JP3963263B2 - Automatic warehouse - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, a workpiece 102 provided with a joint box 101 protruding outward at a predetermined position in the upper part of a rectangular parallelepiped housing may be stored in an automatic warehouse shelf and managed. . The workpiece 102 is a container for storing, for example, a chemical substance that needs to be heated and stored, and the joint box 101 supplies, for example, electric power necessary for heating the chemical substance from the outside to the inside of the workpiece 102. It is a receiving part in the case of supplying to. In addition, when the chemical substance is additionally supplied into the workpiece 102 from the outside, for example, the joint box 101 may be a receiving port for the chemical substance from the outside.
[0003]
When the work 102 having the joint box 101 is stored and managed on the shelf 1a (1b) of the automatic warehouse, the joint box 101 is stored in the state where the work 102 is stored in the storage frame 5 of the shelf 1a (1b). Therefore, it is necessary to supply electric power or a chemical substance into the work 102. Therefore, based on a signal from the stacker crane 202 indicating that the workpiece 102 has been placed at a predetermined position of the storage frame 5, the arm is extended and connected to the joint box 101 of the workpiece 102, and power and chemical substances are supplied to the workpiece 102. A supply unit for supplying the inside is provided in the storage frame 5.
[0004]
If the supply section having such a configuration is provided on the front side of each storage frame 5 (the traveling path 22 side of the stacker crane 202), it becomes an obstacle to the loading and unloading of the workpiece 102. The stacker crane 202 is provided on the opposite side of the travel path 22 (outside the storage frame 5). Therefore, when the work 102 having the joint box 101 is stored in the storage frame 5, the work 102 is placed in the storage frame 5 so that the joint box 101 is positioned outside the storage frame 5 as shown in FIG. 7. Place in.
[0005]
Accordingly, when the workpiece 102 is placed on the workpiece placement portion 7 with the joint box 101 facing the front side 21 of the automatic warehouse, the placed workpiece 102 is carried onto the conversion machine 6 of the station 201 by the conveyor, It is necessary to rotate the workpiece 102 by 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise using the converter 6. The user performs an input operation for controlling the rotation direction of the conversion machine 6 to rotate the workpiece 102 on the conversion machine 6. The stacker crane 202 receives the rotated workpiece 102 while it is placed on the pallet 103.
[0006]
As described above, the user inputs the position information and the warehousing instruction of the storage frame 5 to which the warehousing work 102 is to be warehousing until the warehousing work 102 is received by the stacker crane 202 to the management device 203. input.
[0007]
The management device 203 wirelessly transmits the position information and the warehousing instruction of the specific storage frame 5 input by the user to the stacker crane 202, and the stacker crane 202 receives the workpiece received from the conversion machine 6 of the station 201 as described above. Enter the specific storage frame 5.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, when the work 102 having the joint box 101 is stored in the specific storage frame 5 of the specific shelf 1 of the automatic warehouse, the user firstly selects the work 102 in the shelf 1 managed by the management device 203. The loading / unloading state must be confirmed, and the empty storage frame 5 must be searched. Then, the user determines a specific storage frame 5 from which the work 102 to be stored is to be stored, from the searched storage frames 5 in the empty state, and the management device 203 determines the position information of the specific storage frame 5. Must be entered.
[0009]
Therefore, the present invention takes the above-described conventional problems into consideration, and does not allow a user to determine a specific storage frame for receiving a workpiece to be stored, and allows the workpiece to be stored placed on the carriage of the stacker crane. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic warehouse including a management device that determines a specific storage frame corresponding to the direction of the storage, and a stacker crane that obtains information for specifying the direction of the work to be stored.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the above-mentioned object, the automatic warehouse of the present invention manages the storage state of each storage frame by a stacker crane traveling back and forth between left and right shelves having a plurality of storage frames. It is assumed that the stacker crane transports a work to be received based on position information obtained from the management device.
[0011]
In addition, the automatic warehouse according to the present invention is provided with a sensor for detecting the orientation of a workpiece provided on the carriage of the stacker crane, and a detection result of the sensor provided in the management device. And a storage frame determination unit that determines a storage frame of a storage destination corresponding to the direction of the workpiece based on the state.
