JP7216992B2 - Elevator and warehouse equipment - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an elevating device for vertically moving an object to be conveyed. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is used, for example, in applications that are arranged in a three-dimensional conveyor line to deliver goods between upper and lower conveyors, and applications that three-dimensionally sort objects.
The present invention can also be used, for example, for loading and unloading articles in an automated warehouse.

BACKGROUND ART Postal companies and parcel delivery companies perform a task of sorting transported goods such as collected parcels and packages according to their destinations. For example, collected packages are collected at a specific sorting place, where they are sorted by destination and loaded onto trucks or the like.
In the sorting area, conveyor lines are stretched vertically and horizontally, and collected packages are collected by destination.
Here, the conveyor line in the sorting station branches off from the main transport path into a plurality of sub-transport paths (child transport paths), and further branches into a plurality of sub-transport paths (grand-child transport paths) and great-grand-grand transport paths.

In addition, in recent years, the sorting has become more detailed, and the situation is such that the conveyor line has to be further complicated.
Therefore, a conveyor line is assembled three-dimensionally, another horizontal conveying path is provided above or below the horizontal conveying path, and cargo is delivered between the upper and lower horizontal conveying paths.
Elevating devices used for such applications include, for example, a lifting platform that is lifted and lowered by a pantograph mechanism.
Further, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention in which a wire rope is suspended from a pulley equipped with a drive motor, and a frame-shaped carriage connected to the wire rope is moved up and down in the height direction to convey an object. ing.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-16203

It can be said that the conventional lifting device has a lower station and an upper station, and one lifting platform or the like reciprocates between them. Therefore, the prior art lifting device has a drawback of poor transport efficiency.
That is, in the conventional lifting device, when an object is transferred from the lower conveyor to the upper conveyor, the object is carried from the lower conveyor to the lower station of the lifting device. Then, the lifting platform or the like is raised to move the article to the station on the upper side. After that, the article is carried out from the station on the upper side to the conveyor on the upper side.

Therefore, when there is a platform or the like in the station on the upper side of the lifting device, there is no platform or the like in the station on the lower side of the lifting device, and it is not possible to carry an article into the lifting device. Therefore, in the conventional lifting device, it is necessary to wait for the conveyed object in front of the lifting device in order to wait for the arrival of the lifting platform or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a lifting device with high transport efficiency.

A mode for solving the above-described problems has a plurality of adjacently arranged shelf members and lifting means for lifting and lowering at least one of the shelf members, and each of the shelf members has a plurality of height positions. The mounting table has a conveying means capable of conveying an object in both the normal direction and the reverse direction, and the height of the mounting table belonging to one shelf member is set to the height of the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member. At the same time, the conveying means executes a forward movement to move the conveyed object from the mounting table belonging to one shelf member to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member, and further raises and lowers the shelf member to move the article to the other shelf member. The height of the mounting table belonging to the one shelf member is adjusted to the mounting table having the other height belonging to the one shelf member, and the transported object moved to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member by the forward movement is transferred to the one shelf member by the conveying means. The return operation is executed to move the conveyed object to a mounting table belonging to the shelf member and having a different height from the original mounting table, and if necessary, the forward movement and the return movement are repeated to move the conveyed object to a desired height position. The lifting device is characterized in that it is possible to

The conveying means can convey an object in both the forward direction and the reverse direction, but it does not matter which direction is the forward direction and which direction is the reverse direction.
Similarly, the "forward motion" and the "return motion" may be "forward" in either direction.
In the lifting device of this aspect, for example, two shelf members are arranged adjacent to each other. A plurality of mounting tables belong to the shelf member. A plurality of mounting tables are installed at different height positions. Further, a conveying means such as a conveyor is installed on the mounting table.
In the lifting device of this aspect, the conveyed object can reciprocate in a zigzag pattern between the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members to change the height.
That is, in the lifting device of this aspect, the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members are matched, and the conveying means moves the article from the mounting table belonging to one shelf member to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member. perform an action. Next, the elevating means is driven to change the matching state of the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members. That is, the shelf member is vertically moved to match the height of the mounting table on which the article is placed with the mounting table having a different height. Then, a return operation is performed by the conveying means to move it to a mounting table belonging to one of the shelf members and having a height different from that of the original mounting table.
If necessary, the forward movement and the return movement are repeated to reciprocate the conveyed object in a zigzag manner and move it to a desired height.

It should be noted that "moving to a desired height" is not limited to changing the height of the conveyed object, and the conveyed object introduced into the lifting device will eventually be at the same height when introduced. It also includes the case where it is ejected to a position.

Another aspect for solving a similar problem has a plurality of adjacently arranged shelf members and lifting means for lifting and lowering at least one of said shelf members, wherein each of said shelf members has a plurality of heights. The mounting table has a conveying means capable of conveying an object to be conveyed. By moving and placing an object to be conveyed from a mounting table belonging to one shelf member to a mounting table belonging to another shelf member by moving up and down the shelf member, the mounting table belonging to the shelf member on which the conveyed object is placed is moved up and down. The height of is matched with a mounting table of another height belonging to another shelf member, and the placed conveyed article is moved to the mounting table of another shelf member by a conveying means and placed thereon. The lifting device is characterized in that it is possible to move the article to a desired height position by repeatedly moving the article to be conveyed between the shelf members.

Also in the lifting device of this aspect, the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members are matched, and the transfer means moves the article from the mounting table belonging to one shelf member to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member. Next, the elevating means is driven to change the matching state of the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members. That is, the shelf member is vertically moved to match the height of the mounting table on which the article is placed with the mounting table having a different height. Then, the conveying means moves the article to a mounting table belonging to another shelf member and having a height different from that of the original mounting table.

The elevating means simultaneously elevates adjacent shelf members. When one shelf member is lifted by the elevating means, the other shelf member is simultaneously lowered. It is desirable to raise the other shelf member at the same time.

According to this aspect, it is possible to shorten the time required to match the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members.

In each of the above-described aspects, it is desirable that adjacent shelf members are connected by connecting means so that they can be raised and lowered synchronously.

According to this aspect, it is possible to shorten the time required to match the heights of the mounting tables belonging to the adjacent shelf members.

In each of the above-described aspects, it is desirable that there is a lifting unit in which one shelf member and the other shelf member are combined, and that each side of the lifting unit has at least one loading/unloading space.

In each aspect described above, it is desirable that the mounting table is provided with a load sensor for detecting the presence of the transported article.

According to this aspect, it is possible to limit the transport means to be operated.

In each of the above-described modes, there is an object to be transferred on the platform belonging to one shelf member, and the object is transferred to the platform that belongs to another shelf member, has the same absolute height, and is to be moved. It is desirable to move the conveyed object on the condition that there is no object.

According to this aspect, it is possible to avoid the collision of the conveyed objects.

In each aspect described above, the mounting tables belonging to the shelf members are arranged at a constant height interval, and the elevating means moves the shelf members by a distance corresponding to the height interval or half the height interval. It is desirable that the shelf member is raised and lowered by a distance and the shelf member is stopped at that height.

In each aspect described above, the lifting device may be movable.

A mode in which a lifting device is applied to a warehouse has a storage area and a work area. An inter-shelf/elevating device transfer means for transferring an article between the shelf and the elevating device, and an inter-conveying device/elevating device transfer means for transferring the article between the accommodation area side conveying device and the elevating device. The work area has a work area side transport device, the storage area side transport device and the work area side transport device are connected, and the articles in the shelf are taken out by the shelf-lifting device delivery means. It is possible to lower the article by the lifting device, transfer the article to the accommodation area side conveying device by the transferring means between the conveying device and the lifting device, and take out the article from the accommodation area side conveying device to the work area through the work area side conveying device. A warehouse device characterized by:

The lifting device of the present invention has high transport efficiency when changing the course of transported objects in the height direction and sorting the transported objects in the height direction.

