Motor unit and conveying device

Abstract

Provided are a motor unit of which the total height can be reduced, and a conveyance device.　In a motor unit 200 having a motor part and a gear part, the motor part is formed so as to accommodate a majority portion of a drive motor 213 in a housing member 210. The gear part is configured such that at least one portion of a driving gear 261 and a plurality of small gear parts 215 are formed and arranged in a space 270 surrounded by an inner tooth row part 271, and the plurality of small gear parts 215 are positioned in the surroundings of the driving gear 261 in the space 270. Each from among the plurality of small gear parts 215 meshes with the driving gear 261 and the inner tooth row part 271, respectively, and each from among the plurality of small gear parts 215 is rotated by rotation of the driving gear 261. Furthermore, the gear part is set at a position where at least one portion overlaps with the motor part in a plan view.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor unit that can be used in a conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed. The present invention also relates to a conveying device having such a motor unit.

Background Art

[0002] A conveying device (transfer device) capable of switching the conveying direction of an object to be conveyed is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. A conventional conveying device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided at an intersection of conveyor lines of a conveyor device and can switch the conveying direction of an object to be conveyed. That is, by switching the conveying direction of an object to be conveyed by the conveying device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the object to be conveyed can be conveyed to a desired conveying destination.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, a conventional conveying device selectively discharges the introduced object to be conveyed in specific two directions. Therefore, in order to sort the object to be conveyed by a conventional conveyor device for each conveying destination, a complicatedly branched conveyor line is required.

[0005] Therefore, the present inventors considered providing a conveying unit that does not require a large installation space and can discharge an object to be conveyed in an arbitrary direction, as well as a conveying device. Since such conveying devices are used in a variety of locations, it is desirable to make the entire conveying device as compact as possible. Conventional conveying devices, which place a large drive motor on the underside of the conveying surface, result in a high overall height, which in some cases reduces the flexibility of the conveying device's installation location.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a motor unit and a conveying device that can reduce the overall height. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a motor unit that can be used in a conveying device formed by arranging block-shaped conveying units in a matrix, and can be used to replace one of the conveying units, and comprises a drive motor, a drive gear, an annular continuous internal gear row, and a plurality of small gears, wherein the drive gear is a gear formed on the output shaft of the drive motor, and the motor unit comprises a motor section and a gear section, the motor section is formed by housing most of the drive motor in a housing member, the gear section is formed by arranging at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gears within a space surrounded by the internal gear row, the plurality of small gears are positioned around the drive gear within the space, each of the plurality of small gears meshes with the drive gear and the internal gear row, and each of the plurality of small gears rotates when the drive gear rotates, and the gear section is characterized in that at least a part of it overlaps with the motor section in a plan view.

[0008] In this type of motor unit, the gear section is formed by arranging at least a portion of the drive gear and multiple small gear sections within a space enclosed by an internal gear row, allowing the gear section to be flattened. Furthermore, by arranging the gear section so that at least a portion overlaps with the motor section in a plan view, the overall height of the motor unit can be reduced. Furthermore, by replacing the transport unit with this new unit, the overall height of the device can be reduced compared to a structure where the motor unit is located beneath the transport unit.

[0009] The above-described configuration includes an output member that outputs rotational force transmitted from the drive motor to the outside, wherein the output member is a gear with an output tooth row formed on its outer circumference, and further the output member has a gear housing, the gear housing has an opening on one end in the thickness direction and a recessed portion on the other end in the same direction, the gear housing has the internal tooth row formed on its inner circumferential wall, and at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gears are arranged inside, and it is preferable that the output member rotates so that the output tooth row moves in the circumferential direction when rotational force is applied from the plurality of the small gears.

[0010] In this configuration, compared to a structure where the output component and multiple small gear sections are arranged vertically, it becomes possible to flatten the entire motor unit, thereby further reducing the overall height of the motor unit.

[0011] In the above-described preferred configuration, when the motor section and the gear section are positioned so that they overlap vertically, it is more preferable that a portion of the output member protrudes laterally outward from a portion midway in the vertical direction.

[0012] Under these circumstances, the overall height of the motor unit can be further reduced.

[0013] In the above-described preferred configuration, it is even more preferable that the output member has portions that protrude laterally outward on each of the four sides in a plan view.

[0014] In this configuration, it becomes possible to replace conveying units in various locations and to transmit power to adjacent conveying units in various directions.

[0015] The above-described configuration comprises a motor unit body and a mounting member attached to the motor unit body, wherein the motor unit body is a portion formed including the motor portion and the gear portion, the mounting member has a mounting plate portion and a leg portion extending from the mounting plate portion, the leg portion has a contact surface portion on the extended end side, and the configuration can be used in a first configuration in which the mounting member is attached to the motor unit body in a predetermined orientation, and a second configuration in which the mounting member is attached to the motor unit body in an orientation that is upside down from the predetermined orientation, and in each of the first and second configurations, it is preferable that the contact surface portion is located substantially flush with one end of the motor unit body in the height direction. In this context, "approximately on the same plane" means allowing for a deviation of a few millimeters.

[0016] In this configuration, the overall height of the motor unit can be reduced in both the orientation where the motor part is facing upwards and the orientation where it is upside down.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention is a conveying device characterized by arranging the above-described motor unit and the conveying unit in a matrix.

[0018] In this type of conveying device, it is possible to reduce the overall height of the motor unit, and also to reduce the overall height of the conveying device.

[0019] The above-described configuration is such that the transport unit comprises a rotating body, a support body, and a drive body, the rotating body is supported by the main body of the support body via a support shaft, the orientation of the rotating body is changed by the rotation of the main body of the support body together with the support shaft, the rotating body is rotated around the support shaft by the rotation of the drive body, and it comprises at least two motor units, one of which functions as a slewing motor that outputs rotational force to be transmitted to the support body, and the other motor unit functions as a driving motor that outputs rotational force to be transmitted to the drive body, and it is more preferable that one of the motor units and the other motor unit are arranged in an inverted position.

[0020] Compared to cases where separate motors are used for the turning motor and the driving motor, this approach allows for the common use of components, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0021] Another aspect of the present invention is a motor unit usable in a conveying device, comprising a drive motor, a drive gear, an annularly continuous internal gear row, and a plurality of small gear sections, wherein the drive gear is a gear formed on the output shaft of the drive motor, and the motor section is formed by housing most of the drive motor in a housing member, the gear section is formed by arranging at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gear sections within a space surrounded by the internal gear row, the plurality of small gear sections are positioned around the drive gear within the space, each of the plurality of small gear sections meshes with the drive gear and the internal gear row, and each of the plurality of small gear sections rotates as the drive gear rotates, and the gear section is characterized in that at least a part of it overlaps with the motor section in a plan view.

[0022] Also in the motor unit of this aspect, the gear part is formed by arranging at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of small gear parts in a space surrounded by the internal tooth row part, and the gear part can be flattened. Furthermore, by adopting a structure in which at least a part of the gear part is arranged at a position overlapping the motor part in a plan view, the overall height of the motor unit can be reduced.

[0023] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the housing member has a gear housing part that houses at least a part of the drive gear and the plurality of small gear parts, and the internal tooth row part is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the gear housing part.

[0024] In the above preferable aspect, an output member that outputs the rotational force transmitted from the drive motor to the outside is provided. The output member has a plate-shaped part and an output shaft part that protrudes outward from one end in the thickness direction of the plate-shaped part. An output tooth row part is formed on the protruding end side of the output shaft part. The plurality of small gear parts are attached to the plate-shaped part via shaft members. When the drive gear rotates, each of the plurality of small gear parts revolves around the drive gear and rotates around the shaft member. It is more preferable that when the plurality of small gear parts revolve, the shaft member moves and the plate-shaped part and the output shaft part rotate.

[0025] A first aspect of a related invention related to the present invention has a rotating body, a support body, a driving body, and a rotational force transmission member. The rotational force transmission member has a support body side transmission portion and a driving body side transmission portion. The driving body has a first power transmission portion and a power application portion. The first power transmission portion engages with the driving body side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member, and rotational force is transmitted to and from the outside through the driving body side transmission portion. The rotating body has a main rotating portion and a sub-rotating portion. The support body has a support shaft and a second power transmission portion. The second power transmission portion engages with the support body side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member, and rotational force is transmitted to and from the outside through the support body side transmission portion. The main rotating portion and the sub-rotating portion of the rotating body are attached along the support shaft of the support body and can rotate independently of each other about the support shaft. The driving body rotates by power about a first axis in a direction intersecting the support shaft. The main rotating portion and the sub-rotating portion contact the power application portion, and at least the main rotating portion is imparted with rotational force. The sub-rotating portion does not contact the conveyed object, and the main rotating portion can contact the conveyed object to bias the conveyed object. The support body, the driving body, and the rotational force transmission member are integrated, and the support body and the driving body can rotate independently of each other about the first axis. This is a conveying unit characterized by the above.

[0026] Here, the "axis" means an axis that is the center of rotation and is a concept including a virtual axis without a physical entity. In contrast, the "support shaft" is a "thing" with a physical entity. According to this aspect, the conveying unit has a rotating body, a support body, a driving body, and a rotational force transmission member. The rotational force transmission member has a support body side transmission portion and a driving body side transmission portion. The driving body has a first power transmission portion and a power application portion. The rotating body has a main rotating portion and a sub-rotating portion. The support body has a support shaft and a second power transmission portion. The first power transmission portion engages with the driving body side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member, and rotational force (power) is transmitted to and from the outside through the driving body side transmission portion. That is, the driving body rotates when rotational force (power) is transmitted through the driving body side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member. The main rotating part and the secondary rotating part of the rotating body are mounted along the support axis of the support body and are able to rotate independently of each other about the support axis. The drive body rotates by power around a first axis in a direction intersecting the support axis, and the main rotating part and the secondary rotating part come into contact with the power supply unit, thereby applying rotational force (power) to at least the main rotating part. In other words, when the drive body rotates, at least the main rotating part of the rotating body rotates. Here, "intersecting directions" includes not only orthogonal directions but also configurations where things intersect in inclined directions. Furthermore, "intersection" includes not only cases where axes intersect but also states where things intersect in three dimensions, that is, cases where things intersect in a misaligned state. The main rotating part can contact the conveyed object and bias it, so the object can be conveyed by the rotation of the main rotating part. Here, the support shaft receives external force (compression force) from the drive unit that is in contact with the main rotating part and the sub-rotating part mounted along the support shaft. As a result, the force acting on the support shaft from the drive unit is equalized. In other words, the external force (pressure force) that the support shaft receives from the drive body acts on the support shaft via the part to which the main rotating part is attached and the part to which the auxiliary rotating part is attached. Here, the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part are attached along the support shaft, and the external force does not act on any particular biased part of the support shaft. In other words, since the external force (pressure) is distributed and acts on distant parts along the support shaft, the support shaft does not tilt, and the posture of the rotating body attached to the support shaft remains stable. Since the drive unit transmits power by contacting both the main and sub-rotating parts, the attitude of the drive unit is also stabilized. Furthermore, the conveyed object does not come into contact with the auxiliary rotating part, nor is it biased by the auxiliary rotating part. In other words, the conveyed object is not subjected to any biasing force from the auxiliary rotating part, and even if the auxiliary rotating part rotates in the opposite direction to the main rotating part, the conveyed object is biased and conveyed only by the main rotating part. Therefore, the conveyance of the object is stable. On the other hand, the second power transmission unit engages with the support-side transmission unit of the rotational force transmission member, and rotational force (power) is transmitted to the outside via the support-side transmission unit. That is, the support unit rotates as rotational force (power) is transmitted to it via the support-side transmission unit of the rotational force transmission member. As the support unit rotates, the orientation of the support shaft is changed, and the biasing direction of the conveyed object by the main rotating unit is changed. Therefore, the biasing direction (conveying direction) of the conveyed object can be changed. Furthermore, the support, drive unit, and rotational force transmission member are integrated into a single unit. In other words, the transport unit is composed entirely of the support, drive unit, and rotational force transmission member. Therefore, the transport unit is easy to handle. Furthermore, since the support and drive unit can rotate independently around the same first axis, the area occupied by the support and drive unit is small. In other words, the transport unit can be made space-saving and placed in a limited area.

