JP2001122410A - Picking instruction device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picking instruction device capable of carrying out an efficient picking work sufficiently suitable for a practical use and realizing a substantial efficiency enhancement of the picking work even in the case where requirements for taking out articles are concentrated against a specific picking zone. SOLUTION: A location label 17 and a worker instruction indication lamp 16a having a plurality of indication lamps 16a having different indication colors are installed corresponding to a plurality of article-accommodation areas in a picking zone 14. A picking instruction device is provided with a wireless terminal HG for reading and wireless-transmitting the location label 17 to a DB server 19 corresponding to the number of the indication lamps 16a of the worker instruction indication lamp 16 and receiving and indicating a taken out amount wireless-transmitted from the DB server 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a picking instruction device which automatically indicates a position where articles to be taken out are stored and a quantity to be taken out in response to an article taking-out request from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a so-called order picking method in which a worker successively takes out a predetermined quantity of articles of a predetermined type according to an order list from a large number of shelves installed in an article storage place such as a warehouse. In the conventional picking work in the system, since a worker has a picking list (slip) and takes out a predetermined number of predetermined articles based on the picking list, it takes a long time, increases picking errors, and increases work efficiency. There are inconveniences such as lowering.

In recent years, therefore, a centralized management system using a computer has been introduced, and a picking system for automatically instructing the accommodation position and the number of articles to be taken out based on an article take-out request given from the outside. Has been actively developed.

As this kind of picking system, generally, a plurality of indicators for indicating the number of articles to be taken out are installed corresponding to each article accommodating position on a shelf, and in response to an article take-out request given from the outside. On the basis of this, the indicator corresponding to the storage position of the plurality of articles requested to be taken out is instructed to indicate the quantity of articles taken out.

[0005] Then, the picking worker starts a picking operation of taking out the articles corresponding to one of the indicators for which the quantity is indicated by the quantity indicated by the indicator. Then, after the picking operation is completed, the picking operator operates the completion switch provided in parallel with the indicator to clear the quantity indication, and proceeds to the next picking operation.

Hereinafter, the same operation is repeated, and the picking operation is continued. Note that the computer is notified of the end of the operation each time the picking operation of one indicator is completed or each time the picking operations of a plurality of predetermined indicators are all completed.

However, there is still room for improvement in the technology for improving the efficiency of the picking operation by performing centralized management of the picking system by a computer, and there is still room for improvement. There is a strong demand for the development of a picking system that can answer the question.

That is, in the above-described conventional picking system, a plurality of shelves are divided into a predetermined number to form a plurality of picking zones, and one worker is assigned to each picking zone to perform a picking operation. I try to make it.

[0009] For this reason, when articles take-out requests are concentrated in a specific picking zone, the burden on the worker in charge of that zone increases, and the time required for picking becomes longer, and picking errors also occur. There is a problem that it is likely to occur and that efficient picking work cannot be performed.

In recent years, in order to deal with this problem, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-268514, a plurality of workers can simultaneously perform picking work in the same picking area. It is also considered to improve the efficiency of picking work.

However, in the conventional picking means, since one quantity indicator is provided for one kind of article, when a plurality of workers take out a request for the same article, a request is made. First, the picking operation is instructed in time series, for example, the picking amount is instructed for one worker, and after the picking operation of the worker is completed, the picking amount is instructed for the next worker. At present, it cannot be said that the efficiency of the picking operation has been sufficiently improved.

[0012]

As described above, in a conventional picking system employing centralized control by a computer, when an article take-out request is concentrated on a specific picking zone, the picking zone is in charge of that zone. This causes a problem that the burden on the worker who performs the operation becomes heavy, and the efficient picking operation cannot be performed.

[0013] In addition, a means for improving the efficiency of the picking work by allowing a plurality of workers to simultaneously perform the picking operation within the same picking area, also takes out the same article to a plurality of workers. If a request is made, the picking work becomes time-series, and it cannot be said that sufficient efficiency has been achieved.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can perform a sufficiently practical and efficient picking operation even when requests for taking out articles are concentrated on a specific picking zone. It is an object of the present invention to provide a very good picking instruction device capable of improving the efficiency of picking work.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A picking instruction apparatus according to the present invention has a main control for receiving an article take-out request for a picking zone composed of a plurality of article storage areas each of which stores various articles. The apparatus is intended to automatically indicate the storage position and the quantity to be taken out of an article requested to be taken out.

