JP6518376B1 - Automatic warehouse system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: In the case where a load collapse or the like occurs at a deep location of a storage shelf, an operator can move to the location and perform work with ease, so it is easy to use the necessary equipment when working on the storage shelf Provide an automated warehouse system that can be transported to An automatic warehouse system 100 is an automatic warehouse system capable of storing a load 12, and a first carriage 14 for loading the load 12 and moving in a first direction, and moving in a first direction And a second carriage 16 different from the carriage 14. [Selected figure] Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse system.

  There is known an automatic warehouse system capable of efficiently receiving and delivering a large number of loads in a small space. Various configurations have been proposed as an automatic warehouse system. For example, Patent Document 1 includes a transport carriage for carrying in or out a designated article from or to a predetermined storage unit of the storage rack in a large warehouse or the like in which a plurality of storage racks capable of storing a plurality of articles are arranged. The warehouse is listed. In the warehouse described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to self-travel on the rails on which the transport carriages are laid and to access designated storage racks.

JP, 2015-157683, A

The present inventors obtained the following recognition about an automatic warehouse system.
In an automatic warehouse system, it is conceivable to provide a rail connected to each storage rack and to transport the load by a self-propelled carriage on the rail in order to automate loading and unloading of the storage rack. In such an automatic warehouse system, when an event such as a load collapse occurs on a storage rack or a trolley, it is conceivable that a worker manually carries out an operation such as recovery.

When such an event occurs at a deep point of the rail, the worker needs to move to the point and perform work. In this case, in the warehouse described in Patent Document 1, since the storage rack is long in the extending direction of the rails, there is a problem that it is not easy to transport the necessary equipment and move workers when working. is there. Such problems may occur not only for the above-described work but also for various kinds of work such as maintenance and inventory.
From the above, the inventors have recognized that there is room for improvement in the automated warehouse system from the viewpoint of easily transporting the equipment necessary for working on the storage rack.

  The object of the present invention has been made in view of such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic warehouse system capable of easily transporting equipment necessary for working on a storage rack.

In order to solve the above problems, an automatic warehouse system according to one embodiment of the present invention, the storage line each formed by connecting a plurality of storage portions that can be stored a load in a first direction, a plurality comprises automated warehouse system A first carriage for loading a load and moving the storage line in the first direction, and a second carriage for moving the storage line in the first direction and having a configuration different from the first carriage and for carrying a person ; And a control unit that controls movement of the first carriage. The control unit prohibits the loading and unloading of the load within a predetermined range including the target storage unit among the plurality of storage rows when the second carriage moves to the target storage unit, and further, among the plurality of storage rows Control is performed to allow loading and unloading of loads in other storage units excluding a predetermined range .

  According to this aspect, since the second carriage is provided in addition to the first carriage on which the load to be stored is mounted, the work equipment can be easily transported to the work site.

  It is to be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements, and one in which the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention are mutually replaced among methods, systems, etc. is also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic warehouse system capable of easily transporting equipment necessary for working on a storage rack.

It is a top view showing roughly an example of the automatic warehouse system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of the storage shelf of the automatic warehouse system of FIG. It is a front view which shows the automatic warehouse system of FIG. 1 schematically. It is a front view which shows arrangement | positioning of the storage shelf of the automatic warehouse system of FIG. It is a side view which shows roughly an example of the 1st trolley | bogie of the automatic warehouse system of FIG. 1, and a 2nd trolley | bogie. It is a top view of the 1st trolley | bogie of FIG. It is a front view of the 2nd trolley | bogie of FIG. It is a top view which shows roughly an example of the 3rd trolley | bogie of the automatic warehouse system of FIG. It is a side view of the 3rd trolley | bogie of FIG. It is another side view of the 3rd trolley | bogie of FIG. It is a side view which shows the state which mounted the 2nd trolley | bogie of FIG. 5 on the pallet. It is a top view which shows roughly an example of the stacker crane of 2nd Embodiment. It is a side view of the stacker crane of FIG. It is a side view showing the 2nd bogie in the state where it was placed on a rail concerning a modification. It is a side view showing the 2nd bogie in the state where it was placed on another rail concerning a modification.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the preferred first embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, the comparative example, and the modification, the same or equivalent constituent elements and members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, dimensions of members in each drawing are shown appropriately enlarged or reduced for easy understanding. In each drawing, a part of members which are not important in describing the embodiment is omitted and displayed.
Also, although terms including first and second ordinal numbers are used to describe various components, this term is used only to distinguish one component from another component, and this term The constituent elements are not limited by

First Embodiment
The structure of the automatic warehouse system 100 which concerns on 1st Embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1-4 is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the automatic warehouse system 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the storage racks 20 of the automatic warehouse system 100. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing the automatic warehouse system 100. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the arrangement of the storage racks 20 of the automatic warehouse system 100. As shown in FIG. In these figures, the description of pillars and beams not important for the description is omitted, and the same applies to the following figures.

