JP2014097858A - Article carrier device and article storage facility having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article carrier device and an article storage facility having the same, capable of avoiding enlargement of respective lifting driving devices, by leveling a load between the lifting driving devices, with a simple constitution.SOLUTION: A lifting base 12 freely liftably movable by being guided by four lifting guide masts, is suspended-supported by four rope-like bodies, and is provided with a connection body 16 wound on an upper side rotary body PU respectively separately providing the four rope-like bodies in an upper end part of the lifting guide masts and constituted as a driven rotary body and a lower side rotary body PS provided in a lower end part and respectively separately driven by the lifting driving devices and connecting at least one of the mutual upper side rotary bodies PU juxtaposed in the protruding-retreating direction of an article support 13 among the four upper side rotary bodies PU or the mutual lower side rotary bodies PS juxtaposed in the protruding-retreating direction of the article support 13 among the four lower side rotary bodies PS.

Description

  The present invention is provided with four lifting guide masts arranged in a rectangular corner portion in plan view in a state of being spaced apart from each other and erected in a posture along the vertical direction, and guided to the lifting guide mast. A lifting platform that is movable up and down, four cords that support the lifting platform, a plurality of rotating bodies around which each of the four cords is wound, and the lifting platform The present invention relates to an article transport device provided with a transfer device for transferring an article, and an article storage facility provided with the same.

  As the article conveying apparatus as described above, it is guided by four elevating guide masts that are arranged at rectangular corners in a plan view in a state of being spaced apart from each other and are erected in a posture along the vertical direction. There is known an article transporting device that includes a lifting platform that moves up and down and is provided with a transfer device that transfers articles to the lifting platform (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The article conveying device of Patent Document 1 is configured such that a lifting platform is suspended and supported by a pair of cords. Each of the pair of cord-like bodies is wound around an upper rotating body provided at the height of the upper end of each lifting guide mast and a lower rotating body provided at the height of the lower end, and from the upper rotating body. A first portion that extends downward and is connected to the lifting platform, and a second portion that extends downward from the upper rotating body and is wound around the lower rotating body. Then, the lower rotary body is rotationally driven by the elevating drive device, and the cord-like body is wound or delivered, so that the cord-like body is moved in the longitudinal direction to raise and lower the elevator platform. Yes.

  The two cord-like bodies of the article conveying device in Patent Document 1 are configured to be driven separately by two lifting and lowering driving devices. In such a configuration, the entire load of the article placed and supported on the lifting platform and the lifting platform is supported by the two cords, and the entire load is borne by the two lifting drive devices, One lifting drive is increased in size.

Therefore, in order to reduce the size of the lifting drive device, it is conceivable to drive four cords with separate lifting drive devices as in Patent Document 2.
Patent Document 2 describes a technique of driving four cable-like bodies that suspend and support an elevator platform with four elevator driving devices in an article conveying device including four elevator guide masts.

  The lifting platform in the article conveying apparatus of Patent Document 2 is provided with a transfer device provided with an article support body that can support an article so that the article can be moved back and forth. The article conveying device includes a protruding position in which the article support protrudes toward a transfer target position located outside the lifting area located inside the four lifting guide masts in plan view, and the lifting area It is configured such that it can be moved back and forth at a retreat position where it retires inside. When performing a scooping operation for receiving an article from a transfer target location or a wholesale operation for delivering an article to the transfer target location, the projection that protrudes toward the transfer target location outside the lifting area in plan view Protruding to the position, the lifting platform is moved up and down.

JP 2001-163408 A JP 2006-219233 A

In the article conveying apparatus of Patent Document 2, in the above scooping operation or wholesale operation, the article is supported by the article support in a state where the article support is located outside the four cords in plan view. . Here, in the article conveying apparatus of Patent Document 2, the first portions of the four cord-like bodies are separated from each other with respect to each of the direction in which the article support is withdrawn and the direction perpendicular to the direction in the plan view. The center of gravity of the platform (the center of gravity when viewed as a single rigid body including the article when the article is supported by the platform, the article support, and the article support) Is biased toward the two cable-like bodies located on the protruding side in the direction of withdrawal of the article support.
For this reason, even if the four cords are driven to move the elevator up and down, two cords (hereinafter referred to as “projections”) located on the projecting side of the article support among the four cords. The side cord-like body) supports a larger load than the two cord-like bodies located on the retreat side of the article support (hereinafter referred to as the retreat side cord-like body). Therefore, the tension of the projecting side cord-like body is larger than the tension of the retreating side cord-like body, and the driving device for raising and lowering driving the two projecting side cord-like members (hereinafter referred to as the projecting side raising and lowering driving device) is Therefore, a higher driving capability is required than a lifting drive device that drives two retraction-side cords (hereinafter referred to as a retraction-side lifting drive device).

