JP2930108B2 - Article sorting equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article sorting apparatus provided with a plurality of article storage sections and an instruction means for instructing article storage in the plurality of article storage sections based on article storage information. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The above-mentioned article sorting apparatus is constituted by, for example, a hand-held trolley, and a plurality of storage boxes as a plurality of article storage sections are placed on the body of the article sorting apparatus.
Instructing means constituted by using a controller mounted on a cart activates a display or the like installed in each article storage section based on article storage information stored in advance to store articles in a plurality of article storage sections. The operator moves the cart to a predetermined shelf position of the fixed shelf for storing articles, and stores the articles taken out of the shelves in the respective article storage sections in accordance with the instruction of the above-mentioned instruction means. I was trying to do it.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, it is assumed that the worker stores the articles in the respective article storage sections without fail as instructed by the instructing means. For example, it is not possible to prevent an operation error such as repeating an article storage operation for the same article storage section already storing articles, or storing an article in an article storage section different from the designated article storage section. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to prevent erroneous article storage in an article storage section. It is in.

A first characteristic configuration of the article sorting apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an article storage operation detecting means for detecting an article storage operation in each of the plurality of article storage sections; Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the article storage operation in each of the plurality of article storage sections is appropriate based on the article storage information; Notification means for performing the
Delivery operation detecting means continuously performs article storage operation for a set time or more.
When detecting, the article by the article storing operation detecting means
An alarm means for alarming that the storage operation cannot be detected is provided.

According to a second characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the article storage operation is performed twice or more in the article storage section in which the article storage is instructed, the determination means is inappropriate. It is configured to determine that

In a third characteristic configuration of the present invention, when the article storing operation is performed in an article storing section different from the article storing section for which the article storing is instructed, the discriminating means may determine that the article storing operation is inappropriate. It is configured to determine that

[0008]

According to the first characteristic configuration of the present invention, an article storing operation in each of the plurality of article storing sections, which is performed based on the instruction of the instruction means, is detected, and the detected information of the article storing operation and the article storing operation are detected. From the information, it is determined whether or not the article storage operation is appropriate. Then, when it is determined that the article storage operation is inappropriate, the notification means performs a notification operation. In addition, the above article storage movement
Operation detection means detects article storage operation continuously for a set time or more
Then, the article storage operation detecting means detects the article storage operation.
The inability to go out is warned by the warning means.

According to the second characteristic configuration, when an article storage operation is performed twice or more in the article storage section instructed to store the article, it is determined that the article storage operation is inappropriate, and the notifying means is provided. Is activated.

According to the third characteristic configuration, when an article storage operation is performed in an article storage section different from the article storage section instructed to store the articles, it is determined that the article storage operation is inappropriate. The notifying means performs a notifying operation.

[0011]

Therefore, according to the first characteristic configuration, if the article storage operation in each of the plurality of article storage sections is inappropriate, the operator is informed of the incorrect article storage by the notification operation of the notification means. Since the worker is notified that the work is being performed, the worker can stop the work and redo the storing operation in the correct article storing section, and when the article storing operation detecting means is set.
If the article storage operation is detected continuously for more than
Unable to detect article storage operation by storage operation detection means
Therefore, the operator can, for example, use the above-described article storage operation detection hand.
Contamination of the surface of the emitter or receiver of the photoelectric sensor that constitutes the step
Check whether the stored article is located in the detection optical path, etc.
And take appropriate measures such as returning to an appropriate detection state.
Can be carried out, and thus the article storage in the article storage section
It is possible to effectively prevent erroneous article storage in the article storage unit while accurately detecting the operation .

Further, according to the second characteristic configuration, it is possible to prevent articles from being stored in the article storage section in which the article storage is instructed, and as a result, the article storage section in which the article storage is instructed is stored. Can store goods properly,
Suitable means for realizing the effect of the first characteristic configuration is obtained.

According to the third characteristic configuration, it is possible to prevent an article from being erroneously stored in an article storage section other than the article storage section in which the article storage is instructed. As a result, the article storage is instructed. Appropriate articles can be stored in the article storage section, and suitable means for realizing the effects of the first characteristic configuration can be obtained.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, in which the present invention is applied to an article sorting facility of the picking cart type.

As shown in FIG. 5, the article sorting equipment includes:
A fixed shelf B for storing a plurality of types of articles in a divided state, and a picking cart A as an article sorting device for storing articles taken out from the fixed shelf B in a sorted state are provided. It is partitioned into a plurality of shelf portions 1 along the traveling path of the cart A.

As shown in FIG. 6, each of the shelves 1 is provided with four upper and lower loading sections, and each of the loading sections can store three types of articles in the lateral direction. There are a total of twelve load receiving parts 2 in total, up, down, left and right. At the lower end position of each receiving part 2, an arrow-shaped picked-out article indicating lamp 3 for indicating that the article of the upper receiving part 2 is an article to be picked up, and a picked-up quantity indicator 4 for indicating the picked-up quantity. Are provided. It should be noted that the picked-up article indicating lamp 3 and the picked-out quantity indicator 4 indicate the information transmitted from the trolley-side optical transmission device 7 to the shelf-side optical transmission device 6 when the trolley A travels to each of the shelf portions 1. On the basis of this, the shelf controller 5 on the shelf side performs a display operation (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a rear post 32 and a front post 33 are erected on the bogie A at rear and front positions of the vehicle body K on the vehicle body, respectively.
Then, an article mounting shelf 3 composed of three stages in the vertical direction.
The upper two shelves 30 of 0 and 30A are the rear posts 3
The lowermost shelf 30A is integrally formed with the traveling machine base K while being supported by the front and rear posts 2 and 33. Further, the bogie A has one caster wheel 35A mounted at a central position on the lower front side of the traveling machine base K, a pair of right and left idle wheels 35 mounted on the lower rear side, and an upper portion of the rear post 32. It is configured as a hand cart having a steering handle 36 and a brake lever 37 supported by the attached console 31.

On the console 31, there are provided a display portion 29a formed in a flat panel shape using a liquid crystal or the like, and a pair of left and right completion buttons 29b for inputting completion of the article storing operation.
A display panel 29 also serving as an operation panel provided with a base end fixedly supported by the console 31 and a front side of the console 31 for reading and writing information from and to the IC card 11 for information input. IC card reader 12
a and an IC card writer 12b.
The truck-side optical transmission devices 7 are installed at the left and right ends on the lower front side of the traveling machine base K, and extend from the lower center to the rear side of the traveling machine platform K from the battery housing section 26 and the wiring housing section 2.
5 and a cover 2 on the rear side of the wiring housing 25.
5A is also used as a buffer bumper.

On each of the shelves 30, 30A, a partition wall 38 is formed at the front end, the rear end, and the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. A plurality of storage boxes C as a plurality of article storage units are placed between the partition walls 38 in a state where two storage boxes C are arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction. In addition, shelf 30,
The left and right ends of the body 30A in the vehicle width direction are formed in steps higher than the inner part, and the steps prevent the storage box C placed above from dropping off the shelf.

Each shelf 3 corresponding to the position of each storage box C
At the left and right ends in the vehicle width direction of 0,30A, each storage box C
A display body 39 having indicators 40 and 41 for displaying article storage information for the vehicle is installed with its display surface facing the outside of the vehicle body and obliquely upward. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, an arrow-shaped display on the surface of the flat display body 39 indicating that the upper storage box C is a storage box C for storing articles taken out from the shelf B side. A lamp 40 and a quantity indicator 41 for displaying the stored quantity are provided, and the quantity indicator 41 further includes a case number display section 41a for displaying the stored quantity in case units and a number display section 41b for displaying in quantity units. It is composed of

A photo-interrupt type photoelectric sensor 8 which forms an optical path along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body at each position above the plurality of storage boxes C is provided on the upper trapezoidal portion of the partition wall 38. . That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of left and right light emitters 8a are installed on the inner surface of the partition wall 38 located at the rear end and on the front surface of the partition wall 38 located at the center, respectively. A pair of right and left light receivers 8b are installed on the rear surface of the wall 38 and on the inner surface of the partition wall 38 located at the front end, respectively, and the light projected forward from each light emitter 8a is received by the opposing light receiver 8b. ing. As described above, it is possible to detect that an operator's hand or an article is positioned above each storage box C in accordance with the article storage operation by interrupting the optical path and setting the light receiver 8b to the non-light receiving state. The sensor 8 constitutes an article storage operation detecting means for detecting an article storage operation in each of the plurality of storage boxes C. When the light receiver 8b is in the non-light receiving state continuously for a certain period of time or more, the surface of the light emitter 8a or the light receiver 8b becomes dirty, or an article stored in the optical path is located. Since it is determined that the article storage operation cannot be detected, an alarm is given on the display panel 29 or the like.
As described above, the display panel 29 and the like detect the article storage operation.
Means (photoelectric sensor 8) stores articles continuously for a set time or more
When detecting the operation, the article storage operation detecting means
Alarm means for alarming that the article storage operation cannot be detected.
You.

Next, the control configuration will be described based on the block diagram shown in FIG. The work data for taking out the articles, that is, the article storage information created by the host controller is stored in the IC card 11, and the stored information of the IC card 11 is read by the IC card reader 12a. Is input to the bogie controller 10 configured using The bogie controller 10 is connected to the memory 13 for data storage, is connected to the display panel 29 and the bogie-side optical transmission device 7, and further receives detection information from the photoelectric sensor 8. Also, a drive signal for writing data such as inspection and out-of-stock processing to the IC card 11 is output from the carriage controller 10 to the IC card writer 12b, and a buzzer 14 for alarm and the display Drive signals for 40 and 41 are output.

Based on the article storage information, the trolley controller 10 is used to display articles stored in the plurality of storage boxes C on the display unit 29a of the display panel 29 and the display units 40 and 41. Instruction means 1 for instructing by information
00, and determination means 110 for determining whether or not the article storage operation in each of the plurality of storage boxes C is appropriate based on the detection information of the photoelectric sensor 8 and the article storage information. Further, the discriminating means 110 performs the article storage operation when the article storage operation is performed twice or more in the storage box C in which the article storage is instructed, or in the storage box C different from the storage box C in which the article storage is instructed. When performed, it is configured to determine that the article storage operation is inappropriate. Then, when the improperness is determined, the buzzer 14
Operates. Therefore, the buzzer 14 constitutes a notifying unit that performs a notifying operation when the determining unit 110 determines the improperness.

When the article storage operation is performed in the storage box C to which the article storage is instructed,
It is determined that the article storage operation is appropriate. Then, the bogie controller 10 blinks the indicators 40 and 41 to notify the operator that the article storage operation is appropriate, as well as informs the operator that the article storage operation is appropriate. It is configured to function the completion input of the storage operation. Therefore, when the inappropriateness is determined, the completion of the article storage operation cannot be input even if the completion button 29b is pressed. It should be noted that the completion of the article storage operation is input after storing one type of article taken out from the predetermined load receiving portion 2 of the shelf portion 1 in all storage boxes C to be stored. Cart controller 1
0 is a display unit 29a of the display panel 29 and a display 40,
At 41, storage information of the articles from the other receiving units 2 in the respective storage boxes C is displayed.

Next, the picking operation of an article according to the present embodiment will be described. First, the destination shelf portion 1 is shown in the layout display showing the entire fixed shelf B on the display panel 29 based on the work data inputted via the IC card 11, and the operator moves the cart A Run on shelf 1. When it is confirmed by the information exchange between the trolley-side optical transmission device 7 and the shelf-side optical transmission device 6 that the vehicle has traveled to the destination shelf portion 1, the display panel 29 displays a cargo receiving portion from which the articles on the shelf portion 1 should be taken out. 2, a layout display of storage boxes C for storing articles on the cart A side, a number of shelves 1 to be taken out of the receiving section 2 of the rack 1, and a number of storage boxes C.
Various information for picking is displayed on a screen or the like that displays the number of items to be stored. At the same time, the take-out article indicating lamp 3 and the take-out quantity indicator 4 provided on the shelf portion 1 side are displayed and operated, and the arrow-shaped display lamp 4 provided on the truck A side.
On the 0 and quantity indicator 41, the article storage information in each storage box C is displayed.

Then, according to the various display information, the worker takes out the article from the receiving section 2 and stores it in each storage box C, and presses the completion button 29b upon completion of the work. Enter Done. At this time, if there is an operation to take out the article from the other receiving section 2, the various kinds of display information corresponding thereto are displayed.
Has been completed, the next shelf portion 1 to be operated is displayed, and the worker moves the cart A to the shelf portion 1 and performs a similar picking operation.

