JP2020070142A - Transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a transfer apparatus which allows a safe and easy transfer of a load between containers to be performed either by using an automated device or manually, which is selected arbitrarily.SOLUTION: Under a load carry-out unit 1 is provided a load transfer work space 9 where a load carry-out container reception site 7 and a load carry-in container reception site 8 are arranged side-by-side in an X-direction in a movable region of picking heads 23, 25 as viewed in plan view; waiting areas Sa1, Sa2 for two movable rail members 17, 18 are set upward in respective outsides in a Y direction for the load transfer work space 9, the one waiting area Sa1 being a narrow waiting area where one movable rail member 17 close to the waiting area is allowed to wait, the other waiting area Sa2 being a wide waiting area where the two movable rail members 17, 18 are allowed to wait in a state adjacent to each other in the Y direction; and a load transfer work area 27 for an operator is set on a floor to the side of the narrow waiting area Sa1 with respect to the load transfer work space 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a transfer device that transfers a load from a container that is a target of unloading to a container that is a target of loading.

  In this type of transfer device, both ends of two movable rail members that are parallel to each other are fixed by two fixed rail members in the Y direction that are orthogonal to the X direction that is the length direction of these movable rail members. A movable body is supported so as to be able to move in parallel and laterally, and a movable body is supported on each of the two movable rail members so as to be capable of reciprocating in the X direction, and a picking head capable of lifting a load can be lifted up and down on each movable body. The loading / unloading unit provided is used. In the prior art document cited as Patent Document 1, a processing unit for a work is used in place of the picking head required for the load carrying-in / carrying-out unit, but it is replaced with a picking head for picking a load. For example, it can be used as a load / unload unit for lifting loads and unloading them to other places. In this case, the container receiving area for unloading and the container receiving area for unloading are set in the movable area of the picking head in the plan view below the unloading / importing unit.

JP, 2003-305672, A

  As described above, by using the configuration described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to configure a transfer device that transfers the load hung by the picking head from the container to be unloaded into the container to be loaded. Even if it can be easily done by those skilled in the art, the structure for efficiently performing the picking operation of the load from the container to be unloaded, and the manual loading without using the loading / unloading unit. Solving problems necessary for practical use, such as a configuration that enables transfer work to transfer loads from the container to be carried out to the container to be carried in safely and easily as needed Must.

The present invention proposes a transfer device capable of solving the above conventional problems, and the transfer device according to the present invention makes it easy to understand the relationship with the embodiments described later. For this reason, when the reference numerals used in the description of the embodiment are attached with parentheses, the two ends of the two movable rail members (17, 18) parallel to each other are referred to as the movable rail members (17, 18). ) Is supported by two fixed rail members (15, 16) in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction, which is the longitudinal direction, so as to be movable in parallel and laterally, and the two movable rail members (17, 18) A movable body (19, 21) is supported for reciprocating movement in the X direction, and a picking head (23, 25) capable of lifting a load is provided on each movable body (19, 21) so as to be vertically movable. In a transfer device equipped with a load / unload unit (1)
Under the load carrying-in / carrying-out unit (1), within the movable area of the picking head (23, 25) in plan view, the receiving place (7) of the container (Cy) to be carried out and the carrying-in target A loading and unloading work space (9) in which the container (Cx) receiving fields (8) are arranged in parallel in the X direction is provided, and the waiting areas (Sa1, Sa2) of the two movable rail members (17, 18) are One of the waiting areas (Sa1 and Sa2) is set to the upper outside of the load transfer work space (9) in the Y direction, and one of the waiting areas (Sa1) is close to the waiting area (Sa1). A state where only one movable rail member (17) on the side is set as a narrow standby area in which the other standby area (Sa2) adjoins the two movable rail members (17, 18) in the Y direction. A wide waiting area that can be made to stand by, and on the floor surface on the side where the narrow waiting area (Sa1) is located with respect to the load transferring work space (9) It has a structure in the rear (27) has been set.

  In the transfer device of the present invention having the above-described configuration, the container to be unloaded is loaded into the container receiving area to be loaded, and the container to be loaded is loaded into the container receiving area to be loaded, and if the work preparation is completed. The loading / unloading unit is operated so as to lift the lifting target load in the container of the loading / unloading target by the picking head. Specifically, the two movable rail members in the Y direction are laterally moved in the Y direction, and the movable body on each movable rail member is moved in the X direction on each movable rail member, so that the picking head included in each movable base is moved. It is positioned right above the lifting target load in the container to be unloaded, and then the picking head is lowered with respect to each movable body so that the lifting target load can be lifted. Next, the picking head is lifted to a predetermined height with respect to each movable body, the lifting target load is lifted by the picking head, and then the Y direction lateral movement of the two movable rail members and the movement on each movable rail member. By moving the movable body in the X direction, the load being lifted by the picking head is moved to a predetermined height above the container to be loaded, and then the picking head is lowered with respect to each movable body to lift the load. Are dropped into the container to be loaded and the picking heads are lifted after the picking heads are separated from the unloaded load.

