TW201834115A - Inspection system which can efficiently check the wear level of the wheels provided in the transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is related to an inspection system that can efficiently check the wear level of the wheels provided in the transport vehicle when targeting a transport vehicle that runs along a travel path. The inspection system checks the deterioration degree of the wheel of the transport vehicle that travels along the travel path. The inspection system includes an identification mark attached to the side of the wheel and unique to each of the wheels, a photographic device for capturing the image from the side of the travel path so as to capture the entire image of the wheel into the shooting range, and an inspecting section for checking the wear level of the wheel based on the image data of the side of the wheel and performing the individual specification of the wheel that has become the inspection target. The inspecting section performs the individual specification of the wheel by detecting an outer diameter of the wheel via the image processing of the image data, inspecting the wear level of the wheel based on the detection value, and detecting the identification mark via the image data. The photographic device is installed only in one of both sides of the travel path and has a first optical path for connecting the photographic device with the wheel at one side having the photographic device, a second optical path for connecting the photographic device with the wheel positioned at an side opposite to the side having the photographic device via a plurality of mirrors, and an optical path switching device disposed at a branch part of the first optical path and the second optical path for simultaneously obtaining the image data of each side surface of the paired wheels placed at both sides with respect to a travel direction of the transport vehicle by using the time slicing of the optical path switching device.

Description

Inspection system

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an inspection system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For example, in an article manufacturing facility that manufactures articles, in order to transfer materials or intermediate products between steps, a transport vehicle having a plurality of wheels and traveling along a predetermined travel path is used. In such a transport vehicle, it is desirable that inspection of the transport vehicle is carried out for the purpose of preventing, for example, the occurrence of an unfavorable condition, because long-term deterioration of various parts of the vehicle body cannot be avoided. At this time, from the viewpoint of inspection efficiency, it is desirable to be formed so that such inspection can be performed automatically.

For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-61933 (Patent Document 1) has disclosed an inspection system [bearing unit deterioration inspection device 1] which is an automatic system for a vehicle equipped with a transport vehicle [lift truck 2]. The degree of deterioration of the bearing portion of the wheel [the bearing portion 6 supporting the roller 5] is checked. In the inspection system of Patent Document 1, an inclined surface is provided on the left and right tracks on which the transport vehicle travels, and light is irradiated from obliquely upward to the side of the wheel [roller 5] passing through the inclined surface, and the irradiation is measured by The inclination of the optical axis of the light is used to check the degree of deterioration of the bearing portion.

However, it is not limited to the bearing part as an object to be inspected as an object whose degree of deterioration may affect the running of the transport vehicle. For example, if the wheel wear is increased, the actual travel distance becomes shorter than the estimated travel distance because the outer diameter of the wheel becomes smaller, and the control accuracy (for example, stop accuracy) of the transport vehicle may decrease. This point does not describe the necessity of inspecting the degree of wear of a wheel in Patent Document 1, and of course, there is no record of how to inspect the wheel. Prior Art Literature Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-61933

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention It is desirable to implement an inspection system capable of efficiently detecting a degree of wear of a wheel provided on a transport vehicle that is traveling along a walking path. Means to solve the problem

The inspection system of the present disclosure is an inspection system for a transport vehicle having a plurality of wheels and traveling along a predetermined travel path to inspect the degree of deterioration of the wheels, and includes: an identification mark attached to the plurality of the foregoing A unique identification mark of each of the aforementioned wheels on the side of each of the wheels; a photographing device photographs, from the side of the aforementioned traveling path, the aforementioned wheel of the transport vehicle traveling on the aforementioned traveling path to make the whole of the wheel The image is captured in the photographing range; and the inspection unit checks the degree of wear of the wheel based on the image data of the side of the wheel obtained by the imaging device, and performs individual identification of the wheel that has been the subject of inspection. .

According to this configuration, as long as the side of the wheel to which the identification mark is attached is photographed with a photographing device provided on the side of the walking path, the wheel can be individually inspected while the wheel is individually identified based on the obtained image data. Degree of wear and tear. According to this, it is possible to efficiently check the degree of wear on each wheel, and to correlate the result with the wheel. In addition, since both abrasion inspection and individual identification can be performed based on image data captured by a common imaging device, the system configuration can be simplified in such a case.

Further features and advantages of the technology of this disclosure should be made clearer by the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the drawings.

