KR20230141717A - Automatic System for Transferring Chemical Containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic chemical container transfer system, which includes an inlet for bringing in chemical containers from the outside; A chemical supply device that supplies chemicals contained in the chemical container to a storage tank or production line in the factory; and an autonomous transport vehicle that receives and transfers the chemical container brought in through the entrance and inputs it into the chemical supply device, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle includes a loading space capable of loading the chemical container; and stoppers provided at both ends of the loading space to prevent the chemical container from protruding to both sides of the loading space. According to the present invention, it is possible to respond simply and flexibly to increasing transport demands or unexpected situations.

Description

Automatic System for Transferring Chemical Containers}

The present invention relates to a system that automatically transports a container containing chemicals to a place where the chemicals are needed.

In semiconductor factories and chemical factories that use large amounts of various chemicals, a Central Chemical Supply System (CCSS) is provided to supply desired chemicals to process lines that require them and to recover waste liquid. In addition to general piping equipment such as pipes, valves, fittings, filters, and pumps, this central chemical supply system includes an ACQC (Auto Clean Quick Coupler) unit, which is a hose connection system for supplying chemicals transported by tank trucks to storage tanks within the factory. , a chemical supply device for supplying chemical containers (typically drums) transported by trucks to a storage tank in the factory (typically, a hose is connected to the outlet of the drum and the chemicals in the drum are sucked in and supplied to the storage tank) It includes various facilities such as chemical container transfer equipment for transferring to a drum coupler, a mixer for diluting the supplied chemicals to the desired concentration or mixing them with other chemicals, and sampling equipment for collecting and inspecting the supplied chemicals.

The present invention relates to a chemical container transfer facility included in a central chemical supply system. As such a chemical container transfer facility, an automatic chemical container transfer device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Patent Publication No. 10-1947450) is known. . The automatic chemical container transfer device of Patent Document 1 includes a transfer line (conveyor system) for transferring chemical containers to a chemical supply device, and a transfer vehicle for transferring chemical containers between the chemical supply device and the transfer line. Meanwhile, this transfer line is formed as a loop through which the chemical container can circulate, providing a buffer section where the chemical container can wait while it is transferred to the chemical supply device.

However, as the production volume of factories has increased in recent years, the number of chemical containers that must be brought in and out per day has increased, making it difficult to respond to the transfer demand with only the buffer unit provided in the conventional transfer line. In addition, the speed of bringing in chemical containers is much faster than the speed of processing by the chemical supply device, that is, the speed of supplying the chemicals contained in the chemical containers put into the chemical supply device to the storage tank or production line within the factory, so the chemical containers being brought in are chemical containers. You have to wait a long time before it is put into the supply device. Of course, in order to respond to the increasing transfer demand, the transfer line can be made longer to further expand the buffer section, but the space occupied by the transfer equipment increases proportionally, and further extension of the transfer line may not be possible depending on the site.

Moreover, in recent years, the types of chemicals (chemical containers) that are brought in and out have diversified, so even if the buffer unit has been expanded, the buffer unit (circulation loop) is required to transfer the desired type of chemical (chemical container) to the corresponding chemical supply device. It is inevitable that time and energy will be wasted due to unnecessary transfer (circulation) to other waiting chemical containers.

In addition, the transfer vehicle of Patent Document 1 transfers chemical containers between the transfer line and the chemical supply device while moving back and forth along the guide rail installed between the transfer line and the chemical supply device. Therefore, in a situation where there are multiple chemical containers that need to be loaded/discharged simultaneously, a bottleneck phenomenon may occur in which simultaneous loading/discharging operations are limited by the number of available transport vehicles. In addition, since the transfer vehicle moves only along the trajectory determined by the guide rail, it cannot quickly and flexibly respond to unexpected situations such as changes in the input/discharge schedule of chemical containers due to failure of a specific chemical supply device or transfer line. .

Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1947450

The present invention was made in consideration of this situation, and its purpose is to provide an automatic chemical container transfer system that can flexibly respond to increasing transport demands or unexpected situations and can smoothly input/discharge chemical containers into a chemical supply device. .

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic chemical container transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an inlet for bringing in a chemical container from the outside; A chemical supply device that supplies chemicals contained in the chemical container to a storage tank or production line in the factory; and an autonomous transport vehicle that receives and transfers the chemical container brought in through the entrance and inputs it into the chemical supply device, wherein the autonomous transport vehicle includes a loading space capable of loading the chemical container; and stoppers provided at both ends of the loading space to prevent the chemical container from protruding to both sides of the loading space.

According to the automatic chemical container transfer system of the present invention, by using a self-driving transfer vehicle, it is possible to flexibly respond to increased transfer demand or unexpected situations and smoothly input/discharge chemical containers into the chemical supply device.

In addition, according to the embodiment, it is possible to respond simply, flexibly, and space-efficiently to increased transportation demand by utilizing warehouses (racks).

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described later, so the present invention includes the matters described in such drawings. It should not be interpreted as limited to only .
Figure 1 is a plan view showing an automatic chemical container transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an autonomous transport vehicle used in the automatic chemical container transport system of Figure 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part A of FIG. 1, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of exchanging chemical containers between a loading/unloading conveyor and an autonomous transport vehicle.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of part B of Figure 1, and is a diagram for explaining the operation of exchanging chemical containers between an autonomous transport vehicle and a chemical supply device.
Figure 5 is a side view of the loading/unloading conveyor of the automatic chemical container transport system shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the inspection/alignment unit of the automatic chemical container transfer system shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a portion of a warehouse and a stacker of the automatic chemical container transfer system shown in FIG. 1.
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the stacker shown in Figure 7.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their common or dictionary meanings, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of terms in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted with meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it is. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing the present application, various alternatives may be used to replace them. It should be understood that equivalents and variations may exist.

