JP2013237540A - Automated warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automated warehouse capable of easily fixing and releasing a cargo in a rack.SOLUTION: An automated warehouse 100 is provided with a rack 101, a conveying device 102, a transfer device 103, and a control device 104. The transfer device 103 is provided with arms 133 transferring a cargo 200 by advancing and retreating between the rack 101 and the conveying device 102. The control device 104 controls the arms 133 so that they may advance to be in a first advance state A when the cargo 200 is transferred to the rack 101, and controls the arms 133 so that they may advance farther than the first advance state A to be in a second advance state B when the cargo 200 is transferred to the conveying device 102. The rack 101 is provided with regulating means 113 regulating the position of the cargo 200 by an urging force and releasing the engagement by the arms 133 which are in the second advance state B.

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse, and more particularly, to an automatic warehouse including a transfer device that transfers a load by moving an arm forward and backward between a rack that holds the load and a transfer device that transfers the load.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an automatic warehouse that includes a rack that holds a load, a transfer device that transfers the load, and a transfer device that is provided in the transfer device and transfers the load between the rack and the transfer device. In a conventional automatic warehouse, a rack is fixedly installed on a floor surface or the like. Therefore, a load held in the rack is held in a state of being placed on a shelf plate included in the rack, for example. Therefore, the position of the luggage in the rack is not often restricted.

  On the other hand, when transferring a load between the rack and the transfer device, the transfer device transfers the load by abutting the chuck or claw of the arm against the side or bottom surface of the load and moving the arm forward and backward. To do.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, when a load is transferred between a rack and a transfer device, after the load is transferred to some extent, the position where the arm and the load contact is changed, and the load is further moved. Thus, there is disclosed an automatic warehouse provided with a stopper that restricts the position of a load when changing the position where the arm and the load contact each other.

JP 2006-52064 A

  However, in recent years, there are cases where gas is introduced into the luggage held in the rack and the inside of the luggage is maintained in a constant atmosphere or the internal environment of the luggage is maintained clean. In such a case, it is necessary to regulate the position of the load in the rack in order to maintain the connection state between the gas introduction nozzle provided in the rack and the load. In addition, when the rack vibrates due to an earthquake or the like, the position of the luggage may be regulated so that the luggage does not fall from the rack.

  There are various techniques for regulating the position of the load in the rack as described above. For example, it is detected by an electrical contact that the load is held in the rack, and the motor is driven to apply the restriction means to the load. A technology that regulates the position of the luggage can be considered. However, in such a case, the structure of the restricting means becomes complicated, and frequent maintenance such as periodic cleaning of electrical contacts is required to avoid malfunction of the restricting means.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic warehouse provided with a restricting means that has a simple structure and does not require regular maintenance.

  In order to achieve the above object, an automatic warehouse according to the present invention includes a rack that holds a load, a transfer device that transfers the load, and a load that is provided in the transfer device between the rack and the transfer device. An automatic warehouse comprising a transfer device to be loaded and a control device for controlling the transfer device to transfer a load, wherein the transfer device advances toward the rack and moves toward the transfer device. An arm for transferring the load by retreating is provided, and the control device advances the arm that contacts the load to the first advanced state when transferring the load held by the transfer device to the rack. When transferring the load held in the rack to the transport device, the arm is advanced to a second advanced state where the cargo is further advanced than the first advanced state, and the load and the arm are moved. Contact control The rack engages with the load by an urging force to regulate the load at a predetermined position in the rack, and the arm in the second advanced state resists the urging force to engage with the load. It is characterized by comprising a regulating means for releasing the match.

  Thus, even when a simple-structure regulating means is employed, the amount of arm movement of the transfer device between when the load is moved from the transfer device to the rack and when the load is transferred from the rack to the transfer device By performing different control, it is possible to engage the load and the restricting means, and to release the engagement state between the load and the restricting means.

  Therefore, it is possible to greatly improve the trouble of regularly maintaining the regulating means.

  In addition, the transfer device includes a first arm which is the arm and advances and retreats one side of the load, and a second arm which advances and retreats the other side of the load, and the rack is the restriction unit. The first restricting means for releasing the engagement with the luggage by the first arm in the second advanced state, and the second restricting means for releasing the engagement with the luggage by the second arm in the second advanced state And may be provided.

  According to this, the position of the luggage can be regulated by the regulation means existing on both sides in the rack, and the luggage can be regulated stably.

  The arm may include an abutment claw that abuts on a load in a forward / backward direction, which is a forward / backward direction of the arm.

  According to this, it becomes possible to transfer a load reliably.

  According to this, although the position of the load in the rack can be regulated, it is possible to reduce the maintenance labor for the automatic warehouse.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of an automatic warehouse. FIG. 2 is a top view showing one traveling vehicle and its vicinity. FIG. 3 is a top view for illustrating a state of transferring a package. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the vicinity of a contact claw engaged with a load in a contact state. FIG. 5 is a top view showing a state in which a load is transferred from the transfer device to the rack. FIG. 6 is a top view showing a state in which a load is transferred from the transfer device to the rack. FIG. 7 is a top view showing a state immediately before the restricting means and the luggage are engaged. FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state where the regulating means and the luggage are engaged. FIG. 9 is a top view showing a state in which the engagement between the restricting means and the load is released by the arm in the second advance state. FIG. 10 is a top view showing a state where the arm in the second advance state is in contact with the load. FIG. 11 is a top view showing a state in which a load is transferred from the rack to the permanent conveyance. FIG. 12 is a top view showing a state in which the transfer of the load from the rack to the permanent transport is completed.

  Next, an embodiment of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is merely an example of an automatic warehouse according to the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the wording of the claims with reference to the following embodiments, and is not limited to the following embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of an automatic warehouse.

  As shown in the figure, an automatic warehouse 100 includes a rack 101 for holding a load 200, a transfer device 102 for transferring the load 200, and a load 200 provided between the rack 101 and the transfer device 102 provided in the transfer device 102. The warehouse includes a transfer device 103 for transferring and a control device 104 for transferring the load 200 by controlling the transfer device 103.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the transport device 102 includes a rail 121 disposed along each stage of the rack 101 and a traveling vehicle 122 that travels along the rail 121.

  The traveling vehicle 122 is a device that reciprocates along a rail 121 that forms a traveling path that extends in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 1, and a motor (not shown) for driving the traveling vehicle 122. And a wheel, and a transfer device 103 for transferring the load 200 is provided. In addition, the transport device 102 includes a plurality of rails 121 that extend in the horizontal direction and are arranged in six stages in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and one traveling vehicle 122 is provided for each rail 121. Has been placed.

  FIG. 2 is a top view showing one traveling vehicle and its vicinity.

  As shown in the figure, the transfer device 103 advances toward the rack 101 (X-axis positive direction in FIG. 1) and retreats toward the transport device 102 (X-axis negative direction in FIG. 1). And an arm 133 for transferring the load, and the load 200 is transferred between the rack 101 and the transfer device 102 (X-axis direction).

  In the case of the present embodiment, the transfer device 103 is a first arm 131 that is one of the arms 133 that moves forward and backward on one side of the luggage 200 and one of the arms 133 that moves forward and backward on the other side of the luggage 200. A second arm 132 is provided, and each arm 133 is further provided with a contact claw 134 that comes into contact with the load 200 in the forward / backward direction (X-axis direction in the drawing), which is the direction in which the arm 133 advances / retreats.

  Further, the transfer device 103 includes a fixed rail 135 and an intermediate rail 136 for forming a telescopic structure for moving the arm 133 forward and backward. In addition, the transfer device 103 includes a width change rail 138 that changes the interval between the arms 133.

  The fixed rail 135 is a member fixed to the transport device 102, and the intermediate rail 136 is slid along the fixed rail 135.

  The intermediate rail 136 is a member that slidably holds the arm 133 and is slidably attached to the fixed rail 135, and has a function of projecting the arm 133 far while maintaining a predetermined structural strength.

  The width changing rail 138 is a rail for moving the fixed rail 135 in the direction of sandwiching the luggage 200 (in the Y-axis direction in the figure) in order to adjust the interval between the arms 133 to sandwich the luggage 200. .

  The rack 101 regulates the luggage 200 at a predetermined position in the rack 101 by engaging with the luggage 200 by the urging force, and the restriction that the engagement with the luggage 200 is released by the arm 133 resisting the urging force. Means 113 are provided.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the restricting means 113 is a first restricting means 111 that is disengaged from the luggage 200 by the first arm 131 and a second restricting means 113 that is disengaged from the luggage 200 by the second arm 132. Two regulating means 112. The restricting means 113 includes an urging means 114 and abuts on the tip of the arm 133 that has advanced in the positive X-axis direction in FIG. 2 to generate a force in a direction against the urging force of the urging means 114. It has an inclined surface. Further, the inclined surface also generates a force in a direction against the urging force of the urging means 114 by coming into contact with the luggage 200 advanced in the positive direction of the X axis in FIG.

  Specifically, the inclined surface provided in the restricting means 113 is an inclined surface that is inclined so as to gradually approach the load from the transfer device 103 side toward the rack 101 side. The restricting means 113 further includes the rack 101 than the inclined surface. A turning center axis is provided on the side so as to extend vertically (Z-axis direction). With this configuration, when the force is applied to the inclined surface by the arm 133 in the direction (X-axis direction) from the transfer device 103 side to the rack 101 side, the restricting unit 113 restricts together with the inclined surface about the turning center axis. 113 rotates in the rotation direction for releasing the engagement with the luggage 200.

  The control device 104 is a computer that controls the automatic warehouse 100 by executing a program, and is a device that controls the transfer of the luggage 200 and the traveling of the traveling vehicle 122.

  Next, a control procedure by the control device 104 will be described.

  When the load 200 held by the transfer device 102 is transferred to the rack 101, the control device 104 is first provided at the center in the X-axis direction of the load 200 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The position of the arm 133 is adjusted so that the rib 201 and the contact claw 134 abut in the advance / retreat direction (X-axis direction), and the interval between the arms 133 is adjusted.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the control device 104 performs control to advance the arm 133 that contacts the luggage 200 via the contact claw 134 only to the first advance state A. That is, when the load 200 is transferred to the rack 101, the arm 133 is advanced until the first advance state A, but is not advanced any further. Here, the first advance state A means an advance state in which the arm 133 does not affect the engagement relationship of the restricting means 113 with the luggage 200.

  Next, the control device 104 widens the interval between the arms 133 to release the engagement between the arms 133 and the luggage 200, and then retracts the 133 so as to be provided on the retreat side of the luggage 200 as shown in FIG. The rib 201 and the contact claw 134 are brought into contact with each other.

  Next, the control device 104 again advances the arm 133 to the first advance state A, but during the advance of the arm 133, as shown in FIG. 7, the luggage 200 (the rib 201 provided on the advance side) Comes into contact with the inclined surface of the restricting means 113 and pushes the restricting means 113 apart. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the arm 133 advances to the first advance state A, the rib 201 gets over the restricting means 113, and the restricting means 113 moves to the luggage 200 side by the urging force of the urging means 114. 200 is regulated.

  Thus, the transfer of the load 200 from the transport apparatus 102 to the rack 101 is completed, and the movement of the load 200 is restricted at a predetermined position of the rack 101 by the restriction means 113.

  That is, the control device 104 first moves the load 200 halfway with the contact claw 134 of the arm 133 contacting the intermediate portion of the load 200, and once the contact between the arm 133 and the load 200 is released, The abutment claw 134 of the arm 133 is brought into contact with the retreating side of the position where the abutment claw 134 of the arm 133 abuts against the baggage 200 (by changing the position for grasping the baggage), and then the arm 133 is advanced and moved. Control to complete the loading.

  Next, when the load 200 held on the rack 101 is transferred to the transport device 102, the control device 104 advances the X-axis positive direction further than the first advance state A as shown in FIG. The arm 133 is advanced to the second advance state B. The arm 133 in the second advancing state B resists the urging force of the urging means 114 and releases the engagement between the luggage 200 and the regulating means 113. Here, the second advancing state B is an advancing state in which the arm 133 influences the engagement relationship of the restricting means 113 with the luggage 200.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the control device 104 moves the arm 133 so that the rib 201 provided on the advance side of the luggage 200 and the contact claw 134 abut in the advance / retreat direction (X-axis direction). Adjust the interval.

