JPH0620928B2 - Goods collection equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an article collecting facility used to collect a plurality of types of articles according to a shipping destination, and more specifically, a plurality of article storage units. A moving vehicle is provided, a plurality of types of articles are stored in a divided state, and a shelf is provided along the longitudinal direction of the traveling path of the moving vehicle. Storage means for storing work data for each article storage in the article storage section is provided in the mobile vehicle, and article removal information instruction means for instructing article removal information from the shelf based on the work data is provided. At the same time, the present invention relates to an article collection facility provided with an article storage instructing means for instructing article storage information in the article storage section in association with the operation of the article takeout information instruction means.

[Conventional technology]

In such an article collecting facility, a moving vehicle is run on a shelf portion that stores the articles to be taken out, and the article is taken out from the shelf based on the instructed article taking out information, and the work is performed in the procedure of storing the article in the article storage section. It will be.

By the way, when the moving vehicle is run, the moving vehicle is equipped with destination information means for instructing destination information based on the information in the storage means, and the work vehicle drives based on the instructed destination information, so-called manual operation. There are a driving type and a so-called automatic driving type in which a traveling control means for automatically traveling a moving vehicle based on information in a storage means is provided.

By the way, each of the article storage units corresponds to different shipping destinations, and conventionally, one article storage unit is generally treated as a minimum unit corresponding to one shipping destination to create work data. At the same time, the product storage information is instructed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Even if there are few orders from one shipping destination, if the collection work is performed while treating one article storage unit as the minimum unit corresponding to one shipping destination, the storage capacity of each article storage unit cannot be fully utilized. However, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to perform collection work efficiently, and improvement is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to fully utilize the storage capacity of the article storage unit even when there are few orders from the shipping destination.

[Means for solving problems]

The characteristic configuration of the article collecting facility according to the present invention is such that work data for taking out articles from a shelf and storing articles in each article storage section can determine data for each storage section that partitions one article storage section. The article storage information instructing means that is formed to instruct the article storage information in the article storage section is configured to be able to instruct the article storage information separately for each of the partitioned storage portions. The action and effect are as follows.

[Work]

That is, when there are few order forms from one shipping destination, work data is created so that each storage portion of one article storage unit stores the articles in a plurality of shipping destinations, Then, on the basis of the work data, the partitioned storage portions are individually instructed to store the article storage information.

〔The invention's effect〕

Therefore, even if there are few orders from one shipping destination,
If the storage capacity of the article storage section is fully utilized, it becomes possible to perform efficient work.

〔Example〕

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the article collecting facility, a moving vehicle (A) having a storage frame (1) for storing articles and a plurality of types of articles are stored in a divided state, and The moving vehicle (A)
A plurality of shelves (B) juxtaposed along the longitudinal direction of the traveling passage are provided.

Each of the shelves (B) is divided into a plurality of pieces along the longitudinal direction thereof, and each of the divided shelves (2) is provided with upper and lower four-stage loading sections, and each loading section Each of these can store three types of articles in the lateral direction.

The moving vehicle (A) is configured as a so-called hand cart type vehicle, which includes a pair of left and right idler wheels (3) arranged at the front and rear ends, respectively, and a pair of left and right handle parts (4) for steering. Is done,
A display panel (5) that doubles as a setting panel is provided near the handle (4). Incidentally, (6) in the figure is a temporary placing table for temporarily placing the articles taken out from the shelf portion (2).

The storage frame (1) has three upper and lower shelves, and two shelves (7) are stored in the respective shelves in the lateral direction as article storages. Incidentally, each container (7) corresponds to each shipping destination.

