JP7537977B2 - Automated Warehouse System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automated warehouse system.

An automated warehouse system capable of efficiently storing and retrieving a large number of items in a small space is known. In Patent Document 1, the present applicant discloses an automated warehouse system equipped with a storage shelf section capable of storing a plurality of items. This automated warehouse system comprises a first cart that carries an item and moves in a first direction, and a second cart that carries the first cart and moves in a second direction intersecting with the first direction near the frontage of the storage shelf section. This warehouse is also configured so that workers can move along the running path of the second cart.

JP 2020-001840 A

In automated warehouses, workers may move along the trolley tracks to recover from collapsed cargo or to perform maintenance. When doing so, it is important that workers wear safety harnesses around their bodies and connect the harnesses to some kind of support to ensure their safety.

The objective of the present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and is to provide an automated warehouse system that can transport goods smoothly.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the automated warehouse system of the present invention is an automated warehouse system having a shelf section capable of storing goods, and is equipped with a first conveying means that carries a goods and moves in a first direction, a second conveying means that carries the first conveying means and moves the side of the shelf section in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and an extension member that extends along the movement path of the first conveying means or the movement path of the second conveying means to a position higher than the storage space of the goods on the shelf section in order to support a safety belt.

In addition, any combination of the above components, or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention.

The present invention provides an automated warehouse system that can smoothly transport cargo.

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment. 1 is a plan view showing an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a side view showing an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an automated warehouse system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first conveying means according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a second conveying means according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of a safety belt support mechanism according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of a safety belt support mechanism according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of a safety belt support mechanism according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of a movable portion of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the periphery of a movable portion of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a resistance increasing portion of the embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of a resistance increasing portion; FIG. 14 is another schematic diagram showing the resistance increasing portion of FIG. 13 . FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a third example of a resistance increasing portion. FIG. 16 is another schematic diagram showing the resistance increasing portion of FIG. 15 . FIG. 16 is another schematic diagram showing the resistance increasing portion of FIG. 15 .

The inventor has gained the following knowledge about automated warehouses. In automated warehouses, workers may move along the cart tracks to recover from collapsed loads inside or for maintenance. When doing so, it is important for the worker to wear a safety belt around his or her body and connect the safety belt to some kind of support to ensure safety. However, if there is a high possibility that the load being transported between the track and the storage shelf will interfere with the support, the transport of the load may be hindered by the worker putting on the safety belt and connecting the safety belt to the support, which may reduce the operating efficiency of the warehouse. Based on this, the inventor has recognized that it is important to provide an automated warehouse system that can transport loads smoothly.

The outline of the present disclosure will be described. The automated warehouse system of the present disclosure is an automated warehouse system having a shelf section capable of storing loads (including loads handled integrally with pallets). It is equipped with a first conveying means that carries a load and moves in a first direction, and a second conveying means that carries the first conveying means and moves in a second direction. The first and second directions intersect with each other (for example, perpendicular on a plane). The first conveying means travels on a first moving path that extends in the first direction within the shelf section, and the second conveying means travels on a second moving path that extends in the second direction at the side of the shelf section. The automated warehouse system controls the first conveying means and the second conveying means to carry loads from the outside into a specified storage section of the shelf section and to carry loads from the specified storage section to the outside.

As an example, the first moving path is provided with rails for the first conveying means and no floor plate, while the second moving path is provided with rails for the second conveying means and a floor plate.

A maintenance passageway is provided for workers to move around in order to recover from collapsed cargo and for maintenance, etc. It is also possible to install a dedicated passageway as the maintenance passageway. However, in this case, the space efficiency decreases, so it is considered to use the second movement path as the maintenance passageway.

When multiple shelves are provided on the floor surface and a second path is provided for each step, the second paths above the second step are located above the floor surface. In addition, because there are first paths on both sides of the second path for loads to pass through, it is difficult to completely surround the worker. For this reason, when on the second path above the second step, it is important that the worker wears a safety belt, such as a waist belt or harness, around his or her body and connects the safety belt to some kind of support mechanism to prevent falling. A safety belt is sometimes called a fall arrest device.

