JPH074408U - Automatic storage retrieval device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] Storage areas 2 and 3 in which a plurality of shelves 4 are arranged in a matrix are provided so that the open sides of the shelves 4 face each other, and between the storage areas 2 and 3. A picker 6 for loading / unloading the container 5 into / from the shelf 4 is provided in each of the storage areas 2 and 3 so that the container 5 can move in the left-right direction. A storage / receipt device 8 is provided at both ends of the storage area 2, and outer ends of the storage / receipt device 8 are aligned with both ends of the storage area 1. [Effect] Since the picker 6 operates independently for each shelf 4, articles can be put in and taken out efficiently, and the operating cost is reduced. Further, since the loading / unloading device 8 does not protrude from the storage area 3, the installation space of the entire device is not wasted, and the space efficiency can be improved.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an automatic storage / retrieval device that automatically stores and retrieves and retrieves articles in a warehouse or the like.

[0002]

[Prior art and problems of the invention]

 As a conventional example of this type of automatic storage / retrieval device, a vertical column is run horizontally along the shelf open side of a storage area where a plurality of shelves are arrayed, and a vertical picker is installed vertically on this vertical column. While loading and unloading articles to and from each shelf in the storage area, the loading and unloading section provided at the end of the running path of the vertical column outside the storage area can be used to unload items from the picker on the vertical column or from the outside. It is known that an item that is brought in is carried into a picker.

However, in the above-described configuration of the conventional example, since it is not possible to move to another article taking-in / taking-out operation until one article taking-out / taking-in cycle is completed, the taking-in / taking-out process takes time and is inefficient. Also, the vertical column must be driven to move the picker to the desired shelf, which requires a lot of power and increases operating costs.

On the other hand, the applicant of the present application has proposed an automatic storage retrieval device as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-64912. This device horizontally circulates the shelves in the storage area with independent endless chains for each shelf, and vertically installs a loading / unloading device for vertically moving the articles in the horizontal circulation path. , When the shelf of each shelf is stopped at the position facing the loading / unloading device, it is possible to carry out the article from the shelf to the loading / unloading device or to load the article from the loading / unloading device to the shelf. It is composed of

In the case of this device, the efficiency can be improved because the articles can be taken in and out independently for each shelf, but the entire shelf is cyclically moved for each shelf, so that a large amount of power is required. Necessary and expensive to operate. In addition, a pusher for pushing articles from the shelves to the loading / unloading device or from the loading / unloading device to the shelves must be provided for each shelf so as not to hinder the circulation movement of the shelves, which complicates the structure.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic storage / retrieval device that can efficiently take items in and out, has a low operating cost, has a simple structure, and can effectively use an installation space.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the automatic storage and retrieval device of the present invention provides a storage area in which a plurality of shelves are arranged in a matrix in the upper, lower, left, and right directions such that the shelves open sides face each other. A picker that moves containers in and out of the shelf in the front-rear direction is provided horizontally for each shelf, and one of the facing storage areas is equipped with a storage device at its end. We adopted a configuration in which both storage areas, including the storage and withdrawal device, are arranged so that both ends are aligned with the opposite storage areas.

[0008]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic storage / retrieval apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this automatic storage / retrieval device, storage areas 2 and 3 are provided on the front side and the rear side in the housing 1, and the storage areas 2 and 3 each have a shelf 4 serving as an article storage area in a matrix shape in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is arranged in. The front and rear storage areas 2 and 3 are arranged so that the open sides of the shelves 4 face each other, and an intermediate area sandwiched between the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3 is provided for each shelf of the storage areas 2 and 3. A picker 6 for putting the container 5 in and out of the shelf 4 is provided so as to be movable in the left and right directions. That is, a pair of rails 7 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the height positions corresponding to the shelves in the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3, respectively, on which the picker 6 can travel freely. It is placed. The picker 6 is provided with an unillustrated loading / unloading mechanism similar to that of the vertical column type picker described above, and the loading / unloading mechanism allows the containers 5 stored in the shelves 4 in the front and rear storage areas 2 and 3 to be stored. The container 5 can be taken into the picker 6 or the container 5 can be inserted into the shelf 4 from above the picker 6.

On the other hand, at the left end and the right end of the front storage area 2, instead of the shelves 4, there are provided loading / unloading devices 8 for loading / unloading the containers 5 to / from each rack. Has been. As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the loading / unloading device 8 is arranged at a lowermost position between a pair of endless chain mechanisms 10 that are arranged in the housing 9 so as to face each other on the left and right sides. And a belt conveyor 11. The left and right endless chain mechanisms 10 are configured by bridging a pair of front and rear chains 14a and 14b between a pair of front and rear upper sprockets 12a and 12b and lower sprockets 13a and 13b, respectively, and between the pair of front and rear chains 14a and 14b. In addition, a plurality of horizontal support plates 15 are horizontally fixed at equal intervals that match the vertical intervals of the shelves 4 described above. The left and right endless chain mechanisms 10 are synchronously rotated by the same drive source (not shown) so that the horizontal support plates 15 face each other at the same height and circulate vertically. A container elevating mechanism 16 for moving up and down while placing 5 between the left and right horizontal support plates 15 is configured. Before and after the housing 9, a vertically long entrance / exit 17 having a width allowing the container 5 to enter / exit and a height corresponding to the uppermost position of the shelf 4 is formed, and the entrance / exit 17 facing the traveling road side of the picker 6 is , Are arranged so that they are aligned with the open position of the shelf 4 on the same storage area 2 side.

