JP2021160932A - Automatic warehouse system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic warehouse system which can achieve both of storage capacity and convenience.SOLUTION: An automatic warehouse system 100, which comprises a shelf part 22 having multiple stages of a plurality of storage parts 24 arranged in a row direction and a column direction and can store multiple sizes of pallets on the shelf parts 22, has: first transport means 14 which can hold the pallet 12 and move the shelf part 22 in the row direction; second transport means 16 on which the first transport means 14 is mounted and which can move a side part of the shelf part 22 in the row direction; and an acquisition part 38 which acquires a size of the pallet 12 of a storage object as an acquisition size.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an automated warehouse system.

An automated warehouse system that can efficiently store and retrieve a large number of loads in a small space is known. According to Patent Document 1, the applicant discloses an automated warehouse system including a storage shelf capable of storing a plurality of articles. This automated warehouse system is configured to carry in and out goods using a transport trolley that can move in the row direction and a trolley that can move in the row direction between storage shelves. In this automated warehouse system, goods are placed on pallets for transportation and storage.

JP-A-2017-160040

Regarding pallets loaded with cargo (hereinafter, simply referred to as "pallets"), it is conceivable to store pallets of multiple sizes or unknown sizes in one warehouse. In this case, it is conceivable to reduce wasted space and increase the storage amount. It is also possible to improve the convenience of the automated warehouse system when storing pallets of multiple sizes or unknown sizes.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an automated warehouse system capable of achieving both storage amount and convenience.

In order to solve the above problems, an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a shelf having a plurality of storage units arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and stores pallets of a plurality of sizes in the shelf portion. A possible automated warehouse system, the first transport means that holds the pallets and can move the shelves in the column direction, and the first transport means that mounts the first transport means and can move the sides of the shelves in the row direction. (2) It has a transport means and an acquisition unit that acquires the size of the pallet to be stored as an acquisition size.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and those in which the components and expressions of the present invention are mutually replaced between methods, systems and the like are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automated warehouse system capable of achieving both storage amount and convenience.

It is a top view which shows typically an example of the automated warehouse system which concerns on embodiment. It is a side view which shows the automated warehouse system of FIG. It is a side view which shows typically an example of the 1st transport means of FIG. It is a front view which shows typically an example of the 2nd transport means of FIG. It is a top view which shows typically an example of the acquisition part of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the warehousing operation of the automated warehouse system of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows typically the arrangement example of the pallet in the shelf part of FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining an example of the operation of packing and storing a pallet. It is a side view which shows typically the automated warehouse system of the 1st modification. It is a side view which shows typically the automated warehouse system of the 2nd modification. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the arrangement of pallets. It is a top view which shows an example of the storage row which stores the pallet of a plurality of pallet widths. It is a front view which shows typically the storage row of FIG.

The background of the present disclosure will be described. If you handle only one type of pallet as a single unit, you will be able to operate it with a simple structure and have a high storage rate. That is, since the number of pallets that can be stored can be calculated by how long the total length of the row should be, the specifications can be easily determined with the user of the warehouse based on this. Further, in this case, it is not important to reconfirm the pallet size even in the operation after delivery to the warehouse. This is because the pallet size is fixed, the target pallet is supported by the center of the transport trolley, and if the distance between the transport trolley and the already placed pallet is detected by the sensor, the already placed pallet and the target pallet can be connected. The interval can be easily calculated. This is because it is possible to determine how close the transport carriage should be to the pallet already placed.

On the other hand, the appropriate pallet size may differ depending on the type of product. It is assumed that a warehouse specializing in the product will be set up in the factory where the product is produced or in a nearby area, but in that case, the optimum pallet size for storing the product is used, and the warehouse is used. It is more rational to be optimized to operate a pallet of one size. On the other hand, at a base such as a warehouse for shipping to the consumption area, it is desirable to combine as many product groups as necessary to meet the demand of the consumption area and ship them together. Then, it is desirable to mix and store these a plurality of types of products, and in that case, a warehouse that can handle different pallet sizes is desirable. Even when handling pallets of multiple sizes, it is preferable for users to handle pallets of multiple sizes on the same shelf (warehouse) rather than having multiple specialized shelves.

However, if a warehouse designed to handle one type of pallet described above handles different pallet sizes, the warehouse will be designed to fit the maximum size. Specifically, the maximum size of the pallets to be used may be planned, and a warehouse for arranging them at a constant pitch may be designed.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing an example of the arrangement of pallets in the storage row 123. FIG. 11A shows an example of arranging at a constant pitch Pd according to the maximum size, and FIG. 11B shows an example of arranging the pallets in a packed manner. As shown in FIG. 11A, when arranging at a pitch Pd that matches the maximum size of the pallets 12-L, the gap between the pallets can be maintained even when the maximum sizes are continuous. However, when the small size pallets 12-S and the maximum size pallets 12-L are mixed, the gap between these pallets becomes large, and when they are arranged in the maximum size as shown in FIG. 11 (b). As compared with the above, a wasted space is generated by the amount indicated by the reference numeral Cd, and the space efficiency is lowered. In other words, warehouses designed for maximum size are not flexible enough to handle different pallet sizes.

From these, the present inventor focused on an automated warehouse system that acquires the size of the pallet to be stored and controls the stop position of the transport carriage 114 in order to flexibly respond to fluctuations in the pallet size mix. .. This system makes it possible to easily handle pallets of multiple sizes or unknown sizes.

The automated warehouse system of the present disclosure is an automated warehouse system that includes shelves having a plurality of storage units arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and can store pallets of a plurality of sizes on the shelves. In this automated warehouse system, a first transport means that holds a pallet and can move the shelf in the column direction, and a second transport means that mounts the first transport means and can move the side of the shelf in the row direction. And an acquisition unit that acquires the size of the pallet to be stored as the acquisition size. A plurality of storage units can be arranged in a row in the row direction to form a storage row. Each storage column can flexibly handle pallets of multiple sizes without any breaks.

In this automated warehouse system, the pallet can be transported to a target storage unit by the first transport means and the second transport means. In addition, this automated warehouse system can grasp the pallet size of a plurality of sizes or pallets of unknown size by acquiring the size of the pallet to be stored by the acquisition unit. The pallet to be stored may be held in the first transport means after the size of the pallet is acquired. Thereby, the storage unit for storing the pallet can be determined based on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit.

As an example, a storage column may store a plurality of pallets of different sizes. Further, as another example, the storage column may store a pallet of one group divided into a plurality of groups according to the size. With these configurations, the automated warehouse system can flexibly respond to fluctuations in the size mix of pallets. In addition, it is possible to design (length) that can optimize the storage efficiency of the pallet.
Hereinafter, it will be described in detail with reference to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to each drawing based on a preferred embodiment. In the embodiments and modifications, the same or equivalent components and members are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are shown enlarged or reduced as appropriate for easy understanding. In addition, some of the members that are not important for explaining the embodiment in each drawing are omitted and displayed.

In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as 1st and 2nd are used to describe various components, but this term is used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, and this term is used. The components are not limited by.

[Embodiment]
The overall configuration of the automated warehouse system 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the automated warehouse system 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the automated warehouse system 100. In FIG. 2, the description of the area 22-B described later is omitted. For convenience of explanation, as shown in the figure, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system in which a certain horizontal direction is the X-axis direction, a horizontal direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction is the Y-axis direction, and a direction orthogonal to both, that is, a vertical direction is the Z-axis direction. To determine. The positive directions of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are defined in the directions of the arrows in each figure, and the negative directions are defined in the directions opposite to the arrows. The X-axis direction may be referred to as a "row direction", the Y-axis direction may be referred to as a "column direction", and the Z-axis direction may be referred to as a "vertical direction". The traveling directions of the first transport means, which will be described later, are referred to as "forward" and "front", and the opposite may be referred to as "rear" and "rear". The notation in such a direction does not limit the configuration of the automated warehouse system 100, and the automated warehouse system 100 can be used in any configuration depending on the application.

Further, in the present disclosure, the term "pallet", which is not particularly described, mainly refers to a pallet in a state where a load is loaded, but also includes an empty pallet. Unless otherwise described, the "position" refers to the position in the column direction, and the "size" refers to the size in the column direction (total length in the column direction). Further, unless otherwise specified, the "pallet size" or "pallet size" refers to the size of the pallet alone (total length in the row direction) with the load removed. Moreover, the total length in the row direction of the pallet is called "pallet width".

As shown in FIG. 1, the automated warehouse system 100 includes a shelf portion 22, a first transport means 14, a second transport means 16, an elevating mechanism 20, an acquisition unit 38, a conveyor device 44, and a control unit 50. And. The shelf unit 22 is a storage shelf having a plurality of storage units 24 capable of storing the pallets 12 arranged along the row direction and the column direction. The pallet 12 may be the smallest unit for warehousing, storage, distribution, and delivery in the automated warehouse system 100.

The shelf unit 22 is a storage shelf having a plurality of storage units 24 arranged in the row direction and the column direction. Each storage unit 24 can store the pallet 12. The first transport means 14 is a self-propelled carriage that holds the pallet 12 and can move the shelf portion 22 along the row direction. The second transport means 16 is a self-propelled trolley on which the first transport means 14 holding the pallet 12 is mounted and can move along the side portion of the shelf portion 22 along the row direction. The elevating mechanism 20 is a lifter capable of elevating and lowering the pallet 12. The first transport means 14, the second transport means 16, and the elevating mechanism 20 are collectively referred to as a transport mechanism.

The acquisition unit 38 acquires the size of the pallet 12 to be stored as the acquisition size Sa. In this example, the acquisition unit 38 includes a measurement unit 40 and a data provision unit 52. The measurement unit 40 measures the size of the pallet 12 to be stored and provides the measurement result to the control unit 50 as the acquisition size Sa. The data providing unit 52 provides the control unit 50 with the stored data Dm stored in association with the pallet 12 to be stored as the acquisition size Sa.

The acquisition unit 38 may include only one of the measurement unit 40 and the data provision unit 52, but in the present embodiment, both are provided. By comparing the determination results of both the measurement unit 40 and the data providing unit 52, an error can be detected in one determination result by the other determination result, so that the reliability of the entire determination result is improved. Further, since the permissible range of the measurement error of the measuring unit 40 and the permissible range of the error of the stored data Dm can be widened, it is advantageous from the viewpoint of simplification of these configurations, cost reduction, and miniaturization.

The data providing unit 52 will be described first, and the measuring unit 40 will be described later. The data providing unit 52 has a storage unit 52m. The storage unit 52m stores data regarding the positions of the pallet 12 of the shelf unit 22 and the moving pallet 12 and the pallet size. In this case, it is easy to manage because it is possible to visually recognize what size pallet is stored in a specific storage unit and how much, and what size the moving pallet is. Further, for example, since the type of the pallet that caused the error at the time of an error can be stored, it becomes possible to easily deal with it by grasping this type.

The storage unit 52m stores the storage data Dm described later. The data providing unit 52 of this example uses the reading unit 46 to specify the stored data Dm. The reading unit 46 reads the display information Cs of the pallet 12 to be stored or the cargo of the pallet 12, and provides the data providing unit 52 with the display information Cs. The stored data Dm is stored in the storage unit 52m as a data table corresponding to the display information Cs. The data providing unit 52 provides the stored data Dm specified by the table processing using the display information Cs as a key as the acquisition size Sa.

The storage data Dm may be created by the shipping source of the pallet 12 and input to the storage unit 52m via a transmission means such as a storage medium or a communication medium. The stored data Dm may be created in the automated warehouse system 100, and the data created by the shipping source of the pallet 12 may be used for this creation.

The display information Cs may be a visible display of a bar code, a two-dimensional bar code, characters, symbols, figures, patterns, etc., or an invisible display such as a magnetic record or an electronic tag. .. The display information Cs includes pallet identification information such as a product code and a lot code. It is not essential to use the display information Cs, and another means for specifying the correspondence between the individual pallets 12 and the stored data Dm may be provided.

The conveyor device 44 moves the pallet 12 carried in by the external transport means 54 such as a forklift to the elevating mechanism 20. In the present embodiment, the measuring unit 40 and the reading unit 46 are arranged in front of the elevating mechanism 20 of the conveyor device 44, and the measuring unit 40 measures the size of the pallet 12 to be stored in front of the elevating mechanism 20. The reading unit 46 reads the display information Cs of the pallet 12 to be stored in front of the elevating mechanism 20.

The control unit 50 includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and the like. The control unit 50 controls the operations of the first transport means 14, the second transport means 16, and the elevating mechanism 20 in order to transport the pallet 12 based on the operation result from the operator. Further, the control unit 50 controls the operation of the conveyor device 44 and the acquisition unit 38 (measurement unit 40, reading unit 46, data providing unit 52, etc.) in order to acquire the size of the pallet 12.

The shelf portion 22 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The configuration of the shelf portion 22 is not particularly limited as long as a plurality of pallets 12 can be stored. The shelf unit 22 includes a plurality of storage units 24 arranged along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Each storage unit 24 is configured to be able to store the pallet 12. The shelf portion 22 of the present embodiment has two areas 22-A and 22-B provided apart from each other in the Y-axis direction with the second rail 28 interposed therebetween. The two areas 22-A and 22-B can store the pallet 12 in each storage unit 24.

In this embodiment, a plurality of storage units 24 are continuously provided in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, the storage unit 24 is continuously provided on the first rail 26, which will be described later, extending in the Y-axis direction, and the storage unit 24 is a place where the pallet 12 of the first rail 26 is stored. Therefore, even if the length of the first rail 26 is the same, the number of storage units 24 changes depending on the size of the pallet 12 to be stored, the size of the gap between the pallets 12 and the adjacent pallets 12, and the like. A plurality of storage units 24 connected in the Y-axis direction are referred to as storage rows 23. On the side of each storage row 23 facing the travel path (second rail 28) of the second transport means 16, a frontage 23a is provided for the first transport means 14 to enter and exit to move the pallet 12 in and out. The frontage 23a functions as an entrance / exit of the pallet 12.

In the present embodiment, N-stage (N is an integer of 1 or more, for example, 3) shelves 22 arranged in layers on the upper and lower sides are provided. FIG. 1 shows the first stage shelf 22 closest to the floor Fr. In the second and higher stages, the N-stage shelf portion 22 is arranged on the N-1-stage shelf portion 22. The shelves 22 of each stage may have the same configuration as each other. In particular, one or more sets of the first transport means 14 and the second transport means 16 are provided on the shelf portion 22 of each stage. The shelf portion 22 of each stage may be referred to as a “shelf stage”.

The shelf portion 22 is provided with a first rail 26 as a traveling path for the first transport means 14. The first rail 26 extends in the Y-axis direction at the shelf portion 22. The first transport means 14 is a transport means capable of traveling under each storage unit 24. A second rail 28 as a traveling path of the second transport means 16 is provided on the side portion of the shelf portion 22. The second rail 28 extends in the X-axis direction adjacent to the shelf portion 22 and the elevating mechanism 20.

The first transport means 14 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing an example of the first transport means 14. The first transport means 14 includes a vehicle body 14b, a motor (not shown), a plurality of wheels 14f, a mounting base portion 14c, and a lift mechanism 14d. The first transport means 14 drives a plurality of wheels 14f by a motor and travels on the first rail 26 in the Y-axis direction with the pallet 12 mounted. The first transport means 14 raises and lowers the pallet 12 on the mounting base portion 14c and the mounting base portion 14c by the lift mechanism 14d. In FIG. 3, the mounting base portion 14c in the ascending state is shown by a broken line, and the mounting base portion 14c in the descending state is shown by a solid line.

The first transport means 14 can enter the storage unit 24. The first transport means 14 can get on and off the second transport means 16 and the elevating mechanism 20. The first transport means 14 can lower the pallet 12 onto the storage unit 24 and the second transport means 16. The first transport means 14 can lift and hold the pallet 12 from the storage unit 24 and the second transport means 16.

The first transport means 14 includes two first sensors 14s provided on one end side and the other end side of the first transport means 14 in the Y-axis direction. The first sensor 14s can scan the laser 14e and detect the reflected light to detect the distance to an object (another pallet 12, wall W, obstacle, etc.) in the traveling direction. Based on the detection result of the first sensor 14s, the first transport means 14 moves the shelf 22 while detecting the previously stored pallet 12, stops before a predetermined distance of the pallet 12, and holds the pallet 12 there. Take down the pallet 12 that was being used. That is, the first transport means 14 can arrange a plurality of pallets 12 in the storage row 23 at predetermined intervals. Further, the first sensor 14s can detect the relative position of the holding pallet 12 with respect to the first transport means 14.

The second transport means 16 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view schematically showing an example of the second transport means 16, showing a state in which the first transport means 14 is mounted. The second transport means 16 includes a mounting portion 16c, a guide portion 16j, a motor (not shown), and a plurality of wheels 16f. The second transport means 16 drives a plurality of wheels 16f by a motor and travels on the second rail 28 in the X-axis direction. The second transport means 16 can mount the first transport means 14 on the mounting portion 16c. The second transport means 16 can transport the first transport means 14 with the pallet 12 mounted or empty. The mounting portion 16c is provided with two guide portions 16j arranged apart from each other in the X-axis direction. The two guide units 16j guide the first transport means 14 when the first transport means 14 is on board. A pallet 12 can be placed on the two guide portions 16j.

The second transport means 16 includes a second sensor 16s capable of detecting the position of the first transport means 14 and the protrusion of the pallet 12 held by the first transport means 14. For example, the second sensor 16s is a transmission type optical sensor including a set of a floodlight 16h and a light receiver 16k arranged apart from each other in the X-axis direction. The second sensor 16s detects whether or not the light projected by the floodlight 16h is blocked by the light receiver 16k. The second transport means 16 is provided with two sets of the second sensors 16s at positions that do not interfere with the first transport means 14 and the pallet 12 and are separated from each other in the Y-axis direction.

The elevating mechanism 20 and the conveyor device 44 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The elevating mechanism 20 elevates and elevates the pallet 12 between the shelves 22 of each stage. In the elevating mechanism 20, one frontage faces the conveyor device 44, and the other frontage faces the conveyor path (second rail 28) of the second transport means. At the time of warehousing, the elevating mechanism 20 conveys the pallet 12 delivered from the conveyor device 44 to the target stage. At the time of delivery, the elevating mechanism 20 conveys the target pallet 12 to the first stage and delivers it to the conveyor device 44. The elevating mechanism 20 may raise and lower the pallet 12 held by the first transport means 14, but in the present embodiment, the pallet 12 in a stand-alone state held by the first transport means 14 is raised and lowered.

The conveyor device 44 of this embodiment is a belt conveyor. At the time of warehousing, the conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 delivered from the external transport means 54 to the acquisition unit 38 and the elevating mechanism 20. At the time of delivery, the conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 delivered from the elevating mechanism 20 to a position where the external transport means 54 can pick up. That is, the conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 in the opposite directions at the time of warehousing and at the time of warehousing.

The pallet 12 delivered from the external transport means 54 may be tilted in the plane direction with respect to the transport direction of the conveyor device 44. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a guide (not shown) capable of correcting the inclination is provided in the middle of the conveyor device 44. The inclination of the pallet 12 is gradually corrected by coming into contact with the guide during transfer by the conveyor device 44.

The measuring unit 40 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the measuring unit 40. In this figure, reference numeral 12-S indicates a small size pallet 12 (for example, total length = reference size -100 mm), and reference numeral 12-M indicates a medium size pallet 12 (for example, total length = reference size + 100 mm). , Reference numeral 12-L indicates a large-sized pallet 12 (for example, total length = reference size + 400 mm). The pallets 12-L, 12-M and 12-S are shown overlapping while shifting in the X-axis direction.

The configuration of the measuring unit 40 is not limited, and a method of measuring the size based on the image of the palette 12, a method of using an ultrasonic sensor, a method of using a laser sensor, and the like can be adopted. As an example, the measurement unit 40 of the present embodiment measures using three optical sensors 41, 42, and 43 arranged apart from each other in the X-axis direction. The optical sensor 41 is arranged on the elevating mechanism 20 side of the optical sensor 42 in the Y-axis direction, and the optical sensor 43 is arranged on the opposite side of the elevating mechanism 20 of the optical sensor 42 in the Y-axis direction. The optical sensors 41, 42, and 43 are transmissive optical sensors including a set of the projectors 41j, 42j, and 43j and the photodetectors 41k, 42k, and 43k. The optical sensors 41, 42, and 43 detect whether or not the floodlights 41e, 42e, and 43e of the floodlights 41j, 42j, and 43j are shielded from light by the photoreceivers 41k, 42k, and 43k.

As an example, the measuring unit 40 measures the size of the pallet 12 based on the detection results of the optical sensors 42 and 43 at the timing when the optical sensor 41 detects the front end 12j of the pallet 12 (hereinafter, referred to as “front end detection timing”). .. The conveyor device 44 may be temporarily stopped at the front end detection timing.

When both the optical sensors 42 and 43 are in the ON state (non-blocking state) at the front end detection timing, the measurement unit 40 determines that the size of the pallet 12 is “small”. When the optical sensor 42 is in the OFF state (blocked state) and the optical sensor 43 is in the ON state (non-blocked state) at the front end detection timing, the measuring unit 40 determines that the size of the pallet 12 is “medium”. When both the optical sensors 42 and 43 are in the OFF state (blocked state) at the front end detection timing, the measuring unit 40 determines that the size of the pallet 12 is “large”.

The measuring unit 40 may stop the conveyor device 44 and measure the stopped pallet 12. In this case, the measurement unit 40 can be simply configured and the measurement accuracy can be easily secured. The measuring unit 40 may measure the moving pallet 12 while moving the conveyor device 44. In this case, the loss of downtime can be reduced, so that the number of measurable units per hour can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 5, the reading unit 46 of the present embodiment is arranged in the vicinity of the measuring unit 40. The reading unit 46 scans the pallet 12 with a laser scanner to read the display information Cs. The reading unit 46 may read the display information Cs at an asynchronous timing regardless of the operation of the measurement unit 40, or may read the display information Cs at a timing synchronized with the operation of the measurement unit 40. The reading unit 46 may read the display information Cs at the timing when the pallet 12 is stopped, or may read the display information Cs while the pallet 12 is moving.

An example of the operation of the automated warehouse system 100 configured in this way will be described. The operation shown below is just an example, and various modifications are possible.

(Receiving operation)
The warehousing operation S110 of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 6. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the warehousing operation S110. These operations are controlled by the control unit 50.

(1) In the warehousing operation S110, first, the pallet 12 to be warehousing is placed on the conveyor device 44 by an external transport means 54 such as a forklift (step S111).
(2) Next, the conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 to the acquisition unit 38 (measurement unit 40, reading unit 46) (step S112).
(3) Next, the acquisition unit 38 acquires the pallet size of the pallet 12 on the conveyor device 44 and sends the acquisition result to the control unit 50 (step S113). The conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 to the elevating mechanism 20.

(4) The control unit 50 determines a storage unit for storing the pallet 12 based on the acquisition result (step S114). The determination result may include information on the storage unit of the storage destination, information on the storage column to which the storage unit belongs, information on the area to which the storage column belongs, and information on the shelf to which the area belongs. If the determination results of the measurement unit 40 and the data providing unit 52 match in this step, the control unit 50 advances the process to the next step. If they do not match, the control unit 50 temporarily stops the process, and there is an abnormality. Is notified to the worker. When a predetermined response measure is taken by the worker, the control unit 50 advances the process to the next step.

(5) Next, the pallet 12 is placed on the elevating mechanism 20 and transferred to the shelf stage of the determined storage destination (step S115). For example, the conveyor device 44 stops the transfer of the pallet 12 in front of the elevating mechanism 20. When the pedestal of the elevating mechanism 20 is lowered, the conveyor device 44 pushes out the pallet 12 and puts it on the pedestal of the elevating mechanism 20.

(6) On the shelf stage of the storage destination, the second transport means 16 mounts the empty first transport means 14 and moves in front of the elevating mechanism 20 (step S116).
(7) Next, the first transport means 14 moves from the second transport means 16 to the elevating mechanism 20 and holds the pallet 12 (step S117). As described above, in the present embodiment, after the pallet size of the pallet 12 is acquired, the pallet 12 is held by the first transport means 14.
(8) Next, the first transport means 14 holding the pallet 12 moves from the elevating mechanism 20 to the second transport means 16 (step S118).

(9) Next, the second transport means 16 mounts the first transport means 14 and moves in front of the storage row 23 to which the storage unit 24 of the storage destination belongs (step S119).
(10) Next, the first transport means 14 moves from the second transport means 16 to the storage unit 24 at the storage destination, and the pallet 12 is lowered there (step S120). The first transport means 14 may transmit the position of the storage unit 24 from which the pallet 12 is lowered (hereinafter, referred to as “storage position”) to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 may calculate the storage capacity (for example, size) of the storage row 23 based on the storage position transmitted from the first transport means 14. The control unit 50 can determine the storage unit 24 for storing the pallet 12 to be carried in later with reference to the calculated storage capacity.

