JP5585249B2 - Conveyor gripper device and transport vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is provided in a transport vehicle such as an OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) that transports a transported object such as a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) in a suspended state. The present invention relates to a gripper device of a transport vehicle for gripping an object, and a technical field of the transport vehicle.

  As this type of gripper device, for example, a device that grips an upper portion (for example, a flange) of a transported object such as a FOUP by a pair of gripping portions configured to be openable and closable is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). For example, in Patent Document 1, a guide rail is fixed to the bottom surface (or lower surface) of the top plate portion, and a support plate, a finger support plate, and a finger are connected to each of a pair of guide blocks attached to the guide rail from below. A gripper device having a configuration to which a gripping portion is attached is disclosed.

JP 2001-294390 A

  For example, in the conventional configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, the guide rail is provided on the lower side of the top plate portion, and the guide rail is fixed to the top plate portion by screwing from below on the structure. It is common to be done. However, such a conventional configuration has a technical problem that the screw may be damaged or loosened due to the weight of the object to be transported or vibration during transportation. For this reason, it is necessary to appropriately perform inspections and repairs to prevent the fall of the conveyed object, and reduction of time and labor required for such maintenance work has been demanded.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, for example, and a gripper device for a transport vehicle that requires less repair or maintenance to prevent the fall of a transported object, and transport that includes such a gripper device. The problem is to provide a car.

In order to solve the above problems, a gripper device for a transport vehicle according to the present invention is provided in a transport vehicle for transporting a transported object in a suspended state, and is a gripper device for a transport vehicle for gripping the transported object. A base plate, a guide rail provided on an upper surface of the base plate, a pair of guide blocks engaged so as to move in a substantially horizontal direction so as to approach and separate from each other along the guide rail, and the guide block A horizontal portion that is fixed to the base plate and extends along the upper surface of the base plate, a vertical portion that extends from the horizontal portion to a position below the base plate, and a lower end side of the vertical portion that grips the object to be conveyed. a claw portion for a pair of gripping portions having respectively the base plate has a cutout portion formed on a side of the guide rail, the vertical portion Is provided movably the cutout portion and the guide rail along a direction extending.

  A gripper device of a transport vehicle according to the present invention (hereinafter abbreviated as “gripper device” as appropriate) is, for example, a transport vehicle such as an OHT that travels along a track laid on a ceiling in a facility such as a semiconductor manufacturing factory. An upper part (for example, a flange) of a transported object such as a FOUP is gripped by a pair of gripping parts such as a chuck or a finger. When the pair of gripping units grips the object to be transported, the transport vehicle can transport the object to be transported in a suspended state.

  The base plate is a flat plate-like member, for example, connected to the lifting / lowering portion of the transport vehicle via a winding belt, and the winding belt is wound or unwound by the lifting / lowering portion, so that the vertical direction (that is, It moves up and down in the vertical direction.

  The pair of gripping portions are respectively fixed to a pair of guide blocks that are movably engaged with guide rails provided on the base plate, and the pair of guide blocks move along the guide rails so as to approach each other. A gripping state for gripping the object to be transported is achieved, and a pair of guide blocks are moved along the guide rail so as to be separated from each other, thereby releasing the transported object.

  Particularly in the present invention, the guide rail and the pair of guide blocks are provided on the upper surface of the base plate. Further, each of the pair of gripping portions is fixed to the upper surface of the guide block and extends along the upper surface of the base plate, a vertical portion extending from the horizontal portion to below the base plate, A claw portion provided on the lower end side for gripping the object to be conveyed.

  Therefore, since the guide rail and the pair of guide blocks are provided on the upper surface of the base plate, for example, the guide rail and the pair of guide blocks are fixed to the lower surface of the base plate by screwing. It is possible to reduce the need for repairs and maintenance to prevent falling.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the object to be conveyed is gripped by the pair of gripping portions and the object to be conveyed is suspended, the guide rail is moved from the base plate due to the weight of the object to be conveyed or vibration during conveyance. It is possible to reduce or prevent the object to be transported from dropping due to detachment, the guide block detaching from the guide rail, or the gripping part detaching from the guide block. Therefore, it becomes possible to achieve fail-safe.

  That is, according to the present invention, since the guide rail and the pair of guide blocks are provided on the upper surface of the base plate, when the object to be conveyed is held by the pair of gripping portions and the object to be conveyed is suspended. In the guide rail, a force corresponding to the weight of the object to be conveyed is exerted on the guide rail from the upper surface side of the guide rail to the base plate via the grip portion and the guide block. Thus, a force corresponding to the weight of the conveyed object acts from the upper surface side of the guide block toward the guide rail. Therefore, it is possible to reliably reduce or prevent the guide rail from being removed from the base plate or the guide block from being removed from the guide rail due to the weight of the conveyed object. Here, if no measures are taken, the guide rail is fixed to the lower surface of the base plate, and the pair of gripping portions are fixed to the lower surfaces of the pair of guide blocks movably engaged with the guide rail. In the guide rail, a force according to the weight of the object to be transported works so as to separate the guide rail from the base plate. Work away from the rails. As a result, the conveyed object may fall.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, each of the pair of gripping portions has a horizontal portion fixed to the upper surface of the guide block, so the transported object is gripped by the pair of gripping portions and the transported object is suspended. In this case, the force corresponding to the weight of the conveyed object is applied to the horizontal portion through the claw portion and the vertical portion so as to press the horizontal portion against the guide block. Therefore, it can reduce or prevent that a holding part remove | deviates from a guide block with the weight of a to-be-conveyed object.

  As described above, according to the gripper device according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the necessity for repair and maintenance for preventing the transported object from falling. Furthermore, it becomes possible to achieve fail safe.

In one aspect of the gripper device of the transport vehicle according to the present invention, the notch portions are a pair of through grooves formed along a direction in which the guide rail extends on both sides of the guide rail , and the vertical portion is the It consists of a pair of plate-like bodies provided so as to be movable in the pair of through grooves along the direction in which the guide rail extends.

  According to this aspect, since the vertical portion of the grip portion is composed of a pair of plate-like bodies, the grip portion can be reduced in size or weight and the strength of the grip portion can be improved.

  In another aspect of the gripper device for a transport vehicle according to the present invention, the gripper device further includes a drive unit that is provided on an upper surface of the base plate and drives the guide block.

  According to this aspect, since the drive unit including, for example, a motor for driving the guide block is provided on the upper surface of the base plate similarly to the guide rail and the pair of guide blocks, the gripper device can be reduced in size. Is possible.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a transport vehicle according to the present invention is a transport vehicle that travels along a track laid on a ceiling, and includes the above-described gripper device (including various aspects thereof) according to the present invention. And a lifting / lowering device for winding and unwinding the gripper device.

  According to the transport vehicle according to the present invention, since the gripper device according to the present invention described above is provided, it is possible to reduce the need for repair and maintenance for preventing the transported object from falling. Furthermore, it becomes possible to achieve fail safe.

  The effect | action and other gain of this invention are clarified from the form for implementing invention demonstrated below.

It is a side view which shows the whole structure of a conveyance vehicle provided with the gripper apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing (gripping state) which shows the structure of the gripper apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing (release state) which shows the structure of the gripper apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the gripper apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
The gripper device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the whole structure of the conveyance vehicle provided with the gripper apparatus which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of a transport vehicle including a gripper device according to the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, a transport vehicle 10 travels along a track 1 laid on a ceiling in a facility such as a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and overhead traveling unmanned transport vehicle that transports a FOUP 900 containing a semiconductor wafer or the like in a suspended state. (OHT). The FOUP 900 is an example of the “conveyed object” according to the present invention.

  The transport vehicle 10 includes a traveling unit 11, an elevating unit 12 provided in the traveling unit 11, a belt 13, and a gripper device 100. The gripper device 100 is an example embodiment that corresponds to the “gripper device for a transport vehicle” according to the present invention. The elevating unit 12 is an example embodiment that corresponds to the “elevating device” according to the present invention.

  The traveling unit 11 is attached so as to be suspended from the track 1, and travels along the track 1 by being driven by a linear motor.

  The elevating unit 12 is provided in the traveling unit 11 and is configured to be able to elevate and lower the gripper device 100 connected via the belt 13. Specifically, the elevating unit 12 includes a winding shaft fixed to one end of the belt 13 and a motor that rotates the winding shaft. The elevating unit 12 rotates the winding shaft by a motor to wind or unwind the belt 13 from one end, thereby fixing the gripper device 100 fixed to the other end of the belt 13 (more specifically, FIG. 2). The base plate 110), which will be described later, is moved up and down with reference to FIG.

