Transporting apparatus with position detection sensor

• US 7,137,770 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Ueda, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENHUT, CHARLES N
• Application Number:
  US10/885,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 414/274, 187/394, 294/907, 901 46- 47, 250/224, 700/218, 700258-259
• US Class Current: 414/274
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0435 with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area

Abstract

A transporting apparatus is provided with a moving platform capable of moving vertically, an article loading platform that can be moved horizontally with respect to the moving platform, a contactless sensor provided on the moving platform, a detected member that is provided on the article loading platform, whose position can be altered between an position detected and a position not detected by the contactless sensor, and an operating member operatively linked to the detected member. The operating member can come into contact with an article loaded on the article loading platform, and changes the position of the detected member between the detected position and the non-detected position. Due to this configuration, it is possible to provide an article position sensor between the article loading platform and the moving platform without using wires, which are deteriorated due to the relative movement between the article loading platform and the moving platform.

Claims

1. A transporting apparatus comprising:

a moving platform capable of moving vertically;

an article loading platform supported on the moving platform for transporting article such that the article loading platform can be moved horizontally with respect to the moving platform;

an article loading state detection sensor provided on the moving platform;

a detected member provided on the article loading platform, the detected member capable of switching between an article present detection position and an article absent detection position that can be contactlessly detected by the article loading state detection sensor; and

an operating member, provided on the article loading platform, that is operatively connected to the detected member so as to move the position of the detected member, wherein the operating member is configured to be urged such that the detected member is in turn urged toward the article absent detection position, and when the operating member comes into contact with an article on the article loading platform, the operating member is manipulated into a position where the detected member is in the article present detection position due to pressure from the article.

2. The transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the operating member is a curved elongate member when viewed from a side, and extending in the direction in which the article loading platform is advanced and retreated.

3. The transporting apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the detected member and the operating member are directly linked and provided such that they are capable of swinging vertically about an end portion in the length direction of the operating member.

4. The transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detected member and the operating member are directly linked, and are capable of freely sliding in the vertical direction.

5. The transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detected member is provided such that a detection position where the detected member is detected by the article loading state detection sensor is defined as the article present detection position, and a non-detection position where the detected member is not detected by the article loading state detection sensor is defined as the article absent detection position.

6. The transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detected member is provided at a plurality of locations of the article loading platform, and a plurality of article loading state detection sensors are provided such that each of the plurality of detected members is detected separately.

7. The transporting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the moving platform is provided such that the moving platform is moved horizontally and vertically along a front surface of a storage shelf, in which a plurality of article storage portions are provided lined up horizontally and vertically.

8. A transporting apparatus comprising:

a moving platform capable of moving vertically;

an article loading platform supported to the moving platform such that the article loading platform can be moved horizontally with respect to the moving platform;

a contactless sensor provided on the moving platform;

a detected member provided on the article loading platform, whose position can be altered between a position detected and a position not detected by the contactless sensor; and

an operating member operatively linked to the detected member, wherein the operating member can come into contact with an article loaded on the article loading platform, and changes the position of the detected member between the detected position and the non-detected position.

9. A transporting apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the detection sensor has a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device, and the detected member has a reflective member that reflects light from the light-emitting device.

10. A transporting apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the position of the operating member can be changed vertically, and is urged upward.

11. A transporting apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the operating member is an elongate member extending generally in the horizontal direction.

12. A transporting apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the operating member can swing about a shaft supported on the article loading platform.

13. A transporting apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the operating member is fastened to the reflective member, and positioned within a holder.

14. A transporting apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein in a state where the operating member is pressed by the article, the reflective member is fastened to the operating member such that the reflective member becomes perpendicular to the direction in which light is emitted from the light-emitting device.