Conveyor system

Abstract

The conveying system of the present invention includes a plurality of conveyor carts, a transfer track, a loading unit, and a controller. The transfer track includes a plurality of internal tracks and a connecting track connecting the plurality of internal tracks. Each of the plurality of internal tracks includes an entrance area for entering the internal track and an exit area for exiting the internal track. The loading unit includes a first loading unit and a second loading unit. When the controller conveys items from the first loading unit, if at least one of the entrance and exit areas of the first internal track experiences a predetermined level of or higher access restriction, it utilizes the plurality of conveyor carts to perform the conveying of items from the first loading unit to the second loading unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One aspect of this invention relates to a conveying system. Prior Art

[0002] As a technology related to a transport system, such as the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, it includes a plurality of unmanned transport vehicles (transport vehicles) that move and transport items on a transport track, stations for loading items, and a controller for controlling the plurality of unmanned transport vehicles. In this transport system, the transport track has a plurality of intra-area tracks (so-called intra-area tracks) and connecting tracks (so-called inter-area tracks) that connect the plurality of intra-area tracks. The unmanned transport vehicles, for example, transport items from a station along one intra-area track to a station along another intra-area track via the connecting tracks. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-36867 Summary of the Invention

[0004] (Problems that the invention aims to solve)

[0005] In the conveying system described above, malfunctions or stagnation may occur in the entrance area for entering the track within the section and the exit area for exiting the track within the section. In such cases, it may obstruct the passage between the track within the section and the track within another section, thereby reducing the efficiency of transporting goods.

[0006] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a conveying system that can improve the efficiency of conveying items. (Technical means to solve the problem)

[0007] (1) A conveying system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of conveying vehicles for conveying items, a transfer track for the conveying vehicles to move, a loading section for loading items, and a controller for controlling the plurality of conveying vehicles; wherein, the transfer track has a plurality of intra-interval tracks and a connecting track connecting the plurality of intra-interval tracks; each of the plurality of intra-interval tracks includes an entrance area for entering the intra-interval track and an exit area for exiting the intra-interval track; the loading section includes: a first loading section, which is a loading section for the conveying vehicles existing in the first intra-interval track of the plurality of intra-interval tracks to load items; The second loading section is a loading section for transporting items by a transport vehicle existing in the track of the first section, and for transporting items by a transport vehicle existing in the track of the second section among a plurality of track sections; the controller system is used to perform the transport of items from the first loading section to the second loading section, or the transport of items from the second loading section to the first loading section, when at least one of the entrance area and exit area of ​​the track of the first section has a traffic restriction of a predetermined level or higher, when the traffic restriction occurs, by using a plurality of transport vehicles.

[0008] In this transport system, even when access is restricted to at least one of the entrance and exit areas of the first section track (hereinafter referred to as "access restriction"), items can be smoothly transported from and to the first section track via the second loading section. This improves item transport efficiency.

[0009] (2) In the conveying system described in (1) above, when there is a passage restriction, the controller may divide and distribute the conveying instructions for conveying items from the first loading unit to the second loading unit, or the conveying instructions for conveying items from the second loading unit to the first loading unit, into a plurality of conveyor vehicles. In this case, the smooth conveying of items under passage restriction can be specifically achieved.

[0010] (3) In the conveying system described in (1) or (2) above, when there is a passage restriction, the controller may assign a conveying instruction for conveying items from the first loading section to the second loading section on the track within the first section, and assign a conveying instruction for conveying items from the second loading section to the conveying vehicle outside the track within the first section, when there is a passage restriction on the track within the first section. In this case, when there is a passage restriction on the track within the first section, multiple conveying instructions may be assigned to different conveying vehicles, thereby enabling the conveying of items from the first loading section.

[0011] (4) In the conveying system described in any of (1) to (3) above, when a passage restriction exists, the controller may assign a conveying instruction to convey an item to the second loading unit to a conveyor car located outside the track within the first section, and assign a conveying instruction to convey an item from the second loading unit to the first loading unit to a conveyor car located on the track within the first section, when there is a passage restriction on the track within the first section. In this case, when there is a passage restriction on the track within the first section, multiple conveying instructions may be assigned to different conveyor cars, thereby enabling the conveying of items to the first loading unit.

[0012] (5) In the transport system described in any one of (1) to (4) above, a plurality of intra-zone rails may be arranged side by side in one direction, and a first intra-zone rail may be adjacent to a second intra-zone rail. In this case, the article may be transported between the first intra-zone rail and the second intra-zone rail arranged adjacent to each other in one direction via the second loading portion.

[0013] (6) In the conveying system described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the conveyor has a transfer device comprising an article holding part, a lifting drive part for raising and lowering the article holding part, and a lateral extension mechanism for sliding the lifting drive part in the horizontal direction. The lateral extension mechanism is used to slide the lifting drive part and the article holding part to transfer articles between them and the second placement part. In this case, articles can be transferred between the placement part that is horizontally separated from the track within the interval.

[0014] (7) In the transport system described in any one of (1) to (6) above, the travel track may be a grid-shaped track. In this case, a so-called grid system can be formed. This makes it easy to freely select the travel path of the transport vehicle and can prevent stagnation, thereby further improving transport efficiency.

[0015] (8) In the conveying system described in (7) above, the entrance area corresponds to the grid cell of the track within the first section that is passed when entering the track within the first section, and the exit area corresponds to the grid cell of the track within the first section that is passed when exiting the track within the first section. The controller determines the level of passage restriction based on the ratio of the number of usable grid cells corresponding to the entrance area to the total number of grid cells corresponding to the entrance area, and the ratio of the number of usable grid cells corresponding to the exit area to the total number of grid cells corresponding to the exit area. In this case, it can specifically determine whether the track within the first section of the grid system is under passage restriction.

[0016] (9) In the transport system described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the loading section includes a third loading section, which is a loading section for a transport vehicle existing in the second section track to transfer articles, and a transport vehicle existing in the third section track among the plurality of section tracks to transfer articles; the controller is configured to use a plurality of transport vehicles to perform the transport of articles from the first loading section via the second loading section and the third loading section, or to transport articles via the second loading section and the third loading section to the first loading section when there is a traffic restriction and a traffic restriction of a predetermined level or higher is generated in at least one of the entrance area and the exit area of ​​the second section track when transporting articles from the first loading section or to the first loading section. This is also acceptable. In this case, even if there are traffic restrictions on the first section rail and the second section rail, the items can be transported via the second loading section and the third loading section.

[0017] (10) In the transport system described in any one of (1) to (9) above, when transporting articles from or to the first loading section, the controller implements the following entry and exit restriction processing when there is a traffic restriction, that is, restricting the entry and exit of the transport vehicles toward the track in the first section so that the number of transport vehicles present on the track in the first section approaches a predetermined number, and after implementing the entry and exit restriction processing, it is also possible to use a plurality of transport vehicles to perform transport of the articles from the first loading section via the second loading section, or to transport the articles via the second loading section to the first loading section. In this way, it is possible to transport the articles from the first loading section via the second loading section, or to transport the articles via the second loading section to the first loading section, after controlling the number of transport vehicles present on the track in the first section.

