JPH07237718A - Automatic storage management system for file holder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correctly and quickly store many file holders into rack parts of a specific housing rack unit from a truck in a taking in/out part of the housing rack unit. CONSTITUTION:Suspending parts for file holders 2 are parallely provided on a housing rack unit 1 and a truck 12, and the presence or absence of the file holders 2 in the suspending parts is detected by a search sensor 106 while making a conveying unit 3 once travel along the front surface of the suspending parts in the truck 12, and the presence or absence and the number of the file holders are stored in a storage means. Next, the conveying unit is so controlled as to be moved to the file suspending part in the truck 12, and the upper part of one file holder 2 is pinched by a pinching conveying means, and the thickness of the file holder is sensed by a thickness detecting means according to the movement of the file holder to the conveying unit, and the specified code of the file holder 2 taken into the conveying unit is read by a file holder specifying discriminating means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention manages the automatic removal of a file holder, which can store a plurality of sheets, cards, documents, etc., such as medical charts, from a dolly and stores it in a hanging location in a storage warehouse. For the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention has previously proposed that SAIkaihei 1-1403
In JP-A-7, when a container having a fixed shape is mounted on a picker that moves between the loading / unloading section and the storage shelf unit to be transported, and this container is automatically taken out and stored, the storage shelf unit of each storage shelf unit is It was proposed that a stop position mark indicating the stop position be provided at the front end and that the picker sensor be used to search for each storage rack stop position.

In addition, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-23181, Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-6244 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-39.
No. 602, Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-52961, etc.,
When classifying and storing a large number of sheets and cards such as medical charts in hospitals, these cards are foldable file holders (with a gusset at the lower end and a bulging reinforcement at the upper ends of the pair of left and right cover covers). The file holder is temporarily stored in a fixed suspension type), and the file holder is moved by a transport unit that moves along the front surface of the storage shelf unit in which a large number of suspension rails are arranged in parallel. We proposed a device to automatically store or take out the storage place.

In Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-39602, the file holders are temporarily suspended in a line in the storage section, and the transport unit takes in the file holders one by one from the storage section.

[0005]

However, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-39062, the presence or absence of file holders that are suspended in a line in the storage section is detected by laterally moving the transport unit for each suspension interval. It is necessary to repeat the work of temporarily stopping at the place where the file holder is suspended and taking the file holder into the transport unit.

Therefore, due to the short distance intermittent movement of the carrying unit, the moving speed of the carrying unit must be slowed down, and there is a problem that the file holder detection operation during that time is time-consuming and troublesome. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Sho6
According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0-52961, in a file holder feeding device that moves along the front surface of a storage box for a file holder, a file holder inserted through an insertion opening on the opposite side is detected with a certain reference value or more. A contact type sensor is installed to restore the file holders with a thickness above a certain reference value to the original position, and the file holders below the reference value are stored in the storage box from the discharge port at the front of the file holder feeder. I suggest you do.

However, with this configuration, there is a problem that a file holder having a thickness of a reference value or more cannot be stored in the storage rack unit. In these prior arts, however, an empty storage shelf location in the storage shelf unit is previously input to the computer as data, and when storing an article such as a container or a file holder from the loading / unloading section, the worker must Product identification data such as a code that identifies the
The address data of the empty storage shelf location is input to the computer and stored in the empty storage shelf location.

However, in this prior art, a pair of data of the article specifying data and the data of the storage address has to be entered and stored in the memory section of the computer, which is a troublesome work. Further, if the operator makes mistakes in data to be input to the computer, it becomes impossible to take out a desired article later, which causes a very troublesome situation that the operator enters the storage shelf unit portion and visually searches for it.

Further, when the articles have different thicknesses such as file holders, it is necessary to make the shape of the storage shelves (size of the required storage space) different, and therefore, the address data of the empty storage shelves also. Since it is necessary to prepare a plurality of types, there is a problem that the above-mentioned data input becomes complicated and it becomes more and more erroneous to operate. The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and a first object of the present invention is to suspend and hang a file holder at a suspending point of a trolley that can be taken in and out of a storage section in a storage warehouse. However, the second purpose is to enable the file holder to be quickly taken into the transport unit. The second purpose is to suspend the file holder even when the file holder is suspended at the suspension location of the carriage at random. It is an object of the present invention to provide a management system capable of properly storing and retrieving a file holder of any thickness with respect to a suspension type storage rack unit.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic storage management system for a file holder according to a first aspect of the present invention is a storage rack unit having suspension portions of the file holder in parallel, and the storage rack unit. In an automatic take-out storage warehouse for a file holder, which comprises a carriage that can be put in and taken out of a storage unit of a shelf unit, and a transfer unit that moves along the front surface of the storage shelf unit, in the storage unit, a suspension of the file holder is provided in the transfer unit. A search sensor for detecting the presence / absence of the file holder in the vicinity of the hanging position and a holding / conveying means for holding and taking in the upper part of one file holder are provided, while the carriage is provided with a hanging position for the file holder. Are formed in parallel, and when the file holder is taken out from the carriage to the transfer unit, the suspension The presence / absence of a file holder in the suspended position is detected by the search sensor while the transport unit is running along the front surface of the vehicle, and the presence / absence of the file holder and its address are stored in the storage means, and then the file holder in the carriage is present. It is characterized in that it is provided with a control means for controlling the transportation unit to move to the suspended position.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the file holder automatic storage management system according to the first aspect, the transport unit senses the thickness of the file holder according to the movement of the file holder to the transport unit. A thickness detecting means and a file holder identification determining means for reading a specific code for identifying the file holder taken into the transport unit, and the file holder transferred from the carriage to the transport unit is a specific code of the file holder. , Based on the thickness data, the control is performed so that the file is stored in a suspended position in a file holder storage area having a predetermined thickness.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of storage shelf units 1 for storing file holders 2 in a hospital or the like, and one of the storage shelf units 1. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an automatic take-out storage warehouse for a file holder including a transport unit 3 that moves along a front surface of a carriage 12 and a front surface of a storage shelf unit 1 inside a storage / reception unit 13 provided on the side.

