on the left side of the paper moves up and down with the mounting surface 111 facing downwards.

[0056] In this configuration, since the mounting surface 111 supports the object to be transported 10 from below, the position of the transfer section 3 is determined so that the support base 11 holds the object to be transported 10 only in the lifting section where the support base 11 moves up so that the mounting surface 111 faces upward. Therefore, the configuration is set up so that the object to be transported 10 is not supported by the support base 11 in any section other than the lifting section where the mounting surface 111 faces upward. As a result, the situation in which the support base 11 supports the object to be transported 10 on a curved section where the movement speed of the support base 11 is likely to change is avoided, and the object to be transported 10 does not fall from the support base 11 due to a sudden change in speed. In addition, with this configuration, it is not necessary to consider the speed difference of the holder 1 in the lifting section and the curved section, so it becomes easier to control the rotation speed of the rotating body 220.

[0057] The first retaining portion 17 is a portion that extends along the axial direction L, straddling both the first axial guide surface 222 and the second axial guide surface 223 in a radial view R. A shaft member 12B that holds the first axial guide ring 13 and the second axial guide ring 14 so as to be able to roll is attached to the first retaining portion 17. Preferably, the shaft member 12B is detachably attached to the first retaining portion 17. This configuration makes it easy to replace the shaft member 12B together with the axial guide rings 1L. More preferably, the shaft member 12B is eccentric in at least one direction (extending direction and axial direction L) with respect to the central axis of the portion attached to the first retaining portion 17. With this configuration, the positions of each of the pair of axial guide rings 1L can be changed to match the positions of the first axial guide surface 222 and the second axial guide surface 223 by replacing the shaft member 12B with one that has a different amount of eccentricity. Therefore, the positions of the first axial guide surface 222 and the second axial guide surface 223 with respect to the first holding portion 17 can be easily adjusted.

[0058] The second retaining portion 18 is a portion that extends radially R, straddling both the first radial guide surface 224 and the second radial guide surface 225 in an axial view L. The second retaining portion 18 illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 extends from the axial first side L1 end of the first retaining portion 17 toward the radial first side R1. Similar to the first retaining portion 17, a shaft member 12B that rotatably holds the radial guide wheel 1R is detachably attached to the second retaining portion 18. It is preferable that the shaft member 12B attached to the second retaining portion 18 is also eccentric with respect to the central axis of the portion attached to the second retaining portion 18. The shaft member 12B attached to the second retaining portion 18 is eccentric in at least one of the extending direction and the radial direction R. With this configuration, the positions of each of the pair of radial guide wheels 1R can be changed to match the positions of the first radial guide surface 224 and the second radial guide surface 225 by replacing them with shaft members 12B with different amounts of eccentricity. Therefore, the positions of the first radial guide surface 224 and the second radial guide surface 225 with respect to the second holding portion 18 can be easily adjusted.

[0059] In this embodiment, the third holding part 19 supports the support base 11 from below. The third holding part 19 is a cylindrical structure extending along the axial direction L. The third holding part 19 illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 is prismatic in shape and has through-holes in each wall surrounding the hollow portion. The third holding part 19 is positioned so that one of its wider surfaces faces upward. The support base 11 is fixed to the wider surface facing upward.

[0060] Preferably, a floating mechanism 4 is provided at the connection between the transmission member 21 and the holder 1. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the floating mechanism 4 is a mechanism for allowing fluctuations in the axial L and radial R of the relative positional relationship between the transmission member 21 and the holder 1. In this embodiment, the floating mechanism 4 comprises a connecting member 41 that connects the transmission member 21 and the holder 1, and a permissible space 42 that allows the connecting member 41 to move relative to the transmission member 21 in the axial L and radial R. Here, the transmission member 21 is connected to the guided mechanism 12 of the holder 1. The connection between the transmission member 21 and the guided mechanism 12 receives forces (maintaining loads) from the transmission member 21 and the guided mechanism 12, respectively, to maintain the position of the entire holder 1. However, the maintaining load does not necessarily mean that the holder 1 is always in equilibrium at all positions along the circulation path CR. If the maintenance load does not balance the holder 1 at a specific position along the circulation path CR, the connecting member 41 moves relative to that position in at least one of the axial L and radial R directions. This prevents excessive load from acting on the transmission member 21, the guided mechanism 12, and the connecting member 41.

[0061] In this embodiment, the connecting member 41 is a rod-shaped member extending in the axial direction L, and the allowable space 42 is provided in the holder 1. The portion of the connecting member 41 on the second axial side L2 is inserted into the allowable space 42, and the end on the first axial side L1 is connected to the transmission member 21. The allowable space 42 is a space that penetrates the second holder 18 in the axial direction L, and its vertical dimension is equal to or greater than the vertical dimension of the connecting member 41, and its radial dimension R is larger than the radial dimension R of the connecting member 41.

[0062] The allowable space 42 illustrated in Figure 7 is defined as a space that extends radially from the first side R1 and the second side R2, with the position where the transmission member 21 can be seen in the axial view L as the center in the radial direction R. In the allowable space 42, the distance of the radial R from the center position of the radial R to the end of the first radial side R1 is shorter than the distance of the radial R from the rotation axis of the radial guide wheel 1R, which is positioned on the first radial side R1 relative to the radial guide surface 22R, to the center position of the transmission member 21. Similarly, in the allowable space 42, the distance from the center position of the radial R to the end of the second radial side R2 is shorter than the distance from the rotation axis of the radial guide wheel 1R, which is positioned on the second radial side R2 relative to the radial guide surface 22R, to the center position of the transmission member 21. In this way, the horizontal orientation of the transmission member 21 relative to the second holding part 18 can be prevented from being significantly tilted horizontally from the orientation in which the second holding part 18 and the transmission member 21 are orthogonal, as shown in Figure 7. As a result, the holder 1 can move along the circulation path CR in a stable orientation.

[0063] Preferably, the guide mechanism 22 further includes a fall restriction mechanism 5 for restricting the fall of the transmission member 21. Here, restricting the fall of the transmission member 21 means that, in the event that the transmission member 21 falls off the rotating body 220, the transmission member 21 is supported at a specific point to prevent it from completely separating from the device. The fall restriction mechanism 5 is provided on the transmission member 21 in correspondence with the target rotating body 22A, which is the uppermost rotating body 220 among the multiple rotating bodies 220. In the example shown in Figure 8, the upper of a pair of rotating bodies 220 arranged with a gap in the vertical direction is the target rotating body 22A.

[0064] The fall restriction mechanism 5 comprises an extension portion 51 extending from the target rotating body 22A in the axial direction along the rotation axis of the target rotating body 22A, and a restriction portion 52 extending outward from the extension portion 51 in the radial direction of the rotating body. Here, the axial direction of the rotating body is the direction along the rotation axis of the rotating body 220, and the radial direction of the rotating body is the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. In this embodiment, the axial direction of the rotating body coincides with the aforementioned axial direction L, and the radial direction of the rotating body coincides with the aforementioned radial direction R. Furthermore, the outer side in the radial direction of the rotating body coincides with the aforementioned second radial side R2.

[0065] The extension portion 51 is preferably provided on the side of the axial direction L where the center of gravity of the member including the holder 1 and the transmission member 21 is located, relative to the position of the transmission member 21 held by the rotating body 220 in the axial direction L. As illustrated in Figure 1, since the support base 11 is positioned biased toward the first axial direction L1 with respect to the guide rail 221, the transmission member 21 is more likely to fall off the rotating body 220 toward the first axial direction L1 than toward the second axial direction L2. This is because the center of gravity of the member including the transmission member 21 and the holder 1 is located toward the first axial direction L1 with respect to the rotating body 220. Therefore, in this embodiment, the extension portion 51 extends from the target rotating body 22A toward the first axial direction L1. Then, as shown in Figure 8, if the transmission member 21 were to fall off the target rotating body 22A, it would be caught by the extension portion 51.

