JP2019112149A - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

To smoothly carry out a picking-up work of a transferring object stored in a storage portion.SOLUTION: A control device 52 for an automatic warehouse 10 measures a distance from a transfer machine 40 to a transferring object W1 in a slide movement direction Y1, and calculates a stroke amount of a hooking part 50 to be made by a shifting unit 42 on the basis of the measured distance. The shifting unit 42 makes the hooking part 50 stroke, in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to a mast 18, as much stroke amount as calculated by the control device 52. For this reason, the hooking part 50 can normally hook into a hooked part 25 even if the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transferring object W1 stored in a storage portion 14 is different between an upper section and a lower section of a shelf 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse.

  In the automatic warehouse, a shelf having a plurality of storage sections for storing transfer objects in the vertical direction, a transfer machine for transferring the transfer objects into and out of the storage section, and extending and lowering the transfer machines can be vertically moved. And a stacker crane having a supporting mast. The transfer machine performs a unloading operation for taking out the transfer load from the storage unit and a loading operation for storing the transfer load in the storage unit.

  By the way, conventionally, there is generally known an automatic warehouse in which a transfer load is scooped up by a slide fork and the transfer load is taken in and out of a storage section of a rack. However, in such an automatic warehouse, when the transfer load is lifted by the slide fork, a space is required to prevent the transfer load from interfering with the shelf, and the space is secured. The number of storage units in the shelf is reduced.

  Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, when the transferred object is taken in and out of the storage unit of the shelf, the hook provided on the transfer machine without scooping the transferred object by the slide fork It has been considered to slide the transfer object in the horizontal direction with respect to the storage part of the shelf in a state in which the part is hooked to the to-be-held part of the transfer object.

  In such a case, the transfer machine has a shift unit that causes the hook portion to move in the sliding direction of the storage object in the transfer object with respect to the mast. Then, in the transfer machine, the shift unit causes the hook to move in the slide movement direction with respect to the storage part of the transfer object with respect to the mast, and the hook is hooked to the hook. By moving the transfer object, the transfer object is slid horizontally with respect to the storage unit, and the transfer object is taken in and out of the storage unit. According to this, as in the configuration in which the transfer load is picked up by the slide fork and the transfer load is taken in and out of the storage section of the shelf, a space is avoided to prevent the transfer load from interfering with the shelf. There is no need for this, and the number of shelf storage units can be increased.

JP-A-8-151103

  By the way, the shelf or the mast may be inclined in the sliding movement direction with respect to the storage unit in the transfer object in the vertical direction. When the shelf or the mast is inclined in the sliding movement direction with respect to the storage part in the transfer object with respect to the vertical direction, in the sliding movement direction with respect to the storage part in the transfer object, There is a gap between the distance from the transfer machine to the object and the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object stored in the lower storage section of the shelf.

  In a state in which this shift occurs, for example, when carrying out the unloading work of the transfer load stored in the upper storage section, the shift unit unloads the transfer load stored in the lower storage section. If the hooking portion is made to stroke by the same stroke amount as the stroke amount of the hooking portion by the shift unit when performing the operation, the hooking portion may not be hooked normally to the hooked portion. If the hooking part is not properly hooked on the hooked part during the unloading operation, it is necessary to perform processing such as stopping the system because an abnormality has occurred, and the unloading operation can not be performed smoothly. It will

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic warehouse capable of smoothly carrying out the unloading work of the transferred items stored in the storage unit. is there.

  The automatic warehouse which solves the above-mentioned subject extends in the up-and-down direction the shelf which has a storage section which stores transfer goods in the upper and lower direction, the transfer machine which takes in and out the transfer goods with respect to the storage part, And a stacker crane having a mast for supporting the transfer machine so as to be able to move up and down, and the transfer machine is provided with a hook portion hooked to a hooked portion of the transfer object, and the hook portion against the mast A shift unit for causing a stroke in the direction of sliding movement of the transfer object relative to the storage unit, and the shifting unit strokes the hooking portion in the sliding movement direction with respect to the mast, and the hooking portion An automatic warehouse which slides the transferred object in the horizontal direction with respect to the storage portion by moving the hook portion in the horizontal direction in a state in which the hook portion is hooked to the hooked portion And the stroke of the hooking portion by the shift unit based on the distance measured by the distance measuring unit and the distance measuring unit for measuring the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object in the slide movement direction. And a stroke amount calculation unit that calculates the amount.

  According to this, since the shift unit causes the hook portion to move in the slide movement direction with respect to the storage portion in the transfer object with respect to the mast by the stroke amount calculated by the stroke amount calculation portion, the shift unit stored in the storage portion Even if the distance from the transfer machine with respect to the loading place deviates between the upper and lower sides of the shelf, the hooking portion can be normally hooked on the hooked portion. As a result, it is possible to smoothly carry out the unloading work of the transfer load stored in the storage unit.

  In the above-mentioned automatic warehouse, the shelf has a shelf board on which the transfer object is placed, and a column which is erected in the vertical direction and supports the shelf board, and the distance measurement unit It is preferable to have a distance measurement sensor disposed at a position facing the support in the sliding movement direction.

  According to this, the distance measuring unit measures the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object based on the detection signal from the distance measurement sensor. Therefore, the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object can be measured in the slide movement direction of the transfer object with respect to the storage unit regardless of the size and shape of the transfer object.

  In the above-mentioned automatic warehouse, as for the above-mentioned distance measurement part, as the above-mentioned transfer machine raises and lowers along the above-mentioned mast by the above-mentioned stacker crane, the above-mentioned transfer machine carries out It is preferable to measure the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object in the slide movement direction each time it arrives at the removal work position.

  According to this, since the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object can be always measured in real time, it is possible to cope with the change in the amount of inclination of the shelf or the mast due to the secular change. As a result, the hooking portion can be normally hooked on the hooked portion.

  According to this invention, it is possible to smoothly carry out the unloading work of the transfer load stored in the storage section.

The side view showing the automatic warehouse in an embodiment. (A) is a perspective view which shows a part of automatic warehouse, (b) is a perspective view which expands and shows the periphery of a hook part. The block diagram which shows the electric constitution of an automatic warehouse. The flowchart for demonstrating control of a control apparatus. The side view which shows a part of automatic warehouse. The side view which shows a part of automatic warehouse. The perspective view which expands and shows the periphery of a hook part and a hook part. The perspective view which shows a part of automatic warehouse which is carrying out the unloading operation | work of the transfer-load thing stored in the storage part located in the upper stage of a shelf. The perspective view which shows a part of automatic warehouse which is carrying out the unloading operation | work of the transfer-load thing stored in the storage part located in the lower stage of a shelf.

Hereinafter, one embodiment which materialized an automatic warehouse is described according to FIGS. 1-9. In addition, the automatic warehouse of embodiment described below is used by automatic conveyance-type osteial hall.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 (a), the automatic warehouse 10 is provided with a shelf 11. As shown in FIG. 2A, the shelf 11 is composed of a plurality of support columns 12 and a plurality of shelf plates 13. The plurality of columns 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the continuous direction indicated by arrow X1 in FIG. 2A, and are arranged in two rows at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction indicated by arrow Y1. . The plurality of columns 12 are in the form of a square column vertically erected as indicated by the arrow Z1. The plurality of columns 12 extend in the vertical direction parallel to one another.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each shelf board 13 is in the shape of an elongated plate. One end of each shelf board 13 is fixed to one of the pillars 12 adjacent in the front-rear direction, and the other end of each shelf board 13 is fixed to the other one of the pillars 12 adjacent in the front-rear direction. A plurality of shelf boards 13 are bridged over the columns 12 adjacent in the front-rear direction at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. Thus, the support 12 supports the shelf board 13. Shelf plates 13 adjacent in the vertical direction extend parallel to one another. A plurality of shelf boards 13 are arranged in a row direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A, the shelf 11 has a plurality of storage sections 14 configured by a plurality of support columns 12 and a plurality of shelf boards 13. The plurality of storage units 14 are arranged in a row direction and provided in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction. In each of the plurality of storage sections 14, the forceps 16, which is a load in which a bone marrow not shown is stored, is stored. The forceps 16 is in the shape of a long square box. In the present embodiment, the forceps 16 is housed in the housing portion 14 in a state of being placed on the forceps transfer container 20 which functions as a tray. The forceps 16 and the forceps transfer container 20 are the transfer object W1 stored in the storage unit 14. Therefore, the forceps transfer container 20 on which the forceps 16 and the forceps 16 are placed is accommodated in the accommodation portion 14 as a transfer object W1. The ladder transfer container 20 is placed on the top surface of the shelf board 13. Thus, the transfer object W1 is placed on the shelf board 13.

