JPH07196109A - Cargo aligning method of objects - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To check whether the number of objects which are taken out by layer unit from a pallet by a layer unit take-out device agrees with the sched uled number of objects (registered number of objects) or not and correct the volume of shipment simply and correctly without impeding the operation of a cargo aligning facility, if the above number differs from the scheduled number. CONSTITUTION:It is a cargo aligning method of objects by which the objects in cargo are aligned by using a layer unit take-out device 13 and an individual take-out device 95 and the objects taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13 are assorted into the objects for shipment and the objects for replenishment of a temporary storage facility 15. The number of actual objects taken out by layer unit is calculated by a measuring instrument (object pass detector 76) which is provided between the layer unit take-out device 13 and an assorting device 14. If the number of actual objects is short and smaller than the registered number of objects by layer unit, the number of objects which are replenished into the temporary storage facility by means of the assorting device is reduced by the number of objects in shortage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for arranging articles in which the ordered articles are taken out from an automated warehouse or the like and the articles are arranged.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of arranging goods for shipping articles in accordance with an order, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-31924, a layer unit take-out device and an individual take-out device are combined. There is something. That is, in this conventional technique, a layer-by-layer take-out device for taking out the articles stacked and stored in multiple layers on a pallet in layer units, a temporary storage facility (fluid shelf) for temporarily storing one article at a time, and a temporary storage Using an individual take-out device that takes out the articles stored in the facility in units of one, and a sorter that sorts the articles taken out in the layer unit by the layer-unit take-out apparatus for shipping and for supplementing the temporary storage facility, Items are sorted as follows.

When the stock of the temporary storage facility is low, the articles of the ordered number or more are taken out in layers, and the ordered number of articles are shipped and the surplus articles are replenished to the temporary storage facility.

When there is a large stock of temporary storage equipment, the articles of the ordered articles or less are taken out in layer units, all the articles in layer units are distributed to shipping, and the shortage is taken out by an individual take-out device.

[0005]

However, in the prior art, the number of articles taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out apparatus is not confirmed immediately after taking out the articles. Then, the articles sorted for shipping by the sorting apparatus, and the articles fetched for shipping from the temporary storage facility by the individual pickup apparatus, respectively,
It just counts just before the shipping merging section (merging section of the sorting conveyor) and confirms whether or not there is a required number of shipped articles.

Therefore, in the prior art, if the number of articles taken out by the layer unit take-out device in the layer unit is different from the number of registered articles in the layer unit, it is not known until just before the above-mentioned shipping joining section, and the shipping joining is performed. Only after the number of articles to be taken out is confirmed immediately before the set, the operation for taking out the shortage separately is started. Then, in the separate take-out operation of this shortage, whether the new shortage should be taken out from the automatic warehouse or the temporary storage facility is calculated, and based on the calculation result, the operation control of the layer unit take-out device and the individual take-out device is performed. It will be done. As a result, the steady operation of the load arranging equipment must be interrupted for a relatively long time, and the operation efficiency of the arranging equipment is reduced.

The present invention checks whether or not the number of articles taken out from the pallet by the layer unit take-out device in the layer unit is the expected number of articles (the number of registered articles). The purpose is to correct the shipping amount without error without disturbing the operation of the assortment equipment.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a layer-by-layer take-out device for taking out the articles, which are stacked and stored in multiple layers on a pallet, in a layer-by-layer basis, and the articles are temporarily stored in a unit. The temporary storage facility, the individual take-out device for taking out the articles stored in the temporary storage facility one by one, the article taken out by the layer unit by the layer unit take-out device, and the replenishment of the temporary storage facility. In the method of arranging articles by using an allocating device for allocating goods, a counter provided between the unloading device for each layer unit and the allocating device counts the actual number of the products taken out for each layer. However, when the actual number of articles is less than the number of registered articles of the layer unit, the number of articles to be replenished to the temporary storage facility by the sorting device is reduced by this number of insufficient articles.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, among the articles taken out by the layer unit take-out apparatus in layer units, the articles taken out later are for replenishment to the temporary storage facility. It was done like this.