The first transport means 14 from which the pallet 12 has been lowered may stand by as it is, or may move to another waiting place.

(Delivery operation)
The delivery operation of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the warehousing operation, first, the first transport means 14 enters under the pallet 12 to be delivered from the storage unit 24 of the transport source with the mounting base portion 14c lowered, and raises the pallet portion 14c to raise the pallet. Hold 12 and board the second transport means 16. When the first transport means 14 is on board, the second transport means 16 moves in front of the elevating mechanism 20. Next, the first transport means 14 exits from the second transport means 16 and enters the elevating mechanism 20 to lower the pallet 12 and exits from the elevating mechanism 20. Next, the elevating mechanism 20 lowers the pallet 12 and places it on the conveyor device 44. The conveyor device 44 transfers the pallet 12 in front of the external transport means 54. The pallet 12 transferred before the external transport means 54 is delivered to the outside by the external transport means 54. The delivered pallet 12 may be loaded onto a truck (not shown) and shipped.

Next, an example of arranging the pallets 12 on the shelf 22 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic view schematically showing an arrangement example of the pallet 12 on the shelf portion 22. As described above, the shelf unit 22 has a plurality of storage rows 23 including a plurality of storage units 24 arranged in the row direction. A storage rule regarding the size of the pallet 12 (hereinafter, referred to as “attribute” of the storage column 23) is preset in each storage column 23. As an example, the storage column 23 may have the following attributes.

As shown in FIG. 7, pallets 12 of the same size may be stored in one storage row 23. In this case, when a large amount of pallets of the same type are stored, it can be operated efficiently. In the example of FIG. 7, the storage columns 23-A and 23-B have an attribute (hereinafter referred to as “S attribute”) in which the small-sized pallet 12-S is stored. Further, the storage column 23-C has an attribute (hereinafter referred to as "M attribute") in which the medium-sized pallet 12-M is stored. Further, the storage rows 23-D and 23-E have an attribute (hereinafter referred to as "L attribute") in which a large-sized pallet 12-L is stored.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of pallets having different sizes may be stored in one storage row 23. In this case, flexible operation is possible when storing a wide variety of pallets of different sizes. In the example of FIG. 7, the storage column 23-F has an attribute (hereinafter referred to as “C attribute”) in which a plurality of pallets 12-M, 12-S, and 12-L having different sizes are mixed and stored.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of pallets having different pallet widths may be stored in one storage row 23. In this case, flexible operation is possible when storing a wide variety of pallets having different pallet widths. In the example of FIG. 7, in the storage row 23-G, a plurality of pallets 12-M (1), 12-S (2), 12-L (1), and 12-L (2) having different pallet widths are mixed. It has an attribute (hereinafter referred to as "P attribute") that is stored in the box.

The alphabet of the symbols added to the pallet 12 indicates the pallet sizes L, M, and S, and the numbers in parentheses indicate the pallet width of the pallet. In the reference numerals indicating the pallet width, (1) indicates the first pallet width (1200 mm in this example), and (2) indicates the second pallet width (1100 mm in this example). That is, the pallet 12-M (1) indicates a medium-sized pallet having a width of the first pallet, and the pallet 12-S (2) indicates a pallet having a small size having a width of the second pallet. Pallet 12-L (1) indicates a large-sized pallet having a first pallet width, and pallet 12-L (2) indicates a large-sized pallet having a second pallet width. The pallets having the first pallet width are collectively referred to as the first pallet 12 (1), and the pallets having the second pallet width are collectively referred to as the second pallet 12 (2).

Of the symbols indicating the pallet width, "(1)" indicating the first pallet width may be omitted. In this example, the pallet width stored in the storage rows 23-A to 23-F is the first pallet width. These storage columns may also be configured to be capable of storing a plurality of pallets having different pallet widths from each other. The pallet width is not limited to two types, and may be three or more types.

A storage row 23-G capable of storing a wide variety of pallets having different pallet widths will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the storage rows 23-G capable of storing the pallets 12 having a plurality of pallet widths. FIG. 13 shows a front view storage row 23-G. The storage columns 23-G are rows of a set of mounting portions 33, 34 arranged apart in the row direction for placing the pallets 12 and rows of the pallets 12 mounted on the set of mounting portions 33, 34. It has a set of side regulation units 31 and 32 that regulate directional movement.

One set of mounting portions 33 and 34 has a first mounting portion 33 and a second mounting portion 34, and one set of side portion regulating portions 31 and 32 has a first side portion regulating portion 31. , And a second side regulation unit 32. The first side regulation unit 31 is arranged on the opposite side of the first mounting 33 from the second mounting 34, and the second side regulating 32 is the first mounting of the second mounting 34. It is arranged on the side opposite to the portion 33.

The first and second mounting portions 33 and 34 of the present embodiment are the upper surfaces of the first rail 26 extending in the Y-axis direction in the storage portion 24. The first and second side regulation portions 31 and 32 of the present embodiment have a rail shape extending in the Y-axis direction, and both side portions of the pallet 12 mounted on the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34. It is arranged so as to sandwich. The first and second side restricting portions 31 and 32 are arranged on both sides of the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34 in the row direction in a plan view.

The first and second side regulation portions 31 and 32 have guide portions 31e and 32e that guide the row direction position of the pallet 12. When the pallets 12 approach each other, the guide portions 31e and 32e come into contact with the side portions of the pallet 12 to regulate the positions. The guide portions 31e and 32e are located above the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34.

The size of the gap between the first and second side regulation portions 31 and 32 is such that the first pallet 12 (1) can pass through without interfering with the first and second side regulation portions 31 and 32. It is composed. Therefore, the row direction spacing D1 of the first and second side restricting portions 31 and 32 is larger than the pallet width W1 of the first pallet 12 (1). The row direction spacing D1 is a size obtained by adding a sufficiently large margin to the pallet width W1. In this example, the row direction spacing D1 is the row direction spacing of the guide portions 31e and 32e.

If the gap between the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34 is too large, the second pallet 12 (2) will fall into the gap. Therefore, the row direction spacing D2 of the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34 is smaller than the pallet width W2 of the second pallet 12 (2). In this example, the row direction spacing D2 is the spacing between the opposing ends 33e, 34e of the first and second mounting portions 33, 34 facing in the row direction.

