Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveyance device which can properly transfer an object to be conveyed with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A conveyance device can transfer an object W to be conveyed between a plurality of rollers 31 and a roller conveyor 3 including a support frame. A holding device 2 includes: a support member; a restriction member 21 for restricting the movement of the object W to be conveyed in a conveyance direction X; and an opening / closing mechanism for performing an opening / closing operation of the restriction member 21. The opening / closing mechanism includes a movable member 81 and an interlock mechanism 83. The support member includes an insertion part 13 inserted in a roller gap 6 in a state where the holding device 2 is in a first position T1, and arranged below a conveyance surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3. According to the descending of the holding device 2 from the second position to the first position T1, the movable member 81 is pressed upward by the support frame and comes into a pressed state, and according to the ascending of the holding device 2 from the first position T1 to the second position, the pressing from the support frame is released and the movable member comes into a pressing release state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-298549 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology related to a conveying device. Hereinafter, the reference numerals shown in parentheses in the description of the background art are those of Patent Document 1.

[0003] The conveying device of Patent Document 1 includes a holding device (roller conveyor type transfer machine 120) that holds and transfers a conveyance object (work W). The holding device supports the conveyance object and includes a conveyor that transfers the conveyance object to a loading station (300), a regulating member (stopper member 150), and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the regulating member between an open state and a closed state. The regulating member restricts the conveyance object on the conveyor from moving in the conveyance direction in the closed state. Therefore, when the holding device holds the conveyance object, the regulating member is in the closed state so that the conveyance object does not fall from the conveyor. Further, when transferring the conveyance object between the conveyor and the loading station (300), the regulating member is set to the open state.

[0004] In the above conveying device, an actuator such as an electric motor is not used as the opening / closing mechanism. Specifically, the opening / closing mechanism includes a movable member (lever member 130) that interlocks with the regulating member. Further, a contact member for pushing up the movable member is provided at a position adjacent to the loading station (300). When the holding device descends and is arranged at a height corresponding to the loading station (300), the movable member contacts the contact member and is pushed up. As a result, the regulating member changes from the closed state to the open state. Further, when the holding device ascends, the pushed-up movable member returns to its original position due to its own weight, so the regulating member changes from the open state to the closed state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-298549 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The transport device described in Patent Document 1 achieves weight reduction of the transport vehicle by not using an actuator such as an electric motor in the opening and closing mechanism. On the other hand, in the above transport device, if there are multiple locations for transferring the transported object, it is necessary to provide multiple contact members that push up the movable member, which has the problem that the equipment on the loading station side for transferring the transported object tends to become complex and large.

[0007] Therefore, a conveying device with a simple configuration that can appropriately transfer objects to be transported is desired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The conveying device according to this disclosure is a conveying device configured to transfer an object to be conveyed between a roller conveyor equipped with a plurality of rollers and a support frame that supports the plurality of rollers, The system comprises a moving body, a holding device for holding the object to be transported, and a lifting device for raising and lowering the holding device while the holding device is suspended from the moving body. The direction in which the object to be conveyed is conveyed by the roller conveyor is defined as the conveying direction, and the gaps between a pair of rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction on the roller conveyor are defined as the roller gaps. The holding device comprises a support member for supporting the object to be transported, a restricting member for restricting the movement of the object to be transported in the transporting direction while it is being held, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the restricting member. The lifting device is capable of raising and lowering the holding device to a first position and a second position in the vertical direction. The first position is the position where the roller conveyor loads and unloads the object to be conveyed to and from the holding device. The second position is above the first position and is the position where the support member supports and releases the object to be transported. The restricting member is in an open state when the holding device is in the first position, and in a closed state when the holding device is in the second position, and in the open state, it does not overlap with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed by the roller conveyor when viewed in the direction of conveying, and in the closed state, it overlaps with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed when viewed in the direction of conveying. The opening and closing mechanism comprises a movable member that changes state between a pressed state, where it is pressed by the support frame, and a released state, where the pressure from the support frame is released, in accordance with the raising and lowering of the holding device; and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the movable member and the regulating member such that the regulating member changes from the open state to the closed state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the pressed state to the released state, and the regulating member changes from the closed state to the open state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the released state to the pressed state. The support member has an insertion portion that is inserted into the roller gap when the holding device is in the first position and is positioned below the conveying surface of the roller conveyor, The movable member is attached to the insertion portion and is configured such that, as the holding device descends from the second position to the first position, it is pressed upward by the support frame, resulting in the pressed state, and as the holding device rises from the first position to the second position, the pressure from the support frame is released, resulting in the released state.

