JPH0198506A - Article picking method and three-dimensional warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a time required for uniformly arranging specified articles by delivering the articles by means of a stacker crane from storage racks to picking racks installed along the stacker crane, and making a carriage travel between the picking racks so as to take out the specified articles to the carriage. CONSTITUTION:A central control unit outputs a delivery command to a carriage 30 and a stacker crane 10 so that the stacker crane 10 delivers a container 1 storing a delivered article therein to a picking rack 25. Thereat, giving priority to shortening the traveling distance of the carriage 30, the picking rack 25 near a storage rack is selected. And next, the carriage 30 receives an empty container 2 from a conveyor 50 at a home position, and then it travels to the picking racks 25 successively, and further they take out specified articles from the respective picking racks 25 to the container 2. The stacker crane 10 returns the residual articles to the former storage racks. This constitution enables the articles to be uniformly arranged for a short time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a three-dimensional warehouse comprising a stacker crane and three-dimensional shelves and suitable as a distribution center or a parts warehouse, and in particular, a three-dimensional warehouse suitable for picking. Regarding.

(Prior art) A multi-story warehouse consists of three-dimensional shelves for storing containers such as pallets and containers loaded with one or a large number of items, and a stacker crane for transporting the containers between the three-dimensional shelves and the warehouse entrance. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-291307) Three-dimensional warehouses in distribution centers and parts warehouses handle relatively small items, and each item is placed in a container and stored on three-dimensional shelves. contains many identical items.

Now, if you request the delivery of items a, b, and c, then the item a
Containers A, B, and C containing containers A, B, and C are taken out from the storage shelf to the exit by a stacker crane, and conveyed to the picking work area by a conveyor, where a worker picks up each container A, B, and C. The required number of articles a, b, and c are taken out. Place the removed items a, b, and c in a box, etc.
Send as one package to the requested location. Remaining containers A and B
.

C is stored in the storage shelf again using a conveyor and a stacker crane.

Generally, the entrance/exit is provided at one end of the running path of the stacker crane. However, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-217410, an entry/exit entrance is provided along the travel path of the stacker crane. This entry/exit uses a part of a three-dimensional shelf.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above conventional technology, when three types of articles a, b, and c are required, containers A and B containing the articles.

It is necessary to transport each item C to one outlet. Therefore, the stacker crane is container A.

It is necessary to make three round trips to take out and put in goods B and C. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to request the delivery of a set of cargo.

An object of the present invention is to enable the task of assembling a set of loads in a short time.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention is capable of taking out the required number of articles from a container delivered to a picking location, and furthermore, is provided with a trolley that can freely run along the running path of the stacker crane and on which the picked-up articles can be placed. A three-dimensional shelf for storing containers containing goods is provided between the road and the running path of the trolley, and a plurality of picking locations are provided along the running path of the stacker crane on a part of this three-dimensional shelf, and the stacker crane The container is characterized by being able to transport containers between the location and the shelf of the three-dimensional shelf.

In the present invention, the term "container" refers to an object on which a plurality of articles can be placed, such as a flat pallet, a packet-shaped pallet, other packets, or containers.

[For production]

The stacker crane deposits the containers of cargo that have been requested to be delivered one by one to the picking locations provided along the travel path of the stacker crane. On the other hand, the trolley travels to the picking location where the container was delivered, and when the required number of items have been picked, travels to the next picking location. In this way, a set of loads is picked onto the trolley. Containers remaining at the picking location are stored on three-dimensional shelves using a stacker crane.

According to this, the stacker crane only needs to be delivered to a picking location near the stored containers, so the travel distance of the stacker crane is reduced and a set of loads can be assembled in a short time.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a stacker crane that transports containers I between the storage opening 5 or the picking shelf 25 and the three-dimensional shelf 20, and runs along a travel path 15. The stacker crane 10 has a well-known configuration and transports containers in three-dimensional directions.

The three-dimensional shelves 20 have a large number of shelves arranged horizontally and vertically along the travel path 15. Containers 1 can be stored on each shelf. The three-dimensional shelves 20 are located on both sides of the running path 15. The stacker crane 10 can deliver the containers 1 to the three-dimensional shelves 20 on both sides.

