JPH0319564B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle.

A main line on which the self-propelled conveyance vehicle travels, a plurality of sub-lines with at least a portion of the main line located close to each other, and a branch for mutually transferring the self-propelled conveyance vehicle between the main line and each sub-line. a merging device, and each sub-line has a work station section for loading and unloading items to the self-propelled transport vehicle, and a standby station section for waiting the self-propelled transport vehicle when the work station section is in use. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle equipped with During the work of loading or unloading objects onto a self-propelled transport vehicle (not shown) at the work station section 4, the self-propelled vehicle to be unloaded at the work station section 4 is When the transport vehicle arrives at subline 2,
It was kept on standby at the standby station section 5.

However, in such a conventional configuration, when carrying out loading work at the work station section 4, an empty self-propelled carrier must be called in from a storage line (not shown) connected to the main line 1, which is very inconvenient. It was efficient. In addition, when multiple self-propelled carriers enter the standby station section 5,
Self-propelled carriers that arrive later are called to the work station section 4 one after another, but this may be inconvenient for work reasons. In order to solve this problem, the self-propelled transport vehicle that entered the standby station section 5 later is taken out onto the main line 1, and the self-propelled transport vehicle that arrived first is put into the work station section 4, and then moved to the main line. It is necessary to put the self-propelled transport vehicle that has been taken out onto the main line 1 back into the waiting station section 5, but this requires a lot of time and also interferes with the movement of the self-propelled transport vehicle on the main line 1. It's very inefficient.

On the other hand, there are systems in which branching and merging devices are installed at both ends of the subline to connect it to the main line, but even in this case, the problem of work order can be resolved, but empty self-propelled carriers cannot be brought in from the storage line. The problem remains that
Moreover, since the length of the sub-line becomes long, there is a problem in that a large amount of installation space is required.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and aims to provide a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle that can operate the system extremely efficiently.

In order to achieve the above object, a transportation system using a self-propelled carrier according to the present invention includes a main line along which the self-propelled carrier runs, a plurality of supply lines at least a portion of which is disposed close to the main line, and It has a branching and merging device for mutually transferring self-propelled transport vehicles between the main line and each sub-line, and each sub-line has a work station section for loading and unloading goods to the self-propelled transport vehicle, and In a conveyance system using a self-propelled conveyance vehicle that is provided with a standby station section for waiting the self-propelled conveyance vehicle when the work station section is in use, as shown in FIG. 8b are provided at two locations with an appropriate interval between them, and a waiting station section 10 is provided between them, and an empty vehicle waiting section 11 is further provided where an empty self-propelled carrier is placed on standby on the tip side of the work station section 9.
This is a configuration with a Note that in FIG. 2, 6 is the main line.