  The automated warehouse 10 is provided with a transfer machine 40 for moving in and out the transfer object W1 by sliding the transfer object W1 horizontally with respect to the storage unit 14. In the present embodiment, the slide movement direction with respect to the storage unit 14 in the transfer object W1 coincides with the front-rear direction. In the following description, “the slide movement direction of the transfer object W1 with respect to the storage unit 14” is simply referred to as “slide movement direction Y1”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic warehouse 10 is provided with a stacker crane 17. The stacker crane 17 includes a traveling carriage 17a capable of traveling on a traveling rail (not shown), a mast 18 vertically provided on the traveling carriage 17a and extending vertically, and an elevation carriage 19 disposed so as to be movable up and down with respect to the mast 18 And. The transfer device 40 is attached to the elevating carriage 19. The transferer 40 can be raised and lowered integrally with the lift carriage 19. Thus, the mast 18 extends vertically and supports the transferer 40 so as to be able to move up and down via the elevating carriage 19.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the transfer machine 40 has a base 41 attached to the elevating carriage 19 and a shift unit 42 that can make a stroke in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the base 41. There is. The base 41 has a flat substrate 41 a and a pair of guide rails 41 b erected from the substrate 41 a. The substrate 41a extends in the horizontal direction and has a rectangular plate shape in plan view. The substrate 41a is attached to the elevating carriage 19 in a state where the longitudinal direction of the substrate 41a coincides with the slide movement direction Y1.

  The pair of guide rails 41b is in the form of a long square plate which is erected in the direction orthogonal to the substrate 41a from both edges in the short direction of the substrate 41a. The pair of guide rails 41b extend in parallel with each other. The pair of guide rails 41b is provided on the substrate 41a in a state in which the longitudinal direction of each guide rail 41b matches the slide movement direction Y1.

  The shift unit 42 has a pair of drive belts 43. The pair of drive belts 43 are belt-shaped. The pair of drive belts 43 has the surface direction of the drive belt 43 aligned in the vertical direction, and is arranged in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The pair of drive belts 43 are arranged side by side in the series direction, the short direction of the pair of drive belts 43 coincides with the series direction, and the longitudinal direction of the pair of drive belts 43 coincides with the front and rear direction. The drive belt 43 may be a chain.

  The shift unit 42 has pulleys 44 a, 44 b, 44 c and 44 d disposed at the four corners of each drive belt 43 inside the respective drive belts 43. The rotation axes of the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d extend in the vertical direction. The drive belts 43 are wound around the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d, respectively.

  The shift unit 42 has a support plate 45 rotatably supporting the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d. The support plate 45 extends in the horizontal direction and has a rectangular plate shape in plan view. The support plate 45 is slidably supported in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the pair of guide rails 41b of the base 41 in a state where the longitudinal direction of the support plate 45 matches the slide movement direction Y1.

  The shift unit 42 has a mounting table 46 on which the transfer object W1 to be taken in and out from the storage unit 14 can be mounted. The mounting table 46 is flat and is disposed above the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d. The mounting table 46 is supported by the support plate 45.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the transfer machine 40 has two hook portions 50. As shown in FIG. Each hooking portion 50 is attached to each drive belt 43 by a screw or the like (not shown). Furthermore, the transfer machine 40 has a shift unit drive motor 47 that moves the shift unit 42 in the slide movement direction Y1. The shift unit drive motor 47 is attached to the substrate 41 a of the base 41. The output shaft of the shift unit drive motor 47 is connected to the support plate 45, for example, via a ball screw (not shown). The ball screw converts the rotation of the output shaft of the shift unit drive motor 47 into the stroke motion of the shift unit 42.

  The shift unit 42 includes drive belt drive motors 48 used to drive the drive belts 43. Specifically, each drive belt drive motor 48 drives one of the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d. The drive belt drive motors 48 are attached to the surface of the support plate 45 opposite to the pulleys 44 a, 44 b, 44 c and 44 d.

