Transport system and transport method

{
  "publication_number": "US2012275886A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Transport system and transport method",
  "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.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A transport system to transport an article among a plurality of processing devices, the transport system comprising: a first track that passes above loading ports of the processing devices; an overhead travelling vehicle travelling along the first track and including a hoist; a second track below and in parallel or substantially in parallel with the first track, the second track passing above the loading port; a buffer for placement of the article, the buffer being provided below the second track at a position higher than the loading port, and being arranged to allow the article to pass in a vertical direction over the loading port; and a local vehicle travelling along the second track and including a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the article between the buffer and the loading port. 2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the second track includes at least a pair of rails, and a gap through which the article passes in the vertical direction is provided between the pair of rails. 3. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first track, the second track, and the buffer are disposed in front of the processing device so as to overlap with each other in parallel or substantially in parallel in plan view, the buffer is provided with a gap above the loading port, and the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle perform delivery and receipt of the article with the loading port via the gap in the buffer. 4. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the buffer is disposed at a height which enables the local vehicle to pass above the buffer on which the article is placed in a case where the local vehicle is transporting the article. 5. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the buffer is disposed at a height which enables the local vehicle to pass above the buffer on which the article is placed in a case where the local vehicle is not transporting the article, and the local vehicle cannot pass above the buffer on which the article is placed in a case where the local vehicle is transporting the article. 6. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the buffer includes a look-down sensor to detect an interfering object on a side of the loading port. 7. The transport system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller arranged and programmed to control the overhead travelling vehicle and the local vehicle such that the overhead travelling vehicle delivers the article to the buffer and removes the article from the loading port, and the local vehicle delivers the article from the buffer to the loading port. 8. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the local vehicle is battery-driven, and a charging device to charge a power storage member in the local vehicle is provided at a position along the second track that is located away from a position over the loading port and away from a position over the buffer. 9. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the local vehicle is driven by electrical power from a power storage member, and a charging device to charge the power storage member in the local vehicle is provided at each stop position of the local vehicle along the second track. 10. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the overhead travelling vehicle comprises an optical communication member that is at a position over the loading port and is arranged to perform optical communication with the loading port by light that has a vertically-oriented optical axis and passes through a travelling path of the local vehicle. 11. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein a controller of the local vehicle is arranged to communicate with the overhead travelling vehicle, the local vehicle, and the processing device. 12. A transport system for addition on to an existing overhead travelling vehicle system including an overhead travelling vehicle in which a hoist is included and an overhead travelling vehicle track that passes above a loading port of a processing device, the transport system comprising: a second track that is below the overhead travelling vehicle track, passes above the loading port of the processing device, and is disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel with the overhead travelling vehicle track; a buffer for placement of an article, the buffer being provided below the second track at a position higher than the loading port, and being arranged such that the article is capable of passing in a vertical direction over the loading port; and a local vehicle that travels along the second track and includes a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the article between the buffer and the loading port. 13. A transport method for performing delivery and receipt of an article between an overhead travelling vehicle in which a hoist is provided and a loading port of a processing device, the overhead travelling vehicle travelling along an overhead travelling vehicle track that passes above the loading port of the processing device, wherein a second track is below the overhead travelling vehicle track, passes above the loading port of the processing device, and is disposed in parallel or substantially in parallel with the overhead travelling vehicle track, a buffer for placement of the article is below the second track at a position higher than the loading port and arranged to allow the article to pass in a vertical direction over the loading port, and a local vehicle travels along the second track and includes a hoist to perform delivery and receipt of the article between the buffer and the loading port, the method comprising: a step for performing delivery and receipt of the article with the buffer using the hoist by the overhead travelling vehicle; and a step for performing delivery and receipt of the article between the buffer and the loading port by the local vehicle."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transport system, and in particular to a transport system that supplies and removes articles without causing a processing device to wait. 2. Description of the Related Art There is need for articles such as FOUPs (sealed cassettes for transporting semiconductor wafers) to be supplied to and removed from the loading ports of devices such as a semiconductor machining device and a semiconductor inspection device without causing such devices to wait. For this reason, it has been proposed to provide a buffer in the vicinity of a processing device, and provide a second transport device for performing transport between the buffer and the processing device. For example, in JP 2006-224944A, multiple overhead travelling vehicle tracks are disposed in parallel in a ceiling space, one of which is used for long-distance transport, and another of which is used for short-distance transport. A buffer is disposed under the track for long-distance transport, and the loading port of a processing device is disposed under the track for short-distance transport. The overhead travelling vehicle for long-distance transport performs the delivery and receipt of articles with the buffer, and the overhead travelling vehicle for short-distance transport performs the delivery and receipt of articles between the buffer and the loading port. Accordingly, if articles required by the processing device have been transported to the buffer in advance, the articles can be quickly supplied to the processing device.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/3404",
    "B61B 10/022",
    "B65G 1/0457",
    "B65G 2201/0297",
    "H10P 72/3218",
    "H10P 72/3221",
    "H10P 72/3222",
    "Y10S 414/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66C 19/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "OTA TATSUJI",
    "MURATEC AUTOMATION CO LTD"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "OTA TATSUJI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2011-10-28",
  "publication_date": "2012-11-01",
  "priority_date": "2010-11-04",
  "application_number": "US-201113283628-A",
  "family_id": "44903118",
  "citations": [
    "US2006051192A1",
    "US2012114453A1",
    "US4049132A",
    "US5395199A",
    "US6889813B1",
    "US7413396B2",
    "US7991505B2",
    "US8047762B2"
  ]
}