`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`July 9, 2014
`
`Re: 67981/175956/169651
`
`To Whom It May Concern:
`
`This is to certify that a professional translator on our staff who is skilled in the Japanese and English languages
`translated [JP45213.pdf] from Japanese into English.
`
`We certify that the English translation conforms essentially to the original Japanese language.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Susan Andrus
`Marketing Manager
`
`Subscribed and sworn to before me on July 9, 2014.
`
`Notary Public
`
`
`
`
`
`504 LAVACA ST, SUITE 940, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 USA • +1 512.472.6753 • +1 800.531.9977 • FAX +1 512.472.4591
`INFO@TRANSLATEMEDIA.COM • WWW.TRANSLATEMEDIA.COM
`
`
`
`
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 1 of 44
`
`

`

`(19) JAPANESE PATENT
`OFFICE (JP)
`
`(12) KOKAI TOKYO PATENT
`JOURNAL (A)
`
`(11) PATENT APPLICATION PUBLICATION
`NO. HEI 10[1998]-45213
`(43) Publication Date: February 17, 1998
`
`(51) Int. Cl.5:
`B65G 1/04
`B61B 3/02
`
`13/06
`
`Identification
`Codes:
`551
`
`Sequence Nos. for Office Use:
`
`
`FI
` 1/04
`
`
`B65G
` 3/02
`
`
`B61B
`13/06
`
`
`
`Examination Request: Not filed No. of Claims: 13 (Total of 13 pages; OL)
`
`Technical Disclosure Section
`551 A
`
` B
`
` C
`
`(21) Filing No.:
`
`Hei 8[1996]-206819
`
`(22) Filing Date:
`
`August 6, 1996
`
`(71) Applicant: 000003643
`Daifuku Co., Ltd.
`3-2-11 Mitejima, Nishiyodogawa-ku,
`Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu
`
`(72) Inventor:
`
`Shigeto Murayama
`Komaki Office of Daifuku Co., Ltd.
`1500 Komakihara, Komaki-shi, Aichi-ken
`
`(74) Agent(s): Osamu Kitamura, patent attorney,
`and 1 other
`
`(54) Title: ARTICLE CONVEYANCE FACILITY
`
`(57) Abstract
`Problem
`
`To reduce as much as possible the space needed for
`temporary storage of an article in a space different from
`the space for conveyance.
`
`Means to solve
`
`A space for conveyance and a space different from
`the space for conveyance are provided in parallel with
`each other in the vertical direction. A guide rail and a
`moving body traveling as guided by the guide rail are
`provided in the space for conveyance. The
`aforementioned moving body is constituted appropriately
`to convey articles between a plurality of stations. In this
`article conveyance facility, an article retaining unit used
`for retaining a plurality of articles in a transferable
`manner with respect to the aforementioned moving body
`is provided in a state that allows conveyance of articles
`between the aforementioned stations and transfer of
`conveyances with respect to the aforementioned stations
`in the aforementioned space for conveyance.
`
`
`
`
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 2 of 44
`
`

`

`Claims
`
`1. An article conveyance facility, wherein a space for conveyance and a space different
`from the space for conveyance are provided in parallel with each other in the vertical direction;
`a guide rail and a moving body traveling as guided by the guide rail are provided in the
`space for conveyance; said moving body is constituted appropriately to convey articles between a
`plurality of stations; in this article conveyance facility,
`an article retaining unit used for retaining a plurality of articles in a transferable manner
`with respect to said moving body is provided in a state that allows conveyance of articles between
`said stations and transfer of conveyances with respect to said stations in said space for conveyance.
`2. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 1, wherein the upper side or lower side of
`the ceiling of an operation space partitioned vertically or the space underneath the floor is set as
`said space for conveyance, and
`
`the space on the floor is set as said different space.
`
`3. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said article retaining unit is
`provided along said guide rail and is constituted appropriately so that it is able to transfer the
`articles with respect to the moving body positioned at an intermediate point between the stop
`positions with respect to said stations on said guide rail.
`
`4. The article conveyance facility cited in any of Claims 1-3, wherein a retaining unit
`transfer means used for transferring the articles with respect to said article retaining unit is provided
`on said moving body.
`
`5. The article conveyance facility cited in any of Claims 1-4, wherein a station transfer
`means used for transferring the articles with respect to said stations is provided on said moving
`body.
`6. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 5, wherein said retaining unit transfer
`
`means and station transfer means are provided in a state shared by a single article transfer means.
`
`7. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 6, wherein said article transfer means
`transfers articles by elevating/lowering the articles.
`
`8. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 7, wherein said moving body is constituted
`appropriately to convey articles in a state in which said article transfer means maintains the articles
`at an elevated position and to supply the articles to said station in a state in which said article
`transfer means keeps the articles at a lowered position, and said article retaining unit is constituted
`appropriately to retain the articles at almost the same height in side view as the articles conveyed
`by said moving body.
`
`9. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 7, wherein said article retaining unit is
`constituted appropriately to retain the articles at a position lower than the articles retained on said
`moving body.
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 3 of 44
`
`

