JP7222378B2 - Article conveying device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article conveying apparatus for conveying articles.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-052659 (Patent Document 1) discloses an article conveying apparatus that conveys articles along a conveying path along the vertical direction. In the following description of the background art, reference numerals in parentheses refer to Patent Document 1.

An article conveying apparatus (2) disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 4 of the same document, includes an elevating unit (21) that ascends and descends along a guide rail (14) arranged along the vertical direction; A pair of transfer sections (31A, 31B) arranged separately in the vertical direction are provided. Each of the pair of transfer sections (31A, 31B) transfers the article (A) to and from a plurality of transfer target sections (R) horizontally spaced apart from the guide rails (14). configured to be loaded. Each of the pair of transfer sections (31A, 31B) includes a support section (35) capable of supporting the article (A). The article (A) is transferred to and from the transfer object part (R) by moving forward and backward.

JP 2018-052659 A

In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the article conveying device (2) is configured to be able to convey two articles (A) at the same time, but these two articles (A) have the same shape. It is. However, depending on the application of the article conveying apparatus, there are cases where it is desirable to convey first and second articles having different shapes. In such a case, for example, one of the pair of transfer sections (31A, 31B) in the article conveying apparatus (2) is used for conveying the first target article, and the other is used for conveying the second target article. By doing so, it is possible to transport these two types of articles. However, it is conceivable that there may be an imbalance in the frequency of transportation between the first target article and the second target article. For example, when the number of conveyed first target articles is greater than the number of conveyed second target articles, two first target articles cannot be conveyed at the same time, and only the transfer section for conveying the first target articles is The transfer section for conveying the second target article is often empty, and the conveying efficiency of the article conveying apparatus is lowered. Further, for example, when the number of conveyed first target articles is greater than the number of conveyed second target articles, two transfer sections for conveying the first target articles and one transfer section for conveying the second target articles It is also conceivable to have a configuration including a part. However, in this case, a total of three transfer units are provided, which leads to an increase in the size of the lifting unit that moves up and down along the guide rails.

In view of the above-mentioned actual situation, it is possible to convey both the first target article and the second target article, and the conveying efficiency of the article conveying device when the number of conveyed first target articles is greater than the number of conveyed second target articles It is desired to realize an article conveying apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in the weight and suppressing an increase in the size of the lifting unit.

An article conveying device for conveying articles,
a guide rail installed along a conveying path along the vertical direction;
a lifting unit that moves up and down along the guide rail;
a transfer device that transfers the article to and from a transfer target part that is supported by the lifting unit and is horizontally spaced from the guide rail;
The articles to be transported include a first target article and a second target article having a shape different from that of the first target article,
The transfer device includes an upper transfer section supported by the lifting unit, and a lower transfer section arranged below the upper transfer section and supported by the same lifting unit as the upper transfer section. a loading section;
The upper transfer section is arranged between an upper support section that supports the first target article, and a protruding position where the upper support section protrudes from the reference position to the transfer target section side from the reference position. and an upper advance/retreat drive unit for advancing/retracting,
The lower transfer section includes a lower support section that supports the first target article, a reference position, and a protruding position where the lower support section protrudes toward the transfer target section from the reference position. a lower advance/retreat drive unit that advances/retracts between
The upper extension/retraction drive section is arranged above the upper support section, and the lower extension/retraction drive section is arranged below the lower support section,
an intermediate support portion for supporting the second target article is arranged between the upper support portion and the lower support portion in the vertical direction;
The intermediate support portion is connected to the upper support portion so as to extend and retract integrally, or is connected to the lower support portion to extend and retract integrally.

According to this configuration, in addition to the upper support section and the lower support section that support the first target article, the intermediate support section that supports the second target article is provided. and two types of goods can be conveyed. In addition, both the upper transfer section and the lower transfer section are provided with support sections for supporting the first target article, and the intermediate support section for supporting the second target article is provided. Since the number of supporting parts for supporting articles is not reduced, it is possible to transport two first target articles at the same time. Therefore, even when the number of conveyed first target articles is larger than the number of conveyed second target articles, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the conveying efficiency of the article conveying apparatus. Furthermore, since the intermediate support section is connected to the upper support section or the lower support section so as to extend and retract integrally, there is no need to provide a dedicated transfer section or retraction drive section for the intermediate support section. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the lifting unit.

Further, according to this configuration, the upper extension/retraction drive section for extending and retracting the upper support section is arranged above the upper support section, and the lower extension drive section for extending and retracting the lower support section is arranged above the upper support section. A retraction drive portion is arranged below the lower support portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the extension/retraction driving section from being arranged between the upper support section and the lower support section in the vertical direction. An intermediate support for supporting the second target article can be arranged between the vertical directions. Therefore, it is possible to minimize an increase in the size of the lifting unit due to the provision of the intermediate support portion. As described above, according to this configuration, both the first target product and the second target product can be transported, and when the number of transports of the first target product is greater than the number of transports of the second target product, the product It is possible to realize an article conveying apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in the conveying efficiency of the conveying apparatus and also suppressing an increase in the size of the lifting unit.

Further features and advantages of the technology according to the present disclosure will become clearer from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Schematic perspective view of an article conveying facility in which an article conveying device is installed Horizontal sectional view of article conveying device The side view which shows the state which the upper transfer part is supporting the 1st target article. The side view which shows the state in which the upper transfer part is supporting the 2nd target article. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing how the first target article is transferred to the first placing section; The side view which shows the state where the 1st target article was supported by the upper side support part or the lower side support part. The side view which shows the state where the 2nd target article was supported by the intermediate|middle support part. A plan view showing a state in which the second target article is supported by the intermediate support section. Perspective view of intermediate support

An article conveying apparatus is an apparatus for conveying articles, and is applied to, for example, article conveying equipment for conveying and storing raw materials, intermediate products, finished products, and the like. Embodiments of the article conveying apparatus will be described below by exemplifying a case where the article conveying apparatus is applied to an article conveying facility installed in a clean room where raw materials are processed in a clean environment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the article conveying facility F includes an inter-floor conveying device 1 that conveys articles 4 between a plurality of floors, a ceiling conveying device 6 that travels near the ceiling of each floor to convey articles 4, A floor conveying device 7 for conveying an article 4 by running on the floor surface of the floor, and an in-out conveying device installed on each floor for carrying the article 4 into the inter-floor conveying device 1 or carrying out the article 4 from the inter-floor conveying device 1 a device 8; In this embodiment, the inter-floor conveying device 1 corresponds to the "article conveying device".