  When one of the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d is driven by the drive belt drive motor 48, the drive belt 43 is driven in a state of being wound around the pulleys 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d. With the drive of the drive belts 43, the hooking portions 50 move integrally with the drive belts 43 in the horizontal direction and in the extending direction of the drive belts 43.

  Each hook 50 strokes in the slide movement direction Y1 integrally with the shift unit 42 as the shift unit 42 strokes in the slide movement direction Y1. Thus, the shift unit 42 causes each hook 50 to stroke relative to the mast 18 in the slide movement direction Y1.

  When a worshiper visits the automatic conveyance type ossian, the transfer machine 40 conveys the forceps 16 to the altar or tombstone in a state where the forceps 16 are taken out from the storage unit 14 of the shelf 11 and placed on the mounting table 46. Then, when the worshiper finishes the worship, the forceps 16 are returned to the storage section 14 of the shelf 11.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the forceps transfer container 20 includes a hooked portion 25 (hook) to which the hooking portion 50 of the transferer 40 is hooked. Therefore, each hooking portion 50 is hooked to the hooked portion 25 of the transfer object W1. The forceps transfer container 20 is stored in the storage portion 14 such that the portion to be hooked 25 is disposed in the slide movement direction Y1.

  Then, the automatic warehouse 10 causes each hook portion 50 to move in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the mast 18 by the shift unit 42 and hooks each hook portion 50 to the hooked portion 25. The transfer object W <b> 1 is slid in the horizontal direction with respect to the storage unit 14 by moving in the horizontal direction.

  The automatic warehouse 10 has a distance measurement sensor 51. The distance measurement sensor 51 is attached to the substrate 41 a of the base 41. The distance measurement sensor 51 is disposed at a position facing the support 12 in the slide movement direction Y1. The distance measurement sensor 51 has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit of laser light. The laser light emitted from the light emitting unit is reflected by the support 12 and received by the light receiving unit. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the automatic warehouse 10 has a control device 52. The controller 52 is disposed, for example, on the side surface of the mast 18.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 52 is electrically connected to the distance measurement sensor 51, the shift unit drive motor 47, and each drive belt drive motor 48. A detection signal of the laser light received by the light receiving unit of the distance measurement sensor 51 is transmitted to the control device 52. The control device 52 stores in advance a measurement program for measuring the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 based on the detection signal transmitted from the distance measurement sensor 51. .

  Since the transfer object W1 is stored at a predetermined position with respect to the storage unit 14, the control device 52 transfers the transfer object in the slide movement direction Y1 based on the detection signal transmitted from the distance measurement sensor 51. The distance from the transfer machine 40 to W1 can be measured. Therefore, the distance measurement sensor 51 and the control device 52 constitute a distance measurement unit that measures the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1. Therefore, the automated warehouse 10 includes a distance measuring unit, and the distance measuring unit includes a distance measuring sensor 51.

  The control device 52 stores in advance a calculation program for calculating the stroke amount of each hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 based on the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1. Therefore, the control device 52 also functions as a stroke amount calculating unit that calculates the stroke amount of the hooking unit 50 by the shift unit 42 based on the distance measured by the distance measuring unit. Therefore, the automated warehouse 10 is provided with a stroke amount calculation unit.

  The control device 52 transmits a control signal for driving the shift unit drive motor 47 to the shift unit drive motor 47 based on the calculated stroke amount. Then, the shift unit drive motor 47 causes the shift unit 42 to make a stroke based on the control signal transmitted from the control device 52.

  The control device 52 also transmits control signals for driving the drive belt drive motors 48 to the drive belt drive motors 48. Then, each drive belt drive motor 48 drives each drive belt 43 based on the control signal transmitted from the control device 52.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer machine 40 is moved up and down along the mast 18 by the stacker crane 17, and the transfer machine 40 is at the unloading operation position with respect to the transfer object W1 which is the target of the unloading operation. At step S10, the controller 52 measures the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, specifically, the control device 52 slides based on a detection signal of the laser light emitted from the light emitting portion of the distance measurement sensor 51, reflected by the support 12 and received by the light receiving portion. The distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the moving direction Y1 is measured.

