Traveling-vehicle system

Abstract

A travelling-vehicle system 1 comprises: a work-use track 41 which is connected to a travel-use track 4 and for which formed is an open part 47 which causes at least a section of a travelling part 50 to be exposed to an outside space; a stopper 81 that is a member against which is pressed a roller 52 that is disposed, with respect to the travelling part 50, so as to be rotatable about a shaft extending in the vertical direction, the stopper being retractably provided with respect to a movement region R1 of the work-use track 41 and for a travelling vehicle 6; and a pusher 85 that positions the travelling part 50 at a prescribed position on the work-use track 41 by causing the travelling part 50 to move in one direction and by pressing the roller 52 against the stopper 81 in one direction.

Description

Vehicle System

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

[0002] An overhead traveling vehicle is known that includes a traveling section that travels along a track, a suspending section that suspends from the traveling section, and a lifting section that has a gripping section that grips an object and that moves up and down relative to the suspending section as multiple hanging members are wound up and unwound. The traveling section of such a traveling vehicle travels on a track that includes a pair of left and right side walls and a base that connects the upper ends of the pair of side walls. The track is formed in a C-shape in cross section to form a space that accommodates the traveling section. A power supply section that supplies power to the traveling vehicle is provided on each of the pair of side walls along the extension direction.

[0003] Such vehicles require periodic maintenance of their running parts. However, because the above-mentioned conventional tracks are configured so that the running parts run inside the storage space, the running parts must be exposed in order to perform maintenance. Patent Document 1 discloses a work track that cannot be driven by itself because an opening is formed in the side wall to expose the running parts, and a movement mechanism that moves the vehicle in one direction along the work track.

[0004] Patent No. 7099622

[0005] For example, the traveling unit may be stopped at a predetermined position on the work track, and each part of the traveling unit may be inspected using a sensor or the like provided at that stopping position. However, because the movement mechanism of the above-mentioned conventional traveling vehicle system is configured to move the suspended part suspended from the traveling unit by clamping it, it is difficult to accurately stop the traveling unit of the traveling vehicle at a predetermined position on the work track. Furthermore, even if the traveling unit is capable of self-propulsion, there is a limit to the positioning accuracy with which the driving part of the traveling unit can be controlled to stop the traveling unit at a predetermined position.

[0006] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a traveling vehicle system that can improve the positioning accuracy when stopping the traveling section of the traveling vehicle at a predetermined position on a work track.

[0007] A running vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention is a running vehicle system in which a running vehicle runs on a running track having a main body that forms an internal space in which the running part of the running vehicle runs and that extends along the running path of the running vehicle, the system comprising: a working track that is connected to the running track and has an open part that exposes at least a part of the running part to the external space; a stopper that is a member against which a roller that is rotatable around an axis extending vertically in the running part is pressed, the stopper being arranged to be able to advance and retreat relative to the movement area of ​​the running part on the working track; and a pusher that moves the running part in one direction and positions the running part at a predetermined position on the working track by pressing the roller against the stopper from one direction.

[0008] In a traveling vehicle system with this configuration, a stopper and a pusher are provided for positioning the traveling unit at a predetermined position on the work track. Specifically, the pusher positions the traveling unit at the predetermined position by pressing a roller provided on the traveling unit in one direction against the stopper, which is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat relative to the travel area of ​​the traveling unit. This improves the positioning accuracy when stopping the traveling unit of the traveling vehicle at a predetermined position on the work track, compared to, for example, controlling the drive unit of the traveling unit or the movement mechanism that moves the traveling vehicle to stop the traveling unit at a predetermined position on the work track.

[0009] In a traveling vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the stopper and the pusher may be provided so as to be able to advance and retreat along a width direction perpendicular to both the direction of travel of the traveling unit and the vertical direction relative to the movement area of ​​the traveling unit on the work track. In this configuration, both the stopper and the pusher are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat along the width direction. As a result, even if the areas above and below the rollers on the work track are covered by various parts or traveling surfaces, the stopper can be switched between an advanced state in which the rollers are pressed against the rollers and a retracted state in which the traveling unit can pass, with a simple configuration of moving in one direction, and the pusher can be switched between an advanced state in which the rollers push the rollers and a retracted state in which the traveling unit can pass, with a simple configuration of moving in one direction.

[0010] A travelling vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention further includes a movement mechanism that moves the travelling vehicle in one direction along a work track, a first drive unit that drives the stopper, a second drive unit that drives the pusher, and a controller that controls the movement mechanism, the first drive unit, and the second drive unit. The controller may control the movement mechanism to move the travelling unit to a predetermined upstream position upstream of the predetermined position, control the first drive unit to advance the stopper to a position where the roller can be pressed, and control the second drive unit to cause the pusher to push the roller in one direction. With this configuration, even if the travelling vehicle cannot move to the predetermined position by itself, the movement mechanism can roughly move the travelling unit to the predetermined upstream position, and then the stopper and pusher can accurately move the travelling unit to the predetermined position on the work track. As a result, positional accuracy can be maintained with simple control.

[0011] In a traveling vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the controller may advance the stopper and then the pusher into the movement area when positioning the traveling unit at a predetermined position, and may advance the pusher and then the stopper out of the movement area when moving the traveling unit from the predetermined position. With this configuration, the stopper advances first, preventing the roller and therefore the traveling unit from overshooting. Furthermore, with this configuration, the stopper retracts after the pressing force of the pusher on the roller decreases, preventing the stopper from being retracted while an unintended force is acting on it.

[0012] In the traveling vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the rollers may be side rollers that contact the inner side walls of the main body. In this configuration, parts provided on the traveling unit can be effectively used when moving the traveling unit.

