JP2023129564A - automatic warehouse system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an automatic warehouse system capable of suppressing reduction of operation efficiency even when a recovery operation is performed.SOLUTION: An automatic warehouse system includes: a storage stage of a plurality of steps capable of storing a load; and a conveyance control part for controlling a carriage for conveying the load. When an abnormality occurs at any storage stage of the plurality of steps during automatic driving (step S1), the conveyance control part stops only driving of the storage stage where the abnormality occurs and driving of the designated storage stage (step 7).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse system, and particularly to an automatic warehouse system having multiple storage shelves.

Automated warehouse systems that can efficiently store and unload a large number of cargo in a small space are known. Various configurations have been proposed as automatic warehouse systems (for example, Patent Document 1).

In an automated warehouse system such as the one described in Patent Document 1, when an abnormality such as cargo collapse occurs in the warehouse, the entire system is stopped to ensure the safety of the workers performing recovery work, and then the work is started. The personnel went to the location where the abnormality occurred and carried out restoration work.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-160040

However, there was a problem in that if the entire automated warehouse system was stopped when an abnormality occurred, work on storage shelves where no abnormality occurred would also be stopped, reducing the operating efficiency of the automated warehouse system. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automated warehouse system that can suppress a decrease in operating efficiency even during restoration work.

In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention is an automated warehouse system that includes a plurality of storage stages capable of storing loads and a transport control unit that controls a transport mechanism that transports the loads. When an abnormality occurs in any of the storage stages among the multiple storage stages during automatic operation, the transport control unit is configured to stop only the operation of the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred and the operation of the designated storage stage. It is characterized by

According to this configuration, the number of storage shelves whose operation is to be stopped when an abnormality occurs can be reduced, and a decrease in operating efficiency can be suppressed.

Another aspect of the present invention is an automatic warehouse system, which includes a plurality of storage stages capable of storing loads, and a conveyance control unit that controls a conveyance mechanism that conveys the loads, and the conveyance control unit automatically If an abnormality occurs in any of the storage stages among multiple storage stages during operation, the operation of the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred is stopped, and the transport mechanism is moved to a storage stage different from the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred. The conveyance mechanism is controlled to enable the conveyance of the load.

According to this configuration, the number of storage shelves whose operation is to be stopped when an abnormality occurs can be reduced, and a decrease in operating efficiency can be suppressed.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in operating efficiency even when restoration work is being performed.

1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of storage shelves in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the arrangement of storage shelves in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a first cart of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of the first truck of FIG. 5; 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a second cart of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view of the second truck of FIG. 7; 2 is a block diagram of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, comparative examples, and modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate. Further, the dimensions of members in each drawing are shown enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Further, in each drawing, some members that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted.

Also, although ordinal terms such as first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another; The components are not limited by this.

[First embodiment]
The configuration of an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of storage shelves in the automated warehouse system. FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing the automated warehouse system. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the arrangement of storage shelves in the automated warehouse system. In these figures, descriptions of pillars, beams, etc. that are not important for the explanation are omitted, and the same applies to the following figures.

For convenience of explanation, as shown in the figure, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is defined in which a certain horizontal direction is the X direction, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the X direction is the Y direction, and a direction perpendicular to both, that is, the vertical direction is the Z direction. Note that although the following description will be made using an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction do not necessarily have to be orthogonal to each other as long as they intersect at approximately 90 degrees. The positive direction of each of the X, Y, and Z axes is defined in the direction of the arrow in each figure, and the negative direction is defined in the direction opposite to the arrow. Further, the positive side of the X-axis is sometimes referred to as the "right side," and the negative side of the X-axis is sometimes referred to as the "left side." Also, the positive side of the Y-axis is called the "front side," the negative side of the Y-axis is called the "rear side," the positive side of the Z-axis is called the "upper side," and the negative side of the Z-axis is called the "lower side." be. Such directional notation does not limit the configuration of the automated warehouse system, and the automated warehouse system can be used in any configuration depending on the application.

