IL281017A - Lighter - Google Patents

Description

FP20-1254-00 the transport device. In this case, the cable unit can be specifically configured. Further, at least any one of the power cable and the signal cable can follow movement of the transport device while being protected. [0011] In the transport system according to an aspect of the present invention, the transport device may be configured to move in a first direction and the base may include a restriction unit to restrict movement of the cable unit placed on the said base in a second direction intersecting the first direction. In this case, the cable unit can be prevented by the restriction unit from shifting in the second direction. [0012] In the transport system according to an aspect of the present invention, the placement section may have a second damping member provided on the base and made of a material different from that of the first damping member, and the second damping member may support the cable unit thereon. Vibration caused by movement of the cable unit can be further suppressed. [0013] In the transport system according to an aspect of the present invention, the second damping material may be provided at a position that overlaps with a contact surface where the cable unit comes into contact with the placement section viewed from above. In this case, a configuration can be specifically realized in which the second damping member supports the cable unit. [0014] In the transport system according to an aspect of the present invention, the placement section may have a protection member provided on the second damping member and made of a material harder than that of the second damping member. Whereby, the second damping member can be protected. [0015] In the transport system according to an aspect of the present invention, the placement section may have a flat and smooth member provided on the protection member and made of a material having a friction coefficient lower than that of the protection member. Whereby, abrasion of the protection member caused by a contact with the cable unit can be suppressed. [0016] The transport system according to an aspect of the present invention may include a stocker having a plurality of shelves to house an article and a stand to support the stocker, and the placement section may be attached to the stand. In this case, vibration caused by movement of the cable unit is easily transmitted to the stocker and the article via the stand. Suppression of vibration to the article is important, thus the 3 FP20-1254-00 embodiment will be described in detail. The same signs are given to the same or equivalent component or part in order to simplify the description. [0020] As shown in FIG. 1, a transport system 1 according to an embodiment includes a plurality of stockers 2. In the stocker 2, a stacker crane 7 travels inside a stocker body 3 and an article is transferred between a plurality of shelves S provided inside the stocker body 3 and a storage/retrieval port (not illustrated). For example, the article transferred by the stacker crane 7 is stored in the stocker 2. The article is, for example, a container such as a FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) to house wafers processed by a semiconductor manufacturing device or a liquid crystal manufacturing device and a reticle pod to house reticles used in a semiconductor manufacturing device or a liquid crystal manufacturing device. [0021] In the transport system 1, two (a plurality of) stockers 2A, 2B are arranged in a traveling direction of the stacker crane 7. In the transport system 1, two stacker cranes 7 (7A, 7B) are arranged inside of each stocker 2. The stocker 2 has the stocker body 3, a rack 4, and the stacker cranes 7A, 7B. The stocker 2 is supported by a stand 8(refer to FIG.5). Hereinafter, for convenience, a traveling direction of the stacker crane 7 is referred to as a X direction (first direction), a vertical direction is referred to as a Z direction, and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Z direction is referred to as a Y direction (second direction). [0022] The stocker body 3 is formed, for example, in a hollow rectangular shape. A travel rail 31 on which the stacker crane 7 travels, and an auxiliary rail 32 arranged so as to face the travel rail 31 in the Z direction are laid on the stocker body 3 along the X direction. The stacker crane 7 travels (moves) along the travel rail 31 and the auxiliary rail 32. The stacker crane 7 transports an article between a shelf S and the storage/retrieval port, and transfer an article from/to the shelf S. The rack 4 is arranged in the stocker body 3 along the X direction. A pair of the rack 4 are arranged so as to face each other via the travel rail 31. The rack 4 is provided with a plurality of shelves S to house articles. [0023] As shown in FIG.2 and FIG. 3, the stacker crane 7 includes a travel unit 71, a mast 72, a transfer unit 75, and an auxiliary travel unit 90. The travel unit 71 has a traveling motor 78, a lifting motor 82, and a housing 85. The travel unit 71 travels along the travel rail 31. The travel unit 71 includes 5 FP20-1254-00 [0027] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the transport system 1 includes a cable guide 20 to guide the cable unit 10. The cable guide 20 has a fixed guide 21 and a guide roller 41. The fixed guide 21 constitutes a placement section provided so as to place the cable unit 10. The fixed guide 21 comes into contact with (abut) the cableveyor 15 of the lower portion 10z in the cable unit 10. The fixed guide 21 supports the lower portion 10z and guide it so as not to displace the lower portion 10z. The fixed guide 21 is provided so as to extend to one side of the X direction from a position adjacent to the fixed end of the cableveyor 15. The cable unit 10 is not illustrated in FIG.5 (nor in FIG.7). [0028] The fixed guide 21 has a base 22, a first damping member 24, a second damping member 25, a protection member 26, and a flat and smooth member 27. The base 22, the thickness direction of which is the Z direction, is a plate-shape member extending in the X direction. The width of the base 22 in the Y direction corresponds to the width of the cableveyor 15 in the Y direction. The base 22 is supported in a cantilever manner by a girder member 8a of the stand 8 supporting the stocker 2 via a fixed guide attaching stay 28. [0029] The girder member 8a extends in the X direction below the stocker 2. The fixed guide attaching stay 28 is longitudinal in the Y direction and has a bended-plate shape. The fixed guide attaching stay 28 places the base 22 and is fixed to the said base 22 with a screw N1. A tip side of the fixed guide attaching stay 28 is bent upward at right angle and is adjacent to an outer surface of a restriction wall 23 (to be described later). A base end side of the fixed guide attaching stay 28 is fixed to the top surface of the girder member 8a with a screw N2. Whereby, the fixed guide 21 is attached to the stand 8. The base 22 includes the restriction wall (restriction unit) 23. [0030] The restriction wall 23 is a plate-shaped member protruding upward from Y-directional both ends of the base 22. The restriction wall 23 is provided so as to continue to the Y- directional both ends of the base 22. In other words, the