JP2005138957A - Method for goods input and output management in automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for goods input and output management in an automatic warehouse, in which load presence situation data are updated to be stored in a control device for preventing confusion in input and output by inspecting the load presence situation on each shelf by using a detecting means to detect loads by scanning. <P>SOLUTION: Load presence situation of loads on the shelf is detected by scanning by the detecting device (ST1), and data representing the latest load situation are formed based on the detected load presence situation (ST2). The latest load situation data in the form of data are compared with load presence situation data stored in the control device (ST3), and it is determined if compared data values coincide with each other (ST4). When they do not coincide with each other, an alarm signal is given, and non-coinciding data are rewritten into the latest data to be updated and stored (ST5). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is based on a command from a control device, and is used for loading and unloading in an automatic warehouse that loads and unloads loads to or from the loading rack by a transfer device that travels in a direction crossing the front of a plurality of loading racks from a loading and unloading station. It relates to the management method.

  In an automatic warehouse that loads and unloads cargo to or from the loading rack by the transfer device, when loading the cargo into the loading rack partitioned between the two columns, the controller stores the loading status data in each loading rack. Based on this stock status data, a free load shelf is selected and loaded, and when loading, the load to be retrieved is searched from the stock status data in the load shelf. And it is made to carry to a loading / unloading station by a transfer apparatus (refer patent document 1).

JP-A-8-91513 (paragraphs 0023 to 0026, FIG. 1)

  However, the above-mentioned storage management method is not a problem when the storage status data stored in the control device is consistent with the actual storage status of the load on the load shelf, but due to a power failure, etc. If the control line goes offline and there is an urgent or unavoidable reason that the load must be moved manually to another shelf or stored in and out of the shelf, the stored inventory status data and The actual loading state of the load may be different. For this reason, when returning to online control, even if the transfer device operates according to the data, there is no load to be delivered on the designated shelf, or there is a load that does not have data on the shelf even when trying to enter. There was a risk of confusion that could not be placed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and by scanning a detection means for detecting a load and inspecting the load state on each load shelf, the latest load state data is stored in the control device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage / managing method in an automatic warehouse which is updated and saved to prevent confusion at the time of storage / exit.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the storage management method in the automatic warehouse according to claim 1 of the present invention travels in a direction crossing the front of a plurality of loading shelves from the storage station based on a command from the control device. A loading / unloading management method in an automatic warehouse for loading / unloading a load to / from a load shelf by a transfer device, wherein each load shelf is partitioned between a plurality of support columns set up in a traveling direction of the transfer device. In the control device, the stock status data of the load rack is stored, and the control device scans the detection means from one column to the other column to check the load status on each load shelf. It is characterized in that it is updated and stored as the latest data.
According to this feature, for example, by periodically scanning the detection means, the inventory status data on each load shelf of the control device is updated to data based on the actual inventory status of the load in the warehouse. It can prevent confusion during loading and unloading.

The storage and retrieval management method in the automatic warehouse according to claim 2 of the present invention is the storage and management method in the automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the inventory status data already stored in the control device is inspected. When the data does not coincide with the data based on the stock status at the time, an alarm signal is output via the control device.
According to this feature, the cause of the data mismatch can be investigated by managing the alarm device.

The storage / managing method in the automatic warehouse according to claim 3 of the present invention is the storage / managing method in the automatic warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection means is provided in the transfer device. It is said.
According to this feature, if the transfer device is provided with inspection means, it is not necessary to newly provide a scanning mechanism for inspection.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage management method for an automatic warehouse according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the controller is offline for scanning of the detection means. It is characterized in that it is updated and stored as the latest stock status data when it is in a state and switched to an online state.
According to this feature, even if the control device is forcibly brought offline due to a power failure or the like, the latest loading / unloading status data can be used when the loading / unloading operation is continued and restored.

  Examples of the present invention will be described below.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 is a side view of an automatic warehouse to which the storage management method in the embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of an automatic warehouse in which loading and unloading is performed by a stacker crane via a loading / unloading station. Fig. 4 shows the relationship between the stacker crane and the load placed on the loading rack. FIG. 5 is a detailed explanatory view of the stacker crane, FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram from receiving the received load to receiving it into the automatic warehouse, and FIG. 7 is housed in the automatic warehouse loading rack. 6 is a table in which position data corresponding to registered code numbers or data such as load width dimensions of various loads is described. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the presence state of a specific storage shelf in the shelf block is being scanned by the detection device, and FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a predetermined storage shelf that is scanned off-line and the load stored in the storage shelf. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for updating the scanning result of the detection device to the latest stock status data.