Therefore, the worker loads the empty container (7) on the container carrier (8) into the storage frame (1) at the empty container loading position (D), and then, based on the destination information, the desired shelf portion (2). ) To
The article is taken out from the shelf portion (2) based on the article take-out information, and the taken-out article is stored in a desired container (7) based on the article storage information. When all the work is completed, the work for supplying the container (7) containing the articles to the collecting conveyor (9) is performed at the container unloading place. Further, it becomes basic data for instructing each of the destination information, the article take-out information, and the article storage information. In order to obtain the work data for collecting the goods, it is necessary to drive to the data receiving point (F) prior to the work.

Next, a description will be added while extending the control configuration.

As shown in Fig. 4, the order form (10) issued by the customer etc.
When the contents of is input to the host controller (HC), the host controller (HC) creates a purchase order (11) according to the contents of the order form (10), and according to the contents of the order form (11). In addition to the purchase of the goods, the storage data (12) of the purchased goods is also input to the host controller (HC).

The host controller (HC) manages the inventory of various items, creates work data for item collection based on the contents of the order form (10) entered in advance, and uses this work data as the work controller (SC). ).

The work data is divided according to the work amount of one mobile vehicle (A), and is formed in such a manner that the type and quantity of the article to be stored in each container (7) can be determined. However, the work data may be formed in a state in which the data for each of the storage portions obtained by dividing one container (7) into the left and right can be discriminated. Then, in that case, each storage portion of the container (7) corresponds to the shipping destination.

The work controller (SC) comprehensively manages the operation of collecting goods while exchanging various information such as work data with the mobile vehicle controller (IC) provided in the mobile vehicle (A).

Information exchange between the work controller (SC) and the mobile vehicle controller (IC) is performed by a controller for read / write control (13A),
IC card (1 including ROM (13B) and RAM (13C)
3), which is performed while using it as a storage medium,
The card writer (14) that functions as a writing means for writing work data to the IC card (13) is a work controller.
A card reader (15) attached to the (SC) and functioning as a reading means for reading the data of the IC card (13)
Is attached to the mobile vehicle controller (IC).

However, (16) in the figure is a printer that creates an item slip that is stored separately in each container (7) that is stored in the moving vehicle (A), and is synchronized with the operation of the card writer (14). Will be activated. The item slip is used for inspection after the item collecting work, and when the empty container (7) is loaded into the storage frame (1), the container (7) is ordered in a predetermined order. )
Will be thrown into.

The mobile vehicle controller (IC) uses the above-mentioned work data, shelf
Based on the stored information of the articles stored in (B) and the sorting information for sorting out which of the shelves (2), the destination information for moving the moving vehicle (A), the movement car
(A) discriminates the information of taking out articles from the shelf part (2) on which the (A) has traveled, and the storage information indicating the container (7) for accommodating the taken out articles and the input amount, and outputs the information.

That is, the destination information instructing means (100), the article removal information instructing means (101), and the article storage information instructing means (102) are configured while using the moving vehicle controller (IC).

The mobile vehicle controller (IC) is configured by using a microcomputer, and, of course, includes a memory that functions as a storage unit, and the IC card (13) is set on the mobile vehicle side. In this state, the work data will be stored in the memory.

The destination information instructing means (100) is for instructing a shelf row NO given in advance to each shelf (B) and a shelf NO given in advance to each shelf portion (2). As shown in the figure,
The display panel (5) is provided with a shelf row NO display portion (G ₁ ) for lighting a portion corresponding to each shelf row NO and a shelf NO display portion (G ₂ ) for lighting a portion corresponding to a shelf NO. Has been.

However, as the IC card (13) is set on the moving vehicle side, all of the shelf row NOs having work are turned on in the display section (G ₁ ) of the shelf row NO, and the moving vehicle (A) As the vehicle runs along the front surface of the shelving row in which work is performed, the corresponding shelving row NO is blinked. In addition, the shelf NC display (G ₂ ) is
As (A) travels along the front of the shelving with work, all of the shelving NOs with work in the shelving are turned on, and the moving vehicle (A) has shelving with work. As it is located in front of (2), the shelf number of the shelf portion (2) blinks. Therefore, in the destination information instruction, the current position of the moving vehicle (A) is accurately notified while using the classification information.