Each of the storage shelf units 1 and the dolly 12 has a plurality of upper and lower shelves 4, and a suspension rail body 5 is arranged on the lower surface of each shelf 4 at regular intervals. This adjacent 2
An overhanging reinforcement portion 6, which is an upper end portion of each file holder 2, is suspended and supported between two suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5 (see FIGS. 1 to 6). The file holder 2 is provided with a bottom gusset portion 2c by folding a pair of left and right cover covers 2a and 2b made of synthetic resin or paper in the middle, and the front and rear long sides are provided at the upper ends of the pair of left and right cover covers 2a and 2b. The bulging reinforcements 6 and 6 made of synthetic resin are integrally fixed with an adhesive or the like. Engagement holes 7 for engaging and disengaging the holding claws 39, 39 for transferring the file holder in the transport unit 3 which will be described later are formed in front and rear portions of the overhanging reinforcements 6, 6. In addition, one cover cover 2a accommodates a pocket portion 8 for accommodating a piece of paper 8a on which a bar code, which is a kind of a specific code for specifying the file holder 2, is entered.
And a watermark hole 8b is provided so that the inspection laser light from a barcode reader 29, which will be described later, can directly irradiate the barcode onto the surface of the barcode sheet (FIG. 6).
reference).

Between the two storage rack units 1 and 1,
The stacker crane 10 that moves along the rails is arranged, and the transport unit 3 moves up and down along the column 11 of the stacker crane 10. Each storage shelf unit 1
Is provided on the front side of the storage compartment 13 for storing the dolly 12 storing the file holders 2. At least one storage shelf unit 1 has a front surface for storing the file holders 2 one by one for emergency removal. An emergency shipping section 14 is provided.

A suspension rail body 5 of the same construction as that described above is also provided side by side on the carriage 12, and an operator arbitrarily inserts and suspends the file holder 2. In addition, a temporary storage unit 16 for temporarily storing the file holder 2 such as a bar code reading failure, a thickness detection failure, or a storage failure is provided in one of the storage shelf units 1. Next, the configuration of the transport unit 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 14.
The front surface of the box-shaped case 17 in the transport unit 3 is opened as one entrance and exit, and the sandwiching and conveying means 18 is sandwiched and engaged with the engaging hole 7 of the overhanging reinforcement body 6 which is the upper end portion of one file holder 2. The case 17 is provided so as to move forward and backward (in the direction of arrow A and B) with respect to the suspended portion of the storage rack unit 1 in the carriage 12 of the loading / unloading section 13.
Inside, a plurality of storage boxes 19a and 19b for suspending and supporting the overhanging reinforcement bodies 6 of the file holder 2 one by one are provided side by side, and the plurality of storage boxes 19a and 19b are provided with respect to the entrance and exit. The storage box moving means is configured to be selectively movable so as to be orthogonal to the moving direction of the sandwiching and conveying means 18 in a plan view.

A search sensor 106, which is a light reflection type sensor.
Is provided in the upper part of the entrance / exit of the case 17 of the transport unit 3, and irradiates the inclined front end surface of the overhanging reinforcement body 6 of the file holder 2 suspended by the suspension support rail body 5 with the reflected light thereof. The presence or absence of the file holder 2 is detected based on the strength. A light reflector 5b such as an aluminum reflection foil is attached inside the slit provided in the front end surface support portion 5a of the suspension rail body 5, and is also provided above the entrance / exit of the case 17 toward the light reflector 5b. Light reflection type suspended position detection sensor 1
07 detects the position where the file holder 2 should be suspended.

Further, at the entrance and exit of the case 17,
When the file holder 2 is unwound from the storage box 19a or 19b to the suspended position, the upper and lower midway portions of the adjacent file holders 2 in the suspended position are laterally displaced to secure a storage gap for the file holder 2 to be unwound. Restoration guide means 20 including a pair of left and right insertion plates 21 and 21 is provided.

