JP4652010B2 - Method for storing books in container and container used therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for storing books in a container used in an automatic library system capable of automatically loading and unloading books.

There is known an automatic loading / unloading system that automatically loads / unloads specified articles to / from a storage. As an example of this automatic loading / unloading system, in a relatively large library or the like, a plurality of box-shaped containers storing dozens of books are stored in a library having fixed shelves and moving shelves, and books and containers automatic archive system stored in the storage device is employed and shelf respectively Installing corresponding. According to this automatic library system, books are lent out by a container in which books lent out by a stacker crane, a traverser, a transport conveyor, etc. are automatically transported to a depositing / dispensing station, and a book taken out from the container by an operator. Is performed by being passed to the user. At this time, the contents of the storage device are updated, and the data of the lent book is moved from the book column stored in the container to the book column being lent. In addition, books are returned in the reverse order of lending, and a container in which the returned books can be stored is automatically transported to the depositing / dispensing station, and the books returned by the operator are stored in the containers. Is done. The contents of the even memory device at this time is updated, the data of the returned books are moved to the book section housed from books column lent in the container.

  As the above-described automatic library system, a fixed location method classified by classification that accommodates a plurality of books classified by various fields has been conventionally employed. According to this classification-specific fixed location method, various types of books are classified by classification and stored in a plurality of containers, and each container is stored in a library for each corresponding classification. However, with this fixed location method by category, the size of books stored in the container for each category is not constant, so the dead space in the container increases and the amount of books stored per container decreases, saving it. There is a problem of hindering space.

  Therefore, for example, “Patent Document 1” discloses a free location type automatic library system that stores a plurality of books of the same size in the same container regardless of their types. With this technology, the amount of books stored in the container increases, and space can be saved.

  Further, in “Patent Document 2”, in a free location type automatic library system, the interior of the container is divided into two from the center in the short direction to make each a book storage space, and each back cover is different in each storage space. A technique for storing books in a manner facing outward is disclosed. According to this technique, when the book is taken out from the container at the depositing / dispensing station, the spine can be visually recognized, so that work efficiency can be improved.

Japanese Patent No. 2532820 Japanese Patent No. 28437533

  However, in each of the above technologies, the size of the container is changed according to the books to be stored. Therefore, it is necessary to design the fixed shelf and the moving shelf according to the size of the container, and it is unavoidable to increase the cost. In addition, since there is no commonality of containers, it is necessary to have a sufficient storage space for containers for each shelf corresponding to each size, and as a result, a lot of dead space is created in the library. Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in “Patent Document 2”, since the spine of the books stored in the container is directed to different outsides, the books to be taken out when the container is carried to the depositing station are May be located on the opposite side, so a means for rotating the container is required, which increases costs.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, can suppress the occurrence of dead space in the library by using a common size container, and facilitates the removal of books from the container at the depositing / dispensing station. It is intended to provide a method for storing books in a container that can be used.

The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a plurality of books are arranged in the thickness direction and the books can be stored and received using a container that can be stored so that the spine can be visually recognized and a shelf that can store a plurality of the containers. A method for storing the book in the container in an automatic library system, wherein the container has a single size corresponding to the length in the width direction of a predetermined book, and is stored in the container. When books smaller than the predetermined length in the width direction are stored in a plurality of rows in the width direction, the back cover of the books in the plurality of rows can be visually recognized for each row . a removable stepped portion, characterized that you housing in a state in which different from the height of at least one of the adjacent rows the height of the column of the book.

The invention of claim 2 wherein, in the book method storage to claim 1 wherein in the container, further wherein when the book is stored in two or more rows in said container, said book end side in the width direction The back cover of each row is stored in the container in such a manner that the height of each row gradually increases from the row toward the row on the other end side, and the back cover of each row faces the one end side. It is characterized by that.

According to a third aspect of the invention, when the book method storage to claim 1, wherein in the container, to be housed further the book three or more rows in said container, said book located in the center in the width direction In such a manner that the height of each row is the highest and the height of each row gradually decreases as it moves away from the center, and the spine of each row faces outward as viewed from the center. It is stored in a container.

Invention of Claim 4 is a container used for the storage method of the book in the container as described in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3, Comprising: It has the said level | step-difference part in the bottom part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. .

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the container according to the fourth aspect, the number of steps of the stepped portion further corresponds to the width direction size of the book.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to use each shelf in common by using a single size container, and it is possible to prevent a dead space from being generated in the library and increase the amount of books. In addition, when two or more books are stored in the container in the width direction, the height of each row is stored in a staircase and the spine of each row is stored in a manner in which each row faces in the same direction. Since the operator can visually recognize the back cover of all the books in the container without changing the orientation of the container at the cashier station, the target book can be quickly taken out from the container, and the workability is improved. The device that rotates the direction of the angle 180 degrees can be omitted, and the cost can be reduced. Furthermore, when books in the container are stored in three or more rows in the width direction, the height of each row is a convex shape, and the back cover of each row is facing outward as viewed from the center. By storing, the operator can visually recognize the back cover of the books in the middle row in the container at a glance without performing the operation of removing all the books in the row located outside the books in the middle row at the depositing / dispensing station. Therefore, the target book can be quickly taken out from the container, and workability can be greatly improved.

  FIG. 1 shows an automatic archive system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. This automatic library system 1 includes a fixed shelf 2A, 2B and a movable shelf 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, which is movably disposed between the fixed shelves 2A, 2B, a fixed shelf and a movable shelf, or each movement A stacker crane 6 that can move through the passage 5 formed between the shelves, a traverser 7 that can be moved in the same direction as each moving shelf by loading the stacker crane 6, and a container 8 that is a load between the stacker cranes 6 Loading / unloading cart 9 for carrying out, transfer container 37 of upper and lower two stages for transferring containers 8 to / from the loading / unloading cart 9, loading / unloading station 10 for transporting the container 8, temporary storage shelf 11, reception counter 12, user counter 40 etc. The containers 8 containing the books 16 (see FIG. 2) by these devices are loaded into and unloaded from the fixed shelves 2A and 2B or the movable shelves 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D as needed, and then to a predetermined container transport line. Led.

  A lifter 38 having a rotation function capable of rotating the container 8 by 180 degrees and distributing the transport path of the container 8 to any one of the transport conveyors 37 is disposed at the end of the transport path of each transport conveyor 37. It is installed. A station conveyor 39 connected to the depositing / dispensing station 10 is connected to the lifter 38. The station conveyor 39 reciprocates to carry the container 8 into and out of the depositing / dispensing station 10 and to carry out the container 8 from the depositing / dispensing station 10. Done.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cashier station 10 is composed of a case having a stepped appearance, and a work counter 18 is provided on the front side thereof, and a running path 19 for running the container 8 is provided in the middle. An embedded monitor 20 is provided on the back side.

  On the upper surface of the work counter 18, there are provided an embedded bar code reader 21, a mouse 22, a work completion button 23, a movement completion lamp 24 and the like. A reader 26 is provided.

  The embedded barcode reader 21 and the handy barcode reader 26 are used when reading a barcode (not shown) attached to each of the books 16. The mouse 22 and the keyboard 25 are used when inputting various data, and the keyboard 25 is used by being pulled out to a position indicated by a two-dot chain line. The work completion button 23 is pressed when returning the container 8 in which the loading and unloading of the book 16 has been completed at the depositing / dispensing station 10 to the library 4, and the movement completion lamp 24 is placed at a predetermined position of the container 8 carried from the library 4. Lights when arriving.

A traveling path 19 having a transfer conveyor 37 inside is connected to the library 4 through a wall 27, and the depositing / dispensing station 10 is provided with covers 28 and 28 for covering the traveling path 19. Each cover 28 is provided with a door 29 that can be opened and closed. Each door 29 is normally closed at a position indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure, and is manually displayed when the container 8 arrives at a predetermined position. Opened to the solid line position.

  A printer 32 is disposed on the upper side of the right cover 28, and an embedded monitor 20 comprising a CRT display device is disposed on the wall surface on the back side. The monitor 20 displays book data such as the name, classification, and ID number of the book 16 that is loaded and unloaded. The printer 32 issues the receipt number of the book lent out at the reception 12.

  Below the inside of the accounting station 10, a control device 33 for controlling the accounting station 10, a server PC 34 used when changing the control content of the accounting station 10, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 35, and the like are arranged. ing. A fire shutter 36 that is closed in an emergency is disposed on the upper portion of the wall portion 27.

  Temporary storage shelves 11 and reception counters 12 are disposed in the vicinity of the depositing / dispensing station 10, and user counters 40 are disposed in the vicinity of the reception counter 12 and easily accessible by the user. A terminal 12a is disposed in the reception counter 12 that lends and returns books to the user, and a terminal 40a is disposed in the user counter 40 that selects a book that the user wants to borrow. Further, the automatic archive system 1 shown in the present embodiment includes a storage unit and a storage update unit (not shown) that store the book 16, the container 8, and the library 4 in association with each other.

  Based on the above-described configuration, when the user searches for a book to be borrowed and performs a predetermined procedure, the container 8 storing the book 16 is automatically transferred from the storage location to the depositing / dispensing station 10. When the operator takes out the book 16 from the container 8 based on the relevant book information displayed on the monitor 20, the user can receive the relevant book 16. The return is performed in the reverse procedure, and the user brings the book 16 to be returned to a predetermined return place or the reception counter 12. The brought-in book 16 is moved to the temporary storage shelf 11, and the operator returns it to the container 8 that has been transported at the depositing / dispensing station 10. When the operator stores the book 16 in the container 8, the barcode of the book 16 is read again by the embedded barcode reader 21 or the handy barcode reader 26, whereby the container 8 and the book 16 correspond to the automatic archive system 1. Attached and memorized. Thereafter, after the doors 29 are closed by the operator, the work completion button 23 is pressed, and the return work is completed when the container 8 is loaded into the library 4.

  As the container 13 used in a normal automatic library system, the width direction length X and the thickness direction length Y of the book 16 are set as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C. In accordance with the size, in the example shown in the figure, A4 size books 16a are stored in two rows in the width direction and 20 rows in the thickness direction for a total of 40 books. Each book 16a is stored in the container 13 in such a manner that the respective spine covers 16aa face each other. The container 13 is transported to the depositing / dispensing station 10 in such a manner that one surface of the length Y in the thickness direction faces the operator. However, if the container is formed in accordance with the size of the book 16 as described above, the shelves 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D that store the containers cannot be used in common. The dead space becomes larger.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the container 8 is a single container having the same width direction length X and thickness direction length Y. As a result, the shelves 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D can be used in common, and the amount of books can be increased by preventing the occurrence of dead space in the library 4.

  Here, as a first embodiment, a case will be described in which a total of 40 books, for example, A4 size books 16a are stored in the container 8 used in the present invention in two rows in the width direction and 20 rows in the thickness direction. As shown in FIGS. 4 (a), (b), and (c), the book 16a has a stepped shape in which the spine covers 16aa all face the same direction and the other row is higher than the other row. And stored in the container 8. The container 8 has a step portion 8a for raising the other row of the books 16a at the bottom corresponding to the other row of the books 16a. The stepped portion 8a is configured by a member having sufficient strength to have a size corresponding to the length in the width direction of A4 size, and is provided integrally with the container 8 or detachably with respect to the container 8. The container 8 is conveyed to the depositing / dispensing station 10 in such a manner that the spine 16aa faces the operator.

  With the above-described configuration, the operator can visually recognize the spine 16aa of all the books 16 in the container 8 without changing the orientation of the container 8 at the cashier station 10. Can be quickly taken out and the workability is improved, and the device for rotating the direction of the container 8 by 180 degrees can be omitted, and the cost can be reduced.

  In the embodiment described above, for example, when A5 size books 16b are stored in the container 8, three rows can be stored in the width direction of the books. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the books 16b are all in the same direction as the spine 16ba, and gradually move from one row to the other row in the book width direction. It is housed in the container 8 in a stepped shape that increases in height. The container 8 has a stepped portion 8b for raising the center column and the other end side row of the book 16b at the bottom corresponding to the center row and the other end side row of the book 16b. Yes. The step portion 8b is configured to have a size corresponding to the length in the width direction of the A5 size by a member having sufficient strength like the step portion 8a, and can be integrated with the container 8 or detachably attached to the container 8. Is provided. The container 8 is transported to the depositing / dispensing station 10 in such a manner that the spine 16ba faces the operator.

  In this example, an A5 size book 16b is used as a book stored in the container 8. However, a book that is smaller than this and can be stored in a plurality of rows in the container 8. Can be stored in the container 8 in the form of a staircase using a plurality of step portions corresponding to the size in the width direction of the books to be stored. By adopting such a configuration, in addition to the above-described effects, books can be stored while suppressing the occurrence of dead space in the container 8, and the amount of books stored in the container 8 can be increased. Can do.

  Next, as a second embodiment, a case will be described in which a total of 60 books, for example, three rows in the width direction and 20 rows in the thickness direction are stored in a container 14 having the same size as the container 8, for example, A5 size books 16b. To do. The container 14 is the same as the container 8 except that the shape and height of the side wall are different.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 (a), 6 (b), and 6 (c), the book 16b has a spine cover 16ba in each row as viewed from the center row, and the height of the row located in the center is the center. It is stored in the container 14 in such a manner that the height of each row gradually decreases as the distance from the center increases. The container 14 has a stepped portion 14a for raising the center row of the books 16b at the bottom corresponding to the center row of the books 16b. The stepped portion 14a is configured by a member having sufficient strength so as to have a size corresponding to the length in the width direction of A5 size, and is provided integrally with the container 14 or detachably attached to the container 14. The container 14 is conveyed to the depositing / dispensing station 10 in such a manner that the spine 16ba in the center row faces the operator.

  Conventionally, when the books are stored in the container in three or more rows in the width direction, the back cover of the books in the center row cannot be seen, and in order to confirm this, all the books in the outer row are removed. However, with the above-described configuration, the operator can visually recognize the back cover 16ba of the row located in the center of the container 14 at a glance. The target book 16b can be quickly taken out from the container 14, and the workability is remarkably improved. In addition, according to the second embodiment, the height of the books in the container 14 can be made lower than in the first embodiment, and the shelves 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C, By reducing the 3D frontage height, the library 4 can be made compact and the amount of books can be increased.

  Note that the automatic archive system 1 used in the present embodiment has a function of storing the book 16, the container 14, and the archive 4 in association with each other, so that the column in the uppermost position in FIG. When the book 16b is taken out, it is known in advance that the book 16b is stored in this row in the container 14, and therefore, when the container 14 is transported to the depositing / dispensing station 10, the container 14 is moved 180 by the lifter 38. The workability can be improved by rotating the rotation degree.

  In the above-described embodiment, for example, when A6 size books 16c are stored in the container 14, four rows can be stored in the width direction of the books. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the book 16c has a spine cover 16ca in each row facing outward as viewed from the center row, and the height of the row located in the center is the highest and moves away from the center. Each row is stored in the container 14 in a convex shape in which the height of each row gradually decreases. The container 14 has a step portion 14b at the bottom corresponding to each row of the books 16c in the inside thereof so as to raise each row so that the two rows located at the center of the book 16c are higher than the other rows. . The step portion 14b is configured by a member having sufficient strength in the same manner as the step portion 14a and has a size corresponding to the length in the width direction of the A6 size. Is provided. The container 14 is conveyed to the depositing / dispensing station 10 in such a manner that the spine 16ca in the center row faces the operator.

  In this example, an A6 size book 16c is used as a book stored in the container 14, but the book is smaller than this and can be stored in a plurality of rows in the container 14. When storing the card, it can be stored in the container 14 in the form of a convex shape using a multi-stage number of steps corresponding to the size in the width direction of the book stored.

  In each of the above embodiments, the book 16 is directly stored in the containers 8 and 14. However, a partition for finely dividing the inside is provided in the containers 8 and 14, and the book 16 is stored in the partition. It is good also as a structure. In addition, the configuration in which each stepped portion 8a, 8b, 14a, 14b is detachably attached to each container 8, 14 may employ a known configuration such as a configuration using an engaging portion such as a screw or a hook. it can. Further, the height of each stepped portion 8a, 8b, 14a, 14b is appropriately determined according to the book 16 to be stored.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the example in which the books 16a, 16b, and 16c of the same size are stored in the containers 8 and 14, respectively, is shown, but the size of the book 16 stored in the containers 8 and 14 is always the same. It is not necessary to be that and other sizes may be mixed. In this case, the number of columns stored in the width direction of the book depends on the size in the width direction of the maximum size book.

1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic library system to which an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. It is a schematic perspective view of the accounting station used for one Example of this invention. It is (a) top view (b) front view (c) side view of the container which accommodated the conventional book. It is the (a) top view (b) front view (c) side view of the container which accommodated the book in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the container which accommodated the book in the other example of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is (a) top view (b) front view (c) side view of the container which accommodated the book in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the container which accommodated the book in the other example of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Automatic library system 2A, 2B Shelf (fixed shelf)
3A, 3B, 3C, 3D shelf (movable shelf)
8, 14 Containers 8a, 8b, 14a, 14b Steps 16, 16a, 16b, 16c Books 16aa, 16ba, 16ca Back cover

Claims (5)

In the automatic library system for loading and unloading the books using a container that can be stored such that a plurality of books are arranged in the thickness direction and the spine can be visually recognized and a shelf that can store a plurality of the containers, A method of storing the book in a container,
The container has a single size corresponding to the length in the width direction of a predetermined book , and a plurality of books smaller than the length in the width direction of the predetermined book are stored in the container in the width direction. The plurality of rows of books have a step portion that is detachable from the container so that the back cover of each row can be visually recognized for each row, and at least one of the heights of the rows of books adjacent to each other. the method of books into the container, characterized that you housing in a state in which different from the height of the column housing. The method for storing books in the container according to claim 1,
When the books are stored in two or more rows in the container, the books are stepped so that the height of each row gradually increases from one row in the width direction to the other row. The method for storing books in a container is characterized in that the back cover of each row is stored in the container in such a manner that it faces the one end side. The method for storing books in the container according to claim 1,
When the books are stored in three or more rows in the container, the height of each row of the books located at the center in the width direction is the highest, and the height of each row gradually decreases as the distance from the center increases. A method for storing books in a container, wherein the books are stored in the container so as to have a convex shape and the back cover of each row facing outward as viewed from the center. A container used for a method of storing a book in a container according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A container having the step portion at its bottom . The container according to claim 4,
The container, wherein the number of steps of the step portion corresponds to the size of the book in the width direction.

Images