`

`10. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 8 or 9, wherein said article retaining unit
`
`can retain a plurality of articles in the lateral direction of said guide rail, and
`
`said article retaining unit is provided with an article movement means that can selectively
`set each of the plurality of retained articles to a transfer position with respect to said moving body.
`
`11. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 6, wherein said article transfer means
`transfers said articles by moving the articles in the lateral direction of the moving body.
`
`12. The article conveyance facility cited in any of Claims 1-11, wherein a plurality of guide
`rails are provided, and a guide rail for connection used for guiding a moving body for connection
`that can transfer articles is provided at each of the article entrances/exits with respect to said
`plurality of guide rails.
`
`13. The article conveyance facility cited in Claim 12, wherein said guide rail for connection
`is formed into a loop shape having a portion where the outgoing path and the return path approach
`each other in a plan view;
`
`the plurality of moving bodies for connection are constituted to travel in a certain direction
`on said loop-shaped guide rails for connection; an intermediate transfer unit is provided to transfer
`articles between a moving body for connection positioned on said outgoing path and a moving
`body for connection positioned on said return path in the portion where said outgoing path and
`return path approach each other.
`
`Detailed explanation of the invention
`[0001]
`Technical field of the invention
`
`The present invention is related to an article conveyance facility, in which a space for
`conveyance and a space different from the space for conveyance are provided in parallel with each
`other in the vertical direction. A guide rail and a moving body traveling as guided by the guide rail
`are provided in the space for conveyance. The aforementioned moving body is constituted
`appropriately to convey articles between a plurality of stations.
`
`[0002]
`Prior art
`
`In this type of article conveyance facility, a guide rail is provided along a plurality of
`stations. Articles are conveyed between these stations by a moving body traveling as guided by this
`guide rail. A space for conveyance, wherein the guide rail and the moving body used for
`conveyance are disposed, is provide in parallel with a space different from the space for
`conveyance, that is, a space used for other than the objective of article conveyance in the vertical
`direction. The volume of the aforementioned different space can be increased as much as possible
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 4 of 44
`
`

`

`by limiting the space used for article conveyance in a certain region in the vertical direction. A
`device used to temporarily retain the articles conveyed to each station or the articles conveyed from
`each station is usually provided in the aforementioned article conveyance facility. Consequently, an
`article storage shelf is set up in the space different from the space for conveyance in order to
`temporarily store the aforementioned articles. The articles are transferred between this storage shelf
`and the moving body traveling along the guide rail. More specifically, a guide rail is provided near
`the ceiling at an operation site of a factory. The space on the ceiling side is set as the space for
`conveyance. The space on the floor side is set as the aforementioned different space. In this case,
`the article storage shelf is set up on the floor.
`
`[0003]
`Problems to be solved by the invention
`
`In the aforementioned conventional configuration, however, space is needed to set up the
`article storage shelf in the aforementioned different space, and it is desirable to reduce this space
`from of the point of view of increasing the volume of the aforementioned different space. The
`objective of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problem by reducing the space
`needed for temporary article storage in the aforementioned different space as much as possible.
`
`[0004]
`Means to solve the problems
`
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 1 is adopted, an article
`retaining unit used for temporarily retaining articles is provided in the space for conveyance. The
`article retaining unit does not hinder the operation of the moving body since it allows conveyance
`of articles between the stations and conveyance of articles with respect to the stations.
`Consequently, when the article retaining unit used for temporarily retaining articles is provided in
`the space for conveyance, the space needed for temporary article storage in the space different from
`the space for conveyance can be reduced as much as possible. The volume of the aforementioned
`different space can be increased as much as possible and as a result, the aforementioned different
`space can be used more conveniently.
`
`[0005]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 2 is adopted, the upper
`
`side or lower side of the ceiling of an operation space divided vertically by a floor and ceiling or
`the space under the floor is used as the space for conveyance, while the space on the floor is used as
`the different space. Consequently, the space on the floor needed for temporary article storage can
`be reduced as much as possible. For example, it becomes possible to easily carry out various
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 5 of 44
`
`

`

`operations or processing and set up various kinds of machines in the aforementioned different
`space.
`
`[0006]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 3 is adopted, the moving
`
`body moves between stop positions set for each station to convey articles. However, when the
`moving body is positioned at an intermediate point between the stop positions with respect to the
`stations, the articles are transferred with respect to the article retaining unit provided along the
`guide rail. In this way, the articles retained in the article retaining unit are conveyed to a station, or
`the articles conveyed from a station are retained in the article retaining unit. Consequently, the
`article retaining units can be disposed in a dispersed manner by taking advantage of the space along
`the guide rail used for conveying the articles between the stations. It becomes possible to retain a
`large quantity of articles. Also, since the article retaining unit is set up along the guide rail, articles
`can be transferred easily between the article retaining unit and the moving body to simplify the
`configuration of the transfer device.
`
`[0007]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 4 is adopted, a retaining
`
`unit transfer means used for transferring articles between the article retaining unit and the moving
`body is provided on the side of the moving body. For this type of article conveyance facility, since
`the number of article retaining units is usually bigger than the number of moving bodies, the
`number of transfer means needed may be reduced compared to the case when the transfer means is
`provided on the side of the article retaining unit. The entire apparatus can be simplified.
`
`[0008]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 5 is adopted, a station
`
`transfer means used for transferring articles between a station and a moving body is provided on the
`side of the moving body. For this type of article conveyance facility, since the number of stations is
`usually bigger than the number of moving bodies, the number of transfer means needed may be
`reduced compared to the case when the transfer means is provided on the station side. The entire
`apparatus can be simplified. When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 6 is
`adopted, a single article transfer means equipped by the moving body is used to transfer articles
`between the article retaining unit and the moving body and between the station and the moving
`body. This transfer means has both a function as a retaining unit transfer means and a function as a
`station transfer means. Therefore, the configuration can be further simplified.
`
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 6 of 44
`
`

`

`[0009]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 7 is adopted, the article
`
`transfer means transfers articles by elevating/lowering the articles. Consequently, it is possible to
`set stations on the floor side or other space different from the space for conveyance. Compared to
`the case when the stations are set in the space for conveyance, the device needed for transfer of
`articles between the stations and the different space becomes unnecessary or can be miniaturized
`even if it is still needed. The configuration can be simplified.
`
`[0010]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 8 is adopted, under the
`
`condition that the space for conveyance is positioned on the top of the space different from the
`space for conveyance, the moving body conveys articles in a state when the article transfer means
`used for elevating/lowering the articles keeps the articles in an elevated position. The article
`retaining unit retains the articles at almost the same height as the conveyed articles in side view.
`Consequently, the region occupied by the space for conveyance in the vertical direction can be
`reduced. The entire region occupied by the space for conveyance and the space different from the
`space for conveyance in the vertical direction can be reduced. The region of the aforementioned
`different space can be increased as much as possible even if the region occupied by the space for
`conveyance and the different space is limited.
`
`[0011]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 9 is adopted, under the
`
`condition that the space for conveyance is positioned on the top of the space different from the
`space for conveyance, since the article retaining unit retains articles at a position lower than the
`articles kept on the moving body, it is possible to transfer articles between the article retaining unit
`and the moving body by simply using the article transfer means to elevate/lower the articles. No
`other auxiliary means is needed for this transfer. Alternatively, an auxiliary means with a simple
`configuration can do the job even if such auxiliary means is needed. The entire configuration can
`be simplified. When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 10 is adopted, the
`article retaining unit retains a plurality of articles in the lateral direction of the guide rail. An article
`movement means can selectively position the plurality of articles at an article transfer position with
`respect to the moving body. Consequently, the article accommodation efficiency in the article
`retaining unit can be improved as much as possible. The space for conveyance can be used
`effectively to retain the articles.
`
`[0012]
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 7 of 44
`
`

`

`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 11 is adopted, the article
`
`transfer means of the moving body moves articles in the lateral direction of the moving body to
`transfer the articles. Therefore, in the case when the article retaining unit is provided at a position in
`the lateral direction of the moving body with respect to the guide rail that can easily guarantee
`accommodation space in order to improve the article accommodation capability, no auxiliary
`means is needed as opposed to the case in which the articles are transferred by being
`elevated/lowered and an auxiliary means is needed to move the articles retained in the article
`retaining unit in the lateral direction of the moving body. Even if such auxiliary means is needed,
`the configuration thereof can be simplified.
`
`[0013]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 12 is adopted, a plurality
`
`of guide rails are connected by a guide rail for connection used for guiding a moving body for
`connection used for article conveyance. Therefore, articles can be exchanged between the guide
`rails. When the article conveyance facility is constituted by using guide rails and guide rails for
`connection as described, if there are a large number of stations, for example, in various kinds of
`manufacturing processes in which the processing carried out by the apparatus corresponding to
`each station is branched out, compared to the case when articles are conveyed by a single guide
`rail, control of the moving body used for conveying the articles can be simplified, and the articles
`can be conveyed smoothly. Also, an article conveyance facility comprising guide rails and guide
`rails for connection must have a means to temporarily retain articles in order to adjust the
`difference in the quantity between the exiting articles and the entering articles at the article
`entrance/exit of each guide rail. In this case, adoption of the article retaining unit with the
`aforementioned configuration can very effectively reduce the setup space of the entire apparatus.
`
`[0014]
`When the apparatus having the configuration described in Claim 13 is adopted, a guide rail
`
`for connection used for connecting a plurality of guide rails is formed in a loop shape. A plurality
`of moving bodies for connection are set to travel in a certain direction on this loop-shaped guide
`rail for connection. Consequently, even if a plurality of moving bodies for connection travel along
`the guide rail for connection in order to increase the conveyance capability, the operation of the
`moving bodies can be easily managed. On the other hand, when the moving bodies for connection
`travel in a certain direction, even if the destination of a moving body for connection is present
`immediately on the upstream side of the movement direction of the moving body, since the moving
`body for connection cannot move backwards, it will detour and move to the destination. This
`becomes a factor that lowers the article conveyance efficiency.
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 8 of 44
`
`

`

`
`[0015]
`Therefore, an intermediate transfer unit provided in the guide rail for connection is used to
`
`transfer and convey articles between the moving bodies for connection. The intermediate transfer
`unit is provided in the portion where the outgoing path and the return path of a guide rail for
`connection approach each other. For example, when articles are transferred from a moving body for
`connection moving on an outgoing path to a moving body for connection on a return path, the
`travel distance from the position where the intermediate transfer unit is present on the outgoing
`path to the position where the intermediate transfer unit is present on the return path can be
`shortened substantially. Consequently, the moving bodies can be easily managed, and the article
`conveyance efficiency can be improved.
`
`[0016]
`Embodiment of the invention
`
`In the following, embodiments of the article conveyance facility disclosed in the present
`invention will be described based on figures.
`(First embodiment)
`
`Article conveyance facility TS is used to convey article B between manufacturing steps in
`an apparatus used for the manufacture of article B as a finished product through a plurality of steps.
`Figure 7 is the overall layout diagram of the conveying apparatus, which comprises 6 loop-shaped
`guide rails 1 and a loop-shaped guide rail 2 for connection used for conveying article B between
`these guide rails 1. A plurality of moving bodies 3 are guided on each guide rail 1 to convey article
`B in a certain direction (for example, the counterclockwise direction). A plurality of moving bodies
`4 for connection are also guided along guide rail 2 for connection to convey article B in a certain
`direction (for example, the clockwise direction).
`
`[0017]
`Each guide rail 1 is installed on the lower side of ceiling CL as shown in Figure 1 in the
`
`operation space partitioned by floor FL and ceiling CL. The space on the lower side of ceiling CL,
`wherein guide rail 1, moving body 3, and article retaining unit BS to be described later are present,
`forms space TA for conveyance used for conveying article B. The space on the upper side of floor
`FL positioned on the lower side of said space TA for conveyance forms a space OA different from
`space TA for conveyance. A plurality of processing apparatuses 5 are provided in parallel on floor
`FL along guide rail 1 in said different space OA. Moving body 3 is used to deliver article B with
`respect to the article receiving part 5a and article dispensing unit 5b of each processing apparatus 5
`shown in Figure 3. Strictly speaking, as shown in Figure 3, the article transfer position with respect
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 9 of 44
`
`

`

`to moving body 3 in the article receiving part 5a and article dispensing unit 5b of each processing
`apparatus 5 becomes the station ST of moving body 3 on guide rail 1. Also, in most cases,
`processing apparatuses 5 set along one guide rail 1 usually carry out the same processing for article
`B. However, it is also possible to set a plurality of types of processing apparatus 5 in order to carry
`out a plurality of types of processing in series. In addition, a plurality of article retaining units BS
`used for temporarily holding article B are provided along guide rail 1. An entrance/exit transfer
`device 6 used for transferring article B is provided between the moving body 3 of guide rail 1 and
`the moving body 4 for connection of guide rail 2 for connection in the article entrance/exit part IO
`with respect to guide rail 1.
`
`[0018]
`Guide rail 2 for connection is set up appropriately to guide moving body 4 for connection
`
`along the entrance/exit part IO of each guide rail 1. Also, it is formed in a flat shape in plan view.
`Outgoing path 2a and return path 2b approach each other. In Figure 7, the right side of the paper is
`outgoing path 2a, while the left side of the paper is return path 2b. However, the outgoing path and
`the return path are simply set to facilitate explanation. Also, intermediate transfer unit IT used for
`transferring article B between moving body 4 for connection traveling on outgoing path 2a and the
`moving body 4 for connection moving on return path 2b is provided at two places within the loop
`of guide rail 2 for connection.
`
`[0019]
`In the following, each part described above will be described schematically. As shown in
`
`Figures 1 and 2, moving body 3 traveling on guide rail 1 comprises a travel part 3a having a travel
`wheel not shown in the figure with the positions in the vertical and horizontal directions regulated
`by said guide rail 1, a vertically movable lifting unit 3c suspended and supported by a cord 3b
`wound up and driven in travel unit 3a, a gripper 3d used for gripping article and that extends
`downward from the lower end of lifting unit 3c. The moving body is driven by a linear motor (for
`example, an LDM having a driving coil on the side of moving body 3) to travel. Also, the power
`needed for traveling of moving body 3 and vertical movement of lifting unit 3c is supplied via,
`although not shown in the figure, a collector or the like from a power supply line disposed on the
`side surface of guide rail 1.
`
`[0020]
`As shown in Figures 1 and 2, transfer of article B between said moving body 3 and station
`
`ST is carried out by elevating/lowering article B between the article receiving part 5a and article
`dispensing part 5b of processing apparatus 5 positioned immediately under guide rail 1 depending
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 10 of 44
`
`

`

`on the vertical movement of lifting part 3c and the gripping operation of gripper 3d. Although the
`elevating/lowering distance of lifting part 3c is different, the same transfer operation is carried out
`for article retaining unit BS as to be described later. Consequently, retaining unit transfer means BC
`used for transferring article B with respect to article retaining unit BS and station transfer means SC
`used for transferring article B with respect to station ST are constituted with a single article transfer
`means BM mainly comprising cord 3b, lifting part 3c, and gripper 3d.
`
`[0021]
`As shown in Figures 4 and 5, moving body 4 for connection traveling on guide rail 2 for
`
`connection comprises a travel part 4a having a travel wheel not shown in the figure with the
`positions in the horizontal and vertical directions regulated by said guide rail 2 for connection and a
`loading platform 4b fixed in a suspended state on travel part 4a. It is driven by a linear motor (for
`example, an LDM having a driving coil on the side of moving body 4 for connection) to travel.
`Similarly, the power needed for making moving body 4 for connection travel is supplied via,
`although not shown in the figures, a collector or the like from a power supply line disposed on the
`side surface of guide rail 2 for connection. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 7, article retaining unit BS
`comprises a link mechanism 10 that is disposed on the two sides of the movement path of the
`moving body close to ceiling CL with one end installed in a swingable manner on ceiling CL, a
`horizontally swingable article mounting table 11 whereon the other end of said link mechanism 10
`is installed in a swingable manner, and a hydraulic cylinder 12 with expansion end 12a installed on
`link mechanism 10. Under the driving force of hydraulic cylinder 12, article mounting table 11 is
`switched between a state of entering the travel path of moving body 3 and a state of retreating to
`the side of the travel path. Article mounting table 11 usually stays in the state of retreating to the
`side of the travel path to allow travel of moving body 3 along guide rail 1 and to allow elevation of
`lifting part 3c of moving body 3 to allow transfer of the article with respect to station ST. As shown
`in Figures 2 and 7, four articles B may be retained side by side in the movement direction of the
`moving body on one article mounting table 11.
`
`[0022]
`In the state when article mounting table 11 enters the travel path of moving body 3, article B
`
`mounted on article mounting table 11 is positioned at a transfer position immediately under the
`lifting part 3c of moving body 3. The article is delivered to moving body 3 at that position. That is,
`when article B held by article retaining unit BS is transferred to moving body 3, the lifting table 3c
`of moving body 3 is lowered. After the upper end of article B in the front/back direction of the
`moving body is gripped by gripper 3d, lifting unit 3c is elevated to the rising end. Moving body 1
`conveys article B while maintaining it at the raised position. When article B held by moving body 3
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 11 of 44
`
`

`

`is transferred to article retaining unit BS, the operation is carried out almost in the opposite way
`with respect to the process described above. Consequently, link mechanism 10 and hydraulic
`cylinder 12 are used as the main parts of article movement means MS, which sets each of a
`plurality of (more specifically, two) articles B retained in the lateral direction of the guide rail at a
`transfer position with respect to moving body 3.
`
`[0023]
`The entrance/exit part IO of guide rail 1 comprises an article delivering part BO positioned
`
`on the upstream side of the movement direction of moving body 4 for connection with reference to
`guide rail 2 for connection and an article receiving part BI positioned on the downstream side. A
`transfer device 6 for the entrance/exit part is provided corresponding to each of said parts. The
`transfer device 6 for the entrance/exit part of article delivering part BO has basically the same
`configuration as the transfer device 6 for the entrance/exit part of article receiving part BI. The
`transfer device 6 for the entrance/exit part of article receiving part BI will be described based on
`Figures 4 and 5. Transfer device 6 for the entrance/exit part comprises a rotary transfer unit 16 and
`a lateral transfer unit 17. Rotary transfer unit 16 transfers article B received from moving body 4
`for connection to lateral transfer unit 17. Lateral transfer unit 17 moves the received article to a
`position immediately under guide rail 1.
`
`[0024]
`Rotary transfer unit 16 comprises an arm drive table 16b having a pair of gripping arms 16a
`
`that can move toward/away from each other in the left/right width direction, a slide drive table 16c
`used for sliding arm drive table 16b in the front/back direction thereof, a rotary drive table 16d used
`for driving arm drive table 16b and slide drive unit 16c to rotate around a longitudinal axial center,
`and an elevation drive table 16e used for elevating/lowering arm drive table 16b, slide drive unit
`16c, and rotary drive table 16d. Lateral transfer unit 17 comprises lateral movement table 17a used
`for transferring article B, a ball screw type feeding mechanism 17b used for moving lateral
`movement table 17a, and a motor 17c used for driving feeding mechanism 17b. Also, both rotary
`transfer unit 16 and lateral transfer unit 17 are suspended and supported from ceiling CL.
`
`[0025]
`The operation of rotary transfer unit 16 and lateral transfer unit 17 will be briefly described.
`
`From the state shown in Figures 4 and 5, arm drive table 16b is driven to slide toward moving body
`4 for connection. Article B mounted on load platform 4b is gripped by the pair of gripping arms
`16a. Article B is lifted under driving of lifting drive table 16e. Then, recession of arm drive table
`16b, rotation of slide drive table 16c, the advance of arm drive table 16b, the lowering of arm drive
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1005, Page 12 of 44
`
`

`

`table 16b, and the release of gripping of article B by gripping arms 16a are carried out sequentially
`to mount article B onto the lateral movement table 17a of lateral transfer unit 17. When article B is
`mounted on lateral movement table 17a, said article B is moved to a position immediately under
`guide rail 1 under the driving of motor 17c. Then, article B moved to the position immediately
`under guide rail 1 is picked up by moving body 3 and conveyed to a station ST or article retaining
`unit BS as the destination. The operations of rotary transfer unit 16 and lateral transfer unit 17 in
`article delivering part BO are carried out in the opposite way with respect to that of said article
`receiving part BI to transfer article B conveyed by moving body 3 to moving body 4 for
`connection.
`
`[0026]
`As shown in Figure 6, an intermediate transfer machine 18 is provided on intermediate
`
`transfer unit IT. Intermediate transfer machine 18 has the same configuration as said rotary transfer
`unit 16 and comprises an arm drive table 18b having a pair of gripping arms 18a that can move
`toward/away from each other in the left/right width direction, a slide drive table 18c used for
`sliding arm drive table 18b in the front/back direction thereof, a rotary drive table 18d used for
`driving arm drive table 18b and slide drive unit 18c to rotate arou