A location label is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of article storage areas constituting the picking zone, and a location label is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of article storage areas constituting the picking zone. An operator instruction display means having a plurality of display lamps having different display colors, which are selectively driven including a plurality at the same time under the control of the main control device, and a plurality of display lamps included in the operator instruction display means, respectively. Each of the wireless terminals is provided with a wireless terminal that reads a location label, wirelessly transmits the location label to the main control device, and receives and displays the number of pieces taken out wirelessly transmitted from the main control device. .

According to the above-described configuration, the operator instruction display means having a plurality of display lamps having different display colors from each other is provided for each of the article storage areas constituting one picking zone. Number of picking workers take out the articles corresponding to the worker instruction display means driven by the display lamps of the same color as their own set color, respectively, in the quantity displayed on their own wireless terminal. I can do it.

For this reason, for example, during a normal picking operation, one picking worker is assigned to the picking zone so that the picking operation is performed, and requests for picking up articles are concentrated on a specific picking zone. In such a case, the number of picking workers in charge of the picking zone can be increased up to the number of display lamps at the same time, and the picking work can be performed at the same time, so that efficient picking work can be performed.

Also, when a plurality of picking workers are requested to take out the same article, each picking worker can use his / her own wireless terminal,
By reading the location label corresponding to the article, the quantity taken out is displayed on each wireless terminal.

For this reason, the picking work does not become time-series such that the picking-up quantity for the next worker is instructed after the picking work of the first worker is completed as in the related art. Therefore, an efficient picking operation suitable for practical use can be performed, and the efficiency of the picking operation can be substantially improved.

Further, the picking instruction device according to the present invention includes a plurality of shelves each having a plurality of article accommodating areas for accommodating various articles, and a plurality of work passages partitioned by the shelves are formed therein. The main control device that has received the article take-out request for the picking zone specified automatically targets the storage position and the take-out quantity of the article requested to be taken out.

The plurality of working passages formed in the picking zone are respectively installed corresponding to a plurality of working passages, and each of the plurality of working passages is selectively driven including a plurality of working passages simultaneously under the control of the main controller. Area display means having a plurality of display lamps having different display colors, bay identification labels provided respectively corresponding to a plurality of shelves constituting a picking zone, and a plurality of shelves constituting a picking zone are provided respectively. Each of which
An operator instruction display means having a plurality of display lamps respectively corresponding to the plurality of display lamps of the area display means and driven in accordance with the plurality of display lamps of the area display means under the control of the main controller; Installed in correspondence with the plurality of display lamps of the user instruction display means, each of which reads the bay identification label and wirelessly transmits the same to the main controller, and in the shelf wirelessly transmitted from the main controller. And a wireless terminal for receiving and displaying the storage position and the number of items to be taken out.

According to the above configuration, in one picking zone, area display means having a plurality of display lamps having different display colors from each other are provided for each of a plurality of work passages, and each of the shelves is provided for each shelf. Also, a worker instruction display means equipped with a plurality of display lamps corresponding to each display lamp of the area display means is installed, and picking workers of the number of display lamps each have a display lamp of the same color as their own set color. Enter the work path corresponding to the area display means being driven, and display the same color as the self-set color on the shelf corresponding to the worker instruction display means being driven and display it on the wireless terminal owned by the user. The displayed article can be taken out by the indicated take-out quantity.

For this reason, for example, during a normal picking operation, one picking worker is assigned to each picking zone so that the picking operation is performed. In the case of concentration, the number of picking workers in charge of the picking zone can be increased up to the number of display lamps at the same time and picking can be performed at the same time, so that efficient picking can be performed.

Further, even when a plurality of picking workers are requested to take out the same article, each picking worker PS can read the bay identification label with its own wireless terminal. Thereby, the article to be taken out and the quantity taken out are displayed on each wireless terminal.

For this reason, the picking work does not become time-series such that the picking-up quantity for the next worker is instructed after the picking work of the first worker is completed as in the prior art. Therefore, an efficient picking operation suitable for practical use can be performed, and the efficiency of the picking operation can be substantially improved.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, in the picking system described in the first embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of shelves 11 are arranged in one direction in an article storage place such as a warehouse.

Each of the shelves 11 takes out an article (not shown) received from one storage port 11a through the other storage port 11b. When the first article is taken out, the following articles are inclined. This makes it a so-called fluid rack that automatically comes forward.

Further, on the outlet 11b side of the plurality of shelves 11, transfer conveyors 12 are provided along the arrangement direction thereof. The transport conveyor 12 is set corresponding to each order list, and has a plurality of containers 13 for accommodating the articles taken out of the shelves 11 and transports the containers 13 in one direction.

The plurality of shelves 11 are divided into a plurality of picking zones 14 by dividing the shelves 11 by a predetermined number (four in the figure). And each picking zone 1
In No. 4, up to five picking workers PS can respectively perform picking work at the same time.

In each picking zone 14, a station conveyor 15 is provided in parallel with the transport conveyor 12 passing through its own picking zone 14. On this station conveyor 15, only the containers 13 to store the articles picked in the picking zone 14 are mounted.

That is, the containers 13 are mounted on the conveyor 12 and sequentially moved to the respective picking zones 14. When the container 13 arrives at the picking zone 14 where the articles to be stored are present, the container 13 is moved from the transport conveyor 12 to the station conveyor 15 and is used for storing the articles on the station conveyor 15.

Thereafter, the container 13 on the station conveyor 15 is moved from the station conveyor 15 to the transport conveyor 12 again when the accommodation of the articles in the picking zone 14 is completed, and is transferred to another picking zone by the transport conveyor 12. 14 will be moved.

The picking workers PS, which can perform picking work in each picking zone 14, have a maximum of five picking workers PS, each of which will be described later in detail. HT (Ha
An ndy terminal is carried, and picking work is performed based on an instruction from the wireless terminal HT.

Here, FIG.
This shows a state viewed from the side b. That is, this shelf 11
Is composed of two front and rear rods 11c and 11d and four pillars 11e, and is divided into four shelf steps 11g in the height direction by four shelf boards 11f installed horizontally. I have.

Each shelf 11g is formed as a plurality of article accommodation areas for accommodating a plurality of types of articles in the horizontal direction. And the outlet 11b of each shelf 11f
At the end on the side, a worker instruction display lamp 16 and a location label 17 are provided corresponding to a plurality of article storage areas, respectively.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a control system of the picking system described above. That is, the host computer 18, which is the main control device for controlling the entire picking system as a whole, is connected to a local area network (LAN).
work), a DB server 19 for data management and display control, a DT server 20 for the wireless terminal HT, and an access point 21 for performing actual wireless communication with the wireless terminal HT. .

The DB server 19 includes a display control PC (Personal Computer) 43 and a controller 22.
The control processing of each part is performed through the branching device 23.
6 is controlled. The worker instruction display lamps 16 have five display lamps 16a having different emission colors from each other, corresponding to a maximum of five picking workers PS who can perform a picking operation in one picking zone 14. .

As described above, the worker instruction indicator 16
Are installed in correspondence with a plurality of article storage areas of the shelf 11, that is, articles (items). The five display lamps 1 are controlled based on the control of the display control PC 43.
6a is driven to arbitrarily blink, including a plurality of 6a simultaneously.

For this reason, the picking worker PS goes to the location of the worker instruction display lamp 16 where the display lamp 16a of the color corresponding to his / her set color is blinking, and the picking worker PS is next to the worker instruction display lamp 16. After reading the barcode of the location label 17 with the barcode reader of the wireless terminal HT and confirming the article to be taken out, the article is displayed on the wireless terminal H.
T is taken out and stored in the container 13 on the station conveyor 15 by the quantity displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of T.

When the article is taken out by the quantity taken out, the blinking display lamp 16a is turned off, the picking operation for one kind of article is completed, and the same picking operation is repeated thereafter. become.

Here, a specific operation of the above-described picking system will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. That is, start (step S1
1) When the processing is performed, the host computer 18 proceeds to step S
At 12, the picking data created by the user is transferred online to the DB server 19 and registered.

Next, in step S13, the picking worker PS inputs his / her worker number and the number of the picking zone 14 in charge to his / her own wireless terminal HT, and prepares in advance in step S14. By reading an arbitrary one of the five working color barcodes as the own working color by the barcode reader of the wireless terminal HT, the worker number is associated with the working color.

Then, in step S15, the picking worker PS selects "picking processing" from the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT. Then, in step S16, the DB server 19 stores the container 13 corresponding to the order in which the articles to be taken out in the picking zone 14 among the containers 13 conveyed by the conveyor 12 in the picking zone 14. Is transferred from the conveyor 12 to the station conveyor 15.

Next, in step S17, the picking worker PS changes the bar code label attached to the container 13 transferred to the station conveyor 15 to the wireless terminal H.
Read with a T barcode reader. Then, the wireless terminal H
T sends the read number of the container 13 to the DB server 19 to request the DB server 19 for the picking data corresponding to the container 13.

Therefore, the DB server 19 executes step S
After controlling to transmit the picking data for one order to the wireless terminal HT at 18, the instruction data is transmitted to the display control PC 43 at step S19 to store the articles to be taken out in the picking zone 14. The display lamp 16a of a predetermined color of the worker instruction display lamp 16 corresponding to the place where the user is operating is blinked.

Thus, in step S20, the picking worker PS displays the display lamp 16 having the same color as the user's own working color.
Go to the location of the worker instruction indicator light 16 where a is flashing,
In step S21, the barcode of the location label 17 next to the worker instruction display light 16 is read by the barcode reader of the wireless terminal HT, and the read data, that is, whether the article to be taken out matches the instruction data. Check if.

Here, if the article to be taken out does not match the instruction data (NO), the picking worker PS returns to the processing of step S20. If the article to be taken out matches the instruction data (YES), the DB server 19 displays various picking information such as the name of the article to be taken out and the quantity to be taken out on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT in step S22. Let it.

Then, in step S23, the picking worker PS reads the JAN code / lot number code attached to the article taken out by the bar code reader of the wireless terminal HT one by one. Only the quantity displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the terminal HT,
Execute the removal of the article.

In this case, the JAN code / lot number code is read for all the articles taken out, and every time the JAN code / lot number code of one article is read, the liquid crystal display of the wireless terminal HT is displayed. The take-out quantity displayed on the screen is reduced.

As described above, when the quantity to be taken out displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT becomes “0”,
In step S25, the blinking display lamp 16a is turned off, so that the picking worker PS proceeds to step S2.
In 6, it is determined whether or not the picking operation in the picking zone 14 has been completed, that is, whether or not there is another blinking display lamp 16a in the picking zone 14.

If the picking operation has not been completed (NO), the picking worker PS proceeds to step S2.
The processing is returned to 0. If the picking operation has been completed (YES), the DB server 19 proceeds to step S2.
At 7, an end message is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT.

Next, in step S28, the picking worker PS transmits the work result data to the DB server 19 via the wireless terminal HT, and in step S29, removes the container 13 in which the taken out articles are stored into the station 13. After performing the operation of returning from the conveyor 15 to the conveyor 12,
In step S30, it is determined whether there is a picking operation by another order in the picking zone 14.

If there is a picking operation by another order (YES), the picking worker PS proceeds to the picking operation of the next order in step S31, and if there is no picking operation by another order (N
O), the picking operation is completed as it is (step S3)
2) Do it.

That is, in the above-described first embodiment, an operator instruction display provided with five display lamps 16a having different display colors from each other in each article storage area of the shelf 11 constituting one picking zone 14. A lamp 16 is installed, and a maximum of five picking workers PS own their own articles corresponding to the worker instruction display lamp 16 in which the display lamp 16a of the same color as the own setting is blinking. The wireless terminal HT can take out the same quantity as the take-out quantity displayed on the liquid crystal display screen.

For this reason, for example, during a normal picking operation, one picking worker PS is assigned to each picking zone 14 so that the picking operation is performed, and the picking operation is performed for a specific picking zone 14. When the picking-up requests are concentrated, the picking worker P in charge of the picking zone 14
Since S can be increased to a maximum of five persons and the picking operation can be performed at the same time, an efficient picking operation can be performed.

Further, even when a plurality of picking workers PS are requested to take out the same article, each picking worker PS uses the bar code reader of the wireless terminal HT owned by the picking worker PS. By reading the location label 17 corresponding to the article, the quantity taken out is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of each wireless terminal HT.

As a result, the picking work does not become time-series, such as in the prior art, where the picking-up quantity for the next worker is specified after the picking work of the first worker is completed. Therefore, an efficient picking operation suitable for practical use can be performed, and the efficiency of the picking operation can be substantially improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. That is, this second
The picking system described in the embodiment shows a form suitable for storing and retrieving a small amount of articles. As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of shelves 24 are arranged side by side in an article storage location such as a warehouse. Have been.

Each of the shelves 24 is opposed to each other by a predetermined distance so that a work passage 25 is formed on the side of the frontage 24a.
They are juxtaposed so that their back surfaces are in contact with each other. A plurality of shelves 24 are similarly arranged in a direction along each work passage 25.

One side of each work passage 25 is connected to a common picking work area 26. In the picking work area 26, a conveyor 27 is provided in a direction orthogonal to each work passage 25. The transport conveyor 27 is set corresponding to each order list, and has a plurality of containers 28 for accommodating the articles taken out from the respective shelves 24 and transports the containers in one direction.

Here, the plurality of shelves 24 are mounted on the conveyor 2
7 are divided into a plurality of picking zones 29 by a predetermined number (12 in the illustrated case) along the transport direction. In each of the picking zones 29, up to five picking workers PS can simultaneously perform picking work.

In each picking zone 29, a station conveyor 30 is provided in parallel with the transport conveyor 27 passing through the own picking zone 29. On this station conveyor 30, only the containers 28 to store the articles picked in the picking zone 29 are mounted.

That is, the container 28 is mounted on the transport conveyor 27 and sequentially moved to each picking zone 29. Then, when the container 28 reaches the picking zone 29 in which the articles to be stored are present, the container 28 is moved from the transport conveyor 27 to the station conveyor 30 and is used for storing the articles on the station conveyor 30.

Thereafter, the container 28 on the station conveyor 30 is transferred from the station conveyor 30 to the transport conveyor 27 again when the accommodation of the articles in the picking zone 29 is completed, and is transferred to another picking zone by the transport conveyor 27. 29.

Note that a maximum of five picking workers PS who can perform picking work in each picking zone 29 carry an operation key, a bar code reader, and a wireless terminal HT with a liquid crystal display screen, respectively. The picking operation is performed based on an instruction from the wireless terminal HT.

In addition, of the plurality of shelves 24 forming each work passage 25, an area display is provided on the shelf 24 closest to the picking work area 26 and near the frontage 24a closest to the picking work area 26, respectively. A lamp 31 is provided.

Here, FIG. 7 shows a state in which one of the shelves 24 closest to the picking work area 26 is viewed from the frontage 24a side. That is, the shelf 24 includes a top plate 24b and four pillars 24c.
A plurality of article storage areas 24f are partitioned by a plurality of shelf boards 24d horizontally laid between 4c and a plurality of partition boards 24e vertically installed on each shelf board 24d.

Then, the picking work area 2 of the shelf 24
An area indicator light 31 is installed on the column 24c on the side closer to 6. On the other column 24c on the same side of the shelf 24, an operator instruction display lamp 33 and a bay identification label 34 are provided. Further, a location label 35 is provided on the shelf 24d of the shelf 24 so as to correspond to each of the plurality of article storage areas 24f.

That is, one area indicator light 31 is provided for the entire frontage 24a of all the shelves 24 forming the work passage 25. Also,
The worker instruction indicator light 33 and the bay identification label 34
One is provided for all shelves 24.

Next, FIG. 8 shows a configuration of a control system of the picking system described above. That is, the host computer 36, which is a main control device for controlling the entire picking system as a whole, includes a DB server 37 for data management and display control and the wireless terminal H via the LAN.
The T DT server 38 is connected to an access point 39 that performs actual wireless communication with the wireless terminal HT.

The DB server 37 performs control processing of each unit through the display control PC 44 and the controller 40. One of the control processing is a plurality of worker instruction display lights 33 via the branching device 41. And a plurality of area indicator lamps 31 are controlled via a converter 42 controlled by a branching device 41.

Here, the area indicator light 31 and the operator instruction indicator light 33 emit light mutually, corresponding to a maximum of five picking workers PS who can perform picking work in one picking zone 29. It has five display lamps 31a and 33a of different colors.

As described above, the area indicator lamps 31 are provided corresponding to the work passages 25, and the worker instruction indicator lamps 33 are provided corresponding to the respective shelves 24. Under the control of the control PC 44, each of the five display lamps 31a, 33a is driven so as to be optionally lit and blinked, including a plurality of display lamps 31a, 33a simultaneously.

For this reason, the picking worker PS enters the work passage 25 corresponding to the area indicator light 31 in which the indicator lamp 31a of the color corresponding to his / her set color is lit.
Go to the shelf 24 of the worker instruction display lamp 33 where the display lamp 33a of the color corresponding to the user's set color is blinking, and the article storage position 24 displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT.
The articles are taken out based on f and the quantity taken out and stored in the container 28 on the station conveyor 30.

When the article is taken out by the quantity taken out, the blinking display lamp 33a is turned off, the picking operation for one kind of article is completed, and the same picking operation is repeated thereafter. become.

Here, the specific operation of the above picking system will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. That is, when started (step S33), the host computer 36
In step S34, the picking data created by the user is transferred online to the DB server 37 and registered.

Next, in step S35, the picking worker PS inputs his / her worker number and the number of the picking zone 29 in charge to his / her own wireless terminal HT, and prepares in advance in step S36. By reading an arbitrary one of the five working color barcodes as the own working color by the barcode reader of the wireless terminal HT, the worker number is associated with the working color.

Then, in step S37, the picking worker PS selects “picking processing” from the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT. Then, in step S38, the DB server 37 sets the container 28 corresponding to the order in which the article to be taken out exists in the picking zone 29 among the containers 28 conveyed by the conveyor 27 in the picking zone 29. To transfer from the conveyor 27 to the station conveyor 30.

Next, in step S39, the picking worker PS changes the bar code label attached to the container 28 transferred to the station conveyor 30 to the radio terminal H.
Read with a T barcode reader. Then, the wireless terminal H
By sending the read number of the container 28 to the DB server 37, T requests the DB server 37 for the picking data corresponding to the container 28.

For this reason, the DB server 37 determines in step S
After controlling so as to transmit the picking data for one order to the wireless terminal HT at 40, the instruction data is transmitted to the display control PC 44 at step S41 to store the articles to be taken out in the picking zone 29. The display lamp 33a of a predetermined color of the worker instruction display lamp 33 corresponding to the shelf 24 is blinked.

The DB server 37 determines in step S42
Then, the instruction data is transmitted to the display control PC 44,
The indicator lamp 31a of a predetermined color of the area indicator lamp 31 corresponding to the work passage 25 facing the shelf 24 containing the articles to be taken out in the picking zone 29 is turned on.

Thus, in step S43, the picking worker PS displays the display lamp 3 of the same color as his / her working color.
It moves to the work passage 25 corresponding to the area indicator light 31 where 1a is lit, and in step S45, the indicator light 33a of the same color as its own work color corresponds to the blinking worker instruction indicator light 33. It moves to the frontage 24a of the shelf 24.

Then, in step S46, the picking worker PS reads the bar code of the bay identification label 34 of the corresponding shelf 24 with the bar code reader of the wireless terminal HT, and the read data, that is, the It is checked whether or not they match, and if they do not match (NO), the process returns to the step S45.

If the shelf 24 matches the instruction data (YES), the DB server 37 proceeds to step S4.
At 7, the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT displays, on the liquid crystal display screen of the shelf 24, the position at which one type of article is stored, ie, the position of the article storage area 24f, Display various picking information such as quantity.

Then, in step S48, the picking worker PS reads the barcode of the location label corresponding to the article storage area 24f at the position displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT with the barcode reader of the wireless terminal HT. After reading and confirming whether or not the read data, that is, the storage position of the article matches the instruction data, in step S49, the JAN attached to the taken out article is checked.
While reading the code / lot number code one by one with the bar code reader of the wireless terminal HT, in step S50,
The removal of the articles is executed by the quantity displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT.

In this case, the JAN code / lot number code is read for all the articles taken out, and every time one article is taken out, the wireless terminal H is read.
The takeout quantity displayed on the T liquid crystal display screen is reduced.

As described above, when the quantity taken out displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT becomes “0”,
In step S51, the DB server 37 determines that the picking operation for one type of article has been completed, and determines in step S51.
At 52, it is determined whether or not all the picking operations on the shelf 24 have been completed.

If all the picking operations in the shelf 24 have not been completed (NO), the processing shifts to step S47, where the DB server 37 displays the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT on the shelf 24. Among various kinds of articles requested to be taken out, various kinds of picking information such as the position of the article accommodating area 24f accommodating another kind of article and the number of pieces taken out are displayed. Is continued.

If all the picking operations on the shelf 24 have been completed (YES), the DB server 37 displays “End Picking in Shelf Frontage” on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT in step S53. Display a message.

Then, the picking worker PS turns off the blinking display lamp 33a in step S54. Therefore, in step S55, the picking worker PS determines whether or not all the picking work in the present working passage 25 has been completed. If it is not completed (NO), the process returns to step S45, and the other worker's instruction in which the display lamp 33a of the same color as the user's own work is blinking in the same work passage 25 Move to the frontage 24a of the shelf 24 corresponding to the indicator light 33,
Hereinafter, the picking work in the work passage 25 is continued.

