JPS6231302A - Magnetic levitation traveling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to readily travel a vehicle even on a steep oblique rail by disposing a guiding unit for attracting a unit to be guided near the side of the rail to travel the vehicle along the oblique rail. CONSTITUTION:When a vehicle 11 arrives at the starting end of the oblique 10b of a rail 10, the rod 16a of an air cylinder 16 is extended. A sensor 14 detects a gap between the vehicle 11 and an attracting unit 17 to control the attracting force of an electromagnet 13 in response to the detection signal. Thus, the gap between the vehicle 11 and the unit 17 is maintained constant. Then, the rod 16a of the cylinder 16 is retracted to move the unit 17 from the starting end of the oblique rail 10b of the rail 10 toward the finishing end. When the vehicle 11 arrivews at the finishing end of the oblique rail 10b, the guide by the unit 17 is released, and the vehicle 11 travels by the thrust of a linear motor on a horizontal rail 10a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a magnetic levitation traveling device suitable for use in transport equipment in semiconductor manufacturing factories, biotechnology-related factories, and the like.

``Prior art'' Magnetic levitation systems, which use magnetism to suspend a traveling body in the air and travel along a track, do not generate dust and vibration because there is no contact between the traveling body and the track. There is almost no noise. Therefore, in recent years, this type of traveling device has been
Attempts are being made to use it as a transport device in semiconductor manufacturing factories, biotechnology-related factories, etc., where dust is extremely averse. Figure 7 shows a wafer case W in a semiconductor manufacturing factory.
This figure shows an example in which the above-mentioned magnetic levitation traveling device is used as a conveying device for conveying wafers. be. The primary side stators 4 of a plurality of IJ near motors are attached to the track 1 at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the track 1. Further, the traveling body 3 includes a bottom plate portion 3IL having a hook 5 for locking the wafer case W on the lower surface thereof;
Left and right side plate portions 3 are vertically connected to the left and right sides of the bottom plate portion 3a.
b2, consisting of left and right upper plate portions 3c provided on the upper portions of the left and right side plate portions 3b so as to protrude inwardly, and a lower plate portion 3d provided horizontally slightly above the bottom plate portion 3a; An electromagnet 8 and a sensor 9 connected to the controller 7 are provided at the four corners of the upper surface of the plate portion 3d, and
A secondary side mover (not shown) of the IJ near motor is attached to the center of the upper surface of the lower plate portion 3d. Then, each electromagnet 8 attracts the track 1, and the running body 3 is floated upward against its own weight and the weight of the case W, and at the same time, each sensor 9 connects the running body 3 and the track 1. The gap is detected, and the detection signal is sent to the controller 7 to control the attraction force of each electromagnet 8. As a result, the gap between the traveling body 3 and the track 1 is kept constant, while the linear motor is When activated, the traveling body 3 is made to travel along the track 1 in a floating state.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" By the way, when configuring transport equipment in a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like using the above-mentioned magnetic levitation traveling device, it is necessary to, for example, As shown in Fig. 8, it was sometimes necessary to tilt part of the orbit l. However, with conventional magnetic levitation vehicles, there is no problem if the slope of the trackwork is up to about 10 degrees, but if the slope is higher than that, it becomes difficult to travel. There was a problem with it.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and the slope is 1.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic levitation traveling device that allows a traveling body to easily travel even on a steeply inclined trajectory of 0 degrees or more.

"Means for Solving the Problems" In order to achieve the above object, the magnetic levitation traveling device of the present invention supports a traveling body on an inclined track so as to be movable in a magnetically non-contact state, and A guided body is provided on the body, and a guide device is disposed beside the inclined track to suck the guided body and cause the traveling body to travel along the inclined track.

"Function" In the magnetic levitation traveling device of the present invention, the guide device operates to attract the guided body of the traveling body along the inclined trajectory, so that the traveling body travels along the inclined trajectory.

Embodiment J An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In the figure, 10 is a track consisting of a horizontal part 10a and an inclined part (inclined track) 10b, and has a T-shaped cross section as shown in Fig. 3 (simplified in Figs. 1 and 2). )
, a plurality of primary side stators 4 of linear motors are attached on the horizontal portion 10IL at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction. Further, 11 is a running body, and as shown in Fig. 3, it has a shape that is upside down compared to the conventional running body 3.
The upper surface serves as a loading platform for wafer cases W and S.

As before, the traveling body 11 is equipped with a secondary movable element of an IJ near motor, and also has a storage battery 6, a controller 7 connected to the storage battery 6, and an electromagnet 8 connected to the controller 7. A sensor 9 is provided.

Furthermore, a plate 1 is attached to the rear side of the side surface of the traveling body 3.
When the running body 3 is located on the inclined part 10b of the track 10, it is tilted vertically and protrudes laterally and is fixed. A sensor 14 is attached to the sensor 14.