[0018] (11) In the transport system described in any one of (1) to (10) above, the first section rail includes a transfer rail extending so as to be adjacent to the second section rail when viewed from above, and the second section rail includes a transfer rail extending so as to be adjacent to the first section rail when viewed from above, and the second loading portion is a loading portion for a transport vehicle located on the transfer rail of the first section rail to transfer articles, and a transport vehicle located on the transfer rail of the second section rail to transfer articles. In this case, the emergency rail of the first section rail and the second section rail is used to transport articles between the first section rail and the second section rail via the second loading portion. (Compared with the efficacy of previous technologies)

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, a conveying system is provided that can improve the efficiency of transporting articles. Simple diagram description

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic top view showing one example of a conveying system in an implementation configuration. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the conveying system in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the transport vehicle in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side view of the transport vehicle shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the composition of the conveying system in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the buffer zone used for the intersection of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating one example of the processing in the conveying system shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 is a schematic top view used to illustrate one example of the processing in the conveying system of Figure 1. Figure 9 is another schematic top view used to illustrate one example of the processing in the conveying system of Figure 1. Figure 10 is a schematic top view used to illustrate another process in the conveying system of Figure 1. Implementation Method

[0021] The following description of the embodiments is based on the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are marked with the same symbols, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of the conveying system SYS. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the conveying system SYS. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the conveying vehicle V. Figure 4 is a side view of the conveying vehicle V. Figure 5 is a block diagram of the conveying system SYS in Figure 1. Hereinafter, the direction along the horizontal plane will be defined as the X direction, the direction orthogonal to the X direction and along the horizontal plane will be defined as the Y direction, and the vertical direction will be defined as the Z direction.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport system SYS is a grid system used, for example, in a cleanroom of a semiconductor manufacturing plant, to transport items M using transport carts V. The transport system SYS includes a plurality of transport carts V, guide rails (transfer tracks) R for the movement of the plurality of transport carts V, and a loading section 9 for carrying items M. The transport carts V move along the guide rails R of the transport system SYS. The guide rails R are the travel paths of the transport carts V. The transport carts V move along the guide rails R of the transport system SYS to transport items M such as front-opening unified pods (FOUPs) containing semiconductor wafers or photomask pods (Pods) containing photomasks. The transport carts V are sometimes called overhead transport carts, transfer transport carts, or transfer carts.

[0024] Guide rails R are installed on or near the ceiling of buildings such as cleanrooms. Guide rail R is an example of a transfer track configuration. Guide rail R is a grid-like track arranged in a grid pattern when viewed from above. Guide rail R extends horizontally and is suspended. Guide rail R is a grid-like track having a plurality of first guide rails R1, a plurality of second guide rails R2, and a plurality of intersections R3.

[0025] A plurality of first guide rails R1 extend along the X direction. A plurality of second guide rails R2 extend along the Y direction. Viewed from above, the guide rails R are formed in a grid pattern by the plurality of first guide rails R1 and the plurality of second guide rails R2. The guide rails R form a plurality of squares by the plurality of first guide rails R1 and the plurality of second guide rails R2. An intersection R3 is located at the point corresponding to the intersection of the first guide rails R1 and the second guide rails R2. The intersection R3 is adjacent to the first guide rail R1 in the X direction and adjacent to the second guide rail R2 in the Y direction. The intersection R3 connects the first guide rails R1 and the second guide rails R2, connecting the first guide rails R1 to each other and connecting the second guide rails R2 to each other.

[0026] The guide rail R is formed by arranging a plurality of first guide rails R1 and a plurality of second guide rails R2 in orthogonal directions, resulting in a plurality of adjacent grid cells 2 when viewed from above. One grid cell 2 is equivalent to one square, which is a rectangular area enclosed by two adjacent first guide rails R1 in the Y direction and two adjacent second guide rails R2 in the X direction when viewed from above. Furthermore, Figure 2 shows a portion of the guide rail R, and the guide rail R can also be formed with the same configuration continuously in the X and Y directions, starting from the configuration shown in the figure.

[0027] The first guide rail R1, the second guide rail R2, and the intersection R3 are suspended from a ceiling (not shown) by a suspension member H. The suspension member H includes a first portion H1 for suspending the first guide rail R1, a second portion H2 for suspending the second guide 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.

[0028] The first guide rail R1, the second guide rail R2, and the intersection R3 each have a transfer surface R1a, R2a, and R3a for the transfer wheels 21 of the transport vehicle V to move. Gaps are formed between the first guide rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second guide rail R2 and the intersection R3. These gaps are for a portion of the transport vehicle V, i.e., the connecting part 30, to pass through when the transport vehicle V moves across the second guide rail R2 while moving on the first guide rail R1, or when it moves across the first guide rail R1 while moving on the second guide rail R2. Therefore, the gaps between the first guide rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second guide rail R2 and the intersection R3, are set to a width that allows the connecting part 30 to pass through. The first guide rail R1, the second guide rail R2, and the intersection R3 are arranged along the same horizontal plane.

[0029] The transport system SYS includes a communication system (not shown). The communication system is used for communication between the transport vehicle V and the system controller 5. The transport vehicle V and the system controller 5 are communicably connected via the communication system.

[0030] The following describes the structure of the transport vehicle V. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the transport vehicle V is configured to be movable along a guide rail R. The transport vehicle V includes a main body 10, a moving portion 20, a connecting portion 30, and a transport vehicle controller 50.

[0031] The main body 10 is positioned below the guide rail R. The main body 10 is, for example, rectangular in plan view. The main body 10 is sized to fall within a single grid cell 2 (see Figure 2) within the guide rail R in plan view. Therefore, it ensures sufficient space to pass another transport vehicle V moving on the adjacent first guide rail R1 or second guide rail R2. The main body 10 includes an upper unit 17 and a transfer device 18. The upper unit 17 is suspended from the transfer unit 20 via a connecting portion 30. The upper unit 17 is, for example, rectangular in plan view, and has four corners on its upper surface 17a.

[0032] Each of the four corners of the main body 10 has a transfer wheel 21, a connecting part 30, and a direction conversion mechanism 34. In this configuration, the transfer wheels 21 arranged at the four corners of the main body 10 can stably suspend the main body 10 and make the main body 10 move stably.

[0033] The transfer device 18 moves horizontally relative to the travel section 20, transferring articles to and from the loading section 9. The transfer device 18 is located below the upper unit 17 and is rotatable about a rotation axis AX1 in the Z direction. The transfer device 18 includes an article holder 13 that holds an article M below the guide rail R, a lift drive 14 that vertically raises and lowers the article holder 13, a lateral extension mechanism 11 that horizontally slides the lift drive 14, and a rotating unit 12 that supports the lateral extension mechanism 11.

[0034] The item holding part 13 suspends and holds the item M by gripping the flange part Ma of the item M. The item holding part 13 is, for example, a chuck with a claw part 13a that can move in the horizontal direction. By moving the claw part 13a under the flange part Ma of the item M, the item holding part 13 is raised, thereby holding the item M. The item holding part 13 is connected to a suspension member 13b such as a line or belt.

[0035] The lifting drive unit 14, for example, is a crane. It lowers the item holding section 13 by extending the suspension member 13b and raises the item holding section 13 by retracting the suspension member 13b. The lifting drive unit 14 is controlled by the transport vehicle controller 50 to lower or raise the item holding section 13 at a predetermined speed. Furthermore, the lifting drive unit 14, controlled by the transport vehicle controller 50, holds the item holding section 13 at a target height.

