JP2002120911A - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily add and change a station, to change arrangement of the station in an automatic warehouse, or to temporarily arrange virtual stations at failure time of a fixed station. SOLUTION: A part of the rack 7 of this automatic warehouse 2 is allocated to the virtual stations 18 and 20, and is treated as a warehousing/delivery station in operation. In setting the virtual stations, an address of a shelf allocated to the station is set, and a station number is imparted. In operating a stacker crane, warehousing/delivery to the virtual stations is treated as a movement between the shelves, and is treated as warehousing/delivery in a stock file and a shelf file.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse, and more particularly to an addition or change of a station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic warehouse, articles are transported between a loading / unloading station and rack shelves or between rack shelves using a transport device such as a stacker crane. The station is equipped with sensors such as limit switches to detect the presence / absence of cargo, so that the unloaded station is not unloaded from the stacker crane, and the empty station is not loaded. I have. The location of stations is an important decision to make during the planning of an automated warehouse.To add a station after installing the automated warehouse, it is not necessary to simply add stations physically, but to create an automated warehouse control program. It is necessary to change it and wire the control line to the station.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Automatic warehouses are equipment that is generally used for a long period of time. Even if the arrangement of processes around the automatic warehouse is changed, it cannot be handled because the station arrangement is fixed. . Further, when a failure occurs in a station, a backup cannot be provided by providing an alternative station temporarily.

[0004]

A basic object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily add a station.
~ 3). An additional object of the present invention is to provide a virtual station using a shelf. An additional object of the third aspect of the present invention is to facilitate loading and unloading of articles into and from a virtual station using shelves.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an article is transported between a fixed station and a rack shelf, and between the rack shelves by a transport device, and a work range of the transport device, for example, a range in which articles can be transferred, Means for setting an address for a position where a station is to be added, and means for operating the position of the address as an additional station in an automated warehouse having an address assigned to Features.

Preferably, rack shelves can be set as virtual stations. In setting a virtual station, an address of a shelf to be used is set and a station ID is given to the virtual station. The ID may be a station number or a symbol such as A, B, C, or D.

[0007] Particularly preferably, in the virtual station, an opening is provided on the back surface of the shelf as viewed from the transport device, so that articles can be carried in and out through the opening.

[0008]

According to the present invention, if the address of a station to which a station is to be added is set as the address of the station, the position of the address can be operated as an additional station thereafter. For this reason, a station can be added very easily, and such a station may be a physical station equipped with ordinary station equipment or a virtual station using rack shelves or the like as a station for convenience. According to the present invention, a station can be added and operated by setting an address, and a set station can be released or changed by releasing the setting of the station or changing the address. For these reasons, addition or change of stations becomes extremely easy (claim 1).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the address of a shelf is set as a station address, the shelf can be assigned to a virtual station and operated. A shelf address is generally represented by a shelf address or the like, and if this is used as a station ID, it is cumbersome when setting a warehouse. Therefore, a station ID such as a station number is assigned to a virtual station using a rack shelf, and the station used for entry and exit can be designated by this ID. According to the second aspect of the present invention, a station can be added or changed using a shelf, and the addition or change of a station is further facilitated. For example, if it is necessary to provide an additional station at the center of the rack, but there is no physical space for the additional station, a shelf at the center of the rack can be used to provide a virtual station. Further, when a failure occurs in a regular station (fixed station), a station around the station can be temporarily set as a virtual station, and entry / exit can be continued until the fixed station is restored.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, an opening is provided on the back side of the shelf as viewed from the transport device with respect to the virtual station using the shelf, so that articles can be carried in and out through the opening. For this reason, for example, articles can be easily carried in and out of the virtual station from an aisle on the back of the shelf or the like through an opening on the back of the shelf.

[0011]

1 to 4 show an embodiment. In each figure, 2 is an automatic warehouse, 4 is a stacker crane as an example of a transport device, and travels along a traveling rail 5. For example, a pair of racks 6 and 7 are provided on both sides of the traveling rail 5, and fixed stations 8 to 11 are provided on both sides of the racks 6 and 7, for example. The fixing stations 8 to 11 are fixed facilities provided when the automatic warehouse 2 is installed, and the installation locations are not limited to both ends of the racks 6 and 7, for example, only one end of the racks 6 and 7,
7 or the like. Racks 6 and 7 each have multiple
It consists of multiple shelves, and a shelf address is assigned to uniquely identify each shelf.

