JP2022024508A - Conveyance apparatus and conveyance system - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress reduction in conveying efficiency.SOLUTION: A conveyance apparatus (1) transfers articles (W) stored in a product food tray (T1) by a transfer unit (5), and stores the articles into a shipping food tray (T2). This conveyance device comprises: a being-transferred article detection unit (62) that images the articles being transferred by the transfer unit; a transferred article detection unit (63) that images the articles stored in the shipping food tray; and an image processing device (71) to which imaging data of the being-transferred article detection unit and the transferred article detection unit are output. The image processing device measures positions of the articles being transferred by the transfer unit on the basis of the imaging data of the being-transferred article detection unit, and measures the positions of the articles stored in the shipping food tray on the basis of the imaging data of the transferred article detection unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a transport device and a transport system, and more particularly to a transport device and a transport system in which an article is housed and transported in a container.

As an apparatus for transferring an article contained in a predetermined container, accommodating it in another container, and transporting the other container, for example, a transport device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. The transport device of Patent Document 1 includes a transfer means such as a suction means for transporting an article from a supply container containing an article to a carry-out container, and a conveyor for transporting the carry-out container in which the article is stored by the transfer means. It is equipped with.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-181869

In the transport device of Patent Document 1, the article to be transferred by the transfer means may be displaced from the desired suction holding position, or the article contained in the carry-out container may be displaced from the desired accommodation position. In such a case, when the article is stored in the carry-out container, the articles or the article and the carry-out container come into contact with each other, resulting in damage to the article or poor storage. In order to grasp such a state, it is necessary for the worker to visually check all the unloading containers, and there is a problem that the transport efficiency is lowered.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a transport device and a transport system capable of suppressing a decrease in transport efficiency.

One aspect of the transport device in the present invention is a transport device that transports articles stored in the original container by a transfer unit and stores them in a unloading container, and includes a transporting article detection unit that captures an image of the articles being transferred in the transfer section. The position recognition device includes a post-transfer article detection unit that captures an image of the article contained in the delivery container, and a position recognition device that outputs image data of the transfer article detection unit and the post-transfer article detection unit. Measures the position of the article being transferred by the transfer unit based on the image data of the article detection unit during transfer, and the position of the article housed in the carry-out container based on the image data of the article detection unit after transfer. It is characterized by measuring.

One aspect of the transfer system in the present invention is a transfer system including a plurality of transfer devices, and is characterized in that all of the plurality of transfer devices are provided with a transfer line for transporting the carry-out container.

According to the present invention, since the position of the article can be measured by the position recognition device as described above, even if the article being transferred at the transfer section or the article housed in the carry-out container is displaced, the carry-out container It is possible to prevent the article from coming into contact with other articles or the shipping container when accommodating the article. As a result, it is possible to omit visual confirmation by the worker of the unloading container to which the article has been transferred, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in transportation efficiency.

It is a schematic perspective view of the transport device which concerns on embodiment. It is a right side view of FIG. It is a front view of FIG. It is a left side view of FIG. 1 which omitted the step separation part. It is a plan view of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the transfer apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the transfer system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the transport system which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the article arrangement planning apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the transport operation in a transport device. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the transport operation in a transport device. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the shift correspondence of the article in the shipping number weight. It is a flowchart which shows the flow | flow of dealing with the drop and the misalignment of an article held by a transfer part. It is a flowchart which shows the flow | movement-related flow of a worker.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without changing the gist thereof. In the following figures, some configurations may be omitted for convenience of explanation. Further, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "front", and "rear" are used with reference to the direction indicated by the arrow in each figure. However, the orientation of each configuration in the following embodiments is only an example, and can be changed to any orientation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a transport device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in the transport device 1, the product number T1 as the original container is carried in in multiple stages, and the product number T1 supplied from the stage disassembling unit 2 is carried in from right to left. It is provided with a product number weight transport unit 3 for transporting in a direction. Further, the transport device 1 detects the shipping number weight transporting unit 4 that transports the shipping number weight T2 as a unloading container from the rear to the front, the transporting unit 5 that can hold and transfer the article W, and the article W. The detection unit 6 is provided.

Although not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, the article W to be transported is a container in which cooked foods such as lunch boxes and prepared foods are stored, and has flexibility that is deformed by being gripped by a user or the like. It shall be. Further, a plurality of articles W are housed in the product number weight T1 carried into the step-disassembling portion 2, and may be housed in the same place by stacking a plurality of steps up and down.

In the present embodiment, the product number weight T1 and the shipping number weight T2 are formed in the same form, and are provided with a bottom wall and a peripheral wall in a shape in which the upper portion is open. Further, in the present embodiment, in the transport device 1, the product number weight T1 and the shipping number weight T2 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape having a short side and a long side when viewed from above, and the short sides of the respective number weights T1 and T2 are formed. The sides are arranged parallel to the front-back direction, and the long sides are arranged parallel to the left-right direction.

2 is a right side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 1. The stepped-off portion 2 is surrounded by a housing (not shown), and a carry-in door (not shown) is provided on the right side of the housing (front side of the paper in FIG. 2). In addition to FIG. 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the step separating portion 2 is arranged below the ascending separation mechanism 21 and the ascending separation mechanism 21 in which a plurality of product number weights T1 are stacked and arranged. It is provided with a set cart 22 and a conveyor 23. The set trolley 22 runs on the floor surface (not shown), the conveyor 23 is arranged at a position slightly above the floor surface, and the product number is stacked in a plurality of stages from the outside of the transport device 1 by the set trolley 22. The heavy T1 is carried on the conveyor 23. A pusher (not shown) may be installed on the left side of the conveyor 23 to push the set carriage 22 after the product number T1 is delivered to the rising separation mechanism 21 to the right side.