First, the overall configuration of the automated warehouse system 1 will be explained first. The automated warehouse system 1 is a system that includes storage shelves 4 that can store a large number of items 2. The automated warehouse system 1 includes a storage shelf 4, a first trolley 6, a second trolley 8, a first rail 10, a second rail 12, a power supply section (not shown), and a control section 14. . The storage shelf 4 stores the cargo 2. In this embodiment, the X-axis direction is illustrated as the first direction. The first rail 10 extends in the X-axis direction. The power feeding section includes a power feeding line extending in the vicinity of the second rail 12 in the Y-axis direction.

The first truck 6 runs on the first rail 10 in the X-axis direction. The second truck 8 runs on the second rail 12 in the Y-axis direction. When the first truck 6 and the second truck 8 are collectively referred to, they may simply be referred to as a truck. Moreover, when the first truck 6, the second truck 8, the first rail 10, and the second rail 12 are collectively referred to as a "conveyance mechanism", they may be simply referred to as a "transport mechanism." The control unit 14 controls the operations of the first truck 6 and the second truck 8.

In the first embodiment, the load 2 is handled on a pallet, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the load 2 may be handled alone without using a pallet. Note that transporting the load 2 on a pallet is simply referred to as transporting the load 2.

The warehousing and unloading operations of the automated warehouse system 1 will be explained. The automated warehouse system 1 carries cargo 2 from outside the warehouse into the warehousing section 18 using, for example, a forklift (not shown). The automated warehouse system 1 transports the cargo 2 carried into the warehousing section 18 to a predetermined storage section 20 for storage by a transport mechanism including a first cart 6 and a second cart 8. Furthermore, the automated warehouse system 1 transports the cargo 2 stored in a predetermined storage section 20 to the unloading section 22 using the transport mechanism. The automated warehouse system 1 transports the cargo 2 transported to the unloading section 22 to the outside of the warehouse using, for example, a forklift.

(storage shelf)
The storage shelf 4 is a so-called high-density storage type storage space that can store a large number of items 2. The configuration of the storage shelf 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate and store a plurality of items 2. In this example, the storage shelf 4 includes a plurality of storage stages 24 (for example, four stages) stacked in layers in the vertical direction. Each storage stage 24 includes a plurality of (eg, seven) storage rows 26 arranged in the Y-axis direction. Six of the seven storage rows 26 include a plurality of (for example, 12) storage sections 20 arranged in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the remaining one of the seven storage rows 26 includes a plurality of (for example, six) storage sections 20 arranged in the X-axis direction. In the illustrated example, six of the seven storage rows 26 have six storage sections 20 on the right and left sides of the second rail 12, and the remaining row has six storage sections 20 on the right and left sides of the second rail 12. It has six storage sections 20 on the left side. However, the number of storage rows 26, the number of storage units 20 in each storage row 26, and the position of the second rail 12 can be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the warehouse. The storage unit 20 is a unit that stores the cargo 2.

Here, each of the plurality of storage stages 24 is provided with a warehousing section 18 and a warehousing section 22, and the cargo 2 may be stored in or taken out of each storage stage 24 using a forklift. Further, a lifting mechanism (not shown) for lifting and lowering the cargo 2 on each storage stage 24 is separately provided, and the warehousing section 18 and the warehousing section 22 may be provided only on the lowest storage stage 24. In this case, the cargo 2 received from the warehousing section 18 is lifted by the lifting mechanism and moved to each storage stage 24, and the cargo 2 taken out from the storage stage 24 of each tier is lowered by the lifting mechanism and taken out. The goods are delivered to department 22.

(rail)
The first rail 10 extends in the X-axis direction in the storage row 26 . The second rail 12 extends in the Y-axis direction near the end of the storage row 26. When the first rail 10 and the second rail 12 are collectively referred to, they are sometimes simply referred to as rails. In this specification, a rail is a member or portion having a rolling surface for wheels configured to allow a bogie to run in the direction in which the rail extends. Therefore, the rail may be a rail having a rolling surface formed on a rod-shaped or band-shaped member, or may be a rail having a rolling surface formed on a flat surface.

(1st truck)
Next, the first truck 6 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the first truck. FIG. 6 is a side view of the first truck. The first truck 6 runs on the first rail 10 in the X-axis direction in the storage row 26 in order to transport the load 2 . The first cart 6 takes the load 2 into and out of the storage section 20. The first truck 6 travels on the second truck 8 in the X-axis direction in order to get on and off the second truck 8.

The first truck 6 mainly includes a vehicle body 28, a mounting section 30, a lift mechanism 32, a plurality of (for example, four) wheels 34, and a battery 36. The vehicle body 28 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped profile that is flat in the vertical direction. Mounted inside the vehicle body 28 are a motor (not shown) that drives a plurality of wheels 34, a control circuit (not shown) that controls this motor, and a battery 36. The first truck 6 is configured to drive a motor using electric power from a battery 36. The battery 36 may be a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery.

The placing section 30 is a part that lifts and holds the load 2. The lift mechanism 32 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the mounting section 30. In FIG. 6, the receiver 30 indicated by a broken line is in an elevated state, and the receiver 30 indicated by a solid line is in a lowered state. The lift mechanism 32 can raise the loading section 30 and lift the load 2 from the storage section 20. The lift mechanism 32 can lower the loading section 30 and unload the load 2 into the storage section 20. The plurality of wheels 34 run on the first rail 10 and the second truck 8.

(Second truck)
Next, the second truck 8 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the second truck. FIG. 8 is a side view of the second truck. The second truck 8 runs on the second rail 12 in the Y-axis direction. The second cart 8 transports the first cart 6 in an empty state or in a state loaded with the cargo 2.

The second truck 8 mainly includes a vehicle body 38, a recess 40, a plurality of wheels 42, and a current collection unit 44. The vehicle body 38 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped profile that is flat in the vertical direction. Inside the vehicle body 38, a motor (not shown) that drives each wheel 42 and a control circuit (not shown) that controls this motor are mounted. The wheels 42 run on the second rail 12. The current collection unit 44 receives power by contacting the power supply line extending along the second rail. The second truck 8 receives power from the power supply line via its current collection unit 44 . The second truck 8 is configured to drive a motor using the received electric power and also to feed the first truck 6 with electricity.

The second truck 8 has a concave recess 40 on which the first truck 6 is mounted. The recess 40 is formed to be depressed downward from the upper surface of the vehicle body 38 in order to place the first truck 6 thereon. The size of the recess 40 is determined by adding a sufficient margin to the size of the first truck 6 so that the first truck 6 can travel in the X-axis direction without interfering with the surroundings of the recess 40. . The first truck 6 runs on the recess 40 .

(Maintenance area)
Each storage stage 24 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided with a maintenance area 48 into which at least the second truck 8 can enter. The maintenance area 48 is located at the end of the second rail 12. A door 50 is provided in the maintenance area 48 so that the maintenance area 48 can be accessed from the outside. The maintenance area 48 has a worker protection structure that can ensure the safety of workers even if cargo collapses or the like occurs on the upper storage stage 24. A worker protection structure is a structure with a strong, gap-free floor and ceiling that protects workers from objects falling from above and prevents falling objects from falling to the storage stage below. . By moving the second cart 8 to the maintenance area 48, a worker can perform maintenance on the second cart 8. Furthermore, maintenance of the first truck 6 can also be performed by moving the second truck 8 to the maintenance area 48 with the first truck 6 mounted thereon.