If the row direction spacing D1 is too large, as shown in FIGS. 13 (c) and 13 (d), when the second pallet 12 (2) is biased to one side in the row direction, the other end of the pallet becomes It may fall into the gap between the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34. Therefore, the first and second mounting portions 33 and 34 are the second pallets regardless of the position of the second pallet 12 (2) located between the first and second side portion regulating portions 31 and 32. 12 (2) is arranged to be supportable. Specifically, the distance E1 in the row direction between the first side regulation unit 31 and the second mounting unit 34 and the distance between the second side regulation unit 32 and the first mounting unit 33 The distance E2 in the row direction in the plan view is set smaller than the pallet width W2 of the second pallet 12 (2). The distance between two points in a plan view is the distance between the two points projected on the plane.

In the example of FIG. 13, the distance E1 is the shortest distance on the plane from the facing end portion 34e to the far guide portion 31e, and the distance E2 is the shortest distance on the plane from the facing end portion 33e to the far guide portion 32e. Is the shortest distance. In the example of FIG. 13, the pallet width W1 of the first pallet 12 (1) is the maximum width that can be stored in the storage row 23-G, and the pallet width W2 of the second pallet 12 (2) is the storage row 23-G. The minimum width that can be stored. That is, in the storage column 23-G, a plurality of types of pallets 12 having different row direction widths can be mixed and stored in the range of the pallet widths W1 to W2.

The acquisition unit 38 may be configured to be able to acquire the pallet width in addition to the pallet size. The measuring unit 40 may be configured to be able to measure the pallet width in addition to the pallet size. The data providing unit 52 may be configured to be able to provide a pallet width in addition to the pallet size. The control unit 50 may control the transport mechanism so that the one pallet 12 is stored in the storage row 23 determined according to the pallet width acquired by the acquisition unit 38 for the one pallet 12.

Next, the change of the attribute of each storage column 23 will be described. The product mix may fluctuate seasonally, monthly, weekly or daily. If the attributes of the storage column 23 are not changed with the default settings, it may not be possible to cope with fluctuations in the product mix. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the attributes of the storage column 23 can be changed. For example, when the number of products on the pallet 12-L is likely to increase, the ratio of the storage column 23 of the L attribute can be increased. The attribute change of the storage column 23 may be made based on the operation of the operator, or the ratio of each attribute is calculated by the control unit 50 or its higher control system according to the goods warehousing / delivery plan, and the calculation result thereof. It may be done automatically based on.

The attributes of each storage column 23 may be stored in the control unit 50. In this case, the attribute change of the storage column 23 can be realized by rewriting the attribute stored in the control unit 50. When the attribute of the storage column 23 is changed, the pallets 12 stored in the storage column 23 may be rearranged so as to match the attribute. The rearrangement is an operation of transferring the pallet 12 from one storage row 23 to another storage row 23 in the shelf portion 22.

In the above description, an example of handling three types of pallet sizes has been shown, but there is a need to handle more types of pallets. For example, if the minimum and maximum pallet sizes are determined, the present embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned small size, medium size, and large size, and these intermediate sizes (for example, total length = standard size + 200 mm, standard size -50 mm). Etc.) can also be handled. In the present embodiment, each storage row 23 stores one group of pallets divided into a plurality of groups according to the pallet size. The design (length) that can optimize the storage efficiency of the pallet 12 can be made.

For example, if the pallet size is small (standard size -100 mm) or less, it is in the first group, and if it exceeds the small size (standard size -100 mm) and is medium size (standard size + 100 mm) or less, it is in the second group, and it is medium size (standard size + 100 mm). ) And larger size (standard size + 400 mm) or less may be classified as the third group. The pallets of the first group may be stored in the storage column of the S attribute, the pallets of the second group may be stored in the storage column of the M attribute, and the pallets of the third group may be stored in the storage column of the L attribute. This group may be set for each shelf of the shelf 22. It is possible to design (length) so that the storage efficiency of each shelf of the shelf 22 can be optimized.

An example of an operation in which the pallet 12 is packed in the storage row 23 and stored will be described with reference to FIG. This operation realizes a state in which the pallets 12 shown in FIG. 11B are packed and arranged. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an operation of packing and storing the pallet 12. In this operation, the size of the pallet to be stored is acquired in advance, and the movement of the first transport means 14 is controlled based on the acquisition result.

First, the first transport means 14 holds the pallet 12-S (A) to be stored near the center of the first transport means 14 and moves from left to right in the drawing, and the pallet 12-S already placed. It approaches (B) and stops in front of the pallet (FIG. 8 (a)). The vicinity of the center is a range in which an error or a variation in operation is allowed with respect to the center. At this time, the first transport means 14 detects the distance to the pallet with the first sensor 14s and stops before a predetermined distance so as to avoid contact with the pallet, so that there is a large gap between the adjacent pallets. Remains.

Next, the first transport means 14 temporarily lowers the pallet 12-S (A) onto the storage row 23 and moves it to the left side in the drawing (FIG. 8B). Next, the first transport means 14 holds the pallet 12-S (A) at the position after the movement and moves to the right side in the drawing (FIG. 8 (c)). In this operation, the first transport means 14 detects the already placed pallet 12-S (B) and determines the gap based on the distance to the pallet and the pallet size of the pallet 12-S (A). You may. For example, the first transport means 14 has a first position with respect to the position of the pallet 12-S (B) already placed according to the size of the pallet 12-S (A) to be stored measured by the measuring unit 40. 1 Calculate the distance that the transport means 14 should travel. In this operation, based on the calculation result, the measured pallet size, and the detection distance of the first sensor 14s, the stop position of the first transport means 14 is formed so that a predetermined gap Sd is formed between the adjacent pallets. Is controlled. Next, the first transport means 14 lowers the pallets 12-S (A) into the storage row 23 at that position (FIG. 8 (d)).

This operation is completed by lowering the pallet 12-S (A) to the storage row 23, and the first transport means 14 moves to the standby place. By storing the pallets at close intervals in this way, the wasted space is reduced and the space efficiency is improved by the amount indicated by the reference numeral Cd as compared with the case of FIG. 11A.

