Rail-mounted trolley system

Abstract

According to the present invention, a rail-guided carrier system has a set work location at which a processing device performs work on a rail-guided carrier that has stopped on a track. The rail-guided carrier system comprises a withdrawal mechanism that withdraws a portion of the track at the work location that corresponds to a site on the rail-guided carrier at which work is to be performed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a railcar system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a system in which a traveling rail on which a traveling vehicle travels has a main body portion that houses a traveling portion of the traveling vehicle and extends along a traveling route, and a power feeding portion that is provided along the extending direction of the main body portion and supplies power to the traveling portion (for example, Patent Document 1). In the system described in Patent Document 1, a working rail for maintaining the traveling vehicle is provided. The working rail is not provided with a power feeding portion or a top surface portion as provided on the traveling rail, and an open portion is formed to expose a part of the traveling portion. Through the open portion, maintenance work (such as cleaning work) of the traveling vehicle is performed. Since the traveling vehicle cannot self-travel on the working rail, it is moved to the open portion by a separately provided moving mechanism.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described system, the traveling vehicle (railcar) is moved to the working rail by a moving mechanism, and work on the railcar is performed at the open portion. In that case, due to the absence of a power feeding portion or the absence of a top surface portion, etc., the labor required for the process of moving the traveling vehicle to the working rail may increase, or the maintenance work itself may become complicated.

[0005] The present disclosure describes a railcar system that can easily perform work on a railcar.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a tracked trolley system in which a work position is set for a tracked trolley that is stopped on a track, the tracked trolley system is equipped with a retraction mechanism that retracts a portion of the track opposite to the work target area of ​​the tracked trolley at the work position.

[0007] In this tracked trolley system, a portion of the track is moved aside by a retraction mechanism. Therefore, until the tracked trolley reaches the work position, the track at the work position can be equipped with the same configuration as the running track that is necessary for the tracked trolley to move. For example, unlike Patent Document 1, it is also possible to have a power supply unit on the work track. Therefore, the tracked trolley can move under its own power to the work position. Furthermore, after a portion of the track is moved aside by the retraction mechanism, the processing unit performs work on the target area of ​​the tracked trolley that has stopped at the work position. In other words, work can be performed on the tracked trolley simply by moving it under its own power to the work position and moving a portion of the track to the retraction position while the tracked trolley remains stopped at the work position, making it easy to perform work on the tracked trolley.

[0008] The retraction mechanism retracts at least a portion of the top surface of the track, and the processing device may contact the top of the tracked bogie from above to measure its position, or it may photograph the top of the tracked bogie. In this case, the position measurement or image capture of the top of the tracked bogie can be automated.

[0009] The top surface of the track has a plate-like portion extending in the direction of travel of the tracked trolley, and the tracked trolley has a touch roller for position recognition that contacts the plate-like portion of the track. The retraction mechanism may retract only the movable portion of the plate-like portion facing the top of the tracked trolley, excluding the specific portion that the touch roller is in contact with, at the work position. In this case, the specific portion that the touch roller is in contact with does not move, and contact with the touch roller is maintained. Therefore, the tracked trolley is able to maintain a state in which it can recognize its own position, and can return to operation smoothly after work. This leads to a reduction in cycle time. Moreover, since a portion of the moving track is not in contact with the touch roller, the retraction prevents that portion from rubbing against the touch roller, thus suppressing wear on the touch roller.

[0010] The plate-like portion is a magnetic plate, the specific portion is a fixed magnetic plate that the touch roller contacts at the working position, and the movable portion may be a movable magnetic plate adjacent to the fixed magnetic plate in the direction of travel. In this case, the work can be easily performed on a rail-tracked trolley driven by a linear motor. The retraction mechanism allows only the movable magnetic plate to be retracted, and after the work is completed, only the movable magnetic plate needs to be returned to its normal position (extended position). Therefore, the return to operation after the work can be performed smoothly.

[0011] The retraction mechanism may slide a portion of the track from its normal position to a retracted position, exposing the work area. In this case, the sliding of the portion of the track allows access to the work area from the normal position where the portion of the track was originally located. Therefore, the processing unit can be easily placed in an area that does not interfere with the movement of the tracked trolley (outside the trajectory of the running section), and the work can be performed more quickly.