  For convenience of explanation, as shown in the figure, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in which a certain horizontal direction is the X-axis direction, a horizontal direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction is the Y-axis direction, and a direction orthogonal to both, ie, the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction Determine The positive direction of each of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis is defined in the direction of the arrow in each drawing, and the negative direction is defined in the direction opposite to the arrow. Also, the positive direction side of the X axis may be referred to as "right side", and the negative direction side of the X axis may be referred to as "left side". Also, the positive side of the Y axis is referred to as "front side", the negative side of the Y axis as "back side", the positive side of the Z axis as "upper side", and the negative side of the Z axis as "lower side". is there. Such a notation of directions does not limit the configuration of the automatic warehouse system 100, and the automatic warehouse system 100 can be used in any configuration depending on the application. Although the following description will be made using the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction may intersect at about 90 degrees even if they are not orthogonal to each other.

  First, the overall configuration of the automatic warehouse system 100 will be described. The automatic warehouse system 100 is a system including a storage rack 20 capable of storing a large number of loads 12. The automated warehouse system 100 includes a storage rack 20, a first carriage 14, a second carriage 16, a third carriage 18, a first rail 40, a second rail 44, a power feeding unit 34, and an elevating mechanism 36. , And the control unit 48. The storage rack 20 stores the load 12. In the first embodiment, the X-axis direction is exemplified as the first direction, and the Y-axis direction is exemplified as the second direction. The first rail 40 is connected to the storage unit 26 and extends in the X-axis direction. The feed unit 34 is a feed line extending in the Y-axis direction in the vicinity of the second rail 44. The feed unit 34 may be referred to as a trolley wire.

  The first carriage 14 travels on the first rail 40 in the X-axis direction. The second carriage 16 is another carriage different from the first carriage 14 and travels on the first rail 40 in the X-axis direction in the same manner as the first carriage 14. The second carriage 16 can transport workers and work equipment to the target storage unit 20p to be a work target. The third carriage 18 travels on the second rail 44 in the Y-axis direction. When the first carriage 14, the second carriage 16, and the third carriage 18 are collectively referred to, they may be simply referred to as a "cart". When the first carriage 14, the third carriage 18, the first rail 40, and the second rail 44 are collectively referred to, they may be simply referred to as an "internal conveyance mechanism". The control unit 48 controls the operation of the first carriage 14 and the third carriage 18. The elevating mechanism 36 raises and lowers the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 in the Z-axis direction between the storage stages 22.

  In the first embodiment, the load 12 is handled on the pallet 12p. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the load 12 may be handled alone without using the pallet. Conveying the load 12 with the load 12 placed on the pallet 12 p is simply referred to as transferring the load 12.

(Storage shelf)
The storage rack 20 is a so-called high density storage type storage space capable of storing a large number of loads 12. The configuration of the storage rack 20 is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate and store a plurality of loads 12. In this example, the storage rack 20 includes a plurality of (for example, three) storage stages 22 layered in the vertical direction. A load 12 is introduced to the storage stage 22 of each stage by a forklift or the like. Each storage stage 22 includes a plurality (for example, six) of storage rows 24 arranged in the Y-axis direction, and each storage row 24 includes a plurality (for example, six) storage sections 26 connected in the X-axis direction. . The storage unit 26 is a unit for storing the load 12. At an end of each storage row 24 on the second rail 44 side, an inlet / outlet portion 24 b for taking in and out the load 12 is provided.

(rail)
The first rail 40 extends in the X axis direction in the storage row 24. The second rail 44 extends in the Y-axis direction in the vicinity of the entrance 24 b of the storage row 24. The first rail 40 and the second rail 44 may be simply referred to as rails.

(1st truck)
Next, the first carriage 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing an example of the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the first carriage 14. In FIG. 5, the storage rack 20 includes a plurality of vertical columns 20 n extending in the Z-axis direction and a plurality of cross beams 20 m extending in the Y-axis direction. The plurality of vertical columns 20 n and the plurality of cross beams 20 m are arranged at predetermined intervals to form a framework of the storage rack 20. In this example, the cross section along the YZ plane perpendicular to the extending direction of the first rail 40 (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a cross section) has a square C-shape. The angular C-shape also includes shapes with different upper and lower widths and a square U-shape with an angle. The first rail 40 is mainly supported by the cross beam 20 m. The upper surface of the first rail 40 is configured to be able to mount the load 12, and functions as the storage unit 26.

  The first carriage 14 travels the first rail 40 in the storage row 24 in the X-axis direction to transport the load 12. The first carriage 14 takes the load 12 in and out of the storage unit 26. The first carriage 14 travels on the third carriage 18 in the X-axis direction in order to get on and off the third carriage 18.

