Abstract: An article transport facility includes an article carrier movable along a track, and an article rack arranged along the track. Each article rack has a fixed frame, and a movable frame supported to be movable relative to said fixed frame between an extended position projecting toward the track and a retracted position retracted away from the track. A movable guide shiftably supports and guides the movable frame to be movable relative thereto in a shifting direction. A fixed guide is mounted on the fixed frame for supporting and guiding the movable guide to be movable in the shifting direction.

Abstract: A frame system for an article storage apparatus which defines an article storage space therein, includes a first upper frame extending horizontally, a first lower frame extending horizontally, and at least one first connecting frame extending vertically and interconnecting the first upper frame and the first lower frame. The first upper frame has receiving bores formed therein through which elongate supports extend vertically when the elongate supports are attached to said first lower frame to suspend the first lower frame.

Abstract: An article transport facility comprising an article transporting mobile body with a vertically movable gripper, an article support shiftable between an article transfer position and an article storage position, wherein the article support includes a fixed frame and a movable frame having a pair of support arm portions with a plurality of connecting frames interconnecting the pair of support arm portions. A plurality of article positioning projecting members are supported to the plurality of connecting frames and held by a position setting member in a proper relative positional relationship wherein the article positioning members are distributed in the far-near direction and a direction perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: An article transport facility includes an article transporting mobile body; an article support for storing an article, the article support being configured to be moved between an article transfer position and an article storage position; an operating device provided on the mobile body for shifting the article support between the article storage position and article transfer position; an operated element supported to be movable in a direction of access between a proximate position adjacent the mobile body standing still in an article transfer location and a remote position away from the mobile body standing still in the article transfer location, the operated element being operable, in the proximate position, to place the article support in the article storage position, and in the remote position, to place the article support in the article transfer position; and a guide device for guiding the operating device in a fore and aft direction to a proper operative position relative to the operated element when the

Abstract: An article storage apparatus for storing article storage containers each having a plurality of positioning bores and a plurality of position correcting bores formed in a bottom surface thereof, said apparatus comprises a plurality of container support members for receiving and supporting said article storage containers, and with a support surface with positioning projections for engaging said positioning bores, a positioning member disposed in a position corresponding to a depositing and delivery position, and having a plurality of position correcting projections for engaging said position correcting bores.

Abstract: An article transport facility includes an article transporting mobile body configured to move along a path and having an article holder; an article support for storing an article, the article support is configured to be moved between an article transfer position and an article storage position; a lock device provided on the article support to be switchable between a locking state for locking the article support in the article storage position, and an unlocking position for releasing the locking state; and an operating device provided on the mobile body for moving the article support and switching the lock device.

Abstract: A positioning member for placing a substrate transporting holder on a supporting stand, which member is provided on the side of the supporting stand and is removably insertable into a slotted guide recess formed on a bottom surface of the substrate transporting holder. The positioning member has a stainless steel body composed of a cylindrical shaft and a pointed guide formed on top of the shaft; and a film formed by the co-deposition of polyfluoroethylene and nickel on a surface of the body.

Abstract: An article transport device comprises an endless revolving body that is configured to move along a cyclic path in a substantially horizontal direction; a plurality of article supports each of which supports an article, wherein the article supports move together with the endless revolving body with the supports spaced apart from each other in a traveling direction; a support mechanism for supporting the article supports to the endless revolving body such that the article supports can move between a transport position adjacent the endless revolving body and an away position spaced apart from the transport position; and a guide mechanism for causing at least some of the article supports to move from the transport position to the away position and to move from the away position to the transport position, at an article delivering location or an article receiving location along the cyclic path of the endless revolving body.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a load storage apparatus that can automatically and efficiently adjust the distances for which its transferrer moves loads to transfer them. The apparatus may include a rotary rack, fixed racks and a transferrer. Each of the racks may include shelves. The transferrer includes a carrier for transferring cassettes by moving relative to the shelves. The carrier can be fitted with a unit including a photoelectric switch for detecting ends of the shelves. The apparatus measures the distance for which the carrier moves from a reference position toward each of the shelves until the photoelectric switch of the unit on the carrier is activated. The measurement enables the apparatus to learn the distance for which the carrier moves to the position where a cassette can be transferred onto and from each of the shelves.

Abstract: A materials handling system comprises a rotary shelf rotatable around a rotary shelf axis, and a plurality of load receiving sections disposed on a rotary circular path having its center located at the rotary shelf axis. A transfer operating section of a transfer disposed laterally outside the rotary shelf is rotatable around a transfer axis and operates on a transfer circular path tangentially superposed on the rotary circular path, and a fixed shelf is installed on the transfer circular path. The transfer unnecessitates an occupied space for travel, and the whole system including the rotary shelf and fixed shelf can be made compact in size. The transfer having no traveling mechanism allows the transfer operating section to be lowered almost to the floor. With the rotary shelf and fixed shelf, the storage level is allowed to be lowered to further increase the amount of storage.

Abstract: Load storage equipment according to the present invention includes rotary racks 21, each of which is supported independently on a story 1 or 2, and which may not extend vertically through the slab 4 between the stories 1 and 2. The storage equipment also includes a transferrer 51 common to the rotary racks 21. Each of the rotary racks 21 can turn on a vertical axis 22 and includes load supports 32 arranged circumferentially around the vertical axis 22 and vertically. The transferrer 51 extends vertically near the sides of the rotary racks 21 and through the slab 4. The transferrer 51 includes a carrier 81, which can vertically move to carry loads to and from the load supports 32.

Abstract: There is provided compact load storage equipment that can store a large number of loads. The storage equipment comprises a rotary rack 21, a transferrer 51, one or more fixed racks 101, an inlet port 111a and an outlet port 111b. The rotary rack 21 is supported rotatably about a first vertical axis and includes a number of vertically arranged stages of turning load supports 32. The transferrer 51 adjoins the rotary rack 21 and includes a carrier 81, which can vertically move and rotate about a second vertical axis. The fixed racks 101 are positioned around the transferrer 51 and each includes a number of vertically arranged stages of fixed load supports 103. In plan view, the ports 111a and 111b each overlap with one of the rotary and fixed racks 21 and 101.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to reduce the number of shelves for supporting articles in an article storage system for storage of articles such as containers. The storage system includes a shelf 12 for supporting a container 2 having an engaging means 8 formed at an upper portion thereof. The storage system also includes a loader/unloader 4 for loading the container 2 on and unloading it from the shelf 12. The shelf 12 includes a deck 20 formed on the upper side thereof, on which the container 2 can be placed. The shelf 12 also includes a pair of right and left engaging parts 16 formed on the lower side thereof for engaging with the engaging means 8 of the container 2 to hold the container 2 hanging from the shelf 12. The engaging means 8 and the pair of engaging parts 16 can engage with and disengage from each other in the directions in which the container 2 can be loaded and unloaded.

Abstract: Load storage equipment according to the present invention includes rotary racks 21, each of which is supported independently on a story 1 or 2, and which may not extend vertically through the slab 4 between the stories 1 and 2. The storage equipment also includes a transferrer 51 common to the rotary racks 21. Each of the rotary racks 21 can turn on a vertical axis 22 and includes load supports 32 arranged circumferentially around the vertical axis 22 and vertically. The transferrer 51 extends vertically near the sides of the rotary racks 21 and through the slab 4. The transferrer 51 includes a carrier 81, which can vertically move to carry loads to and from the load supports 32.

Abstract: There is provided compact load storage equipment that can store a large number of loads. The storage equipment comprises a rotary rack 21, a transferrer 51, one or more fixed racks 101, an inlet port 111a and an outlet port 111b. The rotary rack 21 is supported rotatably about a first vertical axis and includes a number of vertically arranged stages of turning load supports 32. The transferrer 51 adjoins the rotary rack 21 and includes a carrier 81, which can vertically move and rotate about a second vertical axis. The fixed racks 101 are positioned around the transferrer 51 and each includes a number of vertically arranged stages of fixed load supports 103. In plan view, the ports 111a and 111b each overlap with one of the rotary and fixed racks 21 and 101.

Abstract: In a conventional load handling system which has a load storage device and a load handling device and moves a load between these devices, when the load is not resistant to dust and the like, the entire system including the load storage device needs be provided inside a clean room, resulting in high installation costs and high operating costs of the system. Thus, the system cannot be readily adopted. In contrast, a load take in/out sections each for the load storage device and the load handling device are provided to face the clean room defined by partition walls, and a load is transferred between these devices inside the clean room. Thus, although the load storage device and the load handling device can be placed in a non-clean room (an atmospheric air chamber, etc.), a load can be moved between the load storage device and the load handling device in a sufficiently clean atmosphere by using the clean room.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a load storage apparatus that can automatically and efficiently adjust the distances for which its transferrer moves loads to transfer them. The apparatus may include a rotary rack, fixed racks and a transferrer. Each of the racks may include shelves. The transferrer includes a carrier for transferring cassettes by moving relative to the shelves. The carrier can be fitted with a unit including a photoelectric switch for detecting ends of the shelves. The apparatus measures the distance for which the carrier moves from a reference position toward each of the shelves until the photoelectric switch of the unit on the carrier is activated. The measurement enables the apparatus to learn the distance for which the carrier moves to the position where a cassette can be transferred onto and from each of the shelves.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to reduce the number of shelves for supporting articles in an article storage system for storage of articles such as containers. The storage system includes a shelf 12 for supporting a container 2 having an engaging means 8 formed at an upper portion thereof. The storage system also includes a loader/unloader 4 for loading the container 2 on and unloading it from the shelf 12. The shelf 12 includes a deck 20 formed on the upper side thereof, on which the container 2 can be placed. The shelf 12 also includes a pair of right and left engaging parts 16 formed on the lower side thereof for engaging with the engaging means 8 of the container 2 to hold the container 2 hanging from the shelf 12. The engaging means 8 and the pair of engaging parts 16 can engage with and disengage from each other in the directions in which the container 2 can be loaded and unloaded.

Abstract: A materials handling system comprises a rotary shelf rotatable around a rotary shelf axis, and a plurality of load receiving sections disposed on a rotary circular path having its center located at the rotary shelf axis. A transfer operating section of a transfer means disposed laterally outside the rotary shelf is rotatable around a transfer means axis and operates on a transfer circular path tangentially superposed on the rotary circular path, and a fixed shelf is installed on the transfer circular path. The transfer means unnecessitates an occupied space for travel, and the whole system including the rotary shelf and fixed shelf can be made compact in size. The transfer means having no traveling mechanism allows the transfer operating section to be lowered almost to the floor. With the rotary shelf and fixed shelf, the storage level is allowed to be lowered to further increase the amount of storage.