JP2000255710A - Ceiling conveyer device and article conveying method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ceiling conveyer device and an article conveying method using that in which the space saving of the whole body is realized by providing a cirling running vehicle running on the ceiling which takes in and takes out articles directly between a three-dimensional warehouse and a disired working position, for example, and furthermore, articles can be conveyed without a trouble. SOLUTION: This ceiling conveyer device 5 conveys articles by running on a track 3 suspended from a ceiling surface, and it is provided with a base part 10 running on the track 3; a pair of fixing members 13 suspended from the track by fixing its upper end to the base part 10; a pair of moving members 14 and 15 guided movable up and down to secure a specific rigidity between the fixing members 13, and housed in a space between the fixing members 13; a motor 22 for elevation; an elevating member 16; and a fork 17 loaded to the elevating member 16, and to load and take out the articles by being driven in the horizontal direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article conveying method using a ceiling conveying apparatus, for example, an overhead train that reciprocates or unidirectionally moves along a track provided on a ceiling in a production line or a distribution line at a predetermined work place. The present invention relates to a versatile transport technique for transporting articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various works and articles stored in pallets are conveyed by an overhead crane instead of a conveyor installed on the floor, so that the floor area occupied by the conveyor is reduced. Ceiling transfer devices have been put to practical use in production lines and distribution lines of various industries.

According to the "automatic warehouse" disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-115634, an overhead traveling vehicle is provided that travels between three-dimensional warehouses arranged opposite to each other, and is further moved vertically and horizontally relative to a predetermined shelf. By providing an article take-out device driven at a state of infiltration into an article shelf of a three-dimensional warehouse and at a standby state at a leading end portion of a lifting lift, it is shown that articles are placed and taken out of an article shelf of a three-dimensional warehouse. Have been. The articles taken out from the article shelves in the three-dimensional warehouse in this way are configured to be transferred to a desired work position by being transferred to a transport trolley thereafter.

According to the "overhead traveling vehicle" disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-12893, an overhead traveling vehicle is provided for traveling between a three-dimensional warehouse and a desired work position, and is vertically and horizontally mounted on a predetermined shelf. By providing a weight that moves in the opposite direction to the direction in which the slide fork, which is driven into a state where it infiltrates the goods shelf of the three-dimensional warehouse and stands by at the tip of the lift that moves, moves from the goods shelf of the three-dimensional warehouse. It shows that a balance is achieved when placing and removing the articles.

According to the "crane game machine" disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-322981, it is possible to prevent a swing at the tip by providing a vertically moving lift provided with a vertically movable slide mechanism on a moving body traveling overhead. In this way, there is disclosed a technique that enables a prize to be gripped by a gripping means provided at a tip end of a lift.

[0006]

However, as disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-115634, articles are placed and removed from the article shelves by an overhead traveling vehicle traveling between three-dimensional warehouses. After that, it is not possible to save space by using the overhead traveling vehicle if it is delivered to the transport vehicle that moves on the floor.

Further, according to the "overhead traveling vehicle" disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-12893, an overhead traveling vehicle that travels between a three-dimensional warehouse and a desired work position is provided. Although it is advantageous, in order to provide a weight that moves in the opposite direction to the direction in which the slide fork extends in order to prevent lateral blur, it is necessary to provide a space for the weight movement. In such a case, it is necessary to provide a weight moving space. Also, the slide fork cannot be moved in both directions.

In view of the above, the "overhead traveling vehicle" disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3-12893 and the "crane game machine" disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-322981 have a certain level of lateral rigidity to prevent lateral vibration. What is necessary is to adopt a slide mechanism for up and down movement that has been prevented, but this `` crane game machine '' allows the traveling vehicle to run with a button operation of the player on a prize piled up in a so-called arcade machine, Since the prize is grasped with the claw after stopping, the slide mechanism of the multi-stage type is configured so that the slide member descends one by one simply by gravity action, so collision may occur when the slide member descends stepwise Therefore, such a multi-stage slide mechanism cannot be simply employed. That is, the placed article falls due to the impact at the time of the collision.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. For example, by providing an overhead traveling vehicle that travels between a three-dimensional warehouse and a desired work position, the overall sparseness can be reduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ceiling transport device capable of transporting a placed article without any trouble and a method of transporting an article using the same.

