IP Library Granted Patent US 12679424
Granted Patent B2
US 12679424 · App. 18/066,681 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Apparatus for transporting article

Inventor: Nojae Park (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
B61B13/00H10P72/3221
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679424
App. No.
18/066,681
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article transport apparatus includes a traveling portion configured to travel along a rail portion and a mounting portion configured to have a structure suspended under a traveling portion to mount articles thereon, in particular, the rail portion includes a plurality of first straight rails extending in a first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at first intervals, a plurality of second straight rails extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at second intervals, and a connecting rail configured to connect between the first straight rails and the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, so that the traveling portion travels between the first straight rails and the second straight rails perpendicularly facing each other.

Claims (39)

1 . An article transport apparatus comprising:

a traveling portion configured to travel along a rail portion; and

a mounting portion configured to have a structure suspended under the traveling portion and to mount articles thereon,

wherein the rail portion includes a plurality of first straight rails extending in a first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at first intervals, a plurality of second straight rails extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at second intervals, and connecting rails configured to connect between the first straight rails and the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, so that the traveling portion travels between the first straight rails and the second straight rails perpendicularly facing each other, and

wherein the traveling portion includes a steering wheel configured to move up and down and to be selectively connected to the connecting rails through an upward or downward movement and to travel along the connecting rails in a desired direction through lateral movement.

2 . The article transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when the connecting rails are configured to each have a path extending over one of the first straight rails and over one of the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rails and the second straight rails.

3 . The article transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,

when the connecting rails include a branch rail branching from one of the first straight rails to extend to one of the second straight rails perpendicularly facing the first straight rail or branching from the second straight rail to extend to the first straight rail perpendicularly facing the second straight rail, and a steering rail disposed in a branch area branching from the first straight rail or a branch area branching from the second straight rail such that the traveling portion enters the branch rail from the first straight rail or enters the branch rail from the second straight rail,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rail, the second straight rail, and the branch rail, and the steering wheel traveling along the steering rail.

4 . The article transport apparatus of claim 3 , wherein, the steering rail is configured to be disposed above the branch rail.

5 . The article transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rails are configured to connect between the first straight rails and the second straight rails which are perpendicularly adjacent to each other.

6 . The article transport apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each of the connecting rails are configured to connect between a point of about ½ length of one of the first straight rails and a point of about ½ length of one of the second straight rails, which are perpendicularly adjacent to each other.

7 . The article transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion is configured to have a structure that is movably suspended by a guide portion disposed under the traveling portion.

8 . The article transport apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the guide portion includes a guide plate configured to be connected to the traveling portion and to have a guide groove adjacent to the mounting portion, and a guide rod configured to be connected to the mounting portion and to move along the guide groove.

9 . The article transport apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the guide groove is configured to have a structure extending from a center of the guide plate toward both ends of the guide plate, in which at least two guide grooves extend toward the both ends of the guide plate from the center of the guide plate.

10 . The article transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first intervals are equal to the second intervals.

11 . An article transport apparatus comprising:

a traveling portion configured to travel along a rail portion; and

a mounting portion configured to have a structure suspended under the traveling portion to mount articles thereon,

wherein the rail portion includes a plurality of first straight rails extending in a first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at first intervals, a plurality of second straight rails extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at second intervals, and a connecting rail configured to connect between the first straight rails and the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, to form a curved path between the first straight rails and the second straight rails so that the traveling portion travels between the first straight rails and the second straight rails perpendicularly facing each other, and

wherein the traveling portion includes a steering wheel configured to move up and down and to be selectively connected to the connecting rail through an upward or downward movement and to travel along the connecting rail in a desired direction through lateral movement.

12 . The article transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, when the connecting rail is configured to have a curved path extending over one of the first straight rails and over one of the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rails and the second straight rails.

13 . The article transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, when the connecting rail includes a branch rail branching from one of the first straight rails to extend to one of the second straight rails perpendicularly facing the first straight rail or branching from the second straight rail to extend to the first straight rail perpendicularly facing the second straight rail, and a steering rail disposed in a branch area branching from the first straight rail or a branch area branching from the second straight rail such that the traveling portion enters the branch rail from the first straight rail or enters the branch rail from the second straight rail,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rail, the second straight rail, and the branch rail, and the steering wheel is configured to be disposed above the branch rail.

14 . The article transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the connecting rail is configured to connect between one of the first straight rails and one of the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, to form a curved path between the first straight rail and the second straight rail such that the curved path is formed between a point of about ½ length of the first straight rail and a point of about ½ length of the second straight rail, which perpendicularly face each other.

15 . The article transport apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mounting portion is configured to have a structure that is movably suspended by a guide portion disposed under the traveling portion, the guide portion includes a guide plate configured to be connected to the traveling portion and to have a guide groove adjacent to the mounting portion, and a guide rod configured to be connected to the mounting portion and to move along the guide groove, and the guide groove is configured to have a structure extending from a center of the guide plate toward both ends of the guide plate, in which at least two guide grooves extend toward the both ends of the guide plate from the center of the guide plate.

16 . An article transport apparatus comprising:

a traveling portion configured to travel along a rail portion; and

a mounting portion configured to have a structure suspended under the traveling portion to mount articles thereon,

wherein the rail portion includes a plurality of first straight rails extending in a first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at first intervals, a plurality of second straight rails extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction while being arranged parallel to each other at second intervals, and a connecting rail configured to connect between the first straight rails and the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, to form an oblique path between the first straight rails and the second straight rails so that the traveling portion travels between the first straight rails and the second straight rails perpendicularly facing each other, and

wherein the traveling portion includes a steering wheel configured to move up and down and to be selectively connected to the connecting rail through an upward or downward movement and to travel along the connecting rail in a desired direction through lateral movement.

17 . The article transport apparatus of claim 16 , wherein, when the connecting rail is configured to have an oblique path extending over one of the first straight rails and over one of the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rail and the second straight rail, the steering wheel is configured to be connected to the connecting rail through the upward movement.

18 . The article transport apparatus of claim 16 , wherein, when the connecting rails include a branch rail branching from one of the first straight rails to extend to one of the second straight rails perpendicularly facing the first straight rail or branching from the second straight rail to extend to the first straight rail perpendicularly facing the second straight rail, and a steering rail disposed in a branch area branching from the first straight rail or a branch area branching from the second straight rail such that the traveling portion enters the branch rail from the first straight rail or enters the branch rail from the second straight rail,

the traveling portion includes a traveling wheel traveling along the first straight rails, the second straight rails, and the branch rail, and the steering wheel is configured to be disposed above the branch rail.

19 . The article transport apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the connecting rails are configured to connect between one of the first straight rails and one of the second straight rails, which perpendicularly face each other, to form an oblique path between the first straight rail and the second straight rail such that the oblique path is formed between a point of about ½ length of the first straight rail and a point of about ½ length of the second straight rail, which perpendicularly face each other.

20 . The article transport apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the mounting portion is configured to have a structure that is movably suspended by a guide portion disposed under the traveling portion, the guide portion includes a guide plate configured to be connected to the traveling portion and to have a guide groove adjacent to the mounting portion, and a guide rod configured to be connected to the mounting portion and to move along the guide groove, and the guide groove is configured to have a structure extending from a center of the guide plate toward both ends of the guide plate, in which at least two guide grooves extend toward the both ends of the guide plate from the center of the guide plate.