It is a perspective view of the lifting device of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an elevating unit of the elevating device of FIG. 1; It is a front view of the lifting device of FIG. 1, (a) shows a state where the first shelf member is above the second shelf member, (b) is a state where the second shelf member is above the first shelf member Indicates a state. FIG. 2 is a front view of a transfer line including the lifting device of FIG. 1; (a) to (e) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. 1, showing the situation of each stage when conveyed goods are moved from the left fifth floor station L5 to the right first floor station R1. (a) to (e) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. 1, showing the situation of each stage when conveyed goods are moved from the left first-floor station L1 to the right fifth-floor station R5. (a) to (f) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. 1, showing the status of each stage when conveyed goods are continuously moved from the left fifth floor station L5 to the right first floor station R1. show. (g) to (h) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. FIG. 7 shows the stage following FIG. (a) to (f) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. The status of each stage when moving from station R1 to station L5 on the fifth floor on the left is shown. (a) to (f) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. 4 shows the status of each stage when moving the goods to the floor station R1. It is a mechanism diagram which shows the raising/lowering means of the raising/lowering apparatus of other embodiment of this invention. (a) to (f) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device according to still another embodiment of the present invention, when conveyed articles are continuously moved from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5. shows the status of each stage. (g) to (l) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of still another embodiment of the present invention, when conveyed objects are continuously moved from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5. FIG. 12 shows the status of each stage of . (m) to (p) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device according to still another embodiment of the present invention, when conveyed articles are continuously moved from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5. , and the stages following FIG. 13 are shown. (a) and (b) are front views of a lifting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 15(a) and 15(b) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. 15, showing the status of each stage when conveyed goods are moved from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5. 16(c) and 16(d) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. Indicates the state following 17(e) and 17(f) are front views showing the operation of the lifting device of FIG. Indicates the state following FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a lifting device according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a conveying device employed in the lifting device of FIG. 19; (a) and (b) are front views showing an example of how to use the lifting device. (a) and (b) are front views showing another example of how to use the lifting device. It is a front view which shows another example of the usage method of a raising/lowering apparatus. (a) and (b) are front views showing still another example of how to use the lifting device. (a) and (b) are front views showing still another example of how to use the lifting device. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a main part of an elevating unit employed in another embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a perspective view of warehouse equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a lifting device according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a mechanism for raising and lowering the upper transfer means of the lifting device, (a) being an actual view and (b) showing a simplified chain suspension path; FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the upper transfer means of the lifting device of FIG. 28, showing a state in which the moving table of the article transfer means is accommodated in the main body; FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the upper delivery means of the lifting device of FIG. 28, showing a state in which the moving table of the article delivery means protrudes toward the shelf; FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the upper side delivery means of FIGS. 30 and 31, showing a mechanism for moving the movable table of the article delivery means; FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the upper transfer means of FIGS. 30 and 31, showing a mechanism for raising and lowering the main conveyor; FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of the upper transfer means of FIGS. 30 and 31; FIG. 32 is an explanatory view showing a row of rollers of a moving table of the article delivery means of the upper side delivery means of FIGS. 30 and 31; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the mechanism of the article delivery means; (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the article delivery means. (a), (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing an insertion operation of inserting the moving table under the article when pulling the article from the shelf side to the lifting device side. (a), (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing the return operation of returning the moving table to the upper delivery means when the article is drawn from the shelf side to the lifting device side. (a), (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing an operation when an article is inserted from the lifting device to the shelf side.

Embodiments of the present invention will be further described below.
A lifting device 1 of the present embodiment includes a lifting unit 2 , a left station device 3 and a right station device 5 .
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the elevating unit 2 is constructed by combining two shelf members 6 and 7 and an elevating means 8 in an outer frame 30 . For convenience of explanation, the shelf member 6 drawn on the left side of each figure is called the first shelf member 6 and the shelf member 7 drawn on the right side is called the second shelf member 7 .

Since the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 have the same structure except for the rollers 31 and guides 32 at the boundaries, the first shelf member 6 will be described as a representative.
The first shelf member 6 has an elevating frame 18a as shown in FIG. 2, and a mounting table A having a four-story structure is installed in the elevating frame 18a.
For convenience of explanation, the mounting table A on each floor is referred to as a first-floor mounting table A1, a second-floor mounting table A2, a third-floor mounting table A3, and a fourth-floor mounting table A4.
The four mounting tables A are installed in the elevating frame 18 at regular intervals in the height direction. The height interval of each floor of the mounting table A is the same.

The mounting table A on each floor has the same structure, and a small conveyor device (conveying means) 10 is installed. The conveyor device 10 has a motor-incorporating roller 12 and a driven roller 13 attached to a frame 11 . The motor-incorporating roller 12 has a motor (not shown) and a speed reducer (not shown) built in the roller body, and the roller body rotates by energizing the internal motor. The driven roller 13 is a freely rotating roller.
A belt 15 is suspended between the motor-incorporating roller 12 and the driven roller 13 and between the driven rollers 13, and when the motor-incorporating roller 12 rotates, the other driven rollers 13 are driven to rotate.
In this embodiment, the conveyor device 10 installed on each mounting table A can convey the article M in both the normal direction and the reverse direction.

A load sensor 17 is provided on the mounting table A on each floor. The load sensor 17 is a transmissive photoelectric sensor and has a light projecting member (not shown) and a light receiving member 21. The light receiving member 21 receives light emitted by the light projecting member. The presence of the article M on the mounting table A is detected when the light is blocked by the article M and the light receiving member 21 cannot receive the light.
The type of load sensor 17 is not limited, and it may be a reflective photoelectric sensor. Alternatively, other physical phenomena may be used.

Since the second shelf member 7 has the same structure as the first shelf member 6 as described above, duplicated explanations are omitted by assigning common numbers.
However, for convenience of explanation, the second shelf member 7 has changed the alphabetical symbols A and a of the mounting table on each floor to B and b.
Therefore, the second shelf member 7 has an elevating frame 18b as shown in FIG. 2, and a mounting table B having a four-story structure is installed in the elevating frame 18b.
The mounting tables on each floor are referred to as a first-floor mounting table B1, a second-floor mounting table B2, a third-floor mounting table B3, and a fourth-floor mounting table B4.

As will be described later, the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are arranged to hang from the outer frame 30 in an adjacent state. is provided with rollers 31 and guides 32 .
That is, rollers 31 are provided on the vertical member 20a of the elevating frame 18a of the first shelf member 6 and facing the second shelf member 7. As shown in FIG.
A vertical member 20b facing the first shelf member 6, which is the elevating frame 18b of the second shelf member 7, is provided with a guide 32. As shown in FIG.
A roller 33 is provided on the outer side of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 when they are adjacent to each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer frame 30 of the elevating unit 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped made of steel.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two upper sprockets 35 and 36 are provided inside the outer frame 30 at positions on the upper end side. Two lower sprockets 37 and 38 are also provided inside the outer frame 30 at the lower end position.
Guides (not shown) are installed on the four vertical members 23 installed at the corners of the outer frame 30 .

The first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are suspended from the outer frame 30 by wire rods (connecting means) 40 such as chains and wires. In this embodiment, a chain is adopted as the wire rod 40 .
That is, the top surface portions of the lift frame 18a of the first shelf member 6 and the lift frame 18b of the second shelf member 7 are joined with the wire 40. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the lifting frame 18 a is connected to one end of the wire 40 , and the lifting frame 18 b is connected to the other end of the wire 40 .
1 and 2, the intermediate portion of the wire rod 40 is engaged with the upper sprockets 35, 36 installed on the upper end side of the outer frame 30. As shown in FIG.
As a result, the weights of the lifting frames 18a and 18b are supported by the upper sprockets 35 and 36, and the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are suspended by the wire rods 40 hanging from the upper sprockets 35 and 36. It's becoming

Further, when moving to the lower side of the lifting frames 18a and 18b, the bottom surfaces of the lower sides of the lifting frames 18a and 18b are also joined together by wire rods 41, and the wire rods 41 are installed on the lower side of the outer frame 30. It engages with the lower sprockets 37,38.
As a result, the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are in a state of being annularly connected via wires 40 and 41, and like a balance, when one is raised, the other is moved by the same distance. descend.
The rollers 33 of the lifting frames 18a and 18b are engaged with guides (not shown) provided on vertical members at the corners of the outer frame 30. As shown in FIG.
Rollers 31 and guides 32 provided at the boundary between the lifting frames 18a and 18b are engaged with each other.
Therefore, the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 have a degree of freedom only in the vertical direction.

Next, the lifting means 8 will be explained.
In this embodiment, a lifting means 8 applying a crank mechanism is employed.
Specifically, the lifting means 8 has a rotating disk 50 and a rod-like link 51 as shown in FIGS. The rotating disc 50 and the rod-shaped link 51 are rotatably connected by a pin 52 . A pin 53 is also rotatably connected between the other end of the rod-shaped link 51 and the lifting frame 18a.

The rotating disc 50 is slowly rotated by the geared motor 43 . The stop position of the rotating disk 50 is determined by an encoder and limit switches (not shown).
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the pin 52 is positioned substantially directly above the rotation center 55 of the rotating disk 50, and the rotation center of the rotating disk 50 is positioned as shown in FIG. The rotating disc 50 stops at the lowered position where the pin 52 is positioned substantially directly below the pin 55 .

