JP2873750B2 - Lift truck traveling safety control method and device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the safety of a lift truck, and performs a predetermined cargo handling operation in a passage in a rack based on a loading / unloading command from either a management machine or an onboard machine. In a manned lift truck to be performed, a control device that makes or runs the lift truck only when both an automatic running control signal from the onboard machine and a signal to control the accelerator of the manned lift truck are input. The purpose of this system is to provide automatic driving when the driver clearly recognizes automatic driving, eliminate operational errors of the driver, and make cargo handling safe and efficient. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional lift truck and an onboard machine only transmit and receive cargo handling information, and no signal is transmitted to a travel control circuit.

[0003]

Therefore, when not only transferring cargo information between the lift truck and the onboard machine but also transmitting a signal to the travel control circuit, the driver is required to start traveling. To clarify the recognition and to respect the driving sensation up to now eliminate the driver's anxiety about operation and give a sense of security to make the cargo handling work safe and efficient. It was devised from the consideration of.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for controlling the safety of a lift truck according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present apparatus) is based on a racking / unloading command from either a management machine or an onboard machine. 2. Description of the Related Art In a manned lift truck that performs a predetermined cargo handling operation in an internal passage, both an automatic travel control signal from an onboard machine mounted on the lift truck and a travel control signal from an accelerator provided on the lift truck are provided. A method of automatically driving a lift truck only when a signal is input, a method of controlling an automatic driving control signal from an onboard unit mounted on the lift truck, and a signal of controlling an accelerator provided on the lift truck. Only when a signal is input, a control device is provided which outputs a signal for automatically moving the lift truck.

[0005]

The apparatus according to the present invention is a start-up system in which a display is provided at the center of an onboard machine mounted on a lift truck, and a plurality of pushbutton switches of a predetermined size are arranged at predetermined intervals around the display. Operating the pushbutton switch and the accelerator provided on the lift truck to control the travel, and starts the travel from the control device only when both of the obtained signals are input, and also adjusts the travel speed according to the rate of operation of the accelerator. It is something that you get.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an application example of the present invention. A lift truck 1 on which a driver rides and a plurality of racks 34 which are erected at predetermined intervals in a warehouse and place a load on each frontage. ── and the management of the cargo to be stored or to be stored, and the lift truck 1
A management machine 31 for issuing a predetermined entry / exit command to the lift truck 1, an IC card reader & writer 32 for writing predetermined information to an IC card 33 for transmitting the entry / exit command to the lift truck 1, and a vehicle mounted on the lift truck 1. And an IC card reader for reading and writing the entry / exit command from / to the on-board unit 29 or from the on-board unit 29.
It is composed of a writer 51, and as shown in FIG.
A display 30 is provided at the center of the onboard unit 29 and a plurality of pushbutton switches KS having a predetermined size are arranged around the display 30 at predetermined intervals. Each of the plurality of push button switches KS has a function. The function will be described below.

KS1 is an emergency stop pushbutton switch for emergency stop of the lift truck 1 due to occurrence of any trouble, and KS2 is for displaying the address of the work currently displayed on the display and running the lift truck 1. A push-button switch KS3 for generating a signal which satisfies one of the conditions is a push-button switch for work completion, KS4, which completes one work and requests the display of the work to be performed next.
Is a clear push button switch for clearing input information, KS5 is a bar code information input push button switch for starting to read bar code information provided with information such as the name of a load, and KS6 is another switch. Push button switch, etc.
For example, by simultaneously operating the emergency stop push button switch KS1, the start push button switch KS2, and the work completion push button switch KS3, etc., a shift push button switch for issuing a command of a separate function, KS7 to KS16 are quantity change, rack frontage number, etc. Is a pushbutton switch for inputting numerical values used when inputting numerical information. The details will be described below.

