Stocker and method for forming work platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11339577-B2
Application number	US-201816487206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A stocker includes a transporter that travels through a traveling space within a stocker and transports an article, a pair of rails that flank the traveling space extend in parallel or substantially in parallel in a horizontal direction, platforms movable along the pair of rails, and a housing provided on a stocker outer side of a door that separates an inside and an outside of the stocker, and that houses the platforms. The pair of rails extend from the inside of the stocker to the housing through an opening directly under the door. At least one of the platforms includes a fence in an upright standing manner and an upper end of the fence is higher than an upper end of the opening. The platform that includes the fence extends across the inside of the stocker and the outside of the stocker via the opening while the fence is arranged on a stocker inner side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stocker comprising:
a transporter that travels through a traveling space within a stocker and transports an article;
a pair of rails that flank the traveling space and extend in parallel or substantially in parallel in a horizontal direction;
a plurality of platforms movable along the pair of rails; and
a housing that is provided on a stocker outer side of a door that separates an inside and an outside of the stocker, and that houses the platform; wherein
the pair of rails extend from the inside of the stocker to the housing through an opening provided directly under the door;
at least one of the plurality of platforms includes a fence in an upright standing position and an upper end of the fence is higher than an upper end of the opening; and
the platform that includes the fence extends across the inside of the stocker and the outside of the stocker via the opening while the fence is located on a stocker inner side.

2. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein the fence is provided on the platform that is firstly fed onto the pair of rails.

3. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein
the fence includes a plurality of struts extending upward from the platform, and a plurality of horizontal portions between the plurality of struts; and
the horizontal portion positioned topmost is higher than a position of a waist of a worker standing on the platform.

4. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein the platforms other than the platform that includes the fence among the plurality of platforms are housed within the housing in a state of being stacked when the transporter travels.

5. The stocker according to claim 1 , wherein the transporter includes a traveler that travels through the traveling space, a mast extending in a vertical direction from the traveler, an outer circumferential portion of the mast being of an arc shape in plan view, and a transferor that is raised or lowered along the mast.

6. The stocker according to claim 5 , wherein the platform which is closest to the mast among the plurality of platforms is provided with a cutout into which the portion of the mast intrudes.

7. A method for forming a work platform in a stocker including a transporter that travels through a traveling space within a stocker and transports an article, the stocker including a pair of rails that flank the traveling space and extend in parallel or substantially in parallel in a horizontal direction, a plurality of platforms movable along the pair of rails, and a housing that is provided on a stocker outer side of a door that separates an inside and an outside of the stocker, and that houses the plurality of platforms, and the pair of rails extend from the inside of the stocker to the housing through an opening provided directly under the door, and at least one of the plurality of platforms includes a fence in an upright standing manner and an upper end of the fence is higher than an upper end of the opening, the method comprising:
housing the platforms other than the platform that includes the fence among the plurality of platforms within the housing in a state of being stacked when the transporter travels, and arranging the platform that includes the fence across the inside of the stocker and the outside of the stocker via the opening while arranging the fence on an inner side of the stocker; and
feeding, after the platform that includes the fence, the platforms sequentially onto the pair of rails within the stocker through the opening from the housing when the transporter stops.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Kusama Yu

Classifications

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/3214

  by means of a cart or a vehicle · CPC title

• H10P72/3202

  Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts · CPC title

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3406

  involving removal of lid, door or cover · CPC title