JP7481033B1 - Conveyor system, vertical conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a transport system that allows an unmanned transport vehicle to operate for a long time. [Solution] The transport system 1 includes a vertical transport machine that includes a frame 10 that extends vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame 10, and a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the carriage, and an AGV 30 that rides on the carriage of the vertical transport machine and transports workpieces across each floor, the AGV 30 includes a power receiving head on its underside and a power supply head on the floor of the carriage of the vertical transport machine for supplying power to the AGV 30. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a transport system that combines a vertical transport machine and an automated guided vehicle.

In recent years, autonomously driven automated guided vehicles have been developed and are now being used in warehouses and other logistics facilities. Patent Document 1 discloses an automated driving system for automated guided vehicles that tow and transport carts loaded with cargo in a warehouse. In the automated driving system described in Patent Document 1, when a request is made to transport cargo from one shelf to another, the management server determines the driving route, and the automated guided vehicle drives according to the instructions from the management server.

The automated driving system described in Patent Document 1 describes the transportation of cargo within a floor, but does not consider transportation across multiple floors. Although not in the field of logistics, Patent Document 2 describes an automated transport system that transports materials and equipment at construction sites using an autonomously traveling automated transport vehicle. In Patent Document 2, the autonomous transport vehicle holding the materials and equipment is placed on a construction elevator or construction lift and taken to the destination floor, transporting the materials and equipment to a destination on a different floor.

JP 2022-45454 A JP 2020-123079 A

In the field of logistics, there is a demand for efficient transportation of large amounts of cargo (hereinafter also referred to as "work"), and it is desirable for automated guided vehicles to be able to operate at all times. In view of the above background, the present invention aims to provide a transport system that allows automated guided vehicles to operate for long periods of time.

The transport system of the present invention comprises a vertical transport machine having a vertically extending frame, a carriage capable of ascending and descending within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for ascending and descending the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical transport machine to transport workpieces across each floor, the automated guided vehicle having a power receiving unit on its underside and a power supply unit for supplying power to the automated guided vehicle on the floor of the carriage of the vertical transport machine. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can be charged within the carriage while transporting workpieces, thereby extending the operating time of the automated guided vehicle.

An automated guided vehicle is a vehicle that can travel automatically without human operation. In this specification, automated guided vehicles include both AGVs (automatic guide vehicles) that are guided by a guide such as a magnetic tape, and AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) that can travel autonomously without a guide.

In the transport system of the present invention, the floor of the carrier may include a bottom plate and a support member disposed under the bottom plate to support the load inside the carrier, and the support member may be disposed so as to have a predetermined gap between it and the power supply unit. The support member is made of metal, but by providing a predetermined gap between the support member and the power supply unit, it is possible to prevent the support member from affecting charging. This allows the height of the power supply unit relative to the floor to be low. Preferably, the power supply unit may be fitted into the floor without any step. This allows the unmanned transport vehicle to travel freely inside the carrier. The predetermined gap varies depending on the size of the power supply head and the battery voltage, but is preferably 8 mm or more, and more preferably 10 mm or more.

The transport system of the present invention may include a marker attached to the floor adjacent to the power supply unit to indicate the position of the power supply unit, and the automated guided vehicle may detect the marker and align itself with the power supply unit based on the detection result. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can be aligned and appropriately charged. Note that the marker may be an RFID, a magnetic marker, a color sensor, a QR code (registered trademark), or the like.

Another aspect of the transport system of the present invention includes a vertical transport machine having a vertically extending frame, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical transport machine to transport workpieces across each floor, and the automated guided vehicle is configured to detect workpieces in a waiting space and load the workpieces into the vertical transport machine in order from the front, and when it detects workpieces in an interruption space, load the workpiece in the interruption space into the vertical transport machine before the workpiece in the waiting space. This configuration makes it possible to handle cases where there is workpiece that needs to be transported with priority.

