JP6857142B2 - Picking system and control method of picking system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a picking system for the work of taking out articles stored in a shelf or container.

In recent years, in order to flexibly respond to diversifying consumer needs, the number of warehouses and factories that handle a large number of items, such as mail-order warehouses and high-mix low-volume production factories, is increasing. Picking work is one of the main work in such warehouses and factories. This work is the work of fetching the ordered products or parts necessary for product production from the shelves and containers in which they are stored. In the past, it was done manually, but in recent years it has become difficult to secure a labor force due to the declining birthrate and aging population, and higher productivity is required, so robotization of picking work is expected. There is.

As a system for automating the picking operation, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a mobile robot equipped with two arms moves to a shelf position and pulls out a storage box to take out the products inside. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a robot equipped with two arms and taking out a large box from a shelf with both hands. Patent Document 3 discloses a system in which a transport vehicle transports a shelf to a human work area.

International Publication No. 2016/142981 International Publication No. 2016/181480 Special Table 2015-535787

In the system shown in Patent Document 3, when considering automating the work of taking out necessary articles from the shelves in the work area and storing them in the sorting box, the robot shown in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 is introduced, and a human being is introduced. A method of substituting the work can be considered.

However, a robot as disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 may not be able to handle all articles handled by humans due to restrictions such as a hand gripping method, a payload, and a movable range. For example, in a vacuum suction type hand, the target article is limited to one having a flat surface that can be a contact surface. Therefore, in the work area, it is difficult for robots to fully automate, and human work is not completely eliminated. Humans will be in charge of tasks that robots cannot do.

Here, in order for a human and a robot to work in the same work area, the robot must have high safety so as not to cause harm to the human. As a method of improving safety, rules and mechanisms such as operating at a low speed so that the person is not injured even if the person collides with the person, and detecting that the person is nearby and stopping the person can be considered. However, these methods reduce the work efficiency of the robot and cause the introduction value of the robot to be impaired. In order to ensure safety without degrading the work efficiency of the robot, it is desirable to divide the work area between the human and the robot.

On the other hand, the robot disclosed in Patent Document 1 can take out an article placed at a height that humans cannot reach by lengthening the stroke of the mechanism for raising and lowering the arm. As a result, the goods can be stored at a height that cannot be reached by humans, and the storage efficiency of the warehouse or parts storage can be improved. This can be said to be one of the merits of robotizing human work in the work area in the system shown in Patent Document 3.

However, when an order occurs that requires an article placed at a height that can only be reached by the robot and an article with a shape that cannot be taken out by the robot, it is necessary for humans and the robot to handle this order. It becomes an issue of the picking system. There is a sorting box for storing items of the same order in the work area of humans and robots, but it is difficult for humans and robots to share one sorting box at the same time because the work area of humans and robots is separated. is there. It is conceivable to prepare the sorting boxes separately and put them together in the post-process, but there are problems such as an increase in the required sorting boxes and their transportation work, and complicated post-processes. It is also conceivable to transport the sorting box between a person and a robot, but a worker or a transport vehicle responsible for the transport is required separately.

The present invention targets a picking system in which a transport vehicle transports shelves to a work area under the above-mentioned problem awareness, and an article placed at a height that can only reach the robot and a shape that cannot be taken out by the robot. The purpose is to provide a picking system that can handle orders that require the same items at the same time.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises a robot that picks articles stored in a warehouse, a transport vehicle that transports storage shelves in which the articles are stored, and a management computer that communicates with the robot and the transport vehicle. The warehouse includes a robot work area in which the robot picks the article from the storage shelf and a human work area in which the worker picks the article from the storage shelf. transport vehicle transports the storage shelves in the robot working area, said robot, said among the stored stored on shelves article, an article stored in the position picking is not possible by the operator, the storage shelf When the robot moves to a position where it can be picked and the robot finishes moving the article, the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf from the robot work area to the human work area. The management computer is characterized in that the robot outputs information instructing the worker to pick a moved article.

According to the present invention, even when an order comes in which an article placed at a height that can only be reached by the robot and an article having a shape that cannot be taken out by the robot are required at the same time, the robot performs human work. By re-storing the goods to the possible height, a person can store all the goods of the order in one sorting box. As a result, the process of sorting the goods, which may occur in the warehouse, which aims to improve the storage efficiency by storing the goods in the upper stage of the shelf and save labor by introducing the picking robot, is complicated. It is prevented and the distribution cost is reduced.

Issues, configurations and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the following embodiments.

It is explanatory drawing of the picking area of the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the storage shelf used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the sorting shelf used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the gate used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the robot used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the transport vehicle used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the hardware structure of the picking system of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the warehouse state management information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the warehouse definition information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the order information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the work plan information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the storage shelf transport information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the route information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the individual sorting work information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the storage shelf information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the storage frontage information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the frontage basic information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the frontage information for transfer held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the sorting shelf information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the partition mouth information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the transport vehicle information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the article type information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the transfer box type information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the sorting box type information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the gate information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the robot information held by the general management computer of the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the order processing part of the general management computer of Example 1 of this invention executes. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the order processing part of the general management computer of Example 1 of this invention executes for creating a work plan. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the order processing part of the general management computer of Example 1 of this invention executes in order to instruct the transfer work of a storage frontage. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the order processing part of the general management computer of Example 1 of this invention executes in order to instruct the article sorting work. It is explanatory drawing of the transfer of article performed in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of another example of the transfer of article performed in the warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the frontage of the storage shelf and the corresponding gate used in the warehouse to which the picking system of the Example of this invention is applied.

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a picking area of a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The warehouse picking area shown in FIG. 1 includes a storage area 101, a human work area 104, and a robot work area 109. The storage area 101 is an area for storing articles to be sorted and shipped to each delivery destination, and a plurality of storage shelves 102 are placed. A plurality of storage boxes 103 are stored in each storage shelf 102, and one or more articles can be stored in each storage box 103.

The human work area 104 is an area for the sorting worker 105 to pick the articles stored in the storage shelf 102 and perform the sorting work, and the gate 106 and the sorting shelf 107 are installed. A plurality of sorting boxes 108 are stored in the sorting shelf 107, and the sorted articles are stored in each sorting box 108. The robot work area 109 is an area for the robot 110 to pick the articles stored in the storage shelf 102 and perform the sorting work, and the robot 110 and the sorting shelf 107 are installed. Although FIG. 1 shows one human work area 104 and one robot work area 109, a plurality of human work areas 104 and robot work areas 109 may actually be provided in the warehouse.

The storage box 103 and the sorting box 108 are containers having a shape or structure capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and capable of picking and the like by the robot 110 and the sorting worker 105, for example, a basket or a bag. , It may be something other than a box.

The transport vehicle 111 transports the storage shelf 102 by digging under the storage shelf 102 and lifting it to travel. The storage shelf 102, which is the target of the sorting work, is transported from the storage area 101 to the human work area 104 or the robot work area 109 by the transport vehicle 111, and is transported to the storage area 101 when the sorting work is completed.

The sorting box 108 completed by the sorting work (that is, the sorted goods are stored) is subject to the next sorting work (that is, the goods to be sorted are stored) by the sorting box exchange worker 112. Will be exchanged for. The completed sorting box 108 is delivered to an area where the next process (packing, shipping, etc.) is carried out by, for example, a conveyor 113. Work instructions and the like to the sorting box exchange worker 112 are given via the instruction terminal 114.

The host system 115 is a computer system that manages the entire warehouse, and the overall management computer 116 is a computer system that manages the picking system in the warehouse. For example, the host system 115 may accept an order (order) from each delivery destination and instruct the general management computer 116 to perform sorting work related to the order. The general management computer 116 may create and send instructions to the transport vehicle 111, the sorting worker 105, the robot 110, and the sorting box replacement worker 112 in order to perform the sorting work for the order. When the picking system completes the sorting operation, the host system 115 may receive the report from the general management computer 116 and instruct the related system to execute the next process such as packing.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a storage shelf 102 used in a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The storage shelf 102 has a plurality of stages 202 separated by a plurality of shelf boards 201, and a plurality of storage boxes 103 are housed in each stage 202. The space of each stage 202 may be divided into a plurality of areas. In the example of FIG. 2, the space of each stage 202 is the area on the shelf surface 203 side, which is one of the four side surfaces of the storage shelf 102, and the shelf surface 204 side, which is the opposite side surface of the shelf surface 203. It is divided into areas. The area on each shelf surface side of each stage 202 may be further divided into a plurality of areas. In the example of FIG. 2, the area on each shelf surface side of each stage 202 is further divided into three areas, and one storage box 103 is housed in each area. These areas are also referred to as frontages. Articles stored in the warehouse for storage are stored in each storage box 103. As a general rule, one storage box 103 stores one type of goods.

In this embodiment, one frontage may be further divided into a plurality of booths. Further, in the present embodiment, as will be described later, the articles stored in the storage box 103 of one frontage may be transferred to another frontage so that the sorting worker 105 can pick them, for example. The storage shelf 102 may have one or more dedicated frontages used as frontages for such transfer destinations. Such a frontage may be referred to as a transfer frontage in the following description. On the other hand, a frontage other than the transfer frontage may be described as a storage frontage.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a sorting shelf 107 used in a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Note that FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the sorting shelf 107 observed from one direction, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the same sorting shelf 107 observed from another direction.

The sorting shelf 107 has a plurality of stages 302 separated by a plurality of shelf boards 301, and a plurality of sorting boxes 108 are housed in each stage 302. The space of each stage 302 may be divided into a plurality of areas. In the example of FIG. 3, the space of each stage 302 is divided into three regions (frontages), and one sorting box 108 is housed in each frontage. Sorted articles are stored in each sorting box 108. As a general rule, one sorting box 108 stores articles to be delivered to one delivery destination. In the following description, the frontage of the sorting shelf 107 may be referred to as a sorting port.

Of the four sides of the sorting shelf 107, the side facing the sorting worker 105 performing the sorting work is provided with an input unit 303 and an output unit 304 for each frontage (see FIG. 3A). The output unit 304 outputs information about the sorting work performed by the sorting worker 105. For example, when the output unit 304 is a lamp, when the sorting work of the goods to be delivered to a certain delivery destination is being performed, the output unit 304 of the frontage where the sorting box 108 corresponding to the delivery destination is placed is It may be lit. Alternatively, the output unit 304 may be a display device capable of displaying at least a number, and may display the number of the articles to be delivered to the delivery destination. If the output unit 304 can display any character, not limited to numbers, the type of the article or the like may be displayed.

When the sorting worker 105 stores the sorted goods in the sorting box 108 corresponding to the delivery destination, the sorting worker 105 operates the input unit 303 of the frontage where the sorting box 108 is placed. As a result, the general management computer 116 determines that the sorting work of the goods related to the delivery destination has been completed, and performs the sorting work of the next goods related to the delivery destination or the sorting work related to another delivery destination to the sorting worker 105. Can be instructed. The input unit 303 may be, for example, a push button or the like.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a gate 106 used in a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The gate 106 is installed in the human work area 104. The storage shelves 102 transported to the human work area 104 for sorting work are placed so that the shelf surface on which picking is performed faces the sorting worker 105 with the gate 106 in between. The gate 106 has a plurality of openings 401 corresponding to each stage 202 of the storage shelf 102 so arranged, and an input unit 402 and an output unit 403 corresponding to each frontage.

However, the gate 106 may not have an opening 401 corresponding to all stages 202 of the storage shelf 102, an input unit 402 corresponding to all frontages, and an output unit 403. For example, when the picking work of the sorting worker 105 for a specific stage (for example, a stage at a high place) is prohibited (or impossible) from the viewpoint of work efficiency or safety assurance, the gate The 106 does not have to have the opening 401, the input 402, and the output 403 corresponding to the stage.

For example, the gate 106 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 has an opening 401 corresponding to the three lower stages 202 of the storage shelf 102, and an input unit 402 and an output corresponding to each frontage of the stage 202. Although it has a unit 403, it does not have an opening 401, an input unit 402, and an output unit 403 corresponding to the stage 202 above them. This indicates that the upper row 202 is not the target of work by the sorting worker 105.

