JPH11199009A - Article transfer equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the damage of an article in response to a carrying in operation when the carrying speed of a placing and carrying part at the carrying in operation time is made high by conducting the switch operation to the engagingly lock release position of an engagingly locking and carrying part on the way of the carrying in which the engagingly locking and carrying part is carried by the same speed as the placing and carrying part. SOLUTION: A stacker crane attached to a storing facility formed by installing in parallel several storing shelves SS for storing a pallet P loaded an article P1 is provided with an article transfer equipment A on an elevating stand 13. This article transfer equipment A is provided with a belt conveyer 32 consisting of two carrying belts (placing and carrying part) 35 for placing and carrying the pallet P and an engagingly locking and carrying device 33 having an engagingly locking tool (engagingly locking and carrying part) 34 for engagingly locking and carrying the pallet P. When the pallet P is taken in/out for the storing shelf SS by this article transfer equipment A, the switch operation to the engagingly lock release position of the engagingly locking tool 34 is controlled so as to be conducted on the way of the carrying in which the engagingly locking tool 34 is carried by the same speed as the carrying belt 35.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a loading / conveying section capable of placing / transporting articles in a transport / transport direction and placing / holding articles at a proper holding position set in the transport / transport direction. The position can be switched between an article locking position and an unlocking position by a slide movement operation in a direction orthogonal to the transfer conveyance direction, and a position overlapping the placement conveyance section in the transfer conveyance direction and the placement conveyance section. And a control means for controlling the operation of the loading / transporting section and the locking / transporting section, the locking / transporting section being movable along the transfer / transport direction over a position protruding outward. The control means moves the articles placed on the outer placement section located at an interval in the transfer / transport direction with respect to the placement / transportation section to the setting proper holding position of the placement / transportation section. In the loading operation for loading, the loading and transporting section is set from the outer loading section for articles. Activated to transport toward the normal holding position, and, in a state where the locking and transporting unit is switched to an article locking position to lock to an article placed on the outer placing unit, It is operated so as to convey articles toward the set proper holding position at the same speed as the conveying speed of the mounting and conveying section, and also, as the articles are mounted and conveyed on the mounting and conveying section as described above. In the state where the article is switched to the stop release position and detached from the article, the article is stopped at a position overlapping the loading and transporting section in the transfer and transport direction, and the article held at the set appropriate holding position is directed toward the outer loading section. At the time of the unloading operation of unloading and operating, the placing and transporting unit described above is operated to transport the article toward the outer placing unit, and the locking transporting unit,
In the state where the position is switched to the article locking position so that the articles placed on the placing and transporting section are locked, the articles are directed to the outer placing section at the same speed as the transport speed of the placing and transporting section. The present invention relates to an article transfer device configured to be operated so as to be transported.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The above-mentioned article transfer device, at the time of carrying-in operation, moves a locking / transporting part, which has been moved to a position protruding outward from the placing / conveying part, to an article placed on the outer receiving part. The transport of the loading / transporting part to a position overlapping with the loading / transporting part so that the article can be transported to the set proper holding position in cooperation with the placing / transporting part by switching to the article locking position to be locked. Move at the same speed as the speed, and at the time of unloading operation, so that the article can be transported to the outer outer loading section in cooperation with the loading and transporting section,
The locking / transporting part moved to a position overlapping with the placing / transporting part is switched to an article retaining position for retaining the articles placed on the placing / transporting part, and is moved outside the placing / transporting part. The moving operation is performed at the same speed as the transport speed of the mounting and transporting unit to a position protruding in the direction. In such an article transfer apparatus, conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-285615
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-157, during the loading operation, when the locking / transporting part is moved to a position overlapping with the placing / conveying part and then switched to the unlocking position, the locking / transporting part is placed. When it is detected that the transport unit has moved to the set position overlapping the transport unit, the movement of the locked transport unit is stopped, and then the locked transport unit is switched to the unlocked position.

