JPH09315520A - Article conveying device for article storing rack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article conveying device for a article storing rack, having an article transferring device on an rising and lowering device, and able to improve general-purpose properties with simple remodeling while realizing the various conveying forms. SOLUTION: In a device, a rising and lowering table 8 capable of being raised and lowered is provided, article transferring devices 12, 13 for transferring stevedoring tools P of holding articles between a plurality of article housing parts longitudinally and laterally arranged on an article storing rack and the carrying-in/out part of the article storing rack are provided on the rising and lowering table 8, and an article transferring device BT for transferring articles between a plurality of stevedoring tools P transferred by the article transferring devices 12, 13 and held on the rising and lowering table 8 is provided on the rising and lowering table 8. A frame body 14 for holding the article transferring device BT is assembled to the rising and lowering table 8 so as to be freely attached and detached.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lift table which can be driven and moved up and down, a plurality of article storage units arranged vertically and horizontally on an article storage rack, and a loading / unloading section of the article storage rack.
A plurality of article transfer devices for transferring a cargo handling tool holding an article are provided on the lift table, and among the plurality of cargo handling tools transferred by the article transfer devices and held on the lift table. An article transfer apparatus for transferring an article relates to an article transfer apparatus for an article storage shelf provided on the elevating table.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An article transfer device for such an article storage shelf is
This is for carrying in and out of an article in an article storage rack configured by arranging the article storage sections in a vertical and horizontal direction. For this purpose, an elevating table that can be driven up and down is provided, and on this elevating table, a plurality of article transfer devices for transferring a cargo handling tool holding an article to and from the carry-in / out section and each article storage section are provided. An article transfer device is provided which is provided individually and further transfers the articles among the cargo handling tools transferred by the plurality of article transfer devices. With such a configuration, it is possible to store or take out the cargo handling tool from or to the plurality of article storage units in one transport operation. In addition, the cargo handling tool transferred from the article storage unit to the lifting platform can be used. Only the necessary goods are transferred to other cargo handling equipment by the goods transfer device, and the original cargo handling equipment that has been transferred is returned to the goods storage section, and only the necessary goods are taken out instead of taking out the entire cargo handling equipment. It is possible to realize various modes of transportation, such as taking out the sheet. By the way, in the article transfer device for such an article storage shelf, conventionally, an article transfer device for transferring articles in the elevator is integrally provided with the elevator, and an elevator having the article transfer device is It was designed and constructed exclusively for the mode of transport in which the transfer device functions.

[0003]

Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, the existence of the article transfer device provided on the lifting table causes an obstacle, for example, that the article to be conveyed comes into contact with the article transfer device or its support. It could not be used for transporting such articles, and was poor in versatility. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to equip an elevator with an article transfer device to realize various transport modes while improving versatility by simple modification. The point is to provide an article transfer device for an article storage shelf.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided an article transfer device for transferring articles among a plurality of cargo handling tools provided on an elevator and held on the elevator. The frame is detachably attached to the lift table. Therefore, by removing the frame from the elevator, the article transfer device is also detached from the elevator. As a result, a plurality of article transfer devices for transferring the cargo handling tool to and from the article storage unit and the like are left on the lift table 8, and the article transfer device for the article storage shelf is the product transfer apparatus. This is a general-purpose article conveying device that conveys articles while transferring articles between the article storage section and the carry-in / out section. Therefore,
The article transfer device is provided on the elevator to realize various transport modes, and the versatility can be improved by simply modifying the article transfer device together with the frame that holds the article transfer device from the elevator. It has come to provide an article conveying device for an article storage shelf.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the article transporting apparatus for article storage shelves, the elevating table is attached so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the traveling body that can travel in the lateral width direction of the article storage shelves. , The so-called stacker crane type transfer device. In contrast to this configuration, when the frame body of the article transfer device is removed from the elevating table as described above, the article transport device for the article storage shelf simply has a cargo handling tool that holds the article between the article storage section and the loading / unloading section. The structure is similar to that of a general stacker crane that transports paper, and versatility can be further improved. Further, since the article transfer device is provided on the elevating table in a state of being aligned along the lateral width direction of the article storage shelf by providing the configuration according to the above-mentioned claim 3, even if a plurality of article transfer devices are provided. , It becomes possible to arrange any of the article transfer devices in a state of being close to the article storage portion and the like, and it is possible to prevent the device configuration of the article transfer apparatus from becoming complicated, and moreover, to realize a plurality of article transfer devices. It is also possible to make the configuration common.