As can be understood from FIGS. 7 and 8, the restore guide means 20 is arranged in the vicinity of the entrance and exit, the storage boxes 19a and 19b are arranged on the back side thereof, and the front surface thereof is open. In this embodiment, two storage boxes 19a and 19b are provided.
Of the case 1 are slidably mounted on the rails 22, 22 on the bottom surface of the case 17,
7 One-way rotating lateral movement motor 23 fixed at the rear
Via the storage box moving means consisting of
There is a space that can reciprocate in the direction D and the direction D. In addition, lateral movement sensors 25a and 25b for detecting this movement are arranged at the rear of the case 17.

A pair of left and right mounting guide rails 26, 26 on which the overhanging reinforcement body 6 of each file holder 2 can be slidably mounted is provided at the upper ends of the storage boxes 19a, 19b. At the entrance of the case 17, a pair of left and right L-shaped brackets 27, 27 are provided on the left and right front guide rails 28, 28.
Is fixed, and the mounting guide rails 26, 26 and the front guide rail 2 in each of the storage boxes 19a, 19b when the file holder 2 moves in the arrow C direction and the D direction.
The file holder 2 is configured to be able to pass through when the phases of the file holders 8 and 28 coincide with each other.

Light for detection from a bar code reader 29, which is a file holder identification determining means provided on one side of the case 17, passes through holes 30a and 30b formed on the side surfaces of the storage boxes 19a and 19b. Pass through each storage box 19a, 1
It is used to read the bar code in the file holder 2 in 9b. Further, the presence or absence of the file holder 2 in the case 17 is detected by the light transmission type sensors 31a and 31b provided on both the left and right sides of the case 17.

In the present embodiment, the bar code reader 29 is used when the file holder 2 is taken into the transport unit 2 from the suspended position of the carriage 12 and the storage rack unit 1.
First, the file holder 2 is stored in the storage box 19a on the side farther from, and then stored in the storage box 19b on the side closer. As a result, the bar codes of all the file holders 2 can be read. When ejecting (sending out) from the transport unit 2, it starts from the file holder 2 of the storage box 19b on the side closer to the barcode reader 29. In other words, the first-in, first-out format is used.
The number of storage boxes may be three or more and about ten.

The holding and conveying means 18 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
Is a front and rear long rail 32 provided in the upper part of the case 17.
Slidably mounted on the mounting guide rails 26, 2 described above.
6 and the front guide rails 28, 28 are reciprocally moved over. A chain 34 fixed to a locking portion 33 provided on one side of the main body block 18a of the sandwiching and conveying means 18 is wound around chain sprockets 35, 35 and a drive chain sprocket 37 of a drive motor 36,
It is possible to move from the forward position to the rear standby position in FIG. 8 by the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the drive motor 36, and on the front side of the main body block 18a, the placement guide rails 26, 2 described above.
6 and the front guide rails 28, 28 are provided with a pair of left and right guide fixing claws 38, 38 that move along the upper side and a pair of left and right sandwiching claw bodies 39, 39 that narrowly rotate.

As shown in FIG. 14, the holding claws 39, 39
Rotate in conjunction with each other by a pair of gears 40, 40 that rotate integrally, and operate by a link 41 and a rotary electromagnetic solenoid 42 connected to the base end side of one holding claw 39, and the case 17 Electric power is constantly supplied from an electric supply wire (not shown) arranged on the lower surface of the upper plate in the front-rear longitudinal direction to a moving electromagnetic solenoid 42 via a pair of power supply terminals 43, 43 projecting from the upper surface of the main body block 18a. Reference numeral 44 is a stopper for restricting the open positions of the tips 39a, 39a of the sandwiching claws 39, 39, and the tips 39a of the pair of sandwiching claws 39, 39 in the engagement hole 7 of the file holder 2. ，
When 39a is closed, it cannot be removed.

Further, on one side of the main body block 18a,
The restore guide means 20 is provided at the tip of the L-shaped latch lever 46 which is supported by the horizontal shaft 45 so as to be vertically rotatable.
Roller 47 for advancing the vehicle by a fixed distance L1
And a guide roller 48 for releasing the pressing force, and are biased downward by a biasing spring 49.
Next, the configuration of the restore guide unit 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Restore guide means 2
Reference numeral 0 denotes four movable beams 51 that move along roller pairs 52, which are provided on the inner surface of the case 17 along a pair of vertical U-shaped guide rails 50 in the front-rear longitudinal direction and a pair of left and right (total of four), and the respective movable beams. Four arms 54 that rotate to the left and right via a pivot 53
And a pair of left and right insertion plates 2 fixedly attached to the respective upper and lower right arm 54 and lower left upper arm 54 at their respective tips.
The lower left and right moving beams 51, 51 are reinforced by a connecting bracket 55 so as to have rigidity. Then, each arm 54 is urged by a torsion spring loosely fitted to the pivot 53 in a direction in which the tip ends of the pair of left and right insertion plates 21, 21 are closed, and a stopper piece 56 fixed to the movable beams 51, 51. , 56, the left-right spacing of the tips of the left and right insertion plates 21, 21 is the same as the file holder 2.
Are regulated so that they are held at intervals slightly larger than the thickness on the upper side of the. A return spring 57 having one end locked to the case 17 is urged to move the moving beam 51 in the backward direction (arrow B direction, see FIG. 7). Reference numeral 58 is a damper for restricting the retracted position and mitigating the impact force of the movement.

Main body block 18 of the pinching and conveying means 18
a When the holding claw 39 moves forward from the rear end standby position in the direction of arrow A (see FIG. 7), the pressing roller 47 of the latch lever 46 is perpendicular to the locking block 59 provided at the rear end of the one moving beam 51. It comes into contact with the rear end face and is pushed forward. Then, when the guide roller 48 of the latch lever 46 rides on the chevron-shaped guide block 60 fixed to the inner surface of the case 17 or the guide rail 50, the latch lever 46 is moved to the horizontal shaft 4
5, the pressing roller 47 and the locking block 59 are disengaged from each other, so that the insertion plate 2
After moving forward by a distance L1, 1 and 21 are retracted by the force of the return spring 57 (see FIG. 16). Since the pressing roller 47 of the latch lever 46 can ride on the front end surface of the locking block 59, which is inclined toward the rear, when the holding and conveying means 18 is retracted, the locking block 59 is concerned.
If it is located on the rear side of, the sandwiching claw body 39 can return to the standby position described above.

Next, with reference to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, a thickness detecting means 61 for detecting the thickness of the file holder 2
Will be described. Thickness detection means 61 in this embodiment
Is arranged in the space between the pair of left and right insertion plates 21 and 21 and the storage boxes 19a and 19b in the restore guide means 20, and rotates left and right integrally with the pair of left and right vertical axes 62 and 62. Vertically mounted sensor body 63
a and 63b, and both sensor bodies 63a and 63b which rotate by contacting both the left and right cover covers 2a and 2b of the file holder 2 when the file holder 2 is taken in from the suspended position to the storage box direction by the transport nipping means 18. And a rotary encoder 64 for detecting the rotation angle of one or both of them. From the detection value of the rotary encoder 64, both the left and right cover covers 2a, 2b of the file holder 2
The thickness of the thickest part among the intervals is converted and detected.

In this embodiment, the left and right sensor bodies 63a, 63a are made different because the file holders 2 are brought into different contact with each other.
Even if the turning angles of b are different, the thickness of the file holder 2 can be accurately detected from the sum of the turning angles. The rotation angle adding means for detecting the thickness of the file holder is, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the vertical axis 62 to which one sensor body 63b is attached is the case 17
It is rotatably supported by a support bracket 65 which is fixed to, and a link plate 66 is attached to the lower end of the vertical axis 62 so as to rotate integrally with the sensor body 63b. The link plate 66 is provided with a rack 67 and left and right longitudinal guide grooves 68. The vertical axis 62 that rotates integrally with the other sensor body 63a is rotatably fitted into the pair of upper and lower support bracket plates 69, 69. Installed on. The base of the connecting body 70 is attached to a support bracket 73 via a pin shaft 72 with a return spring 71 so as to be rotatable left and right, and the support bracket 73 is fixed to the case 17. The first gear 74 that rotates integrally with the vertical axis 62 is the second gear 75 that is rotatably supported by the upper support bracket plate 69.
The third gear 76 is rotated via. This third gear 76
A rotary encoder 64 is attached to the. The fourth gear 77 mounted to rotate integrally with the lower end of the vertical axis 62 is a rack 67 on the link plate 66.
It is arranged so as to mesh with. And the vertical axis 6
The lower end of 2 is fitted into a guide groove 68 in the link plate 66 and cannot be removed.

The support bracket plate 69 and the connecting body 70
The support bracket 73 is located in a passage hole formed on the base side of one of the insertion plates 21 so as not to interfere with each other when the insertion plate 21 rotates. With the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 14, the left and right sensor bodies 63a, 63b are E, E'at the left and right thickness (dimension H1) of the file holder 2 taken in the direction of arrow B.
Rotate in the direction. Although the link plate 66 is rotated by the rotation of the right sensor body 63b, the vertical axis 62 of the left sensor body 63a is rotated.
Since the lower end of the is fitted in the guide groove 68, its vertical axis 62
Rack 6 on the fourth gear 77 and link plate 66 in
The mesh with 7 does not come off. Therefore, the right sensor body 63b
And / or the rotation of the left sensor body 63a itself,
The fourth gear 77 rotates, and the rotation angle is the vertical axis 62, the first
Since it is transmitted to the third gear 76 via the gear 74 and the second gear 75, this rotation angle can be read by the rotary encoder 64. In this way, since the rotary encoder 64 can detect the total amount of the rotation angle of the right sensor body 63b and the rotation angle of the left sensor body 63a, the file holder 2 for both the left and right sensor bodies 63a, 63b can be detected. Even if the contact (contact) is uneven, the thickness can be accurately detected. As another embodiment, the rotary encoder 64 may detect the rotation angle of the fourth gear 77 without interposing the first gear 74 to the third gear 76, and each sensor body 63 may be detected.
The rotary encoders 64 and 64 may be attached to the a and 63b, respectively, and the detection values of the both may be added to accurately detect the thickness of the file holder 2.