There is an entry/exit port 5 at one end of one of the three-dimensional shelves 20, which communicates with a conveyor 6. Containers 1 (loaded with articles) supplied to the entrance 5 via the conveyor 6 are stored on the shelves of the three-dimensional shelves 20 by the stacker crane 10. Containers 1 emptied by picking are carried out by a stacker crane 10 to an entry/exit port 5, and then taken out by a conveyor 6.

In FIG. 1, three sets of stacker cranes 10 and three-dimensional shelves 20, 20 on both sides thereof are arranged in parallel. 3
When it is necessary to distinguish between sets, the set on the left is called the left set, the set in the center is called the center set, and the set on the right is called the right set.

25.25.25--1-- are shelves for picking, which are arranged at predetermined intervals in the three-dimensional shelf 20 along the travel path 15. In the left group, a picking shelf 25 is provided on the right three-dimensional shelf 20, and in the center group, a picking shelf 25 is provided in the left and right three-dimensional shelves 20.20.

In the right group, a picking shelf 25 is provided on the left three-dimensional shelf 20.

Containers 1 can be placed on the picking shelf 25 in the same way as on a storage shelf. The stacker crane 10 has a picking shelf 2
5 and the shelf of the three-dimensional shelf 20.

There is a place 2 on the back side of the three-dimensional shelf 20 when viewed from the running path 15 side.
3 are arranged diagonally. A place 23 is not arranged on the picking shelf 25 because the articles are taken out on the cart 30 side. Note that the X mark in FIG. 1 indicates the position of the beer picking shelf 25 and does not indicate a place.

The picking shelves 25 are provided on the first and second shelves from the bottom of the three-dimensional shelf 20, respectively.

Furthermore, two picking shelves 25 are provided along the running path 15 in two shelves each.

Picking shelf 25 that allows picking from one trolley 30
It is preferable that the number of items is much larger than the maximum number of types of items to be collected in a set by picking.

A partition wall (not shown) is provided on the top surface and both side surfaces of the picking shelf 25 (surfaces in the traveling direction of the stacker crane 10) to separate it from other shelves. This partition wall can prevent accidents such as contact with moving containers or the fork of the stacker crane when the stacker crane delivers containers to surrounding shelves during picking operations.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a picking cart, which runs along the three-dimensional shelves 20 provided with the picking shelves 25, and stops at each picking shelf 25. The 0-bogie 30 traveling in the space between the two can pick from the left and right picking shelves 25 and 25 of the travel path 45. The 0-bogie 30 runs below the first stage picking shelf.

The configuration of the truck 30 and the configuration of the equipment connected to the truck 30 are the same.

The trolley 30 runs on a running path 45 by a drive device 31,
A worker 9 who performs picking work is placed on the zero cart 30 that stops at the target picking shelf 25 according to a command from the control device 32.
In front of the worker 9 on whom the worker 9 is riding, there is a container 2 in which the retrieved articles (picked articles) are to be placed. container 2
is placed on a conveyor 34 on a trolley 30. conveyor 3
4 is lowered when the trolley 30 travels to prevent the container 2 from moving.

In front of the worker 9 is a display device 35 that displays work information to the worker 9. The display device 35 displays information such as whether picking work is possible or not, and the position of the shelf 25 to be picked (left of the travel path 45). For example, it is displayed by the shelf number attached to each shelf 25.) The picked quantity, article name, etc. are visually displayed to the operator 9. It will also be notified by voice, etc. This display device 3M is installed on a trolley 30.

A conveyor 50 for conveying the container 2 to and from the truck 30 is provided at one end of the travel path 45 of the truck 30.

This position is used as the home position during picking work.

Safety walls 40 are provided on the four sides of the truck 30. 4
1 is a door for boarding a worker 9; 0 sliding doors 42 are provided on both side walls of the work floor 39. The sliding door 42 opens during picking work, and a passage port 43 for containers 2 is provided on the front side of the cart 30 which is picked from this opening.A worker 9 is seated on the seat 38 when the cart 30 is running. The home position for getting on and off the trolley 30 is at the end of the travel path 45 on the opposite side from the conveyor 50.

