JP4098028B2 - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the field of glass plate logistics, and more particularly to a stacker crane type automatic warehouse for handling a cassette for storing a plurality of glass plates in a horizontal state.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, a color filter for a large display uses a large-sized glass plate as a substrate. Therefore, large-size glass plates are handled in the manufacturing process of this color filter. When handling this, a plurality of glass plates are stored in one cassette and moved or stored in consideration of efficiency. It has been done.
[0003]
As this cassette, a plurality of rows of support bars protruding inward at the same height from both sides are provided in a plurality of stages, and one glass substrate is horizontally placed on the support bars of the same stage. A cassette of a type configured to store a plurality of glass plates so as to be placed is generally used. In this type of cassette, the glass plate is placed on the arm, inserted into the cassette, and transferred from the arm to the support rod to store one by one, and the arm is inserted from the front of the cassette to take out the glass plate one by one. It has become.
[0004]
When storing such cassettes, a stacker crane type automatic warehouse is usually used. Then, the cassette is set at the loading / unloading position in the stocker, and the glass plate is stored or discharged from the cassette at that position by the glass plate conveying conveyor.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described in the prior art, one method of handling large-sized glass plates is to handle cassettes in stacker crane type automatic warehouses, and to insert and remove glass plates in the cassettes with a glass plate conveyor. Has been done. However, when the cassette loading / unloading position is the same, the loading / unloading operation by the glass plate conveyor is a single operation, so that the takt time for cassette replacement becomes long and the glass plate stays on the conveyor. There is. Also, if the cassette loading / unloading positions are different, the cassette replacement tact time is shortened, but a direction changing mechanism is required, which complicates the mechanical structure of the supply and discharge positions and increases the footprint. Therefore, there is a problem that restrictions on the device layout are large.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to shorten the tact time in cassette loading / unloading work in a stacker crane type automatic warehouse that handles cassettes that store glass plates. In addition, the present invention provides an automatic warehouse with a simple configuration and a small device layout constraint.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a stacker crane type automatic warehouse that handles a cassette for storing a plurality of glass plates in a horizontal state, and the stacker crane runs behind the stocker and moves to the rack. is arranged to perform out of the cassette Te, is provided independently inlet compartment position and unloading position of the cassette is each of the stocker, the two positions between the movable cassette corresponding to the entry and leaving position lifting device is arranged on the outside of the stocker in each state in which a cassette conveyor between two positions Goods Movement position and the cassette lifting device stocker Rutotomoni, for discharging from the housing or cassette glass plate cassette and a glass plate carrying conveyor is disposed adjacent to the cassette lifting device In the storage process and the discharge process of the glass plate is characterized in that the position of the goods receipt position and unloading position is configured to be reversed.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an apparatus configuration for explaining a glass sheet discharging process in an automatic warehouse according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is for explaining a glass sheet storing process. FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3.
[0010]
In these drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a stocker, and a stacker crane 2 travels on the rear side. The stocker 1 has a structure having racks arranged in two upper and lower stages, and the stacker crane 2 carries the cassette 3 in and out of the rack of the stocker 1. In addition, although the stocker 1 is one in FIG. 1, you may line up back-to-back with the stacker crane 2 in between. Moreover, you may be comprised by the rack of 3 or more steps up and down.
[0011]
In FIG. 1 which performs the discharge | emission process of a glass plate, the position shown by A and B is the warehousing position and warehousing position which became independent in the stocker 1, respectively. 4 is a cassette lifting device installed outside the stocker 1 and moves between a cassette supply position corresponding to the stocking position A of the stocker 1 and a cassette discharging position corresponding to the stocking position B in the cassette traverse portion T. It is possible. Reference numeral 5 denotes a glass plate conveying conveyor for storing or discharging the glass plate in the cassette, and this conveyor is installed adjacent to the cassette lifting device 4. And cassette conveyance conveyors 6 and 7 are provided between the loading / unloading positions A and B of the stocker 1 and the two positions of the cassette lifting device. And in FIG. 3 which performs the storage process of a glass plate, the position of the warehousing position A and the leaving position B is reverse to the case of the discharge | emission process of FIG.
[0012]
Next, the discharge operation of the glass plate from the cassette in which the glass plate is stored will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the storage operation of the glass plate in the empty cassette will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0013]
(1) Glass plate discharge operation (FIGS. 1 and 2)
