IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,540,060
Granted Patent B2
US 12,540,060 · App. 18/036,914 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Overhead transport vehicle and transport vehicle system

Inventor: Makoto Kobayashi (Ise, JP)
Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
B66D3/26B66C13/22B66C13/46B66C13/48B66C19/00H01L21/67712H01L21/67733B66D2700/026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,540,060
App. No.
18/036,914
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The overhead transport vehicle includes: a winding drum configured to lift and lower a lifting part by winding and paying out a plurality of suspending members; at least one guide roller around which the suspending members paid out from the winding drum are wound; a body part supporting the winding drum and the guide roller; at least one position adjusting part configured to move a portion of each suspending member connected to the lifting part in a lifting direction by moving a relative position of the guide roller with respect to the body part; and a control part configured to control movement of the guide roller by the position adjusting part, based on information on an inclination of the lifting part.

Claims (37)

1 . An overhead transport vehicle in which a lifting part including a gripping part configured to grip an article is configured to be lifted and lowered by a plurality of suspending members, the overhead transport vehicle comprising:

a winding drum configured to lift and lower the lifting part by winding and paying out the suspending members;

at least one guide roller around which the suspending members paid out from the winding drum are wound;

a body part supporting the winding drum and the at least one guide roller;

at least one position adjusting part configured to move a portion of each suspending member connected to the lifting part in a lifting direction by moving a relative position of the at least one guide roller with respect to the body part;

a control part configured to control movement of the guide roller by the at least one position adjusting part, based on information on an inclination of the lifting part; and

a storage unit configured to store a movement amount of the at least one guide roller determined based on the information on the inclination or store the information on the inclination, wherein

the control part controls the movement of the at least one guide roller by the at least one position adjusting part, based on the movement amount or the information on the inclination, wherein

the storage unit stores the movement amount or the information on the inclination for each transfer part where the article is delivered to and from the overhead transport vehicle, and

the control part controls the movement of the at least one guide roller by the at least one position adjusting part, based on the movement amount or the information on the inclination for each transfer part.

2 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition part associated with the lifting part and configured to acquire the information on the inclination.

3 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition part associated with the lifting part and configured to acquire the information on the inclination, wherein

the acquisition part periodically acquires the information on the inclination, and

the storage unit stores the movement amount of the at least one guide roller determined based on the periodically acquired information on the inclination or stores the periodically acquired information on the inclination.

4 . A transport vehicle system comprising:

the overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 ;

an acquisition part provided as a separate unit from the overhead transport vehicle and configured to acquire the information on the inclination; and

a communication unit configured to transmit the information on the inclination acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

5 . The transport vehicle system according to claim 4 , further comprising a control device configured to periodically cause the overhead transport vehicle to move to a position where the acquisition part is able to acquire the information on the inclination, wherein

the communication unit transmits the information on the inclination periodically acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

6 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition part associated with the lifting part and configured to acquire the information on the inclination.

7 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition part associated with the lifting part and configured to acquire the information on the inclination.

8 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition part associated with the lifting part and configured to acquire the information on the inclination, wherein

the acquisition part periodically acquires the information on the inclination, and

the storage unit stores the movement amount of the at least one guide roller determined based on the periodically acquired information on the inclination or stores the periodically acquired information on the inclination.

9 . A transport vehicle system comprising:

the overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 ;

an acquisition part provided as a separate unit from the overhead transport vehicle and configured to acquire the information on the inclination; and

a communication unit configured to transmit the information on the inclination acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

10 . The transport vehicle system according to claim 9 , further comprising a control device configured to periodically cause the overhead transport vehicle to move to a position where the acquisition part is able to acquire the information on the inclination, wherein

the communication unit transmits the information on the inclination periodically acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

11 . A transport vehicle system comprising:

the overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 ;

an acquisition part provided as a separate unit from the overhead transport vehicle and configured to acquire the information on the inclination; and

a communication unit configured to transmit the information on the inclination acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

12 . The transport vehicle system according to claim 11 , further comprising a control device configured to periodically cause the overhead transport vehicle to move to a position where the acquisition part is able to acquire the information on the inclination, wherein

the communication unit transmits the information on the inclination periodically acquired by the acquisition part to the overhead transport vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2023
From: KOBAYASHI, MAKOTO
To: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063637/0441 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-191790 · Nov 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240017973A1 · Jan 18, 2024
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