Transport vehicle system

Abstract

This conveyance vehicle system (1) comprises: a conveyance vehicle (3) having a traveling portion (20), a holding portion (13), a raising-and-lowering driving portion (14), a slide portion (11), and a conveyance vehicle control unit (50); and a storage device (6) having a movement device (70), and a stocker (60) which has a rack (61). Among a plurality of placement portions disposed on the highest level of the rack (61), at least one first placement portion (65A) for warehousing, and at least one second placement portion (65B) for shipping are set, and when the conveyance vehicle is stopped at a specified stopping position, the conveyance vehicle control unit (50) controls the traveling unit (20), the raising-and-lowering driving unit (14), and the slide unit (11) so as to deliver an article (M) held by the holding unit (13) to the first placement portion (65A), and to receive an article (M) placed at the second placement portion (65B).

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a carrier system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a carrier system including a ceiling carrier (carrier) provided with a holding unit for holding an article so as to be movable up and down, and a stocker for storing the article. In the carrier system of Patent Document 1, a plurality of delivery units are provided at the uppermost stage of the stocker, and the carrier is configured to pass directly above this delivery unit. The delivery of the article between the carrier and the stocker is performed by the carrier stopping directly above the delivery unit and raising and lowering the holding unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above conventional carrier system, when the carrier receives an article from the stocker after delivering the article to the stocker, it is necessary to move to another delivery unit to receive the article after delivering the article to one delivery unit. Such movement takes time and is a factor that reduces the conveyance efficiency of the entire system.

[0005] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a carrier system that enables efficient loading and unloading of articles between a carrier and a stocker.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a transport vehicle that travels along a track provided on the ceiling of a building to transport articles, and a storage device for storing articles. The transport vehicle has a traveling section that travels along the track, a holding section that holds articles, a lifting drive section that raises and lowers the holding section relative to the traveling section, a sliding section that moves the holding section and the lifting drive section horizontally relative to the traveling section, and a transport vehicle control unit that controls the transport vehicle. The storage device has a stocker having a rack on which a plurality of mounting sections arranged vertically and horizontally are arranged, and a transfer device that transfers articles to the plurality of mounting sections. Among the plurality of mounting sections arranged on the uppermost level of the rack, at least one first mounting section for receiving articles and at least one second mounting section for retrieving articles are set. The transport vehicle control unit controls the traveling section, the lifting drive section and the sliding section so as to transfer articles held by the holding section to the first mounting section and receive articles placed on the second mounting section when the transport vehicle is stopped at a specific stopping position.

[0007] In this configuration of the transport vehicle system, instead of the transport vehicle moving from a transfer unit (first loading unit) to a transfer unit (second loading unit) to retrieve goods, the system controls the travel unit, lifting drive unit, and sliding unit so that the transport vehicle remains stopped at a specific stopping position, while the holding unit transfers the goods held by the holding unit to the first loading unit and receives the goods placed on the second loading unit. As a result, goods are loaded into the stocker and retrieved from the stocker without the transport vehicle moving. This enables efficient loading and unloading of goods between the transport vehicle and the stocker.

[0008] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first and second mounting sections are arranged so as to sandwich the travel area of ​​the transport vehicle when viewed from above in the vertical direction, and a specific stopping position may be set between the first and second mounting sections in a plan view. In this configuration, items can be loaded into and unloaded from the stocker by controlling a simple sliding section that moves the items along one direction.

[0009] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the stocker has a first rack and a second rack that are arranged opposite each other on either side of the transport vehicle's travel area in a plan view from above in the vertical direction, the first loading section is set on the first rack, the second loading section is set on the second rack, and a specific stopping position may be set between the first loading section and the second loading section in a plan view. In this configuration, articles can be loaded into and unloaded from the stocker by controlling a simple sliding section that moves articles along one direction.

[0010] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the transport vehicle further has a rotating part that rotates a holding part in a horizontal plane, the article has a first end which is one end in one direction and a second end which is the other end in one direction and has a different shape from the first end, the rack's mounting section is provided with a positioning member that positions the article so that the first ends of the article placed on the opposing racks face each other, and the transport vehicle control unit may rotate the rotating part so that the first end faces the second rack when placing the article on the first mounting section. In this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism on the storage device side to adjust the orientation of the article M when it is placed on the mounting section.

[0011] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the track is arranged in a grid pattern, with a plurality of first rails extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and second rails extending in a second direction and arranged in the first direction. The transport vehicle may move in the first direction by having its running section travel along a pair of adjacent first rails in the second direction, and move in the second direction by having its running section travel along a pair of adjacent second rails in the first direction. In this configuration, the transport vehicle can travel from multiple directions to access the loading area, and the degree of freedom in arranging the storage device can be increased compared to a transport vehicle system in which the transport vehicle travels in one direction along the rails, thus enabling more efficient loading and unloading of goods.

