TWI849194B - Article transport facility - Google Patents

Abstract

[Question] To realize a material transport facility that can maintain each transport device individually when multiple transport devices are arranged in parallel and can appropriately close the fire door in the event of a fire. [Solution] The first transport path and the second transport path are set in the vertical direction through an opening formed in the floor portion. The opening portion is provided with: a movable fire door, which opens the opening area of the opening portion in an open state and closes the opening area in a closed state; a movable first workbench, which is configured not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in a retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the first conveying path but not overlap with the second conveying path in a protruding state; and a movable second workbench, which is configured not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in a retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the second conveying path but not overlap with the first conveying path in a protruding state.

Description

Goods handling equipment

The present invention relates to an article transporting device.

For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-052659 (Patent Document 1) discloses an article transporting device having a transporting device, wherein the transporting device transports articles in a plurality of layers. In the following, the symbols enclosed in brackets in the description of the prior art are the symbols of Patent Document 1.

In the equipment disclosed in patent document 1, a plurality of holding parts (R) capable of holding articles (A) are provided inside a cylindrical wall (90) provided on each of a plurality of levels. In addition, a conveying device (20) is provided in the equipment, and the conveying device (20) comprises: a guide rail (14) penetrating an opening formed in the floor portion of a building; a lifting body (21) that is lifted and lowered along the guide rail (14); and a transfer part (31) that is supported by the lifting body (21) and transfers articles (A) between the holding parts (R). The conveying device (20) thus constructed is formed to cover a plurality of levels to convey articles (A). When the transport device (20) is being maintained, a workbench or the like is set up to seal the opening for workers who are working near the opening.

In general, in such equipment, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-137967 (Patent Document 2), fire doors are often installed. The fire doors are used to close the openings in case of fire, thereby preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent floors. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-052659 Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-137967

Invention Problems to be Solved

In the equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1, the vertical conveyance of articles (A) is performed by one conveying device (20). In order to increase the conveyance amount of articles, it is conceivable to arrange a plurality of conveying devices (20) in parallel. In this case, even if a part of the plurality of conveying devices (20) is stopped for maintenance, it is preferable to keep the remaining part in operation from the viewpoint of minimizing the reduction in the operation rate of the equipment. Therefore, it is required that the plurality of conveying devices (20) can be individually maintained. On the other hand, in the event of a fire, all of the plurality of conveying devices (20) must be stopped, and the openings through which the guide rails (14) of the plurality of conveying devices (20) pass must be closed by fire doors.

In view of the above actual situation, it is desired to realize the following material handling equipment: when multiple handling devices are arranged in parallel, each handling device can be individually maintained, and the fire door can be appropriately closed in the event of a fire. Means for solving the problem

The article conveying equipment disclosed in the present invention comprises: a first conveying device, which is installed in a building having a floor portion with a plurality of levels, and covers the aforementioned plurality of levels in the vertical direction to convey articles; and a second conveying device, which is arranged in parallel with the aforementioned first conveying device, and covers the aforementioned plurality of levels in the vertical direction to convey articles. a first conveying path for conveying articles by the aforementioned first conveying device, and a second conveying path for conveying articles by the aforementioned second conveying device are set in the aforementioned vertical direction by means of an opening formed in the aforementioned floor portion. a ： The movable fire door opens the opening area of the opening portion in the open state and closes the opening area in the closed state; The movable first workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the first conveying path but not overlap with the second conveying path in the protruding state; and The movable second workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the second conveying path but not overlap with the first conveying path in the protruding state.

According to this configuration, when the first conveying device is to be maintained, the first workbench can be set to a protruding state, and the first workbench can be arranged to overlap with the first conveying path, but not overlap with the second conveying path. In this way, the operator can easily perform maintenance on the first conveying device using the first workbench. In this case, since the first workbench does not overlap with the second conveying path, the conveyance of articles along the second conveying path can be continued by the second conveying device. When the second conveying device is to be maintained, the same effect can be achieved by using the second workbench. Thus, according to this structure, the first work platform and the second work platform are individually set to the protruding state, thereby becoming possible to operate one of the first conveying device and the second conveying device while maintaining the other. In addition, according to this structure, the entire opening area can be closed by the fire door in the event of a fire.

Further features and advantages of the technology disclosed herein will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The form used to implement the invention

Article transport equipment is equipment that transports or stores raw materials, intermediate products, or finished products, etc. In the following, an example is given in which the article transport equipment is installed in a clean room for processing raw materials in a clean environment, and the implementation form of the article transport equipment is described.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the article conveying equipment 100 includes a ceiling conveying device 99, a floor conveying device 98, a first conveying device 1, and a second conveying device 2 installed in a building having a floor portion 4 with a plurality of floors. The ceiling conveying device 99 conveys articles W by moving near the ceiling in each floor. The floor conveying device 98 conveys articles W by moving on the floor surface of each floor. The first conveying device 1 conveys articles W by covering a plurality of floors in the vertical direction. The second conveying device 2 is arranged in parallel with the first conveying device 1 and conveys articles W by covering a plurality of floors in the vertical direction. In addition, as the article W, for example, a container (FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) or a mask box, etc.) for accommodating a semiconductor substrate or a double-size mask substrate can be exemplified.

In this embodiment, the article transport facility 100 is provided with a cylindrical wall 3 covering both the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 in each of the plurality of levels. In other words, the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 are arranged inside the cylindrical wall 3. On the other hand, the ceiling transport device 99 and the floor transport device 98 are arranged outside the cylindrical wall 3.

Here, if the direction in which the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 are arranged in the vertical direction is set as the parallel direction X, a partition wall 5 covering a plurality of levels and separating the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 is provided between the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 in the parallel direction X. The interior of the cylindrical wall 3 is divided into a first area A1 where the first conveying device 1 is arranged and a second area A2 where the second conveying device 2 is arranged by the partition wall 5. The first conveying device 1 is configured to convey the article W in the vertical direction in the first area A1. The second conveying device 2 is configured to convey the article W in the vertical direction in the second area A2.

As shown in FIG1 , the article conveying equipment 100 has an in-and-out conveying device 97, which is provided at each level to convey the article W into the inside of the cylindrical wall 3 or to convey the article W out of the inside of the cylindrical wall 3. The in-and-out conveying device 97 is provided to penetrate the cylindrical wall 3 in the horizontal direction and cover the inside and outside of the cylindrical wall 3. The in-and-out conveying device 97 conveys the article W between the end portion (external side end portion 97a) located on the side of the outside of the cylindrical wall 3 and the end portion (inner side end portion 97b) located on the side of the inside of the cylindrical wall 3. The in-and-out conveying device 97 is constructed using a conveyor such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor.

A plurality of holding portions 8 (see FIGS. 3 to 5 ) for holding articles W are provided inside the cylindrical wall 3. In the illustrated example, the holding portion 8 has a supporting body 80 that can support the article W from below. The holding portion 8 is configured to support the article W by the supporting body 80, thereby holding the article W.

