JPH0236082B2 - IDODANASEIGYOSOCHI - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] This invention sets a plurality of shelves movably along a guide rail, and provides a work path for each work surface of a plurality of selectively designated shelves, for example. The present invention relates to a control device for a movable shelf that appropriately controls the focusing movement so as to form a movable shelf.

[Prior Art] For example, movable shelving devices are used to efficiently utilize warehouse space and the like. In such a movable shelving device, when an article is taken out or loaded from a designated shelf, movement of the shelf is controlled so as to form a working path with respect to the working surface of the designated shelf. This movement control of the shelves can also be done manually, but the position of the working passage to be formed is specified using a switch etc. provided on each shelf, and the passage is formed at the specified position. It has been considered that an electronic circuit device generates a movement command for each shelf.

In such a movable shelving device, when considering the number of passages to be formed and the width of the passages, one or more working passages may be required depending on the working conditions and the number of workers. The width of the passage required varies depending on the work conditions, such as when taking out items or when using a work vehicle to load and unload a large amount of items at once. Therefore, simply controlling the movement of the shelves to form a passage at a designated position by means of a switch for specifying the working passage does not make sufficient efficient use of this type of movable shelf.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points.
To provide a control device for a movable shelf that enables the formation of one or a plurality of designated passages to be arbitrarily selected and controlled, and also allows the number and width of passages to be specified according to the purpose of work. It is something.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The movable shelf control device according to the present invention includes aisle width storage means for setting and storing the maximum aisle width to be formed, and aisle number storage means for establishing and storing the number of aisles to be formed. At the same time, each shelf is provided with a shelf ranking storage means storing shelf ranking data, and in response to an operation command for creating an aisle, reads out the ranking data of the shelves forming the aisle, and uses the ranking data on other shelves to read out the ranking data of the shelves forming the aisle. The movement direction of each shelf is determined and the movement of each shelf is controlled. During this movement, the shelf position detection means set on each shelf detects its own shelf position, and means calculates the width of the aisle to be formed based on the number of aisles and the maximum aisle width stored in the memory. The movement is controlled until the passage width obtained is formed.

[Operation] In the movable shelf control device configured in this manner, the maximum aisle width is set and stored, and the number of aisles is also set and stored depending on the purpose of work and the like. Then, by operating an operation switch or the like on the shelf where you want to form a passage, shelf movement control is executed so that a working passage is formed at that position. The movement of the shelves is controlled by an amount corresponding to the aisle width calculated from the maximum aisle width and the number of aisles. That is, by setting and storing the number of passages and operating the operating switch at the position where the passage is to be formed,
A working passage with a width corresponding to the number of passages is automatically formed at that position.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of this shelf device, in which first and second fixed shelves 1 are attached to both ends of a set of guide rails 11.
2a and 12b are set. For example, six first to sixth movable shelves 13a to 13f are arranged between the fixed shelves 12a and 12b. These first to sixth mobile shelves 13a to 13
f is movable along the guide rail 11 in a direction perpendicular to the work surface.

Each of the movable shelves 13a to 13f has this shelf 1.
Motors 14a to 14f are provided as drive sources for moving the parts 3a to 13f. That is, by controlling the drive of these motors 14a to 14f, each movable shelf 13a to 13f
is moved along the rail 11.

In such a shelving device, in the initial state, as shown in Figure A, the movable shelves 13a to 13f are focused in the direction of the first fixed shelf 12a, and the sixth movable shelf 13f and the second One passage having a maximum passage width L is formed between the fixed shelf 12b and the fixed shelf 12b. The passage having the width L is the passage width when forming one working passage in this shelf device, and for example, as shown in Figure B, the first movable shelf 13a
When one passage is formed between the first movable shelf 13b and the second movable shelf 13b, a passage having a width L is formed here.

Further, when two working passages are formed using this shelf device, a passage having a width of L/2 is formed as shown in figures C and D.

