JP2000159101A - Suspended type elevating carrier device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the subject device capable of moving while transferring to multiple carrying paths without using a complicated rail branch system. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a branch part between one carrying path 17 and the other carrying path 20 for a carrier truck 18 transferring the carrying paths, and a branch part traveling path 21a with a gap 17c closed to be a traveling path for the carrier truck 18 is provided at the branch part. The carrier truck 18 is further provided with a transferred article W accommodating part 28 which accommodates an article to be transferred W at a higher position than each of bottom walls 17b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a suspension type lifting / lowering apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or a hospital.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Suspended lifting / lowering transport apparatuses are being widely used in semiconductor manufacturing factories, hospitals and the like. An example of a conventional suspension type elevating and conveying apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the suspension type elevating / lowering transport device 1 includes a transport path 3 fixed to a ceiling 2 and a transport that can travel freely while suspending and holding an object W in the transport path 3. A cart 4 is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, a gap 3 a and a running surface 3 b of the transport vehicle 4 are formed at a lower portion of the transport route 3, and a power supply cable is provided inside the transport route 3 along the longitudinal direction. 5 are laid.

[0003] As also shown in Fig. 4, the carriage 4 has a carriage main body 7 supported on a traveling surface 3b by a traveling roller 6, a guide roller 8 for guiding the traveling of the carriage main body 7, and a power supply cable. A power receiving unit 9 that receives power from the power receiving unit 5 in a non-contact manner, a linear motor primary side 10a of a linear DC motor 10 that receives a supply of power from the power receiving unit 9 and generates a traveling driving force; An elevating mechanism 11 for elevating is provided. On the ceiling 2, a linear motor secondary side 10b constituting the linear DC motor 10 is laid together with the linear motor primary side 10a. The traveling of the carrier 4 is controlled by an inverter (not shown) provided in the carrier 4. This carrier 4
When the transport object W is transported, the transport cable W
It is mounted on the transported object holding portion 11b fixed to the lower end of the device and wound up to a predetermined height, and then transported.

[0004] The transport of the transported object W by the conventional suspension type lifting transport device 1 having the above-described configuration is performed as follows. First, the high-frequency current supplied to the power supply cable 5 is extracted by the power receiving unit 9 as an induced electromotive force, and is once converted into a stable DC voltage through a rectifier and a constant voltage circuit (not shown). Further, the DC power is converted into AC power having a command frequency and a voltage via the inverter, and the linear traction motor 10 is driven to cause the transport trolley 4 to travel and move above the transported object W. The transport cart 4 is stopped above the transported object W, and in this state, the lifting mechanism 11 is driven to lower the transported object holding unit 11b together with the support cable 11a.

When the fixing of the transferred object holding portion 11b and the transferred object W is obtained, the lifting mechanism 11 is started again, and the transferred object W is raised by winding up the support cable 11a. After the conveyed object W is wound up to a predetermined height, the lifting mechanism 11 is stopped, and then the linear DC motor 10 is driven by the operation of the inverter again to cause the conveyance carriage 4 to travel to a predetermined location. Transport. After reaching the predetermined location, the traveling of the transport trolley 4 is stopped, and the lifting / lowering mechanism 11 is driven to lower the transported object W together with the support cable 11a. After placing the transferred object W at a predetermined place, the transfer object W and the transferred object holding portion 11b are unlocked, and the supporting cable 11a is wound up to complete the transfer operation.

[0006]

However, the above-described conventional suspension type lifting / lowering transport apparatus cannot advance through a branched transport path due to structural restrictions, and therefore has a loop layout extending over a plurality of transport paths. Is difficult to take. In other words, when the transport carriage 4 travels to transport the transported object W, the transport path 3 is not obstructed by the support cable 11a that moves with the transport.
Since the gap 3a is formed over the entire length of the carriage, for example, when considering the conveyance path 3 branched in a Y-shape, the traveling roller 6 of the carriage 4 has a gap in the right half in the traveling direction when turning left. If the user derails from 3a and turns right, the left half in the traveling direction may derail from the gap 3a.