Another aspect of the transport system of the present invention includes a vertical transport machine having a vertically extending frame, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the vertical transport machine to transport workpieces across floors, the vertical transport machine having a door at an entrance through which the automated guided vehicle enters and exits, the automated guided vehicle stops in front of the vertical transport machine when it leaves the vertical transport machine until the door closes, and the vertical transport machine opens the door when the automated guided vehicle enters the vertical transport machine after stopping in front of the vertical transport machine. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle will not leave the vertical transport machine with the door open, reducing the risk of a person accidentally getting on the vertical transport machine.

Another aspect of the transport system of the present invention includes a vertical transport machine having a vertically extending frame, a carriage capable of moving up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical transport machine to transport workpieces across each floor, and the carriage of the vertical transport machine is equipped with a turntable. With this configuration, the direction in which the automated guided vehicle can easily move can be aligned with the direction of transport. For example, when an automated guided vehicle transports a workpiece by towing it, the automated guided vehicle leads the workpiece, making it difficult for it to exit in the same direction as it entered. By changing the direction using the turntable, the workpiece can be towed in the same direction as it entered.

The conveying system of another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to convey workpieces across each floor, and the vertical conveying machine includes a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided on the upper end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, and when the carriage reaches the upper end of the frame, the guide pin engages with the receiving portion. With this configuration, the carriage can be accurately positioned when it stops at the upper end, and the automated guided vehicle can smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

The conveying system of another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to convey workpieces across each floor, and the vertical conveying machine includes a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at the lower end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, and when the carriage reaches the lower end of the frame, the guide pin engages with the receiving portion. With this configuration, the carriage can be accurately positioned when it stops at the lower end, and the automated guided vehicle can smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

The conveying system of another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a vertically extending frame, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to convey workpieces across each floor, the vertical conveying machine including a guide pin that is provided on the side of the carriage and moves in the horizontal direction, and a receiving portion that is provided on the frame and engages with the guide pin, and is configured such that when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the guide pin is moved toward the frame to engage the guide pin with the receiving portion. This configuration allows the carriage to be positioned with high precision, and the automated guided vehicle to smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

Another aspect of the transport system of the present invention includes a vertical transport machine having a vertically extending frame, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical transport machine to transport workpieces across each floor, and the vertical transport machine has a crossing plate stored in the bottom of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a specified floor, the crossing plate is slid to the outside of the frame to span between the carriage and the floor of the specified floor. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can run on the crossing plate that connects the floor and the carriage.

The conveying system of another aspect of the present invention comprises a vertical conveying machine including a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage that can rise and fall within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to convey workpieces across each floor, and the vertical conveying machine has a crossing plate rotatably attached to the entrance and exit of the carriage, and a configuration in which, when the carriage stops at a specified floor, the crossing plate is tilted toward the floor to span between the carriage and the floor of the specified floor. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can run on the crossing plate that connects the floor and the carriage.

The vertical conveyor of the present invention is a vertical conveyor comprising a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage capable of ascending and descending within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for ascending and descending the carriage, and is provided with a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided on the upper end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, and is configured so that the guide pin engages with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the upper end of the frame.

A vertical conveying machine according to another aspect of the present invention is a vertical conveying machine comprising a frame-shaped frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage capable of ascending and descending within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for ascending and descending the carriage, and further comprising a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at the lower end of the frame and engaging with the guide pin, and configured such that the guide pin engages with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the lower end of the frame.

A vertical conveyor according to another aspect of the present invention is a vertical conveyor including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and includes a guide pin that is provided on the side of the carriage and moves in a horizontal direction, and a receiving portion that is provided on the frame and engages with the guide pin. When the carriage stops at a specified floor, the guide pin is moved toward the frame to engage the guide pin with the receiving portion.

Another aspect of the vertical conveying machine of the present invention is a vertical conveying machine that includes a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage that can rise and fall within the frame, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the carriage, and the vertical conveying machine has a crossing plate stored in the bottom of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a specified floor, the crossing plate is slid to the outside of the frame to span between the carriage and the floor of the specified floor.

Another aspect of the vertical conveying machine of the present invention is a vertical conveying machine that includes a frame-shaped frame extending in the vertical direction, a carriage that can rise and fall within the frame, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the carriage, and has a crossing plate that is rotatably attached to the entrance and exit of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a specified floor, the crossing plate is tilted toward the floor to span between the carriage and the floor of the specified floor.

