JPH07109008A - Automated warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a measure to prevent an operator from carelessly entering an inspection passage mounted between two shelves at a low cost. CONSTITUTION:Elevating ladders 22, 23 which are commonly used as a door to open/close the entrance/exit are pivotably supported in an openable/closable manner at the entrance/exit at the end part of the respective passages A-C of a plurality of stages in the vertical direction which are partitioned by inspection passages 2, 3, and a locking means to lock the respective ladders 22, 23 for elevation at the closing position of the passage between the shelves is continuously arranged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse equipped with a train for loading and unloading which runs on a passage between two rows of shelves.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems] In this type of automatic warehouse, a large stacker crane type with an elevator carriage that can accommodate all levels of shelving for loading and unloading trains is inspected at an intermediate level of the aisle between shelves. It is not possible to build a corridor, but in an automated warehouse where the shelves are divided into upper and lower compartments, and one compartment or multiple compartments for each entry / exit train is installed in each compartment.
An inspection corridor can be installed between shelves for each compartment, and using each corridor inspection corridor, it is easy and easy to inspect the cargo support at the upper level of the shelves and the ingress / egress trains at the upper level. Can be done.

However, when a worker enters the inspection corridor, it is necessary to sufficiently confirm safety so as not to cause a collision with a moving train for loading and unloading. However, this safety confirmation work is neglected. There is a sufficient risk of causing an accident. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent inadvertent entry into the inspection corridor. The second purpose is to ensure sufficient safety even if you fail to check safety and enter the inspection corridor.

[0004]

The structural features of the present invention for achieving the above object are shown by the reference numerals of the embodiments to be described later in parentheses. A row of shelves (1A, 1B) and an inspection corridor built between both shelves (1A, 1B)
(2,3), and the upper and lower multi-tier entry / exit trains (8a-10c) that travel in the vertical multi-tier passages (A-C) divided by the inspection corridor (2,3). Elevating ladder for inspection corridor (2,3)
(22,23) is an automatic warehouse equipped with
23) is pivotally supported so that it can be opened and closed so that it also serves as a door that opens and closes the entrance of the inter-shelf aisle (A, B), and there is a lock means (30) that locks at the closed position of the inter-shelf aisle. It has characteristics.

In addition, in order to achieve the second purpose,
(24-26) and detection switch (41)
26) shows that inside the elevator ladder (22,23) at the stage with the elevator ladder (22,23), at the entrances and exits of the aisles (A to C) between each shelf,
One end is hooked on the locking device (40) so that it can be freely detached, and the detection switch (41) connects one end of the safety rope (24 to 26) to the locking device (40).
It detects the state removed from the, and its detection signal (41a)
This makes it possible to disable the automatic running of the entry / exit trains (8a-10c) in the inter-shelf passages (A-C) on which the safety ropes (24-26) are suspended.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1A and 1B in FIGS.
Is a side-by-side shelf, and inspection corridors 2 and 3 are erected in a plurality of upper and lower stages (two stages in the illustrated example) between both shelves 1A and 1B.
In each of a plurality of vertical passages A to C divided by these inspection corridors 2 and 3, shelves 1 adjacent to these passages A to C are provided.
Multiple upper and lower stages (three stages in the illustrated example) of the A and 1B load supporting portions 4
Corresponding to each level of a to 6a, 4b to 6b, 4c to 6c, the trains 8a to 10a, 8b to 10b, 8c to 1 for self-moving guided by the pair of left and right guide rails 7 are self-propelled.
0c is provided.

In each of the illustrated loading / unloading trains 8a to 10c, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of load pushing / pulling arms 11 capable of undulating and swinging sandwiches both sides of the load W in the transfer direction, and is placed on the train. Load support 12 and each load support 4a on the shelves 1A and 1B side
The load transfer means 13 is of a type that transfers horizontally to the left and right with respect to 6c, but the load transfer means 13 may be of any type such as a running fork type. Further, one stacker crane type loading / unloading train is provided in each of the upper and lower shelf passages A to C divided by the inspection corridors 2 and 3, and the lifting / lowering carriage of this loading / unloading train raises / lowers the carriage. The load transfer means mounted on the elevator carriage can be made to correspond to the load supporting portions 4a to 6a, 4b to 6b, 4c to 6c in a plurality of upper and lower stages adjacent to the inter-shelf passages A to C. It can also be configured to do so.