In order to diverge the transport path 3 without causing such a problem, the transport path 3 as illustrated in FIG.
Branching mechanism 1 that allows a part of the rail to be separated and slidable
2 must be provided. In the rail branch mechanism 12, reference numeral 13 denotes a slide transport path, reference numeral 14 denotes a drive shaft that slides the slide transport path 13, and reference numeral 15 denotes a motor that drives the drive shaft 14 to rotate. However, such a rail branching mechanism 12
Is problematic in that the device is complicated and the reliability is reduced, the manufacturing cost is increased, the problem is that the device cannot be provided in a narrow installation place, and the transport path 3 is not provided.
Since the time required for switching the transport path is required, various problems such as a problem that the transport amount per unit time cannot be increased and a problem that dust is generated by the switching operation of the transport path 3 are caused. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has the following objects. That is, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suspension type lifting / lowering transport device capable of transferring between a plurality of transport routes without using a complicated rail branching mechanism.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the suspension type lifting / lowering apparatus of the present invention employs the following means. That is, the suspension type elevating and conveying apparatus according to claim 1 is
It has a plurality of transport paths installed on the ceiling and a transport vehicle that transports the transported object along these transport paths, and each of the transport paths is a pair that regulates the left and right movement of the transport vehicle in the traveling direction. Side walls, a pair of bottom walls extending from the lower ends of these side walls in a direction in contact with each other and serving as a traveling path of the carrier, and a suspension type lifting / lowering transport device including a gap formed between the bottom walls. A branch portion is provided between the two routes of the transport route so as to allow the transport vehicle to make a transfer, and a branch portion travel route that is a travel route of the transport vehicle by closing the gap is provided at the branch portion. The transport cart is
A transported object storage section is provided for storing the transported object at a position higher than the bottom walls.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the transport vehicle carries out the transport operation along the transport path in a state in which the transport object is lifted and stored higher than the transport path. In addition, when transferring between the transport paths via the branching section, the transport vehicle travels on the branching section travel path to perform the transfer.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The suspension type elevating transport device 15 includes a transport path 17 installed on a ceiling 16, and a transport carriage 18 that can travel along the transport path 17 while holding an object W to be transported.

The transport path 17 includes a pair of side walls 17a for regulating the left and right movements of the transport vehicle 18 in the traveling direction, and extends from the lower ends of the side walls 17a in directions in contact with each other.
8, a pair of bottom walls 17b serving as a traveling path,
and a gap 17c formed between the members b for performing the lifting / lowering operation of the transferred object W. A power supply cable 19 is laid inside the transport path 17 along the longitudinal direction. Further, the transfer path 17 is provided with a branch portion 21 so that the transfer carriage 18 can transfer between the transfer path 17 and another transfer path 20. The branch portion 21 is provided with a branch portion traveling path 21a which closes the gap 17c and becomes a traveling path of the transport carriage 18.

The carriage 18 has a carriage main body 23 supported on a bottom wall 17b by a traveling roller 22, a guide roller 24 for guiding the traveling of the carriage main body 23, and an electric power from a power supply cable 19 in a non-contact manner. Power receiving unit 25 that receives power
A linear motor primary side 26a of a linear DC motor 26 that receives a supply of electric power from the power receiving unit 25 and generates a traveling driving force, and an elevating mechanism 27 that elevates and lowers the transferred object W;
An article storage section 28 is provided for storing the article W at a position higher than each bottom wall 17b. On the ceiling 16
Linear DC motor 2 with linear motor primary side 26a
The linear motor secondary side 26b constituting 6 is fixed. The traveling of the transport vehicle 18 is controlled by an inverter (not shown) provided in the transport vehicle 18. As shown in FIG. 1, when the transported object W is transported, the transported object W is mounted on the transported object holding portion 27 b fixed to the lower end of a support cable 27 a suspended downward from the elevating mechanism 27. Then, the support cable 27a is completely wound, and the transported object W is transported in a state of being stored in the transported object storage section 28.

The transport of the transported object W by the suspension type lifting / lowering transport device 15 having the configuration described above is performed as follows. First, the high-frequency current supplied to the power supply cable 19 is extracted as an induced electromotive force by the power receiving unit 25, and is once converted into a stable DC voltage via a rectifier and a constant voltage circuit (not shown). Further, the power is converted into AC power having a command frequency and voltage via the inverter, and the linear DC motor 26 is driven to cause the transport carriage 18 to travel.
To the top. The transport carriage 18 is stopped above the transported object W, and in this state, the lifting mechanism 27 is driven to lower the transported object holding portion 27b together with the support cable 27a. When the fixing of the transferred object holding portion 27b and the transferred object W is obtained, the lifting mechanism 27 is started again, and the support cable 27a is completely wound up.
Is lifted to a position higher than the bottom wall 17b and stored in the transported object storage unit 28, and then the elevating mechanism 27 is stopped.
Again, by the operation of the inverter, the linear direct-current motor 26 is driven to cause the transport carriage 18 to travel and transport to a predetermined location.

