JP5874579B2 - Article conveying equipment and picking equipment equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention transports an article from a transfer source to a transfer destination in a transfer section from a transfer source to a transfer destination in a transfer section from a transfer source to a transfer destination downstream in the transfer direction, and from the transfer source to the transfer location. The present invention relates to an article conveyance facility that relays and conveys an object to and from a second conveyance device, and a picking facility that includes such an article conveyance facility. Specifically, an article to be conveyed is transferred from the first conveyance device to the second conveyance device. The first transfer device is provided with a plurality of transfer locations that are configured to be freely transferred to and from the first transfer device in a state where the transfer route of the first transfer device and the transfer route of the second transfer device are arranged in parallel sections adjacent to each other along the transfer direction. When the transport control unit that controls the operation of the second transport device is instructed to transport the transport section, the first transport of one of the plurality of delivery points in the transport section is performed based on the setting selection condition. Target transport position of the device An article transport facility configured to perform relay transport processing in which the article to be transported is transferred from the first transport device to the second transport device and transported from the transport source to the transport destination at the transfer location; The present invention also relates to a picking facility provided with such an article transport facility.

  As the article conveying equipment as described above, an article storage shelf provided with a plurality of storage units arranged in the vertical direction and the left-right direction, a stacker crane capable of moving the front of the article storage shelf and transporting articles to the storage unit, In order to deliver the article to the stacker crane, a conveyance device (belt conveyor) or roller having a winding operation type conveyance surface that can convey the article in one direction along a path adjacent to the travel path of the stacker crane. There has been known one provided with a transport device such as a transport device (roller conveyor) provided with a plurality of the devices arranged in the rotation direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the article conveying facility of Patent Document 1, a roller conveyor (hereinafter referred to as a conveyor device) provided in a state where the conveying path is adjacent to the conveying path of the stacker crane is provided at the bottom of the article storage shelf. In addition, there are provided a plurality of delivery locations for delivering articles to and from the stacker crane in a state of being aligned along the transport direction.
And, among the plurality of delivery locations, select the delivery location that is the shortest distance from the storage unit designated as the article transport destination, as the delivery location for delivering the product between the conveyor device and the stacker crane, The article is conveyed to the position by the conveyor device, and is conveyed and relayed from the conveyance source to the conveyance destination in a form in which the article is transferred from the conveyor device to the stacker crane.

JP-A-8-58917

The automatic warehouse equipment of patent document 1 suppresses that the movement distance of a stacker crane becomes long by conveying an article with a conveyor device to the delivery point with the shortest conveyance distance with the storage unit specified as the conveyance destination of the article. can do.
However, in general, the conveyor device cannot increase the conveyance speed of the articles so much due to reasons such as merging conveyance or branch conveyance, and the conveyance speed for conveying the articles is slower than the stacker crane. Become. For this reason, assuming that the conveyor device is transported to the delivery point with the shortest transport distance with the storage unit designated as described above, the transport speed is when the designated storage unit is located downstream in the transport direction of the conveyor device. There is a possibility that the distance for conveying the article by the slow conveyor device becomes long, and the time for finally conveying the article to the storage unit becomes long.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to transfer the article in the transfer section from the transfer source to the transfer destination downstream in the transfer direction using two transfer devices. An object of the present invention is to provide an article conveyance facility capable of suppressing the increase in length and a picking facility including such a conveyance facility.

A first characteristic configuration of an article conveying facility according to the present invention for solving the above-described problem is a first characteristic that conveys an article from the conveying source to a delivery location in a conveying section from a conveying source to a conveying destination downstream in the conveying direction. A transport device and a second transport device for transporting an article from the transfer location to the transport destination in the transport section;
The first transport device and the second transport device are configured to be able to exchange articles to be transported from the first transport device to the second transport device at the transfer location,
In the parallel section provided in a state in which the transport path of the first transport device and the transport path of the second transport device are adjacent to each other, a plurality of the transfer locations are set in a state of being aligned along the transport direction,
The transport control unit that controls the operation of the first transport device and the second transport device receives the transport command for designating the transport section, and then transports the transport among the plurality of transfer locations based on a setting selection condition. In a form in which one of the sections is selected as a target transport position of the first transport device, and an article to be transported is transferred from the first transport device to the second transport device at the transfer position that is the target transport position. An article conveyance facility configured to perform relay conveyance processing for conveying an article to be conveyed from a conveyance source to a conveyance destination,
The second transport device is a moving body that supports an article to be transported and can reciprocate along a transport path, and the transport speed of the first transport device is lower than the transport speed of the second transport device. And
A transport position detection unit is provided for detecting that the article to be transported by the transport command has been transported to a determination position corresponding to the delivery location as the target transport position;
When the conveyance control unit detects that the article to be conveyed has been conveyed to the determination position by the conveyance position detection unit, the second conveyance device performs a conveyance operation according to another conveyance command. If it is in the middle, it is in a point to execute a forward transfer process for changing the target transfer position to the transfer position downstream in the transfer direction.

  In other words, when the transport position detection unit detects that the article to be transported by the transport command has been transported to the determination position corresponding to the delivery position that is the target transport position, the second transport device receives another transport command. When the transporting operation by the transport command is being executed, the second transporting device transports the target article to be transported by the transport command by pre-feeding the transport target product by the transport command toward the transfer location downstream in the transport direction. It is possible to carry using the time until it becomes ready to execute.

  For example, the second transport device is a stacker crane that can reciprocate along the transport path, and the first transport device can transport the article along the transport path of the stacker crane, and from the upstream side. In the case of a transport device that can freely transport and branch the articles (for example, a conveyor device such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor), such a conveyor device performs the merge transport and branch transport as described above. Due to this, the conveyance speed cannot be increased much, and the conveyance speed may be slower than that of the stacker crane.

In such a case, if the construction is such that the article is transferred at a location close to the most upstream side of the parallel section in order to shorten the distance conveyed by the conveyor device as much as possible and lengthen the distance conveyed by the stacker crane, the article is conveyed. It is possible to shorten the time required for transporting to the front.
However, the stacker crane is not always in a state where the article can be received when the article to be conveyed is conveyed by the conveyor to the transfer position that is the target conveyance position. When the stacker crane is not in a state where it can receive the goods, the person who transports the goods to be transported to the delivery location downstream of the delivery location, rather than waiting for the goods to be delivered at the delivery location. However, the time required to transport the article to the transport destination can be shortened.

  In other words, since the stacker crane can effectively make use of the time during which the stacker crane is carrying out the transfer work according to another transfer command, the article can reach the delivery location closer to the target transfer location. It is possible to suppress an increase in the time required for transporting from the transport source to the transport destination downstream in the transport direction.

  Thus, according to the first characteristic configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in the conveyance time when the article is relayed and conveyed by the two conveyance devices in the conveyance section from the conveyance source to the conveyance destination downstream in the conveyance direction. An article conveyance facility can be provided.

  In addition to the first feature configuration, the second feature configuration of the article transport facility according to the present invention may be configured such that, when the transfer location is present on the downstream side in the transport direction from the transport destination, the transport control unit includes the first feature configuration. 2 When the transfer device is not performing a transfer operation according to another transfer command and the transfer location is located between the current position of the second transfer device and the transfer destination, the target transfer position is set to the transfer request. The point is that the forward transfer process outside the conveyance section to be changed to the place is executed.

That is, when the transfer location is located between the current position of the second transfer device and the transfer destination, the transfer location exists in the middle of the path along which the second transfer device moves to the transfer destination.
The moving distance of the second transfer device is located between the current position of the second transfer device and the transfer destination, rather than moving to the transfer location in the transfer section to receive the article and further moving to the transfer destination. It takes less time to receive the article at the delivery location and then move to the transport destination, and the transport time can be shortened.

  Therefore, the second transfer device is not performing a transfer operation according to another transfer command, and there is a transfer location downstream of the transfer destination in the transfer direction, and the transfer location is as described above. When the condition that the second transfer device is located between the current position and the transfer destination is met, the target transfer position is changed to the transfer location, thereby suppressing the time required for transfer. Can do.

  In the third feature configuration of the article transport facility according to the present invention, in addition to the first or second feature configuration, the determination position is set upstream of the delivery location corresponding to the determination position. There is in point.

That is, since it is possible to determine that the article to be transported reaches the delivery location on the upstream side of the delivery location, the second transport device must be installed before the delivery target product actually reaches the delivery location. It is possible to determine whether or not a transfer operation according to the transfer command is being executed.
For this reason, when the article to be transported actually arrives at the delivery location, it is possible to complete the determination as to whether or not to perform the forward transport process, and to transfer the article to be transported until the determination is completed. The article can be quickly conveyed without waiting at the place.
The discrimination position may be located upstream from the corresponding delivery location, but is preferably a location between the delivery location and the delivery location adjacent to the upstream side of the delivery location.

The first characteristic configuration of the picking facility according to the present invention is a picking facility including the article transporting facility according to any one of the first to third characteristic configurations,
The first transport device includes a transport surface forming member that forms a long transport surface in the transport direction, and is configured to transport an article placed on the transport surface forming member, and the second transport The apparatus includes a transfer device that can transfer an article to and from the first transfer device, a plurality of picking locations are provided along a transfer path of the second transfer device, and the transfer command However, it is configured to designate a transport position corresponding to the plurality of picking locations as a transport destination.

  In other words, the picking equipment is provided with a plurality of picking locations for picking up articles delivered from the automatic warehouse, and is used in a conveyor device (belt conveyor, roller conveyor, etc.) that is delivered from the automatic warehouse or the like and is an upstream side conveying device. The article to be conveyed is transferred to a stacker crane that is a downstream conveyance device or an automatic conveyance vehicle having a transfer device on the upper side, and the stacker crane, the automatic conveyance vehicle, etc. It is comprised so that it may convey.

  Therefore, in the form in which the first transport device is the conveyor device, the second transport device is the stacker crane, an automatic transport vehicle, or the like, and the transport destination is any one of the plurality of picking locations. If the article conveyance facility according to any one of the three characteristic configurations is applied to the picking facility, it is possible to provide a picking facility that can suppress an increase in the time required for the conveyance.

Schematic plan view of picking equipment Longitudinal side view showing waist of picking equipment Control block diagram Flowchart for explaining the advance transport process of the first embodiment The figure explaining the advance conveyance process of 1st Embodiment Flowchart for explaining transfer section outside advance processing of the second embodiment The figure explaining the conveyance area outside forwarding process of 2nd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
The picking equipment provided with the article conveying equipment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a picking facility equipped with an article conveying facility according to the present invention.
Although not shown, an automatic warehouse for storing a plurality of cases B is provided with the case B storing a plurality of loads as articles to be conveyed. Moreover, as a 1st conveying apparatus which conveys articles | goods from an automatic warehouse to a delivery location among the conveyance sections which use an automatic warehouse as a conveyance origin and carry out the picking stations S1-S10 of the conveyance direction downstream from the said automatic warehouse. The conveyor apparatus C is provided. Furthermore, a stacker crane ST is provided as a second transport device for transporting articles from the case B received from the conveyor device C at the above-mentioned transfer location in the transport section to any one of the picking stations S1 to S10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane ST is guided by a traveling carriage 10 that can travel on a traveling rail 5 provided in a conveyance path, a lifting guide mast 12 that is erected in a traveling carriage shape, and a lifting guide mast 12. The elevator 13 is movable up and down, and the elevator 13 is provided with a transfer device 14 that can transfer the case B between the transfer target location and itself. The transfer device 14 is configured so that the case B can be transferred between the transfer device 14 and the transfer location in the conveyor device C.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor device C includes a plurality of transport rollers as transport surface forming members Cf that form a long transport surface in the transport direction of the case B, arranged in the transport direction. The main conveyor C1 and the transfer conveyor C2 are configured as a conveyor device C that conveys the case B that is delivered from the warehouse and placed on the conveyance roller toward the downstream. A branching device G1 for branching the case B transported by the main conveyor C1 to the transfer conveyor C2 is provided at the branch point CP1 of the main conveyor C1. In the picking facility, when the plurality of picking stations S is a group of picking stations provided in one picking area, a picking area different from the picking area may be provided. If it is not branched, case B can be transported to the different picking area.

  The transfer conveyor C2 is provided with a parallel section that is a transport path adjacent to the transport path of the stacker crane ST, and the case B is configured to be transportable along the transport path of the stacker crane ST. In the parallel section of the transfer conveyor C2, there are a plurality of transfer points J where the case B can be transferred to and from the stacker crane ST along the transport direction (six positions indicated by J1 to J6 in FIG. 1). Is provided.

  Each case B is attached with a bar code label on which identification information for identifying the case B is recorded, and each of the delivery points J on the delivery conveyor (the delivery location J1 to the delivery location J6). Corresponding to the article arrival sensor K constituted by an optical sensor capable of reading the identification information of the barcode label attached to the case B at each of the places upstream by a predetermined distance from the delivery place J. (Article arrival sensor K1 to article arrival sensor K6) are provided. The article arrival sensor K functions as a conveyance position detection unit that detects whether or not the case B to be conveyed has reached a target conveyance position (details will be described later) commanded by the conveyance control unit.

  That is, the conveyor apparatus C that transports the case B from the transport source to the receiving / receiving position J in the transport section (see FIG. 4) from the transport source to the transport destination downstream in the transport direction, and the transfer destination J to the transport destination in the transport section. A stacker crane ST that transports the case B to the stacker crane ST is provided. The conveyor device C and the stacker crane ST are configured so that the case B to be transported can be transferred from the conveyor device C to the stacker crane ST at the transfer point J. A plurality of delivery points J are set in a parallel section provided in a state where the transport path of the stacker crane ST and the transport path of the stacker crane ST are adjacent to each other along the transport direction.

In general, the article conveyance speed by the transfer conveyor C2 is lower than the article conveyance speed by the stacker crane ST. Also in this embodiment, the article conveyance speed by the transfer conveyor C2 is higher than the article conveyance speed by the stacker crane ST. It is set to low speed.
Further, a merging device G2 for merging the case B conveyed to the most downstream end in the conveying direction of the transfer conveyor C2 to the basic conveyor C1 is provided at the merging point CP2 upstream of the branch point CP1 in the basic conveyor C1. Yes. As a result, the case B conveyed to the most downstream end in the conveyance direction of the transfer conveyor C2 can be circulated between the transfer conveyor C2 in the form of being conveyed again by the basic conveyor C1, and the case B Inconveniences such as being stuck on the transfer conveyor C2 and being unable to drive the transfer conveyor C2 can be avoided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of picking stations S <b> 1 to S <b> 10 are provided as a plurality of picking locations along the traveling rail 5 of the stacker crane ST. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the plurality of picking stations S <b> 1 to S <b> 10 includes a supply shelf 20 that supplies a case B to be picked to a picking worker.

  Each of the supply shelves 20 is configured by a fluidized shelf in which four shelf steps 22 supported by the support column 21 are provided apart in the vertical direction. Each of the fluid shelves includes a transfer location on one end side of which the supply case transported by the stacker crane ST is transferred. The supply case transferred to the transfer location is transferred toward the other end side where the picking station S for performing the picking operation is provided. Each of the flow shelves is configured so that a plurality of supply cases can be placed side by side along the direction from the stacker crane ST side end toward the picking station S.

Further, at a position facing the end of the flow shelf in the picking station S, there is provided a collection table Sd on which a collection case BS for packing picked loads, for example, for each shipping destination is placed, and further, a collection case BS A collection conveyor V is provided for transporting the product toward the shipping location.
The picking operator performs a picking operation to pack the load in the case B at the end of the fluid shelf into the collection case BS on the collection table Sd. When the load in the case B disappears as the picking operation progresses, the case B waiting in the rear row of the removed case B in the fluidized shelf is removed at the end of the picking station S side by removing the case B. It moves by its own weight. In addition, since there is room for replenishing one case B in the fluidized shelf, the picking operator presses the replenishment request button Y provided on the collection table Sd and requests replenishment of a new case B. .

As shown in FIG. 3, a transport control unit 50 that controls the operation of the stacker crane ST, the main conveyor C1 and the transfer conveyor C2, and a host controller 51 that commands the transport control unit 50 to provide a transport command are provided. ing.
The conveyance control unit 50 is configured by, for example, a computer including an arithmetic device, a storage device, and an input / output device. A conveyor controller that controls the conveyor device C and a crane controller that controls the stacker crane ST are connected to a network such as a LAN. Connected through. Further, the conveyance control unit 50 is configured to receive the output information of the article arrival sensor K and the pressing information of the replenishment request button Y.

The host controller 51 includes the identification information of the case B to be transferred and the designated picking station S based on the transfer schedule information based on the picking work plan of the day or the pressing information of the replenishment request button Y. The transport command data is generated, and the transport command data is transmitted to the transport control unit 50. The conveyance control unit 50 controls the operations of the stacker crane ST, the main conveyor C1, and the transfer conveyor C2 using the conveyance command data as a conveyance command.
That is, the transport command is configured to designate transport positions corresponding to a plurality of picking stations S as transport destinations.

  Each of the article arrival sensors K1 to K6 corresponding to each of the delivery places J1 to the delivery places J6 on the delivery conveyor C2 always operates to monitor the arrival of the case B. Then, the article arrival sensor K that has detected that the case B has arrived reads the identification information of the case B and transmits the identification information to the conveyance control unit 50. Based on the information transmitted from the article arrival sensor K, the conveyance control unit 50 determines whether the case B instructed by the conveyance command has arrived at the determination position corresponding to any delivery location J.

  Based on the conveyance command data from the host control device 51, the conveyance control unit 50 commands the operation to an unillustrated automatic warehouse delivery device, the conveyor device C, and the stacker crane ST. That is, the unloading device is controlled to unload the case B to be transported (hereinafter referred to as the target case Bt) specified by the transport command data, and the unloaded target case Bt is delivered to the conveyor device C. The conveyor device C transports the target case Bt to the branching point CP1 by the basic conveyor C1, and when the target case Bt reaches the location where the branching device G1 is disposed, the branching device G1 receives the target case Bt of the transfer conveyor C2. Transport to the most upstream position in the transport direction.

Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 4, a description will be given of the pre-feed conveyance process executed by the conveyance control unit 50 when the conveyance object is transferred from the transfer conveyor C <b> 2 to the stacker crane ST. In the following description, the transfer location J currently set as the transfer target position is designated as the designated transfer location J _n , and the transfer location that is one downstream from the transfer location J _{n in the} transport direction is expressed as the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1.} and, the article arrival sensor K which corresponds to the designated transfer point J _n is denoted with the article arrival sensor K _n.

When the conveyance control unit 50 receives the conveyance command data from the host controller 51 (step # 11), the conveyance control unit 50 sets the transfer position J1 located at the most upstream in the conveyance direction in the parallel section as the target conveyance position (step # 12). In other words, setting the transfer point J1 to the specified exchange position _{J n.}
Then, the target-to-case Bt reaches the article arrival sensor _{K n,} to operate the conveyor system C (core conveyor C1, transfer conveyor C2) (step # 13).

If it is determined that the article arrival sensor _Kn has detected that the target case Bt has been reached (step # 13: Yes), it is subsequently determined whether or not the stacker crane ST is performing a transfer operation according to another transfer command (step # 13). # 14).
If it is determined that the stacker crane ST is performing a transport operation based on another transport command (step # 14: Yes), the downstream adjacent transfer location _{Jn + 1} is upstream in the transport direction from the transport destination Ht that is the position corresponding to the picking station S. It is discriminated whether it is the side (step # 15).
If it is determined that the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1} is upstream in the transfer direction with respect to the transfer destination Ht that is the position corresponding to the picking station S, the transfer control unit 50 determines the designated transfer location J _n as the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1.} (Step # 16). When the process of step # 16 is completed, the process returns to step # 13, article arrival sensor K _n corresponding to the updated designated exchange point J _n actuates the transfer conveyor C2 to the detection of the arrival of the subject case Bt.

Further, when it is determined in step # 14 that the stacker crane ST is not in a transfer operation according to another transfer command (step # 14: No), and in step # 5, the downstream adjacent transfer location _{Jn + 1} becomes the picking station S. If the corresponding position than the transport destination Ht is determined not to be the upstream side in the conveying direction (step # 15: no), the conveyance control unit 50 stops the subject case Bt the specified exchange position J _n, stacker the crane ST, to transport the subject case Bt to the command by the transport instruction data from the designated exchange point J _n picking station S (step # 17).

  Next, based on FIG. 5, a specific example will be described in the case where a transport command for transporting the target case Bt to the picking station S3 is instructed.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the conveyance control unit 50 determines that the article arrival sensor K has detected that the case B has arrived at the delivery location J1 located on the most upstream side in the delivery direction of the delivery conveyor C2. In this case, when the stacker crane ST is performing a transport operation according to another transport command, the forward transport process is performed to transport the case B to the delivery location J2 (FIG. 5B). Even at that time, if the stacker crane ST is still performing a transport operation according to another transport command, the forward transport process is performed to transport the case B to the delivery point J3 (FIG. 5C). ).
Such a forward transfer process is continuously performed until the case B reaches the transfer point J located on the most downstream side among the transfer points J existing between the transfer sections Hf to Ht.

  That is, the conveyance control unit 50 that controls the operation of the stacker crane ST and the conveyor device C, when a conveyance command designating the conveyance sections Hf to Ht is instructed, conveys among a plurality of delivery points J based on the setting selection condition. One of the sections is selected as the target transport position of the conveyor device C, and the case B to be transported is transferred from the conveyor device C to the stacker crane ST at the transfer position J that is the target transport position. It is configured to execute a relay conveyance process for conveying the case B from the conveyance source Hf to the conveyance destination Ht, and the article arrival sensor K detects that the case B to be conveyed has been conveyed to the determination position. At that time, if the stacker crane ST is performing a transport operation according to another transport command, the target transport position is set to the transfer point J on the downstream side in the transport direction. It is configured to perform a further defer transport process.

  In this way, when the stacker crane ST is performing a transport operation according to another transport command, the case B is not stopped on the transfer conveyor C2 during that time, but the transport destination is further transported within the transport section. By executing the pre-feed conveyance process of pre-feeding to a position close to the picking station S, it is possible to suppress a situation where the time required for carrying the case B becomes long.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in the contents of the control, so only the control will be described. A description of the device configuration is omitted.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the conveyance control unit 50 receives the conveyance command data from the host control device 51 (step # 21), the transfer position J1 positioned at the most upstream in the conveyance direction in the parallel section is set as the target conveyance position. (Step # 22). In other words, setting the transfer point J1 to the specified exchange position _{J n.}
Then, the target-to-case Bt reaches the article arrival sensor _{K n,} to operate the conveyor system C (core conveyor C1, transfer conveyor C2) (step # 23).

If it is determined that the article arrival sensor Kn has detected that the target case Bt has been reached (step # 23: Yes), it is subsequently determined whether or not the stacker crane ST is performing a transfer operation with another transfer command (step #). 24).
When it is determined that the stacker crane ST is performing a transport operation based on another transport command (step # 24: Yes), the downstream adjacent transfer location _{Jn + 1} is upstream in the transport direction from the transport destination Ht that is the position corresponding to the picking station S. It is discriminated whether it is the side (step # 25).
If it is determined that the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1} is upstream in the transfer direction with respect to the transfer destination Ht that is the position corresponding to the picking station S, the transfer control unit 50 changes the designated transfer location Jn to the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1} . Update (step # 26). When the process of step # 26 is completed, the flow returns to step # 23, article arrival sensor K _n corresponding to the updated designated exchange point J _n actuates the transfer conveyor C2 to the detection of the arrival of the subject case Bt.

In the second embodiment, when it is determined in step # 25 that the downstream adjacent transfer location J _{n + 1} is not upstream in the transport direction with respect to the transport destination Ht that is the position corresponding to the picking station S (step # 25: No), the stacker crane ST is not being transported by another transport command (step # 27: No), and the downstream adjacent transfer location Jn _{+ 1} is located between the current position of the stacker crane ST and the transport destination Ht. (step # 28: Yes) and when determining updates the designated exchange point _{J n} downstream adjacent transfer points _{J n + 1} (step # 26).
When the stacker crane ST is being transported by another transport command (step # 27: Yes), and when the downstream adjacent transfer location Jn _{+ 1} is not located between the current position of the stacker crane ST and the transport destination Ht ( step # 28: the No), subsequently, the stacker crane ST, to transport the subject case Bt to the command by the transport instruction data from the designated exchange point _{J n} picking station S (step # 29).

Next, based on FIG. 7, a specific example will be described in the case where a transport command for transporting the target case Bt to the picking station S3 is instructed.
When the conveyance control unit 50 receives a conveyance command for conveying the case B to the picking station S9, the conveyance control unit 50 activates the conveyor device C to convey the case B to the delivery point J5 by the advance conveyance process described in the first embodiment. .
In the example of FIG. 7, when it is determined that the article arrival sensor K has detected that the case B has arrived at the determination position corresponding to the transfer location J5, the stacker crane ST is downstream of the transfer location J6 in the transport direction. And the transfer location J6 is located between the current position of the stacker crane ST and the transport destination Ht. Therefore, the stacker crane ST receives and receives the target case Bt rather than returning to the transfer location J5. The movement distance is shorter when the target case Bt is received at J6 (the movement distance is indicated by D1 and D2 in the figure).

  That is, when the transfer location J is present downstream in the transport direction from the picking station S that is the transport destination, the transport control unit 50 is not performing the transport work according to another transport command and the stacker crane ST When the transfer location J is located between the current position of the stacker crane ST and the picking station S of the transfer destination, it is configured to execute forward transfer processing outside the transfer section for changing the target transfer position to the transfer location J. ing.

With such a configuration, at the time when the stacker crane is to move to a specified exchange position J _n, when in the middle of the moving path of the stacker crane ST to transfer location in the conveying interval is can exchange Case B Even if it is outside the transfer section, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the time required for receiving the case B and transferring the case B to the picking station S commanded by the transfer command becomes long.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the first and second embodiments, the first transport device is provided in a fixed state on the transport path, and acts as a transport device that transports articles in one direction by transporting the transport path over the transport path. Although the example comprised by a conveyor was demonstrated, you may comprise the 1st conveying apparatus by conveyor apparatuses C other than a roller conveyor, such as a belt conveyor and a slat conveyor. Further, if the transport speed of the first transport device is lower than the transport speed of the second transport device, the first transport device is a moving body for ceiling transport, and the second transport device travels on the ground side. Various configurations can be applied, such as a tracked carriage or the like, or conversely, the first transfer device is configured with a tracked carriage or the like, and the second transfer device is a moving body for ceiling transfer.

(2) In the first and second embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the position where the article arrival sensor K is arranged is one upstream from the corresponding delivery location J and one from the delivery location. The configuration is illustrated in the vicinity of the intermediate position with the upstream delivery location, but if the placement position of the article arrival sensor K is upstream from the corresponding delivery location J, the location near the delivery location or one The position may be close to the upstream delivery location, or may be positioned upstream from the upstream delivery location on the dish. That is, the arrangement position of the article arrival sensor K is arbitrary as long as it is upstream from the corresponding delivery location J.

(3) In the first and second embodiments, the configuration using the barcode label reading type article arrival sensor K as the transport position detection unit is illustrated. However, instead of such a configuration, an RFID tag is attached to the case B. A tag reader may be attached as the attachment and article arrival sensor K.
In addition, instead of using a sensor as described above, one or more cameras are disposed at a predetermined position near the conveyor device C, and the conveyance control unit 50 analyzes an image captured by the camera to detect an article. You may comprise so that it may discriminate | determine whether it was conveyed to the position for discrimination | determination.
Furthermore, the moving distance of the conveyor surface of the conveyor device C is calculated based on the upper detection of a rotary encoder, etc., and the position of the case B is detected by calculating to which position the case B has been transferred based on the calculated information. You may comprise.

(4) In the first and second embodiments described above, the configuration in which one stacker crane SC travels on the travel route (travel rail 5) has been described, but the two stacker cranes SC are the same. It is good also as a structure provided so that driving | running | working on the traveling rail 5 is possible, and conveying goods by sharing with the two said stacker cranes.

50 conveyance control unit B article Bt article C to be conveyed first conveyance device Cf conveyance surface forming member ST second conveyance device Hf conveyance source Ht conveyance destination J delivery location K conveyance position detection unit S picking location

Claims (4)

A first transport device that transports an article from the transport source to a transfer location in a transport section from a transport source to a transport destination downstream in the transport direction;
A second transport device that transports articles from the transfer location to the transport destination in the transport section; and
The first transport device and the second transport device are configured to be able to exchange articles to be transported from the first transport device to the second transport device at the transfer location,
In the parallel section provided in a state in which the transport path of the first transport device and the transport path of the second transport device are adjacent to each other, a plurality of the transfer locations are set in a state of being aligned along the transport direction,
The transport control unit that controls the operation of the first transport device and the second transport device receives the transport command for designating the transport section, and then transports the transport among the plurality of transfer locations based on a setting selection condition. In a form in which one of the sections is selected as a target transport position of the first transport device, and an article to be transported is transferred from the first transport device to the second transport device at the transfer position that is the target transport position. An article conveyance facility configured to perform relay conveyance processing for conveying an article to be conveyed from a conveyance source to a conveyance destination,
The second transport device is a moving body that supports an article to be transported and can reciprocate along a transport path, and the transport speed of the first transport device is lower than the transport speed of the second transport device. And
A transport position detection unit is provided for detecting that the article to be transported by the transport command has been transported to a determination position corresponding to the delivery location as the target transport position;
When the conveyance control unit detects that the article to be conveyed has been conveyed to the determination position by the conveyance position detection unit, the second conveyance device performs a conveyance operation according to another conveyance command. When it is in the middle, the article conveying facility for executing a forward conveying process for changing the target conveying position to the delivery location downstream in the conveying direction.   In the case where the transfer control unit has the transfer location downstream of the transfer destination in the transfer direction, the second transfer device is not performing a transfer operation according to another transfer command, and the transfer location is The article conveyance facility according to claim 1, wherein when the second conveyance device is located between the current position and the conveyance destination, an article conveyance facility forward transfer process is executed to change the target conveyance position to the delivery location.   The article conveyance facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination position is set upstream of the delivery location corresponding to the determination position. A picking facility comprising the article conveying facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The first transport device includes a transport surface forming member that forms a long transport surface in the transport direction, and is configured to transport an article placed on the transport surface forming member,
The second transport device is configured to include a transfer device capable of transferring an article to and from the first transport device;
A plurality of picking locations are provided along the transport path of the second transport device,
A picking facility configured such that the transport command designates transport positions corresponding to the plurality of picking locations as a transport destination.

Images