Overhead Conveying Vehicle With Rotating Grip and Selective Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead transport vehicles have limited track layout flexibility and reduced conveyance efficiency due to restricted access directions and sensor detection limitations, which can lead to detours and decreased efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The overhead transport vehicle incorporates a rotating section to adjust the orientation of the gripping mechanism, multiple sensors with different detection ranges, and a controller to manage sensor operations based on the load port's orientation, allowing flexible track layouts and efficient article transfer without false obstacle detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the overhead transport vehicle uses a fixed orientation approach to transfer articles to load ports, then the article orientation can be matched to the load port specification, but the track layout flexibility is restricted and conveyance efficiency decreases due to detours
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping section is made rotatable around a vertical rotation axis, allowing the overhead transport vehicle to dynamically adjust the orientation of the article during transfer operations. This dynamic orientation adjustment enables the vehicle to access load ports from multiple directions while maintaining proper article orientation, thereby improving track layout flexibility and conveyance efficiency
2Reliability
If the sensor performs detection processing in all directions including where equipment is located, then safety detection coverage is maximized, but false obstacle detection occurs when equipment is within the detection range
Solution Approach 1:
The controller pre-determines the detection ranges of multiple sensors and identifies which ranges include equipment before performing detection processing. Based on this preliminary analysis, the controller selectively activates only those sensors whose detection ranges do not include equipment, thereby avoiding false obstacle detection while maintaining adequate safety coverage
Solution Approach 2:
Different sensors are assigned different detection ranges based on their positions and orientations. The controller selectively activates specific sensors depending on the load port orientation and article transfer direction, ensuring that detection processing is performed only in directions where false equipment detection is not an issue
3Productivity
If the track layout is optimized for direct access to load ports, then conveyance efficiency improves, but the article cannot be transferred in the specified orientation required by the load port
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping section's rotatable mechanism allows the overhead transport vehicle to approach load ports from various directions along optimized track layouts, then rotate the article to the precise orientation required by each load port before transfer. This dynamic orientation adjustment decouples track layout constraints from orientation requirements, enabling both efficient routing and proper article positioning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances track layout freedom and improves conveyance efficiency by enabling flexible access directions and reducing the need for detours, while ensuring safety and efficient article orientation without unnecessary sensor activation.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of sensors to emit detection waves downwardly during transferring of the article by the transfer section to detect presence or absence of an obstacle
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead transport vehicle includes a transfer section to transfer an article to and from a load port included in equipment, sensors to emit detection waves downwardly to detect presence or absence of an obstacle, the sensors having different detection ranges from each other, and a controller configured or programmed to control the overhead transport vehicle. The transfer section includes a gripping section, a rotating section, and a lifting section. The controller, during transferring of the article by the transfer section, is configured or programmed to control the rotating section in accordance with a direction of accessing onto the load port such that the article is transferred in a specified direction and does not perform detection processing of one or more of the sensors having the detection ranges in which the equipment is included.