Further, by having the structure described in claim 4, the article transfer device moves the article gripping tool to transfer the article between the cargo handling tools transferred to the elevating table.
Since the frame body that holds the article transfer device is provided so as to be installed between the upper ends of the side frame bodies of the lift table, the frame body that holds the article transfer device is removed from the lift table. In this case, the frame body and the side frame body are separated from each other. The side frame body is provided so as to extend upward from both end portions of the bottom frame body of the elevating table in the width direction of the article shelf. The side frame body guides the elevating table so that the elevating table can be moved up and down. A guided portion is provided which is guided by a guide member provided in the. That is, the side frame body is mainly provided as a member for elevating and lowering the elevating table. Therefore, the bottom frame body and the side frame body, which are originally necessary to configure the lifting table, also have a function as a part of the frame body that holds the article transfer device, and the article transfer device. The supporting structure of can be simplified as much as possible. Further, by providing the configuration according to the above-mentioned claim 5, with respect to the frame body provided so as to be installed between the upper end portions of the side frame bodies of the elevating table, the article storage shelf of the frame body is provided. Since it is provided with a reinforcing frame extending from the lateral width intermediate portion and connected to the lateral width intermediate portion of the article storage shelf in the bottom frame, the article transfer device can be stably held, and the article The transfer operation of the transfer device is also stably executed. Since this reinforcing frame is also removable from the bottom frame, it can be removed together with the frame that holds the article transferring device.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an article storage facility to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. The article storage facility BS stores replacement parts of the manufacturing apparatus (not shown), raw materials of the manufacturing apparatus, and finished products. As shown in the plan view of FIG. 4, the article storage facility BS stores the replacement parts of the manufacturing apparatus. A plurality of storage shelves 1 and article storage shelves 2 for storing raw materials and finished products are arranged side by side. Article storage shelves 1, 2
Stacker cranes 3 and 4 that run along the widthwise direction of the article storage shelves 1 and 2 are installed between the article storage shelves 1 and 2 on both sides, and the article storage shelves 1 between them. , 2 to and from the article carry-in / out section IO provided on the side of the lateral side.

The article B, which is a replacement part of the manufacturing apparatus to be stored in the article storage shelf 1, the storage form of the article B, the configuration of the article storage shelf 1 and the stacker crane 3 corresponding thereto will be described below. Since the stacker crane 3 and the article storage shelves 1 on both sides of the stacker crane 3 operate as a set, only this set will be described, and the article storage for storing raw materials and finished products of the manufacturing apparatus. The structures of the shelf 2 and the stacker crane 4 corresponding thereto are the same as those of the conventional one, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The article B, which is a replacement part of this manufacturing apparatus, is
As shown in FIG. 6 (a), there are three long cylindrical shapes that are long, medium, and short in the longitudinal direction. There are three levels of area, large, medium and small, and even if they have the same diameter and the same length, the types are different. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the article B having such a shape is held by the pallet P which is a cargo handling tool and stored in the article storage rack 1. A plurality of pedestals 5 each having a concave upper surface are attached near the ends of the opposite sides of the pallet P. The pedestals 5 support both ends of the article B in the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of articles B are placed on the pallet P. Are supported side by side. The pedestal 5 is formed of a rubber member,
Absorbs an impact when the article is placed and functions as a cushioning material, and also functions to prevent the article B placed on the article from slipping.

