JPH10181863A - Article transport equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately detect the stoppage of an article transporter at its appropriate stop position to an associated station in article transport equipment which may be easily installed or transferred. SOLUTION: Article transport equipment carries articles with the use of an article transporter T, which is adapted to be stopped by a station for the transfer of articles therefrom or thereto. The article transporter T is provide with a stop position detector 59 and a stop zone detector 58. The station is provided adjacently with a stop position detection element adapted to be detected by the stop position detector 59 when the article transporter T stops at its appropriate stop position to the station, and with a stop zone detection element adapted to be detected by the stop zone detector 58 when the article transporter T stops in a set zone including the appropriate stop position to the station.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an article transport facility for transporting articles by an article transport vehicle that transfers articles to and from a station in a state in which the station is positioned so that the station is located on the side of the vehicle body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Such an article transport facility is an apparatus for transporting articles by an article transport vehicle. The transfer of articles between the article transport vehicle and the station is performed so that the station is located on the side of the vehicle body. This is performed with the article transport vehicle stopped. At this time, if the article transport vehicle and the station are misaligned, it is not possible to transfer the articles properly, so it is necessary to check whether the article transport vehicle is located at an appropriate stop position with respect to the station. is there. Conventionally, a light reflecting plate for indicating a proper stopping position is installed at a station to check whether or not the vehicle is stopped at a proper stopping position, and a photoelectric tube or the like for detecting the light reflecting plate on an article transport vehicle is detected. Means are provided, and in principle, when the detecting means detects the light reflecting plate, it is detected that the article transport vehicle is stopped at the appropriate stop position.

However, in consideration of the possibility that the detecting means may erroneously detect something other than the light reflecting plate, a certain range in the vehicle body moving direction including the position at which the detecting means detects the light detecting plate is considered. Is set as a stop zone, and when the vehicle body is detected to be within the stop zone, and when the detecting means detects the light reflecting plate, it is detected that the article transport vehicle is stopped at the appropriate stop position. Was. Specifically, the stop zone is set by installing a long detection plate along the traveling direction of the vehicle on the traveling route of the article transport vehicle, and detecting the detected plate by the article transport vehicle. An interrupter-type optical sensor or the like is provided to detect whether the vehicle is located in the stop zone.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the light reflecting plate for indicating the appropriate stop position and the plate to be detected for indicating the stop zone are arranged at a considerable distance. However, it is difficult to align the two, and installation work is troublesome. In addition, when a station is relocated, a long object to be detected installed on the traveling route of the article carrier is also added. It is necessary to relocate the device, and there is a disadvantage that the work is troublesome. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily perform an installation operation or a relocation operation of a facility, and to stop an article carrier at an appropriate stop position with respect to a station. Is to be able to accurately detect that

[0005]

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the traveling control means of the article transport vehicle includes a stop position detecting sensor which indicates a proper stop position with respect to a station of the article transport vehicle. Object to be detected,
In addition, when the stop zone detecting means detects a stop zone detection target indicating that the article transport vehicle is located in the stop zone of the station, it can detect that the article transport vehicle has stopped at the appropriate stop position. . The detected object for the stop position and the detected object for the stop zone are arranged close to each other at the station, and the positioning of the detected object for the stop position and the detected object for the stop zone can be easily performed. Even in the case of relocation, it is possible to omit a new installation work of these detected objects. In this way, while the equipment installation or relocation work can be easily performed, the article transport vehicle can be operated at the station by detecting both the object to be detected for the stop position and the object to be detected for the stop zone. , It is possible to accurately detect that the vehicle has stopped at an appropriate stop position.

In addition, with the configuration according to the second aspect, the detection object for the stop zone is formed of a magnetic band, and the detection object for the stop position is formed of a light reflecting tape. I have. In other words, the magnetic strips are suitable for indicating a certain width due to their properties, and the light reflecting tape is suitable for indicating a specific position within a very narrow range. The stop position and the stop zone can be accurately detected by using the information.

