JP2004269141A - Goods input control device of automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a goods input control device capable of making input of goods simply, quickly, and efficiently in case the goods consisting of the same item and same quantity are to be put in an automatic warehouse continuously. <P>SOLUTION: In case the goods consisting of the same item and same quantity are to be put in the automatic warehouse continuously, the bar code of the label 23 attached to the applicable item of goods is read by a bar code reader 25, and the read item code and input instruction code are transmitted upon being converted into radio signals, which are received by a reception unit 29, and the received item code and input instruction code in the form of radio signals are sent out to a management computer 31. On the basis of the item code given by the reception unit 29, the item is collated by the computer 31 with the registered items in a database 33, and if registered, the admission of the input motions is given to a stacker crane 35 and other parts on the basis of the input instruction code from the reception unit 29, and a continuous input to the warehouse is executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage control device for continuously storing loads of the same type and amount in an automatic warehouse.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when loading and unloading a load in an automatic warehouse, for example, a barcode or a magnetic card attached to the load is read by a barcode reader or a magnetic card reader, and these are input to a computer for confirmation and input. The number of the load conveyed by the data is called from the storage device and it is checked whether the load matches the load.If the load matches, the conveyor starts up on condition that a predetermined switch is turned on and the load is transferred to the automatic warehouse at a predetermined level. It is configured to be stored in the storage position (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-4-354702 (see paragraphs [0017] to [0018], FIGS. 1, 3, and 5)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional apparatus as described above, since a switch operation is necessarily required as an instruction for finally warehousing, even when loading the same kind and the same amount of load continuously, one switch is required. There has been a problem that it is necessary to perform an information confirmation operation involving a switch operation or the like for each load, and it takes a long time to continuously enter the warehouse.
[0005]
In addition, since a barcode reader or magnetic card reader is installed at a predetermined location near the automatic warehouse, barcodes or magnetic cards cannot be read unless the cargo is always moved to the specified location. This is very complicated and is a factor that hinders improvement in the efficiency of the warehousing work.
[0006]
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage control device that can store goods of the same type and quantity continuously in an automatic warehouse in a short time and efficiently.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of rack buildings each including a plurality of racks for storing cargo are arranged and formed in parallel, and laid in a passage between the opposing rack buildings. An automatic warehouse in which a stacker crane that can be raised and lowered travels along a traveling rail to load cargo into the rack at a predetermined storage destination, and that automatically loads cargo of the same type and quantity. In the control device, identification information for specifying a load to be stored, and storage instruction control information for instructing storage are previously recorded, and information recording means provided in the load, and recording information of the information recording means Information reading means for reading the information, and determining whether or not the specific information read by the information reading means matches the information registered in advance. Based on the warehousing command control information, it is characterized in that a control means for controlling the stacker crane to execute the goods receipt of the load.
[0008]
According to such a configuration, the recording information of the information recording means provided on the load is read by the information reading means, and it is determined by the control means whether the read specific information matches the information registered in advance. When they match, the stacker crane is controlled by the control unit based on the storage instruction control information read by the information reading unit, and the storage of the load is executed.
[0009]
Therefore, when loading the same type of goods and the same amount of cargo into the automatic warehouse continuously, it is possible to execute the warehouse without performing the information confirmation operation involving the conventional switch operation etc. Continuous storage can be performed.
[0010]
Also, the present invention provides a transmitting unit for transmitting the specific information and the storage instruction control information read by the information reading unit as a wireless signal, and the specific information and the storage instruction control information based on a wireless signal from the transmitting unit. And receiving means for receiving and transmitting the received information to the control means.
[0011]
According to such a configuration, the specific information and the warehousing instruction control information read by the information reading means are transmitted as a wireless signal by the transmitting means, and the specific information and the warehousing instruction control information based on the wireless signal are received by the receiving means. It is sent to the control means.
