Parts supply system applied to a versatile production line

Claim 1

A parts supply system that delivers a container loaded with a plurality of units for making a product applied to a versatile production system comprising product assembling sites, testing and inspecting sites, and conveying each product to a packing site on a single line, wherein said parts supply system is characterized in that it comprises: at least a product assembling site (3) on said production line, having a conveying means for carrying said container containing at least one unit; at least a parts supplying site (4), having a conveying means for sending and receiving; at least a unit assembling site (5) located next to said parts supplying site (4), having a temporarily parts storing table (7) for various kinds of parts making up said product; said parts are delivered from a warehouse, in which assembling units from said parts and arranging kits necessary for making each product by collecting said units and placing said at least one kit into an empty container returning from said product assembling site (3) are being processed; an automatic carrier (2) for carrying said container, comprising double decks; each of which has space for said container; the top deck of which is used for said empty container to be returned to said parts supplying site (4); the bottom deck of which is used for delivering said container containing at least one of the units making up said product, a driving means for itself, and a communication-memory unit that communicates and stores data for controlling said driving means; and an automatic carrier control means for controlling said automatic carrier (2) to be traversed between said product assembling sites (3) and said unit assembling sites (4) via a battery charger (6) that charges said battery of said carrier (2) when said carrier is waiting for traverse commands in front of said battery charger (6), comprising a plurality of local communication means; each of which is located in each of said product assembling sites (3), each of said unit assembling sites (4) and said battery charger (6), a communication-memory means of said automatic carrier (2) that communicates said local communication means, detectors located in front of said product assembling sites (3), said unit assembling sites (4) and a battery charger (6), and a controller for said automatic carrier (2), to generate said command signals in accordance with detector signals received from said communication-memory unit via said communication means.