Embodiments for Implementing the Invention Embodiments of the inspection system will be described. In this embodiment, as an example, the inspection system 1 in the article conveyance equipment 2 used for manufacturing equipment (factory) etc. of various products is demonstrated, for example. The article transport facility 2 includes a transport vehicle 10 having a plurality of wheels 13 and traveling along a predetermined travel path R. The inspection system 1 inspects the degree of deterioration of the wheels 13 provided in the transport vehicle 10 as a target of the transport vehicle 10. Hereinafter, the inspection system 1 and the article transfer facility 2 of this embodiment will be described in detail.

First, the main configuration of the article transport facility 2 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the article transfer facility 2 includes a running track 6 arranged along the running path R, and a transfer vehicle 10 running along the running track 6 to transfer the article A. The manufacturing facility has a plurality of platforms (steps), and the walking path R (travel path of the transport vehicle 10) includes an in-platform path Ra provided at each of the platforms, and an inter-platform path Re connecting the plurality of in-platform paths Ra to each other. Make up. A plurality of processing devices 21 are provided along the in-station path Ra. A mounting table 22 is provided at a position adjacent to each processing device 21 and overlapping with the walking rail 6 in the vertical viewing angle (in this example, a position immediately below the walking rail 6). The processing device 21 may be, for example, a semiconductor processing device that performs processing such as a semiconductor substrate.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of walking rails 6 are provided on the left and right, and are suspended and supported from the ceiling. The transport vehicle 10 is configured to travel on the upper surface of the traveling rail 6. That is, the transport vehicle 10 according to this embodiment is configured as a track-type ceiling transport vehicle. A guide rail 8 is provided at a branch point of the walking path R (see also FIG. 4). The guide rail 8 is provided at a center position in the width direction of the pair of left and right running rails 6 and is provided above the running rails 6. The guide rail 8 diverges at a branch point and is formed into a branch shape.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport vehicle 10 includes a traveling body 11 and a transfer unit 17. The traveling body 11 includes a vehicle body 12 and a plurality of wheels 13 rotatably supported by the vehicle body 12. The vehicle body 12 is provided with a pair of front and rear. The wheels 13 are provided with a pair of left and right on each of a pair of front and rear body bodies 12. In this way, the traveling body 11 according to the present embodiment is provided with a total of four wheels 13 including a front right wheel, a front left wheel, a rear right wheel, and a rear left wheel. The wheels 13 roll on the running track 6. At least one of the plurality of wheels 13 is a driving wheel that is rotationally driven by a driving motor, and applies a propulsive force to the transport vehicle 10.

The traveling body 11 further includes a guide roller 14. The guide roller 14 includes a lower roller 14D and an upper roller 14U. The lower roller 14D is rotatably supported by the vehicle body 12 below the vehicle body 12. The lower roller 14D rolls in contact with the side surface of the traveling rail 6. The upper roller 14U is rotatably supported above the vehicle body 12 by a switching mechanism provided on the vehicle body 12. The switching mechanism is configured to freely switch the position of the upper roller 14U from left to right. The upper roller 14U rolls at any divergence point of the travel path R in contact with either side of the guide rail 8 depending on the state of the switching mechanism.

A connecting shaft 15 is connected to each of the front and rear vehicle body bodies 12, and the body cover 16 is suspended and supported on the traveling body 11 through these connecting shafts 15. A transfer unit 17 is housed inside the main body housing 16. The transfer unit 17 grips the article A and performs a transfer operation of the article A. The transfer unit 17 is configured to freely lift and lower the article A while holding the article A.

In such an article transport facility 2, the transport vehicle 10 travels along a travel path R (travel track 6), and transports articles A between different mounting tables 22. When the processing device 21 is a semiconductor processing device as described above, the article A may also be, for example, a container (a Front Opening Unified Pod, FOUP) that contains a semiconductor substrate.

The wheels 13 of the transport vehicle 10 wear out and gradually wear out over time (more specifically, as the cumulative walking distance becomes longer). If the wear of the wheel 13 is increased, the outer diameter of the wheel 13 becomes smaller, so that the actual walking distance becomes shorter than the estimated walking distance estimated based on the rotation angle of the wheel 13. As a result, the control accuracy (for example, stop accuracy) of the transport vehicle 10 is reduced. In addition, when the friction of the wheel 13 is increased to a certain degree, it becomes easier to increase the friction, and the amount of dust generated may increase.