In the drawings, the size of each component or specific part constituting the component is exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown for convenience and clarity of explanation. Therefore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size. If it is determined that specific descriptions of related known functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing an automatic chemical container transfer system (hereinafter simply referred to as 'system') according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system according to this embodiment brings in a chemical container (10; see FIG. 2) from the outside through the port 3 and transfers it to the chemical supply device 30, or supplies it to the chemical supply device ( This is a system that transfers the chemical container (10) discharged from 30) and carries it out to the outside through the delivery inlet (3). The system of this embodiment may be installed outdoors depending on the installation environment of the chemical supply device 30, but it is preferably installed inside the factory building 1 so as not to be affected by external pollutants such as weather conditions or dust. .

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the chemical container 10 is configured to perform both loading and unloading through a common port 3, but the common port 3 is divided into an inlet only for carry-in and an outlet only for carry-out. It can also be installed separately.

In this embodiment, the chemical container is described as having the form of a drum 11 having a capacity of tens to hundreds of L, but the present invention is not limited by the shape or capacity of the chemical container. In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, four drums 11 containing the same chemical are described as being loaded and transported together on one pallet 15, but whether the pallet 15 is used or not is not determined. The present invention is not limited by the number of drums 11 loaded on the pallet. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the chemical container 10 includes four drums 11 and a pallet 15 transported in units of pallets 15.

The system according to this embodiment includes an autonomous transport vehicle (100) that transports the chemical container (10) between the above-described loading/unloading entrance (3) and the chemical supply device (30), and a system that controls each element and overall operation of the system. Includes a control unit (not shown). In addition, the system according to this embodiment includes a loading/unloading conveyor 200 that transfers the chemical containers 10 between the loading/unloading entrance 3 and the autonomous transport vehicle 100, and a warehouse loading and storing the chemical containers 10. (300a, 300b), and a stacker 400 for loading the chemical container 10 into the warehouse (300a, 300b). However, the loading/unloading conveyor 200, warehouses 300a, 300b, and stacker 400 are optional elements and may be omitted. In addition, as elements necessary for implementing the system of this embodiment, a forklift 20 for bringing in or taking out a chemical container 10 into the system, and a chemical supply for supplying chemicals contained in the chemical container to a storage tank or production line in the factory. Device 30 may be included.

Here, terms related to 'transfer' of chemical containers in the system according to this embodiment are defined. First, bringing a chemical container into and out of the system by the forklift 20 is called 'input' and 'output', respectively, and putting a chemical container into and out of the chemical supply device 30 is called 'input' and 'output', respectively. It is said. In addition, inserting and removing chemical containers from the warehouses 300a and 300b are referred to as 'stocking' and 'release', respectively. Meanwhile, 'transfer' includes all operations that move chemical containers, including the above loading, unloading, inputting, discharging, warehousing, and shipping.

The self-driving transfer vehicle 100 receives and transfers the chemical container 10 brought in through the unloading entrance 3 and puts it into the chemical supply device 30, and the chemical container discharged from the chemical supply device 30 ( 10) It is a transfer vehicle that receives and transports the vehicle and carries it out through the delivery entrance (3). It is a so-called AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) that runs autonomously through automated control and guidance.

The self-driving transport vehicle 100 may be implemented by any one or a combination of two or more of the known methods including the following methods.

First, as an electromagnetic induction method, a magnet or electromagnetic induction wire is buried or attached along a preset driving path (9) on the floor of the space where the system is installed, and the autonomous transport vehicle emits or is guided by the magnet or electromagnetic induction wire. This is a method of determining the current location and driving path by detecting the magnetic or electromagnetic field. For this purpose, the autonomous transport vehicle is equipped with at least one sensor for detecting magnetic or electromagnetic fields at the bottom.

Second, as a vision recognition method, a predetermined marker is marked on the floor of the space where the system is installed along a preset driving path (9), and the autonomous transport vehicle recognizes the marker to determine the current location and driving path. It's a way to decide. The marker may be, for example, a QR code, a tape of a predetermined color attached continuously or discontinuously, or paint painted in a predetermined color. Additionally, the autonomous transport vehicle is equipped with at least one code reader or camera sensor for detecting the marker.

Third, it is a scanning method using electromagnetic waves (light) including infrared or laser, in which the self-driving transport vehicle radiates electromagnetic waves, typically lasers, and detects electromagnetic waves reflected by objects placed around it to determine its current location and driving path. It's a way to decide. In particular, the laser scanning type self-driving transport vehicle is called LGV (Laser Guided Vehicle). To this end, the self-driving transport vehicle is equipped with at least one scanner including a light-emitting diode that emits the electromagnetic waves and a light-receiving diode that detects electromagnetic waves reflected by surrounding objects. In addition, in order to increase the recognition accuracy of surrounding objects, a reflector that reflects the electromagnetic waves well can be provided on the surface of a reference object (for example, a pillar 7, a wall, or a chemical supply device 30) around the driving path. there is.

The self-driving transport vehicle 100 in this embodiment is a self-driving transport car according to the third method, and as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a laser capable of emitting a laser at 360 degrees and detecting reflected light is provided at the top. A scanner 110 is provided. In addition, to detect obstacles that may exist on the floor of the space where the system is installed, two safety sensors 115, which can emit laser or infrared rays at 270 degrees and detect reflected light, are provided, one at each diagonal corner of the bottom. can do.

