JP2002193404A - Shipping system for automated storage and retrieval warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a shipping system effective for shipping only a group of layer unit articles 1A in an automated storage and retrieval warehouse handling a loading pallet 3 wherein the groups of layer unit articles 1A pickable by a unit of layer are stacked on one pallet 2, and fractional articles 1B are loaded on the uppermost group of layer unit articles 1A. SOLUTION: The fractional articles 1B on the loading pallet 3 taken out of the automated storage and retrieval warehouse are temporarily retraced to a fractional articles temporarily placing part 23 by a fractional articles transferring means 27 of a fractional articles temporarily eliminating equipment 20, then a loading pallet 4 is conveyed to a layer picking work position 25 of the layer picking shipping equipment 21 for picking and shipping by layer, and the fractional articles 1B temporarily retracted to the fractional article temporarily placing part 23 is returned to the remaining loading pallet 4 by the fractional article transferring means 27 to be re-warehoused.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a loading pallet in which a plurality of layer unit articles that can be picked in layers are stacked on one pallet and a fractional article is stacked on the uppermost layer unit article group. The present invention relates to a shipping system in an automated warehouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of identical article 1 such as a case are arranged in a plane, and a plurality of layer unit articles 1A which can be picked in layers are stacked on a pallet 2 in a plurality of stages. In an automatic warehouse that handles the loaded pallets, there is a case where a smaller number of articles than the number of articles forming one layer are picked and shipped from the uppermost layer unit article group of the unloaded loading pallets.

[0005] By such picking shipment, a loaded pallet in a state where the fractional article 1B remains at the uppermost stage, ie,
There will be a mixed loading pallet 3 with fractions and layers,
Conventionally, when an article is to be shipped from the loading pallet 3 having a mixture of fractions and layers in units of layers, the fractional article 1B is picked, placed on another pallet and re-stocked, and the remaining layer unit goods group is collected. The target layer unit article group 1A is picked and shipped from the loading pallet 4 consisting of only the pallets 4, and the loading pallet 4 consisting only of the remaining layer unit article group 1A is restocked. As a result, the articles 1 of, for example, the same lot originally loaded on the same pallet 2 are separated into the fractional articles 1B and the group of layered articles 1A and separately restocked and stored. Unless the management is devised, there is a disadvantage that the lot is reversed without observing the principle of first-in first-out. In addition, the number of pallets increases and the storage efficiency of the automatic warehouse decreases.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic warehouse shipping system which can solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. When denoted by reference numerals, a layer unit article group 1A that can be picked in a layer unit on one pallet is stacked and a fractional article 1 is placed on the uppermost layer unit article group 1A.
In an automatic warehouse that handles the loaded pallets 3 loaded with B, the fractional goods temporary removal equipment 20 for temporarily removing the fractional goods 1B from the unloaded loading pallets 3, and the fractional goods 1B
From the loaded pallet 4 from which the pallets have been temporarily removed
And a layer picking shipping facility 21 for picking and shipping. The fractional goods temporary removal facility 20 includes a fractional goods picking work position 22, a picked fractional goods temporary storage unit 23, a fractional goods return work position 24, A pallet transfer line 26a for transferring the loaded pallet 4 from the fraction picking operation position 22 to the layer picking operation position 25 of the layer picking shipping facility 21 and conveying the pallets from the layer picking operation position 25 to the fraction picking operation position 24; 26b, the fractional goods 1B are transferred from the loading pallet 3 at the fractional goods picking operation position 22 to the fractional goods temporary storage part 23, and the fractional goods 1B are transferred from the fractional goods temporary storage part 23 to the pallet at the fractional goods return work position 24. And a fractional article transfer means 27 for returning the load Re-warehousing line 17 to return the Tsu door in the automated warehouse 10 is in the hotel's configuration.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 10 denotes a combination of a shelf for storing a loaded pallet and a traveling crane for loading and unloading. A well-known automatic warehouse consisting of
1 is a fraction picking shipping work place, and 12 is a layer picking shipping work place.

At the time of shipping work, the loading pallet 3 or 4 loaded with articles to be shipped from the automatic warehouse 10 is carried out of the automatic warehouse 10 through the unloading line 13, and this unloading line 13 is connected to the fraction picking shipping line 13a. When a fraction picking shipment is performed, the loaded pallets 3 or 4 are transported from the fraction picking shipping line 13a to the fraction picking shipping work place 11 where the picking shipment is performed. The required number of articles 1 is picked from the layer unit article group 1A by a required number smaller than the layer unit, or the topmost fractional article 1
The required quantity is picked from B and fraction shipment line 1
Shipped from 4. When the layer picking shipment is performed, the unloaded loading pallets 3 or 4 are transported from the layer picking shipping line 13b to the layer picking shipping work place 12, where the required number of layers are transferred from the uppermost layer unit article group 1A. Each layer is picked and shipped from the layer shipping line 15.