[0009] With this configuration, the restricting member can be changed from a closed state to an open state by utilizing the pressing force from the support frame acting on the movable member as the retaining device descends. Furthermore, the restricting member can be changed from an open state to a closed state by utilizing the fact that the pressing force from the support frame no longer acts on the movable member as the retaining device rises. Therefore, since there is no need to provide a dedicated actuator for opening and closing the restricting member, it is easier to simplify and reduce the cost of the retaining device. Furthermore, with this configuration, since the movable member is attached to the insertion section, a region where the movable member and the support frame come into contact can be positioned below the conveying surface of the roller conveyor. In this way, by using an existing support frame, a mechanism for pressing the movable member can be easily provided. In addition, compared to a configuration where the mechanism presses the movable member outward relative to the roller conveyor when viewed from above, it is easier to miniaturize the holding device and the roller conveyor. Thus, with this configuration, objects to be transported can be appropriately transferred with a simple setup.

[0010] Further features and advantages of the conveying device will become clear from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of conveying device and roller conveyor [Figure 2] Schematic diagram of the conveying device (front view) [Figure 3] A schematic side view showing the holding device and roller conveyor in the first position. [Figure 4] A schematic side view showing the holding device and roller conveyor at the second position. [Figure 5] A schematic side view showing the opening and closing mechanism. [Figure 6] Control block diagram [Figure 7] A schematic side view illustrating the locking mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] An example of an embodiment of the conveying device 1 applied to the conveying equipment 10 will be described based on the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the conveying equipment 10 comprises the conveying device 1 and the roller conveyor 3. The conveying device 1 is configured to transfer the object to be conveyed W between itself and the roller conveyor 3, which is equipped with a plurality of rollers 31 and a support frame 33 that supports the plurality of rollers 31. In this embodiment, the conveying device 1 moves along the travel path 7 to convey the object to be conveyed W. In this example, the object to be conveyed W is a single crystal ingot for manufacturing semiconductor materials (silicon wafers), but it is not limited to this. Hereafter, the direction in which the object to be conveyed W is conveyed by the roller conveyor 3 will be referred to as the conveying direction X. One side of the conveying direction X will be referred to as the first conveying direction side X1, and the other side of the conveying direction X will be referred to as the second conveying direction side X2. Also, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction X when viewed from above will be referred to as the width direction Y.

[0013] Each of the multiple rollers 31 is arranged along the width direction Y and aligned in the conveying direction X. Each roller 31 rotates around an axis along the width direction Y. The support frame 33 comprises side wall portions 35 that support the rotation axes of the multiple rollers 31 and a bottom wall portion 34 below the multiple rollers 31. Here, the side wall portions 35 are supported from below by the bottom wall portion 34. The side wall portions 35 are provided in pairs, separated in the width direction Y. The multiple rollers 31 are supported by the pair of side wall portions 35. A space is formed between the bottom wall portion 34 and the multiple rollers 31 in the vertical direction. As shown in Figure 3, the gaps between pairs of rollers 31 adjacent to each other in the conveying direction X on the roller conveyor 3 are referred to as roller gaps 6.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveying device 1 includes a moving body 5 that moves, a holding device 2 that holds the object W to be conveyed, and a lifting device 4 that raises and lowers the holding device 2 in a state where the holding device 2 is suspended from the moving body 5. The moving body 5 is guided by a traveling rail R provided along a traveling path 7 and travels. Here, the traveling path 7 is arranged along the ceiling, and the traveling rail R is suspended and supported from the ceiling. That is, the conveying device 1 is here a ceiling conveyor, but is not limited thereto. The conveying device 1 may be an article conveyor that travels on the ground, or may be a traveling carriage of a stacker crane or the like. Further, the conveying device 1 may be a rail-guided vehicle or an unguided vehicle such as an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot). In the illustrated example, the traveling rail R is arranged along the width direction Y, and the roller conveyor 3 is arranged along the conveying direction X, but both the traveling rail R and the roller conveyor 3 may be arranged along the same direction.

[0015] The moving body 5 includes traveling wheels 51 (here, a plurality of traveling wheels 51) that roll on the upper surface of the traveling rail R. Further, the moving body 5 includes a traveling motor M1 that rotationally drives at least one of the plurality of traveling wheels 51. By the rotational drive by the traveling motor M1, the moving body 5 can obtain a driving force to travel on the traveling rail R. Further, the moving body 5 includes a pair of guide wheels that freely rotate around an axis along the vertical direction. Each of the pair of guide wheels rolls on the inner side surface of the corresponding traveling rail R.

[0016] The lifting device 4 is supported by the moving body 5. The lifting device 4 is disposed below the traveling rail R (below the moving body 5 across the traveling rail R). The lifting device 4 suspends and supports the holding device 2 and raises and lowers it in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lifting device 4 can raise and lower the holding device 2 to the first position T1 and the second position T2 in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lifting device 4 can support the holding device 2 at the storage position T3. That is, the lifting device 4 can raise and lower the holding device 2 between the storage position T3, the first position T1, and the second position T2. The storage position T3 is the position where the holding device 2 is disposed while the moving body 5 is traveling. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first position T1 is the position where the loading and unloading of the object to be conveyed W to the holding device 2 by the roller conveyor 3 are performed. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the second position T2 is above the first position T1, and is the position where the support and release of the object to be conveyed W by the support member 12 are performed. Here, the first position T1 is the position where the holding device 2 descends the most. Also, the second position T2 is the position where the height of the support surface of the object to be conveyed W by the holding device 2 becomes the same as the height of the conveying surface 30 formed by the plurality of rollers 31. The lifting device 4 includes a rotating body (for example, a drum), a wound member (for example, a belt) wound around the rotating body and having the holding device 2 connected to its tip, and a lifting motor M2 (FIG. 2) that rotates the rotating body to drive the wound member (specifically, winds or unwinds). The lifting device 4 raises and lowers the holding device 2 by rotating the rotating body by driving the lifting motor M2.

