Raising and lowering apparatus and transport carriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12454420-B2
Application number	US-202318152997-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2023
Priority date	Jan 12, 2022
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a raising and lowering apparatus which enables achievement of a design that enables a reduction in height of a stage in a raising and lowering direction while reducing the buckling of a push chain. The raising and lowering apparatus includes a push chain ( 10 ), a stage ( 12 ), a guide ( 14 ), and a sprocket ( 16 ). The push chain has a first straight rod part ( 10 A) that extends along a first direction (D 1 ), a second straight rod part ( 10 B) that extends along a second direction (D 2 ), and a first bent part ( 10 C) that is provided between the first straight rod part and the second straight rod part. The stage is formed on the first straight rod part and is raised and lowered along the first direction. The sprocket engages with a push chain on a side closer to the second straight rod part than to the first bent part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A raising and lowering apparatus comprising:
a push chain comprising: a first straight rod part that extends along a first direction; a second straight rod part that extends along a second direction which differs from the first direction; and a first bent part that is provided between the first straight rod part and the second straight rod part, the push chain being configured to move forward and backward in the first direction and the second direction;
a stage formed on the first straight rod part and configured to be raised and lowered along the first direction by forward and backward movement of the push chain;
a guide configured to guide the forward and backward movement of the push chain in at least a portion of the first straight rod part and in the first bent part; and
a sprocket that engages with a portion of the push chain which is on a side closer to the second straight rod part than to the first bent part, the sprocket being configured to drive the push chain to move forward and backward, wherein
the push chain is a roller chain which has: a plurality of pins; and a roller that is rotatably fitted to each of the plurality of pins,
the sprocket is configured such that teeth of the sprocket push the roller to move the push chain forward and backward, and
the guide has a pair of curved surface parts between which the roller included in the first bent part of the push chain is held.

2. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sprocket engages with the portion of the push chain from a side of the push chain facing the stage.

3. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an angle which the first direction forms with a vertical direction is smaller than an angle which the second direction forms with the vertical direction.

4. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the guide which holds the first straight rod part has a length, along the first direction, that is equal to or greater than twice a chain pitch of the push chain.

5. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the guide has a pair of curved surface parts between which the first bent part is held and a pair of flat surface parts between which the first straight rod part is held and which extend along the first direction.

6. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the sprocket in the first direction is equal to or lower than a height of the guide in the first direction.

7. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a case that accommodates at least the second straight rod part,
wherein a height of the case in the first direction is equal to or lower than a height of the guide in the first direction.

8. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the push chain further comprises: a third straight rod part that is positioned on an opposite side of the second straight rod part from the first straight rod part and that extends along a third direction which is a direction such that an angle which the third direction forms with the second direction is smaller than an angle which the third direction forms with the first direction; and a second bent part that is provided between the second straight rod part and the third straight rod part.

9. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sprocket engages with the second straight rod part.

10. The raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the sprocket engages with the second bent part.

11. A transport carriage comprising the raising and lowering apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein an angle which the first direction forms with a vertical direction is smaller than an angle which a transport direction of the transport carriage forms with the vertical direction.

Assignees

• Daifuku Kk

Inventors

• Ooe Masahiro

Classifications

• B66F7/10

  with platforms supported directly by jacks · CPC title

• B66F7/28

  Constructional details, e.g. end stops, pivoting supporting members, sliding runners adjustable to load dimensions · CPC title

• B66F7/065

  Scissor linkages, i.e. X-configuration · CPC title

• B66F7/0625 Primary

  with wheels for moving around the floor · CPC title

• B66F7/12

  by mechanical jacks · CPC title