JP2006143364A - Article carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article carrying device, capable of holding the position of an article as a movable member is moving, while achieving simple structure and reduced cost. <P>SOLUTION: This device is provided with an article transfer device provided on the movable member movable to a plurality of article transfer positions. It is provided with a fork part 23 for supporting the article to move to a retraction position on the movable member and the article transfer position outside the movable member, and a drive means to move the fork part. A holding means 33 is provided to hold the position of the article 9 and P placed and supported on the fork part 23 existing at the retraction position. A mechanical linkage means 34 is provided to link action of the drive means with action of the holding means in such a way that the position of the article 9 and P is held by the holding means 33 as the fork part 23 moves to the retraction position, and that holding of the position to the article 9 and P by the holding means 33 is released as the fork part 23 moves from the retraction position toward the article transfer position,. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  According to the present invention, an article transfer device that transfers an article between itself and an article transfer location is provided on a moving body that moves to a plurality of article transfer locations, and the article transfer device places an article. And a fork portion that is supported and retractable to a retracted position on the movable body and an article transfer position outside the movable body, and a driving means for moving the fork portion out and out. The present invention relates to an article conveyance device.

  The article transport apparatus as described above is applied to, for example, an automatic warehouse, and the fork unit of the article transfer apparatus is moved in and out with the stacker crane as a moving body moved to the article transfer position. Thus, the article is transported between the plurality of article transfer locations by picking up the article from the article transfer location or by taking the article to the article transfer location.

Then, the moving body moves to the article transfer location of the transport destination in a state where the fork part on which the article is placed and supported is retracted to the retreat position, but simply by placing and supporting the article on the fork part. There is a risk that the article will move while the moving body is moving, causing collapse of the stacked articles and dropping the article from the moving body.
In particular, when the moving body is moved at high speed or with high acceleration / deceleration, the article becomes easy to move due to the inertia at that time, which may hinder the speeding up or high acceleration / deceleration of the moving body.

Therefore, in the conventional article transport apparatus, a holding means for positioning and holding the article placed and supported on the fork portion existing at the retreat position and a holding drive apparatus for operating the holding means are provided to move the moving body. The article is positioned and held inside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In Patent Document 1, a holding means is provided so as to be switchable between a holding state for positioning and holding an article and a release state for releasing positioning and holding the article, and a fluid pressure cylinder for switching the holding means between a holding state and a releasing state When the fork unit moves to the retracted position with the article placed and supported, the holding drive is switched to the holding state, and the article is positioned and held. I try to move my body.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-85709

  However, since the conventional article conveying apparatus requires a holding drive device such as a fluid pressure cylinder in order to operate the holding means, the configuration is complicated and the cost is increased accordingly.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article conveying apparatus capable of positioning and holding an article while the moving body is moving, while simplifying the configuration and reducing the cost. In the point.

In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention transfers an article between itself and the article transfer location to a moving body that moves to a plurality of article transfer locations. A fork unit provided with an article transfer device, wherein the article transfer device mounts and supports the article and is freely retractable to a retreat position on the movable body and an article transfer position outside the movable body; In the article conveying apparatus configured to include a driving means for moving the fork part out and in,
A holding means for positioning and holding the article placed and supported on the fork part existing at the retraction position is provided, and the article is positioned and held by the holding means as the fork part moves to the retraction position, In addition, the operation of the driving unit and the operation of the holding unit are linked in order to release the positioning and holding of the article by the holding unit as the fork portion moves from the retracted position to the article transfer position side. The mechanical link means is provided.

That is, when the drive means moves the fork portion to the retracted position with the article placed and supported, the mechanical linkage means coordinates the operation of the drive means and the operation of the holding means to position and hold the article. The holding means is operated as follows.
Further, when the driving means moves the fork portion from the retracted position to the article transfer position side, the mechanical linking means links the operation of the driving means and the operation of the holding means to release the positioning and holding of the article. Thus, the holding means can be operated to perform transfer to the article transfer location.
Therefore, the article can be transferred to the article transfer position by moving the movable body while the article is positioned and held by the holding means without requiring a holding drive device for operating the holding means.

  From the above, it has become possible to provide an article transport apparatus capable of positioning and holding an article while the moving body is moving, while simplifying the configuration and reducing the cost.

