Transport vehicle system

Abstract

The transport vehicle system (1) includes: a transport vehicle (3) having: a traveling part (20), a holding part (13), a lifting drive part (14), a sliding part (11), and a transport vehicle control part (50); and a storage device (6) having a "storage room (60) with a rack (61)" and a transfer device (70). Among the plurality of storage units arranged on the uppermost layer of the rack (61), at least one first storage unit (65A) for storage and at least one second storage unit (65B) for storage are provided. The transport vehicle control part (50) controls the traveling part (20), the lifting drive part (14), and the sliding part (11) to deliver the item (M) held by the holding part (13) to the first storage unit (65A) and to receive the item (M) placed in the second storage unit (65B) when the item (M) is stopped at a specific stop position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a truck system. Prior Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a transport vehicle system comprising: an overhead transport vehicle (trolley) with a liftable holding section for holding items; and a storage area for storing items. In the transport vehicle system of Patent Document 1, multiple receiving and transferring sections are located on the top floor of the storage area, and the transport vehicle is configured to pass directly above these receiving and transferring sections. Transferring and transferring items between the transport vehicle and the storage area is accomplished by raising and lowering the holding sections while the transport vehicle is parked directly above the receiving and transferring sections. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3669057 Summary of the Invention

[0004] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional transport vehicle system described above, when a transport vehicle delivers an item to a storage and then receives it from the storage, it must move to another receiving and receiving location after delivering the item to one receiving and receiving location. This movement is time-consuming and is a major factor in reducing the overall transport efficiency of the system.

[0006] Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a transport vehicle system that can efficiently transport items between a transport vehicle and a storage warehouse. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0007] A transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a transport vehicle that travels on a track provided on a ceiling of a building and transports articles; and a storage device for storing articles, the transport vehicle comprising: a traveling portion that travels on the track; a holding portion for holding articles; a lifting drive portion that lifts and lowers the holding portion relative to the traveling portion; and a sliding portion that moves the holding portion and the lifting drive portion horizontally relative to the traveling portion; and a transport vehicle control unit for controlling the transport vehicle, the storage device comprising: a storage having a carrier having a plurality of loading portions arranged in vertical and horizontal directions; and a transfer device for receiving and delivering articles to and from the plurality of loading portions, wherein the plurality of loading portions arranged on the top layer of the carrier are provided with: at least one first loading portion for storage and at least one second loading portion for removal, and the transport vehicle control unit controls the traveling portion, the lifting drive portion, and the sliding portion so that the transport vehicle, when stopped at a specific stop position, delivers articles held by the holding portion to the first loading portion and receives articles placed on the second loading portion.

[0008] In this transporter system, the transporter does not place items into the receiving and delivering section (first loading section) for loading items and then move to the receiving and delivering section (second loading section) for unloading items to move items between the transporter and the storage. Instead, the transporter control unit controls the traveling section, lift drive section, and slide section so that the transporter, while stopped at a specific stop position, delivers items held by the holding section to the first loading section and receives items placed on the second loading section. This allows items to be loaded into the storage without the transporter moving, and items to be unloaded from the storage. As a result, items can be efficiently moved between the transporter and the storage.

[0009] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first and second loading sections may be arranged so as to sandwich the transport vehicle's travel area when viewed from above, with the specific stopping position being set between the first and second loading sections when viewed from above. With this configuration, items can be loaded and unloaded from a storage compartment by controlling a simple slider that moves the items in a single direction.

[0010] In one aspect of the transport vehicle system of the present invention, the storage may include a first carrier and a second carrier, the first and second carriers being arranged to face each other across a travel area of ​​the transport vehicle when viewed from above in a vertical direction. The first loading portion is located on the first carrier, the second loading portion is located on the second carrier, and a specific stop position is located between the first and second loading portions when viewed from above. In this configuration, items can be loaded and unloaded from the storage by controlling a simple slider that moves the items in a single direction.

[0011] In a transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention, the transport vehicle may further include a rotating portion that rotates the holding portion within a horizontal plane. The article has a first end portion, which is one end in a single direction, and a second end portion, which is another end in the single direction and has a different shape from the first end portion. Positioning members are provided on the loading portions of the carriers, and the positioning members position the articles so that the first ends of the articles placed on the opposing carriers face each other. When the article is placed on the first loading portion, the transport vehicle control unit rotates the rotating portion so that the first end portion faces the second carrier. In this configuration, a mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the article M when placed on the loading portion may not be provided on the storage device side.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, a transport vehicle system may include a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern, including a plurality of first rails extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and second rails extending in a second direction and arranged in the first direction. The transport vehicle moves in the first direction by having a traveling unit travel along a pair of first rails adjacent to the second direction, and moves in the second direction by having a traveling unit travel along a pair of second rails adjacent to the first direction. With this configuration, the transport vehicle can travel in multiple directions to access the storage unit. Furthermore, compared to a transport vehicle system in which the transport vehicle travels along rails in a single direction, the flexibility in configuring the storage device can be increased, thereby enabling more efficient storage and retrieval of items.