[0010]

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the following effects are obtained. Before sorting the articles taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out device into shipping and replenishment to the temporary storage facility, the actual number of articles taken out in the layer unit is counted, and when the actual number of articles is less than the number of registered articles, (a) Secure the required number of items to be shipped by reducing the number of items to be replenished for temporary storage facilities that are not needed for the time being, (b) If there is still a shortage, the shortage will be automatically stored or temporarily stored. Which of the two should be taken out is immediately recalculated without delay, and the operation of the layer unit take-out device and the individual take-out device is controlled based on the result of this re-calculation. Therefore, even if the above-mentioned shortage of the number of articles to be taken out in layer units occurs, the number of articles to be shipped is corrected so as not to make a mistake without interrupting the steady operation of the load assembling equipment or only for a relatively short time. The operation efficiency of the assortment equipment can be improved.

The present invention according to claim 2 has the following effects. When the items taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out device are sorted into shipping and replenishment to the temporary storage facility, if the article to be taken out first is used for replenishment to the temporary storage facility, if the number of articles to be taken out per layer is large, the actual article When it is found that the number of items to be replenished is less than the number of registered items, all of the planned number of replenished items have already been distributed to the temporary storage facility side. You may not be able to Since the number of replenishment items is less than the storage capacity of the temporary storage facility, prepare a space for this between the counter and the sorting device, and use the items after being enrolled in this space for correction. The articles can be appropriately distributed and adjusted within the space, and the above-mentioned number of insufficient articles can be corrected appropriately and reliably.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the overall flow of load arranging equipment, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the confirmation processing flow of the number of articles to be taken out, FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing load arranging equipment, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a main part of the layer-by-layer take-out device, FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the alignment operation of the alignment device, FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing temporary storage equipment, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment, FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of missing article correction, and FIG. 10 is a third diagram showing missing article correction.
It is a schematic diagram which shows an Example.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the load arranging facility 10 includes an automatic warehouse 11, a pallet carrier 12, a layer unit take-out device 13, a sorting device 14, a temporary storage facility (fluid shelf) 15, a sorting conveyor 16, It is configured to have a plurality of load sorting conveyors 17. Specifically, the following (A)
(F).

(A) Automatic warehouse 11 (FIG. 3) The automatic warehouse 11 stores a pallet load in and out, a loading / unloading rail line 21, a loading / unloading auxiliary conveyor 22A and a loading line 22B, and a pallet load. It has a stacker crane 23 for transporting and distributing, and a high-rise rack 24 for storing pallet loads. The pallet load is configured by stacking articles in multiple layers on a pallet.

(B) Pallet carrier 12 (FIG. 3) The pallet carrier 12 travels on the loading / unloading rail line 21, and (a) transfers the pallet load carried in from the loading station to the loading line 22A, and (b) ) Delivery line 22B
The pallet load carried out from the pallet unit is delivered to the layer unit take-out device 13, and (c) the remaining pallet load taken out in the layer unit by the layer unit take-out device 13 is delivered to the storage line 22A.

(C) Layer unit take-out device 13 (FIGS. 3 to 6) The layer unit take-out device 13 has a pallet handling section 13A and a layer handling section 13 as shown in FIGS.
B, and an alignment section 13C.

(C-1) Pallet handling section 13A (FIGS. 3 and 4) The pallet handling section 13A includes a pallet introduction conveyor 31 which crosses the entry / exit rail line 21 of the automatic warehouse 11 and introduces a pallet load. Pallet introduction conveyor 3
There is provided a pallet receiving lifting conveyor 32 for receiving the pallet load introduced by No. 1 and a pallet discharging conveyor 33 for discharging the pallet from the pallet receiving lifting conveyor 32. The pallet payout conveyor 33 pays back the remaining pallet load taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13 in units of layers to the loading / unloading rail line 21, and
An empty pallet stacking device 34 is provided for empty pallets after all the pallet loads have been taken out by the layer unit unloading device 13.
Hand over to. The pallet receiving lifting conveyor 32 includes a lifting device 32A.

(C-2) Layer handling section 13B (FIGS. 3 to 5) The layer handling section 13B includes a layer unit extracting device 13
A layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35 for receiving the pallet load taken out by the layer unit and a layer discharging conveyor (chain conveyor) 36 for guiding the pallet load in the layer unit received by the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35 to the aligning unit 13C are provided. There is. The layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35 includes a lifting device 35A.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the layer unit take-out device 13 includes the pallet receiving / lifting conveyor 32 and the layer handling section 13 of the pallet handling section 13A.
It has a frame 41 that surrounds the B layer receiving lift conveyor 35. Traveling rails 42, 42 are disposed on the upper surface of the frame member 41A located above the frame body 41. A carriage 43 is movably arranged on the traveling rails 42, 42, and a gripping device 44 is arranged on the carriage 43.

The gripping device 44, as shown in FIG.
A pair of opposing gripping plates 45, 46 and 47 (not shown),
48, and opposed gripping plates 45, 46 and 47, 4
8 is configured to expand and contract with the center of the carriage 43 as a reference point to grip and release the articles of the pallet load in layer units. That is, the gripping device 44 is configured so that the carriage 43
A pair of frame members 49A, 49A arranged above and a pair of frame members 49B, 49B orthogonal to the frame members 49A, 49A
(Not shown), a cross-shaped connecting body 49C arranged at the position of the reference point, and the frame members 49A, 49A and 49.
Guide tubes 51, 52 and 53 (not shown) connected between the inner surfaces of B and 49B and the connecting body 49C, respectively.
4, slide bosses 55, 56 and 57 (not shown), which are slidably fitted in the guide cylinders 51, 52, 53 and 54, and the slide bosses 55, 56 and 57, 5
8 is provided with cylinders 61, 62 and 63 (not shown), 64 (not shown), and the cylinders 61, 6 are provided.
One end of each of 2 and 63, 64 is connected to the connecting body 49C, and each of the rods 61A, 62A and 6 is connected.
One end of 3A (not shown), 64A (not shown) is connected to the upper side of the slide bosses 55, 56 and 57, 58, and the cylinders 61, 62 and 63, 64 are driven to drive the slide bosses 55, 56. And 57, 58 are configured to slide.

The slide bosses 55, 56 and 5 are also provided.
On the lower side of 7, 58, the grip plates 45, 46 and 47, 4 are provided.
8 are connected to each other, and the cylinders 61 and 62 are connected.
By driving 63 and 64, the grip plates 45, 46 and 47, 48 are respectively expanded and contracted as described above.

The grip plates 45 and 46 and the grip plate 4
It does not interfere with 7 and 48, and is configured to be able to grip an article in layer units from four directions without hindrance according to the size of the pallet load.

Further, on the lower surface of the frame member 41A, a pallet load rising through the elevating device 32A is detected substantially above a pair of diagonally opposed corners of the pallet receiving and elevating device conveyor 32. A pair of photo switches PH1 and PH2 are provided, and the pallet load is lifted through the elevating device 32A, and the pallet load blocks the light beam between the photo switches PH1 and PH2 to raise the height of the article by one layer. After a lapse of a time determined in accordance with the above, the lifting device 32A is stopped and the cylinders 61, 6 are
By driving 2 and 63, 64 to close the grip plates 45, 46 and 47, 48, the uppermost article is gripped in layer units. Further, a pressure switch (not shown) is arranged in the pipes leading to the cylinders 61, 62 and 63, 64, and grips the articles in units of layers with a preset pressure (gripping force), and the pressure switch grips the predetermined grip. When the force is detected, the lifting device 32A is driven to lower the other article aggregate on the pallet P by a preset distance to separate the layer-by-layer article B from the other article aggregate on the pallet P. The drive device 65 provided on the carriage 43 is driven to drive the carriage 43 to the layer receiving / lifting device conveyor 35 side.