  According to a second characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention, the linking means moves closer to each other and clamps the side surface of the article by the holding means, and the holding means separates the article from the holding means. A pair of clamping bodies that are swingable to a release posture for releasing the clamping and elastically biased to the release posture side by an elastic biasing means, and the fork portion is moved to the retracted position as described above. Pressing the pair of holding bodies into the holding posture, and pressing the pair of holding bodies into the holding posture as the fork portion is moved from the retracted position to the article transfer position side. It is in the point comprised from the press means to cancel | release.

That is, when the fork portion moves to the retracted position, the pressing means presses the pair of holding bodies against the urging force of the elastic urging means to swing the pair of holding bodies to the holding posture, and the holding means The article can be positioned and held by sandwiching the side part of the article.
Further, when the fork part moves from the retracted position to the article transfer position side, the pressing means releases the pressing operation with respect to the pair of sandwiching bodies, and the pair of sandwiching bodies is paired with the biasing force by the elastic biasing means. Swings to the release posture, and the holding of the side portion of the article by the holding means is released, and the positioning and holding of the article can be released.
Therefore, the linkage means can be configured by a simple configuration of the pair of sandwiching bodies and the pressing means, and the configuration can be simplified accordingly.

  According to a third characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention, the pair of sandwiching bodies are provided in the moving body, and the pressing means presses a pressed portion linked to the pair of sandwiching bodies. And a pressing cam portion provided on the fork portion.

In other words, since the pair of sandwiching bodies is provided on the moving body, even if the fork portion is moved out and out, the pair of sandwiching bodies does not move, and the pair of sandwiching bodies are moved regardless of the operation of the fork section. Can be provided. Therefore, the configuration of the pair of sandwiching bodies can be simplified accordingly, and the configuration can be simplified.
Moreover, since the pressing means is a pressing cam portion provided on the fork portion so as to press the pressed portion linked to the pair of sandwiching bodies, the pressing cam portion moves in the operation of the fork portion. It is only necessary to provide a pressing operation to a pressed portion without any gap, and the configuration can be simplified from this point.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention, the pressing means moves the pair of clamping bodies in conjunction with the fork portion moving from the near position before the retracted position to the retracted position. Gradually pressing to the clamping posture side, pressing the pair of clamping bodies to the clamping posture as the fork portion moves to the retracted position, and the fork portion from the retracted position to the holding position In conjunction with the movement to the front position, the pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies is gradually released, and as the fork portion moves to the front position, the pair of holding bodies with respect to the pair of holding bodies It is in the point comprised so that the press operation to a holding | grip attitude | position may be cancelled | released.

That is, when the fork part is retracted from the article transfer position to the retreat position, the pressing means gradually pushes the pair of holding bodies toward the holding posture side in conjunction with the fork part moving from the front position to the retraction position. Therefore, during the operation of the fork part from the front position to the retraction position, the holding unit presses the side surface part of the article, and the article placed and supported on the fork part is gradually pressed and operated. The position can be adjusted to the position.
When the fork part moves to the retracted position, the pressing means presses the pair of holding bodies to the holding posture, so that the article placed and supported on the fork part is adjusted to an appropriate position. It can be positioned and held by the holding means.

Further, when the fork portion protrudes from the retracted position to the article transfer position, the pressing means gradually pushes the pair of holding bodies into the holding posture in conjunction with the fork portion moving from the retracted position to the front position. Therefore, during the operation of the fork portion from the retracted position to the near position, the positioning of the article can be gradually released while restricting the movement of the article by the holding means.
Therefore, when the fork portion is protruded from the retracted position to the article transfer position, it is possible to prevent the article posture from being disturbed as much as possible, and to easily transfer the article appropriately.

An example in which the article conveying apparatus according to the present invention is applied to an automatic warehouse will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, this automatic warehouse automatically has two storage shelves 1 spaced apart so that the direction of putting in and out the goods is opposed to each other, and a traveling route 2 formed between the storage shelves 1. A stacker crane 3 is provided as a traveling moving body. Each storage shelf 1 is configured by arranging a large number of article storage units 4 vertically and horizontally.

A traveling rail 5 and an upper rail 6 are installed in the traveling path 2 along the longitudinal direction of the storage shelf 1. On one end side of the travel route 2, a ground-side controller 7 that inputs an entry / exit command to the stacker crane 3 and a pair of loading platforms 8 with the travel rail 5 interposed therebetween are provided.
Each of the article storage units 4 and each of the loading platforms 8 are configured as article transfer locations K.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane 3 includes a traveling carriage 10 that can travel along the traveling rail 5, and a lifting platform 12 that can be raised and lowered relative to the traveling carriage 10. The lifting platform 12 is provided with an article transfer device 11 capable of transferring the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed between the article transfer location K and itself.
The stacker crane 3 is moved between the loading table 8 and the article storage unit 4 or between the article storage units 4 by the traveling of the traveling carriage 10, the raising / lowering of the elevator platform 12, and the operation of the article transfer device 11. The article 9 is configured to be conveyed.

