JP4560896B2 - Transport device and transport system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transport apparatus and a transport system that include a transport base on which loads are mounted and transport the loads by moving the transport base along a vertical circulation path.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the diversification and sophistication of medical care, operations in hospitals have rapidly become complicated, and it is possible to efficiently carry out complicated transport operations such as medical records, X-ray films, various chemicals and specimens, and slips and forms. The emergence of transport systems is required. In such a transport system, for example, a transport device that transports a load by moving a transport table along a vertical circulation trajectory may be used in order to load and unload a predetermined article (hereinafter referred to as a load). is there.
[0003]
FIG. 3 shows a conventional example of the above-described transport apparatus. In this conveying device, four transmission members 80 to 83 (for example, chains) formed in an annular shape are arranged apart from each other by two inside and outside, and the four corners of the conveyance table 84 on which the load LA is mounted are the transmission members. 80 to 83, respectively. And the load of the conveyance stand 84 is supported by the transmission members 80 to 83 at the four corners, so that the posture of the conveyance stand 84 is controlled to be constant.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional transfer device described above, the transmission members 80 to 83 are connected to the four corners of the transfer table 84, so that the configuration for arranging the transmission members 80 to 83 becomes complicated, and the manufacturing cost increases. Easy to invite.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transport apparatus that can stably control the posture of the transport base with a simple configuration.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 includes a first vertical conveyance section for raising and conveying a conveyance table, and a second vertical conveyance section for conveying the conveyance table by lowering. A first connection section for moving the transport table from the first vertical transport section to the second vertical transport section, and a transport section for moving the transport table from the second vertical transport section to the first vertical transport section. A transport track that is supported in a freely suspended manner above a position eccentric from the center of gravity by a support shaft coupled to a transmission track that travels along the circulation track. A guide shaft that protrudes from the transport table and extends in the same direction as the transport direction of the first vertical transport section, and a movement guide member provided so as to be movable along the first connection section, the movement guide member includes: Serial and a posture control means has a guide hole for engaging supporting the guide shaft when moving along the first contact section techniques are employed. The invention according to claim 2 employs a technology including the transfer device according to claim 1 in order to store and receive articles in the transfer system. In this transport apparatus and transport system, by supporting the load of the transport table acting in the circumferential direction by the movement guide member, it is possible to suppress the swing of the transport table and control the posture of the transport table. Further, by the movement guide portion moves along the first contact section, it can be held constant along the transfer table attitude to the first contact section.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a transport apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
The transfer device 10 is used, for example, for loading and unloading predetermined articles (hereinafter referred to as loads) in a hospital transfer system that unattendedly transfers loads such as medical records by moving a transfer table. As shown in FIG. 1, the conveyor 12 on which the load LA is mounted, the circulation track COB formed in a circular shape in the vertical direction, and the plurality of sprockets 14 so as to be substantially parallel to the circulation track COB. An endless annular chain 15, a drive unit 17 for driving the chain 15 via the sprocket 14, and a support shaft 18 coupled to the chain 15 for supporting the carrier 12 by suspending the chain 15. It has. Here, the circulation track COB is a track on which the support shaft 18 moves.
[0008]
The transport table 12 has a mounting surface 12a for mounting the load LA, and at a predetermined point (for example, the carry-in station part AP1 or the carry-out station part AP2 shown in FIG. 1), the load is loaded by a device (not shown). LA is carried out and carried in. A plurality of support shafts 18 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the longitudinal direction (circumferential direction) of the chain 15, and one carrier 12 is suspended and supported by one support shaft 18 in a freely rotatable manner.
[0009]
The circulation track COB transports the first and second vertical transport sections VS1 and VS2 for transporting the load LA in the vertical direction by raising or lowering the transport table 12, and transporting from one vertical transport section to another vertical transport section. It consists of first and second connecting sections CS1 and CS2 for moving the platform 12, and in this embodiment, the track is formed horizontally in the first and second connecting sections. Further, in this circulation trajectory COB, for example, the first vertical conveyance section VS1 → the first connection section CS1 → the second vertical conveyance section VS2 → the second connection section CS2 → the first vertical conveyance section VS1 →. Are circulated while the carriage 12 sequentially moves through the different sections.