  The first carriage 14 mainly includes a vehicle body 14b, a mounting portion 14c, a lift mechanism 14d, and a plurality of (for example, four) wheels 14f. The vehicle body 14 b has an outline of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is flat in the vertical direction. Inside the vehicle body 14b, a motor (not shown) for driving the plurality of wheels 14f, a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the motor, and a battery (not shown) are mounted. The first carriage 14 is configured to drive the motor by the power of the battery. The battery may be a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery that can be repeatedly charged.

  The placement unit 14 c is a portion that lifts and holds the load 12. The lift mechanism 14d is a mechanism that raises and lowers the placement unit 14c. In FIG. 5, the mounting portion 14c indicated by P is in the raised state, and the mounting portion 14c indicated by Q is in the lowered state. The lift mechanism 14 d can lift the load 12 from the storage unit 26 by raising the placement unit 14 c. The lift mechanism 14 d can lower the loading unit 14 c to lower the load 12 into the storage unit 26. The plurality of wheels 14 f can roll on the first rail 40 and the third carriage 18.

(2nd truck)
Next, the second carriage 16 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7. FIG. 7 is a front view of the second carriage 16. The second carriage 16 travels on the first rail 40 in the X-axis direction separately from the first carriage 14, and transports the workers 8 and the work equipment to the target storage unit 20p (also see FIG. 1). It is a truck for. The second carriage 16 includes a drive mechanism 16a, a vehicle body 16b, a floor portion 16c, an axle 16d, a fall prevention mechanism 16e, a plurality of (for example, four) wheels 16f, a brake mechanism 16m, and a brake control mechanism 16n. And.

  The drive mechanism 16a is a mechanism for rotationally driving the wheel 16f. The vehicle body 16 b has an outline of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is flat in the vertical direction. The driven gear 16k is mounted inside the vehicle body 16b. The driven gear 16k is one of the components of the drive mechanism 16a. The floor portion 16c is a plate-like member provided above the vehicle body 16b, and in this example, the worker 8 and equipment for work can be mounted. In this case, the worker 8 or a work member can be mounted and moved to the target storage unit 20p. In particular, the second carriage 16 is for carrying a person such as the worker 8, and has a safety measure described later. In this case, the worker 8 or the like can be placed on the second carriage 16 and safely moved on the first rail 40 to the target storage unit 20p. The floor portion 16c may be provided with a plurality of holes so that the worker 8 can view the lower side from the floor portion 16c. The floor portion 16c may include a lattice-like or mesh-like portion.

  The axle 16d is an axis for mounting the wheel 16f. In this example, two axles 16 d extending in the Y-axis direction are provided separately in the X-axis direction. One axle 16d is coupled to the center of the driven gear 16k, and transmits the rotational force from the drive mechanism 16a to the wheel 16f. The four wheels 16 f are disposed at the four corners of the vehicle body 16 b and can roll on the first rail 40 and the third carriage 18.

(Drive mechanism)
The drive mechanism 16a will be specifically described. The drive mechanism 16a rotationally drives a part or all of the plurality of wheels 16f by electric operation, human power, or a combination of these. In this example, two wheels 16 f are manually driven. In this case, since the second carriage 16 does not travel unless the worker 8 is manually driven, it is possible to reduce the possibility of the second carriage 16 traveling unintentionally and to improve safety. In this example, the drive mechanism 16a includes a drive gear 16g, a handle 16h, a chain 16j, and a driven gear 16k.

  The drive gear 16g is a chain wheel rotatably provided above the floor 16c. The handle 16h is a handle provided to the drive gear 16g, and can be rotated by the worker 8 to rotate the drive gear 16g. The chain 16 j is a mechanical element that is bridged between the drive gear 16 g and the driven gear 16 k and transmits the driving force therebetween. The chain 16j may be referred to as a roller chain. The driven gear 16k is a chain wheel fixed to one axle 16d below the floor portion 16c. The driven gear 16k rotates in response to the rotation of the drive gear 16g. The wheel 16f is provided on the axle 16d, and is rotationally driven according to the rotation of the driven gear 16k.

(Fall prevention mechanism)
The fall prevention mechanism 16 e is a mechanism for preventing a person or equipment from falling from the second carriage 16. In this example, the fall prevention mechanism 16e is a fence that extends upward from the end of the floor portion 16c and divides the space. This fence may be provided on each of the four sides surrounding the second carriage 16. In this example, the fence is provided in parallel to the XZ plane on the front side and the back side of the second carriage 16 and is not provided on the side. In this case, the worker 8 can easily get on and off the second carriage 16 from the side, and can easily work by extending the arm from the side. In addition, a fence may be provided on the side surface (surface parallel to the YZ plane) side of the second carriage 16. It is preferable that the height of the side fences be lower than the height of the front and back fences. In this case, it is possible not to impair the ease of operation and the ease of getting on and off. Moreover, it is preferable that at least one of the side fences is attached to be openable and closable. In this case, even if a fence is provided on the side, the operator 8 can easily get on and off. Furthermore, a safety belt may be provided with one end connected to the fence as the fall prevention mechanism 16e. By wrapping the safety belt around the body of the worker 8, the safety can be further enhanced.

