JP5776933B2 - Article processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article conveying apparatus that conveys an article that is an object of human work by an operator from a conveyance source to a conveyance destination as a conveyance destination, and a plurality of conveyances that convey the article from the conveyance source to the conveyance destination. Management control means for managing identification data for identifying each target article and conveyance data including conveyance destination information assigned to each article to be conveyed; conveyance control means for controlling the operation of the article conveyance device; And the management control means is configured to instruct the conveyance data to the conveyance control means so as to convey the article to be conveyed from the conveyance source to the conveyance destination.

In the article processing facility, the management control unit adds the identification information for identifying the article to be conveyed with respect to the conveyance data including the conveyance source information and the conveyance destination information of the article, and operates the article conveyance apparatus. When the conveyance control means for controlling the movement is commanded, the conveyance control means controls the operation of the article conveyance apparatus so as to convey the article identified by the identification information from the conveyance source designated by the conveyance data to the conveyance destination.
When the article is transported to the transport destination by the article transport device, the transport control means transmits the transport completion information to the management control means. When the management control means receives the transfer completion information from the transfer control means, it assumes that the transfer work based on the transfer data has been completed, and completes the processing of the transfer data. In this way, the management control means manages the conveyance data.
As a conventional example of such an article processing facility, the conveyance data instructed by the management control means to the conveyance control means is managed as the number of conveyance data to be conveyed by the article conveyance device controlled by the conveyance control means. In some cases, the number of transport data is displayed on a display means (see, for example, FIG. 5 of Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 2737425

  With the conventional article processing facility, the number of transfer data commanded from the management control unit to the transfer control unit can be grasped, but it is unclear how many transfer data are subsequently commanded to the transfer control unit. . For this reason, work facilities where manpower work is performed are provided in the article processing equipment, and in facilities where transport work is commanded to this work location as the transport destination, which of the workers who perform manual work at the work location is However, there was a disadvantage that it was difficult to plan the work because it was not possible to know whether the work would occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an article processing facility in which a worker who performs a manual operation at a work location can grasp a work schedule.

In order to achieve this object, the first characteristic configuration of the article processing facility according to the present invention is:
An article conveying apparatus that conveys an article to be subjected to human work by an operator, using a work location where a human work is performed from a conveyance source as a conveyance destination;
Management control means for managing identification data for identifying each of a plurality of articles to be transported transported from the transport source to the transport destination, and transport data including transport destination information assigned to each article to be transported;
A conveyance control means for controlling the operation of the article conveying device is provided,
In the article processing facility, wherein the management control unit is configured to instruct the transfer control unit to transfer the transfer data in order to transfer the transfer target article from the transfer source to the transfer destination.
The management control means, based on the transfer completion information communicated from the transfer control means as the transfer target article is transferred to the work location as the transfer destination, among the articles to be transferred, Configured to manage the number of unconveyed articles, which is the number of unconveyed articles that have not yet been conveyed to the work location, according to the number of conveyance data for the unconveyed articles
Display control means is provided for causing the display means to display the untransported number managed by the management control means ,
As the article conveying apparatus, a plurality of article conveying devices that can exchange articles with each other are provided,
As the transport control means, a plurality of device control devices for controlling the respective operations of the article transport device are provided,
Each of the plurality of device control devices is configured so that the management control means relays and conveys the articles to be transported by the plurality of article transport devices and transports the articles from the transport source to the work location. The number of articles that are configured to sequentially issue a conveyance command to the work site and that are not yet conveyed to the work location by the work location conveyance device that conveys the article to the work location among the plurality of article conveyance devices. Is managed as the untransferred number .

  According to this characteristic configuration, the management control means attaches identification information for identifying an article to be conveyed with respect to the conveyance data including the conveyance source information and the conveyance destination information of the article, and When instructed to the conveyance control means for controlling the operation, the conveyance control means controls the operation of the article conveyance device so as to convey the article identified by the identification information from the conveyance source designated by the conveyance data to the conveyance destination. . When the article is transported by the article transport device to a work location as a transport destination, the transport control means transmits the transport completion information to the management control means. When the management control means receives the transfer completion information from the transfer control means, it assumes that the transfer work based on the transfer data has been completed, and completes the processing of the transfer data. In this way, the management control means manages the conveyance data.

  By managing the transport data in this way, the management control means, for example, receives a plurality of work requests to be processed in batch processing or the like from a higher-order management means. Among a plurality of articles that are to be transported by the plurality of transport data, the number of unconveyed articles that are not yet transported to the work location is determined as the transport data for the unconveyed articles. It can be managed by number. Then, the unconveyed number managed by the management control means is displayed on the display means by the display control means. In other words, the display means includes not only transport data for which transport data has been commanded from the management control means to the transport control means but processing has not yet been completed, but also transport data that has not been commanded from the management control means to the transport control means. The number of transport data that has not been processed is displayed.

Therefore, the operator can recognize the number of unconveyed articles that have not yet been conveyed to the work location by referring to the number of unconveyed items displayed on the display means, so that the processing is scheduled at the work location. Can grasp the work schedule.
As described above, according to this feature configuration, an article processing facility has been obtained in which an operator who performs a manual operation at a work location can grasp the work schedule.

The second characteristic configuration of the article processing equipment according to the present invention, prior Symbol display control means, wherein the layout screen shown in correspondence to the arrangement of the symbol indicating the each of the plurality of article transport apparatus of the plurality of article transporting apparatus The display means is configured to be displayable, and the display unit can display the untransferred number of the work location transfer device in a form corresponding to the symbol indicating the work location transfer device on the layout screen. It is in the point which is comprised.

  According to this characteristic configuration, the management control means sequentially issues a conveyance command to each of the plurality of device control devices, whereby the operations of the plurality of article conveyance devices are controlled by the plurality of device control devices. The articles to be transported are relayed and transported from the transport source to the work location. Then, the display control means displays a layout screen showing the symbols indicating the plurality of article conveying devices in correspondence with the arrangement of the plurality of article conveying devices. In addition, the symbol of the article conveying device is displayed, and the number of unconveyed items regarding the work location conveying device can be displayed in a state that is easily recognized by the operator.

  A third characteristic configuration of the article processing facility according to the present invention is that a plurality of the work locations are provided, and a plurality of the work location transport devices are provided corresponding to the plurality of work locations.

  According to this feature configuration, the symbols of the plurality of work place transport devices provided corresponding to the plurality of work places are displayed on the layout screen in accordance with the actual arrangement, and the unworked pieces of the plurality of work places are not transported. The number is displayed on the layout screen in a form corresponding to a symbol indicating a plurality of work location transfer devices. Therefore, since the number of unconveyed items by work location can be compared, each worker who performs work at the work location accurately determines how much loading work is scheduled at the work location he / she is responsible for. Since it is possible to grasp the number of remaining work at the work places that other people are in charge of, it is easy to plan work actions such as planning assistance for work places of other people who have a large number of remaining work. In addition, since it is possible to grasp the workload of each work location, it is easy to schedule personnel assignment.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the article processing facility according to the present invention, when the display control means artificially selects an unconveyed number display portion for displaying the unconveyed number in the display means, the unconveyed number display It is the point which is comprised so that the content of the said conveyance data about the said unconveyed article which comprises the said unconveyed number displayed on the part may be displayed.

  According to this characteristic configuration, when an operator selects and operates the unconveyed number display portion that displays the unconveyed number on the display unit, the unconveyed articles constituting the unconveyed number displayed in the unconveyed number display portion are displayed. The contents of the transport data are displayed. Therefore, the worker can confirm the work contents of the transfer data for the number of untransferred pieces, and can easily plan the work action.

  According to a fifth characteristic configuration of the article processing facility according to the present invention, the article is a container for storing a load, and the work place loads a load on the storage body and pays out the load from the storage body. Set to perform both of the work, the display control means, the transport data for the untransported storage body that has not yet been transported to the work location among the storage bodies that are the target of the loading work, The display unit is configured to display the total number of the transfer data of the untransferred storage bodies that have not been transferred to the work location among the storage bodies that are the targets of the payout work, as the untransferred number, And when the said unconveyed number display part in the said display means is selected, the content of the said conveyance data about the said unconveyed storage body which is the object of the said loading operation | work, and the said unconveyed object which is the object of the said payout operation | work Yield There the contents of the transport data for the body to a point that is configured to display on the display means to each other.

According to this characteristic configuration, at the work location, both the loading operation for loading the load on the storage body and the dispensing operation for discharging the load from the storage body are performed. Sum of the number of unconveyed storage bodies that have not yet been transported to the work location among the target storage bodies and the number of unconveyed storage bodies that have not yet been transported to the work location among the storage bodies that are the subject of the payout work The number is displayed. That is, the total number of operations of the loading operation and the payout operation is displayed on the display means. Thereby, the worker who performs both the loading work and the payout work can easily grasp the entire work amount.
Further, when the unconveyed number display portion in the display means is selected, the display means displays the contents of the conveyance data for the unconveyed storage object that is the target of the loading operation and the unconveyed storage object that is the target of the payout work. And the contents of the transport data for each are displayed separately. Therefore, the worker who performs both the loading work and the payout work can easily grasp the breakdown of each work in the entire work amount.
Thus, according to this characteristic configuration, it is possible to easily obtain useful information for planning a work action for an operator who performs both the loading work and the payout work.

Overall layout of automatic warehouse equipment Control block diagram of automatic warehouse equipment External perspective view of monitor terminal Block diagram showing configurations of monitoring device and monitor terminal Initial screen of the monitoring menu Monitoring menu enlarged screen The figure which shows the display state which displays the contents of conveyance data The figure which shows the display state which displays the contents of commodity / work information

An embodiment of an article processing facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings by an example applied to an automatic warehouse facility. FIG. 1 is an arrangement plan view of an automatic warehouse facility.
This automatic warehouse equipment is self-propelled on a shelf 3 having a plurality of article storage spaces 2 for storing containers 1 as articles, and on a travel route 4 along the shelf 3, and the container 1 enters between the shelves 3. Eight sets of automatic equipped with a stacker crane 5 for unloading and a pair of loading conveyor 6a and unloading conveyor 6b for transporting container 1 between the loading / unloading position of stacker crane 5 and the loading / unloading position of container 1 Three self-propelled transport carts 10 for loading and unloading the warehouse 8, the warehousing conveyor 6a and the unloading conveyor 6b, and the container 1, and transporting the container 1 by self-propelled on the loop-shaped traveling path 9 Nine sets of cargo handling devices 12 having three conveyors 11 for receiving and transferring the container 1 with the self-propelled transport cart 10 and the container 1 loaded from the outside to the station of the self-propelled transport cart 10 And two loading conveyor 13 which conveys, is configured to include a two carry-out conveyor 14 for conveying the containers 1 to be carried out to the outside from the station of the self transport carriage 10.

  The container 1 can accommodate a plurality of loads (in the present embodiment, individually packaged products), and the stacker crane 5, the loading / unloading conveyor 6, the self-propelled conveying cart 10, and the cargo handling conveyor device described above. 12, various article conveying devices such as a carry-in conveyor 13 and a carry-out conveyor 14 relay and automatically convey the container 1 while giving and receiving each other.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each of the above-described article conveying devices is connected to each control device so as to be able to communicate. These control devices are computers including a communication control unit, an input / output unit, an information processing unit, and a storage unit, and control the operation of each article transport device based on transport data transmitted from a transport management device C2 described later. .

  The carry-in conveyor 13 and the carry-out conveyor 14 are connected to the carry-in / out control device C3, the self-propelled conveyance cart 10 is connected to the cart control device C4, and the stacker crane 5 is connected to the crane control device C5 for warehousing. The conveyor 6a and the unloading conveyor 6b are connected to the loading / unloading control device C6, and the cargo handling device 12 is connected to the loading control device C7. The cart controller C4 and the three self-propelled transport carts 10 are communicatively connected by wireless communication using feeder lines disposed along the travel route. Further, the crane control device C5 and the stacker crane 5 are connected to each other by an infrared communication device.

  The device control apparatuses C3 to C7 are connected to a communication network provided in the automatic warehouse facility by a communication control unit included in each of the device control apparatuses C3 to C7. To this communication network, a work command device C0, a work management device C1, a transport management device C2, a monitoring device S, and a monitor terminal M are connected.

  The work command device C0, the work management device C1, the transfer management device C2, and the monitoring device S and the monitor terminal M are also computers including a communication control unit, an input / output unit, an information processing unit, and a storage unit. The work command device C0 commands a product shipping operation, a receiving operation, and a loading operation as a work request. When a work request is commanded from the work commanding device C0, the work management device C1 selects the corresponding container 1 as a transport target in order to process the product that is the target of the work request in accordance with the work request, and selects the container 1 A transport key is generated as identification information to be identified, transport data including the transport key and transport source information and transport destination information of the container 1 to be transported is generated, and the transport data is transmitted to the transport management device C2. When the transfer management device C2 receives the transfer data from the work management device C1, the transfer management device C2 receives the transfer data from the transfer source to the transfer destination in order to transfer the container 1 to be transferred specified by the transfer data. Conveying commands for operating various article conveying devices such as a self-propelled conveying cart 10, a cargo conveyor device 12, a carrying-in conveyor 13, and a carrying-out conveyor 14 are sent to the device control devices C3 to C7 that control the operation of the article conveying device. Command.

  For example, when a cargo handling request for a certain product is instructed from the work commanding device C0, the work management device C1 issues the shelf position of the container 1 that accommodates the product that is the target of the work request, and the cargo handling conveyor device 12 at the delivery destination. The conveyance data including the position of is transmitted. Receiving this, the transport management device C2 recognizes the shelf position of the container 1 to be transported by the transport data, and sends a transport command to the corresponding crane control device C5 of the automatic warehouse 8 to unload the container 1. To do. When the crane control device C5 finishes unloading the container 1 from the shelf 3 to the unloading conveyor 6b with the stacker crane 5 to be controlled, the crane control device C5 transmits the transfer completion information to the transfer management device C2. Next, the conveyance management device C2 transmits a conveyance command to the entry / exit control device C6, and the entry / exit control device C6 conveys the container 1 when the conveyance of the container 1 to the conveyance end is completed on the controlled conveyor 6b. Send completion information. Subsequently, the conveyance management device C2 determines the allocation of the self-propelled conveyance cart 10 in charge of conveyance, and the conveyance control command for causing the cart control device C4 to convey the container 1 to the cargo handling conveyor device 12 using the allocated self-propelled conveyance cart 10. Send. The cart control device C4 transmits the transfer completion information to the transfer management device C2 when the self-propelled transfer cart 10 completes the transfer. Finally, the conveyance management device C2 transmits a conveyance command to the cargo handling control device C7, and when the cargo handling conveyor device 12 completes the conveyance, the cargo handling control device C7 transmits conveyance completion information to the conveyance management device C2. Then, the transfer management device C2 transmits a transfer completion report to the work management device C1 on the assumption that the container 1 has been transferred to a predetermined transfer position of the cargo handling conveyor device 12 that is the transfer destination specified by the transfer data. In this way, the container 1 necessary for the cargo handling operation is conveyed from the article storage space 2 of the automatic warehouse 8 to a predetermined conveyance position of the cargo conveyor device 12.

  Incidentally, the transfer completion information received by the transfer management device C2 from the crane control device C5 or the like until the container 1 is transferred to the predetermined transfer position of the cargo conveyor device 12 is transmitted as progress information to the work management device C1. As a result, the work management apparatus C1 can manage the progress status to which article transport device the container 1 that is the transport target of the transport data has been transported.

  At a predetermined transport position of the cargo conveyor device 12, a loading operation and a payout operation, which are manual operations by the worker P, are performed. A work location is set for each of the nine sets of cargo conveyor devices 12. In other words, in this embodiment, a plurality of work locations are provided, and nine cargo handling devices 12 serving as work location transport devices are provided corresponding to the nine work locations. Then, the stacker crane 5, the loading / unloading conveyor 6, the self-propelled conveyance carriage 10, and the cargo handling conveyor device 12 convey the container 1 that is an object of manual work by the worker P from the conveyance source to the work location that is the conveyance destination. It functions as an article conveying device. In addition, each work location is set to perform both a loading operation for loading products in the container 1 and a payout operation for paying out products from the container 1.

  As described above, a plurality of article transfer devices (stacker crane 5, loading / unloading conveyor 6, self-propelled transfer carriage 10, cargo handling conveyor apparatus 12, loading conveyor 13, unloading apparatus that can exchange articles with each other as an article conveying apparatus. A conveyor 14) is provided, and a plurality of device control devices C3 to C7 for controlling the operation of each of these article transport devices are provided as transport control means for controlling the operation of the article transport device. In addition, the work management device C1 and the transport management device C2 include identification information for identifying each of the plurality of transport target containers 1 transported from the transport source to the transport destination, and the transport destinations assigned to the respective transport target containers 1. It functions as a management control means for managing transport data including information.

  Then, the transfer management device C2 instructs the device control devices C3 to C7 to transfer transfer data in order to transfer the container 1 to be transferred from the transfer source to the transfer destination. At that time, as described above, the transport management device C2 relays the container 1 whose transport data is to be transported by a plurality of article transport devices and transports it from the transport source to the work location based on the transport data. It is configured to sequentially issue a conveyance command to each of the crane control device C5, the entry / exit control device C6, the cart control device C4, and the cargo handling control device C7 as a plurality of device control devices.

  The work commanding device C0 takes an incoming work request, a shipping work request, and a cargo handling work request generated within a predetermined period set in advance as a single work unit, and outputs a plurality of work requests for a plurality of products included in the work unit. A batch processing method is used in which the work management apparatus C1 is instructed collectively as one work instruction. Therefore, the work management apparatus C1 generates transport data corresponding to a plurality of work requests, and manages the progress status and the completed / uncompleted processing state of each of the transport data.

  In other words, the work management device C1 determines whether the transport target container 1 is transported based on the transport completion information communicated from the crane control device C5 or the like as transport control means as the container 1 to be transported is transported to the work location as the transport destination. Among the containers 1, the number of unconveyed containers, which is the number of unconveyed containers that have not yet been conveyed to the work location, is managed by the number of conveyance data for the unconveyed containers. Specifically, the cargo conveyor apparatus 12 which is a work site transport device that transports the container 1 to a work location among a plurality of article transport devices manages the number of containers 1 that have not yet been transported to the work location as an untransported number. Yes.

  Specifically, the work management apparatus C1 includes a management database for managing a plurality of transport data in the storage unit. The management database is a relational database in which merchandise master data, which is a database for merchandise information, and the like are associated by a transport key in addition to the transport master data.

  The information that constitutes the “transport data” specified by the transport key by the management database (each information such as transport classification (entry / shipment classification), transport source, transport destination, and location number) is transport data of the transport key. Is stored in association with the information (product code, lot number, product name, number of operations, arrival source, etc.) constituting the “product / work information” about the product stored in the container 1 to be transported. Yes.

  Note that the location number is the bank bay level value in the shelf 3 for the article storage space 2 that is the transfer destination if the transfer category of the transfer operation of the transfer key is the warehousing category. If it is a time division, it is the value of the bank bay level in the shelf 3 with respect to the article storage space 2 as the transport source.

  Next, the monitoring device S and the monitor terminal M will be described. The monitoring device S collects the management information of the work management device C1 and the transfer management device C2 and the control information of each of the device control devices C4 to C7, and monitors and analyzes the state of the automatic warehouse facility so that the worker can visually recognize the display. This is a server that generates display information for display in a form. When there are various display requests from the monitor terminal M that is a client, the requested display information is generated and transmitted to the monitor terminal M.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the monitor terminal M is a computer including a display unit 15 as a display unit that displays display information transmitted by the monitoring device S, a communication control unit, an input / output unit, an information processing unit, and a storage unit. The main unit 16 includes a keyboard 17 and a mouse 18 as input means for inputting a display command to the monitoring device S. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of monitor terminals M are provided at appropriate locations in the facility. In the present embodiment, one monitor for three to four work locations is used as a browsing monitor terminal for a worker who performs a loading operation or a payout operation at a work location to view the work expectation or the like. Terminal M is arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the monitoring device S is composed of a main body unit including a communication control unit, an input / output unit, an information processing unit, and a storage unit. Monitoring function unit P1 for displaying the processing status of work on the monitor terminal M in real time, history display analysis function unit for displaying the operation history and abnormality history of the transfer equipment and the processing result of transfer work on the display unit of the monitor terminal M P2 etc. are provided in a program format. The information processing unit of the computer main body 16 in the monitor terminal M includes a display control unit P3 that causes the display unit 15 to display display information generated by the monitoring device S in a program format.

  And the monitoring function part P1 of the monitoring apparatus S produces | generates the display information which displays the unconveyed number which the work management apparatus C1 manages on the display part 15, The display information about this unconveyed number is displayed on the monitor terminal M It is displayed in a visible state on the display unit 15 by the display control action of the control unit P3. That is, the display control means G for displaying the unconveyed number managed by the work management device C1 on the display unit 15 is configured by the monitoring function unit P1 of the monitoring device S and the display control unit P3 of the monitor terminal M.

  FIG. 3 shows a state where the initial screen information generated by the monitoring device S is displayed on the display unit 15 of the monitor terminal M, and desired display information is displayed by selecting various menus with the mouse cursor. It can be done. For the unconveyed number managed by the work management apparatus C1, the initial screen of the monitoring menu shown in FIG. 5 is displayed by selecting the “Monitor” menu. It can be displayed by enlarging it. Hereinafter, display information displayed on the display unit 15 by the display control means G will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the entire layout of the automatic warehouse facility is displayed on the initial screen of the “monitoring” menu (hereinafter referred to as the monitoring menu). When an enlarged display menu is selected from a submenu (not shown) displayed by right-clicking in a state where a region Z1 to be enlarged is designated by dragging the mouse 18, a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the monitoring menu, a layout screen is displayed in which symbols indicating each of the article transporting devices are displayed in correspondence with their actual arrangement. That is, the display control means G is configured to be able to display a layout screen that shows symbols indicating each of the plurality of article conveying devices in correspondence with the arrangement of the plurality of article conveying devices.

  On the layout screen, the six operating states of “operating”, “abnormal”, “stop”, “disconnecting”, “not connected”, and “communication abnormality” for each article conveying device displayed on the screen are displayed in a color-coded manner. The Further, the display positions of the symbols indicating the stacker crane 5 that travels and travels along the travel route 4 and the self-propelled transport cart 10 that travels and travels along the travel route 9 are the actual positions in the equipment of the stacker crane 5 and the self-propelled transport cart 10. Correspondingly updated in real time.

  Note that when the mouse 18 is right-clicked with the mouse cursor positioned on a portion of the layout screen where there is no selection target, a submenu (not shown) for rotating the layout screen is displayed. When the rotation operation menu is selected, the layout screen display can be switched to a display rotated by 90 degrees. As a result, the layout screen can be displayed in an orientation that matches the position and orientation of the worker P who uses the monitor terminal M, and the correspondence between the actual equipment and the layout screen is easy to understand. Incidentally, the submenu displayed by right-clicking the mouse has a reduced display menu, which can be restored to the scale of the initial screen or the like.

  On the layout screen, a container 1 that is a transfer target of each transfer data managed by the work management apparatus C1 is displayed as a symbol. Corresponding to the progress of the transport operation of the container 1 ascertained from the transport data, the container 1 is displayed superimposed on the symbol of the article transport device currently transporting. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the warehousing conveyor 6a in the region indicated by Z2 in the drawing and the self-propelled conveyance carriage 10 stopped at the station corresponding thereto are in an abnormal state. In the case where the stacker crane 5 or the self-propelled transport cart 10 is in charge of transporting the container 1, until the container 1 is actually received on the article transport device, that is, until the scoop cycle is completed, The symbol of container 1 is not overlapped with the symbol, and the symbol of container 1 is overlapped with the symbol of the article transporting device that was in charge of transport immediately before.

  When such an abnormal state occurs, it is assumed that a trouble has occurred when the container 1 is transferred from the self-propelled transport cart 10 to the warehousing conveyor 6a, so the worker P goes to the location. Perform recovery work. In the restoration work, the worker refers to the display position of the container 1 on the layout screen of the monitor terminal M, and if the container 1 is set on either the self-propelled transport cart 10 or the warehousing conveyor 6a, the transport data It is easy and quick to know whether or not alignment is possible. Therefore, in the recovery operation of the abnormal state, it is not necessary to take measures such as dispensing the container 1 and deleting the corresponding transfer data, and the article transfer responsible for the transfer of the container 1 grasped by the transfer data after the recovery operation of the abnormality It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a secondary failure in which the device and the article transport device that actually transports the container 1 are inconsistent and become abnormal again, and the progress status managed by the transport data matches the actual transport position of the container 1 It is possible to resume the operation of the article transporting device that has been in an abnormal state when it has been removed.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the layout screen shows a container 1 that is not yet transported by each article transport device among containers 1 based on transport data for a plurality of work requests batch-ordered in batch processing for each article transport device. An unconveyed number that is one is displayed in proximity to or overlapping with a symbol indicating each article conveying device on the layout screen.

  Specifically, for the stacker crane 5, the crane remaining work number display section K is displayed in the vicinity of the symbol of the stacker crane 5, and each stacker crane 5 is displayed on the crane remaining work number display section K. A numerical value indicating how many containers 1 will be transported later is displayed.

  As described above, as the stacker crane 5 travels, the display position of the symbol of the stacker crane 5 on the layout screen moves, but the display position of the remaining work number display section K for the crane is also the same. It moves corresponding to the movement of the display position of the symbol 5.

  In addition, regarding the cargo handling device 12, an operator's remaining work number display portion J is displayed overlapping the symbol of the cargo handling device 12, and each worker's remaining work number display portion J displays each cargo handling device. A numerical value indicating how many containers 1 12 will be transported later is displayed. In other words, the display control means G is configured to be able to display the number of unconveyed items for the cargo conveyor device 12 in a form corresponding to the symbol indicating the cargo conveyor device 12 on the layout screen. Thereby, each worker P can grasp | ascertain exactly how many cargo handling work is scheduled at the work location which he is responsible, and can also grasp | ascertain the number of remaining work of the work location which others are in charge of. Therefore, for example, it is easy to plan a work action schedule, such as planning the assistance of another person's work location with a large number of remaining work. In addition, since it is possible to grasp the workload of each work location, it is easy to schedule personnel assignment.

  Below the symbol of each cargo handling conveyor device 12 in the layout display, the number shown in the remaining work number display section J for the worker is the number of loading work, payout work, and both of these work numbers. The arrow symbols Y1 to Y3 for distinguishing and indicating whether or not is displayed. The arrow symbol Y1 indicates that the number indicated in the worker remaining work number display portion J is the number of loading operations, and the arrow symbol Y2 indicates the number indicated in the worker remaining work number display portion J. Indicates the number of payout operations, and the arrow symbol Y3 indicates that the number indicated in the worker remaining work number display section J is the number of both loading and payout operations.

  A plurality of containers 1 to be transported in the future based on unfinished transport data after the work location of the cargo handling conveyor device 12 are scheduled for both loading work and delivery work. In the worker remaining work number display section J for the work position (the work position indicated by the arrow symbol Y3 in FIG. 6), the total work number of the loading work number and the payout work number is displayed. That is, the display control means G is still in the work location of the container 1 that is not yet transported to the work location of the container 1 that is the target of the loading operation and the work location of the container 1 that is the target of the payout operation. The total number of unconveyed containers that have not been transported and the transport data is displayed on the display unit 15 as the number of untransported containers.

  By double-clicking the crane remaining work number display part K and the worker remaining work number display part J with the mouse 18 in the layout display, as shown in FIG. 7, the transport data of the container 1 constituting the remaining work is displayed. The contents can be displayed. That is, the display control means G artificially operates the remaining operation number display section K for the crane and the remaining operation number display section J for the worker as the unconveyed number display portion for displaying the unconveyed number on the display unit 15 by operating the mouse. When selected, it is configured to display the contents of the transport data for the unconveyed containers constituting the unconveyed number displayed in the unconveyed number display portion. Although not shown in FIG. 7, a page switching button is displayed on the screen for displaying the contents of the transport data. The page switching button is operated by the mouse or the page switching operation is instructed by the keyboard. Thus, by switching the display page, the contents of a plurality of conveyance data can be displayed sequentially.

  In addition, when the worker 18 is double-clicked with the mouse 18 on the remaining work number display portion J for a work place where both a work intended for loading and a work intended for payout work are scheduled, each work is performed. A display section for each work category that displays a breakdown of the number of remaining tasks for is displayed. Then, by double-clicking the remaining work number display section and the payout remaining work number display section constituting the display section for each work category with the mouse 18, as shown in FIG. It is possible to display the contents of the transport data for the container 1 that constitutes.

  Thus, the content of the conveyance data about the container 1 constituting the loading operation and the content of the conveyance data about the container 1 constituting the payout operation can be displayed separately. That is, when the display control means G selects the remaining work number display part J for the worker in the display part 15, the contents of the transport data for the unconveyed container that is the target of the loading work and the object of the payout work are displayed. The display unit 15 is configured to display the content of transport data for a certain untransported container separately.

  When the title bar T of “product / work information” is clicked by a mouse operation in the display state displaying the contents of the transport data for the untransported container shown in FIG. 7, the display is switched to the product / work information display shown in FIG. Change. The product / work information display in FIG. 8 displays information about the product accommodated in the container 1 that is the transport target of the transport data shown in FIG. In the product / work information display state shown in FIG. 8, when the title bar T of “transport data” is clicked by a mouse operation, the display is switched to the transport data display state shown in FIG.

  The mechanism of displaying the product / work information display will be described. When the title bar T of “product / work information” is clicked by a mouse operation, the display control unit P3 provided as the display control means G in the monitor terminal M. However, the monitoring function unit P1 provided as the display control means G in the monitoring device S requests display information about the product / work information stored in the container 1 that is the transfer target of the transfer data. The monitoring function unit P1 of the monitoring device S requests the product / work information related to the transport key to the work management device C1, and the work management device C1 receives the product information related to the transport key from the product master data in the management database. , The product information of the product is transmitted to the monitoring device S. The monitoring function unit P1 of the monitoring device S generates display information to be displayed on the monitor terminal M based on the product information received from the work management device C1, and transmits the display information to the monitor terminal M. Then, the display control unit P3 of the monitor terminal M displays the product / work information on the display unit 15 based on the display information received from the monitoring device S.

  In the automatic warehouse facility of the present embodiment, the monitor terminal M displays the number of containers 1 to be transported by the article transporting device arranged in the facility in a state where it can be easily seen by the monitor terminal M. The situation can be accurately grasped. Moreover, the work content can be confirmed in the cargo conveyor apparatus 12.

[Another embodiment]
The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment of the invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated.

(1) The display form on the screen of the monitor terminal M shown in the above embodiment is an example, and the display form such as the number of untransferred can be changed as appropriate.

(2) In the above embodiment, the article processing facilities, while indicating the automatic warehouse facility having an automatic warehouse 8 and item handling conveyor 12 and self-propelled conveying carriage 10, article processing facilities other than automatic warehouse facility, for example, It may be constituted by other article processing equipment such as an unmanned vehicle system, a monorail system, and a linear motor type conveyance system.

(3) In the above embodiment, an example in which three monitor terminals M are installed is illustrated, but the number of installed monitor terminals M and the arrangement form can be appropriately changed. The monitor terminal may be a mobile terminal that can be wirelessly connected to a communication network.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the display control unit and the display unit are illustrated as being implemented by being distributed and mounted on the monitoring device S and the monitor terminal M. However, the monitoring device S and the image display unit included in the monitoring device S are provided. Display control means and display means may be realized. Further, the display control means may be realized by being distributed and mounted on any of the work command device C0, the work management device C1, and the transfer management device C2 and the monitor terminal M.

(5) In the above embodiment, an example in which one transport management device C2 is provided is illustrated, but a plurality of transport management devices C2 may be provided. In this case, each conveyance management device C2 preferably manages a plurality of conveyance control devices in a shared manner based on the types of article conveyance devices that are controlled by them.

(6) In the above embodiment, the monitor terminal M is exemplified as having the keyboard 17 and the mouse 18 as input means. Instead of or in addition to this, the display unit 15 is provided with a touch panel function, and the display unit 15 may also serve as an input means.

(7) In the above embodiment, an example in which the mouse 18 is used to select and operate the unconveyed number display portion is exemplified. However, the keyboard 17 may be used to select and operate the unconveyed number display portion. In addition, when the display unit 15 is provided with a touch panel function, the unconveyed number display portion may be selected and operated by the operator's contact operation.

P Workers P1, P3 Display control means C1, C2 Management control means C4-C7 Transport control means (equipment control device)
G Display control means J Unconveyed number display part 1 Article (container)
5, 6, 10, 12 Goods conveying device (goods conveying equipment)
12 Work location transport equipment 15 Display means

Claims (5)

An article conveying apparatus that conveys an article to be subjected to human work by an operator, using a work location where a human work is performed from a conveyance source as a conveyance destination;
Management control means for managing identification data for identifying each of a plurality of articles to be transported transported from the transport source to the transport destination, and transport data including transport destination information assigned to each article to be transported;
A conveyance control means for controlling the operation of the article conveying device is provided,
The management control means is an article processing facility configured to instruct the conveyance control means to convey the conveyance data in order to convey the article to be conveyed from a conveyance source to a conveyance destination,
The management control unit is configured to transfer the work among the articles to be transported based on transport completion information communicated from the transport control unit as the transport target article is transported to the work location as a transport destination. Configured to manage the number of unconveyed articles, which is the number of unconveyed articles that are not yet conveyed to a location, by the number of the conveyance data for the unconveyed articles,
Display control means is provided for causing the display means to display the untransported number managed by the management control means ,
As the article conveying apparatus, a plurality of article conveying devices that can exchange articles with each other are provided,
As the transport control means, a plurality of device control devices for controlling the respective operations of the article transport device are provided,
Each of the plurality of device control devices is configured so that the management control means relays and conveys the articles to be transported by the plurality of article transport devices and transports the articles from the transport source to the work location. The number of articles that are configured to sequentially issue a conveyance command to the work site and that are not yet conveyed to the work location by the work location conveyance device that conveys the article to the work location among the plurality of article conveyance devices. Is treated as the unconveyed number . Before Symbol display control means displays freely configured layout screen indicating the symbol indicating each of the plurality of article transporting apparatus in correspondence with the arrangement of the plurality of article transporting device to said display means, and said working position 2. The article processing facility according to claim 1, wherein the display means is configured to be able to display the unconveyed number of the transporting equipment for display in a form corresponding to a symbol indicating the transporting equipment for the work location on the layout screen. A plurality of the work places are provided,
The working position for transport equipment, material handling equipment according to claim 1, wherein are provided in plural corresponding to the plurality of working positions.   When the display control means artificially selects the unconveyed number display part for displaying the unconveyed number in the display means, the unconveyed number displayed in the unconveyed number display part constitutes the unconveyed number The article processing facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the article processing facility is configured to display the contents of the conveyance data of an unconveyed article on the display means. The article is a container for storing a load,
The work location is set to perform both a loading operation for loading a load on the container and a payout operation for discharging the load from the container,
The display control means includes the transport data for an unconveyed container that has not been transported to the work location among the containers that are targets of the loading operation, and the container that is the target of the payout work. The display unit is configured to display the total number of uncontained containers that have not yet been transported to the work location with the transport data as the unconveyed number, and the unconveyed number display on the display unit. When a portion is selected, the contents of the transport data for the untransported container that is the target of the loading operation and the contents of the transport data for the untransported container that is the target of the payout work The article processing facility according to claim 4, wherein the article processing facility is configured to display on the display unit separately.

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