Article transport system and carriage for use therewith

An article carriage comprising:

• a body frame means including a pair of hollow base frames extending longitudinally of said carriage;
• a plurality of T-shaped recesses provided in each said hollow base frame extending along entire lengths of outer peripheral faces of said base frame;
• a plurality of inserts engageable with said recesses adapted to secure components to said carriage, each said insert being slidable within said recess along said length of said base frame;
• and
• at least one power storage means mounted inside at least one of said hollow base frames.

An article carriage comprising:

• drive wheels;
• driven wheels;
• article handling means for transferring articles to stations;
• sensor means for detecting a guideline for confirming a stopping position;
• communication means;
• control means for controlling said article handling means, said drive wheels, said sensor means and said communication means;
• a body frame means including a pair of hollow base frames extending longitudinally of said carriage;
• a plurality of T-shaped recesses provided in each said hollow base frame extending along entire lengths of outer peripheral faces of said base frame;
• a plurality of inserts engageable with said recesses adapted to secure components to said carriage, each said insert being slidable within said recess along said length of said base frame;
• and
• at least one power storage means mounted inside at least one of said hollow base frames.

An article transporting system comprising:

• a plurality of stations;
• a running track including a guide tape for connecting said stations;
• and
• a carriage for transporting articles among said stations, said carriage including a steering control sensor for detecting said guide tape and providing detection information for use in steering said carriage;
• wherein said carriage further includes
• a body frame means including a pair of hollow base frames extending longitudinally of said carriage;
• a plurality of T-shaped recesses provided in each said hollow base frame extending along entire lengths of outer peripheral faces of said base frame;
• a plurality of inserts engageable with said recesses adapted to secure components to said carriage, each said insert being slidable within said recess along said length of said base frame;
• and
• at least one power storage means mounted inside at least one of said hollow base frames.

An article carriage comprising:

• a body frame including a pair of integral, one-piece hollow base frames extending longitudinally of said carriage, each of said pair of base frames extending substantially straight between one end of said body frame to the other end of said body frame, each one of said pair of base frames having an inner face facing the other one of said pair of base frames, an outer face facing away from the other one of said pair of base frames, and a top face;
• a pair of connecting frames mounted to said inner faces of said pair of base frames for interconnecting said pair of base frames such that said pair of base frames extends substantially parallel to each other;
• a plurality of T-shaped recesses provided on said inner faces, outer faces, and top faces of each said hollow base frame, said recesses extending along entire lengths of said body frame;
• at least a pair of wheels mounted to said T-shaped recesses provided on said outer faces of said base frames;
• an article support mounted to said T-shaped recesses provided on said top surfaces of said base frames;
• and
• a plurality of inserts releasably engageable with said recesses and at least said pair of connecting frames, said pair of wheels, and said article support to secure at least said pair of connecting frames, said pair of wheels, and said article support to said carriage and to secure each said connecting frame to said pair of base frames, each said insert being slidable within said recess along said length of said base frame.