(Brake mechanism)
If the second truck 16 moves when getting on / off, when working, or mounted on the third truck 18, the safety may be lost. Therefore, the second carriage 16 of the first embodiment has a brake mechanism 16m for restricting the movement of the second carriage 16. In this case, when the brake mechanism 16m is ON, the movement of the second carriage 16 is restricted, so that the worker 8 can safely get on and off or work. In this example, the brake mechanism 16m is provided in such a manner that it can be easily operated from the inside of the second carriage 16.

  Various known mechanisms can be used as the brake mechanism 16m. In this example, the brake mechanism 16m includes a brake lever (not shown) for operating the brake mechanism 16m ON and OFF. The brake mechanism 16m turns on when the brake lever is released, and restricts the movement of the second carriage 16. When the brake mechanism 16m grips the brake lever, the brake mechanism 16m is in the OFF state, and allows the second carriage 16 to move. That is, the brake mechanism 16m can maintain the ON state as long as the worker 8 does not grip the brake lever, and can prevent an unintended movement.

(Brake control mechanism)
If the brake mechanism 16m is unintentionally turned off due to any cause, the second carriage 16 may move and the safety may be lost. Therefore, the second carriage 16 of the first embodiment has a brake control mechanism 16n that controls ON / OFF of the brake mechanism 16m. In this case, when the brake control mechanism 16n is ON, the movement of the second carriage 16 is restricted even when the brake mechanism 16m is OFF, so the safety is further improved. In this example, the brake control mechanism 16 n is provided in such a manner as to be operable from the outside of the second carriage 16.

  The brake control mechanism 16n includes a control lever (not shown) for operating the brake control mechanism 16n ON and OFF. The brake control mechanism 16 n is turned on when the control lever is set to the first position, and restricts the movement of the second carriage 16 regardless of the state of the brake lever. The brake control mechanism 16 n is turned off when the control lever is set to the second position, and permits or restricts the movement of the second carriage 16 according to the operation state of the brake lever. That is, by setting the control lever of the brake control mechanism 16n to the first position, it is possible to maintain the state of restricting the movement even if the brake lever is operated erroneously, and to prevent the unintended movement.

The second carriage 16 is restricted in movement as follows by including the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n.
(I) When the brake control mechanism 16n is ON, the movement of the second carriage 16 is restricted regardless of whether the brake mechanism is ON / OFF.
(Ii) When the brake control mechanism 16 n is off and the brake mechanism 16 m is on, the movement of the second carriage 16 is restricted.
(Iii) When the brake control mechanism 16 n is off and the brake mechanism 16 m is off, the movement of the second carriage 16 is not restricted.
By this configuration, even if one of the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n is operated by mistake, the movement of the second carriage 16 can be restricted and the work can be performed safely.

(3rd truck)
Next, the third carriage 18 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the third carriage 18. FIG. 9 is a side view of the third carriage 18, showing a state in which the first carriage 14 is mounted. FIG. 10 is another side view of the third carriage 18, showing a state in which the second carriage 16 is mounted. The third carriage 18 travels along the second rail 44 in the Y-axis direction. The third carriage 18 transports the first carriage 14 in an empty state or in a state in which the load 12 is mounted. The third carriage 18 conveys the second carriage 16.

  The third carriage 18 mainly includes a vehicle body 18b, a recess 18c, a plurality of (for example, four) wheels 18f, and a current collection unit 38. The vehicle body 18 b has an outline of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is flat in the vertical direction. Inside the vehicle body 18b, a motor (not shown) for driving each wheel 18f and a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the motor are mounted. The wheels 18 f travel on the second rail 44. The current collection unit 38 contacts the power supply unit 34 described later to receive the supply of power. The third carriage 18 receives power from the power supply unit 34 via the current collection unit 38. The third carriage 18 is configured to drive the motor by the received power.

(Feeding part)
The power supply unit 34 will be described also with reference to FIG. The power feeding unit 34 is a member for feeding power to the third carriage 18. The third carriage 18 may be configured to be constantly supplied with power from the power supply unit 34. For this reason, the power feeding unit 34 is configured to be capable of always feeding power to the third carriage 18. As described above, the feeding unit 34 extends in the vicinity of the second rail 44 along the Y-axis direction. The power feeding unit 34 functions as a contact wire for feeding power to the third carriage 18 through the current collecting unit 38.

