JP2000118613A - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic warehouse to balance an operation rate of a stacker crane by dispersing depositing and delivering of a cargo by the stacker crane, without an interference of the stacker cranes with each other and simple in a control logic. SOLUTION: Respective storage parts 231-226 of racks on both sides of which stacker cranes 50, etc., are provided are divided into storage parts depositing and delivering directions of which are different from each other. Thereafter, depositing and delivering of cargoes by the stacker cranes 50, etc., provided on the both sides is dispersed, and additionally, braces 70 to reinforce the racks are put on non-depositing and delivering sides of the storage parts the depositing and delivering directions of which are different from each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse provided with a stacker crane for loading and unloading goods facing a rack provided with a plurality of storage sections.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an automatic warehouse provided with a tucker crane for loading and unloading cargo on both sides of a plurality of racks, as shown in FIG. 3, as an example, has three racks 81, 82, 83.
Are arranged in parallel, and the respective racks 81, 82, 8
3, stacker cranes 84 and 85 are arranged, and the storage units 86 provided in the racks 81, 82 and 83 are provided.
You can put your luggage in and out. in this case,
The two racks 81 and 82 facing each other are loaded and unloaded by one stacker crane 84, and the other rack 83 is loaded and unloaded by using one stacker crane 85 alone. Is going. By the way, each rack 81, 82, 8
Reference numeral 3 denotes a plurality of columns of columns 87 extending in the vertical direction, which are arranged in two rows in parallel at intervals in the horizontal direction, and a brace 88 is provided between the columns of columns 87 at intervals in the vertical direction. Being 2
The columns 87 of the row are connected, and the arms 88 are formed wide so that luggage can be loaded. In addition, one storage unit 86 is formed in a space surrounded by four pillars 87 and four arms 88 adjacent to each other, and a plurality of racks 81, 82, and 83 are arranged vertically and horizontally. A part 86 is formed. In addition, the pillar 87 and the arm 8 extending in the vertical direction
With only 8, the strength against the force pressing the racks 81, 82, 83 in the lateral direction is weak. Therefore, as a reinforcing member, the non-in / out side opposite to the side for loading / unloading the luggage in the storage section 86. A brace 89 is attached in a brace shape to increase the strength of the racks 81, 82, 83.

Another conventional example is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-192903. It consists of three racks 91, 9 as shown in FIG.
2 and 93 are arranged in parallel, and racks 91 and 93 on both sides are arranged.
Are designed so that the stackers crane 94 and 95 arranged between the respective racks 91, 92 and 93 allow the luggage to enter and leave the storage section 96 without interference from each other. In order to reinforce the racks 91 and 93 formed by the pillars 97 and the arms 98, a brace 9 for reinforcement is provided on the non-ingress / exit side opposite to the in / out side of the load.
9 are provided. Two stacker cranes 94 and 95
The operation of the center rack 92 provided between the racks 9 is controlled by a computer or the like so that the stacker cranes 94 and 95 on both sides do not interfere with each other.
The luggage is loaded and unloaded from both sides of 2. In this case, since the rack 92 in the center takes in and out the load from both sides,
If there is a brace-shaped brace, the storage part 96 is penetrated in the direction of putting in and out, because it interferes with taking in and out of luggage,
Braces cannot be installed. So rack 9
By increasing the thickness of the column 97a constituting the second member 2, the strength against the force of pressing in the lateral direction is maintained.

[0004]

However, the conventional automatic warehouse shown in FIG. 3 has the following problems. Since the two racks 81 and 82 facing each other are loaded and unloaded by one stacker crane 84, two racks 81 and 82 are two in comparison with the case where one stacker crane 85 is used alone for the other rack 83. The storage unit 86 is doubled, and the stacker crane 8
4, 85 operating rates become unbalanced.・ Therefore, the efficiency of loading / unloading processing of the luggage in the entire automatic warehouse is reduced. Further, the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 has the following problem. -The center rack 92 has a pillar 97a to increase the strength.
Is thicker, it is necessary to make the number of storage portions 96 smaller than the racks 91 and 93 on both sides having the same lateral dimension, and the storage capacity of luggage becomes smaller. The operation of the stacker cranes 94 and 95 needs to be controlled by a computer or the like so that the stacker cranes 94 and 95 on both sides do not interfere when loading and unloading the luggage in the central rack 92, and the number of storage portions 96 is Are different between the racks 91 and 93 and the center rack 92, the moving distances of the racks 91 and 93 on both sides and the center rack 92 are changed, and the stacker crane 9
4 and 95 control logic becomes complicated. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and by dispersing the loading and unloading of luggage by the stacker cranes provided on both sides of the central rack, the operating rates of the two stacker cranes are balanced, and the stacker cranes are not required. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic warehouse with a simple control logic and no mutual interference.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automatic warehouse, comprising: a rack provided with stacker cranes on both sides; It is formed so as to be left and right differently in arbitrary block units, dispersing the loading and unloading of the luggage by the stacker cranes provided on the both sides, and furthermore, on the non-ingress and egress side of the storage part of the rack, reinforcement of the rack is provided. I have braces. Therefore, the operation rates of the two stacker cranes are balanced, and the two stacker cranes do not interfere with each other. In addition, since a brace for reinforcing the rack is placed on the non-ingress / exit side of the storage unit with different luggage in / out directions, the side where one stacker crane enters / exits is the non-in / out side of the other stacker crane, and Since the brace is attached to the side, the in-out side and the out-in side can be clearly distinguished, and the control logic for setting the state in which the stacker crane can be taken in and out is extremely simplified. here,
The number of storage units having different stacking directions of the racks provided with the stacker cranes on both sides may be alternately divided into blocks so as to be equal to the left and right. With such a configuration, in the center rack provided between the two stacker cranes, the number of storage sections that can be taken in and out by each stacker crane is equal, and the operating rates of the two stacker cranes are substantially equal.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. Here, FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 shows an X-section. FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of the same.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in an automatic warehouse 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, three racks 10, 20, 30 are arranged in parallel, Stacker cranes 40 and 50 are arranged between 20 and 30 respectively. The stacker cranes 40 and 50 can move along the racks 10 and 20 and the rails 41 and 51 installed between the racks 20 and 30 in parallel with the racks 10, 20 and 30.
2 and 52, and guide posts 43 and 53 extending upward are provided on the traveling carriages 42 and 52, so that the carriages 44 and 54 can move up and down along the guide posts 43 and 53. The carriage 44 has racks 10 and 20, respectively, and the carriage 54 has rack 2 respectively.
Forks 45, 5 capable of taking in and out pallets 60 loaded with luggage by moving forward and backward toward 0, 30
5 are provided. The traveling carts 42 and 52, the carriages 44 and 54, and the forks 45 and 55 are
The positioning control is performed by the crane control devices 46 and 56 which have received a movement command from the control unit (not shown), and the pallet 60 is moved to a predetermined position.

The racks 10, 20, 30 are provided with a plurality of vertically extending columns 11, 21, 31 at intervals in the horizontal direction.
, Two pillar rows 11A and 11B,
21A and 21B, and 31A and 31B. Between two columns 11A and 11B, between 21A and 21B, 31
Between A and 31B, a plurality of arms 12, 12a, 12b, 22, 2 provided at intervals in the vertical direction, respectively.
2a, 22b, 32, 32a, and 32b are provided to connect the columns 11, 21, and 31, respectively. Arm 1
2, 12a, 12b, 22, 22a, 22b, 32, 3
2a and 32b are formed wide so as to support the pallet 60 on which the load is placed. Also, four adjacent pillars 1
Two neighboring arms 12, 1 surrounded by 1, 21, 31
2a, 12b, 22, 22a, 22b, 32, 32a,
32b, for example, a column 21A,
One storage portion 23 is formed in a space surrounded by the first and second pillars 21 from the left end of 21B and formed above the first arms 22 and 22a from the top. In this way,
Each of the racks 10, 20, and 30 is formed with 32 storage sections 13, 23, and 33, four in the vertical direction and eight in the horizontal direction.

The column 10A of the rack 10 has a rack 10
A brace 70 in the form of a brace is installed to oppose the force for pressing the brace laterally. Similarly, the column 31B of the rack 30
Also, a brace 70 in the shape of a brace is attached. In the rack 20, stacker cranes 40 and 50 are arranged on both sides, and all 32 storage sections 23 (231 to 26) are provided.
2) The storage sections 239 to 246 and 255 to 262 that the stacker crane 40 can take in and out, and the storage sections 231 to 238 and 2 that the stacker crane 50 can take in and out.
47 to 254 are divided so as to be different on the left and right in block units, and the loading and unloading of the load by the stacker cranes 40 and 50 provided on both sides of the rack 20 is distributed. That is, two rows of storage sections 235 to 238 connected to one row in the vertical direction and storage sections 235 to 238 connected in the horizontal direction are each one block, and the storage sections 231 to 238 are used as storage sections that the stacker crane 50 can take in and out. The storage sections 239 to 246 are formed as storage sections into and out of which the stacker crane 40 can be put in and taken out, and the next two rows connected in the horizontal direction are formed as one block. 247 to 254 are storage sections that the stacker crane 50 can take in and out, and the storage sections 255 to 2 are formed as two blocks connected in the next horizontal direction as one block.
Reference numeral 62 is formed as a storage portion that the stacker crane 40 can take in and out. Therefore, the stacker crane 5 in the storage section 23 should not be in the way of loading and unloading the luggage.
Between the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th columns 21 from the left end of the column 21B of the rack 20 which is the non-ingress / exit side of the 0 side, and the column 21A of the rack 20 which is the non-ingress / exit side of the stacker crane 40 side. The brace 70 is attached to the pillar 21 between the third and fifth and seventh to ninth from the left end.

