JP3373447B2 - Unmanned carrier transport system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer system for transferring production parts and the like by an automatic guided vehicle in a manufacturing process or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional automated guided vehicle transportation system used in manufacturing processes, among a plurality of production facilities, the transportation request information of a facility that has completed process processing is transferred to an automated guided vehicle that has completed transfer. It was a method of transmitting and controlling. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-44234 discloses a control method for issuing a plurality of transfer instructions with one transfer instruction when the automatic transfer vehicle stops the transfer request information at a fixed position.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method, at the time when the transported object transfer device becomes transportable,
The unmanned guided vehicle issues a transport request for loading and unloading by the transporting device of the transporting source, and a transporting request for wholesale loading by the transporting device of the transporting destination, and the transport control unit transports the transport request accordingly. Since the instruction is given, the following problems occur. First, when the automated guided vehicle is ready for transport, the transport device transfers the transport request, so the time from the transport request until the automated guided vehicle arrives and the transport is completed becomes longer. Decrease the throughput of the transfer device. In addition, for the automatic guided vehicle, the transfer device of the transfer source requests the transfer of goods, and the transfer device of the transfer destination requests the wholesale transfer. Give instructions. For this reason, when the automatic guided vehicle arrives at the transfer object transfer device at the transfer destination, the request of the transfer object transfer device at the transfer destination may change, and this change cannot be dealt with.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and reduces the number of times an automatic guided vehicle is carried.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic guided vehicle transportation system that improves the throughput of the apparatus and the automated guided vehicle.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a plurality of unmanned transport vehicles for transporting transported goods, and a plurality of unmanned transport vehicles for requesting transport of the transported goods and transferring or transporting the transported goods. A transfer device, a line management unit that manages transfer request information of the transfer device, moving state information of the automatic guided vehicle, and transfer processing information of the automatic guided vehicle, and transfer to the transfer device. A transfer control unit that issues an instruction, utilizes the information managed by the line management unit, predicts the transfer processing time of the automatic guided vehicle, and assigns the transfer instruction to the automatic guided vehicle at a predetermined timing. Is a transport system using an automated guided vehicle. Here, the moving state information of the automated guided vehicle managed by the line management unit is the position and the moving speed of the automated guided vehicle, and the transport processing information of the automated guided vehicle is performed by the automated guided vehicle based on the transport instruction. This is information on the carrying process that is being performed.

The present invention, the transfer control unit, said line
From the information managed by the management unit , predict the time from issuing the transfer instruction until the unmanned guided vehicle receives the transfer instruction and the transfer of the transferred goods is completed by the transfer device of the transfer source. Then, within the time, the transfer device of the transfer source makes a transfer request.
If that is expected, before the conveying object transfer device to a discharge <br/> request, characterized in providing a transport instruction to the automatic guided vehicle.

[0007] The present invention, the transfer control unit, said line
From the information managed by the management unit, the time from the issue of the transportation instruction to the time when the automated guided vehicle receives the transportation instruction and completes the wholesale transfer of the transported goods at the destination transfer apparatus. predicted, conveyed object transfer device is carried main conveyance destination within the time
If it is predicted that
Before the loading request, characterized in providing a transport instruction to the automatic guided vehicle.

According to the present invention, the carrying-in of the object transfer device at the carrying destination is carried out.
The request is after the unloading request of the transfer device of the transfer source.
And the unmanned guided vehicle is loaded by the transfer device of the transfer source.
If it occurs before the transfer is completed, once the unattended
The transport vehicle further comprises a transport storage for transporting the transport,
The transfer control unit, there is a carry-out request from the transfer source conveyed
At the time of loading, the loading instruction at the transport source is sent to the automated guided vehicle.
Look given, at the time the product transfer is completed in even the transport destination of the loading request during which the automated guided vehicle transport origin, the line
Determines the transport destination based on information from the management unit, a transport instruction of the wholesale transfer of this transport destination given to the AGV which the product transfer is complete, without conveying the conveyed object vault
Characterized Rukoto be conveyed directly transport destination to the transfer material transfer device.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a transport system according to the present invention. This transport system includes a plurality of unmanned transport vehicles 1 for transporting transport products, a plurality of transport storages 2 for temporarily storing transport products, and a plurality of transport device transfer devices for requesting transport of transport products. 3 and a transfer control unit 4 which issues a transfer instruction and assigns the transfer instruction to the automatic guided vehicle 1.
And a transport instruction buffer 5 for temporarily storing the transport instruction issued from the transport control unit 4. In addition, the transfer system has a line management unit 6, which manages information such as the transfer request status from each transferred object transfer device 3, the transfer status such as the position and speed of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and the transfer instruction processing status. To do. The transfer control unit 4 enables efficient transfer control by utilizing the above information from the line management unit 6.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the transfer control in this transfer system. The transfer control unit 4 in this transfer system includes a transfer device (hereinafter, referred to as a transfer device) of a transfer source.
Before a carry-out request is issued from the EQ1, the transferred article storage device 2 or the transferred object transfer apparatus at the transfer destination (hereinafter referred to as EQ).
A transfer instruction is issued to the automatic guided vehicle 1 in response to a transfer request issued from (abbreviated as 2).

