JP5286721B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport system that transports an object to be transported between floors.

Patent Document 1 discloses a lifter device that is installed in a manufacturing factory or the like and transports an object to be transported between floors. Such a lifter device includes a lift lifting body that extends in the vertical direction and can be lifted and lowered in a lift space formed between two different floors. Moreover, the lift lifting body is provided with a transfer device. Then, a transfer object is taken into the lift space by the transfer device, such as a manufacturing device installed on one floor, and is transferred to the height position of the other floor by the lift elevator, and then the transfer device. Thus, the object to be transported is placed at a receiving position such as a manufacturing apparatus installed on the floor.
JP 2007-62984 A

  In the lifter device described in Patent Document 1 described above, processing is delayed when requests for transportation between floors occur in succession. That is, in the lifter device of Patent Document 1, since the objects to be conveyed are conveyed one at a time, the objects to be conveyed after the second are manufactured until the lift elevating body reciprocates and returns. You must wait at the payout position. In a transport system in a manufacturing factory, transport between floors often becomes a bottleneck, and improvement in transport efficiency between floors is desired. In addition, when the transfer device is provided in the lifter device as described above, the discharging position and the receiving position of the manufacturing device or the like need to be located in front of the lifter device. Therefore, the degree of freedom of the layout of the manufacturing apparatus or the like is impaired.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport system capable of improving the transport efficiency between floors and increasing the flexibility of layout.

Means and effects for solving the problems

The transfer system according to the present invention is provided on each of the first floor and the second floor located at different heights, and moves up and down between a port on which an object to be transferred is placed and the first and second floors. And a lifter device having a lifting body provided with two storage areas capable of storing one object to be transported, and provided on the first and second floors, respectively, of the port and the lifting body. A loader that reloads an object to be conveyed with the accommodation area, and includes two lifter devices, one of the two accommodation areas being conveyed from the first floor to the second floor. When the other is used for transporting from the second floor to the first floor, and the loader has a transported object to be transported to a floor different from the floor provided with the loader, The lifting body Waiting in a state in which the object to be conveyed is supported in advance before wearing, and accommodating the object to be supported supported in one of the accommodation areas in an empty state when the lifting body arrives, and then accommodating the other When the conveyed object is accommodated on the floor where the loader is provided in the area, the conveyed object is taken out .

According to this structure, since the raising / lowering body has two accommodation areas, it is possible to convey a to-be-conveyed object two by two. In addition, since the loaders are respectively installed on the first and second floors, the loader on the floor supports the objects to be conveyed before the lifting body arrives at the floor with the objects to be conveyed. Can wait. That is, when the lifting body arrives, the loader stores the object to be supported in advance in one storage area of the lifting body, and then is transported from the other floor to the other storage area of the lifting body. When the object to be conveyed is stored, the object to be conveyed is taken out. Thus, since the loader can stand by in the state of supporting the object to be conveyed, the object to be conveyed next can be placed on the port. Therefore, it is possible to perform the transshipment work between the port and the accommodation area of the lifting body without any delay. As described above, the conveyance efficiency between floors can be improved. Further, since the loaders are respectively installed on the first and second floors, the position of the port need not be limited to the front surface of the lifter device, and the degree of layout freedom can be increased.
In addition, the object to be transported can be efficiently transported by limiting and assigning the roles of the two storage areas.
Furthermore, when there is only one lifter device, after the lifting body that accommodates the object to be transported starts moving from one floor to the other floor, the lifting body reciprocates again and again on one floor. The next transported object needs to wait on one floor until it returns to. However, according to this configuration having two lifter devices, there is no need to wait for one lifting body to reciprocate and return. Therefore, the conveyance efficiency between floors can be further improved.

  Furthermore, in the transport system according to the present invention, the loader is configured to place an object to be transported on all the storage areas and the ports of the lifting body located on the same floor as the floor on which the loader is provided. Removal can be performed. According to this configuration, since it is not necessary to provide a plurality of loaders on each floor in order to reload the transported object between the port and the storage area of the lifter device, the system configuration of the system can be simplified.

  In addition, in the transport system according to the present invention, the loader includes a hand that supports an object to be transported, a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the hand, a moving mechanism that moves the hand along one direction in a horizontal plane, and the hand. A moving mechanism that moves forward and backward in a horizontal direction that intersects the moving direction of the moving mechanism, and the lifting body located on the same floor as the floor on which the port and the port are provided moves the hand by the moving mechanism. It is along the route. According to this configuration, even when the height positions of all the accommodation areas and ports of the lifting bodies located on the same floor are not aligned, the transfer of the object to be conveyed to all the accommodation areas and ports with one loader. Loading and unloading can be performed.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the equipment configuration of the transport system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the transport system shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a network configuration of the transport system shown in FIG.

  The transfer system 1 according to the present embodiment is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like that straddles two floors, the first floor and the second floor, and is arranged between the two floors according to an instruction from the main controller 60 (see FIG. 3). The carrier 2 which is a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) in which the substrate is stored is conveyed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first stocker 3 and a second stocker 4 in which a FOUP storing a substrate in the middle of a manufacturing process is temporarily stored are installed on each floor. In the present embodiment, the second stocker 4 installed on the second floor is located immediately above the first stocker 3 installed on the first floor. The first and second stockers 3 and 4 have loading ports 3a and 4a on which the carriers 2 to be loaded into the first and second stockers 3 and 4 are placed, and carriers 2 that are unloaded from the stockers 3 and 4, respectively. The carrying-out ports 3b and 4b to be placed are provided. In the present embodiment, each of the carry-in ports 3a, 4a and the carry-out ports 3b, 4b can carry one carrier 2, and the width direction of the first and second stockers 3, 4 (up and down in FIG. 2) (Direction) so as to be adjacent to each other.

  In addition, the transport system 1 includes a first lifter device 30 and a second lifter device 40. The first lifter device 30 includes a shaft 32 that extends in the vertical direction and is formed between two floors, and a transport cage 34 that is disposed in a lift space formed in the shaft 32. . Further, a pole 36 extending in the vertical direction is installed in the lift space. The transport cage 34 is attached to a moving body 38 that moves along the pole 36, and can be moved up and down in the lift space. The transport cage 34 is provided with a first storage area 34 a and a second storage area 34 b for storing the carrier 2 in the vertical direction. Note that one carrier 2 can be stored in each of the first and second storage areas 34a and 34b.

  The first lifter device 30 is installed at a position facing the side surface where the carry-in ports 3a, 4a and carry-out ports 3b, 4b of the first and second stockers 3, 4 are provided. An opening 32 a is formed on the wall surface of the shaft 32 facing the first stocker 3, and an opening 32 b is formed on the wall surface facing the second stocker 4. Thereby, when the transport cage 34 is located on the first floor, the first and second storage areas 34a and 34b can be accessed from the outside through the opening 32a. On the other hand, when the transport cage 34 is located on the second floor, the first and second storage areas 34a and 34b can be accessed from the outside through the opening 32b.

  Similarly to the first lifter device 30, the second lifter device 40 is also installed at a position facing the side surface on which the carry-in ports 3 a and 4 a and the carry-out ports 3 b and 4 b of the first and second stockers 3 and 4 are provided. ing. More specifically, in the present embodiment, the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40 are provided adjacent to each other in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) of the first and second stockers 3 and 4. ing. Note that the configuration of the second lifter device 40 is the same as the configuration of the first lifter device 30, and thus the description thereof is omitted here. It is assumed that the reference numerals of the respective parts of the second lifter device 40 are changed from the reference numerals of the first lifter device 30 which is the 30th level to the 40th level.

  Between the first stocker 3 installed on the first floor and the first and second lifter devices 30, 40, and the second stocker 4 installed on the second floor and the first and second lifter devices 30, 40 The loaders 20 are arranged between the two. The loader 20 mainly includes a transfer device 21, a traveling rail 25, a traveling carriage 26, an elevating mechanism 27, an elevating platform 28, and an elevating column 29. The traveling rail 25 is laid between the first stocker 3 and the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40, and between the second stocker 4 and the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40, respectively. The first and second stockers 3 and 4 extend in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2), and the traveling carriage 26 travels thereon. An elevating column 29 that supports an elevating platform 28 that elevates by driving of an elevating mechanism 27 is erected on the traveling carriage 26. The transfer machine 21 is provided on the lifting platform 28. Thereby, the transfer machine 21 can move in the width direction and the vertical direction of the first and second stockers 3 and 4.

  The transfer machine 21 has a link mechanism 22 installed on a lift 28 and a hand 23 that lifts and carries the carrier 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the link mechanism 22 has a first arm 22a attached to the upper surface of the lifting / lowering base 28 so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane around one end thereof, and the other end of the first arm 22a. , And a second arm 22b attached so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane around one end thereof. Thereby, the link mechanism 22 can be expanded and contracted in a horizontal plane. A hand 23 is attached to the other end of the second arm 22b. The link mechanism 22 allows the hand 23 to advance and retract in the horizontal direction.

  The first arm 22 a is rotatable on both sides of the traveling rail 25 around one end attached to the upper surface of the lifting platform 28. Therefore, the transfer machine 21 includes the carry-in port 3a, the carry-out port 3b of the first stocker 3 or the carry-in port 4a and the carry-out port of the second stocker 4 located on one side (left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the traveling rail 25. 4b, first receiving areas 34a, 44a provided in the transport cages 34, 44 of the first and second lifter devices 30, 40 located on the other side (right side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the traveling rail 25, and the first 2 The carrier 2 can be transferred between the storage areas 34b and 44b.

  Here, the network configuration of the transport system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the main controller 60 that controls the entire transport system 1 includes a first stocker controller 61, a second stocker controller 62, and a lifter via a network constructed by, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like. A controller 63 is connected.

  The first and second stocker controllers 61 and 62 control the loading and unloading of the carrier 2 in the first and second stockers 3 and 4, respectively. Specifically, in the first and second stockers 3 and 4, the carrier 2 placed on the carry-in ports 3 a and 4 a is stored in the first and second stockers 3 and 4, and the first and second stockers are stored. 2 are provided with stacker robots (not shown) for placing the carriers 2 stored in the stockers 3 and 4 on the carry-out ports 3b and 4b, respectively. The first and second stocker controllers 61 and 62 are provided as stackers. Control the movement of the robot.

  The first and second stocker controllers 61 and 62 also control the movement of the loader 20 provided in front of the first and second stockers 3 and 4, respectively. Specifically, the first and second stocker controllers 61 and 62 control the movement of the traveling carriage 26 traveling on the traveling rail 25 and the lifting platform 28 that is lifted and lowered by driving the lifting mechanism 27.

  The lifter controller 63 controls the movement of the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40. Specifically, the movements of the moving bodies 38 and 48 that move along the poles 36 and 46 are controlled. That is, the lifter controller 63 transports the carrier 2 in any of the storage areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b so that the carrier 2 can be transported efficiently based on the transport instruction from the main controller 60. The operation instruction is sent to the mobile units 38 and 48.

  Here, when the lifter controller 63 receives a transport instruction from the main controller 60, the positions of the transport cages 34 and 44 of the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40 and the carrier 2 transported by the transport instruction are accommodated. An example of the relationship with the storage areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an example of allocation of the storage areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b when the roles of the storage areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b are limited to the following conditions. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the first storage area 34a of the first lifter device 30 and the first storage area 44a of the second lifter device 40 are transported from the first stocker 3 to the second stocker 4, that is, the first floor. It is limited to what is used when carrying from 2 to the second floor. The second storage area 34b of the first lifter device 30 and the second storage area 44b of the second lifter device 40 are transported from the second stocker 4 to the first stocker 3, that is, transported from the second floor to the first floor. It is limited to what is used when performing. When the roles are limited in this way, the carrier 2 can be efficiently transported by assigning as shown in FIG.

  For example, in the case 7 of FIG. 4, the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 is moving from the second floor to the first floor, and the transport cage 44 of the second lifter device 40 is located on the second floor. In this case, the first storage area 34a of the first lifter device 30 is assigned as the storage area of the carrier 2 transported from the first floor to the second floor, and the second lifter is used as the storage area of the carrier 2 transported from the second floor to the first floor. This means that the second storage area 44b of the device 40 is allocated.

  FIG. 5 shows a transport instruction for transporting the carriers A and C stored in the first stocker 3 to the second stocker 4 in this order, and the carriers B and D stored in the second stocker 4 in this order. The processing performed by the main controller 60, the first stocker controller 61, the second stocker controller 62, and the lifter controller 63, the first lifter device 30, and the first lifter device 30 when the transport instruction for transporting to the first stocker 3 is continuously performed. It is a figure which shows the state of 2 lifter apparatus 40 in a time series. With reference to FIG. 5, an example of a processing procedure performed in the transport system 1 will be described. In the following description, the allocation of the accommodation areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b is performed based on the table in FIG.

  First, the first stocker controller 61 performs control to place the carrier A stored in the first stocker 3 on the carry-out port 3b, and then notifies the main controller 60 that the carrier A has been unloaded. Made. Further, the carrier A placed on the carry-out port 3 b is lifted to the hand 23 of the loader 20 under the control of the first stocker controller 61. As a result, the carry-out port 3b becomes empty, and the first stocker controller 61 can control to place the carrier C to be carried next on the carry-out port 3b.

  The main controller 60 that has received the notification of leaving the carrier A from the first stocker controller 61 sends a transport instruction to the lifter controller 63 to transport the carrier A from the first floor to the second floor. Then, the lifter controller 63 that has received the transport instruction from the main controller 60 assigns an accommodation area for transporting the carrier A. At this time, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 is moving from the second floor to the first floor, and the transport cage 44 of the second lifter device 40 is moved from the first floor to the second floor. It is in. That is, this situation corresponds to case 15 in FIG. Therefore, the first storage area 34a of the first lifter device 30 is assigned to the carrier A transported from the first floor to the second floor.

  Further, the second stocker controller 62 performs control to place the carrier B stored in the second stocker 4 on the unloading port 4b, and then notifies the main controller 60 that the carrier B has been unloaded. It is done. Further, the carrier B placed on the carry-out port 4 b is lifted to the hand 23 of the loader 20 under the control of the second stocker controller 62. As a result, the unloading port 4b becomes empty, and the second stocker controller 62 can control to place the carrier D to be transferred next on the unloading port 4b.

  The main controller 60 that has received the delivery notification from the second stocker controller 62 sends a transport instruction to the lifter controller 63 to transport the carrier B from the second floor to the first floor. Then, the lifter controller 63 that has received the transport instruction from the main controller 60 assigns a storage area for transporting the carrier B. At this time, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the situation still corresponds to the case 15 in FIG. 4, and therefore the second storage area of the second lifter device 40 is used for transporting the carrier B from the second floor to the first floor. 44b is assigned.

  When the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 arrives on the first floor, the carrier A is accommodated in the first accommodation region 34 a of the first lifter device 30 under the control of the first stocker controller 61. Thereafter, under the control of the lifter controller 63, the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 containing the carrier A moves from the first floor to the second floor. As shown in FIG. 5, in this example, the second lifter device 40 arrives at the second floor shortly before the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 starts moving from the first floor to the second floor.

  Further, in the first stocker controller 61, after the carrier C is placed on the carry-out port 3b, the main controller 60 is notified that the carrier C has been unloaded. Then, the carrier C placed on the carry-out port 3 b is lifted to the hand 23 of the loader 20 under the control of the first stocker controller 61.

  The main controller 60 that has received the delivery notification from the first stocker controller 61 sends a transport instruction to the lifter controller 63 to transport the carrier C from the first floor to the second floor. Then, the lifter controller 63 that has received the transport instruction from the main controller 60 assigns an accommodation area for transporting the carrier C. At this time, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 is moving from the first floor to the second floor, and the transport cage 44 of the second lifter device 40 is located on the second floor. That is, this situation corresponds to case 5 in FIG. Therefore, the first storage area 44a of the second lifter device 40 is assigned to transport the carrier C from the first floor to the second floor.

  Further, the second stocker controller 62 performs control for accommodating the carrier B in the second accommodation area 44b of the second lifter device 40 that has arrived on the second floor. Thereafter, under the control of the lifter controller 63, the transport cage 44 of the second lifter device 40 accommodated in the carrier B moves from the second floor to the first floor.

  Further, in the second stocker controller 62, after the carrier D is placed on the carry-out port 4b, the main controller 60 is notified that the carrier D has been unloaded. Then, the carrier D placed on the carry-out port 4 b is lifted to the hand 23 of the loader 20 under the control of the second stocker controller 62. The main controller 60 that has received the delivery notification from the second stocker controller 62 sends a transport instruction to the lifter controller 63 to transport the carrier D from the second floor to the first floor. Then, the lifter controller 63 that has received the transport instruction from the main controller 60 assigns an accommodation area for transporting the carrier D.

  At this time, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the transport cage 34 of the first lifter device 30 is moving from the first floor to the second floor, and the transport cage 44 of the second lifter device 40 is moved from the second floor to the first floor. It is in. That is, this situation corresponds to case 14 in FIG. Therefore, the second storage area 34b of the first lifter device 30 is assigned to the carrier D transported from the second floor to the first floor.

  Thereafter, when the first lifter device 30 accommodating the carrier A arrives at the second floor, the carrier D is accommodated in the second accommodation area 34b of the first lifter device 30 under the control of the second stocker controller 62, and then the carrier A Is taken out from the first storage area 34a. At this time, the lifter controller 63 notifies the main controller 60 that the transfer of the carrier A is completed, and further controls to move the transfer cage 34 containing the carrier D from the second floor to the first floor. . Further, the second stocker controller 62 performs control to store the carrier A in the second stocker 4 after placing the carrier A on the carry-in port 4 a of the second stocker 4.

  When the second lifter device 40 that accommodates the carrier B arrives at the first floor, the carrier C is accommodated in the first accommodation area 44a of the second lifter device 30 under the control of the first stocker controller 61, and then the carrier B Is taken out from the second storage area 44b. At this time, the lifter controller 63 notifies the main controller 60 that the transfer of the carrier B has been completed, and further controls to move the transfer cage 44 containing the carrier C from the first floor to the second floor. . The first stocker controller 61 controls the carrier B to be stored in the first stocker 3 after placing the carrier B on the carry-in port 3 a of the first stocker 3.

As described above, in the transport system 1 according to the present embodiment, the transport cages 34 and 44 that can be moved up and down between the two floors of the first floor and the second floor are the first accommodation areas 34a and 44a and the second. It has accommodation areas 34b, (44b). The first and second accommodation areas 34 a, (44 a), 34 b, and (44 b) are areas that can accommodate one carrier 2. Also, the carry-in ports 3a and 4a and the carry-out ports 3b and 4b of the first and second stockers 3 and 4 and the transport cage 34 and the first storage area 34a and (44a) and the second storage area 34b of (44) ( 44b), loaders 20 for transferring the carrier 2 are installed on the first floor and the second floor, respectively.
Therefore, before the transport cages 34 and 44 arrive at the floor on which the carrier 2 to be transported is located, the loader 20 on the floor can stand by with the carrier 2 supported. That is, when the transport cages 34 and (44) arrive, the loader 20 stores the carrier 2 previously supported in one storage area of the transport cages 34 and (44), and then the transport cages 34 and (44). When the carrier 2 transported from the other floor is accommodated in the other accommodation area, the carrier 2 is taken out. Thus, since the loader 20 can stand by with the carrier 2 supported, the carrier 2 to be transported next can be placed on the unloading ports 3b and 4b. Therefore, it becomes possible to carry out the transshipment work between the unloading ports 3b and 4b and the first storage areas 34a and 44a and the second storage areas 34b and 44b of the transport cage 34 and 44 without any delay. Therefore, the conveyance efficiency between floors can be improved.
In the present embodiment, the first storage areas 34a and 44a of the transport cages 34 and 44 are used for transport from the first floor to the second floor, and the second storage areas 34b and 44b are 2 The role of each accommodation area is limited to what is used for transportation from the first floor to the first floor. That is, while transporting between floors, one of the first and second accommodation areas 34a, (44a), 34b, and (44b) is always vacant. Therefore, the loader 20 standing by with the carrier 2 supported can accommodate the carrier 2 in the transport cages 34 and 44 as soon as the transport cages 34 and 44 arrive.

  In addition, the transport system 1 of the present embodiment includes first and second lifter devices 30 and 40. If there is only one lifter device, the transport cage containing the carrier 2 starts moving from one floor to the other floor, and then the transport cage reciprocates back to the other floor. The next carrier 2 needs to wait on one floor until it comes. However, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to wait for one of the transport cages 34 or 44 to return back and forth. Therefore, the conveyance efficiency between floors can be further improved.

  Furthermore, in the transport system 1 of the present embodiment, the loader 20 includes all the storage areas of the transport cages 34 and 44 located on the floor where the loader 20 is installed, the carry-in ports 3a and 4a, the carry-out port 3b, The carrier 2 can be placed and taken out of the 4b that is located on the floor where the loader 20 is installed. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of loaders on each floor in order to reload the carrier 2 between the carry-in port 3a or 4a and the carry-out port 3b or 4b and the accommodation area of the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40. Therefore, the system configuration of the system can be simplified.

  In addition, in the transport system 1 of the present embodiment, the loader 20 moves the hand 23 along one direction in the horizontal plane, the hand 23 that lifts and carries the carrier 2, the lifting mechanism 27 that lifts and lowers the hand 23, and the hand 23. And a link mechanism 22 for moving the hand 23 back and forth in the horizontal direction intersecting the moving direction of the traveling carriage 26. And the accommodation area | region which the conveyance cages 34 and 44 located in the same floor have, the carrying-in port 3a or 4a, the carrying-out port 3b or 4b exists in the position adjacent to the traveling rail 25 on which the traveling cart 26 travels. Therefore, even when the storage areas of the transport cages 34 and 44 located on the same floor and the height positions of the carry-in ports 3a or 4a and the carry-out ports 3b or 4b are not aligned, the first loader 20 It is possible to transfer and take out the carrier 2 to / from the accommodation area of the second lifter devices 30 and 40, the carry-in port 3a or 4a, and the carry-out port 3b or 4b.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design changes can be made as long as they are described in the claims. It is a thing.

Here, FIG. 6 shows a modification of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2, in which a reference numeral obtained by adding 100 to the reference numerals of corresponding elements is used. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40 are located on one side of the traveling rail 25 of the loader 20 and the first or second stocker 3 and 4 are located on the other side, respectively. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first and second lifter devices 130 and 140 and the second stocker 104 may be located only on one side of the traveling rail 125.
Thus, in the above-described embodiment and this modification, the loaders 20 and 120 are not provided in the first lifter devices 30 and 130 and the second lifter devices 40 and 140, but are provided on each floor. Is provided. Accordingly, the positions of the carry-in ports 3a, 103a or 4a, 104a and the carry-out ports 3b, 103b, or 4b, 104b need to be limited to the front of the first and second lifter devices 30, 40 as in the above-described embodiment. In addition, the degree of freedom in layout can be increased.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40 are provided has been described. However, the number of lifter devices may be one.

  Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, with one loader 20, the carry-in port 3a or 4a, the carry-out port 3b or 4b provided on one floor, the first accommodation areas 34a and 34b, the second accommodation area 44a, Although the case where the carrier 2 is placed and taken out of the transport cages 34 and 44 located on the floor among 44b has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the transfer between the first and second storage areas 34a and 34b of the transport cage 34 and the carry-in port 3a or 4a and the carry-out port 3b or 4b, and the first and second storage areas 44a and 44b of the transport cage 44, Reloading between the carry-in port 3a or 4a and the carry-out port 3b or 4b may be performed by separate loaders.

  In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the loader 20 travels the hand 23, the lifting mechanism 27 that moves the hand 23 up and down, the traveling carriage 26 that moves the hand 23 along one direction in the horizontal plane, and the hand 23. Although the case where the link mechanism 22 that moves back and forth in the horizontal direction intersecting the moving direction by the carriage 26 has been described, the configuration of the loader 20 is not limited to this.

  Furthermore, although the above-mentioned embodiment demonstrated the conveyance system 1 which conveys the carrier 2 between two floors, the 1st floor and the 2nd floor, it is not limited to this. What is necessary is just to carry the carrier 2 between two floors located at different heights.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first storage areas 34a and 44a of the first and second lifter devices 30 and 40 are used when the carrier 2 is transported from the first floor to the second floor, and the second storage area 34b. 44b have been described with respect to the case where the carrier 2 is transported from the second floor to the first floor and the case where the role of each of the storage areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b is limited, but is not limited thereto. For example, the carrier 2 may be transported in the same direction in all the accommodation areas 34a, 34b, 44a, 44b. As a result, when a large number of transport requests from one floor to the other floor occur, the carrier 2 can be transported efficiently.

  Moreover, although the above-mentioned embodiment demonstrated the case where the conveyance cages 34 and 44 were provided with the 1st accommodating area 34a, 44a and the 2nd accommodating area 34b, 44b up and down, it is not limited to this. . For example, the first storage areas 34a and 44a and the second storage areas 34b and 44b may be provided so as to be adjacent in the horizontal direction.

It is a side view which shows the equipment structure of the conveyance system concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the conveyance system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the network structure of the conveyance system shown in FIG. It is a table | surface which shows an example of allocation of the accommodation area | region in the conveyance system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the process in the conveyance system shown in FIG. 1 in time series. It is a top view of the conveyance system concerning one modification of an embodiment of the invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Transport system 2 Carrier (conveyed object)
3a, 4a Loading port (port)
3b, 4b Unloading port (port)
20 Loader 22 Link mechanism (advance / retreat mechanism)
23 hand 26 traveling cart (movement mechanism)
27 Lifting mechanism 30, 40 Lifter device 34a, 44a First accommodation area (accommodation area)
34b, 44b Second accommodation area (accommodation area)
34, 44 Transport cage (elevating body)

Claims (3)

A port on each of the first floor and the second floor located at different heights;
A lifter device having a lifting body which can be moved up and down between the first and second floors and which is provided with two storage areas capable of storing one object to be conveyed;
A loader that is provided on each of the first and second floors and that reloads the object to be transported between the port and the accommodation area of the lifting body ;
The lifter device includes two,
One of the two storage areas is used for transfer from the first floor to the second floor, and the other is used for transfer from the second floor to the first floor,
When there is an object to be conveyed to a floor different from the floor on which the loader is provided, the loader waits in a state in which the object to be conveyed is supported in advance before the lifting body arrives, and After the body arrives, the object to be transported supported in one of the accommodation areas in an empty state is accommodated, and then the object to be conveyed conveyed to the floor provided with the loader is accommodated in the other accommodation area. A transport system that takes out the transported object when transported. The loader is capable of placing and removing a transported object with respect to all the accommodation areas and the ports of the lifting body located on the same floor as the floor on which the loader is provided. The transport system according to claim 1 . The loader supports the object to be transported, a lifting mechanism for moving the hand up and down, a moving mechanism for moving the hand along one direction in a horizontal plane, and a horizontal direction that intersects the moving direction of the moving mechanism. Has an advance / retreat mechanism to advance and retract
The transport system according to claim 2 , wherein the lift and the lifting body located on the same floor as the floor on which the port is provided are along a movement path of the hand by the movement mechanism.

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