JP2001158506A - Load storing facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a load storing facility capable of speeding up storing/ shipping movement or movement for conveyance of a load. SOLUTION: The facility comprises a shelf 10 having a storing part 12 of the load 1 and a storing/shipping means 20 including a storing/shipping device 60 for taking the load 1 into or out of the storing part 12. An operable moving-up preventing body 83 is disposed on the upper surface 3a of the load 1 supported by the storing/shipping device 60. Applying the moving-up preventing body 83 to the upper surface 3a can prevent the load 1 on the storing/shipping device 60 from vertically moving when the load 1 is taken into or out of the storing part 12 by receiving the upper surface 3a with the body 83. Storing/ shipping of the load 1 by the storing/shipping device 60 can be always stably performed without causing displacement or falling of the load 1 even when movement of the storing/shipping device 60 is speeded up. The speeding up of the movement of the storing/shipping device 60 can be promoted without possibility that the load 1 falls from the storing/shipping device 60 and damages when emergency stop is applied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a load storage facility for handling containers containing semiconductors (wafers) as loads.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a load storage facility of this type, for example, a configuration as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-294410 has been provided. In this conventional configuration, the shelf is provided with a storage portion capable of storing a load via a tray. The loading / unloading device includes a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading a load via a tray, and a load holding device disposed above the loading / unloading device. The loading / unloading device and the load holding device are relatively movable up and down. The loading / unloading device has a base end, a center-bending arm device rotatably disposed around the vertical axis on the elevating body, and a load supporting portion connected to a free end of the center-bending arm device. It consists of.

[0003]

However, according to the conventional structure described above, the loading and unloading of the load by the loading / unloading tool is performed by a fork type in which the lower surface of the load is supported by the load supporting portion. ) Cannot be easily accelerated. Further, when the loading / unloading device is moved (running) while the load is supported by the load supporting portion, for example, when an emergency stop is applied to the loading / unloading device for some reason, the load falls from the load supporting portion and is damaged. May be done. This also hinders speeding up movement of the loading / unloading device.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a load storage facility capable of speeding up a loading / unloading movement and a movement for carrying a load.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a load storage facility according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises:
A shelf having a storage portion capable of storing a load; and a loading / unloading means having a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading the loading / unloading device with the loading / unloading device. Is provided.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the upper movement preventing body acts on the upper surface of the load supported by the loading / unloading device, so that when loading or unloading the load from the storage portion, the loading / unloading device is used. It is possible to prevent the supported load from moving up and down (swinging) by receiving the upper surface of the load by the upward movement preventing body. Further, in the load storage facility according to claim 2 of the present invention, in the configuration according to claim 1, the loading / unloading device is provided with a gantry at a position deviated from a portion supporting the load, and the gantry has an upper surface of the load. And an up-and-down movement preventing member which can move in and out, and a driving means for moving the up-and-down movement preventing member.

Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, by operating the retracting drive means provided on the gantry, the upward movement preventing member can be extended and retracted with respect to the upper surface of the load. The load storage facility according to claim 3 of the present invention is the above-described claim 1 or 2.
In the configuration described above, the upward movement preventing body is configured to be able to move back and forth with respect to the upper surface of the load by rotating about the longitudinal axis, and to be in contact with the front surface of the load when protruding from the upper surface of the load. It is characterized in that an opposed front receiving portion is provided.

Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, when the upper-movement-preventing body is rotated about the longitudinal axis to project from the upper surface of the load, the front receiving portion can face the front surface of the load, Thereby, when the movement of the loading / unloading device is stopped, the load on the loading / unloading device can be prevented from moving (sliding) by receiving the front surface of the load with the front receiving portion. Further, the load storage facility according to claim 4 of the present invention is the above-described claim 1.
In any of the configurations described in any one of (1) to (3), the loading / unloading means includes a lifting / lowering body and a loading / unloading device provided on the lifting / lowering body, and the loading / unloading device has a base end for rotating around a vertical axis. The lifting end is formed as a middle bent arm, the free end of which is configured as a loading / unloading device for supporting a load.

Therefore, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the load from moving up and down by the upward movement preventing body when the lifting and lowering body moves up and down or when the loading / unloading device is operated.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
Description will be made based on the drawings. 1 to 5, reference numeral 10 denotes a shelf, in which a plurality of storage sections 12 are formed in a frame body (shelf frame) 11 composed of columns and the like in the vertical and horizontal directions. Each storage unit 12 is provided at predetermined intervals in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a plurality of shelf boards 13 are provided in each storage unit 12 in the horizontal direction. Each shelf board 13 has a missing portion 1 that is open in the front side and in the vertical direction.
4 are formed.

The load 1 that can be stored in the storage section 12 via the shelf plate 13 is, for example, a container (Front Opening Unified Pod) containing a semiconductor (wafer).
d: a front opening integrated pod) 2 and an L-shaped pallet body 3 in a side view capable of positioning and supporting the container 2. A pair of the shelves 10 are arranged side by side with a passage 9 therebetween. A part of the storage sections 12 in any of the shelves 10 serves as a cargo handling section 16 for loading and unloading the load 1. The handling section 16 includes a pair of left and right support members 1.
7 are provided, and these support members 17 are erected, and between the support members 17, the working space portion 1 opened upward or forward and backward.
8 are formed. In addition, the insertion / removal tool (described later) is configured to fork by using the action space portion 18 and the lacking portion 14.

The shelf 9 is provided with a loading / unloading means 20 for loading / unloading the load 1 into / from the storage section 12. The loading / unloading means 20 includes an elevating body 21 disposed in the passage 9 and having a length substantially equal to the length of the passage.
A movable body 40 supported and guided by the elevating body 21 and capable of reciprocating in the direction of the passage length (lateral direction);
, And the like.

The elevating body 21 has a rectangular cylindrical frame shape, and a box-shaped frame body 22 is provided at a central portion in the longitudinal direction and on one surface side. An LM guide 23 is provided between one surface side of the box-shaped frame 22 and the shelf 10 side, so that the elevating body 21 is guided to the shelf 10 so as to be able to move up and down. The lifting body 2
The lifting drive device 25 for lifting and lowering the guide frame 1 includes a guide wheel 26 provided in the upper part of the shelf 10 and distributed in the width direction of the passage, and a guide frame 26 hung between the guide wheels 26 from above and one end of the box frame. An elevating belt 28 connected from above to the balance weight 27 and the other end connected to the balance weight 27, an auxiliary wire 29, a drive pulley 30 provided on the floor side, and the drive pulley 30 A motor 31 for rotationally driving the drive pulley 3
A plurality of wires 32 each of which is connected to the box-shaped frame 22 from below and the other end of which is connected to the balance weight 27 from below, and the wire 32 is wound around the drive pulley 30 to urge it. Sheave 33
And a guide wheel 34 for guiding the wire 32 to the box-shaped frame 22 side and the like.

The balance weight 27 is guided to the shelf 10 via a guide roller (not shown) so as to be movable up and down. Further, a plurality of guide rollers 35 are provided above and below the box-shaped frame 22, respectively, and the upper and lower ends of a dustproof belt 36 hung between the guide rollers 35 are fixed to the shelf 10 side. According to such a configuration, the drive pulley 30 is driven to rotate in the normal and reverse directions by the motor 31, so that the elevating body 21 can be moved up and down via the wire 32 and the elevating belt 28. At that time, the elevating body 21
Are guided to the shelf 10 side by the LM guide 23 so as to be able to move up and down. The elevating body 21 can be lifted and lowered lightly while maintaining the balance by the balance weight 27, and the lifting drive device 25 may be of low power.

The movable body 40 is formed on the outer movable part 41 located outside the other surface of the elevating body 21, the inner movable part 42 located inside the elevating body 21, and the elevating body 21. It is constituted by a connecting portion 43 and the like which are located in the slit portion 24 and integrate the outer movable portion 41 and the inner movable portion 42. The LM guide 4 is provided between the lift 21 and the inner movable portion 42.
The movable body 40 is supported and guided by the elevating body 21 so as to be reciprocally movable in the direction of the length of the passage.