[0013] A transport vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a system controller that outputs a transport instruction to the transport vehicle, indicating a transport destination for an item. The system controller outputs a transport instruction to the transport vehicle, wherein the transport instruction specifies a first loading portion, which is positioned across a travel area from a second loading portion that is loaded with items, as the transport destination. In this configuration, after items are loaded onto the first loading portion, they can be reliably unloaded from the second loading portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, articles can be efficiently transported in and out of a storage warehouse between a transport vehicle and a storage warehouse. Simple diagram description

[0015] FIG1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a transport vehicle system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] is a perspective view showing the structure of the track in Figure 1. [Fig. 3] is a perspective view showing the structure of the transport vehicle of Fig. 1. [Fig. 4] is a side view showing the structure of the transport vehicle of Fig. 1. [ Fig. 5(A) ] is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the storage device of Fig. 1. [ Fig. 5(B) ] is a plan view showing a partial enlargement of a storage rack. [Figure 6] is a block diagram showing the functional structure of the transport vehicle system in Figure 1. [FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B)] are diagrams for explaining the operation of a transport vehicle when items are loaded into or out of a storage warehouse. [FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B)] are diagrams for explaining the operation of a transport vehicle when items are loaded into or out of a storage warehouse. [FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B)] are diagrams for explaining the operation of a transport vehicle when items are loaded into or out of a storage warehouse. [FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B)] are diagrams for explaining the operation of a transport vehicle when items are loaded into or out of a storage warehouse. Implementation Method

[0016] The following describes a transport vehicle system 1 according to one embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, identical elements are denoted by identical reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the dimensions in the description. For ease of explanation, XYZ coordinates are used in Figures 1 to 3. In the XYZ coordinate system, a plane parallel to the horizontal plane is defined as the XY plane. A direction along the XY plane is designated as the X direction (first direction), and a direction perpendicular to the X direction is designated as the Y direction (second direction). The direction perpendicular to the XY plane is designated as the Z direction. The X, Y, and Z directions are described with the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure being the + direction and the direction opposite to the arrow being the - direction. Furthermore, the direction of rotation about a vertical axis or about the Z axis is designated as the θZ direction.

[0017] The transport vehicle system 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a grid system used, for example, in a clean room of a semiconductor manufacturing plant, for transporting articles M using transport vehicles 3. The transport vehicle system 1 comprises a track R, a plurality of transport vehicles 3, a storage device 6, and a system controller 5. The plurality of transport vehicles 3 travel on the track R, which is installed on or near the ceiling of a building such as a clean room. The storage device 6 is located below the track R and comprises a storage 60 for storing articles M and a stacker crane (transfer device) 70 for moving articles M within the storage 60. As shown in Figure 5(A), the storage 60 comprises a first carrier 61A and a second carrier 61B, which are arranged to sandwich a travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70, which travels in the Y direction.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rail R can also be supported directly by the ceiling or by a member suspended from the ceiling. The rail R is configured to transport the article M to, for example, a storage device 6 or various processing devices. Processing devices include, for example, exposure devices, coating and developing equipment, film forming devices, and etching devices. Article M is, for example, a container for storing semiconductor wafers. The processing device performs various processes on the semiconductor wafers in the container. The processing device is provided with a loading port P (see Figure 4) for transporting the article M back and forth between the transport vehicle 3. The storage device 6 is used to store the article M transported by the transport vehicle 3. The storage device 6 is provided with an inbound port (first loading portion) 65A and an outbound port (second loading portion) 65B for transporting the article M back and forth between the transport vehicle 3. The inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B will be described in detail later.

[0019] The track R is arranged in a grid pattern when viewed from above. The track R extends horizontally and is suspended from a ceiling, etc. The track R comprises a plurality of first rails R1, a plurality of second rails R2, and a plurality of intersections R3. Hereinafter, the track R is referred to as the grid-shaped track R.

[0020] The plurality of first rails R1 extend in the X direction. The plurality of second rails R2 extend in the Y direction. The grid track R, formed by the plurality of first rails R1 and the plurality of second rails R2, forms a grid pattern when viewed from above. The grid track R forms a plurality of grids with the plurality of first rails R1 and the plurality of second rails R2. The intersection R3 is located at the intersection of the first rails R1 and the second rails R2. The intersection R3 is adjacent to the first rails R1 in the X direction and adjacent to the second rails R2 in the Y direction. The intersection R3 is a connecting rail that connects the first rails R1 and the second rails R2, connecting the first rails R1 to each other and the second rails R2 to each other. The intersection R3 is used when the transport vehicle 3 is traveling along the first rails R1, when the transport vehicle 3 is traveling along the second rails R2, or when the transport vehicle 3 is traveling from the first rails R1 to the second rails R2 or from the second rails R2 to the first rails R1.

[0021] The grid track R is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a plurality of first tracks R1 and a plurality of second tracks R2, so that a plurality of grid units (units) 2 are adjacent when viewed from above. Each grid unit 2 corresponds to a grid and is a rectangular area enclosed by two adjacent first tracks R1 in the Y direction and two adjacent second tracks R2 in the X direction when viewed from above. Figures 1 and 2 show portions of the grid track R. The grid track R continues in the same configuration in the X and Y directions from the illustrated configuration.

[0022] The first rail R1, second rail R2, and intersection R3 are suspended and supported from a ceiling (not shown) by a suspension member H. The suspension member H comprises a first portion H1 for suspending the first rail R1, a second portion H2 for suspending the second rail R2, and a third portion H3 for suspending the intersection R3. The first portion H1 and the second portion H2 are respectively provided at two locations across the third portion H3.

