JPH032763B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a three-dimensional automatic warehouse suitable for a small article supply system or a picking system.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, there are two types of multi-level automatic warehouses: pallet type and bucket type. In the pallet system, a large number of articles are placed on pallets and the pallets are sequentially transferred to a storage section, a storage section, and a delivery section, and the transfer is performed exclusively in pallet units. On the other hand, in the bucket storage system, a large number of articles are stored in a bucket, that is, an article container, and transportation between the storage section, the storage section, and the delivery section is performed in units of buckets.

However, in a multi-level automated warehouse for configuring a small article supply system or a picking system, it is difficult to balance the transfer amount with the handling amount, and it is difficult to apply the conventional pallet method or bucket method as is. That is, (i) in the pallet system, it is easy to transport between different departments, but the unit of handling in the delivery department is too large, reducing work efficiency.

(ii) With the bucket method, it is possible to set the appropriate amount for handling in buckets, but the number of transfers is greater than with the pallet method, resulting in lower transfer efficiency. In addition, in systems where the frequency of loading and unloading is high, there is a risk that buckets may not be transferred in time.

(iii) In the bucket type, the size of the storage section must be designed to match the bucket, which increases the number of storage sections and reduces storage efficiency.

For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-71402 (box-type regular cargo storage equipment), the container is moved to the storage section or the storage section and taken in one stage of the specified container, and the container is moved to the storage section or the unloading section and the container is taken in one stage. A conveyance dolly is provided to dispense the paper one by one. However, in this method, one container must be taken in and taken out one by one, so in a system where the storage section and storage section handle the storage and storage of multiple buckets, and the unloading section handles one bucket, It takes a considerable amount of time to take in and take out the bucket, reducing transfer efficiency.

Incidentally, in order to operate such a system efficiently, it is necessary to have a function to transfer multi-level buckets from the storage section to the storage section or unloading section, and a function to transfer multi-level buckets to single-level buckets such as picking shelves. A function to dispense one stage at a time to the delivery section, one from the storage section
Alternatively, a function is required to take in multiple types of buckets in multiple stages and dispense them one stage at a time to the delivery section.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, conventional three-dimensional automated warehouses have drawbacks in terms of work efficiency, transfer efficiency, and storage efficiency, and are unsuitable for small article supply systems and picking systems.

Therefore, the present invention is suitable for a small article supply system or a picking system, and in a system that targets buckets with multiple tiers in the warehousing section and storage section, and one tier of buckets in the unloading section,
It is possible to transfer multiple tiers of buckets from the storage section to the storage section or the shipping section, and it is possible to take out multiple tiers of buckets one by one to the storage section. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional automatic warehouse capable of discharging items one stage at a time.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a storage section that holds bucket carts that can be stacked in a storage position, and a storage section that stores the bucket carts in an appropriate number of stages. A fixed shelf having a plurality of storage sections, a dispensing shelf having a plurality of dispensing sections for receiving buckets of a predetermined type one by one, and a fixed shelf having a plurality of dispensing sections for receiving buckets of a predetermined type one by one; a moving device capable of moving the bucket transport mechanism to the storage section, the storage section, or the exit section; a bucket transport platform supported by the moving device; a fork device that has a fork that can be freely extended in the direction toward the storage section, the storage section, or the delivery section and takes in or dispenses an appropriate number of buckets to each section; and a pair of bucket support pieces provided on the transfer table. A chuck that protrudes inwardly from a side surface of the fork device to support a bucket and lifts and lowers a bucket of a predetermined stage among the appropriate number of stages of buckets placed on the fork device with respect to the fork device. It is characterized by being configured with a device.

(Function) In the three-dimensional automated warehouse of the present invention, in a system in which the warehousing section and the storage section are intended for multi-level bucket carts, and the warehousing section is for one-level bucket carts, one or more forks are extended for each section. The fork device is capable of taking in or discharging buckets of buckets, and lifts an appropriate number of buckets of buckets taken onto the transfer table by the operation of the chuck device from a predetermined stage upwards with respect to the chuck device. In other words, the above-mentioned fork device can be used to load items downward and to discharge one or more tiers of buckets from the downward side to a predetermined location.

Therefore, it is possible to transfer and store multiple tiers of buckets from the storage section to the storage section, to take out multiple tiers of buckets one by one to the storage section, and to move them to multiple storage sections and store one or more buckets. It is possible to load multiple types of buckets on tiers and then move them to the unloading section and dispense them one tier at a time.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a three-dimensional automated warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the multi-dimensional automated warehouse, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the transfer mechanism (stack crane) of the same device. It shows.