  The gripper device 100 is a gripper device for gripping the FOUP 900, and includes a pair of chucks 140 as an example of “a pair of gripping portions” according to the present invention. The gripper device 100 is configured to be able to grip the upper flange 910 of the FOUP 900 with a pair of chucks 140.

  Next, the configuration of the gripper device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG.2 and FIG.3 is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the gripper apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripper device according to the present embodiment. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views when the gripper device 100 is cut so that the guide rail 120, the pair of guide blocks 130, and the pair of chucks 140 are included by a straight line along the direction in which the guide rail 120 extends. It is. FIG. 2 shows a case where the pair of chucks 140 is in a gripping state, and FIG. 3 shows a case where the pair of chucks 140 is in a released state. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gripper device 100 as viewed obliquely from above. In FIG. 4, the case 190 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is not shown.

  2 to 4, the gripper device 100 includes a base plate 110, a guide rail 120 provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110, a pair of guide blocks 130 movably engaged with the guide rail 120, and a pair of A pair of chucks 140 fixed to the guide block 130 and a case 190 for housing various components of the gripper device 100 including these chucks 140 are provided.

  The base plate 110 is a flat plate-like member, and is connected to the elevating unit 12 via the belt 13. When the belt 13 is wound or unwound by the elevating unit 12, the vertical direction (ie, the vertical direction, FIG. Elevate in the Z direction) As will be described later, in this embodiment, the base plate 110 is formed with a pair of through grooves 111 (see FIG. 4) on both sides of the guide rail 120.

  The guide rail 120 is a rail made of metal, for example, provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110 so as to extend in one direction (X direction in the figure), and a pair of guide blocks 130 described later are movably engaged. Is done. The guide rail 120 has two parts, a part where one of the pair of guide blocks 130 is engaged and a part where the other of the pair of guide blocks 130 is engaged.

  The pair of guide blocks 130 are block-shaped members made of, for example, metal that are movably engaged with the guide rails 120. The guide block 130 is configured to be able to move on the guide rail 120 by being driven by a driving unit 150 (see FIG. 4) including a motor provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110, for example. .

  The pair of chucks 140 are respectively fixed to the pair of guide blocks 130, and the pair of guide blocks 130 move so as to approach each other along the guide rail 120 to grip the flange 910 of the FOUP 900 (that is, 2), and the pair of guide blocks 130 move away from each other along the guide rails 120, thereby releasing the flange 910 of the FOUP 900 (that is, the state shown in FIG. 3).

  Each of the pair of chucks 140 is fixed to the upper surface 130 u of the guide block 130 and extends along the upper surface 110 u of the base plate 110, and a vertical portion 142 extends from the horizontal portion 141 to below the base plate 110. And a claw portion 143 extending from the lower end side of the vertical portion 142 toward the center of the base plate 110. Thus, each of the pair of chucks 140 has a horizontal portion 141, a vertical portion 142, and a claw portion 143, and thus has a substantially U-shaped or substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the vertical portion 142 is composed of a pair of plate-like bodies provided so as to be movable in a pair of through grooves 111 formed on both sides of the guide rail 120 in the base plate 110.

  According to the gripper device 100 configured as described above, the guide rail 120 and the pair of guide blocks 130 are provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110. For example, the guide rail 120 and the pair of guide blocks 130 are provided on the base plate 110. Compared with the case where the lower surface 110d is fixed with screws, the need for repair and maintenance for preventing the FOUP 900 from dropping can be reduced.

  Further, according to the gripper device 100 configured as described above, when the FOUP 900 is suspended by holding the flange 910 of the FOUP 900 by the pair of chucks 140, the base plate is affected by the weight of the FOUP 900 and vibration during conveyance. It is possible to reduce that the FOUP 900 falls due to the guide rail 120 being removed from the 110, the guide block 130 being removed from the guide rail 120, or the chuck 140 being removed from the guide block 130. Can be prevented. Therefore, it becomes possible to achieve fail-safe.