[0023] The first rail R1, second rail R2, and intersection R3, respectively, have running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a on which the later-described running wheels 21 of the transport vehicle 3 travel. Gaps are formed between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3. The gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3, respectively, are the areas through which a portion of the transport vehicle 3, namely the first connecting portion 30 (see Figure 3), described later, passes when the transport vehicle 3 travels on the first rail R1 and crosses the second rail R2, or when the transport vehicle 3 travels on the second rail R2 and crosses the first rail R1. Therefore, the gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3, are wide enough for the first connecting portion 30 to pass through. The first rail R1, second rail R2, and intersection R3 are arranged along the same horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a of the first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3 are arranged on the same horizontal plane.

[0024] The transport vehicle 3 moves along the track R of the transport vehicle system 1. The track R is the travel path of the transport vehicle 3. The transport vehicle 3 moves along the track R of the transport vehicle system 1 to transport items M, such as FOUPs (front-opening unified pods) that store semiconductor wafers or grating pods that store gratings. As shown in Figures 1 and 5(A), this embodiment uses the example of transporting a FOUP (front-opening unified pod) as an example of item M. This FOUP has a front (first end) Mb, which is one end in a single direction and is provided with a lid, and a back (second end) Mc, which is the other end in a single direction and has a different shape from the front Mb. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the item M has multiple recesses that engage with pins (positioning members) 66 (see Figure 5(B)), which will be described in detail later. The orientation of the item M is determined by the arrangement of these pins 66.

[0025] The structure of the transport vehicle 3 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 4 , the transport vehicle 3 is configured to travel along a grid-shaped track R. The transport vehicle 3 includes a first main body 10, a first travel portion 20, a first connecting portion 30, and a vehicle controller (vehicle control unit) 50. The vehicle controller 50 is configured to communicate with the system controller 5.

[0026] The first main body 10 is arranged below the grid rail R (on the -Z direction side). The first main body 10 is formed into, for example, a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The first main body 10 is formed so as not to exceed the size of a single grid unit 2 of the grid rail R when viewed from above. Therefore, space is ensured for other transport vehicles 3 that can travel on the adjacent first rail R1 or second rail R2. The first main body 10 includes an upper unit 17 and a transfer unit 18. The upper unit 17 is suspended from the first travel unit 20 via a first connecting portion 30. The upper unit 17 is, for example, rectangular in a plan view, and has four corner portions on the top surface 17a and the bottom surface 17b.

[0027] The first body 10 has travel wheels 21, a first connecting portion 30, and a direction-changing mechanism 34 at each of the four corners of the top surface 17a. In this configuration, the travel wheels 21 disposed at the four corners of the top surface 17a of the first body 10 stabilize and suspend the first body 10, allowing it to travel stably.

[0028] The transfer unit 18 moves horizontally relative to the first traveling unit 20 and transfers articles M between the loading port P of the processing device and the inbound and outbound ports 65A and 65B of the storage device 6. The transfer unit 18 is located below the upper unit 17. The transfer unit 18 is rotatable about a rotation axis AX1 in the Z direction. The transfer unit 18 comprises a holding portion 13 that holds the article M below the grid-shaped rail R; a lifting drive 14 that vertically elevates the holding portion 13; a first rotating portion (rotating portion) 16 that horizontally rotates the lifting drive 14; a sliding portion 11 that horizontally slides the lifting drive 14; and a second rotating portion 12 that holds the sliding portion 11.

[0029] The holding portion 13 holds (grasps) the flange Ma of the article M, thereby suspending and retaining the article M. The holding portion 13 is, for example, a clamp having a claw portion 13a that can move horizontally. The claw portion 13a is inserted under the flange Ma of the article M, and the holding portion 13 is raised to retain the article M. The holding portion 13 is connected to a suspension member 13b such as a wire or a belt.

[0030] The lifting drive unit 14 is, for example, an elevator. It lowers the holding unit 13 by extending the hanging member 13b and raises the holding unit 13 by reeling in the hanging member 13b. The lifting drive unit 14 is controlled by the carriage controller 50 to lower or raise the holding unit 13 at a predetermined speed. Furthermore, the lifting drive unit 14 is controlled by the carriage controller 50 to maintain the holding unit 13 at a desired height.

[0031] The first rotating portion 16 is disposed between the sliding portion 11 and the lifting drive portion 14. The first rotating portion 16 includes a rotating member 16a and a rotating drive portion 16b. The rotating member 16a is rotatable about an axis in the Z direction. The rotating member 16a supports the lifting drive portion 14. The rotating drive portion 16b uses, for example, an electric motor to rotate the rotating member 16a about the rotation axis AX3. The first rotating portion 16 can rotate the rotating member 16a using the driving force from the rotating drive portion 16b, thereby rotating the lifting drive portion 14 and the retaining portion 13 about the rotation axis AX3.

[0032] The sliding portion 11 includes, for example, a plurality of movable plates arranged overlapping in the Z direction. The lifting drive unit 14 is attached to the lowest movable plate. In the sliding portion 11, the movable plate moves horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3. The lifting drive unit 14 and the retaining unit 13 attached to the lowest movable plate extend (slide) laterally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the transport vehicle 3.

