JP4094765B2 - Loading / unloading equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a loading / unloading apparatus, and more particularly to a loading / unloading apparatus that is mounted on a lifting / lowering platform of a (stacker) crane and can load / unload a load to / from a plurality of shelves at the same time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As conventional techniques related to the loading / unloading apparatus, those described in Japanese Patent No. 2743623 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-129905 are known.
[0003]
The conventional technology described in the above publication will be described. Japanese Patent No. 2743623 discloses an automatic warehouse provided with a loading / unloading device that can move horizontally along the shelf for each load storage unit level on each shelf side. In this case, the loading / unloading apparatus in the first stage is movably supported by the guide rails erected on the shelf side and mounted with traveling drive means, and the remaining loading / unloading apparatus in the second stage is An automatic warehouse is described in which independent loading / unloading means are mounted on each of the loading / unloading devices that are suspended from the loading / unloading device supported by the guide rail via a suspension column and vertically connected. Yes.
JP-A-4-129905 discloses a traveling body, a lifting body that moves up and down along a column of the traveling body, a transfer machine installed in the lifting body, and a lifting body that is installed in the lifting body. A stacker crane comprising a lifter for raising the machine is described.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above conventional techniques have the following problems.
[0005]
That is, in the automatic warehouse described in Japanese Patent No. 2743623, all the loading / unloading devices cannot move in the vertical direction.
Moreover, since the stacker crane described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-129905 does not have a plurality of loading / unloading devices mounted in the vertical direction on the lifting platform of the crane, loading and unloading loads on a plurality of shelves simultaneously. I couldn't.
[0006]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a loading / unloading apparatus capable of loading / unloading loads on / from a plurality of shelves having portions having different vertical intervals.
[0008]
The present invention relates to a loading / unloading apparatus for loading / unloading a plurality of shelves having portions with different vertical intervals, in a vertical direction on a lifting platform of a crane that can move horizontally along the shelves. A loading / unloading device is installed, and the upper loading / unloading device is mounted so that it can be moved vertically with respect to the lifting table via the lifting device, and each loading / unloading device is a fork for loading / unloading A motor for driving the fork is arranged in the vertical direction, and the motor for driving the fork of the upper loading / unloading apparatus has its output shaft on the lower side, and the lower loading / unloading apparatus The motor for driving the fork is arranged with its output shaft on the upper side, and the above object is achieved by providing a loading / unloading device in which two loading / unloading devices can load and unload each item independently. It is a thing.
[0010]
The loading / unloading device includes a loading / unloading fork, and a motor for driving the fork is arranged in the vertical direction. The motor for driving the fork of the upper loading / unloading device has its output shaft. The motor for driving the fork of the lower loading / unloading apparatus on the lower side is preferably arranged with its output shaft on the upper side.
[0011]
Moreover, it is preferable that a some loading / unloading apparatus can each load / unload a load independently.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing an embodiment of a loading / unloading apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. It is an elevational view of two loading / unloading apparatuses mounted as described above. 4 is a plan view of the main part of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line XX of FIG. Is a view taken along the line BB, CC, DD in FIG. 6, FIG. 9 is a schematic elevation view of a shelf in which loads are stored, and FIG. 10 is for explaining the operation of the fork of the loading / unloading apparatus mounted on the upper side. FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the operation sequence of the fork of the loading / unloading apparatus.
[0014]
In these drawings, 1 is a multi-stage (storage) shelf having portions with different vertical intervals, and 2 is a horizontal movement along the storage shelf 1 (stacker). It is a loading / unloading device mounted so as to overlap, and the upper (at least one) loading / unloading device 2 is mounted on the lifting platform 4 so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform 4 via the lifting device 5. The lower loading / unloading device 2 is mounted on the lifting platform 4 so as not to move in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform 4. Each loading / unloading device 2 is provided with a fork 21 for loading / unloading, and a motor 22 for driving the fork 21 is arranged in the vertical direction, and a motor for driving the fork 21 of the upper loading / unloading device 2. The motor 22 for driving the fork 21 of the lower loading / unloading apparatus 2 is arranged with its output shaft on the upper side. Moreover, the some loading / unloading apparatus 2 is comprised so that loading / unloading of the load G can each be carried out independently. Thus, the loading / unloading apparatus of the present invention has a variety of sizes with respect to a plurality of storage shelves 1 having different vertical intervals, and loads such as cardboard cases and buckets having a weight of up to about 20 kg. G can be loaded and unloaded at the same time.
[0015]
The components in the above embodiment will be described. The storage racks 1 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) are disposed on both sides of the travel path of the stacker crane 3, and the travel direction of the stacker crane 3 is as follows. A plurality of rows of storage openings 11 are arranged in a plurality of rows and in the ascending / descending direction of the lifting platform 4, and each of the storage openings 11 is composed of a flat shelf 12 having a width of about 2 meters. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the vertical mounting intervals of the respective shelf boards 12 are narrow on the lower side (two steps) and wide on the upper side (the two steps), It is comprised so that it may have a different part in the space | interval of a direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, storage shelves 1 for four rows (four storage fronts 11) are shown, and in FIG. 9, four loads G are stored in each storage front 11. (B), five loads G are stored in each storage slot 11, but one to a plurality of loads G are stored within the width of the shelf 12 for each storage slot 11. You may lay out freely and store it. In addition, the vertical mounting interval of each shelf 12 can be set to an arbitrary interval according to the size of the stored load G, the stored quantity, etc. (for example, each shelf in some columns) 12 may be attached at regular intervals), and a large load G to a small load G can be freely stored. Further, the number of the storage fronts 11 constituting the storage shelf 1 in the vertical direction is not limited to four.
[0016]
In addition, the loading / unloading device 2 is mounted on the lifting platform 4 of the stacker crane 3 that can move in the horizontal direction along the storage shelf 1 so as to overlap vertically, and the upper loading / unloading device 2 is connected via the lifting device 5. It is mounted on the lifting platform 4 so that it can move in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform 4. The lower loading / unloading device 2 is mounted on the lifting platform 4 so as not to move in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform 4. Each loading / unloading device 2 includes a fork 21 for loading / unloading, and a motor 22 for driving the fork 21 (moving forward and backward with respect to the direction of the storage shelf 1) is arranged in the vertical direction, The motor 22 for advancing / retracting the fork 21 of the unloading device 2 is arranged with its output shaft on the lower side, and the motor 22 for advancing / retreating the fork 21 of the lower loading / unloading device 2 is arranged with its output shaft on the upper side. ing. Moreover, the upper and lower loading / unloading devices 2 are configured so that the load G can be loaded and unloaded independently.
[0017]
Since the upper and lower storage devices 2 have substantially the same structure except that the mounting direction of the motor 22 is different, the embodiment of the upper storage device 2 will be described further. The unloading device 2 includes a fork 21 that is configured to grip the load G inside each of the upper forks (gripping plates) 21a of the pair of forks 21 and inside each of the upper forks (gripping plates) 21a. Projections (claws) 21b having a height of about 20 mm are attached to both ends in the vertical direction. Further, an opening / closing device 23 for opening / closing the pair of forks 21 and an advancing / retreating device 24 for advancing / retreating the forks 21 with respect to the storage shelf 1 are provided. The opening / closing device 23 is driven by a motor 23a. A ball screw 23b, a pair of LM shafts 23c arranged on both sides of the ball screw 23b in parallel with the ball screw 23b, and the like. The advancing / retracting device 24 is a driving device for advancing and retracting the middle fork 21d and the upper fork 21a toward the storage shelf 1 with respect to the lower fork 21c opened and closed by the opening / closing device 23. -It transmits to drive rack gear (illustration omitted) attached to middle fork 21d via gear (illustration omitted), two gears (illustration omitted), etc., and middle stage fork 21d advances and retreats to the direction of storage shelf 1. The upper fork 21a is also advanced and retracted in the direction of the storage shelf 1 by advancing and retracting the differential pinion attached to the middle fork engaged with the racks attached to the lower and upper stages. Yes. (When the middle fork 21d is moved forward and backward with respect to the storage shelf 1, the upper fork 21a is also moved forward and backward with respect to the storage shelf 1 via a differential pinion (not shown).) Reference numeral 21e denotes an advancing / retracting encoder (to which the rotation of the motor 22 is transmitted). Reference numeral 25 denotes a central sliding plate for supporting the load G that is loaded and unloaded by the fork 21, and 26 denotes an end sliding plate. Thus, each of the upper and lower loading / unloading devices 2 mounted on the lifting platform 4 is configured to be independently movable in and out of the storage shelf 1, and the load G is transferred to the stacker crane. The storage shelves 1 arranged on both sides of the three travel routes can be independently loaded and unloaded.
[0018]
The stacker crane 3 is composed of two masts 31, an upper frame 32 horizontally provided on the upper portion thereof, a lower frame 33 horizontally provided on the lower portion thereof, and the stacker crane 3 is attached to the lower frame 33. The drive wheels 34 and the like are configured to move (run) in the horizontal direction along the storage rack 1 on the travel rail 35.
