JPS6357404A - Material storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use the inside of a stocker having lot of storage parts in a highly efficient manner all the time, by retrieving an empty storage part inside the stocker, controlling a ramp according to the information, and housing a pallet on the ramp in the storage part. CONSTITUTION:A steppedly stacked material loading pallet is mounted on a feed table 21 of a combined pallet feed and separation device 15, and lifted upward, leaving the lowermost step behind, while the pallet at the lowermost step recognizes each article on the pallet by a recognizing device 26 through a chain conveyor and transferred to a table of a ramp 6. On the other hand, in a stocker 2, there are provided with a lot of pallet storage parts 2a, whereby pallets are made stowable. Each pallet is taken out at a pallet takeout ramp 4 at a stocker opposed position, and according to the takeout information, an empty storage part is retrieved whereby the ramp 6 is operated and the pallet is attached and recognized. In this connection, the pallet after used is discharged to a combined pallet discharge and step-stacking device 16 in reverse motion to the said motion. Therefore, the inside of the stocker is used in a highly efficient manner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Application of the Invention) The present invention relates to an article storage device that automatically stores many types of articles in a stocker common to the articles.

(Background of the Invention) With the development of automatic assembly technology, many products have recently come to be manufactured using automatic assembly methods.

When classifying the configuration of automatic assembly equipment in terms of the product being assembled, it is broadly divided into line type and non-line type.

The line method, as is well known, is a method in which products being assembled are transported and a large number of automatic assembly machines are placed along the transport path. This is the case when the quantity and assembly process are large, and the capital investment can be large.

On the other hand, non-line methods are used when the production volume of the product is small, the product is not suitable for transportation, the assembly process is relatively small, or it is undesirable to make a large capital investment. This method is used in , etc.

Since the former type of automatic assembly equipment often has a large production volume, the transport speed of the products being assembled is high, and therefore automatic assembly machines arranged along the assembly line are mainly composed of high-speed single-function machines.

On the other hand, in the latter method, there is no transport line for the products being assembled, or if there is one, it is short, so the automatic assembly machines used in this type of equipment are robots that can perform various operations. In many cases, this type of automatic assembly equipment can be used to assemble a wide variety of products by changing the software that controls the robot, and it also occupies less floor space than the line method, allowing for high-mix, low-volume production. Automatic assembly equipment for orientation. However, in order to make this type of equipment suitable for high-mix, low-volume production, it is necessary to supply many types of parts to be assembled to the robot, which means that a large number of objects are placed around the robot. It is necessary to arrange the assembly parts supply, and therefore the surroundings of the robot become very complicated.Furthermore, the occupied floor area increases due to the assembly part supply R bud, leading to an increase in the size of the equipment. was there.

Therefore, the article feeding device used in combination with a multi-functional work machine area such as a robot should have as small an area as possible, be commonly used for articles of 51m class, and mix articles of 51m class. and can always be accommodated with high efficiency <2. It is desirable to have an article storage device that satisfies the following conditions: the storage device can be used for various purposes (minimizing the number of empty compartments), and the stored articles can be taken out immediately at any time.

(Object of the Invention) The object of the present invention is to provide an article storage device for an article supply device used in combination with a multi-functional working machine such as a robot, and more specifically, to provide an article storage device for an article supply device used in combination with a multi-functional working machine such as a robot. To provide an article storage device which can store a mixture of articles at high speed, can be used with high efficiency, and has a small area.

(Summary of the Invention) An article storage device according to the present invention includes a stocker provided with a storage section that stores a pallet on which articles are placed, and an elevator that is disposed adjacent to the stocker and moves up and down along the storage section of the stocker. a means for separating the pallets that have been conveyed in a stacked manner; a means for transporting the pallets separated by the separating means to the lifting platform; and a means for detecting the presence or absence of the pallets on the separating means; Information processing means that searches for an empty storage section in the stocker and operates each of the above means according to the searched information to issue a control command to store the pallet in the empty storage section. shall be.

(Embodiments of the Invention) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments of the present invention show the case where the article storage device of the present invention is incorporated into an article supply device for an automatic assembly machine or the like.

FIG. 1 shows an illustration of an article storage and supply apparatus incorporating the apparatus of the present invention. ! A perspective view from the J assembly machine side is shown, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the pallet supply/discharge side opposite to the main part of the T#I assembly machine shown in FIG. 1. Further, FIG. 3 shows a plan view of FIG. 1.

In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a stocker having a large number of shelf boards 2a, and this stocker 2 is attached to approximately the center of the frame 1. The stocker's fence is located at the top right of the first diagram.
The address of a is hereinafter referred to as 2a2, 2a3, etc. A first lifting platform 4 that is moved up and down by a screw shaft 3 is disposed in one opening of the stocker 2.
A second lifting platform 6, which can also be moved up and down by a screw shaft 5 (FIG. 1), is arranged in the other opening. Also,
Motors 7 and 8 are provided on the top plate of the stocker 2 to drive the glazes 3 and 5, and guides for guiding the lifting tables 4 and 6 are provided at both side edges of the opening of the stocker 2. Rails 2b and 2c (see Figure 3) are provided. The first and second lifting platforms 4 and 6 are provided with protruding nut portions that engage with the screw shafts 3 and 5, respectively, and are provided with guided portions that slide on the guide rails 2b and 2C. The second lifting tables 4 and 6 are moved up and down by motors 7 and 8.

Hanging tables 9 and 10 that move horizontally along the opening of the stocker 2 are respectively mounted on each lifting platform 4 and 6, and guide rails 4a and 10 for guiding the tables 9 and 10 are respectively mounted. 6a, screw shafts 11 and 12 for driving the tables 9 and 10, and motors 13 and 1 for driving the screw shafts 11 and 12.
4 and are provided.

One side edge of the first lifting platform (i.e. the stocker 2
For example, a workbench 1a for automatic assembly is arranged adjacent to the side edge opposite to the side edge adjacent to the
On the workbench la, an automatic assembly machine 35 shown as a block in FIG. Assembling of ti and ill standing parts is now underway.

Also, facing one side edge of the second lifting platform 6 (the side edge not facing the stocker 2), a pallet supply is provided for feeding a pallet loaded with parts to be assembled onto the table 10. The separator 15 is arranged and the table 1
A pallet discharge and stacking device 16 is arranged to receive and take empty pallets.

Tables 9 and 10 have screw shafts 11 and 12, respectively.
, are provided with crane pallet transfer devices 17 and 18 that move in a direction perpendicular to (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3).
These pallet transfer devices 17 and 18 allow pallets to be transferred between the stocker 2 and the table 9 and 10, and between the table 10 and the pallet supply and separation device 15 and the pallet discharge and stacking device 16. It has become.

The pallet 19 housed in the stocker 2 has a structure as shown in FIG. It consists of a main body 191 having a shape. Bottom plate 191a of main body 191 and magazine 192
Holes 191b and 192a for positioning are provided through the holes 191b and 192a, and lifting pins (not shown) provided on the table 9 fit into these holes 191b and 192a.

The pallet supply/separation device 15 (hereinafter simply referred to as the supply device) has a pallet lifting mechanism consisting of an elevating frame 20 and pallet support pins 20a to 20d supported by the elevating frame 20, and a pallet lifting mechanism that moves in the horizontal direction. It is constituted by a supply stand 21 having a pair of chain conveyors 21a and 21b. The pallet supplying device 15 has a stacking function of stacking a large number of ift-sized pallets stacked on the supply stand 21 and transferring them to the table 10 in order from the lowest pallet. The lifting frame 20 is connected to a rod 22a of an air cylinder 22, and the air cylinder 22 is fixed to the frame 1.

The supply platform 21, which constitutes another part of the pallet supply device 15, is a non-elevating device having a pair of chain conveyors 21a and 21b movable in the direction of arrow B in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of stacked pallets 19A to i9E are placed on the supply table 21 by a transport vehicle 28 or the like, and the pallets 19A to 19
E is stacked in eight pieces on the supply table 21. Pallets 19A to 19 are stacked on the supply stand 21.
Among the four upper pallets 19A to 19D of E, the upper four pallets 19A to 19D are lifted from the supply table 21 by the lifting frame 20 and its pallet support pins 20a to 20b, and at the same time, the lowest pallet 19E is separated and the pallet 19E is placed on the table. Transferred to 10th. The chain conveyors 21al and 21b constituting the supply table 21 support a stack of pallets thereon, while also serving as a horizontal 8-way platform 3 for moving the lowest pallet onto the table 10. .

The structures related to the pallet support pins 20a to 20d and the structures related to the chain conveyors 21a and 21b will be explained in more detail later with reference to FIG. 6.

A pallet discharge and stacking device 16 (hereinafter abbreviated as Hayabusa discharge device) stacks empty pallets discharged from the stocker 2 or stacks them as one and transfers them to the transport vehicle 2.
This is a device for delivering the pallet to the pallet supply device 1, etc.
5, that is, the pallet ejection device 16 has an elevating frame 23 and pallet supporting pins 23a to 23d supported by the elevating frame 23, and
A discharge table 24 having the same structure as the supply table 21 is provided. Empty pallets are loaded on the discharge table 24 onto die conveyors 24a and 24b, which are its main components. The stacking operation performed by the pallet discharge bag @16 is almost the same as the stacking operation performed by the pallet supply device 15. That is, when the entire empty pallet on the ejection table 24 is lifted from the ejection table 24 by the lift frame 23 and the pallet support pins 23a to 23d, the empty pallet is further pushed into the space formed under the lowest empty pallet. Stacking is performed by

Note that the elevating frame 23 is connected to the rod F25a of the air cylinder 25, and the air cylinder 25 is fixed to the frame 1. Further, the discharge table 24 is a non-elevating device fixed to the frame 1.

As mentioned above, although the pallet supply device 15 and the pallet discharge device 16 have different operations, they have the same structure. With reference to B, the structure related to the pallet lifting mechanism and the supply table 21 or the discharge table 24 will be explained.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 20 denotes the elevating frame 2 formed in a gate shape.
0a, 20b, and 20d are the aforementioned pallet support pins (bin 20c is not shown in FIG. 6) 21a
and 21b are the chain conveyors shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Pallet supporting pins 20a, 20b and 20d are connected to rods of air cylinders 20e, 20f and 20g, respectively, so that they can move forward and backward in the axial direction. The pins 20a and 20b and 2
The air cylinder 20 houses the air cylinder 0d in a retractable manner.
e, 2Of, and 20g are fixed to both ends of a horizontal arm 20, which is fixed to the lower end of a lifting frame 20.

As shown in Fig. 6, a limit mark detector 20fl is attached to the plate surface of the arm 20, which non-contact detects the limit mark provided on the upper end flange of the lowest pallet 19E among the stacked pallets. ing. The detector 2
The output signal 0Il is used as a control signal for the air cylinder 22.

Chain conveyors 21a and 21b are respectively driven by pulleys 21c to 21f, and pulley 21c
and 21e are drive pulleys.

The pulleys 21c and 21e are fixed to a bracket 21h driven by a motor 21g, and the motor 21 is attached to the glaze 21h.
A non-moving pulley 21i that transmits the rotation of g is fixed, and a chain 21k is connected to the pulley 21i and a driving pulley 21j fixed to the motor shaft.

On the other hand, pulleys 21d and 21f, which are non-moving pulleys, are also fixed to a common shaft 211.

Bearing stand supporting shafts 21h and 211 and motor 21g
is fixed to a frame (not shown) of a supply table 21, and the frame of the supply table is integrated with the frame 1'.

A strapper 21m for fixing the lowest pallet placed on the chain conveyor so that it does not move is installed between the chain conveyors 21a and 21b, and a strapper 21m for raising and lowering the 3-stopper 21m. An air cylinder (not shown) is connected to the stopper 21m.

The stopper 21m is connected to the chain conveyors 21a and 21.
When no pallet is placed on b, it is held at a position below the top surface of the chain conveyor, and when the pallet is placed on the chain conveyor, it is lifted onto the chain conveyor by the air cylinder. . A locking part that engages with the lower side edge of the pallet is formed on the top surface of the stopper 21m, and the locking part restrains the pallet on the chain conveyor so that it does not move in the horizontal direction. .

A pallet detector 21p is installed at a position below the chain conveyors 21a and 21b of the supply stand 21 and below the discharge stand 24 to detect the presence or absence of a pallet on the supply stand 21 and the discharge stand 24. This is a detector that non-contact detects whether or not a pallet exists on the chain conveyor 21a, Q and 21b.When the pallet detector 2ip detects the presence of a pallet on the chain conveyor 21a, Chain conveyor 21a and 21b
The pallet on the chain conveyor is restrained by the stopper by protruding to a higher position.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, details of the tables 9 and 1o on the lifting tables 4 and 6, and the detailed structure of the brackets 17 and 18 provided on the tables will be explained.

Incidentally, since both the occlusion devices 17 and 18 have exactly the same structure, only the transfer device 18 and the table 10 will be explained in FIG.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1o denotes a table supporting a transfer device 18, and the table 10 is configured to be screwed onto the screw shaft 12 and fed parallel to the screw shaft 12. A guide portion 10b is formed on the side surface of the table 10,
This guide portion 10b has a guide rail 6 shown in FIG.
a is engaged, and the table 10 is engaged with the guide rail 6a.
It is designed to be guided parallel to the screw glaze 12 along. Pallet guides 10d and 10e are provided on the top surface of the table 10 and extend perpendicularly to the screws 12, and the pallet mounted on the table 10 is connected to the pallet 1.
It is supported by 0d and 10e and guided in its longitudinal direction. A guide 10f extending parallel to the pallet guides 10d and 10e is further formed on the top surface of the table 10, and one end of a hook holding plate 18a forming a part of the transfer equipment 18 is placed on this guide 10f. Guide 1
It is mounted so as to slide along the longitudinal direction of 0f. The other end of the hook holding plate 18a is locked to a chain conveyor 18b extending parallel to the guide 10f, and the plate 18a is held in place by the chain conveyor 18b when the chain conveyor 18'o moves in the longitudinal direction. It is moved parallel to the guide IOf. The chain conveyor 18b consists of a driving pulley 18c and a driven pulley 18d arranged on the table 10.
The drive pulley 18c and the screwdriver pulley 186 are fixed to the shafts 18e and 18f, respectively.
8f is rotatably supported by a bearing fixed on the table 10. The rotation of the reversible motor 18g is transmitted to the drive pulley 18C via a chain or the like, and the chain conveyor 18b is reciprocated by the reversible motor 18g.

A pallet hook 18j is provided on the hook holding plate 18a and has protrusions iah and 18i that engage with the protrusions on the lower surface of the pallet and can be moved up and down. An air cylinder 18k for moving the hook is attached to the hook holding plate 18a.

Here, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, parts that have not been made clear in the previous explanation will be explained.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 27 indicates a pallet detector for detecting that a pallet has been delivered to the pallet supply device 15, and the reference numeral 26 in FIG. The detector used is an article recognition device for identifying the type and number of contents of a pallet brought in. The article recognition device 26 is composed of, for example, a known barcode reader, and can read the contents of a barcode sheet attached to the outer surface of the pallet without contact.

In addition, in FIG. 2, while the pallet supply device 15 and the pallet discharge device 16 are not shown, various parts are
Although it is simplified compared to the figure, Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1.
The main parts of the device shown in the figure are shown viewed from the opposite direction, and there is no fundamental difference between the two figures.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the apparatus of this embodiment. In FIG. 8, 29 is a first control means for controlling the motors 7 and 13 for driving the lifting platform 4 and the table 9, respectively, in order to supply articles to the automatic assembly machine 35, and 30 is a guide wheel 28. A second control means that controls the operations from receiving the pallet from the stocker 2 to storing it in the fence of the stocker 2 and from removing the empty pallet from the stocker 2 to transferring it to the transport vehicle 28. shows. The second control means 30 controls the drive motors 8 and 14 of the lifting platform 6 and the table 10, respectively. 27 is the pallet detector shown in FIG. 2, and 26 is the article recognition device 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Reference numeral 31 denotes an information processing means, and the information processing means 31 is connected to the first and second control means and the device 26 through a communication line, and receives signals from the control means and the device 26. The control means is controlled by a program shown in a flowchart described later.

32 is a memory, and the memory 32 is the stocker 2.
The presence or absence of pallets on the internal shelves, the number and type of articles in the core pallet, and the number and type of supplies of pallets and articles to be supplied to the stocker 2 by the pallet supply device 15, as well as the number and type of articles to be supplied from the stocker 2 by the pallet discharge device 16 are stored. In addition to the number of pallets discharged from the stocker 2, the location and number of the remaining pallets in the stocker 2, the workbench 1a of the automatic assembly machine from the stocker 2, the type and number of articles supplied, and the workbench 1a of the automatic assembly machine. Stores the number, type, etc. of requested items. The information in the memory 32 is controlled based on communication signals between the first control means 29, the second control means 30, and the information M embedding means 31.

33 is a display means, and the display means 33 displays information such as the presence or absence of pallets and articles at each address in the stocker 2, the number of remaining pallets and remaining articles, and the types of articles.

A communication means 34 is connected to other article management means (for example, an automated warehouse), and the article management means and the information processing means 31 are connected to each other via the communication means 34 .

The operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 9 and subsequent figures.

The flowchart in FIG. 9 shows the process (steps a1 to a14) of storing pallets from the transport vehicle 28 onto a predetermined shelf of the stocker 2.

Step a1: First, turn on the power 5VI-ON to each device.
Put in.

By turning on this switch, the palette Detector 27 is activated.

Step a2 If pallets are stacked on the supply stand 21 of the double pallet supply device 15, the presence or absence of the pallets is confirmed based on the detection signal from the detector 27.

Step a: If a pallet is present on the supply stand 21, the article recognition device 26 (barcode reader) is activated to recognize the articles on the pallet in response to the detection signal.

Step a4 The second article recognition device 26 reads the coat number of the pallet and sends the read signal (code) to the information processing means 31. In the information processing means 31, the code number of the pallet is recorded in the memory in advance, and the registered code reading code is confirmed. This process is a process to prevent unnecessary parts from being stored in the stocker as assembly parts of the assembly robot.If the registration code and the reading code do not match, the information processing means 31 outputs a signal and the display device Issue a warning from 33.

Step a: When the registration code and the reading code match, the information processing means 31 outputs a reading completion signal, and this completion signal turns off the operation of the article recognition device 26.

Step a6: (Waiting for destination of lifting platform 6) Pallet 1
9 from the hoisting frame 20 to the stocker 2: Aiai 6 stops at any of the locations of the previous operation (at the end of the winter, at addresses 2a+ to 2a of the gate of the stocker 2 (see Figure 5)). (For example, since it is stopped at the position of the first row upper stage 2a1 of the stocker), therefore, the elevator platform 6 is moved.

moved to the feeding position of the feeding device 15. The information processing means 31 sends a signal to from there to the second control means 30.

Step a7: Based on step a6, the second control means 30 sends a drive signal to the air cylinder 22 to move the lifting platform 6 from the position indicated by the dot and line in Figure 5l8 to the pallet take-out position of the pallet supply device shown by the solid line. do.

Step a8 - The lifting platform 6, which has come to the red take-out position, loads one pallet from the pallets 19A, 19B, . . . stacked on the supply platform 21 onto the table 10 eight times. To take out the stacked pallets on the supply stand 21, if there are five pallets 19A, 19B...19E placed on the supply stand 21, four pallets are separated from the lowest pallet and only the lowest pallet is taken out. 8 shifts at table 10.

The following describes how to collect pallets from an automated warehouse, etc. in this example. ia
The operations in the process from carrying the pallet to the table 10 and placing it on the table 10 for eight games will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

Pallet 1-19 loaded with goods from an unillustrated automated warehouse etc.
A to 19E are transported in a stacked state on the automatic guided vehicle 28 as shown in FIG. Palette: 'A Two people are detected. Therefore, the movement of the automatic guided vehicle 28 i1i % i! f
: (not shown) and chain conveyor 21 of supply table 21
a and 21b operate to stack the first-layer pallet stacks 19A to 19E on the automatic guided vehicle 28 from the automatic guided vehicle 28 onto the supply stand 21. When the pallet stacks 19A to 19E are placed on the supply stand 21, the pallet detector 2ip is activated, and in response to the activation, the air cylinder pushes up the stopper 21m. Therefore, the lowest pallet 19E of the stacked pallets 19A to 19E engages with the stopper 21m, and the pallet stack is stopped at the center position of the supply table 21. At this time, the pallets 19A to 19E pass in front of the article recognition device 26, so the article recognition device 26 reads the type and number of contents of each pallet, and the +i! The i-report is sent to the information processing means 31.

Then 'A-'C?' by air sill 22. frame 2
0 is lowered and the trowel A- lowering frame 20 is stopped to the extent that the pallet support bins 20a to 20d can engage the upper flange of the second pallet 90 from the bottom. In this case, the descendant of the elevator frame 20 is detected by the limit mark detector 201 shown in FIG. ), the detection signal is fed back to the near cylinder 22, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the detector 201
When the pallet 19E is lined up with the upper end flange of the lowest pallet 19E, the limit mark of the pallet 19E is detected and the lowering of the lifting frame 20 is stopped. After the lifting frame 20 has stopped, the pallet supporting bins 20a to 20d are pushed out toward their respective tips by the air cylinders 20e, 20f, and 20g, and the bins are
0a to 20d fit under the upper end flange of pallet 19D. Next, the air cylinder 22 lifts the elevator frame 20.
is slightly raised, the pallet supporting bins 20a~
20d lifts the upper end flange of pallet 19d, thereby lifting the top four pallets 19A to 19D from the lowest pallet 19E, thereby separating pallet 19E. At the same time as the lifting frame 20 rises, the stopper 21m is lowered by the operation of the air cylinder, and is placed on the supply table 21 (that is, on the chain conveyors 21a and 2ib).
The constraint on the six horizontal movements of the pallet 19E is removed.

After lifting frame 20'EL and pallets L9A to 19D are lifted,
The chain conveyors 21a and 21d are driven toward the table 10, and the pallet 19E is transferred toward the table 10 by the chain conveyors 21a and 21b.

At this time, since the hook holding plate 18a of the transfer device 18 provided on the table 10 is positioned closest to the 4tB6B platform 21, the chain conveyor 21
The pallet 19E transferred by a and 21d rides on the hook holding plate 18a of the f3 loading device 18. At this time, the pallet hook 18j is held in the lowered position on the air cylinder 18, but the pallet 19
After E gets on the hook holding plate 18a, the air cylinder 18k raises the pallet hook 18j, so that the protrusions 18h and 1 of the pallet hook 18j
8j is engaged with a protrusion (not shown) on the lower surface of pallet 19E, and pallet 19E is engaged with hook holding plate 18a. Therefore, the pallet 19E is held stationary on the table 10 unless the chain conveyor tab is driven.

After eight pallets 19E are placed on the table 1o from the pallet stack on the supply table 21 as described above, the next step a9 is started.

Step a9: When the eight pallets 19E are placed on the table 10, a completion signal is sent from the second control means 30 to the information management means 31.

Step alo 2 When the above-mentioned process is completed, the information processing means 31 checks whether there is a blank space in the stocker 2 and searches for the address of the blank space.

Step a11: During the above empty shelf search, table 10
is in a state of waiting for the destination at the pallet take-out position.

In the process of step a1゜, Blank address in the information processing means 31 Dress search results, stocker -The blank address in 2 was found. Then, the information processing means 31 A signal is sent to the control means 30 to The motor 8 and and/or 14, The search string for loop 10 is Press 8 in the blank position of the tracker. Ru.

Step a12 When the pallet on the table 10 comes to the position of the blank address, the loading device 18 receives a command signal from the information processing means 31 and transfers the pallet 19E from the table 10 to the empty shelf in the stocker. .

Referring again to FIG. 7, the operation of transferring the pallet 19E on the table 10 into the stocker will be described below.

When the table 10 arrives at the searched shelf address with the pallet 19E on it, the information processing means 31 selects cylinder 1.
8 is output, and the pallet hook 18j
falls downward, and the protrusions 18h and 18 of the hook 18j
i comes off the pallet. Next, the motor 18g is activated, and the motor 18g moves the chain conveyor 18b in its longitudinal direction (towards the stocker 2), and the pallet 19E is supported by the hook holding plate 18a while moving on the guides 10d and 10e to the stocker. It is transported in one direction. Finally, the pallet 19E is stored on the shelf of the stocker at the searched shelf address.

Step a13: When the pallets have been stored on the empty shelf of the stocker, a signal is sent from the information IA embedding means to the memory, and the information on the pallet 19E stored in the stocker 2 is input to the memory 31.

Then, a pallet storage completion signal is sent from the second control means 31 to the information processing means 31.

Step a14: After the steps a2 to ats are repeated and all the pallets on the supply table 21 are stored in the stocker 2. This sequence ends.

Next, the process of taking out assembly parts from each pallet in the stocker 2 will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 10.

Step bt New start signal Step b2: The first lifting platform 4 is at the arbitrary take-out position at the end of the previous work, and the lifting platform 4 is in a destination waiting state.

Step b: A signal requesting the first assembly part is sent from the self-assembling machine 1a to the information department processing means 31.

Step b4: Upon receiving the parts supply command from the automatic assembler 1a, the information processing means 31 searches on which shelf of the stocker 2 the assembled parts are located, based on the information in the memory 32.

Step bS: The first control means 29 operates based on the search result by the information processing means 31, and the motor 7 and/or the motor 13 moves the lifting platform 4 to the shelf where the part is located.

Step bs: When the 8th shift of lifting platform 4 is completed, information f
A command signal is outputted from the i-embedding means to the first control means 29 to drive the multi-loading device 17, and a predetermined pallet in the stocker 2 is pulled out by the fj ffi device 17, and the pallet is transferred onto the table 9. be done.

In this case, when eight pallets are placed on the table 9, the elevating bin 9a on the table rises to one of the holes in the pallet.
91b and 192a, so that the pallet is firmly supported on the table 9 against lateral movement.

The structure of the table top and the transfer device 17 is the same as that of the flat table 10 and the 89i device 18, so a detailed explanation of the operation will be omitted.

Step b7: When the transfer of the pallet from the stocker 2 onto the table 9 is completed, a signal is generated from the first control means 29 to move the table 9 to a predetermined position, and this causes the motors 7 and 13 to operate to move the table 9. Move 8 times in a fixed position. This fixed position refers to the position where an arm (not shown) of the moving assembling machine 1a grasps the parts on the pallet and moves for further assembly work.

Step b8 = When the table 9 has been moved to the above-mentioned fixed position, the first control means 29 sends a signal indicating completion of preparation to the automatic assembly machine 1a.

Step b9: (Waiting for notification of work completion from the automatic assembly machine) In this step, the automatic assembly machine takes out the assembled parts from the pallet on the table 9.

Until this parts removal work is completed Lifting platform 4 is waiting for the next command. Ru.

Next, the discharge of an empty pallet will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9 again. Step b mentioned earlier
, - When the parts on the pallet in the stocker become empty as a result of taking out each part on the pallet from the stocker by the work in step b13, it is necessary to discharge the empty pallet from the stocker.

Step C1: As in step a2, when the pallet detector 27 detects that there is no pallet on the pallet discharge device 16 (ie, the discharge table 24), a pallet-free detection signal is generated.

Step c2: Waiting for the destination of the lifting platform 6 (step aS) The lifting platform 6 is stopped until a command to go to which address on the stocker shelf is received.

Step C3: After confirming in step C that there is no pallet on the discharge table 24 using the pallet detector, the information processing means 31 searches the memory 32 to find out which pallet is empty.

Step c4: Based on the result of the empty pallet search in step c3, the second control means 30 generates a signal to drive the motors 8 and 14, and moves the table 10 to the first position of the empty pallet stocker.

After that, the pallet transfer device 18 Tape the empty pallet by Le 10 on top. Pallet transfer The configuration and operation of device 18 have been transferred. It is similar to device 17.

In step C5, the completion of the work in step C4 is transmitted to the information processing means 31.

Step C, waiting for two rows ahead Step C7: The table 10 is lowered to the discharge table 24 in response to a command from the information processing means 31.

Step C6: Empty pallet on table 10 to discharge platform 2
4 and stack the empty pallets.

Note that the stacking operation in the discharge device 16 is performed by the supply device 15.
This method is similar to the step-breaking operation in which the pallet to be discharged later is inserted under the preceding pallet. A description of the structure of the discharge device 16 for this stacking operation will be omitted.

Note that the embodiments described above do not limit the present invention, and the apparatus of the present invention can be realized in various modified embodiments. For example, the stocker 2, the table, and the elevating table may be rotary types, and the elevating table and the elevating table may be configured with a linear motor instead of being driven by a feed screw. Further, the stacking mechanism of the pallet supply device and the stacking mechanism of the pallet discharge device are not limited to the illustrated system. Further, the number of elevating tables and tables may be any number, and the elevating table and table for supply and the elevating table and table for discharging may be provided separately.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, a small and fully automatic storage device is provided that is suitable for an article supply device used with an automatic assembly machine such as an assembly robot. In the storage device of the present invention, (I) articles are stored in a stocker while being housed on a pallet, so many types of articles can be mixed and stored; (11) articles are stored in a stocker while being housed in a pallet. (III) Since pallets are carried into the stocker in a stacked state, it is possible to handle many kinds of articles with a device of relatively simple structure and store them in the stocker at high speed. (IV) Empty pallets are stacked and discharged, resulting in efficient transport of empty pallets. (V) Information processing means monitors the number and position of inventory items in the stocker and monitors incoming items. Since the number and type of the stocker are monitored, the inside of the stocker can always be used with high efficiency, and the volume of the entire device can therefore be reduced in size.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the main parts of an article storage and supply device including the device of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a view of the main parts of the embodiment device shown in Fig. 1 from the side opposite to Fig. 1. Perspective view, 3rd
! 21 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a pallet used in the values shown in Figs. A diagram showing a state in which a plurality of pallets are stacked and carried into the equipment shown in Figures 1 and 2. The center diagram in Figure 5 shows pallets stacked on top of each other on the supply stand 21 of the equipment shown in Figures 1 and 2. The diagram on the right side of FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the operation when dispensing the lowest pallet from the delivered pallets, and the diagram on the right of FIG. Diagram showing the relationship with stocker 2, No. 6
Figure A is a perspective view showing the main structure of the pallet supply and separation device and the pallet discharge and stacking device, Figure 6B is a diagram showing the stacked pallets in Figure 6A, and Figure 7 is the same as in Figure 1. and a perspective view showing the main parts of the third cutting devices 17 and 18 provided on the tables 9 and 10 of FIG. 2 and the detailed structure of the tables 9 and 10, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system included in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are flowcharts showing a control sequence performed by the control system shown in FIG. 8. 1... Frame 2... Stocker 4.6
...Elevating platform 9.10...Table 15...
・Pallet supply and separation device 16...Pallet discharge and stacking device 17.18...6 loading device 19...Pallet 2
0.23... Lifting frame 21... Supply platform 24.
...Discharge table 26...Article recognition device 27...
・Pallet detector 28 Transport vehicle 29...First control means 30 Second control means 31...Information processing means 32
...Memory 33...Display means 34...
Communication means 35... Automatic assembly machine Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A stacker comprising: a stocker provided with a storage section for storing a pallet on which articles are placed; a lifting platform disposed adjacent to the stocker and raising and lowering the pallet along the storage section of the stocker; means for separating the pallets conveyed by the separating means; means for transferring the pallets separated by the separating means onto the lifting platform; means for detecting the presence or absence of the pallets on the separating means;
An article storage device comprising: an information processing means that searches for an empty storage section in the stocker and provides a control command to operate each of the above means according to the searched information to store the pallet in the empty storage section.