[0013] A traveling vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention further includes a plurality of sensors that are arranged above a predetermined position and measure the height position at various positions on the upper surface of the traveling unit, the plurality of sensors being arranged at positions corresponding to the traveling unit positioned at the predetermined position, and the plurality of sensors may start measuring simultaneously when the traveling unit is positioned at the predetermined position. With this configuration, measurements by the plurality of sensors can be performed simultaneously with a single positioning.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the positioning accuracy when stopping the traveling section of a traveling vehicle at a predetermined position on a work track.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a traveling vehicle system according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the overhead traveling vehicle of FIG. 1, as seen from the front in the traveling direction. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the traveling section of a traveling vehicle traveling on a work track. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the work track and the traveling section of the traveling vehicle of FIG. 3. FIG. 5(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the work track and the traveling section of the traveling vehicle. FIG. 5(B) is a plan view showing a movement mechanism according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the work track. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a positioning mechanism. FIG. 8(A) is a plan view showing a stopper and a pusher retracted to a retracted position. FIG. 8(B) is a plan view showing a stopper and a pusher advanced to an advanced position. FIG. 9(A) is a plan view showing a stopper advanced to the advanced position and a pusher starting to advance to the advanced position. FIG. 9(B) is a plan view showing a stopper and a pusher advanced to the advanced position. FIG. 10(A) is a rear view showing a state of a side roller contacting the stopper. FIG. 10B is a rear view showing the state of the side rollers in contact with the pusher.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the directions "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" are used. The directions "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" used in this embodiment are directions when viewing the traveling vehicle 6 from the front in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle 6, as shown in FIG. 2 .

[0017] 1 and 2 , the traveling vehicle system 1 is a system for transporting articles 10 between mounting sections 9, 9 using an overhead traveling vehicle 6 that can move along a traveling track 4. The articles 10 include, for example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) that stores multiple semiconductor wafers, a container that stores glass substrates, a container such as a reticle pod, and general parts. The traveling vehicle system 1 includes an area controller 2, the traveling track 4, multiple traveling vehicles 6, multiple mounting sections 9, a working track 41, a movement mechanism 60, a positioning mechanism 80, an inspection device 90, and a maintenance controller 95.

[0018] The area controller 2 is an electronic control unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The area controller 2 is provided so as to be able to communicate with the carriage controller 35 and the maintenance controller 95 in the traveling vehicle 6. The area controller 2 can be configured as software in which a program stored in the ROM is loaded onto the RAM and executed by the CPU, for example. The area controller 2 may also be configured as hardware including electronic circuits, etc. The area controller 2 transmits a transport command to the traveling vehicle 6 to transport the article 10.

[0019] The running track 4 is installed, for example, near the ceiling, which is the overhead space for the worker. The running track 4 is suspended, for example, from the ceiling. The running track 4 is a predetermined running path for the running vehicle 6. The running track 4 is supported by supports 40A, 40A. The running vehicle system 1 has a main line section 4A that travels in one direction within a predetermined area, and an evacuation section 4B that is provided with a work track 41 that has a work area 160 for performing maintenance on the running vehicle 6. Note that even in the evacuation section 4B, the running vehicle 6 moves in one predetermined direction.

[0020] The running track 4 has a cylindrical rail main body 40 (main body) consisting of a pair of lower surface portions 40B, 40B, a pair of side surface portions 40C, 40C, and a top surface portion 40D, a power supply portion 40E, and a magnetic plate 40F. The rail main body 40 houses (encloses) the running portion 50 of the running vehicle 6. In other words, the rail main body 40 has an internal space (movement region) R1 in which the running portion 50 runs. The lower surface portion 40B extends in the running direction of the running vehicle 6 and forms the lower surface of the rail main body 40. The lower surface portion 40B is a plate-like member that rolls the running rollers 51 of the running vehicle 6. The side surface portion 40C extends in the running direction of the running vehicle 6 and forms the side surface of the rail main body 40. The side surface portion 40C is a plate-like member that rolls the side rollers 52 of the running vehicle 6. The top surface portion 40D extends in the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle 6 and forms the upper surface of the rail main body portion 40.

[0021] The power supply unit 40E supplies power to the power supply core 57 of the traveling vehicle 6 and transmits and receives signals to and from the power supply core 57. The power supply unit 40E is fixed to each of the pair of side surface portions 40C, 40C and extends along the traveling direction. The power supply unit 40E supplies power to the power supply core 57 in a non-contact state. The magnetic plate 40F generates a magnetic force for the LDM (Linear DC Motor) 59 of the traveling vehicle 6 to run or stop. The magnetic plate 40F is fixed to the top surface portion 40D and extends along the traveling direction.

[0022] The traveling vehicle 6 travels on the traveling track 4 and transports the article 10. The traveling vehicle 6 is configured to be able to transfer the article 10. The traveling vehicle 6 is an overhead traveling unmanned traveling vehicle. The number of traveling vehicles 6 provided in the traveling vehicle system 1 is not particularly limited and may be more than one. The traveling vehicle 6 has a suspension unit (main body) 7, a traveling unit 50, and a bogie controller 35. The suspension unit 7 has a main body frame 22, a lateral feed unit 24, a θ drive 26, an elevation drive unit 28, an elevation platform 30, and a cover 33.

[0023] The main frame 22 is connected to the travel unit 50 and supports the lateral feed unit 24, the θ drive 26, the lift drive unit 28, the lift platform 30, and a cover 33. The lateral feed unit 24 collectively transports the θ drive 26, the lift drive unit 28, and the lift platform 30 laterally in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the travel track 4 (the travel direction of the travel vehicle 6). The θ drive 26 rotates at least one of the lift drive unit 28 and the lift platform 30 within a predetermined angular range in a horizontal plane. The lift drive unit 28 raises and lowers the lift platform 30 by winding or unwinding a suspending material such as a wire, rope, or belt. The lift platform 30 is provided with a chuck that can freely grip or release the article 10. A pair of covers 33 are provided, for example, at the front and rear of the travel direction of the travel vehicle 6. The cover 33 has protruding and retracting claws (not shown) to prevent the article 10 from falling during transport.