  According to the transfer device of the present invention that can be used as described above, when the above-mentioned work preparation is completed, the two movable rail members in the Y direction are connected in parallel in the X direction to the container receiving area for the unloading target and the unloading target. The loading and unloading work space provided with a container receiving area can be divided into a waiting area above both outsides in the Y direction, that is, a narrow waiting area and a wide waiting area. At this time, it is desirable that the movable bodies on the movable rail members are moved to positions adjacent to both sides in the Y direction of the container receiving field where the work is to be started and which is the target of unloading. By thus keeping the two movable rail members on standby, the picking head of the movable body provided in each movable rail member can be moved forward and backward in the Y direction of the container to be unloaded that has been loaded into the container receiving area for loading and unloading. Since the load is distributed and arranged, the load on the front side in the Y direction of the load to be lifted in the container is lifted by the picking head waiting on the front side in the Y direction of the load target container, and the opposite side, that is, the Y direction. The load on the back side of can be lifted by a picking head that stands by on the back side of the container to be unloaded in the Y direction. Of course, various situations are conceivable, such as the case where the load to be hoisted in the container is biased to either the front and rear in the Y direction or the left and right in the X direction. The picking head can efficiently perform the lifting operation of the load, as compared with the case where the container to be carried out waits on either side before or after the Y direction.

  On the other hand, there are cases where the above-mentioned transfer work must be performed manually for some reason such as a failure of the picking head. In such a case, the worker's load transfer work area is set either before or after the Y direction with respect to the load transfer work space, and the worker stands in this load transfer work area and is seen by the worker. In the load transfer work space, the loads are manually transferred from the containers to be unloaded adjacent to the left and right in the X direction to the containers to be loaded, but on the side where this worker stands Y If one of the two movable rail members in the direction is positioned, the movable rail member interferes with the load transfer work performed by the operator. In order to avoid this phenomenon, when the movable rail member located immediately in front of the worker is moved to the back side, the movable rail member to be moved to the back side of the other movable rail member originally waiting on the back side is moved. Since it is located immediately before, it covers the back side of the container to be worked and interferes with the manual load transfer work.

  However, according to the above configuration of the present invention, when the above-mentioned transfer work has to be performed manually, there is a wide standby area in which two movable rail members can stand by in the state of being adjacent in the Y direction. Since it is provided on the side (back side) opposite to the side where the load transfer work area is located, both of the two movable rail members can be moved and waiting in this wide standby area. Therefore, one of the two movable rail members is positioned between the worker standing in the load transfer work area and the two containers arranged in parallel in the X direction in the load transfer work space, and the manual transfer is performed. There is no hindrance to the work, and the movable rail member, which is moved to the back side and is on standby, covers the back side of the load transfer work space and does not interfere with the manual transfer work. That is, the manual load transfer work can be performed safely and easily. Of course, it is possible to suppress the Y-direction length of the entire moving region of the two movable rail members in the Y-direction to a necessary minimum, and to prevent the transfer apparatus from increasing in size.

  In the case of carrying out the present invention, the movable body provided with the picking head capable of moving up and down may be provided in each of the two movable rail members (17, 18). Two movable bodies (19, 20 and 21, 22) are provided on each of the two movable rail members (17, 18), and the two movable bodies provided on each movable rail member (17, 18). (19, 20 and 21, 22) are located between both ends of each movable rail member (17, 18) so that they can be positioned adjacent to each other on either side of the movable rail member (17, 18). It can be installed so that it can reciprocate. According to this configuration, a total of four picking heads can be made to correspond to the entire area inside the container carried into the container receiving area in a state where they are adjacent to each other in both XY directions. Therefore, if the load to be transferred is a small size load that can be hoisted and lowered by one picking head, four loads can be picked up at the same time, regardless of the position of each load, by two picking lines arranged in the X direction or the Y direction. Two loads at the same time for medium-sized loads that can be lifted and lowered by the head, and one load for large-sized loads that must be lifted and lowered by four picking heads. And it can be handled efficiently.

  When performing the automatic transfer work or the manual transfer work by the transfer device according to the present invention, each container is received unless the load that is in a suspended state by the picking head or manually is completely separated from the inside of the container. It is not possible to safely carry in and out the container to and from the site. Therefore, the obstacle detection means (31) for detecting obstacles existing above the containers (Cy, Cx) carried in the container receiving place (7) for unloading and the container receiving place (8) for unloading ) Is desirable. According to this configuration, the loading and unloading work of the container in the situation where there is a load or manpower in the obstacle detection area of the obstacle detection means is automatically performed based on the obstacle detection signal of the obstacle detection means. It can be avoided and safety is improved. When this configuration is implemented, the obstacles existing above the two containers (Cy, Cx) carried in the two container receiving fields (7, 8) arranged in parallel in the X direction are monitored from the X direction. If the detecting means (31) is used, it is possible to secure the safety at the time of loading and unloading of the container by both the container receiving place of the unloading target and the container receiving place of the unloading target by one obstacle detecting means. ..

