JPS6093007A - Article storing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lessen restrictions upon an installation place for an article storing apparatus and to facilitate picking by putting in and out a storing receptacle from a rack table to a receiving table of a picking station on the draw-out side, and elevating a part of the receiving table. CONSTITUTION:A rack table 3 of a rotary rack 1 is rotated through a sprocket wheel 11 to position a designated rack table 3 at a picking station 2. A designated article storing receptacle 4 on the rack table 3 is drawn out onto a receiving table 171-174 of a picking station 2 by a draw-out and push-back device not shown, so that an article is put in or out from the side thereof. In case of the uppermost or lowermost receiving table 171 or 174, after the receptacle 4 is drawn out, the receiving table 171 or 174 is elevated to a position easy to operate by an elevating device 24. This arrangement can lessen restrictions upon an installation place to facilitate lay-out and be conveniently used.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Detailed Description of the Invention] Uninventively, horizontally arranged annular Q) shelves are provided in several stages KW above and below, and a number of article storage containers are placed on each shelf in an annular movement determined by the shelves. This invention relates to a so-called rotating shelf that is stored so as to rotate along a path.

When items such as document files and magnetic tapes are stored on such a rotating shelf, the VC stores these items in storage containers constituting unit shelves on the shelf. In the conventional rotating shelf, the storage container has an opening surface on the front surface along the moving direction of the storage container on the shelf, and this opening surface is opened toward the outside of the rotating shelf and also on the shelf. place the storage container, rotate these storage containers, move the storage container containing the item to be taken out to the removal position, and take out the required item from the opening surface facing outward of the storage container. Ta. In this case, if the operation of a rotating shelf in which the storage containers of each stage rotate independently for each stage is automated, the other stages will rotate while the items on that stage are being taken out. Since the storage container containing articles that need to be taken out is at the take-out position, there is almost no waiting time for rotation, making it suitable for taking out a large number of articles in succession.

This process of removing a desired item from a storage container is called pinking.

By the way, in the method of directly picking up a desired article from a storage container stored on a revolving shelf as described above, the storage container's take-out port, that is, the opening surface (hereinafter referred to as the frontage surface), is directed toward the outside of the seven shelves, and Each article to be stored in the container must be arranged and stored so that at least one end thereof is exposed to the frontage surface. For example, if the stored items are files, the backs of each file must be arranged side by side in rows along the front face of the storage container, and thus along the outer edge of the shelf. When storing items arranged in the storage container as described above, if you try to increase the number of items stored, you will inevitably have to widen the opening width, and you will not be able to utilize the depth. .

Even in the case of general items, increasing the depth of the slave device by 7 points significantly impairs workability. The same applies to the entire carousel; if you try to store a large number of items on one carousel,
The total length Z of each stage must be lengthened to increase the number of storage containers, or the number of stages must be increased.

Therefore, in cases where the length is limited or where there is a restriction on the movement, it is necessary to increase the number of rotating shelves. Either a number of people are required, or one person must walk around and handle each carousel.

The invention thus relates to an improvement of the conventional revolving shelf, in which an article storage container is stored in each shelf so that it can be freely pulled out, and the article storage container is pulled out from the shelf and parallel to the direction in which the container is pulled out. After placing the goods in the river from the same side, the same container is stored on the original shelf. It is characterized by the ability to raise and lower some of the pedestals among several tiers of pedestals, and the purpose of this is to be able to raise and lower the pedestals without being restricted by the length or height of the installation location.
To provide an article storage device which can store a large amount of goods on a stand, can have a layout suitable for the installation location, and can easily be pinked manually regardless of the height.

3- According to the present invention, since the pinking operation is performed at the picking station, there is no need to store each article storage container with the front side facing the outside of the shelf. A large number of article storage containers can be stored on one rotating shelf by arranging relatively narrow sides along the length of the shelf. Make effective use of the depth of the shelf and increase the opening width for each storage container. Therefore, according to the invention, the depth of the shelf, that is, the frontage of the container, can be arbitrarily designed while satisfying the storage capacity. With one unit, you can create a layout that suits your installation location. Also, in general, regardless of the depth dimension of the shelf,
Since the width of the internal dead space surrounded by the back of the shelf, that is, the annular shelf, is constant, increasing the depth of the shelf by 2 reduces the proportion of dead space, resulting in the so-called space saving effect IE+.

In the invention, the number of stored articles per unit length of the shelf can be increased, in other words, the length of the shelf is shorter than before compared to the number of stored articles, so the transfer of the rotating shelf is In addition, since the article storage container is pulled out to the kick station and then picked, the work is similar to picking from a stationary shelf and is easy.