[0010]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the object, according to the present invention, a ceiling which travels on a track suspended from a ceiling surface and conveys articles is provided. A transport device, comprising: a base having traveling means for traveling on the track, a pair of fixed members having upper ends fixed to the base and hanging from the track, and securing predetermined rigidity between the fixed members. At least one pair of moving members guided by the guide means so as to be able to move up and down and accommodated in the space between the fixed members, an elevating drive means for moving the moving members up and down, It is characterized by comprising an elevating member fixed at a lower end, and a mounting means mounted on the elevating member and mounted and taken out of the article by being driven in a horizontal direction.

[0011] Further, the moving member is provided for a plurality of pairs,
The elevation drive means is an interlocking mechanism in which the plurality of pairs of moving members have the same elevation amount.

The interlocking mechanism includes a pair of pulleys rotatably provided at upper and lower portions of the moving member, an endless body stretched between the pulleys, and a part of one end of the endless body. A first member fixed to the second member fixed to the other side
And the above-mentioned members.

[0013] Further, the placing means is driven on both sides in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the track to place and load the articles between at least one pair of three-dimensional warehouses disposed on both sides of the track. It is characterized by taking out.

Further, the interlocking mechanism is characterized by comprising a ball screw spline shaft and a ball screw spline nut.

[0015] Also, in the article conveying method using a ceiling conveying device, there is provided a position detecting means arranged along the track and at a predetermined position, the traveling means and the elevation driving means, A control signal line provided along the track for transmitting and receiving a control signal or supplying power between the placing means and the control means, the traveling means, the elevation driving means, the placing means, and The control means for performing a predetermined control through a control signal line, wherein the article located at a predetermined position is placed and taken out by the predetermined control.

[0016] Further, there is provided an article conveying method using a ceiling conveying device, wherein position detecting means disposed at an entrance of at least one pair of a three-dimensional warehouse and a work position arranged with the track interposed therebetween; Article detection means for detecting the presence or absence of articles on article shelves arranged vertically and horizontally in a warehouse, and transfer of control signals or power supply between the traveling means, the elevation drive means, the placement means and the control means A control signal line provided along the track, the traveling means, the elevation drive means, the placement means and the control means for performing predetermined control via the control signal line, the control means, An article is placed and taken out between the article shelf and the work position according to the detection of the article detecting means.

The track is endless and has at least one pair of entrances and exits of a three-dimensional warehouse disposed on both sides of the track, and position detecting means disposed at a work position. In accordance with a predetermined control and the detection of the article detection means, the ceiling transport device is configured to pass one way for loading and unloading articles between the article shelf and the work position. .

[0018]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a ceiling transporting apparatus 5. In FIG.
It is the figure which fractured | ruptured and shown.

In FIG. 1, the ceiling transfer device 5 is installed so as to have a predetermined trajectory fixed from the ceiling surface of a building of a production line or a distribution line indicated by cross-hatching in the figure via a hanging bracket 3a. By reciprocating or moving in one direction on the orbit 3, predetermined articles are directly conveyed between the working position and the space. The track 3 is composed of a pair of left and right rails, for example, H-channel members separated by a predetermined distance as shown in the figure.

The traveling means of the ceiling transport device 5 includes a base 10 serving as a base and a pair of right and left motors for driving rollers 22 fixed to the base 10 and connected to the traveling drive roller 22 for traveling on the track 3. The driving roller 11 includes a pair of left and right rollers 12 that rotate following the rotation of the driving roller 11. Further, the base 10 is provided with a roller (not shown) for preventing rotation when a yaw moment is generated.

From the edge of the base 10, a pair of fixing members 13 having a predetermined rigidity are fixed so as to descend downward from a space between the tracks 3 along the longitudinal direction. The fixed members 13 are guided between the fixing members 13 so as to be able to move up and down so as to secure a predetermined rigidity on the respective surfaces along the XY plane and the ZY plane in the drawing. , 13 are provided in a space between the pair of moving members 14 and 15. An elevating member 16 is provided between the pair of moving members 15 which are at the lowest position when descended as described later.

The lifting member 16 is provided with a work w in a space between the moving members 15 in a standby state as shown in the figure, and a pair of forks 17 driven in the direction of arrow Y as described later. ing.