[0024] The traveling unit 50 causes the traveling vehicle 6 to travel along the traveling track 4. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the traveling unit 50 has traveling rollers 51, side rollers 52, branching rollers 53, auxiliary rollers 54, inclined rollers 55, a power supply core 57, and an LDM 59. Note that the branching rollers 53, auxiliary rollers 54, and inclined rollers 55 are not shown in Figure 2.

[0025] The running rollers 51 are a pair of rollers consisting of an outer wheel 51A as a running wheel and an inner wheel 51B as a running auxiliary wheel. The running rollers 51 are arranged at the front, rear, left, and right ends of the running section 50. The running rollers 51 roll on a pair of lower surface portions 40B, 40B of the running track 4 (or lower support portions 43 in FIG. 3 described later). The side rollers 52 are arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the side surface portions 40C of the running track 4 (or lateral support portions 45 in FIG. 3 described later). The branching rollers 53 are arranged so as to sandwich each of the side rollers 52 in the vertical direction. The side rollers 52 are arranged so as to be able to come into contact with guides (not shown) arranged at connection portions or branching portions of the running track 4.

[0026] The auxiliary rollers 54 are a group of three rollers provided at the front and rear of the running section 50. The auxiliary rollers 54 are provided to prevent the LDM 59, power supply core 57, etc. from contacting the magnetic plate 40F arranged on the upper surface of the running track 4 when the running section 50 tilts forward or backward due to acceleration or deceleration while running. The inclined rollers 55 are provided at the four corners of the LDM 59. The inclined rollers 55 are arranged in a state tilted from the front to rear direction. The inclined rollers 55 are provided to prevent the running section 50 from tilting due to centrifugal force when running on a curved section.

[0027] The power supply cores 57 are arranged at the front and rear of the traveling unit 50 so as to sandwich the LDM 59 in the left-right direction. They perform contactless power supply and contactless transmission and reception of various signals between them and the power supply unit 40E arranged on the traveling track 4. The power supply core 57 exchanges signals with the bogie controller 35. The LDM 59 is provided at the front and rear of the traveling unit 50. The LDM 59 uses an electromagnet to generate magnetic force for traveling or stopping between it and a magnetic plate 40F arranged on the top surface of the traveling track 4.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1 , the placement unit 9 is arranged along the travel track 4 and is provided at a position where the article 10 can be transferred to and from the travelling vehicle 6. The placement unit 9 includes a buffer and a delivery port. The buffer is a placement unit where the article 10 is temporarily placed. The buffer is a placement unit where the article 10 is temporarily placed when the article 10 being transported by the travelling vehicle 6 cannot be transferred to the intended delivery port, for example, because another article 10 is placed at the intended delivery port. The delivery port is a placement unit for transferring the article 10 to and from a semiconductor processing device (not shown), such as a cleaning device, a film forming device, a lithography device, an etching device, a heat treatment device, or a planarization device. The processing device is not particularly limited and may be various devices.

[0029] For example, the placement unit 9 is disposed to the side of the running track 4. In this case, the running vehicle 6 transfers the article 10 to and from the placement unit 9 by using the lateral feed unit 24 to laterally feed the lifting drive unit 28 and the like and slightly raising and lowering the lifting platform 30. Although not shown, the placement unit 9 may also be disposed directly below the running track 4. In this case, the running vehicle 6 transfers the article 10 to and from the placement unit 9 by raising and lowering the lifting platform 30.

[0030] The bogie controller 35 is an electronic control unit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The bogie controller 35 controls various operations of the traveling vehicle 6. Specifically, the bogie controller 35 controls the traveling unit 50, the traverse unit 24, the θ drive 26, the lifting drive unit 28, and the lifting platform 30. The bogie controller 35 can be configured as software in which a program stored in a ROM is loaded onto a RAM and executed by the CPU, for example. The bogie controller 35 may also be configured as hardware including an electronic circuit, etc. The bogie controller 35 communicates with the area controller 2 using a power supply unit 40E (feeder line) of the traveling track 4, etc.

[0031] 1, the work area 160 is provided in part of the evacuation section 4B, and is an area where maintenance is carried out on each part of the traveling section 50 included in the traveling vehicle 6. The work area 160 is provided with a work track 41 (see FIGS. 3, 4, and 6), a movement mechanism 60 (see FIGS. 4, 5(A), and 5(B)), a positioning mechanism 80 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), and an inspection device 90 (see FIG. 4).

[0032] The working track 41 extends in one direction so that both ends thereof are continuous with (connected to) the running tracks 4, 4, and as shown in Figures 3 and 6, it forms an open section 47 that exposes at least a portion of the running section 50 (e.g., the auxiliary rollers 54, the inclined rollers 55, the power supply core 57, and the LDM 59). In other words, the working track 41 does not have the side section 40C, the power supply section 40E, and the top surface 40D that are provided on the running track 4, and the portions corresponding to the side section 40C, the power supply section 40E, and the top surface 40D of the running track 4 form the open section 47. Note that, because the working track 41 does not have the power supply section 40E, the running vehicle 6 cannot run on its own.

[0033] The working track 41 has frames 42 arranged on both ends of the working track 41, a pair of lower support portions 43, 43, and a pair of side support portions 45, 45.

[0034] The frame 42 has a pair of side surfaces 42A and a top surface 42B. The pair of side surfaces 42A are plate-like members arranged opposite each other in the left-right direction and extending vertically. The side surfaces 42A are fixed to the ceiling via brackets (not shown) and supports (not shown). The top surface 42B is a plate-like member that connects the pair of side surfaces 42A at their upper ends.