The articles 4 to be transported include a first target article 41 and a second target article 42 having a shape different from that of the first target article 41 . The frequency of transporting the first target articles 41 by the inter-floor transport apparatus 1 (and the other transport apparatuses 6 to 8) is higher than the frequency of transporting the second target articles 42. FIG. In this embodiment, the first target article 41 is a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) that accommodates semiconductor substrates. The second target article 42 is a reticle pod that houses a reticle (photomask). Hereinafter, when the first target article 41 and the second target article 42 are not particularly distinguished, they are collectively referred to as "article 4".

The inter-floor conveying device 1 is provided inside a cylindrical partition 9 provided over a plurality of floors in a state of penetrating the floor surface of each floor in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. The ceiling conveying device 6 and the floor conveying device 7 are provided outside the partition 9 . In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the input/output transport device 8 includes a first input/output transport device 81 that transports the first target article 41, a second input/output transport device 82 that transports the second target article 42, It has Each of the first input/output transport device 81 and the second input/output transport device 82 is provided over the inside and outside of the partition 9 in a state of penetrating the partition 9 in the horizontal direction. The first transfer device 81 communicates with the ceiling transfer device 6, the floor transfer device 7, a worker, or the like at the first outer transfer section 811, which is the end located outside the partition 9. One target article 41 is delivered, and the first target article 41 is delivered to and from the inter-floor conveying device 1 at the first inner delivery section 812 which is the end located inside the partition 9 . In addition, the second transfer device 82 is connected to the ceiling transfer device 6, the floor transfer device 7, or a worker or the like at the second outer delivery portion 821, which is the end located outside the partition 9. , and the second inner delivery part 822, which is the end located inside the partition 9, delivers the second target article 42 to and from the inter-floor conveying device 1. conduct. The first input/output transport device 81 and the second input/output transport device 82 are configured using conveyors such as belt conveyors and roller conveyors, for example. In this example, the first input/output conveying device 81 is configured as a belt conveyor having a pair of conveying belts 810a (see FIG. 2). Although not shown, the second loading/unloading transport device 82 can also have the same configuration. Hereinafter, when the first input/output transport device 81 and the second input/output transport device 82 are not particularly distinguished, they are collectively referred to as "input/output transport apparatus 8".

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, inside the partition 9, a plurality of holding portions 90 for holding the articles 4 are provided. The plurality of holding portions 90 are arranged separately in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. In addition to this, in the present embodiment, the plurality of holding parts 90 are arranged separately in a plurality of directions around the axis along the vertical direction V with respect to the inter-floor conveying device 1 (see FIG. 2).

The holding unit 90 is configured to hold the first target article 41 of the articles 4, and functions as a so-called buffer for temporarily placing the first target article 41 during transportation. In this embodiment, the holding section 90 includes a support member 91 that supports the first target article 41 from below, and is configured to support the first target article 41 from below with the support member 91 . In addition, the support member 91 is formed in a U shape in a plan view and arranged along the horizontal direction. Further, the support member 91 is provided so that each tip end portion and opening portion of the support member 91 forming a U-shape face the inter-floor transport device 1 side. The inter-floor conveying device 1 is configured to be able to transfer the first target article 41 to and from the holding section 90 having such a configuration.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first object 41 (a FOUP in this example) is placed on the first outer delivery section 811 of the first input/output transport device 81 by the ceiling transport device 6, the floor transport device 7, or an operator. Once placed, the first target article 41 is transported to the first inner delivery section 812 inside the partition 9 by the first loading/unloading transport device 81 . After that, the first target article 41 is transferred from the first inner transfer section 812 to the first inner transfer section 812 of the first input/output transfer apparatus 81 on another floor by the inter-floor transfer apparatus 1 . The first target article 41 transported to the first inner delivery section 812 is transported to the first outer delivery section 811 by the first input/output transport device 81, and then transported by the ceiling transport device 6, the floor surface transport device 7, or by an operator or the like. It is transported to the place where the next process is performed. Further, when the first target article 41 is temporarily placed on the holding section 90 during such transportation, the inter-floor conveying apparatus 1 transports the first target article 41 to the empty holding section 90 . After that, the inter-floor conveying apparatus 1 conveys the first target article 41 temporarily placed on the holding section 90 to the first inner delivery section 812 of the first incoming/outgoing conveying apparatus 81 on any floor.

Further, when the second target article 42 (reticle pod in this example) is placed on the second outer delivery section 821 of the second input/output transport device 82 by the ceiling transport device 6, the floor surface transport device 7, or an operator, The second target article 42 is transported to the second inner delivery section 822 inside the partition 9 by the second loading/unloading transport device 82 . After that, the second target article 42 is transferred from the second inner transfer section 822 to the second inner transfer section 822 of the second input/output transfer apparatus 82 on another floor by the inter-floor transfer apparatus 1 . The second target article 42 transported to the second inner delivery section 822 is transported to the second outer delivery section 821 by the second input/output transport device 82, and is transported by the ceiling transport device 6, the floor surface transport device 7, or by an operator or the like. , is transported to where the next step takes place.

Next, the configuration of the inter-floor conveying device 1 (article conveying device) will be described in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the inter-floor conveying apparatus 1 includes a guide rail 10 installed along a conveying route R along the vertical direction V, an elevating unit 20 that ascends and descends along the guide rail 10, an elevator A transfer device 30 that transfers the article 4 to and from a transfer target portion T that is supported by the unit 20 and that is horizontally spaced from the guide rail 10 is provided.

In this embodiment, the holding part 90, the first inner transfer part 812 of the first input/output transport device 81, and the second inner transfer part 822 of the second input/output transport device 82 are the parts T to be transferred. Further, the transfer target portion T includes a first placement portion T1 on which the first target article 41 is placed and a second placement portion T2 on which the second target article 42 is placed. In this embodiment, the holding part 90 and the first inner delivery part 812 are provided with the first placement part T1 on which the first target article 41 is placed, and the second inner delivery part 822 is provided with the second target article 42 is provided thereon. As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the first input/output transport device 81 includes a pair of transport units 810 in two stages, each transporting the first target article 41 . Therefore, a pair of upper and lower two stages of first placement sections T1 on which the first target articles 41 are placed are provided in the transfer target section T corresponding to the first inner delivery section 812 . The pair of first receivers T1 overlap each other in a plan view and are spaced apart in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. The transfer device 30 transfers the pair of first receivers T1 at the same time or at different timings by overlapping the periods with the upper transfer section 31 and the lower transfer section 32, which will be described later. It is possible to load 2 and 3 show how the transfer device 30 transfers the first target article 41 to and from the first inner delivery section 812 as the transfer target section T. FIG.

