Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporate

Hiroki Sone

Takao Hayashi

Yoshinori Yamada

Toyokazu Kobayashi

Masayuki Tsujino

Akiya Inoue

Hiromichi Kawano

Hiroshi Fujiki

In response to a transfer request, for which a loading time at a transfer source and a loading time at a transfer target are designated by a production controller, there is created a transfer scenario, which contains a basic transfer (From) from the transfer source to a buffer near the transfer target, for example, and a basic transfer (To) from the buffer to the transfer target. In order that the basic transfers (From, To) may be able to be executed, the buffer is reserved, and a transfer vehicle is allocated. The time period for the transfer vehicle to run to the transfer source or the buffer and the time period for the transfer vehicle to run from the transfer source or the buffer are estimated to assign a transfer command to the transfer vehicle. The possibility that the loading and the loading time may deviate from a designated period is evaluated. In case this possibility is high, a production controller is informed that a just-in-time transfer is difficult.

Transfer system, and transfer method

A transport scenario composed of a basic transport (From) from a transport starting point to, e.g., a buffer near the transport destination point and a basic transport (To) from the buffer to the transport destination point is created in response to a transport request of a production controller for transport whose loading times at the transport starting point and at the transport destination point are specified. The buffer is reserved so as to perform the basic transport (From) and the basic transport (To), transport vehicles are allocated, the travel time to the transport starting point or the buffer and the travel time from the transport starting point or the buffer are estimated, and transport instructions are given to the transport vehicles. The possibility that the loading times are out of the specified period is evaluated. If the possibility is larger, the impossibility of a just-in-time transport is notified to the production controller.

Transport system and transport method

An ID readeris provided at a fall prevention coverof an overhead traveling vehicle 20 for reading an IDon the back surface of an article. The ID readercan be protruded from or retracted into the fall prevention cover. When the articleis elevated/lowered, the ID reader is retracted into the cover. When the IDis read, the ID readeris advanced to a position under the article

Overhead traveling vehicle and system therefor

The present invention provides a large-scale carrying system that allows the operation of only a part of the system which has been completely constructed, while concurrently allowing the construction of a part of the system which has not been constructed yet. A carrying system comprises a carrying vehicle system which carries an article to a predetermined location using a carrying vehicle, an article housing system in which the article is temporarily housed for storage, an integrating controller which integrally controls a system set comprising at least one carrying vehicle system and at least one article housing system and an auxiliary controller which can integrally manage at least part of the system set. The integrating controller and the auxiliary controller are connected together through a network. It is thus possible to transfer data on the part of the system set which is integrally managed by the auxiliary controller , to the integrating controller

Carrying system

A distribution computer and a plurality of controllers are connected together via a LAN. One of the controllers acts as a main controller to transmit control from the distribution controller to the controllers . The controllers are duplicated so as to back up one another, and a main programmable controller monitors the controllers to to detect defects. Arc nets are connected together via an RS232C line to communicate the passage of a travelling vehicle between themselves. Even with an extended running path, the present invention hinders a delay in communication and thus a delay in control, thereby preventing system down caused by a defect in a controller.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Hiroki Sone