The moving members 14 and 15 are respectively driven up and down by a pair of right and left or one elevating motor 22 fixed to the base 10, and are provided so as to surround the track 3 and the storage state shown in the figure. The moving member moves downward in the direction indicated by the arrow z from the state in which the ceiling transport device 5 moves and stops on the hole 7 a formed in the lower surface of the tunnel 7. The tunnel 7 is provided as necessary for ensuring safety during traveling and preventing noise or preventing dust. An automatic opening / closing door may be provided in the hole 7a to further prevent noise or prevent dust.

FIG. 2 shows that the ceiling transfer device 5 shown in FIG. 1 is moved to a space between the first three-dimensional warehouse 1 and the second three-dimensional warehouse 2,
It is the external appearance perspective view which showed a mode that the moving member fell. In this drawing, the components already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and different portions will be described. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a relative positional relationship between the ceiling transport device 5, the first three-dimensional warehouse 1, and the second three-dimensional warehouse 2.

In FIG. 2, the first three-dimensional warehouse 1 and the second three-dimensional warehouse 2 are provided with article shelves which are arranged neatly along the xz plane so as to be in columns 1z and rows 1x.
As shown, the forks 17a and 17b are horizontally moved so as to expand and contract in one direction with the driving of the fork motor 19, whereby the work w is sneaked into each article shelf,
The moving members 14 and 15 are configured to be further lowered and mounted. When the three-dimensional warehouse is provided on only one side, the fork 17 is configured to expand and contract on one side.

In FIG. 2, only one elevating motor 22 is fixed on the base 10 so as to transmit power to the moving members 14 and 15 via a power transmission mechanism. The difference in elevation between the left and right due to variations in characteristics is prevented. A general-purpose motor and a servo motor or a stepping motor can be used for each drive motor.In the case of a general-purpose motor, a single encoder that also serves as a pulse generator and a moving amount detector is fixed to the output shaft.
It is configured to output generated pulses to the control unit, and the speed of the motor is controlled by inverter control. In the case of a servo motor or the like, accurate driving and positioning can be realized by so-called open driving. Next, FIG. 4 shows two moving members 14, 1 provided on a pair of fixed members 13.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing a configuration example of an interlocking mechanism that makes the same amount of up / down movement when the up / down movement is performed.

In this figure, a pair of guide rails 23 are fixed to the fixed member 13 along the edges, and two pairs of guide bushes fixed to the first moving member 14 by these guide rails 23 are shown. By guiding 24,
The first moving member 14 is configured to be guided up and down so as to secure a predetermined rigidity on each surface along the XY plane and the ZY plane in FIG.

Similarly, a pair of guide rails 23 is fixed to the first moving member 14 so as to extend along the edge.
By guiding the two pairs of guide bushes 24 fixed to the second moving member 15 by these guide rails 23, a predetermined rigidity is ensured on each surface along the XY plane and the ZY plane in FIG. Thus, the second moving member 15 is configured to be guided up and down with respect to the first moving member 14 without play. An elevating member 16 is fixed to a lower end of the second moving member 15.
The fork is provided so as to move in the horizontal direction.

In FIG. 2, a drive shaft 20 is provided from both sides of the elevating motor 22 as shown in the drawing, and a chain sprocket 33 shown in FIG. This chain sprocket 33 is used for fixing member 1
The chain is provided between the chain sprocket for idle and the chain sprocket provided below 3 as shown in the figure. In the middle of the chain, a first member 30 is provided so as to move up and down.

One end of the first member 30 is connected to the moving member 14.
Is fixed in the middle of a rope 27 which is an endless body stretched between a pair of pulleys 26 and 27 rotatably provided by a shaft body 25 at upper and lower portions of the first member 30. Accordingly, the first moving member 14 is moved up and down. Also, as shown in the figure, rope 2
7 has one end with respect to the second member 31 and a second end.
A second member 31 having the other end fixed to the moving member 15 is provided.

The moving member can be moved by the same amount by rotating the lifting / lowering motor 22 by the interlocking mechanism having the above structure. In addition, the speed control of the motor 22 for raising and lowering prevents the impact force in the vertical direction from acting on the work loaded on the fork, and eliminates the rattling in the horizontal direction which is common in the ceiling hanging type transfer device. So that it can be moved to a predetermined position.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing another embodiment of the interlocking mechanism described in FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to the components already described, and the description is omitted. A pair of pulleys 26 and 28 rotatably provided at the upper and lower portions of the second moving member 15 are provided. Yes,
A rope 27 is stretched between these pulleys, and a second member 3 fixed to the third moving member 18 on the way.
1 is fixed. According to the configuration shown in FIG.
In addition to the moving stroke ST1 of the moving member 14 and the moving stroke ST2 of the second moving member 14, the stroke ST3 of the third moving member 18 can be secured. That is, it is possible to extend the stroke to the allowable amount of the backlash accumulated between the guide rail and the guide bush.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing another embodiment of the interlocking mechanism. The same reference numerals are given to the components already described and the description is omitted, and as shown in FIG. A ball screw nut 34 screwed to a ball screw spline shaft 33 fixed to the moving member 14 is provided above the moving member 14. A gear is fixed below the ball screw 33, and a ball screw spline shaft 33 to which rotational force is transmitted from the gear is rotatably supported by the first moving member 14. Are screwed into a ball screw nut 34 fixed to the moving member 15. According to the above-described configuration, since the backlash accumulated between the guide rail and the guide bush is improved in a threaded relationship, a longer stroke can be achieved.

FIG. 7 is a bird's-eye view of an article transfer line using the ceiling transfer device 5. In this drawing, a track 3 is composed of at least one pair of first three-dimensional warehouses 1 disposed with the track 3 interposed therebetween.
And the work W is directly transferred between the second warehouse 3 and the work places P1 and P2. For this purpose, position sensors 6a, 6b, 6c for detecting the position of the ceiling transfer device 5 are arranged at the entrance and the working position of the warehouse. In addition, articles W on an article shelf arranged vertically and horizontally in a three-dimensional warehouse
An article detection sensor 8 for detecting the presence / absence of each item is provided on each shelf.

A control signal line 50 connected to the position sensor shown by a broken line in the figure is arranged along the track 3, and the above-mentioned motors and the control unit 100 are connected via the control signal line 50. By transmitting and receiving various control signals and supplying electric power to the motor between the arrows X1 and X2 in FIG.
2, so that it can be controlled to move in the Y1, Y2, Z1, and Z2 directions.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart of the article transport line shown in FIG. 7, and shows an example of an operation from picking up a workpiece W from an article shelf to transporting it to the work position P1.

In FIG. 8, when the control program is started, the ceiling transfer device 5 is in the storage state shown in FIG. At about the same time, the current position of the ceiling transport device 5 is confirmed. For example, when the present position is at the position shown in the figure, the process proceeds to step S2 and travels toward the sensor 6a side of the three-dimensional warehouse entrance, and is detected by the sensor 6a. (Step S4). After this, the work W
Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the moving members 14 and 15 are lowered and stopped at a position facing the article shelf (steps S4, S5, S6). Subsequently, in step S7, the fork 17 is moved horizontally to bring the fork 17 under the work W. Subsequently, in step S8, the placing section is lifted to lift the article from the shelf (step S8).
8) The work W is mounted on the fork 17.

Thereafter, in step S9, the fork is retracted to enter the standby state shown in FIG. 1 (step S10). As described above, since the storage state in which the work W is mounted is obtained, the work W moves to the position detected by the position sensor 6b of the work position P1 in step S11.

Next, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a work place operation. It moves to the work position as described above and is stopped by the sensor 6b (step S12).
Then, the motor 22 is driven to lower the lifting members 14 and 15. Thereafter, the motor 19 for driving the fork is driven to extend the fork (step S14), so that the fork is ready to be mounted on a predetermined work place. Then, step S
Proceed to 16, and further lower the work W on it. When the mounting is completed as described above, in step S17, the fork driving motor 19 and the elevating motor 22 are driven to be in the storage state shown in FIG. 1, and wait for the next command in the standby state. (Step S18).

The work W conveyed as described above is
After a predetermined operation such as mounting of parts is completed, the sheet is conveyed downstream and sent to the next step. The same operation is performed at the operation position P2.

Next, FIG. 10 is a bird's-eye view of a manufacturing line of another embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the components already described, and the description thereof will be omitted. The track 3 is configured to be endless as shown, and a pair of three-dimensional warehouses 1, 2
Are arranged, and sensors 6a, 6
d is provided.