According to the present invention, the operating time of the automated guided vehicle can be extended, and workpieces can be transported efficiently using a vertical conveyor and the automated guided vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the workpiece unloading floor. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the work loading floor. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of a vertical conveyor. 1A is a diagram showing the configuration of an AGV, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the AGV in a state where it is lifting a workpiece. 1A is a plan view of the bottom plate of the carrier, and FIG. (a) is a side view of the carriage when the carriage stops at the upper end, and (b) is a view of the carriage when the carriage stops at the upper end, as seen from the entrance/exit of the carriage. (a) is a view from the side of the carriage when the carriage has stopped at the bottom end, and (b) is a view from the entrance/exit of the carriage when the carriage has stopped at the bottom end. 1A is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a sliding bridge plate, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the movement of the bridge plate from a stored state to a used state. 1A is a diagram showing the configuration of a rotating gangway, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the movement of the gangway from a stored state to a used state. 1A is a diagram showing an example of a vertical conveyor having a configuration for improving stopping accuracy at an intermediate floor, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a state in which a guide pin is extended. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a drive mechanism for a guide pin.

The transport system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description is merely an example of a preferred embodiment and is not intended to limit the invention described in the claims.

(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the conveying system 1 of the present embodiment. The conveying system 1 of the present embodiment is a conveying system 1 that conveys a workpiece W across floors. In FIG. 1, a floor where the workpiece W is conveyed to the vertical conveying machine 10 is described as an "incoming floor", and a floor where the workpiece W is conveyed from the vertical conveying machine 10 is described as an "outgoing floor". The workpiece W is conveyed from the incoming floor to the outgoing floor and stored in a storage space (see FIG. 3) on the outgoing floor. The workpiece W conveyed by the conveying system 1 is, for example, a cart or cargo, but is not limited thereto. In FIG. 1, a cart is described as the workpiece W. The cart is equipped with casters, but when conveying the workpiece by the conveying system 1, a stopper may be applied to the casters to prevent the workpiece W from moving.

The conveying system 1 includes a vertical conveying machine 10 that conveys the workpiece W vertically between the loading floor and the unloading floor, and an AGV 30 that conveys the workpiece W. The conveying system 1 of this embodiment uses an AGV (automatic guides vehicle) as an unmanned conveying vehicle, but the unmanned conveying vehicle is not limited to an AGV, and for example, an AMR (autonomous mobile robot) can be used.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the loading floor for the workpiece W. The loading floor has a waiting space 40 and an interruption space 41. The waiting space 40 is a space for placing the workpiece W to be carried out from the loading floor, and when the transport system 1 detects the workpiece W placed in the waiting space 40, it transports the workpiece W to the unloading floor.

As a method for detecting the workpiece W placed in the waiting space 40, for example, an RFID tag may be attached to the workpiece W and the workpiece W in the waiting space 40 may be detected, or the waiting space 40 may be photographed with a camera and the photographed image may be analyzed to detect the workpiece W. When multiple workpieces W are placed in the waiting space 40, the workpieces W closest to the vertical conveyor 10 are transported in order.

The interruption space 41 is a space for placing a work W that is to be delivered in priority over the work W placed in the waiting space 40. When the conveying system 1 detects a work W placed in the interruption space 41, it delivers the work W to the vertical conveyor 10 before the work W in the waiting space 40 and conveys it to the unloading floor. In FIG. 2, an example is shown in which the interruption space 41 is provided to the right of the vertical conveyor 10 as viewed from the waiting space 40, but the location of the interruption space 41 is not limited. For example, the interruption space 41 may be provided adjacent to the waiting space 40.

Magnetic tape 50 is attached to the floor surface from the vertical conveyor 10 to the waiting space 40 and the interruption space 41. The magnetic tape 50 is used to guide the AGV 30 to its destination, and this sets the travel route of the AGV 30.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the unloading floor for the work W. On the unloading floor, a storage space 43 for the work W is provided. The storage space 43 is a space for storing the work W that has been brought in.