At this time, when the vehicle travels on the same transport route 17, the vehicle travels along the locus 30 shown in FIG. 2. Go through 31. Traveling roller 2 when passing through branching section 21
2 travels on the upper surface of the branch road 21a. After the transport vehicle 18 reaches the upper part of the predetermined place in this way, the traveling of the transport vehicle 18 is stopped, and the lifting mechanism 27 is driven to lower the transported object W together with the support cable 27a. After the transported object W is placed at a predetermined place, the transported work is completed by releasing the fixing of the transported object W and the transported object holding portion 27b and completely winding up the support cable 27a.

Therefore, according to the above-described suspension type elevating / lowering transport device 15, the transport object 18 is attached to the transport vehicle 18 by the bottom wall 1.
Conveyed object storage section 28 which is lifted and stored above 7b
Is provided, and a branch portion 21 is provided between the two routes of the transport route 17 and the other transport route 20 so that the transport vehicle 18 can make a transfer. Further, a gap 17 is provided in the branch portion 21.
branch road 2 serving as a road for the transport vehicle 18 by closing c
By adopting the configuration in which 1a is provided, it is possible to provide the suspension type lifting / lowering transport device 15 that can move between the multiple transport paths 17 and 20 and move without using a complicated rail branching mechanism. At this time, since the branching section 21 does not require a complicated rail branching mechanism, the space width required for installation does not need to be large, and the branching section 21 can be installed in a narrow installation place. Various problems can be avoided.

In the above embodiment, the transport vehicle 1
Although the path of No. 8 is configured to be branched into two branches, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to be branched into three or more paths so that a transfer can be made between more transport paths. Further, the transport vehicle 18 is configured to be driven to travel by the linear DC motor 26, but the invention is not limited thereto, and another travel driving mechanism may be used. Further, the power supply to the transport carriage 18 is performed by non-contact power supply using the power supply cable 19 and the power receiving unit 25, but is not limited thereto, and another power supply method may be employed.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the transport vehicle is provided with a transport object storage section for storing the transport object at a position higher than the bottom wall of the transport path, and the transport vehicle moves between the transport paths. By using a configuration in which a branch portion is provided to perform the process, and furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which the branch portion is provided with a branch portion travel path which becomes a travel path of the transport vehicle by closing the gap, a plurality of branch portions can be provided without using a complicated rail branch mechanism. Can be provided which can move by moving between the transfer paths of the above. At this time, since the branching section does not require a complicated rail branching mechanism, the space required for installation does not need to be wide, and it can be installed even in a narrow installation place. Problems can be avoided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing one embodiment of a suspension type elevating / lowering transport device of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the suspension type elevating / lowering transport device, and is a view of the vicinity of a branch portion of a transport route as viewed from below.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a conventional suspension type elevating and lowering transport device, and is a view in which a transport path is viewed from below.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the suspension type lifting / lowering transport device, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view showing another conventional suspension type lifting / lowering transport device, and is a view of the vicinity of a branch portion of the transport path as viewed from below.

[Explanation of symbols]

 15: Suspension type lifting / lowering transport device 16: Ceiling 17, 20: Transport path 17a: Side wall 17b: Bottom wall 17c: Gap 18: Transport cart 21: Branch 21a ································································ Conveyed object

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle comprising: a plurality of transport paths installed on a ceiling; and a transport vehicle that transports an object along the transport paths. A suspension type lift including a pair of side walls for regulating the movement, a pair of bottom walls extending from the lower ends of the side walls in a direction in contact with each other to form a traveling path of the carrier, and a gap formed between the bottom walls. In the transfer device, a branch portion is provided between at least two of the transfer routes so that the transfer vehicle can make a transfer, and the branch portion closes the gap and becomes a branch path of the transfer vehicle. Wherein the transport trolley is provided with a transported object storage section for storing the transported object at a position higher than the respective bottom walls.