After the fraction picking shipment, when the layer picking shipment is to be further performed from the remaining loading pallets 3 or 4, the loading pallet 3 is transferred from the fraction picking shipping work place 11 to the layer picking shipping work place 12 via the intermediate transport line 16. Or 4 is conveyed, and is picked by the required number of layers in layer units from the uppermost layer unit article group 1A in the layer picking / shipping work place 12, and shipped from the layer shipping line 15. The loaded pallets 3 or 4 after the completion of the layer picking shipment at the layer picking / shipping work place 12 are re-stocked in the automatic warehouse 10 through the re-stocking line 17. When the loaded pallets 3 or 4 after the fraction picking shipment has been completed at the fraction picking shipping work place 11 are to be re-entered into the automatic warehouse 10 as they are, they are sent to the re-entry line 17 via the bypass transport line 18.

FIG. 4 shows the details of the layer picking shipping work place 12.
The layer picking / shipping work place 12 has a fractional article temporary removal facility 20 and a layer picking / shipping facility 2.
1 are arranged. Fractional article temporary removal equipment 20
A fraction article picking operation position 22, a picked fraction article temporary storage section 23, a fraction article return operation position 24,
Loading pallet 4 from fractional item picking operation position 22 to layer picking operation position 25 of layer picking shipping facility 21
And the pallet transport lines 26a and 26b for transporting the pallet 2 from the layer picking operation position 25 to the fractional item returning operation position 24, and the fractional item temporary storage section 2 from the loading pallet 3 at the fractional item picking operation position 22.
3 is provided with fraction article transfer means 27 for transferring each article 1 of the fraction article 1B and returning the fraction article 1B from the fraction article temporary storage section 23 to the pallet 2 at the fraction article return work position 24. This means 27 can be composed of, for example, an articulated robot provided with a sucker type or a clamp type robot hand according to the form of the article 1 or the like. In addition, the fractional article temporary storage section 23 may be a shelf-shaped article that supports the articles 1 at appropriate intervals in the horizontal and horizontal directions, for example.

The layer picking / shipping facility 21 picks the layer unit goods group 1A from the loading pallet 4 at the layer picking work position 25 and transfers the goods to the empty pallet 2 or the like at the layer unit goods group loading position 28. Group transfer means 29
And pallet transport lines 31a and 31b for carrying an empty pallet 2 or the like into the layer unit article group loading position 28 and unloading the loading pallet 30 loaded from the layer unit article group loading position 28. I have. As the layer unit article group transfer means 29, for example, the entire layer unit article group 1A is laterally pressed by a pusher and transferred onto a receiving plate, and then the receiving plate is pulled out horizontally. Conventionally well-known various types, such as transferring the entire layer unit article group 1A onto the empty pallet 2 or the like waiting just below the receiving plate, can be used.

The entrance side of the pallet transport lines 26a and 26b of the fractional article temporary removal equipment 20 is connected to the layer unit picking shipping line 13b and the intermediate transport line 16 shown in FIG. 3, and the outlets of the pallet transport lines 26a and 26b. The side is connected to the re-stocking line 17 shown in FIG.
Pallet transport line 31 of layer picking shipping equipment 21
a, 31b are on the layer shipping line 15 shown in FIG.
It is connected to the.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the layer picking / shipping work place 1 directly from the automatic warehouse 10 via the unloading line 13 and the layer unit picking / shipping line 13b, or from the fraction picking / shipping work place 11 via the intermediate transport line 16
2 is a loaded pallet 4 in which only the layer unit articles 1A are stacked, the pallet transport line 26a without stopping at the fractional article picking operation position 22 of the fractional article temporary removal equipment 20. Is directly carried into the layer picking work position 25 of the layer picking shipping facility 21. Then, at this layer picking operation position 25, the layer unit article group transfer means 29 transfers the layer unit article group 1A of the required number of stages to the empty pallet 2 or the like set at the layer unit article group loading position 28. Thereafter, the loaded pallet 4 at the layer picking operation position 25 is returned to the automatic warehouse 10 via the pallet transport line 26b and the re-entry line 17 without stopping at the fractional item return operation position 24,
Restocked. Of course, the pallet 2 emptied at the layer picking operation position 25 is transported to an empty pallet storage place provided in the automatic warehouse 10 or the like, and stored in a stacked state as necessary. The loaded pallet 30 on which the layer unit article group 1A has been transferred at the layer unit article group loading position 28 is sent out to the layer shipping line 15 via the pallet transport line 31b.