[0012] The first direction of movement of the portion of the track that is retracted by the retraction mechanism and the second direction of movement of the working unit of the processing device toward the tracked trolley for work may be perpendicular. In this case, the work area can be easily exposed smoothly. Access to the work area by the working unit of the processing device is also easy. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to this disclosure, work on the tracked trolley can be performed by moving only a portion of the track, making the work easier. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing a tracked trolley system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the rail-mounted trolley as seen from the direction of travel. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the running gear of a tracked bogie. [Figure 4] Figure 4(a) shows the top surface of the track at the work position viewed from below, and Figure 4(b) shows the state after a part of the track has moved to the retracted position (retracted) from the state in Figure 4(a). [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a side cross-sectional view of the track and tracked bogie in the state shown in Figure 4(a), and Figure 5(b) is a side cross-sectional view of the track and tracked bogie in the retracted state shown in Figure 4(b). [Figure 6] Figures 6(a) and 6(b) are side cross-sectional views showing the movement of each part in a modified example of a simultaneous drive system that combines a track retraction mechanism and a work movement mechanism. [Figure 7] Figures 7(a) and 7(b) are side cross-sectional views showing the movement of each part in a modified example of the simultaneous drive type, following Figures 6(a) and 6(b). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted. In some of the drawings, for the sake of explanation, the directions "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "back" will be defined.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rail-mounted trolley system 1 is a system for transporting the article 10 between the placement parts 9, 9 using the ceiling traveling vehicle (rail-mounted trolley) 6 that can move along the traveling rail (rail) 4. The article 10 includes, for example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) that stores a plurality of semiconductor wafers, a container that stores a glass substrate, a container such as a reticle pod, and general parts. In the following description, the ceiling traveling vehicle 6 is simply referred to as the traveling vehicle 6. The rail-mounted trolley system 1 includes a traveling rail 4, a plurality of traveling vehicles 6, a plurality of placement parts 9, and a working rail 41.

[0017] The traveling rail 4 is laid, for example, near the ceiling which is the overhead space of the operator. The traveling rail 4 is suspended from the ceiling, for example. The traveling rail 4 is a predetermined traveling path for running the traveling vehicle 6. The traveling rail 4 is supported by the columns 40A, 40A. The traveling rail 4 of the rail-mounted trolley system 1 has a main line part 4A that circulates in one direction in a predetermined area, and an introduction part 4B that introduces the traveling vehicle 6 to the working rail 41 provided with a working area 160 for maintaining the traveling vehicle 6. In the introduction part 4B as well, the traveling vehicle 6 moves in a predetermined one direction.

[0018] The traveling rail 4 has a cylindrical rail main body part 40 composed of a pair of lower surface parts 40B, 40B, a pair of side surface parts 40C, 40C, and a top surface part 40D, and a power supply part 40E. The rail main body part 40 houses (encloses) the traveling part 50 of the traveling vehicle 6. The lower surface part 40B extends in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle 6 and constitutes the lower surface of the rail main body part 40. The lower surface part 40B is a plate-like member on which the traveling roller 51 of the traveling vehicle 6 rolls. The side surface part 40C extends in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle 6 and constitutes the side surface of the rail main body part 40. The top surface part 40D extends in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle 6 and constitutes the upper surface of the rail main body part 40. The top surface part 40D includes a magnetic plate 40F.

[0019] The power supply unit (power supply line) 40E supplies power to the power supply core 57 of the traveling vehicle 6 and is a part that transmits and receives signals with the power supply core 57. The power supply unit 40E is fixed to each of the pair of side surfaces 40C, 40C and extends along the traveling direction. The power supply unit 40E supplies power to the power supply core 57 in a non-contact state. The magnetic plate 40F generates a magnetic force for traveling or stopping for the LDM (Linear DC Motor) 59 of the traveling vehicle 6. The magnetic plate 40F is fixed to the top plate 70 (see FIG. 5) of the top surface portion 40D by a bracket or the like not shown and extends along the traveling direction. The traveling vehicle 6 is a rail trolley driven by a linear motor.

[0020] The traveling vehicle 6 travels on the traveling track 4 and conveys the article 10. That the traveling vehicle 6 travels on the traveling track 4 means that the traveling roller 51 of the traveling vehicle 6 rolls on the lower surface portion 40B of the traveling track 4. The traveling vehicle 6 is configured to be able to transfer the article 10. The traveling vehicle 6 is an overhead traveling type unmanned traveling vehicle. The number of traveling vehicles 6 included in the rail trolley system 1 is not particularly limited and is plural. The traveling vehicle 6 has a main body portion 7, a traveling portion 50, and a control portion 35. The main body portion 7 has a main body frame 22, a cross-feed portion 24, a θ drive 26, a lifting drive portion 28, a lifting table 30, and a cover 33.

