JP2012188245A - Transfer device and closing operation method of transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a transfer device, in which goods are transferred with an arm part to be opened/closed, to shorten the time of closing operation until the arm part is closed so that goods can be transferred.SOLUTION: In the transfer device, goods is transferred from one device to another. The transfer device includes an arm part, a goods detection part, and an arm control part. The arm part includes a first arm and a second arm which is arranged to face to the first arm. Of the arm part, the arm of at least one side opens and closes to the arm of another side. The arm part is capable of transferring between the first arm and the second arm. The goods detection part is capable of moving in conjunction with the switching action of arm part. The goods hand detection part is capable of detecting the goods on the other device out of contact. The arm control part closing-operates an opening-and-closing arm part at high speed until the goods detection part detects goods at the time of closed operation of the arm part. The arm control part closing-operates an arm part at a low speed, if the goods detection part detects goods.

Description

  The present invention relates to a transfer device capable of transferring a load to and from another device using an arm portion that opens and closes, and a closing operation method of the transfer device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a transfer device that transfers a load to or from another device, a device that transfers a load with an arm that opens and closes is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). A conventional transfer device transfers a load to and from a rack shelf as another device. The transfer device includes an arm portion that opens and closes, and a base portion that supports the arm portion so as to extend and contract. The base part opens and closes together with the arm part. In the conventional transfer device, the open state of the arm portion is set in a plurality of stages with respect to the approximate width of the load. For example, the open state is set in three stages. When taking out the load from the rack shelf, the arm portion in the open state extends from the base portion and is arranged on both sides in the width direction of the load. Then, the arm portion in the opened state is closed to grab the load, and the load is loaded onto the transfer device. At this time, the arm is closed at a low speed in order to suppress the impact on the load.

JP 2010-163215 A

  In the conventional transfer device, the closing operation for gripping the load is performed at a low speed. The open state of the arm portion is set in a plurality of stages, but a load having a plurality of widths may be handled even for one setting. For this reason, when the width of the luggage is small, the time until the luggage is grasped becomes long.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to shorten the time for a closing operation until an arm portion closes a load so that a load can be transferred in a transfer device that transfers an article with an arm portion that opens and closes.

Hereinafter, a plurality of modes will be described as means for solving the problems. These aspects can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.
The transfer device according to the present invention is a transfer device capable of transferring a load to or from another device. The transfer device includes an arm unit, a luggage detection unit, and an arm control unit. The arm portion includes a first arm and a second arm disposed to face the first arm. At least one arm opens and closes with respect to the other arm. The arm portion can transfer a load between the first arm and the second arm. The load detection unit is movable in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the arm unit. The package detection unit can detect a package in another device without contact. The arm control unit closes the arm at a high speed until the load detection unit detects the load when the arm is closed. The arm control unit closes the arm unit at a low speed when the load detection unit detects the load.
In this transfer device, when the arm portion in the open state is closed, the arm portion is closed at a high speed until the load detection unit detects the load. That is, the arm portion is closed at a high speed until the arm portion approaches the load. When the load detection unit detects the load and the arm unit approaches the load, the arm unit is closed at a low speed. Here, the speed of the closing operation of the arm portion is switched from high speed to low speed depending on whether or not a load is detected. As a result, since the closing operation is performed at high speed until the arm portion approaches the load, the time for the closing operation until the arm portion closes the load so that the load can be transferred can be shortened.

The transfer device further includes a base portion that supports the arm portion so that the arm portion can extend and contract with respect to the other device, and the arm control portion is located on the other device by the load detection unit before the arm portion starts to extend from the base portion. The arm portion may be extended after confirming that no load is detected.
In this case, it is possible to use both a detection unit for determining whether the arm unit can be extended before extending the arm unit and a detection unit for switching the speed of the closing operation.

  A closing operation method for a transfer apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is a closing operation method for a transfer apparatus including an arm portion. The arm portion includes a first arm and a second arm disposed to face the first arm, and at least one arm opens and closes with respect to the other arm, and the arm portion is between the first arm and the second arm. It is possible to transfer the luggage at. The method for closing the transfer device includes an arrangement step, a high-speed step, and a low-speed step. In the placement step, the arm portion is placed on the side of the luggage. In the high-speed step, the arm unit is closed at a high speed until the baggage detection unit moving in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the arm unit detects the baggage. In the low speed step, when the load detecting unit detects the load, the arm unit is closed at a low speed.