On the other hand, a support stand 1 is placed beside the inclined portion 10b of the track 10.
5 is installed, and a dust-free air cylinder 16 is mounted on the support stand 15.
However, the rod 16a of the dust-free air cylinder 16 is fixed horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the track 10 with the rod 16a facing rearward (to the left in FIG. 2). Trajectory 1 between the starting end and the ending end of section 10b
It is designed to expand and contract along 0. A plate-shaped suction body 17 made of mild steel and deployed in the vertical direction is attached to the tip of the rod 16a, and the suction body 17 and the dust-free air cylinder 16 attract the electromagnet 13. This constitutes a guide device 18 that causes the traveling body 11 to travel around the inclined portion 10b of the track 10.

Therefore, in the magnetic levitation traveling device having the above configuration, the traveling body 11 is supported on the track 10 in a non-contact state by the electromagnet 8 and the sensor 9, as in the conventional case, and the horizontal portion of the track 10 is
At 0a, the horizontal part tOa is
run on top. On the other hand, the running body 11
0b, the rod 16a of the dust-free air cylinder 16 is extended in synchronization with the movement of the traveling body 11, and at the same time the electromagnet 13 of the traveling body 11 attracts the suction body 17, the sensor 14 detects the movement of the traveling body 11. The gap between the magnet and the suction body 17 is detected, and the detection signal is sent to the controller 7 and is
The suction force is controlled, thereby keeping the gap between the traveling body 11 and the suction body 17 constant. Next, the rod 16a of the dust-free air cylinder 16 is contracted, and the suction body 17 is
Movement 1 from the starting end of the LLi2O inclined portion 10b toward the terminal end
-1 The traveling body 11 is attached to the attracted body 17 while maintaining a constant gap.
follows and ascends the inclined portion 10b. When the boat 11 reaches the end of the inclined portion 10b, the rod 16a reaches the contracted end, but at this time, the electromagnet 13 is separated upward from the upper end of the suction body 17, and the guidance by the suction body 17 is released. To the running body 3.1! It runs on the upper horizontal section 10a by the thrust of a linear motor.

In this manner, in the magnetic levitation traveling device having the above configuration, the traveling body 11 is attracted by the suction body 17 that is moved along the slope lOb of the track 10 by the bloodless air cylinder 16 while maintaining a non-contact state, and 10b can be raised. Therefore, even if the slope of the slope part 10b is steep and is 10 degrees or more, the traveling body 11 can easily and reliably move to the slope part 10b.
Since the traveling body 11 maintains a non-contact state with the suction body 17, no dust is generated, and there is no vibration or noise.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the electromagnet 1 is attached to the attracting body 17.
3 and the sensor 14, and attach the plate 12 to the electromagnet 13.
It is also possible to construct the guided body by forming it from a material that is attracted by. Further, although it is preferable that the suction body 17 and the traveling body 11 maintain a non-contact state as described above, it is not necessary to do so, and they may be brought into contact. Furthermore, the primary stator 4 of the linear motor may be provided also on the inclined part 10b of the track 10, and the traveling body 11 may be made to travel along the inclined part 10'b using the thrust of the linear motor. Other driving forces such as air pressure may be used in combination. Furthermore, an electromagnet 8 for levitating the traveling body 11
A permanent magnet may also be used in combination with the electromagnet 13.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a lever 21 made of mild steel is attached to a shaft 20 rotated by a drive device 19 near the inclined portion 10b of the track lO. A guide device 22 is provided. Then, when the lever 21 is rotated about the shaft 20 along the inclined part 10b of the track 10 by the operation of the drive device 19, the lever 21 is free from the traveling body 11. It follows in the # state and ascends the inclined part 10b of the track 10 to Okiichi.

Further, FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, in which a drive device 23 is attached to one end of the track 100 and a magnetic bearing 24 is attached to the other end of the track 100. A guide device 27 having a helical screw 26 made of a mild steel layer fixed to the shaft 25 is arranged to be inclined in accordance with the inclination of the inclined portion IQb.

When the drive device 23 operates and the helical screw 26 rotates, the traveling body 11σ)
lEIQ Sei-sei model Z-kai city $←IF11; own t1
A flexible train 11 is designed to ascend an inclined portion 10b of the track 10.

“Effects of invention” As explained above! (The magnetic levitation traveling device of the present invention is
A guide device is disposed beside the inclined track, and the boat, which is magnetically supported on the PI inclined track in a non-contact state, is attracted by the guide device and made to travel along the inclined track. Therefore, even if the gradient of the tilted track is steep, the traveling body can be easily and reliably run along the tilted track, and therefore, it can be widely and effectively used as a conveyance device, etc. in semiconductor manufacturing factories, etc. reactor.

Brief description of page 1 Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the magnetic levitation traveling device of the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, Figure 2 is a side view,
Figure 3 shows the running body and the track.
Figures 4 and 5 show the second embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view, Figure 5 is a side view of 9I showing the relationship between the electromagnet and the lever in position rA, and Figure 60 is a side view of the FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.
The figure is a perspective view showing an example of conveyance equipment.

10b... Inclined part (inclined track), 11...
... Running body, 13... Electromagnet [guided object], 1
8. 22. 27... Guidance device.

Applicant: Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney Takeshi Shiga , Noll

Claims (1)

[Claims] A running body is magnetically supported movably in a non-contact state on the inclined track, and a guided body is provided on the running body, and the guided body is attracted to the side of the inclined track. A magnetic levitation traveling device comprising a guide device for causing the traveling body to travel along an inclined track.