First, the cassette 3 stored in the rack of the stocker 1 in a state where the glass plate is stored is transported to the delivery position B by the stacker crane 2. Then, the cassette 3 arriving at the delivery position B is transported by the cassette transport conveyor 7 to the cassette lifting / lowering device 4 at the cassette supply position. Then, the cassette 3 is lowered by the cassette lifting / lowering device 4, and the glass plate is discharged from the cassette 3 by the glass plate transfer conveyor 5. At this time, the cassette lifting device 4 is lowered by one stage every time one glass plate is discharged from the cassette 3. At the time of discharging the glass plate, another cassette to which the glass plate is to be discharged next is transported to a position before the cassette supply position and kept waiting.
[0014]
The cassette 3 that has been emptied after being discharged is moved to the cassette discharge position while being raised in the cassette traverse portion T. Then, the empty cassette 3 is discharged to the cassette transfer conveyor 6 and transferred to the storage position A of the stocker 1. The empty cassette 3 coming to the warehousing position A is stored in the rack of the stocker 1 by the stacker crane 2 as a storage cassette. On the other hand, the cassette lifting device 4 returns to the cassette supply position, and then draws the cassette from which the glass plate is to be discharged from the cassette conveyor 7. Thereafter, this operation is repeated.
[0015]
(2) Glass plate storage operation (FIGS. 3 and 4)
First, the empty cassette 3 stored in the rack of the stocker 1 is transported to the delivery position B by the stacker crane 2. The cassette 3 arriving at the delivery position B is transported to the cassette lifting device 4 at the cassette supply position by the cassette transport conveyor 6. The empty cassette 3 moves to the cassette discharge position while being lowered by the cassette lifting device 4. At this cassette discharge position, the glass substrate is stored in the cassette 3 by the glass plate conveyor 5. At this time, the cassette elevating device 4 is raised by one stage every time one glass plate is stored. When the glass plate is stored, another empty cassette that is to store the glass plate next is transported to a position before the cassette supply position and waited.
[0016]
The cassette 3 containing the glass plate is transported from the cassette lifting / lowering device 4 to the storage position A of the stocker 1 by the cassette transport conveyor 7. The cassette 3 that has arrived at the storage position A is stored in the rack of the stocker 1 by the stacker crane 2. On the other hand, the cassette lifting device 4 returns to the cassette supply position, and then draws the cassette from which the glass plate is to be discharged from the cassette conveyor 6. Thereafter, this operation is repeated.
[0017]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiment. However, the automatic warehouse according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Needless to say.
[0018]
For example, the exchange of the cassette between the stocker and the cassette lifting / lowering device is not limited to using a cassette carrying conveyor, and any cassette that can carry a cassette such as an AGV may be used.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
The automatic warehouse of the present invention is a stacker crane type automatic warehouse that handles a cassette that stores a plurality of lath plates in a horizontal state, and the stacker crane runs behind the stocker and puts the cassette in and out of the rack. are arranged such, the stocker is provided independently inlet compartment position and unloading position of the cassette, respectively, the entry and leaving position movable cassette lifting device between two corresponding positions in the, stocker glass sheet conveyor cassette for discharging from the entry and leaving position and housed or cassette between two positions located outside the stocker in a state in which a cassette conveyor respectively Rutotomoni, the glass plate to the cassette of the cassette lifting device lifting device is installed adjacent to, the glass plate receiving step The discharge process is configured so that the position of the storage position and the output position are reversed, so the configuration is simpler than installing a separate cassette transport mechanism to avoid interference with it. Therefore, maintainability is also improved. Moreover, since the cassette conveyance in the state which accommodated the glass plate decreases, the influence on the glass plate by the vibration etc. at the time of conveyance in a glass plate support part can be reduced as much as possible. Moreover, since the operation | movement of making the next cassette adjoin and waits while storing or discharging | emitting a glass plate with respect to a cassette can shorten the tact time of the stacker crane in a loading / unloading operation | work. In addition, since the footprint is as small as 2 positions, there is an advantage that restrictions on the device layout are small.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an apparatus configuration for explaining a glass plate discharging process in an automatic warehouse according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an apparatus configuration for explaining a glass plate storing step in the automatic warehouse according to the present invention.
4 is a side view of FIG. 3. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Stocker 2 Stacker Crane 3 Cassette 4 Cassette Lifting Device 5 Glass Plate Conveyor 6, 7 Cassette Conveyor A Entry Position B Exit Position

Claims (1)

It is a stacker crane type automatic warehouse that handles cassettes that store a plurality of glass plates in a horizontal state, and the stacker crane is arranged so that the cassettes can be taken in and out of the rack by running behind the stocker, the stocker is provided independently inlet compartment position and unloading position of the cassette, respectively, the entry and leaving position movable cassette lifting device between two corresponding positions in the, goods movements position and the cassette lifting device stocker two positions located outside the stocker in a state in which a cassette conveyor respectively between Rutotomoni, glass sheet conveyor for discharging from the housing or cassette glass plate cassette adjacent the cassette lifting device installation It is, in the receiving step and the discharge step of the glass plate, Automatic warehouse characterized in that the position of the cold storage position and unloading position is configured to be reversed.

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