[0012]
According to the present invention, the user performs an operation of placing the work to be stored on the station and rotating the work to be stored carried on the conversion machine of the station by 90 ° clockwise or counterclockwise. As long as this is done, it is not necessary to determine a storage frame for storing the work to be stored.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Below, the structure and operation | movement of the automatic warehouse of embodiment of this invention are demonstrated with reference to drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 shows a simplified view of the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment as viewed from above, FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the station and stacker crane in the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment, and FIG. A block diagram of the automatic warehouse of the embodiment is shown, and FIG. 4 shows an operation procedure of the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment is provided between the left and right shelves 1a (1b) installed in parallel and the left and right shelves 1a (1b), as in the conventional automatic warehouse. A stacker crane 2 that travels back and forth on the travel path 22, a station 3 that delivers the workpiece 102 to / from the stacker 2 to the stacker crane 2, and a management device 4 that manages the loading / unloading state of the workpiece 102. Yes. Thus, the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the conventional automatic warehouse, and the stacker crane 2 moves the workpiece 102 provided with the joint box 101 shown in FIG. 6 to a specific shelf 1a. It is common to a conventional automatic warehouse in that the joint box 101 is stored in the specific storage frame 5 of (1b) with the joint box 101 facing the outside of the shelf 1a (1b).
[0016]
However, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the configuration of the stacker crane 2 in the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment differs from the configuration of the stacker crane 202 in the conventional automatic warehouse in the following points.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane 2 in the automatic warehouse according to the present embodiment is provided with a carriage 15 as in the prior art, and the carriage 15 is orthogonal to the traveling path 22 of the stacker crane 2 and faces each other. Plate-shaped front and rear side frames 150a (150b) are provided. In the carriage 15 having such a configuration, an optical sensor X and an optical sensor Y, which will be described later, are attached to portions of the front and rear side frames 150a (150b) facing each other.
[0018]
The light sensor X is provided at one predetermined height position of the front and rear side frames 150a and 150b, and is provided at a position where the light emitting means 31x that emits light and the other side frames 150a and 150b face each other. And light receiving means 32x for receiving light. The light emitting means 31x and the light receiving means 32x are provided such that the optical path of the optical sensor X is parallel to the traveling path 22 of the stacker crane 2 and is horizontal.
[0019]
The light sensor Y is provided at a predetermined height position of one of the front and rear side frames 150a and 150b, and is provided at a position where the light emitting means 31y that emits light and the other side frames 150a and 150b face each other. And light receiving means 32y for receiving light. The light emitting means 31y and the light receiving means 32y are also provided so that the optical path of the optical sensor Y is parallel to the traveling path 22 of the stacker crane 2 and is horizontal.
[0020]
In addition, the light emitting means 31x and the light receiving means 32x of the optical sensor X, and the light emitting means 31y and the light receiving means 32y of the optical sensor Y are arranged at positions that satisfy the relationship described later. That is, when the workpiece 102 received from the station 3 is placed on a predetermined position of the bottom surface 151 of the carriage 15 of the stacker crane 2, the joint box 101 of the workpiece 102 is moved as shown in FIG. If the light is directed to the left shelf 1a, the light emitted from the light emitting means 31x is blocked by the joint box 101 and is not received by the light receiving means 32x, and the light sensor X is in a light shielding state, and the light emitting means 31y emits light. The light is received by the light receiving means 32y, and the optical sensor Y is in a light projection state. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 5B, if the joint box 101 of the workpiece 102 faces the right shelf 1b, the light emitted from the light emitting means 31x is received by the light receiving means 32x, and the light sensor X Is in a light projecting state, the light emitted from the light emitting means 31y is blocked by the joint box 101 and not received by the light receiving means 32y, and the optical sensor Y is in a light shielding state.
[0021]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the stacker crane 2 of the present embodiment is based on information indicating which one of the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y is in a light shielding state and which is in a light projecting state. Thus, a state specifying unit 18 for specifying the direction of the workpiece 102 received from the station 3 is provided.