A reciprocating driving device 45 for reciprocating the movable body 40 includes a guide pulley 46 provided in the elevating body 21 and at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and a drive provided in the box-shaped frame 22. Pulley 47 and drive pulley 4
, A guide pulley 46 and a drive pulley 47 provided in the box-shaped frame 22 so as to rotate the motor 7 in the forward and reverse directions.
, A tension belt 49 wound around, and a tension pulley 50, and one portion of the timing belt 49 is connected to the inner movable portion 42. Note that a cable bear 51 is provided between the elevating body 21 and the inner movable part 42.

According to such a configuration, the reciprocating drive 4
5 is driven in the reverse direction to drive the timing belt 49.
The movable body 40 can be reciprocated by rotating the movable body 40 in the forward and reverse directions. At this time, the movable body 40 is supported and guided by the LM guide 44 toward the elevating body 21. The access device 60
A rotary table 63 is provided on the upper part of the outer movable portion 41 via a bearing 61 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis 62. The rotary table 63 is linked to the rotary table 63 via a timing belt 64 or the like. Table driving device 65
Are provided in the outer movable portion 41. A loading / unloading device 66 is provided on the rotary table 63 so that the load 1 can be loaded into and removed from the storage section 12.

The loading / unloading device 66 is of a center-bend type which is disposed on the turntable 63 side with a base end to rotate around the longitudinal axis 62. That is, the loading / unloading device 66 includes an arm body 67 having a base end fixed to the rotary table 63 side, and an operating shaft 68 attached to a free end of the arm body 67.
And a plate-shaped insertion / removal tool 70 whose base end is rotatably connected via a bearing 69. The loading / unloading tool 70 is configured to support the load 1 by its free end. Note that a positioning pin 71 is provided on the free end side of the insertion / removal tool 70 so as to be engageable with the lower surface of the pallet body 3.

An arm driving device (servo motor, etc.) 72 is provided in the outer movable portion 41 for bending the loading / unloading device 66 in the middle, and an output shaft 73 from the arm driving device 72 is provided. Are positioned on the longitudinal axis 62 and inserted through the bearing 61 and the turntable 63. The arm body 67 has a case shape, and has a transmission mechanism 74 interposed therein. That is, the transmission mechanism 74
A first wheel 75 fixed to the output shaft 73, a second wheel 76 fixed to a lower portion of the operating shaft 68 integrated with the insertion / removal tool 70, a first wheel 75 and a second wheel. It is constituted by a timing belt 77 and the like that work together with the body 76.

On the loading / unloading device 70, a gantry 80 is provided at a position deviated from a portion supporting the load 1. The gantry 80 is formed in a case shape, and a horizontal movement preventing body 81 located on both sides of a portion of the loading / unloading tool 70 supporting the load 1 is continuously provided from an intermediate portion in the vertical direction. The pedestal 80 is provided with an upward movement preventing member 83 which can move back and forth (operate freely) with respect to the upper surface of the load 1 supported by the loading / unloading tool 70.
And a drive unit 90 for moving the up-and-down block 83.

That is, the bearing device 8
A vertical axis 86 that is rotatable around a vertical axis 85 is provided through the base 4, and a base end of an upward motion prevention body 83 formed in a horizontal plate shape is connected to an upper end of the vertical axis 86. . Then, the upper movement preventing body 83 is rotated about the vertical axis 85, so that the upper surface of the vertical member of the L-shaped pallet body 3 (the upper surface of the load).
It is configured to be able to move back and forth with respect to 3a. Further, from the lower middle portion of the upward movement preventing member 83, when the upward movement inhibiting member 83 projects from the vertical member upper surface 3a, the vertical member front surface (the front surface of the load).
A front receiving portion 87 facing the 3b is vertically provided.