However, if the support mechanism interferes with the load being transported on the first or second moving path, the load must be transported carefully to avoid the interference, reducing the warehouse's operating efficiency. In addition, if the support mechanism has many discontinuous parts, the labor required to put on and take off the safety belt and support mechanism increases when passing through those parts, reducing the efficiency of movement.

Therefore, the automated warehouse system disclosed herein is provided with an extension member that extends along the movement path of the second conveying means to a position higher than the storage space for the load on the shelf in order to support the safety belt. With this configuration, the extension member extends to a position higher than the storage space, reducing the possibility of interference with the load. In addition, because the extension member extends along the movement path, the number of times the safety belt is attached and detached from the support mechanism when moving along the movement path can be reduced.

The automated warehouse system disclosed herein is described in detail below with reference to an embodiment.

The present invention will be described below based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modified examples, identical or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the dimensions of the parts in each drawing are shown enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Furthermore, some of the parts that are not important for explaining the embodiment are omitted in each drawing.

In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another and do not limit the components.

[Embodiment]
The overall configuration of an automated warehouse system 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figures 1 and 2 are plan views that show an example of the automated warehouse system 100 according to an embodiment. Figures 3 and 4 are side views that show the automated warehouse system 100. As shown in these figures, a safety belt support mechanism 50 is provided in the automated warehouse system 100.

For ease of explanation, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is defined as shown in the figure, with a horizontal direction being the X-axis direction, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction being the Y-axis direction, and a direction perpendicular to both, i.e., the vertical direction being the Z-axis direction. The positive directions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined as the directions of the arrows in each figure, and the negative directions are defined as the directions opposite to the arrows. The X-axis direction is an example of the second direction, and the Y-axis direction is an example of the first direction. The Z-axis direction is sometimes referred to as the "up-down direction." The longitudinal direction of the passage or member is sometimes referred to as the extension direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the extension direction is sometimes referred to as the width direction. Such directional notations do not limit the configuration of the automated warehouse system 100, and the automated warehouse system 100 can be used in any configuration depending on the application.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the automated warehouse system 100 includes a shelf section 22, a first conveying means 14, a second conveying means 16, a safety belt support mechanism 50, and a control unit 18. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the automated warehouse system 100 is installed between the floor section Lg and the ceiling section Lc. The shelf section 22 is a storage shelf having a plurality of storage sections 26 capable of storing loads 12 arranged along the second direction and the first direction. The first conveying means 14 is a self-propelled cart capable of holding the loads 12 and moving along the first moving path 46 of the shelf section 22 along the first direction. The second conveying means 16 is a self-propelled cart capable of moving along the second moving path 47 along the second direction while carrying the first conveying means 14 holding the loads 12. The second moving path 47 is provided on the side of the shelf section 22.

The control unit 18 includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and other components. The control unit 18 controls the operation of the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16.

The shelf section 22 will now be described. The configuration of the shelf section 22 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of containing and storing multiple loads 12. As described above, the shelf section 22 includes multiple storage sections 26 arranged along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Each storage section 26 is configured to be capable of storing a load 12.

In this embodiment, the storage sections 26 are arranged in a row in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, the storage sections 26 are arranged continuously on a first rail 40 (described later) that extends in the Y-axis direction, and the storage sections 26 are the locations where the loads 12 on the first rail 40 are stored. The storage sections 26 arranged in a row in the Y-axis direction are called storage rows 24. On the side of each storage row 24 facing the second movement path 47 of the second conveying means 16, an opening 24a is provided through which the first conveying means 14 enters to take in and out the loads 12. The opening 24a functions as an entrance and exit for the loads 12. The opening 24a of the storage row 24 is connected to the second movement path 47. In other words, the storage row 24 extends in the first direction from the opening 24a facing the second movement path 47. The storage row 24 and the opening 24a may be provided only on one side of the second movement path 47 in the first direction, but in this example, they are provided on both sides.