In addition, the self-driving transport vehicle 100 has a loading space where the chemical container 10 can be loaded, and this loading space is provided with a roller 120 capable of rotating in both directions, so that the chemical container 10 can be moved on both sides of the traveling direction. You can load and unload it into your room. Additionally, in order to prevent the chemical container 10 from protruding to both sides of the loading space, stoppers (not shown) and/or sensors that protrude up and down may be provided at both ends of the loading space.

Meanwhile, the self-driving transport vehicle 100 is configured to be able to move forward and backward and change direction, and is equipped with its own control unit (not shown) to provide optimal operation based on the detection signal from the laser scanner 110 or the safety sensor 115. The chemical container 10 can be transported by determining a route and driving it. In particular, in the case of the self-driving transport vehicle 100 of this embodiment, since it is a scanning method using electromagnetic waves (lasers), it is possible to determine the optimal path and drive without being restricted by the driving path 9 shown as an example in FIG. 1. there is. In addition, the self-driving transport vehicle 100 is equipped with a control unit of the system and a wireless communication means and is used as a chemical supply device 30 that requires input/discharge of the chemical container 10 according to the control signal of the control unit of the system. You can move.

Furthermore, the self-driving transfer vehicle 100 can be implemented as an electric vehicle that runs using the electrical energy of the built-in secondary battery, and the control unit of the self-driving transfer vehicle 100 detects the charging state of the secondary battery and determines the charging state. If it falls below a predetermined limit, the system may be configured to move to a charging station (8; see FIG. 1) installed at a predetermined location in the space to be charged.

In this way, the system according to this embodiment uses the autonomous transport vehicle 100, which increases the transport capacity compared to the transport car of Patent Document 1, which is configured to move back and forth along the guide rail installed between the transfer line and the chemical supply device. It can respond much more flexibly to transportation demands or unexpected situations. In other words, in Patent Document 1, in order to add or change the driving route to cope with increasing transport demand or unexpected situations, guide rails must be additionally installed or moved, but in the present invention, magnets or markers can be simply added or moved. do. In particular, when using the self-driving transport vehicle 100 using a scanning method using electromagnetic waves as in this embodiment, the optimal driving path can be determined only through software control.

The carry-out conveyor 200 is for transferring the chemical container 10 between the carry-out entrance 3 and the self-driving transfer vehicle 100, and transports the chemical container 10 from the carry-out entrance 3 to the self-driving transfer vehicle 100. ) and extends horizontally to the transfer point (4). In other words, the transfer of the chemical container 10 between the carry-out entrance (3) and the carry-out transfer point (4) is performed through the carry-out conveyor (200), and the self-driving transfer vehicle (100) stops at the carry-out transfer point (4). The chemical container 10 can be exchanged with the carry-in/out conveyor 200 to be responsible for transferring the chemical container 10 between the carry-in/out transfer point 4 and the chemical supply device 30.

Specifically, the loading/unloading conveyor 200 can be configured by connecting and arranging a plurality of standardized conveyor modules 200a and 200b as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. By configuring the carry-in/out conveyor 200 using the conveyor modules 200a and 200b in this way, the degree of freedom in placement of the carry-in/out conveyor can be increased and it is possible to easily change the layout in the future. In addition, the conveyor modules 200a and 200b constituting the loading/unloading conveyor 200 are provided with a transfer roller 201 to transfer the chemical container 10 loaded thereon in the horizontal direction. The transfer roller 201 preferably has an acid-resistant and alkali-resistant coating on its surface to prevent damage such as corrosion by chemicals that may leak from the chemical container 10.

The transfer roller 201 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) and driven by a motor (not shown) that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, thereby automating the transfer of chemical containers by the loading/unloading conveyor 200. Meanwhile, the arrow shown in FIG. 1 indicates the direction in which the chemical container is transported by the loading/unloading conveyor 200.

On the other hand, the conveyor module 200b (module shown as a small square in FIG. 1) is a conveyor module for transporting chemical containers in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction by the transport roller 201, and compared to the conveyor module 200a A direction change unit 205 is further provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the direction changing unit 205 includes a chain 205a disposed parallel to the transport roller 201 between adjacent transport rollers 201, and a sprocket wheel engaged with the chain 205a. It may include (205b) and a motor (not shown) that rotates the sprocket wheel (205b). Here, the chain 205a and sprocket wheel 205b may be implemented as a belt and pulley, respectively. The direction changing unit 205 is configured to be lifted up and down, and remains in a lowered state when the chemical container 10 is transported in the transport direction by the transport roller 201, and then moves the chemical container 10 to the transport roller 201. When it is necessary to transfer in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction, the surface of the chain 205a rises and rotates in contact with the bottom of the chemical container 10, that is, the pallet 15, thereby changing the transfer direction by the transfer roller 201. Can transport chemical containers in a vertical direction.

By arranging the conveyor modules 200a and 200b as shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, the chemical container 10 can be transferred between the loading/unloading conveyor 200 and the autonomous transport vehicle 100.

In this way, the autonomous transport vehicle 100 loaded with the chemical container 10 in the loading space follows the driving paths 9 and 9 to the chemical supply device 30, which has requested input of the chemical container 10 by the system control unit. '), the chemical container 10 can be inserted. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the chemical supply device 30 is provided with a door 31 on one side, and a transfer roller 32 is provided on the inside of the door 31, in front of the door 31. The chemical container 10 can be input by receiving the chemical container 10 from a stopped autonomous transport vehicle 100. In addition, the chemical container 10, which has completed supply of chemicals to the storage tank or production line by the chemical supply device 30, is transferred to the autonomous transport vehicle 100 by the opposite operation, thereby discharging the chemical container 10. can do.

