JPH05201509A - Moving rack equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a moving rack equipment capable of detecting the width of the work space of a moving rack. CONSTITUTION:In a moving rack equipment constructed so that moving racks 2 are disposed in such a manner as to freely reciprocate on a fixed path 11 in the longitudinal direction and a work space S of a designated width W can be formed in front of the front of the moving racks 2, there is provided a putting in-and-out device 26 capable of rushing into the work space S from the outside of one side portion of the moving rack 2 group and freely moving, and a light projector 45 and a photo detector for detecting the width of the work space S are disposed on both sides of each moving rack 2. If the work space S is under a designated width W, the moving rack intercepts the light emitted from a pair of front and rear light projectors, whereby the work space S under the designated width W can be detected. Thus, the putting in-and-out device 26 can be prevented from colliding with the moving rack.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving rack facility installed in, for example, a warehouse or a factory so that articles can be always stored efficiently, and storage and retrieval can be carried out quickly and safely. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of equipment, for example, a shelf equipment disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-40621 is provided. That is, a plurality of movable racks that can be reciprocally moved in the front-rear direction are arranged, a working space having a predetermined width for the traveling of the crane is formed in front of the front of these movable racks, and a horizontal direction is provided between the upper portions of these movable racks. A gantry-type crane that can travel freely is provided, and an elevating table that is supported and guided by the crane and is movable in the front-rear direction and within the working space is provided, and the fork mechanism is provided on the elevating table.

When loading and unloading articles, first, the movable rack group is moved in the front-rear direction to form a work space in front of the front of the desired movable rack. Next, the elevating table is moved in the front-rear direction to be positioned on the side of the working space. Then, by moving the crane in the left-right direction, the lifting platform moves in the work space and stops in front of the partitioned storage space of the target moving rack. After that, the elevating table is moved up and down to the height of the intended compartment storage space, and the fork mechanism is operated to carry in and out the article.

[0004]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional type, the working space may be formed to be narrower than a predetermined width due to a failure of the drive device of the moving rack or an error in control, and the lifting platform moves. There was a danger of colliding with the moving rack.

Further, in particular, when the moving rack is long in the left-right direction, the moving rack bends in the moving direction (front-rear direction) at the time of movement, and the one side end or the other side end of the moving rack is forwardly moved. The work space formed in the space becomes narrower than a predetermined width, and there is a danger that the lifting platform may collide with the moving rack during movement.

The present invention solves the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a movable rack facility capable of detecting the width of a working space formed in front of a desired movable rack.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the movable rack equipment according to the present invention reciprocates a movable rack having a plurality of compartment storage spaces in the up-down direction and the left-right direction on a fixed path in the front-rear direction. While arranging multiple freely,
In a moving rack facility capable of forming a work space with a predetermined width in front of the front of these moving shelves, a cargo handling field is formed outside of the moving rack group in the left-right direction, and outside the end of the moving rack group. A pair of rails are provided, a girder supported by these rails is provided, and the girder is supported by the rails. A loading / unloading device supported by the girder in a hanging manner and movable in the working space is provided. A width detection device for detecting the width of the work space of the movable shelf is provided.

[0008]

In the loading and unloading of a load in the structure of the present invention, first, the movable rack group is moved in a state where the loading and unloading device is located in the loading and unloading area to form a working space in front of the intended compartment storage space. Then, the loading / unloading device is moved in the front-rear direction and positioned outside the end of the work space. Then, the loading / unloading device is moved in the work space, and is stopped so as to face the front of the target compartment storage space and then stopped, and then the loading / unloading device is operated to load / unload the target compartment storage space. You can do it.

At this time, since the width of the working space formed in front of the intended compartment storage space is detected by the width detecting device, it is possible to detect the case where the width of the working space is less than the predetermined width. In this case, by stopping the movement of the loading / unloading device, it is possible to prevent the loading / unloading device from colliding with the movable rack.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of front and rear fixed shelves, and a plurality of movable shelves 2 which are reciprocally movable in the front-rear direction, which is the direction between the fixed shelves, are arranged between the fixed shelves 1. .. Each of the shelves 1 and 2 has a plurality of compartment storage spaces 3 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. Each of the movable shelves 2 has two ribbed wheels 5 on the lower side frames 4 at the left and right ends in the front-rear direction, and a pair of left and right intermediate lower frames 6 located inside is divided into two in the front-rear direction. Each of the divided frames has a pair of front and rear collarless wheels 7.

The movable rack 2 is placed on rails 8 and 9 laid on the floor side via wheels 5 and 7, and a motor (traveling drive device) 10 mounted on each is linked to the collarless wheels 7. By doing so, it becomes possible to reciprocate separately on the fixed route 11 which is the front-back direction. Here, the installation interval of the fixed shelves 1 is set so as to form a working space S having a predetermined width W that is slightly wider than the depth dimension (front-back dimension) of the compartment storage space 3.

The intermediate lower frame 6 has a gate-shaped rail shape, and a photoelectric switch 12 as an example of a transmitter / receiver for transmitting a movement control signal, and a light projecting / receiving light of the photoelectric switch 12 at front and rear ends thereof. The reflector 13 for is attached. The photoelectric switch 12 or the reflector 13 is also attached to the corresponding position of the fixed shelf 1.

A cargo handling area 15 is formed on the outer side of the racks 1 and 2 in the left-right direction, and the cargo receiving area 15 is capable of reciprocating in the front-back direction, that is, along a fixed path 11. A dolly 16 is provided. This receiving cart 16 is of a self-propelled type and is laid on the floor side along the rails 8 and 9.
It is supported and guided by wheels 17 via wheels 18, and the upper part is formed on a load support 19. Two receiving carts 16 are arranged, and the outside of the end of the fixed shelf 1 is at the home position H.
However, this may be any one of them.

Crane rails 20 in the left-right direction are respectively disposed above the fixed shelves 1 via fixing members 21, and one end 20A side of these crane rails 20 in the longitudinal direction is above the loading / unloading area 15. And is supported on the floor side by columns 22A. The other end 20B side in the length direction of the crane rail 20 extends outward from the other end surface of the fixed shelf 1 and is supported on the floor side by a column 22B.

A girder 24 supported and guided by both crane rails 20 via wheels 23 is extended between the shelves 1 and 2 and the loading / unloading area 15 by forward / reverse driving of a traveling drive device 25 mounted thereon. It becomes free to run in the left and right directions. A loading / unloading device 26 is provided which is supported and guided by the guide portion 24a of the girder 24 and is movable in the front-rear direction.

This loading / unloading device 26 is supported by a guide portion 24a and has an upper frame 28 on which a lateral movement device 27 is mounted.
The front and rear surfaces of the upper frame 28 are formed into an open frame by the posts 29 vertically extending from the left and right ends of the upper frame 28 and the lower frame 30 connecting the lower ends of the posts 29. The length in the front-rear direction is set to be slightly shorter than the predetermined width W of the work space S, so that the loading / unloading device 26 can be moved in the work space S in the left-right direction. A carriage 32 is provided between the posts 29 of the loading / unloading device 26 so as to be vertically movable by the operation of the lifting / lowering device 31.
The carriage 32 is provided with a withdrawal / removal tool 33 that can freely move back and forth.

The girder 24 supported and guided by the crane rail 20 travels to the one end 20A side, so that the entire loading / unloading device 26 is positioned in the loading / unloading area 15 to transfer the load 34 to / from the load receiving carriage 16. By allowing the girder 24 to move to the other end 20B side, a part of the upper frame 28 or the other post 29 is projected into the installation space 35, and thus a tool that is shorter than the girder 24 in the left-right direction. 33
Can face the compartment storage space 3 located at the other end of the shelves 1, 2.

The forward / backward movement of the loading / unloading device 26 guided by the guide portion 24a is interlocked (blocked) when the loading / unloading device 26 is located in the working space S. When the loading / unloading device 26 exits the loading / unloading area 15, the forward / backward movement is interlocked (blocked) when the loading / unloading tool 33 supports the load 34, and the forward / backward movement when the load 34 is not supported. You can move in any direction. This can be achieved by detecting the presence or absence of the load 34 with a photoelectric tube device or a load cell, and turning off the power supply or the operation signal to the lateral behavior device 27 when the presence of the load 34 is detected.

By extending the other end 20B side in the length direction of the crane rail 20 outward by a set distance L, a dead space is formed outside the other end surfaces of the shelves 1 and 2, and the dead space is installed in the space. 35 on the floor side,
A control device 36 for each movable rack 2 is provided. Here, the control device 36 is connected to the corresponding movable rack 2 via the branch cable 37, and at that time, the control device 36 and the branch cable 37 move within any range of movement of the movable rack 2 to any position. It is arranged and shaped to fit inside.