The belt conveyor 11 is configured to be bidirectionally rotatable by a drive source (not shown), and is placed between the left and right horizontal support plates 15 of the loading / unloading device 8 and is moved down. The container loading / unloading mechanism is configured to carry out the incoming container 5 to the outside and to mount the container 5 sent from the outside between the horizontal support plates 15.

Next, the operation of the automatic storage / retrieval apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of an arbitrary shelf of the automatic storage / retrieval apparatus. In the figure, when the picker 6 of this shelf is instructed to take out the container 5 from the desired shelf 4, the picker 6 travels horizontally along the rail 7 to the designated shelf position and then stops. The loading / unloading mechanism provided in the picker operates, and the container 4 is taken out from the shelf 4 and taken in on the picker 6. When the take-in operation is completed, the picker 6 horizontally travels to the storage / receipt device 8 on the right end side, which is designated only for unloading, and stops in front of the entrance / exit 17 of the storage / receipt device 8. The operation of the picker 6 described above is performed independently for each shelf.

On the other hand, in the loading / unloading device 8 dedicated to carry-out, the container elevating mechanism 16 is stopped at a position where each horizontal support plate 15 is aligned with the height of each shelf, and the picker 6 moves the corresponding horizontal support plate 15 upward. The container 5 is transferred to. This operation can be performed simultaneously for the pickers 6 on each shelf.

4 to 6 are explanatory views showing the operation of transferring the container 5 from the container elevating mechanism 16 to the belt conveyor 11 which is a container loading / unloading mechanism. As shown in FIG. When the container lifting mechanism 16 further descends from the state in which the container 5 is placed on the container 5, the horizontal support plate 15 descends to a position lower than the placement surface of the belt conveyor 11 as shown in FIG. The container 5 is transferred onto the belt conveyor 11. The belt conveyor 11 is rotationally driven to the discharge side in synchronization with the external transfer conveyor 18, and the container 5 is unloaded onto the external transfer conveyor 18 from the rear opening / closing port 17 of the loading / unloading device 8 as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, for example, in the loading / unloading device 8 on the left end side designated as loading / unloading, the reverse operation of the loading / unloading device 8 dedicated to loading / unloading described above is performed. That is, the horizontal support plate 15 of the container elevating mechanism 16 moves upward, and the belt conveyor 11 which is a container loading / unloading mechanism takes the container 5 into the loading / unloading device 8 from the external transporting conveyor 19 so that the external transporting conveyor 19 The container 5 brought in from the outside is sequentially loaded into each shelf by being rotationally driven in synchronization with the above. Then, the picker 6 on each of the shelves receiving the storage instruction of the container 5 stops in front of the entrance / exit 17 of the loading / unloading device 8 dedicated to loading, and the target container 5 is taken out from the horizontal support plate 15 and designated. Store on shelf 4.

In this embodiment, a case has been described in which two loading and unloading devices 8 are provided for loading and unloading, but one loading and unloading device 8 is configured to be used for both loading and unloading. Of course, it is also good.

Further, the loading / unloading device 8 is not limited to the container lifting mechanism, and may have a normal lifting mechanism.

[0020]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the automatic storage / retrieval device of the present invention, since the pickers that operate independently for each shelf can perform the loading / unloading / transporting of the container between the shelf and the loading / unloading device, the efficiency is significantly improved. In addition, the operating cost is low and the structure is simple.

Further, since both storage areas are arranged so that both ends of the storage area including the storage / receipt device are aligned with both ends of the opposing storage area, the installation space of the device is not wasted and the space efficiency is improved. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic storage / retrieval apparatus showing an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the same loading / unloading device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing an arbitrary shelf tray of the above.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the loading / unloading device.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the loading / unloading device.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of the loading / unloading device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 3 Storage area 4 Shelf 5 Container 6 Picker 8 Entry / Exit device 10 Endless chain mechanism 11 Belt conveyor (Container entry / exit mechanism) 15 Horizontal support plate 16 Container lifting mechanism

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A storage area, in which a plurality of shelves are arranged in a matrix in the vertical and horizontal directions, is provided so that the shelves open sides thereof face each other, and a container is put in and taken out between the storage areas in the front-rear direction with the shelves. A picker for performing horizontal movement is provided horizontally for each shelf, and one of the facing storage areas is provided with a loading / unloading device at its end, and both ends of the storage area including the loading / unloading device are opposed to each other. An automatic storage and retrieval device that arranges both storage areas so that they are aligned at both ends of the storage area.