JP7481855B2 - Item storage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an item storage facility that stores multiple items and is equipped with a dispensing device that dispenses a predetermined number of items.

For example, the vending machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a storage section (item storage) that stores multiple items (products), and a dispensing device that dispenses the items one by one from the storage section. In the vending machine of Patent Document 1, items are stored in the storage section by stacking them up, down, left, and right, and a conveyor belt is provided below the storage section, and the conveyor belt is driven to dispense items one by one from the end of the conveyor belt.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-248193

In recent years, in stores such as convenience stores, there has been a demand for a system that automatically replenishes beverages and other items (products) displayed in showcases (display shelves) from the back room in order to reduce the burden on store staff.

Beverages and other items are generally distributed in cases, so the items are stored in cases in the back yard. An automatic item replenishment system needs to have the ability to dispense items as needed from a case of items stored in the back yard, and in particular, a device that can dispense items from the storage facility efficiently without clogging is required.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide an item storage facility that can store multiple items and has a dispensing device that efficiently dispenses a specified number of items.

In order to solve the above problem, the item storage facility of the present invention is an item storage facility that stores a plurality of items and has a dispensing outlet on a side from which the items are dispensed, the item storage facility comprising: a first belt conveyor provided on the underside of the item storage facility and extending toward the dispensing outlet; a second belt conveyor provided on the underside of the item storage facility and arranged adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, for storing the plurality of items placed thereon; an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to and above one end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the one end; and a control unit that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor, the control unit having a first operation control state in which the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor move toward the dispensing outlet and a second operation control state in which the first belt conveyor operates toward the dispensing outlet and moves the second belt conveyor in the opposite direction to the first belt conveyor , and the first operation control state and the second operation control state are executed alternately in the dispensing control of the item storage facility .
Alternatively, the item storage facility of the present invention is an item storage facility that stores a plurality of items and has a dispensing outlet on a side from which the items are dispensed, comprising: a first belt conveyor provided on the underside of the item storage facility and extending toward the dispensing outlet; a second belt conveyor provided on the underside of the item storage facility and arranged adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, on which the plurality of items are placed; an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to and above one end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the one end; and a control unit that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor, wherein the control unit has a first operation control state in which the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor move toward the dispensing outlet and a second operation control state in which the first belt conveyor operates toward the dispensing outlet and moves the second belt conveyor in the opposite direction to the first belt conveyor, and in the dispensing control of the item storage facility, the second operation control state is executed after the first operation control state.

Preferably, the device includes a jam detection unit that detects when the items become jammed on the first and second belt conveyors, making it impossible to dispense the items from the outlet, and the control unit operates the second belt conveyor and the first belt conveyor toward the outlet to dispense the items from the outlet, and when the jam detection unit detects a jam of the items, the control unit operates the second belt conveyor in the reverse direction to when no jam of the items is detected.

Preferably, the inclined wall portion is disposed on the outlet side of the second belt conveyor and is configured to extend at an angle toward the outlet, and the control unit operates the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor toward the outlet side to dispense the item from the outlet, and when the jam detection unit detects a jam of the item, operates the first belt conveyor toward the outlet side while operating the second belt conveyor toward the opposite side from the outlet for a predetermined period of time.

Preferably, the item storage cabinets are stacked at least vertically, and each cabinet has a refill port on the opposite side of the dispensing outlet for refilling items into the item storage cabinet.

Alternatively, an item storage facility of the present invention is an item storage facility that stores a plurality of items and has a dispensing opening on a side from which the items are dispensed, the facility comprising: a first belt conveyor provided on a lower surface of the item storage facility and extending toward the dispensing opening; a second belt conveyor provided on the lower surface of the item storage facility and disposed adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, on which the plurality of items are placed; an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to and above one end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the one end; and a control portion that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor, the inclined wall portion extending in a direction parallel to the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor. The conveyor is provided with a partition plate arranged on the opposite side of the dispensing outlet facing the second belt conveyor, between the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor, extending from the dispensing outlet side toward the inclined wall portion, and a gap is provided between the tip of the partition plate and the inclined wall portion through which at least one of the articles can pass, and the tip of the partition plate is bent in a direction approaching the inclined wall portion from the second belt conveyor toward the first belt conveyor, and the control unit operates the first belt conveyor toward the dispensing outlet side and the second belt conveyor in the direction opposite to the dispensing outlet to dispense the article from the dispensing outlet.

Preferably, the item storage cabinets are stacked at least in the vertical direction, and the outlet side of the item storage cabinet is provided with a refill port for refilling items onto the second belt conveyor of the item storage cabinet.

Preferably, the item storage cabinet is disposed behind the store's item display shelf to store items to be displayed on the item display shelf, and a transport mechanism is provided between the item display shelf and the item storage cabinet to transport items dispensed from an outlet of the item storage cabinet to the item display shelf.

According to the item storage facility of the present invention, the first belt conveyor is operated toward the dispensing outlet, and items on the first belt conveyor are dispensed to the dispensing outlet. In addition, the second belt conveyor is operated toward the inclined wall, and items on the second belt conveyor move along the inclined wall toward the first belt conveyor. This allows items stored on the first belt conveyor or the second belt conveyor of the item storage facility to be dispensed from the dispensing outlet.

Furthermore, since there is at least a period during which the first and second belt conveyors are moved in opposite directions, it is possible to prevent multiple items from being pushed against each other and becoming clogged just before the dispensing outlet, and it becomes possible to smoothly dispense items from the dispensing outlet of the storage facility.