[0007] Further, by providing the structure of the third aspect, the light reflecting tape is formed with a non-reflective portion having a low light reflectance on both sides of the light reflecting portion in the moving direction of the vehicle. In the tape, a sufficient difference in the intensity of the reflected light can be secured between the non-reflective portion and the light-reflecting portion. Can be accurately detected. Furthermore, by having the non-reflective portion of the light reflecting tape as described above, the light reflecting tape becomes longer in the vehicle body moving direction, and the light reflecting tape can be formed to have the same length in the vehicle body moving direction as the band indicating the stop zone, The detected surfaces can be arranged vertically one above the other with the article transport vehicle facing the existing side. Therefore, the positioning of the light reflection tape or the like becomes easier, and the installation work and the like can be further simplified.

Further, by providing the above-described structure, the stop zone detection target and the stop position detection target are integrally formed, so that the stop zone detection target and the stop position detection target. The work of installing the object to be detected can be performed integrally, and the work of installing the equipment can be extremely simplified.

Further, with the configuration according to the fifth aspect, the station is provided with the optical communication device for the station, and the optical communication device for the station and the optical communication device for the carrier provided in the article carrier. And optically communicate.
Since the station optical communication device is disposed near the light reflecting tape which is a reference of the position where the article transport vehicle stops, when the article transport vehicle stops at the appropriate stop position,
Due to the mounting accuracy of the optical communication device for the station and the optical communication device for the carrier and the variation of the stopping posture of the article carrier, the relative positional relationship between the two can be suppressed, and accurate communication can be performed. .

In addition, with the configuration according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the article delivery vehicle is provided with a guided rail provided by the guided rail and moved by the guide rail by the driving wheel and the driven wheel. Follow along. Accordingly, since the distance between the station and the article transport vehicle can be basically regulated by the guide rail, the detection of the stop position detection object and the stop zone detection object by the stop position detection sensor and the stop zone detection sensor described above. And the stop position of the article transport vehicle can be more accurately confirmed.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The article transport equipment TS of the present invention will be described below.
An embodiment in which is applied to article transport in an automatic warehouse will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of storage shelves 1 are provided in which storage sections 1 a for storing and storing various articles A on a pallet P are arranged in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. A stacker crane 2 having a lift, a fork, and the like is provided so as to be movable along a rail 3, and a carry-in lifter 4 is provided at an entrance side of some storage shelves 1.
a, conveyor 4b, loading device 4 having transfer lifter 4c
And a carry-out device 5 having a carry-out lifter 5a, a conveyor 5b, and a transfer lifter 5c at the entrance side of some storage shelves 1. The article carrying-in section 6 and the article carrying-out section 7 are located on the opposite side of the storage rack 1 with respect to the carrying-out apparatus 5 and the carrying-in apparatus 4.
And the article carrying-in section 6 and the article carrying-out section 7
And a loop-shaped guide rail 8 as an article transport facility TS for transporting the article A between the carry-in device 4 and the unloading device 5, and a self-propelled article transport vehicle guided by the guide rail 8 T and thus constitute an automatic warehouse.

That is, when storing the article A, the article A is supplied to the article carry-in section 6 by the storage conveyor 9 while being placed on the pallet P. Then, the article transport vehicle T is transferred from the article carry-in section 6 with the article A placed on the pallet P, transported to one of the carry-in devices 4, and transferred to the transfer lifter 4c together with the pallet P. The carry-in device 4 conveys the article A together with the pallet P from the transfer lifter 4c to the carry-in lifter 4a by the conveyor 4b, and transfers the article A to the stacker crane 2 from the carry-in lifter 4a. The stacker crane 2 transports the articles A from the loading device 4a to a predetermined storage section 1a of the storage shelves 1 where the articles A are to be stored, and transfers the articles A together with the pallets P.

Then, when taking out the article A, the command is input to the control device. Then, based on information from the control device, the stacker crane 2 moves to the storage section 1a of the storage shelf 1 in which the article A is stored, takes out the article A together with the pallet P, transports it to the unloading device 5, and It is transferred to the carry-out lifter 5a. The carry-out device 5 conveys the articles A together with the pallet P from the carry-out lifter 5a to the transfer lifter 5c by the conveyor 5b, and transfers the articles A to the article transport vehicle T while being placed on the pallet P from the transfer lifter 5c. The article transport vehicle T transports the article A to the article unloading section 7 and transfers the article A together with the pallet P, and the unloading conveyor 10 transports the article A from the article unloading section 7 to the unloading location while the article A remains on the pallet P. Therefore, when viewed as the article transport facility TS, the article transport vehicle T is
The end of the conveyor 4b, 5b on the side where the guide rail 8 exists, the article carrying-in section 6 and the article carrying-out section 7 are connected to the station ST.
The article A is transported between these stations ST.