[0066] Here, the center of gravity of the components, including the transmission member 21 and the holding member, is located on the first axial side L1 with respect to the target rotating body 22A. Therefore, the transmission member 21, which is received by the extension 51, slides and moves on the first axial side L1. To prevent the transmission member 21, which is received by the extension 51, from moving on the first axial side L1, the restricting portion 52 is provided on the extension 51 with a gap between it and the target rotating body 22A that is larger than the axial dimension L of the transmission member 21. In this way, the movement of the transmission member 21 on the first axial side L1 is restricted by the restricting portion 52, preventing it from falling completely from the fall restriction mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 52 is flange-shaped and extends outward in the radial direction of the rotating body from the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the extension 51. With this configuration, since the restricting portion 52 is provided on the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the extension 51, the restricting portion 52 can reliably restrict the movement of the transmission member 21 on the first axial side L1.

[0067] Furthermore, the transmission member 21 may detach from the target rotating body 22A in the second axial direction L2. In this case, in this embodiment, the shaft member that rotatably supports the target rotating body 22A in the fixed structure 23 has the same function as the extension 51. The fixed structure 23 that supports this shaft member has the same function as the restricting part 52.

[0068] [Other Embodiments] Next, other embodiments of the lifting and conveying device 100 will be described.

[0069] (1) In this embodiment, the object to be transported 10 has been described as a transport vehicle 101 that moves to the holder 1. However, the object to be transported 10 is not limited to articles that move to the holder 1, like the transport vehicle 101, but may also be articles that do not move to the holder 1 but need to be moved to the holder 1 by a transport device or an operator. Such an object to be transported 10 may be an article that does not have a moving function.

[0070] (2) In this embodiment, the holder 1 has been described as comprising a support base 11 that supports the object to be transported 10 from below. However, the holder 1 does not necessarily need to support the object to be transported 10 from below, and may be configured to suspend the object to be transported 10. For example, the holder 1 may be provided with a suspension member for suspending the object to be transported 10 instead of a support base 11. Examples of suspension members include hooks.

[0071] (3) In this embodiment, the transfer section 3 has been described as having a passage surface 33 on which the transport vehicle 101 travels. However, the transfer section 3 may also be an opening for taking out the object to be transported 10. The opening may be structured to be covered by a cover. In this case, the cover is opened and closed, for example, when the object to be transported 10 is transferred between the transfer section 3 and the holder 1.

[0072] (4) In this embodiment, the transmission member 21 has been described as a chain. However, the transmission member 21 is not limited to a chain as long as it circulates along the circulation path CR. For example, a toothed belt may be used as the transmission member 21 instead of a chain.

[0073] (5) In this embodiment, the guide mechanism 22 has been described as a pair of sprockets. However, the guide member is not limited to a pair of sprockets as long as it can fix the position of the transmission member 21 along the circulation path CR. For example, the number of sprockets is not limited to a pair, and three or more sprockets may be used as guide members. Also, if the transmission member 21 is a toothed belt, a pulley may be used as a guide member. Furthermore, guide rollers, guide plates, or other guiding mechanical elements that guide the transmission member 21 may be used as the guide mechanism 22.

[0074] (6) In this embodiment, the case in which the second interval P2 is half of the first interval P1 has been described. This does not mean that the second interval P2 is limited to half of the first interval P1. For example, the second interval P2 may be the same as the first interval P1, or the second interval P2 may be one-third or less of the first interval P1.

[0075] (7) In this embodiment, the case where there are two transfer sections 3 has been described. However, there may be three or more transfer sections 3. In this case, the first interval P1 of each adjacent transfer section 3 will all be the same distance.

[0076] (8) The configurations disclosed in each of the above-described embodiments can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. With regard to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0077] [Summary of this embodiment] The following is a summary of the embodiments of the lifting and transporting device described above.

[0078] The lifting and transporting device includes multiple holders for holding the object to be transported, A circulation device that circulates multiple of the holders along a circulation path having an elevating section extending in the vertical direction, A plurality of transfer units are arranged along the lifting section, and the transfer of the object to be transported takes place between the holder and the transfer unit, A lifting and lowering conveying device equipped with, The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path. The aforementioned multiple transfer units are arranged in a vertical direction along the lifting section, Multiple of the holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. The distance between two of the transfer portions adjacent in the vertical direction is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval. The second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more).

