JP2000229709A - Commodity storage equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simply perform the compensation of an elevating position in an elevating frame attributable to an uneven elongation lying between two ropy bodies hangingly supporting this elevating frame in a simple structure. SOLUTION: In this commodity storage equipment wherein a commodity transferrer 6 transferring a commodity C is space between a commodity storage part of a storage shelf is supported free of driving movement in the transverse direction of the storage shelf, and further, it is provided with an elevating frame 5 to be driven and lifted by an elevating drive means UD, while the elevating drive means UD is equipped with two ropy bodies 30a and 30b hangingly supporting both the ends in the longitudinal direction of the elevating frame 5, and a ropy driving means feeding and driving these ropy bodies 30a and 30b as its constitution, a distance measuring means DM measuring a vertical distance in an interval with a reference position set up at the storage shelf side is installed free of driving movement along the elevating frame 5, and the elevating drive mens UD drives the elevating frame 5 to go up and down so as to make the commodity transferrer 6 be situated in a proper transferring position on the basis of detection information of the distance measuring means DM.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage shelf provided with a plurality of article storage sections in a state of being vertically and horizontally arranged in parallel, and an article for transferring articles between the article storage section and the self. An elevating frame that supports the transfer device so as to be able to be driven and moved in the lateral direction of the storage shelf, and that is driven up and down by an elevating drive means, wherein the elevating drive means suspends both longitudinal ends of the elevating frame. The present invention relates to an article storage facility configured to include a supporting rope and a rope driving unit that feeds and drives the rope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In such an article storage facility, an article transfer device supported by an elevating frame is driven to move in a lateral direction of a storage shelf, and an elevating frame is driven up and down to move the article transferring apparatus to each item on the storage shelf. This equipment is located at an article transfer position with respect to the storage section, and is used to store, store, and unload articles. The raising and lowering of the elevating frame is performed by feeding and driving a rope that suspends and supports both ends of the elevating frame in the longitudinal direction by the rope driving means. Therefore, the elevating frame may be slightly tilted, for example, because the elongation due to the temporal change of the cords varies between the cords.

Since the inclination of the lifting frame causes a stop positioning error when the article transfer device is positioned at the article transfer position with respect to each of the article storage units, conventionally, the lifting frame has been moved at both ends in the longitudinal direction. Along with setting a pair of detected plates at a set height of each of a pair of elevating guides for elevating guides,
A pair of detection sensors for detecting the plate to be detected are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the lifting frame, and when the lifting frame is driven up and down, a difference in timing at which each of the pair of detection sensors detects each of the plates to be detected. A configuration has been considered in which the inclination of the lifting frame is detected to correct the lifting position of the lifting frame.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, not only the plate to be detected and the detection sensor for detecting the plate need to be accurately positioned and installed, but also the lifting frame is not driven up and down to the set height. And the inclination of the lifting frame cannot be detected, and there is a problem that the lifting control of the lifting frame is complicated. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily correct the ascending / descending position of an ascending / descending frame caused by uneven extension between cords with a simple configuration. Is to do.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the distance measuring means moves in the vertical frame between the reference position set on the storage shelf side while moving along the elevating frame. When the distance is measured, the vertical position of the article transfer device when the article transfer device is moved along the elevating frame can be detected from the detection information regardless of the inclination or the bending of the elevating frame. Therefore, the lifting drive unit that controls the lifting frame to move up and down can use the detection information from the distance measuring unit to drive the lifting frame up and down so that the article transfer device is located at the proper transfer position. Thus, the correction of the ascending / descending position of the ascending / descending frame caused by uneven stretching between the cord-like bodies can be easily performed with a simple configuration only by providing the distance measuring means regardless of the ascending / descending position of the ascending / descending frame.

In addition, with the configuration according to the second aspect, since the distance measuring means is provided in the article transfer device, the distance measuring means moves along the lifting frame by the movement of the article transfer apparatus. Therefore, the means for moving and driving the distance measuring means can be also used as the means for moving and driving the article transfer device.
Moreover, since the distance measurement is performed from the position of the article transfer device itself,
Since the vertical position of the article transfer device is directly measured, the measurement accuracy can be further improved.

