JP2002068420A - Automatic takeout device for file holder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic takeout device for file holders enabling the fast sorting and takeout speed, the improvement in shipping efficiency and the easy recognition of the taken-out state of file holders. SOLUTION: This automatic takeout device for file holders, which sorts and takes out file holders in a sorting and takeout data unit, comprises an accumulated data generation means of accumulating thickness of the file holders based on kind data or thickness measuring data of the file holders and generating the accumulated data on every subject and in order of takeout requests in the file holders with received takeout requests and a sorting and takeout data generation means of generating sorting and takeout data for every several quantity of file holders storable in a sorting and takeout part based on the accumulated data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic file holder unloading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of an automatic retrieval apparatus for automatically releasing a file holder stored in a storage shelf is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-87.
No. 011. This type of apparatus is mainly used in the management of medical charts in hospitals and the like, and usually has a mode in which the charts, X-rays, etc. of one patient are collected and managed in one file holder. Also, multiple types of file holders are prepared depending on the thickness,
A thin file holder is used for a patient with a few charts, and a thick file holder is used for a patient with a large amount of charts and other documents.

[0003] In a large hospital such as a general hospital, the number of patients is large, and in many cases, an automatic unloading device is configured by providing a plurality of units.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 87011, a conveyance path such as a conveyor is provided at the front side of each unit and the like, and the file holders discharged from each unit are conveyed through this conveyance path and are collectively collected in an accumulation unit. Means for leaving the warehouse are also being taken. In addition, a configuration is also known in which a plurality of such stacking units are provided for a transport path, and a switching unit is provided on the transport path to sort a file holder into each stacking unit.
According to this configuration, for example, it is possible to sort and accumulate the file holders according to purpose and use by assigning each accumulating unit to medical departments such as internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram for explaining the configuration. Reference numeral 81 denotes a unit (hereinafter referred to as a storage shelf unit), reference numeral 82 denotes a transport path including a belt conveyor, reference numeral 83 denotes switching means, and reference numeral 84 denotes a switching unit. Indicates an accumulation unit (hereinafter, referred to as a sorting / delivery unit). Each storage shelf unit 8
The file holder released from 1 is conveyed through the conveyance path 82, and the switching means 83 is selectively operated, so that the file holder is discharged to a predetermined sorting / discharging section 84. Each sorting / outgoing section 84 is provided with a presence / absence detecting sensor (not shown) for detecting the presence / absence of a file holder and a full detecting sensor (not shown) for detecting a full state of the file holder. When the full folder detection sensor detects the full state of the file holder when the file holder is unloaded to 84, the switching unit 83 different from the switching unit 83 that has been operating up to that time is operated, and the subsequent file holders are It is arranged to be discharged to another sorting / discharging section 84 in an empty state.

[0005]

However, the above configuration has the following problems. For example, a file holder is currently being delivered to the sorting / outgoing section 84 (a) located at the end of the transport path 82, and the central five sorting / outgoing sections 8 are located.
4 is already full, and assuming that the sorting / discharging section 84 (b) located near the storage shelf unit 81 is empty, the number of file holders in the sorting / discharging section 84 (a) becomes full. Since it cannot be known until the file holder is actually delivered to the sorting / delivery section 84 (a), every time the file holder is delivered to the sorting / delivery section 84 (a), it is determined whether or not the file sensor is full by the full sensor. A determination is made, and it is necessary to ensure that the next file holder reaches the position of the switching means (83b) after this determination.

As described above, according to the configuration in which the sensor detects the full state of the sorting / delivery section, the transport interval of the file holders on the transport path is inevitably increased, and as a result, the overall delivery time of the file holder is long. There was a problem of becoming. In particular, when the transport path is long and the distance between the sorting and unloading units at the ends is large, the unloading efficiency is significantly deteriorated.

