JPH0624518A - Automated warehouse equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress enlargement of an equipment and simplify control contents of the equipment in an automated warehouse equipment which is automated in carrying-out of containers. CONSTITUTION:It is assumed that an automated warehouse equipment is provided with such rod-shaped support members 15 that are arranged in its extending direction towards a plurality of racks 2 on which containers 3 are arranged respectively, can advance/retreat in velation to the plurality of racks 2 and displace in the vertical direction, while such support members 15 are provided with stored material holding chuck devices for holding stored materials in the container 3. Under its assumption, the support members 15 are provided with container holding chuck devices 27 for holding the containers 3 besides the stored material holding chuck devices 18 so as to dispense with expansion of moving space due to peculiar movement of the container holding chuck devices 27 and therefore there is no necessisty for considering interference caused by movement of the stored material holding chuck devices 18, and the container holding chuck devices 27.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to automated warehouse equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-17 discloses an automatic warehouse facility.
As shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 702, while a container accommodating parts is arranged in a plurality of shelves, an elevating table is provided so as to face the plurality of shelves, and when carrying out the parts in the container, There is a system in which a container is pulled out from a shelf to an elevating table, the container is rotated by a rotating device on the elevating table, and the components in the container are dropped into a hopper for carrying out.

By the way, an automatic warehouse facility is being developed in which the contents are taken out one by one from each container in the plurality of shelves. In such an automatic warehouse facility, as a stored-item carrying-out device, a chuck device for holding stored items for chucking stored items is provided at the tip of a movable rod-shaped support member. There is a type in which the container is moved to a contained object in the container, and the chuck device chucks the contained object to take out the contained object from the container (shelf). In such an automatic warehouse facility, when the carrying-out operation of the contained items is repeated, as a result, the contained items in the container become empty and become empty. In such a case, the contained items are contained. It is necessary to take empty containers out of the shelves in order to replace them with new ones. Therefore, in the above automatic warehouse equipment,
An empty container carry-out device is provided separately from the stored-material carry-out device, and the empty container carry-out device draws out the empty container from the shelf.

[0004]

However, as described above, when the empty container carry-out device is provided separately from the contained product carry-out device, the number of parts constituting the empty container carry-out device is significantly increased, and in addition to the above, As a result of securing a moving space in which both devices move, the equipment as a whole becomes large. Moreover, in order to prevent the contained article carry-out device and the empty container carry-out device from colliding with each other during operation (moving), it is necessary to control their operation, and the control contents must be complicated. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to suppress the enlargement of the equipment and simplify the control content of the equipment in an automatic warehouse equipment in which unloading of empty containers is also automated. To do.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a rod-shaped supporting member directs the extending direction of the supporting member with respect to a plurality of shelves in which containers are respectively arranged. The support member is arranged so that the support member can move forward and backward with respect to the plurality of shelves and can be displaced in the vertical direction, and the support member grips the contents holding chuck for holding the contents in the container. In an automatic warehouse facility provided with a device, a container gripping chuck device for gripping the container is also provided on the support member. With the above structure, the existing support member is used as the moving means of the empty container holding chuck device, and the moving means for the empty container holding chuck device has a reduced number of parts and the empty container holding device. By moving the chuck device for use only within the moving space of the supporting member, it is possible to eliminate the unique moving space (the space protruding from the moving space of the supporting member) in which the empty container holding chuck device moves. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the equipment from becoming large. Also,
Since the empty container holding chuck device is to be provided on the support member together with the contained object holding chuck device, it is not necessary to consider interference caused by the movement of the two devices. Therefore, the control content can be simplified.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a parts shelf, and the parts shelf 1 is
A plurality of shelves 2 provided in the vertical direction are arranged in a plurality of rows in the lateral direction. Each of the shelves 2 is provided with a component storage container (hereinafter referred to as a container) 3. Each container 3 contains a plurality of parts (for example, pistons) 4 as the same kind of contents for each container 3, and the parts 4 in such a container 3 are different for each tray 2. Have been different. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of the containers 3 are arranged for each shelf 2. The container 3 is on the rear side of the shelf 2 (in the figure,
From the left side) to the front side (the right side in the drawing), the supply is sequentially performed. Therefore, the transport roller 5 is provided at the lower part of the shelf 2, and the container 3 is supplied from the shelf 2. Container movement restriction stopper 6 to prevent falling
Is provided at the front of the shelf 2.

A guide frame 7 is disposed on the front side of the parts shelf 1 as shown in FIG. The guide frame 7 includes a lower guide 8 provided on the floor surface, an upper guide 9 provided on the upper part of the parts shelf 1, and a connecting part 10 for connecting both guide parts 8 and 9 on one side in the lateral direction of the parts shelf 1. And have. An endless transmission member, for example, a chain member 11 is arranged along the guide frame 7, and a motor 12 as a driving means is connected to the chain member 11.