In this embodiment, when the rotating disk 50 stops at the raised position as shown in FIG. The second shelf member 7 faces downward.
The mounting tables A and B on each floor of the two shelf members 6 and 7 have the same height while being shifted one step at a time.
In this embodiment, the first shelf member 6 has a first-floor mounting table A1, a second-floor mounting table A2, a third-floor mounting table A3, and a fourth-floor mounting table A4, and the second shelf member 7 also has a first-floor mounting table B1. , second-floor mounting table B2, third-floor mounting table B3, and fourth-floor mounting table B4. The second-floor mounting table B2 of the member 7 has the same height, the second-floor mounting table A2 of the first shelf member 6 and the third-floor mounting table B3 of the second shelf member 7 have the same height, and the third-floor mounting table of the first shelf member 6 The mounting table A3 and the fourth-floor mounting table B4 of the second shelf member 7 have the same height.

Further, when the rotating disk 50 stops at the lowered position, the heights of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are shifted as shown in FIG. 6 is down.
The mounting tables A and B on each floor of the two shelf members 6 and 7 have the same height while being shifted one step at a time.
That is, the second-floor mounting table A2 of the first shelf member 6 and the first-floor mounting table B1 of the second shelf member 7 have the same height, and the third-floor mounting table A3 of the first shelf member 6 and the second-floor mounting table of the second shelf member 7 have the same height. B2 has the same height, and the fourth floor mounting table A4 of the first shelf member 6 and the third floor mounting table B3 of the second shelf member 7 have the same height.

Next, the left station device 3 and the right station device 5 will be explained.
Since the left station device 3 and the right station device 5 have the same structure, the left station device 3 will be described as a representative.
The left station device 3 is a member that functions as a temporary storage place or a passing point when the goods M are taken in and out, and is provided with a station L having a five-story structure. Station L functions as a loading/unloading space.
For convenience of explanation, the stations (loading/unloading spaces) on each floor are referred to as left first floor station L1, left second floor station L2, left third floor station L3, left fourth floor station L4, and left fifth floor station L5.
The five stations L are installed within the support frame 60 at regular intervals in the height direction.
The height interval of each floor of the station L is the same as the height interval of each floor of the mounting table A. FIG.

The structure of the station L on each floor is the same as the mounting tables A and B of the shelf members 6 and 7 described above, and is a small conveyor device (conveyance means) 61, which conveys the goods M in both forward and reverse directions. can be transported.
A stock sensor 62 is provided at the station L on each floor.
The station L on each floor has a code reader (not shown), which can detect the sorting destination of the goods M from the bar code or the like attached to the goods M. FIG.

Since the right station device 5 has the same structure as the left station device 3 as described above, redundant description is omitted by assigning common numbers.
However, for convenience of explanation, the alphabetical symbol of the station on each floor of the right station device 5 is changed to R.
Therefore, the right station device 5 is provided with a five-story station R as shown in FIG.
The stations on each floor are called right first floor station R1, right second floor station R2, right third floor station R3, right fourth floor station R4, and right fifth floor station R5.

Next, the function of the lifting device 1 of this embodiment will be described. The lifting device 1 of the present embodiment is attached to, for example, a transfer line C having a five-layer three-dimensional structure as shown in FIG. is.
The transfer line C shown in FIG. 4 has a first floor line C1, a second floor line C2, a third floor line C3, a fourth floor line C4, and a fifth floor line C5.
The transfer line C on each floor is connected to the station L on each floor of the left station device 3 and the station R on each floor of the right station device 5 .

In the lifting device 1 of this embodiment, the mounting tables A and B belonging to one of the shelf members 6 and 7 are aligned with the mounting tables A and B belonging to the other shelf member 7 and 6, and in this state the mounting tables A and B are moved. A forward movement is performed by the conveyor device (conveying means) 10 to move the article M from the mounting tables A, B belonging to one of the shelf members 6, 7 to the mounting tables A, B belonging to the other shelf member 6, 7. .
Next, the elevating means 8 is driven to elevate the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7, and the height of the mounting tables A and B belonging to one shelf member 6 and 7 is adjusted to the height belonging to the other shelf member 6 and 7. It is matched with mounting tables A and B of other heights.
Then, a returning operation is performed to move the conveyed article M previously moved by the forward movement to a mounting table belonging to one of the shelf members 6 and 7 and having a different height from the original mounting tables A and B by the conveying means.
Furthermore, the forward movement and the return movement are repeated as necessary. As a result, the article M moves back and forth in a zigzag manner between the mounting tables A and B belonging to the adjacent shelf members 6 and 7, changes in height, and is discharged to the stations L and R at desired heights.

Specific examples will be described below.
In this embodiment, the forward movement and the return movement are performed by driving the conveyor devices (conveying means) 10 of the mounting tables A and B having the same height. That is, the conveyor devices 10 of the mounting tables A and B on which the article to be conveyed M is placed are driven in the direction of the other mounting table A and B, so that the conveyed article M is transferred to the other mounting table A and B. send out. On the other hand, the other mounting table A, B drives the conveyor device 10 so as to draw the article M to the mounting table A, B itself.

In this embodiment, since the load sensors 17 are provided on the respective mounting tables A and B, it is possible to identify whether or not there is an article M to be conveyed on the mounting tables A and B of its own.
In this embodiment, the conveyor device 10 of the mounting tables A and B is driven under the condition that there is an article M on its own mounting table A or B and that there is no article M on the mounting table A or B of the destination. , forward and backward motions are performed.

In addition, the goods M are also transferred between the stations L and R on each floor of the station devices 3 and 5 and the mounting tables A and B of the shelf members 6 and 7 . In this embodiment, each station L, R is also provided with a load sensor 62, so it is possible to identify whether or not there is a transported article M at the own station L, R.
In this embodiment, the conditions for transferring the article M between the stations L and R and the mounting tables A and B of the shelf members 6 and 7 are the above-described transfer conditions for the article M on the mounting tables A and B. Conveyor apparatus on the condition that there is an article M on its own station L, R or mounting table A, B and that there is no article M on the destination station L, R or mounting table A, B 10 and 61 are driven, and the article M is delivered.

As an example, the operation of moving the article M from the fifth floor station L5 on the left side of the station device 3 to the first station R1 on the right side will be described.
FIG. 5 shows the status of each stage when the goods M are moved from the left fifth floor station L5 of the station device 3 to the right first floor station R1.
In the state shown in FIG. 5(a), the article M is placed in the station L5 on the left fifth floor. be done. Then, the following series of operations are executed based on a signal from the control device.

First, the elevating means 8 is driven and stopped in a state where the first shelf member 6 is higher than the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 5(a). In this state, the left fifth floor station L5 and the fourth floor mounting table A4 of the first shelf member 6 are at the same height.
While maintaining this posture, the conveyor device 61 of the left fifth floor station L5 and the conveyor device 10 of the fourth floor mounting table A4 are driven to send out the conveyed object M from the left fifth floor station L5 and the fourth floor mounting table. The material to be conveyed M is pulled in with A4.

In the state of FIG. 5(a), since there is a conveyed article M at the left fifth-floor station L5, the load sensor 62 of the left fifth-floor station L5 detects the conveyed article M. FIG. On the other hand, the loading table A4 of the first shelf member 6 is in an empty state, so the load sensor 17 does not detect the article M to be conveyed. Therefore, the driving conditions of the conveyor device 61 of the left fifth floor station L5 and the conveyor device 10 of the fourth floor table A4 are satisfied, and the conveyor devices 61 and 10 are driven.
The load sensor 62 on the fifth floor station L5 on the left no longer detects the goods M, and the load sensor 17 on the loading table A4 on the fourth floor detects the goods M. After maintaining the drive of 10, the conveyor device 10, 61 is stopped.
As a result, the article M is moved from the left fifth floor station L5 to the fourth floor mounting table A4.

Subsequently, the elevating means 8 is driven, and stops in a state where the second shelf member 7 is higher than the first shelf member 6 as shown in FIG. 5(b). In this state, the height of the fourth-floor table A4 of the first shelf member 6 matches the height of the third-floor table B3 of the second shelf member 7. As shown in FIG.
While maintaining this posture, the conveyor device 10 of the fourth-floor placing table A4 of the first shelf member 6 and the conveyor device 10 of the third-floor placing table B3 of the second shelf member 7 are driven, and the fourth-floor placing table is driven. The article M is sent out from the A4, and the article M is taken in by the third-floor table B3. In this way, forward movement is performed. The load sensor 17 on the fourth floor table A4 stops detecting the article M, and the load sensor 17 on the third floor table B3 detects the article M. After maintaining the drive of 10, the conveyor device 10, 61 is stopped.
As a result, the article M is moved from the fourth-floor platform A4 of the first shelf member 6 to the third-floor platform B3 of the second shelf member 7 .

Subsequently, the elevating means 8 is driven again, and the first shelf member 6 is stopped at a height higher than the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 5(c). In this state, the height of the third-floor platform B3 of the second shelf member 7 matches the height of the second-floor platform A2 of the first shelf member 6 .
While maintaining this posture, the conveyor device 10 of the third-floor mounting table B3 of the second shelf member 7 and the conveyor device 10 of the second-floor mounting table A2 of the first shelf member 6 are driven to move the third-floor mounting table B3. The object M is sent out from the second floor table A2, and the object M is taken in by the second-floor mounting table A2. Thus, the return operation is executed.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven again, and as shown in FIG. The mounting table A2 and the first-floor mounting table B1 of the second shelf member 7 are aligned in height, and the conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M from the second-floor mounting table A2 to the first-floor mounting table B1. In this way, the second go operation is performed.

Subsequently, the elevating means 8 is driven again, and as shown in FIG. The height of the first-floor station R1 is made uniform, and the conveyor devices 10 and 61 are driven to carry out the goods M from the first-floor placing table B1 to the right first-floor station R1.
In this manner, the article M is moved in a zigzag pattern, and the height is changed little by little to match the height of the desired station, and the article M is discharged.

The example of use described in FIG. 5 is the case of lowering the height of the article M to be conveyed, but of course it is also possible to raise the height and lift the article M to the stations L and R on the upper floor.
FIG. 6 shows the status of each stage when the goods M are moved from the station L1 on the left first floor to the station R5 on the right fifth floor.
In this case, the lifting means 8 is driven to stop the second shelf member 7 at a height higher than the first shelf member 6 as shown in FIG. The heights of the mounting tables A1 are aligned, the conveyor device 61 of the left first floor station L1 and the conveyor device 10 of the first floor mounting table A1 are driven, and the object M is transferred from the left first floor station L1 to the first floor mounting table A1. move.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the first-floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 and the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. The device 10 is driven to move the article M from the first-floor placing table A1 to the second-floor placing table B2 (forward operation).

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 and the third-floor mounting table A3 of the first shelf member 6 as shown in FIG. The apparatus 10 is driven to move the article M from the second-floor mounting table B2 to the third-floor mounting table A3 (return operation).

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the third-floor mounting base A3 of the first shelf member 6 and the fourth-floor mounting base B4 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 6(d). The conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M from the third-floor placing table A3 to the fourth-floor placing table B4 (second forward operation).

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven, and as shown in FIG. It is driven to unload the article M from the mounting table B4 on the fourth floor to the station R5 on the right fifth floor.

In the example of use described above, the articles to be conveyed M are moved one by one, but the articles to be conveyed M can also be moved continuously.
7 and 8 show an example of moving an article M from the fifth floor station L5 on the left side of the station device 3 to the first station R1 on the right side in the same manner as in the example of FIG. , the next article to be conveyed M2 arrives at the left fifth floor station L5 and is introduced to the fourth floor placing table A4 until it reaches the destination.
That is, in FIG. 7, the stages (a) and (b) are the same as those in FIG. 5 illustrated above, but in FIG. When the stage A4 is lifted, the next object M2 is moved to the stage A4 on the fourth floor.
As a result, the added article M2 reaches the target right first floor station R1 as in the previous example.

The movement regarding the preceding conveyed product M1 is the same as in the case of FIG. 5 described above.
The article M2 carried in later also follows the same locus of movement as in the case of FIG. 5 and reaches the target right first floor station R1.

In the example of use described above, the articles M to be conveyed are moved to the same place, but a plurality of articles M to be conveyed can also be moved to different places at once.
The example of use shown in FIG. 9 is a case of moving an article M1 from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5 and simultaneously transferring another article M2 from the right first floor station R1 to the left fifth floor station L5. showing the situation.

In this example of use, as shown in FIG. 9A, one transported object M1 is at the left first floor station L1, and the other transported object M2 is at the right first floor station R1.
First, the first shelf member 6 stops at a height lower than the second shelf member 7, the heights of the left first floor station L1 and the first floor mounting table A1 are aligned, and then the conveyor devices 10 and 61 are moved. It is driven to carry out the article M1 from the left first floor station L1 to the first floor mounting table A1.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the first-floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 and the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. The device 10 is driven to move the article M1 from the first-floor mounting table A1 to the second-floor mounting table B2.
At this time, since the heights of the right first floor station R1 and the first floor mounting base B1 match, the conveyor devices 10 and 61 of the right first floor station R1 and the first floor mounting base B1 are driven to move the right first floor station. An article M2 is carried in from R1 to the first-floor mounting table B1.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 and the third-floor mounting table A3 of the first shelf member 6 as shown in FIG. The device 10 is driven to move the article M1 from the second-floor mounting table B2 to the third-floor mounting table A3.
At this time, since the heights of the first-floor table B1 and the second-floor table A2 match, the conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M2 from the first-floor table B1 to the second-floor table A2.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the third-floor mounting base A3 of the first shelf member 6 and the fourth-floor mounting base B4 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 9(d). The conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M1 from the third-floor mounting table A3 to the fourth-floor mounting table B4.
At this time, since the heights of the second-floor table A2 and the third-floor table B3 match, the conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M2 from the second-floor table A2 to the third-floor table B3.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven, and as shown in FIG. It is driven to carry out the article M1 from the mounting table B4 on the fourth floor to the station R5 on the right fifth floor.
At this time, since the heights of the third-floor mounting table B3 and the fourth-floor mounting table A4 match, the conveyor device 10 is driven to move the article M2 from the third-floor mounting table B3 to the fourth-floor mounting table A4. .

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven, and as shown in FIG. It is driven to carry out the conveyed object M2 from the mounting table B4 on the fourth floor to the station L5 on the left fifth floor.

FIG. 10 shows the situation of each stage when the article M1 is moved from the left first floor station L1 to the right fifth floor station R5, and at the same time another article M2 is moved from the left fifth floor station L1 to the right first floor station R5. is shown.
In the example of use shown in FIG. 10, as shown in FIG. 5, the goods M2 are moved from the left fifth floor station L5 to the right first floor station R1, and at the same time, as shown in FIG. It can be said that the method of moving the article M1 to the station R5 is performed at the same time.

That is, the elevating means 8 is driven to stop in a state where the second shelf member 7 is higher than the first shelf member 6 as shown in FIG. Align the height of A1, and move the article M1 from the left first floor station L1 to the first floor mounting table A1.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the height of the first-floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 with the height of the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 10(b). The article M1 is moved from the table A1 to the second floor table B2.
At this time, since the left fifth floor station L5 and the fourth floor mounting table A4 are at the same height, the article M2 is moved from the left fifth floor station L5 to the fourth floor mounting table A4.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the height of the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 with the height of the third-floor mounting table A3 of the first shelf member 6, as shown in FIG. 10(c). The article M1 is moved from B2 to the third-floor placing table A3.
At this time, since the heights of the fourth-floor mounting table A4 and the third-floor mounting table B3 are the same, the article M2 is moved from the fourth-floor mounting table A4 to the third-floor mounting table B3.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the height of the third-floor mounting table A3 of the first shelf member 6 with the height of the fourth-floor mounting table B4 of the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. The object M1 is moved from the mounting table A3 to the fourth floor mounting table B4.
At this time, since the heights of the third-floor mounting table B3 and the second-floor mounting table A2 are the same, the article M2 is moved from the third-floor mounting table B3 to the second-floor mounting table A2.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the height of the 4th floor mounting table B4 of the second shelf member 7 with the height of the right 5th floor station R5 as shown in FIG. 10(e). The article M1 is unloaded to the station R5.
At this time, since the heights of the second-floor mounting table A2 and the first-floor mounting table B1 are the same, the object M2 is moved from the second-floor mounting table A2 to the first-floor mounting table B1.

Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven to match the heights of the first-floor table B1 and the right first-floor station R1 as shown in FIG. 10(f). to carry out.

In the embodiment described above, a crank mechanism is used as the lifting means 8, but the lifting means 8 is not limited to the crank mechanism, and other mechanisms such as cams may be applied.
11, a rotating means 65 such as a geared motor may be attached to the sprocket 35, and the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 may be raised and lowered by rotating the sprocket 35. .
According to the lifting device 68 shown in FIG. 11, the shelf members 6 and 7 can be lifted to any height.