[0003]

For this reason, at the time of carrying-in operation, in order to quickly convey an article to a set proper holding position,
When the transport speed of the loading and transporting unit is increased, the locked transporting unit is moved to a position overlapping the loading and transporting unit, and then the locked transporting unit is switched to the unlocked position. If the switch is not switched to the unlocked position at a high speed corresponding to the transport speed, there is a disadvantage that the article is damaged by the carry-in operation, or the article cannot be successfully carried out during the carry-out operation. In other words, in a state where the movement of the locking conveyance unit in the transfer conveyance direction is stopped, the locking conveyance unit is switched from the article locking position to the locking release position.
If the switching speed to the unlocking position is slower than the transport speed of the loading and transporting unit, the article that is not completely unlocked by the locking and transporting unit is forcibly transported by the loading and transporting unit. When the carry-out operation is performed, the article may be damaged due to the carry-in operation, or the placement posture of the article in the placement / transportation unit may be disturbed. This is because they may not be able to be carried out well. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if the transport speed of the loading and transporting unit during the loading operation is increased, there is no risk of damaging the article with the loading operation, and furthermore, It is an object of the present invention to be able to carry out an article successfully during an unloading operation for unloading an article.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article transfer apparatus, wherein a switching operation of a locking / conveying section to an unlocking position at the time of carrying-in operation is performed by mounting / conveying the locking / conveying section. Since the transfer is performed during the transfer operation in which the transfer operation is performed at the same speed as that of the transfer unit, the locked transfer unit is moved at the same speed as the transfer speed of the article by the placement transfer unit, and the locked transfer unit is simultaneously locked. There is no danger that an article that has been switched to the release position and that has not been completely unlocked by the engagement transport section will be forcibly transported by the placement transport section. Therefore, even if the transport speed of the loading / transporting section during the loading operation is increased, there is no risk of damage to the articles due to the loading operation, and the loading attitude of the articles in the loading / transporting section is not disturbed. Then, the article can be successfully unloaded at the time of unloading operation for unloading the article. In the article transfer device according to the second aspect, during the unloading operation, the locking and transporting unit is engaged with the article in a state where the article is being transported by the loading and transporting unit at a lower speed than during the loading operation. Since the switching operation is performed to the article locking position to be stopped, the locking and transporting unit is switched to the article locking position, and then the transport is started. Can be quickly carried out without wasting time as compared with a case where the switching operation is performed to the article locking position. In the article transfer device according to the third aspect, the locking and transporting portion is provided so as to be relatively movably locked to the article over a predetermined range in the front and rear direction of the transferring and transporting. When the locking section is locked from the rear side in the transfer and transport direction, the article is transported along with the moving operation of the locking and transporting section in the transfer and transport direction, and the locked transport section is attached to the article. On the other hand, in the state of being locked from the front side in the transfer / transport direction, as the operation of moving the locked / conveying section in the transfer / transport direction is stopped, the movement of the article in the transfer direction is prevented. And at the time of loading operation,
When the locking conveyance section is moved to the maximum movement amount corresponding to the loading operation and then switched to the article locking position,
The locking conveyance section is locked at an intermediate position within a certain range that is relatively movable with respect to the article placed on the outer placement section,
The article can be transported toward the set proper holding position,
At the time of the unloading operation, after the locking conveyance section is locked from the rear side of the transfer conveyance direction with respect to the article placed on the placement conveyance section, and the article is conveyed toward the outer mounting section, When the locking / transporting part is moved to the maximum movement amount corresponding to the unloading operation, the locking / transporting part locks on the article from the front in the transfer / transport direction, and moves in the conveying direction of the article. Is stopped, and the transfer position of the article with respect to the outer mounting portion is determined. Therefore, at the time of the loading operation, the locking / transporting portion is easily locked to the article, and the article can be reliably transported toward the set proper holding position. When the locking transport unit releases the lock on the article being transported toward the unit, the product is prevented from moving due to the inertial force, and the article is accurately placed on the predetermined position on the outer placement unit. The article can then be successfully loaded at the time of the loading operation for loading the article.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 5 show a storage facility in which four storage shelves SS for storing a pallet P on which a storage object P1 as an article is placed are arranged side by side. 3 is provided with an article transfer device A according to the present invention.

