# US 12,110,188 B2 · Transfer vehicle system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,188 B2 - Document ID: US12110188B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/434,426 - Filed: 2020-02-05 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-22 - Assignees: Murata Machinery, Ltd. - Applicants: Murata Machinery, Ltd. - Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110188B2 ## CPC - B61B 3/02: with self-propelled vehicles - B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} - B61B 13/00: Other railway systems - G05D 1/02: Control of position or course in two dimensions - H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection} - H10P 72/0618: {using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers} - H10P 72/3202: {Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts} - H10P 72/3204: {using magnetic elements} - H10P 72/3216: {using a general scheme of a conveying path within a factory} - B65G 2201/0297: Wafer cassette - B65G 2203/0233: Position of the article - G01B 21/16: for measuring distance of clearance between spaced objects - H10P 72/3214: {by means of a cart or a vehicle} - H10P 72/3221: {Overhead conveying} - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) - 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) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A transfer vehicle system in which transfer vehicles travel on a track includes a measurement portion in a portion of a path continuing to the track to measure a measurement target portion included in the transfer vehicle on the path, an identifier to identify the transfer vehicle for which the measurement target portion has been measured by the measurement portion, a storage to store a measurement result measured by the measurement portion and an identification result identified by the identifier in association with each other, and a display to provide notification of information concerning a state of the measurement target portion determined based on the measurement result and a reference value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transfer vehicle system in which a plurality of transfer vehicles travel on a predetermined transport path, the transfer vehicle system comprising: a measurement portion provided at a portion of a path continuing to the transport path to measure a measurement target portion included in the transfer vehicle located on the continuing path; an identifier to identify the transfer vehicle for which the measurement target portion has been measured by the measurement portion; a storage to store a measurement result measured by the measurement portion and an identification result identified by the identifier in association with each other; and a notifier to provide notification of information concerning a state of the measurement target portion determined based on the measurement result and a reference value; wherein the transport path includes a track on which a traveling portion of the transfer vehicle travels; the track includes an inspection plate to press the traveling portion in a width direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an extending direction of the track; and the measurement portion measures the measurement target portion of the transfer vehicle in a state of being pressed by the inspection plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement portion measures a distance to the inspection plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein when the measurement result has exceeded a predetermined value, the notifier provides the notification accordingly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 3, wherein the measurement portion measures a distance to the inspection plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores the measurement result for each transfer vehicle in chronological order; and when a rate of change calculated based on the measurement result stored in the storage has exceeded a predetermined value, the notifier provides the notification accordingly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the measurement portion measures a distance to the inspection plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein the transport path includes a main path circulating in a predetermined area in one direction and an introduction path to introduce the transfer vehicle into the main path; and the measurement portion is provided on the introduction path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transfer vehicle system according to claim 7, wherein the measurement portion measures a distance to the inspection plate.