JPH05254662A - Pallet storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a storage device which can be installed in a small space and does not lower efficiency of storage and disposal works by providing a lifter arranged below a first holding means and capable of supplying a vacant pallet to the first and a second holding means by way of lifting up the vacant pallet. CONSTITUTION:A pallet P3 is transferred onto a ramp 62, a chain conveyor 30 stops, simultaneously a hydraulic cylinder 64 of a lifter 60 works and the ramp 62 rises and rises until the pallet P3 makes contact with the lower surface of a pallet P2 on the lowest step and lifts three pieces of the pallets P1-P3. An air cylinder 53 on a lower step works, claws 41-44 of the lower step open, and the three pieces of the pallets P1-P3 are supported by the ramp 62 of the lifter 60. Furtheremore, the ramp 62 rises by thickness of one piece of the pallets. Thereafter, the claws 41-44 on the lower step close and enter in the opening of the pallet P3 on the lowest step. When the ramp 62 is lowered to its original position, the three pallets are held by the lower claw.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pallet accommodating device for accommodating empty pallets while stacking them and discharging them while separating them as necessary.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a pallet accommodating device, a pallet conveyed by a conveyor and a holding means composed of a plurality of pawls which are provided at a predetermined height position and hold a pallet by entering an opening of the pallet. Some lifters are provided to raise and feed the holding means. In this pallet accommodating device, pallets conveyed one by one by a conveyor are supplied to a holding means by a lifter and held while being stacked, or the pallets held in a stacked state are disassembled one by one and discharged. be able to. However, in this pallet storage device,
The number of pallets that can be stored is limited due to problems such as the strength of the claws that serve as the holding means. Therefore, compared with the pallet discharging operation, when the storage operation is performed frequently, the pallets to be conveyed may not be stored.

Therefore, in order to supplement the accommodating capacity, a storage conveyor is provided near the pallet accommodating device so that the pallet can be transferred to and from the pallet accommodating device, and when the pallet is full, it is held. While the stacked pallets are stacked, they are once delivered to the storage conveyor,
It has been proposed to accommodate pallets that are transported. On the other hand, in this pallet accommodating device, when the pallets to be dispensed are frequently used and the pallets to be dispensed are exhausted, the pallets on the storage conveyor are stored in a stacked state and dispensed one by one. Can be issued.

[0004]

However, in the structure in which the storage conveyor is provided in the vicinity of the pallet storage device, although the storage capacity can be increased, a large installation space is required for the storage conveyor, and the storage of the entire automatic warehouse is required. There is a problem that not only the efficiency is lowered, but also it takes time to transfer the pallets between the pallet storage device and the storage conveyor, and the efficiency of the storage and delivery work is reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pallet accommodating device that can be installed in a narrow space and that does not reduce the efficiency of the accommodating and dispensing work. ..

[0005]

A pallet accommodating apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a first holding means capable of holding empty pallets in a stacked state, and arranged above the first holding means to arrange the empty pallets. It is characterized in that it is provided with a second holding means that can be held in a stacked state and a lifter that is arranged below the first holding means and that can lift an empty pallet and supply it to the first and second holding means. ..

[0006]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. 1 to 3 show the configuration of a pallet accommodating device which is an embodiment of the present invention.

The pallet accommodating device is provided near the traveling route of the traveling carriage 10. The traveling carriage 10 is shown in FIG.
Travels in the direction and carries the load placed on the pallet. The load on the traveling carriage 10 is removed during transportation or the like, and only empty pallets remain on the traveling carriage 10. The empty pallets on the traveling carriage 10 are transferred from the traveling carriage 10 to the pallet storage device and stored therein, and the empty pallets stored in the pallet storage device are delivered to the traveling carriage 10 as necessary.

The empty pallet P is transferred between the traveling carriage 10 and the pallet accommodating device by the chain conveyor 3
Performed by 0. That is, the chain conveyor 30
Transfers an empty pallet P received from a conveyor (not shown) provided on the traveling carriage 10 onto a lifter 60 described later, and also transfers an empty pallet P received from the lifter 60 onto a conveyor of the traveling carriage 10. ..

In the chain conveyor 30, a drive shaft 31 is rotatably attached to a frame 20 erected on the floor of a warehouse, a drive sprocket 32 fixed to the drive shaft 31 and a driven sprocket rotatably provided on the magazine frame 20. A chain 34 is wound around 33. The drive shaft 31 is connected to a rotary shaft of a drive motor 35 fixed to the frame 20, and the rotation of the drive motor 35 is transmitted to the chain 34 via the drive shaft 31 and the drive sprocket 32, so that the chain 3
4 is rotationally driven. The chain 34 is arranged so as to be substantially at the same height as the conveyor of the traveling carriage 10.

The empty pallets P are held in a stacked state by the first and second holding mechanisms respectively arranged at predetermined height positions above the chain conveyor 30.

