JP7321077B2 - Automated warehouse system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automated warehouse system .

2. Description of the Related Art A picking device is known for collecting products at a storage location or temporarily placed at a shipping location. For example, Patent Literature 1 describes a picking device that picks up articles stacked on a pallet layer by layer. This picking device comprises a gripping device that grips layer by layer the articles on a single-kind pallet positioned at the unloading position and transfers them to each of a plurality of shipping pallets positioned at the loading position, and the gripping device. and a load transfer device capable of moving up and down with respect to the shipping pallet.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-187618

The inventor of the present invention studied an automated warehouse system and obtained the following recognition.
FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the flow from warehousing to warehousing in the automated warehouse system of the comparative example. FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the layout of an automated warehouse system of a comparative example. First, a single pallet loaded with a single type of load is transported by a vehicle such as a truck, and the single pallet is unloaded from the vehicle using a transport device such as a forklift (carried into the warehouse). . In the automated warehouse system of the comparative example, single-load pallets loaded with multiple loads of a single type are received (Fig. 17(a)), and mixed-load pallets loaded with multiple types of loads and single-load pallets loaded with multiple types of loads are stored according to the requirements of the destination. The pallet is delivered (FIG. 17(e)). For this reason, in the automated warehouse system of the comparative example, the load on the single pallet is separated into predetermined units (hereinafter referred to as "cases") (Fig. 17(b)), and the separated cases are stored in the case storage unit. (FIG. 17(c)). Also, at the time of shipment, different types of cases are stacked on a pallet according to the request of the destination to create a mixed pallet (Fig. 17(d)).

In order to realize this process, as shown in FIG. 18, there is a task of dividing the single pallets that have been brought in into cases, and a task of collecting the separately stored cases to create a mixed pallet (hereinafter referred to as "picking"). It takes a lot of time and effort to do this. It is also difficult to secure workers for picking. In addition, in the automated warehouse system of the comparative example, in addition to the storage shelves for storing single-loaded pallets and mixed-loaded pallets, space for case storage and picking is required, and a large site area is required accordingly. . In addition, when the site area is fixed, the storage shelf for storing single pallets must be made smaller by the space for case storage and picking, which reduces the number of cargoes that can be stored.

From these, the present inventor recognized that the automated warehouse system has room for improvement from the viewpoint of reducing manpower and space for picking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and one of the objects thereof is to provide an automated warehouse system capable of reducing manpower and space for picking.

In order to solve the above problems, an automated warehouse system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a storage shelf having a plurality of storage units for storing cargo, and a first cargo stored in the first storage unit, stored in a second storage unit. A picking device for moving a cargo to a second storage unit in which cargo is stored, and a carry-out device for carrying out the first cargo and the second cargo stored in the second storage unit together from the storage rack. .

Arbitrary combinations of the above constituent elements, and mutually replacing the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention in methods, systems, etc. are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the automatic warehouse system which can reduce the manpower and space for picking can be provided.

1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the picking device of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1; 4 is an enlarged side view of the picking device of FIG. 3; FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a first truck of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a front view of the first truck of FIG. 5; 2 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a second truck of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 8 is a front view of the second truck of FIG. 7; FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a holding portion of the picking device of FIG. 1; It is a figure explaining the process of transferring goods from one pallet to another pallet. It is a figure explaining the process of transferring goods from one pallet to another pallet. It is a figure explaining the process of transferring goods from one pallet to another pallet. It is a figure explaining the process of transferring goods from one pallet to another pallet. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a picking operation of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1; It is a top view which shows the periphery of the warehousing part of a 1st modification, and a warehousing part. It is a top view which shows the periphery of the warehousing part and the warehousing part of a 2nd modification. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the flow from warehousing to warehousing in the automated warehouse system of the comparative example; FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the layout of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 17;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment and modified examples, the same or equivalent constituent elements and members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. In addition, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are appropriately enlarged or reduced for easy understanding. Also, in each drawing, some of the members that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted.

Also, terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, and the terms The constituent elements are not limited by

[First embodiment]
The configuration of an automated warehouse system 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of an automated warehouse system 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the picking device 18 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing the automated warehouse system 100. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the picking device 18 of FIG. In these figures, description of some columns and beams is omitted.

For convenience of explanation, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in which a certain horizontal direction is the X-axis direction, a horizontal direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction is the Y-axis direction, and a direction orthogonal to both, that is, the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction determine. The positive direction of each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis is defined in the direction of the arrow in each figure, and the negative direction is defined in the direction opposite to the arrow. Such directional notation does not limit the configuration of the automated warehouse system 100, and the automated warehouse system 100 can be used in any configuration according to the application.

In this specification, one or more articles housed in a case such as cardboard is referred to as a load 10 . An empty pallet is simply called a "pallet". A single pallet on which one or a plurality of loads 10 of the same type are placed is called a single pallet 12S, and a pallet on which a plurality of loads 10 of a plurality of types are placed is called a mixed pallet 12M. For the sake of convenience, the mixed pallet 12M is also used when some of the loads to be placed are not yet loaded. A single pallet 12S and a mixed pallet 12M refer to a combination of the pallet and the load on the pallet. Hereinafter, the single-loading pallet 12S and the mixed-loading pallet 12M will be collectively referred to as "loading pallet 12". The loading pallet 12 may be constructed of multiple layers that are stacked, and each layer may contain multiple loads 10 . The load pallet 12 may be the minimum unit that is received, stored, and shipped in the automated warehouse system 100 . A load 10 may be the smallest unit handled when picking.

First, the overall configuration of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described. The automated warehouse system 100 is a system that includes storage racks 22 that can accommodate a large number of goods 10 . As shown in FIG. 1, the automated warehouse system 100 includes a storage shelf 22, a goods sorting section 20, a first truck 14, a second truck 16, a picking device 18, an unloading device 28, and a transfer mechanism 32. , and a control unit 30 .

The storage rack 22 has a plurality of storage units 26 for storing the loading pallets 12 . The cargo arranging unit 20 picks from the single pallet 12S before picking in the storage rack 22 using the picking device 18 to create the mixed pallet 12M (see FIG. 3). The picking device 18 moves the goods 10 stored in one storage unit 26 to another storage unit 26 to create a mixed pallet 12M. The first trolley 14 is a trolley capable of carrying the loading pallet 12 and traveling in the Y-axis direction on the storage shelf 22 . The second trolley 16 is a trolley on which the loading pallet 12 and the first trolley 14 are mounted and which can travel in the storage rack 22 in the X-axis direction.

The unloading device 28 is a device for unloading the mixed pallet 12M created by picking from the storage rack 22 . The transfer mechanism 32 includes an elevating device 34 for elevating the loading pallet 12, and transfers the load 10 from the storage section 26 of one stage to the storage section 26 of another stage. The control unit 30 controls operations of the first truck 14 , the second truck 16 , the picking device 18 , the unloading device 28 , the transfer mechanism 32 and the lifting device 34 . These elements are described in detail below.

(Storage shelf)
A plurality of storage racks 22 are installed on the floor portion Lg, and are so-called high-density storage type storage spaces capable of storing a large number of loads 10 . As shown in FIG. 1, the storage shelf 22 of this embodiment includes three storage shelves 22a, 22b, 22c. The storage racks 22a, 22b, and 22c are divided across the second rail 44 and arranged in this order from the negative direction to the positive direction in the Y-axis direction. The configuration of the storage shelves 22a, 22b, and 22c is not particularly limited as long as a plurality of articles 10 can be accommodated and stored. The storage racks 22a, 22b, and 22c have a plurality of storage stages 24 (for example, three stages) stacked in layers in the vertical direction. Each storage stage 24 includes a plurality of storage portions 26 arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Each accommodation portion 26 is configured to accommodate the loading pallet 12 .

The uppermost storage stage of the storage shelves 22a is referred to as the uppermost storage stage 24a1, and the storage stages other than the uppermost storage stage 24a1 are referred to as storage stages 24a2. The uppermost storage stage of the storage shelves 22b is referred to as the uppermost storage stage 24b1, and the storage stages other than the uppermost storage stage 24b1 are referred to as storage stages 24b2. The uppermost storage stage of the storage shelves 22c is referred to as the uppermost storage stage 24c1, and the storage stages other than the uppermost storage stage 24c1 are referred to as storage stages 24c2. Hereinafter, the uppermost storage stages 24a1, 24b1, and 24c1 are collectively referred to as the uppermost storage stage 24p, and the storage stages 24a2, 24b2, and 24c2 are collectively referred to as the storage stage 24s.

The cargo sorting section 20 will be described. As described above, the cargo sorting section 20 functions as a picking space for picking using the picking device 18 within the storage shelf 22 . The goods sorting section 20 is provided with a first storage section 26p and a second storage section 26s for picking. The first accommodation portion 26p is provided for placing the single pallet 12S before picking, and the second accommodation portion 26s is provided for placing the mixed pallet 12M after picking. It should be noted that the first storage portion 26p and the second storage portion 26s do not refer to specific locations within the picking space, but refer to spaces in which the loading pallet 12 is temporarily stored. Therefore, the positions and ranges of the first storage section 26p and the second storage section 26s in the cargo arrangement section 20 may change for each picking operation.

Although there is no limitation on the arrangement of the goods arranging section 20, the goods arranging section 20 of the present embodiment is provided on the uppermost storage stage 24b1 of the storage shelf 22b. Although the entire area of the uppermost storage stage 24b1 may be used as the cargo alignment section 20, in this example, a partial area of the uppermost storage stage 24b1 is used as the cargo alignment section 20, and the remaining area is used for loading. It is used for storing the pallet 12. In other words, based on the shipping plan, if the frequency of shipping is high, the area used as the cargo sorting section 20 is expanded, and if the frequency of shipping is low, the area used as the cargo sorting section 20 is reduced. You may Since it can be flexibly enlarged and reduced, the storage shelf 22b can be effectively used, and the space efficiency is improved. The goods sorting section 20 is provided with a first storage section 26p and a second storage section 26s.

