JP2017149546A - Sorting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sorting system that can improve workability of work for sorting articles so as to reduce a burden on a worker.SOLUTION: A sorting system 1, which is configured to sort a plurality of kinds of wire harnesses W in each article number, comprises: a container conveying mechanism 10 that conveys containers Y for storing the wire harnesses W and retains the containers Y at a storage position SP where the wire harnesses W is stored; a stock portion 20 that has a plurality of stock racks 21 for storing the containers Y in each article number of the stored wire harnesses W and performs delivery of the containers Y between the container conveying mechanism 10 and the portion; an identifying portion 70 that identifies the article numbers of the wire harnesses W which are stored in the containers Y at the storage position SP; and a control portion 80 that controls the container conveying mechanism 10 on the basis of identification signals from the identifying portion 70 so that the containers Y storing the wire harnesses W whose article numbers are identified by the identifying portion 70 are conveyed from the storage position SP to the stock racks 21 corresponding to the article numbers of the identified wire harnesses W in the stock portion 20 and then are delivered.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a sorting system for sorting a plurality of types of articles.

  For example, industrial products such as wire harnesses arranged in vehicles such as automobiles are produced in a plurality of types having different specifications in order to cope with a variety of small-quantity production.

  As a system for managing such articles such as industrial products, for example, a warehouse in which containers are stored from one of the stock shelves to a stock shelf by a warehousing unit, and containers of the stock shelves are delivered from the other stock shelf by a warehousing unit. However, there is known one that manages a storage position of a container by a control unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-248734 A

  In the above system, it is possible to efficiently provide containers containing articles sorted by type, but when storing articles in containers, an operator selects a predetermined container corresponding to the article. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out complicated sorting work to be accommodated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sorting system capable of improving the workability of the sorting operation of articles and reducing the burden on the worker. is there.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the sorting system according to the present invention is characterized by the following (1) to (5).
(1) A sorting system for sorting a plurality of types of articles by type,
A container transport mechanism for transporting a container in which an article is stored and holding the container in a storage position in which the article is stored;
A plurality of stock shelves that store the containers for each type of stored articles, and a stock unit that delivers the containers to and from the container transport mechanism;
An identification unit for identifying the type of the article stored in the container at the storage position;
Based on the identification result in the identification unit, the container transport mechanism is controlled, and the container in which the identification item identified by the identification unit is accommodated is stored in the stock corresponding to the type of the identification item from the accommodation position. A control unit to transport to the shelf;
A sorting system characterized by comprising:

(2) The control unit
When the type of the article is identified by the identification unit, the container transport mechanism is controlled to receive the container in which the identified article is accommodated and the quantity accommodated is less than a predetermined quantity from the stock shelf, and to the accommodation position. The sorting system according to (1) above, wherein the sorting system is transported.

(3) a picking unit having a picking shelf into which the containers stored in the stock shelf are fed;
A container delivery mechanism for delivering the container of the stock shelf to the picking shelf,
The controller is
Controlling the container delivery mechanism;
The sorting system according to (2) above, wherein the container that has received a predetermined quantity of articles is delivered from the stock shelf to the picking shelf.

(4) provided with an empty container supply mechanism for supplying the empty container to the accommodation position;
The controller is
When the type of the article is identified by the identification unit and the container is not stored in a stock shelf corresponding to the type of the identified article, the empty container supply mechanism moves the empty container to the accommodation position. The sorting system according to (3) above, wherein the sorting system is supplied.

(5) The sorting system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein a wire harness for a vehicle having a plurality of product numbers is sorted for each product number as the article.

  According to the sorting system configured as described in (1) above, when the operator identifies the type of the article with the identification unit and stores the article in the container at the storage position, the container is transported from the storage position by the container transport mechanism, and the stock The product is delivered to a stock shelf corresponding to the type of identification article in the department. That is, by identifying a plurality of types of articles with different workers by the identification unit and storing them in the container, each article is sorted by type and stored in the stock shelf of the stock unit. As a result, it is not necessary for the operator to perform a complicated sorting operation for sorting articles by type and placing them in a container, and the burden on the worker can be greatly reduced.

  According to the sorting system configured as described in (2) above, a plurality of types of articles are sorted by a predetermined quantity for each type. Thereby, the sorting work efficiency of articles can be further increased.

  According to the sorting system having the configuration of (3) above, a container in which a plurality of types of articles are sorted and stored in a predetermined quantity for each type is delivered to the picking shelf. Articles sorted by quantity can be easily received.