[0079] This characteristic configuration allows the circulating device to sequentially replace the holders positioned at each of the multiple transfer points by moving the transmission member along the circulation path in increments of 1 / M of the first interval. Furthermore, even if the transmission member is repeatedly moved in increments of 1 / M of the first interval, the state in which at least one of the holders is positioned at each of the multiple transfer points can be maintained. Therefore, the control of the circulating device can be easily simplified.

[0080] Furthermore, the circulation device includes guide rails that guide the movement of the multiple holders along the circulation path. Each of the plurality of holders is equipped with a guided mechanism that is guided by the guide rail, The surface encompassing the entire circulation path is defined as the circulation surface, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface is defined as the axial direction, the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path at each position on the circulation path is defined as the radial direction, one side in the axial direction is defined as the axial first side, the other side in the axial direction is defined as the axial second side, one side in the radial direction is defined as the radial first side, and the other side in the radial direction is defined as the radial second side. The guide rail comprises: a first axial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first axial direction; a second axial guide surface extending parallel to the first axial guide surface and along the circulation path and facing the second axial direction; a first radial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first radial direction; and a second radial guide surface extending parallel to the first radial guide surface and along the circulation path and facing the second radial direction. The guided mechanism preferably comprises: a first axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first axial guide surface from the first axial side; a second axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second axial guide surface from the second axial side; a first radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first radial guide surface from the first radial side; a second radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second radial guide surface from the second radial side; and a guide wheel holding mechanism that holds the first axial guide wheel, the second axial guide wheel, the first radial guide wheel, and the second radial guide wheel so as to be able to roll.

[0081] This configuration allows multiple holders to be moved along a circulation path while being positioned in the axial and radial directions.

[0082] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the circulation device includes guide rails that guide the movement of a plurality of holders along the circulation path, and each of the plurality of holders is a guided mechanism guided by the guide rails, The direction along the aforementioned circulation path is defined as the extension direction, A pair of the first axial guide wheels are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, A pair of the aforementioned second axial guide wheels are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, A pair of the first radial guide rings are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, A pair of the second radial guide rings are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, The retainer is positioned with respect to the guide rail, with an offset in the axial direction. Preferably, the spacing of the pair of first axial guide wheels in the extending direction and the spacing of the pair of second axial guide wheels in the extending direction are greater than the larger of the spacing of the pair of first radial guide wheels in the extending direction and the spacing of the pair of second radial guide wheels in the extending direction.

[0083] This configuration allows for proper guidance and support of the load of the retaining body, which is positioned off-center in the axial direction relative to the guide rail. Furthermore, it makes it easier to reduce the radial dimensions of the device compared to a configuration where the retaining body is positioned off-center in the radial direction.

[0084] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the circulation device includes guide rails that guide the movement of a plurality of holders along the circulation path, and each of the plurality of holders is a guided mechanism guided by the guide rails, it is preferable that a floating mechanism is provided at the connection between the transmission member and the holder to allow for fluctuations in the axial and radial directions of the relative positional relationship between the transmission member and the holder.

[0085] This configuration prevents excessive loads from being applied to the transmission member, the guided mechanism, and the connection between the transmission member and the holder, etc., due to errors in the relative positions of the guide rail, the transmission member, and the holder.

[0086] Furthermore, the guide mechanism comprises a plurality of rotating bodies, each around which the transmission member is wrapped. The direction along the rotation axis of the rotating body is defined as the rotation axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is defined as the rotation radial direction. A fall restriction mechanism is provided to restrict the fall of the transmission member in relation to the target rotating body, which is the uppermost of the multiple rotating bodies. The fall restriction mechanism preferably comprises an extension portion extending from the target rotating body in the axial direction along the rotation axis of the target rotating body, and a restricting portion extending outward from the extension portion in the radial direction of the rotating body.

[0087] With this configuration, even if the transmission member detaches from the rotating body, the detached transmission member can be caught by the extension and regulating parts, thus preventing the detached transmission member from hitting other parts of the transport vehicle or lifting and transporting device.