[0021] The main body frame 22 is connected to the traveling portion 50 and supports the cross-feed portion 24, the θ drive 26, the lifting drive portion 28, the lifting table 30, and the cover 33. The cross-feed portion 24 collectively feeds the θ drive 26, the lifting drive portion 28, and the lifting table 30 in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the traveling track 4. The θ drive 26 rotates at least one of the lifting drive portion 28 and the lifting table 30 within a predetermined angle range in the horizontal plane. The lifting drive portion 28 raises and lowers the lifting table 30 by winding or unwinding a suspension member such as a wire, a rope, and a belt. A chuck is provided on the lifting table 30, and the article 10 can be freely gripped or released. A pair of covers 33 are provided, for example, before and after the traveling vehicle 6 in the traveling direction. The cover 33 prevents the article 10 from falling during conveyance by protruding and retracting claws or the like not shown.

[0022] The running unit 50 moves the vehicle 6 along the running track 4. As shown in Figure 3, the running unit 50 has a running roller 51, side rollers 52, branch roller 53, auxiliary roller 54, touch roller 55, power supply core 57 and LDM 59. In Figure 2, the branch roller 53, auxiliary roller 54 and touch roller 55 are not shown.

[0023] The running roller 51 is a pair of rollers consisting of an outer ring 51A as a running wheel and an inner ring 51B as a running aid wheel. The running roller 51 is positioned at both the left and right ends of the front and rear of the running section 50. The running roller 51 rolls on a pair of lower surfaces 40B, 40B of the running track 4. The side rollers 52 are positioned to sandwich each of the outer rings 51A of the running roller 51 in the front-rear direction. The side rollers 52 are provided so as to be able to contact the side surface 40C of the running track 4. The branching rollers 53 are positioned to sandwich each of the side rollers 52 in the up-down direction. The branching rollers 53 are provided so as to be able to contact a guide (not shown) located at a connection or branching section of the running track 4.

[0024] The auxiliary rollers 54 are, for example, groups of three rollers provided at the front and rear of the running section 50. The auxiliary rollers 54 are provided to prevent the LDM 59 and the power supply core 57 from coming into contact with the magnetic plate 40F located on the upper surface of the running track 4 when the running section 50 tilts forward or backward while running due to acceleration or deceleration. The clearance between the auxiliary rollers 54 and the magnetic plate 40F is controlled by the processing device 80 (details will be described later) to be within a desired range. Incidentally, tilt prevention rollers are provided at the four corners of the LDM 59 to prevent tilting due to centrifugal force when the running section 50 runs on a curved section, but the tilt prevention rollers are not shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0025] The power supply core 57 is positioned in front of and behind the running unit 50, sandwiching the LDM 59 in the left-right direction. It provides contactless power supply and transmits and receives various signals with the power supply unit 40E located on the running track 4. The power supply core 57 exchanges signals with the control unit 35. The LDM 59 is provided in front of and behind the running unit 50. The LDM 59 generates a magnetic force for running or stopping between itself and the magnetic plate 40F located on the upper surface of the running track 4 using an electromagnet. The clearance between the LDM 59 and the magnetic plate 40F is controlled by the processing unit 80 so that it is within a desired range.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the loading section 9 is positioned along the travel track 4 and is located at a position where the article 10 can be transferred between it and the vehicle 6. The loading section 9 includes a buffer and a transfer port. The buffer is a loading section where the article 10 is temporarily placed. The buffer is a loading section where the article 10 is temporarily placed when the article 10 being transported by the vehicle 6 cannot be transferred to the intended transfer port for reasons such as another article 10 being placed in the intended transfer port. The transfer port is a loading section for transferring the article 10 to semiconductor processing equipment (not shown), such as a cleaning device, film deposition device, lithography device, etching device, heat treatment device, or planarization device. The processing equipment is not particularly limited and may be various types of equipment.

[0027] For example, the loading section 9 is located to the side of the running track 4. In this case, the vehicle 6 moves the lifting drive unit 28 etc. laterally using the lateral movement unit 24, and by slightly raising and lowering the lifting platform 30, it transfers the goods 10 between the loading section 9 and the loading section 9. Although not shown in the figures, the loading section 9 may also be located directly below the running track 4. In this case, the vehicle 6 transfers the goods 10 between the loading section 9 and the loading section 9 by raising and lowering the lifting platform 30.

