# US 7,461,598 B2 · Overhead traveling vehicle system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,461,598 B2 - Document ID: US7461598B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/401,886 - Filed: 2006-04-12 - Published: 2006-10-19 - Granted: 2008-12-09 - Earliest claimed: 2005-04-14 - Assignees: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tamotsu Shiwaku - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7461598B2 ## CPC - B61B 1/00: General arrangement of stations, platforms, or sidings; Railway networks; Rail vehicle marshalling systems (shunting humps and shunting devices B61J; construction of platforms E01F1/00; time-tables G09D) - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) ## Abstract A loop-shaped maintenance bay route 6 directly connected to an inter-bay route 4 is provided for the maintenance of an overhead traveling vehicle 8. An operation check traveling line 16 and an operation check station 18 are provided along the maintenance bay route 6 for fully carrying out tests for traveling operation and transfer operation of the overhead traveling vehicle 8. In an adjustment/repair area 14, adjustment, configuration, repair, reconfiguration, or the like of the overhead traveling vehicle 8 are performed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An overhead traveling vehicle system, comprising: a fixed traveling rail comprising an inter-bay route, a plurality of intra-bay routes connected to said inter-bay route, and a maintenance bay route used for the maintenance of an overhead traveling vehicle, a lifter having an elevatable/lowerable traveling rail connectable to said fixed traveling rail, wherein when said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is moved to an upper position, said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is connected to said maintenance bay route of fixed traveling rail, and when said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is moved to a lower position, said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is connected to at least one of a ground-mounted traveling rail and a movable traveling rail, and wherein an entrance and an exit of said maintenance bay route are directly connected to said inter-bay route without passing through said intra-bay routes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 1, wherein said maintenance bay route further comprises an operation check area comprising a loop-shaped operation check traveling line for allowing the overhead traveling vehicle to travel around said loop-shaped operation cheek traveling line to check traveling operation of the overhead traveling vehicle, and an operation check station for allowing the overhead traveling vehicle to transfer an article to/from said operation check station to check operation of a transfer means in the overhead traveling vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 1, wherein said maintenance bay route further comprises a standby area for accommodating a redundant overhead traveling vehicle from said inter-bay route, and for placing the redundant overhead traveling vehicle on standby. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a means for storing a history file which records maintenance history for each overhead traveling vehicle, and a means for instructing the overhead traveling vehicle to travel to said maintenance bay route based on the recorded maintenance history. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 2, wherein said maintenance bay route further comprises an adjustment and repair area comprising: a standby line for accommodating a redundant overhead traveling vehicle from said inter-bay route and for placing the redundant overhead traveling vehicle on standby, and an adjustment and repair line, disposed above a counter, for adjustment and repair of said overhead traveling vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 5, wherein said operation check area further comprises an operation check buffer disposed adjacent to said operation check station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 5, wherein said operation check area of said maintenance bay route is disposed between said adjustment and repair area of said maintenance bay route and said inter-bay route. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 5, wherein said adjustment and repair area further comprises a base station for adjusting said overhead traveling carriage and a base buffer adjacent to said base station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 5, further comprising a storage area and an adjustment and repair area disposed below said counter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The overhead traveling system of claim 1, wherein said movable traveling rail is disposed in a maintenance wagon. ### Claim 11 An overhead traveling vehicle system, comprising: a fixed traveling rail comprising an inter-bay route, a plurality of intra-bay routes connected to said inter-bay route, and a maintenance bay route used for the maintenance of an overhead traveling vehicle, wherein said maintenance bay route comprises an operation check area comprising: a loop-shaped operation check traveling line for allowing the overhead traveling vehicle to travel around said loop-shaped operation check traveling line to check traveling operation of the overhead traveling vehicle, and an operation check station for allowing the overhead traveling vehicle to transfer an article to/from said operation check station to check operation of a transfer means in the overhead traveling vehicle, and wherein said maintenance bay route further comprises an adjustment and repair area comprising: a standby line for accommodating a redundant overhead traveling vehicle from said inter-bay route and for placing the redundant overhead traveling vehicle on standby, and an adjustment and repair line disposed above a counter for adjustment and repair of said overhead traveling carriages, and wherein an entrance and an exit of said maintenance bay route are directly connected to said inter-bay route without passing through said intra-bay routes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 11, wherein said operation check area of said maintenance bay route is disposed between said adjustment and repair area of said maintenance bay route and said inter-bay route. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 12, wherein said adjustment and repair area further comprises a base station for adjusting said overhead traveling carriage and a base buffer adjacent to said base station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 13, further comprising a lifter having an elevatable/lowerable traveling rail connectable to said fixed traveling rail, wherein when said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is moved to an upper position, said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is connected to said maintenance bay route of fixed traveling rail, and when said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is moved to a lower position, said elevatable/lowerable traveling rail of said lifter is connected to at least one of a ground-mounted traveling rail and a movable traveling rail. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The overhead traveling system of claim 14, wherein said movable traveling rail is disposed in a maintenance wagon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 11, further comprising a means for storing a history file which records maintenance history for each overhead traveling vehicle, and a means for instructing said overhead traveling vehicle to travel to said maintenance bay route based on the recorded maintenance history. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The overhead traveling vehicle system of claim 11, further comprising a storage area and an adjustment and repair area disposed below said counter.