IP Library Granted Patent US 12668430
Granted Patent B2
US 12668430 · App. 18/664,393 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Article transport facility

Inventors: Kosuke Kimura (Hinocho, JP); Daisuke Ogawa (Hinocho, JP); Yuya Hirao (Hinocho, JP)
Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
B65G17/12B65G43/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668430
App. No.
18/664,393
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article transport facility includes a transport vehicle. The transport vehicle is configured to switch an access point of a connection destination while moving along a path to maintain a communicable state with a control device. In a case in which a communication intensity of radio waves between the transport vehicle and the access point is lower than a predetermined switching threshold value, the transport vehicle performs switching processing of switching the connection destination to another access point having a stronger communication intensity. The switching threshold value is set to different values in accordance with a movement condition of the transport vehicle.

Claims (26)

1 . An article transport facility, comprising:

a transport vehicle configured to move along a prescribed path to transport an article;

a control device configured to control the transport vehicle; and

a plurality of access points, each of which configured to perform wireless communication with the transport vehicle,

wherein the transport vehicle is configured to switch the access points of connection destinations while moving along the path and communicate with the control device,

wherein when a communication intensity of radio waves between the transport vehicle and the access point is lower than a predetermined switching threshold value, the transport vehicle performs switching processing of switching the connection destination to another access point having a stronger communication intensity,

wherein the switching threshold value is set to different values in accordance with movement conditions of the transport vehicle,

wherein at least a first area and a second area are set in the path,

wherein the second area is an area where an average movement speed of the transport vehicle is higher than that in the first area,

wherein the movement condition is that the transport vehicle moves between the first area and the second area, and

wherein the switching threshold value of the transport vehicle moving in the second area is set to a value higher than the switching threshold value of the transport vehicle moving in the first area.

2 . The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein:

the movement condition is a change in a movement speed of the transport vehicle, and

the switching threshold value is set to be continuously or stepwise increased in accordance with an increase in the movement speed of the transport vehicle.

3 . An article transport facility, comprising:

a transport vehicle configured to move along a prescribed path to transport an article;

a control device configured to control the transport vehicle; and

a plurality of access points, each of which configured to perform wireless communication with the transport vehicle,

wherein the transport vehicle is configured to switch the access points of connection destinations while moving along the path and communicate with the control device,

wherein when a communication intensity of radio waves between the transport vehicle and the access point is lower than a predetermined switching threshold value, the transport vehicle performs switching processing of switching the connection destination to another access point having a stronger communication intensity,

wherein the switching threshold value is set to different values in accordance with movement conditions of the transport vehicle,

wherein the transport vehicle is further configured to perform the switching processing in a predetermined set cycle, and

wherein the set cycle is changed in accordance with the movement condition.

4 . The article transport facility according to claim 3 , wherein:

the movement condition is a change in a movement speed of the transport vehicle, and

the switching threshold value is set to be continuously or stepwise increased in accordance with an increase in the movement speed of the transport vehicle.