Patents by Inventor Tatsuji Ota

Tatsuji Ota has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10043698
    Abstract: In a transport system, a local track is disposed so as to be below an overhead travelling vehicle track in parallel or substantially in parallel therewith, and furthermore above a loading port of a processing device from upstream of the loading port to downstream of the loading port. A local vehicle including a hoist travels along the local track. Below the local track, a first buffer is disposed upstream of the loading port of the processing device, and a second buffer is disposed downstream of the loading port of the processing device, and the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle can both perform delivery and receipt of the article with the first buffer and the second buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ota, Masazumi Fukushima, Yasuhisa Ito
  • Patent number: 10037908
    Abstract: An overhead traveling vehicle includes a hoist and a first sensor that monitors obstacles below, and a local carriage includes a hoist and travels along the track. A buffer is suspended from the track by vertical supports that extend vertically downward, and no members of the buffer are provided directly over load ports. A second sensor, which monitors an obstacle in a vicinity of the load ports and in a passageway-side area on a side opposite to a processing device, is provided on the track and transmits an obstacle detection signal to the overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage. Upon receiving the obstacle detection signal from the second sensor, the overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage stop the hoists, and the overhead traveling vehicle does not monitor obstacles in the passageway-side area using the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Patent number: 9520313
    Abstract: In a transport system, a track for a local carriage is provided directly below a track for overhead traveling vehicles, and the overhead traveling vehicles and the local carriage both transfer an article to and from the same transfer destination. A buffer is connected to the track for the transport local carriage to deliver and receive the article to and from the local carriage and includes a transport in/out cell below the track for the overhead traveling vehicles to deliver and receive the article to and from the overhead traveling vehicles, the buffer being provided in a location not directly below the track of the local carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Publication number: 20160071754
    Abstract: In a transport system, a local track is disposed so as to be below an overhead travelling vehicle track in parallel or substantially in parallel therewith, and furthermore above a loading port of a processing device from upstream of the loading port to downstream of the loading port. A local vehicle including a hoist travels along the local track. Below the local track, a first buffer is disposed upstream of the loading port of the processing device, and a second buffer is disposed downstream of the loading port of the processing device, and the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle can both perform delivery and receipt of the article with the first buffer and the second buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Tatsuji OTA, Masazumi FUKUSHIMA, Yasuhisa ITO
  • Patent number: 9263311
    Abstract: In a transport system, a local track is disposed so as to be below an overhead travelling vehicle track in parallel or substantially in parallel therewith, and furthermore above a loading port of a processing device from upstream of the loading port to downstream of the loading port. A local vehicle including a hoist travels along the local track. Below the local track, a first buffer is disposed upstream of the loading port of the processing device, and a second buffer is disposed downstream of the loading port of the processing device, and the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle can both perform delivery and receipt of the article with the first buffer and the second buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ota, Masazumi Fukushima, Yasuhisa Ito
  • Patent number: 9187260
    Abstract: A system for transporting an article between a plurality of processing devices includes a track extending above load ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the track and has a hoist. A local track disposed lower than the track extends at least to a position under the track, and is oriented perpendicular to the track when viewed from above. A local carriage travels along the local track and has a hoist for vertically moving the article. A buffer disposed below the local track delivers and receives the article to and from the local carriage, and extends at least to a position under the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ota, Masazumi Fukushima, Yasuhisa Ito
  • Publication number: 20150203333
    Abstract: An overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage each includes a hoist and travel directly over load ports. The track for the local carriage includes a pair of rails directly under a track for the overhead traveling vehicle, and articles vertically pass between the pair of rails using the hoist of the overhead traveling vehicle. A sensor detects an article that is horizontally swinging in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the track for the local carriage in the horizontal plane and is provided at least at a position that is under the track for the local carriage and outside of the raising and lowering path of an article that is not horizontally swinging. The overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage stop the raising and lowering of the hoists when the sensor detects an article that is horizontally swinging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Publication number: 20150170946
    Abstract: An overhead traveling vehicle includes a hoist and a first sensor that monitors obstacles below, and a local carriage includes a hoist and travels along the track. A buffer is suspended from the track by vertical supports that extend vertically downward, and no members of the buffer are provided directly over load ports. A second sensor, which monitors an obstacle in a vicinity of the load ports and in a passageway-side area on a side opposite to a processing device, is provided on the track and transmits an obstacle detection signal to the overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage. Upon receiving the obstacle detection signal from the second sensor, the overhead traveling vehicle and the local carriage stop the hoists, and the overhead traveling vehicle does not monitor obstacles in the passageway-side area using the first sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Publication number: 20150110585
    Abstract: In a transport system, a track for a local carriage is provided directly below a track for overhead traveling vehicles, and the overhead traveling vehicles and the local carriage both transfer an article to and from the same transfer destination. A buffer is connected to the track for the transport local carriage to deliver and receive the article to and from the local carriage and includes a transport in/out cell below the track for the overhead traveling vehicles to deliver and receive the article to and from the overhead traveling vehicles, the buffer being provided in a location not directly below the track of the local carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Patent number: 8915690
    Abstract: A transport system includes a first track that passes above loading ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the first track and includes a hoist. A second track is below the first track, passes above the loading ports, and is disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel with the first track. A buffer is provided below the second track at a position higher than the loading ports, and is arranged such that the articles can pass in a vertical direction over the loading ports. The buffer is disposed such that the articles can pass through the height position of the buffer in a vertical direction over the loading ports. A local vehicle travels along the second track and includes a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the articles between the buffer and the loading ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuji Ota
  • Publication number: 20130199892
    Abstract: A system for transporting an article between a plurality of processing devices includes a track extending above load ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the track and has a hoist. A local track disposed lower than the track at least to a position under the track, and is oriented perpendicular to the track when viewed from above. A local carriage travels along the local track and has a hoist for vertically moving the article. A buffer disposed below the local track delivers and receives the article to and from the local carriage, and extends at least to a position under the track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ota, Masazumi Fukushima, Yasuhisa Ito
  • Publication number: 20120275886
    Abstract: A transport system includes a first track that passes above loading ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the first track and includes a hoist. A second track is below the first track, passes above the loading ports, and is disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel with the first track. A buffer is provided below the second track at a position higher than the loading ports, and is arranged such that the articles can pass in a vertical direction over the loading ports. The buffer is disposed such that the articles can pass through the height position of the buffer in a vertical direction over the loading ports. A local vehicle travels along the second track and includes a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the articles between the buffer and the loading ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: MURATEC AUTOMATION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuji OTA
  • Publication number: 20120114453
    Abstract: In a transport system, a local track is disposed so as to be below an overhead travelling vehicle track in parallel or substantially in parallel therewith, and furthermore above a loading port of a processing device from upstream of the loading port to downstream of the loading port. A local vehicle including a hoist travels along the local track. Below the local track, a first buffer is disposed upstream of the loading port of the processing device, and a second buffer is disposed downstream of the loading port of the processing device, and the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle can both perform delivery and receipt of the article with the first buffer and the second buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ota, Masazumi Fukushima, Yasuhisa Ito