[0033] The second rotating portion 12 is disposed between the sliding portion 11 and the upper unit 17. The second rotating portion 12 includes a rotating member 12a and a rotating drive unit 12b. The rotating member 12a is configured to rotate about an axis in the Z direction. The rotating member 12a supports the sliding portion 11. The rotating drive unit 12b uses, for example, an electric motor to rotate the rotating member 12a about the rotation axis AX1. The second rotating portion 12 can rotate the rotating member 12a using the driving force from the rotating drive unit 12b, thereby rotating the sliding portion 11 (the lifting drive unit 14 and the holding unit 13) about the rotation axis AX1. The transport vehicle 3 can receive and deliver items M to the loading port P, the inbound port 65A, and the outbound port 65B using the transfer unit 18.

[0034] In addition, when the sliding portion 11 does not slide the lifting drive portion 14 and the holding portion 13 , the rotation axis AX1 and the rotation axis AX3 coincide with each other.

[0035] A cover W may also be provided on the transport vehicle 3. The cover W surrounds the transfer unit 18 and the articles M held therein. The cover W is open at its lower end and has a shape that cuts away the portion protruding from the movable plate of the slider 11. The upper end of the cover W is attached to the rotating member 12a of the second rotating unit 12 and rotates about the rotation axis AX1 as the rotating member 12a rotates.

[0036] The first traveling unit 20 includes traveling wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22. The traveling wheels 21 are located at the four corners of the top surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (first main body 10). Each traveling wheel 21 is attached to an axle provided on the first connecting portion 30. Each traveling wheel 21 is rotationally driven by the driving force of the traveling drive unit 33. Each traveling wheel 21 rolls on the grid-shaped rails R. The traveling wheels 21 roll on the running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a of the first rail R1, the second rail R2, and the intersection R3, respectively, to propel the transport vehicle 3. Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to rotating all four traveling wheels 21 by the driving force of the traveling drive unit 33; a configuration may also be employed in which only a portion of the four traveling wheels 21 is rotationally driven.

[0037] The traveling wheel 21 is configured to rotate in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2. The traveling wheel 21 is rotated in the θZ direction by the direction conversion mechanism 34, described later, thereby changing the traveling direction of the transport vehicle 3. Auxiliary wheels 22 are positioned one before and one after the traveling wheel 21. Like the traveling wheel 21, the auxiliary wheels 22 are rotatable about axes parallel or substantially parallel to the vehicle axles along the XY plane. The lower ends of the auxiliary wheels 22 are configured to be higher than the lower ends of the traveling wheels 21. Therefore, when the traveling wheel 21 travels on the traveling surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a, the auxiliary wheels 22 do not contact the traveling surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a.

[0038] Furthermore, when the running wheel 21 passes through the gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3, the auxiliary wheel 22 contacts the running surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a, thereby preventing the running wheel 21 from falling in. Furthermore, the arrangement of two auxiliary wheels 22, 22 on a single running wheel 21 is not limited thereto; for example, a single auxiliary wheel 22 may be provided on a single running wheel 21, or no auxiliary wheel 22 may be provided.

[0039] The first connecting portion 30 connects the upper unit 17 of the first main body 10 and the first traveling unit 20. The first connecting portion 30 is provided at each of the four corners of the top surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (first main body 10). The first main body 10 is suspended from the first traveling unit 20 by the first connecting portion 30 and is positioned below the grid-shaped rail R. The first connecting portion 30 includes a support member 31 and a connecting member 32. The support member 31 rotatably supports the rotation axis of the traveling wheel 21 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel 22. The support member 31 maintains the relative position of the traveling wheel 21 and the auxiliary wheel 22. The support member 31 is formed, for example, in a plate shape and has a thickness sufficient to fit through the gaps between the first rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second rail R2 and the intersection R3.

[0040] The connecting member 32 extends downward from the support member 31 and is connected to the top surface 17a of the upper unit 17, thereby holding the upper unit 17. The connecting member 32 internally includes a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the travel drive unit 33 (described later) to the travel wheels 21. This transmission mechanism may utilize a chain or belt, or a gear train. The connecting member 32 is configured to rotate in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2. Rotation of the connecting member 32 about the rotation axis AX2 allows the travel wheels 21 to rotate in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2 via the support member 31.

[0041] The first connecting portion 30 is provided with a travel drive unit 33 and a direction-changing mechanism 34. The travel drive unit 33 is mounted on the connecting member 32. The travel drive unit 33 is a drive source that drives the travel wheels 21 and is, for example, an electric motor. The four travel wheels 21 are driven by the travel drive unit 33. The four travel wheels 21 are controlled by the trolley controller 50 to rotate at the same number of revolutions per unit time.

[0042] The direction conversion mechanism 34 rotates the connecting member 32 of the first link 30 about the rotation axis AX2, thereby rotating the travel wheels 21 in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2. Rotating the travel wheels 21 in the θZ direction allows the vehicle 3 to switch from a first state in which the travel direction of the transport vehicle 3 is the X direction to a second state in which the travel direction is the Y direction, or vice versa. Rotation of the direction conversion mechanism 34 causes the travel wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22, located at the four corners of the top surface 17a, to rotate within a 90-degree range in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2.

[0043] The direction-changing mechanism 34 is driven by the vehicle controller 50. By rotating the travel wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22, the travel wheels 21 shift from contacting one of the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 to contacting the other. This allows switching between a first state in which the transport vehicle 3 travels in the X direction and a second state in which the transport vehicle 3 travels in the Y direction.