(rail)
The storage shelf 22 is provided with a first rail 40 on which the first truck 14 runs and a second rail 44 on which the second truck 16 runs. The first rail 40 extends in the Y-axis direction in the storage racks 22a, 22b, 22c. A first rail 40 is provided below each accommodation portion 26 in each accommodation stage. The first carriage 14 can run under each storage section 26 in each storage stage. The second rail 44 extends in the X-axis direction in each accommodation stage between the storage shelves 22a and 22b and between the storage shelves 22b and 22c. A power supply unit (not shown) for supplying power to the second truck 16 extends along the second rail 44 in each storage stage.

A storage section 50 and a storage delivery section 52 are provided adjacent to one end of the second rail 44 . The warehousing section 50 and the warehousing section 52 of the present embodiment are provided in the storage stage 24 of each stage. The warehousing unit 50 functions as an entrance of the storage shelf 22 for warehousing the loading pallet 12 to be warehousing. The delivery unit 52 functions as an exit of the storage shelf 22 for delivering the loading pallet 12 to be delivered. A lifting device 34 is connected adjacent to one end of the second rail 44 . The lifting device 34 can lift and lower the first carriage 14 and the loading pallet 12 from any storage stage 24 to another storage stage 24 .

(First truck)
Next, the first truck 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 as well. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the first truck 14. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of the first truck 14. FIG. As described above, the first carriage 14 carries the loading pallet 12 and travels in the Y-axis direction on the first rails 40 of the storage stages of the storage shelves 22a, 22b, and 22c. The first carriage 14 takes the loading pallet 12 into and out of the storage section 26 . The first truck 14 travels on the second truck 16 in the Y-axis direction in order to get on and off the second truck 16 .

The first carriage 14 mainly includes a vehicle body 14b, a mounting table portion 14c, a lift mechanism 14d, and a plurality of (for example, four) wheels 14f. The vehicle body 14b has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped contour that is flat in the vertical direction. Inside the vehicle body 14b, a motor (not shown) for driving the wheels 14f, a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the motor, and a battery (not shown) are mounted. The first carriage 14 is configured to drive the motor with battery power. The battery is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery that can be repeatedly charged.

The mounting table portion 14c is a portion that lifts and holds the loading pallet 12 . The lift mechanism 14d is a mechanism for raising and lowering the mounting table portion 14c. In FIG. 6, the mounting table portion 14c in the raised state is indicated by a broken line, and the mounting table portion 14c in the lowered state is indicated by a solid line. The lift mechanism 14 d can raise the mounting table portion 14 c to lift the loading pallet 12 from the mounting surface of the storage portion 26 . The lift mechanism 14 d can lower the mounting table portion 14 c to lower the loading pallet 12 onto the mounting surface of the storage portion 26 . A plurality of wheels 14 f can roll on the first rail 40 and on the second truck 16 .

(Second truck)
Next, the second carriage 16 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 as well. FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the second carriage 16. As shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a front view of the second truck 16, showing a state in which the first truck 14 is mounted. The second carriage 16 runs on the second rail 44 in the X-axis direction. The second carriage 16 transfers the first carriage 14 that is empty or loaded with the loading pallet 12 .

The second truck 16 mainly includes a truck mounting portion 16c, a housing portion 16d, a cover portion 16e, a plurality of (eg, four) wheels 16f, and a current collecting unit . The carriage mounting portion 16c is provided at the central portion of the second carriage 16 in the X-axis direction. The truck mounting portion 16 c is a portion for mounting the first truck 14 and has a pair of guide portions 16 j for guiding the first truck 14 . The cross section of each guide portion 16j when viewed from the front has an angular lateral U shape. The second carriage 16 presents a substantially concave shape in which the carriage mounting portion 16c is recessed from the left and right when viewed from the front.

The housing portion 16d and the cover portion 16e are provided separately on both sides in the X-axis direction with the carriage mounting portion 16c interposed therebetween. The housing portion 16d and the cover portion 16e each cover a portion of the plurality of wheels 16f from above. The housing portion 16d functions as a casing that houses a motor (not shown) for driving the wheels 16f and a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the motor.

The second carriage 16 receives power from the power supply via the power collection unit 38 . The second carriage 16 is configured to rotate a motor (not shown) with the received electric power to drive the wheels 16f. The second truck 16 is configured to be able to charge the battery of the first truck 14 with the received power.

(picking device)
The picking device 18 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the picking device 18 moves the cargo 10 stored in the first storage section 26p to the second storage section 26s where another cargo 10 is stored. Hereinafter, the goods 10 stored in the first storage unit 26p and moved by the picking device 18 are referred to as "first goods 10a" and "goods 10a". The load 10 stored in the storage section 26s is referred to as "second load 10b" and "load 10b". That is, the cargo 10b is stored in the second storage section 26s before the cargo 10a, and the cargo 10a is stored in the second storage section 26s after the cargo 10b. It does not matter whether the cargo 10a and the cargo 10b are of the same kind or of different kinds.

