JP2005053642A - Automated warehouse and crane control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a carriage load due to retreating from an interference area at the time of guiding a plurality of cranes into an automated warehouse, and a waiting time caused at the time of simultaneously carrying the load into the interference area to improve carriage efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: In this automated warehouse having racks 10a, 10b for storing articles, a receiving/delivering rack 20 for placing the articles at the time of receiving/delivering the articles between the racks 10a, 10b and an outer portion carriage system, extending type masts 32a, 32b which carry the articles between the racks 10a, 10b and the receiving/delivering rack 20, and the plurality of cranes 30a, 30b which consist of transfer arms 33a, 33b and traveling carriages 31a, 31b, the traveling passage of the plurality of cranes 30a, 30b is disposed in a two-stories layer structure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse provided inside a semiconductor factory, a liquid crystal display factory, and the like, and a crane control system for controlling a crane for conveying articles in the automatic warehouse.

Usually, in an automatic warehouse in a semiconductor factory or a liquid crystal display factory, a cassette is carried in and out by using one crane for each traveling path. However, in an automated warehouse where there is a large amount of conveyance and it is necessary to repeat loading and unloading frequently, there is an operation method that reduces the load factor per crane by introducing two cranes in one traveling path. In some cases, it is employed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, there are cases where a method is adopted in which a plurality of cranes are provided on the same traveling route, and the operation schedule of each crane is created to shorten the waiting time and evacuation time to improve transport efficiency. Yes (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-130708 A (P2-P4, FIG. 1) JP-A-8-282968

  However, in the prior art, since a plurality of cranes travel on the same traveling path, when allowing entry into each other's transfer area, the areas where they can enter each other become interference areas, and each crane moves to this interference area. There has been a problem that it is necessary to perform a retreat operation after the completion of the transfer operation. Furthermore, when a plurality of cranes simultaneously carry to the interference area, there is a problem that the other cranes have to wait until the transportation by one crane is completed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation, and the purpose thereof is to carry out a transport operation simultaneously using a plurality of stacker cranes by hierarchizing the arrangement of traveling paths of a plurality of stacker cranes having telescopic masts. Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic warehouse and a crane control system capable of reducing the transport load and time loss of the stacker crane due to retreating operation and standby, and improving transport efficiency.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an automatic warehouse according to the present invention includes a shelf for storing an article, a delivery table on which the article is placed when the article is delivered between the shelf and an external transport system, and the shelf. In an automatic warehouse provided with a plurality of cranes for conveying articles between the transfer platform and the delivery table, the traveling paths of the plurality of cranes are arranged in two layers. Thereby, a plurality of traveling paths can be provided on the same traveling path, and a plurality of cranes can be used.

  In the above configuration, the traveling paths of the plurality of cranes are provided only on the floor surface, provided only on the ceiling surface, or provided on both the floor surface and the ceiling surface. There are at least one crane traveling on the road. Thereby, according to the place and magnitude | size which can arrange | position a travel path, a travel path can be suitably arrange | positioned on a floor surface or a ceiling surface.

  The crane control system according to the present invention includes a shelf for storing articles, a delivery table on which articles are placed when delivering articles between the shelf and an external transport system, and a space between the shelf and the delivery platform. A crane control system in an automatic warehouse comprising a plurality of cranes for transporting articles, wherein the traveling paths of the plurality of cranes are arranged in two layers, and a transportation route creation means for determining a transportation route of the cranes And a storage means for storing the conveyance path, an interference confirmation means for checking the interference of the crane on the conveyance path, and a crane position confirmation means for confirming the position of the crane. Further, the transport path creating means stores articles to be taken out from the standby position with reference to information about a place where the articles to be taken out are stored and information about a delivery table on which the picked-up articles are placed in the transport instruction. A crane conveyance path to a place where the article to be taken out is stored and a crane conveyance path to a delivery table on which the article taken out from the place where the article to be taken out is placed are created. Read the conveyance path from the storage means, check whether there is a crossing point between the conveyance path of one crane and the conveyance path of the other crane, confirm the interference, the crane position confirmation means, The position of the crane is confirmed by detecting the current position and the moving direction of the crane. Thereby, since interference confirmation can always be implemented, it can prevent reliably that the conveyance path | route of each crane interferes mutually.

  According to the automatic warehouse and the crane control system of the present invention, by using a plurality of cranes, even when one crane stops due to a trouble, the operation can be performed without stopping the transportation work. Further, by using the stacker cranes in layers, the retreating operation and standby time due to interference can be reduced compared with the case where a plurality of cranes are arranged on one traveling road, and as a result, the transport is efficiently performed. It becomes possible.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the automatic warehouse of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the automatic warehouse of the present invention. In FIG. 2, in order to more clearly show the two stacker cranes, the stacker crane arranged on the left side in the drawing and the travel path of the stacker crane are shown using solid lines, and arranged on the right side. The stacker crane and the travel path of the stacker crane are shown using broken lines.

  The automatic warehouse 100 according to the present embodiment has two shelves 10a and 10b arranged opposite to each other for storing the articles, and the articles are placed when the articles are transferred between the shelves 10a and 10b and the external transport system. And a stacker crane 30a, 30b that conveys articles between the shelves 10a, 10b and the transfer table 20. In the present embodiment, the articles are stored and transported in a state of being accommodated in the cassette 40, and the delivery table 20 is provided on both sides of the left shelf 10a as shown in FIG. One unit is arranged on each side, and further one unit is arranged on each side of the right shelf 10b.

  The stacker cranes 30 a and 30 b include traveling carriages 31 a and 31 b, telescopic masts 32 a and 32 b, and transfer arms 33 a and 33 b, respectively. The telescopic masts 32 a and 32 b are perpendicular to the floor surface 4. The cassette 40 on the desired shelf is carried in and out by extending and contracting the transfer arms 33 a and 33 b in the horizontal direction with respect to the floor surface 4. The operations of the stacker cranes 30a and 30b are controlled by a crane control system 60, which will be described in detail later.

  The external transport system is used to carry out a desired article (cassette 40) taken out of the shelves 10a and 10b by the stacker cranes 30a and 30b and placed on the delivery table 20 from the automatic warehouse. The outer peripheral transport carriage 2 and the outer peripheral transport path 3 which is the transport path of the outer peripheral transport truck 2 are constituted. In FIG. 2, two outer peripheral transport carts 2 are illustrated, and the external transport cart 2 arranged on one side (the upper side in FIG. 2) of each shelf 10a, 10b is connected to each shelf 10a, It travels in the vicinity of these two delivery stands 20 so that the articles (cassettes 40) placed on the delivery stands 20 respectively arranged on the upper side of 10b can be transported. In addition, the external transport carriage 2 disposed on the other side (the lower side in FIG. 2) of each shelf 10a, 10b is on the delivery stand 20 disposed on the lower side of each shelf 10a, 10b. It travels in the vicinity of these two delivery stand 20 so that the article (cassette 40) placed on can be transported.

  In the present embodiment, the two shelves 10a and 10b are arranged on the floor surface 4 at a predetermined interval, and the areas D1 and D2 in which the shelves 10a and 10b are arranged on the floor surface 4 are arranged. In the region D3 sandwiched between the two, the traveling paths 1a and 1b (illustrated only in FIG. 2) of the two traveling carriages 31a and 31b are provided. Of these travel paths 1a and 1b, the travel path 1a of the travel carriage 31a arranged on the left side in the drawing is provided closer to the shelf 10a on the left side by a predetermined distance than the center of the region D3. The traveling path 1b of the traveling carriage 31b arranged on the right side is provided closer to the right shelf 10b by a predetermined distance than the central part of the region D3. Further, these travel paths 1a and 1b are arranged in two layers, that is, as shown in FIG. 1, the travel path 1a of the travel carriage 31a disposed on the left side in the drawing is more than the other travel path 1b. Is also arranged above.

  In the present embodiment, the delivery table 20 is arranged on both sides of each shelf 10a, 10b as shown in FIG. 2, but may be arranged only on one side of each shelf 10a, 10b. Good.

  On the other hand, the stacker cranes 30a and 30b can access (that is, convey articles) to the two shelves 10a and 10b and all the delivery platforms 20, but are basically arranged on the left side. The stacker crane 30a is in charge of loading and unloading articles between the shelf 10a disposed on the left side and the delivery table 20 disposed on both sides of the shelf 10a, and is disposed on the right side. The stacker crane 30b is in charge of loading and unloading articles between the shelf 10b disposed on the right side and the delivery table 20 disposed on both sides of the shelf 10b. However, depending on the availability of the shelves 10a and 10b, the stacker crane 30a disposed on the left side is placed on the shelf 10b disposed on the right side and the delivery stand 20 disposed on both sides of the shelf 10b. Carrying in / out of articles, and loading / unloading of articles into / from the shelf 10a in which the stacker crane 30b arranged on the right side is arranged on the left side and the delivery table 20 arranged on both sides of the shelf 10a. You may go.