[0017] The conveying device 1 includes a storage portion 9. Here, the storage portion 9 includes a storage case 91 that stores the holding device 2 at the storage position T3, the object to be conveyed W held by the holding device 2, and the lifting device 4. The storage case 91 is formed so as to cover these from both outer sides and above in the width direction Y (FIG. 1). At the storage position T3, the holding device 2 and the object to be conveyed W held by the holding device 2 are stored in the storage portion 9.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the holding device 2 comprises a support member 12 that supports the object to be transported W, a restricting member 21 that restricts the movement of the object to be transported W in the transport direction X while it is being held, and an opening / closing mechanism 8 that opens and closes the restricting member 21. The support member 12 supports the object to be transported W from below. A part of the support member 12 is configured to be inserted into the roller gap 6 when the holding device 2 is in the first position T1 and the second position T2. ​​Here, the support member 12 is connected to the lifting device 4.

[0019] The support member 12 comprises a main body 14 connected to the lifting device 4, a first support portion 15 extending downward from the main body 14, and a second support portion 16 positioned spaced apart from the first support portion 15 in the second direction X2 of the transport direction and extending downward from the main body 14. The main body 14 is a plate-shaped member formed in a rectangular shape along the transport direction X and the width direction Y when viewed from above. The main body 14 is fixed to the tip of the winding member of the lifting device 4. The first support portion 15 and the second support portion 16 are supported from above by the main body 14. The first support portion 15 and the second support portion 16 cooperate to support the object to be transported W. Here, the first support portion 15 supports the portion of the object to be transported W that is X1 in the first direction of the transport direction from the center in the transport direction X. The second support portion 16 supports the portion of the object to be transported W that is located on the second side X2 of the transport direction, rather than the central part in the transport direction X.

[0020] The first support section 15 includes a first contact section 15a that contacts the object to be transported W from below when supporting the object to be transported W, and a first connecting section 15b that connects the first contact section 15a to the main body section 14. The first connecting section 15b is provided in a pair, separated in the width direction Y. The first contact section 15a is a member that follows the width direction Y, and is arranged so as to connect the lower ends of the pair of first connecting sections 15b to each other. The second support section 16 includes a second contact section 16a that contacts the object to be transported W from below when supporting the object to be transported W, and a second connecting section 16b that connects the second contact section 16a to the main body section 14. The second connecting section 16b is also provided in a pair, separated in the width direction Y. The second contact section 16a is a member that follows the width direction Y, and is arranged so as to connect the lower ends of the pair of second connecting sections 16b to each other.

[0021] In the illustrated example, the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a are positioned at the same vertical position relative to each other. The first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a are provided with a space between them in the transport direction X, and support the object to be transported W from below. The pair of first connecting portions 15b are provided so as to extend downward from the end of the first side X1 in the transport direction of the main body portion 14. The pair of second connecting portions 16b are provided so as to extend downward from the end of the second side X2 in the transport direction of the main body portion 14. The distance between the pair of first connecting portions 15b and the distance between the pair of second connecting portions 16b are set to be greater than the width Y dimension of the object to be transported W. The holding device 2 is generally shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped, but is not limited to this. When the holding device 2 is in the first position T1, the main body 14 is positioned above the movement trajectory of the object W being transported by the roller conveyor 3 in the transport direction X view, and the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a are positioned below the transport surface 30. In addition, each of the pair of first connecting portions 15b and each of the pair of second connecting portions 16b are positioned outside the movement trajectory of the object W being transported (outside in the width direction Y). When the holding device 2 is in the second position T2, the upper surfaces of the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a are at the same vertical position as the transport surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3, and as a result, they contact the object W being transported on the transport surface 30 from below.