In this embodiment, N levels (N is an integer of 1 or more, three levels in this example) of shelf sections 22 are provided, arranged in layers one above the other. Figures 1 and 2 show the shelf section 22 of the second level. In the second level and above, the shelf section 22 of the Nth level is arranged above the shelf section 22 of the N-1th level. The shelf sections 22 of each level may have a similar configuration to each other. In particular, the shelf section 22 of each level is provided with one or more sets of first conveying means 14 and second conveying means 16. The safety belt support mechanism 50 is provided on the movement path 47 of each level of the second level and above, but is not provided on the movement path 47 of the first level. The safety belt support mechanism 50 may be provided on the movement path 47 of the first level.

A first rail 40 is provided on the first movement path 46 of the first conveying means 14 in the shelf section 22. The first rail 40 extends in the Y-axis direction in the shelf section 22. The first conveying means 14 is a conveying means capable of running under each storage section 26. A second movement path 47 of the second conveying means 16 is provided on the side of the shelf section 22. A second rail 44 is provided on the second movement path 47 extending in the X-axis direction.

The first conveying means 14 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the first conveying means 14. The first conveying means 14 includes a vehicle body 14b, a motor (not shown), a number of wheels 14f, a platform 14c, and a lift mechanism 14d. The first conveying means 14 drives the wheels 14f by the motor and travels along the first rail 40 in the Y-axis direction with the load 12 loaded. The first conveying means 14 raises and lowers the platform 14c and the load 12 on the platform 14c by the lift mechanism 14d. In FIG. 5, the platform 14c in the raised state is shown by a dashed line, and the platform 14c in the lowered state is shown by a solid line.

The first conveying means 14 can enter the storage section 26. The first conveying means 14 can get on and off the second conveying means 16. The first conveying means 14 can lift and lower the load 12 in the storage section 26 and the second conveying means 16.

The second conveying means 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of the second conveying means 16, showing the state in which the first conveying means 14 is mounted. The second conveying means 16 comprises a mounting portion 16c, a motor (not shown), and a number of wheels 16f. The second conveying means 16 drives the multiple wheels 16f by the motor and travels on the second rail 44 in the X-axis direction. The second conveying means 16 can mount the first conveying means 14 on the mounting portion 16c. The second conveying means 16 can transport the first conveying means 14 with a load 12 mounted or when it is empty.

The safety belt support mechanism 50 will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 11. Figures 7 to 9 are enlarged views of the periphery of the safety belt support mechanism 50. Figure 7 is a top view. Figure 8 is an elevation view seen in the first direction (positive Y-axis direction) from the second movement path 47. Figure 9 is an elevation view seen in the second direction (negative X-axis direction) from the second movement path 47. The safety belt support mechanism 50 of this embodiment includes an extension member 51, a movable part 53, a detection part 62, and an extension member 63.

The extension member 51 extends in the second direction along the moving path 47 of the second conveying means 16 at a position higher than the storage space of the load 12 on the shelf 22 in order to support the safety belt 60 worn by the worker 8. The storage space of the load 12 on the shelf 22 is a region set in advance for storing the load 12 in the space on the first moving path 46 of the first conveying means 13, and does not include the space on the second moving path. The space on the first moving path 46 may be a planar space extending from one upper surface of the first rail 40 to the other upper surface. Specifically, the storage space is a region in which a column-direction range, a row-direction range, and a vertical-direction range are set in advance for storing the load 12, and an upper limit height is determined. This upper limit height can be set based on the vertical area in the range in which the load moves, taking into account the size of the load expected to be used on the shelf 22. In Figures 8 and 9, the symbol As indicates the upper limit position of the storage space of the load 12 on the shelf 22. In this case, the extension member 51 is set at a position higher than the upper limit position As, so there is a low possibility of interference with the load 12 being transported. The upper limit position As is set by adding a predetermined margin to the maximum height previously set for the load 12 to be stored.

The extension member 51 in this embodiment is, as an example, a rail made of H-shaped steel with a horizontal H-shaped cross section when viewed from the extension direction. In this case, even if the load from the safety belt 60 is applied, sagging is unlikely to occur in the middle part. The extension member 51 has an upper flange 51f and a lower flange 51d extending in the first direction, and a middle part 51m extending vertically and connecting the upper flange 51f and the lower flange 51d. The lower flange 51d supports the movable part 53 so that it can slide freely. The extension member 51 is not limited to a rail, and may be a cable member such as a rope.

