JP2631909B2 - Luggage transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse capable of automatically carrying in and out a load, loading and unloading of a load from a load storage shelf, and a plurality of conveyors in a distribution line. The present invention relates to a luggage transfer device for delivering luggage.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as this kind of luggage transfer device, there is one shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the luggage transfer device 1 moves luggage 4 to luggage storage shelves 2 and 3 located on both sides so as to sandwich the luggage.
In and out. In addition, both luggage storage shelves 2 and 3
A large number of loads 4 are accommodated and held along a vertical plane. The luggage transfer device is provided on the movable base 6 and is moved in the vertical plane together with the movable space 6 by positioning means (not shown) which operates based on the two-dimensional address data. And 3 are appropriately positioned corresponding to any of the luggage storage positions.

The luggage transfer device 1 includes a rotor 8 rotatably provided on a movable base 6 in a horizontal plane, a rotor driving means (not shown) for rotating the rotor 8, and a rotor 8.
A first arm 9 is attached to the upper end of the first arm 9 so as to be swingable in a vertical plane at one end, and the other end of the first arm 9 is pivoted in parallel with the swing surface of the first arm 9. A second arm 10 pivotally supported, a luggage mounting plate 11 attached to the other end of the second arm 10 so as to be swingable in a vertical plane, and on which luggage 4 can be mounted; The first arm 9, the second arm 10, and the luggage mounting plate so as to maintain the state.
Arm driving means for operating the motor 11. That is,
This is a so-called articulated robot, and the arms 9 and 10 and the luggage mounting plate 11 perform the same operation as bending and extending a human arm in a vertical plane.

 The operation of the device having the above configuration will be described.

First, the movable base 6 is moved two-dimensionally along the vertical plane, and the luggage transfer device 1 is positioned, for example, corresponding to a desired luggage storage position on the luggage storage shelf 3. Then, the first arm 9, the second arm 10, and the luggage mounting plate 11 are operated, and when the luggage 4 is mounted on the luggage mounting plate 11, this is stored in the luggage storage unit. The luggage 4 is taken out of the storage unit. Also, in the case where the luggage 4 is taken in and out of the other luggage storage shelf 2,
The rotor 8 of the luggage transfer device 1 is inverted by 180 °, and the same operation as described above is performed.

The above-described luggage transfer device 1 is used in an automatic warehouse that includes a large number of luggage storage shelves 2 and 3 and that automatically loads and unloads luggage 4 therefrom.

On the other hand, in a distribution line in which a plurality of belt conveyors or roller conveyors convey and sort the luggage, a distribution system different from the luggage transfer device having the above-described configuration is used. Although not shown, the luggage transfer device is
The front end portion of the rear stage conveyor is located beside the rear end portion of the front stage conveyor of the distribution line, and is disposed between the two,
A gate-shaped frame provided so as to straddle both conveyors, a luggage holding portion provided to reciprocate along a horizontal portion of the frame and capable of holding luggage, and a drive for reciprocating the luggage holding portion Means.

In the luggage transfer device having such a configuration, the luggage holding unit is moved onto the former conveyor to hold the luggage, and then the luggage is brought onto the latter conveyor to release the luggage holding state. Transfer to conveyor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional baggage transfer device in an automatic warehouse, each arm 9 and 10 is bent and extended in a vertical plane, so that as shown in FIG. It is necessary to provide a large space between the upper and lower loads 4 that can be inserted while pivoting. Therefore, it is necessary to set a large distance H ₁ of each luggage storage compartment in the luggage storage shelf 2 and 3, there is a drawback that該荷product storage rack is difficult to improve the loading efficiency becomes large .