[0035] Each of the pair of lower support portions 43 supports the traveling unit 50 from below. More specifically, the lower support portion 43 is a member that supports the outer ring 51A and the inner ring 51B of the traveling roller 51 of the traveling unit 50 from below and causes the outer ring 51A and the inner ring 51B to roll. The lower support portion 43 is fixed to the lower end of the side portion 42A of the frame 42 and is connected to the pair of frames 42. The lower support portion 43 located on the right side is formed with an inner portion 43A that causes the outer ring 51A and the inner ring 51B to roll, as well as an outer portion 43B on which devices such as the positioning mechanism 80 and the maintenance controller 95 are placed. The outer portion 43B is formed in an outer region R2 of the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50 on the working track 41.

[0036] The side support portion 45 is a member that comes into contact with the side rollers 52 of the traveling portion 50. The side support portion 45 is a square timber that extends along the movement direction of the traveling portion 50. The side support portion 45 is fixed to the side surface portion 42A of the frame 42, connected to the pair of frames 42, 42, and is also fixed to the upper surface of the inner portion 43A of the lower support portion 43. The side support portion 45 located on the right side has slits formed in two locations to allow the stopper 81 and pusher 85, which will be described in detail later, to advance and retreat from the outside of the movement region R1 to the inside of the movement region R1.

[0037] The movement mechanism 60 shown in Figures 4, 5(A), and 5(B) is a mechanism for moving the traveling vehicle 6 on the working track 41, on which the traveling vehicle 6 cannot move by itself. The movement mechanism 60 moves the suspension unit 7 along the extension direction of the working track 41. More specifically, the traveling vehicle 6 is moved by moving the suspension unit 7 between the connection part with the traveling track 4, which is one end of the working track 41, and the connection part with the traveling track 4, which is the other end. The movement mechanism 60 includes a base plate 70, a movement plate 71, a pair of arms consisting of a first arm unit 61 and a second arm unit 65, a first rotation drive unit 62, a second rotation drive unit 66, a first movement drive unit 64, and a second movement drive unit 68.

[0038] The base plate 70 is a plate-shaped member that supports the moving plate 71, the first arm unit 61, the second arm unit 65, the first rotation drive unit 62, the second rotation drive unit 66, the first movement drive unit 64, and the second movement drive unit 68. The base plate 70 is suspended from the ceiling by a suspension member 75. The base plate 70 is disposed below the working track 41 and to the side of the suspension unit 7 of the traveling vehicle 6 that moves on the working track 41.

[0039] The moving plate 71 is a plate-like member that supports the first arm portion 61, the second arm portion 65, the first rotation drive portion 62, the second rotation drive portion 66, the first movement drive portion 64, and the second movement drive portion 68. The moving plate 71 is provided so as to be movable relative to the base plate 70 along the movement direction of the suspension portion 7. More specifically, the moving plate 71 is provided so as to be movable relative to the base plate 70 along the movement direction of the suspension portion 7 by a second movement drive portion 68 that is composed of an LM guide (Linear Motion Guide) 68A, a drive motor 68B, etc.

[0040] The first arm portion 61 is disposed upstream of the second arm portion 65 in the movement direction of the suspension portion 7. That is, the first arm portion 61 contacts the rear end (cover 33) of the suspension portion 7 when the suspension portion 7 is moved. Note that the terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to directions determined based on a preset movement direction of the suspension portion 7 in one direction. The first arm portion 61 is moved by a first rotation drive unit 62 between a position where it sandwiches the suspension portion 7 (contact position) and a position where it retracts from the suspension portion 7 (retracted position). The first arm portion 61 and the first rotation drive unit 62 are movable in the movement direction of the suspension portion 7 relative to the moving plate 71 by a first movement drive unit 64. More specifically, the first arm portion 61 and the first rotation drive unit 62 are movable in the movement direction of the suspension portion 7 relative to the moving plate 71 by a first movement drive unit 64 including an LM guide 64A and a drive motor 64B.

[0041] The second arm portion 65 is disposed downstream of the first arm portion 61 in the movement direction of the suspension portion 7. That is, the second arm portion 65 comes into contact with the front end of the suspension portion 7 when the suspension portion 7 is moved. The second arm portion 65 is moved by the second rotation drive portion 66 between a position where it sandwiches the suspension portion 7 and a position where it is retracted from the suspension portion 7. Unlike the first arm portion 61 and the first rotation drive portion 62, the second arm portion 65 and the second rotation drive portion 66 are provided so as to be immovable in the movement direction of the suspension portion 7 relative to the moving plate 71.

[0042] 6 and 7 , the positioning mechanism 80 moves and positions the traveling unit 50 of the traveling vehicle 6 to a predetermined position on the working track 41, on which the traveling vehicle 6 cannot move by itself. More specifically, the positioning mechanism 80 moves the traveling unit 50 so that the portion of the traveling unit 50 to be inspected is located at an inspection position for an inspection device 90 arranged on the working track 41. The positioning mechanism 80 includes a stopper 81 and a pusher 85. The portions to be inspected in this embodiment include, for example, the auxiliary roller 54, the inclined roller 55, the power supply core 57, and the LDM 59.

[0043] The stopper 81 is a member against which the side roller 52, which is one of the rollers rotatably provided around an axis extending in the vertical direction in the traveling unit 50, is pressed. The stopper 81 is provided so as to be movable forward and backward along a width direction (left and right direction) perpendicular to both the movement direction (front and back direction) and the vertical direction (up and down direction) of the traveling unit 50 relative to the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50 in the working track 41. The stopper 81 is disposed downstream of the pusher 85 in the one direction (the movement direction of the traveling unit 50).

[0044] The pusher 85 moves the side rollers 52 of the running unit 50 in one direction and presses the side rollers 52 against the stopper 81 from one direction, thereby positioning the running unit 50 at a predetermined position on the working track 41. The pusher 85 is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat along the width direction (left and right direction) with respect to the movement region R1 of the running unit 50 on the working track 41. The pusher 85 is disposed upstream of the stopper 81 in one direction. The stopper 81 and the pusher 85 can press or push the running unit 50 when the running unit 50 advances into the movement region R1, and can allow the running unit 50 to move freely within the movement region R1 when the running unit 50 retreats from the movement region R1.