KS7 is for inputting a numerical value 9 capable of inputting a numerical value 9, KS8 is for inputting a numerical value capable of inputting a numerical value 8, and KS9
Is a numerical value input that can input a numerical value 7, and KS10 is a numerical value 6
KS11 is for inputting a numerical value that can input a numerical value 5, KS12 is for inputting a numerical value that can input a numerical value 4, KS13 is for inputting a numerical value that can input a numerical value 3, and KS1
4 is for inputting numerical values that can input numerical value 2, KS15 is for numerical value 1
KS15 is a pushbutton switch for inputting a numerical value that can input a numerical value of zero, and KS17 is a pushbutton switch for confirming to take in the memory the numerical information input by the pushbutton switches KS7 to KS16. ,
KS18 to KS21 are cursor-moving pushbutton switches for moving the cursor, KS18 is a cursor-moving pushbutton switch for moving the cursor rightward, and KS19.
Is a cursor movement push button switch for moving the cursor leftward, KS20 is a cursor movement push button switch for moving the cursor downward, and KS21 is a cursor movement push button switch for moving the cursor upward.

The lift truck 1 is, as shown in FIG.
The masts 3 and 3 are erected on the vehicle body 2, and rack gears 10 </ b> A and 10 </ b> B are provided on the front end surface of a lift bracket (not shown) mounted on the masts 3 and 3 so as to be able to move up and down. A movable head 4 is provided slidably with respect to 10A and 10B, and a turning shaft 9 of the movable head 4 is provided.
And a pair of left and right forks 8 and 8 locked by the carriage 13 are shifted.
By swinging the carriage 13 around the swing shaft 9 in conjunction with the shift operation, the cargo handling work can be performed in the narrow rack passage 36. However, the present invention can be applied to a counter-type lift truck, a reach-type lift truck, and a picking-type lift truck in which a driver moves up and down together with a cargo handling member, irrespective of the above examples. .

At the left and right sides of the vehicle body 2 of the lift truck 1, straddle arms 5, 5 supporting a load wheel 7 at the ends thereof are fixed, and the vehicle body 2 is moved by an inertial force generated when the movable head 4 starts and stops. Prevent instability. Further, guide rollers 11, ── are provided at four positions on the front and rear and left and right sides of the vehicle body 2 of the lift truck 1 when traveling on the passage 36 in the rack. Further, the lift truck 1 includes a traveling distance detecting device 5 on the straddle arm 5.
The mast 3 is provided with a lift detecting device 54 for detecting a fork height, and the movable head 4 is provided with a shift amount detecting device 55 for detecting a shift amount of the movable head 4.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the travel distance detecting device 53 includes a bracket 16 fixed to the tip of the straddle arm 5, a support piece 18 pivotally attached to the lower surface of the bracket 16, and A pin 21 projecting from the support piece 18,
The measuring wheel 17 is rotatably supported by an arm piece 19 loosely inserted into the pin 21 and an encoder 22 for detecting the number of revolutions of the measuring wheel 17.

The arm piece 19 is biased so as to be constantly pressed to the ground side by a spring 20 inserted into the pin 21. The arm piece 19 always contacts the measuring wheel 17 to the ground while absorbing irregularities on the running road surface. ing. Also, the arm piece 19
Has a support shaft 24 rotatably supported by a bearing 23, and a measuring wheel 17 is connected to the tip of the support shaft 24 by a key. Further, the other end of the support shaft 24 is connected to a detection shaft of the encoder 22, and the rotation speed of the measuring wheel 17 is detected by the encoder 22. Reference numeral 26 shown in FIG. 5 is a stopper for regulating the upper limit of the measuring wheel 17 and is elastically supported via a spring 25. In this example, the measuring wheel 17 is separately provided to detect the traveling distance of the lift truck 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of rotations of the road wheel 7 and the like is directly detected. Alternatively, the measuring wheel 17 may be arranged on the center axis of the vehicle body.

The lift detecting device 54 will be described with reference to FIG. The lifting height detecting device 54 is provided on the lift bracket 49 and the lifting mast 3B, respectively.
An example in which 40 is attached is shown. Therefore, the fork height can be derived from the sum of the potentiometer 39 provided on the lift bracket 49 and the potentiometer 40 provided on the lifting mast 3B. Further, other than this example, other known height detecting methods may be appropriately adopted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the shift amount detecting device 55 has a protrusion 14 fixed to the base end of the movable head 4, and the limit switches LS1 to LS7 operated by the protrusion 14.
Are arranged appropriately behind the rack gear 10A. Therefore, when the movable head 4 shifts left and right, the limit switches LS1 to LS7 are sequentially operated by the protruding pieces 14, and the shift amount can be detected. As another shift amount detecting device, FIG.
As shown in (1), the shift amount may be detected by engaging the detection shaft of the encoder 15 with the pinion gear 12 supported by the movable head 4 and engaged with the rack gear 10A. Further, other known shift amount detection methods other than the present example may be appropriately adopted.

The lift truck 1 has an on-board unit 29 and an IC for reading the in-out / out-out instruction written in the on-board unit 29 by the management unit 31 and writing the in-out / out-out instruction from the on-board unit 29. A card reader & writer 51 is mounted, and as shown in FIG.
And a plurality of push-button switches KS of a predetermined size arranged at a predetermined interval around the display 30.

As shown in FIG. 17, the information content of the above-mentioned warehouse entry / exit command includes the distinction of the entrance / exit and the frontage, ie, the rack frontage number, the article name of the load, the code number, the number, the shelf row, and the like. The above-mentioned onboard machine 29 and the control device 47 of the lift truck 1
Are electrically connected to each other, and are controlled based on a control signal or the like output from the on-board unit 29.

The management machine 31 stores information necessary for storage and retrieval, such as the name, quantity, code number, and rack frontage number of the stored cargo, and calculates an optimal storage and retrieval command. Also, the frontage number of the rack to be moved in and out can be calculated and written on the IC card 33 by the IC card reader & writer 32 connected to the management machine 31. The IC card 33 in which the entry / exit instruction by the rack frontage number is written is inserted into the IC card reader & writer 51 provided in the lift truck 1 so that the instruction from the management machine 31 can be transmitted. is there. In addition, as a means for transmitting the loading / unloading command from the management machine 31 to the lift truck 1, not only the above-mentioned means but also a wireless means or a direct input from the on-board unit 29 as in this example, and If there is an error in the information content of the entry / exit command from the management machine 31, the error can be corrected.

As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the rack 34 is provided with a plurality of frontages in the height direction and the horizontal direction. Across the inner passage 36, ──,
A plurality is arranged. The cargo handling work is performed from the rack frontage facing the passage 36 in the rack, and a unique frontage number is assigned to each of the rack frontages. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, loads W are placed at equal pitches L1 in the horizontal direction on each shelf 35, and a code number is assigned to each of the loads W. I have. Also, as shown in FIG.
5 are arranged at equal pitches H1 in the height direction, and when the fourth stage load W is taken out, the fork height is set to 3
H1 + α may be set. The load W is on the pallet P
An example is shown below.

Next, as means for determining whether or not the lift truck 1 is presently located in the passage 36 in the rack,
As shown in FIG. 11, for example, a magnetic tape 37 is attached to the entrance of the rack 34, and the magnetic tape 37 is detected by a magnetic sensor 38 provided on the lift truck 1. At this time, lift truck 1
If it detects the magnetic tape 37 during forward running, it is regarded as entry into the passage 34 in the rack, and conversely, if it detects the magnetic tape 37 during backward traveling, it is regarded as having exited from the passage 34 in the rack.

Further, as means for determining whether the lift truck 1 is traveling forward or backward, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, a cam integrally fixed to an accelerator, for example, a traveling operation lever 27 (hereinafter referred to as traveling operation lever). This can be done by activating the limit switches LSF, LSR with the piece 28. Although not shown, various modifications other than the combination of the magnetic tape 37 and the magnetic sensor 38, such as a reflective tape and an optical sensor, and a guide wire and a pickup coil embedded in the floor surface, are possible.

As shown in FIG. 3, an on-board unit 29 is mounted on the lift truck 1. On the display 30 of the on-board unit 29, not only the in-and-out command from the management unit 31 but also the in-and-out command from the push button switch KS arranged on the on-board unit 29 are input, and the input results are displayed on the display 30. I do. That is, shelf row, either left or right, frontage number, number of stages, number of outgoing work, distinction by picking work or not, product name, model, code number, display only or not, whether to include automatic operation, pallet Information such as whether or not to be transported, whether or not a manned vehicle, and whether or not an unmanned vehicle is displayed, and whether or not only display, whether or not to include automatic driving, whether or not to carry pallets, whether or not to be manned, The menu such as whether or not the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle can be selected on the display 30.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of the lift truck 1 provided with the present invention. The control device 47 of the lift truck 1 includes a CPU 41 and RA as a working memory.
M42, a ROM 43 as a read-only memory, a sequencer 46, and input / output ports 44 and 45. The control signal of the traveling operation lever 27 of the lift truck 1, the detection signal of the magnetic sensor, the detection signal of the traveling distance detection device 53, the detection signal of the lifting height detection device 54, the detection signal of the height A detection signal of the shift amount detection device 55, a frontage instruction signal from the IC card 33, a frontage instruction signal by a push-button switch input of the onboard unit 29, and the like are input. Based on these input signals,
According to the processing procedure described later, a signal for controlling the traveling motor and the hydraulic motor of the lift truck 1 is transmitted via the output port 45, and a signal for controlling the display 30 is transmitted.

The control circuit for controlling the traveling motor includes:
By operating the pushbutton switch for starting the onboard unit 29 mounted on the lift truck and the travel control lever 27 provided on the lift truck for controlling the travel, the travel is started only when both obtained signals are input. Both run control lever 27
Or only in the automatic frontage control mode, only when both signals from the start pushbutton switch KS2 and the traveling operation lever 27 are input,
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which traveling is started.

A basic sequence of loading and unloading operations in the rack passage 36 such as unloading and unloading from the rack 34 is stored in the sequencer 46 in advance, and a lift motor and a shift motor ( A drive motor for rotating the carriage 13 is also controlled.

The operation of the lift truck 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 in the case where the lift truck 1 operates without any trouble based on the entry / exit command transmitted from the management machine 31. It will be described based on.

In FIG. 14, the starter switch of the lift truck 1 is turned on (S1), and it is determined whether the IC card 33 is inserted into the IC card reader & writer 51 of the lift truck 1 (S2). If the IC card 33 is inserted (Y in S2), it is determined whether or not the lift truck 1 is present in the passage 36 in the rack (S3). If there is, the automatic frontage control mode is executed (S3). S4) If it does not exist (N in S3), a normal manual mode is set (S5).

On the other hand, when the IC card 33 is not inserted (N in S2), the onboard machine 2 of the lift truck 1
The presence or absence of a push button switch input from the switch 9 is detected. If the switch is detected (Y in S6), it is determined whether or not the lift truck 1 is present in the rack passage 36 (S3). The control mode is executed (S4), and if not detected (N in S6), the normal manual mode (S4) is executed.
The process moves to 5) (S6).

A description will be given of a case in which an entry / exit command is input by a push button switch input from the on-board unit 29. When inputting a shelf row, the left character indicating the left column is displayed when an odd number is input, and the right character indicating the right column is displayed when an even number is input. Is composed of
The cursor is moved to the input position of the shelf row by appropriately operating the cursor movement push button switches KS18 to KS19, and zero is input by the numeric input push button switch KS16, and 5 is input by the numeric input push button switch KS11, and the fifth row is entered. Is confirmed, and the confirmation push button switch KS17 is operated to confirm. Next, the front-panel number is input by a push-button switch KS1
5 is used to input 1 and 2 is input to the numerical value push button switch KS14 to designate 12 and to set the push button switch K
The frontage number 12 is determined by operating S17. When indicating the number of steps, the push button switch KS1 for moving the cursor is also used.
8 to KS19 are appropriately operated to move the cursor to the input position of the number of steps, zero is input by the numerical value input push button switch KS16, 3 is input by the numerical value input push button switch KS13, and 3 is designated, and the confirmation push button switch KS17 Is operated to determine that the number of steps is the third step.

When indicating the number of retrievals, similarly, the cursor movement push button switches KS18 to KS19 are appropriately operated to move the cursor to the number input position, and 2 is set by the numeric input push button switch KS14, and 2 is set by the numeric input push button switch. K
In S11, 5 is input to designate 25, and the confirmation push button switch KS17 is operated to confirm that the number is 25.

In this example, the product name and model are displayed by inputting a code attached to the product name.
The code is input by the numeric input push button switches KS7 to KS16. The cursor movement push button switches KS18 to KS19 are appropriately operated at the input position of the code to align the cursor, and the numeric input push button switch KS7, the numeric input push button switch KS8, the numeric input push button switch KS9,
Numeric input push button switch KS10, numeric input push button switch KS11, numeric input push button switch KS12, numeric input push button switch KS13, numeric input push button switch KS14, numeric input push button switch KS15, numeric input push button switch KS16 and numeric value By sequentially inputting the input push button switch KS16, 98765-43
When the code of 210-0 is designated and the pushbutton switch KS17 for confirmation is operated, it is decided.

Also, in this example, only menus for automatic operation, pallet transfer, picking, manned vehicles and unmanned vehicles are displayed at the bottom of the display, and the cursor is moved to the displayed position to shift. By pressing the push button switch KS6 and, for example, the push button switch KS5 for reading bar code data, one of the above menus is selected. FIG. 2 illustrates a screen displayed on the display by performing the above-described operation.

FIG. 15 shows the automatic frontage control mode.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the data 47 of the IC card 33 is read into the RAM 42 by the IC card reader 29 provided in the lift truck 1 (S4).
1) It is determined whether there is a destination instruction for the lift truck 1 (S42). If there is a destination instruction, the product name, rack frontage number and the like are displayed on the display 30 (S4).
3) The traveling distance of the lift truck 1 is counted (S44). Up to the predetermined position, traveling acceleration control is performed in order to reduce the cycle time (S45), and it is determined from the counted traveling distance whether or not an arbitrary deceleration position has been reached (S46). If an arbitrary deceleration position is described with reference to FIG. 11, for example, when the leftmost load W is to be unloaded, the lift truck 1 enters the rack passage before reaching the position, and then has four widths, that is, a distance. It is necessary to drive only 4L1. In such a case,
The lift truck 1 is set so that the deceleration position is set at a position just before the frontage of the lift truck 2 with respect to the target position, and is gradually decelerated from this position. Therefore, lift truck 1
The frontage performs accelerated traveling, and the last two frontagees decelerate. The deceleration start section is not limited to this example, and can be set arbitrarily.

When it is determined that the lift truck 1 has reached the deceleration position, the lift truck 1 is decelerated by regenerative braking until the vehicle runs at a low speed, and the traveling motor acts as a generator to generate a driving energy source for the lift truck 1. Is supplied to the battery BA (S47, S48). further,
When the traveling speed of the lift truck 1 becomes an arbitrarily set low-speed traveling, whether or not the designated stop position of the frontage is determined.
Judgment is made based on the traveling distance (S49), and the vehicle can be stopped based on this (S50). Then, a cargo handling control routine (S51) is executed. The driver checks whether or not the information matches the information of the product name and the number instructed by the entry / exit command, and if they match, the driver operates the work completion push button switch KS3 to return to the original display 30. Is cleared (S52), and the process returns to search for a next destination instruction (S42). If there is a destination instruction,
The product name, rack frontage number and the like are displayed on the display 30 (S43), and when the start push button switch KS1 and the traveling operation lever 27 are operated, the vehicle travels to the target position and performs the above-described steps to carry out the cargo handling operation.