Then, in the article transfer facility 2 of the present embodiment, an inspection system 1 is incorporated. This inspection system 1 targets the transfer vehicle 10 to check the degree of deterioration of the wheels 13 included in the transfer vehicle 10 (specifically, Is the degree of wear). The inspection system 1 is configured to be able to inspect the degree of wear of the wheels 13 in an automatic manner. The inspection system 1 includes an imaging device 32 provided near the traveling rail 6 (see FIG. 3), and an identification mark 40 attached to the side of each of the plurality of wheels 13 included in the transport vehicle 10 (see FIG. 5). The inspection unit 54 performs substantial processing of the abrasion inspection (see FIG. 6). The inspection unit 54 may be configured using a computer on which an inspection program (application) is installed.

As shown in FIG. 3, support stands 31 are provided at positions on the both sides of the walking rail 6 (walking path R) at the same height as the walking rail 6. On the supporting platforms 31 on both sides, the photographing devices 32 are respectively arranged to face the walking rail 6 side (that is, the walking rail 6 side can be photographed). The photographing device 32 photographs the wheels 13 of the transport vehicle 10 traveling along the traveling path R from the side of the traveling path R. The imaging device 32 is provided so that the entire image of the wheels 13 of the transport vehicle 10 traveling on the walking path R can be captured within the imaging range S (see FIG. 7) of the imaging device 32. As the photographing device 32, for example, a high-speed camera that performs photographing of 2000 frames or more with a number of pixels of about 1 million in one second can be used. Of course, it is not necessary to adopt such specifications, and the performance of the photographing device 32 may be appropriately set according to the required level.

The installation position of the imaging device 32 is not particularly limited, and the imaging device 32 may be installed at any position in the walking path R. However, when the walking path R is formed in a ring shape and includes a straight section and a curved section, from the viewpoint of securing the installation space, the imaging device 32 is preferably installed in the straight section. Further, from the viewpoint of efficiency when photographing the wheels 13 of each of the transport vehicles 10, it is preferable that the imaging device 32 be provided on the inter-platform path Re where the transport vehicle 10 travels more than the intra-platform path Ra.

The imaging device 32 is preferably a predetermined stop position P (see FIG. 1) of the transport vehicle 10 provided in the traveling path R. In the article transfer facility 2, there may be a case where another transport vehicle 10 is present in the platform route Ra immediately before the branch point of the platform route Ra to the divergence point of the platform route Ra. A standby position W (see FIG. 1) is set to stop the transport vehicle 10 and wait. Such a standby position W is an example exemplified as the stop position P. The imaging device 32 is preferably set at any one of the standby positions W (stop positions P) set at a plurality of positions. The installation position of the imaging device 32 may also be referred to as an “inspection position”.

The imaging device 32 is connected to the inspection unit 54 through a communication cable 33. That is, information communication between the imaging device 32 and the inspection unit 54 is performed by wired communication. The image data I (see FIG. 7) including the side surface of the wheel 13 of the transport vehicle 10 captured by the imaging device 32 is transmitted to the inspection unit 54 through wired communication through the communication cable 33. As long as the camera 32 is installed at the standby position W (stop position P) closest to the control room or server room in the factory building where the article transfer device 2 is installed, a wired LAN (Local Area Network) Is easier to build, so it's ideal.

As shown in FIG. 3, a support member 35 protruding downward is fixed to a lower surface of one side of the left and right pair of running rails 6. The support member 35 is formed in a zigzag shape (U-shaped corners) when viewed along the travel path R (travel track 6). A light sensor 36 (for example, omitted in FIG. 3, and referring to FIG. 6) composed of a combination of a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit is fixed to the support member 35. A light-emitting portion is fixed to one support leg of the chevron-shaped support member 35 and a light-receiving portion is fixed to the other support leg.

On the other hand, an opaque shielding plate 38 protruding upward is fixed to the upper surface of the body cover 16 of the transport vehicle 10. The shield plate 38 is fixed between a pair of support legs of a zigzag-shaped support member 35 that has been fixed so as to pass through the shield plate 38. When the transport vehicle 10 travels along the walking path R (traveling track 6) and the shielding plate 38 passes through the support member 35, the light from the light projecting portion is blocked by the shielding plate 38 and cannot be detected by the light receiving portion. Taking advantage of this phenomenon, the imaging device 32 performs imaging for a certain period of time in response to a change from detected to undetected in the light receiving section.