As for the pallet P, the length of the article B in the longitudinal direction is three stages of long, medium and short.
There are three types of side lengths corresponding to the longitudinal direction of 3 types: large, medium, and small. However, as shown in FIG.
For the large, medium, and small diameters of the cross section of the article B, the pallet P itself can be shared although the number of articles B that can be held is different. It should be noted that the pallets P are arranged in the article arranging direction on the pedestal 5 in such a manner that the articles B having small and medium cross-sectional diameters can be arranged on all the pedestals 5, but the articles having large cross-sectional diameters. B is set so as to be intermittently arranged in the direction of arrangement of the articles B by using the pedestal 5, so that the articles B can be arranged on the pallet P having a limited mounting area as high as possible. Can be placed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the article storage rack 1 is composed of a plurality of article storage units 6 arranged vertically and horizontally. Each article storage unit 6 has a pallet P at both ends in the width direction of the article storage rack 1.
A support frame 6a for supporting both edges of the is attached. As shown in FIG. 2, in the pallet P, each article storage unit 6 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the articles B to be held faces the lateral width direction of the article storage rack 1 and the articles B are arranged in the depth direction of the article storage unit 6.
Since each of the article storage sections 6 has three types of side lengths of the pallet P corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the article B: long, medium, and short, the article storage shelves There are three types of width in 1 in the width direction: long, medium, and short. Article storage shelf 1
Since the article storage units 6 having the same width are arranged in the up-down direction, the article storage units 6 having different widths are arranged in the width direction of the article storage rack 1. Further, in the up-down direction of the article storage rack 1, an article B having a small cross-section diameter is stored in the article storage section 6 on the lower side, and an intermediate section of the article storage section 6 has a medium cross-section diameter. The articles B are stored, and the articles B having a large cross-sectional diameter are stored in the article storage section 6 on the upper side, and the width of each article storage section 6 in the up-down direction is also large accordingly.
There are three types, medium and small, which are arranged vertically.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stacker crane 3 is mainly composed of a traveling body 7 which travels in the lateral width direction of the article storage rack 1 and an elevating platform 8 which is guided by the traveling body 7 to ascend and descend. There is. The traveling body 7 is guided by a floor-side guide rail GR laid on the floor surface FL and a ceiling-side guide rail CR arranged near the upper end of the article storage rack 1 and attached to the lower portion of the traveling body 7. A traveling wheel (not shown) is driven by the traveling motor 9 to travel.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lift table 8 is a lift table 8.
And a pair of side frames 8b extending upward from both ends of the bottom frame 8a in the lateral width direction of the article storage shelf in the bottom frame 8a. A guide roller 8c, which is a guided portion for being guided by a mast 7a that is a guide member of the traveling body 7, is attached to the outside of the lifting platform 8 of the body 8b, and the upper ends of the pair of side frame bodies 8b are attached. An end of a wire 11 that is driven to be wound by the lifting motor 10 is attached and fixed to the.

On the lift table 8 having the above-described structure, a storage unit fork mechanism 1 which is an article transfer device for transferring the pallet P holding the articles B between the lift table 8 and each article storage section 6 is mounted.
2 and the pallet P mainly between the lift 8 and the loading / unloading section IO.
When the pallet P is transferred by the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13, which is an article transfer device that transfers the pallet, the storage fork mechanism 12, and the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13,
A pallet size detection device PS for confirming the size of the pallet P and for confirming the presence or absence of a load collapse, and a load height of the article B on the pallet P transferred to the lifting platform 8, that is, an article B
Height detector HS for detecting the diameter of the cross section of
And the presence detection device LS that detects whether or not the pallet P is placed on the storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 that are in the retracted state on the lift table 8 side, and the storage unit fork mechanism 12 An article transfer device BT for transferring the article B between the upper pallet P and the pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is provided.

The storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 are mounted on the upper surface of the bottom frame 8a of the elevating table 8 so as to be aligned in the width direction of the article storage rack 1.
The loading and unloading motors 12a and 13a are driven so that the loading surfaces 12b and 13b on the upper surfaces of the storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 can freely move in and out in the depth direction of the article storage unit 6. The mounting position of the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 is located closer to the loading / unloading unit IO provided on the lateral side of the article storage rack 1 than the storage unit fork mechanism 12. The storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 have the same structure as described above, except that the mounting positions are different and the transfer mode is different on the pallet P. The storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 are directly controlled by a main controller 32 on the ground side, which will be described later.