[0044] The transport vehicle 3 moves in the X direction by the first traveling portion 20 traveling on a pair of first rails R1 and R1 adjacent to the Y direction, and moves in the Y direction by the first traveling portion 20 traveling on a pair of second rails R2 and R2 adjacent to the X direction.

[0045] The transport vehicle 3 includes a position detection unit 38 for detecting position information. The position detection unit 38 detects the current position of the transport vehicle 3 by detecting position marks (not shown) indicating position information. The position detection unit 38 detects the position marks non-contact. The position marks are provided on the first rail R1 and the second rail R2 of the grid-shaped track R.

[0046] The trolley controller 50 centrally controls the transport vehicle 3. The trolley controller 50 is a computer comprised of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The trolley controller 50 can be configured as software executed by the CPU, such as by reading programs stored in the ROM and loading them into the RAM. The trolley controller 50 can also be configured as hardware comprised of electronic circuits, etc. While this embodiment illustrates an example in which the trolley controller 50 is located within the first main body 10, it may also be located externally to the first main body 10.

[0047] The trolley controller 50 controls the movement of the transporter 3 based on transport instructions. The trolley controller 50 controls the movement of the transporter 3 by controlling the travel drive unit 33, the direction change mechanism 34, and other mechanisms. The trolley controller 50 controls, for example, the travel speed, stopping, and direction change. The trolley controller 50 controls the transfer of the transporter 3 based on transport instructions. The trolley controller 50 controls the transfer of the transporter 3 by controlling the transfer unit 18 and other mechanisms. The trolley controller 50 controls the picking (collecting) of items M held by the holding unit 13 from predetermined loading ports P and outbound ports 65B, and the unloading (delivering) of items M held by the holding unit 13 to predetermined loading ports P and inbound ports 65A.

[0048] The trolley controller 50 controls the first traveling unit 20, the lifting drive unit 14, and the sliding unit 11, stopping them at a stop position (a specific stop position) between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B. The trolley controller 50 delivers the article M held by the holding unit 13 to the inbound port 65A and receives the article M placed on the outbound port 65B. When placing the article M on the first carrier 61A, the trolley controller 50 rotates the first rotating unit 16 so that the covered front surface Mb faces the second carrier 61B. When placing the article M on the second carrier 61B, the trolley controller 50 rotates the first rotating unit 16 so that the covered front surface Mb faces the first carrier 61A. Furthermore, when the article M is placed in front of each carrier and faces the front surface Mb as described above, the trolley controller 50 does not rotate the first rotating unit 16.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1, 5(A), and 5(B), the storage device 6 includes a storage 60 and a stacker crane 70 as described above. The storage 60 stores articles M transported by the transport vehicle 3. The storage 60 stores the articles M in a state where they are arranged horizontally and vertically. The storage 60 of this embodiment is composed of a first carrier 61A and a second carrier 61B, which are arranged across a travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70, which travels in the Y direction. The first carrier 61A and the second carrier 61B each have a loading section that can arrange five articles M horizontally and six articles M vertically in five rows and six layers. The loading section consists of an inbound port 65A, an outbound port 65B, and a storage section 65C.

[0050] The stacker crane 70 moves articles M placed on the first and second carriers 61A and 61B within the storage 60. In other words, the stacker crane 70 moves articles M back and forth between the loading sections of the first carrier 61A, between the loading sections of the second carrier 61B, and between the loading sections of the first and second carriers 61B.

[0051] The first and second carriers 61A and 61B each have a frame 62, a panel 63, and a mounting shelf 64. The frame 62 is a member extending in a single direction, arranged along the X, Y, and Z directions, and supports the panel 63 and mounting shelf 64. The panel 63 is a plate-shaped member that covers a portion of each of the first and second carriers 61A and 61B. In the first carrier 61A, with the side facing the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70 as the front, the panel 63 is located behind the first carrier 61A and on both sides of the first carrier 61A in the direction of travel (Y direction) of the stacker crane 70. In other words, the panel 63 forms the rear and side surfaces of the first carrier 61A. The panel 63 is also located in the same position on the second carrier 61B as on the first carrier 61A.

[0052] The loading rack 64 is a member for loading articles M and constitutes the loading area for the articles M. The loading rack 64 is configured to support the Y-direction ends and the X-direction rear end of the bottom surface of the articles M from below. In other words, the Y-direction ends and the rear end of the bottom surface of the articles M placed on the loading rack 64 are supported by the supporting member. The loading rack 64 is provided with a pin (positioning member) 66 for positioning the articles M. The pin 66 is a convex portion that engages with a concave portion or the like formed on the back surface of the articles M.

[0053] In this embodiment, the positioning member for positioning a single article M is composed of three pins 66, 66, and 66. When the article M is placed on the loading shelf 64 so as to engage with the three pins 66, 66, and 66, the front face Mb of the article M faces forward. Therefore, the article M stored on the first and second carriers 61A and 61B, which are arranged to face each other across the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70, is placed on the loading shelf 64 with its front faces Mb facing each other.