Meanwhile, the chemical supply device 30 separates the stopper fastened to the discharge port of the chemical container 10, that is, the drum 11, introduced by the autonomous transport vehicle 100, and connects the hose to the discharge port to supply the drum 11. The chemicals inside are sucked in and supplied to the storage tank, and when the supply of chemicals is completed, the stopper is fastened to the empty drum 11 and the chemical container is discharged to the autonomous transport vehicle 100. Operations such as opening/closing the stopper, coupling/disconnecting hoses, and supplying chemicals within the chemical supply device 30, excluding input and discharge of chemical containers, may be performed manually by an operator or by automated equipment. The control unit of this system can control part of the input/discharge operation, such as opening and closing the door 31 of the chemical supply device 30 for input and discharge of chemical containers. In addition, when operations such as opening and closing the stopper, hose coupling/disconnection, and chemical supply within the chemical supply device 30 are automated, these chemical supply operations can be controlled by the control unit of the chemical supply device 30. , may be controlled by the control unit of the system.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of chemical supply devices 30 may be arranged in the form of independent booths. In this case, the types of chemicals supplied by the plurality of chemical supply devices 30 may be the same or different from each other. When the types of chemicals supplied by the plurality of chemical supply devices 30 are different, information such as the type of chemical is recorded in the drum 11 in a barcode (13, see FIG. 6), QR code, or RFID, and each chemical is supplied. The device 30 can check the barcode of the input drum to prevent supplying the wrong type of chemical.

Meanwhile, the chemical container, that is, the drum 11, may have cracks due to defects during manufacturing or impacts during transportation. In this case, chemicals inside the drum 11 may leak through the crack. Accordingly, the system of this embodiment can be configured to accommodate and discharge chemicals leaked from a chemical container.

Specifically, referring to FIG. 5, a drain pan 202 is provided at the lower part of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 to accommodate chemicals that leak and fall from a chemical container. The drain pan 202 may be made of a material with excellent corrosion resistance, such as SUS. Additionally, a drain pipe 203 and a drain valve 204 may be provided at the lower part of the drain pan 202 to discharge chemicals contained in the drain pan 202. The drain pipe 203 and the drain valve 204 may be made of a material with excellent corrosion resistance, such as polyethylene or high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Furthermore, a chemical sensor (not shown) that detects chemical leakage may be placed inside or near the drain pan 202, and the detection signal by the chemical sensor is transmitted to the control unit of the system, and the control unit informs the operator or manager. Warnings, etc. can be issued. Then, the operator or manager stops the system, checks the leaking chemical container, takes out the chemical container, opens the drain valve 204, and takes necessary measures, such as discharging the leaked chemical accumulated in the drain pan 202. You can take it.

Meanwhile, the chemical container, especially the drum 11, is larger in height than the diameter, so it may fall out of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 due to vibration or sloshing of the internal chemicals during transportation. As shown in FIG. 1, workers can enter the space where the system is installed and access the loading/unloading conveyor 200 or the chemical supply device 30. Therefore, a safety fence (not shown) may be provided on the side of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 to protect workers and surrounding structures from the overturning drum 11. The safety fence may be formed in a fence-like shape on the side of the conveyor modules 200a and 200b in the transport direction. In addition, the safety fence is installed not only on the side of the loading/unloading conveyor 200, but also on the side of the worker passage 320 provided on the side of the warehouses 300a and 300b, which will be described later, to prevent workers from falling in the worker passage 320. You can.

Meanwhile, the end of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 toward the loading/unloading entrance (3) constitutes a loading/unloading portion for loading and unloading chemical containers. The carrying-out unit may include an unloading unit 220, an inspection/sorting unit 230, and an air shower 240.

The unloading unit 220 may be comprised of a conveyor module 200a equipped with a transfer roller 201 to match the height at which the chemical container is transferred. Accordingly, the forklift 20 can load or unload chemical containers into the system by placing them on the transfer roller 201 of the unloading unit 220 or by collecting the chemical containers loaded on the transfer roller 201. You can.

The inspection/alignment unit 230 checks whether the chemical container 10 brought into the system is the chemical container required by the chemical supply device 30, and also ensures that the chemical container can be smoothly transported by the loading/unloading conveyor 200. It is aligned in the center of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 so that it is aligned.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the inspection/alignment unit 230 is a scanner 233 that recognizes chemical information by scanning, for example, a barcode 13, a QR code, or an RFID attached to the upper surface of the drum 11. ) and a push rod (not shown in Figure 6) installed inside the two side frames 231a to face the pallet 15.

The scanner 233 is slidably installed on the It can be read. In addition, although not shown, a barcode, QR code, or RFID containing pallet information such as pallet specifications may be attached to the pallet 15, and a separate scanner or the scanner 233 scans the barcode of the pallet, etc. It can be read.

The push rod aligns the chemical container brought into the inspection/alignment unit 230, that is, the pallet 15, by pushing it from both sides so that it is located in the center of the transfer roller 201. The push rods on both sides have the same stroke or the same torque. It may be driven by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or motor that pushes the pallet 15. Therefore, even if pallets 15 of different sizes are brought in, they can be aligned in the center regardless of the size of the pallets 15.

Additionally, the inspection/alignment unit 230 may further include a function to inspect the size of the chemical container 10 including the pallet 15 and the drum 11. For this purpose, size sensors 234 including light receivers and light emitters are installed at the top and bottom of the four corners of the inspection/alignment unit 230, or the scanner 233 installed at the top of the frame is implemented as a line sensor and the Y-axis guide rail ( The size of the chemical container 10 can be inspected by moving along 232y) and scanning the lower drum 11 and pallet 15.