[0022]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the management device 4 according to the present embodiment has the orientation of the work 102 to be stored specified by the state specifying unit 18 and the shelf 1 a (1 b) managed by the management unit 13. The storage frame determination unit 14 determines a specific storage frame 5 that is a storage destination of the work 102 to be stored, corresponding to the direction of the work 102 to be stored, based on the storage state of the storage object.
[0023]
Hereinafter, the operation of the automatic warehouse according to the present embodiment when the work 102 is stored in the specific storage frame 5 of the specific shelf 1a (1b) will be described.
[0024]
When the work 102 is stored in the specific storage frame 5 of the specific shelf 1a (1b), the user, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the joint box 101 facing the front side 21 of the automatic warehouse, The work 102 to be stored placed on the pallet 103 is placed on the work placing unit 7 of the station 3 by a forklift. The workpiece 102 placed on the workpiece placement portion 7 is carried onto the conversion machine 6 by a conveyor with the joint box 101 facing the front side 21 of the automatic warehouse.
[0025]
When the work 102 is carried on the conversion machine 6, the user controls the operation of rotating the conversion machine 6 in the direction corresponding to the shelf 1a (1b) where the storage frame 5 where the work 102 to be stored is to be stored is present. To the department. Based on the operation by the user, the control unit rotates the converter 6 by 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise, and thereby the joint box 101 of the workpiece 102 faces the outside of the shelf 1a (1b). As a result, when the work 102 is stored in one of the storage frames 5 of the shelf 1 a (1 b) that the user wants to store, the joint box 101 of the work 102 is moved to the storage frame 5. It faces the outside (opposite the traveling path 22 of the stacker crane 2).
[0026]
On the other hand, the user inputs a warehousing instruction to the input unit 11 of the management device 4. The warehousing instruction is wirelessly transmitted to the stacker crane 2 by the first transmission / reception unit 12 of the management device 4 as shown in FIG.
[0027]
In the stacker crane 2, the drive control unit 17 moves the stacker crane 2 main body to the station 3 based on the warehousing instruction obtained from the management device 4 by the second transmission / reception unit 16, and the carriage 15 is on the conversion machine 6. The work 102 is received (step 1 in FIG. 4). When the workpiece 102 is placed on a predetermined position on the bottom surface 151 of the carriage 15, the light emitting unit 31 x and the light emitting unit 31 y emit light, so that the state specifying unit 18 includes the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y. It is detected which is in the light shielding state and which is in the light projecting state, and the direction of the workpiece 102 placed on the carriage 15 is specified based on the detection result (step 2 in FIG. 4). .
[0028]
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, if it is detected that the optical sensor X is in a light shielding state and the optical sensor Y is in a light projecting state, the state specifying unit 18 determines that the joint box 101 is on the left. It is specified that the workpiece 102 is placed on the carriage 15 in a state of facing the shelf 1a side. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 5B, if it is detected that the optical sensor X is in the light projecting state and the optical sensor Y is in the light shielding state, the state specifying unit 18 determines that the joint box 101 is It is specified that the workpiece 102 is placed on the carriage 15 while facing the right shelf 1b.
[0029]
When the orientation of the workpiece 102 on the carriage 15 is specified in this way, the second transmission / reception unit 16 transmits information on the specified orientation to the management device 4.
[0030]
In the management device 4, the storage frame determination unit 14 is based on the information on the orientation obtained from the stacker crane 2 by the first transmission / reception unit 12 and the storage state of the shelf 1 a (1 b) managed by the management unit 13. Whether or not there is a storage frame 5 that is currently empty from among the plurality of storage frames 5 present on the shelf 1a (1b) corresponding to the direction of the work 102 to be stored placed on the carriage 15. (Step 3 in FIG. 4). If there is an empty storage frame 5, the storage frame determination unit 14 determines a specific storage frame 5 that is the storage destination of the work 102 to be stored from the empty storage frames 5. (Step 4 in FIG. 4), the position information of the specific storage frame 5 is transmitted to the stacker crane 2 by the first transmission / reception unit 12.
[0031]
As described above, when the position information of the specific storage frame 5 determined by the storage frame determination unit 14 is transmitted to the stacker crane 2, the stacker crane 2 enters the storage frame 5 specified by the position information. In order to receive the workpiece 102, the drive control unit 17 moves the main body of the stacker crane 2 and moves the carriage 15 to a predetermined height. When the movement is completed, the carriage 15 stores the work 102 to be stored into the storage frame 5 specified by the position information (step 5 in FIG. 4).