(Recess)
It returns to FIGS. 8-10. The third carriage 18 has a recessed portion 18 c of a concave shape for mounting the first carriage 14 or the second carriage 16 (hereinafter referred to as a “loading carriage”). The recess 18 c is formed downward from the upper surface of the vehicle body 18 b in order to mount the mounting carriage. The size of the recess 18c is such that a sufficient amount of margin is added to the size of the mounting carriage so that the mounting carriage can travel in the X-axis direction without interfering with the periphery of the recess 18c. The mounting carriage travels on the recess 18c. Inside the recess 18c, there are a bottom 18h extending on the lower plane, and a pair of side walls 18j extending upward from both sides in the Y-axis direction of the bottom 18h. The bottom portion 18 h is a part of a traveling path on which the mounting carriage travels in the X-axis direction. The pair of side wall portions 18 j face the side wall of the vehicle body of the mounting carriage in the Y-axis direction via a narrow gap.

(Control unit)
Returning to FIG. 1, the control unit 48 will be described. The control unit 48 has a movement control mode for controlling movement of the second carriage 16 to the target storage unit and a normal control mode not using the second carriage 16, and these modes are based on the operation result from the user. Switch. In the normal control mode, the control unit 48 controls the operation of the first carriage 14 and the third carriage 18 based on the operation result from the user. In the movement control mode, the control unit 48 controls the operation of the first carriage 14, the second carriage 16, and the third carriage 18 based on the operation result from the user. The control unit 48 can be configured to include, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The above is the description of the entire configuration of the automatic warehouse system 100.

(Loading and unloading operation)
Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the loading / unloading operation of the automatic warehouse system 100 configured as described above will be described. The automated warehouse system 100 uses the forklift 50 to carry the load 12 from the outside of the warehouse into the storage unit 30. The automatic warehouse system 100 transports and stores the load 12 carried into the storage unit 30 to a predetermined storage unit 26 by an internal transfer mechanism including the first carriage 14 and the third carriage 18. The automatic warehouse system 100 transports the load 12 stored in the predetermined storage unit 26 to the delivery unit 32 by the internal transport mechanism. The automated warehouse system 100 uses the forklift 50 to carry the load 12 transported to the delivery unit 32 out of the warehouse.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 11, the pallet 16p for storing and transporting the second carriage 16 will be described. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a state where the second carriage 16 is placed on the storage and transport pallet 16p. The second carriage 16 may be stored and transported alone, but in this example, the second carriage 16 is stored and transported together with the pallet 16p in a state of being mounted on the pallet 16p. In this case, it is possible to reduce the effort required for transshipment during storage and transport of the second carriage 16.

  In the example of FIG. 11, the pallet 16p is provided with a fork pocket 16q and an L-shaped block 16s. The L-shaped block 16s is fixed to the fork pocket 16q. By providing the fork pockets 16q, the second carriage 16 in a state of being placed on the pallet 16p can be easily transported by a forklift. By providing the L-shaped block 16s, the pallet 16p can restrict the lateral movement of the second carriage 16. Since the L-shaped block 16s is open at the top, the degree of freedom of the second carriage 16 can be increased. Instead of the L-shaped block 16s, another mechanism or member capable of restricting the lateral movement may be provided. In the state where the second carriage 16 is placed on the pallet 16p, the possibility of the second carriage 16 moving on the pallet can be reduced by keeping the brake control mechanism 16n in the ON state.

(how to use)
Next, an example of how to use the second carriage 16 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 11. When using the second carriage 16, the control unit 48 is switched from the normal control mode to the movement control mode by the operation of the user. In the example of FIG. 1, the second carriage 16 is stored in a predetermined standby place 16 u outside the storage rack 20 in a state of being mounted on the pallet 16 p. When the second carriage 16 is used, the second carriage 16 is transported by the forklift 50 from the waiting place 16 u together with the pallet 16 p to the elevating mechanism 36 and transferred to the elevating mechanism 36. In this state, the second carriage 16 is elevated by the elevation mechanism 36 to the side of the second rail 44 on which the third carriage 18 of the target storage stage 22 stands by. At this time, the second carriage 16 is raised to the height of the third carriage 18 of the target storage stage 22 for each pallet 16 p. At this time, the second carriage 16 is lifted to a position lower than the height by which the first carriage 14 carrying the ordinary load 12 is lifted by the height of the pallet 16p. That is, in this state, the lower end position of the wheel 16f of the second carriage 16 becomes the height of the recess 18c of the third carriage 18, and the second carriage 16 is released from the pallet 16p by releasing the brake of the second carriage 16. It can be easily transferred to the recess 18c. In this state, an empty pallet 16p remains on the lifting mechanism 36.

  The third carriage 18 carrying the second carriage 16 is transported in the Y-axis direction to the target storage line 24. At this time, from the viewpoint of safety, it is desirable that the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n be in the ON state so that no person is placed on the second carriage 16. When the third carriage 18 arrives at the target storage line 24, the worker 8 moves on the stairs and the second rail 44 provided separately to the target storage line 24. From the viewpoint of safety, it is desirable that floor plates be provided between the second rails 44. When arriving at the target storage line 24, the worker 8 turns off the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n, transfers the second carriage 16 from the recess 18c to the first rail 40 via the entrance 24b, and brakes The mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n are turned ON.

