JPS6237012A - Truck feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention provides a conveyance vehicle power supply device that connects an electric cord running inside a guide arm that is rotatably attached along the ceiling to a conveyance vehicle, thereby allowing the conveyance vehicle to run smoothly. Regarding.

[Background technology]

In recent years, self-propelled automated guided vehicles loaded with batteries, intelligent robots, and the like (hereinafter referred to as battery-equipped guided vehicles) have been frequently used for tasks such as picking up, delivering, and handling workpieces.

On the other hand, in the semiconductor industry, biotechnology industry, optical equipment industry, etc., there are operations that are extremely dust-free, as typified by IC and LSI manufacturing processes, silicon wafer processing, circuit pattern transfer, and the like. Further, such work is performed in an ultra-high clean room with a cleanliness level of class 0, for example. In addition, the clean room has a structure in which clean air is blown down from the ceiling and discharged below the floor through floorboards formed in the shape of slats or nets, and the interior of the room is narrow in order to efficiently improve the degree of cleanliness.

Therefore, when using the battery set transport vehicle in such an ultra-high clean room, it is necessary to provide battery charging equipment within the room, or to take the battery set transport vehicle itself out of the room for charging. . However, when the charging equipment is provided in a room, the operating rate of the room decreases, productivity is poor, the room becomes large, and the equipment for improving cleanliness becomes uneconomical. Furthermore, when taking out a battery-equipped vehicle, it is necessary to replace the replacement transport vehicle or the battery, which is not only inferior in economic efficiency and work efficiency, but also has the major problem of lowering the cleanliness level by opening the clean room. .

Therefore, under such conditions where the movement range is relatively narrow and limited, a wired transport vehicle that requires an external power supply is suitable, and it is possible to reliably supply power without interfering with the movement or work of the transport vehicle. A capable power supply device was requested.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention is based on rotatably attaching a guide arm to the ceiling, through which an electric cord passes, and aims to provide a conveyance vehicle power supply device that can meet the above requirements.

[Disclosure of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In the figure, the carrier power supply system 22 is a bearing 6 attached to the ceiling 4.
A tubular guide arm 14 is provided with a protrusion 12 at the lower end of a base 10 vertically and rotatably supported through the acid guide arm 14, and an electric cord 16 passing through the inside of the acid guide arm 14 is connected to the transport vehicle 1. , a flexible tube 2 that is inserted into the electrical cord 16 extending from the tip of the guide arm 14;
0 is set. In this example, the transport vehicle 1 includes a drive tool 9 on the vehicle body 3, a lifting tool 11 for lifting the vehicle body 3, and a manipulator 13, forming a working Kawaguchi bot.

The transport vehicle 1 is arranged in an ultra-high clean room R, and is used to collect and deliver a workpiece consisting of a silicon wafer cassette for forming an integrated circuit to a processing equipment HA provided in the room R in this example. . Further, the workpiece is transferred to a transport robot ID running along the passage B through a transfer port C provided facing the passage B. The transport Roposol l-D is
The barcode E- drawn on the path B is identified by a camera, and the transport robot D is self-propelled by a battery mounted on the transport robot D.

In this example, the vehicle body 3 includes an upper 4Pi 21, a middle plate 22, and a lower f
! The outer surface of the frame body 25 in which the frames 23 and 23 are connected by the struts 24-.

is covered with a cover 26, and a scar I/27 is placed on the outer periphery of the lower slope 23. Further, the vehicle body 3 is provided with a loading platform 29 formed by extending the lower plate 23 in this example. A manipulator 13 is also attached to the vehicle body 3.

In this example, the manipulator 13 is a 6-axis vertical polygonal manipulator, and the tip of the arm is provided with a hand for grasping a workpiece and a visual device 31 consisting of a small COD camera. Furthermore, the manipulator 13 is mounted on a pedestal 32.
is fixed to the middle plate 22, and the arm protrudes from a through hole provided in the center of the upper plate 21.

Further, a driving tool 9 is attached to the vehicle body 3.

The drive tool 9 includes drive shafts 17 and 17 extending from both sides of the base frame 15.
The drive wheels 5.5 are respectively attached to the drive wheels 5.5, and the auxiliary wheels 7.7 are rotatably supported via support arms 19Δ and 19B extending back and forth from the base frame 15.

The base frame 15 is made of a cylindrical body in this example, and has an inverted T-shape with a vertical part 35 standing up in the center of a horizontal part 34. Also horizontal part 3
4, a gear box 36 with a drive shaft 17.17 protruding from both ends connects the drive shaft 17.17 to the horizontal section 34.
It is installed internally so that it protrudes from both ends of the

In this example, the drive wheel 5 has a belt-shaped rubber tire 37 mounted on the rim 5A, and is fixed to the drive shaft 17.17.