Each shelf 12a and 13b to 13f of this shelf device
are provided with designation switches 15a to 15g for designating the working path, respectively.
5a to 15g each issue a command to form a working passage on the front surface of the corresponding shelf. For example, when the switch 15a is operated, a command is issued to form a working path between the fixed shelf 12a and the movable shelf 13a, and the switch 15c is operated to issue a command to form a working path between the fixed shelf 12a and the movable shelf 13a.
A command is issued to form a working passage between the

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a control device for controlling the movable shelf device configured as described above, and this control device includes a fixed control circuit 16 set to the first fixed shelf 13a, and A plurality of movement control circuits 17a-1 respectively set in ~13f
7f. Although only the movement control circuits 17a and 17b are shown in this figure for convenience, the other movement control circuits 17c to 17f are configured similarly to the circuits 17a and 17b shown in this figure. And these control circuits 16, 17a to 1
7f are connected to each other by a common data line 18.

The control circuits 16 and 17a to 17f include shelf number storage devices 19 and 20a to 20 that store number data specifying the rank of each corresponding shelf, respectively.
f is provided. Here, the shelf rank of the fixed shelf 12a is "0", and the rank numbers of the movable shelves 13a to 13f are "1" to "6", respectively, and the shelf number storage devices 19, 20a to 20f are ,
Numbers "0" to "6" corresponding to this rank, respectively.
is memorized and set.

In the fixed control circuit 16, various conditions for passage setting control are set. That is, it includes a passage width storage circuit 21 and a passage number storage circuit 22,
The maximum passage width L and the number N of passages to be formed are stored in these memory circuits 21 and 22 as appropriate manually or by commands from the host controller 23.
is set in memory.

The control circuit 16 is provided with an AND circuit 25 that is supplied with a signal from a one-shot circuit that detects when the main power is turned on, and a condition signal for setting the origin position, and an initial position setting command signal is supplied from the AND circuit 25. generated.

The readout number data from the shelf number storage device 19 is passed through a gate circuit 26 and further amplified appropriately by an amplifier 27 and supplied to the data line 17.
2, as well as the initialization command signal, are transmitted to the data line 18.

This control circuit 16 is provided with a one-shot circuit 28 that detects the operation signal of the designated switch 15a.The detection signal from this circuit 28 is supplied to the gate circuit 26 as a gate signal, and the shelf order number data from the storage circuit 19 is to the data line 18.

That is, when the switch 15a that designates an aisle is operated, the number data that designates the shelf 12a that is the reference for that aisle is read out via the gate circuit 26 and transmitted from the data line 18 to the control circuit of the other shelf. be done.

The output signal from the one-shot circuit 28 is further supplied to a one-shot circuit 29 consisting of an AND circuit, a delay circuit, an inverter, etc., and the output signal from the one-shot circuit 29 becomes low level in response to the operation of the switch 15a. , output as an interlock signal for adjacent shelves.

The control circuits 17a to 17f provided for the movable shelves 13a to 13f, respectively, are connected to the fixed shelves 12.
A path designation switch circuit is provided which is configured almost similarly to the control circuit 16 provided in the. This mobile shelf 1
The output signals from the designated switches 15b to 15g provided in the respective shelves 3a to 13f are gated to the gate circuits 31a to 31f to which the read signals from the shelf number storage devices 20a to 20f are supplied via the one shot circuits 30a to 30f, respectively. Supplied as a signal. The output signals from the gate circuits 31a to 31f are sent to amplifiers 32a to 32, respectively.
A data line 18 connecting the shelves via f
transmitted to. Moreover, the one-shot circuit 30a~
The output signal from 30f is sent to the one shot circuit 33.
A to 33f are output as low level and interlock signals.

The output signals from each of the shelf number storage devices 20a-20f are provided to comparators 34a-34f, each of which is provided with a signal for comparing shelf number data from other shelves transmitted via data line 18. Supplied as data. That is, by operating a designated switch provided for each shelf, number data corresponding to the rank of that shelf is transmitted to the data line, and comparison data is sent to the comparator provided in the control circuit of the other shelf. Supplied as. This comparator compares the transmitted number data with its own shelf number data and determines the shelf position where the designation switch 15 was operated by comparing it with its own shelf position.

Specifically, when the own shelf number data is A and the transmitted shelf number data is D, each of the comparators 34a to 34f compares the sizes of A and D. For example, in the relative positional relationship of the shelves as shown in Figure 1, when the shelf on which the designated switch is operated is located to the left of the own shelf, "A>
A determination direction output of "D" is generated, and a determination output of "A≦D" is generated in the right direction or when they match.

The discrimination outputs obtained in this way are output to AND circuits 35a to 35f and 36a to 36f, respectively.
are supplied to the driver circuits 37a to 37f as command signals for rightward drive and leftward drive,
The motors 14a to 14f, which are provided on the shelves 13a to 13f and are controlled to rotate reversibly, are driven and controlled. Then, the corresponding shelf is controlled to move to the right or left.

Here, the interlock signal from the control circuit 16 is supplied as a gate signal to the AND circuit 36a which outputs a signal for driving the adjacent shelf 13a in the left direction, and in order to form a passage in the front surface of the shelf 12, the designated switch 15a is is operated, the adjacent shelf 1
A safety operation is performed which locks 3a from being driven in the direction of shelf 12. In addition, the movement control circuit 1
One shot circuit 30a for each of 7a to 17f
The interlock signals from each of ~30f are also
The signal is supplied as a gate signal to the AND circuit that generates a rightward drive command for its own shelf, and the AND circuit that generates a leftward drive command for the shelf adjacent to the right. Locks rightward movement and leftward movement of shelves adjacent to the right.

Each of the movable shelves 13a to 13f has a right (R)
Limit switches 38a to 38f, 39a to 39 that determine whether other shelves are set adjacent to each other in the direction and the left (L) direction and detect when they are separated.
f is provided. This switch 38a-38
The separation detection signals f, 39a to 39f are delayed by a predetermined time by timer circuits 40a to 40f and output as detection signals.

The rightward and leftward limit detection signals from the timer circuits 40a to 40f are supplied as gate signals to AND circuits 35a to 35f and 36 to 36f, which generate rightward and leftward drive commands for the corresponding shelves, respectively.

In other words, for example, when a command to move to the right is issued, the command to move to the right will be issued while the shelf adjacent to the right is separated from its own shelf, making it possible to control the movement of a large number of shelves. This prevents collisions from occurring during startup.

The movable shelves 13a to 23f further include each shelf 13a to 23f.
13f are provided with position detection mechanisms 41a to 41f for determining their respective positions. The position detection mechanisms 41a to 41f are configured, for example, by potentiometers that are rotationally driven in synchronization with wheels moving on the guide rail 11, and are configured to generate voltage signals corresponding to the position of each shelf. do. The output signals from each of the detection mechanisms 41a to 41f are as follows:
A/D converters 42a to 42f convert them into digital signals, respectively, and arithmetic control circuits 43a to 43f.
as a position data signal.

The output data signals from the A/D converters 42a to 42f are sent to origin position data storage circuits 45a to 45f via gate circuits 44a to 44f.
supply each. Gate circuits 44a to 44f
The initial setting command signal generated from the AND circuit 25 of the fixed control circuit 16 is supplied as a gate signal to the movable shelves 13a to 13a as shown in A in FIG.
In the initial state in which the movable shelves 13f are focused in the direction of the fixed shelf 12, the position data of each movable shelf 13a to 13f is stored in the storage circuits 45a to 45a as origin reference data.
45f. This origin position data signal is transmitted to the arithmetic control circuits 43a to 43a.
43f as a reference data signal.

Here, the arithmetic control circuits 43a to 43f include comparators 34a to 43f of the corresponding control circuits, respectively.
Right direction movement determination signal of “A>D” from 34f,
A leftward movement determination signal of "A≦D" is supplied. Further, passage width data L and passage number data N set by the fixed control circuit 16 are supplied to arithmetic circuits 43a to 43f. Each of these arithmetic circuits 43a to 43f supplies a rightward or leftward movement command signal to AND circuits 35a to 35f and 36a to 36f of the corresponding motor control circuit.