On the front side of the parts shelf 1, as shown in FIG. 1, columns 13 are arranged so as to extend in the vertical direction. The upper and lower ends of the column 13 are movably held by the upper and lower guides 9 and 8 and are connected to the chain member 11. Therefore, the pillar 13
Is driven by the motor 12 and guided by the upper and lower guides 9 and 8 so that it can be displaced laterally (for example, at 4 m / sec). In addition, an endless transmission member, for example, a chain member (not shown) is provided on the support column 13 along the support column 13 over the entire length of the support column 13. Motor 14 as driving means
Are connected.

As shown in FIG. 1, a rod-shaped support member 15 is attached to the support column 13 via a mounting member 16.
It is attached so as to be orthogonal to 3. The mounting member 16 is held by the column 13 so as to be vertically displaceable, and the chain member arranged on the column 13 is connected to the mounting member 16. Therefore, the mounting member 16
Can be displaced vertically (for example, at 2.5 m / sec) by driving the motor 14.
The support member 15 is arranged such that the extension direction of the support member 15 faces the component shelf 1, and the support member 15 is held by a mounting member 16 so as to be displaceable in the extension direction of the support member 15. There is. A motor 17 on a mounting member 16 is connected to the support member 15 via a transmission mechanism such as a rack and pinion, and the drive of the motor 17 allows the support member 15 to move back and forth in the component shelf 1. (Eg 1.5m
/ Sec).

As shown in FIG. 2, a chuck device 18 for gripping the contained object is provided at the tip of the support member 15. As shown in FIG. 3, the chuck device 18 swingably supports a plurality of gripping claws 20 on a base member 19,
The plurality of grip claws 20 are urged by a spring 21 in the grip release direction (expansion direction), while an oil chamber 22 provided in the base member 19 is supplied with oil pressure from a hydraulic pressure supply source (for example, a compressor) 23. By supplying, the piston 24 is operated, and the plurality of grip claws 20 are swung in the grip direction by the piston 24. In addition, a component receiving plate 25 is held below the base member 19 so as to be vertically displaceable, and a coil spring 26 is interposed between the component receiving plate 25 and the base member 19. There is.

As shown in FIG. 2, the support member 15 is provided on the rear side (right side in FIG. 2) of the chuck device 18.
A container gripping chuck device 27 is provided. The chuck device 27 is spaced from the chuck device 18 longer than the length of the container 3 in the displacement movement direction of the support member 15, and the height position of the chuck device 27 is lower than that of the chuck device 18. When the chucking device 27 chucks the gripped portion 3a of the container 3 as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the chucking device 18 becomes higher than the component upper surface line h in the container 3. ing. This chuck device 27 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the free piston 30 provided in the oil chamber 29 in the base member 28 is displaced by supplying and discharging the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure source 23 to the oil chamber 29.
This is taken out as a swing (approaching / separating motion) of the pair of arms 33 (tips) via the gears 31 and 32, and the swing is used as a gripping / grip releasing motion of the pair of gripping claws 34. It is supposed to be used. Particularly, in the present embodiment, in order to surely hold the container 3 by the pair of holding claws 34,
As shown in FIG. 6, the shapes of the grasped portion 3a of the container 3 and the pair of grasping claws 34 are modified.

Oil chamber 2 of each chuck device 18, 27
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, switching valves 35 and 36 are interposed between the valves 2 and 29 and the hydraulic pressure supply source 23, respectively. As is known, the switching valves 35 and 36 are provided in the oil chambers 2 described above.
An electromagnetic type is used to adjust the supply and discharge of hydraulic pressure with respect to 2 and 29.

On the other side of the parts shelf 1 in the horizontal direction, as shown in FIG. 1, a parts unloading conveyor 37 is provided at the top and bottom respectively, and an empty container unloading conveyor for unloading an empty container 38 to the upper part of the parts shelf 1. (Not shown) is provided. The component unloading conveyor 37 is provided with a chuck member 18 for grasping an contained item.
When the component 4 is transported by, the component 4 has a function of transporting the component 4 to a predetermined place.
When the empty container 38 is conveyed by the empty container gripping chuck member 27, it has a function of unloading the empty container 38.

Reference numeral U is a control unit, and the control unit U receives input signals from the production information input means 39 regarding required parts according to the model, vehicle type, etc., while the control unit U outputs a motor. 12, 14, 17, switching valve 3
A control signal is to be output to 5, 36. This control unit U has a tray 2 of a container 3 for accommodating required parts based on production information in advance, and a part 4 in the container 3.
It has a function of storing the taking-out order and the like of the container 3 and storing and updating the taking-out fact of the component 4 in each shelf 2 and the like to determine whether or not the inside of the container 3 is empty. , The content of the above-mentioned control signal is to be determined.