  In the transfer device of the present invention, it is possible to manually carry out the work of loading and unloading the container to and from the container receiving place of the unloading target and the container receiving place of the unloading target. On the other hand, it is possible to provide one conveyor for carrying in and carrying out each container, but it is desirable to carry out as follows. That is, a conveyor (10) for loading and unloading the container (Cy) to and from the container receiving area (7) for the loading and unloading, and a loading and unloading container (Cx) for the container receiving area (8) for the loading and unloading. And a conveyor (11) for carrying out the above, and each of these conveyors (10, 11) includes a conveyor unit (12) for loading and unloading, a conveyor unit (13) for unloading, and an elevating transfer means (14A, 14B), and the elevator transfer means (14A, 14B) is a container for moving in parallel the elevator path between the conveyor units (12, 13) passing through the load transfer work space (9). Obstacles existing above the containers (Cy, Cx) carried in the container receiving place (7) for loading and unloading and the container receiving place (8) for loading and unloading provided with the supporting carriers (14a, 14b) Obstacle detecting means (33A, 33B) for detecting an object is installed side by side, and the obstacle detecting means (33A, 33B) is provided with an emitter / receiver (38a) and a light beam Composed of a plate (38b), the light reflection plate (38b) is attached to the container support carrier (14a, 14b) of the lifting transfer means (14A, 14B), the light emitter and receiver (38a), When the container (Cy, Cx) supported and transported by the container supporting carrier (14a, 14b) is located at each of the container receiving fields (7, 8), the container is supported at a fixed position corresponding to the light reflecting plate (38b). Can be provided. According to this configuration, since it is not necessary to attach a device such as a projector or a receiver that needs to be energized to each container supporting carrier (14a, 14b) that is a moving body, not only can it be implemented easily Also, the effect of shortening the length of the obstacle detecting light film can be obtained.

  Of course, regardless of the configuration of the means for loading and unloading containers to and from the container receiving area for loading and unloading, the obstacle detection means is used for loading the container receiving area (7) for loading and unloading. Obstacle detection means (33A) for detecting obstacles existing on the upper side of the loaded container (Cy), and obstacles existing on the upper side of the container (Cx) carried into the container receiving place (8) to be loaded. The obstacle detecting means (33B) for detecting the can be separately provided. According to this configuration, even if the loading / unloading time of the container to / from both container receiving areas is different, the obstacle can be reliably detected at the loading / unloading of the container to / from each container receiving area. Compared to the case where the loading and unloading timings must be the same, safety can be secured while improving work efficiency.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the transfer device of the above. FIG. 3 is a plan view when the transfer device is in a state where the transfer work is performed manually. FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining the movement range of the picking head in the X direction in the above transfer device. FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining the movement range of the picking head in the Y direction in the above transfer device. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D are schematic plan views for explaining each stage in the transfer operation when the four picking heads in the transfer device handle one small size load each. FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D are schematic plan views for explaining each stage in the transfer operation when the four picking heads in the transfer device handle one large size load. FIG. 8 is a side view showing another embodiment of safety measures. FIG. 9 is a front view of FIG. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view of a main part showing still another embodiment of the safety measure.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a loading / unloading unit 1 included in a transfer device of the present invention according to the illustrated embodiment is horizontally installed on a pedestal 2. The gantry 2 includes a pair of side frames 5a and 5b in the X direction (horizontal direction) in which a pair of columns 3a and 3b in the Y direction (front and rear direction) are connected and integrated with each other by Y direction connecting members 4a and 4b at positions near both upper and lower ends. The side frames 5a and 5b are composed of an X-direction connecting member 6 that connects and integrates the side frames 5a and 5b with each other at the upper end position of the column 3b on the rear side in the Y direction.

  The gantry 2 is installed so that a container receiving place 7 for loading and unloading and a container receiving place 8 for loading and unloading straddle a load transfer work space 9 adjacent in the X direction. Are connected to conveyors 10 and 11 for carrying in and out the containers Cy / Cx. The loading / unloading conveyors 10 and 11 have the same structure and are arranged in parallel with each other and are installed so as to extend along the Y direction to the rear side of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction. The upper and lower two-layer carry-in conveyor unit 12 and the carry-out conveyor unit 13 and the up-and-down transfer means 14A / 14B. Although the carry-in conveyor unit 12 is on the upper side in the figure, the carry-out conveyor unit 13 may be on the upper side.

  The elevating and transferring means 14A, 14B are capable of moving up and down in parallel between the upper limit position and the lower limit position, which are connected to the upper and lower two-layer carry-in conveyor unit 12 and the carry-out conveyor unit 13, and are vertically movable in parallel. On the container supporting / conveying bodies 14a, 14b, there is an operation of pulling the container Cy / Cx sent out from the carry-in conveyor unit 12 to a fixed position on the container supporting / conveying bodies 14a, 14b, and at the fixed position. The container Cy / Cx is provided with a retracting / feeding-out unit (a conveyor whose rotation direction is freely switchable, a container pushing / pulling reciprocating body, etc.) capable of selectively delivering the container Cy / Cx onto the unloading conveyor unit 13. The container supporting carriers 14a and 14b are stopped at the container receiving stations 7/8 located in the middle of the parallel ascending / descending paths so that the supporting containers Cy / Cx are carried into the container receiving stations 7/8. You can do it. When the loading / unloading conveyors 10 and 11 carry in / out the containers Cy / Cx to / from both container receiving areas 7 and 8 at the same time, the elevator transfer means 14A and 14B provided in both conveyors 10 and 11 are used. Is a container supporting carrier 14a, 14b provided integrally with each other, and one container supporting having a width substantially equal to the width in the X direction of the entire container receiving fields 7, 8 (load transfer work space 9). It can also be a carrier.

  In addition, the means for carrying in / out the container Cy / Cx to / from the container receiving place 7 for carrying in and out the container receiving place 8 for carrying in has been briefly described. The means for loading / unloading the containers Cy / Cx to / from the target container receiving area 8 may have any configuration. In some cases, it is also possible to manually carry in / out the containers Cy / Cx to / from the container receiving place 7 for carrying in and out and the container receiving place 8 for carrying in. In the configuration shown in the figure, the container receiving area 7 for unloading and the container receiving area 8 for unloading are set at an intermediate height between the carry-in conveyor unit 12 and the carry-out conveyor unit 13. It is also possible to set the height to connect to the carry-in conveyor unit 12 or the carry-out conveyor unit 13.

  The loading / unloading unit 1 installed on the gantry 2 includes a pair of fixed rail members 15 and 16 parallel to the Y direction and an X direction, a pair of movable rail members 17 and 18 parallel to the X direction and each of the movable rails. Picking heads 23 to 26 supported by the pair of movable members 19, 20 and 21, 22 respectively supported by the members 17 and 18 and four movable members 19 to 22 so as to be vertically movable in the Z direction. It consists of More specifically, the pair of fixed rail members 15 and 16 in the X direction are fixedly supported at both ends in the Y direction to the upper ends of the pair of columns 3a and 3b in the Y direction in the left and right side frames 5a and 5b of the gantry 2. Then, on the upper side thereof, two movable support bases 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b in the Y direction are supported so as to be reciprocally movable between both ends of the fixed rail members 15, 16 in the Y direction. Both ends of the pair of movable rail members 17 and 18 in the Y direction in the X direction are fixed and supported on the movable support bases 15a and 15b and 16a and 16b. The movable bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22 are supported on the side portions of the movable rail members 17, 18 facing each other so as to be capable of reciprocating in the X direction between both ends of the movable rail members 17, 18 in the X direction. Has been done. To these movable bodies 19 to 22, the lower end vicinity portions of the elevation rail members 19a to 22a parallel to the Z direction (vertical up and down direction) are fixed, and these elevation rail members 19a to 22a are arranged in the Z direction. Elevating and lowering supports 19b to 22b supported so as to be able to move up and down between both ends are provided, and the respective elevating and lowering supports 19b to 22b are provided with the picking heads 23 to 26 at their lower ends and are in parallel with the elevating rod 23a to Z direction. The upper end of 26a is fixedly supported. The picking heads 23 to 26 are capable of adsorbing to the upper surface of a load by negative pressure, a load in which a magnetic plate is attached to the upper surface of the load, or a box type load formed from the magnetic plate. As a type, it is possible to use a type that magnetically attracts by energization. Of course, it is also possible to use a gripping part provided on the upper surface of the load and a picking head provided with a gripping tool that can grip and release the gripping part.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the elevating support bases 19b to 22b (elevating rods 23a to 26a) are arranged in the X direction of the elevating rail members 19a, 20a / 21a, 22a supported by the same movable rail member 17/18. Is located on the side facing. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the two movable bodies 19 and 20 in the X direction supported by the movable rail member 17 and the two movable bodies 21 and 22 in the X direction supported by the movable rail member 18 are movable. The elevating supports 19b, 20b / 21b, 22b (elevating rods 23a, 24a / 25a, 26a) at both ends in the X direction of the rail member 17/18 are arranged so that the state where they are adjacent to each other in the X direction is the stroke end of the movement. It can reciprocate along the movable rail members 17/18 within the X-direction movement range Wx.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a narrow standby area Sa1 provided with a standby position Sp1 for waiting only the movable rail member 17 is provided on the front side in the Y direction of the load transfer work space 9 in a plan view. As shown in the plan view, on the rear side of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction, two standby positions Sp2 in the Y direction where the two movable rail members 17 and 18 can stand by in the state of being adjacent to each other in the Y direction. , Sp3 having a wide standby area Sa2 is provided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the movable rail member 17 is provided between the standby position Sp1 in the narrow standby area Sa1 and the standby position Sp2 in the wide standby area Sa2 adjacent to the load transfer work space 9. 5, the movable rail member 18 is movable with respect to the movable rail member 17 located at the standby position Sp1 in the narrow standby area Sa1 as shown in FIG. It is possible to reciprocate in the Y direction within the Y-direction movement range Wy between the stroke limit position p4 adjacent to the rear side in the Y direction and the standby position Sp3 on the side farther from the load transfer work space 9 in the wide standby area Sa2. Is.

  Driving means for reciprocating the movable support bases 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b in the Y direction with respect to the fixed rail members 15, 16, and the movable bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22 with respect to the movable rail members 17, 18 in the X direction. Although a specific structure is not shown for the driving means for reciprocating the moving means and the driving means for vertically moving the lifting support bases 19b-22b with respect to the lifting rail members 19a-22a, any conventionally known driving means is used. I can. For example, the driving means for reciprocating the movable support bases 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b and the movable bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22 extends substantially the entire length within the fixed rail members 15, 16 (movable rail members 17, 18). A fixed screw shaft having a length is installed in parallel with the Y direction (X direction), and the movable support bases 15a, 15b and 16a, 16b (movable bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22) are provided with the fixed screw shafts. A female screw body that supports a screwed female screw body so that it can rotate only, and that is equipped with a motor that drives the female screw body to rotate in the forward and reverse directions, is provided with a female screw body that each movable support base 15a to 16b (movable bodies 19 to 22) has. The picking heads 23-26 are moved in the X direction together with the lifting / lowering supports 19b-22b (lifting rods 23a-26a) by rotating the motors in the forward and reverse directions. It can be moved freely within the moving range Wx and the Y-direction moving range Wy.