Each of the storage shelves SS is provided with a plurality of storage portions SA on the upper, lower, left and right sides, and the storage shelves SS arranged on both outer sides are constituted by fixed shelves 1 fixed to the floor surface, and arranged between the fixed shelves 1. The two storage shelves SS are integrally fixed back to back to form a movable shelf 2 movable between the two fixed shelves 1, and the movable shelves 2 are fixed to the fixed shelves 1 ( That is, it can be freely switched between a loading / unloading operation state in which the traveling path T of the stacker crane 3 is formed between the rack and the adjacent shelf, and a storage state close to the fixed shelf 1.

The stacker crane 3 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), it is possible to enter any one of the traveling passages T formed between one of the fixed shelves 1 and the movable shelf 2, and therefore, the stacker A traverser 4 for transporting the crane 3 is provided. The traverser 4 is configured to be movable in the juxtaposition direction of the storage shelves SS so as to be located outside one end side of each of two traveling paths T formed by the movement of the movable shelf 2. In a state where the traverser 4 is located outside one end of the traveling path T, the stacker crane 3 is movable over the inside of the traveling path T and on the traverser 4. Of the vehicle and the traveling path T
Is movable over each of the standby positions located outside the one end side, and by moving the traverser 4 as described above, it is possible to freely move to the respective standby positions corresponding to the respective traveling paths T.

The loading and unloading of the pallets P to and from the storage facility is performed at the article loading and unloading sections H located at both ends in the moving direction of the traverser 4, and the pallets P on which the storage objects P1 to be loaded are loaded are stacked on the stacker crane on the traversers 4. 3
, The stacker crane 3 is transported by the traverser 4 to a standby position corresponding to the traveling path T, and then the stacker crane 3 is lowered from the traverser 4 and travels to a required position in the traveling path T, and the fixed shelf The pallet P is stored in the storage unit 1 or a predetermined storage unit of the movable shelf 2.
In addition, articles are unloaded from the fixed shelf 1 or the movable shelf 2 in the reverse order.

Each of the storage shelves SS is, as shown in FIG.
A number of vertical frames 24 erected corresponding to the four corners of each storage section SA, a horizontal frame 25 connecting the vertical frames 24 on the rear side, and the vertical frames 24 and the horizontal frames 25.
Brace 26 for connecting the cross-connecting portions with the oblique frame 27 for connecting the vertical frames 24 on the side surfaces.
Each of the storage sections SA is configured by fixing a support arm 28 that supports the left and right lower end portions of the pallet P between vertically adjacent vertical frames 24.

The movable shelf 2 is constituted by fixing two storage shelves SS assembled so as to share the horizontal frame 25 to a carriage 29, and includes a plurality of lower rails 5 for shelves guided from below the shelves and upper shelves. The upper and lower ends of the shelves are guided to move by a plurality of upper rails 6 for shelves. A plurality of lower shelves 5 and upper shelves 6 for shelves are arranged in the width direction of the shelves, respectively.
Both ends of the shelf upper rail 6 are fixed to the upper part of each fixed shelf 1.

The carriage 29 is provided with two running wheels 7 with front and rear flanges which roll along the lower rails 5 for shelves corresponding to the lower rails 5 for shelves. One of the running wheels 7 is a driving wheel driven by an electric motor (not shown), and the other is a driven wheel so that the moving shelf 2 travels along each shelf lower rail 5 by driving rotation of the driving wheel. It is composed. 1 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, two pairs of upper guide wheels 8 sandwiching each of the upper rails 6 for shelves from above and below are provided side by side in the direction of shelf movement, thereby preventing the movable shelf 2 from tipping over.

