JP3337602B2 - Automatic storage warehouse system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage shelf unit capable of storing luggage such as a file holder (hereinafter simply referred to as a "holder") capable of storing a plurality of sheets such as charts, cards, and documents in a multistage storage section. The present invention relates to a configuration of an automatic storage and storage system provided with a storage and unloading unit for an unmanned traveling vehicle that transfers and transports luggage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention has previously described Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-46881.
In the publication, a pair of storage shelves that can store luggage in vertical and horizontal matrix-like shelves are arranged with a passage of a stacker crane interposed therebetween, and a machine frame to be fitted to a vertically long column of the stacker crane is vertically moved up and down. The transport unit (Vicker) is mounted on the arm projecting horizontally from the machine frame so as to be able to turn horizontally, and one side of the one storage shelf unit is a loading / unloading unit for stopping the unmanned traveling vehicle. And an automatic storage warehouse system for taking out and storing luggage between the unmanned traveling vehicle and the storage section of the storage shelf unit.

[0003] In this case, the stacker crane arrives first in the entrance / exit section and waits for the unmanned traveling vehicle to enter, and the unmanned traveling vehicle arrives in the entrance / exit section first and stops. Assuming a configuration in which the transport unit of the stacker crane is brought closer to the position, a configuration is proposed in which positioning marks are provided on the front side of the storage shelf unit and the unmanned traveling cart side, and a position reading head is provided on the stacker crane and the transport unit side. did.

[0004]

However, in this configuration, even if the unmanned traveling vehicle has arrived in the loading / unloading section first, the stacker crane and the transport unit are moved closer to the unmanned traveling vehicle. Since the positioning mark is detected by the position reading head, there is a problem that it takes too much time for the position of the unmanned traveling vehicle, that is, the pre-operation until the baggage in the loading / unloading section is taken into the transport unit, and it takes time.

In the conventional automatic storage and warehousing system, the central controller provided at a different position controls the traveling control of the unmanned traveling vehicle, the movement control of the stacker crane, and the data management of luggage to be loaded and unloaded. However, since the central controller performs centralized management and control, it is not possible to control each unit at the same time, and the central controller is overloaded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic storage warehouse system capable of executing quick entry / exit control to solve the conventional problem.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, an automatic storage warehouse system according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises:
A storage shelf unit in which a storage unit for luggage is formed in a matrix of vertical and horizontal directions, a loading / unloading unit for storing an unmanned traveling vehicle for delivery at one side of the storage shelf unit, and a storage unit for the storage shelf unit. An automatic storage and warehousing system comprising a load transporter that moves vertically and horizontally along the front of the unmanned traveling vehicle in the unloading unit and transfers the luggage, and the unmanned traveling vehicle has a stop position mark of the loading and unloading unit. A stop position sensor, storage means for storing load position data relating to the luggage position mounted on the unmanned traveling vehicle, and communication means for transmitting data to the load carrier, when entering and leaving the warehouse, from the controller of the unmanned traveling vehicle Transferred to the controller side of the
The data of the stop position of the unmanned traveling vehicle in the
Based on the data and the load position data.
It is controlled to move to a predetermined position in the storage section .

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
In the automatic storage warehouse system described in the above, on the cargo transporter side, provided with communication means for transmitting data to the unmanned traveling vehicle,
At the time of unloading, the data of the luggage to be unloaded is transmitted from the controller of the load transporting machine to the unmanned traveling vehicle in the loading / unloading section based on the unloading command from the main controller.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a flat rectangular holder 2 such as a file holder for storing medical charts in a hospital or the like suspended and stored. Along the left and right sides in the traveling direction of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 in the loading / unloading section 13 provided on one side of each storage shelf unit 1 and the front of the storage shelf unit 1. It is a partially broken perspective view of a three-dimensional warehouse A for automatically removing and storing a holder including a moving transport unit 3.

A stacker crane 10 as a load carrier moving along a floor rail 18 is disposed in a passage 17 between the two storage shelf units 1 and 1, and is vertically moved along a column 11 of the stacker crane 10. The transfer unit 3 is mounted on a horizontal arm protruding from the moving machine frame 15 so as to be horizontally rotatable, so that the entrance of the holder 2 in the transfer unit 3 is connected to one of the storage shelf units 1 and 1. In this configuration, the holder 2 can be taken out and stored in an arbitrary stage.