[0019]
The lifting platform 4 is mounted on the stacker crane 3 so as to move up and down along the two masts 31.
[0020]
The lifting device 5 is for moving the upper loading / unloading device 2 (the table 27 on which the lifting / lowering device 2 is mounted) in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting table 4. The lifting device 5 is driven by a motor 51 and a motor 51. Two ball screws 52 to be driven (power transmitted to the ball screw 52 on the motor 51 side via the drive chain 56 is transmitted to the ball screw 52 on the other side via the synchronization chain 57, and the two ball screws 52 are synchronized. A pair of (total four) LM shafts 53 arranged on both sides in parallel to each ball screw 52, and a lift positioning encoder 54 (the rotation of the motor 51 is transmitted via the chain 58). Etc. The ball screw 52 includes a feed screw 52a, a feed screw nut 52b, a bearing 52c, and the like. The LM shaft 53 includes a guide shaft 53a, a linear motion bearing 53b, and the like. An origin sensor 59a, an upper limit sensor 59b, and a lower limit sensor 59c are attached around one LM shaft 53 of the four LM shafts 53.
[0021]
Reference numeral 6 denotes a double storage prevention sensor for preventing the load G from being stored twice in the same portion of the same shelf 12 of the storage shelf 1.
[0022]
Next, as for the operation of the loading / unloading apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, an example of operation contents until the load G is unloaded (taken out) from the storage shelf 1 onto the lifting platform 4 of the stacker crane 3 by the loading / unloading apparatus 2 is illustrated. The operation sequence of the fork 21 shown in FIG. 12 (CC indicates the center line of the elevator 4 and RC indicates the center line of the storage shelf 1) will be described with reference to FIG. First, a predetermined storage opening 11 of a storage shelf 1 in which a load G to be taken out by traveling of the stacker crane 3 and raising / lowering of the lifting platform 4 is stored by the upper / lower storage device 2 instructed in advance. It moves to a position facing the position and stops (see FIG. 12A). At this time, the opening / closing interval of the pair of forks 21 is wider than the width of the load G to be delivered. In FIG. 12, the storage position of the load G with respect to the depth direction of the storage shelf 1 is slightly closer to the front side than the center of the storage shelf 1.
[0023]
When the loading / unloading device 2 moves to a position facing a predetermined position of a predetermined storage opening 11 where a load G to be taken out is stored and stops, the fork 21 of the loading / unloading device 2 moves forward toward the storage shelf 1. Advances until the load G to be taken out (inserted into the storage shelf 1) is positioned inside a total of four claws 21b attached to both inner ends of the pair of upper forks 21a in plan view. Then, the fork 21 stops (see FIG. 12B).
[0024]
When the fork 21 of the loading / unloading device 2 is inserted into the storage shelf 1 and stopped at a predetermined position, the pair of forks 21 are closed by the opening / closing device 23, and the inside of the pair of upper forks 21a (the direction of the load G is the upper fork) The opening / closing device 23 stops in a state in which the load G is held (while being corrected in the storage shelf 1 so as to be parallel to 21a) (see FIG. 12C).
[0025]
When the opening / closing device 23 stops while the load G is gripped inside the pair of upper forks 21a of the loading / unloading device 2, the pair of forks 21 are slightly opened by the opening / closing device 23 (closed and stopped in the previous step). It is preferable to widen the grip width to about 5 mm wider than the grip width, and a gap (about 5 mm in total on both sides) is formed between the inside of the pair of upper forks 21a and the load G (the load G is gripped). And then stop (see FIG. 12D).
[0026]
When a gap is formed between the inner side of the pair of upper forks 21a and the load G, the fork 21 of the loading / unloading device 2 is returned from the storage shelf 1 into the lifting platform 4, and each of the pair of upper forks 21a The load G released by the claw 21b attached to the storage shelf 1 side is hooked, and the goods are slid on the central sliding plate 25 and the end sliding plate 26 of the loading / unloading device 2 mounted on the lifting platform 4. (Taken out) (see FIG. 12E).