[0010]
The transport apparatus 10 of the present embodiment includes posture control means 25 for controlling the posture of the transport table 12.
The posture control means 25 is arranged in a state where the center of gravity of the carriage 12 is shifted from directly below the support shaft 18 (in FIG. 1, the center of gravity is shifted to the left side of the paper with respect to the support shaft 18), and the support shaft 18 is disposed. It is comprised so that the load of the conveyance stand 12 which acts on the center at the center may be supported. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the posture control means 25 is different between the first communication section CS1 and other sections.
[0011]
Specifically, in a section different from the first connection section CS1, that is, in the first vertical transport section VS1, the second vertical transport section VS2, and the second connection section CS2, the posture control means 25 is provided on the back side of the transport table 12. In addition, guide rollers 26 and 27 attached below and guide rails 28 and 29 arranged substantially parallel to the circulation track COB in each section for guiding the guide rollers 26 and 27 are configured. The posture control means 25 supports any one of the guide rails 28 and 29 so that the outer peripheral surface of any one of the guide rollers 26 and 27 abuts against the guide rails 28 and 29 and acts on the transport table 12 acting in the circumferential direction. Thus, the mounting surface 12a of the transport table 12 is controlled substantially horizontally.
[0012]
On the other hand, in the first communication section CS1, the posture control means 25 is a movement guide member (slider 30) that supports the load of the transport table 12 acting in the circumferential direction and is movably disposed along the circulation track COB. A slide rail 31 that supports the slider 30 so as to be movable in a predetermined direction, a driving device 32 for moving the slider 30, and a timing belt 33 for transmitting the driving force of the driving device 32 to the slider 30 are provided. It is prepared for.
[0013]
Specifically, the slide rail 31 is horizontally extended along the track of the first connecting section CS1, and the slider 30 is arranged to reciprocate on the slide rail 31 in the horizontal direction while maintaining the arrangement angle. It is installed. The slider 30 and the transport table 12 are provided with a guide hole 40 and a guide shaft 41 that are engaged with each other, and a guide fixed to the transport table 12 in the guide hole 40 of the slider 30 provided as a through hole. A shaft 41 is inserted.
[0014]
Further, the driving force of the driving device 32 is transmitted only to the movement in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the transport table 12 to the reciprocating slider 30 via the clutch 42. . That is, when the carriage 12 moves in the same direction, the slider 30 is disconnected from the drive device 32 by the clutch 42, and the slider 30 is arranged in a free state (a state close to no load). ing. Reference numeral LS1 is a limit switch for detecting that the slider 30 has reached the starting position, and reference numeral LS2 is a limit switch for detecting that the carriage 12 has moved away from the slider 30.
[0015]
Next, the operation of the transport apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration will be described.
In the first and second vertical conveyance sections VS1 and VS2, the load of the conveyance table 12 acting in the circumferential direction around the support shaft 18 is a substantially horizontal force as a guide rail 28, via the guide rollers 26, 27. 29. In the second communication section CS2, the load on the transport table 12 is supported on the guide rail 28 via the guide rollers 26 and 27.
[0016]
On the other hand, in the first communication section CS1, the load of the transport table 12 acting in the circumferential direction is supported by the slider 30 that moves along the circulation track COB.
That is, when the transport table 12 rises in the first vertical transport section VS1 and approaches its end point, the guide shaft 41 fixed to the transport table 12 is inserted into the guide hole 40 of the slider 30 as shown in FIG. Inserted. When the carriage 12 further rises and the guide roller 26 moves away from the guide rail 29, the load on the carriage 12 acting in the circumferential direction around the support shaft 18 is applied to the guide hole 40 of the slider 30 via the guide shaft 41. Works.
[0017]
At this time, since the center of gravity of the transport table 12 is arranged in a state shifted from directly below the support shaft 18, the load due to the shift of the center of gravity always acts on the slider 30, and the transport table 42 rotates (swings). Is prevented, and the posture of the carriage 12 is controlled so that the mounting surface 12a is substantially horizontal.
