Daifuku Co., Ltd.

Takayoshi Ono

Yoshiteru Ikehata

Yuichi Morimoto

Shigeto Murayama

Susumu Moriya

Tatsuhisa Tsuji

A floating unit comprises: a stationary portion; a movable portion supported to be movable relative to the stationary portion and including an article support; a support disposed between the stationary portion and the movable portion, the support having a plurality of rolling elements rotatably held by a holder between an upwardly facing first contact surface provided on the stationary portion and a downwardly facing second contact surface provided on the movable portion, whereby the support is movable in all horizontal directions relative to the movable portion and the stationary portion; a movable portion returning device for biasing the movable portion relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for receiving an article; and a support returning device for biasing the support horizontally relative to the stationary portion toward a reference position for holding the movable portion.

Floating unit, and an article support apparatus having floating units

The invention discloses a transporting apparatus that transmits a drive force to a transported object in a state where the transported object is supported by a air-supplying-type support apparatus. In one implementation thereof, a device for transferring drive force to a transported object transfers drive force to one side in the width direction, which is perpendicular to the transporting direction. In another implementation thereof, the transporting apparatus can be switched between a horizontal state in which the transported object is supported substantially horizontally, and an upright state.

Transporting apparatus with air-supplying support means and drive-force application means

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plate-shaped work piece transporting apparatus that has a fan, a dust-removal filter disposed above this fan, and a plate-shape porous member disposed above the dust-removal filter. By forming a chamber in which air can accumulate between the porous member and the dust-removal filter, it is possible to suppress air pulsations. Further, by providing support members on the porous member, the plate-shaped work piece can be supported and damage thereto can be avoided when the plate-shaped work piece, which is supported by air from the fan, drops to below a set height.

Plate-shaped work piece transporting apparatus

The invention discloses a transporting apparatus provided with a air-supplying-type support device for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object in a horizontal orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation, a drive force application device for applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object, a first transport member, a second transport member, and a relay transport member that links the first transport member and the second transport member. The drive force application device applies a drive force by contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support device. The relay transport member changes at least one of the transporting direction and the transporting orientation of the transported object.

Transporting apparatus

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

The invention discloses a transporting apparatus having a transport member provided with a air-supplying-type support portion for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object, and a drive force application portion for contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support means and applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object. The transporting apparatus, by raising and lowering the drive force application portion and the air-supplying-type support portion relative to one another, can be switched between a transport state where the drive force application portion is brought into contact with the lower surface of the transported object, and a transfer state where the drive force application portion is moved downward away from the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support portion. The transporting apparatus is provided with a loading portion that can receive and support the transported object and that can be moved in a horizontal direction that intersects the transporting direction and in the vertical direction. The loading portion, in the transfer state, can be inserted in the horizontal direction into the space below the transported object.

Growing community of inventors

Shiga-ken, Japan

Takayoshi Ono