Here, as a representative example, the operation of storing the pallet 60 on the carriage 54 of the stacker crane 50 in the storage portions 248 and 252 of the rack 20 will be described.
A description will be given based on FIGS. In this case, the range in which the stacker crane 50 can be put in and out is stored in the crane control device 56 in advance.
The crane control device 56 is given a movement command so as to perform a storing operation at the positions of the storing sections 248 and 252 among them. Then, the traveling cart 52 of the stacker crane 50 is moved to the storage unit 2 by the crane control device 56.
It moves below 48 and 252 and stops. In this state,
The carriage 54 is raised, and the height of the upper surface of the fork 55 on the carriage 54 is adjusted by the arms 22 of the storage portions 248 and 252.
When the pallet 60 comes to a position slightly higher than the height of the upper surface of a, the fork 55 is advanced to put the pallet 60 into the storage sections 248 and 252. Next, the carriage 54 is lowered to place the pallet 60 on the upper surface of the arm 22a, and the storage of the load is completed. Next, the fork 55 is moved backward to move the carriage 5
4 and the carriage 54 is moved to the next loading / unloading operation position.

When the pallet 60 loaded with the load is pulled out of the storage sections 248 and 252 of the rack 20, the operation of storing the pallet 60 is reversed. That is, the traveling vehicle 52 is
When the height of the upper surface of the fork 55 is slightly lower than the upper surface of the arm 22a, the fork 55 is moved forward and put under the storage portions 248, 252. In this state, the carriage 54 is lifted, the pallet 60 is placed on the fork 55, and the pallet 60 is pulled out from the storage sections 248, 252 by retracting the fork 55. Next, the drawn pallet 60 is conveyed to the destination by moving the carriage 54 and the traveling carriage 52.

With such a configuration, the side where one stacker crane 40 moves in and out is the non-removal side of the other stacker crane 50 and the brace 70 is attached to the non-retractable side. The sides can be clearly identified. For example, the center rack 2
0, two stacker cranes 40, 50 provided on both sides
Are the storage units 239 to 246, 255 to 2
62 and the crane control devices 46 and 56 are set so as to give a movement command to the crane control devices 46 and 56 so that they can be positioned in a range where the storage units 231 to 238 and 247 to 254 can be taken in and out. Sometimes it is not necessary to incorporate control logic so that the stacker cranes 40 and 50 do not interfere with each other, the control logic becomes extremely simple, and the crane controllers 46 and 56 can be constructed at low cost. Further, storage units 239 to 2 which can be put in and out of the rack 20 by the stacker crane 40.
46, 255-262, and storage units 231-238, 247-
254, the number of stacker cranes 4
The operation rates of 0 and 50 become substantially equal.

Further, storage sections 239 to 246 which can be put in and out of the rack 20 by the stacker crane 40.
Since two horizontal rows of storage portions 239 to 242 and 243 to 246 are formed as one block, the luggage can be taken in and out by two forks 45 at the same time, and the operating rate of the stacker crane 40 is reduced. improves. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the number of forks is two in one carriage of the stacker crane has been described. However, the number of forks is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. It is feasible. Further, in the above embodiment, an example of racks arranged in parallel in three rows has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where four or more rows of racks are used.

[0014]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, each of the storage sections of the racks provided with stacker cranes on both sides is divided into storage sections having different loading / unloading directions, and the stacker cranes provided on both sides. , The operation rates of the two stacker cranes are balanced, and the two stacker cranes do not interfere with each other. In addition, since a brace for reinforcing the rack is placed on the non-ingress / exit side of the storage unit with different luggage in / out directions, the side where one stacker crane enters / exits is the non-in / out side of the other stacker crane. Since the brace is attached to the side, the in-out side and the out-in side can be clearly distinguished, and the control logic for setting the state in which the stacker crane can be taken in and out is extremely simplified. In particular, in the automatic warehouse according to the second aspect, the number of storage sections provided with stacker cranes on both sides and having different access directions is equally divided, so that the operating rates of the two stacker cranes are substantially equal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of an automatic warehouse according to a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of an automatic warehouse according to another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 rack 11 pillar 11A pillar row 11B pillar row 12 arm 12a arm 12b arm 13 storage section 20 rack 21 pillar 21A pillar 21B pillar row 22 arm 22a arm 22b arm arm 23 storage section 231 storage section 31 row 31 rack 31 31B Pillar row 32 Arms 32a Arms 32b Arms 33 Storage section 40 Stacker crane 41 Rail 42 Traveling trolley 43 Guide post 44 Carriage 45 Fork 46 Crane control device 50 Stacker crane 51 Rail 52 Traveling trolley 53 Guide post 54 Carriage 55 Fork 56 Crane control device 60 pallet 70 brace 100 automatic warehouse

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A single row or a plurality of rows of racks formed by connecting a plurality of storage sections surrounded by at least four pillars in one direction, and traveling in the connection direction of the storage sections to load and unload luggage. In an automatic warehouse composed of stacker cranes, a rack provided with the stacker cranes on both sides is
The direction of loading and unloading the luggage into and out of the storage unit is formed so that the left and right directions are different for each block in the connection direction of the storage unit, and the loading and unloading of the luggage by the stacker cranes provided on both sides is dispersed. An automatic warehouse, wherein a brace for reinforcing the rack is provided on the non-removable side of the storage section of the rack. 2. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the number of storage units having different stacking directions of the racks provided with the stacker cranes on both sides are alternately divided into left and right sides.