Next, a method of storing a plurality of randomly stored pallets 12 having different sizes in each storage row 23 of the shelf portion 22 will be described. In this example, the following dimensions are input to the control unit 50 as parameters and stored in advance. The following dimensions are column dimensions unless otherwise specified.
(1) Storage dimensions of the shelf portion 22. In particular, the dimension Yc of each storage row 23
(2) Distance Sd between adjacent pallets
(3) Other dimensions. In particular, the dimension Yd of the dead space in which the pallet 12 at the back of each storage row 23 is not placed.

Next, the control unit 50 calculates the dimension of each storable space (hereinafter referred to as “storable dimension Ys”) from the current storage state of each storage row 23. For this calculation, each dimension Yp (1) to Yp (n) of the n pallets currently stored is used. The control unit 50 stores the dimensions Yp (1) to Yp (n) for each storage row 23.
As an example, the control unit 50 can calculate the dimension Ys of each storage row 23 by the equation (1).
Ys = Yc-Σ [Yp (1) to Yp (n)] -n · Sd-Yd ... (1)
The storable dimension Ys of each storage row 23 is stored in the control unit 50.

When the new pallet 12 is received, the control unit 50 searches for a storage row 23 having a storable dimension Ys larger than the pallet size Yj of the new pallet 12.

The control unit 50 can determine a storage destination for storing a new pallet 12 by adding storage destination determination conditions such as a storage row for each type of pallet 12 or a storage row near the delivery port among the storage rows 23 hit by the search. .. This storage destination determination condition can be changed to a desired condition.

When the pallet 12 is delivered, the control unit 50 adds the pallet size Ye of the delivered pallet 12 to recalculate the storable dimension Ys of each storage row 23, and updates the storage.

By determining the storage row to be stored in this way, it is possible to store a plurality of pallets 12 having different sizes randomly stored in the shelf portion 22 at a high density, and it is possible to improve space efficiency.

The features of the automated warehouse system 100 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
In the automated warehouse system 100 of the present embodiment, the first transport means 14 that holds the pallet 12 and can move the shelf portion 22 in the column direction and the first transport means 14 are mounted to row the side portion of the shelf portion 22. It has a second transport means 16 that can move in a direction, and an acquisition unit 38 that acquires the size of the pallet 12 to be stored as an acquisition size. In this case, pallets of different sizes or pallets of unknown size can be stored smoothly. In addition, since it can be stored in a storage unit suitable for the acquired size based on the acquired size, wasteful space can be reduced and space efficiency can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 38 includes a measurement unit 40 that measures the size of the pallet 12 to be stored and provides the measurement result as the acquisition size. In this case, the measured value can be provided as the acquisition size.

In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 38 includes a data providing unit 52 that provides stored data stored in association with the pallet 12 to be stored as an acquisition size. In this case, the stored data can be provided as the acquisition size.

In the present embodiment, the pallet 12 to be stored is held by the first transport means 14 after the acquired size of the pallet 12 is acquired. In this case, the storage unit 24 is determined based on the acquisition result, and the pallet 12 can be transported by using the storage row 23 to which the storage unit 24 belongs or the first transport means 14 of the shelf stage.

In the present embodiment, the storage unit 24 for storing the pallet 12 to be stored is determined based on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit 38. In this case, since the storage unit 24 can be determined based on the acquisition result, it can be stored in a storage unit suitable for the size.

The present embodiment has a storage row 23 composed of a plurality of storage units 24 arranged in a row direction, and a plurality of pallets 12 having different sizes are stored in the storage row 23. In this case, flexible operation is possible when storing a wide variety of pallets of different sizes.

The present embodiment has a plurality of storage rows 23 composed of a plurality of storage units 24 arranged in the column direction, and the storage row 23 stores a pallet 12 of one group divided into a plurality of groups according to the size. NS. In this case, it is possible to handle a wider variety of pallet sizes. By grouping and storing pallets of different sizes in this way, the number of pallets that can be stored in the automated warehouse system can be increased.

In addition, when the shelves are divided into a storage unit designed for large size and a storage unit designed for small size at a predetermined ratio, if the product mix fluctuates, the ratio of large size and small size pallets fluctuates. However, there is a possibility of inconsistency with the ratio of storage units. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the attributes of the storage column 23 can be changed, it is possible to flexibly respond to the fluctuation of the product mix, and the ratio of the pallet and the ratio of the storage unit are inconsistent. Hateful.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of storage units capable of storing the first pallet 12 (1) and the second pallet 12 (2) having a row direction width smaller than the row direction width of the first pallet 12 (1) are provided. It has storage columns 23-G arranged in the column direction. The row direction width of the second pallet 12 (2) is smaller than the row direction width of the first pallet 12 (1). The storage columns 23-G are a set of mounting portions 33, 34 and a set of mounting portions arranged apart from each other in the row direction for placing the second pallet 12 (2) and the first pallet 12 (1). It has a set of side restricting portions 31 and 32 arranged on both sides of the pallet placed on the portions 33 and 34 in the row direction. The row direction spacing D1 of the set of side restricting portions 31 and 32 is larger than the pallet width W1 of the first pallet 12 (1). A set of mounting portions 33, 34 can support the second pallet 12 (2) regardless of the position of the second pallet 12 (2) located between the set of side restricting portions 31, 32. Placed in. In this case, pallets having a plurality of widths having different row widths can be stored in one storage column 23-G.

The examples of the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. All of the above-described embodiments are merely specific examples for carrying out the present invention. The content of the embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes such as changes, additions, and deletions of components are made without departing from the idea of the invention defined in the claims. It is possible. In the above-described embodiment, the contents that can be changed in such a design are described with the notations such as "in the embodiment" and "in the embodiment", but the contents are designed without such notations. It's not that changes aren't tolerated.

(Modification example)
A modified example will be described below. In the drawings and description of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. The description that overlaps with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the configuration different from the embodiment will be mainly described.

[First modification]
In the description of the embodiment, an example including the conveyor device 44 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 9 is a side view schematically showing the automated warehouse system 100 according to the first modification, and corresponds to FIG. This modification is different from the embodiment in that the elevating mechanism 20 elevates and elevates the first transport means 14 and does not include the conveyor device 44. In this modification, the external transport means 54 places the pallet 12 to be stored in the first transport means 14. In this modification, the acquisition unit 38 includes the measurement unit 40 and does not include the data provision unit. The first transport means 14 enters the measuring unit 40 while holding the pallet 12. The measuring unit 40 measures the pallet size of the pallet 12 held by the first transport means 14, and sends the measurement result to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 determines a storage unit for storing the pallet 12 based on the measurement result.