For this reason, it is necessary to increase the drive capability of the protrusion-side lifting drive device as compared to the case where the weight of the lifting platform and the weight of the article is equally shared by the four lifting drive devices. The protrusion-side lifting drive device is larger than the lifting drive device that drives the two cord-like bodies positioned on the retraction side of the article support.
Further, when the article support is configured so as to be able to protrude toward both sides in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction, an elevating drive device for driving the two cord-like bodies located on one side of the withdrawing / leaving direction of the article support. In addition, it is necessary to increase both of the driving capabilities of the lifting drive device that drives the two cords located on the other side, resulting in a problem that all four lifting drive devices are increased in size.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article transport apparatus capable of avoiding an increase in the size of each lifting drive apparatus, and an article storage facility including the article transport apparatus. There is.

The first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is arranged in a rectangular corner portion in plan view in a state of being spaced apart from each other, and stands in a posture along the vertical direction. Four elevating guide masts provided, an elevating platform guided by the elevating guide mast and freely movable up and down, four cords that support the hoisting platform, and the four cords A plurality of rotating bodies each of which is wound individually, and a transfer device provided on the lifting platform for transferring the articles,
The transfer device includes an article support that can support an article, and the article support is located outside the lifting area located inside the four lifting guide masts in plan view. The four upper rotating bodies are configured so as to be freely retracted into a projecting position projecting toward a location and a retreating position retracting inside, and the four cord-like bodies are wound separately, Provided at the upper end portion of the lifting guide mast, the upper rotating body is configured as a driven rotating body, and the four lower rotating bodies as rotating bodies around which the four cord-like bodies are wound individually, Elevating drive devices that are provided at the lower end of the elevating guide mast and that rotationally drive the lower rotating body to elevate and lower the elevating platform are provided separately for the four lower rotating bodies. There is a controller that controls the drive of the two lifting drive units. And the control unit rotates the four lower rotating bodies so that the movement amounts of the cord-like bodies along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portions of the four lower rotating bodies are the same. Configured to control the operation of two lifting drives,
Each of the four cord-like bodies extends downward from the upper rotating body and is connected to the lifting platform, and extends downward from the upper rotating body to the lower rotating body. A second portion wound around
Each of the first portions of the four cable-like bodies is at a plurality of locations on the lifting platform that are spaced apart from each other in a direction in which the article support is withdrawn in a plan view and in a direction orthogonal to the plan view. Connected to the platform,
Of the four upper rotating bodies, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction of the article supporting bodies, or of the four lower rotating bodies, arranged in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction of the article supporting body. The connection body for connecting at least one of the lower side rotation bodies is provided.

  That is, four cord-like bodies are wound around four upper rotating bodies configured as driven rotating bodies and four lower rotating bodies that are rotationally driven by the lifting drive device. Each of the cords extends from the upper rotating body to the lower side and is connected to the lifting platform, and the second part extends from the upper rotating body to the lower side and is wound around the lower rotating body. And. And since the 1st part in four cord-like bodies is connected with the raising / lowering stand, the raising / lowering stand can be driven to raise / lower with the four raising / lowering drive devices.

  The first portions of the four cable-like bodies are connected to the lifting platform at a plurality of locations in the lifting platform that are spaced apart from each other in the direction in which the article support is withdrawn in a plan view and in the direction orthogonal to the plan view. Therefore, the center of gravity of the elevator (the center of gravity when viewed as one rigid body including the article when the article is supported by the elevator, the article support, and the article support) is four cables in plan view. If it is located in the center part of the area | region enclosed with a rod-like body, the load concerning four cord-like bodies will become substantially equal. However, for example, when performing a scooping operation for receiving an article present at a transfer target location or a wholesale operation for delivering an article to a transfer target location, the article is used as an article support in a state where the article support is protruded to the protruding position. The lifting platform is moved up and down in the supported state. At this time, since the article is supported by the article support in a state positioned outside the four cords, the center of gravity of the lifting platform is biased toward the two cords located on the protruding side of the article support. . Therefore, two cords (hereinafter referred to as projecting side cords) located on the protruding side of the article support are two cords (hereinafter referred to as the withdrawal side) located on the withdrawal side of the article support. A load larger than that of a cord-like body is supported.

