Murata Machinery, Ltd.

Shinko Electric Company, Ltd.

Other

Tatsuo Tsubaki

Masanao Murata

Takashi Yamaji

Shinji Onishi

Yusuke Fujiwara

Hitoshi Kawano

Hiroyuki Yokoyama

Tatsuya Kumehashi

Hideki Kato

A flatness measurement unit is a flatness measurement unit to be placed on a shelf for measuring flatness relating to the degree of deviation from a state in which four predetermined points on the shelf are present on the same plane. The flatness measurement unit includes: a body frame; and four contact sections dispersedly disposed on the body frame and provided so as to be in contact with the respective four predetermined points on the shelf. The four contact sections include two first contact sections not located diagonally and two second contact sections other than the first contact sections. The center of gravity of the flatness measurement unit is positioned in an area containing the two first contact sections, among four areas defined by two diagonal lines each passing through the corresponding first contact section and the corresponding second contact section that are located diagonally.

Flatness measurement unit

A storage shelf includes: a main frame; a plurality of shelf modules each having a base plate detachably provided on the main frame, and a supply nozzle provided on the base plate; a main pipe through which purge gas supplied from a supply source flows, and a first branch provided in the main pipe and branches a flow path from the main pipe, in which the shelf modules are each provided with a mass flow controller configured to adjust the flow rate of the purge gas supplied to the supply nozzle, the first branch is connected to a module pipe via an open/close valve that opens/closes the flow path, and the mass flow controller is connected to the module pipe.

Storage shelf

A storage shelf includes a body frame and a shelf plate attached to the body frame with an elastic body therebetween, the storage shelf storing thereon a FOUP including a contained object. The storage shelf includes a feed nozzle on the shelf plate to feed gas to the FOUP, and a feed tube with one end communicating with the feed nozzle and the other end communicating with a main tube connected to a feed source of the gas to be fed to the FOUP, the main tube being supported by the body frame. The feed tube has a flexible portion having flexibility at least partially between the one end and the other end.

A storage shelf includes second shelf modules each including a second shelf board, a supply nozzle, an MFC configured to adjust a flow rate of the fluid supplied from the supply nozzle, and a third pipe connecting between the MFC and a main pipe connected to a supply source of the fluid, and suspension frames each including additional shelf supporting portions supporting the second shelf modules from below and a pair of suspending portions and a pair of additional suspending portions suspending and supporting the additional shelf supporting portions. The suspension frames are disposed at regular intervals along one direction. Each second shelf module is laid over between additional shelf supporting portions of suspension frames adjacent to each other in the one direction, and a pipe connector being connectable to the main pipe is provided with an end of the third pipe.

Storage shelf, and method for installing storage shelf

A storage system includes shelves each with a nozzle to supply clean gas into containers, flow amount controllers to control a supply amount of clean gas to a nozzle, a transport apparatus to transfer the containers to and from the shelves, and a controller to control the transport apparatus and the flow amount controllers. The controller makes an assignment of at least one shelf in preparation to store an incoming container and before the occurrence of the incoming container, and controls a flow amount controlling device to supply clean gas to the nozzle in the at least one shelf, based upon the assignment.

Storage system and purge method in storage system

A container storage includes a purger that supplies a purge gas into a stored container and an evacuator that is disposed near a lid of the container and evacuates an atmosphere around the lid.

Container storage and container storage method

A purge device is capable of removing particles adhering to a gas introduction port in a container or on surrounding areas of a purge nozzle. The purge device includes a nozzle that is able to blow a gas, and a purge controller that controls the nozzle to blow the gas therethrough in a state in which a bottom surface of a container to be purged faces the nozzle.

Purge device, purge stocker, and cleaning method

An overhead transport carriagecomprises a bodycontaining an objectand traveling along a traveling rail, a lifting mechanismincluding a holding unitholding the objectand a lifting unitmoving the unitup and down with respect to a predetermined position P at which the objectis contained, an anti lid-dropping-off memberfacing a lidof the objectwhen the unitis located at the position P, and a moving mechanism. The mechanismmoves the memberin response to the motion of the unitso that the memberis located at an anti dropping-off position when the unitis located at the position P, and the memberis located at the escape position when the unitmoves with respect to the position P.

Overhead transport carriage

A moving carriage that moves an overhead travelling vehicle that has been unloaded to the ground, includes a frame including travelling wheels, elevating mechanisms provided at a plurality of locations on the frame along a longitudinal direction of the frame, a track for an overhead travelling vehicle, the track being supported by the elevating mechanisms so as to be lifted and lowered and being configured to allow the overhead travelling vehicle to be transferred to and from another track, and a synchronizing mechanism that synchronizes the elevating mechanisms to lift and lower the track by the same or substantially the same amount.

Movable platform, overhead traveling vehicle system, and method for vertically moving overhead traveling vehicle

For transferring an article to a desired position, even in a lateral transfer, a transfer system () allows transfer of an article () between a transport vehicle (), which conveys the article () while travelling along a rail () provided on a ceiling, and a placement portion provided below the rail, in a lateral transfer manner. The transfer system includes a memory unit () and a controller (). The memory unit stores (i) placement position information indicating a transfer position of the article when a transfer unit is to place the article onto the placement portion, and (ii) holding position information indicating a transfer position of the article when the transfer unit is to hold the article on the placement portion. The controller controls the transfer unit such that, when the transfer unit is to place the article, the article is transferred at a transfer position indicated in the placement position information and, when the transfer unit is to hold the article, the article is transferred to a transfer position indicated in the holding position information.

Transfer system

An automated guided vehicle includes a transporting portion having an upper surface and a driving device, the transporting portion being movable by the driving device; a transferring device provided on the upper surface of the transporting portion, the transferring device being capable of transferring a workpiece to or from an apparatus; and a mounting portion formed on the upper surface of the transporting portion, the mounting portion having at least two opening portions which allow an operation for transferring the workpiece. In the automated guided vehicle, photosensors are respectively arranged on the opening portions to detect an object which intrudes into a predetermined area or projects from the predetermined area, and a control device monitors a state of the photosensors and controls the transferring device or the driving device in accordance with the state of the photosensors.

Automated guided vehicle

An object of this invention is to provide an automated guided vehicle movable in all directions in which the cables will never be broken due to twisting, and it is unnecessary to perform a rest swing operation. The automated guided vehicle is movable in all directions and includes vehicle wheels and drive wheel mechanisms with drive mechanisms for driving the vehicle wheels, each of the drive wheel mechanisms being controlled by a steering mechanism so that the direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle is controlled with the vehicle body maintained unchanged in heading. Transmission of electric power between an electric power source unit on a vehicle body and the drive mechanism and/or steering mechanism, and transmission of signals between a control unit on the vehicle body and the drive mechanism and/or steering mechanism are carried out through a signal/power transmitting and receiving device which includes: a stationary electrode section provided on a member which is stationary with respect to the vehicle body and a rotary electrode section provided on a steering shaft of the steering mechanism in such a manner that the rotary electrode section is rotatable with respect to the stationary electrode section.

Growing community of inventors

Ise, Japan

Tatsuo Tsubaki