Which of the above-mentioned shelves (B), and each of the shelving parts
Explaining the configuration for transmitting the classification information of which is (2) to the moving vehicle side, the shelf row NO and the shelf NO are moved to the upper part of each shelf part (2) using an optical signal. An optical communication device (17) as communication means for transmitting to the vehicle side is provided, and an optical communication device (18) as communication means for receiving information of the communication device (17) on the shelf side, While transmitting the received information to the moving vehicle controller (IC), the moving vehicle (A)
Be prepared for.

However, a shelf controller (TC) that controls the operation of the communication device (17) on the shelf side is provided, and the communication devices (17) and (18) on the shelf side and on the moving vehicle side respectively indicate the article removal information instruction. Therefore, it is also used as a means for transmitting information on the moving vehicle side to the shelf side. The communication device (17) on the shelf side projects an optical signal toward the passage side of the moving vehicle, and the communication device (18) on the moving vehicle side receives only the signal from the left lateral side of the vehicle body. Directivity is given so that

The article take-out information instruction means (101) basically indicates the shelf position corresponding to the storage location of each article and the article take-out amount, and as shown in FIG. Five)
The rack is provided with a pick shelf display section (G ₃ ) for instructing a shelf position requiring work, and a pick quantity display section (G ₄ ) for instructing a quantity to be taken out from each shelf position.

The pick shelf display section (G ₃ ) is provided with a plurality of illuminated push leads (19) corresponding to respective shelf positions. These illuminated push-leads (19) are turned on and turned on as the moving vehicle (A) is located in front of the shelf part (2) on which work is required, corresponding to the shelf position requiring work. The thing blinks when it is pushed to indicate the next work.

The pick quantity display section (G ₄ ) has the following functions in addition to displaying the quantity on the numerical value display section (20). That is, the article
In order to indicate whether to take out (Xa) in case units, take out these units that are grouped into several units, or take out one by one individually, the unit indicator light ( 21) and a single unit indicator light (22) are attached.When both indicator lights (21) and (22) are turned off, the case is taken out, when the unit indicator light (21) is turned on, the unit is taken out. By turning on the indicator light (22), the individual take-out is displayed.

Further, in order to make it easy to understand the instruction of the article take-out information, the following configuration is added. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, an instruction lamp (23) as a take-out target article instruction tool is arranged corresponding to each shelf position of each shelf portion (2). These indicator lamps (23) are accompanied by the information transmitted to the shelf side by using the both communication devices (17) and (18) when the illuminated lead (19) is pushed as described above. , The corresponding one is supposed to light up.

By the way, the information on the product take-out information is
The instruction is started as (9) is pressed, and the display panel (5)
The instruction is stopped as the illuminated lead pusher (24) for work completion provided in is pushed and operated. The illuminated push lead (24) for work completion is turned on when it is determined that the storage is completed in the storage information instruction described later, and is turned off when the push operation is performed.

The article storage information instructing means (102) is basically for instructing by displaying the quantity on the storage frame portion below each container (7), and each container (7) Corresponding to the above, a pair of left and right numerical value display parts (25a), (25b) and one illuminated push lead (26) for completion of storage are provided.

The pair of left and right numerical value display parts (25a), (25b) are one container (7)
When the partition is divided into left and right by the partition plate (27), both of them correspond to the left and right storage portions, respectively. However, when the partition plate (27) is not installed, the left numerical display (25a)
Only is activated.

By the way, whether or not the partition plate (27) is set is determined by turning on both the numerical value display sections (25a) and (25b) when the IC card (13) is set. I am trying to instruct what it takes. When the setting of the partition plate (27) is completed, the illuminated push lead (26) for completion of storage is pushed.

The illuminated push lead (26) for completion of storage is
5a) and (25b) are turned on at the same time that they are turned on, and when the storage operation for the corresponding container (7) is completed, the push operation is performed.