The thickness of the file holder 2 is detected in the loading / unloading section 13 from the carriage 12 to the transport unit 3.
It may be executed only when the file holder 2 is moved in the direction. Even when the file holder 2 is discharged from the storage boxes 19a and 19b to the outside, the left and right sensor bodies 63a and 63b are also provided.
Rotates in the F and F'directions, but in this discharge mode (feeding mode), the detection value may not be output or the detection value data may not be stored.
When the file holder 2 is taken out from the storage rack unit 1, the thickness of the file holder 2 may be checked to facilitate the setting of the storage interval in the carriage 12.

Next, the file holder 2 is loaded (transferred) from the carriage 12 in the loading / unloading section 13 to the transport unit 3.
The operation procedure will be described. As a preparatory step, the sandwiching and conveying means 18 in the conveying unit 3 is stopped at a standby position (behind the storage box), and the lateral movement motor 23 is operated to move the storage boxes 19a and 19b in the empty state in the arrow D direction. The storage box 19 on the side farther than the barcode reader 29
Set so that a is located between the sensor bodies 63a and 63b.

The transport unit 3 located on the front surface of the carriage 12 in the loading / unloading section 13 is run in the direction parallel to the suspended file holder 2, and the search sensor 106 provided on the case 17 of the transport unit 3 is moved. Presence or absence of the file holder 2 is detected, and the transport unit 3 is stopped at a position in front of the file holder 2 such that the left and right insertion plates 21 and 21 at the entrance and exit of the transport unit 3 sandwich the file holder 2 on both left and right sides. .

Next, in this state, when the sandwiching and conveying means 18 is advanced in the direction of the entrance and exit (the direction of arrow A), the locking block 59 at the rear end of the movable beam 51 in the restore guide means 20.
Is pushed out by the pressing roller 47 of the latch lever 46, so that the insertion plates 2 and 21 are inserted into both left and right sides of the file holder 2 in the suspension position. The sandwiching and conveying means 18 advances as it is in the direction of the arrow A, and the sandwiching claws 39, 39 in the open state in the main body block 18a move to the file holder 2.
When it comes to the engaging hole 7 in the main body block 18a
And the electromagnetic solenoid 42 is actuated to close both clamping claws 39, 39. On the other hand, when the guide roller 48 of the latch lever 46 rides on the chevron-shaped guide block 60, the pressing roller 47 and the locking block 59 are disengaged from each other, and the restoring spring 57 exerts a force on the restore guide means 2.
0 retreats.

Next, the body block 18a is retracted in the direction of arrow B. Since the sandwiched file holder 2 comes into contact with both the left and right sensor bodies 63a and 63b and is rotated,
The thickness of the file holder 2 is detected. Further, while the file holder 2 is retracted, the bar code reader 29 reads and detects the bar code to identify the file holder 2 in the storage box 19a. The overhanging reinforcement body 6 at the upper end of the file holder 2 is mounted on the storage box 19a by the mounting guide rail 26.
When it is completely mounted on, the holding claws 39, 39 are opened, and the main body block 18a is once retracted to the standby position. Then
The lateral movement motor 23 is operated to store the storage boxes 19a and 19b.
Is moved in the direction of arrow C, the storage box 19b is set so as to face the doorway, and another file holder 2 is loaded into the other storage box 19b by the same operation as described above. This operation is executed in the same procedure when the file holder 2 is loaded from the storage rack unit 1 to the transport unit 3.

Next, an operation procedure for storing (inserting) the file holder 2 between the transport unit 3 and the suspension rails 5, 5 of the storage rack unit 1 will be described. With the main body block 18a retracted to the standby position, the storage box 19b
Are set so as to face the doorway, then the main body block 18a is moved forward in the direction of the arrow A, and once stopped, both clamping claws 39, 39 are closed to engage with the engaging holes 7, and the main body block 18a is advanced. As a result, the left and right sensor bodies 63a and 63b are provided at the end of the file holder 2.
Spread the space. At this time, substantially simultaneously with the latch lever 2
Since the engaging block 59 is pushed at 6, the restore guide means 20 moves forward, and the left and right insertion plates 21, 21 secure the predetermined space between the predetermined storage locations in the storage rack unit 1. Therefore, when the file holders 2 are already present on the suspension rails 5 and 5 adjacent to the storage location, the file holders 2 and 2 on the left and right sides are laterally displaced and stored (stored). This makes it easy to insert the proper file holder 2.

When the main body block 18 is stopped at the most advanced position, the file holder 2 is in a state of being suspended and supported by the suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5 in the storage rack unit 1, so that the holding claw bodies 39 and 39 are opened. The main body block 18a is retracted to the standby position. Then, the lateral movement motor 23 is operated to move the storage boxes 19a and 19b in the direction of arrow C, and the storage box 19a is set so as to face the entrance and exit, and the other storage box 19a is operated by the same operation as described above. Then, another file holder 2 is sent to. This operation is performed by the transport unit 3
The same procedure is performed when the file holder 2 is ejected from the carriage 12 to the carriage 12.

Next, an automatic storage management control device for a file holder according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 15 shows a functional block diagram of the automatic storage management control device 100, designated by reference numeral 1
01 is the central processing unit (host computer) of the ground station,
Various data, command signals, and the like are transferred to each other by optical communication or the like with the transfer unit controller 102 mounted on the stacker crane 10. Ground station central processing unit 1
01 is a personal computer 10 for reception at a hospital, etc.
3, and is directly or indirectly connected to an input / output device such as a keyboard 104 and a display device (CRT), and a data storage device 105 such as a hard disk driver.
Further, a request for entering or leaving the dolly 12 is commanded from the operation panel 15, and the signal thereof is transmitted via the ground station central processing unit 101, which is a higher-level device, to the transport controller 102.
Communicate to.

The bar code reader 2 is input through the input interface of the transport unit controller (MCU) 102.
9. The rotary encoder 64 of the thickness detecting means, the search sensor 106, the hanging position detecting sensor 107, and the X-direction address sensor 108 for detecting the horizontal position marks horizontally arranged at regular intervals along the front surface of the storage rack unit 1. , A traveling rotary encoder 109 for detecting a traveling distance of the stacker crane 10 from the origin in the X direction (horizontal direction along the front surface of the storage rack unit 1), a Y direction of the transport unit 3 from the origin (up and down of the stacker crane 10) direction,
Input / output signals (data) of the lift rotary encoder 110 for detecting the moving distance in the vertical direction) and the Y-direction address sensor 111 for detecting vertical position marks attached to the side surface of the stacker crane 10 along the vertical direction at regular intervals. input.

The output interface of the transport unit controller (MCU) 102 includes a traveling motor 112 of the stacker crane 10, a lifting motor 113 of the transport unit 3,
A turn motor 114 for turning the direction of the doorway of the case 17 of the transport unit 3 by 180 degrees, the transport unit 3
Motor 23 for lateral movement of the storage boxes 19a, 19b in
Drive motor 3 for moving the holding and conveying means 18 back and forth
6. Electromagnetic solenoid 42 for opening and closing the holding claw 39
And outputs a predetermined command signal.

Next, the control mode of the automatic storage management control device 100 for this file holder will be described. The data storage device 105 stores all the shelf addresses for each thickness section of the file holder 2 in the storage shelf unit 1. For example, in FIG. 2, the upper three stages are the first of the thin thickness.
It is the file holder storage area 120, and the left side of the lower two rows is 3
Row of medium-thick second file holder storage area 12
1 and the right two columns in the lower two rows are the thickest third file holder storage area 122.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5 and described above,
In the storage rack unit 1 and the dolly 12, a pair of left and right overhanging reinforcement bodies 6 and 6 on the upper portion of the file holder 2 are inserted into the gaps between the suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5 of the same shape and arranged in parallel. The lower surface of each of the overhanging reinforcement bodies 6 and 6 is placed on the rail portion of the suspension support rail body 5. And
Arrangement interval (pitch) P of the adjacent suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5
If 1 (12 mm pitch in the embodiment) is narrow, the thick file holder 2 cannot be hung at the arrangement interval of the adjacent suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5, so in the present embodiment, the first file holder storage area is provided. As for 120, the file holder 2 having a small thickness is suspended at the arrangement interval (pitch) P1 of the adjacent suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5.

Regarding the second file holder storage area 121, one of the adjacent suspension support rail bodies 5 is skipped (2 × P1).
It is determined that the file holder 2 is suspended at a pitch), and is suspended at an interval of two skips (3 × P1 pitch) in the third file holder storage area 122. Then, the data storage device 105 is made to store in advance the shelf addresses for each of the first to third file holder storage areas, and the horizontal movement distance and the vertical movement distance from the origin of the storage shelf unit 1 to each shelf address. Keep it.

First, as a management procedure for storing the file holder 2 in the carriage 12 in the storage rack unit 1, the file holder is indiscriminately suspended and stored between the suspension support rail bodies 5 and 5 in the carriage 12. Next, the dolly 12 is moved to the loading / unloading section 13
Insert the card into the inside and press the storage command button on the operation panel 15 (this operation panel 15 may be installed at a location apart from the storage shelf unit 1).

As a result, the stacker crane 10 and the transport unit 3 are positioned in front of the loading / unloading section 13. Then, the transport unit 3 is brought close to the front surface of the carriage 12. At this time, as shown in FIG. 16, a route is adopted in which the transport unit 3 approaches the carriage 12 most quickly. For example, when the transport unit 3 is located above the position of the carriage 12, the stacker crane 10 is moved in the horizontal direction, and at the same time, the transport unit 3 is moved in the vertical direction along the column 11. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the transport unit 3 is stopped at the same height position as the upper stage of the truck 12 on the lower side of the storage shelf unit 1, it is sufficient to move the stacker crane 10 in the horizontal direction. .

Then, when the search sensor 106 of the transport unit 3 comes to the left end of the upper part of the dolly 12 in FIG. 16, the transport unit 3 is moved laterally along the front surface of the dolly 12 and the file holder stock confirmation sensor 106 detects. A file holder 2 in which the irradiation light is suspended from a suspension support rail body 5.
By scanning while applying it to the front end surface (front inclined surface of the overhanging reinforcement body 6), the presence / absence of the file holder 2 is detected in advance, and the address of the location where the file holder 2 exists is stored in the data storage device 105. The data is stored in the readable / writable memory (RAM) at any time. The search sensor 106
When approaching the front surface of the dolly 12, as shown in FIG. 17, it is possible to once approach the position of the right end of the dolly 12 and then start the presence / absence detection operation of the file holder 2.
The scanning order of the search sensor 106 is as shown in FIG.
As indicated by the solid line arrows in FIGS. 6 to 18, after the upper scanning of the carriage 12 is completed, the lower scanning is sequentially performed.

Next, one file holder 2 is taken in by the transport unit 3 from the end of the carriage 12. At this time, as shown in FIG. 18, the loading operation of the file holder 2 may be executed from the position closest to the position where the scanning operation by the search sensor 106 is completed, or the operation may be returned to the initial position of the scanning operation. It is also possible to carry out the work of loading the file holder 2 from. When the file holder 2 is loaded, the file holder 2 is loaded on the basis of the data stored in the data storage device 105.
The transport unit 3 is moved all at once toward the existing address. That is, when the file holder 2 is suspended in a suspended position of the carriage 12, after loading the file holder of the first book, the file holder 2 is continuously moved to a place where the file holder 2 of the second book, and the second file After the holder is taken in and then stored in the storage rack unit 1 as follows, when the transport unit 3 is moved to the front of the dolly 12 again, the transport unit is placed at the suspended position where the third file holder 2 is located. 3 is moved so as to directly approach.

During the work of loading the file holder into the above-mentioned transport unit 3, the specific code recorded by the bar code or the like for each file holder 2 is read by the bar code reader 29, and the maximum position of the file holder is read. The thickness is detected by the thickness detecting means 61. Data of a pair of the specific code and the thickness data is stored, and the transport unit 3 reaches the file holder storage area corresponding to the thickness.
To move. Since the data storage device 105 stores the empty shelf address and the storage address data in which the file holder is already stored, the value of the traveling rotary encoder 109 that calculates the traveling distance of the stacker crane 10,
The approximate horizontal position is calculated, and the approximate vertical position is calculated by the value of the lift rotary encoder 110 that calculates the lift movement distance of the transport unit 3.
The X-direction address sensor 108 provided in the lower part of the carriage and the hanging position detecting sensor 107 mounted on the transport unit 3 work together to detect an empty hanging position, and the predetermined file holder is set at that position. Store 2 At this time, the storage address is stored, and the data storage device 105 stores and manages the data including the storage address of the file holder, the specific code, and the thickness data of the file holder into one. To do.

On the contrary, when the predetermined file holder 2 is taken out from the storage rack unit 1, the reception panel 10 is used.
4 or the operation panel 15, when a specific code is keyed in and a delivery command is issued, the transport unit 3 moves toward the storage address stored as a pair with the specific code, and the storage address in the storage shelf unit 1 is reached. A predetermined file holder is taken out from the control unit and controlled so that it is carried out to the suspended position of the carriage 12 in the delivery section 13. When the predetermined file holder is taken out from the storage address of the storage shelf unit 1, it is confirmed whether or not it coincides with the one designated to detect the specific code by the barcode reader 29 in the transport unit 3 and take it out. Since (verification) can be performed, it is possible to eliminate the malfunction of taking out an incorrect file holder. Since the thickness detecting means 61 can detect the thickness of the file holder 2 again and reconfirm it, the operation of taking out the wrong file holder can be further eliminated.

In this way, the carrier unit 3 for taking out the file holder 2 from the carriage 12 positioned in the loading / unloading section 13 reads the bar code with the bar code reader 29 and the thickness detecting means 61 for the file. After detecting the thickness of the holder 2, the stacker crane 10 is horizontally moved and the transport unit 3 is vertically moved to detect a shelf address of an empty storage location in the storage shelf unit 1 according to the thickness,
When the file holder 2 is stored at that location, the data storage device 105 stores it as data of a pair of the specific code of the file holder 2 and the storage address. Therefore, when the file holder 2 is taken out next time, the file holder 2 is stored.
If the specific code is input, the transport unit 3 can be automatically moved with respect to the carriage 12 and taken out.

In the present embodiment, the file holder sending or receiving operation is executed for one of the storage rack units 1 and 1 facing each other, and the same operation is performed for the other storage rack unit 1, so that the stacker stacker is used. The direction of the transport unit 3 is 1 with respect to the column 11 of the crane 10.
It suffices if it can be changed by rotating it horizontally by 80 degrees. In the present invention, when the number of storage boxes in the transport unit 3 is one, the file holders 2 are loaded one by one from 12 so that the file holders for the second volume are also loaded in the same manner as described above when loading the second volume and thereafter. The transport unit 3 is made to approach directly to the position where the carriage is suspended.

