Transporting apparatus

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A transporting apparatus, comprising: 
 a) a plurality of transporting units aligned in a transporting direction, each transporting unit comprising: 
 i) a blower fan;  
 ii) a filter disposed in the blowing direction of the blower fan;  
 iii) a porous plate provided on the side opposite the blower fan with respect to the filter;  
 iv) drive rollers provided at a distance from the porous plate; and  
 v) a motor for driving the drive rollers;  
   and    b) a controller for sending control signals to the plurality of transporting units;    wherein the controller is also capable of receiving information relating to a transporting state of at least one transporting unit of the plurality of the transporting units, and based on that transporting state, sends a control signal to another one of the plurality of transporting units.    
   
   
       23 . The transporting apparatus according to  claim 22 , 
 wherein the one transporting unit and said another one of the plurality of transporting units are a transporting unit on the downstream side and an adjacent transporting unit on the upstream side in the transporting direction respectively; and    wherein the controller allows the upstream side transporting unit to start operation if the downstream side transporting unit is in an operating state, and prohibits the start of operation of the upstream side transporting unit if the downstream side transporting unit is in a non-operating state.    
   
   
       24 . The transporting apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 manually operated input device for ordering the start of operation for each of the plurality of transporting units;    wherein the controller, if the downstream side transporting unit is in the operating state, starts operation of the upstream side transporting unit when the input device orders the start of operation of the upstream side transporting unit, and if the downstream side transporting unit is in the non-operating state, prohibits the start of operation of the upstream side transporting unit even if the input device orders the start of operation of the upstream side transporting unit.    
   
   
       25 . The transporting apparatus according to  claim 22 , 
 wherein the one transporting unit and said another one of the plurality of transporting units are a transporting unit on the upstream side and a transporting unit on the downstream side in the transporting direction respectively; and    wherein the controller sends a control signal to the blower fan of the downstream side transporting unit such that the transported object can be contactlessly supported by the blower fan of the downstream side transporting unit before a transfer timing at which the transported object on the upstream side transporting unit is transferred to the downstream side transporting unit.    
   
   
       26 . The transporting apparatus according to  claim 25 , 
 wherein a transporting unit further upstream than the upstream side transporting unit is provided with a sensor for detecting transported objects, and the controller moves the blower fan of the downstream side transporting unit into a state where the blower fan can contactlessly support the transported object, when the sensor detects the transported object.    
   
   
       27 . The transporting apparatus according to  claim 25 , 
 wherein the blower fans are capable of operating at a supporting operation state defined by a supporting supplying amount for contactlessly supporting the transported object, and a weak air state defined by a small supplying amount that is smaller than the supporting supplying amount; and    wherein the controller changes the blower fan of the downstream side transporting unit from the weak air state, which is the state after operation is started, to the supporting operation state in advance of the transfer timing.