  In addition, when trouble occurs in one stacker crane, this stacker crane is made to stand by at a retracted position on the travel path (for example, a position beside the delivery stand 20), and only by the other stacker crane that can be operated. The transfer operation may be performed. In this case, the stacker crane to be kept waiting at the retracted position makes the transfer arm stand by in a state where the transfer arm is arranged at a height that does not interfere with the other stacker crane that can be operated accessing all the delivery platforms.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the automatic warehouse 100 is a floor surface type in which both the traveling paths 1a and 1b are disposed on the floor surface 4, but a ceiling surface type in which both traveling paths are disposed on the ceiling surface. Alternatively, it may be a suspension type in which both travel paths are suspended from the ceiling surface. Furthermore, in the automatic warehouse 100, a part of the traveling paths may be disposed on the floor surface, and the other traveling paths may be disposed on the ceiling surface or may be suspended from the ceiling surface. .

  Next, another embodiment of the automatic warehouse of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 is a side view showing another embodiment of the automatic warehouse of the present invention.

  In the automatic warehouse according to the present embodiment, one stacker crane 30a of the two stacker cranes 30a and 30c is arranged on the floor surface 4 and the other stacker crane 30c is connected to the ceiling as compared with the automatic warehouse described above. It differs in that it is arranged on the surface 5.

  One stacker crane 30a is the same as the stacker crane described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the other stacker crane 30c includes a traveling carriage 31c traveling on a traveling path provided on the ceiling surface 5, and The telescopic mast 32c and the transfer arm 33c are provided, the telescopic mast 32c is expanded and contracted in the vertical direction with respect to the floor surface 4, and the transfer arm 33c is expanded and contracted in the horizontal direction with respect to the floor surface 4. The cassette 40 of a desired shelf is carried in / out.

  A suspended stacker crane suspended from the ceiling may be used instead of the ceiling stacker crane 30c.

  Such an automatic warehouse is employed when it is difficult to arrange the traveling paths of both stacker cranes in two layers as shown in FIG.

  Next, an embodiment of a crane control system for controlling the operation of a stacker crane constituting the automatic warehouse as in the above embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a crane control system.

  The crane control system 60 includes a conveyance path creation unit 61, an interference confirmation unit 62, a crane position confirmation unit 63, and a storage unit 64.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the shelf illustrated in FIG. 1 is viewed from the X direction.

  Each of the shelves 10a and 10b is partitioned into three rows and six columns, and is composed of 18 storage parts, and each storage part can store one cassette.

  In FIG. 5, the storage parts in the first row from the top are illustrated as areas A1 to A6 in order from the left, and among the areas above the delivery table 20 arranged on the left side of the shelves 10a and 10b, An area adjacent to the area A1 is shown as an area A0, and an area adjacent to the area A6 is an area A7 among the areas above the transfer table 20 arranged on the right side of the shelves 10a and 10b. It is shown in the figure. Similarly, the storage parts in the second row from the top are illustrated as regions B1 to B6 in order from the left, and among the regions above the delivery table 20 arranged on the left side of the shelves 10a and 10b, An area adjacent to the area B1 is illustrated as an area B0, and an area adjacent to the area B6 among areas above the transfer table 20 arranged on the right side of the shelves 10a and 10b is an area B7. It is shown in the figure. Similarly, the storage parts in the third row from the top are illustrated as regions C1 to C6 in order from the left, and among the regions above the delivery table 20 disposed on the left side of the shelves 10a and 10b, An area adjacent to the area C1 is illustrated as an area C0, and an area adjacent to the area C6 is an area C7 among the areas above the transfer table 20 arranged on the right side of the shelves 10a and 10b. It is shown in the figure.

  Here, the range in which the stacker crane can move and stand by is the entire area indicated by areas A0 to A7, areas B0 to B7, and areas C0 to C7.

  The conveyance path creation means 61 creates a conveyance path for each stacker crane according to the conveyance instruction transmitted from the outside of the automatic warehouse. This transport path is stored in the storage means 64.