  The worker 8 gets on the second carriage 16 on the first rail 40, and turns off the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n. In this state, the worker 8 rotates the handle 16 h of the drive mechanism 16 a and causes the second carriage 16 to travel toward the target storage unit 20 p on the first rail 40. When arriving at the target storage unit 20p, the worker 8 turns on the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n to start the target work.

  When the target work is completed, the worker 8 turns off the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n, reversely rotates the handle 16h, and causes the second carriage 16 to travel toward the entrance 24b. When arriving at the entrance 24b, the worker 8 gets off and transfers the second carriage 16 to the recess 18c. Once transferred, the worker 8 turns on the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n of the second carriage 16. In this state, the worker 8 goes out of the storage rack 20 along the second rail 44 and the stairs.

  In addition, although the form which the operator 8 does not get on during movement to the Y-axis direction of the 2nd trolley | bogie 16 and raising / lowering was demonstrated here, the worker 8 gets on during the Y-axis direction movement, and raising / lowering. It is also good. However, in this case, since the second carriage moves electrically and not manually while moving in the Y-axis direction and moving up and down, it is necessary to secure safety separately.

When the worker 8 comes out, the third carriage 18 mounted with the second carriage 16 is caused to travel to a position beside the lift mechanism 36. When arriving at the side of the lifting mechanism 36, the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n are turned off, and the second carriage 16 is transferred to the pallet 16p on the lifting mechanism 36. When the second carriage 16 is transferred to the pallet 16p, the brake mechanism 16m and the brake control mechanism 16n are turned ON. In this state, the second carriage 16 is lowered to the height of the forklift 50 by the elevating mechanism 36 and transferred to the forklift 50. The forklift 50 conveys the second carriage 16 together with the pallets 16p to the standby location 16u for unloading. In this state, the second carriage 16 is stored in the waiting place 16u together with the pallet 16p.
The above is the description of the method of using the second carriage 16. This usage is merely an example, and other procedures may be added, some procedures may be changed or deleted, and the order of procedures may be changed.

  When the second carriage 16 is used as described above, the loading / unloading operation described above may be performed for the storage stage 22 other than the target storage stage 22, or the storage stage near the target storage stage 22. The loading and unloading operations may not be performed at 22 or the loading and unloading operations may not be performed on the entire storage shelf 20. More specifically, control may be performed as follows.

  When in the movement control mode, the control unit 48 may perform control to prohibit loading and unloading (loading and unloading operations) of the load 12 to and from the storage unit 26 in the predetermined range to which the target storage unit 20p belongs. In this case, it is possible to prevent the operation of the first carriage 14 from being an obstacle to the operation of the second carriage 16 in the prohibited predetermined range. Further, in the movement control mode, control is performed such that loading and unloading (loading and unloading operations) of the load 12 is permitted to the storage unit 26 excluding the storage unit 26 in the predetermined range among the plurality of storage units 26. May be In this case, since the loading / unloading operation can be performed on the storage unit 26 excluding the storage unit 26 in the predetermined range, the decrease in the operation efficiency of the automatic warehouse system 100 can be suppressed. That is, the operation (for example, maintenance) of the target storage unit can be performed without stopping the operation of the entire storage rack 20.

Hereinafter, a setting example of the storage unit in a predetermined range will be described with reference to FIG.
(Setting Example 1) Among the storage units 26 of the storage row 24 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs, even if the target storage unit 20p and the storage unit 20q on the back side of the target storage unit 20p are set as storage units in a predetermined range. Good. In this case, the loading and unloading operations of the load 12 with respect to the target storage unit 20p and the storage unit 20q on the back side (the opposite side to the entrance 24b) from the target storage unit 20p are prohibited. The loading / unloading operation of the load 12 is permitted for the storage unit 20s closer to the entrance / exit 24b. The loading / unloading operation of the load 12 is performed to storage units other than the storage line 24 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs.

Setting Example 2 The storage unit 26 of the storage line 24 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs may be set as a storage unit of a predetermined range. In this case, loading and unloading of the load 12 with respect to the target storage unit 20p, the storage unit 20s closer to the entrance 24b than the target storage unit 20p, and the storage unit 20q further to the rear than the target storage unit 20p The loading / unloading operation of the load 12 is performed to storage units other than the storage row 24 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs. In other words, the loading / unloading operation of the load 12 is performed on the storage unit 26 of the storage rack 20 excluding the storage row 24 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs.

Setting Example 3 The storage unit 26 of the storage stage 22 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs may be set as a storage unit of a predetermined range. In this case, the loading and unloading operations of the load 12 to all the storage units 26 of one storage stage 22 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs is prohibited, and each stage excluding the storage stage 22 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs The loading / unloading operation of the load 12 is performed on the storage unit 26 of the storage stage 22 of FIG.