  In the present embodiment, in the control device 52, the transfer machine 40 moves up and down along the mast 18 by the stacker crane 17, and the transfer machine 40 unloads the transfer object W1 which is the target of the unloading operation. Every time the work position is reached, the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 is measured.

  The hooking portion 50 is provided at a predetermined portion of the transfer machine 40, and the hooked portion 25 is provided at a predetermined portion of the transfer object W1. Therefore, if the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 is measured, the distance from the hooking portion 50 to the hooked portion 25 in the slide movement direction Y1 is uniquely determined.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 52 calculates the stroke amount of each hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 in step S11. Specifically, control device 52 calculates the stroke amount of each hooking portion 50 by shift unit 42 based on the distance from transfer machine 40 to transfer object W1 in slide movement direction Y1 measured in step S10. .

  The control device 52 drives the shift unit drive motor 47 in step S12 to make the shift unit 42 stroke. Specifically, the control device 52 transmits a control signal for driving the shift unit drive motor 47 to the shift unit drive motor 47 based on the stroke amount calculated in step S11.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the shift unit drive motor 47 strokes the shift unit 42 toward the rack 11 in the slide movement direction Y1 based on the control signal transmitted from the control device 52.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 52 drives the drive belt drive motors 48 in step S13 to drive the drive belts 43. Specifically, the control device 52 transmits a control signal for driving each drive belt drive motor 48 to each drive belt drive motor 48.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the drive belt drive motors 48 drive the drive belts 43 based on the control signal transmitted from the control device 52, and the pair of hooking portions 50 are brought closer to each other in the run direction. Move horizontally to Then, the pair of hooking portions 50 is hooked on the hooked portion 25.

  Then, the pair of drive belts 43 is driven, and the pair of hooking portions 50 horizontally move in the direction in which the pair of hooks approach each other, and further, the pair of driving belts 43 is driven and the pair of hooking portions 50 are It moves in a direction away from the shelf 11 in the slide movement direction Y1. Then, the pair of hooking portions 50 pulls the forceps transfer container 20 in a state of being hooked to the hooked portions 25. Then, the transfer object W1 slides in the horizontal direction with respect to the storage unit 14 by the transfer machine 40, and the transfer object W1 is taken out from the storage unit 14. Then, the transfer object W1 is mounted on the mounting table 46 of the transfer device 40. In this manner, the unloading work of the transfer load W1 stored in the storage unit 14 is performed.

  In a state where the transfer object W1 is placed on the mounting table 46 of the transfer machine 40, the control device 52 also performs steps S10 to S13 when carrying out the loading operation for storing the transfer object W1 in the storage unit 14. Process up to In the loading operation, the control device 52 drives the drive belt drive motors 48 in step S13 to drive the pair of drive belts 43, and the pair of hooking portions 50 move in the slide movement direction Y1. Move in the direction approaching to 11. Then, the pair of hooking portions 50 moves in a direction approaching the shelf 11 in a state of being hooked to the hooked portion 25, and the pair of hooking portions 50 move the container 20 for forceps transfer to the storage portion 14. Push down.

  Then, the pair of drive belts 43 is driven, and the pair of hooking portions 50 horizontally move in a direction to separate from each other in the connecting direction, and the pair of hooking portions 50 are both outer sides in the connecting direction Then, the pair of hooking portions 50 is released from the hooked state with respect to the hooked portion 25. Thus, the loading operation for storing the transfer object W1 in the storage unit 14 is completed.

  Also in the case where the transfer work W1 is stored in the storage unit 14, the control device 52 performs the processing of steps S10 to S13. Therefore, the transfer work W1 is previously determined for the storage unit 14 It is stored in a predetermined position with respect to the storage unit 14 without being stored in the storage unit 14 or falling from the shelf 11 in a state of being deviated from the above position.

  Thus, the transfer load W1 moves in the horizontal direction with respect to the storage portion 14 by the pair of hooks 50 moving in the horizontal direction with the pair of hooks 50 being hooked on the hooked portion 25. The loading and unloading of the transfer object W1 with respect to the storage unit 14 by the transfer device 40 is performed.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the shelf 11 may be inclined in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the vertical direction. In FIG. 1, the shelf 11 is inclined by an angle θ1 toward the stacker crane 17 in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the vertical direction. When the rack 11 is inclined in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the vertical direction, in the slide movement direction Y1, the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 stored in the storage portion 14 in the upper stage of the shelf 11 There is a shift in the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 stored in the lower storage 14 of the shelf 11. At this time, the shift unit 42 causes the hook portion 50 to stroke in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the mast 18 by the stroke amount calculated by the control device 52.