The extension / retraction driving means 90 includes a driving motor 91 provided in an upper portion of the gantry 80, a disk 93 fixed to an upwardly directed motor shaft 92, and an eccentric position of the disk 93. An idler roller 94 disposed via an erect pin; a rack body 96 provided on the base 80 side via an LM guide 95 so as to be movable left and right;
And a pinion gear 97 provided at the lower end of the longitudinal axis 86 so as to always mesh with the rack member 96, and a longitudinal hole 98 formed in the rack body 96 side to engage with the idle roller 94.

The operation of the above embodiment will be described below. In the shelf 1, the load 1 is stored in the storage section 12, and at this time, the load 1 is supported on the shelf 13 via the pallet body 3, as shown in FIG. When performing the unloading operation, in the loading / unloading device 60, as shown by the solid lines in FIGS.
The arm 67 is rotated about the longitudinal axis 62 integrally with the armature 3 to position the free end of the arm 67 above the elevating body 21, and the arm drive device 72 operates the transmission mechanism 74 and the like. The insertion / removal tool 70 is rotated integrally with the operating shaft 68 through the intermediary of the operation shaft 68, and the access / removal tool 70 is positioned on the arm body 67 in an overlapping manner.

That is, a middle folding arm type access device 6
0 is folded in the middle so as to completely fit between the upper part from the elevating body 21 to the outer movable part 41. Further, the upward motion inhibitor 8
Reference numeral 3 denotes a position where the disc 93 is rotated by the drive motor 91 and the idle roller 94 is separated from the longitudinal axis 86.
By moving the rack body 96 in the same direction via the elongated hole 98 or the like, the rack body 96 is rotated about the vertical axis 86 together with the vertical axis 86 via the pinion gear 97, and is turned into the imaginary line in FIG. As shown, it is positioned sideways.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 6, the free end of the insertion / removal tool 70 is moved to the storage section 12 by the combined operation of the above-described lifting / lowering movement of the lifting / lowering body 21 and the lateral movement of the insertion / removal device 60. Make them face each other. At that time, if necessary, the rotary table 63 is rotated 180 degrees around the longitudinal axis 62 by the operation of the table driving device 65 or the like, and the free end of the insertion / removal tool 70 is set on any of the shelves 1 and for the purpose. To the storage unit 12 to be mounted.

In the state shown in FIG. 6, first, the arm 67 is rotated about the longitudinal axis 62 integrally with the rotary table 63 by the reverse operation of the table driving device 65.
7 is moved to the intended storage section 12 side, and the reverse movement of the arm driving device 72 causes the insertion / removal tool 70 to rotate integrally with the operating shaft 68 so that the free end of the insertion / removal tool 70 is intended. Is moved to the storage unit 12 side.

That is, the insertion / removal device 60 in the middle folded state.
Is extended and moved so that the insertion / removal tool 70 completely accommodated between the elevating body 21 and the upper part of the outer movable part 41 is linearly operated, and is thereby protruded to the target storage part 12 side. Thereby, as shown in the imaginary line of FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, the loading / unloading device 70 is positioned below the shelf 13 supporting the load 1 and directly below the lacking portion 14, and the both-side movement preventing members are provided. 81 is made to face the side of the load 1.

In this state, the lifting body 21 is slightly raised, and the loading / unloading tool 70 is raised in the lacking portion 14 to abut against the bottom surface of the pallet body 3 of the load 1 as shown in FIG. The load 1 is lifted by the loading / unloading tool 70 without swinging. When the load 1 is lifted, the positioning pins 71 are engaged with the lower surface of the pallet body 3.

During the lifting operation of the load 1, the disk 93 is rotated by 180 degrees by the drive motor 91 of the retracting drive means 90 at the desired timing, and the idle roller 94 is moved relative to the longitudinal axis 86. As a position approaching
The rack body 96 is moved in the same direction via the gear 8 or the like. As a result, the upward movement preventing body 8 positioned laterally
3 is rotated around a vertical axis 85 together with a vertical axis 86 via a pinion gear 97, whereby the solid line in FIGS.
As shown by the imaginary line of FIG. 8 and the imaginary line of FIG. 8, the load 1 is protruded so as to face the upper surface of the load 1 supported by the loading / unloading tool 70, that is, the upper surface 3a of the vertical member of the pallet body 3. At the same time, the front receiving portion 8 provided on the
7 faces the front surface of the load 1, that is, the vertical member front surface 3b.