Next, a configuration for guiding the traveling of the stacker crane 3 inside the traveling path T will be described. The stacker crane 3 is guided at its lower end to the lower crane rail 9 and at its upper end to the crane upper rail 10. Each of the crane upper rails 10 is arranged at a predetermined guiding action position in the corresponding traveling path T, and
In contrast, the upper rail 10 for the crane is inserted into the upper part of the movable shelf 2 as shown in FIG. 1 in the movement thereof to avoid interference with the upper rail 10 for the crane. A space 11 is provided. Further, each of the crane lower rails 9 is fixed such that the upper surface thereof is higher than the upper surface of the shelf lower rail 5, and at the intersection with the shelf lower rail 5, the lower rail 5 is sandwiched. It is divided right and left.

The traverser 4 has a crane mounting rail 15 connected to the crane lower rail 9 in a state where the traverser 4 is located outside one end of the traveling passage T, and a mounted stacker crane. A crane holding frame 20 that holds the posture of the traverser 3 is provided on the traveling frame 22, and the traveling frame 22 is provided with traveling wheels (not shown) that roll the respective upper surfaces of the pair of traverser rails 23. .

As shown in FIG. 5, the stacker crane 3 is provided with a pair of columns 12 and an elevating platform 13 which is guided by these columns 12 and moves up and down on a traveling frame 14. Is a crane traveling position detector S1 (not shown) for detecting the traveling position of the stacker crane 3 in the traveling path T,
3 a lifting platform elevating position detecting unit S (not shown) for detecting the lifting position
The crane traveling position detecting unit S1 and the elevating platform elevating position detecting unit S2 are both configured using a rotary encoder, a photo sensor, and the like.

A crane traveling device B for driving and traveling along the crane lower rail 9 in the traveling path T and the crane mounting rail 15 in the traverser 4.
A lifting / lowering device C for driving and lifting the lifting / lowering table 13 along the column 12, an article transfer device A and a crane traveling device B
And a controller 30 (not shown) as control means for controlling the operation of the elevator C, an unillustrated power supply device for supplying drive power to the article transfer device A, the crane traveling device B, and the elevator C. Is provided.

The crane traveling device B includes a chain 18
A pair of two driving wheels 16 and a pair of driven wheels 17 interlocked with each other are provided on the traveling frame 14 so as to be separated from each other in the traveling direction, and the two driving wheels 16 are driven by the electric motor M1. The stacker crane 3 is configured to be driven and run. When the pair of two driving wheels 16 and the pair of driven wheels 17 pass through the intersection with the lower shelf rail 5, one of the driving wheels 16 or the driven wheels 17 is Even if it rises at the split point of the rail 9,
The other drive wheel 16 or the driven wheel 17 is provided at an interval in the front and rear so as to be able to roll and travel along the lower rail 9 for the crane.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of upper guide wheels 19 sandwiching the upper rail 10 for the crane in the traveling path T from both sides is provided on the upper portion of the support column 12, as shown in FIG. This allows the stacker crane 3 to travel stably while keeping the standing posture of the stacker crane 3 appropriately. As shown in FIG. 1, the mounting posture for holding the posture of the stacker crane 3 by contacting the crane holding frame 20 of the traverser 4 in the mounted state on the traverser 4, as shown in FIG. A guide wheel 21 for holding is provided.

The elevating platform elevating device C is configured to drive up and down the elevating platform 13 by feeding or winding the wire 31 that suspends and supports the elevating platform 13 by driving the electric motor M2. . As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the article transfer device A locks the pallet P with a belt conveyor 32 having two transfer belts 35 as a mounting and transferring unit for mounting and transferring the pallet P. Transporting device 33 provided with a locking device 34 as a locking and transporting portion for transporting the pallet P, and an end position of the pallet P during the unloading operation of the pallet P from the article transfer device A, which will be described later, using a photo sensor. An unillustrated locking tool ascending timing detecting section S5 for detecting and detecting the timing of raising the locking tool 34 to the locking position for locking the pallet P, and the pallet P being moved to a setting proper holding position described later. A non-illustrated presence detection unit S6, which detects whether or not it is mounted by a photo sensor, is provided. In addition, the belt conveyor 32 and the locking conveyance device 33
The pallet P is provided so as to be capable of being driven forward and backward so that the pallet P can be taken in and out of each of the storage sections SA of the left and right storage shelves SS.