[0022] The support member 12 is provided with an insertion portion 13 that is inserted into the roller gap 6 when the holding device 2 is in the first position T1 and is positioned below the conveying surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3. Here, when the holding device 2 is in the first position T1, the insertion portion 13 is the portion of the first support portion 15 and the second support portion 16 that is positioned below the conveying surface 30, excluding the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a. Here, the first support portion 15 is provided with a first insertion portion 13a which functions as the insertion portion 13. The second support portion 16 is provided with a second insertion portion 13b which functions as the insertion portion 13. The first insertion portion 13a is provided on each of the pair of first connecting portions 15b. The second insertion portion 13b is provided on each of the pair of second connecting portions 16b. Naturally, the portion of the first connecting portion 15b that is positioned in the roller gap 6 is included in the first insertion portion 13a, and the portion of the second connecting portion 16b that is positioned in the roller gap 6 is also included in the second insertion portion 13b. As shown in Figure 5, the insertion portion 13 has a hollow structure. In this example, both the first insertion portion 13a and the second insertion portion 13b have a hollow structure. Here, the entire pair of first connecting portions 15b, including the first insertion portion 13a, has a hollow structure. Similarly, the entire pair of second connecting portions 16b, including the second insertion portion 13b, has a hollow structure. In the following, the portion of the support member 12 that is positioned above the conveying surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3 when the holding device 2 is in the first position T1 will be described as the upper position portion 17 (Figure 3). Here, the upper arrangement portion 17 is the portion above the transport surface 30 between the first connecting portion 15b and the second connecting portion 16b at the first position T1, and the main body portion 14.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the restricting member 21 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the surface of the object to be transported W held by the holding device 2 that faces the transport direction X. The restricting member 21 is attached to the upper mounting section 17 and is configured to open and close above the transport surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3. Here, the restricting member 21 is attached to the main body section 14. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the restricting member 21 is in an open state when the holding device 2 is in a first position T1, and in a closed state when the holding device 2 is in a second position T2. ​​In the open state, it does not overlap with the movement trajectory of the object to be transported W by the roller conveyor 3 in a view along the transport direction X, and in the closed state, it overlaps with the movement trajectory of the object to be transported W in a view along the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the holding device 2 includes a first restricting member 23 that restricts the movement of the object to be transported W toward the first side X1 in the transport direction, and a second restricting member 24 that restricts the movement of the object to be transported W toward the second side X2 in the transport direction. In the closed state, the first restricting member 23 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the object to be transported W from the outside on the first side X1 in the transport direction, while the object to be transported W is supported by the support member 12 (here, the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a). In the closed state, the second restricting member 24 is positioned to cover at least a portion of the object to be transported W from the outside on the second side X2 in the transport direction, while the object to be transported W is supported by the support member 12. This restricts the movement of the object to be transported W on both sides in the transport direction X. In the open state, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 are positioned above the storage space for the object to be transported W in the support member 12 (Figure 3). This leaves both outer sides of the support member 12 open in the transport direction X relative to the object to be transported W. That is, at the first position T1, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 do not overlap with the movement trajectory of the object to be transported W in the transport direction X. Therefore, at the first position T1, the roller conveyor 3 can load and unload the object W to be transported to and from the holding device 2 (support member 12).

[0024] In the illustrated example, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 have the same structure. The first restricting member 23 comprises a first restricting body 23a and a first restricting connecting part 23b. In the closed state, the first restricting body 23a is positioned to face the object to be transported W, which is supported by the support member 12, from the first side X1 in the transport direction. The first restricting connecting part 23b is a member that connects the first restricting body 23a and the opening / closing mechanism 8. The second restricting member 24 comprises a second restricting body 24a and a second restricting connecting part 24b. In the closed state, the second restricting body 24a is positioned to face the object to be transported W, which is supported by the support member 12, from the second side X2 in the transport direction. The second restricting connecting part 24b is a member that connects the second restricting body 24a and the opening / closing mechanism 8. The first restricting body 23a and the second restricting body 24a are plate-shaped members that are aligned in the vertical direction and the width direction Y when closed. On the other hand, when changing from the closed state to the open state, the first restricting body 23a and the second restricting body 24a are rotated by the opening / closing mechanism 8 around a rotation axis aligned in the horizontal direction (width direction Y) and positioned above the storage space for the object to be transported W in the support member 12.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, the opening / closing mechanism 8 includes a movable member 81 that changes state between a pressed state, where it is pressed by the support frame 33, and a released state, where the pressure from the support frame 33 is released, in accordance with the raising and lowering of the holding device 2, and an interlocking mechanism 83 that interlocks the movable member 81 and the regulating member 21 so that the regulating member 21 moves from an open state to a closed state in conjunction with the movable member 81 moving from a released state to a pressed state, and the regulating member 21 moves from a closed state to an open state in conjunction with the movable member 81 moving from a released state to a pressed state. In this embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism 8 includes a first movable member 81a and a second movable member 81b as the movable member 81. The opening / closing mechanism 8 also includes a first interlocking mechanism 83a that interlocks the first movable member 81a and the first regulating member 23, and a second interlocking mechanism 83b that interlocks the second movable member 81b and the second regulating member 24 as the interlocking mechanism 83.