The illustrated three-dimensional automatic warehouse 1 is an example of a picking system, and this warehouse 1 includes a conveyor 3 and fixed shelves 5.
, an auxiliary shelf 7, a picking shelf 9, a transfer mechanism (stacking crane) 11, a ground control panel 13,
It consists of

The conveyor 3 constitutes a warehousing section, and loads B/K buckets containing a predetermined amount of predetermined articles onto the stacker crane 11 here.

The fixed shelves 5, as viewed from the left in FIG. Storage shelf 5b with 5 rows and 6 tiers that can store K.
and storage shelves 5c with 8 rows and 3 tiers, each of which can store 4-tiered bucket bags 5c. Each rack (storage part) of each storage shelf 5a, 5b, 5c has an opening on the front side in FIG. 1, and the bucket B/K can be connected to the stacker crane 11 through this opening. It is possible to put in and take out.

Similar to the fixed shelf 5, the auxiliary shelves 7 include storage shelves 7a with 5 rows and 8 stages each capable of storing one bucket baggage bag/K in each storage section, and two bucket bags/bag bags stacked in each storage area.
It consists of storage shelves 7b with 5 rows and 4 tiers that can store 1000 B/K bags, and 8 rows and 2 tiers of storage shelves 7c with 4 tiers of buckets B/K in each storage section. Each storage shelf 7
Each storage section a, 7b, and 7c has an opening on the rear side in FIG. 1, and it is possible to take the bucket B/K in and out of the stacker crane 11 through this opening. be.

The picking rack 9 is composed of 18 rows and 3 stages of picking racks (flow racks), and allows the one-stage bucket B/K taken out from the stacker crane 11 to flow down toward the front, and
This is an embodiment in which it is possible to pick a predetermined article from K.

As shown in Fig. 2, the picking rack shown in this example has four bucket racks arranged in a row.
A ranking sensor 13 detects when the second bucket B/K is no longer detected from the front end and detects when there is no bucket B/K at the rear end position. A non-full sensor 15 is provided.

As shown in Figure 3, the stacker crane 1
1 includes a truck 17 and a crane main body 19.

The trolley 17 includes a base 21, a frame 23 erected on the base 21, and a cylindrical member 27 guided in the horizontal direction X by a horizontal bar 25 at the upper end of the frame 23. has been done. Further, on the base 21, there are provided a drive device 29 that drives the trolley 17 in the X direction and drives the crane main body 19 in the vertical direction Z, and an on-machine control panel 31.

The crane main body 19 is configured as a frame-shaped body with openings on the front and rear surfaces, and the floor surface of this frame-shaped body serves as a transfer table 33 for bucket transfer. A wire 35 is connected to the upper surface of the ceiling of the crane body 19, and this wire 35 is connected to the wire hoist 41 of the drive device 29 via pulleys 37 and 39 provided above the truck 17. . The mechanism for moving the cylindrical member 27 in the X-axis direction and the mechanism for raising and lowering the transfer table 33 are collectively referred to as the transfer table 33.
It is called a mobile device.

A pair of chuck devices 43 are provided on both inner frame walls of the crane body 19. This chuck device 43 includes guide rails 45a provided along the vertical direction Z on the wall surface, a lifting device 47 that moves up and down relative to the transfer table 33 while being guided by the guide rails, and is attached to the lifting device 47. It is comprised of a cylinder device 51 that can extend the support piece 49 toward the center of the crane body 19. This chuck device 43 positions the lifting device 47 at a predetermined height, and by protruding the support piece 49 toward the center of the crane body,
It is possible to fix the bucket cart B/K of an arbitrary height loaded on the transfer table 33, and lift and support the fixed bucket cart B/K to an arbitrary height with respect to the floor surface of the transfer table 33.

On the other hand, a fork device 45 is provided on the transfer table 33 of the crane main body 19. This fork device 45 can extend in the front-rear direction Y perpendicular to the x direction within a horizontal plane, and can transport the bucket B/K loaded on this fork device 45 in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ground control panel 13 has a picking allocation memory 5 in a main circuit 53 connected to the ranking sensor 13 and the non-full sensor 15.
5. An inventory information file 57, a control console 63 consisting of a CRT 59 and a keyboard 61, and a drive circuit 31a for the stacker crane 11 are connected to each other.

The picking rack allocation memory 55 has an allocation table that uses the picking rack number as a key to indicate which articles should be supplied. The inventory information file 57 is a memory for knowing in which storage section of the fixed columns 5 and 7 a designated part is stored.

The control console 63 connects the keyboard 61 to the main circuit 53.
The keyboard 61 inputs various signals to the memory 55 or inventory information file 5.
It is possible to display the information in 7 on the CRT 59 and change its contents.

The drive circuit 31a of the stacker crane 11 receives a command signal Q from the main circuit 53, and transports a predetermined bucket B/B from the conveyor 3 to a predetermined storage section of the fixed shelves 5, 7.
The stacker crane 11 is driven to store B/K and to unload the bucket B/K from a predetermined storage section of the fixed shelves 5, 7 to a predetermined picking rack 9.

The main circuit 53 is configured with a microprocessor, inputs the detection signal from the non-full sensor 15 or the ranking sensor 13, determines the transfer order, and then sends the command signal to the drive circuit 31a. Output Q.

As shown in FIG. 5, the main circuit 53 receives signals from each non-full sensor 15 and each ranking sensor 13 and determines in step 501 the picking rack number to which the bucket B/K must be transferred. The ranking may be determined by first determining whether or not the ranking sensor 13 is turned on, which ranking sensor turned on quickly, and then whether or not the non-full sensor 5 is turned on.

The judgment in step 503 is to judge whether or not the stacker crane 11 is currently operating.
As soon as the previous work is completed, in step 505, place the designated bucket B/K on the pick rack designated as the first place.
A command signal Q is output to the drive circuit 31a to reprint the .

As shown in Figure 6, the stacker crane 11
receives the command signal Q in step 601, and carries out processing for storing buckets in the storage racks 5a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, and 7c, or distributing buckets to the picking rack 9.

The process of storing buckets in storage (warehousing) racks is performed as shown in steps 603-611.

In step 603, it moves to the receiving conveyor position.
The stopping position of the stacker crane 11 is the conveyor 3 position shown in FIG.
This is the height at which the top surface of the fork device 45 is lower than the bottom surface of K. Here, on the conveyor 3, predetermined bucket carts B/K containing predetermined types of articles are loaded in predetermined stages (1 to 4 stages) in response to a command signal Q.

Therefore, the stacker crane 11 operates a predetermined sequence for taking in buckets as shown below, and takes in a predetermined number of buckets in a predetermined order.

When the intake bucket B/K is single stage.

First, the fork device 45 (see FIG. 3) is extended to the lower surface of the bucket B/K. Next, the crane body 19 is slightly raised and this bucket B/
Let K be floating above the conveyor 3. Then, by returning the fork device 45 to its original position, the bucket B/K can be loaded onto the transfer table 33.

After the first bucket B/K is loaded, the sequence shown in FIG. 7 is operated to load the second bucket B/K. In other words, the supporting pieces 4
Press 9 (→). Next, the support piece 49
As shown in the diagram, the bucket B/K to be loaded next
(→).
After this, the transfer table 33 (fork device 4
5) Take in the second bucket B/K on top, and lower it so that the bottom surface of the first bucket B/K1 rests on the second bucket B/K with the support piece 49 taken in ( →), return to the specified position (→→).

The same applies to the third and fourth pieces. Regarding these operations, the bucket B/K may have different types of articles stored therein. However, the condition is that this order is clearly defined in the main circuit 53 or the drive circuit 31a.

When the intake bucket B/K has multiple stages and these multiple stages are loaded at once.

The operation in this case is simple. That is, it is sufficient to load a plurality of bucket cart B/Ks at once using the above-mentioned procedure for loading the first bucket cart B/K.
Note that even in this case, these bucket B/Ks in multiple stages do not necessarily have to be of the same type.

Referring again to FIG. 6, step 607 shows the process of moving the crane body 19 to a predetermined storage rack position. The designated storage rack means the appropriate number of stages (up to 4 stages) of bucket carts loaded in the storage area.
This is the first storage rack that dispenses 1, 2, or 4 K.

When paying out 4 stages at once.

In this case, first, the height position of the crane body 19 is adjusted so that the top surface height of the fork device 45 is a little higher than the floor surface of the storage rack, and then the fork device 45 is extended into the storage rack. Then, the crane main body 19 is lowered until the bottom of the payout bucket B/K touches the floor of the storage rack, and the fork device 45 is returned to its original position to complete the payout.

When dispensing only one bucket out of a 4-tier bucket B/K.

In this case, as shown in Fig. 8, the bucket B/K on the upper side of the bucket B/K to be dispensed
Press the support pieces 49 on both sides of the bucket (B/K3 in this example) (→) and lift it up a little (→). Then, in the same way as when all four stages were paid out at once, only the lower bucket B/K4 is paid out. After that, the support piece 4a is placed in a bucket B/
Lower the K3 until it is loaded onto the fork device 45 (→), and return the support piece 49 to the predetermined position (→). In this way, the predetermined bucket B/K is stored in the predetermined storage rack (step 609).

Step 611 is a process for determining whether all payouts have been completed, and steps 607 and 609 are repeated until all payouts have been completed. As a result, a predetermined number of the four-tiered bucket carts B/K1 to B/K4 are stored in a predetermined storage rack. Note that it is of course also possible to take in the bucket B/K at the warehousing section and directly pay out the bucket B/K to the warehousing section.