[0007] Another problem is that if a variety of medical department file holders are delivered to each sorting / delivery section, it is difficult for the operator to grasp the delivery state. In order to solve this problem, a method has been known in which a lamp is installed in each sorting / delivery section, and the classification of the medical departments of the file holders and the retrieval state are recognized based on the color or blinking state of the lamp. However, according to this method, the operator must always remember the pattern due to the difference in color and blinking state. If the number of medical departments such as general hospitals is large, the number of patterns increases, The problem was that the patient could not remember and could easily get the wrong department.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the processing speed of sorting and delivery is high, the delivery efficiency is improved, and the delivery status of the file holder can be easily grasped. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic file holder unloading device.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a storage shelf unit for automatically taking out a file holder stored in a storage shelf, and a transport for transporting a file holder released from the storage shelf unit. Means, a switching means for sorting the file holder carried by the carrying means into a plurality of sorting and unloading sections, and a control device for controlling the storage shelf unit, the carrying means and the switching means,
A file holder for which a delivery request has been made, for each subject and in the order of the delivery request, a total data generating means for totalizing the thickness of the file holder based on the type data or the thickness measurement data of the file holder and generating the total data; A sorting / shipping data generating unit configured to generate sorting / shipping data for each file holder of a quantity that can be stored in one sorting / outgoing unit based on the accumulated data,
An automatic file holder unloading device that sorts and unloads file holders in units of the sort and release data is configured.

[0010] Further, a plurality of storage shelf units are provided, and in the plurality of sorting / shipping data, delivery instruction data corresponding to a file holder stored in each storage shelf is generated for each storage shelf unit. .

In addition, a display device is provided for each of the sorting and dispensing units, which displays at least the subject name of the file holder being stored in characters based on the sorting and dispensing data.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, an example of a file holder will be described with reference to FIG. 2. When the file holder F is in a folded state, a storage member fa for storing a file such as a chart and an elongated member. The stop fb is formed. The storage body fa is formed of a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene or a paper material, and has a structure in which an intermediate portion is folded back.
Its thickness is, for example, 8 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm.
Each type of file, such as mm, is prepared and used depending on the type and amount of files to be stored. The locking body fb is the lower edge f
c, it is integrally attached to the upper part of the storage body fa, and the lower end fd, fd is exposed at the front and rear ends. The lower surface end fd is a portion that is suspended on the suspension rail 11 of the sorting and unloading section 7 described later. On the upper part of the locking body fb, a pair of locked surfaces fe, fe
Is formed, and the file holder is suspended from a holder (not shown) attached to the storage shelf 4 at the site of the locked surface fe and is stored. In the vicinity of the front and rear ends of the locking body fb, an engagement hole ff is formed for engaging a claw member (not shown) of the transfer device 6 described below when the locking body fb is taken out of the storage shelf 4.

As described above, the type (8 mm, 15 m) related to the thickness of the file holder
m, 20 mm, and 30 mm) are drilled (some types are not drilled). This type determination hole f
g, the detection light of a light transmission type sensor (not shown) provided in a storage transfer device (not shown) to be described later is transmitted therethrough. The type of the file holder is determined by the combination. Also,
A pocket portion fh is formed on the front surface and the back surface of the storage body fa, and the same ID label L is stored in each of the pocket portions fh.
In many hospitals, one file holder stores and uses the charts and the like of one patient, and the ID label L also has the ID information of one patient. The ID label L is composed of a piece of paper, a piece of film, or the like, and has a bar code BC as ID information.
And the patient name are printed. The barcode BC is read by a barcode reader (not shown) provided in the storage and transfer device.

Next, an automatic retrieval apparatus for file holders (hereinafter simply referred to as an automatic retrieval apparatus) 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view (partially transparent) of the automatic retrieval apparatus 1 and shows a case where three storage shelf units 2 are arranged side by side. In the model shown in the figure, the storage shelf unit 2 and the sorting and unloading section 7 are respectively built in each of the housings 3, and the transporting means 21 is also built in so as to extend between the housings 3 in the left-right direction.

The storage shelf unit 2 includes a management computer 5
1 (FIG. 6) is a part for automatically taking out the file holder stored in the storage shelf 4 under the control of the storage shelf 4, the stacker crane 5, the transfer device 6,
Release means 8. Storage shelf 4 holds one file holder
A plurality of rows and a plurality of shelves are formed for each book,
Are laid out as a left and right pair so as to face each other. The stacker crane 5 is a trolley that is supported by ceiling rails and floor rails (both not shown) provided inside the housing 3 and travels in the front-rear direction along the front surface of the storage shelf 4. The transfer device 6 is attached to the column of the stacker crane 5 so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction, and takes out a predetermined file holder from the storage shelf 4 under the control of the management computer 51.

