CA1204677A

CA1204677A - Full automatic storehouse

Info

Publication number: CA1204677A
Application number: CA000432364A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Kenro Motoda
Original assignee: Motoda Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Motoda Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1983-07-15
Filing date: 1983-07-13
Publication date: 1986-05-20
Also published as: SE8304010L; DE3326017A1; SE8304010D0; FR2548882B1; GB2143223A; GB8318851D0; DE3326017C2; FR2548882A1; SE442622B; GB2143223B

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A fully automatic storehouse having a storeroom composed of one or more boxes of a transportable size pro-vided with racks for storing articles. The storeroom further comprises at least one traveling crane which is capable of reaching any desired position of the racks and an operating station for controlling the operation of the traveling crane. The storehouse may further have a lift which is moved vertically to receive the articles or discharge at the upper extremity of the storehouse and to transfer the articles to or from the crane at a lower posi-tion. This storehouse ean be prefabricated in a factory or composed of several units which are prefabricated in the factory, and it ean be easily set up at the site where it is installed. This storehouse can be installed under the ground to save a space above the ground.

Description

~;204677 l'he presen-t invention relates to a fully automatic storehouse for storing and controlling articles, and more particularly to a small scale fully automatic storehouse which is suitable for use in homes or oEfices.

I-t is often -the case in the home -that an excess of household articles, such as furni-ture, ki-tchenwares, clothes, books, and bedclo-thes occupies space in the home inhibiting the effective use of rooms and maintai.ning -the rooms nea-t and confortable and fur-ther to have easy access -to desired articles.
The same may be said of offices or stores.

To solve these problems, a mul-tifloor automatic storehouse in proposed which is usually used in a factory or 1.5 -the 1.:ike. However, this -type of automat:lc storehouse is, in general, .Eabr.icated on site and accorcl:lng1y :i.t :is expensive.
Moreover, such a storehouse .i9 st:ruct~:l.rc~ .y unsu:itccl Eor pe:r-sonal use and requ:ires a :La:rge space to set :i.t up.

The present inven-tion provides a prefabricated fully au-toma-tic storehouse which is capable of being mass-produced in a fac-tory and -therefore capabl.e of being manufactured at a reasonable cost and which can be easily se-t up a-t any desired place, for exampl.e, underground to save space above the ground required for :ins-tall.ing -the storehouse.

Accordi.n~ to the present invention thereEore there is provided a ~-ul.l.y automat:ic storehouse compri.sin~J: a sel.f-contained storeroom of transportable size con-taining a plurality of modular racks for storing articles therein, the racks being arrayed -to form a pair o:E ver-tical rectangular s-torage matrices which extend horizontal.ly in spaced parallel relationship so as to deEine a prallel space extending therebe-tween, said storage matrices being horizon-tall.y and ver-tical.ly coterminous;
a travel.ling crane in said space horizon-tal.ly movable therein between and parallel to said storage ma-trices, said crane 6~7 having a vertically movabl.e base -therein adapted to convey storage ar-ticles to and from any vertical level of said storage matrices; a lift adjoining said s-torage ma-trices a-t one of -the I paris of co-terminous horizon-tal ends -thereof and vertically i 5 extending from -the in-terior to the ex-terior of said storeroom, ! said l.if-t having a ver-ticall.y movable base -therein adap-ted -to convey s-torage articles into and from said s-toreroom; an operating station ex-terior -to said storeroom for controlling said crane and said lift to convey storage ar-ticles to and :Erom any selected rack in said matrices and to and from said store-room, and spaces which are formed a-t least a-t one end of said storeroom vertical.ly along by the vertical extending position of said lif-t for installing piping for air-conditioner, elec-trical devices, a ladder for emergencyr wiring for said opera-ting sta-tion.

'I`hus :Ln accordance w:Lth the preserll. i.nvellt:iorl, the ;Eu.l:ly automat1.c sto:reht)~:lse compr:ises: a stoxe.roc)m composetl oE
one or more boxes of a t:ransportable size which is or are each provided wi-th racks for storing articl.es thereon; at leas-t one -travelling crane disposed in said s-toreroom and adapted -to move for conveying ar-ticles to be stored to the racks or taking s-toring articles from the racks; and an operating sta-tion for controlling said travelling crane -to convey -the ar-ticles to and from a desired positon of the racks.

