JP2000118642A - Goods sorting device with erroneous input preventive function added - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To extensively reduce an erroneous input rate of goods by reducing a burden of a worker under a method to use a conventional input indicator and generating an alarm by detecting erroneous input by a sensor. SOLUTION: A label of deposited goods is read by a bar code scanner, and a goods sorting data is input to a controller. An indication lamp of a distribution frontage to input goods to out of a plural number of the distribution frontages of a classification block of which a single worker is in charge is put on or flashed, and furthermore, input quantity of goods is indicated. Input sensors of a transmission type ultrared ray sensor, etc., are provided on both sides of each of the distribution frontages, and in the case when the worker inputs goods in a frontage different from the distribution frontage indicated by the controller, alarming sound by a buzzer is generated, and simultaneously, erroneous input is informed to the worker by flashing the indication lamp in yellow.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a merchandise sorting apparatus to which an erroneous insertion preventing function is added when an operator carries in merchandise carried in for sorting into a predetermined merchandise distribution opening such as a sorting shelf. For example, it can be used for various sorting operations at a product distribution center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of automated sorting systems in a product distribution center, there is a method of sorting products by using distribution ports such as sorting shelves classified according to a delivery destination and a type of a product.

[0003] As one of the methods, for example, product sorting data relating to the type and number of products, delivery destinations, and the like is added to products delivered by a product supplier, and the product is placed on a tray or the like. Repeating the work of transporting goods to the sorting area by a conveyor such as a conveyor, reading product sorting data with a scanner connected to the controller installed in the sorting block, and supplying a predetermined quantity of products to the predetermined distribution slot according to the instruction of the controller In some cases, sorting is performed according to the order of the delivery destination.

As an instruction method by the controller, an input indicator provided with a display lamp for indicating a product input position, a number display for displaying the number of products to be input, and the like are provided above each distribution port. These are controlled by a controller (for example, see JP-A-8-85).
609).

[0005] In addition, a folding container made of resin or the like is usually installed in each distributing port, and when a container is full or when a predetermined amount of commodities are put in, a detailed label or the like for a delivery destination is provided. It is issued, and the entire container is transported again to the delivery area by a transport device such as a belt conveyor, loaded on a truck or the like, and delivered to the destination.

[0006] As for the control of the sorting system,
Sorting control based on a method in which the host computer is connected to each controller as a terminal to perform control, or the controller is separated from the host computer and based on product sorting data given at the time of delivery of a product supplier or before delivery And the like.

[0007]

In the above-described conventional input indicator, an operator in charge of a sorting block consisting of a plurality of distributing ports can easily find a frontage for inputting the conveyed goods. As a result, the working efficiency is improved and the mis-insertion of products is prevented.

However, the distributing ports are located on the left, right, front, rear, right and left with respect to the product receiving position of the worker, and when there are a plurality of distributing ports to which the conveyed products are to be loaded, usually, a plurality of distributing ports are charged. Since the display is activated simultaneously, the operator needs to look over a wide area, and in some cases, has to judge multiple dispensing ports at the same time. Eliminating it is not always easy.

The present invention reduces the burden on the operator in such a system using the conventional input indicator, and detects an erroneous input with a sensor and issues an alarm, thereby greatly reducing the erroneous input rate of products. It is intended to reduce the number of times.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting block having a plurality of distribution ports into which commodities are put in accordance with sorting categories, and a single sorting block which is carried in for sorting. Alternatively, in a product sorting apparatus having a reading unit that reads product sorting data given to a group of products, and a controller that instructs a distribution port to which the product is to be put, based on the product sorting data input from the reading unit. A merchandise insertion sensor for detecting the insertion of a product into the dispensing port, and an alarm unit for issuing a warning when the dispensing port specified by the controller is different from the dispensing port detected by the product insertion sensor. Things.

Note that the sorting block referred to here indicates a range in which one of a number of distribution ports is in charge of one worker. The controller is not limited to one that functions as a terminal of the host computer that controls the entire sorting system, and may be one that performs control independently for each sorting block.

As a product introduction sensor, for example, a commercially available transmission infrared sensor or the like can be used.
When the worker's arm or product passes between the dispensing openings, the infrared rays are blocked to detect insertion and send a signal to the controller to determine the dispensing opening that has been inserted. In addition, it is conceivable to use a weight sensor or the like for detecting that the weight of the product is added to the distribution port, and the type and arrangement of the sensor are not particularly limited.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention is a product sorting apparatus having an erroneous insertion preventing function according to the first aspect, wherein the alarm means is a buzzer that emits an alarm sound. Usually, a dispensing indicator that indicates the location of the commodities that have been carried into the dispensing opening is often installed. Call attention,
The operator can immediately notice when there is an erroneous input.

In this case, the buzzer can be automatically stopped after a lapse of a predetermined time. However, a separate stop button is provided, and the buzzer is configured to stop only when an operator presses the button. This is more reliable in preventing incorrect input.

A third aspect of the present invention is a product sorting apparatus having an erroneous insertion prevention function according to the first aspect, wherein the alarm means is a display lamp for lighting or blinking an alarm color, for example, yellow.

The relationship between the product entry sensor, the controller and the alarm means is the same as that of the buzzer, and it is more preferable to use the buzzer together with the buzzer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the display lamp of the product sorting apparatus provided with the erroneous insertion prevention function according to the third aspect also serves as a putting-in indicator for indicating the position at which the product is put in, and is turned on by a control signal from the controller. This is a case where a position display color, for example, red, is configured to be turned on or blinked.

Also in the present invention, the work efficiency can be improved by using the conventional display lamp and the input indicator provided with the number indicator and the like together. In some cases, a group of products that have been carried in may be put into a plurality of dispensing ports by several pieces.In this case, in a conventional method, there are many devices that light up the input indicators of all the plurality of distributing ports, By blinking, it is possible to instruct the input order.

However, in the present invention, the input indicator is not essential. For example, an opening / closing door may be provided at the distributing port, and it may be used in combination with a controller for controlling opening and closing of the input port by a controller.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the merchandise sorting apparatus having the erroneous insertion preventing function according to the third or fourth aspect, when the allocation port specified by the controller matches the allocation port detected by the product input sensor, In this case, the controller outputs a control signal for turning on or blinking a confirmation color indicating that the input operation has been normally performed on the display lamp, for example, green.

It is also conceivable that an alarm is not issued in spite of erroneous insertion due to some malfunction or a bug in the controller. If it is displayed that the insertion operation is normal, the sorting operation can be reduced. Can be done with your heart,
Further, the erroneous injection rate can be reduced.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the merchandise sorting apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects, wherein the reading means is a scanner,
The product sorting data displayed on the label affixed to the product is read by the scanner, input to the controller, and the controller performs sorting control.

More specifically, for a group of products, data such as the type and number of the products, the delivery destination (destination), and if necessary, the delivery company are printed on a label in the form of a barcode or the like. The object is read by a barcode scanner or the like and input to the controller.

A label for displaying product sorting data may be attached directly to a product, or may be attached to a tray or a container when the product is transported on a tray or a container.

[0025]

Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an example of a sorting shelf 1 which is installed in a sorting area and constitutes a product sorting apparatus. In this example, twelve foldable containers 3 made of resin are installed at the lower part of the upper and lower two-stage sorting shelves 1 and at the upper part of the two, forming a total of 23 distribution ports 2.

Of these, the twelve distribution ports 2 on the left side of the center constitute a sorting block assigned to the first worker, and the eleven distribution ports 2 on the right including the lower middle part correspond to the second worker. In this system, a sorting block is configured to handle a group of conveyed products by two workers in a relay manner.

A fixed type bar code scanner 6 is further attached to the lower stage, and as shown in an image diagram of FIG. 3, product sorting data of a group of products 5 conveyed by the belt conveyor 4 from the distribution line is read. .

In this example, a plurality of types of products are placed on a tray or the like, conveyed by the belt conveyor 4, and the bar code scanner 6 reads the product sorting data printed on the label attached to the tray, and reads the product sorting data. And the distribution port according to the delivery destination are input to the controller 7 in the upper central part.

An input indicator 9 as shown in FIG. 5 is provided at the upper or lower part of each distribution port 2, and the input indicator 9 is controlled by a control signal from the controller 7.
Is controlled by controlling the display lamp 10 and the number display 12, and the distribution port 2 to which a product is to be placed and the distribution port 2.
The number of products to be put in is displayed.

FIG. 5 shows the display state, in which the display lamp 10 is illuminated in red and the number indicator 12 indicates the number (in this example, six). Usually,
A plurality of commodities are conveyed while being placed on one tray. Therefore, when the products conveyed at the same time are put into a plurality of distributing ports 2, the display lamps of the plurality of distributing ports 2 are turned on in red, and the red lights blink sequentially,
The order of loading is notified to the worker.

Further, for each of the left and right sorting blocks, a direction indicator 8 is attached to the middle stage of the sorting shelf 1 so that the direction of the distribution port 2 specified by the controller 7 is indicated by an arrow. The control of the direction indicator 8 can be performed in conjunction with the control of the display lamp 10 of the closing indicator 9.

A pair of transmissive infrared sensors 14 are provided on both sides of each distribution port 2 of the sorting shelf 1 so that when a product is put into the container 3, the hand of the product and the worker passes. Is detected.

The detection signal is input to the controller 7,
If the product insertion position is correct, the controller 7
As shown in FIG. 6, a control signal for turning on the display lamp 10 in green is issued.

If the merchandise insertion position is incorrect, a control signal is issued from the controller 7, and the display lamp 10 blinks yellow as shown in FIG. (Not shown) emits an alarm sound. In this case, the operator presses the check button 11 beside the display lamp 10 to stop the blinking of the display lamp 10 and the buzzer, and re-enter the product into the correct distribution slot.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a series of the flow. When the operator has completed the product introduction into the sorting block in charge, the operator presses the label issue button 13 provided on the right end of the input display 9 to display the label. A label label attached to the delivery destination is issued from a label issuing machine 15 located below the controller 7. However, the issuance of the detailed label is performed after all the products to be sorted into the container 3 in the distributing port 2 are put in, and the sorting of the next product to be conveyed is completed until the feeding of all the products is completed. The work is repeated.

[0036]

The merchandise sorting apparatus with the function of preventing erroneous insertion according to the present invention detects an erroneous insertion by a sensor when the merchandise is inserted into the distributing port in the sorting block, and emits a buzzer sound or flashes in an alarm color. , The erroneous insertion rate of the product can be significantly reduced.

Further, the burden on the operator is reduced and the working efficiency is improved, as compared with the conventional system using only the input indicator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a work performed by a product sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a sorting shelf portion of the product sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a state in which a product is carried into a product sorting device position.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display format of a direction indicator installed for each sorting block.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which an input indicator installed for each distributing port displays an input frontage position and an input number.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a put-in display showing a display state when a product is put in correctly.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a loading indicator showing a display state when a product is incorrectly loaded.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sorting shelf, 2 ... Distributing mouth, 3 ... Container, 4 ... Belt conveyor, 5 ... Product, 6 ... Barcode scanner, 7 ...
Controller, 8 ... direction indicator, 9 ... closing display, 10
... Display lamp, 11 ... Check button, 12 ... Counter display, 13 ... Detailed label issue button, 14 ... Transmissive infrared sensor, 15 ... Label issuing machine

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A sorting block having a plurality of distribution ports into which commodities are input according to a sorting category, and reading for reading merchandise sorting data given to a single or a group of commodities that are carried in for sorting. A merchandise loading sensor for detecting the introduction of a commodity into the distribution port, based on the commodity classification data input from the reading means, and a controller for instructing a distribution slot to which the commodity is to be supplied. And a warning means for giving a warning when the dispensing port designated by the controller is different from the dispensing port detected by the commodity loading sensor. 2. The product sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alarm means is a buzzer which emits an alarm sound. 3. The product sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said warning means is a display lamp for lighting or blinking a warning color. 4. The erroneous display according to claim 3, wherein the display lamp is also used as a put-in indicator for indicating a put-in position of the product, and is turned on or blinked by a control signal from the controller. A product sorting device with an entry prevention function. 5. When the dispensing port specified by the controller and the dispensing port detected by the product input sensor match, the controller illuminates a confirmation color on the display lamp indicating that the input operation was normal. The product sorting apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a control signal for blinking is output. 6. The erroneous insertion preventing function according to claim 1, wherein said reading means is a scanner for reading merchandise sorting data displayed on a label attached to the merchandise and inputting the data to the controller. A product sorting device to which is added.