[0054] The loading shelf 64 is equipped with an inbound port 65A, which serves as a loading area for loading, an outbound port 65B, which serves as a loading area for unloading, and a storage area 65C, which serves as a dedicated storage area. The inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B are located on the top level of the carrier 61. In this embodiment, five inbound ports 65A are located on the top level of the first carrier 61A of one of the two carriers 61, and five outbound ports 65B are located on the top level of the second carrier 61B of the other carrier 61. The inbound ports 65A and the outbound ports 65B are located so as to face each other across the travel area A1 of the forklift 70 and the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3. Furthermore, at least one of the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B only needs to be located on the top level of the carrier 61. A plurality of storage sections 65C are arranged below the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B in the vertical direction (Z direction) and the horizontal direction (Y direction).

[0055] The stacker crane 70 includes a traveling unit 71, a tower 72, a lifting unit 73, a transfer unit 74, and a crane controller 78. The crane controller 78 is configured to be communicable with the system controller 5.

[0056] The traveling unit 71 is equipped with a traveling motor and a lifting motor (not shown). The traveling unit 71 has running wheels 71A and travels along a running track R4 laid on the ground. The traveling unit 71 travels by rolling the running wheels 71A on the running track R4. The running wheels 71A are driven by the traveling motor. The tower 72 is a vertically extending rectangular cylindrical member and is erected on the traveling unit 71. The lifting unit 73 is arranged to be raised and lowered along the extension direction of the tower 72. The lifting unit 73 is raised and lowered by the driving force generated by the lifting motor.

[0057] The transfer unit 74 is provided on the lifting unit 73 and is configured to be raised and lowered integrally with the lifting unit 73. The transfer unit 74 removes articles M from the loading shelf 64 and places them on the loading shelf 64. More specifically, the transfer unit 74 transports articles M back and forth between the loading port 65A and the storage unit 65C, between different storage units 65C, and between the storage unit 65C and the unloading port 65B. The transfer unit 74 is configured to support the articles M from below.

[0058] The transfer unit 74 moves the article M, supported at both ends in the Y direction, in and out from below near the center thereof via the loading shelf 64. The transfer unit 74 moves upward through the notch 64a of the loading shelf 64, supporting the article M from below and receiving the article M from the loading shelf 64. The transfer unit 74 moves the article M, supported at both ends in the Y direction, in and out from above the loading shelf 64. The transfer unit 74 moves downward through the notch 64a of the loading shelf 64, supporting the article M from below near the center thereof, and delivering the article M to the loading shelf 64.

[0059] The crane controller 78 moves the articles M within the storage 60 in response to commands from the system controller 5. For example, the crane controller 78 moves articles M stored at the inbound port 65A to a designated storage area 65C, or moves articles M stored at a designated storage area 65C to the outbound port 65B.

[0060] The system controller 5 centrally controls the plurality of transport vehicles 3 and the storage device 6. The system controller 5 is a computer composed of a CPU, ROM, and RAM. For example, the system controller 5 can be implemented as software, where a program stored in the ROM is loaded onto the RAM and executed by the CPU. Alternatively, the system controller 5 can be implemented as hardware, such as electronic circuits.

[0061] The system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, indicating the transport destination of the article M. In this embodiment, when the transport vehicle 3 is transporting an article M to or from the storage 60, the system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, specifying the transport destination as the inbound port 65A, located across the transport vehicle 3's travel area A2 from the outbound port 65B carrying the article M. In response to the transport command, the transport vehicle 3 travels along the rails R and moves to a stop position between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B. Once stopped, the transport vehicle 3 delivers the article M to the inbound port 65A and receives the article M from the outbound port 65B. Furthermore, the system controller 5 monitors the inventory status of the article M (the presence or absence of the article M on each loading section) based on periodic transport completion information transmitted from the trolley controller 50 and the crane controller 78.

[0062] Next, the operation of the transport vehicle 3 according to this embodiment when loading and unloading articles M into and out of the storage 60 will be described mainly using FIG. 7(A) to FIG. 10(B).

[0063] When the transport vehicle 3 transports an article M to or from the storage 60, the system controller 5 outputs a transport command to the transport vehicle 3, specifying the inbound port 65A, located across the transport vehicle 3's travel area A2 from the outbound port 65B carrying the article M, as the transport destination. Upon receiving this transport command, the transport vehicle 3, while holding the article M, stops at a stop position (a specific stop position) between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B, as shown in FIG7(A). Next, as shown in FIG7(B), the transport vehicle 3 drives the slider 11 and moves the holding portion 13 in the -X direction to above the inbound port 65A of the first carrier 61A. Next, as shown in FIG8(A), the transport vehicle 3 drives the lift drive 14 and lowers the holding portion 13, placing (delivering) the article M at the inbound port 65A.

[0064] Next, as shown in Figure 8(B), the transport vehicle 3 releases the grip of the article M held by the claw 13a and activates the lift drive 14, raising the holder 13 above the inbound port 65A. Next, as shown in Figure 9(A), the transport vehicle 3 activates the slide 11 and moves the holder 13 in the +X direction until it is above the outbound port 65B of the second carrier 61B. Next, as shown in Figure 9(B), the transport vehicle 3 activates the lift drive 14 and lowers the holder 13.

[0065] Next, as shown in Figure 10(A), the transport vehicle 3, while holding the article M with its claws 13a, drives the lift drive 14, raising the holding portion 13 above the inbound port 65B. This allows the transport vehicle 3 to receive the article M from the outbound port 65B. Next, as shown in Figure 10(B), the transport vehicle 3 drives the slider 11, moving the holding portion 13 in the -X direction to a predetermined position for transporting the article M while the transport vehicle 3 holds it. Subsequently, the transport vehicle 3 moves to the transport destination in accordance with commands from the system controller 5.