[0045] The stopper 81 and the pusher 85 will be described in more detail. The stopper 81 has a pressed member 81A against which the side roller 52 is pressed, a first support member 81B fixed to the lower support portion 43, a first linear guide 81C that supports the pressed member 81A so that it can slide in the width direction relative to the first support member 81B, a first drive portion 81D that moves the pressed member 81A back and forth in the width direction, and a first side wall portion 81E that becomes the rolling surface of the side roller 52 when the pressed member 81A is located in the retracted position.

[0046] The pressed member 81A is a member that moves back and forth between an advanced position (see FIG. 8B) and a retracted position (see FIG. 8A) in the stopper 81. The pressed member 81A is formed in an L-shape in a plan view seen from above. The pressed member 81A has a pressed surface 81Aa formed on a surface perpendicular to the movement direction of the running part 50, and a guide surface 81Ab formed on a surface parallel to the movement direction of the running part 50. The pressed surface 81Aa is a surface that comes into contact with the side roller 52 that is pushed in one direction by the stopper 81 when the pressed member 81A is located in the advanced position. The guide surface 81Ab is a surface that rolls and guides the side roller 52 when the pressed member 81A is located in the advanced position and the running part 50 moves in one direction.

[0047] 10(A), the pressed member 81A advances to the advanced position so that the guide surface 81Ab is flush with the guide surface 45a of the side support portion 45. In other words, the guide surface 81Ab of the pressed member 81A and the guide surface 45a of the side support portion 45 are the same distance from the center position in the width direction of the working track 41. In contrast, the rolling surface 81Ea of the first side wall portion 81E is formed at a position recessed from the guide surface 81Ab of the pressed member 81A (i.e., at a position farther from the center position in the width direction of the working track 41). The distance G1 between the guide surface 81Ab and the rolling surface 81Ea is, for example, 1 mm.

[0048] When the stopper 81 moves toward the retracted position while the side roller 52 is pressed against it, the side roller 52, which contacts the pressed surface 81Aa of the stopper 81, rotates counterclockwise (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9B ), as shown in FIG. 9B . At this time, the guide surface 81Ab of the stopper 81 moves away from the side roller 52 in the retracted direction. However, if the rolling surface 81Ea of the first side wall portion 81E is flush with the guide surface 81Ab of the stopper 81 in the advanced position, the side roller 52 remains in contact with the rolling surface 81Ea. Therefore, the side roller 52 slides on the rolling surface 81Ea, causing wear. However, with the configuration having the distance G1, the side roller 52 does not contact the rolling surface 81Ea, thereby reducing wear of the side roller 52 when the stopper 81 is moved to the retracted position.

[0049] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the pusher 85 has a pressing member 85A pushed in one direction by the side roller 52, a second support member 85B fixed to the lower support portion 43 with a bolt or the like, a second linear guide 85C that supports the pressing member 85A so that it can slide along the width direction relative to the second support member 85B, a second drive portion 85D that moves the pressing member 85A back and forth along the width direction, and a second side wall portion 85E that serves as the rolling surface of the side roller 52.

[0050] The pressing member 85A is a member that advances and retreats between an advanced position and a retracted position in the pusher 85. The pressing member 85A has a pressing surface 85Aa that is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the movement direction of the traveling unit 50. The pressing surface 85Aa is formed at the downstream end of the pressing member 85A in the movement direction of the traveling unit 50, and is inclined downstream between the base end and the tip end in a plan view seen from above. The pressing surface 85Aa is formed so that, by advancing in the advancement direction, it can rotate the side rollers 52 and push the side rollers 52 downstream in the movement direction of the traveling unit 50.

[0051] 10(B), the second side wall portion 85E is disposed so that the rolling surface 85Ea of the second side wall portion 85E is positioned further back than the guide surface 45a of the side support portion 45. In other words, the rolling surface 85Ea of the second side wall portion 85E is disposed farther from the center position in the width direction of the working track 41 than the guide surface 45a of the side support portion 45. The distance G2 between the guide surface 45a and the rolling surface 85Ea is, for example, 1 mm.

[0052] When the running portion 50 is located at a predetermined upstream position and the pusher 85 moves toward the advanced position, the side roller 52 contacting the pressing surface 85Aa of the pusher 85 rotates counterclockwise (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9A ), as shown in FIG. 9A . At this time, if the rolling surface 85Ea of the second side wall portion 85E is flush with the guide surface 45a of the side support portion 45, the side roller 52 remains in contact with the rolling surface 85Ea. In this case, the side roller 52 slides on the rolling surface 85Ea, causing wear. With this configuration having the distance G2, the side roller 52 does not come into contact with the rolling surface 85Ea, thereby reducing wear of the side roller 52 when the pusher 85 moves toward the advanced position.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, the inspection device 90 is disposed above the position where the travel unit 50 is positioned on the working track 41 by the stopper 81 and the pusher 85. The inspection device 90 has a moving body 91 configured to be movable in the vertical direction, and a plurality of contact sensors (sensors) 92 provided on the moving body 91 and detecting the presence or absence of contact with each part of the traveling unit 50. The moving body 91 is supported directly or indirectly on the working track 41 or the ceiling, etc., so that it can move up and down. The moving body 91 is driven up and down by a drive unit 93 such as a motor. Note that the inspection device 90 of this embodiment does not have a mechanism for moving the moving body in the horizontal direction.

