JP2022083100A - Transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To realize a technique capable of holding an article by the holding device in a desired holding posture regardless of a posture of the article at a transfer target location.SOLUTION: Each tip 30b of a pair of support members 30 is located above V1 a connecting portion 30a and below V2 a held portion 91, and a state in which an article 90 is located between the pair of tips 30b is defined to be a holding preparation state, meanwhile a state in which a pair of support portions 21 is located closer to each other in a first direction A than in the holding preparation state, and each tip portion 30b of the pair of support members 30 or a member connected to the tip portion 30b is in contact with a supported surface 91a from below V2 to support the article 90. During transition from the holding preparation state to the holding state, a pair of support members 30 lifts the supported surface 91a to above V1 with the respective tip portions 30b swinging around a fulcrum in a direction toward above V1 while moving toward a second side A2 in the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a transport vehicle for transporting articles.

An example of the transport vehicle as described above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-6499 (Patent Document 1). Hereinafter, the reference numerals shown in parentheses in the description of the background technique are those of Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a ceiling carrier (A) for transporting a storage container (4) as a carrier for transporting articles. The ceiling carrier (A) has a traveling portion (11) traveling along the traveling route (3), a holding portion (10) for holding the storage container (4), and a traveling portion (10). It is provided with an elevating device for elevating and lowering with respect to 11).

In Patent Document 1, the storage container (4) is an open cassette having an opening (6) formed on the side surface for taking in and out the substrate (5). In order to prevent the substrate (5) from popping out from the opening (6) of the storage container (4) held in the holding portion (10), the ceiling carrier (A) of Patent Document 1 has a substrate ( A pop-out prevention mechanism (9) is provided with a contact body (26) that can be moved between a contact position that contacts the side surface of the substrate (5) and a separation position that is separated from the side surface of the substrate (5).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-6499

Since vibration is easily transmitted to the article held by the holding device when the transport vehicle is running, the holding posture is such that it is easy to secure a high tolerance for vibration regardless of the presence or absence of a mechanism such as the pop-out prevention mechanism of Patent Document 1. It is desirable that the article be held in the holding device. In Patent Document 1, since the article is a container having an opening on the side surface, for example, an inclined posture in which the opening faces diagonally upward makes it difficult for the contained material (the substrate in Patent Document 1) to move from the opening to the outside of the article. It is a holding posture, that is, a holding posture that makes it easy to secure a high tolerance for vibration.

As described above, it may be desirable for the article to be held by the holding device in a particular holding position (eg, the tilting position described above), but the desired holding position is between the transfer target location (holding portion). It does not necessarily match the posture of the article at the place where the article is transferred. For example, in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 5 of the document, the article is arranged at the transfer target portion in a horizontal posture in which the opening faces the horizontal direction, not in an inclined posture. In this way, when the desired holding posture is different from the posture of the article at the transfer target location, a mechanism for changing the posture of the article in order to hold the article in the desired holding posture is provided at the transfer target location, and the holding device is provided. If the posture change operation of the article is performed at the transfer target location separately from the transfer operation of the article between the and the transfer target location, the processing efficiency of the article may decrease.

Therefore, it is desired to realize a technique capable of holding the article in a desired holding posture by the holding device regardless of the posture of the article at the transfer target location.

The transport vehicle according to the present disclosure is a transport vehicle that transports articles, and has a main body that moves along a movement path, a holding device that holds the articles, and the holding device that moves up and down with respect to the main body. The article is provided with an elevating device, the article is a surface arranged parallel to the bottom surface of the article, and includes a held portion on which a supported surface facing downward is formed, and the holding device is the supported portion. Each of the pair of support portions includes a pair of support portions to which support members for supporting the surface from below are connected to each other, and a holding drive portion that brings the pair of the support portions close to each other and separated from each other in the first direction. The side closer to the other support portion in the first direction is the first side in the first direction, and the side away from the other support portion in the first direction is the second side in the first direction. It is swingably connected to the support portion with the connection portion with the support portion as a fulcrum, and the tip portion of each of the pair of the support members opposite to the connection portion is above the connection portion. Preparation for holding the state in which the article is located between the pair of the tip portions arranged below the held portion and arranged at intervals larger than the width of the held portion in the first direction. In this state, the pair of the support portions are closer to each other in the first direction than in the holding ready state, and the tip portion of each of the pair of support members or the member connected to the tip portion is on the supported surface. On the other hand, the state in which the article is supported by being in contact with the article from below is set as the holding state, and while the pair of the supporting members shift from the holding preparation state to the holding state, each of the tip portions thereof is in the first direction. While moving to the 2 side, it swings around the fulcrum in the upward direction to lift the supported surface upward.

According to this configuration, by moving the pair of support portions closer to each other from the holding ready state to the holding state, the article arranged at the transfer target portion can be held by the holding device. At this time, the supported surface arranged parallel to the bottom surface of the article can be lifted upward by the respective tips of the pair of support members to hold the article. Therefore, when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is the same as the desired holding posture, the holding device is configured to lift the supported surface without changing the orientation, so that the article can be held in the desired holding posture. Can be retained. Further, when the posture of the article at the transfer target portion is different from the desired holding posture, the holding device is configured to lift the supported surface while changing the orientation to the desired holding posture. Can be held in the desired holding posture.

As described above, according to this configuration, by configuring the holding device so that the supported surface is lifted upward by the respective tips of the pair of support members to hold the article, the posture of the article at the transfer target portion is formed. Regardless, it is possible to hold the article in the desired holding posture by the holding device. Further, in the present configuration, since the operation of lifting the supported surface upward can be performed in parallel with the operation of bringing the pair of support portions close to each other, the transport vehicle of the present disclosure can be used while suppressing a decrease in the processing efficiency of the article. It can be realized.

Further features and advantages of the carrier will be clarified from the following description of embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Perspective view of the carrier Front view of the transport vehicle The figure which shows the situation which the article is transferred between the holding device and the transfer target place. Explanatory drawing of holding preparation state Explanatory drawing of holding preparation state Explanatory drawing of holding state Explanatory drawing of holding state Perspective view of the support and its vicinity Control block diagram Perspective view of the support portion and its vicinity according to other embodiments. Perspective view of the support portion and its vicinity according to other embodiments. Explanatory diagram of holding state according to other embodiments Explanatory diagram of holding state according to other embodiments

An embodiment of the transport vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

The transport vehicle 1 travels along the movement path 2 in the article transport facility 100 as illustrated in FIG. 3 to transport the article 90. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the transport vehicle 1 raises and lowers the main body 10 that moves along the movement path 2, the holding device 20 that holds the article 90, and the holding device 20 with respect to the main body 10. The elevating device 50 and the like are provided. Here, the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2 (the direction in which the movement path 2 extends) is defined as the path longitudinal direction L, and the width direction of the movement path 2 is defined as the path width direction W. The path width direction W is a direction orthogonal to both the path longitudinal direction L and the vertical direction V. Further, the direction defined with reference to the transport vehicle 1 (that is, the direction that changes according to the posture of the transport vehicle 1), and the direction along the path longitudinal direction L in the state of being arranged on the movement path 2, is the front and rear of the vehicle body. The direction X is defined as the direction defined with the carrier vehicle 1 as a reference, and the direction along the path width direction W in the state of being arranged on the moving path 2 is defined as the vehicle body left-right direction Y.