The output unit 403 outputs information regarding the sorting work performed by the sorting worker 105. For example, when the output unit 403 is a display device capable of displaying at least a number, the output unit 403 at the frontage where the storage box 103 containing the article to be picked to be picked is placed is to be picked. The quantity of goods may be displayed. If the output unit 403 can display any character, not limited to numbers, the type of the article or the like may be displayed.

The sorting worker 105 operates the input unit 402 of the frontage after picking the article from the instructed frontage, for example, according to the display of the output unit 403. As a result, the general management computer 116 determines that the picking of the article has been completed. The input unit 402 may be, for example, a push button or the like.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a robot 110 used in a warehouse to which the picking system according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The robot 110 has one or more robot arms 501. Each robot arm 501 has a storage box 103, a sorting box 108, or a gripper 502 for gripping an article. In the example of FIG. 5, it has robot arms 501A and 501B having grippers 502A and 502B, respectively. When it is not necessary to distinguish the robot arms 501A and 501B and the grippers 502A and 502B in the following description, they may be described as the robot arms 501 and the grippers 502, respectively.

The gripper 502 may be, for example, a so-called adsorption gripper that adsorbs an object by using negative pressure, or may be a type of gripper that holds the object by sandwiching the object with a plurality of claws. For example, one robot arm 501B grips the storage box 103 and pulls it out from the frontage of the storage shelf 102, the other robot arm 501A takes out the article to be picked from the storage box 103, and then the robot arm 501B takes out the storage box. The 103 may be returned to the frontage and released, the sorting box 108 corresponding to the delivery destination of the goods may be pulled out from the frontage of the sorting shelf 107, and the goods held by the robot arm 501A may be stored in the sorting box 108. As a result, sorting work including picking work is executed. Further, the robot 110 can also transfer the articles stored in one of the storage boxes 103 to another storage box 103 by the same procedure.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a transport vehicle 111 used in a warehouse to which the picking system according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The transport vehicle 111 has a plurality of wheels 601 and a lift 602 attached to the carriage 603. The transport vehicle 111 travels in the warehouse according to the instruction received from the general management computer 116, and transports the storage shelf 102. Specifically, the transport vehicle 111 moves directly under the storage shelf 102 to be transported and pushes up the lowermost shelf plate 201 by the lift 602 to load the storage shelf 102. Then, the wheels 601 can be driven to transport the loaded storage shelves 102 from the storage area 101 to the human work area 104 or the robot work area 109, and the loaded storage shelves 102 can be returned to the storage area 101 when the sorting work is completed. Although omitted in FIG. 6, the transport vehicle 111 may have a turntable for horizontally rotating the loaded storage shelves 102.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the hardware configuration of the picking system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The overall management computer 116, the host system 115, the instruction terminal 114, the transport vehicle 111, the robot 110, the gate 106, and the sorting shelf 107 are connected via the network 701. The network 701 may be a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof, as long as data can be communicated through the network 701.

The general management computer 116 is a computer having a central control device 702, a main storage device 703, an input device 704, an output device 705, a communication device 706, and an auxiliary storage device 707.

The central control device 702 is a processor that executes various processes by executing a program stored in the main storage device 703. The input device 704 is a device that receives input of information from the user of the general management computer 116, and may be, for example, a keyboard and a mouse. The output device 705 is a device that outputs information to the user of the overall management computer 116, and may be, for example, a display device that displays characters, images, and the like. The communication device 706 is a device that communicates with each device such as the host system 115 connected to the network 701 via the network 701.

The main storage device 703 is a storage device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and holds a program or the like executed by the central control device 702. The main storage device 703 shown in FIG. 7 holds an order processing unit 708. This is a program executed by the central controller 702. Therefore, the process executed by the order processing unit 708 in the following description is actually executed according to the program held in the main storage device 703 by the central control device 702. Details of the processing executed according to the program will be described later (see FIGS. 27 to 30).

The auxiliary storage device 707 is, for example, a storage device such as a hard disk drive or a flash memory, and holds information and the like required for processing executed by the central control device 702. The auxiliary storage device 707 shown in FIG. 7 holds warehouse state management information 712, warehouse definition information 713, order information 714, and work plan information 715. Details of this information will be described later (see FIGS. 8 to 26). It should be noted that at least a part of this information may be copied to the main storage device 703 and referred to by the central control device 702 as needed. The programs executed by the central control device 702 may also be stored in the auxiliary storage device 707, and at least a part of them may be copied to the main storage device 703 as needed.

The instruction terminal 114 is a computer having a central control device 731, a main storage device 732, an auxiliary storage device 733, an input device 734, an output device 735, and a communication device 736 connected to each other.

The central control device 731 is a processor that executes various processes by executing a program (not shown) stored in the main storage device 732. The input device 734 is a device that receives input of information from the sorting box exchange worker 112, and may be, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch sensor, or the like. The output device 735 is a device that outputs information to the sorting box replacement worker 112, and may be, for example, a display device that displays characters, images, and the like. The input device 734 and the output device 735 may be integrated as in a so-called touch panel, for example. The communication device 736 is a device that communicates with the general management computer 116 via the network 701.

The main storage device 732 is, for example, a storage device such as a DRAM, and holds a program or the like executed by the central control device 731. The auxiliary storage device 733 is, for example, a storage device such as a hard disk drive or a flash memory, and holds information and the like required for processing executed by the central control device 731.

The host system 115 is a computer that receives orders from each delivery destination (for example, a store that receives and sells goods stored in a warehouse), generates order information, and transmits the order information to the overall management computer 116. Since the hardware configuration of the host system 115 may be the same as that of the overall management computer 116, illustration and description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the information held by the general management computer 116 will be described.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of warehouse state management information 712 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The warehouse status management information 712 is information for managing the status of the warehouse, specifically, the status of each storage shelf 102, each sorting shelf 107, and each transport vehicle 111 in the warehouse, and has 801 storage shelves and storage shelves. Includes information 802, number of sorting shelves 803, sorting shelf information 804, number of transport vehicles 805, and transport vehicle information 806.

The number of storage shelves 801 is the total number of storage shelves 102 in the warehouse. The storage shelf information 802 is information indicating the state of each storage shelf 102. FIG. 8 shows two storage shelf information 802, storage shelf information A relating to one storage shelf 102 in the warehouse and storage shelf information B relating to another storage shelf 102 in the warehouse. Although omitted in FIG. 8, the storage shelf information 802 is actually held for each of all the storage shelves 102 in the warehouse. Details of the storage shelf information 802 will be described later (see FIG. 15).

The number of sorting shelves 803 is the total number of sorting shelves 107 in the warehouse. The sorting shelf information 804 is information indicating the state of each sorting shelf 107. In FIG. 8, as the sorting shelf information 804, the sorting shelf information C relating to one sorting shelf 107 in the warehouse and the sorting shelf information D relating to another sorting shelf 107 in the warehouse are shown. Although omitted in FIG. 8, the sorting shelf information 804 is actually held for each of all the sorting shelves 107 in the warehouse. Details of the sorting shelf information 804 will be described later (see FIG. 19).

The number of transport vehicles 805 is the total number of transport vehicles 111 in the warehouse. The transport vehicle information 806 is information indicating the state of each transport vehicle 111. FIG. 8 shows two transport vehicle information 806, transport vehicle information E relating to one transport vehicle 111 in the warehouse and transport vehicle information F relating to another transport vehicle 111 in the warehouse. Although omitted in FIG. 8, in reality, the transport vehicle information 806 is retained for each of all the transport vehicles 111 in the warehouse. The details of the transport vehicle information 806 will be described later (see FIG. 21).

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of warehouse definition information 713 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The warehouse definition information 713 includes position coordinate number 901, position ID / coordinate 902, article type number 903, article type information 904, transfer box type number 905, transfer box type information 906, sorting box type number 907, and sorting box type. Includes information 908, number of gates 909, gate information 910, number of robots 911, robot information 912, and maximum number of stages that can be operated by humans 913.

The number of position coordinates 901 is the number of position coordinates held in the general management computer 116 in order to manage the space in the warehouse. For example, the entire area including the storage area 101 in the warehouse, the human work area 104, the robot work area 109, and the aisle area in which the transport vehicle 111 transports the storage shelf 102 between these areas is a grid of a predetermined size. It is divided into sections of the shape, and the identification information and the position coordinates of each section are held as the position ID / coordinates 902. The size of each section is, for example, a size in which one storage shelf 102 can be installed. FIG. 9 shows the position G ID / coordinates and the position H ID / coordinates as the position ID / coordinates 902. These exemplify the position ID / coordinates 902 for two of all the sections in the warehouse, and in reality, the position ID / coordinates 902 for all the sections in the warehouse are retained.

The article type number 903 is the number of article types stored in the warehouse. The article type information 904 is information regarding the type of each article. FIG. 9 shows the article type information I and the article type information J as the article type information 904. These are examples of article type information 904 relating to two of all article types stored in the warehouse, and are actually article type information relating to all article types stored in the warehouse. 904 is retained. Details of the article type information 904 will be described later (see FIG. 22).

The transfer box type number 905 is the number of transfer box types used in the warehouse. The transfer box is a box for temporarily transferring the articles stored in the storage box in order to enable (or easily) picking by the sorting worker 105. The transfer box type information 906 is information regarding the type of each transfer box. FIG. 9 shows the transfer box type information K and the transfer box type information L as the transfer box type information 906. These are examples of transfer box type information 906 for two of all transfer box types used in the warehouse, and are actually transfer box types for all transfer box types. Information 906 is retained. Details of the transfer box type information 906 will be described later (see FIG. 23).

The number of sorting box types 907 is the number of types of sorting boxes 108 used in the warehouse. The sorting box type information 908 is information regarding the type of each sorting box 108. FIG. 9 shows the sorting box type information M and the sorting box type information N as the sorting box type information 908. These exemplify the sorting box type information 908 relating to two of all the sorting box 108 types used in the warehouse, and actually, the sorting box type information 908 relating to all the sorting box 108 types. Is retained. Details of the sorting box type information 908 will be described later (see FIG. 24).

The number of gates 909 is the number of gates 106 installed in the warehouse. The gate information 910 is information about each gate 106. FIG. 9 shows gate information O and gate information P as gate information 910. These exemplify the gate information 910 for two of all the gates 106 installed in the warehouse, and actually hold the gate information 910 for all the gates 106. Details of the gate information 910 will be described later (see FIG. 25).

The number of robots 911 is the number of robots 110 installed in the warehouse. The robot information 912 is information about each robot 110. FIG. 9 shows the robot information Q and the robot information R as the robot information 912. These exemplify the robot information 912 regarding two of all the robots 110 installed in the warehouse, and actually hold the robot information 912 regarding all the robots 110. Details of the robot information 912 will be described later (see FIG. 26).

The maximum number of stages 913 that can be manually operated indicates the number of stages 202 of the storage shelves 102 that can be picked by the sorting worker 105. In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the sorting worker 105 can pick the articles stored in the lower three tiers of the tiers 202 of the storage shelves 102, but they are stored in the tiers above it. Articles cannot be picked because they are out of reach of the sorting worker 105 or are prohibited for safety reasons. In this case, information indicating that is retained as the maximum number of stages that can be manually operated 913.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of order information 714 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The order information 714 is information indicating the order of the goods received from each delivery destination, that is, the type and quantity of the goods to be delivered to each delivery destination. Specifically, the order information 714 includes an order ID 1001, a delivery destination information 1002, an order article type number 1003, an article type ID 1004, and an article type order number 1005. In the sorting work in the human work area 104 and the robot work area 109, the ordered number of articles of the type ordered according to the order information 714 are picked from the storage shelf 102, and the sorting box 108 corresponding to the delivery destination in which the order is made is performed. Executed by storing in.

