Transport system

• US 10,450,143 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Murakami, Ryuya
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US15/730,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 701 96
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/02 Articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0266 relating to the load carrier(s)
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/044 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/40 Safety features of loads, equipment or persons
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/02 detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 11/00 Trolleys or crabs, e.g. operating above runways runways, tracks or trackways therefor B66C7/00; winch mechanisms B66D
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 15/045 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 9/02 for underhung trolleys or cranes
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 9/14 Trolley or crane travel drives rope, cable, or chain drives for loads or trolleys B66C11/16; control B66C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9328 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67733 Overhead conveying

Abstract

A transport system includes a plurality of transport vehicles. Each transport vehicle includes: a distance detecting portion configured to detect a distance to a preceding transport vehicle, which is another transport vehicle traveling in front of the corresponding transport vehicle; a signal transmitting portion for transmitting a start signal to a subsequent transport vehicle, which is another transport vehicle traveling behind the corresponding transport vehicle; and a signal receiving portion for receiving the start signal that is transmitted from the preceding transport vehicle. Each transport vehicle is configured to transmit, when starting to travel, the start signal using the signal transmitting portion, to start to travel upon receiving the start signal from the preceding transport vehicle using the signal receiving portion, and to stop when the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is equal to or smaller than a set distance.

Claims

1. A transport system comprising:

a plurality of transport vehicles;

wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles includes;

a distance detecting portion configured to detect a distance to a preceding transport vehicle;

a signal transmitting portion capable of transmitting a start signal to a subsequent transport vehicle; and

a signal receiving portion capable of receiving the start signal that is transmitted from the preceding transport vehicle,

wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to transmit, when starting to travel, the start signal using the signal transmitting portion, and

wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to start to travel upon receiving the start signal from the preceding transport vehicle using the signal receiving portion, and stop when the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is equal to or smaller than a set distance.

2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles adjusts, while traveling, its traveling speed so that the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is greater than the set distance.

3. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to travel at a speed lower than a traveling speed of the preceding transport vehicle until the distance to the preceding transport vehicle is greater than the set distance, without stopping even when the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is equal to or smaller than the set distance, when the transport vehicle starts to travel with the distance to the preceding transport vehicle being smaller than the set distance.

4. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to start traveling if the signal receiving portion has received the start signal and the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is greater than the set distance.

5. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to start traveling if the distance to the preceding transport vehicle is smaller than the set distance and a set time has elapsed since the signal receiving portion received the start signal.

6. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of transport vehicles are configured to travel in a row along a preset transport path, and

each of the plurality of transport vehicles transmits, when starting to travel, the start signal using the signal transmitting portion, to only a subsequent transport vehicle traveling immediately after.

7. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of transport vehicles includes an individual control device that controls the corresponding transport vehicle, and

each of the plurality of individual control device starts the transport vehicle on which the individual control device is mounted, upon receiving the start signal from the preceding transport vehicle using the signal receiving portion, and stops the transport vehicle on which the individual control device is mounted, when the distance to the preceding transport vehicle that is detected by the distance detecting portion is equal to or smaller than a set distance.