After the article W is placed on the outer side end 97a of the in-and-out conveying device 97 by the ceiling conveying device 99, the floor conveying device 98, or a worker, the article W is conveyed by the in-and-out conveying device 97 to the inner side end 97b inside the cylindrical wall 3. Thereafter, the article W is conveyed from the inner side end 97b to the holding portion 8 located at the same level or another level by the first conveying device 1 or the second conveying device 2, and is held by the holding portion 8. Furthermore, the article W held in the holding portion 8 is conveyed from the holding portion 8 to the inner side end 97b of the in-and-out conveying device 97 located at the same level or another level by the first conveying device 1 or the second conveying device 2, and then conveyed to the outer side end 97a by the in-and-out conveying device 97. The article W conveyed to the outer side end 97a is conveyed from the outer side end 97a to another location by the ceiling conveying device 99, the floor conveying device 98, or the worker. Furthermore, the article W may be conveyed from the inner side end 97b to the inner side end 97b of another in-and-out conveying device 97 by the first conveying device 1 or the second conveying device 2, or may be conveyed from the holding portion 8 to another holding portion 8. Furthermore, the inner side end portion 97b of the in-and-out conveying device 97 also functions as the holding portion 8 because the article W is held at that position when the article W is not being conveyed.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2, and the peripheral configuration of each of these devices will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In addition, in FIG. 2, a portion of the cylindrical wall 3 and a portion of the partition wall 5 are cut away for display, and the retaining portion 8 is omitted. Moreover, although FIG. 5 only shows the configuration of the first area A1, the configuration of the second area A2 not shown in FIG. 5 is the same as that of the first area A1, and therefore is omitted from the drawing.

In the following, as described above, the direction in which the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 are arranged in the vertical direction along the vertical direction is set as the parallel direction X. Furthermore, one side in the parallel direction X is set as the first side X1 in the parallel direction, and the other side is set as the second side X2 in the parallel direction. Furthermore, the direction orthogonal to the parallel direction X in the vertical direction is set as the orthogonal direction Y. Furthermore, one side in the orthogonal direction Y is set as the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction, and the other side is set as the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction.

As described above, the cylindrical wall 3 covers both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 in each of the plurality of layers. In the present embodiment, the cylindrical wall 3 is formed into a cylindrical shape having a rectangular cross section, and comprises: a front wall portion 31, which is arranged on the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction relative to the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2; a rear wall portion 32, which is arranged on the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction; a first side wall portion 33, which is arranged on the first side X1 in the parallel direction; and a second side wall portion 34, which is arranged on the second side X2 in the parallel direction.

The first conveying device 1 includes: a first guide rail 11 arranged in a plurality of levels along the vertical direction; a first lifting body 13 that rises and falls along the first guide rail 11; and a first transfer unit 14 that is supported by the first lifting body 13 and holds and transfers the article W. In the present embodiment, the first transfer unit 14 includes a first transfer holding unit 141 that can hold the article W, a mechanism that allows the first transfer holding unit 141 to move forward and backward in the horizontal direction, and a mechanism that allows the first transfer holding unit 141 to rotate around an axis along the vertical direction. For example, the first transfer unit 14 is constructed using a horizontal multi-joint support arm (so-called SCARA; Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm). In the example shown in the figure, a pair of first transfer units 14 are arranged in the vertical direction and supported by the same first lifting body 13 .

The second conveying device 2 includes: a second guide rail 21, which is arranged along the vertical direction and covers a plurality of levels; a second lifting body 23, which is lifted and lowered along the second guide rail 21; and a second transfer unit 24, which is supported by the second lifting body 23 and holds and transfers the article W. In this embodiment, the second transfer unit 24 includes a second transfer holding unit 241 that can hold the article W, a mechanism that allows the second transfer holding unit 241 to move forward and backward in the horizontal direction, and a mechanism that allows the second transfer holding unit 241 to rotate around an axis along the vertical direction. For example, the second transfer unit 24 is constructed using a horizontal multi-joint support arm. In the illustrated example, a pair of second transfer units 24 are arranged in the vertical direction and supported by the same second lifting body 23. As described above, in the present embodiment, the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 are configured to have the same structure.

In the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 has a first facing surface 11a, and the first facing surface 11a is disposed on a side closer to the second side X2 in the parallel direction than the center axis of the rail. In this example, the first facing surface 11a is opposed to the partition wall 5 in the parallel direction X. Furthermore, the second guide rail 21 has a second facing surface 21a, and the second facing surface 21a is disposed on a side closer to the first side X1 in the parallel direction than the center axis of the rail. In this example, the second facing surface 21a is opposed to the partition wall 5 in the parallel direction X. In addition, the first facing surface 11a and the second facing surface 21a are not limited to being formed as a whole with a flat surface, but may also be formed partially including a concave and convex surface.

The first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 are arranged to penetrate the opening 40 formed in the through-floor portion 4T, which is the floor portion 4 through which the first lift 13 and the second lift 23 pass when conveying articles W covering a plurality of levels. For example, the floor portions 4 other than the floor portion 4 of the lowest level are set as through-floor portions 4T, and the opening 40 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed on each of the through-floor portions 4T. Hereinafter, when the floor portion 4 and the through-floor portion 4T are not particularly distinguished, they are collectively referred to as the floor portion 4.

Furthermore, the first conveying path P1 for conveying articles W by the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying path P2 for conveying articles W by the second conveying device 2 are set in the up-down direction by means of an opening 40 formed in the floor portion 4. The first conveying path P1 extends along the first guide rail 11, and the second conveying path P2 extends along the second guide rail 21.

The first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 are fixed to the floor portion 4 on the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction. In the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 are fixed to a door support frame 60 supporting the fire door 6 as described later. And, this door support frame 60 is fixed to the floor portion 4. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 are fixed to the floor portion 4 through the door support frame 60 of the fire door 6. In this example, the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 are fixed to the floor portion 4 of a plurality of levels. Thereby, the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 can be firmly fixed to the building.

In the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 has a first fixing surface 11d, and the first fixing surface 11d is disposed on a side surface closer to the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction than the center axis of the rail. In the present example, the first fixing surface 11d is fixed to the floor portion 4 through the door support frame 60. Furthermore, the second guide rail 21 has a second fixing surface 21d, and the second fixing surface 21d is disposed on a side surface closer to the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction than the center axis of the rail. In the present example, the second fixing surface 21d is fixed to the floor portion 4 through the door support frame 60. In addition, the first fixing surface 11d and the second fixing surface 21d are not limited to being formed as a whole with a flat surface, and may also be formed partially including a concave and convex surface.

In this embodiment, the cylindrical wall 3 is fixed to the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21. In addition, the partition wall 5 is fixed to the cylindrical wall 3. With such a structure, the cylindrical wall 3 and the partition wall 5 can be appropriately supported by the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21. In addition, the fixing of the above-mentioned components to each other is performed using fasteners such as bolts (not shown).

As shown in FIG3 , along the side surface of the first guide rail 11 opposite to the side (first facing surface 11a) facing the partition wall 5, a first power supply unit 12 for supplying power to the first lifting body 13 is arranged. In the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 has a first arrangement surface 11b, and the first arrangement surface 11b is arranged on the side surface closer to the first side X1 in the parallel direction than the center axis of the rail. In the present example, the first power supply unit 12 is arranged along the first arrangement surface 11b. In addition, the first arrangement surface 11b is not limited to the case where the entire surface is formed by a flat surface, and may also be formed by partially including a concave and convex surface.

In the present embodiment, the first power supply unit 12 includes a power supply line 121 and a power supply line holding portion 122 for holding the power supply line 121. The power supply line holding portion 122 is provided to extend in the vertical direction along the first configuration surface 11b in the first guide rail 11, and is provided to protrude from the first configuration surface 11b toward the first side X1 in the parallel direction. The power supply line holding portion 122 holds the power supply line 121 at a position separated from the first configuration surface 11b toward the first side X1 in the parallel direction. The power supply line 121 is arranged to extend in the vertical direction along the first configuration surface 11b. Furthermore, the power supply line 121 includes a pair of electric power lines separated and arranged in the orthogonal direction Y. Between the pair of electric power lines in the orthogonal direction Y, the first power receiving portion 131 provided by the first lifting body 13 is arranged. In this example, the power supply line 121 is configured to supply electric power to the first power receiving unit 131 in a non-contact state.