Further, an outer control panel 52a is provided on the outside of the door 50 for accessing the maintenance area 48, and an inner control panel 52b is provided on the inside of the door 50. The outer control panel 52a includes switching means such as a key switch 54 for switching the operation mode of the automated warehouse system 1. Further, around the outer control panel 52a, that is, on the outside of the door 50, a safety plug 52c for stopping power supply to the transport mechanism and a lamp 52d indicating that the transport mechanism has been stopped by operating the key switch 54 are provided. It is provided. Moreover, opening and closing of the door 50 can be detected by the door sensor 52e. The inner control panel 52b includes a power supply switch 52f that turns on/off the power supply to the cart. The operation modes of the automated warehouse system 1 include a fully automatic operation mode, a self-stop mode, and a multi-stage stop mode. In the fully automatic operation mode, the automated warehouse system 1 operates all storage stages 24 according to a program installed in the automated warehouse system 1. In self-stop mode, the automated warehouse system 1 stops the operation of only the storage stage 24 provided with the key switch 54 and allows the other storage stages 24 to operate. In the multi-stage stop mode, the automated warehouse system 1 stops the operation of only the storage stage 24 provided with the key switch 54 and the designated storage stage 24, and allows the operation of the other storage stages 24. In other words, the "fully automatic operation mode" is a mode in which all storage stages 24 are operated, and the "self-stage stop mode" and "multi-stage stop mode" are modes in which only the storage stage in which an abnormality has occurred is stopped. To enable a transport mechanism to transport loads without stopping all or part of a storage stage where no abnormality has occurred. In addition, as an operation mode of the automated warehouse system 1, there is a "cycle stop mode" which is used for workers to enter the maintenance area 48 for maintenance of carts, etc., in addition to when an abnormality occurs. When the cycle stop mode is selected, the transport mechanism in normal operation is stopped. The storage stage 24 to be stopped at this time may be only the storage stage 24 provided with the operated key switch 54, or the storage stages 24 that are vertically adjacent to each other may be stopped.

The key switch 54 is linked to the lock of the door 50, and if the key switch 54 is not set to "self-stage stop mode" or "multi-stage stop mode", the door 50 cannot be opened, or if When the door 50 is opened, the transport mechanism comes to an emergency stop. Therefore, only when the key switch 54 is switched to "self-stage stop mode" or "multi-stage stop mode" and the safety of the storage stage 24 on which the key switch 54 is installed can be ensured, a worker can can enter. When a worker enters the maintenance area 48, the worker can access the inner control panel 52b and stop powering the trolley in the storage stage 24 on which the inner control panel 52b is located.

In order to simplify the configuration of the control unit, the "self-stage stop mode" and "multi-stage stop mode" may be used to stop the operation of a designated storage stage in addition to the storage stage where an abnormality has occurred. . In this case, in the "self-stage stop mode", the flag indicating the designated storage stage 24 can be set not to be set. In this case, in the "self-stage stop mode", the "storage stage where an abnormality has occurred" as referred to in the present invention is the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has actually occurred, and the "designated storage stage" has a value Since there is no storage stage 24, the storage stage 24 is 0.

The maintenance area 48 is located on an extension of the storage row 26 located at the frontmost side along the Y-axis when the storage stage 24 is viewed from above. More specifically, when the second cart 8 is in a position where it can receive the second cart 8 from the frontmost storage row 26, the second cart 8 enters the maintenance area. Therefore, during maintenance of the second cart 8 and the like, the second cart 8 is moved to a position aligned with the storage row 26 located at the frontmost side.

The designated storage stage 24 whose operation is stopped in the multi-stage stop mode is the storage stage 24 directly above the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred, and all storage stages above the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred. 24. Either the storage stage 24 directly above and the storage stage 24 directly below the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred, or all the storage stages 24 above and the storage stage 24 directly below the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred. It is preferable that By selecting the multi-stage stop mode and performing recovery work in this way, the storage stages 24 above the storage stage 24 where the abnormality occurred (one stage or all stages above) are stopped, and further cargo collapse is prevented. etc., it is possible to prevent the load 2 from falling. Furthermore, by stopping the storage stages 24 below the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred, it is possible to prevent workers from coming into contact with the load 2 being transported on the lower storage stage 24 during recovery work, for example. I can do it. The storage stage 24 to be stopped in the multi-stage stop mode, that is, the storage stage 24 designated in the multi-stage stop mode, may be specified in advance when the automated warehouse system 1 is constructed. Further, for example, an input device may be placed near the key switch 54 so that the operator can specify which storage stage 24 is to be stopped.

Further, in the automated warehouse system 1 having two storage stages 24, the two upper and lower storage stages 24 are operated when operating in the fully automatic operation mode. For example, if an abnormality occurs in the upper storage stage 24 and the self-stage stop mode is selected with the key switch 54 of the upper storage stage 24, only the upper storage stage 24 will stop operating, and the other stage stop mode will be activated. When this is selected, the operation of the lower storage stage 24 is also stopped. In this case, the "storage stage where an abnormality has occurred" as referred to in the present invention is the upper storage stage 24, and the 0th storage stage 24 becomes the "designated storage stage" to be stopped.

