CN107804639B

CN107804639B - Article conveying apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN107804639B
Application number: CN201710806809.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 衣川知孝
Original assignee: Daifuku Co Ltd
Current assignee: Daifuku Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-09-09
Filing date: 2017-09-08
Publication date: 2021-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 2037-09-08
Also published as: TWI711568B; JP6620707B2; TW201811639A; KR20180028975A; JP2018041410A; KR102332340B1; CN107804639A

Abstract

An article conveying apparatus. The 1 st route (31) has a 1 st section (31 a) and a 1 st intersection section (31 b), the 1 st section (31 a) being a section from the interior of the branching section (E2) to the interior of the intersection section (E1) and being a section where the 1 st track (2 a) does not exist, the 1 st intersection section (31 b) being a section where the 2 nd track (2 b) does not exist in the intersection section (E1) in the 1 st section (31 a); the 2 nd route (32) has a 2 nd section (32 a) and a 2 nd intersection section (32 b), the 2 nd section (32 a) being a section from the inside of the intersection (E1) to the inside of the confluence (E3) and being a section where the 1 st track (2 a) does not exist, the 2 nd intersection section (32 b) being a section where the 2 nd track (2 b) does not exist in the intersection (E1) in the 2 nd section (32 a); all the sections of the 3 rd path (33) are sections where the 2 nd track (2 b) of the pair of left and right tracks (2) is not provided.

Description

Article conveying apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an article transport facility including a pair of left and right rails provided along a travel path, an article transport vehicle traveling along the travel path on the pair of left and right rails, and a restricting body provided in a state in which a position relative to the pair of left and right rails is fixed and restricting inclination of the article transport vehicle by contact with the article transport vehicle, the pair of left and right rails being disposed in parallel with each other at a fixed interval in a path width direction orthogonal to the travel path when viewed in a vertical direction, the article transport vehicle including a pair of left and right travel wheels that rotate on a travel surface of the pair of left and right rails.

Background

A conventional example of a related article transport facility is described in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2010-228673 (patent document 1). In the article transport facility of patent document 1, the straight 1 st path and the straight 2 nd path are orthogonal at an intersection. Then, the 3 rd path is branched from the branch portion of the 1 st path located upstream of the intersection portion, and the 3 rd path merges into the merging portion of the 2 nd path located downstream of the intersection portion. The intersection portion has a section where neither of the pair of right and left rails is present in each of the 1 st path and the 2 nd path so that the article transport vehicle can pass through the intersection portion. Further, the branch portion has a section where one of the pair of right and left rails does not exist in each of the 1 st path and the 3 rd path so that the article transport vehicle can pass through the branch portion; the merging portion has a section where one of the pair of right and left rails does not exist in each of the 2 nd path and the 3 rd path so that the article transport vehicle can pass through the merging portion. On the other hand, the section between the branching portion and the intersection portion in the 1 st route, the section between the intersection portion and the merging portion in the 2 nd route, and the section between the branching portion and the merging portion in the 3 rd route have both of the pair of right and left rails.

In the article transport facility, when the branching portion and the merging portion are set at positions away from the intersection portion, a large installation space is required for installing the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion. That is, for example, in the article transport facility described in patent document 1, since the intersection K, the branch portion B, and the merge portion G are provided separately, there are problems that a space for installing the article transport facility becomes large and that the sub path cannot be set long when the installation space is limited.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, an article transport facility is desired that can set the branching portion and the merging portion at positions closer to the intersection portion.

The article transport facility is characterized by comprising: a pair of left and right rails provided along a travel path; an article transport vehicle that travels along the travel path on the pair of left and right rails; a restricting body which is provided in a state where a position thereof with respect to the pair of left and right rails is fixed, and which restricts inclination of the article transport vehicle by coming into contact with the article transport vehicle; the pair of left and right rails are arranged in parallel with each other at a fixed interval in a path width direction orthogonal to the travel path as viewed in a vertical direction; the article transport vehicle includes a pair of left and right travel wheels that rotate on travel surfaces of the pair of left and right rails; the travel routes include a 1 st route, a 2 nd route, and a 3 rd route; the 2 nd path intersects the 1 st path at an intersection; the 3 rd path branches from a branch portion located upstream of the intersection portion in the 1 st path to one side in the path width direction, and merges from one side in the path width direction with a merge portion located downstream of the intersection portion in the 2 nd path; of the pair of left and right rails, a rail located on one side in the path width direction is defined as a 1 st rail, and the other rail is defined as a 2 nd rail; the 1 st route has a 1 st section and a 1 st intersection section, the 1 st section being a section from inside the branch portion to inside the intersection portion and being a section where the 1 st track does not exist, the 1 st intersection section being a section where the 2 nd track does not exist in the intersection portion among the 1 st section; the 2 nd route has a 2 nd section and a 2 nd intersection section, the 2 nd section being a section from the inside of the intersection to the inside of the confluence section and being a section where the 1 st track does not exist, the 2 nd intersection section being a section where the 2 nd track does not exist in the intersection in the 2 nd section; the 3 rd path has a total section in which the 2 nd track does not exist in the pair of left and right tracks.

According to this feature, both the pair of right and left rails do not exist in the 2 nd intersection section of the 2 nd route. Therefore, the article transport vehicle traveling along the 1 st path can pass through the intersection portion by crossing the 2 nd intersection section of the 2 nd path.

In addition, in the 1 st intersection section of the 1 st route, there are no both of the pair of left and right tracks. Therefore, the article transport vehicle traveling along the 2 nd route can pass through the intersection portion by crossing the 1 st intersection section of the 1 st route.

In addition, the 1 st track is not present in the 1 st section and the section in the branch portion in the 1 st route. Therefore, the article transport vehicle traveling along the 1 st path can pass through the branching portion by moving from the 1 st path to the 3 rd path. In addition, the 1 st track is not present in the section within the 2 nd section and within the joining portion in the 2 nd route. Therefore, the article transport vehicle traveling along the 3 rd path can pass through the merging portion by riding over from the 3 rd path to the 2 nd path.