In the transport system 1 of this embodiment, the AGV 30 has the role of transporting the work W within the floor of the output floor, the role of loading the work W at the front of the waiting space 40 or the work W in the interruption space 41 onto the vertical transport machine 10 and transporting it to the input floor, and the role of transporting the work W to the storage space 43 within the floor of the input floor and packing it deep into the storage space 43. In this embodiment, one AGV 30 plays these roles, but multiple AGVs 30 may share these roles.

The coordination between the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10 may be performed by a control center (not shown), or the coordination may be achieved by communication between the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10.

(Vertical conveyor)
4 is a diagram showing the external appearance of the vertical conveyor 10. The vertical conveyor 10 has a frame 11 that extends vertically. The frame 11 of the vertical conveyor 10 is installed so as to penetrate the floor between the loading floor and the unloading floor. The vertical conveyor 10 has a carrier that moves up and down inside the frame 11. The carrier is a box-shaped cage that transports the workpiece W between the loading floor and the unloading floor. The side of the carrier is open on the side facing the entrance/exit 12, and has a fence on the side not facing the entrance/exit 12. The carrier moves up and down inside the frame 11 by a lifting mechanism 15.

The frame 11 has entrances 12 at two locations, the lower and upper parts of the frame 11, for the AGV 30 to enter and exit the carrier. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, an example is given in which the work W is transported from a lower floor to a higher floor, so the lower entrance 12 corresponds to the loading floor and the upper entrance 12 corresponds to the unloading floor. In a mode in which the work W is loaded on an upper floor and unloaded on a lower floor, the upper entrance 12 corresponds to the loading floor and the lower entrance 12 corresponds to the unloading floor. Also, although an example with two entrances 12 is given here, there may be three or more entrances 12 if there are multiple loading floors and multiple unloading floors.

In this embodiment, the entrances and exits 12 of the vertical conveyor 10 are located on the same side. This type is called "C-type." There is also a type in which the two entrances and exits 12 are located on opposite sides, which is called "Z-type." Figure 1 shows a C-type vertical conveyor 10 as an example, but the vertical conveyor 10 used in the conveyor system 1 of the present invention can also be applied to a Z-type.

A shutter-type door 13 is provided at the entrance/exit 12 of the vertical conveyor 10. When the door 13 is open, it is housed in the upper case 14. The door 13 is closed except when the AGV 30 is entering or exiting, to prevent people from accidentally getting on the carrier or from entering the frame 11 when there is no carrier. Note that, although an example of a shutter-type door that opens and closes vertically is given here as an example of the door 13, the door 13 is not limited to the shutter type. The door 13 may be a type that opens and closes horizontally, or may be an outward-opening or double-door type that opens toward the floor.

(AGV)
Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of the AGV 30. Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing the AGV 30 in a state in which it is lifting a workpiece W. The AGV 30 has a body 31 that is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the front-rear direction. In Fig. 5(a), the left side will be described as the front and the right side as the rear.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the AGV 30 has two bars 32 extending in the front-rear direction on its upper surface. FIG. 5(a) shows the two bars 32 in a lowered state, and FIG. 5(b) shows the two bars 32 in a raised state. Note that FIG. 5 shows an example of an AGV 30 having two bars 32 for lifting the workpiece W, but the configuration for lifting the workpiece W is not limited to two bars 32; for example, a single plate that can move up and down may be provided on the upper surface of the AGV.

The AGV 30 slides under the workpiece W and raises the bar 32 up as shown in FIG. 5(b), thereby lifting the workpiece W off the ground. The AGV 30 transports the workpiece W in a lifted state. The weight of the workpiece W that the AGV 30 can lift is, for example, 300 to 500 kg.

The AGV 30 has two drive wheels 33 on the left and right in the center in the fore-and-aft direction (only one is visible in the figure), and two swivel casters at the front and two at the rear. The number of swivel casters is not limited, and for example, there may be one at the front and one at the rear. The AGV 30 also has a wireless LAN communication unit 34 at the front and an optical communication unit 35 on the side. Both the wireless LAN communication unit 34 and the optical communication unit 35 have the function of communicating with the vertical conveyor 10. The AGV 30 basically communicates with the vertical conveyor 10 using the wireless LAN communication unit 34, but when inside the carrier, it also uses the optical communication unit 35 to communicate with the vertical conveyor 10.