The belt conveyor 32 is provided with two conveyor belts 35 on the left and right sides of the movement path of the locking member 34,
The transport belts 35 are configured to be driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by driving by the electric motor M3, and the two transport belts 35 are transported in a direction in which the pallets P are transported between the storage units SA. (Hereinafter referred to as the transfer / transport direction), and the pallet P is set at an appropriate holding position set at a substantially central position of the length of the elevating table in the transfer / transport direction.
Is provided so that it can be placed and held freely. The electric motor M
The number of revolutions of the pallet P is controlled by an inverter (not shown) so that the pallet P can be switched between a high-speed transport state in which the pallet P is transported at a high speed and a low-speed transport state in which the pallet P is transported at a low speed.

The locking / conveying device 33 is capable of moving the locking member 34 between an article locking position and an unlocking position by a sliding movement in a vertical direction perpendicular to the transfer / transport direction. Device 36 and the transport belt 3 in the transfer transport direction.
5 is located inward of the transport end of the transport belt 35.
And a locking device lateral movement device 37 that can move the locking device 34 along the transfer direction in a direction between the position where the locking device 34 overlaps and the position that protrudes outward from the transfer end of the transfer belt 35. Is provided.

The lock lifting device 36 raises and lowers the lifting base 39 supported by a lifting shaft 39 fixed to the lifting table 13 so as to be able to move up and down along with a guide shaft 38 and a driving rotation by an electric motor M4. By providing an eccentric cam 40,
The locking device 34 is configured to be switchable between an article locking position by projecting above the upper surface of the transport belt 35 and an unlocking position in which the locking device 34 enters below the upper surface of the transport belt 35, An unillustrated engaging / lifting position detecting unit S3 for detecting the elevation position of the engaging device 34 with a photo sensor is provided.

The locking member lateral movement device 37 is guided by a guide rail 41 provided on an elevating base 39 to a locking arm 34 which is slidable in the transfer / transport direction.
Is provided so as to be slidable in the transfer direction, and the slide arm 42 slides with respect to the lifting base 39,
In cooperation with the sliding movement of the locking member 34 with respect to the slide arm 42, the locking member 34 is provided so as to be moved along the transfer / transport direction. An unillustrated locking tool lateral movement position detection unit S4 for detection is provided.

That is, each of two wires 43 of the same length, one end of which is fixed to the center of the elevating base 39, is wound around the pulleys 44 provided at both ends of the slide arm 42, and the other end is wound. Each of the racks 4 is connected to the front and rear portions in the movement direction of the locking member 34 and formed on the slide arm 42.
As the pinion 46 meshing with 5 is driven and rotated by the electric motor M5 for lateral movement of the locking device, and the slide arm 42 is slid in the transfer direction, the locking device 34 is pulled by the one wire 43. And is slid in the transfer direction. The rotation speed of the electric motor M5 for lateral movement of the locking member is controlled by an inverter (not shown) so that the locking member 34 can be slid at the same speed as the driving speed of the transport belt 35. ing.

The locking member 34 is formed in a U-shape with upwardly-facing locking pieces 47 before and after in the transfer / transport direction, and the locking pieces 47 are engaged with the lower surface of the pallet P. An insertion groove 48 is formed so that the locking piece 47 engaged in the engagement groove 48 can move relative to the engagement groove 48 in the transfer / transport direction.
The width of the engagement groove 48 in the transfer / transport direction is sufficiently larger than the thickness of the locking piece 47 so that the lock 34 moves relative to the pallet P over a certain range before and after in the transfer / transport direction. It is provided so as to be freely locked.

FIG. 8 is a control block diagram of the controller 30, in which command information output from a command input unit D having a touch panel and the like for inputting a carry-in / out command, a crane traveling position detecting unit S1, and a lifting / lowering position of a platform. Detector S2
Locking device elevating position detecting unit S3, locking device lateral movement position detecting unit S
4. Locking device rising timing detecting unit S5 and load detecting unit S
The operation of the article transfer device A, the crane traveling device B, and the elevating platform elevating device C is controlled based on the detection information 6.