[0012] A transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention further comprises a system controller that outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle indicating the destination of the goods, and the system controller may output a transport command to the transport vehicle specifying a first loading section, which is arranged across the driving area from a second loading section on which goods are loaded, as the destination. In this configuration, after goods are loaded into the first loading section, the goods can be reliably released from the second loading section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, efficient loading and unloading of goods between a transport vehicle and a storage container becomes possible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a transport vehicle system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the orbit in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transport vehicle in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the transport vehicle in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the storage device shown in Figure 1. Figure 5(B) is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the storage shelf. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the transport vehicle system in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figures 7(A) and 7(B) illustrate the movement of the transport vehicle when goods are being loaded into or unloaded from the storage unit. [Figure 8] Figures 8(A) and 8(B) illustrate the movement of the transport vehicle when goods are being loaded into and unloaded from the storage unit. [Figure 9] Figures 9(A) and 9(B) illustrate the movement of the transport vehicle when goods are being loaded into or unloaded from the storage unit. [Figure 10] Figures 10(A) and 10(B) illustrate the movement of the transport vehicle when goods are being loaded into or unloaded from the storage unit.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, a carrier system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match those in the description. For convenience of explanation, XYZ coordinates are set in FIGS. 1 to 3. In the XYZ coordinate system, a plane parallel to the horizontal plane is defined as the XY plane. A direction along the XY plane is denoted as the X direction (first direction), and a direction orthogonal to the X direction is denoted as the Y direction (second direction). A direction perpendicular to the XY plane is denoted as the Z direction. Each of the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction is described such that the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow is the − direction. Also, the rotation direction around the vertical axis or the Z axis is denoted as the θZ direction.

[0016] The carrier system 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a grid system for carrying an article M by a carrier 3, for example, in a clean room of a semiconductor manufacturing factory. The carrier system 1 includes a track R, a plurality of carriers 3, a storage device 6, and a system controller 5. The plurality of carriers 3 travel on a track R laid on the ceiling or near the ceiling of a building such as a clean room. The storage device 6 is disposed below the track R and includes a stocker 60 for storing the article M and a stocker crane (transfer device) 70 for moving the article M within the stocker 60. As shown in FIG. 5(A), the stocker 60 is composed of a first rack 6IA and a second rack 6IB disposed so as to sandwich a travel region A1 of the stocker crane 70 that travels along the Y direction.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the track R may be directly supported by the ceiling or supported by a member suspended from the ceiling or the like. The track R is provided, for example, so as to be able to convey the article M to the storage device 6, various processing devices, etc. The processing device is, for example, an exposure device, a coater developer, a film forming device, an etching device, or the like. The article M is, for example, a container in which a semiconductor wafer is accommodated. The processing device performs various processes on the semiconductor wafer in the container. The processing device is provided with a load port P (see FIG. 4) for exchanging the article M with the carrier vehicle 3. The storage device 6 stores the article M conveyed by the carrier vehicle 3. The storage device 6 is provided with a storage port (first placement portion) 65A and an extraction port (second placement portion) 65B for exchanging the article M with the carrier vehicle 3. The storage port 65A and the extraction port 65B will be described in detail later.

[0018] The track R is arranged in a grid pattern in plan view. The track R is a rail that extends along the horizontal direction and is suspended from the ceiling or the like. The track R has a plurality of first rails R1, a plurality of second rails R2, and a plurality of intersections R3. Hereinafter, the track R is referred to as a grid track R.

[0019] The plurality of first rails R1 each extend along the X direction. The plurality of second rails R2 each extend along the Y direction. The grid track R is formed in a grid pattern in plan view by the plurality of first rails R1 and the plurality of second rails R2. The grid track R forms a plurality of cells by the plurality of first rails R1 and the plurality of second rails R2. The intersection R3 is arranged at a portion where the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 intersect. The intersection R3 is adjacent to the first rail R1 in the X direction and adjacent to the second rail R2 in the Y direction. The intersection R3 is a connecting track that connects the first rail R1 and the second rail R2, connects the first rails R1 to each other, and connects the second rails R2 to each other. The intersection R3 is a track used in any of the cases when the carrier vehicle 3 travels along the first rail R1, when the carrier vehicle 3 travels along the second rail R2, and when the carrier vehicle 3 travels from the first rail R1 to the second rail R2 or from the second rail R2 to the first rail R1.

[0020] The grid track R is formed by arranging multiple first rails R1 and multiple second rails R2 in orthogonal directions, resulting in multiple grid cells 2 adjacent to each other in a plan view. Each grid cell 2 corresponds to one square and, in a plan view, is a rectangular area enclosed by two adjacent first rails R1 in the Y direction and two adjacent second rails R2 in the X direction. Figures 1 and 2 show only a portion of the grid track R, and the grid track R is formed by continuously creating similar configurations in the X and Y directions from the illustrated configurations.

[0021] The first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3 are suspended and supported from a ceiling (not shown) by a suspension member H. The suspension member H has a first part H1 for suspending the first rail R1, a second part H2 for suspending the second rail R2, and a third part H3 for suspending the intersection R3. The first part H1 and the second part H2 are each provided at two locations flanking the third part H3.

[0022] The first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3 each have running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a, respectively, on which the transport vehicle 3's wheels 21 (described later) travel. Gaps are formed between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3. These gaps are the portions through which the first connecting section 30 (see Figure 3), which is part of the transport vehicle 3 and will be described later, passes when the transport vehicle 3 travels along the first rail R1 and crosses the second rail R2, or travels along the second rail R2 and crosses the first rail R1. Therefore, the gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3, are provided to be wide enough for the first connecting section 30 to pass through. The first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3 are provided along the same horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3 have running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a arranged on the same horizontal plane.