As shown in FIG. 5, the wheels 13 of the transport vehicle 10 are provided with unique identification marks 40 for each wheel 13. Information for an identification number (wheel ID) assigned to each wheel 13 is embedded in the identification mark 40. As such an identification mark 40, a two-dimensional barcode 41 (a two-dimensional barcode: for example, a QR code (registered trademark) or the like) is used in the present embodiment. Since the two-dimensional bar code 41 can be read regardless of the tilt of the rotation direction, it can be read even when the transport vehicle 10 is running (while the wheels 13 are rotating), which is preferable. In this embodiment, a two-dimensional barcode 41 as an identification mark 40 is affixed to all the wheels 13.

The position where the two-dimensional bar code 41 is attached is not particularly limited, and the two-dimensional bar code 41 can be affixed to any position on the side surface of the wheel 13. In the present embodiment, the two-dimensional barcode 41 is attached to the center position (the position of the axle) of the wheel 13. In this way, the diameter of the rotation trajectory of the two-dimensional barcode 41 can be kept small, so that the two-dimensional barcode 41 can be accurately read in a narrow reading area, which is ideal.

A control system of the inspection system 1 and the article transfer facility 2 is shown in FIG. 6. This control system includes a higher-level control unit 50, a transport control unit 52, and an inspection unit 54. The higher-level control unit 50 is an integrated control conveyance control unit 52 and an inspection unit 54. The transport control unit 52 controls the operation of the transport vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the information communication between the transportation control unit 52 and the transportation vehicle 10 is performed by wireless communication. The control commands of the transport vehicles 10 generated by the transport control unit 52 are transmitted to each transport vehicle 10 by wireless communication.

The inspection unit 54 inspects the degree of wear of the wheel 13 based on the image data I of the side surface of the wheel 13 obtained by the imaging device 32, and performs individual identification of the wheel 13 that is the inspection target. In order to realize such a function, the inspection unit 54 includes an image data acquisition unit 55, an individual identification unit 56, an image processing unit 57, and a determination unit 58. In the present embodiment, the inspection unit 54 further includes a notification unit 59 and is connected to the display device 60.

The image data acquisition unit 55 acquires image data I of the side surface of the wheel 13 obtained by the imaging device 32. The image data acquisition unit 55 receives and acquires the image data I through the communication cable 33 when the imaging device 32 photographs the side of the wheel 13 to generate the image data I. The obtained image data I should be stored in a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk. The image data I (see FIG. 7) of the side of the wheel 13 is used to check the degree of wear of the wheel 13.

The individual identification unit 56 performs individual identification of the wheel 13 that has been an inspection target based on the image data I on the side of the wheel 13. As shown in the upper right side of FIG. 7, the individual specifying unit 56 performs a reading process on a certain area including the center portion of the wheel 13 in the image data I as an object. Since the image of the two-dimensional bar code 41 as the identification mark 40 is included in the center of the wheel 13, the individual identification unit 56 reads the two-dimensional bar code 41 to obtain the information of the identification number of the wheel 13, and according to the The identification number uniquely identifies the wheel 13 to be inspected. In addition, in the inspection unit 54, information and locations of all wheels 13 of all the transport vehicles 10 included in the article transport facility 2 (the wheels of which transport vehicle 10 are located) and The identification number is associated and stored. Therefore, the individual specifying unit 56 can specify which wheel of the transport vehicle 10 is located at which position of the wheel 13 to be inspected.

The image processing unit 57 performs image processing on the image data I on the side of the wheel 13. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 7, the image processing unit 57 extracts the contour line E of the wheel 13 in the image data I included in the side surface of the wheel 13 by performing, for example, binarization processing or edge detection processing. .

The determination unit 58 determines the degree of wear of the wheel 13 to be inspected. The determination unit 58 obtains the outer diameter D of the wheel 13 to be inspected based on the extracted information of the contour line E of the wheel 13 and calculates the degree of wear of the wheel 13 to be inspected based on the estimation 値. . Information on the initial diameter of each wheel 13 is stored in the inspection unit 54. The determination unit 58 compares the estimated diameter 値 of the outer diameter D of the wheel 13 with a magnitude relationship of a reference diameter set in advance to a diameter smaller than the initial diameter, and determines that the estimated diameter 该 is equal to or smaller than the reference diameter The wear of the wheel 13 has progressed to such an extent that it cannot be ignored. In this case, the reference diameter can be set to, for example, an outer diameter of about 95% to 99% of the initial diameter.

The configuration is not limited to a configuration in which only one reference diameter is set, and a plurality of reference diameters may be set. For example, a first reference diameter set in advance to be smaller than the initial diameter and a second reference diameter set in advance to be further smaller than the first reference diameter may be set. In this case, the determination unit 58 may be configured to compare the estimated size 値 of the outer diameter D of the wheel 13 with the magnitude relationship between the first reference diameter and the second reference diameter, and estimate the 値 to be the first reference diameter. In the following, it is determined that the wear of the wheel 13 is continuing, and when it is estimated that 値 is equal to or smaller than the second reference diameter, it is determined that the wear of the wheel 13 has progressed to an extent that cannot be ignored. In this case, the first reference diameter may be set to an outer diameter of about 99% to 99.5% of the initial diameter, and the second reference diameter may be set to an outer diameter of about 95% to 99% of the initial diameter, for example.

In this way, in the inspection system 1 of the present embodiment, the inspection unit 54 performs the inspection of the degree of wear of the wheel 13 based on the image data I of the side surface of the wheel 13 obtained by the imaging device 32, and performs the inspection together. The individual of the wheel 13 that has been inspected is specific. More specifically, the inspection unit 54 detects the outer diameter of the wheel 13 by image processing of the image data I, checks the degree of wear of the wheel 13 based on the detection frame, and uses the image data I The identification mark 40 is detected during the individual identification of the wheel 13. Since the degree of wear of the wheel 13 is checked based on the image data I obtained by shooting with the imaging device 32, the degree of wear of the wheel 13 can be checked for each wheel 13 efficiently.

When the notification unit 59 determines that the estimated outer diameter D of the wheel 13 is below the reference diameter (or below the first reference diameter or below the second reference diameter), the notification unit 59 notifies the contents of the situation. For example, the notification unit 59 displays a warning message or a caution message on a display device 60 such as a monitor connected to a computer constituting the inspection unit 54 while the wheel 13 of a specific object is located. The warning message may be, for example, a message urging the wheel 13 to be replaced immediately, and the attention reminding message may be, for example, a message urging a precise inspection for the wheel 13. The notification unit 59 may also display the estimated outer diameter D of the wheel 13 or the image data I of the side surface of the wheel 13 on the display device 60 together.

In this way, it is possible to replace the wheel 13 whose wear is continuously performed at an early stage without consuming a special work time of the operator. According to this, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the control accuracy of the transport vehicle 10 is reduced due to the abrasion of the wheels 13, and it is possible to suppress the amount of dust generation to be small.

[Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the identification mark 40 is composed of only the two-dimensional bar code 41, and all the wheels 13 are affixed with the two-dimensional bar code 41 as the identification mark 40. The configuration is described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the identification mark 40 may be configured by a combination of the first identification mark 40A and the second identification mark 40B for each transport vehicle 10 as shown in FIG. 8. The first identification mark 40A is a unique mark of each transport vehicle 10, and information of an identification number (transport vehicle ID) assigned to each transport vehicle 10 is embedded in the first identification mark 40A. The first identification mark 40A may be, for example, a two-dimensional barcode 44. The second identification mark 40B is a mark that shows the installation position of each wheel 13 in the transport vehicle 10 and has a different shape for each installation position. The second identification mark 40B may be, for example, a geometric mark 45, and in the example shown in the figure, it is a concentric circle mark of 1 to 4 tracks. The second identification marks 40B are respectively attached to the center positions of the side surfaces of all the wheels 13 in accordance with the installation positions of the wheels 13. The first identification mark 40A is a side surface of one wheel 13 affixed to each of the transport vehicles 10 among all the wheels 13 included in the transport vehicle 10. In such a configuration, among the two sides of the walking path R, the imaging device 32 provided on the side of the wheel 13 with only the second identification mark 40B attached thereto does not need to read the two-dimensional bar code 44 as long as it can identify each other. Mark 45 for different geometries. Therefore, there is an advantage that a low-speed camera with a lower specification can be used as the photographing device 32 and the cost of the entire system can be reduced.

(2) In the embodiment described above, the configuration in which the imaging device 32 is provided on both sides of the travel path R (travel track 6) has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to such a configuration, and as shown in FIG. 9, for example, the optical system 70 may be used, and the imaging device 32 may be provided only on one side of both sides of the walking path R. This optical system 70 is provided with two optical paths (a first optical path 71 and a second optical path 72) as optical paths connecting the imaging device 32 and the wheel 13. The first optical path 71 is a linear connection between the imaging device 32 and the wheel 13 on the side where the imaging device 32 is provided. The second optical path 72 is a plurality of (in this example, three) mirrors 74 that connect the photographing device 32 in a zigzag manner, and the wheels 13 opposite to the side on which the photographing device 32 is provided. The first optical path 71 and the second optical path 72 share a part of the side of the imaging device 32, and the branching section B is divided into two optical paths. Further, an optical path switching device 76 is provided on a branch portion B of the first optical path 71 and the second optical path 72. The optical path switching device 76 may be configured by, for example, a liquid crystal shutter. In such a configuration, it is possible to switch the penetration / non-penetration of light accompanying the opening / closing (On / Off) of the liquid crystal shutter at a certain period, and use a single photographing device 32 for the pair of wheels 13 The image data I of each side is time-divided and obtained at the same time. In such a configuration, as shown in, for example, FIG. 10, the positions where the identification marks 40 are attached may be different between the left and right pair of wheels 13. In this way, since the reading area of the individual specific portion 56 can be clearly distinguished between the pair of wheels 13 on the left and right, it is possible to reduce the number of installations of the imaging device 32 and to suppress the reduction in individual specific accuracy due to this situation Condition.

(3) In the embodiment described above, the configuration using the two-dimensional barcode 41 as the identification mark 40 has been described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the identification mark 40 may be, for example, a one-dimensional bar code or a simple character string (for example, the identification number of each wheel 13 itself).

(4) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the configuration in which the installation position of the imaging device 32 is set to the stop position P of the transport vehicle 10 in the walking path R, and the stop position P is further set to the standby position W is taken as an example. It has been described that the standby position W is set in front of the divergence point of the route Ra within the platform in the inter-station route Re. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the imaging device 32 may be provided at, for example, a maintenance position for performing other inspections on the transport vehicle 10, a correction position for correcting individual differences of each transport vehicle 10, or The charging position and the like when the transport vehicle 10 is equipped with a battery. Moreover, the imaging device 32 is not limited to the inter-platform path Re, and the imaging device 32 may be installed at the stop position P set in the intra-platform path Ra. As the stop position P of the path Ra within the platform, for example, the position of the mounting table 22 where the delivery of the article A can be performed in the stopped state of the transport vehicle 10 may be exemplified. Alternatively, the imaging device 32 is not limited to the stop position P of the transport vehicle 10, and the imaging device 32 may be set in a curved section. For example, if a slow-moving section is previously set, the imaging device 32 may be set in the slow-moving section.

(5) In the above-mentioned embodiment, for example, the higher-level control unit 50 may be configured to manage the parts of the wheel 13 based on the result of the wear check. More specifically, for example, when the estimation of the outer diameter D of a certain wheel 13 is determined to be less than the reference diameter, the higher-level control unit 50 may automatically guide and order the same model as the wheel 13 Arrangements for replacement of wheels, etc. Alternatively, for example, the higher-level control unit 50 may be configured to manage the utilization rate of each of the transport vehicles 10 based on the results of the wear check. More specifically, for example, when the estimation of the outer diameter D of a certain wheel 13 is determined to be less than the reference diameter, the higher-level control unit 50 may allow the wheel 13 to have the wheel 13 before completing the replacement of parts. The utilization rate of the transport vehicle 10 is reduced.

(6) In the embodiment described above, the configuration in which the information communication between the imaging device 32 and the inspection unit 54 is performed by wired communication has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to such a configuration, and information communication between the imaging device 32 and the inspection unit 54 may be performed by wireless communication.

(7) In the above embodiment, the description has been made by taking the configuration in which the inspection vehicle 10 is a track-type ceiling transportation vehicle as an example. However, it is not limited to such a structure, For example, a track-type ground-handling vehicle may be used as the inspection target of the inspection system 1. In addition, as long as it can travel along a predetermined walking path, for example, a trackless ground transport vehicle may be an inspection target of the inspection system 1.

(8) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the article A is a container (FOUP) for storing a semiconductor substrate has been described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the article A may be, for example, a small reticle transfer box (Reticle Pod) that stores a reticle, or a container that stores food, medicine, or the like.

(9) As long as there is no contradiction, the structure disclosed in each of the above-mentioned embodiments (including the above-mentioned embodiments and other embodiments, the same below) is applicable in combination with the structures disclosed in other embodiments. Regarding the other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in every respect, and appropriate changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[Summary of the Embodiment] As can be seen from the above, it is preferable that the inspection system of the present disclosure has the following configurations.

An inspection system is an inspection system for inspecting a degree of deterioration of a wheel of a transport vehicle having a plurality of wheels and traveling along a predetermined travel path, and includes: an identification mark attached to the plurality of wheels A unique identification mark of each of the aforementioned wheels on each side of the camera; a photographing device photographs the aforementioned wheels of the transport vehicle traveling on the aforementioned traveling path from the side of the aforementioned traveling path to photograph the entire image of the wheel Within the shooting range; and the inspection unit checks the degree of wear of the wheel based on the image data of the side of the wheel obtained by the imaging device, and performs individual identification of the wheel that has been the subject of inspection.

According to this configuration, as long as the side of the wheel to which the identification mark is attached is photographed with a photographing device provided on the side of the walking path, the wheel can be individually inspected while the wheel is individually identified based on the obtained image data. Degree of wear and tear. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently check the degree of wear on each wheel, and to correlate the result with the wheel. In addition, since both abrasion inspection and individual identification can be performed based on image data captured by a common imaging device, the system configuration can be simplified in such a case.

Preferably, as one aspect, the inspection unit detects the outer diameter of the wheel by image processing of the image data, and inspects the degree of wear of the wheel based on the detection frame, and Individual identification of the wheel is performed by detecting the identification mark from the image data.

According to this configuration, the image processing technology of the image data or the reading technology of the specific mark in the image data can be used to identify the wheel individually, and the degree of wear of the wheel can be well checked.

Preferably, as one aspect, the aforementioned identification mark includes a two-dimensional barcode.

According to this configuration, by using a two-dimensional barcode that can be read regardless of the tilt in the image data, the individual identification of the wheels can be appropriately performed even when the transport vehicle is running (the wheels are rotating).

Preferably, as an aspect, the photographing device is provided at a predetermined stop position of the transport vehicle in the walking path.

According to this configuration, the specific mark in the image data can be read well in a state where the transport vehicle is stopped at the stop position and the wheels are also stopped. Accordingly, a relatively low-cost camera can be used, or the individual-specific accuracy of the wheel can be improved.

Preferably, as one aspect, it further includes a transport control unit that controls the operation of the transport vehicle, and performs wireless communication between the transport control unit and the transport vehicle through wireless communication, and performs the aforementioned communication by wired communication. Information communication between the photographing device and the inspection section.

According to this configuration, it is possible to appropriately transmit a command from the transport control unit to the transport vehicle that is freely traveling along the travel path regardless of its position by wireless communication. Regarding the photographing device, since the installation position is basically fixed at a specific position, data transmission to the inspection section by image data obtained by photographing can be performed without any problem even by wired communication. Furthermore, by actually using wired communication, when the frequency band such as wireless communication is limited, the frequency band can be vacated in advance for other devices with high necessity for wireless communication.

Preferably, as one aspect, the identification mark is a combination of a first identification mark peculiar to each of the transportation vehicles and a second identification mark showing a setting position of each of the wheels in the transportation vehicles. It is structured, and the second identification marks are attached to the sides of all the wheels separately according to the installation positions of the wheels, and the first identification marks are added to each of the transportation vehicles. A side of the aforementioned wheel among all the aforementioned wheels.

According to this configuration, it is possible to read the first identification mark peculiar to each of the transport vehicles, and to read the second identification mark showing the setting position of each wheel in each transport vehicle, and to combine the obtained ones Information, so that the individual identification of the wheel is appropriately performed. In addition, it becomes possible to provide, for example, a first photographing device capable of reading a first identification mark and a second photographing device capable of reading a second identification mark in two parts and provided on both sides of a walking path. In this case, by using a photographing device having a lower performance than the first photographing device as the second photographing device, compared with the configuration in which high-performance photographing devices are provided on both sides of the walking path It can reduce the cost of the entire system.

Preferably, as one aspect, the photographing device is provided only on one of the two sides of the walking path, and includes: a first optical path connecting the photographing device and the wheel on the side where the photographing device is provided A second optical path that connects the photographing device and the wheels opposite to the side on which the photographing device is installed through a plurality of mirrors; and an optical path switching device that is provided at a branch between the first optical path and the second optical path By using the time division of the optical path switching device, image data of a side of each of the wheels on one of the two sides with respect to the traveling direction of the transport vehicle are obtained at the same time.

According to this configuration, it is possible to use an optical system constructed using a plurality of mirrors and light path switching devices, and use a common imaging device provided on one side of one of the walking paths to pair one pair on both sides with respect to the traveling direction. The side of each of the wheels is photographed. As a result, the cost of the entire system can be reduced compared to a configuration in which two imaging devices are divided into two parts and provided on both sides of the walking path.

The inspection system of the present disclosure need only be capable of achieving at least one of the aforementioned effects.

1‧‧‧ Inspection System

2‧‧‧ Goods handling equipment

6‧‧‧ walking track

8‧‧‧ guide track

10‧‧‧ Transport Vehicle

11‧‧‧ walking body

12‧‧‧ body

13‧‧‧ Wheel

14‧‧‧Guide Wheel

14D‧‧‧Lower roller

14U‧‧‧Upper roller

15‧‧‧ connecting shaft

16‧‧‧body cover

17‧‧‧ Transfer Unit

21‧‧‧Processing device

22‧‧‧mounting table

31‧‧‧Support

32‧‧‧Photographic installation

33‧‧‧communication cable

35‧‧‧ support member

36‧‧‧light sensor

38‧‧‧shield

40‧‧‧Identification mark

41, 44‧‧‧ 2D barcode

40A‧‧‧First identification mark

40B‧‧‧Second identification mark

45‧‧‧Geometric Marks

50‧‧‧ Higher Control Department

52‧‧‧Transportation Control Department

54‧‧‧ Inspection Department

55‧‧‧Image data acquisition department

56‧‧‧ Individual Specific Department

57‧‧‧Image Processing Department

58‧‧‧Judging Department

59‧‧‧Notification Department

60‧‧‧Display device

70‧‧‧ optical system

71‧‧‧First light path

72‧‧‧Second Light Path

74‧‧‧Mirror

76‧‧‧Optical path switching device

A‧‧‧ Items

B‧‧‧ Division

D‧‧‧ outer diameter

E‧‧‧Contour

P‧‧‧Stop position

R‧‧‧ walking path

Ra‧‧‧Inside the platform

Re‧‧‧ Inter-platform path

S‧‧‧ Photography range

I‧‧‧Image Information

W‧‧‧Standby position

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conveyance path of an article conveyance device incorporating an inspection system. Fig. 2 is a side view of the ceiling transport vehicle. Fig. 3 is a front view of a ceiling transport vehicle at an inspection position. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state of a ceiling transport vehicle at a branch point of a transport path. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a side surface of each wheel of the ceiling transport vehicle. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the control system. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the principle of abrasion inspection of a wheel. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a side surface of each wheel of a ceiling transport vehicle in another aspect. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of another aspect of the inspection system. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a side surface of each wheel of a ceiling transport vehicle in another aspect.

Claims (7)

An inspection system is an inspection system for a transport vehicle having a plurality of wheels and traveling along a predetermined travel path to inspect the degree of deterioration of the wheels, and includes the following: an identification mark is attached to the plurality of wheels An identification mark unique to each of the aforementioned wheels on the side of each of them; and a photographing device for photographing, from the side of the aforementioned traveling path, the aforementioned wheel of the transport vehicle traveling on the aforementioned traveling path, so that the whole of the wheel When the image is taken into the photographing range, the inspection system has the following characteristics: It includes an inspection unit that inspects the degree of wear of the wheel based on image data of the side of the wheel obtained by the imaging device, and And the individual identification of the said wheel which is an inspection target is performed. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the inspection unit detects the outer diameter of the wheel by image processing of the image data, and inspects the degree of wear of the wheel based on the detection frame, and The identification mark is detected from the image data to perform individual identification of the wheel. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the identification mark includes a two-dimensional bar code. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is provided at a predetermined stop position of the transport vehicle in the walking path. For example, the inspection system of claim 1 further includes a transport control unit that controls the operation of the transport vehicle, and performs wireless communication between the transport control unit and the transport vehicle through wireless communication, and performs the aforementioned photography by wired communication. The device communicates with the aforementioned inspection department. The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the identification mark is a combination of a first identification mark peculiar to each of the transportation vehicles and a second identification mark showing a setting position of each of the wheels in the transportation vehicle. It is structured, and the second identification marks are attached to the sides of all the wheels separately according to the installation positions of the wheels, and the first identification marks are added to each of the transportation vehicles. A side of the aforementioned wheel among all the aforementioned wheels. The inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the photographing device is provided only on one side of the two sides of the walking path, and includes: a first optical path that connects the photographing device and is provided with the photographing device The aforementioned wheel on the side of the device; a second optical path connecting the photographing device through a plurality of mirrors and the aforementioned wheel on the side opposite to the side on which the photographing device is provided; and an optical path switching device provided on the first optical path and the aforementioned The branching portion of the second optical path obtains image data of the side of each of the wheels located on one of the two sides with respect to the traveling direction of the transport vehicle at the same time by time division using the optical path switching device.