The article transfer device BT is provided with a frame body 14 which is provided between the upper ends of a pair of side frame bodies 8b of the lifting table 3.
The frame 14 is held in a suspended state at the frame frame 14 and extends from an intermediate portion of the article storage shelf 1 in the lateral width direction thereof to be connected between the frame frame 14 and the bottom frame frame 8a of the lifting table 8. Body 14a
It is reinforced by. At the mounting location X of the frame body 14 on the upper end of the side frame body 8b and the mounting location Y of the reinforcing frame body 14a on the bottom frame body 8a, the frame body 14
The reinforcing frame body 14a and the reinforcing frame body 14a are attached by bolts, and the frame body 14 and the reinforcing frame body 14a are attachable to and detachable from the elevating table 8. The specific configuration of the article transfer device BT includes a lateral moving body 15 that moves in the lateral width direction of the article storage rack 1 using the frame bodies 14 provided as a pair in a state of being aligned in the depth direction of the article storage unit 6 as guide rails. A vertical moving body 16 attached to the horizontal moving body 15 so as to be movable in the depth direction of the article storage unit 6, an elevating moving body 17 attached to the vertical moving body 16 so as to be able to move up and down, and an elevating moving body 17 thereof.
In addition, a pair of article gripping arms 18 attached to the article storage rack 1 so as to be movable in the lateral width direction is mainly configured. The lateral moving body 15, the vertical moving body 16, and the lifting / lowering moving body 17 are driven by the driving force of the motors 21, 22, and 23 via a ball screw mechanism or the like, and the pair of article holding arms 18 as the article holding tools are The motors 24 and 25 drive them independently.

The motors 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 are
It is controlled by the elevator controller 20 provided in the control box 19 based on the detection signals of various positioning sensors (not shown). The articles B are held side by side on the pallet P as shown in FIG.
Since the moving range of the pair of article gripping arms 18 is configured to cover the entire width of the pallet P, the article transfer device BT is configured to move any article held on the pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12. It can also be taken out by transferring.

The pallet size detecting device PS is mounted on a side surface of the bottom frame 8a and on both sides of the storage fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 when viewed from the exiting / retracting direction. A light emitting unit 26,
The pallet P to be transferred is composed of a pair of light receiving units 27 which are positioned vertically above the pair of light emitting units 26 and to which the frame body 14 of the article transferring apparatus BT is attached. The size of the pallet P passing therethrough is detected by passing it between the pallets 27 and the like. The storage unit fork mechanism 12 transfers the left and right article storage units 6 and the pallet P in the lateral direction of the article storage rack 1, and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 moves left and right in the lateral direction of the article storage rack 1. Loading / unloading part IO and pallet P
Therefore, the pair of light emitting units 26 and the pair of light receiving units 27 are provided on both sides of the storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 when viewed in the widthwise direction of the article storage rack 1. Thus, a total of four pairs of light emitting units 26 and light receiving units 27 are provided.

The principle of detection of the size of the pallet P and the like is common to these four sets, and will be explained by the one provided on the fork mechanism 12 for the storage section. From one light emitting unit 26, as schematically shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 7, three light beams are projected vertically upward in a state of being aligned in the width direction of the article storage rack 1, and the vertical direction of the light emitting unit 26. The light receiving unit 27 located above detects the three light beams separately. The pair of light emitting units 26 are attached so that the three light beams thereof are located at symmetrical positions with the fork mechanism 12 for the storage section sandwiched therebetween, and the light beams located at the symmetrical positions form a pair and the size of the pallet P. To be used for detection. That is, the interval between the innermost light beams (the light beams indicated by “S” in FIG. 7) across the storage portion fork mechanism 12 is the side of the pallet P having the smallest size among the pallets P having three sizes. Is slightly wider than the length of the innermost pallet P and is shorter than the length of the side of the pallet P having an intermediate size, and the light beam is positioned slightly outside the innermost light beam pair (indicated by "M" in FIG. 7). The intervals between the indicated beam lights are slightly wider than the length of the side of the pallet P having the intermediate size among the pallets P of three sizes and shorter than the length of the side of the largest pallet P, Further, the distance between the outermost light beams (the light beams indicated by “L” in FIG. 7) is slightly wider than the side length of the largest pallet P among the three pallets P. At intervals A.

As a result, if none of the light beams are blocked when the pallet P is transferred, the pallet P is the smallest, and the beam light indicated by "M" is not blocked and the beam indicated by "S". When the light is blocked, it can be determined that the palette P has an intermediate size, and when the light beams indicated by "M" and "S" are blocked, the palette P is the largest, and further, "L" When the beam light indicated by "is blocked,
It can be determined that the pallet P is displaced in the lateral direction of the article storage rack 1 and the load collapse occurs.

