JP2019026463A - Automated warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve convenience of an automated warehouse by making management of buckets easy.SOLUTION: An automated warehouse comprises: a carrying-in station; a carrying-out station; a plurality of storage shelves; a traveling type transfer device for moving between them to transfer articles to be stored; and a plurality of buckets in which the articles to be stored are stored and which is capable of attaching to/detaching from each of the storage shelves. The buckets are used only among the carrying-in station, the carrying-out station and the storage shelves.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse capable of storing articles to be stored in a bucket.

As an automatic warehouse of this type, a loading / unloading station, a plurality of storage shelves, a stacker crane (an example of the traveling transfer device of the present invention) that moves between these and transfers articles to be stored, Various things are known that include a plurality of buckets in which the articles to be stored are accommodated and can be attached to and detached from each storage shelf (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). This stacker crane is moved to a predetermined storage shelf after receiving a bucket containing articles to be stored at the loading / unloading station.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-269062

In the prior art, there is no entry / exit station after the stacker crane has moved the bucket, and when the next entry request is made, it is necessary to store the entire bucket containing the articles to be stored from the outside. However, management of empty buckets (buckets that do not contain articles to be stored) outside the automatic warehouse may become complicated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to facilitate management of buckets and improve convenience of an automatic warehouse.

The automatic warehouse according to the present invention includes an entry station, an exit station, a plurality of storage shelves, a traveling type transfer device that moves between them to transfer articles to be stored, and the articles to be stored are accommodated therein. An automatic warehouse comprising a plurality of buckets that can be attached to and detached from each storage shelf, wherein the buckets are used only between the entry station, the exit station, and the storage shelf. Features.

According to the present invention, the management of buckets can be facilitated and the convenience of an automatic warehouse can be improved.

The figure which shows the outline | summary of the goods temporary storage apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The plane sectional view of the goods temporary storage apparatus concerning the embodiment. The sectional side view of the goods temporary storage apparatus concerning the embodiment. Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the goods temporary storage apparatus concerning the embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the automatic warehouse of the present invention is applied to the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1, and specifically used as an automatic warehouse-type locker installed in a store such as a station square or a convenience store. It is