[0088] Furthermore, the object to be transported is a transport vehicle. The transfer section includes a passage surface on which the transport vehicle travels, The holder has a mounting surface on which a forward transport vehicle that moves between itself and the passage surface is placed, The first interval is the vertical distance between the passage surfaces of two adjacent transfer sections in the vertical direction. The second interval is preferably the vertical distance between the mounting surfaces of two of the holders that are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction within the lifting section.

[0089] This configuration allows the transport vehicle to be moved to aisle surfaces at different heights. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] The technology disclosed herein can be used in a lifting and conveying device comprising: a plurality of holders for holding objects to be conveyed; a circulation device for circulating the plurality of holders along a circulation path in the vertical direction; and a plurality of transfer units for transferring objects to be conveyed between the holders. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1: Holding body 2: Circulation device 3: Delivery department 4: Floating mechanism 5: Fall prevention mechanism 10: Object to be transported 12:Guided mechanism 13: First axial guide wheel 14: Second axial guide wheel 15: First radial guide wheel 16: Second radial guide wheel 21: Transmission member 22: Information Mechanism 33:Aisle surface 51: Extension part 52: Regulatory Department 100: Lifting and conveying device 111: Mounting surface 221: Guide rail 222: First axial guide surface 223: Second axial guide surface 224: First radial guide surface 225: Second radial guide surface CR: Circulatory pathway L: Axial direction L1: First axial side L2: Second axial side LC: Total length P1: First interval P2: 2nd interval R: Radial direction R1: Radial first side R2: Radial second side

Claims

1. Multiple holders for holding the object to be transported, A circulation device that circulates multiple of the holders along a circulation path having an elevating section extending in the vertical direction, A plurality of transfer units are arranged along the lifting section, and the transfer of the object to be transported takes place between the holder and the transfer unit, A lifting and lowering conveying device equipped with, The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path, a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path, and guide rails for guiding the movement of a plurality of holders along the circulation path. The plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, Multiple of the holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. Each of the plurality of holders is equipped with a guided mechanism that is guided by the guide rail, The distance between two of the transfer portions adjacent in the vertical direction is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval. The second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), The surface encompassing the entire circulation path is defined as the circulation surface, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface is defined as the axial direction, the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path at each position on the circulation path is defined as the radial direction, one side in the axial direction is defined as the axial first side, the other side in the axial direction is defined as the axial second side, one side in the radial direction is defined as the radial first side, and the other side in the radial direction is defined as the radial second side. The guide rail comprises a first axial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first axial direction, a second axial guide surface extending parallel to the first axial guide surface along the circulation path and facing the second axial direction, a first radial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the first radial direction, and a second radial guide surface extending parallel to the first radial guide surface along the circulation path and facing the second radial direction. The guided mechanism comprises a first axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first axial guide surface from the first axial side, a second axial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second axial guide surface from the second axial side, a first radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the first radial guide surface from the first radial side, a second radial guide wheel that contacts and rolls against the second radial guide surface from the second radial side, and a guide wheel holding mechanism that holds the first axial guide wheel, the second axial guide wheel, the first radial guide wheel, and the second radial guide wheel so as to be able to roll.

2. The direction along the aforementioned circulation path is defined as the extension direction, A pair of the first axial guide wheels are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, A pair of the aforementioned second axial guide wheels are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction. A pair of the first radial guide rings are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, A pair of the aforementioned second radial guide rings are arranged spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, The retainer is positioned with respect to the guide rail, with an offset in the axial direction. The lifting and conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the spacing of a pair of first axial guide wheels in the extending direction and the spacing of a pair of second axial guide wheels in the extending direction are greater than the larger of the spacing of a pair of first radial guide wheels in the extending direction and the spacing of a pair of second radial guide wheels in the extending direction.

3. Multiple holders for holding the object to be transported, A circulation device that circulates multiple of the holders along a circulation path having an elevating section extending in the vertical direction, A plurality of transfer units are arranged along the lifting section, and the transfer of the object to be transported takes place between the holder and the transfer unit, A lifting and lowering conveying device equipped with, The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path, a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path, and guide rails for guiding the movement of a plurality of holders along the circulation path. The plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, Multiple of the holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. Each of the plurality of holders is equipped with a guided mechanism that is guided by the guide rail, The distance between two of the transfer portions adjacent in the vertical direction is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval. The second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), The surface encompassing the entire circulation path is defined as the circulation surface, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface is defined as the axial direction, and the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path at each position on the circulation path is defined as the radial direction. A lifting and lowering conveying device is provided with a floating mechanism at the connection between the transmission member and the holder, which allows for variations in the axial and radial positional relationship between the transmission member and the holder.