The guide rail 10 is arranged over a plurality of floors along the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. The lifting unit 20 that supports the transfer device 30 can be lifted and lowered along the guide rails 10 . Thereby, the inter-floor conveying apparatus 1 can convey the articles 4 over a plurality of floors.

In this embodiment, the lifting unit 20 includes a body portion 20a supported by the guide rails 10. As shown in FIG. The body portion 20a is connected to a belt 20b wound around a pair of pulleys (not shown) provided at both upper and lower ends of the guide rail 10, respectively. The lifting unit 20 drives one pulley by a lifting motor (not shown) to drive the belt 20b passively, thereby lifting the main body 20a along the guide rail 10. .

In this embodiment, the lifting unit 20 includes a connecting portion L that supports the transfer device 30 . In this example, the connecting portion L connects the main body portion 20 a and the transfer device 30 . In the illustrated example, the connecting portion L includes an upper connecting portion 21L and a lower connecting portion 22L provided below the upper connecting portion 21L.

The transfer device 30 includes an upper transfer section 31 supported by the lifting unit 20 and a lower side supported by the same lifting unit 20 as the upper transfer section 31 . A transfer section 32 is provided. In this embodiment, the upper transfer section 31 is supported by the lifting unit 20 by being connected to the main body section 20a by the upper connecting section 21L. The lower transfer section 32 is supported by the lifting unit 20 by being connected to the main body section 20a by the lower connecting section 22L.

The upper transfer section 31 includes an upper support section 31S that supports the first target article 41, a reference position P1, and a protruding position P2 that protrudes the upper support section 31S toward the transfer target section T from the reference position P1. and an upper advance/retreat driving portion 31A that advances/retreats between. In this embodiment, the upper transfer section 31 further includes an upper turning drive section 31B that turns the upper support section 31S around an axis extending in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. Further, in this example, the upper transfer section 31 further includes an upper transfer drive section 31Sm that drives the upper support section 31S in the vertical direction V when transferring the first target article 41 .

In this embodiment, the upper supporting portion 31S is supported by the upper extension/retraction driving portion 31A, and more specifically, is supported from above by the upper extension/retraction driving portion 31A. In this example, the upper support section 31S is supported by the upper extension/retraction drive section 31A via the upper transfer drive section 31Sm. The upper support portion 31S is configured by a plate-like member that horizontally protrudes from the upper transfer drive portion 31Sm and supports the first target article 41 from below. Then, the upper support part 31S is driven by the upper transfer driving part 31Sm to move in the vertical direction V, thereby moving the first target article 41 placed on the first placement part T1 (transfer target part T). or hand over the first target article 41 supported by itself to the first placement section T1 (transfer target section T). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a notch portion T1a through which the upper support portion 31S can pass in the vertical direction V is formed in the first mounting portion T1, and the upper support portion 31S By passing through the notch T1a in the vertical direction V, the first target article 41 is transferred to and from the first receiver T1. Further, the cutout portion T1a of the first mounting portion T1 allows a lower support portion 32S, which will be described later, to pass through in the vertical direction V. Similarly, the cutout portion T1a of the lower support portion 32S can also be passed through the cutout portion T1a. By passing in the vertical direction V, the first target article 41 is transferred to and from the first receiver T1. Although FIG. 5 illustrates the first receiver T1 of the first inner transfer section 812, the first receiver T1 (transfer target section T) provided in the holding section 90 also has an upper side. The support part 31S and the lower support part 32S deliver the first target article 41 to and from the holding part 90 by passing through the opening of the U-shaped support member 91 in the vertical direction V.

In this embodiment, the upper transfer drive section 31Sm includes various mechanisms for driving the upper support section 31S in the vertical direction V, a motor serving as a drive source, and the like. Contained.

In the present embodiment, the upper transfer section 31 has an upper regulation body 31R that regulates the first target article 41 from falling off from the upper support section 31S while the upper support section 31S supports the first target article 41. It has The upper regulation body 31R is arranged above the first target article 41 while the upper support portion 31S supports the first target article 41 . In this example, the upper regulation body 31R is formed so as to protrude from the upper portion of the upper transfer drive section 31Sm in the horizontal direction, more specifically, in the same direction as the upper support section 31S. When the upper support section 31S is driven by the upper transfer drive section 31Sm to move up and down, the upper regulation body 31R also moves up and down. That is, the upper support portion 31S and the upper regulation body 31R have a fixed positional relationship in the vertical direction V, and the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper support portion 31S and the upper regulation body 31R is always constant. . A separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper support portion 31S and the upper regulation body 31R is set longer than the dimension in the vertical direction V of the first target article 41 .

In this embodiment, the upper extension/retraction drive section 31A is supported by the upper turning drive section 31B, more specifically, supported from above by the upper turning drive section 31B.

In this embodiment, the upper retraction drive unit 31A is configured using a horizontal articulated arm (so-called SCARA; Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm). Specifically, the upper extension/retraction driving section 31A includes an upper link mechanism 31Aa having a plurality of links, and an upper extension/retraction motor (not shown) that drives the upper link mechanism 31Aa. The upper link mechanism 31Aa is driven by an upper extension/retraction motor, and each link rotates around a vertical axis, whereby the upper link mechanism 31Aa expands and contracts horizontally. The upper link mechanism 31Aa is connected at its proximal end to the upper turning drive portion 31B and at its distal end to the upper support portion 31S. As a result, the upper link mechanism 31Aa is driven by the upper extension/retraction motor to extend and contract, thereby moving the upper support portion 31S horizontally between the reference position P1 and the projecting position P2. ing.

In this embodiment, the upper turning drive section 31B is supported by the lifting unit 20 via the upper connecting section 21L. In the illustrated example, the upper turning drive portion 31B is accommodated inside an upper case portion 31C provided in the upper connecting portion 21L.

In this embodiment, the upper turning drive section 31B includes an upper turning base 31Ba and an upper turning motor (not shown) that drives the upper turning base 31Ba. The upper swivel base 31Ba is driven by an upper swivel motor to rotate. The upper swivel base 31Ba is driven by an upper swivel motor to swivel, thereby swiveling the upper extension/retraction drive portion 31A and the upper support portion 31S supported thereon about the axis along the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. As a result, it is possible to change the moving direction of the upper supporting part 31S that moves forward and backward by being driven by the upper moving/removing driving part 31A. The first target article 41 can be transferred between a plurality of transfer target parts T arranged in a plurality of directions around the axis along V.

