IP Library Granted Patent US 12677631
Granted Patent B2
US 12677631 · App. 18/322,986 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Ceiling stocker

Inventor: Jin-Ho Song (Cheonan-si, KR)
Assignee: Semes Co., LTD.
H10P72/3221B65G1/04B66C17/00H10P72/3214H10P72/3218
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677631
App. No.
18/322,986
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The inventive concept provides a ceiling stocker. The ceiling stocker includes a shelf assembly, at which shelves on which an article is placed are positioned along a first direction on a same plane, is placed in multiple layers; and a transfer module provided at a top part of the shelf assembly and which loads and unloads the article on the shelf, and wherein the transfer module includes: a vehicle moving along a driving rail installed on a ceiling; and a hoist provided at the vehicle, and wherein the shelf assembly includes a shelf driving unit configured to move the shelves along the first direction so a moving path for the hoist to approach the shelf may be provided.

Claims (66)

1 . A ceiling stocker, comprising:

a shelf assembly, at which shelves on which an article is placed are positioned along a first direction on a same plane, is placed in multiple layers; and

a transfer module provided at a top part of the shelf assembly and which loads and unloads the article on the shelf assembly,

wherein the transfer module includes

a first driving unit configured to provide a power;

a vehicle moving along a driving rail installed on a ceiling; and

a hoist provided at the vehicle,

wherein the shelf assembly includes a shelf driving unit configured to move the shelves along the first direction so a moving path for the hoist to approach the shelf assembly may be provided, a power of the shelf driving unit is provided from the first driving unit,

wherein the driving rail includes

first driving rails positioned spaced apart from each other along a second direction, and

a girder moving along the first driving rail while having both ends supported by the first driving rail and having a second driving rail, and

wherein the vehicle is installed to be movable along the second driving rail,

wherein the shelf assembly further includes a shelf rail for moving the shelves, and

wherein the shelf driving unit includes:

a moving body moving along the shelf rail; and

a clamp installed on the moving body and for clamping at least one of the shelves.

2 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein the shelf rail is provided along the first direction and which supports each end of the shelves.

3 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein the clamp includes any one type of a vacuum clamp, a magnetic clamp, and a mechanical clamp.

4 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein the moving body is moved by any one of a linear motor, a belt method or a bolt-screw method.

5 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein the moving path is provided at a shelf assembly except for a shelf assembly positioned at a bottommost layer among the shelf assemblies.

6 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein a shelf of a shelf assembly positioned at a bottommost layer among the shelf assemblies is a fixed shelf.

7 . The ceiling stocker of claim 1 , wherein the shelf assembly includes stages at which the article is seated, and the stage is positioned along the second direction which crosses the first direction.

8 . A ceiling stocker comprising:

a first shelf layer having bottom shelves on which an article is placed positioned along a first direction on a same plane;

a second shelf layer having top shelves on which an article is placed positioned along the first direction on a same plane and which is positioned at a top part of the first shelf layer, the second shelf layer having a shelf driving unit for moving the top shelves; and

a transfer module provided at a top part of the second shelf layer and loading and unloading the article on the bottom shelf and the top shelf, the transfer module including a first driving unit configured to provide a power, the power configured to power the shelf driving unit, and

wherein at the second shelf layer, the top shelves are movable along the first direction so a moving path is provided so the transfer module may approach the bottom shelf.

9 . The ceiling stocker of claim 8 , further comprising at least one intermediate shelf layer provided between the first shelf layer and the second shelf layer, and

wherein the intermediate shelf layer includes:

intermediate shelves positioned along the first direction on a same plane and having an article placed thereon; and

a shelf driving unit moving the intermediate layer shelves along the first direction so a moving path is provided so the transfer module may approach the bottom shelf.

10 . The ceiling stocker of claim 8 , wherein the second shelf layer includes:

a shelf rail for moving the top shelves, wherein the shelf driving unit moves the top shelves along the shelf rail; and

wherein the shelf driving unit includes:

a moving body which is movable along the shelf rail; and

a clamp installed on the moving body and for clamping at least one of the top shelf layers.

11 . The ceiling stocker of claim 10 , wherein the shelf rail is provided along the first direction and which supports each end of the top shelves.

12 . The ceiling stocker of claim 10 , wherein the clamp includes any one type of a vacuum clamp, a magnetic clamp, and a mechanical clamp, and the moving body is moved by any one of a linear motor, a belt method or a bolt-screw method.

13 . The ceiling stocker of claim 10 , wherein the bottom shelves are a fixed-type.

14 . The ceiling stocker of claim 8 , wherein the bottom shelf and the top shelf includes stages at which the article is seated, and the stage is positioned along a second direction which crosses the first direction.

15 . The ceiling stocker of claim 8 , wherein the transfer module includes:

first driving rails positioned spaced apart from each other along the first direction;

a girder moving along the first driving rail while having both ends supported by the first driving rails and having a second driving rail,

a vehicle movable along the second driving rail; and

a hoist provided at the vehicle.

16 . A ceiling stocker comprising:

a first shelf layer having bottom shelves on which an article is placed positioned along a first direction on a same plane;

a second shelf layer having top shelves on which an article is placed positioned along the first direction on a same plane and which is positioned at a top part of the first shelf layer in multiple layers; and

a transfer module provided at a top part of the second shelf layer and loading and unloading the article on the bottom shelf and the top shelf,

wherein the transfer module includes

a first driving unit;

a vehicle moving along a driving rail installed on a ceiling; and

a hoist provided at the vehicle,

wherein the second shelf layer includes

a shelf rail for moving the top shelves, and

a shelf driving unit for moving the top shelves along the shelf rail so a moving path is provided for the hoist to approach the bottom shelf, a power of the shelf driving unit provided from the first driving unit,

wherein the driving rail includes

first driving rails positioned spaced apart from each other along a second direction, and

a girder moving along the first driving rail while having both ends supported by the first driving rail and having a second driving rail, and

wherein the vehicle is installed to be movable along the second driving rail,

wherein the shelf driving unit includes:

a moving body moving along the shelf rail; and

a clamp installed on the moving body and for clamping at least one of the top shelves, and

wherein the shelf rail is provided along the first direction and which supports each end of the shelves, and

the clamp includes any one type of a vacuum clamp, a magnetic clamp, and a mechanical clamp, and

the moving body is moved by any one of a linear motor, a belt method or a bolt-screw method.