As shown in FIG. 8, the load height detecting device HS projects a light beam from the light emitting unit 28 for projecting a beam of light so as to obliquely cross the long product B transferred to the elevating table 8.
And an article light receiving unit 29 that receives the light beam projected from the article light emitting unit 28. The load height detection device HS includes the fork mechanism 12 for the storage section.
And the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13. The load height detection device HS provided on the fork mechanism 12 side of the storage section will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, 8 projects three beam lights at the same position in plan view and different in height in side view,
The light receiving unit 29 for articles receives the three light beams separately.

Of the three light beams, the lowermost light beam (the light beam indicated by "α" in FIG. 7) has a height that passes above the upper surface of the pallet P and is held by the pallet P. The beam light having a diameter of the cross section which is smaller than the load height of the article B having a “small” size and having an intermediate height (the beam light indicated by “β” in FIG. 7) is held by the pallet P. The light beam has a height higher than the load height of the article B having a “small” cross section and lower than the load height of the article B having a “medium” cross section, and the beam light at the highest position (“γ” in FIG. 7). The beam light indicated by ") has a height higher than the load height of the article B having a cross section of" medium "and having a cross section diameter of" large ", which is lower than the load height of the article having a" large "cross section. is there. With this, when the light beam at the bottom is not blocked,
It is determined that the article B is not held, and when the lowermost beam light is blocked and the middle beam light is not blocked, it is determined that the article B having a “small” cross-sectional diameter is held. If the intermediate light beam is blocked and the light beam at the highest position is not blocked, it is determined that the article B having a cross section of “medium” in diameter is held, and the beam at the highest position is determined. Article B with a "large" cross-section diameter when light is blocked
Can be determined to be held.

The presence detection device LS projects a beam of light obliquely across the elongated article B as in the article light emitting unit 28, and a direction intersecting the beam light projection direction of the article light emitting unit 28. The pallet light-emitting unit 30 that projects the beam light onto the pallet and the pallet light-receiving unit 31 that receives the beam light projected from the pallet light-emitting unit 30 are included. The presence detection device LS includes a fork mechanism 12 for the storage section and a fork mechanism 13 for the loading / unloading section.
It is equipped with both. Explaining the presence detection device LS provided on the storage unit fork mechanism 12 side, the height of the beam light (the beam light indicated by “δ” in FIG. 7) projected from the pallet light emitting unit 30 is determined by the storage unit. The height is set so as to be blocked by the pallet P placed on the load placing surface 12b of the fork mechanism 12 for use. The detection information of the pallet size detection device PS, the load height detection device HS, and the presence detection device LS described above is transmitted to the main controller 32 and used in the control of the transfer operation of the pallet P, as shown in FIG. It

The stacker crane 3 having the above structure manages and controls the overall operation of the stacker crane 3 by the main controller 32 provided on the ground side as shown in FIG. 9, and the elevator controller 20 is the main controller. 32
The transfer of the article B between the pallets P is executed according to the command. Hereinafter, the operation of the stacker crane 3 by the main controller 32 and the elevator controller 20 will be described in a flowchart showing the control operation of the main controller 32 of FIGS. 10 to 12 and a flowchart showing the control operation of the elevator controller 20 of FIG. A brief description will be given based on this.

When the article B to be taken out is instructed to the main controller 32 by an input from the console 33 or via the communication interface 34 (step #
1) The storage position of the article B designated based on the storage information of the storage device 35 in the main controller 32 is specified (step # 2). All goods B stored in the goods storage shelf 1
Are given different identification codes, and the identification codes are recorded on the surface of the article B by a bar code or the like. The storage position of the article B in the article storage shelf 1 is specified in the storage device 35 by the position information of the article storage section 6 and the arrangement position of the articles on the pallet P in the article storage section 6, and the storage location of the article. And the identification code of the article B are stored in a corresponding state, and in addition, information on the length of the article B in the longitudinal direction and information on the diameter of the cross section are also stored. When the storage position is specified, the main controller 32 controls the traveling motor 9 and the elevating motor 10 so that the storage unit fork mechanism 12 of the lifting platform 8 specifies the storage position as the storage position, as shown in FIG. The elevating table 8 is moved so as to be in a state of facing 6 (step # 3). When this movement is completed, the loading surface 12b of the storage unit fork mechanism 12 is advanced to the lower side of the pallet P of the article storage unit 6, and then the lifting platform 8 is raised to scoop up the pallet P, and the pallet P is further moved. Loading surface 1 of storage unit fork mechanism 12 on which is mounted
2b is pulled toward the lift table 8 and the pallet P of the article storage unit 6 is transferred to the lift table 8 (step # 4).