  That is, particularly in the present embodiment, the guide rail 120 and the pair of guide blocks 130 are provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110, and each of the pair of chucks 140 is fixed to the upper surface 130u of the guide block 130. When the flange 910 of the FOUP 900 is gripped by the pair of chucks 140 and the FOUP 900 is suspended, a force corresponding to the weight of the FOUP 900 is applied to the guide rail 120 via the chuck 140 and the guide block 130. A force corresponding to the weight of the FOUP 900 acts on the guide block 130 from the upper surface 130 u side of the guide block 130 toward the guide rail 120 via the chuck 140. . Therefore, it is possible to reliably reduce or prevent the guide rail 120 from being removed from the base plate 110 and the guide block 130 from being removed from the guide rail 120 due to the weight of the FOUP 900. Here, if no measures are taken, the guide rail 120 is fixed to the lower surface 110d of the base plate 110, and the pair of chucks 140 is fixed to the lower surfaces of the pair of guide blocks 130 that are movably engaged with the guide rail 120. In this case, a force according to the weight of the FOUP 900 acts on the guide rail 120 so as to separate the guide rail 120 from the base plate 110, and a force according to the weight of the FOUP 900 acts on the guide block 130. The block 130 is moved away from the guide rail 120. For this reason, there exists a possibility that FOUP900 may fall. Such a drop of the FOUP 900 is particularly caused when the weight of the FOUP 900 is increased, or when the fixing between the members is weak, for example, when a screw for fixing the guide rail 120 to the base plate 110 is loosened. It tends to occur.

  Further, particularly in the present embodiment, each of the pair of chucks 140 has a horizontal portion 141 fixed to the upper surface 130 u of the guide block 130, so that the flange 910 of the FOUP 900 is gripped by the pair of chucks 140 and the FOUP 900 is suspended. In the lowered state, a force corresponding to the weight of the FOUP 900 is applied to the horizontal portion 141 via the claw portion 143 and the vertical portion 142 so as to press the horizontal portion 141 against the guide block 130. Therefore, it is possible to reduce or prevent the chuck 140 from being detached from the guide block 130 due to the weight of the FOUP 900.

  As described above, according to the gripper device 100 according to the present embodiment, the need for repair and maintenance for preventing the FOUP 900 from dropping can be reduced. Furthermore, it becomes possible to achieve fail safe.

  In addition, particularly in the present embodiment, as described above, since the vertical portion 142 of the chuck 140 is formed of a pair of plate-like bodies, it is possible to reduce the size or weight of the chuck 140 and improve the strength of the chuck 140. it can.

  In addition, particularly in the present embodiment, as described above, the drive unit 150 that drives the guide block 130 is provided on the upper surface 110u of the base plate 110, like the guide rail 120 and the pair of guide blocks 130. The gripper device 100 can be downsized.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist or concept of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification. The gripper device and the transport vehicle including the gripper device are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Conveyance vehicle, 11 ... Running part, 12 ... Elevating part, 13 ... Belt, 100 ... Gripper device, 110 ... Base plate, 111 ... Through groove, 120 ... Guide rail, 130 ... Guide block, 140 ... Chuck, 900 ... FOUP

Claims (4)

A gripper device for a transport vehicle provided in a transport vehicle for transporting a transported object in a suspended state, for gripping the transported object,
A base plate;
A guide rail provided on the upper surface of the base plate;
A pair of guide blocks engaged so as to move in a substantially horizontal direction so as to approach and separate from each other along the guide rail;
Is fixed to the guide block, and a horizontal portion extending along the upper surface of the base plate, and a vertical portion extending from said horizontal portion to below said base plate, the object to be conveyed is provided at the lower end of the vertical portion A pair of gripping portions each having a claw portion for gripping an object,
The base plate has a notch formed on a side of the guide rail,
The gripper device for a transport vehicle, wherein the vertical portion is provided so as to be movable in the cutout portion along a direction in which the guide rail extends . The notch is a pair of through grooves the guide rail is formed along a direction extending on both sides of the guide rail,
2. The gripper device for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vertical portion includes a pair of plate-like bodies provided so as to be movable along the direction in which the guide rail extends in the pair of through grooves. .   The gripper device for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a drive unit that is provided on an upper surface of the base plate and drives the guide block. A transport vehicle that travels along a track laid on the ceiling,
The gripper device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A transport vehicle comprising: an elevating device that winds up and down the gripper device.

Images