restriction wall 23 is provided so as to bend upward at right angle from the Y-directional both ends of the base 22. The restriction wall 23 restricts the Y-directional movement of the cableveyor 15 placed on the base 22. [0031] As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the first damping member 24 is provided on the base 22 and has damping properties higher than that of the base 22. The first damping member 24 has a rectangular sheet shape with a certain thickness 7 directional both ends on the top surface of the base 22. The second damping member 25 is continuously arranged along the X direction. Resin materials such as rubber or urethane can be used as the second damping member 25. A material for the second damping member 25 is not especially limited. Any material that can realize its function can be used for the second damping member 25. [0033] The protection member 26 is provided on the second damping member 25 and is made of a material harder than that of the second damping member 25. The protection member 26 is thinner than the second damping member 25 and has a rectangular sheet shape. The protection member 26 is stacked on the top surface of the second damping member 25 and is adhesively fixed thereto. The protection member 26 is continuously arranged along the X direction. For example, hard rubber and nylon can be used as the protection member 26. A material for the protection member 26 is not especially limited. Any material that can realize its function can be used for the protection member 26. [0034] The flat and smooth member 27 is provided on the protection member 26 and is made of a material having a friction coefficient lower than that of the protection member 26. The flat and smooth member 27 is thinner than the protection member 26 and has a rectangular sheet shape. The flat and smooth member 27 is stacked on the protection member 26 and is adhesively fixed thereto. The flat and smooth member 27 is continuously arranged along the X direction. For example, NEW LIGHT (registered trademark), polyethylene, fluorine, Teflon (registered trademark), 8 FP20-1254-00 with a screw or the like. [0040] The stand attaching stay 44, the thickness direction of which is the Y direction, has a plate shape. A U-shaped notch 44 viewed from the Y direction is formed on the upper portion of the stand attaching stay 44. The roller 42 is inserted through the notch 44. The roller attaching stay 43 is stacked at a certain interval at the back side of area between the upper portion and the center portion of the stand attaching stay 44. In this state, the said roller attaching stay 43 is fixed to the stand attaching stay 44 with screws N3 inserted into four corners thereof. The lower portion of the stand attaching stay 44 is fixed to the front surface of the girder member 8a with screws N4. Whereby, the guide roller 41 is attached to the stand 8. [0041] The grommet 45 is provided around an axis of the screw N3 via a collar 45a. The grommet 45, the Y direction of which is the axis direction, is a cylindrical member. The grommet 45 is made of rubber. The diameters of the front end 45f and the back end 45r of the grommet 45 in the axis direction are expanded. The front end 45f is arranged between the roller attaching stay 43 and the stand attaching stay 44. The back end 45r is arranged so as to abut against the back surface of the roller attaching stay 43. The edge of the roller attaching stay 43 and the edge of the table attaching stay 44 are cut by intervention of the grommet 45, so that transmission of vibration caused by the guide roller 41 to the stand 8 is suppressed. The collar 45a is a cylindrical member arranged between the grommet 45 and the screw N3. The collar 45a prevents the grommet 45 from being excessively crushed in the Y direction by a tightening of the screw N3. A washer W is provided between head of the screw N3 and the back end 45r of the grommet 45 in the Y direction. [0042] In the guide roller 41, the bottom surface of the cableveyor 15 of the upper portion 10x of the cable unit 10 comes into contact with the roller 42. In response to X directional movement of the cableveyor 15 along with X- directional movement of the stacker crane 7, the roller 42 rotates to guide the said X-directional movement of the cableveyor 15. [0043] In the transport system 1 configured as described above, when the stacker crane 7 moves to one side of the X direction, the U-shaped portion 10y of the cable unit 10 strokes to one side of the X direction and moves such that the lower portion 10z increases. In this process, it is concerned that as the lower portion 10z increases, the cableveyor 15 bumps against 10 FP20-1254-00 second damping member 25 supports the cable unit 10 thereon. Whereby, vibration caused by movement of the cable unit 10 can be further suppressed. [0049] In the transport system 1, the second damping member 25 is provided at a position that overlaps with the contact surface R where the cable unit 10 comes into contact with the fixed guide 21 viewed from above. In this case, a configuration can be specifically realized in which the second damping member 25 supports the cable unit 10. [0050] In the transport system 1, the fixed guide 21 has the protection member 26 provided on the second damping member 25 and made of a material harder than that of the second damping member 25. Whereby, the second damping member 25 can be protected. [0051] In the transport system 1, the fixed guide 21 has the flat and smooth member 27 provided on the protection member 26 and made of a material having a friction coefficient lower than that of the protection member 26. Whereby, abrasion of the protection member 26 caused by a contact with the cable unit 10 can be suppressed. [0052] The transport system 1 includes a stocker 2 having a plurality of shelves S to house an article and the stand 8 to support the stocker. The fixed guide 21 is attached to the stand 8. In this case, vibration caused by movement of the cable unit 10 is easily transmitted to the stocker 2 and the article via the stand 8. Suppression of vibration caused to the article is important, thus the above described effects to suppress vibration caused by movement of the cable unit 10 are especially effective. [0053] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a noise test result of an embodiment and a comparison example. The embodiment corresponds to the above described transport system 1. In the embodiment, asphalt is used as a material for the first damping member 24, and a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPS) is used as a material for the second damping member 25, acrylic rubber (ACM) is used as a material for the protection member 26, and NEW LIGHT is used as a material for the flat and smooth member 27. The comparison example is the same as the embodiment except the first damping member 24, the protection member 26, and the flat and smooth member 27 are not provided and urethane is used as the second damping member 25. Noise value is a relative value in a case where a noise value (db) of the comparison example is used as a standard. As a result of the noise test, it can be confirmed that the noise value of the embodiment is decreased by approximately 7 percentage with respect to the noise value of the 12 13