Further, adjacent control devices 36 are connected to each other by a sub cable 38 attached on the floor surface (or embedded on the floor side). In the installation space 35, a centralized control device 39 is arranged so as to face one of the fixed shelves 1, and the centralized control device 39 is connected to the adjacent control device 36 by the auxiliary cable.
They are connected by a main cable 40 arranged in the same manner as 38.
The cables 37, 38, 40 are for transmitting and receiving signals and supplying power.

A projector 45 of a photoelectric switch, which is an example of a width detection device, and a photodetector 46 for detecting the light emitted from these projectors 45 face each other on the left and right outer sides of the shelves 1 and 2 respectively. Are arranged in the front-back direction. That is, the light projector 45 is arranged at the edge of the cargo handling area 15, and the light receiver 46 is arranged at the edge of the installation space 35. Of these projectors 45 and light receivers 46, a pair of front and rear projectors 45 and light receivers 46 are arranged corresponding to the positions of the respective work spaces S formed in front of the front surfaces of the movable shelves 2 and the fixed shelves 1, respectively. , A working space S is provided between the front and rear light emitters 45 and between the light receiver 46.
Is set at the same interval as the predetermined width W. These floodlights
The 45 and the light receiver 46 are connected to the corresponding control devices 36.

It should be noted that the movement of the cargo receiving carriage 16 is performed by the conventional self-propelled carriage control system, and the traveling of the girder 24 and the movement of the loading / unloading device 26 are performed by the conventional overhead crane control system.
The raising and lowering of the carriage 32 and the withdrawal of the loading / unloading tool 33 are preferably controlled by a conventional crane control system for an automated warehouse.

The operation of the above structure will be described below.
In order to store the load 34 on the receiving cart 16, first, the girder 24 is moved above the loading / unloading area 15 by the support guide on the one end 20A side of the crane rail 20, and the empty loading / unloading device 26 is placed in the loading / unloading area 15. Position it. Then, the movable shelves 2 are moved so that the work space S is created in front of the target compartment storage space 3. This movement of the second group of movable shelves is performed by the central control device 39.
It is possible to give an instruction signal from the control device 36 to the target control device 36 via the main cable 40 and the sub cable 38, and to give the instruction signal from the control device 36 to the mobile shelf 2 side via the branch cable 32. .. That is, based on the instruction signal, the motor
By 10 the wheel without collar 7 will be forced to rotate,
The movement is performed on the fixed path 11 while being supported by the rails 8 and 9 via the wheels 5 and 7. At that time photoelectric switch
The light emitted from 12 is reflected by the reflecting plate 13 to transmit and receive a movement control signal, so that the movement of the movable rack 2 is controlled without collision.

With the work space S formed in this manner, the empty take-out device 26 is operated by the operation of the lateral action device 27.
It is moved in the front-rear direction by the support guide of the guide portion 24a and positioned outside the end of the work space S. Then, the loading cart 16 is moved from the home position H toward the loading / unloading device 26 by the support guide of the rail 17, and the loading / unloading device 26 is moved.
Stop at a position close to. In this state, a combination operation of raising and lowering of the carriage 32 and moving in and out of the loading / unloading tool 33 is performed, and a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading the load 34 on the loading cart 16 is performed.
26 can receive.

With the loading / unloading device 26 positioned outside the end of the work space S receiving the load 34,
The girder 24 is moved by the traveling drive device 25, and the loading / unloading device 26 is moved within the work space S. Then, the loading / unloading device 26 is opposed to the front of the intended compartment storage space 3 and stopped. In this state, as described above, the carriage 32
By carrying out a combined operation of raising and lowering of the container and moving in and out of the loading / unloading tool 33, the load 34 can be loaded into the target compartment storage space 3.

The unloading of the load 34 is carried out in the same manner as described above, and the empty loading / unloading device 26 is positioned outside the end of the work space S.
Is moved in the work space S so as to face the front of the target compartment storage space 3 and stopped, and then the loading / unloading device 26 is operated to take out the load 34 from the target compartment storage space 3. Then, the loading / unloading device 26 supporting the load 34 is moved within the work space S and stopped at the loading / unloading area 15.

In this way, the loading / unloading device 26 that has come out to the loading / unloading area 15 is prevented from moving in the loading / unloading area 15 in the front-back direction. Be stopped. Next, the loading cart 16 moves closer to and stops from the loading / unloading apparatus 26, and the loading / unloading apparatus 26 operates to pass the load 34 onto the loading cart 16 so that the loading / unloading can be performed.

As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, when forming the working space S in front of the movable shelf 2a having the target compartment storage space 3a, the controller 36 controls the pair of front and rear projectors 45a and 45b corresponding to the movable shelf 2a and the light receiver. Only the vessels 46a and 46b operate. Then, in the unlikely event that the motor 10 of the movable rack 2a fails, or the motor 10 of the other movable rack 2b facing the front side.
Compartment storage space 3 due to malfunction or control error
When the work space S formed in front of a becomes narrower than the predetermined width W, the side surface of one movable rack 2a or the side surface of the other movable rack 2b blocks the light 47 emitted from the projectors 45a and 45b. It can be detected that the work space S is less than the predetermined width W. This detection signal is input to the centralized control device 39 via the control device 36, and the centralized control device 39 stops the movement of the access device 26. As a result, the access device 26
Can be prevented from colliding with the side surface of one movable rack 2a or the other movable rack 2b.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, one of the movable shelves 2
Even when the moving rack 2a or the other moving rack 2b is bent in the front-back direction, the front surface of the one moving rack 2a or the rear surface of the other moving rack 2b blocks the light 47 emitted from the projectors 45a and 45b. , 2b can be detected. Thus, the movement of the loading / unloading device 26 can be stopped, and the loading / unloading device 26 can be prevented from colliding with the front surface of the one moving rack 2a or the rear surface of the other moving rack 2b.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, when the working space S is formed in front of the front of the fixed shelf 1 at the rear, the projector 45 is used.
Only c, 45d and the light receivers 46c, 46d are operated, and it is detected that the work space S is less than the predetermined width W and that the movable rack 2d facing forward is bent as shown by the phantom line. If so, the movement of the loading / unloading device 26 is stopped.

In the above embodiment, the cargo handling area 15 is formed on the outer side in the left-right direction of the shelves 1 and 2, but the cargo handling area 15 may be formed on both outer sides. Further, in the above embodiment,
Install a pair of left and right crane rails 20 at the front and rear ends,
A girder 24 supported and guided between both crane rails 20 is provided in the left-right direction, and a loading / unloading device 26 supported in the girder 24 and capable of traveling in the front-rear direction is provided. A pair of crane rails 20 are installed at the left and right ends, and a girder 24 that is supported and guided between the crane rails 20 and can travel in the front-rear direction is provided.
An in-and-out device 26 that is supported and guided by the vehicle so that it can move in the left-right direction.
May be provided, and the loading / unloading device 26 may be moved in the left-right direction to move in the work space S.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. That is, at the front and rear ends of the loading and unloading area 15, load receiving carriages that can freely reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to the fixed path 11.
50 are provided respectively. The cargo carrier 50 is of a self-propelled type and is supported and guided by rails 51 via wheels. Then, one end located outside the fixed shelf 1 and within the material handling area 15 is a first home position H1, and the other end opposite to the one home position is a second home position H2.

The operation of the above structure will be described below.
The cargo carrier 50 travels back and forth between the first home position H1 and the second home position H2 to carry the cargo 34.
At this time, since the load 34 is transferred by the forklift truck or the like while the load carrier 50 is stopped at the second home position H2, the first home position H
In No. 1, the receiving cart 50 is not displaced.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the width detecting device for detecting the width of the working space formed in front of the front surface of each movable rack, the working space of the target movable rack can be reduced. The case where the width is less than the predetermined width can be detected. This will stop the movement of the access device,
It is possible to prevent the loading / unloading device from colliding with the movable rack.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile shelf facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same mobile shelf equipment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the mobile rack facility.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating a method of detecting a work space width of a movable shelf.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a method of detecting the deflection of a movable rack.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a method of detecting a work space width in front of a fixed shelf.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a moving rack facility according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Moving shelves 3 Compartment storage space 11 Fixed path 15 Handling area 20 Crane rail (rail) 24 Girder 26 Loading / unloading device 45 Emitter (width detection device) 46 Light receiver (width detection device) S Work space W Specified width

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of movable shelves having a plurality of compartment storage spaces in the up-down direction and the left-right direction are arranged so as to be reciprocally movable on a fixed path in the front-rear direction, and a work of a predetermined width is provided in front of the front of these movable shelves. In a moving rack facility capable of forming a space, a loading and unloading area is formed on the outside of the moving rack group in the left-right direction, and a pair of rails are arranged outside the ends of the moving rack group. A width for detecting the width of the working space of each of the movable shelves, provided with a girder that is supported and can run freely, is supported by the girder in a suspended manner, is movable, and is movable in the working space. Mobile shelf equipment, which is equipped with a detection device.