The article transport vehicle T is configured as shown in FIGS. That is, a pair of left and right main frames 11a and 11b that are long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a front connection frame 11c that connects the front ends of the two main frames 11a and 11b, and a rear end of the two main frames 11a and 11b are connected. A vehicle body 11 is formed by the rear connecting frame 11d, and a driving wheel 12 for traveling is mounted below the middle part of the left main frame 11a in the front-rear direction so as to be driven by the electric motor M1. The idler wheel 13 is freely rotatably mounted on the lower surface side of the front end side and the rear end side of the main frame 11a on the left side.
Auxiliary wheels 14 are attached to the lower front side of the front side of the vehicle and the lower side of the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the drive wheels 12, and are provided on the left side outside on the front end side and the left side outside on the rear end side of the left main frame 11a. And a pair of front and rear guided portions 30,
A guide cover 15 covering the upper side and the lateral side of the main frame 30 is extended from the left main frame 11a to the lateral outside of the vehicle body 11, and the front receiving tray device 40 is extended across the upper surfaces of the front ends of the main frames 11a and 11b. The rear receiving device 40 is attached to the upper surfaces of the rear ends of the main frames 11a and 11b to supply power to the electric motor M1 and the electric motor M2 of the both receiving devices 40, and to control these components. Power supply unit 16
And a power supply unit cover 17 covering the upper and lower sides and the lateral side of the power supply unit 16 are supported by the right main frame 11b, a resin front bumper 18 is mounted on the front side of the front connection frame 11c, and the rear surface of the rear connection frame 11d. A resin rear bumper 19 is attached to the side. Note that, in FIG. 3, illustration of the guided portion 30 is omitted to make the drawing easy to see.

As clearly shown in FIG.
The axle case 20 fixed to the lower surface side of the main frame 11a supports only the rotation about the axis Y in the lateral direction of the vehicle body and can rotate integrally with the axle 21 driven by the electric motor M1. It is supported. Thereby, the drive wheels 12 are non-steered wheels that are driven and controlled to propel the vehicle body 11, but are not subjected to steering control to change the running direction of the vehicle body 11, and
It is deviated toward the side where the guided part 30 is located with respect to the center CL in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 11 so as to approach the guided part 30 as much as possible.

As clearly shown in FIG. 6, each of the pair of front and rear driven wheels 13, 13 is a pair of idlers which are rotatably mounted on an axle 23 supported by a main frame 11b via wheel supporting members 22. It is composed of rolling elements 13a, 13a. The wheel support member 22 is connected to the main frame 1
Driven wheel support 24 and wheel support member 2 fixed to 1b
2 is supported by the driven wheel support 24 via a bearing interposed therebetween, and is configured to freely rotate around an axis X1 in the vehicle body vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body 11.
The axle 23 is provided with a pair of front and rear support pins 25, 25 of the wheel support member 22.
And rotatably supported about the axis of the vehicle body 11 so as to roll around the axis in a direction orthogonal to the axis X1.

Accordingly, when the traveling direction of the vehicle body 11 changes, both the front driven wheel 13 and the rear driven wheel 13 naturally turn on and off the ground and relative rotation of the pair of idler wheels 13a, 13a. A caster wheel function is provided so as to be turned around the axis X1 with respect to the vehicle body 11 and to be mounted in the vehicle running direction. A rolling function is provided to incline around the core and securely contact the floor. The non-steered wheels are not steered so as to change the running direction of the vehicle body 11.