  According to the first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawal direction of the article support body among the four upper rotating bodies, or the article support of the four lower rotating bodies. Since the connecting body that connects at least one of the lower side rotating bodies arranged in the body withdrawal / retreat direction is provided, the center of gravity is biased toward the two cord-like bodies located on the protruding side of the article support Also, a lifting drive for driving the protruding cable (hereinafter referred to as a protruding drive) and a lifting drive for driving the retracting cable (hereinafter referred to as a retracting drive). ) Can be alleviated.

If it adds explanation, it will line up in the direction in which the upper support body arranged among the four upper side rotary bodies in the direction of withdrawal of the article support, or the article support body in the four lower side rotation bodies. If none of the lower rotating bodies are connected to each other, the center of gravity of the lifting platform is biased toward the protruding cable body, so that the driving device for lifting the lifting side mainly handles the load for moving the lifting platform. Become. In this case, the protrusion-side lifting drive is higher than the case where the load based on the load of the lifting platform and the transfer device (including the article if the article is supported) is evenly shared among the four lifting drive apparatuses. It is necessary to increase the drive capability of the device, which leads to an increase in the size of the protrusion-side lifting drive device.
According to the first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, for example, the lower rotary bodies arranged in the direction in which the article support is withdrawn among the four lower rotary bodies are connected, and the four upper rotary bodies are connected. In the case where the upper rotating bodies arranged in the exit / retreat direction of the article support are not connected to each other, the lifting drive apparatuses arranged in the exit / retreat direction of the article support are directly connected to each other. A part of the load based on the load applied to the cord-like body wound around the lower rotating body that is rotationally driven by can be borne by the retreat-side lifting drive device. Therefore, it is possible to level the load between the lifting drive devices.

  Further, for example, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawal direction of the article support body among the four upper rotating bodies are connected to each other, and the lower side arranged in the withdrawal direction of the article support body among the four lower rotating bodies. When the side rotating bodies are not connected to each other, when there is no or little slip between the upper side rotating body and the cord-like body, the extension length of the second portion of the cord-like body is the withdrawal / retraction of the article support body. Since the upper rotating bodies aligned in the direction are the same, the load is also transmitted to the retreat-side lifting drive device. Therefore, the load applied to the first portion of the projecting side cord-like body can be borne not only on the projecting side elevating drive device but also on the retreat side elevating drive device. For this reason, a part of the load of the protrusion-side lifting drive device can be borne by the retraction-side lifting drive device by connecting the upper rotating members arranged in the direction in which the article support is retracted. Therefore, the load between the lifting drive devices can be leveled.

  As described above, even if the center of gravity of the lifting platform is biased toward the protruding cable body, a part of the load borne by the protruding lifting device can be assisted by the retracting lifting drive device. It is possible to prevent an increase in the size of the lifting drive device.

  Thus, according to the first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, an article transporting apparatus capable of leveling the load between the lifting drive devices and avoiding the increase in the size of each lifting drive device is provided. be able to.

  According to a second characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention, in addition to the first characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, the connecting body moves in and out of the article support body among the four upper rotating bodies. The upper rotating bodies arranged in a row are configured to rotate together so that the amount of movement of the cord-like bodies along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the upper rotating bodies is the same.

When the cord-like body that suspends and supports the lifting platform receives a load along its longitudinal direction, the cord-like body expands due to elastic deformation, and tension is generated. As the load increases, the length of the cord-like body elongates increases, and the tension increases.
For this reason, when the center of gravity of the lifting platform is biased toward the projecting side of the article support as described above, a larger load is applied to the two projecting side cords than the two retracting side cords. There is a risk that the elevating platform will be tilted with the protruding side of the article support being lowered.

  Since the cord-like body is made of a material and a structure that are uniform in the longitudinal direction, the portions in the longitudinal direction of the cord-like body have the same elongation rate when subjected to the same load. For this reason, the longer the length of the cord-like body, the longer the total amount of extension when the same load is applied.

  According to the second characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the direction in which the article supporting body moves out of the four upper rotating bodies are arranged in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotating bodies. Since the interlocking rotation is performed so that the amount of movement of the cord-like body along the line is the same, the second portion of the cord-like body located on the protruding side of the article support portion (that is, between the upper-side rotating body and the lower-side rotating body) ) And the second portion of the cord-like body located on the retraction side of the article support portion.

Therefore, when the center of gravity of the lifting platform is biased toward the projecting side of the article support, even if there is a load bias between the projecting side cord and the retraction side cord, the projecting side cord The difference in the amount of extension between the body and the retraction side cord-like body occurs only in the first portion of the cord-like body (that is, the portion from the upper rotating body to the lifting platform in the cord-like body).
For this reason, it is possible to minimize the amount of inclination of the lifting platform in the direction of the article support when the article support is protruded.