Transmission and reception of information between the ground side and the truck 30 is performed by an optical signal transmission device (not shown) in the same way as the transmission and reception of information between the ground side and the stacker crane 10.

The stacker crane 10 and the truck 30 are controlled by a central control device (not shown) installed on the ground side.

Next, we will explain the picking operation.Although there are a total of two picking trolleys 30, it is possible to arrange one set of loads using only one trolley 30.

A command for unloading a set of loads is given from the central controller 20 on the ground to one truck 30 and two stacker cranes 10.10 located on both sides of this truck 30. Based on this command, the stacker crane 10.10 unloads the container 1 loaded with the load to be unloaded onto the picking shelf 25. container l
The picking shelf 25 from which the container l should be taken out is a picking shelf 25 near the shelf where this container l was stored. However, trolley 3
Priority is given to shortening the mileage of 0 as much as possible. For this reason, the goods are not delivered to the picking shelf 25.

Sometimes the goods are delivered to a distant picking shelf 25.

(This will become clear from the description of the embodiment in FIG. 10.) In this way, the stacker crane 10 sequentially unloads the containers 1 to the picking shelf 25.

Then, the container that has been picked is returned to its original shelf.

On the other hand, the first cart 30 receives the empty container 2 from the conveyor 50 at its home position during picking, and the picking shelf 25 of the zero cart 30 travels toward the shelf 25 to be picked.
The stopping position is the position where the sliding door 42 corresponds to the picking shelf 25.

The display device 35 displays the picking command, the position of the shelf 25 to be picked, the name of the article, the quantity to be picked, etc. Based on this, the worker 9 pulls out the article 3 from the container l on the picking shelf 25 and places it on the trolley 30. Place it on container 2.

The container 1 of the three-dimensional shelf 20 has an open surface facing the cart 30 side. Articles 2 such as pipes, square timbers, or rectangular cardboard boxes containing such items are stacked in this container 1. The worker 9 pulls out the articles 2 from the side opening, and then the container 2 I'll put it on. Container 2 may be different from container 1.

When the picking at the designated shelf 25 is completed, the worker 9 presses a switch 39 provided next to the seat 38 to instruct the end of the picking.

As a result, the cart 30 displays the next shelf 25 to be picked or moves toward the next shelf 25 to be picked. The sliding door 42 is closed when the vehicle is running. below,
Perform picking work in the same way.

If you have assembled a set of items in this way.

The cart 30 returns to the conveyor 50's home position at the time of picking. Next, the containers 2 are taken out using the conveyor 34.degree. 50.

When the trolley 30 arranges a set of articles, its running path 3
Pick from the picking shelves 25°25 located on the left and right of 8. For this purpose, the stacker cranes 10.10 located on the left and right sides of the travel path 38 operate for that purpose.

The cart 30 travels from the conveyor 50's home position at the time of picking toward the other end for picking, and then returns to this home position again. On each of the outbound and return trips of this round trip, it stops at the picking shelf 25 and picks. Of course, if you try to complete the picking operation only by going back and forth, it often takes a lot of time, so during this round trip, It is recommended to make several more round trips, as shown in Figures 7 to 1.
This will be explained using an example shown in FIG.

It is not necessary to use all the picking shelves when arranging a set of articles.

Since the display device 35 displays the product name, the desired product can be picked even if a plurality of types of products are placed in one container l.

You can drive as follows. The stacker crane 10 is configured to be able to operate unmanned and automatically (such a stacker crane 10 is known), and one cart 30 can pick more items than the maximum number of types of articles to be picked. A much larger number of picking shelves 25 are provided. According to this, a stacker crane is operated at night to pick containers 1 , 1 , 1 ----- picking shelves 25 , 25 , 25 ----- containing items that must be picked the next day. In this case, the containers 1 and 1 constituting the - group of goods are delivered in advance to -.
．．・Place 1 ------- on the picking shelf 25° 25, 25 -------1 as close as possible, and move the trolley 3.
It is better to avoid the need for 0 to travel as much as possible.The next day, the cart 30 is operated to pick multiple sets.
The stacker crane 10 returns the container 1 that has been scheduled to be picked to the shelf. When the scheduled picking for the previous day is completed, the stacker crane 10 takes out the container 1 to the empty picking shelf 25 in accordance with a new picking request. Then, the stacker crane 10 returns the picked container l to the shelf.

When the items in the container 1 are small items, if the container 1 is configured to be picked by pulling out all or a part of the container 1 to the trolley 30 side, picking can be easily performed.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be explained. stacker crane l
The three-dimensional shelves 20 on each side of the running path 15 of O are the front shelves 2
It consists of 0a and a back shelf 20b. The slide fork device of the stacker crane IO is the front shelf 20a and the back shelf 20b.
Each container 1 can be transported. Container l on back shelf 20b
is transported with no container l on the front shelf 20a. Such a stacker crane 10 and a three-dimensional shelf 20 are known.

No shelf is provided at the bottom of the back shelf 20b and the back shelf 20b, and the trolley 3
0 running space 55 is provided. At the lower part of the front shelf 20a, there are picking shelves 25, 25--1, as in the previous embodiment.
-- is placed. In this case, the width of the cart 30 can be made larger than the width of the container. For this reason, conveyor 5
A door 41 for workers can be provided on the surface facing 0. Conveyor 34 is next to door 41.

Next, the unloading process of the central control unit on the ground side for performing such picking will be explained with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 10.

The central control unit starts processing upon an operator's outgoing request (FIO). Schedule which article 3 is to be picked from which container l (F20). As a result of this unloading schedule (F20), check whether there is a need for picking (F30). All the articles required for unloading have already been placed in the container l. If the containers 1 are all in place, the stacker crane IO is instructed to unload the container 1 (F40).The unloading in step F40 may be done through the loading/unloading port 5.
The products may be delivered to one picking shelf 25.

When picking is necessary, a schedule is made to determine which shelf container 1 is to be relocated to which picking shelf 25 (F50). Based on this schedule result, the stacker crane 10 is instructed to relocate container 1 on the designated shelf to designated picking shelf 25 (F50). An instruction is given to relocate to the picking shelf 25 (F60), and after completion of the rearrangement, an instruction is given to the trolley 30 to move to the relocated picking shelf 25 and pick the necessary article 3 (F70).

FIG. 1θ shows an example of a picking schedule (F50) on which shelf the container l is to be relocated to which picking shelf 25.

FIG. 10 shows that, in response to one set of delivery requests, 10 containers 1 of A-J are picked up using four picking shelves 25 of 0 to R out of six picking shelves 25 of 0 to T. This is an example of picking. FIG. 10 does not show the case where picking shelves 25° 25 are used, which have a vertical positional relationship that allows picking even when the trolley 30 does not travel.

Since only one container l can be rearranged on one picking shelf 25 at the same time, the order of rearrangement is determined by the following procedure.

First, find out how many times the trolley 30 makes a round trip on the traveling path 45 for picking (FIIO). - Picking may be completed in a round trip, but in order to shorten the picking time, the cart 30 makes a round trip a plurality of times.

The number of round trips can be determined by rounding up. In the example of FIG. 1, the number of cylinders to be picked=IO and the number of shelves to be picked is 4.

Next, the stacker crane 10 is instructed to relocate the container l to be picked from the shelf to a predetermined beer king shelf 25. This instruction is given for each outbound and return trip of the truck 30, and this instruction is given for the number of reciprocating trips.The number of stacker cranes 10 that receive this instruction may be one or two. (Steps F120.F130.
F14 The order of this instruction is shown in FIG. 9. The flowchart on the left side of FIG. 9 shows the stacker crane to, t.

The flowchart on the right side shows the operation of the cart 30. The cart 30 is not picking during the second return trip.

First, the home position side conveyor 50 during picking
The container A on the shelf closest to the home position is relocated to the picking shelf O closest to the home position (F200).

The items in Container B near the shelf where Container A was stored are placed on trolley 3.
Picking will be carried out on the first return trip (referred to as return trip l) of the 0-run. Furthermore, the goods in container C will be picked on the second outbound trip (referred to as outbound trip 2) of the trolley's travel. Therefore, next, the containers are relocated to the picking shelf P. (From F onwards, similarly, the containers G are rearranged to the picking shelf Q, and the containers J are rearranged to the picking shelf R in sequence.
(F220, F230) Above, the first movement of the trolley 30
The rearrangement for the second outbound trip (referred to as outbound trip 1) is completed.

The picking instruction to the trolley 30 is given when picking becomes possible, that is, when the rearrangement to each picking shelf is completed. (F310, F32
0, F330, F340) Next, the return journey l of one bogie 30
Instruct relocation for For the return trip 1, contrary to the outward trip I, the trolley 30 returns to the home position at the time of picking and then performs picking, so instructions are given in order from the beer king shelf R in the 0 direction. In addition, since container J on picking shelf R has just been rearranged and has not been picked yet, the next container J on picking shelf Q
Give instructions for relocation.

However, since there is a container G that was rearranged earlier on this shelf Q, first return this container G to the original shelf, and then
is relocated to picking shelf Q.

(F240) Next, similarly, the containers on the picking shelf P are returned to the shelves, and the containers E are relocated to the picking shelf P.

(F250) Next, the picking shelf O is rearranged in the same manner. (F260) With this, the rearrangement of the cart 30 for the return journey 1 is completed. Meanwhile, the truck 30 executes steps F350-F370. Also, for the outward trip 2, the stacker crane is instructed to rearrange in the same manner as described above (F270, F280, F290), and the cart 30 executes steps F380 to F400.

As described above, when the picking at the picking shelf R is completed, the cart 30 travels toward the cart 30 at the time of picking.

On the other hand, the stacker crane 10 returns the containers l to their original shelves upon completion of picking of each shelf.

(F 300) Picking at each shelf takes a relatively long time, although it varies depending on the size of the item and the number of items to be picked. Even during this time period, the stacker crane 10 can run and handle cargo. For this reason, it is considered preferable to plan so that the travel distance and travel time of the trolley 30 are as short as possible. On the other hand, the traveling distance of the stacker crane 10 becomes longer.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, if it is desired to increase the amount of picking, for example, the traveling path of the cart 30 is provided in two stages, upper and lower, and the number of carts is two. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower cart runs at the height of the first shelf, and the upper cart runs at the height of the fourth shelf. It is installed on the fourth stage as a picking shelf for the upper trolley.

A device for picking may be installed on a trolley to perform picking mechanically.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the picking operation for arranging the -set of articles can be carried out in a short time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a three-dimensional warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the three-dimensional warehouse shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a rear view of the three-dimensional shelf shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a front view of a three-dimensional warehouse according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7. 8 and 9 are flowcharts of control according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of picking work according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, 2------One container, 10'---=-Stacker crane, 2G---One three-dimensional shelf, 25------
- Picking shelf, 30 ・------One trolley 41 Figure 42 Figure 44 5th area 16th figure Off view (!li' figure, T/θ figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A stacker crane takes out a plurality of containers containing articles to be picked from each storage shelf and unloads them to a plurality of picking shelves provided along a travel path of the stacker crane; A method for picking articles, comprising the steps of: running a cart along a plurality of picking shelves; taking out predetermined articles from respective containers delivered to the picking shelves; and placing them on the cart. 2. A three-dimensional shelf comprising a large number of storage shelves for storing containers containing articles along the horizontal and vertical directions, and a plurality of picking shelves along the horizontal direction on which the containers can be placed and for picking. , a stacker crane that travels in the horizontal direction along the three-dimensional shelf and transports the containers between the storage shelf and the picking shelf; and a stacker crane on the opposite side of the travel path of the stacker crane with the three-dimensional shelf in the center. traveling in the horizontal direction along the three-dimensional shelf, can stop at the position of the picking shelf from which the container to be picked has been taken out, and can place the article taken out from the container on the picking shelf. A trolley that can
A three-dimensional warehouse consisting of