The order ID 1001 is information that identifies each order. For example, information about one order received from one delivery destination is identified by one order ID. Although FIG. 10 shows only the information regarding one order received from one delivery destination as an example, one or multiple orders may be received from a plurality of delivery destinations. As an example of how to deal with such a case, order information 714 is created for each delivery destination, orders of the same delivery destination are put together, and a unique order ID is assigned to each order information 714.

The delivery destination information 1002 is information indicating the delivery destination in which the order was made, that is, information indicating the delivery destination of the ordered goods. The number of ordered article types 1003 is the number of ordered article types, that is, the number of article types to be delivered to the delivery destination.

The article type ID 1004 and the article type order number 1005 are the type of the ordered article and the quantity of the ordered article of the type. When a plurality of types of goods are ordered, a plurality of sets of the goods type ID 1004 and the number of goods type orders 1005 are included in the order information 714.

In FIG. 10, as a set of the article type ID 1004 and the article type order number 1005, a set of the article type SID and the article type S order number and a set of the article type TID and the article type T order number are illustrated. Actually, the order information 714 may include a set of the article type ID 1004 and the article type order number 1005 for still another type of article.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of work plan information 715 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The work plan information 715 is information regarding a plan for sorting work to be performed in the warehouse, and includes an order ID 1101, a sorting shelf ID 1102, a sorting port ID 1103, a sorting box type ID 1104, a number of transport storage shelves 1105, and a storage shelf transport information 1106. ..

The order ID 1101 is identification information of the order to be the target of the work plan. The sorting shelf ID 1102, the sorting port ID 1103, and the sorting box type ID 1104 are information for identifying the sorting shelf 107 in which the sorting box 108 corresponding to the delivery destination of the order to be the target of the work plan is stored. Information for identifying the frontage in which the sorting box 108 is stored and information for identifying the type of the sorting box 108.

The number of transport storage shelves 1105 is the number of storage shelves 102 that are transported in the work plan. The storage shelf transport information 1106 is information regarding the transport of each storage shelf 102. For example, when it is necessary to perform picking from a plurality of storage shelves 102 in order to perform sorting work of articles to be delivered according to an order to be delivered in a work plan, those storage shelves 102 are used as a human work area 104 or a robot work. It needs to be transported to at least one of the areas 109. In this case, the number of the storage shelves 102 is held as the number of transport storage shelves 1105, and the information regarding the transport of each storage shelf 102 that needs to be transported is held as the storage shelf transport information 1106.

Although the storage shelf transport information U and the storage shelf transport information Y are illustrated as the storage shelf transport information 1106 in FIG. 11, the storage shelf transport information 1106 is retained for all the storage shelves 102 that actually need to be transported. To. The details of the storage shelf transport information 1106 will be described later (see FIG. 12).

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of storage shelf transport information 1106 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The storage shelf transport information 1106 is information related to the work in which the transport vehicle 111 transports the storage shelf 102 that is the target of the sorting work, and the storage shelf transport ID 1201, the target storage shelf ID 1202, the corresponding transport vehicle ID 1203, the transfer necessity 1204, Includes individual sorting work number 1205, shelf loading route information 1206, sorting route information 1207, shelf return route information 1208, transfer robot ID 1209, transfer route information 1210, and individual sorting work information 1211.

The storage shelf transport ID 1201 is information for identifying the transport operation of the storage shelf 102, which is the target of the storage shelf transport information 1106. The target storage shelf ID 1202 is information that identifies the storage shelf 102 that is transported by the transfer operation. The corresponding transport vehicle ID 1203 is information for identifying the transport vehicle 111 that transports the storage shelf 102 in the transport operation. The transfer necessity 1204 indicates whether or not the article stored in any storage box 103 of the storage shelf 102 or the article stored in any storage box 103 needs to be transferred in the transfer operation. The number of individual sorting operations 1205 is the number of sorting operations performed on the storage shelves 102 conveyed by the transfer operation.

The shelf loading route information 1206 indicates that the transport vehicle 111 is currently in the storage area 101 in order to transport the storage shelf 102 to be picked in the transport work from the storage area 101 to the human work area 104 or the robot work area 109. This is information on the route for moving to the point where the storage shelf 102 is placed. The sorting route information 1207 is information on the route for transporting to the human work area 104 or the robot work area 109. In the sorting route information 1207, if the transfer necessity 1204 is not required to be transferred, the point in the storage area 101 where the storage shelf 102 is currently placed becomes the starting point, and the transfer necessity 1204 is transferred. If it is necessary to replace it, the robot work area 109 in which the robot 110 that performs the transfer work is installed becomes the starting point. The shelf return route information 1208 is information on the transport route for returning the storage shelf 102 to the storage area 101 after the sorting work is completed.

The transfer robot ID 1209 is information for identifying the robot 110 that performs the transfer work when the transfer necessity 1204 is the transfer necessity, and the transfer route information 1210 is the robot on which the robot 110 is installed. Information on the route to the work area 109. When the transfer necessity 1204 is not necessary for transfer, the transfer robot ID 1209 and the transfer route information 1210 are unnecessary.

The individual sorting work information 1211 is information regarding the sorting work executed for a single article type in the storage shelf 102 transported by the transporting work. In FIG. 12, the individual sorting work information W and the individual sorting work information X are illustrated as the individual sorting work information 1211. However, as the sorting work for all the article types to be actually executed (that is, the number of individual sorting work 1205). Individual sorting work information 1211 is retained for the registered number of sorting work). Details of the individual sorting work information 1211 will be described later (see FIG. 14).

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the route information 1300 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The shelf loading route information 1206, the sorting route information 1207, the shelf return route information 1208, and the transfer route information 1210 shown in FIG. 12 are held as route information 1300 in a common format. The route information 1300 includes the number of waypoints 1301, the waypoint position ID 1302, and the waypoint direction ID 1303.

The number of transit points 1301 is a route from the start point to the end point of the route (for example, in the case of the sorting route information 1207, from the point in the storage area 101 where the storage shelf 102 is currently placed to the human work area 104 or the robot work area 109). Above is the number of points that the transport vehicle 111 should pass through. For example, when the space in the warehouse is divided into grid-like sections and managed as described above, the number of transit points 1301 is the number of sections on the route from the start point to the end point that the transport vehicle 111 should pass through. May be good.

The waypoint position ID 1302 and the waypoint direction ID 1303 are the identification information of each waypoint (for example, each section to pass through) and the direction of the transport vehicle 111 at the waypoint, respectively. When there are a plurality of waypoints on the route, a set of the waypoint position ID 1302 and the waypoint direction ID 1303 is held for each waypoint. In the example of FIG. 13, as a set of the waypoint position ID 1302 and the waypoint direction ID 1303, the set of the waypoint Y position ID and the waypoint Y direction ID and the set of the waypoint Z position ID and the waypoint Z direction ID are held. However, if necessary, a set of waypoint position ID 1302 and waypoint orientation ID 1303 with respect to other waypoints may be retained.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of individual sorting work information 1211 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The individual sorting work information 1211 includes an individual sorting work ID 1401, a target article type ID 1402, a target article number 1403, and a transfer necessity 1404.

The individual sorting work ID 1401 is information for identifying the sorting work to be executed for a single article type in the transported storage shelf 102. The target article type ID 1402 and the target article number 1403 are information indicating the type and number of articles subject to the sorting work. The transfer necessity 1404 indicates whether or not the transfer work is necessary for the article type in the transported storage shelf 102.

When the transfer work is required, the individual sorting work information 1211 further includes a transfer method ID 1405, a transfer destination frontage ID 1406, and a transfer destination booth ID 1407. The transfer method ID 1405 is information that identifies the method of the transfer work to be executed. As a method of the transfer work, for example, there are a method of transferring each article and a method of transferring the entire storage box 103. The former is a method of taking out an article from one of the storage boxes and transferring it to another storage box (transfer box). The latter is a method in which the storage box 103 is taken out from one of the frontages and replaced with another storage box.

The transfer destination frontage ID 1406 is information for identifying the transfer destination frontage. The transfer destination booth ID 1407 is information for identifying the transfer destination booth.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of storage shelf information 802 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The storage shelf information 802 includes the storage shelf ID 1501, the number of storage shelf stages 1502, the number of storage shelf rows 1503, the storage shelf stage height 1504, the storage shelf row position 1505, the number of transfer frontages 1506, the number of transport reservations 1507, and the storage shelf position ID 1508. , Storage shelf orientation ID 1509, storage frontage information 1510, and transfer frontage information 1511.

The storage shelf ID 1501 is information for identifying the storage shelf 102. The number of storage shelves 1502 is the number of stages 202 included in the storage shelves 102. The number of storage shelf rows 1503 is the number of rows possessed by each shelf surface of the storage shelf 102. The frontage of the storage shelf 102 can be specified by the shelf surface, the stage, and the row of the storage shelf 102. The storage shelf step height 1504 indicates the height of each step 202 of the storage shelf 102. The storage shelf row position 1505 indicates the position of each row of the storage shelf 102. The number of transfer frontages 1506 indicates the number of transfer frontages provided on the storage shelf 102.

The transport reservation number 1507 indicates the number of times that the transport of the storage shelf 102 by the transport vehicle 111 is reserved. This number includes the currently performing transport. The storage shelf position ID 1508 indicates a storage position in the storage area 101 of the storage shelf 102. The storage shelf orientation ID 1509 indicates the orientation when the storage shelf 102 is stored in the storage area 101. For example, when one of the shelf surfaces of the storage shelf 102 is designated as a surface, the angle between the orientation of the surface and the reference direction in the warehouse (0 °, 90 °, 180 °, 270 °, etc.) May be held as the storage shelf orientation ID 1509.

The storage frontage information 1510 is information about each storage frontage included in the storage shelf 102. Although the storage frontage information a and the storage frontage information b are shown as examples of the storage frontage information 1510 in FIG. 15, the storage frontage information 1510 is actually held for all the storage frontages of the storage shelf 102. Details of the storage frontage information 1510 will be described later (see FIG. 16).

The transfer frontage information 1511 is information regarding each transfer frontage included in the storage shelf 102. FIG. 15 shows the transfer frontage information c and the transfer frontage information d as an example of the transfer frontage information 1511, but in reality, all the transfer frontages of the storage shelf 102 are transferred. The frontage information 1511 is retained. Details of the transfer frontage information 1511 will be described later (see FIG. 18).

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the storage frontage information 1510 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The storage frontage information 1510 includes the storage frontage ID 1601, the frontage basic information 1602, the storage article type ID 1603, and the number of stored articles 1604.

The storage frontage ID 1601 is information for identifying the storage frontage. The frontage basic information 1602 is information indicating the position of the storage frontage on the storage shelf 102. The details of the frontage basic information 1602 will be described later (see FIG. 17). The stored article type ID 1603 and the number of stored articles 1604 are information for identifying the type of the article stored in the storage box 103 placed at the storage frontage and information indicating the number of the stored articles, respectively. ..

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of frontage basic information 1602 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The frontage basic information 1602 includes a storage shelf surface ID 1701, a storage shelf stage ID 1702, and a storage shelf row ID 1703. These are information for identifying the shelf surface (for example, front surface or back surface), the stage, and the row in which the frontage is located, respectively. With this information, the arrangement of each frontage on the storage shelf 102 is specified.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of transfer frontage information 1511 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The transfer frontage information 1511 includes transfer frontage ID 1801, frontage basic information 1602, transfer box type ID 1802, transfer box type ID 1803, transfer booth number 1804, maximum booth number 1805, booth ID 1806, and so on. Includes booth article type ID 1807 and booth article type number of articles 1808.

The transfer frontage ID 1801 is information for identifying the transfer frontage. The frontage basic information 1602 is information indicating the position of the transfer frontage on the storage shelf 102 (see FIG. 17). The transfer box type ID 1802 is information for identifying the type of the transfer box placed at the transfer frontage. For example, when the transfer frontage is divided into a plurality of booths, a plurality of transfer boxes corresponding to the plurality of booths may be placed in the transfer frontage, or a plurality of transfer boxes may be placed in the plurality of booths. A single transfer box with an internal partition may be placed in a plurality of corresponding spaces. Information identifying the type of such transfer box is retained as transfer box type ID 1802.