Meanwhile, some functions and configurations of the inspection/alignment unit 230, for example, the push rod for alignment or the size sensor 234 that inspects the size of the chemical container, are used in the unloading unit 220, not the inspection/alignment unit 230. It may be provided in .

The air shower 240 (see FIG. 1) removes foreign substances, such as dust, from the surface of a chemical container being brought into the system by spraying clean air, and can be implemented as a general air shower. Additionally, in the air shower 240, in addition to the space through which the chemical container passes, there may be a separate space through which workers pass to remove foreign substances on workers entering and exiting the system.

Meanwhile, the arrangement order of the air shower 240 and the inspection/alignment unit 230 may be changed, and the air shower 240 and the inspection/alignment unit 230 may be integrated into one unit. Additionally, the function of the air shower may be implemented with an air curtain installed at the carry-out entrance (3). Furthermore, the unloading unit 220 is omitted, and the forklift 20 is configured to directly load/unload chemical containers into the inspection/alignment unit 230, the air shower 240, or a unit in which the air shower and the inspection/alignment unit are integrated. You may.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the loading and unloading of the chemical container 10 is carried out through a common route through the common loading and unloading entrance 3, the common loading and unloading section, the common loading and unloading conveyor 200, and the common loading and unloading transfer point 4. Although it was described as being done through, the common loading/unloading entrance (3), loading/unloading section, loading/unloading conveyor (200), and loading/unloading transfer point (4) are respectively a loading/unloading port, loading/unloading section, loading/unloading conveyor, It can also be configured to separate into an import delivery point and an export delivery point so that imports and exports take place through separate routes.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the autonomous transport vehicle 100 is described as directly approaching the door 31 of the chemical supply device 30 to input/discharge the chemical container 10, but the input/discharge delivery point 9a ; Refer to FIGS. 1 and 4), an input/discharge conveyor (not shown) including conveyor modules 200a and 200b is placed in front of the door 31 of the chemical supply device 30, and an autonomous transport vehicle 100 is installed. ) stops at the input/discharge transfer point (9a) to exchange the chemical container (10) with the input/discharge conveyor, and inputs the chemical container (10) into the chemical supply device (30) and supplies the chemical container (10) to the chemical supply device (30). Discharge can also be configured to be performed by an input/discharge conveyor. In this case, the driving path 9' for the autonomous transport vehicle 100 to directly approach the door 31 of the chemical supply device 30 can be omitted.

Meanwhile, the system according to this embodiment is used in emergency cases when it is impossible to carry in and out of the chemical container 10 through the port 3, for example, the forklift 20 or the port 3 constituting the normal carry-in and out route. If any of the (220, 230, 240) and carry-in/out conveyor (200) cannot be used due to a failure or chemical leak, or if the normal carry-in/out route is severely congested, the chemical container (10) cannot be carried in and/or taken out. It may further include an emergency exit port (3'; see FIG. 1).

In this case, the self-driving transport vehicle 10 receives and transfers the chemical container 10 brought in through the emergency delivery entrance 3' in the event of an emergency and inputs it into the chemical supply device 30, or supplies it to the chemical supply device ( The chemical container 10 discharged from 30) can be received, transferred, and taken out through the emergency delivery entrance 3'. In addition, in this case, the system control unit further controls the emergency loading port 3', so that the chemical container 10 is brought in and/or taken out through the emergency loading port 3' in an emergency.

This emergency loading/unloading route is specifically, an emergency loading/unloading unit (220') that is identical and similar to the above-mentioned loading/unloading unit (unloading unit 220), inspection/sorting unit (230), air shower (240), and loading/unloading conveyor (200). It may include an inspection/alignment unit 230', an air shower 240', and a carry-out conveyor 200' disposed between the emergency carry-out entrance (3') and the emergency carry-in/out transfer point (4').

However, the emergency unloading unit 220' is equipped with a lifting function in preparation for the case of loading/unloading the chemical container 10 using a simple forklift 20', which cannot lift and lower the fork, unlike a normal forklift 20. can do. That is, if the simple forklift 20' can load/unload the chemical container 10 into/out of the emergency unloading unit 220' only at a fixed low height, the emergency unloading unit 220' will load the chemical container 10 at a low height. It may be configured to raise to a normal height or to lower to a low height where the simple forklift 20' can carry out the chemical container 10 that has been transported to a normal height.

In addition, it is preferable that the emergency carrying-in/out path is configured to use a power source independent of the normal carrying-in/out route so as not to be affected by power outages in the normal carrying-in/out route.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 1, 7, and 8, the warehouses 300a and 300b and the stacker 400 of the system according to this embodiment will be described.

The warehouses 300a and 300b include a rack 310 capable of loading chemical containers 10 on pallets 15, and supply chemicals to chemical containers 10 brought in through the ports 3 and 3'. Before inputting the chemical container 10 into the device 30 or discharging the chemical container 10 discharged from the chemical supply device 30 through the unloading inlet 3, 3', it is configured to be placed on the rack 310 and standby. .

The warehouses 300a and 300b may be installed at a predetermined location in the space where the system is installed (in this embodiment, the space on the left and bottom in the plan view of FIG. 1). Specifically, the warehouses 300a and 300b have a reception port 302 through which the chemical containers 10 are received into the warehouses 300a and 300b by the autonomous transport vehicle 100, and the chemical containers 10 are stored in the warehouses 300a and 300b. In 300b), it may include a plurality of racks 310 disposed at locations excluding the outlet 303 from which the autonomous transport vehicle 100 is shipped. In this embodiment, the racks 310 are arranged in two rows parallel to each other in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 1), and are arranged in two or more stages in the vertical direction (in this embodiment, the first warehouse provided in the lower space in the plan view of FIG. 1) 300a) can be stacked in three tiers, and the second warehouse (300b) provided in the space on the left can be stacked in two tiers (see FIG. 7).

Meanwhile, at the entry/exit port 302 and the exit 303, there is an autonomous transfer vehicle 100 and an entry/exit conveyor consisting of the aforementioned conveyor module 200a to exchange the chemical container 10 at the entry/exit delivery point 4". 250 may be placed. In addition, in the second warehouse 300b provided in the space on the left in the plan view of FIG. 1, chemical containers 10 are placed directly from the loading/unloading conveyor 200 without going through the autonomous transport vehicle 100. ) may be provided with an entry/exit port 302' capable of loading and unloading, and in this case, the entry/exit port 302' includes the aforementioned conveyor modules 200a, 200b and is connected to the loading/unloading conveyor 200 (250') ) can be placed.

Meanwhile, in FIG. 1, the entry/exit opening 302 and the exit 303 are shown for use only for receiving and shipping, respectively, but, like the entry/exit opening 302', they may be configured to enable both entry and exit.

In addition, a movement path on which the stacker 400 can travel in the horizontal direction is disposed between the racks 310 arranged in two rows, and the stacker 400 moves along the movement path while moving the racks 310 arranged on both sides of the movement path. ), chemical containers can be loaded on any of the racks or on a desired stage among a plurality of stages.

The number of cells in the warehouses 300a and 300b shown in FIG. 1, which are spaces in which chemical containers 10 can be loaded, is 135 in the case of the first warehouse 300b (=2 rows * 3 columns * 23rd address - 3 cells) ), in the case of the second warehouse (300b), there are 39 (=2 rows * 2 columns * 13th address - 13), totaling 174 (here, 'address' means '1', ' refers to numbers indicated as '5', '10', etc.). From this, it can be seen that the system of this embodiment can cope with the increasing transport demand in a much more space-efficient manner than the buffer unit of Patent Document 1. Moreover, if the demand for transportation further increases and additional waiting space needs to be expanded, the system of this embodiment can respond simply and flexibly by adding one more rack 310 to the warehouses 300a and 300b.

Additionally, a worker passage 220 through which workers can move may be provided on the side of the rack 310. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an operator passage 220 is provided on the outside of the racks 310 arranged in two rows through which workers can move in each stage, and the racks 310 and the racks 310 are loaded. The status of the chemical container 10 or the entry/exit ports 302, 303, 302' can be checked and, if necessary, maintenance of the warehouse (300a, 300b) or action taken on the chemical container 10 in which a problem has occurred.

The stacker 400 is disposed adjacent to the rack 310 of the warehouse 300a, 300b, and stores chemical containers 10 transported by the input and output conveyors 250, 250' or the autonomous transport vehicle 100. The chemical containers (10) loaded on the rack (310) are loaded on the rack (310) by the loading/unloading conveyor (250, 250') or the self-driving transfer vehicle (100), and the rack (310) is divided into two rows and multiple stages. ) In this embodiment, the stacker 400 is arranged to be able to travel in the horizontal direction along a movement path provided between the racks 310 arranged in two rows. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the stacker 400 is arranged to be able to run in the horizontal direction along the upper rail 305 fixed to the upper part of the moving path and the lower rail 306 fixed to the bottom of the moving path. do.

Specifically, the stacker 400 includes a lower frame 410 movably disposed on the lower rail 306, an upper frame 420 movably fixed to the upper rail 305, the lower frame 410, and the upper A mast 430 connecting the frame 420, a carriage 440 installed in the space limited by the upper and lower frames 410, 420 and the mast 430 to load the chemical container 10, A fork 450 is installed on the carriage 440 and floats on both sides of the running direction of the stacker 400 to load or remove chemical containers from the racks 310 on both sides, and the lower frame 410 is connected to the lower rail 306. A travel drive unit 460 that moves the stacker 400 in the horizontal direction by moving it along, a lift drive unit 470 that lifts the carriage 440 in the vertical direction along the mast 430, and a lift drive unit 470 that moves the fork 450 to the stacker 400. It includes a fork driving unit 480 that loads the chemical container onto the rack 310 or removes it from the rack 310 by moving it to either side of the traveling direction.

In addition, the stacker 400 may be provided with a tipping prevention guide 490 on the upper part of the carriage 440 to prevent the drum 11 from tipping over to both sides in the travel direction of the stacker 400. The tipping prevention guide 490 moves the rotation axis 391 so that the drum 11 does not get caught in the tipping prevention guide 490 while the fork 450 appears and loads or unloads the chemical container 10 on the carriage 440. It rotates to the center so that the end is tilted upward (see the tipping prevention guide 490 on the right side in FIG. 8), and while the stacker 400 is traveling, if the drum 11 falls, the top of the drum 11 is caught. The end is maintained in a downward tilted state (see the fall prevention guide 490 on the left in FIG. 8).

Meanwhile, the warehouses 300a and 300b are equipped with a trolley bar (trolley) that supplies power required for the travel drive unit 460, the lifting drive unit 470, the fork drive unit 480, and the fall prevention guide 490 of the stacker 400. bar) 307 may be provided along the movement path of the stacker 400.

In addition, a plurality of stackers 400 are provided to simultaneously perform warehousing and shipping of the chemical container 10, or to use another stacker 400 when one stacker 400 cannot be used due to a breakdown. You can.

Furthermore, stoppers 308 (see FIG. 7) may be provided at both ends of the movement path of the stacker 400 to prevent the stacker 400 from traveling further. In addition, at one end or both ends of the movement path of the stacker 400, a stacker waiting space 309 (see FIG. 1) may be provided where the stacker 400 can wait or maintenance of the stacker 400 can be performed.

