Article conveyance device

Abstract

An article conveyance device (30) comprises a placement part (31) and an article movement mechanism (60). The article movement mechanism (60) has: a conveyance support base (63) that supports a storage container (F); a first movement part (65) that reciprocates the conveyance support base (63) between a first end part (E1) and a second end part (E2) in a first direction; and a second movement part (67) that raises and lowers the conveyance support base (63) in the vertical direction. The placement part (31) has: a first portion (33); a pair of second portions (41, 41) that are disposed so as to sandwich the first portion (33) in a second direction; and a slide mechanism (49) that moves at least a portion of the placement part (31) between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2).

Description

Item transport device

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to an article transport device provided in a stocker.

[0002] Stockers that store multiple items are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a stocker that includes a loading section on which an operator loads an item from outside the stocker, and an item moving mechanism (reciprocating body) that reciprocates a transport support platform (plate-shaped body) that supports the item between a transfer position for the item on the loading section and the interior of the stocker. The loading section described in Patent Document 1 is configured with two receiving sections arranged on either side of the transport support platform in a width direction perpendicular to both the transport direction and the vertical direction of the transport support platform. While loading sections configured in this way support the items by supporting the bottom of the items at two points from below, there is a demand for a more stable way to hold the items.

[0003] JP 2010-132381 A

[0004] Therefore, it is conceivable to place a new support member extending in the width direction between the two existing goods receiving sections to support the bottom of the goods at three points from below. However, if such a new support member is placed, there is a possibility that when a worker attempts to place an item on the loading section, a part of the worker's body, such as a hand, may become pinched between the transport support table moving to the delivery position and the new support member.

[0005] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an item transport device that can stably hold items on a loading section that transfers items to a transport support table, and that can reduce the possibility of part of a worker's body becoming caught between the loading section and the transport support table.

[0006] (1) An item transport device according to one aspect of the present invention is an item transport device for loading and unloading items into and from equipment into which the items are loaded and unloaded, and includes a loading section on which an operator loads the item from outside the equipment, and an item moving mechanism for transporting the item between the loading section and the interior of the equipment, wherein the item moving mechanism includes a transport support platform that supports the item, a first moving section that moves the transport support platform back and forth between a first end and a second end, and a second moving section that raises and lowers the transport support platform in a vertical direction, and the loading section includes a first portion that is arranged in a first direction that is an extension of the movement path of the transport support platform, and a pair of second portions that are arranged to sandwich the first portion in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction in a planar view, and a slide mechanism that moves at least a portion of the loading section between the first position and the second position, when a first position is defined as a position where the first portion contacts or is close to the transport support platform located at the first end, and a position where the first position is defined as a position away from the transport support platform along the extension from the first position.

[0007] The placement section of the article transport device of this configuration supports the article from three sides below by not only a pair of second sections arranged opposite each other in the second direction, but also a first section arranged between the pair of second sections in the second direction, so that the article can be stably held. Furthermore, at least a portion of the placement section of this configuration is movable from a first position along an extension line to a second position away from the transport support platform. Therefore, even if part of a worker's body is about to be caught between the placement section and the transport support platform, the placement section can be moved toward the second position. This reduces the possibility of part of the worker's body being caught between the placement section and the transport support platform.

[0008] (2) In the article transport device described in (1) above, each of the first section and the pair of second sections may have a positioning pin that fits into an article placed on the placement section. In this configuration, the article is held at three points while being positioned at a predetermined position on the placement section, so the placement section can hold the article stably and accurately.

[0009] (3) In the article transport device described in (1) or (2) above, the slide mechanism may move only the first portion of the mounting section, which allows for a more compact and simple configuration of the slide mechanism compared to a configuration in which the entire mounting section is moved.

[0010] (4) In the article transport device according to any one of (1) to (3), the slide mechanism may include a roller provided on the mounting portion. This configuration can improve assembly of the slide mechanism.

[0011] (5) The item transport device according to any one of (1) to (4) above may further include a detector that is immovably disposed below the first section and detects an identifier attached to an item, and the first section may have a vertically penetrating opening that is positioned above the detector when the first section is in the first position. This configuration allows the identifier of an item placed on the placement section to be detected. Furthermore, this configuration does not provide the detector on a movably disposed placement section, but rather provides the detector immovably disposed below the placement section, facilitating wiring to the detector.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, an item can be stably held in a placement section that transfers the item to a transport support platform, and the possibility of a part of a worker's body being caught between the placement section and the transport support platform can be reduced.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a side view showing a stocker according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the manual port of Fig. 1, seen from diagonally above. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mounting section of Fig. 2, seen from diagonally above. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting section, seen from diagonally above, in a state in which the first portion shown in Fig. 3 has slid to the second position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mounting section of Fig. 2, seen from diagonally below. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting section of Fig. 5, seen from line XI-XI.

[0014] A stocker (facility) 1 equipped with an item transport device 30 according to one embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. For ease of explanation, FIGS. 1 to 6 define mutually orthogonal X-axis (second direction), Y-axis (first direction), and Z-axis directions. In this embodiment, the extension direction of the stocker 1 coincides with the X-axis direction, the transport direction of the item moving mechanism 60 coincides with the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction coincides with the Z-axis direction. The directions indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1 to 6 are referred to as positive directions, and the directions opposite to the positive directions are referred to as negative directions. Note that the stoppers, first fixing portion, and second fixing portion are not shown in FIG. 6.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1 , the stocker 1 is a storage facility that stores multiple storage containers F. The storage containers F are containers such as reticle pods or FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) that store objects such as semiconductor wafers or glass substrates. The stocker 1 may have a function of purging the interior of the storage containers F with a purge gas. Examples of the purge gas in this case include nitrogen gas and air. The bottom surface of the storage container F is formed with recesses that can fit with positioning pins 63P (see FIG. 2 ) and 37A (see FIG. 2 ), which will be described in detail later. Note that the recesses that can fit with the positioning pins 63P are formed further inward from the outer shape of the bottom surface than the recesses that can fit with the positioning pins 37A.

[0016] 1 and 2 , the stocker 1 is installed in, for example, a clean room. The stocker 1 mainly includes a partition 3, a rack 7, a crane 9, an OHT (Overhead Hoist Transfer) port 21, a manual port 29, an article transport device 30, a cover member 51, and a barcode reader (detection unit) 55.

[0017] The partition 3 is a cover plate for the stocker 1. A storage area for storing the storage vessels F is formed inside the partition 3 (3A). The racks 7 are portions for storing the storage vessels F. The racks 7 are provided in one or more rows (two rows in this case) in the storage area inside the partition 3 (3A). Each rack 7 extends in the X-axis direction. Two racks 7, 7 adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction are arranged parallel to each other. Each rack 7 has a plurality of purge shelves 7A formed along the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction on which the storage vessels F are placed. A plurality of purge shelves 7A are arranged in a row in the Z-axis direction and a plurality of purge shelves 7A are arranged in a row along the X-axis direction.

[0018] The crane 9 is a transport device that moves the storage vessel F in and out of the purge shelf 7A, and moves the storage vessel F between the purge shelves 7A, 7A, or between the purge shelf 7A and the item transport device 30. The crane 9 is located in an area sandwiched between the opposing racks 7, 7. The crane 9 moves on a traveling rail (not shown) arranged on the floor surface along the X-axis direction in which the racks 7 extend. The crane 9 has a mast 9A extending in the Z-axis direction and a transfer device 9B that can move up and down along the mast 9A. The transportation of the storage vessel F by the crane 9 is controlled by a controller 90.

[0019] The storage container F is loaded into and unloaded from the stocker 1 through an OHT port 21 and a manual port 29. The OHT port 21 is a section where the storage container F is handed over between the stocker 1 and an overhead traveling vehicle (OHT) 83 that travels on a traveling rail 81 laid on the ceiling. A conveyor 23 that transports the storage container F between the overhead traveling vehicle 83 and the stocker 1 is arranged in the OHT port 21.

[0020] The manual port 29 is a portion where the containment vessel F is handed over between an operator and the stocker 1. The manual port 29 forms a loading / unloading opening through which the operator loads and unloads the containment vessel F from the outside 3B of the stocker 1. The manual port 29 is formed in a frame shape. The manual port 29 has an upper surface portion 29A that forms the upper surface of the manual port 29, a pair of side surfaces 29B, 29B that form the side surfaces, a lower surface portion 29C that forms the lower surface, an upper front surface 29D, and a lower front surface 29F.

[0021] The upper surface portion 29A, the pair of side surface portions 29B, 29B, and the lower surface portion 29C have portions corresponding to approximately half their lengths in the Y-axis direction protruding from the partition 3 toward the outside 3B. In other words, half of the upper surface portion 29A, the pair of side surface portions 29B, 29B, and the lower surface portion 29C are located inside the partition 3, and the other half are located outside the partition 3. The upper front surface portion 29D is arranged to straddle the pair of side surface portions 29B, 29B. The upper front surface portion 29D is provided with a display unit 29E that displays information about the containment vessel F, information about instructions to workers, etc. The lower front surface portion 29F is arranged to straddle the pair of side surface portions 29B, 29B. Note that in FIG. 2, a portion of the lower front surface portion 29F is shown cut away.

[0022] 3 to 6, an item transport device 30 is disposed in the manual port 29 to transport a storage container F between an operator and the stocker 1. The item transport device 30 moves the storage container F in and out of the stocker 1 that can accommodate the storage container F. The item transport device 30 includes an item moving mechanism 60 and a stage (mounting section) 31.

[0023] The article moving mechanism 60 transports the storage container F between the stage 31 and the interior 3A of the stocker 1. The article moving mechanism 60 has a moving member 61, a transport support base 63, a first moving unit 65, and a second moving unit 67. The moving member 61 is configured to be movable by the first moving unit 65, and supports the transport support base 63 from below.

[0024] The transport support base 63 supports the storage vessel F. The transport support base 63 is formed to be slightly smaller than the bottom area of ​​the storage vessel F. The transport support base 63 is a plate-like member having a front surface 63A and a back surface 63B. The front surface 63A of the transport support base 63 has three positioning pins 63P, 63P, 63P that can fit into recesses formed in the bottom surface of the storage vessel F.

[0025] The first moving unit 65 reciprocates the transport support base 63 between the first end E1 and the second end E2 in the Y-axis direction, which is parallel to the horizontal direction. The first moving unit 65 is a linear motion mechanism having a pair of pulleys 65A, 65A, a belt 65B, a connecting unit 65C, and a driving unit 65D. The pair of pulleys 65A, 65A are arranged along the Y-axis direction. The belt 65B is, for example, a flat belt, and is stretched over the pair of pulleys 65A, 65A. The connecting unit 65C is a connecting member that connects the belt 65B and the transport support base 63.

[0026] The drive unit 65D is a motor that rotates one of the pair of pulleys 65A, 65A. The belt 65B, which is passed between the pair of pulleys 65A, 65A, is rotated by the drive of the drive unit 65D. The belt 65B, which is passed between the pair of pulleys 65A, 65A, is configured to be able to selectively switch its rotation direction between clockwise and counterclockwise as viewed from the X-axis direction, depending on the rotation direction of the drive unit 65D. That is, the first mover 65 can move the transport support base 63, which is connected via the connection unit 65C, in the positive direction (toward the first end E1) or the negative direction (toward the second end E2) in the Y-axis direction.

[0027] The second moving unit 67 raises and lowers the transport support platform 63 in the Z-axis direction. The second moving unit 67 is a linear motion mechanism including a moving mechanism 67A, such as a cylinder or a ball screw, and a driving unit 67B. The driving unit 67B is a motor and operates the cylinder or the ball screw. The driving unit 67B may also be a motor and operate a rack-and-pinion or the like. The moving mechanism 67A is configured to selectively switch between raising and lowering in the Z-axis direction depending on the rotation direction of the driving unit 67B. That is, when receiving a storage vessel F from the stage 31, the second moving unit 67 raises the transport support platform 63, which is not holding the storage vessel F, from a position lower than the stage 31 to receive the storage vessel F from the transport support platform 63. When transferring the storage vessel F to the stage 31, the second moving unit 67 lowers the transport support platform 63, which is holding the storage vessel F, from a position higher than the stage 31 to transfer the storage vessel F to the stage 31.

[0028] A storage container F is placed on the stage 31 by an operator from the outside 3B of the stocker 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 , the stage 31 has a first portion 33, a pair of second portions 41, 41, and a slide mechanism 49. In the stage 31 of this embodiment, the first portion 33 and each of the pair of second portions 41, 41 are separated from each other. That is, the first portion 33 and each of the pair of second portions 41, 41 are formed from separate members.

[0029] The first portion 33 is disposed on an extension line LE of the movement path LP of the transport support platform 63 extending in the Y-axis direction from the first end E1 side. The first portion 33 has a main surface 33A having a front surface 33Aa, a back surface 33Ab, and an opening 33Ac penetrating the front surface 33Aa and the back surface 33Ab, and a bent portion 33B bent downward around the main surface 33A. A positioning pin 37A that can fit into a recess formed in the bottom surface of the storage container F and a presence sensor 39 that detects the presence or absence of a storage container F placed on the stage 31 are disposed on the front surface 33Aa of the first portion 33.

[0030] A running roller 36A and a guide roller 36B are provided on the back surface 33Ab of the first portion 33 via an attachment portion 35. The attachment portion 35 is a member having a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the Y-axis direction. The attachment portion 35 is formed with a running roller attachment surface 35A perpendicular to the X-axis direction and a guide roller attachment surface 35B perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. The running roller 36A is rotatably attached to the running roller attachment surface 35A. The running roller 36A rolls on a roller rolling surface 43A of a guide portion 43, which will be described in detail later. The guide roller 36B is rotatably attached to the guide roller attachment surface 35B. The guide roller 36B rolls on a roller guide surface 43B of the guide portion 43, which will be described in detail later. A first fixing portion 35S is provided on the guide roller attachment surface 35B of the attachment portion 35 to fix one end of a tension spring 47, which will be described in detail later.

[0031] The pair of second portions 41 are arranged to sandwich the first portion 33 in the X-axis direction, which is orthogonal to both the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. In other words, in a plan view, the pair of second portions 41 are arranged to sandwich the first portion 33 in the X-axis direction, which is orthogonal to the Y-axis direction in a plan view. Each of the pair of second portions 41 has a main surface 41A having a front surface 41Aa and a back surface 41Ab, and a bent portion 41B bent downward around the main surface 41A. Positioning pins 37B that can fit into recesses formed in the bottom surface of the containment vessel F are arranged on the respective surfaces 41Aa and 41Aa of the pair of second portions 41.

[0032] A guide portion 43 is provided on the back surfaces 41Ab, 41Ab of each of the pair of second portions 41, 41. The guide portion 43 is a member having an L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the Y-axis direction. The guide portion 43 is formed with a roller rolling surface 43A perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, a roller guide surface 43B perpendicular to the X-axis direction, and a spring mounting surface 43C to which the tension spring 47 is attached. The roller rolling surface 43A is a surface on which the running roller 36A provided on the back surface 33Ab of the first portion 33 can roll. The roller guide surface 43B is a surface on which the guide roller 36B provided on the back surface 33Ab of the first portion 33 can roll. The spring mounting surface 43C is a surface on which a second fixing portion 45S that fixes the other end of the tension spring 47 is attached.

[0033] Two stoppers 44, 44 are provided on the roller guide surface 43B of the guide portion 43 to restrict movement of the guide roller 36B (in other words, the first portion 33) in the Y-axis direction. One stopper 44 restricts the guide roller 36B from moving in the negative direction in the Y-axis direction (toward the transport support base 63) at a first position P1. The other stopper 44 restricts the guide roller 36B from moving in the positive direction in the Y-axis direction at a second position P2. Note that the movement of the guide roller 36B in the positive and negative directions in the Y-axis direction may be restricted by a single stopper 44.

[0034] The slide mechanism 49 is a mechanism that moves at least a portion of the stage 31 between a first position P1 where the first portion 33 is in contact with or close to the transport support base 63 located at the first end E1, and a second position P2 that is spaced apart from the transport support base 63 along an extension line LE from the first position P1. The slide mechanism 49 of this embodiment moves only the first portion 33, which is a component of the stage 31, along the Y-axis direction. The slide mechanism 49 of this embodiment also includes an attachment portion 35, a first fixing portion 35S, a traveling roller 36A, a guide roller 36B, a guide portion 43, a second fixing portion 45S, and a tension spring 47.

[0035] The first portion 33 is configured to be movable in the positive Y-axis direction when, for example, pulled in the positive Y-axis direction by an operator. More specifically, when pulled in the positive axial direction by an operator, the running roller 36A provided on the back surface 33Ab of the first portion 33 rolls on the roller rolling surface 43A of the guide portion 43 provided on the back surface 41Ab of the second portion 41. This causes the first portion 33 to slide in the positive Y-axis direction relative to the second portions 41, 41.

[0036] With this configuration of the slide mechanism 49, even if a part of the worker's body (for example, a hand) becomes pinched between the stage 31 (first portion 33) and the transport support base 63 moving toward the stage 31 when the worker places the storage container F on the stage 31, the first portion 33 moves so as to escape toward the positive Y-axis direction. This prevents a part of the worker's body from becoming tightly pinched between the stage 31 and the transport support base 63.

[0037] The first portion 33 is configured to be movable in the negative direction in the Y axis direction when, for example, the first portion 33 is released from being pulled in the positive direction in the Y axis direction by the operator. More specifically, when the first portion 33 is released from being pulled in the positive direction in the Y axis direction by the operator, the tension spring 47, which was stretched in the positive direction in the Y axis direction, contracts to return to its original state. As a result, the running roller 36A provided on the back surface 33Ab of the first portion 33 rolls on the roller rolling surface 43A of the guide portion 43 provided on the back surface 41Ab of the second portion 41, and the first portion 33 slides in the negative direction in the Y axis direction relative to the second portions 41, 41. In other words, the first portion 33 returns to the state it was in before being pulled by the operator.

[0038] With this configuration of the slide mechanism 49, if the first part 33 moves in the positive direction in the Y-axis direction because a part of the worker's body (e.g., a hand) is interposed between the first part 33 and the transport support base 63, the first part 33 will return to its original position before it moved in the positive direction in the Y-axis direction by removing the part of the worker's body (e.g., a hand) from between them.

[0039] 2, the cover member 51 is a plate-like member that is disposed between the stage 31 and the item moving mechanism 60 in the Z-axis direction. The cover member 51 prevents an operator's hand from reaching the item moving mechanism 60 side through the manual port 29.

[0040] The barcode reader 55 is immovably disposed below the first portion 33 and detects a barcode (identification portion) attached to the storage container F. Information read by the barcode reader 55 is acquired by the controller 90 and used for various processes. The barcode reader 55 is disposed so as to be located below an opening 33Ac formed in the first portion 33 when the stage 31 (first portion 33) is located at the first position P1. In other words, the opening 33Ac of the first portion 33 is formed so as to be located above the barcode reader 55 when the stage 31 is located at the first position P1.

[0041] The effects of the item transport apparatus 30 of the above embodiment will be described. The stage 31 of the item transport apparatus 30 of the above embodiment supports the storage container F from three lower sides by a pair of second portions 41, 41 arranged opposite each other in the X-axis direction, as well as a first portion 33 arranged between the pair of second portions 41, 41. This allows the storage container F to be stably held. Furthermore, the first portion 33, which is part of the stage 31 of the item transport apparatus 30 of the above embodiment, is configured to be movable with relatively little stress from a first position P1 to a second position P2 spaced apart from the transport support platform 63 along the extension line LE. This allows the stage 31 to move toward the second position P2 even if a part of the worker's body is about to be pinched between the stage 31 and the transport support platform 63, which is part of the item moving mechanism 60. As a result, the possibility of a part of the worker's body being tightly pinched between the stage 31 and the transport support platform 63, which is part of the item moving mechanism 60, is reduced.

[0042] In the above embodiment of the item conveying device 30, the first part 33 and the pair of second parts 41, 41 each have positioning pins 37A and 37B that fit into the storage container F, so that the storage container F is positioned at a predetermined position on the stage 31 and held at three points, allowing the loading section to hold the item stably and accurately.

[0043] In the above embodiment of the item transport device 30, the slide mechanism 49 is configured to move only the first part 33 of the stage 31, and therefore can be configured more compactly and simply than a configuration in which the entire stage 31 is moved.

[0044] In the article transport device 30 of the above embodiment, the slide mechanism 49 is configured to include a traveling roller 36A provided on the stage 31. This improves assembly ease compared to when a linear guide or the like is provided as the slide mechanism 49 and the first part 33 slides relative to the second part 41.

[0045] In the article transport device 30 of the above embodiment, an opening 33Ac is formed in the first section 33, penetrating in the vertical direction, and the opening 33Ac is formed so as to be located above the barcode reader 55 when the stage 31 is located at the first position P1. This allows the barcode reader 55 to detect the barcode attached to the bottom surface of the storage container F placed on the stage 31. Furthermore, instead of providing the barcode reader 55 on the movably provided stage 31, the barcode reader 55 is configured to be immovably provided below the stage 31, which makes it easy to wire the barcode reader 55.

[0046] Although one embodiment has been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the stage 31 of the item transport device 30 has been described as an example in which the first portion 33 and the second portions 41, 41 are configured as separate members, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first portion 33 and the second portions 41, 41 of the stage 31 may be configured as an integral unit, and the entire stage 31 may be configured to be slidable along the Y-axis direction.

[0048] In the stage 31 of the item transport device 30 in the above embodiment and modified example, the travel rollers 36A provided on the first portion 33 roll on the guide portions 43 provided on the second portion 41, thereby causing the first portion 33 to slide relative to the second portion 41. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first portion 33 may be configured to slide relative to the second portion 41 via a linear guide or the like.

[0049] In the above embodiment and modified example of the item transport device 30, a barcode is used as an example of the identification unit attached to the storage container F, and a barcode reader 55 is used as an example of the detector that detects the identification unit. However, this is not limiting. For example, examples of the identification unit attached to the storage container F may include characters, graphics, two-dimensional codes, RFIC tags, etc. Furthermore, for example, examples of the detector that detects the identification unit may include a camera, scanner, RFIC reader, etc.

[0050] In the above embodiment and modified example of the item transport device 30, the movement path LP of the transport support platform 63 is set linearly along the horizontal direction, but this is not limiting. The movement path LP of the transport support platform 63 may be set in a curved shape along a horizontal plane, or in a straight or curved shape along an inclined plane.

[0051] Although the manual port 29 in the above embodiment and modified example has been described as being provided at a location where goods are transferred to and from the stocker 1, it may be any equipment that transfers goods in and out. Examples of equipment that transfers goods in and out include a conveyor that transports goods, an elevator that moves goods up and down, etc.

[0052] 1...stocker (equipment), 3A...inside (inside of equipment), 3B...outside (outside of equipment), 7...rack, 29...manual port, 30...item transport device, 31...stage (mounting section), 33...first section, 33Ac...opening, 36A...travel roller (roller), 36B...guide roller, 37A...positioning pin, 37B...positioning pin, 41...second section, 47...tension spring, 49...slide mechanism, 55...barcode reader (detection section), 60...item transport mechanism, 63...transport support base, 65...first moving section, 67...second moving section, E1...first end, E2...second end, F...storage container (item), LE...extension line, LP...moving path, P1...first position, P2...second position.

Claims

1. An item transporting device which transfers items to and from equipment to which the items are transferred, comprising: a placement section on which an operator places the item from outside the equipment; and an item moving mechanism which transports the item between the placement section and the interior of the equipment, wherein the item moving mechanism has: a transport support platform which supports the item; a first moving section which moves the transport support platform back and forth between a first end and a second end; and a second moving section which raises and lowers the transport support platform in a vertical direction, wherein the placement section has: a first portion which is arranged in a first direction which is an extension of a movement path of the transport support platform; and a pair of second portions which are arranged to sandwich the first portion in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction in a plan view; and a slide mechanism which moves at least a part of the placement section between the first position and the second position, when a first position is a position where the first portion is in contact with or close to the transport support platform located at the first end, and a second position is a position away from the transport support platform along the extension from the first position.

2. The article transport device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first portion and said pair of second portions has a positioning pin that fits into said article placed on said placement section.

3. The article transport device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slide mechanism moves only the first portion of the placement section.

4. The article transport device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slide mechanism includes a roller provided on the placement section.

5. An item transport device as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a detection unit that is immovably arranged below the first part and detects an identification unit attached to the item, wherein the first part has an opening that penetrates it vertically, and the opening is formed so as to be located above the detection unit when the first part is located at the first position.

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