JP2013056779A - Article storage facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a conveyance capacity by efficiently moving a plurality of article carriers along moving passages while simplifying a structure.SOLUTION: As the article carriers 3, a first article carrier 3a in which a lift guide member 11 is positioned on one side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2, and a second article carrier 3b in which it is positioned on the other side in the lateral width direction are provided. While lift members 10 provided at the first article carrier 3a and the second article carrier 3b are supported by the lift guide members 11 in an article transfer attitude for transferring an article B between a storage part and itself, the lift member is provided with a portion overlapping with the lift member 10 of the counterpart article carrier 3 in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2 in the supported state, and the lift member is provided in a protruding state toward the counterpart article carrier 3 in such a range as not to abut on the lift guide member 11 of the counterpart article carrier 3. Traveling movable members 12 provided at the first article carrier 3a and the second article carrier 3b are movable to pass each other.

Description

  The present invention is formed along a storage shelf provided with a plurality of storage units for storing articles in a state of being arranged vertically and horizontally, and a lift guide body that can be moved up and down by a lift guide body extending vertically. The present invention relates to an article storage facility provided with an article carrier configured to reciprocate in a moving path by a traveling moving body.

  In the article storage facility as described above, the article transport body moves up and down by moving the lift body to a position corresponding to the storage section to be transferred among a plurality of storage sections by moving the traveling mobile body and raising and lowering the lift body. By transferring the article between the body and the storage unit, the article transport body takes out the article from the storage unit or stores the article in the storage unit.

  In such an article storage facility, in order to improve the conveyance capability, a plurality of article conveyance bodies are provided for the moving path. However, when a plurality of article transport bodies are provided in the movement path, if the movement range interferes between the two article transport bodies, the movement of one of the article transport bodies is restricted and the article transport body is restricted. You must avoid collisions. Therefore, simply providing a plurality of article transport bodies with respect to the moving path cannot move the plurality of article transport bodies efficiently, and there is a possibility that the transport capability cannot be improved.

  Therefore, the conventional article storage facility includes a first article transport body and a second article transport body with respect to the movement path, and is configured to be able to move between the first article transport body and the second article transport body. Yes. As described above, when the movement ranges of the first article transport body and the second article transport body interfere with each other, the first article transport body and the second article transport body are moved by passing each other. The second article carrier can be efficiently moved (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this conventional article storage facility, with respect to the elevation guide body, the elevation guide body of the first article transport body is positioned on one side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the elevation guide body of the second article transport body is placed in the lateral width of the movement passage. It is positioned on the other side of the direction so that the elevating guide can be moved by passing. As for the traveling mobile body, the traveling mobile body of the first article transport body and the traveling mobile body of the second article transport body are arranged at an interval in the lateral width direction of the travel path so that the traveling mobile body can be moved by passing. I am doing so.

The lifting body is formed in an elongated shape having a length that extends over the entire length of the moving passage in the width direction, and an article receiving posture for transferring articles to and from the storage unit and a moving posture when moving the moving passage At the same time, it is supported by the elevation guide body so that its posture can be freely changed by swinging around the vertical axis. In the article delivery posture, the elevator body is positioned over the entire length in the lateral width direction of the moving passage by making the longitudinal direction of the elevator body coincide with the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the article is exchanged with the storage unit. In the moving posture, the longitudinal direction of the lifting / lowering body is made to coincide with the longitudinal direction of the moving path to narrow the width of the moving path, and the lifting / lowering body and the lifting / lowering guide body of the other article conveying body in the lateral width direction of the moving path. The elevating body is positioned so as not to touch, so that the elevating body can pass. In this way, in the conventional article storage facility, the first article transport body and the second article transport body are moved by setting the lifting body of the first article transport body and the lifting body of the second article transport body to a moving posture. It is possible to move between each other.
Further, in this conventional article storage facility, the lifting body includes a portion overlapping with the lifting body of the counterpart article transport body in the lateral direction of the moving passage in the moving posture, and the lifting guide body of the counterpart article transport body. There is also a thing which positions a raising / lowering body in the range which does not touch. In this case, the first and second bodies are positioned at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference.

The article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved in a passing manner.

JP-A-6-305514

In the above-described conventional article storage facility, the first article transport body and the second article transport body are exchanged between the storage section by changing the posture of the lifting body between the article transfer posture and the moving posture. It is possible to move with each other. However, it is necessary to add a configuration for changing the posture of the lifting body between the article receiving posture and the moving posture, which leads to a complicated configuration.
In the conventional article storage facility, the lifting body is changed to the article delivery posture, and the lifting body is positioned over the entire length of the moving passage in the width direction, so that the storage provided on both sides of the moving path in the width direction is provided. Articles can be exchanged with the storage unit of the shelf. However, when one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body changes the posture of the lifting / lowering body to the article transfer posture, the other article transport body cannot perform a passing movement with respect to the one article transport body. . Therefore, when one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body exchanges articles with the storage unit, the movement of one of the article transport bodies must be restricted at all times. There is a possibility that the transport body and the second article transport body cannot be efficiently moved and the transport capability cannot be improved.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a point, and an object thereof is to improve the conveyance capability by efficiently moving a plurality of article conveyance bodies in the movement path while simplifying the configuration. The object is to provide an article storage facility.

  In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention includes a storage shelf provided with a plurality of storage units that store articles in a vertically and horizontally state, and a lifting guide that extends the lifting body in the vertical direction. An article storage facility provided with an article transport body configured to be guided up and down by a body and reciprocally moved by a traveling moving body along a moving path formed along the storage shelf, As the article carrier, a first article carrier for positioning the lifting guide body on one side in the lateral direction of the moving passage and a second article carrier for positioning on the other side in the lateral width direction are provided. The elevating body provided in each of the transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the elevating guide body in an article delivery posture for delivering articles to and from the storage unit, and the support state In the above, the other side of the article carrier Provided in a state of having a portion overlapping in the lateral width direction of the lowering body and the moving passage and projecting toward the other article transporter in a range not contacting the lifting guide of the other article transporter, It exists in the point comprised so that the said traveling mobile body with which each of 1 article | item conveyance body and said 2nd article conveyance body is equipped can pass each other.

  That is, for the lifting guide body, the lifting guide body of the first article transport body is positioned on one side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the lifting guide body of the second article transport body is positioned on the other side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage. Thus, the elevating guide can be moved by passing. The traveling mobile body is configured to be able to move between the traveling mobile body of the first article transport body and the traveling mobile body of the second article transport body.

  As for the lifting body, in the article receiving posture supported by the lifting guide body, the other side has a portion overlapping with the other lifting body in the width direction of the moving passage and does not come into contact with the other lifting guide body Projecting toward the article carrier. As for the support of the elevating body, it is sufficient to simply support the elevating body with the elevating / lowering guide body, and the configuration can be simplified. Moreover, even when the lifting body is in the article transfer posture, the lifting body can be moved by passing the lifting body by positioning the lifting body at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference. In this manner, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved by passing each other while simply supporting the lifting body in the article delivery posture by the lifting guide body.

When the first article transport body and the second article transport body pass by each other, on the side where the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the other article transport body pass by each other. To do. Therefore, when an article is being exchanged between the lifting body and the storage section on the side where the lifting body in the lateral direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the mating article transport body can pass each other. Therefore, the first article carrier and the second article carrier cannot pass each other. On the other hand, on the side opposite to the side from which the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement passage projects, the first article transporting body and the second article transporting body are provided even if articles are being transferred between the lifting body and the storage unit. The first article transport body and the second article transport body can pass each other.
In this way, even when one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is transferring an article to and from the storage unit, the transfer of the article is performed in the lateral width direction of the movement path. If it is the side opposite to the projecting side, the article carrier can be efficiently moved while passing the first article carrier and the second article carrier.

  Moreover, since the raising / lowering body is provided with the part which overlaps with the other party's raising / lowering body in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path, the raising / lowering bodies can be made to overlap in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path. Therefore, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be installed compactly in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the moving passage can be made compact in the lateral width direction.

  From the above, while simplifying the configuration, it is possible to efficiently move a plurality of article carriers in the moving path to improve the conveying capacity, and to make the moving path compact in the lateral width direction. It has become possible to provide an article storage facility that can be achieved.

