JPS63208410A - Picking indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce cost necessary for control by providing a card fixed to a carrying container for containing information concerning product and quantity, and a universal unit for reading out/writing in information concerning picking work from/into the card. CONSTITUTION:Shelves 2 having many containing sections 1 are arranged along a conveyor line 10, and a card 12 is fixed to a bucket 11 being carried on the conveyor 10. The card 12 contains information necessary for picking work, and a universal reading/writing unit 13 is provided for every shelf block in the vicinity of the conveyor 10. When the bucket 11 arrives in front of the universal unit 13, the universal unit 13 reads out the information in the card 12 and indicates the position of containing section 1 and the number of products to be thrown into the bucket 11 onto indicators 4, 6.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a picking instruction device in a logistics system that performs sorting, receiving and shipping, etc., and particularly relates to a picking instruction device that uses a read/write device that can read and write information and a card. This relates to the picking instruction device used.

<Prior Art> A conventional device of this type is shown in FIG. In Figure 1,
A storage ful 12 having a large number of storage units 1 is arranged along the path of the transport vehicle 3, and each storage unit 1 is attached with an individual takeout indicator 4. Storage shelf 2 is divided into storage shelf blocks according to an appropriate number, and each storage shelf block B,...
B2, B3・In particular, a detector 5 that reads the unique number code of the transport vehicle 3, and a takeout number display 6 that sequentially displays the number of items taken out of each storage section 1 in the storage shelf block, An end push button switch 7 is provided which is operated by the operator at each time. The transport vehicle 3 is divided into sorting sections to form sorting and loading sections 3a, and each of these destination-specific loading sections 3a is provided with an individual loading number display 3b. It is also possible to provide the individual loading number display outside the transport vehicle 3, as indicated by the reference numeral 3b'.

Also, although not shown in the figure, from the input order data,
A host computer, that is, a host CPU, is provided to calculate the type and sorting (number of articles) of articles to be taken out, and information from the host CPU is displayed on each of the above-mentioned displays 3b, 4, and 6. A block group consisting of one or more storage shelf blocks includes a control unit 8 and a CRT monitor 9, which control the display and change the display sequentially according to product type in response to the operation of the end push button switch 7 by the pick-up operator. 1 ratio.

In the above configuration, when the detector 5 reads the unique number code of the arriving transport vehicle 3, the detection signal is inputted to the host cPU via the control unit 8. Then, the control unit 8, which has jurisdiction over the storage section 1 for the articles to be loaded onto the transport vehicle 3, inputs and stores the necessary data regarding the articles from the host CPU, and at the same time stores each article on each display. The position and the number of items to be taken out are displayed, and a signal is sent to the transport vehicle 3 through an infrared coupler or the like, and the number of sorted items is displayed on the individual loaded number display 3b. These displays are sequentially switched to the display regarding the next storage section 1 by the operator operating the end push button switch 7 when the removal of articles for each storage section 1 is completed.

The worker places the displayed number of items taken out from the storage section 1 into the individual loaded number display 3b of the transport vehicle 3 or the lit loading section 3a, and then calculates the total number of loaded items as counted by the worker. However, if the number matches the number displayed on the take-out number display 6, it is possible to simultaneously check that the number of items to be loaded on the destination side is accurate.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> However, it is difficult to take out and sort the articles mentioned in 2.
The detector can only read the unique number code of the transport vehicle 3, and the host CPU must manage the storage position and number of items to be taken out, so control is complicated and management control is complicated. The problem was that the system required to do this required a large amount of money.

Furthermore, in order to take out and sort the items mentioned above, the upper computer, lower computer, bar code league, etc. are connected online, so if any one communication line breaks down, the entire line will be interrupted. The disadvantage was that there were situations in which the system stopped working.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and provides a read/write device capable of reading and writing information in a logistics system that performs sorting, receiving and shipping, etc. By using a card, control costs are reduced, and even if the communication line between the read/write machine and the card breaks down, other lines can be operated normally without any problems. A picking instruction device is provided.