In the above-described embodiment, the lower portions of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are also connected by the wire rod 41, and the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are annularly connected via the wire rods 40 and 41. However, the lower wire 41 may be omitted.
In the above-described embodiment, by connecting the upper parts of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 with the wire rod 40, the left and right weight balance can be secured, and the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member Although this configuration is recommended because the members 7 can be moved synchronously, each of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 may be provided with independent elevating means.

Although both the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 move up and down in the above-described embodiment, only one of them may move up and down.

In the embodiment described above, both the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 move up and down by a drop corresponding to one floor of the mounting tables A and B and stop. For example, looking at the interval from FIG. 5(a) to FIG. 5(b), the 4th-floor mounting table A4 of the first shelf member 6 corresponds to the left-fifth-floor station L4, which is one floor below from the height corresponding to the left-fifth-floor station L5. and stop at the height of In the meantime, the 4th floor mounting table B4 of the second shelf member 7 rises from the height corresponding to the right 4th floor station R4 to the height corresponding to the right 5th floor station R5 one floor above and stops.
In the above-described embodiment, the mounting tables A and B of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are always stopped at the same height as the stations L and R on one of the floors, and are stopped at the middle floor. There is no time to stop.

However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the mounting tables A and B may be stopped at an intermediate floor.
For example, each time the lifting means 8 operates, the shelf members 6 and 7 may move up and down by half a floor and then stop. If a crank mechanism is applied as the lifting means 8, the size of the crank arm (rotating disk 50) may be appropriately designed, or the rotation angle may be limited, so that the mounting tables A and B can be lifted on the middle floor. can be stopped.
Further, in the lifting device 68 shown in FIG. 11, the mounting tables A and B can be stopped at an intermediate floor by controlling the number of rotations of the rotating means 65 such as a geared motor.

12 to 14 show the operation in the case of adopting a configuration in which the shelf members 6 and 7 are raised and lowered by half a floor each time the lifting means 8 operates once, and then stopped.
According to this configuration, when a large number of conveyed articles M are moved, the conveyed articles M can be lifted and lowered without creating empty floors without the conveyed articles M on each floor, and more conveyed articles M can be moved up and down per unit time. may be able to

In the lifting device 70 shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are shown in (a), (c), (e), (g), (i), (k), (m), (o). are lined up at the same height, and the first shelf member 6 is lower than the second shelf member 7 as shown in (b), (d), (f), (h), (j), (l), (n), and (p). stop in a state where the
(a) (c) (e) (g) (i) (k) (m) (o) when the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are aligned at the same height position , the heights of the mounting tables A and B on each floor of the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 coincide with the heights of the stations L and R.
(b) (d) (f) (h) (j) (l) (n) (p) when the first shelf member 6 is stopped in a state higher than the second shelf member 7 , the mounting tables A and B on each floor do not match any of the stations L and R.
However, since each shelf member 6 and 7 is lifted and stopped by one-half floor, if the first shelf member 6 is stopped at a height higher than the second shelf member 7, the lifting distance will be shortened. The total is equivalent to the height of one floor. Therefore, the first shelf member 6 is stopped in a state where the height is higher than the second shelf member 7 as shown in (b), (d), (f), (h), (j), (l), (n), and (p). In this case, the height of the mounting table A belonging to the first shelf member 6 coincides with that of the mounting table B belonging to the second shelf member 7 and which is one floor below.

12 to 14, the operation for continuously moving the goods from the station L1 on the left first floor to the station R5 on the right fifth floor will be described.
As shown in FIG. 12(a), there is an object M1 at the left first floor station L1, and when the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are aligned at the same height, the left first floor station L1 , is moved to the first-floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 .
Subsequently, the lifting means 8 is driven and stopped in a state where the first shelf member 6 is higher than the second shelf member 7 as shown in FIG. 12(b).
In this state, the mounting tables A and B on each floor do not match with any of the stations L and R, but the height of the first floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 is equal to that of the second floor mounting table of the second shelf member 7. Since it is aligned with the height of B2, the conveyed object M1 is moved from the first-floor mounting table A1 to the second-floor mounting table B2.

Subsequently, the elevating means 8 is driven to restore the state in which the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 are aligned at the same height as shown in FIG. 12(c). In this state, the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7 matches the second-floor mounting table A2 of the first shelf member 6. The article M1 is moved to the mounting table A2.
At this time, since the first floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 returns to the height of the left first floor station L1, the new article M2 is moved to the first floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6.
In this state, the objects M1 and M2 are placed on the first and second floors of the placing tables A and B, respectively.

Subsequently, the elevating means 8 is driven, and as shown in FIG.
In this state, the height of the second-floor mounting table A2 of the first shelf member 6 is the same as the height of the third-floor mounting table B3 of the second shelf member 7. Move M1.
Since the height of the first-floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 is the same as the height of the second-floor mounting table B2 of the second shelf member 7, the object M2 is moved from the first-floor mounting table A1 to the second-floor mounting table B2. .
Further, in FIG. 12(e), since the first floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6 returns to the height of the left first floor station L1, a new object M3 is placed on the first floor mounting table A1 of the first shelf member 6. move.
From FIG. 12(e) onward, this process is sequentially repeated to gradually raise the heights of the items M1, M2, M2, and M4, move them to the station R5 on the right fifth floor in order, and discharge them.
In this embodiment, since the articles to be conveyed M are placed on each floor, a plurality of articles to be conveyed M can be moved continuously.

In the embodiment described above, the loading tables A, B and the stations L, R are provided with the load sensors 17, 62 to detect the presence or absence of the article M, but the loading tables A, B and the stations L, R A control device is individually provided to forward the information that the conveyed article M has been moved, or the information that the conveyed article M has been moved is temporarily stored in the control device that controls the whole, and the information that the conveyed article M has been moved is stored. Presence or absence may be estimated, and the conveyor devices (conveying means) 10 and 61 of the mounting tables A and B and the stations L and R may be operated.

Although the embodiment described above has two shelf members 6 and 7, it may have three or more shelf members.

Each of the lifting devices 75 and 76 shown in FIG. 15 has four shelf members.
A lifting device 75 shown in FIG. 15( a ) is obtained by connecting two sets of lifting units 2 each composed of two shelf members 6 and 7 .
A lifting device 76 shown in FIG. 15(b) is formed by arranging four shelf members 77, 78, 80 and 81 in series. In the lifting device 76 shown in FIG. 15(b), the four shelf members 77, 78, 80, 81 are provided with the lifting means 8, respectively, and the four shelf members 77, 78, 80, 81 are independent. can be raised and lowered.

The lifting device 1 described with reference to FIG. Although the return operation of moving the objects M to different heights is repeated to change the height of the conveyed object M, the return operation is not necessarily required in the lifting devices 75 and 76 shown in FIG.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, after the article M is placed on the mounting table, the shelf member is raised and lowered to match the height of the mounting table of the adjacent shelf member having a different height, and the article is moved. It is also possible to reach the desired height by successively repeating this.

Moreover, like the lifting device 83 shown in FIG. 19, a configuration in which a plurality of shelf members 6 are three-dimensionally combined is also conceivable.
In the lifting device 83 shown in FIG. 19, as the transporting means 120, a structure capable of selectively transporting the object M in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 20 is adopted.
That is, the conveying means 120 has a direction changing mechanism for switching the conveying direction.
The transport means 120 is composed of a main transport conveyor 121 and a sub-transport conveyor 122 as shown in FIG.
A main conveyor 121 of the conveying means 120 is a belt conveyor in which a plurality of thin belts 125 are arranged at regular intervals.

The sub-conveyor 122 is a roller conveyor. The sub-conveyor 122 is arranged so that rollers 126 are present between the belts 125 of the main conveyor 121 as shown in FIG. In the conveying means 120, the main conveyor 121 and the sub-conveyor 122 can be moved up and down so that one of them protrudes above the other.

For example, when the article M placed on the conveying means 120 is to be discharged in the lateral direction with respect to the carry-in direction, after the article M is drawn in while the main conveyor 121 is raised, the sub-conveyor 122 is moved. As it is raised, the main conveyor 121 is lowered, the sub-conveyor 122 is projected above the main conveyor 121, and the sub-conveyor 122 is driven. As a result, the transported article M is discharged in a direction orthogonal to the initial moving direction.