Next, the pallet P by the controller 30
The transfer control between the article transfer device A and the storage unit SA of
This will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 16 and the operation explanatory diagrams of FIGS. 10 to 15 and FIGS.
When the carry-in command is input, the controller 30 places the sheet on the storage section SA as an outer placing section located at an interval in the transfer / transport direction with respect to the conveyor belt 35 in the carry-in mode shown in FIG. The placed pallet P is transferred to the conveyor belt 35.
When the carry-out operation is controlled to carry in the pallet P held at the set proper holding position of the conveyor belt 35 in the carry-out mode shown in FIG. The control of the unloading operation for unloading is performed.

The loading mode will be described. When the carry-in command is input, the crane traveling device B and the elevating platform elevating device C are driven based on the detection information of the crane traveling position detecting unit S1 and the elevating platform elevating position detecting unit S2, and are instructed by the carry-in command. The movement of the elevator 13 is started so that the pallet mounting surface of the storage section SA and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 35 are substantially at the same height (# 1). At this time, the locking member 34 is held in a state of being lowered to the unlocking position.

Then, while moving the lift 13, the locking device lateral movement device 37 is simultaneously operated by the locking device lateral movement position detecting section S 4.
Driving based on the detection information of
As long as the slide arm 42 does not contact the storage shelf SS with the movement of the lift 13, the locking piece 47 located on the storage shelf SS side of the designated storage unit SA is located on the storage shelf SS side. Close position (hereinafter, first pushing position) Q1
The locking tool 34 is moved laterally so that
A lock standby control is executed to wait at the pushing position Q1 (# 2).

When the movement of the elevator 13 is completed (# 3),
The locking tool lateral movement device 37 is driven based on the detection information of the locking tool lateral movement position detection unit S4, and the locking piece 47 on the storage shelf SS side engages the pallet P as shown in FIG. The locking member 34 is moved laterally to the second pushing position Q2 by the maximum movement amount for moving to the position (hereinafter, the second pushing position) Q2 that can be locked at the center position of the groove width of the groove 48. When the locking tool lateral movement position detection unit S4 detects that the locking is performed, the locking tool pushing control for stopping at the second pushing position Q2 is executed (# 4).

Next, the locking device elevating device 36 is driven based on the detection information of the locking device elevating position detecting section S3, and the locking device 3 is moved.
4 is raised, and as shown in FIG. 12, after the locking control is performed to switch the locking piece 47 to the article locking position where the locking piece 47 locks to the center position of the engaging groove 48 of the pallet P (# 5). ), The driving of the belt conveyor 32 is started so that the pallet P is conveyed at a high speed from the storage section SA toward the set proper holding position (# 6), and the locking member 34 moves the pallet P to the conveying belt 35. The driving of the locking device lateral movement device 37 is started so as to lock and transport toward the set proper holding position at the same speed as the transport speed (# 7), and the pallet P pulled in by the locking device 34 is transported by the transport belt 35. In cooperation with the above, the sheet is conveyed toward the set proper holding position.

As the pallet P is placed and transported on the transport belt 35, the locking member 34 is moved to the center position (hereinafter referred to as the first retraction) of the length of the elevating platform in the transfer and transport direction. When the locking device lateral movement position detection unit S4 detects that the locking device 34 has moved to the position R1 (referred to as a position) (# 8), the locking device 34 is moved in the transfer direction as shown in FIG. At the same time, the locking device lifting device 36 is driven to lock the locking device 3.
4 is started, and when the movement of the locking member 34 to the unlocking position is detected by the locking member lifting / lowering position detecting unit S3,
An unlocking control for stopping the locking tool 34 at the unlocking position is executed (# 9).