As shown in FIG. 1, the picking device 18 is provided at a position overlapping the storage shelf 22 in plan view. The picking device 18 can pick up the target cargo 10 from the loading pallet 12 and transfer it to another pallet at the uppermost storage stage 24b1 of the storage shelf 22b. The picking device 18 may include a so-called gantry-type crane mechanism. As shown in FIG. 4, the picking device 18 of the present embodiment includes a pair of lateral beams 18e, a lateral girder 18k, a crane truck 18d, a hanging portion 18j, and a holding portion 18h. The pair of horizontal beams 18e are provided separately on both sides in the Y-axis direction in the upper space of the uppermost storage stage 24b1. Both ends of the horizontal beam 18e are supported by the upper ends of the vertical columns 18g.

The horizontal girder 18k is a rail-shaped structure extending in the Y-axis direction, and spans between a pair of horizontal girder 18e. The horizontal girder 18k is configured to be self-propelled in the X-axis direction on the horizontal beam 18e. The cross girder 18k is sometimes called a crane garter. The crane truck 18d is a truck capable of self-propelled in the Y-axis direction on the horizontal girder 18k. The crane truck 18d is sometimes called a trolley truck. The suspending portion 18j suspends the holding portion 18h from the crane carriage 18d and can vertically move the holding portion 18h in the Z-axis direction. The hanging portion 18j can horizontally rotate the holding portion 18h. The holding portion 18h is provided at the tip of the hanging portion 18j and configured to be able to lift the load 10. As shown in FIG.

The picking device 18 can freely move the holding portion 18h in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction in the upper space of the uppermost storage stage 24b1. By moving the holding portion 18h, the picking device 18 picks up the target cargo 10 from above one storage portion of the uppermost storage stage 24b1, moves it in the horizontal direction, and picks up the other storage portion of the uppermost storage stage 24b1 from above. The load 10 of interest can be unloaded onto 26 pallets.

The holding portion 18h will be described. 9 is a bottom view showing the holding portion 18h of the picking device 18. FIG. The holding portion 18h has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the bottom. A plurality of suction portions 18s are arranged in a matrix in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction on the bottom surface of the holding portion 18h. Each adsorption portion 18s can generate an adsorption force independently. In other words, the holding portion 18h can adsorb and hold the load 10 in the region corresponding to the adsorption portion 18s by selecting the adsorption portion 18s that generates the adsorption force. The adsorption portion 18s may be configured to generate adsorption force by sucking air.

10 to 13 are top views illustrating the process of transferring the cargo 10 from the source pallet to the destination pallet. For example, the transfer source pallet may be the single pallet 12S stored in the first container 26p. In this example, eight loads 10 are stacked in each layer on the transfer source pallet. For example, the transfer destination pallet may be an empty pallet stored in the second storage section 26s. In the description of these figures, in order to distinguish the loads 10, "(1)", "(2)", and "(3)" are added to the end of the reference numerals.

In the example of FIG. 10, the holding part 18h generates an attraction force to the attraction part 18s corresponding to the load 10(1) among the plurality of attraction parts 18s so as to attract only the single load 10(1). I am letting In this example, the picking device 18 takes out only the load 10(1) from the transfer source pallet, moves it horizontally, and unloads it onto the transfer destination pallet.

In the example of FIG. 11, the holding portion 18h is configured so that the holding portions 18s corresponding to the plurality of loads 10(2) out of the plurality of adsorption portions 18s are arranged so as to adsorb only the plurality (for example, five) of the loads 10(2). generates an adsorption force. In this example, the picking device 18 picks up only a plurality of loads 10 (2) from the transfer source pallet, moves them horizontally, and unloads them onto the transfer destination pallet.

In the example of FIG. 12, the holding part 18h generates an attractive force in the adsorption part 18s corresponding to the load 10(3) in one layer among the plurality of adsorption parts 18s so as to adsorb all the loads 10(3) in one layer. I am letting In this case, the holding portion 18h may cause all the suction portions 18s to generate the suction force.

In the example of FIG. 13, the holding part 18h causes the adsorption part 18s corresponding to the load 10 among the plurality of adsorption parts 18s to generate the adsorption force so as to adsorb only the single load 10(1). . In this example, the picking device 18 picks up only the load 10(1) from the transfer source pallet, moves it horizontally and rotates it horizontally, and transfers the load 10(1) while changing its posture. Unloading onto the pallet ahead.

Thus, the picking device 18 of the present embodiment can transfer a desired number of cargoes 10 out of a plurality of cargoes 10 in one layer by one picking.

(unloading device)
The unloading device 28 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 and 14. FIG. The unloading device 28 is a device for unloading the mixed pallet 12M in the second container 26s from the storage shelf 22. As shown in FIG. Although the configuration of the unloading device 28 is not limited, the unloading device 28 is implemented by the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 in this embodiment. The unloading device 28 may include a lifting device 34 .