  The interference confirmation unit 62 reads the transport path of each stacker crane from the storage unit 64 and confirms whether or not the mutual transport paths interfere with each other. Further, the crane position confirmation means 63 confirms the current position of each stacker crane as needed.

  The crane position confirmation means 63 is composed of, for example, a plurality of optical sensors. These optical sensors are attached to the areas A0 to A7, the areas B0 to B7, and the areas C0 to C7, respectively, and the stacker crane is moved by each optical sensor. By sensing the passing of the loading arm, the current position and moving direction of the stacker crane are detected.

  In addition, the crane position confirmation means 63 shall recognize the distance to the transfer arm which passes. Therefore, for example, in FIG. 1, a stacker crane recognized as traveling on the side close to the shelf 10a disposed on the left side is recognized as a stacker crane 30a disposed on the left side, and traveled on the side far from the shelf 10a. The stacker crane recognized as being is recognized as the stacker crane 30b arranged on the right side.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the storage unit 64 may be provided inside the crane control system, or may be an external storage device installed outside.

  Then, an example of the conveyance process by the crane control system which has such a structure is demonstrated, referring FIGS. 4-6.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a conveyance process performed by the crane control system illustrated in FIG. However, the case where it applies to the automatic warehouse 100 shown in FIG. 1 is demonstrated here.

First, in step S1, the crane position confirmation unit 63 receives a conveyance instruction.
Next, in step S <b> 2, the transport route creating unit 61 creates a transport route for one stacker crane. Here, the conveyance path is determined with reference to the information on the cassette receiving position (that is, the place where the cassette to be taken out is stored) and the information on the delivery table on which the removed cassette is placed, included in the conveyance instruction. For example, in a state where one stacker crane 30a is waiting in the area C0 shown in FIG. 5, the cassette in the area B5 of the one shelf 10a is received, and the cassette is carried out to the delivery table 20 below the area C0. It is assumed that the transport instruction is received. In this case, in step S2, a conveyance path is created around the line including the regions B0 to B7, which is a line including the region B5.

  Specifically, the following transport route is created.

  Since the stacker crane 30a waits in the area C0 after receiving the conveyance instruction, first, the stacker crane moves to the area B1 near the area B5 that is the cassette receiving position on the line consisting of the areas B0 to B7. 30a moves. At this time, the traveling carriage moves in the horizontal direction, and the telescopic mast moves in the upward direction. Thereafter, the stacker crane 30a moves in the horizontal direction from the region B1 to the region B5, and receives the cassette in the region B5. Finally, the stacker crane 30a reverses the above-described route, creates a conveyance route that moves from the region B5 to the region B1, and finally moves to the region C0. That is, the transport path of the stacker crane 30a is, as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line indicated by the reference symbol R1 in FIG. Region B1 → region C0, and the cassette receiving location at this time is region B5.

  Subsequently, in step S3, the position of the stacker crane is confirmed by the crane position confirmation means 63. Specifically, the crane position confirmation means 63 confirms whether the other stacker crane 30b is working or is on standby on the transport path R1 of the created one stacker crane 30a. As a result, when working or waiting, or as a result of confirming the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b stored in the storage means 64, the transport path R1 of one stacker crane 30a after the transport is completed. When the other stacker crane 30b stands by above, the process returns to step S2 in order to change (recreate the route) the transport route R1 of one stacker crane 30a.

  For example, as an example of the transport path recreated when the standby position of the other stacker crane 30b is in the region B3, one stacker crane 30a is in the region C0 as indicated by a dashed line R2 in FIG. Can be considered as a transport path that moves horizontally from region to region C4 and then to region B5. When moving from the region C4 to the region B5, the traveling carriage moves in the horizontal direction, and the telescopic mast moves upward. With such a procedure, it is possible to change the transport route as necessary.

  Next, in step S4, the interference confirmation means 62 confirms the interference by checking whether or not there is a crossing point between the transport path of one stacker crane 30a and the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b. To do. If there is no interference, the process proceeds to step S6. If there is interference, the process proceeds to step S5.

  For example, the standby position of the other stacker crane 30b is the region C5, and the cassette in the region C3 of the other shelf 10b is received by the other stacker crane 30b, and further to the delivery table 20 below the region C7. When the cassette is unloaded, the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b is, as indicated by the broken line indicated by reference numeral R3 in FIG. 5, area C5 → area C4 → area C3 → area C4 → area C5 → area C6 → area C7. Yes, the receiving place of the cassette 5 at this time is the area C3. Thus, when the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b is the transport path R3 as described above, the transport path R1 of one stacker crane 30a and the transport path R3 of the other stacker crane 30b interfere with each other. Instead, the two stacker cranes can carry out the carrying operation according to their carrying instructions.