As shown in FIG. 7, each of the pair of front and rear auxiliary wheels 14, 14 supports a wheel-side support member 26 for supporting the auxiliary wheel 14 in a freely rotatable manner. By pivotally connecting to a vehicle body-side support member 27 which is rotatably supported around the axis X2 by a connecting pin 28 which is parallel to the axle axis of the auxiliary wheel 14 and is deviated from the axle axis. , Attached to the vehicle body 11. As the auxiliary wheel 14 rises and swings around the axis of the connecting pin 28 with respect to the vehicle body-side support body 27, a contact portion 26a protruding toward the upper surface on the base end side of the wheel-side support body 26 is supported. The auxiliary wheel 14 is configured so that it comes into contact with a stopper bolt 29 attached to the body 27 and reaches the upper limit. As a result, when the vehicle body 11 is inclined forward and backward, both the front auxiliary wheel 14 and the rear auxiliary wheel 14 rise relative to the vehicle body 11 around the axis of the connecting pin 28 due to the load applied thereby. When the vehicle body 11 reaches the limit, it is supported by the vehicle body-side support body 27 via the wheel-side support body 26 and the stopper bolt 29, and receives and supports the vehicle body 11 so as not to tilt further.
When the running direction of the vehicle body 11 changes, the vehicle body 1
The wheels are caster wheels so as to turn around the axis X2 with respect to 1 and to be oriented in the vehicle running direction.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, each of the pair of front and rear guided portions 30, 30 extends from the guide bracket 33 fixed to the lower surface side of the main frame 11a to the lateral outside of the vehicle body 11. Extending guide arm 34
And a support 36 rotatably mounted around the axis P1 in the vehicle body vertical direction by a rotation support shaft 35 rotatably penetrating this portion on the extension end side of the guide arm 34, and downward from the support 36. Roller support shaft 37 extending to
And two pairs of left and right guide rollers 31 and 32 are rotatably attached to the front and rear. A guide arm 34 is formed by a long hole 34a provided at the base end side of the guide arm 34 and an arm connecting pin 38 which is configured to penetrate the long hole 34a and is attached to the guide bracket 33 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
And the guide bracket 33, and the guide arm 34
With the arm connecting pin 38 as a fulcrum.
3 is guided up and down so that the guided portion 3
0 is indicated by the solid lines in FIG.
2 is projected from the vehicle body 11 to the outside laterally and is attached to the guide rail 8 from above so as to be in contact therewith, and four guide rollers 3 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
1, 32 can be switched upward and retracted closer to the vehicle body than in the down use state.

When the guided portion 30 is caused to act on the guide rail 8, a plurality of guide arms 34 are mounted on the base end of the guide arm 34 from the upper surface thereof so that the guide arm 34 is fastened and fixed to the guide bracket 33. The lock bolt 39 is actuated to fix the lower use state. When the guided part 30 is in the lowered use state,
The axis P1 is located directly above the guide rail 8, and
The axis P of the four guide rollers 31 and 32
Two guide rollers 31, which are located outside the vehicle body than
31 contacts the left side surface of the guide rail 8 side by side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and two guide rollers 32, 32 located on the inner side of the vehicle body with respect to the shaft center P1 are disposed on the right side surface of the guide rail 8 in the vehicle front-rear direction. It is constituted so that it may contact side by side.
Thus, in a state in which the pair of front and rear guided portions 30, 30 is fixed in the lower use state, when the driving wheel 12 performs a propulsion operation, the pair of left and right guide rollers 31, 32 are respectively disposed on the left and right side surfaces of the guide rail 8. The article transport vehicle T is guided and guided by the guide rail 8.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, each of the front and rear load receiving devices 40, 40 has a conveyor case 41 mounted over the main frames 11a and 11b, and the electric motor M2 attached to the conveyor case 41.
Chain conveyor 42, which is an endless chain mounted so as to be able to be driven to rotate in the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction by
And a transport guide 43 supported by the conveyor case 41.
It is constituted by and. That is, both the front and rear load receiving devices 40 are transported above the conveyor case 41 along the transport guide 43 by the endless chain 42 that rotates one end side of the pallet P in the forward rotation direction, so that the article for transport is provided. A is loaded onto the vehicle body 11 from the transfer lifter 5c or the article carry-in section 6. And conveyor case 4
An article A for transport is removed from the vehicle body 11 by carrying out one end of the pallet P located above the vehicle body 11 to the lateral outside of the vehicle body 11 along the transport guide 43 by an endless chain 42 rotating in the reverse rotation direction. It is lowered to the transfer lifter 4c or the article discharge section 7. That is, the article transport vehicle T transfers the articles A to and from the station ST in a state where the vehicle body is stopped so that the station ST is located on the side of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 9, on the upper surface of the guide rail 8, a pair of right and left guide rails 8 are provided at positions near the left and right ends.
Are formed, and a strip-shaped magnet 47 is fitted in the concave groove 82 in such a manner that the vertical direction of the magnetic field is the direction of the magnetic field. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, a pair of left and right magnets 47 corresponding to the pair of left and right magnets 47 are provided at the rear end position of the support 36 on the rear side of the vehicle body, as shown in FIGS. . The magnetic sensor 48 uses the upper surface of the magnet 47 as a surface to be detected, and distinguishes and detects N-pole or S-pole magnetic poles appearing on the upper surface of the magnet 47.