[0027] It is preferable that the support-side transmission portion and the drive-body-side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member are arranged on the same second axis.

[0028] In this configuration, the support-side transmission portion and the drive-side transmission portion of the rotational force transmission member are arranged on the same second axis, so the area occupied by the rotational force transmission member is small. By reducing the area occupied by this rotational force transmission member, the transport unit can be made smaller.

[0029] Preferably, the drive unit has a plate shape with an annular structure, the power supply unit is provided on the inner circumference of the annular drive unit, and the first power transmission unit is provided on the outer circumference of the drive unit.

[0030] In this configuration, the drive unit has a plate shape with an annular structure, a power supply unit is provided on the inner circumference of the annular drive unit, and a first power transmission unit is provided on the outer circumference of the drive unit, so the height dimension of the drive unit can be reduced. Therefore, the height dimension of the transport unit can be reduced.

[0031] Preferably, the system comprises the support body, the drive body, and a housing that holds the rotational force transmission member, wherein the housing has a recessed fitting portion and can be coupled to another transport unit via the recessed fitting portion.

[0032] This configuration includes a support body, a drive body, and a housing that holds a rotational force transmission member. The housing has interlocking parts, which can be connected to another transport unit, making it easy to align the transport units and combine them. Furthermore, there is no concern about misalignment between the transport units.

[0033] Preferably, the combined external shape of the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part is spherical, barrel-shaped, or cylindrical, and regardless of the orientation of the rotating body, the periphery of a part of the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part in the direction of the support axis is in contact with the power supply part of the drive body, while the other parts of the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part are substantially not in contact with the power supply part. Here, "substantially" includes not only a state in which the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part are not in contact at all, but also a state in which the main rotating part and the auxiliary rotating part are in contact to the extent that they do not exert force on each other.

[0034] With this configuration, the combined external shape of the main and sub-rotating parts is symmetrical, making it easy to apply an even external force (pressing force) from the drive body to the support shaft via the main and sub-rotating parts. Furthermore, regardless of the orientation of the support shaft, a portion of the circumference of the main and sub-rotating parts in the direction of the support shaft is in contact with the drive body, while the other parts of the main and sub-rotating parts are substantially non-contact with the drive body, thus stabilizing the rotation of the main and sub-rotating parts. As a result, the rotating body (main rotating part) can bias the conveyed object equally in any direction. Here, "the combined external shape of the main and sub-rotating parts" refers to the overall shape (contour) of the main and sub-rotating parts, excluding the parts of adjacent main and sub-rotating parts that face each other.

[0035] It is preferable to form the parts of the main rotating part and the sub-rotating part that come into contact with the power supply part of the drive body from an elastically deformable material.

[0036] In this configuration, the parts of the main and secondary rotating parts that are in contact with the drive unit undergo elastic deformation, expanding the area of ​​contact between the main and secondary rotating parts and the drive unit. As a result, power is more easily transmitted from the drive unit to the main and secondary rotating parts. Here, elastic deformation refers not to a large deformation that would change the external shape of the main and sub-rotating parts, but rather to a localized deformation where the contact points of the drive body are slightly indented.

[0037] A second aspect of the related invention is a conveying device characterized in that a plurality of the above-mentioned conveying units are arranged in a planar manner, power is transmitted between the first power transmission units of adjacent conveying units, and power is transmitted between the second power transmission units of adjacent conveying units.

[0038] In this type of conveying device, the conveying units are designed to save space, and when multiple conveying units are arranged on a surface, the distance between the main rotating parts of the rotating bodies of each conveying unit that come into contact with the conveyed object is narrow. As a result, the support of the conveyed object is stable. In addition, the narrow support spacing of the conveyed object allows the weight of the conveyed object to be distributed and supported, reducing the risk of damage to the bottom of the conveyed object. Power is transmitted between the first power transmission members and between the second power transmission members by means of, for example, gears, chains, belts, etc. [Effects of the Invention]

[0039] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a motor unit and a conveying device that can reduce the overall height. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0040] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the transport unit according to this embodiment, where (a) and (b) are perspective views from different directions. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the transport unit with its top panel removed. [Figure 3]Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the transport unit, with the power unit and the housing supporting it separated. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the power unit separated into its main components. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating body and support. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the rotating body with the support shaft attached. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view from above of the base plate and drive unit that make up the base shown. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the base plate and drive unit that make up the base, as seen from below. [Figure 9] These are exploded perspective views of the rotating body, drive unit, and base plate, with (a) and (b) being perspective views from above and below, respectively. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the main part of the transport unit. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the transport unit according to this embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 1(a) is a perspective view showing the transport unit with the direction of the rotating body changed by 90 degrees. [Figure 13] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conveying device in which the conveying units are arranged on a surface. [Figure 14] Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the state in which the orientation of the rotating body of each conveying unit of the conveying device has been changed by 90 degrees. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the transport device in Figure 13 with one transport unit removed. [Figure 16] Figure 13 is a plan view of the conveying device. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view showing a motor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view showing the motor unit. [Figure 19] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the motor unit shown in Figure 17. [Figure 20]Figure 18 shows the upper part of the main unit, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a perspective view from a different direction than Figure 18. [Figure 21] Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view showing the main body of the unit. [Figure 22] (a) is a perspective view showing the output member of Figure 21 from a different direction than in Figure 21, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the output member of Figure 21. [Figure 23] (a) is a plan view showing the motor unit of Figure 17, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the output member of Figure 17 cut in half and schematically showing the inside of the output member. [Figure 24] (a) is an explanatory diagram showing how the mounting bracket is attached to the unit body in the inverted position compared to Figure 18, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the motor unit of Figure 18 in the second position. [Figure 25] (a) is a side view showing the motor unit in the first position as shown in Figure 17, and (b) is a side view showing the motor unit in the second position as shown in Figure 24. [Figure 26] This figure shows a motor unit according to a different embodiment from Figure 17, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 27] Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view showing the motor unit. [Figure 28] Figure 26 is a perspective view of the motor unit, specifically the part above the main housing, seen from below. [Figure 29] Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the output side closing portion of the housing member and its surrounding area within the motor unit. [Figure 30] (a) is a perspective view showing how multiple small gear members are attached to an output member, and (b) is a perspective view of the member formed by attaching multiple small gear members to the output member, viewed from a different direction than in (a). [Figure 31] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interior of the gear housing space and the output components. [Figure 32] This is a perspective view showing a conveying device according to a different embodiment than the conveying device shown in Figure 13. [Figure 33] Figure 32 is a cross-sectional view of the conveying device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] The following explanation will be given with reference to the diagrams. As shown in Figure 1, the transport unit 1 according to this embodiment comprises a rotating body 2, a support body 3, a drive body 4, and rotational force transmission members 5 and 55. The transport unit 1 also has a housing 11 for fixing the drive body 4 and the rotational force transmission members 5 and 55.

[0042] The enclosure 11 comprises a top plate 6, a bottom plate 7, and a main body 8. The enclosure 11 has a structure in which the main body 8 is sandwiched between the top plate 6 and the bottom plate 7.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main body 8 of the housing 11 has a rectangular shape, and column portions 24 are provided at each of the four corners of the main body 8. Each column portion 24 extends vertically, with a fixing portion 24a for fixing the top plate 6 at the upper end and a fixing portion 24b for fixing the bottom plate 7 at the lower end. Bearings 25 that rotate around a vertical axis are provided near the column portions 24. The bearings 25 are arranged in an annular shape.

[0044] Furthermore, a hole 8a is opened in the center of the main body 8. In other words, a space (hole 8a) is formed inside the main body 8. A portion of the outer circumference of each bearing 25 enters the hole 8a. A recess 26 is provided on the outer periphery of the main body 8. The recess 26 has a shape in which the central parts of the four sides of the rectangle are recessed inward, and is formed between adjacent column portions 24. The recess 26 is provided in the central part of the main body 8 in the vertical direction.

[0045] The top plate 6 is a rectangular plate-like member with a hole 6a in the center. Two of the four sides of the top plate 6 are provided with protrusions 27 and 127. Support holes 27a and 127a are provided in the protrusions 27 and 127. The other two sides of the top plate 6 are provided with recesses 28 and 128. The protrusions 27 and 127 and the recesses 28 and 128 correspond to the positions of the recesses 26 in the main body 8. That is, the recesses 26 of the main body 8 are located directly below the protrusions 27 and 127 and the recesses 28 and 128.

[0046] As shown in Figure 7, the bottom plate 7 is a rectangular plate-like member similar to the top plate 6, with a hole 7a in the center. Notches 29 are provided at predetermined angular intervals along the edge of the hole 7a. The bottom plate 7 also has protrusions 30, 130 and recesses 31, 131 similar to those on the top plate 6. Support holes 30a, 130a are provided in the protrusions 30, 130. The protrusions 30, 130 and recesses 31, 131 are located directly below the recesses 26 of the main body 8.

[0047] The base plate 7 and the main body 8 are in close contact at the four corners of the rectangle, but are separated in the central part of the four sides, forming an opening 40. The second power transmission section 3a of the support 3 inside the housing 11 protrudes radially from the opening 40.

[0048] The support holes 27a and 127a of the protrusions 27 and 127 of the top plate 6, and the support holes 30a and 130a of the protrusions 30 and 130 of the bottom plate 7 are positioned on the second axis A2 and third axis A3 extending vertically as shown in Figure 1(a), and are aligned vertically.