The transfer box type ID 1803 is information for identifying the type of the transfer box. For example, when there are a plurality of transfer boxes having different sizes in the picking system, transfer box type information 906 is defined for each size and its ID is assigned. The number of transfer booths 1804 indicates the number of the transfer booths when the transfer frontage is divided into a plurality of booths. The maximum number of types in the booth 1805 indicates the maximum number of types of articles stored in each booth.

The booth ID 1806, the booth article type ID 1807, and the booth article type number of articles 1808 are information for identifying each booth, information for identifying the type of article stored in each booth, and each booth. Information indicating the number of articles stored in. When a plurality of articles are stored in the booth, a plurality of sets of the booth article type ID 1807 and the number of booth article type articles 1808 are held corresponding to one booth ID 1806.

In the example of FIG. 18, the booth eID and the booth fID are held as an example of the booth ID 1806. As an example of the set of the booth e-article type ID 1807 and the booth e-article type number of articles 1808 corresponding to the booth eID, the booth e-article type gID, the booth e-article type g article number set, and the booth e-article type hID And the booth e article type h article number set and. Further, as an example of the set of the booth article type ID 1807 and the booth article type number of articles 1808 corresponding to the booth fID, the set of the booth f article type iID and the booth f article type i article number is held. These are just examples, and in fact the same information as above is retained for all types of goods stored in all booths.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of the sorting shelf information 804 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Sorting shelf information 804 includes sorting shelf ID1901, number of sorting shelf stages 1902, number of sorting shelf rows 1903, sorting shelf stage height 1904, sorting shelf row position 1905, sorting type ID 1906, corresponding gate ID 1907, corresponding robot ID 1908, and sorting port information 1909. including.

The sorting shelf ID1901 is information for identifying the sorting shelf 107. The number of sorting shelves 1902 is the number of stages 302 included in the sorting shelf 107. The number of sorting shelf rows 1903 is the number of rows possessed by each shelf surface of the sorting shelf 107. The frontage of the sorting shelf 107 can be specified by the steps and rows of the sorting shelf 107. The height of the sorting shelf stage 1904 indicates the height of each stage 302 of the sorting shelf 107. Sorting shelf row position 1905 indicates the position of each row of the sorting shelf 107.

Sorting type ID 1906 is information that identifies the type of sorting work performed on the sorting shelf 107. Here, the types of sorting work are sorting work by the sorting worker 105 via the gate 106 and sorting work by the robot 110. When the sorting work is performed by the sorting worker 105 on the sorting shelf 107, the information for identifying the gate 106 used in the sorting work is held as the corresponding gate ID 1907. On the other hand, when the sorting work is performed by the robot 110 on the sorting shelf 107, the information for identifying the robot 110 that executes the sorting work is held as the corresponding robot ID 1908.

The partition port information 1909 is information about each partition port of the sorting shelf 107. Although FIG. 19 shows the partition port information j and the partition port information k as an example of the partition port information 1909, the partition port information 1909 is actually held for all the partition ports of the partition shelf 107. Details of the partition information 1909 will be described later (see FIG. 20).

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of the partition information 1909 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The sorting port information 1909 includes a sorting port ID 2001, a sorting shelf stage ID 2002, a sorting shelf row ID 2003, an order allocation presence / absence 2004, an allocation order ID 2005, a sorting box type ID 2006, and a sorting box ID 2007.

The partition opening ID 2001 is information for identifying the partition opening. The sorting shelf stage ID 2002 and the sorting shelf row ID 2003 are information for identifying the row and row in which the sorting port is located, respectively.

Order allocation presence / absence 2004 is information indicating whether or not an order is assigned to the partition opening. The allocation order ID 2005 is information that identifies the assigned order when an order is assigned to the partition. The sorting box type ID 2006 is information for identifying the type of the sorting box 108 placed in the sorting port. The sorting box ID 2007 is information for identifying the sorting box 108 placed in the sorting port.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of transport vehicle information 806 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The transport vehicle information 806 includes transport vehicle ID 2101, movement speed 2102, turning angular velocity 2103, transport allocation presence / absence 2104, transport vehicle position ID 2105, transport vehicle orientation ID 2106, allocation transport number 2107, order ID 2108, storage shelf transport ID 2109, transport vehicle status ID 2110. And move procedure ID 2111.

The transport vehicle ID 2101 is information for identifying the transport vehicle 111. The moving speed 2102 and the turning angular velocity 2103 indicate the moving speed and the turning angular velocity of the transport vehicle 111, respectively. The presence / absence of transport allocation 2104 indicates whether or not transport is assigned to the transport vehicle 111.

The transport vehicle position ID 2105 and the transport vehicle orientation ID 2106 indicate the current position and orientation of the transport vehicle 111, respectively. For example, the angle (0 °, 90 °, 180 °, 270 °, etc.) formed by the forward direction of the transport vehicle 111 and the reference direction in the warehouse may be held as the transport vehicle orientation ID 2106.

The allocated transport number 2107 indicates the number of transports allocated when the transport is assigned to the transport vehicle. Here, the transport assigned to the transport vehicle means the transport currently being executed by the transport vehicle and the transport to be executed in the future. Further, for example, the transport of one storage shelf 102 corresponding to one order is counted as one transport, which is defined as the storage shelf transport information 1106.

The order ID 2108 and the storage shelf transport ID 2109 are information that identifies the order information 714 and the storage shelf transport information 1106 corresponding to the assigned transport. When a plurality of transports are assigned to the transport vehicle, a plurality of sets of order ID 2108 and storage shelf transport ID 2109 are held. In the example of FIG. 21, as an example of the set of the order ID 2108 and the storage shelf transport ID 2109, the set of the transport l order ID and the transport l storage shelf transport ID and the set of the transport m order ID and the transport m storage shelf transport ID are held. Has been done.

The transport vehicle state ID 2110 indicates the state of the transport vehicle 111, for example, whether the transport vehicle 111 is moving or waiting. The movement procedure ID 2111 indicates a procedure to which the movement corresponds when the transport vehicle 111 is moving, and indicates a procedure to which the next movement corresponds when the vehicle is on standby. As a procedure to which the movement corresponds, for example, a procedure of moving to the position of the storage shelf 102 when the transport vehicle 111 intends to load the storage shelf 102, and a person for sorting work from the loaded storage shelf 102. For the procedure of moving to the work area 104 or the robot work area 109, the procedure of moving the storage shelf 102 after the sorting work to be returned to the storage area 101, and the transfer of the articles stored in the storage shelf 102. There may be a procedure for moving to the robot work area 109 or the like.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram of article type information 904 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The article type information 904 includes article type ID 2201, article shape data 2202, article pattern data 2203, article gripping position / posture 2204, storage box shape data 2205, storage box pattern data 2206, storage box gripping position / posture 2207, and robot work availability 2208. Including.

The article type ID 2201 is information for identifying the article type. The article shape data 2202 is data indicating the shape of the article of the type. The article pattern data 2203 is data indicating a pattern on the surface of the article of the type. The article gripping position posture 2204 indicates the relative position and posture of the gripper 502 with respect to the article of the type when the gripper 502 of the robot 110 grips the article of the type.

The storage box shape data 2205 is data indicating the shape of the storage box 103. The storage box pattern data 2206 is data indicating a pattern on the surface of the storage box 103. The storage box gripping position posture 2207 indicates the relative position and posture of the gripper 502 with respect to the storage box 103 when the gripper 502 of the robot 110 grips the storage box 103.

Robot work availability 2208 indicates whether or not the robot 110 can perform picking of the type of article. For example, when the article of the type has a shape that cannot be picked by the robot 110, information indicating that the robot 110 cannot pick the article of the type is retained as robot work availability 2208.

Generally, the shape and the like of an object that can be gripped by the gripper 502 differ depending on the type and shape of the gripper 502. Therefore, when a plurality of robots 110 are installed in the warehouse, the robot work availability 2208 is held for each robot. In FIG. 22, as an example of the robot work availability 2208, the robot Q work availability and the robot R work availability are held.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram of the transfer box type information 906 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The transfer box type information 906 includes the transfer box type ID 2301, the transfer box shape data 2302, the transfer box pattern data 2303, and the transfer box gripping position / posture 2304.

The transfer box type ID 2301 is information for identifying the type of the transfer box. The transfer box shape data 2302 is data indicating the shape of the transfer box of the type. The transfer box pattern data 2303 is data indicating a pattern on the surface of the transfer box of the type. The transfer box gripping position posture 2304 indicates the relative position and posture of the gripper 502 with respect to the transfer box when the gripper 502 of the robot 110 grips the transfer box of the type.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of the sorting box type information 908 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The sorting box type information 908 includes the sorting box type ID 2401, the sorting box shape data 2402, the sorting box pattern data 2403, and the sorting box gripping position posture 2404.

The sorting box type ID 2401 is information for identifying the type of the sorting box 108. The sorting box shape data 2402 is data indicating the shape of the sorting box 108 of the type. The sorting box pattern data 2403 is data indicating a pattern on the surface of the sorting box 108 of the type. The sorting box gripping position posture 2404 indicates the relative position and posture of the gripper with respect to the sorting box 108 when the gripper 502 of the robot 110 grips the sorting box 108 of the type.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram of gate information 910 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The gate information 910 includes a gate ID 2501, a transport vehicle stop position ID 2502, a gate front direction ID 2503, and an article sorting time 2504.

The gate ID 2501 is information for identifying the gate 106. The transport vehicle stop position ID 2502 is information for identifying a position where the transport vehicle 111 that transports the storage shelf 102 that is the target of the picking operation should stop when the picking operation is performed through the gate 106.

The gate front direction ID 2503 is information for identifying the front direction of the gate 106. For example, the angle (0 °, 90 °, 180 °, 270 °, etc.) formed by the front direction of the gate 106 and the reference direction in the warehouse may be held as the gate front direction ID 2503. The article sorting time 2504 indicates a guideline for the time required for the sorting work including the picking work performed through the gate 106.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of robot information 912 held by the overall management computer 116 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The robot information 912 includes a robot ID 2601, a transport vehicle stop position ID 2602, a robot front direction ID 2603, an article sorting time 2604, and a storage box replacement time 2605.

The robot ID 2601 is information that identifies the robot 110. The transport vehicle stop position ID 2602 is information for identifying a position where the transport vehicle 111 that transports the storage shelf 102 that is the target of the picking work should stop when the picking work is performed by the robot 110.

The robot front direction ID 2603 is information for identifying the front direction of the robot 110. For example, the angle (0 °, 90 °, 180 °, 270 °, etc.) formed by the front direction of the robot 110 and the reference direction in the warehouse may be held as the robot front direction ID 2603. The article sorting time 2604 indicates a guideline for the time required for the sorting work including the picking work performed by the robot 110. The storage box replacement time 2605 indicates a guideline for the time required for the storage box 103 replacement work performed by the robot 110.

Next, the process executed by the general management computer 116 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the order processing unit 708 of the overall management computer 116 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, the overall management computer 116 receives an order from the host system 115 (step 2701). The received order is held in the auxiliary storage device 707 as order information 714 (FIG. 10).

Next, the order processing unit 708 of the overall management computer 116 creates a work plan for the order received from the host system 115 (step 2702). This process will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the order processing unit 708 of the overall management computer 116 of the first embodiment of the present invention to create a work plan.

First, the order processing unit 708 determines a work area for collecting articles according to the received order (step 2801). Specifically, the order processing unit 708 refers to the robot work availability 2208 (FIG. 22) of the article type information 904 for all the article types included in the order information 714, and the robot 110 capable of performing the work of each article type. Judge the presence or absence of. As a result, when there is a robot 110 capable of working for all article types, the robot work area 109 is determined as a work area for collecting articles. On the other hand, when there is no robot 110 capable of working for all types of goods, the human work area 104 is determined as a work area for collecting goods.

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines the partition port corresponding to the order, the type of the sorting box 108, and the gate 106 or the robot 110 (step 2802).

Specifically, when the robot work area 109 is determined in step 2801, the order processing unit 708 selects one robot 110 capable of working on all article types. Further, the order processing unit 708 refers to the sorting shelf information 804 (FIG. 19), and the sorting type ID 1906 is a “robot”, and the ID (identification information) of the robot 110 selected above as the corresponding robot ID 1908. One of the sorting shelves 107 including the above is selected, and its ID is registered as the sorting shelf ID 1102 of the work plan information 715 (FIG. 11).

On the other hand, when the man-made work area 104 is determined in step 2801, the order processing unit 708 refers to the sorting shelf information 804 and selects one sorting shelf 107 whose sorting type ID 1906 is the "gate", and selects one of the sorting shelves 107. The ID is registered as the sorting shelf ID 1102 of the work plan information 715.

Then, the order processing unit 708 refers to the sorting shelf information 804 (FIG. 19) and the sorting port information 1909 (FIG. 20), and from the selected sorting shelf 107, the order allocation presence / absence 2004 is “none” (that is, still). Select one partition (no order is assigned) and make that partition correspond to the order. As a result, the ID of the partition port is registered in the partition port ID 1103 of the work plan information 715 (FIG. 11).

Further, the order processing unit 708 obtains the occupied volume from the order number 1005 and the article shape data 2202 for all the article types with reference to the order information 714 (FIG. 10) and the article type information 904 (FIG. 22), and obtains the occupied volume from the order number 1005 and the article shape data 2202. Based on this, the size of the sorting box 108 required to accommodate all the ordered goods is calculated. Then, the order processing unit 708 refers to the sorting box shape data 2402 of the sorting box type information 908 (FIG. 24), selects a sorting box type satisfying the required size, and assigns the ID to the work plan information 715 (FIG. 11). ) Is registered as the sorting box type ID 1104.

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines the storage shelves 102 to be transported for each of the ordered articles (step 2803). Specifically, the order processing unit 708 refers to the order information 714 (FIG. 10), the storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15), and the storage frontage information 1510 (FIG. 16), and is included in the order information 714. The storage shelves 102 that store the articles are searched, and the searched storage shelves 102 are extracted as the transportation target. If there are a plurality of candidate storage boxes 103, the one having the smaller number of reserved transports 1507 in the storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15) is preferentially selected. Then, the order processing unit 708 extracts the number of storage shelves 102 as a transport target and registers the number of storage shelves 102 as the number of transport storage shelves 1105 of the work plan information 715 (FIG. 11).

Further, the order processing unit 708 creates storage shelf transport information 1106 (FIG. 12) for the number of registered shelves, and registers the ID of the storage shelf 102 extracted as the transport target as the target storage shelf ID 1202.

Further, the order processing unit 708 registers the number of types of articles to be picked from the storage shelves according to the order as the number of individual sorting operations 1205 for each storage shelf 102 to be transported, and individually for the number of operations. Sorting work information 1211 (FIG. 14) is created. The order processing unit 708 registers the target article type and the number of articles of the type for each work as the target article type ID 1402 and the target article number 1403 of each individual sorting work information 1211.

Next, the order processing unit 708 confirms the necessity of transferring the storage frontage for each article. Then, when it is determined that the transfer is necessary, the transfer method, the transfer destination frontage, and the robot 110 that performs the transfer are determined (step 2804).

Specifically, when the work area determined in step 2801 is the robot work area 109, the order processing unit 708 determines that it is not necessary to transfer the storage frontage. When the work area determined in step 2801 is the human work area 104, the order processing unit 708 has a storage shelf stage ID 1702 (FIG. 17) for the storage frontage of the storage shelf 102 corresponding to each article type in the order. It is determined whether or not the maximum number of workable stages 913 (FIG. 9) is exceeded. As a result, when it is determined that the storage shelf stage ID 1702 does not exceed the maximum number of stages that can be manually operated 913, the order processing unit 708 determines that it is not necessary to transfer the storage frontage.

When the work area determined in step 2801 is the human work area 104 and it is determined in step 2804 that the storage shelf stage ID 1702 exceeds the maximum number of human workable stages 913, picking stored in the target storage shelf is performed. At least one of the target articles is stored in the frontage where picking by the sorting worker 105 is not possible, and at least one of the types of the picking target articles stored in the target storage shelf is picked by the robot 110. Is not possible. In this case, it is necessary to transfer the storage frontage by the robot 110, that is, to transfer the article stored in the frontage of the stage 202 where the sorting worker 105 cannot work to the frontage of the stage 202 where the work is possible. Is determined. In that case, the order processing unit 708 determines the transfer necessity 1204 of the corresponding storage shelf transport information 1106 (FIG. 12) and the transfer necessity 1404 of the individual sorting work information 1211 (FIG. 14) of the corresponding article type. Change to "Required".

Then, based on the article type information 904 (FIG. 22), the order processing unit 708 determines whether each robot 110 can work for each article type determined to need to be transferred in the storage shelf 102, and works. The robot 110 having the largest number of possible article types is selected, and the ID of the robot 110 is registered as the transfer robot ID 1209 of the storage shelf transport information 1106 (FIG. 12).

When the storage shelf 102 does not have a transfer frontage, all the transfer operations in the storage shelf 102 are performed for each storage box 103. In this case, the "storage box" is registered as the transfer method ID 1405 of the individual sorting work information 1211 (FIG. 14). Further, even if the storage shelf 102 has a frontage for transfer, when the number of articles of the type determined to be transferred exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and the work for the article type is performed by the robot 110. If this cannot be done, it is necessary to transfer each storage box, and the "storage box" is registered as the transfer method ID 1405.

In the above case, the order processing unit 708 is at the stage 202 where the work by the sorting worker 105 can be performed, and the frontage which does not correspond to any target article of the other individual sorting work is transferred to the transfer destination. It is selected as the frontage, and the ID of the frontage is registered as the transfer destination frontage ID 1406 of the individual sorting work information 1211 (FIG. 14).

On the other hand, if the storage shelf 102 has a frontage for transfer, the number of articles of the type determined to require transfer does not exceed a predetermined threshold value, and the robot 110 can perform work on the article type, transfer is performed. The number of items to be worked on is transferred to the replacement frontage. In this case, the "article" is registered as the transfer method ID 1405. A transfer frontage is selected as the transfer destination frontage, and one ID of the booth included in the transfer frontage is registered as the transfer destination booth ID 1407.

When it is necessary to transfer a plurality of article types in one storage shelf 102, the order processing unit 708 transfers each article type so that the booths of the transfer destinations of different article types are not the same. It is desirable to select the replacement frontage and the transfer destination booth.

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines whether any of the storage shelves 102 determined to be transported in step 2803 has not yet been assigned the transport vehicle 111 (step 2805). Specifically, the storage shelf transport information 1106 for which the corresponding transport vehicle ID 1203 is not registered is searched for. When a plurality of them exist, the storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15) having a small number of reserved transport vehicles 1507 is preferentially assigned to the transport vehicle 111.

If it is determined in step 2805 that there is a storage shelf 102 to which the transport vehicle 111 has not yet been assigned (step 2805: Yes), the order processing unit 708 determines the transport vehicle 111 to transport the storage shelf 102 (step 2805: Yes). Step 2806). At this time, the transport vehicle 111 may be determined according to the following priorities, for example.

That is, based on the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21), the order processing unit 708 may give higher priority to the transport vehicles 111 to which the transport is not assigned, in order of proximity to the storage shelf 102 to be assigned. ..

Alternatively, the order processing unit 708 may give the transport vehicle 111 to which the transport is assigned the highest priority in ascending order of the estimated required time calculated from all the assigned transports. Here, the estimated required time is calculated by the following equation (1).

Estimated required time = total distance between remaining transit points ÷ movement speed + total angle between remaining transit points ÷ turning angular velocity + total number of remaining assorted articles x article sorting time + total number of remaining transfer articles x articles Sorting time + Sum of remaining transfer storage boxes x Storage box replacement time ・ ・ ・ (1)

Next, the order processing unit 708 plans the transport path of the transport vehicle 111 determined in step 2806 (step 2807). An example of this plan will be described.

Here, it is assumed that the area in the warehouse is divided into grid-like sections, and the set of the position ID and the coordinates is recorded for each section (see FIG. 9). In this case, the transport path of the transport vehicle 111 is planned along the grid. That is, the order processing unit 708 plans a route from the start position / direction of the transport vehicle 111 to the end position position / direction by combining linear movement and turning along the grid. The end points of each section of the linear movement in the route are the waypoints of the route.

As described with reference to FIG. 12, there are three types of routes for the transport vehicle 111: a shelf loading route, a sorting route, and a shelf returning route, and a transfer route may be required. .. The order processing unit 708 first plans a shelf loading route. The order processing unit 708 confirms whether the transport vehicle 111 for which the route is planned is assigned another transport (that is, executed before the transport performed using the route to be planned).

If no other transport is assigned, the current position and orientation of the transport vehicle 111 will be the start position / orientation. On the other hand, when other transports are assigned, the end point position / direction of the shelf return route of the last transport is the start position / direction of the shelf loading route planned from now on. Then, the order processing unit 708 sets the storage position and orientation of the storage shelf 102 to be transported as the end point position / orientation, and plans the route from the start position / orientation to the end point position / orientation.

Here, when the transfer necessity 1404 (FIG. 14) is "required", the order processing unit 708 plans the transfer route. At this time, the order processing unit 708 sets the storage position and orientation of the storage shelf 102 to be transported as the start position / orientation of the transfer route, and the transfer vehicle stop position ID 2602 of the robot 110 that performs the transfer (FIG. FIG. The position indicated by 26) is set as the end point position, and the direction in which the shelf surface with the storage frontage in which the object to be transferred is stored faces the front of the robot 110 is set as the end point direction.

Subsequently, the order processing unit 708 plans a sorting route. At this time, when the sorting work is performed in the manual work area 104, the order processing unit 708 sets the position indicated by the transport vehicle stop position ID 2502 (FIG. 25) of the gate 106 of the manual work area 104 as the end point position. The direction in which the shelf surface having the storage frontage in which the target articles for the sorting work are stored faces the front of the gate 106 is set as the end point direction.

On the other hand, when the sorting work is performed in the robot work area 109, the order processing unit 708 sets the position indicated by the transport vehicle stop position ID 2602 (FIG. 26) of the robot 110 in the robot work area 109 as the end point position, and sorts the work. The direction in which the shelf surface with the storage frontage in which the target article is stored faces the front of the robot 110 is set as the end point direction.

When the transfer work to the storage shelf 102 to be transported is not performed, the storage position and orientation of the storage shelf 102 are set as the start position and orientation of the sorting route. On the other hand, when the transfer work for the storage shelf 102 is performed, the end point position / orientation of the transfer route is set as the start position / orientation of the sorting route.

Subsequently, the order processing unit 708 plans a shelf return route. At this time, the order processing unit 708 sets the storage position and orientation of the storage shelf 102 to be transported as the start position and orientation of the shelf return route.

The order processing unit 708 uses the shelf loading route, the sorting route, the shelf return route, and the transfer route planned as described above for the shelf loading route information 1206, the sorting route information 1207, and the shelf return, respectively. It is registered in the storage shelf transport information 1106 as the route information 1208 and the transfer route information 1210 (see FIGS. 12 and 13).

After planning the route as described above, the order processing unit 708 updates the corresponding storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15) and the carrier vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21). Specifically, the order processing unit 708 increases the number of reserved transports 1507 of the storage shelf information 802 by 1, increases the number of allocated transports 2107 of the transport vehicle information 806 by 1, and adds a set of the order ID 2108 and the storage shelf transport ID 2109. Further, the order processing unit 708 changes the transport allocation presence / absence 2104 to “yes” when the transport allocation presence / absence 2104 is “absent”, sets the transport vehicle status ID 2110 to “standby”, and sets the movement procedure ID 2111 to “shelf loading”. Set to. On the other hand, when the transport allocation presence / absence 2104 is "Yes", the order processing unit 708 does not change the transport allocation presence / absence 2104, the transport vehicle status ID 2110, and the movement procedure ID 2111.

After executing step 2807, the order processing unit 708 executes step 2805 again.

If it is determined in step 2805 that there is no storage shelf 102 to which the transport vehicle 111 has not yet been assigned (step 2805: No), the process of FIG. 28 ends.

See FIG. 27 again. After executing the process of FIG. 28 in step 2702, the order processing unit 708 allocates the order of the partition information 1909 (FIG. 20) in the partition shelf information 804 (FIG. 19) corresponding to the partition determined in step 2802. Presence / absence 2004 is updated to "Yes", the ID of the order is registered in the assigned order ID 2005, and the determined sorting box type is registered in the sorting box type ID 2006.

Next, the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction to install the sorting box 108 to the target sorting port (that is, the sorting port determined in step 2802 of FIG. 28) to the instruction terminal 114 (step 2703). This instruction includes information specifying the assortment box type determined in step 2802.

The instruction terminal 114 outputs the instruction from the output device 735 (for example, a display device, see FIG. 7). The sorting box replacement worker 112 installs the sorting box 108 of the specified type in the target sorting port according to the output instruction, and inputs information indicating that the installation is completed to the input device 734. At this time, the sorting box replacement worker 112 also inputs the ID of the installed sorting box 108 (target sorting box). The ID of the sorting box 108 is affixed to the sorting box 108 as a label, for example, and the sorting box replacement worker 112 reads the label and inputs it to the input device 734. Alternatively, the ID of the sorting box 108 is affixed to the sorting box 108 as a bar code, the input device 734 is provided with a bar code reader, and the sorting box replacement worker 112 operates the bar code reader to obtain the ID of the sorting box 108. You may enter it by reading it. The instruction terminal 114 transmits a completion report of the installation of the target sorting box, including the ID of the target sorting box, to the general management computer 116.

When the general management computer 116 receives the completion report of the installation of the target sorting box from the instruction terminal 114, the order processing unit 708 sets the ID of the target sorting box included in the completion report to the corresponding partition information 1909 (FIG. 20). Register as the sorting box ID 2007 (step 2704)).

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines whether at least one of the storage shelves 102 to be transported in the work planned in step 2702 is undelivered (step 2705). When it is determined that at least one storage shelf 102 has not been transported (step 2705: Yes), the order processing unit 708 gives an instruction to load one of the storage shelves 102 (target storage shelf) to the target storage shelf. It is transmitted to the transport vehicle 111 (target transport vehicle) assigned to (step 2706). After transmitting this instruction, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle state ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "moving".

Upon receiving the instruction transmitted in step 2706, the target carrier moves to the position of the target storage shelf through the shelf loading route planned in step 2702, loads the target storage shelf, and reports the completion of loading the storage shelf. Is sent to the general management computer 116.

When the overall management computer 116 receives the storage shelf loading completion report from the target transport vehicle, the order processing unit 708 sets the transport vehicle status ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "standby". Update and update the move procedure ID 2111 to "for transfer" (step 2707).

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines in step 2702 whether or not the frontage transfer is planned (step 2708). When the transfer is planned (step 2708: Yes), the order processing unit 708 sends a transfer instruction of the frontage (target storage frontage) where the transfer is planned, and reports the completion when the transfer is completed. Is received (step 2709). This process will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the order processing unit 708 of the overall management computer 116 of the first embodiment of the present invention to instruct the transfer work of the storage frontage.

First, the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction to transport the target storage shelf to the target transport vehicle in front of the robot 110 (target robot) that executes the planned transfer operation (step 2901). After transmitting this instruction, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle state ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "moving".

The target transport vehicle transports the target storage shelf according to the received instruction, transmits a completion report to the overall management computer 116 when the transport is completed, and the order processing unit 708 receives the completion report (step 2902). After receiving the completion report, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle status ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "standby", and sets the movement procedure ID 2111 to "for sorting". Update.

The order processing unit 708 then determines if at least one of the planned transfers has not been performed (step 2903). When at least one transfer has not been performed (step 2903: Yes), the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction to execute the transfer of the target storage frontage to the target robot (step 2904). .. This instruction is made to reflect the result of the decision in step 2804 of FIG. The target robot executes the transfer according to the instruction, and when completed, sends a completion report to the general management computer 116.

When the order processing unit 708 receives the completion report from the target robot (step 2905), the storage frontage of the storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15) corresponding to the target storage shelf is reflected so that the result of the executed transfer is reflected. Information 1510 and transfer frontage information 1511 are updated. After that, the order processing unit 708 executes step 2903 again.

If it is determined in step 2903 that none of the planned transfers have not been performed (ie, all transfers have been completed) (step 2903: No), the process of FIG. 29 ends.

See FIG. 27 again. When the processing shown in FIG. 29 is completed in step 2709, the order processing unit 708 then executes step 2710. Further, when it is determined in step 2708 that the transfer is not planned (step 2708: No), the order processing unit 708 sets the movement procedure ID 2111 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to ". After updating to "for sorting", step 2710 is executed without executing step 2709.

In step 2710, the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction for the goods sorting work of the target storage shelf, and receives a completion report when the goods sorting work is completed. This process will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the order processing unit 708 of the overall management computer 116 of the first embodiment of the present invention to instruct the article sorting work.

First, the order processing unit 708 targets the target transport vehicle up to the gate 106 (target gate) of the human work area 104 or the robot 110 (target robot) of the robot work area 109 where the planned sorting work is performed. An instruction to transport the storage rack is transmitted (step 3001). After transmitting this instruction, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle state ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "moving".

The target transport vehicle transports the target storage shelf according to the received instruction, transmits a completion report to the overall management computer 116 when the transport is completed, and the order processing unit 708 receives the completion report (step 3002). After receiving the completion report, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle status ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "standby", and sets the movement procedure ID 2111 to "for returning the shelf". Update to.

Next, the order processing unit 708 determines whether at least one of the planned sorting operations has not been performed (step 3003). When at least one sorting operation has not been performed (step 3003: Yes), the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction to execute the sorting operation of the target article for one of them (step 3004).

When the sorting work is executed in the man work area 104, the instruction to execute the sorting work is transmitted to the gate 106 (target gate) and the sorting shelf 107 (target sorting shelf) of the man work area 104. For example, the target gate may output information indicating the quantity of the target article to be picked from the output unit 403 of the frontage in which the target article to be picked is stored according to the received instruction.

Similarly, the target sorting shelf may output information indicating the quantity of the target article to be stored from the output unit 304 of the frontage for storing the picked article according to the received instruction. When the sorting worker 105 who has completed the instructed work operates the input unit 402 of the target gate and the input unit 303 of the target sorting shelf, the information of the operation is transmitted to the general management computer 116 as a completion report.

When the sorting work is executed in the robot work area 109, an instruction to execute the sorting work is transmitted to the robot 110 (target robot) in the robot work area 109. The target robot executes the transfer according to the instruction, and when completed, sends a completion report to the general management computer 116.

When the order processing unit 708 receives the completion report from the target gate and the target sorting shelf or the target robot (step 3005), the order processing unit 708 corresponds to the target storage shelf so that the result of the executed sorting work is reflected. The storage frontage information 1510 and the transfer frontage information 1511 of the storage shelf information 802 (FIG. 15) are updated. After that, the order processing unit 708 executes step 3003 again.

If it is determined in step 3003 that none of the planned sorting operations have not been performed (that is, all the sorting operations have been completed) (step 3003: No), the process of FIG. 30 ends.

See FIG. 27 again. When the processing shown in FIG. 30 is completed in step 2710, the order processing unit 708 then transmits an instruction to transport the storage shelves to the storage area 101 to the target transport vehicle (step 2711). After transmitting this instruction, the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle state ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "moving". The target transport vehicle transports the target storage shelf to the storage area 101 according to the instruction, and when the transport is completed, sends a completion report to the general management computer 116.

Upon receiving the completion report (step 2712), the order processing unit 708 updates the transport vehicle status ID 2110 of the transport vehicle information 806 (FIG. 21) corresponding to the target transport vehicle to "standby", and sets the movement procedure ID 2111 to "shelf". Update to "for loading". Further, the order processing unit 708 deletes the pair of the order ID 2108 and the storage shelf transport ID 2109 corresponding to the completed transport, and reduces the allocated number of transports 2107 by one. As a result, when the allocated transfer number 2107 becomes 0, the order processing unit 708 updates the transfer allocation presence / absence 2104 to “none”. Further, the order processing unit 708 reduces the number of reserved transport reservations 1507 of the storage shelf information 802 corresponding to the target storage shelf transport by one.

After that, the order processing unit 708 executes step 2705 again.

If it is determined in step 2705 that there are no undelivered storage shelves 102 (step 2705: No), all the transports planned for the received order have been completed. That is, all the goods to be delivered to the delivery destination corresponding to the order are stored in the sorting box 108 (target sorting box) corresponding to the delivery destination. Therefore, the order processing unit 708 transmits an instruction to ship the target sorting box to the packing area (not shown) to the instruction terminal 114 (step 2713).

The instruction terminal 114 outputs, for example, the received instruction from the output device 735. The sorting box replacement worker 112 ships the target sorting box to the packing area by, for example, carrying out the target sorting box from the target sorting shelf and placing it on the conveyor 113 or the like according to the output instruction. After that, when the sorting box exchange worker 112 inputs the information indicating the completion of the shipping of the target sorting rack into the input device 734, the instruction terminal 114 transmits the completion report of the sorting box shipping to the general management computer 116.

When the order processing unit 708 receives the completion report of the assortment box shipment from the instruction terminal 114 (step 2714), the order processing unit 708 sends the higher system 115 together with the ID of the assortment box 108 (that is, the target assortment box for which the shipment is completed) corresponding to the order. Send a completion report (step 2715). After that, the order processing unit 708 updates the order allocation presence / absence 2004 of the partition opening information 1909 (FIG. 20) corresponding to the frontage from which the target sorting box is carried out to “None”, and updates the sorting box ID 2007 to “None”.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram of the transfer of goods performed in the warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Specifically, in FIG. 31, as an example, an article to be picked is placed in the uppermost storage box under the condition that the sorting worker 105 cannot pick the article stored in the uppermost frontage of the storage shelf 102. The procedure of transfer when it is stored is shown.

31 (a) and 31 (b) are executed when the transport vehicle 111 transports the storage shelf 102 to the robot work area 109 in step 2902 of FIG. 29 and the robot 110 receives the instruction of step 2904. It is a side view which shows the operation of transfer. In this example, the goods to be picked are stored in the storage box 103A at the uppermost stage of the storage shelf 102. On the other hand, the transfer box 3101 is placed in the second row from the top where the sorting worker 105 can pick.

The robot 110 uses one of the two arms 501 to pull out the storage box 103A, and the other arm 501 to take out the article from the storage box 103A (FIG. 31 (a)). After that, the robot 110 returns the storage box 103A to the original position, pulls out the transfer box 3101, and stores the article taken out from the storage box 103A in the transfer box 3101 (FIG. 31 (b)). When the transfer box 3101 is returned to the original position, the robot 110 sends a transfer completion report to the general management computer 116.

After that, as shown in the plan views of FIGS. 31 (c) and 31 (d), the transport vehicle 111 transports the storage shelf 102 from the robot work area 109 to the human work area 104. In the human work area 104, the sorting worker 105 pulls out the transfer box 3101 to take out the article (that is, picking) (FIG. 31 (e)), and stores the article in the sorting box 108 corresponding to the order. (FIG. 31 (f)).

Although omitted in FIG. 31, for example, when an article corresponding to the same order is also stored in another storage box 103B placed on a stage that can be picked by the sorting worker 105, the sorting worker 105 Takes out the required number of articles from the storage box 103B and stores them in the sorting box 108.

In the example of FIG. 31, when both the articles stored in the storage box 103A and the articles stored in the storage box 103B are delivered to one delivery destination, the articles are sorted into one sorting box 108 by the sorting work. It is stored. If any of the articles can be picked by the robot 110, it is possible to sort the articles in the robot work area 109 without performing the above-mentioned transfer.

However, if the article stored in the storage box 103B has a shape that cannot be picked by the robot 110, the robot 110 will move from the storage box 103A unless the above transfer is performed. Picking is performed, and the sorting worker 105 needs to perform picking from the storage box 103B.

In that case, a sorting box 108 is prepared in each of the robot work area 109 and the human work area, and the contents of the two sorting boxes 108 are combined or sorted after the sorting work in each work area is completed. It is necessary to move one sorting box 108 between work areas according to the execution of the work.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, by executing the transfer as described above, it is not necessary to execute either the synthesis of the two sorting boxes 108 or the movement of the one sorting box 108, and the work process is simplified. Be transformed.

FIG. 32 is an explanatory diagram of another example of transfer of goods performed in a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In the example of FIG. 31, the robot 110 takes out the article stored in the storage box 103A from the storage box 103A and transfers it to the transfer box 3101. On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 32, the robot 110 transfers the articles stored in the storage box 103A to a stage where the sorting worker 105 can pick each of the storage boxes 103A.

For example, among the articles stored in the storage box 103A, when the number of articles to be picked (that is, the number of articles that need to be transferred) exceeds a predetermined threshold, and the articles stored in the storage box 103A When the robot 110 has a shape that cannot be picked, the storage box 103A is transferred for each storage box 103A (step 2804 in FIG. 28).

In this case, the robot 110 first temporarily moves the storage box 103A to another place. For example, the storage box 103A may be temporarily transferred onto the top plate of the storage shelf 102 in which the storage box 103A is not normally placed (FIGS. 32 (a) and 32 (b)). Next, the robot 110 took out one of the storage boxes 103 placed on a stage capable of being picked by the sorting worker 105, and in the example of FIG. 32, the storage box 103C was taken out, and the storage box 103A was placed (currently). Is transferred to the frontage (Fig. 32 (c), Fig. 32 (d)). In the illustrated example, the article is not stored in the storage box 103C, but the article may be stored in the storage box 103C. However, the storage box 103C needs not to store the articles to be picked by the same order as the order corresponding to the picking to be performed.

Next, the robot 110 transfers the temporarily transferred storage box 103A to the frontage where the storage box 103C is placed (currently vacant) (FIGS. 32 (e) and 32 (f)). .. Subsequent sorting operations are executed in the same manner as in FIGS. 31 (c) to 31 (f).

In the example of FIG. 32, the storage box 103A was temporarily transferred first, but conversely, the storage box 103C was temporarily transferred first, and the storage box 103A was transferred to the vacant frontage. As a result, the storage box 103C may be transferred to the vacant frontage.

FIG. 33 is an explanatory view of a frontage of a storage shelf 102 and a corresponding gate 106 which are used in a warehouse to which the picking system of the embodiment of the present invention is applied and have a frontage for transfer.

The storage shelf 102 shown in FIG. 33 (a) has stages 202A to 202D. Of these, the uppermost stage 202A includes frontages 3301A to 3301C. The robot 110 can perform work on the frontages 3301A to 3301C, but the sorting worker 105 cannot. On the other hand, the work on the frontages 3301D to 3301N of the other stages 202B to 202D can be performed by either the robot 110 or the sorting worker 105.

Of the frontages 3301A to 3301N shown in FIG. 33A, the frontages 3301A to 3301D and the frontages 3301H to 3301N are storage frontages in which the storage box 103 is placed. On the other hand, the frontages 3301E to 3301G are transfer destination frontages in which the transfer box 3101 is placed. In this example, the space including the frontages 3301E to 3301G is the transfer destination frontage having the same size as one storage frontage, and it is divided into three transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G.

The transfer boxes 3101 placed in the transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G may be three transfer boxes 3101A corresponding to the three transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G, or may be three transfer destination booths. It may be one transfer box 3101B partitioned into three spaces corresponding to 3301E to 3301G.

Each transfer destination booth may be associated with the transfer source storage frontage. In the example of FIG. 31 (a), the articles stored in the storage frontages 3301A, 3301B and 3301C are transferred to the transfer destination booths 3301E, 3301F and 3301G, respectively. However, such a correspondence is an example, and the correspondence may be changed as necessary. Further, for example, a plurality of transfer destination booths may be associated with one storage frontage according to the number of types of articles to be transferred, the number of different articles, and the like, or one transfer. A plurality of storage frontages may be associated with the front booth.

The articles to be stored in the storage frontages 3301A to 3301C, which are the transfer sources when the transfer work occurs, may be determined based on, for example, the shipping frequency. Here, the shipping frequency may be calculated based on past results, such as the shipping frequency for a predetermined period in the past. For example, if the order information 714 (FIG. 10) also includes information about the past order, the past shipping frequency can be calculated based on the information. If a future shipment outlook is available, the shipping frequency may be calculated based on that outlook.

Specifically, in the example of FIG. 33A, among all the articles stored in the storage shelf 102, those having a relatively high shipping frequency (in other words, having a high frequency of being picked) are selected in stages 202B to 202D. Those that are stored in the storage frontage and that are shipped relatively infrequently may be stored in the storage frontages 3301A to 3301C of the stage 202A. This reduces the frequency of transfers and improves the throughput of processing goods in the warehouse.

Further, among the above-mentioned relatively infrequently shipped articles, the relatively frequently shipped articles are stored in the storage frontage 3301B closest to the transfer destination frontage, and the other articles are stored in the storage frontages 3301A and 3301C. You may. The time required for the transfer work is shorter as the distance between the transfer source frontage and the transfer destination frontage is smaller. Therefore, as described above, the storage frontage 3301B closest to the transfer destination frontage is used for items that are shipped relatively frequently. By storing in, the total time required for the transfer work can be shortened, and the throughput of processing goods in the warehouse is improved.

When various different goods are stored in the warehouse, the general management computer 116 determines a storage frontage for storing the goods by the method as described above, and gives an instruction to store the goods in the determined storage frontage. It may be transmitted to a terminal device or the like (not shown) held by a robot (not shown) or a robot (not shown) that performs warehousing work. When the warehousing worker or the robot stores the article in the frontage of the designated storage shelf in accordance with this instruction, the arrangement of the article as described above is realized.

Alternatively, for example, when an article having a higher shipping frequency than that stored in the storage opening 3301B is stored in the storage opening 3301A or 3301C of a certain storage shelf 102, the storage shelf 102 is picking or transferring the article. When transported to the robot work area 109 for the purpose, the overall management computer 116, together with an instruction to perform the desired picking or transfer, and the storage box 103 of the storage frontage 3301A or 3301C and the storage box 103 of the storage frontage 3301B You may send an instruction to replace the above (step 2710 in FIG. 27 or step 2904 in FIG. 29). When the robot 110 replaces the storage box 103 according to this instruction, the arrangement of the articles as described above is realized.

If the number of articles to be transferred stored in any of the storage frontages 3301A to 3301C is larger than a predetermined threshold value, or if the robot 110 cannot pick the articles, the storage frontage is used. The goods are transferred by exchanging the placed storage box with the storage box placed in the frontage (for example, storage frontage 3301D or 3301H) where the sorting worker 105 can work.

FIG. 33 (b) shows the gate 106 corresponding to the storage shelf 102 shown in FIG. 33 (a). The gate 106 is provided with input units 402A to 402N and output units 403A to 103N corresponding to each frontage of the storage shelf 102. Among them, the input units 402E to 402G and the output units 403E to 403G correspond to the transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G of the storage shelf 102 shown in FIG. 33 (a), respectively. By preparing the frontage that is exclusively used as the transfer destination and the corresponding input units 402 and output units 403 in this way, mistakes in work by the sorting worker 105 can be reduced. Here, in the picking system of the present embodiment, even if the input units 402E to 402G and the output units 403E to 403G corresponding to the transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G are provided at the gate 106, all the storage shelves 102 are provided. It is not necessary to have the transfer destination booths 3301E to 3301G. Even if the corresponding frontage of a storage shelf 102 is one storage frontage, any one set of the input units 402E to 402G and the output units 403E to 403G is used as the input unit 402 and the output unit 403 for the storage frontage. By handling it, it becomes possible to mix the storage shelf 102 having the transfer destination booth 102 and the storage shelf 102 not existing in the same picking system.

As described above, the picking system according to the embodiment of the present invention is a transport vehicle that conveys a robot that picks articles stored in a warehouse (for example, robot 110) and a storage shelf (for example, storage shelf 102) that stores articles. It has (for example, a transport vehicle 111) and a robot and a management computer (for example, an overall management computer 116) that communicates with the transport vehicle, and the warehouse is a robot work area (for example, robot work) in which the robot picks the article from the storage shelf. The area 109) and a human work area (for example, a human work area 104) in which a worker (for example, a sorting worker 105) picks the article from the storage shelf are included, and the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf to the robot work area. , The robot can pick articles stored in storage shelves at positions where workers cannot pick them (for example, frontages 3301A to 3301C) and for picking by workers (for example, frontages 3301D to 3301H). ), And when the robot finishes moving (transferring) the goods, the transport vehicle transports the storage shelves from the robot work area to the human work area, and the management computer picks the goods moved by the robot. Outputs the information instructed to (for example, step 3004).

As a result, all the items to be picked stored in the storage shelf are placed in a position where workers can work, so that the sorting box can be moved between work areas or created in two work areas. It eliminates the need for work such as synthesizing the sorted boxes, and prevents the process from becoming complicated.

Further, the article is stored in a containment vessel (for example, a containment box 103) placed on the storage shelf, and the robot is placed in a position where picking by an operator is not possible (for example, the containment box 103A in FIG. 32). The article may be moved by exchanging the position with the containment vessel (for example, the containment box 103B) placed at a position where the worker can pick.

As a result, when each article is stored in the storage box, it is possible to transfer each storage box.

Further, each storage shelf has a plurality of frontages in which articles are stored, and the management computer has storage shelf information (for example, storage shelf information 802) indicating the type of articles stored in each frontage, and a plurality of storage shelves. Among the frontages, human workable position information (for example, the maximum number of steps that can be worked by humans 913) indicating the frontage that can be picked by a worker, and order information (for example, order information 714) indicating the type of goods to be delivered to the delivery destination. , Articles stored in a frontage that holds article type information (for example, article type information 904) indicating whether or not various types of articles can be picked by a robot and cannot be picked by workers on the storage shelf, and stores. When it is determined by the order information that the type of goods stored on the shelves that cannot be picked by the robot is indicated as the goods to be delivered to the same delivery destination (for example, transfer is required in step 2804). Information instructing the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelves to the robot work area (for example, step 2901), and the items stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker can be picked by the worker. It outputs information instructing the robot to move to the frontage (for example, step 2904) and information instructing the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelf from the robot work area to the human work area (for example, step 3001). May be good.

In a warehouse, when trying to improve storage efficiency by storing items on the upper level of shelves and save labor by introducing a picking robot, the items subject to one order are picked by workers. It is possible that an article placed in a frontage that cannot be picked and an article of a type that cannot be picked by a robot may be included. However, according to the picking system as described above, since all the articles to be picked are placed in a position where the workers can work by transferring the articles, the sorting box is moved between the work areas, or the sorting box is moved. , The work such as synthesizing the sorting boxes created in the two work areas becomes unnecessary, the complexity of the process is prevented, and the distribution cost is reduced.

Further, the articles stored in each frontage are stored in a storage container (for example, a containment box 103) placed in each frontage, and the robot picks the articles stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker. Upon receiving the information instructing the robot to move to the frontage where the picking is possible, the containment vessel (for example, the containment box 103A in FIG. 32) placed in the frontage where the worker cannot pick and the picking by the worker is possible. The goods may be moved by replacing the containment vessel (for example, the containment box 103B) that is placed in the frontage and does not store the goods for which delivery to the delivery destination is instructed by the order information.

As a result, when each article is stored in the storage box, it is possible to transfer each storage box.

In addition, the order information includes information indicating the quantity of goods to be delivered to the delivery destination, and the management computer cannot pick the goods stored in the frontage, which cannot be picked by the worker, or when the robot cannot pick the goods stored in the frontage. When the quantity of articles to be picked from the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker exceeds a predetermined threshold, the articles stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker are moved to the frontage that can be picked by the worker. As information to instruct the robot, a storage container placed in a frontage that cannot be picked by a worker and a storage container placed in a frontage that can be picked by a worker, and delivery to a delivery destination is instructed by order information. The robot outputs information instructing to replace the storage container that does not store the article (for example, the instruction in step 2904 based on the result of step 2804), and the robot replaces the storage container according to the instruction output from the management computer. By doing so, the article may be moved.

As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the time required for transfer even when the number of articles to be transferred is large, and it is possible to transfer articles that cannot be worked by the robot by the robot.

Further, at least one of the plurality of frontages that can be picked by a worker is a frontage dedicated to movement for storing articles moved from the other frontage (for example, a frontage in which the transfer box 3101 of FIG. 31 is stored). When the robot receives information instructing the robot to move the article stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to the frontage that can be picked by the worker, the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker is received. The article stored in (for example, the frontage in which the storage box 103A of FIG. 31 is stored) may be moved to the frontage dedicated to movement.

This reduces work mistakes.

Further, the storage shelf has a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker, and the frontage dedicated to movement has a plurality of booths corresponding to the plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker (for example, frontages 3301E to 3301G). When the robot receives information instructing the robot to move the article stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to the frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot cannot be picked by the worker. Articles stored in the frontage are moved to the booth corresponding to the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker, and in the human work area, each frontage other than the frontage dedicated to movement and a plurality of frontages corresponding to each frontage are provided. A display device (for example, the output unit 403 shown in FIG. 33) is provided, and each display device displays information about an article to be picked from each frontage and each booth corresponding to each display device.

This reduces work mistakes.

Further, the storage shelf has a plurality of frontages (for example, frontages 3301A to 3301C) that cannot be picked by the worker, and the management calculator is close to the frontage dedicated to movement among the plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker. An instruction is transmitted to the frontage (for example, frontage 3301B) to store a type of goods frequently shipped from the warehouse.

As a result, the time required for the work of transferring the goods is shortened.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described examples, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-mentioned examples have been described in detail for a better understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations of the description.

Further, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means and the like may be realized by hardware by designing a part or all of them by, for example, an integrated circuit. Further, each of the above configurations, functions, and the like may be realized by software by the processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in non-volatile semiconductor memories, hard disk drives, storage devices such as SSDs (Solid State Drives), or non-readable computers such as IC cards, SD cards, and DVDs. It can be stored in a temporary data storage medium.

In addition, the control lines and information lines are shown as necessary for explanation, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the product. In practice, it can be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected.

101 Storage area 102 Storage shelf 103 Storage box 104 Person work area 105 Sorting worker 106 Gate 107 Sorting shelf 108 Sorting box 109 Robot work area 110 Robot 111 Transport vehicle 112 Sorting box replacement worker 113 Conveyor 114 Instruction terminal 115 Upper system 116 Overall Management computer

Claims (17)

A picking system including a robot that picks articles stored in a warehouse, a transport vehicle that transports the storage shelves in which the articles are stored, and a management computer that communicates with the robot and the transport vehicle.
The warehouse includes a robot work area in which the robot picks the article from the storage shelf and a human work area in which a worker picks the article from the storage shelf.
The transport vehicle transports the storage shelf to the robot work area,
The robot moves an article stored in the storage shelf at a position where the worker cannot pick it to a position in the storage shelf where the worker can pick it.
When the movement of the article by the robot is completed, the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf from the robot work area to the man work area.
The management computer is a picking system characterized by outputting information instructing the worker to pick an article moved by the robot. The picking system according to claim 1.
The article is stored in a containment vessel placed on the containment shelf.
The robot moves the article by exchanging the positions of the containment vessel placed in a position where picking by the worker is not possible and the containment vessel placed in a position where picking by the worker is possible. A picking system characterized by doing. The picking system according to claim 1.
The storage shelves each have a plurality of frontages for storing articles.
The management calculator
Storage shelf information indicating the type of articles stored in each of the frontages, human workable position information indicating the frontages that can be picked by the worker among the plurality of frontages, and articles to be delivered to the delivery destination. The order information indicating the type of the item and the item type information indicating whether the robot can pick the various different items are retained.
Articles stored in the frontage of the storage shelf that cannot be picked by the worker and articles of the type that cannot be picked by the robot stored in the storage shelf are delivered to the same delivery destination according to the order information. Information instructing the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelf to the robot work area when it is determined that the article should be picked, and an article stored in a frontage where picking by the worker is not possible. Information that instructs the robot to move to a frontage that allows picking by the worker, and information that instructs the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelf from the robot work area to the human work area. A picking system characterized by outputting. The picking system according to claim 3.
The articles stored in each of the frontages are stored in the containment vessel placed in each of the frontages.
When the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot can pick the article. The containment vessel placed in a frontage that is not, and the containment vessel that is placed in a frontage that can be picked by the worker and does not store the article for which delivery to the delivery destination is instructed by the order information. A picking system characterized in that the article is moved by exchanging. The picking system according to claim 4.
The order information includes information indicating the quantity of goods to be delivered to the delivery destination.
The management computer determines the number of articles to be picked from the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker when the robot cannot pick the articles stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker or from the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker. When the threshold value is exceeded, the picking by the worker is used as information for instructing the robot to move the article stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to the frontage that can be picked by the worker. The storage container placed in a frontage that is not possible, and the storage container that is placed in a frontage that allows picking by the worker and does not store an article for which delivery to the delivery destination is instructed by the order information. Outputs information instructing to replace with,
The robot is a picking system characterized in that the article is moved by exchanging the containment vessel according to an instruction output from the management computer. The picking system according to claim 3.
Of the plurality of frontages, at least one of the frontages that can be picked by the worker is a movement-only frontage that stores articles moved from the other frontages.
When the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot can pick the article. A picking system characterized in that an article stored in a frontage other than the above is moved to the frontage dedicated to movement. The picking system according to claim 6.
The storage shelf has a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
The movement-only frontage is divided into a plurality of booths that can be picked by the worker , corresponding to a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
When the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot can pick the article. The article stored in the frontage is moved to the booth that can be picked by the worker, which corresponds to the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker.
The human work area is provided with a plurality of display devices, each of which corresponds to each frontage other than the movement-only frontage and each booth.
Each display device is a picking system characterized by displaying information about an article to be picked from each frontage and each booth corresponding to each display device. The picking system according to claim 6.
The storage shelf has a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
The management computer transmits an instruction to store an item of a type frequently shipped from the warehouse to a frontage close to the frontage dedicated to movement among a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker. The featured picking system. The picking system according to claim 1.
The warehouse further includes a storage area in which the storage shelves are located.
The transport vehicle
The storage shelf is transported from the storage area to the robot work area,
A picking system characterized in that when the picking by the worker is completed, the storage shelf is transported from the human work area to the storage area. A control method for a picking system including a robot that picks articles stored in a warehouse, a transport vehicle that transports the storage shelves in which the articles are stored, and a management computer that communicates with the robot and the transport vehicle. ,
The warehouse includes a robot work area in which the robot picks the article from the storage shelf and a human work area in which a worker picks the article from the storage shelf.
The control method is
The first step in which the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf to the robot work area, and
The robot moves an article stored in the storage shelf at a position where the worker cannot pick it to a position in the storage shelf where the worker can pick it. 2 steps and
When the movement of the article by the robot is completed, the transport vehicle conveys the storage shelf from the robot work area to the human work area.
A control method for a picking system, wherein the management computer includes a fourth step of outputting information instructing the worker to pick an article moved by the robot. The method for controlling a picking system according to claim 10.
The storage shelves each have a plurality of frontages for storing articles.
The management calculator
Storage shelf information indicating the type of articles stored in each of the frontages, human workable position information indicating the frontages that can be picked by the worker among the plurality of frontages, and articles to be delivered to the delivery destination. The order information indicating the type of the item and the item type information indicating whether the robot can pick the various different items are retained.
The control method of the picking system is
The article stored in the frontage of the storage shelf that cannot be picked by the worker and the article of the type stored in the storage shelf that cannot be picked by the robot are the same according to the order information. A fifth step of outputting information instructing the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelf to the robot work area when it is determined that the product is instructed to be delivered to the delivery destination of the robot.
A sixth procedure in which the management computer outputs information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker.
The management computer further includes a seventh step of outputting information instructing the transport vehicle to transport the storage shelf from the robot work area to the human work area.
A control method for a picking system, wherein the first procedure, the second procedure, and the third procedure are executed according to the fifth procedure, the sixth procedure, and the seventh procedure, respectively. The picking system control method according to claim 11.
The articles stored in each of the frontages are stored in the containment vessel placed in each of the frontages.
In the second procedure, when the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot receives the information. The containment vessel placed in the frontage where picking by the worker is not possible and the article placed in the frontage where picking by the worker is possible and instructed to be delivered to the delivery destination by the order information are stored. A method for controlling a picking system, which comprises moving the article by replacing the containment vessel which is not used. The control method of the picking system according to claim 12.
The order information includes information indicating the quantity of goods to be delivered to the delivery destination.
In the sixth procedure, the management computer is picked when the robot cannot pick the article stored in the frontage where the worker cannot pick, or from the frontage where the worker cannot pick. As information for instructing the robot to move the articles stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to the frontage that can be picked by the worker when the quantity of the goods to be picked exceeds a predetermined threshold. The storage container placed in the frontage where picking by the worker is not possible and the article placed in the frontage where picking by the worker is possible and instructed to be delivered to the delivery destination by the order information are stored. Outputs information instructing to replace the storage container that has not been installed.
A control method for a picking system, wherein in the second procedure, the robot moves the article by exchanging the containment vessel according to an instruction output from the management computer. The picking system control method according to claim 11.
Of the plurality of frontages, at least one of the frontages that can be picked by the worker is a movement-only frontage that stores articles moved from the other frontages.
In the second procedure, when the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot receives the information. A control method for a picking system, which comprises moving an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by an operator to the frontage dedicated to movement. The control method of the picking system according to claim 14.
The storage shelf has a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
The movement-only frontage is divided into a plurality of booths that can be picked by the worker, corresponding to a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
In the second procedure, when the robot receives information instructing the robot to move an article stored in a frontage that cannot be picked by the worker to a frontage that can be picked by the worker, the robot receives the information. Articles stored in the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker are moved to the booth that can be picked by the worker, which corresponds to the frontage that cannot be picked by the worker.
The human work area is provided with a plurality of display devices, each of which corresponds to each frontage other than the movement-only frontage and each booth.
A control method for a picking system, wherein each display device displays information about an article to be picked from each frontage and each booth corresponding to each display device. The control method of the picking system according to claim 14.
The storage shelf has a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker.
In the control method of the picking system, the management computer stores items of a type frequently shipped from the warehouse in a frontage close to the frontage dedicated to movement among a plurality of frontages that cannot be picked by the worker. A method of controlling a picking system, which further comprises a procedure for transmitting instructions to be performed. The method for controlling a picking system according to claim 10.
The warehouse further includes a storage area in which the storage shelves are located.
In the first procedure, the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf from the storage area to the robot work area.
The control method of the picking system further includes an eighth step in which the transport vehicle transports the storage shelf from the human work area to the storage area when the picking by the worker is completed. Control method.

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