Overhead Transport Vehicle Holder Rotation in a Compact Main Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Overhead transport vehicles face challenges in miniaturizing their size while enabling the rotation of articles by a predetermined angle to align with transfer destinations, due to the need for increased space within the main body to accommodate rotation, which leads to interference with inner walls and obstacles.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a rotator that can rotate the article by a predetermined angle, with a narrow clearance between the article and inner walls, allowing for reduced storage space and miniaturization of the main body, and includes a lift driver and lateral extender to prevent contact with inner walls and obstacles during rotation and placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the article is rotated within the main body using a rotator with offset rotation axis, then the article can be rotated by a predetermined angle to align with transfer destinations, but the outer dimension of the main body increases leading to increased vehicle size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the rotation operation from the horizontal plane (within the main body) to the vertical plane (below the main body). The holder suspends the article and rotates it about a vertical rotation axis positioned below the main body, allowing the article to rotate in a different spatial dimension without increasing main body volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder acts as an intermediary between the main body and the article. It suspends the article from below the main body and provides the rotation function, separating the rotation mechanism from the main body structure and enabling article rotation without expanding the main body envelope.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the holder is positioned at the storing position within the main body, then the article can be securely stored, but the article cannot be rotated without interfering with the inner wall of the main body
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically transitions the holder between two positions: the storing position (where the article is securely held within the main body) and the exiting position (where the holder moves below the main body to enable rotation). This dynamic repositioning allows both stable storage and rotation capability without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the storage function and rotation function into distinct spatial zones. The main body provides stable storage at the storing position, while the space below the main body provides the rotation zone at the exiting position. This spatial segmentation allows both functions to operate independently without interference.
3Volume of moving object
If the main body is miniaturized to reduce vehicle size, then the space for storing the article is reduced, but the article cannot be rotated without contacting the inner wall
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the rotation operation to the vertical dimension (below the main body) rather than within the horizontal confines of the main body, the system enables article rotation without requiring additional horizontal space. The main body can be miniaturized while the rotation function operates in the unused vertical space below.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the article is rotated below the main body at the exiting position, then the article can be aligned with transfer destinations without contacting inner walls, but additional space is required below the main body for rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The space below the main body serves multiple functions: it provides the rotation zone for article alignment, supports the holder suspension mechanism, and allows the holder to transition between storing and exiting positions. This multi-functional use of the space below minimizes the overall footprint while enabling rotation capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] To rotate an article by a predetermined angle or more so as to be adapted to a transfer destination while reducing the space inside a main body which stores the article and miniaturizing the main body as well as an overhead transport vehicle. [Means to Solve Problem] The present invention comprises: a traveler 11; a main body 12; a transferer 13 which includes a holder 15, a mover 16, and a rotator 19, and which receives or delivers an article M from or to a transfer destination 30; and a controller 14. The main body 12 has an inner wall 23a at a position at which the article M held by the holder 15 comes in contact therewith when the holder 15 set at a storing position P1 is rotated by a predetermined angle θ by the rotator 19. The controller 14 causes the traveler 11 to travel while the holder 15 is at the storing position P1, and when the article M is received or delivered, causes the rotator 19 to rotate the holder 15 by a predetermined angle θ or more about a rotation axis AX in a state where the holder 15 is set at an exiting position P2, P3 by the mover 16 so as to align the article M with a prescribed orientation of the transfer destination 30.