Claims (10)

CLAIMS CLAIMED IS:

1. A lighter (10), comprising: 5 - a filament (12); - a distance sensor (14) fixed near the filament (12); and - an electric current controlling element (34), for controlling electric current (56) flowing through the filament (12) as a function of distance (50) between an 10 external object (38) and the distance sensor (14).

2. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, configured to positively heat (36) the filament (12) insufficiently to light a match being the external object (38), while no match 15 is disposed near to the filament (12), and to heat (36) the filament (12) sufficiently to light the match while being disposed near the filament (12).

3. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the electric 20 current controlling element (34) is configured to increase the electric current (56) flowing through the filament (12) upon decrease of the distance (50) between the external object (38) and the distance sensor (14). 25

4. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the electric current controlling element (34) is configured to flow the current (56) through the filament (12) to heat (36) the filament (12) whereas being insufficient for lighting a - 11 - match being the external object (38), while the match is disposed far from the distance sensor (14); and to flow the current (56) through the filament (12) being sufficient for lighting the match while the match is disposed 5 close to the distance sensor (14).

5. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the electric current controlling element (34) is configured to control the electric current (56) according to a function of time (60). 10

6. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the function of time (60) comprises increasing the electric current (56) only in case the external object (38) is disposed at least a first pre-determined period. 15

7. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, wherein the function of time (60) comprises limiting increase of the electric current (56) to a second pre-determined period. 20

8. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: - a battery (32) for energizing the filament (12), wherein the controlling of the electric current (56) is configured to save energy of the battery (32). 25

9. The lighter (10) according to claim 8, further comprising: - bulbs (16), energized by the battery (32), for illuminating; and - a movable cover (20), for mechanically covering and exposing the bulbs (16). - 12 -

10. The lighter (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: - a switch (22), for allowing said electric current (56) flow through said filament (12); and 5 - fire detector (15), for opening said switch (22) upon detecting fire.