[0026] The movable member 81 is attached to the insertion portion 13 and is configured to be pressed upward by the support frame 33 as the holding device 2 descends from the second position T2 to the first position T1, and to be in a pressed state as the holding device 2 rises from the first position T1 to the second position T2, the pressure from the support frame 33 is released, and the movable member 81 is in a released state. The movable member 81 is also supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the insertion portion 13, and is positioned so that at least a part of it protrudes downward from the insertion portion 13, and is configured to be pressed when it approaches the upward-facing surface 36 of the support frame 33 from above. Here, the first movable member 81a is positioned so as to protrude downward from the lower end of the first insertion portion 13a. Similarly, the second movable member 81b is positioned so as to protrude downward from the lower end of the second insertion portion 13b. Here, a pair of first movable members 81a are provided so as to protrude downward from the lower ends of each of the pair of first connecting portions 15b. A pair of second movable members 81b are provided so as to protrude downward from the lower ends of each of the pair of second connecting portions 16b. As shown in Figure 3, when the holding device 2 is in the first position T1, the first movable members 81a and the second movable members 81b come into contact with the upper surface 36 of the bottom wall portion 34 of the roller conveyor 3. At that time, a part of the first movable member 81a is pushed into the interior of the first insertion portion 13a (inside the first connecting portion 15b) by the pressing force from the bottom wall portion 34 (the pressing force due to the reaction force of the force that the first insertion portion 13a presses on the bottom wall portion 34 through the first movable member 81a). Similarly, a portion of the second movable member 81b is pushed into the interior of the second insertion portion 13b (inside the second connecting portion 16b) by the pressing force from the bottom wall portion 34. In this way, the first movable member 81a and the second movable member 81b are in a pressed state. Then, when the interlocking mechanism 83 (first interlocking mechanism 83a, second interlocking mechanism 83b) is activated, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 each change from a closed state to an open state. In this embodiment, the first movable member 81a and the second movable member 81b are always in a closed state when the vertical position of the holding device 2 is at a position other than the first position T1.

[0027] The first interlocking mechanism 83a is provided in pairs corresponding to a pair of first connecting parts 15b. Similarly, the second interlocking mechanism 83b is provided in pairs corresponding to a pair of second connecting parts 16b. Since the structures of the first interlocking mechanism 83a and the second interlocking mechanism 83b are common to each other, the configuration of the first interlocking mechanism 83a will be described below, and the description of the configuration of the second interlocking mechanism 83b will be omitted.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, at least a portion of the interlocking mechanism 83 is located inside the insertion portion 13. In this example, the first interlocking mechanism 83a is located inside the first connecting portion 15b, which includes the first insertion portion 13a. The first interlocking mechanism 83a comprises a shaft 85, a rack gear 86, and a pinion gear 87. The shaft 85 is arranged to align with the vertical direction. The rack gear 86 is provided at the upper end of the shaft 85. In the illustrated example, a biasing member 88 is provided to bias the shaft 85 downward relative to the first connecting portion 15b. A first movable member 81a is attached to the lower end of the shaft 85. The pinion gear 87 is attached to the first restricting connection portion 23b. The pinion gear 87 is also arranged to mesh with the rack gear 86. Then, as shown in Figure 3, the first connecting portion 15b descends, and when the first movable member 81a contacts the bottom wall portion 34 at the first position T1, a part of the first movable member 81a is pushed into the interior of the first connecting portion 15b (inside the first insertion portion 13a) by the pressure from the bottom wall portion 34 (pressed state). As a result, the shaft 85 and rack gear 86 rise, causing the pinion gear 87 to rotate, and in conjunction with this, the first restricting connecting portion 23b pivots (here, pivots around an axis along the width direction Y). As a result, the first restricting main body portion 23a changes from a closed state to an open state (Figures 3 and 5). Furthermore, when the first connecting portion 15b at the first position T1 rises, the torque acting on the pinion gear 87 due to the weight of the first restricting member 23, the weight of the shaft 85 itself, and the biasing force of the biasing member 88 push the first movable member 81a, which was partially pushed inside the first connecting portion 15b, outwards and downward (released pressure state). Then, as the shaft 85 descends, the pinion gear 87 rotates, and in conjunction with this, the first restricting connection portion 23b pivots, so that the first restricting body portion 23a changes from the open state to the closed state. Thus, in this example, a rack and pinion is used as the interlocking mechanism 83, but it is not limited to this, and for example, a cam mechanism or the like may be used. Also, the configuration of the restricting member 21 can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the change in the configuration of the opening and closing mechanism 8.

[0029] As shown in Figure 6, the transport device 1 further includes a control device H. The control device H controls the moving body 5 and the lifting device 4, and is configured to communicate with a higher-level controller C that manages the entire transport equipment 10. The control device H and the higher-level controller C include, for example, a processor such as a microcomputer, peripheral circuits such as memory, etc. Each function is realized through the cooperation of this hardware and a program executed on the processor such as a computer. In this embodiment, since the holding device 2 does not use an electric actuator, the control device H is configured not to control the holding device 2.