In this embodiment, the extension member 51 is supported by an upper member 68 provided above the moving path 47. In this case, since the support mechanism for supporting the extension member 51 is located on the upper side, it is less likely to interfere with the load 12 and the second conveying means 16. The upper member 68 in this example is a beam (beam member) that supports the upper second moving path 47, and is formed, for example, from H-shaped steel. The upper member 68 is not limited to a beam, and may be a ceiling panel or other member.

The extension member 51 is fixed to the upper member 68 via fixing members 51k that are provided at a predetermined interval in the second direction. In this embodiment, the fixing members 51k include bolts and nuts that pass through the upper flange portion 51f and the upper member 68.

The extension member 51 may be divided into multiple parts in the extension direction, but in this example, it is continuous from one end to the other. In this case, since there are no discontinuous parts, the number of times the worker 8 needs to put on and take off the safety belt 60 when moving is reduced, improving workability. The extension member 51 may be formed by connecting multiple rails by means of welding, bolting, or other means.

From the viewpoint of reliably supporting the worker if he or she loses posture, it is desirable for the extension members 51 to be close to the worker's working position. Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple extension members 51 are provided spaced apart in the width direction of the second movement path 47. The width direction of the second movement path 47 is the first direction, and is exemplified as the Y-axis direction. In this example, two extension members 51 are provided near both ends of the second movement path 47 in the width direction. In this case, the extension member 51 closest to the worker's working position can be selected and used. The two extension members 51 in this example extend parallel to each other.

(moving part)
The configuration of the movable part 53 will be described. This embodiment has a movable part 53 that can support the safety belt 60 and move the extension member 51. The movable part 53 is mounted on the extension member 51 and is configured to be able to slide the extension member 51 in its extension direction (second direction). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of (two in this example) movable parts 53 are provided on each extension member 51. In this case, the extension member 51 can support two workers simultaneously via the two movable parts 53. Working by two people can improve safety and work efficiency. The two movable parts 53 can approach and move away from each other in the second direction, and the two workers can move independently of each other.

See Figures 10 and 11. Figures 10 and 11 are enlarged views of the inside of the movable part 53. The movable part 53 has a number of wheels 53h, 53j that sandwich the lower flange part 51d from above and below, a casing 53c that surrounds the wheels 53h, 53j, and a connecting part 53e for connecting the extension member 63. The wheels 53h, 53j in this example are shaft bearings with rolling elements (rollers) built in, and are sometimes called cam followers. As an example, the wheels 53h, 53j are fixed to the casing 53c by passing their shaft parts 53k through holes (not shown) provided in the casing 53c and threading nuts 53n on the tip side of the shaft parts 53k.

The wheels 53h, 53j include two pairs of upper wheels 53h that abut the upper surface of the lower flange 51d, and two lower wheels 53j that face the lower surface of the lower flange 51d. The two pairs of upper wheels 53h are spaced apart in a matrix in the first and second directions when viewed from above. The two pairs of upper wheels 53h are arranged one pair on each side in the first direction. When viewed from the first direction (Y-axis direction), each lower wheel 53j is arranged below a pair of upper wheels 53h, sandwiching the lower flange 51d between them. When viewed from above, the lower wheel 53j is located midway between the pair of upper wheels 53h in the second direction (X-axis direction).

The casing 53c supports multiple wheels 53h and 53j. In a vertical cross section viewed from the second extension direction (X-axis direction), the casing 53c has an angular C-shape with an open upper side. The connecting portion 53e is a loop-shaped hook provided on the underside of the casing 53c.

(Resistance Increase Section)
From the viewpoint of supporting the worker 8 who loses his/her posture, it is considered to increase the sliding resistance of the movable part 53 when the worker 8 loses his/her posture. Therefore, this embodiment has a resistance increasing part 57 that increases the sliding resistance of the movable part 53 in a preset state. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of the resistance increasing part 57. As an example, the resistance increasing part 57 of this embodiment functions as a brake that increases the friction force between the movable part 53 and the extension member 51 when a tensile load of 10% or more of the weight of a standard worker 8 is applied to the connecting part 53e of the movable part 53.