The transfer device 6 may be a known device. In particular, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-322013, if a plurality of file holders can be stored, the file holder can be transferred from the storage shelf 4. Since the stacker crane 5 does not need to reciprocate with the transfer device 10 described later each time one book is taken out, the file holder can be taken out quickly. In this case, the transfer device 6 is configured to collectively store the plurality of stored file holders so that the stored file holders can be discharged to the transfer device 10 side.

The discharging means 8 comprises a delivery device 6 and a conveying means 2
1 and a file holder received from the transfer device 6 is dropped onto the transfer means 21 by a shooter or the like, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-87011, for example. The structure of may be sufficient. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of file holders received from the transfer device 6 can be stored as the release means 8 in order to realize efficient release.
In addition, the transfer device 1 is configured such that the device itself is movable in the front-rear direction, and drops and discharges the stored file holders one by one.
It is set to 0. That is, the transfer device 10 moves in the front-rear direction under the control of the management computer 51, and its opening 1
0a, the file holders are transferred one by one to the transfer means 21 (first
The transport path 22, the second transport path 23), and the shooter 24.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the conveying means 21.
As shown in (1), a first transport path 22 transports the file holder to one side (left feed) and a second transport path 23 transports the file holder to the other (right feed). The two transport paths are laid out with a slight inclination angle so that they are parallel to each other at a predetermined interval, and as shown in FIG. 4, the respective transport path surfaces face each other. In the present embodiment, in order to cope with an increase or decrease in the number of storage shelf units 2 arranged in parallel, a transport path is provided for each unit, and one end of each transport unit is brought close to form one transport path. I have. A hopper-shaped shooter 24 is provided between the two transport paths.

The transporting means 21 and the switching means 25 will be described with reference to the portion of the transporting path unit of the first transporting path surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. The first transport path 22 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), a belt 2 is provided between a driving roller 27 and a driven roller 28 disposed on the left and right ends of a frame 26.
It consists of a belt conveyor with a structure of 9 loops. The frame 26 is fixed to a frame in the housing 3. A roller 30 mounted on a rotation shaft of the driving roller 27;
A drive transmission belt 32 is hung around a roller 31a attached to an output shaft of the drive shaft 31. The belt 29 is moved by the rotation of the drive motor 31, and conveys the file holder.

Next, the switching means 25 switches the transport direction of the file holder so that the file holder is detached from the transport means 21 and stored in the sorting and unloading section 7, and the switching means 25 may have a known structure. In the present embodiment, the movable guide plate 33 has a function of guiding the conveyance of the file holder while maintaining the standing posture of the file holder. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, among the three guide plates disposed along the first transport path 22, the guide plate located at the center and the left side is the movable guide plate 33, and reference numeral 34 denotes 5 shows a fixed guide plate fixed to the first transport path 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the movable guide plate 33 is located above the first transport path 22 and the second transport path 23.
It is a member formed with a pair of guide portions 33a and 33b which stand apart from each other and stand vertically with respect to the conveyance path. The lower ends of the guide portions 33a and 33b are connected by a substrate portion 33c located below the upper belt 29. ing. The guide portion 33a located on the chute 24 side contacts the file holder moved toward the chute 24 by the rotation of the movable guide plate 33 adjacent on the upstream side, and is used to drop the file holder into the chute 24. A stopper member 35 is fixedly provided. A partition plate 36 is provided above the shooter 24.

The movable guide plate 33 is configured to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 37 formed on the substrate portion 33c. A motor 38 is provided below each movable guide plate 33, and a disk member 39 is mounted on an output shaft 38a. An eccentric pin 40 is fixed on the upper surface of the disk member 39 at a position eccentric to the output shaft 38a. The upper end of the eccentric pin 40 is inserted into an elongated hole (not shown) formed in the substrate 33c. Usually, each movable guide plate 33 is connected to the first transport path 2.
2, in a state parallel to the second conveyance path 23, and in a state where the conveyance path is opened. When a certain motor 38 is selectively driven, the eccentric pin 40 presses the inner surface of the long hole so that the movable guide plate 33 rotates around the rotation shaft 37 toward the shooter 24. It has become. Thereby, the file holder conveyed on the conveyance path is separated from the conveyance path toward the chute 24 by the rotated movable guide plate 33, and the movable guide plate 33 (or the fixed guide plate) adjacent to the downstream side as described above. The guide plate 34 abuts against the stopper member 35 and the partition plate 36 and drops into the chute 24.