  In FIGS. 8 and 9, the state before the stroke in the shift unit 42 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the state after the stroke in the shift unit 42 is indicated by a solid line. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the stroke amount L1 of the hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 when carrying out the unloading work of the transferred object W1 stored in the storage portion 14 positioned in the upper stage of the shelf 11 is It is smaller than the stroke amount L2 of each hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 when the transfer work W1 stored in the storage portion 14 positioned at the lower stage of the shelf 11 is unloaded.

  Therefore, for example, when carrying out the unloading operation of the transferred object W1 stored in the upper storage portion 14, the unloading operation of the transferred object W1 stored in the lower storage portion 14 by the shift unit 42 There is no possibility that the hooking portion 50 is made to stroke by the same stroke amount as the stroke amount of the hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 when performing the above. Therefore, even if the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 stored in the storage unit 14 is shifted between the upper stage and the lower stage of the shelf 11, the hooking unit 50 is relative to the hooked unit 25. It is hooked normally.

The following effects can be obtained in the above embodiment.
(1) The shift unit 42 causes the hook portion 50 to stroke in the slide movement direction Y1 with respect to the mast 18 by the stroke amount calculated by the control device 52. For this reason, even if the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer load W1 stored in the storage unit 14 is shifted between the upper stage and the lower stage of the shelf 11, the hook portion 50 with respect to the hooked portion 25 It can be hooked normally. As a result, the unloading work of the transfer load W1 stored in the storage unit 14 can be smoothly performed.

  (2) The distance measurement sensor 51 is disposed at a position facing the support 12 in the slide movement direction Y1. The control device 52 measures the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 based on the detection signal from the distance measurement sensor 51. Therefore, the distance from the transfer device 40 to the transfer object W1 can be measured in the slide movement direction Y1 regardless of the size and the shape of the transfer object W1.

  (3) In the control device 52, the transfer machine 40 ascends and descends along the mast 18 by the stacker crane 17, and the transfer machine 40 unloads the transfer object W1 to be subjected to the unloading operation. The distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 is measured each time it arrives at. According to this, since the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 can be always measured in real time, it is possible to cope with the change in the amount of inclination of the shelf 11 due to the secular change. As a result, the hooking portion 50 can be hooked on the hooked portion 25 normally.

  (4) According to the automatic warehouse 10 of the present embodiment, it is considered that the system is stopped or the like because an abnormality has occurred without the hooking portion 50 being properly hooked on the hooked portion 25 during the unloading operation. The frequency of carrying out can be reduced, and the loading operation can be performed efficiently.

  (5) Since the hooking portion 50 can be normally hooked on the hooked portion 25, contact noise between the hooking portion 50 and the hooked portion 25 and the transfer object W1 can be suppressed. Moreover, it can suppress that the hook part 50 contacts the transfer thing W1, and the transfer thing W1 is damaged.

  (6) The control device 52 also performs the processing of steps S10 to S13 when the loading operation of storing the transfer object W1 in the storage unit 14 is performed. Therefore, the transfer object W1 is stored without the transfer object W1 being stored in the storage portion 14 in a state of being shifted from the predetermined position with respect to the storage portion 14 or falling from the shelf 11. It can be stored at a predetermined position with respect to the unit 14.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows.
In the embodiment, the control device 52 controls the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 every time the transfer device 40 arrives at the unloading operation position with respect to the transfer object W1 targeted for the unloading operation. The distance from the transfer device 40 may not be measured. For example, when the loading and unloading work of the transfer object W1 stored in the storage unit 14 positioned at the middle level of the shelf 11, the control device 52 controls the transfer machine 40 to load the transfer object W1. When arriving at the removal work position, it is not necessary to measure the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1. In this case, the control device 52 stores the stroke amount L1 of the hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 when carrying out the unloading work of the transferred object W1 stored in the storage portion 14 in the upper stage and the storage portion 14 in the lower stage. The stroke amount is estimated from the stroke amount L2 of each hooking portion 50 by the shift unit 42 when performing the unloading work of the transferred object W1. Then, the control device 52 causes the shift unit 42 to stroke based on the estimated stroke amount. According to this, when carrying out the unloading work of the transferred object W1 stored in the storage unit 14 positioned in the middle stage of the shelf 11, the control device 52 transfers the transferred object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1. Since the distance from the loading machine 40 is not measured, the cycle time of the unloading operation can be shortened.