In one embodl.men-t of the present lnvention the store-room and said operating station are formed resepc-t.ively of un.its separate from each o-ther. Suitably said storeroom, opera-ting station and li.ft are formed respec-tively oE units separa-te form one another. Preferably said storeroom is assembled from a plurality of horizon-tally adjoining boxes. Alternatively said storeroom is assembled from a pl.urali-ty of vertically adjoining boxes. Desirably said crane comprises a clamp mem-ber for transferring storage articles be-tween -the base of said crane and said racks. More desirably the s-torehouse includes . .
~ ~ 2 ~46'7~

transfer means for -transferring storage articles between -the base of said crane and the base of said lif-t. Suitably said storeroom is adapted to be buried under -the ground while -the operating s-tation is located above -the ground for use as a retreat or shel-ter having a space in which condi-tioner or an air cleaner, a bed, a refrigerator, food, water, e-tc. may be provided or stored according -to necessity.

The present invention will be fut-ther illustrated by way of the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of one em-bodimen-t of a fully automatic storehouse according -to -the pre-sent invention;
Fig. 2 ls a sectional view oE the Eully automatic storehouse talcen along :line :CC-:[C of F:ig. :I;

Fig. 3 is a partially cu-t-away plan view of the fully automatic storehouse of Fig. l;

Fig. ~ is a fragmentary plan view of -the fully au-to-matic storehouse of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a perspec-tive view of an opera-tlng sta-tion ot` the Eully automatic storehouse;

F'ig. 6 is a chart show:in~ the pos:itions oE racks diagrammatically;
Fig.s 7 and ~ are perspective views of pallets to be placed on the racks;

Fig. 9 is an explanatory view showing an ins-tallation example of the Eully automa-tic storehouse of E'ig. l;

~ - 3 -1~46~

i Fig. 10 is a perspec-tive view of another embodiment oE ~ fully au-toma-tic storehouse according to -the present in-vention;

Fig. 11 is a partially cut-away plan view of -the fully automatic storehouse of Fig. 10;

Fig.s 12 and 13 are similar partially cut-away plan views of further embodimen-ts of fully automatic s-torehouse according -to the present inven-tion;

, Fig. 14 is fragmentary enlarged sec-tional view of ', coupling por-tions of boxes constituting a s-toreroom;

JS Fig. 15 is a :Longitudinal sectional v:iew oE the fully automatic storehousc o e ~:L~3~ 1.0;

Fig. 16 is a longltudinal sectional view oE a box unit employable in the present invention;
Fig. 17 is a partially cut-away side elevational view of a still another embodiment of a fully au-tomatic store-house according -to -the present inven-tion;

~5 Fig. 18 is a perspec-tive view of a still another embodimen-t oE a fully automatic storehouse according to the present invention;

Fig. 19 is a side elevational view of a s-till another embodiment of a fully automatic storehouse according to the presen-t inven-tion; and Fig. 20 is a longitudinal sectional vlew of a s-till another embodiment of a fully au-toma-tic s-torehouse according -to -the present invention.

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ReEerring now to Fig.s 1 -to 9, there is illustrated one embodi.ment of -the present inven-tion.

A Eully au-tomatic storehouse of this embodiment com-prises a storeroom 1 which is formed of a box 10, a -t:ravelling crane 2, racks 3 and a lift 4.

The box 10 has a s-truc-ture herme-tically sealed but an openinc3 11 and has a size transportable for example A "
~ - 3b -9L6~7 by a truck. The size of the box 10 is for example about

2 m in height and width and about 6 m :in length. The framework of the box 10 preferably has a strength sufficient to resist a pressure of the earth when buried under the ground as wlll be described later. For this reason, the box 10 is ~ormed for example of a rectangular frame and panels of iron or polyvinyl chloride fixed thereto. The box 10 may have a double-wall structure with a heat insulator inserted between the walls.
Within the box 10, the traveling crane 2 such as a stacker crane is d:isposed in a space 13 defined by the racks 3 which are provided on the opposite s:Ldes of the box 10 so as to extend along the substantial length thereof, The racks 3 open at the sides thereoE adjacent to the space 13 to allow articles to be brou~ht into the racks or taken out ~.rom the racks. The racks 3 may be divided into an appropriate number of sections 3a and may be partitioned with walls according to necessity, The traveling crane 2 is adapted to run along a path formed within the space 13. In the embodiment as illustrated, the crane 2 runs in a longitudinal direction of the box 10 along guide rails 14, 14 provided centrally on a floor of the box 10 and a guide rail 15 provided centrally on a ceiling of the box 10. The crane 2 has a base 21 which is adapted to move up and down along a frame o~ the crane 2. The base 21 has a cramp means 22 through which an article B held on the base 21 is transferred to the rack 3 or an article B on the rack 3 is transferred to the base 21 of the crane 2. These operations are automatically carried out in response to a signal from an instruction section of an operating station 5 as will be described in detail later.
At a longitudinal end of the box 10 is formed ,~,, ~46~

centrally a space 12 for allowing the lift 4 to move up and down. In the embodimen-t as illustrated, the space 12 communicates, at its upper end, with the outside. In this arranyement, the lift 4 i5 associated with the traveling crane 2 so as to meet it at predetermined vertical positions thereof. The lift 4 may be a crane having a base 41 which is adapted to move up and down to rece:ive an article to be stored from the outside or to discharge an article from the storeroom 1 at the upper extreme end of the storehouse.
The lift 4 Eurther has a transfer means 42 for example a reach fork to transfer an article on the base 41 to the base 21 of the traveling crane 2 or receive an article from the base 21 of the crane 2.
~s d~scrlbed above, the travellng crane 2~ the racks 3 and the llft 4 ar~ preliminarily set in the box 10 to form the storeroom 1. Thus~ the storeroom transportable for example by a truck can be prefabricated in a factory and mass-produced.
When it is required to set the storehouse of the present invention under the ground and there is a considerable distance from the surface of the ground to the top of the box 10, another unit separate from the box 10 may be used, in combination, for forming an extension of the passa~e of the lift ~. This separate unit may include the operating station 5.
On the opposite sides of the space 12 are formed spaces 16 and 17 for installing piping for air-conditioner, electrical devices, a ladder for emergency, wiring for the instruction section of the operating station S, etc.
As can be seen from Figs 1, 4 and 5~ the operating station 5 is combined with the storeroom 1 to constitute a storehouse The operating station 5 includes the instruction section 51 for controlling the traveling ~. .

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crane 2 and the lift 4 and a port 52 for delivering or receiving articles.
When this operating station 5 is incorporated in the unit which is provided with the extension of the passage for the lift 4 as described above, this unit may be assembled, at the site where the storehouse is set, with the box 10, for example, at the opening 11 of the bo~ 10.
The wiring, piping and connection of guide rails for the lift 4 may be carried out after such assemblage.
Alternatively, the operating station 5 may be incorporated in the box 10 when the operating station is not so bulky.
The port 52 is used to deliver an article to the base 41 of the lift 4 or to receive an article therefrom as described above. I'he port 52 may have a hatch. The hatch may be so formed that it can be opened only by an instruction from the instruction section 51 of the operating station 52. In this case, -the articles stored in the storeroom 1 can be protected from theft.
The instruction section 51 includes switches, a keyboard and a microcomputer, if necessary, for remote-controlling the traveling crane 2, the lift 4~ the clamp means 22 and the transfer means 42.
The operation of the instruction section 41 for controlling the delivery of articles will now be described referring to Fig. 6.
The traveling crane 2 makes a horizontal movement from a first row to a tenth row oE the racks 3 and a vertical movement from a first step to a fourth step of the racks 3. The lift 4 makes a vertical movement in a row 0 from the first step to the fourth step and further to a step E.
The lift 4 carries out the transfer of articles at a block O-E~ i.e.~ the intersection of the row 0 and .~ ., ~2~77 the step E relative to the port 52 and at a block 0-4 relative to the traveling crane 2 located at a block 1-4.
The -traveling crane 2, in turn, carries out the transfer of the articles relative to any desired block of the racks Oll either side.
More specifically, in order to convey articles to the racks 3, a carrying-in switch oE the instruction section 51 is operated to move the traveling crane 2 to the block 1-4 and to call the lift 4 to the block O-E so as to deliver the articles onto the base 41 of the ]ift 4. When a key associated with a block into which the articles are to be sent is depressed, the lift 4 is lowered to the block 0-4 so as to transfer the articles to the traveling crane 2 which is standing-by at the block 1-4.
The transfer of the articles to the base 22 oE the crane 2 is carrled out, for example~ by the transfer means 42.
Thereaf-ter, the traveling crane 2 moves to the desired block and stands before the desired section 3a of the rack 3.
The articles on the base 21 of the crane 2 is held by the clamp means 22 and sent in or pushed into the section 3a of the rack. Thus, the storage operation is completed.
To take out the stored articles from the rack

3, first, a taking-out switch is opera-ted and a key for a block (e.g. a block 9-3 as shown in Fig 1) from which the articles are to be carried out is depressed. As a result, the traveling crane 2 is operated to position the base 21 before the desired section 3a of the rack 3. Then~
the clamp means 22 draws the articles out of the section 3a and put them on the base 21. The crane 2 then moves horizontally to a block 1-3. The articles on the base 21 of the crane 2 is transferred by the trans~er means 42 to the base 41 of the lift 4 which has been preliminarily moved to a block 0-3. After receiving the articles~ the li~t

4 ascends to the block O-E~ where the articles are picked up through the port 52 of the operating station 5.
The articles may be handled through a container 61 made for example of plastics which is put on an L-shaped pallet 6. This container S1 is suitable for containing ordinary clothes, bedclothes such as blankets etc., kitchenwares or the like. For small wares, books or other articles which are needed frequently may be stored through a pallet 6 having sectioned spaces 62.
The pallets 6 each have a coupling member ~not shown) on the respective front faces thereof which is adapted to cooperate, for example, with a rod of the clamp means 22 extensible by a cylinder etc. rrhe clamp means 22 and the transfer means 42 may be formed of a pincller member or an adsorber Eixed to a tip end oE the cylinder rod.
The pallet 6 may have rollers which are engaged with a guide rail or guide rails provided in each section 3a of the rack 3 to facilitate the insertion or drawing out of the pallet 6 into or out of the section 3a of the rack 3. The articles may, of course, be stored in each of the sections 3a without using the pallet 6 or container 61.
The box 10 llas at its top surface a plurality of loops 18 which are engaged for example with hooks oE
a crane to carry the storeroom 1 prefabricated in the factory onto a truck or to unload the storeroom 1 to a place where the storeroom 1 is to be set.
~^ To install the storehouse of the present invention~ for example, a hole is ~ under a floor F
of a house etc. and preferably lined with concrete to form an ~ space 23 as illustrated in Fig. 9. The storeroom 1 is placed in the space 23 so as to locate the ~4L6~
g operating station 5 at an appropriate position in the house~
The gaps around the storeroom 1, i e., the box 10 are filled pre~erably with concrete. The passage for the lift 4 may be extended into a room etc. through an opening F1 of the floor F from the box 10 as illustra-ted in Fig 9 In this case, the box 10 can be fully buried under the ground and the operating station 5 can be above the floor F.
Alternatively, the storeroom 1 may simply be put on the ~ ground of a ~ etc. In this case, the operating station 5 may be provided within a room etc. through the wall of the house and a crane for the lift 4 may move in the horizontal direction.
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, in which a ~ ~automatic storehouse is composed oE a storeroom 1 Eormed of a plurality of boxes 10a, 10b and 10c, a unit 7 for containing a lift 4 and a unit Eor containing an operating station

5. The boxes 1Oa, 1Ob and 10c are each formed in a transportable size and each have openings at opposite ends in the horizontal direction and flanges 19 formed around the peripheries of the respective openings. These boxes 10a, 10b and 10c are combined in the horizontal direction through the respective flanges 19 to form the storeroom 1. In this combined s-tate~ rails 14, 14 provided on floors ~5 of the respective boxes 1Oa, 1Ob and 10c are aligned with one another and extend through the length of the storeroom 1. One end of the box 10c is provided with a wall member to close the storeroom 1 and an opposite end of the box 1Oa is combined with the unit 7 to install the lift 4 in the storehouse. The operating station 5 is positioned on the unit 7. The so constructed storehouse has, as a whole, substantially the same f ~ as that of the first embodiment except that the storeroom 1 is formed o~ a '77 plurality of boxes 10a, 10b and 10c and the lift 4 is disposed in the unit separate from the storeroom 1.
Fig. 13 illustrates a modification of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. In this modification, a storeroom 1 is formed of boxes 10a and 10b and two units 7 each containing a lift 4 are coupled to the storeroom 1 at the opposite ends thereof.
Fig. ~3 illustrates another modification oE the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. In this modification, two traveling cranes 2, 2 and two sets of guide rails 14a, 14b are provided within a storeroom 1 which is formed of boxes 10a', 10b', 10c' and 10d' and three racks 3, 3~ 3 are provided in association wi-th the traveling cranes 2~ 2. In this case, the center rack 3 may be accessible by either of the c~anes 2. Two units 7~ 7 are coupled to the storeroom 1 so as to be associated with the respective traveling cranes 2, 2.
In order to couple the boxes to form one storeroom 1 as described above, the coupling flanges may for example have a structure as illustrated in Fig. 14. 'In this example, the boxes 10 are firmly coupled to each other through a female flange 19a and a male flange 19b secured by a bolt 19c.
As illustrated in Fig. 14, walls o~ the boxes 10 may be each Eormed of an outer member 101, an inner member 102 and an intermediate member 103. ~ggregate may also be employed in the wall. Racks 3, 3 provided within the boxes 10~ 10 are combined by a bolt 31 as illustrat~d in Fig. 14. Guide rails (not shown) for a crane 2 may be coupled to each other in a similar manner.
Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of the storehouse of Figs. 10 and 11. 1Oe is a wall panel attached to the end of the box 10c to close the storeroom 1. Instead 7'7 of using the panel 10e, another type of box which has an end wall may be employed in place of the box 10c.
Fig. 16 shows a detailed structure of a box 10 used for example in the embodiment of Figs. 11 and 12.
The box 10 has openings 11, 11 at the opposite ends in the horizontal direction and flanges 19, 19 around the peripheries of the respective openings 11, 11. A .rack 3 may be sectioned by plates 3a, 3b in a way suited to the use of the rack 3. If necessary, such a larger space as provided at the left, lower portion of the box 10 in Fig.
16 may be reserved.
In Fig. 17, -there is illustrated a still another embodiment oE the present invention, A plurality of boxes 1Oa, 1Ob, 10c and 1Od are laid upon one another to orm a storeroom 1. The boxes may be locked relative to each other through appropriate means such as projections and recesses formed at the tops and the bottoms of the boxes, respectively. The boxes 1Oa to 1Od each have an opening 11 which is communicated with the inside of a unit 7 for containing a lift 4. The unit 7 extends through at least the height of the storeroom 1 so that the lift 4 may have access to any of the boxes 1Oa to 1Od and a traveling crane 2 provided in each oE the boxes. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 17, an operating station 5 is provided at the bottom of the storehouse which is set up on the ground or above the ground. Alternatively, the operating station 5 may be provided at the top of the storehouse as illustrated in Fig. 18 so that the s-torehouse may be installed under the ground. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 18, boxes of different heights are piled on one another to form a storeroom, so that~ for example, small articles may be stored in a low box such as the box 1Qd and large articles may be stored in a high box such as the 7~

