JPS6142682B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bucket transport device for efficiently and reliably transporting a bucket containing mechanical parts and other items.

A conventional transportation and storage device for an automatic warehouse for buckets will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In Figure 1, 1
Figures 3 and 2 show the bucket 3 being pulled out from the shelf A, and Figures 3 and 4 show the bucket 3 being carried into the shelf A. In this method, when pulling out the bucket 3, the roller frame 2 is moved in the direction a while rotating the roller 1 at the tip in the direction b, and the roller 1 is brought into contact with the lower front corner of the bucket 3, and the ejecting force and roller rotation are With force, the tip roller 1 is pushed into the bottom of the bucket, and the bucket 3 is slightly lifted and pulled in.

On the other hand, when carrying the bucket 3 to the shelf A, the roller frame 2 comes out in the direction a, the roller 1 rotates in the direction c, and even after the bucket 3 contacts the stopper 4 attached to the shelf, the tip remains as shown in Figure 4. The roller 1 idles while rubbing against the bucket bottom.

As described above, the tip roller 1 hits the bottom corner of the bucket 3 when pulling the bucket 3 from the shelf A, and idles while rubbing against the bottom of the bucket when carrying the bucket to the shelf A. In addition, since the contact area of the tip roller 1 with the bucket 3 is small, the tip roller 1 is easily worn out, and the relative position of the tip roller 1 with respect to the bucket 3 is misaligned, and the surface of the roller 1 becomes smooth. It becomes impossible to obtain sufficient retracting force, resulting in unloading errors.

In another conventional example shown in FIG. 2, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a state in which a bucket bag 3 is pulled out from a shelf A, and FIG.
Figure 4 shows the state in which the bucket bag 3 is carried into the shelf A.

In this method, when pulling out the bucket 3 from the shelf A, the conveyor 1 is stopped at a position slightly below the bucket 3, the conveyor 1 is taken out in the direction a, and then the conveyor 1 is brought out in the direction a, and then
direction, lift the bucket 3 a little, and rotate the conveyor 1 in the c direction. Compared to the method shown in Fig. 1, the pull-out operation is
It is a two-stage motion of vertical and horizontal movement, which takes time.

On the other hand, when transporting the bucket tote 3 to the shelf A, the conveyor 1 stops at a position slightly above the shelf board 2, moves in the direction a, and then rotates in the direction d to transport the bucket tot 3.
After the bucket belt 3 contacts the stopper 4, the conveyor 1 idles while rubbing against the bucket belt 3 for a short period of time, which is the same as the method shown in FIG.
In this method, when pulling out the bucket 3 from the shelf A, the tip of the conveyor approaches and contacts the bottom of the bucket 3 from below, and the part of the conveyor that comes into contact with the bottom of the bucket is a conveyor with a large contact area. Because of this, we have not had the problem of the conveyor becoming worn out and not being able to pull out the bucket.

In this way, the method shown in Figure 1 has the drawback that the tip roller is easily worn out, causing errors in conveying the bucket, while the method shown in Figure 2 has the drawback that the conveyance of the bucket is a two-stage motion, which takes time and is inefficient. It was hot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a bucket transport device that efficiently and reliably transports buckets from a shelf.

The main point of the present invention is that the conveyor is suspended and supported by swingable links, and the conveyor is suspended from the rotational swing of the links.
It is at the point where it is pressed against the bottom surface of the bucket by movement.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 10.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an outer shell frame 32 is installed on the vertical column 22 of the stacker crane so as to be movable up and down. The structure that allows vertical movement is the same as that of conventionally known stacker cranes. For example, there is a method in which the outer shell frame 32 is suspended and supported by a rope suspended from a winch.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer shell frame 32 is composed of a lower frame 32a, a portal frame 32b erected on the lower frame 32a, and an upper frame 32c horizontally fixed to the upper end of the portal frame 32b. There is.

