JPH0520722Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) This invention relates to an automatic storage and retrieval device that can automatically store, store, search and retrieve articles in a warehouse or the like.

(Prior art and its problems) As a conventional example of this type of automatic storage and retrieval device, a vertical column is run horizontally along the open shelf side of a storage area in which a plurality of shelves are arranged. A freely movable picker takes items in and out of each shelf in the storage area, while a loading/unloading section installed at the end of the vertical column running path outside the storage area removes items from the picker on the vertical column. A device is known that is configured to carry out articles or to carry articles brought in from outside into a pick car.

However, in the conventional configuration described above, 1
Since the loading/unloading operation of another article cannot be started until the operation cycle of loading/unloading one article is completed, the loading/unloading process takes time and is inefficient. Additionally, the vertical column must be driven to move the picker to the desired shelf, which requires a large amount of power and increases operating costs.

On the other hand, the applicant of the present application has proposed an automatic storage and retrieval device as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 64912/1983. This device circulates the shelves in the storage area horizontally using an independent endless chain for each shelf tier, and vertically installs a loading/unloading device that moves items up and down in the middle of the horizontal circulation path. , so that when the shelves of each shelf are stopped at a position facing the loading/unloading device, articles can be carried from the shelf to the loading/unloading device, or articles can be carried from the loading/unloading device to the shelf. It is composed of

In this device, since each shelf can be loaded and unloaded independently, the efficiency is improved, but since the entire shelf is moved in a circular manner for each shelf, a large amount of power is required and the operating cost is high.In addition, for each shelf, a pusher for pushing the articles from the shelf to the loading/unloading device and from the loading/unloading device to the shelf must be provided so as not to interfere with the circulation of the shelf, which makes the structure complicated.

(Purpose of the invention) This invention was made in order to solve the above problem, and aims to provide an automatic storage and retrieval device that can efficiently take in and take out items, has low operating costs, and has a simple structure. purpose.

(Means for Achieving the Purpose) In order to achieve the above purpose, the automatic storage and retrieval device of this invention is designed to move forward and backward between the shelves along the shelf open side of a storage area in which a plurality of shelves are arranged. A picker for loading and unloading containers is provided on each shelf so that it can move horizontally in the left and right directions, while a picker is installed at equal intervals in accordance with the vertical spacing of the shelves on each of the annular cables that are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right and rotate synchronously in the vertical direction. A container elevating mechanism has a support plate for placing the container fixed thereon, and a container elevating mechanism is provided at the bottom of this container elevating mechanism, and moves forward and backward to move the container from above the support plate to the outside.
Alternatively, a loading/unloading device consisting of a container loading/unloading mechanism for loading/unloading containers onto/from the support plate from the outside is provided in line with the storage area. Then, a picker that operates independently for each shelf takes containers in and out and transfers them between the shelves and the loading/unloading device, and the loading/unloading device also transfers containers between the pickers of multiple shelves and with the outside. The structure is such that containers can be loaded or unloaded in parallel.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an automatic storage and retrieval device that is an embodiment of this invention.

This automatic storage and retrieval device has storage areas 2 and 3 on the front and rear sides of a housing 1, and each storage area 2 and 3 has shelves 4, each of which serves as an article storage area, arranged in a matrix in a matrix. It is configured. The front and rear storage areas 2 and 3 are arranged so that the open sides of the shelves 4 face each other, and in the intermediate area between the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3, there are shelves for each shelf of the storage areas 2 and 3. Container 5 on shelf 4
A picker 6 that can be taken in and out of the car is provided so as to be able to move freely in the left and right directions. That is, a pair of rails 7 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the height positions corresponding to the shelves of the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3, and the picker 6 is mounted on these rails 7 so as to be able to run freely. ing. This picker 6 is provided with an unillustrated loading/unloading mechanism similar to the above-mentioned vertical column type picker, for example, and this loading/unloading mechanism allows containers 5 stored in the shelves 4 of the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3 to be loaded into the picker. The container 5 can be taken onto the picker 6 or inserted into the shelf 4 from above the picker 6.

On the other hand, at the left end and right end of the front storage area 2, in place of the shelves 4, loading and unloading devices 8 are provided, respectively, for transporting containers 5 to and from each shelf. . This loading/unloading device 8 is
As shown in a perspective view in FIG.
Belt conveyor 11 located at the lowest position between
and has. Left and right endless chain mechanism 10
are a pair of upper sprockets 12 at the front and rear respectively.
A, 12b and a lower sprocket 13a, 13b are constructed by spanning a pair of front and rear chains 14a, 14b, and a pair of front and rear chains 14a, 14
A plurality of horizontal support plates 15 are horizontally mounted and fixed at regular intervals corresponding to the vertical spacing of the shelves 4 described above. These left and right endless chain mechanisms 10 are synchronously rotated by the same driving source (not shown) so that the horizontal support plates 15 face each other at the same height and circulate up and down, and the container 5 A container elevating mechanism 16 is configured to move the container up and down while being placed between the left and right horizontal support plates 15. Containers 5 are provided before and after the housing 9.
A vertically long entrance/exit 17 is formed with a width that allows entry and exit of the shelf 4, and a height corresponding to the top position of the shelf 4.
It is arranged to align with the open position of the shelf 4 on the same storage area 2 side.