[0050]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the storage rack unit having the hanging portions of the file holders in parallel and the storage rack unit can be put in and taken out from the storage section. In an automatic storage warehouse for taking out file holders, which comprises a trolley and a transfer unit that moves along the front surface of the storage rack unit, the transfer unit is provided with or without the file holder in the vicinity of the suspension position of the file holder. On the other hand, a search sensor for detecting the position of the file holder and a holding and conveying means for holding and taking in the upper part of one file holder are provided. When taking out the file holder from the transport unit, temporarily move the transport unit along the front surface of the suspended position of the trolley. The presence / absence of a file holder at the suspended location is detected by the touch sensor, the presence / absence of this file holder and its address are stored in the storage means, and then the transport unit is moved to the suspended location at which the file holder of the cart is located. Since the control means for controlling the file holder is provided, it takes a certain time to detect the presence / absence of the file holder in the carriage and store the address, but after that, the file holders of the second to third volumes Since the transport unit is brought directly close to the suspended location,
As a result, the time required for loading the file holder from the trolley to the transport unit can be shortened as a whole, and a quick storage management operation can be realized.

Since it is possible for an operator to arbitrarily suspend the file holder on the carriage, it is not necessary to pay much attention to the work of storing the file holder in the carriage. This has the effect of facilitating the management work for storing the file holder. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the file holder automatic storage management system according to the first aspect, the transport unit is configured to detect a thickness of the file holder according to movement of the file holder to the transport unit. And a file holder identification determining means for reading a specific code for identifying the file holder taken in the transport unit, and the file holder transferred from the carriage to the transport unit, the specific code of the file holder, and the thickness data. Based on and
Since it controls so that it will be stored in the suspended location in the file holder storage area with a predetermined thickness, the specific code is determined every time the file holder that should be stored in the storage shelf unit is loaded from the trolley to the transport unit. Then
The thickness of the file holder can be detected. Therefore, these data can be stored and stored in a predetermined suspended storage location in the storage rack unit.

Therefore, there is no error in inputting the specific code for specifying the file holder, and when the operator stores the file holder in the trolley, it is hung by classifying the file holder into each of the file holder thickness categories. In addition, there is no need to perform unnecessary work such as carrying out the warehousing operation separately, and it is possible to manage the automatic extraction and storage of the file holders extremely easily.

Further, there is an effect that the file holders of all the thicknesses can be surely stored by separating the file holders having a small thickness and the places storing a thick one.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a device for automatically taking out and storing a file holder.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a storage rack.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a suspended portion of the file holder.

5 is a front view taken along the line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a file holder and a suspension rail body.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the transport unit taken along the line VII-VII in FIG.

8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

9 is a front view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG.

10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a main body block in the pinching and conveying means.

FIG. 12 is a partially cutaway side view of a main body block.

FIG. 13 is a component perspective view of the thickness detecting means.

FIG. 14 is an operation explanatory view showing a plane of the thickness detecting means.

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram of a file holder automatic storage management control device.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of the approach of the transport unit to the carriage and the scanning path at the time of the presence / absence detection operation of the file holder.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the approach of the transport unit to the trolley and the scanning path during the presence / absence detection operation of the file holder.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the scanning path of the transport unit with respect to the carriage during the presence / absence detection operation of the file holder and the movement path during the file holder loading operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage shelf unit 2 File holder 3 Transport unit 5,5 Suspension support rail body 6 Overhanging reinforcement body 7 Engagement hole 10 Stacker crane 12 Truck 13 Cargoing / unloading section 18 Nip transfer means 19a, 19b Storage box 20 Restore guide means 21, 21 Insertion Plate 29 Bar Code Reader 36 Drive Motor 39, 39 Clamping Claw 42 Electromagnetic Solenoid 61 Thickness Detecting Means 63a, 63b Sensor Body 64 Rotary Encoder 100 File Holder Automatic Storage Management Device 101 Ground Station Central Processing Unit 102 Conveyor Controller 105 Data storage device 106 Search sensor 107 Suspended / suspended position detection sensor 108 X direction address sensor 109 Traveling rotary encoder 110 Elevating rotary encoder 111 Y direction address sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage shelf unit having hanging portions for the file holders arranged in parallel, a trolley that can be taken in and out of a storage section of the storage shelf unit, and a transport unit that moves along the front surface of the storage shelf unit. In the storage warehouse for automatically taking out the file holder, the transport unit holds a search sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the file holder near the suspended position of the file holder and the upper part of one file holder. On the other hand, a suspending and suspending portion of the file holder is formed in parallel on the carriage, and when the file holder is taken out from the truck to the transport unit, the suspending and suspending portion of the carriage is temporarily suspended. While the transport unit is running along the front surface, the search sensor enables the presence of the file holder at the suspended position. There is provided a control means for detecting the absence, storing the presence or absence of the file holder and its address in the storage means, and then controlling the carriage unit to move to the suspended position where the file holder is present in the carriage. An automatic storage management system for file holders. 2. The transport unit includes a thickness detecting means for sensing the thickness of the file holder according to the movement of the file holder to the transport unit, and a specific code for identifying the file holder loaded in the transport unit. A file holder identification determining means for reading, the file holder transferred from the carriage to the transport unit, based on the identification code of the file holder and the thickness data,
The automatic storage management system for a file holder according to claim 1, wherein the system is controlled so that the file holder is stored in a suspended position in a file holder storage area having a predetermined thickness.