The AGV 30 has a power receiving head for wireless charging in the center of its bottom surface. The AGV 30 can be charged by placing the power receiving head close to and facing the wireless charging power supply unit.

Next, the mechanism for charging the AGV 30 will be described. The AGV 30 is charged contactlessly by facing the power supply head 17 of the charging device to the power receiving head provided in the center of the bottom surface of the AGV 30. In this embodiment, the AGV 30 is charged inside the carrier of the vertical conveyor 10.

Figure 6(a) is a plan view of the bottom plate 16 of the carrier, and Figure 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the bottom plate 16 of the carrier. As shown in Figure 6(b), the power supply head 17 for charging the AGV is embedded in the bottom plate 16 so that it is flush with the bottom plate 16 (i.e., the surfaces of the bottom plate 16 and the power supply head 17 are at the same height). An RFID 18 used for positioning the AGV 30 is embedded near the power supply head 17.

Normally, a metal beam 19 is provided under the bottom plate 16 to support the load of the workpiece W placed on the carrier, but in this embodiment, a space is formed without the beam 19. The power supply head 17 is placed on a support plate 20 attached to the bottom plate 16 within this space. A specified gap (10 mm or more, for example) is provided between the power supply head 17 and the metal beam 19. This is to prevent the electric field lines output from the power supply head 17 from being affected by the metal.

Normally, the power supply head 17 of the charging device is arranged to protrude from the mounting surface, but in the transport system 1 of this embodiment, since the power supply head 17 is attached to the bottom plate 16 on which the AGV 30 runs, this is devised to install it without a step between the power supply head 17 and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier. Note that in this embodiment, an example is described in which the power supply head 17 is attached in a state of being flush with the bottom plate 16, but if the running track of the AGV 30 in the carrier is predetermined and the power supply head 17 is attached at a position that does not interfere with the track, the power supply head 17 may protrude above the bottom plate 16. However, since the power supply head 17 needs to face the power receiving part on the bottom surface of the main body 31 of the AGV 30, it goes without saying that the height of the power supply head 17 is lower than the height of the bottom surface of the main body 31.

In the present embodiment, the vertical conveyor 10 is able to wirelessly charge when the AGV 30 enters the carrier to transport the workpiece W by providing a power supply head 17 on the bottom plate 16 of the carrier. This allows the AGV 30 to be driven continuously without having to take additional time just for charging.

(About the carriage stopping accuracy)
In order to allow the AGV 30 to enter and exit the carrier of the vertical conveyor 10, it is necessary to reduce the gap between the bottom plate 16 of the carrier and the floor, and the step between the carrier and the floor. For example, when a person loads the workpiece W into the carrier or when the workpiece W is carried in and out by a conveyor, some gaps and steps are acceptable, but in the case of the AGV 30, there is a risk of the AGV 30 getting caught if there are gaps or steps. Therefore, the vertical conveyor 10 needs to stop at a predetermined position with high accuracy. In addition, it is not preferable that the stopping position of the carrier moves up and down due to weight changes caused by carrying in and out of the workpiece W in the carrier. Such improvement of stopping accuracy is an issue that arises in the new conveyor system 1 that links the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10. The conveyor system 1 of this embodiment has the following configuration in order to improve the stopping accuracy of the carrier.

Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the state when the carrier 21 stops at the upper end. Figure 7(a) is a diagram of the carrier 21 seen from the side, and Figure 7(b) is a diagram of the carrier 21 seen from the entrance/exit 12. As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), four positioning guide pins 22 are provided on the top of the carrier 21. The guide pins 22 are pins that extend upward and are tapered at their tips to make them thinner.