When the loading pallet supplied to the layer picking and shipping work place 12 is the loading pallet 3 in which the fractional articles 1B are loaded on the layer unit article group 1A as shown in FIG. The fractional articles 1B of the fractional articles 1B stopped at the fractional article picking operation position 22 of the 20 and stacked on the layer unit article group 1A are picked up by the fractional article transfer means 27, and the fractional article temporary storage section 23
Are sequentially transferred to Then, in a state where all the fractional articles 1B are removed to form the loaded pallet 4 composed of only the layer unit article group 1A, the article is directly carried into the layer picking work position 25 of the layer picking / shipping facility 21 by the pallet transport line 26a. Then, at this layer picking operation position 25, the layer unit article group 1 of the required number of stages is
A is transferred to the empty pallet 2 or the like set at the layer unit article group loading position 28. Thereafter, the loaded pallet 4 or the empty pallet 2 at the layer picking operation position 25
Is transported by the pallet transport line 26b to the fractional article return work position 24 and temporarily stopped. Here, each article 1 of the fractional article 1B temporarily stored in the fractional article temporary storage section 23 is moved by the fractional article transfer means 27. After being returned on the layer unit article group 1A of the loading pallet 4 or on the empty pallet 2,
It returns to the automatic warehouse 10 via the re-stocking line 17 and is re-stocked.

In the layer picking shipping facility 21,
It has been described that the layer unit goods group 1A of the required number of stages picked from the loading pallet 4 is loaded on the pallet and shipped to the layer shipping line 15, but the layer unit goods group 1A picked in the layer picking shipping facility 21 is shipped. The method is not limited to this.

[0014]

The shipping system of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention can be implemented and used as described above. According to the shipping system of the present invention, a state in which a fractional article remains at the uppermost stage is obtained. When goods are shipped in units of layers from a loaded pallet, i.e., a mixed loaded pallet with fractions and layers, the topmost fractional goods are temporarily transferred to the fractional goods temporary storage unit of the fractional goods temporary removal equipment, and from the loading pallet. In this state, it is possible to pick and ship the layer unit articles from the loading pallet in this state, and then return the fractional articles evacuated to the fractional article temporary storage section to the original pallet and re-enter the warehouse. I can do it. Therefore, the pallets that are re-stocked after the picking shipment of the layer unit articles are not divided into the loading pallets loaded with only the layer unit articles and the loading pallets loaded with only the fractional articles. The shipping operation can be performed in accordance with the first-in first-out principle without devising inventory management after the above, and there is no inconvenience such as reversal of lots. Also, it is possible to prevent the storage efficiency of the automatic warehouse from decreasing due to an increase in the number of pallets.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional shipping work procedure.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a shipping operation procedure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the entire system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a main part of the system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Article 1A Layer unit goods group 2 Pallets 3 Fractional and layer mixed loading pallet 4 Loading pallet consisting only of layer unit goods group 10 Automatic warehouse 11 Fractional picking shipping work place 12 Layer unit picking shipping work place 13 Outgoing line 13a Fractional picking shipping line 13b Layer unit picking shipping line 14 Fraction shipping line 15 Layer shipping line 17 Restocking line 20 Fractional goods temporary removal equipment 21 Layer picking shipping equipment 22 Fractional goods picking work position 23 Fractional goods temporary storage part 24 Fractional goods return work position 25 Layer picking shipping Equipment layer picking operation position 26a, 26b Pallet transfer line 27 Fractional article transfer means 28 Layer unit article group loading position 29 Layer unit article group transfer means 31a, 31b Pallet transfer line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic warehouse for handling a loading pallet in which a group of layered articles that can be picked up in layers are stacked on one pallet and a fractional article is stacked on the uppermost layered group of articles. A temporary removal equipment for temporarily removing a fractional article from the loaded pallet that has been unloaded, and a layer picking and shipping facility for picking and shipping a layer unit article group from the loading pallet from which the fractional article has been temporarily removed,
The fractional goods temporary removal equipment transports the loaded pallets from the fractional goods picking work position, the picked fractional goods temporary storage unit, the fractional goods return work position, and the fractional goods picking work position to the layer picking shipping equipment's layer picking work position. A pallet conveyance line for transferring a pallet from the layer picking operation position to the fractional item return operation position, and transferring and storing the fractional item from the loading pallet at the fractional item picking operation position to the fractional item temporary storage section. And a reloading line for returning the loaded pallets at the fractional goods return operation position to the automatic warehouse. Shipping system.