JPH04235806A - Warehousing-delivery work of automatic storage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simultaneously carry out warehousing work and delivery work by running two units of travelling transfer-placing devices exclusivelly for warehousing and delivery on one travel passage without making them collide with each other. CONSTITUTION:This is warehousing and delivery work of an automatic storage with characteristics to control two units of travelling transfer devices 7, 8 so as to start travelling at the same timing in the same direction in the case when the warehousing work and the delivery work are overlapped by providing the travelling transfer device 7 exclusive for the warehousing and the travelling transfer device 8 exclusive for delivery on one travel passage 1 as well as setting one end of the one travel passage 1 along storage shelves 2A, 2B at a home position 4 exclusive for the warehousing and the other end at a home position 6 exclusive for delivery.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention sets one end of one running path along a storage shelf as a home position exclusively for warehousing and the other end as a home position exclusively for warehousing, and also sets one end of one running path along a storage shelf as a home position exclusively for warehousing. This invention relates to a loading/unloading work method in an automated warehouse equipped with a dedicated traveling transfer device and a traveling transfer device exclusively for unloading.

0002

[Prior art and its problems] In a conventional automated warehouse, one running path along the storage shelf is provided with one running transfer device for both storage entry and exit, and one end of the running path is used for both storage entry and exit. Alternatively, one end of the travel path was set as a home position exclusively for warehousing, and the other end was set as a home position exclusively for warehousing.

[0003] In such an automated warehouse, it is not possible to carry out warehousing and unloading operations at the same time, so it is not possible to improve work efficiency. Therefore, it was considered to arrange two moving transfer devices on one running path, but in order to prevent the two moving transfer devices from colliding with each other on the running path when warehousing and unloading operations are performed at the same time. must be controlled. To this end, it is necessary to check each time before starting travel whether the travel area of the mobile transfer device that performs warehousing work and the travel area of the travel transfer device that performs warehouse removal work overlap with each other. If they overlap, control should be performed so that one task is started with priority and the other task is performed after that task is completed, and both tasks are started at the same time only when the two travel areas do not overlap. However, not only is it necessary to have a function that can check whether the travel area of the mobile transfer device that performs warehousing work and the travel area of the mobile transfer device that performs warehouse removal work overlap with each other. The control method is complicated and cannot be easily implemented.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides a system in which one end of one running path along a storage shelf is used as a home position exclusively for warehousing, and the other end is used exclusively for warehousing. In addition to setting it at the home position, a traveling transfer device exclusively for warehousing and a traveling transfer device exclusively for unloading are provided on the one traveling path, and when warehousing work and unloading work overlap, the two traveling transfer devices This invention proposes a loading/unloading work method for an automated warehouse, which is characterized by controlling the loading devices to start running in the same direction at the same timing.

[0005]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a three-dimensional storage shelf 2A.
, 2B, at one end of which there is a
A dedicated home position for warehousing equipped with a receiving platform 3 for warehousing (
A home position (HP) 4 is set at the other end, and a home position (HP) 6 exclusively for unloading is set at the other end. The traveling path 1 is provided with a traveling transfer device 7 exclusively for warehousing, which is located on the side of the HP 4 for warehousing, and a traveling transfer device 8, exclusively for warehousing, located on the side of the HP 6, exclusively for warehousing. These traveling transfer devices 7 and 8 include a traveling crane, etc., which is equipped with a load transfer means such as a running fork for loading and unloading on an elevating carriage that can accommodate multiple upper and lower load storage compartments.
Since this is a conventionally well-known structure, detailed illustrations and explanations of the structure will be omitted.

[0006] In addition, if the traveling transfer device is compatible with only one tier of cargo storage compartments and the storage shelf side is provided with multiple upper and lower tiers of cargo storage compartments, each tier of cargo storage compartments A traveling transfer device 7 exclusively used for warehousing and a traveling transfer device 8 exclusively used for warehousing are provided for each level.

As shown in FIG. 2, the travel transfer devices 7 and 8 include a motor controller 10 such as an inverter that controls the travel drive motor 9, and a control device 11 such as a microcomputer that controls the motor controller 10. It is equipped with A control program 12 for loading and unloading work is set in the control device 11, and as is conventionally known, set destination (loading and unloading destination) information 13,
By executing the control program 12 based on various information 14 such as the current position, the travel drive motor 9 is automatically controlled via the motor controller 10, and the load transfer means (not shown) is controlled automatically. Drive motors etc. are automatically controlled, and loading and unloading operations are performed automatically.

Next, the warehousing/unloading method of the present invention executed by the control program 12 will be specifically explained based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0009] The warehousing work is carried out using the receiving platform 3 of the warehousing-only HP 4.
The traveling transfer device 7 exclusively for warehousing waits at the warehousing-only HP 4 to receive the cargo supplied to the warehouse, and the traveling transfer device 7 transports the cargo to the warehousing destination of the three-dimensional storage shelf 2A or 2B according to the warehousing destination information 13. The process of transporting the cargo on the traveling transfer device 7 to the storage compartment of the three-dimensional storage shelf 2A or 2B, and the process of transporting the cargo on the traveling transfer device 7 to the storage compartment of the storage shelf 2A or 2B.
It consists of the process of returning to the
During the process in which the traveling transfer device 8 exclusively for unloading, which waits at P6, travels to pick up the output destination of the three-dimensional storage shelf 2A or 2B according to the destination information for unloading 13, it picks up the cargo on the output storage compartment of the three-dimensional storage shelf 2A or 2B. It consists of a process in which the traveling transfer device 8 receives a load, a process in which the traveling transfer device 8 travels to the HP 6 for delivery, and a process in which the load on the traveling transfer device 8 is transferred onto the cargo receiving platform 5.

In the case of warehousing work, as shown in FIG. 3, the traveling transfer device 7 first receives the cargo on the receiving platform 3, but at this stage it is difficult to determine whether there is a warehousing work or not. It is checked whether the destination information 13 for shipping has been set, and if there is shipping work, the process continues until the time when the traveling transfer device 8 dedicated to shipping starts transporting from the shipping destination to the shipping dedicated HP 6. The system waits as it is, and at the same time as the traveling transfer device 8 starts the transporting operation, the traveling transfer device 7 dedicated for warehousing starts transporting from the warehousing exclusive HP 4 toward the warehousing destination. If there is no unloading work to be performed in parallel, the traveling transfer device 7 immediately starts transporting. The traveling transfer device 7 that travels during transport automatically stops at the destination of storage as in the past, and carries the cargo into the storage section of the destination of storage in the three-dimensional storage shelf 2A or 2B.

[0011] After this, the traveling transfer device 7 makes a return trip, but prior to this, it is checked again whether there is any unloading work at this point. If there is shipping work,
The traveling transfer device 8 exclusively for warehousing waits at the warehousing destination until the point in time when the traveling transfer device 8 exclusively for warehousing starts the pick-up trip from the HP 6 for warehousing to the destination. A dedicated website for warehousing equipment 7 from the warehousing location
Start traveling back towards 4. If there is no unloading work to be performed in parallel, the traveling transfer device 7 immediately starts traveling back to the warehousing dedicated HP 4. The traveling transfer device 7 that has returned to the warehousing-only HP 4 automatically stops, and the series of warehousing operations is completed.

In the case of unloading work, as shown in FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not there is a reloading work to be performed in parallel before the traveling transfer device 8 exclusively for unloading starts traveling to pick up the unloading destination. It is checked whether or not the destination information 13 for warehousing is set. If there is no warehousing work, pick-up travel is started immediately, and if there is warehousing work, the traveling transfer device 7 exclusively for warehousing takes place at the warehousing destination. The system remains on standby at the unloading HP 6 until the return run to the input HP 4 is started, and at the same time when the traveling transfer device 7 starts returning, the unloading transfer device 8 starts traveling to pick up the destination. is started.

The traveling transfer device 8 that picks up and travels automatically stops at the delivery destination as in the past, and after receiving the cargo from the cargo storage compartment at the delivery destination, starts transporting toward the delivery dedicated HP. Prior to this, it is checked again whether there is any warehousing work at this point. If there is a warehousing operation, the traveling transfer device 7 dedicated to warehousing waits at the destination until the warehousing transfer device 7 starts returning from the warehousing destination to the warehousing exclusive HP 4, and then the traveling transfer device 7 starts returning. At the same time, the traveling transfer device 8 exclusively for unloading transfers from the unloading destination to the unloading exclusive HP.
6. The conveyance run starts toward 6. If there is no warehousing work to be performed in parallel, the traveling transfer device 8 immediately starts transporting to the unloading HP 6. The traveling transfer device 8, which is exclusively used for unloading and transports, automatically stops at the unloading HP 6, and then carries out the cargo to the receiving platform 5, completing a series of unloading operations.

[0014]

As described above, according to the automatic warehouse loading and unloading work method of the present invention, two traveling transfer devices, one dedicated to warehousing and the other dedicated to warehouse retrieval, provided on one traveling path, Utilizing a home position exclusively for warehousing and a home position exclusively for warehousing that are set at both ends of the road, warehousing work from the warehousing-only home position to the storage shelf and warehousing work from the storage shelf to the warehousing-only home position are carried out. It is possible to greatly improve work efficiency by carrying out the operations in parallel so that they overlap in time, but when the warehousing and unloading operations overlap, the two traveling transfer devices are moved in the same direction and at the same timing. Therefore, even if some time is lost in some cases, accidents such as collisions between two traveling transfer devices on the traveling path can be completely avoided. This makes it possible to carry out warehouse loading and unloading operations extremely safely.

Moreover, there is no need to perform complicated calculations such as determining whether or not the travel areas of two traveling transfer devices overlap each other, and it can be carried out using extremely simple and easy control, making it economical and practical. It is true.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automated warehouse.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of a travel drive motor.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure during warehousing work.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure during shipping work.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Travel path, 2A, 2B... Three-dimensional storage shelf, 3... Loading platform for warehousing, 4... Home position for loading only (HP), 5... Loading platform for shipping, 6... Home position for loading and unloading (HP)
, 7... Traveling transfer device exclusively for warehousing, 8... Traveling transfer device exclusively for unloading, 9... Travel drive motor, 10... Motor controller, 11... Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. One end of one traveling path along the storage shelf is set as a home position exclusively for warehousing, and the other end is set as a home position exclusively for unloading, and a traveling transfer device exclusively for warehousing is set on the one traveling path. and a traveling transfer device exclusively for unloading.
A warehousing/unloading method for an automated warehouse, characterized in that when warehousing and unloading operations overlap, the two traveling transfer devices are controlled to start traveling in the same direction at the same timing.