  In addition to the second characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus, the third characteristic configuration of the article transporting apparatus according to the present invention is the upper side of the four upper rotating bodies arranged in the retracting direction of the article support. The rotators are configured such that the outer peripheral lengths along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotating body are the same length.

  That is, among the upper rotating bodies of the four upper rotating bodies, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the direction in which the article support is withdrawn have the same outer peripheral length along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral section. When the upper rotating bodies arranged in the direction in which the article support in the body moves in and out are rotated together so that the amount of movement of the cord-like bodies along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotating bodies is the same. Moreover, it can be implemented with a simple configuration such as simply connecting the rotating shafts of the upper rotating bodies.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the article conveyance device according to the present invention, in addition to any one of the first to third characteristic configurations of the article conveyance device, the cord-like body is a toothed belt, and the upper rotating body. And the lower rotary body is a toothed pulley.

That is, when the cord-like body is a toothed belt and the upper side rotator is a toothed pulley, the cord-like body and the upper side rotator do not slip each other.
For this reason, the amount of movement of the outer peripheral portion along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotating body when the upper rotating body rotates is equal to the amount of movement of the cord-like body in the longitudinal direction. When the upper rotating bodies arranged in the direction in which the article support is moved out of the side rotating bodies are connected to each other, the second portion of the cord-like body located on the protruding side of the article supporting portion (that is, the upper rotating body) And the lower part of the lower side rotating body) and the second part of the cord-like body located on the retracting side of the article support portion, the tension can be made equal.

Thus, when the center of gravity of the transfer device (including the article if it supports the article) and the lifting platform is biased toward the projecting side of the article support, the projecting side cord and the retraction side cord are caused by the bias of the load. Even if there is a bias in load between the rod-like bodies, it is possible to cause the difference in extension amount between the projecting-side cord-like body and the retracting-side cord-like body only in the first portion of the cord-like body. .
For this reason, it becomes possible to make the inclination in the article support body withdrawal / retreat direction of the lifting platform when the article support body protrudes as small as possible.

Further, when the cord-like body is a toothed belt and the lower-side rotating body is a toothed pulley, the cord-like body and the lower-side rotating body are not slipped from each other. For this reason, the rotation of the lower rotating body driven by the elevating drive device can be reliably transmitted to the cable-shaped body.
In addition, for example, when connecting the lower rotating bodies arranged in the direction in which the article support is withdrawn among the four lower rotating bodies, slippage occurs between the cord-like body and the lower rotating body as described above. Since it does not occur, a part of the load applied to the projecting-side cord can be reliably borne by the retreat-side lifting drive device.

  A characteristic configuration of an article storage facility according to the present invention is an article storage facility including an article transport device having any one of the first to fourth characteristic configurations, wherein the four lifting guide masts are on a travel route. An article storage shelf that is installed on a traveling carriage that can travel and move and is provided with at least a plurality of article storage sections arranged in the vertical direction is provided along the travel path, and the transfer object location is at least the article storage section. Is in the point where is set.

  That is, since the elevating guide mast is erected on the traveling carriage, the space for installing the elevating drive device is limited. In particular, it is equipped with a transfer device for transferring articles, and moves up and down between the traveling carriage and the article storage shelf when traveling on the side of the article storage shelf and transferring the article to and from the article storage unit. It is difficult to secure a large space for disposing the driving device. Therefore, if a configuration for taking up a space for disposing the lifting drive device in the longitudinal direction of the traveling carriage is secured, a large space is secured between the elevation guide mast and the traveling carriage end in the longitudinal direction of the traveling carriage. Need to do. For this reason, there is a possibility that the use efficiency of the space may be deteriorated, for example, the installable range of the article storage unit in the longitudinal direction of the travel route becomes small.

  Further, when the lifting platform is inclined, the article support is also inclined, and the article supported by the article support is also inclined. For this reason, even if the article support is protruded toward the article storage portion and the scooping operation or the wholesale operation is performed, the distance from the lower end to the upper end of the article becomes longer because the article is inclined. For this reason, it is necessary to set the vertical width of the article storage unit in accordance with the distance from the lower end to the upper end of the article that is inclined as described above, and there is a concern that the efficiency of use of the space may deteriorate.

  According to the characteristic configuration of the article storage facility, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the installable range of the article storage unit with respect to the longitudinal direction of the travel path by suppressing an increase in the size of the lifting drive device, and an article support unit. By suppressing the inclination of the lifting platform when projecting to the projecting position, the interval in the vertical direction of the article storage portion in the article storage shelf can be minimized.

