(12) United States Patent
`Fukushima
`
`US006251155B1
`US 6,251,155 B1
`Jun. 26, 2001
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) AUTOMATIC WAREHOUSE FOR
`SUPPLYING AIR TO A CLEAN AIR SPACE
`
`(75) Inventor: Masazumi Fukushima, Nishi
`Kasugai-gun (JP)
`
`(73) Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha,
`Kyoto (JP)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/280,696
`(22) Filed:
`Mar. 30, 1999
`(30)
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Jul. 2, 1998
`
`(JP) ............................................... .. 10-204472
`
`(51) Int. Cl.7 ................................................... .. B01D 35/30
`(52) US. Cl. ........................... .. 55/385.2; 55/416; 55/471;
`55/473; 454/187
`(58) Field of Search .................................. .. 55/3852, 471,
`55/473, 484, 416; 454/187
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3-172203 * 7/1991 (JP) .................................... .. 454/187
`7-172506
`7/1995 (JP).
`9-150912
`6/1997 (JP).
`10-291607 * 11/1998 (JP).
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—David A. Simmons
`Assistant Examiner—Robert A. Hopkins
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`To supply clean air throughout entire racks even if the height
`of the racks in an automatic Warehouse is increased. A
`bloWer motor 18 is provided at the bottom of racks 10 and
`11 to suck air in a loading space 12 and supply it to a clean
`air path 20. In addition, air ?oWs from a ceiling clean fan
`unit 8 to the racks 10 and 11 via an air intake port 24, and
`the air ?owing from the racks 10 and 11 to the loading space
`12 is sucked by means of a bloWer motor 18.
`
`5,525,106 * 6/1996 IiZuka m1. ....................... .. 454/187
`
`19 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 1 of 7
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 26, 2001
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`Sheet 1 013
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`US 6,251,155 B1
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`FIG.
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 2 of 7
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 2 of 7
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 26, 2001
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`Sheet 2 013
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`US 6,251,155 B1
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`FIG. 2
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 3 of 7
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jun. 26, 2001
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`Sheet 3 013
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`US 6,251,155 B1
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`FIG. 4
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`10
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`11
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 4 of 7
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`US 6,251,155 B1
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`1
`AUTOMATIC WAREHOUSE FOR
`SUPPLYING AIR TO A CLEAN AIR SPACE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to an automatic Warehouse
`for a clean room, and speci?cally to the supply and circu
`lation of clean air to the automatic Warehouse.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`In an automatic Warehouse for a clean room, a fan is
`provided at the bottom of a rack, and air is sucked from the
`outside of the automatic Warehouse and is treated by means
`of a clean ?lter, and clean air is supplied to each rack from
`a path provided at the rear of the rack. HoWever, if the
`ceiling height of the clean room is increased, the rack height
`of the automatic Warehouse is likely to increase, and there is
`concern that the clean air from the fan does not reach the top
`of the rack.
`It is an object of the present invention to permit clean air
`to be supplied almost uniformly to each rack even if the
`height of the rack is increased.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to an automatic Warehouse
`provided With a Wall facing the outside rear of the rack for
`forming a clean air path to the rack, and the invention
`comprises an air intake port for introducing clean air from
`the ceiling section of a clean room at a top of the clean air
`path, and an air supply means and a ?lter for sucking and
`purifying air from the loading space, and for supplying air
`to the clean air path, Wherein the air supply means and the
`?lter are provided at the bottom of the rack.
`Preferably, the above automatic Warehouse is disposed so
`as to penetrate through at least tWo ?oors of the clean room,
`and has an entrance for carrying an article of each ?oor in
`and out.
`Preferably, the air supply means is constructed so as to
`eject a part of the sucked air to the outside of the automatic
`Warehouse.