The shelf address is composed of three data combinations of a row (rack number), a row (position along the traveling rail 5) and a step (height position of the shelf). In the case of FIG. The first row is used, and the racks 7 are used in the second row. In the series, the fixed stations 8 and 11 are set as the first series, and the fixed stations 9 and 10 are set as the final twelfth series, for example, and serial numbers from the first series to the twelfth series are assigned. The first row is the lowest row in each row, and the number of rows increases at the top of the rack. In this way, with the combination of rows, reams and steps,
The shelves of the racks 6 and 7 can be uniquely specified. An address is provided in a range in which the stacker crane 4 can transfer articles, that is, a cargo handling range of the crane.
Stations 8 to
For 11, an address consisting of a station number is used.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a fixed terminal for making settings such as entry and exit. Reference numeral 13 denotes a crane control unit that controls the stacker crane 4, and reference numeral 14 denotes a station management unit that controls limit switches for detecting the presence / absence of cargo in the fixed stations 8 to 11 and sub-conveyors provided in the stations. , The communication from the stations 8 to 11 to the stacker crane 4 is controlled. Reference numerals 15 and 16 denote communication lines, which connect the fixed terminal 12, the crane control unit 13, and the station management unit 14 to the physical distribution CPU 22 and fixed stations 8 to 8.
11 is connected. Here, the communication line 15 of the fixed terminal 12 is used.
And the communication line 16 of the crane control unit 13 and the station management unit 14 are shown in separate systems, but they may be integrated.

Reference numerals 18 and 20 denote virtual stations, which are provided by using some of the shelves of the racks 6 and 7. In this embodiment, five and eight racks of the rack 7, for example, the lowest shelf are used. The virtual stations 18 and 20 are merely shelves as physical equipment, and have open backs when viewed from the stacker crane 4, so that articles can be carried in and out through these openings. In the control of the stacker crane 4, the transfer of articles to and from the virtual stations 18 and 20 is the same as the transfer of articles to and from normal shelves. Is commanded as a movement between shelves. The stacker crane 4 has no interlock sensor or communication equipment at the virtual stations 18 and 20, so the stacker crane 4 detects the presence or absence of an article in the virtual stations 18 and 20 by using the first-come-first-served detection sensor of the stacker crane 4 and transfers the stacker crane 4. I do.

The virtual stations 18 and 20 are the same as the other stations in the operation of the automatic warehouse 2, for example, the terminal 1
2, the entry and exit from the virtual stations 18 and 20 can be set. Also, in the shelf files and inventory files described later, the release of articles to the virtual stations 18 and 20 is treated as a normal release, and when the articles are released to the virtual stations 18 and 20, the inventory is reduced from the automatic warehouse. And When the stacker crane 4 receives the articles from the virtual stations 18 and 20, it is assumed that the articles are stored in the automatic warehouse 2.

Since the virtual stations 18 and 20 have no sensors or the like for detecting the presence / absence of cargo, if the delivery of the articles to the virtual stations is delayed, the stacker crane 4 will load the articles from the empty virtual stations. There is a possibility that. Also, if the unloading of the previous article from the virtual stations 18 and 20 is delayed, there is a possibility that the article may be unloaded to the existing virtual station. This is fixed terminal 1
2 is remote from the virtual stations 18 and 20 and the operator operating the fixed terminal 12
This is because it is difficult to operate while visually observing the states 8 and 20. In order to compensate for this, for example, a portable terminal 21 is provided so that entry / exit of articles at the virtual stations 18 and 20 can be set by the portable terminal 21. The mobile terminal 21
Except that it is not connected to a fixed communication line, it has the same functions as the fixed terminal 12, and has a display panel such as a liquid crystal screen to display the setting contents. Operations such as entry and exit can be set. And the virtual station 18,
It is preferable that an operator who wants to enter and leave articles to and from the mobile terminal 20 set entry and exit from the mobile terminal 21 while watching the state of the virtual station.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a physical distribution CPU (control processing unit) which controls the entire automatic warehouse 2;
An entry / exit setting unit 24 processes entry / exit settings from the terminals 12, 21 and the like. Reference numeral 26 denotes a station setting processing unit which performs processing such as setting, changing, and deleting virtual stations. Reference numeral 28 denotes a GUI (Graphical User Interface) which processes screen display and input such as click and drag of an operator on the screen when setting a virtual station or the like on the terminals 12, 21 or the like.

The distribution CPU has files such as a stock file 30 to another file 38, and the stock file 30 stores the stock of the automatic warehouse 2 for each article number. The shelf file 32 stores the distinction between the present / empty cargo for each shelf of the racks 6 and 7, and the stock content in the case of the present cargo. Also, the shelf file 32 stores shelves that prohibit entry of articles as prohibited shelves, treats the virtual stations 18 and 20 as prohibited shelves in the shelf file 32, and allocates the virtual stations 18 and 20 to storage or the like. Ban. The station management file 34 stores which shelves are allocated to the virtual stations in addition to the fixed stations 8 to 11, and also stores the status of each station.
The address file 36 converts the shelf addresses in the racks 6 and 7 into physical addresses required for transfer by the stacker crane 4 and also converts the station numbers of the fixed stations 8 to 11 into actual addresses required for transfer. Convert to a physical address. The other file 38 stores other data necessary for managing the automatic warehouse 2.