In this example, the resistance increasing section 57 includes a friction material 57g that is placed above the extension member 51 with a predetermined gap therebetween, and an elastic member 57d that supports the friction material 57g. The elastic member 57d is connected to the connecting section 53e via a transmission mechanism 57a. As an example, the elastic member 57d is a leaf spring that is supported at both ends and whose middle section can be biased up and down, and the friction material 57g is a rubber block fixed to the underside of the elastic member 57d.

The transmission mechanism 57a in this example includes a rod-shaped first transmission member 57b connected to the connecting portion 53e, a plate-shaped second transmission member 57p connected to the upper end of the first transmission member 57b, and a coil spring 57c interposed between the lower surface of the second transmission member 57p and the upper surface of the elastic member 57d. When a downward load is input to the rod-shaped first transmission member 57b, the plate-shaped second transmission member 57p compresses the coil spring 57c downward. This transmits the load to the elastic member 57d via the coil spring 57c.

The downward load F1 applied to the connecting portion 53e elastically deforms the middle portion of the elastic member 57d downward via the transmission mechanism 57a. In FIG. 12, the elastic member 57d before elastic deformation is shown by a solid line, and the elastically deformed elastic member 57d is shown by a dashed line. This elastic deformation causes the friction material 57g provided on the lower surface of the elastic member 57d to come into contact with the rolling surface 51g (upper surface) of the lower flange portion 51d of the extension member 51, generating a frictional force between them.

The frictional force between the frictional material 57g and the extension member 51 increases as the downward load F1 increases, and disappears when the downward load F1 disappears. This allows the movable part 53 to function as a brake that increases the sliding resistance according to the load F1, and to support the worker 8 who has lost his/her posture. For example, when a load of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the connecting part 53e, the gap between the frictional material 57g and the rolling surface 51g can be set so that the frictional material 57g comes into contact with the rolling surface 51g.

The second example of the resistance increase section 58 will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. Figures 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams of the second example of the resistance increase section 58. The resistance increase section 58 has an input section 58a, a transmission arm 58b, a fulcrum support section 58c, a fulcrum section 58d, a guide section 58e, a guide pin 58f, a friction material 58g, and a biasing member 58h.

The input part 58a is a rod-shaped member that extends vertically and transmits the downward load F1 received at its lower end to the input side (left end side in the figure) of the transmission arm 58b. The transmission arm 58b is a rod-shaped member that extends horizontally and functions as a lever that transmits the load F1 received on the input side to the output side (right end side in the figure). The fulcrum support part 58c protrudes upward from the casing 53c and supports the fulcrum part 58d that constitutes the rotation fulcrum of the transmission arm 58b.

The transmission arm 58b is supported so as to be rotatable around the fulcrum 58d. The guide portion 58e protrudes upward from the casing 53c and has a long hole that is long in the vertical direction and restricts the rotation range of the transmission arm 58b. The guide pin 58f is a pin member that can move up and down through the long hole of the guide portion 58e, and is fixed to the output side of the fulcrum portion 58d of the transmission arm 58b. The friction material 58g is fixed to the upper part of the output side of the transmission arm 58b so as to be in contact with the rolling surface 51g. The biasing member 58h is, for example, a coil spring, and applies a biasing force to the transmission arm 58b so that the friction material 58g moves away from the rolling surface 51g.

The operation of the resistance increasing section 58 will now be described. When a downward load F1 is applied to the input section 58a, the transmission arm 58b rotates around the fulcrum section 58d, and presses the friction material 58g against the rolling surface 51g as shown by the arrow, generating a frictional force. The frictional force between the friction material 58g and the rolling surface 51g increases as the downward load F1 increases, and disappears when the downward load F1 disappears. In this way, the resistance increasing section 58 functions as a brake that increases the sliding resistance in accordance with the load F1.

The resistance increase section 59 of the third example will be described with reference to Figures 15, 16, and 17. Figures 15, 16, and 17 are schematic diagrams of the resistance increase section 59 of the third example. Figure 16 shows a state in which the downward load F1 is not applied, and Figure 17 shows a state in which the downward load F1 is applied. The resistance increase section 59 has an input section 59a, a transmission arm 59b, a fulcrum support section 59c, a fulcrum section 59d, a flange section 59f, a friction material 59g, and a biasing member 59h. In this example, the transmission arm 59b, the fulcrum support section 59c, the fulcrum section 59d, and the friction material 59g form a unit, and two sets of the unit are provided at a distance in the X-axis direction. The two sets of units are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center in the X-axis direction. These have the same configuration, so the unit on the right side of the figure will be described below. It is not essential that two sets of the transmission arm 59b, fulcrum support portion 59c, fulcrum portion 59d, and friction material 59g are provided; only one set may be provided.

The input portion 59a is a rod-shaped member that extends vertically, and has a flange portion 59f fixed to its upper end.
The flange portion 59f has a flange shape that protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the input portion 59a. The input portion 59a and the flange portion 59f transmit the downward load F1 received at the lower end of the input portion 59a to the input side of the transmission arm 59b. The transmission arm 59b is a rod-shaped member extending laterally, and functions as a lever that transmits the load F1 received at the input side (left end side in the figure) to the output side (right end side in the figure). The fulcrum support portion 59c protrudes upward from the casing 53c and supports the fulcrum portion 59d that constitutes the rotation fulcrum of the transmission arm 59b.

The transmission arm 59b is supported so as to be rotatable around the fulcrum 59d. The friction material 59g is fixed to the upper part of the output side of the transmission arm 59b so as to be able to come into contact with the rolling surface 51g. The biasing member 59h is, for example, a coil spring, and applies an upward biasing force to the flange portion 59f so that the friction material 59g moves away from the rolling surface 51g.

The operation of the resistance increasing section 59 will now be described. As shown in FIG. 17, when a downward load F1 is applied to the input section 59a, the transmission arm 59b rotates around the fulcrum section 59d, and as shown by the arrow, presses the friction material 59g against the rolling surface 51g, generating a frictional force. The frictional force between the friction material 59g and the rolling surface 51g increases as the downward load F1 increases. As shown in FIG. 16, when the downward load F1 disappears, the frictional force between the friction material 59g and the rolling surface 51g also disappears. By operating in this manner, the resistance increasing section 59 functions as a brake that increases the sliding resistance in accordance with the load F1.

(Extension member)
The extension member 63 will be described. If the extension member 51 is provided at a high position, it is difficult to connect the safety belt 60 to the movable part 53. Although it is possible to use a step stool to connect at a high position, this requires extra work and reduces work efficiency. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, an extension member 63 is connected to the movable part 53 in this embodiment, which extends downward from the movable part 53 and is connected to the safety belt 60. The extension member 63 is a belt-like or string-like member having a first loop part 63a, a second loop part 63b, and an intermediate connection part 63c. The extension member 63 in this example has a configuration called a sling.

The first loop portion 63a is provided at the upper end of the extension member 63 and is connected to the connecting portion 53e of the movable portion 53 (see also Figures 10 and 11). The second loop portion 63b is provided at the lower end of the extension member 63 and is detachably connected to the safety belt 60. The intermediate connection portion 63c connects the first loop portion 63a and the second loop portion 63b.

The extension member 63 has enough flexibility to hang down when the first loop portion 63a is connected to the movable portion 53. In this state, the extension member 63 is configured so that the lower end of the second loop portion 63b is located, for example, in a range between the standard waist height and eye height of the worker 8. This allows the second loop portion 63b to be easily connected to the safety belt 60 and easily removed from the safety belt 60.