  Further, as a driving means for vertically moving the lifting support bases 19b to 22b with respect to the lifting rail members 19a to 22a, one lifting support base 19b to 22b is vertically driven to each lifting rail member 19a to 22a. Therefore, for example, a self-rotatable screw shaft having a length extending over substantially the entire length thereof is supported in each of the elevating rail members 19a to 22a along the Z direction, and, for example, the upper ends of the elevating rail members 19a to 22a. A motor for driving the screw shaft to rotate forward and backward can be attached to each of the elevating and lowering supports 19b to 22b, and a fixed female screw body to be screwed into the screw shaft can be attached. According to this structure, by driving the screw shaft to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by the motor, it is possible to freely move up and down the lift support bases 19b to 22b.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a worker having a width capable of covering the entire width in the X direction of the load transfer work space 9 on the floor surface side in the Y direction front side of the load transfer work space 9. The load transfer work area 27 is provided. Further, above the load transfer work space 9, at a certain height above the container receiving area 7 for unloading and at a certain height above the container receiving area 8 for unloading, the container receiving area 7 for unloading Image pickup device (camera) 28 that reads the position information of the load inside the container Cy to be loaded and unloaded from the image, and the loading inside the container Cx to be loaded that is located at the container receiving area 8 to be loaded. An image pickup device (camera) 29 for reading an image of a place where it can be placed is provided. These image pickup devices 28 and 29 are attached to the upper horizontal portion of the gate-shaped frame 30 in which the legs on both sides in the Y direction are supported by the side frames 5a and 5b.

  Hereinafter, a method of using the transfer device configured as described above will be described. The transfer device enables automatic operation of operating the load / unload unit 1 and manual work without using the load / unload unit 1. It is something. In any case, the container Cy to be unloaded is sent to the container receiving area 7 to be unloaded by the loading conveyor unit 12 of the loading / unloading conveyor 10 and the container support carrier 14a of the elevating and transferring means 14A. The container Cx to be loaded is sent to the container receiving area 8 to be loaded by the loading conveyor unit 12 of the loading / unloading conveyor 11 and the container support carrier 14b of the elevating / transferring means 14B. Thus, in the case of automatic operation, the four picking heads 23 to 26 of the load / unload unit 1 as shown by the solid line in FIG. In the plan view, the robot is waiting at a position adjacent to the outside of the four corners and at the ascending height. That is, the movable rail member 17 is located at the standby position Sp1 in the narrow standby area Sa1, and the movable rail member 18 is located at the standby position Sp2 in the wide standby area Sa2, so that the movable rail members 17, 18 are movable. The bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22 are at positions adjacent to the outside of the four corners in plan view of the container Cy to be unloaded, which has been loaded into the container receiving area 7 to be unloaded, and the lifting rods 23a to 26a provided therein, respectively. Stands by at the rising limit height of the lifting rail members 19a to 22a.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, a plurality of small-sized loads Bs are stored in the container Cy to be unloaded to the container receiving area 7 to be loaded and unloaded. When four small-sized loads Bs have to be transferred to the container Cx to be loaded into the container 8 as shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 6A, they are outside the four corners of the container Cy to be unloaded and at the upper limit positions. As shown in FIG. 6B, the four picking heads 23 to 26 that are on standby at the moving positions of the movable rail members 17 and 18 in the Y direction and the movable bodies 19, 20 and 21 on the movable rail members 17 and 18 are moved. , 22 in the X direction are combined and moved to a position directly above the four small-sized loads Bs to be carried out, and subsequently, the elevating and lowering support bases 19b to 22b (the elevating and lowering support members 19a to 22a) Head 23A～26a) is lowered and is brought into contact adsorb four picking heads 23 to 26 on the upper surface of the four small sized cargo Bs unloading target. Of course, it is assumed that the picking heads 23 to 26 are of the negative pressure adsorption type or the magnetic adsorption type, but the gripped portion is provided on the upper portion of the load to be handled, and the picking heads 23 to 26 are the gripped portions. In the case of a gripping type having a gripping tool for gripping, the gripping tool of each of the picking heads 23 to 26 grips the gripped portion above the four small-sized loads Bs to be carried out. The above operation can be automatically performed on the basis of the image acquired by the imaging device 28 located right above the container receiving place 7 to be unloaded.

  When the picking heads 23 to 26 are in a state capable of lifting the four small-sized loads Bs to be carried out at predetermined positions in the container Cy to be carried out, the picking heads 23 to 26 are taken to the small-sized loads to be carried out. Lift with Bs to the maximum height. Specifically, the elevating support bases 19b to 22b (elevating rods 23a to 26a) are raised to the ascending height with respect to the elevating rail members 19a to 22a. After that, the small-sized load Bs that has been lifted is transferred to a predetermined position (for example, the position shown in FIG. 6B) in the container Cx to be loaded that has been loaded into the container receiving area 8 to be loaded. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6C, movement of the movable rail members 17, 18 in the Y direction and movement of the movable bodies 19, 20 and 21, 22 on the movable rail members 17, 18 in the X direction are performed. In combination, the lifted small size load Bs is moved to a position right above a predetermined position in the container Cx to be loaded, and then the lifting rods 23a to 26a are lowered with respect to the respective lifting rail members 19a to 22a to perform picking. The small-sized loads Bs on which the heads 23 to 26 have been lifted can be unloaded to a predetermined position in the container Cx to be loaded (see FIG. 6D). The image picked up by the imaging device 29 located right above the container receiving area 8 of the loading target is used for selecting the unloading location of the small-sized load Bs in the loading target container Cx and confirming that the loading has been completed. It can be done automatically based on.