However, the numerical display parts (25a) and (25b) do not go off even if the illuminated push lead (26) for completion of storage is pushed, and the illuminated push lead (24) for work completion is pressed. It is turned off as it is operated.

Further, in order to perform the article collecting work without error and efficiently, various means described below are provided.

That is, the display panel (5) is provided with a lamp check push lead (28) for the display panel and a lamp check push lead (29) for the storage frame, and these push leads (28), ( When (29) is pressed, the entire display panel (5) and the entire storage frame (1) are turned on. Similarly, for each of the shelves (2),
It is equipped with a lamp check lead (30).

The display panel (5) is provided with a work NO display section (G ₅ ). The work No. display section (G ₅ ) includes a numerical value display section (31) and a check lead (22), and displays the work No. currently being performed as the chuck button (32) is pressed. It is like this. The work number is stored in the IC card (13) in advance.

If the communication range of the optical communication devices (17) and (18) in the rear direction of the moving vehicle is reduced and the moving vehicle (A) is accidentally run while continuing work on one shelf part (2). The information can be detected as the incommunicable information. Then, the alarm buzzer (33) is activated based on the detected information. By the way, if the mobile vehicle (A) is returned to the normal state and the communication state is restored again, the alarm buzzer (3
3) will be stopped.

The display panel (5) is provided with a pass lead (35) for a work pass. This pass lead (35) is an illuminated push lead for shelf position indication.
It is pressed when the user wants to pass the work due to lack of articles or the like after operating (19) to start the work.
By the way, if you want to pass all the work remaining on the shelf part (2), the number of illuminated lead pushers (19),
You will press the pass lead (35).

Next, the operation of the moving vehicle (A) will be described while describing the control operation of the moving vehicle controller (IC) based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

That is, first, the lamp check process is executed, and then the process of reading the information of the set IC card (13) is executed.

After reading the information, the process of turning on the shelf row NO in which the work is performed is executed, and then it is checked whether or not the work is performed by installing the partition plate (27). If installation is required, the storage is completed. Stand by until the completion of installation is instructed by the illuminated lead push (26).

When the completion of partition plate installation is instructed, an example of a shelf with work No
Is received, and if it is received, the corresponding shelf row NO is blinked and the shelf NO with work in the shelf row is turned off.

When it is determined that the set time has not been received by the above-described check, it is checked whether or not the set time has elapsed after the non-reception, and only when the set time has elapsed, the rack row NO
Is switched to the lit state or the process of turning off the shelf NO is executed. By the way, the processing of this part is provided as a post-treatment when the vehicle travels along the shelf row of the work, but does not perform the work, or travels to another shelf row with the work left. is there. Further, the set time is discriminated in order to maintain the previous display state even if the communication is temporarily disabled while traveling between the adjacent rack portions (2) in one rack row. .

After that, it is checked whether or not the shelf NO with work is received, and if not received, the process shifts to the above-mentioned check of the shelf row NO reception. On the other hand, if it has been received, a process of blinking the corresponding shelf NO or a process of lighting the indicating push lead (19) corresponding to the shelf position where the work is performed is executed.
Check if the lead with work (19) was pushed.

If the push lead (19) is not pushed, it is checked whether or not the shelf NO is continuously received. If not, the process for switching the shelf NO to lighting or the push lead (19) After executing the process of turning off the light, the process shifts to the above-mentioned check of the rack row NO reception.

If the lead with work (19) is pressed, the lead pressed
(19) flashes, the pick quantity is displayed, the storage quantity is displayed, the indicator lamp (23) on the shelf side is turned on, the complete lead (26) on the storage frame side is turned on, and further, if necessary. Accordingly, processing for turning off the unit indicator light (21) and the single item indicator light (22) is executed.

After that, it is checked whether or not the completion lead (26) on the storage sum side has been pressed. If not, it is checked whether or not the reception of the shelf NO continues. Then, when it is not continued, the alarm buzzer (33) is activated to prompt the worker to return and travel. If it is continued, the pass processing is executed as necessary while checking the information on the work pass lead (35).

If it is determined by the above-mentioned check that the completed lead (26) has been pressed, after turning off the completed lead (26), has all of the completed lead (26) with work been pressed? It is checked whether or not it has been pressed, and if it has not been pressed, the process moves to the above-described check of completed lead (26).

If it is determined that all of the completed lead (26) with work has been pressed, turn on the completed lead (24) on the display panel side and then wait until the lead (24) is pressed. To do.

Then, when lead (24) is pressed, the completed lead (24) on the display panel side is turned off, the pushed lead for shelf position indication (19) that has finished the work is turned off, and the shelf side indication lamp (23) is turned off. Then, the unit display lamp (21) and the single-piece display lamp (22) are turned on as necessary.

Next, it is checked whether or not there is remaining work on the current shelf number, and if there is, there is a shift to the above-described checking of the lead push (19). On the other hand, when there is no remaining work, the shelf N where the work is finished
After executing the processing for turning off the O, it is checked whether or not there is remaining work on the current shelf line.

If there is remaining work on the current shelf line, the process shifts to the above-described reception check process for the shelf line NO. On the other hand, if there is no remaining work, the shelf row NO where the work is finished is turned off, and then it is checked whether or not there is remaining work in another shelf row. The process shifts to the reception check process.

[Another embodiment]

The mobile vehicle (A) may be of various configurations, such as those equipped with propulsion wheels.

In the above embodiment, the case where the container (7) is used for collection has been described as an example, but the container (1) may be directly collected.

Further, in the above embodiment, the article take-out information instruction means (101)
Although the case where only the shelf position is instructed on the shelf side is illustrated, the quantity may be instructed on the shelf side.

In order to divide the article storage section (7), instead of installing the partition plate (27), small containers may be arranged, or the number of sections may be three or more. If a small container is used, the container may be placed directly on the storage frame (1),
Alternatively, they may be stored in one large container.

In addition, to transmit work data for collecting goods to the moving vehicle side,
Instead of using the IC card (13), a work controller
(SC) and the mobile vehicle controller (IC) can be changed by communication etc.

In addition, various changes can be made to the specific configurations of the respective parts necessary for carrying out the present invention.

It should be noted that reference numerals are added to the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of an article collecting facility according to the present invention,
Figure is a schematic plan view of the goods collection facility, Figure 2 is a front view of the shelf,
FIG. 3 is a side view of the mobile vehicle, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control configuration, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the display panel, and FIGS. 6 (a), 6 (b) and 6 (c).
Is a flowchart showing a control operation. (7) …… Item storage section, (102) …… Item removal information instruction means, (A) …… Mobile vehicle, (B) …… Shelves.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Seiichi Majima 7-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Shiseido Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tamotsu Yamakawa 7-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Capital Shidouchi (72) Inventor Shigeki Kubo 7-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Shiseido Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-63-306103 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mobile vehicle (A) having a plurality of article storage units (7).
Is provided, and a plurality of types of articles are stored in a divided state, and a shelf (B) arranged along the longitudinal direction of the traveling vehicle (A) and the traveling path is provided, from the shelf (B). The storage means for storing the work data for taking out the articles and storing the articles in each of the article storage units (7) is the moving vehicle (A).
And an article take-out information instruction means for instructing article take-out information from the shelf (B) based on the work data.
(101) is provided, and the article storage information instruction means (102) for instructing the article storage information in the article storage section (7) is provided along with the operation of the article removal information instruction means (101). In the article collecting facility, the work data is formed in a state in which the data for each of the storage sections that divide one article storage section (7) can be discriminated, and the article storage information instruction means (102) An article collecting facility configured to instruct the storage information of each storage portion separately.