According to this configuration, an empty self-propelled transport vehicle that has finished unloading work at the work station section 9 can be kept waiting in the empty vehicle standby section 11.
There is no need to call in an empty self-propelled carrier from the storage line during loading work, and the self-propelled carrier can be moved from the main line 6 to the sub-line 7 side using one of the branching and merging devices 8a to complete the work. can be moved to the main line 6 side by the other branching and merging device 8b,
Problems with work order can also be resolved, and the system can therefore be operated very efficiently.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the vicinity of one subline of a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the same components as shown in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals. . Subline 6 and subline 7 are self-propelled carriers (not shown)
The sub-line 7 consists of two running rails, etc. that guide the running of the main line 6, and the sub-line 7 has a waiting station section 10 located close to the main line 6, and a vertical section that penetrates an opening 12 in the floor and works above it. A station section 9 is provided, and an empty truck standby section 11 is further provided at a horizontal portion on the distal end side of the station section 9.
Of the branching and merging devices 8a and 8b at both ends of the standby station section 10, the branching and merging device 8b on the side closer to the work station section 9 is as shown in FIG.
It consists of two pairs of rails 13 and 14, and is configured to be able to reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to the main line 6 and sub-line 7. When the self-propelled carrier having completed the work at the work station section 9 is to be moved to the main line 6, the self-propelled carrier is first moved and positioned on one of the rails 13. In this state, the branching and merging device 8b moves in the direction of arrow A and stops in the state shown by the imaginary line. In this state, the rail 13 is in line with the main line 6, and when the self-propelled carrier is started, it moves onto the main line 6. After this, the branching and merging device 8b
to its original position. When calling the self-propelled carrier on the main line 6 to the work station section 9, the branch/merging device 8a transfers the self-propelled carrier from the main line 6 to the sub-line 7, and the vehicle is transferred on the sub-line 7 to the work station section 9. Let it run. At this time, since the rail 13 of the branching and merging device 8b is in a straight line with the subline 7, there is no need to move the branching and merging device 8b. Further, at this time, since the rails 14 are in a straight line with the main line 6, there is no problem with the traveling of the self-propelled carrier on the main line 6. In this way, the two pairs of rails 13,
Branching and merging device 8b configured to move 14 together.
It is preferable to use this method because the number of times the branching and merging device is driven can be reduced compared to a configuration in which a pair of rails are moved. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 15 denotes an operation panel for setting the operation of the self-propelled carrier, which is installed in each work station section 9, and is connected to a central control panel (not shown).
As shown in detail in FIG. 5, this operation panel 15 includes a start button 16 that is operated when starting the self-propelled transport vehicle toward the main line 6 after completing work at the work station section 9, and A stop button 17 that is operated when manually extracting the self-propelled transport vehicle from the station section 9, a call-in button 18 that is operated when bringing in an empty self-propelled transport vehicle from the storage line, and a pull-in button 18 that is operated when the self-propelled transport vehicle from the storage line is removed. A call-in set completion indicator light 19 that lights up when the call-in is set, and a personal start button that is operated when sending an empty self-propelled carrier that has finished unloading at the work station section 9 to the empty vehicle waiting section 11. 20 and empty trolley waiting section 1
A personal call-in button 21 that is operated when calling the first self-propelled transport vehicle to the work station section 9 is installed. Each of these buttons 16, 17, 1
8, 19, 20, 21 are constituted by push button switches with indicator lights, for example, the empty trolley waiting section 1
1 is full, the personal start button 20 is turned off, and the self-propelled carrier does not start from the work station section 9 even if it is pressed. Also, empty trolley waiting section 1
When no self-propelled carrier is waiting at 1, the personal call-in button 21 is turned off. The empty vehicle standby section 11 and the standby station section 10 are configured such that, for example, two to three self-propelled carrier vehicles can wait therein.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a part of a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a branching and merging device, and 23 is a hearth. Next, the operation of the self-propelled carrier in such a system will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when a conveyed object occurs at an arbitrary work station section 9 as in Step, the operator determines whether or not an empty self-propelled carrier is in stock at the work station section 9, as in Step. If it is not in stock, the operator judges from the display on the operation panel 15 whether a self-propelled carrier is waiting in the empty vehicle standby section 11 as in the step, and if it is not in stock, Press the call-in button 18 on the operation panel 15. As a result, the address of the work station section 9 called into the self-propelled transport vehicle on the storage line is automatically set as shown in the step, and the self-propelled transport vehicle starts from the storage line and moves on the main line 6 as shown in the step. The vehicle travels and arrives at a predetermined work station section 9 like a step. On the other hand, if a self-propelled carrier is waiting in the empty vehicle standby section 11 in step, the personal call button 21 is pressed as in step. As a result, the self-propelled carrier starts from the empty vehicle standby section 11 like a step, and moves from the work station section 9 like a step.
arrive at. If an empty self-propelled transport vehicle is present at the work station section 9 in the step, or if an empty self-propelled transport vehicle arrives at the work station section 9 as in the step, the transported goods are loaded as in the step. , the address code of the work station section 9 of the other party to which the object is to be sent is set using a setting device (not shown), as in the step, and the start button 16 on the operation panel 15 is pressed as in the step. As a result, the self-propelled conveyance vehicle starts from the work station section 9 like a step, travels on the main line 6, and arrives at the other party's work station section 9 like a step. At the other party's work station section 9, an operator first unloads the object to be transported from the self-propelled carrier as a step, and then determines whether or not there is an object to be transported as in a step. If there is an object to be transported, the process returns to the step and the same operation is performed. If there is no object to be transported, the operator decides whether or not to send the self-propelled carrier to the empty vehicle standby section 11 as shown in Step. Set the address code of the storage line, and then press the start button 16 on the operation panel 15 as in the step. As a result, the self-propelled carrier starts from the work station section 9 like a step, travels on the main line 6, and arrives at the storage line like a step. In this way, the self-propelled carrier waits on the storage line like the step, and if there is a call at the step, it returns to the step and repeats the same operation, and if there is no call, it returns to the step and continues the standby state. On the other hand, if it is determined in step to send the self-propelled carrier to the empty vehicle standby section 11, the operation panel 15 is
Press the personal start button 20. As a result, the self-propelled carrier leaves the work station section 9 and arrives at the empty vehicle standby section 11 as shown in the steps below. In this way, the self-propelled carrier waits in the empty vehicle waiting area 11 as shown in step 〓〓, and if there is a call at step 〓, it returns to the step and repeats the same operation, and if there is no call, it returns to step 〓〓. and remain in standby mode. In addition, the part surrounded by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 7 is a part related to the empty truck waiting section 11. Further, a specific circuit diagram of the control system can be designed extremely easily based on conventionally known technology, and therefore, a description thereof will be omitted.

As explained above, according to the present invention, there is no need to call in an empty self-propelled transport vehicle from the storage line every time loading work is carried out, and moreover, even if a plurality of self-propelled transport vehicles enter the waiting station part, the unloading operation is possible. Since there is no problem of the order of work being reversed, the work time can be significantly shortened and the system can be operated extremely efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of a conventional transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the vicinity of one sub-line of the conveyance system using the self-propelled conveyance vehicle in the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the vicinity of the branching and merging device in the same conveyance system, FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the main parts of the conveyance system, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the conveyance system. 6...Main line, 7...Sub line, 8
a, 8b... Branching and merging device, 9... Work station section, 10... Standby station section, 11...
Empty truck waiting section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main line on which the self-propelled conveyance vehicle travels, a plurality of sub-lines with at least a portion of the main line located close to the main line, and mutual transfer of the self-propelled conveyance vehicle between these main lines and each sub-line. a branching and merging device, and each sub-line has a work station section for loading and unloading objects onto the self-propelled transport vehicle, and a standby station section for waiting the self-propelled transport vehicle when the work station section is in use. In a transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle equipped with
The branching and merging device is provided at two locations with an appropriate interval between them, and a waiting station section is provided between them, and furthermore, an empty vehicle waiting section for waiting an empty self-propelled transport vehicle is provided on the tip side of the work station section. A transport system using a self-propelled transport vehicle.