As described above, by selectively operating the movable guide plates 33 under the control of the management computer 51, the file holders are sorted and delivered to the predetermined sorting / outgoing section 7. As shown in FIG. 5A, each movable guide plate 3
Between the three or between the movable guide plate 33 and the fixed guide plate 34, a light reflection type sensor 41 for detecting the file holder being transported is provided. Reference numeral 42 is the reflection plate. The detection signal of each sensor 41 is transmitted to the management computer 51, and the management computer 51 grasps the number of file holders on the transporting means 21 and in the sorting and unloading section 7 based on the detection signal, and transfers each storage shelf unit 2. Timing of release of the file holder in the apparatus 10 and the conveyance means 2
1, the switching means 25 and the like are controlled.

Next, the sorting and unloading section 7 may have a known structure such as a structure in which a file holder is laid down and stored, as shown in the above-mentioned JP-A-10-87011. In this embodiment, the file holder dropped from the transport means 21 via the shooter 24 is suspended by the suspension rail 11 and a plurality of the file holders are stored (the transfer means from the shooter 24 to the suspension rail 11 is described below). Omitted). The file holder is moved forward by a moving means (not shown) toward the exit 9 of each sorting and exiting section 7 so that the file holder can be sequentially taken out from the exit 9. In the present embodiment, the sorting and unloading section 7 is formed in the upper and lower tiers as described later. Therefore, the switching means (the switching means) for storing the file holder dropped from the shooter 24 in either the upper tier or the lower tier. 25 is provided. Although a detailed description of this switching means is omitted, it operates under the control of the management computer 51, and guides the file holder to either the upper or lower sorting / discharging section 7. Each sorting and unloading section 7 is provided with a sensor (not shown) for detecting whether or not the file holder is stored.

In this embodiment, in each housing 3, a storage section 12 for inserting a storage cart of a file holder is laid out on the right side of the front, and a sorting and unloading section 7 is laid out on the front center and the left side in upper and lower stages, respectively. . As can be seen from the figure, the sorting and unloading unit 7 at the center of the front has an outlet for allowing the operator to directly take out the file holders at both the upper and lower stages. The lower stage is a retrieval opening through which the truck 13 can be retrieved. In the case of an outlet in a mode of taking out by hand, a hand insertion portion 7a for inserting a hand so as to hold the file holder from above or from below is formed. At the upper part of the storage unit 12, a delivery port 3a for suddenly leaving a specific file holder and a display device 3b for displaying a delivery status and the like are provided.

[0025] Behind the storage section 12, a storage transfer device (not shown) interposed between the storage trolley and the transfer device 6 is arranged, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-11-334818. Is established. The file holder uses the storage and transfer device to (1) determine an ID for identifying and identifying each of the file holders, and (2) thickness (8 mm, 15 mm, 20 m).
m, 30 mm), and (3) thickness measurement for measuring the actual thickness of the file holder. In the ID determination, the above-described bar code BC is read by a bar code reader (not shown).
The thickness measurement is performed by detecting the combination of the presence / absence of g and the perforated portion, and measuring the thickness of the storage body fa of the file holder by a measuring device (not shown). Each of the file holders is stored in the storage shelf 4 via the transfer device 6 after the above determination and measurement are performed. On this occasion,
For each file holder, its ID data and type data are stored in the management computer 51 (thickness measurement data is also stored in some cases). Further, the unit data of the storage shelf unit 2 where the file holder is stored and the address data of the storage location on the storage shelf 4 are also stored.

A control system of the automatic retrieval apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The management computer 51 includes a stacker crane 5, a transfer device 6,
Control of the release means 8 (transfer device 10), storage transfer device, etc.
It is a part that controls the transporting means 21, the switching means 25, and other devices, and manages data of file holders stored in the storage shelf 4, and corresponds to a "control device" described in the claims. The management computer 51 and the storage shelf unit 2 are connected by a LAN or the like. The management computer 51 may be provided in a divided manner. For example, a higher-level management unit that performs system management of the entire automatic unloading device 1 and data management of file holders, and integrally controls each device such as the transfer device 6. It may be provided separately from the general control unit. Further, the general control unit may be provided separately for each storage shelf unit 2.

The management computer 51 is connected via a modem, a LAN, or the like to a host computer 52, which also manages other office procedures such as new patient registration. The host computer 52 has an input device 53 and a CR.
One or more monitors 54 such as T are connected. The input device 53 is a manned reception machine or an unmanned reception machine installed at a hospital reception desk, a business terminal installed in a business room, or the like. ) Is read by a reader (for example, ID data such as a person's name or data of a medical department such as internal medicine or surgery). The input device 53 and the monitor 54 may be connected directly to the management computer 51.