In addition, since the luggage transfer device in the distribution line described as another conventional example is a large gate type and requires a large installation space, it is necessary to widen the interval between conveyors arranged so as to sandwich the device. This is a problem to be solved in reducing the occupied space of the entire line.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. For example, in an automatic warehouse, it is possible to reduce the size of luggage storage shelves, and in a distribution line, reduce the interval between conveyors. It is another object of the present invention to provide a luggage transfer device that contributes to reducing the occupied space of the entire line.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a base member including a guide member extending in a predetermined direction, a slider guided by the guide member,
A pair of link members provided on the slider so as to be swingable in a plane parallel to the predetermined direction and substantially parallel to each other; and And a drive unit for swinging the link member while moving the slider with respect to the base portion, wherein the drive unit is configured to swing the link member along with the swing of the link member. The slider is moved in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the luggage mounting plate by the amount of movement of the mounting plate in the predetermined direction.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an automatic warehouse including a package transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the automatic warehouse has opposing luggage storage shelves 21 and
And a load transfer device 23 disposed between the respective load storage shelves for automatically loading and unloading loads (not shown) to and from these shelves.

Both the luggage storage shelves 21 and 22 have carrying plates 21a and 22a, each of which can carry luggage, and can store a large number of luggage arranged in a vertical plane. The baggage transfer device 23 is provided so as to be sandwiched between these two baggage storage shelves 21 and 22.

The luggage transfer device 23 is attached to an elevator 25a of the elevator device 25. Also, this elevator device 25
It is provided on a traveling carriage 27 guided by two rails 26 extending in parallel in the horizontal direction between the two luggage storage shelves 21 and 22. The traveling carriage 27 is moved by a traveling carriage driving device (not shown). That is, the luggage transfer device
23 operates the elevator 25a and the traveling carriage 27 of the elevator device 25 based on the two-dimensional address data, so as to correspond to one of the respective luggage storage positions of both luggage storage shelves 21 and 22. It is positioned at.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the luggage transfer device 23
A frame 31 formed in a U-shape and fixed to the elevator 25a of the elevator device 25, and two guides as guide members erected between the opposing wall surfaces of the frame 31 so as to extend in parallel with each other in the horizontal direction. It has a rod 32 and a rectangular parallelepiped slider 33 guided by the guide lot 32. Note that the frame 31 and the guide lot 32 which are fixed to the slider 33 which is the movable side are collectively referred to as a base. Also, as is apparent from FIG.
33 is in sliding contact with the guide rod 32 via a linear bearing 33a.

On the upper surface of the slider 33, a pair of plate-like link members 35 and 36 are arranged in parallel with each other, and each has a drive shaft 37 and a driven shaft 38 at one end thereof so as to swing in a horizontal plane.
Attached to the slider 33 via. As is apparent from FIG. 6, the drive shaft 37 and the driven shaft 38 are pivotally supported by the slider 33 via ball bearings 35a and 36a, respectively. A thin rectangular luggage mounting plate 40 on which luggage (not shown) can be mounted is pivotally mounted on the lower surfaces of the guide ends of the link members 35 and 36. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, supporting shafts 35b and 36b are fitted to the swinging ends of the link members 35 and 36, respectively, and ball bearings 35c and 36c and bearings are mounted on the upper ends of the supporting shafts. A rectangular bearing block 41 is pivotally mounted via pressers 35d and 36d.
40 are fixed.

As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, one of the pair of link members 35 and 36, in this case, the other end of the drive shaft 37 in which the link member 35 is fitted to one end, Assuming that the two link members 35 and 36 are the first one, one link member 45 serving as a second link member is fitted at one end thereof. That is, the link members 35 and 45 are firmly connected to each other via the drive shaft 37, and swing together with respect to the slider 33.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 8,
At a predetermined position on the lower surface of the frame 31, a motor 47 as a torque applying means is attached, and an output shaft of the motor 47 is provided.
A link member 48 as a third link member is fitted to 47a at one end thereof. The other end of the link member 48 is pivotally connected to the other end of the link member 45 by a connecting pin 49.

By the motor 47 for applying torque to the link members 45 and 48, the slider 33 is moved to the guide rod 32.
A driving means for moving the link members 35 and 36 on the slider 33 at the same time is configured. This driving means moves the slider 33 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the load carrying plate 40 by the amount of movement in the horizontal direction of the load carrying plate 40 accompanying the swing of the link members 35 and 36 on the slider 33. That is, the reciprocating operation of the load carrying plate 40 is configured to be performed linearly with respect to the frame 31 and the guide rod 32 as the fixed side.