Furthermore, in an uninventive way, the pedestal provided at the picking station can be moved up and down, so for example, goods can be picked up from the upper or lower shelf of the carousel. By making it possible to raise and lower the storage containers and output trays, 1, the trays for storing articles that have been pulled out on these trays, together with the trays, can be easily used for pinking work7.
It can be lowered or raised to a suitable height for pinking, and the pinking work can be performed at this position, which also facilitates manual pinking work and improves work efficiency.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a file storage device as an embodiment of the invention. (2) is a rotating shelf, and a picking station 2 is fixedly placed in contact with this rotating shelf.

The rotating shelf 11C is provided with several levels of horizontal annular shelf stands 3.3... with upper and lower VC anchors, and a large number of article storage containers 4.4... are stored on each shelf stand 3. There is. Each article storage container 4 is placed on a support member 5 movably provided on the top surface of the shelf 3, as shown in FIG. A running wheel 8.9 is provided on the lower surface of the support member 5 and guided by annular rail members 6.7Vc provided along the outer edge and inner edge of the shelf 3, respectively. The inner edge of the support member 5 is connected to the chino 10. Cheno 10 is shelf stand 3
The support members 5 extend in series and annularly along the inner edge of the support members 5 and engage with the sprocket wheel 11, and are driven by the sprocket wheel 11 (
(The chain 100 is not shown in FIG. 1).

Accordingly, the article storage container 4 placed on the support member 5 is also driven by the sprocket wheel 11 through the chino 10 and the support member 5, and rotates annularly along the shelf 31C. By controlling the driven motor, a desired article storage container 4 can be rotated and stopped below the position of the picking station 2. The sprocket wheels 11 are provided for each stage of the rotary shelf 1, and are driven independently by separate motors.

Guides 5 provided along both sides of the support member 5 at 12
As shown in t1g and FIG. 4, the guide member 12vc is guided to the article storage container 4 and stored on the support member 5, or pulled out from the support member 5. The article storage container 4 has a Naman body, and one side thereof is open and the frontage side 1 is open.
There are 3 and Natsuτ. and a large number of files 14.141・
are arranged and stored side by side on the frontage surface 13. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the VC and storage container 4 are stored with the frontage surface 18 oriented toward the depth direction of the shelf 3, so that the depth of the shelf 3 can be utilized as described above. The number of files that can be stored in the storage containers 4VL can be increased, and the number of storage containers 4 that can be stored on one shelf 3 can be increased. 7 of each file 14 aligned with the frontage surface 13, the lower part of the back, said plan V: the upright part 121 of the J member 12 (
(Fig. 4) prevents each file 14 from jumping out of the storage container.

Inside the storage container 4, as shown in FIG. be done. The illustrated storage container 4 stores the files 14 in a line, but if the frequency of loading and unloading is not very high, one storage container 4Z may be divided into several upper and lower stages.
The files 14Y may be arranged and stored in each of these stages. A hook-shaped handle 16 bent downward is provided on the wall surface of the storage container 4 that faces outward when the storage container 4 is stored on the support member 5.

At the pinking station 2, as shown in FIG.
・It has a bookshelf-like structure with an open front and one side. And at this opening ■ side rotating shelf t
A storage container 4 on the supporting member 5 of the rotating shelf 1 can be pulled out through the open lobby and a storage container take-out location PVc.

Each storage container retrieval location P &It's 5 years old, and I can't help but beg for it.
The other pedestal 17 is fixed to the picking station 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the uppermost cradle 1
71 and the lowest pedestal 174 can be raised and lowered, and the pedestal 171 has the holder 171 to take out the storage container 4 from the uppermost two shelves. 2
Responsible for taking out the storage containers 4 from the shelves of the tiers. On the other hand, the middle pedestals 172 and 17s are each fixed to the pinking station 2Vc, and there are only seven lines for taking out the storage container 4 from the corresponding one shelf.

When manually picking stored items from a picking station, if the height of the rotating shelf is high, it may be difficult to reach or pick up the upper shelves, and it is also difficult to pick items from the lower shelves.

Accordingly, as in the non-example, upper and lower pedestals 17,
, 1.74 The upper or lower storage container 4, which is difficult to work on, can be raised and lowered by pulling it out onto the cradle 171.174, and then lowering or raising it to a height where it is easy to work. To increase the number of stored articles by increasing the number of stages of the rotating shelves without requiring special automatic picking equipment or considering the workability of picking. A giant monkey.