[0036] The lateral extension mechanism 11 has, for example, a plurality of movable plates arranged overlapping in the Z direction. A lifting drive unit 14 is mounted on the lowest movable plate. In the lateral extension mechanism 11, the movable plates move in the horizontal plane in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the transport vehicle V, and the lifting drive unit 14 and the item holding unit 13 mounted on the lowest movable plate extend laterally (slide) in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the transport vehicle V.

[0037] The rotating portion 12 is disposed between the lateral extension mechanism 11 and the upper unit 17. The rotating portion 12 includes a rotating member 12a and a rotating drive portion 12b. The rotating member 12a is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis in the Z direction. The rotating member 12a supports the lateral extension mechanism 11. The rotating drive portion 12b, for example, uses an electric motor to rotate the rotating member 12a about the rotation axis AX1. The rotating portion 12 can rotate the rotating member 12a using the driving force from the rotating drive portion 12b, thereby rotating the lateral extension mechanism 11 (the lifting drive portion 14 and the article holding portion 13) about the rotation axis AX1. The transport vehicle V can transfer articles M to the loading portion 9 using the transfer device 18.

[0038] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a cover W can also be provided on the transport vehicle V. The cover W surrounds the transfer device 18 and the item M held by the transfer device 18. The cover W is a cylindrical shape with an open lower end, and has a shape in which the portion protruding from the movable plate of the lateral extension mechanism 11 is cut off. The cover W is mounted on the rotating member 12a of the rotating part 12 at its upper end, and rotates about the rotation axis AX1 along with the rotation of the rotating member 12a.

[0039] The transport unit 20 includes transport wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22. The transport wheels 21 are located at the four corners of the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (main body 10). Each transport wheel 21 is mounted on an axle provided on the connecting portion 30. Each transport wheel 21 is rotationally driven by the driving force of the transport drive unit 33. Each transport wheel 21 rolls on the guide rails R. Each transport wheel 21 rolls on the transport surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a of the first guide rail R1, the second guide rail R2, and the intersection R3, thereby moving the transport vehicle V. Furthermore, the transport wheels 21 are not limited to being rotationally driven by the driving force of the transport drive unit 33; a configuration in which only a portion of the four transport wheels 21 is rotationally driven may also be employed.

[0040] The transfer wheel 21 is configured to rotate in the θZ direction with the rotation axis AX2 as the center. The transfer wheel 21 rotates in the θZ direction via the direction-changing mechanism 34, thereby changing the travel direction of the transport vehicle V. One auxiliary wheel 22 is arranged before and after the transfer wheel 21 in the travel direction. Each auxiliary wheel 22, like the transfer wheel 21, can rotate about an axle parallel or substantially parallel to the XY plane. The lower end of the auxiliary wheel 22 is positioned higher than the lower end of the transfer wheel 21. Therefore, when the transfer wheel 21 moves on the transfer surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a, the auxiliary wheel 22 does not contact the transfer surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a. Furthermore, when the transferring wheel 21 passes through the gaps between the first guide rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second guide rail R2 and the intersection R3, the auxiliary wheel 22 contacts the transferring surfaces R1a, R2a, and R3a, thereby preventing the transferring wheel 21 from falling in. Moreover, it is not limited to providing two auxiliary wheels 22 for one transferring wheel 21; for example, it may also provide one auxiliary wheel 22 for one transferring wheel 21, or it may not provide any auxiliary wheels 22.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 30 connects the upper unit 17 of the main body 10 to the transfer portion 20. The connecting portion 30 is provided at the four corners of the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17 (main body 10). Through the connecting portion 30, the main body 10 is suspended from the transfer portion 20 and is positioned below the guide rail R. The connecting portion 30 has a support member 31 and a connecting member 32. The support member 31 rotatably supports the rotation axis of the transfer wheel 21 and the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel 22. The support member 31 maintains the relative position of the transfer wheel 21 and the auxiliary wheel 22. The support member 31 is, for example, formed as a plate and is formed to allow the gaps between the first guide rail R1 and the intersection R3, and between the second guide rail R2 and the intersection R3 to pass through.

[0042] The connecting member 32 extends downward from the supporting member 31 and connects to the upper surface 17a of the upper unit 17, thus holding the upper unit 17 in place. The connecting member 32 internally includes a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the following transfer drive unit 33 to the transfer wheel 21. This transmission mechanism can be constructed using a chain or belt, or it can be constructed using a gear train. The connecting member 32 is configured to rotate in the θZ direction around the rotation axis AX2. By rotating the connecting member 32 around the rotation axis AX2, the transfer wheel 21 can rotate in the θZ direction around the rotation axis AX2 via the supporting member 31.

[0043] A transfer drive unit 33 and a direction conversion mechanism 34 are provided in the connecting part 30 (see Figure 3). The transfer drive unit 33 is mounted on the connecting member 32. The transfer drive unit 33 is the drive source for driving the transfer wheels 21, such as using an electric motor. The four transfer wheels 21 are drive wheels driven by the transfer drive unit 33 respectively. The four transfer wheels 21 are controlled by the transport vehicle controller 50 to rotate at the same rate.

[0044] The direction conversion mechanism 34 rotates the connecting member 32 of the coupling portion 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 enables the transport vehicle V to steer (from a first state in which the travel direction is in the X direction to a second state in which the travel direction is in the Y direction, or from the second state in which the travel direction is in the Y direction to the first state in which the travel direction is in the X direction). The rotation of the direction conversion mechanism 34 causes the travel wheels 21 and auxiliary wheels 22, located at the four corners of the upper surface 17a, to rotate within a 90-degree range in the θZ direction about the rotation axis AX2. The drive of the direction conversion mechanism 34 is controlled by the transport vehicle controller 50. By rotating the transfer wheel 21 and the auxiliary wheel 22, the transfer wheel 21 changes from contacting one of the first guide rail R1 and the second guide rail R2 to contacting the other. Therefore, it can switch between a first state where the transfer direction of the transport vehicle V is X-direction and a second state where it is Y-direction, that is, it can turn the transport vehicle V.

[0045] The transport vehicle controller 50 comprehensively controls the transport vehicle V. The transport vehicle controller 50 is a computer including a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM). The transport vehicle controller 50 is configured as software that loads a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and is executed by the CPU. The transport vehicle controller 50 can also be configured as hardware using electronic circuits. The transport vehicle controller 50 can be composed of one device or a plurality of devices. When composed of a plurality of devices, they are connected via a communication network such as the Internet or an intranet, thereby logically constructing a transport vehicle controller 50. In this embodiment, the transport vehicle controller 50 is provided in the main body 10 (see FIG. 4 ), but can also be provided outside the main body 10.

[0046] The transport vehicle controller 50 controls the movement of the transport vehicle V according to the transport command. The transport vehicle controller 50 controls the movement of the transport vehicle V by controlling the transport drive unit 33, the direction changing mechanism 34, etc. The transport vehicle controller 50 controls, for example, the transport speed, actions related to stopping, and actions related to direction changing.

[0047] The transport vehicle controller 50 controls the transfer action of the transport vehicle V according to the transport instructions. The transport vehicle controller 50 controls the transfer action of the transport vehicle V by controlling the transfer device 18, etc. The transport vehicle controller 50 controls the gripping action of the item M placed on the loading section 9 and the unloading action of unloading the held item M onto the loading section 9. The transport vehicle controller 50 periodically generates and updates status information (not shown). The status information is stored in the memory unit 51. The transport vehicle controller 50 sends status information to the system controller 5. The status information includes, for example, information on the current position of the transport vehicle V, information indicating the current status of the transport vehicle V (normal or abnormal), the charge level of the transport vehicle V, and information related to the execution status (in execution, execution completed, execution failed) of the transport vehicle V in response to various instructions such as the transport instructions.

[0048] System controller 5 is a computer including a CPU, ROM, and RAM. System controller 5 can be configured as software that loads, for example, a program stored in ROM into RAM and executes it via the CPU. System controller 5 can also be configured using hardware such as electronic circuits. System controller 5 can be composed of a single device or multiple devices. When composed of multiple devices, they are connected via communication networks such as the Internet or intranets, thereby logically constructing a system controller 5. At least some of the various controls of system controller 5 can be executed using the transport vehicle controller 50.

[0049] System controller 5 controls a plurality of transport vehicles V. System controller 5 selects any one of the plurality of transport vehicles V that can transport items M, and assigns transport instructions to the selected transport vehicle V. Transport instructions include movement instructions to execute the movement of the transport vehicle V, and instructions to grab the items M disposed on the loading unit 9 or to unload the held items M to the loading unit 9.

[0050] The loading section 9 is where the articles M are loaded. The loading section 9 has a loading port 91. The loading port 91 is used to transfer the articles M to and from semiconductor processing equipment (not shown), such as exposure equipment, cleaning equipment, film forming equipment, lithography equipment, etching equipment, thermal processing equipment, and planarization equipment. The processing equipment is not particularly limited and can be a variety of equipment. The loading port 91 is, for example, located below the guide rails R and along the guide rails R. The loading port 91 can also be used to transfer the articles M to and from a storage facility (automatic warehouse) or the like where the articles M are stored.

[0051] Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG1 , the guide rail R includes a plurality of intra-zone guide rails (inter-zone rails) RX and an inter-zone guide rail (connecting rail) RY connecting the plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX. The plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX are independently provided. The plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX are configured so as not to be directly connected to each other. Each of the plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX includes a group of grid cells 2 (see FIG2 ). Each of the plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX includes an entrance area IA for entering the intra-zone guide rail RX and an exit area OA for exiting the intra-zone guide rail RX.

[0052] The entrance area IA is composed of one grid cell 2 in the intra-area guide rail RX that is connected to the section guide rail RY. That is, the entrance area IA corresponds to the grid cell 2 of the intra-area guide rail RX that is passed through when entering the intra-area guide rail RX. The exit area OA is composed of one grid cell 2 in the intra-area guide rail RX that is different from the entrance area IA and is connected to the section guide rail RY. That is, the exit area OA corresponds to the grid cell 2 of the intra-area guide rail RX that is passed through when exiting the intra-area guide rail RX. In each intra-area guide rail RX, the transport vehicle V can enter from the entrance area IA, move within the intra-area guide rail RX, and then exit from the exit area OA. The plurality of intra-area guide rails RX are not directly connected to each other, but are connected via the section guide rail RY. The section guide rail RY extends along the X direction. The section guide rail RY includes a group of grid cells 2.

[0053] A plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX are arranged side by side in one direction (here, the X direction). The plurality of intra-zone guide rails RX are configured to include at least a first intra-zone guide rail RX1, a second intra-zone guide rail RX2, and a third intra-zone guide rail RX3. The first intra-zone guide rail RX1, the second intra-zone guide rail RX2, and the third intra-zone guide rail RX3 are spaced apart from each other and arranged side by side in the X direction. The first intra-zone guide rail RX1 is adjacent to (contiguous with) the second intra-zone guide rail RX2, and the first intra-zone guide rail RX1 is adjacent to (contiguous with) the third intra-zone guide rail RX3.

[0054] The first zone guide rail RX1 includes a handover guide rail Q1a that extends close to the second zone guide rail RX2 when viewed from above. The first zone guide rail RX1 also includes a handover guide rail Q1b that extends close to the third zone guide rail RX3 when viewed from above. These handover guide rails (handover tracks) Q1a and Q1b are formed by arranging grid cells 2 connected in the X direction and 2 connected in the Y direction. The handover guide rails Q1a and Q1b are located directly above the processing device. The handover guide rails Q1a and Q1b are tracks used during emergency situations.

[0055] The guide rail RX2 in zone 2 includes a handover guide rail (handover track) Q2a that extends close to the guide rail RX1 in zone 1 when viewed from above. The handover guide rail Q2a is formed by arranging grid cells 2 connected in the X direction and 2 connected in the Y direction. The handover guide rail Q2a and the handover guide rail Q1a extend opposite each other in the X direction. The handover guide rail Q2a is located directly above the processing device. The handover guide rail Q2a is a track used during emergency situations. The guide rail RX3 in zone 3 includes a handover guide rail (handover track) Q3a that extends close to the guide rail RX1 in zone 1 when viewed from above. The handover guide rail Q3a is formed by arranging grid cells 2 connected in the X direction and 2 connected in the Y direction. The handover guide rail Q3a and the handover guide rail Q1b extend opposite each other in the X direction. The handover guide rail Q3a is located directly above the processing unit. The handover guide rail Q3a is a rail used during emergency situations.

[0056] In this embodiment, the loading unit 9 has a loading port 91 as described above. The loading port 91 includes a first loading port 91a for the transport vehicle V, which is located on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, to transfer the item M; a second loading port 91b for the transport vehicle V, which is located on the guide rail RX2 in the second zone, to transfer the item M; and a third loading port 91c for the transport vehicle V, which is located on the guide rail RX3 in the third zone, to transfer the item M.

[0057] The loading section 9 further includes a transfer buffer 92. The transfer buffer 92 is a loading section for temporarily loading the item M. In top view, the transfer buffer 92 is positioned between the transfer rail Q1a of the first guide rail RX1 and the transfer rail Q2a of the second guide rail RX2. Also, in top view, the transfer buffer 92 is positioned between the transfer rail Q1b of the first guide rail RX1 and the transfer rail Q3a of the third guide rail RX3. The transfer buffer 92 between the first guide rail RX1 and the second guide rail RX2 is a loading section for the transfer vehicle V located on the first guide rail RX1 to move the item M, and also for the transfer vehicle V located on the second guide rail RX2 to move the item M. The buffer zone 92 between the guide rail RX1 in zone 1 and the guide rail RX3 in zone 3 is a place for the transport vehicle V in zone 1 to transfer items M and for the transport vehicle V in zone 3 to transfer items M.

[0058] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the handover buffer zone 92. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the handover buffer zone 92 is an overhead buffer zone (OHB). For the handover buffer zone 92, the transport vehicle V can move items M in the X and Z directions. Each handover buffer zone 92 has, for example, a base frame 910 suspended from the top wall, and a shelf section 920 mounted on the base frame 910 and suspended below it. The shelf section 920 can, for example, hold multiple items M. In the illustrated example, the shelf section 920 can hold two items M side-by-side in the Y direction. The shelf section 920, viewed from above, is positioned within the area corresponding to two grid cells 2 (see Figure 2) connected and arranged in the Y direction. Here, the shelf section 920 is freely movable upwards relative to the base frame 910.

[0059] The base frame 910 has two pairs of support columns 911 arranged apart in the Y direction and extending in the Z direction, two long strips 914 erected between the two pairs of support columns 911 in the Y direction, and a horizontal frame 912 erected between the upper ends of each pair of support columns 911 and extending in the X direction. The frame section 920 has two pairs of support columns 923 arranged apart in the Y direction and extending in the Z direction, and a lower frame 921 fixed to the lower ends of the two pairs of support columns 923 to form a plurality of mounting surfaces. A fall arrestor 927 is erected between the lower ends of the two support columns 923 arranged apart in the Y direction.

[0060] Within the buffer zone 92, the support column 923 slides vertically relative to the base frame 910. The base frame 910 is fixed to the lower end of each support column 911 and has a guide portion 916 fixed thereon. Each guide portion 916 is U-shaped, with the lower end of the support column 911 embedded in the open portion of the U. Each guide portion 916 has a through hole 917 extending in the Z direction. Each support column 923 of the frame 920 is inserted into the through hole 917 of the guide portion 916, its movement in the X and Y directions is restricted by the guide portion 916, and it is guided to slide in the Z direction. For example, the upper ends of the support columns 911 and 923 can also be fixed by bolts or the like.

[0061] As shown in Figure 1, when the system controller 5 is transferring item M from or to the first loading port 91a, if at least one of the inlet area IA and outlet area OA of the guide rail RX1 in the first zone generates a passage restriction of a predetermined level or higher (hereinafter also referred to as "passage restriction"), the transfer command for transferring item M from the first loading port 91a to the first loading port 91a via the handover buffer 92, or the transfer command for transferring item M to the first loading port 91a via the handover buffer 92, is divided and distributed to a plurality of transport vehicles V. Furthermore, in this case, the guide rail RX1 in the first zone corresponds to the track in the first section, the guide rails RX2 and RX3 in the second or third zone correspond to the track in the second section, the first loading port 91a corresponds to the first placement unit, and the handover buffer 92 corresponds to the second placement unit.

[0062] System controller 5 determines the level of access restriction for guide rail RX1 in zone 1 based on the following ratios: the ratio of the number of usable grid cells 2 corresponding to entrance zone IA to the total number of grid cells 2 corresponding to entrance zone IA, and the ratio of the number of usable grid cells 2 corresponding to exit zone OA to the total number of grid cells 2 corresponding to exit zone OA. Specifically, system controller 5 calculates the ratio of usable grid cells 2 in entrance zone IA (effective ratio). If the effective ratio of entrance zone IA is below a preset fixed ratio, it determines that entrance zone IA has an access restriction of a predetermined level or higher. System controller 5 calculates the ratio of usable grid cells 2 in exit zone OA (effective ratio). If the effective ratio of exit zone OA is below a preset fixed ratio, it determines that exit zone OA has an access restriction of a predetermined level or higher. When the passage of guide rail RX1 in Zone 1 is restricted, guide rail RX1 in Zone 1 is isolated and cannot be handed over to the first loading port 91a via the entrance area IA and the exit area OA.

[0063] Regarding whether access restrictions have occurred, i.e., whether the grid cells 2 corresponding to the entrance area IA and exit area OA are usable, the system controller 5 can determine this, for example, based on path closure information obtained through communication from external sources (such as a host controller and portable terminals). The system controller 5 can also determine whether access restrictions have occurred based on other information. The system controller 5 can determine whether access restrictions have occurred during system startup and when the configuration of the guide rail R changes. Situations where grid cells 2 corresponding to the entrance area IA and exit area OA are unusable can be exemplified by situations where the grid cell 2 is closed due to malfunctions, construction, erroneous stopping or maintenance of the transport vehicle V.

[0064] When system controller 5 is transporting item M from the first loading port 91a, if passage is restricted, it performs the following splitting process for transport instructions: Specifically, the transport instruction for transporting item M from the first loading port 91a to the handover buffer 92 (the first split transport instruction) is assigned to the transport vehicle V located on guide rail RX1 within the first zone, and the transport instruction for transporting item M from the handover buffer 92 (the second split transport instruction) is assigned to the transport vehicle V located outside guide rail RX1 within the first zone. In this case, the passage restriction may be when the effective ratio of the exit area OA is below a fixed ratio. The first and second split transport instructions can be determined, for example, by dividing a single transport instruction into multiple parts, with the handover buffer 92 as the transfer point, in a manner that minimizes the sum of its distance and time.

[0065] When system controller 5 moves item M to the first loading port 91a, if passage is restricted, it performs the following transfer instruction segmentation processing. Specifically, it assigns a first segmented transfer instruction to move item M to the transfer vehicle V located outside guide rail RX1 within the first zone, and assigns a second segmented transfer instruction to move item M from the transfer buffer 92 to the transfer vehicle V located on guide rail RX1 within the first zone. This restriction can also be applied when the effective ratio of the entrance area IA is below a fixed ratio.

[0066] When the system controller 5 is moving or transferring item M from or to the first loading port 91a, and the passage of guide rail RX1 in the first zone is restricted, it implements the following entry and exit restriction processing: that is, it restricts the entry and exit of the transport vehicle V to guide rail RX1 in the first zone by such that the number of transport vehicles V existing on guide rail RX1 in the first zone is close to a preset number (e.g., 1 vehicle).

[0067] For example, during the entry and exit restriction process, if a predetermined level of traffic restriction or higher occurs in the entrance area IA of the first zone internal rail RX1, the exit of the transport vehicle V from the first zone internal rail RX1 is controlled so that the number of transport vehicles V present in the first zone internal rail RX1 cannot exceed a predetermined number. During the entry and exit restriction process, if a predetermined level of traffic restriction or higher occurs in the exit area OA of the first zone internal rail RX1, the entry of the transport vehicle V into the first zone internal rail RX1 is controlled so that the number of transport vehicles V present in the first zone internal rail RX1 cannot exceed a predetermined number. After executing this entry and exit restriction process, the system controller 5 executes the aforementioned transfer command division process, which divides the transfer command and distributes it to a plurality of transport vehicles V.

[0068] Incidentally, the aforementioned "transfer command splitting process" and "entry and exit restriction process" also apply when transferring using the second load port 91b of the second zone rail RX2 as the transfer source and destination, and also when transferring using the third load port 91c of the third zone rail RX3 as the transfer source and destination. When the second load port 91b is used as the transfer source and destination, the second zone rail RX2 corresponds to the first zone rail, and the second load port 91b corresponds to the first loading section. When the third load port 91c is used as the transfer source and destination, the third zone rail RX3 corresponds to the first zone rail, and the third load port 91c corresponds to the first loading section.

[0069] FIG7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the system controller 5 in the transport system SYS. FIG8 is a schematic top view illustrating the processing shown in FIG7 in the transport system SYS. FIG9 is another schematic top view illustrating the processing shown in FIG7 in the transport system SYS. In the transport system SYS, for example, when a transport instruction is assigned to a transport vehicle V to transport an article M from the first loading port 91a of the first intra-zone guide rail RX1 to the second loading port 91b of the second intra-zone guide rail RX2, the following processing is performed.

[0070] That is, as shown in Figure 7, firstly, the system controller 5 determines whether a passage restriction has been generated on the guide rail RX within the zone (step S1). In step S1, it is determined whether a passage restriction has been reported in at least one of the guide rails RX1 in zone 1 corresponding to the transport source and RX2 in zone 2 corresponding to the transport destination, and in at least one of the entrance area IA and exit area OA. If the result in step S1 is NO, the process ends directly, and a transport command is appropriately assigned to the transport vehicle V. If the result in step S1 is YES, the system controller 5 implements entry and exit restriction processing on the guide rail RX within the zone that generated the passage restriction (step S2).

