JPH08133418A - Stacker crane in automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To automatically make an on-ground receiver ineffective during use of a gondola in an automatic warehouse in which an operator boards on the gondola for controlling several motors in a stacker crane with the use of a portable remove-controller. CONSTITUTION: A receiver change-over circuit 34, for connecting, upon energization, only an on-ground receiver 32 to a controller 33, and for connecting, upon deenergization, only a cage side receiver 2 to the controller 33, and a turn-on and -off switch for changing over between the energization and deenergization of the receiver change-over circuit 34, are arranged at a home position of a gondola 24. Further, a switch 40 is adapted to be held by a press force of the gondola so as to be turned on when the gondola is arranged at the home position, and is automatically returned from the turn-on position to a turn-off position when the gondola is separated from the home position, so as to change over the receiver change-over device into a deenergized condition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stacker crane for an automatic warehouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an automatic warehouse, there is known an automatic warehouse in which a stacker crane for loading and unloading is arranged in a passage between racks for storing loads along the rail of the passage.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of a stacker crane of this type of automatic warehouse.

The stacker crane 1 mainly comprises a traveling platform 2,
It is composed of a gate type frame 3, a cage 4, a fork device 5 and a ground control panel 6.

On the traveling platform 2, the chain 8 is endlessly wound around the sprocket (not shown) of the drive wheel shaft and the sprocket (not shown) of the traveling motor 7 for traveling of the stacker crane 1. The gate-shaped frame 3 has
A chain winding / unwinding device 9 is attached for raising and lowering the cage 4. The chains 10 and 10 of the chain winding / unwinding device are vertical frames 1 of the gate-shaped frame 3.
1, sprockets 13, 14 and 15 of the upper frame 12
Via the upper frame 12 and is suspended from the upper frame 12 onto the side frame 4a of the cage 4, and its tip end is connected to the upper surface of the side frame 4a.

Although not shown in detail in FIG. 3, the fork device 5 is, as is well known, a pair of left and right parent forks 1.
6 and 6, child forks 17 stacked on the parent forks 16 in multiple stages, and a drive device for operating these forks. More specifically, the parent forks 16 are connected by a bar 18 in the width direction of the cage 4 and are slidably attached to the upper surface of the cage 4, and the parent forks 16 and the child forks 17 are attached to each other. , The rack immediately above the fork on the rack 19
A rail portion (not shown) for guiding the inside of the rack 20 is provided, and pulleys (not shown) are provided on the front end side surface and the rear end side surface of the fork, respectively. A rope (not shown) is attached to the pulley of these forks.
Are laid horizontally. The ropes are crossed in a plow shape below the pulley, and their ends are respectively connected to the rear end and the front end of the forks in the step immediately below.

Therefore, if the parent fork 16 is slid, the child fork 17 can be slid in the same direction as the parent fork 16, and the parent fork 16 and the child fork 1 can be slid.
The telescopic fork made of 7 can be telescopically moved toward the shelf 20.

The drive device 9 is a chain and sprocket device (not shown) or a rack and pinion device (not shown) for slidingly moving the parent fork 16 into the shelf 20.
And a fork telescopic motor 21 that drives the chain and sprocket device.

The ground control panel 6 is attached to the lower portion of the gate-shaped frame 3, and is used for the traveling motor 7, the cage elevating motor 21, and the fork extension / contraction motor (not shown).
Is configured to include a controller 33 that switches between normal rotation, neutral rotation, and reverse rotation for control, and a receiving device 27 that receives a control signal from the portable remote controller 30 and inputs the control signal to the controller 33.

Specifically, the controller 33 has an input section electrically connected to the receiving device 27 via a cable 28, and an output section having a traveling motor 7, a cage lifting motor 21 and a fork driving motor. To be electrically connected via a cable. The forward / neutral / reverse rotation described above is performed by the traveling motor 7 for forward / stop / reverse, and for the cage elevating motor 21 ascending / stopping / lowering, and for the fork telescopic motor. Extension, stop,
Corresponds to contraction.

The operator operates the portable remote controller 30 based on the following steps.

(A) Storage process (1) The traveling motor 7 is operated to move the stacker crane 1
Is moved to the front of the loading / unloading stand (not shown) of the automated warehouse.

(2) Drive the cage lifting motor 21 to
The height of the child fork 17 from the floor is adjusted to be lower than the lower surface of the pallet 22 of the loading / unloading table.

(3) The fork extension motor is driven to move the parent fork 16 to the shelf 20 side, and the child fork 17 is inserted under the pallet 22.

(4) By driving the cage lifting motor 21,
Pick up the pallet 22 from the loading / unloading stand.

(5) The fork telescopic motor is driven to draw in the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17, and the pallet 22 is drawn into the cage 4.

(6) The traveling motor 7 is operated to move the stacker crane 1 to the front of the shelf to be stored.

(7) The cage lifting motor 9 is driven to adjust the height of the cage 4 until the bottom surface of the pallet 22 is appropriately higher than the mounting surface of the pallet receiver 23 of the shelf to be stored.