According to the present invention, the file holders that have been requested to be delivered are cumulative in file holders based on the file holder type data or the thickness measurement data for each subject and in the order of the delivery requests. A total data generating means for generating data; and a sorting / shipping data generating means for generating sorting / shipping data for each file holder of a quantity that can be stored in one sorting / outgoing section based on the cumulative data. The main feature is that the file holders are sorted and delivered in units of the delivery data.

The generation of the total data and the generation of the sorting and leaving data are performed by the CPU in the management computer 51. The term "subject" refers to a group of file holders to be delivered, such as a consultation department, a medical treatment content, etc., which will be described below as a consultation department including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and the like. . Further, the type data will be described below as any one of 8 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, when a request to retrieve a plurality of file holders (ID information such as a patient name and a medical care department name) is input from input device 53 (step S1), host computer 52 or In the management computer 51, reservation data arranged for each medical department and in the order of the retrieval request is generated (step S2). The delivery request order may be the order in which the patient names and the like are input by the input device 53, or may be the order in which the order is specified again after all the input is completed. If the file holder for internal medicine is FA, the file holder for surgery is FB,
File holder for pediatrics is FC and FA1, FA2, ..., FAn, FB1, FB
, FBn, FC1, FC2,..., FCn, the reserved data is a data group including the file holders FA1 to FAn, a data group including the file holders FB1 to FBn, and data including the file holders FC1 to FCn. Generated in groups. Needless to say, when inputting at the input device 53, the reservation data need not be generated if the input has been performed for each medical care department and in the order of the retrieval requests.

The management computer 51 accumulates the thicknesses of the file holders in each of the data groups based on the type data of the file holders or the thickness measurement data in the order of the delivery request, and generates the accumulated data (step S).
3). For example, the above-mentioned internal file holders FA1 to FA1
In the data group consisting of FAn, FA1, FA2,
.., The type data (or thickness measurement data) regarding those file holders stored in the management computer 51 at the time of storage is accumulated. Then, the total data is compared with a predetermined value Z set in the management computer 51 in advance (step S4), and for each file holder of the quantity (preferably the maximum quantity) that can be stored in one sorting / outgoing section 7. A flag is set and a plurality of grouped sorting / shipping data is generated (step S5). The predetermined value Z is, for example, a numerical value determined in accordance with the size of the file holder storage unit (the size in the direction in which the file holders overlap) in the sorting and unloading unit 7, and the size of the file holder storage unit in consideration of errors and the like. It is set as a smaller value.

An example of the sorting / outlet opening process including the steps S3 to S5 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a case will be described as an example where a request is made to retrieve 100 file holders FA for internal medicine and the type data is accumulated. If the respective type data (any of 8 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm) of the file holders FA1, FA2,..., FA100 are X (1), X (2),. Cumulatively in order, for example, from file holder FA1 to file holder FA41
Data X of type data X (1) to X (41) up to
When the total becomes larger than the predetermined value Z, a flag is set for the file holder FA40 one book before, and the data relating to the file holders FA1 to FA40 is set as first sorting and leaving data.

Next, the total data Xtotal is reset, and this time the type data X of the file holder FA41 is reset.
Starting from (41), for example, file holder FA
When the total data Xtotal of the type data X (41) to X (76) up to 76 becomes larger than the predetermined value Z,
A flag is set for the file holder FA75, and data relating to the file holders FA41 to FA75 is set as second sorting and leaving data. The total data Xtotal is reset again, and the type data X (7
Starting from 6), the final file holder FA100
If the total data Xtotal up to is smaller than the predetermined value Z, the file holders FA76 to FA10
Data relating to 0 is defined as third sorting and leaving data. The same sort and exit opening processing is performed for the file holders of the other medical departments.

