US 12,264,010 B2
Transport system, transport method, and non-transitory storage medium
Junya Ota, Tokyo (JP); Kunihiro Iwamoto, Nagakute (JP); Yuta Itozawa, Nagoya (JP); Hirotaka Komura, Tokyo (JP); Yutaro Takagi, Tokyo (JP); and Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Nisshin (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/591,901.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-026115 (JP), filed on Feb. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0267091 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B66F 9/075 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0435 (2013.01) [B66F 9/0755 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0235 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A transport system comprising a transport robot configured to transport an item picked up from a shelving unit or to be stored into the shelving unit, wherein:
the transport robot includes:
a placing table on which the item is to be placed,
a sensor, and
a lifting mechanism configured to lift and lower the placing table;
the placing table includes an engaging portion configured to engage with the shelving unit;
the shelving unit includes:
a first protrusion protruding inward from a side board of the shelving unit, or
a first recess formed in the side board of the shelving unit;
the placing table includes:
a second recess that engages with the first protrusion protruding inward from the side board of the shelving unit, or
a second protrusion that engages with the first recess formed in the side board of the shelving unit;
the shelving unit includes a plate-shaped member extending in a vertical direction, the plate-shaped member being the first protrusion;
the placing table includes a cutout that engages with the plate-shaped member, the cutout being the second recess;
the plate-shaped member has a plurality of holes arranged at different heights; and
the sensor is configured to detect each of the holes in the plate-shaped member is located inward of the cutout.