[0027]
Next, the load G is applied to the two upper and lower storage ports 11 that are spaced apart from the vertical distance between the upper and lower two loading / unloading devices 2 by the two upper and lower loading / unloading devices 2. Are moved up and down by the lifting and lowering device 5 so that the vertical distance between the two upper and lower loading and unloading devices 2 is adjusted to the distance between the two upper and lower storage slots 11. The operation when necessary is described. Power is transmitted from the motor 51 to the ball screw 52 on the motor 51 side via the drive chain 56, and further to the ball screw 52 on the other side via the synchronization chain 57, and the two ball screws 52 are driven in synchronization. At the same time, the table 27 on which the upper loading / unloading device 2 is mounted is smoothly raised and lowered by a pair (four in total) of the LM shafts 53 arranged on both sides of the ball screw 52 in parallel. The upper loading / unloading apparatus 2 moves up and down with respect to the lifting platform 4 through the lifting and lowering. Accordingly, the lower loading / unloading device 2 mounted on the lifting platform 4 so as not to move the vertical position of the upper loading / unloading device 2 mounted on the table 27 in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform 4. Can be moved up and down, and the distance between the upper and lower two loading / unloading devices 2 is set to be the distance between the upper and lower storage slots 11 (while the stacker crane 3 is traveling or while the lifting platform 4 is moved up and down). Can be adapted to
[0028]
The elevation position of the table 27 (upper loading / unloading device 2) is managed by setting the home position by the origin sensor 59a and tracking the elevation amount of the table 27 by the elevation positioning encoder 54. The vertical spacing between the two loading / unloading devices 2 on the lower side and the lower side is tracked by the lift positioning encoder 54. The upper limit sensor 59b and the lower limit sensor 59c detect an overrun abnormality of the table 27 upward or downward, and the lifting device 5 is forcibly stopped.
[0029]
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the loading / unloading apparatus of this invention is not restrict | limited to these. For example, the loading / unloading device 2 is not limited to the push-pull type as in the embodiment, and may be a general loading / unloading device used for the receiving beam type storage shelf 1. Note that three or more loading / unloading apparatuses 2 may be mounted on the lifting platform 4.
[0030]
In addition, the upper and lower storage devices 2 simultaneously enter and exit the upper and lower storage slots 11 on the same side of the storage shelves 1 arranged on both sides of the travel path of the stacker crane 3. However, the storage shelf 1 on one side and the storage shelf 1 on the other side may enter and exit at the same time with respect to the two storage openings 11 facing each other vertically.
[0031]
In addition, only the warehousing may be performed at the same time by the two warehousing devices 2 on the upper side and the lower side, but may be only the warehousing or a combination of warehousing and warehousing.
[0032]
In addition, after entering / exiting the storage device 2 on one side of the two storage devices 2 on the upper side and the lower side, the storage device 2 on the other side is separated by running the stacker crane 3 and raising / lowering the lifting platform 4. By moving to a position and entering / exiting, two round trips may be performed.
[0033]
Moreover, although the space | interval of the up-down direction of the storage frontage 11 of each side of the storage shelf 1 arrange | positioned at the both sides of the travel path | route of the stacker crane 3 is constant, the space | interval of the storage frontage 11 of each side differed. You may comprise so that it may become a space | interval.
[0034]
Further, the storage shelf 1 may be disposed only on one side of the travel path of the stacker crane 3.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
Since the loading / unloading apparatus of this invention is comprised as mentioned above, it can load / unload a load simultaneously with respect to the multistage shelf which has a part from which the space | interval of an up-down direction differs.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing an embodiment of a loading / unloading device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.
3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 1, and is an elevation view of two loading / unloading devices mounted on a lifting platform of a crane so as to overlap vertically.
4 is a plan view of the main part of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the main part of FIG. 3;
6 is a XX view of FIG.
7 is an AA view of FIG. 6. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a BB / CC / DD view of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a schematic elevation view of a shelf in which loads are stored.
FIG. 10 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the fork of the loading / unloading device mounted on the upper side.
11 is a side view of FIG.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the operation sequence of the fork of the loading / unloading device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 (Storage) shelf 2 Loading / unloading device 3 (Stacker) Crane 4 Lifting platform 5 Lifting device 21 Fork 22 Motor G Load

Claims (1)

In a loading / unloading apparatus for loading / unloading loads to / from a plurality of shelves having different parts in the vertical direction, two vertical loading / unloading operations are performed on a crane lifting / lowering platform that can move horizontally along the shelf. The upper loading / unloading device is mounted so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the lifting platform via the lifting device, and each loading / unloading device includes a loading / unloading fork, A motor for driving the fork is arranged in the vertical direction, and the motor for driving the fork of the upper loading / unloading device drives the fork of the lower loading / unloading device with its output shaft on the lower side. The loading / unloading device is arranged so that the two loading / unloading devices can independently load and unload the load.

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