JPH075166B2 - Automatic storage retrieval device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic storage / retrieval device capable of automatically storing and retrieving / retrieving an article in a warehouse or the like.

(Prior Art and Problems Thereof) As a conventional example of this type of automatic storage / retrieval device, two storage areas in which shelves as article storage locations are vertically and horizontally arranged in a matrix are predetermined so that their front surfaces face each other. Spaces are arranged apart from each other, and a vertical column is run along the front surfaces of the two storage areas in the facing space, and the vertical column is moved by a picker provided vertically on the column.
It is known that articles are put into and taken out of each shelf in one storage area.

In such an automatic storage / retrieval device, a container for storing articles is transferred from the storage area to the picker, and as a mechanism on the picker side for retreating from the picker to the storage area, the container is scooped from the lower side. A forklift mechanism and a withdrawal arm mechanism that is configured to be engageable with and disengageable from an engaging portion provided on the front surface of the container are used.
However, the forklift mechanism is disadvantageous in terms of space because the containers must be arranged at a sufficient distance in the vertical direction, and the withdrawal arm mechanism can only apply a special container having an engaging portion on the front surface. There is.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a slide arm that is engageable and disengageable at the side with a general-purpose container and that has a simple structure, and that drives the slide arm. An object is to provide an automatic storage / retrieval device having a simple mechanism and its control system.

(Means for Achieving the Object) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention moves a picker that moves containers into and out of a shelf along the shelf open side of a storage area in which a plurality of shelves are arranged. In a freely provided automatic storage / retrieval device, a pair of slide arms that are driven to advance and retract toward both sides of the shelves arranged in parallel with the picker, and a slide arm provided in the slide arms in a forward and backward direction. The annular rope is provided with an annular rope that is stretched, and an engagement body that is provided on the slide arm and that is movable back and forth in the same direction as the slide arm and that is engaged and disengaged with an engagement portion of a side wall of the container. The one tension line side is fixed to the main body side of the picker, and the other tension line side part is connected to the engaging body to match the forward / backward drive of the slide arm. The engaging body moves on the slide arm with respect to the picker main body by a distance twice the moving distance of the slide arm.

(Embodiment) 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 right side and the left side of the housing 1, and the storage areas 2 and 3 are each configured by vertically and horizontally arranged shelves 4 in a matrix form. Has been done. Left and right storage areas 2 and 3 are shelves 4
Are arranged so that their open sides face each other, and a container 5 is put in and taken out of the shelf 4 for each shelf of the storage areas 2 and 3 in an intermediate area sandwiched between these left and right storage areas 2 and 3. The inner picker 6 is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. That is, the left and right storage areas
A pair of rails 7 are juxtaposed in the front-rear direction at the height positions corresponding to the racks 2 and 3, and the inner picker 6 is movably mounted on the rails 7. This inner picker 6 is provided with an entrance / exit mechanism described later, and this entrance / exit mechanism allows the shelves 4 of the left and right storage areas 2, 3 to be inserted.
The container 5 stored in the inner picker 6 can be taken in or the container 5 can be inserted into the shelf 4 from above the inner picker 6.

On the other hand, a column 8 is erected in front of the housing 1 so as to face the traveling space of the inner picker 6, and on the rear surface side of the column 8 at a height position facing the inner picker 6 of each shelf. An optical communication unit 9 is provided, and each inner picker 6 is also provided with an optical communication unit 9 facing the optical communication unit 9 on the column 8 side. Each optical communication unit 9 on the column 8 side is connected to a main computer 10 that controls the entire automatic storage / retrieval device, and an optical signal is transmitted and received by the optical communication unit 9 between the column 8 and the inner picker 6. By doing so, the operation of the inner picker 6 is controlled. The power source for powering each inner picker 6 is obtained through a trolley duct (not shown) along each rail 7 or the like.

Further, on both sides of the column 8, there is a shelf group 4'for loading and unloading located in the front row of the left and right storage areas 2, 3 of the housing 1 (only the left shelf group 4'is shown in FIG. 1). Outer pickers 11 are provided so as to be movable up and down so as to face each other. That is, the outer picker 11 is engaged with the guide groove 8a vertically provided on the side surface of the column 8 and is vertically moved by the control of the main computer 10 described above.
The outer picker 11 is also provided with the same loading / unloading mechanism as the inner picker 6, so that the container 5 carried to one side of the column 8 by the external conveyor 12 can be used as desired in the loading / unloading shelf group 4 '. It is transferred to the shelf and inserted into the shelf 4 from the side of the loading / unloading shelf group 4 ', or from another shelf 4 by the inner picker 6 to the shelf 4 of the loading / unloading shelf group 4'.
Take out the container 5 brought in to the external conveyor 12
It can be transferred to the top.

2 and 3 are a plan view and a front view of the moving mechanism in the inner picker 6, respectively, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are a perspective view of the entire moving mechanism and a perspective view of the drive transmission system, respectively. Indicates. 2 to 5, reference numeral 9 denotes a frame that constitutes the bottom of the main body of the inner picker 6, and wheels 10a, 10b for moving the inner picker 6 back and forth are provided at the front and rear of the frame 9.
Are provided respectively. A traveling motor 12 and an extraction motor 13, which is a drive source for the loading / unloading mechanism, are installed on a pedestal 11 stretched over the front portion of the frame 9, and the rotation output of the traveling motor 12 is separately provided on the pedestal 11. After the speed is reduced by the speed reducer 14 provided, it is transmitted to the front wheel 10a via the chain 15.

On the other hand, a mounting table 16 on which the container 5 is placed is stretched in the central portion of the frame 9, and the storage areas 2, 2
A pair of slide arms 17 are arranged toward both sides of the shelf 4 of 3. Guide rails are provided on the frame 9 along the outer side surface and the bottom surface of the slide arm 17, respectively.
18, 19 are provided, while the engaging portion 20 provided on the outer surface of the upper half of the slide arm 17 engages with the guide rail 18,
A roller 21 provided on the bottom surface of the slide arm 17 is suspended on the guide rail 19, and as a result, the slide arm is
17 is designed to be able to move back and forth toward the shelf 4 side. An endless chain 22 parallel to the slide arm 17 is stretched below the guide rails 18, and the rotation output of the extraction motor 13 is transferred to the chain 23, the transmission shaft 24, and the chain as shown in FIG. 25 through above each endless chain
22 is configured to communicate. The intermediate position of each slide arm 17 is connected to a part of the corresponding endless chain 22 via a connecting member 26, and the left and right slide arms 17 move forward and backward in synchronization with the synchronous drive of both endless chains 22. Is done.

Further, in the right endless chain 22, the sensor dog 27 is further extended from the connecting portion of the connecting member 26, while at the center position on the frame 9 through which the sensor dog 27 passes, from a photo coupler or the like for detecting the sensor dog 27. A center sensor 28 is provided. By detecting the sensor dog 27, the center sensor 28 can detect that the slide arm 17 is in the center position, that is, the slide arm 17 is in the initial position that does not protrude from the frame 9. Is configured.

Further, an engaging body 29 which is engaged with and disengaged from the side wall of the container 5 is arranged in the upper half portion of the slide arm 17, while the lower half portion of the slide arm 17 is provided with a second loop-shaped rope extending in the longitudinal direction. The endless chain 30 is stretched, and the engaging body 29
Is connected to a part of one side of the endless chain 30 on the side of the tension line, and a part of the other side of the endless chain 30 on the side of the tension line is connected to the central position of the frame 9 in the slide arm advancing / retracting direction. Is fixed via the endless chain 30 as the slide arm 17 moves forward and backward.
Sprockets provided at both ends of each slide arm 17
By causing a rotational displacement between 30a, the engagement body 29 moves forward and backward on the slide arm 17 in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the slide arm 17. The connecting position of the engaging body 29 to the endless chain 30 is set so that the engaging body 29 is exactly at the intermediate position when the slide arm 17 is at the initial position (center position).

As shown in FIG. 6, the engaging body 29 is constructed by mounting a picking arm 34 which is rotated by a solenoid 33 in a case 32, and is provided on the back side of the case 32 as shown in FIG. By suspending the roller 35 on the guide rail 36 provided on the slide arm 17, the slide arm 17
You can move back and forth along the line.