In addition, with the configuration according to the third aspect of the present invention, the light reflecting type distance measuring device is driven and moved along the elevating frame, and is installed on the upper end of the storage shelf in a horizontal posture. The distance to the member to be detected is measured, and is used for lifting control of the lifting frame. The upper end of the storage shelf has more space than the lower end, so that the detection target plate can be easily installed. In addition, by providing the configuration according to the fourth aspect, since the main body of the distance measuring device projects light horizontally, dust accumulates in the light emitting portion of the main body, and the light emission efficiency is reduced. In addition to this, the reflection surface of the light reflecting portion that bends the traveling direction of the light emitted from the main body vertically upward also has a tilted posture, so that the adhesion of dust can be relatively suppressed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an article storage facility according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a container C as an example of an article can be stored in any one of the article storage sections 1 of the storage shelves 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B provided in a pair at predetermined intervals in front and rear. In addition, there is shown an article storage facility according to the present invention in which containers C stored in predetermined storage shelves 2A and 2B can be taken out. In the container C, for example, small parts and the like are loaded by type.

The article storage section 1 includes a pair of storage shelves 2A and 2B.
Are provided in parallel in the vertical and horizontal directions. Storage shelf 2A located on the front side
The upper and lower two-stage article carrying-in / out sections 4 are provided by utilizing the article storage section 1 on the lower side of the apparatus. Also, a pair of storage shelves 2A, 2B
The main part of the transport device TR which transports the container C between each article storage part 1 and the article carry-in / out part 4 is provided in the front and rear middle part of the transport apparatus TR. Each of the upper and lower two-stage article carrying-in / out sections 4 has a function as an article carrying-in section IN for carrying in the container C from outside, and an article carrying-out section carrying out the container C from the storage shelves 2A and 2B to the outside. Although it also has the function of the unit OT, for example, the use form is arbitrary, such as using the upper-level article carry-in / out section 4 as the article carry-in section IN and using the lower-level article carry-in / out section 4 as the article carry-out section OT. Can be set to

The main part of the transport device TR provided at the front and rear intermediate portion of the pair of storage shelves 2A and 2B is an article transfer device 6 for transferring and transporting the container C between the respective article storage sections 1 and the like.
And an elevating frame 5 that guides and supports the article transfer device 6 so as to be driven and movable over substantially the entire width of the storage shelves 2A and 2B, and the elevating frame 5 is an elevating frame that constitutes a part of the transport device TR. The drive unit UD allows the storage shelves 2A, 2B to be freely raised and lowered over almost the entire vertical height.

A pair of storage shelves 2A and 2B are provided to support a column 8, a plurality of horizontal frames 9 erected and connected at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction across the column 8, and a bottom portion at both left and right ends of a container C. It comprises a large number of locking members 10 erected and connected along the front-rear direction at predetermined intervals, and a horizontal rod 11 connecting the upper ends of the columns 8. The locking member 10 has a substantially L-shaped cross section so as to prevent the lateral movement of the container C. A roller conveyor RC for carrying in / out the container C to / from the storage shelves 2A and 2B is connected to the article carry-in / out section 4, and the roller conveyor RC has:
Although not shown, a centering device is provided for positioning the container C conveyed on the roller conveyor RC at the center in the conveying width direction.