Further, an electric motor 39 for driving the drive wheels 5 is installed within the vertical portion 35, and its output shaft is connected to the gear box 36. Further, the electric motor 39 can rotate in forward and reverse directions, and the drive wheel 5 can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions.

In addition, the support arms 19A and 1913 are connected to the horizontal portion 3 in this example.
The auxiliary wheels 7.7 extend back and forth from 4 at right angles to the horizontal portion 34, and each of the auxiliary wheels 7.7 is rotatably attached to each tip by a bearing piece 56 in the shape of a downward opening.

Further, the drive tool 9 is pivotally supported on the base frame 15 by a receiving metal fitting 41 which is cut out from the vehicle body 3.

The receiving metal fitting 41 includes a lower metal fitting 42 and a lower metal fitting 43. The lower metal fitting 42 includes an upper plate 45 at the upper end of a cylindrical base into which the upper end of the vertical portion 35 can be loosely inserted, and an outward flange 46 at the lower end of the base. A stepped hole having a downward step is bored in the father plate 45, and a rotary shaft 47 protruding from the upper end of the base frame 15 is inserted into the stepped hole. The lower fitting 43 also includes a lower slope 50 having a large diameter hole through which the vertical portion 35 is inserted, at the lower end of the base having a diameter slightly larger than that of the lower fitting 42, and a flange 51 fixed to the lower surface of the flange 46 at the upper end of the base. . Further, a bearing 52 that supports the rotary shaft 47 is disposed between the step of the stepped hole 49 and the step of the bulge provided at the lower end of the rotary shaft 47. Further, the vertical portion 35 is provided with an overhang piece 53 extending horizontally over its entire circumference, and bearings 54 and 54 supporting the upper and lower surfaces of the overhang piece 53 are provided between the flange 46 and the overhang piece 53. and is arranged between the overhang piece 53 and the lower plate 50. The receiving fitting 41 is fixed to the vehicle body 3 by inserting the lower fitting 42 into a through hole provided in the lower plate 23 and bolting the flange 46 to the lower surface of the lower plate 23.

Therefore, the receiving fitting 41 attaches the driving tool 9 to the vehicle body 3 by rotatably supporting the base frame 15 within a horizontal plane. Further, the driving tool 9 is completely covered by the skirt 27, and only the lower ends of the driving wheel 5 and the auxiliary wheel 7 slightly protrude from the lower end of the skirt 27.

Further, the driving tool 9 is provided with a rotating tool 61 that rotates the base frame 15.

The rotating tool 61 includes a large gear 62 fixed to the rotating shaft 47 of the base frame 15, and a small float 64 meshing with the large gear 62 and fixed to the output shaft of a reduction motor 63 attached to the frame 25. Become. Therefore, the rotating tool 61 can rotate the base frame 15 in both left and right directions relative to the vehicle body 3 by forward and reverse rotation of the deceleration motor 63.

Further, the vehicle body 3 is provided with a lifting tool 11 for lifting the vehicle body 3 and lifting the driving tool 9 from the running surface F.

In this example, the lifting tool 11 includes a plurality of extendable tools 66-- and an actuator 67 that operates the extendable tools 66-- in unison.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the extendable tool 66 is provided with a rod 72 at the lower end of a base cylinder 71 that hangs down from the lower plate 23 by being flanged to the lower surface of the lower slope 23, for example. A contact piece 73 that can come into contact with the running surface F at the lower end
has been established. The base cylinder 71 has a cylindrical shape and has an upper plate and a flange at its upper end, and the flange is bolted to the lower surface of the lower plate 23 as described above. Further, the rod 72 has a cylindrical shape, and has a! The fitted ring fitting 75 is loosely inserted into the cough base tube 71. Further, a nut fitting 76 is fixed to the upper end of the Ron door 2, and the ring fitting 75,
Due to the sliding contact between the rod 72, the nut 76, and the base tube 71, the rod 72 is supported so as to be movable up and down concentrically with the base tube 71.

Further, the outer surface of the rod 72 is provided with a groove 79 for locking a locking piece 77 for preventing rotation. Further, a disc-shaped patch 73 is fixed to the lower end of the rod 72, and an anti-slip material is attached to the lower surface of the patch 73.

Further, a screw shaft 90 that is vertically and rotatably supported by a bearing attached to the upper end of the base cylinder 71 is screwed into the nut tool 76, and the rod 72 can be moved up and down by forward and reverse rotation of the screw shaft 90. . Further, the upper end of the screw shaft 90 passes through a through hole provided in the lower plate 23 and projects from the upper surface of the lower plate 23.