The magnet 4 fitted in the left and right grooves 82
7 indicates the position information and the like to the article transport vehicle T.
The right magnet 47a is formed to be long and the left magnet 47b is formed to be short in the traveling direction. As shown in FIG. 12 showing an arrangement state of the magnets 47 fitted into the concave grooves 82 of the guide rail 8, one of the long magnets 47a whose detection surface is the S pole is
The article transport vehicle T is installed on the curved path portion of the traveling path, and the article transport vehicle T runs at a low speed while the right magnetic sensor 48a detects the S-pole magnet 47a on the detection surface. On the other hand, one of the long magnets 47a having the detected surface as the N pole is installed on the straight path portion of the traveling path of the article transport vehicle T.
8a travels at high speed while its detection surface detects the N-pole magnet 47a. In a section where the magnet 47a between the magnet 47a having the S pole to be detected and the magnet 47a having the N pole to be detected is not installed, the vehicle travels at an intermediate speed between the above low speed and high speed.

The short magnet 47b is connected to the loading device 4,
The article transporting device 5, the article carrying-in section 6, and the article carrying-out section 7 are arranged on the near side of the set distance from the set stop position of the article transport vehicle T, and are different from the magnet 47a in the article transport vehicle T, ie, the deceleration start position for stopping, ie, the magnet 47a. It serves to indicate position information as a point. In the article transport vehicle T, the left magnetic sensor 48b detects the short magnet 47b, and if there is a plan to stop at the loading device 4 or the like corresponding to the short magnet 47b, the short magnet 47b is detected. Start deceleration from the point in time. It should be noted that the short magnet 47b has an N pole on the surface to be detected. The magnets 47a and 47b are not shown in the figure, but they are all N
A shallow groove-shaped concave portion is formed on the detection surface on the pole side so that the polarity of the magnetic poles of the magnets 47a and 47b can be easily determined.

As shown in FIG. 9, a power supply rail 53 for supplying electric power to the article transport vehicle T is provided on a side surface of the support base 44 supporting the guide rail 8 on the side where the article transport vehicle T exists.
Is attached. In order to receive power supply from the power supply rail 53, the article carrier T is supported by a current collecting arm 50 extending from the front guide bracket 33, and is arranged on the current collecting arm 50 in a state where the current collecting arm 50 is arranged in a vertical direction of the vehicle body. A plurality of current collectors 51 are provided, and these current collectors 51 constantly contact the power supply rail 53 to supply driving power to the power supply rail 5.
3 and is supplied to the electric motors M1 and M2 via the power supply unit 16.

The conveyor 4b and the conveyor 5b are shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, a chain conveyor type driven independently of the left and right by electric motors M3 and M4 is provided.
Edge 55 on the travel route side of the article transport vehicle T in b and 5b
The edge 55 on the upper side in the vehicle body movement direction has a stop for indicating the stop zone to the article transport vehicle T in a state where the detected surface is directed to the existing side of the article transport vehicle T as shown in FIG. A band-like magnet 56 functioning as a zone detection object ZS and formed as a magnetic band, and light reflection as a stop position detection object PS for indicating an appropriate stop position for each of the conveyors 4b and 5b. A tape 57 is attached.