[0012]
Therefore, even if the information reading means is arranged at a place distant from the control means, the read specific information and the storage instruction control information can be taken into the control means as in the conventional case, and the information recording means can read the recorded information. The information recorded in the information recording means can be read without moving the load to a predetermined place, and the efficiency of the warehousing operation can be improved.
[0013]
Also, in the present invention, the information recording means records the specific information and the storage instruction control information by a bar code, and the information reading means comprises a bar code reader for reading a bar code of the information recording means. It is characterized by:
[0014]
According to such a configuration, the information recording unit and the information reading unit can be configured simply and inexpensively.
[0015]
Further, according to the present invention, the control means may include an information storage unit in which information such as a product type, an amount, and a date of entry / exit relating to all of the cargo to be received and the already loaded cargo is stored in advance, and the storage instruction control information is read. And a storage permitting unit for performing a storage operation by granting a storage operation to each unit of the stacker crane and the automatic warehouse.
[0016]
According to such a configuration, by comparing the read specific information with the information registered in advance in the information storage unit, it can be easily determined whether or not the two coincide with each other. It is possible to execute the storage with the permission of the storage operation reliably given by the permission unit.
[0017]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the specific information is at least information indicating a type of the cargo. According to such a configuration, it is possible to specify the cargo to be stored with a minimum amount of information by using the information indicating the type of the cargo as the identification information.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic warehouse, FIG. 2 is a block diagram, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining operation.
[0019]
The automatic warehouse according to the present embodiment is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of rack buildings 3 each of which is composed of racks 1 for storing cargo in a height direction and a horizontal direction are formed in parallel, and are provided in a passage 5 between adjacent rack buildings 3. A pair of masts 9 are provided upright on both sides of the traveling rail 7, and a fork 11 that moves up and down along the masts 9 is provided on both masts 9 together with the carriage 13. At this time, a traveling motor (not shown) is driven by the traveling drive unit 15, the two masts 9 and the forks 11 travel integrally on the traveling rail 7, and an elevation motor (not shown) is moved by the elevation drive unit 17. Is driven, the fork 11 moves up and down along the masts 9 together with the carriage 13. The mast 9, the fork 11, the carriage 13, the traveling drive unit 15, the lifting drive unit 17 and the traveling rail 7 constitute a stacker crane 35 according to the present invention. Reference numeral 19 denotes a load which is placed on a pallet in a predetermined number, and the load 19 is loaded into and out of a predetermined rack by the stacker crane 35.
[0020]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a controller 21 is installed near the shipping port, and a management computer (not shown in FIG. 1) including a personal computer is installed separately from the controller 21. The control means of the present invention is constituted by the management computer 21 and the management computer. Inventory control can be performed by either the controller 21 or the management computer. By selecting and operating a menu displayed on the display screen, a storage instruction, a storage instruction, an inquiry about inventory information, and an inquiry about a shelf status are performed. You can do it. At this time, the management computer corresponds to a higher-level control device of the controller 21, and is used particularly when performing complicated and sophisticated inventory management such as a large number of shelves and a large variety of loads.
[0021]
The management computer is also used when the same type of goods 19 are loaded on the pallet in the same amount, that is, when the same goods 19 are continuously stored. The system configuration in that case is as shown in FIG. 2, for example. That is, a part code (including a pallet) of the load 19 to be continuously stored is a kind code indicating a kind as specific information for specifying the load to be stored, and a storage instruction control for instructing storage. A label 23 as information recording means in which a storage instruction code is recorded in advance by a bar code as information is affixed, and the bar code of the label 23 is read by a bar code reader 25 as information reading means and read by the bar code reader 25. The type code and the storage instruction code in the form of a barcode are converted into a radio signal by infrared rays or radio waves by the transmission unit 27 as transmission means and transmitted. Here, the barcode reader 25 and the transmission unit 27 may be separate and connected by a cable, or both may be integrally formed.
