JPH047298A - Controller of crane for warehouse with multilayered rack - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable positioning of a carriage at a target rack by inputting information from a follower sprocket rotation amount detection means to a controller, and controlling the elevation position of a carriage through operation of an elevation apparatus with the output from the controller. CONSTITUTION:A rotary encoder 123 detecting the rotation amount of follower sprockets 162, 164 is provided to control the position of a crane 100. The information of the rotary encoder 123 is input to a controller 700, and with the output of the controller 700 a running motor 125 is operated to enable the crane 100 to stop at a required position on a rail 2. By inputting to the controller 700 information on the position of line columns of rack 800 as information on a distance from an original point, the crane 100 runs at a specified distance from the original point and stops. The stop position is a point to face the rack 800. It is thus possible to enable positioning of a carriage 200 at a target rack 800.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a crane used in a multi-level automatic warehouse for storing workpieces of machine tools, etc.

[Conventional technology]

A three-dimensional automated warehouse uses a crane to store cargo on racks arranged three-dimensionally, and space can be used effectively. This characteristic can also be used to accommodate the workpieces of machine tools in automated factories.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a conventional crane, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and has a lower frame 1 having wheels 12 and 14 running on rails 2 laid between racks.
0. Two columns 20 are mounted on the lower frame 10.
．． 22 is erected, and an upper frame 30 is attached to the upper end of the column 20.22.

The wheels 12 attached to the lower frame 10 are drive wheels, and the power of the drive motor 16 disposed on the column 20 is transmitted to the drive wheels 12 by a chain 18 via a speed reducer 17.
and causes the entire crane 1 to travel. The lower frame 10 is of one-piece construction, and the upper frame 30 is also similar.

A carriage 4° is arranged between the two columns 20, 22 and is guided vertically by the columns 20, 22. The carriage 40 is suspended by two chains 42,44. Chain 42°44 is upper frame 3o
Guided by sprockets 32 and 34 attached to
It is wound up by a lifting device 50 of a carriage 40 attached to the upper part of the column 2o.

The lifting device 50 includes a motor 52, a speed reducer 54, a drive sprocket 56, a chain support 58, and the like.

Power from the motor 52 is transmitted via a speed reducer 54 to a drive sprocket 56, which drives the chains 42, 44. When raising the carriage 40, the chain 42.4 is moved by the drive sprocket 56.
4 is uncoiled, but the uncoiled chain 42.44
is placed on the chain holder 58.

A fork 41 is mounted on the carriage 40, and a pallet 45 with a workpiece 60 mounted on the fork 41.
is placed. The fork 41 moves the pallet 45 and the workpiece 60 in a direction perpendicular to the paper plane in FIG. 7, and carries the pallet 45 and the workpiece 60 into and out of a predetermined rack.

The carriage 40 needs to be positioned at a number of levels (floors) corresponding to the number of rack stages. A limit switch set 70 is used to position the carriage 40 at each level.

The limit switch set 70 consists of three limit switches 71, 72, and 73. The first limit switch 71 is arranged at a reference position at a certain level. The second limit switch 72 is disposed at a lower level below the reference position, and the third limit switch 73
is arranged at an upper level above the reference position.

The three levels mentioned above are required for one stage.
When transporting the workpiece from the carriage to the rack, operate the fork above the reference level of the rack, then lower the carriage to the reference level and place the workpiece on the rack, and when transporting the workpiece from the rack. This is because, after operating the fork below the reference level of the rack, it is necessary to raise the carriage to the reference level and pull out the cargo from above the rack.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional crane described above, a limit switch set 70 was used as a means for stopping the carriage at each level of the rack.

In the limit switch set 70, three limit switches 71, 72, and 73 are used for each level, so many limit switches are arranged in the column 22.

These limit switches 71, 72, and 73 must be positioned so that the carriage 40 stops accurately according to the height of each level of the rack. in particular,
The limit switches 71, 72 and 73 are temporarily fixed to the column 22, and the carriage 40 is actually raised and lowered.
The limit switches 71, 72, 73 control each limit switch 71, 72, 7 based on the result.
I corrected the mounting position of 3 and found that it was stuck.

This work had to be carried out at a high location on the column 22, which resulted in poor footing and low work efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a control device for controlling the vertical position of a crane, which eliminates the need for a stop switch by detecting the amount of rotation of a sprocket of a chain that lifts and lowers a carriage.

[Means to solve the problem]

The control device for a multi-story warehouse crane of the present invention includes a postal shaft having two drive sprockets supported by a lower frame, a lifting device installed on the lower frame to rotate the drive shaft, and a lifting device mounted on the lower frame to rotate the drive shaft. a control device equipped with
two driven sprockets supported by the upper frame;
comprising two chains that are passed around a driving sprocket and a driven sprocket and whose both ends are fixed to a carriage, and a means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket,
Information from a means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket is input to the control device, and the lift position of the carriage is controlled by operating the lift device based on the output from the control device.

[Effect]

By providing the above means, the carriage can be positioned at any position on the column, and the carriage can be quickly and accurately moved to a desired level.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the crane of the present invention.

The crane 100 has a lower frame 110. Upper frame 160, and lower frame 110 and upper frame 16
Two columns 14o connect 0.

150. The lower frame 110 consists of three frame members 112, 114, and 116, the first frame member 112 is connected to the second frame member 114 via the connecting portion 113A, and the second frame member 114 is connected to the connecting portion 113A. It is connected to the third frame member 116 via the portion 115A.

A column 140 is erected on the first frame member 112 and a driving wheel 120 is supported thereon, and a column 150 is erected on the third frame member 116 and an idler wheel 122 is supported thereon. The second frame member 114 disposed in the intermediate portion is connected to the first and third frame members 112, 1
16, by replacing the second frame member 114 with one having a different size, it is possible to easily manufacture cranes with different spacing between the columns 140, 15o.

A traveling motor 125 is mounted on the first frame member 112.
is attached to the drive wheel 12 via an appropriate transmission means.
Drive 0.

An encoder 123 is provided on the third frame member 116 to constitute a system that measures the amount of rotation of the idle wheel 122 and calculates the distance traveled.

The carriage 200 is guided by two columns 140 and 150 to be able to move up and down, and is raised and lowered by two chains 3°O and 320. Two chains 300 and 320, one end of which is locked to the carriage 200, are attached to the upper frame 160.
The drive device 40 is engaged with sprockets 162 and 164 supported by the lower frame 110 and is further supported by the lower frame 110.
Sprockets 452, 454 attached to the shaft 450 of 0
mesh with. The other ends of chains 300 and 320 are locked to carriage 200.

The amount of rotation of the sprocket 164 supported by the upper frame 160 is measured by a rotary encoder 170 disposed at the end of the shaft 165 of the sprocket 164.

A limit switch 180 provided at the top of the column 150 detects the upper limit position of the carriage 200.

A fork 220 is installed on the carriage 200, and a workpiece 600 attached to a pallet 230 is placed on the fork 220.

2 and 3 are a front view and a side view showing the overall structure of the crane.

On the floor surface 5 there are multi-tiered ranks 80, the entirety of which is designated by the reference numeral 800.
0 are constructed in multiple rows, and a rail 2 is laid on the center floor surface of adjacent rack rows.

The rank 800 includes columns 810 and 820 erected along the rail 2 at regular intervals, and a column 810A erected in parallel to the columns 810 and 820 in a direction perpendicular to the rail 2.
, 820A, and a supporting member 812 connecting the pillar 810 and the pillar 810A is disposed. Adjacent support member 822
A space is provided between them for the forks of the carriage to pass through.

The lower frame 110 of the crane 100 includes the first frame member 112. Second frame member 1
14. It is composed of three frame members, a third frame member 116, and the respective frame members are connected by plate-shaped connecting members 113 and 115.

A driving wheel @120 is rotatably attached to the first frame member 112, and is driven by a traveling motor 125 whose axis is vertically disposed on the first frame member 112 via an appropriate deceleration means. be done.

The second frame member 114 has a simple girder structure, and one end thereof is connected to the first frame member 112 by a plate-shaped first connection member 113. The first connecting member 113 and each frame 112, 114 are fixed to each other using, for example, bolt nuts, rivets, or the like.

Idler wheels 122 are rotatably attached to the third frame member 116. A control bag M700 of the crane 100 is mounted on the third frame member 116.

The other end of the second frame member 114 and the third frame member 116 are connected by a second connecting member 115.

Therefore, by connecting second frames having different length dimensions, lower frames of frames having different specifications can be easily manufactured.

A first column 140 is erected on the first frame member 112, and a second column 150 is erected on the third frame member 116. The upper end of the first column 140 and the second
The upper ends of the columns 150 are connected by an upper frame 160.

An arm 830 is fixed to the top of the rack 800, and a guide rail 840 is attached to the bottom of the arm 830. This guide rail 840 is the running rail 2 on the floor surface 5.
placed parallel to the

Rollers 170 and 172 that sandwich the guide rail 840 are rotatably attached to the upper frame 160, and guide the crane 100 while preventing the crane 100 from tilting.

The carriage 200 has a frame structure with a rectangular front shape, and the first column 140 is held between a pair of roller units 210 and 212 rotatably attached to the upper part of one side frame. A similar roller unit is also arranged at the bottom of the side frame. Similar roller units are disposed above and below the other side frame to sandwich the second column 150. Therefore, the carriage 200 is moved by the four roller units to the columns 140.
150 to move up and down.

Next, the arrangement route of the chain that raises and lowers the carriage 200 will be explained.

As mentioned above, the carriage 200 includes the first column 1.
40 and two chains 30 along the second column 150
0,320 is attached.

FIG. 3 shows the path of one of the chains 300, and one end 300A of the chain 300 is connected to a hook 204 attached to the upper side of the carriage 200. chain 3
00 meshes with a sprocket 162 rotatably supported by the upper frame 160, extends downward after making a half turn around the sprocket 162, and meshes with a drive sprocket 452 of the lifting device 400 installed on the lower frame 110. The chain 300 that has made a half-circle around the drive sprocket 452 extends upward, and the other end 300B of the chain 300 is connected to a locking portion 206 provided at the bottom of the carriage 200.

Therefore, both ends of the chain 3o○ are fixed to the carriage 200, and the chain 3o○ is connected in an annular manner as a whole.

4 to 6 show details of the lifting device 400 and the travel motor 125 disposed on the first frame member 112 of the lower frame 110. FIG.

The lifting device 400 includes a motor 410 with an output shaft 412 disposed in a direction perpendicular to the rail 2. A reducer 420 disposed adjacent to the motor 410
The output shaft 412 of the motor 410 and the input shaft 422 of the reducer 420 are parallel to the output @ 412 of the motor 410.
are connected by a belt 430 or the like.

The speed reducer 420 has a speed reduction mechanism including, for example, a worm gear therein, and the output shaft 424 is orthogonal to the input shaft 422. A sprocket 426 is attached to the output shaft 424 of the speed reducer. In the illustrated embodiment, two rows of sprockets 426 are used. Two chains 440 are passed around the sprocket 426 and drive an input sprocket 456 of the drive shaft 450. The drive shaft 450 is supported by the lower frame 110, and two drive sprockets 452 and 454 are provided on the drive shaft 450.

The drive sprockets 452 and 454 are connected to the carriage 200
The carriage 200 is engaged with chains 300 and 320 for raising and lowering the carriage 200 .

By changing the attachment device of the reducer 420, the distance between the output shaft 424 and the drive shaft 450 of the reducer can be adjusted, and the tension of the chain 440 to be stretched can be adjusted.

A traveling motor 125 is disposed on the first frame member of the lower frame 110 adjacent to the reducer 420 . The traveling motor 125 is installed so that its output shaft faces downward, and the reducer 1 is installed at the bottom of the traveling motor 125.
22.

The speed reducer 122 has a speed reduction mechanism using, for example, a worm gear, and drives the traveling wheels 120 by its output shaft 124.

The crane of the present invention is configured as described above, and is driven by the drive shaft 450 driven by the lifting device 1400.
The book chains 300 and 320 are driven, and the carriage 200 to which both ends of the chains are fixed is moved to the first column 14.
0 and the second column 150 to move up and down.

The two chains 300 and 320 are connected to two driven sprockets 162 rotatably supported by the upper frame 160.
164. 2 driven sprockets 16
A rotary encoder 170 is disposed at the end of the rotating shaft 165 of one of the driven sprockets 164. This rotary encoder 170 detects the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket 164, and the amount of movement of the chain 320 can be calculated from this amount of rotation.

Since the end of the chain 320 is fixed to the carriage 200, the vertical position of the carriage 200 can be detected by calculating the amount of movement of the chain 320.

Therefore, by sending signal information from the rotary encoder 170 to the control device 700 and operating the elevating device 400 based on the output from the control device 700, the carriage 200 can be stopped at an arbitrary elevating position.