Four vertically parallel links 34 are rotatably connected between the upper frame 32c and the conveyor frame 31. For this reason, the conveyor frame 31 is connected to the outer shell frame 3 by four links 34.
2, it is supported so as to be able to swing freely.

On the conveyor frame 31, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there is a belt conveyor 3 that transmits the rotational force of the motor 8 to the conveyor belt via the drive belt 17.
3 is installed.

As shown in FIG.
An oscillating drive device is installed to transmit the power to the chain sprocket 19a through the chain sprocket 19a, and to drive the chain 20 stretched between the chain sprocket 19a and the other chain sprocket 19b. This chain 20 is connected to a chain connection point 21 of a conveyor frame 31 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, a guide 7 having rollers 7a and 7b arranged above and below is installed on the upper frame 32c. A horizontal column 26 is supported by rollers 7a and 7b within this guide 7 so as to be horizontally movable.
At both ends of this horizontal column 26, vertical columns 3
6 is fixed. Further, at both ends of the horizontal column 26, an arm 28 is attached to a rotating shaft 28 that can freely rotate up and down.
The guide roller 5 is attached at the tip of the arm 28. The arm 28 and the lower end of the column 36 are connected by a coil spring 6. Further, one column 36 is provided with a vertical elongated hole 24, and a pin 25 that moves within this elongated hole 24 is fixed to a bracket 23 fixed to the conveyor frame 31.

As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyor frame 31 and the lower frame 32a rotate around respective connecting shafts 14b and 14c, and the link 1 can be freely bent at the connecting shaft 14a.
4, and this link 14 controls the attitude of the conveyor frame 31 so that it does not become oblique when viewed from above.

As shown in Figure 3, a bucket 16 with cargo stored in it
is stored in the shelf with a slight protrusion from the shelf board 15 as before.

A horizontal guide plate 13 is fixedly installed on a bracket 23 on a conveyor frame 31 so that the bucket cart 16 does not lose its posture when being moved by a belt conveyor 33.

In order to detect the position of the movable parts in such a structure, especially the conveyor frame 31, two separately arranged strikers 12a, 12b and striker 12a,
The limit switches 11a and 11b are supported from a portal frame 32b via a bracket 41 in a position to detect either one of the limit switches 12b. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the conveyor frame 31 are equipped with reflective photo sensors 39 to detect the state of entry and exit of the bucket 16 into and out of the conveyor 33.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.

It is determined on which shelf board 15 of the three-dimensionally arranged shelf boards 15 the bucket 16 is to be carried out. Once the bucket 16 to be taken out has been determined,
By moving the column 22 horizontally in a vertical position and moving the outer shell frame 32 up and down, the belt conveyor 33 is positioned in front of the bucket 16 to be taken out and at a lower position than the bucket 16, as shown in FIG. Position it accordingly. The case where the bucket 16 to be taken out is the right bucket 16 in FIG. 3 will be described below.

After the positioning described above is completed, the motor 8 is driven to drive the conveyor belt of the belt conveyor 33 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3. next,
The motor 9 is driven to drive the chain 20 between each chain sprocket 19a, 19b shown in FIG. In this way, the conveyor frame 31 is pulled by the chain 20 and moved to the right side in FIG. Since this movement is carried out while being suspended and supported by the four links 34, it is accompanied by a rotational swing whose radius is the length of the links 34, as indicated by arrow D shown in FIG. Therefore, the right upper surface of the belt conveyor 33 contacts and presses against the lower surface of the bucket 16 from below. For this reason, as shown in Fig. 9, the belt conveyor 3
The front part of bucket 15 is scooped up by the right upper surface of 3.