Next, lifting means U for driving the lifting frame 5 up and down.
D will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the lifting frame 5
A connecting wire 30 having each of both ends in the longitudinal direction as a cord-like body;
a and 30b are suspended and supported. One of the connecting wires 30a is a guide drum 2 rotatable around a horizontal axis.
After being wound around 9a, 29b, it is connected to a take-up drum 29c installed at the lower end of the storage shelf 2A, and the other connecting wire 30b is a guide drum 29d rotatable around a horizontal axis center, and a vertical connecting drum 29d. Guide drum 29 rotatable around the axis
e, after being wound around the guide drum 29b, is connected to the take-up drum 29c in the same manner as the connection wire 30a. The take-up drum 29c is driven to rotate by the electric motor M1, and the lifting frame 5 is moved up and down by driving the electric motor M1. Therefore, the electric motor M1 and the winding drum 29c
Functions as a cord driving means WD for feeding and driving the connecting wires 30a and 30b. As shown in FIG. 2, the lifting frame 5 is provided with guided portions 4 attached to the right and left ends thereof.
The zero guided groove 40a is engaged and guided by an elevating guide rail 41a mounted on the guide plate support frame 41 shown in FIG. 1 so as to protrude toward the elevating frame 5 side, and its posture is regulated. I have. The guide plate support frame 41 and the elevating guide rail 41a are integrally formed of an aluminum material, and the surface of the elevating guide rail 41a is subjected to a surface treatment such as electrolytic plating or alumite treatment.

Next, a description will be given of a lateral movement operation structure of the article transfer device 6. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the article transfer device 6 mainly includes a frame 48 that covers the front and rear sides and the upper side of the elevating frame 5 having a substantially H-shaped cross section, and is mounted on the upper portion of the frame 48. Four running wheels 49, a total of six guide wheels 50, three on one side, which are rotatably mounted on the side of the frame 48 around the vertical axis, and a turn around the horizontal axis on the side of the frame 48. It comprises two guide wheels 51 which are movably mounted and contact the lifting frame 5 from below, and a fork mechanism 52 mounted on the frame 48.

The frame 48 is connected to both ends of a drive belt 54 wound around pulleys 53, 53 rotatably supported around the longitudinal axis at respective ends of the lifting frame 5. By driving the pulley 53 by the electric motor M2, the drive belt 54 is moved in the longitudinal direction, and the article transfer device 6 is moved laterally. The drive belt 54 is disposed so as to fit in a side space formed by the substantially H-shaped lifting frame 5,
We are trying to save space.

A rotary encoder 55 is provided so as to be linked to a rotating shaft of an electric motor M2 for moving a drive belt 54 in order to specify the transport position of the article transfer device 6 in the lifting frame 5. The article transfer device 6 is provided with a transmission type photoelectric sensor 58 which is partitioned by a shielding plate 56 provided at an appropriate position of the lifting frame 5. In order to specify the position of the lifting frame 5 moved up and down by the lifting device UD, a rotary encoder 60 is provided in an interlocking connection with the rotating shaft of the winding drum 29c. A photoelectric sensor 62 separated by a shielding plate 61 provided at an appropriate position along the elevating guide rail 41a is provided near the guide section 40. Rotary encoders 55 and 60 and photoelectric sensor 5
The detection signals 8, 62 are input to the controller CO as shown in FIG. The controller CO is a photoelectric sensor 5
Recognizing the vertical origin position of the lifting frame 5 and the horizontal origin position of the article transfer device 6 based on the detection information 8 and 62, and using the detection information of the rotary encoders 55 and 60, the relative position with respect to the reference position is determined. By recognizing the position, the elevating position of the elevating frame 5 and the transport position of the article transfer device 6 are specified.

The fork mechanism 52 includes a pair of storage shelves 2A,
2B, two bar-shaped contact sensors 57 are provided on both left and right sides of the fork mechanism 52, respectively. When the container C is mounted on the article transfer device 6 by the fork mechanism 52, the container C
Is located at the standard mounting position where the center position in the lateral direction of the container C (coincides with the lateral direction of the storage shelves 2A and 2B) and the center position in the lateral direction of the fork mechanism 52 substantially coincide with each other.
Although it does not contact with any of the four contact sensors 57, the contact is shifted in the left or right direction from the standard mounting position, and by contacting this contact sensor 57, it is possible to detect that the container C has shifted by more than the setting. The detection information of the contact sensor 57 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), the input is input to the controller CO, and is used for the operation of correcting the stop position of the article transfer device 6.