The belt conveyor 11 described above is configured to be bidirectionally rotatable by a drive source (not shown), and the containers 5 are placed between the left and right horizontal support plates 15 of the loading/unloading device 8 and are transported downward. It constitutes a container loading and unloading mechanism that transports containers 5 to the outside and places containers 5 sent from the outside between horizontal support plates 15.

Next, the operation of this automatic storage and retrieval device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of an arbitrary shelf of this automatic storage and retrieval device. In the figure, when the picker 6 of this shelf is commanded to take out the container 5 from the desired shelf 4, the picker 6 runs horizontally along the rail 7 to the specified shelf position and stops, and then the picker 6 is attached to the picker. The container 4 is taken out from the shelf 4 and placed in the picker 6.
taken in above. When the retrieval operation is completed, the picker 6 horizontally travels to the right-hand loading/unloading device 8, which is designated for unloading only, and stops in front of the entrance/exit 17 of the loading/unloading device 8. The above operations of the picker 6 are performed independently for each shelf.

On the other hand, in the unloading/unloading device 8, the container elevating mechanism 16 stops at the position where each horizontal support plate 15 is aligned with the height of each shelf, and the container 5 is moved from the picker 6 onto the corresponding horizontal support plate 15. It will be transferred. This operation can be performed simultaneously for the pickers 6 on each shelf.

FIGS. 4a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of transferring the container 5 from the container lifting mechanism 16 to the belt conveyor 11, which is a container loading/unloading mechanism, and as shown in FIG. When the container lifting mechanism 16 further performs a lowering operation from the state where the container 5 is placed on top, the horizontal support plate 15 is lowered to a position lower than the mounting surface of the belt conveyor 11. Container 5 is transferred. The belt conveyor 11 is rotated toward the discharge side in synchronization with the external conveyor 18, and the container 5 is carried out onto the external conveyor 18 through the entrance/exit 17 at the rear of the loading/unloading device 8, as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, for example, in the left-end loading/unloading device 8 designated as a carry-in only, the operation is opposite to that of the above-mentioned unloading-only loading/unloading device 8.
That is, the horizontal support plate 15 of the container lifting mechanism 16
The belt conveyor 11, which is a container loading/unloading mechanism, is driven to rotate in synchronization with the external conveyor 19 so as to take the container 5 from the external conveyor 19 into the loading/unloading device 8.
Containers 5 brought in from outside are sequentially carried into each shelf. Then, the picker 6 of each shelf that receives the instruction to store the container 5 stops in front of the entrance/exit 17 of the loading/unloading device 8 dedicated to carrying in, and picks up the container 5.
from the horizontal support plate 15 and place it on the designated shelf 4.
Store it in.

In this embodiment, the case has been described where two loading/unloading devices 8 are provided, one dedicated to loading and unloading, but it goes without saying that a single loading/unloading device 8 may be configured to be used for both loading and unloading.

(Effects of the invention) As described above, according to the automatic storage and retrieval device of this invention, containers can be taken out and transferred between the shelves and the loading/unloading device using pickers that operate independently for each shelf. On the other hand, with the loading/unloading device, containers can be loaded or unloaded between pickers on multiple shelves and the outside in parallel.
It not only greatly improves efficiency, but also provides benefits such as lower operating costs and simpler structure.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic storage and retrieval device that is an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of its loading and unloading device, and Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing arbitrary shelves of the automatic storage and retrieval device. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the loading/unloading device. 2, 3... Storage area, 4... Shelf, 5... Container, 6... Picker, 8... Input/output device, 10
... Endless chain mechanism, 11 ... Belt conveyor (container in/out mechanism), 15 ... Horizontal support plate, 16 ... Container elevating mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Along the open shelf side of the storage area where multiple shelves are arranged, a picker that takes containers in and out of the shelves in the front and rear directions is installed on each shelf so that it can be moved horizontally in the left and right direction, while facing each other on the left and right. A container elevating mechanism in which support plates for placing containers are fixed at equal intervals in accordance with the vertical spacing of the shelves is attached to each of the annular cables that are arranged and rotate synchronously in the vertical direction, and a container elevating mechanism is provided at the bottom of the container elevating mechanism. A loading/unloading device comprising a container loading/unloading mechanism that moves forward and backward in the front and rear directions to load and unload containers from the support plate to the outside or from the outside onto the support plate is provided in line with the storage area. Automatic storage and retrieval device.