  For this reason, it came to be able to provide the article storage equipment which can raise the utilization efficiency of space as much as possible.

The perspective view of the article | item storage equipment provided with the article conveyance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment Overall perspective view of an article conveying apparatus according to the present embodiment Configuration diagram of upper rotating body, lower rotating body and cord-like body The figure which shows the control structure of an article conveyance apparatus Explanatory drawing at the time of connecting the upper side rotating bodies lined up in the exit / retreat direction of the article support The figure explaining the relationship between the load concerning each cord-like body in FIG. 5, and the amount of expansion | extension Explanatory drawing at the time of connecting the lower side rotation bodies lined up in the exit / retreat direction of the article support The figure explaining the relationship between the load concerning each cord-like body in FIG. 7, and the amount of expansion | extension The figure showing the difference of the extension amount of the cord-like body in the protrusion side and retraction side of the article | item support body in FIG. The figure showing the difference of the extension amount of the cord-like body in the protrusion side and retraction side of the article | item support body in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic warehouse facility J (an example of an article storage facility according to the present invention) equipped with a stacker crane S (an example of an article conveying device according to the present invention).
In the automatic warehouse facility J, an article storage shelf 1 provided with a plurality of article storage units 1b arranged in a state where the item B is placed and supported is arranged in the up-down direction and the left-right direction. A travel path is formed between the pair of article storage shelves 1. Two traveling rails 8 are laid apart from each other on the floor surface of the traveling route.
As the article B, for example, a cassette capable of holding a plurality of glass substrates for FPD such as liquid crystal is conceivable. Such an article B has a weight of several hundred kg to 1 ton.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane S is in a state in which the traveling cart 10 having a rectangular shape in plan view provided with traveling wheels that can roll on a pair of traveling rails 8 is spaced apart from the traveling cart 10. 4 elevating and lowering guide masts 11 arranged in a rectangular corner in plan view and standing in a vertical direction, and ascending and descending freely guided by the 4 elevating and lowering masts 11 And a table 12.

  The lifting platform 12 is provided with a transfer device including a slide-type fork 13 as an article support body on which the article B can be placed and supported. The fork 13 protrudes into a protruding position protruding toward the transfer target position located outside the lifting area located inside the four lifting guide masts 11 in a plan view and a retracted position retracting inside. It is configured to retreat.

  The lifting platform 12 is suspended and supported by four toothed belts 14 as cords. Four upper rotating bodies PU (toothed pulleys 31, 32, 33, and 34 as rotating bodies around which the four toothed belts 14 are wound individually, respectively, at the upper end of the lifting guide mast. ), And a lower rotating body PS (toothed pulleys 21, 22, 23, 24 as a rotating body around which each of the four cord-like bodies is wound individually, at the lower end of the lifting guide mast. 3).

The toothed pulleys 31, 32, 33, 34 as the upper rotating body PU are formed so as to have the same diameter. Each of the toothed pulleys 21, 22, 23, and 24 as the lower rotating body PS is also formed to have the same diameter as the upper rotating body PU.
That is, the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the direction in which the fork 13 moves out and out of each of the four upper rotating bodies PU are configured so that the outer peripheral lengths along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portions have the same length. ing.

  In the vicinity of the lower end of each of the four lifting guide masts 11, four lifting lifts that rotate the lower rotating body PS to drive the lifting platform 12 up and down corresponding to each of the four lower rotating bodies PS. An elevating motor K (elevating motors K1, K2, K3, K4) is provided as a driving device. That is, each of the four lower rotating bodies PS is configured as a driving rotating body. On the other hand, each of the four upper rotating bodies PU is configured as a driven rotating body.

Each of the four toothed belts 14 extends from the upper rotating body PU to the lower side and is connected to the lifting platform 12, and extends downward from the upper rotating body PU to the lower rotating body. And a second portion 142 wound around the PS.
And the 1st part 141 in the four toothed belts 14 is connected by the fastener 12S near the corner | angular part in the planar view of the raising / lowering stand 12. FIG.
That is, the first portions 141 of the four toothed belts 14 are spaced apart in the direction in which the fork 13 is withdrawn in a plan view, and are separated in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fork 13 is withdrawn (4). Is connected to the lifting platform 12 at the point of

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the toothed pulley 31 and the toothed pulley 32 are connected so as to be integrally rotatable with a connecting shaft 16 as a connecting body as a rotation axis. Similarly, the toothed pulley 33 and the toothed pulley 34 are connected so as to be integrally rotatable with a connecting shaft 16 as a connecting body as a rotation axis.
That is, between the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the direction in which the fork 13 moves in and out of the four upper rotating bodies PU (that is, between the toothed pulley 31 and the toothed pulley 32, and the toothed pulley 33). And the toothed pulley 34) are connected by the connecting shaft 16.

