Patents Assigned to Daifuku Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 10600666
    Abstract: An article transport facility includes a transport device which has a connecting portion connected to the storage device, and which is configured to transport an article. The connecting portion is located on the first side with respect to the first path whereas a subject path is located on the second side with respect to the first path. The transporting path of an article by the transport device is so located to cross the first path in plan view and to extend at least from the connecting portion and to the second side with respect to the first path. A first transfer portion to or from which an article is transferred by a transport vehicle traveling along the subject path is set in a portion of the transporting path that is located on the second side with respect to the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Niiyama, Takahiro Horii
  • Patent number: 10597240
    Abstract: A conveyance facility for conveying a bag along a conveyance path includes a carrier including a traveling wheel traveling on the conveyance path, and a support supporting the bag being suspended, the carrier conveying the bag along the conveyance path; and a traveling rail provided along the conveyance path, and supporting the traveling wheel so as to be travelable. The traveling rail includes an accumulation belt causing the traveling wheel to travel in frictional contact with the support; and a tracking conveyance belt being meshed with the support to thereby cause the traveling wheel to travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahige Iwata
  • Patent number: 10589942
    Abstract: A control unit performs first loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by a determination unit as being an article that is in an appropriate orientation is to be loaded onto a first supporting member in the appropriate orientation, and second loading control that is to be performed when a target article that has been determined by the determination unit as being an article that is in an inappropriate orientation is to be loaded onto the first supporting member in the appropriate orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Gondoh, Shigeru Sugano, Atsushi Kurayama, Masami Iwai, Atsushi Minoo
  • Patent number: 10583985
    Abstract: An article storage facility includes a first rail extending along a rail extending direction, a first storage rack configured to store a plurality of articles, a first transport device configured to move along the first rail and to transfer an article to and from the first storage rack, a second rail extending along the rail extending direction; and a second storage rack configured to store a plurality of articles, and a second transport device configured to move along the second rail and to transfer an article to and from the second storage rack. The first rail and the second rail are spaced apart by a set distance from each other along the rail extending direction. A third rail extends along the rail extending direction between the first rail and the second rail, and has a length less than the set distance. The third rail includes a fixed base and a movable rail portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10584002
    Abstract: A distribution facility including: a platform that is provided with a first transport portion for shipping and a second transport portion for receiving; a berth that is provided to allow a transport vehicle to be parked side-on; and a transfer device that moves back and forth between an intermediate transport area and a load bed adjacent area to transfer an article between the platform and the transport vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Hisashi Tsuji, Mitsugu Kamiya
  • Patent number: 10583983
    Abstract: A gas supplying device has a plurality of connectors each of which is configured to be connected to a container stored in the corresponding one of supplying storage sections, supply lines configured to divide and supply gas to the plurality of connectors, and a mass flow controller configured to control a flow rate of gas that flows through one of the supply lines. The supply lines include first supply lines each of which is installed to a corresponding supplying storage sections, a second supply line installed upstream of the first supply lines, and a branching supply line for dividing gas supplied from the second supply line into the first supply lines. The mass flow controller is installed in the second supply line and in an installation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kawamura, Tadahiro Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 10562714
    Abstract: An abnormality detection device for a container stack determines stacking abnormality in a container stack on a conveyance path. A plurality of containers, each including a code display surface having container information recorded at a fixed position on a lateral outer surface thereof, are stacked with the code display surfaces positioned on the same side, thereby forming a container stack. A code reader that captures an image of the code display surface is arranged on a lateral side of the conveyance path, said conveyance path conveying the container stack with the code display surfaces oriented parallel to the conveyance direction. Read data from the code reader is input into a calculation processor that detects the position coordinate value of at least one fixed point on each of the code display surfaces and determines stacking abnormality in the container stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10562716
    Abstract: A conveyor apparatus that conveys articles supported by a plurality of arranged article supports. The conveyor apparatus including infilling members, being disposed between the article supports. In one embodiment, an infill plate serving as the infilling member is urged to a tray by springs, so that the infill plate is kept in contact with the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Fujio
  • Patent number: 10556760
    Abstract: An automatic tire loader/unloader for stacking/unstacking tires in a trailer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile base structure provides a support framework for a drive subassembly, conveyance subassembly, an industrial robot, a distance measurement subassembly, and a control subassembly. Under the operation of the control subassembly, tires advance through a powered transportation path to an industrial robot which places the tires within the trailer in a vertical stacking pattern or a rick-stacking pattern, for example. The control subassembly coordinates the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects, including tires, within a detection space, dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly, and dimensions of the tires provided to the control subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignees: Wynright Corporation, Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tim Criswell
  • Patent number: 10556782
    Abstract: A raising/lowering conveyance device for a container for conveying an article includes a container gripping mechanism having multiple container support pins which are arranged so as to be capable of freely protruding and retracting. A spring for biasing the container gripping mechanism upward is interposed between the container gripping mechanism and a columnar support member for supporting the container gripping mechanism such that the container gripping mechanism can be freely raised and lowered. As a result of the upward biasing force of the spring, the container gripping mechanism is held at an equilibrium height in equilibrium with the weight thereof and is capable of movement vertically with the equilibrium height serving as the center of the movement. When the container gripping mechanism lifts a container, the mechanism receives the weight of the container, descends from the equilibrium height, and is supported at the fixed height of the columnar support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10556761
    Abstract: An automatic truck unloader for unloading/unpacking product, such as boxes or cases, from trailers and containers is disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile base structure provides a support framework for a drive subassembly, conveyance subassembly, an industrial robot, a distance measurement subassembly, and a control subassembly. Under the operation of the control subassembly, an industrial robot having a suction cup-based gripper arm selectively removes boxes from the trailer and places the boxes on a powered transportation path. The control subassembly coordinates the selective articulated movement of the industrial robot and the activation of the drive subassembly based upon the distance measurement subassembly detecting objects, including boxes, within a detection space, and dimensions of the trailer provided to the control subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignees: Wynright Corporation, Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tim Criswell
  • Patent number: 10556747
    Abstract: A conveyance device has a drive route part wherein conveyance carriages travel at predetermined intervals, which is connected to a storage route part having a drive conveyer chain that supports the conveyance carriages for free travel. The drive route part has a drive conveyer chain including spaced carriage propulsion claw parts. The conveyance carriages have moved pins that horizontally extends in the left/right direction and which are freely detached/re-fitted in the up/down direction with the carriage propulsion claw parts. The conveyance device has a carriage-positioning mechanism which positions a conveyance carriage at a fixed position wherein the moved pin is positioned immediately before a guide ring for a corresponding one of the carriage propulsion claw parts, and has a carriage pushing-out mechanism which pushes out the conveyance carriage positioned at the fixed position, at a timing when the moved pin is fitted to the carriage propulsion claw part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishibashi, Yukichi Tamura, Shigeyuki Kusuhara, Shigeru Baba
  • Patent number: 10538389
    Abstract: A conveyance facility for conveying a bag includes: a carrier including a traveling wheel, and a support supporting the bag being suspended, the carrier conveying the bag; and a traveling rail supporting the traveling wheel so as to be travelable. The traveling rail forms a first path, and a detour path branching from a location in the middle of the first path. A branch unit for switching a conveyance path of the carrier from the first path to the detour path is provided at a branch portion between the first path and the detour path. The branch unit is capable of directing the support from the first path to the detour path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masashige Iwata
  • Patent number: 10526144
    Abstract: A support portion on which an object of paying of respects transported by the transport device is placed is provided at the support position. The support portion includes one or more restriction members configured to restrict movement of an object of paying of respects toward the first side by contacting the object of paying of respects from the first side, and one or more guide portions configured to move an object of paying of respects toward the first side to a contact position at which the object of paying of respects contacts the one or more restriction members or to a position located more toward the second side relative to the contact position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenobu Shinnaka, Haruhito Furuya, Wataru Kiyokawa, Hideki Sato, Yukinori Kameda, Kazuya Arima
  • Patent number: 10522378
    Abstract: A storage rack includes: a plurality of supporting pillars and a platform on which an object to be stored is to be placed. The platform includes a platform body, and a pair of attachment plates each having a plate shape. A pair of surfaces that face each other of a pair of supporting pillars are respectively provided with a pair of recessed grooves into which the pair of attachment plates are inserted. Each recessed groove includes a groove-side abutting portion that extends linearly in a direction orthogonal to the left-right direction. An outer edge of the attachment plate includes a plate-side abutting portion that is parallel with the groove-side abutting portion. The platform is fixed to the pair of supporting pillars such that the plate-side abutting portion abuts against the groove-side abutting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Abe, Tadahiro Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 10502605
    Abstract: A flow rate measurement system measures, by using a flow rate measurement device, a flow rate of cleaning gas in a container storage facility including: a storage rack including supporting portions; a transport device that transports a container to the supporting portions; and a gas supply device that supplies the cleaning gas to the container supported by the supporting portions. The transport device and the flow rate measurement device are connected via a power line communicatively by wire or wireless. The flow rate measurement device measures the flow rate of the cleaning gas in a state in which the transport device has transported the flow rate measurement device and the flow rate measurement device is placed on a target supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihito Ueda, Jun Tanaka, Shinsuke Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10479605
    Abstract: A control apparatus monitors an amount of time that has elapsed since an article was stored at a first storage position or an amount of positional misalignment from a reference position of the article stored at the first storage position. This amount of time is a monitoring target amount, and the control apparatus monitors the monitoring target amount for each of multiple storage sections and causes a conveying apparatus to execute correction processing with a storage section in which the monitoring target amount has exceeded the set threshold as a target storage section. Correction processing is used for correcting the position of only the target article stored at a first storage position in a target storage section relative to a reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ueda, Masashige Iwata, Hiroyuki Koide
  • Patent number: 10472175
    Abstract: Conveying equipment includes carriages having a frame with front and rear ends coupled to adjacent carriages by vertical support shafts and having a floor board which is supported by the frame. A floor board main portion has a protruding arc-shaped end edge concentric with one of the vertical support shafts and a floor board sub-portion which has a recessed arc-shaped end edge concentric with the other vertical support shaft. The protruding arc-shaped end edge in one carriage and the recessed arc-shaped end edge in an adjacent carriage are relatively rotatable around the common vertical support shaft located at the arc centers of each of the edges. The floor board main portion overhangs from one end of the frame in each of the carriages and is supported on an overhanging portion which overhangs from the floor board sub-portion in the adjacent carriage so as to be freely relatively rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Minoura, Yoshifumi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 10464752
    Abstract: A conveyance facility for conveying a bag includes a carrier including a support supporting the bag, and traveling wheels. A conveyance path includes a straight section and a curve section. In the curve section, a pulley rotatable along the curve section and in frictional contact with the support; and a guide rail guiding the traveling wheels are provided. The guide rail includes a rotation guide rail guiding one traveling wheel of a pair of the traveling wheels, and rotating with the pulley; a fixed guide rail guiding another traveling wheel of the pair of traveling wheels, and being provided along the rotation guide rail; and an upper guide rail and a side guide rail guiding the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashige Iwata, Hiromichi Ikeuchi
  • Patent number: 10464786
    Abstract: A flat storage facility includes a storage/retrieval device having a Y-direction moving member that is horizontally movable at a certain height above a storage item placement plane. A carriage is horizontally movable in an X direction on the Y-direction moving member, and a storage item gripping mechanism is provided in the carriage. The storage/retrieval device performs storage/retrieval on a storage item between the storage/retrieval device and respective storage item placement points set on the storage item placement plane. The storage item placement plane is divided into a plurality of unit sections at various heights with respect to a reference plane. When the storage/retrieval operation is performed with the storage/retrieval device, the lowering distance of the storage item gripping mechanism with respect to the carriage is adjusted according to the height of the unit section to which the storage item placement point of a storage/retrieval target belongs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Miyoshi, Masato Inaba, Jun Hamaguchi