The movement path 2 may be physically formed or virtually set. In this embodiment, the movement path 2 is physically formed by using the rail 3. Specifically, the article transport facility 100 includes rails 3 arranged along the movement path 2 (here, a pair of rails 3 arranged at intervals in the path width direction W), and has a main body portion. 10 moves along the rail 3. Further, in the present embodiment, the rail 3 is suspended and supported from the ceiling 4, and the movement path 2 is formed along the ceiling 4. That is, in the present embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 is a ceiling transport vehicle that travels along the movement path 2 formed along the ceiling 4. The transport vehicle 1 may be a transport vehicle other than the ceiling transport vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body portion 10 is connected to a traveling portion 11 having wheels 12 that roll on the traveling surface of the rail 3 (here, a pair of rails 3). It is provided with a cover portion 14. The traveling surface of the rail 3 is a surface facing upward V1 in the vertical direction V, and the wheel 12 rotates around an axis orthogonal to the vertical direction V. The traveling unit 11 includes a traveling drive unit 70 (for example, an electric motor such as a servomotor, see FIG. 9) that rotates the wheels 12, and the wheels 12 are rotationally driven by the traveling drive unit 70 to drive the traveling unit. 11 runs along the rail 3. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the traveling unit 11 includes a guide wheel 13 that rolls on the guide surface of the rail 3, and the traveling unit 11 has the guide wheel 13 in contact with the guide surface of the rail 3. In the guided state, the vehicle travels along the rail 3. The guide surface of the rail 3 is a surface facing the inside of the path width direction W (the side of the pair of rails 3 toward the center position of the path width direction W), and the guide wheel 13 is an axial center along the vertical direction V. Rotate around (in this example, idle). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the main body portion 10 is provided with a pair of traveling portions 11 so as to be arranged in the front-rear direction X of the vehicle body.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the cover portion 14 is supported by the traveling portion 11 in a state of being arranged below V2 in the vertical direction V with respect to the traveling portion 11. When the transport vehicle 1 is traveling, the article 90 held by the holding device 20 is arranged in the internal space of the cover portion 14. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, in the internal space of the cover portion 14, both sides of the vehicle body front-rear direction X are closed and at least one side of the vehicle body left-right direction Y is open. Therefore, the article 90 arranged in the internal space of the cover portion 14 is covered by the wall portion of the cover portion 14 from at least both sides in the vehicle body front-rear direction X.

The type of the article 90 is not limited to this, but as shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the article 90 is a container having an opening 92 on the side surface 90b. The opening 92 is provided for putting in and taking out the contents to and from the article 90, and the contents are put in and out of the article 90 through the opening 92. An opening different from the opening 92 (for example, an opening for weight reduction or cleaning, or an opening formed due to the structure of the article 90) may be formed on the side surface 90b of the article 90, but the article 90 may have an opening. The article 90 is configured so that the contained object cannot move to the outside of the article 90 without passing through the opening 92. In the present embodiment, a substrate 93 (an example of an contained object) such as a glass substrate or a semiconductor wafer is accommodated in the article 90. Further, in the present embodiment, the article 90 is configured to be capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates 93 side by side in the vertical direction (direction along the vertical direction V with the bottom surface 90c arranged horizontally).

In this embodiment, the article 90 does not have a lid that closes the opening 92. For example, an open cassette can be used as the article 90. The article 90 may also be configured to include a lid that closes the opening 92. In this case, for example, FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) can be used as the article 90.

The elevating device 50 includes an elevating drive unit 71 (for example, an electric motor such as a servomotor, see FIG. 9) for elevating and lowering the holding device 20. The elevating device 50 raises and lowers the holding device 20 between the first position P1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and the second position P2 (see FIG. 3) V2 below the first position P1. The first position P1 is the position of the upper end in the vertical direction (vertical direction V). The first position P1 is a position in the vertical direction V of the holding device 20 when the main body portion 10 moves. That is, the first position P1 is the position of the holding device 20 when the transport vehicle 1 is traveling. In the present embodiment, the first position P1 is the position of the holding device 20 such that the article 90 held by the holding device 20 is arranged in the internal space of the cover portion 14. Further, the second position P2 is a position in the vertical direction V of the holding device 20 when the holding device 20 holds and releases the article 90. That is, the second position P2 is a position where the holding device 20 holds and releases the article 90, in other words, the holding device 20 and the transfer target portion 6 hold the article 90 at the time of transfer. The position of the device 20. The second position P2 is set according to the height (position in the vertical direction V) of each transfer target location 6.

FIG. 3 shows a load port arranged adjacent to the processing device 5 as an example of the transfer target location 6. The processing device 5 is an apparatus for processing the article 90, and in the present embodiment, the substrate 93 taken out from the article 90 is processed. As shown in FIG. 3, the article 90 is arranged at the transfer target portion 6 so that the opening 92 faces the processing device 5 side. In the present embodiment, the article 90 is arranged at the transfer target portion 6 in a horizontal posture S2 in which the bottom surface 90c is along the horizontal plane. In the horizontal posture S2, since the opening 92 is in a posture facing the horizontal direction, by arranging the article 90 in the transfer target portion 6 in the horizontal posture S2, the substrate through the opening 92 in the transfer target portion 6 It is easy to put in and take out the 93 articles 90.

As simplified and schematically shown in FIG. 2, the elevating device 50 is a rotating body 51 that is driven to rotate, and is wound around the rotating body 51 so as to be freely wound and unwound, and is connected to the holding device 20. The transmission member 52 and the like are provided. The elevating device 50 further includes the above-mentioned elevating drive unit 71 (see FIG. 9) that rotationally drives the rotating body 51. The rotating body 51 and the elevating drive unit 71 are supported by the main body unit 10, and in the present embodiment, they are arranged in the upper V1 portion in the internal space of the cover portion 14. For example, the transmission member 52 is a belt and the rotating body 51 is a winding pulley for winding the belt, or the transmission member 52 is a wire and the rotating body 51 is a winding drum for winding the wire. Can be. As shown in FIG. 3, a connecting portion 52a provided on the tip end side of the transmission member 52, which is fed out from the rotating body 51, is connected to the holding device 20. The elevating device 50 rotates the rotating body 51 by driving the elevating drive unit 71, and winds up or unwinds the transmission member 52 to raise or lower (that is, raise or lower) the holding device 20. In this way, the elevating device 50 raises and lowers the holding device 20 while the holding device 20 is suspended and supported.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the present embodiment, the elevating device 50 includes a plurality of rotating bodies 51, and a transmission member 52 is wound around each of the plurality of rotating bodies 51. In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the elevating device 50 includes three rotating bodies 51. Then, each connecting portion 52a of the plurality of transmission members 52 (in this example, the three transmission members 52) is connected to the holding device 20. The plurality of connecting portions 52a are connected to different portions of the holding device 20. In addition, in FIGS. 2 and 3, in order to show that the elevating device 50 includes a plurality of rotating bodies 51, the plurality of rotating bodies 51 are arranged on different axes, but the plurality of rotating bodies 51 have a plurality of rotating bodies 51. , May be arranged side by side coaxially. Further, in FIG. 3, the connecting portion 52a of the transmission member 52 is arranged directly under the rotating body 51 around which the transmission member 52 is wound, but the portion of the transmission member 52 extended from the rotating body 51 is formed. It may be configured such that the connecting portion 52a of the transmission member 52 is wound around the guiding rotating body (guide pulley or the like) and is arranged directly under the guiding rotating body.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the article 90 includes a held portion 91 on which a supported surface 91a is formed. The supported surface 91a is a surface arranged in parallel with the bottom surface 90c of the article 90 and faces downward V2. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the holding device 20 includes a pair of support portions 21 to which support members 30 that support the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2 are connected to each other, and the pair of support portions 21 are used. Holds the article 90. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the holding device 20 holds the article 90 from above V1. Hereinafter, the support member 30 connected to one of the pair of support portions 21 and the support member 30 connected to the other of the pair of support portions 21 are collectively referred to as a pair of support members 30.

In the present embodiment, the upper surface portion (for example, the plate-shaped top plate portion) constituting the upper surface 90a of the article 90 is used as the held portion 91. As shown in FIG. 4, the held portion 91 is formed so as to have a protruding portion protruding outward (horizontally outside) with respect to the side surface 90b of the article 90, and the lower surface of the protruding portion is supported. It constitutes the surface 91a. The structure of the held portion 91 is not limited to this, and for example, the held portion 91 may be formed on the side surface portion constituting the side surface 90b of the article 90.