The article transfer device 6 further includes storage shelves 2A,
Light reflecting type distance measuring device D as distance measuring means DM for measuring the distance in the vertical direction from a reference position set on the 2B side
S is provided. The light reflection type distance measuring device DS is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figures, a main body 66 composed of a laser range finder that is supported by the support frame 65 and projects a beam for distance measurement in the longitudinal direction of the elevating frame 5, that is, horizontally, and the support frame 6.
5 supported by an extension frame 67 extending from the main body 6.
And a light reflecting portion 68 that bends the traveling direction of the light projected from 6 vertically upward. The distance measuring device DS projects the light vertically upward.

On the other hand, the reference positions set on the storage shelves 2A and 2B to be measured by the distance measuring device DS are the storage shelves 2A and 2B.
B is set at the upper end of the storage shelves 2A, 2B.
It is defined by a long light reflecting plate 70 which is a detected member of the distance measuring device DS attached to the lower surface side of the supporting rod 69 installed above the elevating space of the elevating frame 5 sandwiched between. . The detection information of the distance measuring device DS is input to the controller CO, and is used for raising and lowering control of the lifting frame 5.

Next, an operation of loading and unloading the container C into and from the article storage facility under the control of the controller CO will be described. The controller CO measures the inclination of the elevating frame 5 in the longitudinal direction after the article storage facility is installed, before the operation starts, and periodically. That is, as schematically shown in FIG. 7, the article transfer device 6 is moved to the longitudinal end of the lifting frame 5 (point A in FIG. 7), and a distance measurement command is sent to the distance measurement device DS. The distance measurement result (“y1” in FIG. 7, but ignoring the horizontal portion of the light beam) is received from the distance measurement device DS. Thereafter, the article transfer device 6 is moved with the lifting frame 5 to the other end (point B in FIG. 7), a distance measurement command is sent to the distance measurement device DS, and the distance measurement result (“y2” in FIG. 7). However, the horizontal portion of the light beam is neglected), and the inclination “θ” of the lifting frame 5 is determined from the “y1” and “y2” and the moving distance “x” of the article transfer device 6.

After the operation of the article storage facility is started, when the container C is loaded into the upper or lower article loading / unloading section 4, the electric motors M1 and M2 are controlled and driven to move the lifting frame 5 and the article transfer. The apparatus 6 is moved so that the upper surface of the fork mechanism 52 provided in the article transfer apparatus 6 is located at a proper transfer position slightly below the lower surface of the container C of the article carrying-in / out section 4. In the raising / lowering control of the raising / lowering frame 5, the controller CO determines the information on the stop position in the lateral direction of the storage shelf of the article transfer device 6 according to the position of the article storage unit 1 to which the container C is to be transferred, and From the latest value of “θ” obtained as described above, a height difference as to how low the article transfer device 6 is located in comparison with the case where the lifting frame 5 is accurately horizontal is obtained. Then, the lifting frame 5 is stopped at a position higher by the difference in height. Next, the fork mechanism 52 is protruded to a position below the container C of the article carrying-in / out section 4, and thereafter, the lifting frame 5 is raised by the electric motor M <b> 1, and the container C is placed on the upper surface of the fork mechanism 52. State. When the fork mechanism 52 with the container C mounted thereon is retracted toward the article transfer device 6, the container C is mounted on the article transfer device 6. The same operation as described above is performed when the container C is transferred from the article storage unit 1 to the article transfer device 6.

With the container C mounted on the fork mechanism 52, the lifting frame 5 and the article transfer device 6 are moved to the empty article storage unit 1. At this time, the height of the lifting frame 5 is set to a proper transfer position where the height of the lower surface of the container C mounted on the article transfer device 6 is slightly higher than the upper surface of the locking member 10 of the article storage unit 1. Set. Also in this case, the vertical position of the vertical frame 5 is corrected using the information of “θ” as described above. In this state, the fork mechanism 52 is protruded toward the article storage unit 1 to position the container C above the locking member 10, and until the container C is placed on the locking member 10. After the lifting frame 5 is lowered, the fork mechanism 52 is retracted to the article transfer device 6 side. When carrying out the container C stored in the storage shelves 2A and 2B from the article carry-in / out section 4, the operation substantially reverse to the above-described carry-in operation is performed. Therefore, the controller CO also functions as a part of the lifting drive unit UD.

[Other Embodiments] Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be listed. In the above embodiment, the inclination “θ” of the elevating frame 5 is determined in advance to use the detection information of the light reflection type distance measuring device DS for the elevating control of the elevating frame 5, and the articles are moved in the lateral direction of the storage shelf. The lifting stop position of the lifting frame 5 is corrected from the stop position of the loading device 6.
While moving from one end side to the other end side, the distance to the light reflecting plate 70 is measured by the light reflecting type distance measuring device DS at intervals corresponding to the horizontal arrangement intervals of the article storage units 1, and the light reflecting plate is measured. 70
The deflection as well as the inclination of the lifting frame 5 is determined based on the information of the height difference between the stop position for each article storage unit 1 and the end of the lifting frame 5 (the side where the electric motor M1 exists). Alternatively, the stop position of the lifting frame 5 may be corrected.

In the above embodiment, the inclination “θ” of the lifting frame 5 is determined based on the distance measurement information of the light reflection type distance measurement device DS.
Is calculated in advance, and the lifting / lowering stop position of the lifting / lowering frame 5 is corrected based on the information. First, the article transfer device 6 is moved to the storage shelf lateral position corresponding to the article storage unit 1 to be transferred. Then, the distance to the light reflection plate 70 is measured by the distance measuring device DS while moving the lifting frame 5 up and down, and the distance measurement result is transferred to the article storage unit 1 to be transferred. The lift frame 5 may be stopped when the height of the lift frame 5 becomes appropriate for loading.

In the above embodiment, the article transfer device 6
Illustrates a case in which the container C is transferred to and from each of the article storage units 1 by the fork mechanism 52. The specific configuration for transferring the container C can be changed in various ways, for example, the transfer of the container C is provided with the hooks. In the above embodiment, the light reflection type distance measuring device DS is exemplified as the distance measuring means, but the specific configuration of the distance measuring means such as an ultrasonic type distance measuring device can be variously changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an article storage facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a lifting / lowering drive unit of the lifting frame according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the article transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of tilt detection of a lifting frame according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 C Article DM Distance measuring means DS Light reflection type distance measuring apparatus UD Elevating drive means WD Cord drive means 1 Article storage section 2A, 2B Storage shelf 5 Elevating frame 6 Article transfer device 30a, 30b Cord body 66 Main body 68 Light reflection part 70 Detected member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A storage shelf provided with a plurality of article storage sections in a state of being vertically and horizontally arranged in parallel, and an article transfer apparatus for transferring articles between the article storage section and itself. Supports driving movement freely in the lateral direction, and
An elevating frame driven and raised by an elevating drive unit is provided, and the elevating drive unit is configured to suspend and support both ends in the longitudinal direction of the elevating frame, and an elongate body that feeds and drives the elongate body. A driving means and an article storage facility, wherein a distance measuring means for measuring a distance in a vertical direction from a reference position set on the storage shelf side is provided along the elevating frame. The lifting drive means is movably provided, and the lifting drive means drives the lifting frame up and down based on the detection information of the distance measuring means so that the article transfer device is located at a proper transfer position. The configured article storage facility. 2. An article storage facility according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring means is provided in said article transfer device. 3. The distance measuring means comprises a light-reflecting distance measuring device that projects light vertically upward, wherein the reference position is installed at an upper end of the storage shelf in a horizontal posture, and The article storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the article storage facility is set by a long detection target member that reflects light projected from the distance device. 4. The distance measuring device comprises: a main body for projecting light horizontally; and a light reflector for bending a traveling direction of the light projected from the main body vertically upward. 3
Article storage facility as described.