[0049] The top plate 6 and the main body 8 are in close contact at the four corners of the rectangle, but are separated in the center of the four sides, forming an opening 39. The second power transmission section 3a of the support 3 inside the housing 11 protrudes from the opening 39.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, the drive unit 4 is mounted on the bottom plate 7 via an annular thrust bearing 17.

[0051] The thrust bearing 17 has a retainer ring 19 that holds a plurality of rolling elements 20 (Figure 11) between a lower fixed member 18a and an upper rotating member 18b. The rotating member 18b is provided with upwardly projecting engaging portions 21 at predetermined angular intervals. The fixed member 18a is provided with downwardly projecting engaging portions 22 at predetermined angular intervals. Outward-facing flange portions 23 that protrude radially outward are provided between the projecting engaging portions 22.

[0052] Each protruding engagement portion 22 of the fixing member 18a engages with the notch 29 of the bottom plate 7. Furthermore, the outward-facing flange portion 23 of the fixing member 18a abuts against the edge of the hole 7a in the bottom plate 7. In other words, the fixing member 18a is placed on the bottom plate 7 and cannot rotate relative to the bottom plate 7. The thrust bearing 17 is installed between the bottom plate 7 and the drive unit 4, allowing for smooth relative rotational movement between the bottom plate 7 and the drive unit 4. Additionally, the use of the thrust bearing 17 allows for a reduction in the overall height of the transport unit 1.

[0053] Next, I will explain the drive unit 4. As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, the drive unit 4 has a plate shape with an annular structure, and has a first power transmission unit 4a which is an external gear on its outer circumference, and an annular base 9 formed on the inner circumference on the upper side. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a grooved engagement portion 9a is provided on the inner circumference of the drive unit 4. Below the grooved engagement portion 9a, an inwardly protruding inward flange portion 13 is provided. In other words, the annular base 9 has a grooved engagement portion 9a and an inwardly protruding flange portion 13.

[0054] As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, an annular rotating body mounting member 14 (power supply unit) is attached to the annular base 9. The rotating body mounting member 14 is made of a wear-resistant material. An annular mounting surface 14a is formed on the upper surface of the rotating body mounting member 14. In addition, a grooved portion 15 is provided on the outer circumference of the rotating body mounting member 14. A cylindrical projection 14b is formed on the inner circumference of the rotating body mounting member 14, extending downwards. This cylindrical projection 14b engages with the inner circumference of the inward-facing flange portion 13 of the drive unit 4. That is, it enters the interior of the drive unit 4 and engages. Furthermore, the grooved portion 15 engages with the grooved engagement portion 9a on the annular base 9 side, so that the rotating body mounting member 14 is integrated with the annular base 9 (drive unit 4) in a way that prevents relative rotation. That is, the rotating body mounting member 14 rotates together with the drive unit 4. The rotating body mounting member 14 may be integrated with the drive unit 4.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8, a plurality of engagement holes 16 are provided on the lower surface of the drive unit 4 at predetermined angular intervals. Each engagement hole 16 engages with each protruding engagement portion 21 of the rotating member 18b of the thrust bearing 17. In other words, the drive unit 4 is mounted on the rotating member 18b, and relative rotation between the rotating member 18b and the drive unit 4 is not possible.

[0056] The drive unit 4 (first power transmission unit 4a) and the rotating body mounting member 14 rotate around the first axis A1 (Figures 1(a) and 11), which is the vertical axis. As shown in Figure 1(b), the drive unit 4 (first power transmission unit 4a) protrudes radially outward from between the recess 26 of the housing 11 and the recesses 31 and 131 of the bottom plate 7.

[0057] Next, we will explain the second rotating body. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), the rotating body 2 comprises a main rotating section 2a and a secondary rotating section 2b. The main rotating section 2a occupies the majority of the rotating body 2 and, as shown in Figure 11, constitutes the conveying surface S. Here, the conveying surface S is the surface formed by the section on which the conveyed object is placed and which is biased to move the placed conveyed object. On the other hand, the secondary rotating section 2b constitutes a part of the entire area of ​​the rotating body 2. The secondary rotating section 2b is located below the conveying surface S and does not come into contact with the conveyed object.

[0058] The main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are provided with through holes 32a and 32b through which the support shaft 10 (Figures 5 and 11) of the support body 3, described later, passes. The main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are mounted along the support shaft 10.

[0059] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, bearings 37a and 37b are provided inside the main rotating part 2a. The main rotating part 2a is mounted on the support shaft 10 so as to be able to rotate smoothly via bearings 37a and 37b. Similarly, bearings 38a and 38b are provided inside the secondary rotating part 2b. The secondary rotating part 2b is mounted on the support shaft 10 so as to be able to rotate smoothly via bearings 38a and 38b.

[0060] The main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b can rotate independently of each other around the support shaft 10. In other words, no power is transmitted between the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b. Although the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b are strictly discontinuous, the combined external shape of the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b is spherical, barrel-shaped, or cylindrical.

[0061] As shown in Figure 11, the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are mounted on the mounting surface 14a of the rotating body mounting member 14 on the drive body 4 side. A specific circumferential portion of the main rotating part 2a around the support shaft 10 and a specific circumferential portion of the sub-rotating part 2b around the support shaft 10 are mounted on the mounting surface 14a, and power is transmitted from the mounting surface 14a (drive body 4). That is, when the drive body 4 rotates, the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are biased to rotate in opposite directions.

[0062] Next, we will describe the support 3. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the support 3 has a main body 33 and a support shaft 10. The main body 33 is a cylindrical member, and a second power transmission section 3a, which is an external gear, is provided on the outer circumference of its upper end. A slit 34 is provided on the side wall 33a of the main body 33, extending vertically from the lower end. A large-diameter section 34a is provided at the upper end of the slit 34. The diameter of the large-diameter section 34a is larger than the width of the slit 34.

[0063] The support shaft 10 is a shaft member having a length that allows it to pass through the through holes 32a and 32b of the rotating body 2 (main rotating part 2a, sub-rotating part 2b). The support shaft 10 extends along the axis 10a, and retaining members 35a and 35b are attached to both ends of the support shaft 10, respectively. The ends of the support shaft 10 engage with the retaining members 35a and 35b, supporting the support shaft 10 so that it cannot rotate. The retaining members 35a and 35b are sized to fit perfectly into the slits 34 of the main body 33. That is, the upper ends of the retaining members 35a and 35b are sized to fit perfectly into the large diameter portion 34a. Therefore, when the retaining members 35a and 35b are fitted into the slits 34, the rotating body 2 and the support body 3 are integrated, as shown in Figure 4.

[0064] The support 3 is housed within the hole 8a of the main body 8 of the housing 11. A bearing 25 (Figure 4), installed on the main body 8 of the housing 11, is positioned around the side wall 33a of the support 3. The support 3 is rotatably supported by the bearing 25. Note that the bearing 25 is omitted in Figure 11 for illustrative purposes.

[0065] As shown in Figure 4, the support 3 is integrated with the rotating body 2 and, together with the rotating body 2, is supported by the rotating body mounting member 14 (mounting surface 14a) on the drive unit 4 side, resulting in the state shown in Figure 10. Therefore, the support 3 (rotating body 2) rotates around the first axis A1 (Figures 1(a), 10, and 11).

[0066] Next, the rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 are positioned on two adjacent sides (two edges) of the four sides of the housing 11. Furthermore, the rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 are positioned on the outside of the main body 8 of the housing 11 and are positioned to enter the recess 26.

[0067] The rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 have external gear-type transmission parts 5a and 55a on the support side and transmission parts 5b and 55b on the drive side, and support shafts 36 and 136. The support shafts 36 and 136 are axes oriented vertically. The support side transmission parts 5a and 55a are attached near the upper ends of the support shafts 36 and 136, and the drive side transmission parts 5b and 55b are attached near the lower ends. The support side transmission parts 5a and 55a and the drive side transmission parts 5b and 55b are attached to the support shafts 36 and 136 via bearings and rotate freely.

[0068] The upper ends of the support shafts 36 and 136 engage with the support holes 27a and 127a of the protrusions 27 and 127 of the top plate 6. The lower ends of the support shafts 36 and 136 engage with the support holes 30a and 130a of the protrusions 30 and 130 of the bottom plate 7. In other words, both ends of the support shafts 36 and 136 are supported by the housing 11. The support shafts 36 and 136 are fixed to the housing 11 in a way that prevents rotation. As shown in Figure 1(a), the support shafts 36 and 136 coincide with the second axis A2 and the third axis A3. The support-side transmission unit 5a and the drive-side transmission unit 5b can rotate smoothly around the support shaft 36 (second axis). The support-side transmission unit 55a and the drive-side transmission unit 55b can rotate smoothly around the support shaft 136.

[0069] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the support-side transmission parts 5a and 55a engage with the second power transmission part 3a of the support 3, which protrudes from the opening 39 (upper part of the recess 26). Also, as shown in Figure 3, the drive-side transmission parts 5b and 55b engage with the first power transmission part 4a of the drive-body 4, which protrudes from the opening 40 (lower part of the recess 26).

[0070] As described above, the transport unit 1 has its support body 3 (rotating body 2), drive body 4, and rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 all attached to the housing 11. Therefore, the transport unit 1 is very easy to handle.

[0071] Next, we will explain the operation of the transport unit 1.

[0072] In the transport unit 1 shown in Figure 1(a), when power is received from an external source, the drive-side transmission part 5b of the rotational force transmission member 5 rotates, and rotational force (power) is transmitted to the drive body 4 (first power transmission part 4a) which is engaged with the drive-side transmission part 5b, causing the drive body 4 (first power transmission part 4a) to rotate. When the drive body 4 (first power transmission part 4a) rotates, the drive-side transmission part 55b (Figure 3) of the rotational force transmission member 55 which is engaged with the drive body 4 (first power transmission part 4a) rotates. In other words, when the transport unit 1 rotates due to rotational force (power) input from one rotational force transmission member 5, the other rotational force transmission member 55 also rotates in sync. Therefore, rotational force can be transmitted to the outside via the rotational force transmission member 55.

[0073] The main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b of the rotating body 2 are mounted on the mounting surface 14a of the rotating body mounting member 14 (power supply part), which is integrated with the drive unit 4. When the drive unit 4 rotates, the rotating body mounting member 14 (mounting surface 14a) also rotates, and the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b rotate as rotational force (power) is supplied from the rotating body mounting member 14. At that time, the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b rotate in opposite directions to each other.

[0074] As shown in Figure 11, only the main rotating part 2a that constitutes the conveying surface S protrudes from the hole 6a of the top plate 6, and only the main rotating part 2a can apply a biasing force to the conveyed object.

