Conveying apparatus

• US 20030079967A1
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishihara, Shigeyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,814,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/838
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/127 the propulsion device consisting of stationary driving wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/06 comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32

Abstract

A conveying apparatus suitable for driving a number of carriers in such a manner that the front end of each carrier thrusts the rear end of the preceding carrier is provided. The conveying apparatus comprises a guide rail and carriers. The rail includes a U-turn path section. Each carrier includes a load bar assembly including at least three load bars connected end-to-end by vertical pivot shafts in such a manner that the bars can pivot horizontally relative to each other. Each carrier also includes a load support supported by the associated middle load bar. Each carrier further includes a front trolley supporting at least the front end load bar and a rear trolley supporting at least the rear end load bar. The trolleys are supported movably on and guided by the guide rail. The trolleys are fixed to and in parallel with the end load bars. The free ends of the end load bars protrude from the front end of the front trolley and the rear end of the rear trolley so that the free end of the front end load bar of each carrier and the free end of the rear end load bar of the preceding carrier can contact together in the U-turn path section.

Claims

1. A conveying apparatus comprising:

a guide rail, the rail including at least one U-turn path section;

a plurality of carriers, the carriers each including;

a load bar assembly including at least three load bars connected end-to-end by vertical pivot shafts in such a manner that the bars can pivot horizontally relative to each other;

the at least three load bars including;

a middle load bar;

a font end load bar having a free end; and

a rear end load bar having a free end;

a load support supported by the middle load bar; and

a pair of front and rear trolleys supporting at least the front and rear end load bars respectively, the trolleys supported movably on and guided by the guide rail, the front and rear trolleys fixed to and substantially in parallel with the front and rear end load bars respectively;

wherein the free ends of the front and rear end load bars protrude from a front end of the front trolley and a rear end of the rear trolley respectively so that the free end of the front end load bar of a carrier and the free end of the rear end load bar of a preceding carrier can contact together in the U-turn path section.

2. A conveying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the carriers includes:

a load bar assembly including at least five load bars connected end-to-end by vertical pivot shafts in such a manner that the bars can pivot horizontally relative to each other;

a pair of front and rear load trolleys supporting the front and rear ends respectively of the middle load bar in such a manner that the load trolleys can rotate relative to the middle load bar each on a vertical pivot shaft; and

a pair of front and rear guide trolleys supporting the front and rear end load bars respectively.

3. A conveying apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

4. A conveying apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a junction between each end load bar and the trolley supporting the end load bar is near to a joint between the end load bar and an adjacent load bar.

5. A conveying apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

6. A conveying apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the free ends of the end load bars are convexly arcuate in plan view.

7. A conveying apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

8. A conveying apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a junction between each end load bar and the trolley supporting the end load bar is near to a joint between the end load bar and an adjacent load bar.

9. A conveying apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

10. A conveying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the free ends of the end load bars are convexly arcuate in plan view.

11. A conveying apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

12. A conveying apparatus according to claim 10 wherein a junction between each end load bar and the trolley supporting the end load bar is near to a joint between the end load bar and an adjacent load bar.

13. A conveying apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

14. A conveying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a junction between each end load bar and the trolley supporting the end load bar is near to a joint between the end load bar and an adjacent load bar.

15. A conveying apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.

16. A conveying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the load bars of each load bar assembly are connected together in such a manner that mutually connected ends of adjacent load bars are positioned on or over each other, and wherein at least one side of each load bar forms a driven frictional surface continuing flush and linearly to driven frictional surfaces of the other load bars in a linear path section of the guide rail.