In a section (1 st section) from the inside of the branching portion to the inside of the intersecting portion of the 1 st path and a section (2 nd section) from the inside of the intersecting portion to the inside of the joining portion of the 2 nd path, the 1 st track of the pair of left and right tracks does not exist. In addition, the 2 nd track does not exist in all the sections of the 3 rd path. Therefore, even if the branching portion and the merging portion are set near the intersection portion, the rails provided along the 1 st path, the 2 nd path, and the 3 rd path do not interfere with the article transport vehicle passing through the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion. In this way, the article transport vehicle can pass through the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion, and the branching portion and the merging portion can be set at positions closer to the intersection portion.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an article transport apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the article transport vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the article transport vehicle.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cross-transfer area.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the cross transfer area between the track and the auxiliary track located at the 1 st travel position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the cross transfer area of the track and the auxiliary track located at the 2 nd travel position.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the cross transfer area of the track and the virtual track.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cross transfer area showing a state in which the article transport vehicle travels along the 1 st path.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the cross transfer area showing a state in which the article transport vehicle travels along the 2 nd route.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the cross transfer area showing a state in which the article transport vehicle travels along the 3 rd path.

Fig. 11 is a control block diagram.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an article transport facility will be described based on the drawings.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the article transport facility includes a pair of left and right rails 2 (see fig. 2 and 3) provided along a travel path 1 (see fig. 1), and an article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the travel path 1 on the pair of left and right rails 2.

The travel route 1 includes a main route 4 and a plurality of sub-routes 5 passing through a plurality of stations P. The main path 4 is formed in a ring shape. The sub-path 5 is formed in a ring shape while passing through the plurality of stations P. In the present embodiment, the article transport vehicle 3 travels in one direction on the travel path 1. In fig. 1, the traveling direction of the article transport vehicle 3 is indicated by an arrow.

The travel route 1 includes a short-circuit route 8 and a transfer route 7.

The short-circuited path 8 is connected to 2 sub paths 5 formed to sandwich the main path 4. The short-circuit path 8 is a path that runs along the 2 sub-paths 5 without traveling on the main path 4. The transfer path 7 is connected to the main path 4 and the short-circuit path 8. The transfer path 7 is a path for transferring from the main path 4 to the sub path 5 or transferring from the sub path 5 to the main path 4.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the pair of left and right rails 2 are arranged in parallel with each other at a fixed interval in a path width direction Y orthogonal to the travel path 1 when viewed in the vertical direction X. Further, among the pair of left and right rails 2, the rail 2 existing on one side (right side) in the path width direction Y is referred to as a 1 st rail 2a, and the remaining rail 2 existing on the other side (left side) in the path width direction Y is referred to as a 2 nd rail 2 b. The travel path 1 is a virtual path set at the center in the path width direction Y with respect to the pair of left and right rails 2. One direction of the path width direction Y is referred to as a 1 st direction Y1, and the other direction of the path width direction Y is referred to as a 2 nd direction Y2. The left-right direction is determined in a state where the downstream side is viewed from the upstream side of the travel path 1.

[ article transport vehicle ]

Next, the article transport vehicle 3 will be explained.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the article transport vehicle 3 includes: a traveling unit 11 that travels on the pair of left and right rails 2 along the rails 2; a main body 12 positioned below the pair of left and right rails 2 and holding an article W; and a pair of front and rear coupling portions 13 positioned between the pair of left and right rails 2 and coupling the traveling portion 11 and the main body portion 12. The main body 12 is provided with a support portion 14 for supporting the article W in a suspended state.

The traveling unit 11 is composed of a front traveling unit 11F and a rear traveling unit 11R arranged in the traveling direction. The front traveling section 11F and the rear traveling section 11R are connected to the connecting section 13 so as to rotate integrally with the connecting section 13 about a vertical axis along the vertical direction X. The pair of front and rear connecting portions 13 are connected to the main body 12 so as to be rotatable about vertical axes extending in the vertical direction X. The pair of front and rear connecting portions 13 is located between the pair of left and right rails 2.

The front traveling unit 11F is provided with a pair of left and right traveling wheels 17 (hereinafter, referred to as a pair of left and right front wheels 17a in some cases) that are rotationally driven by the 1 st motor 16. The pair of left and right running wheels 17 are provided on the front running section 11F so as to run on a running surface formed by the upper surfaces of the pair of left and right rails 2, respectively. The front traveling section 11F is provided with a pair of left and right guide wheels 18 that are rotatable about a vertical axis along the vertical direction X. The pair of left and right guide wheels 18 are provided on the front traveling section 11F so as to be positioned between the pair of left and right rails 2 and to rotate on the inner side surfaces of the pair of left and right rails 2. A pair of 2 sets of right and left guide wheels 18 are provided on the front traveling unit 11F in a state of being aligned in the traveling direction.

The rear traveling unit 11R is provided with a 1

st motor

16, 1 set of a pair of left and right traveling wheels 17 (hereinafter, referred to as a pair of left and right rear wheels 17 b) and 2 sets of a pair of left and right guide wheels 18, similarly to the front traveling unit 11F.

In this way, the article transport vehicle 3 includes a pair of left and right running wheels 17 that rotate on the running surfaces of the pair of left and right rails 2.

The main body 12 includes a power receiving portion 20 on an upper surface thereof, and the power receiving portion 20 receives driving power from a power supply line 19 provided along each of the pair of left and right rails 2 in a non-contact manner. The power receiving unit 20 is provided between the pair of front and rear connecting portions 13 in the traveling direction and between the pair of left and right rails 2.

The power receiving unit 20 is supported slidably in the vehicle transverse width direction, and the front traveling unit 11F and the power receiving unit 20 are interlocked and coupled by the interlocking mechanism 21 such that the power receiving unit 20 slides in the vehicle transverse width direction in synchronization with the rotation of the front traveling unit 11F about the vertical axis.

The article transport vehicle 3 travels along the travel path 1 by the travel wheels 17 of the front travel unit 11F and the travel wheels 17 of the rear travel unit 11R being rotationally driven by the 1 st motor 16 while the guide wheels 18 of the front travel unit 11F and the guide wheels 18 of the rear travel unit 11R are guided by the pair of rails 2. Further, the front traveling unit 11F and the rear traveling unit 11R swing about the axis along the vertical direction X with respect to the main body 12, so that the article transport vehicle 3 can travel along the travel path 1 even if the travel path 1 is arc-shaped.

