Transport arrangement for movable members

• US 5,465,827 A
• Filed: 01/19/1995
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Hayashi, Nobuhiro, Nakagawa, Hiroshi, Nakagawa, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US08/375,263
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 198/465.1, 198/465.2, 198/465.3, 198/580, 198/795, 198/803.01, 198/803.2, 104/165, 104/163, 104/168
• US Class Current: 198/465.3
• 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 movable member supported for movement on a track has a pressure receptor portion which faces laterally outward. An accelerating device in a horizontally held particular track portion of the track, at the upstream side thereof, acts upon the pressure receptor portion to apply high speed transport force to the movable member. A decelerating device at the downstream side of the particular track portion acts upon the pressure receptor portion to decelerate the movable member. The accelerating device acts upon the pressure receptor portion at the downstream side of the particular track portion, whereby high speed transport force is applied to the movable member so that the movable member may be transported at high speed on the horizontally held particular track portion. The decelerating device acts upon the pressure receptor portion of the movable member being transported at high speed, whereupon the movable member is decelerated. Movable members can be efficiently transported at high speed on the particular track portion and, therefore, the number of movable members present in the particular track portion can be reduced.

Claims

1. A movable member transport arrangement, comprising a movable member supported and guided by guide means for movement on a predetermined track;

a pressure receptor portion formed on both sides of the movable member, right and left, to face laterally outward;

accelerating means disposed at the upstream side of a horizontally held particular track portion of the predetermined track to be adapted to act upon the pressure receptor portion to apply high speed transport force to the movable member;

decelerating means disposed at the downstream side of the horizontally held particular track portion of the predetermined track to be adapted to act upon the pressure receptor portion to decelerate the movable member;

said accelerating means and decelerating means each having a pair of rollers disposed on both sides of the particular track portion, right and left, at least one of said pair of rollers being a drive roller;

said particular track portion including the distance between said accelerating means and said decelerating means so defined as to be longer than the length of two movable members together, whereby a single movable member is capable of moving therebetween in the particular track portion at a high speed by the high speed transport force transmitted from the accelerating means; and

stopper means disposed on the downstream side of the decelerating means to be adapted for abutment by the movable member which has been transported at a high speed and then decelerated by the decelerating means.

2. A movable member transport arrangement as set forth in claim 1, comprising a relay means provided between the accelerating means and the decelerating means in the horizontally held particular track portion, whereby the single movable member moving therebetween at a high speed by the high speed transport force transmitted from the accelerating means is decelerated and then applied with the high speed transport force to move toward the decelerating means at a high speed.

3. A movable member transport arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined track includes an operating track portion and a horizontally held non-operating track portion, with accelerating means disposed at the upstream side of the non-operating track portion and decelerating means disposed at the downstream side thereof.

4. A movable member transport arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined track is formed in the shape of a loop consisting of an operating track portion and a horizontally held non-operating track portion which are arranged in vertically spaced parallel relation, and vertically extending transfer track portions which connect respective beginning and ending terminals of the operating and non-operating track portions, with accelerating means disposed at the upstream side of the non-operating track portion and decelerating means disposed at the downstream side thereof.

5. A movable member transport arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein the predetermined track includes an operating track portion and a horizontally held non-operating track portion, with accelerating means disposed at the upstream side of the non-operating track portion and decelerating means disposed at the downstream side thereof.

6. A movable member transport arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein the predetermined track is formed in the shape of a loop consisting of an operating track portion and a horizontally held non-operating track portion which are arranged in vertically spaced parallel relation, and vertically extending transfer track portions which connect respective beginning and ending terminals of the operating and non-operating track portions, with accelerating means disposed at the upstream side of the non-operating track portion and decelerating means disposed at the downstream side thereof.