Patent ID: 7561254

Claim:
A traveling system for mobile bodies comprising: a travel path extending between a first path end and a second path end; a first mobile body and a second mobile body each having means for propelling and each adapted to move along said travel path, said first mobile body and said second mobile body being arranged such that said first mobile body is located closer to said first path end than said second mobile body; first distance detecting means for detecting a distance between said first mobile body and a first reference position disposed in association with said first path end of said travel path; second distance detecting means for detecting a distance between said second mobile body and a second reference position disposed in association with said second path end of said travel path; relative distance detecting means mounted on only one of said first and second mobile bodies for detecting a distance to the other of the first and second mobile bodies; and control means for controlling traveling operation of each of said first and second mobile bodies based on detection information from said first and second distance detecting means; wherein said control means is configured to determine, based on distance information between said first reference position and said second reference position, whether a proper determination condition is satisfied which is for determining whether the detection information provided by each of said first and second distance detecting means and detection information provided by said relative first distance detecting means is information obtained when said first and second distance detecting means and said relative distance detecting means properly operate, and to stop movement of said first and second mobile bodies when it is determined that said proper determination condition is not satisfied.