[0030] This section describes the control for transferring the object to be transported W from the transport device 1 to the roller conveyor 3. The control device H moves the mobile body 5 to a position corresponding to the transfer target location (in this case, a location set on the transport surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3) according to the transport command received from the higher-level controller C. Subsequently, the control device H controls the lifting device 4 to lower the holding device 2, which is holding the object to be transported W, from the storage position T3 towards the first position T1. As the holding device 2 descends, the first connecting part 15b, the second connecting part 16b, the first contact part 15a, and the second contact part 16a are inserted into the roller gap 6 directly below. Subsequently, when the holding device 2 reaches the second position T2, the object to be transported W, which was supported by the first contact part 15a and the second contact part 16a, is transferred onto the transport surface 30 of the roller conveyor 3. That is, the object to be transported W is supported on the transport surface 30. The control device H continues to lower the holding device 2. Subsequently, when the holding device 2 reaches the first position T1, as described above, the first movable member 81a is pushed into the first insertion part 13a (first connecting part 15b), and the second movable member 81b is pushed into the second insertion part 13b (second connecting part 16b). As a result, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 each change from a closed state to an open state. Then, the higher-level controller C controls the roller conveyor 3 to transport the object to be transported W on the transport surface 30 in the transport direction X (here, from the second transport direction side X2 to the first transport direction side X1). The object to be transported W passes through the space between the pair of first connecting parts 15b and moves downstream in the transport direction X (first transport direction side X1). The control device H can determine the vertical position of the holding device 2 by being equipped with a distance sensor, an optical sensor, etc.

[0031] When the object to be transported W is transferred from the roller conveyor 3 to the holding device 2 for transport, the control device H controls the lifting device 4 and the moving body 5 to operate in the reverse order of the above. In this case, the object to be transported W on the transport surface 30 is picked up by the holding device 2 at the second position T2. ​​First, the control device H controls the lifting device 4 to raise the holding device 2 at the first position T1. As a result, a part of the first movable member 81a is pushed outwards from the first insertion part 13a (first connecting part 15b) by its own weight, releasing the pressure, and a part of the second movable member 81b is pushed outwards from the second insertion part 13b (second connecting part 16b), releasing the pressure. As a result, the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 each change from the open state to the closed state. Subsequently, when the holding device 2 reaches the second position T2, the object to be transported W on the transport surface 30 is transferred to the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a. That is, the object to be transported W is supported by the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a. The control device H then raises the holding device 2 to the storage position T3 and moves the mobile body 5 according to the transport command from the higher controller C.

[0032] [Other Embodiments] Next, other embodiments of the conveying equipment will be described.

[0033] (1) In the above embodiment, the holding device 2 was described as having a configuration comprising a first restricting member 23 and a second restricting member 24, each arranged separately in the transport direction X, but is not limited to this. The holding device 2 may have only one of the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24. Also, if the direction in which the object to be transported W is loaded into and unloaded from the roller conveyor 3 to the holding device 2 is fixed to one side of the transport direction X, then only one of the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24 may change between an open state and a closed state, while the other is fixed in a closed state. Also, in the above embodiment, the object to be transported W was described as being supported by both the first contact portion 15a and the second contact portion 16a in the holding device 2, but is not limited to this. For example, in the holding device 2, the support member 12 may have only the first contact portion 15a, and the object to be transported W may be supported only by the first contact portion 15a. In this way, the configuration of the holding device 2 can be appropriately changed to suit the shape and size of the object to be conveyed W, as well as the configuration of the roller conveyor 3.

[0034] (2) In the above embodiment, the holding device 2 was described as comprising a support member 12 for supporting the object to be transported W, a restricting member 21 for restricting the movement of the object to be transported W in the transport direction X while being held, and an opening / closing mechanism 8 for opening and closing the restricting member 21, but is not limited to this configuration. The holding device 2 may further include a locking mechanism 40 for restricting the state change of the restricting member 21 from a closed state to an open state. Such an example is shown in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the locking mechanism 40 comprises an engaging member 47 provided on the restricting member 21, an engaged member 41 that engages with the engaging member 47, and a moving mechanism 43 that moves the engaged member 41 between an engaged position L1 and an unlocked position L2. The engaging member 47 is fixed to the side surface of the restricting member 21. In this example, the engaging member 47 is provided on the respective side surfaces (surfaces facing the width direction Y) of the first restricting body portion 23a and the second restricting body portion 24a. The engaged member 41 is positioned at the disengagement position L2 when the restricting member 21 is in the open state. The engaged member 41 is positioned at the engagement position L1 when the restricting member 21 is in the closed state. At the engagement position L1, the engaged member 41 engages with the engaging member 47 provided on the closed restricting member 21. In the illustrated example, the engaged member 41 engages with the engaging member 47 from below, but it may also engage with the engaging member 47 from above. The engaged member 41 is configured to pivot around an axis along the width direction Y by a moving mechanism 43. In this example, the moving mechanism 43 is connected to an interlocking mechanism 83. The moving mechanism 43 preferably includes, for example, a rack gear and a plurality of pinion gears provided on a shaft 85. In the illustrated example, at least a part of the moving mechanism 43 is housed in a box 46 provided on the first connecting portion 15b. The moving mechanism 43 rotates the engaged member 41 in conjunction with the movable member 81 moving from a pressed state to a released state, moving it from the disengaged position L2 to the engaged position L1. Here, the base end of the engaged member 41 is connected to the moving mechanism 43. In the illustrated example, a pivot axis is formed at the base end of the engaged member 41. In the disengaged position L2, the engaged member 41 is positioned along the vertical direction, but this is not the only possible orientation.As described above, since the moving mechanism 43 is connected to the interlocking mechanism 83, there is no need to provide a drive device such as an electric motor to rotate the engaged member 41. Therefore, with a relatively simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the closed restricting member 21 from accidentally changing to an open state, for example, during the transport of the object to be transported W. The locking mechanism 40 may also be equipped with a drive device such as an electric motor. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 40 may be an electromagnetic lock, thereby restricting the change of state of the restricting member 21 from a closed state to an open state. In this example, the locking mechanism 40 is provided in correspondence with both the first restricting member 23 and the second restricting member 24, but it is not limited to this.