[0054] The amount of vertical movement (amount of descent) of the movable body 91 and the detection results of the contact sensor 92 are acquired by the maintenance controller 95. The amount of descent of the movable body 91 can be acquired, for example, based on the drive amount of the drive unit 93, or by a sensor that measures the position of the movable body 91. The inspection device 90 configured in this manner can detect the height position of each part of the traveling unit 50 (the part that is the target of contact with the contact sensor 92). In the inspection device 90 of this embodiment, the stopping position of the traveling unit 50 can be precisely determined, so multiple contact sensors 92 can perform measurements simultaneously. In other words, the inspection device 90 of this embodiment can measure the height positions of multiple locations with a single descent of the movable body 91.

[0055] The maintenance controller 95 shown in FIG. 6 mainly controls the moving mechanism 60, the positioning mechanism 80, and the inspection device 90. The maintenance controller 95 is disposed, for example, on the outer portion 43B of the lower support portion 43 of the working track 41. The maintenance controller 95 is an electronic control unit including a central processing unit (CPU), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), etc. The maintenance controller 95 is also capable of communicating with the bogie controller 35 and the area controller 2 in the traveling vehicle 6. The maintenance controller 95 can be configured, for example, as software in which a program stored in the ROM is loaded onto the RAM and executed by the CPU. The maintenance controller 95 may also be configured as hardware including electronic circuits, etc.

[0056] The maintenance controller 95 of this embodiment controls the movement mechanism 60 so that the traveling unit 50 moves upstream of the predetermined position, controls the drive unit (first drive unit 81D) of the stopper 81 so that the stopper (pressed member 81A) advances to a position where the side roller 52 can be pressed against it, and controls the drive unit (second drive unit 85D) of the pusher 85 so that the pusher 85 pushes the side roller 52 in one direction. Furthermore, when positioning the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position, the maintenance controller 95 of this embodiment advances the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 into the movement region R1 in this order, and when moving the traveling unit 50 from the predetermined position, the maintenance controller 95 retreats the pusher 85 and the stopper 81 in this order from the movement region R1. The maintenance controller 95 of this embodiment controls the inspection device 90 so that measurement begins after the traveling unit 50 has been stopped at the predetermined position by the stopper 81 and the pusher 85.

[0057] The operation of the travelling unit 50 in the travelling vehicle system 1 configured as described above when positioning the travelling unit 50 at a predetermined position on the working track 41 will be described. As shown in Figure 5, the travelling mechanism 60 advances the second arm unit 65 into the travel area of ​​the travelling vehicle 6 (suspended unit 7) and waits until the suspended unit 7 reaches a position where it will come into contact with the second arm unit 65. Once the suspended unit 7 stops at a position where it will come into contact with the second arm unit 65, the first rotation drive unit 62 rotates the first arm unit 61, and the first travel drive unit 64 moves the first arm unit 61 and the first rotation drive unit 62 forward (towards the downstream side in the travelling direction of the travelling vehicle 6). As a result, the travelling mechanism 60 clamps the suspended unit 7 of the travelling vehicle 6 between the first arm unit 61 and the second arm unit 65.

[0058] Next, the moving mechanism 60 advances the moving plate 71 (i.e., the moving mechanism 60 advances the first arm 61, the first pivot drive unit 62, the second arm 65, and the second pivot drive unit 66 while maintaining the distance between the first arm 61 and the second arm 65). As a result, the moving mechanism 60 advances the suspended unit 7 while sandwiched between the first arm 61 and the second arm 65, and moves it to a predetermined upstream position that is upstream of a predetermined position on the working track 41. Note that the predetermined upstream position is an upstream position within a distance range that allows the pusher 85 to push the side roller 52, taking the predetermined position as a reference position; for example, a position within a range of 4 m upstream of the predetermined position. At the predetermined upstream position, the moving mechanism 60 releases the sandwiching of the suspended unit 7 between the first arm 61 and the second arm 65.

[0059] When the traveling unit 50 of the traveling vehicle 6 moves to a predetermined upstream position, both the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 are located in the retracted positions, as shown in FIG. 8A. In this state, the stopper 81 first advances into the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50. Next, as shown in FIG. 9A, the pusher 85 advances into the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50. As the pusher 85 advances, the side roller 52 rotates leftward (counterclockwise) (in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 9A) and is simultaneously pushed forward. Then, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the pusher 85 completes its advance to the advanced position, the side roller 52 is pressed against the pressed surface 81Aa of the stopper 81, completing the operation of positioning the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position on the working track 41.

[0060] Next, after the running unit 50 has been positioned at a predetermined position on the working track 41, the inspection device 90 lowers the moving body 91 and brings the contact sensor 92 into contact with each part of the running unit 50. In this way, the inspection device 90 obtains the height position of each part of the running unit 50.

[0061] When the inspection by the inspection device 90 is completed, first, the pusher 85 retracts from the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50, and then the stopper 81 retracts from the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50. This releases the restraint of the traveling unit 50 by the positioning mechanism 80. Next, the moving mechanism 60, at a predetermined position, clamps the suspended unit 7 between the first arm unit 61 and the second arm unit 65 according to the procedure described above. Thereafter, the moving mechanism 60 advances the suspended unit 7 while clamping it between the first arm unit 61 and the second arm unit 65, moving the suspended unit 7 to the downstream end of the working track 41. When the traveling vehicle 6 reaches the downstream end of the working track 41 (the upstream end of the traveling track 4), it becomes capable of receiving power from the power supply unit 40E and becomes self-propelled. The traveling vehicle 6 receives a transport command from the area controller 2 and moves to the destination included in the transport command.

[0062] The effects of the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment will be described. The traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment is provided with a stopper 81 and a pusher 85 for positioning the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position on the work track 41. Specifically, the pusher 85 presses the side rollers 52 provided on the traveling unit 50 in one direction against the stopper 81, which is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat relative to the movement region R1 of the traveling unit 50, thereby positioning the traveling unit 50 at the predetermined position. This improves the positioning accuracy when stopping the traveling unit 50 of the traveling vehicle 6 at a predetermined position on the work track 41, compared to, for example, controlling the drive unit of the traveling unit 50 or controlling the movement mechanism 60 that moves the traveling vehicle 6 to stop the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position on the work track 41.

