JP6892068B2 - Goods storage device and goods moving device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article storage device such as a warehouse, and more particularly to an article storage device capable of moving articles within the article storage device. The present invention also relates to an article moving device that is arranged on a gantry member on which an article is placed and conveys an article.

In large warehouses, shelves are often provided so that the internal space can be used effectively and many items can be stored. In the old large warehouse, shelves were lined up at predetermined intervals, and goods were placed on the shelves by a transport device such as a forklift.
In recent years, in order to make more effective use of the space in the warehouse, an article placing device having a function of moving articles on the shelf itself may be installed in the warehouse.
Here, as a measure for moving the article, there are a structure in which the conveyor device is installed in the shelf as in Patent Document 1 and a structure in which the article moving device as disclosed in Patent Document 2 is moved.

The article moving device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a vehicle body having traveling wheels and a mounting table that can be raised and lowered, and is self-propelled.
In addition, a running rail is laid on the shelf side. The traveling rail has a traveling path on which traveling wheels travel. And there is a mounting surface on which the article is placed at a position higher than the running path. On the mounting surface, a pallet containing the contents to be stored in the warehouse is placed.
In the article moving device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the article moving device is moved under the pallet, the pedestal is raised to scoop up the pallet, the traveling wheel is rotated, and the article is moved on the traveling rail. ..

Further, in an article storage device equipped with an article moving device, an object detecting means such as an ultrasonic sensor is provided in the article moving device for the purpose of preventing collision of articles and keeping the distance between articles constant. There is.
In the article storage device disclosed in Patent Document 2, an object detection means is attached to a vehicle body portion of the article moving device. More specifically, the article storage device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a first object detection means and a second object detection means, both of which are attached to a vehicle body portion of the article moving device. There is.
Then, the article moving device is moved with the article placed on the article moving device, and when the first object detecting means detects an existing pallet in front, the traveling speed of the article moving device is reduced, and the second object detecting means is used. Stops the movement of the article moving device when it detects an existing pallet.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-148894 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-157686

In the article storage device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the object detection means attached to the vehicle body portion of the article moving device avoids collision of articles and keeps the distance between articles constant.
However, in the article storage device disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a concern that the object detection means may cause erroneous detection.
That is, in the article moving device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the object detecting means is attached to the main body side of the article moving device.
Here, in the article moving device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the existing pallet is placed on a mounting surface installed at a position higher than the traveling path.
On the other hand, the main body side of the article moving device travels on a traveling path located below the mounting surface. Therefore, in the article moving device disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a difference between the mounting height of the object detecting means and the height of the pallet to be detected. Therefore, the object detection means detects the pallet to be detected from diagonally below, and may not be able to accurately detect the reflection of ultrasonic waves or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to pay attention to the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide an article storage device and an article moving device with less false detection of object detection means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article moving device having a function of confirming which end is the front and which is the back.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article moving device such as a forklift that can easily insert a claw.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article moving device that is easy to use and has no distinction between front and back.

A first aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, and a pedestal member on which the plurality of articles are placed. The gantry member has an article moving device that runs on its own to move the article, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed in the moving direction of the article. The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member, and the article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions. It is possible to travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheel, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member is moved. After projecting above the upper end of the mounting portion and moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, and the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device. It is possible to lower the holding member to move the article to another position of the gantry member, and it has an object detecting means for detecting the existence of an existing object mounted on the mounting portion, and the object detecting The means is an article storage device characterized in that it is attached to a member that moves up and down.

In the article storage device of this embodiment, the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down. Therefore, the height of the object detection means can be made close to the height of the object to be detected such as a pallet. Desirably, the height of the object detection means overlaps with a part of the object to be detected such as a pallet.
Further, by lowering the height of the object detection means, the article moving device can be slipped under the existing pallet or the like or passed under the existing pallet or the like.

The traveling wheel is moved with the object detecting means raised to travel on the article moving device, and when the object detecting means detects the presence of the article, the article moving device is placed under the article with the object detecting means lowered. It is desirable to be able to sneak in.

It is desirable that the object detection means is attached to the holding member.

The holding member has a function of raising and lowering to scoop up an article. Therefore, it is suitable as a member for attaching the object detection means.

In each of the above aspects, the length measuring means for measuring the length of the article is provided, and the length measuring means has the presence detecting means for detecting whether or not the article is present above the article moving device. It is desirable to run the article moving device with the article moving device submerged under the article and measure the length of the article based on the detection status of the presence detecting means and the mileage of the article moving device.

The articles contained in the article storage device are not limited to a certain size. For example, even when the contents are placed on the pallet and stored in the article storage device, the total length of the pallet may be long or short.
Therefore, in the case where pallets with a short overall length are arranged side by side, if the article moving device is stopped while straddling under the front and rear pallets and the holding member is raised, the front and rear Both sides of the pallet will be pushed up from below, and the pallet cannot be raised correctly.
This aspect deals with such a case, and the length of the article can be measured by the length measuring means. Therefore, the article moving device can be stopped at a position where the pallet does not have a crotch, and an article such as a pallet can be placed at a predetermined position of the holding member.

In each of the above aspects, the article moving device has either a detection sensor or a detection member, and the gantry member has a detection sensor or a detection sensor or a direction detection means composed of a pair of detection sensors and a member to be detected. There is the other side of the detected member, and the mounting position of the pair of detected sensors and the detected member is such that when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, the detected sensor is the detected member. Is detected, and when the one side side of the article moving device faces in the opposite direction to the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, the detection sensor cannot detect the detected member, and is in front of and behind the traveling direction. When the detection sensor detects the detected member, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor does not detect the detected member. It is desirable to adopt a configuration in which the traveling wheels rotate so that the other side is in the forward direction.

Further, in each of the above aspects, there is a stopper at the end of the gantry member to prevent the article moving device from falling, and the article moving device has a detection sensor and a detected member, and the article moving device is either a detection sensor or a detected member. There is one, the stopper has the detection sensor or the other of the detected member, and the mounting position of the detection sensor and the detected member is near the end of the gantry member with one side of the article moving device facing a specific direction. In some cases, the detection sensor may detect the member to be detected, and the detection sensor may detect the member to be detected when the one side of the article moving device faces in the opposite direction to the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. It is not in a position and has a front-back determining means for determining the front-back direction of the traveling direction. When the detection sensor detects a member to be detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor moves When the member to be detected is not detected, it is desirable that the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction.

Further, in each of the above-described aspects, the detection sensor and the detected member are provided, and the detection sensor or the detected member is provided on each of the side surface portions on both sides with respect to the traveling direction of the article moving device. As for the mounting position of the article, when one side along the traveling direction of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, only one detection sensor detects the member to be detected, and the article moving device is attached. When the one side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, only the other detection sensor is at the position where the detected member is detected, and there is a front-back determining means for determining the front-back of the traveling direction. However, when one of the detection sensors detects the member to be detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and when the other detection sensor detects the member to be detected, the other side moves forward. It is desirable that the traveling wheels rotate in the direction.

The aspect of having the detection sensor and the member to be detected described above has a function of confirming which end of the article moving device is the front and which is the back.
This will be described below.
Generally, the gantry member has a multi-stage structure, and has a three-story or four-story structure.
In addition, the article moving device is installed on the traveling path of each stage by a forklift, a crane, or the like. Then, the motor of the traveling wheel rotates by receiving a wireless or wired signal from the control device installed outside, and travels on the traveling path.
Here, since it is necessary for the article moving device to move forward and backward, it must be installed in a predetermined direction on a traveling path or the like.
That is, it is necessary to place the article moving device in a direction in which the motor is rotated forward to move forward and the motor is rotated backward to move backward.
However, as described above, since the article moving device is installed on the traveling path of each stage by using a forklift, a crane, or the like, it is difficult to confirm the orientation of the article moving device at the time of installation. Therefore, there are cases where the surface that should originally face forward is installed facing backward.
When installed in this way, when a command to rotate the motor of the traveling wheel is received from the control device installed outside, the article moving device runs out of control in the direction opposite to the direction in which it should originally go.
As a measure for solving this problem, it is recommended to adopt a configuration that determines the front and back of the article moving device when the article moving device is installed on the traveling path.
The above-described aspect is a specific example of this measure, and has a direction detecting means composed of a pair of detection sensors and a member to be detected. In this embodiment, the mounting position of the pair of detection sensors and the member to be detected is such that the detection sensor detects the member to be detected when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. This is a position where the detection sensor cannot detect the detected member when the one side side of the moving device faces in the direction opposite to the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. Therefore, the direction in which the article moving device is placed can be known from the detection status of the detection sensor.
The article storage device of this embodiment further has a front-rear determination means, and when the detection sensor detects a detected member, the traveling wheel rotates so that either one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor detects the detected member. If the member is not detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction.
According to the article storage device of this aspect, the context of the article moving device is automatically determined.

It is desirable to have a storage means and to store the context determined by the context-determining means in the storage means.

In the configuration having the direction detection means, the position confirmation means including at least a pair of position confirmation detection sensors and the position confirmation detected member is provided, and the position confirmation detection sensor is a detection sensor constituting the direction detection means. Is another sensor, and it is desirable that the front-rear determination means determines the front-rear direction on condition that the position confirmation detection sensor detects the position-confirmed member to be detected.

According to this aspect, erroneous detection of the detection sensor constituting the direction detecting means is prevented.

In each of the above aspects, there is a correction guide member that corrects the posture of the article, and the guide member is provided outside or near the mounting portion, and the posture of the article placed on the mounting portion deviates from the normal state. It is desirable that the guide member comes into contact with the article and the posture of the article is corrected to a normal state when the article moving device is moved in the state of being in contact with the article.

According to this aspect, the posture of the article placed on the article moving device can be automatically corrected.

In each of the above aspects, the article moving device can be conveyed by a separately prepared transport device, the transport device has a claw, and a claw storage member into which the claw is inserted is provided in the main body of the article moving device. It is desirable that a part of the claw storage member protrudes outward from the plane formed by the main body of the article moving device.

According to this aspect, it is easy to confirm the position of the claw storage member when transporting the article moving device by a forklift or the like.

It is desirable to have an upper confirmation sensor that detects whether or not an object is present on the upper part, and that the upper confirmation sensor is provided on a protruding portion that protrudes outward from the plane formed by the main body of the claw storage member. ..

The upper confirmation sensor can be used for any purpose, for example, it can detect the movement of an object on an article moving device. Further, the length of the article may be measured by the upper confirmation sensor.

It has a traveling mechanism that rotates the traveling wheels, the traveling mechanism has a roller with a built-in traveling motor, and the roller with a built-in traveling motor has a motor built in the roller body and the roller body rotates. Power transmission engaging members are mounted or formed near both ends of the roller body, the traveling motor built-in roller is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the article moving device, and the traveling wheel is powered. The elevating mechanism has a roller with a built-in elevating motor and a cam, and rotates by receiving power transmission from the engaging member via another power transmission member or directly from the engaging member for power transmission. The built-in roller has a motor built in the roller body to rotate the roller body, and power transmission engaging members are mounted or formed in the vicinity of both ends of the roller body. Arranged in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the moving device, the cam rotates by receiving power transmission from the power transmission engaging member via another power transmission member or directly from the power transmission engagement member. It is desirable to do.

According to this aspect, the compatibility of parts is high when manufacturing article moving devices having different widths.

An embodiment provided with an article moving device capable of confirming the front-rear direction is an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, and a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed. The gantry member has an article moving device that runs on its own to move the article, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed in the moving direction of the article. The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member, and the article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions. It is possible to travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheel, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member is moved. After projecting above the upper end of the mounting portion and moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, and the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device. It is possible to lower the holding member to move the article to another position of the gantry member, and it has a direction detecting means composed of a pair of detection sensors and a member to be detected, and the article moving device has a detection sensor. Alternatively, there is one of the members to be detected, the gantry member has the detection sensor or the other member to be detected, and the attachment position of the pair of detection sensors and the member to be detected is such that one side of the article moving device is in a specific direction. The detection sensor detects the member to be detected when facing and near the end of the gantry member, and detects when the one side side of the article moving device faces in the opposite direction to the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. It is a position where the sensor cannot detect the member to be detected, has a front-rear determination means for determining the front-back direction in the traveling direction, and when the detection sensor detects the member to be detected, one side is in the forward direction. This is an article storage device characterized in that when the traveling wheel rotates and the detection sensor does not detect the member to be detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction.

A desirable embodiment of an article moving device such as a fork lift that can easily insert a claw is an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, and a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and a self-supporting member. It has an article moving device that runs to move the article, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article extends in the moving direction of the article. The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member, and the article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions. It is possible to travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheel, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member is placed. Protruding above the upper end of the portion, after moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, and the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device to move the holding member. Can be lowered to move the article to another position of the gantry member, the article moving device can be transported by a separately prepared transport device, the transport device has a claw, and the article moving device has a claw. A claw storage member into which the claw is inserted is provided in the main body portion of the article, and a part of the claw storage member has a protruding portion protruding outward from the plane formed by the main body portion of the article moving device, and has a protruding portion at the upper part. It is an article storage device having an upper confirmation sensor for detecting whether or not an object exists, and the upper confirmation sensor is provided at the protruding portion of the claw storage member.

A desirable mode of the article moving device is that the article moving device is arranged on a traveling path and a pedestal member having two or more rows of mounting portions extending in a straight line, and is rotated by power in the article moving device that travels on the traveling path and conveys articles. It has a traveling wheel, a holding member for holding the article, and an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the holding member. The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and rotates the traveling wheel to rotate the traveling path. When the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion. After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It can be moved to another position, has an object detecting means for detecting the presence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detecting means is attached to a member that moves up and down. It is an article moving device characterized by.

Another aspect of the article moving device is that the article moving device is arranged on a traveling path and a pedestal member having two or more rows of mounting portions extending in a straight line, and travels on the traveling path to convey articles. It has a traveling wheel that rotates by means of a traveling wheel, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member. The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and rotates the traveling wheel. It is possible to travel on the running path, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member is above the upper end of the mounting portion. It is possible to project, scoop up the article, rotate the traveling wheel to move the article moving device, lower the holding member to move the article to another position of the gantry member, and the article moving device is separate. It can be transported by a prepared transport device, the transport device has a claw, and a claw storage member into which the claw is inserted is provided in the main body of the article moving device, and a part of the claw storage member moves the article. There is a protruding part that protrudes outward from the plane formed by the main body of the device, and it has an upper confirmation sensor that detects whether or not an object exists on the upper part, and the upper confirmation sensor is the above-mentioned nail storage member. It is an article moving device characterized by being provided in a protruding portion.

In another aspect, in an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, a pedestal member on which the plurality of articles are placed and an article that self-propells to move the articles. It has a moving device, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article, and the article moving device is positive by power. It has a traveling wheel that rotates in the direction and the opposite direction, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member. By rotating, the traveling path can be traveled in the forward direction and the reverse direction. When the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member is lowered. Projects above the upper end of the mounting portion, moves the article moving device under the article, then raises the holding member to scoop up the article with the holding member, and rotates the traveling wheel to move the article moving device. , The holding member can be lowered to move the article to another position of the gantry member, and the object detecting means for detecting the existence of the existing object mounted on the mounting portion is the positive of the article moving device. It is an article storage device characterized in that it is provided on both the directional side and the opposite direction side.

Since the article moving device used in the article storage device of this embodiment has object detection means on both the forward side and the reverse direction side, the forward side may be used as the front side, and the reverse side may be used as the front side. You may. Therefore, the article moving device used in the article storage device of this embodiment is easy to use because there is no distinction between front and back.

In the above aspect, it is desirable that the article moving device is equipped with a storage battery and that the connector for supplying power to the storage battery is provided at two or more places.

In another aspect, in an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, a pedestal member on which the plurality of articles are placed and an article that self-propells to move the articles. It has a moving device, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article, and the article moving device is rotated by power. It has a traveling wheel, a holding member for holding the article, and an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the holding member. The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions, and the traveling path is rotated by rotating the traveling wheel. When the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion. After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move to another position, and it is possible to detect whether or not an object exists at a position above the article moving device and deviating from the upper region of the holding member in the traveling direction side of the article moving device. It is an article storage device characterized by having an upper confirmation sensor.

In another aspect, in an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles, a pedestal member on which the plurality of articles are placed and an article that self-propells to move the articles. It has a moving device, and the gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article, and the article moving device is rotated by power. It has a traveling wheel, a holding member for holding the article, and an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the holding member. The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions, and the traveling path is rotated by rotating the traveling wheel. When the holding member is lowered, the holding member sinks below the upper end of the mounting portion, and when the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion. After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It has a cam that can be moved to another position and raises and lowers the holding member, and the cam and the traveling wheel are relatively rotatable and rotate around a common axis. It is an article storage device.

According to this aspect, the article storage device can be miniaturized.

The article storage device of the present invention has an article moving device having an object detecting means for detecting the presence of an existing object mounted on a mounting portion. The article storage device of the present invention has few false detections of the object detection means.
Further, the article moving device of the present invention can easily insert a claw such as a forklift.
Further, the article moving device of the present invention is easy to use because there is no distinction between front and back.

It is a perspective view of the article storage apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the inner surface of one accommodating part of the frame member of the article storage apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the end part of the gantry member of the article storage device of FIG. It is a perspective view of the article moving device adopted by the article storage device of FIG. 1, and shows the state in which the holding member is lowered. It is a perspective view of the article moving device of FIG. 3, and shows the state which raised the holding member. It is an exploded perspective view of the article moving device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the article moving device of FIG. It is a perspective view which took out and depicted the elevating mechanism part of the article moving device of FIG. FIG. 3A is a front view and a side view for conceptually explaining a state in which an article moving device of FIG. 3 is arranged between two traveling guide members of a gantry member and a pallet and an inclusion are present on the pedestal member. The state in which the member is lowered is illustrated, and (b) shows the state in which the holding member is raised. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an extracted traveling mechanism portion of the article moving device of FIG. It is a perspective view explaining the relationship between an article moving device and an existing pallet, and shows the state which the article moving device travels on a traveling path and is approaching an existing pallet. (A) and (b) are explanatory views explaining the relationship between each sensor and a mirror (the member to be detected for confirmation) in a state where the article moving device is at the end of the accommodating portion. It is a block diagram of the control device of the article moving device. (A) to (f) are explanatory views showing a series of operations when moving a pallet by an article moving device. (A) to (f) are explanatory views showing a series of operations when moving a pallet with an article moving device and arranging the pallets on an existing pallet. (A) to (f) are explanatory views showing a series of operations when traveling the article moving device and passing it under the existing pallet. (A) to (f) are explanatory views which show a series of operations at the time of measuring the total length of a pallet by an article moving apparatus. (A) to (e) are explanatory views showing a series of operations when the posture of the pallet placed on the article moving device is corrected by running the article moving device. It is a perspective view of the article moving apparatus adopted in another embodiment of this invention. (A) and (b) are explanatory views explaining the relationship between each sensor and a mirror in a state where the article moving device is at the end of the accommodating portion in another embodiment of the present invention. (A) and (b) are explanatory views explaining the relationship between each sensor and a mirror in the state where the article moving device is at the end of the accommodating portion in still another embodiment of the present invention. 19 is an explanatory view for explaining the function of the article moving device shown in FIG. 19, in which FIG. 19A shows a state in which the claws of a forklift are brought close to the pallet in order to move the pallet on the article moving device, and FIG. The state in which the claw is inserted is shown, and (c) shows the state in which the pallet is moved from the article moving device. It is a perspective view of the article moving apparatus adopted in another embodiment of this invention, (a) shows the state which the object detection means is raised, and (b) shows the state which the object detection means is lowered. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the article moving device schematicly, (a) is a narrow article moving device, and (b) is a wide article moving device. It is an exploded perspective view of the article moving device of still another embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the article moving device of FIG. 25. It is a perspective view which took out and depicted the elevating mechanism part and the traveling mechanism part of the article moving device of FIG. It is a perspective view of the article moving device of still another embodiment of this invention. FIG. 28 is a partially broken perspective view of the article moving device of FIG. 28. It is explanatory drawing explaining the function of the article moving device of still another Embodiment of this invention, (a) shows the state which brought the claw of the forklift close to the pallet in order to move the pallet on the article moving device, (a). b) shows a state in which the claw is inserted into the pallet, and (c) shows a state in which the pallet is moved from the article moving device.

The article storage device 1 of the present embodiment includes a gantry member 2 and a plurality of article moving devices 6.
The gantry member 2 is a kind of shelf, and has elongated housing portions 3 provided in three rows and four stages.
The article moving device 6 is located in each accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2, and travels in each accommodating portion 3 as described later.
The container 57 is housed in the gantry member 2 in a state of being placed on the pallet 8.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in each accommodating portion 3, a pair of traveling guide members 10a and 10b are provided in parallel with a certain distance. As shown in FIG. 2, the gantry member 2 is a structure composed of a plurality of upright columns 4a and support beams 4b fixed to the columns 4a in a horizontal posture.

In the gantry member 2, two traveling guide members 10a and 10b are fixed to the support column 4a as a set.
The pair of traveling guide members 10a and 10b are provided in parallel with a distance capable of securing a space 28 in which the article moving device 6 travels and placing the pallet 8 on the space 28. Therefore, the distance between the traveling guide members 10a and 10b is wider than the width of the article moving device 6 and shorter than the total length of the pallet 8.

Each of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b is a long member in which the traveling path 12 on which the article moving device 6 travels and the mounting portion 11 on which the pallet 8 is mounted are integrated.
Specifically, the traveling guide members 10a and 10b are made by bending a metal plate. The outer shape of each of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b is as shown in FIG. 3, and there are horizontal portions at the upper end and the intermediate portion.
That is, the traveling guide members 10a and 10b have a horizontal mounting portion 11 on the upper end surface. Further, there is a horizontal running path 12 in the middle portion. Then, there is an inclined wall portion 13 and an upper vertical wall portion 14 between the mounting portion 11 on the upper end surface and the traveling path 12 in the intermediate portion. Further, the traveling path 12 is connected to the lower vertical wall 15.
The accommodation space 28 of the accommodation unit 3 is composed of two traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
The traveling guide members 10a and 10b extend long in the moving direction of the pallet 8.

Focusing on the ends of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b, stoppers 16a and 16b are provided as shown in FIG. The stoppers 16a and 16b are protective walls for preventing the article moving device 6 from falling off, and are vertical walls at the end of the traveling path 12.

Further, positioning detected members 17A and 17B and direction detection detected members 18 are provided near the ends of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b (FIGS. 3 and 12). The detected members 17A, 17B, and 18 are all reflective members.
One of the positioning detected members 17A is provided on one of the traveling guide members 10a as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12. The other positioning detected member 17B is provided on the other traveling guide member 10b as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12.
The two members 17A and 17B to be detected are in opposite positions. That is, the two members to be detected 17A and 17B are at the same distance from the stoppers 16a and 16b.
The direction detection detected member 18 is provided only on one of the traveling guide members 10b. The direction detection detected member 18 is between the stopper 16b and the detected member 17B.

The traveling guide members 10a and 10b have a length extending over the entire length of the gantry member 2, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 18, correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are installed in the middle portion thereof. There is. Specifically, the correction guide members 5a and 5b are installed on the traveling guide member 10a, and the correction guide members 5c and 5d are installed on the traveling guide member 10b. The correction guide members 5a and 5b provided on the traveling guide member 10a and the correction guide members 5c and 5d provided on the traveling guide member 10b are located at opposite positions.
The correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are located outside the traveling guide members 10a and 10b, and are arranged in a posture in which the axes are vertical. The positions of the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d in the height direction are heights corresponding to slightly above the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
That is, the arrangement positions of the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are outside the traveling guide members 10a and 10b in the width direction of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b (the width direction of the space 28 in which the article moving device 6 travels). It is located slightly above the mounting portion 11 in the height direction.

Next, the article moving device 6 will be described. The article moving device 6 is composed of a main body 30 and a holding member 31 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. Further, claw storage members 55a, b, c, d, main body side sensor holding members 7, 9 and connector holding members 130a, 130b are provided in the lower part of the main body portion 30. The holding member 31 is provided with elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b.
As shown in FIG. 7, the main body portion 30 has an elevating mechanism 35, a traveling mechanism 36, a storage battery 37, and a control device 38 built in the main body case 33. As shown in FIG. 7, the main body case 33 is a box having an open upper surface, a substantially square planar shape, and a low height.

The elevating mechanism 35 built in the main body case 33 constitutes an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the holding member 31. As shown in FIG. 8, the elevating mechanism 35 includes four cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, a roller 41 (MDR) with a built-in elevating motor, and a power transmission unit that engages the two.
As shown in FIG. 8, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are plate cams having contours that draw an involute curve. The holding member 31 comes into contact with the outer shells of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d.
The cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are divided into two sets and arranged near the long side of the main body case 33 as shown in FIG.
The cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are rotatably supported by bearings whose rotating shafts are not shown. A toothed pulley 42 is provided on the rotating shaft.

The roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor has a motor (not shown) and a speed reducer (not shown) built in a cylindrical roller body 50, and fixed shafts project from both ends of the roller body 50. The roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor rotates the outer cylindrical roller body 50 by driving the motor 22.
In the actual roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor, the motor unit 21 in which the motor and the speed reducer are integrated is built in the roller main body 50. The motor unit 21 is compatible, and the same motor unit 21 can be applied to the roller main bodies 50 having different lengths to manufacture the roller 41 with a built-in elevating motor.
In the present embodiment, four toothed pulleys 43 are mounted on the outer periphery of the roller body 50 as power transmission engaging members. Two toothed pulleys 43 are provided at both ends of the roller main body 50.

The roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor is in a region sandwiched by cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d. The toothed belt 45 is engaged with both the four toothed pulleys 43 of the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor and the toothed pulleys 42 of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d, respectively.
The mounting posture of the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor is a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the article moving device 6.

When the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor is driven, the four toothed pulleys 43 provided on the outer periphery of the roller body 50 rotate, and the rotation is on the cam 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d side via the toothed belt 45. The cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are rotated by being transmitted to the toothed pulley 42.
As described above, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d are in contact with the holding member 31, and the holding member 31 moves up and down as the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d rotate.
A limit switch (not shown) is installed in the vicinity of any of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d. It is detected by this limit switch that the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d have moved to a specific rotational posture. That is, the specific rotational posture is a posture in which the holding member 31 is pushed up to the upper limit and a posture in which the holding member 31 is lowered to the lower limit.
When the limit switch detects that the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d have rotated in this posture, the roller 41 with a built-in elevating motor can be stopped, and the elevating movement of the holding member 31 can be stopped.

As shown in FIG. 10, the traveling mechanism 36 is composed of two sets of traveling devices 46. Each of the traveling devices 46 is composed of a roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor, traveling wheels 61 and 62, and a toothed belt 63.
The traveling motor built-in roller 60 has a motor 22 and a speed reducer 23 built in a cylindrical roller main body 66, and a fixed shaft 67 projects from one end of the roller main body 66. The roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor rotates the outer cylindrical roller body 66 by driving the motor 22.

The motor 22 built into the traveling motor built-in roller 60 used in the present embodiment is a brushless motor having a Hall element built-in. The traveling motor built-in roller 60 adopted in the present embodiment can count the pulse generated by the Hall element of the built-in motor 22 by a counter (not shown), and can detect the rotation speed of the motor.
As for the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor, the motor unit 24 in which the motor 22 and the speed reducer 23 are integrated is built in the roller main body 60. The motor unit 24 is also compatible, and the same motor unit 24 can be applied to the roller main bodies 60 having different lengths to manufacture the traveling motor built-in roller 60.

In the present embodiment, two toothed pulleys 47 are mounted as power transmission engaging members on the outer periphery of the roller body 66 of the traveling motor built-in roller 60.
One toothed pulley 47 is provided at both ends of the roller main body 60.
The mounting posture of the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor is a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the article moving device 6.
The traveling wheels 61 and 62 are rotatably supported by bearings whose rotating shafts are not shown. A toothed pulley 48 is attached to the rotating shaft.
The toothed belt 63 is engaged with both the toothed pulley 47 of the traveling motor built-in roller 60 and the toothed pulley 48 on the traveling wheels 61 and 62 sides.

Therefore, when the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor is rotationally driven, the rotational force is transmitted to the toothed pulley 48 via the toothed pulley 47 and the toothed pulley 47, and the traveling wheels 61 and 62 rotate.

In addition, a storage battery 37 and a control device 38 are built in the main body case 33. The storage battery 37 is a known lithium battery or the like. The storage battery 37 supplies electric power to the elevating motor built-in roller 41 and the traveling motor built-in roller 60. The control device 38 also operates by receiving the electric power of the storage battery 37.
Further, power supply connectors 131a and 131b for charging the storage battery 37 are provided on the connector holding members 130a and 130b provided on the opposite short side side wall of the main body case 33.

The control device 38 has a built-in receiver for wireless communication. Further, the control device 38 stores a program for executing a series of operations described later. That is, the basic operation program 25 that automatically executes the transfer operation, the progressive operation, the carry-in operation, the pre-alignment operation, the carry-out operation, and the floor shift operation, which will be described later, is stored. The control device 38 has a built-in front / rear determination program 26 for determining the front / rear of the article moving device 6, and a storage means 27 for storing the front / rear relationship determined by the front / rear determination means program.

Looking at the outer circumference of the main body case 33, two track correction rollers 72 are provided on each of the two sides of the main body case 33. The trajectory correction roller 72 is installed so that the rotation axis is in a vertical posture.

One connector holding member 130a and one 130b are provided on each of the pair of short side side walls of the main body case 33.
In addition to the power supply connectors 131a and 131b described above, the connector holding members 130a and 130b are provided with emergency stop buttons 132a and 132b.

Further, on the lower surface of the main body case 33 (lower part of the main body portion 30), claw storage members 55a, b, c, d and main body side sensor holding members 7, 9 (FIG. 6) are provided.
The claw storage members 55a, b, c, and d form a space for inserting the claws (not shown) of the forklift, and are members having a groove-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. The total length of the claw storage members 55a, b, c, d is less than half of the total length of the main body case 33.
The claw storage members 55a, b, c, and d are two members, and are divided into a group of the claw storage members 55a, 55b and a group of the claw storage members 55c, 55d.
For convenience of explanation, if the traveling directions of the article moving device 6 are referred to as the A side and the B side as shown in FIGS. , 55d is the set on the A side.

The claw storage members 55a, b, c, and d of each set are all attached at intervals in the direction along the traveling direction of the article moving device 6. In the present embodiment, the claw storage members 55a, b, c, d are welded to the lower surface of the main body case 33 and cannot be removed.

The main body side sensor holding members 7 and 9 have a plate shape, are on the lower side of the main body case 33, and hang down from the vicinity of the side sides on both sides of the main body case 33.
For convenience of explanation, if the directions perpendicular to the traveling direction of the article moving device 6 are referred to as C side and D side as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the main body side sensor holding member 7 is C of the article moving device 6. It is attached to the side, and the main body side sensor holding member 9 is attached to the D side of the article moving device 6. Each of the main body side sensor holding members 7 and 9 is near the center of the main body case 33 in the longitudinal direction (AB) of the main body case 33.
The posture of the sensor holding members 7 and 9 on the main body side is a posture in which the surface thereof faces the outside.

Proximity sensors such as photoelectric sensors are attached to the sensor holding members 7 and 9 on the main body side. In this embodiment, it is a reflection type sensor and has a light emitting member and a light receiving member (not shown).
In this embodiment, the number of proximity sensors attached to the left and right main body side sensor holding members 7 and 9 is different.
That is, only the position confirmation detection sensor 52a is provided on the main body side sensor holding member 7 on the C side as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 12.
On the other hand, the main body side sensor holding member 9 on the D side is provided with the position confirmation detection sensor 52b and the direction detection sensor 53 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 12.
The position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b attached to the left and right main body side sensor holding members 7 and 9 are both located at the center of the main body case 33 in the longitudinal direction (AB) of the main body case 33.
The direction detection sensor 53 provided on the main body side sensor holding member 9 on the D side is on the B direction side of the position confirmation detection sensor 52b. The distance between the position confirmation detection sensor 52b provided on the main body side sensor holding member 9 and the direction detection sensor 53 is such that the positioning detection member 17B and the direction detection cover provided only on one of the traveling guide members 10b. Equal to the distance to the detection member 18.

The holding member 31 is a member having an exclusive area one size larger than that of the main body case 33, and has a substantially square view in a plan view.
The holding member 31 is placed on the main body case 33. The holding member 31 has a guide (not shown) and moves only in the vertical direction with respect to the main body case 33. The four cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d of the elevating mechanism 35 are in contact with the lower surface side of the holding member 31, and the holding member 31 is supported by the four cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d. Further, the holding member 31 has a degree of freedom in the vertical direction with respect to the main body case 33, and moves up and down as the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d rotate.
4 and 9 (a) show a state in which the holding member 31 is lowered, and FIGS. 5 and 9 (b) show a state in which the holding member 31 is raised.

Notches 100a and 100b are located at both ends (A-side end and B-side end) of the holding member 31 on the traveling direction side and at the center in the width direction. Then, the elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b are attached to the cutout portions 100a and 100b.
The elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b have the same shape and structure. Object detection means 101 and 102 are provided on the elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b, respectively.
The object detection means 101 and 102 are, for example, an ultrasonic sensor or a laser sensor, and are sensors that detect that some object approaches a certain distance.

The two object detecting means 101 and 102 have different detection distances, and one of the object detecting means 101 detects that an object is very close to the object. The other object detecting means 102 detects an object at a slightly distant position.
Further, sensors 103a and 103b are provided on both ends (A side end portion and B side end portion) on the traveling direction side on the upper surface of the holding member 31.
The sensors 103a and 103b are reflective photoelectric sensors for measuring the total length of the pallet 8. The sensors (length measuring means) 103a and 103b are presence detecting means for detecting whether or not an article is present above the holding member 31.

As described above, the above-mentioned article moving device 6 is provided one by one in each accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2. That is, there is one article moving device 6 in each accommodating portion 3. More specifically, the article moving device 6 is installed in the space 28 sandwiched between the traveling guide members 10a and 10b of the gantry member 2, and the traveling wheels 61 and 62 of the article moving device 6 are in the traveling path 12. It is placed on the upper surface of.
The traveling wheels 61 and 62 of the article moving device 6 are in contact with the traveling path 12.
Therefore, when the traveling motor built-in roller 60 is activated to rotate the traveling wheels 61 and 62, the article moving device 6 linearly moves in the elongated space 28 surrounded by the traveling guide members 10a and 10b of the gantry member 2. Further, when the article moving device 6 tries to move in a bent direction for some reason, the track correction roller 72 (FIG. 4) installed outside the main body case 33 of the article moving device 6 is placed on the upper portions of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b. It hits the vertical wall portion 14 and corrects the traveling direction to a straight line direction.
Since the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor can rotate in both the forward direction and the reverse direction, the traveling wheels 61 and 62 rotate in the forward direction and the reverse direction by power. Therefore, the article moving device 6 travels on the traveling path 12 in both the forward direction and the reverse direction.
The forward and reverse directions of the traveling motor built-in roller 60 are only relative, and it is arbitrary whether the right rotation is the forward direction or the left rotation is the forward direction. Similarly, the forward and reverse directions of the article moving device 6 are only relative.

Further, when the elevating mechanism 35 of the article moving device 6 is lowered, the holding member 31 sinks below the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b as shown in FIG. 9A. Therefore, even if the pallet 8 is placed on the traveling guide members 10a and 10b, the holding member 31 of the article moving device 6 does not come into contact with the pallet 8. Therefore, the bottom of the pallet 8 is maintained in contact with the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.

On the other hand, when the elevating mechanism 35 is raised, the holding member 31 rises above the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b as shown in FIG. 9B.
Therefore, if the pallet 8 is mounted on the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b as shown in FIG. 9B, the holding member 31 of the article moving device 6 causes the pallet 8 to move the traveling guide member 10a, Scooped up from 10b, the pallet 8 separates from the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.

The article moving device 6 can carry out three types of independent operations. One of the independent operations is a descent operation, in which the elevating mechanism 35 is lowered by rotating the roller 41 with a built-in elevating motor, and the holding member 31 is submerged below the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b. it can.
The second independent operation is a traveling operation, in which the traveling motor built-in roller 60 can be activated to rotate the traveling wheels 61 and 62.
The third independent operation is an ascending operation, in which the elevating motor built-in roller 41 is rotated in the reverse direction to raise the elevating mechanism 35, and the holding member 31 is projected above the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide member 10. Can be done.
Further, the article moving device 6 can automatically perform a transfer operation for continuously executing the above-mentioned three types of independent operations. The transfer operation is a basic operation of the article moving device 6, and the descent operation, the traveling operation, the ascending operation, the traveling operation, and the descent operation are performed in this order.
The holding member 31 is run in the lowered state in the descent operation, the pallet 8 is scooped up by performing the ascending operation at a predetermined position, the running operation is performed while the pallet 8 is lifted, the pallet 8 is moved, and the descent operation is performed. The pallet 8 can be lowered.

In the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, one article moving device 6 is provided in each accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2.
The article moving device 6 is mounted on a forklift (not shown) and arranged in each accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2. Specifically, the claws of the forklift are inserted into the claw storage members 55a, b, c, d provided at the lower part of the article moving device 6, the claws are raised to lift the article moving device 6, and the end of the gantry member 2 is lifted. The article moving device 6 is inserted into the accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2 from the portion.
Here, the article moving device 6 adopted in the present embodiment has four claw storage members 55a, b, c, and d, and these two are attached to the A side and the B side in the traveling direction as a set. ..
Therefore, the operator can insert the forklift claw from the A side or the B side.

In principle, the article moving device 6 used in the present embodiment does not distinguish between the front-rear direction, and either the A side or the B side is the front side (forward side, the forward side), and which is the rear side (the reverse side, the reverse side). ) May be used.
That is, in the article moving device 6 adopted in the present embodiment, the shapes and functions of the side surfaces (short side side surfaces) on the A side and the B side are the same.
Specifically, the holding member 31 has an elevating side sensor holding member 26a on the A side (forward direction side) and an elevating side sensor holding member 26b on the B side (reverse direction side). The shapes of the elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b and the attached object detecting means 101 and 102 are the same.
Further, the elevating side sensor holding members 26a26a and 26b have the same mounting position and height.

There is a connector holding member 130a on the A side of the main body 30, and a connector holding member 1130b on the B side. The shapes of the connector holding members 130a and 130b and the attached power supply connectors 131a and 131b and the emergency stop buttons 132a and 132b are the same.
Further, the connector holding members 130a and 130b have the same mounting position and height.

The article moving device 6 adopted in the present embodiment is automatically driven by a direction detecting means composed of sensors 52, 53, detected members 17A, 17B, 18, etc., and a front-back determining means programmed in the control device 38. It is possible to determine whether the A side is the front or the B side is the front, and the result is stored in the storage means 27 of the control device 38.
Hereinafter, the function of the front-rear determining means for determining the front-back in the traveling direction will be described.
In the article moving device 6 of the present embodiment, as described above, the main body side sensor holding members 7 and 9 are provided on the side surface, and the main body side sensor holding member 7 attached to the C side of the article moving device 6 has a position confirmation detection sensor. Only 52a is provided, and the main body side sensor holding member 9 on the D side is provided with a position confirmation detection sensor 52b and a direction detection sensor 53 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 12.

On the other hand, positioning detected members 17A and 17B are provided near the ends of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b. Here, the positioning detected members 17A and 17B are provided at positions where the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b of the article moving device 6 face each other to detect when the article moving device 6 is at a predetermined reference position. ing.
Therefore, on the other hand, when the article moving device 6 is arranged in the accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2 by the forklift, the article moving device 6 is moved a little manually or automatically, and the article moving device 6 is positioned when it stops at a predetermined reference position. The confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b detect the positioning detected members 17A and 17B.

Further, in the present embodiment, the direction detection sensor 53 is provided only on the main body side sensor holding member 9 on the D side. The distance between the position confirmation detection sensor 52b provided on the main body side sensor holding member 9 and the direction detection sensor 53 is set between the positioning detected member 17B provided only on one of the traveling guide members 10b and the direction detection. It is equal to the distance to the detected member 18. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12A, if the A side of the article moving device 6 faces the back side of the accommodating portion 3, the direction detection sensor 53 detects the direction detection detected member 18.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the A side of the article moving device 6 is recognized as the front on the condition that the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b and the direction detection sensor 53 simultaneously detect the detected members 17A, 17B and 18. Then, the B side is recognized as the back. Then, this information is stored in the storage means 27 of the control device 38.
After that, the traveling wheels 61 and 62 rotate so that the A side is in the forward direction.

On the other hand, if the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b simultaneously detect the positioning members 17A and 17B, but the direction detection sensor 53 cannot detect the direction detection members 18, the article moving device. The B side of 6 is recognized as the front, and the A side is recognized as the back.
That is, as shown in FIG. 12B, if the B side of the article moving device 6 faces the back side of the accommodating portion 3, the direction detection sensor 53 cannot detect the direction detection detected member 18.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the article is moved on the condition that the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b detect the positioning detected members 17A and 17B and the direction detection sensor 53 does not detect the direction detection detected member 18. The B side of the device 6 is recognized as the front, and the A side is recognized as the back. Then, this information is stored in the storage means 27 of the control device 38.
After that, the traveling wheels rotate so that the B side is in the forward direction.

Next, a series of operations of the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14, 15, and 16.
Note that FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 exaggerate the operation of the article moving device 6 for easy understanding. That is, in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, the holding member 31 moves up and down significantly, but the actual raising and lowering stroke of the holding member 31 is small. That is, when the holding member 31 is raised, a part of the A-side end face or the B-side end face of the holding member 31 rises only slightly above the mounting portions 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.

In the present embodiment, the pallet 8a on which the contained object 57 is placed by a forklift, a crane, an elevator or the like (not shown) is placed on the start end portion of the elongated housing portion 3 of the gantry member 2 as shown in FIG. 14 (a). Will be done.
The following description assumes a state in which another pallet 8b is previously housed in the housing unit 3.
The container 57 is placed on the pallet 8b housed in advance. The pallet 8b housed in advance is located behind the elongated housing portion 3 as shown in FIG.
The pallets 8a and 8b are known pallets, and beams 122, 123, and 124 are provided between the top plate 120 and the bottom plate 121. Between the beams 122, 123, and 124, there is a space 125 for inserting the claws of the forklift, but the portion of the beam 123 in the middle portion is solid and has no opening.

In the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, the article moving device 6 that has been waiting on the back side of the accommodating portion 3 is driven to approach the newly accommodating pallet 8a.
Here, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14A, the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor is started in a state where the holding member 31 is raised, and the article moving device 6 is traveled. It is brought close to the pallet 8a as in 14 (b). In the present embodiment, since the article moving device 6 is on standby at the back side of the accommodating portion 3, the article moving device 6 is moved toward the rear (the end side of the accommodating portion 3), and the newly accommodated pallet Bring it closer to 8a.

In the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, there are elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b on both the A side and the B side of the holding member 31, and the object detection means 101 for detecting a long-distance object, respectively. And the object detection means 102 for short-distance object detection is provided.
Then, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, since the article moving device 6 is brought close to the pallet 8a with the holding member 31 raised, the object detecting means 102 is at a raised height position, and the object detecting means 102 is present. The height of 102 approaches the height of the pallet 8a to be detected.
Preferably, the height of the object detecting means 101 and 102 is raised above the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.

As a result, the height of a part of the side surface of the pallet 8a to be detected overlaps with the heights of the object detection means 101 and 102.
Further, the elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b are near the center in the width direction of the holding member 31. On the other hand, there is a beam 123 at the center of the pallet 8a in the width direction as described above.
Therefore, in front of the object detection means 101 and 102 in the horizontal direction, there is a solid portion of the beam 123 or the bottom plate 121 in the middle of the pallet 8a.
Therefore, the ultrasonic waves and laser beams emitted from the object detection means 101 and 102 directly hit the pallet 8a. Then, the ultrasonic waves and laser beams are reflected by a part of the pallet 8a and returned to the object detection means 101 and 102, and the distance between the pallet 8a and the article moving device 6 is accurately measured.

In the present embodiment, when the object detection means 101 for detecting a long-distance object provided on the B side of the holding member 31 detects the pallet 8a, the traveling speed of the article moving device 6 is reduced, and the article moving device 6 is moved to the pallet 8a. Go closer to.
Then, when the object detection means 102 for short-distance object detection detects the pallet 8a, the article moving device 6 is stopped as shown in FIG. 14B. Then, as shown in FIG. 14C, the holding member 31 is lowered. Specifically, the elevating motor (not shown) is started to lower the holding member 31.
As a result, the height of the holding member 31 drops below the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
Subsequently, the article moving device 6 is allowed to travel a certain distance, and the article moving device 6 is made to go under the pallet 8a as shown in FIG. 14 (d).

Then, the elevating motor is started to raise the holding member 31 as shown in FIG. 14 (e).
Here, since the article moving device 6 is below the pallet 8a and the pallet 8a is above the holding member 31, the holding member 31 lifts the pallet 8a as shown in FIGS. 9B and 14E. Be done.
That is, the article moving device 6 is slipped under the pallet 8a (FIG. 14d), the lifting motor is started to raise the holding member 31, and the pallet 8a is moved to the traveling guide members 10a and 10b as shown in FIG. 14E. Scoop up from the mounting part 11 of.
Then, the traveling motor built-in roller 60 is energized to rotate the traveling wheels 61 and 62, and the article moving device 6 is traveled with the pallet 8a mounted on the holding member 31 as shown in FIG. 14 (f).
In the present embodiment, the article moving device 6 is driven toward the back side of the accommodating portion 3.

Here, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, there are elevating side sensor holding members 26a and 26b on both the A side and the B side of the holding member 31, and each of them is an object detection for long-distance object detection. Means 101 and object detection means 102 for short-distance object detection are provided.
Then, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, in order to move the pallet 8a, the article moving device 6 is brought close to the existing pallet 8b on the back side in a state where the holding member 31 is raised, so that the object detection means 101, 102 Is at an elevated height position, and the heights of the object detecting means 101 and 102 provided on the A side of the article moving device 6 approach the height of the existing pallet 8b to be detected.

As a result, the height of a part of the side surface of the pallet 8b to be detected overlaps with the height of the object detection means 101 and 102, and the ultrasonic waves and the laser beam emitted from the object detection means 101 and 102 on the A side overlap the pallet 8b. The distance between the pallet 8b and the article moving device 6 is accurately measured.

In the present embodiment, when the object detection means 101 for detecting a long-distance object provided on the A side of the article moving device 6 detects the existing pallet 8b, the traveling speed of the article moving device 6 is reduced to detect a short-distance object. When the object detecting means 102 for the purpose detects the pallet 8b, as shown in FIG. 15B, the article moving device 6 is stopped, and the article moving device 6 is stopped next to the pallet 8b housed in advance.
After that, as shown in FIG. 15C, the elevating motor is started to lower the holding member 31, and the pallet 8a is remounted from the holding member 31 to the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
That is, the holding member 31 is lowered below the traveling guide members 10a and 10b, and the holding member 31 is separated from the pallet 8a.
After that, the article moving device 6 is run as shown in FIG. 15D, and the article moving device 6 is retracted. When the article moving device 6 comes out from under the existing pallet 8b, the holding member 31 is raised as shown in FIG. 15 (e), and the article moving device 6 is moved and retracted as shown in FIG. 15 (f).

When taking out the contents from the article storage device 1, it is necessary to sneak the article moving device 6 under a pallet (not shown) in the back. Here, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), the article moving device 6 is located at the position of the left bridge in the figure, and the contained object (not shown) to be taken out is located at a position outside the figure on the right side of FIG. 16 (a). When there is a pallet 8c in the middle, in order to move the article moving device 6 to a position outside the figure on the right side, it is necessary for the article moving device 6 to pass under the pallet 8c in the middle as shown in FIG. is there.

In the present embodiment, when the article moving device 6 is run with the holding member 31 raised and the existing pallet 8c is in front of the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 16A, FIG. 16B As shown in FIG. 16C, the article moving device 6 is stopped before the pallet 8c, the holding member 31 is lowered as shown in FIG. 16C, and the article moving device 6 slips under the pallet 8c as shown in FIG. 16D.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16 (e), the holding member 31 is raised to drive the article moving device 6 as shown in FIG. 16 (f), and the article moving device 6 is moved to the destination.

The article moving device 6 of the present embodiment also has a function of measuring the total length of the pallet 8. Hereinafter, the length measuring means for measuring the length of the article will be described with reference to FIG.
When measuring the total length of the pallet 8, the article moving device 6 is run with the holding member 31 lowered as shown in FIG.
Then, the total length of the pallet 8 is measured based on the on / off of the sensors (length measuring means) 103a and 103b provided on the upper surface of the holding member 31 and the motor pulse of the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor.

In the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17A, the article moving device is driven in a state where the holding member 31 is lowered and the article moving device 6 is submerged under the pallet 8.
At this time, starting from the time when either one of the sensors 103a and 103b provided on the upper surface of the holding member 31 catches the end portion of the pallet 8 and is turned on (FIG. 17b), the roller with a built-in traveling motor Count 60 motor pulses.
Then, the motor pulse count is continued until the sensors 103a and 103b described above are removed from the other end of the pallet 8 and turned off (FIG. 17d).
After that, the integrated rotation speed of the motor is obtained from the motor pulse, and the distance traveled by the article moving device 6 is obtained from the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 61 and 62 and the peripheral length of the traveling wheels 61 and 62. Since the total length of the pallet 8 is equal to the mileage of the article moving device 6, the mileage of the article moving device 6 is defined as the total length of the pallet 8.

Further, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, when the holding member 31 is raised and lowered to lift the pallet 8 or placed on the mounting portion 11, or when the posture of the pallet 8 is distorted while the article moving device 6 is running. However, the posture of the pallet 8 is corrected by placing the pallet 8 on the holding member 31 of the article moving device 6 and running the article moving device 6.

That is, in the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are installed in the middle portions of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
Therefore, even if the posture of the pallet 8 is tilted with respect to the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 18B while the article moving device 6 is traveling with the pallet 8 mounted on the holding member 31 as shown in FIG. 18A. The posture is corrected when the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d pass through the area where the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are installed.

That is, the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are outside the traveling guide members 10a and 10b, and are at a height corresponding to the mounting portion 11 of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b.
Therefore, when the posture of the pallet 8 is tilted with respect to the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 18B and the front end side and the rear end side are removed from the traveling guide members 10a and 10b as shown in FIG. A part of the pallet 8 comes into contact with the traveling guide members 10a and 10b. As a result, the posture of the pallet 8 is corrected straight as shown in FIG. 18 (d), and the posture of the pallet 8 passes through the area where the correction guide members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are installed as shown in FIG. 18 (e).

In the embodiment described above, the direction detection sensor 53 is attached to only one surface of the article moving device 6 as a front-back determining means for determining the front-back direction of the article moving device 6, and the direction detection sensor 53 detects the member to be detected. It was decided to determine the front and back of the traveling direction of the article moving device 6 depending on whether or not to do so.
That is, it is a direction detection means composed of a pair of direction detection sensors 53 and a direction detection member 18. The direction detection sensor 53 is provided in the article moving device 6, and the direction detection member 18 is provided on the gantry member 2. Provided. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the article moving device 6 may be provided with the direction detection detected member 18, and the gantry member 2 may be provided with the direction detection sensor 53.
That is, the position where the direction detection sensor 53 is provided is not limited to the article moving device 6.

That is, the mounting position of the pair of detection sensors and the member to be detected is such that when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, the detection sensor detects the member to be detected and the article moving device is attached. It suffices if the detection sensor cannot detect the member to be detected when the one side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member.
For example, as in the article moving device 110 shown in FIG. 20, direction detection sensors 53a and 53b are provided on the front and rear surfaces of the article moving device 110 near one side surface, and direction detection is detected on one of the stoppers 16a and 16b. The member 18 may be provided.
In the present embodiment, the front-rear direction of the traveling direction is determined depending on which direction detection sensors 53a and 53b detect the direction detection member 18 to be detected.
In the present embodiment, when the A side of the article moving device 6 faces the back side of the accommodating portion and is near the end of the gantry member 2, the direction detection sensor 53a detects the detected member 18, and the article moving device 110 is described. When one side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member 2, the direction detection sensor 53a cannot detect the member to be detected.
When adopting this configuration, it is not always necessary to provide the direction detection sensor 53 on both the A side and the B side, but in order to confirm the failure of the sensor, etc., the direction detection sensor 53 is provided on both the A side and the B side. It is desirable to have 53.

Alternatively, for example, as in the article moving device 111 shown in FIG. 21, direction detection sensors 53a and 53b are provided at diagonal positions on the side surface of the article moving device 111, and direction detection is performed only on one side of the traveling guide members 10a and 10b. The detected member 18 may be provided.
In the present embodiment, the front-rear direction of the traveling direction is determined depending on which direction detection sensors 53a and 53b detect the direction detection member 18 to be detected.
In the article moving devices 110 and 111 shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b and the corresponding members 17A and 17B to be detected are omitted, but the articles shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 are omitted. The moving devices 110 and 111 are also provided with these, and the front-rear determination means determines the front-rear direction on condition that the position confirmation detection sensors 52a and 52b detect the position confirmation members 17A and 17B.

In the embodiment described above, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ends of the claw storage members 55a, b, c, and d are located at positions substantially aligned with the ends of the main body 30, but the article shown in FIG. The claw storage member 55 may protrude from the main body 30 as in the moving device 115. In the article moving device 115 shown in FIG. 19, the claw insertion side of the claw storage member 55 protrudes outward from the plane formed by the main body 30 of the article moving device 115. Therefore, the forklift operator can easily check the claw storage member 55 from the driver's seat and easily insert the claw into the claw storage member 55.

Further, in the article moving device 115 shown in FIG. 19, the upper confirmation sensor 117 is mounted on the protruding portion 116 of the claw storage member 55. The upper confirmation sensor 117 is a reflective photoelectric sensor, and can detect whether or not an object is present on the upper part.
In the present embodiment, the upper confirmation sensor 117 detects the movement of the pallet on the article moving device 115.

In particular, since the upper confirmation sensor 117 is provided at a position protruding outward from the main body 30 of the article moving device 115, it is possible to detect whether or not an object exists at a position outside the main body 30.
More specifically, the upper confirmation sensor 117 detects whether or not an object exists at a position above the article moving device 115 in the height direction and outside the region of the holding member 31 in the plane region. can do.
More specifically, it is above the article moving device 115 in the height direction, and it is possible to detect whether or not an object exists at a position outside the region of the holding member 31 in the plane region. The upper confirmation sensor 117 does not detect an object directly above the article moving device 115.
In the present embodiment, while the upper confirmation sensor 117 detects that an object exists at a position outside the main body 30 of the article moving device 115, the holding member 31 is moved up and down and the article moving device 115 is running. Is stopped.

In the article moving device 115 of the present embodiment, it can be confirmed by the upper confirmation sensor 117 that the pallet 8 is loaded or removed on the accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2 or the article moving device 115. In other words, it is detected whether or not the work for loading or discharging the pallet 8 into the accommodating portion 3 of the article moving device 115 or the gantry member 2 is in progress.
That is, in the article moving device 115, the holding member 31 moves up and down to scoop up the pallet 8.
Therefore, if the holding member 31 is raised with the forklift claw 130 (FIG. 22) inserted in the pallet 8, the pallet 8, the forklift, or the article moving device 115 will be damaged. Further, since the article moving device 115 itself is self-propelled, if the article moving device 115 travels with the forklift claw 130 inserted, the pallet 8, the forklift, or the article moving device 115 will be damaged.

Therefore, it must be avoided that the article moving device 115 starts to move during the loading of the pallet 8 and the discharging.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to confirm the completion of loading and discharging of the pallet 8, and then the holding member 31 can be moved up and down and the article moving device 115 can be moved.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to FIG. 22.
When the container 57 is taken out from the article storage device 1 of the present embodiment, the pallet 8 is taken out from each storage portion 3 of the gantry member 2 by using a forklift which is a separately prepared transport device.
When taking out the container 57, the pallet 8 on which the container 57 is placed is moved to the end of the storage unit 3 so that the claw 130 of the forklift can reach it. The movement of the pallet 8 is performed by the article moving device 115.
Then, the pallet 8 is lifted from the holding member 31 of the article moving device 115 by using a forklift, the forklift is retracted, and the pallet 8 is taken out from the gantry member 2.

FIG. 22 conceptually shows the series of steps.
That is, as shown in FIG. 22A, the forklift claw 130 is brought closer to the pallet 8. At this stage, the claw 130 of the forklift is not detected by the upper confirmation sensor 117 provided on the protruding portion 116 of the claw storage member 55. That is, the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the off state.

Then, when the claw 130 is inserted into the space 125 into which the claw 130 of the pallet 8 is inserted, a part of the claw 130 covers the upper confirmation sensor 117. As a result, the upper confirmation sensor 117 detects the forklift claw 130. That is, the upper confirmation sensor 117 changes to the ON state.

Further, when the pallet 8 is lifted by the forklift, the forklift is retracted, and the pallet 8 is taken out from the gantry member 2, there is nothing blocking the upper confirmation sensor 117, and the upper confirmation sensor 117 returns to the off state again.
Therefore, it can be confirmed that the pallet 8 has been removed from the gantry member 2 by turning on the upper confirmation sensor 117 and then turning it off.

In the present embodiment, the holding member 31 is not lowered while the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the ON state. Then, the holding member 31 is lowered only when the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the off state.

The same applies to the case where the holding member 31 is raised to scoop up the pallet 8, and the pallet 8 is placed on the mounting portion 11 of the accommodating portion 3 of the gantry member 2, and the forklift claw 130 is pulled out from the pallet 8. After being confirmed by the confirmation sensor 117, the holding member 31 is raised.
In the present embodiment, the holding member 31 is not moved up and down while the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the ON state. Then, the holding member 31 is moved up and down only when the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the off state.
The same applies to the traveling of the article moving device 115, and the article moving device 115 is not allowed to travel while the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the ON state. Then, the article moving device 115 is driven only when the upper confirmation sensor 117 is in the off state.

The upper confirmation sensor 117 functions only when the article moving device 115 is stopped, and does not function when the article moving device 115 is running. The upper confirmation sensor 117 also does not function when the article moving device 115 is traveling under the pallet 8. Further, the upper confirmation sensor 117 has a limited detection range, particularly a detectable distance, and does not erroneously detect the upper floor of the gantry member 2 as a forklift.

Further, the upper confirmation sensor 117 may be used instead of the above-mentioned sensors 103a and 103b. That is, the upper confirmation sensor 117 may be used as a sensor for measuring the total length of the pallet 8.

The mounting position of the upper confirmation sensor 117 is arbitrary, but it is mounted at a position and orientation that can detect whether or not an object exists at a position outside the main body 30.

For example, the upper confirmation sensor 117 may be attached to the front end and the rear end of the main body portion 30 as in the article moving device 180 shown in FIG. In this case, the upper confirmation sensor 117 is attached at an angle so that an object diagonally upward can be detected.

In the embodiment described above, a lifting mechanism is adopted in which the rotary motion of the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor is converted into a vertical motion by a plate cam to raise and lower the holding member 31.
However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the holding member 31 may be raised and lowered by a cam or screw having another structure. Further, the holding member 31 may be raised and lowered by using a solenoid or a cylinder.

In the embodiment described above, the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor counts the pulses generated by the Hall element of the built-in motor to detect the rotation speed of the motor, and calculates the traveling distance of the article moving device 6 based on the pulse speed. The present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the mileage of the article moving device 6 may be calculated by a method such as detecting the rotation speed of the traveling wheel with another sensor.

In the embodiment described above, the object detection means 101 and 102 are attached to the holding member 31, but an object detecting means may be attached to a member that moves up and down separately from the holding member 31.
In the article moving device 118 shown in FIG. 23, a bending member 140 for raising and lowering the object detecting means 101 and 102 separate from the holding member 31 is provided, and the object detecting means 141 is attached to the bending member 140.
The bending member 140 is located on the upper surface of the main body 30, and is swung by a motor (not shown), and a portion to which the object detection means 141 is attached moves up and down in an arc locus.
The bending member 140 takes a standing posture as shown in FIG. 23 (a) and a prone posture as shown in FIG. 23 (b), and raises and lowers the object detection means 141. That is, the object detection means 141 is lowered in the prone posture as shown in FIG. 23 (b), and the object detection means 141 is raised in the standing posture as shown in FIG. 23 (a).
The bent member 140 has a friction clutch that cannot be held, and when the bent member 140 collides with another member in the upright posture, the bent member 140 takes a prone posture as shown in FIG. 23 (b).

In the embodiment described above, the elevating mechanism 35 and the roller motors 41 and 60 with built-in motors are used for the traveling mechanism 36.
The parts of the roller motors 41 and 60 with built-in motors are compatible, and by incorporating the same motor units 21 and 24 into the roller bodies 50 and 66 with different lengths, the roller motors 41 and 60 with different lengths have different lengths. Can be manufactured.

Therefore, the article moving devices 6 and 115 having the above-mentioned structure have high compatibility of parts, and many common parts can be used for the article moving devices 6 having different widths.
That is, paying attention to the elevating mechanism 35 of FIG. 8, the width of the elevating mechanism 35 changes simply by changing the total length of the roller motor 41 with a built-in motor. Further, the total length of the roller motor 41 with a built-in motor is determined by the total length of the roller body 50, and the same motor unit 21 can be applied to the roller body 50 of any length. The only component is the roller body 50.
And all the other parts of the elevating mechanism 35 can be shared. Therefore, all the parts of the elevating mechanism 35 having different widths except the roller main body 50 are common parts and are compatible with each other.

Similarly, paying attention to the traveling mechanism 36, the width of the traveling mechanism 36 changes by simply changing the total length of the roller motor 60 with a built-in motor. The total length of the roller motor 60 with a built-in motor is determined by the total length of the roller body 56, and the only component for changing the total length of the roller motor 60 with a built-in motor is the roller body 56.
And all the other parts of the traveling mechanism 36 can be shared. Therefore, all the parts of the traveling mechanism 36 having different widths except the roller main body 50 are common parts and are compatible with each other.
Therefore, many parts can be shared when making a narrow article moving device as shown in FIG. 24 (a) and when making a wide article moving device in (b).
The configuration in which the roller motors 41 and 60 with built-in motors are used for the elevating mechanism 35 and the traveling mechanism 36 is a recommended configuration, but is not essential.

The article moving device having the direction detecting means and the front-back determining means can also be adopted for the article moving device which does not have the object detecting means 101, 102 and the like.
The configuration in which the upper confirmation sensor 117 is mounted on the protruding portion 116 of the claw storage member 55 can also be adopted for an article moving device that does not have the object detection means 101, 102 and the like.

In the embodiment described above, the elevating mechanism 35 and the traveling mechanism 36 of the article moving device 6 are completely independent as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10.
That is, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d of the elevating mechanism 35 have rotating shafts 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d, respectively, as shown in FIG.
Similarly, the traveling wheels 61 and 62 of the traveling mechanism 36 have rotating shafts 153a, 153b, 153c and 153d, respectively, as shown in FIG.
However, the present invention is not limited to this structure, and it is also recommended to share some axes.

In the article moving device 150 shown in FIG. 25, the rotating shafts of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d and the rotating shafts of the traveling wheels 61, 62 are shared, and the bearings 151, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d. This is an example in which the rotating shaft and the rotating shafts of the traveling wheels 61 and 62 are rotated relative to each other.
Since the article moving device 150 shown in FIG. 25 is the same as the article moving device 6 of the above-described embodiment except for the shaft portion, the same member is given the same number and duplicated description is omitted.

In principle, the traveling mechanism 152 of the article moving device 150 is the same as the article moving device 6 of the above-described embodiment shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 27, the traveling mechanism 152 of the article moving device 150 is composed of two sets of traveling devices 46, and each of the two sets of traveling devices 46 includes a roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor and traveling wheels 61 and 62. And a toothed belt 63. Two toothed pulleys 47 are mounted on the outer circumference of the roller body 66 of the traveling motor built-in roller 60.
The traveling wheels 61 and 62 are integrally fixed to the rotating shaft 153. The rotating shaft 153 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown). A toothed pulley 48 is integrally attached to the rotating shaft 153.
The toothed belt 63 is engaged with both the toothed pulley 47 of the traveling motor built-in roller 60 and the toothed pulley 48 on the traveling wheels 61 and 62 sides.

Therefore, when the roller 60 with a built-in traveling motor is rotationally driven, the rotational force is transmitted to the toothed pulley 48 via the toothed pulley 47 and the toothed pulley 47, and the traveling wheels 61 and 62 rotate.

As shown in FIG. 27, the elevating mechanism 155 of the article moving device 150 is composed of four cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d, a roller 41 with a built-in elevating motor, and a power transmission unit that engages the two.
Here, the rotating shafts of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are hollow, and are fitted onto the rotating shafts 153a, 153b, 153c, and 153d of the traveling mechanism 152 via bearings 151.
Therefore, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d of the elevating mechanism 155 and the traveling wheels 61, 62 share an axis, and the cam 40 and the traveling wheels 61, 62 are relatively rotatable and rotate around a common axis. ..
Also in this embodiment, four toothed pulleys 43 are mounted on the outer circumference of the roller body 50. Two toothed pulleys 43 are provided at both ends of the roller main body 50.
Further, the toothed belt 45 is engaged with both the four toothed pulleys 43 of the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor and the toothed pulleys 42 of the cams 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d, respectively. When the roller 41 with a built-in lifting motor is driven, the four toothed pulleys 43 provided on the outer periphery of the roller body 50 rotate, and the rotation is on the cam 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d side via the toothed belt 45. The cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d are transmitted to the toothed pulley 42, and the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d rotate about the rotation shafts 153a, 153b, 153c, and 153d of the traveling mechanism 152.

In the article moving device 150 shown in FIG. 25, the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d are fitted on the rotating shafts 153a, 153b, 153c, 153d of the traveling mechanism 152, but the rotating shafts are fitted on the cams 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d. May be provided and the rotating shafts 153a, 153b, 153c, 153d of the traveling mechanism 152 may be fitted externally.

In the article moving device 6 and the like described above, the object detecting means 101 and 102 are externally attached to the holding member 31, but as in the article moving device 160 shown in FIG. 28, the object detecting means is on the inner surface side of the holding member 161. 101 and 102 may be provided.
In the article moving device 160 shown in FIG. 28, the holding member 161 has a cap shape, and a side wall 163 hangs around the top wall 162.

In the article moving device 160, the window 165 is opened on the side wall 163 in the front-rear direction (A side and B side) of the holding member 161.
Further, in the article moving device 160, as shown in FIG. 29, a bracket 166 is provided in a region surrounded by a side wall 163 of the holding member 161, and object detection means 101 and 102 are attached to the bracket 166. The height of the object detection means 101 and 102 coincides with the window 165 of the holding member 161. The ultrasonic waves and laser light emitted by the object detection means 101 and 102 are radiated to the outside through the window 165 and reflected by the object. Ultrasonic waves and laser light pass through the window 165 and are incident on the object detection means 101 and 102.

1 Goods storage device 2 Stand member 3 Storage part 6,110,111,115,150,160,180 Goods moving device 7 Main body side sensor holding member 8a, 8b Pallet 9 Main body side sensor holding member 17A, 17B Positioning detected member 18 Direction detection detected member 22 Elevating motor 26a, 26b Elevating side sensor holding member 31 Holding member 35 Elevating mechanism 38 Control device 41 Roller motor with built-in traveling motor 55a, b, c, d Claw storage member 60 Built-in traveling motor Rollers 52a, 52b Position confirmation detection sensor 53 Direction detection sensor 101, 102 Object detection means 103 sensor (length measuring means)
117 Top confirmation sensor

Claims (14)

In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has an object detection means that detects the existence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down.
It has a length measuring means for measuring the length of an article, and the length measuring means has an existence detecting means for detecting whether or not an article is present above the article moving device.
An article storage device characterized in that the article moving device is run with the article moving device submerged under the article, and the length of the article is measured according to the detection status of the presence detection means and the mileage of the article moving device. .. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has an object detection means that detects the existence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down.
It has a direction detection means composed of a pair of detection sensors and a member to be detected.
The article moving device has either a detection sensor or a member to be detected, and the gantry member has the other of the detection sensor or the member to be detected.
Regarding the mounting position of the pair of detection sensors and the member to be detected, the detection sensor detects the member to be detected when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, and the article moving device is attached. This is a position where the detection sensor cannot detect the member to be detected when the one side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member.
It has a front-rear determination means that determines the front-back direction of the traveling direction, and when the detection sensor detects the detected member, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor detects the detected member. If not, the article storage device is characterized in that the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has an object detection means that detects the existence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down.
There is a stopper at the end of the gantry member to prevent the article moving device from falling.
It has a detection sensor and a member to be detected,
The article moving device has either a detection sensor or a member to be detected, and the stopper has the other of the detection sensor or the member to be detected.
The detection sensor and the detected member are attached to the one side of the article moving device when the detection sensor detects the detected member when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. This is a position where the detection sensor cannot detect the member to be detected when the side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member.
It has a front-rear determination means that determines the front-back direction of the traveling direction, and when the detection sensor detects the detected member, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor detects the detected member. If not, the article storage device is characterized in that the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has an object detection means that detects the existence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down .
It has a detection sensor and a member to be detected,
A detection sensor or a member to be detected is provided on each of the side surface portions on both sides with respect to the traveling direction of the article moving device.
As for the mounting position of the detection sensor and the detected member, only one of the detection sensors detects the detected member when one side of the article moving device is oriented in a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member. However, when the one side of the article moving device faces in the opposite direction to the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, only the other detection sensor is in the position to detect the detected member.
It has a front-rear determination means for determining the front-rear direction of the traveling direction, and when one of the detection sensors detects a member to be detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the other detection sensor is covered. An article storage device characterized in that when a detection member is detected, the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has a direction detection means composed of a pair of detection sensors and a member to be detected.
The article moving device has either a detection sensor or a member to be detected, and the gantry member has the other of the detection sensor or the member to be detected.
Regarding the mounting position of the pair of detection sensors and the member to be detected, the detection sensor detects the member to be detected when one side of the article moving device faces a specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member, and the article moving device is attached. This is a position where the detection sensor cannot detect the member to be detected when the one side is facing away from the specific direction and is near the end of the gantry member.
It has a front-rear determination means that determines the front-back direction of the traveling direction, and when the detection sensor detects the detected member, the traveling wheel rotates so that one side is in the forward direction, and the detection sensor detects the detected member. If not, the article storage device is characterized in that the traveling wheel rotates so that the other side is in the forward direction. The article storage device according to any one of claims 2 to 5 , further comprising a storage means, wherein the context determined by the context-determining means is stored in the storage means. Has a position confirmation means constituted by at least a pair of position location detection sensor and position confirming the detected member, the front-rear direction longitudinal determining means on condition that position confirmation detection sensor detects the detection target member for position confirmation The article storage device according to any one of claims 2 to 6 , wherein the article storage device is characterized in that. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
It has an object detection means that detects the existence of an existing object placed on the mounting part, and the object detection means is attached to a member that moves up and down.
There is a correction guide member that corrects the posture of the article, and the correction guide member is provided outside or near the mounting portion, and the article is placed in a state where the posture of the article placed on the mounting portion is out of the normal state. An article storage device characterized in that when the moving device is moved, the correction guide member comes into contact with the article and the posture of the article is corrected to a normal state.
Wherein by driving the running wheels while increasing the object detecting means traveling an article moving apparatus, the article said object detecting means article moving apparatus while lowering the object detecting means when detecting the presence of the article The article storage device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8, wherein the article storage device is made to sneak underneath. The article storage device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9, wherein the object detection means is attached to the holding member. The article storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , further comprising an upper confirmation sensor that detects whether or not an object is present on the upper part. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that is rotated by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
The article moving device can be conveyed by a separately prepared transport device, and the transport device has a claw, and a claw storage member into which the claw is inserted is provided in the main body of the article moving device. some are protruding outwardly from the plane that constitutes the main body of the article moving device may look out portion,
An article storage device having an upper part confirmation sensor that detects whether or not an object is present on the upper part, and the upper part confirmation sensor is provided at the protruding portion of the claw storage member. In an article moving device which is arranged on a traveling path and a pedestal member having two or more rows of mounting portions extending in a straight line and transports articles on the traveling path.
It has a traveling wheel that rotates by power, a holding member that holds an article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels, and when the holding member is lowered, the holding member is below the upper end of the mounting portion. When it sinks and the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion, and the holding member protrudes above the upper end.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
The article moving device can be conveyed by a separately prepared transport device, and the transport device has a claw, and a claw storage member into which the claw is inserted is provided in the main body of the article moving device. some are protruding outwardly from the plane that constitutes the main body of the article moving device may look out portion,
An article moving device having an upper part confirmation sensor that detects whether or not an object is present on the upper part, and the upper part confirmation sensor is provided at the protruding portion of the claw storage member. In an article storage device capable of accommodating a plurality of articles and having a function of moving the articles.
It has a pedestal member on which a plurality of articles are placed and an article moving device that self-propells to move the articles.
The gantry member has a traveling path and two or more rows of mounting portions on which the article is placed extending in the moving direction of the article.
The article moving device has a traveling wheel that rotates in the forward and reverse directions by power, a holding member that holds the article, and an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the holding member.
The article moving device is arranged between the mounting portions and can travel in the forward and reverse directions on the traveling path by rotating the traveling wheels. When the holding member is lowered, the holding member is placed on the mounting portion. When the holding member is raised, the holding member protrudes above the upper end of the mounting portion.
After moving the article moving device under the article, the holding member is raised to scoop up the article with the holding member, the traveling wheel is rotated to move the article moving device, and the holding member is lowered to mount the article on the gantry member. It is possible to move it to another position,
Object detection means for detecting the presence of an existing object mounted on the mounting portion is provided on both the forward side and the reverse side of the article moving device.
The article moving device is an article storage device in which a storage battery is mounted and connectors for supplying power to the storage battery are provided on both the forward side and the reverse direction side of the article moving device.

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