  In this closing operation method of the transfer device, when the arm portion is arranged on the side of the load, the arm portion closes at high speed until the load detection unit detects the load. That is, the arm portion is closed at a high speed until the arm portion approaches the load. When the load detection unit detects the load and the arm unit approaches the load, the arm unit closes at a low speed. Here, the speed of the closing operation of the arm portion is switched from high speed to low speed depending on whether or not a load is detected. As a result, since the closing operation is performed at high speed until the arm portion approaches the load, the time for the closing operation until the arm portion can transfer the load can be shortened.

  According to the present invention, the speed of the closing operation of the arm portion is switched from high speed to low speed depending on whether or not a load is detected. Accordingly, since the closing operation is performed at a high speed until the load is detected, the time for the closing operation until the arm portion can transfer the load regardless of the width of the load can be shortened.

1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic warehouse in which a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention is employed. It is an II-II arrow line view of FIG. 1, and is a figure for demonstrating a rack and a stacker crane. The schematic plan view of a transfer apparatus. The schematic side view of a conveyor part. The functional block diagram of a crane control part. The flowchart explaining the transfer operation | movement of an arm control part.

(1) Whole automatic warehouse Hereinafter, the automatic warehouse 1 by which one Embodiment which concerns on this invention was employ | adopted is demonstrated. In this embodiment, the vertical direction in FIG. 1 is the front-rear X direction of the automatic warehouse 1, and the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 is the left-right Y direction of the automatic warehouse 1.
In FIG. 1, an automatic warehouse 1 is mainly composed of a front rack 2a and a rear rack 2b, and a stacker crane 3 traveling between them.

(2) Rack The front rack 2a and the rear rack 2b are arranged at the front and rear so as to sandwich the travel path 5 of the stacker crane 3 extending in the left-right Y direction. The front rack 2a and the rear rack 2b are adjacent to a plurality of first struts 7 arranged on the traveling passage 5 side to the left and right at predetermined intervals, and second struts 9 arranged on the opposite side of the traveling passage 5 with predetermined intervals. A large number of luggage storage shelves 11 are provided between the first support column 7 and the second support column 9. As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the stacker crane 3 is provided with a reference and a rear end (end on the side of the traveling path 5) according to the approximate size of the load W (the size of the load W in the left-right Y direction). The load W is placed according to the reference. Specifically, the load W is placed between the two first support columns 7, for example, by dividing the size of the load W into three stages. Two large luggages W are placed side by side on the luggage storage rack 11, four small luggage Ws are placed side by side on the luggage storage rack 11, and three medium-sized luggage Ws are placed side by side on the luggage storage rack 11. Put. Therefore, the stacker crane 3 has different stop positions depending on the size of the load W.

  In the lowermost stage on the left side of the front rack 2a, a storage station 17 for storing the luggage W is disposed. An exit station 19 for unloading the luggage W is disposed at the lowermost stage on the left side of the rear rack 2b. Therefore, a plurality of packages W can be stored / extracted also at the storage station 17 and the storage station 19.

(3) Stacker crane In FIGS. 1 and 2, an upper guide rail 21a and a lower guide rail 21b are provided along the travel path 5, and the stacker crane 3 is moved to the left and right Y on the upper guide rail 21a and the lower guide rail 21b. It is guided to move in the direction. The stacker crane 3 conveys the load W between the large number of load storage shelves 11, the storage station 17, and the output station 19.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stacker crane 3 includes a traveling carriage 22 having a carriage main body 23 and a lifting platform 27, and a transfer device 29 provided on the lifting platform 27. The cart body 23 has a left traveling wheel 23a and a right traveling wheel 23b at both ends in the left-right Y direction. The left traveling wheel 23a and the right traveling wheel 23b are rotatably supported by bearings on the carriage body 23 and travel on the lower guide rail 21b. The carriage main body 23 is guided to the lower guide rail 21b by a front guide roller 23c and a rear guide roller 23d disposed at both ends with the lower guide rail 21b interposed therebetween. In FIG. 2, the front guide roller 23c is disposed at the same position as the rear guide roller 23d with the lower guide rail 21b interposed therebetween. The right traveling wheel 23 b is driven by a traveling motor 87. A left mast 25a and a right mast 25b are fixed inside the left traveling wheel 23a and the right traveling wheel 23b of the carriage body 23. The left mast 25a and the right mast 25b extend in the vertical direction. The lifting platform 27 is mounted on a left mast 25a and a right mast 25b provided on the cart body 23 so as to be movable up and down.