Specifically, according to the present invention, storage shelves having a large number of storage sections are arranged along the path through which the transport containers are transported, and the storage sections where the picking operation of the article is to be performed are located and the picking operation is performed. A picking instruction device is provided with a display that indicates information on the quantity of items to be picked, and a worker can perform picking work while observing the display, wherein the picking instruction device is attached to the transport container and is used to perform picking work. A card storing at least information regarding articles and their quantities; and a read/write machine provided at a predetermined position along the aisle and capable of reading information regarding picking operations from the cart and writing it onto the card. A picking instruction device is provided.

<Example> The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a picking instruction device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which, like the one shown in FIG. Each storage section is provided with an individual takeout indicator 4, and is further provided with a switch 7 that is operated when the takeout operation is completed. At the upper part of the storage shelf 2, there is provided a number indicator 6 for the number of articles taken out.

On the other hand, a conveyor line 10 conveys a conveyor container, that is, a packet 1, and a card 12 is attached to the packet 11. The card 12 contains information within the system, such as the card's own number assigned to each customer, information regarding picking instructions to be given to the worker, and information regarding the direction in which the packet 11 should be conveyed. Preferably, information necessary for transporting the packet and performing a picking operation is stored therein. Further, near the conveyor line 10, a read/write fi1B is provided for each storage shelf block consisting of a plurality of storage shelves, and the read/write device 13 reads information on the card 12 attached to the packet 11, for example. It has a function of reading the card without contacting it using signals such as microwaves (very high frequency waves) and writing new information to the card 12.

In the above Suginari, the packet 11 is the read/write machine 1.
．． 3, the read/write device 13 reads card 1.
2, and displays the type of article to be put into the bucket 11, that is, the position of the storage section 1 and the number of articles to be picked from the storage section, on the individual pick-up display 4 and the pick-up number display 6, respectively. indicate. According to the display, the operator picks the necessary articles, that is, the articles in the storage section 1 on which the individual pick-up indicator 4 is lit, in the required number, that is, the number displayed on the pick-up number display 6, and picks the corresponding packet 1] Input into.

When the picking is completed, the operator presses a switch 7 attached to the storage shelf 2. In this case, card 1
If the information stored in 2 can be used without modification,
The next information will be automatically called up. Then, when the other individual pick-up indicators 4 on the storage shelf 2 light up and the pick-out number display 6 displays the number of items, the operator performs picking in the same manner as described above, and repeats this process one after another.

In this way, once all the items to be picked on the storage shelf 2 have been picked from their respective storage sections 1, the packet 11 advances to the next storage shelf 2, and the same picking operation is repeated in sequence. It happens.

In the process of such picking operation, the read/write machine 1
3 reads information on the card 12, particularly information on the line through which the packet 11 should flow from the card number corresponding to the customer, transfers it to a control system (not shown), and waits for instructions from the control system. If there is a change in work instructions from the control system, the information on the card is rewritten on the spot. In this case, the control system can know from the number of each individual card which picking zone the corresponding packet is currently in, along this route, and in which picking zone.
Also, if you want to change the route midway, you can do so by sending a change command to the card via the read/write device.

=8- For example, in the unlikely event that a card fails or a packet goes missing, the Control I/Roll system will
From the communication record between the card and the read/write device, we can learn the location of the read/write device that the desired packet passed through immediately before, stop the packet at the next read/write device, and give necessary instructions, such as if a malfunctioning card is detected. It is possible to issue instructions to the operator to remove attached packets.

In addition, the control system always knows the status of the packet from the communication records between the card and the readable device, so if buckets 1 to 1 become full midway through, it will be immediately known, and the transport It is possible to stop a packet that has become full on the way at the next read/write machine position and issue necessary instructions to the operator, such as a command to remove the packet that has become full. As a result, the worker removes the filled bucket 1 and sends it to another shipping line or directly transports it to a shipping location, and also inserts a new bucket on the spot.