[0075] On the other hand, when the support-side transmission part 5a of the rotational force transmission member 5 rotates, rotational force (power) is transmitted to the support 3 (second power transmission part 3a) which is engaged with the support-side transmission part 5a, causing the support 3 to rotate. At that time, the orientation of the support shaft 10 (axis 10a) in the horizontal position of the support 3 is changed, and the orientation of the rotating body 2, which rotates with the support shaft 10 (axis 10a) as the center of rotation, also changes, for example, from the state shown in Figure 1(a) to the state shown in Figure 12. In Figure 1(a) and Figure 12, the orientation of the axis 10a differs by 90 degrees. That is, the direction of transport of the transported object (not shown) by the rotating body 2 differs by 90 degrees.

[0076] Furthermore, when the support body 3 (second power transmission unit 3a) rotates, rotational force is also transmitted to the support body side transmission unit 55a of the rotational force transmission member 55 that is engaged with the support body 3 (second power transmission unit 3a), causing the support body side transmission unit 55a to also rotate.

[0077] Here, the combined external shape of the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b is spherical, barrel-shaped, or cylindrical. Therefore, even if the orientation of the support shaft 10 (orientation of the rotating body 2) changes, a portion of the periphery of the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b in the direction in which the support shaft 10 extends is always in contact with the mounting surface 14a of the rotating body mounting member 14 (power application part) on the drive body 4 side. On the other hand, other parts of the main rotating part 2a and the auxiliary rotating part 2b are substantially not in contact with the mounting surface 14a (power application part).

[0078] Here, "substantially" includes not only the state in which the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are not in contact at all, but also the state in which the main rotating part 2a and the sub-rotating part 2b are in contact to the extent that they do not exert force on each other.

[0079] Therefore, the state in which the rotational force (power) from the drive unit 4 is transmitted to the rotating body 2 (main rotating part 2a) is maintained. Furthermore, the rotating body 2 consists of a main rotating part 2a and a sub-rotating part 2b that rotate around the support shaft 10, both of which are mounted on the rotating body mounting member 14 (mounting surface 14a), and the weight of the rotating body 2 is supported in a balanced manner by the rotating body mounting member 14. Thus, the rotating body 2 (main rotating part 2a) can rotate smoothly.

[0080] Here, the drive-side transmission section 5b and the support-side transmission section 5a of the rotational force transmission member 5 can rotate independently of each other. Similarly, the drive-side transmission section 55b and the support-side transmission section 55a of the rotational force transmission member 55 can also rotate independently of each other. Therefore, the support 3 and the drive 4 can rotate independently of each other around the first axis A1, and the conveying speed and conveying direction of the conveyed object can be freely switched.

[0081] The drive-side transmission sections 5b and 55b and the support-side transmission sections 5a and 55a of the rotational force transmission members 5 and 55 can be powered from an external power source. Furthermore, the transport unit 1 can be connected to another transport unit 1. That is, the support-side transmission section 5a and drive-side transmission section 5b of the rotational force transmission member 5 of one transport unit 1 can be engaged with the support 3 (second power transmission section 3a) and drive body 4 (first power transmission section 4a) of the other transport unit 1.

[0082] The transport unit 1 does not have a power source (drive motor). Therefore, it is necessary to supply power from an external source to the rotational force transmission member 5 (support-side transmission part 5a, drive-body-side transmission part 5b), the first power transmission part 4a, and the second power transmission part 3a. Furthermore, the transport units 1 can be connected to each other. That is, by connecting the transport units 1, the operation of the rotating body 2 of one transport unit 1 can be synchronized with the operation of the rotating body 2 of the other transport unit 1.

[0083] Specifically, by engaging the second power transmission section 3a and the first power transmission section 4a of one transport unit 1 with the support-side transmission section 5a and the drive-side transmission section 5b of the rotational force transmission member 5 of the other transport unit 1, both transport units 1 can synchronously rotate the rotating body 2 around the support shaft 10 or pivot the rotating body 2 around the first axis A1. Furthermore, power can be transmitted to yet another transport unit 1 via the rotational force transmission member 55 (support-side transmission section 55a and drive-side transmission section 55b) of the other transport unit 1.

[0084] Next, we will describe the case where a transport device 50 is constructed by connecting multiple transport units 1.

[0085] Figure 13 is a perspective view of a conveying device 50 in which multiple conveying units 1 shown in Figure 1(a) are arranged in a planar configuration. Figure 16 is a plan view of the conveying device 50. As shown in Figures 13 and 16, in the conveying device 50, individual adjacent conveying units 1 are connected to each other so that power is transmitted as described above. In the conveying device 50, each conveying unit 1 is installed on a mounting base (flat base) which is not shown.

[0086] In this embodiment, the transport unit 1 shown in Figure 1(a) has different shapes for the protrusions 27 and 30 and recesses 28 and 31 of the housing 11, but the protrusions 27 and 30 are housed in the recesses 28 and 31 of another adjacent transport unit 1. Also, the rotational force transmission member 5 is housed in the recess 26 of another adjacent transport unit 1. Therefore, the transport units 1 can be placed adjacent to each other without any gaps. If the shapes of the protrusions 27 and 30 and the recesses 28 and 31 were to match, they would function as interlocking parts with interlocking protrusions and recesses, making it difficult for the two transport units 1 to shift position.

[0087] Furthermore, the transport device 50 is equipped with a travel motor 41 and a swivel motor 42. The travel motor 41 and the swivel motor 42 are arranged in the same way as the transport units 1 which are arranged vertically and horizontally. That is, one of the transport units 1 arranged vertically and horizontally is replaced with the travel motor 41, and another transport unit 1 is replaced with the swivel motor 42. Conversely, it is also possible to replace the travel motor 41 and / or the swivel motor 42 with the transport units 1. Here, the height of the travel motor 41 and the swivel motor 42 used in the transport device 50 is lower than the height of the transport unit 1 (transport surface S).

[0088] The travel motor 41 has an output gear (gear train) that engages with the drive body 4 (first power transmission unit 4a) or the rotational force transmission member 5 (drive body side transmission unit 5b) of the adjacent transport unit 1. The slewing motor 42 also has an output gear (gear train) that engages with the support body 3 (second power transmission unit 3a) or the rotational force transmission member 5 (support body side transmission unit 5a) of the adjacent transport unit 1.

[0089] When the travel motor 41 is driven, the drive unit 4 (first power transmission unit 4a) of the transport unit 1 adjacent to the travel motor 41 is rotated. The drive unit 4 (first power transmission unit 4a) of the other transport unit 1 is also driven via the drive unit side transmission unit 5b of the rotational force transmission member 5 of the transport unit 1 adjacent to the travel motor 41 and another transport unit 1 adjacent to that transport unit 1.

[0090] Then, rotational force is transmitted to the drive bodies 4 of all the transport units 1 of the transport device 50, and the rotating bodies 2 (main rotating parts 2a) of all the transport units 1 rotate at the same rotational speed. Here, since the drive bodies 4 of each transport unit 1 are connected via the drive body side transmission parts 5b (55b) of the rotational force transmission members 5 (55), the rotation direction (direction of biasing the transported object) of the drive bodies 4 (rotating bodies 2) of each transport unit 1 is the same.

[0091] Furthermore, when the slewing motor 42 is driven, the support body 3 (second power transmission unit 3a) of the transport unit 1 adjacent to the slewing motor 42 is driven. The support body 3 (second power transmission unit 3a) of the other transport unit 1 is also driven via the support body side transmission unit 5a (55a) of the rotational force transmission member 5 (55) of the transport unit 1 adjacent to the slewing motor 42 and the other transport unit 1 adjacent to that transport unit 1.

[0092] Then, rotational force is transmitted to the support bodies 3 of all the transport units 1 of the transport device 50, causing the rotating bodies 2 (main rotating parts 2a) of all the transport units 1 to rotate simultaneously and face the same direction. Here, since the support bodies 3 of each transport unit 1 are connected via the support body side transmission parts 5a (55a) of the rotational force transmission members 5 (55), the orientation of the support bodies 3 (rotating bodies 2) of each transport unit 1 is changed simultaneously.

[0093] For example, the orientation of the rotating body 2 (main rotating part 2a) of each conveying unit 1 is simultaneously changed from the state shown in Figure 13 to the state shown in Figure 14. In the conveying device 50, the conveying direction of the conveyed objects differs by 90 degrees between the state shown in Figure 13 and the state shown in Figure 14.

[0094] Furthermore, it is preferable to use drive motors of the same type for the travel motor 41 and the slewing motor 42. That is, it is preferable to use a drive motor in which the output gear of the drive motor located at the height of the drive body side transmission section 5b or the first power transmission section 4a of the rotational force transmission member 5 of the transport unit 1 is located at the height of the support side transmission section 5a or the second power transmission section 3a when the motor is inverted. By doing so, a drive motor with common specifications can be used as the travel motor 41 or the slewing motor 42.

[0095] The conveying device 50 is constructed by sequentially connecting individual conveying units 1. Therefore, if a particular conveying unit 1 malfunctions, only that conveying unit 1 can be easily removed. Figure 15 shows the conveying device 50 with one conveying unit 1 removed. The conveying device 50 has numerous conveying units 1 arranged vertically and horizontally, and only one conveying unit 1 can be removed from the conveying device 50.

[0096] In the conveying device 50, the support 3 (second power transmission section 3a), drive body 4 (first power transmission section 4a), rotational force transmission member 5 (support side transmission section 5a, drive body side transmission section 5b), and rotational force transmission member 55 (support side transmission section 55a, drive body side transmission section 55b) of adjacent conveying units 1 are engaged, thus restricting each other's rotation. In other words, the rotating bodies 2 of each conveying unit 1 cannot rotate or pivot individually in a disorderly manner, and the conveying device 50 as a whole can simultaneously switch the conveying speed and conveying direction (biasing direction) of the conveyed objects.

[0097] As shown in Figures 13 to 16, the travel motor 41 and the slewing motor 42 can be placed in the empty spaces in the transport device 50 where the transport unit 1 is not installed. In other words, in the transport device 50, the transport unit 1 and the travel motor 41 and slewing motor 42 can be replaced. This replacement can be easily carried out even after the transport device 50 has been assembled. Furthermore, the number of transport units 1 used and the layout of each transport unit 1 can be arbitrarily set as needed.

[0098] Figures 13 to 16 show an example where one travel motor 41 and one slewing motor 42 are provided, but multiple motors can also be provided. For example, by providing multiple travel motors 41, the force biasing the transported object can be increased. The same applies to the slewing motors 42.

[0099] Next, the motor unit 200, which can be used as the aforementioned driving motor 41 and also as a turning motor 42, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. This motor unit 200 can be used as the aforementioned driving motor 41 and as a turning motor 42.