  If the entire small-sized load Bs that is lifted from the container Cy to be unloaded moves upward from within the container Cy to be unloaded, the container Cy to be unloaded at that time It can be carried out from 7. Specifically, after lowering the container support carrier 14a of the elevating and transferring means 14A supporting the container Cy to be unloaded and connecting it to the carry-out conveyor unit 13, it is carried out from the container support carrier 14a. The container Cy to be unloaded will be unloaded onto the conveyor unit 13 for use. As a result, the work of loading the next container Cy to be unloaded to the container receiving area 7 to be unloaded can be immediately started without waiting for the completion of transfer of the small-sized load Bs to the container Cx to be unloaded. ..

  On the other hand, when the transfer of the small-sized load Bs into the container Cx to be loaded is completed as described above, after all the picking heads 23 to 26 are lifted to the rising limit height, the standby position shown in FIG. Return to. Also in this case, if the elevating rods 23a to 26a and the picking heads 23 to 26 rising from the inside of the container Cx to be loaded move upward from inside the container Cx to be loaded, the container to be loaded at that time Cx can be unloaded from the container receiving area 8 for loading. Specifically, after lowering the container support carrier 14b of the elevating and transferring means 14B supporting the container Cx to be loaded and connecting it to the unloading conveyor unit 13, the container support carrier 14b is unloaded. The container Cx to be loaded is carried out onto the conveyor unit 13 for loading. As a result, the work of loading the next container Cx to be loaded into the container receiving area 8 to be loaded can be immediately started without waiting for the picking heads 23 to 26 to return to the standby position shown in FIG. 6A. ..

  It has been described that all the picking heads 23 to 26 transfer the four small size loads Bs at the same time when the small size loads Bs are transferred, but each of the picking heads 23 to 26 has a small size. This is because the load Bs can be hoisted and lowered, and the four small size loads Bs can be transferred at the same time. In one transfer operation, the small size load Bs is within the range of 1 to 4. Transfer work can be done at. If the number of small-sized loads Bs to be transferred is 3 or less, 1 to 3 of the picking heads 23 to 26 will not be used, but of the movable bodies 19 to 22, To prevent the movable body having the picking head to be unused from interfering with the movement of the other picking heads in the XY directions, for example, among the picking heads 23 to 26 in the standby position shown in FIG. The picking head can be selected to be used from the picking head at the position near the container Cx to be loaded in the container receiving area 8 to be loaded.

  Of course, the size of the load to be handled is a vertically long medium size load that is long in the Y direction and can be lifted by two picking heads 23, 25/24, 26 that can be adjacent in the Y direction among the picking heads 23 to 26. , 1 or 2 horizontally long medium-sized loads that can be lifted by two picking heads 23, 24/25, 26 that can be adjacent to each other in the X direction using two picking heads Can be handled. Further, it is possible to handle a large size load that must be lifted by all four picking heads 23 to 26. 7A to 7D describe the situation when one large-sized load Bb is transferred by all four picking heads 23 to 26. The procedure is basically the same as the transfer operation of the small size load Bs described with reference to FIG. 6, and the difference is that all four picking heads 23 to 26 always lift one large size load Bb and X- This is the point where conveyance in the Y direction and unloading are performed. In this case, it is desirable that the four picking heads 23 to 26 be positioned so as to lift the positions near the four corners of the upper surface of one large-sized load Bb.

  As described above, the loading / unloading unit 1 is operated to load the loads of various sizes in the loading / unloading target container Cy into the loading / unloading target container receiving place 7 into the loading / unloading target container receiving position 8. Although it can be transferred to the container Cx to be loaded, if, for example, the picking heads 23 to 26 are broken or if it is necessary to manually perform the above-mentioned work for some reason, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the two movable rail members 17 and 18 in the Y direction are moved into the wide standby area Sa2. That is, the movable rail member 18 is moved rearward in the Y direction to the limit position and stopped at the standby position Sp3, and the movable rail member 17 is moved rearward in the Y direction to a position adjacent to the movable rail member 18. Stop at the standby position Sp2. The standby of the two movable rail members 17 and 18 in the wide standby area Sa2 adjacent to each other in the Y direction is performed at each stage when a series of transfer operations using the load / unload unit 1 is completed. Is also good.

  When the preparation for the above-mentioned manual work is completed, the Y direction front side of the load transfer work space 9 in which the container receiving place 7 for unloading and the container receiving place 8 for unloading are arranged in parallel is released, and the load transferring work is performed. An operator stands on the floor surface of the area 27 and is disturbed by the movable rail members 17 and 18, the lifting rail members 19a to 22a supported by these, the lifting rods 23a to 26a, and the picking heads 23 to 26. Without the need to manually load the cargo of various sizes in the container Cy to be loaded into the container receiving area 7 to be loaded into the container Cx to be loaded into the container receiving area 8 to be loaded. It can be transferred. Even when the manual transfer work is performed, the work content can be managed based on the images acquired by the imaging devices 28 and 29. The side frames 5a and 5b of the gantry 2 supporting the fixed rail members 15 and 16 of the load carrying-in / carrying-in unit 1 are located on the left and right sides in the X direction of the load transfer work space 9 and the load transfer work area 27, respectively. However, the self-supporting strength of the side frames 5a, 5b, in other words, the supporting strength of the loading / unloading unit 1 is sufficiently secured by the X-direction connecting member 6 connecting the upper ends of the columns 3b on the rear side in the Y direction. Although obtained, if necessary, the columns 3a on the front side in the Y direction are positioned so as not to interfere with the manual work described above, for example, the container Cy to be unloaded and the object to be loaded that are located in the load transfer work space 9. It can be connected to each other by an X-direction connecting member at substantially the same height as the upper end of the container Cx. The X-direction connecting member 6 can be provided at a position where the rear end portions of the pair of X-direction fixed rail members 15 and 16 of the load carrying-in / carrying-in unit 1 are directly connected to each other.