In the ascending separation mechanism 21, all the product number weights T1 stacked in a plurality of stages on the set cart 22 are held and then placed on the conveyor 23. Then, the rising separation mechanism 21 is configured to be able to separate the product number weight T1 stacked on the conveyor 23 one step at a time from the lowest product number weight T1 and supply the product number weight transfer unit 3. In each drawing, the ascending separation mechanism 21 is shown in a simplified manner, and the detailed configuration is not shown or described.

The product numbered weight transport unit 3 includes a product numbered weight conveyor (former container transport path) 31 on which the product numbered weight T1 is placed and extends in the left-right direction, a product numbered weight conveyor 31, and a stage disassembling unit 2. It is provided with a lifter transport mechanism 32 provided between them. The product number heavy conveyor 31 is supported at a height position separated from the floor surface by a housing or frame (not shown). The product number heavy conveyor 31 is driven to convey the product number weight T1 in the direction from right to left, which is the extension direction, and the direction is set to the transfer direction in the product number heavy conveyor 31.

The transport direction of the product number weight conveyor 31 is set parallel to the extension direction of the long side of the product number weight T1. In other words, the width (front-back width) of the product number weight conveyor 31 is formed to be slightly larger than the short side length of the product number weight T1, and the transport direction of the product number weight conveyor 31 and the extension direction of the long side of the product number weight T1. The product number T1 is placed and transported so that the product numbers are aligned.

The right end side of the product number heavy conveyor 31 is the sorting source position 31A. The sorting source position 31A is the position of the product number weight T1 shown in each drawing in which the reference numeral “31A” is also written in parentheses. The product number weight conveyor 31 is driven and stopped with the product number weight T1 being conveyed to the sorting source position 31A, and the product number weight T1 is sandwiched between clamps (not shown) so that the product number weight T1 is transferred to the sorting source position 31A. It is provided so that it can be positioned.

The lifter transport mechanism 32 is a connecting body that connects the lifter conveyor 34 on which the product number T1 is placed, the cylinder 35 that raises and lowers the lifter conveyor 34, and the tip of the rod 35a in the cylinder 35 and the lifter conveyor 34. It has 36 and. The lifter transfer mechanism 32 raises and lowers the lifter conveyor 34 by driving the cylinder 35. The upper limit position of the lifter conveyor 34 in such elevating and lowering is the same height as the product number heavy conveyor 31, and the lower limit position (shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 3) is the same height as the conveyor 23 of the step-off portion 2. Will be done. Therefore, the product number T1 can be conveyed to the left from the conveyor 23 of the step disassembling portion 2 to the lifter conveyor 34 at the lower limit position. After such transfer, the lifter conveyor 34 and the product number weight T1 can be raised to the upper limit position, and the product number weight T1 can be transferred from the lifter conveyor 34 to the product number weight conveyor 31 in the left direction.

The product number weight T1 conveyed to the left end side, which is the downstream side of the product number weight conveyor 31, is collected by a collection mechanism (not shown) or an operator.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of FIG. 1 in which the stepped portion is omitted. In addition to FIGS. 1 and 2, as shown in FIG. 4, the shipping numbered weight transport unit 4 has a shipping numbered weight conveyor (delivery container) in which the shipping number weight T2 is placed on the upper part and extends in the front-rear direction in a predetermined direction. A transport path) 41 is provided. In the present embodiment, the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 has a structure divided into three in the extending direction. Further, the shipping number weight conveyor 41 is at a height position separated from the floor surface by a predetermined distance due to a housing or frame (not shown), and has a product number weight as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in addition to FIG. It is arranged below the conveyor 31. In other words, the product numbered heavy conveyor 31 is three-dimensionally arranged above the shipping numbered heavy conveyor 41.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 is driven to convey the shipping number heavy T2 in the direction from the back to the front, which is the extension direction, and the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 is in such a direction. Set in the transport direction. Further, the extension direction and the transfer direction of the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 and the extension direction and the transfer direction of the product number heavy conveyor 31 are arranged differently so as to intersect in a direction substantially orthogonal to each other when viewed from above. Moreover, since the product numbered conveyor 31 and the shipping numbered conveyor 41 are three-dimensionally arranged at different heights, they are arranged at positions where they intersect three-dimensionally.

The transport direction of the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 is set parallel to the extending direction of the short side of the shipping number heavy T2. In other words, the width (left-right width) of the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 is formed to have a size slightly different from the length of the long side of the shipping number weight T2, and the transport direction of the shipping number heavy conveyor 41 and the shortness of the shipping number weight T2. The shipping number T2 is placed and transported so as to be aligned with the extending direction of the side. The product number weight T1 conveyed by the product number weight conveyor 31 and the shipping number weight T2 conveyed by the shipping number weight conveyor 41 are oriented in the same direction when viewed from above (see FIG. 5).

Here, the above-mentioned sorting source position 31A of the product numbered heavy conveyor 31 is regarded as an intersection position with the shipping numbered heavy conveyor 41 in the product numbered heavy conveyor 31. Further, on the shipping number heavy conveyor 41, a position adjacent to the front of the sorting source position 31A in the transport direction is defined as the sorting destination position 41A. The supplier position 41A is the position of the shipping number T2 shown in each drawing in which the reference numeral “41A” is also written in parentheses.

Two transfer units 5 are provided in the present embodiment, and although not shown, they are supported by a base installed on the floor surface. The two transfer units 5 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the supplier position 41A in the shipping numbered heavy conveyor 41 and in the vicinity of the front of the product numbered heavy conveyor 31. Therefore, the two transfer units 5 are arranged at positions close to both the destination position 41A and the distribution source position 31A.

The transfer unit 5 includes a holding unit 51 that holds the article W from above, and a moving mechanism 52 that moves the holding unit 51 in the orthogonal three-axis direction and the rotational direction. As long as the article W can be held, the holding portion 51 can adopt various configurations, and examples thereof include a mechanism for sucking the upper surface of the article W, a mechanism for sandwiching and gripping the article W, and the like. The moving mechanism 52 is composed of a 6-axis articulated robot having an arm in which a plurality of links are connected, but may be a mechanism in which a cylinder, a linear motor, a linear motor, a feed screw structure, or the like are combined.

The transfer unit 5 is provided so that the article W can be transferred by holding the article W by the holding unit 51 and then driving the moving mechanism 52. Specifically, from the product number weight T1 transported by the product number weight conveyor 31 and located at the sorting source position 31A to the shipping number weight T2 transported by the shipping number weight conveyor 41 and located at the sorting destination position 41A. The article W can be transferred (see the thick arrow in FIG. 4). Therefore, the transfer unit 5 can transfer the article W at a position where the product numbered heavy conveyor 31 and the shipping numbered heavy conveyor 41 three-dimensionally intersect (sorting source position 31A) and around the position (sorting destination position 41A). can.

The detection unit 6 includes a pre-transfer article detection unit 61, a in-transfer article detection unit 62, and a post-transfer article detection unit 63, which are respectively configured by an imaging means such as a camera. Each of the detection units 61 to 63 is supported by a housing or frame (not shown), the pre-transfer article detection unit 61 is arranged above the sorting source position 31A, and the post-transfer article detection unit 63 is arranged above the sorting destination position 41A. To. Further, the moving article detection unit 62 is arranged between the sorting source position 31A and the sorting destination position 41A in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 5), and the sorting source position 31A and the sorting destination position 41A are also arranged in the vertical direction. It is arranged between them (see FIG. 4).

The pre-transfer article detection unit 61 takes an image of the article W contained in the product number T1 at the sorting source position 31A, and outputs image data for measuring the number, the accommodation position, and the orientation of the article W. After the transfer, the article detection unit 63 takes an image of the article W housed in the shipping number T2 of the supplier position 41A, and outputs image data for measuring the number, the housed position, and the orientation of the article W.

The moving article detection unit 62 took an image of the article W passing between the sorting source position 31A and the sorting destination position 41A (during transfer) by the transfer by the transferring unit 5 from below, and held the article W. Outputs imaging data for measuring position and orientation.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transport device according to an embodiment. The transport device 1 includes an image processing device 71, a control device 72, and a warning unit 73.

The image processing device 71 is composed of a central processing unit (CPU), a computer including a storage device such as RAM and ROM, and the like. The image processing device 71 outputs commands such as imaging conditions to the detection units 61 to 63, and inputs the imaging data output from the detection units 61 to 63. Further, the image processing device 71 outputs response data in response to a request command from the control device 72.

The image processing device 71 uses the pre-transfer article recognition algorithm 71a, the holding position measurement algorithm 71b, and the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c stored in the storage device.

The pre-transfer article recognition algorithm 71a measures the accommodating number, accommodating position, and orientation of the article W accommodated in the product number weight T1 of the sorting source position 31A based on the image pickup data output from the pre-transfer article detection unit 61. The pre-transfer article recognition algorithm 71a outputs response data (measurement data) in response to a command requested from the control device 72, specifically, a recognition command such as a storage position of the article W in the product number weight T1.

The holding position measurement algorithm 71b outputs response data (measurement data) in response to a command requested from the control device 72, specifically, a recognition command such as a holding position of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5. .. Specifically, the holding position measurement algorithm 71b measures the position and orientation of the article W held during transfer by the transfer unit 5 based on the imaging data output from the transfer article detection unit 62. Then, the holding position measurement algorithm 71b measures the position and orientation deviation amount of the article W held by the transfer unit 5 with respect to the desired holding position, and outputs the deviation amount as response data.

The post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c measures the accommodating number, accommodating position, and orientation of the article W accommodated in the shipping number weight T2 of the supplier position 41A based on the image pickup data output from the post-transfer article detection unit 63. The post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c outputs response data (measurement data) in response to a command requested from the control device 72, specifically, a recognition command such as a storage position of the article W in the shipping number T2.

Here, the image processing device 71 includes a position recognition device that measures the position of the article W based on the image pickup data of each of the detection units 61 to 63.

The control device 72 is composed of a central processing unit (CPU), a computer including a storage device such as RAM and ROM, and controls the entire transfer device 1. The control device 72 controls the drive of the stage disassembling unit 2, the product number weight transfer unit 3, the shipping number weight transfer unit 4, and the transfer unit 5 based on the data such as the program stored in the storage device and the pre-arrangement plan. The control device 72 includes a deviation detection unit 72a, a completion notification unit 72b, a transfer control unit 72c, and an article detection unit 72d.