Band-like magnet 56 and light reflection tape 57
As shown in FIG. 15, the belt-like magnet 56 is adhered on a common substrate (not shown) and is integrally formed.
The light reflection tape 57 and the light reflection tape 57 have the same length in the lateral width direction in FIG. Light reflection tape 5
7 has a light reflecting portion 57 at the center in the width direction in FIG.
a non-reflection portion 57b having a low light reflectance is formed on both sides of the light reflection portion 57a,
The difference in light reflectance between the light reflecting portion 57a and the non-reflecting portion 57b adjacent to the light reflecting portion 57a is increased to improve the detection accuracy. Also, the conveyor 4 is close to the light reflection tape 57.
A station optical communication device 60 is provided for communicating between the b, 5b side and the article transport vehicle T side by optical communication.

On the article transport vehicle T side, as shown in FIG.
A magnetic sensor 58 as a stop zone detection sensor for detecting the above-mentioned band-shaped magnet 56 and a reflection type optical sensor 59 as a stop position detection sensor for detecting the light reflection tape 57 are provided. An optical communication device 61 for a carrier for communicating with the vehicle is provided.
As shown in FIG. 11, the magnetic sensor 58, the reflection type optical sensor 59, and the carrier optical communication device 61 are attached to the conveyor case 41 via the base plate 62 and the sensor bracket 63 as shown in FIG. The optical sensor 58 and the reflection type optical sensor 59 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, and the reflection type optical sensor 59 and the optical communication device 61 for a carrier are separated from each other in the vehicle body moving direction.

The state in which the reflection type optical sensor 59 detects the light reflection portion 57a of the light reflection tape 57 is the conveyor 4
The mounting position of the light reflecting tape 57 is set so as to be an appropriate stop position suitable for transfer of the article A to the article carrier b, 5b. Is located in a set range before and after the appropriate stop position. Further, the distance between the reflection type optical sensor 59 and the optical communication device 61 for a carrier corresponds to the distance between the light reflection portion 57a of the light reflection tape 57 and the optical communication device for station 60 shown in FIG. When the article transport vehicle T stops at the proper stop position, the station optical communication device 60 and the transport vehicle optical communication device 61 are set to be located at appropriate positions for communication.

The above-mentioned magnetic sensor 58 and reflection type optical sensor 5
9 and the optical communication device 61 for the carrier, and furthermore, the magnet 4
The detection signal of the magnetic sensor 48 for detecting the sensor 7 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, it is input to the control device CO functioning as a traveling control means of the article transport vehicle T, and is used for stop control of the article transport vehicle T and the like.

The operation will be briefly described below, taking as an example a case where an article A is unloaded from the automatic warehouse having the above configuration in response to a command from a ground-side control device (not shown). First, the stacker crane 2 takes out the designated article A together with the pallet P from the storage section 1a and transports it to the carry-out lifter 5a.
Further, the sheet is transported to the transfer lifter 5c by the conveyor 5b.
On the other hand, the control device CO of the article transport vehicle T receives a command from the control device on the ground side via the optical communication device 61 for the transport vehicle or another wireless communication device, and receives a command from the target conveyor 5.
The control for moving to b is performed.

That is, during this movement, the speed is controlled based on the instruction information of the magnet 47a detected by the magnetic sensor 48 as described above, and the target conveyor 5 is controlled.
When the short magnet 47b corresponding to a is detected, deceleration control is performed at a position slightly before the appropriate stop position with respect to the conveyor 5b so as to have a slow speed. When the magnetic sensor 58 detects the belt-shaped magnet 56 of the conveyor 5b, it detects that the vehicle has entered the stop zone. Further, the reflection type optical sensor 59 cuts the light reflection portion 57a from the non-reflection portion 57b of the light reflection tape 57. When the change is detected, the electric motor M1 is braked to stop the vehicle body on condition that the magnetic sensor 58 detects the band-shaped magnet 56 even at that time.

Since the article transport vehicle T is running slowly as described above, it is immediately stopped by this braking operation, and stopped while the reflection type optical sensor 59 detects the light reflection portion 57a. The timing of applying a brake to the electric motor M1 is determined by applying an output signal of a rotary encoder (not shown) for detecting the traveling distance of the article transport vehicle T from when the magnet 47b is detected to when the vehicle travels a set distance. You may do it.
After the stop, the reflection type optical sensor 59 detects the light reflection portion 57a of the light reflection tape 57, and the magnetic sensor 58 detects the band-shaped magnet 56. Confirm.