The lower transfer section 32 includes a lower support section 32S that supports the first target article 41, and a protrusion that protrudes from the reference position P1 toward the transfer target section T beyond the reference position P1. and a lower advance/retreat drive portion 32A that advances/retracts between the position P2. In the present embodiment, the lower transfer section 32 further includes a lower turning driving section 32B that turns the lower supporting section 32S around an axis extending in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. Further, in this example, the lower transfer section 32 further includes a lower transfer drive section 32Sm that drives the lower support section 32S in the vertical direction V when transferring the first target article 41 .

In this embodiment, the lower supporting portion 32S is supported by the lower extension/retraction driving portion 32A, more specifically, supported from below by the lower extension/retraction driving portion 32A. In this example, the lower support section 32S is supported by the lower extension/retraction drive section 32A via the lower transfer drive section 32Sm. Further, the lower support portion 32S is configured by a plate-like member that horizontally protrudes from the lower transfer drive portion 32Sm and supports the first target article 41 from below. The lower support part 32S is driven by the lower transfer driving part 32Sm to move in the vertical direction V, thereby moving the first object placed on the first placement part T1 (transfer target part T). Receives the article 41, or hands over the first target article 41 supported by itself to the first placement section T1 (transfer target section T). Note that, as described above, the lower support section 32S also transfers the first target article 41 to and from the holding section 90 .

In this embodiment, the lower transfer drive section 32Sm includes various mechanisms for driving the lower support section 32S in the vertical direction V, a motor serving as a drive source, and the like. housed in the member.

In the present embodiment, the lower transfer section 32 prevents the first target article 41 from falling off from the lower support section 32S while the lower support section 32S supports the first target article 41. A side restrictor 32R is provided. The lower regulating body 32R is arranged above the first target article 41 while the lower support portion 32S supports the first target article 41. As shown in FIG. In this example, the lower regulation body 32R is formed so as to protrude in the horizontal direction from the upper portion of the lower transfer drive section 32Sm, more specifically, in the same direction as the lower support section 32S. When the lower support section 32S is driven by the lower transfer drive section 32Sm to move up and down, the lower regulation body 32R also moves up and down. That is, the positional relationship in the vertical direction V is fixed between the lower support portion 32Sb and the lower regulation body 32R, and the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the lower support portion 32S and the lower regulation body 32R is always constant. It has become. A separation distance in the vertical direction V between the lower support portion 32S and the lower regulation body 32R is set longer than the dimension in the vertical direction V of the first target article 41 .

In this embodiment, the lower advance/retreat drive section 32A is supported by the lower swing drive section 32B, more specifically, supported from below by the lower swing drive section 32B.

In this embodiment, the lower extension/retraction driving section 32A is configured using a horizontal articulated arm. Specifically, the lower extension/retraction driving section 32A includes a lower link mechanism 32Aa having a plurality of links, and a lower extension/retraction motor (not shown) that drives the lower link mechanism 32Aa. . The lower link mechanism 32Aa is driven by a lower extension/retraction motor to rotate each link around a vertical axis, thereby expanding and contracting the lower link mechanism 32Aa in the horizontal direction. The lower link mechanism 32Aa is connected at its proximal end to the lower turning drive portion 32B and at its distal end to the lower support portion 32S. As a result, the lower link mechanism 32Aa is driven by the lower extension/retraction motor to extend and contract, thereby extending and retracting the lower support portion 32S in the horizontal direction between the reference position P1 and the projecting position P2. is configured to

In this embodiment, the lower turning drive portion 32B is supported by the lifting unit 20 via the lower connecting portion 22L. In the illustrated example, the lower turning drive portion 32B is housed inside a lower case portion 32C provided in the lower connecting portion 22L.

In this embodiment, the lower turning drive section 32B includes a lower turning base 32Ba and a lower turning motor (not shown) that drives the lower turning base 32Ba. The lower swivel base 32Ba is driven by a lower swivel motor to rotate. The lower swivel base 32Ba is driven by the lower swivel motor to perform swivel motion, thereby rotating the lower extension/retraction driving portion 32A and the lower support portion 32S supported thereon around the axis along the vertical direction V. swirl. As a result, it is possible to change the advancing/retreating direction of the lower supporting portion 32S which is driven by the lower advancing/retreating driving portion 32A to advance and retreat. The first target article 41 can be transferred to and from a plurality of transfer target parts T arranged separately in a plurality of directions around the axis along the vertical direction V.

In this manner, the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S are supported by the same elevating unit 20, and are driven by separate driving portions to extend and retract in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is equal to the upper and lower pair of first placement portions provided in the first inner transfer portion 812 (transfer target portion T). It is equivalent to the separation distance in the vertical direction V of T1. That is, the distance in the vertical direction V between the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is the same as the distance in the vertical direction V between the pair of first receivers T1. As a result, the transfer device 30 simultaneously transfers the first target article 41 to the pair of first receivers T1 using the separately driven upper supporter 31S and lower supporter 32S. It is possible. Although detailed illustration is omitted, in this example, the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is equal to the distance between the pair of holding portions 90 arranged side by side in the vertical direction V. The separation distance in the direction V is also assumed to be equivalent. Therefore, the transfer device 30 can transfer the first target article 41 to the pair of holding parts 90 arranged side by side in the vertical direction V at the same time or at different timings with overlapping periods. It has become.

As described above, in this inter-floor conveying apparatus 1, the upper extension/retraction drive section 31A is arranged above the upper support section 31S, and the lower extension/retraction drive section 32A is arranged below the lower support section 32S. are placed. As shown in FIG. 4, an intermediate support portion 33S that supports the second target article 42 is arranged between the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. In other words, neither the upper extension/retraction drive section 31A nor the lower extension/retraction drive section 32A is arranged between the upper support section 31S and the lower support section 32S in the vertical direction V, and the space generated thereby. , an intermediate support portion 33S for supporting the second target article 42 is arranged. Therefore, while minimizing the increase in size of the lifting unit 20 due to the provision of the intermediate support portion 33S, the intermediate support portion 33S is used to convey the second target article 42 and It is possible to transfer the second target article 42 to the second placement section T2 (see FIG. 2). In the present embodiment, the intermediate support portion 33S is connected to the upper support portion 31S so as to extend and retract integrally. In other words, the intermediate support portion 33S is configured to extend and retract in the horizontal direction together with the upper support portion 31S by an upper extension and retraction drive portion 31A for driving the upper support portion 31S to extend and retract. As a result, there is no need to provide a dedicated transfer section or advance/retreat drive section for the intermediate support section 33S, and an increase in the size of the lifting unit 20 can be suppressed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the intermediate support portion 33S is positioned lower than the upper support portion 31S and is wider than the entire portion of the lower transfer portion 32 that extends and retracts integrally with the lower support portion 32S. placed above. In the illustrated example, the lower regulating body 32R is the upper end portion of the portion of the lower transfer section 32 that extends and retracts integrally with the lower support section 32S, and the intermediate support section 33S is the lower regulating body. It is arranged above the body 32R. That is, in this example, the intermediate support portion 33S is arranged between the upper support portion 31S and the lower regulation body 32R in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG.

Here, as described above, the notch portion T1a is formed in the first placement portion T1 (transfer target portion T) of the first inner transfer portion 812 (see FIG. 5), and the upper support portion 31S is , the first target article 41 is transferred to and from the first receiver T1 by passing through the notch T1a in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. When the upper support part 31S receives the first target article 41 from the first receiver T1, or when it delivers the first target article 41 to the first receiver T1, the upper support part 31S is turned off. While passing through the notch T1a in the vertical direction V, it is temporarily placed below the first receiver T1. As described above, since the intermediate support portion 33S is provided below the upper support portion 31S, the intermediate support portion 33S is prevented from interfering with other members and devices below the first receiver T1. There is a need. In this embodiment, a space S into which both the upper support portion 31S and the intermediate support portion 33S can be inserted is provided below the first mounting portion T1. For this reason, even if the intermediate support portion 33S is provided below the upper support portion 31S, the upper support portion 31S is positioned below the first receiver T1 while passing through the notch portion T1a in the vertical direction V. It is possible to prevent the intermediate support portion 33S from interfering with other members or devices.

In this embodiment, each of the pair of conveying units 810 included in the first input/output conveying device 81 is configured by a belt conveyor. A pair of conveying belts 810a are arranged spaced apart in the width direction, with the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the conveying unit 810 in plan view as the width direction (see FIG. 5). The pair of transport belts 810a is the first placement portion T1 on which the first target article 41 is placed, and the portion between the pair of transport belts 810a in the width direction is the notch portion T1a. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pair of conveying belts 810a are supported by a conveying case portion 810b formed like a case. A transport drive unit 810m that drives the transport unit 810 and a transport control device 810c that controls the transport drive unit 810m are accommodated in the transport case unit 810b. In the present embodiment, the space S into which both the upper support portion 31S and the intermediate support portion 33S can be inserted is the space S above and below the transport belt 810a as the first receiver T1 and the transport driving portion 810m in the transport case portion 810b. It is formed between directions V. Therefore, the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper surface of the conveying belt 810a as the first receiver T1 and the upper surface of the conveying driving unit 810m is the same as the conveying distance when the upper support unit 31S is in the lowered position during the transfer operation. It is set larger than the separation distance in the vertical direction V between the upper surface of the belt 810a and the lower surface of the intermediate support portion 33S. As a result, when the upper support part 31S is moved so as to pass through the notch T1a in the vertical direction V and the first target article 41 is transferred to the first placement part T1, the upper support part Intermediate support portion 33S moving together with 31S can be prevented from interfering with transport driving portion 810m below first receiver T1. That is, it is possible to prevent the intermediate support portion 33S from interfering with the transfer operation when the first target article 41 is transferred.

Next, the support structure of the article 4 by each support portion (31S, 32S, 33S) will be described. In the following description, the term "projection/retraction direction X" refers to the direction in which each of the support portions (31S, 32S, 33S) advances and retreats. Further, the "width direction Y" refers to a direction orthogonal to the extension/retraction direction X in plan view.

First, the support structure of the first target article 41 by the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S will be described. In this embodiment, the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S have the same structure, and both support the first target article 41 (FOUP in this example). As shown in FIG. 6, each of the upper support part 31S and the lower support part 32S is configured by a plate-shaped member along the horizontal direction, and is configured to support the first target article 41 from below. As shown in FIG. 5 , the dimension in the width direction Y of each of the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is smaller than the dimension in the width direction Y of the first target article 41 . Therefore, the first target article 41 protrudes on both sides in the width direction Y while being supported by the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion 32S. On the other hand, the pair of conveying belts 810a constituting the first receiver T1 in the first inner delivery portion 812 are separated from each other in the width direction Y by the width directions of the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S. It is arranged so as to be larger than the dimension Y and smaller than the dimension in the width direction Y of the first target article 41 . As a result, the pair of conveyor belts 810a as the first receivers T1 has a notch portion T1a through which the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S can pass in the vertical direction V between each other in the width direction Y. while forming the first target article 41 from below.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the present embodiment, each of the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S has engaging protrusions 31Sa and 32Sa projecting upward from the upper surface thereof. In the example shown in FIG. 5, three engaging protrusions 31Sa and 32Sa are formed on the upper surface of each of the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S. The three engaging protrusions 31Sa and 32Sa are arranged so that lines connecting them form a triangle in a plan view, and each is arranged so as to be positioned at the vertices of the triangle. Each of the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is configured to support the first target article 41 by the engagement protrusions 31Sa and 32Sa. In this example, the engaging protrusions 31Sa and 32Sa have the function of positioning the first target article 41 in the horizontal direction while the first target article 41 is being supported.

The first target article 41 to be supported by the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S is entirely supported by the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion by being supported by the first supported portion 411 provided on the bottom. It is supported while positioned above the portion 32S. More specifically, the first target article 41 is located above the top surface of the plate-like member that constitutes most of the upper support portion 31S, or the top surface of the plate-like member that constitutes most of the lower support portion 32S. It is supported in a state of being positioned at In this embodiment, the first target article 41 includes a first main body portion 410 and an engaged concave portion 411a which is concave upward from the bottom surface of the first main body portion 410 and which can be engaged with the engaging convex portions 31Sa and 32Sa. It has As described above, in this example, the first target article 41 is configured as a FOUP and accommodates a semiconductor substrate by means of the first body portion 410 . The first target article 41 also includes a flange-shaped grasped portion 412 that is arranged above the first main body portion 410 and that is formed along the extending and retracting direction. For example, when the first target article 41 is conveyed by the ceiling conveying device 6 (see FIG. 1) in the article conveying facility F, it is conveyed in a state in which the gripped portion 412 is grasped by the ceiling conveying device 6. be. In this embodiment, three engaged recesses 411 a are formed on the bottom surface of the first main body portion 410 . The three engaged concave portions 411a are engaged with the three engaging convex portions 31Sa and 32Sa of the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion 32S, so that the first target article 41 is connected to the upper support portion 31S or It will be in a state of being supported by the lower support portion 32S. That is, in the present embodiment, the engaged concave portion 411a is the first supported portion 411 supported by the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion 32S.

