JPH09194004A - Article properly arranging equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform proper arrangement of articles, contained in a horizontal rotary shelf, in a desired order at a high speed. SOLUTION: Article properly arranging equipment comprises a rotary shelf 1 formed in such a manner that rotary shelf units 11 rotated along a horizontal circulation route are stacked in a plurality of stages; a vertical circulation conveyor 2 disposed facing the rotary shelf 1 and having a plurality of article conveyance tools; and a pulse generating device to generate a pulse along with rotation of the vertical circulation conveyor 2. Articles 6 outputted to the respective article conveyance tools from the rotary shelf 1 are preset according to a proper arrangement order. When the given article conveyance tool is rotated to a position situated facing the rotary shelf unit 11 to contain an article 6 to be outputted, namely, according to the number of pulses generated by the pulse generating device, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped. The articles 6 contained in the rotary shelf unit 11 are outputted to the given article conveyance tool and the articles 6 are properly arranged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article packing apparatus, and more particularly to an article packing apparatus for taking out articles stored in a horizontal rotating shelf and packing them in a desired order. It concerns equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique relating to an article packing equipment, there is known a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-22708.

[0003] The prior art described in the above publication is described.
A loading / unloading method of a multi-stage rotary shelf apparatus having a multi-stage rotary shelf in which a plurality of rotary shelf units having a plurality of trays capable of horizontal circulation rotation are stacked and a loading / unloading transfer machine is described.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

That is, in the method of loading and unloading a multi-stage rotary shelf apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 64-22708, a large number of container supports (article transport tools) are provided in a transfer machine for unloading. Nevertheless, only three containers (articles) can be loaded at most, and even if the container support downstream of the container support on which the container is mounted is empty, the empty container Since the container cannot be taken out from the support, the container cannot be taken out at high speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an article packing apparatus capable of packing articles stored in a horizontal rotating shelf in a desired order at a high speed.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotary shelf comprising a plurality of stacked rotary shelves which rotate along a horizontal circulation path, and a plurality of rotary shelves which are disposed so as to face the rotary shelf. And a vertical circulation conveyer equipped with the article carrier, wherein the articles to be taken out from the rotary shelf to the respective article conveyors are preset according to the load order, and the articles to be taken out by the predetermined article carrier are stored. The vertical circulation conveyor is decelerated or stopped when it is rotated to a position facing the rotating shelf alone, and the articles stored in the rotating shelf alone are taken out to the predetermined article transport tool to align the articles. The above object is achieved by providing an article load assembling facility characterized by the above.

A pulse generator for generating a pulse according to the rotation of the vertical circulation conveyor is provided, and the vertical circulation conveyor is decelerated or stopped according to the number of pulses generated by the pulse generator. Preferably, there is.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an embodiment of the article arranging facility of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a main part of FIG.

In these drawings, 1 is a rotary shelf formed by stacking a plurality of single rotary shelves 11 which rotate along a horizontal elliptical circulation path at appropriate intervals, and 2 is an inversion path portion R of the rotary shelf 1. And a plurality of article conveyors 27 each having a skewered (fork) -shaped article placing portion 27a for conveying the articles 6 downward at a constant pitch. Reference numeral 3 denotes a vertical circulation conveyor. 2 is a pulse generator (not shown) that generates a pulse in response to the rotation of 2. Thus, the rotating shelf 1
The articles 6 to be taken out from each of the article transporting tools 27 are set in advance in accordance with the packing order, and a predetermined article transporting tool 27 is set.
Shelf 11 in which the articles 6 from which the objects 6 are to be taken out are stored
When rotated to the position A (removal) opposite to the position A, the vertical circulating conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and the articles 6 stored in the rotary shelf unit 11 are taken out to a predetermined article carrier 27 and the desired articles 6 are taken out. They are packed in order.
The vertical circulating conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped according to the number of pulses generated by the pulse generator 3.