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a sender H <b> 1 of the storage target article G to be deposited in the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage apparatus 1, and a warehousing to store the storage target article G in the temporary article storage apparatus 1. It is assumed that there is a person H2, a shipper H3 who issues the storage object G from the article temporary storage device 1, and a recipient H4 who receives the storage object G. Hereinafter, the sender H1, the warehousing person H2, the evacuating person H3, and the recipient H4 may be collectively referred to as “related persons of the articles G to be stored”. When the sender H1 and the warehousing person H2 are the same person, when the publishing person H3 and the receiving person H4 are the same person, or when all of these are the same person, various other patterns can be considered. In this embodiment, in order to show an example of using a locker as a delivery port, a sender H1 is a store, a warehousing person H2 is a courier, a tying person H3 and a recipient H4 are requesters of the storage object G (one person). ), In other words, a case where the automatic warehouse type temporary article storage device 1 is used as a relay locker for home delivery will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1 includes a warehousing station 31, a warehousing station 32, a storage shelf 43, and a traveling transfer device. Specifically, a pair of fixed racks 4 having a plurality of storage shelves 43, a stacker crane 5 (traveling type transfer device) that can travel along a traveling rail 51 between the fixed racks 4, and one fixed rack A plurality of loading / unloading stations 31 and 32 serving as both a loading / unloading station 31 and a loading / unloading station 32 provided in 41 are provided. The automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1 is configured such that after the warehousing person H2 puts the storage target article G into the bucket B that is waiting in advance at the storage / exit stations 31, 32, the storage target article G is stored in the bucket B. B is temporarily stored inside the automatic warehouse. This automatic warehouse has a structure partitioned by a wall 6, and includes a plurality of storage shelves 43 arranged in the internal space 7 along the traveling rails 51 of the stacker crane 5. In the automatic warehouse, a pair of fixed racks 4 provided with a large number of storage shelves 43 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are arranged on both sides of the traveling rails 51 of the stacker crane 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, each fixed rack 4 includes a plurality of storage shelves 43 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. One fixed rack 41 is in contact with the wall on the outer surface side, and the stacker crane 5 is accessible from the inner surface side. The other fixed rack 42 has an outer surface facing a passage through which a user can pass, and the stacker crane 5 can be accessed from the inner surface. A part of the storage shelf 43 of the other fixed rack 42 is used as the loading / unloading stations 31 and 32 by making the back side viewed from the stacker crane 5 openable and closable. That is, the outer surface side of the storage shelf 43 used as the loading / unloading stations 31 and 32 is provided with the door 33, and the storage shelf 43 can be accessed from the outside. Moreover, the wall 32 is formed in the outer surface side of the other storage shelf 43 so that the storage shelf 43 cannot be accessed from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, each storage shelf 43 stores articles G to be stored using the same type of bucket B having a predetermined depth. Each bucket B includes an engaging portion (not shown) that can be attached to and detached from each storage shelf 43 and has an opening on the upper surface side. Each bucket B releases the engagement state of the locking portion from the storage shelf 43 when the stacker crane 5 accesses the storage shelf 43 and takes out the bucket B, and the stacker crane 5 attaches the bucket B to the storage shelf 43. A latching portion is engaged with the storage shelf 43 when moved. The bucket B is used only between the warehouse station 31, the warehouse station 32, and the storage shelf 43, that is, only in the space in the automatic warehouse type temporary article storage device 1, and contains nothing inside. There is a case where it is used as an empty bucket BE that is not used, and a case where it is used as an actual bucket BF in which the article G to be stored is contained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the stacker crane 5 moves between the loading / unloading stations 31 and 32 and the storage shelf 43 to transfer the articles G to be stored. The stacker crane 5 has a function of arranging the storage object G from the storage station 31 to the storage shelf 43 and a function of arranging the storage object G from the storage shelf 43 to the delivery station 32. A function of rearranging the storage target article G from the storage shelf 43 storing the storage target article G to another storage shelf 43 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the stacker crane 5 of the present embodiment moves the storage object G together with the bucket B, and includes a fork portion (not shown) that holds the bucket B. Further, the stacker crane 5 includes a stock portion 52 that holds the empty bucket BE, and the stock portion 52 also includes a fork portion (not shown). These fork parts are driven separately from each other. Then, when there is a storage request or a rearrangement request, the real bucket BF is taken out from the storage station 31 or the storage shelf 43, and then an empty bucket BE is transferred from the stock unit 52 to the storage station 31 or the storage shelf. 43.

This automatic warehouse-type article temporary storage device 1 is controlled by a control device (not shown). The control device may be provided with hardware resources such as a CPU, a main memory, an auxiliary storage device, and a communication interface, such as a general-purpose personal computer or workstation, and these may be controlled by a controller. Alternatively, dedicated hardware may be used.

Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1 controlled by the control device will be described.

In the initial state, the empty bucket BE is accommodated in all the storage shelves 43 including the loading / unloading stations 31 and 32, and one empty bucket BE is also held in the stock portion 52 of the stacker crane 5. That is, the total number of empty buckets BE in the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1 is basically “total number of storage shelves 43 + 1”.

From this state, the warehousing person H2 uses the operation terminal device (not shown) or the like to contact the information about the storage target item G (for example, the ID and contact information of the sender H1 (shop), and the ID of the warehousing person H2 (courier)) First, the ID and contact information of the issuer H3 and the recipient H4 (requester), the name of the article G to be stored and the storage method at room temperature / refrigeration, the number of the exit and the desired conditions (the exit And how much you want to go out at that date / time and how you want to go out at that date / time. When a refusal condition (a possibility of not leaving at that date / time or time zone)) is input, the control device stores the contents.

When a series of information input by the warehousing person H2 is completed, one door 33 of the warehousing and receiving stations 31 and 32 is opened, and the warehousing person H2 is stored in the bucket B prepared in advance in the warehousing and receiving stations 31 and 32. The goods storage operation is completed by putting the article G and closing the door 33. In other words, after the warehousing person H2 makes a warehousing request at the operation terminal device, the warehousing station 31 is notified of which of the plurality of warehousing stations 31 is warehousing. Then, the warehousing person H2 goes to the place and opens the outer open / close door 33 of the storage shelf 43 (entry / exit stations 31 and 32), and then stores the articles G to be stored in the storage shelf 43.

From this state, the control device of the automatic warehouse type temporary article storage device 1 controls the stacker crane 5 as follows. Further, when there is a storage request from the operation terminal device, the stacker crane 5 takes out the actual bucket BF from the storage station 31 as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 moves up and down, and as shown in FIG. 4B, the empty bucket BE is supplied from the stock portion 52 of the stacker crane 5 to the warehouse station 31.

Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 moves the actual bucket BF to the storage shelf 43 where it should be stored. At that time, as shown in FIG. 4C, the stock section 52 of the stacker crane 5 takes out the empty bucket BE from the storage shelf 43. Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 moves up and down, and the actual bucket BF is supplied from the stacker crane 5 to the storage shelf 43 as shown in FIG.

The storage shelf 43 to be moved is determined based on the information input at the time of warehousing. For example, the storage shelf 43 to which the storage target article G (actual bucket BF) is moved is determined based on information such as from which outlet port the customer wants to leave the warehouse and at what date and time. Specifically, an actual bucket BF having a date and time to be delivered from the delivery port is arranged on the storage shelf 43 in the vicinity of the one delivery port. Conversely, items that are not scheduled to be released for a while due to the setting of the refusal date and time conditions, etc. may be stored at a position away from the exit.

Further, when there is a delivery request from the operation terminal device or the like, the stacker crane 5 moves the actual bucket BF from the storage shelf 43 to the delivery station 32 in the reverse manner to the above-described entry. Specifically, the stacker crane 5 takes out the actual bucket BF from the storage shelf 43 after the shipper H3 makes a shipping request with the operation terminal device.

Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 moves in the vertical direction, and the empty bucket BE is supplied from the stock portion 52 of the stacker crane 5 to the storage shelf 43. After the stacker crane 5 has moved up, down, left and right from this state, the stacker crane 5 takes out the empty bucket BE from the delivery station 32. Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 moves up and down, and the actual bucket BF is supplied from the stacker crane 5 to the delivery station 32.

In addition, the control apparatus of an automatic warehouse alert | reports which delivery station 32 is delivered from among the several delivery stations 32. FIG. The goods issuer H3 goes to the place and opens the outer open / close door 33 of the storage shelf 43 (the entry / exit stations 31, 32), so that the article G to be stored can be taken out.

The automatic warehouse-type article temporary storage device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an entry station 31, an exit station 32, a plurality of storage shelves 43, and a stacker crane 5 that moves between them to transfer articles to be stored G. And an automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device 1 including a plurality of buckets B in which the storage object G is accommodated and detachable with respect to each storage shelf 43, wherein the bucket B It is used only between the station 31, the delivery station 32 and the storage shelf 43.

Therefore, it is easy to manage the bucket B, and is particularly suitable for the automatic warehouse type article temporary storage device 1 placed in a public place as in the present embodiment. Furthermore, since the bucket B of the same size / shape is used, it can be appropriately transported by the stacker crane 5 regardless of the shape of the article G to be stored. “Only between the entry station, the exit station and the storage shelf” refers to the entire space of the automatic warehouse including these, and does not exclude traveling transfer equipment such as a stacker crane.

The bucket B may be used as an empty bucket BE that contains nothing inside, or may be used as an actual bucket BF that contains the article G to be stored inside. The stacker crane 5 A stock unit 52 for holding an empty bucket BE is provided, and when there is a warehouse request, the stock bucket 52 is taken into the stock station 31 from which the real bucket BF is taken out after the real bucket BF is taken out from the warehouse station 31. To supply empty bucket BE.