When it is confirmed that the article A has stopped at the appropriate stop position, the article A is transferred to the article transport vehicle T by the operation of the chain conveyor 42 and the like. The article transport vehicle T that has received the article A moves to the article unloading section 7 while controlling the speed based on the instruction information of the magnet 47 detected by the magnetic sensor 48 in the same manner as described above. The strip-shaped magnet 56 and the light reflection tape 57 are also attached to the article discharge section 7 in the same manner as above, and after performing the same stopping operation as described above, the article A is lowered, and the lowered article A is transferred to the delivery conveyor 10. It is carried out. When the articles A are to be stored in the storage shelves 1, conversely, the articles A are transported by the storage conveyor 9, the articles A located in the article loading section 6 are transported by the article transport vehicle T to the loading device 4, and the stacker crane is used. 2 and is stored in a predetermined storage section 1a.

[Other Embodiments] Hereinafter, other embodiments will be listed. In the above-described embodiment, the stop zone detection target ZS is configured by the band-shaped magnet 56 and is configured to perform detection using magnetism. However, the stop zone detection target ZS is also the stop position detection target PS. In the same manner as described above, the detection may be performed using light. In the above embodiment, the article transport facility TS is exemplified as a part of an automatic warehouse.
The present invention can be applied to various types of transport equipment, for example, when transporting an article or the like that is being processed between various processing apparatuses.

In the above embodiment, the belt-shaped magnet 56 and the light reflecting tape 57 are integrally formed.
Although the belt-shaped magnet 56 and the light reflecting tape 57 are attached on a common substrate (not shown), the light reflecting tape may be attached to a part of the plate-shaped magnet. In the above embodiment, the detection object PS for the stop position is configured by the light reflection tape 57, but may be configured as a plate-shaped mirror instead of the tape shape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram of an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article transport vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the article transport vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the article transport vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a driving wheel support structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a support structure of a driven wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a support structure of an auxiliary wheel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a guided portion in plan view according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a support structure of a guided portion according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a main part of the article transport vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a main part of the article transport vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a layout diagram of a magnet according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view of a station according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic side view of a station according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 guide rail 30 guided part 57 light reflection tape 57a light reflection part 57b non-reflection part 58 stop zone detection sensor 59 stop position detection sensor 60 optical communication device for station 61 optical communication device for carrier CO travel control means PS for stop position Detected object ST station T Article carrier ZS Detected object for stop zone

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An article transport facility for transporting articles by an article transport vehicle that transfers articles to and from a station in a state in which the body is stopped so that the station is located on a lateral side of the body. A stop position detection sensor and a stop zone detection sensor are provided on the article transport vehicle, and a stop detected by the stop position detection sensor when the article transport vehicle is at an appropriate stop position with respect to the station at the station. When the position detection target object and the article transport vehicle are located in a set range before and after the proper stop position with respect to the station, the stop zone detection target detected by the stop zone detection sensor is disposed in close proximity to the position detection target object. In the article transport vehicle, the stop position detection sensor detects the target object for the stop position, and the stop zone detection sensor detects the stop zone. As a state of detecting the object to be detected for the zone, the article transport facility running control means for stopping said article transport vehicle is provided. 2. The article transport equipment according to claim 1, wherein the detected object for the stop zone is formed of a magnetic band, and the detected object for the stop position is formed of a light reflecting tape. 3. The light reflecting tape is formed to have a non-reflective portion on both sides of the light reflecting portion in the vehicle body moving direction, and the light reflecting tape and the strip have the same length in the vehicle body moving direction, 3. The article transport facility according to claim 2, wherein the detected surfaces are arranged vertically one above the other with the article transport vehicle facing the presence of the article transport vehicle. 4. The article transport equipment according to claim 3, wherein the detected object for the stop zone and the detected object for the stop position are formed integrally. 5. An optical communication device for a station for optically communicating with an optical communication device for a transport vehicle provided on the article transport vehicle is provided near the light reflection tape.
Or the article transport equipment according to 4. 6. The article transport vehicle comprises a pair of front and rear guided parts that move along a guide rail, and is configured to travel on the floor along the guide rail by driving wheels and driven wheels. The article transport facility according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the article is transported.