It is advantageous to perform the pinking 2 at a height near the height where the pinking operation can be easily performed, without raising or lowering the pulled out storage container 4, because pulling out and pushing back the storage container 4 can be done in a short time. Therefore, the cradle 17 (in the embodiment of FIG. 1 (steps 172 and 173)) located at this height is fixed to the pinking station 2.

In addition, if you store 4 storage containers that are relatively infrequently taken out on the rotating shelves [upper shelf 3 and lower shelf 3], the upper and lower elevating supports can be stored. The overall pinking work efficiency Z can be increased by compensating for the decrease in the efficiency of pulling out and pushing back the storage container on the stand.

The 6 receivers of picking station 2 are 171CG! As shown in detail in FIG. 4, there are provided a support member I8 for guiding and supporting the drawn out storage container 4, and a drawer push-back device 19 for pulling out and pushing back the storage container 4. Drawer push back device @ 19 &! It consists of a guide rail and a hook 21 that reciprocates while being slidingly guided by the guide rail, and the claw piece 22 provided on the hook 21 engages with the handle 16 provided on the storage container, and the storage container 4
Pull it out onto the supporting member 18. This storage container and revolving shelf
023 is a hook drive motor, and the output shaft of this motor is connected to the hook 21 through a sprocket wheel and chain (not shown). It is moved by 21 ranks as appropriate in accordance with the command signal. In addition to the reciprocating motion along the guide rail, the hook 21 must also move up and down when the claw 22 and handle 16 are engaged and disengaged.

11- In FIG. 4, the vertical movement Zn can be performed by using the lifting device 24 at the top or bottom of FIG. 1. The other fixed pedestal 17 is similarly provided with a link mechanism or a mechanism for raising and lowering only the drawer push-back device 19, so that the vertical movement necessary for engaging and disengaging the claw piece 22 is prevented. There is.

The side members 25 of the frame member 5 fixed to the picking station 2 are attached to the lifting device '2A. A pair of left and right first link members have one end pivotally attached to the front end and the other end pivotably attached to the rear end of the cradle 17, and one end is pivoted to the side member 5. The sliding piece 27 is slidably pivotally connected to the plate 17 at the other end.
It has second link member paths 7 on the left and right sides, which are pivotally connected to the front end of the link member. It is connected to a movable VC. The lower ends of the left and right second link member paths are connected by a rotation shaft 29, and the piston shaft 32 of the air cylinder 12-1'J f cylinder 31 is pivoted to this rotation shaft 29 via a bracket 30. It is worn.

In addition to this 5 lifting device, by controlling the supply and discharge of air to and from the air cylinder 31 and causing the piston shaft 32 to reciprocate, the receiver can be raised and lowered parallel to the platform 17. FIG. 4 shows the state in which the pedestal 17 is raised to pull out the four storage containers on the upper stage. Now, if the illustrated shelves 3.3 are the two shelves located at the top of the rotating shelf l, then the storage container 4
When it is pulled out onto the pedestal 17, the lifting device is operated and the pedestal 17 is lowered to a position where it comes into contact with the frame member 5, and the pinking operation is performed at this position. The storage container 4 on the lower stage is pulled out with the tray 17 lowered.
Picking work is also performed in this state.

The storage container 4 is pulled out from the rotating shelf l onto the pedestal 17 of the picking station 2, and is lowered or raised to an appropriate height as described above depending on the case.
As shown in FIG. 1, the frontage surface 13 faces the front Z, and the files 14 that are lined up behind this frontage surface can be easily approached and pinked. The work of taking out the file 14 from the storage container 4, ie, pinking, is performed manually by a person. In this case, at each stage of pinking station 2,
A large number of retrieval indicator lamps are arranged according to the position of each file when the storage container 4 is pulled out, and the storage position of the required file is searched through a computer, etc.
If the corresponding retrieval instruction lamp is lit, the picker can simply take out the file 2 located at the position of the lit instruction lamp, and the work can be done quickly and accurately.

The above-mentioned file storage system is used, for example, to store medical records in hospitals. In other words, each patient's chart is stored in a file in a fixed format for each patient, and this file Z
Store it in a storage device like the one above. Then τ required VC
Depending on the situation, for example, you can select the files of the patients you will treat on that day, take them out all at once, and then put them back when you are done with them.