[0023] The transport vehicle 3 moves along the track R of the transport vehicle system 1. The track R is the travel path of the transport vehicle 3. The transport vehicle 3 moves along the track R of the transport vehicle system 1 and transports articles M such as FOUPs that contain semiconductor wafers or reticle pods that contain reticles. As shown in Figures 1 and 5(A), in this embodiment, as an example of article M, an example is described in which a FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) having a front (first end) Mb which is one end in one direction and is provided with a lid, and a back (second end) Mc which is the other end in one direction and has a different shape from the front Mb, is transported. In addition, the bottom surface of the article M is provided with a plurality of recesses that engage with pins (positioning members) 66 (see Figure 5(B)), which will be described in detail later. The orientation of the article M is determined based on the arrangement of these pins 66.

[0024] The configuration of the transport vehicle 3 will now be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the transport vehicle 3 is provided to be able to travel along a grid-shaped track R. The transport vehicle 3 has a first main body 10, a first running section 20, a first connecting section 30, and a trolley controller (transport vehicle control section) 50. The trolley controller 50 is provided to be able to communicate with the system controller 5.

[0025] The first main body 10 is positioned below (towards the -Z direction) the grid-like track R. The first main body 10 is formed in a rectangular shape, for example, in plan view. The first main body 10 is formed to a size that fits within one grid cell 2 of the grid-like track R, in plan view. This ensures that there is enough space for it to pass other transport vehicles 3 traveling on adjacent first rails R1 or second rails R2. The first main body 10 comprises an upper unit 17 and a transfer unit 18. The upper unit 17 is suspended from the first running unit 20 via a first connecting unit 30. The upper unit 17 is, for example, rectangular in plan view and has four corners on its upper surface 17a and lower surface 17b.

[0026] The first main body 10 has running wheels 21, a first connecting part 30, and a direction changing mechanism 34 at each of the four corners of its upper surface 17a. In this configuration, the running wheels 21 positioned at the four corners of the upper surface 17a of the first main body 10 can stably suspend and support the first main body 10, and can also stably move the first main body 10.

[0027] The transfer unit 18 moves horizontally relative to the first travel unit 20 and transfers articles M between the load port P in the processing device and the inbound port 65A and outbound port 65B in the storage device 6. The transfer unit 18 is located below the upper unit 17. The transfer unit 18 is rotatable around a pivot axis AX1 in the Z direction. The transfer unit 18 includes a holding unit 13 that holds articles M below the grid-like track R, a lifting drive unit 14 that raises and lowers the holding unit 13 vertically, a first rotating unit (rotating unit) 16 that rotates the lifting drive unit 14 horizontally, a sliding unit 11 that slides the lifting drive unit 14 horizontally, and a second rotating unit 12 that holds the sliding unit 11.

[0028] The holding part 13 suspends and holds the article M by holding (gripping) the flange portion Ma of the article M. The holding part 13 is, for example, a chuck having horizontally movable claw portion 13a, and holds the article M by inserting the claw portion 13a below the flange portion Ma of the article M and raising the holding part 13. The holding part 13 is connected to a suspension member 13b such as a wire or belt.

[0029] The lifting drive unit 14 is, for example, a hoist, which lowers the holding unit 13 by extending the suspension member 13b and raises the holding unit 13 by winding up the suspension member 13b. The lifting drive unit 14 is controlled by the trolley controller 50 and lowers or raises the holding unit 13 at a predetermined speed. The lifting drive unit 14 is also controlled by the trolley controller 50 to hold the holding unit 13 at a target height.

[0030] The first rotating section 16 is provided between the sliding section 11 and the lifting drive section 14. The first rotating section 16 has a rotating member 16a and a rotating drive section 16b. The rotating member 16a is provided so as to be rotatable in the direction of its axis in the Z direction. The rotating member 16a supports the lifting drive section 14. The rotating drive section 16b uses, for example, an electric motor to rotate the rotating member 16a in the direction of the axis of the pivot shaft AX3. The first rotating section 16 rotates the rotating member 16a with the driving force from the rotating drive section 16b, and can rotate the lifting drive section 14 and the holding section 13 in the direction of the axis of the pivot shaft AX3.

[0031] The sliding section 11 has, for example, a plurality of movable plates arranged in a stacked manner in the Z direction. A lifting drive unit 14 is attached to the bottommost movable plate. In the sliding section 11, the movable plates move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3 in the horizontal plane, and the lifting drive unit 14 and holding unit 13 attached to the bottommost movable plate move laterally (slide) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3.

[0032] The second rotating section 12 is provided between the slide section 11 and the upper unit 17. The second rotating section 12 has a rotating member 12a and a rotating drive unit 12b. The rotating member 12a is provided so as to be rotatable in the direction of its axis in the Z direction. The rotating member 12a supports the slide section 11. The rotating drive unit 12b uses, for example, an electric motor to rotate the rotating member 12a in the direction of the axis of the rotation shaft AX1. The second rotating section 12 rotates the rotating member 12a with the driving force from the rotating drive unit 12b, and can rotate the slide section 11 (lifting drive unit 14 and holding unit 13) in the direction of the axis of the rotation shaft AX1. The transport vehicle 3 can transfer goods M to the load port P, the receiving port 65A and the shipping port 65B by using the transfer section 18.