[0035] (3) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which at least a part of the interlocking mechanism 83 is located inside the insertion portion 13 was described as an example, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the entire interlocking mechanism 83 may be located outside the insertion portion 13. For example, by arranging the interlocking mechanism 83 adjacent to the insertion portion 13 on the inside in the width direction Y, the interlocking mechanism 83 can pass through the roller gap 6, thereby suppressing the increase in size of the holding device 2.

[0036] (4) In the above embodiment, the restricting member 21 was described as a plate-shaped member attached to the upper mounting section 17 (a plate-shaped member that is aligned in the vertical direction and width direction Y when closed), but it is not limited to this. The restricting member 21 can also be a member formed in a shape other than a plate, as long as it can restrict the movement of the object to be transported W in the transport direction X when closed.

[0037] (5) In the above embodiment, the movable member 81 was described as being supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the insertion portion 13, and at least a part of it was arranged to protrude downward from the insertion portion 13, but the invention is not limited to this. The movable member 81 may be supported so as to be movable in the horizontal direction (for example, the width direction Y, which is the direction along the roller 31) relative to the insertion portion 13. In that case, it is preferable that the roller conveyor 3 or the like is provided with a mechanism such that, at the first position T1, the movable member 81 moves horizontally and a part of it is pushed into the interior of the insertion portion 13.

[0038] (6) The configurations disclosed in each of the embodiments described above can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. With regard to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0039] [Summary of the above embodiments] The following is a summary of the conveying equipment described above.

[0040] The conveying device according to this disclosure is a conveying device configured to transfer an object to be conveyed between a roller conveyor equipped with a plurality of rollers and a support frame that supports the plurality of rollers, The system comprises a moving body, a holding device for holding the object to be transported, and a lifting device for raising and lowering the holding device while the holding device is suspended from the moving body. The direction in which the object to be conveyed is conveyed by the roller conveyor is defined as the conveying direction, and the gaps between a pair of rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction on the roller conveyor are defined as the roller gaps. The holding device comprises a support member for supporting the object to be transported, a restricting member for restricting the movement of the object to be transported in the transporting direction while it is being held, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the restricting member. The lifting device is capable of raising and lowering the holding device to a first position and a second position in the vertical direction. The first position is the position where the roller conveyor loads and unloads the object to be conveyed to and from the holding device. The second position is above the first position and is the position where the support member supports and releases the object to be transported. The restricting member is in an open state when the holding device is in the first position, and in a closed state when the holding device is in the second position, and in the open state, it does not overlap with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed by the roller conveyor when viewed in the direction of conveying, and in the closed state, it overlaps with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed when viewed in the direction of conveying. The opening and closing mechanism comprises a movable member that changes state between a pressed state, where it is pressed by the support frame, and a released state, where the pressure from the support frame is released, in accordance with the raising and lowering of the holding device; and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the movable member and the regulating member such that the regulating member changes from the open state to the closed state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the pressed state to the released state, and the regulating member changes from the closed state to the open state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the released state to the pressed state. The support member has an insertion portion that is inserted into the roller gap when the holding device is in the first position and is positioned below the conveying surface of the roller conveyor, The movable member is attached to the insertion portion and is configured such that, as the holding device descends from the second position to the first position, it is pressed upward by the support frame, resulting in the pressed state, and as the holding device rises from the first position to the second position, the pressure from the support frame is released, resulting in the released state.