A pair of front and rear elevating masts 13 for guiding and supporting the elevating platform 12 so as to be movable up and down are provided, and the elevating platform 12 is provided so as to be movable up and down with respect to the traveling carriage 10. The upper and lower ends of the pair of front and rear lifting masts 13 are connected by an upper frame 15 that is guided along the upper rail 6.
The lifting platform 12 is suspended and supported by two lifting chains 14 connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction. The elevating chain 14 is wound around an upper driven pulley 16, a traveling cart side driven pulley 17, an elevating table side driven pulley 18, and a drive pulley 19.
The upper driven pulley 16 is provided at a front end portion and a rear end portion of the upper frame 15, and the traveling carriage side driven driven pulley 17 is provided at one end portion and a central portion of the traveling carriage 10. In addition, the lifting platform side driven pulley 18 is provided on the central lower surface portion of the lifting platform 12, and the driving pulley 19 is provided on one end portion of the traveling carriage 10.

  An elevating electric motor 20 for driving and rotating the drive pulley 19 is provided. The elevating electric motor 20 drives the drive pulley 19 in the forward and reverse directions to move the elevating chain 14 in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the lifting platform 12 is lifted and lowered.

  In addition, the traveling carriage 10 is provided with two traveling wheels 21 which are capable of traveling on the traveling rail 5. Of these two traveling wheels 21, a wheel on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is configured as a driving traveling wheel 21 a driven by the electric motor 22 for traveling, and a wheel on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is idle. It is configured as a freely driven traveling wheel 21b.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the article transfer device 11 places and supports the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed and supports the retraction position on the lifting platform 12 and the article transfer position outside the lifting platform 12. And a fork part 23 which can be freely withdrawn and retracted, and an exit / retreat drive device 24 as a driving means for moving the fork part 23 back and forth.
Then, the article transfer device 11 is configured to move the fork portion 23 in and out with the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the traveling carriage 10 as the article transfer direction.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the fork portion 23, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the fork portion 23. 3A and 4A show a state in which the fork portion 23 is in the retracted position, and in FIGS. 3B and 4B, the fork portion 23 is in the article transfer position. Showing the time.

The fork portion 23 includes a fixed fork portion 25 fixed to the lifting platform 12, a secondary fork portion 26 that can be moved back and forth with respect to the fixed fork portion 25, and a primary that can be moved back and forth with respect to the secondary fork portion 26. The fork portion 27 is a three-stage fork.
The primary fork 27 is configured to place and support the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed.

The exit / exit drive device 24 includes a pair of pinion gears 29 that mesh with a rack gear 28 fixed to the secondary fork 26, an exit / exit drive electric motor 30 that rotationally drives the pair of pinion gears 29 with a gear 30a, and It is composed of two chains 31 that connect one end of the fixed fork 25 and one end of the primary fork 27.
The pinion gear 29 and the electric motor 30 for moving in and out are provided in a fixed fork portion 25, and each of the two chains 31 is rotatable around a horizontal axis provided at an end portion of the secondary fork portion 26. The free pulley 32 is wound around one side.

Then, when the pinion gear 29 is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by the electric motor 30 for moving in and out, the secondary fork portion 26 moves in and out with respect to the fixed fork portion 25 due to the engagement of the pinion gear 29 and the rack gear 28. . Then, the chain 31 moves the primary fork part 27 with respect to the secondary fork part 26 by the movement of the idle pulley 32 accompanying the movement.
In this way, by rotating the retracting drive electric motor 30 forward and backward, the retracted position shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A, and the retracted position shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B are obtained. The fork unit 23 is configured to move out and retract between the illustrated article transfer position.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the lifting platform 12 is provided with a pair of holding bodies 33 as holding means for positioning and holding the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23 existing at the retreat position. Yes.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a part of the lifting platform 12, FIG. 6 is a side view showing a part of the lifting platform 12, and FIG. 7 is an article transfer direction showing a part of the lifting platform 12. It is a longitudinal front view by vision.

  Then, mechanical linkage means 34 that links the operation of the retracting drive device 24 and the operation of the pair of holding bodies 33 is provided, and the mechanical linkage means 34 is, as shown in FIG. As the fork portion 23 moves to the retreat position, the pallet P is held by the pair of left and right holding bodies 33, and as shown in FIG. 7B, the fork portion 23 moves from the retraction position to the article transfer position side. The pallet P is released from being held by the pair of left and right holding bodies 33 as it moves to.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pair of holding bodies 33 are disposed outside the fork portion 23, and sandwich the side surface portion of the pallet P placed and supported on the primary fork portion 27 in the fork portion 23. It is configured to hold the positioning.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the pair of holding bodies 33 is formed to have a longer length than the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23, such as the entire length of the lifting platform 12 in the article transfer direction.
Therefore, when the fork portion 23 is retracted to the retracted position, even if the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23 is slightly displaced from an appropriate position in the article transfer direction, the pallet P is Can be properly positioned and held.

  In addition, inclined portions 33a that are inclined inward are provided at both ends of the holding body 33. When the fork portion 23 is retracted to the retracted position, the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23 is moved to the article. Even if the position is slightly deviated from the proper position in the direction orthogonal to the mounting direction, the inclined portion 33a can be guided to the proper position.

The linkage means 34 includes a pair of holding bodies 35 to which the holding body 33 is connected, and a pressing means 36 that presses the pair of holding bodies 35.
Then, the pair of holding bodies 35 are released from the holding posture in which the pair of holding bodies 33 approach each other and hold the side surface portion of the pallet P by the pair of holding bodies 33 and are released from each other. It is swingable to the release posture and elastically biased toward the release posture by a torsion coil spring 37 as an elastic biasing means.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7A, the pressing means 36 presses the pair of holding bodies 35 into the holding posture as the fork portion 23 is moved to the retracted position, and FIG. As shown, the fork unit 23 is configured to release the pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies 35 as the fork unit 23 is moved from the retracted position to the article transfer position side.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 are formed in an L shape when viewed in the article transfer direction in which a vertical member 35 a extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal member 35 b extending in the horizontal direction are combined.
And a pair of clamping body 35 is provided in the raising / lowering stand 12, and has connected the holding body 33 to the upper end part of the up-and-down member 35a. Further, the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 are provided so as to be swingable around a swing axis 35 c provided with a torsion coil spring 47.

The pressing means 36 is a pressing cam portion 39 provided on the fork portion 23 so as to press the pressed portion 38 linked to the pair of sandwiching bodies 35. At the tip of the horizontal member 35b in the sandwiching body 35, a roller that is rotatable around the horizontal axis is provided as a pressed portion 38.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8, which is a side view showing the relationship between the pressing cam portion 39 and the pressed portion 38, the pressing cam portion 39 is located on the bottom side of the primary fork portion 27 in the fork portion 23. It is provided in a state of protruding.
The pressing cam portion 39 is provided so as to press the roller as the pressed portion 38 downward by moving the fork portion 23 from the article transfer position to the retraction position.
FIG. 8A shows a state in which the fork portion 23 is closer to the article transfer position than the front position between the retraction position and the article transfer position, and FIG. 8B shows the fork portion 23 in front. FIG. 8C shows a state in which the fork portion 23 is in the retracted position.

When the fork portion 23 is retracted to the retracted position, the pressing means 36 gradually holds the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 in conjunction with the movement of the fork portion 23 from the near position before the retracted position to the retracted position. When the fork portion 23 moves to the retracted position, the pair of holding bodies 35 are pressed to the holding posture.
Further, when the fork portion 23 protrudes to the article transfer position, the pressing means 36 performs a pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies 35 in conjunction with the movement of the fork portion 23 from the retracted position to the near side position. It is configured to release gradually and to release the pressing operation of the pair of holding bodies 35 to the holding posture as the fork portion 23 moves to the front position.

If it demonstrates, the cam part 39 for a press is comprised including the inclined part 39b which inclines from the edge part of the longitudinal direction to the horizontal part 39a of the center.
During the operation of the fork portion 23 from the near position to the retracted position, the inclined portion 39b gradually presses the pressed portion 38 downward, so that the pair of holding bodies 35 is gradually moved to the holding posture side. The pressing operation is performed, and the side surface portion of the pallet P is gradually pressed by the pair of holding bodies 33.
Further, during the operation of the fork portion 23 from the retracted position to the near position, the downward pressing operation on the pressed portion 38 is gradually released by the inclined portion 39b, and the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies 35 is reached. Are gradually released, and the pressing operation to the side surface portion of the pallet P by the pair of holding bodies 33 is gradually released.

