JP4258719B2 - Goods storage facility - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article storage shelf configured by arranging a plurality of article storage units having a plurality of article holding units in the depth direction in the vertical and horizontal directions, and transfer for transferring articles to each article storage unit in the article storage shelf. The present invention relates to an article storage facility provided with a device and control means for controlling the operation of the transfer device.

  In the article storage facility as described above, the article storage shelf can store articles in each of the plurality of article holding units positioned in the depth direction, and the transfer device can store articles in each of the plurality of article holding units. Incoming operations for storing and unloading operations for taking out articles from each of a plurality of article holding units by a transfer device are performed.

  As such an article storage facility, a traveling passage along the width direction of the article storage shelf is formed on the front side of the article storage shelf, and the article travels along the traveling path to transfer the article to each article storage unit. A stacker crane as a transfer device is provided, and the stacker crane is configured to transfer articles from the front side of the article storage shelf, and transfers the articles to one article storage shelf. Some devices are provided with one device (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-235044

  In the above-mentioned conventional article storage facility, only one transfer device for transferring articles to one article storage shelf is provided, so the entire range of article storage shelves with one transfer device For this reason, there is a possibility that the goods must be carried out and the warehousing work and the warehousing work cannot be speeded up.

The article storage shelf has a plurality of article holding sections in the depth direction, and the transfer device transfers the article from the front side of the article storage shelf. It takes time to transfer the goods to be performed, which hinders the speeding up of the work.
In addition, when performing the leaving work, there may be an article in front of the article to be delivered, in this case, after performing the work of taking out the article in front and temporarily placing it in another place, The unloading work for taking out the articles to be unloaded must be performed, which also hinders the speeding up of the work.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such a point, and the object thereof is to speed up the warehousing work for storing the article in the article holding part and the unloading work for taking out the article from the article holding part. The object is to provide a storage shelf.

In order to achieve the above object, a first characteristic configuration of an article storage facility according to the present invention is an article storage shelf configured by arranging a plurality of article storage units each having a plurality of article holding units in the depth direction, and the article. In an article storage facility provided with a transfer device for transferring an article to each article storage unit in a storage shelf, and a control means for controlling the operation of the transfer device,
The transfer device includes a front transfer device that transfers the article from the front side of the article storage shelf and a rear transfer device that transfers the article from the rear side of the article storage shelf. And
The front-side transfer device and the rear-side transfer device are configured to be able to transfer an article to any of the article holding units located in the depth direction,
The control means is configured to control operations of the front transfer device and the rear transfer device ,
A partial transfer state in which the front-side transfer device and the rear-side transfer device transfer an article to a part of the article holding unit located in the depth direction on the near side; and a depth It is configured to be switchable to an overall transfer state in which an article is transferred to any of the article holding units located in the direction,
The article storage shelf and the transfer device are juxtaposed so as to be alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf with the article storage portion facing each other,
In order to divide the transfer of the article to the article holding part positioned in the depth direction into the front transfer apparatus and the rear transfer apparatus, the control means transfers the front transfer apparatus and the rear transfer apparatus. A state in which both of the loading device and the loading device are partially switched, and transfer of an article to the article holding portion located in the depth direction is set to one of the front transfer device and the rear transfer device. In order to assign, it is configured to be switchable to a state where either one of the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device is switched to the whole transfer state,
And about the transfer apparatus located between the said article storage shelves, the state which switches to a partial transfer state with respect to both the article storage shelves adjacent to the front-back direction of the said article storage shelf, and the said article storage shelf Among the article storage shelves adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, a part is switched to a partly transferred state and one part is switched to a state to be switched to the whole transferred state .

That is, the front-side transfer device can transfer the article to any of the article holding units located in the depth direction from the front side of the article storage shelf, and the rear-side transfer device is used for the article storage shelf. The article can be transferred to any of the article holding units located in the depth direction from the rear side of the article.
Therefore, since the transfer of the article can be divided into the front transfer device and the rear transfer device with respect to one article storage shelf, the range in which the articles are transferred by one transfer device can be reduced. Thus, the warehousing operation for storing the article in the article holding unit and the unloading operation for taking out the article from the article holding unit can be accelerated.

Then, the control means transfers the article by the front side transfer device to the article holding unit located on the front side of the article storage shelf, and the article holding unit located on the rear side of the article storage shelf. On the other hand, since the operations of the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device can be controlled so that the goods are transferred by the rear side transfer device, a plurality of items are held in the depth direction. The transfer of the article to the part can be divided into the front transfer device and the rear transfer device in the depth direction.
Therefore, while preventing the transfer device from transferring the article located at the back end in the depth direction, the article is present in front of the article to be delivered when performing the delivery operation. In this case, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the problem, and to perform the unloading operation without performing the operation of taking out the near article and temporarily placing it in another location, thereby speeding up the operation.

  From the above, in addition to reducing the range in which an article is transferred by a single transfer device, transferring an article to a plurality of article holding units located in the depth direction is transferred forward in the depth direction. Since the apparatus and the rear transfer apparatus can be divided, it is possible to provide an article storage shelf capable of effectively realizing warehousing work and warehousing work.

Further , when both the front transfer device and the rear transfer device are operable, the control means partially transfers both the front transfer device and the rear transfer device. By switching to the state of switching to, the transfer of articles to a plurality of article holding units located in the depth direction is divided into a front transfer device and a rear transfer device in the depth direction, and Speeding up can be achieved.
Further, when one of the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device is not operable due to a failure or the like, the control means is either the front side transfer device or the rear side transfer device. By switching one to the entire transfer state, only one of the operable front transfer device and rear transfer device can transfer the goods to the article storage shelf, and enter the warehouse. Work and delivery work can be continued.

  Therefore, the control means moves the entire state of either the state in which both the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device are switched to the partial transfer state or the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device. Even when one of the front-side transfer device and the rear-side transfer device cannot operate due to a failure while accelerating the warehousing work and the warehousing work by switching to the loading state. Thus, the warehousing work and the warehousing work can be continuously performed, and a highly reliable article storage facility can be provided.

  By the way, for example, when the article storage facility is used for the purpose of storing the articles to be shipped on the day, if there is a transfer device that cannot be operated due to a failure or the like, the shipped articles are taken out from the article holding unit. Therefore, it is particularly effective to be able to continue the unloading operation even when one of the front transfer device and the rear transfer device cannot be operated due to a failure or the like.

In addition , among the transfer devices arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf, for the transfer device positioned between the article storage shelves, the one-side article storage shelf adjacent in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf Can be operated as a rear transfer device, and can be operated as a front transfer device for the other article storage shelf, and the front transfer can be performed by the transfer device located between the article storage shelves. The device and the rear transfer device can be shared.

  When there is no transfer device that cannot operate in both of the article storage shelves adjacent in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf, the control means By switching to a state where a part is transferred to both of the article storage shelves adjacent in the front-rear direction of the storage shelf, the article storage shelves are positioned in the depth direction in both of the article storage shelves adjacent in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf. The transfer of the articles to the plurality of article holding units can be divided into the front transfer device and the rear transfer device in the depth direction, thereby speeding up the warehousing operation and the warehousing operation.

In addition, when there is a transfer device that cannot operate on one of the article storage shelves adjacent to the article storage shelf in the front-rear direction, Of the article storage shelves adjacent to the storage shelf in the front-rear direction, adjacent to the article storage shelf in the front-rear direction by switching to the partial transfer state for one and switching to the entire transfer state for the other Among the article storage shelves that do not have an inoperable transfer device, transfer the articles to the plurality of article holding units located in the depth direction in the depth direction. It is possible to speed up the warehousing and unloading operations by dividing the equipment into devices, and for the side where there is an inoperable transfer device, use the transfer device located between the article storage shelves in the depth direction. Multiple goods holding located in So that it is possible to perform transfer of the articles to all.
Therefore, in the article storage shelf on one side of the article storage shelf adjacent in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf, even if there is a transfer device that cannot be operated due to a failure or the like, Thus, the warehousing work and the warehousing work can be continuously performed, and an article storage facility capable of performing the warehousing work and the warehousing work can be provided while accurately dealing with the failure of the transfer device.

A second characteristic configuration of the article storage facility according to the present invention is such that the article storage shelf and the transfer device are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf in a state where the transfer device is disposed at both ends. It is in the point where it is installed side by side.

That is, the transfer devices are arranged at both ends of the article storage shelf in the front-rear direction, and the article storage shelves and the transfer devices are alternately arranged between the transfer devices at both ends. Transfer devices are arranged on both the front and rear sides of the storage shelf.
Therefore, even if the transfer device arranged on one side in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf cannot be used due to a failure or the like, the transfer device arranged on the other side in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf The unloading work can be continued, and even if a transfer device that cannot be used due to a failure or the like occurs, the loading work or the unloading work can be accurately continued.

An embodiment of an article storage facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
This article storage facility is installed and used in a warehouse such as a distribution center for the purpose of storing articles to be shipped on a day of the day. As shown in FIGS. An article storage shelf 3 configured by arranging a plurality of article storage units 2 having a plurality of article holding units 1 in a direction, and a transfer of transferring an article F to each article storage unit 2 in the article storage shelf 3 A sutter crane 4 as an apparatus, a control unit H as a control means for managing the article storage facility, and the like are provided.
Incidentally, FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire article storage facility with the right side in the figure as the front side of the article storage shelf 3, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of only a part of the article storage facility, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the article storage unit.

The article storage shelf 3 and the stacker crane 4 are arranged side by side so as to be alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf 3 with the article storage portion 2 facing each other, and the stacker cranes 4 are arranged at both ends thereof. Are installed side by side.
As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane 4 is configured to be movable along a pair of upper and lower rails 5 and 6, and is arranged so as to form a travel path 7 by the stacker crane 4 with the article storage shelf 3 interposed therebetween. ing.
Incidentally, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two article storage shelves 3 are arranged side by side. In FIG. 1, the article storage shelf 3 positioned on the right side is referred to as a right article storage shelf 3a, and the left side. The article storage shelf 3 located at the left side will be described as the left article storage shelf 3b.

The right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b have the same configuration, and are composed of a plurality of column members 8 standing up and down, a plurality of shelf members 9 arranged in the horizontal direction, and the like. The plurality of article storage units 2 are arranged in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.
As shown in FIG. 3, each article storage unit 2 includes an arm member 10 fixed to the column member 8, a shelf member 9 fixed to the arm member 10, and the like, and the article F is placed between the pair of shelf members 9. It is configured to be placed.
Each article storage section 2 has two article holding sections 1 in the depth direction, and the article storage section 2 has its front end port and rear end port facing the traveling path 7 side by the stacker crane 4. A storage shelf 3 is installed.

The stacker crane 4 conveys the article F between the carrying section 11 and the unloading section 12 of the article F with respect to the article storage shelf 3 and the article storage section 2 of each article storage shelf 3, as shown in FIG. The front stacker crane 4a for transferring the article F from the front side of the article storage shelf 3 and the rear side stacker crane 4b for transferring the article F from the rear side of the article storage shelf 3 are configured.
The stacker crane 4 located between the article storage shelves 3 acts as a rear stacker crane 4b for the right article storage rack 3a, and a front stacker crane 4a for the left article storage shelf 3b. The rear stacker crane 4b and the front stacker crane 4a are combined.

The front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b have the same configuration except that the direction of transferring the article F is different, and the stacker crane 4 includes a lifting platform 13 that can be moved up and down, and The elevating platform 13 includes a fork 14 that can be expanded and contracted.
As shown in FIG. 3, the fork 14 has a structure in which the extension amount can be changed in multiple stages and can be extended to either of the two article holding parts 1 positioned in the depth direction of the article storage part 2. The article F can be stored and taken out separately from the article holding section 1 located on the front side and the article holding section 1 located on the back side.
That is, the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are configured to be able to transfer the article F to any of the plurality of article holding portions 1 positioned in the depth direction.

  The stacker crane 4 includes a part transfer state in which the article F is transferred to a part of the plurality of article holding units 1 positioned in the depth direction and a part holding in the depth direction. Any part 1 is configured to be switchable to an entire transfer state in which the article F is transferred.

In other words, the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are configured to switch between a partially transferred state and an entire transferred state by adjusting the extension amount of the fork 14.
And in the partial transfer state, the front side stacker crane 4a and the rear side stacker crane 4b are articles with respect to one article holding part 1 located on the near side among the two article holding parts 1 arranged in the depth direction. F is configured to transfer, and in the entire transfer state, the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b transfer the articles F to both of the two article holding portions 1 arranged in the depth direction. Is configured to do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit H includes a microcomputer that stores and manages the article storage state of each article storage unit 1 in the article storage shelf 3 and instructs the stacker crane 4 to operate. The ground side control unit H1 and the stacker crane side control unit H2 mounted on the stacker crane 4 to control the operation of the stacker crane 4 are configured. The ground side control unit H1 and the stacker crane side control unit H2 communicate with each other. It is configured to be possible.

  The control unit H has a front stacker crane 4a and a rear stacker so as to divide the transfer of the articles F onto the plurality of article holding units 1 positioned in the depth direction into the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b. Either the state in which both the crane 4b is switched to the transfer state and the transfer of the article F to the plurality of article holding portions 1 positioned in the depth direction are either the front stacker crane 4a or the rear stacker crane 4b. In order to assign to the state, either one of the front side stacker crane 4a and the rear side stacker crane 4b can be switched to a state of switching to the entire transfer state.

In other words, when both the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are operable, the control unit H controls both the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b. The state is switched to the state of switching to the part transfer state, and the transfer of the article F to the two article holding parts 1 positioned in the depth direction is divided into the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b in the depth direction. Has been.
And when either one of the front side stacker crane 4a and the rear side stacker crane 4b cannot be operated due to a failure or the like, the control unit H can select the front side stacker crane 4a or the rear side stacker crane 4b. One of the operable stackers is switched to the entire transfer state, and the articles are transferred to the article storage rack 3 only by the operable stacker crane 4.

  In this way, the control unit H determines whether the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b depend on whether one of the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b is inoperable due to a failure or the like. These are configured to switch between a state in which both are switched to the transfer state and a state in which one of the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b is switched to the entire transfer state.

  Further, the control unit H, for the stacker crane 4 positioned between the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b, has a right article storage shelf 3a and a left article storage shelf 3b that are adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf 3. A state of switching to a partial transfer state with respect to both, and switching to a partial transfer state of one of the right side article storage shelf 3a and the left side article storage shelf 3b adjacent in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf; On the other hand, it is configured to be switchable to a state of switching to the entire transfer state.

In other words, when both the front stacker crane 4a for the right article storage shelf 3a and the rear stacker crane 4b for the left article storage shelf 3b are operable, the control unit H is connected to the right article storage shelf 3a. The stacker crane 4 positioned between the left article storage shelves 3b is configured to be switched to a state in which the stacker crane 4 is partially transferred to both the right article storage shelves 3a and the left article storage shelves 3b.
Then, in both the right-side article storage shelf 3a and the left-side article storage shelf 3b, the transfer of the article F to the plurality of article holding units 1 positioned in the depth direction is performed in the depth direction, and the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b. It is comprised so that it may divide into.

Further, when one of the front stacker crane 4a with respect to the right article storage shelf 3a and the rear stacker crane 4b with respect to the left article storage shelf 3b cannot be operated due to a failure, the control unit H The stacker crane 4 positioned between the article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b is entirely connected to one of the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b where there is an inoperable scutter crane 4. It is configured to switch to the transfer state and to switch to a state where the other stacker crane 4 that is not operable is partially switched to the transfer state.
Of the right-side article storage shelf 3a and the left-side article storage shelf 3b, only the stacker crane 4 positioned between the right-side article storage shelf 3a and the left-side article storage shelf 3b is present, while the inoperable stacker crane 4 is present. On the other hand, there is no stacker crane 4 that cannot be operated, and on the other hand, the transfer of the article F to the plurality of article holders 1 positioned in the depth direction is performed in the depth direction, and the front stacker crane is transferred. 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are divided.

  In this way, the control unit H determines whether the right-side article storage shelf 3a and the left-side article storage shelf 3b have the right-side article storage shelf 3a and the left-side article depending on whether there is a stacker crane 4 that cannot be operated due to a failure or the like. Regarding the stacker crane 4 positioned between the article storage shelves 3b, a state in which the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b are switched to a partially transferred state, and the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b are stored. Of the shelves 3b, one of the shelves 3b is switched to a partially transferred state and the other is switched to a fully transferred state.

The switching of the transfer state of the stacker crane 4 by the control unit H will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
However, in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the right article holding section 1 of the right article storage shelf 3a is the first article holding section 1a, and the left article holding section 1 of the right article storage shelf 3a is the second article holding section 1b. The right article holding unit 1 on the left article storage shelf 3b will be referred to as a third article holding unit 1c, and the left article holding unit 1 on the left article storage shelf 3b will be described as a fourth article holding unit 1d.

Any of the front stacker crane 4a for the right article storage shelf 3a, the stacker crane 4 positioned between the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b, and the rear stacker crane 4b for the left article storage shelf 3b can be operated. In some cases, as shown in FIG. 4, the article F is transferred to the first article holding section 1a by the front stacker crane 4a, and the second article holding section 1b and the third article holding section 1c are transferred. The article F is transferred by the stacker crane 4 located between the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b, and the rear article stacker crane 4b is used for the fourth article holder 1d. The article F is transferred.
In addition, for example, when only the front stacker crane 4a with respect to the right article storage shelf 3a cannot be operated due to a failure, the first article holding section 1a to the third article holding section 1c are arranged as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the article F is transferred by the stacker crane 4 positioned between the right article storage shelf 3a and the left article storage shelf 3b, and the article is transferred to the fourth article holding portion 1d by the rear stacker crane 4b. F is transferred.

  Further, when both the front stacker crane 4a for the right article storage shelf 3a and the rear stacker crane 4b for the left article storage shelf 3b are inoperable due to a failure, the controller H controls the right article storage shelf 3a. The stacker crane 4 positioned between the left and right article storage shelves 3b is switched to a state where the stacker crane 4 is switched to the entire transfer state for both the right and left article storage shelves 3a and 3b.

When the control unit H switches the stacker crane 4 to the entire transfer state, when the article F is taken out from the article storage unit 2, the article F may exist before the article F to be taken out.
In this case, the control unit H controls the operation of the stacker crane 4 so as to take out the article F to be taken out after temporarily placing the article F in front in the article storage unit 2 where the article F is not stored. Is configured to do.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above embodiment, the control unit H switches the transfer state of the stacker crane 4 depending on whether or not there is a scutter crane 4 that cannot be operated due to a failure or the like. The conditions for switching the transfer state can be changed as appropriate, and the transfer state of the stacker crane 4 may be switched by an artificial setting.

(2) In the above embodiment, the article storage facility in which the two article storage shelves 3 are arranged side by side is illustrated, but the article storage facility in which the three article storage shelves 3 are arranged in parallel, such as an article storage facility in parallel. The number of shelves 3 can be changed as appropriate.

(3) In the above embodiment, the article storage shelf in which the two article holding units 1 are arranged in the depth direction is illustrated as the article storage shelf 3, but the three article holding units 1 are arranged in the depth direction. The number of the article holding units 1 in the depth direction, such as the article storage shelves, can be changed as appropriate.

And when arranging three or more article holding parts 1 side by side in the depth direction, in a state where both the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are partially switched to the transfer state, The article F is divided into a front stacker crane 4a and a rear stacker crane 4b in the depth direction so that the article F is transferred to all of the three or more article holders 1 positioned.
For example, when three article holding parts 1 are arranged side by side in the depth direction, when both the front stacker crane 4a and the rear stacker crane 4b are partially switched to the transfer state, The article F is transferred to the front article holding section 1 and the middle article holding section 1 by the front stacker crane 4a, and the rear article holding section 1 is moved by the rear stacker crane 4b. The article F is transferred.

Top view of the goods storage facility Front view of goods storage facility Plan view showing the article holder Top view of the goods storage facility Top view of the goods storage facility

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Article holding part 2 Article storage part 3 Article storage shelf 4 Transfer apparatus 4a Front side transfer apparatus 4b Rear side transfer apparatus F Article H Control means

Claims (2)

An article storage shelf configured by arranging a plurality of article storage units having a plurality of article holding units in the depth direction vertically and horizontally, a transfer device for transferring an article to each article storage unit in the article storage shelf, and An article storage facility provided with a control means for controlling the operation of the transfer device,
The transfer device includes a front transfer device that transfers the article from the front side of the article storage shelf and a rear transfer device that transfers the article from the rear side of the article storage shelf. And
The front-side transfer device and the rear-side transfer device are configured to be able to transfer an article to any of the article holding units located in the depth direction,
The control means is configured to control operations of the front transfer device and the rear transfer device ,
A partial transfer state in which the front-side transfer device and the rear-side transfer device transfer an article to a part of the article holding unit located in the depth direction on the near side; and a depth It is configured to be switchable to an overall transfer state in which an article is transferred to any of the article holding units located in the direction,
The article storage shelf and the transfer device are juxtaposed so as to be alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf with the article storage portion facing each other,
In order to divide the transfer of the article to the article holding part positioned in the depth direction into the front transfer apparatus and the rear transfer apparatus, the control means transfers the front transfer apparatus and the rear transfer apparatus. A state in which both of the loading device and the loading device are partially switched, and transfer of an article to the article holding portion located in the depth direction is set to one of the front transfer device and the rear transfer device. In order to assign, it is configured to be switchable to a state where either one of the front side transfer device and the rear side transfer device is switched to the whole transfer state,
And about the transfer apparatus located between the said article storage shelves, the state which switches to a partial transfer state with respect to both the article storage shelves adjacent to the front-back direction of the said article storage shelf, and the said article storage shelf An article storage facility configured to be switchable to a state in which one of the article storage shelves adjacent in the front-rear direction is switched to a partial transfer state and the other is switched to an entire transfer state . The article storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the article storage shelf and the transfer device are arranged side by side so as to be alternately arranged in the front-rear direction of the article storage shelf in a state where the transfer device is disposed at both ends. .

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