Further, the layer unit take-out device 13 is configured to drive the lifting device 35A of the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35 to raise the conveyor 35 as the carriage 43 travels.

On the lower surface of the frame member 41A, two pairs of photoswitches PH3, PH4 and PH5 are provided so that the light beam obliquely passes above the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35.
6 is provided, and the pair of photo switches PH3 and 4 is provided above the other pair of photo switches PH5 and PH6. When the light beams of the upper photoswitches PH3 and PH4 are blocked by the layer receiving lift conveyor 35 which rises as described above, the lift device 35A is moved to the position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. The gripping device 45 is stopped at a position in contact with the lower surface of the gripped layer-unit article B and the cylinders 61, 62 and 63, 64 of the gripping device 44 are driven to open and grip the gripping plates 45, 46 and 47, 48, respectively. The article B in units of layers is released and delivered to the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35. Further, when the lifting device 35A receives the articles B in units of layers from the gripping device 44 to the layer receiving lifting conveyor 35,
Down to the level of the layer transfer conveyor 36 on the downstream side,
When the lowering position is reached, the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35 is received.
Drive the article B in layer units to the layer transfer conveyor 36, and convey the article B to the next step by the conveyor 36. Further, when the layer receiving and elevating conveyor 35 descends and the upper surface of the article B reaches below the light rays of the lower photoswitches PH5 and PH6, and the light blocking state between the photoswitches PH5 and PH6 is eliminated, the carriage 43 is released.
The driving device 65 is driven to move the gripping device 44 to the pallet receiving / lifting conveyor 32 side.

Limit switches LS1 and LS2 are provided at both ends of the carriage 43 in the traveling direction, and dogs are provided on both sides of the frame member 41A corresponding to the limit switches LS1 and LS2 of the carriage 43. D1, D
2 are provided. The driving device 65 of the carriage 43 stops when LS1 detects D1 and sets the gripping device 44 directly above the pallet receiving lift conveyor 32, and stops when LS2 detects D2 and gripping device. Four
4 is set right above the layer receiving / lifting conveyor 35.

(C-3) (FIGS. 3, 4, and 6) The aligning unit 13C transfers the layer-by-layer articles transferred from the layer-outgoing conveyor 36 to the exit side of the layer-outgoing conveyor 36 of the layer-handling unit 13B. An elevating stopper 71 for temporarily stopping B is provided, and a row cutting conveyor 72 is provided on the exit side of the stopper 71. Layer delivery conveyor 36
V ₁ and the conveying speed of, when the conveying speed of the train cut conveyor 72 and v _2, v is ₁ <v _2, column cutout conveyor 72 of the article of the layer units on the layer payout conveyor 36, the top side 1 Cut out rows of articles.

An elevating chain conveyor 73 and a low speed conveyor 74 are provided on the exit side of the row cutting conveyor 72, and a high speed conveyor 75 is provided on the exit side of the low speed conveyor 74.
The elevating chain conveyor 73 has the elevating stopper 71 descending so that among the articles in layer units on the layer delivering conveyor 36,
When the row cutout conveyor 72 cuts out one row of articles on the front end side, the row cutout conveyor 72 is set to the raised position, and the row cutout conveyor 72 receives the cutout one row of articles. The elevating chain conveyor 73 is set to the lowered position when receiving one row of articles, and transfers the one row of articles to the low speed conveyor 74. When the transport speed of the low speed conveyor 74 is v ₃ , and the transport speed of the high speed conveyor 75 is v ₄ , v ₃ <v ₄ and
The high speed conveyor 75 is delivered from the low speed conveyor 74 1
Space the articles in rows.

Here, the aligning section 13C is used for the low speed conveyor 7
4 and high speed conveyor 75 between article passing detector (counter)
76 is installed so that the number of passing articles can be counted.

The alignment operation by the alignment unit 13C is as follows.
It is like (1) to (6) (Fig. 6). (1) Layer unit take-out device 13 is layer handling section 13B
Items picked up in layers are stored in the layer receiving elevator 3
5 is sent to the layer discharge conveyor 36 (see FIG. 6).
(A)).

(2) Lifting stopper 7 on the entry side of the alignment section 13C
1 descends, and the layer-cutting-out conveyor 72 cuts out the articles in the first row on the leading end side among the articles in the layer unit on the layer-discharging conveyor 36 that are picked up by the layer-unit picking device 13. When the row cutting conveyor 72 cuts out one row of articles, the elevating stopper 71 moves up and stops the remaining remaining articles on the layer payout conveyor 36. Row cutting conveyor 72
The article cut out by the above is received by the chain conveyor 73 in the raised position (FIG. 6 (B)).

(3) When the elevating chain conveyor 73 has completed receiving one row of articles, the elevating chain conveyor 73 is set to the lowered position, and one row of articles is fed by the low speed conveyor 74.
And then transferred to the high speed conveyor 75. The high-speed conveyor 75 sets a space for one row of articles delivered from the low-speed conveyor 74, and an article passage detector 76 installed on the entrance side of the high-speed conveyor 75 allows each of the articles in the first row among the articles in layer units. The passage of the article is detected (FIG. 6C).

(4) By repeating the above (2), the low-speed conveyer 7 picks up the second-row articles among the articles in the layer unit which were taken out by the layer-unit take-out device 13 and were on the layer-feeding conveyor 36.
Cut out to the 4 side (FIG. 6 (D)).

(5) The above (3) is repeated to detect the passage of each article in the second row among the articles in layer units (see FIG. 6).
(E)).

(6) The above-mentioned steps (2) to (5) are repeated until the final row of the articles in the layer unit taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13 and on the layer pay-out conveyor 36 (Fig. 6).
(F)).

Article passing detector 76 according to the above (1) to (6)
From the detection result of (3), the total number of articles constituting the layer unit taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13, that is, the actual number of articles in the layer unit is counted.

The aligning section 13C is provided with a turn device 77 on the high speed conveyor 75. The turning device 77 adjusts the amount of entry of the aligning rod 78, which is moved forward and backward by the cylinder 77A, onto the high-speed conveyor 75 according to the size of the article, and aligns the article posture in the longitudinal direction.

(D) Sorting device 14 (FIG. 3) The sorting device 14 is provided on the exit side of the high-speed conveyor 75, and replenishes the articles picked up in layer units by the layer unit picking device 13 with the shipping line 81A. Line 81
Divide into B.

The sorting device 14 moves the sorting gate 83, which causes the cylinder 82 to swing, into and out of the article transport area of the high-speed conveyor 75, and sorts the article transport path to either the shipping line 81A or the replenishment line 81B.

(E) Temporary Storage Facility 15 (FIGS. 3 and 7) The temporary storage facility 15 temporarily stores the replenishment articles distributed by the allocating device 14 to the replenishment line 81B one by one.

The temporary storage facility 15 has a large number of inclined flow shelves 91 in multiple rows, one fluid shelves 91 each.
Store one kind of goods in.

The temporary storage facility 15 is a replenishment line 81B.
An article supply device 92 is provided between the full flow shelf 91 and the fluidized bed 91. The article supply device 92 travels on a rail 93 provided along the back surface (article supply surface) of all the fluidized shelves 91, and is stopped at the frontage of the back surface of the fluidized shelves 91 corresponding to the type of article to be supplied, and a replenishment line. The article conveyed by 81B is supplied to the fluidized shelf 91.

In the temporary storage facility 15, an individual takeout device 95 is provided between the all-fluid shelf 91 and the individual takeout line 94. The individual take-out device 95 travels on a rail 96 provided along the front surface (the article take-out surface) of all the fluidized shelves 91 and stops at the frontage of the fluidized shelves 91 corresponding to the type of the taken-out article. The articles stored in 91 are taken out one by one, and the articles are paid out to the individual take-out line 94.

(F) Sorting Conveyor 16 and Load Sorting Conveyor 17 (FIG. 3) The sorting conveyor 16 has a shipping line 81A connected to the high-speed conveyor 75 of the layer unit takeout device 13 and an individual takeout device 95 of the temporary storage facility 15. Starting from the confluence with the continuous individual take-out line 94, it extends so as to be connected to the plurality of load sorting conveyors 17. Each of the load sorting conveyors 17 is branched and connected to the sorting conveyor 16 so as to be in parallel with each other for each delivery destination. Each delivery vehicle 101 can be set in and taken out from each of the load sorting conveyors 17.

Hereinafter, the overall flow of the load arranging work by the load arranging equipment 10 and the flow of processing for confirming the number of articles taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13 will be described.

(Overall flow of the load arranging work) (FIGS. 1 and 2) In the load arranging facility 10, when the goods are aligned according to the order and shipped, the layer unit take-out device 13 from the automatic warehouse 11 is used.
And the individual take-out device 95 from the temporary storage facility 15 are combined.

Further, the articles in layer units taken out by the layer unit taking out device 13 are distributed by the allocating device 14 for shipping to the shipping line 81A and for replenishing to the replenishing line 81B.

Specifically, it is performed as follows. That is,
When the number of ordered articles is O, the free space of the fluidized shelf 91 is S, and the number of registered articles in each layer is C, the number of layers F of articles to be taken out in each layer is F = (O + S) / C (rounded down to the nearest whole number) … Determined in (1). Further, when the articles are taken out in layer units by the layer unit take-out device 13 and a part or all of the taken-out articles are to be shipped, (a) the rest of the taken-out articles is supplied to the flow shelf 91, or (b) Whether or not the articles taken out from the individual take-out device 95 are also for shipping, (a) When F × C> O, the number of supplies (R) to the fluidized shelf 91 is R = F × C−O (2) ( b) When F × C <O, the individual take-out device 95 also takes out. The number of taken out parts (P) is determined by P = O−F × C (3).

For example, the number of ordered articles is 10 and the free space is 3.
F = (10 + 3) / 8 (decimal cut off) = 1 when there are 8 layers and 8 layer units. Therefore, only one layer is extracted by the layer unit extraction device 13.

Further, the judgment formula is: F × C = 8 This is smaller than the number of ordered articles of 10. Therefore, it is the above (b), and the individual take-out device 95 takes out.

The number of pieces taken out is P = 10-8 = 2 Therefore, only two pieces are taken out by the individual take-out device 95.

Further, in the above example (10 ordered items, 8 layer units), when the empty capacity is 7, F = (10 + 7) / 8 (rounded down to the nearest whole number) = 2 Therefore, only 2 layers It is taken out by the unit take-out device 13.

Further, the judgment formula is: F × C = 16 Since this is larger than the actual ordered number of 10, it is the above (a) and is supplied to the fluidized shelf 91.

The number of supplies is R = 16-10 = 6. Therefore, 6 pieces are supplied to the fluidized rack 91.

The flow of goods from the automated warehouse 11 is as follows.
It becomes like (1)-(4). (1) As described above, the number of layers F taken out according to the number O of ordered items
After determining, the required number of pallet loads are taken out from the automatic warehouse 11.

(2) The pallet load is carried to the layer unit take-out device 13 via the pallet carrier truck 12.

Before taking out, the bar code reader 25 reads the bar code of the pallet load and checks whether the product type is correct.

If they are different, they are changed to the correct type, returned to the automatic warehouse 11, and taken out anew.

(3) The required number of layers of the article is taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13. The actual number of articles for one layer is counted by the article passage detector 76 near the exit of the layer-by-layer take-out device 13, and the number of articles in the registered layer unit (the number of registered articles) is compared to check whether or not they match. .

If they are different, the correction is performed according to the flow for confirming the number of taken-out articles, which will be described later.

(4) Based on the judgment results of (a) and (b) above,
(a) Allocate the rest of the retrieved layer-by-layer articles for excluding shipment and replenish the fluidized shelves 91, or (b) The individual take-out device 95 takes out from the fluidized shelf 91.

After the shipment line 81A and the individual take-out line 94 join together, the load for shipment is sorted from the sorting conveyor 16 to a plurality of load sorting conveyors 17 and loaded on each delivery vehicle 101.

(Flow of Confirmation Process of Number of Articles Taken Out) (FIG. 2) (1) Every time one layer is taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out device 13, the actual number of articles is counted from the detection result of the article passage detector 76.

When the actual number of articles is different from the number of registered articles, the actual number of articles and the number of registered articles are displayed on the display near the layer-by-layer take-out device 13 (simultaneously notified by a buzzer or the like).

(2) Check if the operator is really different. The cause of the difference is that the items may fall out during removal,
There are different stacking patterns, product boxes made by sticking two box-shaped products together, and two pieces are peeled off.

(3) After checking, enter the correct number of sheets to be taken out. And if there are many, remove unnecessary ones.

In the case where the number is insufficient, if the number of deficient articles can be covered by the number of replenishing articles on the fluidized shelves 91A, the number of replenishment articles to the replenishment line 81B and the fluidized shelves 91 by the distribution device 14 is reduced by the number of insufficient articles.

In the case where the number of insufficient articles cannot be covered by the number of supplementary articles even if the number is insufficient, the total number of articles to be taken out is for shipment to the shipping line 81A by the sorting device 14,
Still, the insufficient amount is calculated again by the formulas (1) to (3), and is additionally taken out from the automated warehouse 11 or the floating shelf 91.

When performing the distribution work of the distribution device 14 based on the above (3), the layer unit take-out device 1
Among the articles to be taken out by 3 in layer units, the articles to be taken out later are to be replenished to the temporary storage facility 15.

Hereinafter, when the actual number of articles taken out by the layer-by-layer taking-out device 13 is less than the number of registered articles,
A specific correction example will be described.

(First embodiment) (FIG. 8) Example of reducing and correcting the number of replenished articles to the fluidized shelves 91 The pallet load consists of three layers (8 registered articles), 21 ordered articles and planned replenishment articles When the number was 3, the number of actual articles in the second layer was 7, and the number of insufficient articles in the second layer was 1. At this time, the number of replenishment items is corrected to 2 by reducing the planned number of replenishment items from 3 to 1 insufficiency. That is,

As for the first layer, all the eight actual articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data of the first layer to be input to the picking control device (computer) is eight.

For the second layer, all seven actual articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the second layer is seven.

As for the third layer, 6 out of 8 actual articles are used for shipping, and the remaining 2 are used for replenishment. That is,
The shipment data of the third layer is corrected to 6 and the supplementary data is corrected to 2. From the above items, the number of ordered items of 21 is satisfied.

(Second Embodiment) (FIG. 9) Example of Additional Delivery of Ordered Goods The pallet load consists of three layers (8 registered goods), 24 ordered goods, 0 planned supplementary goods (none) ), The number of actual articles in the second layer was 7, and the number of insufficient articles in the second layer was 1. At this time, the number of insufficient articles is 1 and the number of supplementary articles is 0, and the shortage is subject to additional delivery. That is,
It is below.

For the first layer, all eight actual articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the first layer is eight.

For the second layer, all seven actual articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the second layer is seven.

For the third layer, all the eight actual articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the third layer is eight.

Due to the above items, the number of ordered items is insufficient by one, and therefore an additional warehousing is performed.

(Third Embodiment) (FIG. 10) An example in which the number of replenished articles to the fluidized shelves 91 is corrected and the ordered articles are additionally taken out. The pallet load consists of three layers (the number of registered articles is eight). When the number of articles was 21 and the planned number of supplementary articles was 3, the actual number of articles in the second layer was 4, and the number of insufficient articles in the second layer was 4. At this time, the number of replenishment articles is −1, which is obtained by subtracting four shortage articles from the planned three replenishment articles, and is corrected to zero. Further, the number of insufficient articles is 4 and the number of supplementary articles is 0, and the shortage is subject to additional delivery. That is,
Is.

For the first layer, all the eight real articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the first layer is eight.

For the second layer, all four real articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the second layer is four.

For the third layer, all the eight real articles are used for shipping, and the shipping data for the third layer is corrected to eight.

From the above, it is assumed that the number of replenished articles to the fluidized shelves 91 is corrected to 0 and the number of ordered articles is insufficient by one, so that additional delivery is performed.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. Before the articles taken out by the layer unit take-out device 13 are sorted into shipping and replenishment to the temporary storage facility 15, the number of actual articles taken out in a layer unit is counted, and the actual number of articles is less than the number of registered articles. In this case, (a) secure the required number of items to be shipped by reducing the number of items to be replenished to the temporary storage facility 15 that are not needed for the time being, and (b) if the amount is still insufficient, the shortfall is made to the automatic warehouse 11 Alternatively, which of the temporary storage facilities 15 should be additionally taken out is immediately recalculated without delay, and based on the result of this recalculation, the layer unit extraction device 1
3. The operation of the individual take-out device 95 is controlled.
Therefore, even if the above-mentioned shortage of the number of articles to be taken out in layer units occurs, the number of articles to be shipped is corrected so as not to make a mistake without interrupting the steady operation of the load assembling equipment 10 or only for a relatively short time. The operation efficiency of the load assembling equipment 10 can be improved.

When the articles taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out device 13 are sorted into shipping and replenishment to the temporary storage facility 15, if the article to be taken out first is to be replenished to the temporary storage facility 15, the number of articles taken out in layer units When the number of actual articles is less than the number of registered articles, the planned number of supplementary articles has already been distributed to the temporary storage facility 15 side when the number of actual articles is less than the number of registered articles. Sometimes it is not possible to do the work of reducing the number. Since the number of replenished articles is less than or equal to the storage capacity of the temporary storage facility 15, a space for this is prepared between the counter (article passage detector 76) and the distribution device 14, and after being enrolled in this space. By using the article for correction, the article can be appropriately distributed and adjusted within the range of this space, and the above-mentioned number of insufficient articles can be appropriately and reliably corrected.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, whether the number of articles taken out from the pallet by the layer unit take-out device in the layer unit is the expected number of articles (registered article number) or not is different. In this case, it is possible to easily correct the shipping amount without error without disturbing the operation of the load assembling equipment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an overall flow of a load assembling facility.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a confirmation processing flow of the number of taken-out articles.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a load arranging facility.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a layer-unit extracting device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a main part of a layer-unit extracting device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an alignment operation of the alignment device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a temporary storage facility.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of missing item correction.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of missing item correction.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a third embodiment of missing item correction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Packing Equipment 13 Layer-by-Layer Extracting Device 14 Sorting Device 15 Temporary Storage Equipment 76 Article Passage Detector (Counter) 95 Individual Extracting Device

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G06M 9/00 Z

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A layer-by-layer take-out device for taking out, in units of layers, articles stored in multiple layers on a pallet, a temporary storage facility for temporarily storing one article at a time, and an article stored in the temporary storage facility. Articles are sorted by using an individual take-out device for taking out one by one and a sorter for allocating articles taken out by the layer-by-layer take-out device in units of layers and for replenishment of temporary storage equipment. In the load assembling method, the actual number of articles taken out in each layer is counted by a counter provided between the layer unit take-out device and the sorting device. When there is a shortage, the number of articles to be replenished to the temporary storage facility by the sorting device is reduced by the number of shortage articles, and a method for assembling articles. 2. The article assembling method according to claim 1, wherein among the articles taken out by the layer unit take-out apparatus in the layer unit, the articles taken out later are to be replenished to the temporary storage facility.