At one end of each of the shelves 1A and 1B, each step load supporting portion 4 is provided.
The transfer conveyor 14 for warehousing and the transfer conveyor 18 for unloading are provided for each level of a to 6a, 4b to 6b, 4c to 6c, and ascending / descending which can be stopped at a level connected to each of these stage transfer conveyors 14 and 18 A lifter 16 for loading and unloading and a lifter 20 for loading and unloading equipped with carriages 15 and 19 are provided side by side.
When the lift carriages 15, 19 of both lifters 16, 20 are at the lower limit level, these lift carriages 15, 1
9 and a conveyor 17 for warehousing and a conveyor 21 for unloading are provided side by side.

The load W to be stored in the shelf 1A or 1B is transferred from the storage conveyor 17 onto the elevator carriage 15 of the storage lifter 16 and is conveyed to a predetermined level by the lifter 16. Then, it is carried out from the elevating carriage 15 stopped at a predetermined level onto the warehousing transfer conveyor 14, and is conveyed by the warehousing transfer conveyor 14 to the transfer position for the warehousing trains 8a to 10c. The loading / unloading trains 8a to 10c at the loading target level stop at the transfer position (home position) with the loading transfer conveyor 14 and are transferred by the transfer means 13 of the loading / unloading trains 8a to 10c. The cargo W on the conveyor 14 is a train 8a for loading and unloading.
10a to 10c are loaded onto the load supporting portion 12 and are conveyed to the storage target positions in the inter-shelf passages A to C by the storage and storage trains 8a to 10c, and then the storage and storage trains 8a to 1c.
The load transfer means 13 on 0c transfers the goods to the load supporting portions 4a to 6c of the shelf 1A or 1B.

When the load W is to be unloaded from the load supporting portions 4a to 6c of the shelf 1A or 1B, the loading / unloading trains 8a to 10c at the relevant shipping target level are located at positions adjacent to the load supporting portions 4a to 6c. Traveling and stopping, the relevant train 8
Loads W on the load supporting portions 4a to 6c of the shelves 1A or 1B are transferred by the transfer means 13 on a to 10c.
It is taken in on the load supporting part 12 of c. And it is conveyed to the transfer position (home position) with respect to the transfer conveyor 18 for delivery by the said train 8a-10c for entry / exit. After this, the load W on the loading / unloading trains 8a to 10c is transferred to the transfer means 1
After the goods are transferred onto the goods transfer conveyor 18 by 3, the elevator carriage 19 of the goods lifter 20 stopped at the same level by the goods transfer conveyor 18
Reprinted on top. Outgoing lifter 20 that has received load W
The elevating carriage 19 of (1) sends the load W onto the delivery conveyor 21 after it has been lowered to the lower limit level, so that the load W is carried out by the delivery conveyor 21.

In the automatic warehouse as described above, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a ladder 22 for raising and lowering the middle inter-shelf passage B is disposed at the end entrance / exit of the lower inter-shelf passage A. An elevating ladder 23 for the upper inter-shelf passage B is arranged at the end entrance / exit of the middle inter-shelf passage B. In addition, safety ropes 24 to 26 are stretched around the end entrances and exits of all the inter-shelf passages A to C. The safety ropes 24 and 25 of the inter-shelf passages A and B having the lifting ladders 22 and 23 are
It is hung on the inside of 3 with a proper distance.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the elevating ladders 22 and 23 have the upper and lower bearing portions 2 of the vertical support portion 27 on one side.
8a and 28b are fitted to a pair of upper and lower vertical support shafts 29a and 29b fixed to the fixed frame side, and the vertical support shaft 29a
a and 29b are pivotally attached so that they can be opened and closed, and the inter-shelf passage A,
Locking means 30 for locking the end entrance and exit of B at the closed position is also provided. This locking means 30 has a long hole 32 and a pin 3 at the lower end of a vertical column portion 31 (shorter than the vertical column portion 27 on one side) on the other side of the lifting ladders 22, 23.
A cylindrical body 34 loosely fitted so as to be able to move up and down within a certain range through
And a vertical pin 35 fixed to the fixed frame 36 side so that the ladders 22 and 23 for raising and lowering are located directly under the vertical support 31 when the ladders 22 and 23 are in the passage closed position.

Therefore, after the cylinders 34 are lifted as shown in FIG. 4, the elevating ladders 22 and 23 are closed to the inter-shelf passage closing position, and then the cylinders 34 are lowered to the fixed frame 36 side. By externally fitting the vertical pin 35, the lifting ladders 22 and 23 are locked in the closed position. When the raising and lowering ladders 22 and 23 are opened, the cylindrical body 34 may be lifted and separated from the vertical pin 35 upward.