Further, each storage stage 24 is provided with an abnormality detection sensor that detects an abnormality within the storage stage 24. The abnormality detection sensor includes a storage unit abnormality detection sensor 56 that detects an abnormality in the state of the load in the storage unit such as a collapse of the load, and a storage unit abnormality detection sensor 56 that detects an abnormality in the transport mechanism such as a failure of the first trolley 6 and the second trolley 8. There is a transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58. As the storage section abnormality detection sensor 56, it is possible to use an imaging means such as a camera, or a means for detecting whether the load has shifted from within a predetermined range within the storage section using an infrared sensor or the like. Further, the transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58 monitors the running state of the first cart 6 and the second cart 8, and detects that an abnormality has occurred when the first cart 6, etc. is not moving as instructed. Means can be used.

(control system)
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the automated warehouse system. The automated warehouse system 1 includes a system control unit 64 that includes a cargo management unit 60 that manages the cargo managed in the storage unit 20, the above-mentioned key switch 54, and a transport control unit 62 that controls the transport mechanism. ing. The automated warehouse system 1 further includes an abnormality detection unit 66 including the storage unit abnormality detection sensor 56 and the transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58 described above, and carts A, B, . . . arranged in each storage stage 24. have. Transport and management of the cargo 2 within the automated warehouse system 1 is performed by simultaneously operating a plurality of corresponding trolleys A, B, etc. by the trolley control units 68A, 68B, etc. of the system control unit 64. . Then, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit 66 or when the key switch 54 is operated, processing for abnormality recovery as described below is executed.

(Maintenance of trolley)
Although there are no abnormalities in the operation of the automated warehouse system, workers may access the trolleys for maintenance purposes. In this case, the worker accesses the key switch 54 of the storage stage 24 where the cart to be maintained is located, and switches the operation mode to the "cycle stop mode." This causes the truck that is normally operating to stop. The operator then removes the key switch 54 from the outer control panel 52a. Additionally, the worker pulls out the safety plug 52c. As a result, power supply to the transport mechanism is stopped. Next, the worker visually checks the lamp 52d to confirm that the trolley is stopped, opens the door 50, enters the maintenance area 48, and closes the door 50. When the door 50 is closed, the door sensor 52e is turned on, making it possible to supply power to the transport mechanism. Next, the worker operates the power supply switch 52f on the inner control panel 52b to turn on the power supply to the trolley. Next, the worker inserts the key switch 54 into the trolley to switch to manual mode. This allows the trolley to be operated manually. After maintenance of the truck, the worker operates the key switch 54 to switch the truck to automatic mode. Next, the user turns off the power supply switch 52f on the inner control panel 52b and exits the door 50. This turns on the door sensor 52e. Next, the worker inserts the safety plug 52c, inserts the key switch 54 into the outer control panel 52a, and switches the key switch to fully automatic operation mode.

(Abnormal recovery operation)
Next, the abnormality recovery operation of the automated warehouse system 1 will be explained. Note that the control of the automated warehouse system 1 described below is executed by hardware such as an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) of a computer using software stored in a storage unit in advance.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the operation of the automated warehouse system. When a series of processes starts, first, in step S1, the automated warehouse system 1 waits until an abnormality within the storage stage 24 is detected. In this process, a determination is made based on the detection result of the abnormality detection section 66.

When an abnormality is detected in step S1, the automated warehouse system 1 stops the operation of the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred in step S2. Stopping the operation of the storage stage 24 means stopping the first cart 6 and the second cart 8 running in the corresponding storage stage 24 on the spot. By stopping the traveling of the cart in the storage stage 24 where an abnormality has occurred, safety can be ensured when a worker enters the storage stage 24 for recovery work.

Next, in step S3, the automated warehouse system 1 determines whether the detected abnormality is an abnormality related to the trolley or an abnormality related to the inside of the storage stage 24. This process is performed by the system control unit 64 determining the detection result of the abnormality detection unit 66, that is, which sensor among the storage unit abnormality detection sensor 56 or the transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58 has detected the abnormality. .