Furthermore, along the side surface of the second guide rail 21 opposite to the side (second facing surface 21a) facing the partition wall 5, a second power supply unit 22 for supplying power to the second lifting body 23 is arranged. In the present embodiment, the second guide rail 21 has a second arrangement surface 21b, and the second arrangement surface 21b is arranged on the side surface closer to the second side X2 in the parallel direction than the center axis of the rail. In this example, the second power supply unit 22 is arranged along this second arrangement surface 21b. In addition, the second arrangement surface 21b is not limited to the case where the whole is formed by a flat surface, and can also be formed by partially including a concave and convex surface.

In the present embodiment, the second power supply unit 22 includes a power supply line 221 and a power supply line holding portion 222 for holding the power supply line 221. The power supply line holding portion 222 is arranged to extend in the vertical direction along the second configuration surface 21b in the second guide rail 21, and is arranged to protrude from the second configuration surface 21b toward the second side X2 in the parallel direction. The power supply line holding portion 222 holds the power supply line 221 at a position separated from the second configuration surface 21b toward the second side X2 in the parallel direction. The power supply line 221 is arranged to extend in the vertical direction along the second configuration surface 21b. In addition, the power supply line 221 includes a pair of electric power lines separated and arranged in the orthogonal direction Y. Between the pair of electric power lines in the orthogonal direction Y, the second power receiving portion 231 provided by the second lifting body 23 is arranged. In this example, the power supply line 221 is configured to supply electric power to the second power receiving unit 231 in a non-contact state.

The first lifting body 13 is arranged to be lifted and lowered on the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction relative to the first guide rail 11. In the present embodiment, the first guide rail 11 has a first supporting surface 11c, and the first supporting surface 11c is arranged on a side surface closer to the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction than the center axis of the rail. In the present example, the first lifting body 13 is supported to face the first supporting surface 11c. The first lifting body 13 is arranged to be lifted and lowered along the first supporting surface 11c. In addition, the first supporting surface 11c is not limited to being constituted by a flat surface as a whole, and may also be constituted by partially including a concave and convex surface. In this example, a first groove 111 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 ) is formed on the first supporting surface 11 c for supporting and guiding the first lifting body 13 in the vertical direction. The first groove 111 is formed to extend in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, the first lifting body 13 includes: a first main body 130 supported relative to the first guide rail 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction; a first power receiving part 131 for receiving power from the first power supply part 12; and a first connecting member 132 connecting the first main body 130 and the first power receiving part 131 (see FIG. 3 ). In this example, the first connecting member 132 is connected to the first main body 130 at the base end, and protrudes from the first main body 130 toward the first side X1 in the parallel direction, and bends and extends toward the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction. Furthermore, the first power receiving unit 131 is connected to the front end of the first connecting member 132, and the first power receiving unit 131 is arranged at a position where it can receive power from the power supply line 121 of the first power supply unit 12. In the example shown in the figure, the first power receiving unit 131 is arranged between a pair of power lines of the first power supply unit 12 in the orthogonal direction Y.

The second lifting body 23 is arranged to be lifted and lowered on the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction relative to the second guide rail 21. In the present embodiment, the second guide rail 21 has a second supporting surface 21c, and the second supporting surface 21c is arranged on a side closer to the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction than the center axis of the rail. In the present example, the second lifting body 23 is supported to face the second supporting surface 21c. The second lifting body 23 is arranged to be lifted and lowered along the second supporting surface 21c. In addition, the second supporting surface 21c is not limited to being constituted by a flat surface as a whole, and may also be constituted by partially including a concave and convex surface. In this example, a second groove 211 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 ) is formed on the second supporting surface 21c for supporting and guiding the second lifting body 23 in the vertical direction. The second groove 211 is formed to extend in the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, the second lifting body 23 includes: a second main body 230 supported relative to the second guide rail 21 so as to be movable in the vertical direction; a second power receiving part 231 for receiving power from the second power supply part 22; and a second connecting member 232 connecting the second main body 230 and the second power receiving part 231 (see FIG. 3 ). In this example, the second connecting member 232 is connected to the second main body 230 at the base end, and protrudes from the second main body 230 toward the second side X2 in the parallel direction, and bends and extends toward the second side Y2 in the orthogonal direction. Furthermore, the second power receiving unit 231 is connected to the front end of the second connecting member 232, and the second power receiving unit 231 is arranged at a position where it can receive power from the power supply line 221 of the second power supply unit 22. In the example shown in the figure, the second power receiving unit 231 is arranged between a pair of power lines of the second power supply unit 22 in the orthogonal direction Y.

As described above, according to the arrangement position of the power supply unit (12, 22) of the present structure, the power supply unit (12, 22) is less likely to become an obstacle to the fixation of the guide rail (11, 21) and less likely to become an obstacle to the movement of the lifting body (13, 23). In addition, a structure can be realized in which the power supply unit (12, 22) can be used to appropriately supply power to the lifting body (13, 23) more easily.

In the present embodiment, the article conveying equipment 100 is further provided with: a first ladder L1, which is arranged along the up-down direction in a manner not to overlap with the moving trajectories of the first lifting body 13 and the first transfer part 14; and a second ladder L2, which is arranged along the up-down direction in a manner not to overlap with the moving trajectories of the second lifting body 23 and the second transfer part 24. Thus, for example, when an operator performs maintenance on the first conveying device 1, the first ladder L1 can be used to perform the maintenance. Furthermore, when an operator performs maintenance on the second conveying device 2, the second ladder L2 can be used to perform the maintenance. In addition, as described above, the ladders (L1, L2) are arranged so as not to overlap with the moving trajectories of the lifting bodies (13, 23) and the transfer parts (14, 24). That is, the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 are arranged at appropriate positions that do not hinder the conveying of the article W by the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2. In addition, the moving track of the lifting body (13, 23) performing the lifting action is a space extending in the vertical direction on the first side Y1 in the orthogonal direction more than the guide rail (11, 21). The moving track of the transfer part (14, 24) performing the forward and backward action is formed as: from the moving track of the lifting body (13, 23), a space expanding in the horizontal direction toward each of the plurality of holding parts 8 at the height of each of the plurality of holding parts 8.

As shown in FIG3 , in the present embodiment, the first ladder L1 is fixed to the first surface 51, which is a surface on the side of the partition wall 5 on which the first guide rail 11 is arranged. In other words, the first ladder L1 is fixed to the partition wall 5 in the first area A1. Furthermore, the second ladder L2 is fixed to the second surface 52, which is a surface on the side of the partition wall 5 on which the second guide rail 21 is arranged. In other words, the second ladder L2 is fixed to the partition wall 5 in the second area A2. In this way, by utilizing the partition wall 5 that separates the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2, the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 that can be used for maintenance can be arranged with a relatively simple structure. In the present embodiment, the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 are permanently installed in the article transporting facility 100. Alternatively, the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 may be configured to be detachable relative to the partition wall 5 and installed during maintenance or the like.

As described above, an opening 40 is formed on the floor portion 4 (through the floor portion 4T) through which the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 pass. In addition, a movable fire door 6 is provided on the opening 40. The fire door 6 opens the opening area 40R of the opening 40 when it is open, and closes the opening area 40R when it is closed. The fire door 6 closes the opening area 40R in the event of a fire, thereby suppressing the spread of fire to the adjacent floors (see FIG. 9 ). For example, the fire door 6 is configured to automatically close when a fire in the equipment is detected by a fire detection sensor SeF (see FIG. 6 ) installed inside the article transport equipment 100. When the fire door 6 is closed, both the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 stop at positions that do not interfere with the fire door 6.

In this embodiment, the fire door 6 is configured to change between an open state and a closed state by moving in a direction intersecting the up-down direction. In this example, the fire door 6 is configured to move in a direction orthogonal to the up-down direction, that is, in a horizontal direction. The fire door 6 in this example is configured to slide and move along the orthogonal direction Y.

