JPH07315522A - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic warehouse capable of securing the safety of an inspector and reducing the burden of the inspector. CONSTITUTION:A liquid crystal panel 42 is provided on the ground side, and a controller to measure the traveling time of a delivery equipment, the elevating time of a carriage and the advancing/retracting time of a fork in the warehousing time and in the delivery time of a specific shelf to the cargo storage space, and to achieve the outputting to the liquid crystal panel 42 following the preset format is provided. An inspector can make a judgement whether or not the operation of the provided delivery equipment is acceptable by the automatic measurement of the cycle time of the delivery time in the controller to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42, and can confirm the specifications of the delivery equipment. The inspector can also confirm the cycle time outside the automatic warehouse, does not run a risk in the measurement, can secure the safety, and can reduce a large burden of the inspector.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse installed in, for example, a factory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automated warehouse comprising a shelf and a loading / unloading device will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a conventional automated warehouse, and FIG. 12 is a front view.

A pair of left and right frame-shaped shelves 1 form a plurality of storage sections 4 in vertical and horizontal directions by vertical columns 2 and arms 3 attached to the columns 2, and each of the storing sections 4 has a storage unit 4. A load 5 (directly or via a pallet) is supported via the arms 3. At the center between the pair of shelves 1 and along the front of the shelves 1, the floor rails 6 and the upper guide rails (ceiling rails) 7 laid on the floor F support and guide them so that they can travel on the fixed path 8. A device 10 for loading and unloading the load 5 is provided.

The loading / unloading device 10 includes a lower frame 11
And a pair of front and rear posts erected from this lower frame 11.
The traveling machine body is configured by the upper frame 14 connecting the upper ends of the posts 12 and 13 and the posts 12 and 13. Then, an elevating body (carriage) 15 is arranged between the posts 12 and 13, and the elevating body 15 can freely move in and out of the storage section 4 and the like by the operation of a fork motor 16 which is a retractable drive device. A loading / unloading unit (fork) 17 and a power supply / removal unit 18 for supplying power to the fork motor 16 are arranged. The lower frame 11 has drive wheels 19 which are rollable on the floor rail 6.
A and a driven wheel 19B are separately provided to the front and rear.

Further, on the lower frame 11, outside the one post 12, an elevating motor 20 interlocked with the elevating body 15 and an elevating power unit 21 for supplying electric power to the elevating motor 20 are driven. A traveling motor 22 interlocked with the wheels 19A and a traveling power unit 23 for supplying power to the traveling motor 22 are mounted in proximity to each other. Further, on the lower frame 11, outside the other post 13, a control unit 24 for controlling each operating part of the loading / unloading device 10 is arranged, and above the ladder 25 for maintenance and inspection. There is.

Further, a cargo receiving table 26 is provided in front of one of the shelves 1, and the front and rear of the shelves 1 prevent workers from entering and exiting the loading / unloading device 10 into the fixed path 8 (inside the passage). A safety fence 27 for protecting the vehicle is provided, and further on the front safety fence 27, a control device 28 on the ground side is provided so as to face the control unit 24 of the access device 10. This ground-side control device 28 is provided with an operation panel (not shown), and an optical transmission device (not shown) for exchanging signals between the ground-side control device 28 and the control unit 24 of the loading / unloading device 10. Is provided.

According to the above-mentioned conventional type, a loading / unloading command signal is transmitted from the control device 28 on the ground side to the control unit 24 of the loading / unloading device 10 through the optical transmission device by the operation of the operation panel, and the control unit 24 sends / unloads the data. Based on the command signal,
Driving of the traveling motor 22 fed by the traveling power unit 23 to cause the traveling movement of the loading / unloading device 10 on the fixed path 8 and lifting motor 20 fed by the lifting power unit 21.
Of the lifting / lowering body 15 by driving the
The loading / unloading tool 17 is driven by a more powered fork motor 16 in combination with the lateral movement of the loading / unloading tool 17, and the load 5 is loaded / unloaded to / from the intended storage section 4 and the load receiving tray 26 of the shelf 1.

[0008]

According to the above-mentioned conventional type, after the installation of the automatic warehouse is completed, the tester drives the loading / unloading device 10 and measures the operating time while watching the clock to check the specifications of the automatic warehouse. I have confirmed that the device 10
If a tester does not enter the fixed path 8 (inside the passage), the operation of the loading / unloading device 10 cannot be confirmed, and the storage section 4 above the shelf 1 has a height, and the operation cannot be performed unless the ladder 25 is used. Since it cannot be confirmed, there is a problem that the tester is in danger, and it takes a lot of time and effort to perform these measurements, which places a heavy burden on the tester.

The present invention solves the above problems,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automated warehouse that can secure the safety of testers and reduce the burden on testers.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an automatic warehouse of the present invention has a shelf having a plurality of storages, and is self-propelled along the shelf to raise and lower a carriage and move a fork in and out. An automatic warehouse equipped with a loading / unloading device for loading / unloading a load to / from a storage unit of the shelf by providing screen display means, and when the storage unit of a predetermined shelf is loaded or unloaded, the loading / unloading device Is provided with a control means for measuring the traveling time of the carriage, the raising and lowering time of the carriage, and the withdrawal time of the fork, and outputting the measured time to the screen display means in accordance with a preset format.

[0011]

According to the above-mentioned structure of the present invention, the traveling time of the loading / unloading device, the raising / lowering time of the carriage, and the withdrawal time of the fork are automatically measured at each loading and unloading, and the screen display means according to a preset format. By outputting the output to, the quality of the cycle time is determined, and the specifications of the loading / unloading device are confirmed.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same configurations as those of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of an automatic warehouse in one embodiment of the present invention. The elevating motor 20 is provided with a first pulse encoder 31 that outputs a two-phase pulse having a 90-degree phase difference depending on the forward / reverse direction, and the lower frame 11 has the elevating body 15 lowered to the lower limit. First to detect
A limit switch 32 is provided, and the pulse signal of the pulse encoder 31 and the falling limit detection signal of the limit switch 32 are input to the controller 33 in the control unit 24 ′.

Further, the traveling motor 22 is provided with a second pulse encoder 34 which outputs a two-phase pulse having a 90 ° phase difference depending on the forward / reverse rotation direction, and the lower frame 11 is provided with
A photoelectric switch 35 for detecting an HP (home position) detection plate (not shown) of the access device 10 provided on the floor rail 6 is provided, and these detection signals are also input to the controller 33.

Further, the lifting / lowering body 15 has a third limit switch 36 and a fourth limit switch 36 for detecting a limit position and a limit position of the take-out tool 17.
A limit switch 37 is provided, and these detection signals are also input to the controller 33.

The control unit 24 'includes the controller 33 described above.
And an optical transmission device for signal transmission between the ground side control device 28 '
It is composed of 38. A perspective view of the control device 28 'on the ground side is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 39 is a ground-side operating device,
It is composed of a display liquid crystal panel 42 and an operation touch panel 43 installed on the surface of the liquid crystal panel 42. As shown in FIG. 2, the ground-side control device 28 'includes an optical transmission device 41 for signal transmission between the ground-side operation device 39 and the control unit 24' of the loading / unloading device 10, and these optical transmission devices 41, It is composed of a liquid crystal panel 42 of the ground-side operation device 39 and a controller 44 connected to an operation touch panel 43. Signal transmission / reception between the controller 44 of the control device 28 ′ on the ground side and the controller 33 of the control unit 24 ′ of the loading / unloading device 10 is performed via the optical transmission devices 41 and 38. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 46 is a table on which materials and the like are placed, and 47 is a door serving as an entrance / exit of a worker to / from the fixed path 8 (inside the passage) of the loading / unloading device 10.

The controller 33 includes the optical transmission device 38.
, The photoelectric switch 35, the pulse encoders 31 and 34, and the limit switches 32, 36, and 37 are connected, and the controller 33
When the warehousing / leaving command signal is input from the control device 28 ′ on the ground side via the optical transmission devices 41, 38 in accordance with the signals from these detectors, the traveling power is determined based on the garaging / leaving command signal. Traveling movement of the loading / unloading device 10 on the fixed path 8 by driving the traveling motor 22 fed from the unit 23, and raising / lowering movement of the lifting / lowering body 15 by driving the raising / lowering motor 20 fed from the lifting / lowering power unit 21, By loading and unloading device 17 driven by forcible and withdrawal power unit 18 in combination with the lateral movement of loading and unloading device 17, loading and unloading of load 5 into and from target storage part 4 and loading tray 26 of shelf 1 is carried out. Carry out. Also, the lifting time of the lifting body 15 and the loading / unloading device (running body)
The running time of 10 and the transfer time by the loading / unloading tool 17 and the lifting / lowering body 15 are measured.

FIG. 4 shows a block of the elevation control unit of the controller 33, and the elevation operation of the elevation body 15 and the operation of measuring the elevation time of the elevation body 15 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 33 uses the pulse encoder 31 of the lifting motor 20.
A counter 51 for inputting a two-phase pulse of the above, counting forward / reverse rotation, counting the pulses, and outputting the ascending / descending position of the ascending / descending body 15.
When a loading / unloading command signal is input from the memory 52, in which the unloading position and the scooping position of the storage unit 4 of each level are preset and stored, and the loading / unloading command signal from the optical transmission device 38, the unloading of the storage unit 4 for the purpose of this command is performed. The general control unit 53 that retrieves and outputs the position or the scooping position from the memory 52, and the normal rotation so that the target elevation level position input from the overall control unit 53 and the current elevation position input from the counter 51 match. A lifting control unit 54 that outputs a signal or a reverse rotation signal to the lifting power unit 21, and a time counter 55 that measures the lifting time of the lifting body 15. The counter 51 is a limit switch.
It is reset by the falling limit detection signal of 32.

The ascending / descending operation and the function of measuring the ascending / descending time by the integrated control section 53 and the ascending / descending control section 54 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When a loading / unloading command signal is input from the optical transmission device 38 (step-1), the time counter 55
Is reset (step-2), and then the wholesale position or scooping position of the storage section 4 targeted by the command is retrieved from the memory 52 (step-3), and the retrieved elevation level position S is retrieved by the elevation control section 54. To (step-4).

When the elevation control unit 54 inputs the data of the elevation level position S for this purpose (step-5), the counter
The normal rotation signal or the reverse rotation signal is sent to the lifting power unit 21 so that the current lifting level position C input from 51 matches.
To (step-6 to step-9). And
When the ascending / descending level position S and the current ascending / descending level position C input from the counter 51 substantially coincide with each other, the output to the ascending / descending power unit 21 is stopped (step-10), and an ascending / descending end signal is output to the integrated control section 53 (step). -11).

When the integrated control unit 53 inputs the lifting end signal (step-12), it stops the time counter 55 (step-13) and stores the count value of the time counter 55 in the memory 52 as the lifting time (step 12). Step-14).

By the above operation, the lifting / lowering body 15 is moved to the target lifting / lowering level position S of the storage section 4, and the lifting / lowering time is stored in the memory 52.
To be remembered. The blocks of the traveling control unit and the transfer control unit of the controller 35 are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the block indicated by the chain double-dashed line is the same block as that shown in FIG.

The traveling operation and the operation of measuring the traveling time of the loading / unloading device 10 are the same as those of the lifting operation and the measuring operation of the lifting time, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The travel control unit 54 is
The target drive bay position output from the integrated control unit 53 and the pulse of the pulse encoder 34 are counted, and the photoelectric switch
The forward rotation signal, so that the current traveling position input from the counter 57, which is reset by the HP detection signal of 35, coincides,
Alternatively, the reverse rotation signal is output to the traveling power unit 23, the loading / unloading device 10 moves to the traveling bay position of the intended storage section 4, and the traveling time is stored in the memory 52.

The transfer operation and the transfer time measurement operation are performed by using the above-mentioned lifting control block and the retreat control section 58. A description will be given according to the flowchart of FIG. When the elevating / lowering body 15 reaches the target elevating / lowering level position, that is, the scooping position or the unloading position (step-1), the integrated control unit 53 resets the time counter 55 and starts counting the transfer time (step- 2) The output command signal of the access tool 17 is output to the access control unit 58 (step-3).

Upon inputting this output command signal (step-4), the output control unit 58 outputs a normal rotation signal to the output power unit 18 to extend the fork, and the third limit switch.
When the output limit detection signal is input from 36, the output signal is turned off (step-5 to step-7), and the withdrawal end signal is output to the overall control unit 53 (step-8).

When the integrated control unit 58 inputs the exit / retirement end signal (step-9), in the case of the scooping operation, the scooping level position is obtained by adding a predetermined height level to the scooping level position. In the case of the unloading operation, the elevation level position obtained by subtracting a predetermined height level from the unloading level position is output (step -10). When the raising / lowering control unit 54 performs the raising / lowering operation to the raising / lowering level position and inputs the raising / lowering end signal (step-11), the putting-in / taking-out unit 58 is put in and taken out.
The return command signal of 17 is output (step-12).

When the return command signal is input (step -13), the movement control unit 58 outputs a reverse rotation signal to the movement power unit 18 to contract the fork, and the fourth limit switch 37.
When the limit detection signal is input from the output signal, the output signal is turned off (step-14 to step-16), and the exit / withdrawal end signal is output to the overall control unit 53 (step-17).

When the general control section 58 inputs this exit / end signal (step-18), it stops the time count 55 (step-19) and stores the counted time (transfer time) in the memory 52. (Step-20).

By the above-mentioned operation, the loading / unloading operation of the loading / unloading tool 14 to / from the intended storage section 4 is performed to transfer the load 5, and the transfer time is stored in the memory 52. Further, the controller 44 of the control device 28 'on the ground side, as shown in FIG.
61 (details will be described later), data storage unit 62, screen display unit 63
(Details will be described later), and is composed of a screen data storage unit 64 in which data of a plurality of preset screen formats is stored.

A touch panel 43 and an optical transmission device 41 are connected to the control unit 61, work data is set in accordance with an operation signal of the touch panel 43, and is transmitted to the controller 33 of the access device 10 via the optical transmission devices 41 and 38. In addition to outputting the warehousing / unloading signal, the optical transmission device 41,
Memory from controller 33 of access device 10 via 38
The data stored in 52 is input, stored in the data storage unit 62, and the screen display unit 63 is driven.

The screen display unit 63 is connected to the liquid crystal panel 42, and in response to a drive signal from the control unit 61, first searches the screen data storage unit 64 for data in the specified screen format, and then searches the data storage unit. The necessary data is retrieved from 62, and this data is incorporated into the screen format data and output to the liquid crystal panel 42 to display the target screen.

In FIG. 1, the display screen of the "taking in / out device (RM) cycle time" on the liquid crystal panel 42, that is, the scooping operation time from the loading tray 26 at the time of loading and the storage section 4 of the target shelf 1 are shown. The unloading operation time, the scouring operation time from the storage section 4 of the target shelf 1 at the time of warehousing, and the unloading operation time to the loading tray 26 are displayed separately for the traveling time, the lifting time, and the transfer time. The total time is displayed.

The procedure for displaying these data on the controller 44 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The control unit 61 uses the touch panel 43 to move the “access device (R
M) Cycle time display "is specified (step-
1), a controller of the device 10 for sending and receiving the call transmission command signal of the operating time data via the optical transmission devices 41 and 38.
Output to 33 (step-2). The above data is output from the controller 33 in response to this transmission command signal, and when the data is input (step-3), it is stored in the data storage unit 62 (step-4), and "RM cycle time display" is displayed.
The drive signal is output to the screen display unit 63 (step-5).

When the "RM cycle time display" drive signal is input to the screen display section 63 (step-6), "R" is displayed.
The data of the format of "M cycle time display" screen is retrieved from the screen data storage unit 64 (step-7), and then the required data, that is, the data of the above operation time is retrieved from the data storage unit 62 (step-8). ), These data are incorporated into the screen format previously searched (step-9) and output to the liquid crystal panel 42 (step-10).

Further, in FIG. 1, the display of "end" indicates the position of the touch panel 43 for inputting the end of the screen display. When the display of "end" is touched, the controller 61
Outputs a screen display end signal, the image display unit 63 stops the output of the screen display data, and outputs the data of the initial screen, for example.

As described above, the controller 33 automatically measures the cycle time of the loading / unloading device 10 and displays the cycle time on the liquid crystal panel 42, so that the tester can judge the quality of the operation of the loading / unloading device 10 installed. Device 10
You can check the specifications of. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the loading / unloading device 10 satisfying the specifications and prove the accuracy to the user. In addition, the tester can confirm the cycle time outside the automated warehouse, and there is no need to risk the measurement as in the conventional case, and safety can be ensured. Furthermore, the measurement time can be greatly shortened, the conventional tester's heavy burden can be reduced, and the work efficiency can be improved.

Although the cycle time is stored in the memory 52 of the controller 33 in this embodiment, the optical transmission device
The data may be transmitted from the controller 33 of the loading / unloading device 10 to the controller 44 of the ground-side control device 28 'via 41, 38 and stored in the data storage unit 62 of the controller 44. Also, a printer can be connected to the controller 44 so that the display content displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42 can be printed out, which can be submitted to the user as a test record and the specifications can be proved. . In addition, work efficiency can be improved.

[0039]

According to the present invention, the traveling time of the loading / unloading device, the raising / lowering time of the carriage, and the withdrawal time of the fork are automatically measured at each loading and unloading, and the screen display is performed according to a preset format. By outputting to the means, the tester can judge the quality of the cycle time,
You can check the specifications of the access device. You can prove the specifications to the user. In addition, the tester can check the cycle time outside the automated warehouse, eliminating the danger of the conventional method and ensuring safety. Furthermore, the measurement time can be greatly shortened, the conventional tester's heavy burden can be reduced, and the work efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a display screen view of “RM cycle time measurement” of a liquid crystal panel of an automated warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control configuration diagram of the same automated warehouse.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a control device section of the automatic warehouse.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a lifting control unit of a controller of the loading / unloading device of the automatic warehouse.

FIG. 5 is an ascending / descending flowchart of a controller of the loading / unloading device of the automated warehouse.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a traveling control unit of a controller of the loading / unloading device of the automatic warehouse.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a transfer control unit of a controller of the loading / unloading device of the automated warehouse.

FIG. 8 is a transfer flowchart of a controller of the loading / unloading device of the automated warehouse.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a controller of the control device for the automated warehouse.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a controller of the control device of the automated warehouse.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a conventional automated warehouse.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a conventional automated warehouse.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 shelf 4 storage section 5 load 8 constant path 10 loading / unloading device 11 lower frame 12, 13 post 15 lifting body (carriage) 16 fork motor 17 loading / unloading tool 18 lifting / retracting drive unit 20 lifting motor unit 22 running motor 23 Traveling power unit 24 'Control unit 28' Control device 31, 34 Pulse encoder 32, 36, 37 Limit switch 33 Controller 35 Photoelectric switch 38, 41 Optical transmission device 39 Ground-side setting device 42 LCD panel 43 Touch panel 44 Controller 51, 57 Counter 52 Memory 53 Central control unit 54 Lifting control unit 55 Time counter 56 Travel control unit 58 Exit control unit 61 Control unit 62 Data storage unit 63 Screen display unit 64 Screen data storage unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shelf having a plurality of load storage units, and a self-propelled storage unit for loading and unloading a load between the storage units of the rack by raising and lowering a carriage and moving a fork in and out. An automated warehouse equipped with a loading and unloading device, which is provided with a screen display means, and when entering and exiting a storage unit of a predetermined shelf and when unloading, the running time of the loading and unloading device, the raising and lowering time of the carriage, and the withdrawal time of the fork. An automatic warehouse characterized by being provided with control means for measuring and outputting to the screen display means according to a preset format.