`The present invention comprises an air intake for intro
`ducing clean air from the ceiling section of a clean room at
`the top of a clean air path, and an air supply means and a
`?lter for sucking and purifying air from the loading space,
`and for supplying air to the clean air path, Wherein the air
`supply means and the ?lter are provided at the bottom of the
`rack. Thus, at the upper part of the rack, the clean air from
`the ceiling section of the clean room is supplied via the clean
`air path. The air supplied from the clean air path to the rack
`?oWs into the loading space, is sucked by the air supply
`means at the bottom of the rack, and is treated by means of
`the ?lter, and is then returned to the clean air path. Therefore,
`the clean air from the ceiling section is supplied to the upper
`part of the rack, and the clean air from the air supply means
`and the ?lter is supplied to the loWer part of the rack.
`Because the air in the loading space is sucked by the air
`supply means, the How of clean air at the upper part of the
`rack is accelerated, and making it possible to prevent non
`circulating air from settling in the upper part of the rack. As
`a result, clean air can be supplied almost uniformly at the
`Whole rack.
`Even if the height of the rack increases, the clean air can
`be supplied uniformly. Thus, the present invention provides
`an automatic Warehouse Whose height is substantially
`equivalent to the full height of tWo ?oors of the clean room,
`for example. The loWer end of the automatic Warehouse
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`comes into contact With the ?oor of the clean room to Which
`grating or the like is applied on the loWer ?oor, and the upper
`end thereof reaches the vicinity of the ceiling of the upper
`?oor. By doing this, an article betWeen the ?rst and second
`?oors of the clean room can be carried in the automatic
`Warehouse. In comparison With the case in Which one
`automatic Warehouse is provided on each ?oor, only one
`loading device is employed, thus making it possible to
`reduce the dead space at the loWer part of the automatic
`Warehouse or in the vicinity of the ceiling.
`In the present invention, a part of the sucked air from the
`loading space is ejected to the outside of the Warehouse via
`the ?oor surface of the automatic Warehouse or the loWer
`Wall surface. The amount of clean air brought in from the
`ceiling section is equal to that ejected from the automatic
`Warehouse to the outside, thus making it possible to increase
`the clean air intake quantity.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`FIG. 1 is a draWing shoWing the structure of an automatic
`Warehouse according to an embodiment of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 2 is a draWing shoWing the air intake port of an
`automatic Warehouse according to a modi?ed embodiment.
`FIG. 3 is a draWing shoWing an air intake port in an
`automatic Warehouse according to a second modi?ed
`embodiment.
`FIG. 4 is a draWing shoWing an eXample Where air is
`ejected to the outside of an automatic Warehouse according
`to a third modi?ed embodiment.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 1 shoWs an automatic Warehouse 2 according to an
`embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 1, 4 is the
`?rst ?oor of a clean room, and 6 is the second ?oor, Wherein
`clean air is bloWn out from the ceiling of each of the ?oors
`4 and 6 to the ?oor surface via a clean fan unit 8. On the ?oor
`surface of each ?oor, grating or the like (not shoWn in the
`draWing) is applied, and air is sucked, retreated by means of
`a clean fan unit as required, and supplied. The automatic
`Warehouse 2 is basically rectangular. 10 and 11 are a pair of
`racks With multiple steps and multiple arrays, betWeen
`Which a loading space 12 is provided for the purposes of
`elevating a loading device 14 and moving it horiZontally.
`Although FIG. 1 shoWs the racks 10 and 11 With one array
`only, plural arrays are actually provided. In addition, the
`racks may be provided at both ends of the loading space 12.
`16 is an elevating rail that is elevated along the front face of
`the rack 11. The loading device 14 travels While being
`supported by the elevating rail 16, and loads an article 26
`betWeen arbitrary points of the racks 10 and 11.
`A dead space equivalent to the height of the loading
`device 14 is produced at the bottom of the racks 10 and 11.
`A bloWer motor 18 is provided in such space to supply air
`to a clean air path 20. The clean air path 20 is provided
`betWeen the left and right Wall faces of the automatic
`Warehouse 2 along the respective rear faces of the racks 10
`and 11. 21 is a clean ?lter, and 22 is a rectifying plate for
`supplying clean air to each of the racks 10 and 11. The
`bloWer motor 18 is disposed so as to suck the air in the
`loading space 12 Without supplying air outside the clean air
`path 20 (air outside the automatic Warehouse 2).