Steps 40 and 41 are steps added after the automatic warehouse 2 is installed. Since the steps 40 and 41 are far from any of the fixed stations 8 to 11, the virtual stations 18 and 20 are provided on the rack 7 facing the passage near the steps 40 and 41. Reference numeral 42 denotes a hand lift, which is an example of a transfer device for connecting the virtual station 18 to the processes 40, 41 and the like. If the openings on the back of the virtual stations 18, 20 are large, a forklift can be used. In addition, articles may be carried in and out of the openings on the back of the virtual stations 18 and 20 using an automatic guided vehicle.

FIG. 2 shows loading / unloading of the article 46 into / from the virtual station 18 using the hand lift 42. The same applies to other virtual stations. Each of the shelves of the racks 6 and 7 has a shelf receiver 44 on which articles are placed in units such as pallets and buckets. Hand lift 42
Is manually pulled and provided with a lift unit 48 such as hydraulic or manual, so that articles 46 can be transferred to and from the shelf receiver 44. Then, using the passage 49 on the back of the rack 7, the virtual station 1
The hand lift 42 enters the lower part of the shelf receiver 44 from the opening 18 ′ on the back surface of the unit 8, and the article 46 is carried in / out by the lift unit 48.

FIG. 3 shows a virtual station setting screen. The setting of the virtual station can be performed by the fixed terminal 12 or the portable terminal 21. Two stations, station number 1 (entry station) and station number 2 (exit station), are defined (set) as fixed stations. Among the four virtual stations (ST3 to ST6) using the shelves of the racks 6 and 7, the virtual stations ST4 to ST6 have been defined, and the station numbers 4 to 6 are assigned, and 2-1-1 and the like are assigned. The address of the shelf address is set. In FIG. 3, the virtual station S
If T3 is undefined and an address consisting of a shelf address is entered here and the confirm icon is clicked, the virtual station ST3 can be set.

The shelf set as a virtual station is:
It is treated as a prohibited shelf on the shelf file and is not used for storing articles. When an article is transferred from another shelf to the virtual station, the article is treated as having been taken out of the inventory file or shelf file, and when the article is moved from the virtual station to another shelf, it is treated as having received the article. Since the virtual station has no sensor for detecting the presence / absence of cargo and no equipment for communicating with the stacker crane 4 at the time of transfer, it is preferable to work while viewing the status of the virtual station on the portable terminal 21. In the transfer command to the stacker crane 4, the transfer of the article to and from the virtual station is treated as the movement of the article between shelves.

FIG. 4 shows a screen for setting a delivery to a virtual station. In the screen of FIG. 3, the virtual station ST3 has been set, and the station number 3 is the virtual station S
Means T3, A, B,
Codes such as C and D may be used as station IDs. In the setting of entry and exit, the setting for the virtual station is the same as the setting for the fixed station, by inputting the station number and setting the product number, the quantity of entry / exit, the entry / exit timing, and the like.

In the embodiment, since a virtual station can be set, if the layout of the surroundings changes after the automatic warehouse is installed and a station needs to be added, a virtual station can be provided as appropriate. The virtual station uses the shelf as it is, and does not require any additional work, program change, wiring work, etc., and the virtual station can be provided only by setting at the terminal. For this reason, for example, when a failure occurs in the fixed station, a nearby shelf can be temporarily set as a virtual station to prevent traffic jams in and out of the warehouse until the fixed station is restored.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which shelves are allocated to virtual stations. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the modified example of FIG. 5, it is assumed that fixed stations 50 and 51 are provided at one end of the racks 6 and 7 of the automatic warehouse 3, and the other end is an empty space. Here, virtual stations 52 and 53 shown by chain lines are installed at the other ends of the racks 6 and 7, and can be operated as virtual stations as in the embodiment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of an automatic warehouse, showing a state where articles are taken in and out of a virtual station by a hand lift in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a virtual station setting screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen when setting a retrieval using a virtual station in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement of virtual stations in a modified example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2,3 Automatic warehouse 4 Stacker crane 5 Running rail 6,7 Rack 8-11 Fixed station 12 Fixed terminal 13 Crane control unit 14 Station management unit 15,16 Communication line 18,20 Virtual station 21 Portable terminal 22 Logistics CPU 24 Entry / exit Setting processing unit 26 Station setting processing unit 28 GUI 30 Inventory file 32 Shelf file 34 Station management file 36 Address file 38 Other file 40, 41 Process 42 Hand lift 44 Shelf receiver 46 Article 48 Lift unit 49 Passage 50, 51 Fixed station 52, 53 virtual stations

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An automatic warehouse in which an article is conveyed between a fixed station and a rack shelf, and between the rack shelves by a carrier, and an address is assigned to a work area of the carrier, at a position where a station is added. An automatic warehouse, comprising: means for setting the address of the automatic warehouse; and means for operating the address by regarding the position of the address as an additional station. 2. The additional station is configured by a virtual station using rack shelves. In the additional station setting, a shelf address used for the virtual station is set, and the station of the station is assigned to the virtual station. 2. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein an ID is assigned. 3. The automatic warehouse according to claim 2, wherein the virtual station has an opening provided on the back of the shelf viewed from the transfer device, so that articles can be freely loaded and unloaded through the opening.