  A second characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is such that the first article transport body and the second article transport body position the lifting guide body provided therein at an end portion in a lateral width direction of the moving passage. The lifting / lowering body in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the lifting / lowering guide body so as to protrude in a cantilever posture toward the other-side article transport body. In the point.

  That is, the lifting body is supported by the lifting guide body in a state where it projects in a cantilevered posture toward the counterpart article transport body, and the lifting guide body is positioned at the end in the lateral width direction of the moving path. A range that does not come into contact with the lifting guide body of the article transport body can be a range that protrudes to the end in the lateral width direction of the movement path. Therefore, since the lifting body can be provided in a state of projecting to the end portion in the width direction of the moving passage, the length of the portion where the lifting bodies overlap each other in the width direction of the moving passage can be made as long as possible, and the width direction of the moving passage Further downsizing can be achieved. Moreover, in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, the lifting body is provided in a state of projecting to the end of the moving passage in the lateral width direction, so that the lifting body can be provided as close as possible to the storage portion. It will be easy to exchange goods between and.

  According to a third characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the traveling moving body included in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body includes a lower moving portion and an upper portion that are guided by a lower guide rail. The upper moving part guided by the guide rail is provided in a state of synchronously driving, and the elevating guide body is provided between the lower moving part and the upper moving part in a state supported by them. In the point.

  That is, when the lower moving unit and the upper moving unit are synchronously driven, the upper side supported by the upper moving unit in the lifting guide body moves later than the lower side supported by the lower moving unit, or vice versa. Furthermore, it can suppress that the upper side supported by an upper moving part moves rapidly with respect to the lower side supported by a lower moving part. Therefore, the traveling mobile body can be traveled while suppressing the swing of the lifting guide body, and the swinging of the lifting body during traveling of the traveling mobile body can be suppressed.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the elevating guide body includes a pair of elevating guide portions arranged in a longitudinal direction of the moving passage, and the elevating body is the pair of elevating guides. Provided in a state of being positioned between the two parts and being guided to be movable up and down by each of the pair of lift guide parts, and correspondingly to each of the pair of lift guide parts, the lift body is hung up and down freely The cord driving unit for winding and unwinding the cord supporting member to be lowered is provided in a state where the cord driving unit is synchronously driven.

  That is, the cord drive unit corresponding to each of the pair of lift guides can be driven synchronously, so that the lift can be raised and lowered while maintaining the posture of the lift, and the lift is properly raised and lowered. Can do. In addition, the cord-like body driving portion is not provided only on one side of the pair of lifting guide portions, but is provided corresponding to each of the pair of lifting guide portions. When guiding, it is not necessary to gather on one side of the pair of lift guides, and it is only necessary to guide to each of the pair of lift guides. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of members such as a guide rotator for guiding the cable to the cable drive unit, and to require a large space in the lateral direction of the moving passage as the installation space for the cable. Therefore, it is possible to achieve a compact size in the lateral width direction of the moving passage.

  A fifth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is that each of the pair of lifting guide portions is configured by connecting a pair of support columns arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage with a lattice.

  In other words, since the lift guide unit is configured by connecting a pair of struts with a lattice, the lift guide unit can be formed narrow in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and compactness can be achieved in the lateral width direction of the moving passage. Can be planned. Moreover, since a pair of struts can be reinforced by connecting them with a lattice, it is possible to use narrow struts in the lateral width direction of the moving passage as struts, and ascending / descending while achieving compactness in the lateral width direction of the moving passage The strength of the guide can be increased.

  According to a sixth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, each of the pair of lift guide portions is configured by a cord-like body laid between the upper moving portion and the lower moving portion. It is in.

  That is, it is only necessary to secure a space for installing the cord-like body as the installation space for each of the pair of lifting guide portions, and the moving passage can be effectively downsized in the lateral width direction.

  A seventh characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is that at least one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is provided in a plurality with respect to the moving path. .

  That is, when the article transporter transports the article, each of the plurality of article transporters may transport the article even if the article transporters do not move with each other. Therefore, by providing a plurality of at least one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body with respect to the moving path, the articles can be transported by the plurality of article transport bodies, Improvements can be made.

  According to an eighth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the control means for controlling the operations of the first article transport body and the second article transport body avoids the mutual interference of the lift bodies of the article transport body. As described above, the operation of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is controlled so as to be moved in different positions in the vertical direction.

  That is, the control means moves the first article transport body and the second article transport body so that the lifting and lowering bodies of the article transport body are moved in different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference. By controlling the operation, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved by passing each other. Therefore, it is possible to automatically carry articles by the first article carrier and the second article carrier by the control of the control means while moving the first article carrier and the second article carrier. it can.

Top view of goods storage equipment The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane and the 2nd stacker crane in the width direction of a movement passage The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane and the 2nd stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of a movement passage Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane in the width direction of a movement passage Enlarged view of the main part of the first stacker crane in the lateral direction of the moving passage Enlarged view of the main part of the first stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of the moving path Top view of the first stacker crane Enlarged view of the main part of the article transfer device in the transfer direction Detailed view of the conveyor in the article transfer device The top view which shows transfer of the article between storage parts Control block diagram of goods storage equipment Flow chart showing control operation of management controller The figure which shows the stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of the movement path in 2nd Embodiment. The figure which shows the stacker crane in the horizontal width direction of the movement path in 2nd Embodiment. The principal part enlarged view of the stacker crane in 3rd Embodiment Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane in the third embodiment

An embodiment of an article storage facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
As shown in FIG. 1, the article storage facility in the first embodiment stores between two storage shelves 1 that are installed at an interval so that the directions for putting in and out the articles are opposed to each other, and the two storage shelves 1. A stacker crane 3 is provided as an article transporter that is movable along a moving path 2 formed along a shelf.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the storage shelf 1 is composed of a plurality of support posts 4 standing at intervals in the horizontal direction, and a pair of front and rear articles provided across the support posts 4 arranged in the horizontal direction. It is comprised from the beam 5 for mounting. The storage shelf 1 includes a plurality of storage units 6 that store articles B in a state of being arranged vertically and horizontally. The storage unit 6 is configured to store the article B in a form in which the article B is placed and supported by a pair of front and rear beams 5.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a lower guide rail 7 is disposed on the lower side of the moving passage 2, and an upper guide rail 8 is disposed on the upper side thereof. The lower guide rail 7 and the upper guide rail 8 are disposed at both end portions in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2 in a state along the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2. At both ends of the storage shelf 1 in the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2, a loading / unloading unit 9 that supports the article B that is stored in the storage shelf 1 and the article B that is output from the storage shelf 1 is provided (see FIG. 1). . The stacker crane 3 is provided so as to be movable over the entire length of the storage shelf 1 and the loading / unloading unit 9 while being guided by the lower guide rail 7 and the upper guide rail 8.

  The stacker crane 3 is configured to guide the elevating body 10 so as to be movable up and down by an elevating guide body 11 extending in the vertical direction, and to reciprocate the moving path 2 using a traveling moving body 12. As the stacker crane 3, a first stacker crane 3 a that positions the lifting guide 11 on one side in the lateral direction of the moving passage 2 and a second stacker crane that positions the lifting guide 11 on the other end in the lateral direction of the moving passage 2. 3b. At least one of the first stacker crane 3 a and the second stacker crane 3 b is provided with respect to the movement path 2. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two first stacker cranes 3 a and two second stacker cranes 3 b are provided for the moving path 2. The first stacker crane 3a corresponds to the first article transport body, and the second stacker crane 3b corresponds to the second article transport body.

  Hereinafter, the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b will be described. First, the traveling moving body 12, the raising / lowering guide body 11, and the raising / lowering body 10 are demonstrated in the relationship between the 1st stacker crane 3a and the 2nd stacker crane 3b.

  The traveling mobile body 12 provided in the first stacker crane 3a is guided by a lower guide rail 7 and an upper guide rail 8 disposed at one end in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2 as shown in FIGS. It is provided so as to reciprocate in the movement path 2 in a state where The traveling moving body 12 provided in the second stacker crane 3b reciprocates in the moving path 2 while being guided by the lower guide rail 7 and the upper guide rail 8 provided at the other end in the lateral width direction of the moving path 2. It is provided to do. In this way, the traveling mobile body 12 provided in each of the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b is arranged to be spaced apart in the lateral direction of the moving passage 2 so as to be able to move by passing. Yes.