`The automatic Warehouse 2 approximately comes into
`contact With the ceiling at its top, and is provided With an air
`
`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 5 of 7
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`US 6,251,155 B1
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`3
`intake port 24 at the top of the clean air path 20 so as to
`intake the clean air from the clean fan unit 8 of the ceiling
`of the ?rst ?oor 4. The air intake port 24 may be provided
`in the vicinity of the ceiling of the second ?oor 6 as Well as
`the top of the clean air path 20 so as to intake the clean air
`from the cleaning fan unit 8 of the second ?oor 6.
`In the automatic Warehouse 2, a station 28 With a con
`veyer serving as an entrance for carrying the article 26 in and
`out is provided on each of the ?oors 4 and 6, so that the
`article 26 can be delivered betWeen the Warehouse and a
`ceiling traveling cart 32 or the like traveling along a rail 30
`for the ceiling traveling cart 32. To prevent the opening of
`the automatic Warehouse facing the station 28 from disturb
`ing the How of clean air, a shutter or the like may be
`provided for opening and closing a path betWeen the stations
`28 at the Wall surface of the automatic Warehouse 2. In the
`case Where the station 28 is in the vicinity of the ceiling of
`each ?oor, the station 28 may be employed for clean air
`intake Without providing such a shutter.
`When the How of air in this embodiment is as indicated by
`the arroW in FIG. 1, the bloWer motor 18 sucks the air in the
`loading space 12, and the sucked air is treated by means of
`the clean ?lter 21, and is supplied to the clean air path 20.
`Accordingly, the How of the air from the racks 10 and 11 to
`the loading space 12 is accelerated, and as a result, the How
`of air from the air intake port 24 to the upper part of the clean
`air path 20 is accelerated. Thus, even if the racks 10 and 11
`are made taller, the air does not settle at the upper part
`thereof. The air supplied from the bloWer motor 18 mainly
`?oWs to shelves beneath the racks 10 and 11 via the clean
`?lter 21 and the rectifying plate 22, and then ?oWs to the
`loading space 12. As indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1,
`the clean air path 20 may be partitioned into a section Where
`the air is bloWn from the bloWer motor 18 and a section
`Where the clean air is bloWn from the air intake port 24.
`Moreover, part of the air in the loading space 12 is sucked
`from the bottom face of the automatic Warehouse 2 doWn to
`the ?oor surface of the clean room via grating or the like, and
`is then treated. In this embodiment, there coexist tWo ?oWs
`of air, that is, the How of air circulating from the loading
`space 12 via the bloWer motor 18, the clean air path 20, and
`the racks 10 and 11, and the How of air ejected via the
`bottom surface of the loading space 12. Accordingly, a
`descending How of air is formed in the loading space 12, and
`the amount of air introduced from the air intake port 24
`increases, thus making it possible to prevent the air from
`settling at the upper part of the racks 10 and 11.
`In this embodiment, a variety of modi?cations are
`possible, as shoWn in FIGS. 2 to 4. In the modi?ed embodi
`ment shoWn in FIG. 2, there is a gap betWeen the top of the
`clean air path 20 and the ceiling of the ?rst ?oor 4, making
`it easy to set up the automatic Warehouse 2. 34 is a neW air
`intake port.
`The air in the vicinity of the top of the clean air path 20
`can be regarded to be high in purity compared With the air
`at the loWer part of each of the ?oors 4 and 6. In the modi?ed
`embodiment shoWn in FIG. 3, there is an air intake port 38
`leading from both rear surfaces of the automatic Warehouse
`2 to the clean air path 20.
`In vieW of the How of the clean air in FIG. 1, the quantity
`of the air to be introduced from the air intake port 24 to the
`clean air path 20 is equal to that of the air ejected from the
`automatic Warehouse 2 to the outside. If these quantities are
`not equal, the air gradually accumulates in the automatic
`Warehouse 2 or the air becomes gradually rare?ed. In the
`modi?ed embodiment shoWn in FIG. 4, in order to increase
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`the amount of air introduced from the air intake port 24 of
`FIG. 1, some of the bloWer motors 18 disposed in an array
`along the bottom of the racks 10 and 11 constitute a
`doWnWard bloWer motor 40 so as to eject more of the air in
`the loading space 12 doWn to the ?oor of the clean room.