[0066] The effects of the transport vehicle system 1 according to the above embodiment will be described. In the transport vehicle system 1 according to the above embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 does not enter or exit the storage 60 by depositing an article M at the entry port 65A for entry and then moving to the exit port 65B for exiting the article M. Instead, the first traveling unit 20, the lifting drive unit 14, and the sliding unit 11 are controlled so that they stop at a specific stop position, then deliver the article M held by the holding unit 13 to the entry port 65A and receive the article M placed at the exit port 65B. This allows the entry of the article M into the storage 60 without the movement of the transport vehicle 3, and the exit of the article M from the storage 60. As a result, articles can be efficiently entered and exited between the transport vehicle 3 and the storage 60.

[0067] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment, the loading port 65A and the unloading port 65B are arranged so as to sandwich the transport vehicle 3's travel area A2 and the stacker crane 70's travel area A1 when viewed from above. Furthermore, the stop position (specific stop position) of the transport vehicle 3 when loading articles M into the storage 60 is set between the loading port 65A and the unloading port 65B. This allows articles M to be loaded and unloaded from the storage 60 by controlling the simple slider 11, which moves the articles M in a single direction.

[0068] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment, the storage 60 includes a first carrier 61A and a second carrier 61B, which are arranged to face each other across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 and the travel area A1 of the stacker crane 70 when viewed from above. An inbound port 65A is located on the first carrier 61A, and an outbound port 65B is located on the second carrier 61B. Furthermore, the stopping position (specific stopping position) of the transport vehicle 3 when storing articles M in the storage 60 is set between the inbound port 65A and the outbound port 65B. This allows articles M to be entered and exited from the storage 60 by controlling a simple slider 11 that moves the articles M in a single direction.

[0069] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 includes a first rotating portion 16 that rotates the holding portion 13 within a horizontal plane. This allows the first rotating portion 16 to rotate the holding portion 13, allowing the article M to be delivered or received in a predetermined position, even if the first and second carriers 61A, 61B, disposed opposite each other, are provided with pins 66 that position the articles M so that their front faces Mb face each other. Consequently, the storage device eliminates the need for a mechanism to adjust the orientation of the articles M when placed on the loading portion.

[0070] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above embodiment, the rails R are arranged in a grid pattern: a plurality of first rails R1 extending in the X direction, and second rails R2 extending in the Y direction, perpendicular to the X direction. The transport vehicle 3 moves in the X direction by running on a pair of first rails R1 and R1 adjacent to each other in the Y direction, using the first traveling unit 20. It also moves in the Y direction by running on a pair of second rails R2 and R2 adjacent to each other in the X direction. This configuration allows for more efficient loading and unloading of items M.

[0071] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment, since the system controller 5 outputs a transport instruction to the transport vehicle with the entry port 65A configured across the walking area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 relative to the exit port 65B in the state of carrying the article M as the transport target, the article M can be safely taken out from the exit port 65B after being put into the entry port 65A.

[0072] Although one embodiment has been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0073] While the above-described embodiment of the guided vehicle system 1 illustrates an example in which the guided vehicles 3 travel on a grid-like arrangement of rails R, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the rails R extend in a single direction, and the guided vehicles 3 may be configured as overhead hoist transfers (OHTs) that travel in the direction of the extended rails R. Even in this case, the first and second carriages 61A and 61B may be positioned across the guided vehicle 3's travel area A2, or positioned orthogonally to the guided vehicle 3's travel area A2, with the loading and unloading ports 65A and 65B positioned at specific stop positions across the rails R. Even in this case, the same advantages as those of the above-described embodiment can be achieved.

[0074] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment and modified example, the storage 60 is described as consisting of two carriers (a first carrier 61A and a second carrier 61B). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage 60 may be composed of a single carrier 61 or three or more carriers 61.

[0075] For example, when the storage 60 is composed of a single carrier 61, the carrier 61 can be positioned directly below the track R when viewed from above, or positioned so as to intersect the track R below the track R. "Positioned directly below the track R" means that when the transport vehicle 3 travels on a grid-shaped track R as in the above-described embodiment, the carrier 61 is positioned so that its extension direction coincides with (is parallel to) the extension direction of the first track R1 or the second track R2. Alternatively, when the transport vehicle 3 travels on a track R extending in a single direction as in the above-described modification, the carrier 61 is positioned so that its extension direction coincides with (is parallel to) the extension direction of the track R. In this case, for example, a location above the carrier 61 can be set as a specific stop position, and the loading port 65A and unloading port 65B can be set so as to sandwich this specific stop position when viewed from above.