  The raising / lowering guide body 11 provided in the first stacker crane 3 a is located at the end of one side of the moving passage 2 in the lateral width direction. The lifting guide 11 provided in the second stacker crane 3b is located at the end of the other side of the moving passage 2 in the lateral width direction. Thus, the 1st stacker crane 3a and the 2nd stacker crane 3b are comprised so that the raising / lowering guide body 11 with which it may be located in the edge part of the horizontal width direction of the movement channel | path 2. As shown in FIG.

  The elevating body 10 provided in each of the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b is supported by the elevating guide body 11 in an article delivery posture for delivering the article B between the storage unit 6 and the loading / unloading unit 9. Yes. The lifting body 10 provided in the first stacker crane 3a is in a state of being supported by the lifting guide body 11 and having a portion overlapping with the lifting body 10 of the second stacker crane 3b in the lateral width direction of the moving path 2, and The second stacker crane 3b is provided in a state of protruding to the second stacker crane 3b side in a range where it does not contact the lifting guide body 11 of the second stacker crane 3b. The elevating body 10 provided in the first stacker crane 3a is supported by the elevating guide body 11 so as to protrude in a cantilever posture toward the second stacker crane 3b. The lifting body 10 provided in the second stacker crane 3b is in a state of being supported by the lifting guide body 11 and having a portion that overlaps with the lifting body 10 of the first stacker crane 3a in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2, and The first stacker crane 3a is provided in a state of protruding to the first stacker crane 3a side in a range where it does not contact the lifting guide body 11 of the first stacker crane 3a. The elevating body 10 provided in the second stacker crane 3b is supported by the elevating guide body 11 so as to protrude in a cantilever posture toward the first stacker crane 3a.

  The lifting body 10 provided in each of the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b is in a lateral width direction of the other lifting body 10 and the movement path 2 in a state where the lifting guide body 11 is supported in the article transfer posture. It is provided in a state where it overlaps over its entire length and protrudes to the vicinity of the lifting guide 11 in a range where it does not contact the counterpart lifting guide 11. Therefore, in the article delivery posture in which the lifting body 11 is supported by the lifting guide body 11, the lifting body 11 is moved in a vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference, thereby moving the lifting body 11 in a passing manner. be able to.

  Thus, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b are positioned at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid the mutual interference of the lifting bodies 11 provided therein. It is configured to be able to move by passing. And the raising / lowering body 11 with which the 1st stacker crane 3a and the 2nd stacker crane 3b were equipped differs in an up-down direction so that the raising / lowering body 11 may avoid mutual interference in the article transfer attitude | position supported by the raising / lowering guide body 11. It can be moved by passing the position. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the article B is transferred between the first stacker crane 3 a and the storage unit 6 on the side opposite to the side from which the lifting body 10 projects in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2. Even when the first stacker crane 3b is mounted, the lifting body 10 of the second stacker crane 3b is positioned at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid interference with the lifting body 11 of the first stacker crane 3a. The passing movement between the stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b can be performed.

  Next, the traveling moving body 12, the lifting guide body 11, and the lifting body 10 will be described in the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b. In the first stacker crane 3 and the second stacker crane 3b, The travel moving body 12 and the lifting guide body 11 are arranged symmetrically in the lateral width direction of the moving path 2 so that the position of the traveling body 12 and the protruding direction of the lifting body 10 are opposite to the lateral width direction of the moving path 2. Yes. Therefore, only the first stacker crane 3a will be described based on FIGS. 6 to 11, and the description of the second stacker crane 3b will be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the traveling moving body 12 synchronously drives the lower moving portion 13 guided by the lower guide rail 7 and the upper moving portion 14 guided by the upper guide rail 8. I have. The lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 are formed in a long and narrow shape in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 in a plan view. The lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 are connected to each other at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 by a connecting body R. The lower moving unit 13 is provided with a pair of front and rear lower traveling wheels 15 that rotate in contact with the upper surface of the lower guide rail 7. The upper moving part 14 is provided with a pair of left and right upper traveling wheels 16 that rotate in contact with the side surface of the upper guide rail 8 with the upper guide rail 8 sandwiched in the horizontal direction.

  A lower driving unit 17 that drives the lower moving unit 13 and an upper driving unit 18 that drives the upper moving unit 14 are provided on the ground side. The lower drive unit 17 is wound around a lower drive pulley 19 disposed at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 and a lower driven pulley 20 disposed at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2. An endless lower traveling drive belt 21 (see FIG. 4) and a lower drive motor 22 that rotationally drives the lower drive pulley 19 are provided. The lower traveling drive belt 21 is disposed so as to extend over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 so as to rotate about the vertical axis. The lower moving unit 13 is connected to the lower traveling drive belt 21 so as to move along the longitudinal direction of the moving path 2 by the rotation of the lower traveling drive belt 21. The lower driving unit 17 is configured to reciprocate the lower moving unit 13 in the longitudinal direction of the moving path 2 by rotating the lower driving driving belt 21 by rotational driving of the lower driving pulley 19 by the lower driving motor 22. Has been.

  The upper drive unit 18 is configured in the same manner as the lower drive unit 17. That is, the upper drive unit 18 includes an upper drive pulley 23 corresponding to the lower drive pulley 19, an upper driven pulley 24 corresponding to the lower driven pulley 20, and an upper travel drive belt 25 corresponding to the lower travel drive belt 21 (FIG. 4). And an upper drive motor 26 corresponding to the lower drive motor 22. The upper moving unit 14 is coupled to the upper traveling drive belt 25 so as to move along the longitudinal direction of the moving path 2 by the rotation of the upper traveling drive belt 25. The upper driving unit 18 is configured to reciprocate the upper moving unit 14 in the longitudinal direction of the moving path 2 by rotating the upper driving driving belt 25 by rotating the upper driving pulley 23 by the upper driving motor 26. Has been.

  By synchronously driving the lower drive motor 22 of the lower drive unit 17 and the upper drive motor 22 of the upper drive unit 18, the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 are configured to be driven synchronously. In this way, the traveling moving body 12 is caused to travel while suppressing the swinging of the lifting guide body 11, the swinging of the lifting body 10 during the traveling of the traveling moving body 12 is suppressed, and the article B of the lifting body 10 is dropped. It is preventing.

  A travel rangefinder 56 that detects the travel position of the travel vehicle 12 in the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2 is provided. The travel range finder 56 projects a beam light for distance measurement along the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2 toward the travel reflector 57 provided in the lower moving unit 13, and the travel distance meter 56 is projected onto the travel reflector 57. By receiving the reflected light, the distance to the travel reflector 57 is detected, and the travel position of the travel mobile body is detected.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the elevating guide body 11 is provided between the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 so as to be supported by the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14. The elevating guide body 11 is configured to include a pair of elevating guide portions D arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2. Each of the pair of elevating guide portions D is configured by connecting a pair of support columns 27 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 with a lattice 28. Each column 27 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, and a lattice 28 is provided between a pair of columns 27 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2.

As described above, since the lifting guide portion D is configured to connect the pair of support columns 27 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 with the lattice 28, the lifting guide portion D is thin in the horizontal width direction of the moving passage 2, and the horizontal width direction of the moving passage 2. The company is trying to make it compact.
Since the raising / lowering guide part D is made thin in the width direction of the moving passage 2, the raising / lowering guide part D may be swayed in the width direction of the moving path 2. Therefore, an intermediate guide roller 36 that is guided by contacting the beam 5 of the storage shelf 1 is provided in the middle part in the vertical direction in each of the pair of raising and lowering guide parts D to suppress the shaking of the moving passage 2 in the lateral width direction. doing.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the elevating body 10 is provided in a state of being positioned between the pair of elevating guide portions D and being guided so as to be movable up and down by each of the pair of elevating guide portions D. Yes. The elevating body 10 includes a pair of elevating frames 10a supported so as to be movable up and down by a pair of elevating guides D, a horizontal frame 10b connected to each of the pair of elevating frames 10a and extending in the horizontal direction, and the elevating frame 10a. And a bar-shaped connecting frame 10c that connects the horizontal frame 10b.

  The lifting frame 10 a of the lifting body 10 is provided with a lifting guide guide roller 30 that is guided by a lifting guide rail 29 provided on each of the pair of columns 27. The elevating guide rail 29 is formed in a U shape in a plan view, and is provided on a side surface of the support column 27 opposite to the lattice 28 in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2. There are two types of lifting guide rollers 30, one that restricts the movement of the lifting body 10 in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 and the other that restricts the movement of the lifting body 10 in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2. Types of lifting guide rollers 30 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction.

Corresponding to each of the pair of elevating guide portions D, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a pair of hoisting and lifting operation is performed on the elevating chain 31 as a cord-like body that suspends and supports the elevating body 10 so as to be movable up and down. An elevating drive unit 32 is provided. This raising / lowering drive part 32 is equivalent to a cord-like body drive part.
One end of the elevating chain 31 is connected to the elevating body 10, and is wound around a guide sprocket 33 provided in the upper moving unit 14, and is then wound around a driving drum 34 provided in the lower moving unit 13. The end is connected to the lifting body 10. The elevating drive unit 32 includes a drive drum 34 and an elevating motor 35, and is configured so that the elevating chain 31 is wound up and delivered by rotating the drive drum 34 with the elevating motor 35.
The pair of elevating drive units 32 is configured to be moved up and down while maintaining the elevating body 20 in a horizontal posture by synchronously driving.

  The lower moving unit 13 is provided with an elevating rangefinder 54 that detects the elevating position of the elevating body 10 in the vertical direction. The elevating rangefinder 54 projects the beam light for distance measurement along the elevating direction of the elevating body 10 toward the elevating reflector 55 installed in the elevating body 10, and the elevating reflector 55 By receiving the reflected light, the distance to the elevating body 10 is detected and the elevating position of the elevating body 10 is detected.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the elevating body 10 is provided with an article transfer device 37 that transfers the article B between the storage unit 6 and the loading / unloading unit 9. The article transfer device 37 is supported by the horizontal frame 10 b of the lifting body 10. The article transfer device 37 is configured to transfer the article B between the storage unit 6 and the loading / unloading unit 9 located on both sides of the movement path 2 in the lateral width direction. The article transfer device 37 is movable in the direction perpendicular to the transfer direction, and a conveyor 38 that conveys the article B in a state where the article B is placed and supported in the transfer direction with the horizontal width direction of the movement passage 2 as the transfer direction. In addition, a pair of fork bodies 39 are provided that can be retracted into a retracted position retracted toward the conveyor 38 and a protruding position protruded to the outside. In the article transfer device 37, a pair of fork bodies 39 are moved closer to each other to hold the article B from both sides, and a pair of fork bodies 39 are moved away from each other to release the holding of the article B. A switchable clamping state switching mechanism K and an exit / retreat drive motor 41 for driving the pair of fork bodies 39 to retract and retract from the retracted position and the protruding position are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the conveyor 38 is configured by a roller conveyor in which a plurality of rollers 43 are arranged in the transfer direction. An endless conveyor transmission belt 42 is wound around a plurality of rollers 43 and a plurality of conveyor pulleys 48 so as to extend over the entire length in the transfer direction. One of the plurality of conveyor pulleys 48 is a driving conveyor pulley 48a that is rotationally driven by a conveyor motor 47, and the conveyor transmission belt 42 is rotated by the rotational driving of the driving conveyor pulley 48a. The conveyor 37 is configured to place and convey the article B by rotating each of the rollers 43 by rotating the conveyor transmission belt 42 by rotating the driving conveyor pulley 48a by the conveyor motor 47. ing.

  When the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b pass each other (see FIGS. 3 and 5), the lifting body 10 and the other article on the side where the lifting body 10 in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes. The raising / lowering guide body 11 of the conveyance body 3 moves by passing. Therefore, since there is a gap between the end of the conveyor 38 and the storage unit 6 or the storage / removal unit 9 on the side where the lifting body 10 in the horizontal width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes, the storage unit 6 or the storage / removal unit 9 When the article B is transferred between the two, there is a possibility that the article B cannot be properly placed and conveyed by the conveyor 38.

  Therefore, on the side where the elevating body 10 in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes, the conveyance position where the article B is placed and conveyed in parallel with the rollers 43 at the end of the conveyor 38 (see FIG. 11B). An auxiliary roller 44 whose position can be changed is provided at a retracted position (see FIG. 11A) for retracting to the lower side of the roller 43. The auxiliary roller 44 is supported by a swing arm 45 so as to be swingable about an axis along the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2. The auxiliary roller motor 46 is configured to change the position of the auxiliary roller 44 between the transport position and the retracted position by swinging the swing arm 45. Therefore, normally, the auxiliary roller 44 is set at the retracted position, and the auxiliary roller 44 is moved to the transport position only when the article B is transferred to or from the storage unit 6 or the storage / unloading unit 9 provided on the side from which the conveyor 38 protrudes. The position is changed to.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pair of fork bodies 39 is formed in a plate shape that sandwiches the lateral side surface of the article B with the inner surfaces facing each other, and is distributed to the left and right sides with respect to the transfer direction. The pair of movable bodies 50 are supported so as to be movable in and out in the transfer direction. Each of the pair of movable bodies 50 is supported by a support base 51, and the pair of support bases 51 are provided on both the left and right sides with respect to the transfer direction. The support base 51 is slidably provided on a guide rail 52 disposed along a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction at a central portion in the transfer direction.

As shown in FIG. 10, the clamping state switching mechanism K includes an approach / separation motor 53 that switches between a clamping state and a released state by moving the pair of fork bodies 39 toward and away from each other, a driving pulley 40 a, and a driven pulley. An endless approaching / separating belt 49 wound around the pulley 40b is provided. The driving pulley 40 a is provided so as to be rotationally driven by the approaching / separating motor 53, and an intermediate portion of the approaching / separating belt 49 is distributed and coupled to each of the pair of support bases 51.
The holding state switching mechanism K rotates the approaching / separating belt 49 by rotating the driving pulley 40a by the approaching / separating motor 53, thereby rotating the approaching / separating belt 49 in a state of being guided by the guide rail 52. Close or separate operation. The clamping state switching mechanism 40 causes the pair of fork bodies 39 and the pair of movable bodies 50 to integrally approach or separate as the pair of support bases 51 approach or separate, thereby causing the pair of fork bodies 39 to move. Switch between the pinching state and the release state.

  A pair of exit / retreat drive motors 41 is provided corresponding to each of the pair of fork bodies 39. The pair of fork drive motors 41 are synchronously driven to drive the pair of fork bodies 39 synchronously to project from the retracted position (see FIG. 12A) to the projecting position (see FIG. 12B). Or it is comprised so that a retraction operation may be carried out from a protrusion position to a retraction position.

  As shown in FIG. 13, a crane control device that controls the operation of the stacker crane 3 so as to perform the article conveying operation for conveying the article B based on a command from the management controller 58 corresponding to each of the stacker cranes 3. 59 is provided. In the article transport operation, the crane control device 59 operates the traveling mobile body 12 and moves the lifting body 10 up and down to move the article transfer device 37 to the article transfer stop position with respect to the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9. In the state where the operation is controlled and the article transfer device 37 is stopped at the article transfer stop position, the article B supported by the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9 is taken out or the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9. In order to wholesale the article B, the transfer operation of the article transfer device 37 is controlled.

  The crane control device 59 controls the traveling operation of the traveling moving body 12 to move the article transfer device 37 to the article transfer stop position in the horizontal direction based on the detection information of the traveling rangefinder 56. Based on the detection information of the traveling control unit 59a and the lifting rangefinder 54, the lifting control for controlling the lifting operation of the lifting body 10 to move the article transfer device 37 to the article transfer stop position in the vertical direction. Transfer control unit 59c for controlling the transfer operation of the article transfer device 37 in order to take out the article B supported by the part 59b, the storage part 6 or the loading stage 4 or to take the article B to the storage part 6 or the loading stage 9 It is composed of

  The traveling control unit 59a synchronously drives the lower drive motor 22 and the upper drive motor 26, thereby driving the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 synchronously to operate the traveling moving body 12. The traveling control unit 59 a monitors the position of the article transfer device 37 in the horizontal direction based on the detection information of the traveling rangefinder 56 while the traveling mobile body 12 is traveling. When the article transfer device 37 reaches the article transfer stop position in the horizontal direction, the travel control unit 59a stops driving the lower mobile motor 22 and the upper drive motor 26 to stop the travel of the travel mobile body 12. The article transfer device 37 is positioned at the stop position for transferring articles in the horizontal direction.

  The elevating control unit 59b operates the elevating body 10 to elevate by synchronously driving the pair of elevating motors 35. The lifting control unit 59b monitors the position of the article transfer device 37 in the vertical direction based on the detection information of the lifting rangefinder 54 while the lifting body 10 is being lifted. When the article transfer device 37 reaches the article transfer stop position in the vertical direction, the lift control unit 59b stops driving the pair of lift motors 35 to stop the lift of the lift body 10 in the vertical direction. The article transfer device 37 is positioned at the article transfer stop position.

  The operation of the transfer control unit 59c will be described. First, the case where the article B is taken out from the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the transfer control unit 59c causes the pair of fork bodies 39 to project from the retracted position to the projecting position while maintaining the pair of fork bodies 39 in the released state. After that, the operations of the retracting drive motor 41 and the approaching / separating motor 53 are controlled so that the pair of fork bodies 39 are moved closer to each other and switched from the released state to the sandwiched state. As shown in FIG. 12 (c), the transfer control unit 59c operates to retract the pair of fork bodies 39 from the projecting position to the retracted position while maintaining the pair of fork bodies 39 in the sandwiched state and sandwiching the article B. The operation of the exit / retreat drive motor 41 is controlled so that the article B is transported by the conveyor 38 so as to draw the article B toward the lifting body 10, and the operation of the conveyor motor 47 is controlled. In this way, the article B is taken out from the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9 to the article transfer device 37.

Next, a case where the article B is wholesaled in the storage unit 6 or the storage / removal unit 9 will be described. Basically, an operation reverse to the case where the product B is taken out from the storage unit 6 or the storage / removal unit 9 is performed.
The transfer control unit 59c operates the retracting drive motor 41 so as to project the pair of fork bodies 39 from the retracted position to the projecting position while maintaining the pair of fork bodies 39 in the sandwiched state and sandwiching the article B. And the operation of the conveyor motor 47 is controlled so that the article B is conveyed by the conveyor 38 so as to push the article B toward the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9. In this way, when the article B is unloaded from the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9, the transfer control unit 59c causes the pair of fork bodies 39 to approach and switch from the released state to the sandwiched state so as to switch from the released state to the sandwiched state. After controlling the operation of 53, the operation of the retracting drive motor 41 is controlled so that the pair of fork bodies 39 are retracted from the protruding position to the retracted position.

  When the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9 provided on the side from which the elevating body 10 protrudes in the lateral width direction of the movement passage 2 is a transfer target, as illustrated in FIG. The operation of the auxiliary roller motor 46 is controlled so that the position of the auxiliary roller 44 is changed from the retracted position to the transport position. When the transfer of the article B to or from the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9 is completed, the transfer control unit 59c changes the position of the auxiliary roller 44 from the transport position to the retracted position. Control operation.

The management controller 58 controls the operations of the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b by giving commands to the crane controller 59 of the first stacker crane 3a and the crane controller 59 of the second stacker crane 3b. Is configured to do. The control means for controlling the operations of the first stacker crane 3 a and the second stacker crane 3 b includes a management controller 58 and a crane control device 59 for each stacker crane 3.
The management controller 58 is, for example, stored in any of the plurality of storage units 6 with respect to the crane control device 59, and a warehousing instruction for warehousing the article B of the storage / unloading unit 9 into any of the plurality of storage units 6. It is configured to give a movement command such as a shipping command for shipping the article B to the loading / unloading unit 9. At this time, the management controller 58 is configured to also command a transfer stop position corresponding to the storage unit 6 or the storage / unloading unit 9 to be transferred.

  The management controller 58 is configured to cause the stacker crane 3 to individually carry articles by giving a command to each crane control device 59 of each stacker crane 3. That is, the management controller 58 receives the goods B stored in any of the plurality of storage units 6 or the goods B stored in any of the plurality of storage units 6. When there is a movement request such as an unloading request, the crane control device 59 selects the stacker crane 3 that operates the article transport operation from the plurality of stacker cranes 3 and operates the selected stacker crane 3 to perform the article transport operation. Give a directive.

  When the management controller 58 operates each article to transport the stacker cranes 3 individually, if the movement ranges of the movement paths 2 interfere with each other between the first stacker cranes 3a or the second stacker cranes 3b, the stacker cranes 3 By giving a movement restriction command so as to restrict the movement of the first stacker cranes 3a or the second stacker cranes 3b, the collision is avoided.

  For example, when the movement range in the movement path 2 between the first stacker cranes 3a interferes with each other, the management controller 58 sets the movement range of the movement path 2 in the first stacker crane 3a that has previously performed the article transport operation to the intrusion prohibited range. As described above, a movement restriction command is given to the crane control device 59 of the first stacker crane 3a that performs the article transport operation later so that the first stacker crane 3a that performs the article transport operation does not enter the intrusion prohibition range. Upon receiving the movement restriction command, the crane control device 59 controls the operation of the stacker crane 3 so as to stop the stacker crane 3 before the entry prohibition range or move the stacker crane 3 out of the entry prohibition range.

  The management controller 58 operates the first stacker crane 3 when the movement range of the moving path 2 interferes with each other in the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b when the stacker cranes 3 are individually conveyed. A passing movement command is given to the crane controller 59 of the stacker crane 3 so as to move the 3a and the second stacker crane 3b. When the crane control device 59 receives the passing movement command, the crane control device 59 passes the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b with the lifting body 10 positioned at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference. The operation of the stacker crane 3 is controlled so as to be moved.

  For example, the management controller 58 sets a passing position where the lifting body 10 is positioned at an interval in the up-down direction as a passing movement command, and commands the set passing position to the crane control device 59. The crane control device 59 raises and lowers the elevating body 10 to the passing position, then causes the traveling moving body 12 to travel, and then raises and lowers the elevating body 10 to position the article transfer device 37 at the article transfer stop position. The operation of the stacker crane 3 is controlled.

  The management controller 58 does not always give a passing movement command when the movement range of the movement path 2 interferes with each other in the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b. A movement restriction command may be given to restrict the movement. When the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transporting the article is transferring the article B to and from the storage section 6 on the side where the lifting body 10 in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes, the auxiliary roller 44 is moved to the transport position. Therefore, the passing movement between the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b cannot be performed. Therefore, in such a case, a movement restriction command is given so as to restrict the movement of the stacker crane 3.

The command of the management controller 58 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
When there is a movement request, the management controller 58 selects the stacker crane 3 that performs the article transport operation from the plurality of stacker cranes 3 (steps 1 and 2). The management controller 58 determines whether or not the movement range of the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transporting the article interferes with the movement range of the stacker crane 3 selected this time. If the movement range does not interfere, A movement command is given to the crane control device 59 of the selected stacker crane 3 (steps 3 and 4).
When the movement range interferes between the first stacker cranes 3a or the second stacker cranes 3b, the management controller 58 gives a movement restriction command to the crane control device 59 of the stacker crane 3 selected this time (steps 5 and 6).

  Even if the movement range interferes between the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b, the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b can pass each other. However, when the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transporting the article is transferring the article B to and from the storage section 6 on the side where the lifting body 10 in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes, the auxiliary roller 44 is moved. The auxiliary roller 44 is located at the transfer position, and the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b cannot be moved. Therefore, when the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transporting the article is transferring the article B to and from the storage section 6 on the side where the lifting body 10 in the lateral width direction of the movement path 2 protrudes, If it is in the loading state and the management controller 58 is in the state of transferring for passing, the management controller 58 gives a movement restriction command to the crane control device 59 of the stacker crane 3 selected this time (steps 7 and 6).

  When the movement range interferes between the first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b, if the transfer for prohibition of passing is not in progress, the management controller 58 sets the crane control device 59 of the stacker crane 3 selected this time. A passing movement command is given (steps 7 and 8). In this way, not only when the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transported for articles has not transferred to and from the storage unit 6, but also the stacker crane 3 that has been previously transported for articles is the movement path 2. The first stacker crane 3a and the second stacker crane 3b are also moved while the article B is being transferred to and from the storage section 6 on the side opposite to the side from which the lifting body 10 in the width direction projects. Then, the stacker crane 3 is operated to carry the article.

[Second Embodiment]
This 2nd Embodiment is another embodiment about a pair of raising / lowering guide part D in the raising / lowering guide body 11 in the said 1st Embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, each of the pair of elevating guide portions D in the elevating guide body 11 is attached to a wire rope 60 as a cord-like body laid between the upper moving portion 14 and the lower moving portion 13. Configured. As described above, when the pair of lifting guides D is configured by the wire rope 60, the wire rope 60 is used when the article B is transferred between the article transfer device 37 and the storage unit 6 or the loading / unloading unit 9. May be bent.