1 is a floor plan of a store in which an automated display unit according to the present invention is arranged. FIG. 2 is a top view of the automated display unit. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic display unit as viewed from the upper left rear. This is an oblique view of the product display shelf as viewed from the upper left front. 1 is a perspective view of the base frame as viewed from the upper front left. 2 is a perspective view of the refill shelf and the first refill device of the first embodiment as viewed from the upper left front. FIG. FIG. 2 is a top view of a storage unit of the replenishment shelf and a first replenishment device of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 7 . FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the third refilling device as viewed from the upper left front. 4 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration of a control device of the automatic display unit. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for controlling operation of a conveyor unit by a control device in the storage cabinet of the first embodiment. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a product dispensing operation state in the storage unit of the first embodiment, showing a state when the first belt and the second belt are rotating in the forward direction. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of a product dispensing operation in the storage cabinet of the first embodiment, showing the state when the second belt is reversed. FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of a product dispensing operation in the storage cabinet of the first embodiment, showing the state when the second belt is rotating in the forward direction after reversing. FIG. 11 is a top view showing the configuration and dispensing operation state of the storage unit of the second embodiment. 13 is a top view showing the configuration and dispensing operation state of a storage unit of a second embodiment in which the tip of the partition plate is bent. FIG. 13 is a top view showing the configuration and dispensing operation state of a storage unit of a second embodiment in which the tip of the partition plate is bent. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a floor plan of a store 1 in which an automated display unit 11 according to the present invention is arranged. The store 1 is, for example, a convenience store that retails goods. In the store 1, a counter 3, room temperature shelves 5, refrigerated shelves 7, and a display room 9 according to the present invention are arranged.

Counter 3 is a cash register counter where customers pay when purchasing products they have selected inside store 2. Room temperature shelves 5 are product display shelves that display products that can be stored and displayed at room temperature. Refrigerated shelves 7 are product display shelves that display products that need to be stored and displayed at a temperature lower than room temperature (e.g., 5°C).

The display room 9 is a refrigerated room arranged to face the inside of the store 2. The display room 9 is a room where the temperature is kept low (constant temperature) and is a so-called walk-in room where employees (workers) can enter by opening the door 13. Customers can also remove products 900 (items) from the display room 9 by opening the glass door 9a (see FIG. 2) toward the inside of the store 2. The display room 9 is equipped with an automatic display unit 11 that displays the products 900 on product display shelves 21 (item display shelves) described below.

Referring to FIG. 2, a top view of the automatic display unit 11 is shown. Also, referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of the automatic display unit 11 viewed from the upper left rear is shown. The automatic display unit 11 comprises a product display shelf 21, a base frame 100, a refill shelf 200, a first refill device 300 (transport mechanism), a second refill device 400 (transport mechanism), a third refill device 500 (transport mechanism), and a control device 600 (control unit). For ease of explanation, the direction facing the interior of the store 2 as viewed from the display room 9 is referred to as the front, the opposite direction is referred to as the rear, the right side as viewed from the front is simply referred to as the right, and the opposite direction is referred to as the left.

The automatic display unit 11 is a device that moves the products 900 refilled by employees on the refill shelf 200 to the second refill device 400 in front by the first refill device 300, moves them to a predetermined height by the second refill device 400, and moves them to a predetermined lane 26 that requires refilling on the product display shelf 21 by the third refill device 500. This series of operations (automatic display work) is performed by controlling each device with the control device 600. As a result, the automatic display unit 11 can perform the automatic display work of displaying the products 900 on the product display shelf 21 by simply refilling the refill shelf 200 with the products 900, which is the work performed by the employee. The configurations of the product display shelf 21, the base frame 100, the refill shelf 200, the first refill device 300, the second refill device 400, and the third refill device 500 will be described in detail below.

<Configuration of Product Display Shelf 21>
4, there is shown a perspective view of the product display shelf 21 as viewed from the upper left front. The product display shelf 21 is a shelf on which products 900 are displayed and offered to customers. The product display shelf 21 includes a main body 23 and shelf boards 25. The main body 23 is a frame that forms the skeleton of the product display shelf 21. The shelf boards 25 are substantially horizontal, and multiple shelf boards 25 are supported by the main body 23 in a vertical line such that front ends 25a are slightly inclined downward. The upper surface of the shelf boards 25 is provided with multiple rollers (not shown), for example.

As a result, when the product 900 is placed on the rear end 25b of the shelf 25, it can move smoothly forward. In addition, a plurality of lanes 26 extending in the front-rear direction are provided in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the shelf 25. Therefore, the shelf 25 can display the products 900 by type on each lane 26. In addition, multiple product display shelves 21 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

<Configuration of base frame 100>
5, a perspective view of the base frame 100 is shown as seen from the upper left front side. The base frame 100 is a framework member that supports each device (200 to 600) of the automatic display unit 11, and is disposed on the rear side of the product display shelf 21. The base frame 100 has a first frame 101 extending in the front-rear direction and a second frame 102 extending in the left-right direction. The first frame 101 includes a first lower horizontal member 111, a first upper horizontal member 113, a first pillar member 115, and a first lattice member 117. The first frame 101 is formed by disposing the first lower horizontal member 111 at the far right of the display room 9, erecting the first pillar member 115 at the front end of the first lower horizontal member 111, erecting the first lattice member 117 at the rear side of the first lower horizontal member 111, and disposing the first upper horizontal member 113 at the upper ends of the first pillar member 115 and the first lattice member 117. In addition, the front end of the first frame 101 is located behind the product display shelf 21 .

The second frame 102 includes a second lower horizontal member 121, a second upper horizontal member 123, a second pillar member 125, and a second lattice member 127. The second frame 102 is formed by arranging the second lower horizontal member 121 so as to extend leftward from the front end of the first lower horizontal member 111, erecting the second pillar member 125 at the left end of the second lower horizontal member 121, and arranging the second upper horizontal member 123 so as to extend between the upper end of the first pillar member 115 and the upper end of the second pillar member 125. The second lattice member 127 is a ladder-shaped member located below the second upper horizontal member 123 and extending left and right between the upper part of the first pillar member 115 and the upper part of the second pillar member 125. The lower end of the second lattice member 127 is located so as to abut against the rear upper end of the product display shelf 21. That is, the base frame 100 is arranged along the right rear of the display room 9 and the rear side of the product display shelf 21.