[0032]
However, the empty storage frame 5 may not exist on the shelf 1a (1b) corresponding to the direction of the work 102 to be stored placed on the carriage 15. For example, the workpiece 102 is placed on the carriage 15 with the joint box 101 facing the left shelf 1a, but the workpiece has been stored in all the storage frames 5 of the left shelf 1a and left This is a case where there is no empty storage frame 5 on the shelf 1a.
[0033]
In such a case, the storage frame determination unit 14 determines to stop the warehousing operation (step 6 in FIG. 4), transmits information to that effect to the stacker crane 2 by the first transmission / reception unit 12, and the drive control unit 17. To stop the warehousing operation (step 7 in FIG. 4). As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the workpiece 102 to be received is to be received into the storage frame 5 in which the workpiece has already been received, and the workpiece 102 to be received can be brought into contact with the workpiece that has already been received. It is possible to avoid damage to both the workpieces.
[0034]
Further, in the above case, the storage frame determination unit 14 causes the first transmission / reception unit 12 to transmit information indicating that the warehousing operation is stopped to the warning unit 40, and outputs a warning sound by the warning buzzer. The user is notified that the operation has stopped (step 7 in FIG. 4).
[0035]
As described above, if the automatic warehouse of the present embodiment is used, the user places the work 102 to be stored on the work placement unit 7 of the station 3 and uses the conveyor on the conversion machine 6 of the station 3. It is only necessary to perform an operation of rotating the workpiece 102 to be stored 90 ° clockwise or counterclockwise, and it is necessary to determine a specific storage frame 5 to which the workpiece 102 to be stored is to be stored. Disappears.
[0036]
If the management unit 13 of the management device 4 detects that there is no empty storage frame 5 in the left shelf 1a or the right shelf 1b, that is, all of the left shelf 1a or the right shelf 1b. If it is detected that the storage frame 5 is used, the first transmission / reception unit 12 transmits information to that effect to a specific notification unit 50a (50b) provided in the station 3, and the notification unit 50a ( It is preferable to notify the information to that effect by 50b). For example, when the work is stored in all the storage frames 5 of the left shelf 1a, and the empty storage frame 5 does not exist in the left shelf 1a, the left notification unit 50a is turned on. When the left notification unit 50a is lit, the user has the empty storage frame 5 only on the right shelf 1b, and the user can enter the storage object 102 in the storage frame 5 of the right shelf 1b. Therefore, it can be determined that an operation of rotating the workpiece 102 placed on the conversion machine 6 in the counterclockwise direction should be performed.
[0037]
In the above-described embodiment, the state specifying unit 18 is provided in the stacker crane 2, but the state specifying unit 18 may be provided in the management device 4. In that case, the second transmission / reception unit 16 of the stacker crane 2 transmits to the management device 4 information indicating which one of the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y is in a light shielding state and which of the other is in a light projecting state. . And the state specific | specification part 18 provided in the management apparatus 4 specifies the direction of the workpiece | work 102 of the warehousing object currently mounted on the carriage 15 based on the information.
[0038]
Moreover, although the warning part 40 in embodiment mentioned above alert | reported to the user that the warehousing operation | movement stopped with the warning sound, you may alert | report that. The warning unit 40 may be incorporated in any one of the stacker crane 2, the station 3, and the management device 4.
[0039]
Moreover, when all the storage frames 5 of the left shelf 1a or the right shelf 1b are used, the notification unit 50 in the above-described embodiment is configured to notify the information using light, You may alert | report using a sound. Moreover, although the said alerting | reporting part 50 was provided in the station 3, it may be provided in the stacker crane 2 or the management apparatus 4, or it is separate from any of the station 3, the stacker crane 2, and the management apparatus 4. May be provided.
[0040]
In the above-described embodiment, the carriage 15 of the stacker crane 2 is provided with the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y. However, only one of the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y is attached to the carriage 15. It may be provided. Even in such a case, the state specifying unit 18 detects whether the optical sensor X or the optical sensor Y is in a light-shielding state or a light-projecting state, so that the state specifying unit 18 detects the workpiece 102 placed on the carriage 15 . It is possible to specify the direction .