Also, on one side of each storage shelf unit 1,
A loading / unloading section 13 is provided for receiving an unmanned traveling vehicle 4 in which a holder 2 as luggage is suspended and stored.
An emergency retrieval unit 14 for urgently taking out the urine one after another is provided. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, only one set including one transport unit 3 for the pair of left and right storage shelf units 1 and 1 is shown, but a plurality of such sets may be arranged in parallel. good.

Each storage shelf unit 1 has a plurality of upper and lower stages of shelves, and suspension support rails (not shown) are arranged at regular intervals on the lower surface side of each of the shelves. A suspension portion is provided between two adjacent suspension support rails so as to suspend and support the overhanging reinforcement portion, which is the upper end of each holder 2. An unmanned traveling vehicle 4 for transporting the holder 2 in a suspended state is provided with a wheel 5 such as a caster, and has a lateral opening 9 on one of the right and left sides with respect to the traveling direction of the unmanned traveling vehicle. And a middle part in the height direction is partitioned by a shelf plate 8. Then, on the lower surface of the top plate and the shelf plate 8 of the box, suspension support rails having the same configuration as described above are juxtaposed, and an operator arbitrarily inserts and suspends the holder 2 from the opening 9 side. Is configured.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, on the front surface of the storage shelf unit 1, a horizontal position mark 20 is provided at regular intervals in the horizontal direction (X direction) from an origin (not shown), and a vertical position mark ( And a vertical position mark (not shown) attached to the stacker crane 10. The X-direction address sensor 21 provided on the traveling carriage 16 of the stacker crane 10 and the Y-direction address sensor 22 provided on the machine frame 15 provide horizontal and horizontal positions. Detect vertical position.

A storage position sensor 23 for reading a suspension position mark on the front surface of the suspension rail is provided on the front surface of the transport unit 3 so that the storage position (address) of the holder 2 can be detected. A stop position mark 24 for detecting the position of the entry / exit unit 13 from the origin (the side where the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 enters, not shown) is provided on the side of the passage 17 in the entrance / exit unit 13. Stop position sensor 25 provided
, The stop position mark 24 is detected so that the stop position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 can be detected. The X-direction address sensor 21, the Y-direction address sensor 22, the storage position sensor 23, and the stop position sensor 25 each use a light reflection type or the like, and the position from each of the origins is known by counting the number of each of the marks. Is what you can do.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control mechanism of the present system. The main controller 30 installed at another place outside the storage shelf unit has an input unit 31 such as a keyboard.
A display unit 32 such as a CRT, an external memory 33 such as a hard disk for storing various data, and an optical communication unit 36 of a stacker controller 35 mounted on a stacker crane 10 as a load carrier, as described later. And an optical communication means 34 for connection.

The external memory 33 stores individual identification data (ID data) of the holder 2 stored in each of the storage shelf units 1 and data of its storage address, and the input unit 31
Stores the ID data and the like of the holder 2 to be taken out of the warehouse. The stacker controller 35 includes, in addition to the optical communication means 36, the X-direction address sensor 21, the Y-direction address sensor 22, the storage position sensor 23, the traveling drive motor 37 of the stacker crane 10, the elevation drive motor 38 of the machine frame 15, The drive unit 39 of the transport unit 3, the optical communication unit 41 for data communication with the carriage controller 40 mounted on the unmanned traveling vehicle 4, and the memory 42 are connected. The memory 42 stores data relating to the holder 2 relating to entry / exit to be transferred to the main controller 30 side, and stop position data in the entrance / exit section transferred from the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 side, as described later. Things.

The carriage controller 40 mounted on the unmanned traveling carriage 4 includes, in addition to the stop position sensor 25, a traveling drive motor 43 for travelingly driving the carriage 4, a loading / unloading section 3 and an external holder take-out supporter. A route sensor 44 for detecting a travel path mark (not shown) laid along a travel route laid on the floor between the work unit and the optical communication means 41 of the bogie controller 40. Optical communication means 45, data input unit 4 such as keyboard
6 and a display unit 47 such as a liquid crystal.