The first transport means 14 enters the elevating mechanism 20 while holding the pallet 12. The elevating mechanism 20 transfers the first transport means 14 and the pallet 12 to the storage shelf. The first transport means 14 moves from the elevating mechanism 20 to the second transport means 16. The second transport means 16 transfers the first transport means 14 and the pallet 12 to the storage row 23 at the storage destination. The first transport means 14 transfers the pallet 12 to the storage unit 24 at the storage destination, and lowers the pallet 12 onto the storage unit 24.
This modification has the same effect as that of the embodiment.

[Second modification]
In the description of the embodiment, an example including the elevating mechanism 20 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing the automated warehouse system 100 according to the second modification, and corresponds to FIG. This modification is different from the embodiment in that the elevating mechanism 20 is not provided and the intermediate shelf 25 having the multi-stage intermediate loading portion 21 is provided.

The intermediate loading unit 21 is a temporary accommodating unit for receiving the delivery of the pallet 12 from the external transport means 54 at the time of warehousing. The intermediate loading section 21 of this modification has the same number of steps (3 steps) as the shelf section 22. The first transport means 14 enters the intermediate loading section 21 from the frontage facing the inner side to move the pallet 12 in and out. An external transport means 54 inserts a fork into the intermediate loading section 21 from a frontage facing the outside to move the pallet 12 in and out.

In this modification, the acquisition unit 38 includes the measurement unit 40 and does not include the data provision unit. In this modification, the measuring unit 40 is provided in the intermediate loading unit 21 of each stage.

In this modification, the external transport means 54 carries the pallet 12 to be stored into the intermediate loading section 21. The measuring unit 40 measures the pallet size of the pallet 12 carried into the intermediate loading unit 21 and sends the measurement result to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 determines a storage unit for storing the pallet 12 based on the measurement result. The second transport means 16 transports the empty first transport means 14 in front of the intermediate loading section 21. The first transport means 14 enters the intermediate loading section 21 and holds the pallet 12 to board the second transport means 16. The second transport means 16 transfers the first transport means 14 and the pallet 12 to the storage row 23 at the storage destination. The first transport means 14 transfers the pallet 12 to the storage unit 24 at the storage destination, and lowers the pallet 12 onto the storage unit 24.
This modification has the same effect as that of the embodiment.

[Other variants]
In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the second transport means 16 does not have an elevating mechanism is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second transport means 16 may have an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the first transport means 14. In this case, the measuring unit 40 or the reading unit 46 may be provided in the second transport means 16. The second transport means 16 may be a stacker crane.

In the description of the embodiment, an example is shown in which the measuring unit 40 and the reading unit 46 are provided on the upstream side of the elevating mechanism 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. The measuring unit 40 or the reading unit 46 may be provided in the elevating mechanism 20, may be provided between the elevating mechanism 20 and the shelf portion 22, or may be provided in the second transport means 16. Further, the acquisition unit 38 may acquire the pallet size anywhere on the upstream side of the elevating mechanism 20, for example, the pallet size may be acquired immediately after warehousing.

In the description of the embodiment, an example is shown in which all the pallets 12 whose pallet size has been acquired by the acquisition unit 38 are stored, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pallet 12 whose pallet size is out of the predetermined range may be rejected without being stored in the shelf portion 22.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the second rail 28 is provided in the traveling path of the second transport means 16 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second transport means 16 may travel on a runway without rails.

Each of these modifications has the same effect as that of the embodiment.

Any combination of each of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. The new embodiments resulting from the combination have the effects of the combined embodiments and variants.

12 Pallets, 14 1st transport means, 16 2nd transport means, 20 Lifting mechanism, 21 Intermediate loading section, 22 Shelf section, 23 Storage row, 24 Storage section, 25 Intermediate shelf, 31, 32 Side regulation section, 33 , 34 Mounting unit, 38 Acquisition unit, 40 Measuring unit, 44 Conveyor device, 50 Control unit, 52 Data providing unit, 54 External transport means, 100 Automated warehouse system.

Claims (12)

An automated warehouse system that includes shelves having a plurality of storage units arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and can store pallets of a plurality of sizes on the shelves.
A first transport means that holds the pallet and can move the shelves in the row direction,
A second transport means on which the first transport means is mounted and capable of moving the side portion of the shelf portion in the row direction,
An acquisition unit that acquires the size of the pallet to be stored as the acquisition size,
Automatic warehouse system with. The acquisition unit includes a measurement unit that measures the size of the pallet to be stored and provides the measurement result as the acquisition size.
The automated warehouse system according to claim 1. The acquisition unit includes a data providing unit that provides stored data stored in association with a pallet to be stored as the acquisition size.
The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2. The pallet to be stored is held in the first transport means after the acquisition size is acquired.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A storage unit for storing the pallet to be stored is determined based on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. It has a storage column consisting of multiple storage units arranged in the column direction, and has a storage column.
A plurality of pallets of different sizes are stored in the storage column.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. It has a plurality of storage columns consisting of a plurality of storage units arranged in the column direction, and has a plurality of storage columns.
In the storage column, a pallet of one group divided into a plurality of groups according to size is stored.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The group is set for each stage of the shelf.
The automated warehouse system according to claim 7. The position of the pallet already placed is detected, and the gap is determined based on the distance to the pallet and the acquired size.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 8. It has a storage column in which a plurality of storage units capable of storing the first pallet and the second pallet having a row direction width smaller than the row direction width of the first pallet are arranged in the column direction.
The storage column consists of a set of mounting portions arranged apart from each other in the row direction for placing the second pallet and the first pallet, and a row of the pallets mounted on the one set of mounting portions. It has a set of side regulators, which are located on both sides of the direction.
The row direction spacing of the set of side regulation portions is larger than the row direction width of the first pallet.
The set of mounting portions is arranged so as to support the second pallet regardless of the position of the second pallet located between the set of side regulation portions.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. An automated warehouse system that includes shelves having a plurality of storage units arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and can store pallets on the shelves.
A first transport means that holds the pallet and can move the shelves in the row direction,
A second transport means on which the first transport means is mounted and capable of moving the side portion of the shelf portion in the row direction,
Have,
Controlled so that pallets of multiple sizes can be stored on the shelf.
Automated warehouse system. It has a storage unit for storing data related to the pallet on the shelf and the position and pallet size of the moving pallet.
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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