To explain each part in the above-mentioned embodiment, each rotary rack unit 11 in the rotary rack 1 supports a large number of article storage parts 12 on an elliptical traveling rail so as to be capable of traveling, and along the traveling rail. The drive chain is stretched between the drive tooth wheel and the idler tooth wheel, the article storage units 12 are fixed to the drive chain at equal intervals, and the drive tooth wheel is driven by a motor, so that another step is performed. Rotating shelf alone 11
The rotating racks 11 can be rotated independently of each other, and the rotating racks 11 are stacked in nine stages to form the rotating rack 1.

Further, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is arranged so as to face the reverse path R on the driven side of the rotary shelf 1, and conveys the article 6 taken out from the article storage section 12 by the take-out device 5 to the carry-out position B. The vertical circulation surface of the rotating body (chain) 21 stretched endlessly on the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the linear movement path portion S of the rotary shelf 1. Reference numeral 22 denotes a first guide frame disposed along the rotation locus of the rotating body 21. Reference numeral 23 denotes a first guide frame having substantially the same shape as the rotation locus of the rotating body 21, and a vertical moving path S of the rotating shelf 1. The second guide frame 24, which is displaced in a substantially right-angle direction, is driven by a motor 26 via a transmission chain 25 by a tooth wheel that stretches the rotating body 21. 27 is a skewer (fork) -shaped article placement unit 2
An article transporter 7a has a guide roller 28 attached to the article transporter 27. Note that seven article transporters 27 are attached to the rotating body 21 at a constant pitch (three times the stacking interval of the rotating shelf 11 alone). A total of nine take-out positions A are determined so as to face the respective rotating racks 11, and each of the positions is on a path along which the article carrier 27 moves downward. Further, although the carry-out position B is provided below the take-out position A, it may be at the same height as the take-out position A at the lowest stage.

The pulse generator (pulse encoder) 3 is adapted to generate a pulse in accordance with the turning distance of the vertical circulating conveyor 2, and the article conveying tool 27 is operated during one pulse of the pulse encoder 3. Rotation distance (1
mm / pulse), the value obtained by dividing the distance that the article carrier 27 rotates from the start of packing to the removal of each article 6 should be taken out of the articles 6 stored in the respective rotating racks 11 alone. It becomes a pulse value.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a carry-out conveyor for carrying out the article 6 from the carry-out position B of the vertical circulation conveyor 2 and having a skewer-driving roller 41. The portion 27a is configured to be crossable.

The take-out device 5 is for taking out the articles 6 stored in the article storage section 12 in the reversing path portion R of the rotary shelf 1, and is located inside the rotating rotary shelf 11 at the take-out position A. The push-out pusher 51, which is arranged at a position facing the
There are provided nine sets in total, one set corresponding to each rotating shelf unit 11.

Further, a take-out control device (not shown) is provided, and when the number of pulses generated by the pulse generator 3 reaches a predetermined value, the vertical circulating conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped and a predetermined rotary rack unit 11 is provided. Items stored in 6
Is controlled by the take-out device 5 so as to be taken out to a predetermined article carrier 27.

Incidentally, another vertical circulation conveyor (not shown) or the like is also provided for supplying the articles 6 to the article storage section 12 of the rotary shelf 1.

Next, a method of arranging articles by using the article arranging equipment will be described.

The articles 6 to be taken out from the rotary shelf 1 to the respective article transporters 27 are set in advance in accordance with the load arrangement order,
When the number of pulses generated by the pulse generator 3 reaches a predetermined value, that is, the predetermined article carrier 27 is rotated to the take-out position A facing the rotary shelf unit 11 in which the article 6 to be taken out is stored. At this time, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped to take out the articles 6 stored in the predetermined rotary shelf unit 11 to the predetermined article carrier 27 by the take-out device 5, and the taken-out articles 6 are taken out.
Are conveyed downward by the vertical circulation conveyor 2 and are carried out from the carry-out position B to the carry-out conveyor 4 so that the goods are sorted in a desired order.

