Conveyance system

Abstract

This conveyance system comprises: a central controller (5); a plurality of carriages that automatically travel along a track and convey components while communicating with the central controller (5); a travel rail; and a plurality of carriage detection sensors that detect the carriages at predetermined carriage stop positions. The central controller (5) comprises: a route calculation unit (511) that calculates travel routes of all the carriages from current positions and target positions of all the carriages; a route comparison unit (512) that determines whether or not there is an overlap between the travel route of a carriage to be controlled and the travel route of another carriage; and a carriage operation selection unit (513) that selects an operation instruction for the carriage to be controlled from the current position and the target position of the carriage to be controlled when there is no overlap between the travel route of the carriage to be controlled and the travel route of the other carriage in the determination by the route comparison unit (512). The central controller (5) determines the positions of all the carriages and controls the operations of all the carriages.

Description

Transportation System

[0006] ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transportation system for transporting parts by a cart.

[0002] Conventionally, in order to improve work efficiency, production efficiency, or achieve rapid delivery, unmanned carts have been introduced in various factories and various logistics facilities for part transportation. In the case of a cart that travels along a guided path, it is necessary to determine and instruct the operation of the cart. In the conventional transportation system, stop position markers are installed at stop positions and branch positions on the traveling path, and a sensor installed on the cart detects that the cart has reached the stop position or branch position, and the control for stopping or changing the direction of the cart is realized by the control software of the controller on the cart side.

[0003] On the other hand, regarding the management of the operation state of the cart, there is a configuration in which a controller connected to a measurement unit installed on the path manages the operation states of a plurality of carts. When identifying the cart detected by the measurement unit, in the conventional system, an identified part containing identification information is provided on the cart itself, and the identification unit installed on the path together with the measurement unit reads the identified part to realize the identification of the cart.

[0004] Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for managing the operation states of multiple carts by burying a measurement unit such as a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, and a sound sensor and a reader / writer as an identification unit under the path, and providing an RF (Radio Frequency) tag as an identified part on the cart side. In Patent Document 1, sensors and cart identification units are provided on the path for use by multiple carts, and an identified part is mounted on the cart to implement centralized management of the respective cart states.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020 - 187460

[0006] Previously, the number of bogies introduced was small, and the man-hours required to modify the control software on a per-bogie basis, as well as the complexity of the bogie structure, were not problematic. However, currently, the control of multiple bogies has become commonplace due to the increase in the number of bogies in operation. As a result, efficiently operating a large number of bogies now presents problems such as increased man-hours required to modify the control software per bogie, increased man-hours required to install various RF tags and other components, and increased complexity of the bogie structure.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a transport system that can efficiently operate multiple trolleys without complicating the structure of the trolleys and the control units on the trolleys.

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objectives, the transport system according to this disclosure is a transport system in which multiple carts automatically travel along a track. The transport system comprises a master controller that controls the entire transport system, multiple carts that automatically travel along the track and transport parts while communicating with the master controller, running rails that form the track on which the carts travel, and multiple cart detection sensors attached to the running rails that detect the carts at predetermined stopping positions. The master controller comprises a path calculation unit that calculates the travel paths of all carts from the current positions and target positions of all carts, a path comparison unit that determines whether or not the travel path of the cart to be controlled overlaps with the travel paths of other carts, and a cart operation selection unit that selects an operation instruction for the cart to be controlled from the current position and target position of the cart to be controlled if, in the determination of the path comparison unit, there is no overlap between the travel path of the cart to be controlled and the travel paths of other carts. The master controller determines the position of all carts and controls the operation of all carts.

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to efficiently operate multiple bogies without complicating the structure of the bogies and the controllers on the bogies.

[0010]

[0011] The transport system according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Embodiment 1. (Overview of the Conveying System) Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the conveying system according to Embodiment 1. The conveying system 100 according to Embodiment 1 is a conveying system in which a plurality of trolleys 1 automatically travel along a track. As shown in Figure 1, the conveying system 100 is a system in which a plurality of trolleys 1, which are unmanned transport vehicles, travel on a running rail 2 to automatically transport parts 300, and is a system that automatically transports parts 300 between devices 4a, 4b and 4c, which are devices 4, in a factory (not shown). The trolleys 1 travel on a track guided by the running rail 2. The running rail 2 is the track on which the trolleys 1 travel.

[0013] For example, the trolley 1 receives parts 300 from device 4a, which is waiting to discharge the parts 300, travels to device 4b with the parts 300 loaded on it, and transfers the parts 300 to device 4b, thereby transporting the parts 300 from device 4a to device 4b.

[0014] In the transport system 100 shown in Figure 1, the central controller 5 controls each of the multiple trolleys 1, namely trolley 1a, trolley 1b, and trolley 1c, by wireless communication with trolley-side communication units 10 provided on each trolley via the controller-side communication unit 6 connected to the central controller 5. In addition, in the transport system 100, trolley detection sensors 3a, trolley detection sensors 3b, and trolley detection sensors 3c, which are trolley detection sensors 3 mounted on the running rail 2, detect when a dog 13, which will be described later and mounted on the trolley 1, passes by. All trolley detection sensors 3 are connected to the running rail-side communication unit 7.

[0015] The central controller 5 communicates with the rail-side communication unit 7 via the controller-side communication unit 6 to recognize the detection of the dog 13 by the bogie detection sensor 3. The central controller 5 recognizes the position of each bogie 1 based on operation instructions to the bogies 1 and information acquired from the bogie detection sensor 3, and performs centralized control of multiple bogies 1, thereby realizing the smooth operation of multiple bogies 1.

[0016] The details of the transport system 100 will be described below.

[0017] (Cart 1) Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a cart included in the transport system according to Embodiment 1. The configuration of cart 1 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Cart 1 automatically travels along the track while communicating with the main controller 5 to transport parts 300. As shown in Figure 2, cart 1 is equipped with a car body 18, a cart-side communication unit 10, a cart-side controller 11, a cart drive unit 12, a dog 13, a drive wheel 14, an auxiliary wheel 15, a battery 16, and a parts loading unit 17.

[0018] (Bogie-side communication unit 10) The bogie-side communication unit 10 communicates wirelessly with the controller-side communication unit 6. Wireless communication between the bogie-side communication unit 10 and the controller-side communication unit 6 can utilize communication methods such as Wi-Fi® (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth®, the 4th Generation Mobile Communication System (4G), and the 5th Generation Mobile Communication System (5G).

[0019] Regarding data transmission in wireless communication between the bogie-side communication unit 10 and the controller-side communication unit 6, a transmitter can be provided in the controller-side communication unit 6 and a receiver in the bogie-side communication unit 10, thereby transmitting data only in one direction from the master controller 5 to the bogie 1. Alternatively, regarding data transmission in wireless communication between the bogie-side communication unit 10 and the controller-side communication unit 6, a transmitter and a receiver may be provided in both the bogie-side communication unit 10 and the controller-side communication unit 6, thereby transmitting data in both directions: from the master controller 5 to the bogie 1 and from the bogie 1 to the master controller 5.

[0020] The information transmitted and received wirelessly from the controller-side communication unit 6 to the bogie-side communication unit 10 includes information on operation instructions for the bogie 1. The information transmitted from the controller-side communication unit 6 to the bogie-side communication unit 10 is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 in the integrated memory unit 52 of the integrated controller 5, which will be described later. The operation instruction information for the bogie 1 received by the bogie-side communication unit 10 is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 in the bogie-side memory unit 111 of the bogie-side controller 11.

[0021] (Cart-side controller 11) Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the cart-side controller of the cart equipped in the transport system according to Embodiment 1. The cart-side controller 11 controls the drive of the cart 1 according to the instructions of the master controller 5. The cart-side controller 11 comprises a cart-side storage unit 111 and a cart-side control unit 112.

[0022] The bogie-side storage unit 111 stores information used for drive control of the bogie 1. The bogie-side storage unit 111 includes an operation instruction information storage unit 1111.

[0023] The operation instruction information storage unit 1111 stores operation instruction information for the bogie 1, which is information received by the bogie-side communication unit 10 via wireless communication with the controller-side communication unit 6. Operation instructions for the bogie 1 include "stop" to instruct the bogie 1 to stop, "forward" to instruct the bogie 1 to move forward, and "reverse" to instruct the bogie 1 to move backward. In Figure 1, the controller-side communication unit 6 transmits information for the "forward" operation instruction to the bogie-side communication units 10 of bogies 1a and 1b via wireless communication. Also, the controller-side communication unit 6 transmits information for the "stop" operation instruction to the bogie-side communication unit 10 of bogie 1c via wireless communication.

[0024] The bogie-side control unit 112 controls the drive of the bogie 1 according to the instructions of the master controller 5. Specifically, the bogie-side control unit 112 controls the drive of the bogie drive unit 12 based on the operation instruction information for the bogie 1 that is transmitted from the master controller 5 to the bogie-side controller 11 and stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111, thereby controlling the drive of the bogie 1.

[0025] (Drive Unit Control Method) When controlling the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12, the bogie-side control unit 112 can use a control method called pulse width modulation (PWM) control. PWM control of the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12 is a method of controlling the average power output supplied from the power source to the bogie drive unit 12 by rapidly switching the on and off of a power source (not shown) that supplies power to the bogie drive unit 12. In PWM control of the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12, the amount of power supplied from the power source to the bogie drive unit 12 is adjusted by changing the ratio of the power source on and off, and as a result the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12 is controlled. The ratio of the power source on and off is called the duty cycle. For example, if the duty cycle of the power source is high, more power is supplied to the bogie drive unit 12, and the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12 increases.

[0026] The bogie-side control unit 112 can use feedback control in addition to PWM control when controlling the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12. Feedback control of the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12 is a method in which the current state of the bogie drive unit 12 is measured by a sensor, and the control signal that controls the bogie drive unit 12 is adjusted based on the information from the measurement result of the sensor. In feedback control of the rotational speed of the bogie drive unit 12, for example, the rotational speed of the drive wheels 14 is measured, and the measurement result of the rotational speed of the drive wheels 14 is compared with a predetermined target value. The bogie-side control unit 112 then inputs the difference between the measurement result of the rotational speed of the drive wheels 14 and the target value into a control algorithm such as PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential) control, and operates the bogie drive unit 12 with the control signal output from the control algorithm. By repeating this process, the bogie drive unit 12 is controlled to the target rotational speed with high precision.

[0027] (Rotation speed switching method) In addition, the bogie-side control unit 112 uses an H-bridge circuit to control the rotation direction of the bogie drive unit 12. The H-bridge circuit consists of four switches that can switch the direction of the current flowing to the bogie drive unit 12.

[0028] (Bogie drive unit 12) The bogie drive unit 12 provides power to the bogie 1. The bogie drive unit 12 receives information on rotational speed and direction of rotation from the bogie-side control unit 112, and transmits rotational power to the drive wheels 14 based on the input information on rotational speed and direction of rotation. The bogie drive unit 12 includes, for example, a motor connected to the drive wheels 14.

[0029] (Drive Wheels 14) The drive wheels 14 are connected to the trolley drive unit 12 and driven directly by the trolley drive unit 12. The rotation of the drive wheels 14 causes the trolley 1 to move forward, backward, or stop. The number and arrangement of the drive wheels 14 on the trolley 1 affect the maneuverability and stability of the trolley 1. The drive wheels 14 also provide frictional force between the ground surface and the wheels. This frictional force allows the trolley 1 to move without slipping.

[0030] (Auxiliary wheels 15) The auxiliary wheels 15 are used to maintain the stability of the trolley 1. The auxiliary wheels 15 do not provide power to the trolley 1, but mainly support the weight of the trolley 1, maintaining the balance of the trolley 1 and preventing it from tipping over. The auxiliary wheels 15 can rotate freely, allowing the trolley 1 to move easily in any direction. For example, consider a case where the trolley 1 is equipped with two drive wheels 14, one on each side. Then, auxiliary wheels 15 are provided in front of and behind each of the left and right drive wheels 14. By providing a total of four auxiliary wheels 15 on the trolley 1 in this way, it is possible to prevent the trolley 1 from tipping over in the forward or backward direction due to the force of inertia, whether the trolley 1 is moving forward or backward. In addition, the auxiliary wheels 15 allow the trolley 1 to spin with little force when the frictional force generated between the ground surface and the wheels is small and it is possible to slide it laterally. Lateral direction is the direction inclined with respect to the direction of travel of the trolley 1 in the horizontal direction.

[0031] (Dog 13) The dog 13 is mounted in a position where it can be detected by the trolley detection sensor 3 attached to the running rail 2. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the dog and the trolley detection sensor when the trolley in the transport system according to Embodiment 1 stops. As shown in Figure 4, when the trolley 1 stops from a running state, the dog 13 needs to continue to be detected by the trolley detection sensor 3 from the time the dog 13 is detected by the trolley detection sensor 3 until the trolley 1 stops.

[0032] For example, consider a case where a photoelectric sensor is used for the trolley detection sensor 3, and the dog 13 is detected when it obstructs the space between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element of the photoelectric sensor. In this case, the length of the dog 13 needs to be designed such that it continues to be detected by the trolley detection sensor 3 from the time the dog 13 is detected until the trolley 1 stops, based on the control cycle of the trolley-side control unit 112 and the running speed of the trolley 1. The length of the dog 13 is in the direction of extension of the running rail 2 and in the direction of longitudinal direction of the trolley 1.

[0033] (Battery 16) The battery 16 is connected to the trolley-side communication unit 10, the trolley-side controller 11, and the trolley drive unit 12, and supplies power to the trolley-side communication unit 10, the trolley-side controller 11, and the trolley drive unit 12. The weight of the battery 16 affects the running speed of the trolley 1. Also, the capacity of the battery 16 affects the continuous operating time of the trolley 1 until the battery 16 is replaced. Generally, batteries with larger capacity are heavier. For this reason, it is preferable to select the battery 16 according to the conditions in which the trolley 1 will be used.

[0034] (Parts Loading Section 17) The parts loading section 17 is an area where parts 300 transported by the trolley 1 are loaded, and is located, for example, on the ceiling surface of the trolley 1. The shape of the parts loading section 17 is designed based on the shape of the parts 300 loaded on the parts loading section 17. The parts loading section 17 can fix the parts 300 horizontally so that the parts 300 do not fall due to the inertial force generated when the trolley 1 moves.

[0035] (Running Rail 2) Next, the running rail 2 will be described. The running rail 2 is installed along the path on which the trolley 1 travels and guides the trolley 1's movement. A trolley detection sensor 3 and a running rail-side communication unit 7 are installed on the running rail 2.

[0036] The running rail 2 can be constructed using off-the-shelf products. Let's consider the case where the running rail 2 is made of an aluminum frame. For example, as shown in Figure 2, if the running rail 2 is made of an aluminum frame having a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the extension direction, the running rail 2 is constructed so that the wheels of the trolley 1 run on the grooves in the U-shape of the aluminum frame. The running rail 2 may be curved, and may be uphill or downhill. In particular, if the running rail 2 is curved, the running rail 2 is constructed so that the wheels of the trolley 1 run on the grooves in the U-shape of the aluminum frame, and as the trolley 1 moves forward, the trolley 1 can curve and run along the grooves.

[0037] By using off-the-shelf products such as the aforementioned aluminum frame for the running rail 2, instead of designing a dedicated running rail 2, the design costs and labor required for procuring parts for the running rail 2 can be reduced. Furthermore, by constructing the running rail 2 using readily available parts and screw fastening, without requiring any special processing of the aluminum frame, it becomes easy to remove the running rail 2 and procure additional parts for the running rail 2, making it easy to adapt to changes in the factory layout.

[0038] (Cart detection sensor 3) The cart detection sensor 3 is attached to the running rail 2 and detects the dog 13 attached to the cart 1. The cart detection sensor 3 detects the cart 1 at a predetermined stopping position for the cart 1. The cart detection sensor 3 can utilize sensors such as photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, laser sensors, magnetic sensors, and capacitive sensors. The dog 13 is designed to have properties that allow it to be detected by the cart detection sensor 3, in accordance with the characteristics of the cart detection sensor 3.

[0039] The bogie detection sensor 3 is connected to the running rail side communication unit 7. When the bogie detection sensor 3 detects a dog 13, it transmits detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 to the main controller 5 via the running rail side communication unit 7. All detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 transmitted by the bogie detection sensor 3 is centrally managed by the main controller 5. The spacing between the bogie detection sensors 3 must be set to be at least the length of one bogie 1 in order to prevent collisions between bogies 1.

[0040] The trolley detection sensor 3 is connected to the rail-side communication unit 7 by wireless or wired communication. When the trolley detection sensor 3 and the rail-side communication unit 7 are connected by wired communication, the communication between the trolley detection sensor 3 and the rail-side communication unit 7 is not affected by the communication delays that often occur with wireless communication. Furthermore, when the trolley detection sensor 3 and the rail-side communication unit 7 are connected by wireless communication, the trolley detection sensor 3 can be attached to the rail 2 without being limited by the hardware used for communication, such as the length and shape of the cable.

[0041] (Train Rail Side Communication Unit 7) The train rail side communication unit 7 communicates with the controller side communication unit 6. Communication between the train rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6 can utilize communication methods such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G mobile communication, 5G mobile communication, LAN (Local Area Network) cable, and wired communication using copper wire.

[0042] Regarding the data transmission in the communication between the traveling rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, a transmitter may be provided in the traveling rail side communication unit 7 and a receiver may be provided in the controller side communication unit 6, so that data can be transmitted only in one direction from the traveling rail side communication unit 7 to the controller side communication unit 6. Also, regarding the data transmission in the communication between the traveling rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, a transmitter and a receiver may be provided in both the traveling rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, so that data can be transmitted in both directions, namely, from the traveling rail side communication unit 7 to the controller side communication unit 6 and from the controller side communication unit 6 to the traveling rail side communication unit 7.

[0043] In either of the above configurations, since the controller side communication unit 6 needs to transmit operation instruction information to the carriage 1, it is necessary to provide both a receiver and a transmitter in the controller side communication unit 6. The information transmitted by the traveling rail side communication unit 7 to the controller side communication unit 6 is the output of the carriage detection sensor 3. The information received by the controller side communication unit 6 from the traveling rail side communication unit 7 is stored in the position number of the carriage detection sensor 3 that obtained the output in the sensor information storage unit 525 of the overall storage unit 52 of the overall controller 5 described later.

[0044] (Overall Controller 5) The overall controller 5 controls the entire conveying system 100. The overall controller 5 determines the positions of all the carriages 1 in the conveying system 100 and controls the operations of all the carriages 1. The overall controller 5 centrally manages all the detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 transmitted by the carriage detection sensor 3. That is, the overall controller 5 receives the detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 from all the carriage detection sensors 3 and centrally manages the detection information.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the overall controller included in the conveying system according to Embodiment 1. The overall controller 5 includes an overall control unit 51 and an overall storage unit 52. The overall control unit 51 includes a route calculation unit 511, a route comparison unit 512, a carriage operation selection unit 513, and a current position update unit 514. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the overall controller 5 includes a controller side communication unit 6.

[0046] The route calculation unit 511 calculates the travel routes of all the carts 1 controlled by the overall controller 5 from the current positions and target positions of all the carts 1.

[0047] The route comparison unit 512 determines the overlap with the routes of other carts 1 controlled by the overall controller 5. That is, when the overall controller 5 individually controls one cart 1, the route comparison unit 512 determines whether there is an overlap between the travel route of the cart 1 to be controlled and the travel routes of other carts 1.

[0048] The cart operation selection unit 513 calculates an operation instruction for each cart 1 from the current position and the next position of all the carts 1 controlled by the overall controller 5. When the overall controller 5 individually controls one cart 1, if there is no overlap between the travel route of the cart 1 to be controlled and the routes of other carts 1 in the determination by the route comparison unit 512, the cart operation selection unit 513 selects an operation instruction for the cart 1 to be controlled from the current position and the target position of the cart 1 to be controlled.

[0049] The current position update unit 514 updates the current positions of all the carts 1 controlled by the overall controller 5 to the next positions.

[0050] The overall storage unit 52 is provided with an operation instruction information storage unit 521, a route information storage unit 522, a current position storage unit 523, and a priority storage unit 524 for each cart 1. In addition, the overall storage unit 52 is provided with a sensor information storage unit 525 for each cart detection sensor 3. Each cart detection sensor 3 is managed by numbers such as position numbers 7, 8, 9.

[0051] The operation instruction information storage unit 521 stores information on operation instructions for all the carts 1. The operation instruction for the cart 1 includes "stop" for instructing the cart 1 to stop, "forward" for instructing the cart 1 to move forward, and "backward" for instructing the cart 1 to move backward.

[0052] The route information storage unit 522 stores, as route information, which is information on the route of the travel rail 2 along which the cart 1 travels, the information on the position numbers of a plurality of cart detection sensors 3 that the cart 1 is scheduled to pass through.

[0053] The current position storage unit 523 stores, for all trolleys 1, the position number information of the trolley detection sensor 3 that most recently detected the dog 13 mounted on the trolley 1, as the current position information of the trolley 1.

[0054] The priority storage unit 524 stores a priority number for each bogie 1, which is a number indicating the priority of each bogie 1. The priority is the priority for running on the running rail 2.

[0055] The sensor information storage unit 525 stores detection information for all cart detection sensors 3 provided in the transport system 100, which is information indicating the detection of the dog 13 by the cart detection sensor 3. The detection information is transmitted from the cart detection sensor 3 to the master controller 5 via the running rail side communication unit 7. The sensor information storage unit 525 stores "ON" information as detection information for position information in which the cart detection sensor 3 has reacted, indicating that the cart detection sensor 3 has reacted. The sensor information storage unit 525 also stores "OFF" information as detection information for position information in which the cart detection sensor 3 has not reacted, indicating that the cart detection sensor 3 has not reacted.

[0056] (Processing of the transport system 100) Next, we will explain the process by which the master controller 5 centrally controls the multiple trolleys 1 provided in the transport system 100. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the process by which the master controller provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 1 controls multiple trolleys. Note that the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 6 focuses on a specific trolley 1 among the multiple trolleys 1 when the master controller 5 controls multiple trolleys 1. However, the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 6 is performed for each trolley 1 when the master controller 5 controls multiple trolleys 1.

[0057] The master controller 5 controls the trolley 1 according to the procedure shown in the flowchart in Figure 6. By performing the processing from the "start" terminal to the "end" terminal in the flowchart in Figure 6, the master controller 5 can control the trolley 1's movement from its current position to its target position. Here, "position" refers to the last trolley detection sensor 3 detected on the running rail 2 for the trolley 1. The "position number" is a unique number assigned to each trolley detection sensor 3 to identify each trolley detection sensor 3. In other words, the current position of the trolley 1 and the target position of the trolley 1 are represented by the position number assigned to each trolley detection sensor 3.

[0058] First, in step S10, the route from the current position of the trolley 1 to the destination position is calculated, and the calculated route information is stored in the route information storage unit 522 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5. In other words, when controlling the movement of the trolley 1 from its current position to the destination position, the route to which the trolley 1 travels is calculated and stored. Specifically, the route calculation unit 511 of the central control unit 51 of the central controller 5 calculates the route that the trolley 1 travels when controlling its movement from its current position to the destination position, based on the position number of the current position of the trolley 1 and the position number of the destination position of the trolley 1. Then, the route calculation unit 511 stores the calculated route information in the route information storage unit 522 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5.

[0059] The path calculation unit 511 can calculate the path of the cart 1, for example, by using Dijkstra's algorithm, which is one method for calculating paths. Dijkstra's algorithm is an algorithm for solving the shortest path problem in graph theory, and can find the shortest path from a given starting point to all other vertices.

[0060] Next, in step S20, it is determined whether the next position number to which the controlled trolley 1 will move overlaps with the route taken by the priority trolley, which is the route of another trolley 1. Specifically, the route comparison unit 512 of the control unit 51 of the control unit 5 determines whether the next position number to which the controlled trolley 1 will move overlaps with the route taken by the priority trolley.

[0061] Here, we will explain priority trolleys. Each trolley 1 is assigned a priority for travel. A trolley 1 with a higher priority than a given trolley 1 is considered a priority trolley from the perspective of that trolley 1. The priority information is stored in the priority storage section 524 of the central memory section 52 of the central control unit 5.

[0062] In step S20, the above determination is made to prevent other bogies 1 from entering the priority bogie's path, thereby preventing the bogies 1 from interfering with each other's movement. Also, the path is constantly updated, and position numbers that have been passed are not included in the path. Step S20 is repeated until the next position number of other bogies 1 and the priority bogie's path no longer overlap. Therefore, focusing on each position number, other bogies 1 wait for the priority bogie to pass and can then travel to that position number after the priority bogie has passed.