When the number of storage shelf units 2 is one,
The file holder can be sorted and delivered as it is based on the sorting and shipping data. In other words, the management computer 51 expands the data in the order of the sorting / shipping data having the highest priority and in the order of the delivery request in the sorting / shipping data, gives the file holder removal instruction to the transfer device 6, and outputs the file in each sorting / shipping data. Based on the number of holders and the detection signal of the sensor 41 and the like, the transfer device 10, the transport unit 21, the switching unit 25, and the like are controlled. As a result, the file holders are sorted and delivered to the sorting and outgoing section 7 in units of sorting and outgoing data. Note that the “priority” in the “high-priority sorting and shipping data” refers to a shipping request (step S in FIG. 7).
In the case of 1), the input order of the medical care department when the patient name, the medical care department name, and the like are sequentially input by the input device 53 may be used.
The order may be specified again after the input, or the order may be set in the management computer 51 or the host computer 52 in advance.

Further, even when there are a plurality of storage rack units 2 as in the present embodiment, each storage rack 4 stores a file holder for each medical department (for example, the storage rack of the first unit). Unit 2 contains only medical file holders on storage shelf 4, and Unit 2 has only surgical file holders 3
In the case where only the pediatrics file holder is stored in the unit No.), the file holders can be sorted and delivered by sorting the plurality of sorting / shipping data to the transfer device 6 of the corresponding storage shelf unit 2 as they are.

The sorting / shipping data development process consisting of steps S6 and S7 shown in FIG. 7 is efficiently performed when the file holders of the respective medical departments are mixed on the storage shelves 4 of the respective storage shelf units 2. This is data processing for sorting and releasing file holders. In the management computer 51, the plurality of sorting / shipping data generated in step S5 is organized into data, and for each storage shelf unit 2, the delivery instruction data corresponding to the file holder stored in each storage shelf 4 is output. It is generated (step S6). In this embodiment, the data is taken out in the order of the sorting / shipping data having the higher priority order and in the order of the delivery request in the sorting / shipping data, and the delivery instruction data for each storage shelf unit 2 is generated.

An example of generation of the delivery instruction data will be described with reference to FIG. This figure shows a case where the sorting and outgoing data generated in step S5 is generated by being divided into eight groups (numbers in parentheses indicate priorities), and among the three storage shelf units 2. The first unit includes internal file holders FA1, FA5,..., Surgical file holders FB5, FB10,.
5, FC41 is stored. Of course, the management computer 51 stores the fact that these file holders are stored in the first machine and the respective address data in the storage shelf 4. First, in the sorting and shipping data composed of the file holders FA1 to FA40, data corresponding to the file holder stored in the first machine is taken out in the order of the shipping request, that is, in the order of the file holders FA1, FA5 and FA25. Then
In the sorting / shipping data including the file holders FA41 to FA75 of the second priority, data (FA45, FA45) corresponding to the file holder stored in the first unit.
60 data) in that order. Hereinafter, the same processing is performed to generate final delivery instruction data for the first unit. The case of the other No. 2 and No. 3 units will be omitted, but as in the case of the No. 1 unit, the delivery instruction data will be generated according to the stored file holders.

It should be noted that, in the figure, the numbers of the circles attached to the delivery instruction data indicate the order in which the delivery device 6 of the first unit takes out the storage shelf 4 and the order of the delivery request in the storage shelf unit 2. The transfer device 6 and the release device 8 (transfer device 10) in the present embodiment are configured to be able to store a plurality of file holders, but release the file holders from the storage shelf 4 to the transfer device 21 in the same order. Therefore, as described above, the retrieval instruction data is generated by extracting the data in the order of the sorting / delivery data having the higher priority and in the order of the retrieval request in the sorting / delivery data. However, the order in which the file holders are taken out of the storage shelf 4 and the order in which the file holders are ejected to the transporting means 21 may not always be the same, depending on the structure of the transfer device 6 and the structure of the ejecting means 8, for example. In the delivery instruction data shown in FIG.
C41, FC5, FB80, ..., or FA2
5, FA5, FA1, FA60, FA45, FA80,
… And the order of FA5, FA1, FA45, FA25, FA8
Delivery instruction data in which a part is in the reverse order such as 0, FA60,... Is generated.