At the upper end of the vertical conveyor 10, a receiving portion 23 that receives the guide pin 22 is provided. The receiving portion 23 has a cylindrical shape into which the guide pin 22 fits, and its inner surface is made of resin. When the carrier 21 stops at the upper end, the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 engage, thereby allowing the horizontal position of the carrier 21 to be accurately determined. In addition, when the carrier 21 reaches the upper end, the suspending rope suspending the carrier 21 is further tightened to press the carrier 21 against the upper end. The type of suspending rope is not limited, and may be, for example, a chain, a rope, or a wire.

This allows the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 to engage firmly, and the vertical position can be accurately determined. By tightening the sling, the carrier 21 does not drop even when the workpiece W is loaded onto it, so the floor and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 can be kept at the same height.

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining the state when the carrier 21 stops at the bottom end. Figure 8(a) is a diagram of the carrier 21 seen from the side, and Figure 8(b) is a diagram of the carrier 21 seen from the entrance/exit 12. As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the vertical conveyor 10 is installed in a pit 24 that is dug below the floor surface. In Figure 8, the depth of the pit 24 is h, and the vertical conveyor 10 is installed at a position that is a distance h below the floor surface. As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), four positioning guide pins 22 are provided below the carrier 21. The guide pins 22 are pins that extend downward and are tapered at their tips to make them thinner.

At the lower end of the vertical conveyor 10, a receiving portion 23 that receives the guide pin 22 is provided. The receiving portion 23 has a cylindrical shape into which the guide pin 22 fits, and its inner surface is made of resin. When the carrier 21 stops at the lower end, the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 engage with each other, allowing the carrier 21 to be accurately positioned in the horizontal direction. When the carrier 21 reaches the lower end, the sling that suspends the carrier 21 is loosened, so that the carrier 21 fits into the pit 24 under its own weight. This allows the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 to be firmly engaged, allowing the vertical position to be accurately determined. In addition, since the sling is loosened, the carrier 21 does not rise even when the workpiece W on the carrier 21 is removed, and the floor and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 can be kept at the same height.

(Safety System)
The transport system 1 of this embodiment is a system that enables transport between upper and lower floors by using a vertical transport machine 10 to transport an AGV 30 that transports a workpiece W. The vertical transport machine 10 transports the AGV 30 or the workpiece W, but is not intended for people to ride on it. The transport system 1 of this embodiment has various safety systems to prevent people from entering the vertical transport machine 10.

First, the control of the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10 will be described. As mentioned above, to ensure safety, the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10 is kept closed except when the AGV 30 is entering or exiting. When there is no workpiece W to be transported, the AGV 30 is placed inside the carrier and the carrier door 13 is kept closed.

The opening and closing control of the door of the vertical conveyor 10 is linked to the movement of the AGV 30. Specifically, when the AGV 30 leaves the carrier to the outgoing or incoming floor to transport the workpiece W, the AGV 30 stops in front of the vertical conveyor 10 until the door 13 closes. The AGV 30 stops in the temporary stop space 42 (see Figures 2 and 3) in front of the vertical conveyor 10 until the door 13 closes. Similarly, when the AGV 30 enters the carrier, the AGV 30 stops in the temporary stop space 42 in front of the vertical conveyor 10 before opening the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10.

As a result, the door 13 will not be left open while the AGV 30 goes to retrieve or place the workpiece W, reducing the risk of a person accidentally getting on to the carrier. Note that it is preferable that the AGV 30 not start moving until the door 13 is completely closed, but it may also start moving when the door 13 is more than half closed and effectively prevents a person from entering the carrier.

The vertical conveyor 10 is also equipped with a sensor that detects people in the vicinity of the vertical conveyor 10, and is configured not to open the door 13 when the sensor detects a person. This means that the door 13 will not open when a person is nearby, preventing people from accidentally entering the carrier.

The vertical conveyor 10 also has a sensor that detects a person inside the carrier, and when the sensor detects a person, the carrier will not move. With this configuration, if a person accidentally enters the carrier, safety can be ensured by not moving the carrier.