Therefore, there is no useless movement in the stacker crane 5, and the process associated with warehousing can be executed efficiently. In addition, since the empty bucket BE is supplied in exchange for the actual bucket BF to the warehousing station 31, the waiting time at the warehousing port is reduced compared to the case where an empty bucket is placed at the warehousing station after the warehousing request is made, It can respond to continuous warehousing requests.

In particular, in the present embodiment, after the storage shelf 43 to be stored is determined, the empty bucket BE is taken out from the storage shelf 43 to the stock unit 52, and then the storage bucket 43 from which the empty bucket BE has been taken out is stored. Supply actual bucket BF. In some cases, after the actual bucket BF previously stored from the storage shelf 43 where the actual bucket BF is stored is taken out to the stock unit 52, the actual bucket BF previously stored is taken out. The actual bucket BF that is desired to be stored this time may be supplied to the stored shelf 43. That is, a plurality of actual buckets BF may be exchanged via the stacker crane 5.

If it is such, in order to make the movement of the stacker crane 5 efficient, the actual bucket BF can be moved among the plurality of storage shelves 43. In other words, compared to the conventional method of sequentially filling the empty storage shelves 43, an effect is obtained that the actual buckets BF can be easily arranged at a preferred location among the plurality of storage shelves 43. Therefore, it is preferable when determining a storage shelf 43 for storing the storage target article G based on information given by a client as in the present embodiment.

In addition, the automatic warehouse 1 of the present embodiment takes out the actual bucket BF from the storage shelf 43 when a delivery request is made, and then transfers the actual bucket BF from the stock unit 52 to the storage shelf 43 from which the actual bucket BF has been extracted. Supply empty bucket BE. After moving to the exit station, the empty bucket BE is taken out from the exit station 32 to the stock unit 52, and the actual bucket BF is supplied to the exit station 32 from which the empty bucket BE has been taken out.

Therefore, there is no useless movement in the stacker crane 5, and the process associated with the delivery can be executed efficiently. Note that after the storage object G is taken out from the bucket B at the delivery station 32, it remains at the delivery station 32 as an empty bucket BE. Therefore, as in the present embodiment, if the warehousing station 31 and the warehousing station 32 are used together, it can be immediately regarded as a standby state in which the storage object G can be warehousing.

In the present embodiment, an automatic warehouse is used as a temporary storage locker for parcel delivery service, etc. Each time the storage object G is received, the information given by the client is linked to the storage object G. Since the control is performed using the function, the convenience can be improved, and it is possible to cope with the congestion when a large number of people temporarily receive. Furthermore, since the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment includes a plurality of loading / unloading stations 31 and 32, the processing amount of the articles G to be stored in and out of the automatic warehouse type temporary article storage device 1 can be dramatically increased. Can do. In addition, it cannot be overemphasized that the stacker crane 5 can perform the rearrangement operation | work of the storage object goods G already received in the time slot | zone when there is no warehousing work and warehousing work.

Further, the automatic warehouse-type temporary storage device 1 of the present embodiment, after taking out the actual bucket BF from the storage shelf 43 when there is a mechanical automatic rearrangement or an artificial rearrangement request, An empty bucket BE is supplied from the stock unit 52 to the storage shelf 43. In other words, after taking out the actual bucket BF from the storage shelf 43, the empty bucket BE is supplied from the stock unit 52 to the storage shelf 43 from which the actual bucket BF was taken out. Control according to control can be performed.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

The traveling transfer device is not limited to the stacker crane described above. That is, the traveling type transfer device may be a device such as an automatic guided vehicle in addition to a device that linearly moves along a predetermined route. Moreover, you may set a stock | stock part in which side among the two crane parts driven separately. Furthermore, you may make it switch a stock part suitably between two crane parts during a series of operation | movement. In addition, the two crane parts provided with the stock part on one side can be variously modified such as being arranged side by side in addition to the one arranged vertically. Further, a plurality of stock units may be provided.