The holding device 20 includes a holding drive unit 72 (for example, a solenoid or an electric motor, see FIG. 9) that brings the pair of support parts 21 close to and separated from each other in the first direction A. The first direction A is the arrangement direction of the pair of support portions 21 (here, the horizontal direction along the horizontal plane), and the pair of support portions 21 are arranged apart from each other in the first direction A. The pair of support portions 21 are movably supported in the first direction A by a portion (main body portion) to which the transmission member 52 (specifically, the connecting portion 52a) in the holding device 20 is connected. Then, the holding drive unit 72 moves each of the pair of support portions 21 along the first direction A to bring the pair of support portions 21 close to and separated from each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the holding device 20 holds the article 90 in the tilted posture S1 in which the bottom surface 90c is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane (for example, tilted by 5 degrees). Specifically, the holding device 20 holds the article 90 in a posture in which the opening 92 faces diagonally upward (an example of the tilted posture S1). The direction toward the outside of the article 90 is the direction of the opening 92 along the moving direction of the contained object when the contained object (in the present embodiment, the substrate 93) is taken in and out through the opening 92. do. In order for the holding device 20 to hold the article 90 in this way, as shown in FIG. 3, the holding device 20 is located at the first position P1 and the holding device 20 is in the first position P1 and the second position P2. The article 90 is held by the holding device 20 in the tilted posture S1 while being located at the third position P3 in between.

In FIG. 2, the holding device 20 is arranged so that the pair of support portions 21 approach and separate from each other in the vehicle body front-rear direction X (see FIG. 1) (that is, the first direction A is in the direction along the vehicle body front-rear direction X). However, the holding device 20 is provided with the pair of support portions 21 approaching and separating from each other in the left-right direction Y of the vehicle body (that is, the first direction A is in the direction along the left-right direction Y of the vehicle body). It may be arranged. Further, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a case where the article 90 is held by the holding device 20 with the opening 92 facing one side in the left-right direction Y of the vehicle body, but the opening 92 is in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The article 90 may be held by the holding device 20 so as to face one side of X. The transport vehicle 1 may be configured to include a mechanism for rotating the holding device 20 around the axis along the vertical direction V with respect to the main body portion 10. From the viewpoint of more reliably preventing the substrate 93 housed in the article 90 from moving from the opening 92 to the outside of the article 90 when the transport vehicle 1 is traveling, the opening 92 covers the wall portion of the cover portion 14. It is preferable that the article 90 is held by the holding device 20 in the facing direction.

As shown in FIG. 8, the support member 30 is swingably connected to the support portion 21 with the connection portion 30a with the support portion 21 as a fulcrum. The connecting portion 30a is provided with a member (for example, a hinge) that connects the support portion 21 and the support member 30 so as to be relatively rotatable around the fulcrum. The support member 30 is swingably connected to the support portion 21 around the axis along the second direction B, with the direction orthogonal to the first direction A (here, the horizontal direction) as the second direction B in a plan view. ing. In each of the pair of support portions 21, the side closer to the other support portion 21 in the first direction A is designated as the first side A1 in the first direction, and the side away from the other support portion 21 in the first direction A is the first in the first direction. As the second side A2, the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 opposite to the connecting portion 30a is arranged on the first side A1 in the first direction with respect to the support portion 21 to which the support member 30 is connected. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the pair of tip portions 30b (one tip portion 30b and the other tip portion 30b of the pair of support members 30) are arranged between the first direction A of the pair of support portions 21. To.

The tip portion 30b of the support member 30 may be formed of the same material as the main body portion of the support member 30 (the portion connecting the connecting portion 30a and the tip portion 30b) or may be formed of a different material. Then, as will be described later, the article 90 is held by the holding device 20 in a state where the tip portion 30b is in contact with the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2. Therefore, it is preferable that the tip portion 30b is made of a material (for example, rubber) that can appropriately secure a frictional force between the supported surface 91a and the tip portion 30b. Although the shape of the tip portion 30b is spherical in FIGS. 4 and the like, the dimensions and shapes of the respective portions in each figure are conceptual, and the actual dimensions and shapes are not limited thereto.

In the present embodiment, one of the pair of support portions 21 and the support member 30 connected to the pair of support portions 21 and the other of the pair of support portions 21 and the support member 30 connected to the other of the pair of support portions 21 are the first between the pair of support portions 21. The plane orthogonal to the first direction A at the center position of the direction A is set as a plane of symmetry, and they are configured to have a mirror image symmetry relationship with each other. Therefore, the support portion 21 paired with the support portion 21 shown in FIG. 8 and the support member 30 connected to the support portion 21 reverse the support portion 21 shown in FIG. 8 and the support member 30 connected to the support portion 21 in the first direction A. Has a structure.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the support member 30 has a first rocking member 41 and a second rocking member 42, which are a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction B. I have. Therefore, in the connecting portion 30a that connects the support portion 21 and the support member 30, the first connecting portion 41a in which the first swing member 41 is connected to the support portion 21 and the second swing member 42 are connected to the support portion 21. A second connecting portion 42a to be connected is provided. Assuming that the tip portion 30b of the first swing member 41 is the first tip portion 41b and the tip portion 30b of the second swing member 42 is the second tip portion 42b, in the present embodiment, the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is formed. Includes a first tip portion 41b of the first swing member 41 included in the support member 30, and a second tip portion 42b of the second swing member 42 included in the support member 30. In the following, when the matters common to the first rocking member 41 and the second rocking member 42 are described, they will be described as the support member 30 without distinguishing them, and the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion will be described. When the matters common to 42b are described, they are described as the tip portion 30b without distinguishing them, and when the matters common to the first connecting portion 41a and the second connecting portion 42a are described, these are distinguished. Instead, it will be described as the connecting portion 30a.

The first swing member 41 is swingably connected to the support portion 21 with the first connecting portion 41a as a fulcrum (specifically, swingable around the axis along the second direction B), and the second swing member 41 is connected to the support portion 21. The swing member 42 is swingably connected to the support portion 21 with the second connecting portion 42a as a fulcrum (specifically, swingable around the axis along the second direction B). The shape of the first rocking member 41 and the second rocking member 42 is not limited to this, but in the present embodiment, the first rocking member 41 and the second rocking member 42 are rod-shaped members such as bars. One end side in the longitudinal direction is connected to the support portion 21 via the connecting portion 30a. Hereinafter, the first swing member 41 included in one of the pair of support members 30 and the first swing member 41 included in the other of the pair of support members 30 are collectively referred to as a pair of first swing members 41. The second swing member 42 included in one of the pair of support members 30 and the second swing member 42 included in the other of the pair of support members 30 are collectively referred to as a pair of second swing members 42.

Here, each tip portion 30b of the pair of support members 30 is arranged above V1 above the connecting portion 30a and below V2 below the held portion 91, and in the first direction A of the held portion 91. Article 90 (specifically, article 90 arranged at the transfer target portion 6) is placed between a pair of tip portions 30b arranged at intervals larger than the width (hereinafter referred to as "held portion width"). The positioned state is the holding preparation state. In the holding ready state, each of the pair of tip portions 30b is arranged apart from the article 90. In the present embodiment, the state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by solid lines in FIG. 4 is a holding preparation state.

The fact that the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is arranged above the connecting portion 30a means that the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is more than the connecting portion 30a that connects the support member 30 and the support portion 21. It means that it is arranged in the upper V1. In the present embodiment, since one and the other of the pair of support members 30 are arranged so as to have the above-mentioned mirror image symmetric relationship, the connecting portion 30a connecting one of the pair of support members 30 and the support portion 21 is provided. , Is arranged at the same height as the connecting portion 30a connecting the other of the pair of supporting members 30 and the supporting portion 21. Further, in the present embodiment, when the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is arranged above the connecting portion 30a, the first tip portion 41b of the first swing member 41 is above the first connecting portion 41a. It means that it is arranged in V1 and the second tip portion 42b of the second rocking member 42 is arranged in V1 above the second connecting portion 42a.

Further, the fact that the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is arranged below V2 below the held portion 91 means that the tip portion 30b is in contact with the portion of the held portion 91 that is in contact with the tip portion 30b in the holding state described later. It means that it is placed in the lower V2. In the present embodiment, since the article 90 is arranged at the transfer target portion 6 in the horizontal posture S2, the held portion 91 (specifically, the supported surface) is arranged in the state where the article 90 is arranged at the transfer target portion 6. 91a) is arranged along the horizontal plane, and the pair of tip portions 30b are arranged below V2 of the entire held portion 91 in the holding ready state. Further, in the present embodiment, the fact that the tip portion 30b of the support member 30 is arranged below the held portion 91 means that the first tip portion 41b of the first swing member 41 is below the held portion 91. It means that it is arranged in V2 and the second tip portion 42b of the second rocking member 42 is arranged in V2 below the held portion 91.

In the present embodiment, the fact that the article 90 is located between the pair of tip portions 30b arranged at intervals larger than the width of the held portion means that the pair of first tip portions arranged at intervals larger than the width of the held portion The article 90 is located between 41b (one first tip portion 41b of the pair of first swing members 41 and the other first tip portion 41b), and is arranged at a distance larger than the width of the held portion. It means that the article 90 is located between the pair of second tip portions 42b (one second tip portion 42b of the pair of second rocking members 42 and the other second tip portion 42b).

Further, the pair of support portions 21 are closer to each other in the first direction A than in the holding ready state, and the tip portion 30b of each of the pair of support members 30 or the member connected to the tip portion 30b is attached to the supported surface 91a. The state of supporting the article 90 in contact with the lower V2 is defined as a holding state. In the present embodiment, in the holding state, the respective tip portions 30b of the pair of support members 30 are in contact with the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2. Further, in the present embodiment, in the holding state, the pair of support members 30 support the supported surface 91a by inclining it with respect to the horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, the state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by solid lines in FIG. 6 is a holding state. In the present embodiment, the support member 30 includes a first rocking member 41 and a second rocking member 42. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the holding state, the first tip portion 41b of each of the pair of first rocking members 41 and the second tip portion 42b of each of the pair of second rocking members 42 , Contact the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2.

With the holding device 20 arranged at the second position P2 (see FIG. 3) described above, the pair of support portions 21 are arranged at a height at which a holding ready state can be realized. Then, when the article 90 is held by the holding device 20, the pair of support portions 21 are driven so as to shift from the holding ready state to the holding state while the holding device 20 is arranged at the second position P2. When the holding device 20 releases the holding of the article 90, the pair of support portions 21 are driven so as to shift from the holding state to the holding release state while the holding device 20 is located at the second position P2. To. The holding release state is the same as the holding preparation state, and hereinafter, the holding release state is also referred to as the holding preparation state.

When the article 90 is held by the holding device 20, each of the tip portions 30b of the pair of support members 30 moves upward while moving to the second side A2 in the first direction while shifting from the holding ready state to the holding state. It swings around the fulcrum in the direction toward V1 and lifts the supported surface 91a upward to V1. Specifically, as described above, in the holding preparation state, the respective tip portions 30b of the pair of support members 30 are arranged at V1 above the connecting portion 30a and V2 below the held portion 91. To. Therefore, by bringing the pair of support portions 21 close to each other in the first direction A from the holding ready state, each of the pair of tip portions 30b is in contact with the side surface 90b of the article 90 (the tip indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 4). The lower V2 of the supported surface 91a of the article 90 can be moved to the first side A1 in the first direction up to the position of the portion 30b). That is, by bringing the pair of support portions 21 close to each other in the first direction A from the holding ready state, the side surface 90b of the article 90 arranged at the transfer target portion 6 (specifically, the supported surface on the side surface 90b). An intermediate state (a state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4) is realized in which each of the pair of tip portions 30b is in contact with the portion (V2 portion below V2 below 91a). In the present embodiment, in the intermediate state, each of the pair of first tip portions 41b and each of the pair of second tip portions 42b are in contact with the side surface 90b of the article 90.

The height of the pair of tip portions 30b in the holding ready state is set so that the gap between the tip portions 30b and the supported surface 91a in the intermediate state becomes a desired size. From the viewpoint of shortening the time required for the transition between the holding ready state and the holding state, it is preferable that this gap is set small so that the gap becomes zero (that is, the tip portion in the intermediate state). The height of the pair of tip portions 30b in the holding ready state may be set so that the 30b is in contact with the supported surface 91a). In this case, each of the pair of tip portions 30b moves while contacting the supported surface 91a to a position in contact with the side surface 90b of the article 90.

When the pair of support portions 21 are further brought closer to each other in the first direction A from the intermediate state, the pair of support members 30 have their tip portions 30b moving toward the upper V1 while moving toward the second side A2 in the first direction. Swing around the fulcrum. In the present embodiment, the pair of first swinging members 41 swings around the fulcrum in the direction toward the upper V1 while the respective first tip portions 41b move to the second side A2 in the first direction, and the pair of first swinging members 41. The two swinging members 42 swing around the fulcrum in the direction toward the upper V1 while the respective second tip portions 42b move toward the second side A2 in the first direction. In FIG. 6, the support portion 21 and the support member 30 in the intermediate state are shown by a two-dot chain line, and in FIG. 7, the tip portion 30b in the intermediate state is shown by a two-dot chain line. Since the pair of support members 30 swing as described above while the pair of support portions 21 approach each other in the first direction A, the pair of tip portions 30b (in the present embodiment, the pair of first tip portions 41b and the pair of support members 30). The pair of second tip portions 42b) move upward V1 at the same position in the first direction A. As a result, the supported surface 91a is lifted to the upper V1 by moving the pair of tip portions 30b to the upper V1, and a holding state (a state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by solid lines in FIG. 6) is realized. To.

When the holding device 20 releases the holding of the article 90, the tip portions 30b of the pair of support members 30 move to the first side A1 in the first direction while the holding state shifts to the holding preparation state. Swinging around the fulcrum in the direction toward the lower V2, the supported surface 91a is lowered to the lower V2. Specifically, when the pair of support portions 21 are separated from each other in the first direction A from the holding state (the state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by a solid line in FIG. 6), the pair of support members 30 are separated from each other. Each tip portion 30b swings around the fulcrum in the direction toward the lower V2 while moving toward the first side A1 in the first direction. In the present embodiment, the pair of first swinging members 41 swings around the fulcrum in the direction toward the downward V2 while the respective first tip portions 41b move to the first side A1 in the first direction, and the pair of first swinging members 41. The two swinging members 42 swing around the fulcrum in the direction toward the downward V2 while the respective second tip portions 42b move toward the first side A1 in the first direction. Since the pair of support members 30 swing as described above while the pair of support portions 21 are separated from each other in the first direction A, the pair of tip portions 30b (in the present embodiment, the pair of first tip portions 41b and the pair of support members 30). The pair of second tip portions 42b) move downward V2 at the same position in the first direction A. As a result, the supported surface 91a is lowered to the lower V2 by moving the pair of tip portions 30b to the lower V2, and the supported surface 91a is lowered until the article 90 is placed at the transfer target portion 6, and the intermediate state ( The state in which the support portion 21 and the support member 30 are shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 4) is realized.

When the pair of support portions 21 are further separated from each other in the first direction A from the intermediate state, each of the pair of tip portions 30b is moved to a position where the distance between the pair of tip portions 30b is larger than the width of the held portion. The lower V2 of the supported surface 91a of the article 90 arranged at the mounting target portion 6 is moved to the second side A2 in the first direction, and the holding preparation state is realized.

As described above, when the article 90 is held by the holding device 20, the pair of support members 30 are swung so as to lift the supported surface 91a of the article 90 upward to V1, and the article 90 is held by the holding device 20. When the holding is released, the pair of support members 30 are swung so as to lower the supported surface 91a of the article 90 downward to V2. Further, in the present embodiment, the actuator for swinging and driving the pair of support members 30 is not provided, and the urging mechanism 61 described below is described in order to appropriately hold and release the article 90 by the holding device 20. And the regulation mechanism 62 (see FIG. 8) is provided in the transport vehicle 1 (specifically, the holding device 20).

The urging mechanism 61 is a mechanism for urging the support member 30 in a direction in which the tip portion 30b moves toward the first side A1 in the first direction and swings downward toward V2. The direction in which the tip portion 30b swings toward the downward V2 while moving to the first side A1 in the first direction is the direction in which the tip portion 30b swings from the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line to the position indicated by the solid line. Is. In addition, in FIG. 8 and FIGS. 10 and 11 which will be referred to later, the support member 30 in the holding ready state is shown by a solid line, and the support member 30 in the holding state is shown by a two-dot chain line. As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the urging mechanism 61 for urging the first oscillating member 41 and the urging mechanism 61 for urging the second oscillating member 42 are separately provided. There is. The urging mechanism 61 may be a mechanism using a spring member such as a torsion coil spring. In FIGS. 10 and 11 which will be referred to later, the urging mechanism 61 is not shown.

The regulating mechanism 62 is a mechanism that regulates the swing range of the support member 30 within a range in which the tip portion 30b is arranged above the specified height H or more and above V1 of the connecting portion 30a. The specified height H is set to the height of the tip portion 30b with respect to the connecting portion 30a in the holding ready state (that is, the difference in the positions of the connecting portion 30a and the tip portion 30b in the vertical direction V). With the height of V1 above the specified height H above the connecting portion 30a as the lower limit height, the regulating mechanism 62 regulates the movement of the tip portion 30b to V2 below the lower limit height, and is within the above range. The swing range of the support member 30 is regulated. For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 8, the regulating mechanism 62 has a tip portion 30b higher than the lower limit height due to the tension of a string-shaped member having one end connected to the support portion 21 and the other end connected to the support member 30. A mechanism for restricting movement to the lower V2, or, although not shown, the tip 30b is V2 below the lower limit height due to the contact of the contact member fixed to the support 21 with the support member 30. It can be a mechanism that regulates movement to.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the regulation mechanism 62 that describes the swing range of the first swing member 41 and the regulation mechanism 62 that regulates the swing range of the second swing member 42 are each. It is provided separately. The regulation mechanism 62 for describing the swing range of the first swing member 41 is the first within a range in which the first tip portion 41b is arranged above the first specified height H1 and above V1 with respect to the first connecting portion 41a. The swing range of the swing member 41 is regulated. For the first rocking member 41, the above-mentioned lower limit height is the height of V1 above the first specified height H1 with respect to the first connecting portion 41a. Further, the regulating mechanism 62 for describing the swing range of the second swing member 42 is provided within a range in which the second tip portion 42b is arranged above the second connecting portion 42a by the second specified height H2 or more and above V1. The swing range of the second swing member 42 is regulated. For the second rocking member 42, the above-mentioned lower limit height is the height of V1 above the second specified height H2 with respect to the second connecting portion 42a. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the first specified height H1 and the second specified height H2, which are the two specified heights H, are set to different sizes from each other.

Since the urging mechanism 61 and the regulating mechanism 62 as described above are provided, a force in the direction of swinging downward V2 while moving to the first side A1 in the first direction is applied to the tip portion 30b by the urging mechanism 61. The regulation mechanism 62 can regulate the movement of the tip portion 30b to V2 below the lower limit height. Therefore, in the holding preparation state, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tip portion 30b is arranged above the specified height H above the connecting portion 30a (in the present embodiment, the first tip portion 41b is the first. A state in which the second tip portion 42b is arranged above the first specified height H1 and the second tip portion 42b is arranged above the second specified height H2 from the second connecting portion 42a) is appropriately maintained. Can be done. On the other hand, in the holding state, as shown in FIG. 6, a pair of tip portions 30b so as to sandwich the article 90 from both sides of the first direction A by the force acting on the tip portion 30b according to the urging force of the urging mechanism 61. (In the present embodiment, the pair of first tip portions 41b and the pair of second tip portions 42b) can be pressed against the article 90, so that the holding state can be appropriately maintained.

Further, at the time of transition from the holding preparation state to the holding state (specifically, at the transition from the intermediate state to the holding state), the tip is subjected to the force acting on the tip portion 30b according to the urging force of the urging mechanism 61. While pressing the portion 30b against the article 90, the tip portion 30b is moved toward the upward V1 while moving the tip portion 30b to the second side A2 in the first direction due to the reaction force due to the contact with the article 90 (that is, in the urging force of the urging mechanism 61). The supported surface 91a can be lifted by swinging in the direction of opposition). On the other hand, at the time of transition from the holding state to the holding preparation state (specifically, at the transition from the holding state to the intermediate state), the tip is subjected to the force acting on the tip portion 30b according to the urging force of the urging mechanism 61. While pressing the portion 30b against the article 90, the tip portion 30b can be swung in the direction toward the downward V2 while moving to the first side A1 in the first direction to lower the supported surface 91a. Therefore, it is possible to stably raise and lower the supported surface 91a at the time of transition between the holding ready state and the holding state (specifically, at the transition of the state between the intermediate state and the holding state). can.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the posture of the article 90 at the transfer target portion 6 is the horizontal posture S2. Therefore, in the state where the article 90 is arranged at the transfer target portion 6, the supported surface 91a is arranged along the horizontal plane, and in accordance with this, in the holding preparation state, the pair of tip portions 30b (the present embodiment). Then, the pair of first tip portions 41b and the pair of second tip portions 42b) are arranged at the same height (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Further, in the holding preparation state, the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are arranged at the same position in the first direction A in each of the pair of support members 30.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the present embodiment, in the holding state, the second tip portion 42b is at the same position in the first tip portion 41b and the first direction A in each of the pair of support members 30. Therefore, it is arranged in V1 above the first tip portion 41b. Further, in the holding state, the pair of first tip portions 41b are arranged at the same height, and the pair of second tip portions 42b are arranged at the same height. Therefore, in the holding state, the supported surface 91a is supported by the pair of support members 30 in an inclined posture with respect to the second direction B. The tilt angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the horizontal plane (in the present embodiment, the tilt angle with respect to the second direction B) is determined according to the height difference between the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b, and is set to, for example, 5 degrees. To. The side where the second tip portion 42b is arranged with respect to the first tip portion 41b in the second direction B (the left side in FIG. 7) is set as the first side in the second direction, and in the holding state, the side toward the first side in the second direction. The supported surface 91a is supported by the pair of support members 30 in a posture inclined in the upward direction toward V1. Then, the article 90 is held by the holding device 20 with the opening 92 facing the first side in the second direction in a plan view, whereby the article 90 is held in the inclined posture S1 in which the opening 92 faces diagonally upward. It is held by the device 20.

Since the pair of first tip portions 41b and the pair of second tip portions 42b are arranged as described above in the holding preparation state and the holding state, when the holding device 20 holds or releases the article 90, it is covered. The supported surface 91a can be raised and lowered so as to change the inclination angle of the support surface 91a with respect to the second direction B. In the present embodiment, when the article 90 is held by the holding device 20, the supported surface 91a is lifted so that the inclination angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the second direction B increases from 0 degrees, and the object to be transferred is transferred. The article 90 arranged at the position 6 in the horizontal posture S2 is held by the holding device 20 in the tilted posture S1. Further, when the holding device 20 releases the holding of the article 90, the supported surface 91a is lowered so that the tilt angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the second direction B is reduced to 0 degrees, and the article 90 is held in the tilted posture S1. The article 90 held by the device 20 is placed at the transfer target portion 6 in the horizontal posture S2.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the present embodiment, the first connecting portion 41a is arranged below the second connecting portion 42a in V2, and the first connecting portion 41a to the first connecting portion 41a in the first swing member 41 is arranged. The length to the tip portion 41b is longer than the length from the second connecting portion 42a to the second tip portion 42b in the second rocking member 42. Then, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are arranged at the same position in the first direction A and at the same height in the holding preparation state. The regulation mechanism 62 is configured in. As described above, in the holding ready state, the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are arranged at the same position in the first direction A and at the same height. Therefore, in the holding state, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The second tip portion 42b is arranged at the same position in the first direction A as the first tip portion 41b above the first tip portion 41b, and the supported surface 91a is in an inclined posture with respect to the second direction B. Supported by.

As shown in FIG. 9, the article transport facility 100 includes a control unit 80 that controls the operation of the transport vehicle 1. The control unit 80 includes an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU and peripheral circuits such as a memory, and the control unit 80 cooperates with these hardware and a program executed on the hardware such as the arithmetic processing apparatus. Each function of is realized. The control unit 80 may be provided on the transport vehicle 1 or may be provided independently of the transport vehicle 1. Further, when the control unit 80 includes a plurality of hardware separated so as to be able to communicate with each other, even if some hardware is provided in the transport vehicle 1 and the remaining hardware is provided independently of the transport vehicle 1. good.

The control unit 80 controls the drive of the travel drive unit 70 to cause the main body unit 10 to perform a movement operation of moving along the movement path 2. Specifically, the control unit 80 controls the drive of the travel drive unit 70 to cause the travel unit 11 to perform a travel operation of traveling along the rail 3. In the present embodiment, the moving operation of the main body portion 10 is realized by the traveling operation of the traveling unit 11. When the article 90 held by the holding device 20 is transported to the transfer target portion 6, the control unit 80 causes the traveling unit 11 to perform a traveling operation while the holding device 20 holds the article 90. Further, the control unit 80 controls the drive of the elevating drive unit 71 to cause the elevating device 50 to perform an elevating operation for raising and lowering the holding device 20. As described above, since the holding device 20 holds the article 90 in the tilted posture S1, as shown in FIG. 3, the article 90 held by the holding device 20 is moved up and down in the tilted posture S1. Further, the control unit 80 controls the drive of the holding drive unit 72 to cause the holding device 20 to perform a holding operation for holding the article 90 and a holding / releasing operation for releasing the holding of the article 90. The holding operation of the article 90 is an operation of bringing the pair of support portions 21 close to each other in the first direction A from the holding preparation state to shift to the holding state, and the holding release operation of the article 90 is the operation of shifting the pair of support portions 21 from the holding state to the holding state. This is an operation of moving the 21 to the holding ready state by separating them from each other in the first direction A.

When the article 90 is transferred from the transfer target location 6 to the holding device 20 (that is, when the article 90 is carried out from the transfer target location 6), the control unit 80 is located at a position corresponding to the transfer target location 6 (here). Then, after causing the traveling unit 11 to perform a traveling operation of traveling the transport vehicle 1 to a position V1 above the transfer target location 6 and overlapping the transfer target location 6 in a plan view, the article 90 is held. The elevating device 50 is made to perform an elevating operation for lowering the holding device 20 which has not been performed from the first position P1 to the second position P2. When the holding device 20 reaches the second position P2, the control unit 80 causes the holding device 20 to perform the holding operation of the article 90, and then raises and lowers the holding device 20 from the second position P2 to the first position P1. Is performed by the elevating device 50. As a result, the holding device 20 holding the article 90 rises to the first position P1.

On the other hand, when the article 90 is transferred from the holding device 20 to the transfer target location 6 (that is, when the article 90 is carried into the transfer target location 6), the control unit 80 is located at a position corresponding to the transfer target location 6. After causing the traveling unit 11 to perform a traveling operation for traveling the transport vehicle 1 to, the elevating device 50 performs an elevating operation for lowering the holding device 20 in a state of holding the article 90 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. Let me do it. When the holding device 20 reaches the second position P2, the control unit 80 causes the holding device 20 to perform the holding release operation of the article 90, and then raises and lowers the holding device 20 from the second position P2 to the first position P1. The operation is performed by the elevating device 50. As a result, the holding device 20 that does not hold the article 90 rises to the first position P1 while the article 90 is left at the transfer target portion 6.

[Other embodiments]
Next, other embodiments of the transport vehicle will be described.

(1) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the tip portions 30b of each of the pair of support members 30 are in contact with the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2 in the holding state has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and the members connected to the respective tip portions 30b of the pair of support members 30 are in contact with the supported surface 91a from the lower side V2 in the holding state. You can also do it. An example of such a configuration is shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the connecting member 43 corresponds to a "member connected to the tip portion".

In the example shown in FIG. 10, similarly to the above embodiment, the support member 30 is a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction B, that is, a first rocking member 41 and a second rocking member. It is equipped with 42. The first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are connected by a connecting member 43. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the connecting member 43 is formed in a rod shape (specifically, a square columnar shape) extending in the second direction B, and supports the upper surface of the connecting member 43 (supported surface 91a from the lower side V2). The surface) is uniformly formed along the second direction B. Therefore, in the holding state, the connecting member 43 continuously contacts the supported surface 91a along the second direction B. It is preferable that at least the upper surface of the connecting member 43 is made of a material (for example, rubber) that can appropriately secure a frictional force between the supported surface 91a and the connecting member 43. In the holding state, such as a configuration in which concave portions and convex portions are alternately formed on the upper surface of the connecting member 43 along the second direction B, the connecting members 43 are supported at a plurality of places arranged along the second direction B. It may be configured to be in contact with the surface 91a.

In the example shown in FIG. 10, similarly to the above embodiment, in the holding state, the second tip portion 42b is located above the first tip portion 41b at the same position of the first tip portion 41b and the first direction A. Be placed. Therefore, in the holding state, the upper surface of the connecting member 43 is arranged to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane according to the height difference between the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b, and the article 90 is held in the tilted posture S1. It is held at 20. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 10, as in the above embodiment, in the holding preparation state, the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are arranged at the same position in the first direction A and at the same height. .. Therefore, the separation distance between the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b differs between the holding preparation state and the holding state, and the connecting member 43 changes the separation distance between the holding preparation state and the holding state. The first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b are connected so as to allow the above. For example, the connecting member 43 may be an elastic member such as rubber, and the separation distance may be changed by expansion and contraction of the connecting member 43, or at least one of the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b. By forming the connecting structure with the connecting member 43 into a flexible connecting structure that allows relative movement, it is possible to configure the structure so that the change in the separation distance is allowed.

(2) In the above embodiment, the first connecting portion 41a is arranged below V2 of the second connecting portion 42a, and the length of the first swing member 41 (specifically, the first swing member 41). The length from the first connecting portion 41a to the first tip portion 41b in the second swing member 42 is the length of the second swinging member 42 (specifically, the length from the second connecting portion 42a to the second tip of the second swinging member 42). A configuration longer than the length up to the portion 42b) has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, in which the first connecting portion 41a is arranged at the same height as the second connecting portion 42a, and the length of the first swing member 41 is the second swing member. It is also possible to have a configuration equal to the length of 42, or a configuration in which these are combined. FIG. 11 shows an example of a configuration in which the first connecting portion 41a is arranged at the same height as the second connecting portion 42a, and the length of the first swing member 41 is equal to the length of the second swing member 42. .. For example, the support member 30 shown in FIG. 11 can be used when the inclination angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the second direction B is 0 degrees in both the holding ready state and the holding state.

An example of the holding device 20 in which the support member 30 shown in FIG. 11 is used is shown in FIG. In the above embodiment, in the holding state, the pair of supporting members 30 tilt and support the supported surface 91a with respect to the horizontal plane (that is, the holding device 20 holds the article 90 in the tilted posture S1). In the example shown in FIG. 12, in the holding state, the pair of supporting members 30 support the supported surface 91a along the horizontal plane (that is, the holding device 20 holds the article 90 in the horizontal posture S2). The holding device 20 shown in FIG. 12 can be used, for example, when the article 90 arranged at the transfer target portion 6 in the horizontal posture S2 is held by the holding device 20 in the horizontal posture S2.

FIG. 13 shows another example of the holding device 20 in which the support member 30 shown in FIG. 11 is used. In the example shown in FIG. 12, as in the above embodiment, one of the pair of support portions 21 and the support member 30 connected to the pair, and the other of the pair of support portions 21 and the support member 30 connected to the other are Although they are configured to have a mirror image symmetric relationship with each other, they are not configured as such in the example shown in FIG. Specifically, one of the pair of support members 30 is used as the first support member 31, and the other of the pair of support members 30 is used as the second support member 32. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the length of the first support member 31 is used. (Specifically, the length from the connecting portion 30a of the first support member 31 to the tip portion 30b) is the length of the second support member 32 (specifically, from the connecting portion 30a of the second support member 32). It is longer than the length up to the tip 30b). The length of the first support member 31 is the length of the first swing member 41 and the second swing member 42 included in the first support member 31, and the length of the second support member 32 is the second. It is the length of the first rocking member 41 and the second rocking member 42 included in the support member 32. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 13, the connecting portion 30a connecting the first support member 31 and the support portion 21 is arranged at the same height as the connecting portion 30a connecting the second support member 32 and the support portion 21. ing.

Then, unlike the example shown in FIG. 12, in the example shown in FIG. 13, in the holding state, the pair of support members 30 support the supported surface 91a by inclining it with respect to the first direction A. The inclination angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the first direction A is determined according to the height difference between the tip portion 30b of the first support member 31 and the tip portion 30b of the second support member 32. The holding device 20 shown in FIG. 13 holds, for example, the article 90 arranged at the transfer target portion 6 in the horizontal posture S2 by the holding device 20 in the tilted posture S1 in which the bottom surface 90c is inclined with respect to the first direction A. It can be used when In the example shown in FIG. 13, the connecting portion 30a connecting the first support member 31 and the supporting portion 21 is arranged at a height different from the connecting portion 30a connecting the second supporting member 32 and the supporting portion 21. In this case, the length of the first support member 31 may be equal to the length of the second support member 32.

As described above, according to the technique of the present disclosure, the height difference between the first tip portion 41b and the second tip portion 42b is different between the holding ready state and the holding state, so that the supported surface 91a is in the second direction B. The tilt angle with respect to the holding state can be made different between the holding ready state and the holding state, and the height difference between the tip portion 30b of the first support member 31 and the tip portion 30b of the second support member 32 can be set between the holding ready state and the holding state. By making them different, the inclination angle of the supported surface 91a with respect to the first direction A can be made different between the holding preparation state and the holding state. Further, by making these height differences the same in the holding preparation state and the holding state, the posture of the supported surface 91a can be made the same in the holding preparation state and the holding state. Therefore, the technique of the present disclosure can be applied regardless of whether the posture of the article 90 at the transfer target portion 6 is the inclined posture S1 or the horizontal posture S2, and the holding posture of the article 90 by the holding device 20 (desired). The technique of the present disclosure can be applied regardless of whether the holding posture (holding posture) is the tilted posture S1 or the horizontal posture S2.

(3) In the above embodiment, the support member 30 includes a first rocking member 41 and a second rocking member 42, which are a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction B. Explained as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the support member 30 may be configured to include one plate-shaped member instead of the pair of swinging members.

(4) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the actuator for driving the pair of support members 30 is not provided has been described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a configuration, and an actuator for swinging and driving the pair of support members 30 may be provided. When the actuator for swinging and driving the pair of support members 30 is provided in this way, at least one of the urging mechanism 61 and the regulating mechanism 62 in the above embodiment may be provided.

(5) The configurations disclosed in each of the above-described embodiments should be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction (the embodiments described as other embodiments). (Including combinations) is also possible. With respect to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely exemplary in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be appropriately made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[Outline of the above embodiment]
Hereinafter, the outline of the transport vehicle described above will be described.

A transport vehicle for transporting articles, including a main body that moves along a movement path, a holding device that holds the articles, and an elevating device that raises and lowers the holding device with respect to the main body. The article is a surface arranged parallel to the bottom surface of the article, and includes a held portion in which a supported surface facing downward is formed, and the holding device is a support member that supports the supported surface from below. Each of the pair of supports is provided with a pair of supports connected to each other and a holding drive unit that brings the pair of the supports closer to and separated from each other in the first direction. The side approaching the support portion is the first side in the first direction, the side away from the other support portion in the first direction is the second side in the first direction, and the support member has a connecting portion with the support portion. It is swingably connected to the support portion as a fulcrum, and the tip portion of each of the pair of support members on the opposite side of the connecting portion is above the connecting portion and below the held portion. The state in which the article is located between the pair of the tip portions arranged and arranged at intervals larger than the width of the held portion in the first direction is defined as the holding ready state, and is from the holding ready state. Also, the pair of the support portions approach each other in the first direction, and the tip portion of each of the support members or the member connected to the tip portion is in contact with the supported surface from below and the article. As the holding state, the pair of supporting members move upward while the tip portions of the pair of supporting members move from the holding ready state to the holding state. The supported surface is lifted upward by swinging around the fulcrum in the direction toward the fulcrum.

According to this configuration, by moving the pair of support portions closer to each other from the holding ready state to the holding state, the article arranged at the transfer target portion can be held by the holding device. At this time, the supported surface arranged parallel to the bottom surface of the article can be lifted upward by the respective tips of the pair of support members to hold the article. Therefore, when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is the same as the desired holding posture, the holding device is configured to lift the supported surface without changing the orientation, so that the article can be held in the desired holding posture. Can be retained. Further, when the posture of the article at the transfer target portion is different from the desired holding posture, the holding device is configured to lift the supported surface while changing the orientation to the desired holding posture. Can be held in the desired holding posture.

As described above, according to this configuration, by configuring the holding device so that the supported surface is lifted upward by the respective tips of the pair of support members to hold the article, the posture of the article at the transfer target portion is formed. Regardless, it is possible to hold the article in the desired holding posture by the holding device. Further, in the present configuration, since the operation of lifting the supported surface upward can be performed in parallel with the operation of bringing the pair of support portions close to each other, the transport vehicle of the present disclosure can be used while suppressing a decrease in the processing efficiency of the article. It can be realized.

Here, the support member is a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction, with the direction orthogonal to the first direction in a plan view as the second direction, and the first rocking member. The connecting portion includes two swinging members, the connecting portion includes a first connecting portion in which the first swinging member is connected to the support portion, and a second connecting portion in which the second swinging member is connected to the support portion. The first connecting portion is arranged below the second connecting portion, and the tip portion of the first rocking member is used as the first tip portion, and the second rocking member is said to have a portion. With the tip portion as the second tip portion, the length from the first connecting portion to the first tip portion of the first rocking member is the length from the second connecting portion to the second tip portion of the second rocking member. It is preferable that the length is longer than the length to the portion.

According to this configuration, the height difference between the first tip portion and the second tip portion can be made different between the holding ready state and the holding state, so that the inclination angle of the supported surface with respect to the second direction is changed. The supported surface can be lifted and the article placed at the transfer target location can be held by the holding device. Therefore, when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is a posture in which the inclination angle of the bottom surface with respect to the second direction is different from the desired holding posture, the article is arranged at the transfer target location by applying this configuration. The article can be held by the holding device in the desired holding posture. For example, this configuration is applied when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is a horizontal posture in which the bottom surface is along a horizontal plane, and the desired holding posture is an inclined posture in which the bottom surface is inclined with respect to the second direction. Therefore, the article arranged in the horizontal posture at the transfer target portion can be held by the holding device in the tilted posture in which the bottom surface is inclined with respect to the second direction.

Further, one of the pair of the support members is used as the first support member, the other of the pair of the support members is used as the second support member, and the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the first support member is described above. It is preferable that the length is longer than the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the second support member.

According to this configuration, the tip portion of the first support member is compared with the case where the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the first support member and the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the second support member are the same. The height difference between the surface and the tip of the second support member can be easily changed between the holding state and the holding state. Therefore, when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is a posture in which the inclination angle of the bottom surface with respect to the first direction is different from the desired holding posture, the article is arranged at the transfer target location by applying this configuration. The article can be held by the holding device in the desired holding posture. For example, this configuration is applied when the posture of the article at the transfer target location is a horizontal posture in which the bottom surface is along a horizontal plane, and the desired holding posture is an inclined posture in which the bottom surface is inclined with respect to the first direction. Therefore, the article placed in the horizontal posture at the transfer target portion can be held by the holding device in the tilted posture in which the bottom surface is inclined with respect to the first direction.

Further, the support member is a pair of swinging members arranged apart from each other in the second direction, with the direction orthogonal to the first direction as the second direction in a plan view, and the second swinging member and the second swinging member. A swing member is provided, the tip portion of the first swing member is a first tip portion, the tip portion of the second swing member is a second tip portion, and the first tip portion and the second tip portion are provided. When the tip portion is connected by a connecting member and the connecting member is in contact with the supported surface at a plurality of places continuously along the second direction or arranged along the second direction in the holding state. Suitable.

According to this configuration, a wider support area of the supported surface in the held state can be secured as compared with the case where the connecting member for connecting the first tip portion and the second tip portion is not provided, and the supported surface can be secured. Is easy to support stably.

In the transport vehicle having each of the above configurations, the urging mechanism that urges the support member in a direction in which the tip portion moves downward to the first side in the first direction and swings downward, and the tip portion is said to be said. It is preferable to provide a regulating mechanism for restricting the swing range of the support member within a range arranged above the specified height above the connecting portion.

According to this configuration, a force in the direction of swinging downward while moving to the first side in the first direction is applied to the tip portion by the urging mechanism, and is lower than the height above the specified height from the connecting portion. The movement of the tip can be regulated by the regulatory mechanism. Therefore, in the holding preparation state in which the tip portion is arranged apart from the article, it is possible to appropriately maintain the state in which the tip portion of the support member is arranged above the specified height above the connecting portion. In addition, at the time of transition from the holding preparation state to the holding state, the tip is pressed against the article by the force acting on the tip according to the urging force of the urging mechanism, and the tip is pressed by the reaction force due to the contact with the article. The supported surface can be lifted by swinging in an upward direction (that is, a direction that opposes the urging force of the urging mechanism) while moving to the second side in one direction. Therefore, the supported surface can be stably lifted at the time of transition from the holding preparation state to the holding state. Further, in the holding state, the pair of tip portions can be pressed against the article so as to sandwich the article from both sides in the first direction by the force acting on the tip portion according to the urging force of the urging mechanism. The holding state can be properly maintained.

Further, the article is a container having an opening on a side surface, and it is preferable that the holding device holds the article in a posture in which the opening faces diagonally upward.

According to this configuration, when the article is a container having an opening on the side surface, the article is held by the holding device in a posture in which the contents contained in the article are difficult to move from the opening to the outside of the article. be able to.

The transport vehicle according to the present disclosure may be capable of exhibiting at least one of the above-mentioned effects.

1: Transport vehicle 2: Movement path 10: Main body 20: Holding device 21: Support 30: Support member 30a: Connecting part 30b: Tip 31: First support member 32: Second support member 41: First swing Member 41a: First connecting portion 41b: First tip portion 42: Second rocking member 42a: Second connecting portion 42b: Second tip portion 43: Connecting member (member connected to the tip portion)
50: Elevating device 61: Elevating mechanism 62: Regulatory mechanism 90: Article 90b: Side surface 90c: Bottom surface 91: Held portion 91a: Supported surface 92: Opening A: First direction A1: First direction first side A2 : 1st direction 2nd side B: 2nd direction H: Specified height V1: Upper V2: Lower

Claims (6)

It is a transport vehicle that transports goods.
A main body that moves along a movement path, a holding device that holds the article, and an elevating device that raises and lowers the holding device with respect to the main body are provided.
The article is a surface arranged parallel to the bottom surface of the article, and includes a held portion having a supported surface facing downward.
The holding device includes a pair of support portions to which support members that support the supported surface from below are connected to each other, and a holding drive portion that brings the pair of the support portions close to each other and separated from each other in a first direction.
In each of the pair of the support portions, the side approaching the other support portion in the first direction is the first side in the first direction, and the side away from the other support portion in the first direction is the second direction in the first direction. As a side
The support member is swingably connected to the support portion with the connection portion with the support portion as a fulcrum.
The tip of each of the pair of support members on the opposite side of the connecting portion is arranged above the connecting portion and below the held portion, and the first portion of the held portion. The state in which the article is located between the pair of tips arranged at intervals larger than the width in the direction is defined as the holding ready state, and the pair of supporting portions are in the first direction from each other in the holding ready state. A state in which the tip portion of each of the pair of support members or a member connected to the tip portion is in contact with the supported surface from below to support the article is set as a holding state.
During the transition from the holding ready state to the holding state, the pair of supporting members swings around the fulcrum in an upward direction while moving toward the second side in the first direction. Then, the transport vehicle that lifts the supported surface upward. The direction orthogonal to the first direction in a plan view is defined as the second direction.
The support member includes a first rocking member and a second rocking member, which are a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction.
The connecting portion includes a first connecting portion in which the first rocking member is connected to the support portion, and a second connecting portion in which the second rocking member is connected to the support portion.
The first connecting portion is arranged below the second connecting portion.
The tip of the first rocking member is a first tip, and the tip of the second rocking member is a second tip.
A claim that the length from the first connecting portion to the first tip portion of the first rocking member is longer than the length from the second connecting portion to the second tip portion of the second rocking member. Item 1. The transport vehicle according to item 1. One of the pair of the support members is used as the first support member, the other of the pair of the support members is used as the second support member, and the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the first support member is the second. The transport vehicle according to claim 1, which is longer than the length from the connecting portion to the tip portion of the support member. The direction orthogonal to the first direction in a plan view is defined as the second direction.
The support member includes a first rocking member and a second rocking member, which are a pair of rocking members arranged apart from each other in the second direction.
The tip of the first rocking member is a first tip, and the tip of the second rocking member is a second tip.
The first tip portion and the second tip portion are connected by a connecting member, and the first tip portion is connected.
One of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the holding state, the connecting members are in contact with the supported surface at a plurality of places where the connecting members are continuously arranged along the second direction or are lined up along the second direction. The carrier described in. An urging mechanism that urges the support member in a direction in which the tip portion swings downward while moving toward the first side in the first direction.
Any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a regulating mechanism that regulates the swing range of the support member within a range in which the tip portion is arranged above the specified height by a specified height or more. The carrier described in the section. The article is a container having an opening on the side surface.
The carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the holding device holds the article in a posture in which the opening faces diagonally upward.

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