11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11
e, 11f, 11g, 11h, and 11i are each rotary shelves 11 stacked in 9 layers, and the stacking interval is 7
When set to 00 mm, the distance from the uppermost rotating rack unit 11i, that is, the offset value α is 700 mm for the eighth rotating rack unit 11h from the bottom, and the seventh rotating rack unit 1 from the bottom.
1g is 1400mm, 11f of rotating shelf unit on the 6th stage from the bottom
Is 2100 mm, and the fifth rotating rack single unit 11e is 2
800mm, 350 from 11d of the fourth rotating shelf from the bottom
0mm, 3200 from the bottom of the rotating shelf unit 11c is 4200m
m, the second rotating shelf unit 11b from the bottom is 4900 mm,
The lowermost rotating shelf 11a is 5600 mm.

Further, articles 6a of various varieties are provided on the rotary shelf 11a, and articles 6 of various varieties are provided on the rotation shelf 11b.
b, various kinds of articles 6c on the rotating shelf 11c,
Various types of articles 6d are provided on the rotating shelf 11d, and various types of articles 6e are provided on the rotating shelf 11e.
1f, articles 6f of various types, articles 11g of various types on the rotating shelf 11g, articles 6h of various types on the rotating shelf 11h, and articles of various types on the rotating shelf 11i. 6i are stored in plurals.

Then, for example, 10
The individual articles 6 are arranged in the following order: articles 6a, 6g, 6f, 6
When there is a load alignment command to be taken out at f, 6d, 6i, 6i, 6h, 6f, and 6d, the calculation and control are performed as follows, and the desired articles 6 are aligned in the desired order.

That is, the article 6a that is first taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 is taken out from the rotary shelf single body 11a, but since the rotary shelf single body 11a is located at the lowermost stage where the offset value α is 5600 mm, the load alignment starts ( The article transport tool 27 in which the article 6a faces the rotary shelf single body 11a with a delay of the offset value α from the time when any one of the article transport tools 27 is located at the uppermost take-out position A (at the start of load alignment) It is taken out by the article conveying tool 27) located at the take-out position A on the uppermost stage. That is, 560
After 0 pulse, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated (if the article storage portion 12 in which the predetermined article 6a is stored has not arrived at the position facing the inversion route portion R, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is stopped. Waiting until the article storage unit 12 in which the predetermined article 6a is stored arrives at a position facing the reversal path portion R), and the predetermined article 6a from the rotary shelf single body 11a to the rotary rack single body 11a. The article take-out command is issued to the article carrier 27 that is present.
1a corresponding to the take-out device 5. still,
When the pulse value reaches 5600 pulses (or approaches 5600 pulses), the vertical circulation conveyor 2
It suffices if the article 6 is decelerated to a speed that does not hinder the removal (if necessary, it may be stopped).
The vertical circulation conveyor 2 is returned to the normal speed again and rotated.

The article 6g to be taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6a is stored in the rotating rack unit 11g, and the article carrier 27 from which the articles 6a are taken out from the start of the packing operation.
The rotating shelf unit 11 is moved to a distance 2100 mm in which the next article carrier 27 rotates until it is positioned at the uppermost take-out position A.
article 6 delayed by the offset value α (1400 mm)
g is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11g. That is, 2100 pulses +
After 1400 pulses = 3500 pulses, the vertical circulating conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and an article take-out command is issued so as to take out a predetermined article 6g from the rotating shelf 11g to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11g. 1
It is provided to a take-out device 5 corresponding to 1 g.

The article 6f taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6g is stored in the rotary shelf unit 11f, and the article conveying tool 27 from which the articles 6g are taken out from the start of the packing.
Rotating rack unit 11 to a distance of 4200 mm in which the article transporting tool 27 next to is moved to the uppermost take-out position A
article 6 delayed by the offset value α (2100 mm) of f
f is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11f. That is, 4200 pulses +
After 2100 pulses = 6300 pulses, the vertical circulating conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and an article take-out command is issued so as to take out a predetermined article 6f from the rotating shelf 11f to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11f. 1
1f.