As shown in FIG. 5, the safety ropes 24 to 26 are formed from ropes or chains whose one ends are engaged with a locking ring 37 fixed to a fixed frame 36 (which may be the guide rail 7) on one side of the passage. A pin 39 having a bendable retaining piece 38 at its tip is attached to the other end. The pin 39 can be inserted into and removed from a locking tool 40 fixed to the fixed frame 36 (or the guide rail 7) on the other side of the passage. After being inserted into the locking tool 40, the pin 39 projects to the opposite side. By bending the retaining piece 38 at the tip of the pin, it is locked with respect to the locking tool 40, and the inter-shelf passages A to C are formed.
Is stretched to a closed state. When removing the safety cords 24 to 26, the pin 39 may be pulled out from the locking tool 40 in a state where the retaining piece 38 at the tip of the pin is turned in the axial direction of the pin.

The pin 39 of the safety ropes 24 to 26 is attached to the locking tool 40.
A switch 41 for detecting a state of being engaged with is also provided. As the switch 41, it is possible to use a limit switch for detecting the pin 39 inserted in the locking tool 40 in a contact type, or a magnetic sensor or photoelectric sensor for detecting in a non-contact type. The detection signal 41a of the detection switch 41 is generated by the three entry / exit trains 8a to 10c in the inter-shelf passages A to C to which the safety lines 24 to 26 to be detected belong.
Detection switch 4 for disabling the safety rope 22 of the lower passage A, for example.
Taking 1 as an example, the automatic driving signal transmission circuits 44 to 4 for the respective entry / exit trains 8a to 10a in the lower passage A.
The normally closed switches 47 to 49 in 6 are opened.
Since the manual operation signal transmission circuits 50 to 52 for the respective entry / exit trains 8a to 10a remain unchanged, the entry / exit trains 8a to 10a can be manually operated even if the safety rope 24 is removed.

Numeral 42 is a train 8a-10c for loading and unloading.
43 is a control device for the traveling drive device 42, and the control device 43 controls the automatic driving signals from the transmission circuits 44 to 46 and the manual operation from the transmission circuits 50 to 52. Upon receipt of the operation signal, the warehousing trains 8a to 10c are automatically or manually operated.

According to the above construction, three entry / exit trains 8a that enter the inter-shelf passage A and travel along the inter-shelf passage A are provided.
-10a, and when carrying out maintenance and inspection work on the lower three-stage load supporting portions 4a to 6a of the shelves 1A and 1B adjacent to the inter-shelf passage A, the end entrance / exit of the inter-shelf passage A is closed. The safety rope 2 in which the elevator ladder 22 that also serves as a door is opened in the above-described manner, and the end entrance / exit of the inter-shelf passage A is closed.
4 can be removed in the above-mentioned manner to enter the inter-shelf passage A. At this time, when there is an automatic driving train in the loading / unloading trains 8a to 10a, it is automatically stopped by the detection signal 41a when the safety rope 24 is removed. Of course, since the automatic driving signal transmission circuits 44 to 46 for the entry and exit trains 8a to 10a are opened, the entry and exit trains 8a to 10a in the inter-shelf passage A are automatically operated as long as the safety rope 24 is removed. I can't do that either.

When entering the middle inter-shelf passage B, the elevator ladder 23 and the safety rope 25, which close the end entrance of the inter-shelf passage B, are opened, and the end entrance of the lower inter-shelf passage A is closed. It is possible to climb to the middle shelf-to-shelf passage B by using the lifting ladder 22. When entering the upper shelf passage C, the safety rope 26 that closes the end entrance / exit of the shelf entrance passage C is opened, and the lifting ladder 22 and the middle ladder that closes the end entrance / exit of the lower shelf entrance A. By using the lifting ladder 23 that closes the end entrance / exit of the inter-shelf passage B, the upper shelf passage C
Can go up to. In either case, the safety rope 25,2
By the detection signal 41a when 6 is removed, the automatic operation of the three loading / unloading trains 8b-10b in the middle shelf passage A or the three loading / unloading trains 8c-10c in the upper shelf passage C Cannot be done.