In this embodiment, the fire door 6 is supported by a door support frame 60 fixed to the floor portion 4. As described above, the door support frame 60 fixes the first guide rail 11 and the second guide rail 21 relative to the floor portion 4. A door guide groove 61 for guiding the fire door 6 in the horizontal direction is formed on the door support frame 60. In this example, the door guide groove 61 is formed along the orthogonal direction Y. Thereby, the fire door 6 is formed to be able to slide and move along the orthogonal direction Y.

In addition, a first workbench 71 and a second workbench 72 are provided in the opening portion 40. The first workbench 71 is configured not to overlap with the first conveying path P1 and the second conveying path P2 in the retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the first conveying path P1 but not overlap with the second conveying path P2 in the protruding state. The second workbench 72 is configured not to overlap with the first conveying path P1 and the second conveying path P2 in the retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the second conveying path P2 but not overlap with the first conveying path P1 in the protruding state. Thus, when the operator performs maintenance on the first conveying device 1, the first workbench 71 can be set to a protruding state, and the first workbench can be arranged to overlap with the first conveying path P1, but not overlap with the second conveying path P2. In addition, the operator can easily perform maintenance on the first conveying device 1 using the first workbench 71. In this case, since the first workbench 71 does not overlap with the second conveying path P2, the conveyance of the article W along the second conveying path P2 can be continued by the second conveying device 2. Similarly, when the operator performs maintenance on the second conveying device 2, the second workbench 72 can be used.

In the present embodiment, the first workbench 71 is configured to overlap with the moving tracks of the first lifting body 13 and the first transfer unit 14 in the protruding state. In this example, if the portion of the opening area 40R that is closer to the first conveying device 1 relative to the partition wall 5 is set as the first area 41R, the first workbench 71 in the protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire first area 41R in the vertical direction. More specifically, the first workbench 71 in the protruding state is configured above the first area 41R, thereby closing the first conveying path P1 (refer to the left figure of Figure 7). In addition, the operator can climb onto the first workbench 71 above the first area 41R, which is a part of the opening area 40R, to perform maintenance on the first conveying device 1. In addition, the first workbench 71 in the retracted state is arranged so as not to overlap with the first area 41R in the vertical direction. That is, the first workbench 71 in the retracted state is arranged outside the first area 41R. Accordingly, when the first workbench 71 is in the retracted state, the first conveying path P1 is opened, and the conveying of the article W by the first conveying device 1 can be performed (refer to the left figure of FIG. 8).

In this embodiment, the second workbench 72 is configured to overlap with the moving track of the second lifting body 23 and the second transfer unit 24 in the protruding state. In this example, if the portion of the opening area 40R that is closer to the second conveying device 2 relative to the partition wall 5 is set as the second area 42R, the second workbench 72 in the protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire second area 42R in the vertical direction. More specifically, the second workbench 72 in the protruding state is configured above the second area 42R, thereby closing the second conveying path P2 (refer to the right figure of Figure 8). In this way, the operator can climb onto the second workbench 72 above the second area 42R, which is a part of the opening area 40R, to perform maintenance on the second conveying device 2. In addition, the second workbench 72 in the retracted state is arranged so as not to overlap with the second area 42R in the vertical direction. That is, the second workbench 72 in the retracted state is arranged outside the second area 42R. Accordingly, when the second workbench 72 is in the retracted state, the second conveying path P2 is opened, and the conveying of the article W by the second conveying device 2 can be performed (refer to the right figure of FIG. 7 ).

In this embodiment, the first workbench 71 and the second workbench 72 are configured to change between the retracted state and the protruding state by moving in parallel with the fire door 6. In this way, the structure of the fire door 6, the first workbench 71, and the second workbench 72 can be arranged in a smaller space in the vertical direction. In this example, the fire door 6, the first workbench 71, and the second workbench 72 have the same moving direction when changing the state. That is, the fire door 6, the first workbench 71, and the second workbench 72 are configured to slide and move along the orthogonal direction Y.

In the present embodiment, the first workbench 71 is supported by the first support frame 710 fixed to the floor portion 4. In this example, the first support frame 710 is fixed to the floor portion 4 through the door support frame 60 on the first conveying device 1 side relative to the partition wall 5, that is, in the first zone A1. In the illustrated example, the first support frame 710 is fixed to the upper surface of the door support frame 60. A first guide groove 711 is formed on the first support frame 710 to guide the first workbench 71 in the horizontal direction. In this example, the first guide groove 711 is formed along the orthogonal direction Y. Thereby, the first workbench 71 is formed to be able to slide and move along the orthogonal direction Y. Furthermore, as described above, since the first supporting frame 710 is fixed to the upper surface of the door supporting frame 60 , the first workbench 71 is configured to move parallel to the fire door 6 above the fire door 6 .

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the second workbench 72 is supported by a second support frame 720 fixed to the floor portion 4. In this example, the second support frame 720 is fixed to the floor portion 4 via the door support frame 60 on the second conveying device 2 side relative to the partition wall 5, that is, in the second zone A2. In the illustrated example, the second support frame 720 is fixed to the upper surface of the door support frame 60. A second guide groove 721 is formed on the second support frame 720 for guiding the second workbench 72 in the horizontal direction. In this example, the second guide groove 721 is formed along the orthogonal direction Y. Thereby, the second workbench 72 is formed to be able to slide and move along the orthogonal direction Y. Furthermore, as described above, since the second supporting frame 720 is fixed to the upper surface of the door supporting frame 60 , the second workbench 72 is configured to move parallel to the fire door 6 above the fire door 6 .

In this embodiment, the door supporting frame 60, the first supporting frame 710, and the second supporting frame 720 are arranged to penetrate the front wall portion 31 of the cylindrical wall 3 in the orthogonal direction Y. In addition, the portion of the door supporting frame 60, the first supporting frame 710, and the second supporting frame 720 that penetrates the front wall portion 31 and is arranged outside the front wall portion 31 is covered by the cover member C.

As shown in FIG4 , in this embodiment, the partition wall 5 has a plate-shaped partition 50, and the partition 50 is configured to separate the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 in each of the plurality of levels. In this example, a monitoring window 50a is formed in the partition 50 (refer to FIG2 ). This allows the operator to monitor the area on the opposite side of the area where he is working through the partition 50 (partition wall 5). For example, when the operator is working in the first area A1, he can monitor the second area A2 through the monitoring window 50a. When the operator is working in the second area A2, he can monitor the first area A1 through the same monitoring window 50a.

In this embodiment, the lower end of the partition 50 in each floor is arranged above the fire door 6. Furthermore, the upper end of the partition 50 arranged in the floor below the floor adjacent to the partition 50 is arranged below the fire door 6. That is, the fire door 6, in this case, the door support frame 60, is arranged between the upper and lower directions of a pair of partitions 50 arranged in each of the adjacent floors. Therefore, the partition 50 (partition wall 5) does not become an obstacle to the movement of the fire door 6, and the fire door 6 can be appropriately set to a closed state.

In the present embodiment, an object detection sensor SeO (refer to FIG. 6 ) is provided between the pair of partitions 50 disposed in the upper and lower directions of each adjacent level, and the object detection sensor SeO detects an object existing between the pair of partitions 50. The object detection sensor SeO is configured as, for example, a light curtain, in which a light-emitting portion is disposed at the lower end of the upper partition 50 in the pair of partitions 50, and a light-receiving portion is disposed at the upper end of the lower partition 50. The configuration relationship between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion may also be reversed. As the objects detected by the object detection sensor SeO, for example, workers, tools used by workers, or fire doors 6 can be listed. In this example, when a certain object is detected by the object detection sensor SeO, both the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 are stopped urgently.

As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, in the present embodiment, at least a first emergency stop switch S1 for emergency stop of the first conveying device 1 is arranged on the first surface 51 of the partition wall 5 on the side where the first guide rail 11 is arranged. Moreover, at least a second emergency stop switch S2 for emergency stop of the second conveying device 2 is arranged on the second surface 52 of the partition wall 5 on the side where the second guide rail 21 is arranged. In the present embodiment, each of the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 is a switch for emergency stop of both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2. In this example, each of the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 is disposed on each of the partitions 50 disposed on each level.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, at least a third emergency stop switch S3 for emergency stopping the first conveying device 1 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical wall 3 in the first zone A1. In this example, the third emergency stop switch S3 is disposed on the first inner wall surface 33a, which is the surface facing the inner side of the first side wall portion 33. Here, the third emergency stop switch S3 is a switch for emergency stopping only the first conveying device 1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the third emergency stop switch S3 may also be a switch for emergency stopping both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, at least a fourth emergency stop switch S4 for emergency stopping the second conveying device 2 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical wall 3 in the second zone A2. In this example, the fourth emergency stop switch S4 is disposed on the second inner wall surface 34a, which is the surface facing the inner side of the second side wall portion 34. Here, the fourth emergency stop switch S4 is a switch for emergency stopping only the second conveying device 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the fourth emergency stop switch S4 may also be a switch for emergency stopping both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, at least a fifth emergency stop switch S5 for emergency stopping the first conveying device 1 is disposed on the outer wall surface of the cylindrical wall 3 in the first area A1. In this example, the fifth emergency stop switch S5 is disposed on the first outer wall surface 33b, which is the surface facing outward in the first side wall portion 33. Here, the fifth emergency stop switch S5 is a switch for emergency stopping only the first conveying device 1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the fifth emergency stop switch S5 may also be a switch for emergency stopping both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, at least a sixth emergency stop switch S6 for emergency stopping the second conveying device 2 is disposed on the outer wall surface of the cylindrical wall 3 in the second area A2. In this example, the sixth emergency stop switch S6 is disposed on the second outer wall surface 34b, which is the surface facing outward in the second side wall portion 34. Here, the sixth emergency stop switch S6 is a switch for emergency stopping only the second conveying device 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the sixth emergency stop switch S6 may also be a switch for emergency stopping both the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2.

Next, the control structure of the article transporting equipment 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a part of the control structure of the article transporting equipment 100.

As shown in FIG6 , the article transporting equipment 100 is provided with an integrated control device Ht, which manages the storage or movement of a plurality of articles W in the equipment in an integrated manner. The integrated control device Ht is configured to communicate with the first transport control unit H1 that controls the operation of the first transporting device 1, the second transport control unit H2 that controls the operation of the second transporting device 2, and the door control unit H6 that controls the operation of the fire door 6 by wired or wireless means. The integrated control device Ht issues a transport instruction for transporting the article W to a designated location or a stop instruction for stopping each operation to the first transport control unit H1 and the second transport control unit H2. The integrated control device Ht, the first transport control unit H1, the second transport control unit H2, and the door control unit H6 are equipped with a processor such as a microcomputer, a memory, and other peripheral circuits, etc., and each function can be realized by the cooperation of these hardware and the program executed on the processor of the computer.

In this embodiment, the first transport control unit H1 is configured to obtain the detection result from the first sensor Se1 that detects the protruding state and the retracted state of the first workbench 71. As described above, the first transport path P1 is closed when the first workbench 71 is in the protruding state, and is opened when the first workbench 71 is in the retracted state. Therefore, in this example, when the first workbench 71 is in the protruding state, the transport of the article W by the first transport device 1 is prohibited, and when the first workbench 71 is in the retracted state, the transport of the article W by the first transport device 1 is permitted. This prohibition and permission of transport is performed by the first transport control unit H1.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the first transport control unit H1 is configured to obtain information on whether the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 have been pressed. Furthermore, when at least one of the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 has been pressed, the first transport device 1 is emergency stopped. Furthermore, in the present example, the first transport control unit H1 is configured to obtain information on whether the third emergency stop switch S3 and the fifth emergency stop switch S5 have been pressed. Furthermore, when the third emergency stop switch S3 or the fifth emergency stop switch S5 has been pressed, the first transport device 1 is emergency stopped. This emergency stop is performed by the first transport control unit H1.

In this embodiment, the second transport control unit H2 is configured to obtain the detection result from the second sensor Se2 that detects the protruding state and the retracted state of the second workbench 72. As described above, the second transport path P2 is closed when the second workbench 72 is in the protruding state, and is opened when the second workbench 72 is in the retracted state. Therefore, in this example, when the second workbench 72 is in the protruding state, the transport of the article W by the second transport device 2 is prohibited, and when the second workbench 72 is in the retracted state, the transport of the article W by the second transport device 2 is permitted. This prohibition and permission of transport is performed by the second transport control unit H2.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second transport control unit H2 is configured to obtain information on whether the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 have been pressed. Furthermore, when at least one of the first emergency stop switch S1 and the second emergency stop switch S2 has been pressed, the second transport device 2 is emergency stopped. Furthermore, in this example, the second transport control unit H2 is configured to obtain information on whether the fourth emergency stop switch S4 and the sixth emergency stop switch S6 have been pressed. Furthermore, when the fourth emergency stop switch S4 or the sixth emergency stop switch S6 has been pressed, the second transport device 2 is emergency stopped. This emergency stop is performed by the second transport control unit H2.

In the present embodiment, the integrated control device Ht is configured to obtain the detection result from the object detection sensor SeO. Furthermore, when the object detection sensor SeO detects an object between a pair of partitions 50 disposed on each of the adjacent levels, the integrated control device Ht issues a stop command to the first conveying control unit H1 and the second conveying control unit H2 to stop the operation of each conveying device (1, 2). That is, when the object detection sensor SeO has detected an object, both the conveying of the article W by the first conveying device 1 and the conveying of the article W by the second conveying device 2 are prohibited. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and both the first transport control unit H1 and the second transport control unit H2 may be configured to obtain the detection result from the object detection sensor SeO and stop the operation of the first transport device 1 or the second transport device 2 based on the obtained detection result.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the integrated control device Ht is configured to obtain the detection result from the fire detection sensor SeF. Furthermore, when the fire detection sensor SeF detects a fire, the integrated control device Ht issues a stop command to the first transport control unit H1 and the second transport control unit H2 to stop the operation of each transport device (1, 2). Furthermore, when the fire detection sensor SeF detects a fire, the integrated control device Ht instructs the door control unit H6 to set the fire door 6 to a closed state. The door control unit H6 that has received this command moves the fire door 6 to a closed state. As described above, when the fire door 6 is in the closed state, the opening area 40R including the first area 41R and the second area 42R is closed, thereby closing both the first conveying path P1 and the second conveying path P2. Therefore, in this example, when the fire door 6 is in the closed state, both the conveying of the article W by the first conveying device 1 and the conveying of the article W by the second conveying device 2 are prohibited. However, when the first lifting body 13 or the second lifting body 23 stops at a position interfering with the fire door 6, it becomes impossible to set the fire door 6 to the closed state. Therefore, when the fire door 6 is to be closed, the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 are stopped when the first lift 13 and the second lift 23 have retreated to positions where they will not interfere with the fire door 6. In addition, in the above description, it is explained that the door control unit H6 receives a command from the integrated control device Ht that has obtained the detection result of the fire detection sensor SeF and sets the fire door 6 to the closed state. However, the present invention is not limited to such a structure, and the door control unit H6 may also be configured to obtain the detection result from the fire detection sensor SeF and set the fire door 6 to the closed state based on the obtained detection result.

In the article transporting equipment 100 constructed as described above, the first transporting device 1 and the second transporting device 2 can be maintained separately, and the fire door 6 can be properly closed in the event of a fire. Here, FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 schematically show the operation of the first workbench 71, the second workbench 72, and the fire door 6, and elements that do not need to be explained are omitted. In addition, the left figure in each of FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 shows the first area A1 viewed from the first side X1 in the parallel direction, and the right figure in each of FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 shows the second area A2 viewed from the second side X2 in the parallel direction.

For example, when the operator performs maintenance on the first conveying device 1 in the first area A1, as shown in the left figure of FIG. 7, the first workbench 71 is set to a protruding state, and the first workbench 71 is arranged above the first area 41R which is a part of the opening area 40R. The operator can use the first workbench 71 to perform maintenance on the first conveying device 1. Although the first conveying path P1 of the first conveying device 1 is closed by arranging the first workbench 71 above the first area 41R, the conveying path of the first conveying device 1 is prohibited from conveying the article W by the first conveying device 1 when the first workbench 71 is in a protruding state, so the operator can perform maintenance safely. On the other hand, the second workbench 72 and the first workbench 71 can be operated separately, for example, as shown in the right figure of FIG. 7 , they can be set to the retracted state first. When the second workbench 72 is in the retracted state, the second workbench 72 is arranged outside the second area 42R, which is a part of the opening area 40R. Therefore, the conveying path of the second conveying device 2, that is, the second conveying path P2, will be in an open state. Therefore, when the second workbench 72 is in the retracted state, the conveying of the article W by the second conveying device 2 can be allowed, and the conveying of the article W in the second area A2 can be performed.

For example, when the operator performs maintenance on the second conveying device 2 in the second area A2, as shown in the right figure of FIG. 8 , the second workbench 72 is set to a protruding state, and the second workbench 72 is arranged above the second area 42R. The operator can use the second workbench 72 to perform maintenance on the second conveying device 2. Although the second conveying path P2 is closed by arranging the second workbench 72 above the second area 42R, the conveying of the article W by the second conveying device 2 is prohibited when the second workbench 72 is in a protruding state, so the operator can perform maintenance safely. On the other hand, the first workbench 71 and the second workbench 72 can be operated separately, for example, as shown in the left figure of FIG8 , they can be set to the retracted state first. When the first workbench 71 is in the retracted state, the first workbench 71 is arranged outside the first area 41R. Therefore, the first conveying path P1 will be in an open state. Therefore, when the first workbench 71 is in the retracted state, the conveyance of the article W by the first conveying device 1 can be allowed, and the conveyance of the article W in the first area A1 can be performed.

In addition, a partition wall 5 is provided between the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 in the parallel direction X. Therefore, for example, when an operator performs maintenance on the first conveying device 1 in the first area A1, even when the second conveying device 2 is operated in the second area A2 (see FIG. 7 ), the operator can avoid contact with the second conveying device 2. Conversely, when an operator performs maintenance on the second conveying device 2 in the second area A2, even when the first conveying device 1 is operated in the first area A1 (see FIG. 8 ), the operator can avoid contact with the first conveying device 1. Therefore, according to the article transport facility 100 of the present disclosure, when the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2 are arranged in parallel, it is possible to ensure ease of maintenance, and to minimize the reduction in transport efficiency during maintenance while ensuring the safety of workers.

Furthermore, in the event of a fire, as shown in FIG9 , the fire door 6 is set to a closed state, and the fire door 6 is disposed above the opening area 40R. As described above, when the fire door 6 is in a closed state, both the conveyance of the article W by the first conveying device 1 and the conveyance of the article W by the second conveying device 2 are prohibited. In addition, in the example shown in FIG9 , both the first workbench 71 and the second workbench 72 are set to a retracted state, and the fire door 6 is set to a closed state. However, this is not limited thereto, and at least one of the first workbench 71 and the second workbench 72 may be set to a protruding state, and the fire door 6 may be set to a closed state.

[Other implementation forms] Next, other implementation forms of the article transport equipment will be explained.

(1) In the above embodiment, the article transport facility 100 is described as including the cylindrical wall 3 covering both the first transport device 1 and the second transport device 2. However, the cylindrical wall 3 is not an essential component, and the article transport facility 100 may not include such a cylindrical wall 3.

(2) In the above embodiment, the fire door 6, the first workbench 71, and the second workbench 72 are configured to change their state by sliding. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example, and at least one of the fire door 6, the first workbench 71, and the second workbench 72 may be configured to rotate around an axis in a specific direction (e.g., horizontal direction) to change its state.

(3) In the above embodiment, although an example is described in which the article transporting equipment 100 is provided with the first to sixth emergency stop switches (S1 to S6) for emergency stopping the first transporting device 1 or the second transporting device 2, these first to sixth emergency stop switches (S1 to S6) are not necessarily required.

(4) In the above embodiment, the following example is described: the first ladder L1 is fixed to the first surface 51, which is the surface of the partition wall 5 on the side where the first guide rail 11 is arranged, and the second ladder L2 is fixed to the second surface 52, which is the surface of the partition wall 5 on the side where the second guide rail 21 is arranged. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example, and at least one of the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 may be fixed to, for example, the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 3. In addition, the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2 are not essential components, and the article transporting equipment 100 may not have at least one of the first ladder L1 and the second ladder L2.

(5) In the above-mentioned embodiment, although an example is described in which a partition wall 5 covering a plurality of levels to separate the first conveying device 1 and the second conveying device 2 is provided in the article conveying equipment 100, the present invention is not limited to this, and the partition wall 5 may be provided only in the portion corresponding to a part of the levels, or the partition wall 5 may not be provided at all.

(6) In addition, the configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiment can be combined with the configuration disclosed in other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction. With respect to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely illustrative in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be appropriately made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[Overview of the above implementation form] The following is an explanation of the article transporting equipment described above.

An article conveying device comprises: a first conveying device, which is installed in a building having a floor portion with a plurality of steps, and covers the plurality of steps in the vertical direction to convey articles; and a second conveying device, which is arranged in parallel with the first conveying device, and covers the plurality of steps in the vertical direction to convey articles. a first conveying path for conveying articles by the first conveying device, and a second conveying path for conveying articles by the second conveying device are set in the vertical direction through an opening formed in the floor portion. the opening portion is provided with: The movable fire door opens the opening area of the aforementioned opening portion in the open state, and closes the aforementioned opening area in the closed state; The movable first workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the aforementioned first conveying path and the aforementioned second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the aforementioned first conveying path but not overlap with the aforementioned second conveying path in the protruding state; and The movable second workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the aforementioned first conveying path and the aforementioned second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the aforementioned second conveying path but not overlap with the aforementioned first conveying path in the protruding state.

According to this configuration, when the first conveying device is to be maintained, the first workbench can be set to a protruding state, and the first workbench can be arranged to overlap with the first conveying path, but not overlap with the second conveying path. In this way, the operator can easily perform maintenance on the first conveying device using the first workbench. In this case, since the first workbench does not overlap with the second conveying path, the conveyance of articles along the second conveying path can be continued by the second conveying device. When the second conveying device is to be maintained, the same effect can be achieved by using the second workbench. Thus, according to this structure, the first work platform and the second work platform are individually set to the protruding state, thereby becoming possible to operate one of the first conveying device and the second conveying device while maintaining the other. In addition, according to this structure, the entire opening area can be closed by the fire door in the event of a fire.

Here, it is more desirable that the fire door is configured to change between the open state and the closed state by moving in a direction intersecting the up-down direction, and the first workbench and the second workbench are configured to change between the retracted state and the protruding state by moving in parallel relative to the fire door.

According to this configuration, the structure of the fire door and the structures of the first workbench and the second workbench can be arranged in a space that is smaller in the vertical direction.

Furthermore, it is more desirable that the direction in which the first conveying device and the second conveying device are arranged in the vertical direction along the vertical direction is set as a parallel direction, and a partition wall covering the plurality of layers and separating the first conveying device and the second conveying device is provided between the first conveying device and the second conveying device in the parallel direction, and the portion in the opening area that is closer to the partition wall is arranged. The portion on the side of the aforementioned first conveying device is set as the first area, and the portion of the aforementioned opening area that is closer to the side of the aforementioned second conveying device relative to the aforementioned partition wall is set as the second area. The aforementioned first workbench in the aforementioned protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire first area in the aforementioned vertical direction viewing angle. The aforementioned second workbench in the aforementioned protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire second area in the aforementioned vertical direction viewing angle.

According to this configuration, since the first conveying device and the second conveying device are separated by a partition wall, even if one of the first conveying device and the second conveying device is stopped for maintenance while the other continues to operate, it is still possible to prevent the operator performing maintenance work from coming into contact with the operating conveying device. That is, since the first conveying device and the second conveying device can be stopped individually for maintenance, the reduction in conveying efficiency during maintenance can be suppressed to a minimum while ensuring the safety of the operator. In addition, on the side where maintenance work is performed relative to the partition wall, the workbench is set in a protruding state, so that the workbench can cover the entire part of the side of the opening area relative to the partition wall where the work is performed. Therefore, the safety and convenience of workers performing maintenance work can be improved.

Furthermore, it is more desirable that, when the first workbench is in the protruding state, the first conveying device is prohibited from conveying articles, when the first workbench is in the retracted state, the first conveying device is permitted to convey articles, when the second workbench is in the protruding state, the second conveying device is prohibited from conveying articles, when the second workbench is in the retracted state, the second conveying device is permitted to convey articles, when the fire door is in the closed state, both the conveying of articles by the first conveying device and the conveying of articles by the second conveying device are prohibited.

According to this structure, it is possible to prevent the workbench in a protruding state or the fire door in a closed state from interfering with the first conveying device or the second conveying device.

Furthermore, it is more desirable that the direction in which the first conveying device and the second conveying device are arranged in the vertical direction along the vertical direction is set as a parallel direction, and a partition wall covering the plurality of layers and separating the first conveying device and the second conveying device is provided between the first conveying device and the second conveying device in the parallel direction, and at least a first emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the first conveying device is provided on the first surface of the partition wall on which the first conveying device is arranged, and at least a second emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the second conveying device is provided on the second surface of the partition wall on which the second conveying device is arranged.

According to this configuration, since the first conveying device and the second conveying device are separated by the partition wall, even if one of the first conveying device and the second conveying device is stopped for maintenance while the other continues to operate, it is still possible to prevent the operator performing the maintenance work from coming into contact with the operating conveying device. That is, since the first conveying device and the second conveying device can be stopped individually for maintenance, the reduction in conveying efficiency during maintenance can be suppressed to a minimum while ensuring the safety of the operator. Furthermore, according to this configuration, when the first conveying device and the second conveying device are stopped individually for maintenance, even if the operator is performing maintenance work at a position close to the operating conveying device through the partition wall, the operating conveying device can still be stopped urgently by the operator as needed. Thus, the safety of the operator can be further ensured.

Furthermore, it is more desirable that, in each of the aforementioned multiple levels, there is a cylindrical wall covering both the aforementioned first conveying device and the aforementioned second conveying device, the interior of the aforementioned cylindrical wall is divided into a first zone where the aforementioned first conveying device is arranged and a second zone where the aforementioned second conveying device is arranged by the aforementioned partition wall, at least a third emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the aforementioned first conveying device is arranged on the inner wall surface of the aforementioned cylindrical wall in the aforementioned first zone, and at least a fourth emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the aforementioned second conveying device is arranged on the inner wall surface of the aforementioned cylindrical wall in the aforementioned second zone.

According to this configuration, when workers are performing maintenance work in the first zone or the second zone, the workers can stop the conveying device in the zone where the work is being performed in an emergency as needed.

Furthermore, it is more desirable that the first emergency stop switch and the second emergency stop switch are switches for emergency stopping both the first conveying device and the second conveying device, the third emergency stop switch is a switch for emergency stopping the first conveying device, and the fourth emergency stop switch is a switch for emergency stopping the second conveying device.

When a worker is performing maintenance work or the like at a position close to the partition wall, he or she will of course be affected by the transport device arranged on the side of the partition wall where the work is being performed, and may also be affected by the transport device arranged on the opposite side of the side where the work is being performed. According to this configuration, by the worker operating the first emergency stop switch and the second emergency stop switch arranged on the partition wall respectively, both the first transport device and the second transport device can be stopped in an emergency. Therefore, the safety of the worker performing maintenance work or the like at a position close to the partition wall can be highly ensured. On the other hand, for example, when a worker is performing maintenance work at a location far from the partition wall, it is less likely to be affected by the conveying device located on the opposite side of the partition wall from the side where the work is being performed. Therefore, it is sufficient to emergency stop the conveying device located on the side where the work is being performed. According to this configuration, each of the third emergency stop switch and the fourth emergency stop switch can be used to emergency stop the conveying device located on the side where the work is being performed. Industrial applicability

The technology disclosed herein can be used in equipment for transporting objects.

1: First conveying device 2: Second conveying device 3: Cylindrical wall 4: Floor section 4T: Passing floor section 5: Partition wall 6: Fire door 8: Holding section 11: First guide rail 11a: First facing surface 11b: First configuration surface 11c: First supporting surface 11d: First fixing surface 12: First power supply section 13: First lifting body 14: First transfer section 21: Second guide rail 21a: Second facing surface 21b: Second configuration surface 21c: Second supporting surface 21d: Second fixing surface 22: Second power supply section 23: Second lifting body 24: Second transfer section 31: Front wall section 32: Rear wall section 33: 1st side wall 33a: 1st inner wall 33b: 1st outer wall 34: 2nd side wall 34a: 2nd inner wall 34b: 2nd outer wall 40: Opening 40R: Opening area 41R: 1st area 42R: 2nd area 50: Partition 50a: Monitoring window 51: 1st surface 52: 2nd surface 60: Door support frame 61: Door guide groove 71: 1st workbench 72: 2nd workbench 80: Support body 97: Inlet and outlet conveying device 97a: External side end 97b: Internal side end 98: Floor conveying device 99: Ceiling conveying device 100: Article conveying device 111: 1st groove 121,221: power supply line 122,222: power supply line holding part 130: 1st main body 131: 1st power receiving part 132: 1st connecting structure 141: 1st transfer holding part 211: 2nd groove 230: 2nd main body 231: 2nd power receiving part 232: 2nd connecting structure 241: 2nd transfer holding part 710: 1st support frame 711: 1st guide groove 720: 2nd support frame 721: 2nd guide groove A1: 1st zone A2: 2nd zone C: cover member H1: 1st conveying control part H2: 2nd conveying control part H6: door control part Ht: Integrated control device L1: 1st ladder L2: 2nd ladder P1: 1st conveying path P2: 2nd conveying path S1: 1st emergency stop switch S2: 2nd emergency stop switch S3: 3rd emergency stop switch S4: 4th emergency stop switch S5: 5th emergency stop switch S6: 6th emergency stop switch Se1: 1st sensor Se2: 2nd sensor SeF: Fire detection sensor SeO: Object detection sensor W: Object X: Parallel direction X1: 1st side of parallel direction X2: 2nd side of parallel direction Y: Orthogonal direction Y1: 1st side of orthogonal direction Y2: 2nd side of orthogonal direction

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the article transporting equipment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure around the opening. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the article transporting equipment in a plane view. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the article transporting equipment in an orthogonal direction view. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the article transporting equipment in a parallel direction view. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a part of the control structure of the article transporting equipment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a situation where the first workbench is in a protruding state and the second workbench is in a retracted state. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a situation where the first workbench is in a retracted state and the second workbench is in a protruding state. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a situation where the fire door is in a closed state.

1: First conveying device

2: Second transport device

3: Cylindrical wall

4: Floor

4T: Through the floor

5: Partition wall

6: Fire Door

8: Maintaining part

13: The first lifting body

14: First transfer unit

23: Second lifting body

24: Second transfer unit

33: 1st side wall

33a: 1st inner wall surface

33b: 1st outer wall

34: Second side wall

34a: Second inner wall surface

34b: 2nd outer wall

40: Opening

40R: Opening area

41R: Area 1

42R: Area 2

50: Separator

51: Page 1

52: Page 2

60: Door support frame

61: Door guide groove

71: No. 1 workbench

72: Second workbench

80: Support body

100: Goods handling equipment

141: First transfer and holding unit

241: Second transfer holding unit

710: 1st support frame

711:1st guide groove

720: Second support frame

721: Second guide groove

A1: Area 1

A2: Area 2

L1: Ladder 1

L2: The second ladder

P1: 1st transport path

P2: Second transport path

S1: 1st emergency stop switch

S2: Second emergency stop switch

S3: 3rd emergency stop switch

S4: 4th emergency stop switch

S5: No. 5 emergency stop switch

S6: No. 6 emergency stop switch

W: Items

X: parallel direction

X1: Parallel direction, side 1

X2: Second side in parallel direction

Claims (7)

A kind of article conveying equipment, comprising: a first conveying device, which is arranged in a building having a floor part with a plurality of steps, and covers the plurality of steps in the vertical direction to convey articles; and a second conveying device, which is arranged in parallel with the first conveying device, and covers the plurality of steps in the vertical direction to convey articles. The article conveying equipment has the following characteristics: a first conveying path for conveying articles by the first conveying device, and a second conveying path for conveying articles by the second conveying device, are arranged in the vertical direction through a common opening formed in the floor part, and a movable fire door is arranged on the opening part, which is opened when the fire door is opened. The movable first workbench is configured to not overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the first conveying path but not overlap with the second conveying path in the protruding state; and the movable second workbench is configured to not overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the second conveying path but not overlap with the first conveying path in the protruding state, and the fire door is configured to overlap with both the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the closed state. An article transporting device comprises the following: a first transporting device, which is installed in a building having a floor portion with a plurality of levels and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles; and a second transporting device, which is arranged in parallel with the first transporting device and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles. The article transporting device has the following characteristics: The first conveying path for conveying articles by the first conveying device and the second conveying path for conveying articles by the second conveying device are arranged along the vertical direction through the opening formed in the floor portion, and the opening portion is provided with: a movable fire door, which opens the opening area of the opening portion in an open state and closes the opening area in a closed state; The first workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the first conveying path and not overlap with the second conveying path in the protruding state; and the movable second workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the first conveying path and the second conveying path in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the first conveying path and not overlap with the second conveying path in the protruding state. 2 conveying paths overlap but do not overlap with the aforementioned 1st conveying path, the aforementioned fire door is configured to change between the aforementioned open state and the aforementioned closed state by moving in a direction intersecting the aforementioned up-down direction, and the aforementioned 1st workbench and the aforementioned 2nd workbench are configured to change between the aforementioned retracted state and the aforementioned protruding state by moving in parallel relative to the aforementioned fire door. An article transporting device comprises the following: a first transporting device, which is installed in a building having a floor portion with a plurality of levels, and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles; and a second transporting device, which is arranged in parallel with the first transporting device, and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles. The article transporting device has the following characteristics: the first transporting path for transporting articles by the first transporting device, and the second transporting path for transporting articles by the second transporting device. The second conveying path for conveying articles is set along the above-mentioned up-down direction by means of an opening portion formed in the above-mentioned floor portion, and the above-mentioned opening portion is provided with: a movable fire door, which opens the opening area of the above-mentioned opening portion in an open state and closes the above-mentioned opening area in a closed state; a movable first workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the above-mentioned first conveying path and the above-mentioned second conveying path in a retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the above-mentioned first conveying path in a protruding state The movable second workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the first and second conveying paths in the retracted state, and is configured so as to overlap with the second conveying path and not overlap with the first conveying path in the protruding state, and when the first workbench is in the protruding state, the conveying of articles by the first conveying device is prohibited, and when the first workbench is in the retracted state, the conveying of articles by the first conveying device is permitted. The transportation of items by the aforementioned first transport device is prohibited when the aforementioned second workbench is in the aforementioned protruding state, and the transportation of items by the aforementioned second transport device is permitted when the aforementioned second workbench is in the aforementioned retracted state. When the aforementioned fire door is in the aforementioned closed state, both the transportation of items by the aforementioned first transport device and the transportation of items by the aforementioned second transport device are prohibited. An article transporting device comprises the following: a first transporting device, which is installed in a building having a floor portion with a plurality of levels, and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles; and a second transporting device, which is arranged in parallel with the first transporting device, and covers the plurality of levels in the vertical direction to transport articles. The article transporting device has the following characteristics: the first transporting device transports articles on a first transporting path, and the second transporting device transports articles on a first transporting path. The second conveying path for conveying articles is set along the above-mentioned up-down direction by means of an opening portion formed in the above-mentioned floor portion, and the above-mentioned opening portion is provided with: a movable fire door, which opens the opening area of the above-mentioned opening portion in an open state and closes the above-mentioned opening area in a closed state; a movable first workbench is configured so as not to overlap with the above-mentioned first conveying path and the above-mentioned second conveying path in a retracted state, and is configured so as not to overlap with the above-mentioned first conveying path in a protruding state. and the movable second workbench is configured not to overlap with the first and second conveying paths in the retracted state, and is configured to overlap with the second conveying path but not overlap with the first conveying path in the protruding state, and the direction in which the first conveying device and the second conveying device are arranged in the vertical direction along the vertical direction is set as a parallel direction, and the first conveying device and the second conveying device in the parallel direction are arranged in the vertical direction. A partition wall is provided between the first conveying device and the second conveying device, which covers the plurality of levels and separates the first conveying device and the second conveying device. On the first surface of the partition wall on which the first conveying device is arranged, at least a first emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the first conveying device is arranged. On the second surface of the partition wall on which the second conveying device is arranged, at least a second emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the second conveying device is arranged. The article conveying equipment of claim 4, wherein in each of the plurality of levels, there is further provided a cylindrical wall covering both the first conveying device and the second conveying device, the interior of the cylindrical wall is divided into a first zone where the first conveying device is arranged and a second zone where the second conveying device is arranged by the partition wall, and at least a third emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the first conveying device is arranged on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical wall in the first zone, and at least a fourth emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the second conveying device is arranged on the inner wall surface of the cylindrical wall in the second zone. For example, the article transporting equipment of claim 5, wherein the first emergency stop switch and the second emergency stop switch are switches for emergency stopping both the first transporting device and the second transporting device, the third emergency stop switch is a switch for emergency stopping the first transporting device, and the fourth emergency stop switch is a switch for emergency stopping the second transporting device. The article conveying device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the direction in which the first conveying device and the second conveying device are arranged in a parallel direction from the vertical direction, and a partition wall covering the plurality of levels and separating the first conveying device and the second conveying device is provided between the first conveying device and the second conveying device in the parallel direction, so that the first conveying device and the second conveying device are separated from each other. The portion of the partition wall closer to the first conveying device is set as the first area, and the portion of the opening area closer to the second conveying device relative to the partition wall is set as the second area. The first workbench in the protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire first area in the vertical direction. The second workbench in the protruding state is configured to overlap with the entire second area in the vertical direction.