[0022]
Therefore, the barcode reader 25 does not necessarily need to be arranged near the entrance / exit of the automatic warehouse, but may be arranged at a place away from the automatic warehouse and read the barcode attached to the load 19 at that place. I do not care. When the barcode reader 25 and the transmission unit 27 are integrated, if a specific worker carries this integrated barcode reader 25 and transmission unit 27, The bar code attached to the load 19 can be read at the place.
[0023]
Then, the signal from the transmitting unit 27 is received by the receiving unit 29 which is a receiving unit, and the type code and the warehousing instruction code based on the wireless signal received by the receiving unit 29 are transmitted to the management computer 31. In addition, a database 33 is provided as an information storage unit in which information such as the type, the quantity, the date of entry / exit, the classification, and the full quantity of incoming goods is stored in advance for all of the goods 19 to be stored and the goods 19 already stored. The management computer 31 performs data registration / deletion of the database 33, and, based on the type code transmitted from the receiving unit 29, the type whose type is registered in the database 33 by the management computer 31. A determination is made as to whether or not they match, and if it is determined that they match, the contents of the storage instruction code transmitted from the receiving unit 29 are read by the management computer 31 and the stacker crane is executed to execute storage of the load 19. 35 and the other parts are given permission for the warehousing operation. The refrigerator is adapted to be executed.
[0024]
Here, the process of permitting the storage operation by the management computer 31 corresponds to a storage permission unit in the present invention.
[0025]
By the way, in the case where the quantity of products of the same type placed on the pallet is different, or when a load 19 in which a plurality of types of products are placed on the pallet by a predetermined amount is received, the operator needs Since it is necessary to reliably determine whether or not the load 19 is allowed to enter the warehouse, instead of the continuous warehouse based on the barcode read information as described above, the label 23 has a type, an amount, a date of arrival / exit, and a classification. , A bar code reader arranged near the controller 21 separately from the bar code reader 25 described above and read with a bar code, and collated with the registration information of the management computer 31. If it is determined that the entry is permitted after confirming the load 19, the operator selects "instruction for entry" from the menu displayed on the display screen of the controller 21. Work, in particular by contacting the key image to be displayed as "Receipt instruction", it is sufficient to execute the goods receipt operation.
[0026]
Next, a control procedure for continuously loading the same kind and the same quantity of loads 19 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not the barcode of the label 23 provided on the load 19 to be stored is read by the barcode reader 25 (S1), and if the determination result is NO. In this case, the process is repeated until the determination result becomes YES. If the determination result becomes YES, the type code and the storage instruction code based on the read barcode are converted into radio signals by the transmission unit 27 and transmitted (S2).
[0027]
Then, the wireless signal from the transmitting unit 27 is received by the receiving unit 29 (S3), the type code and the warehousing instruction code based on the received wireless signal are sent to the management computer 31, and the management computer 31 registers the database 33. It is determined whether or not the type of the load 19 is registered by collating with the data (S4). If the result of this determination is YES, it is determined whether or not there is an "entry instruction" (S5). In this case, since the content of the received storage instruction code is read by the management computer 31 and is determined to correspond to the “reception instruction”, the determination result in step S5 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to the next step S6. , The stacker crane 35 and the other parts are given permission for the loading operation, and thus the continuous loading of the same type and the same amount of load 19 is performed. By (S6), then returns to the start.
[0028]
On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S4 is NO, and if the result of the determination in step S5 is NO, the warehousing permission is not given (S7), and the warehousing operation is not executed and the process returns to the start.
[0029]
As described above, the bar code reader 25 reads the type code and the storage instruction code based on the bar code displayed on the label 23 provided on the load 19, and the management computer 31 stores the read type in advance in the database 33. Is registered, the management computer 31 controls the stacker crane 35 based on the storage instruction code read by the barcode reader 33 to store the load 19.
[0030]
Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, in the case where the same kind and the same amount of goods 19 are continuously stored in the automatic warehouse, the information determination operation including the switch operation for the storage instruction as in the related art is not performed. , It is possible to carry out continuous warehousing easily in a short time and efficiently.
