JP2001088908A - Automated storage and retrieval warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To significantly increase store space while space of warehouse is same and to significantly reduce a number of stocker cranes. SOLUTION: Movable loading bed devices 14, 70 capable of moving a loading bed 12 storing an article 16 in horizontal direction and in vertical direction are provided. Thereby, in case of transferring the article 16 between the loading bed 12 and a transferring device 18, the transferring device 18 is moved to an article transfer location A of the movable loading bed devices 14, 70 and the article 16 is transferred with the loading bed 12 moved to the articie transfer location A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse,
In particular, it relates to a three-dimensional mobile warehouse in which shelves and tables for storing luggage are three-dimensionally high-rise.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional three-dimensional automatic warehouse, a plurality of racks each having a height from a floor surface to substantially near a ceiling are erected, and luggage placed on a pallet is placed and stored on each shelf of the rack. In such a three-dimensional automatic warehouse, usually, one stacker crane that transfers cargo to two rows of racks is provided.

[0003]

However, the conventional three-dimensional automatic warehouse has the following problems.

[0004] Since the number of stacker cranes allocated to the number of racks for storing luggage increases, the ratio of the traveling space required for traveling of the stacker cranes to the warehouse space increases. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the effective space for storing the luggage is reduced in view of the volume of the entire warehouse.

[0005] In addition, if the number of stacker cranes whose equipment costs are high is large, the equipment costs of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse increase accordingly.

When dust or the like accumulated on rack shelves is periodically cleaned, the operator has to clean many shelves one by one, which causes a problem that cleaning cannot be automated.

[0007] From the viewpoint of maintaining the quality of luggage to be stored, it is necessary to maintain the temperature and humidity in the warehouse to a certain level, and therefore, for example, air conditioners are provided every 10 m in the warehouse. However, it is difficult to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the warehouse, such as in the upper and lower parts of the warehouse.
If a device such as a fan for stirring the air in the warehouse is provided as a countermeasure, there is a problem that the power cost increases.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even if the warehouse space is the same, it is possible to significantly increase the luggage storage space and greatly reduce the number of stacker cranes. The purpose is to provide a warehouse.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for supporting a plurality of mounting tables which are arranged in a warehouse in a row and on which loads to be stored in the warehouse are mounted. At the same time, the plurality of mounting tables can be moved in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction, and the mobile mounting table apparatus travels to the load receiving position of the mobile mounting table apparatus and has been moved to the load receiving position. And a delivery device for delivering luggage to and from the mounting table.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a movable mounting table device capable of moving a mounting table for storing luggage in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction. Thereby, when transferring the luggage between the mounting table and the transfer device, the transfer device is moved to a transfer position of the mobile mounting table device, for example, an end position of the mobile mounting table device, and the transfer is performed. The luggage can be delivered to and from the mounting table that has been moved to the position.
Therefore, the traveling space of the delivery device in the warehouse can be reduced, and the effective space for storing luggage can be increased accordingly, and the number of delivery devices can be reduced.

Further, since the mounting table is moved, an automatic mechanism for cleaning the mounting table can be easily configured.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the automatic warehouse according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention, which is a case of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse provided with a horizontal movable mounting table device in which a mounting table moves in a horizontal direction. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an essential part for explaining an essential part of FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic three-dimensional warehouse 10 mainly includes a plurality of movable mounting table devices 14, 14... On which a plurality of mounting tables 12, 12,.
The transfer device 18 is configured to transfer the package 16 to and from the mounting table 12 of the movable mounting table device 14.

The movable mounting table device 14 includes a pair of driving sprockets 20, 20 disposed at one end of both ends in the horizontal direction (XX direction) where the mounting table 12 moves, and is disposed at the other end. A pair of driven sprockets 22 and 22 (FIG. 3)
) Are rotatably supported by the columns 24 (four in total). A pair of endless chains 26 are suspended between the pair of driving sprockets 20 and the pair of driven sprockets 22 so as to be parallel, and the driving sprocket 20 is connected to a driving source (not shown). You. The drive source is provided with a switch mechanism for turning on and off the drive, and the switch mechanism is controlled by a warehouse management control program of a computer disposed in a central management room that controls the entire control of the automatic three-dimensional warehouse 10. As a result, the endless chain 26 moves horizontally between the pair of sprockets 20 and 22 in the horizontal direction (XX direction), and when transferring the load 16 to and from the delivery device 18. Stop moving.

Between the parallel endless chains 26,
A plurality of suspension beams 2 are provided at regular intervals in the movement direction.
Are suspended and fixed, and the respective suspension beams 28
Of the package 16 via a pair of parallel bifurcated suspension rods 30 hang down from substantially opposite end positions thereof.
Is suspended. The bifurcated hanging rod 30 has a base end connected to the hanging beam 28 and a bifurcated distal end connected to a corner of the mounting table 12. If the luggage 16 is to be stored on the mounting table 12, the pallet 3
The luggage 16 loaded on the pallet 32 together with the pallet 32
Place on. In addition, on the orbital movement trajectory of the endless chain 26, support guides 34, 3 for supporting the endless chain 26 are provided on horizontal portions excluding the sprocket portions 20, 22.
4 are provided. Thereby, even if the load of the load 16 or the mounting table 12 is applied to the endless chain 26, the endless chain 26 moves horizontally without hanging down.

The delivery device 18 includes a pair of traveling rails 3.
A support frame 40 is erected on a carriage 38 that runs on 6 and 36, and a lift table 41 is supported by the support frame 40 so as to be able to move up and down. As a mechanism for elevating the elevating platform 41, for example, one end of a wire is connected to the upper end of the elevating platform 41, and the other end of the wire is connected to the carriage 38 via a pulley supported on the upper end of the support frame 40. It can be configured by connecting to a wire winder or the like.

The fork device 4 is provided above the lift table 41.
2 attached, two telescopic forks 46, 4
6 is driven to expand and contract by an expansion and contraction drive unit built in the lift 41. The stroke length for the fork 46 to expand and contract is such that the pallet on which the load 16 is picked up when the mounting table 12 comes to the load transfer position A (see FIG. 1) due to the movement of the chain 26 of the mobile mounting table apparatus 14. It is necessary for the fork 46 to be able to extend so far and not to come into contact with the mounting table 12 moving around when the fork 46 is contracted.

A rotary brush device 48 is provided below the elevator 41. In the rotary brush device 48, a rotary brush 52 is rotatably supported at the tip of the two telescopic arms 50, 50, and the arm 50 is driven to expand and contract by an arm telescopic drive unit built in the lifting table 41. At the same time, the rotating brush 52 is rotationally driven by the rotational driving unit. On the arm 50, the mounting table 1 at the luggage delivery position A
2 is provided with an optical sensor 54 for determining whether or not the luggage 16 is loaded, and a determination signal from the optical sensor 54 is transmitted to the arm extension / contraction drive unit and the rotation drive unit. Thus, only when there is no luggage on the mounting table 12, the arm 50 extends so as to contact the surface of the mounting table 12, and the surface of the mounting table 12 is cleaned by the rotating brush 52. The cleaning of the mounting table 12 is not limited to the rotating brush device 48, but may be a cleaning device that sucks and cleans the dust on the mounting table 12, such as a suction cleaner.

ON-OFF control of the driving sprocket 20 of the movable mounting table device 14, traveling control of the transfer device 18, control of the fork device 42, control of the rotary brush device 48, and whether the fork device 42 is used The control of whether to use the device 48 is controlled by the above-mentioned warehouse management control program by the computer in the central control room.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views showing an example of the arrangement of the horizontal movable mounting table device 14 and the transfer device 18 in the entire warehouse. FIG. 3 is a side view and FIG. 4 is a plan view. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the floor 5 of the warehouse building 56
From the vicinity of 6A to the vicinity of the ceiling surface 56B, the horizontal mobile mounting table device 14 is arranged in a multi-stage manner with both ends of the mobile mounting base device 14 aligned, and the multi-stage mobile mounting base device 14 is
2 rows in the XX direction of the warehouse (see FIG. 3), 7 rows in the YY direction
The rows (see FIG. 4) are arranged. Further, rails 36 on which the transfer device 18 travels along the YY direction are laid at both end positions in the XX direction of the warehouse and at a center position between the two rows of the movable mounting table devices 14. . In this case, the rail laid at the central position can be omitted. In short, when a row in the YY direction of the movable mounting table devices arranged in multiple stages in the ZZ direction is defined as one block 60, at least one transfer device 18 is disposed in this one block 60. Just set it. The number of the movable mounting table devices 14 to be arranged in one block 60 can be appropriately set according to the size of the warehouse space, the delivery frequency of the package 16, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, air conditioners 62, 62...
A thermometer (not shown) for detecting the temperature of each area is provided in each area in the X: YY: ZZ direction, and the detected temperature is transmitted to a computer in the central control room.

The operation of the first embodiment of the three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 configured as described above will be described.

First, a description will be given of the delivery of the package 16 in the case where the package 16 of the mounting table 12 of the movable mounting table apparatus 14 is received by the transfer device 18. The computer in the central control room moves the mounting table 12 on which the package 16 to be delivered is placed to the package delivery position A by the orbital movement of the chain 26 and stops, while moving the delivery device 18 on the rail 36. The fork device 42 is moved to the load-carrying position A by the elevating mechanism. Next, fork device 4
The second fork 46 is extended to pick up the load 16 together with the pallet 32 and then contracted. As a result, the baggage 16 on the mounting table 12 is received by the delivery device 18, and the chain 26 of the movable mounting table device 14 starts to move around again. When the package 16 is transferred from the transfer device 18 to the mounting table 12 of the movable mounting table device 14, the procedure is the reverse of the procedure for receiving the package 16 described above.

As described above, according to the automatic three-dimensional warehouse 10 of the present invention, the mounting table 12 for storing the luggage 16 can be moved in the horizontal direction without being fixed like the rack shelf of the conventional automatic three-dimensional warehouse. The movable mounting table device 14 thus obtained. Thus, when the package 16 is transferred between the mounting table 12 and the transfer device 18, the transfer device 18 is moved to the load transfer position A of the movable mounting table device 14 and the chain 2 is moved.
The baggage 16 can be delivered to and from the mounting table 12 that has been moved to the baggage delivery position A by the orbital movement of 6. Therefore, unlike the conventional three-dimensional automatic warehouse, there is no need to run the delivery device 18 to each rack shelf position and deliver the luggage 16, so that the delivery device 1 in the warehouse is not required.
8 can be reduced, the effective space for storing the luggage 16 can be increased, and the number of delivery devices 18 can be reduced.

The mounting table 12 of the mobile mounting table device 14
As a further merit of moving, even if the temperature / humidity distribution is uneven in each area in the warehouse, it can be solved by moving the package 16 in the warehouse. No special device such as a fan is required.

Next, cleaning of the mounting table 12 will be described.

Since dust and the like easily accumulate on the surface of the mounting table 12, especially at the corners of the mounting table 12, the computer in the central control room is switched from the transfer mode to the cleaning mode. Thereby, the setting is changed so that the rotating brush device 48 of the delivery device 18 is positioned at the baggage delivery device position A. In other words, the computer in the central control room moves the loading table 12 to be cleaned to the luggage delivery position A by the orbital movement of the chain 26 and stops it, and moves the delivery device 18 on the rail 36 to stop the corresponding loading table. Then, the rotary brush device 48 is moved to the luggage delivery position A by the elevating mechanism. Next, after the arm 50 of the rotary brush device 48 is extended and brought into contact with the surface of the mounting table 12, the rotating brush 52 is extended and contracted on the surface of the mounting table 12 for a certain period of time (such as a timer mechanism). To rotate. In this case, if the length of the rotating brush 52 in the axial direction is slightly smaller than the width of the mounting table 12, the entire surface of the mounting table 12 can be easily cleaned. When the cleaning of the mounting table 12 is completed, the arm 50 is contracted, and then the chain 26 of the movable mounting table apparatus 14 starts to move around. As described above, according to the three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 of the present invention, since the mounting table 12 of the movable mounting table apparatus 14 moves, the moving mounting table 12 is sequentially cleaned by cleaning means such as a rotating brush apparatus. do it. This makes it possible to easily configure an automatic mechanism for cleaning the mounting table, and to cover a large number of mounting shelves with a small number of cleaning means. In this case, it is possible to provide the rotating brush device 48 for each movable mounting table device 14. However, if the rotating brush device 48 is provided in the transfer device 18, the number of rotating brush devices 48 can be greatly reduced. This is also a good measure in terms of equipment costs.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse according to the present invention, which is a case of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 provided with a vertical movable mounting table device 70 in which the mounting table 12 moves vertically. The same devices and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the basic structure of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the mounting table 1 of the movable mounting table device 70 is used.
2 moves in the vertical direction (ZZ direction).
That is, the driving sprocket 20 is disposed near the floor surface,
A driven sprocket 22 is disposed near the ceiling surface, and these sprockets 20 and 22 are connected to an endless chain 26.
Is suspended. Thereby, the chain 26 moves around in the ZZ direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the delivery device 18 includes a floor surface 56A or a ceiling surface 56B of the warehouse building 56.
It is arranged to run along. Note that the structures of the movable mounting table device 70 and the delivery device 18 are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description will be omitted.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the arrangement of the vertical movable mounting table device 70 and the transfer device 18 in the entire warehouse. FIG. 6 is a side view and FIG. 7 is a plan view. is there.