The carriage controller 40 is provided with a built-in or external memory 48 which stores stop position data from the stop position sensor 25 and the unmanned traveling vehicle 4.
The distance data of the suspension rails corresponding to the thickness of the holder 2 that can be suspended inside, the suspension positions for each type of the holder to be unloaded (for example, the upper suspension rail of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 has a surgical And the lower row store data for the internal medicine, etc., and the address data of empty storage units in the storage shelf unit 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the unmanned traveling vehicle 4
Communication means 4 for data communication with optical communication means 45
The first transmission / reception unit 41a is disposed in the storage / reception unit 13 of each storage shelf unit 1, and is disposed at a position facing the transmission / reception unit 45a provided at the end of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 entering the storage / reception unit 13. Have been. Next, data transmission / reception operations between the main controller 30, the stacker controller 35, and the bogie controller 40 at the time of entry and exit are described. Prior to storage, the worker suspends the holder 2 to be stored in the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 in a work unit (not shown). By inputting data from an input unit such as a keyboard, the position of the suspended holder 2 is stored, the position of the entrance / exit unit 13 is designated, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 is started. On the other hand, the stacker crane 1 between the storage rack units 1 and 1 for which the storage command has been designated by the input unit 31 of the main controller 30.
Optical communication means 3 to the stacker controller 35 mounted on the
Out via 4,36. The stacker controller 35 that has received the entry command activates the traveling drive motor 37 to cause the traveling cart 16 to travel so as to approach the designated loading / unloading section 13, and the lifting drive motor 38 and the transport unit driving means 3
9 to move the transport unit 3 to the designated entry / exit section.

Entry / exit unit 13 to which unmanned traveling vehicle 4 is designated
Into the stop position mark 24 and the stop position sensor 25
And stops, the stop position data is stored in the memory 48.
The optical communication means 45 and 41 store the stop position data and the data (load position data relating to the luggage position) regarding the holder such as the suspension rail spacing in the unmanned traveling vehicle 4.
Through the memory 42 of the stacker controller 35. The detection signal of the stop position sensor 25 may be stored in the memory 42 of the stacker controller 35 without using the memory 48.

The stacker controller 35 calculates the position of the predetermined suspended holder 2 in the stopped unmanned traveling vehicle 4 from the data stored in the memory 42 and moves the transport unit 3 to the predetermined position in the loading / unloading section 13. Move to
Take in the holder 2. At this time, the transport unit 3
The ID data is read by a bar code reader (not shown) using a bar code attached to
Store it in 2. Thereafter, the transport unit 3 is moved to the address of the empty storage unit in the storage shelf unit 1 and stored. This operation is repeated, and all the holders 2 are stored from the unmanned traveling vehicle 4. Then, the stored ID data of the holder 2 and the stored address data of the storage section are transmitted to the main controller 30 via the optical communication means 36 and 34.
Is transferred to the side memory 33.

As described above, at the time of entry into the warehouse, the stop position data of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 stopped in the entrance / exit section 13 and the data relating to the holder such as the distance between the suspension rails of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 (related to the luggage position). Loading position data)
Is transferred to the stacker controller 35 side, so that the transport unit 3 in the stacker crane 10 can immediately approach the predetermined suspended position of the holder in the stopped unmanned traveling vehicle 4, and once the transport unit 3 is It is possible to shorten the waiting time for stopping or the like, thereby achieving an effect that the warehousing operation can be speeded up.

At the time of unloading, the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 is designated by the unloading command from the main controller 30.
And stop it. In this case, the loading / unloading section 13
The stop position data of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 and the data on the holder such as the suspension rail spacing (load position data on the luggage position) in the unmanned traveling vehicle are stored in the optical communication unit 4.
5 and 41 and stored in the memory 42 on the stacker controller 35 side. And the main controller 3
When the name or the like of the holder 2 to be delivered is input by the input unit 31 on the 0 side, the corresponding ID data and the address data of the storage unit are transferred to the stacker controller 35 via the communication means 34 and 36, and the memory 42 To memorize. Based on the stored data, the stacker crane 10 is moved, and the transport unit 3 moves to the front of the predetermined storage section, takes out the predetermined holder 2, and transfers it to the stopped unmanned traveling vehicle 4. Also in this case, the position data of the suspension rails in the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 can be immediately calculated on the stacker controller 35 side, so that the transport unit 3 can be moved to a predetermined position, and the same type of holder 2 can be moved to the unmanned traveling vehicle 4. Can be collected in the area of the predetermined suspension support rail. For example, 15 surgical holders can be set in the upper left area, and the medical holder 2 can be set to be located in other areas.

When the transfer of the holder 2 to the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 is completed, data relating to the holder 2 to be taken out of the vehicle is transferred via the optical communication means 41 and 45, and the vehicle controller 4 is controlled.
The data is stored in the memory 48 on the 0 side, the data is displayed on the display unit 47 of the unmanned traveling vehicle 4, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 travels to the work unit. In this way, the work unit can very easily take out the same type of holder from the display on the display unit 47. Further, since data relating to the holder 2 mounted on the unmanned traveling vehicle 4 to be retrieved is stored, when there are a plurality of external working parts, the unmanned traveling vehicle is located at an optimal position for retrieval based on the data. 4 can be controlled to run.