An example of the operation of the unloading device 28 will be described.
(1) In this example, the first carriage 14 moves to the lower portion of the second storage section 26s, loads the mixed pallet 12M thereon, travels in the Y-axis direction on the first rails 40 of the storage shelf 22b1, and travels to the second storage section 26s. Move onto the carriage 16 .
(2) The second truck 16 travels on the second rail 44 to transfer the first truck 14 with the mixed pallet 12M to the delivery section 52 . With this transfer, the operation of the unloading device 28 is completed. The mixed pallet 12M transferred to the unloading section 52 is unloaded by, for example, a forklift 54 and loaded onto an external transportation means 56 such as a truck. In this case, the forklift 54 loads the mixed pallet 12M onto the external transportation means 56 from the unloading section 52 of the target stage.

The carry-out device 28 may be used to transfer the mixed pallet 12M stored in the second storage section 26s to another storage rack. For example, the unloading device 28 may be controlled to transfer the mixed pallet 12M stored in the second storage section 26s of the storage shelf 22b to the storage shelves 22c and 22a.

(transfer mechanism)
The transfer mechanism 32 will be explained. The transfer mechanism 32 is a mechanism for transferring the load 10 from the storage section 26 of one storage stage to the storage section 26 of another storage stage. The transfer mechanism 32 of the present embodiment transfers the articles 10 from the storage section 26 (transfer source) of the storage stages 24s other than the uppermost storage stage 24p to the first storage section 26p (transfer destination) of the cargo arrangement section 20 . Here, the load 10 transferred to the first storage section 26p by the transfer mechanism 32 is referred to as "third load 10c" and "load 10c". Load 10c may be the same type of load 10 as load 10a or load 10b, or may be a different type of load 10. FIG. The storage unit 26 of the transfer source may be any one of the storage racks 22a, 22b, and 22c. Although the configuration of the transfer mechanism 32 is not limited, in this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 32 is realized by the first carriage 14, the second carriage 16, and the lifting device 34. As shown in FIG.

An example of the operation of the transfer mechanism 32 will be described. In this example, the single pallet 12S containing the third cargo 10c is transferred from the storage section 26 (transfer source) of the second storage stage 24a2 of the storage rack 22a to the transfer destination.
(1) The first carriage 14 moves to the lower part of the storage unit 26 of the transfer source, places the single pallet 12S thereon, travels in the Y-axis direction on the first rails 40 of the storage shelf 22a1, and moves to the second carriage 16. Move up.
(2) The second truck 16 travels on the second rail 44 to transfer the first truck 14 with the single pallet 12S to the lifting device 34 .

(3) The lifting device 34 transfers the first carriage 14 with the single-loaded pallet 12S to the uppermost storage stage 24b1. The first carriage 14 transferred to the uppermost storage stage 24b1 moves onto the second carriage 16 of the uppermost storage stage 24b1 together with the single pallet 12S.
(4) The second truck 16 travels on the second rail 44 to transfer the first truck 14 with the single pallet 12S to the frontage of the storage line to which the first storage section 26p belongs.
(5) The transferred first truck 14 travels along the first rail 40 with the single-loaded pallet 12S, and transfers the single-loaded pallet 12S to the destination first storage section 26p.
(6) The operation of the transfer mechanism 32 ends when the first carriage 14 unloads the single-loaded pallet 12S into the first container 26p.

(control part)
The controller 30 will be explained. The control unit 30 includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and the like, and controls the movement of the loading pallet 12 for warehousing, shipping, unloading, transfer, etc. based on the operation results from the user. As an example, the control unit 30 controls the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 to transfer the loading pallet 12 between a predetermined storage unit and the storage unit 50 and the storage unit 52 or between a plurality of storage units. . The control unit 30 also controls the operation of the picking device 18 to pick the cargo 10 . The control unit 30 also controls the lifting device 34 to lift the first truck 14 and the loading pallet 12 from an arbitrary storage stage 24 to another storage stage 24 .

(Receiving operation)
Next, an example of the warehousing operation of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. In this example, the process of storing the single-loaded pallet 12S transported and received by the external transportation means 56 such as a truck in the storage section 26 of the storage shelf 22a will be described.
(1) The single pallet 12S produced at the manufacturing factory is loaded into the external transportation means 56, transported to the automated warehouse system 100, and received.
(2) The single pallet 12S received by the external transportation means 56 is carried into the storage section 50 by the forklift 54 or the like. In this case, the forklift 54 carries the single pallet 12S from the external transportation means 56 into the storage section 50 of the target stage.
(3) The single pallet 12S carried into the storage section 50 is transported by the first truck 14 and the second truck 16 to the predetermined storage section 26 of the storage shelf 22a and stored.

These operations complete the warehousing operation. In the warehousing operation, the first truck 14 and the second truck 16 are controlled by the controller 30 .

