# US 12,110,177 B2 · Carrier system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,177 B2 - Document ID: US12110177B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/045,787 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Published: 2021-05-27 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-01 - Assignees: Murata Machinery, Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Machinery, Ltd. - Inventors: Naohisa Ito; Eijiro Aoki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110177B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles} - H10P 72/0612: {Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput} - G05D 1/0225: {involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027)} - G05D 1/0229: {in combination with fixed guiding means} - G05D 1/0289: {with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93)} - G05D 1/0297: {by controlling means in a control room} - G05D 1/693: for avoiding collisions between vehicles - H10P 72/3208: {Changing the direction of the conveying path} - H10P 72/3214: {by means of a cart or a vehicle} - H10P 72/3221: {Overhead conveying} - B61L 27/20: Trackside control of safe travel of vehicle or train, e.g. braking curve calculation - B65G 47/61: for articles - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) ## Abstract A transport system includes transport vehicles, and a controller to control traveling of the transport vehicles. The track includes a first main track, junction points on the first main track and spaced apart from each other, and branch tracks each connected to the first main track via the junction points different from one another. The junction points are spaced apart from each other on the first main track. On each of the branch tracks, a stop position corresponding to a delivery port for each transport vehicle to deliver and receive a load is provided. The controller controls the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions of the branch tracks to control a transport vehicle on a downstream branch track to start simultaneously with or before a transport vehicle on an upstream branch track. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transport system comprising: a plurality of transport vehicles to travel along a track and convey a load; and a controller configured or programmed to control traveling of the transport vehicles; wherein the track includes a first main track, a plurality of junction points provided on the first main track and spaced apart from each other, and a plurality of branch tracks each connected to the first main track via the junction points different from one another; the respective junction points are spaced apart from each other on the first main track; on each of the branch tracks, a stop position corresponding to a delivery port for each transport vehicle to deliver and receive a load is provided; the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to control a transport vehicle on a downstream branch track to start simultaneously with or before a transport vehicle on an upstream branch track; the track further includes a second main track and a plurality of branch points provided on the second main track and spaced apart from each other; the respective branch tracks are connected to the second main track via the branch points different from one another; and the controller is configured or programmed to perform entering control to cause the respective transport vehicles traveling on the second main track to enter the respective branch tracks sequentially in order from downstream to upstream. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles, which arrive at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks at different timings, to control a transport vehicle arriving earlier to wait to start until a transport vehicle arriving later arrives. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to start at a timing repeated at regular intervals for each of the branch tracks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The transport system according to claim 2, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to perform the entering control for each transport vehicle group including transport vehicles a number of which corresponds to a number of the branch tracks. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transport system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to determine a delivery port as a destination for a transport vehicle traveling in a specified section upstream of each branch point on the second main track. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The transport system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to start at a timing repeated at regular intervals for each of the branch tracks. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The transport system according to claim 5, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to determine a delivery port as a destination for a transport vehicle traveling in a specified section upstream of each branch point on the second main track. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to start at a timing repeated at regular intervals for each of the branch tracks. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The transport system according to claim 9, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to start at a timing repeated at regular intervals for each of the branch tracks. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The transport system according to claim 12, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured or programmed to control the respective transport vehicles stopping at the stop positions corresponding to the respective delivery ports of the branch tracks to start at a timing repeated at regular intervals for each of the branch tracks. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the track includes a circuit track along which the transport vehicles circularly travel; and the controller is configured or programmed to control the transport vehicles to travel along the circuit track to provide circling distances or circling periods of time that are the same or substantially the same.