[0028] The control unit 35 is an electronic control unit consisting of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The control unit 35 controls various operations of the vehicle 6. Specifically, the control unit 35 controls the running unit 50, the lateral feed unit 24, the θ drive 26, the lifting drive unit 28, and the lifting platform 30. The control unit 35 can be configured as software, for example, in which a program stored in ROM is loaded onto RAM and executed by the CPU. The control unit 35 may also be configured as hardware, such as an electronic circuit. The control unit 35 communicates with the controller 90 using the power supply unit 40E (feeder line), etc., of the running track 4.

[0029] The controller 90 is an electronic control unit consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The controller 90 can be configured as software, for example, in which a program stored in ROM is loaded onto RAM and executed by the CPU. The controller 90 may also be configured as hardware, such as an electronic circuit. The controller 90 transmits a transport command to the vehicle 6 to transport the item 10.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the work area 160 is located in a part of the introduction section 4B and is an area where maintenance of the running rollers 51 and LDM 59 of the running section 50 included in the running vehicle 6 is performed. The work area 160 is equipped with a work track 41 and a processing device 80.

[0031] The work track 41 extends in one direction such that both ends are continuous with the running tracks 4, 4. The work track 41 is part of the running track 4. In the tracked trolley system 1 of this embodiment, the processing unit 80 can perform work on the trolley 6 that has stopped at a work position P80 (see Figure 5(a)) on the work track 41. In other words, a work position P80 for maintenance (including inspection of various parts of the running track 4) is set on the work track 41.

[0032] Figure 4(a) is a view from below of the top surface 40D of the introduction section 4B (running track 4) at the work position P80, and Figure 5(a) is a side cross-sectional view of the introduction section 4B and the running vehicle 6 in the state shown in Figure 4(a). As shown in Figures 4(a) and 5(a), the tracked trolley system 1 includes a processing device 80 that performs work on the running vehicle 6 on the work track 41 in the work area 160, and a retraction mechanism 60 that retracts a part of the top surface 40D, which is part of the track, for the purpose of working on the running vehicle 6. The content of the work performed by the processing device 80 is not particularly limited, but for example, the work may include measuring the height of various parts of the running vehicle 6, or taking images of various parts of the running vehicle 6. In the following description, as an example, a configuration in which the height (position) of the upper part of the running vehicle 6 is measured at the work position P80 will be described.

[0033] First, with reference to Figure 3, the parts measured by the processing unit 80 (work target areas) will be explained. The processing unit 80 measures the positions of the upper end 54T of the auxiliary roller 54, the upper surface 57T of the power supply core 57, and the upper surface 59T of the LDM 59 by contacting them from above the traveling vehicle 6. However, the measurement target areas (work target areas) are not limited to these parts. As shown in Figure 5(a), the traveling section 50 of the traveling vehicle 6, which is stopped at the work position P80, is positioned between the magnetic plate 73, the movable magnetic plate 75, and the fixed magnetic plate 78, which are all at the same height, and the lower surface section 40B. The traveling roller 51 is in contact with the upper surface of the top surface section 40D, and the touch roller 55 is in contact with the lower surface of the fixed magnetic plate 78. In this state, the suitability of the positions of the auxiliary roller 54, the power supply core 57, and the LDM 59 on the traveling section 50 is diagnosed by measuring their positions. Note that in Figure 3, the detailed structure of the power supply core 57 and LDM 59 is omitted, and the power supply core 57 and LDM 59 are shown as simple blocks.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5(a), the running section 50 of the vehicle 6 moves under its own power to the work area 160 according to a predetermined maintenance schedule and stops at the work position P80. The touch roller 55 provided on the running section 50 moves while making contact with the magnetic plate 73, movable magnetic plate 75, and fixed magnetic plate 78 (all corresponding to plate-shaped parts) that make up the magnetic plate 40F with a predetermined pressure. The control unit 35 can recognize the vehicle's own position through the rotation of the touch roller 55 and the encoder unit 56 (see Figure 3) connected to the touch roller 55. The vehicle 6 is able to move under its own power throughout almost the entire area of ​​the running track 4, including the work track 41. That is, even in the work area 160, the power supply section 40E and the magnetic plate 40F, etc., are not omitted, and the same configuration as in the main line section 4A is provided throughout the entire area of ​​the introduction section 4B.