  In the embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 51 may be disposed at a position facing the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1. For example, the laser light emitted from the light emitting unit of the distance measurement sensor 51 is reflected by the transfer object W1 and received by the light receiving unit, and the control device 52 detects the laser light received by the light receiving unit. The distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 is measured.

  In the embodiment, the control device 52 controls the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 every time the transfer device 40 arrives at the unloading operation position with respect to the transfer object W1 targeted for the unloading operation. The distance from the transfer device 40 may not be measured. For example, every time the control device 52 measures the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1, the control data is stored, and when the same transfer object W1 is unloaded again. Alternatively, without performing the measurement, control of the unloading operation may be performed using stored data. According to this, it is possible to shorten the cycle time of the unloading operation.

  In the embodiment, instead of the distance measurement sensor 51, for example, a camera may be used. Then, the control device 52 may measure the distance from the transfer device 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1 based on the image captured by the camera. In this case, the camera and control device 52 constitute a distance measurement unit that measures the distance from the transfer machine 40 to the transfer object W1 in the slide movement direction Y1.

In the embodiment, the shelf 11 may be inclined to the side opposite to the stacker crane 17 in the slide movement direction Y1 in the vertical direction.
In the embodiment, the shelf 11 may not be inclined in the sliding movement direction Y1 with respect to the vertical direction, and the mast 18 may be inclined in the sliding movement direction Y1 with respect to the vertical direction.

In the embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 51 may use, for example, an ultrasonic wave.
In the embodiment, the forceps 16 may be stored in the storage unit 14 in a state of being placed directly on the shelf board 13 without using the forceps transfer container 20. In this case, the forceps 16 need to be provided with the hooked portion 25.

  In the embodiment, the automatic warehouse 10 is used in the automatic conveyance type osteial hall, but is not limited to this and may be used in a factory or the like. The point is that the load may be a load other than the forceps 16.

  W1: transfer material, 10: automatic warehouse, 11: shelf, 12: support column, 13: shelf plate, 14: storage portion, 17: stacker crane, 18: mast, 25: hooked portion, 40: transfer machine, 42: shift unit, 50: hooking portion, 51: distance measuring sensor, 52: control device which constitutes a distance measuring portion and also functions as a stroke amount calculating portion.

Claims (3)

A shelf having a plurality of storage sections for storing transfer objects in the vertical direction;
A transfer machine for moving the transfer object into and out of the storage unit;
A stacker crane having a mast extending in the vertical direction and supporting the transfer machine so as to be able to move up and down;
The transfer machine is
A hook that is hooked to the hook of the transfer object;
And a shift unit for causing the hook portion to move in the sliding direction of the transfer object relative to the storage portion relative to the mast.
The transfer unit is moved by moving the hooking portion in a horizontal direction in a state in which the hooking portion is stroked in the sliding movement direction with respect to the mast by the shift unit and the hooking portion is hooked on the hooked portion. An automatic warehouse for sliding an object horizontally relative to the storage section,
A distance measuring unit that measures a distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object in the slide movement direction;
An automatic warehouse comprising: a stroke amount calculating unit which calculates a stroke amount of the hooking portion by the shift unit based on the distance measured by the distance measuring unit. The shelf has a shelf on which the transfer object is placed, and a column which is erected in the vertical direction and supports the shelf.
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the distance measurement unit has a distance measurement sensor disposed at a position facing the support column in the slide movement direction.   In the distance measuring unit, the transfer machine moves up and down along the mast by the stacker crane, and the transfer machine arrives at the unloading work position with respect to the transfer object to be subjected to the unloading operation. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance from the transfer machine to the transfer object in the slide movement direction is measured each time.