  According to the sorting system having the configuration of (4) above, after a container storing a predetermined amount of articles is delivered from the stock shelf of the stock section to the picking shelf, it corresponds to the stock shelf that stocked the container. Since the types of articles are identified by the identification unit, an empty container is supplied from the empty container supply mechanism to the accommodation position, so that the article sorting operation can be performed more smoothly.

  In the sorting system having the above configuration (5), it is possible to easily sort the wire harnesses for vehicles corresponding to various vehicles such as automobiles for each product number.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the sorting system which can improve the workability | operativity of the goods classification work and can reduce the burden on an operator can be provided.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through a mode for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating the configuration of the sorting system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the configuration of the sorting system according to the present embodiment. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view of a container in which the wire harness is accommodated.

  Specific embodiments relating to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating the configuration of the sorting system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the configuration of the sorting system according to the present embodiment. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sorting system 1 according to the present embodiment is an article management system that sorts articles. In this example, the article to be sorted is a wire harness W routed in a vehicle such as an automobile. The wire harness W is accommodated and sorted in a container Y made of a resin box formed in a rectangular shape in plan view. A predetermined number of wire harnesses W are accommodated in the container Y. For example, three wire harnesses W are accommodated in the container Y for each product number (type).

  The sorting system 1 includes a container transport mechanism 10, a stock unit 20, a picking unit 30, a container delivery mechanism 40, an empty container supply mechanism 50, a work table 60, an identification unit 70, and a control unit 80. ing.

  The container transport mechanism 10 is disposed on one side of the stock unit 20. The container transport mechanism 10 transports the container Y and holds the container Y at the housing position SP in which the wire harness W is housed. Further, the container transport mechanism 10 moves the container Y in and out of the stock unit 20. The container transport mechanism 10 includes a moving table 11 that moves along the width direction of the stock unit 20. The moving table 11 is provided with a lifting mechanism 12. The lifting mechanism 12 includes a container holding base 13, and the container holding base 13 is lifted and lowered by the lifting mechanism 12. The container holding base 13 holds the container Y at the upper part thereof. The container holding stand 13 includes a container moving mechanism 14 that takes the container Y into and out of the stock unit 20.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the stock unit 20 includes a plurality of stock shelves 21. The stock shelf 21 is provided in a plurality of rows in a plurality of rows. Specifically, as viewed from the container transport mechanism 10 side, the stock shelves 21 are provided in a total of twelve in three rows of four rows of A row, B row, C row, and D row. The stock shelves 21 in row A are 21A-1, 21A-2, and 21A-3 in order from the top. Similarly, the stock shelves 21 in row B are 21B-1, 21B-2, 21B-3 in order from the top, and the stock shelves 21 in row C are 21C-1, 21C-2, 21C in order from the top. -3, and the D-line stock shelves 21 are 21D-1, 21D-2, and 21D-3 in order from the top. In these stock shelves 21, the containers Y can be stored with the longitudinal direction thereof in the depth direction. Each stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 stores containers Y (quantity 1 or 2 containers Y) in which the accommodated wire harness W is less than a predetermined quantity (quantity 3).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the picking unit 30 includes the same number of picking shelves 31 as the stock shelves 21. Specifically, when viewed from the stock unit 20 side, the picking shelf 31 is provided in a total of 12 rows of 4 rows of A row, B row, C row, and D row in 3 stages. The picking shelves 31 in row A are 31A-1, 31A-2, and 31A-3 in order from the top. Similarly, the picking shelf 31 in the B row is 31B-1, 31B-2, 31B-3 in order from the top, and the picking shelf 31 in the C row is 31C-1, 31C-2, 31C in order from the top. -3, and the D row picking shelves 31 are 31D-1, 31D-2, and 31D-3 in order from the top. In these picking shelves 31, the container Y can be stored with its longitudinal direction directed in the width direction. Further, these picking shelves 31 are gradually inclined downward toward the side opposite to the stock unit 20 having the stock shelves 21. A receiving plate 32 that protrudes upward is provided at the end of the picking shelf 31 opposite to the stock portion 20. Then, the inclined picking shelf 31 is fed with the container Y from the stock unit 20 side in the state in which the longitudinal direction is in the width direction, and moves to the opposite side of the stock unit 20 by its own weight, and is received by the receiving plate 32. It is done. Each picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30 stores containers Y in which the accommodated wire harnesses W have reached a predetermined quantity (quantity 3). The opposite side of the picking unit 30 from the stock unit 20 is a picking area PA. In this picking area PA, the container Y stored in the picking shelf 31 is taken out by an operator.