box 10a.
According to a still another embodiment of the present invention, plural boxes of smaller size may be combined in the horizontal direction to form a storehouse S having a desired length as illustrated in Fig. 19. In this case, the transportation of the units of the storehouse can be facilitated.
In Fig. 20, there is shown a still another embodiment of the present invention, in which a box 10f ~0 is reserved for use as a retreat or a shelter. An air conditioner or an air cleaner may be provided in this space.
~f course, a bed 8, a refrigerator, food~ water, etc may be provided or stored according to necessity.
Although the storerooms of the Eoregoing embodirnents are formed of a box or boxes~ they may be ~ormed of a cylindrical member or members.
As described above, according to the present invention, the storehouse can be set up easily by using a prefabricated storeroom or prefabricated boxes or other units, so that the cost of the storehouse can be reduced very much. When the storeroom is composed of prefabricated box units, a variety of formations and sizes may be obtained easily. In addition, the storehouse of the present invention may be installed under the ground, a space on the ground can be used Eor another purpose effectively~

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A fully automatic storehouse comprising: a self-contained storeroom of transportable size containing a plurality of modular racks for storing articles therein, the racks being arrayed to form a pair of vertical rectangular storage matri-ces which extend horizontally in spaced parallel relationship so as to define a parallel space extending therebetween, said storage matrices being horizontally and vertically coterminous;
a travelling crane in said space horizontally movable therein between and parallel to said storage matrices, said crane having a vertically movable base therein adapted to convey storage articles to and from any vertical level of said storage matrices; a lift adjoining said storage matrices at one of the pairs of coterminous horizontal ends thereof and vertically extending from the interior to the exterior of said storeroom, said lift having a vertically movable base therein adapted to convey storage articles into and from said storeroom; an opera-ting station exterior to said storeroom for controlling said crame and said lift to convey storage articles to and from any selected rack in said matrices and to and from said store-room, and spaces which are formed at least at one of said storeroom vertically along by the vertical extending position of said lift for installing piping for air-conditioner, elec-trical devices, a ladder for emergency, wiring for said opera-ting station.

2. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storeroom and said operating station are formed respectively of units separate from each other.

3. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storeroom, operating station and lift are for-med respectively of units separate from one another.

4. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storeroom is assembled from a plurality of horizontally adjoining boxes.

5. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storeroom is assembled from a plurality of vertically adjoining boxes.

6. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said crane comprises a clamp member for transferring storage articles between the base of said crane and said racks.

7. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, which includes transfer means for transferring storage articles between the base of said crane and the base of said lift.

8. A fully automatic storehouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storeroom is adapted to be buried under the ground while the operating station is located above the ground for use as a retreat or shelter having a space in which condi-tioner or an air cleaner, a bed, a refrigerator, food, water, etc. may be provided or stored according to necessity.