[0041]
In the above-described embodiment, as described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, when one of the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y is in a light shielding state and the other is in a light projecting state. However, in reality, as shown in FIG. 5C, both the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y may be in a light shielding state. However, this is because the workpiece 102 is not placed at a predetermined position on the pallet 103 and the workpiece 102 is placed on the pallet 103 so as to be shifted to the left shelf 1a side or the right shelf 1b side. It is a phenomenon that occurs. In this way, if the pallet 103 on which the workpiece 102 is placed is handled in a state where the workpiece 102 is shifted from a predetermined position on the pallet 103, there is a risk that the workpiece 102 falls from the pallet 103. Therefore, in order to avoid the danger, it is preferable that the stacker crane 2 is provided with an operation stop unit that stops the warehousing operation when it is detected that both the optical sensor X and the optical sensor Y are in the light-shielded state. Moreover, it is preferable to provide the stacker crane 2 and / or the management device 4 with means for notifying the user of that fact.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a work to be stored placed on the carriage of the stacker crane without allowing the user to determine a specific storage frame for receiving the work to be stored. It is possible to provide an automatic warehouse including a management device that determines a specific storage frame corresponding to the direction of the storage, and a stacker crane that obtains information for specifying the direction of the work to be stored.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which an automatic warehouse according to an embodiment of the present invention is viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a station and a stacker crane in the automatic warehouse according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the operation procedure of the automatic warehouse according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows the light in the stacker crane of the automatic warehouse according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining whether the sensor X and the optical sensor Y are in a light shielding state or in a light projecting state. FIG. 6 is provided with a joint box protruding outward at a predetermined position on the upper part of a rectangular parallelepiped housing. Fig. 7 Simplified representation of a conventional automatic warehouse viewed from above [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a Left shelf 1b Right shelf 2 Stacker crane 3 Station 4 Management apparatus 5 Storage frame 6 Converter 7 Work placement part 11 Input part 12 First transmission / reception part 13 Management part 14 Storage frame determination part 15 Carriage 16 Second transmission / reception part 17 Drive control unit 18 State specifying unit X Optical sensor Y Optical sensor 40 Warning unit 50 Notification unit 101 Joint box 102 Workpiece

Claims (8)

A stacker crane runs back and forth between the left and right shelves with a plurality of storage frames, and the stacker crane moves the workpieces to be received based on position information obtained from a management device that manages the storage state of each storage frame. In the automated warehouse to transport,
A sensor for detecting the orientation of a workpiece provided on the carriage of the stacker crane;
A storage frame determination unit that is provided in the management device and determines a storage frame of a storage destination corresponding to the orientation of the workpiece based on a detection result of the sensor and a storage state in each storage frame;
An automatic warehouse characterized by having When there is no empty storage frame on the shelf corresponding to the direction of the work to be stored specified by the detection result of the sensor, the storage frame determination unit determines to stop the storage of the work to be stored The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein:   The automatic warehouse according to claim 2, further comprising a warning unit that issues a warning when warehousing of the work to be received is stopped.   2. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies information to that effect when all of the storage frames of one of the left and right shelves are used. The stacker crane includes a state specifying unit that specifies the direction of the work to be stored based on the detection result of the sensor,
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the detection result of the sensor is information on a workpiece orientation specified by the state specifying unit. The management device includes a state specifying unit that specifies a direction of the work to be warehousing based on a detection result of the sensor,
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the detection result of the sensor is information on a workpiece orientation specified by the state specifying unit. The carriage is provided with front and rear side frames that are orthogonal to the traveling path of the stacker crane and that face each other.
The sensor is provided at a portion of the carriage facing the different counterpart of the front and rear side frames so that the optical path of the sensor and the traveling path of the stacker crane are in parallel relation. The automatic warehouse according to claim 1. There are two sets of the sensors, and the two sets of sensors are arranged in different places,
8. The automatic warehouse according to claim 7, wherein the detection result of the sensor is information indicating which of the two sets of sensors is activated.

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