4. Multiple holders for holding the object to be transported, A circulation device that circulates multiple of the holders along a circulation path having an elevating section extending in the vertical direction, A plurality of transfer units are arranged along the lifting section, and the transfer of the object to be transported takes place between the holder and the transfer unit, A lifting and lowering conveying device equipped with, The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path. The plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, Multiple of the holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. The distance between two of the transfer portions adjacent in the vertical direction is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval. The second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), The guide mechanism comprises a plurality of rotating bodies, each around which the transmission member is wound. The direction along the rotation axis of the rotating body is defined as the rotation axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is defined as the rotation radial direction. A fall restriction mechanism is provided to restrict the fall of the transmission member in relation to the target rotating body, which is the uppermost of the multiple rotating bodies. The lifting and transporting device comprises a fall restriction mechanism which includes an extension portion extending from the target rotating body in the axial direction along the rotation axis of the target rotating body, and a restricting portion extending outward from the extension portion in the radial direction of the rotating body.

5. Multiple holders for holding the object to be transported, A circulation device that circulates a plurality of the holders along a circulation path having a set of lifting sections extending in the vertical direction, A plurality of transfer units are arranged along the lifting section, and the transfer of the object to be transported takes place between the holder and the transfer unit, A lifting and lowering conveying device equipped with, The circulation device comprises an endless transmission member arranged along the circulation path and a guide mechanism for guiding the transmission member along the circulation path. The plurality of transfer units are arranged in the vertical direction along the lifting section, Multiple of the holders are connected to the transmission member so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the circulation path. The distance between two of the transfer portions adjacent in the vertical direction is defined as the first interval, and the distance between the multiple holders is defined as the second interval. The second interval is set to 1 / M of the first interval (where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1), The total length of the transmission member is set to (2N + L / M) times the first interval (where N is an integer of 1 or more, and L is an integer of 1 or more), The holder has a mounting surface that supports the object to be conveyed from below, and the lifting and conveying device moves up and down in one of the set of lifting and lowering sections with the mounting surface facing upward, and in the other lifting and lowering section with the mounting surface facing downward, so that the object to be conveyed is placed on the mounting surface in the lifting and lowering section where the mounting surface faces upward.

6. The circulation device comprises guide rails that guide the movement of a plurality of holders along the circulation path, Each of the plurality of holders comprises a support base having the aforementioned mounting surface and a guided mechanism guided by the guide rail, The surface encompassing the entire circulation path is defined as the circulation surface, the direction perpendicular to the circulation surface is defined as the axial direction, and the direction along the circulation surface that is perpendicular to the circulation path at each position on the circulation path is defined as the radial direction. The guide rail comprises an axial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the axial direction, and a radial guide surface extending along the circulation path and facing the radial direction. The guided mechanism comprises an axial guide wheel that rolls in contact with the axial guide surface from the axial direction, a radial guide wheel that rolls in contact with the radial guide surface from the radial direction, and a guide wheel holding mechanism that holds the axial guide wheel and the radial guide wheel so as to be able to roll. The guide wheel holding mechanism comprises a first holding part that holds the axial guide wheel so that it can roll freely, a second holding part that holds the radial guide wheel so that it can roll freely, and a third holding part that holds the support base. The lifting and conveying device according to claim 5, wherein the third holding portion is positioned in a fixed position relative to the first holding portion and the second holding portion.

7. The object to be transported is a transport vehicle, The transfer section includes a passage surface on which the transport vehicle travels, The holder has a mounting surface on which a forward transport vehicle that moves between itself and the passage surface is placed, The first interval is the vertical distance between the passage surfaces of two vertically adjacent transfer portions, The lifting and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second interval is the vertical distance between the mounting surfaces of two of the holders that are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction in the lifting and lowering section.

Images