[0076] Furthermore, the phrase "arranged below the rail R so as to intersect the rail R" means that, when the transport vehicle 3 travels on the grid-shaped rail R as in the above-described embodiment, the direction in which the carriage 61 extends is not aligned with (is not parallel to) the direction in which the first rail R1 or the second rail R2 extends. Furthermore, when the transport vehicle 3 travels along the rail R extending in a single direction as in the above-described modification, the direction in which the carriage 61 extends is not aligned with (is not parallel to) the direction in which the rail R extends. In this case, for example, the intersection of the carriage 61 and the rail R in a plan view can be set as a specific stop position, and the loading port 65A and the unloading port 65B can be set so as to be across from this specific stop position in a plan view.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment and modified example, the transport vehicle system 1 is described using an example in which the transport vehicle 3 places an article M in or out of the storage 60 while the slide 11 is driven to move the holding portion 13 horizontally from the first body 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the transport vehicle 3 may place an article M in the storage 60 by lowering the holding portion 13 directly downward without driving the slide 11, and only when the transport vehicle 3 removes an article M from the storage 60 may the holding portion 13 be moved horizontally from the first body 10. In other words, when the transport vehicle 3 places an article M in or out of the storage 60, either the placing or removal of the article M may be performed by lowering the holding portion 13 directly downward, rather than by driving the slide 11 to move the holding portion 13 horizontally from the first body 10.

[0078] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment and modified example, the system controller 5 is described as outputting a transport command to the transport vehicle 3 with the inbound port 65A, located across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3, from the outbound port 65B carrying the article M as the transport destination. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the system controller 5 may output a transport command to the transport vehicle 3 with the inbound port 65A as the transport destination and then control the stacker crane 70 to move the article M from another loading section to the outbound port 65B, located across the travel area A2 of the transport vehicle 3 from the inbound port 65A, the transport destination.

[0079] In the transport vehicle system 1 of the above-described embodiment and modified example, the carrier 61 is arranged uniformly in the extending direction (X or Y direction) of the rail R. However, the carrier 61 may be arranged tilted (at an angle) relative to the extending direction of the rail R. Even in this case, the transport vehicle 3 can place the article M on the placement portion formed on the carrier 61 by driving the second rotating portion 12.

[0080] 1: Transporter system 3: Truck 5: System Controller 6: Storage device 11: Sliding part 13: Maintaining part 14: Lifting drive unit 16: First rotating part (rotating part) 18: Transfer Department 20: First walking part (walking part) 50: Trolley controller (trolley control unit) 60: Storage 61:Carrier 61A: First carrier 61B: Second carrier 64: Loading scaffolding 65A: Storage port (first loading part) 65B: Outbound port (second loading section) 65C: Storage Department 66: Pin (positioning member) 70: Stacker crane (transfer device) M:Item Ma: flange Mb: front (first end) Mc: Back side (second end) R: Grid track (track) R1: First track R2: Second track

Claims

1. A transport vehicle system comprising: a transport vehicle that travels on a track installed on the ceiling of a building and transports items; and a storage device for storing the items, wherein the transport vehicle includes: a traveling part that travels on the track; a holding part for holding the items; a lifting drive part that raises and lowers the holding part relative to the traveling part; a sliding part that moves the holding part and the lifting drive part horizontally relative to the traveling part; a transport vehicle control part for controlling the transport vehicle; and a rotating part that rotates the holding part in a horizontal plane; wherein the storage device includes: a storage compartment having a rack with a plurality of placement parts arranged vertically and horizontally; and a transfer device for receiving and transferring the items to the plurality of placement parts; wherein among the plurality of placement parts arranged on the uppermost layer of the rack, at least one first placement part for receiving items and at least one second placement part for receiving items are provided. The aforementioned transport vehicle control unit controls the aforementioned traveling unit, the aforementioned lifting drive unit, and the aforementioned sliding unit, so that when stopped at a specific stop position, it delivers the aforementioned item held by the aforementioned holding unit to the aforementioned first placement unit, and receives the aforementioned item placed on the aforementioned second placement unit. The aforementioned storage unit has a first rack and a second rack, which are arranged to face each other across the aforementioned transport vehicle's traveling area from a top-down view. The aforementioned first placement unit is located on the aforementioned first rack, and the aforementioned second placement unit is located on the aforementioned second rack. The aforementioned specific stop position is set between the aforementioned first placement unit and the aforementioned second placement unit from the aforementioned top-down view. The aforementioned item has: a first end, which is an end in one of a single direction; and a second end, which is an end in the other of the aforementioned single direction and has a different shape from the aforementioned first end. A positioning member is provided at the aforementioned placement unit of the aforementioned rack, which positions the aforementioned item so that the aforementioned first ends of the aforementioned item placed on the opposing racks face each other. When the aforementioned transport vehicle control unit places the aforementioned item on the aforementioned first placement unit, it causes the aforementioned rotating part to rotate so that the aforementioned first end faces the aforementioned second carrier.

2. The transport vehicle system as described in claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned track is arranged in a grid pattern as follows: a plurality of first tracks extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the aforementioned first direction; and second tracks extending in the aforementioned second direction and arranged in the aforementioned first direction. The aforementioned transport vehicle moves in the aforementioned first direction by traveling on a pair of the aforementioned first tracks adjacent to the aforementioned second direction, and moves in the aforementioned second direction by traveling on a pair of the aforementioned second tracks adjacent to the aforementioned first direction.

3. The transport vehicle system as described in request item 1 or 2, wherein, Furthermore, it includes a system controller that outputs a transport instruction indicating the transport target of the aforementioned items to the aforementioned transport vehicle. The aforementioned system controller outputs the aforementioned transport instruction to the aforementioned transport vehicle, and the transport instruction takes the aforementioned first loading unit, which is arranged across the aforementioned travel area from the aforementioned second loading unit in the state of loading the aforementioned items, as the transport target.

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