One end of the endless chain 22 for moving the slide arm 17 forward and backward is provided with a rotary encoder 37 on the shaft 22b of the single sprocket 22a, so that the forward and backward positions of the slide arm 17 and the engaging body 29 are detected. Has been done.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the container 5, on the outer surface of which vertical and horizontal ribs 5a are formed, of which the vertical ribs 5a on the front side.
₁ is used as an engaging portion for engaging and disengaging the picking arm 34 of the engaging body 29.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a signal transmission / reception system between the main computer 10 and the inner picker 6 described above, and the traveling command signal output from the main computer 10 is given to the traveling motor 12 via the motor driver 38. , A traveling position sensor provided on the inner picker 6
The 39 detection signals are transmitted to the main computer 10. On the other hand, the access mechanism drive command signal output from the main computer 10 is given to the extraction motor 13 via the motor driver 40, and the detection signal detected by the center sensor 28 of the inner picker 6 is also transmitted to the main computer 10. Has become. The moving amount of the slide arm 17 (and the engaging body 29) detected by the rotary encoder 37 is counted by the counting circuit 41, and the count value is input to the main computer 10 and further output from the main computer 10.
The engagement / disengagement drive command signal of 29 is input to the solenoids 33 of the left and right engaging bodies 29 via the solenoid driver 42.

In the inner picker 6, a power supply line 29a (see FIG. 3) for supplying power to the solenoid 33 is annularly wired along the endless chain 30 that moves the engaging body 29 forward and backward, and the endless chain 30 is framed. Connecting member 31 fixed to 9
By feeding power from the frame 9 side to the power feeding line 29a at the position, even if the slide arm 17 moves forward and backward and the engaging body 29 moves forward and backward, unnecessary pulling or pulling of the power feeding line 29a is prevented.

Next, the operation of this automatic storage / retrieval device will be described with reference to FIGS.
The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in the figure and the operation explanatory view of the access mechanism shown in FIG.

(1) Extraction of Container 5 In the flowchart of FIG. 9, first, in step S ₁ , desired articles are taken out from the storage areas 2 and 3 by online input from an external computer or input to the main computer 10 by a floppy disk. Once requested, the main computer 10, location address of the container 4 which contained the article from the item number of the article, i.e. number and column number of shelves 4 housed in the container 4 is indexed in step S ₂ Be done. Then, in step S ₃ , the command is transmitted to the inner picker 6 of the relevant stage through the optical communication unit 9. This command is transmitted, for example, in parallel to the inner pickers 6 of the respective tiers when there are many requested articles to be taken out and the number of tiers of the corresponding target shelves is different. Upon receiving this command, the inner picker 6 starts traveling toward the desired position of the shelf 4 in step S ₄ . Before the running of the inner picker 6, the inner picker 6 waits at an arbitrary position where the previous operation is finished in the relevant stage. When the inner picker 6 arrives in front of the target shelf 4 in step S ₅ and the traveling is stopped, the loading / unloading mechanism of the inner picker 6 is activated in the next step S ₆ to start the removal of the container 5 from the shelf 4. To be done.

The taking-out operation of the container 5 by the above-mentioned taking-out mechanism is performed in the following order. First, as shown in FIG. 12 (A), when the extraction motor 13 is started to move the endless chain 22 in a predetermined direction from the initial position where the slide arm 17 is accommodated in the main body of the inner picker 6, this The connected slide arms 17 advance to both sides of the shelf 4. Then, along with this operation, the slide arm
A sprocket that stretches another endless chain 30 on 17
Since 30a moves forward integrally with the slide arm 17, the endless chain 30 partly connected to the main body side of the inner picker 6 has a rotational displacement, and accordingly, the endless chain 30 is connected to the endless chain 30. Combined 29 is slide arm 17
Moves on the slide arm 17 with the same amount of advance. That is, when the slide arm 17 moves by the distance 1 with respect to the main body of the inner picker 6, the engagement body 29 moves by the distance 2l with respect to the main body of the inner picker 6.