[0071] Following step S2, the system controller 5 performs a transfer instruction segmentation process (step S3) to divide the transfer instruction into multiple instructions and assign them to multiple transfer vehicles V. In step S3, the initial transfer instruction is divided into a first segmented transfer instruction to transfer item M from the first loading port 91a to the handover buffer 92, and a second segmented transfer instruction to transfer item M from the handover buffer 92 to the second loading port 91b. Then, the first segmented transfer instruction is assigned to a transfer vehicle V, and the second segmented transfer instruction is assigned to another transfer vehicle V.

[0072] As shown in Figure 8, in an example where passage is restricted at the exit area OA of the guide rail RX1 in Zone 1, the transport vehicle V1 located on the guide rail RX1 in Zone 1 is assigned a first segmented transport instruction, divided by the transfer buffer zone 92 as the transfer point. As a result, the transport vehicle V1 travels directly above the first loading port 91a, loads the item M from the first loading port 91a, enters the transfer guide rail Q1a, and stops at position T1 near the transfer buffer zone 92 of the transfer guide rail Q1a. The transport vehicle V1 uses the lateral extension mechanism 11 to slide the lifting drive unit 14 and the item holding unit 13, unloading the item M onto the rack section 920 of the transfer buffer zone 92.

[0073] Then, another transport vehicle V2, which is not located on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, is assigned a second segment transport instruction, divided by the transfer buffer 92 as the transfer point. As a result, the transport vehicle V2 enters the transfer guide rail Q2a of the guide rail RX2 in the second zone and stops at a position T2 near the transfer buffer 92 of the transfer guide rail Q2a. The transport vehicle V2 uses the lateral extension mechanism 11 to slide the lifting drive unit 14 and the item holding unit 13, and loads the item M from the shelf 920 of the transfer buffer 92. Afterwards, the transport vehicle V2 travels to directly above the second loading port 91b and unloads the item M onto the second loading port 91b.

[0074] Similarly, as shown in Figure 9, for example, in the case where passage is restricted in the entrance area IA of the guide rail RX2 in Zone 2, a first segmented transport instruction is assigned to the transport vehicle V3, which is not present on the guide rail RX2 in Zone 2. As a result, the transport vehicle V3 travels directly above the first loading port 91a, loads item M from the first loading port 91a, enters the handover guide rail Q1a, and stops at position T1 near the handover buffer zone 92 of the handover guide rail Q1a, unloading item M onto the shelf 920 of the handover buffer zone 92. Then, a second segmented transport instruction is assigned to another transport vehicle V4, which is present on the guide rail RX2 in Zone 2. As a result, the transfer vehicle V4 enters the transfer rail Q2a of the guide rail RX2 in the second zone, stops at position T2 near the transfer buffer zone 92 in the transfer rail Q2a, loads the items M from the shelf 920 of the transfer buffer zone 92, and then moves to the top of the second loading port 91b to unload the items M to the second loading port 91b.

[0075] As described above, in the transport system SYS, even when access is restricted to at least one of the entrance area IA and exit area OA of the intra-zone guide rail RX, the transport of articles to and from the intra-zone guide rail RX can be smoothly performed via the transfer buffer area 92. This improves the transport efficiency of the articles M.

[0076] In the transport system SYS, when the intra-area guide rail RX has access restrictions, the transport command is divided and distributed to a plurality of transport vehicles V. In this way, it is possible to specifically realize the smooth transport of the article M when the intra-area guide rail RX has access restrictions.

[0077] In the transport system SYS, when the system controller 5 is transporting item M from the first loading port 91a, if there is a passage restriction on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, it assigns a first split transport command for transporting item M from the first loading port 91a to the transfer buffer 92, which is located on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone. It also assigns a second split transport command for transporting item M from the transfer buffer 92 to another transport vehicle V2 located outside the guide rail RX1 in the first zone. In this case, if there is a passage restriction on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, the transport command is split into a first split transport command and a second split transport command, and each is assigned to two different transport vehicles V1 and V2, thereby enabling the transport of item M from the first loading port 91a.

[0078] In the transport system SYS, when transporting an article M to the second loading port 91b, if access to the second zone rail RX2 is restricted, the system controller 5 assigns a first split transport command to transport the article M to the transfer buffer 92 to a transport vehicle V3 located outside the second zone rail RX2, and assigns a second split transport command to transport the article M from the transfer buffer 92 to the second loading port 91b to another transport vehicle V4 located on the second zone rail RX2. In this case, if access to the second zone rail RX2 is restricted, the transport command is split into the first split transport command and the second split transport command, which are assigned to the two transport vehicles V3 and V4, respectively, thereby enabling the transport of the article M to the second loading port 91b.

[0079] In the transport system SYS, multiple intra-zone guide rails RX are arranged side by side in one direction, with intra-zone guide rail RX1 and intra-zone guide rail RX2 adjacent to each other. In this case, items M can be transported between intra-zone guide rails RX1 and RX2 arranged adjacent to each other in one direction via a transfer buffer 92.

[0080] In the transport system SYS, a transport vehicle V includes a transfer device 18. This transfer device 18 includes an article holder 13 for holding an article M, a lift drive 14 for raising and lowering the article holder 13, and a lateral extension mechanism 11 for sliding the lift drive 14 horizontally. The transport vehicle V uses the lateral extension mechanism 11 to slide the lift drive 14 and the article holder 13, transferring the article M between the shelf 920 of the transfer buffer zone 92. In this case, the transport vehicle can transfer the article M between the loading section 9 that is horizontally separated from the in-zone guide rail RX.

[0081] In the conveying system SYS, the guide rails R are lattice-shaped tracks. In this case, they can form a so-called grid system. This allows for easy and free selection of the movement path of the conveyor V, suppresses stalling, and further improves conveying efficiency.

[0082] In the transport system SYS, the entrance area IA corresponds to the grid cells 2 of the intra-zone guide rail RX that are passed through upon entry into the intra-zone guide rail RX, and the exit area OA corresponds to the grid cells 2 of the intra-zone guide rail RX that are passed through upon exiting the intra-zone guide rail RX. The system controller 5 determines the level of access restriction based on the ratio of the number of usable grid cells 2 among all grid cells 2 corresponding to the entrance area IA and the ratio of the number of usable grid cells 2 among all grid cells 2 corresponding to the exit area OA. In this case, the system controller 5 can specifically determine whether access restriction has occurred on the intra-zone guide rail RX in the grid system.

[0083] In the transport system SYS, when the system controller 5 is transporting item M from or to loading port 91, if a passage restriction occurs on the guide rail RX within the area where the transport vehicle V is located during the transfer to loading port 91, the system controller 5 implements the following entry and exit restriction processing: the number of transport vehicles V present on the guide rail RX within that area is kept close to a predetermined number, thus restricting the entry and exit of the transport vehicles V onto the guide rail RX within that area. After implementing the entry and exit restriction processing, the system controller 5 performs transport command segmentation processing. In this way, after controlling the number of transport vehicles V present on the guide rail RX within the area with the passage restriction, the system controller 5 can transport items from loading port 91 of the guide rail RX within the area with the passage restriction via the handover buffer 92, and transport item M to loading port 91 via the handover buffer 92.

[0084] In the transport system SYS, the guide rail RX1 in zone 1 includes a transfer guide rail Q1a, and the guide rail RX2 in zone 2 includes a transfer guide rail Q2a. The transfer buffer zone 92 between the guide rails RX1 and RX2 in zone 1 allows not only the transport vehicle V on the transfer guide rail Q1a to carry item M, but also the transport vehicle V on the transfer guide rail Q2a to carry item M. In this case, item M can be transported via the transfer buffer zone 92 using the transfer guide rails Q1a and Q2a. Similarly, the guide rail RX1 in zone 1 includes a transfer guide rail Q1b, and the guide rail RX3 in zone 3 includes a transfer guide rail Q3a. The transfer buffer zone 92 between guide rail RX1 in zone 1 and guide rail RX3 in zone 3 can carry not only the transport vehicle V on transfer rail Q1b, but also the transport vehicle V on transfer rail Q3a. In this case, the transport of item M can be achieved by using transfer rails Q1b and Q3a via the transfer buffer zone 92. Incidentally, the transfer buffer zone 92 serves as a backup for the loading unit 9 and is used when a transfer command is issued, but is not used during normal operation.

[0085] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0086] In the above embodiment, for example, as shown in Figure 10, when the article M is transported from the second loading port 91b of the second zone guide rail RX2 to the third loading port 91c of the third zone guide rail RX3, when the first zone guide rail RX1 and the second zone guide rail RX2 have access restrictions, the transport instructions can also be divided and distributed to multiple transport vehicles V as follows.

[0087] First, a first split-transfer instruction is assigned to the transport vehicle V5 located on guide rail RX2 in zone 2. As a result, transport vehicle V5 travels directly above the second loading port 91b, loads item M from the second loading port 91b, enters the handover guide rail Q2a, and stops at position T3 near the handover buffer zone 92 in the handover guide rail Q2a, unloading item M onto the shelf 920 of the handover buffer zone 92. Next, a second split-transfer instruction is assigned to the transport vehicle V6 located on guide rail RX1 in zone 1. As a result, the transport vehicle V6 enters the handover guide rail Q1a of the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, and stops at position T4 near the handover buffer 92 in the handover guide rail Q1a. After loading the item M from the shelf section 920 of the handover buffer 92, it enters the handover guide rail Q1b and stops at position T5 near the handover buffer 92 in the handover guide rail Q1b, unloading the item M into the shelf section 920 of the handover buffer 92.

[0088] Then, the third segmented transport command is assigned to the transport vehicle V7 located on the guide rail RX3 in the third zone. As a result, the transport vehicle V7 enters the handover guide rail Q3a of the guide rail RX3 in the third zone, stops at position T6 near the handover buffer 92 in the handover guide rail Q3a, and after loading the item M from the handover buffer 92, it travels to directly above the third loading port 91c and unloads the item M onto the third loading port 91c.

[0089] Thus, in the above embodiment, when the system controller 5 is transporting item M from the second loading port 91b, if passage is restricted on the guide rails RX1 in the first zone and RX2 in the second zone, the transport command for transporting item M from the second loading port 91b via the transfer buffer 92 between the guide rails RX1 in the first zone and RX2 in the second zone, and the transfer buffer 92 between the guide rails RX1 in the first zone and RX3 in the third zone, can be divided and distributed to a plurality of transport vehicles V. In this case, even when passage on the guide rails RX1 in the first zone and RX2 in the second zone is restricted, item M can still be transported via the transfer buffers 92 between the guide rails RX1 in the first zone, RX2 in the second zone, and RX3 in the third zone. Furthermore, in this case, the second loading port 91b corresponds to the first loading section, the handover buffer 92 corresponds to the second and third loading sections, the second zone guide rail RX2 corresponds to the first zone track, the first zone guide rail RX1 corresponds to the second zone track, and the third zone guide rail RX3 corresponds to the third zone track.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the system controller 5 is transferring item M to the third loading port 91c, if passage is restricted on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone and the guide rail RX3 in the third zone, the transfer command for transferring item M to the third loading port 91c via the transfer buffer 92 between the guide rail RX1 in the first zone and the guide rail RX2 in the second zone, and the transfer buffer 92 between the guide rail RX1 in the first zone and the guide rail RX3 in the third zone, can be divided and distributed to a plurality of transfer vehicles V. In this case, even when passage is restricted on the guide rail RX1 in the first zone and the guide rail RX3 in the third zone, item M can still be transferred via the transfer buffer 92 between the guide rail RX1 in the first zone, the guide rail RX2 in the second zone, and the guide rail RX3 in the third zone. Furthermore, in this case, the third loading port 91c corresponds to the first loading section, the handover buffer 92 corresponds to the second and third loading sections, the guide rail RX3 in the third zone corresponds to the track in the first zone, the guide rail RX1 in the first zone corresponds to the track in the second zone, and the guide rail RX2 in the second zone corresponds to the track in the third zone.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the zone guide rails RX include zone guide rails RX1, RX2, and RX3 (zones 1 to 3), but may also include other zone guide rails RX, that is, the guide rail R may include four or more zone guide rails RX. The guide rail R only needs to include a plurality of zone guide rails RX. In the above embodiment, the loading port 91 is positioned directly below the zone guide rails RX, but may also be positioned laterally away from the zone guide rails RX when viewed from above.

[0092] In the above embodiments, a grid system is used as the transport system SYS, but the transport system SYS is not limited to a grid system. For example, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) can also be used as the transport system, or various known systems that move along a grid-like transport path can be used. In the above embodiments, the transport vehicle V holds the item M below the guide rail R, but the main body 10 can also be positioned above the guide rail R, holding the item M above the guide rail R. In the above embodiments, the second loading section is not limited to an elevated buffer zone; any loading section that can hold the item M is acceptable. In the above embodiments, the transfer guide rails Q1a, Q1b, Q2a, and Q3a are used for the transfer of the item M via the transfer buffer zone 92, but they can also be used as areas for the transport vehicle V to temporarily wait or retreat.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the controller divides the initial transport command into multiple segmented transport commands, but it can also generate multiple segmented transport commands without an initial transport command. That is, in the above embodiment, when the controller transports items from or to the first loading section, if there are passage restrictions on the track within the first section, it is sufficient to use multiple transport vehicles to perform the transport of items from the first loading section to the second loading section, or the transport of items from the second loading section to the first loading section. In other words, in the above embodiment, it is sufficient to use multiple transport vehicles to transport items from or to the first loading section via the second loading section. Different transport vehicles can be used to perform transport to and from the second loading section. In this case, the above-mentioned effect can also be achieved.

[0094] Similarly, in the above embodiment, when the controller is moving items from or to the first loading section, if the passage restriction on the track in the first section leads to a passage restriction on the track in the second section, it is sufficient to use multiple transport vehicles to perform the movement of items from the first loading section through the second and third loading sections, or the movement of items from the second and third loading sections to the first loading section. In other words, in the above embodiment, it is sufficient to use multiple transport vehicles to move items from or to the first loading section via the second and third loading sections. Different transport vehicles can be used to perform the movement to and from the second loading section, and the movement to and from the third loading section. In this case, the above-described effect can also be achieved.

[0095] In the above embodiments and modifications, the materials and shapes are not limited, and various materials and shapes can be applied. The components in the above embodiments or modifications can be arbitrarily applied to components in other embodiments or modifications. A portion of the components in the above embodiments or modifications can be appropriately omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0096] 2: Grid cell 5: System Controller (Controller) 9: Loading part 10: Ontology part 11: Lateral extension mechanism 12: Rotating part 12a: Rotating component 12b: Rotary drive unit 13: Item Storage Department 13a: Claws 13b,H: Suspension member 14: Lifting drive unit 17: Upper Unit 17a: Upper surface 18: Transfer device 20:Transition Department 21: Transfer Wheel 22: Training wheels 30: Connecting parts 31: Supporting components 32: Connecting components 33: Moving Drive Unit 34: Direction switching mechanism 50: Transport vehicle controller 51: Memory Department 91: Loading port (first loading part) 91a: Loading Port 1 (Loading Unit 1) 91b: Second loading port (first loading section) 91c: Loading Port No. 3 (Loading Unit No. 1) 92: Handover buffer zone (second and third mounting sections) 910: Base frame 911: Pillars 912:Horizontal frame material 914: Long shelf 916: Guidance Department 917: Through-hole 920: Frame Department 921: Lower frame 923: Support column 927: Fall arrestor bar AX1: Rotation axis AX2: Rotary shaft H1: Part 1 H2: Part 2 H3: Part 3 IA: Entrance Area M: Items Ma: Flange portion OA: Export Area Q1a, Q1b, Q2a, Q3a: Handover guide rails (emergency guide rails (emergency track)) R: Guide rail (transfer rail, grid-like rail) R1: 1st rail R1a, R2a, R3a: Transition surface R2: Second guide rail R3: Cross section RX: Intra-zone guide rail (track within the zone) RX1: Guide rail in zone 1 (rails in zones 1 and 2) RX2: Rails in Zone 2 (rails in Zones 1-3) RX3: Rails in Zone 3 (rails in Zones 1-3) RY: Interval guide rail (connecting rail) SYS: Conveying System T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6: Position V, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6, V7: Transport vehicle W: Cover X: direction Y: direction Z: direction

Claims

1. A conveying system comprising a plurality of conveyor carts for conveying goods, a conveying track for the conveyor carts to move, a loading unit for loading goods, and a controller for controlling the plurality of conveyor carts; the conveying track having a plurality of internal tracks and a connecting track connecting the plurality of internal tracks, each of the plurality of internal tracks including an entrance area for entering the internal track from the connecting track and an exit area for exiting the internal track from the connecting track; the loading unit comprising: The first loading unit is a loading unit for transporting the articles by the aforementioned transport vehicles existing on the first track within the plurality of tracks within the aforementioned sections; and the second loading unit is a loading unit for transporting the articles by the aforementioned transport vehicles existing on the first track within the aforementioned sections, and for transporting the articles by the aforementioned transport vehicles existing on the second track within the plurality of tracks within the aforementioned sections, and is located at a different position from the aforementioned entrance area and the aforementioned exit area; the aforementioned controller system, When the article is being transported from the first loading station to outside the track within the first section or from outside the track within the first section to the first loading station, if there is no traffic restriction of a predetermined level or higher in either the entrance area or the exit area of ​​the track within the first section, the article is transported via the connecting track. If there is a traffic restriction, a plurality of the transport vehicles are used to perform the transport of the article from the first loading station to outside the track within the first section via the second loading station, or the transport of the article from outside the track within the first section to the first loading station via the second loading station.

2. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The aforementioned controller, when transporting the aforementioned item from the aforementioned first loading unit or transporting the aforementioned item to the aforementioned first loading unit, when there is the aforementioned passage restriction, divides and distributes the transport instruction for transporting the aforementioned item from the aforementioned first loading unit to the aforementioned second loading unit, or the transport instruction for transporting the aforementioned item from the aforementioned second loading unit to the aforementioned first loading unit, to a plurality of the aforementioned transport vehicles.

3. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The controller, when transporting the item from the first loading unit, if there is a passage restriction, assigns a transport instruction to the transport vehicle existing on the track within the first section to transport the item from the first loading unit to the transport vehicle existing outside the track within the first section.

4. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The controller, when transporting the item to the first loading unit, when there is the passage restriction, assigns a transport instruction to transport the item to the second loading unit to the transport vehicle located outside the track in the first section, and assigns a transport instruction to transport the item from the second loading unit to the first loading unit to the transport vehicle located on the track in the first section.

5. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, A plurality of the aforementioned tracks within the intervals are arranged side by side in one direction, with the first track within the interval being adjacent to the second track within the interval.

6. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The aforementioned transport vehicle has a transfer device, which includes an article holding part for holding the aforementioned article, a lifting drive part for raising and lowering the aforementioned article holding part, and a lateral extension mechanism for sliding the aforementioned lifting drive part in the horizontal direction. The aforementioned lateral extension mechanism is used to slide the aforementioned lifting drive part and the aforementioned article holding part to transfer the aforementioned article between them and the aforementioned second placement part.

7. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The aforementioned transition track is a lattice-shaped track.

8. As in request item 7, the conveying system, wherein, The aforementioned entrance area corresponds to the grid cells of the track within the first section that are passed through when entering the track within the first section. The aforementioned exit area corresponds to the grid cells of the track within the first section that are passed through when exiting the track within the first section. The aforementioned controller system determines the level of the passage restriction based on the ratio of the number of usable grid cells corresponding to the aforementioned entrance area to the total number of grid cells corresponding to the aforementioned entrance area, and the ratio of the number of usable grid cells corresponding to the aforementioned exit area to the total number of grid cells corresponding to the aforementioned exit area.

9. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The aforementioned loading section includes a third loading section, which is a loading section for the aforementioned transport vehicles existing in the aforementioned second section track to transfer the aforementioned items, and is also a loading section for the aforementioned transport vehicles existing in the third section track among the plurality of aforementioned section tracks to transfer the aforementioned items. The aforementioned controller is, when the aforementioned items are being transported from or to the aforementioned first loading section, and when there are the aforementioned passage restrictions, resulting in a passage restriction of a predetermined level or higher in at least one of the aforementioned entrance area and the aforementioned exit area of ​​the aforementioned second section track, to use the plurality of aforementioned transport vehicles to perform the transport of the aforementioned items from the aforementioned first loading section via the aforementioned second loading section and the aforementioned third loading section, or the transport of the aforementioned items from the aforementioned second loading section and the aforementioned third loading section to the aforementioned first loading section.

10. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The controller described above, when transporting the item from or to the first loading section, implements an entry and exit restriction process when there is a passage restriction. Specifically, it restricts the transport vehicles from entering and exiting the track within the first section by ensuring that the number of transport vehicles on the track within the first section is close to a predetermined number. After implementing the entry and exit restriction process, a plurality of transport vehicles are used to perform the transport of the item from the first loading section to the second loading section, or the transport of the item from the second loading section to the first loading section.

11. As in request item 1, the conveying system, wherein, The first section of track includes a transfer track that extends close to the second section of track when viewed from above. The second section of track also includes a transfer track that extends close to the first section of track when viewed from above. The second loading unit is a loading unit that allows the transport vehicle on the transfer track of the first section of track to move the items, and also allows the transport vehicle on the transfer track of the second section of track to move the items.

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