[Alternative Embodiment] In the above embodiment, the shelf for storing a plurality of types of articles in a divided state is shown as a fixed shelf B fixed to the floor, but as shown in FIG. The fixed shelves B1 to B6 (six rows in the figure) can be moved in the direction of juxtaposing the shelves, and are arranged close to each other so as to secure only one passage where the carriage A can travel. A moving rack type article storage shelf may be used.

In the above embodiment, the article storage section is constituted by the storage box C mounted on the shelf, but the shelf itself is constituted as the article storage section without using the storage box C, and An article may be directly placed and stored in the.

In the above embodiment, the instruction means 100 is
In the above description, the instruction to store articles in a plurality of article storage units (storage boxes C) is given by the display unit 29a of the display panel 29 and the display information of the displays 40 and 41.
The instruction may be made only by the display information of 0 and 41.

In the above embodiment, the article storage operation detecting means 8 is replaced by a transmission type photo interrupt type photoelectric sensor 8.
(8a, 8b) is shown, but in addition to this, a light reflection type photoelectric sensor, a non-contact type sensor that projects a wave such as an ultrasonic wave other than light, or an article storage portion is also provided. Means for detecting an article storage operation by a provided weight sensor detecting an increase in weight equal to or more than a predetermined value, or a contact-type means for detecting an article storage operation by swinging a detection bar disposed above each article storage unit. Detection means may be used.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the notification means 14 is constituted by the buzzer for alarm, but the invention is not limited to the buzzer.

In the above embodiment, the completion button 29a for inputting the completion of the work is provided on the display panel 29, and the article storage in all the article storage sections (storage box C) for one type of article is completed. When I did it, I was asked to complete it,
A completion button is provided for each article storage unit (for example, the arrow-shaped display lamp 40 is also used as a completion button), and is input each time an individual article storage in each article storage unit (storage box C) is completed. You may make it do. In this case, the determination means 1
When it is determined that the article storage in each article storage section is inappropriate by 10, the completion of the article storage work in the article storage section cannot be input by the completion button of the article storage section. As all the completion buttons of the target article storage section of the article function and the completion of the work is input, the storage information of the other types of articles in the respective storage boxes C is displayed. . Note that the completion button may not be provided.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the article sorting apparatus is constituted by a hand cart which is driven manually, but it is not limited to a hand cart and a cart which is provided with an automatic traveling device and which automatically travels to a target shelf position. Good. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a mobile article sorting apparatus such as a trolley but also to a fixed shelf type article sorting apparatus fixed to a floor and provided with a plurality of article storage units.

In the claims, reference numerals are provided for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in the attached drawings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control configuration.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a picking cart.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a rear side of a picking cart.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the display.

FIG. 5 is an overall schematic plan view of an article sorting facility.

FIG. 6 is a partial front view of the article sorting facility.

FIG. 7 is an overall schematic plan view of an article sorting facility according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

C article storage section 100 indicating means 8 article storage operation detecting means 110 discriminating means 14 notifying means 29 alarm means

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of article storage sections (C) and an instruction means (100) for instructing article storage in the plurality of article storage sections (C) based on article storage information are provided. An article sorting apparatus, comprising: an article storage operation detecting means (8) for detecting an article storage operation in each of the plurality of article storage sections (C); detection information of the article storage operation detection means (8); Determining means (110) for determining whether or not the article storage operation in each of the plurality of article storage units (C) is appropriate based on the article storage information;
If, as the improper is determined by the determination means (110), and informing means for informing operation (14), said article Osamu
Delivery operation detecting means (8) stores articles continuously for a set time or more
When detecting an operation, the article storage operation detection means
Alarm hand that warns that the article storage operation cannot be detected by (8)
An article sorting apparatus provided with a step (29) . 2. When the article storage operation is performed twice or more in the article storage section (C) in which the article storage is instructed, the determination means (110) determines that the article storage operation is inappropriate. The article sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article sorting apparatus is configured as follows. 3. An article storage section (C) different from the article storage section (C) in which article storage is instructed.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the article storage operation is performed, it is determined that the article storage operation is inappropriate.
An article sorting device according to the above.