The lifting device 83 shown in FIG. 19 can lift and lower the plurality of shelf members 6 individually. In the lifting device 83, like the lifting devices 1 and 70 described above, it is possible to change the height of the goods M by moving the goods M to the shelf members 6 arranged in the vertical direction. The article M can be transferred even between the shelf members 6 adjacent in the lateral direction. Therefore, the transported article M can be moved in the lateral direction. Further, the height can be changed while moving the conveyed article M in the horizontal direction.

In the illustrated embodiments described above, the shelf members 6 and 7 of the lifting devices 1, 68, 70 and 75 and the shelf members 77, 78, 80 and 81 of the lifting device 76 all have the same shape and structure. , the difference in height between the stages A and B of each stage is constant. Although this configuration is recommended, the height interval between the mounting tables A and B of the shelf member does not necessarily have to be the same.
For example, when the lifting device 68 shown in FIG. 11 is employed, the shelf members 6 and 7 can be raised and lowered to an arbitrary height. Even if they are different, the heights of the mounting tables A and B can be matched.

In the examples of use described in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 10, the goods to be conveyed M are introduced from the left station device 3 into the lifting device 1 and the like, and discharged to the right station device 5 after changing the height.
In the example of use illustrated in FIG. 9, the conveyed article M is introduced from both the left station device 3 and the right station device 5, and discharged to the opposite right station device 5 and left station device 3 at different heights. bottom.
The transported object M can be carried in or discharged from the elevator device 1 or the like in any direction. You may

Also, as shown in FIG. 21, even if the article M is introduced from one of the station devices 3 into the lifting device 1 and then conveyed to the other station device 5 as it is without changing the height. good.
In FIG. 21, a plurality of objects M are introduced into the lifting device 1 and carried out without changing the height.
On the other hand, in the example of use shown in FIGS. 22(a) and 22(b), a plurality of articles M to be conveyed are introduced into the lifting device 1 and carried out at different heights.

The movement of the goods M between the first shelf member 6 and the second shelf member 7 and the movement between the station devices 3 and 5 and the shelf members 6 and 7 are optional, and as shown in FIG. In other areas, the goods M may be carried in from the station devices 3, 5 to the shelf members 6, 7, and at the same time, the goods M may be carried out from the shelf members 6, 7 to the station devices 3, 5 in other regions.

The lifting devices 1, 68, 70, and 75 of the above-described embodiments can be used for lifting or lowering the introduced conveyed article, moving it to a height different from that at the time of introduction, and then carrying it outside. Although it was developed for this purpose, the lifting device 1 or the like can also be used for changing the conveyed articles M.
When the lifting devices 1, 68, 70, and 75 of the embodiments are used to replace the conveyed articles, the introduced conveyed articles may be carried out without changing the height.

For example, as shown in FIG. 24(a), when the left station device 3 has a quadrilateral object MA on each stage and the right station device 5 has a triangular object MB, as shown in FIG. 24(b). In addition, it is also possible to move the quadrilateral goods MA on each stage of the left station device 3 to the right station device 5 and move the triangular goods MB to the left station device 3 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 25, it is also possible to move and rearrange the transported items M according to their types.
For example, in FIG. 25A, there is an object MB on the lower side of the left station device 3 and the transfer line C connected thereto, and an object MA is on the upper side of the left station device 3 and the transfer line C connected thereto. On the other hand, the article MA is on the lower side of the right station device 5 and the transfer line C connected thereto, and the article MB is on the upper side of the right station device 5 and the transfer line C connected thereto.
This arrangement state can be changed as shown in FIG. 25(b). In FIG. 25(b), the goods MA and MB of the left station device 3 are both moved to the right station device 5 side. During movement, all the articles MA of the left station device 3 are moved to the lower side of the right station device 5 and all the articles MB are moved to the upper side of the left station device 5 .

The embodiment described above has a station device having stations at a plurality of heights, the station device is arranged at a position adjacent to the shelf member, and the station device is transported between the station of the station device and the mounting table of the shelf member. This lifting device is characterized by being able to deliver objects.

Further, the embodiments described above have a station device in which stations are provided at a plurality of heights, the station device is arranged at a position adjacent to the shelf member, and the station of the station device and the mounting table of the shelf member are arranged. The lifting device is characterized in that it is possible to transfer a conveyed object between them.

Further, the embodiment described above has a station device having stations at a plurality of heights, and the height interval between the stations on each floor of the station device is substantially the same as the height interval between the mounting tables of the shelf members. A lifting device characterized in that the station is lifted or lowered by the height of one story or the height of one half of the station by means.

Further, in the embodiment described above, stations are provided at a plurality of height positions, one and the other shelf members arranged adjacent to each other are provided with mounting tables at a plurality of height positions, respectively, and The shelf members move up and down in conjunction with each other, and when one goes up, the other goes down, and when the other goes up, the other goes down. The goods placed on the station are moved to the mounting table of the shelf member in accordance with the above, and the heights of the one and the other shelf members are changed at the same time to change the height of the one mounting table to that of the other shelf member. The object to be conveyed is moved from the mounting table of the one shelf member to the mounting table of the other shelf member according to the height of the mounting table, and the heights of the one and the other shelf members are changed again at the same time, and the other mounting table is moved. The height of the pedestal is adjusted to the pedestal of the one shelf member, the object to be conveyed is moved from the pedestal of the other shelf member to a different pedestal of the one shelf member, and the shelf of the conveyed object is moved as necessary. A method of lifting and lowering the transported object is employed, which is characterized by moving the transported object to a position of a desired height by repeating movement between members, and discharging the transported object to another station.

In the embodiments described above, a small roller conveyor is used as the conveying means, but a conveyor device with another structure may be used. For example, a belt conveyor or chain conveyor may be used as the conveying means. A lifting unit 2' shown in FIG. 26 employs a belt conveyor as a conveyor device (conveying means) 10'.

All of the lifting devices described above are of a fixed type, and are used by being installed on the floor surface.
The present invention is not limited to a fixed type, and may be a movable type having running wheels or the like.
For example, in an automated warehouse (warehouse system) 200 as shown in FIG. 27, a lifting device 202 as shown in FIG. 28 may be used for loading and unloading articles.

The automated warehouse 200 using a lifting device will be described below.
The automated warehouse 200 of this embodiment is roughly divided into a storage area 210 and a work area 220 . Work area 220 is the area surrounding containment area 210 .
In the storage area 210, three article storage apparatuses 101a, 101b, and 101c are installed side by side. A work conveyor (work area side conveying device) 201 is installed in the work area 220 .
An article storage device 101 of this embodiment is composed of two shelves 102a and 102b and an elevating device 202 arranged therebetween. For ease of understanding, illustration of the shelf 102b of the article storage device 101c at the end is omitted.

In the automated warehouse 200, a lower conveyor (accommodation area side conveying device) 203 is installed at the bottom of each shelf 102a, 102b, and an article placement section 105 is arranged thereon.
The lower conveyor 203 is connected to the working conveyor 201 .

As shown in FIG. 27, the shelves 102a and 102b have a five-story structure, and the article placement section 105 is provided in series on the upper four stories.

In the automated warehouse 200, a mobile lifting device 202 is installed between the shelves 102a and 102b.
At the bottom of the lifting device 202, there are running wheels 121, which are engaged with the rails 120 for the tower. The traveling wheels 121 can be rotated by a motor (not shown) to move the lifting device 202 along the lower conveyor 203 . Also, the lifting device 202 can be stopped at an arbitrary position.

In the present embodiment, upper transfer means (transport device/lifting device transfer means) 111a and 111b and lower transfer means (transport device/lift device transfer means) 206a and 206b are provided before and after the lifting unit 2. is provided.
The upper delivery means 111a and 111b are moved up and down by a lifting means (not shown).
One of the upper transfer means 111a is used to carry articles into and out of one shelf 102a, and the other upper transfer means 111b is used to carry articles into and out of the other shelf 102b.・It is used for unloading.

The lower transfer means 206 a and 206 b transfer objects (articles) between the lower conveyor 203 and the lifting device 202 .
One lower delivery means 206a is provided under one shelf 102a and is used when articles are carried in and out of the lower conveyor 203. The other lower delivery means 206b is provided under the other shelf 102a. It is provided under the shelf 102b and is used when articles are carried in and out of the lower conveyor 203. As shown in FIG.
The lower delivery means 206 a and 206 b are fixed at the height of the lower conveyor 203 .