The bucket distribution process to the picking rack 9 is performed as shown in steps 613-623.

Step 613 shows the process of moving the stacker crane 11 to a predetermined storage rack position. The crane body 19 stops the fork device 45 at a height that is lower than the bottom surface of the bucket cart B/K of the storage rack, and extends the fork device 45. Then, the crane body 19 is slightly lifted, the fork device 45 is returned to its original position with the bucket B/K floating, and the bucket B/K stored in the storage rack is taken in (step 615). The number of loading stages is 1, 2, or 4 buckets stored in the storage rack.
This is done by taking in each K in one breath.

Here, as shown in step 617, once all the importing work is completed, the process moves to step 619.
For example, if the storage rack is stacked in two tiers, the last one is stacked in two tiers.
If the command is to capture one stage or two stages, the process moves to step 613.

For the second and subsequent loading in steps 613 and 615, the support piece 49 is operated as shown in FIG. 7, and the specified bucket B/K is loaded on the lower stage of the previously loaded bucket B/K. Take it in like this.
As a result, the stacker crane 11 is fully loaded with four stages of bucket B/Ks.

In step 619, movement is made to a predetermined picking rack 9. Here, all of the picking racks 9 are of one stage, and the stacker crane 11 operates the support piece 49 with one picking rack 9 or with a plurality of picking racks 9 as shown in FIG. 8 to sequentially pick up buckets one by one. B/K will be paid out to a predetermined picking rack (step 619,
621, 623).

As a result, a predetermined bucket B/K is delivered to a predetermined picking rack 9.

As described above, in the multi-level automatic warehouse shown in this example, a predetermined number of bucket B/Ks can be loaded in a predetermined order from the storage section (conveyor 3), and the loaded bucket B/Ks can be loaded into the storage section (storage section). Rack 5
a, 5b, 5c, 7a, 7b, 7c) in a predetermined order. Also,
It is possible to take in a predetermined number of bucket B/Ks from a predetermined storage section and dispense them one by one to a predetermined delivery section (picking rack 9).

Therefore, the stacker crane can load multiple buckets and operate at maximum efficiency, and the storage section can always store the maximum storage amount, so storage efficiency is maximized.

In addition, the delivery section can request a desired amount of buckets based on priority, and there is almost no chance that the bucket B/K will not be available in time for the picking operation.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, in a system in which the warehousing section and the storage section are intended for multi-level bucket carts, and the warehousing is for one-level bucket carts, the storage section and the storage section are connected to multiple tiers from the storage section to the storage section. It is possible to transfer and store bucket carts in multiple tiers, to take out bucket carts in multiple tiers one by one to the delivery section, and to move to multiple storage sections and load multiple types of bucket carts in one or more tiers.
After that, it can be moved to the unloading section and dispensed one by one, resulting in high transfer efficiency from the receiving section to the storage section and from the storage section to the unloading section, and high work efficiency in the unloading section. The storage efficiency in the department is high,
It is possible to provide a three-dimensional automatic warehouse suitable for small article supply systems and picking systems.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a three-dimensional automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the three-dimensional automatic warehouse, FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a transfer mechanism (stack crane), and FIG. The figure is an explanatory block diagram inside the ground control panel, Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the order processing of the main circuit, Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing of the stacker crane, and Figure 7 is the stacking work of the stacker crane. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the stacker crane in the step-breaking work. 1...3-dimensional automatic warehouse for picking system, 3
... Conveyor, 5, 7 ... Fixed shelf, 9 ... Picking rack, 11 ... Stacking crane, 19 ...
...Crane body, Q...Command signal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A storage unit that holds bucket bags that can be stacked in stacks at a storage position, a fixed shelf that has a plurality of storage units that store the bucket bags in an appropriate number of stages, and a storage unit that receives bucket bags of a predetermined type one by one. a storage shelf having a plurality of parts, and a bucket transfer mechanism that moves to the storage section, the storage section, or the storage section to take in or dispense buckets to each section, and the bucket transport mechanism is connected to the storage section or the storage section. Or, it has a moving device that can move to the storage section, a bucket transfer table supported by the moving device, and a fork that is provided on the transfer table and can extend in the direction toward the storage section, storage section, or storage section. A fork device that takes in or dispenses an appropriate number of buckets to each part, and a pair of bucket support pieces provided on the transfer table that protrude inwardly from the side of the fork device to support the bucket and move up and down. A three-dimensional automatic warehouse comprising a chuck device that lifts and lowers a bucket of a predetermined stage among a suitable number of bucket carts placed on the fork device with respect to the fork device.