That is, in each of the calculation circuits 43a to 43f, the corresponding position detection mechanism 4
Signals corresponding to detection position signals from 1a to 41f and origin signals are supplied, and each shelf 13
Data indicating the positions of a to 13f is input. Further, along with the rightward or leftward movement command signals from each of the comparators 34a to 34, signals for the maximum passage width L from the passage width storage circuit 21 and the number of passages N from the passage number storage circuit 22 are input. The width of the passage to be formed is calculated based on the input signals L and N. Then, an output is generated to move in the direction instructed by the movement command signal by the calculated passage width, and a movement command is output to the AND circuits 35a to 35f or 36a to 36f. In this case, the amount of movement of the own shelf is determined based on the position detection signal, and when the shelf has been moved by a distance corresponding to the calculated passage width, this is detected and the stop control is performed.

In the movable shelf control device configured in this way, in the initial state, as shown in A in FIG. 1, the plurality of movable shelves 13a to 13f are all focused in the direction of the left fixed shelf 12a, In this state, a condition signal for the origin position is generated. In this initial state, when the power is turned on to control this shelf device, an initial setting command signal is generated from the AND circuit 25 of the fixed control circuit 16. This command signal is transmitted to gate circuits 44a to 44f of each movement control circuit 17a to 17f.
is supplied as a gate signal. Then, the position detection mechanism 41a~ at this origin position
The detected position signal from 41f is written and set in each of the origin position data storage circuits 45a to 46f. The origin position data stored and set in the memory circuits 45a to 45f are stored in the arithmetic control circuit 4.
3a to 43f, A/D converters 42a to 43f, respectively.
It is compared with the position signal from 42f and generates a signal X corresponding to the amount of movement from the origin position.

Although not shown in detail, the arithmetic control circuit determines the signal from the position detection mechanism based on the position where the shelf is stopped, and no matter what position the shelf is started from, it will be detected from the starting position. A signal X corresponding to the amount of movement is generated.

In addition, in this initial setting state, the passage width L and the number of passages N are set and stored in the fixed control circuit 16, for example, C and D in FIG.
In the case shown, the number N of passages is stored and set as "2" with respect to the passage width L.

In this initialized state, if a working passage is to be formed between the shelves 13a and 13b, as shown by C in FIG. command switch 15
Operate b. When this switch 15b is operated, a gate signal is given to the gate circuit 31a of the movement control circuit 17a, and the rank number data corresponding to the shelf 13a is outputted from the shelf number storage circuit 20a to the data line 18. It is transmitted in parallel to other movement control circuits.

Therefore, the movement control circuit 17 of each of the shelves 13b to 13f located on the right side of this shelf 13a
The ranking number data transmitted to the data line 18 is supplied to the comparators 34b to 34f of b to 17f, respectively. In these comparators 34b to 34f, all "A>D"
A discrimination signal is generated, and a gate signal is supplied to the corresponding AND circuits 35b to 35f, respectively.

Further, command signals for rightward movement are also supplied to the arithmetic control circuits 43b to 43f from the comparators 34b to 34f, respectively. Therefore, in this initial state, the position signal X coupled to these arithmetic and control circuits is , is smaller than the width of the passage to be formed, and a rightward movement command signal is generated from each arithmetic and control circuit 43a to 43f. Therefore, signals are set to be supplied to AND circuits 35b to 35f that generate rightward movement command signals in the motor control drive circuits of the movable shelves 13b to 13f, respectively.

However, in this state, all the shelves 13a to 13f are focused on the left side, and the rightmost shelf 13
No signals are generated except for the limit switch 39f of f. Therefore, command switch 1
5a is operated, the rightmost shelf 13f is first moved to the right. When the shelf 13f is moved in this way, a signal is generated from the right limit switch of the next shelf 13e, and this shelf 13e is also activated to the right, and then the movable shelves 13d, 13c, and 13b are sequentially moved. is launched in the right direction.

That is, the plurality of movable shelves sequentially start moving rightward without colliding with each other, and a passage is formed between the shelves 13a and 13b.

In this case, the data width data L and the number data "2" are supplied to the calculation control circuits 43a to 43f of the shelves 13b to 13f to be moved, and the position indicating the amount of movement of each shelf 13b to 13f is supplied. A rightward movement command signal is generated until the signal X reaches "L/2", and during this time each shelf continues to move rightward. Then, the movement of the shelf is stopped after it has moved a distance L/2.

