WO2022255550A1

WO2022255550A1 - Article loading system and method for receiving and dispatching articles using same

Info

Publication number: WO2022255550A1
Application number: PCT/KR2021/013420
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김호연
Original assignee: 주식회사 가치소프트
Priority date: 2021-05-31
Filing date: 2021-09-30
Publication date: 2022-12-08

Abstract

Disclosed are an article loading system and a method for receiving and dispatching articles using same. The article loading system according to an embodiment comprises: a loading part including a plurality of unit loading plates which are vertically stacked and respectively have planar loading spaces for loading a plurality of articles; a loading plate lift for lifting at least one unit loading plate; and a picking device which approaches spaces formed by the lifting of the loading plate lift, and loads articles into the spaces or takes out articles placed therein.

Description

Goods loading system and goods warehousing and warehousing method using the same

The present invention relates to an article loading system.

Companies with a large scale of product processing have advanced product processing equipment and processes by investing heavily in cost reduction and automation. Common goods handling systems are primarily limited to storage or movement of goods within a warehouse. Accordingly, development of an automated article handling system that loads goods and automatically picks and transports the loaded goods (a state in which stored goods are selected and transported) has been relatively slow.

According to an embodiment, a product loading system capable of loading more products in a smaller space and efficiently taking out the loaded products and a method of warehousing and warehousing products using the same are proposed.

An article loading system according to an embodiment includes a loading unit in which a plurality of unit loading platforms for loading goods are vertically stacked, and a loading platform lift provided in the loading unit and lifting at least one unit loading platform in the loading unit in a vertical direction. And, it includes an article picking device for accessing the space created by being lifted by the loading table lift and taking out or loading the article placed in the space.

In the loading platform lift, the unit loading platform can be lifted using a screw gear or a timing belt provided with a hook capable of holding the unit loading platform.

The loading platform lift can lift the unit loading platform through moving rails that vertically move the unit loading platform.

The platform lift can lift unit platforms one by one or all unit platforms above a specific location can be lifted at once.

The loading platform lift includes a first buffer shelf for receiving at least one or more items to be loaded on the unit loading platform from the entrance and exit and temporarily placing them thereon, and then moving them to the unit loading platform, and taking out at least one or more items from the unit loading platform and moving them to the entrance and exit. In order to do so, it may include at least one of second buffer shelves for temporarily placing items thereon.

Each unit loading platform may include a fixing member for fixing the lifted unit loading platform so that the lifted unit loading platform does not go down when it is lifted through the loading platform lift.

The product picking device includes an orthogonal robot that moves up and down and left and right to a space opened by a loading platform lift, and is mounted on the cartesian robot, and when the cartesian robot moves to an open space, it moves horizontally to the left and right while adjusting the angle to pick up a predetermined item. It may include a robot arm that loads or takes out between the gaps.

The product picking device is connected by a reference axis that moves up and down to the space opened by the lift of the loading table and a rotation axis based on the reference axis, and is folded and then spreads to move horizontally to the left and right to load a predetermined item between the opened space or It may include an ejection robotic arm.

The article picking device uses at least one of pre-stored information on the location of the article in the unit loading table, information on the location of the item empty in the unit loading table, and information on the size of the article, and the location of the item to be picked in the unit loading table or unit loading. It may include a control unit that determines the position of the article to be loaded on the stand and picks the article at the determined position or loads the article at the determined position.

The product loading system further includes a management server having location information on which items are located in a loading unit, and the product picking device includes a recognition unit that acquires item identification information on items to be newly stored or shipped out, and recognition It may include a control unit for requesting and obtaining location information matching the identified item identification information from the management server.

The product loading system may further include at least one of a product supply unit for supplying products one by one to the product picking device and a discharge chute for discharging at least one product picked through the product picking device.

The article loading system may further include a temperature controller that self-adjusts the temperature of the articles loaded in the loading unit and the loading space.

An article warehousing method using an article loading system includes the step of obtaining, by a recognition unit, article identification information for a new article to be warehousing; the step of, by an article picking device, picking the recognized article using the acquired article identification information; The step of determining, by the control unit, the unit loading platform to load the picked warehousing goods; the step of, by the loading platform lift, lifting the unit loading platform above the determined unit loading platform; and, the product picking device being lifted by the loading platform lift It includes the step of loading the picked goods in the space created by being lifted, and the step of storing, by the storage unit, the loaded location information.

A product release method using a product loading system includes the step of obtaining, by a recognition unit, product identification information for products to be shipped; and, by using the obtained product identification information, a control unit searches for a location of a unit loading platform on which products to be shipped are loaded. Step, the loading platform lift lifts the unit loading platform above the searched unit loading platform, and the product picking device accesses the space created by being lifted by the loading platform lift and picks the items loaded in the space. The step of moving the picked out goods to a discharge chute by the product picking device, and the step of discharging the products by the discharge chute.

An article loading system and a method for warehousing and warehousing articles using the same according to an embodiment can load more articles in a smaller space and efficiently take out the loaded articles. For example, space efficiency can be increased because a plurality of unit loading stands are arranged in multi-layers up and down, and space for taking out items required in a drawer type or the like is not required. In addition, it is possible to pick products in the loading table using the product picking device, so that the processing speed can be improved and the structure can be simplified.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing the structure of a loading unit of an article loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 and 4 are views showing a unit loading stand according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a view showing an example of lifting a unit loading platform using a loading platform lift according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a diagram of an article picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

7 and 8 are diagrams showing an article picking device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a view showing the configuration of an article loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

10 is a diagram showing the flow of a product storage method using a product loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

11 is a diagram showing the flow of a product release method using a product loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the present embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

In describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted, and the terms described later will be used in the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are defined in consideration of the functions of and may vary depending on the user's or operator's intention or custom. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

In addition, each block or each step may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing specified logical functions, and in some alternative embodiments may refer to blocks or steps. It should be noted that it is also possible for functions to occur out of order. For example, two blocks or steps shown in succession may in fact be performed substantially concurrently, or the blocks or steps may be performed in the reverse order of their corresponding functions, if necessary.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention exemplified below may be modified in many different forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing the structure of a loading unit of an article loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the article loading system includes a loading unit 10 in which a plurality of unit loading platforms 100 are vertically loaded. Each unit loading platform 100 has a loading space in which articles can be loaded, and a plurality of articles can be loaded on each unit loading platform 100 . The unit loading platform 100 of FIG. 1 is in the form of a loading box, and the unit loading platform 100 in FIG. 2 is in the form of a unit loading plate.

Separate space is required when items are stacked vertically on shelves, drawers, etc., and then taken out. For example, in the case of a shelf, it is necessary to secure the height of the item to take out the item inside. In the case of a drawer type, since the space in the front is required, a space more than twice the space in which the items are loaded is required.

However, since the article loading system according to an embodiment can load and take out articles without the aforementioned separate space, space can be efficiently used. At this time, the article loading system can load many types of articles in a small space or take out the loaded articles. For example, the product loading system vertically loads the unit loading platform 100, but stacks the unit loading platform 100 without space to take out the product. The product loading system creates a space by lifting at least one unit loading platform vertically stacked above a predetermined unit loading platform to take out the product, and then takes out the product in the created space unit loading platform.

3 and 4 are views showing a unit loading table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In more detail, FIG. 3 is a view showing a unit loading box, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a unit loading plate. The unit loading stand 100 may be in the form of a unit loading box as shown in FIG. 3 or may be in the form of a unit loading plate as shown in FIG. 4 .

5 is a view showing an example of lifting a unit loading platform using a loading platform lift according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , each unit loading platform 100 can move up and down using a loading platform lift provided in the loading unit 10 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the loading platform lift may include a movable rail 102 capable of vertically moving the unit loading platform 100 vertically. The movable rail 102 is disposed to extend a predetermined length on one or both sides of the upper surface of the loading unit 10 and guides the unit loading table 100 to be lifted along the movable rail 102 . The unit loading table 100 has a protruding part protruding from the outside or a receiving part having a groove formed thereon, so that the protruding part or receiving part can be caught on the movable rail 102 and lifted up.

When the bottom of a predetermined unit loading platform is pushed using the loading platform lift, all of the upper unit loading platforms can be moved at once. In addition, if necessary, a fixing member 104 capable of fixing each lifted unit loading platform may be provided so that the lifted unit loading platform does not go down. The loading platform lift can sequentially raise the unit loading platforms one by one, and can also lift all the unit loading platforms above a specific location at once. The raised unit loading platform can be lowered again through the loading platform lift.

The loading platform lift includes a hook that can hold the unit loading platform 100, such as a screw gear or a timing belt, and can move the unit loading platform up and down using this. The unit loading table 100 has a space for loading the article A.

6 is a diagram of an article picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the product loading system uses a loading platform lift to lift the unit loading platform in order to take out products on a predetermined unit loading platform, and then uses the product picking device 12a to move the robot to the space between them. Arm 122 enters and removes the item. The product picking device 12a for this purpose may include an x, y, and z-axis orthogonal robot that moves left and right and up and down, and a robot arm that can move horizontally. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the Cartesian robot includes a first body 120 that moves up and down and a second body 121 that moves left and right, and the robot arm 122 mounted on the Cartesian robot is moved left and right. By adjusting the angle while moving horizontally, you can pick the item you want to take out or load the item you are holding in the corresponding position. When the orthogonal robot moves up and down and left and right to the space opened by the lift of the loading table, the robot arm moves horizontally from side to side and adjusts the angle to load or take out a predetermined item in the space opened.

7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating an article picking device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In more detail, FIG. 7 shows the upper surface of the product picking device 12b, and FIG. 8 is a side view of the product picking device 12b.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 , the product picking device 12b includes a reference axis 123 , a rotation axis 124 and a robot arm 125 . The number of rotational shafts 124 and robot arms 125 may be plural. The reference shaft 123 moves up and down to the space opened by the lift of the loading table. The robot arm 125 is connected through a rotational axis 124 based on the reference axis 123, and is folded and then spreads to move horizontally to the left and right to load or take out a predetermined item between the open spaces.

The product picking device 12b can approach an arbitrary position on a two-dimensional plane by attaching a robot arm 125 that bends left and right through a rotation axis 124 acting as a joint to a reference axis 123 that moves only up and down. .

The robot arm 125 may enter a space that is vertically widened and take out an item at a specific location or place an item at a specific location. The robot arm 125 may approach an article in such a manner that it is folded when moving up and down to a specific unit loading platform position, and then unfolds to a position where an article is located within the unit loading platform when entering the unit loading platform position.

9 is a diagram showing the configuration of an article loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the product loading system 1 includes a loading unit 10 , a loading table lift, and an article picking device 12 . Also, the product loading system 1 may include a processor and a storage unit, and the processor may include a recognition unit and a control unit.

The loading unit 10 includes a plurality of unit loading platforms 100 vertically stacked and provided with flat loading spaces for loading a plurality of articles, respectively. Each unit loading table 100 is vertically stacked up and down. If each unit loading table 100 is made up and down multi-layered, loading efficiency can be increased.

The platform lift lifts at least one unit platform. The unit loading platform 100 can be lifted using a screw gear or a timing belt equipped with a hook capable of holding the unit loading platform 100 in the loading platform lift. The loading platform lift can lift the unit loading platform 100 through the moving rail 102 vertically moving the unit loading platform 100 . A platform lift can lift unit platforms one by one or all unit platforms above a specific location at once. Since each unit loading platform 100 is stacked, the lower unit loading platform may support the upper unit loading platform.

The product picking device 12 accesses the space created by being lifted by the loading table lift, and loads the product or takes out the placed product in the space. For example, when the loading platform lift vertically lifts at least one unit loading platform among a plurality of unit loading platforms in the loading unit 10, the article picking device 12 enters between the lifted unit loading platforms to pick up the product. bring it out

The product picking device 12 includes a picking arm, a picking robot, and the like. Robots for picking include Cartesian coordinate robots and single-axis robots. In the case of using a single-axis robot, one coordinate is determined according to the degree of taking out the unit loader 100, and the robot arm of the single-axis robot can be configured to move only left and right (horizontal direction).

The product picking device 12 may pick products from a predetermined unit loading platform or place products on the unit loading platform. Vision technology can be used to pick or load the desired item, but it is possible to pick or load the desired item by using the location information of the item in the unit loading table, empty position information, and item size information that are already stored in the system. can The product picking device 12 may move in conjunction with a loading platform lift.

Positions where the item picking device 12 picks up and places items using the robot arm may be determined according to a picking and discharging plan. In addition, the system can determine the location to load the goods by using the information on the vacancy in the unit loading platform known to the system. When the product picking device 12 picks up the product at the corresponding position, an air suction method may be used. The item picking device 12 may place the picked items in a discharge chute. In order to facilitate coordinate designation, the product picking device 12 may have only a structure that moves up and down in addition to a structure that moves in the x and y axes.

The product picking device 12 may pick products between the stacking platforms lifted through the stacking platform lift, and then discharge the items by directly placing them on a discharge chute or dropping the items downward.

The product picking device 12 may include a recognition unit and a control unit.

The recognition unit may obtain item identification information for items to be newly stocked or shipped. At this time, the recognition unit may obtain item identification information for a new item to be stocked or shipped. In this case, the product identification information may be a barcode or RFID. The recognition unit may be a scanner, a vision camera, a barcode reader, an RFID reader, and the like.

The control unit requests and obtains location information matching the item identification information recognized through the recognition unit from the management server. The control unit uses at least one of pre-stored information on the position of an item in the unit loading zone, information on the position of an item empty in the unit loading zone, and information on the size of the item, and the position of the item to be picked in the unit loading zone or loading onto the unit loading zone. It is possible to determine the position of the item to be performed and control to pick the item at the determined position or load the item at the determined position. In addition, when goods are warehousing (loading), the control unit identifies the type (or ID) and size of the goods, and then places them at a position selected according to the evaluation criteria for the loading position (considering distance, circulation, etc.) among empty positions within the unit loading table. You can control loading of goods. The loading position can be anywhere as long as the system remembers it, so it can be any position, increasing the loading efficiency. It can be loaded so that the movement line is short, and if there are few large orders, there is no need to load the same items together.

The product loading system 1 may further include a product supply unit for supplying products one by one to the product picking device, and a discharge chute for discharging at least one product picked through the product picking device. The article supply unit may be in the form of a conveyor or the like.

The article loading system 1 may further include a temperature control device for self-adjusting the temperature of the articles loaded in the loading unit 10 and the loading space. The temperature controller can be refrigerated, frozen, constant temperature, etc. In this case, it can also be used as a device for automatically managing entry and exit of goods.

10 is a diagram showing the flow of a product storage method using a product loading system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 , the recognition unit acquires item identification information for a new item to be stocked (1010). At this time, product identification information may be input and product identification information may be measured. The product identification information is information capable of identifying the product, and includes, for example, barcode and RFID. Since the management server has location information on which items are loaded in which position of the loading unit, the control unit of the product picking device can request the management server with the product identification information to obtain location information that matches the product identification information. have.

Subsequently, the product picking device picks the recognized product using the acquired product identification information (1020).

Subsequently, the control unit determines a unit loading table to load the picked goods in (1030).

Next, the loading platform lift lifts the unit loading platform above the determined unit loading platform (1040). Next, the product picking device approaches the space created by being lifted by the loading table lift and loads the picked product in the space (1050).

Subsequently, the storage unit stores the loaded location information (1060).

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 11 , the recognition unit acquires product identification information for products to be shipped (1110). At this time, product identification information may be input and product identification information may be measured. The product identification information is information capable of identifying the product, and includes, for example, barcode and RFID.

Subsequently, the control unit searches for the location of the unit loading table where the products to be shipped are loaded using the acquired product identification information (1120). If the item identification information is known, a request to the management server can be made to search for location information on the position in which the item is loaded in the loading unit.

Next, the loading platform lift lifts the unit loading platform above the searched unit loading platform (1130). Then, the product picking device approaches the space created by being lifted by the loading platform lift and picks the products loaded in the space (1140).

Next, the product picking device moves the picked products to the discharge chute (1150), and the discharge chute discharges the products (1160).

So far, the present invention has been looked at mainly by its embodiments. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to understand that the present invention may be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from a descriptive point of view rather than a limiting point of view. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims

A plurality of unit loading units for loading goods are stacked vertically;

A loading platform lift provided in the loading unit and vertically lifting at least one unit loading platform in the loading unit; and

an article picking device that accesses the space created by being lifted by the loading platform lift and takes out or loads articles placed in the space;

An article loading system comprising a.
The method of claim 1, wherein the loading table lift

An article loading system characterized in that the unit loading table is lifted using a screw gear or a timing belt having a hook capable of holding the unit loading table.
The method of claim 1, wherein the loading table lift

An article loading system characterized in that the unit loading table is lifted through a moving rail that vertically moves the unit loading table.
The method of claim 1, wherein the loading table lift

An article loading system characterized in that the unit loading platform is lifted one by one or all unit loading platforms above a specific location are lifted at once.
The method of claim 1, wherein the loading table lift

A first buffer shelf for receiving at least one or more items to be loaded on the unit loading table from the entrance and exit and temporarily placing them thereon and then moving them to the unit loading table; and

A second buffer shelf for temporarily placing at least one article on the unit loading table in order to take out at least one article and move it to the entrance and exit;

Article loading system, characterized in that it comprises at least one of.
The method of claim 1, wherein each unit loading stand

A fixing member that fixes the lifted unit loading table so that it does not go down when it is lifted through the loading table lift;

An article loading system comprising a.
The method of claim 1, wherein the product picking device

A cartesian robot that moves up and down and left and right to the space opened by the lift of the loading table; and

A robot arm mounted on an orthogonal robot and, when the orthogonal robot moves to an open space, horizontally moves left and right and adjusts an angle to load or take out a predetermined item between the open spaces;

Goods loading system comprising a.
The method of claim 1, wherein the product picking device

A reference axis that moves up and down to the space opened by the lift of the loading table; and

A robot arm that is connected by a rotational axis based on a reference axis and moves horizontally to the left and right while being folded and then spreads to load or take out a predetermined item between the open spaces;

Goods loading system comprising a.
The method of claim 1, wherein the product picking device

The position of the item to be picked in the unit loading zone or the item to be loaded on the unit loading zone by using at least one of pre-stored item location information within the unit loading zone, empty position information on the unit loading zone, and item size information. Control unit for determining the position of the and picking the item at the determined position or loading the item at the determined position;

An article loading system comprising a.
2. The article loading system of claim 1,

A management server having location information on which items are located at which locations in the loading unit; Including more,

Item picking device

The product picking device includes a recognition unit that acquires product identification information for new items to be stocked or shipped; and

A control unit for requesting and obtaining location information matching the recognized item identification information from the management server; An article loading system comprising a.
2. The article loading system of claim 1,

an article supply unit for supplying articles one by one to the article picking device; and

A discharge chute for discharging at least one product picked through the product picking device;

Article loading system further comprising at least one of.
2. The article loading system of claim 1,

a temperature control device that self-regulates the temperature of the articles loaded in the loading unit and the loading space;

Goods loading system further comprising a.
In the goods warehousing method using the goods loading system,

Acquiring, by the recognition unit, item identification information for a new item to be stocked;

picking, by the product picking device, the recognized product using the acquired product identification information;

determining, by a control unit, a unit loading table to load the picked goods;

lifting the unit loading platform above the determined unit loading platform by a loading platform lift;

loading, by the product picking device, the picked products in a space created by being lifted by the loading table lift; and

Storing, by the storage unit, the loaded location information;

Goods wearing method comprising a.
In the product release method using the product loading system,

Acquiring, by the recognition unit, product identification information for an item to be shipped;

Retrieving, by a controller, a location of a unit loading table on which products to be shipped are loaded using the obtained product identification information;

lifting, by a loading platform lift, a unit loading platform above the searched unit loading platform;

approaching the space created by being lifted by the loading table lift by the product picking device and picking the products loaded in the space;

Moving, by the product picking device, the picked products out to the discharge chute; and

discharging the article by the discharge chute;

A product release method using a product loading system comprising a.