The first holding mechanism has pawls 41-44.
Shaft 49 fixed to the bases of these claws 41 to 44
Are rotatably supported by bearings 50, and each bearing 50 is attached to the frame 20 via a bracket (not shown). Shaft 4 of each claw 41-44
Arms 51 are integrally fixed to 9 respectively,
These arms 51 are interconnected by a rod 52. Therefore, the pawls 41 to 44 open and close in conjunction with each other, can support the empty pallet P in the closed position, and release the empty pallet P in the open position.

The second holding mechanism is located above the first holding mechanism and has pawls 45 to 48. This holding mechanism also has the same structure as the first holding mechanism.

Opening and closing operations of the claws 41 to 44 and 45 to 48 are performed by air cylinders 53 and 54, respectively. That is, the pistons 55 of the air cylinders 53 and 54
The claws 41 to 48 are closed when the
When 5 is retracted, the claws 41 to 48 are opened. The air cylinders 53 and 54 are attached to the frame 20 via the bracket 56.

A lifter 60 is provided below the claws 41 to 44. The lifter 60 has a base 61 and a lift 62, and a base 61 and a lift 62 fixed to the magazine frame 20.
Are linked by a link 63. The lift 62
It is driven up and down by a hydraulic cylinder 64 fixed to the magazine frame 20.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation when the empty pallets P are stored one by one from the traveling carriage 10 into the pallet storage device will be described. In this embodiment, the lower claws 41 to 44 can hold four pallets and the upper claws 45 to 48 can hold five pallets.
These numerical values are merely examples and can be appropriately selected.

As shown in FIG. 4A, in the initial state, the pallets P1 and P2 are superposed, the lowermost pallet P2 is supported by the lower claws 41 to 44, and the upper claws 45 to 48 are. Suppose the pallet is unsupported. That is, the lower claws 41 to 44 are inserted into the openings of the lowermost pallet P2 and hold the two pallets P1 and P2. At this time, the lift table 62 of the lifter 60 is in the lowered position, and is located below the upper surface of the chain conveyor 30. In this state, the chain conveyor 30
Is operated, and the pallet P3 is transferred between the lowermost pallet P2 and the lift table 62.

The fact that the pallet P3 has been transferred onto the lift table 62 is detected by, for example, an optical sensor. When the optical sensor detects this state, the chain conveyor 30 is stopped and the hydraulic cylinder 6 of the lifter 60 is stopped.
4 is actuated and the lift table 62 starts to rise. Lifting table 62
As shown in FIG. 4B, the pallet P3 comes into contact with the lower surface of the pallet P2 in the lowermost stage to make three pallets P1 to P1.
Rise until you lift 3.

When the pallet P2 is separated from the lower claws 41 to 44 by the lifting operation of the lift table 62, the lifted position of the lift table 62 is detected by, for example, a position sensor. As a result, the lower air cylinder 53 (FIG. 1) operates, and as shown in FIG.
44 is opened and the holding state of the pallet is released. That is, the three pallets P1 to P3 are the lift tables 6 of the lifter 60.
Will be supported by 2.

The open state of the lower claws 41 to 44 is detected by, for example, a proximity switch provided in the air cylinder 53 (FIG. 1), whereby the hydraulic cylinder 64 is further operated, and as shown in FIG. 4 (d). As shown, the lift table 62 is raised by the thickness of one pallet. That is, the lowermost pallet P3 is located at substantially the same height as the lower claws 41 to 44.

The raised position of the lift table 62 at this time is detected by the position sensor as described above. The lower air cylinder 53 (FIG. 1) operates based on the output signal from this sensor, and as shown in FIG.
44 is closed and enters into the opening of the lowermost pallet P3. Next, when the closed state of the claws 41 to 44 is detected by the proximity switch in the air cylinder 53 as described above, the hydraulic cylinder 64 of the lifter 60 is actuated to move the lift table as shown in FIG. 62 descends to its original position. As a result, the three pallets P1 to P3 have the lower claws 4
1 to 44 will be held.

By repeating such operations, the pallets transferred from the traveling carriage 10 by the chain conveyor 30 are stacked on the lower side of the pallets already held by the lower claws 41 to 44.

The above-described operation is repeated, and the claws 41 to 44 are
When, for example, an optical sensor detects that the number of pallets held in 4 has reached 4, when a new pallet is subsequently transferred, this pallet and the 4 pallets already held are described next. So that the upper claw 45-
48.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the lower claws 41 to 41 are formed.
When the pallet P5 is transferred between the lowermost pallet P4 and the lift table 62 by the chain conveyor 30 while the four pallets P1 to P4 are held by the 44, the optical sensor detects this transfer state. Then, the chain conveyor 30 is stopped, the hydraulic cylinder 64 of the lifter 60 is started, and the lifting platform 62 starts to move up.
As shown in FIG. 5 (b), the lift table 62 has a pallet P5.
Comes in contact with the lower surface of the lowermost pallet P4 and moves up until the five pallets P1 to P5 are lifted.