If the abnormality is not related to the trolley but to the inside of the storage stage 24, the automated warehouse system 1 notifies the worker of the abnormality in step S4. In this process, the system control unit 64 displays on a monitor (not shown) or the like that an abnormality has occurred inside a specific storage stage 24. This allows the worker to know that an abnormality has occurred in a specific storage stage 24, and to start preparations for recovery work. During the restoration work, the worker moves outside the maintenance area 48 of the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred and operates the key switch 54.

In step S5, the automated warehouse system 1 determines whether the key switch 54 has been operated. The key switch 54 is set to the "fully automatic operation mode" when the automated warehouse system 1 is operating normally. The worker operates the key switch 54 depending on the nature of the abnormality notified by the automated warehouse system 1, and selects either "self-stage stop mode" or "multi-stage stop mode."

If it is determined in step S6 that the automated warehouse system 1 is set to the multi-stage stop mode, in step S7 the automated warehouse system 1 selects a The storage stage 24 is stopped or set to not allow operation. As a result, in addition to the storage stage 24 in which the abnormality has occurred, specified storage stages 24 such as the upper storage stage 24 and the lower storage stage 24 are no longer operated. On the other hand, storage stages 24 other than the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred and the designated storage stage 24 can be operated under the control of the transport control unit 62.

When the operation within the predetermined storage stage 24 is stopped, the worker pulls out the safety plug 52c, enters the maintenance area 48 through the door 50 of the maintenance area 48, and turns on the power supply switch 52f on the inner control panel 52b. Turn it off to stop power supply to the trolley. Thereafter, the worker performs repair work for abnormalities such as cargo collapse in the storage section 20. After the restoration work, the worker turns on the power supply switch 52f, passes through the maintenance area again, and exits the storage section 20. Next, the worker inserts the safety plug 52c and operates the key switch 54 to set the "fully automatic operation mode".

When the automated warehouse system 1 determines in step S8 that the key switch 54 is set to the "fully automatic operation mode", in step S9 the automated warehouse system resumes operation of all the stopped storage stages 24.

Furthermore, if it is determined in step S6 that the multi-stage stop mode is not selected, the automated warehouse system 1 determines that the self-stage stop mode has been selected. In this case as well, the worker recovers from the abnormality within the storage stage 24 and then operates the key switch 54 to set the "fully automatic operation mode".

Further, if the automated warehouse system 1 determines in step S3 that the detected abnormality is related to the trolley, the automated warehouse system 1 confirms the position of the trolley in step S10. The trolley here means a trolley in which an abnormality has occurred. For example, when the transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the first trolley 6, the automated warehouse system 1 1. Confirm the position of truck 6. Furthermore, when the transport mechanism abnormality detection sensor 58 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the second cart 8, the automated warehouse system 1 confirms the position of the second cart 8.

Next, in step S11, the automated warehouse system 1 notifies the worker of the abnormality. In this process, the system control unit 64 displays on a monitor (not shown) or the like that an abnormality has occurred in either or both of the first cart 6 and the second cart 8 located inside the specific storage stage 24. This allows the worker to know that an abnormality has occurred in a particular truck, and to begin preparations for recovery work. To carry out the restoration work, the worker moves to the outside of the maintenance area 48 of the storage stage 24 where the trolley in which the abnormality has occurred is located, and operates the key switch 54. In this case, the worker confirms the location of the trolley in which the abnormality has occurred, and if the trolley concerned is stopped within the maintenance area 48, which is a worker protection structure, the worker should set the key switch 54 to "self-stop mode". ”. When the trolley is stopped within the maintenance area 48, the worker does not need to enter the storage section 20 for restoration work of the trolley, and can safely perform the restoration work within the maintenance area 48. In this embodiment, the carts stop in the maintenance area 48 when the first cart 6 and the second cart 8 arrive at the frontmost storage row 26 along the Y-axis, or when, for example, the first cart stops in the maintenance area 48. 6 may enter the maintenance area 48 for charging or maintenance. In such a case, the automatic warehouse system 1 can be improved by setting the key switch 54 to the "self-stop mode", stopping only the storage stage 24 with the trolley in which the abnormality has occurred, and allowing the other storage stages 24 to operate. Decrease in work efficiency can be suppressed. Next, the worker removes the key switch 54, pulls out the safety plug 52c, and enters the maintenance area 48 through the door 50. Next, the worker closes the door 50 and operates the power supply switch 52f on the inner control panel 52b to turn on the power supply to the cart. Next, the worker inserts the key switch 54 into the trolley to switch to manual mode. This allows the trolley to be operated manually. After maintenance of the truck, the worker operates the key switch 54 to switch the truck to automatic mode. Next, the user turns off the power supply switch 52f on the inner control panel 52b and exits the door 50. This turns on the door sensor 52e. Next, the worker inserts the safety plug 52c, inserts the key switch 54 into the outer control panel 52a, and switches the key switch to fully automatic operation mode.

After the maintenance of the trolley is completed, the worker leaves the maintenance area and sets the key switch 54 to "fully automatic operation mode", and in step S8, the automated warehouse system 1 moves the stopped storage stage 24 Resume driving.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the automated warehouse system 1, only the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred and the designated storage stage 24 as necessary are stopped, and the rest By allowing the storage stage 24 to operate, it is possible to minimize the decrease in work efficiency when an abnormality occurs. In addition, the specified storage stages 24 include the storage stage 24 directly above the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred, all storage stages 24 above the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred, and the storage stage 24 where the abnormality has occurred. The safety of workers can be ensured by setting either the storage stage 24 directly above and the storage stage 24 directly below, or all the storage stages 24 above and the storage stage 24 directly below the storage stage 24 where the abnormality occurred. can be secured.

The above has been described based on each embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are illustrative and that various modifications and changes are possible and within the scope of the claims of the present invention. It is about to be done. Accordingly, the description and drawings herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

(Modified example)
Modifications will be described below. It is not essential to provide the first cart 6 in each row of each step, and the first cart 6 does not need to be provided in each step.

The storage stage 24 may consist of one storage row 26.

It is not essential that the number of storage units 20 in the storage row 26 be configured uniformly. The number of storage sections 20 constituting the storage rows 26 may be determined by providing rows with a large number and rows with a small number, depending on the unevenness of the wall of the building in which the storage shelves 4 are housed.

It is not essential that the number of storage stages 24 stacked in the vertical direction be uniform. The number of stages of the storage stage 24 may be determined by providing a region with a large number of stages and a region with a small number of stages, depending on the height of the ceiling of the building in which the storage shelves 4 are accommodated.

It is not essential that the load 2 includes a pallet. This automated warehouse system may handle loads 2 that do not include pallets.

Instead of a forklift, the cargo 2 may be stored or unloaded using another type of transfer device, such as a transfer device equipped with a crane.

Each of these modified examples has the same effects as the embodiment.

Any combination of the embodiments and variations described above are also useful as embodiments of the invention. A new embodiment resulting from a combination has the effects of each of the combined embodiments and modified examples.

1 automatic warehouse system, 2 cargo, 6 first trolley, 8 second trolley, 10 first rail, 12 second rail, 24 storage stage, 48 maintenance area, 62 transport control unit

Claims (6)

An automated warehouse system,
A multi-level storage stage that can store cargo,
a transport control unit that controls a transport mechanism that transports the load,
When an abnormality occurs in any one of the plurality of storage stages during automatic operation, the transport control unit stops only the operation of the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred and the specified storage stage. automated warehouse system. 2. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the designated storage stage is a storage stage one level above a storage stage in which an abnormality has occurred. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the designated storage stages are all storage stages above the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred. The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the specified storage stage is a storage stage one level below the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred. An automated warehouse system,
A multi-level storage stage that can store cargo,
A transport control unit that controls a transport mechanism that transports the load,
When an abnormality occurs in any one of the multiple storage stages during automatic operation, the transport control unit stops the operation of the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred, and also stops the operation of the storage stage that is different from the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred. An automatic warehouse system that controls a transport mechanism to enable the transport mechanism to transport cargo at a storage stage. the storage stage has a worker safety structure;
The transport mechanism has a cart that transports the load,
6. If the trolley is within the worker safety structure when the abnormality occurs, the control unit stops only the operation of the storage stage where the abnormality has occurred. automated warehouse system.

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