  In the above-described embodiment, between the loading conveyor unit 12 and the loading conveyor unit 13 of the loading / unloading conveyor 11, the load unloading target container Cy and the load unloading target container Cx are passed through the respective container receiving stations 7 and 8. Although the container support carriers 14a and 14b that move vertically in parallel vertically are used as the elevating and transferring means 14A and 14B for vertically elevating and transferring, the conveyor for carrying out from the end of the carrying-in conveyor unit 12 is carried out. The means for transferring the containers Cy and Cx to the starting end of the unit 13 via the container receiving fields 7 and 8 may have any configuration.

  When the loading / unloading process of the containers Cy and Cx to / from the load transfer work space 9 is executed as described above, the human hands at the time of working by the human hands enter the container transfer route by the container support carriers 14a and 14b. It is very dangerous, and even during the automatic work by the loading / unloading unit 1, if the raising / lowering rods 23a to 26a having the picking heads 23 to 26 at the lower ends enter the container transfer path, It will cause a failure with damage. Although it is necessary to take safety measures so that such a situation does not occur, an example of this safety measure will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the container Cy to be unloaded in the container receiving area 7 to be unloaded in the loading and unloading work space 9 and the container receiving area 8 to be loaded in Obstacle detecting means 31 for generating a planar obstacle detecting light film 31a that crosses the upper side of the container Cx to be loaded into the load transfer work space 9 in the X direction from one outer side to the other outer side is provided. You can The obstacle detecting means 31 is a light-transmissive type including a light projector 32a disposed outside one end of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction and a light receiver 32b disposed outside the other end of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction. However, a reflection type in which the light projector 32a is used as a light emitter / receiver and a light beam reflector is used instead of the light receiver 32b may be used. The light emitter (light emitter / receiver) 32a and the light receiver 32b (light reflecting plate) can be attached to the side frames 5a, 5b on both sides of the pedestal 2 in the X direction. The obstacle detecting means 31 may be operated for a certain period of time immediately before the elevating and transferring means 14A and 14B are operated. When there is a human hand or the like that intersects with the light beam film 31a for detecting obstacles while the obstacle detecting means 31 is in operation, the obstacle detecting means 31 outputs an obstacle detecting signal. Based on the detection signal, the operations of the lifting / lowering transfer means 14A and 14B can be stopped urgently, and at the same time, an alarm or a lamp for notifying the urgent stop can be operated.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the obstacle detection light film 33a is loaded into the container receiving area 7 for unloading and the container receiving area 8 for unloading in the load transfer work space 9. It is also possible to use the obstacle detection means 33 which forms the upper side of Cy and Cx in a direction transverse to the front-back Y direction. In this case, the light emitter (or light emitter / receiver) 34a and the light receiver (or light reflection plate) 34b are provided between the pair of pillars 3a in the X direction on the front side in the Y direction of the side frames 5a, 5b forming the gantry 2 and on the rear pillar. It can be attached to the supporting frames 35a and 35b which are provided between the 3b and parallel to the X direction in parallel. In the figure, the light receiver (or the light beam reflection plate) 34b is arranged on the front side in the Y direction of the load transfer work space 9, but it may be arranged in the front-rear direction. However, the support frame 35a on the front side and the obstacle detection device (the light receiver (or the light reflection plate) 34b or the light projector (or the light receiver / receiver) 34a) attached to the front support frame 35a do not enter the work space of the operator. Need to be installed.

  When the obstacle detecting means 33 shown in FIG. 8 is used, as shown in FIG. 9, obstacle detection for monitoring the upper side of the container Cy to be unloaded, which has been carried into the container receiving area 7 to be unloaded. The means 33A and the obstacle detection means 33B for monitoring the upper side of the container Cx to be loaded into the container receiving area 8 to be loaded can be installed separately. In this case, if the carry-in / carry-out conveyor 10 and the carry-in / carry-out conveyor 11 including the elevating / transferring means 14A and 14B can be separately operated, the elevating / transferring means 14A on the carry-in side and the carrying-out / carrying-out side can be carried out. While operating the elevating and transferring means 14B on the side separately at arbitrary timings, the obstacle detecting means 33A and the obstacle detecting means 33B are activated at the time of each operation, and the unloading is carried out by the respective obstacle detecting light films 33a and 33b. The obstacles on the side of the target container Cy and the obstacles on the side of the container Cx to be loaded can be detected separately to always ensure safety.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the table 36 that can be used for manual work is installed on the front side of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction, it is arranged on the front side of the load transfer work space 9 in the Y direction. The light receiver (or light-reflecting plate) 34b or the light projector (or light receiver / receiver) 34a can be attached to the edge of the table 36 on the load transfer work space 9 side or below it. In the figure, a light reflection plate 34b for the light emitter / receiver 34a is attached to the edge of the table 36 on the side of the load transfer work space 9 side.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, behind the respective container support carriers 14a and 14b of the lifting / lowering transfer means 14A and 14B in the Y direction, there is a gate-shaped support through which the containers Cy and Cx can move in the Y direction. A frame 37 is attached, and is attached to the front side support frame 35a (which may be the table 36) shown in FIG. 8 at the horizontal frame portion 37a along the X direction at the upper end of the gate-shaped support frame 37. Obstacle detecting means 33A and 33B can also be configured by attaching the light beam reflecting plate 38b to the light emitting and receiving device 38a. According to this configuration, when the container supporting / transporting bodies 14a and 14b start to move up and down from the fixed position in the load transfer work space 9, the light emitter / receiver 38a can be switched on to detect an obstacle. .. Obviously, also in this embodiment, it is possible to use the obstacle detecting means composed of the combination of the light emitter and the light receiver, and the light emitter / receiver 38a and the light beam reflector 38b shown in FIG. However, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, it is not necessary to provide an energization path between the container supporting and conveying bodies 14a and 14b, which are moving bodies, and the fixed position, and an obstacle can be easily and easily provided. The detection means can be configured.