Next, the locking member 34 is moved to the second retraction position R2 corresponding to a position symmetrical with respect to the first pushing position Q1.
When the movement of the locking device is detected by the locking device lateral movement position detection unit S4 (# 10), the driving of the locking device lateral movement device 37 is stopped and the locking device 34 is moved, as shown in FIG. When the pallet P is stopped at a position overlapping the transport belt 35 in the loading and transport direction (# 11) and the pallet P is detected by the transport belt 35 to have moved to the set proper holding position (# 12), FIG. As shown in FIG.
Is stopped (# 13). Therefore, the controller 3
0 indicates the switching operation of the locking member 34 to the unlocking position at the time of the carrying-in operation.
This is performed during the transfer operation in which the transfer operation is performed at the same speed as the transfer speed by the control unit.

The unloading mode will be described. When the carry-out command is input, the crane traveling device B and the platform elevating device C are driven based on the detection information of the crane traveling position detecting unit S1 and the platform elevating position detecting unit S2, and are instructed by the carry-out command. The movement of the elevator 13 is started so that the pallet mounting surface of the storage section SA and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 35 are substantially at the same height (# 21). At this time, the locking member 34 is held in a state of being lowered to the unlocking position.

Then, the storage section S in which the locking tool 34 is designated.
When not waiting at the first push-out position Q1 in the opposite direction to the storage shelf SS side of A, while simultaneously moving the elevator 13, the locking device lateral movement device 37 is simultaneously operated by the locking device lateral movement position detection unit S4.
Driving based on the detection information of
Locking member standby control is executed in which the locking member 34 is laterally moved to wait at the first pushing position Q1 (# 22).

When the movement of the elevator 13 is completed (# 2)
3) The belt conveyor 3 is set so that the pallet P placed at the set appropriate holding position is conveyed at a low speed toward the storage section SA.
2 is started (# 24), and as shown in FIG. 18, the timing at which the locking tool 34 is raised to the locking position where the locking tool 34 is locked to the pallet P is determined by the locking tool rising timing detection unit S.
5 (# 25), as shown in FIG.
An article locking control is performed in which the locking piece 47 is switched to an article locking position where the locking piece 47 locks at the center position of the engaging groove 48 of the pallet P (# 26). Therefore, when the controller 39 is performing the unloading operation, the article member that locks the locking member 34 to the pallet P in a state where the pallet P is being placed and transported on the belt conveyor 32 at a lower speed than during the loading operation. It is configured to perform the switching operation to the stop position.

Next, the transport speed of the belt conveyor 32 is switched so that the pallet P is transported toward the storage section SA at a high speed (# 27). The locking device lateral movement device 37 is operated so as to move toward the storage section SA (# 28). Then, as the pallet P moves from above the conveyor belt 35 to the storage section SA side, when the conveying force of the conveyor belt 35 decreases, the locking tool 34 locks the pallet P from the rear side in the transfer / transport direction. And transported toward the storage section SA.

Next, the locking member 34 is moved to the storage portion S of the pallet P.
A third pushing position Q3 for positioning the transfer position with respect to A
When the locking tool lateral movement position detecting unit S4 detects that the locking tool 34 has been moved laterally by the maximum amount of movement to move to the third pushing position Q3 (# 29), the locking tool is moved. The driving of the lateral moving device 37 is stopped, and the driving of the belt conveyor 32 is stopped (# 30, # 31).

At this time, the pallet P tries to move further due to its inertia, but as shown in FIG.
4 is located on the pallet P near the storage section SA.
The pallet P is locked from the front side in the transfer / transport direction, so that the pallet P is prevented from moving due to the inertial force, and the pallet P can be transferred to an appropriate position in the storage section SA.

Next, as shown in FIG. 21, the locking device elevating / lowering device 36 is driven to lower the locking device 34, and the movement of the locking device 34 to the unlocking position indicates that the locking device 34 is at the locking device up / down position. Detector S
When the detection is made in step 3, the lock release control for stopping the lock 34 is executed (# 32), and then the lock 34 is moved laterally so that the slide arm 42 is stored with the movement of the elevator 13. As long as there is no risk of contact with the shelf SS side,
4 is made to stand by at the first pushing position Q1 close to one of the storage shelves SS side (# 3).
2).