The amount of advance of the engaging body 29 is detected by the rotary encoder 37, and based on the detection signal, the engaging body 29 is a vertical rib 5a which is an engaging portion of the corresponding outer surface of the container 5 as shown in FIG. 12 (B). _When you reach a position that is a little over ₁ ,
The advance operation is stopped. In this advancing operation, the solenoid 33 of the engaging body 29 from the main body side of the inner picker 6
Since the power supply line connected to is wired along the endless chain 30, it is not subjected to sagging or excessive pulling.

Then, power is supplied to the solenoid 33, and the engaging body 29
The picking arm 34 is raised sideways as shown in phantom in FIG. Then, under this state, the extraction motor 13 is started in the opposite direction to the previous case, and the slide arm 17 and the engagement body 29 move backward toward the main body of the inner picker 6. By this operation, the engaging body 29
The picking arm 34 is engaged with the vertical rib 5a ₁ of the container 5, and the container 5 is transferred from the shelf 4 to the mounting table 16 of the inner picker 6 together with the engaging body 29.

As shown in FIG. 12 (C), the container 5 is mounted on the mounting table 16 described above.
When the slide arm 17 and the engaging body 29 are retracted to the position where they are completely transferred (the confirmation is performed based on the detection signal of the rotary encoder 37), the solenoid 33
Power supply to the picking arm 34 container 5 is stopped
Is disengaged, and then the slide arm 17 and the engaging body 29 are returned to the initial position as shown in FIG. 12 (D).

Returning to FIG. 9, in step S ₇ , the inner picker 6
When a container 5 is taken out is completed taken up, the inner toward the home position i.e. the front row of the entry and leaving shelf group 4 'for unloading the step S ₈ the next picker 6
Starts running. If in step S ₉ is traveling inner picker 6 arrives at the home position is completed, the container 5 passing mechanism of the inner picker 6 came carried operated again in step S ₁₀ follows Goods Movement shelf group 4 'Shelf 4 is inserted. This inserting operation is performed by reversing the operation shown in FIG. When the insertion of the container 5 is completed in step S ₁₁ , the next step S ₁₂
Then, the operation completion signal is transmitted from the inner picker 6 to the main computer 10 through the optical communication unit 9, and the inner picker 6 waits there until receiving the next command.

The container 5 inserted in the shelf 4 of the loading / unloading shelf group 4 ′ is taken out by the outer picker 11 that operates asynchronously with the movement of the inner picker 6, transferred to the external conveyor 12 and carried out to the outside.

(2) Return of Container 5 The container 5 carried by the external conveyor 12 is first transferred to the outer picker 6 and inserted into the shelf 4 of the front row storage / storage shelf group 4 '. In this work, when the method of returning the container 5 to the shelves 4 of the storage areas 2 and 3 is the fixed location method, that is, the method of returning to the shelf 4 at the designated position, the storage shelves 4 ' The container 5 is inserted into the designated number of shelves 4 among the shelves 4.

On the other hand, in the case of the free location method in which the shelf 4 to which the container 5 is to be returned is not specified and an empty shelf 4 that can return the container 5 in each case is specified and returned to the shelf 4,
The containers 5 are transferred to the loading / unloading shelf group 4'according to the flow chart shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 10, the container 5 is transferred from outside the conveyor 12 to the outer picker 12 first, in step S _21. Then the current in step S _22, is checked standby position of the inner picker 6 waiting to complete the operation, it is confirmed empty space of the shelf 4 of each stage of the storage areas 2 and 3 by further steps S ₂₃ to It Then, based on the data of the positions of the waiting position and the empty shelves 4, go to pick up the container 5 from the step S ₂₄ in the current standby position next to the inner picker 6 Goods Movement shelf group 4 ' The step with the shortest reciprocating distance to be transferred to the empty shelf 4 is determined. Based on this determination, the container 5 is inserted from the outer pickers 11 to shelf 4 of the stages of the next step S ₂₅ the entry and leaving shelf group 4 '.