(Picking operation)
Next, an example of the picking operation of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 14 . FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the picking operation. The picking operation in this example is an operation of taking out the load 10 from the single load pallet 12S based on the shipping plan and creating a mixed load pallet 12M for shipping to a destination such as a store. In this example, the single-load pallet 12S is stored in the storage shelf 22a, the picking is performed by the cargo sorting unit 20 set in the uppermost storage stage 24b1 of the storage shelf 22b, and the mixed-load pallet 12M is stored in the storage shelf 22c. be. In this description, in order to distinguish between cargo, pallets and first storage units, the symbols are suffixed with "-A", "-B" and "-C". In FIG. 14, the load 10-A is shown in white, the load 10-B is shown by straight hatching, and the load 10-C is shown by broken line hatching.

(1) The single pallet 12S is transferred from the storage section 26 of the storage shelf 22a to the first storage section 26p of the cargo sorting section 20 by the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 . In this example, single pallets 12S-A, 12S-B, and 12S-C loaded with different types of loads 10-A, 10-B, and 10-C are placed in first storage units 26p-A, 26p- B, transfer to 26p-C.
(2) An empty pallet for creating the mixed pallet 12M is placed in the second storage section 26s of the cargo arranging section 20;

(3) The picking device 18 picks up the required number of cargoes 10-A from the single pallet 12S-A and places them on an empty pallet to create a mixed pallet 12M. At this time, the picking device 18 may change the attitude of the load 10-A, such as rotating it horizontally.
(4) The picking device 18 picks up the required number of cargoes 10-B from the single pallet 12S-B and places them on the mixed pallet 12M on which the cargo 10-A is placed. At this time, the picking device 18 may change the posture of the load 10-B.

(5) The picking device 18 picks up the required number of cargoes 10-C from the single pallet 12S-C and places them on the mixed pallet 12M on which the cargoes 10-A and 10-B are placed. At this time, the picking device 18 may change the posture of the load 10-C.
(6) The mixed pallet 12M loaded with the loads 10-A, 10-B, and 10-C is transferred from the second storage section 26s to the storage section 26 of the storage shelf 22c by the first truck 14 and the second truck 16. do. At this time, the lifting device 34 may also be used to transfer the mixed pallet 12M to another stage of the storage shelf 22c.

These operations complete the picking operation. In the picking operation, the first truck 14 , the second truck 16 and the picking device 18 are controlled by the control unit 30 .

(Delivery operation)
Next, an example of the unloading operation of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. In this example, the process of loading the mixed pallet 12M stored in the storage section 26 of the storage rack 22c into the external transportation means 56 will be described.
(1) The mixed pallet 12M stored in the storage section 26 of the storage shelf 22c is transferred to the delivery section 52 by the first truck 14 and the second truck 16. At this time, the first truck 14 and the second truck 16 are controlled by the controller 30 .
(2) The mixed pallet 12M transferred to the unloading section 52 is loaded onto the external transportation means 56 by the forklift 54 or the like. In this case, the forklift 54 loads the mixed pallet 12M onto the external transportation means 56 from the unloading section 52 of the target stage.
(3) The mixed pallet 12M loaded on the external transportation means 56 is transported and shipped to the destination.

These operations complete the leaving operation. In the leaving operation, the first truck 14 and the second truck 16 are controlled by the control unit 30 .

Features of the automated warehouse system 100 configured as described above will be described. The automated warehouse system 100 includes a storage shelf 22 having a plurality of storage units 26 for storing cargoes 10, a first cargo 10a stored in a first storage unit 26p, and a second cargo 10b stored in a second storage space. A picking device 18 for moving to the section 26s, and an unloading device 28 for unloading the first cargo 10a and the second cargo 10b stored in the second storage unit 26s from the storage shelf 22 together. According to this configuration, compared to the automated warehouse system of the comparative example, it is possible to reduce the space for the case storage section and the picking, so it is possible to increase the arrangement ratio of the storage shelves to the site area and improve the storage efficiency. Also, the manpower for picking can be reduced.

The storage shelf 22 has storage stages 24 in which a plurality of storage sections 26 are arranged in a horizontal direction, and a plurality of storage stages 24 are arranged in a vertical direction. , is provided in the uppermost storage stage 24p of the plurality of storage stages 24. As shown in FIG. In this case, space efficiency of the automated warehouse system 100 can be enhanced because the space above the uppermost storage stage 24p, which has a relatively large margin, can be effectively utilized.

The picking device 18 takes out the first cargo 10a from above the first container 26p and loads the first cargo 10a from above the second container 26s into the second container 26s. In this case, compared to the case of loading and unloading from the side, the work space in plan view can be reduced, so the space efficiency of the site can be improved.

The picking device 18 has a transfer mechanism 32 that transfers the third cargo 10c on the storage stages 24s other than the uppermost storage stage 24p among the plurality of storage stages 24 to the first storage section 26p, and the picking device 18 moves the third cargo 10c to the first storage section 26p. 2 to the storage section 26s. In this case, cargo 10 can be picked from storage stages 24s other than the uppermost storage stage 24p.