Next, a support structure for the second target article 42 by the intermediate support portion 33S will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. The intermediate support portion 33S supports a second target article 42 (a reticle pod in this example). The intermediate support portion 33S is configured to support the upper portion of the second target article 42 .

In the present embodiment, the intermediate support portion 33S includes a pair of extension portions 33a extending along the extension/retraction direction X in which the intermediate support portion 33S extends and retracts, and a pair of extension portions 33a on the base end side of the extension/retraction direction X. and a connection base portion 33b that connects the portions 33a. As shown in FIG. 9, the intermediate support portion 33S is formed with an opening portion 33c that opens in the front end side in the extending/retracting direction X and in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. A pair of extending portions 33a are arranged on both sides in the width direction Y of the opening 33c. In the present embodiment, a support surface that supports the second supported portion 421 provided on the second target article 42 from below is provided on the inner side in the width direction Y (on the side of the opening 33c) of each of the pair of extension portions 33a. 33d, and an inclined surface 33e that connects the support surface 33d and the extension portion 33a and that is inclined upward toward the outside in the width direction Y is provided. As shown in FIG. 8, in this example, the inclined surface 33e is formed so as to surround the second supported portion 421 (flange portion 421a) of the second target article 42 supported by the supporting surface 33d. . In other words, the inclined surfaces 33e protrude and retreat from both sides of the second supported portion 421 of the second target article 42 in the width direction Y in addition to the outer sides in the width direction Y of the second supported portion 421 . They are also provided on both outer sides in the X direction. Thereby, the inclined surface 33e functions as a guide portion that guides the second supported portion 421 of the second target article 42 to the supporting surface 33d. In addition, the inclined surface 33e functions as a positioning portion that horizontally positions the second supported portion 421 while the second supported portion 421 is supported by the support surface 33d.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, in the present embodiment, the intermediate support portion 33S is provided with a drop regulation body 34 that regulates the fall of the second target article 42. As shown in FIGS. The fall control body 34 is provided so as to overlap the intermediate support portion 33S from above. The drop restricting body 34 has a pair of restricting portions 34a arranged at positions spaced apart from each of the pair of support surfaces 33d. The pair of restricting portions 34a are arranged so as to overlap the supporting surface 33d of the corresponding extending portion 33a in plan view. As a result, each of the pair of restricting portions 34a moves a portion of the second supported portion 421 of the second target article 42, in detail, in a state in which the second supported portion 421 is supported by the support surface 33d. It is arranged at a position overlapping both side edge portions in the width direction Y of the second supported portion 421 in plan view. As a result, even if the second supported portion 421 supported by the support surface 33d moves up and down due to, for example, vibration, the restricting portion 34a does not come into contact with the second supported portion 421 from above. Thus, the second supported portion 421 can be prevented from coming off the support surface 33d. In this manner, by providing the drop control body 34, it is possible to control the second target article 42 from falling from the intermediate support portion 33S. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the pair of restricting portions 34a are arranged at positions spaced apart from the pair of extending portions 33a. When transferring the second target article 42, the second supported portion 421 (flange portion 421a) is horizontally moved between the pair of extending portions 33a and the pair of restricting portions 34a in the vertical direction V. By doing so, it is possible to prevent contact between the second supported portion 421 and the restricting portion 34a during transfer. In other words, the drop regulation body 34 can be prevented from interfering with the transfer operation.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second target article 42 to be supported by the intermediate support portion 33S is positioned below the intermediate support portion 33S by being supported by the second supported portion 421 provided on the upper portion. It is supported with a portion that In the present embodiment, the second target article 42 is arranged above the second main body portion 420 and is formed along the extending/retracting direction X, and the intermediate support portion 33S is provided with a pair of the second target article 42 and the second main body portion 420. and a columnar connecting column portion 422 connecting the second main body portion 420 and the flange portion 421a. As described above, in this example, the second target article 42 is configured as a reticle pod, and the reticle is housed in the second body portion 420 . The connection pillar portion 422 is formed to have a smaller area than the flange portion 421a in plan view, and the entire connection pillar portion 422 is arranged inside the outer edge of the flange portion 421a in plan view. In addition, the dimension in the width direction Y of the connecting column portion 422 is smaller than the dimension in the width direction Y of the opening 33c of the intermediate support portion 33S. As a result, when transferring the second object 42, the pair of support surfaces 33d arranged on both sides in the width direction Y of the opening 33c is moved through the outside in the width direction Y of the connecting column portion 422. 33 d of support surfaces and the both-sides edge part of the width direction Y of the flange part 421a can be made to oppose the up-down direction V. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the second target article 42 is supported by the intermediate support portion 33S by supporting the flange portion 421a from below by the support surface 33d. The flange portion 421a is connected to the upper end of the connecting pillar portion 422 and is formed to protrude from the connecting pillar portion 422 along the horizontal direction. The dimension of the flange portion 421a in the width direction Y is larger than the distance in the width direction Y between the pair of support surfaces 33d and smaller than the distance in the width direction Y between the pair of inclined surfaces 33e. Therefore, the flange portion 421a can be supported from below by the pair of support surfaces 33d of the intermediate support portion 33S. In the stage before supporting the flange portion 421a by the support surface 33d, even if the position of the flange portion 421a is shifted horizontally with respect to the support surface 33d above the support surface 33d, the support surface 33d and the flange portion As it approaches 421a, the flange portion 421a comes into contact with the inclined surface 33e and is guided to the support surface 33d by the inclined surface 33e. In this way, the flange portion 421a is supported from below by the support surface 33d, so that the second target article 42 is supported by the intermediate support portion 33S. That is, in the present embodiment, the flange portion 421a serves as the second supported portion 421. As shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the inter-story conveying device 1 (article conveying device) according to the present disclosure, in addition to the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S that support the first target article 41, the second target article 42 Since the intermediate support portion 33S that supports the is provided, two types of articles 4, a first target article 41 and a second target article 42, can be conveyed. As described above, in the present embodiment, the upper transfer section 31 having the upper support section 31S is provided with the intermediate support section 33S. This allows the upper transfer section 31 to transfer and support the first target article 41 and the second target article 42 . However, in the present embodiment, the second target article 42 is not supported by the intermediate support section 33S while the upper support section 31S supports the first target article 41 . Conversely, in a state in which the second target article 42 is supported by the intermediate support section 33S, the upper support section 31S does not support the first target article 41. As shown in FIG. Thereby, each of the 1st target article 41 and the 2nd target article 42 can be conveyed appropriately at a different timing. Note that the lower support portion 32S is not subject to the above restrictions. That is, regardless of whether or not the first target article 41 is supported by the upper support section 31S and whether or not the second target article 42 is supported by the intermediate support section 33S, the lower support section 32S supports the first target article 41. , or may not support the first target item 41 .

