Plate-shaped member storage rack, plate-shaped member transfer facility, and plate-shaped member storing method

A plate-shaped member transfer facility comprising:

• a plate-shaped member storage rack;
• and
• a transfer device configured to carry plate-shaped members in the plate-shaped member storage rack and carry the plate-shaped members out from the plate-shaped member storage rack, wherein:
• the plate-shaped member storage rack includes
• a rack main body including a storage space and a carry-in opening, the storage space being configured to store a plurality of plate-shaped members such that the plurality of plate-shaped members stand and are arranged in an arrangement direction so as to be adjacent to one another in a thickness direction of the plate-shaped member, the carry-in opening being an opening through which the plate-shaped members are carried in the storage space in a horizontal carry-in direction intersecting with the arrangement direction,
• a plurality of upper supporting portions provided in the storage space in the arrangement direction when viewed from the carry-in direction and configured to respectively support upper edge portions of the plurality of plate-shaped members,
• lower supporting portions provided in the storage space to be respectively located under the plurality of upper supporting portions and configured to respectively support lower edge portions of the plurality of standing plate-shaped members, and
• lower edge portion storage portions provided in the storage space to be each located at an outer side of an end of the upper supporting portion and an end of the lower supporting portion in the arrangement direction and configured to respectively store the lower edge portions of the plate-shaped members carried in the storage space through the carry-in opening;
• and
• at least one of the upper supporting portions is configured to be able to support the upper edge portion of the plate-shaped member, which has been carried in the storage space and whose lower edge portion is stored in the lower edge portion storage portion, in a state where the plate-shaped member is inclined.

A method of storing plate-shaped members in a plate-shaped member storage rack,

• the plate-shaped member storage rack including
• a rack main body including a storage space and a carry-in opening, the storage space being configured to store a plurality of plate-shaped members such that the plurality of plate-shaped members stand and are arranged in an arrangement direction so as to be adjacent to one another in a thickness direction of the plate-shaped member, the carry-in opening being an opening through which the plate-shaped members are carried in the storage space in a horizontal carry-in direction intersecting with the arrangement direction,
• a plurality of upper supporting portions provided in the storage space in the arrangement direction when viewed from the carry-in direction and configured to respectively support upper edge portions of the plurality of plate-shaped members,
• lower supporting portions provided in the storage space to be respectively located under the plurality of upper supporting portions and configured to respectively support lower edge portions of the plurality of standing plate-shaped members, and
• lower edge portion storage portions provided in the storage space to be each located at an outer side of an end of the upper supporting portion and an end of the lower supporting portion in the arrangement direction and configured to respectively store the lower edge portions of the plate-shaped members carried in the storage space through the carry-in opening,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• carrying the plate-shaped member in the storage space through the carry-in opening in the carry-in direction such that the upper edge portion of the standing plate-shaped member is supported by the upper supporting portion, and the lower edge portion of the plate-shaped member is stored in the lower edge portion storage portion;
• lifting up the plate-shaped member, having been stored in the storage space, from the lower edge portion storage portion;
• causing the lower edge portion of the plate-shaped member to move in the arrangement direction;
• and
• lowering the plate-shaped member to cause the lower supporting portion to support the lower edge portion of the plate-shaped member.