The driver checks whether or not the information matches the information on the product name and the number specified by the loading / unloading instruction. If the numbers do not match, for example, if the numbers do not match, the driver performs the following procedure. To correct.

Push button switch KS18 for cursor movement
KS19 is appropriately operated to move the cursor to the input position of the number.

If there are only 18 pieces of 25 pieces, 15 is input. That is, 1 is set by the numeric input push button switch KS15, and 1 is set by the numeric input push button switch KS8.
The user inputs 8 to specify 18, and also operates the confirmation push button switch KS17 to confirm that the number is 18, thereby completing the correction operation.

The modified number of quotients is divided into a shift push button switch KS6 and a clear push button switch KS4, for example.
If you press, the IC card writer & writer 51 of the onboard machine 29
Can be read. If there is no next destination instruction, the normal manual mode is set.

Next, a description will be given, based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 16, of the cargo handling control in the case where the fifth row of the shelf row is an odd number, the left row, the frontage is 12, and the number of steps is 3rd.

In the above description, it is assumed that the control has already been completed so that the tips of the forks 8, 8 of the lift truck 1 are directed leftward because of the left column. First, the forks 8, 8 are lifted up to the instructed lifting. (S511), the space is shifted to the space of the pallet P on which the load is placed, and the forks 8, 8 are shifted.
Is inserted (S512). Then, the forks 8, 8 are lifted up until the lower surface of the pallet P is separated from the shelf board 35 (S513), the shift is carried out, and the load is taken out of the rack (S514), and thereafter, the lift is lowered (S514). Return to the predetermined position. These procedures are stored in the sequencer 46 based on the respective detection signals of the above-mentioned height detecting device, shift amount detecting device 55 and fork direction detecting device (not shown).

The above-described embodiment exemplifies a lift truck equipped with a turnable fork capable of loading and unloading with a narrow passage width. Therefore, in the case of a non-turnable fork, the fork direction detecting device and the shift amount are used. It is naturally possible to omit the detection device and the like.

[0041]

According to the present invention, in particular, automatic traveling control such as automatic frontage control is performed for traveling on a passage in a rack, and in other cases, manual control by a traveling operation lever of a normal manned lift truck is also used. Therefore, relying on the driver to check whether or not the vehicle is in the autonomous driving state may put a great mental burden on the driver. It is designed so that the driver can operate with normal driving operation without using extra energy. This eliminates the driver's anxiety in driving operation, and allows the driver to operate with sufficient margins, and consequently cargo handling. This has a tremendous effect that the work can be made safe, speedy, and highly efficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an onboard machine used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lift truck.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of a traveling distance detection device.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a traveling distance detection device.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a lifting height detection device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of a shift amount detection device.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating another embodiment of the shift amount detecting device.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the traveling operation lever.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a rack used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a rack used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a side view for explaining another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an automatic frontage control mode.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of cargo handling control.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining IC card data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 lift truck 51 IC card reader & writer 30 display 31 management machine

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B66F 9/00-11/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A manned lift truck which performs a predetermined cargo handling operation in a passage in a rack based on a storage / unloading command from one of a management machine and an on-board machine. A traveling safety control method for a lift truck that performs automatic traveling of a lift truck only when both an automatic traveling control signal and a traveling control signal from an accelerator provided on the lift truck are input. 2. A manned lift truck which performs a predetermined cargo handling operation in a passage in a rack based on a loading / unloading instruction from one of a management machine and an onboard machine, and Traveling of a lift truck including a control device that outputs a signal for performing automatic travel of the lift truck only when both an automatic traveling control signal and a traveling control signal of an accelerator provided on the lift truck are input. Safety control device