  Therefore, the lower moving portion 13 is suspended and supported by the wire rope 60 and tension is applied to the wire rope 60 so that the bending of the wire rope 60 is suppressed. The upper traveling wheel 16 in the upper moving unit 14 is provided so that the lower side thereof is in contact with the upper guide rail 8 and rotates, and the lower traveling wheel 15 in the lower moving unit 13 is in contact with the lower guide rail 7. It is provided to rotate by hitting.

  The elevating chain 31 that suspends and supports the elevating body 10 so as to be movable up and down is connected to the elevating body 10 at one end and wound around a guide sprocket 33 provided in the upper moving unit 14 and then provided in the lower moving unit 13. It is connected to the wound take-up and feeding drum 62.

  The elevating body 10 is provided with a horizontal maintaining mechanism 61 that maintains the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture in place of the connection frame 10c in the first embodiment. The horizontal frame 10b is swingably supported around the horizontal axis with respect to the lifting frame 10a, and the horizontal holding mechanism 61 holds the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture. The horizontal holding mechanism 60 is composed of, for example, a pneumatic actuator including a rubber tube containing reinforcing fibers knitted in a diamond shape and a cover for fixing the rubber tube. The horizontal holding mechanism 61 swings the horizontal frame 10b around the horizontal axis by contracting the rubber tube by supplying compressed air to the inside of the rubber tube and shortening the entire length thereof. For example, the horizontal holding mechanism 61 is configured to hold the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture by controlling the pressure of compressed air supplied into the rubber tube according to the degree of inclination of the horizontal frame 10b.

[Third Embodiment]
This 3rd Embodiment is another embodiment about the raising / lowering guide body 11 and the raising / lowering body 10 in the said 1st Embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the elevating guide body 11 is configured by connecting a pair of support columns 63 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 with a lattice 64. As described above, the elevating guide body 11 is thin in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2 and is made compact in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2. Since the raising / lowering guide body 11 is simply configured to connect a pair of support columns 63 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 with a lattice 64, the lower moving portion 13 and the upper moving portion 14 are connected to each other. The length in the longitudinal direction can be shortened as much as possible.

  The elevating body 10 is provided in a state in which the elevating body 10 protrudes to one side of the pair of support columns 63 in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 and is guided so as to be movable up and down by each of the pair of support columns 63. The elevating body 10 is supported by each of the pair of support columns 63 so as to be able to move up and down, and is connected to the elevating frame body 10d so as to protrude to the one side from the pair of support columns 63 in the longitudinal direction of the moving path 2. The article transfer device support frame 10e that supports the article transfer device 37 at the position. The article transfer device support frame 10e is formed in an L shape in the lateral width direction of the moving passage 2 so as to extend in the horizontal direction after extending downward from the lifting frame 10a. The article transfer device 37 is supported by a tip portion that extends in the horizontal direction in the support frame 10a for the article transfer device.

  The lower moving unit 13 is provided with two lower traveling wheels 15 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2. The lower traveling wheels 15 are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the movement path 2, respectively, at the center of the lower movement unit 13 and the end of the lower movement unit 13 on the side opposite to the side where the article transfer device 37 is located. ing.

  The article transfer device 37 is located at a position away from the lifting guide body 11 in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 and at a position lower than the lifting frame body 10 a of the lifting body 11. As shown in FIG. 17B, when the lifting frame body 10 a is lowered to the lower limit position of the lifting guide body 11, the article transfer device 37 is positioned at a position lower than the lower limit position of the lifting guide body 11. Can do. Therefore, since the article B can be transferred even to the storage unit 6 existing at a position lower than the lower limit position of the lifting guide 11, the storage unit 6 in the storage shelf 1 is moved to a lower position in the vertical direction. It can be provided, and the storage efficiency can be improved.

  In this third embodiment, the article transfer device 37 is configured to transfer a container between the storage unit 6 and the loading / unloading unit 9 with the container capable of storing a plurality of articles as the item B. ing. Although detailed description and detailed illustration are omitted, for example, the article transfer device 37 includes a belt conveyor that conveys the article B in the lateral width direction of the moving path 2 and the width of the moving path 2 while the article B is locked. And a locking / retracting device that can be freely moved in and out, and configured to transfer the container by operating the belt conveyor and the locking / retracting device.

  Although the illustration of the configuration for raising and lowering the elevating body 10 is omitted, as in the first embodiment, the elevating drive unit that winds and operates the elevating chain that suspends and supports the elevating body 10 so as to be movable up and down is moved downward. For example, the lifting / lowering body 10 is provided with a lifting / lowering drive section that is arranged so that the lifting / lowering chain is disposed over the entire length of the lifting / lowering path of the lifting / lowering body 10 and is rotated in a state of being engaged with the lifting / lowering chain. The elevating body 10 can be moved up and down by rotationally driving the elevating drive unit.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the said 1st-3rd embodiment, although the raising / lowering body 10 is supported by the raising / lowering guide body 11 in the state which protrudes in the cantilever attitude | position toward the other party's stacker crane 3, for example, the moving path 2 The central portion of the lifting body 10 can be supported by the lifting guide body 11 in the horizontal width direction, and which position of the lifting body 10 is supported by the lifting guide body 11 in the horizontal width direction of the moving passage 2 can be changed as appropriate. .

(2) In the first to third embodiments, the traveling mobile body 12 is provided in a state where the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 are synchronously driven. It can also be configured.

(3) In the first and second embodiments described above, the lifting drive unit 32 is provided in a state of being driven synchronously corresponding to each of the pair of lifting guide units D. The raising / lowering drive part 32 can also be provided only in the side.

(4) In the first to third embodiments, the travel position of the travel mobile body 12 is detected by the travel rangefinder 56. However, the detection means for detecting the travel position of the travel mobile body 12 is appropriately selected. Can be changed. For example, a rotary encoder that detects a travel distance from the reference position of the lower guide rail 7 can be provided in the lower moving unit 13, and the travel position of the travel moving body 12 can be detected by this rotary encoder.
Further, the detection means for detecting the lift position of the lift body 10 is not limited to the lift distance meter 54 but can be changed as appropriate.

(5) In the first and second embodiments, the lower drive unit 17 and the upper drive unit 18 are provided on the ground side. For example, an electric motor that rotationally drives the lower traveling wheel 15 is used as the lower drive unit 17. An electric motor that rotationally drives the upper traveling wheel 16 may be provided in the upper moving unit 14 as the upper driving unit 18 provided in the lower moving unit 13.

(6) In the first and second embodiments, the article transfer device 37 is configured to include the conveyor 38 and the pair of fork bodies 39 that can be freely withdrawn / retracted, but other various article transfer devices can be applied. can do. Further, although the article transfer device 37 is provided in the lifting body 10, the article transfer device can be provided on the storage shelf 1 side.

(7) In the first and second embodiments, two first stacker cranes 3a and two second stacker cranes 3b are provided, but the number of first stacker cranes 3a and second stacker cranes 3b can be changed as appropriate. .

(8) In the first to third embodiments, the configuration of the lifting guide body 11 can be changed as appropriate. For example, as the lifting guide body 11, the length of the moving passage 2 by extrusion molding of aluminum. One elevating guide member having a structure in which a pair of strut portions arranged in the direction is connected by a lattice portion may be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage shelf 2 Movement path 3 Article conveyance body 3a 1st article conveyance body 3b 2nd article conveyance body 6 Storage part 7 Lower guide rail 8 Upper guide rail 10 Lifting body 11 Lifting guide body 12 Traveling moving body 13 Lower moving part 14 Upper part Moving part 27 Post 28 Lattice 31 Cable body 32 Cable drive unit 58, 59 Control means 60 Cable body as lifting guide part B Article D Lifting guide part

In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention includes a storage shelf provided with a plurality of storage units that store articles in a vertically and horizontally state, and a lifting guide that extends the lifting body in the vertical direction. An article storage facility provided with an article transport body configured to be guided up and down by a body and reciprocally moved by a traveling moving body along a moving path formed along the storage shelf, As the article carrier, a first article carrier for positioning the lifting guide body on one side in the lateral direction of the moving passage and a second article carrier for positioning on the other side in the lateral width direction are provided. The elevating body provided in each of the transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the elevating guide body in an article delivery posture for delivering articles to and from the storage unit, and the support state In the above, the other side of the article carrier Provided in a state of having a portion overlapping in the lateral width direction of the lowering body and the moving passage and projecting toward the other article transporter in a range not contacting the lifting guide of the other article transporter, The traveling moving bodies included in each of the one article transport body and the second article transport body are configured to be able to pass each other, and each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body includes the lifting body. A strip drive unit that winds and feeds a strip that is suspended and supported so as to be able to move up and down, and the strip drive unit is rotatable around a rotation axis along a lateral width direction of the moving passage and A drive drum that winds the rope body, and a lifting motor that is provided in a state along the lateral width direction of the moving passage and rotationally drives the drive drum, and the first article transport body includes The lifting motor and the 2 The state where each of the lifting motors provided in the article transport body protrudes from the traveling mobile body to the other article transporting body within a range not contacting the lifting motor provided in the other article transporting body It is in the point provided in .

As for the lifting body, in the article receiving posture supported by the lifting guide body, the other side has a portion overlapping with the other lifting body in the width direction of the moving passage and does not come into contact with the other lifting guide body Projecting toward the article carrier. As for the support of the elevating body, it is sufficient to simply support the elevating body with the elevating / lowering guide body, and the configuration can be simplified. Moreover, even when the lifting body is in the article transfer posture, the lifting body can be moved by passing the lifting body by positioning the lifting body at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference. In this manner, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved by passing each other while simply supporting the lifting body in the article delivery posture by the lifting guide body.
When the first article transport body and the second article transport body pass by each other, on the side where the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the other article transport body pass by each other. To do. Therefore, when an article is being exchanged between the lifting body and the storage section on the side where the lifting body in the lateral direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the mating article transport body can pass each other. Therefore, the first article carrier and the second article carrier cannot pass each other. On the other hand, on the side opposite to the side from which the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement passage projects, the first article transporting body and the second article transporting body are provided even if articles are being transferred between the lifting body and the storage unit. The first article transport body and the second article transport body can pass each other.
In this way, even when one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is transferring an article to and from the storage unit, the transfer of the article is performed in the lateral width direction of the movement path. If it is the side opposite to the projecting side, the article carrier can be efficiently moved while passing the first article carrier and the second article carrier.
Moreover, since the raising / lowering body is provided with the part which overlaps with the other party's raising / lowering body in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path, the raising / lowering bodies can be made to overlap in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path. Therefore, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be installed compactly in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the moving passage can be made compact in the lateral width direction.
From the above, while simplifying the configuration, it is possible to efficiently move a plurality of article carriers in the moving path to improve the conveying capacity, and to make the moving path compact in the lateral width direction. It has become possible to provide an article storage facility that can be achieved.

In order to achieve this object, the second characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention includes a storage shelf provided with a plurality of storage sections for storing articles in a state of being arranged vertically and horizontally, and a lifting guide that extends the lifting body in the vertical direction. An article storage facility provided with an article transport body configured to be guided up and down by a body and reciprocally moved by a traveling moving body along a moving path formed along the storage shelf, As the article carrier, a first article carrier for positioning the lifting guide body on one side in the lateral direction of the moving passage and a second article carrier for positioning on the other side in the lateral width direction are provided. The elevating body provided in each of the transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the elevating guide body in an article delivery posture for delivering articles to and from the storage unit, and the support state In the above, the other side of the article carrier Provided in a state of having a portion overlapping in the lateral width direction of the lowering body and the moving passage and projecting toward the other article transporter in a range not contacting the lifting guide of the other article transporter, The traveling moving bodies included in each of the one article transport body and the second article transport body are configured to be able to pass each other, and each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body includes the lifting body. An elevating motor that moves up and down is provided, and each of the elevating motor provided in the first article transport body and the elevating motor provided in the second article transport body is longer than the elevating guide body. It is provided in a state of being arranged in a direction and protruding from the traveling moving body to the other-side article transporter side within a range that does not contact the lifting motor provided in the other-side article transporter. is there.

That is, for the lifting guide body, the lifting guide body of the first article transport body is positioned on one side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the lifting guide body of the second article transport body is positioned on the other side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage. Thus, the elevating guide can be moved by passing. The traveling mobile body is configured to be able to move between the traveling mobile body of the first article transport body and the traveling mobile body of the second article transport body.
As for the lifting body, in the article receiving posture supported by the lifting guide body, the other side has a portion overlapping with the other lifting body in the width direction of the moving passage and does not come into contact with the other lifting guide body Projecting toward the article carrier. As for the support of the elevating body, it is sufficient to simply support the elevating body with the elevating / lowering guide body, and the configuration can be simplified. Moreover, even when the lifting body is in the article transfer posture, the lifting body can be moved by passing the lifting body by positioning the lifting body at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid mutual interference. In this manner, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved by passing each other while simply supporting the lifting body in the article delivery posture by the lifting guide body.
When the first article transport body and the second article transport body pass by each other, on the side where the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the other article transport body pass by each other. To do. Therefore, when an article is being exchanged between the lifting body and the storage section on the side where the lifting body in the lateral direction of the movement path protrudes, the lifting body and the lifting guide body of the mating article transport body can pass each other. Therefore, the first article carrier and the second article carrier cannot pass each other. On the other hand, on the side opposite to the side from which the lifting body in the lateral width direction of the movement passage projects, the first article transporting body and the second article transporting body are provided even if articles are being transferred between the lifting body and the storage unit. The first article transport body and the second article transport body can pass each other.
In this way, even when one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is transferring an article to and from the storage unit, the transfer of the article is performed in the lateral width direction of the movement path. If it is the side opposite to the projecting side, the article carrier can be efficiently moved while passing the first article carrier and the second article carrier.
Moreover, since the raising / lowering body is provided with the part which overlaps with the other party's raising / lowering body in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path, the raising / lowering bodies can be made to overlap in the horizontal width direction of a movement channel | path. Therefore, the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be installed compactly in the lateral width direction of the moving passage, and the moving passage can be made compact in the lateral width direction.

According to a third characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the first article transport body and the second article transport body may be configured such that the elevating guide body provided for the first article transport body and the second article transport body is positioned at an end portion in the lateral width direction of the moving passage. The lifting / lowering body in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the lifting / lowering guide body so as to protrude in a cantilever posture toward the other-side article transport body. In the point.

According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the traveling moving body included in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body includes a lower moving portion and an upper portion that are guided by a lower guide rail. The upper moving part guided by the guide rail is provided in a state of synchronously driving, and the elevating guide body is provided between the lower moving part and the upper moving part in a state supported by them. In the point.

According to a fifth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the elevating guide body is configured to include a pair of elevating guide portions arranged in a longitudinal direction of the moving passage, and the elevating body includes the pair of elevating guides. Provided in a state of being positioned between the two parts and being guided to be movable up and down by each of the pair of lift guide parts, and correspondingly to each of the pair of lift guide parts, the lift body is hung up and down freely The cord driving unit for winding and unwinding the cord supporting member to be lowered is provided in a state where the cord driving unit is synchronously driven.

A sixth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is that each of the pair of lift guide portions is configured by connecting a pair of support columns arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage with a lattice.

According to a seventh characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, each of the pair of lifting guide portions is configured by a cord-like body laid between the upper moving portion and the lower moving portion. It is in.

An eighth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is that at least one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is provided in a plurality with respect to the moving path. .

According to a ninth characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention, the control means for controlling the operations of the first article transport body and the second article transport body avoids the mutual interference of the lift bodies of the article transport body. As described above, the operation of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is controlled so as to be moved in different positions in the vertical direction.

Top view of goods storage equipment The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane and the 2nd stacker crane in the width direction of a movement passage The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane and the 2nd stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of a movement passage Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane The figure which shows the 1st stacker crane in the width direction of a movement passage Enlarged view of the main part of the first stacker crane in the lateral direction of the moving passage Enlarged view of the main part of the first stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of the moving path Top view of the first stacker crane Enlarged view of the main part of the article transfer device in the transfer direction Detailed view of the conveyor in the article transfer device The top view which shows transfer of the article between storage parts Control block diagram of goods storage equipment Flow chart showing control operation of management controller The figure which shows the stacker crane in the longitudinal direction of the movement path in 1st reference embodiment. The figure which shows the stacker crane in the horizontal width direction of the movement path in 1st reference embodiment. Main part enlarged view of the stacker crane in the second reference embodiment Schematic perspective view of the first stacker crane and the second stacker crane in the second reference embodiment

An embodiment of an article storage facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment of the present invention
As shown in FIG. 1, the article storage facility according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided between two storage shelves 1 and two storage shelves 1 that are installed at an interval so that the article insertion / removal directions face each other. A stacker crane 3 is provided as an article transporter that is movable along a moving path 2 formed along a storage shelf.

[ First embodiment]
This 1st reference embodiment is another embodiment about a pair of raising / lowering guide part D in the raising / lowering guide body 11 in embodiment of the said invention . Since other configurations are the same as those of the above- described embodiment of the present invention , description thereof is omitted.

The elevating body 10 is provided with a horizontal maintaining mechanism 61 that maintains the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture in place of the connecting frame 10c in the embodiment of the present invention . The horizontal frame 10b is swingably supported around the horizontal axis with respect to the lifting frame 10a, and the horizontal holding mechanism 61 holds the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture. The horizontal holding mechanism 60 is composed of, for example, a pneumatic actuator including a rubber tube containing reinforcing fibers knitted in a diamond shape and a cover for fixing the rubber tube. The horizontal holding mechanism 61 swings the horizontal frame 10b around the horizontal axis by contracting the rubber tube by supplying compressed air to the inside of the rubber tube and shortening the entire length thereof. For example, the horizontal holding mechanism 61 is configured to hold the horizontal frame 10b in a horizontal posture by controlling the pressure of compressed air supplied into the rubber tube according to the degree of inclination of the horizontal frame 10b.

[ Second embodiment]
This 2nd reference embodiment is another embodiment about the raising / lowering guide body 11 and the raising / lowering body 10 in embodiment of the said invention . Since other configurations are the same as those of the above- described embodiment of the present invention , description thereof is omitted.

In the second reference embodiment, the article transfer device 37 is configured such that a container that can store a plurality of articles is set as an article B, and the container is transferred between the storage unit 6 and the loading / unloading unit 9. Has been. Although detailed description and detailed illustration are omitted, for example, the article transfer device 37 includes a belt conveyor that conveys the article B in the lateral width direction of the moving path 2 and the width of the moving path 2 while the article B is locked. And a locking / retracting device that can be freely moved in and out, and configured to transfer the container by operating the belt conveyor and the locking / retracting device.

Although the illustration of the configuration for raising and lowering the elevating body 10 is omitted, as in the embodiment of the present invention, the elevating drive unit for winding and unwinding the elevating chain that suspends and supports the elevating body 10 so that the elevating body 10 can freely move up and down is disposed below. For example, an elevating drive unit that is provided in the moving unit 13 or that is rotationally driven in a state where the elevating chain is engaged with the elevating chain is provided in the elevating body 10. It is also possible to raise and lower the elevating body 10 by rotating the elevating drive unit.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the embodiment of the present invention, the first reference embodiment, and the second reference embodiment, the lifting / lowering body 10 is moved to the lifting / lowering guiding body 11 so as to protrude toward the mating stacker crane 3 in a cantilevered manner. Although supported, for example, the central portion of the lifting body 10 can be supported by the lifting guide 11 in the width direction of the moving passage 2, and any position of the lifting body 10 in the width direction of the moving path 2 can be guided to lift. Whether it is supported by the body 11 can be changed as appropriate.

(2) In the embodiment of the present invention, the first reference embodiment and the second reference embodiment, the traveling mobile body 12 is provided in a state in which the lower moving unit 13 and the upper moving unit 14 are synchronously driven. The traveling mobile body 12 can also be configured by only the lower moving unit 13.

(3) In the above- described embodiment of the present invention and the first reference embodiment, the lift drive unit 32 is provided in a state of being synchronously driven corresponding to each of the pair of lift guide units D, but the pair of lift guides The raising / lowering drive part 32 can also be provided only in the one side of the part D. FIG.

(4) In the embodiment of the present invention, the first reference embodiment, and the second reference embodiment, the travel position of the travel mobile body 12 is detected by the travel rangefinder 56. The detection means for detecting the traveling position can be changed as appropriate. For example, a rotary encoder that detects a travel distance from the reference position of the lower guide rail 7 can be provided in the lower moving unit 13, and the travel position of the travel moving body 12 can be detected by this rotary encoder.
Further, the detection means for detecting the lift position of the lift body 10 is not limited to the lift distance meter 54 but can be changed as appropriate.

(5) In the embodiment of the present invention and the first reference embodiment, the lower driving unit 17 and the upper driving unit 18 are provided on the ground side. For example, the lower driving wheel 17 is rotationally driven as the lower driving unit 17. It is also possible to provide an electric motor for rotating the upper traveling wheel 16 in the upper moving unit 14 as the upper driving unit 18.

(6) In the above- described embodiment of the present invention and the first reference embodiment, the article transfer device 37 includes the conveyor 38 and a pair of fork bodies 39 that can be freely withdrawn / retracted. The mounting device can be adapted. Further, although the article transfer device 37 is provided in the lifting body 10, the article transfer device can be provided on the storage shelf 1 side.

(7) In the embodiment of the present invention and the first reference embodiment, two first stacker cranes 3a and two second stacker cranes 3b are provided, but the number of first stacker cranes 3a and second stacker cranes 3b. Can be changed as appropriate.

(8) In the embodiment of the present invention, the first reference embodiment, and the second reference embodiment, the configuration of the lifting guide body 11 can be appropriately changed. For example, as the lifting guide body 11 One elevating guide member having a structure in which a pair of struts arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage 2 are connected by a lattice portion by extrusion molding of aluminum may be provided.

Claims (8)

A storage shelf comprising a plurality of storage units for storing articles in a state of being arranged vertically and horizontally;
An article conveying body configured to guide the elevating body up and down freely by an elevating guide body extending in the vertical direction and to reciprocate by a traveling moving body along a moving path formed along the storage shelf. Goods storage equipment,
As the article carrier, a first article carrier for positioning the lifting guide body on one side in the lateral width direction of the moving passage and a second article carrier for positioning on the other side in the lateral width direction are provided.
The lifting body provided in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is supported by the lifting guide body in an article delivery posture for delivering articles to and from the storage unit, and In the supporting state, it is provided with a portion overlapping with the lifting / lowering body of the counterpart article transporting body in the lateral width direction of the moving passage and within the range not contacting the lifting guide body of the counterpart article transporting body. Provided in a state of protruding toward the article carrier,
An article storage facility configured such that the traveling moving bodies included in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body can be moved by each other. The first article transport body and the second article transport body are configured to position the elevating guide body included therein at an end portion in a lateral width direction of the moving passage,
2. The lift guide body is supported by the lift guide body in a state where the lift body in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body protrudes in a cantilevered manner toward the counterpart article transport body. The article storage equipment described in 1. The traveling moving body provided in each of the first article transport body and the second article transport body synchronously drives a lower moving section guided by a lower guide rail and an upper moving section guided by an upper guide rail. Ready to
The article storage facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elevating guide body is provided between the lower moving unit and the upper moving unit so as to be supported by the lower moving unit and the upper moving unit. The elevating guide body is configured to include a pair of elevating guide parts arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage,
The lifting body is provided in a state of being positioned between the pair of lifting guide portions and guided to be freely raised and lowered by each of the pair of lifting guide portions,
Corresponding to each of the pair of elevating guides, a cord driving unit for winding and unwinding a cord supporting the hoisting member so as to be lifted and lowered is provided in a state where the cord driving unit is synchronously driven. Item storage equipment of any one of claim | item 1-3.   The article storage facility according to claim 4, wherein each of the pair of lift guide portions is configured by connecting a pair of support columns arranged in the longitudinal direction of the moving passage with a lattice.   The article storage facility according to claim 4, wherein each of the pair of elevating guide parts is configured by a cord-like body provided between the upper moving part and the lower moving part.   The article storage facility according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of at least one of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is provided with respect to the moving path.   In a state in which the control means for controlling the operations of the first article transport body and the second article transport body is positioned at different positions in the vertical direction so as to avoid the mutual interference of the article transport bodies. The article storage facility according to any one of claims 1 to 7, configured to control operations of the first article transport body and the second article transport body so as to pass each other.

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