  First, FIG. 1 shows an automatic three-dimensional warehouse 1 as an embodiment of the present invention, and this automatic three-dimensional warehouse (hereinafter referred to as “automatic warehouse 1”) has a plurality of loads as four transfer devices in the same configuration. The stacker cranes 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d automatically store and store freely, and the automatic warehouse 1 has four stacker cranes 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d sandwiched between them. A plurality of cargo racks 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b to 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b are arranged facing each other, and these cargo racks 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b to 6a, 6b and 7a, 7b facing each other are Each of them is constituted by a block unit, and each is called a storage shelf block 4, 5, 6, 7 and is constructed as a high-rise structure extending in the front-rear direction.

  At one end entrance side of these storage shelf blocks 4, 5, 6 and 7, loading / unloading stations for loading and unloading are provided respectively. In these loading / unloading stations, as shown in FIG. System controllers SC1, SC2, and SC3 that operate based on MC commands are provided. In addition, branch transfer devices 8a, 8b, and 8c branched from the transfer device 8 for carrying in / out the load C to be entered and shipped are arranged in the loading / unloading station up to a nearby position.

  On the other hand, the four stacker cranes 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are arranged so that the front surfaces of the cargo racks 4a and 4b, 5a and 5b, 6a and 6b, and 7a and 7b are opposed to each other according to instructions from the system controllers SC1, SC2, and SC3. Travel in the crossing direction, automatically travel in the shortest distance in the front-rear and up-down directions, stop positioning, and then load and unload.

  Next, the stacker crane 2a will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. This stacker crane 2a is used exclusively for the cargo racks 4a and 4b of the storage rack block 4, and is controlled to move based on a command from the system controller SC1, and faces the cargo racks 4a and 4b facing each other. A traveling carriage 14 that automatically travels on one rail R installed on the floor surface by a driving device (not shown) such as an inverter motor, and a pair of masts 15a and 15b that are erected before and after the traveling carriage 14, The moving table 10 is configured as a transfer device that stops moving up and down with respect to the masts 15a and 15b and loads and unloads the cargo shelves 4a and 4b.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the movable table 10 includes support bodies 16a and 16b that are guided and supported by a drive device such as an inverter motor so as to be movable up and down, and a support frame 18 that is horizontally supported between the support bodies 16a and 16b. A pair of frame bodies 20a and 20b that are arranged side by side on the upper surface of the support frame 18 and are erected and held so as to be capable of moving forward and backward simultaneously toward the center of the support frame 18, and supported by the frame bodies 20a and 20b. It is composed of plate-like sandwiching moving bodies 22a and 22b that serve as sandwiching arms that are perpendicular to the moving direction of the stacker crane 2a and simultaneously move forward and backward toward the opposite loading shelves 4a and 4b.

  Further, the stacker crane 2a is provided with, for example, an encoder as detection means for detecting the vertical movement distance of the moving base 10 and the front-back movement distance of the traveling carriage 14, and the distance data detected by these encoders is the system controller. Feedback is made to SC1.

  Similarly, the amount of movement that moves forward and backward toward the center of the pair of frame bodies 20a and 20b is also detected by the encoder, and the load width dimension is determined by holding the load between the frame bodies 20a and 20b. At the same time, and has the function of detecting the original positions of the sandwiching moving bodies 22a and 22b and the front and rear moving ends.

  On both sides of the movable table 10 facing the cargo racks 4a and 4b, optical sensors (columns and pillars) that detect the positions of the columns that partition the cargo racks 4a and 4b and the loads on the cargo racks 4a and 4b. It may be a device that only detects whether or not there is a load).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the cargo racks 4 a and 4 b to be loaded and unloaded by the stacker crane 2 a are arranged on both sides in the traveling direction of the stacker crane 2 a. The loading rack 4a is arranged on the left side with respect to the movement of the stacker crane 2a in the front-rear direction, the loading rack 4b is arranged on the right side, and the left loading rack 4a has columns PL2 and PL3 in order from the column PL1 on the loading / unloading station side. In addition, the columns PR2 and PR3 are arranged in order from the column PR1 on the loading / unloading station side to the right loading shelf 4b, and the loading racks 4a-1, 4a-2, 4b-1, 4b-2,. Is divided between the columns.

  Loads 4a-1 store loads CR1, CR2, and CR3 having various load width dimensions with a predetermined interval n from one of the reference pillars PL1 in a front-packed state, and the last load CR3 It is calculated in the host computer MC whether the load CR4 to be stored in the empty space formed with the other column PL2 is larger or smaller than the width of the empty space (hereinafter referred to as empty dimension). When processed and stowable, the load CR4 is transferred from the stacker crane 2a by the moving table 10.

  In addition, the load width dimension as used in this invention is the load width of the direction along the front-back direction (movement direction of the traveling trolley | bogie 14) of a stacker crane, ie, the length of the load of the direction between pillars. Other dimensions of the load are also stored in the database of the host computer MC. For example, the calculation is performed to determine whether a tall load fits between the shelves, and the load is placed.

  Next, the host computer MC and the system controllers SC1, SC2, SC3 constituting the control device of the present invention will be described.

  The host computer MC shown in FIG. 6 has a CPU for executing various calculations and controls, and a ROM (read only memory) in which a control program is stored, and various data are shown in FIG. 7, for example. Type of received goods (CR is a part, for example), dimensions data such as width dimensions, number of storage rack blocks (4, 5, 6, 7) Data such as the order of the position is stored for each shipment code (for example, 00001, 00002, 00003... 0000N). For example, it is understood that the load code 00001 is a CR1 part having a load width dimension of 500 mm, and is currently stored first from the column PL1 in the fourth stage of the fourth storage shelf block.

  The predetermined interval n formed between the loads is set as a necessary width dimension formed on both sides of the load so as to load and unload the load into the load shelf 4b by the sandwiching moving bodies 22a and 22b. And the load stored in each load shelf is the last loaded load that is sequentially placed in a front-packed manner while forming a predetermined interval n with reference to each one of the columns (for example, the PL1 side in FIG. 4). The vacant dimension P formed between the end and the other strut is calculated by subtracting the total dimension M of the load width and the total N of the predetermined interval from the inner dimension S between the struts, and is continuously updated to the host computer MC. Registered and saved.

  On the other hand, the system controllers SC1, SC2, and SC3 are terminal control devices that control the storage shelf blocks 4, 5, 6, and 7 based on instructions issued from the host computer MC.

  Therefore, for example, based on FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the system controller SC1 that has received an instruction from the host computer MC to load the load CR4 into the load shelf 4a-1 confirms the load CR4 transported to the loading / unloading station. And a conveyance instruction is given to the empty space position of the cargo rack 4a-1 designated to the controller of the stacker crane 2a. The stacker crane 2a that has received the instruction moves in the shortest distance toward the column that serves as a reference for the load shelf.

  Next, the stacker crane 2a is horizontally moved forward from the reference column (PL1 in FIG. 4) and stopped at the front of the empty space position to be stored, and the sandwiching moving bodies 22a and 22b are moved forward to move. The load CR4 on the table 10 is stored in the corresponding empty space. After the load CR4 is stored, the moving platform 10 returns to the loading / unloading station, and the moving history including the moving path is stored in the host computer MC via the system controller SC1.

  Conversely, when the system controller SC1 receives a command from the host computer MC to issue the load CR2 to the load shelf 4a-1, the stacker crane 2a moves toward the reference column of the load shelf, and the front surface of the load CR2 Then, the load is moved from the load shelf 4a-1 to the loading table 10, and returned to the loading / unloading station. The movement history including the movement route is stored in the host computer MC via the system controller SC1. At this time, an empty space is formed where the load CR2 is present.

  When there is loading / unloading in these partitioned shelves, the empty space dimensions and empty dimensions change, and the load status of the load is updated and registered in the host computer MC and stored and managed each time. Yes.

  By the way, when the control line for loading / unloading goes offline due to a power outage, etc., in an emergency or unavoidable situation, the load must be moved to another shelf or loaded / unloaded manually. When a situation occurs, the stored situation data and the actual status of the actual cargo may differ. In such a case, it is necessary to detect the actual load state of the load and update and register the load status data based on the detection result in the control device.

  In such a case, the detection means that can detect the stock status of each load shelf is scanned along the load shelf so that it can be used as the latest stock status data when it is restored online. Delivery management will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a specific loading shelf in the shelf block is scanned by the detection device, and FIG. 9 shows a scanning result, and shows a predetermined loading shelf and its loading shelf. The present state of the load stored in is shown as a table.

  As the detection device, for example, optical sensors are provided on both sides of the moving platform 10 of the stacker cranes 2a to 2d, and scanning is performed from one column to the other column as shown in FIG. However, any other detection device may be used as long as it can detect the stocked state. For example, an image processing device with a camera may be used.