(Modification)
Although the transport system of the present invention has been described in detail above by way of an embodiment, the transport system of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.
The conveying system may be provided with a turntable in the carrier. By providing the turntable, the direction of the AGV 30 in the carrier can be changed. In this embodiment, the AGV 30 lifts and conveys the workpiece W, so it can move in any direction. For example, in the case of the AGV 30 towing the workpiece W, the AGV 30 leads the workpiece W. However, in the case of the C-type vertical conveying machine 10 described in this embodiment, when the direction when entering the carrier and when leaving the carrier are the same, it is difficult to tow the workpiece W that was towed in and out. In such a case, by changing the direction using the turntable, the AGV 30 can tow the workpiece W and take it out of the carrier.

In the above embodiment, a configuration for improving the stopping position accuracy was described in which the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 are engaged (Figures 7 and 8). However, instead of or in addition to the above configuration, a bridge plate that spans between the bottom plate 16 of the carrier and the floor of the stopping floor may be used to allow the AGV 30 to enter and exit smoothly.

Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the sliding crossing plate 25. As shown in Figure 9(a), a storage section 26 for the crossing plate 25 is provided under the bottom plate 16 of the carrier, and when workpiece W is not being loaded or unloaded, the crossing plate 25 is stored in the storage section 26. Figure 9(b) is a diagram showing the movement of the crossing plate 25 from the stored state to the used state. When the carrier stops at the loading or unloading floor and workpiece W is being loaded or unloaded, the crossing plate 25 is slid as shown in Figure 9(b) to connect the bottom plate 16 of the carrier to the floor with the crossing plate 25. This allows the AGV 30 to enter and exit smoothly.

Figure 10(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of a rotating crossing plate 27. The crossing plate 27 is attached to the bottom plate 16 near the entrance/exit of the carrier 16. The crossing plate 27 is rotatably attached by a fixing part 28, and can be rotated from a state in which it faces upward as shown in Figure 10(b) (this is called the "storage state") to a state in which it is laid down on the floor surface (this is called the "use state"). In the storage state, the crossing plate 27 only needs to be facing upward to the extent that it does not interfere with the vertical movement of the carrier.

The rotation of the gangway plate 27 is controlled by a control unit (not shown), and is stored when the carrier moves up and down, and is tilted down against the floor when the carrier stops at a specified floor to be used. When in use, the gangway plate 27 is placed between the bottom plate 16 of the carrier and the floor surface. With this configuration, when the carrier stops at a specified floor, the gangway plate 27 allows the AGV 30 to smoothly enter and exit.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the carrier stops at the top and bottom ends of the vertical conveyor 10, but it is also possible to configure a conveyor system 1 equipped with a vertical conveyor 10 in which the carrier stops at an intermediate floor other than the top and bottom ends. However, in the case of intermediate floors, the method of the above embodiment cannot be used to improve stopping position accuracy. Here, a configuration for improving stopping accuracy at intermediate floors is described.

Figure 11 shows an example of a vertical conveyor 10 equipped with a configuration for improving stopping accuracy at intermediate floors. A horizontally extending guide pin 22 and its drive mechanism are provided on the top of the carrier 21, and a receiving portion 23 for the guide pin 22 is provided on the frame 11 side.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of a drive mechanism for the guide pin 22. A male thread 62 is formed on the movable part 60 of the guide pin, and a female thread is formed on the block 63. With this configuration, when the movable part 60 of the guide pin is rotated by the drive mechanism 61, the movable part 60 of the guide pin is driven in the direction of the arrow. By changing the direction of rotation, the movable part 60 of the guide pin can be extended toward the frame 11 or returned to its original position.

Figure 11 (a) shows the state in which the guide pin 22 is retracted and the carrier 21 can move. When the carrier 21 stops at an intermediate floor, as shown in Figure 11 (b), the guide pin 22 provided on the carrier 21 is extended to engage the guide pin 22 with the receiving portion 23. This allows the carrier 21 to be positioned horizontally and vertically, and reduces the gap between the carrier 21 and the floor and the step between the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 and the floor. In addition, even if the load on the carrier 21 changes when workpieces W are transported out of the carrier 21 or transported into the carrier 21, the vertical position of the carrier 21 is fixed, so no step occurs between the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 and the floor.