  When the obstacle detecting means 31, 33, 33A, 33B utilize the obstacle detecting light films 31a, 33a, 33b between the light emitting and receiving devices, the obstacle detecting light films 31a, 33a, 33b. Means a plane light beam film projected from a slit-shaped opening of a light projector, and a group of a large number of light beams projected individually from a large number of light projectors arranged in parallel at appropriate intervals. Of course, as the obstacle detecting means, a type that does not use the obstacle detecting light film between the light emitting and receiving devices, for example, a type that uses an imaging device (camera) can be used.

  With the transfer device of the present invention, the work of transferring the load in the container of the unloading target into the container of the unloading target can be switched between the automatic work performed by the automatic device and the manual work performed by the worker as necessary. It can be used as a transfer device.

1 Loading / unloading unit 2 Stands 5a, 5b X-direction (left-right direction) pair of side frames 6 X-direction connecting member 7 Container receiving place for loading / unloading 8 Container receiving place for loading / unloading 9 Load transfer work space 10, 11 Carry-in / carry-out conveyor 12 Carry-in conveyor unit 13 Carry-out conveyor unit 14A, 14B Elevating / transferring means 14a, 14b Container support carrier 15, 16 Fixed rail members 15a-16b Movable support stand 17, 18 Y direction (front-back direction) pair Movable rail members 19 to 22 movable bodies 19a to 22a lifting rail members 19b to 22b lifting support bases 23 to 26 picking heads 23a to 26a lifting rods 27 load transfer work areas 28, 29 imaging devices 31, 33, 33A, 33B. Obstacle detecting means 31a, 33a, 33b Obstacle detecting light film 3 a, 34a, 38a Light emitter or light emitter / receiver 32b, 34b, 38b Light receiver or light reflector 35a, 35b Support frame 36 Table 37 Gate-shaped support frame Bs Small size load Bb Large size load Cy Container to be discharged Cx Load in Target container Sp1 to Sp3 Standby position Sa1 Narrow standby area Sa2 Wide standby area Wx X-direction movement range Wy Y-direction movement range

Claims (5)

Both ends of two movable rail members parallel to each other are movably supported in parallel and laterally by two fixed rail members in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction which is the length direction of the movable rail members. A movable body is supported on each of the two movable rail members so as to be capable of reciprocating in the X direction, and a picking-up / loading-in unit including a picking head capable of vertically lifting a load is provided on each movable body. In the transfer device,
Below the load carrying-in / carrying-out unit, in the movable area of the picking head in a plan view, there is a load-transfer work space in which a container receiving place for carrying-out and a container receiving place for carrying-in are arranged in parallel in the X direction. The waiting areas of the two movable rail members provided are set above both outer sides in the Y direction with respect to the load transfer work space, and one of the waiting areas is the waiting area. A narrow standby area in which only one movable rail member close to is a standby area, and the other standby area is a wide standby area in which the two movable rail members can stand by in a state of adjoining in the Y direction. A transfer device in which a worker's load transfer work area is set on the floor surface on the side where the narrow standby area is located with respect to the load transfer work space.   The movable body provided with the picking head so as to be able to move up and down is provided two by two on each of the two movable rail members, and the two movable bodies provided on each movable rail member are the movable rail member of the movable rail member. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is provided so as to be reciprocally movable between both ends of each movable rail member so as to be positioned adjacent to each other on both sides.   The obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle existing above the container carried in to the container receiving place of the unloading target and the container carried in to the container receiving place of the unloading target is provided together. 2. The transfer device according to 2.   A conveyor for loading and unloading containers to and from the container receiving area for loading and unloading and a conveyor for loading and unloading containers to and from the container receiving area for loading and unloading are provided. A layer carrying-in conveyor unit, a carrying-out conveyor unit, and an elevating / transferring means are provided, and the ascending / descending / transferring means moves a hoisting path between the two conveyor units passing through the load transfer work space. An obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle existing on the upper side of the carried-in container is provided along with the container receiving place for carrying out the cargo and the container receiving place for carrying in the cargo. Is composed of a light-emitter / receiver and a light-reflecting plate, and the light-reflecting plate is attached to the container supporting carrier of the elevating and transferring means. The light projecting / receiving device is provided at a fixed position corresponding to the light reflecting plate when the container supported and transported by the container supporting and transporting body is located at each container receiving area in the load transfer work space. The transfer device according to claim 4. The obstacle detecting means is an obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle existing on the upper side of the container carried into the container receiving place of the unloading target, and an upper side of the container carried into the container receiving place of the unloading target. The transfer device according to claim 3 or 4, which is divided into two obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle existing in the.

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