  However, for example, when the other stacker crane 30b is instructed to carry out such a conveyance that the cassette in the region C3 of the one shelf 10a that the other stacker crane 30a is originally in charge of, the expansion and contraction of the one stacker crane 30a is performed. The mold mast interferes with the transfer arm of the other stacker crane 30b. Further, for example, the standby position of the other stacker crane 30b is the region C5, and the cassette in the region B3 of the other shelf 10b is received by the other stacker crane 30b and transferred to the delivery table 20 below the region C7. When the cassette is unloaded, the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b is, as indicated by the solid line R4 in FIG. 5, area C5 → area B4 → area B3 → area B4 → area B5 → area B6 → area C7. At this time, the cassette is received in the area B3. Thus, when the transport path of the other stacker crane 30b is the transport path R4 as described above, the transport path R1 of one stacker crane 30a and the transport path R4 of the other stacker crane 30b interfere with each other. End up.

  In step S5, the interference confirmation means 62 repeatedly checks the conveyance path interference, and keeps one stacker crane in a standby state until the interference disappears. When the interference as described above occurs, one stacker crane waits until the other stacker crane comes out of the interference position, and then starts a transport operation. In the interference example described above, when the other stacker crane 30b moves from region C5 → region B4 → region B3 → region B4 → region B5 → region B6, the subsequent transport route R4 is the transport route R1 of one stacker crane 30a. Therefore, one stacker crane 30a can start the conveying operation. After completing the interference check and standby by such a procedure, the process proceeds to step S6.

  In step S6, a transport operation is performed according to the created transport path. At this time, it is assumed that the crane position confirmation means 63 can confirm how far the conveyance work has progressed in the created conveyance path.

  In this embodiment, the number of traveling roads is two and the number of stacker cranes arranged on each traveling road is one. However, the number and the number of the stacker cranes are not limited to this. .

It is a side view showing one embodiment of an automatic warehouse of the present invention. It is a top view which shows one Embodiment of the automatic warehouse of this invention. It is a side view which shows other embodiment of the automatic warehouse of this invention. It is a side view which shows other embodiment of the automatic warehouse of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which looked at the shelf shown in FIG. 1 from the X direction. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the conveyance process by the crane control system shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1a, 1b Traveling path 10a, 10b Shelf 20 Delivery stand 30a, 30b, 30c Stacker crane 31a, 31b Traveling carriage 32a, 32b Telescopic mast 33a, 33b Transfer arm 40 Cassette 60 Crane control system 61 Conveyance path creation means 62 Interference Check means 63 Crane position check means 64 Storage means 100 Automatic warehouse

Claims (4)

A shelf for storing articles, a delivery table for placing articles when delivering articles between the shelf and an external transport system, and a plurality of cranes for transporting articles between the shelf and the delivery platform In an automated warehouse with
An automatic warehouse in which travel paths of the plurality of cranes are arranged in two layers.   The traveling paths of the plurality of cranes are provided only on the floor surface, provided only on the ceiling surface, or provided on both the floor surface and the ceiling surface. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein one or more units are provided. A shelf for storing articles, a delivery table for placing articles when delivering articles between the shelf and an external transport system, and a plurality of cranes for transporting articles between the shelf and the delivery platform A crane control system in an automatic warehouse equipped with
The traveling paths of the plurality of cranes are arranged in two layers, a transport path creating means for determining the transport path of the crane, a storage means for storing the transport path, and interference of the crane with the transport path. A crane control system comprising interference checking means for checking and crane position checking means for checking the position of the crane. The transport path creating means stores articles to be taken out from the standby position with reference to information about a place where the articles to be taken out are stored and information about a delivery table on which the picked-up articles are placed in the transport instruction. Create a crane transportation route to the location and a crane transportation route to the delivery stand on which the retrieved items are placed from the location where the retrieved items are stored,
The interference confirmation means reads out the transport route of each crane from the storage means, and confirms the interference by checking whether there is an intersection between the transport route of one crane and the transport route of another crane. ,
The crane control system according to claim 3, wherein the crane position confirmation means confirms the position of the crane by detecting a current position and a moving direction of each crane.

Images