When the pallet P is transferred, the abnormality detection processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12 is executed (step #
5). That is, when the presence detection device LS fails to detect the pallet P and fails to transfer the pallet P (step # 6).
0) displays an abnormality (step # 61), and stops the work of carrying the article B. Furthermore, the pallet size detection device P
The size of the pallet P is determined based on the detection signal of S,
It is determined whether or not the size of the pallet P corresponding to the length in the longitudinal direction of the article B designated as the object to be taken out coincides and whether or not a load collapse has occurred, and when they do not coincide, the load collapse is detected. Even when the load height of the article B detected by the load height detection means HS does not match the load height of the article B to be taken out (step # 63), that effect is obtained. Is displayed (Step # 6)
1) Stop the transportation work.

If there is no abnormality as described above, a pallet P transfer instruction is transmitted to the elevator controller 20 (step # 6), and then the elevator controller 2 is sent.
It waits until the transfer completion signal is received from 0 (step # 7). When the elevator controller 20 receives the transfer instruction of the pallet P from the main controller 32 in the flowchart of FIG. 13 (step # 50),
According to the transfer instruction, the storage unit fork mechanism 12
The article B is transferred between the upper pallet P and the pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 (step # 5).
1).

The above-mentioned transfer instruction from the main controller 32 is sent from one of the pallets P of the pallets P placed on the storage unit fork mechanism 12 and the loading / unloading unit fork mechanism 13 to the other pallet P. The transfer of B is instructed by specifying the position where the article P to be transferred is present and the position of the transfer destination by the arrangement position of the articles B on the pallet P.
In some cases, the transfer of instructions is instructed. Item B at this point
1 is carried out, the transfer instruction is an instruction to transfer the article B of the pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12 to the pallet P on the carry-in / out unit fork mechanism 13. As shown in FIG. 1, first, the operations of the motors 21 and 22 are controlled to move the horizontal moving body 15 and the vertical moving body 16 in the horizontal plane, and the lifting / lowering moving body 17 is moved to the pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12. Of the article B to be transferred, that is, the article B to be taken out, the motor 23 is driven to lower the elevating / lowering moving body 17, and the motors 24 and 25 are driven to move the pair of article holding arms. 18 is moved in the approach direction. Since the article B has a long cylindrical shape, the article gripping arm 1 described above is used.
By the approaching movement of 8, the pin 1 of the article holding arm 18
8a sinks into the through hole in the longitudinal direction of the article B, and the article grasping arm 18 grasps both longitudinal end portions of the article B.

After that, the elevating / lowering body 17 is raised to move the pallet P mounted on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13.
The article B is moved to the designated position above, and the article B is placed on the pedestal 5 of the pallet P in the reverse operation. The pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 has the same shape as the pallet P for storing the articles B in the article storage rack 1. Pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12
When there are a plurality of articles B to be taken out to be transferred from, the above operation is repeated. Storage mechanism fork mechanism 12
When the transfer of the articles B from the pallet P placed on the top to the pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is completed, the elevator platform controller 20 sends a transfer completion signal to the main controller 32. Is transmitted (step # 52) and waits until a new transfer instruction is received (step # 50).

The main controller 32, which has received the transfer completion signal from the elevator platform controller 20 in step # 7 of the flowchart in FIG. 10, operates the storage unit fork mechanism 12 to move the pallet on the storage unit fork mechanism 12. Return P to the original article storage unit 6 (step #
8). The main controller 32 can specify an article B held on a different pallet P, that is, stored in a different article storage section 6 and perform a take-out operation in one transport operation, as described above. When the removal of the article B from one article storage unit 6 is completed,
If the article B instructed to be taken out is not taken out and remains (step # 9), the article B is moved to the article storage unit 6 storing the article B (step # 3), and the same operation as above is performed. repeat. Further, since the pallet P can hold the articles B having different cross-sectional diameters and the articles B having different diameters at the same time, it is possible to take out the articles B having different diameters at the same time by one carrying operation. .

The pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is provided for all the articles designated as objects to be taken out.
When the transfer to the
The lifting / lowering table 8 is moved to a position at which the loading / unloading section fork mechanism 13 and the loading / unloading section IO of FIG.
0), the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is operated to transfer the pallet P holding the article B to be taken out to the loading / unloading section IO on the instructed side (step # 11).

The above operation is performed by the pallet P of the article storage unit 6.
The operation of taking out some of the articles B from the
If the articles B to be taken out are all the articles B held in one pallet P (step # 15), the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is placed at a position facing the article storage unit 6 storing the pallet P. After moving the lift table 8 (step # 16), the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is operated to transfer the pallet P to the lift table 8 (step # 16).
17). Also during this transfer, the abnormality detection processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12 is executed in the same manner as described above (step # 18). If there is no abnormality, then, as described above, the pallet P is moved to the loading / unloading section IO (step # 10).
Is transferred to the carry-in / out section IO (step # 11). The pallet P transferred to the carry-in / out section IO is transported to the installation location of the manufacturing apparatus where the article B is used by an unmanned transport vehicle, a forklift, or the like.

When the article B is returned to the article storage rack 1 after the use in the manufacturing apparatus is finished, the pallet P holding the article B to be returned to the article storage rack 1 is placed in the carry-in / out section IO,
When the storage of the article B is instructed to the main controller 32 by an input from the console 33 or via the communication interface 34 (step # 22), a bar code reader (not shown) or the like is used in the loading / unloading section IO. The identification code of the article B to be stored, which is recorded by a code or the like, is read, and the article B is stored by the storage information of the storage device 35.
Specify the storage position where was stored (Step # 2
3). The operation of storing the article B is almost the reverse of the operation of taking out the article B. The elevating table 8 is moved to the loading / unloading section IO, and the pallet P of the loading / unloading section IO is moved up and down by the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13. After transfer to the table 8 (step # 24) and execution of the same abnormality detection processing as described above (step # 2)
5) The elevator 8 is moved to a position where the storage unit fork mechanism 12 faces the storage unit 6 in which the product B was stored (step # 26). When this movement is completed, the pallet P of the article storage unit 6 is transferred to the lift 8 (step # 27). Also during this transfer, the same abnormality detection processing as described above is executed (step # 28).

If there is no abnormality, the elevator platform controller 2
0, a pallet P transfer instruction is transmitted (step # 29), and then the process waits until a transfer completion signal is received from the elevator platform controller 20 (step # 3).
0). When the lift controller 20 receives the transfer instruction of the pallet P from the main controller 32 in the flowchart of FIG. 13 (step # 50), the lift controller 20 carries out the pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12 according to the transfer instruction. Pallet P on the entry fork mechanism 13
The article B is transferred between and (step # 51). At this point, since the storage operation of the article B is being performed, the content of the transfer instruction is an instruction to transfer the article B of the pallet P on the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 to the pallet P on the storage section fork mechanism 12. Therefore, the operation is the reverse of the operation shown in FIG. When there are a plurality of articles B to be transferred from the pallet P on the loading / unloading section fork mechanism 13 to the pallet P on the storage section fork mechanism 12, the above operation is repeated.

When the transfer of the articles B is completed, the elevator controller 20 transmits a transfer completion signal to the main controller 32 (step # 52), and waits until a new transfer instruction is received. Yes (Step # 5
0). The main controller 32, which has received the transfer completion signal from the elevator platform controller 20 in step # 30 of the flowchart in FIG. 11, operates the storage unit fork mechanism 12 to restore the pallet P on the storage unit fork mechanism 12. Return to the article storage section 6 (step # 31).
When there are a plurality of articles B to be stored and the storage positions thereof also cover a plurality of article storage units 6 (step # 32), the operations of step # 24 and subsequent steps are repeated, and when the storage of all the articles is completed, the storage work is performed. finish.

The above operation is for storing the individual articles B in the article storage section 6, but all the articles B to be stored.
When it is determined that the articles B have been taken out together with the pallet P (step # 33), the lifting platform 8 is moved to the loading / unloading section IO, and the pallet of the loading / unloading section IO is detected. After the P is transferred to the lift table 8 by the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 (step # 34) and the same abnormality detection processing as described above is executed (step # 35), the article B storing the article B is stored. The elevating table 8 is moved to a position where the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 faces the section 6 (step # 36), and the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13 is operated to store the pallet P in the article storage section 6 (step # 36). 37).