[0041] With this configuration, the restricting member can be changed from a closed state to an open state by utilizing the pressing force from the support frame acting on the movable member as the retaining device descends. Furthermore, the restricting member can be changed from an open state to a closed state by utilizing the fact that the pressing force from the support frame no longer acts on the movable member as the retaining device rises. Therefore, since there is no need to provide a dedicated actuator for opening and closing the restricting member, it is easier to simplify and reduce the cost of the retaining device. Furthermore, with this configuration, since the movable member is attached to the insertion section, a region where the movable member and the support frame come into contact can be positioned below the conveying surface of the roller conveyor. In this way, by using an existing support frame, a mechanism for pressing the movable member can be easily provided. In addition, compared to a configuration where the mechanism presses the movable member outward relative to the roller conveyor when viewed from above, it is easier to miniaturize the holding device and the roller conveyor. Thus, with this configuration, objects to be transported can be appropriately transferred with a simple setup.

[0042] Here, the insertion portion has a hollow structure. Preferably, at least a part of the interlocking mechanism is located inside the insertion portion.

[0043] With this configuration, since at least a part of the interlocking mechanism is located inside the insertion section, the holding device can be made smaller, and the coupling mechanism is less likely to interfere with the rollers of the roller conveyor when the insertion section is inserted into the roller gap.

[0044] Furthermore, the portion of the support member that is positioned above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor when the holding device is in the first position is designated as the upper position portion. Preferably, the restricting member is attached to the upper position and configured to perform the opening and closing operation above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor.

[0045] In this configuration, the regulating member is attached to the support member above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor, and the opening and closing operation is performed above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor. Therefore, there is no need to consider avoiding interference between the regulating member and the roller conveyor. Consequently, it is easier to increase the degree of freedom in the shape and arrangement of the regulating member.

[0046] Furthermore, it is preferable that the movable member is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the insertion portion, and is arranged so that at least a part of it protrudes downward from the insertion portion, and is pressed against the upward-facing surface of the support frame by approaching it from above, thereby achieving the pressed state.

[0047] This configuration makes it possible to make it difficult for the movable member to protrude laterally from the insertion section, thus making it easier to keep the width of the insertion section to which the movable member is attached small. Therefore, when inserting the insertion section into the roller gap, the insertion section and the movable member are less likely to interfere with the rollers of the roller conveyor.

[0048] The transport device relating to this disclosure only needs to be able to achieve at least one of the effects described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 2: Holding device 3: Roller conveyor 4: Lifting device 5: Mobile 6: Roller gap 8: Opening and closing mechanism 12: Support member 13: Insertion part 17: Upper placement part 21: Regulating member 30: Conveyor surface 31: Laura 33: Support frame 81: Movable member 83: Interlocking mechanism T1: 1st position T2: 2nd position W: Object to be transported X: Conveying direction

Claims

1. A conveying device configured to transfer objects to be conveyed between a roller conveyor having multiple rollers and a support frame that supports the multiple rollers, The system comprises a moving body, a holding device for holding the object to be transported, and a lifting device for raising and lowering the holding device while the holding device is suspended from the moving body. The direction in which the object to be conveyed is conveyed by the roller conveyor is defined as the conveying direction, and the gaps between a pair of rollers adjacent to each other in the conveying direction on the roller conveyor are defined as the roller gaps. The holding device comprises a support member for supporting the object to be transported, a restricting member for restricting the movement of the object to be transported in the transporting direction while it is being held, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the restricting member. The lifting device is capable of raising and lowering the holding device to a first position and a second position in the vertical direction. The first position is the position where the roller conveyor loads and unloads the object to be conveyed to and from the holding device. The second position is above the first position and is the position where the support member supports and releases the object to be transported. The restricting member is in an open state when the holding device is in the first position, and in a closed state when the holding device is in the second position, and in the open state, it does not overlap with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed by the roller conveyor when viewed in the direction of conveying, and in the closed state, it overlaps with the movement trajectory of the object being conveyed when viewed in the direction of conveying. The opening and closing mechanism comprises a movable member that changes state between a pressed state, where it is pressed by the support frame, and a released state, where the pressure from the support frame is released, in accordance with the raising and lowering of the holding device; and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the movable member and the regulating member such that the regulating member changes from the open state to the closed state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the pressed state to the released state, and the regulating member changes from the closed state to the open state in conjunction with the movable member changing from the released state to the pressed state. The support member has an insertion portion that is inserted into the roller gap when the holding device is in the first position and is positioned below the conveying surface of the roller conveyor, A conveying device wherein the movable member is attached to the insertion portion and is pressed upward by the support frame as the holding device descends from the second position to the first position, resulting in the pressed state, and the pressure from the support frame is released as the holding device rises from the first position to the second position, resulting in the released state.

2. The aforementioned insertion portion has a hollow structure. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the interlocking mechanism is arranged inside the insertion portion.

3. In the support member, the portion positioned above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor when the holding device is in the first position is designated as the upper position portion. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the restricting member is attached to the upper arrangement portion and is configured to perform the opening and closing operation above the conveying surface of the roller conveyor.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable member is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the insertion portion, and is arranged so as to protrude downward from the insertion portion by at least a part thereof, and is pressed against the upward-facing surface of the support frame by approaching it from above, thereby achieving the pressed state.

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