When the conveyor frame 31 moves integrally with the belt conveyor 33 as indicated by arrow D, the pin 25 moves upward through the elongated hole 24 in FIG. Column 3 hooked on this pin 25 while sliding
6 is pushed out in the horizontal direction of arrow F (shown in FIG. 8). The vertical movement factor is caused by the pin 25 sliding upward within the elongated hole 24, causing the column 36 to move upward.
It doesn't get across. Therefore, the column 26 is guided 7 to the bucket 16 side at the same time as the belt conveyor 33.
We are expanding our business with the support of Therefore, when the belt conveyor 33 comes into contact with the lower surface of the bucket 16, the guide roller 5 has advanced to the upper part of the bucket 16. In order to horizontally support the arm 28 so that the roller 5 does not hit the front surface of the bucket cart 16, it is possible to rely on the coil spring 6 for its supporting force, but as shown in FIG. Arm 28
It is more reliable to employ a stopper 45 that horizontally positions the lower rotation limit position of the rotor.

When the belt conveyor 33 scoops up the front part of the bucket 16 as shown in FIG. 9, the roller 5 is lifted upward according to the amount scooped up, and the arm 28 rotates upward around the shaft 28a. do. For this purpose, the coil spring 6 between the arm 28 and the column 36 is stretched, and as a reaction force, the coil spring 6 strongly pulls the arm 28 downward.
Therefore, the roller 5 acts to push the bucket 16 downward. When this happens, roller 5
Bucket 1 sandwiched between and belt conveyor 33
6 is strongly pressed against the belt conveyor 33 and generates a large frictional force between the conveyor belt surface of the belt conveyor 33 and the lower surface of the bucket 16. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 7, bucket 1
Even if the load 46 is stored on the back side (rear part) of the bucket 6, sufficient frictional force is obtained between the belt conveyor 33 and the bucket 16 to pull out the bucket 16.

When the belt conveyor 33 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the bucket 16, the belt conveyor 33 is already in operation, so the bucket 16 is moved to the center of the belt conveyor 33 via the state shown in FIG. He is sent there.

When this feeding is started, the photo sensor 39 on the side closer to the bucket 16 first receives the reflected light from the lower surface of the bucket 16 of the self-emitted light and turns ON. The drawing of the bucket 16 toward the belt conveyor 33 progresses, and the bucket 16 progresses.
6 is placed on the other photo sensor 39,
This other photo sensor 39 also turns ON. The motor 8 is stopped after confirming the point at which both of the photo sensors 39 are turned ON using a lighting device that is linked to the photo sensors 39. Alternatively, the motor 8 may be stopped by determining the ON/OFF state of each photo sensor 39 using a computer or the like. When both photo sensors 39 are in the ON state,
Since the bucket 16 is positioned above both photo sensors 39, this means that the bucket 16 has been drawn into the center of the belt conveyor 33.

If both photo sensors 39 are activated,
Reverse the motor 9 to return the belt conveyor 33 in the direction of arrow D until the link 34 is vertical. At this time, the conveyor frame 31 also moves in the direction opposite to arrow D, so the column 26 also begins to return, and the vertical distance between the rollers 5 and the belt conveyor 33 tends to widen, until the rollers 5 separate from the top of the bucket 16.

With this operation, the belt conveyor 3 in the direction of arrow D
The movement of No. 3 is carried out in a state in which the conveyor frame 31 is substantially suspended by the links 34, and since the links 34 are parallel to each other, there is a drawback that the belt conveyor 33 is tilted vertically during the movement. does not occur. Furthermore, during the movement of the belt conveyor 33 in the direction of arrow D, the link 14
The links 14 do not rotate or bend and obstruct the movement of the belt conveyor 33 in the horizontal plane.In fact, the links 14 support both sides of the conveyor frame 31 and prevent the conveyor frame 31 from twisting. It can also prevent tilting.

Furthermore, if the movement stroke in the direction of arrow D is too large or too short, the bucket 16 may be pinched too much and be damaged, or the bucket 16 scooped up directly above may hit the bucket 16, or the bucket 16 may be damaged by the bucket 16 on the roller 5. The pressing force may be insufficient.
Therefore, in order to keep the movement stroke of the belt conveyor 33 constant in the direction of arrow D, the motor 9 is stopped when the striker 12a hits the limit switch 11a during movement, and the belt conveyor 33 is controlled to maintain an appropriate movement stroke in the direction of arrow D. Give to 33. Furthermore, when returning in the direction of arrow D, the reverse rotation of the motor 9 is stopped when the striker 12b hits the limit switch 11b, and the conveyor frame 31 is housed within the outer shell frame 32 to support the bucket 16 in a normal state. .