Thereafter, the arm 67 is rotated by the operation of the table driving device 65, the free end of the arm 67 is positioned above the elevating body 21, and the insertion / removal tool 70 is rotated by the operation of the arm driving device 72. 70 is positioned on the arm body 67 in an overlapping manner. That is, as described above, the middle folding arm type insertion / removal device 60 is folded in the middle so as to be completely housed between the elevating body 21 and the upper part of the outer movable part 41. As shown in FIG. 9, the load 1 supported by the loading / unloading tool 70 is positioned above the outer movable portion 41.

When taking out the load 1 in this way, the load 1 on the loading / unloading tool 70 moves up and down (sways up and down).
This can be prevented by receiving the upper surface 3a of the vertical member by the upward movement inhibitor 83. In addition, the load 1 on the loading / unloading tool 70 moving in the coasting direction (sliding forward) due to the inertia when the retreating movement (retracting movement) of the loading / unloading tool 70 is stopped means that the vertical member front surface 3b is placed on the front receiving portion. It can be blocked by receiving with 87.

As a result, even when the movement (operation) of the loading / unloading device 60 is accelerated, the removal of the load 1 by operating the loading / unloading device 60 does not always cause the load 1 to be displaced or fall off. Can be performed stably. In addition, the stabilization of the load 1 is further promoted by the fact that both the lateral movement prevention members 81 are opposed to the side of the load 1 and the positioning pins 71 are engaged with the lower surface side of the pallet body 3. Is done.

After that, the free end of the loading / unloading tool 70 is made to face the handling section 16 by performing a combination operation of the lifting / lowering movement of the lifting / lowering body 21 and the lateral movement of the loading / unloading device 60 as described above. Then, by operating the loading / unloading device 60 almost in reverse to the above-described operation of taking out the storage unit 12, the load 1 can be transferred onto the support member 17 of the handling unit 16, thereby completing a series of unloading operations.

Even when the lifting / lowering body 21 is moved up and down, when the loading / unloading device 60 is moved laterally, or when the loading / unloading device 60 is operated, the load 1 is prevented from moving up and down as described above. 83, the load 1 is prevented from moving in the coasting direction by the front receiving portion 87, and the two lateral movement preventing members 81 are opposed to the sides of the load 1, and the positioning pins 7 are provided.
By the fact that 1 is engaged with the lower surface side of the pallet body 3, each movement (operation) can always be performed stably without inducing displacement or dropping of the load 1 even if the speed is increased.

By performing the reverse operation, the loading / unloading means 20 can store the load 1 received from the handling section 16 into the intended storage section 12. The same operation can be performed on the opposite shelf 1. In the above-described embodiment, the upward / downward movement stopper 83 is moved back and forth with respect to the upper surface of the load 1 by rotating about the vertical axis 85 by the back-and-forth driving device 90. For example, a configuration in which a person leaves or retreats in a slide format may be used.

In the embodiment described above, the retracting drive 9
0, the drive motor 91, the disc 93, the idle roller 9
4, an eccentric rotation type including a long hole 98 is adopted, but this may be a type in which the rack body 96 and the upper movement prevention body 83 are operated by a solenoid. In the above-described embodiment, the type in which the front movement receiving member 83 is provided with the front receiving portion 87 is shown.
May be omitted.

In the above-described embodiment, the structure composed of the container 2 and the pallet body 3 is shown as the load 1, but it may be of a type in which the container itself is handled as a load. In the above-described embodiment, the middle folding arm type is shown as the loading / unloading device 60, but this may be an ordinary multi-stage fork type or the like.

In the above embodiment, the rotary table 6
3, a loading / unloading device 60 is provided, and the loading / unloading device 60 is configured to act on the shelves 10 on both sides. And so on.

[0039]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the upper movement preventing body acts on the upper surface of the load supported by the loading / unloading device, so that the load can be removed from the storage portion or loaded into the storage portion. It is possible to prevent the load supported by the loading / unloading device from moving up and down (swinging) by receiving the upper surface of the load by the upward movement preventing body. Therefore, the loading and unloading of the load by operating the loading / unloading device is performed by moving (operating) the loading / unloading device.
Even if the speed is increased, the load can always be performed stably without causing displacement or falling off of the load, and even if an emergency stop is applied for some reason, the load may drop from the loading / unloading device and be damaged. This also promotes speeding up movement of the loading / unloading device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention,
By actuating the retracting drive means provided on the gantry, the upward movement inhibiting member can be extended and retracted with respect to the upper surface of the load. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the upper-movement-preventing body is rotated about the longitudinal axis to project from the upper surface of the load, the front receiving portion can face the front surface of the load. When the movement of the loading / unloading device is stopped, the load on the loading / unloading device can be prevented from moving (sliding) by receiving the front surface of the load with the front receiving portion.

Further, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the load from moving up and down by the up-moving obstruction when the elevating body is moved up and down or when the loading / unloading device is operated. Therefore, the speed of loading / unloading movement and movement for transport can be easily increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and is a partially cutaway side view of a loading / unloading means part in a load storage facility.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the same load storage facility.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a main part of a loading / unloading means part in the same load storage facility.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway rear view of a main part of a loading / unloading means part in the load storage facility.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a driving portion of an upward movement preventing body in the same load storage facility.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the unloading operation in the same load storage facility, and before the loading / unloading device operates.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing the unloading action in the same load storage facility, when the loading / unloading device moves in and out.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing the unloading action in the same load storage facility, and when the loading and unloading device is lifted and moved.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing the unloading operation in the same load storage facility, and after the loading and unloading device is operated.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Load 2 Container 3 Pallet body 3a Upper surface of vertical member (upper surface of load) 3b Front surface of vertical member (front of load) 10 Shelf 12 Storing section 13 Shelf board 14 Missing section 16 Loading section 17 Supporting member 20 Loading / unloading means 21 Lifting body 22 Box-shaped frame 25 Elevating drive device 28 Elevating belt 30 Drive pulley 32 Wire 40 Movable body 41 Outer movable portion 42 Inner movable portion 45 Reciprocating drive device 60 Access device 62 Vertical axis 63 Rotary table 65 Table drive device 66 Access device 67 Arm body 68 Actuating shaft 70 Insertion / extraction tool 71 Positioning pin 72 Arm driving device 73 Output shaft 80 Mount 81 Lateral movement preventer 83 Upper movement preventer 85 Vertical axis 87 Front receiving part 90 Retreat driving means 91 Drive motor 94 Idling roller 96 Rack body 97 Pinion gear 98 Slot

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A shelf having a storage portion capable of storing a load, and a loading / unloading means having a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading the loading / unloading device with the loading / unloading device, are provided on the upper surface of the load supported by the loading / unloading device. A load storage facility, characterized in that it is provided with a proper upward movement prevention body. 2. A loading / unloading device, wherein a gantry is provided at a position deviated from a portion supporting a load, and an upper-movement preventing body which is capable of moving back and forth with respect to the upper surface of the load; 2. A retracting drive means is provided.
The described cargo storage facility. 3. The upward movement preventing body is configured to be able to move back and forth with respect to the upper surface of the load by rotating around the longitudinal axis, and to be positioned at the front of the load when protruding from the upper surface of the load. 3. The load storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising a front receiving portion facing the front. 4. The in-out means has an elevating body and an in-out device provided in the up-and-down body.
A vertically bent arm type which is disposed on the elevating body with a base end to rotate around the longitudinal axis, and the free end of which is configured as a loading / unloading device for supporting a load. Item 4. The load storage facility according to any one of Items 1 to 3.