  The container delivery mechanism 40 is provided between the stock unit 20 and the picking unit 30. The container delivery mechanism 40 includes a three-stage delivery shelf 41 that delivers containers Y stored in the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 to the picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30. Each delivery shelf 41 rotates the container Y stored in the stock shelf 21 in the horizontal direction with the longitudinal direction directed in the depth direction, and sends the container Y to the picking shelf 31 with the longitudinal direction directed in the width direction. The container delivery mechanism 40 delivers the container Y to the picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30 when a container Y containing a predetermined number of wire harnesses W is fed from the container transport mechanism 10 to the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20. .

  The empty container supply mechanism 50 includes a conveyance path 51 connected to the accommodation position SP. An empty container Y is placed on the transport path 51 from the side opposite to the accommodation position SP. When the empty container supply command is transmitted, the empty container supply mechanism 50 transfers the empty container Y to the container holding table 13 of the container transfer mechanism 10 at the storage position SP.

  A work table 60 is provided in the vicinity of the storage position SP. The finished product of the assembled wire harness W of each product number is carried into the work table 60 together with a product number card HC (to be described later) indicating the product number of the wire harness W. In front of the work table 60 is a work area SA for the worker S. The accommodation position SP is arranged on the side of the work area SA. On the work table 60, the worker S performs a final inspection of the carried wire harness W. The work table 60 is provided with an identification unit 70. The identification unit 70 includes a reading device such as a barcode reader. The identification unit 70 reads a code Co such as a barcode or a two-dimensional barcode of the product number card HC.

  The control unit 80 controls each mechanism of the sorting system 1. An identification unit 70 is connected to the control unit 80, and an identification signal is transmitted from the identification unit 70. The control unit 80 controls the container transport mechanism 10, the container delivery mechanism 40, and the empty container supply mechanism 50 of the sorting system 1 based on the identification signal from the identification unit 70.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a container in which the wire harness is accommodated.
As shown in FIG. 5, the container Y is provided with a holder Yh on one side surface. A product number card HC is inserted into the holder Yh. In this product number card HC, a product number and a code Co for the information that differ for each type of wire harness W are described. The product number is associated with the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 and the picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30. Specifically, the product number card HC includes product numbers A-1 to 3 corresponding to 21A-1 to 3A of the stock shelf 21 and 31A-1 to 3A of the picking shelf 31, and 21B-1 to 3 of the stock shelf 21; Product numbers B-1 to 3 corresponding to 31B-1 to 31B-1 of the picking shelf 31, 21C-1 to 3C of the stock shelf 21, and C-1 to 3 corresponding to product numbers 31C-1 to 3 of the picking shelf 31 No. 21D-1 to 21 and part numbers D-1 to 3 corresponding to 31C-1 to 31C-3 of the picking shelf 31 are attached.

  Next, work in the sorting system 1 and control of each mechanism by the control unit 80 will be described.

(Work by worker)
In the sorting system 1 configured as described above, the worker S first causes the reader of the identification unit 70 to read the code Co of the product number card HC attached to the wire harness W carried into the work table 60. Next, the wire harness W is set on the work table 60, and a final inspection such as an appearance inspection or an energization inspection of the wire harness W is performed. Then, if the inspection of the wire harness W is passed, the worker S removes the wire harness W from the work table 60 and stores it in the container Y at the storage position SP. Further, the operator S inserts the product number card HC attached to the wire harness W into the holder Yh of the container Y, and presses a sorting start switch (not shown) of the work table 60. At this time, when the wire harness W is already accommodated in the container Y, the inspected wire harness W is overlapped with the already accommodated wire harness W and accommodated in the container Y, and the product number card already inserted in the holder Yh The product number card HC of the wire harness W that has been inspected over the HC is inserted into the holder Yh of the container Y.

(Control of each mechanism by the control unit)
When the code Co of the product number card HC attached to the wire harness W is read by the reader of the identification unit 70, an identification signal is transmitted from the identification unit 70 to the control unit 80. The control unit 80 determines the product number (type) of the wire harness W based on the identification signal from the identification unit 70. The control unit 80 controls the driving of the container transport mechanism 10 and stores the container Y corresponding to the determined product number among the containers Y whose stored quantity stored in the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 is less than the predetermined quantity. Transport to position SP. Here, when the container Y corresponding to the determined product number is not stored in the stock shelf 21 in the stock unit 20, the control unit 80 transmits an empty container supply command to the empty container supply mechanism 50 to transmit the empty container supply mechanism 50. And the empty container Y is delivered to the container holding base 13 of the container transport mechanism 10 to the accommodation position SP.

  For example, when the determined product number is A-1, the control unit 80 drives the moving table 11, the elevating mechanism 12, and the container moving mechanism 14 of the container transport mechanism 10, and stores them in the stock shelf 21A-1 in the stock unit 20. The container Y corresponding to the product number A-1 is received by the container holding mechanism 13 by the container moving mechanism 14, and the container Y is transported and placed at the storage position SP. When the container Y is not stored in the stock shelf 21 </ b> A- 1 in the stock unit 20, the control unit 80 drives the empty container supply mechanism 50 to move the empty container Y to the storage position SP and the container holding table of the container transport mechanism 10. 13 to hand over.

  When the operator S who accommodates the wire harness W in the container Y and puts the product number card HC in the holder Yh depresses the sorting start switch, the control unit 80 drives the container transport mechanism 10, and the container transport mechanism 10 Y is conveyed, and this container Y is delivered to the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 corresponding to the product number of the wire harness W. As a result, the container Y is stored in the stock shelf 21.

  For example, when the product number of the wire harness W is A-1, the control unit 80 causes the container transport mechanism 10 to deliver the container Y to the stock shelf 21A-1 of the stock unit 20 corresponding to the product number A-1.

  Here, when a predetermined quantity (quantity 3) of the wire harness W is accommodated in the container Y delivered to the stock shelf 21 by the container transport mechanism 10, the control unit 80 drives the container delivery mechanism 40 to make the stock The direction of the container Y delivered to the shelf 21 is changed and sent to the picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30. The direction of the container Y is changed by the container delivery mechanism 40, and the side surface having the holder Yh into which the product number card HC is inserted is directed to the picking area PA side.

  For example, when the wire harness W accommodated in the container Y delivered to the stock shelf 21A-1 reaches a predetermined quantity (quantity 3), this container Y is picked from the stock shelf 21A-1 by the container delivery mechanism 40. Passed to 31A-1.

  The container Y sent to the picking shelf 31 of the picking unit 30 moves toward the picking area PA along the inclination by its own weight, and is received by the receiving plate 32. Then, the container Y is taken out by an operator in the next process or the like in the picking area PA and is transported to the next process or the like. At this time, since the side of the container Y having the holder Yh into which the product number card HC is inserted is directed to the picking area PA side, the operator can confirm the product number card HC of the holder Yh and its number. The product number and quantity of the wire harness W accommodated in the container Y can be easily grasped.

  As described above, according to the sorting system 1 according to the present embodiment, when the worker S causes the identification number 70 to identify the product number of the wire harness W and stores the wire harness W in the container Y at the storage position SP, The container Y is transported from the accommodation position SP by the container transport mechanism 10 and delivered to the stock shelf 21 corresponding to the identified product number of the wire harness W in the stock unit 20. That is, the wire harnesses W of different product numbers with different workers S are identified by the identification unit 70 and accommodated in the container Y, whereby each wire harness W is sorted by product number and stored in the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20. The This eliminates the need for the operator S to perform complicated sorting work by sorting the wire harness W by product number and placing it in the container Y, and the burden on the worker S can be greatly reduced.

  Thereby, the wire harness W for vehicles corresponding to vehicles, such as a various motor vehicle, can be classified easily for every product number.

  In addition, when the product number of the wire harness W is identified by the identification unit 70, the container transport mechanism 10 accommodates the container Y in which the identified wire harness W is accommodated and the accommodation quantity is less than the predetermined quantity, and the stock shelf 21 of the stock part 20. And transported to the accommodation position SP. Therefore, since a predetermined number of wire harnesses W having a plurality of product numbers are sorted for each product number, the sorting work efficiency of the wire harnesses W can be further increased.

  Further, since the container Y in which a predetermined number of wire harnesses W of a plurality of product numbers are sorted and stored for each product number is delivered from the stock shelf 21 to the picking shelf 31 by the container delivery mechanism 40, the container Y is removed from the picking shelf 31. By taking out, the wire harness W sorted by a predetermined quantity for each product number can be easily received.