  Next, the control device 104 retracts the arm 133 (X-axis negative direction). In the middle of retreating the luggage 200, as shown in FIG. 11, the regulating means 113 is in contact with the arm 133 without being engaged, and the state of being disengaged from the luggage 200 is maintained. The luggage 200 can be smoothly retracted.

  Thus, as shown in FIG. 12, the transfer of the luggage 200 from the rack 101 to the transport apparatus 102 is completed.

  According to the automatic warehouse 100 having the above configuration, the restricting means 113 for restricting the position of the luggage 200 in the rack 101 can be configured with only a simple and simple mechanical mechanism. Therefore, the regulating means 113 hardly breaks down, and it is not necessary to perform maintenance frequently. Accordingly, even if a large number of restricting means 113 are arranged in the rack 101, the automatic warehouse 100 hardly needs to perform maintenance as far as the restricting means 113 is concerned.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. For example, another embodiment realized by arbitrarily combining the components described in this specification and excluding some of the components may be used as an embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the present invention includes modifications obtained by making various modifications conceivable by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention, that is, the meaning described in the claims. It is.

  For example, while the load 200 is being transferred from the transport device 102 to the rack 101, the arm 133 has changed the position where the arm 133 comes into contact with the load 200, but the control device 104 hits the arm 133 against the retreat side end of the load 200. After that, the arm 133 may be in the first advanced state A and the luggage 200 may be transferred in one stroke.

  Further, the arm 133 and the load 200 are not only in contact with the contact claw 134 and the rib 201 provided on the load 200 but also on the surface provided on the load 200 and the arm 133. The surface may be in contact with the surface in a surface contact state. In this case, the load 200 is transferred by the frictional force at the surface contact portion. Further, as in the case of a fork-type transfer device, the arm 133 may be scooped up and brought into contact with the luggage 200.

  Further, the transport device 102 is not only equipped with a traveling vehicle 122 corresponding to each stage of the rack 101, but can freely move a table provided with the transfer device 103 within a vertical plane, such as a stacker crane. It may be a device for transporting luggage. Further, the transport device 102 may be a trackless self-propelled transport vehicle or the like.

  Moreover, although the control means 113 showed the case where engagement with the luggage | load 200 was cancelled | released at the advancing side front-end | tip part of the arm 133, if it cancels | releases with the arm 133 of the 2nd advance state B, the site | part to cancel | release will be The tip of the arm 133 is not limited.

  The present invention can be used in a system for transferring a load between a rack that holds the load fixedly and a transfer device that carries the load, such as an automatic warehouse.

A First advance state B Second advance state 100 Automatic warehouse 101 Rack 102 Transfer device 103 Transfer device 104 Control device 111 First restriction means 112 Second restriction means 113 Restriction means 114 Energizing means 121 Rail 122 Traveling vehicle 131 First Arm 132 Second arm 133 Arm 134 Abutment claw 135 Fixed rail 136 Intermediate rail 138 Width changing rail 200 Luggage 201 Rib

Claims (3)

A rack that holds a load, a transfer device that transfers the load, a transfer device that is provided in the transfer device and transfers the load between the rack and the transfer device, and a load that controls the transfer device An automatic warehouse comprising a control device for transferring
The transfer device includes an arm that moves toward the rack and moves toward the transport device by moving back the load.
When transferring the load held by the transport device to the rack, the control device controls the arm that comes into contact with the load to advance to the first advanced state, and loads the load held by the rack. When transferring to the transport device, the arm is advanced to the second advanced state to further advance than the first advanced state, and the load and the arm are brought into contact with each other,
The rack engages with the load by an urging force to restrict the load at a predetermined position in the rack, and the arm in the second advance state resists the urging force to engage with the load. An automatic warehouse with a restriction means to be released. The transfer device includes a first arm that is the arm and advances and retreats one side of the luggage, and a second arm that advances and retreats the other side of the luggage,
The rack is the restricting means, and the first restricting means, which is disengaged from the load by the first arm in the second advanced state, is engaged with the load by the second arm in the second advanced state. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising a second restricting unit that cancels the match.   The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the arm includes an abutment claw that abuts on a load in a forward / backward direction in which the arm advances / retreats.

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