The picking device 18 is provided at a position overlapping the storage shelf 22 in plan view. In this case, since the picking space in plan view can be reduced, the space efficiency of the site can be improved.

Second and third embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the drawings and descriptions of the second and third embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent components and members as in the first embodiment. Explanations overlapping with those of the first embodiment will be appropriately omitted, and the explanation will focus on the configuration different from that of the first embodiment.

[Second embodiment]
The second embodiment of the present invention is an operation method S80 of the automated warehouse system 100. FIG. This operating method S80 is a method of operating an automated warehouse system provided with a storage shelf 22 having a plurality of storage units 26 for storing cargoes 10, in which a first cargo 10a stored in a first storage unit 26p is transferred to a first storage unit 26p. The first cargo 10a and the second cargo 10b stored in the second storage unit 26s are moved to the second storage unit 26s and picked up, and the storage shelf 22 is moved to the second storage unit 26s. and unloading from. According to the operation method S80, picking is performed within the storage shelf 22, so the space for picking can be reduced.

In the operation method S80, the storage rack 22 has storage stages 24 in which a plurality of storage sections 26 are arranged in a horizontal direction. , may be performed at the uppermost storage level 24 p of the plurality of storage levels 24 . In this case, space efficiency of the automated warehouse system 100 can be enhanced because the space above the uppermost storage stage 24p, which has a relatively large margin, can be effectively utilized.

The method of operation S80 further includes transferring a third load 10c on a storage level 24s other than the top storage level 24p of the plurality of storage levels 24 to the top storage level 24p, wherein performing the above-described picking is performed at the top storage level 24p. This may include moving the third load 10c transferred to the stage 24p to the second bin 26s. In this case, cargo 10 can be picked from storage stages 24s other than the uppermost storage stage 24p.

In the operation method S80, while the above-described picking is performed in the storage rack 22, the cargo 10 other than the first cargo 10a and the second cargo 10b is carried into or out of the storage rack 22. may be performed. In this case, warehousing and warehousing can be performed even while picking is being performed, so the operating efficiency of the automated warehouse system 100 can be enhanced.

[Third embodiment]
The third embodiment of the present invention is a cargo receiving/shipping method S90 using the automated warehouse system 100. FIG. In this receiving/shipping method S90, single-loaded pallets 12S loaded with a plurality of loads of the same type are received, the received single-loaded pallets 12S are stored in the automated warehouse system 100, and then shipped within the automated warehouse system 100. A target cargo is taken out from a single-loading pallet 12S and placed on one pallet to create a mixed-loading pallet 12M in which a plurality of types of cargo are loaded on the one pallet. out of stock and shipped.

The receiving/shipping method S90 can be realized by combining the warehousing operation, the picking operation, and the warehousing operation described in the first embodiment.

According to the receiving/shipping method S90, it is possible to reduce manpower and space required from receiving the single-loaded pallet 12S to shipping the mixed-loaded pallet 12M.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail. All of the above-described embodiments merely show specific examples for carrying out the present invention. The contents of the embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes such as changes, additions, and deletions of constituent elements can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the claims. It is possible. In the above-described embodiment, descriptions such as "of the embodiment", "in the embodiment", etc. are added to the contents that allow such design changes. Changes are not unacceptable. In addition, the hatching in the drawings does not limit the material of the hatched object.

(Modification)
Modifications will be described below. In the drawings and description of the modified example, the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent components and members as the embodiment. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the explanation will focus on the configuration that is different from the embodiment.

[First modification]
In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the warehousing section 50 and the warehousing section 52 are provided at each stage was shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a single storage unit 50 and single delivery unit 52 may be provided for all stages, and the lifting device 34 may be connected to each storage unit 50 and delivery unit 52 . FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the periphery of the warehousing section 50 and the warehousing section 52 of the first modified example. This figure shows a configuration in which a lifting device 34 is connected to each of the warehousing section 50 and the warehousing section 52 . In this case, the load pallet 12 to be stored is carried from the external transportation means 56 to the storage section 50 by the forklift 54 and transferred to the target stage by the lifting device 34 . Further, the loading pallet 12 to be delivered is transferred from the stored stage to the delivery section 52 by the lifting device 34 and is shipped from the delivery section 52 to the transport means 56 .

In the first modified example, the lifting device 34 is arranged between the storage section 50/delivery section 52 and the second rail 44. 2 rail 44 may be arranged on the opposite side. Further, the lifting device 34 may be arranged on the positive side or the negative side of the storage section 50 or the storage delivery section 52 in the X-axis direction. In this case, it is possible to select an arrangement that is advantageous for the loading and unloading work.

[Second modification]
In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the lifting device 34 is arranged in the Y-axis direction at the end of the second rail 44 has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, another lifting device 36 may be provided on the positive side in the X-axis direction of the end of the second rail 44 . FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the periphery of the warehousing section 50 and the warehousing section 52 of the second modification. This figure shows a configuration in which another lifting device 36 is provided at the end of the second rail 44 . In the second modification, the lifting device 36 can lift the second truck 16 on which the first truck 14 is mounted from one stage to another stage.