Here, the setting of the length (ratio) of each link member necessary for performing such an operation will be described.

Now, as shown in FIG.
And the length of the section 36 together with L _1, and both L ₂ the length of the section of the link members 45 and 48 of the two applied torque by the motor 47 shown in FIG. 8. Then, in order to perform the above operation, it is necessary to satisfy the following expression.

L ₁ −L ₁ cos θ = 2 (L ₂ −L ₂ cos θ) where θ is the swing angle of each link due to the operation of the motor 47.

Therefore, it is only necessary to set L ₁ : L ₂ = 2: 1.

Next, the operation of the automatic warehouse including the luggage transfer device 23 having the above configuration will be described.

First, the traveling carriage 27 moves on the rail 26, and the elevator device 25 operates, whereby the luggage transfer device 23
Are moved two-dimensionally along the vertical plane, and are positioned to correspond to the desired luggage storage positions in both luggage storage shelves 21 and 22. Thereafter, the motor 47 is rotated forward or backward. Then, a pair of link members 35 on the slider 33 and
36 is swung, and the luggage mounting plate 40 moves so as to draw an arc in a horizontal plane. In synchronization with this, the link members 45 and 48 provided below the slider 33 are pivoted so as to bend in a U-shape, and the slider 33 is loaded with luggage accompanying the swing of the link members 35 and 36. The luggage mounting plate 40 is moved in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the luggage mounting plate 40 by the amount of movement of the plate 40. Therefore,
As shown in FIG. 3, the apparent reciprocating motion of the load carrying plate 40 is performed linearly in the left-right direction with respect to the frame 31 as the fixed side.

In this way, the luggage mounting plate 40 is slid onto the respective carrying plates 21a, 22a of the luggage storage shelves 21 and 22, and the luggage mounting plate 4
If luggage is loaded on the luggage storage shelf 40, the luggage is stored in the luggage storage shelf, and if luggage is not already loaded on the luggage Mounted on In this way, the loading and unloading of the load to and from each of the load storage shelves 21 and 22 is automatically performed.

As described above, since the movable part including the luggage mounting plate 40 is configured to be thin, a space to be provided between the upper and lower luggage storage units for inserting the movable part in each of the luggage storage shelves 21 and 22. Can be reduced. Therefore, the distance H ₂ between the respective luggage storage units in the luggage storage shelves 21 and 22
Can be reduced, the size of the luggage storage shelves 21 and 22 can be reduced, and the loading efficiency per unit loading capacity can be increased.

FIG. 9 shows a package transfer device 23 as an embodiment of the present invention.
Is applied to a distribution line that carries and sorts the load 55. Note that the configuration and operation of the baggage transfer device 23 itself are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the physical distribution line, a front belt conveyor 56 capable of transporting the load 55 is provided.
And a rear-stage belt conveyor 57, and are disposed substantially parallel to each other such that the front-end portion of the rear-stage belt conveyor 57 is located beside the rear-end portion of the front-stage belt conveyor 56. The baggage transfer device 23 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the two belt conveyors, and is attached to a fixed base 59.

As described above, in the baggage transfer device 23, each component such as the frame 31, the guide rod 32, the link members 35, 36, 45, and 48, and the slider 33, which form the base portion, includes the bag mounting plate 40. Is compactly accommodated within the width dimension of the luggage, and the entire luggage transfer device is formed to be narrow. Therefore, the distance between the front belt conveyor 56 and the rear belt conveyor 57 located across the baggage transfer device 23 can be set small, and the space occupied by the entire distribution line can be reduced.