`Instead of providing the bloWer motor 40 With a different
`orientation, the bloWout direction may be oriented to be
`slightly doWnWard With respect to each bloWer motor 18,
`thereby increasing the amount of air to be ejected doWn to
`the ?oor. By doing this, the amount of air to be ejected from
`the loading space 12 to the outside of the automatic Ware
`house 2 increases, and accordingly the amount of air to be
`introduced from the top of the clean air path 20 increases.
`One effect of this embodiment is that even if the height of
`the automatic Warehouse 2 is equivalent to that of the tWo
`?oors 4 and 6, clean air can be supplied uniformly to the
`racks 10 and 11. Accordingly, the automatic Warehouse 2 can
`be employed for carrying articles betWeen the ?oor 4 and the
`?oor 6, and a loading mechanism can also be used for these
`tWo ?oors 4 and 6, and the dead space at the loWer part of
`the racks 10 and 11 and the dead space at the ceiling section
`can be reduced. The clean air from the bloWer motor 18 and
`the clean ?lter 21 and the clean air from the ceiling are
`supplied to the racks 10 and 11, and these clean air are
`supplied almost uniformly throughout the racks 10 and 11.
`The clean air supplied to the racks 10 and 11 is led from the
`loading space 12 to the bloWer motor 18 or the loWer part of
`the ?oor surface 6, making it possible to prevent the air from
`settling in the upper areas of the racks 10 and 11. In
`particular, as shoWn in FIG. 4, When a part of the air in the
`loading space is ejected through the bloWer motor 40 doWn
`to the ?oor, the amount of clean air taken in from the air
`intake port can be increased Without the air in the automatic
`Warehouse 2 ?oWing from the station 28.
`What is claimed is:
`1. An automatic Warehouse that has a Wall facing the
`outside rear of a rack for forming a clean air path to the rack,
`the automatic Warehouse comprising:
`an air intake port for introducing clean air from a ceiling
`section of a clean room at the top of said clean air path;
`and
`a rectifying plate located on a rear side of the rack for
`supplying clean air to the rack;
`said automatic Warehouse being disposed so as to pen
`etrate through at least tWo ?oors of the clean room, and
`has an entrance for carrying an article of each ?oor in
`and out.
`2. An automatic Warehouse as claimed in claim 1, Wherein
`an air supply means and a ?lter for sucking and purifying air
`from a loading space in front of the rack, and for supplying
`air to said clean air path, Wherein said air supply means and
`said ?lter are provided at the bottom of said rack.
`3. An automatic Warehouse as claimed in claim 1, Wherein
`an air supply means is constructed so as to eject a part of air
`from a loading space in front of the rack to the outside of the
`automatic Warehouse.
`4. An automatic Warehouse as claimed in claim 2, Wherein
`an air supply means is constructed so as to eject a part of air
`from the loading space in front of the rack to the outside of
`the automatic Warehouse.
`5. An automatic Warehouse for a clean room having an
`upper ceiling, a ceiling of at least one loWer ?oor, a ?oor of
`at least one upper ?oor, a bottom ?oor, Walls and an entrance
`on each ?oor, the automatic Warehouse comprising:
`vertical racks for supporting articles extending from a
`location approximate the bottom ?oor to a location
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 6 of 7
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`proximate the upper ceiling, the racks are positioned to
`de?ne a loading space in betWeen tWo racks and
`positioned to de?ne a clean air path betWeen each rear
`face of the racks and the opposing Wall of the automatic
`Warehouse;
`an air intake port provided in the vicinity of the upper
`ceiling for intaking air from an upper clean fan unit in
`the upper ceiling into the automatic Warehouse;
`the upper clean fan unit for bloWing air from the upper
`ceiling to the ?oor of the at least one upper ?oor;
`a middle clean fan unit in the ceiling of the at least one
`loWer ?oor for sucking air through the ?oor of the at
`least one upper ?oor and bloWing the air sucked
`through the ?oor of the at least one upper ?oor to the
`bottom ?oor;
`an air supply means provided at a bottom portion of each
`rack for sucking air into the loading space from the
`clean air path and discharging air from the loading
`space back into the clean air path through a clean air
`?lter; and
`the clean air ?lter for purifying air discharged from the air
`supply means;
`Wherein an air ?oW path is created for circulating air from
`the loading space through the air supply means up into
`the clean air path and into the loading space via the
`racks.
