JPH042482B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention relates to warehouse equipment that is installed, for example, in a factory and that automatically loads and unloads goods from and to shelves capable of storing a large number of goods.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY Warehouse equipment is provided with a shelf having a plurality of compartment storage spaces vertically and horizontally, a passage is formed in front of the shelf, and a passageway is provided in the passageway in which the compartments are freely movable along the front surface of the shelf. It is constructed by providing a loading and unloading device for loading and unloading cargo into and out of the storage space. Then, the loading/unloading device is activated to automatically load/unload items onto/from the shelves.

By the way, if a mistake occurs during the automatic storage, a part of the stored items (loads or pallets) will protrude into the aisle, and a dangerous situation may occur in which the loading/unloading device collides with this protruding part. do.

Conventionally, as seen in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 58-42505, a configuration has been provided in which a photoelectric detection device whose detection light beam runs in the vertical direction is provided at a position protruding in the running direction on the side surface of the shelf of the loading/unloading device. ing. According to this conventional method, when a photoelectric detection device detects a protruding load while the loading/unloading device is running, the operation of the loading/unloading device is automatically stopped.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the above-mentioned conventional type, a sufficient control distance from detection to stop must be ensured. becomes longer (larger). Furthermore, the braking distance is directly proportional to the running speed of the loading/unloading device. These things become obstacles to efficient storage in terms of the occupied area and efficient loading and unloading, which is the purpose of warehouse equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a warehouse facility that can overcome the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the warehouse equipment of the present invention has the following features:
A shelf having a plurality of compartment storage spaces in the vertical and horizontal directions is provided, a passage is formed in front of the shelf, and in this passage, a load can be moved between the compartment storage space and the compartment storage space, and a passage is formed in front of the shelf. A loading/unloading device is provided for loading and unloading the storage device, a photoelectric detection device whose detection light beam runs in a horizontal direction is provided on the shelf side so as to be movable up and down, and an elevating device for moving the photoelectric detection device up and down is provided on the shelf side. There is.

Effects According to the configuration of the present invention, the presence or absence of a protruding stored object at that level can be detected by the detection light beam before the loading/unloading device is operated or during traveling operation corresponding to the shelf. By raising and lowering the photoelectric detection device using the lifting device, the detection level of the detection light beam can be varied up and down.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of shelves having a plurality of compartment storage spaces 2 in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a pair of shelves 1 are arranged side by side with passages 3 interposed therebetween. A loading/unloading device 6 is provided within the passageway 3 and is movable along a fixed path 4 along the front surface of the shelf 1, and is capable of loading and unloading loads 5 into and out of the partitioned storage space 2.

This loading/unloading device 6 includes a traveling machine body 9 supported and guided by a ceiling rail 7 and guided by a floor rail 8.
and a traveling drive device 10 provided on this traveling body 9.
, an elevating platform 12 guided by a post 11 forming a part of the traveling body 9, and an elevating drive device 13;
It is composed of a loading/unloading tool 14 provided on the lifting platform 12 so as to be able to move in and out in the lateral direction. A loading platform 15 is provided outside the end of the shelf 1.

On the shelf 1 side, a photoelectric detection device 17 with a detection light beam 16 running horizontally is provided so as to be movable up and down. That is, near the front end of the shelf 1, a light projector 18 is disposed outwardly at one end, and a light receiver 19 is disposed outwardly at the other end. This is floodlight 18
The light receiver 19 and the light receiver 19 are supported and guided by guide rails 20 and 21 provided on the shelf 1 side, respectively, and are movable up and down.

Lifting device 2 interlocked with the photoelectric detection device 17
2 is a motor 23 installed in the upper part of the shelf 1 and in the horizontal center, and an output shaft 24 on the side of this motor 23.
It consists of a drum body 25 that is linked to The floodlight 18
and a light receiver 19 are attached.

The photoelectric detection device 17 is configured to be switchable between a position in which the detection light beam 16 is located inside the passage 3 and a position in which it is located outside the passage 3. That is, the fourth
As shown in the figure, a frame 28 is fixed to the cables 26 and 27, and a horizontal axis 29 is connected to the frame 28.
A holding frame 30 for the projector 18 or the light receiver 19 is attached so as to be able to stand up or fall down. Here, the horizontally falling direction is a direction in which the shelf 1 protrudes into the passage 3, and the upright position is a direction in which the shelf 1 is retracted inward from the front surface thereof.

Incidentally, standing up and lying down are performed manually or via various devices, and a structure (not shown) is provided to maintain both postures.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

Input from the loading platform 15 to the target compartment storage space 2 and unloading from the target compartment storage space 2 to the loading dock 15 are carried out by the running action of the traveling body 9, the lifting/lowering movement of the lifting platform 12, and the loading/unloading tool. This is carried out using the insertion/removal tool 14 by a combined operation with the lateral retraction movement of 14.

Inspections are performed by the photoelectric detection device 17 at appropriate times before, after, and during operation of the warehouse equipment. That is, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the projector 1 is
8 and the light receiver 19 are laid down, and the beam path of the detection light emitting beam 16 is positioned in the passage 3, that is, in front of the front surface of the shelf 1. At this time, the detection light beam 16 is
When the loading/unloading tool 14 is inactive, the loading/unloading device 6
It is not something that can be blocked.

However, in the divided storage space 2 at the level where the detection light beam 16 is running, if the stored items such as the cargo 5 or pallets protrude forward by more than a specified amount, the detection light beam 16 is blocked and the light receiver 19 receives the light. Abnormal protrusion is detected from the fact that it does not. Then, based on this detection, the operator is notified, and at the same time,
Each operation of the loading/unloading device 6 is automatically stopped.

The detection operation as described above is continued while changing the level. That is, the drum body 25 is rotated by the motor 23 of the elevating drive device 13, and both the cable bodies 26 and 27 are wound up or let out. As a result, the frame body 28 is guided by the guide rails 20 and 21, and the emitter 18 and the light receiver 19 are synchronously raised or lowered by equal amounts, thereby displacing the detection level by the detection light beam 16 in the vertical direction. Through the above operations, the entire front side of the shelf 1 can be inspected.

After completing the intended inspection, the holding frame 30 is erected as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, and the light projector 18 and light receiver 19 are moved inward from the front as shown in FIG. At this time of standing up, the photoelectric detection device 17 is switched to non-operation. By standing up and leaving the warehouse as described above, the loading/unloading device 6 can carry out the intended loading/unloading operations without being obstructed by the light projector 18 or the light receiver 19.

If the photoelectric detection device 17 is installed on the shelf end side and outside the terminal end of the travel path of the loading/unloading device 6, the rising and closing operations become unnecessary.

In the above embodiment, the motor 2 serves as the lifting device 22.
3. Although the cables 26 and 27 are shown, other means such as a spiral mechanism are also possible as long as the projector 18 and light receiver 19 can be raised and lowered by the same amount in synchronization.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention having the above configuration, it is possible to detect whether or not a part of the stored object is protruding at the level of the detection light beam before, during and after the operation of the loading/unloading device. By raising and lowering the photoelectric detection device using the lifting device, the detection level by the detection light beam can be varied up and down.
Therefore, the entire surface of the shelf can be inspected for protrusions. When a protrusion is detected through such detection work, the operator is notified of this and at the same time the operation of the loading/unloading device is stopped.
It is possible to prevent the loading/unloading device from colliding with the protrusion.

As described above, according to the detection method of the present invention, the loading/unloading device can be made into a device that does not require any design changes, and moreover, the detection device can be compactly assembled on the shelf side.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a partially cutaway front view, FIGS. 2 and 3 being a partially cutaway plan view, and FIG. 4 being a perspective view of the main part. 1...shelf, 2...compartment storage space, 3...aisle,
6... Input/output device, 16... Detection light beam, 17
...Photoelectric detection device, 22...Elevating device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shelf having a plurality of compartment storage spaces in the vertical and horizontal directions is provided, a passage is formed in front of the shelf, and a passageway is provided within the passage that can freely run along the front surface of the shelf and is connected to the compartment storage space. A loading/unloading device for loading and unloading goods is provided, a photoelectric detection device whose detection light beam runs in a horizontal direction is provided on the shelf side so as to be movable up and down, and a lifting device for moving the photoelectric detection device up and down is provided on the shelf side. Warehouse equipment characterized by: