JPH05338708A - Physical distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a simple structure and automation of conveyance and carrying-in and-out work by forming a traveling truck provided with suspending type loading platform with an elevating push-pull transfer device which transfers articles to be stored, a multi-storied warehouse composed of racks which store articles, and rails which transfer the traveling truck to the multi-storied warehouse. CONSTITUTION:The operation of multiple suspending type traveling trucks 20 on a travel rail 12 is controlled by a host controller, and they reciprocate between a rack 1 and a station. In carrying-out work, when a loading platform 25 stops in front of a desired stage of the rack 1 by a command from a controller in the truck body 21, a truck fixing finger 23 lowers by rotation and the loading platform 25 is fixed to the rack 1. A push-pull transfer device 24 comes into action to load the loading platform 25 with an article from a shelf of the rack 1 for storing articles and pulls in the article by using 24A. The truck fixing finger 23 goes up and return to its original position to serve as a shelf for preventing the article from dropping. After the loading platform 25 is raised, the truck 21 travels to a desired station.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a physical distribution system in which a three-dimensional warehouse and a carrying device are combined.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional physical distribution and transportation system including a three-dimensional warehouse, as shown in FIG. 4, is a rack 1 for storing articles three-dimensionally.
A stacker crane 2 and a loading / unloading conveyor 3 are used as loading and unloading devices in a three-dimensional warehouse, and an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 4, an overhead traveling vehicle, a conveyor, etc. are combined as a transportation device to systemize the layout as shown in FIG. It is normal.

A system has also been proposed in which a suspension type traveling carriage having a loading platform is carried on a rail and moved to a storage location.

[0004]

In the conventional system using the stacker crane, a plurality of independent devices are combined, which causes the following problems.

(1) In addition to controlling individual devices, a device for integrally controlling the whole is required.

(2) The installation space becomes large.

(3) Since the transfer of the loading / unloading device and the transfer device is at a right angle, there are layout restrictions such as not being able to use the walls or corners of the building.

Further, the conventional system using the suspension type traveling carriage has an advantage that it is hard to be restricted by the above-mentioned layout, but on the other hand, since the belt conveyor is used as a transfer device for transferring the articles from the loading platform to the rack. In order to load and unload products such as containers into and from warehouse racks, a belt conveyor is also required on the rack side, and the conventional system will increase the size and complexity of the system in terms of automatic product transfer and loading / unloading. There was a problem.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to make use of the advantage of transportation by a traveling carriage having a suspension type cargo carrier, and to automate transfer to a rack with a simple structure. To provide a logistics system.

[0010]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a traveling type having a suspension type load carrier which is capable of moving up and down and equipped with a push-pull transfer device for transferring articles to be stored. It is characterized by comprising a three-dimensional warehouse including a trolley and a rack for storing the article, and a rail for transporting the traveling trolley to the three-dimensional warehouse.

[0011]

The article is conveyed by the traveling carriage having the suspension type loading platform, and the article is put in and out of the rack of the three-dimensional warehouse by the push-pull transfer device.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the suspended traveling carriage 20 travels on a rail 12 laid along a rack 1 of a three-dimensional warehouse. The suspended traveling vehicle 20 includes a motor-driven traveling device, traveling control, and an elevating device 22 for a loading platform 25 and a push-pull transfer device 24, which will be described later.
And a control device for controlling the drive of the.

The suspension type traveling trolley 20 which has received the loading / unloading instruction from the host controller (not shown) stops at the designated address of the rack 1, and the loading platform 25 is lowered by the lifting / lowering device 22 and stopped at the target stage. List. These drive controls are executed by a control device built in the suspended traveling vehicle 20.

FIG. 2 is a suspension type traveling carriage 20 according to the present invention.
Shows the details of.

The trolley body 21 is a loading platform 25 for storing articles.
Is suspended via an elevating device 22, and travels on the traveling rail 12. Further, in the carriage main body 21, a lifting device 22 for vertically moving the loading platform 25 in the vertical direction is built in. In this embodiment, the elevating device 22 elevates and lowers the loading platform 25 by winding the belt.

The loading platform 25 stores articles to be loaded and unloaded.
A truck fixing finger 23 and a push-pull transfer device are installed on the loading platform 25. The dolly fixing finger 23 is rotatable as shown in FIG. 2, and is rotatably driven by an actuator or a motor provided in the loading platform 25.

Locking portions 23A are provided at both ends of the truck fixing fingers 23, and the locking portions 23A abut on and engage the rack 1 side to fix the loading platform 25. The truck fixing fingers 23 are arranged on both sides of the luggage carrier 25.

The push-pull transfer device 24 is used for the traveling rail 1.
It has a shaft 25B which is slidable in a direction perpendicular to 2. The shaft 25B is rotatable around the shaft. These sliding,
Rotation is also realized by a drive mechanism such as a motor or an actuator.

The length of the shaft 25B is longer than the width of the loading platform 25, and both ends of the shaft 25B push out articles.
A pawl 24A for pulling in (pulling) is fixed.

In such a construction, in the case of unloading, when the loading platform 25 is stopped in front of the target stage of the rack by the instruction of the control unit in the trolley body 21, the trolley fixing fingers 23 are lowered by the rotation, and the rack 1 is placed on the rack 1. The loading platform 25 is fixed to the rack 1 by engaging a locking member (not shown) provided. Next, the push-pull transfer device 24 operates to pull the article from the rack of the rack 1 for storing the article into the loading platform 25 using the pawl 24A. The dolly fixing fingers 23 move up and return to the original position, which serves as an article fall prevention fence. Next, after raising the loading platform 25, the carriage main body 21 travels to the target station. The suspended traveling carriage 20 lowers the loading platform at the target station, fixes the loading platform 25 and the station in the same manner as when loading, and then pushes the article into the station. The same is true when receiving a warehousing instruction.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the layout according to the present invention.

The example of FIG. 3 is an example in which a plurality of rows of racks 1 are arranged and traveling rails 12 for transporting the suspended traveling carriage 20 are arranged on these racks indoors. Running rail 1
The passage direction of 2 is switched by a merging device 32 and a branching device 33. A plurality of suspension type traveling carriages 20 on such traveling rails 12 are operated and controlled by the host controller and move between the rack 1 and the station 31.

[0024]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The conventional stacker crane and the loading / unloading conveyor are not required, and at the same time, their control is not required, so that the transportation and loading / unloading control is simplified.

(2) Since the push-pull transfer device is used, a drive device for transferring each shelf and station in the warehouse, which has been conventionally required, is unnecessary.

(3) The traveling direction of the transfer device and the loading / unloading device are parallel to each other, so that the walls and corners of the building can be effectively used as shown in the layout of FIG.

(4) In the conventional system, one stacker crane takes charge of loading and unloading in one or two rows of racks in the warehouse, but in the present invention, if there are empty sections in the warehouse, a plurality of traveling carriages can be loaded. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the traveling carriage can be accessed from both sides of the rack, and the storage time can be shortened.

(5) Since the loading / unloading conveyor is not required and the transportation device is of the hanging type, the above-ground equipment can be greatly reduced and the space can be effectively used.

(6) Since the articles are transferred to the rack by the push-pull type transfer device, equipment on the rack side is unnecessary and the system configuration is simple.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a detailed structure of the suspension traveling vehicle of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the layout of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a conventional physical distribution system.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of a layout of a conventional physical distribution system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 (Multi-level warehouse) Rack 2 Stacker crane 3 Storage / unloading conveyor 4 Unmanned transport vehicle (transport device) 5 Building wall 12 Traveling rail 13 Transfer device 20 Suspended travel vehicle 21 Car body 22 Lifting device 23 Car carrier finger 24 Push Pull transfer device 25 Loading platform 31 Station 32 Merging device 33 Dividing device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ryuichi Ikeuchi 1-1-1 Tanabe Nitta, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A three-dimensional warehouse including a traveling carriage having a push-pull transfer device capable of moving up and down and transferring an object to be stored, a three-dimensional warehouse including a rack for storing the goods, and the traveling carriage. A physical distribution system comprising: a rail for transporting to the three-dimensional warehouse.