Traveling vehicle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12103570-B2
Application number	US-201917297508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Nov 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A traveling vehicle system includes a track and a ceiling traveling vehicle. The track includes a first track, a second track, and a connection track. The ceiling traveling vehicle includes a direction changer that turns a coupler, which couples a traveling wheel and a main body to each other and passes through a gap between the first track or the second track and the connection track. A guider is provided in the coupler, moves along a first guide surface in a first state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the first track, and moves along a second guide surface in a second state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the second track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A traveling vehicle system comprising:
a track including a first track extending along a first direction, a second track extending along a second direction different from the first direction, and a connection track adjacent to the first track in the first direction, adjacent to the second track in the second direction, and located with a gap with respect to each of the first track and the second track; and
a ceiling traveling vehicle to travel along the track; wherein
the track includes:
a first guide surface provided along the first track; and
a second guide surface provided along the second track;

the ceiling traveling vehicle includes:
a traveling wheel to roll on the first track, on the second track, and on the connection track;
a main body located below the track;
a coupler coupling a wheel shaft of the traveling wheel and the main body to each other and passing through the gap when the traveling wheel rolls on the connection track;
a direction changer to switch between a first state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the first track, and a second state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the second track, by turning the coupler about a turning axis with respect to the main body; and
a guider provided in the coupler to move along the first guide surface in the first state and to move along the second guide surface in the second state;

the connection track includes:
a first connection guide surface provided at a same or substantially same height and in a same or substantially same direction as the first guide surface and a second connection guide surface provided at a same or substantially same height and in a same or substantially same direction as the second guide surface; and
a continuous surface in which the first connection guide surface and the second connection guide surface are continuous with each other;

when the guider is turned, a trajectory of the guider is located inside the ceiling traveling vehicle in a plan view with respect to the turning axis;
the guider is turned around the connection track; and
the main body is rectangular or substantially rectangular when viewed in an axial direction of the turning axis of the coupler and includes the traveling wheel, the coupler, the direction changer, and the guider at each of four corner portions.

2. The traveling vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first guide surface includes a side surface of the first track; and
the second guide surface includes a side surface of the second track.

3. The traveling vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the guider is located at a height between the wheel shaft of the traveling wheel and the main body; and
the first guide surface and the second guide surface are located at a height between the wheel shaft of the traveling wheel and the main body.

4. The traveling vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the guider includes a guide roller that is able to roll when contacting the first guide surface or the second guide surface.

5. The traveling vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein a spacing between two of the guiders provided in a traveling direction of the ceiling traveling vehicle is different from a spacing between two of the gaps adjacent to each other in the first direction or the second direction.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• OGO Haruki
• Ishikawa Kazuhiro
• Ito Yasuhisa
• Torazawa Masayoshi

Classifications

• H10P72/3221 Primary

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/3208

  Changing the direction of the conveying path · CPC title

• H10P72/3202

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

• B65G2201/0297

  Wafer cassette · CPC title