`6. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, Wherein the air
`supply means is a bloWer motor.
`7. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, further compris
`ing a bottom clean fan unit in the bottom ?oor for sucking
`air from the loading space through the bottom ?oor and
`blowing the air sucked through the bottom ?oor outside the
`automatic Warehouse,
`Wherein tWo air ?oWs coexist, a ?rst air ?oW for circu
`lating air from the loading space through the air supply
`means up into the clean air path and into the loading
`space via the racks and a second air ?oW for circulating
`air from the loading space through the bottom ?oor to
`outside of the automatic Warehouse via the bottom
`clean fan unit, for preventing air from settling at an
`upper part of the racks.
`8. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, Wherein the
`automatic Warehouse has one upper ?oor and one loWer
`?oor.
`9. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, Wherein the
`automatic Warehouse has an upper entrance on the upper
`?oor and an entrance on the loWer ?oor for carrying articles
`in and out of the automatic Warehouse.
`10. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, further com
`prising an intake port located in the vicinity of the ceiling of
`the loWer ?oor.
`11. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, further compris
`ing a rectifying plate located on each rear face of the racks
`for treating air.
`12. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, Wherein the
`racks have a plurality of steps and a plurality of arrays.
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`13. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, further com
`prising a movable loading device located in the loading
`space for loading articles into the racks.
`14. The automatic Warehouse of claim 5, further com
`5 prising a ceiling traveling cart located on at least one ceiling
`for delivering articles to the automatic Warehouse.
`15. The automatic Warehouse of claim 6 Wherein some of
`the bloWer motors are positioned to bloW air into the bottom
`?oor to be ejected from the automatic Warehouse to increase
`the amount of air ejected from the automatic Warehouse and
`subsequently increase the amount of air introduced into the
`air intake port.
`16. An automatic Warehouse for a clean room having an
`upper ceiling, a ceiling of at least one loWer ?oor, a ?oor of
`at least one upper ?oor, a bottom ?oor and Walls having an
`air ?oW gap, the automatic Warehouse comprising:
`vertical racks for supporting articles extending from a
`location approximate the bottom ?oor to a location
`proximate the upper ceiling, the racks are positioned to
`de?ne a loading space in betWeen tWo racks and
`positioned to de?ne a clean air path betWeen each rear
`face of the racks and the opposing Wall of the automatic
`Warehouse;
`an air intake port provided in the vicinity of the upper
`ceiling for intaking air from an upper clean fan unit in
`the upper ceiling into the automatic Warehouse;
`the upper clean fan unit for bloWing air from the upper
`ceiling to the ?oor of the at least one upper ?oor;
`a middle clean fan unit in the ceiling of the at least one
`loWer ?oor for sucking air through the ?oor of the at
`least one upper ?oor and blowing the air sucked
`through the ?oor of the at least one upper ?oor to the
`bottom ?oor;
`an air supply means provided at a bottom portion of each
`rack for sucking air into the loading space from the
`clean air path and discharging air from the loading
`space back into the clean air path through a clean air
`?lter; and
`the clean air ?lter for purifying air discharged from the air
`supply means;
`Wherein an air ?oW path is created for circulating air from
`the loading space through the air supply means up into
`the clean air path and into the loading space via the
`racks.
`17. The automatic Warehouse of claim 16, Wherein the air
`?oW gap in the Walls is located betWeen the top of the Walls
`and the upper ceiling.
`18. The automatic Warehouse of claim 16, Wherein the air
`?oW gap in the Walls is located proximate the upper ceiling.
`19. The automatic Warehouse of claim 18, further com
`prising air intake ports leading from the rear surfaces of the
`55 racks to the clean air path.
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`Daifuku Exhibit 1006, Page 7 of 7