Since the article 6f is continuously taken out after the article 6f, the above-mentioned take-out pulse value, that is, the pulse value (2100 pulses) required for the next article carrier 27 to arrive after 6300 pulses, is delayed. The article 6f is taken out by the article carrier 27 facing the single rotary shelf 11f. That is, 6300 pulses + 2100 pulses = 840
After 0 pulses, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and the article take-out command corresponds to the rotating shelf unit 11f so as to take out a predetermined article 6f from the rotating shelf unit 11f to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11f. To the take-out device 5.

The article 6d taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6f is stored in the rotary shelf unit 11d, and the article conveying tool 27 from which the articles 6f have been taken out from the start of the packing operation.
The rotating shelf unit 11 is moved to a distance 8400 mm at which the next article carrier 27 rotates until it is positioned at the uppermost take-out position A.
The product 6 is delayed by the offset value α (3500 mm) of d.
d is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11d. That is, 8400 pulses +
The vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped after 3500 pulses = 11900 pulses, and the article take-out command is issued so that the predetermined article 6d is taken out from the rotary shelf single body 11d to the article transport tool 27 facing the rotary shelf single body 11d. 11d corresponding to the take-out device 5.

The article 6i taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6d is stored in the rotary shelf simple substance 11i, and the article conveying tool 27 from which the article 6d is taken out from the start of the packing operation.
The rotating shelf unit 1 is set at a distance of 10500 mm in which the next article carrier 27 rotates until it is positioned at the uppermost take-out position A.
The article 6i is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11i with a delay of the offset value α (0 mm) of 1i. That is, 10500 pulses + 0 from the start of packing
After the pulse = 10500 pulses, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and a predetermined article 6
An article take-out command is given to the take-out device 5 corresponding to the rotating shelf unit 11i so as to take out the i to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11i.

Since the article 6i is continuously taken out after the article 6i, the above-mentioned take-out pulse value, that is, 10500.
After the pulse, the next article 6i is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11i with a delay by a pulse value (2100 pulses) required for the next article carrier 27 to arrive. That is, 10500 pulses + 2100 pulses = 1
After 2600 pulses, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and the article take-out instruction corresponds to the rotary shelf unit 11i so as to take out a predetermined article 6i from the rotary shelf unit 11i to the article carrier 27 facing the rotary shelf unit 11i. To the take-out device 5.

The article 6h to be taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6i is stored in the rotary shelf unit 11h, and the article transport tool 27 from which the articles 6i have been taken out from the start of the packing operation.
Next to the article transporter 27 (the same article transporter 27 on which the articles 6a to be first taken out to the unloading conveyor 4 after the seven article transporters 27 of the vertical circulating conveyor 2 make a circuit) 27) is a rotating shelf unit 11h at a distance of 14700 mm for rotating until it is positioned at the uppermost take-out position A.
The article 6h is taken out by the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11h with a delay of the offset value α (700 mm). That is, 14700 pulses + 7 from the start of packing
00 pulse = vertical circulation conveyor 2 after 15400 pulses
Is decelerated or stopped, and a predetermined article 6h from the rotating shelf 11h is transferred to the article carrier 2 facing the rotating shelf 11h.
7 is an instruction to take out an article so that the rotating shelf 11
h is given to the take-out device 5 corresponding to h.