In this example, the extendable tools 66-- are arranged at four locations at each corner of the lower plate 23, avoiding the drive tool 9.

The actuating tool 67 consists of sprocket wheels 91. foil 91・
-193 and an endless chain 94 connecting the ends.

Therefore, by forward and reverse rotation of the reduction motor 92, the threaded shafts 90 of each extendable tool 66 can be rotated in unison, so that each extendable tool 66-
・Can be expanded and contracted in unison. Further, by rotating the deceleration motor 92 in the normal direction and extending it, the abutment piece 73 comes into contact with the running surface F, and the vehicle body 3 can be lifted horizontally, so that the drive tool 9 can be lifted off the running surface F.

Further, in this example, the transport vehicle 1 is placed in the ultra-high clean room R as described above. The ultra-high clean room R is surrounded by side walls W, and has a floor formed by a ventilated net-like floor plate E.

Therefore, the running surface F is the upper surface of the floor plate E in this example.

The ceiling 4 is also formed by a ceiling plate G in the form of a mesh that allows ventilation, similar to the floor plate E. Further, in the attic space of the ceiling 4, a duct (I) having discharge ports H and - for discharging clean air sent out from the air cleaner is piped. Further, in the underfloor space below the floorboard E, a duct l-J is opened which returns the clean air discharged from the discharge port H to the air cleaner. Therefore, in the ultra-high clean room R, clean air is blown down from the ceiling E.

Further, in the ultra-high clean room R, processing apparatuses A.-- for processing workpieces are arranged side by side on both sides in the longitudinal direction as described above. Further, the side wall W facing the passage B is provided with an entrance/exit that can be opened and closed by the RK. In addition, in the FfiK, the work receiver has a transfer port C, which has a small opening area for transfer. A receiver is provided at the delivery port C that can be opened and closed.

Further, a bearing 6 is attached to the ceiling 4.

In this example, a square flange type deep groove ball bearing unit is used as the bearing 6, and the cough bearing 6.6 faces the upper and lower sides of the ceiling plate G, with a through hole 101 formed in the ceiling plate G interposed therebetween. will be arranged. Also, the upper and lower bearings 6.6 have their respective flanges 103.
．． 103 through the ceiling plate G) 104-.
It is attached to the ceiling 4 by aligning it using.

The guide arm 14 is a bent metal tube in this example, and the base 10 is attached to the lower end of the base 10 which is pivotally supported by the bearing 6.6.
It has an abbreviated shape with a protrusion 12 bent at right angles to 0.

The base lO is fixed to the inner ring 106 by fixing screws 107-- provided on the protrusion of each inner ring 106.106 of the bearing 6.6.
Fixed. Also, at the upper end of the base 10, an external threaded portion 109 is provided.
is provided and screwed onto the extranuclear threaded part 109) IIQ
This locks the upper end of the inner ring 106 of the upper bearing 6. Also, the external threaded portion 109 protrudes from the nut 110.

The protruding portion 12 has a gentle circular arc portion 1 extending from the lower end of the base portion 10.
13 along the ceiling 4, and in this example extends horizontally for a relatively long time. Therefore, in this example, the protrusion 12 is
It extends parallel to.

The guide arm 14 also has a flexible tube 20 at the tip of the protrusion 12.
is provided.

In this example, the flexible tube 20 is made of a coil spring, and the protrusion 12 is inserted into the inner end of the flexible tube 20 and fixed to the protrusion 12 . Further, a synthetic resin collar 111 is screwed onto an externally threaded portion 109 at the upper end of the base portion 10 .

An electric cord 16 is inserted into the guide arm 14, and one end is pulled out through the collar 111, and the other end is pulled out from the tip of the guide arm 14 through the inside of the flexible tube 20. Connected to 1. Therefore, the flexible tube 20 is inserted into the electrical cord 16. Further, a coiled curl portion 116 is provided between the flexible tube 20 and the transport vehicle 1 of the electric cord 16, and expands and contracts as the transport vehicle 1 moves. Further, the one end of the electric cord 16 is connected to a power supply line through a turn portion 115 that absorbs twisting.

In this example, a power receiving device 120 having substantially the same configuration as the guided vehicle power supply device 2 is also attached to the guided vehicle 1. Note that the power receiving device 120 includes a bearing 6A attached to the vehicle body 3 and a guide arm 14A vertically supported by the bearing 6A. The guide arm 14 has a protrusion 12A at the upper end of the base 10A that rises beyond the manipulator 13, and a flexible tube 2OA is attached to the tip of the protrusion 12A. Also, the lower end of the electric cord 16 passes through the flexible tube 20A and the guide arm 14A to the control section S of the vehicle body 30! D is continued.