<Configuration of Replenishment Shelf 200>
The configuration of the replenishment shelf 200 of the first embodiment will be described below.

Referring to FIG. 6, a perspective view of the refill shelf 200 and the first refill device 300 is shown as seen from the upper left front. The refill shelf 200 is a shelf capable of storing products 900 and sending a predetermined number of products 900 to the first refill device 300 to refill the product display shelf 21. The refill shelf 200 is provided with, for example, five storage cabinets 201 in the vertical direction and three in the front-to-back direction. Products that are sold in relatively large numbers are stored in the storage cabinets 201. The storage cabinets 201 are formed to be approximately the same size as, for example, a cardboard case that contains products 900 such as beverages, and are large enough to hold one case of beverages upright.

Referring to FIG. 7, a top view of the storage cabinet 201 and the first replenishment device 300 of the replenishment shelf 200 of the first embodiment is shown. Below, one of the multiple storage cabinets 201 will be described, and the other storage cabinets 201 will not be described here as they have the same configuration.

The storage 201 is a space formed by a first wall member 211, a second wall member 212, a conveyor unit 213, and a top plate (not shown). The storage 201 has a refill port 215 on the left side for refilling products 900, and a dispensing port 217 on the right rear side for dispensing products 900 to the first refill device 300. The refill port 215 is formed to a size that allows a case containing products to be inserted. On the other hand, the dispensing port 217 is set to a front-rear width and a vertical height that allow one product 900 to pass through. In addition, an inclined wall member 219 is provided inside the storage 201, the rear side of which is inclined to the right at, for example, 45 degrees, and extends from the second wall member 212 toward the dispensing port 217. In addition, the storage 201 has a rotating and dispensing device 221 and a counter 223 (clogging detection unit) on the right side of the dispensing port 217.

The conveyor unit 213 is a dispensing device that includes a first belt 231, a second belt 232, a first motor 235 that drives the first belt 231, and a second motor 236 that drives the second belt 232, and dispenses products 900 one by one (a predetermined number) from the storage facility 201. The first belt 231 and the first motor 235 correspond to the first belt conveyor of the present invention, and the second belt 232 and the second motor 236 correspond to the second belt conveyor of the present invention.

The first belt 231 is a belt member extending from the refill port 215 toward the dispensing port 217, and its right end is located near the left end of the moving direction switching table 313 (described later) of the first refill device 300. The second belt 232 is a belt member extending from the refill port 215 toward the inclined wall member 219, and its right end is located to the right of the inclined wall member 219. The first belt 231 is set to a front-to-rear width that allows approximately one product 900 to be placed on it. The second belt 232 is set to a width that covers the entire front-to-rear width of the bottom surface of the storage cabinet 201 excluding the first belt 231, and is arranged adjacent to and parallel to the first belt 231. The first motor 235 and the second motor 236 are so-called electric motors that are driven by receiving a supply of electric power. The first motor 235 and the second motor 236 can change the direction and speed at which the first belt 231 and the second belt 232 are driven by changing the direction of current flow or the amount of power supplied.

Therefore, by driving the first motor 235 so that the upper surface 231a of the first belt 231 moves to the right, the products 900 located on the upper surface 231a of the first belt 231 move to the right and are discharged from the dispensing outlet 217. Also, by driving the second motor 236 so that the upper surface 232a of the second belt 232 moves to the right, the products 900 located on the upper surface 232a of the second belt 232 move to the right and come into contact with the inclined wall member 219 while moving toward the dispensing outlet 217, and are dispensed one by one from the dispensing outlet 217.

The first wall member 211 is provided with a protrusion 214 that protrudes forward by several millimeters. The protrusion 214 is formed by molding the first wall member 211 by pressing or the like, and has a vertical width of, for example, several centimeters. The protrusion 214 extends in the left-right direction from the front end of the first wall member 211 to near the dispensing outlet 217 at a vertical position where it abuts on the side of the product 900 placed on the first belt 231. The protrusion 214 has the function of supporting the side of the product 900 on the first belt 231 that moves leftward within the storage facility 201 as the first belt 231 operates, and allowing the product 900 to move smoothly.

Hereinafter, such rotation of each of the belts 231, 232 and each of the motors 235, 236 will be referred to as "forward rotation," and the rotation of each of the belts 231, 232 and each of the motors 235, 236 when each motor is driven so that the upper surfaces 231a, 232a of each belt move to the right will be referred to as "reverse rotation."

The rotating and dispensing device 221 includes a rotating shaft 241, a rotating plate 243, and a dispensing motor 245 (see FIG. 6). The rotating shaft 241 is located in front of the first belt 231 to the right of the dispensing outlet 217, extends in the vertical direction, and is a shaft that can be rotated by the drive of the dispensing motor 245. The rotating plate 243 is a flat plate member that extends in the vertical direction, and multiple rotating plates 243 (for example, five rotating plates) are formed radially at equal intervals from the rotating shaft 241. By driving the dispensing motor 245, the rotating and dispensing device 221 rotates the rotating shaft 241 and the rotating plate 243 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 7 to dispense the products 900 located on the upper surface 231a of the first belt 231 to the moving direction switching table 313 of the first refill device 300, which will be described later. In addition, the rotating and dispensing device 221 can make the intervals between each of the products 900 dispensed to the moving direction switching table 313 equal by rotating at a constant speed by the dispensing motor 245.

The counter 223 is a sensor that detects when the product 900 passes through the dispensing outlet 217. More specifically, the counter 223 is a sensor that presses against the product 900 and falls backward when the product 900 passes through the dispensing outlet 217, and then protrudes forward again when the product 900 has finished passing through.

The detailed operation control procedure for the conveyor unit 213 will be described later.