[0100] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the motor unit 200 has a unit body 201 (motor unit body) and a mounting bracket 202 (mounting member), and is formed by attaching the mounting bracket 202 to the unit body 201 via a temporary fastening element such as a screw. In this context, "temporary fastening elements" refer to a broader concept encompassing screws, bolts, and nuts, and are fastening elements that, in principle, can be fastened and undone without destruction. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the following explanation will be based on the posture shown in Figure 17.

[0101] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the main unit 201 includes a housing member 210, a connecting columnar member 211 (see Figure 18), a plate-shaped member 212, a motor 213 (drive motor, see Figure 19), an output member 214, and a small gear member 215 (small gear section, see Figure 19). A circuit board member 218 is also built into the housing member 210 together with the motor 213.

[0102] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the housing member 210 consists of a lid portion 210a and a housing body portion 210b. In this embodiment, the lid portion 210a of the housing member 210 is detachably attached to the housing body portion 210b.

[0103] The lid portion 210a has a disc-shaped lid plate portion 220, as shown in Figure 19. On one main surface side of this lid plate portion 220 (the back side, which is the lower side in Figure 19), there is an insertion piece 221 and a bearing mounting portion 222.

[0104] The insertion piece 221 is a vertical plate-shaped portion that protrudes from one main surface of the lid plate portion 220. When the lid portion 210a is attached to the housing body portion 210b, the insertion piece 221 is inserted into the housing space 245 (details will be described later) of the housing body portion 210b and is the portion that abuts from the inside against the inner wall portion surrounding the housing space 245. The bearing mounting portion 222 is a bottomed cylindrical portion provided to protrude from the cover plate portion 220. That is, the bearing mounting portion 222 has a recess on the central side that is recessed toward the cover plate portion 220 side, and a bearing member (first bearing member 225 in this embodiment) can be fitted into this recess.

[0105] In this embodiment, the first bearing member 225 is integrally attached to the cover portion 210a by being fitted almost perfectly into the bearing mounting portion 222. The first bearing member 225 is a bearing. Furthermore, a through-hole opening is located at the bottom of the recess of the bearing mounting portion 222, penetrating the cover plate portion 220 in the thickness direction. In other words, the cover plate portion 220 has a through-hole formed therein that penetrates from one main surface to the other main surface, with one opening located on one main surface and the other opening located at the bottom of the recess. Therefore, the inner space of the recess and the outer space are in communication through this through-hole.

[0106] Focusing on the external shape of the housing body 210b, as shown in Figures 18 and 20, the housing body 210b has, from top to bottom, a cylindrical portion 230, a mounting base portion 231, and a gear side plate-shaped portion 232.

[0107] The cylindrical portion 230 is a substantially cylindrical part that extends in the vertical direction. The mounting base portion 231 has a thick plate-like external shape and is a roughly rectangular plate-like portion. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 18, the majority of it is located below the cylindrical portion 230 in a plan view, and the four corners and their surrounding portions are located outside the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 230. In other words, at least a part of the mounting base portion 231 is located outside the outer circumference (periphery) of the cylindrical portion 230 in a plan view, and mounting holes 231a are formed in this outside portion. The mounting holes 231a are holes through which a temporary fastening element can be inserted, and in this embodiment, they are screw holes.

[0108] The gear side plate-like portion 232 is a roughly rectangular plate-like portion. The upper surface of the gear side plate-like portion 232 (the surface on the cylindrical portion 230 side) and the upper surface of the mounting base portion 231 are continuous via a step. That is, in a plan view, the four sides that make up each part of the peripheral portion of the gear side plate-like portion 232 are located outside the four sides that make up each part of the peripheral portion of the mounting base portion 231. In other words, in a plan view, the entire area of ​​the mounting base portion 231 is in a position that overlaps with the gear side plate-like portion 232, and the peripheral portion of the gear side plate-like portion 232, including the four corners, surrounds the mounting base portion 231.

[0109] Mounting holes 232a (see Figures 20 and 21) are formed in the parts of the gear side plate-like portion 232 that are near the four corners, that is, in the parts located outside the mounting base portion 231. The mounting holes 232a are holes through which a temporary fastening element can be inserted, and in this embodiment, they are threaded holes. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, a recessed portion 232b is formed on the lower surface of the gear-side plate-like portion 232 (the main surface on the opposite side from the main surface of the cylindrical portion 230). As shown in Figure 19, a bearing mounting portion 240 is provided in the bottom portion of the recessed portion 232b and the portion adjacent to it (the portion adjacent to the upper side in Figure 19).

[0110] The bearing mounting portion 240 is a bottomed cylindrical portion provided so as to protrude toward the cylindrical portion 230 from the inner surface (the surface facing the housing space 245) of the gear side plate-shaped portion 232. That is, the bearing mounting portion 240 has a recess on the central side that is recessed toward the downward side (towards the output member 214), and a bearing member (in this embodiment, the second bearing member 241) can be fitted into this recess.

[0111] In this embodiment, the second bearing member 241 is integrally attached to the housing body 210b by being fitted almost perfectly into the bearing mounting portion 240. The second bearing member 241 is a bearing. When the housing body 210b is attached to the lid 210a, the bearing mounting portion 222 of the lid 210a and the bearing mounting portion 240 of the housing body 210b are positioned to overlap in a plan view (at vertically separated positions). Therefore, the first bearing member 225 and the second bearing member 241 are also positioned to overlap in a plan view.

[0112] Here, the housing body portion 210b is a hollow component and has a housing space 245 inside. The housing space 245 is a space formed inside the area from one end (upper end) of the cylindrical portion 230 through the mounting base portion 231 (see Figure 18, etc.) to the middle portion in the thickness direction of the gear side plate-shaped portion 232.

[0113] The main body of the housing 210b has one end in the vertical direction (height direction, longitudinal direction) that is open to the outside, forming an opening that connects the inside and outside (the housing space 245 and the outside). By attaching the lid 210a, most of this opening can be closed. Furthermore, by removing the lid 210a, the motor 213 can be replaced (removed and inserted) through the opening (upper opening) of the main body of the housing 210b. In contrast, the other end in the vertical direction is mostly closed off by the gear-side plate-like portion 232. Here, the housing body portion 210b has an output shaft insertion hole 246 that communicates the housing space 245 with the outside. The output shaft insertion hole 246 is formed adjacent to the recessed portion 232b of the gear-side plate-like portion 232. This output shaft insertion hole 246 is a hole in which a through hole penetrating the gear-side plate-like portion 232 and the inner hole of the second bearing member 241 are formed in succession.

[0114] The connecting columnar member 211, as shown in Figure 21, is a substantially cylindrical member whose outer shape extends vertically. The connecting columnar member 211 has a mounting hole 211a with an opening formed at its upper end (the end on the housing member 210 side). This mounting hole 211a is a bottomed hole extending downward (towards the plate-like member 212 side), and in this embodiment, it is a screw hole.

[0115] The plate-shaped member 212 is a metal member with a rectangular, flat shape. This plate-shaped member 212 is a portion that is substantially the same in shape and size as the gear-side plate-shaped portion 232 described above when viewed from above, and is positioned so that its entire area (or substantially its entire area) overlaps with the gear-side plate-shaped portion 232 when viewed from above (see Figure 18).

[0116] The aforementioned connecting columnar member 211 is integrally fixed to this plate-shaped member 212. That is, the connecting columnar member 211 protrudes from one main surface (top surface) of the plate-shaped member 212 toward the housing member 210 side (upper side).

[0117] Furthermore, a rotating shaft member 253 is attached to the plate-shaped member 212. This rotating shaft member 253 is the rotating shaft of the small gear member 215. As shown in Figure 19, the rotating shaft member 253 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and is formed by two parts (cylindrical parts) of different thicknesses (diameters) being formed in succession. That is, the upper part (first part) has a larger diameter than the lower part (second part), and the outer circumferential surfaces of the upper part and the lower part are continuous via a step. The upper part is located on the housing member 210 side (upper side) of one main surface (upper surface) of the plate-shaped member 212 and is the part that is exposed to the outside. The lower part is the part that is inserted into the mounting hole formed in the plate-shaped member 212. The rotating shaft member 253 is integrally fixed to the plate-shaped member 212 and is in a state where it does not move relative to the other.

[0118] As shown in Figure 19, the motor 213 has a stator, a rotor, and a shaft portion 260 that rotates with the rotor. This shaft portion 260 has a first shaft portion 260a (output shaft) that protrudes outward from one side of the rotor, and a second shaft portion 260b that protrudes outward from the opposite side of the first shaft portion 260a. The first shaft portion 260a is the output shaft portion of the motor 213. The shaft portion 260 is roughly round, and two longitudinally separated parts, namely a part of the first shaft portion 260a and a part of the second shaft portion 260b, are inserted into the inner holes of the bearing members (first bearing member 225 and second bearing member 241), respectively. In other words, the shaft portion 260 is pivotally supported on the housing member 210 in a rotatable manner. The shaft portion 260 also extends in the vertical direction, with the first shaft portion 260a extending downward (towards the plate-shaped member 212) and the second shaft portion 260b extending upward (towards the cover plate portion 220).

[0119] The first shaft portion 260a has a drive gear portion 261 (drive gear) formed on the tip side in the protruding direction. In this embodiment, the drive gear portion 261 has a row of teeth formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft portion 260a. Note that this drive gear portion 261 may be formed by integrally attaching a separately formed gear member to the shaft portion 260. That is, as the first shaft portion 260a rotates in the circumferential direction, the drive gear portion 261 also rotates in the same direction.

[0120] The output member 214 is a gear (gear member) with an outer shape that is roughly disc-shaped, as shown in Figure 21. That is, an output tooth row 268 is formed on the outer circumference which is continuous in an annular shape. The output tooth row 268 has multiple teeth arranged in an annular (circular) shape. As shown in Figure 22, this output member 214 has a gear housing 270.

[0121] The gear housing portion 270 is a recess that extends from the main surface located on one end of the output member 214 in the thickness direction (the surface on the plate-like member 212 side, see Figure 21) toward the main surface on the other side (the surface on the housing member 210 side, see Figure 21). In other words, the gear housing portion 270 is surrounded by a vertical wall-like portion that extends in an annular shape along the circumferential direction of the output member 214. The output gear row portion 268 described above is formed on the outer circumferential surface of this vertical wall-like portion. An inner gear row portion 271 (internal gear row portion) is formed on the inner circumferential surface (inner wall portion) of one of the vertical wall-like portions.

[0122] The inner tooth row portion 271 is a portion formed by multiple teeth arranged in a ring (annular) shape. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the teeth belonging to the inner tooth row portion 271 are smaller than the teeth belonging to the output tooth row portion 268. Also, the groove width formed between two teeth of the inner tooth row portion 271 is smaller than the groove width formed between two teeth of the output tooth row portion 268.

[0123] The bottom portion of the gear housing 270 is formed by a flat plate portion 275. The flat plate portion 275 is a flat plate-like portion that is thinner than the peripheral portion. A shaft insertion hole 276 is formed on the central side of the gear housing 270 (the radial center side of the output member 214) (details will be described later).

[0124] The output member 214 has a bearing mounting portion 277, as shown in Figures 21 and 22(b). Specifically, the bearing mounting portion 277 has a short cylindrical portion that protrudes outward (upward) from one main surface in the thickness direction (the upper surface in Figure 22(b)). A recess is formed inside the flat plate portion 275, from the opening of the inner hole formed at the protruding end (upper end) of the short cylindrical portion, through the inside of the short cylindrical portion, to the middle of the thickness direction, into which the third bearing member 278 can be fitted approximately precisely. The third bearing member 278 is a bearing.

[0125] The shaft insertion hole 276 is a hole formed by a through hole that penetrates the flat plate portion 275 in the thickness direction and an internal hole in the third bearing member 278 being formed in succession. It is a hole that connects the gear housing portion 270 to the external space.

[0126] The small gear member 215 is a disc-shaped gear, and as shown in Figure 21, it has a toothed portion on its outer circumference and a shaft insertion hole 215a formed on the central side. The small gear member 215 is attached to the plate-shaped member 212 via the rotating shaft member 253, and is mounted in a manner that allows it to rotate in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft member 253 with the rotating shaft member 253 as the axis of rotation.

[0127] In this embodiment, the substrate member 218 is attached to the lid portion 210a and housed together with the motor 213 in the housing space 245. This substrate member 218 has a Hall element and functions as a Hall sensor. That is, it can detect the magnetic poles of the permanent magnets on the rotor of the motor 213, and can obtain the rotation speed, rotation direction, and rotation angle of the rotor. Based on the information detected by the substrate member 218, a control device (not shown) controls the motor 213 (e.g., by controlling the power supply), thereby controlling the rotation speed, rotation direction, and rotation angle of the output shaft of the motor 213. The substrate member 218 of this embodiment generates and outputs a pulse signal based on the output from the Hall element. When the output of the motor 213 (rotation speed, rotation direction, rotation angle) is controlled by a control device (not shown), this pulse signal is controlled to reach a target value (desired state). For example, by rotating the output shaft of the motor 213 so that the number of pulses in the output pulse signal becomes a predetermined value, the output shaft of the motor 213 is rotated by a desired rotation angle.

[0128] As shown in Figure 18, the mounting bracket 202 has a flat mounting plate portion 283 and a plurality (four in this embodiment) of leg portions 284.

[0129] The mounting plate portion 283 has a cylinder insertion hole 283a and a fixing hole portion through which fastening elements such as screws can be inserted. Both of these are holes that penetrate the mounting plate portion 283 in the thickness direction. The cylindrical insertion hole 283a is a hole through which the cylindrical portion 230 described above can be inserted approximately just right. The fixing hole is formed on the outside (around) of the cylindrical insertion hole 283a.

[0130] The leg portion 284 has a vertical plate-shaped portion 284a extending from the edge of the mounting plate portion 283, and a flat plate-shaped portion 284b formed by bending the extended end of the vertical plate-shaped portion 284a. The vertical plate-shaped portion 284a is the portion that extends to one side (the lower side in Figure 18) in the thickness direction of the mounting plate portion 283. The flat plate-shaped portion 284b is a flat plate-shaped portion and has holes formed therein through which fastening elements such as screws can be inserted. The thickness direction of the flat plate-shaped portion 284b is the same as the vertical direction, and one main surface of the flat plate-shaped portion 284b (the lower surface in Figure 18) becomes the contact surface portion (contact surface portion) that comes into contact with other members during installation.

[0131] Next, the assembly structure of the motor unit 200 in this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 20, the motor 213 (see Figure 19) is housed in the housing member 210. At this time, the drive gear section 261 (first shaft section 260a) protrudes outward from the housing member 210. Then, as shown in Figure 21, a plurality of small gear members 215 are attached to the plate-shaped member 212, and the output member 214 is positioned above them. The teeth of the small gear members 215 are then meshed with the inner teeth 271 of the output member 214.

[0132] Next, the gear-side plate-shaped portion 232 of the housing member 210 and the plate-shaped member 212 are placed on top of each other, and the mounting hole 232a of the gear-side plate-shaped portion 232 and the mounting hole 211a of the connecting column-shaped member 211 are placed on top of each other, with temporary fastening elements such as screws inserted through them. This forms the unit body portion 201.

[0133] Next, as shown in Figure 18, the mounting bracket 202 is attached to the unit body 201. That is, the cylindrical part 230 is inserted through the cylindrical insertion hole 283a of the mounting bracket 202, and the mounting plate part 283 is brought into contact with the mounting base part 231 from the cylindrical part 230 side. At this time, the fixing hole part of the mounting plate part 283 and the mounting hole 231a of the mounting base part 231 are aligned, and fastening elements such as screws are inserted to form the motor unit 200 (see Figure 17).

[0134] In the motor unit 200, as shown in Figure 19, below the motor section 290, which is formed by housing most of the motor 213 in the housing space 245, is the gear section 291, which is formed by housing at least a part of the drive gear section 261 and a plurality of small gear members 215 inside the output member 214. In other words, most of the gear section 291 (more than half of it) is located in a position that overlaps with the motor section 290 in a plan view (the position where they overlap in the vertical direction in Figure 19).

[0135] At this time, the first shaft portion 260a is inserted through the output shaft insertion hole 246 of the housing body portion 210b and the shaft insertion hole 276 of the output member 214. That is, the first shaft portion 260a extends from inside the housing space 245, through the gap between the housing body portion 210b and the output member 214, to the inside of the gear housing portion 270. A part of the first shaft portion 260a is then fitted into the inner hole of the second bearing member 241. The drive gear portion 261 is positioned with a part inside the third bearing member 278 and another part inside the gear housing portion 270.

[0136] In the gear section 291, as shown in Figures 19 and 23(b), multiple (three) small gear members 215 are positioned around the drive gear section 261 and mesh with each other. Furthermore, the multiple (three) small gear members 215 also mesh with the inner tooth row section 271. Therefore, when the motor 213 is operated and the drive gear section 261 rotates, the multiple small gear members 215 rotate individually, and the output member 214 rotates accordingly. At this time, the small gear members 215 rotate (spin) around the rotating shaft member 253. On the other hand, the small gear members 215 are structured so that they do not move relative to the plate-shaped member 212 (see Figure 21). In other words, the small gear members 215 do not revolve around the drive gear section 261.

[0137] In plan view, the rotation direction of the drive gear section 261 and the rotation direction of the output member 214 are the same. That is, if the drive gear section 261 rotates clockwise in Figure 23(b), the output member 214 also rotates clockwise, and if the drive gear section 261 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 23(b), the output member 214 also rotates counterclockwise. In plan view, the rotation direction of the multiple small gear members 215 is opposite to the rotation direction of the drive gear section 261. Also, the rotation speed of the output member 214 is slower than the rotation speed of the drive gear section 261.

[0138] Furthermore, the rotation center of the drive gear section 261 and the rotation center of the output member 214 are at the same position. That is, they rotate around the axis A4, which is the vertical axis (see Figure 19).

[0139] Furthermore, in the motor unit 200 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 18, a gap 295 is formed between the gear-side plate-shaped portion 232 and the plate-shaped member 212, and between the two connecting columnar members 211. That is, four gaps 295 are formed on each of the four sides (two of the gaps 295 are not shown). In other words, a portion is formed adjacent to the motor portion 290 (adjacent to the lower side) where most of the periphery is an empty space. Furthermore, a portion of the output member 214 protrudes laterally outward from each of the gaps 295. In other words, a portion of the output member 214 protrudes laterally outward at a position between the two ends (upper and lower ends) in the height direction of the motor unit 200.

[0140] As a result, in the motor unit 200, as shown in Figure 23(a), a portion of the output member 214 protrudes laterally outward on each of the four sides.

[0141] Here, the motor unit 200 of this embodiment can be used in a first position (see Figure 17) and a second position (see Figure 24(b)), as shown in Figures 17 and 24(b). The second orientation, as shown in Figure 24, involves attaching the mounting bracket 202 to the unit body 201 in an inverted orientation, with the cylindrical portion 230 facing upwards, thereby inverting the entire motor unit 200. In other words, in the second orientation, the unit body 201 is in an inverted orientation compared to the first orientation, while the mounting bracket 202 is in the same orientation as in the first orientation.

[0142] By changing the orientation of the motor unit 200 between the first and second orientations, the positional height of the output member 214 can be changed. This makes it possible to switch between a state in which power is transmitted to the first power transmission unit 4a (see Figure 1) and a state in which power is transmitted to the second power transmission unit 3a (see Figure 1), allowing it to be used as both a driving motor 41 and a turning motor 42.

[0143] In other words, the output member 214 is positioned closer to one end of the unit body 201 in the vertical direction (closer to the lower end in the first orientation and closer to the upper end in the second orientation).

[0144] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 25, one main surface (bottom surface, contact surface) of the flat plate portion 284b is located on the same plane as the lower end portion of the unit body portion 201 in both the first and second positions. In the first orientation, one main surface (bottom surface) of the plate-shaped member 212 becomes the lower end portion of the unit body 201, and in the second orientation, the bottom surface of the lid portion 210a becomes the lower end portion of the unit body 201. As a result, the overall height of the motor unit 200 can be reduced in either orientation.

[0145] Next, a motor unit 400, which is an embodiment different from the motor unit 200 described above, will be explained in detail. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the posture shown in Figure 26 will be used as the reference.

[0146] As shown in Figure 26, the motor unit 400 has a unit body 401 and a mounting plate member 403.

[0147] As shown in Figures 26 and 27, the main unit 401 includes a housing member 410, a motor 413 (drive motor, see Figure 27), an output member 414, and a plurality of small gear members 415 (small gear section, see Figure 27). A circuit board member 418 is also built into the housing member 410 together with the motor 413.

[0148] The housing component 410 consists of a lid portion 410a, a housing body portion 410b, and an output side closing portion 410c.

[0149] The lid portion 410a is substantially the same as the lid portion 210a described above, and therefore a detailed explanation that would be redundant will be omitted. Specifically, as shown in Figure 27, the lid portion 410a has a lid plate portion 420, an insertion piece 421, and a bearing mounting portion 422. The first bearing member 225 is fitted into the bearing mounting portion 422. Furthermore, this lid portion 410a is detachably attached to the housing body portion 410b.

[0150] Focusing on the external shape of the housing body 410b, as shown in Figure 26, the housing body 410b has a cylindrical portion 430 and a flange portion 434. The cylindrical portion 430 is a substantially cylindrical part that extends in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, a portion on the flange portion 434 side is thicker (larger in diameter) than the portion on the lid portion 410a side. That is, the outer circumferential surface on the lid portion 410a side and the outer circumferential surface on the flange portion 434 side are continuous via a step.

[0151] The flange portion 434 is a flat plate-like portion that protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 430 and has thickness in the vertical direction. Mounting holes are formed in the flange portion 434 at appropriate locations, passing through the flange portion 434. These mounting holes are holes through which fastening elements such as screws can be inserted.

[0152] The housing body 410b is a hollow component and, as shown in Figure 27, has a motor housing space 445, a gear housing space 448 (gear housing section), and a mounting piece insertion space 462 inside. A partition wall 449 is provided between the motor housing space 445 and the gear housing space 448. The motor housing space 445 and the gear housing space 448 are both spaces formed inside the cylindrical portion 430. The partition wall portion 449 has a communication hole 449a that penetrates the partition wall portion 449 in the thickness direction, and the bearing mounting portion 440 is formed above it.

[0153] The bearing mounting portion 440 is a bottomed cylindrical portion that protrudes further upward from the upper side (lid portion 410a side) of the partition wall portion 449. That is, the bearing mounting portion 440 has a recess that is indented towards the lower side (output member 414 side) on the central side, and a bearing member (second bearing member 241 in this embodiment) can be fitted into this recess. The opening of the communication hole 449a described above is located at the bottom of this recess. The second bearing member 241 is fitted into this bearing mounting portion 440 almost exactly and is attached integrally with it. Furthermore, the inner hole and the communication hole 449a of the second bearing member 241 are continuous, forming a shaft insertion hole 446 that connects the motor housing space 445 and the gear housing space 448.

[0154] In this embodiment as well, when the lid portion 410a is attached to the housing body portion 410b, the bearing mounting portion 422 of the lid portion 410a and the bearing mounting portion 440 of the housing body portion 410b are positioned to overlap in a plan view. The first bearing member 225 and the second bearing member 241 are then positioned to overlap in a plan view.

[0155] The gear housing space 448 is surrounded by an inner gear section 471 (internal gear section), as shown in Figure 28. The inner gear section 471 is a portion formed by multiple teeth arranged in an annular (ring-shaped) configuration. This inner gear section 471 is formed on the inner wall portion that extends in an annular shape inside the housing body 410b and is inseparable from the housing body 410b (housing member 410). In detail, each tooth belonging to the inner gear section 471 protrudes inward from the inner circumferential surface of the inner wall portion.

[0156] Furthermore, a mounting piece insertion space 462 is located below the gear housing space 448 (above the gear housing space in Figure 28, which is the position on the output member 414 side during assembly). The mounting piece insertion space 462 is a space that is radially longer than the gear housing space 448. In other words, the inner wall portion of the mounting piece insertion space 462 and the inner wall portion of the gear housing space 448 (the portion located outside the inner gear row portion 471) are continuous via a step.

[0157] The output-side closure portion 410c has a base plate portion 480 and an insertion piece portion 481, as shown in Figure 29. The base plate section 480 is a roughly rectangular, flat plate-like part with its four corners missing. The insertion piece 481 is a vertical wall-like portion that protrudes upward from the main surface on the upper side (motor 413 side during assembly) of the base plate 480, and is a vertical wall-like portion that is continuous in an annular shape. The upper part of the insertion piece 481 has notches at various positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the insertion piece 481. These notches are recessed portions on the base plate 480 side. Furthermore, the portion of the base plate 480 located outside the insertion piece 481 has a plan view shape that is substantially the same as the flange portion 434 (see Figure 28, etc.) described above. Mounting holes are formed in the outer portion of this base plate 480, penetrating the base plate 480. These mounting holes are holes through which fastening elements such as screws can be inserted. In other words, by stacking the base plate portion 480 and the flange portion 434 vertically, and overlapping the mounting holes formed in each to form a communication hole, and by inserting fastening elements through these, it is possible to attach the output side closing portion 410c to the housing body portion 410b. Furthermore, the upper surface of the base plate portion 480 is positioned so that the portion outside the insertion piece portion 481 is higher than the portion inside the insertion piece portion 481.

[0158] Here, the output-side closing portion 410c has a bearing mounting portion 477, as shown in Figure 27. More specifically, the bearing mounting portion 477 has a roughly cylindrical short tube portion that protrudes downward from one main surface of the base plate portion 480 (detailed illustration omitted). It also has a projection that protrudes upward from the other main surface of the base plate portion 480. A recess is formed above the protruding end (lower end) of the short tube portion, and this recess is a recess into which the third bearing member 278 can be fitted approximately precisely. The bottom portion of this recess is formed by the aforementioned projection. The projection is provided with a through hole that connects the upper space of the base plate portion 480 with the inner portion of the recess. In other words, the output shaft insertion hole 476 is formed by the continuity of this through hole with the inner hole of the third bearing member 278.

[0159] The main body of the housing 410b has openings at both ends in the vertical direction (height direction, longitudinal direction) that are open to the outside, forming openings that connect the inside and outside. By attaching the cover 410a, a large portion of one of the openings can be closed, and by attaching the output side closing part 410c, a large portion of the other opening can be closed.

[0160] Motor 413 is substantially the same as motor 213 described above, and a detailed explanation will be omitted. That is, this motor 413 also has a shaft portion 460. The shaft portion 460 has a first shaft portion 460a (output shaft) that protrudes outward from one side of the rotor, and a second shaft portion 460b that protrudes outward from the opposite side of the first shaft portion 460a. The first shaft portion 460a is the output shaft portion of motor 413. This shaft portion 460 also has two longitudinally separated portions, each inserted into a bearing member. Furthermore, similar to the motor 213 described above, the first shaft portion 460a has a drive gear portion 461 (drive gear) formed on the tip side in the protruding direction.

[0161] As shown in Figure 30, the output member 414 has a substrate portion 487 (plate-shaped portion) and an output shaft portion 488. The substrate portion 487 is a flat plate-shaped portion, and in this embodiment, it is a disc-shaped portion. Multiple small gear members 415 are arranged on one main surface side of the substrate portion 487, and the output shaft portion 488 is arranged on the other main surface side.

[0162] As shown in Figure 30(b), a recess surrounding the output shaft portion 488 is formed on the other main surface of the substrate portion 487. This recess is continuous in an annular shape.

[0163] The output shaft portion 488 is partially located inside the base plate portion 487 (see Figure 27) and partially exposed to the outside of the base plate portion 487. The portion exposed to the outside protrudes outward from one main surface of the base plate portion 487. An output gear portion 488a (output gear portion) is formed on the protruding end of the output shaft portion 488. In this embodiment, the output gear portion 488a is formed by forming a gear row on the outer circumferential surface of the output shaft portion 488, but a separately formed gear member may be integrally attached. As the output shaft portion 488 rotates, the output gear portion 488a also rotates.

[0164] In the output component 414, the substrate portion 487 and the output shaft portion 488 are integrally formed, and the output shaft portion 488 does not rotate relative to the substrate portion 487. In other words, when the substrate portion 487 rotates around the vertical axis located at the radial center, the output shaft portion 488 also rotates in the circumferential direction of the same vertical axis (details will be described later).

[0165] The small gear member 415 is a disc-shaped gear, and as shown in Figure 30, it has a toothed portion on its outer circumference and a shaft insertion hole 415a formed on the central side.

[0166] As shown in Figure 26, the mounting plate member 403 is a thin plate-like member with a roughly rounded rectangular shape in plan view. Mounting holes are formed in the vicinity of the four corners, penetrating the mounting plate member 403 in the thickness direction. These mounting holes are through which fastening elements such as screws can be inserted. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 27, the mounting plate member 403 has an insertion hole portion 403a. This insertion hole portion 403a is a hole that penetrates the mounting plate member 403 in the thickness direction, and is through which the lower portion (short cylindrical portion) of the bearing mounting portion 477 can be inserted.

[0167] In this embodiment, the substrate member 418 is attached to the lid portion 410a and housed together with the motor 413 in the motor housing space 445. This substrate member 418 is substantially the same as the substrate member 218 described above, and a redundant detailed explanation is omitted.

[0168] Next, the assembly structure of the motor unit 400 in this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 28, the motor 413 (see Figure 27) is housed inside the main body of the housing 410b. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 30, multiple small gear members 415 are attached to the base plate portion 487 of the output member 414 via a rotating shaft member 453 (shaft member). The rotating shaft member 453 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and is formed by two parts (cylindrical parts) of different thicknesses (diameters) in succession. As shown in Figure 27, the upper part is located above one of the main surfaces (top surface) of the base plate portion 487, and the lower part is located inside the base plate portion 487. The small gear member 415 is rotatable around the rotating shaft member 453 as its axis of rotation.

[0169] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 29, the output member 414 with the small gear member 415 attached is placed on the output side closing portion 410c. At this time, the output shaft portion 488 is inserted through the output shaft insertion hole 476 (see Figure 27). Also, the base plate portion 487 is such that a small portion adjacent to the output shaft portion 488 contacts the third bearing member 278 (output side closing portion 410c) from above, while the rest of the base plate portion 487 does not contact the output side closing portion 410c. In other words, almost the entire lower portion of the base plate portion 487 is positioned above the output side closing portion 410c.

[0170] Then, as described above, the output-side closure portion 410c is attached to the housing body portion 410b. That is, as shown in Figure 26, the base plate portion 480 and the flange portion 434 are stacked on top of each other, and the fastening elements are inserted through them to attach them. At this time, the insertion piece portion 481 of the output-side closure portion 410c (see Figures 27 and 29) is inserted into the mounting piece insertion space 462 of the housing body portion 410b (see Figures 27 and 28). As shown in Figure 27, the insertion piece portion 481 abuts against the inner wall portion of the mounting piece insertion space 462 from the inside and abuts against the portion located outside the inner tooth row portion 471 from below.

[0171] As described above, the unit body 401 is formed. Then, as shown in Figures 26 and 27, the motor unit 400 is formed by attaching the mounting plate member 403 to the base plate 480 located below the unit body 401.

[0172] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 27, the motor unit 400 has a motor section 490, which houses most of the motor 413 in a motor housing space 445. Below this motor section 490 is a gear section 291, which is formed by housing at least a part of the drive gear section 461 and a plurality of small gear members 415 in a gear housing space 448. Most of the gear section 491 (more than half of it) is located in a position that overlaps with the motor section 490 in a plan view (overlapping in the vertical direction in Figure 27).

[0173] At this point, the first shaft portion 460a is inserted through the shaft insertion hole 446. In other words, a portion of the first shaft portion 460a is fitted into the inner hole of the second bearing member 241. In the gear section 491, as shown in Figures 27 and 31, multiple (three) small gear members 415 are positioned around the drive gear section 461, and these mesh with each other. Furthermore, the multiple (three) small gear members 415 also mesh with the inner tooth row section 471. In this embodiment, when the motor 413 is operated and the drive gear section 461 rotates, the multiple small gear members 415 revolve around the drive gear section 461 while rotating on their own axis. That is, the entire small gear members 415 move (revolve) around the drive gear section 461 while rotating (rotating) around the rotating shaft member 453 as its axis of rotation.

[0174] As the small gear member 415 revolves, the multiple (three) rotating shaft members 453, which are integrally fixed to the base plate 487, also move to rotate around the drive gear 461. As the multiple rotating shaft members 453 move simultaneously to rotate around the drive gear 461, the base plate 487 rotates, and as a result, the output shaft 488 also rotates.

[0175] At this time, the rotation center of the drive gear section 461 and the rotation center of the output member 414 (base section 487, output shaft section 488) are at the same position. These rotate around the axis A5, which is the vertical axis (see Figure 27). Furthermore, the rotation direction of the drive gear section 461 in a plan view is the same as the rotation direction of the output member 414 (output shaft section 488). That is, if the drive gear section 461 rotates clockwise in Figure 31, the output member 414 also rotates clockwise, and if the drive gear section 461 rotates counterclockwise in the same plan view, the output member 414 also rotates counterclockwise. Furthermore, the rotation direction of the multiple small gear members 415 in their rotational movement in a plan view is opposite to the rotation direction of the drive gear section 461. The direction of movement of the multiple small gear members 415 in their revolution is the same as the rotation direction of the drive gear section 461. And the rotational speed of the output member 414 is slower than the rotational speed of the drive gear section 461.

[0176] The motor unit 400 of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but can be used as a travel motor 641 and a slewing motor 642 (attitude change motor) in a transport device 600 as shown in Figure 32.

[0177] The conveying device 600 is a transfer device (conveying direction switching device) capable of changing the conveying direction, and consists of a large number of small conveying devices 601 (conveying units) arranged in a planar configuration. For the sake of drawing purposes, only some of the small conveying devices 601 are assigned reference numerals, while the reference numerals for the others are omitted.

[0178] As shown in Figure 33, the small conveying device 601 includes a roller section 610 (rotating body), a roller receiving member 611, and a drive force transmission member 612. The majority of this small conveying device 601 is located inside the housing member 615, with a portion of the upper and lower parts located outside the housing member 615. The roller section 610 (rotating body) is pivotally supported by the roller support member 611. The roller support member 611 has a gear section 611a on its outer circumferential surface. That is, it has a gear row formed by multiple teeth arranged in an annular (ring-shaped) configuration. When rotational force is applied to the gear section 611a (rotating around the axis which is the vertical axis), the entire roller section 610 rotates along with its rotation axis. In other words, similar to the transport unit 1 described above, the roller section 610 pivots, making it possible to change the transport direction.

[0179] The drive force transmission member 612 has a gear portion 612a on its lower side, and a portion of its upper side is in contact with the roller portion 610. When the gear portion 612a rotates, rotational force is transmitted to the roller portion 610, causing the roller portion 610 to rotate around its axis. In other words, it becomes possible to bias the conveyed object placed on the roller portion 610.

[0180] In other words, in this conveying device 600, when the roller receiving members 611 of the multiple small conveying devices 601 rotate, the multiple roller sections 610 rotate together with the roller receiving members 611, changing their orientation, and the orientation of the multiple roller sections 610 is changed simultaneously. As a result, the conveying direction of the conveyed object is changed. Furthermore, by having the roller sections 610 of multiple small conveying devices 601 rotate synchronously around their respective rotation axes, it becomes possible to bias and move the conveyed objects on the conveying device 600.

[0181] In detail, the gear portion 611a of the roller receiving member 611 is meshed with an external gear member 620, and the gear portion 611a rotates when rotational force is applied from the gear member 620. In other words, a gear member 620 may be placed between the output gear of the slewing motor 642 and the gear section 611a, or between the gear sections 611a of two different small conveying devices 601. Furthermore, by operating the slewing motor 642, multiple roller sections 610 may rotate together with their rotation axes. That is, the gear sections 611a of all small conveying devices 601 may engage with each other via a gear member 620 (idler gear), forming a single gear train as a whole. Furthermore, when any gear rotates due to the drive of the slewing motor 642, the roller receiving members 611 of all small conveying devices 601 may rotate by a predetermined angle, simultaneously changing their orientation. The output gear of the slewing motor 642 and the gear section 612a may be directly meshed. When the motor unit 400 described above is used as a slewing motor 642, it is preferable, although not particularly limited, to provide an interlocking member such as a gear member 620 between the output gear section 488a and the gear section 611a.

[0182] Furthermore, the gear portion 612a of the drive force transmission member 612 is meshed with an external gear member 621, and the gear portion 612a rotates when rotational force is applied from the gear member 621. In other words, a gear member 621 may be placed between the output gear of the travel motor 641 and the gear section 612a, or between the gear sections 612a of two different small transport devices 601. Furthermore, when the travel motor 641 is operated, multiple roller sections 610 may rotate around their respective rotation axes. In addition, the output gear of the travel motor 641 and the gear section 612a may be directly meshed. When the above-described motor unit 400 is used as the driving motor 641, although not particularly limited, it is preferable to provide an interlocking member such as a gear member 621 between the output gear section 488a and the gear section 612a. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0183] 1. Conveyor Unit 2. Solids of revolution 2a Main rotating part 2b Sub-rotating part 3 Support 3a Second power transmission section 4 Drive unit 4a First power transmission section 5. Rotational force transmission member 5a Support side transmission section 5b Drive unit side transmission section 10 Support shaft 11 cabinets 14. Rotating body mounting member (power supply unit) 33 Main unit 41. Motor for driving 42 Swivel motor 50 Conveying device 200,400 motor units 201 Unit main body (motor unit main body) 202 Mounting brackets (mounting components) 210,410 Housing components 213,413 Motors (Drive motors) 214,414 Output components 215,415 Small gear component (small gear section) 260a,460a First shaft part (output shaft) 261,461 Drive gear section (drive gear) 268 Output gear section 270 Gear housing 271,471 Medial dentition (internal dentition) 283 Mounting plate section 284 Legs 290,490 Motor section 291,491 Gear section 448 Gear housing space (gear housing section) 453 Rotating shaft member (shaft member) 487 Substrate section (plate-shaped section) 488 Output shaft section 488a Output gear section (tooth arrangement for output)

Claims

1. A motor unit that can be used in a conveying device formed by arranging block-shaped conveying units in a matrix, and that can be used to replace one of the aforementioned conveying units, It has a drive motor, a drive gear, an annular continuous internal gear row, and a plurality of small gear sections. The drive gear is a gear formed on the output shaft of the drive motor, It has a motor section and a gear section, The motor section is formed by housing most of the drive motor within a housing member. The gear portion is formed by arranging at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gear portions within a space surrounded by the internal gear row, and the plurality of the small gear portions are positioned around the drive gear within the space. Each of the multiple small gear sections meshes with the drive gear and the internal gear section, and each of the multiple small gear sections rotates as the drive gear rotates. The motor unit is characterized in that at least a portion of the gear section is located in a position that overlaps with the motor section in a plan view.

2. It has an output member that outputs the rotational force transmitted from the drive motor to the outside, The output member is a gear with an output tooth row formed on its outer circumference. Furthermore, the output member has a gear housing portion, the gear housing portion has an opening on one end in the thickness direction and a recessed portion on the other end in the same direction. The gear housing has the internal gear row formed on its inner circumferential wall, and at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gears are arranged inside. The motor unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the output member rotates such that the output gear row moves in the circumferential direction when rotational force is applied from a plurality of the aforementioned small gears.

3. The motor unit according to claim 2, characterized in that when the motor section and the gear section are positioned so that they overlap vertically, a portion of the output member protrudes laterally outward from an intermediate portion in the vertical direction.

4. The motor unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the output member has portions that protrude laterally outward in each of the four directions when viewed from above.

5. It comprises a motor unit body and a mounting member to be attached to the motor unit body, The motor unit body is a portion formed including the motor portion and the gear portion, The mounting member has a mounting plate portion and a leg portion extending from the mounting plate portion, and the leg portion has a contact surface portion on the extended end side. It is possible to use the motor unit in a first position in which the mounting member is attached to the motor unit body in a predetermined position, and in a second position in which the mounting member is attached to the motor unit body in a position that is upside down from the predetermined position. The motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, in each of the first and second positions, the contact surface is located substantially flush with one end of the motor unit body in the height direction.

6. A conveying device characterized by being formed by arranging the motor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and the conveying unit in a matrix.

7. The transport unit comprises a rotating body, a support body, and a drive body. The rotating body is supported by the main body of the support via a support shaft, and the orientation of the rotating body is changed as the main body of the support rotates together with the support shaft. The rotation of the drive unit causes the rotating body to rotate around the support shaft, Having at least two of the motor units, One of the motor units functions as a slewing motor that outputs rotational force to be transmitted to the support, and the other motor unit functions as a driving motor that outputs rotational force to be transmitted to the drive body, The conveying device according to claim 6, characterized in that one motor unit and the other motor unit are arranged in an inverted position.

8. A motor unit usable in a conveying device, It has a drive motor, a drive gear, an annular continuous internal gear row, and a plurality of small gear sections. The drive gear is a gear formed on the output shaft of the drive motor, It has a motor section and a gear section, The motor section is formed by housing most of the drive motor within a housing member. The gear portion is formed by arranging at least a part of the drive gear and a plurality of the small gear portions within a space surrounded by the internal gear row, and the plurality of the small gear portions are positioned around the drive gear within the space. Each of the multiple small gear sections meshes with the drive gear and the internal gear section, and each of the multiple small gear sections rotates as the drive gear rotates. The gear section is housed in the housing member, The motor unit is characterized in that at least a portion of the gear section is located in a position that overlaps with the motor section in a plan view.

9. The motor unit according to claim 8, wherein the housing member has at least a part of the drive gear and a gear housing portion that houses a plurality of the small gear portions, and the internal tooth row portion is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the gear housing portion.

10. It has an output member that outputs the rotational force transmitted from the drive motor to the outside, The output member has a plate-like portion and an output shaft portion that protrudes outward from one end of the plate-like portion in the thickness direction, and a geared output portion is formed on the protruding end side of the output shaft portion. Multiple of the aforementioned small gear sections are attached to the plate-shaped section via a shaft member. The motor unit according to claim 9, characterized in that as the drive gear rotates, each of the plurality of small gears rotates on its own axis around the shaft member while revolving around the drive gear, and as the plurality of small gears revolve, the shaft member moves and the plate-shaped portion and the output shaft portion rotate.

Images