[Other Embodiments] Other embodiments will be listed below. In the above-described embodiment, the article transfer device for transferring the article B between the elevating table 8 and the loading / unloading section IO and between the elevating table 8 and the article accommodating section 6 is provided with the fork mechanism 12 for the accommodating section.
And the loading / unloading fork mechanism 13,
The article transfer device may be configured by, for example, an articulated manipulator. Further, it may be configured to include three or more article transfer devices. In the above-described embodiment, the pallet P is exemplified as the cargo handling tool, but the shape and the like can be variously changed, such as a container having a capacity capable of storing a plurality of articles B. In the above-described embodiment, the stacker crane 3 is illustrated as the transporting device, but the elevators having a length that extends over substantially the entire width of the article storage shelf 1 in the width direction are formed at both ends of the article storage shelf 1 in a vertical posture. A plurality of article transfer devices may be provided so that they can be moved up and down while being guided by the up-and-down guide rails, and a plurality of article transfer devices can travel on the elevating table in the lateral width direction of the article storage rack 1. In this case, a plurality of article transfer devices may be separately movable on the lift table.

In the above-described embodiment, as the article B to be stored in the article storage rack 1, a replacement part of the manufacturing apparatus is illustrated, and a usage mode in which the article B after use in the manufacturing apparatus is returned to the article storage shelf 1 will be described. However, it may be used as a normal automatic warehouse that does not perform processing such as returning the once shipped article B to the article storage rack 1 again. In the above-described embodiment, the article transfer device BT is composed of the vertical moving body 15, the lateral moving body 16, the elevating moving body 17, and the like. However, the article transferring device BT is configured as an articulated manipulator to place the article B in the pallet P. You may comprise so that it may transfer between. In the above embodiment, the article B to be stored has a long cylindrical shape, but it can be used to store articles B having various shapes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a lift table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the lifting table according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the article transport device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the article storage shelf according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of an article and a cargo handling tool according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a pallet size detection device and the like from the front view of the lifting platform according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a pallet size detection device and the like in plan view of the lifting platform according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 article storage shelf 3 conveyance apparatus 6 article storage section 7 traveling body 7a guide member 8 lifting platform 8a bottom frame body 8b side frame body 8c guided portion 12, 13 article transfer device 14 frame body 14a reinforcing frame body 18 article Gripping tool B Article BT Article transfer device IO Loading / unloading section P Cargo handling tool

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A cargo handling tool for holding an article is transferred between an elevator table which can be driven and raised and lowered freely, an article storage section which is vertically and horizontally arranged on an article storage shelf, and a plurality of loading / unloading sections of the article storage shelf. A plurality of article transfer devices to be placed are provided on the elevator table, and the article transfer is performed to transfer the articles among the plurality of cargo handling tools transferred by the article transfer devices and held on the elevator table. The apparatus is an article transporting apparatus for article storage shelves provided on the elevator, the frame holding the article transfer device being detachably assembled to the elevator. Article transport device. 2. The article conveyor for an article storage shelf according to claim 1, wherein a traveling body is provided which can travel in a widthwise direction of the article storage shelf, and the elevating table is attached to the traveling body so as to be vertically movable. apparatus. 3. The article storage shelf article according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of article transfer devices are arranged in the lateral width direction of the article storage shelf and provided on the elevating table. Transport device. 4. The lift base includes a bottom frame body on which the article transfer device is installed, and side frame bodies that extend upward from both end portions of the bottom frame body in the lateral width direction of the article storage rack. The side frame body is provided with a guided portion guided by a guide member provided to guide the elevating table so as to move up and down, and a frame that holds the article transfer device. The body is provided so as to be installed between the upper ends of the pair of side frame bodies in the lifting table, and the article transfer device is configured to move in a width direction, a depth direction, and a vertical direction of the article storage shelf. The article transfer device for an article storage shelf according to claim 3, wherein the article is gripped by a flexible article gripper to transfer the article. 5. An attachment / detachment extending from an intermediate position in a lateral width direction of the article storage shelf in a frame body holding the article transfer device to an intermediate position in a lateral width direction of the article storage shelf in a bottom frame body of the elevating table. The article transport device for an article storage shelf according to claim 4, further comprising a reinforcing frame body that is freely connected.