Since the toothed pulley 31 and the toothed pulley 32, and the toothed pulley 33 and the toothed pulley 34 are configured to have the same diameter as described above, the connecting shaft 16 includes the toothed pulley 31 and the toothed pulley 32. The interlocking rotation is performed so that the movement amount of the toothed belt 14 along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion becomes the same. Similarly, the connecting shaft 16 is interlocked and rotated so that the movement amount of the toothed belt 14 along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the toothed pulley 33 and the toothed pulley 34 is the same.
In other words, the connecting shaft 16 has a toothed configuration along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotary bodies PU between the upper rotary bodies PU aligned in the direction in which the fork 13 moves in and out of the four upper rotary bodies PU. The belt 14 is configured to rotate together so that the movement amount of the belt 14 is the same.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the stacker crane S is provided with a crane control device H as a control unit that controls driving of the four lifting motors K (K1, K2, K3, K4). The crane control device H supplies currents to the lifting motors K1, K2, K3, and K4 so that the four lifting motors K (K1, K2, K3, and K4) rotate in synchronization with changes in rotational phase. Control the amount.

Next, the operation when the transfer operation of the article B is performed by the stacker crane S in the present embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 5, 6, and 9.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the article B is placed and supported on the fork 13 with the fork 13 protruding to the protruding position. 6A shows the tension applied to the toothed belt 14a located on the protruding side of the fork 13, and FIG. 6B shows the tension applied to the toothed belt 14b located on the retracted side of the fork 13. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the center of gravity (indicated by arrow G) when the lifting platform 12, the fork 13, and the entire article B placed and supported on the fork 13 are regarded as one rigid body is indicated by the protrusion of the fork 13. It becomes a position biased toward the fork 13 projecting side rather than between the pair of toothed belts 14 (toothed belt 14a, toothed belt 14b) in the retracting direction, and an unbalanced load is generated.

  Since the toothed pulley 31 and the toothed pulley 32 and the toothed pulley 33 and the toothed pulley 34 are connected to each other, as shown in FIG. 6, the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14a. And the tension F2b generated in the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14b are equal to each other, and the difference in tension due to the unbalanced load of the lifting platform 12 is the first portion 141 of the toothed belt 14a. Appears only between the tension F1a generated in the first portion 141 and the tension F1b generated in the first portion 141 of the toothed belt 14b. That is, tension F2a = tension F2b and tension F1a> tension F1b.

  Here, as a comparative example, the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the moving direction of the fork 13 out of the four upper rotating bodies PU and the fork 13 out of the four lower rotating bodies PS are retracted. Consider a configuration in which none of the lower rotating bodies PS arranged in the direction are connected. In such a comparative example, the tension F1a and the tension F2a generated in the toothed belt 14a have the same size, and the tension F2a acts on the lifting motors K1 and K3 on the protruding side of the fork 13. Further, the tension F1b and the tension F2b generated in the toothed belt 14b have the same size, and the tension F2b acts on the lifting motors K2 and K4 on the retraction side of the fork 13.

  In this case, since the tension magnitude is tension F2a> tension F2b, the tension acts on the lifting motors K1 and K3 on the protruding side of the fork 13 and the lifting motors K2 and K4 on the retracting side of the fork 13. The tension will be different. For this reason, the lifting motors K1 and K3 on the protruding side of the fork 13 on which the large tension F2a acts are responsible for the torque for lifting the lifting platform 12.

  On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, as described above, the tension F2a generated in the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14a and the tension F2b generated in the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14b. Therefore, it is possible to share the torque between the lifting motors K1 and K3 on the protruding side of the fork 13 and the lifting motors K2 and K4 on the retracting side of the fork 13, and the lifting motors K1 to K4 The load can be leveled between them, and the increase in the size of each lifting motor K can be suppressed.

Further, as in the comparative example, between the upper rotary bodies PU arranged in the direction in which the forks 13 out of the four upper rotary bodies PU and between the forks 13 of the four lower rotary bodies PS, In the case where none of the lower rotating bodies PS arranged in the withdrawing / retracting direction is connected to each other, the tension accompanying the unbalanced load of the lifting platform 12 is toothed in both the first portion 141 and the second portion 142. Since the toothed belt 14a side is larger than the belt 14b side, the extension amount of the toothed belt 14a (the sum of the extension amounts of the first portion 141 and the second portion 142) is the extension amount of the toothed belt 14b (first portion). 141 and the sum of the extension amounts of the second portion 142).
In this way, when a difference occurs between the extension amount of the toothed belt 14a and the extension amount of the toothed belt 14b, the lifting platform 12 is configured such that the end side to which the toothed belt 14a is connected is at a low position in the vertical direction. Incline at.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the tension F2a generated in the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14a is equal to the tension F2b generated in the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14b. The extension amount of the second portion 142 of 14a is equal to the extension amount of the second portion 142 of the toothed belt 14b, and the extension of the toothed belt 14a and the toothed belt 14b due to the difference in tension due to the uneven load of the lifting platform 12. Since the difference in amount occurs only between the first portion 141 of the toothed belt 14a and the first portion 141 of the toothed belt 14b, the lifting platform 12 is connected to the end side where the toothed belt 14a is connected. Even if it is inclined in the form of a low position in the vertical direction, the amount of inclination can be kept small (the toothed belt 14a connection side of the elevator 12 and the toothed belt 14b at this time). The difference in height between the connection side indicated by α in Fig. 9).

[Another embodiment]

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the direction in which the fork 13 moves out of the four upper rotating bodies PU is connected by the connecting shaft 16 has been described. 8 and 10, among the four lower rotating bodies PS (toothed pulleys 21, 22, 23, 24) arranged between the fork 13 in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction (that is, toothed) It is good also as a structure which connects between the pulley 21 and the toothed pulley 22 and between the toothed pulley 23 and the toothed pulley 24) by the connecting shaft 16.

  In this case, since the toothed pulley 21 and the toothed pulley 22, which are drive rotating bodies, and the toothed pulley 23 and the toothed pulley 24 are directly connected, the raising and lowering of the protruding side of the fork 13 is performed. The motors K1 and K3 and the lifting motors K2 and K4 on the retraction side of the fork 13 can be surely shared with the torque, and the load can be leveled between the lifting motors K1 to K4. An increase in the size of the lifting motor K can be suppressed.

  At this time, the tension generated in the toothed belt 14a is tension F1a = tension F2a, and the tension generated in the toothed belt 14b is tension F1b = tension F2b. Since each belt 14b extends over both the first portion 141 and the second portion 142, the extension amount of the toothed belt 14a (La in FIG. 7) and the extension amount of the toothed belt 14b (Lb in FIG. 7). And the difference will be large. For this reason, the height difference between the toothed belt 14a connection side and the toothed belt 14b connection side of the lifting platform 12 due to the difference in the extension amount is, as indicated by β in FIG. 10, of the four upper rotating bodies PU. Difference in height between the toothed belt 14a connecting side and the toothed belt 14b connecting side of the elevator 12 when the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the withdrawing / retracting direction of the forks 13 are connected by the connecting shaft 16 ( It becomes larger than α) in FIG.

(2) In the above embodiment, an example in which the traveling carriage 10 has a rectangular shape in plan view has been described. However, the planar view shape of the traveling carriage may be a shape other than a rectangular shape (for example, an oval shape).

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the crane control device H is configured to rotate the lifting motors K1, K2, K, K so that the rotation phases of the four lifting motors K (K1, K2, K3, K4) are rotated in synchronization. Although the configuration for controlling the amount of current supplied to each of K3 and K4 has been exemplified, the lifting motor K is a stepping motor, and the crane control device H is rotated in synchronization with the change in the rotational phase of the four lifting motors K. The number of pulses supplied to each of the lifting motors K1, K2, K3, and K4 may be controlled, and as long as the change in the rotational phase of each lifting motor K can be synchronized, The rotational drive system and control system of the motor can be freely changed.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the upper rotary bodies PU arranged in the withdrawing / retracting direction of the forks 13 are configured to have the same diameter. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The upper rotary bodies PU arranged in the direction may have different diameters. In this case, the differential mechanism is connected to the coupling body so that the movement amounts of the toothed belts 14 along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the four upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawing / retracting direction are the same. Alternatively, a deceleration mechanism is provided.

(5) In the above embodiment, the cord-like body is a toothed belt, and the upper side rotating body PU and the lower side rotating body PS are toothed pulleys. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the rope-like body, the upper-side rotary body PU, and the lower-side rotary body PS have slips between them, such as the rope-like body being a chain and the upper-side rotary body PU and the lower-side rotary body PS being sprockets. Various configurations that do not occur can be used.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the article transport device of the present invention is applied to a stacker crane that travels freely on the travel route has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the article of the present invention. You may comprise a conveying apparatus as what is fixedly installed in a floor rather than driving | running | working on a driving | running route.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, all the four lifting guide masts 11 are configured to have the same length. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, of the four lifting guide masts 11 It is good also as a structure which makes 2 each the same length.
At this time, it is preferable that the lifting guide masts 11 arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the fork 13 is withdrawn in plan view have the same length.

(8) In the above embodiment, the slide fork 13 is provided as the article support. However, the article support is configured by a bending arm such as a SCARA arm, and the bending arm is swung to swing the article. You may make it transfer. In other words, the article support comes out in a protruding position protruding toward the transfer target position located outside the lifting area located inside the four lifting guide masts 11 and a retracted position retracting inside. What is necessary is just to have the leaving / leaving function to withdraw.

(9) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the rotation axes of the four upper rotating bodies and the four lower rotating bodies are in the direction along the withdrawing / retracting direction of the fork 13 has been described, but the present invention is limited to such a configuration. For example, the rotation axes of the four upper rotating bodies and the four lower rotating bodies may be set in a direction orthogonal to the withdrawing / retracting direction of the fork 13 in plan view.
In this case, instead of the connecting shaft 16, the connecting body is replaced with the upper rotating bodies PU arranged in the withdrawing direction of the fork 13 out of the four upper rotating bodies PU, or among the four lower rotating bodies PS. You may comprise as a chain and a sprocket which synchronously rotate the lower side rotation body PS arranged in the withdrawing / retracting direction of the fork 13.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Goods storage shelf 1b Goods storage part 10 Traveling carriage 11 Lifting guide mast 12 Lifting base 13 Article support body 14 Cord-like body (toothed belt)
141 1st part 142 2nd part B Article H Control part K Elevating drive PS Lower rotary body PU Upper rotary body

Claims (5)

Four elevating guide masts arranged in a rectangular corner in plan view in a state of being spaced apart from each other, and erected in a posture along the vertical direction;
A lifting platform guided by the lifting guide mast and freely movable up and down;
Four cords that suspend and support the lifting platform;
A plurality of rotating bodies around which each of the four cords is wound;
An article transporting device provided with a transfer device provided on the lifting platform for transferring an article,
The transfer device includes an article support that can support an article,
A protruding position in which the article support protrudes toward a transfer target position located outside the lifting area located inward of the four lifting guide masts in a plan view; It is configured to be able to leave and exit
Four upper rotating bodies as rotating bodies around which the four cord-like bodies are wound are provided at the upper end of the lifting guide mast,
The upper rotating body is configured as a driven rotating body,
Four lower rotating bodies as rotating bodies around which the four cord-like bodies are individually wound are provided at the lower end of the lifting guide mast,
Elevating and lowering driving devices that rotationally drive the lower rotating body to drive the lifting platform up and down are provided separately for the four lower rotating bodies,
A control unit for controlling driving of the four lifting drive units is provided;
The four lifting / lowering units are configured so that the control unit rotates the four lower rotating bodies so that the movement amount of the cord-like bodies along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the four lower rotating bodies is the same. Configured to control the operation of the industrial drive,
Each of the four cord-like bodies extends downward from the upper rotating body and is connected to the lifting platform, and extends downward from the upper rotating body to the lower rotating body. A second portion wound around
Each of the first portions of the four cable-like bodies is at a plurality of locations on the lifting platform that are spaced apart from each other in a direction in which the article support is withdrawn in a plan view and in a direction orthogonal to the plan view. Connected to the platform,
Of the four upper rotating bodies, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction of the article supporting bodies, or of the four lower rotating bodies, arranged in the withdrawing / withdrawing direction of the article supporting body. An article conveying apparatus provided with a connecting body for connecting at least one of lower rotating bodies.   Of the four upper rotating bodies, the connecting body connects the upper rotating bodies arranged in the withdrawal direction of the article support body, and the cord-like shape along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the upper rotating bodies. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article conveying apparatus is configured to be interlocked and rotated so that a movement amount of the body is the same.   Of the four upper rotating bodies, the upper rotating bodies arranged in the direction of withdrawal of the article support body have the same outer peripheral length along the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral section of the upper rotating body. The article conveying apparatus according to claim 2 configured as described above.   The article conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cord-like body is a toothed belt, and the upper rotating body and the lower rotating body are toothed pulleys. An article storage facility comprising the article transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The four lifting guide masts are erected on a traveling cart that can travel and move on a traveling route,
An article storage shelf provided with a plurality of article storage units arranged in at least the vertical direction is provided along the travel route,
Article storage equipment in which at least the article storage unit is set as the transfer target portion.

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