(8) The fork extension / contraction motor is driven to slide the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17 toward the shelf 20 side, the pallet 22 is put in the shelf, and the pallet 22 is positioned right above the pallet receiver 23.

(9) Drive the cage lifting motor 21 to
The pallet 22 is appropriately lowered, and the pallet 22 is placed on the pallet receiver 23.

(10) The fork extension motor is driven to draw the parent fork 16 and child fork 17 into the cage 4.

(B) Outgoing process (1) The traveling motor 7 is operated to move the stacker crane 1
Is moved to the front of the shelf that should be delivered.

(2) The cage lifting motor 21 is driven to adjust the height of the cage 4, and the height of the child fork 17 is adjusted to a position appropriately lower than the lower surface of the pallet 22 of the shelf to be delivered.

(3) The fork telescopic motor is driven to slide the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17 toward the shelf 20, and the child fork 16 is inserted under the pallet 22 of the shelf 20.

(4) Drive the cage lifting motor 21 to
The cage 4 is appropriately raised, and the pallet 22 is scooped from the pallet receiver 23 of the shelf 20.

(5) The fork telescopic motor is driven to draw the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17 into the cage 4.

(6) The traveling motor 7 is operated to move the stacker crane 1 in front of the loading / unloading table.

(7) The cage lifting motor 21 is driven to adjust the height of the cage 4, and the height of the lower surface of the pallet 22 is adjusted to
Adjust to a position that is appropriately higher than the placement surface of the loading / unloading table.

(8) The fork extension / contraction motor is driven to slide the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17 toward the loading / unloading table, and the pallet 22 is positioned right above the placing surface of the loading / unloading table.

(9) Drive the cage lifting motor 21 to
Lower the pallet 22 and place the pallet 22 on the loading / unloading table.

(10) The fork telescopic motor is driven to draw the parent fork 16 and the child fork 17 into the cage 4.

[0032]

By using the stacker crane in this manner, it is possible to easily load and unload cargo.

However, the operator can visually check the load using the portable remote controller, and the safe range for loading and unloading the load is up to about 5 m from the floor surface. Didn't.

As a stacker crane capable of safely loading and unloading a rack having a height of 5 m or more, the applicant of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, lifts rails of a vertical frame 11 of the stacker crane 1 (see FIG. Gondola 2 (not shown)
4 for engaging the upper frame 12 with the protrusion 24
A is provided and a winding device 26 for raising and lowering the gondola 24 is attached to the cage 4, a light or radio wave receiving device 27 is attached to the cage 4, and the receiving device 27 is electrically connected to a controller 33 via a cable (captyre cable or the like) 28. Connect to the operator and give the operator a mobile remote control 3
It was considered that various motors of the stacker crane 1 (traveling motor 7, cage lifting motor 21, fork telescopic motor) are controlled from inside the gondola 24 by having 0.

However, even in this case, the various motors of the stacker crane 1 can be controlled separately and independently on both the ground side and the gondola side, so that the ground side and the gondola side differ simultaneously. When a signal was input, there was a risk that a big accident would occur.

Although it is conceivable to install a manual control panel (not shown) on the gondola 24, this does not solve the above problem. It is also possible to provide the ground control panel 6 with a switching circuit that disables one of the receiving devices (prohibits the output of the control signal) by switching the switch, but considering that the operator forgets to operate the switch. It is difficult to adopt. Further, it is conceivable to control various motors on the ground side and the gondola 24 with signals having different wavelengths. However, if this is done, the number of types and the number of the mobile remote controllers 30 will be increased and the remote controller will be replaced. The problem of incorrect selection occurs.

An object of the present invention is to automatically disable a ground-side receiving device when using a gondola in an automatic warehouse crane in which an operator is placed on a gondola and various motors of a stacker crane are controlled by a portable remote controller. To provide stacker cranes for automated warehouses.

[0038]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a controller for controlling a traveling motor of a stacker crane, a cage lifting motor, and a fork extension / contraction motor, and a ground side and a cage of the stacker crane. A ground-side receiving device and a cage-side receiving device that are respectively provided to receive a light or radio wave control signal from a remote controller, a gondola that is provided to the stacker crane and that moves up and down between the top of the stacker crane and the home position on the ground side, and a controller. A circuit for switching and connecting each receiving device to the controller, which connects only the ground side receiving device to the controller when energized and connects only the cage side receiving device to the controller when de-energized, and this receiving switching circuit An ON / OFF switch for switching between energization and de-energization, When the gondola is located at the home position, it is turned on by the pressing force of the gondola to switch the reception switching circuit to energization, and when the gondola separates from the home position, it automatically returns from ON to OFF and receives. And a switch for switching the switching circuit to a non-energized state.

[0039]

[Function] When the gondola is positioned at the home position on the ground side, the switch is turned on by the pressing force of the gondola. Therefore, in this case, the reception switching circuit is energized, and only the ground receiving device is connected to the controller. Meanwhile, the operator rides on the gondola,
When the gondola is raised, the switch switches from ON to OFF by self-recovery, and the reception switching circuit switches to non-energized. Therefore, at this time, only the cage-side receiving device is connected to the controller, and the ground-side receiving device is disconnected from the controller. Therefore,
Different control signals will not be input to the controller both when loading and unloading cargo using the gondola and when loading and unloading on the ground without using the gondola.

Yes.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same components as those of the prior art will be designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cage 4 is provided with a cage-side receiving device 27 facing the gondola 24 side and receiving a control signal of light or radio waves. A ground receiving device 32 that receives a control signal of a radio wave is attached. The cage-side receiving device 27 and the ground-side receiving device 32 are composed of receiving devices having the same configuration, and control signals of light or radio waves from the portable remote controller 30 are controlled inside the ground control panel 6 via cables 28 and 29, respectively. It is designed to be sent to the input section 33.

In addition to the control signals to the above-mentioned various motors (traveling motor 7, cage lifting motor 21, fork telescopic motor), the portable remote controller 30 rotates the winding device 26 in the normal direction (winding) / stops (neutral). Receiving (controlling) control signals to the receiving device 32 and the receiving device 2 respectively.
7, the controller 33 also inputs a control signal for forward rotation (winding), stop (neutral), and reverse rotation to the motor 36 of the winding device 26 via a cable.

As shown in FIG. 2, the receiving device 32 and the receiving device 27 are electrically connected to the controller 33 via the reception switching circuit 34 (see FIG. 2).

The reception switching circuit 34 includes a line 35 on the cage 4 side for electrically connecting the receiving device 27 and the controller 33, and a line 36 on the ground side for electrically connecting the receiving device 32 and the controller 33. These lines 35, 36
And a spring return type self-recovery switch (micro switch) 38 that automatically switches the changeover switch 37 in accordance with the elevation of the gondola 24.

As shown in FIG. 1, the self-return switch 38 has a switch 40 for switching the ON / OFF state of a gondola cradle 39 for landing the gondola 24 at the home position on the ground side. , The reception switching circuit 3 is mounted so as to be able to switch from OFF to ON when the pressing force of the gondola 24 is received.
3 is electrically connected so that when the switch 40 is ON, power is supplied to the reception switching circuit 33 to bring the circuit into an energized state. 41 is a power supply.

Further, the reception switching circuit 33 turns on the B contact (normally closed) 42 and turns off the A contact (normally open) 43 when the switch 40 is switched to the non-energized state. Conversely, when the switch 40 is switched to the energized state,
B contact (normally closed) 42 OFF, A contact 43
Is configured to be turned on.

Therefore, when the gondola 24 is landed on the gondola receiving base 39 and the switch 38 is turned on, the receiving device 27 is turned off and only the ground receiving device 32 receives the control signal of the portable remote controller 30. Therefore, when the gondola 24 is separated from the gondola cradle 39 by the hoisting device 26, the ground-side receiving device 32 is cut off and only the cage-side receiving device 27 receives the control signal from the portable remote controller 30. .

Therefore, even when the gondola 24 is used for loading and unloading the load 31, as in the conventional case,
Controller 3 has different control signals on the ground side and cage side.
There is no fear that the data will be input to the number 3, and an accident due to this will not occur.

Therefore, while using the gondola 24,
The stacker crane 1 can be moved, the cage 4 can be moved up and down, and the fork device 5 can be expanded and contracted, so that a load can be safely loaded and unloaded. In addition, one mobile remote controller 30 can be provided for each stacker crane, and the maintenance and management thereof can be facilitated.

[0050]

In summary, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.

(1) It is possible to prevent different control signals from being input to the controller at the same time on the ground side and the cage side, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an accident due to this. Therefore, stop the gondola at an arbitrary height,
The stacker crane can be moved, the cage can be moved up and down, and the fork device can be extended and retracted from within the gondola, so that cargo can be safely loaded and unloaded.

(2) One mobile remote controller can be provided for each stacker crane, and the maintenance and management thereof can be facilitated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a stacker crane according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a safety circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional stacker crane.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Stacker crane 4 Cage 5 Fork device 24 Gondola 27 Cage side receiver 30 Mobile remote control 32 Ground side receiver 33 Controller 34 Reception switching circuit 40 Switch (switch to switch between energization / non-energization)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A controller for controlling a traveling motor of a stacker crane, a cage lifting motor, and a fork extension / contraction motor, and a ground provided on the ground side of the stacker crane and a cage for receiving a control signal of light or radio waves from a remote controller, respectively. Side receiving device and cage side receiving device, a gondola that is installed in the stacker crane and moves up and down between the top of the stacker crane and the home position on the ground side, and a circuit that switches and connects each receiving device to the controller. Sometimes only the ground receiver is connected to the controller,
A reception switching circuit that connects only the receiving device on the cage side to the controller when there is no power supply, and an ON / OFF switch that switches power supply / non-power supply of the circuit. The switch is arranged at the home position of the gondola, and the gondola is at the home position. When the gondola is located at, it is turned on by the pressing force of the gondola and the reception switching circuit is switched to energization.
A stacker crane for an automatic warehouse, which is provided with a switch that self-returns to FF and switches the reception switching circuit to non-energized.