(Out-of-driving range area)
When the movable part 53 is located in the travel range of the second conveying means 16 in the second direction, there is a risk that the movable part 53 or the extension member 63 will interfere with the second conveying means 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the extension member 51 extends to outside the travel range of the second conveying means 16 in the second direction. That is, the extension member 51 has an in-range region 51j of the travel range of the second conveying means 16 and an out-range region 51e. This allows the movable part 53 to be retreated to the out-range region 51e of the extension member 51 when not in use. In this example, the out-range region 51e is provided at one extension end of the extension member 51. The out-range region 51e exemplifies an escape region for the movable part 53.

(Detection unit)
The detection unit 62 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. From the viewpoint of avoiding interference with the load 12, it is desirable to detect whether the movable part 53 is located in the out-of-travel range area 51e. Therefore, this embodiment has a detection unit 62 that detects whether the movable part 53 is in a preset retreat position. As an example, the detection unit 62 includes an optical sensor that provides a detection result according to whether the projected light 62b is blocked or not, and when the movable part 53 blocks the projected light 62b, it is determined that the movable part 53 is in a preset position. The detection unit 62 provides a safe signal when the projected light 62b is blocked, as indicated by an arrow A. Furthermore, the detection unit 62 provides an unsafe signal when the projected light 62b is not blocked, as indicated by an arrow B. In the example of FIG. 7, the projected light 62b is projected in the Y-axis direction, but the projected light 62b may be projected in the Z-axis direction.

In this embodiment, two detectors 62 corresponding to the two movable parts 53 are provided in the out-of-travel range area 51e. When the two movable parts 53 are located in the out-of-travel range area 51e, the two detectors 62 each provide a safe signal to the control unit 18. The control unit 18 stops the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 while it receives an unsafe signal from either of the two movable parts 53. The control unit 18 allows the operation of the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 while it receives a safe signal from both of the two movable parts 53.

The loading and unloading operations of the automated warehouse system 100 will be described. During loading, goods 12 are loaded into the receiving section (not shown) of the automated warehouse system 100 from outside the warehouse by a forklift or the like. The control unit 18 controls the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 based on user operation to transport the goods 12 loaded into the receiving section to a specified storage section 26. During unloading, the control unit 18 controls the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 based on user operation to transport the goods 12 in the specified storage section 26 to the unloading section (not shown).

When loading or unloading, the control unit 18 determines whether the two movable parts 53 are located in the out-of-travel range area 51e before transferring the load 12. Specifically, the control unit 18 determines whether a safe signal is received from the two detection units 62. If a safe signal is received from the two detection units 62, the control unit 18 allows the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 to operate. If an unsafe signal is received from either detection unit 62, the control unit 18 stops the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16. If the control unit 18 receives an unsafe signal even during transfer, it stops the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16.

By operating in this manner, it is possible to prevent interference between the safety belt support mechanism 50 and the load 12. In addition, when the worker 8 is in the inside travel range area 51j, the movable part 53 is also in the inside travel range area 51j, so an unsafe signal is provided and the first conveying means 14 and the second conveying means 16 stop, preventing interference with the worker 8.

Above, examples of embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. All of the above-mentioned embodiments merely show specific examples of how to put the present invention into practice. The contents of the embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and many design changes such as changing, adding, or deleting components are possible within the scope of the idea of the invention defined in the claims. In the above-mentioned embodiments, the contents for which such design changes are possible are explained with the notation "in the embodiment" or "in the embodiment", but this does not mean that design changes are not permitted for contents without such notation.

(Modification)
The following describes the modified examples. In the drawings and description of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Descriptions that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on configurations that differ from the embodiment.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the extension member 51 extends along the second moving path 47 of the second conveying means 16 is shown, but this is not limiting. An extension member for supporting a safety belt may be provided extending along the first moving path 46 of the first conveying means 14, and the extension member may have the same characteristics as the extension member 51.

In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the second rail 44 is provided on the movement path of the second conveying means 16, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the second conveying means 16 may run on a movement path without a rail.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the extension member 51 is fixed to the upper member 68 is shown, but this is not limiting. For example, the extension member 51 may be fixed to the wall surface of the shelf portion 22.

In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the lower end of the extension member 63 is located in the range between the standard waist height and eye height of the worker 8, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the lower end of the extension member 63 may be lower than waist height or higher than eye height.

In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the extension member 63 is flexible is shown, but the extension member 63 may be inflexible.

In the description of the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the out-of-travel range area 51e is provided at one extension end of the extension member 51, but the out-of-travel range area 51e may be provided at both extension ends of the extension member 51.

Each of these modified examples provides the same effects as the embodiment.

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

12 load, 14 first conveying means, 16 second conveying means, 22 shelf section, 23a frontage, 26 storage section, 46 first moving path, 47 second moving path, 50 safety belt support mechanism, 51 extension member, 51e out-of-travel range area, 51j in-travel range area, 51k fixed member, 53 movable section, 57 resistance increase section, 60 safety belt, 62 detection section, 63 extension member, 100 automated warehouse system.

Claims (11)

An automated warehouse system having a shelf section capable of storing goods, comprising: a first conveying means for carrying a goods and moving in a first direction; and a second conveying means for carrying the first conveying means and moving in a second direction intersecting the first direction along a side of the shelf section;
an extension member extending along the first path of the first conveying means or the second path of the second conveying means at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf section in order to support a safety belt;
Equipped with
A movable part that supports the safety belt and can move the extension member,
An automated warehouse system characterized in that the extension member is provided with an evacuation area in the second direction, which is outside the traveling range of the second conveying means and in which the movable part can be retracted . The automated warehouse system described in claim 1, characterized in that the storage space for the loads on the shelf is a predefined area for storing loads in the space on the first moving path, and does not include the space on the second moving path. The automated warehouse system according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage space for the loads on the shelf is a space on a pair of rails provided on the first moving path for the first conveying means to travel along. The automated warehouse system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the extension member extends to a position higher than a preset upper limit height for the storage space of the shelf section. A movable part that supports the safety belt and can move the extension member,
The automated warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the extension member is a rail that allows the movable portion to slide in the second direction. The automated warehouse system according to claim 5 , wherein the movable part has a plurality of wheels that clamp the extension member. An automated warehouse system having a shelf section capable of storing goods, comprising: a first conveying means for carrying a goods and moving in a first direction; and a second conveying means for carrying the first conveying means and moving in a second direction intersecting the first direction along a side of the shelf section;
an extension member extending along the first path of the first conveying means or the second path of the second conveying means at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf section in order to support a safety belt;
Equipped with
A movable part that supports the safety belt and can move the extension member;
A detection unit that detects that the movable portion is in a preset retreat position of the extension member;
An automated warehouse system comprising: An automated warehouse system having a shelf section capable of storing goods, comprising: a first conveying means for carrying a goods and moving in a first direction; and a second conveying means for carrying the first conveying means and moving in a second direction intersecting the first direction along a side of the shelf section;
an extension member extending along the first path of the first conveying means or the second path of the second conveying means at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf section in order to support a safety belt;
Equipped with
An automated warehouse system, characterized in that a plurality of the extension members are provided spaced apart in the width direction of the second moving path. An automated warehouse system having a shelf unit capable of storing an article, the automated warehouse system comprising: a first conveying means for carrying an article and moving in a first direction;
an extension member extending along the first path of travel of the first conveying means and at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf for supporting a safety belt;
Equipped with
A movable part that supports the safety belt and can move the extension member,
An automated warehouse system characterized in that the extension member is provided with an evacuation area in which the movable part can be retracted in a direction intersecting the first direction. An automated warehouse system having a shelf unit capable of storing an article, the automated warehouse system comprising: a first conveying means for carrying an article and moving in a first direction;
an extension member extending along the first path of travel of the first conveying means and at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf for supporting a safety belt;
Equipped with
A movable part that supports the safety belt and can move the extension member;
A detection unit that detects that the movable portion is in a preset retreat position of the extension member;
An automated warehouse system comprising: An automated warehouse system having a shelf unit capable of storing an article, the automated warehouse system comprising: a first conveying means for carrying an article and moving in a first direction;
an extension member extending along the first path of travel of the first conveying means and at a position higher than the load storage space of the shelf for supporting a safety belt;
Equipped with
An automated warehouse system, characterized in that a plurality of the extension members are provided spaced apart in the first direction.

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