If all picking operations in the work passage 25 have been completed (YES), the DB server 3
7 is a display lamp 31a for which the area display lamp 31 corresponding to the work passage 25 is turned on in step S56.
Turn off the light. Thereafter, in step S57, the picking worker PS determines whether or not the picking operation in the picking zone 29 has been completed, that is, whether or not there is any other lit display lamp 31a in the picking zone 29. .

If the picking operation has not been completed (NO), the picking worker PS proceeds to step S4.
The process is returned to the process of step 3. If the picking operation has been completed (YES), the DB server 37 proceeds to step S5.
In step 8, a message of "End of picking in zone" is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT.

Next, in step S59, the picking worker PS transmits the operation result data to the DB server 37 via the wireless terminal HT, and in step S60, removes the container 28 containing the taken out articles to the station After performing the operation of returning from the conveyor 30 to the conveyor 27,
In step S61, it is determined whether or not there is a picking operation by another order in the picking zone 29.

If there is a picking work by another order (YES), the picking worker PS proceeds to the picking work of the next order in step S62, and if there is no picking work by another order (N
O), the picking operation is completed as it is (step S6)
3) Yes.

That is, in the above-described second embodiment, in one picking zone 29, an area indicator light 31 provided with five indicator lamps 31a having different display colors from each other is provided for each of the plurality of work passages 25. At the same time, a worker instruction indicator light 33 provided with five display lamps 33a having different display colors from each other is installed for each shelf 24, and a maximum of five picking workers PS have the same color as their own set color. Enter the work passage 25 corresponding to the area indicator light 31 in which the indicator lamp 31a is lit, and the shelf 24 corresponding to the worker instruction indicator light 33 in which the indicator lamp 33a of the same color as the self-set color is blinking. Thus, the articles displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT owned by the user can be taken out by the displayed take-out quantity.

For this reason, for example, during a normal picking operation, one picking worker PS is assigned to each picking zone 29 so that the picking operation is performed, and the picking operation is performed for a specific picking zone 29. When the picking-up requests are concentrated, the picking worker P in charge of the picking zone 29
Since S can be increased to a maximum of five persons and the picking operation can be performed at the same time, an efficient picking operation can be performed.

Further, even when a plurality of picking workers PS are requested to take out the same article, each picking worker PS uses the bar code reader of the wireless terminal HT owned by the picking worker PS to read the bay. By reading the identification label 34, the articles to be taken out and the quantity to be taken out are displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of each wireless terminal HT.

Therefore, the picking work does not become time-series such that the picking-up quantity for the next worker is instructed after the picking work of the first worker is completed as in the related art. Therefore, an efficient picking operation suitable for practical use can be performed, and the efficiency of the picking operation can be substantially improved.

Here, a description will be given of a case where a missing item occurs during the picking operation in the first and second embodiments described above. That is, the picking worker PS
The user picks up the requested article taken out of the shelves 11 and 24 and, when the article is gone, operates the out-of-stock confirmation key installed on the wireless terminal HT.

Then, a message for confirming the number of missing parts is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT, and the picking worker PS executes an accepting operation for the message displayed on the screen. After that, the picking worker PS performs the picking work on the remaining items of the order.

After the picking operation in the picking zones 14 and 29 is completed, the picking worker PS
Transmits the work result data from the wireless terminal HT to the DB servers 19 and 37, and the article and the shelf 24 in which the shortage has occurred.
Are turned off according to the instructions of the DB servers 19 and 37, and at this time, the actual quantity of the DB servers 19 and 37 is updated based on the operation actual data.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0104]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Even in the case where requests for picking up articles are concentrated on a specific picking zone, an efficient picking operation suitable for practical use can be performed, and an extremely good picking operation can be substantially improved. A picking indicating device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating a picking instruction device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary front view shown for explaining a detailed configuration of a shelf according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram for explaining details of a control system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a picking operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a picking operation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an external view illustrating a picking instruction device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary front view illustrating a detailed configuration of a shelf according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the details of a control system according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a picking operation according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a picking operation according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a picking operation according to the second embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: Shelf, 12: Conveyor, 13: Container, 14: Picking Zone, 15: Station Conveyor, 16: Operator Indicator Light, 17: Location Label, 18: Host Computer, 19: DB Server, 20: DT Server 21 access point, 22 controller, 23 branching device, 24 shelf, 25 work passage, 26 picking work area, 27 transport conveyor, 28 container, 29 picking zone, 30 station conveyor, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 31 ... area indicator light, 33 ... worker instruction | indication light, 34 ... bay identification label, 35 ... location label, 36 ... host computer, 37 ... DB server, 38 ... DT server, 39 ... access point, 40 ... controller, 41 ... Branch device, 42 ... Converter, 43 , 44: PC for display control, PS: picking worker, HT: wireless terminal.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 29, 2000 (2008.2.
9)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0037

