Patent ID: 7972104
Filing Date: 2011-07-05
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. An overhead traveling vehicle system, comprising: a traveling rail for an overhead traveling vehicle in an overhead space, said traveling rail including a first rail and a second rail connected by a plurality of shortcuts, said first rail and second rail being parallel to each other; a load port for a processing apparatus in a ground space only under the first rail, the overhead traveling vehicle having an elevation drive unit which elevates and lowers a hoisting frame for transferring an article stored on the hoisting frame; a first article rack in the overhead space under the first rail and suspended from a ceiling; a second article rack in the overhead space between the first rail and the second rail and suspended from the ceiling; and lateral feeding means for laterally feeding the elevation drive unit and the hoisting frame to the side of traveling rail, said lateral feeding means being in the overhead traveling vehicle, wherein the article is transferred between the hoisting frame and the first article rack by elevating and lowering the hoisting frame, wherein the article is transferred between the hoisting frame and the second article rack by laterally feeding, elevating and lowering the hoisting frame, and wherein said second article rack is configured such that the overhead traveling vehicle can transfer the article to said second article rack while traveling on said first rail or said second rail, such that the article can be passed from a first overhead traveling vehicle traveling on said first rail to a second overhead traveling vehicle traveling on said second rail via said second article rack.