The operation by the linkage means 34 will be described.
When the fork portion 23 is projected to the article transfer position, the positioning and holding of the pallet P by the pair of holding bodies 33 is released as shown in FIG.
When the fork unit 23 is retracted from the article transfer position to the retracted position by the withdrawal / retreat driving device 24, as shown in FIG. 8A, the pressing cam unit 39 until the fork unit 23 reaches the front position. Maintains the state in which the positioning and holding of the pallet P by the pair of holding bodies 33 is released without contacting the pressed portion 38.
Thereafter, when the fork portion 23 reaches the near position, the end portion of the pressing cam portion 39 comes into contact with the pressed portion 38 as shown in FIG. In conjunction with the movement of the fork portion 23 from the front position to the retracted position, the contacted portion 38 contacts the inclined portion 39b of the pressing cam portion 39 and is gradually pressed downward. The clamping body 35 is gradually pressed to the clamping posture side. Then, the pair of holding bodies 33 gradually move toward each other, and center the position of the pallet P at an appropriate position such as the center position of the lifting platform 12 in the direction orthogonal to the article transfer direction.
When the fork portion 23 reaches the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 8A, the contacted portion 38 comes into contact with the horizontal portion 39a of the pressing cam portion 39 and holds the pair of holding bodies 35. Press until Then, as shown to Fig.7 (a), a pair of holding body 33 clamps the side part of the pallet P, and positions and holds the pallet P. FIG.

  When the fork portion 23 is protruded from the retracted position to the article transfer position, the operation is the reverse of that when the fork portion 23 is retracted from the article transfer position to the retracted position.

  In this way, by linking the operation of the retracting drive device 24 with the operation of the pair of holding bodies 33 by the linkage means 34, a holding drive device for operating the pair of holding bodies 33 is not provided. The pallet P can be positioned and held by the pair of holding bodies 33, and the positioning and holding can be released.

The stacker crane 3 is provided with an unillustrated crane control device that receives an entry / exit command from the ground-side controller 7 and controls the operation of the stacker crane 3.
The crane control device, when an entry / exit command is instructed from the ground controller 7, raises / lowers the elevator 12 to the commanded lift target stop position, and the travel target stop position commanded by the traveling carriage 10 It is comprised so that each control of the travel control which makes it drive | work, and the transfer control which operates the article transfer apparatus 11 and transfers the article | item 9 may be performed.

When the article 9 is conveyed from the article transfer location K as the transport source to the article transfer location K as the transport destination, the crane control device first performs the elevation control and the traveling control to raise and lower the elevation platform 12. The traveling carriage 10 is stopped at the traveling target stop position and the traveling carriage 10 is stopped at the traveling target stop position. Thereafter, the crane control device is configured to operate the article transfer device 11 and perform a scooping operation for scooping up the article 9 placed at the article transfer location K.
In this scooping operation, first, the fork part 23 is protruded to the article transfer position and the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed is placed and supported by the fork part 23, and then the pallet P is placed by the fork part 23. Retire to the retirement position with support. The pallet P is positioned and held by the pair of holding bodies 33 by the operation of the fork portion 23 to the retracted position.

  The crane control device performs lifting control and traveling control when the scooping operation ends. At this time, since the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23 is positioned and held by the pair of holding bodies 33, the traveling carriage 10 and the elevator platform 12 are moved up and down. The pallet P moves, and it is possible to prevent load collapse and dropping.

Then, when the crane control device stops the lifting platform 12 at the lifting target stop position and stops the traveling carriage 10 at the traveling target stop position, the crane transfer device operates the article transfer device 11 and supports the placement on the fork unit 23. The pallet P is wholesaled to the article transfer location K.
In this wholesale operation, by causing the fork portion 23 to protrude from the retracted position to the article transfer position, the positioning and holding of the pallet P by the pair of holding bodies 33 is released, and transfer to the article transfer location K can be performed. it can.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the linkage unit 34 includes the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 and the pressing unit 36 has been described. However, the configuration of the linkage unit 34 can be changed as appropriate.
For example, the linking means 34 is provided on the rotation shaft of the electric motor 30 for exit / exit driving in the exit / exit drive device 24, and the pressed portion linked to the pair of holding bodies 33 is configured by a cam portion that can be pressed. Is also possible.
In this case, the cam portion is configured to be switchable between a state in which the pressed portion is pressed and a state in which the pressing operation is released, depending on the phase of the rotating shaft of the electric motor 30 for driving in and out.
The cam portion presses the pressed portion so that the article is positioned and held by the pair of holding bodies 33 as the fork portion 23 moves to the retracted position, and the fork portion 23 moves from the retracted position to the article. In order to release the positioning and holding of the article by the pair of holding bodies 33 as it moves to the transfer position side, the pressing operation to the pressed part is released.