Then, the management computer 51 controls the transfer device 6, the release means 8, the transport means 21, the switching means 25, etc. of the storage shelf unit 2 based on each delivery instruction data (step S7). For example, when the internal file holders FA1 to FA40 shown in FIG. 9 are to be delivered to a certain sorting / delivery section 7, each delivery device 6 takes out the file holders from the storage shelf 4 in the order instructed by the leaving instruction data, First, the discharging means 8 of the first unit of the storage shelf unit 2
Release the first file holder FA1 from the delivery request to the transport means 21. File holder FA1 is transport means 2
1, stored in the sorting / outgoing section 7 via the switching means 25. The file holder FA1 is detected by the sensor 41 on the transporting means 21, and the management computer 51 determines the release timing of the second file holder FA2 stored in another unit based on the detection signal. Control. Thereafter, after performing the same timing control, the file holders are sorted in the order of the retrieval request and the retrieval unit 7
, And finally into one sorting and outgoing unit 7
The file holder of the FA 40 is sorted and delivered. That is, the sorting / shipping is performed in the sorting / shipping data unit generated in step S5 of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 10, three examples of sorting / shipping patterns will be described below. This example shows a case in which the sorting and delivery are performed using the four sorting and delivering units 7. Each of the file holder groups shown in the figure indicates a file holder group arranged in units of sorting and leaving data, and the file holders of the medical departments divided into a plurality of groups are indicated by circle numbers. In any of the patterns, the management computer 51 can set an arbitrary priority to each file holder group. In the drawing, the first box indicates a group of file holders which are first delivered to each sorting and discharging unit 7, and the second box indicates a case where the file holder group of the first box is removed from the sorting and discharging unit 7. And the file holder group which is discharged to the sorting / discharging section 7 in the empty state. Similarly, after the file holder group of the third box is taken out of the file holder group of the third box, the file holder group of the fourth box is taken out to the sorting / outgoing section 7 after the file holder group of the third box is taken out. File holders to be used. In this embodiment, in any of the patterns, the operator takes out the file holder group of each box from the sorting / outgoing section 7, and a sensor (not shown) provided in the sorting / outgoing section 7 changes the empty state of the sorting / outgoing section 7. Based on this detection signal, the sorting / shipping data or the shipping instruction data relating to the file holder group of the next box is sent to each storage shelf unit 2 so that the delivery device 6 takes out the file holder from the storage shelf 4. Has become.

"Pattern 1: Case of issuing a retrieval instruction for each medical department" This pattern is, for example, internal medicine → surgery → pediatrics → ophthalmology. This is a case where the file holder of the consultation department is delivered, that is, the file holder is delivered for each consultation department. In the file holders of the medical departments which are divided into a plurality of groups, a plurality of sorting / outgoing sections 7 are used to carry out delivery. The pattern is a sorting / outgoing section 7 in which the worker can easily grasp the outgoing state of the file holder.
It is suitable for the case where the number is small.

[Pattern 2: When the number of sorting / delivery units assigned to one consultation department is set to 1] The pattern is, for example, that the file holder for internal medicine is the first sorting / delivery unit and the file holder for surgery is the second. This is the case where the file holders of the respective medical departments are delivered in parallel to the sorting / delivery section. For example, in the file holders of the medical departments divided into a plurality of groups, the same sorting / delivery section 7 gives priority to the file holders. Dispatch in descending order. Since the pattern is issued from the same sorting / delivery unit 7 for each medical treatment department, even if the number of the sorting / delivery units 7 is large, the operator can easily confirm the medical treatment department. There is.

"Pattern 3: A case in which the number of sorting / delivery units assigned to one medical department is set arbitrarily for each medical department" is a pattern in which the number of file holders such as internal medicine and surgery is large. In the case of, the delivery is carried out using two sorting / delivery units, and in the case of a medical care department with a small number of ophthalmology, etc., the delivery is carried out in one sorting / delivery unit. Is set in advance. This pattern is effective when the difference in the number of file holders between the medical departments is extremely large, and efficient retrieval can be performed.

In each of the above patterns,
Automatically assigning medical departments to the empty sorting / exporting section 7 in order, and the sorting / exporting section 7 from which a file holder of a certain medical department is retrieved based on the data of the retrieval request in step S1 of FIG. It is also possible to make the location different every day, and it is also possible to make a fixed assignment in which the location of the sorting and dispensing section 7 for dispensing for each medical care department is fixed in advance.

As described above, in the file holder for which the retrieval request has been issued, the thickness of the file holder is accumulated for each subject and in the order of the retrieval request based on the file holder type data or the thickness measurement data, and the accumulated data is obtained. And a sorting / shipping data generating means for generating sorting / shipping data for each file holder of a quantity that can be stored in one sorting / shipping section based on the cumulative data. If the configuration is such that the file holders are sorted and delivered in units of data, the quantity that can be taken out for each sorting / delivery unit is recognized in advance before the file holders are delivered to the sorting / delivery unit. In the case where the file holders are delivered to the two sorting / outgoing units, the delivery interval can be narrowed and the outgoing can be carried out. Therefore, the processing speed of sorting and delivery is increased, and an automatic delivery device with excellent delivery efficiency can be constructed.