[0063] In the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the stoppers and pushers come into contact with rollers. Rollers are components that are subject to wear. Therefore, they have superior durability compared to when the stoppers and pushers come into contact with other parts of the traveling unit 50. Furthermore, such rollers are easier to replace than other parts when they become worn or distorted, and are also superior in terms of maintenance.

[0064] In the travelling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, both the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat along the width direction relative to the movement region R1 of the travelling unit 50 on the working track 41. This allows the stopper 81 to switch, with a simple configuration, between an advanced state in which the side rollers 52 are pressed against the stopper 81 and a retracted state in which the travelling unit 50 can pass through. Similarly, the pusher 85 can also be switched, with a simple configuration, between an advanced state in which the side rollers 52 push the stopper 81 and a retracted state in which the travelling unit 50 can pass through.

[0065] In the travelling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the movement mechanism 60 moves the travelling unit 50 to a predetermined upstream position upstream of the predetermined position, the stopper 81 advances to an advanced position where the side rollers 52 can be pressed against the stopper 81, and the pusher 85 advances to the advanced position so as to push the side rollers 52 in one direction. In this way, after the travelling unit 50 has been roughly moved to the predetermined upstream position, the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 can accurately move the travelling unit 50 to a predetermined position on the working track 41.

[0066] In the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, when positioning the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position, the stopper 81 and then the pusher 85 advance into the movement region R1, and when moving the traveling unit 50 from the predetermined position, the pusher 85 and then the stopper 81 retreat from the movement region R1. As a result, when positioning the traveling unit 50 at a predetermined position, the stopper 81 advances first, preventing the side rollers 52 and, ultimately, the traveling unit 50 from overshooting. Furthermore, when moving the traveling unit 50 from a predetermined position, the stopper 81 retreats after the pressing force of the pusher 85 on the side rollers 52 decreases, preventing the stopper 81 from retreating while an abnormal force is acting on the stopper 81. As a result, the side rollers 52 do not slide against the stopper 81, reducing wear on the side rollers 52.

[0067] In the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the rollers that are pressed against the stopper 81 and pushed out by the pusher 85 are the side rollers 52, so that it is possible to effectively utilize the components of the traveling unit 50 when moving the traveling unit 50. Furthermore, in a configuration in which the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 advance along the width direction, it is necessary to advance the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 to the position of the side rollers 52. However, in the above embodiment, the side rollers 52 are disposed on the outside in the width direction, so that it is possible to reduce the stroke of each of the drive units 81D, 85D of the stopper 81 and the pusher 85.

[0068] In the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, multiple contact sensors 92 that measure the height position at various points on the top surface of the traveling unit 50 are arranged at positions corresponding to the traveling unit 50 positioned in a predetermined position, and measurements are started simultaneously when the traveling unit 50 is positioned in the predetermined position. Therefore, measurements can be performed simultaneously by multiple contact sensors 92 with a single positioning.

[0069] Although one embodiment has been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0070] In the travelling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the pusher 85 provided on the lower support portion 43 pushes the side rollers 52 in one direction to press the side rollers 52 against the stoppers 81. However, this is not limiting. For example, the pusher 85 may use the first arm portion 61 of the movement mechanism 60 as the pusher, or a pair of arms consisting of the first arm portion 61 and the second arm portion 65 may be used as the pusher. In this case, the first arm portion 61 or the pair of arms consisting of the first arm portion 61 and the second arm portion 65 moves the suspension portion 7 forward to press the side rollers 52 of the travelling portion 50 against the stoppers 81. Even in this case, the travelling portion 50 itself (the side rollers 52) is positioned as a reference. As a result, the positioning accuracy when stopping the travelling portion 50 of the travelling vehicle 6 at a predetermined position on the working track 41 can be improved.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment and modified example of the traveling vehicle system 1, the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat along the width direction perpendicular to both the moving direction of the traveling vehicle 6 and the vertical direction, but this is not limiting. For example, an opening may be provided in the lower support part 43, and the pusher 85 and the stopper 81 may advance into the movement region R1 from below. Also, in the moving direction of the traveling part 50, the stopper 81 may advance from the front, and the pusher 85 may advance from the rear. In this way, the advancing directions of the stopper 81 and the pusher 85 may be combined freely.

[0072] In the traveling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment and the above modified example, the side roller 52 has been described as an example of a roller that is rotatable around an axis extending in the vertical direction, but it may also be, for example, a branch roller 53 provided on the traveling section 50 or a new roller provided so as to be positioned on the side of the traveling section 50. Even in this case, the stopper 81 and pusher 85 configured as described above can be used.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment and modified example of the travelling vehicle system 1, the movement mechanism 60 has been described as having a pair of arms made up of a first arm 61 and a second arm 65, and the pair of arms sandwich the suspension unit 7 to move the travelling vehicle 6, but this is not limiting. For example, the movement mechanism may be configured to include a block member that sandwiches the branch roller 53 provided on the travelling unit 50, and a drive unit that moves the block member along the extension direction of the working track 41. Even in this case, the travelling unit 50 can be moved to the predetermined upstream position, and the side roller 52 of the travelling unit 50 can also be moved to a position where it presses against the stopper 81.

[0074] In the travelling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment and the above modified example, the reason why the travelling vehicle 6 cannot move on its own is that the power supply unit 40E is not provided on the working track 41, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the travelling vehicle 6 is driven by a linear motor, the reason why the travelling vehicle 6 cannot move on its own may be that the magnetic plate 40F is not provided on the working track 41.