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Next, FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a control system of the picking system described above. That is, the host computer 18, which is the main control device for controlling the entire picking system as a whole, is connected to a local area network (LAN).
work) through, and the DB server 19 for data management, the DT server 20 for the wireless terminal HT, are connected to the access point 21 to perform the actual radio communication with the radio terminal HT.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0044

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Then, in step S15, the picking worker PS selects "picking processing" from the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT. And <br/> that, in Step S16, among the containers 13 being conveyed by the conveyor 12, the picking zone 14
Container 13 corresponding to the order in which the article to be taken out within exists, Ru migrated from conveyor 12 to the station conveyor 15 within the picking zone 14.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0071

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Next, FIG. 8 shows a configuration of a control system of the picking system described above. That is, the host computer 18 is a main controller for overall control of the entire picking system via the LAN, the data <br/> tube DB server 37 for management, DT for the wireless terminal HT
The server 38 is connected to an access point 39 that performs actual wireless communication with the wireless terminal HT.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0079

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Then, in step S37, the picking worker PS selects “picking processing” from the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal display screen of the wireless terminal HT. And <br/> that, in Step S38, among the container 28 being transported by the transport conveyor 27, the picking zone 29
Container 28 corresponding to the order in which the article to be taken out within exists, Ru migrated from conveyor 27 to the station conveyor 30 within the picking zone 29.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (71) Applicant 000229759 Nippon Filing Co., Ltd. 1-6-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Sanae Nagai 1-7-5 Izumidai, Ichihara-shi, Chiba (72) Inventor Yamada (72) Inventor Akira Nagatomi 1-6-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside the Japan Filing Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi 1-6-6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in Japan Filing Co., Ltd. (reference) 3F022 AA15 FF01 FF11 MM05 MM08 MM11 MM36 MM59 MM61 PP04

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A main control device that receives an article removal request for a picking zone constituted by a plurality of article storage areas in which various articles are respectively stored, stores a removal position of the article requested to be removed and a removal position. In a picking instruction device for automatically indicating the quantity, a location label provided corresponding to each of a plurality of article storage areas constituting the picking zone, and a plurality of article labels corresponding to a plurality of article storage areas constituting the picking zone, respectively. Operator instruction display means, each having a plurality of display lamps, each of which is selectively driven by the control of the main controller, including a plurality of display colors, which are different from each other in color; The display means is provided corresponding to each of a plurality of display lamps. A pick-up instructing device, comprising: a wireless terminal that reads the label and wirelessly transmits the picked-up label to the main control device, and receives and displays the extracted quantity wirelessly transmitted from the main control device. 2. A picking zone comprising a plurality of shelves each having a plurality of article storage areas in which various kinds of articles are stored, and a plurality of working passages formed therein by the shelves. A main control device that receives an article removal request automatically picks up a storage position and a removal quantity of the article requested to be removed, and the picking instruction device corresponds to each of the plurality of work paths formed in the picking zone. An area display unit having a plurality of display lamps, each of which is selectively driven including a plurality of display colors simultaneously under the control of the main control device, and having a plurality of display lamps having different display colors; A bay identification label provided corresponding to each of a plurality of shelves, and a plurality of shelves constituting the picking zone. A plurality of display lamps respectively corresponding to the plurality of display lamps of the area display means and driven by the plurality of display lamps of the area display means under the control of the main controller. Worker instruction display means having a display lamp; provided in correspondence with a plurality of display lamps of the worker instruction display means, each of which reads the bay identification label and wirelessly transmits the read bay identification label to the main controller. A pick-up instructing device, comprising: a wireless terminal for receiving and displaying the storage position and the number of items to be taken out in the shelf wirelessly transmitted from the main control device.