The article 6f taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6h is stored in the rotary shelf simple substance 11f, and the article carrier tool 27 from which the article 6h is taken out from the start of the load alignment.
Is rotated until the next article transporter 27 (the same article transporter 27 as the article transporter 27 on which the article 6g to be unloaded to the second unloading conveyor 4 is placed) is positioned at the uppermost removal position A. To the distance of 16800mm
6f delayed by the offset value α (2100 mm)
Is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11f. That is, 16800 pulses +
After 2100 pulses = 18900 pulses, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and an article take-out command is issued to take out a predetermined article 6f from the rotating shelf unit 11f to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11f. 11f is provided to the take-out device 5 corresponding to 11f.

The article 6d taken out to the carry-out conveyor 4 next to the article 6f is stored in the rotary shelf unit 11d, and the article carrier 27 from which the article 6f has been taken out from the start of the packing operation.
Is rotated until the next article transporter 27 (the same article transporter 27 as the article transporter 27 on which the article 6f to be taken out to the third conveyor 4 is placed) is located at the uppermost take-out position A. 11d rotating shelf alone at a distance of 18900mm
6d delayed by the offset value α (3500 mm)
Is taken out to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf 11d. That is, 18900 pulses +
After 3500 pulses = 22400 pulses, the vertical circulation conveyor 2 is decelerated or stopped, and an article take-out command is issued to take out a predetermined article 6d from the rotating shelf unit 11d to the article carrier 27 facing the rotating shelf unit 11d. 11d.

As described above, each rotating rack unit 1
The articles 6 taken out from 1 to the seven article conveyors 27 of the vertical circulation conveyor 2 are skewered (fork) -shaped article placement sections 2
7a is taken out by passing the skewer-shaped drive roller 41 of the carry-out conveyor 4 from the upper side to the lower side at the carry-out position B, and the articles 6a, 6g, 6f, 6 are placed on the carry-out conveyor 4.
f, 6d, 6i, 6i, 6h, 6f, 6d are taken out in this order and sorted by load.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the article assembling equipment of the present invention is not limited to these. For example, a buffer space is provided between each rotating shelf unit 11 and the vertical circulation conveyor 2,
The article 6 may not be directly taken out from the article storage section 12 to the article carrier 27. By providing this buffer space, the articles 6 are transferred from the article storage section 12 to the buffer space before the predetermined article carrier 27 is rotated, and the articles 6 to be taken out next are transferred to the reverse path section R. To the vertical circulation conveyor 2 because the article 6 to be taken out has not arrived.
Can reduce the amount of time they have to wait.

Further, the pulse generated by the pulse generator 3 may be reset every time the vertical circulation conveyor 2 completes one cycle.

[0037]

As described above, the article packing apparatus of the present invention is constructed as described above, so that the articles stored in the horizontal rotating shelf can be kept free from the article carrier which is continuously rotated. The articles can be taken out in a desired order and at a high speed in a desired order.

Further, the pulse is generated in accordance with the rotation of the vertical circulating conveyor, and the article conveying tool is rotated by a unit amount during one pulse.
By measuring the pulse value without using complicated detection control equipment, it is possible to easily calculate the position of the article carrier and take out a desired article.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an embodiment of an article packing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a main part of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Rotary Shelf 2 Vertical Circulation Conveyor 3 Pulse Generator 6 Article 11 Rotating Rack Single Unit 27 Article Carrier

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vertical circulation system comprising a rotary shelf formed by stacking a plurality of single rotary shelves that rotate along a horizontal circulation path, and a plurality of article conveying tools that are arranged so as to face the rotary shelf. A conveyor is provided, and the articles taken out from the rotary shelf to the respective article conveyors are set in advance in accordance with the load order,
When the predetermined article transport tool is rotated to a position facing the rotary shelf unit in which the articles to be taken out are stored, the vertical circulation conveyor is decelerated or stopped to set the articles stored in the rotary shelf unit to the predetermined level. The article arranging facility for arranging articles by taking them out of the article carrier. 2. A pulse generator for generating a pulse according to the rotation of the vertical circulation conveyor, wherein the vertical circulation conveyor is decelerated or stopped according to the number of pulses generated by the pulse generator. 2. An article packing apparatus according to claim 1.