[0018]
Further, the slider 30 is separated from the driving device 32 by the clutch 42 and arranged in a free state, and as shown in FIG. Then, it moves horizontally on the slide rail 31. Furthermore, since the arrangement angle of the slider 30 with respect to the slide rail 31 is kept constant, the posture of the transport table 12 is held constant while the transport table 12 moves along the circulation track COB.
[0019]
Subsequently, when the transport table 12 reaches the end point of the first communication section CS1 and descends the second vertical transport section VS2, the guide shaft 41 of the transport table 12 moves to the guide hole of the slider 30 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the limit switch LS2 is activated upon detection of this. Due to the operation of the limit switch LS2, the clutch 42 (see FIG. 1) works to connect the driving device 32 and the slider 30 via the timing belt 33. Then, the slider 30 driven by the driving device 32 moves in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the carriage 12 and returns to the starting position, and this is detected and the limit switch LS1 is activated. By operating the limit switch LS1, the clutch 42 is disengaged again, and the slider 30 is placed in a free state.
[0020]
In other words, in the first communication section CS1, the load of the transport table 12 acting in the circumferential direction is supported by the slider 30, whereby the posture of the transport table 12 is controlled and the slider 30 moves along the circulation track COB. By moving on the slide rail 31, the posture of the transport table 12 is kept constant during the movement.
[0021]
As described above, in the transport apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the circumferential movement (swing) of the transport table 12 is supported by supporting the load in the circumferential direction of the transport table 12 in each section on the circulation track COB having different movement directions. ) And the posture of the transport table 12 can be stably held. If the posture of the transport table 12 is not controlled, the posture of the transport table 12 changes during movement, causing the transport table 12 to shake and collide with other objects or cause noise. There is a risk that the device will malfunction. In the present embodiment, such a problem can be avoided by controlling the posture of the carriage 12 by the posture control means 25.
[0022]
Note that the shapes, combinations, and the like of the constituent members shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration is such that the driving force of the driving device 32 is transmitted to the slider 30 only in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the transport table 12 via the clutch 42. Not limited to this, it is possible to employ a configuration that does not require a clutch by using the drive device 32 in which the output shaft is free when the power supply is stopped.
In other words, by switching on / off the power supply to the drive device 32, it is possible to provide the same function as when a clutch is used.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the slide rail 31 is disposed horizontally, but the present invention is not limited to this. The slide rail 31 is disposed obliquely, and the guide of the slider 30 is located at the end point position of the first connection section CS1. When the guide shaft 41 of the transport table 12 is removed from the hole 40, the slider 30 may move on the slide rail 31 due to the gravity of the slider 30 itself and return to the original position.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the transport apparatus and the transport system of the present invention, by supporting the load of the transport table acting in the circumferential direction by the moving guide member, the swing of the transport table is suppressed, and the posture of the transport table Can be controlled, and the posture can be kept constant along the first communication section . In other words, the posture of the transport table can be stably controlled while having a simple configuration.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a transport apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating an operation in a first communication section of the transport device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional transport device.
[Explanation of symbols]
LA load COB Circulating track 10 Conveying device 12 Conveying table 12a Mounting surface 15 Chain (Transmission part, Transmission member)
17, 32 Drive unit 18 Support shaft (support member)
VS1, VS2 Vertical conveyance section CS1, CS2 Connection section 25 Attitude control means 30 Slider (moving guide member)
31 Slide rail

Claims (2)

A first vertical transport section for transporting the transport table by raising it, a second vertical transport section for transporting the transport base by lowering, and the first vertical transport section to the second vertical transport section A circulation track having a first connection section for moving a transfer table and a second connection section for moving the transfer table from the second vertical transfer section to the first vertical transfer section;
A carrier that is supported by a support shaft that is coupled to a transmission that travels along the circulation path and is suspended and supported above a position that is eccentric from the center of gravity.
A guide shaft that protrudes from the transport table and extends in the same direction as the transport direction of the first vertical transport section, and a movement guide member provided so as to be movable along the first connection section, the movement guide member includes: Posture control means having a guide hole for engaging and supporting the guide shaft when moving along the first communication section;
A conveying device comprising: A transport system comprising the transport device according to claim 1 in order to load and unload articles.

Images