In the baggage transfer device 23 shown in each of the above embodiments, the baggage mounting plate 40 is a pair of link members pivotally supporting the plate.
Together with 35 and 36, it is also used as another link member constituting a four-bar parallel link mechanism. Therefore, the number of parts as the link mechanism itself is reduced and the structure is simplified and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

Further, in the baggage transfer device 23 in each of the above-described embodiments, the motor 47 as the torque applying means is attached to the base portion, that is, the frame 31 as the fixed side, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. It is needless to mention that the 47 may be attached to the slider 33 on the movable side. In this case, the link member 45
Is pivotally attached to the frame 31.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the description is made such that the baggage transfer device 23 performs only the transfer of the baggage, but if a multi-indirect robot or the like is mounted on the baggage mounting plate 40 instead of the baggage, for example. In addition, the robot can be freely moved in parallel to widen its working range, and the conventional orbital portion for moving the robot is not required, so that the entire working device including the robot can be reduced in size.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, in the luggage transfer device according to the present invention, the thin luggage mounting plate is reciprocated as if drawing an arc in a horizontal plane by the operation of the pair of parallel link members. The slider that pivotally supports both link members is moved in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the load carrying plate by the amount of movement of the load carrying plate accompanying the swing of the two link members, so that the reciprocating operation of the load carrying plate can be performed. It is configured to perform linearly on the base portion as the fixed side.

As described above, since the movable part including the luggage mounting plate is configured to be thin, the space to be provided between the upper and lower luggage storage units for inserting the movable part in the luggage storage rack of the automatic warehouse can be reduced. As a result, the size of the luggage storage shelf can be reduced, and the loading efficiency per unit loading capacity can be improved.

Further, in the luggage transfer device having such a configuration, components other than the luggage mounting plate, such as the base portion, the link member, and the slider, are compactly stored substantially within the width of the luggage mounting plate, and the entire device is provided. Has become narrower. Therefore, by incorporating the baggage transfer device into the distribution line, the distance between the front conveyor and the rear conveyor disposed so as to sandwich the baggage transfer device can be reduced,
As a result, the space occupied by the entire distribution line can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the luggage transfer device according to the present invention, because of the above configuration, the luggage mounting plate is also used as another link member that forms a four-bar parallel link mechanism together with the pair of link members. The number of parts as the link mechanism itself is reduced, and simplification of manufacturing and reduction in manufacturing cost are achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial cross section of an automatic warehouse provided with a baggage transfer device as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 5 are perspective views of the baggage transfer device shown in FIG. Figure, plan view including partial cross section, side view and front view including partial cross section, sixth
8 to 8 are sectional views taken along lines VI-VI and VII of FIG. 5, respectively.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a distribution line including a luggage transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an automatic warehouse equipped with a conventional luggage transfer device. It is a schematic diagram. 21, 22 ... luggage storage shelf, 21a, 22a ... support plate, 23 ... luggage transfer device, 25 ... elevator device, 25a ... elevating platform, 2
6… Rail, 27 …… Truck, 31 …… Frame, 32…
... Guide lot, 33 ... Slider, 35,36 ... Link member, 35a36a ... Ball bearing, 35b, 36b ... Support shaft, 35c, 36c ... Ball bearing, 35d, 36d ... Bearing retainer, 37 ... Drive shaft, 38: driven shaft, 40: Luggage mounting plate,
41 ... bearing block, 45 ... (second) link member, 47
... Motor, 47a ... Output shaft, 48 ... (Third) link member, 49 ... Connecting pin, 55 ... Luggage, 56 ... Before belt conveyor, 57 ... Back belt conveyor, 59 ... Fixed base

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A base member including a guide member extending in a predetermined direction; a slider guided by the guide member;
A pair of link members provided on the slider so as to be swingable in a plane parallel to the predetermined direction and substantially parallel to each other; and And a drive unit for swinging the link member while moving the slider with respect to the base portion, wherein the drive unit is configured to swing the link member along with the swing of the link member. A luggage transfer device, wherein the slider is moved in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the luggage mounting plate by an amount of movement of the mounting plate in the predetermined direction. A second link member pivotally attached at one end to the slider to swing integrally with one of the link members; and a driving member for the base member. A third link member pivotally connected at one end and the other end pivotally connected to the other end of the second link member, and torque applying means for applying torque to the second and third links The luggage transfer device according to claim 1, comprising: