JPS63212605A - Article taking-out equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify control and to execute a precise take-out work, by a method wherein, in an article taking-out equipment having a conveyance line for a conveyor for containing, based on information on articles contained in the conveyor and article taking-out information from the conveyor, article taking-out information is instructed. CONSTITUTION:When a bucket D is conveyed to an article taking-out spot K, memory information of an ID card 11 of the bucket D is read by an ID card communicator 12 to display the memory information on a display 13, which performs communication processing between a host controller, not shown, and the display. The communication processing causes discrimination of the quantity of article taken out from the bucket D, the quantity of articles remaining after take-out, and the propriety of take-out of articles. In the case of the bucket D estimated to be delivered out, a take-out quantity is displayed until completion of a work is instructed by a completion switch 10. After comple tion of a work, a remaining quantity and information inputted by a set panel 14 are written in the ID card 11. This constitution enables simplification of control.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an article retrieval facility provided with a conveyance line for conveying a transporter for storing articles via an article retrieval point.

[Conventional technology]

Such article retrieval equipment is installed, for example, in an automated warehouse and used to take out articles from a transporter carried out from the warehouse.

Conventionally, in order to instruct information on how to take out the articles from the conveyors that are sequentially conveyed to the article retrieval point by the conveyance line, it is necessary to specify the position on the conveyance line of the conveyors that are sequentially supplied to the conveyance line and the position of each conveyor. While performing so-called tracking control, in which the information on the goods stored in the transporter is managed in association with the information stored in the transporter, the information on the goods currently stored in the transporter located at the article retrieval point is determined, and the identification information and the information on the transporter are It is configured to instruct the information to take out the article from the carrier located at the article take-out point based on the article take-out information of the management means that manages the article take-out information from the article. [Problem to be solved by the invention] According to the conventional configuration, while performing tracking control,
Since the information for taking out the article is instructed at the place where the article is taken out, there is not only a disadvantage that the control configuration becomes complicated, but also there is a risk that incorrect article taking out work may be performed due to a tracking error.

Incidentally, a tracking error occurs due to an error in the order in which the carriers are supplied to the conveyance line.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to simplify the control configuration while also enabling accurate article retrieval work.

[Means for solving problems]

A characteristic configuration of the article retrieval equipment according to the present invention is such that the article storage carrier conveyed by the conveyance line via the article retrieval point is provided with a storage medium for storing information about the article stored therein, A management means for managing information on article removal from the carrier is provided, and a reading means for reading information stored in the storage medium when the carrier arrives at the article extraction location; An article retrieval information indicating means for instructing article retrieval information from the carrier located at the article retrieval point based on the read information and the article retrieval information of the management means, and its operation And the effects are as follows.

[For production]

That is, as the transporter for storing articles arrives at the article retrieval point, the storage information of the storage medium provided in the transporter is read by a reading means, and based on the read information and the article retrieval information. , the information on how to take out the goods from the carrier located at the place where the goods are taken out is instructed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, while the carrier itself retains information about the articles it stores, the information is used to determine the information about the articles to be taken out from the carrier, and to instruct the article retrieval information. , it is possible to accurately instruct information on how to take out articles from the conveyors located at the article unloading point without being constrained by the order in which the conveyors are supplied to the conveyance line, thereby simplifying the control configuration. , it has become possible to perform accurate item retrieval work.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a case where the article retrieval equipment of the present invention is installed in an automated warehouse will be explained based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the illustrated automated warehouse has a pair of article transfer machines (A) and four shelves (B) arranged on each side of the travel path of the article transfer machines (A). It is equipped with

Each of the shelves (B) has a storage space divided along the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction, and each storage space is provided with a packet (as a carrier for storing articles).
D) can be stored.

The article transfer machine (A) is also referred to as a stacker crane, and is configured to be able to move freely in the longitudinal direction of the shelf, and is equipped with a cargo handling fork that can be raised and lowered as well as moved in and out.

To briefly explain the control configuration of an automated warehouse, as shown in FIG. 1, a host controller (HC) is provided that manages the entire automated warehouse, and the article transfer machine
A) is equipped with a transfer machine controller (IC) that manages the operation of the transfer machine (A), and both controllers (IC) and (IC) are each equipped with an article transfer machine (A).
) is located at the home location (IP), the signal exchange unit (IA) and (IB) are used to communicate various information.
is attached.

The host controller (IC) has a function of storing and managing article storage information stored in each storage space of each type (B), and storage management and warehousing information input using a keyboard-type setting device (2). A function for determining a storage space in which an article is to be stored based on the article storage information stored in the storage system, and a function for determining a storage space in which an article is to be stored based on the storage information inputted using the setting device (2) and the article storage information stored and managed. , and a function of determining the storage space in which the article to be taken out is stored.Of course, the determined information is transmitted to the transfer machine controller (IC) by communication.

The transfer machine controller (IC) stores the warehousing packet (D) located on the warehousing conveyor (3) in the designated storage space based on the information from the host controller (IC). It manages the operation of the article transfer machine (A) in order to take out the goods (bucket) (D) located in the designated storage space onto the delivery conveyor (4). However, the information from the sensor for detecting the traveling position relative to the shelf (B) and the sensor for detecting the egress/egress position and the lifting/lowering position of the cargo handling fork are used to control the traveling motor and the cargo handling fork. It is designed to operate the drive actuator. Of course, it also has a function to send work completion information to the host controller (IC) when one work is completed.

In addition, each of the said warehousing conveyor (3) and the said warehousing conveyor (4) is installed corresponding to each article transfer machine (A), respectively.

Next, the bucket was taken out by the goods transfer machine (A))
(D) Article retrieval equipment for retrieving the stored articles based on the article retrieval information will be explained.

However, in this embodiment, one packet (D) is managed so that only one type of article is stored, and the quantity to be taken out is specified as the article removal information.

As shown in FIG. 2, a conveyance line (L) is provided for conveying the packet (D) via the article removal point (K). This conveyance line (L) is constructed by also using the warehouse conveyor (3) and the warehouse exit conveyor (4), and these conveyors (3), (4)
In addition, the main conveyor (
5), an unloading conveyor (6) connected to the starting end of the main conveyor (5), an inlet conveyor (7) connected to the terminal end of the main conveyor (5), and an unloading conveyor (7) connected to the starting end of the unloading conveyor (6) and the inlet It is equipped with a relay conveyor (8) that extends to the terminal end of the delivery conveyor (7), and transports the packet (0) from each exit conveyor (4) to the article retrieval location (K) before transferring it to the entry conveyor ( 3) It is supposed to be transported back.

Each conveyor (3), (4) is operated based on commands from a conveyor controller (KC) (see Figure 1). That is, the conveyor controller (
Although not detailed, the host controller (IC)
), the driving motors of each conveyor (3) are operated based on various information such as storage start information and storage start information from the conveyor (3).

However, the main conveyor (5) is located at the article retrieval point (K).
Based on the information of the arrival detector (9), which is configured using a photo ink ladle type optical sensor, etc., which detects the arrival of the packet (D), the packet (D) stops when the packet (D) arrives. and is activated again when the article removal is completed. The instruction to complete the article removal is given using a completion switch (10), which will be described later.

Although not illustrated, a branching device for branching conveyance will be attached to the connection point of each conveyor (3) as necessary, and this branching device will also be connected to the conveyor controller (KC). It will be operated based on the directive. or,
Inserting a new packet (D) into the warehouse is performed by supplying it to the carry-in conveyor (7). Furthermore, the whole packet (D) is taken out of the warehouse mainly by being taken out from the delivery conveyor (6).

As mentioned above, from within the packet (D) that has been taken out of the automated warehouse and transported to the article retrieval point (K),
In order to take out the required quantity of articles, as described below,
The user is instructed to specify the quantity of articles to be taken out.

That is, the bucket) (D) has an ID card (D) as a storage medium that stores information about the items stored in the bucket.
11), a management means (100) for managing article retrieval information from the packet (D) is configured using the host controller (IC), and a picking controller (PC) for managing the entire article retrieval work. ) is provided, and the bucket) (D
) arrives, an ID card communicator (1) serves as a reading means for reading information on the ID card (11).
2), and a display (
13), the completion switch (10), and a keyboard-type setting panel (14).

The ID card (11) is housed in the packet (D) or attached to the side of the packet (D), and includes an antenna (a) for communication, a controller (a) for communication and storage control, and a D) and a memory (m). It also remembers: ■ Product name/product name code (to clarify the product name), ■ Quantity of items in the packet, ■ Weight per item, ■ Pick date (previous), and ■ Other information. It is supposed to be done.

The management means (100) stores and holds the delivery data input using the setting device (2), and manages the quantity to be taken out corresponding to the type of article. The system is configured to transmit the management data to a picking controller (PC).

The ID card communicator (12) includes an antenna for communication (A) and a controller for communication control (B).
It is configured to transmit read information to a picking controller (PC), and is configured to transmit information from the picking controller (PC) to an ID card (
11).

The picking controller (PC) is a management means (100
) and ID card communicator (
In addition to the function of displaying on the display (13) the quantity of articles to be taken out from the bucket l-(D) located at the article taking out location, based on the read information of (12), the completion switch (1
A function that transmits work completion information to the conveyor controller (KC) based on information from 0) and a setting panel (14).
It is equipped with various functions such as a function to display information inputted on a display (13).

Note that the display (13) and the picking controller (PC) are used to display the article retrieval information instruction means (10).
1) will be configured.

Next, while describing the operation of the big controller (PC), the article retrieval work (picking work) will be explained.

As shown in Figure 3, picking controller (PC)
While communicating with the conveyor controller (KC), the bucket) (D) is the article retrieval point (K).
Wait until you arrive.

As the packet (D) arrives, the ID communicator (12) is used to read the stored information of the 10 card (11), and the read result is displayed on the display (13). Host controller (IC)
Executes communication processing with.

In the communication process, it is possible to determine the quantity of articles to be taken out from the packet (D), to determine the quantity of articles that remain after taking out the packet, to determine whether the packet does not require article extraction, etc. Get information for.

After communication processing, it is checked whether the packet is (D) (bucket scheduled to be delivered), and if it is a packet (D) that is not to be delivered, abnormal processing such as activation of an alarm is performed. In addition, after performing processing such as manually postponing the packet (D) that is not scheduled for delivery, the work is continued by inputting completion of the abnormality processing on the setting panel (14).

If the packet is scheduled to be delivered, a process of displaying the quantity of the item to be taken out on the display (13) is executed until completion of the work is instructed by the completion switch (10).

When the work is completed, the quantity of remaining items and setting board (14
) on the ID card communicator (
12) to execute the process of writing to the ID card (11).

Then, confirm that the work is complete by checking the host controller (
After executing the communication process to transmit the information to the conveyor controller (HC) and the conveyor controller (KC), it is checked whether or not to continue the work. If the work is to be continued, the above-described process is repeated.

In addition, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the warehousing conveyor (3
), and is provided with an ID card communicator (15) connected to the host controller (IC), so as to confirm the packets (D) to be stored. Then, use this ID card communicator (15) to enter a new bucket) (D)
It is also possible to write article information on the ID card (11). However, newly received packets (
The article information may be written in D) at another location, such as the article storage location.

[Another example]

In addition to packet CDs, various carriers such as pallets can be used.

In addition to being applied to automatic warehouses, the article retrieval equipment of the present invention can be applied to, for example, so-called horizontal circulation type shelves in which shelf portions on which a large number of transporters (D) circulate along loop-shaped paths are provided in multiple stages above and below. It can be applied to various things. When applied to an automated warehouse, if the article transfer machine (A) is equipped with a 10-card communication unit, it can also be used to search for a transporter (D) whose destination is unknown.

In addition to the ID card (11), a barcode label or the like may be used as the storage medium, and various types of reading means can be used depending on the storage medium.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where one type of article is stored in one carrier (D) is illustrated, but the case where one type of article is stored in one carrier (D)
In D), multiple types of articles may be stored. In this case, the article storage information is stored in such a manner that each of the multiple types of articles and their quantities can be distinguished, and the article retrieval information is as follows: The user will be instructed to know the type of item and its quantity.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the article retrieval equipment according to the present invention,
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control configuration, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the automated warehouse, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the control. (11)...Storage medium, (12)...
Reading means, (100)... Management means, (101
)... Article retrieval information instruction means, (A),
(a)...Antenna, (B), (b)...
...Controller, (D) ...Transporter,
(L)...Transportation line, (Ill) River...
memory.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The carrier for storing articles (D) is
), wherein the transporter (D) is equipped with a storage medium (11) for storing information about the goods stored therein. , a management means (100) for managing information on article retrieval from the carrier (D), and a management means (100) for managing article retrieval information from the article retrieval point (D).
K), reading means (12) for reading information stored in the storage medium (11) upon arrival of the carrier (D);
), information read by the reading means (12), and article retrieval information from the management means (100), information on retrieving the article from the carrier (D) located at the article retrieval point (K). Instructing article retrieval information instruction means (1
01) Article retrieval equipment equipped with. 2. The storage medium (11) is a communication antenna (a)
, a controller (b) for communication and storage control, and
The invention is an ID card comprising a memory (m), and the reading means (12) is an ID card communicator comprising a communication antenna (A) and a communication control controller (B). The article retrieval equipment described in Section 1.