[Other Modifications]
In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the storage racks 22a, 22b, and 22c have the same number of stages was shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The storage shelf 22 may include a portion with a different number of stages. For example, the part of the storage shelf 22 where the picking device 18 is installed may have a different number of stages in order to secure a space for installing the picking device 18 .

In the description of the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the holding portion 18h of the picking device 18 holds the load 10 by means of an attractive force, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the holding section of the picking device may be configured to hold the load with an arm and a hand.

Although the picking device 18 is supported from the ceiling side by a gantry-type crane mechanism in the description of the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the picking device may be mounted on a side wall and supported from the side.

In the description of the first embodiment, examples of the operation of the unloading device 28, the operation of the transfer mechanism 32, the warehousing operation, the picking operation, and the warehousing operation have been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. These operations are merely examples, and other operations may be added, some operations may be deleted or changed, and the order of operations may be changed.

In the description of the first embodiment, an example was shown in which the picking operation takes out the cargo 10 from the single-loaded pallet 12S to create the mixed-loaded pallet 12M, but the present invention is not limited to this. The picking operation may include an operation of taking out the load 10 from the mixed pallet 12M, or may be an operation of creating the single load pallet 12S from the load 10 taken out. Alternatively, the single pallet 12S created by picking may be delivered.

In the description of the first embodiment, an example of picking from a plurality of first storage units 26p-A, 26p-B, and 26p-C to a single second storage unit 26s was shown in the picking operation. is not limited to this. Picking may be performed from the plurality of first storage portions 26p to the plurality of second storage portions 26s.

In the description of the first embodiment, FIG. 14 shows an example in which a plurality of first accommodating portions 26p-A, 26p-B, and 26p-C are arranged in a row in the Y-axis direction. is not limited to It is not essential to arrange the plurality of first accommodating portions in a row, and they may be arranged separately.

In the description of the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the picking device 18 is provided with a movable range of a part of the storage shelf divided into a plurality of pieces, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a non-divided storage shelf may be provided with a picking device 18 whose movable range is the entire storage shelf.

In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the entire picking device 18 overlaps with the storage shelf 22 in plan view was shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. A portion of the picking device 18 may extend out from within the planar range of the storage shelf 22 .

Instead of the forklift 54, another type of transfer device such as a transfer device equipped with a crane may be used to carry in and out the loading pallet 12. FIG.

Each of these modifications has the same effect as the first embodiment.

Any combination of the above embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. A new embodiment resulting from the combination has the effects of each of the combined embodiments and modifications.

10 Loading 12 Loading pallet 12M Mixed pallet 12S Single pallet 18 Picking device 20 Loading unit 24p Uppermost storage stage , 24 , 24 s .・・・Automated warehouse system.

Claims (6)

a storage shelf having a plurality of storage units capable of storing a single pallet loaded with multiple loads of the same type and a mixed pallet loaded with multiple types of loads to be shipped;
A cargo sorting section provided in a part of the storage shelf is accessible, and from the single pallet stored in the storage shelf, multiple types of cargo to be shipped are placed on the shipping pallet and the a picking device that creates a mixed pallet;
a transfer mechanism for moving the single-loaded pallet to the cargo arranging section;
an unloading device for unloading the mixed pallet from the load arranging unit;
with
The storage shelf has a storage stage in which a plurality of storage units are arranged in a horizontal direction,
A plurality of said accommodation stages are provided side by side in a vertical direction,
The storage shelf has the plurality of storage stages arranged side by side, and includes a first storage shelf provided with the picking device at a position overlapping with the storage shelf in plan view, and the plurality of storage stages arranged side by side. and a second storage shelf in which the picking device is not provided in plan view,
The transport mechanism is configured to be able to move the single pallet from the second storage rack to the cargo sorting section,
The unloading device is configured to be able to move the mixed pallet from the cargo sorting unit to the second storage rack,
The picking device is provided in one of a plurality of storage stages in the first storage shelf,
The automated warehouse system, wherein in the first storage rack, the plurality of storage stages that are not provided with the picking device are provided below a storage stage that is provided with the picking device. The picking device is characterized in that it picks up the cargo on the single pallet from above the cargo arranging section, and loads the plurality of types of cargo to be shipped onto the shipping pallet from above the cargo aligning section. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 . 3. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 , wherein the picking device is provided at the uppermost storage stage among the plurality of storage stages in the first storage rack. 4. The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of stages of said first storage rack and the number of stages of said second storage rack are different. 4. The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the number of stages of said first storage racks is smaller than the number of stages of said second storage racks. The transfer mechanism and the unloading device are
a first truck capable of moving the first storage shelf and the second storage shelf in a first direction with the single-loaded pallet and the mixed-loaded pallet placed thereon;
a second truck that can be boarded with the single-loaded pallet and the mixed-loaded pallet on the first truck and that can move in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

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