Conveyor table transfer apparatus, transport system and conveyor table transfer method

{
  "publication_number": "US11795004B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Conveyor table transfer apparatus, transport system and conveyor table transfer method",
  "abstract": "A conveyor table transfer apparatus includes a link mechanism connects the drive member driven by a motor (drive source) and a movable member supporting the movable linear conveyor. The link mechanism has one or more degrees of freedom. The degree of freedom of the link mechanism causes the link mechanism to bend in response to a degree of parallelization between the linear-motion guide rail and the linear-motion guide rail, making it possible to suppress load to be applied to the drive member or the movable member. As a result, it becomes possible to move the movable linear conveyor smoothly without requiring precise adjustment in mounting of the drive member and the movable member on the linear-motion guide rail and the linear-motion guide rail respectively.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A conveyor table transfer apparatus comprising: a driver including a drive member and a drive source configured to drive the drive member and a first linear-motion guide member configured to guide movement of the drive member driven by the drive source; a movable member configured to support a movable linear conveyor configured to convey a conveyor table; a second linear-motion guide member configured to guide movement of the movable member; and a link mechanism configured to connect the movable member and the drive member to each other and have one or more degrees of freedom, wherein when the drive member is driven along the first linear-motion guide member, the movable member is driven by the drive member through the link mechanism to move along the second linear-motion guide member, thereby moving the movable linear conveyor in a predetermined movement direction, the driver moves the movable linear conveyor in the predetermined movement direction between a first facing position of facing a first fixed linear conveyor mounted on a mounting frame and a second facing position of facing a second fixed linear conveyor mounted on the mounting frame, and the second linear-motion guide member is mounted on the first fixed linear conveyor and is mounted on the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "2. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link mechanism includes a spherical bearing and has the degrees of freedom by the spherical bearing.",
    "3. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the link mechanism includes two spherical bearings arranged at different positions in the movement direction.",
    "4. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a position detector configured to detect a position of the movable linear conveyor, wherein the driver is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the first facing position and is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the second facing position by controlling the position of the movable linear conveyor on the basis of a position detected by the position detector.",
    "5. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "6. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the spherical bearing has an outer race, and an inner race that is arranged inside the outer race and contacts with the outer race at its spherical surface, and the conveyor table transfer apparatus further comprises: a bias member configured to generate pressing force having a component acting in the movement direction with which the outer race and the inner race of the spherical bearing are pressed.",
    "7. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a position detector configured to detect a position of the movable linear conveyor, wherein the driver is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the first facing position and is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the second facing position by controlling the position of the movable linear conveyor on the basis of a position detected by the position detector.",
    "8. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "9. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spherical bearing has an outer race, and an inner race that is arranged inside the outer race and contacts with the outer race at its spherical surface, and the conveyor table transfer apparatus further comprises: a bias member configured to generate pressing force having a component acting in the movement direction with which the outer race and the inner race of the spherical bearing are pressed.",
    "10. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the movement direction is a horizontal direction.",
    "11. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a position detector configured to detect a position of the movable linear conveyor, wherein the driver is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the first facing position and is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the second facing position by controlling the position of the movable linear conveyor on the basis of a position detected by the position detector.",
    "12. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "13. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a position detector configured to detect a position of the movable linear conveyor, wherein the driver is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the first facing position and is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the second facing position by controlling the position of the movable linear conveyor on the basis of a position detected by the position detector.",
    "14. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "15. The conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a position detector configured to detect a position of the movable linear conveyor, wherein the driver is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the first facing position and is configured to control positioning of the movable linear conveyor at the second facing position by controlling the position of the movable linear conveyor on the basis of a position detected by the position detector.",
    "16. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "17. A transport system comprising: a first fixed linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table; a second fixed linear conveyor configured to drive the conveyor table; and the conveyor table transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor table transfer apparatus is configured to transfer the conveyor table between the first fixed linear conveyor and the second fixed linear conveyor.",
    "18. A conveyor table transfer method comprising: guiding a drive member using a first linear-motion guide member while driving the drive member using a drive source; and guiding movement of a movable member using a second linear-motion guide member, the movable member being configured to support a movable linear conveyor configured to drive a conveyor table, wherein the movable member and the drive member are connected to each other by a link mechanism having one or more degrees of freedom, and when the drive member is driven along the first linear-motion guide member, the movable member is driven by the drive member through the link mechanism to move along the second linear-motion guide member, thereby moving the movable linear conveyor in a predetermined movement direction, the driver moves the movable linear conveyor in the predetermined movement direction between a first facing position of facing a first fixed linear conveyor mounted on a mounting frame and a second facing position of facing a second fixed linear conveyor mounted on the mounting frame, and the second linear-motion guide member is mounted on the first fixed linear conveyor and is mounted on the second fixed linear conveyor."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a technique of transferring a conveyor table between a plurality of fixed linear conveyors each configured to drive the conveyor table.\n\nJP2019-062614 discloses a transport system of circulating a carriage. This transport system includes two transport paths arranged parallel to each other. The transport path has a plurality of guide rails arranged in series and each of the guide rails is provided with a plurality of coils arranged in series. By using magnetic force acting between a permanent magnet provided inside the carriage corresponding to a conveyor table and the coil, the conveyor table is driven along the transport path. This transport path functions as a fixed linear conveyor installed fixedly.\n\nThe transport system further includes two transfer devices provided at corresponding both ends of each of the two fixed linear conveyors. Each of the transfer devices has a movable linear conveyor that drives the conveyor table using magnetic force like in the foregoing case and the movable linear conveyor is moved between two facing positions facing the corresponding two fixed linear conveyors. The movable linear conveyor transfers the conveyor table to and from the fixed linear conveyor facing the movable linear conveyor.\n\nIn this case, the movable linear conveyor may be moved by a configuration in which a movable member supporting the movable linear conveyor is moved by following a drive member driven by a drive source.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 35/06",
    "B23Q 5/28",
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H02K 41/02",
    "H02K 41/033"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23Q 5/28",
    "B65G 35/06",
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H02K 41/03"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Yamaha Motor Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kota Yamaguchi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-05-15",
  "publication_date": "2023-10-24",
  "grant_date": "2023-10-24",
  "priority_date": "2020-05-15",
  "application_number": "US-202017760198-A",
  "family_id": "78525162",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20020163257A1",
    "US20070137981A1",
    "AT503429A4",
    "JP2010057280A",
    "KR100955895B1",
    "US20130259628A1",
    "US20160347550A1",
    "CN105600704A",
    "JP2019062614A",
    "US20190131860A1",
    "US20210061577A1",
    "WO2021229782A1"
  ]
}