  Specifically, as shown in the table of FIG. 9, the scanning result of the detection means that can detect the stocked state is shown, and the load shelf 4L-1 located at the sixth level from the bottom of the storage shelf block 4 is shown. It can be seen that three loads are continuously stored, as can be seen from the load information indicated by the length of the horizontal bar. Similarly, the loading state of the loading shelf 4L-3 located at the fifth level from the bottom of the storage shelf block 4 indicates that two loads having an empty space in the middle are stored.

  If such inventory information is known, the data on the computer side is based on the actual inventory status of the cargo rack after offline by associating it with the inventory status database for each cargo rack stored in the host computer MC. It can be determined whether the data matches. If they do not match, an alarm signal is issued, and the data on the computer side is renewed and registered with data based on the actual loading state of the cargo rack.

  In this way, not only at the time of a power failure, for example, by periodically scanning the detection device, the inventory status data on each load shelf is compared with the inventory status data on the host computer MC, and data that does not match is updated. Therefore, the confusion at the time of entering and leaving can be prevented.

  Next, the procedure for inspecting the inventory status when the control line goes offline and updating it to the latest inventory status data will be described with reference to the flow of FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart from when the control line goes offline while the received load is stored in the storage rack of the automatic warehouse, until the status data is inspected and scanned to the latest status data. .

  First, in step ST1, the presence state of the load on the load shelf is detected by the detection device, and in step ST2, the detected arrival state is converted into data representing the latest arrival state. The latest inventory status data converted into data is compared with the inventory status data stored in the control device in step ST3. If the data values compared in step ST4 do not match, an alarm signal is issued in step 5. At the same time, the inconsistent data is rewritten to the latest data and saved.

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the embodiments, the description is given by using an example in which a load is placed in a pre-packed state on a load shelf. However, it may be stored in any way. The alarm signal may be instructed on a computer, or a lamp or the like may be lit on the corresponding load shelf or storage shelf block using the signal.

It is a side view of the automatic warehouse where the warehousing method in the Example of this invention is applied. It is a top view of the automatic warehouse where a warehouse method is similarly applied. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the automatic warehouse where loading / unloading is performed by a stacker crane via a loading / unloading station. It is a fragmentary top view which shows the relationship between a stacker crane and the load mounted on the load shelf. It is a detailed explanatory view of a stacker crane. It is a system block diagram from receipt of the received load to receipt in an automatic warehouse. It is a table in which position data corresponding to registered code numbers or data such as load width dimensions of various loads housed in a load shelf of an automatic warehouse is described. It is explanatory drawing of the state which is scanning the stock status of the specific storage shelf in a shelf block. It is a table | surface which shows the loading state of the predetermined | prescribed load shelf scanned at the time of offline, and the load accommodated in the load shelf. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which updates the scanning result of a detection apparatus to the newest stock status data.

Explanation of symbols

1 Automatic warehouse (automatic three-dimensional warehouse)
2a-2d Stacker cranes 4-7 Storage rack blocks 4a, 4b Cargo racks 4a-1, 4a-2 Cargo racks 4b-1, 4b-2 Cargo racks 4R-1, 4R-3 Cargo racks 4R-1, 4R-3 Loading shelves 5a, 5b Loading shelves 6a, 6b Loading shelves 7a, 7b Loading shelves 8 Transport devices 8a, 8b, 8c Branching transport device 10 Moving table (transfer device)
12 Reader 14 Traveling carriages 15a, 15b Masts 16a, 16b Support 18 Support frames 20a, 20b Frame bodies 22a, 22b Clamping moving body C, CR load CR1-CR6 Load ID Bar code n Predetermined interval MC Host computer P Unoccupied dimension PL1- PL3 Left column PR1 to PR3 Right column R Rail S Inside dimension between columns SC1, SC2, SC3 System controller

Claims (4)

  This is a storage management method in an automatic warehouse that loads and unloads loads to or from the loading rack using a transfer device that runs in the direction across the front of multiple loading racks from the loading / unloading station based on commands from the controller. In addition, each of the load shelves is partitioned for each of a plurality of support columns standing in the traveling direction of the transfer device, the load data of the load shelf is stored in the control device, and the detection means is connected to one of the support columns The storage management method in the automatic warehouse characterized by carrying out the scanning over the other support | pillar and inspecting the stock state on each load shelf, and updating and storing it as the newest data in the said control apparatus.   The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein an alarm signal is output via the control device when the stock status data already stored in the control device does not match data based on the stock status at the time of inspection. Entry / exit management method.   The storage / managing method in the automatic warehouse of Claim 1 or 2 which provided the said detection means in the transfer apparatus.   4. The storage management method in an automatic warehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the scanning of the detection means is performed when the control device is in an offline state and updated and stored as the latest shipment status data when the control device is switched to an online state.

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