The upper delivery means a and 111b are lifted and lowered by an elevating mechanism 112 as shown in FIG. 29, for example.
That is, the lifting mechanism 112 has a long chain 113 and the like suspended along a suspension path as shown in FIG. The upper delivery means b descends. When the chain 113 is run in the direction opposite to the arrow, the upper transfer means a is lowered and the upper transfer means b is raised.
In this embodiment, the upper delivery means and the lifting mechanism 112 constitute an article lifting means.

In this embodiment, the upper transfer means a and 111b also serve as article transfer means, and have a main body portion 122 and a moving table 123 . That is, in this embodiment, the article transfer means is composed of the main body 122 and the moving table 123 .
The body portion 122 is a roller conveyor device, and in this embodiment, four rollers 125 are arranged in parallel on a frame 163 at regular intervals as shown in FIG. The conveying direction by the rollers 125 is the same as that of the lower conveyor 203 serving as the column direction article conveying means.
One of the four rollers 125 is a motor-incorporating roller in which a motor is incorporated in the roller body, and the other three rollers are idling rollers. Adjacent ones of the four rollers 125 are connected by a power transmission belt (not shown), and all the rollers 125 rotate when the motor-incorporating roller rotates.

Two cam followers 127 are provided on each side surface of the body portion 122 . The cam follower 127 is a roller.
33 and 34, a direct-acting cam 128 is provided at the lower portion of the body portion 122, and a cam follower 127 of the body portion 122 is in contact with the direct-acting cam 128. As shown in FIGS. The direct acting cam 128 has a concave portion 131 and a convex portion 132 as shown in FIGS. A rack 182 is formed on the linear cam 128, and a pinion 126 rotated by a motor engages with the rack 182. As shown in FIG. The direct acting cam 128 is linearly moved by the rotation of the rack 182 .

As described above, the cam follower 127 of the body portion 122 is in contact with the direct acting cam 128, and when the cam follower 127 falls into the concave portion 131 of the direct acting cam 128, the body portion 122 descends. Further, when the direct acting cam 128 moves linearly and the cam follower 127 rides on the convex portion 132 of the direct acting cam 128, the body portion 122 rises.

As shown in FIGS. 31 and 34, the moving table 123 has a frame 153 having two slits 133 and three rows of rollers 135a, 135b, and 135c.
That is, the moving table 123 has three rows of rollers 135a, 135b, and 135c, and the slots 133 are formed by elongated openings between the rows of rollers 135a, 135b, and 135c.

In this embodiment, each of the roller rows 135a, 135b, and 135c includes two upper rollers 137 and one lower roller 138 to form one roller unit 140, as shown in FIG. Four sets are arranged in series.
Both the upper roller 137 and the lower roller 138 are short, and their rotating shafts 142 and 146 both extend in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft of the roller 125 of the main body 122 .
Therefore, the conveying direction of the moving table 123 is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the main body portion 122 .

Both the upper roller 137 and the lower roller 138 are idle rollers and have no power. The upper roller 137 is always in contact with the lower roller 138, and when one rotates, the other follows it and rotates.
The roller unit 140 is composed of two upper rollers 137 and one lower roller 138 as described above.
As shown in FIGS. 35, 36, and 37, the upper rollers 137 are arranged above the lower rollers 138, and the lower rollers 138 are sandwiched between the two upper rollers 137. As shown in FIGS.
A rotating shaft 142 of the upper roller 137 is engaged with a guiding elongated hole 143 provided horizontally in the frame, and has a degree of freedom only in the horizontal direction.
On the other hand, the rotating shaft 146 of the lower roller 138 is engaged with a guide hole 145 vertically provided in the frame, and has flexibility only in the vertical direction.

The two upper rollers 137 are biased toward each other by biasing means 147 such as rubber or spring, and are always in contact with the lower rollers 138 .
A cam hole 150 provided in a plate cam (height changing means) 148 is engaged with the lower roller 138 . The cam hole 150 has a high region 151 and a low region 152 as shown in FIGS.

The plate cam 148 is linearly moved by driving means (not shown), and the contact position between the cam hole 150 and the rotating shaft 146 of the lower roller 138 changes.
When the lower region 52 of the plate cam 148 and the rotating shaft 146 of the lower roller 138 are engaged with each other, the lower roller 138 is lowered as shown in FIG. 37(a).
In this state, the lower surface of the lower roller 138 protrudes below the upper roller 137, as shown in FIG. 37(a).

When the plate cam 148 linearly moves and the high region 151 engages with the rotating shaft 146 of the lower roller 138, the lower roller 138 rises. As described above, the upper rollers 137 have a degree of freedom in the horizontal direction.
In this state, as shown in FIG. 37(b), the lower surface of the lower roller 138 is located above the upper roller 137, and the lower roller 138 is hidden between the upper rollers 137. As shown in FIG.

A stopper plate 155 is provided on the frame 153 of the moving table 123 on the opening side of the slit 133 .
Auxiliary guides 175 are engaged with the side surfaces of the frame 153 of the carriage 123 .
A linear moving means 158 for linearly moving the moving table 123 is provided below the moving table 123 .
The linear movement means 158 is a belt transmission mechanism using a roller with a built-in motor and an idle roller as pulleys, and a part of the belt 157 is engaged with the moving table 123 .
When the motor-incorporating roller rotates and the belt 157 runs, the moving table 123 moves linearly.

As described above, the upper transfer means has the main body 122 and the moving table (item transferring means) 123, and the moving table 123 is superimposed on the main body 122 so as to be linearly movable.
The state in which the moving table 123 is superimposed on the main body part 122 is as shown in FIG.
When the body portion 122 is lifted by the action of the direct-acting cam 128 , the rollers 125 of the body portion 122 are lifted, and the running surface of the rollers 125 is positioned above the moving table 123 .
When the body portion 122 is lowered by the action of the direct-acting cam 128 , the rollers 125 of the body portion 122 are lowered, and the running surface of the rollers 125 sinks below the moving table 123 .
Further, by driving the linear movement means 158, the moving table 123 itself advances and protrudes in a cantilever form from the body portion 122 as shown in FIG.

The lower transfer means 206 has a body portion 122 and a moving table 123 similar to the upper transfer means 111, and the moving table 123 is superimposed on the main body portion 122 so as to be linearly movable. As for the lower transfer means 206, by driving the linear movement means 158, the moving table 123 itself advances and protrudes from the main body 122 in a cantilever manner as shown in FIG.
In the lower transfer means 206, the moving table 123 is a conveyor device, and the lower rollers 38 are driven by power. The upper roller 37 receives power from the lower roller 38 and rotates.

First, the operation for taking out the article M from the shelf 102 will be described.
When taking out an article M from the article storage apparatus 1, the traveling wheel 121 of the lifting device 202 is driven to move the lifting device 202 in front of the portion of the shelf 102 where the desired article M is placed. Then, one of the upper delivery means is lifted, and the upper delivery means is aligned with the height of the article placement section 105 in which the desired article M is accommodated.
Subsequently, the moving means 158 is driven, and the moving table 123 itself is advanced from the upper transfer means toward the shelf 102 side, and projected from the body portion 122 in a cantilever manner as shown in FIG. At this time, the roller 125 of the body portion 122 is lowered.

Also, as shown in FIG. 38(a), the lower roller 138 is set at the lowered position.
In this state, the lower surface of the lower roller 138 protrudes below the upper roller 137, as shown in FIG. 38(a).
When the movable table 123 itself is advanced and reaches the article placement section 105 , the lower roller 138 comes into contact with the floor surface 181 of the article placement section 105 . The lower roller 138 rotates as the moving table 123 advances. Since the lower roller 138 is rotated by the force that advances the movable table 123, the direction of rotation thereof is forward with respect to the forward direction of the movable table 123, as shown in FIG. 38(a).

Since the upper roller 137 is always in contact with the lower roller 138 , the upper roller 137 receives rotational force from the lower roller 138 and rotates in the direction opposite to the forward direction of the moving table 123 .
The moving table 123 moves forward, and the leading roller 137 of the moving table 123 hits the end of the pallet 180 as shown in FIG. 38(b). Since the leading upper roller 137 rotates in the direction of scooping up the pallet 180 as shown in FIG.

When the moving table 123 moves forward further, the moving table 123 gets into between the pallet 180 and the floor surface 181 as shown in FIG. 38(c).
Therefore, the pallet 180 receives a force in the pushing direction due to the forward movement of the moving table 123 and tries to move toward the back side of the shelf 102 .
On the other hand, in this state, the upper roller 137 contacts the bottom surface of the pallet 180 as shown in FIGS. 37(a) and 38(c).

Here, the upper roller 137 rotates in a direction opposite to the forward direction of the moving table 123 . Therefore, the pallet 180 is urged by the upper rollers 137 in the direction of moving toward the lifting device 202 . That is, the pallet 180 receives force in the direction of being pushed into the shelf 102 and moves in the direction of being pushed into the shelf 102 by the forward movement of the moving table 123 , but receives force in the opposite direction by the upper roller 137 and moves toward the lifting device 202 . Therefore, the movement of the pallet 180 in the pushing direction due to the forward movement of the carriage 123 is offset by the movement toward the entrance side due to the action of the upper rollers 137, and the pallet 180 remains at that position as shown in FIG. 38(c).
Therefore, without changing the position of the pallet 180, the moving table 123 gets under the pallet 180 as shown in FIG. 38(d). Although the moving table 123 may be completely retracted directly under the pallet 180, in the present embodiment, the pallet 180 is retracted to the extent that the pallet 180 is lifted as shown in FIG. 38(d).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 39, the moving table 123 is pulled back toward the main body 122 side.
When pulling back the moving table 123, the lower roller 138 is raised as shown in FIG. 37(b).
In this state, the lower rollers 138 are hidden by the upper rollers 137, and the lower rollers 138 are raised from the floor surface 181, as shown in FIG. 39(b).
Therefore, the upper roller 137 is grounded on the floor surface 181 .

Then, the moving table 123 itself is retracted. As described above, since neither the upper roller 137 nor the lower roller 138 has power, the upper roller 137 rotates due to the contact with the floor surface 181 and the retreat of the movable table 123 .
On the other hand, looking at the relationship between the upper roller 137 and the pallet 180, the upper roller 137 acts in the direction of pulling the pallet 180 back toward the main body 122 side. Therefore, the pallet 180 is moved on the moving table 123 by the upper rollers 137 as shown in FIG. 39(c).
In this manner, the pallet 180 is moved toward the main body 122 by the force from the upper roller 137 in addition to the backward movement of the moving table 123 itself. Therefore, the pallet 180 is pulled back toward the main body 122 at high speed and over a longer distance.

Therefore, even if the carriage 123 is in a state in which the pallet 180 is about halfway into the pallet 180 as shown in FIG. , the pallet 180 is housed in the center of the carriage 123 . Since the moving table 123 is provided with a stopper plate 155 , the pallet 180 does not overshoot the moving table 123 .

Immediately after the pallet 180 moves toward the main body 122 side of the upper delivery means, the rollers 125 of the main body 122 are raised, and the pallet 180 is transferred from the moving table 123 to the rollers 125 of the main body 122 .

Then, the lifting device 202 lowers the conveyed article to the first floor and moves the conveyed article to the lower transfer means 206 . Further, the conveyed article is transferred to the lower conveyor 203 by the lower transfer means 206 .

In this manner, articles removed from shelves 102a and 102b are discharged onto lower conveyor 203. As shown in FIG. Articles are transferred from the lower conveyor 203 to the working conveyor 201 .
The automated warehouse 200 of this embodiment is used for selecting a plurality of small commodities and sorting them by destination. That is, it is a warehouse for picking work.
In this embodiment, the article M is a box, and a large number of small articles are contained in the box. The same products are stored in one box.
For example, box A contains chocolate, box B contains rice crackers, box C contains soap, and box D contains many ballpoint pens.
For example, there are Hayata Shoten, Arashi Shoten, and Muramatsu Shoten. will send 2 rice crackers, 6 soaps, and 2 ballpoint pens.

A worker 230 and a picking robot 231 line up on the work conveyor 201 . In order to ensure safety, the robot 231 is arranged on the work area 220 side, and the workers 230 are lined up outside.
Then, the central command device (not shown) sends a request to the automated warehouse 200 for the goods to be shipped to which each person is in charge. The lifting device 202 takes out the box containing the containerized product from the shelf 2 and discharges it to the lower conveyor 7 . Following the previous example, boxes A, B, C, and D are picked and discharged onto the lower conveyor 7 . Boxes A, B, C, D enter working conveyor 201 from lower conveyor 7 and flow through working conveyor 201 . The worker 230 and the robot 231 take out the required number of products from the boxes passing through the work conveyor 201 and put them into individual cases.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the roller unit 140 including the upper roller 137 and the lower roller 138 is used as the article delivery means. In each of the above-described embodiments, the upper roller 137 and the lower roller 138 do not have any power and rotate by coming into contact with other members.
The present invention does not limit the structure of the article delivery means, and may use rollers or belt conveyors having power.
For example, an article mounting table having a pusher or the like may be employed, and the article M on the article mounting table may be pushed out toward the shelf 2 by the pusher or the like. Alternatively, a conveyor may be provided on the shelf 2 side, and the articles may be transferred from the article conveying device to the conveyor of the shelf 2 .
The article delivery means may be a robot.

1, 68, 70, 75, 76, 83 202 Lifting device 2 Lifting unit 3 Left station device 5 Right station device 6 First shelf member 7 Second shelf member 8 Lifting means 10, 61 Conveyor device (transporting means)
17, 62 load sensors 40, 41 wire (connecting means)
77, 78, 80, 81 Shelf members A, B Mounting table L, R Station (loading/unloading space)

Claims (10)

a plurality of shelf members arranged adjacent to each other; and lifting means for lifting and lowering at least one of said shelf members;
Each of the shelf members has a mounting table at a plurality of height positions,
The mounting table has a conveying means capable of conveying an object in both forward and reverse directions,
Matching the height of the mounting table belonging to one shelf member with the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member,
carrying out a going operation for moving the object to be conveyed from the mounting table belonging to one shelf member to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member by the conveying means;
Further, by elevating the shelf member, the height of the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member is adjusted to the mounting table having the other height belonging to the one shelf member,
A return operation is performed to move the transported object moved to the mounting table belonging to the other shelf member by the forward movement to the mounting table belonging to the one shelf member and having a height different from that of the original mounting table by the conveying means. death,
An elevating device characterized by being able to repeat the forward movement and the return movement as necessary to move the conveyed object to a desired height position. a plurality of shelf members arranged adjacent to each other; and lifting means for lifting and lowering at least one of said shelf members;
Each of the shelf members has a mounting table at a plurality of height positions,
The mounting table has a conveying means capable of conveying an object to be conveyed,
Matching the height of the mounting table belonging to one shelf member with the mounting table belonging to another shelf member,
moving and placing an object to be conveyed from a mounting table belonging to one shelf member to a mounting table belonging to another shelf member by a conveying means;
By raising and lowering the shelf member, the height of the mounting table belonging to the shelf member on which the article is placed is matched with the mounting table having another height belonging to another shelf member,
moving and placing the placed article on a placing table of another shelf member by a conveying means;
An elevating device characterized in that it is possible to move an object to a desired height position by repeating movement of the object to be conveyed between the shelf members as necessary. The elevating means simultaneously elevates adjacent shelf members. When one shelf member is lifted by the elevating means, the other shelf member is simultaneously lowered. 3. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the other shelf member is lifted at the same time. 4. The lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adjacent shelf members are connected by connecting means so that they can be lifted and lowered synchronously. 5. The lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the mounting table is provided with a load sensor for detecting the presence of the conveyed object. The condition is that there is an object to be conveyed on the mounting table belonging to one shelf member, and that there is no conveying object on the mounting table that belongs to another shelf member, has the same absolute height, and is to be moved. 6. The lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the conveyed object is moved as a . The mounting tables belonging to the shelf members are arranged at regular height intervals, and the elevating means raises and lowers the shelf members by a distance corresponding to the height interval or a half distance of the height interval. 7. The lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the shelf member is stopped at a height. 8. A lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that it is movable. 9. Any one of claims 1 to 8 , characterized in that there is an elevating unit in which one shelf member and the other shelf member are combined, and at least one loading/unloading space is provided on each side of the elevating unit. Lifting device as described. It has a containment area and a work area.
In the storage area, a shelf provided with a plurality of article placement sections, a storage area side transport device, the lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , and a space between the shelf and the lifting device An inter-shelf/elevating device transfer means for transferring an article, and an inter-conveying device/elevating device transfer means for transferring an article between the storage area side transfer device and the lifting device,
The work area has a work area side transport device, and the accommodation area side transport device and the work area side transport device are connected,
The article in the shelf is taken out by the transfer means between the shelf and the lifting device, lowered by the lifting device, the article is transferred to the storage area side transportation device by the transfer device between the transportation device and the lifting device, and the above operation is performed from the storage area side transportation device. A warehouse system characterized in that it is possible to take out articles to a work area through an area-side transport device.

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