IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,403,614
Granted Patent B2
US 12,403,614 · App. 17/574,849 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Holding device, cargo handling apparatus, and holding method

Inventors: Motojiro Shibata (Yokohama, JP); Yukihiro Ikeya (Yokohama, JP); Takeshi Toyoshima (Yokohama, JP); Toshikazu Taki (Yokohama, JP); Hiroaki Fujihara (Kawasaki, JP); Yusuke Mitsuya (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
B25J15/0052B25J15/0004B25J15/0691
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,403,614
App. No.
17/574,849
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a holding device includes a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an article, and a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the article. The holding device performs at least a first operation of the first and second holders holding the article, and a second operation of only the first holder holding the article.

Claims (57)

1. A holding device, comprising:

a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an object; and

a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the object,

the holding device performing at least

a first operation of the first and second holders holding the object, the first operation being performed in a first state in which the second holder can hold the side surface of the object, and

a second operation of the first holder holding the object, the second operation being performed in a second state in which the second holder is positioned higher than at least a portion of the first holder,

in a switching from the first state to the second state, as the second holder moves upward, a distance between the first holder and the second holder in a longitudinal direction, when viewed along a vertical direction, becomes shorter.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first driver driving the first holder along the longitudinal direction; and

a second driver driving the second holder along the longitudinal direction with respect to the first holder.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first state, the second holder is at a first position, and

in the second state, the second holder is at a second position separated from the first position.

4. The device according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least a portion of the second holder is positioned directly above the first holder in the second state.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first state and the second state are switched by rotating the second holder around a rotation center, and

the rotation center is along a lateral direction and is located at a different position from the second holder.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the first holders and a plurality of the second holders are arranged in a lateral direction.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein

the plurality of first holders is mutually-independently movable in a vertical direction.

8. A cargo handling apparatus, comprising:

a third driver driving the first and second holders in vertical direction;

a lift on which the object is placed, the lift moving in the vertical direction; and

the holding device according to claim 1 .

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a first supporter and a second supporter supporting the first holder and the second holder, the first supporter and the second supporter being separated from each other in a lateral direction,

a length in the lateral direction of the lift being greater than a length in the lateral direction between the first supporter and the second supporter.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the first holder and the second holder are movable to a position not interfering with the lift when the lift is moved to be higher than the first holder.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a controller,

the controller receiving data of an arrangement of the object and switching a position of the second holder according to the data.

12. A holding device, comprising:

a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an object; and

a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the object,

the second holder being movable between

a first position that is lower than at least a portion of the first holder, and

a second position that is higher than the at least a portion of the first holder,

at least a portion of the second holder being positioned directly above the first holder when the second holder is at the second position.

13. The device according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a fourth driver changing a position in a vertical direction of the second holder by moving the second holder with respect to the first holder.

14. A holding method, comprising:

using a holding device to perform at least a first operation and a second operation, the holding device including

a first holder configured to hold an upper surface of an article object, and

a second holder configured to hold a side surface of the article object,

only the first holder holding the object in the second operation,

in the first operation, the first holder and the second holder holding the object in a first state in which the second holder can hold the side surface of the object,

in the second operation, the first holder holding the object in a second state in which the second holder is positioned higher than at least a portion of the first holder,

in a switching from the first state to the second state, as the second holder moves upward, a distance between the first holder and the second holder in a longitudinal direction, when viewed along a vertical direction, becomes shorter.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein:

the second holder is positioned at a first position in the first operation,

the second holder can hold the side surface of the object at the first position, and

the second holder is positioned at a second position separated from the first position in the second operation.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second position is higher than the first position.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the holding device is caused to receive data of an arrangement of the object, and switch a position of the second holder according to the data.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 072053/0393 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2022
From: SHIBATA, MOTOJIRO; IKEYA, YUKIHIRO; TOYOSHIMA, TAKESHI; TAKI, TOSHIKAZU; FUJIHARA, HIROAKI; MITSUYA, YUSUKE
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058733/0266 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-004521 · Jan 14, 2021 · national
JP 2021-145766 · Sep 7, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220219337A1 · Jul 14, 2022
References Cited (53)
US 5044143A · Ako et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5564893A · Tacchi · 1996 [cited by examiner]
US 6652014B2 · Schmalz · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 9498887B1 · Zevenbergen · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9758300B2 · Nakamura · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10226865B2 · Nakayama · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20130096713A1 · Takizawa et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140179501A1 · Akama et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160137435A1 · Tanaka et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170106534A1 · Nakamoto et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170107058A1 · Nakamoto et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180207808A1 · Tanaka · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180229987A1 · Kaup · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20210069902A1 · Nakamoto et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210101760A1 · Yabe · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 111703687A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 3623324A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 62141000A · 1987 [cited by applicant]
JP 02062303A · 1990 [cited by applicant]
JP 03085205A · 1991 [cited by applicant]
JP 04217515A · 1992 [cited by applicant]
JP 04371500A · 1992 [cited by applicant]
JP 05004722A · 1993 [cited by applicant]
JP 05010398U · 1993 [cited by applicant]
JP 07010278A · 1995 [cited by applicant]
JP 07041175A · 1995 [cited by applicant]
JP 08175799A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 08239199A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 08268142A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 9141588A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 09309697A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 10087074A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013086914A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014024616A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014124798A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016055995A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016094280A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017052052A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017149565A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018118337A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018521931A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018176348A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019094210A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019218165A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019218166A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020001844A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020040788A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021041468A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016033172A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019049772A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019244846A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action issued Sep. 27, 2024 in Japanese Application 2021-145766, (with unedited computer-generated English translation), 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Combined Chinese Office Action and Search Report issued Jul. 12, 2024 in Chinese Patent Application No. 202210041720.7, (with English translation), 8 pages. [cited by applicant]