[0033] Furthermore, when the sliding part 11 is not sliding the lifting drive part 14 and the holding part 13, the pivot axis AX1 and the pivot axis AX3 coincide.

[0034] A cover W may be provided on the transport vehicle 3. The cover W surrounds the transfer section 18 and the article M held in the transfer section 18. The cover W has an open lower end and a cutout in the portion where the movable plate of the slide section 11 protrudes. The upper end of the cover W is attached to the rotating member 12a of the second rotating section 12, and rotates around the axis of the rotating shaft AX1 as the rotating member 12a rotates.

[0035] The first running section 20 has running wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22. The running wheels 21 are positioned at the four corners of the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (first main body section 10). Each of the running wheels 21 is attached to an axle provided on the first connecting section 30. Each of the running wheels 21 is rotationally driven by the driving force of the running drive section 33. Each of the running wheels 21 rolls on the grid-shaped track R. Each of the running wheels 21 rolls on the running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a of the first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3, causing the transport vehicle 3 to move. Note that it is not limited to all four running wheels 21 being rotationally driven by the driving force of the running drive section 33; a configuration in which only some of the four running wheels 21 are rotationally driven is also possible.

[0036] The running wheels 21 are rotatable in the θZ direction around the pivot axis AX2. The running wheels 21 can be rotated in the θZ direction by a direction changing mechanism 34, which will be described later, and as a result, the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3 can be changed. One auxiliary wheel 22 is positioned in front of and behind the running wheels 21 in the direction of travel. Each of the auxiliary wheels 22 is rotatable around an axis of an axle that is parallel or nearly parallel to the XY plane, similar to the running wheels 21. The lower end of the auxiliary wheels 22 is set to be higher than the lower end of the running wheels 21. Therefore, when the running wheels 21 are traveling on the running surfaces R1a, R2a, R3a, the auxiliary wheels 22 do not come into contact with the running surfaces R1a, R2a, R3a.

[0037] Furthermore, when the running wheels 21 pass through the gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3, the auxiliary wheels 22 contact the running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a to prevent the running wheels 21 from sinking. It should be noted that the arrangement is not limited to providing two auxiliary wheels 22, 22 on each running wheel 21; for example, one auxiliary wheel 22 may be provided on each running wheel 21, or no auxiliary wheels 22 may be provided at all.

[0038] The first connecting section 30 connects the upper unit 17 of the first main body section 10 to the first running section 20. The first connecting section 30 is provided at each of the four corners of the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (first main body section 10). The first connecting section 30 suspends the first main body section 10 from the first running section 20, and positions it below the grid-like track R. The first connecting section 30 has a support member 31 and a connecting member 32. The support member 31 rotatably supports the rotation axis of the running wheels 21 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheels 22. The support member 31 maintains the relative position of the running wheels 21 and the auxiliary wheels 22. The support member 31 is formed, for example, in the shape of a plate and is formed to a thickness that allows it to pass through the gap between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3.

[0039] The connecting member 32 extends downward from the support member 31 and is connected to the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17, holding the upper unit 17. The connecting member 32 contains a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the travel drive unit 33 (described later) to the travel wheels 21. This transmission mechanism may be configured to use a chain or belt, or a gear train. The connecting member 32 is provided so as to be rotatable in the θZ direction about the pivot axis AX2. By rotating the connecting member 32 about the pivot axis AX2, the travel wheels 21 can be rotated in the θZ direction about the pivot axis AX2 via the support member 31.

[0040] The first connecting section 30 is provided with a running drive unit 33 and a direction changing mechanism 34. The running drive unit 33 is mounted on the connecting member 32. The running drive unit 33 is a drive source that drives the running wheels 21, and for example, an electric motor is used. Each of the four running wheels 21 is a drive wheel driven by the running drive unit 33. The four running wheels 21 are controlled by the trolley controller 50 so that they rotate at the same speed per unit time.

[0041] The direction-changing mechanism 34 rotates the connecting member 32 of the first connecting section 30 around the pivot axis AX2, thereby rotating the running wheels 21 in the θZ direction around the pivot axis AX2. By rotating the running wheels 21 in the θZ direction, it is possible to switch the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3 from a first state where the direction of travel is in the X direction to a second state where the direction of travel is in the Y direction, or from a second state where the direction of travel is in the Y direction to a first state where the direction of travel is in the X direction. As the direction-changing mechanism 34 rotates, each of the running wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22 located at the four corners of the upper surface 17a rotates within a range of 90 degrees in the θZ direction around the pivot axis AX2.

[0042] The drive of the direction-changing mechanism 34 is controlled by the trolley controller 50. By rotating the running wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22, the running wheels 21 transition from contacting one of the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 to contacting the other. This allows the transport vehicle 3 to switch between a first state where the direction of travel is in the X direction and a second state where the direction of travel is in the Y direction.