(4) Transfer Device The transfer device 29 is a device for transferring the cargo W between the warehousing station 17, the shipping station 19, and the luggage storage shelf 11. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transfer device 29 includes a device main body 31 that also functions as the lifting platform 27, a conveyor unit 32, and a clamp unit 33. The entry station 17, the exit station 19, and the luggage storage shelf 11 are examples of other devices.
As shown in FIG. 4, a conveyor unit 32 is provided at the central portion of the apparatus main body 31 in the left and right Y direction to load the luggage W and move it toward the luggage storage shelf 11 along the front-rear X direction (transfer direction). It has been. On the outside of the conveyor unit 32 of the apparatus main body 31, there is provided a clamp unit 33 that holds the load W and moves it to the load storage shelf 13 side.

(4-1) Device Main Body The device main body 31 has a load placement area 31a on which the load W can be placed. The luggage W is placed on the luggage placement area 31a based on the rear end. Here, the rear end of the load W is the side that is clamped by the clamp portion 33, and is the end portion away from the front rack 2a or the rear rack 2b to be transferred. Therefore, when the front rack 2a is a transfer target, the end on the right side in FIG. 3 is a rear end, and when the rear rack 2b is a transfer target, the end on the left side in FIG. 3 is a rear end.

(4-2) Conveyor part The conveyor part 32 mounts and moves the load W. As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyor unit 32 drives the first conveyor unit 32 a and the second conveyor unit 32 b that are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center in the central portion in the left and right Y direction of the apparatus main body 31. And a conveyor driving unit 42 for carrying out the operation. The first conveyor unit 32a and the second conveyor unit 32b are, for example, belt conveyors. In addition, as a kind of conveyor, it may not be a belt conveyor but a roller conveyor, a chain conveyor, etc. may be sufficient. The conveyor drive unit 42 includes a conveyor drive motor 95 and a drive shaft 40 that transmits power from the conveyor drive motor 95 to the first conveyor unit 32a and the second conveyor unit 32b.

(4-3) Clamp part The structure of the clamp part 33 is demonstrated with FIG.3 and FIG.4. The clamp part 33 is a mechanism capable of transferring the load W while holding the side surface. The clamp portion 33 includes a base portion 51 that opens and closes, an arm portion 53 that extends and contracts from the base portion 51, an opening and closing drive portion 60, and an extension and contraction drive portion 61. The base portion 51 includes a first base member 51a and a second base member 51b that are arranged at an interval in the left-right Y direction. The arm portion 53 includes a first arm 53a and a second arm 53b that are disposed inside the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b, respectively. The first arm 53a and the second arm 53b are disposed to face each other. The opening / closing drive unit 60 opens / closes the first arm 53a and the second arm 53b by opening / closing the first base member 51a and the second base member 51. The expansion / contraction drive unit 61 extends and contracts the first arm 53a and the second arm 53b in synchronization. The first base member 51a and the first arm 53a, and the second base member 51b and the second arm 53b have a mirror image structure.

(4-4) 1st base member and 2nd base member The 1st base member 51a and the 2nd base member 51b are provided in the apparatus main body 31 so that opening and closing is possible mutually approaching and separating in the left-right Y direction. The first base member 51a and the second base member 51b are disposed on both outer sides in the left-right Y direction of the first conveyor unit 32a and the second conveyor unit 32b.

The first base member 51a and the second base member 51b are substantially rectangular plate-like members extending in the front-rear X direction. Both end portions of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b are guided by first linear guides 34a and second linear guides 34b arranged along the left and right Y directions at both ends in the front-rear X direction of the apparatus main body 31, respectively. The apparatus main body 31 is supported so as to be movable in the left and right Y directions. At both ends of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b, a first linear bearing 63a and a second linear bearing 63b as guide portions guided by the first linear guide 34a and the second linear guide 34b are provided by bolts. It is fixed separately for each.
It is determined whether or not the arm portion 53 can be inserted between the luggage W stored in the luggage storage shelf 11 at both ends in the front-rear X direction at the lower portions of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b. For this purpose, an internal insertion sensor 98a and an external insertion sensor 98b are arranged. The inner insertion sensor 98a and the outer insertion sensor 98b are fixed to both ends of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b, and are fixed to a sensor bracket 70 extending inward of the apparatus main body 31. The internal insertion sensor 98a is an example of a luggage detection unit. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner insertion sensor 98a is disposed inside the outer insertion sensor 98b. The inner insertion sensor 98a and the outer insertion sensor 98b are, for example, sensors that use a reflective photoelectric detector and are capable of detecting the load W without contact. The inner insertion sensor 98a and the outer insertion sensor 98b are arranged so as to be able to irradiate light obliquely upward toward the front rack 2a and the rear rack 2b. As shown in FIG. 3, the distance L between the optical axes of the inner insertion sensor 98a and the outer insertion sensor 98b is longer than the lengths of the first arm 53a and the second arm 53b of the arm portion 53 in the left-right Y direction. For this reason, if both the inner insertion sensor 98a and the outer insertion sensor 98b have not detected the load W, it can be determined that the arm portion 53 can be inserted.

(4-5) First Arm and Second Arm The first arm 53a and the second arm 53b are provided separately on the inner surfaces of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b so as to be extendable in the front-rear X direction. Yes.
The first arm 53a has a first intermediate arm portion 54a and a first tip arm portion 55a. The second arm 53b has a second intermediate arm portion 54b and a second tip arm portion 55b.

  The first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b are substantially rectangular plate-like members. The first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b are individually supported by the inner side surfaces of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b so as to be extendable and contractible. The first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b are substantially rectangular plate-like members that are shorter than the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b. The first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b are individually supported by the inner surfaces of the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b so as to be extendable and contractible.

  The first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b are connected to the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b by an interlocking mechanism (not shown). The interlocking mechanism has a belt and a pulley. When the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b move to the front side (right side in FIG. 3) or rear side (left side in FIG. 3) in the front-rear X direction, the first tip arm portion 55a and the second The two distal arm portions 55b move in the same direction at twice the speed of the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b. For this reason, the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b extend and contract with respect to the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b.

(4-6) Open / Close Drive Unit The open / close drive unit 60 is a mechanism for driving the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b to open and close in the left-right Y direction. The opening / closing drive unit 60 includes an arm opening / closing motor 93 and a ball screw shaft 62 connected to the arm opening / closing motor 93. As shown in FIG. 4, the opening / closing drive unit 60 includes a first nut member 64 a and a second nut member 64 b that are screwed into the ball screw shaft 62.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the arm opening / closing motor 93 drives the ball screw shaft 62 to rotate. The ball screw shaft 62 is disposed along the left and right Y direction. The ball screw shaft 62 is formed with a right screw portion 62a and a left screw portion 62b with a center position in the left-right Y direction as a boundary. As shown in FIG. 4, the 1st nut member 64a and the 2nd nut member 64b are each arrange | positioned on the inner surface which the 1st base member 51a and the 2nd base member 51b oppose. Here, the first nut member 64a is a right-hand screw member that is screwed into the right-hand thread portion 62a, and the second nut member 64b is a left-hand screw member that is screwed into the left-hand screw portion 62b.

  When the ball screw shaft 62 is rotated in one direction by the arm opening / closing motor 93, the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b are moved in the opening direction away from each other, and when rotated in the other direction, they are moved in the closing direction approaching. When the ball screw shaft 62 rotates in the other direction and the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b come in contact with both sides of the load W to pinch the load W, a not shown clamping sensor is turned on and closed. Operation stops.

(4-7) Telescopic Drive Unit The telescopic drive unit 61 includes an arm drive motor 91 and a spline shaft 69 shown in FIG. 3, a first drive pulley 76a and a second drive pulley 76b shown in FIG. 4, and a pair of first driven pulleys. 77a and a pair of second driven pulleys 77b, and a first moving belt 78a and a second moving belt 78b.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the spline shaft 69 is disposed along the left and right Y directions and is rotationally driven by an arm drive motor 91. The first drive pulley 76a and the second drive pulley 76b engage with the spline shaft so as to be integrally rotatable and axially movable. The first drive pulley 76a and the second drive pulley 76b are arranged on the outer surfaces of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b on the outer surfaces of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b in the opening / closing direction (left-right Y direction). It is arranged to be movable in conjunction with the movement of. The pair of first driven pulleys 77a and the pair of second driven pulleys 77b are rotatably supported at both ends of the first base member 51a and the second base member 51b. A pair of first tension pulleys 79a and a pair of second tension pulleys 79b are disposed above the first drive pulley 76a and the second drive pulley 76b. One (for example, the right side in FIG. 4) of the first first tension pulley 79a and the pair of second tension pulleys 79b can move in directions in which tension is separately applied to the first moving belt 78a and the second moving belt 78b. The first drive pulley 76a and the second drive pulley 76b, and the pair of first driven pulleys 77a and the pair of second driven pulleys 77b are toothed pulleys.

  When the spline shaft 69 is rotated by the arm drive motor 91, the first moving belt 78a and the second moving belt 78b are driven to circulate. As a result, the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b move to the front rack 2a side or the rear rack 2b side in the front-rear X direction, and the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b further move to the front. It arrange | positions at the luggage storage shelf 13 of the rack 2a or the rear rack 2b.

(5) Crane Control Unit In FIG. 5, the crane control unit 81 of the stacker crane 3 is mounted on the stacker crane 3. The crane control unit 81 can communicate with a controller 82 that controls the entire automatic warehouse 1. The crane control unit 81 includes computer hardware such as a CPU and a memory. In FIG. 5, the crane control unit 81 is expressed as a functional block realized by the cooperation of the computer hardware and software. The control signal is transmitted and received wirelessly (radio waves), but may be wired.

  The crane control unit 81 includes a travel control unit 83 that controls the travel and stop of the carriage body 23, a lift control unit 84 that performs lift control of the lift 27, and a transfer control that performs transfer control of the transfer device 29. Part 85. A traveling motor 87 and an elevating motor 89 are connected to the crane control unit 81. In addition, an arm drive motor 91, an arm opening / closing motor 93, and a conveyor drive motor 95 are connected to the crane control unit 81. Furthermore, an internal insertion sensor 98a, an external insertion sensor 98b, and other sensors are connected to the crane control unit 81. The other sensors include sensors necessary for other controls such as a clamping sensor.

(6) Loading Operation of Stacker Crane Hereinafter, the loading operation of the stacker crane 3 will be described using the flowchart of FIG. Although the flowchart shows the control operation by the crane control unit 81, the operation of the conveyor unit 32 is omitted for simplification of description.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the transfer operation until the stacker crane 3 picks up the cargo W at the transport source and loads it will be described.

In step S1, the transfer source indicated by the transfer instruction including the transfer source information of the load storage shelf 11 with the load W of the transfer source, the transfer destination information of the load storage shelf 11 of the transfer destination of the load W, and the approximate size of the load W Wait for installation. When the elevator 27 of the stacker crane 3 arrives at the conveyance source, the process proceeds to step S2. In step S <b> 2, it is determined whether the arm portion 53 can be inserted between the packages W based on outputs from the inner insertion sensor 98 a and the outer insertion sensor 98 b. If any of the insertion sensors is turned on and it is determined that the insertion is impossible, it waits for the insertion to be possible. If it can be inserted, the process proceeds to step S3. In step S <b> 3, the arm unit 53 is extended by the telescopic drive unit 61. In step S4, the process waits for the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b to be arranged on the side of the load W. This determination is made based on the output of a rotary encoder provided in the arm drive motor 91, for example. When the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b are arranged on the side of the load W, the process proceeds to step S5, and the extension operation of the arm portion 53 is stopped.
When the arm unit 53 stops, the process proceeds to step S6, where the arm opening / closing motor 93 of the opening / closing drive unit 60 is rotationally driven in the closing direction at a high speed, thereby causing the arm unit 53 to be closed at high speed. In step S7, it waits for the internal insertion sensor 98a to turn on and detect the load W. When the arm portion 53 is closed, the base portion 51 as well as the arm portion 53 approaches the load W, so that the internal insertion sensor 98a can detect the load W. When the package W is detected, the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the arm unit 53 is closed at a low speed. Specifically, the arm opening / closing motor 93 is driven to rotate in the closing direction at a low speed. In step S9, it waits for the arm part 53 to contact the load W to be loaded. As described above, when the first tip arm portion 55a and the second tip arm portion 55b come into contact with the load W, a clamping sensor (not shown) is turned on. When the arm unit 53 comes into contact with the load W, the process proceeds to step S10, and the closing operation of the arm unit 53 is stopped. In step S <b> 11, the arm unit 53 is contracted by the arm drive motor 91 of the expansion / contraction drive unit 61. In step S12, the arm unit 53 waits for the contraction to be completed. This determination is made based on the output of a rotary encoder provided in the arm drive motor 91, for example. When the arm portion 53 reaches a predetermined position, it is determined that the contraction is completed, the process proceeds to step S13, and the contraction operation of the arm portion 53 is stopped.

(7) Features The above embodiment can be expressed as follows.
(A) The transfer device 29 is a device capable of transferring the load W between the warehousing station 17, the warehousing station 19, and the luggage storage shelf 11. The transfer device 29 includes an arm unit 53, an internal insertion sensor 98a, and an arm control unit 85a. The arm portion 53 includes a first arm 53a and a second arm 53b arranged to face the first arm 53a. In the arm portion 53, at least one arm opens and closes with respect to the other arm. The arm part 53 can transfer a load between the first arm 53a and the second arm 53b. The internal insertion sensor 98a is movable in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the arm portion 53. The internal insertion sensor 98a can detect the cargo W in the warehouse station 17, the cargo exit station 19 and the cargo storage rack 11 in a non-contact manner. The arm controller 85a closes the arm 53 at high speed until the inner insertion sensor 98a detects the load W when the arm 53 is closed. When the inner insertion sensor 98a detects the load W, the arm control unit 85a closes the arm unit 53 at a low speed.
In the transfer device 29, when the arm 53 in the open state is closed, the arm 53 is closed at a high speed until the inner insertion sensor 98a detects the load W. That is, the arm unit 53 is closed at a high speed until the arm unit 53 approaches the luggage W. When the internal insertion sensor 98a detects the load W and the arm portion 53 approaches the load W, the arm portion 53 is closed at a low speed. Here, the speed of the closing operation of the arm portion 53 is switched from high speed to low speed depending on whether or not the load W is detected. Thereby, since the closing operation is performed at a high speed until the arm portion 53 approaches the load W, the time for the closing operation until the arm portion 53 closes the load W so that the load W can be transferred can be shortened.

(B) The transfer device 29 further includes a base portion 51 that supports the arm portion 53 so as to be extendable and retractable with respect to the warehousing station 17, the unloading station 19, and the luggage storage shelf 11, and the arm control portion 85 a Before 53 starts the extension operation from the base portion 51, it is confirmed that the load W in the storage station 17, the storage station 19 or the storage rack 11 is not detected by the internal insertion sensor 98a, and then the arm portion 53 is extended. You may let them.
In this case, the internal insertion sensor 98a can be used as both a detection unit for determining whether the arm unit can be extended before the arm unit 53 is extended and a detection unit for switching the speed of the closing operation.

(C) The closing operation method of the transfer device is a closing operation method of the transfer device 29 including the arm unit 53. The arm portion 53 includes a first arm 53a and a second arm 53b disposed to face the first arm 53a. At least one arm opens and closes with respect to the other arm, and the first arm 53a and the first arm 53b A load can be transferred between the two arms 53b. The closing operation method of the transfer device 29 includes an arrangement step (step S4 in FIG. 6), a high speed step (step S6 in FIG. 6), and a low speed step (step S8 in FIG. 6). In the placement step, the arm portion 53 is placed on the side of the luggage W. In the high-speed step, the arm unit 53 is closed at high speed until it is detected whether the internal insertion sensor 98a moving in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the arm unit 53 is a load (step S7 in FIG. 6). In the low speed step, when the internal insertion sensor 98a detects a load (step S7 in FIG. 6), the arm portion 53 is closed at a low speed.
In this transfer device closing operation method, when the arm portion 53 is arranged on the side of the load W, the arm portion 53 closes at high speed until the internal insertion sensor 98a detects the load W. That is, the arm unit 53 is closed at a high speed until the arm unit 53 approaches the luggage W. When the internal insertion sensor 98a detects the load W and the arm portion 53 approaches the load, the arm portion 53 closes at a low speed. Here, the speed of the closing operation of the arm portion 53 is switched from high speed to low speed depending on whether or not the load W is detected. As a result, since the closing operation is performed at high speed until the arm portion 53 approaches the load W, the time for the closing operation until the arm portion 53 can transfer the load W can be shortened.

(8) Other Embodiments Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, a plurality of embodiments and modifications described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

  (A) In the above-described embodiment, both the first arm 53a and the second arm 53b are opened / closed. However, only one of them may be opened / closed, and the other may not be opened / closed. In a transfer device that transfers a load by pushing and pulling the load W with a hook that can be opened and closed on the arm portion, only one arm may be opened and closed. In this case, the closing speed of one arm to be opened and closed may be switched from high speed to low speed at the detection timing of the load W.

  (B) In the above-described embodiment, of the internal insertion sensor 98a and the external insertion sensor 98b that detect a gap between the load W to be loaded and the next load, the internal insertion sensor 98a that is close to the load W to be loaded. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In addition to the internal insertion sensor 98a, a baggage detection sensor dedicated to the closing operation may be used.

  (C) In the said embodiment, although the photoelectric detector was illustrated as a package detection part which detects a package without contact, this invention is not limited to this. For example, a package detection unit that can detect a distance with a laser or a sound wave may be used. Further, as the package detection unit, when the package W is magnetized, a magnetic detection unit such as a hall element or a reed switch may be used.

  (D) In the embodiment, the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b, the first tip arm portion 55a, and the second tip arm portion 55b are disclosed as the arm portions. However, the form of the arm portion is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be such that the load W is gripped by the first intermediate arm portion 54a and the second intermediate arm portion 54b.

  The article conveying device according to the present invention is widely applicable to, for example, a stacker crane of an automatic warehouse.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic warehouse 2a Front rack 2b Rear rack 3 Stacker crane 5 Traveling passage 7 1st support column 9 2nd support column 11 Luggage storage shelf 17 Warehousing station 19 Unloading station 21a Upper guide rail 21b Lower guide rail 22 Traveling trolley 23 Bogie main body 23a Left travel Wheel 23b Right traveling wheel 23c Front guide roller 23d Rear guide roller 25a Left mast 25b Right mast 27 Lifting platform 29 Transfer device 31 Device main body 31a Luggage placement region 32 Conveyor portion 32a First conveyor unit 32b Second conveyor unit 33 Clamp portion 34a First linear guide 34b Second linear guide 40 Drive shaft 42 Conveyor drive section 51a First base member 51b Second base member 53 Arm section 53a First arm 53b Second arm 54a First intermediate arm section 54b Second intermediate arm portion 55a First tip arm portion 55b Second tip arm portion 60 Opening / closing drive portion 61 Telescopic drive portion 62 Ball screw shaft 62a Right screw portion 62b Left screw portion 63a First linear bearing 63b Second linear bearing 64a First Nut member 64b Second nut member 69 Spline shaft 70 Sensor bracket 76a First drive pulley 76b Second drive pulley 77a First driven pulley 77b Second driven pulley 78a First moving belt 78b Second moving belt 79a First tension pulley 79b First 2-tension pulley 81 Crane control unit 83 Travel control unit 84 Lift control unit 85 Transfer control unit 85a Arm control unit 85b Conveyor control unit 87 Travel motor 89 Lift motor 91 Arm drive motor 93 Arm open / close motor 95 Conveyor drive motor 98a Internal insertion SE Sensor 98b External insertion sensor

Claims (3)

A transfer device capable of transferring a load to and from another device,
A first arm and a second arm disposed opposite to the first arm, wherein at least one of the arms opens and closes with respect to the other arm, and between the first arm and the second arm An arm part capable of transferring the load;
A load detection unit that is movable in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the arm unit, and capable of detecting a load in the other device in a non-contact manner;
When the arm portion is closed, the open / close arm portion is closed at a high speed until the load detector detects the load, and when the load detector detects the load, the arm portion is closed at a low speed. An arm control unit,
A transfer apparatus comprising: A base portion that supports the arm portion so as to be extendable with respect to the other device;
The arm control unit extends the arm unit after confirming that the load detection unit does not detect the baggage in the other device before the arm unit starts extending from the base unit. Item 2. The transfer device according to Item 1. A first arm and a second arm disposed opposite to the first arm, wherein at least one of the arms opens and closes with respect to the other arm, and between the first arm and the second arm A method of closing a transfer device comprising an arm part capable of transferring the load,
An arrangement step of arranging the arm portion on a side of the luggage;
A high-speed step of closing the arm portion at high speed until a load detection unit that moves in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the arm portion detects the load;
A low-speed step of closing the arm portion at a low speed when the load detection unit detects the load;
A closing operation method for a transfer apparatus including:

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