As shown in these figures, a movable mounting table device 70 having a length from the vicinity of the floor surface 56A to the vicinity of the ceiling surface 56B of the warehouse building 56 is arranged such that the upper and lower ends of the movable mounting table device 70 are aligned. -Aligned in the X and YY directions (see Fig. 7)
It is erected in. In the XX direction at the position of the ceiling surface 56B and the position of the floor surface 56A of the warehouse building 56, an X-axis rail 72 on which the delivery device 18 travels is laid,
Y-axis rail 7 on which X-axis rail 72 runs in the Y-Y direction
4, 74 are laid. As a result, the two transfer devices 18, 18 are moved to the movable mounting table device 7
The vehicle travels to the baggage delivery positions A, A, which are the upper and lower ends of the baggage, and performs baggage delivery. Therefore, in the second embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the transfer device 18 with an elevating mechanism.

According to the second embodiment of the three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 configured as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition, the air conditioner 62
When air-conditioning is performed, warm air tends to rise upward, so that the temperature and humidity distribution tends to increase particularly in the vertical direction in the warehouse. However, in the three-dimensional automatic warehouse 10 according to the second embodiment, the mounting table 12 of the mobile mounting table device 70 is used.
Move vertically so that all luggage 16 in the warehouse is
There is a merit that it is easy to maintain the product temperature uniformly.

[0035]

As described above, according to the automatic warehouse of the present invention, since the mounting table for storing the luggage can be moved in the horizontal or vertical direction, even if the warehouse space is the same,
The storage space can be greatly increased, and the number of delivery devices can be significantly reduced.

Further, since the mounting table for moving the load moves, the cleaning of the mounting table can be easily automated.

Also, when the interior of the warehouse is air-conditioned by an air conditioner or the like, since the mounting table for storing the luggage moves in the warehouse, the influence of the temperature and humidity distribution in the warehouse can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view for explaining a first embodiment of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a waist perspective view for explaining a first embodiment of the automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining an example of the arrangement of the mobile mounting table device and the delivery device in the first embodiment of the automatic warehouse of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining an example of arrangement of a movable mounting table device and a delivery device in the first embodiment of the automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view for explaining an automatic warehouse according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an example of the arrangement of a mobile mounting table device and a delivery device in a second embodiment of the automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating an example of the arrangement of a mobile mounting table device and a delivery device in a second embodiment of the automatic warehouse according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Automatic warehouse, 12 ... Mounting table, 14 ... Horizontal mobile mounting table apparatus, 16 ... Luggage, 18 ... Delivery apparatus, 20 ...
Driving sprocket, 22 ... driven sprocket, 26
... chain, 28 ... hanging beam, 30 ... bifurcated hanging rod, 3
2 Pallet, 34 Support guide, 36 Rail, 40
... pillar frame, 41 ... elevating table, 42 ... fork device, 48 ...
Rotary brush device, 56: warehouse building, 62: air conditioner, 7
0: Vertical mobile mounting table device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of mounting tables are arranged in a warehouse to support a plurality of mounting tables for loading packages to be stored in the warehouse, and the plurality of mounting tables can be moved in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction. And a transfer device that travels to the luggage transfer position of the mobile mounting table device and transfers luggage to and from the luggage table that has been moved to the luggage transfer position. An automatic warehouse characterized by being constituted. 2. The movable mounting table device comprises: a pair of parallel endless chains suspended between sprockets and moving in a horizontal or vertical direction; and along a moving path of the endless chains. A plurality of support rails are provided and support the endless chain, and a plurality of the endless chains are suspended between the pair of parallel endless chains at intervals in the direction of the movement path, and the mounting table is connected via a hanging rod. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: a hanging beam to be hung. 3. A plurality of said movable mounting table devices are arranged in a longitudinal direction and a horizontal direction in said warehouse, and at least one end of both ends of said movable mounting table device is defined as said package transfer position. 3. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the automatic storage is performed. 4. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein said movable mounting table device or said transfer device is provided with cleaning means for cleaning said mounting table. .