[0043] The transport vehicle 3 moves in the X direction by the first running section 20 traveling on a pair of adjacent first rails R1, R1 in the Y direction, and moves in the Y direction by the first running section 20 traveling on a pair of adjacent second rails R2, R2 in the X direction.

[0044] The transport vehicle 3 is equipped with a position detection unit 38 that detects position information. The position detection unit 38 detects the current position of the transport vehicle 3 by detecting position markers (not shown) that indicate position information. The position detection unit 38 detects the position markers by non-contact. The position markers are installed on the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 of the grid-shaped track R.

[0045] The trolley controller 50 comprehensively controls the transport vehicle 3. The trolley controller 50 is a computer consisting of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The trolley controller 50 can be configured as software in which a program stored in ROM is loaded onto RAM and executed by the CPU. The trolley controller 50 may also be configured as hardware using electronic circuits, etc. In this embodiment, the trolley controller 50 is shown as being provided in the first main body 10, but it may also be provided outside the first main body 10.

[0046] The trolley controller 50 controls the movement of the transport vehicle 3 based on the transport command. The trolley controller 50 controls the movement of the transport vehicle 3 by controlling the travel drive unit 33, the direction changing mechanism 34, etc. The trolley controller 50 controls, for example, the travel speed, stopping operations, and direction changing operations. The trolley controller 50 controls the transfer operation of the transport vehicle 3 based on the transport command. The trolley controller 50 controls the transfer operation of the transport vehicle 3 by controlling the transfer unit 18, etc. The trolley controller 50 controls the load-grabbing operation in which the holding unit 13 holds (retrieves) the items M located at predetermined load ports P and outbound ports 65B, and the load-unloading operation in which the items M held by the holding unit 13 are lowered (handed over) to predetermined load ports P and inbound ports 65A.

[0047] The trolley controller 50 controls the first traveling unit 20, the lifting drive unit 14, and the sliding unit 11 so that, while the trolley is stopped at a specific stopping position between the receiving port 65A and the shipping port 65B, it can transfer the item M held by the holding unit 13 to the receiving port 65A and receive the item M placed at the shipping port 65B. When the trolley controller 50 places an item M on the first rack 61A, it rotates the first rotating unit 16 so that the front Mb with the lid faces the second rack 61B, and when the trolley controller 50 places an item M on the second rack 61B, it rotates the first rotating unit 16 so that the front Mb with the lid faces the first rack 61A. However, if the front Mb is already facing the orientation described above before placing an item M on each rack, the trolley controller 50 does not rotate the first rotating unit 16.

[0048] As shown in Figures 1, 5(A), and 5(B), the storage device 6 includes a stocker 60 and a stacker crane 70, as described above. The stocker 60 stores the articles M transported by the transport vehicle 3. The stocker 60 stores the articles M in a state arranged horizontally and vertically. The stocker 60 of this embodiment is composed of a first rack 61A and a second rack 61B arranged on either side of the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70, which travels along the Y direction. Each of the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B has a 5-row, 6-tier loading section that can accommodate 5 articles M horizontally and 6 articles M vertically. The loading section consists of an inbound port 65A, an outbound port 65B, and a storage section 65C.

[0049] The stacker crane 70 moves the items M placed on the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B within the stocker 60. Specifically, the stacker crane 70 moves the items M between the loading sections of the first rack 61A, between the loading sections of the second rack 61B, and between the loading sections of the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B.

[0050] Each of the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B has a frame 62, a panel 63, and a mounting shelf 64. The frame 62 is a member that extends in one direction and is arranged along the X, Y, and Z directions, and supports the panel 63 and the mounting shelf 64. The panel 63 is a plate-shaped member that covers a part of each of the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B. In the first rack 61A, when the side facing the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70 is considered the front, the panel 63 is positioned on the rear side of the first rack 61A and on both sides of the first rack 61A in the travel direction (Y direction) of the stacker crane 70. That is, the panel 63 forms the rear surface (back) and side surface of the first rack 61A. In the second rack 61B, the panel 63 is positioned in the same location as in the first rack 61A.

[0051] The mounting shelf 64 is a component on which the article M is placed, and is a component that constitutes the mounting portion of the article M. The mounting shelf 64 is provided so as to be able to support both ends in the Y direction and the rear end in the X direction of the lower surface of the article M from below. That is, when the article M is placed on the mounting shelf 64, both ends in the Y direction and the rear end of the lower surface of the article M are supported by the support members. The mounting shelf 64 is provided with a pin (positioning member) 66 for positioning the article M. The pin 66 is a protrusion formed so as to be able to engage with a recess or the like formed on the back surface of the article M.

[0052] In this embodiment, a positioning member for positioning a single article M is composed of three pins 66, 66, 66. When an article M is placed on the rack 64 so as to engage with the three pins 66, 66, 66, the front surface Mb of the article M faces forward. Therefore, articles M stored in the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B, which are arranged opposite each other across the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70, are placed on the rack 64 with their front surfaces Mb facing each other.

[0053] The rack 64 is configured with an inbound port 65A for receiving goods, an outbound port 65B for outbound goods, and a storage section 65C for storage only. The inbound ports 65A and outbound ports 65B are located on the top shelf of the rack 61. In this embodiment, in a pair of racks 61, 61, five inbound ports 65A are located on the top shelf of the first rack 61A, and five outbound ports 65B are located on the top shelf of the second rack 61B. The inbound ports 65A and outbound ports 65B are located opposite each other, with the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70 and the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 in between. Note that it is sufficient for at least one inbound port 65A and one outbound port 65B to be located on the top shelf of the rack 61. Multiple storage units 65C are arranged vertically (Z direction) and horizontally (Y direction) below the receiving port 65A and the shipping port 65B.

[0054] The stacker crane 70 comprises a traveling section 71, a mast 72, a lifting section 73, a transfer section 74, and a crane controller 78. The crane controller 78 is configured to communicate with the system controller 5.

[0055] The running section 71 is equipped with a running motor and a lifting motor (not shown). The running section 71 has running wheels 71A and runs along a running rail R4 laid on the ground. The running section 71 runs by the running wheels 71A, driven by the running motor, rolling along the running rail R4. The mast 72 is a rectangular tubular member extending in the vertical direction and is erected on the running section 71. The lifting section 73 is provided so as to be able to move up and down along the extending direction of the mast 72. The lifting section 73 moves up and down by the driving force of the lifting motor.

[0056] The transfer unit 74 is provided on the lifting unit 73 and is provided to be able to move up and down integrally with the lifting unit 73. The transfer unit 74 takes out the item M from the storage shelf 64 and places the item M on the storage shelf 64. More specifically, the transfer unit 74 exchanges the item M between the receiving port 65A and the storage unit 65C, between different storage units 65C, and between the storage unit 65C and the outbound port 65B. The transfer unit 74 is formed to be able to support the item M from below.

[0057] The transfer unit 74 moves the article M, which is supported at both ends in the Y direction by the mounting shelf 64, downwards near the center in the Y direction, and moves it upwards through the notch 64a of the mounting shelf 64, thereby supporting the article M from below and receiving the article M from the mounting shelf 64. The transfer unit 74 moves the article M, which is supported at both ends in the Y direction near the center in the Y direction, upwards above the mounting shelf 64, and moves it downwards through the notch 64a of the mounting shelf 64, thereby supporting both ends in the Y direction on the lower surface of the article M on the mounting shelf 64 and handing the article M over to the mounting shelf 64.

[0058] The crane controller 78 moves the items M within the stocker 60 in response to commands from the system controller 5. For example, the system controller 5 may move items M that have been received into the receiving port 65A to a designated storage unit 65C, or move items M stored in the designated storage unit 65C to the output port 65B.

[0059] The system controller 5 comprehensively controls multiple transport vehicles 3 and storage devices 6. The system controller 5 is a computer consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The system controller 5 can be configured as software, for example, in which a program stored in ROM is loaded onto RAM and executed by the CPU. The system controller 5 may also be configured as hardware, such as electronic circuits.

[0060] The system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3 indicating the destination of the item M. In this embodiment, when the transport vehicle 3 is moving the item M into or out of the stocker 60, the system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3 specifying the destination as the inbound port 65A, which is located across the transport vehicle 3's travel area A2 from the outbound port 65B where the item M is placed. Based on the above transport command, the transport vehicle 3 travels along the track R and moves to a stopping position between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B. Once stopped at the stopping position, the transport vehicle 3 hands over the item M to the inbound port 65A and receives the item M from the outbound port 65B. The system controller 5 also monitors the status of the item M (the presence or absence of item M at each loading area) based on transport completion information transmitted periodically from the trolley controller 50 and the crane controller 78.

[0061] Next, the operation of the transport vehicle 3 in this embodiment when loading and unloading items M into and out of the stocker 60 will be explained mainly using Figures 7(A) to 10(B).

[0062] When the transport vehicle 3 moves an item M into or out of the stocker 60, the system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, specifying the destination as the inbound port 65A, which is located across the transport vehicle 3's travel area A2 from the outbound port 65B where the item M is placed. Upon receiving this transport command, the transport vehicle 3 stops at a specific stopping position between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B, while holding the item M, as shown in Figure 7(A). Next, as shown in Figure 7(B), the transport vehicle 3 drives the slide unit 11 to move the holding unit 13 to above the inbound port 65A of the first rack 61A in the -X direction. Next, as shown in Figure 8(A), the transport vehicle 3 drives the lifting drive unit 14 to lower the holding unit 13, thereby placing (transferring) the item M to the inbound port 65A.

[0063] Next, as shown in Figure 8(B), the transport vehicle 3 releases the grip of the item M held by the claw portion 13a, drives the lifting drive unit 14, and raises the holding portion 13 above the receiving port 65A. Next, as shown in Figure 9(A), the transport vehicle 3 drives the sliding portion 11, moving the holding portion 13 in the +X direction to above the output port 65B of the second rack 61B. Next, as shown in Figure 9(B), the transport vehicle 3 drives the lifting drive unit 14, and lowers the holding portion 13.

[0064] Next, as shown in Figure 10(A), the transport vehicle 3 drives the lifting drive unit 14 while holding the item M with the claw portion 13a, raising the holding portion 13 above the output port 65B. This allows the transport vehicle 3 to receive the item M from the output port 65B. Next, as shown in Figure 10(B), the transport vehicle 3 drives the sliding portion 11, moving the holding portion 13 in the -X direction to a predetermined position when the transport vehicle 3 transports the item M while holding it. Finally, the transport vehicle 3 moves to the destination according to the command of the system controller 5.

[0065] The effects and advantages of the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment will now be explained. In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 does not perform loading and unloading between the transport vehicle 3 and the stocker 60 by loading the item M into the loading port 65A for loading the item M and then moving to the unloading port 65B for unloading the item M. Instead, the first traveling unit 20, the lifting drive unit 14, and the sliding unit 11 are controlled so that the transport vehicle 3 remains stopped at a specific stopping position, and the item M held by the holding unit 13 is transferred to the loading port 65A, and the item M placed on the unloading port 65B is received. As a result, the item M is loaded into the stocker 60 and unloaded from the stocker 60 without the transport vehicle 3 moving.

[0066] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the receiving port 65A and the output port 65B are positioned so as to straddle the traveling area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 and the traveling area A1 of the stacker crane 70 when viewed from above in a plan view in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the stopping position (specific stopping position) of the transport vehicle 3 when it receives goods M into the stocker 60 is set between the receiving port 65A and the output port 65B. This allows goods M to be received in and out of the stocker 60 by controlling a simple sliding section 11 that moves the goods M along one direction.

[0067] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the stocker 60 has a first rack 61A and a second rack 61B that are arranged opposite each other in a plan view from above in the vertical direction, with the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 and the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70 in between. The receiving port 65A is set to the first rack 61A, and the output port 65B is set to the second rack 61B. Furthermore, the stopping position (specific stopping position) of the transport vehicle 3 when it receives goods M into the stocker 60 is set between the receiving port 65A and the output port 65B. This allows goods M to be received in and out of the stocker 60 by controlling a simple sliding part 11 that moves the goods M along one direction.

[0068] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 has a first rotating part 16 that rotates the holding part 13 in a horizontal plane. As a result, even if the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B, which are arranged opposite each other, are provided with pins 66 that position the articles M so that the front surfaces Mb of the articles M to be placed face each other, the first rotating part 16 rotates the holding part 13, allowing the articles M to be handed over or received in a predetermined state. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism on the storage device side to adjust the orientation of the articles M when they are placed on the placement section.

[0069] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the track R is arranged in a grid pattern with a plurality of first rails R1 extending in the X direction and second rails R2 extending in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction. The transport vehicle 3 moves in the X direction by the first running unit 20 traveling on a pair of adjacent first rails R1, R1 in the Y direction, and moves in the Y direction by the first running unit 20 traveling on a pair of adjacent second rails R2, R2 in the X direction. This configuration enables more efficient loading and unloading of goods M.

[0070] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle that directs the item M to the receiving port 65A, which is located across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3, from the receiving port 65B where the item M is placed. This ensures that after the item M is placed in the receiving port 65A, the item M can be reliably released from the receiving port 65B.

[0071] Although one embodiment has been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0072] In the above embodiment of the transport vehicle system 1, an example was given in which the transport vehicle 3 travels along a grid-like arrangement of tracks R, but the system is not limited to this. For example, the tracks R may extend in one direction, and the transport vehicle 3 may be an Overhead Hoist Transfer (OHT) configured to travel in the direction of the extension of the tracks R. Even in this case, the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B can be placed on either side of the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3, or the first rack 61A and the second rack 61B can be placed perpendicular to the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3, so that the receiving port 65A and the output port 65B are positioned on either side of a specific stopping position on the tracks R. Even in this case, the same effects as in the above embodiment can be enjoyed.

[0073] In the above embodiment and modified examples of the transport vehicle system 1, the stocker 60 was described using an example in which it is composed of two racks (first rack 61A and second rack 61B), but it is not limited to this. For example, the stocker 60 may be composed of one rack 61, or it may be composed of three or more racks 61.

[0074] For example, if the storage unit 60 is composed of a single rack 61, the rack 61 may be positioned either directly below the track R along the track R in a plan view from above, or positioned below the track R so as to intersect with the track R. "Placing directly below the track R along the track R" means that, when the transport vehicle 3 travels along the grid-shaped track R as in the above embodiment, the rack 61 is positioned so that its extending direction coincides with (is parallel to) the extending direction of the first rail R1 or the second rail R2, and when the transport vehicle 3 travels along a track R that extends in one direction as in the above modified example, the rack 61 is positioned so that its extending direction coincides with (is parallel to) the extending direction of the track R. In this case, for example, one point above the rack 61 may be set as a specific stopping position, and the receiving port 65A and the receiving port 65B may be set so as to sandwich the specific stopping position in a plan view.

[0075] Furthermore, "arranged to intersect with track R below track R" means that, when the transport vehicle 3 travels along the grid-shaped track R as in the above embodiment, the extension direction of the rack 61 and the extension directions of the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 do not coincide (are not parallel), and when the transport vehicle 3 travels along a track R that extends in one direction as in the above modified example, it means that the extension direction of the rack 61 and the extension direction of track R do not coincide (are not parallel). In this case, for example, the intersection point of the rack 61 and track R in a plan view can be set as a specific stopping position, and the inbound port 65A and outbound port 65B can be set to sandwich the specific stopping position in a plan view.

[0076] In the above embodiment and modified examples of the transport vehicle system 1, when the transport vehicle 3 loads or unloads an item M into or out of the stocker 60, the slide part 11 is driven to move the holding part 13 horizontally from the first main body 10 while loading and unloading are performed. However, the system is not limited to this. For example, when the transport vehicle 3 loads an item M into or out of the stocker 60, it may be done by lowering the holding part 13 straight down without driving the slide part 11, and only when the transport vehicle 3 unloads an item M from the stocker 60 may it be done by moving the holding part 13 horizontally from the first main body 10. In other words, when the transport vehicle 3 loads or unloads an item M into or out of the stocker 60, one of the loading or unloading of the item M may be done by lowering the holding part 13 straight down instead of driving the slide part 11 to move the holding part 13 horizontally from the first main body 10.

[0077] In the above embodiment and modified versions of the transport vehicle system 1, the system controller 5 has been described as outputting a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, specifying the receiving port 65A, which is located across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 from the receiving port 65B, where the item M is placed, as the transport destination. However, the system controller 5 is not limited to this. For example, after outputting a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, which specifies the receiving port 65A as the transport destination, the system controller 5 may control the stacker crane 70 to move the item M from another loading area to the receiving port 65B, which is located across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 from the receiving port 65A.

[0078] In the above embodiment and modified transport vehicle system 1, the rack 61 was described as being arranged in alignment with the extending direction of the track R (X direction or Y direction), but it may also be arranged diagonally (at an angle) with respect to the extending direction of the track R. Even in this case, the transport vehicle 3 can place the articles M on the mounting section of the rack 61 by driving the second rotating part 12. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1... Transport vehicle system, 3... Transport vehicle, 5... System controller, 6... Storage device, 11... Slide section, 13... Holding section, 14... Lifting drive section, 16... First rotating section (rotating section), 18... Transfer section, 20... First traveling section (traveling section), 50... Trolley controller (transport vehicle control section), 60... Stocker, 61... Rack, 61A... First rack, 61B... Second rack, 64... Storage shelf, 65A... Inbound port (first storage section), 65B... Outbound port (second storage section), 65C... Storage section, 66... ​​Pin (positioning member), 70... Stacker crane (transfer device), M... Item, Ma... Flange section, Mb... Front (first end), Mc... Rear (second end), R... Grid-shaped track (track) R1... First rail, R2... Second rail.

Claims

1. A transport vehicle system comprising a transport vehicle that travels along a track installed on the ceiling of a building to transport goods, and a storage device for storing the goods, The aforementioned transport vehicle is A running section that travels along the aforementioned track, A holding part for holding the aforementioned article, A lifting drive unit that raises and lowers the holding unit relative to the traveling unit, A sliding section that moves the holding section and the lifting drive section horizontally relative to the traveling section, The system includes a transport vehicle control unit that controls the transport vehicle, The aforementioned storage device is A stocker having a rack on which multiple mounting parts arranged vertically and horizontally are arranged, The device includes a transfer device for transferring the article to the plurality of mounting sections, Among the multiple mounting sections located on the uppermost level of the rack, there is at least one first mounting section for receiving goods and at least one second mounting section for retrieving goods. A transport vehicle system in which the transport vehicle control unit controls the traveling unit, the lifting drive unit, and the sliding unit so as to transfer the article held by the holding unit to the first placement unit and receive the article placed on the second placement unit while the transport vehicle control unit is stopped at a specific stopping position.

2. The first mounting section and the second mounting section are arranged so as to sandwich the travel area of ​​the transport vehicle when viewed from above in the vertical direction. The transport vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the specific stopping position is set between the first mounting section and the second mounting section in the plan view.

3. The stocker has a first rack and a second rack that are arranged opposite each other in a plan view from above in the vertical direction, with the travel area of ​​the transport vehicle in between. The first mounting section is set in the first rack, and the second mounting section is set in the second rack. The transport vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the specific stopping position is set between the first mounting section and the second mounting section in the plan view.

4. The transport vehicle further has a rotating part that rotates the holding part in a horizontal plane, The article has a first end which is one end in one direction, and a second end which is the other end in the same direction and has a different shape from the first end. The front mounting portion of the rack is provided with a positioning member that positions the articles so that the first ends of the articles placed on the opposing racks face each other. The transport vehicle system according to claim 3, wherein the transport vehicle control unit rotates the rotating part so that the first end faces the second rack when placing the article on the first placement part.

5. The aforementioned track has a grid arrangement of multiple first rails extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and second rails extending in the second direction and arranged in the first direction. The transport vehicle system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transport vehicle moves in the first direction by the running section traveling on a pair of adjacent first rails in the second direction, and moves in the second direction by the running section traveling on a pair of adjacent second rails in the first direction.

6. The system further includes a system controller that outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle indicating the destination of the aforementioned article, The transport vehicle system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the system controller outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle specifying the first loading section, which is positioned across the driving area from the second loading section on which the article is loaded, as the transport destination.

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