<Configuration of first refilling device 300>
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of section II in Fig. 7. The first replenishing device 300 is a transport device located along the inner wall at the right rear of the display room 9, between said inner wall and the replenishing shelf 200, and switches the moving direction of the products 900 moving rightward from the replenishing shelf 200 to the forward direction, and moves the products 900 to the vicinity of the rear end of the second replenishing device 400. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the first replenishing device 300 is provided with, for example, five first roller transport tables 311 in accordance with the height of each storage cabinet 201, and a moving direction switching table 313 and a first moving guide 315, which will be described later, are provided for each storage cabinet 201.

The first roller transport table 311 is a table that is substantially horizontal and is arranged so that the front end 331a is inclined slightly downward. The upper surface of the first roller transport table 311 is provided with a number of rollers for moving the product 900 placed on the first roller transport table 311 forward. The movement direction switching table 313 is a table in which a groove that describes an arc extending forward as it moves from left to right is formed. The first movement guide 315 is a guide member that rotates when pressed to the left to allow the product 900 passing over the first roller transport table 311 to pass, and is positioned to extend diagonally forward to the right when pressed to the right.

As a result, when the product 900 moves rightward from the replenishing shelf 200 and enters the moving direction switching table 313, the first replenishing device 300 can switch the moving direction of the product 900 from right to front by the moving direction switching table 313 and the first moving guide 315, move the product 900 to the first roller transport table 311, and move the product 900 that has moved to the first roller transport table 311 forward by using gravity. In addition, the first moving guide 315 of the first replenishing device 300 can switch the moving direction of the product 900 from right to front as described above without impeding the movement of the product 900 that moves from the rear of the first moving guide 315 by the first roller transport table 311. A stopper 317 is provided at the front end of the first roller transport table 311. The stopper 317 is driven by an actuator (not shown) and is configured to be switchable between a position that temporarily stops the movement of the product 900 that has moved forward on the first roller transport table 311 and a position that allows the product 900 to move to the second replenishing device 400.

<Configuration of second refilling device 400>
8, the second replenishing device 400 is a transport device that receives and loads, for example, three products 900 from any one of the first roller transport tables 311 of the first replenishing device 300, and moves them to the third replenishing device 500. This second replenishing device 400 has a second up-down movable machine 401 and a second transport machine 403.

The second vertically movable machine 401 includes a second frame 411, a second lifting platform 412, a second lifting belt 413, a second lifting motor 415, and a second counterweight 417. The second frame 411 is a skeletal member on which a second rail 411a extending in the vertical direction is formed. The second lifting platform 412 is a platform supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction while being restricted from moving in the front-rear and left-right directions by the second rail 411a of the second frame 411. A second transport machine 403 is disposed on the second lifting platform 412.

The second lifting belt 413 is a timing belt with gear teeth formed on the inner side in the front-rear direction, and extends downward while engaging with the second lifting motor 415 at the upper part. The front end of this second lifting belt 413 is attached to the second lifting platform 412, and the rear end is attached to the second counterweight 417. The second lifting motor 415 is provided at the upper end of the second frame 411, and can be driven to pull the second lifting belt 413. The second counterweight 417 is, for example, a weight with approximately the same mass as the second transport unit 403.

As a result, the second vertically movable machine 401 can drive the second lifting motor 415 to pull the second lifting belt 413 and move the second lifting platform 412 in the vertical direction along the second rail 411a. Furthermore, when the second lifting motor 415 is stopped, the masses of the second lifting platform 412 and the second counterweight 417 are balanced, allowing the second lifting platform 412 to be stopped at any vertical position.

The second transporter 403 is equipped with a second roller transport table 421, an alignment device, and a stopper (not shown). The second roller transport table 421 is a table that is substantially horizontal like the first roller transport table 311, and is arranged so that the front end (end) 421a is slightly inclined downward, and is provided with a plurality of rollers for moving the products 900 placed on the second roller transport table 421 forward. The alignment device has the function of pressing the products 900 on the second roller transport table 421 of the second transporter 403 to the right to align them in a line in the front-rear direction. The stopper is provided at the front end of the second roller transport table 421. The stopper is driven by an actuator (not shown) and is configured to be switchable between a position that temporarily stops the movement of the products 900 that have moved forward on the second roller transport table 421 and a position that allows the movement to the third replenishing device 500.

<Configuration of third refilling device 500>
9, there is shown a perspective view of the third replenishing device 500 as viewed from the upper left front. The third replenishing device 500 is a transport device that receives products 900 from the second replenishing device 400 and moves the products 900 to a predetermined lane 26 of the product display shelf 21. The third replenishing device 500 has a third frame 501 (see FIGS. 3 and 8), a third left-right movable machine 503 (see FIG. 3), a third up-down movable machine 505 (see FIG. 8), and a third conveyor unit 507 (see FIG. 8).

3 and 8, the third frame 501 is a frame formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in the front-rear direction by a pair of pillar members 511 provided on the left and right sides of the third refilling device 500 and extending in the vertical direction, a top plate member 512 extending across the upper ends of the left and right pillar members 511, and a bottom plate member 513 extending across the lower ends of the left and right pillar members 511. The pillar members 511 are formed with a third rail 511a on the inner left-right side for supporting a third lifting platform 532 (described later) of the third vertically movable machine 505 so that it can move in the vertical direction.

The third frame 501 is provided with casters 514 at its lower end that can rotate left and right. Therefore, the third frame 501 is configured to be movable left and right by the casters 514.

According to FIG. 3, the third left-right movable machine 503 includes a third left-right motor 521 that is located above the top plate member 512 of the third frame 501 and attached to the first upper horizontal member 113 of the first frame 101, a drive belt 523 that is located above the top plate member 512, extends in the left-right direction, and is driven by the third left-right motor 521, and a fixing member 525 that fixes the drive belt 523 to the top plate member 512. Therefore, the third left-right movable machine 503 drives the third left-right motor 521 to drive the drive belt 523, which drives the fixing member 525 together with the drive belt 523, and can move the third frame 501 in the left-right direction in conjunction with the drive.

As shown in FIG. 8, the third vertically movable machine 505 includes a third lifting platform 532, a third lifting belt 533, a third lifting motor 535, and a third counterweight 537.

The third lift platform 532 is supported by the third rails 511a of the pillar members 511 so that it can move up and down while being restricted from moving in the front-rear and left-right directions, and is provided on the inner side of the left and right pillar members 511 in the left-right direction. A third conveyor unit 507 is provided on the third lift platform 532.

The third lifting belt 533 is a timing belt with gear teeth formed on the inner side in the front-to-rear direction, and extends downward while engaging with the third lifting motor 535 at the upper part. The front end of this third lifting belt 533 is attached to the third lifting platform 532, and the rear end is attached to the third counterweight 537. The third lifting motor 535 is provided at the upper end of the pillar member 511, and can be driven to pull the third lifting belt 533. The third counterweight 537 is, for example, a weight with approximately the same mass as the third conveyor unit 507.

As a result, the third up-down movable machine 505 can drive the third lifting motor 535 to pull the third lifting belt 533 and move the third lifting platform 532 up and down along the third rail 511a. Furthermore, when the third lifting motor 535 is stopped, the masses of the third lifting platform 532 and the third counterweight 537 are balanced, so that the third lifting platform 532 can be stopped at any vertical position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the third conveyor unit 507 has a third conveyor frame 541, a third belt conveyor 543, a third column member 545, a support shaft 547, a guide plate 549, a first guide unit 551, a second guide unit 552, and a plurality of attacks 555.

The third conveyor frame 541 is a skeletal member that is attached at both the left and right ends to the third lifting platform 532 and extends in the left-right direction. The third conveyor belt 543 is a belt member that covers the upper end surface of the third conveyor frame 541 and can rotate so that the part covering the upper end surface moves in the left-right direction. The speed at which this third conveyor belt 543 rotates can be adjusted and the direction of rotation can be changed by controlling a motor (not shown).

The third pillar member 545 is a flat plate member that extends upward from the left end of the third conveyor frame 541. The support shaft 547 is a rod-shaped member that extends from the upper end of the third pillar member 545 to the upper end of the first guide unit 551. The guide plate 549 is a flat plate member that extends upward from the rear end of the third conveyor frame 541.

The first guide unit 551 is provided above the right end of the third conveyor frame 541, and has an arc-shaped first guide member that is rotated approximately 90 degrees around an axis extending vertically by a first actuator (not shown). The first guide member of the first guide unit 551 is configured to be rotatable between a rotation position that moves the product 900 moving forward on the second roller transport table 421 of the second refill device 400 toward the left on the third belt conveyor 543, and a rotation position that guides the product 900 moving rightward on the third belt conveyor 543 forward from the right end of the third belt conveyor 543.

The second guide unit 552 is configured to be movable left and right along the support shaft 547 and guide plate 549, and is equipped with an arc-shaped second guide member that can be rotated approximately 90 degrees around an axis extending up and down by a second actuator (not shown). The second guide unit 552 is configured to be able to stop at any left or right position on the third conveyor frame 541, and the second guide member can be rotated between a rotation position that moves the product 900 moving leftward on the third conveyor belt 543 forward, and a rotation position that prevents the product 900 from moving forward.

The attacca 555 is provided on the front side of the third conveyor belt 543, and multiple attacca 555 are arranged in a line for each lane 26 of the shelf board 25. The attacca 555 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction between an upright position that stands upright from the third conveyor frame 541 and prevents the product 900 from moving forward from the third conveyor belt 543, and a collapsed position that collapses forward from the front end of the third conveyor belt 543 toward the shelf board 25 and allows the product 900 to move forward from the third conveyor belt 543. The attacca 555 is normally in the upright position, and is configured to be in the collapsed position only when the second guide unit 552 is moved.

As shown in FIG. 9, an infrared sensor 603, for example, is provided at the upper end of the second guide unit 552. This infrared sensor 603 is a sensor that can detect the presence of an object at the position where the infrared light is irradiated based on the amount of infrared light reflected and received by irradiating infrared light. This infrared sensor 603 can detect that the number of products 900 displayed on the lane 26 is equal to or greater than a specified amount by irradiating infrared light onto the lane 26 of the shelf 25 of the product display shelf 21 located in front of the second guide unit 552. Note that instead of the infrared sensor 603, a camera or the like may be used to detect the inventory of products 900 on the shelf 25 of the product display shelf 21.

<Overall Operation Control of the Automatic Display Unit 11>
Next, each control performed by the control device 600 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 10, a block diagram shows the connection configuration of the control device 600. The control device 600 is a control device for performing overall control of the automatic display unit 11, and is configured to include an input/output device, a memory device (ROM, RAM, non-volatile RAM, etc.), a central processing unit (CPU), etc. A PC (Personal Computer) 601 is connected to this control device 600, and for example, an employee can operate the PC 601 to set the products 900 to be displayed on the product display shelves 21.

A PC 601 and an infrared sensor 603 are electrically connected to the input side of the control device 600. As a result, information about the products to be displayed on the product display shelves 21 set by the employee is input from the PC 601, and information about the number of products 900 displayed on each lane 26 is input from the infrared sensor 603.

On the other hand, the output side of the control device 600 is electrically connected to each actuator such as the motors of the replenishment shelf 200, the first replenishment device 300, the second replenishment device 400 and the third replenishment device 500.

The control device 600 is equipped with a display state determination unit 605 and a display control unit 607. The display state determination unit 605 is a determination unit that determines which lanes 26 require replenishing of products 900 based on information regarding the number of products 900 displayed on each lane 26 input from, for example, the infrared sensor 603. The display control unit 607 is a control unit that controls each actuator of the replenishing shelf 200, the first replenishing device 300, the second replenishing device 400, and the third replenishing device 500 based on the determination by the display state determination unit 605 and information regarding the products displayed on the product display shelves 21 input from the PC 601.

When the control device 600 determines a lane 26 that needs to be replenished with product 900 based on detection by the infrared sensor 603, it can control the operation of the conveyor unit 213 and the forwarding and dispensing device 221 for the storage unit 201 that stores the product 900 to be displayed in that lane 26 on the replenishment shelf 200, and move the product 900 stored in that storage unit 201 to the first replenishment device 300. The control device 600 also controls the operation of the first replenishment device 300, the second replenishment device 400, and the third replenishment device 500 to move the product 900 moved to the first replenishment device 300 to that lane 26 for replenishment.

<Dispatch control of product 900 in storage 201 according to the first embodiment>
Next, the operation control of the conveyor unit 213 in each storage unit 201 of the replenishment shelf 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

When the display state determination unit 605 determines that the product 900 needs to be replenished, the control device 600 selects the storage unit 201 that stores the product 900 that needs to be replenished, inputs the detection value of the counter 223 in that storage unit 201, and controls the operation of the first motor 235 and second motor 236 of the conveyor unit 213 and the feeding and dispensing device 221 to dispense the product 900 from the dispensing opening 217 to the first replenishment device 300. Note that the first motor 235, second motor 236 and feeding and dispensing device 221 stop operating normally, i.e. when it is not determined that the product 900 needs to be replenished.

Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation control procedure of the conveyor unit 213 by the control device 600 in the storage unit 201 of the first embodiment, and shows the control procedure for dispensing products from a selected storage unit 201.

This flowchart starts control when the display state determination unit 605 determines which lane 26 needs to be replenished with products 900. This control completes the operation of the conveyor unit 213 when the counter 223 detects that a predetermined number (requested number) of products have been dispensed from the storage cabinet 201. When the first belt 231 is operated in the forward direction, the rotating and dispensing device 221 is also operated at the same time.
First, in step S10, only the first belt 231 is rotated forward from left to right while the second belt 232 is stopped, and then the process proceeds to step S20.

In step S20, a detection signal is input from the counter 223 to execute first belt dispensing detection, which determines whether the product 900 on the first belt 231 has been dispensed. For example, the first belt dispensing detection may be deemed to be detection of full dispensing of the first belt when the product 900 does not pass through the dispensing outlet 217 from the first belt 231 while the first belt 231 is rotated forward for a first predetermined time or more. The first predetermined time may be set to, for example, about 10 seconds. If full dispensing of the first belt is detected, the process proceeds to step S30. If full dispensing of the first belt is not detected, i.e., if the product 900 passes through the dispensing outlet 217 while the first belt 231 is rotated forward for the first predetermined time, the process returns to step S10.

In step S30, the first belt 231 is rotated in the forward direction while the second belt 232 is moved from left to right. Then, the process proceeds to step S40.

In step S40, a detection signal is input from the counter 223 to perform jam detection to determine whether or not there is a jam of product 900 near the dispensing opening 217. Jam detection may detect a jam when, for example, the second belt 232 is rotated forward for more than a second predetermined time and the product 900 does not pass through the dispensing opening 217, making it impossible to dispense the product 900. The second predetermined time may be set to, for example, about 10 seconds. If a jam is detected, the process proceeds to step S50. If no jam is detected, that is, if the first belt 231 and the second belt 232 are rotated forward and the product 900 can be dispensed from the dispensing opening 217, the process proceeds to step S70.

In step S50, a reversal operation is performed to move the second belt 232 from right to left. The first belt 231 maintains normal rotation. Then, the process proceeds to step S60.

In step S60, it is detected whether or not a third predetermined time has elapsed since the second belt 232 started to rotate in reverse. The third predetermined time corresponds to the predetermined time in the present invention, and may be set to, for example, about 1 to 2 seconds. If the third predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S70. If the elapsed time is less than the third predetermined time, the process returns to step S50.

In step S70, a detection signal is input from the counter 223 to perform sold-out detection, which determines whether all products 900 in the storage unit 201 have been dispensed. Sold-out detection may be performed in this step when the product 900 does not pass through the dispensing outlet 217 from the first belt 231 for a fourth predetermined time or more. The fourth predetermined time may be set to a time longer than the third predetermined time, for example, about one minute. If sold-out is detected, dispensing control of this storage unit is terminated. If sold-out is not detected, the process returns to step S30. If sold-out is detected, an employee may be notified by the PC 601 or the like that the product 900 in the storage unit 201 is sold out.

In the above embodiment, the detection signal of the counter 223 is used to detect full dispensing, clogging, or sold-out of the first belt and operate each of the motors 235, 236, but the detection signal of the counter 223 does not have to be used to detect some or all of the full dispensing, clogging, or sold-out of the first belt. For example, after the first belt 231 is rotated forward for a predetermined time, the second belt 232 may be rotated forward for a predetermined time and then forcibly rotated in reverse for a second predetermined time, or the first belt 231 and the rotating and dispensing device 221 may be rotated in reverse.

The operation state of dispensing products from the refill shelf 200 of the first embodiment configured as described above to the first roller transport table 311 will now be described.

12 to 14 are explanatory diagrams showing the dispensing operation state of the product 900 in the storage cabinet 201 of the first embodiment.
First, when an operation start signal is output to the conveyor unit 213 of the storage unit 201 storing the product 900 requested to be replenished and dispensing operation control is started, first, only the first belt 231 is operated in the forward direction, whereby the products 900 placed on the first belt 231 are dispensed one by one from the dispensing opening 217 to the first roller transport table 311 (step S10).