[Other embodiments]
Next, another embodiment of the article conveying device will be described.

(1) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the intermediate support portion 33S is connected to the upper support portion 31S so as to integrally protrude and retreat has been described. However, without being limited to such an example, the intermediate support portion 33S may be connected to the lower support portion 32S so as to protrude and retract integrally. Also in this case, the intermediate support portion 33S is arranged between the upper support portion 31S and the lower support portion 32S in the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. In addition, the intermediate support portion 33S is arranged below the entire portion of the upper transfer portion 31 that extends and retracts integrally with the upper support portion 31S. In this case, for example, the intermediate support portion 33S may be arranged at a position adjacent to the lower regulation body 32R above. The intermediate support section 33S can be configured to be attached to the upper portion of the lower transfer drive section 32Sm or the lower regulation body 32R, for example.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the second target article 42 is supported by the second supported portion 421 provided on the upper portion, so that the second target article 42 is supported in a state of having a portion positioned below the intermediate support portion 33S. example. However, without being limited to such an example, the entire second target article 42 may be configured to be supported by the intermediate support portion 33S in a state of being positioned above the intermediate support portion 33S. In this case, for example, similarly to the relationship between the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion 32S and the first target article 41, the supported portion provided on the bottom portion of the second target article 42 is supported from below by the intermediate support portion 33S. By being supported, the entire second target article 42 can be configured to be supported while positioned above the intermediate support portion 33S.

(3) In the above embodiment, the engaged concave portion 411a of the first target article 41 is the first supported portion 411 supported by the upper support portion 31S or the lower support portion 32S, and the second target article 42 An example has been described in which the flange portion 421a in is the second supported portion 421 supported by the intermediate support portion 33S. However, without being limited to such an example, the portion of the first target article 41 other than the engaged concave portion 411a is the first supported portion 411, and the portion of the second target article 42 other than the flange portion 421a is It may be the second supported portion 421 .

(4) In the above embodiment, an example in which a pair of upper and lower first receivers T1 is provided in the transfer target section T corresponding to the first inner transfer section 812 has been described. However, the transfer target section T may be provided with one or three or more first receivers T1.

(5) In the above embodiment, the example in which the first target article 41 is configured as a FOUP and the second target article 42 is configured as a reticle pod has been described. However, without being limited to such an example, the first target article 41 and the second target article 42 may be raw materials, intermediate products, finished products, or the like handled in the article transport facility F. However, even in that case, the first target article 41 and the second target article 42 are articles having different shapes.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the drop regulation body 34 is provided on the intermediate support portion 33S has been described. However, without being limited to such an example, the intermediate support portion 33S may not be provided with the drop control body 34 .

(7) It should be noted that the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[Overview of the above embodiment]
The article conveying apparatus described above will be described below.

An article conveying device for conveying articles,
a guide rail installed along a conveying path along the vertical direction;
a lifting unit that moves up and down along the guide rail;
a transfer device that transfers the article to and from a transfer target part that is supported by the lifting unit and is horizontally spaced from the guide rail;
The articles to be transported include a first target article and a second target article having a shape different from that of the first target article,
The transfer device includes an upper transfer section supported by the lifting unit, and a lower transfer section arranged below the upper transfer section and supported by the same lifting unit as the upper transfer section. a loading section;
The upper transfer section is arranged between an upper support section that supports the first target article, and a protruding position where the upper support section protrudes from the reference position to the transfer target section side from the reference position. and an upper advance/retreat drive unit for advancing/retracting,
The lower transfer section includes a lower support section that supports the first target article, a reference position, and a protruding position where the lower support section protrudes toward the transfer target section from the reference position. a lower advance/retreat drive unit that advances/retracts between
The upper extension/retraction drive section is arranged above the upper support section, and the lower extension/retraction drive section is arranged below the lower support section,
an intermediate support portion for supporting the second target article is arranged between the upper support portion and the lower support portion in the vertical direction;
The intermediate support portion is connected to the upper support portion so as to extend and retract integrally, or is connected to the lower support portion to extend and retract integrally.

According to this configuration, in addition to the upper support section and the lower support section that support the first target article, the intermediate support section that supports the second target article is provided. and two types of goods can be conveyed. In addition, both the upper transfer section and the lower transfer section are provided with support sections for supporting the first target article, and the intermediate support section for supporting the second target article is provided. Since the number of supporting parts for supporting articles is not reduced, it is possible to transport two first target articles at the same time. Therefore, even when the number of conveyed first target articles is larger than the number of conveyed second target articles, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the conveying efficiency of the article conveying apparatus. Furthermore, since the intermediate support section is connected to the upper support section or the lower support section so as to extend and retract integrally, there is no need to provide a dedicated transfer section or retraction drive section for the intermediate support section. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the lifting unit.

Further, according to this configuration, the upper extension/retraction drive section for extending and retracting the upper support section is arranged above the upper support section, and the lower extension drive section for extending and retracting the lower support section is arranged above the upper support section. A retraction drive portion is arranged below the lower support portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the extension/retraction driving section from being arranged between the upper support section and the lower support section in the vertical direction. An intermediate support for supporting the second target article can be arranged between the vertical directions. Therefore, it is possible to minimize an increase in the size of the lifting unit due to the provision of the intermediate support portion. As described above, according to this configuration, both the first target product and the second target product can be transported, and when the number of transports of the first target product is greater than the number of transports of the second target product, the product It is possible to realize an article conveying apparatus capable of suppressing a decrease in the conveying efficiency of the conveying apparatus and also suppressing an increase in the size of the lifting unit.

Here, the intermediate support section is connected to the upper support section so as to integrally protrude and retract, and is located below the upper support section and located in the lower transfer section. It is preferable that it is arranged above the entirety of the portion that extends and retracts integrally with the housing.

According to this configuration, the intermediate support portion can be extended and retracted by the upper extension and retraction driving portion. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated transfer section or advance/retreat drive section for the intermediate support section, and an increase in the size of the lifting unit can be suppressed. In addition, since the intermediate support portion is arranged below the upper support portion and above the entire portion of the lower transfer portion that extends and retracts integrally with the lower support portion, To dispose an intermediate support part by utilizing a vertical space between the lower support part and prevent the intermediate support part from hindering movement of the lower support part by a lower extension/retraction driving part. be able to.

Further, in the configuration in which the intermediate support portion is connected to the upper support portion so as to extend and retract integrally with the upper support portion,
A first placement section on which the first target article is placed is provided in the transfer target section,
a notch portion through which the upper support portion can pass in the vertical direction is formed in the first mounting portion;
It is preferable that a space into which both the upper support portion and the intermediate support portion can be inserted is provided below the first placement portion.

According to this configuration, when the upper support part is moved so as to pass through the notch in the vertical direction and the first target article is transferred to the first placement part, the upper support part moves together with the upper support part. It is possible to prevent the intermediate support portion from interfering with the transfer operation below the first placing portion.

Further, the first target article is supported in a state where the whole is positioned above the upper support part or the lower support part by supporting the first supported part provided on the bottom part,
It is preferable that the second target article is supported in a state in which a second supported portion provided on the upper portion is supported so as to have a portion located below the intermediate support portion.

According to this configuration, since the second target article supported by the intermediate support section is supported in a state of having a portion located below the intermediate support section, the second target article supported by the intermediate support section is It is possible to arrange the upper support part and the intermediate support part arranged below the upper support part closer to each other in the vertical direction than in the case where they are supported while being positioned above the intermediate support part. can. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress an increase in the size of the lifting unit due to the provision of the intermediate support portion.

Further, in the configuration in which each of the first target article and the second target article is supported in the above state,
each of the upper support portion and the lower support portion includes an engaging projection projecting upward from its upper surface;
The intermediate support portion includes a pair of extending portions extending along a direction in which the intermediate support portion extends and retracts,
The first target article includes a first main body portion and an engaged concave portion recessed upward from the bottom surface of the first main body portion and engageable with the engaging convex portion,
The second target article includes a second main body portion, and a flange disposed above the second main body portion and formed along the extension/retraction direction and locked by the pair of extension portions. and
The engaged recess is the first supported portion,
It is preferable that the flange portion is the second supported portion.

According to this configuration, the first target article provided with the engaged concave portion recessed upward from the bottom surface of the first main body portion can be appropriately supported by the upper support portion and the lower support portion. , the second target article, which is disposed above the second main body and has the flange portion formed along the extension/retraction direction, can be appropriately supported by the intermediate support portion.

Further, a pair of first placement portions on which the first target articles are placed are provided in the transfer target portion,
the pair of first placement portions overlap in plan view and are spaced apart in the vertical direction;
It is preferable that a vertical separation distance between the upper support portion and the lower support portion is equal to a vertical separation distance between the pair of first mounting portions.

According to this configuration, the first target article can be simultaneously transferred to each of the pair of placement sections using both the upper support section and the lower support section. As a result, it is possible to improve the transport efficiency.

The technology according to the present disclosure can be used for an article conveying device that conveys articles.

1: Inter-floor transport device (goods transport device)
4: Article 10: Guide rail 20: Lifting unit 30: Transfer device 31: Upper transfer section 31A: Upper extension/retraction drive section 31S: Upper support section 31Sa: Engagement convex section 32: Lower transfer section 32A: Bottom Side extension/retraction driving portion 32S: Lower support portion 32Sa: Engagement convex portion 32Sb: Lower support portion 33S: Intermediate support portion 33a: Extension portion 41: First target article 42: Second target article 410: First main body Portion 411 : First supported portion 411a : Engaged concave portion 420 : Second body portion 421 : Second supported portion 421a : Flange portion P1 : Reference position P2 : Projection position R : Conveyance path S : Space T : Transfer Target portion T1: First placement portion T1a: Notch portion V: Vertical direction X: Advance/retreat direction

Claims (6)

An article conveying device for conveying articles,
a guide rail installed along a conveying path along the vertical direction;
a lifting unit that moves up and down along the guide rail;
a transfer device that transfers the article to and from a transfer target part that is supported by the lifting unit and is horizontally spaced from the guide rail;
The articles to be transported include a first target article and a second target article having a shape different from that of the first target article,
The transfer device includes an upper transfer section supported by the lifting unit, and a lower transfer section arranged below the upper transfer section and supported by the same lifting unit as the upper transfer section. a loading section;
The upper transfer section is arranged between an upper support section that supports the first target article, and a protruding position where the upper support section protrudes from the reference position to the transfer target section side from the reference position. and an upper advance/retreat drive unit for advancing/retracting,
The lower transfer section includes a lower support section that supports the first target article, a reference position, and a protruding position where the lower support section protrudes toward the transfer target section from the reference position. a lower advance/retreat drive unit that advances/retracts between
The upper extension/retraction drive section is arranged above the upper support section, and the lower extension/retraction drive section is arranged below the lower support section,
an intermediate support portion for supporting the second target article is arranged between the upper support portion and the lower support portion in the vertical direction;
The article conveying device, wherein the intermediate support section is connected to the upper support section so as to extend and retract integrally, or is connected to the lower support section so as to extend and retract integrally. The intermediate support portion is connected to the upper support portion so as to extend and retract integrally, and is located below the upper support portion and integrally with the lower support portion of the lower transfer section. 2. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article conveying apparatus is arranged above the entirety of the portion that moves forward and backward. A first placement section on which the first target article is placed is provided in the transfer target section,
a notch portion through which the upper support portion can pass in the vertical direction is formed in the first mounting portion;
3. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a space into which both said upper support section and said intermediate support section can be inserted is provided below said first placement section. The first target article is supported in a state where the entirety is located above the upper support section or the lower support section by supporting the first supported section provided at the bottom,
4. The second target article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second target article is supported by a second supported portion provided on the upper portion, so that the second target article is supported in a state of having a portion located below the intermediate support portion. 1. Article conveying device according to item 1. each of the upper support portion and the lower support portion includes an engaging projection projecting upward from its upper surface;
The intermediate support portion includes a pair of extending portions extending along a direction in which the intermediate support portion extends and retracts,
The first target article includes a first main body portion and an engaged concave portion recessed upward from the bottom surface of the first main body portion and engageable with the engaging convex portion,
The second target article includes a second main body portion, and a flange disposed above the second main body portion and formed along the extension/retraction direction and locked by the pair of extension portions. and
The engaged recess is the first supported portion,
5. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said flange portion is said second supported portion. A pair of first placing parts on which the first target articles are placed are provided in the transfer target part,
the pair of first placement portions overlap in plan view and are spaced apart in the vertical direction;
6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a vertical separation distance between said upper support portion and said lower support portion is equal to a vertical separation distance between said pair of said first mounting portions. goods conveying device.

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