[0075] In the travelling vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment and the above modified example, an example has been described in which the working track 41 is configured so that the travelling vehicle 6 cannot move on its own, but the positioning mechanism 80 described above may also be arranged on a working track 41 configured so that the travelling unit 50 can move on its own. There is a limit to the positioning accuracy with which the drive unit of the travelling unit 50 can be controlled to stop the travelling unit 50 at a predetermined position, but by arranging the positioning mechanism 80 described in the above embodiment and the above modified example, it is possible to position the travelling unit 50 at a desired position on the working track 41 after the travelling unit 50 has stopped. This makes it possible to position the travelling unit 50 with high precision relative to inspection equipment arranged on the working track 41.

[0076] The technical subject matter of one aspect of the present invention can be described as follows: [1] A traveling vehicle system in which a traveling vehicle travels on a traveling track having a main body that defines an internal space in which a traveling unit of the traveling vehicle travels and that extends along a travel path of the traveling vehicle, the traveling vehicle system comprising: a working track connected to the traveling track and having an open section that exposes at least a portion of the traveling unit to an external space; a stopper that is a member against which a roller that is rotatably provided on the traveling unit about an axis extending in the vertical direction is pressed, the stopper being provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to a movement area of ​​the traveling unit on the working track; and a pusher that moves the traveling unit in the one direction and presses the roller against the stopper from the one direction to position the traveling unit at a predetermined position on the working track. [2] The traveling vehicle system described in [1], wherein the stopper and the pusher are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the movement area of ​​the traveling unit on the working track along a width direction that is perpendicular to both the movement direction of the traveling unit and the vertical direction. [3] The traveling vehicle system according to [1] or [2], further comprising: a movement mechanism that moves the traveling vehicle in one direction along the working track, a first drive unit that drives the stopper, a second drive unit that drives the pusher, and a controller that controls the movement mechanism, the first drive unit, and the second drive unit, wherein the controller controls the movement mechanism so that the traveling unit moves to a predetermined upstream position that is upstream of the predetermined position, controls the first drive unit so that the stopper advances to a position where the roller can be pressed against it, and controls the second drive unit so that the pusher pushes the roller in the one direction. [4] The traveling vehicle system according to [3], further comprising: a movement mechanism that moves the traveling unit in one direction along the working track, a first drive unit that drives the stopper, a second drive unit that drives the pusher, and a controller that controls the movement mechanism, the first drive unit, and the second drive unit, wherein the controller controls the movement mechanism so that the traveling unit moves to a predetermined upstream position that is upstream of the predetermined position, controls the first drive unit so that the stopper advances to a position where the roller can be pressed against it, and controls the second drive unit so that the pusher pushes the roller in the one direction. [5] The traveling vehicle system according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the roller is a side roller that contacts an inner side wall of the main body.[6] A traveling vehicle system according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising a plurality of sensors arranged above the predetermined position and measuring height positions at various positions on the upper surface of the running unit, the plurality of sensors being arranged at positions corresponding to the running unit positioned at the predetermined position, and the plurality of sensors simultaneously starting measurement when the running unit is positioned at the predetermined position.

[0077] 1...Traveling vehicle system, 2...Area controller, 4...Traveling track, 6...Overhead traveling vehicle (traveling vehicle), 7...Suspension portion, 40...Rail main body portion (main body portion), 41...Working track, 42A...Side portion, 42B...Ceiling portion, 43...Lower support portion, 43A...Inner portion, 43B...Outer portion, 45...Side support portion, 47...Open portion, 50...Traveling portion, 51...Traveling roller, 52...Side roller, 53...Branch roller, 54...Auxiliary roller, 55...Inclined roller, 57...Power supply core, 60...Moving mechanism, 61...First arm portion, 65...Second arm portion, 80...Positioning mechanism, 81...Stopper, 81A...Pressed member, 81D...First drive portion, 85...Pusher, 85A...Pressing member, 85D...Second drive portion, 90...Inspection device, 92...Contact sensor (sensor), 95...Maintenance controller, R1...Moving area.

Claims

1. A traveling vehicle system in which a traveling vehicle runs on a traveling track having a main body portion which forms an internal space along which the traveling part of the traveling vehicle runs and which extends along a travel path of the traveling vehicle, the traveling vehicle system comprising: a working track which is connected to the traveling track and which has an open portion which exposes at least a part of the traveling part to an external space; a stopper which is a member against which a roller which is rotatably mounted on the traveling part around an axis extending vertically is pressed, the stopper being arranged to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the movement area of ​​the traveling part on the working track; and a pusher which moves the traveling part in the one direction and positions the traveling part at a predetermined position on the working track by pressing the roller against the stopper from the one direction.

2. A traveling vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein the stopper and the pusher are arranged to be movable back and forth along a width direction perpendicular to both the movement direction of the traveling part and the vertical direction relative to the movement area of ​​the traveling part on the work track.

3. A traveling vehicle system as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a moving mechanism that moves the traveling vehicle in one direction along the working track; a first drive unit that drives the stopper; a second drive unit that drives the pusher; and a controller that controls the moving mechanism, the first drive unit, and the second drive unit, wherein the controller controls the moving mechanism so that the traveling part moves to a predetermined upstream position upstream of the predetermined position, controls the first drive unit so that the stopper advances to a position where the roller can be pressed against it, and controls the second drive unit so that the pusher pushes the roller in the one direction.

4. A traveling vehicle system as described in claim 3, wherein the controller, when positioning the running unit at the predetermined position, advances the stopper and then the pusher into the movement area, and, when moving the running unit from the predetermined position, causes the pusher and then the stopper to exit the movement area.

5. A traveling vehicle system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rollers are side rollers that come into contact with the inner side walls of the main body.

6. A traveling vehicle system as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a plurality of sensors arranged above the predetermined position and measuring height positions at various positions on the upper surface of the running part, the plurality of sensors being arranged at positions corresponding to the running part positioned at the predetermined position, and the plurality of sensors starting measurement simultaneously when the running part is positioned at the predetermined position.