In addition, the system according to this embodiment has a chemical container ( 10) By installing a sensor (not shown) or a camera (not shown) that can detect the presence or absence of The control unit can determine whether the chemical container 10 exists (occupies). In particular, when the loading/unloading conveyor 200 and the loading/unloading conveyors 250, 250' are modularized as described above, the sensor is installed for each conveyor module (200a, 200b) to detect the presence or absence of a chemical container for each module to enable loading/unloading. The transfer operation of the chemical container 10 by the conveyor 200 or the loading and unloading conveyors 250 and 250' can be smoothly controlled. In addition, by installing the sensor in each cell of the rack 310 to determine the presence or absence of the chemical container 10 in each cell, the loading and unloading operation of the chemical container by the stacker 400 can be smoothly controlled.

Next, the operation of the system according to this embodiment performed as described above will be described.

In this system, all operations except loading and unloading by the forklift 20 can be performed under automatic control by the control unit or under the control of a manager. To this end, the memory of the control unit contains information for each conveyor module 200a, 200b of the loading and unloading conveyor 200 and the loading and unloading conveyors 250 and 250' using the above-described sensor or information acquired through previous operation control. And the presence (occupancy) of the chemical container 10 for each cell of the warehouse (300a, 300b), the current location and status of the autonomous transport vehicle 100, and information on the chemical container (type of chemical and container containing the chemical) Information such as whether the container is empty or empty) is mapped, recorded, and updated in real time.

In this state, when the forklift 20 loads the chemical container 10 into the unloading unit 220 and brings it in, the control unit drives the transfer roller 201 of the unloading unit 220 to move the chemical container to the inspection/alignment unit 230. transfer. Next, the control unit controls the inspection/alignment unit 230 to align the chemical containers, and scans the barcode 13 attached to the drum 11 and/or the pallet 15 to obtain information on the chemical container 10, that is, Obtain information such as types of chemicals. Subsequently, if the chemical information does not match the chemical information required by the chemical supply device 30 in the system, an alarm is generated and the chemical container 10 is returned to the unloading unit 220 to prevent the input or receipt of the wrong chemical. prevent. If the chemical information matches the chemical information required by the chemical supply device 30 in the system, the chemical container is transferred to the air shower 240 and the air shower 240 is controlled to remove foreign substances in the chemical container. . In addition, the control unit monitors the current status of the chemical supply device 30, the self-driving transfer vehicle 100, and the warehouses 300a and 300b (the chemical container 10 by using the self-driving transfer vehicle 100). Check whether it can be put into the supply device 30, whether there are empty cells in the warehouses 300a, 300b, etc., and determine the transfer destination of the chemical container 10 (the corresponding chemical supply device 30 or warehouses 300a, 300b). ) Decide on one of them.

When the operation of the air shower 240 is completed, the control unit sequentially drives each conveyor module 200a of the loading/unloading conveyor 200 to transfer the chemical container 10 to the conveyor module 200b. Afterwards, if the determined transfer destination is the chemical supply device 30 or after address 7 of the first warehouse (300a) or the second warehouse (300b), the available autonomous transport vehicle (100) is stopped at the transfer point (4). Then, the conveyor module 200b is controlled to change the transfer direction of the chemical container 10 vertically and the chemical container 10 is transferred to the autonomous transfer vehicle 100 stopped at the transfer point 4. .

Next, when the determined transfer destination is the chemical supply device 30, the autonomous transport vehicle 100 that has received the chemical container 10 moves to the corresponding chemical supply device 30 and inserts the chemical container 10. In addition, if the determined transfer destination is after address 7 of the first warehouse (300a) or the second warehouse (300b), move to the delivery point (4") corresponding to the entrance (302) of the warehouse (300a, 300b). The chemical container 10 is stored in each warehouse 300a and 300b through the warehouse 302. Next, the control unit determines the current state and location of the stacker 400 and places the chemical container in the available stacker 400. By transmitting the location information of the rack 310 to be loaded, that is, the row, stage, and address of the cell, the stacker 400 is controlled to load the chemical container 10 into the corresponding cell.

Meanwhile, if the determined transfer destination is before address 7 of the second warehouse (300b), the control unit controls the loading/unloading conveyor (200) and the loading/unloading conveyor (250') to autonomously drive the chemical container (10) that has passed through the air shower (240). Instead of delivering it to the transfer vehicle 100, it is stored directly in the second warehouse 300b through the loading and unloading conveyor 200, the loading and unloading conveyor 250', and the loading and unloading port 302'. Next, the control unit controls the stacker 400 of the second warehouse 300b to load the chemical container 10 into the corresponding cell.

Meanwhile, when the control unit receives a request for inputting a chemical container from a specific chemical supply device 30, it determines the location of the chemical container 10 (carry-in/out conveyor 200 or warehouse 300a, 300b) and available autonomous transport vehicles. By identifying (100), the chemical container (10) to be put in, the self-driving transfer vehicle (100) to be used, the point (4 or 4") where the chemical container (10) is to be delivered to the self-driving transfer vehicle (100), and the point where shipment is required In this case, the outlet 303 of the warehouse 300a, 300b to be shipped is determined, and each of them is controlled to transport the corresponding chemical container 10 to the corresponding chemical supply device 30 by the autonomous transport vehicle 100 and insert it. do.

In addition, detailed description will be omitted, but when there is a request for discharge of the chemical container 10 from a specific chemical supply warehouse 30 or when the chemical container 10 needs to be taken out, the control unit, as in the case of the above-described loading and unloading, By controlling the necessary elements among the self-driving transfer vehicle (100), the warehouse (300a, 300b) entry and exit ports (302, 303, 302'), the loading/unloading conveyor (200), and the loading/unloading conveyor (250, 250'), chemical containers (10) ) can be discharged or taken out.

Meanwhile, in the above explanation, it was explained that whenever an event such as loading, unloading, putting in, discharging, warehousing, or shipping of a chemical container occurs, the control unit determines the transfer destination, transfer route, and necessary elements, controls it, and transfers it. However, each event If it is performed periodically, the waiting queue, transfer path, necessary elements, execution time, and order for each event can be created and determined in advance, and the transfer operation can be executed accordingly. At this time, the waiting queue for loading may be manually created by the operator or manager of the forklift 20. In addition, the waiting queue for loading and unloading can be displayed near the loading and unloading entrance (3) so that forklift operators can easily see it.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the entire process of carrying in, carrying out, putting in, discharging, stocking, and shipping of chemical containers can be automated. In addition, according to this embodiment, it is possible to flexibly respond to increased transport demand or unexpected situations and to smoothly input/discharge chemical containers into the chemical supply device.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the system was described as including the carry-in/out conveyor 200, but the carry-in/out conveyor 200 was omitted and the autonomous transport vehicle 100 directly used the air shower 240 and the chemical container 10. You can give and receive. Alternatively, the system may not include some or all of the loading/unloading units 220, 230, and 240, in which case the autonomous transport vehicle 100 directly connects with the existing loading/unloading unit components or the forklift 20. You can exchange chemical containers (10).

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the system was described as including warehouses 300a and 300b and the stacker 400, but the system may not include the stacker 400 and further may not include the warehouses 300a and 300b. It may not be possible. If the system does not include the stacker 400, the racks 310 of the warehouses 300a and 300b are configured in one row and one stage, and the autonomous transport vehicle 100 is directly connected to the rack 310. Stocking and shipping can be done by exchanging chemical containers (10).

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing the present application, there are various options that can replace them. It should be understood that equivalents and variations may exist.

1: building
3: Carry-out entrance (carry-in entrance, cargo-exit)
3': Emergency exit entrance
4: Import/export transfer point
4': Emergency import/exit transfer point
4": Delivery point for entry and exit
7: pillar
8: Charging station
9, 9': Driving path
10: Chemical container
11: drum
15: Palette
20: Forklift
20': Simple forklift
30: Chemical supply device
100: Self-driving transport vehicle
110: laser scanner
115: Safety sensor
120: roller
200: Carry-in/out conveyor (carry-in conveyor, carry-out conveyor)
200a, 200b: conveyor module
220: Unloading department
230: Inspection/alignment unit
240: Air shower
250, 250': Input/output conveyor
300a, 300b: warehouse
302: Receiving entrance
302': Entry/exit port
303: Outlet
310: rack
320: worker passage
400: Stacker

Claims (13)

An entrance for bringing in chemical containers from outside;
A chemical supply device that supplies chemicals contained in the chemical container to a storage tank or production line in the factory; and
It includes an autonomous transport vehicle that receives and transports the chemical container brought in through the entrance and inputs it into the chemical supply device,
The self-driving transport vehicle,
A loading space where the chemical container can be loaded; and
An automatic chemical container transport system including stoppers provided at both ends of the loading space to prevent the chemical container from protruding to both sides of the loading space. According to claim 1,
The stopper is an automatic chemical container transfer system that moves up and down. According to claim 1,
An automatic chemical container transport system wherein the self-driving transport vehicle further includes a laser scanner capable of emitting laser and detecting reflected light. According to claim 1,
The self-driving transfer vehicle is an automatic chemical container transfer system that further includes a safety sensor capable of emitting laser or infrared rays and detecting reflected light to detect obstacles that may exist on the floor. According to claim 4,
The automatic chemical container transport system includes two safety sensors, one at each diagonal corner. According to claim 1,
The autonomous transport vehicle is an automatic chemical container transport system further comprising a roller provided in the loading space and capable of rotating in both directions. According to claim 1,
Further comprising a control unit that controls the autonomous transport vehicle,
An automatic chemical container transport system in which the self-driving transport vehicle moves to the chemical supply device that requires input of the chemical container in accordance with a control signal from the controller. According to claim 1,
A magnet or electromagnetic induction wire is buried or attached to the floor along the driving path of the autonomous transport vehicle,
The autonomous transport vehicle is an automatic chemical container transport system configured to determine the current location and driving path by detecting a magnetic field or electromagnetic field emitted or induced from the magnet or electromagnetic induction wire. According to claim 1,
Predetermined markers are displayed on the floor along the driving path of the autonomous transport vehicle,
The autonomous transport vehicle is an automatic chemical container transport system configured to determine the current location and driving path by recognizing the marker. According to claim 1,
The self-driving transport vehicle is an automatic chemical container transport system configured to determine the current location and driving path by emitting electromagnetic waves and detecting electromagnetic waves reflected by objects placed around the driving path. An entrance for bringing in chemical containers from outside;
A chemical supply device that supplies chemicals contained in the chemical container to a storage tank or production line in the factory; and
A rack capable of loading the chemical container;
A stacker for loading the chemical container brought in through the inlet onto the rack;
The stacker is an automatic chemical container transport system including a tipping prevention guide that prevents the chemical container from falling to both sides of the stacker's traveling direction. According to claim 11,
The stacker further includes a carriage for loading the chemical container,
The tipping prevention guide is an automatic chemical container transport system provided on the upper part of the carriage. According to claim 12,
The stacker further includes forks that move to both sides to load or remove the chemical containers from racks on both sides,
The tipping prevention guide is an automatic chemical container transport system that rotates when the fork appears.

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