[Other Embodiments] The article transfer device according to the present invention may be an apparatus for transferring articles between, for example, a roller conveyor as an outer mounting portion or a load receiving table. 2. The article transfer device according to the present invention may be configured to transfer an article stored in a container case together with the container case. 3. The placing and transporting section of the article transfer device according to the present invention may be configured by, for example, a roller conveyor, and the specific configuration is not limited. 4. The locking transfer section of the article transfer device according to the present invention, by a sliding movement operation in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the transfer transfer direction,
It may be provided so as to be switchable between an article locking position and an unlocking position.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a storage facility.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a moving shelf portion of the storage facility.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a storage facility.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part of the moving shelf;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the lower structure of the stacker crane.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the article transfer device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the article transfer device.

FIG. 8 is a control block diagram.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a loading mode.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an unloading mode.

FIG. 17 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of an operation.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

FIG. 21 is an operation explanatory diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 30 control means 34 locked transport section 35 placement transport section P article SA outer placement section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A loading / transporting section which is capable of loading / transporting articles in a transporting / transporting direction and capable of loading / holding articles at a proper holding position set in the transporting / transporting direction, and orthogonal to the transporting / transporting direction. The position can be switched between an article locking position and an unlocking position by a sliding movement operation in a direction in which the mounting and transporting portion overlaps with the placing and transporting portion in the transfer and transport direction, and projects outward from the loading and transporting portion. Over the position
A locking / transporting section movable along the transfer / transport direction, and control means for controlling the operation of the mounting / transporting section and the locking / transporting section, wherein the control means comprises: For the loading operation of loading the articles placed on the outer placement section located at an interval in the transfer / transport direction with respect to the transfer / transport direction, the article is loaded into the setting proper holding position of the placement / transport section.
The loading / transporting section is operated to transport the article from the outer placing section toward the set proper holding position, and the locking / transporting section is engaged with the article placed on the outer placing section. In the state where the article is switched to the article locking position so as to stop, the article is operated to be transported toward the set proper holding position at the same speed as the transport speed of the loading and transporting section, and the article is transferred to the above-described transport section. In a state in which it is switched to the unlocking position as it is placed and conveyed and is detached from the article, it is stopped at a position overlapping with the loading and conveying section in the transfer and conveyance direction, and the set proper holding position In the unloading operation for unloading the articles held in the outer mounting portion, the placing and transporting section is operated to transport the articles toward the outer mounting portion, and the locking is performed. The transport unit is locked to the article placed by the loading transport unit. In an article transfer device configured to be operated so as to convey articles toward the outer placing section at the same speed as the transport speed of the placing and transporting section in a state where the article is switched to the article locking position as described above. The control means controls the switching operation of the locked transport portion to the unlocked position at the time of the loading operation by transporting the locked transport portion at the same speed as the placement transport portion. An article transfer device configured to be executed during the carrying operation. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to move the locking / conveying unit in the state in which the article is being conveyed at a lower speed in the placing / conveying unit than in the carrying-in operation. 2. The article transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the article transfer device is configured to perform a switching operation to an article locking position for locking an article. 3. The locking and transporting unit is provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to an article over a predetermined range in the front and rear direction in the transfer and transport direction. After moving the locking conveyance section with the maximum movement amount that can be locked at the intermediate position within the predetermined range with respect to the article placed on the outer placement section, switching to the article locking position The article is conveyed toward the setting proper holding position, and at the time of the unloading operation, the locking conveyance section is rearwardly moved in the transfer conveyance direction with respect to the article placed by the placement conveyance section. And transporting the article toward the outer placement section, and then locking the transport section with respect to the article from the front side in the transfer / transport direction, so that the article is placed on the outside. Move the locked transport unit by the maximum amount of movement that can position the transfer position with respect to the loading unit The article transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the locking / transporting unit is operated to switch to the unlocking position after the locking.