(2) In the above embodiment, the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 is provided on the lifting platform 12 and the pressing means 36 is provided on the fork portion 23. Conversely, the pair of sandwiching bodies 35 is provided on the fork portion 23 and the pressing means. It is also possible to carry out by providing 36 on the lifting platform 12.

(3) In the above embodiment, the pressing means 36 gradually presses the pair of holding bodies 35 toward the holding posture in conjunction with the fork part 23 moving from the front position to the retracted position, and the fork part The pressing means 36 is configured to gradually release the pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies 35 in conjunction with the movement of the 23 from the retracted position to the front position. On the other hand, it is also possible to carry out without providing the structure which carries out a press operation gradually or cancels a press operation gradually.
That is, the pressing means 36 is simply operated to press the pair of holding bodies 35 into the holding posture as the fork portion 23 is moved to the retracted position, and the fork portion 23 moves from the retracted position to the article transfer position side. It is configured to release the pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies 35 as it is moved.

(4) In the above embodiment, the article transfer device 11 is configured to transfer the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed, and the pair of holding bodies 33 positions the pallet P placed and supported on the fork portion 23. For example, the article transfer device 11 is configured to transfer the article 9 as it is, and the pair of holding bodies 33 position and hold the article 9 placed and supported on the fork portion 23. It is also possible to configure.
That is, the article indicates the pallet P on which the article 9 is placed, the article 9 itself, and the like. When the article 9 is placed on the pallet P, one article 9 is placed or stacked. It is also possible to place a plurality of articles 9 in a state.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the moving body is adapted to the stacker crane 3 has been shown. However, the moving body can be applied to various moving bodies such as an unmanned article transport vehicle equipped with an article transfer device. .

  The present invention can be applied to various moving bodies provided with an article transfer device such as a stacker crane provided with an article transfer device provided with a fork part.

Overall perspective view of automated warehouse Side view of stacker crane Top view of fork Side view of fork Plan view showing a part of the platform Side view showing part of the platform Longitudinal front view of the lifting platform as viewed from the article transfer direction Side view showing relationship between pressing cam portion and pressed portion

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Moving body 9, P Article 11 Article transfer apparatus 23 Fork part 24 Drive means 33 Holding means 34 Linking means 35 Holding body 36 Pressing means 37 Elastic biasing means 38 Pressed part 39 Pressing cam part K Article transfer location

Claims (4)

A moving body that moves to a plurality of article transfer locations is provided with an article transfer device that transfers articles between itself and the article transfer location,
The article transfer device mounts and supports an article, and can be moved back and forth between a retreat position on the movable body and an article transfer position outside the movable body, and the fork section is moved out and retracted. An article conveying device configured to include a driving means,
A holding means for positioning and holding the article placed and supported on the fork part existing at the retraction position is provided,
As the fork part moves to the retraction position, the holding means positions and holds the article, and as the fork part moves from the retraction position to the article transfer position side, the holding means An article conveying apparatus provided with mechanical linkage means for linking the operation of the driving means and the action of the holding means in order to release the positioning and holding of the article. The linkage means is
With the elastic biasing means that can swing between a holding posture in which the holding means holds the side portion of the article close to each other and a release posture in which the holding means releases the holding of the article by the holding means A pair of clamping bodies elastically biased toward the release posture side;
As the fork part is moved to the retraction position, the pair of holding members are pressed into the holding posture, and the fork part is moved from the retraction position to the article transfer position side. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a pressing unit that releases a pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies. The pair of sandwiching bodies are provided on the moving body,
The article conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressing means is a pressing cam portion provided on the fork portion so as to press the pressed portion linked to the pair of sandwiching bodies. The pressing means is
In conjunction with the fork part moving from the front position before the retraction position to the retraction position, the pair of clamping bodies are gradually pressed toward the holding posture side, and the fork part is moved to the retraction position. And pressing the pair of holding bodies to the holding posture as it moves to, and
In conjunction with the fork portion moving from the retracted position to the near position, the pressing operation of the pair of holding bodies to the holding posture is gradually released, and the fork portion moves to the near position. 4. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the article conveying device is configured to release a pressing operation to the holding posture with respect to the pair of holding bodies.

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