The ascending operation of the elevating table 62 separates the pallet P4 from the lower claws 41 to 44, and the elevating table 6
When the lifted position of No. 2 is detected by the position sensor, the lower and upper air cylinders 53 and 54 (FIG. 1) are activated, and as shown in FIG.
48 opens. As a result, five pallets P1 to P5
Is held by the lift table 62 of the lifter 60.

When the opening of the lower and upper claws 41 to 48 is detected by the proximity switches provided in the air cylinders 53 and 54 (FIG. 1), the hydraulic cylinder 64 is further operated. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5D, in the lifting platform 62, the lowermost pallet P5 is located at substantially the same height as the upper claws 45 to 48, that is, the height at which the upper claws 45 to 48 can hold the pallet P5. Ascend to position. This raised position is detected by the position sensor, and the lifting platform 62 stops based on the output signal from this position sensor.

On the basis of this output signal, the upper air cylinder 54 (FIG. 1) is actuated, and as shown in FIG. 5 (e), the upper claws 45 to 48 are closed so that the lowermost pallet P5 is opened. Get in. When the closed state of the upper claws 45 to 48 is detected by the proximity switch in the air cylinder 54 (FIG. 1), the hydraulic cylinder 64 of the lifter 60 is actuated to move the lift table as shown in FIG. 5 (f). After 62 is lowered to the original position, the lower air cylinder 53 (FIG. 1) is operated and the lower claws 41 to 44 are closed. As a result, the five pallets P1 to P5 are held by the upper claws 45 to 48, and the lower claws 41 to 44 are ready to accommodate the four pallets again.

After that, when the pallet is further transferred, the operation described with reference to FIG. 4 is executed, and the pallet is held by the lower claws 41 to 44. This claw 41-44
Can hold four pallets, and therefore the pallet storage device can store nine pallets.

The operation of dispensing the pallets held by the lower claws 41 to 44 one by one and the operation of supplying the pallets held by the upper claws 45 to 48 to the lower claws 41 to 44 are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. Since the operation is performed in the reverse order of the operation described in 5, the description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the operation of accommodating a plurality of stacked empty pallets P in the stacked state or discharging the empty pallets P from the pallet accommodating device is higher than the operation of accommodating or discharging the empty pallets P one by one. The description is omitted because it is basically the same except for the amount of raising and lowering of the table 62.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the pawls 41 to 48 for holding the pallet are arranged in the upper and lower two stages, and the pallet is sequentially supplied to the two stages of the pawls 41 to 48. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the storage capacity of empty pallets without providing another pallet storage portion such as a storage conveyor separately from the pallet storage device as in the related art. According to the configuration without such a storage conveyor, the installation space as the pallet accommodating device is significantly reduced, and the storage efficiency of the entire automated warehouse can be improved. Further, the upper claws 41 to 44 and the lower claws 45 to
Basically, the work of transferring the empty pallet to and from the carrier 48 is only the lifting operation of the lifter 60 and the opening / closing operation of the claws 41 to 48, which is different from the conventional configuration in which the empty pallet is moved in the horizontal direction by a predetermined distance. Be done in a short time. That is, in this embodiment, the upper and lower claws 41 to 44, 45 to 48.
The delivery work of the pallets is carried out quickly, and the efficiency of the accommodation work and the delivery work of the empty pallets is extremely high.

If the claws are arranged in a higher number of stages such as upper and lower three stages and four stages, the storage capacity is further enhanced.

In the above embodiment, the upper claws 45 to 48 are used.
Although only five pallets are accommodated in the above, it is possible to transfer the pallets from the lower claws 41 to 44 while the pallets are already held. In this case, since the upper claws 45 to 48 hold the pallet in the state of FIG. 5C, these claws 45 to 48 cannot be immediately opened, and the lower claws 41 to 44 hold them. The uppermost one of the pallets formed may come into contact with the lowermost one of the pallets held by the upper claws 45 to 48, and then be released. Other operations are basically the same.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to install the apparatus in a narrow space, and further, it is possible to enhance the efficiency of the accommodation and payout operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pallet storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a pallet storage device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a pallet storage device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation of supplying an empty pallet to a lower claw.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of supplying empty pallets to the upper claws.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 Chain Conveyor 41-44 Lower Claw 45-48 Upper Claw 60 Lifter P Empty Pallet

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first holding means capable of holding empty pallets in a stacked state, a second holding means arranged above the first holding means and capable of holding an empty pallet in a stacked state, 1. A pallet accommodating device which is provided below the first holding means and which is provided with a lifter capable of lifting an empty pallet and supplying the empty pallet to the first and second holding means.