IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,588,468
Granted Patent B2
US 12,588,468 · App. 18/273,062 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Overhead transport vehicle

Inventors: Yuji Shimizu (Ise, JP); Seiji Yamagami (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
H10P72/53B66C13/46B66C13/48H10P72/3206H10P72/3221B66C19/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,588,468
App. No.
18/273,062
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An overhead transport vehicle includes: a holding unit that is provided to be liftable and lowerable and configured to hold an article; a three-dimensional ranging sensor that has a detection range to include surroundings of a lower space formed directly below the article held by the holding unit; and a control device that is configured to determine presence or absence of an obstacle based on a detection result of the three-dimensional ranging sensor.

Claims (16)

1 . An overhead transport vehicle comprising:

a holder to be liftable and lowerable and to hold an article;

a three-dimensional ranging sensor that has a detection range to include surroundings of a lower space directly below the article held by the holder; and

a controller configured or programmed to determine presence or absence of an obstacle based on a detection result of the three-dimensional ranging sensor; wherein

the detection range of the three-dimensional ranging sensor includes at least one of the holder and the article held by the holder;

the controller is configured or programmed to determine at least one of swaying, tilting, and rotating of the article held by the holder based on a detection result of the three-dimensional ranging sensor;

at least one of the holder and the article held by the holder includes a light emitter; and

the three-dimensional ranging sensor is operable to detect light emitted by the light emitter.

2 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

at least one of the holder and the article held by the holder includes an AR marker; and

the three-dimensional ranging sensor is operable to detect the AR marker.

3 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional ranging sensor includes a stereo camera.

4 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the stereo camera is installed at a position above the holder to have an overhead view of the holder and include, in an angle of view, the holder at a lowest position.

5 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a lifter to lift and lower the holder; wherein

the three-dimensional ranging sensor is included in the lifter at a position directly above the article held by the holder.

6 . The overhead transport vehicle according to claim 1 , comprising a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor that are configured to detect swaying and tilting of the three-dimensional ranging sensor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2023
From: SHIMIZU, YUJI; YAMAGAMI, SEIJI
To: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 064310/0808 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-023227 · Feb 17, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240128113A1 · Apr 18, 2024
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