That is, the movable shelves 13a to 13f are each moved a distance of L/2 and then stopped, forming a working path with a width of "L/2" between the shelf 13a and the shelf 13b. The indicated state is set.

Next, when it is desired to form a passage as shown by D in FIG. 1 between the shelves 13c and 13d, the command switch 15d corresponding to this passage is operated. When this switch 15d is operated, the shelves 13d to 13f are moved to the right by L/2 in the same manner as described above, and a predetermined working passage is formed.

When controlling the movement of shelves in this manner, one-shot circuits 30a to 30 are activated in response to the operation of the command switch.
The signal from 0f is set to low level.
For example, in response to the operation of switch 15b, the output of one-shot circuit 30a is set to a low level, and the gates of AND circuits 35a and 36b are closed. That is, this one-shot output acts as a safety system that locks the movement of adjacent shelves toward the own shelf.

In the explanation so far, the state in which adjacent shelves are separated is detected by a limit switch, and an activation command for the own shelf is generated with a time delay set by an appropriate timer. However, if, for example, a signal from the AND circuit 35b that issues a rightward movement command for the shelf 13b is supplied to the timer 40a instead of a signal from the limit switch 38a to the shelf 13a, a movement command is issued to the preceding shelf in the rightward direction. After a specified period of time has elapsed since the issuance of the movement command, a movement command is generated, and the activation of a plurality of shelves is sequentially controlled at time intervals.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to control the formation of work passages by setting an arbitrary number of passages for a plurality of movable shelves, and in this case, the number of passages corresponding to the number of passages can be controlled. Width is set. For this reason, this type of movable shelving device can arbitrarily control the passageway formation according to the working conditions, and is useful for purposes such as loading and unloading articles using vehicles, or manually loading articles. Passage settings suitable for the user's needs can be executed by simple command setting operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the outline of a movable shelf device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a control means of the above-mentioned shelf device. 11...Guide rail, 12a, 12b...Fixed shelf, 13a-13f...Moveable shelf, 14a-14
f...Motor, 15a-15g...Command switch, 16...Fixed control circuit, 17a-17f...
Movement control circuit, 18...Data line, 19 and 20a-20f...Shelf number storage circuit, 34a-
34f... Comparator, 41a-41f... Position detection mechanism, 43a-43f... Arithmetic control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of shelves whose movement is selectively controlled so as to form a designated working path with respect to the work surface, and a maximum number of shelves that are provided in common to the plurality of shelves and that can be formed. An aisle width storage means and an aisle number storage means for respectively setting and storing the aisle width and the number of aisles to be selected and designated, and each of the aisle width storage means and the aisle number storage means are provided on each of the plurality of shelves and store rank data corresponding to the order in which these shelves are arranged. a plurality of shelf ranking storage means; an operation command means for specifying one or more shelves among the plurality of shelves and generating a command to form a passage on the working surface of the designated shelf; and the operation command means for reading out the ranking data of a selected shelf from the shelf ranking storage means for forming a passage on the work surface in response to a command from the means, and transmitting the ranking data to the other shelves; and the plurality of shelves. Each shelf is provided with a storage unit that reads the transmitted shelf order data and compares it with the shelf order data stored in the shelf order storage means of its own shelf to determine the movement direction of its own shelf. means for controlling a movement drive mechanism for controlling the movement of the plurality of shelves; shelf position detection means for generating position data corresponding to the amount and direction of movement of each shelf, which is provided on each of the plurality of shelves whose movement is controlled; origin position storage means, which is provided on each shelf and stores origin position data of each shelf based on a detection signal from the shelf position detection means in an initial setting state; and the aisle width storage means and the aisle number storage means. and means for calculating the width of the working passage of the selected shelf based on the passage width and the number of passages set and stored in each means, and a shelf movement amount corresponding to the passage width calculated by the means. In contrast, the movement of the shelf is controlled until the movement amount obtained based on the difference between the origin position data stored in the origin position storage means and the position data detected by the shelf position detection means match. A mobile shelf control device characterized by: