Container transport facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9899247-B2
Application number	US-201715450356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 7, 2016
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A storage portion includes a first support portion and a second support portion that support a container. The storage portion is configured to change between a first state and a second state due to the second support portion being raised or lowered. An inert gas supply apparatus includes a connection portion at a height at which the connection portion is connected to the container in the first state and the connection portion is located away from and below the container in the second state. A transport moving body includes a third support portion supporting the container and a protrusion/retraction driving portion that causes the third support portion to protrude and retract. The third support portion is inserted into a transfer space when moved so as to protrude or retract by the protrusion/retraction driving portion. Movement path of the third support portion overlaps with the connection portion in a vertical direction view.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container transport facility, comprising:
a transport moving body configured to transport a container by moving along a movement route;
a storage portion configured to store the container; and
an inert gas supply apparatus configured to supply an inert gas to an interior of the container stored in the storage portion,
wherein:
the container has a bottom surface portion including a connected portion,
the storage portion includes a first support portion that supports a first supported portion on the bottom surface portion of the container from below,
the inert gas supply apparatus includes a connection portion that is connected to the connected portion of the container in a state in which the container is supported by the first support portion, and the inert gas supply apparatus supplies an inert gas from the connection portion to the interior of the container via the connected portion,
the storage portion includes: a second support portion configured to support, from below, a second supported portion, which is a portion that is different from the first supported portion on the bottom surface portion of the container and is a portion at which the connected portion does not exist; and an elevation driving portion configured to raise and lower the second support portion, the storage portion being configured to be able to change to a first state and a second state due to the second support portion being raised and lowered by the elevation driving portion, with a height of the container supported by the first support portion being a first height, and a height of the container supported at a height higher than the first height being a second height,
the first state is a state in which the second support portion is lowered to be below the second supported portion of the container at the first height and the container can be supported by the first support portion at the first height,
the second state is a state in which the second supported portion is raised to be above the second supported portion of the container at the first height and the container can be supported by the second support portion at the second height,
the inert gas supply apparatus includes the connection portion at a height at which, in a state in which the storage portion has been changed to the first state, the connection portion is connected to the connected portion of the container at the first height, and in a state in which the storage portion has been changed to the second state, the connection portion is located away from and below the connected portion of the container at the second height and a transfer space is formed between the bottom surface portion of the container and the connection portion,
the transport moving body includes: a third support portion that supports, from below, a third supported portion, which is a portion that is different from the second supported portion on the bottom surface portion of the container; and a protrusion/retraction driving portion configured to cause the third support portion to protrude and retract along an alignment direction in which the transport moving body and the storage portion are aligned in a state in which the transport moving body is stopped at a transfer stopping position set on a lateral side of the storage portion, a movement path at the time when the third support portion is moved so as to protrude or retract by the protrusion/retraction driving portion overlaps with the connection portion in a view in the vertical direction, and
the transport moving body causes the third support portion to move so as to protrude or retract using the protrusion/retraction driving portion, causing the third support portion to enter the transfer space of the storage portion in the second state, and the transport moving body takes the container from the storage portion with the container supported by the third support portion, or the transport moving body stores the container in the storage portion with the container supported by the second support portion.

2. The container transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein:
with a direction in which the storage portion exists relative to the transport moving body in the alignment direction being a first direction, the third support portion includes an engagement portion,
on the first direction side relative to the connected portion on the bottom surface portion, the container includes an engaged portion with which the engagement portion is engaged in the vertical direction, and
the engaged portion has a portion that overlaps with the connected portion in a view in the alignment direction.

3. The container transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein:
with a direction orthogonal to the alignment direction in a view in the vertical direction being a width direction, the container includes at least a pair of said connected portions in a state of being aligned in the width direction, and the size in the width direction of the third support portion is greater than an interval in the width direction between the pair of said connected portions.

4. The container transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein:
with a direction in which the storage portion exists relative to the transport moving body in the alignment direction being a first direction, a direction opposite to the first direction being a second direction, and a direction orthogonal to the alignment direction in a view in the vertical direction being a width direction,
as the connected portion, the container includes a pair of first connected portions located on the first direction side relative to the center of the container in a view in the vertical direction, and a pair of second connected portions included on the second direction side relative to the center of the container in a view in the vertical direction,
the pair of first connected portions are arranged in alignment in the width direction,
the pair of second connected portions are arranged between the pair of first connected portions in the width direction, and
the third support portion supports a portion between the pair of first connected portions on the bottom surface portion of the container.

5. The container transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein:
with a direction in which the storage portion exists relative to the transport moving body in the alignment direction being a first direction, the elevation driving portion is arranged on the first direction side relative to the first support portion.

Assignees

• Daifuku Kk

Inventors

• Kawamura Shinsuke

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/3222

  Loading to or unloading from a conveyor · CPC title

• H10P72/3221

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/1918

  characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped · CPC title