As a pre-arrangement plan for the article W, the number, accommodation position, and orientation of the article W in the pre-planned shipping number T2 are input to the deviation detection unit 72a in advance from the integrated control device 110, which will be described later. Then, the deviation detection unit 72a compares the pre-arrangement plan of the article W with the response data output from the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c, and shifts to the position and orientation of the article W accommodated in the shipping number T2. Detects if there is. Further, the deviation detecting unit 72a outputs a command requesting a rearrangement plan of the article W to the integrated control device 110 when the position or orientation of the article W accommodated in the shipping number weight T2 is displaced in such a comparison. do.

The completion notification unit 72b outputs an article transfer completion notification for each shipment number T2 to the integrated control device 110 when the planned number of articles W of the shipment number T2 becomes empty due to the drive of the transfer unit 5.

The transfer control unit 72c controls the drive of the transfer unit 5. Specifically, the transfer control unit 72c outputs a drive command to the moving mechanism 52 of the transfer unit 5 in order to transfer the article W between the sorting source position 31A and the sorting destination position 41A, and the transfer control unit 72c outputs a drive command from the transfer unit 5. Input the drive completion signal.

Here, the transfer control unit 72c corrects the drive command of the movement mechanism 52 based on the output from the image processing device 71 when outputting the drive command. For example, the transfer control unit 72c corrects the drive command by offsetting according to the displacement amount based on the displacement amount of the position and orientation of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 measured by the holding position measurement algorithm 71b. do. As another example, the transfer control unit 72c transfers the article W to the article W based on the accommodation position and orientation of the article W in the shipping number T2 measured by the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c. Correct the drive command so that the transfer is offset so that it does not touch. For the correction of the drive command in the transfer control unit 72c, both of the above two examples may be carried out, or either one may be carried out.

The article detection unit 72d detects the presence or absence of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 from the response data of the holding position measurement algorithm 71b of the image processing device 71 based on the image pickup data of the article detection unit 62 during transfer. When the article detection unit 72d detects that the article W being transferred is present (held normally) by the transfer unit 5, the article detection unit 72d continues to drive the transfer unit 5 to transfer the article W. On the other hand, when the transfer unit 5 detects that there is no article W being transferred, the article W has fallen during the transfer. In this case, the article detection unit 72d outputs a command to suspend the operation of the entire transfer device 1 including the transfer unit 5, and outputs an operation command to the warning unit 73 including an indicator light, a buzzer, and the like. After the worker collects the dropped article W based on the notification by the warning unit 73, the operation of the entire transport device 1 is released from the suspension by the operation of the worker.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the transport system according to the embodiment. In FIG. 7, the illustration of a partial configuration of the stepped portion 2 and the like is omitted. As shown in FIG. 7, the transport system 100 includes three transport devices 1. The three transport devices 1 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, which is the transport direction of the shipping number T2. Here, the first transport device 1A, the second transport device 1B, and the first transport device 1 are arranged from the rear to the front. 3 The transport devices 1C are arranged in this order.

The shipping number heavy transport units 4 of the three transport devices 1A to 1C are arranged side by side on the transport line L on the same line. In other words, the transport line L transports the shipping number T2 to all of the plurality of transport devices 1A to 1C. In the transport line L, the front direction is the extension direction from the rear, and the transport line L is the transport direction. Therefore, in the transfer system 100, the shipping number T2 conveyed from the first transfer device 1A is conveyed through the second transfer device 1B and the third transfer device 1C, and is conveyed from the second transfer device 1B. The heavy T2 is transported through the third transport device 1C.

In the transfer system 100 of the present embodiment, three types of articles W can be transferred to the shipping number T2 by three transfer devices 1A to 1C, and the types of articles W to be transferred are different for each transfer device 1A to 1C. There is. For example, the first transfer device 1A transfers the A container as the article W, the second transfer device 1B transfers the B container as the article W, and the third transfer device 1C transfers the C container as the article W. Which of the A container and the C container is to be accommodated in each shipping number T2 is planned according to various conditions described later.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transport system according to an embodiment. In addition to the three transport devices 1A to 1C and the transport line L, the transport system 100 includes a general control device 110, a plurality of article shelves 130 including an article placement planning device 120 and a notification unit 131, and a display device 140. I have.

The integrated control device 110 is composed of a central processing unit (CPU), a computer including a storage device such as RAM and ROM, and controls the entire transfer system 100.

The integrated control device 110 inputs / outputs the above-mentioned commands, notifications, data, etc. to and from the control devices 72 of the three transport devices 1A to 1C based on a program stored in the storage device, and also an article. Input / output of commands, notifications, data, etc. to / from the arrangement planning device 120.

The article placement planning device 120 includes a central processing unit (CPU) and the like, and inputs and outputs commands, notifications, data and the like to and from the central control device 110, the notification unit 131, the display device 140 and the like.

The article shelf 130 is provided in the vicinity of the transport line L and on the downstream side in the transport direction from the three transport devices 1A to 1C. The article shelf 130 accommodates an article W that is manually accommodated by a worker. A notification unit 131 made of a digital display or the like is provided for each shelf or frontage of the article shelf 130, and the notification unit 131 blinks or the like to notify the worker of the article W to be accommodated and its quantity. Further, the notification unit 131 has a notification unit capable of notifying the progress management unit 124 that the accommodation of the notification content is completed, and the notification unit is provided so as to be operable by the worker.

The display device 140 is provided in the vicinity of the transport line L and between the three transport devices 1A to 1C and the article shelf 130. The display device 140 can display the name and number of articles W that need to be replaced and the shipping number weight T2 for the shipping number weight T2 that has passed through the transporting devices 1A to 1C, and can notify the worker.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an article placement planning device. The article placement planning device 120 includes an input unit 121, a calculation unit 122, a storage unit 123, and a progress management unit 124.