Further, in the present invention, a display unit 14 (FIG. 1) for displaying at least the subject name relating to the file holder being stored in characters based on the sorting / shipping data is provided for each sorting / shipping unit 7. The display unit 14 includes a display device such as an LCD and an LED. The displayed contents are the names of medical departments, such as internal medicine and surgery, and medical treatment contents. By displaying the names of medical departments that are treated in characters, workers can instantly grasp the status of file holders being delivered, and accurately grasp the situation without having to be confused even when there are many types of medical departments that are delivered. You can do it. In addition, in the case of the file holder of the medical treatment department divided into a plurality of groups, for example, “internal medicine 1/3”, “internal medicine 2/3”,
For example, if the information on the number of groups of the medical department and the information on the priority of the group issued (stored) in the sorting / outgoing section 7 is displayed as “internal medicine 3/3”. In addition, the worker can more easily grasp the delivery status.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the shape of the file holder and the layout and shape of each means constituting the automatic retrieval apparatus are not limited to those shown in the drawings. Design changes can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit thereof.

[0048]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Cumulative data for file holders for which a delivery request has been made, for each subject and in the order of the delivery requests, the file holder thickness is accumulated based on the file holder type data or the thickness measurement data, and the accumulated data is generated. Generating means, and sorting / shipping data generating means for generating sorting / shipping data for each number of file holders that can be stored in one sorting / shipping section based on the accumulated data, and a sorting / shipping data unit. In this configuration, the processing speed of the sorting / shipping can be increased, and an automatic unloading device with excellent shipping efficiency can be constructed. (2) If a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of sorting / shipping data is generated for each storage shelf unit, the delivery instruction data corresponding to the file holders stored in the respective storage shelves, the storage shelves of the plurality of storage shelving units are provided. When the file holders of each consultation department are mixed, the file holders can be sorted and retrieved efficiently, and an automatic retrieval apparatus with excellent retrieval efficiency can be constructed. (3) Further, if a display unit is provided for displaying at least the subject name of the stored file holder in characters on the basis of the sorting / shipping data for each sorting / shipping unit, the operator can instantly save the file holder. The retrieval status can be grasped, and even if there are many types of medical departments to be retrieved, it can be grasped accurately without confusion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an automatic retrieval apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a file holder, (a) is a front view, and (b) is a side view.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view showing a layout of a transport unit and a switching unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory side view of a transport unit and a switching unit.

FIG. 5A is a partial plan view of a transport unit and a switching unit, and FIG. 5B is a partial front view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of the automatic retrieval apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing data processing relating to sorting and leaving.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of data processing showing an example of a sorting / outlet opening processing section in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a means for generating delivery instruction data.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a sorting and leaving pattern.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of an automatic retrieval apparatus for explaining a conventional problem.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Automatic retrieval device 2 Storage shelf unit 4 Storage shelf 6 Delivery device 7 Sorting retrieval section 8 Release means 14 Display section 21 Transport means 25 Switching means 51 Management computer (control device)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B65G 1/00 501 B65G 1/00 501A

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A storage shelf unit for automatically taking out a file holder stored in a storage shelf, a transport unit for transporting a file holder released from the storage shelf unit, and a plurality of file holders transported by the transport unit. A switching unit for sorting into a sorting and discharging unit; and a control device for controlling the storage shelf unit, the transporting unit, and the switching unit. An automatic file holder discharging device, comprising: A total data generation means for accumulating the thickness of the file holder based on the type data or the thickness measurement data of the file holder, and generating the total data, and one sort and release based on the total data. Sorting / shipping that generates sorting / shipping data for each file holder of the quantity that can be stored in the department And a data generating means, wherein the file holder is sorted and delivered in units of the sorting and delivery data. 2. A method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of storage shelves are provided, and in the plurality of sorting / shipping data, for each of the storage shelving units, shipping instruction data corresponding to a file holder stored in each storage shelf is generated. 2. The automatic file holder unloading device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a display device for displaying at least the subject name of the stored file holder in characters based on the sorting / shipping data for each of the sorting / shipping units. 3. The automatic retrieval device of the file holder according to 2.