[0063] If it is determined that the next position number to be reached by the controlled trolley 1 does not overlap with the route taken by the priority trolley, which is the route of another trolley 1, the result in step S20 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S30. If it is determined that the next position number to be reached by the controlled trolley 1 overlaps with the route taken by the priority trolley, which is the route of another trolley 1, the result in step S20 is No, and step S20 is repeated.

[0064] Next, in step S30, as information on the trolley's movement, the movement of the trolley 1 to be controlled is selected from "forward" and "backward," and the information on the selected trolley movement is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5 as information on the operation instruction to the trolley 1. Specifically, the trolley movement selection unit 513 of the central control unit 51 selects the movement of the trolley 1 to be controlled from "forward" and "backward" as information on the trolley's movement, and stores the information on the selected trolley movement in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 as information on the operation instruction to the trolley 1.

[0065] The central control unit 51 transmits the operation instruction information stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 to the trolley 1 as an operation instruction to the trolley 1 via the controller-side communication unit 6. In the trolley 1, the received operation instruction information is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side storage unit 111 of the trolley-side controller 11.

[0066] The method by which the trolley operation selection unit 513 selects the operation of the trolley 1 will now be explained. As shown in Figure 1, position numbers 7, 8, and 9 are assigned to the trolley detection sensors 3a, 3b, and 3c respectively, and are pre-assigned so that they are sequential numbers in one direction along the running rail 2. Position numbers 7, 8, and 9 are set so that when the trolley 1 moves forward, the trolley 1 moves in the direction in which the position numbers increase.

[0067] The trolley operation selection unit 513 can determine the operation of trolley 1 by comparing the position number of the current position of trolley 1 with the position number of the next position of trolley 1. If the position number of the current position of trolley 1 is smaller than the position number of the next position of trolley 1, the trolley operation selection unit 513 selects "forward" as the operation of trolley 1. If the position number of the current position of trolley 1 is larger than the position number of the next position of trolley 1, the trolley operation selection unit 513 selects "reverse" as the operation of trolley 1. If the position number of the current position of trolley 1 and the position number of the next position of trolley 1 are the same, the trolley operation selection unit 513 selects "stop" as the operation of trolley 1.

[0068] For example, in the state shown in Figure 1, the position number of the current position of the trolley 1b is position number 8. Therefore, the trolley operation selection unit 513 can determine "forward" if the position number of the next position of the trolley 1b is position number 9, because 8 < 9, and "backward" if the position number of the next position of the trolley 1b is position number 7, because 8 > 7.

[0069] Next, in step S40, it is determined whether or not the trolley detection sensor 3 installed at the position following the trolley 1 to be controlled has reacted. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether or not the trolley detection sensor 3 installed at the position following the trolley 1 to be controlled has reacted. A reaction by the trolley detection sensor 3 means that the trolley detection sensor 3 detects the dog 13. Based on the detection information transmitted from the trolley detection sensor 3 to the master controller 5 and stored in the sensor information storage unit 525, the trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether or not the trolley detection sensor 3 installed at the position following the trolley 1 to be controlled has reacted.

[0070] In step S20, it is confirmed that there is no overlap between the path of the controlled trolley 1 and the paths of other trolleys 1. Therefore, if the trolley detection sensor 3 for the position number of the next position of the specific trolley 1 to be controlled reacts, it indicates that the specific trolley 1 to be controlled is located at the position detected by the trolley detection sensor 3. If there is no reaction from the trolley detection sensor 3 indicated by the position number of the next position of the controlled trolley 1, step S40 is repeated until a reaction is detected.

[0071] If it is determined that the cart detection sensor 3 installed at the position next to the cart 1 to be controlled has reacted, the answer in step S40 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S50. If it is determined that the cart detection sensor 3 indicated by the position number of the position next to the cart 1 to be controlled has not reacted, the answer in step S40 is No, and step S40 is repeated.

[0072] In step S50, the information for the operation instruction "stop" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5 as information for operation instructions to the trolley 1 to be controlled. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 stores the information for the operation instruction "stop" in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5.

[0073] Next, in step S60, the information in the current position storage unit 523 and the route information storage unit 522 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5 for the trolley 1 to be controlled is updated. Specifically, the current position update unit 514 updates the position number of the trolley 1 to be controlled in the current position storage unit 523 to the position number of the next position. The current position update unit 514 also updates the route information storage unit 522 by deleting the position number information of the trolley detection sensor 3 that has passed from the position number information of the trolley 1 to be controlled in the route information storage unit 522.

[0074] Next, in step S70, it is determined whether the current position of the trolley 1 to be controlled is the same as the target position of the trolley 1. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether the current position of the trolley 1 to be controlled is the same as the target position of the trolley 1. The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether the current position of the trolley 1 to be controlled is the same as the target position of the trolley 1 by determining whether the position number in the current position storage unit 523 is the same as the position number of the target position that can be confirmed in the route information storage unit 522.

[0075] The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines that the current position of the trolley 1 to be controlled is the same as the target position of the trolley 1 if the position number in the current position storage unit 523 is the same as the position number of the target position that can be confirmed in the route information storage unit 522. The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines that the current position of the trolley 1 to be controlled is not the same as the target position of the trolley 1 if the position number in the current position storage unit 523 is not the same as the position number of the target position that can be confirmed in the route information storage unit 522.

[0076] If it is determined that the current position of the controlled trolley 1 is the same as the target position of the trolley 1, the result in step S70 is Yes, and the series of processes ends. If it is determined that the current position of the controlled trolley 1 is not the same as the target position of the trolley 1, the result in step S70 is No, and the process returns to step S20.

[0077] Next, the control process in the trolley 1 will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for controlling the trolley by the trolley-side controller in the transport system according to Embodiment 1. The trolley-side controller 11 starts processing from the "Start" terminal in the flowchart shown in Figure 7 and repeats steps S110 and S120.

[0078] First, in step S110, the trolley-side communication unit 10 communicates wirelessly with the controller-side communication unit 6, and the operation instruction information, which is the content of the instruction stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521, is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side storage unit 111 of the trolley-side controller 11. Specifically, the central control unit 51 transmits the operation instruction information, which is the content of the instruction stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521, to the trolley 1 via the controller-side communication unit 6 as an operation instruction to the trolley 1. The trolley-side control unit 112 of the trolley 1 stores the operation instruction information received via the trolley-side communication unit 10 in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side storage unit 111 of the trolley-side controller 11.

[0079] In step S120, the trolley drive unit 12 is controlled according to the operation instruction information for the trolley 1 stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side controller 11. Specifically, the trolley-side control unit 112 of the trolley-side controller 11 controls the drive of the trolley drive unit 12 according to the operation instruction information for the trolley 1 stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111, thereby controlling the drive of the trolley 1.

[0080] As described above, the trolley 1 can be controlled to move without having to retain information about its current position or the path it is traveling.

[0081] As described above, the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 is a transport system in which multiple carts automatically travel along a track, comprising: a master controller that controls the entire transport system; multiple carts that automatically travel along the track and transport parts while communicating with the master controller; a running rail that serves as the track on which the carts travel; and multiple cart detection sensors attached to the running rail that detect the carts at predetermined stopping positions. The master controller comprises: a path calculation unit that calculates the travel path of all carts from the current position and target position of all carts; a path comparison unit that determines whether or not the travel path of the cart to be controlled overlaps with the travel path of other carts; and a cart operation selection unit that, if the path comparison unit determines that there is no overlap between the travel path of the cart to be controlled and the travel path of other carts, selects an operation instruction for the cart to be controlled from the current position and target position of the cart to be controlled. Thus, a transport system is realized that determines the position of all carts and controls the operation of all carts.

[0082] As described above, the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 has the above configuration, so the central controller 5 tracks the position of the trolley 1 from the detection information of all trolley detection sensors 3, and the central controller 5 constantly commands all trolleys 1 to operate. For this reason, the transport system 100 does not require control software to determine the operation of the trolley 1 in the trolley-side controller 11, and the transport system can be realized without providing parts such as an identification unit on the trolley 1 and a trolley identification unit on the running rail 2.

[0083] In other words, when modifying the method of centrally controlling multiple trolleys 1 in the transport system 100, the method of centrally controlling multiple trolleys 1 can be modified by changing only the processing of the master controller 5, thereby improving the efficiency of the modification.

[0084] Furthermore, in the transport system 100, the central controller 5 can recognize the positions of multiple trolleys 1 without attaching identification units to the trolleys 1 or trolley identification units to the running rails 2. This allows for a simplification of the system configuration in the transport system 100.

[0085] Furthermore, we consider a case where the transport system 100 controls the trolley 1 in cooperation with other business systems, such as a transport planning system or an equipment status management system. In the transport system 100, the control of all trolleys 1 is centrally controlled by the master controller 5, so each business system can cooperate with each other by communicating only with the master controller 5.

[0086] Thus, the transport system 100 achieves the following effects: by centrally controlling the operation of multiple trolleys 1 using the master controller 5, it eliminates the need to install control software that determines the operation of the trolleys 1 on the trolley-side controllers 11, thereby reducing the man-hours required for introducing and modifying control software; it eliminates the need for an identification part on the trolleys 1 and the need for a trolley identification part on the running rails 2, thereby reducing the number of parts and costs; and it facilitates communication when coordinating with other business systems, resulting in the operation of a highly efficient transport system.

[0087] Therefore, the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 has the effect of enabling efficient operation of multiple trolleys 1 without complicating the structure of the trolley 1 and the trolley-side controller 11. Furthermore, the transport system 100 has the effect of enabling efficient operation of the transport system by reducing the man-hours required for modifying the control software and by reducing the number of parts and costs of the trolley 1 and the running rail 2.

[0088] Embodiment 2. Embodiment 1 described above describes a case where the direction of travel of the trolley 1 is not changed from the straight direction and there is no branching path on the running rail 2. Embodiment 2 describes a case where a direction switching module 21 that acts as a branching path is provided on the running rail 2. The transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 performs centralized control of multiple trolleys 1 using the trolley 1, running rail 2, trolley detection sensor 3, master controller 5a, and direction switching module 21.

[0089] Figure 8 shows the transport of parts between devices by centralized control of trolleys in the transport system according to Embodiment 2. The transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 has a configuration in which a direction switching module 21, which serves as a branching path, is provided on the running rail 2, compared to the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 described above. In the transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 shown in Figure 8, trolleys 1a, 1b, and 1c can automatically transport parts 300 between devices 4a, 4b, and 4c.

[0090] In the transport system 100a shown in Figure 8, the extension direction of the travel rail 2 is bent across the direction switching module 21. In other words, in the transport system 100a, the travel rail 2 is bent. Therefore, in the transport system 100a, when the trolley 1 automatically transports parts 300 between devices 4b and 4c and device 4a, the travel direction of the trolley 1 is switched.

[0091] (Direction switching module 21) Figure 9 shows the configuration of the direction switching module provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 2. The direction switching module 21 is installed at the branching point where the travel rail 2 branches, and switches the direction of travel of the trolley 1 by rotating with the trolley 1 mounted on it. As shown in Figure 9, the direction switching module 21 is configured to include the travel rail 2, a trolley detection sensor 3, a rotating part 211, a fixed part 212, and a rotating part communication part 213.

[0092] (Rotating section communication unit 213) The rotating section communication unit 213 communicates wirelessly with the controller-side communication unit 6.

[0093] (Rotating part 211) The rotating part 211 is attached to the fixed part 212. The rotating part 211 includes a support plate 2111 on which the running rail 2 is installed, and the running rail 2 is installed on the upper surface of the support plate 2111. A trolley detection sensor 3 is attached to the running rail 2. The rotating part 211 includes a rotation drive unit (not shown), such as a motor, and is rotatable in the horizontal direction relative to the fixed part 212, with the central axis of the rotating part 211 in the horizontal direction as the axis of rotation. By rotating the rotating part 211 in the horizontal direction, the direction in which the running rail 2 installed on the direction switching module 21 and the trolley detection sensor 3 of the direction switching module 21 face can be changed in the horizontal direction. The rotating part 211 can also change the direction of the trolley 1 in the horizontal direction by rotating with the trolley 1 on the running rail 2 installed on the support plate 2111.