First, the transport controller 4 sets EQ1 within T1.
It is determined whether or not a carry-out request is generated (S 1 ), and EQ
It is determined whether or not a carry-in request is issued from 2 (S
2). If no carry-in request is issued from EQ2, E
The transport instruction from Q 1 to the transported article storage 2 is stored in the transport instruction buffer 5 (S3), and when the carry-in request is generated from EQ2, the transport instruction from EQ1 to EQ2 is stored in the transport instruction buffer (S4). ). After that, when the transport instruction is requested from the automated guided vehicle 1 (S5, 6), the transport instruction stored in the transport buffer 2 is given to the automated guided vehicle 1 (S7,
8). This time T1 is the time from the generation of the carry-out request from EQ1, and the time from the issuance of the carrying instruction until the automatic guided vehicle 1 arrives at EQ1 and the transfer of the carried goods is completed. The transport control unit 4 analyzes the information managed by the line management unit 6 such as the transport request state of the transported object transfer device, the movement state of the automatic guided vehicle, and the transport processing state, which change from time to time. Predict T1. Time T1
Is a time shorter than the time (T2 shown in FIG. 3 to be described later) from when the transfer control unit 4 actually issues the transfer instruction to when the automatic guided vehicle 1 arrives at EQ1 and when the transfer of the transferred goods is completed. Must.

Therefore, the transport control unit 4 increases or decreases the value of T1 according to the production situation and the transport situation. The automatic guided vehicle 1 to which the transportation instruction is given moves to the transportation source EQ1 (S9, 10), performs loading and unloading (S11 , 12), and moves to the transported goods storage 2 or the transportation destination EQ2. (S13, 1
4) The wholesale transfer is performed (S15, 16), and the transportation is completed.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing transfer, transfer, and processing time of the apparatus in the conventional embodiment and the above-described embodiment. In the conventional method, EQ
The carry-out waiting time of 1 is the time T2 from the generation of the carry-out request from EQ1 to the arrival of the unmanned guided vehicle at EQ1 and the completion of the transfer of the conveyed goods. On the other hand, as described above, before the transport control unit 4 issues a carry-out request from EQ1, T1
If a transport instruction is issued to EQ2 or the transport storage 2, the carry-out waiting time of EQ1 is longer than the time from the issuance of the transport instruction until the transfer of the transport is completed by the automated guided vehicle in EQ1. Also becomes a time shorter by T1, that is, T2-T1, and the carry-in waiting time of EQ1 becomes shorter by T1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another transport control in this transport system. This transfer system issues a transfer instruction to the transfer target transfer device of the transfer destination before a transfer request is issued from the transfer transfer device of the transfer destination (hereinafter abbreviated as EQ2). When the carry-out request is generated from the EQ1 (S17), the transport control unit 4 determines whether the carry-in request is generated from EQ2 within T3 (S18), and EQ2
If no carry-in request is issued from EQ 1, the carry instruction from EQ 1 to the goods storage 2 is stored in the carry instruction buffer 5 (S 1
9) If the carry-in request is issued from EQ2, the carry instruction from EQ1 to EQ2 is stored in the carry instruction buffer 5 (S).
20). After that, when the transport instruction is requested from the automated guided vehicle 1 (S21, 22), the transport instruction stored in the transport buffer 5 is given to the automated guided vehicle 1 (S23, 24). This T3 changes from time to time when a carry-in request is generated from EQ2, and time from when the transfer instruction is issued until the automatic guided vehicle arrives at EQ2 and the transfer of goods is completed. This is the time predicted by analyzing the transport request state of the transported object transfer device, the movement state of the automatic guided vehicle, and the transport processing state. This predicted time T3 must be shorter than the time (T5 shown in FIG. 5) from when the transfer instruction is actually issued until the automatic guided vehicle arrives at EQ2 and the wholesale transfer of the transferred goods is completed. . Therefore, the transport controller
In step 4 , the value of T3 is increased or decreased according to the production status and the transportation status.

The automated guided vehicle to which the transportation instruction is given moves to EQ 1 which is the transportation source (S25, 26), and transfers the product (S25).
27, 28), transferred goods storage, or EQ2 of the transfer destination (S29, 30), and wholesale transfer (S31, 3).
2) The transportation is completed.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the transfer, transfer, and processing time of the apparatus in the conventional embodiment and the above-described embodiment. In the conventional method, EQ2
The waiting time for loading is the time T4 from the generation of the loading request from EQ2 to the generation of the loading request of EQ1 and EQ1.
The total time T5 from the generation of the carry-out request to the arrival of the automatic guided vehicle at EQ2 and the completion of the wholesale transfer of the conveyed goods, that is, T4 + T5. On the other hand, as mentioned above,
If the transport control unit 4 issues a transport instruction to the EQ2 or the transport storage T3 hours before the time when the transport request is issued from the EQ2, the carry-out waiting time of the EQ2 is unmanned after the transport instruction is issued. The time T3 is shorter than the time required for the transfer vehicle to complete the wholesale transfer of goods with EQ2, that is, T
It becomes 5-T3, and the request time for carrying out the EQ1 is shortened by T3 + T4.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing another transfer control in this transfer system. This transport system gives an unmanned transport vehicle only a loading / unloading instruction at the transport source when a transport request from the transport source transport device (hereinafter abbreviated as EQ1) is requested. When the transfer of goods is completed at the transfer source, a wholesale transfer instruction is given to the transfer article storage or the transfer object transfer device (hereinafter abbreviated as EQ2) at the transfer destination.

When a carry-out request is issued from EQ1 (S3
3), the transfer controller 4 stores the transfer instruction for EQ1 product transfer in the transfer instruction buffer 5 (S34). After that, when the transport request is requested from the automated guided vehicle 1 (S35), the transport instruction stored in the transport buffer 5 is given to the automated guided vehicle 1 (S36). The automated guided vehicle 1 to which the transport instruction is given moves to the transport source EQ1 (S37), and performs transfer of products (S3).
8). At this time, it is determined whether or not the carry-in request is issued from the EQ2 based on the information from the carry request of the transported object transfer device which changes every moment (S39), and if the carry-in request is not issued, the unmanned guided vehicle 1 is selected. On the other hand, an instruction to transfer the stock of the transported goods storage is given (S40), and if a carry-in request is generated from EQ2, an instruction to transfer the wholesale of EQ2 is given to unmanned guided vehicle 1 (S41). After that, the automatic guided vehicle 1 moves to the goods storage 2 or the EQ 2 of the destination (S42, 43), performs wholesale transfer (S44 , 45), and the transportation is completed.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing the transfer, transfer, and processing time of the apparatus in the conventional embodiment and the above-described embodiment. In the conventional method, as shown in FIG. 7, when a carry-in request for EQ2 is issued later than a carry-out request for EQ1, the conveyed product is once conveyed to the conveyed goods storage, and then conveyed to EQ2. Therefore, EQ
The loading waiting time of 2 is the time T7 from when the unloading request is generated from EQ1 until the unmanned guided vehicle arrives at EQ1 and the transfer is completed, and when the unmanned guided vehicle is EQ1 and the transferred goods are completed. Time T8 from arrival at the storage to completion of wholesale transfer,
From the time T9 from the completion of the wholesale transfer of the unmanned guided vehicle to the transport storage to the completion of the transport from the transport storage to EQ2, E
The time T6 from the time when Q1 issues the carry-out request until the time when EQ2 issues the carry-in request, that is, T7 + T8 +
It becomes T9-T6. Further, the automatic guided vehicle will carry the conveyed goods twice. On the other hand, as described above, the E
When there is a transfer request from Q1, only the transfer instruction at the transfer source is given to the automatic guided vehicle, and when the automatic transfer vehicle completes the transfer at the transfer source, it is a storage container or a transfer object. If the wholesale transfer instruction to the EQ2 is given, the carry-out waiting time of the EQ2 is the time T7-T6 from the time when the carry-in request is issued from the EQ2 to the issuance of the carry instruction to the EQ2, and the EQ2.
Time transport instruction AGV from issued has timed T 10 until the wholesale transfer is completed EQ2 to, i.e., T7 + T 10 -T6 next, only carry latency T8 + T9-T 10 of EQ2 It gets shorter. Further, the number of times the unmanned guided vehicle is carried is reduced by one.

[0020]

As described above, according to the transport system using the automated guided vehicle of the present invention, the transport request information state of the transported object transfer device, the moving state information of the automated guided vehicle, and By utilizing the information from the line management unit that manages the transfer processing information, the transfer processing time of the automatic guided vehicle is predicted, and the transfer instruction is assigned to the automatic guided vehicle at a predetermined timing. There is an effect that the transport can be carried out with a reduced number and improved throughput of the apparatus and the automated guided vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a transfer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing transport control in this transport system.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing transfer, transportation, and processing time of the apparatus in the transportation system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another transfer control in the transfer system.

5 is a timing chart showing transfer, conveyance, and processing time of the apparatus in the conveyance system of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing still another transfer control in the transfer system.

7 is a timing chart showing transfer, conveyance, and processing time of the apparatus in the conveyance system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automated guided vehicle 2 Transported goods storage 3 Transferred goods transfer device 4 Transport control unit 5 Transport instruction buffer 6 Line management department

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-210358 (JP, A) JP-A-8-152915 (JP, A) JP-A-6-110549 (JP, A) JP-A-63- 128404 (JP, A) JP 5-94211 (JP, A) JP 5-94212 (JP, A) JP 5-267431 (JP, A) JP 7-314267 (JP, A) JP-A-8-225108 (JP, A) JP-A-10-171534 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G05D 1/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of unmanned transport vehicles for transporting a transport product, a plurality of transport product transfer devices for requesting transport of a transport product, and for loading or unloading the transported transport product, From the information managed by the line management unit that manages the transfer request information of the object transfer device, the movement state information of the automatic guided vehicle, and the transfer processing information of the automatic guided vehicle ,
After the transportation instruction is issued, the automated guided vehicle receives the transportation instruction.
The transfer of the transferred products is completed by the transfer device of the transfer source.
To predict the time up to and within the time
If the equipment is expected to make an export request,
Before the transfer device makes a carry-out request, a transfer instruction is sent to the unattended carrier.
A transport system using an unmanned transport vehicle , comprising: a transport control unit that gives the transport vehicle. 2. A plurality of automated guided vehicles for transporting a transported object.
And the transfer of the transferred goods is requested, and the transferred goods are transferred.
A plurality of transported object transfer devices for wholesale or wholesale transfer , transfer request information of the transferred object transfer devices, and the movement state of the automated guided vehicle
A line that manages information and transfer processing information for automated guided vehicles
From the management section and the information managed by the line management section,
After the transportation instruction is issued, the automated guided vehicle receives the transportation instruction.
Predicts a time until the Oroshiutsuno the conveyed object is completed by the transport destination of the conveyed object transfer device, conveyed transfer NoSo the transport destination in the said time
If the location is expected to the carry requests, before the conveying object transfer device to a loading request, characterized in that and a conveyance control unit that gives a conveyance instruction to said automatic guided vehicle An automated guided vehicle transport system. 3. A plurality of automated guided vehicles for transporting a transported object.
And the transfer of the transferred goods is requested, and the transferred goods are transferred.
The transfer request of the multiple transfer devices for transferring or wholesale and the transfer device of the transfer destination is
After the unloading request of the transfer device, and the automatic guided vehicle
Issued before the transfer of goods is completed by the transfer device of the transfer source.
If it occurs, the unmanned transport vehicle will transport the transport once.
A conveyed object depot, the transport request information conveyed transfer device, the moving state of the AGV
A line that manages information and transfer processing information for automated guided vehicles
When there is a delivery request from the management department and the transport source, unattended transport
Give only the loading instruction at the transport source to the vehicle, and
Even if there is a request for delivery at the destination, the automated guided vehicle
When the transfer is completed, the information from the line management section
Determine the destination of the delivery, and instruct the delivery of wholesale transfer at this destination
Is given to the automated guided vehicle whose transfer has been completed ,
Transport directly to the destination without transporting to the transport storage
Conveying system according to the AGV, it characterized in that it includes a transfer control unit that can be transported to the object transfer device.