US 12,280,945 B2
Stocker
Jun Sai, Ise (JP); Takashi Moriwaki, Ise (JP); and Kazuma Yagawa, Ise (JP)
Assigned to MURATA MACHINERY, LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 18/029,939
Filed by MURATA MACHINERY, LTD., Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Aug. 26, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/031398
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 3, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/074953, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 14, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-169233 (JP), filed on Oct. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0373716 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/0421 (2013.01) [B65G 2203/0283 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stocker comprising:
a crane to travel on a travel route extending in a travel direction;
a maintenance area on an extension of the travel route;
a controller configured or programmed to cause the crane to travel toward the maintenance area;
a first sensor to detect that the crane is positioned at a proximity position close to the maintenance area or is positioned at an entry position with entry into the maintenance area; and
a second sensor to detect that the crane has arrived at a stop position of the maintenance area; wherein
the controller is configured or programmed to control the crane to decelerate in accordance with a detection result of the first sensor and control the crane to stop in accordance with a detection result of the second sensor;
the first sensor is provided correspondingly to a cable assembly including a cable portion to supply power to the crane and detect that the crane is positioned at the proximity position or is positioned at the entry position by detecting movement of the cable portion; and
the second sensor is provided correspondingly to the crane and/or the maintenance area to detect that the crane has arrived at the stop position.