Next, when it is detected that the first belt 231 has dispensed all of the products 900 thereon, the second belt 232 rotates forward together with the operation of the first belt 231 (step S30) (first operation control state) . As a result, as shown in Figure 12, the product 900 placed on the second belt 232 moves to the right and comes into contact with the inclined wall member 219, then moves backwards towards the dispensing opening 217, and is dispensed from the dispensing opening 217.

Here, if the products 900 become jammed just before the dispensing opening 217 and the jam is detected, the second belt 232 rotates in the opposite direction (step S50) (second operation control state) . As a result, as shown in Figure 13, the products on the second belt 232 move to the left, clearing the jam of products 900 near the dispensing opening 217. Then, as the first belt 231 continues to rotate in the forward direction, the products 900 located on the first belt 231 are dispensed one by one from the dispensing opening 217.

As shown in FIG. 14, after the second belt 232 is rotated in the reverse direction and a third predetermined time has elapsed, the second belt 232 is rotated in the forward direction. This causes the product 900 placed on the first belt 231 or the second belt 232 to be dispensed again from the dispensing opening 217.

Then, when a sellout is detected, or when the requested number of products 900 have been dispensed from the storage 201, dispense control in that storage 201 is completed.

When a request is made to replenish multiple types of products 900, the products 900 are dispensed sequentially from the corresponding storage units 201.

As described above, in the automatic display unit 11 of this embodiment, one case of products 900 is stored in the storage cabinet 201, and when the product display shelf 21 runs short of products 900, the products 900 in the storage cabinet 201 are automatically dispensed from the dispensing opening 217 to the first roller transport table 311 by controlling the operation of the first belt 231 and the second belt 232. Then, the first replenishing device 300, the second replenishing device 400, and the third replenishing device 500 transport the products 900 to the product display shelf 21 and replenish them.

In particular, by storing products with relatively high sales volumes in the storage room 201, the product display shelves 21 can be automatically stocked with many products, reducing the labor required by employees.

When multiple products 900 placed in the storage 201 are dispensed one by one from the dispensing outlet 217, there is a possibility that the products 900 may become jammed just before the dispensing outlet 217, resulting in a so-called bridge state. In response to this, in this embodiment, the underside of the storage 201 is provided with two belt conveyors (a first belt 231 and a second belt 232) that can be operated independently, and if the products become jammed, the second belt 232 can be operated in the opposite direction to easily clear the jam.

In addition, the restocking shelves 200 are configured by stacking the storage units 201 vertically and horizontally, so a relatively large variety of products 900 can be stored in a small space.

A refill port 215 for refilling products 900 is provided on the left side of the storage unit 201, opposite the withdrawal port 217, making it possible to refill products 900 into each storage unit 201 stacked vertically.

In addition, since the storage cabinet 201 is configured to be large enough to accommodate a cardboard case or the like that contains the products 900, the products 900 can be easily replenished into the storage cabinet 201 through the refill port 215, for example, by opening the side of the cardboard case or the like. It is advisable to provide a guide at the bottom of the refill port 215 that slopes downward from the left side toward the upper surfaces of the first belt 231 and the second belt 232. This makes it even easier to replenish the products 900 into the storage cabinet 201.

<Product Dispatch Control in the Storage 701 of the Second Embodiment>
Next, the configuration and operation of the storage cabinet 701 (item storage cabinet) of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

Below, only the differences from the storage cabinet 201 of the first embodiment will be described. In the storage cabinet 201 of the first embodiment, the refill port 215 for refilling the products 900 is located on the left side of the storage cabinet 201, and the dispensing port 217 is located on the right side of the storage cabinet 201, and the refill port 215 and the dispensing port 217 are located on opposite sides of each other in the extension direction (left-right direction) of the first belt 231 and the second belt 232. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 15, in the storage cabinet 701 of the second embodiment, the refill port 215 is provided on the right side of the storage cabinet 201 and is located in front of the dispensing port 217. In other words, the refill port 215 and the dispensing port 217 are located on the same side in the extension direction of the first belt 231 and the second belt 232.

The inclined wall member 219 is provided at the left end of the storage cabinet 201, i.e., at the end opposite the dispensing outlet 217 in the left-right direction. The inclined wall member 219 is inclined leftward and rearward from the second wall member 212, and extends to the first wall member 211.

A partition plate 702 is provided between the first belt 231 and the second belt 232 of the storage cabinet 701, extending leftward from the edge of the dispensing outlet 217 toward the inclined wall member 219 and dividing the interior of the storage cabinet 701. A gap 703 is provided between the tip 702a, which is the left end of the partition plate 702, and the inclined wall member 219, allowing at least one product 900 to pass through.

Products are replenished onto the second belt 232 in the storage room 701 by employees or the like through a replenishment port 215 provided at the right end of the storage room 701.

When the display state determination unit 605 determines which lane 26 requires restocking of the product 900, the control device 600 operates the first belt 231 from the left to the right toward the payout outlet 217 and operates the second belt 232 from the right to the left for the conveyor unit 213 of the storage unit 201 storing the product 900 that requires restocking. In other words, the second belt 232 moves in the opposite direction to the first belt 231.

As a result, the product 900 placed on the second belt 232 moves leftward, abutting against the inclined wall member 219, passing through the gap 703 between the tip 702a of the partition plate 702 and the inclined wall member 219, and moving toward the first belt 231. As a result, the product 900 moves from the second belt 232 to near the left end of the first belt 231, and the product 900 is dispensed one by one from the dispensing opening 217 by the operation of the first belt 231.

In the second embodiment of the storage cabinet 701, the first belt and the second belt move in opposite directions, which can prevent products from clogging near the gap 703 between the inclined wall member 219 and the partition plate 702.

In addition, a partition plate 702 is provided between the first belt 231 and the second belt 232, which prevents the products 900 on the first belt 231 from being pressed against the products on the second belt 232 and becoming jammed.

The partition plate 702 may have a bent tip 702a at the left end. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, if the tip 702a of the partition plate 702 is smoothly bent toward the first belt 231, the product can move smoothly from the second belt 232 to the first belt 231, and the clogging of the product 900 on the second belt 232 near the tip 702a of the partition plate 702 can be suppressed. Also, as shown in FIG. 17, if the tip 702a of the partition plate 702 is smoothly bent toward the second belt 232, the product 900 that passes through the gap 703 between the tip 702a of the partition plate 702 and the inclined wall member 219 is transported to the dispensing outlet 217 without clogging on the first belt 231.

In addition, in the storage cabinet 701 of the second embodiment, when the counter 223 detects a jam of the products 900, only the second belt 232 may be operated toward the dispensing outlet 217 for a predetermined period of time. This makes it possible to clear the jam even if the jam occurs near the gap 703 between the inclined wall member 219 and the partition plate 702.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the restocking shelf 200 is formed by stacking the storage cabinets 201, 701 in the vertical and horizontal directions, but the storage cabinets 201, 701 may be configured as a single upper and lower tier, for example. When the storage cabinets 201, 701 are configured as a single upper and lower tier, or for the topmost storage cabinet 201, 701, the top of the storage cabinet 201, 701 is configured to be open, so that products 900 can be restocked into the storage cabinets 201, 701 from above.

In addition, in this embodiment, the storage units 201, 701 are used in an automatic display unit 11 that replenishes products on the product shelves of the store 1, but the present invention may also be applied to various other storage and transport systems, such as a storage and transport system for various items arranged in a warehouse. It becomes possible to efficiently dispense a predetermined number of items from various storage units that store or accumulate multiple items.

21 Product display shelf (item display shelf)
201, 701 Storage (item storage)
215 Refill port 217 Discharge port 219 Sloping wall member (sloping wall portion)
223 Counter (clogging detection unit)
231 First belt (first conveyor belt)
232 Second belt (second belt conveyor)
300 First refill device (transport mechanism)
400 Second replenishing device (transport mechanism)
500 Third replenishing device (transport mechanism)
600 Control device (control unit)
702 Partition plate 702a Tip 703 Gap

Claims (8)

An article storage facility that stores a plurality of articles and has a side outlet for dispensing the articles,
A first belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility and extends toward the outlet;
A second belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility, is disposed adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, and the plurality of articles are placed on the second belt conveyor;
an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to an upper end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the end;
A control unit that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor;
Equipped with
The control unit has a first operation control state in which the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor are moved toward the dispensing outlet, and a second operation control state in which the first belt conveyor is operated toward the dispensing outlet and the second belt conveyor is moved in the opposite direction to the first belt conveyor , and the item storage facility is characterized in that the first operation control state and the second operation control state are executed alternately in the dispensing control of the item storage facility . An article storage facility that stores a plurality of articles and has a side outlet for dispensing the articles,
A first belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility and extends toward the outlet;
A second belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility, is disposed adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, and the plurality of articles are placed on the second belt conveyor;
an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to an upper end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the end;
A control unit that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor;
Equipped with
The control unit has a first operation control state in which the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor are moved toward the dispensing outlet, and a second operation control state in which the first belt conveyor is operated toward the dispensing outlet and the second belt conveyor is moved in the opposite direction to the first belt conveyor, and the item storage facility is characterized in that the second operation control state is executed after the first operation control state in the dispensing control of the item storage facility. a jam detection unit that detects that the articles are jammed on the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor, making it impossible to dispense the articles from the dispensing outlet,
The item storage facility described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit operates the second belt conveyor and the first belt conveyor toward the outlet to dispense the item from the outlet, and if the jam detection unit detects a jam of the item, operates the second belt conveyor in the opposite direction to when a jam of the item is not detected. The inclined wall portion is disposed on the outlet side of the second belt conveyor and is configured to extend at an angle toward the outlet,
The item storage facility described in claim 3, characterized in that the control unit operates the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor toward the outlet side to dispense the item from the outlet, and when the jamming detection unit detects a jam of the item, operates the first belt conveyor toward the outlet side while operating the second belt conveyor in the direction opposite the outlet for a predetermined period of time. The item storage cabinet according to claim 4, characterized in that the item storage cabinets are stacked in multiple units at least vertically, and are provided with a replenishment port on the opposite side of the dispensing outlet of the item storage cabinet for replenishing items into the item storage cabinet. An article storage facility that stores a plurality of articles and has a side outlet for dispensing the articles,
A first belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility and extends toward the outlet;
A second belt conveyor is provided on a lower surface of the article storage facility, is disposed adjacent to and parallel to the first belt conveyor, and the plurality of articles are placed on the second belt conveyor;
an inclined wall portion provided adjacent to an upper end of the second belt conveyor and inclined toward the first belt conveyor as it approaches the end;
A control unit that controls the operation of the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor;
Equipped with
The inclined wall portion is disposed on the opposite side of the outlet port to the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor,
a partition plate extending from the outlet side toward the inclined wall portion between the first belt conveyor and the second belt conveyor;
providing at least one gap between the tip of the partition plate and the inclined wall portion through which the article can pass;
a tip end portion of the partition plate is bent in a direction approaching the inclined wall portion from the second belt conveyor toward the first belt conveyor,
The control unit operates the first belt conveyor toward the dispensing outlet and the second belt conveyor toward the opposite side of the dispensing outlet to dispense the items from the dispensing outlet, characterized by the item storage facility. The item storage cabinet according to claim 6, characterized in that the item storage cabinets are stacked in multiple units at least in the vertical direction, and a replenishment port is provided on the outlet side of the item storage cabinet for replenishing items onto the second conveyor belt of the item storage cabinet. The article storage is disposed behind an article display shelf in a store and stores articles to be displayed on the article display shelf;
An item storage facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a transport mechanism is provided between the item display shelf and the item storage facility for transporting items dispensed from the dispenser of the item storage facility to the item display shelf.

Images