Note that other means can be used instead of the rotary encoder as the means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket.

Therefore, by inputting information regarding the height position of each level of the rank 800 into the control device 700 in advance as the moving distance of the carriage 200 from the origin, the carriage 200 moves up and down from the origin to a desired level and then stops.

This stop position is directly opposite each level of the rack.

This control of the vertical position of the carriage 200 does not require a limit switch for detecting the position of the carriage 200.

Therefore, many limit switches can be omitted and the number of parts can be reduced. Also.

The complicated work of mounting these limit switches in accurate positions relative to the second column 150 is also omitted, and the number of man-hours can also be reduced.

In the crane of the present invention, the carriage 20
Since the chains 300 and 320 that suspend both sides of the carriage 200 are formed in an annular shape, the effective lengths of the chains 300 and 320 are always the same, so there is no difference in chain elongation, and the carriage 200 is No tilting or the like occurs.

The crane 100 is supported by drive wheels 120 and idlers @122 and travels on the rails 2.

It is necessary to position the crane 100 on the rail 2 so that the carriage 200 faces the front of each row of racks 800. The position of the crane 100 can be determined by disposing a limit switch on the rail 2, but in the present invention, the position of the crane is controlled by providing a rotary encoder 123 that detects the amount of rotation of the idle axle. Input the information of the rotary encoder 123 to the control device 700,
The crane 100 can be stopped at any position on the rail 2 by operating the traveling motor 125 using the output of the control device 700.

If information regarding the position of the row of racks is input to the control device as information about the distance from the origin on the rail 2, the crane 100 will travel a predetermined distance from the origin and then stop.

This stopping position is a position directly facing the rack.

Using the above functions, the carriage 200 can be positioned with respect to the target rack.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention provides a crane for a multi-level warehouse.
The chain that suspends the carriage, which moves up and down while being guided by the column, has a structure in which both ends of the chain are attached to the carriage via sprockets placed on the upper and lower frames.

This structure allows the chain tracks to be arranged rationally.

By arranging the driving sprocket on the lower frame and the driven sprocket on the upper frame, lifting equipment including heavy active equipment is concentrated on the lower frame, lowering the center of gravity of the entire crane and improving stability. improves.

A means for detecting the amount of rotation is provided on the driven sprocket to detect the amount of movement of the chain. Send this information to the control device,
The elevating device is operated by the output of the control device, and the moving distance of the carriage from the reference position can be controlled and positioning can be performed.

With this configuration, the current position and moving speed of the carriage can be constantly detected and controlled without the need for a limit switch that detects the position of the carriage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the crane of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of the crane, Fig. 3 is a side view, Fig. 4 is a front view of main parts, Fig. 5 is a plan view, Fig. 6 The figure is a side view, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a conventional crane. 100... Crane, 110... Lower frame, 112... First frame member. 114...Second frame member. 116...Third frame member. 140... First column, 150... Second column, 160... Upper frame, 162.164... Driven sprocket, 170
...Rotary encoder, 200...
・Carriage, 220...Fork, 300
．． 320... Chain, 400... Lifting device, 410... Motor, 420...
...Reduction gear, 450... Drive shaft, 4
52.454... Drive sprocket, 600.
...Workpiece, 700...Control device, 800...Rack. Patent applicant: Yamazaki Mazatuku Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney: Yoshiaki Numagata (2 others)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A lower frame equipped with driving wheels and idle wheels guided by rails laid between three-dimensionally constructed racks, a first column erected on the lower frame, and A carriage of a crane for a multi-story warehouse, which has a second column, an upper frame connecting the upper parts of the first column and the second column, and a carriage that moves up and down while being guided by the first column and the second column. A device for controlling the vertical position includes a drive shaft having two drive sprockets supported by a lower frame, a lifting device installed on the lower frame to rotationally drive the drive shaft, and a control installed on the lower frame. A device, two driven sprockets supported by an upper frame, two chains that extend across the driving sprocket and the driven sprocket and have both ends fixed to the carriage, and means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprockets. Information from the means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket is input to the control device, and the lift position of the carriage is controlled by operating the lift device based on the output from the control device. Control device for multi-level warehouse cranes. 2. The control device for a multi-story warehouse crane according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket is a rotary encoder mounted on the support shaft of the driven sprocket.