As shown in fig. 2, the front traveling section 11F is provided with a pair of front and rear auxiliary guide wheels 22 that rotate about an axial center along the vehicle vertical width direction, and a 2 nd motor 23 that is a driving section that moves the pair of front and rear auxiliary guide wheels 22 integrally in the vehicle lateral width direction. A pair of front and rear guide auxiliary wheels 22 and a 2 nd motor 23 are provided on the front traveling section 11F so as to be positioned above the traveling wheels 17.

The rear traveling section 11R includes a pair of front and rear guide auxiliary wheels 22 and a 2 nd motor 23, as in the case of the front traveling section 11F.

As shown in fig. 3, a regulation rail 24 for guiding the auxiliary guide wheels 22 is provided at a position where 2 routes of the travel route 1 are connected or intersect. The regulation rail 24 is provided above the rails 2 and above the running wheels 17 that run on the rails 2, and is positioned at the center of the pair of right and left rails 2 as viewed in the vertical direction X. In this way, the regulation rail 24 is provided along the travel path 1 in a state in which the position thereof with respect to the pair of right and left rails 2 is fixed.

The front traveling unit 11F is configured to move the positions of the front and rear pair of guide auxiliary wheels 22 to the left guide position (position indicated by a solid line in fig. 3) and the right guide position (position indicated by a phantom line in fig. 3) by driving of the 2 nd motor 23. The left guide position is a position where the front and rear pair of guide auxiliary wheels 22 are positioned on the left side of the center of the front traveling unit 11F in the vehicle transverse width direction and abut against the restricting rail 24 from the left side. The right guide position is a position where the front and rear pair of guide auxiliary wheels 22 are positioned on the right side of the center of the front traveling unit 11F in the vehicle transverse width direction and abut against the regulation rail 24 from the right side.

The regulating rail 24 corresponds to a regulating body that regulates the inclination of the article transport vehicle 3 in the path width direction Y by contacting the auxiliary guide wheels 22 of the article transport vehicle 3 along the path width direction Y. The guide auxiliary wheel 22 corresponds to a restricted portion.

As shown in fig. 1 and 4, a crossover transfer area E in which the short-circuited path 8 crosses the main path 4 and the transfer paths 7 branch and merge will be described.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the travel route 1 in the cross transfer area E includes a 1 st route 31 (a part of the main route 4), a 2 nd route 32 (a part of the short-circuit route 8), and a 3 rd route 33 (a part of the transfer route 7). The 2 nd path 32 intersects the 1 st path 31 at an intersection E1. The 3 rd path 33 branches off from the branch portion E2 located upstream of the intersection E1 in the 1 st path 31 to one side in the path width direction Y (the right side as viewed in the traveling direction of the article transport vehicle 3), and merges from one side in the path width direction Y with the merge portion E3 located downstream of the intersection E1 in the 2 nd path 32.

The 1 st segment 31a of the 1 st route 31 and the 2 nd segment 32a of the 2 nd route 32 are respectively set to be linear when viewed in the vertical direction X. In the present embodiment, the 1 st path 31 and the 2 nd path 32 are set so as to be linear as a whole. In other words, the 1 st path 31 is a part of the linear portion of the main path 4, and the 2 nd path 32 is a part of the linear portion of the short path 8. The 1 st path 31 and the 2 nd path 32 are orthogonal to each other at an intersection E1. The 3 rd path 33 is set to be entirely arc-shaped when viewed in the vertical direction X.

Incidentally, the length of the 1 st section 31a and the 2 nd section 32a is 5 times or less the distance between the pair of left and right running wheels, and in the present embodiment, the length of the 1 st section 31a and the 2 nd section 32a is 2.5 times or less the distance between the pair of left and right running wheels 17. The radius of curvature of the 3 rd path 33 is 5 times or less the distance between the pair of left and right running

wheels

17 and 2 times or less the distance between the pair of left and right running wheels 17.

The intersection E1 is a region having a predetermined range in the direction along the 1 st route 31 and the direction along the 2 nd route 32, with the intersection position P1 at which the 1 st route 31 and the 2 nd route 32 intersect being the center. The branch portion E2 is an area having a predetermined range in the direction along the 1 st route 31 and the direction along the 3 rd route 33, with the branch position P2 branching from the 1 st route 31 to the 3 rd route 33 being the center. The merging portion E3 is a region having a predetermined range in the direction along the 2 nd path 32 and the direction along the 3 rd path 33, with the merging position P3 at which the 3 rd path 33 and the 2 nd path 32 merge being the center.

[ Rail ]

Next, the track 2 in the cross-transfer area E will be explained.

The 1 st path 31 has a 1 st intersection section 31b where both the pair of right and left rails 2 are not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 traveling on the 2 nd path 32 can pass through the intersection E1. The 1 st path 31 has a branch section 31c where one of the pair of left and right rails 2 is not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 can travel from the 1 st path 31 to the 3 rd path 33.

The 1 st intersection section 31b and the branch section 31c of the 1 st route 31 are set continuously.

The 1 st intersection section 31b is a section located between the pair of right and left rails 2 provided along the 2 nd route 32. The 1 st cross section 31b is not provided with both of the pair of left and right rails 2. The branch section 31c is a section from the branch position P2 of the branch portion E2 to the upstream end of the 1 st cross section 31 b. The branch section 31c is provided with only the 2 nd track 2b and no 1 st track 2a of the pair of left and right tracks 2.

In other words, when the 1 st section 31a (the section from the branching position P2 of the branching portion E2 to the downstream end of the 1 st intersecting section 31 b) is defined as the section in which the 1 st intersecting section 31b and the branching section 31c are added together, the 1 st route 31 includes: a 1 st section 31a, which is a section from the inside of the branch portion E2 to the inside of the intersection portion E1, and which is a section where the 1 st track 2a does not exist; the 1 st cross section 31b is a section in which the 2 nd track 2b does not exist in the cross section E1 in the 1 st section 31 a.

The 2 nd path 32 has a 2 nd intersection section 32b where both the pair of right and left rails 2 are not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 traveling on the 1 st path 31 can pass through the intersection E1. The 2 nd path 32 has a merge section 32c where one of the pair of left and right rails 2 is not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 can travel from the 3 rd path 33 to the 2 nd path 32.

The 2 nd intersection section 32b and the merge section 32c of the 2 nd route 32 are set continuously.

The 2 nd intersection section 32b is a section located between the pair of left and right rails 2 provided along the 1 st path 31. The 2 nd intersection section 32b is not provided with both of the pair of right and left rails 2. The merging section 32c is a section from the downstream end of the 2 nd intersecting section 32b to the merging position P3 of the branch portion E2. The merge section 32c is provided with only the 2 nd track 2b and no 1 st track 2a of the pair of left and right tracks 2. In other words, when the section in which the 2 nd intersecting section 32b and the joining section 32c are added together is the 2 nd section 32a (the section from the downstream end of the 2 nd intersecting section 32b to the joining position P3 of the joining portion E3), the 2 nd route 32 includes: a 2 nd section 32a which is a section from the inside of the intersection E1 to the inside of the confluence E3 and in which the 1 st track 2a does not exist; the 2 nd crossing section 32b is a section in the 2 nd section 32a in which the 2 nd track 2b does not exist even in the crossing portion E1.

The entire section of the 3 rd path 33 is a section in which one of the pair of right and left rails 2 is not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 can linearly travel at the branching portion E2 of the 1 st path 31 and the joining portion E3 of the 2 nd path 32.

To explain this, as shown in fig. 7, it is assumed that a virtual 1 st track 2a 'as a virtual 1 st track 2a is provided in the 1 st section 31a of the 1 st route 31 and the 2 nd section 32a of the 2 nd route 32, and a virtual 2 nd track 2 b' as a virtual 2 nd track 2b is provided in the entire section of the 3 rd route 33. In this case, in the present embodiment, the 3 rd path 33 is set such that the virtual 2 nd track 2b ' along the 3 rd path 33 is positioned radially outward of the 3 rd path 33 with respect to the intersection point C where the virtual 1 st track 2a ' of the 1 st segment 31a and the virtual 1 st track 2a ' of the 2 nd segment 32a intersect. Therefore, in all the sections of the 3 rd path 33, the 2 nd rail 2b of the pair of left and right rails 2 is positioned between the pair of left and right rails 2 provided along the 1 st path 31 and the 2 nd path 32, and therefore, one of the pair of left and right rails 2 is not provided in all the sections of the 3 rd path 33.

As shown in fig. 4 to 6, an auxiliary rail 37 that moves by the operation of the 3 rd motor 36 (see fig. 11) is provided at the intersection E1. The auxiliary rail 37 is provided to be movable between a 1 st travel position (see fig. 5) and a 2 nd travel position (see fig. 6) by moving around an axial center along the vertical direction X. That is, the 3 rd motor 36 is configured to move between the 1 st travel position and the 2 nd travel position by swinging the auxiliary track 37 about the axial center along the vertical direction X.

As shown in fig. 5 and 8, the 1 st travel position of the auxiliary track 37 is located in the 1 st intersection zone 31b in a posture along the 1 st route 31. The 1 st travel position is a position where the auxiliary rail 37 is connected to the 2 nd rail 2b provided along the 1 st route 31, and is a position where the auxiliary rail 37 is avoided from the 2 nd intersection section 32b in the 2 nd route 32.

As shown in fig. 8, by positioning the auxiliary rail 37 at the 1 st travel position in advance, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 1 st path 31 passes through the intersection E1, one of the pair of left and right travel wheels 17 of the article transport vehicle 3 can be supported by the auxiliary rail 37. Therefore, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 1 st path 31 passes through the intersection E1, it is possible to avoid a state in which both the pair of left and right travel wheels 17 of the article transport vehicle 3 are not supported by the rails 2.

As shown in fig. 6 and 9, the 2 nd travel position of the auxiliary track 37 is located in the 2 nd intersection zone 32b in a posture along the 2 nd route 32. The 2 nd travel position is a position where the auxiliary rail 37 is connected to the 2 nd rail 2b provided along the 2 nd route 32, and is a position where the auxiliary rail 37 is avoided from the 1 st intersection section 31b in the 1 st route 31.

As shown in fig. 9, by positioning the auxiliary rail 37 at the 2 nd travel position in advance, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 2 nd route 32 passes through the intersection E1, one of the pair of left and right travel wheels 17 of the article transport vehicle 3 can be supported by the auxiliary rail 37. Therefore, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 2 nd path 32 passes through the intersection E1, it is possible to avoid a state in which both the pair of left and right travel wheels 17 of the article transport vehicle 3 are not supported by the rails 2.

[ restricted orbit ]

Next, the regulation track 24 in the cross transfer area E will be described.

As shown in fig. 8 to 10, the restricting rail 24 is provided along the travel path 1 at the intersection E1, the branch E2, and the junction E3. That is, the restricting rail 24 is provided along the 1 st path 31 and the 2 nd path 32 at the intersection E1. The branch portion E2 is provided with a regulation rail 24 along the 1 st path 31 and the 3 rd path 33. At the merging portion E3, the restricting rail 24 is provided along the 2 nd path 32 and the 3 rd path 33.

The 1 st path 31 has a 1 st restricted section 31d where the restricting rail 24 is not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 traveling in the 2 nd path 32 can pass through the intersection E1. Further, the 2 nd route 32 has a 2 nd regulation section 32d where the regulation rail 24 is not provided so that the article transport vehicle 3 traveling in the 1 st route 31 can pass through the intersection E1.

The intersection E1 is provided with an auxiliary restricting rail 38 that moves by the operation of the 3 rd motor 36 (see fig. 11). The auxiliary restricting rail 38 is provided to be movable between the 1 st restricting position and the 2 nd restricting position by rotating about an axial center along the vertical direction X. That is, the 3 rd motor 36 is configured to move between the 1 st restriction position and the 2 nd restriction position by swinging the auxiliary restriction rail 38 around the axial center along the vertical direction X. The 3 rd motor 36 has a function as a 1 st operating unit for moving the auxiliary rail 37 and a function as a 2 nd operating unit for moving the auxiliary restricting rail 38.

As shown in fig. 8, the 1 st restriction position is a position where the auxiliary restriction rail 38 is located in the 1 st restriction section 31d in a posture along the 1 st path 31 and the auxiliary restriction rail 38 is connected to the restriction rail 24 provided along the 1 st path 31. Further, in a state where the auxiliary restricting rail 38 is located at the 1 st restricting position, a gap through which at least the guide auxiliary wheel 22 can pass is formed between the auxiliary restricting rail 38 and the restricting rail 24 provided along the 2 nd path 32. By positioning the auxiliary regulation rail 38 at the 1 st regulation position in advance, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 1 st path 31 passes through the intersection E1, the article transport vehicle 3 can be guided along the 1 st path 31 by the auxiliary regulation rail 38 and the regulation rail 24 provided along the 1 st path 31, and when the article transport vehicle 3 travels one round, the article transport vehicle 3 can be restrained from tipping in the path width direction Y, and the article transport vehicle 3 can be prevented from rolling over.

As shown in fig. 9, the 2 nd restriction position is a position where the auxiliary restriction rail 38 is located in the 2 nd restriction section 32d in a posture along the 2 nd path 32 and the auxiliary restriction rail 38 is connected to the restriction rail 24 provided along the 2 nd path 32. Further, in a state where the auxiliary restricting rail 38 is located at the 2 nd restricting position, a gap through which at least the guide auxiliary wheel 22 can pass is formed between the auxiliary restricting rail 38 and the restricting rail 24 provided along the 2 nd path 32. By positioning the auxiliary regulation rail 38 at the 2 nd regulation position in advance, when the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 2 nd route 32 passes through the intersection E1, the article transport vehicle 3 can be guided along the 2 nd route 32 by the auxiliary regulation rail 38 and the regulation rail 24 provided along the 2 nd route 32, and when the article transport vehicle 3 travels one round, the article transport vehicle 3 can be restrained from tipping in the route width direction Y, and the article transport vehicle 3 can be prevented from rolling over.

[ Power supply line ]

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, a pair of left and right feeder lines 19 are arranged along the travel path 1. One of the pair of left and right feeder lines 19 is supported by the 1 st rail 2a, and the other of the pair of left and right feeder lines 19 is supported by the 2 nd rail 2 b. In the 1 st path 31, the 2 nd path 32, and the 3 rd path 33, the feeder line 19 is provided in a section in which the corresponding track 2 is provided.

That is, the 1 st intersecting section 31b of the 1 st route 31 and the 2 nd intersecting section 32b of the 2 nd route 32 include the 1 st non-feeding section 31e which is a section where both the pair of left and right feeder lines 19 are not provided. In addition, the branching section 31c of the 1 st route 31, the merging section 32c of the 2 nd route 32, and the 3 rd route 33 include sections in which one of the pair of left and right feeder lines 19 is not provided. In other words, the 1 st section 31a of the 1 st route 31, the 2 nd section 32a of the 2 nd route 32, and the 3 rd route 33 include sections in which at least one of the feeder lines 19 is not present. By disposing the power supply line 19 in this manner, interference between the article transport vehicle 3 traveling at the intersection E1, the branching portion E2, or the merging portion E3 and the power supply line 19 is avoided.

In the present embodiment, the pair of left and right feeder lines 19 are provided to have a smaller width in the path width direction Y than the interval between the pair of left and right rails 2. Therefore, the 1 st non-feeding section 31e and the 2 nd non-feeding section 32e are narrower than the 1 st intersecting section 31b and the 2 nd intersecting section 32b in interval. Further, the interval between the pair of left and right rails 2 and the interval between the pair of left and right power supply lines 19 may be the same.

[ control section ]

Next, control of the article transport vehicle 3 will be described.

As shown in fig. 11, the article transport facility is provided with a travel control unit H1 that manages the travel of the plurality of article transport vehicles 3 traveling along the travel path 1. Further, the article transport facility is provided with a zone control unit H2 that controls the travel of the article transport vehicle 3 at the intersection E1, the branching unit E2, and the merging unit E3. That is, the travel of the article transport vehicle 3 on the travel path 1 is basically managed by the travel control unit H1, but a zone control unit H2 that manages the travel of the article transport vehicle 3 is provided separately from the travel control unit H1 so that the article transport vehicle 3 travels while preventing collision of the article transport vehicles 3 with each other in each of the intersection E1, the branch E2, and the merge E3.

The article transport vehicle 3 includes a carriage control unit H3 that controls the article transport vehicle 3. The carriage control unit H3 executes travel control for controlling the 1 st motor 16 and the 2 nd motor 23 so that the article transport vehicle 3 travels, based on the transport information from the travel control unit H1. The article transport vehicle 3 further includes a position detection unit 41 for detecting a position on the travel path 1. In the present embodiment, the position detection unit 41 includes a detection sensor 42 that detects a plurality of detected objects provided along the travel path 1, and a distance sensor 43 that detects the travel distance of the article transport vehicle 3. Address information indicating the position where the object is set is displayed on the object, and the travel control unit H1 detects the position on the travel path 1 of the article transport vehicle 3 based on the position information displayed on the object and distance information indicating the travel distance from the detection of the object. The carriage controller H3 is configured to be able to transmit and receive information between the travel controller H1 and the zone controller H2 by wireless communication or the like.

The zone control unit H2 manages the cross-transfer zone E as a stop prohibition zone. That is, the section control unit H2 manages an area including all of the 1 st section 31a in the 1 st route 31, the 2 nd section 32a in the 2 nd route 32, and the 3 rd route 33 as 1 stop prohibition area.

The zone control portion H2 permits only 1 article transport vehicle 3 to enter the cross transfer zone E (stop prohibition area), thereby preventing the article transport vehicles 3 from colliding with each other. To explain this, the detection information of the detection unit 45 that detects the article transport vehicle 3 present in the cross transfer lane E is input to the lane control unit H2. In the present embodiment, the detection unit 45 includes a 1 st inlet detection device 46, a 1 st outlet detection device 47, a 2 nd inlet detection device 48, and a 2 nd outlet detection device 49. The 1 st entrance detection device 46 detects the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 1 st path 31 when the article transport vehicle enters the branch portion E2 (the intersection transfer area E). The 1 st exit detection device 47 detects the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 1 st path 31 when the article transport vehicle 3 exits from the intersection E1 (the intersection transfer area E). The 2 nd entrance detection device 48 detects the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 2 nd path 32 when the article transport vehicle 3 enters the intersection E1 (intersection transfer area E). The 2 nd exit detection device 49 detects the article transport vehicle 3 traveling along the 2 nd path 32 when the article transport vehicle 3 exits from the branch portion E2 (the intersection transfer area E). The section control unit H2 determines whether or not the article transport vehicle 3 is present in the cross transfer section E based on the detection information of the 1 st entrance detection device 46, the 1 st exit detection device 47, the 2 nd entrance detection device 48, and the 2 nd exit detection device 49.

As shown in the flowchart of fig. 12, if the carriage control unit H3 of the article transport vehicle 3 travels to a set position located upstream of the cross transfer area E by a predetermined distance, the passing preparation control is executed (♯ 1). In the passing preparation control, the operation of the 2 nd motor 23 is controlled so that the guide auxiliary wheel 22 moves to a position corresponding to the path on which the article transport vehicle 3 travels, and entry information indicating entry into the cross transfer lane E is sent to the lane control unit H2.

The section control unit H2, upon receiving the entry information from the article transport vehicle 3, executes switching control in the case where no other article transport vehicle 3 is present in the cross-transfer section E. In this switching control, the 3 rd motor 36 is controlled so that the auxiliary track 37 and the auxiliary regulation track 38 are positioned in positions corresponding to the path on which the article transport vehicle 3 entering the cross transfer area E travels, and the permission information is transmitted to the carriage control unit H3. When the entrance information is received from the article transport vehicle 3, and the article transport vehicle 3 is present in the cross transfer area E, the area control unit H2 executes switching control in such a manner that the article transport vehicle 3 exits from the cross transfer area E and the article transport vehicle 3 is not present in the cross transfer area E.

After the carriage control unit H3 of the article transport vehicle 3 executes the transmission control, if the permission information is received before the preset set time elapses, the passing control is executed (♯ 2, ♯ 3). In this passing control, the 1 st motor 16 is controlled to pass the article transport vehicle 3 through the cross transfer area E. After the transmission control is executed, the carriage control unit H3 of the article transport vehicle 3 executes stop control (♯ 2, ♯ 4) when the permission information is not received until a preset time period elapses. In this stop control, the 1 st motor 16 is controlled to stop the article transport vehicle 3 immediately before reaching the cross transfer area E. The set position and the set time are set to a position and a time at which the article transport vehicle 3 can be stopped before the article transport vehicle 3 enters the cross transfer area E when the stop control is executed. And, if the permission information is received in a state where the article transport vehicle 3 is stopped by the stop control, the passing control is executed so that the article transport vehicle 3 starts traveling again to pass through the cross-over area E (♯ 5).

In the present embodiment, the 1 st track 2a is not provided in the section from the inside of the branching portion E2 to the inside of the intersection portion E1 of the 1 st path 31 (the 1 st section 31 a) and the section from the inside of the intersection portion E1 to the inside of the merging portion E3 of the 2 nd path 32 (the 2 nd section 32 a), and the 2 nd track 2b is not provided in all the sections of the 3 rd path 33, so that the branching portion E2 and the merging portion E3 can be provided in the vicinity of the intersection portion E1. Therefore, the linear portion of the sub-path 5 can be set long, and the number of the stations P can be increased, or when the buffers for temporarily storing the articles W are provided along the linear portion of the sub-path 5, the number of the buffers can be increased.

[ other embodiments ]

(1) In the above embodiment, the 3 rd path is set so that the virtual 2 nd track along the 3 rd path is positioned further outward in the radial direction of the 3 rd path than the intersection where the virtual 1 st track of the 1 st section and the virtual 1 st track of the 2 nd section intersect, but the 3 rd path may be set so that the virtual 2 nd track along the 3 rd path is positioned at the intersection, or the 3 rd path may be set so that the virtual 2 nd track along the 3 rd path is positioned further inward in the radial direction of the 3 rd path than the intersection.

(2) In the above embodiment, the entire 3 rd path is formed in the shape of an arc as viewed in the vertical direction, but the shape of the 3 rd path may be appropriately changed as follows: for example, only both end portions in the path length direction in the 3 rd path are formed in an arc shape, and the middle portion in the path length direction in the 3 rd path is formed in a straight line shape. The 1 st path and the 2 nd path are formed to be linear when viewed in the vertical direction, but the shape of the 1 st path and the 2 nd path may be appropriately changed such that a part of the path is formed to be curved.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the restricted portion of the article transport vehicle is brought into contact with the restricting portion in the path width direction to restrict the article transport vehicle from tilting in the path width direction, but the restricted portion may be configured by a pair of left and right restricting rollers that rotate about an axis along the path width direction (left and right direction), and the restricting portion may be supported from below by the pair of left and right restricting rollers to restrict the article transport vehicle from tilting in the path width direction and the path length direction.

(4) In the above embodiment, the pair of left and right power supply lines are provided along the travel path, the power receiving portion that receives power from the pair of left and right power supply lines is provided in the article transport vehicle, and the article transport vehicle travels by the power received from the power supply lines, but the article transport vehicle may be provided with a battery and travel by the power from the battery.

[ brief summary of the embodiments ] described above

The outline of the article transport facility described above will be described below.

Here, it is preferable that the 1 st section of the 1 st route and the 2 nd section of the 2 nd route are respectively set to be linear when viewed in the vertical direction; the entire 3 rd path is set to be in an arc shape as viewed in the vertical direction.

