The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2004
Shigeyoshi Nishihara, Shiga, JP;
Hiroyuki Murakami, Shiga, JP;
Kazuhiko Miyoshi, Shiga, JP;
Susumu Morita, Shiga, JP;
Toshiyuki Iba, Osaka, JP;
Junji Obata, Osaka, JP;
Shigeyoshi Nishihara, Shiga, JP;
Hiroyuki Murakami, Shiga, JP;
Kazuhiko Miyoshi, Shiga, JP;
Susumu Morita, Shiga, JP;
Toshiyuki Iba, Osaka, JP;
Junji Obata, Osaka, JP;
Daifuku Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a friction drive conveyor including carriers, which can be propelled along a track by frictional wheelsfitted along the track. Each frictional wheelcan be driven by a brakeless motor. A sensorsenses whether each frictional wheelis in contact with any one frictional surfaceof the carriers. The track includes a section along which the frictional wheelsare supported at regular intervals equal to or slightly shorter than the total length L of the frictional surfaceson each side of each carrier. On the basis of a signal output from each sensor, a controllerso controls the associated brakeless motoras to start rotating the associated frictional wheelin contact with any one frictional surfacewhen the forward next wheelgets free of the frictional surfaces, and as to stop driving the frictional wheelhaving got free of the frictional surfaces