When storing the bucket 16 on the shelf board 15 on the right side, the belt conveyor 33 is moved to a position slightly higher than the shelf board 15 by arrow D, and then the belt conveyor 33 is driven in the opposite direction of arrow A. will be accomplished. In this case as well, by sandwiching the bucket 16 between the belt conveyor 33 and the roller 5, the lack of frictional force between the belt conveyor 33 and the bucket 16 after a part of the bucket 16 is deposited on the shelf board 15 can be solved. are doing. Therefore, the bucket bag 16 can be reliably stored on the shelf board 15.

When carrying in and out the bucket 16, the conveyor frame 31 suspended and supported by the links 34 is pulled laterally by the chain 20 and swung. During this swing, the conveyor frame 31 rises by H from the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 10 to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line. If this happens, strain will be applied to the chain 20, so make sure to slacken the chain 20 in advance.
The tension wheel 49 is applied to the
The cylinder 47 attached to the outer shell frame 32
The inner spring 48 is tensioned, and when the conveyor frame 31 rises by H, the wheel 49 rises to eliminate the unreasonable force applied to the chain 20 and allow the conveyor frame 31 to swing. If the amount of increase H is small, generally chain 20
The conveyor frame 31 can be allowed to swing due to the slack generated in the conveyor frame 31.

The operation of putting in and taking out the bucket on the left shelf board shown in FIG. 6 is similar, and is symmetrical to the action on the right shelf board.

As described above, according to the present invention, the conveyor suspended by the links can be positioned in a state where the bucket can be retracted by one action of swinging movement with the link length as the radius, and the conveyor can be pulled into the bucket from below. By bringing them into contact, there is less wear on the conveyor, which not only makes it possible to handle the buckets more efficiently, but also reduces the number of errors in carrying the buckets out.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a status diagram showing the working status of a conventional bucket loading/unloading device divided into 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The figure is a state diagram showing the working states of another conventional bucket carrying-in/out device divided into 1, 2, 3, and 4. 4 is a top view of a bucket carrying-in/out device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view of a bucket carrying-in/unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a left side view of a bucket carrying-in/out device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the status of loading and unloading the bucket with respect to the shelf board. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the status of loading and unloading the bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention when the cargo position in the bucket is uneven. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the status of loading and unloading the bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the situation immediately before carrying out the bucket cart, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the situation of loading and unloading the bucket cart from the right shelf board in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a chain tensioning route diagram in an embodiment of the present invention. 5...Guide roller, 6...Coil spring, 7
... Guide, 8, 9 ... Motor, 15 ... Shelf board, 16 ... Bucket, 19a, 19b ... Chain sprocket, 20 ... Chain, 26, 36 ...
... Column, 28 ... Arm, 31 ... Conveyor frame, 32 ... Outer shell frame, 33 ... Belt conveyor, 34 ... Link.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A conveyor for loading and conveying a load on a shelf side perpendicular to the running direction of the stacker crane is provided on an elevating member of the stacker crane, and the conveyor is moved by the conveyor. In the bucket handling device, which is provided so as to be able to protrude outside the elevating member in the conveyance direction, a frame supported by the elevating member is provided above the load placed on the conveyor, and the conveyor frame having the conveyor is moved toward the conveyor. It is suspended from the frame at four points on the front, rear, left and right sides in the transport direction by links, and a chain sprocket is provided on each of the elevating members at the front and rear ends in the transport direction, and a drive device is attached to one of the chain sprockets. A chain with one end fixed to the conveyor frame is attached to one chain sprocket,
A bucket handling device characterized in that the chain is sequentially passed through the other chain sprocket, the other end is fixed to the conveyor frame, and the chain between the front and rear chain sprockets is slackened.