[0035] The magnetic plate 40F includes a magnetic plate 73, a movable magnetic plate 75, and a fixed magnetic plate 78. The magnetic plate 73 is located in the center of the width direction (left-right direction) of the top surface 40D and extends horizontally in the direction of travel of the vehicle 6. As shown in Figure 4(a), the magnetic plate 73 includes, for example, a base plate 71 fixed to the top plate 70 and installed horizontally, and a number of magnet pieces 72 fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 71. The magnet pieces 72 are laid out so as to be aligned in the direction of travel.

[0036] When the vehicle 6 is stopped at the working position P80, a pair of movable magnetic plates 75, 75 positioned to sandwich the touch roller 55 in the direction of travel, and a fixed magnetic plate 78 in contact with the touch roller 55, are installed to be continuous with the magnetic plate 73. The movable magnetic plates 75, 75 and the fixed magnetic plate 78 are located in the center of the width direction (left-right direction) of the top surface portion 40D and are installed horizontally in the direction of travel of the vehicle 6. Each movable magnetic plate 75 includes, for example, a base plate 71A fixed to the top plate 70 and installed horizontally, and a number of magnet pieces 72A fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 71A. The magnet pieces 72A are laid out in the direction of travel, similar to the magnet pieces 72. The length of each movable magnetic plate 75 in the direction of travel is, for example, long enough to cover the LDM 59 and auxiliary roller 54 of the vehicle 6 (longer than the length of the LDM 59 and auxiliary roller 54) (see Figure 5(a)).

[0037] The fixed magnetic plate 78 includes, for example, a base plate 76 fixed to the top plate 70 and installed horizontally, and a single magnet piece 74 fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 76. The fixed magnetic plate 78 has, for example, the minimum size necessary to support the touch roller 55 in the direction of travel. Multiple magnet pieces 74 may be provided on the fixed magnetic plate 78. The shape and size of a single magnet piece 74 are preferably the same as the magnet piece 72 on the magnetic plate 73 and the magnet piece 72A on the movable magnetic plate 75.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5(a), the top surface 40D has a pair of movable magnetic plates 75 and one fixed magnetic plate 78 that extend in the direction of travel of the vehicle 6. The vehicle 6 has a position-recognition touch roller 55 that contacts the fixed magnetic plate 78 at the work position P80. The touch roller 55 contacts the magnetic plate 73 and the movable magnetic plate 75 during the self-propelled section until the vehicle 6 reaches the work position P80.

[0039] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 5(a), the retraction mechanism 60 retracts only the movable magnetic plates 75 (movable portion) of the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 and fixed magnetic plates 78 that are facing the auxiliary roller 54, power supply core 57, and LDM 59, which are the upper part of the traveling vehicle 6, at the working position P80, and which are not in contact with the touch roller 55. In other words, the retraction mechanism 60 retracts only the movable portion of the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 and fixed magnetic plates 78, excluding the fixed magnetic plate 78 which is the specific portion in contact with the touch roller 55. The pair of movable magnetic plates 75 are adjacent to the fixed magnetic plate 78 in the direction of travel, but are moved laterally (first movement direction D1) by the retraction mechanism 60. At this time, only the fixed magnetic plate 78 is left in the center in the width direction of the top surface 40D (the position of the fixed magnetic plate 78 is maintained).

[0040] Referring to Figures 4(a) and 4(b), an example of the configuration of the retraction mechanism 60 will be described. The retraction mechanism 60 includes a drive motor 61 and a screw shaft 62 fixed to the top plate 70 of the top surface portion 40D, and a movable nut 63 that fits onto the screw shaft 62 and moves in accordance with the rotation of the screw shaft 62. These drive motor 61, screw shaft 62, and movable nut 63 constitute a ball screw mechanism. A pair of base plates 71A (movable magnetic plates 75) are fixed to both the front and rear ends of the lifting platform 30. The pair of base plates 71A are movable in the left and right directions along four guide portions 64 fixed to the top plate 70. The screw shaft 62 and movable nut 63 overlap the fixed magnetic plate 78 when viewed from below, but are positioned, for example, above the fixed magnetic plate 78 so as not to spatially interfere with the fixed magnetic plate 78.

[0041] The retraction mechanism 60 horizontally slides a pair of movable magnetic plates 75 from a normal position P1, which is in a straight line with the magnetic plate 73, to a retraction position P2 that allows measurement by the processing device 80. For example, a rectangular opening 29 is formed in the top plate 70 of the top surface portion 40D, and for example, the processing device 80 is placed in the opening 29. The processing device 80 may be installed above the top plate 70 before operation and may descend and pass through the opening 29 during the operation process. The drive motor 61, screw shaft 62, and guide portion 64 of the retraction mechanism 60 are located outside the virtual rectangular prism space extending vertically as defined by the opening 29, and do not interfere with the measurement work by the processing device 80.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(b), the retraction mechanism 60 slides the pair of movable magnetic plates 75, exposing the mounting plate 81 of the processing device 80 and the multiple sensor contacts 83 attached to the mounting plate 81 within the opening 29. This means that, when viewed from above, opposite to Figure 4(b), the work area of ​​the vehicle 6 is exposed at the normal position P1 (opening 29) of the pair of movable magnetic plates 75.

[0043] The processing unit 80 includes a mounting plate 81, a lifting motor (not shown) for raising and lowering the mounting plate 81, and a plurality of cylinder portions 82 and sensor contacts 83 attached to the mounting plate 81. After the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 are retracted (moved) by the retraction mechanism 60, the mounting plate 81, the cylinder portions 82 and sensor contacts 83 are lowered as shown in Figure 5(b). As the mounting plate 81 lowers, the sensor contacts 83 come into contact with the upper part of the vehicle 6, and the sensor contacts 83 retract into the cylinder portions 82. Based on the amount of movement of the sensor contacts 83 when the mounting plate 81 stops at a predetermined position, the processing unit 80 can measure the positions of the upper end 54T of the auxiliary roller 54, the upper surface 57T of the power supply core 57, and the upper surface 59T of the LDM 59 on the vehicle 6. After the measurement by the processing unit 80 is completed, the mounting plate 81 is raised by the processing unit 80 in the reverse procedure, and then the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 are returned to their normal position P1. Once the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 are returned to their normal position P1, the vehicle 6 can move under its own power and return to normal operation.

[0044] In this embodiment, the first movement direction D1 of the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 that are retracted by the retraction mechanism 60 is horizontal, and the second movement direction D2 of the sensor contact 83 (working part) of the retraction mechanism 60 moving toward the vehicle 6 for measurement is vertical. Therefore, the first movement direction D1 and the second movement direction D2 are orthogonal.

[0045] In the tracked trolley system 1 of this embodiment, a portion of the work track 41 is moved aside by the retraction mechanism 60. Therefore, the introduction section 4B at the work position P80 can also be equipped with the necessary configuration for the trolley 6 to travel, similar to the running track 4. For example, unlike the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is also possible to have a power supply section 40E at the introduction section 4B. Therefore, the trolley 6 can travel to the work position P80 under its own power. Furthermore, after a portion of the track is moved aside by the retraction mechanism 60, the processing device 80 performs work on the target area of ​​the trolley 6 that has stopped at the work position P80. Therefore, work can be performed simply by having the trolley 6 travel to the work position P80 under its own power and then moving a portion of the track to the retraction position P2 while the trolley 6 remains stopped at the work position P80, making it easy to perform work on the trolley 6. Space saving is also achieved.

[0046] For example, in the system described in Patent Document 1 above, an external mechanism moves the trolley to an open section with an open top surface, after which measurements are taken by sensors and images are captured by a camera. In this case, preliminary actions such as the external mechanism chucking the trolley or the trolley inserting the towed member into the towing member are required, which can complicate the sequence. According to the tracked trolley system 1 of this embodiment, preliminary actions are unnecessary and the sequence is simplified.

[0047] The retraction mechanism 60 retracts at least a portion of the top surface 40D, and the processing device 80 contacts the top of the vehicle 6 from above to measure its position. This automates the measurement of the position of the top of the vehicle 6. The processing device 80 may also photograph the top of the vehicle 6. This automates the image capture of the top of the vehicle 6.

[0048] When the movable magnetic plate 75 is retracted, the fixed magnetic plate 78, which is in contact with the touch roller 55, does not move, and the contact state with the touch roller 55 is maintained. Therefore, the state in which the vehicle 6 can recognize its own position is maintained, and operation can be returned to normal smoothly after the work is completed. This leads to a reduction in cycle time. Operation can also be returned to normal automatically after the work is completed. Moreover, since the moving movable magnetic plate 75 is the part that is not in contact with the touch roller 55, the movable magnetic plate 75 does not rub against the touch roller when it is retracted, and wear of the touch roller 55 is suppressed. In the system described in Patent Document 1, since the work is performed in the open section, the touch roller 55 comes off the magnetic plate surface and can rotate freely. Therefore, the bogie itself is in an undetermined position state while the external mechanism is operating, and therefore it was necessary to perform the origin position adjustment operation again when re-entering the track. According to the tracked bogie system 1 of this embodiment, the cycle time can be reduced as described above.

[0049] Furthermore, since the specific part is a fixed magnetic plate 78 and the movable part is a movable magnetic plate 75, the work can be easily performed on a linear motor-driven vehicle 6. The retraction mechanism 60 allows only the movable magnetic plate 75 to be retracted, and after the work is completed, only the movable magnetic plate 75 can be returned to its normal position P1. Therefore, the system can be smoothly restored to operation after the work is completed.

[0050] As the movable magnetic plate 75 slides, access to the top of the vehicle 6 becomes possible at the normal position P1 where the movable magnetic plate 75 was originally located. Therefore, the processing device 80 can be easily positioned in an area that does not obstruct the movement of the vehicle 6 (outside the travel trajectory of the travel unit 50), and the work can be performed more quickly.

[0051] The first movement direction D1 of the pair of movable magnetic plates 75 that are retracted by the retraction mechanism 60 and the second movement direction D2 of the sensor contact 83 (working part) of the retraction mechanism 60 that moves toward the vehicle 6 for measurement are perpendicular. This makes it easy to smoothly expose the upper part of the vehicle 6. Access to the upper part of the vehicle 6 by the sensor contact 83 of the processing device 80 is easy.

[0052] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, as shown in the modified examples in Figures 6 and 7, the mounting plate 81 of the processing device 80A may be moved up and down by a cam mechanism in conjunction with the movement of the movable magnetic plate 75. Figures 6(a), 6(b), 7(a), and 7(b) are side cross-sectional views showing the movement of each part in a modified example of a simultaneous drive type that combines a retraction mechanism for a part of the track and a working movement mechanism, respectively. As shown in Figure 6(a), the processing device 80A has a mounting plate 81, a cylinder part 82, and a sensor contact 83, as well as a cam part 85 fixed to the mounting plate 81. A guide hole 85a is formed in the cam part 85. The retraction mechanism 60A has a movable magnetic plate 75 and a pin 65 arranged in the guide hole 85a, and the movable magnetic plate 75 and the pin 65 are connected via a connecting part 66. The mounting plate 81 is biased downward by a biasing means or by its own weight. As shown in Figure 6(b), when the movable magnetic plate 75 is moved laterally (by a drive motor, etc., not shown), the pin 65 moves within the guide hole 85a, and the mounting plate 81 begins to descend.

[0053] Next, as shown in Figure 7(a), when the movable magnetic plate 75 is moved further to the side, the pin 65 moves within the guide hole 85a, and the mounting plate 81 descends further. Then, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the movable magnetic plate 75 has completed its retraction and is in the retracted position P2, the mounting plate 81 is supported by the stopper 87 and stops, and the sensor contactor 83 makes contact with the work target area of ​​the traveling vehicle 6. This interlocking of the retraction mechanism 60A and the processing unit 80A makes it possible to reduce costs by reducing the number of motors and to simplify the control sequence.

[0054] Furthermore, the work area of ​​the tracked bogie is not limited to the upper part, but may also be the side (either left or right, or both sides), the lower part, or the underside. Multiple of these parts may be combined as the work area. A non-contact sensor may be used as the processing device to measure the position of the work area without contact. The processing device is not limited to measuring or photographing the vehicle 6 (tracked bogie), but may also be a device that performs other processing on the vehicle 6. The work area may be set on any part of the vehicle 6.

[0055] The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above (retraction of the movable magnetic plate), and in addition to the movable magnetic plate, a "part of the track" facing the work area may also be retracted. Any wall section different from the wall section necessary for self-propulsion (a part of the side wall or a part of the top wall) can be used as the "part of the track" to be retracted. For example, only a specific part of the side wall (side section 40C) that the trolley's side rollers contact at the work position may be made into a fixed part, and the rest of the side wall may be made into a movable part. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to linear motor-driven tracked trolleys, but may also be applied to self-propelled tracked trolleys in which the drive rollers contact the top wall (top surface section 40D). In that case, only a specific part of the top wall that the trolley's drive rollers contact at the work position may be made into a fixed part, and the rest of the top wall may be made into a movable part.

[0056] In any modification, the direction of movement (retraction) of the movable part of the side wall and / or the movable part of the upper wall may be, for example, a direction perpendicular to the normal of the wall (i.e., planar movement along the wall), in which case the movable part may slide linearly, or it may rotate around the normal and slide in an arc. The movable part may move in a direction perpendicular to the normal of the wall. The direction of movement of the working part such as the sensor contactor 83 may be other than the second movement direction D2 described above.

[0057] If a portion of the side wall is a movable part, components related to power supply (such as cables) may be installed with sufficient length to accommodate the range of motion as needed.

[0058] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the invention is applied to a track 4 for suspending and moving a vehicle 6. However, one aspect of the present invention can also be applied to a tracked trolley system in which a vehicle travels on a track laid on the ground.

[0059] The constituent elements of the present invention can be described as follows. [1] A tracked trolley system in which a processing unit is set to perform operations on a tracked trolley that is stopped on the track, A tracked trolley system equipped with a retraction mechanism that retracts a portion of the track facing the work area of ​​the tracked trolley at the aforementioned work position. [2] The retraction mechanism retracts at least a portion of the top surface of the track, The railcar system according to [1], wherein the processing device makes contact with the upper part of the railcar from above to measure the position of the upper part, or photographs the upper part of the railcar. [3] The top surface of the aforementioned track has a plate-like portion that extends in the direction of travel of the tracked bogie, The aforementioned tracked trolley has a touch roller for position recognition that contacts the plate-shaped portion of the track, The tracked trolley system according to [2], wherein the retraction mechanism retracts only the movable portion of the plate-shaped portion facing the upper part of the tracked trolley at the working position, excluding the specific portion in contact with the touch roller. [4] The plate-like portion is a magnetic plate, The tracked trolley system according to [3], wherein the specified portion is a fixed magnetic plate in contact with the touch roller at the working position, and the movable portion is a movable magnetic plate adjacent to the front and rear of the fixed magnetic plate in the direction of travel. [5] A tracked trolley system according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the retraction mechanism slides a part of the track from the normal position to the retraction position, thereby exposing the work area. [6] A tracked trolley system according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the first direction of movement of a part of the track that is retracted by the retraction mechanism and the second direction of movement of the work unit of the processing device that moves toward the tracked trolley for the work are perpendicular. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1...Tracked trolley system, 4...Traveling track, 6...Traveling vehicle (tracked trolley), 40D...Top surface, 40F...Magnetic plate, 41...Working track, 54...Auxiliary roller, 54T...Upper end (upper part), 57...Power supply core, 57T...Upper surface (upper part), 59...LDM, 59T...Upper surface (upper part), 60, 60A...Retraction mechanism, 73...Magnetic plate, 75...Movable magnetic plate, 78...Fixed magnetic plate, 80, 80A...Processing device, 83...Sensor contact (working part), D1...First movement direction, D2...Second movement direction, P1...Normal position, P2...Retracted position.

Claims

1. A tracked trolley system in which a processing unit is set to perform operations on a tracked trolley that is stopped on the track, A tracked trolley system equipped with a retraction mechanism that retracts a portion of the track facing the work area of ​​the tracked trolley at the aforementioned work position.

2. The retraction mechanism retracts at least a portion of the top surface of the track, The railcar system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device contacts the upper part of the railcar from above to measure the position of the upper part, or photographs the upper part of the railcar.

3. The top surface of the aforementioned track has a plate-like portion that extends in the direction of travel of the tracked bogie, The aforementioned tracked trolley has a touch roller for position recognition that contacts the plate-shaped portion of the track, The tracked trolley system according to claim 2, wherein the retraction mechanism retracts only the movable portion of the plate-shaped portion facing the upper part of the tracked trolley at the working position, excluding the specific portion in contact with the touch roller.

4. The plate-like portion is a magnetic plate, The tracked trolley system according to claim 3, wherein the specified portion is a fixed magnetic plate that the touch roller contacts at the working position, and the movable portion is a movable magnetic plate adjacent to the front and rear of the fixed magnetic plate in the direction of travel.

5. The tracked trolley system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retraction mechanism slides a part of the track from the normal position to the retraction position, thereby exposing the work area.

6. The tracked trolley system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first direction of movement of a part of the track that is retracted by the retraction mechanism and the second direction of movement of the work unit of the processing device that moves toward the tracked trolley for the work are orthogonal to each other.

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