Setting Example 4 All the storage units 26 of the storage rack 20 to which the target storage unit 20p belongs may be set as a storage unit of a predetermined range. In this setting, in the movement control mode, the loading / unloading operation of the loads 12 to all the storage units 26 is prohibited.

  From the viewpoint of safety, the second carriage 16 may be provided with a ceiling (not shown). The ceiling functions to separate the safe space and to protect the workers 8 from falling objects. The ceiling may be plate-like or net-like.

Second Embodiment
The structure of the automatic warehouse system 200 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment with reference to FIG. 12, FIG. 13 is demonstrated. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the third carriage is different, and the other configurations are the same, and the differences will be mainly described. In the second embodiment, the stacker crane 66 and the elevating mechanism 64 provided on the stacker crane 66 are illustrated as the third carriage.

  FIG. 12 is a plan view schematically showing the stacker crane 66. As shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a side view of the stacker crane 66. As shown in FIG. FIG. 13 shows the stacker crane 66 with the second carriage 16 mounted. In the second embodiment, the second rail 44 is provided only at the lowermost stage, and includes a stacker crane 66 moving on the second rail 44 in the Y-axis direction instead of the third carriage 18. The stacker crane 66 has an elevation mechanism 64, and can raise and lower the mounting carriage (the first carriage 14 or the second carriage 16) in the Z-axis direction. In addition, the stacker crane 66 can transport the mounted loading bogie in the Y-axis direction. That is, in the second embodiment, the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction (height direction) are illustrated as the second direction.

  The stacker crane 66 mainly includes a base portion 66b, a recess 18c, four wheels 18f, a pair of columns 66h, an elevating mechanism 64, and a current collecting unit 38. The base portion 67 b is a plate-like member which is provided in the lower part of the stacker crane 66 and which is flat in the vertical direction. The base portion 66b is mounted with a motor (not shown) for driving the wheel 18f. As an example, the stacker crane 66 is configured to drive the motor by the power received from the power feeding unit 34 laid on the upper side by the current collection unit 38.

  The recess 18 c is configured to be movable up and down in a state in which the mounting carriage is mounted. The four wheels 18f are rotatably supported at four corners of the base 66b. The pair of columns 66 h is columns extending in the vertical direction, and guides the recess 18 c so as to be able to move up and down. The pair of columns 66 h is separated in the Y-axis direction so as to sandwich the recess 18 c therebetween and is fixed to the base 66 b. The support 66 h has, for example, a substantially rectangular cross section in top view. The elevating mechanism 64 is a mechanism for vertically moving the recess 18 c up and down. The lifting mechanism 64 is provided on the base 66b in the vicinity of the support 66h. The raising and lowering mechanism 64 raises and lowers the recess 18 c by winding and sending a wire rope (not shown) hanging the recess 18 c. With this configuration, the recess 18 c functions as a liftable elevating table. The stacker crane 66 travels the second rail 44 by rotating the four wheels 18 f on the second rail 44. The stacker crane 66 can travel on the second rail 44 with the load 12 and the loading carriage mounted thereon.

  The second embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment.

  The above has been described based on each embodiment of the present invention. These embodiments are illustrative, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and such variations and modifications are also within the scope of the claims of the present invention. It is about to be Accordingly, the descriptions and drawings herein are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

(Modification)
Hereinafter, modified examples will be described. In the drawings and description of the modified examples, the same components or members as those of the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The description overlapping with the embodiment is appropriately omitted, and the configuration different from the first embodiment is mainly described.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the first rail 40 has a C-shaped vertical cross section perpendicular to the extending direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the first rail 40 may be any as long as the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 can travel, and may be, for example, an L-shape or a Z-shape. FIG. 14 shows the second carriage 16 mounted on the first rail 40 (A) having an L-shaped cross section, and FIG. 15 shows the state mounted on the first rail 40 (B) having a Z-shaped cross section The second carriage 16 of FIG.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the drive mechanism 16a transmits the rotational force to the wheel 16f using the chain 16j, but the present invention is not limited to this. A known transmission mechanism other than the chain 16 j may be used as the drive mechanism 16 a. The drive mechanism 16a may be configured using a gear train or a worm gear.

  Although the worker 8 moves along the second rail 44 in the description of the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. A passage for the worker 8 to move may be provided separately from the second rail 44.

