Patent ID: 8206077

Claim:
An overhead transportation system comprising: stations provided on a ground; an overhead shuttle system provided on a ceiling and including overhead shuttles configured to support a bottom of an article while the overhead shuttles are traveling, and a travel rail provided on a bottom of the overhead shuttles; a transfer apparatus arranged to releasably hold the article from above the article to transfer the article between the transfer apparatus and the overhead shuttles, to laterally move the article between a position above the overhead shuttles and a position above the stations provided on a side of the travel rail, and to elevate and lower the article to transfer the article between the transfer apparatus and the stations; and a travel rail for the transfer apparatus arranged to allow the transfer apparatus to travel parallel or substantially parallel to the travel rail for the overhead shuttles; wherein the transfer apparatus and the overhead shuttles are configured to travel at the same velocity or substantially the same velocity when transferring the article between the transfer apparatus and the overhead shuttles.