The entry station and the exit station may be provided separately. Moreover, you may provide in places other than a storage shelf. Further, the number of entry / exit stations may be one or more. Further, the arrangement can be variously changed.

The arrangement of the racks in the automatic warehouse is not limited to the illustrated one, and various changes can be made. For example, a rack may be formed across the lower floor and the upper floor.

The size and shape of the bucket are not limited to those shown in the drawings, and may be anything. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the bottom side is illustrated so as to be engaged (held) with the storage shelf. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the locking part is the side or opening side (upper end side) of the bucket. ) May be formed. Further, the manner in which the engaging portion is engaged with the storage shelf is not limited to the one placed on the shelf plate, and may be held only by the shelf receiver as shown in the prior art document. The storage shelf of the present invention is a name for a space in which a bucket can be accommodated, and may be one that does not include a shelf board, that is, one that supports the bucket only by a shelf holder.

The buckets used in the automatic warehouse may not all have the same size / shape. For example, two types of buckets having different depths may be used. In this case, it is preferable to have two stock sections so that one type of empty bucket can be kept on standby.

In the embodiment described above, the case where the automatic warehouse of the present invention is applied to a locker has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to temporary storage of luggage at a hotel front and temporary storage of parts used for assembly in a factory. The temporary storage of luggage at the front desk of a hotel (event venue) is that the collection of luggage will be concentrated at the end time of the event, but if you use the automatic warehouse according to the lockers mentioned above, many people will temporarily Can cope with congestion when receiving and receiving. Further, in the manufacturing factory, it is possible to improve the work efficiency by collecting the articles to be stored at the delivery station at a date and time convenient for each product number or work. Further, the locker is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made, for example, by using a locker having a loading / unloading port formed in a pull-out manner.

In addition to the function of placing the storage target article from the warehousing station to the storage shelf, the traveling transfer apparatus described above has the storage target article from a storage shelf in which the storage target article is stored to another storage shelf. Had the ability to rearrange. If it is such, the storage shelf near the delivery station can be used effectively according to the desired delivery time zone, and congestion at the delivery port can be alleviated. In the case of a home delivery locker, it may be rearranged in consideration of the pick-up time desired by each issuer, and in the case of a hotel reception, it may be rearranged in consideration of the end time of each event.

In the above-described embodiment, as an example of the delivery locker, the case where the sender is a store, the warehousing person is a courier, and the delivery person and the recipient are one individual (requester) is assumed, but various other situations are assumed. For example, there may be a situation where the sender and the warehousing person are one person (requester), the tying person is a courier, and the recipient is a store or one person other than the client or the client. It should be noted that the information used for controlling the automatic warehouse is different from the automatic warehouse-type temporary article storage device that stores the articles to be stored. It may be possible to specify the exit port group. If it is such, it will become possible to receive a storage object in a desired place by having a delivery company move a storage object from one to another automatic warehouse.

The embodiment disclosed this time is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the scope described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

The present invention can be used for an automatic warehouse used as a temporary article storage device.

1 ... Automatic warehouse type temporary storage equipment (automatic warehouse)
31 ... Incoming station 32 ... Outgoing station 43 ... Storage shelf 5 ... Stacker crane (traveling transfer equipment)
52 ... Stock part B ... Bucket BE ... Empty bucket BF ... Real bucket G ... Goods to be stored

Claims (2)

Warehousing station, unloading station, a plurality of storage shelves, a traveling type transfer device that moves between them to transfer articles to be stored, and stores the articles to be stored in each storage shelf An automatic warehouse with a plurality of detachable buckets,
The automatic warehouse, wherein the bucket is used only between the warehouse station, the warehouse station, and the storage shelf. The bucket may be used as an empty bucket that contains nothing inside, or may be used as an actual bucket that contains the article to be stored inside,
The traveling transfer device includes a stock unit that holds the empty bucket,
When there is a warehousing request or a rearrangement request, after the real bucket is taken out from the warehousing station or the storage shelf, an empty bucket is supplied from the stock unit to the warehousing station or the storage shelf. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1.

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