By making the track 3 endless as described above, instead of the reciprocating drive described above, the
You can do it in one direction only.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For example, by installing an overhead traveling vehicle that travels on the ceiling that directly exchanges goods between the three-dimensional warehouse and the desired work position, it is possible to reduce the overall sparseness and furthermore, to convey articles without trouble An apparatus and an article conveying method using the same can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a state in which a ceiling conveyance device 5 is in a housed state.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state where the ceiling transport device 5 of FIG. 1 is in a lowered state together with a three-dimensional warehouse.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the ceiling transport device 5 and a three-dimensional warehouse provided between the track 3;

FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a pulley type interlocking mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a ball screw type interlocking mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an overhead view of a distribution line.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a work pickup operation;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a work place operation.

FIG. 10 is an overhead view of a distribution line on an endless orbit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st three-dimensional warehouse 2 2nd three-dimensional warehouse 3 ceiling rail 5 traveling device 6 position detection sensor 7 traveling tunnel 8 presence / absence sensor 10 base 11 drive roller 12 roller 13 fixing member 14 first moving member 15 second moving member Reference Signs List 16 Lifting member 17 Fork member (mounting member) 18 Third moving member 19 Fork drive motor 20 Drive roller motor 22 Lifting drive motor 23 Guide rail 24 Guide bush 25 Shaft support 16 Upper pulley 27 Rope 28 Lower pulley 30 1 member 31 second member 50 control line 100 control unit means

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A ceiling transport device that transports articles by traveling on a track that hangs from a ceiling surface, comprising: a base having traveling means that travels on the track; and an upper end fixed to the base. A pair of fixed members hanging down from the track, at least a pair of moving members guided in a vertically movable manner by guide means for securing a predetermined rigidity between the fixed members, and housed in a space between the fixed members; An elevating drive unit for elevating and lowering the moving member; an elevating member fixed at both lower ends at the lowermost position of the moving member; and an article mounted on the elevating member and driven in a horizontal direction. Mounting means for loading and unloading the ceiling. 2. The ceiling according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of moving members are provided for a plurality of pairs, and the elevation driving means is an interlocking mechanism in which the plurality of pairs of the moving members have the same amount of elevation. Transport device. 3. The interlocking mechanism includes a pair of pulleys rotatably provided at upper and lower portions of the moving member, an endless body stretched between the pulleys, and a part of one end of the endless body. The ceiling transport device according to claim 2, comprising a first member fixed to the first member and a second member fixed to the other side. 4. The placing means, being driven on both sides in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the track, places and places articles between at least one pair of three-dimensional warehouses disposed on both sides of the track. The ceiling transport device according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling transport device is taken out. 5. The ceiling transport device according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking mechanism is constituted by a ball screw spline shaft and a ball screw splan nut. 6. An article conveying method using the ceiling conveying device according to claim 1, wherein: a position detecting means arranged along the track and arranged at a predetermined position; and the traveling means. And a control signal line provided along the track to transmit or receive a control signal between the elevating drive means and the placing means and the control means or to supply power, the traveling means and the elevating drive means, The ceiling transport device, comprising the placing means and the control means for performing a predetermined control via the control signal line, wherein the predetermined control performs placing and taking out of an article located at a predetermined position. The article transport method used. 7. A method of transporting articles using the ceiling transport device according to claim 4, wherein at least one pair of three-dimensional warehouses arranged with the track interposed therebetween and a position arranged at a work position. Detecting means; article detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an article in an article shelf arranged vertically and horizontally in the three-dimensional warehouse; transmission and reception of control signals among the traveling means, the elevation drive means, the placing means, and the control means Or a control signal line provided along the track to supply power, the traveling means, the elevation drive means, the placing means, and the control means for performing predetermined control via the control signal line. An article transport method using a ceiling transport device, wherein articles are placed and taken out between the article shelf and the work position in accordance with the predetermined control and the detection of the article detecting means. . 8. The endless track is provided with an entrance and an exit of at least one pair of three-dimensional warehouses disposed on both sides of the track, and position detecting means disposed at a work position. According to the predetermined control and the detection of the article detecting means, in order to place and remove articles between the article shelf and the work position, the ceiling transport device can be performed in one way. An article conveying method using the ceiling conveying device according to claim 7.