  Although the example in which the floor is not provided between the first rails 40 has been described in the description of the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. A plate-like or net-like floor may be provided between the first rails 40.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the elevating mechanism 36 raises and lowers the first carriage and the second carriage 16 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The raising and lowering mechanism 36 may move the load 12 instead of the first carriage 14 directly in the Z-axis direction between the storage stages 22.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the second carriage 16 is driven by rotating the handle, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second carriage 16 may be driven by pedaling with a leg.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the second carriage 16 is configured to move manually is shown. However, the second carriage 16 may be driven electrically. However, unlike the first carriage 14 and the third carriage 18, the second carriage 16 is for carrying a person, and therefore, high safety is required. In view of this point, in the first embodiment, the second carriage 16 is manually moved to enhance the safety. However, the second carriage 16 may also be configured to move electrically as long as security is ensured. The second carriage 16 is basically driven by human power, but may be configured to apply an assisting force by a motor or the like. Further, the second carriage 16 may be manually driven only when a person is on, and may be driven by a motor when no person is on.

  Although the example provided with the 3rd truck 18 was shown in explanation of a 1st embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may have a configuration in which the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 are provided and the third carriage 18 is not provided. For example, a plurality of first rails 40 extending in the X-axis direction are provided in the Y-axis direction, the load is moved to an arbitrary position in the Y-axis direction by a forklift or the like, and the first carriage 14 on the first rail 40 is loaded , And then the first carriage 14 may move in the X-axis direction to load the load to the storage position.

  In the description of the first embodiment, an example in which the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 move on the same rail (first rail 40) is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rails for the first carriage 14 and the rails for the second carriage 16 may be provided, and the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 may move on separate rails. However, when the first carriage 14 and the second carriage 16 move the same rail, the number of rails can be reduced, so that many storage rows 24 can be provided, leading to an increase in the number of storages in the warehouse. .

  The second carriage 16 may be configured to be partially foldable. The second carriage 16 may be provided with a fork pocket.

  You may provide the raising / lowering apparatus which raises / lowers the 3rd trolley | bogie 18 up and down. In this case, the third carriage 18 can be moved between the stages.

  It is not essential to provide the first carriages 14 in each row of each row, and the first carriages 14 may not be provided in each row.

  The storage rack 20 may be composed of one storage row 24. The storage rack 20 may be composed of one storage line 24.

  It is not essential to configure the number of storage units 26 of the storage line 24 uniformly. The number of storage units 26 constituting the storage rows 24 may be provided with a large number of rows and a small number of rows depending on the unevenness of the wall of the building that accommodates the storage racks 20.

  It is not essential to uniformly configure the number of storage rows 24 stacked vertically. Depending on the height of the ceiling of the building that accommodates the storage shelves 20, the number of levels of the storage rows 24 may be an area with a large number of levels and an area with a small number of levels.

  It is not essential that the load 12 include a pallet 12p. The automated warehouse system may handle loads that do not include pallets.

  Instead of the forklift, the load 12 may be carried in and out by another type of transfer device such as a transfer device equipped with a crane.

  Each of these modifications has the same effect as that of the first embodiment.

  Any combination of the embodiments and variations described above is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. The new embodiments resulting from the combination combine the effects of each of the combined embodiments and variants.

  12 ... load, 14 ... first carriage, 16 ... second truck, 16a ... driving mechanism, 16e ... drop preventing mechanism, 16m ... brake mechanism, 16n ... brake control mechanism, 16u ... waiting position 18 third truck 20 storage shelf 20p target storage unit 22 storage stage 24 storage line 26 storage unit 36 lifting mechanism 40 first part Rail, 44 · · Second rail, 48 · · Control unit, 50 · · Forklift, 66 · · Stacker crane, 100, 200 · · Automatic warehouse system.

Claims (6)

An automatic warehouse system comprising a plurality of storage lines formed by connecting a plurality of storage units each capable of storing loads in a first direction ,
A first carriage for loading a load and moving the storage line in the first direction;
A second carriage for moving the storage line in the first direction and having a configuration different from the first carriage and for carrying a person ;
A control unit that controls movement of the first carriage;
Equipped with
The control unit prohibits loading and unloading of a load within a predetermined range including the target storage unit among the plurality of storage rows when the second carriage moves to a target storage unit, and An automatic warehouse system characterized in that control is performed so as to allow loading and unloading of loads in other storage sections excluding the predetermined range among the storage lines of the above .   The automatic warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined range includes all storage units of storage lines to which the target storage unit belongs.   The automatic warehouse system comprises a plurality of storage stages each having a plurality of storage lines and layered vertically in the layers,
  The automatic warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined range includes all storage sections of storage stages to which the target storage section belongs among the plurality of storage stages.   The control unit is configured to be able to switch between a control mode in which the second carriage is movably controlled to the target storage unit and a control mode in which the second carriage is not used. Automatic warehouse system according to any one of 3.   The automatic warehouse system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a third carriage mounted on the second carriage and transported in a second direction crossing the first direction.   The automated warehouse system comprises a storage shelf having a plurality of storage rows and including a plurality of storage stages stacked vertically in layers;
  When using the said 2nd trolley | bogie, the said 2nd trolley | bogie stored out of the said storage shelf is mounted in the said 3rd trolley | bogie, and it conveys to the storage line to which the said object storage part belongs. Automatic warehouse system described.

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