[0094] The support plate 2111 has an external shape in the in-plane direction of its upper surface, for example, as shown in Figure 9, with the four corners of a square beveled. By making the external shape of the support plate 2111 such, interference between the support plate 2111 and the surrounding running rails 2 can be avoided when the rotating part 211 rotates and the support plate 2111 rotates. Furthermore, if there is a risk of interference between the running rails 2 installed on the support plate 2111 and the surrounding running rails 2 when the support plate 2111 rotates, it is preferable that the corners of the running rails 2 installed on the support plate 2111 are similarly beveled. Examples of the beveled corners of the square include a shape in which the corners are cut at a 45-degree angle to two adjacent sides of the square, or a shape in which the corners are cut so as to connect two adjacent sides of the square with an arc. In addition, the size of the support plate 2111 in the in-plane direction should be the minimum size necessary to obtain the function of the support plate 2111. Furthermore, the shape of the support plate 2111 does not necessarily have to be plate-like; any shape that can support the two running rails 2 is acceptable.

[0095] The rotating part 211 is fitted with a rotating part communication unit 213. The rotating part communication unit 213 is connected to the controller-side communication unit 6 by wireless communication. As a result, the rotating part 211 is connected to the main controller 5a by wireless communication. The rotating part 211 is directly driven and controlled by the rotation control unit 515 of the main controller 5a, which will be described later.

[0096] (Cart detection sensor 3) By also providing one cart detection sensor 3 on the running rail 2 installed on the direction switching module 21, the rotation control unit 515 of the master controller 5a can recognize the presence or absence of a cart 1 in the direction switching module 21. In addition, the cart detection sensor 3 installed on the direction switching module 21 is also assigned a position number. The position number assigned to the cart detection sensor 3 installed on the direction switching module 21 can be rephrased as the position number of the direction switching module 21.

[0097] When the control unit 51 of the control unit 5a receives detection information from the bogie detection sensor 3 indicating the detection of the bogie 1 in the direction switching module 21 via the running rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, it stores the position number information of the bogie detection sensor 3, i.e., the position number information of the direction switching module 21, in the current position storage unit 523. As a result, even when the current position of the bogie 1 is the direction switching module 21, the current position of the bogie 1 is managed by the control unit 5a.

[0098] (Fixed part 212) The fixed part 212 has the rotating part 211 attached to its upper surface and supports the rotating part 211. When the rotating part 211 rotates to rotate the running rail 2 installed on the rotating part 211, the fixed part 212 also receives a force in the direction of rotation according to the law of action and reaction. For this reason, the fixed part 212 is fixed to the running rail 2, device 4, ground or wall, etc., around the fixed part 212 so that it does not move even when it receives a force in the direction of rotation from the rotating part 211.

[0099] (General Controller 5a) Figure 10 shows the configuration of the general controller provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 2. The general controller 5a provided in the transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 differs from the general controller 5 according to Embodiment 1 in that the general control unit 511 further includes a rotation control unit 515, and the general storage unit 522 further includes a rotation direction storage unit 526.

[0100] The rotation control unit 515 controls the rotation of the rotating unit 211. When controlling the rotating unit 211, the rotation control unit 515 can use, for example, feedback control. In feedback control of the rotating unit 211, the current rotation angle of the rotating unit 211 is measured by a sensor (not shown), and the control signal for controlling the rotating unit 211 is adjusted based on the measurement result from the sensor. For example, the rotation angle of the rotating unit 211 is measured using an encoder. The rotation control unit 515 compares the measured result of the rotation angle of the rotating unit 211 with a predetermined target value. The rotation control unit 515 then inputs the difference between the measured result of the rotation angle of the rotating unit 211 and the target value into a control algorithm such as PID control, and operates the rotating unit 211 with the control signal output from the control algorithm. By repeating this process, the rotating unit 211 is controlled to the target rotation angle with high precision.

[0101] In addition, a dog and a proximity sensor may also be used to control the rotating part 211. For example, as shown in Figure 9, a dog 215 is installed on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating part 211. Also, as shown in Figure 9, a proximity sensor 214, which is an observation unit, is installed on the upper surface of the fixed part 212 at a position opposite to the position where the dog 215 is to be stopped, in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the cylindrical rotating part 211. The position where the dog 215 is to be stopped can be rephrased as the rotation position where the rotating part 211 is to be stopped in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the rotating part 211.

[0102] In the example shown in Figure 9, the outer shape of the fixing part 212 in the in-plane direction of the upper surface of the fixing part 212 is rectangular. The direction switching module 21 is used at intersections where multiple extension directions of the running rail 2 fixed to the fixing part 212 intersect at right angles. In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the proximity sensors 214 are installed at two locations on the side of the rotating part 211 that are rotated 90 degrees along the circumferential direction. The dogs 215 are installed at two locations on the side of the rotating part 211 that are rotated 180 degrees along the circumferential direction of that side. Note that in Figure 9, only one dog 215 is shown for illustrative purposes.

[0103] Then, the rotating part 211 rotates in the direction and at the rotation angle specified in the control instruction of the rotation control unit 515, based on the control instruction of the rotation control unit 515. The rotating part 211 stops when the proximity sensor 214 observes the dog 215 and detects the dog 215. As a result, the rotating part 211 stops at a position rotated by the rotation angle specified in the control instruction.

[0104] Furthermore, we consider the case where the multiple extension directions of the running rail 2 fixed to the fixing part 212 do not intersect at right angles, or where the outer shape of the fixing part 212 in the in-plane direction of the upper surface of the fixing part 212 is not rectangular. In this case, the positional relationship of the two dogs 215 in the direction along the circumferential direction of the side surface of the rotating part 211 is adjusted in accordance with the intersecting directions of the multiple extension directions of the running rail 2. Also, the positional relationship of the two proximity sensors 214 in the direction along the circumferential direction of the side surface of the rotating part 211 is adjusted in accordance with the intersecting directions of the multiple extension directions of the running rail 2, so that they are opposite to the position where the dogs 215 are to be stopped in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the rotating part 211.

[0105] This allows the system to be configured so that when the proximity sensor 214 observes and detects the dog 215, the rotating part 211 stops at a position rotated by a specified rotation angle.

[0106] The rotating section direction storage unit 526 stores information on which position number is connected to the rotating section 211's running rail 2 in the direction the rotating section 211 is currently facing.

[0107] The rotation angle of the rotating part 211 can be controlled to any angle, unless limited by the hardware of the direction switching module 21 on which the rotating part 211 is installed. This allows the direction switching module 21 to change the direction of travel of the running rail 2, which is provided on the upper surface of the support plate 2111 of the rotating part 211 of the direction switching module 21, to any angle.

[0108] (Processing of the transport system 100a) Next, the process by which the master controller 5a centrally controls the multiple trolleys 1 and the direction switching module 21 will be described. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the process by which the master controller of the transport system according to Embodiment 2 controls the trolleys and the direction switching module. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the control procedure for the direction switching module of the transport system according to Embodiment 2.

[0109] The master controller 5a controls the trolley 1 according to the procedure shown in the flowchart in Figure 11. In addition to the flowchart in Figure 6 in Embodiment 1, the master controller 5a performs the predefined process of step S210 between steps S20 and S30. The predefined process of step S210 is a flowchart representing the control procedure of the direction switching module 21, and is defined in the flowchart in Figure 12. By performing the processing from the "start" terminal to the "end" terminal in the flowchart in Figure 12, the control of the direction switching module 21 of the predefined process of step S210 can be performed.

[0110] First, in step S211, it is determined whether the next position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21. Specifically, the rotation control unit 515 of the central control unit 51 of the central control unit 5a determines whether the next position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21 by determining whether the position number of the next position of the trolley 1 is the position number of the trolley detection sensor 3 attached to the direction switching module 21.

[0111] If it is determined that the next position of the trolley 1 is not the direction switching module 21, the result in step S211 is No, and the process proceeds to step S212. If it is determined that the next position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21, the result in step S211 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S213.

[0112] In step S213, it is determined whether the direction switching module 21 for the next position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the current position of the trolley 1. Specifically, the rotation control unit 515 determines whether the direction switching module 21 for the next position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the current position of the trolley 1. The rotation control unit 515 determines whether the direction switching module 21 for the next position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the current position of the trolley 1 based on the information stored in the rotation unit direction storage unit 526 and the position number of the current position of the trolley 1.

[0113] When the direction switching module 21 is oriented in the direction of the current position of the trolley 1, it means that the extension direction of the running rail 2 installed on the direction switching module 21 is oriented in the direction of the current position of the trolley 1, and the trolley 1 is in a state where it can travel from its current position to the next direction switching module 21.

[0114] If it is determined that the direction switching module 21 at the next position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the current position of the trolley 1, the result in step S213 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S212. If it is determined that the direction switching module 21 at the next position of the trolley 1 is not facing the direction of the current position of the trolley 1, the result in step S213 is No, and the process proceeds to step S214.

[0115] In step S214, the rotation control unit 515 rotates the direction switching module 21 for the next position so that the direction switching module 21 for the next position of the trolley 1 faces the direction of the current position of the trolley 1. The rotation control unit 515 transmits operation instruction information, such as "rotate 90 degrees to the right" or "rotate 90 degrees to the left," to the rotation part 211 of the direction switching module 21, and rotates the direction switching module 21 for the next position. After that, the process proceeds to step S212.

[0116] In step S212, it is determined whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21. Specifically, the rotation control unit 515 determines whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21 by determining whether the position number of the current position of the trolley 1 is the position number of the trolley detection sensor 3 attached to the direction switching module 21.

[0117] If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is the direction switching module 21, the answer in step S212 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S215. If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is not the direction switching module 21, the answer in step S212 is No, and the series of processes ends.

[0118] In step S215, it is determined whether the direction switching module 21 at the current position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position of the trolley 1. Specifically, the rotation control unit 515 determines whether the direction switching module 21 at the current position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position of the trolley 1. The rotation control unit 515 determines whether the direction switching module 21 at the current position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position of the trolley 1 based on the information stored in the rotation unit direction storage unit 526 and the position number of the next position of the trolley 1.

[0119] If it is determined that the direction switching module 21 at the current position of the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position of the trolley 1, the result in step S215 is Yes, and the series of processes ends. If it is determined that the direction switching module 21 at the current position of the trolley 1 is not facing the direction of the next position of the trolley 1, the result in step S215 is No, and the process proceeds to step S216.

[0120] In step S216, the rotation control unit 515 rotates the current position direction switching module 21 so that the current position direction switching module 21 of the trolley 1 faces the direction of the next position of the trolley 1. This completes the series of processes.

[0121] When the direction switching module 21 is oriented towards the next position of the trolley 1, it means that the extension direction of the running rail 2 installed on the direction switching module 21 is oriented towards the next position of the trolley 1, and the trolley 1 is in a state where it can travel from the direction switching module 21 at its current position to the next position.

[0122] As described above, the transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 has the same effects as the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 described above.

[0123] Furthermore, by providing a direction switching module 21, the transport system 100a can create branching paths on the running rails 2, enabling the construction of a complex transport system equipped with branching paths. In other words, the transport system 100a enables the construction of an intricate network of running rails 2 and the movement of the trolley 1 on those running rails 2 through the branching of the running rails 2 by the direction switching module 21 and the switching of the direction of travel of the trolley 1.

[0124] Embodiment 3. Embodiment 2 described above did not involve raising or lowering the running rail 2 in the height direction, and described a case where there is no lifting mechanism for the trolley 1 on the running rail 2. Embodiment 3 describes a case where a lifting module 22 is provided, which acts as a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the trolley 1 while it is mounted, and the trolley 1 can travel at a height higher than the height of the device 4 and the height of a person.

[0125] Figure 13 shows the transport of parts between devices by centralized control of trolleys in the transport system according to Embodiment 3. The transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 has a configuration in which a lifting module 22, which serves as a lifting device, is provided on the running rail 2, compared to the transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2 described above. In the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 shown in Figure 13, trolleys 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1e can automatically transport parts 300 between devices 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f.

[0126] In the transport system 100b shown in Figure 13, workers 310a, 310b, and 310c are performing their duties. In Figure 13, the running rails 2 installed next to devices 4a, 4b, and 4c, and the running rails 2 installed next to devices 4d, 4e, and 4f, are located on the first floor. Also in Figure 13, the running rail 2 installed between devices 4c and 4f is located on the second floor, at a height above human height, and workers 310a and 310b are shown moving beneath this running rail 2. At this time, trolleys 1b, 1c, and 1d are traveling on the running rail 2 located on the second floor.

[0127] In the transport system 100b shown in Figure 13, a lifting module 22 is positioned between the running rail 2 installed on the first floor and the running rail 2 installed on the second floor. The lifting module 22 functions as a bridge for the trolley 1's travel path between the running rail 2 installed on the first floor and the running rail 2 installed on the second floor. In other words, the lifting module 22 moves up and down between the height of the first floor and the height of the second floor to transport the trolley 1 between the running rail 2 installed on the first floor and the running rail 2 installed on the second floor.

[0128] In the transport system 100b shown in Figure 13, the trolley 1 can move between the running rail 2 installed on the first floor and the running rail 2 installed on the second floor, using the lifting module 22, which consists of a first lifting module 22a and a second lifting module 22b. The running rail 2 that has been raised to the second floor is equipped with a first direction switching module 21a and a second direction switching module 21b.

[0129] Thus, by providing the lifting module 22 in the transport system 100b, it is possible to create a height difference between the worker and the device 4 and the travel rail 2, or between the travel rails 2 and the travel rails 2, and to arrange the travel rails 2 in a way that prevents interference between the worker and the device 4 and the travel rails 2, or between the travel rails 2 and the travel rails 2.

[0130] (Lifting Module 22) The lifting module 22 is installed at an intermediate position on the running rail 2 and is a lifting device that moves up and down, for example, between the height of the first floor and the height of the second floor. The lifting module 22 moves up and down with the trolley 1 on it, thereby transporting the trolley 1 in the height direction between the running rails 2 which are at different heights. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of the lifting module provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 14, the lifting module 22 is composed of a running rail 2, a trolley detection sensor 3, a lifting unit 221, a lifting positioning unit 222, a lifting module communication unit 223, and a housing 224.

[0131] (Lifting module communication unit 223) The lifting module communication unit 223 communicates wirelessly with the controller-side communication unit 6.

[0132] (Lifting section 221) The lifting section 221 includes a support plate 2211 on which the running rails 2 are installed. The running rails 2 are installed on the support plate 2211, allowing the trolley 1 to get on and off the support plate 2211. A trolley detection sensor 3 is attached to the running rails 2. The lifting section 221 is connected to the main controller 5b by wireless communication via the lifting module communication unit 223 and the controller-side communication unit 6.

[0133] The lifting unit 221 is positioned at a predetermined number of height positions. These predetermined height positions are, for example, the height of the first floor and the height of the second floor. The positioning of the lifting unit 221 is directly controlled by the lifting control unit 516 of the main controller 5b, which will be described later.

[0134] (Lifting and Lowering Positioning Unit 222) The lifting and lowering positioning unit 222 raises and lowers the lifting and lowering unit 221 to position the height of the lifting and lowering unit 221. The lifting and lowering unit 221 needs to be controlled to be positioned at the height on which the running rail 2 is installed. Examples of lifting and lowering methods for the lifting and lowering positioning unit 222 that controls the lifting and lowering unit 221 to be positioned at the height on which the running rail 2 is installed include a ball screw method, a rack and pinion method, a belt drive method, a hydraulic piston method, and a pneumatic piston method. In particular, when the height of the lifting and lowering unit 221 is controlled by converting rotational motion into linear motion, the lifting and lowering control unit 516 of the main controller 5b controls the height of the lifting and lowering unit 221 by controlling a drive unit such as a servo motor. The positioning accuracy of the height of the lifting and lowering unit 221 is limited to an error of about the height of a step that the trolley 1 can overcome.

[0135] By controlling the raising and lowering of the lifting unit 221, it is possible to position the lifting unit 221 at any height within the lifting module 22, as long as there are no hardware limitations on the lifting unit 221. In particular, when the trolley 1 enters the trolley entrance of the device 4, even if the height of the trolley entrance differs for each device 4, it is possible to lay the running rails 2 at the height of the trolley entrance for each device 4 and position the lifting unit 221 at the height of the running rails 2.

[0136] (Cart detection sensor 3) By also providing one cart detection sensor 3 on the running rail 2 located on the lifting section 221 of the lifting module 22, the lifting control unit 516 of the master controller 5b can recognize the presence or absence of a cart 1 inside the lifting module 22. In addition, the cart detection sensor 3 provided on the lifting module 22 is also assigned a position number.

[0137] When the control unit 51 of the control unit 5b receives detection information from the trolley detection sensor 3 indicating the detection of the trolley 1 in the lifting module 22 via the running rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, it stores the position number information of the trolley detection sensor 3 in the lifting module 22 in the current position storage unit 523. As a result, even when the current position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22, the current position of the trolley 1 is managed by the control unit 5b.

[0138] (Housing 224) The housing 224 houses the lifting unit 221, the lifting positioning unit 222, and the lifting module communication unit 223, and supports the lifting positioning unit 222.

[0139] (General Controller 5b) Figure 15 shows the configuration of the general controller provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 3. The general controller 5b provided in the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 differs from the general controller 5a according to Embodiment 2 in that the general control unit 51 further includes a lifting control unit 516, and the general storage unit 52 further includes a lifting position storage unit 527 and a surrounding position number height storage unit 528.

[0140] The lifting control unit 516 controls the lifting and lowering of the lifting module 22, that is, the lifting and lowering of the lifting unit 221. The lifting control unit 516 directly controls the lifting and lowering positioning unit 222 to control the lifting and lowering of the lifting unit 221 and its positioning in the height direction.

[0141] The lifting position storage unit 527 stores information about the height position of the lifting unit 221. The lifting control unit 516 controls the lifting positioning unit 222 to position the lifting unit 221, and each time it does so, it stores the information about the height position of the lifting unit 221 in the lifting position storage unit 527.

[0142] The surrounding position number height storage unit 528 stores, for each lifting module 22, information about the position number around the lifting module 22 and information about the positioning height of the running rail 2 at that surrounding position number. In other words, the surrounding position number height storage unit 528 stores information about the position number of a position adjacent to the lifting module 22 and information about the positioning height of the running rail 2 at that position number.

[0143] Figure 23 is a diagram illustrating the surrounding position number height storage unit 528 provided in the master controller 5b of the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3. In the surrounding position number height storage unit 528, for example as shown in Figure 23, the surrounding position number, which is the position number of a position adjacent to a lifting module 22, and the surrounding position number height, which is the positioning height of the travel rail 2 at that surrounding position number, are defined in a table for a plurality of lifting modules 22.

[0144] (Operation of the transport system 100b) Next, the process by which the master controller 5b centrally controls the multiple trolleys 1, the direction switching module 21, and the lifting module 22 will be described. Figure 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the process by which the master controller of the transport system according to Embodiment 3 controls the trolleys, the direction switching module, and the lifting module. Figure 17 is a flowchart showing an example of the control procedure for the lifting module of the transport system according to Embodiment 3.

[0145] The master controller 5b controls the trolley 1 and the direction switching module 21 in the procedure shown in the flowchart in Figure 16. In addition to the flow in Figure 11 in Embodiment 2, the master controller 5b performs the predefined process of step S310 between steps S210 and S30. The predefined process of step S310 is a flow representing the control procedure of the lifting module 22, and is defined in the flowchart in Figure 17. By performing the processing from the "start" terminal to the "end" terminal in the flowchart in Figure 17, the control of the lifting module 22 in the predefined process of step S310 can be performed.

[0146] First, in step S311, it is determined whether the next position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22. Specifically, the lifting control unit 516 of the central control unit 51 of the central control unit 5b determines whether the next position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22 by determining whether the position number of the next position of the trolley 1 is the position number of the trolley detection sensor 3 attached to the lifting module 22.

[0147] If it is determined that the next position of the trolley 1 is not the lifting module 22, the result in step S311 is No, and the process proceeds to step S312. If it is determined that the next position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22, the result in step S311 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S313.

[0148] In step S313, it is determined whether the next lifting module 22 of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the current position of the trolley 1. Specifically, the lifting control unit 516 determines whether the next lifting module 22 of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the current position of the trolley 1.

[0149] The lifting control unit 516 determines the height of the running rail 2 at the current position of the trolley 1 from the information stored in the surrounding position number height storage unit 528, based on the position number of the current position of the trolley 1. The lifting control unit 516 also determines the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221 by referring to the height position information of the lifting unit 221 stored in the lifting position storage unit 527. Then, by comparing the height of the running rail 2 at the current position of the trolley 1 with the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221, the lifting control unit 516 can determine whether the lifting unit 221 is positioned at the correct height.

[0150] The lifting control unit 516 determines that the lifting unit 221 is positioned at the correct height and that the lifting module 22 at the next position of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the trolley 1's current position if the height of the running rail 2 at the current position of the trolley 1 is the same as the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221. The lifting control unit 516 determines that the lifting unit 221 is not positioned at the correct height and that the lifting module 22 at the next position of the trolley 1 is not positioned at the height of the trolley 1's current position if the height of the running rail 2 at the current position of the trolley 1 is not the same as the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221.

[0151] If it is determined that the next lifting module 22 on the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the current position of the trolley 1, the answer in step S313 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S312. If it is determined that the next lifting module 22 on the trolley 1 is not positioned at the height of the current position of the trolley 1, the answer in step S313 is No, and the process proceeds to step S314.

[0152] In step S314, the lifting control unit 516 positions the lifting module 22 at the next position of the trolley 1 so that it is positioned at the height of the current position of the trolley 1. The lifting control unit 516 transmits operation instruction information, such as "position on the 1st floor" or "position on the 2nd floor," to the lifting positioning unit 222 of the lifting module 22 to position the lifting module 22 at the next position of the trolley 1. When positioning the lifting module 22 at the next position of the trolley 1, for example, in the case of "position on the 1st floor," the height of the lifting unit 221 is positioned so that the running rail 2 installed on the 1st floor and the running rail 2 installed on the support plate 2211 of the lifting unit 221 of the lifting unit 221 of the lifting unit 221 are at the same height. Then, the process proceeds to step S312.

[0153] In step S312, it is determined whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22. Specifically, the lifting control unit 516 of the central control unit 51 of the central control unit 5b determines whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22 by determining whether the position number of the current position of the trolley 1 is the position number of the trolley detection sensor 3 attached to the lifting module 22.

[0154] If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is the lifting module 22, the answer in step S312 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S315. If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is not the lifting module 22, the answer in step S312 is No, and the series of processes ends.

[0155] In step S315, it is determined whether the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1. Specifically, the lifting control unit 516 determines whether the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1.

[0156] The lifting control unit 516 determines the height of the running rail 2 at the next position of the trolley 1 from the information stored in the surrounding position number height storage unit 528, based on the position number of the next position of the trolley 1. The lifting control unit 516 also determines the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221 by referring to the height position information of the lifting unit 221 stored in the lifting position storage unit 527. Then, by comparing the height of the running rail 2 at the next position of the trolley 1 with the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221, the lifting control unit 516 can determine whether the lifting unit 221 is positioned at the correct height.

[0157] The lifting control unit 516 determines that the lifting unit 221 is positioned at the correct height and the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1 if the height of the running rail 2 at the next position of the trolley 1 is the same as the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221. The lifting control unit 516 determines that the lifting unit 221 is not positioned at the correct height and the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is not positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1 if the height of the running rail 2 at the next position of the trolley 1 is not the same as the current positioning height of the lifting unit 221.

[0158] If it is determined that the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1, the result in step S315 is Yes, and the series of processes ends. If it is determined that the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 is not positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1, the result in step S315 is No, and the process proceeds to step S316.

[0159] In step S316, the lifting control unit 516 positions the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1 so that it is positioned at the height of the next position of the trolley 1. The lifting control unit 516 transmits operation instruction information, such as "position on the 1st floor" or "position on the 2nd floor," to the lifting positioning unit 222 of the lifting module 22 to position the lifting module 22 at the current position of the trolley 1. This completes the series of processes.

[0160] As described above, the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 has the same effects as the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 and the transport system 100a according to Embodiment 2.

[0161] Furthermore, by incorporating a lifting module 22, the transport system 100b makes it possible to create a height difference between the worker and the device 4 and the travel rail 2, or between the travel rails 2 and the travel rails 2, thereby enabling the travel rails 2 to be arranged in a way that prevents interference between the worker and the device 4 and the travel rails 2, or between the travel rails 2 and the travel rails 2. In addition, the transport system 100b, by using the direction switching module 21 and the lifting module 22 in combination, makes it possible to construct travel rails 2 with an intricate structure and to run the trolley 1 on said travel rails 2.

[0162] Furthermore, if the lifting module 22 has the configuration shown in Figure 14, the trolley 1 can enter from either the front or rear direction on the running rail 2 installed on the support plate 2211 of the lifting section 221. In addition, the transport system 100b can change the direction of the trolley 1 inside the lifting module 22 by combining the lifting section 221 of the lifting module 222 with the direction switching module 21 shown in Figure 9 or the rotation module 23 shown in Figure 18, which will be described later, and the trolley 1 can enter and exit the lifting module 22 from three directions, including a direction that does not interfere with the lifting positioning section 222.

[0163] Embodiment 4. In Embodiments 2 and 3 described above, the direction switching module 21 was used to switch the extension direction of the running rail 2 to realize a branching path for the running rail 2. However, the trolley 1 itself may perform a spin turn to switch the direction of travel of the trolley 1. Embodiment 4 describes the case in which the trolley 1 itself performs a spin turn to switch the direction of travel of the trolley 1.

[0164] (Rotation Module 23) Figure 18 shows the configuration of the rotation module provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 4. The transport system 100c according to Embodiment 4 has a configuration in which a rotation module 23 for spin turning of the trolley 1 is provided on the running rail 2, compared to the configuration of the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 described above. Figure 18 shows the case in which the running rail 2 is connected to one rotation module 23 from three directions.

[0165] The rotating module 23 has multiple running rails 2 fixed to it, each with an extension direction different from the others. The rotating module 23 is composed of a running plate 231 and a trolley detection sensor 31.

[0166] (Running plate 231) The running plate 231 has a rectangular shape, for example, and the trolley 1 performs a spin turn on the running plate 231. The outer circumference of the running plate 231 is fixed to the running rail 2, and the trolley 1 can enter the running plate 231 from the running rail 2. After performing a spin turn on the running plate 231 and changing its direction of travel, the trolley 1 can travel towards the running rail 2 and exit the running plate 231. The running plate 231 is designed to be sized so that the trolley 1 does not derail from the running plate 231 when the trolley 1 performs a spin turn on the running plate 231.

[0167] The trolley 1 can change direction by performing a spin turn on the rotating module 23. The trolley 1 performs a spin turn, for example, with the center of the running plate 231 in the in-plane direction as the center of rotation. By using the rotating module 23 instead of the direction changing module 21 shown in Embodiment 2, a branching path on the running rail 2 can be realized at a lower cost.

[0168] (Cart detection sensor 31) The cart detection sensor 31 is positioned at the center in the in-plane direction of the running plate 231 of the rotating module 23. By providing the cart detection sensor 31 on the running plate 231 of the rotating module 23, the cart operation selection unit 513 of the control unit 51 of the control unit 5c can recognize the presence or absence of a cart 1 in the rotating module 23. When the cart detection sensor 31 detects a cart 1, it transmits detection information indicating the detection of a cart 1 in the rotating module 23 to the control unit 5c via the running rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6. The cart detection sensor 31 is also assigned a position number.

[0169] When the control unit 51 of the control unit 5c receives detection information from the trolley detection sensor 31 indicating the detection of the trolley 1 in the rotating module 23 via the running rail side communication unit 7 and the controller side communication unit 6, it stores the position number information of the trolley detection sensor 31 in the rotating module 23 in the current position storage unit 523. As a result, even when the current position of the trolley 1 is the rotating module 23, the current position of the trolley 1 is managed by the control unit 5c.

[0170] Unlike the trolley detection sensor 3 described above, the trolley detection sensor 31 is a sensor that detects when the trolley 1 has come to the rotation center of the rotation module 23, that is, when the trolley 1 has come to the rotation center. Unlike the trolley detection sensor 3 which is attached to the running rail 2, the trolley detection sensor 31 needs to be a mechanism that does not interfere when the trolley 1 spins. For example, the components of the trolley detection sensor 31 may include a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element installed facing upwards on the running plate 231. Also, a reflective part may be installed on the bottom surface of the trolley 1. The trolley detection sensor 31 may be configured such that when the trolley 1 passes over it, the light from the light-emitting element is reflected by the reflective part on the bottom surface of the trolley 1 and detected by the light-receiving element.

[0171] (Bogie-side control unit 112) In the above-described embodiments 1, 2, and 3, the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the bogie-side controller 11 stores information for one of the operation instructions: stop, forward, or reverse. In embodiment 4, in addition to this operation instruction information, spin direction instruction information indicating the spin turn direction of the bogie 1 is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the bogie-side controller 11. The spin direction instruction information includes "right spin" which instructs a spin turn to the right, and "left spin" which instructs a spin turn to the left.

[0172] Specifically, the trolley motion selection unit 513 stores spin direction instruction information, such as "right spin" or "left spin," in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the master controller 5c so that the trolley 1 faces the desired direction. The trolley motion selection unit 513 then transmits the spin direction instruction information stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 to the trolley-side controller 11 via the controller-side communication unit 6 and the trolley-side communication unit 10. The trolley-side controller 11 stores the received spin direction instruction information in its operation instruction information storage unit 1111 and causes the trolley 1 to perform a spin turn according to the stored spin direction instruction information.

[0173] Furthermore, by attaching a gyro sensor to the trolley 1, the angle of the trolley 1 can be recognized, enabling control of the trolley 1 in accordance with its angle, and allowing for highly precise spin turns of the trolley 1.

[0174] (Modification of drive wheels 14) In Embodiments 1, 2, and 3, it was not necessary to provide an independent trolley drive unit 12 for each of the left and right drive wheels 14. In Embodiment 4, the trolley 1 needs to perform a spin turn in the horizontal direction, centered on the center of the trolley 1. For this reason, in Embodiment 4, a total of two trolley drive units 12 are arranged on the trolley 1, one on each side. Then, by controlling each of the two drive wheels 14 with an independent trolley drive unit 12, the spin turn of the trolley 1 can be achieved.

[0175] (General Controller 5c) Figure 19 shows the configuration of the general controller provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 4. The general controller 5c provided in the transport system 100c according to Embodiment 4 differs from the general controller 5b according to Embodiment 3 in that the general storage unit 52 further includes a trolley direction storage unit 529. In Embodiment 4, the trolley 1 spins and its direction changes, so it is necessary to store the direction of the trolley 1.

[0176] The trolley direction storage unit 529 stores information about the current direction of each trolley 1 and manages the current direction of each trolley 1. The current direction of the trolley 1 is the direction in which the current trolley 1 is moving forward or backward.

[0177] In Embodiment 4, the trolley operation selection unit 513 calculates an operation instruction for the trolley 1 such that the trolley 1 enters the rotation module 23 from one of the multiple running rails 2, performs a spin turn in the rotation module 23 to change the direction of travel of the trolley 1, and then exits the rotation module 23 toward the other of the multiple running rails 2.

[0178] (Processing of the transport system 100c) Next, the process by which the master controller 5c centrally controls multiple trolleys 1 and the spin turns of the trolleys 1 will be described. Figure 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the process by which the master controller of the transport system according to Embodiment 4 controls the trolleys, the direction switching module, the lifting module, and the spin turns of the trolleys. Figure 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for controlling the spin turns of the trolleys of the transport system according to Embodiment 4.

[0179] The master controller 5c controls the trolley 1, the direction switching module 21, and the lifting module 22 in the procedure shown in the flowchart in Figure 20. In addition to the flow shown in Figure 16 in Embodiment 3, the master controller 5c performs the predefined process of step S410 between steps S20 and S210 at locations on the running rail 2 where the rotation module 23 is installed. The predefined process of step S410 is a flow representing the control procedure for the spin turn of the trolley 1, and is defined in the flowchart in Figure 21. By performing the processing from the "start" terminal to the "end" terminal in the flowchart shown in Figure 21, the control of the spin turn of the trolley 1 in the predefined process of step S410 can be performed.

[0180] First, in step S411, it is determined whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the rotation module 23. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 of the control unit 51 of the control unit 5c determines whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the rotation module 23 by determining whether the current position of the trolley 1 is the position number of the trolley detection sensor 31 attached to the rotation module 23.

[0181] If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is the rotating module 23, the answer in step S411 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S412. If it is determined that the current position of the trolley 1 is not the rotating module 23, the answer in step S411 is No, and the series of processes ends.

[0182] In step S412, it is determined whether the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position. Specifically, the trolley motion selection unit 513 determines whether the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position. The trolley motion selection unit 513 can determine whether the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position using the information on the current direction of the trolley 1 stored in the trolley direction storage unit 529.

[0183] In order for the trolley motion selection unit 513 to determine the direction of the next position of the trolley 1, a next position rotation direction storage unit may be provided in the central storage unit 52 for each rotation module 23, for example, to store information indicating which position number the trolley 1 can travel to next depending on the direction the trolley 1 is moving in. In this case, the trolley motion selection unit 513 can determine the direction of the next position of the trolley 1 by referring to the information stored in the next position rotation direction storage unit. Alternatively, when assigning a position number to the trolley detection sensor 3, a specific designated digit may be treated as a digit indicating the direction. In this case, the trolley motion selection unit 513 can determine the direction of the next position of the trolley 1 by checking the next position number of the trolley 1.

[0184] If it is determined that the trolley 1 is facing the direction of the next position, the result in step S412 is Yes, and the series of processes ends. If it is determined that the trolley 1 is not facing the direction of the next position, the result in step S412 is No, and the process proceeds to step S413.

[0185] In step S413, the trolley motion selection unit 513 stores spin direction instruction information, which is information indicating an operation instruction of "right spin" or "left spin," in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the master controller 5c so that the trolley 1 faces the direction of the next position. The trolley motion selection unit 513 then transmits the operation instruction information stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 to the trolley-side controller 11 via the controller-side communication unit 6 and the trolley-side communication unit 10, causing the trolley 1 to perform a spin turn. This completes the series of processes.

[0186] As described above, the transport system 100c according to Embodiment 4 has the same effects as the transport system 100b according to Embodiment 3 described above.

[0187] Furthermore, by configuring the branch lines in the transport system 100c using rotating modules 23, it is possible to reduce the cost of introducing the branch lines and to lighten the weight of the branch lines.

[0188] Embodiment 5. Figure 22 shows the transport of parts between devices by centralized control of a trolley in the transport system according to Embodiment 5. The transport system 100d according to Embodiment 5 has a configuration in which a camera 320 is provided, compared to the configuration of the transport system 100c according to Embodiment 4 described above. In the transport system 100d according to Embodiment 5, as shown in Figure 22, a camera 320 installed on the ceiling (not shown) or the like is connected to the master controller 5, either in place of or to supplement the trolley detection sensor 3 used in Embodiments 1 to 4. The trolley operation selection unit 513 of the master controller 5d in the transport system 100d according to Embodiment 5 acquires a camera image from the camera 320 and determines whether or not the trolley 1 has arrived at a predetermined position number based on the camera image. The master controller 5d in the transport system 100d differs from the master controller 5b according to Embodiment 3 in that it has the function of acquiring a camera image from the camera 320 and determining whether or not the trolley 1 has arrived at a predetermined position number based on the camera image.

[0189] In the case of position numbering, if the trolley detection sensor 3 is not installed, the location where the trolley 1 is to be stopped, the direction switching module 21, the lifting module 22, and the rotation module 23 are determined as monitoring points 321 by the camera 320 and assigned position numbers. In Figure 22, monitoring points 321a, 321b, 321c, 321d, 321e, 321f, 321g, 321h, 321i, and 321j are shown as monitoring points 321.

[0190] The central controller 5d then uses the camera image from the camera 320 to manage the travel path, current position, and next destination position of the trolley 1 by position number, similar to the case when using the trolley detection sensor 3. In addition, the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5d is provided with a number of trolley detection storage units (not shown) equal to the number of position numbers. The trolley detection storage unit stores information on whether or not a trolley 1 has been detected for each position number. The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether or not a trolley 1 exists at a given position number. At this time, it is not necessary to identify individual trolleys 1, and the trolley 1 is tracked using the information from the trolley 1 route information storage unit 522.

[0191] The transport system 100d according to the above-described embodiment 5 has the same effects as the transport system 100c according to the above-described embodiment 4.

[0192] Furthermore, the transport system 100d can stabilize the detection of the trolley 1 by determining whether or not the trolley 1 has arrived at the scheduled position number based on the camera image from the camera 320.

[0193] Embodiment 6. In Embodiment 1 described above, the stopping position of the trolley 1 was controlled by the detection of the dog 13 by the trolley detection sensor 3. However, the stopping position of the trolley 1 may be controlled by attaching the positioning pin 41 to the running rail 2 side and the positioning pin detection sensor 42 for detecting the positioning pin 41 to the trolley 1 side, using the positioning pin 41 and the positioning pin detection sensor 42. Embodiment 6 will describe a case in which the deceleration of the trolley 1 is controlled using the trolley detection sensor 3 and the stopping of the trolley 1 is controlled using the positioning pin detection sensor 42. The transport system 100e according to Embodiment 6 has basically the same configuration as the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 described above. Below, we will focus on the differences between the transport system 100e according to Embodiment 6 and the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 described above.

[0194] (Cart detection sensor 3) Figure 24 is a diagram illustrating the positioning pin and cart detection sensor provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 6. The cart detection sensor 3 provided in the transport system 100e according to Embodiment 6 is attached to the running rail 2, as in the case of Embodiment 1 described above, and detects the dog 13 attached to the cart 1. However, in Embodiment 6, one cart detection sensor 3 is placed in front of and one behind the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2. The front and rear positions of the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2 can be rephrased as the front and rear positions of the cart 1 in the extension direction of the running rail 2.

[0195] (Positioning pin 41) The positioning pin 41 provided in the transport system 100e according to Embodiment 6 is attached to the running rail 2 side, as shown in Figure 24. The positioning pin 41 is attached to the running rail 2 at a predetermined stopping position of the trolley 1 using, for example, mounting parts. The method of attaching the positioning pin 41 to the running rail 2 is not limited.

[0196] The shape of the positioning pin 41 is not limited as long as it does not interfere with the movement of the trolley 1 and can be detected by the positioning pin detection sensor 42 that detects the positioning pin 41. For example, the positioning pin 41 may have an elongated pin shape as shown in Figure 24. The mounting position of the positioning pin 41 is not limited as long as it does not interfere with the movement of the trolley 1 at a predetermined stopping position of the trolley 1 and can be detected by the positioning pin detection sensor 42. At a predetermined stopping position of the trolley 1, the positioning pin 41 is positioned between the parallel running rails 2, as shown in Figure 24. The positioning pin 41 is positioned between the two trolley detection sensors 3 in the extension direction of the running rails 2.

[0197] (Positioning pin detection sensor 42) Figure 25 is a diagram illustrating the positioning pin detection sensor provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 6. As shown in Figure 25, the positioning pin detection sensor 42 provided in the transport system 100e is attached to the bottom surface of the trolley 1 and detects the positioning pins 41 attached to the running rails 2. The positioning pin detection sensor 42 detects the positioning pins 41 at predetermined stopping positions of the trolley 1.

[0198] The positioning pin detection sensor 42 can be any sensor capable of detecting the positioning pin 41. For example, as shown in Figure 25, a U-shaped photoelectric sensor can be used as the positioning pin detection sensor 42. The positioning pin 41 is detected when it obstructs the space between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element of the photoelectric sensor.

[0199] The positioning pin detection sensor 42 is connected to the bogie-side control unit 112 of the bogie-side controller 11. When the positioning pin detection sensor 42 detects a positioning pin 41, it transmits detection information indicating the detection of the positioning pin 41 to the bogie-side control unit 112.

[0200] (Positioning pin 41 and trolley detection sensor 3) The positioning pin 41 and the trolley detection sensor 3 are attached to the running rail 2 side. One trolley detection sensor 3 is attached to the front and one to the rear of the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2.

[0201] The front and rear of the positioning pin 41 are defined based on the direction in which the trolley 1 moves forward in the extension direction of the running rail 2. The front of the positioning pin 41 is the side in front of the positioning pin 41 when the trolley 1 moves forward toward the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2. The rear of the positioning pin 41 is the side behind the positioning pin 41 when the trolley 1 moves forward toward the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2. The positions of the two trolley detection sensors 3 are determined based on the position of the positioning pin 41 so that the trolley 1 can be stopped at a predetermined stopping position for the trolley 1.

[0202] The positioning pin 41 and the trolley detection sensors 3 located in front of and behind the positioning pin 41 are assigned the same position number and are managed using the same position number. Stopping the trolley 1 at each position number refers to positioning the trolley 1 in front of the positioning pin 41. The trolley detection sensor 3 mounted in front of the positioning pin 41 is used to decelerate the trolley 1 when it is moving forward. Similarly, the trolley detection sensor 3 mounted behind the positioning pin 41 is used to decelerate the trolley 1 when it is moving backward.

[0203] (Bogie-side controller 11) In the above-described embodiment 1, the following operation instructions are used for the bogie 1: "Stop" to instruct the bogie 1 to stop, "Forward" to instruct the bogie 1 to move forward, and "Reverse" to instruct the bogie 1 to move backward. In embodiment 6, in addition to the above three operation instructions, the operation instructions "Stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" and "Stop after detecting low-speed reverse movement" are used.

[0204] "Stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" is an operation instruction that instructs the movement of the trolley 1. When the trolley 1 is moving forward, if the trolley detection sensor 3, which is mounted in front of the positioning pin 41, detects the dog 13, the trolley 1 will start moving forward at a speed lower than a predetermined normal travel speed, and then the trolley 1 will stop when the positioning pin detection sensor 42 detects the positioning pin 41.

[0205] "Stop after detecting low-speed reversal" is an operation instruction that instructs the operation of the trolley 1 so that when the trolley 1 is reversing, if the trolley detection sensor 3, which is attached behind the positioning pin 41, detects the dog 13, the trolley 1 will start reversing at a speed lower than the predetermined normal travel speed, and then the trolley 1 will stop when the positioning pin detection sensor 42 detects the positioning pin 41.

[0206] In Embodiment 6, the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side controller 11 stores one of the following as operation instruction information for the trolley 1 received by the trolley-side communication unit 10 via wireless communication with the controller-side communication unit 6: "Stop", "Forward", "Reverse", "Stop after detecting slow forward movement", and "Stop after detecting slow reverse movement".

[0207] (Operation Instruction Information Storage Unit 521) The operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 of the central controller 5e of the transport system 100e stores operation instruction information for all trolleys 1, similar to the first embodiment described above. In the sixth embodiment, one of the following operation instructions for each trolley 1 is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521: "Stop", "Forward", "Reverse", "Stop after detecting slow forward movement", and "Stop after detecting slow reverse movement".

[0208] (Sensor Information Storage Unit 525) Figure 26 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 6. The sensor information storage unit 525 of the control unit 52 of the control unit 5e provided in the transport system 100e stores detection information for all the cart detection sensors 3 provided in the transport system 100e, which is information indicating the detection of the dog 13 by the cart detection sensor 3. In Embodiment 6, as shown in Figure 26, the sensor information storage unit 525 is provided with two storage areas: a front sensor information storage unit 5251 and a rear sensor information storage unit 5252.

[0209] The front sensor information storage unit 5251 stores detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 by the trolley detection sensor 3 located in front of the positioning pin 41. The rear sensor information storage unit 5252 stores detection information indicating the detection of the dog 13 by the trolley detection sensor 3 located behind the positioning pin 41.

[0210] Specifically, the forward sensor information storage unit 5251 stores "ON" information as detection information for position information in which the trolley detection sensor 3, located in front of the positioning pin 41, has reacted, indicating that the trolley detection sensor 3 has reacted. In addition, the forward sensor information storage unit 5251 stores "OFF" information as detection information for position information in which the trolley detection sensor 3, located in front of the positioning pin 41, has not reacted, indicating that the trolley detection sensor 3 has not reacted.

[0211] Similarly, the rear sensor information storage unit 5252 stores "ON" information as detection information for position information in which the trolley detection sensor 3, located behind the positioning pin 41, has reacted, indicating that the trolley detection sensor 3 has reacted. The rear sensor information storage unit 5252 also stores "OFF" information as detection information for position information in which the trolley detection sensor 3, located behind the positioning pin 41, has not reacted, indicating that the trolley detection sensor 3 has not reacted.

[0212] (Processing of the transport system 100e) Next, we will explain the process by which the master controller 5e centrally controls the multiple trolleys 1 provided in the transport system 100e. Figure 27 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the process by which the master controller provided in the transport system according to Embodiment 6 controls multiple trolleys. Note that the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 27 focuses on a specific trolley 1 among the multiple trolleys 1 when the master controller 5e controls multiple trolleys 1. However, the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 27 is performed for each trolley 1 when the master controller 5e controls multiple trolleys 1.

[0213] (Processing flow of the main controller 5e) The main controller 5e controls the trolley 1 according to the procedure shown in the flowchart in Figure 27. In the flowchart in Figure 27, the same step numbers are used for steps that are the same as those in the flowchart in Figure 6, and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0214] In step S510, it is determined whether or not forward movement was selected as the trolley movement information. Specifically, the trolley movement selection unit 513 determines whether or not it selected forward movement as the trolley movement information in step S30 and stored it in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the central storage unit 52 of the central control unit 5e as operation instruction information for the trolley 1. In other words, the trolley movement selection unit 513 determines whether or not forward movement was selected as the trolley movement information by checking the operation instruction information stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521.

[0215] If it is determined that forward movement is selected, the answer in step S510 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S520. If it is determined that forward movement is not selected, i.e., that reverse movement is selected, the answer in step S510 is No, and the process proceeds to step S540.

[0216] In step S520, it is determined whether or not the forward cart detection sensor 3, which is installed at the next position number to which the cart 1 to be controlled will move, has reacted. Specifically, the cart movement selection unit 513 determines whether or not the forward cart detection sensor 3, which is installed at the next position number to which the cart 1 to be controlled will move forward, has reacted.

[0217] When the front trolley detection sensor 3 reacts, it means that the front trolley detection sensor 3 detects the dog 13. The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether the front trolley detection sensor 3 installed at the next position number of the trolley 1 to be controlled has reacted, based on the detection information transmitted from the front trolley detection sensor 3 to the master controller 5e and stored in the front sensor information storage unit 5251 of the sensor information storage unit 525.

[0218] If it is determined that the forward cart detection sensor 3, installed at the next position number of the cart 1 to be controlled, has reacted, the result in step S520 is Yes and the process proceeds to step S530. If it is determined that the forward cart detection sensor 3, installed at the next position number of the cart 1 to be controlled, has not reacted, the result in step S520 is No and the process returns to step S520.

[0219] In other words, the trolley operation selection unit 513 monitors the detection information stored in the forward sensor information storage unit 5251 of the sensor information storage unit 525 until the trolley detection sensor 3 in front of the position number of the next position of the trolley 1 to be controlled reacts. When the forward trolley detection sensor 3 reacts, the unit proceeds to step S530.

[0220] In step S530, the information of the operation instruction "Stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the overall memory unit 52 of the overall controller 5e as information of operation instructions for the trolley 1 to be controlled. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 stores the information of the operation instruction "Stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the overall memory unit 52 of the overall controller 5e.

[0221] In step S540, it is determined whether the rear cart detection sensor 3, which is installed at the next position number to which the cart 1 to be controlled will move, has reacted. Specifically, the cart movement selection unit 513 determines whether the rear cart detection sensor 3, which is installed at the next position number to which the cart 1 to be controlled will move when it moves backward, has reacted.

[0222] When the rear trolley detection sensor 3 reacts, it means that the rear trolley detection sensor 3 detects the dog 13. The trolley operation selection unit 513 determines whether the rear trolley detection sensor 3, which is installed at the next position number of the trolley 1 to be controlled, has reacted, based on the detection information transmitted from the rear trolley detection sensor 3 to the master controller 5e and stored in the rear sensor information storage unit 5252 of the sensor information storage unit 525.

[0223] If it is determined that the rear car body detection sensor 3, installed at the next position number of the car body 1 to be controlled, has reacted, the result in step S540 is Yes and the process proceeds to step S550. If it is determined that the rear car body detection sensor 3, installed at the next position number of the car body 1 to be controlled, has not reacted, the result in step S540 is No and the process returns to step S540.

[0224] In other words, the trolley operation selection unit 513 monitors the detection information stored in the rear sensor information storage unit 5252 of the sensor information storage unit 525 until the trolley detection sensor 3 behind the position number of the next position of the trolley 1 to be controlled reacts. When the rear trolley detection sensor 3 reacts, the unit proceeds to step S550.

[0225] In step S550, the operation instruction information for "Stop after detecting slow forward movement" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the overall memory unit 52 of the overall controller 5e as information for operation instructions to the trolley 1 to be controlled. Specifically, the trolley operation selection unit 513 stores the operation instruction information for "Stop after detecting slow reverse movement" in the operation instruction information storage unit 521 of the overall memory unit 52 of the overall controller 5e.

[0226] (Processing flow of the bogie-side controller 11) The processing flow of the bogie-side controller 11 is the same as in the first embodiment described above, and is carried out according to the flowchart shown in Figure 7 above.

[0227] In the sixth embodiment, in step S120 of the flowchart shown in Figure 7, if the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 has information about an operation instruction of "stop after detecting slow forward movement" or "stop after detecting slow reverse movement", the trolley-side control unit 112 of the trolley-side controller 11 gradually reduces the speed of the trolley 1 from a predetermined normal travel speed and controls the drive of the trolley drive unit 12 at a speed that allows the trolley 1 to be stopped at a predetermined stopping position with the desired stopping accuracy, thereby controlling the drive of the trolley 1. Subsequently, when the trolley-side control unit 112 receives detection information indicating the detection of the positioning pin 41 from the positioning pin detection sensor 42, it stops the trolley 1. That is, when the positioning pin detection sensor 42 is turned on, the trolley-side control unit 112 performs stop control to stop the trolley 1.

[0228] Furthermore, the trolley-side control unit 112 can always perform stop control of the trolley 1 when it receives detection information from the positioning pin detection sensor 42 indicating the detection of the positioning pin 41. In this case, the trolley-side control unit 112 can also perform stop control to stop the trolley 1 even if the front trolley detection sensor 3 or the rear trolley detection sensor 3 fails to detect the trolley 1.

[0229] Figure 28 is a diagram illustrating the transition of the position of a moving cart until it stops in the transport system according to Embodiment 6. The left side of Figure 28 shows the state in which the cart 1 is moving forward. If the cart 1 continues to move forward from the state shown in the left side of Figure 28, the cart detection sensor 3 will react in the state shown in the center side of Figure 28, and the cart detection sensor 3 will detect the dog 13 attached to the cart 1. Then, according to the processing flow of the master controller 5e described above, the operation instruction information for "Stop after detecting slow forward movement" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 521.

[0230] Then, communication takes place between the main controller 5e and the bogie-side controller 11, and the operation instruction information for "stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the bogie-side memory unit 111 of the bogie-side controller 11.

[0231] The trolley-side control unit 112 gradually reduces the forward speed of the trolley 1 from a predetermined normal travel speed according to the operation instruction information of "Stop after detecting low-speed forward movement" stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111, and makes the trolley 1 travel at a speed that allows the trolley 1 to be stopped with the required stopping accuracy predetermined in the trolley-side control unit 112. The trolley-side control unit 112 then monitors the reaction of the positioning pin detection sensor 42 attached to the bottom surface of the trolley 1, that is, the detection result of the positioning pin detection sensor 42.

[0232] Subsequently, when the trolley 1 continues to move forward and the positioning pin detection sensor 42 reacts in the state shown in the right diagram of Figure 28, the trolley-side control unit 112 performs stop control to stop the trolley 1. As a result, the trolley 1 stops at a predetermined stopping position.

[0233] As described above, the transport system 100e according to Embodiment 6 has the same effects as the transport system 100 according to Embodiment 1 described above.

[0234] Furthermore, in the transport system 100e, a positioning pin 41 is positioned at a predetermined stopping position of the trolley 1, a positioning pin detection sensor 42 is positioned on the bottom surface of the trolley 1, and trolley detection sensors 3 are positioned before and after the positioning pin 41 in the extension direction of the running rail 2. As a result, the transport system 100e can change the speed of the trolley 1 before stopping to a speed different from the speed of the trolley 1 during normal operation, allowing the trolley 1 to run at a relatively high speed during normal operation and at a relatively low speed just before stopping.

[0235] In other words, in the transport system 100e, communication takes place between the main controller 5e and the trolley-side controller 11, and operation instruction information such as "stop after detecting slow forward movement" or "stop after detecting slow reverse movement" is stored in the operation instruction information storage unit 1111 of the trolley-side memory unit 111 of the trolley-side controller 11. As a result, when the trolley 1 is traveling, the main controller 5e can instruct the trolley-side controller 11 to travel the trolley 1 at a speed lower than a predetermined travel speed based on the detection of the trolley 1 by the trolley detection sensor 3, and to stop the trolley 1 based on the detection of the positioning pin 41 by the positioning pin detection sensor 42 after the detection of the trolley 1 by the trolley detection sensor 3, and have the trolley-side controller 11 perform said control.

[0236] In other words, the transport system 100e controls the deceleration of the trolley 1's speed from its normal travel speed based on the detection of the dog 13 by the trolley detection sensor 3, and then stops the trolley 1 based on the detection of the positioning pin 41 by the positioning pin detection sensor 42. As a result, the transport system 100e enables high-speed transport of parts 300 and high-precision positioning of the trolley 1.

[0237] Next, the hardware configurations of the control units 80 according to Embodiments 1 to 6 will be described. The control units 80 according to Embodiments 1 to 6 correspond to the bogie-side control unit 112 of the bogie-side controller 11 and the general control unit 51 of the general controllers 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e, respectively. The functions of the control units 80 according to Embodiments 1 to 6 are realized by processing circuits. The processing circuits may be dedicated hardware or processing devices that execute programs stored in a memory device.

[0238] When the processing circuit is dedicated hardware, the processing circuit may be a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or a combination thereof. Figure 29 is a diagram showing the hardware implementation of each function of the control unit according to Embodiments 1 to 6. The processing circuit 81 incorporates a logic circuit 81a that implements the function of the control unit 80.

[0239] If the processing circuit 81 is a processing unit, the functions of the control unit 80 are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.

[0240] Figure 30 shows a configuration in which the functions of the control unit according to Embodiments 1 to 6 are implemented by software. The processing circuit 81 includes a processor 811 that executes program 81b, a random access memory 812 used by the processor 811 as a work area, and a storage device 813 that stores program 81b. The processor 811 loads program 81b stored in the storage device 813 onto the random access memory 812 and executes it, thereby realizing the functions of the control unit 80. The software or firmware is written in a programming language and stored in the storage device 813. The processor 811 can be a central processing unit, but is not limited to that. The processor 811 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), processing system, arithmetic system, microprocessor, or DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The storage device 813 can be a semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), or EEPROM® (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The semiconductor memory may be non-volatile or volatile. In addition to semiconductor memory, the storage device 813 can also be a magnetic disk, flexible disk, optical disk, compact disk, minidisc, or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). The processor 811 may output data such as calculation results to the storage device 813 for storage, or it may store such data in an auxiliary storage device (not shown) via the random access memory 812. By integrating the processor 811, random access memory 812, and storage device 813 onto a single chip, the functions of the control unit 80 can be realized by a microcomputer. The overall control unit 51 can be realized by the processor 811. The overall storage unit 52 can be realized by the storage device 813.

[0241] The processing circuit 81 realizes the functions of the control unit 80 by reading and executing the program 81b stored in the memory device 813. The program 81b can also be described as a set of procedures and methods that cause the computer to execute, thereby realizing the functions of the control unit 80.

[0242] Furthermore, the processing circuit 81 may implement some of the functions of the control unit 80 using dedicated hardware, and some of the functions of the control unit 80 using software or firmware.

[0243] In this way, the processing circuit 81 can realize each of the above-mentioned functions through hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0244] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are examples only, and it is possible to combine them with other known technologies, combine different embodiments, and omit or modify parts of the configuration without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0245] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e Bogie, 2 Running rail, 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 31 Bogie detection sensor, 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f Device, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e Main controller, 6 Controller-side communication unit, 7 Running rail-side communication unit, 10 Bogie-side communication unit, 11 Bogie-side controller, 12 Bogie drive unit, 13, 215 Dog, 14 Drive wheel, 15 Auxiliary wheel, 16 Battery, 17 Parts loading unit, 18 Body, 21 Direction switching module, 21a First direction switching module, 21b Second direction switching module, 22 Lifting module, 22a First lifting module, 22b Second lifting module, 23 Rotation module, 41 Positioning pin, 42 Positioning pin detection sensor, 51 52 General control unit, 80 General memory unit, 81 Control unit, 81 Processing circuit, 81a Logic circuit, 81b Program, 100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e Transport system, 111 Trolley-side memory unit, 112 Trolley-side control unit, 211 Rotating unit, 212 Fixed unit, 213 Rotating unit communication unit, 214 Proximity sensor, 221 Lifting unit, 222 Lifting positioning unit, 223 Lifting module communication unit, 224 Housing, 231 Traveling plate, 300 Parts, 310a, 310b, 310c Operator, 320 Camera, 321, 321a, 321b, 321c, 321d, 321e, 321f, 321g, 321h, 321i, 321j Monitoring point, 511 Route calculation unit, 512 Route comparison unit, 513 Trolley operation selection unit, 514 Current position update unit, 515 Rotation control unit, 516 Lifting control unit, 521, 1111 Operation instruction information storage unit, 522 Route information storage unit, 523 Current position storage unit, 524 Priority storage unit, 525 Sensor information storage unit, 526 Rotation unit direction storage unit, 527 Lifting position storage unit, 528 Surrounding position number height storage unit, 529 Trolley direction storage unit, 811 Processor, 812 Random access memory, 813 Storage device, 2111, 2211 Support plate, 5251 Front sensor information storage unit, 5252 Rear sensor information storage unit.

Claims

1. A transport system comprising: a master controller that controls the entire transport system; a plurality of the transport systems that transport parts by automatically traveling along the track while communicating with the master controller; a running rail that forms the track on which the transport systems travel; and a plurality of transport system detection sensors attached to the running rail that detect the transport systems at predetermined stopping positions. The master controller comprises: a path calculation unit that calculates the travel paths of all the transport systems from the current positions and target positions of all the transport systems; a path comparison unit that determines whether the travel path of the transport system to be controlled overlaps with the travel paths of other transport systems; and a transport system operation selection unit that, if the path comparison unit determines that there is no overlap between the travel path of the transport system to be controlled and the travel paths of other transport systems, selects an operation instruction for the transport system to be controlled from the current position and target position of the transport system to be controlled. The transport system is characterized by determining the position of all the transport systems and controlling the operation of all the transport systems.

2. The transport system according to claim 1, comprising: a current position storage unit that stores information on the current position of all the trolleys; and a current position update unit that updates the information on the current position of the trolleys in the current position storage unit to the next position based on detection information from a plurality of trolley detection sensors.

3. The transport system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by comprising a sensor information storage unit for storing detection information from a plurality of the trolley detection sensors.

4. The transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: a direction switching module provided at a branching point where the running rails branch, which rotates with the trolley mounted on it to switch the direction of travel of the trolley; and a rotation control unit that controls the rotation of the direction switching module.

5. A transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: a lifting module provided on the running rail and which moves up and down with the trolley on it to transport the trolley in the height direction between the running rails of different heights; and a lifting control unit that controls the lifting and lowering of the lifting module.

6. A transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a rotating module to which a plurality of running rails, each having different extension directions, are fixed, wherein the trolley operation selection unit calculates an operation instruction for the trolley such that the trolley enters the rotating module from one of the plurality of running rails, performs a spin turn in the rotating module to change the direction of travel of the trolley, and then exits the rotating module toward the other of the plurality of running rails.

7. A transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is equipped with a camera that photographs the predetermined stopping position of the trolley, and the trolley operation selection unit determines, based on the image from the camera, that the trolley has arrived at a predetermined scheduled position.

8. A transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: a positioning pin attached to the running rail at a predetermined stopping position of the trolley; and a positioning pin detection sensor attached to the trolley for detecting the positioning pin, wherein the trolley detection sensor is attached to the running rail at positions before and after the positioning pin in the extension direction of the running rail; and the master controller controls the trolley to travel at a speed lower than a predetermined travel speed based on the detection of the trolley by the trolley detection sensor when the trolley is traveling, and to stop the trolley based on the detection of the positioning pin by the positioning pin detection sensor after the detection of the trolley by the trolley detection sensor.

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