In the above embodiment, the holder 2 has been described as the baggage to be loaded and unloaded. However, if the baggage or the like is placed in a cardboard box, a transport unit as a load carrier is configured to correspond to each of the storage units of the storage rack unit. The section may have a shelf structure in which the luggage is slid and transferred.

[0026]

As described above, the automatic storage and warehousing system according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a storage shelf unit in which the storage units for luggage are formed in a matrix of vertical and horizontal directions, and one side of the storage shelf unit. Loading / unloading section for storing an unmanned traveling vehicle for delivery in a section, and a load transporting machine that transfers the luggage by moving vertically and horizontally along the front surfaces of the storage section of the storage shelf unit and the unmanned traveling vehicle in the loading / unloading section. An automatic storage warehouse system comprising: an unmanned traveling vehicle, a stop position sensor for a stop position mark of a loading / unloading section, and storage means for storing load position data relating to a position of a load mounted on the unmanned traveling vehicle. And a communication means for transmitting data to the cargo transporter.
The loading / unloading unit transferred to the controller of the load carrier
Stop position data of the unmanned traveling vehicle in the
The cargo transporter to a predetermined position in the loading / unloading section based on the
Is controlled so as to be moved .

According to this structure, the load carrier can immediately approach the loading position of the unmanned traveling vehicle stopped in the loading / unloading section, and the load carrier is temporarily stopped as in the prior art. And the like, it is possible to shorten the waiting time for unloading between the unmanned traveling vehicle and the cargo transporter, and to speed up the loading and unloading operation.

The invention described in claim 2 is the same as the invention described in claim 1.
In the automatic storage warehouse system described in the above, on the cargo transporter side, provided with communication means for transmitting data to the unmanned traveling vehicle,
At the time of unloading, the data of the luggage to be unloaded is transmitted from the controller of the load transporting machine to the unmanned traveling vehicle in the loading / unloading section based on the unloading command from the main controller. Therefore, as described above, the time involved in the delivery between the unmanned traveling vehicle and the cargo transporter can be shortened, and the entry and exit operations can be performed quickly. Has an effect that since the data relating to the loaded luggage is stored, the data can be used to facilitate the outgoing work for the external work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially broken perspective view of a three-dimensional warehouse.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view showing a position of an unmanned traveling vehicle in another entrance / exit section.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a control system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Multi-level warehouse 1 Storage shelf unit 2 Holder 3 Transport unit 4 Unmanned traveling vehicle 10 Stacker crane 13 Entry / exit section 23 Storage position sensor 25 Stop position sensor 30 Main controller 34, 36, 41, 45 Optical communication means 35 Stacker controller 40 Truck controller 42,48 memory

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-62-218393 (JP, A) JP-A-63-212604 (JP, A) JP-A-3-13405 (JP, A) JP-A-56-4870 (JP) JP-A-7-179207 (JP, A) JP-A-7-81707 (JP, A) JP-A-57-191703 (JP, U) JP-A-6-72774 (JP, U) 6-46881 (JP, Y2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 1/00 501 B65G 1/04 543

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage shelf unit in which luggage storage units are formed in a matrix of vertical and horizontal directions, a loading / unloading unit that stores an unmanned traveling vehicle for delivery at one side of the storage shelf unit, and the storage rack unit. An automatic storage and warehousing system comprising a loading and unloading unit that moves vertically and horizontally along the front of the unmanned traveling vehicle in the storage and unloading unit and transfers the luggage. A stop position sensor for a stop position mark, storage means for storing load position data relating to a load position mounted on the unmanned traveling vehicle, and communication means for transmitting data to the load carrier; Transport from the controller
Transferred to the controller side of the machine,
Stop position data of the unmanned traveling vehicle, the load position data and
The cargo transporter to a predetermined position in the loading / unloading section based on
An automatic storage warehouse system, characterized in that it is controlled so as to cause the storage. 2. The load transporting machine is provided with communication means for transmitting data to the unmanned traveling vehicle, and at the time of unloading, data of the luggage to be unloaded from the controller of the load transporting machine based on the unloading command from the main controller. The automatic storage warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted to an unmanned traveling vehicle in the loading / unloading section.