According to this configuration, by setting the entire 3 rd path to the arc shape, the 3 rd path can be simplified as compared with a case where the 3 rd path has a section set to a straight line shape and a section set to a curved line shape. In addition, when the radius of curvature of the 3 rd path is small, the branching portion and the merging portion are set at positions closer to the intersection portion than when the radius of curvature of the 3 rd path is large. However, since one of the pair of left and right rails is not present in all of the 1 st section of the 1 st route, the 2 nd section of the 2 nd route, and the 3 rd route, the branching portion and the merging portion can be set at positions closer to the intersection portion. Therefore, in addition to the case where the radius of curvature of the 3 rd path is relatively large, the entire 3 rd path can be set to be in the shape of an arc even when the radius of curvature of the 3 rd path is relatively small.

Further, it is preferable that, when it is assumed that a virtual 1 st track, which is a virtual 1 st track, is provided in the 1 st section of the 1 st route and the 2 nd section of the 2 nd route, and a virtual 2 nd track, which is a virtual 2 nd track, is provided in all the sections of the 3 rd route, the 3 rd route is set such that the virtual 2 nd track along the 3 rd route is located more outward in the radial direction of the 3 rd route than a position where the virtual 1 st track of the 1 st section and the virtual 1 st track of the 2 nd section intersect.

According to this configuration, the 3 rd path is set such that the virtual 2 nd track along the 3 rd path is located further outward in the radial direction of the 3 rd path than the position where the virtual 1 st track of the 1 st section and the virtual 1 st track of the 2 nd section intersect, whereby the branching portion and the joining portion can be brought close to the intersection portion.

In addition, in the entire section of the 3 rd path, the virtual 2 nd rail is positioned between the 1 st rail and the virtual 2 nd rail provided along the 1 st path and the 2 nd path, and therefore the virtual 2 nd rail is present at a position that hinders the travel of the article transport vehicle when the article transport vehicle passes through the intersection portion, but the virtual 2 nd rail is not actually provided, and therefore the article transport vehicle can pass through the intersection portion even when the branching portion and the merging portion are brought close to the intersection portion as described above.

Further, it is preferable that 1 area including the 1 st section in the 1 st route, the 2 nd section in the 2 nd route, and all the sections of the 3 rd route is set as a stop prohibition area; a detection unit that detects the article transport vehicle present in the stop prohibition area, and a control unit that controls the article transport vehicle based on detection information of the detection unit; the control unit executes stop control for stopping the article transport vehicle upstream of the stop prohibition area when another article transport vehicle is present in the stop prohibition area, and executes pass-through control for controlling the article transport vehicle so as to pass through the stop prohibition area when another article transport vehicle is not present in the stop prohibition area.

According to this configuration, when there is no other article transport vehicle in the stop prohibition area, the passing-through control is executed, whereby the article transport vehicle that is about to enter the stop prohibition area can enter the stop prohibition area and pass through the stop prohibition area. Further, when another article transport vehicle is present in the stop prohibition area, the stop control is executed so that the article transport vehicle that is about to enter the stop prohibition area stops upstream of the stop prohibition area, and therefore, it is possible to avoid collision of the article transport vehicle with another article transport vehicle present in the stop prohibition area.

Further, since the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion are included in 1 stop prohibition area, the management of the travel of the article transport vehicle is easier than the case where the travel of the article transport vehicle is managed with the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion as different stop prohibition areas, respectively.

Further, since the branching portion and the merging portion can be set at positions close to the intersection portion, even if the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion are included in 1 stop prohibition region, it is possible to suppress the stop prohibition region from becoming large.

Further, it is preferable that the article transport vehicle includes a power receiving unit that receives power from a pair of left and right power supply lines arranged along the travel path; the pair of left and right feeder lines includes a section in which at least one feeder line does not exist in each of the 1 st section, the 2 nd section, and the 3 rd route, and includes a section in which both of the pair of left and right feeder lines do not exist in each of the 1 st intersection section and the 2 nd intersection section.

According to this configuration, since the 1 st cross section and the 2 nd cross section each include a section where both the pair of left and right feeder lines do not exist, the article transport vehicle can pass through the cross portion so as to cross the 2 nd cross section of the 2 nd path and the 1 st cross section of the 1 st path.

Further, since the 1 st section, the 2 nd section, and the 3 rd section include sections in which at least one of the feeder lines is not present, the article transport vehicle can pass through the branching portion and the intersecting portion so as to cross the 2 nd section of the 2 nd path and the 1 st section of the 1 st path.

In addition, in all the sections of the 1 st section of the 1 st route, the 2 nd section of the 2 nd route, and the 3 rd route, there is a section where one or both of the pair of left and right power feeding lines do not exist, and in this section, the power receiving amount from the power feeding line to the power receiving unit of the article transport vehicle is reduced. However, since the article transport vehicle stopped by the stop control of the control unit is stopped upstream of the stop prohibition area, the article transport vehicle can be prevented from stopping in the section where the amount of electric power received is reduced as described above.

Further, it is preferable that the restricting body is provided along the travel path in the intersection portion, the branching portion, and the merging portion, and the restricting body restricts the article transport vehicle from tilting in the path width direction by coming into contact with a restricted portion of the article transport vehicle in the path width direction; the 1 st intersection section of the 1 st route has a 1 st restriction section in which the restriction track is not provided, and the 2 nd intersection section of the 2 nd route has a 2 nd restriction section in which the restriction track is not provided; an auxiliary track moved by the operation of the 1 st operation part and an auxiliary limiting track moved by the operation of the 2 nd operation part are arranged in the crossing part; the auxiliary track is provided to be movable between a 1 st travel position located in the 1 st cross section in a posture along the 1 st route and a 2 nd travel position located in the 2 nd cross section in a posture along the 2 nd route; the auxiliary restricting rail is provided to be movable between a 1 st restricting position located in the 1 st restricting section in a posture along the 1 st path and a 2 nd restricting position located in the 2 nd restricting section in a posture along the 2 nd path.

According to this configuration, by positioning the auxiliary rail at the 1 st travel position in advance, when the article transport vehicle traveling along the 1 st route passes through the 1 st intersection section of the intersection portion, one of the pair of left and right travel wheels of the article transport vehicle can be supported by the auxiliary rail. The article transport vehicle is restricted from tilting in the path width direction by the restricting rail. Therefore, even when the article transport vehicle traveling along the 1 st path passes through the 1 st intersection section of the intersection portion, the article transport vehicle can travel along the 1 st path without turning over while only one of the pair of left and right travel wheels of the article transport vehicle is supported by the auxiliary track. Similarly, the auxiliary track is set to the 2 nd travel position in advance, so that the article transport vehicle can travel along the 2 nd route without turning on its side.

Industrial applicability

The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to an article transport facility including an article transport vehicle that travels on a pair of right and left rails, and a regulating body that regulates the inclination of the article transport vehicle by coming into contact with the article transport vehicle.

Description of the reference numerals

1 path of travel

2 track

2a track 1

2 a' imaginary 1 st track

2b track 2

2 b' imaginary 2 nd track

3 article transport vehicle

17 running wheel

19 supply line

20 power receiving part

22 guide auxiliary wheel (limited part)

24 restriction track (restriction body)

31 1 st path

31a 1 st section

31b 1 st cross section

32 nd path 2

32a 2 nd section

32b 2 nd intersection interval

33 rd path 3

36 rd 3 motor (1 st operating part, 2 nd operating part)

37 auxiliary track

38 auxiliary limit track

45 detection part

E Cross transfer area (stop forbidden area)

E1 intersection

E2 branching part

E3 confluence

H3 trolley control part (control part)

The Y-path width direction.

Claims

1. An article transport facility includes:

a pair of left and right rails provided along a travel path;

an article transport vehicle that travels along the travel path on the pair of left and right rails; and

a restricting body which is provided in a state where a position thereof with respect to the pair of left and right rails is fixed, and which restricts inclination of the article transport vehicle by coming into contact with the article transport vehicle;

the aforementioned article carrying apparatus is characterized in that,

the pair of left and right rails are disposed in parallel with each other at a fixed interval in a path width direction orthogonal to the travel path when viewed in a vertical direction;

the article transport vehicle includes a pair of left and right travel wheels that rotate on travel surfaces of the pair of left and right rails;

the travel routes include a 1 st route, a 2 nd route, and a 3 rd route;

the 2 nd path intersects the 1 st path at an intersection;

the 3 rd path branches from a branch portion located upstream of the intersection portion in the 1 st path to one side in the path width direction, and merges from one side in the path width direction with a merge portion located downstream of the intersection portion in the 2 nd path;

of the pair of left and right rails, a rail located on one side in the path width direction is defined as a 1 st rail, and the remaining other rail is defined as a 2 nd rail;

the 1 st route has a 1 st section and a 1 st intersection section, the 1 st section being a section from inside the branch portion to inside the intersection portion and being a section where the 1 st track does not exist, the 1 st intersection section being a section where the 2 nd track does not exist in the intersection portion among the 1 st section;

the 2 nd route has a 2 nd section and a 2 nd intersection section, the 2 nd section being a section from the inside of the intersection to the inside of the confluence section and being a section where the 1 st track does not exist, the 2 nd intersection section being a section where the 2 nd track does not exist in the intersection in the 2 nd section;

the 3 rd path has a total section in which the 2 nd track does not exist in the pair of left and right tracks.

2. The article transport apparatus according to claim 1,

the 1 st segment of the 1 st route and the 2 nd segment of the 2 nd route are respectively set to be linear when viewed in the vertical direction;

the entire 3 rd path is set to be in an arc shape when viewed in the vertical direction.

3. The article transport apparatus according to claim 2,

in the case where a virtual 1 st track as the virtual 1 st track is assumed to be provided in the 1 st section of the 1 st route and the 2 nd section of the 2 nd route and a virtual 2 nd track as the virtual 2 nd track is assumed to be provided in the entire section of the 3 rd route,

the 3 rd path is set as follows: the virtual 2 nd orbit along the 3 rd path is located further outward in the radial direction of the 3 rd path than a portion where the virtual 1 st orbit of the 1 st section and the virtual 1 st orbit of the 2 nd section intersect.

4. The article transport apparatus according to claim 1,

setting 1 area including the 1 st section in the 1 st route, the 2 nd section in the 2 nd route, and all sections of the 3 rd route as a stop prohibition area;

a detection unit that detects the article transport vehicle present in the stop prohibition area, and a control unit that controls the article transport vehicle based on detection information of the detection unit;

the control unit executes stop control for stopping the article transport vehicle upstream of the stop prohibition area when another article transport vehicle is present in the stop prohibition area, and executes pass-through control for controlling the article transport vehicle so as to pass through the stop prohibition area when another article transport vehicle is not present in the stop prohibition area.

5. The article transport apparatus according to claim 1,

the article transport vehicle includes a power receiving unit that receives power from a pair of left and right power supply lines arranged along the travel path;

the pair of left and right feeder lines includes a section in which at least one feeder line does not exist in each of the 1 st section, the 2 nd section, and the 3 rd route, and includes a section in which both of the pair of left and right feeder lines do not exist in each of the 1 st intersection section and the 2 nd intersection section.

6. The article carrying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the control body is provided along the travel path in the intersection portion, the branch portion, and the merge portion, and the control body controls the article transport vehicle to tilt in the path width direction by coming into contact with the controlled portion of the article transport vehicle from the path width direction;

the 1 st intersection section of the 1 st route has a 1 st restriction section in which the restriction body is not provided, and the 2 nd intersection section of the 2 nd route has a 2 nd restriction section in which the restriction body is not provided;

an auxiliary track moved by the operation of the 1 st operation part and an auxiliary limiting track moved by the operation of the 2 nd operation part are arranged in the crossing part;

the auxiliary track is provided to be movable between a 1 st travel position located in the 1 st cross section in a posture along the 1 st route and a 2 nd travel position located in the 2 nd cross section in a posture along the 2 nd route;

the auxiliary restricting rail is provided to be movable between a 1 st restricting position located in the 1 st restricting section in a posture along the 1 st path and a 2 nd restricting position located in the 2 nd restricting section in a posture along the 2 nd path.