Various conditions relating to the article W and the transfer of the article W are input to the input unit 121. Such conditions include the order of the transport devices 1A to 1C in the transport direction of the transport line L, a list of articles W, restrictions on the transfer of articles W, and the like. Since the types of articles W to be transferred by each of the transfer devices 1A to 1C are different, the order of the transfer devices 1A to 1C is the order in which the articles W are arranged in the transfer direction. The article list includes the name of the article W, the size of the article W, the weight of the article W, and the like. The restrictions on the transfer of the article W include the loading conditions of the article W, the mechanical restrictions of the holding unit 51 and the moving mechanism 52 in the transfer unit 5, the store to which the article W housed in the shipping number weight T2 is delivered, and the like (hereinafter,). Includes accommodation designation conditions, etc. within the shipping number weight T2 in (referred to as "stores, etc.").

The calculation unit 122 uses the arrangement planning algorithm of the article W to create a pre-arrangement plan of the article W in the shipping number T2 based on the order list of the article W such as a store and various conditions from the input unit 121. .. Further, a command for a relocation plan from the integrated control device 110 is input to the calculation unit 122 via the progress management unit 124. Then, the calculation unit 122 corrects the pre-arrangement plan based on the measurement data of the accommodation position of the article W accommodated in the shipping number weight T2 in the transfer devices 1A to 1C which output the command of the relocation plan to the integrated control device 110. Create a relocation plan. In the relocation plan, contact between the articles W accommodated in the shipping number T2 is avoided, and in order to maintain the accommodation number of the articles W, the number of the shipping number T2 may be increased as compared with the pre-arrangement plan. be.

The storage unit 123 stores the pre-location plan and the rearrangement plan created by the calculation unit 122 as a list. The list can be a shipping number weight list for each store or the like and an arrangement plan list for the goods W for each shipping number weight T2. The shipping number list includes, for example, the file name as the name or ID of a store or the like, the number of shipping numbers T2, and the IDs of all the shipping numbers T2 as data. The arrangement plan list includes, for example, data in which the file name is the shipping number weight T2ID and the name of the article W and the arrangement position (coordinate value) are associated with each other.

The progress management unit 124 outputs a command of the relocation plan from the integrated control device 110 to the calculation unit 122, and inputs the pre-arrangement plan and the relocation plan of the article W stored in the storage unit 123. The progress management unit 124 outputs the pre-arrangement plan and the rearrangement plan of the article W to the integrated control device 110. Further, the progress management unit 124 is input with the accommodation completion notification for each of the shipping number weights T2 of the transport devices 1A to 1C from the integrated control device 110.

The progress management unit 124 obtains the article W to be accommodated in the shipping number T2 from the article shelf 130 according to the pre-arrangement plan and the rearrangement plan of the article W, and the name and number of the articles W and the shipping number to be accommodated. T2 is output to the notification unit 131. Further, the progress management unit 124 requests the article W that needs to be replaced for the shipping number T2 that has passed through the transport devices 1A to 1C according to the pre-arrangement plan and the rearrangement plan of the article W, and the name of the article W. And the shipping number T2 to be replaced with the number is output to the display device 140.

Next, the transport operation in the transport device 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. 10 and 11 are flowcharts showing the flow of the transport operation in the transport device. The following description of the transport operation is common to the three transport devices 1A to 1C except for some steps described later. Further, here, it is assumed that the product number weight T1 is transported to the sorting source position 31A by the product number weight conveyor 31 and then positioned.

In the flowchart of FIG. 10, in step ST01, in the control device 72, the data of the pre-arrangement plan regarding the accommodation of the article W in the target shipping number T2 is input from the integrated control device 110. In step ST02, it is determined whether or not the pre-arrangement plan is completed by the pre-arrangement plan input by the control device 72. If it is completed (step ST02: Yes), the transfer is completed, and if it is not completed (step ST02: No), the process proceeds to step ST03.

In step ST03, the target shipping number T2 is conveyed to the supplier position 41A by the shipping number conveyor 41 of the shipping number transfer unit 4, and then positioned. In step ST04, it is determined whether or not the number of articles W to be accommodated in the target shipping number T2 is not sufficient.

When there is no planned number of articles W to be accommodated (step ST04: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST05, and in step ST05, the completion notification unit 72b of the control device 72 outputs the article transfer completion notification to the integrated control device 110. In step ST06, the target shipping number T2 is conveyed from the supplier position 41A to the downstream side in the conveying direction by the shipping number heavy conveyor 41. As shown in FIG. 8, such a transport destination is a work area of a worker in which the shipping number T2 is arranged on the downstream side of the transport line L and the article shelf 130 and the display device 140 are arranged in the third transport device 1C. .. In the first transfer device 1A and the second transfer device 1B, the second transfer device 1B and the third transfer device 1C adjacent to each other on the downstream side in the transfer direction are the transfer destinations of the shipping number T2.

When there is (remaining) the planned number of articles W to be accommodated (step ST04: No), the process proceeds to step ST07, and in step ST07, a command for recognizing the accommodation position and orientation of the article W at the shipping number weight T2 of the supplier position 41A. Is output by the control device 72. In step ST08, based on the recognition command in step ST07, the article detection unit 63 after transfer takes an image of the article W housed in the shipping number weight T2 at the supplier position 41A. In step ST09, based on the image pickup data output from the post-transfer article detection unit 63, the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c measures the number, accommodation position, and orientation of the article W accommodated in the shipping number weight T2.