The above contents will be described more specifically together with the operation of each element. When the production information input means 39 makes a predetermined input with respect to a required component, the motors 12 and 14 are controlled to move the support column 13 laterally and the support member 15 (mounting member 16) vertically. The supporting member 15 is positioned so as to face a predetermined position on the shelf 2 of the required component.

Subsequently, the motor 17 is controlled so that the tip of the support member 15 is advanced to above the component 4 to be taken out into the shelf 2, and then the support member 15 is entirely lowered. Then, the switching valve 35 is suppressed, and the chuck device 18 holds the component 4 based on the hydraulic pressure, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 2, and in this state, the support member 15 has the reverse order to that described above. Exit from shelf 2. Then, after this, the column 13 and the support member 15 are moved so that the component 4 is conveyed onto the component unloading conveyor 37, and the component unloading conveyor 37 conveys the component 4 to a predetermined place.

As described above, when the last part 4 is taken out from the container 3 in a certain shelf 2, the control unit U determines that the container 3 is empty, and at that time. Even if a new part request is made by the production information input means 39, the last part is given priority and conveyed to the part unloading conveyor 37, and then returned to the position facing the shelf 2 again and supported. The member 15 is
In the shelf 2, the chuck device 27 is provided with the gripped portion 3 of the container 3.
Enter until it is located above a (see the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2). Next, the support member 15 descends from the state indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2 to the state indicated by the solid line in FIG.
6 is controlled, and the chuck member 27 grips the gripped portion 3a of the container 3 based on the hydraulic pressure. And in that state,
The support member 15 is withdrawn from the tray 2 in the reverse order to the above-mentioned order, and the empty container 38 is taken out from the tray 2. Then, after this, the support 13 and the support member 15 are moved, and the empty container 38 is conveyed to the empty container unloading conveyor.

On the other hand, in the meantime, in the shelf 2,
From the rear side, the container 3 accommodating the components is conveyed to the frontmost position of the shelf 2, and the next component taking-out can be dealt with.

When a new part request is made during the empty container unloading work, the predetermined work is performed after the empty container unloading work.

Therefore, in the above equipment, the support member 15 and the support 1 used in the chuck device 18 for grasping the contained items as the moving means of the chuck device 27 for grasping the empty container.
3 is used, the moving means unique to the chuck device 27 becomes unnecessary. Moreover, since the chuck device 27 moves based on the movement of the support member 15 and the like,
The movement space is not expanded toward the front side or the side of the parts shelf 1. Therefore, in the equipment,
It is possible to suppress the increase in size. Further, since the chuck devices 18 and 27 are both provided on the support member 15 and share the support member 15 and the support column 13 as a moving means, while the one chuck device moves, the other chuck device can move differently. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the interference caused by the movement of both chuck devices 18 and 27. Therefore, in the equipment, the control content can be simplified.

[0021]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention can prevent the equipment from becoming large and simplify the control contents of the equipment in an automatic warehouse equipment in which empty containers are also automatically carried out. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing equipment according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the operations of a chuck device for grasping an contained item and a container grasping device, and a support member.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a chuck device for grasping an contained item.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional side view illustrating a container gripping chuck device.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 shelves 3 container 4 parts 12 motor 14 motor 15 support member 17 motor 18 chuck device for gripping contents 27 container chuck device 35 switching valve 36 switching valve

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rod-shaped support member is disposed with respect to a plurality of shelves in which containers are arranged, with the extending direction of the support member facing, and the support member is provided with respect to the plurality of shelves. In an automatic warehouse facility, which is capable of moving forward and backward and movable in the vertical direction, and in which the supporting member is provided with a chuck device for grasping an contained object for grasping an contained item in the container, the supporting member includes the container An automatic warehouse facility, which is also provided with a container gripping chuck device for gripping a container. 2. The container gripping chuck device according to claim 1, wherein the container gripping chuck device is provided on the support member at a tip portion located on the side of the plurality of shelves, and the container gripping chuck device is the support member. Is provided on the rear end side of the support member with respect to the container gripping chuck device, and the distance between the container gripping chuck device and the container gripping chuck device is the extension direction of the support member. And the height position of the container gripping chuck device is longer than the length of the container in, and when the container gripping chuck device grips the container, the height position of the container in the container is Automatic warehouse equipment characterized by being set to be higher than. 3. The empty state detecting means for detecting an empty state of the container according to claim 1 or 2, and when the empty state of the container is detected based on the empty state detecting means, accommodation in the container based on production information. An adjusting means for the container gripping and container holding chuck device and a control means for controlling a drive adjusting means for the support member are provided so that the container unloading operation is prioritized over the article unloading operation. It is an automated warehouse facility characterized by