When the safety ropes 24 to 26 are removed, the loading and unloading trains 8a to 10c in automatic operation are automatically stopped on the spot, but the safety ropes 24 to 26 and the lifting ladder 22, It may be configured such that the trains 8a to 10c for loading and unloading are automatically run to the end of the passage on the side far from the end of the passage where 23 is arranged, and then stopped. In addition, an indicator light indicating that the vehicle is in automatic storage is attached to the end faces of the passages A to C of the entrance / exit trains 8a to 10c toward the end entrance / exit side. 24-2
When opening 6, trains 8a-10 for loading and unloading in passages A-C
It is also preferable that the operator can easily confirm whether or not c is traveling automatically.

In the illustrated example, the inter-shelf passages A to C have a work place for delivering and receiving goods between the trains 8a to 10c for loading and unloading and the transfer conveyors 14 and 18 for loading and unloading, that is, the ends on the home position side. Was used as the doorway, but the doorways for the inter-shelf passages A to C were set as the passage ends on the side opposite to the home position side, and the ladders 22 and 23 for lifting and the safety ropes 24 to
26 may be provided, and both ends of the passages A to C between the shelves are used as entrances and exits, and the ladders 22 and 23 for raising and lowering and the safety rope 24 are respectively provided.
~ 26 can also be provided. In addition, passage C between upper shelves
At the end entrance / exit of the elevator, a ladder for raising and lowering that also serves as an opening / closing door or a door in place of this is provided, and the safety ropes 24 to 26 are not provided.
It is also possible to provide a switch for detecting that the raising and lowering ladder is opened, and to perform the same control as the detection switch 41 of the above-mentioned embodiment by the detection switch.

[0021]

As described above, according to the automatic warehouse of the present invention, the ladder for raising and lowering to the inspection corridor installed in the inter-shelf aisle has the end of the inter-shelf aisle below the inspection corridor. Since it also serves as a door that opens and closes the entrance / exit, and is locked by the locking means at the closed position between the shelves, the lifting ladder prevents workers from inadvertently entering the inter-shelf passage. You can do it. Moreover, the equipment cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the door for opening and closing the end entrance and exit of the inter-shelf passage and the lifting ladder for the upper inter-shelf passage are separately provided.

In particular, as also shown in the embodiment, a safety cable which can be freely attached and detached is provided at the end entrance and exit of the passage between each shelf in addition to the lifting ladder, and a detection signal when the safety cable is removed. Therefore, when disabling the automatic movement of the entry / exit train in the aisle between the shelves where the safety rope is hung, the entry / exit train in the aisle between shelves that is in the process of maintenance is automatically operated. It is possible to prevent a personal injury or the like due to a worker accidentally entering the inter-shelf aisle during which the entry / exit train is automatically operating.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the overall configuration.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a configuration of a main part.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a lifting ladder.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a locking means of a lifting ladder.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view and a block diagram showing a configuration of a safety rope and control means related thereto.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1A, 1B Shelf 2, 3 Inspection corridor 4a-6c Each shelf support section 8a-10c Loading / unloading train 22,23 Lifting ladder 24-26 Safety rope 30 Locking means for lifting ladder 40 Locking safety rope Tool 41 Detection switch 41a Detection signal 42 Travel drive device 43 Control device 44-46 Automatic operation signal transmission circuit 47-49 Normally closed switch 50-52 Manual operation signal transmission circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A two-row shelf (1A, 1B), an inspection corridor (2, 3) installed between both shelves (1A, 1B), and an upper and lower section divided by the inspection corridor (2, 3). Equipped with upper and lower tiers of loading and unloading trains (8a to 10c) that run in each direction multi-passage (A to C), and ladders (22,23) for raising and lowering inspection corridors (2,3) In an automatic warehouse, the lifting ladders (22,23) are pivotally supported so that they can be opened and closed to double as doors that open and close the entrances and exits of the inter-shelf aisles (A, B), and lock at the inter-shelf aisle closed position. Automated warehouse with locking means (30). 2. A safety rope (24-26) and a detection switch (41) are provided, and the safety rope (24-26) is provided with a ladder (22, 23) for raising and lowering the ladder (22, 23). 23) Inside the corridor between each shelf
One end of the (A to C) entrance and exit is hooked on the locking device (40) so that it can be freely detached, and the detection switch (41) is connected to the safety cord (24 to 26).
It detects the state where one end of the is removed from the locking tool (40).
The detection signal (41a) is used to move in and out of the trains (8a to 10a) for loading and unloading in the aisles (A to C) between the shelves where the safety ropes (24 to 26) are suspended.
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the automatic traveling of c) is disabled.