  Also, after a container Y containing a predetermined amount of wire harness W is delivered from the stock shelf 21 of the stock unit 20 to the picking shelf 31, the wire of the product number corresponding to the stock shelf 21 that stocked the container Y is stored. Since the empty container Y is supplied from the empty container supply mechanism 50 to the accommodation position SP by identifying the harness W by the identification unit 70, the sorting work of the wire harness W can be performed more smoothly.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, arrangement location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

Here, the features of the embodiment of the sorting system according to the present invention described above are briefly summarized and listed in the following [1] to [5], respectively.
[1] A sorting system (1) for sorting a plurality of types of articles (wire harnesses W) by type (part number),
A container transport mechanism (10) for transporting a container (Y) in which an article (wire harness W) is housed and holding the container (Y) in a housing position (SP) in which the article (wire harness W) is housed. When,
It has a plurality of stock shelves (21) for storing the containers (Y) for each type (article number) of the accommodated articles (wire harness W), and the containers (Y) are connected to the container transport mechanism (10). Stock section (20) where delivery takes place,
An identification unit (70) for identifying the type (article number) of the article (wire harness W) accommodated in the container (Y) at the accommodation position (SP);
The container transport mechanism (10) is controlled based on an identification result (identification signal) in the identification unit (70), and an identification article (wire harness W) whose type is identified by the identification unit (70) is accommodated. A control unit (80) for transporting the container (Y) from the housing position (SP) to the stock shelf (21) corresponding to the type (article number) of the identification article (wire harness W);
A sorting system characterized by comprising:
[2] The control unit (80)
When the type of the article (wire harness W) is identified by the identification unit (70), the container transport mechanism (10) is controlled to accommodate the identified article (wire harness W) and the quantity received is a predetermined quantity. The container (Y) less than 3 is received from the stock shelf (21) and transported to the storage position (SP). The sorting system according to [1] above,
[3] A picking unit (30) having a picking shelf (31) into which the container (Y) stored in the stock shelf (21) is fed;
A container delivery mechanism (40) for delivering the container (Y) of the stock shelf (21) to the picking shelf (31),
The control unit (80)
Controlling the container delivery mechanism (40);
The above-mentioned [2], wherein the container (Y) in which the quantity of the article (wire harness W) accommodated reaches a predetermined quantity is transferred from the stock shelf (21) to the picking shelf (31). Sorting system.
[4] An empty container supply mechanism (50) for supplying the empty container (Y) to the accommodation position (SP),
The control unit (80)
When the container (wire harness W) is not stored in the stock shelf (21) corresponding to the type (product number) identified in the identification unit (70), the empty container supply mechanism (50) The container (Y) is supplied to the accommodation position (SP). The sorting system according to [3] above,
[5] Sorting according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein as the article (wire harness W), a wire harness (W) for a vehicle having a plurality of part numbers is sorted for each part number. system.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sorting system 10 Container conveyance mechanism 20 Stock part 21 Stock shelf 30 Picking part 31 Picking shelf 40 Container delivery mechanism 50 Empty container supply mechanism 70 Identification part 80 Control part SP accommodation position W Wire harness (article)
Y container

Claims (5)

A sorting system that sorts multiple types of articles by type,
A container transport mechanism for transporting a container in which an article is stored and holding the container in a storage position in which the article is stored;
A plurality of stock shelves that store the containers for each type of stored articles, and a stock unit that delivers the containers to and from the container transport mechanism;
An identification unit for identifying the type of the article stored in the container at the storage position;
Based on the identification result in the identification unit, the container transport mechanism is controlled, and the container in which the identification item identified by the identification unit is accommodated is stored in the stock shelf corresponding to the type of the identification item from the accommodation position. A control unit for transporting to
A sorting system characterized by comprising: The controller is
When the type of the article is identified by the identification unit, the container transport mechanism is controlled to receive the container in which the identified article is accommodated and the quantity accommodated is less than a predetermined quantity from the stock shelf, and to the accommodation position. The sorting system according to claim 1, wherein the sorting system is transported. A picking unit having a picking shelf into which the containers stored in the stock shelf are fed;
A container delivery mechanism for delivering the container of the stock shelf to the picking shelf,
The controller is
Controlling the container delivery mechanism;
The sorting system according to claim 2, wherein the container in which the storage quantity of the article reaches a predetermined quantity is transferred from the stock shelf to the picking shelf. An empty container supply mechanism for supplying the empty container to the accommodation position;
The controller is
The empty container is supplied to the accommodation position by the empty container supply mechanism when the container is not stored in a stock shelf corresponding to the type identified by the identification unit. Assortment system of description. The sorting system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a wire harness for a vehicle having a plurality of product numbers is sorted for each product number as the article.

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