[0031]
Further, even if the barcode reader 25 is arranged at a place distant from the management computer 31, the read information can be taken into the management computer 31 as in the related art, and the barcode recorded on the label 23 can be read. Therefore, the bar code on the label 23 can be read without moving the load to a predetermined place, and the efficiency of the warehousing operation can be improved.
[0032]
Furthermore, if the barcode reader 25 and the transmission unit 27 are integrated, if a specific worker carries the integrated barcode reader 25 and transmission unit 27, the load can be loaded anywhere. The bar code attached to 19 can be read, and the working efficiency can be further improved.
[0033]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes other than those described above can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0034]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the specific information for specifying the load and the storage instruction information are displayed as a barcode. However, the specific information and the storage instruction information are displayed on a magnetic card (or magnetic label) as information recording means. ) May be recorded.
[0035]
In the above-described embodiment, the specific information for specifying the load is described as the type code, but the specific information is not necessarily limited to the type code.
[0036]
Further, the configuration of the automatic warehouse is not limited to the one described in the above embodiment. For example, the present invention can be applied to a flat automatic warehouse in which the controller 21 is not provided and the rack is not a three-dimensional type. It can be applied and the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the same type of goods and the same amount of goods are continuously stored in the automatic warehouse, the information determination operation involving the switch operation or the like as in the related art is not performed. , It is possible to carry out continuous warehousing easily in a short time and efficiently.
[0038]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, even if the information reading means is arranged at a place distant from the control means, the read specific information and the storage instruction control information can be taken into the control means as in the related art. Therefore, it is possible to read the record information of the information recording means without moving the load to a predetermined place for reading the record information of the information recording means, and it is possible to improve the efficiency of the warehousing operation. .
[0039]
According to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to configure the information recording means and the information reading means simply and at low cost.
[0040]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the two match by checking the read specific information with information registered in advance in the information storage unit. In such a case, it is possible to execute the warehousing with the warehousing permission section surely giving the permission of the warehousing operation.
[0041]
Further, according to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to specify a load to be stored with a minimum amount of information by using the information indicating the type of the load as the specific information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rack 3 Rack building 5 Passage 7 Travel rail 9 Mast 11 Fork 13 Carriage 15 Travel drive unit 17 Elevation drive unit 19 Load 21 Controller (control means)
23 Label (information recording means)
25 Barcode reader (information reading means)
27 Transmission unit (transmission means)
29 receiving unit (receiving means)
31 Management computer (control means)
33 Database (information storage unit)
35 Stacker crane

Claims (5)

In a storage control device of an automatic warehouse including a rack and a stacker crane running along the rack,
Specific information for specifying the load to be stored, and storage instruction control information for instructing storage, pre-recorded information recording means provided in the load,
Information reading means for reading recorded information of the information recording means,
It is determined whether or not the specific information read by the information reading means matches the information registered in advance, and based on the entry instruction control information read by the information reading means when it is determined that the specific information is matched, the Control means for controlling the stacker crane so as to execute a storage operation. Transmission means for transmitting the specific information and the storage instruction control information read by the information reading means as a wireless signal,
2. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiving unit that receives the specific information and the storage instruction control information by a wireless signal from the transmitting unit and sends the received information to the control unit. 3. Control device. Wherein the information recording means records the specific information and the storage instruction control information by a barcode,
3. The automatic warehouse entry control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information reading means comprises a bar code reader for reading a bar code of said information recording means. The control means,
An information storage unit that previously stores information such as the type, quantity, and date of entry / exit for all of the load to be stored and the loaded load;
4. A storage permitting unit that reads the storage instruction control information, gives permission of the storage operation to each unit of the stacker crane and the automatic warehouse, and executes the storage operation. Storage control device of automatic warehouse according to 4. The entry control device for an automatic warehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the specific information is information representing at least a type of the load.

Images