The operation of returning the container 5 transferred to the shelf 4 of the loading / unloading shelf group 4'to the empty shelf 4 in the storage areas 2 and 3 is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the figure, first, when the return of the container 5 at step S ₃₁ is requested, it is checking whether contains container 5 on the shelves 4 Goods Movement shelf group 4 'is performed. Check that the container 5 is on, location address of the shelf 4 for accommodating the container 5 in step S ₃₂ the next is determined. Then the command to return through the optical communication unit 9 is transmitted to the inner picker 6 stages corresponding step S _33. Inner picker 6 applicable that receives this command, in step S ₃₄ starts traveling toward the entry and leaving shelf group 4 '. In step S _35, when the inner picker 6 arrives in front of the loading / unloading shelf group 4'and stops,
In the next step S _{36, the} loading / unloading mechanism of the inner picker 6 is activated and the container 5 is loaded onto the inner picker 6 from the rack 4 of the loading / unloading rack group 4 ′. If in step S ₃₇ uptake container 5 to the inner picker 6 is completed, the inner picker 6 starts traveling toward the shelf 4 of the object in step S ₃₈ follows. When the inner picker 6 arrives in front of the target shelf 4 in step S ₃₉ and the traveling is completed, the output mechanism of the inner picker 6 is activated again in step S _{40 and} the container 5 that has been carried is moved to the shelf 4 Inserted inside. When the insertion of the container 5 is completed in step S _41, a signal indicating the operation completion of the main computer 10 is transmitted from the inner picker 6 through the optical communication unit 9 in the next step S ₄₂ , and the inner picker 6 stays there until receiving the next command. stand by.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the automatic storage / retrieval apparatus of the present invention,
While fixing the looped rope stretched on the slide arm to the body side of the picker at one of the stretched line sides,
A part of the other end of the endless looped rope on the side of the tension line is connected to the engaging body, and the engaging body is moved toward and away from the slide arm as the slide arm is moved forward and backward. Since the slide arm is moved by a distance twice as long as that of the slide arm, it is possible to realize a slide arm that can be easily engaged and disengaged on the side of a general-purpose container and has a simple structure. Not only can you keep the forward and backward stroke of the
A single slide arm and forward / backward drive source for the engaging body can be used together, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting the forward / backward drive of the engaging body and its control system are extremely simple, which can reduce the cost and secure a large mounting space for the picker. The effect of is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic storage / retrieval apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operating mechanism of the inner picker, FIG. 3 is a side view of the operating mechanism, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a power transmission system of the operating mechanism, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an engaging body, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a container, FIG. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a signal transmission / reception system of a computer, and FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a container taking-out operation of this automatic storage / retrieval device.
Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing the operation of pre-return processing in the free location method of this automatic storage and retrieval device, Fig. 11 is a flow diagram showing the container return action of this automatic storage and retrieval device, and Fig. 12 is the inner picker access mechanism. It is explanatory drawing which shows the container taking-out operation | movement. 2,3 …… Storing area 4 …… Shelf 5 …… Container 5a ₁ …… Vertical rib (engagement part) 6 …… Inner picker 11 …… Outer picker 17 …… Slide arm 29 …… Engagement body 30 …… Endless chain

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A picker (6) for loading and unloading a container (5) with respect to a shelf (4) along a shelf opening side of a storage area (2, 3) in which a plurality of shelves (4) are arranged. In an automatically storing and searching apparatus provided movably, a pair of slide arms (17) driven to move back and forth toward both sides of the shelf (4) arranged in parallel with the picker (6).
An annular rope (30) provided on the slide arm (17) and stretched in the forward and backward directions of the slide arm (17), and the slide arm (17) provided on the slide arm (17). ) And an engaging body (29) that can be moved back and forth in the same direction and that is driven to engage and disengage from the engaging portion (5a) of the side wall of the container (5), the annular rope (30) is The suspension line side is fixed to the main body side of the picker (6), and a part of the other suspension line side is connected to the engagement body (29), and the slide arm (17) is moved forward and backward to move the slide. The automatic storage characterized in that the engagement body (29) moves on the arm (17) with respect to the main body of the picker (6) by a distance that is twice the movement distance of the slide arm (17). Search device. 2. The engagement body (29) has an engagement / disengagement driving solenoid (33), and the solenoid (33) is the annular rope (2).
The automatic storage and retrieval device according to claim 1, wherein power is supplied from the main body side of the picker (6) through a power supply line (29a) along the line 2).