In addition, while FIG. 11 shows an example in which the guide pin 22 is provided on the carriage 21 and the receiving portion 23 is provided on the frame 11, it is also possible to provide the guide pin 22 on the frame 11 and the receiving portion 23 on the carriage 21. However, if there are multiple intermediate floors, it is more cost-effective to provide the guide pin 22 with a drive mechanism on the carriage 21.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the AGV 30 was charged using a non-contact wireless charging method, but the AGV 30 may also be charged using a contact charging method. When using a contact charging method, the power supply unit provided on the carrier and the power receiving unit of the AGV 30 need to be in proper contact with each other, so vertical positioning is important.

The drive wheels 33 of the AGV 30 described in this embodiment are biased toward the floor by springs to improve grip with the floor when transporting the workpiece W. Therefore, when the AGV 30 is not holding the workpiece W, the drive wheels 33 are pushed toward the floor from the front and rear casters, so the AGV 30 leans slightly forward or backward like a seesaw, with the drive wheels 33 as the fulcrum. In this state, it is uncertain whether the AGV 30 will lean forward or backward, making it difficult to determine the position of the power receiving unit at the bottom of the vehicle body and the power supply unit on the bottom plate.

As a measure to allow contact-type charging of the AGV 30 in this embodiment, regardless of whether or not there is a workpiece W, a predetermined load is applied to the swivel caster at the front or rear of the AGV 30. This causes the AGV 30 to tilt so that the side on which the load is applied is at the bottom, making it possible to maintain a constant height for the power receiving part of the AGV 30 from the floor. The load applied to the swivel caster here is, for example, about 10 kg.

In the transport system 1 of this embodiment, the AGV 30 lifts and transports the workpiece W, so there is a risk that the workpiece W may tip over in the event of an earthquake. Therefore, the transport system 1 may be equipped with a receiving unit that receives an earthquake detection signal from an earthquake detection sensor. When this receiving unit receives an earthquake detection signal, the AGV 30 immediately stops and lowers the workpiece W to the floor. This stabilizes the workpiece W, reducing the risk of the workpiece W tipping over due to an earthquake. Note that in the case of an AGV that does not lift the workpiece, such as an AGV that tows and transports the workpiece W, the AGV immediately stops when it receives an earthquake detection signal.

In the above embodiment, the transport system 1 in which the AGV 30 and the vertical transport machine 10 are linked has been described, but the configuration related to the vertical transport machine 10 in the above description can also be applied to a vertical transport machine alone that is not linked to the AGV 30. Specifically, a vertical transport machine having a guide pin and receiving part configuration that improves the stopping position accuracy, and a bridge plate configuration that spans between the carrier and the floor surface, is included in the scope of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Conveyor system 10 Vertical conveyor 11 Frame 12 Entrance/exit 13 Door 14 Case 15 Lifting mechanism 16 Bottom plate 17 Power supply head 18 RFID
19: beam 20: support plate 21: carrier 22: guide pin 23: receiving portion 24: pit 25: crossing plate 26: storage portion 27: crossing plate 28: fixing portion 29: sling 30: AGV
31 Main body 32 Bar 33 Drive wheel 40 Waiting space 41 Interruption space 42 Temporary stop space 43 Storage space 50 Magnetic tape 60 Movable part of guide pin 61 Drive mechanism 62 Male screw 63 Block W Basket cart (work)

Claims (2)

A vertical conveying machine including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can be raised and lowered within the frame, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the carriage;
An automated guided vehicle that rides on the carrier of the vertical conveyor and conveys the work across each floor;
Equipped with
The automated guided vehicle has a power receiving unit on a lower surface thereof,
a power supply unit that is fitted flush with a floor of a carrier of the vertical conveyor and is capable of supplying power to the automated guided vehicle while transporting a workpiece ;
the floor of the carriage comprises a bottom plate and a support member disposed below the bottom plate and supporting a load within the carriage;
A conveying system in which the support member is disposed so as to have a predetermined gap between the support member and the power supply unit. a marker attached to the floor adjacent to the power supply unit to indicate a position of the power supply unit;
The transportation system according to claim 1 , wherein the automated guided vehicle detects the marker and aligns itself with the power supply unit based on a result of the detection.

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