The control unit S is connected to the electric motor 39, 63, 92, the manipulator 13, the visual device 31, etc.

[Effect]

Therefore, as schematically shown in FIG. 8, the conveyance vehicle 1 can move forward or backward by rotating the electric motor 39 in the forward and reverse directions with the driving tool 9 in its standard state with the auxiliary wheels 7.7 positioned forward and backward.

When the conveyance vehicle 1 changes direction, the telescopic tool 66 is extended to lift the vehicle body 3 and lift the driving wheels 5 and the auxiliary wheels 7 from the running surface F, as shown in FIG.

Next, the drive tool 9 is decelerated by the electric v! The forward and reverse rotation of A63 rotates the vehicle in the desired running direction as schematically shown in FIGS. 10-12.

Next, by contracting the extendable tool 66, the drive tool 9 is grounded on the running surface F, and by rotating the electric motor 39, it can run in any direction.

Further, the conveyance vehicle 1 can also change the direction of the vehicle body 3 by operating the rotating tool 61 while the driving tool 9 remains in contact with the running surface F.

Further, the manipulator 13 can check the workpiece using the visual device 31 and perform operations such as gripping and transferring the workpiece.

In the ultra-high clean room R, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, the conveyance vehicle 1 travels in the center of the passing direction, stops in front of the target processing device A, and then crosses the target processing device A.
Work close to the machine.

At this time, the guide arm 14 can rotate following the travel of the transport vehicle 1, and the substantial length of the electric cord 16 between the transport vehicle 1 and the tip of the guide arm 14 can be shortened. Prevents drooping, dragging, etc.

Also, by attaching the guide arm 14 to the ceiling 4,
To prevent the movement range of the transport vehicle 1 from being restricted.

Furthermore, the flexible tube 21 can prevent the electrical cord 16 from being bent at a sharp angle at the tip of the guide arm 14, thereby preventing wire breakage.

Further, the power receiving device R120 prevents the electrical cord 16 from coming into contact with the arm of the manipulator 13.

In addition, in the guided vehicle power supply device 2 of the present invention, the bearing 6 can also be disposed only on either the top or the bottom of the ceiling plate G.

Further, the guide arm 14 may be made of a synthetic resin tube instead of a metal tube.

The flexible tube 20 can also be attached by inserting its inner end into the inner hole of the protrusion 12. Further, the flexible tube 20 may be made of a rubber tube, a synthetic resin such as a vinyl tube, or the like, in addition to a coil spring, or may be formed integrally with the guide arm 14. Further, the power supply device R2 may be provided with a brush device or the like that connects the electric cord 16 and the power line so that the guide arm 14 can freely rotate. Further, the length of the base 10 or the protrusion 12 of the guide arm 14 can be set arbitrarily, and the angle of the protrusion 12 can also be tilted vertically or at an appropriate angle in addition to being horizontal. It can be modified into various forms.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Like an iron ball, the conveyance vehicle power supply device of the present invention includes a guide arm that is rotatably supported vertically via a bearing attached to the ceiling and has a protrusion that bends along the ceiling at the lower end of the base. Since the guide arm is provided with a flexible tube that is inserted into the electric cord extending from the tip of the guide arm, the guide arm rotates following the movement of the carrier, and the connection between the tip of the guide arm and the carrier is As a result of shortening the distance between them, the length of the electric cord can be shortened, the electric cord can be prevented from being dragged, and the transport vehicle can be moved smoothly. Furthermore, the flexible tube can have many effects such as preventing disconnection of the electrical cord and increasing the operating rate of the transport vehicle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view showing the carrier, Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof, Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the main parts, and Fig. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the lifting tool of the transport vehicle along with its function, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the clean room and the installation state of the transport vehicle power supply device, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view thereof, FIGS. 8 to 12 are diagrams showing the action of the transport vehicle, and FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the action of the transport vehicle power supply device. 1-transport vehicle, 4--ceiling, 6--bearing, 10--base, 12--projection, 14--guide arm, 16--electrical cord, 20--
flexible tube. Patent Attorney: Tadashi Naemura, Patent Attorney, Dunk Engineering Co., Ltd. Figure 5, 5Il, Bs, 9m...

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has a tubular guide arm with a protrusion that bends along the ceiling at the lower end of the base, which is rotatably supported vertically via a bearing attached to the ceiling, and an electrical cord that runs inside the guide arm is connected to the transport vehicle. At the same time, on the guide arm,
A conveyance vehicle power supply device comprising a flexible tube that is inserted into the electric cord extending from the tip thereof.