In step ST10, the displacement detection unit 72a of the control device 72 compares the measurement data of the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c with the pre-arrangement plan, and the displacement of the article W accommodated in the shipping number T2 is displaced. Detects whether or not there is. If there is a deviation (step ST10: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST11, and if there is no deviation (step ST10: No), the process proceeds to step ST13 (see FIG. 11).

In step ST11, it corresponds to the deviation in the accommodation position of the article W and the like. The specific flow of step ST11 will be described later in the flow F1 of FIG. In step ST12, the data of the relocation plan regarding the accommodation of the article W in the target shipping number T2 is input from the integrated control device 110.

In the flowchart of FIG. 11, in step ST13, the control device 72 outputs a recognition command of the accommodating position and orientation of the article W in the product number weight T1 of the sorting source position 31A. In step ST14, based on the recognition command in step ST13, the pre-transfer article detection unit 61 takes an image of the article W housed in the product number weight T1 at the sorting source position 31A. In step ST15, based on the image pickup data output from the pre-transfer article detection unit 61, the pre-transfer article recognition algorithm 71a measures the number, accommodation position, and orientation of the article W contained in the product number weight T1.

In step ST16, a drive command is output from the transfer control unit 72c of the control device 72 to the moving mechanism 52 of the transfer unit 5, and the moving mechanism 52 is driven to hold the article W in the product number weight T1 by the holding unit 51. After such holding, as shown by the thick arrow in FIG. 4, the article W held by the holding portion 51 by the drive of the moving mechanism 52 is transferred toward the shipping number weight T2 at the partition destination position 41A.

In step ST17, during the transfer of the article W in step ST10, the article W is dropped by the holding portion 51 and the position of the held article W is displaced. The specific flow of step ST17 will be described later in the flow F2 of FIG. In step ST18, it is determined whether or not the article W has fallen at the holding portion 51 during the transfer of the article W. If it has fallen (step ST18: Yes), it returns to step ST04, and if it has not fallen (step ST18: No), it proceeds to step ST19.

In step ST19, a drive command is output from the transfer control unit 72c of the control device 72 to the moving mechanism 52 of the transfer unit 5, and the article W held by driving the moving mechanism 52 is transferred to the shipping number T2 at the destination position 41A. And house it. Then, the process returns to step ST04. By returning to step ST04, the transfer of the article W to the shipping number T2 is repeated until the number of transports in the pre-arrangement plan or the rearrangement plan is reached, and the shipping number T2 that has reached the transport number is transported downstream. Then, the transfer of the article W to the new shipping number T2 is started.

Subsequently, the operation in step ST11 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of dealing with the deviation of the articles in the shipping number. The operation shown in FIG. 12 is the operation of the entire transfer system 100.

In the flowchart (flow F1) of FIG. 12, in step ST31, in step ST10, the measurement data of the post-transfer article recognition algorithm 71c is compared with the pre-arrangement plan, and the accommodation position of the article W accommodated in the shipping number T2 is compared. Start when there is a deviation in etc. In step ST31, the deviation detection unit 72a of the control device 72 outputs a command requesting the rearrangement plan of the article W accommodated in the shipping number T2 to the integrated control device 110. In step ST32, a command requesting a relocation plan from the integrated control device 110 is input to the calculation unit 122 via the progress management unit 124 of the article placement planning device 120.

In step ST33, the calculation unit 122 creates a relocation plan in which the pre-placement plan is corrected. In step ST34, the number of shipping number weights T2 in the pre-arrangement plan before correction is compared with the number of shipping number weights T2 in the relocation plan. When the number of shipping number T2 increases (step ST34: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST35, and in step ST35, the fact that the number of shipping number T2 has increased in the relocation plan is included in the shipping number list. It is stored in the storage unit 123. After that, the process proceeds to step ST12, and even if the number of shipping number weights T2 does not increase in step ST34 (step ST34: No), the process proceeds to step ST12.

Subsequently, the operation in step ST17 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of dealing with the fall and misalignment of the article held by the transfer unit.

In the flowchart (flow F2) of FIG. 13, step ST41 starts after the article W in the product number weight T1 is held by the holding portion 51 and taken out by driving the moving mechanism 52 in step ST16. In step ST41, a drive command is output from the transfer control unit 72c of the control device 72 to the moving mechanism 52 of the transfer unit 5, and the article W held by the holding unit 51 by the drive of the moving mechanism 52 is transferred by the moving article detecting unit 62. Pass through the imageable range.

In step ST42, the control device 72 outputs a command to the image processing device 71 to measure the holding position and the like of the article W held by the holding unit 51 during the transfer by the transfer unit 5. In step ST43, the moving article detection unit 62 takes an image of the article W held by the holding section 51 during the transfer by the transferring section 5.

In step ST44, the article detection unit 72d detects the presence or absence of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 based on the image pickup data of the article detection unit 62 during transfer. If there is an article W being transferred in the transfer unit 5 (step ST44: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST45.

In step ST45, the position and orientation of the article W held during transfer by the transfer unit 5 are measured by the holding position measurement algorithm 71b based on the image pickup data output from the transfer article detection unit 62. Further, in step ST45, the holding position measurement algorithm 71b measures the position and orientation deviation amount of the article W during transfer with respect to the desired holding position. In step ST46, the transfer control unit 72c corrects the drive command by offsetting according to the deviation amount based on the deviation amount measured in step ST45. By such correction, in the accommodation of the article W in the shipping number T2 in step ST19, contact between the articles W and the article W and the shipping number T2 due to the deviation of the holding position of the article W in the transfer unit 5 is avoided. Will be done.

If there is no article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 in step ST44 (step ST44: No), the article W has fallen from the holding unit 51 during transfer, and the process proceeds to step ST47. In step ST47, the article detection unit 72d outputs a command to suspend the operation of the transport device 1 in which the article W has fallen. Here, in the plurality of transfer devices 1, only the transfer device 1 in which it is detected that there is no article W being transferred is temporarily stopped, and the other transfer devices 1 continue the normal operation.

In step ST48, the article detection unit 72d outputs an operation command to the warning unit 73 including an indicator light, a buzzer, and the like, and the warning unit 73 notifies the operation command. Based on the notification by the warning unit 73, the worker collects the dropped article W, then cancels the suspension of the operation of the transport device 1 by the operation of the worker, and proceeds to step ST49. In step ST49, the operation of the transport device 1 is restarted based on the operation of the worker, and the process proceeds to step ST18.

Subsequently, the operation of the worker and the operation of the transfer system 100 related to the operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a flow related to the operation of the worker. It should be noted that the description here is the work and operation based on the relocation plan regarding the operation of the worker in the area where the article shelf 130 and the display device 140 are arranged. Further, it is assumed that the operation corresponding to step ST71 is performed when the flow of FIG. 14 is started. Specifically, the article W to be accommodated in the shipping number T2 is obtained from the article shelf 130 according to the relocation plan, and the name and number of the articles W and the shipping number T2 to be accommodated are output to the notification unit 131. ing.

In the flowchart of FIG. 14, in step ST61, it is determined whether or not the relocation plan is completed by the relocation plan input by the integrated control device 110. If it is completed (step ST01: Yes), the transfer is completed, and if it is not completed (step ST61: No), the process proceeds to step ST62.

In step ST62, the calculation unit 122 detects whether or not the shipping number weight T2 has increased in the pre-location plan and the relocation plan in the store, and if it has increased, it is necessary to replace it with the shipping number weight T2. The article W is obtained by the progress management unit 124. Further, in step ST62, the progress management unit 124 outputs the name and number of articles W to be replaced and the shipping number T2 to be replaced to the display device 140. With such an output, the display of the display device 140 is updated.

In step ST63, the worker confirms the display update of the display device 140. In step ST64, the worker confirms whether or not the display device 140 is instructed to be replaced. If there is an instruction (step ST64: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST65, in which the worker replaces the article W according to the instruction of the display device 140. By such replacement, the filling rate of the article W having the shipping number T2 can be increased, and the number of the shipping number T2 per store or the like can be reduced. After step ST65, the process proceeds to step ST66, and even if there is no replacement instruction in step ST64 (step ST64: No), the process proceeds to step ST66.

In step ST66, the progress management unit 124 inputs a notification of the completion of accommodation for the notification content from the notification unit 131, and determines whether or not there is a notification of the completion of accommodation from all of the plurality of notification units 131. If there is no notification of the completion of accommodation from all the notification units 131 (step ST66: No), the process proceeds to step ST67, and in step ST67, the worker confirms the notification of the notification unit 131.

In step ST68, the worker accommodates the article W from the article shelf 130 to the shipping number T2 according to the content of the notification of the notification unit 131. After completing the storage of the article W of the notification content of the notification unit 131, in step ST69, the worker operates the notification unit in the notification unit 131 to notify the progress management unit 124 that the storage of the notification content is completed. Then, the process returns to step ST66.

If there is a notification of the completion of accommodation from all the notification units 131 in step ST66 (step ST66: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST70. In this state, all the manual storage of the article W in the relocation plan is completed, and in step ST70, the shipping number T2 is discharged from the transport line L. Then, in step ST71, the progress management unit 124 obtains the article W to be accommodated in the shipping number T2 from the article shelf 130 according to the relocation plan in preparation for the shipping number T2 of the next store or the like, and the article. The name and number of Ws and the shipping number T2 to be accommodated are output to the notification unit 131. After that, the process returns to step ST61, and the above operation is repeated.

According to such an embodiment, the position of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 and the position of the article W housed in the shipping number T2 can be measured. As a result, even if the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 or the article W accommodated in the shipping number T2 is displaced, the article W becomes another article W when the article W is accommodated in the shipping number T2. It is possible to avoid contact with the shipping number T2. By avoiding contact in this way, it is possible to eliminate the work of visually confirming the shipping number T2 to which the article W has been transferred, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in transportation efficiency.

Further, in the present embodiment, three types of detection units 61 to 63 are used. Before the operation of the transfer device 1, the relationship between the coordinate system of each of the detection units 61 to 63 and the coordinate system of the transfer unit 5 is known by calibration, so that the transfer unit 5 can be obtained from the coordinate values of the detection units 61 to 63. It can be converted into the coordinate values of and the transfer unit 5 can be driven.

Here, the positions of the detection units 61 to 63 and the positions of the transfer unit 5 are displaced due to the vibration of the transfer device 1 itself, and the relationship between the coordinate systems is also displaced. Unless this state is left unattended, that is, the drive of the transfer unit 5 is not corrected based on the image pickup data of the detection units 61 to 63 as in the present embodiment, the article is displaced in a certain direction for each transfer of the article W. Problems such as holding W occur. As a result, when the article W is accommodated in the shipping number T2, there is a high possibility that the article W comes into contact with another article W or the shipping number T2.

In this respect, in the present embodiment, the position of the article W being transferred by the transfer unit 5 and the position of the article W housed in the shipping number T2 are measured, and the deviation amount and the tendency of the deviation direction are statistically measured. Can be processed as a target. As a result, it is possible to systematically manage the correction of the mounting positions of the detection units 61 to 63 and the transfer unit 5 and the recalibration timing of the relationship between the coordinate system of the detection units 61 to 63 and the coordinate system of the transfer unit 5. can.

For example, when there is a tendency for the misalignment of the arrangement at the shipping number T2, it is suggested that the positional relationship between the article detection unit 62 during transfer, the article detection unit 63 after transfer, and the transfer unit 5 is misaligned. Further, when the transfer unit 5 tends to shift the position of the article W being transferred, it is suggested that the positional relationship between the pre-transfer article detection unit 61 and the transfer unit 5 is misaligned.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the relocation plan is created and implemented, the transfer device 1 can be automatically restored and the operation can be continued without stopping, and the operation rate of the transfer system 100 can be prevented from decreasing. Further, in the present embodiment, only when the number of the shipping number weight T2 increases due to the relocation plan, the worker is instructed via the display device 140 and the notification unit 131, and the filling rate of the shipping number weight T2 is manually obtained. It is possible to increase the number of shipping numbers T2 and suppress the number of shipping numbers T2.

Further, since the transfer unit 5 has the article detection unit 72d for detecting the presence / absence of the article W being transferred, it is possible to quickly respond to the drop of the article W and improve the transfer efficiency.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be variously modified, replaced, or modified without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of the present invention. Further, if the technical idea of the present invention can be realized in another way by the advancement of the technology or another technology derived from it, it may be carried out by the method. Therefore, the scope of claims covers all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the supporting article W is used as a container for cooked food, but the article is not limited as long as it can be transferred by the transfer unit 5. For example, they may be sandwiches, breads, other foods such as lunch boxes, various electric devices, devices, parts thereof, or packed in boxes or trays other than lunch boxes. Further, in the article W, the holding portion by the holding portion 51 is not limited to the upper surface, but may be a side surface or edge portion of the article W, an uneven portion formed from the lower surface to the side surface, an inclined portion, a protruding portion, or the like. ..

Further, the case where the number weights T1 and T2 are used as the carry-out container and the original container has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various containers can be used depending on the articles to be accommodated and the like. Further, the articles W housed in the respective weights T1 and T2 may or may not be stacked vertically.

Further, the maximum number of articles W held by the holding section 51 of the transfer section 5 may be changed to 2 or more.

Further, when the holding portion 51 of the transfer unit 5 vacuum sucks and holds the upper surface of the article W with a pad, the article detection unit 72d outputs an output of a vacuum pressure gauge or a flow meter installed between the path between the pad and the vacuum pressure source. The presence or absence of the article W in transit may be detected based on the data. In this case, when the output data of the set pressure or more or the set flow rate or more is input to the article detection unit 72d, it is detected that the article W is not held.

Further, in the product number heavy transport unit 3 and the shipping number heavy transport unit 4, the product number heavy transport unit 3 is arranged below the shipping number heavy transport unit 4 by reversing the vertical positional relationship with respect to the above embodiment. It may be done. However, the above embodiment is advantageous in that the ascending movement amount can be made smaller than the descending movement amount of the article W when the article W is taken out from the product number weight T1.

Further, the installation position of the transfer unit 5 is not limited to the floor surface and may be a ceiling or a housing (not shown), and the number of transfer units 5 installed is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more. May be good.

Further, in the above embodiment, the number of the transfer devices 1 in the transfer system 100 is three, but it may be two or a plurality of four or more.

1 Transfer device 5 Transfer unit 61 Pre-transfer article detection unit 62 In-transfer article detection unit 63 Post-transfer article detection unit 71 Image processing device (position recognition device)
72c Transfer control unit 72d Article detection unit 100 Transfer system 120 Article placement planning device T1 Product number weight (original container)
T2 shipping number (delivery container)
L transport line W goods

Claims (6)

In a transport device in which articles stored in the original container are transferred by a transfer unit and stored in a carry-out container.
An in-transit article detection unit that captures an image of an in-transit article in the transfer unit,
A post-transfer article detection unit that captures an image of the article contained in the carry-out container,
It is provided with a position recognition device that outputs image data of the article detection unit during transfer and the article detection unit after transfer.
The position recognition device measures the position of the article being transferred by the transfer unit based on the image pickup data of the article detection unit during transfer, and is housed in the carry-out container based on the image data of the article detection unit after transfer. A transport device characterized by measuring the position of an article. The transfer device according to claim 1, further comprising an article detection unit that detects the presence or absence of an article being transferred by the transfer unit based on the image pickup data of the transfer article detection unit. A pre-transfer article detection unit that captures an image of the article contained in the original container is provided.
The transport device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position recognition device measures the position of the article housed in the original container based on the image pickup data of the article detection unit before transfer. A transfer control unit that outputs a drive command to the transfer unit based on at least one of the position of the article being transferred by the transfer unit measured by the position recognition device and the position of the article contained in the carry-out container is provided. The transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transport device is characterized by the above. A transport system including a plurality of transport devices according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A transport system characterized in that all of the plurality of transport devices are provided with a transport line for transporting the carry-out container. An article arrangement that creates a rearrangement plan that corrects the pre-arrangement plan of the articles accommodated in the carry-out container based on the positions of the articles contained in the carry-out container measured by the position recognition device in the plurality of transfer devices. The transport system according to claim 5, further comprising a planning device.

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