The remaining work information is written to the card attached to the new packet by the control system via the read/write device.

In addition, in the above embodiment, two displays were provided to display the storage position and quantity of items to be pitched, but it is also possible to install one display It is also possible to display the position and quantity together.

Furthermore, it is also possible to provide the card itself with a display function without providing a display to instruct the operator about the information stored on the card. In this case, when the picking operation by the worker is completed and the switch is operated, the read/write machine gives a work completion command to the card, and the card moves to display picking information regarding the next article.

Furthermore, although FIG. 2 shows a case in which the packet 1 to which the card 12 is attached is conveyed by the conveyor line 10, as shown in FIG.
Using unmanned trolley 1.0a instead of , this unmanned trolley 10
The packet 11 to which the card 12 is attached may be transported by a.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a system layout constructed by applying the picking instruction device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 4, a packet with an IC card attached is inputted from a belt conveyor 20. I determine whether there is a picking instruction for the picking area 21 consisting of picking zones A, B, C5 and D.
I by the C card reader, that is, the read/write device 22a.
The bucket is read from the C card, and if there is a picking instruction, the branching device 23a branches the bucket into the main picking area 2. If there is no picking instruction, the bucket passes through the picking area 21 and is transferred to the roller conveyor 28 via the roller conveyor 23b. The packet is passed.

When there is a picking instruction in the picking area 21 and the packet is branched to the picking area 21, the packet is carried on the main line 24 and reaches the position of the IC card reader 22b, which is attached to the packet. The instructions for picking zones A and B are read from the contents of the IC card. If there is an instruction for picking zone A, the packet is conveyed via roller conveyor 25 to branch line 26, where the worker in zone A, ie, picker P, performs the predetermined work described in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the work is completed, the picker P returns the packet to the main line 24 while monitoring the transport status of the main line 24. Thereafter, in the same manner, based on the auto content, the packet I is transferred to the roller conveyor 28 at the end point by stopping at or passing through zones B, C, and D.
reach.

In the above description, the picking work may include not only the picking work from the storage section to the packets, but also the sorting work from the packets to the storage section.

<Effects of the Invention> According to this invention, as shown in Section 2, each packet has 12
~ Storing individual information for each item in a card stored in a card, reading it without contacting the card using a signal from a read/write machine, such as a microwave signal (ultra short wave), and rewriting the information. This eliminates the wasteful process of waiting for work instructions from the host computer and then starting work, as in the prior art. Therefore, the cost associated with the control of the system of the present invention can be significantly reduced compared to the conventional system.

Furthermore, in the system of the present invention, even if a failure occurs in the communication line between any one of the read/write devices and the card, or a failure in the communication line between any one of the read/write devices and the host computer, other communication Since the lines can be used without any problems, the major advantage is that lines other than the one where the failure occurs can be operated normally.

Further, according to the present invention, since the IC card itself can be used as a slip, so-called hard copy slips are no longer necessary, and peripheral devices such as scanners and printers are also no longer necessary. This has the effect of reducing the number of workers, improving the ability to manage individual packets, and simplifying the overall system.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional picking instruction device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a picking instruction device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a system layout constructed by applying an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, ] is a storage section, 2 is a storage shelf, 4 is an individual collection display, 6 is an item removal number display, 7 is an end push button switch, 10 is a conveyor line, 1] is a packet, 12 is a cart, and 13 is a It is a read/write machine. ~15-

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Storage shelves having a large number of storage sections are arranged along a path along which transport containers are transported, and the position of the storage section where the picking operation of articles is to be performed and the quantity of articles to be picked are concerned. A display is provided to indicate each piece of information.
A picking instruction device that allows a worker to perform a picking operation while observing the display, comprising: a card attached to the transport container and storing at least information regarding items to be picked and their quantities; and the passageway. A picking instruction device comprising: a read/write device provided at a predetermined position along the card and capable of reading information related to picking work from the card and writing information on the card.