Other examples are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the pinking station 2 is also open on the back side and is open on three sides. A drawer push-back device 19 is provided on the open back surface VC so as to be able to move up and down. That is, the drawer push-back device 19 in the non-example is as follows:
A vertical guide rail 33 (see Fig. 6) provided on the frame structure of the picking station 2 is slidably attached to the vertical guide rail 33 (see Figure 6), and is driven by a chino 34 K so that it can move up and down along the guide rail 33. . Therefore, only one drawer/push-back device 19 is provided in the picking station 2, and each stage of storage containers Z is processed with this one device. Drawer push-back device 19 driven by a sprocket wheel 36 and a chino 34
It is a lifting motor that raises and lowers the vehicle. Drawer push back device 1
9 is provided with a sliding guide 37 similar to the guide rail addition in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 4, and a sliding base 38 is slidably mounted on this sliding guide 37. There is. The sliding table 38 is connected to a chino 40Vc driven by a drive motor 391C, and is driven by the motor 39 to reciprocate along the sliding guide 37. A hook piece 41 is provided on the sliding table 38K so as to be rotatable around an @ line parallel to the sliding guide 37. And this hook 8 IS
The piece 41 is driven by the hook rotation motor 42 and rotates around the τ W@ line, and as shown in FIG.
At the front end position 8, it engages with the handle 6 of the storage container 4 on the rotating shelf 1. In this case, the handle 16 is bent upward, contrary to the previous embodiment, and has a hook shape, and the hook portion 4
1, it falls from above due to the rotational movement and engages with the handle 16. Therefore, in the non-example or as in the example above,
There is no need to move the push-out and push-back device 19Z up and down to determine the engagement with the handle 16. Sprocket wheels 11 are provided at both ends of the long axis on the inner circumferential side of the oval annular χ (the shape of the sprocket wheel on the right side of the drawing is omitted).

As described above, this sprocket wheel 11 is provided for each stage, and each stage is independently driven by a chain 7, 3, and 1 motor MK. In FIG. 716-0, only two sets of the chino 43 and motor M are shown. As in each of the embodiments described above, the pinking station 2 is normally provided at a distance τ in contact with the end surface of the annular path of the rotary shelf l in the longitudinal direction. However, depending on the circumstances surrounding the place where this article storage device is installed, such as the difficulty of carrying out the picked articles after sowing, as shown by 2' in Fig. 7α, the long axis of the rotating shelf l may It may be provided in contact with the side surface VC along the line. In addition, the pick-up station is portable and can be used at any location (IC).
You may also make it so that f.

FIG. 76 is a drawing similar to FIG. 7a showing the conventional carousel 01, 03&! Shelving stand, 04, goods storage container, 010.0
43 is Chen, 0IHX Suge Rocket Wheel, M & Emotor. The conventional carousel O1 does not have a pinking station like the one in the invention, and articles are taken out directly from the storage container 04 installed on the shelf 03. Therefore, the storage container 04 must be placed on the shelf 03 with the frontage l2 for taking out the storage container 03 facing outward parallel to the outer edge of the shelf 03. As you can clearly see, if the length of the rotating shelf is constant, the number of storage containers stored in the conventional rotating shelf O1 will be less than the number of storage containers stored in the uninvented rotating shelf 1. For example, if the ratio of the opening width and depth of the storage container is 2=1,
The conventional rotating shelf 011C can only store half the number of containers as the inventive rotating shelf 1, and in order to store the same number of containers, VC requires two conventional rotating shelves O1. By the way, in both the conventional rotating shelf 01 and the rotating shelf 11c in the Tk non-invention, Cheno 0]0'f, constant is 1
The space 44 surrounded by 0 and 1 becomes a dead space, but this dead space requires a certain amount of space and is necessary for each rotating shelf. Therefore, rotating shelves 2
When used as a stand, this dead space doubles, and considering the minimum space required around each rotating shelf, the Inventive Scent C has a much smaller installation area than the conventional one. On the other hand, a much larger amount of beggar can be stored for the same footprint.

Although each of the above-mentioned embodiments is an apparatus for storing fixed-sized articles such as files, the stored articles of the inventive apparatus are not limited to such fixed-shaped articles. As shown in FIG. 8, parts of various shapes and lengths can be stored separately for each part, and required parts can be retrieved as needed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the inside of the storage container 4 is divided into a plurality of booths 46Vc by a partition wall 45, and each booth 461C stores one type of parts. The upper part of the storage container has an opening that is slanted toward the front, and the stored items can be easily taken out through this opening.

The other equipment is the same as in each of the above embodiments, and 'f Yj
The same effect can be obtained, such as being able to store a large number of articles in one storage device.

In addition, when the storage container 4Q is rotating in the rotary shelf I and its moving speed is high (when it passes through the T corner of the sprocket wheel 11, it tends to be pushed out by centrifugal force. In such a case, It is preferable to provide a member for preventing the storage container from popping out on the outside of the support member 5.

19- An example of such a protrusion prevention member is shown in FIG.

This protrusion prevention member 47 includes a hinge 48 attached to the lower surface of the support member 5, and 10,000 arm pieces 48 of this hinge 48.
(The outer end of this locking member 49 has a connecting piece 49α interposed therebetween, and the locking piece 49
9 A is provided. The locking piece 496 is usually the hinge 4
8, the spring 50 protrudes from the center of the front surface of the support member 5, as shown by the chain line in the figure, and prevents the storage container stored on the support member 5 from flying out due to centrifugal force. 0 At the left front end facing the rotation 11111 of the pinking station 2, there is an arm member that swings up and down around an axis parallel to the front edge of the pinking station 2, and is normally moved upward by a spring force. Although it has been flipped up and is out of the rotation path of the support member 5, when the storage container on the support member 5 is pulled out, the V
CtS, the hook 21 (Fig. 4) moves forward and this arm member? Since the arm member is pushed down, the support member 5 swings toward the end of the support member 5, and the connecting piece 49a is held down from above, and the locking piece 49
h is adapted to be lowered to the position shown by the solid line in Fig. 9 to release the storage container. When the storage container is moved back from station 2 onto the support member 5, the arm member is pushed down by the storage container itself, and the locking piece 49b descends to the solid line position.

Although several embodiments have been described above, the invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

For example, in the embodiment of FIG.
The shelf stand on the tier and the two lower shelf stands are each handled by a cradle that can be raised and lowered. Or it may be placed in any other position.Also, 1
Two or more stage supports may be held by one liftable stand.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the article storage device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a partial view of a storage container of the same example, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the storage container drawer push-back device and the pedestal lifting device. 5 and 6 are perspective views showing other embodiments,
Fig. 7a is a plan view showing the arrangement relationship 7 between the carousel and one picking station, Fig. 7h is a similar plan view showing the conventional carousel, Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment, and Fig. 9
The figure is a perspective view showing a member for preventing the storage container from popping out. 1 Mountain rotary shelf, 2 Mountain dot kick station, 3 mountain shelf stand, 4... Goods storage container, 5... Support member, 6.
7... Rail member, 8.9... Running wheel, 10 chain chain, 11... Sprogt wheel, 12... Guide member, 13... Frontage surface, 14... File, 15
... Crosspiece member, 16 ... Handle, 17 ... Holder is stand, 1
8...Supporting member, 19...Drawer push-back device, addition/removal
・・Guide rail, 2】Yu hook, 22 chevron claw pieces, O・
・・Hook drive motor, Sae・・Lifting device, 5・°・
Frame member, 26... First link member, 27... Sliding piece, A... Second link member, 29... Rotating shaft,
30... Bracket, 31... Air cylinder, 32
...Piston shaft, 33...Guide rail, 34...
・Cheno, 35... Lifting motor, 36... Line 0
Butt wheel, 37...Sliding guide, Seki...Sliding stand, 39...Drive motor, 40...Cheno, 41
...Hook piece, 42...Hook rotation motor, 4
3... Cheno, 44... Dead Space, 45...
- Partition wall, 46... Booth, 47... Protrusion prevention member, 48... Hinge, 49... Locking member, 50... Spring. Agent: Patent Attorney Nozomi Ehara (2 persons) Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 7b Fig. 9 1982 Patent Application No. 197623 2, Title of the invention Article storage device 3 Relationship to the case of the person making the amendment Patent applicant address 1-6 Surugadai, "Kamiguchi, Chiyo 111-ku, Tokyo" Name Nippon Futo Iring IJ Construction Ne1 Co., Ltd. Representative 1) Tohei Shima, 4th generation Address: 1-1-17 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Toramon Umehara Building) Tel: 03-501-2621 Name:
(6784) Patent attorney Nozomi Ebara 2 persons 5 Date of amendment order Voluntary order 6 Increased by amendment Number of inventions covered None 7 Supplement Ⅰ for the subject specification 8, Contents of amendment Page 11, line 4 and 12 @ No. Change "Storage Container" in line 1 to "Storage Container" by ¥1.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Horizontally arranged annular U) Shelves are provided in multiple levels above and below, each shelf has a number of storage containers for a number of items, and each shelf is independent along the annular movement route defined by the shelf. In an article storage device that is stored so as to be able to rotate at a temperature of τ,
The article storage container is stored on each of the shelves so that it can be freely drawn out, and after the article storage container is pulled out from the shelf and articles are put in and taken out from a plane parallel to the direction in which the container is pulled out, the container is also removed. The kick station device is provided with a plurality of tiers of cradle stored in a shelf with a plurality of tiers in contact with each of the tiers, and a portion of the cradle of the plurality of tiers can be raised and lowered. An article storage device with unique features.