JP6848676B2 - Picking system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a picking system that automatically picks articles contained in luggage and stores them in a container.

Conventionally, a picking system that assists picking work by using an automated warehouse equipped with a rack for storing luggage and a transport device capable of transporting luggage along the rack and transferring the luggage to and from the rack. Has been proposed. Specifically, the automated warehouse stores a large number of packages containing a plurality of the same goods and a large number of packages containing a plurality of goods of a type different from the above-mentioned goods, and stores the goods corresponding to the order. The loaded luggage is automatically transported to the picking area where the worker waits by using a transport device or the like. The worker performs a picking operation in which the number of articles corresponding to the order is stored in the container from the automatically transported packages.

By the way, it is desirable that the operating area of a relatively large transport device provided in an automated warehouse such as a stacker crane does not intersect with the area where an operator performs picking work. Therefore, luggage has been transported from the automated warehouse to the picking area using a relatively safe roller conveyor or the like. In addition, a transport device is used to transport the luggage to a predetermined location on the rack located at the end of the automated warehouse, and the worker takes out the luggage from the side opposite to the operating area of the transport device with respect to the rack, and the automated warehouse. There is a picking system in which an operator performs a picking operation on the outside of the outer periphery of the (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2012/032866

In recent years, it has been proposed and is being realized by a picking robot to realize a picking operation of taking out a predetermined item from a baggage and storing it in a container. When using a picking robot in this way, in consideration of safety and maintainability, an area larger than the total movable range of the picking robot must be secured outside the rack arranged at the end of the automated warehouse, and picking must be performed. There was a problem that the system could not be made compact.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a picking system in which a picking robot is arranged without requiring a large space.

In order to achieve the above object, the picking system, which is one of the present inventions, includes a rack having holding portions for holding luggage arranged side by side in the vertical direction and in the horizontal axis direction which is an arbitrary axis orthogonal to the vertical direction. The transfer device for transferring the load to and from the holding portion of the rack is arranged along the rack, and the transfer device is arranged in the rack surface, which is the surface on which the plurality of holding portions of the rack are arranged. , The supply unit to which the luggage containing the goods to be picked is transferred, and the articles arranged in the vicinity of the side of the supply unit in the rack surface and picked from the luggage transferred to the supply unit. A chute that is thrown in a falling state, a picking robot that is arranged in the rack surface and takes out an article from a load arranged in the supply unit and puts the article into the chute, and a picking robot that is arranged below the chute and said. It is characterized by including a receiving unit in which a container for accommodating an article put into a chute is arranged.

According to this, the supply part where the luggage which is the supply source of the goods is arranged and the receiving part where the container which is the supply destination of the goods is arranged are arranged above and below the rack surface by using a chute. Can be done. Further, since the picking robot that performs the picking work is housed in the rack surface, the picking system can be made compact.

Note that the term "accommodated in the rack surface" means not only a state in which the picking robot or the like is completely accommodated in the rack, but also includes a case where a part of the picking robot, for example, a drive unit such as a motor protrudes. It is used in the meaning.

Further, the picking robot includes a picking hand that can hold the article, an elevating rail that guides the picking hand in the vertical direction, a horizontal rail that guides the picking hand in the horizontal axis direction, and a horizontal axis in a horizontal axis. A vertical rail that guides the picking hand in the vertical direction intersecting the directions may be provided.

According to this, since the picking robot is realized without using the joint for rotating the link, the operating area of the picking hand can be stored in the rack as much as possible, and the entire picking system can be made compact. It becomes. Further, since the picking robot has a simple structure, the control of the picking robot can be easily and speeded up, and the work efficiency of the picking work can be improved.

Further, a moving means for moving the container held by the receiving unit at least in the rack surface may be provided.

According to this, the picking operation by the picking robot can be continuously performed by moving the container into which the article is put.

In the movement path of the moving means, the tilting means may be further provided so as to incline the upper surface opening of the container toward the opposite side of the operating region of the transport device.

As a result, an operator or the like can easily take out the article from the container in the rack surface.

The chute may be provided with a cushioning portion in the falling path of the article to cushion the impact of the article as it falls into the container.

According to this, even if the article held by the picking hand of the picking robot is released at a high position, the article can be put into the container while suppressing the impact on the article, so that the picking robot throws the article. Therefore, the operation of lowering the picking hand can be omitted, and the work efficiency of the picking work can be improved.

According to the present invention, the picking system can be made compact.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the picking system from the outside. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the picking system from the operating region side of the transfer device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the supply unit. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the chute in a partially perspective state. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the vicinity of the receiving unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the receiving portion in a state where the container is tilted.

Next, an embodiment of the picking system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples of the picking system according to the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is defined by the wording of the claims with reference to the following embodiments, and is not limited to the following embodiments. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, the components not described in the independent claims indicating the highest level concept of the present invention are not necessarily necessary for achieving the object of the present invention, but more. Described as constituting a preferred form.

In addition, the drawings are schematic views in which emphasis, omission, and ratio are adjusted as appropriate to show the invention of the present application, and may differ from the actual shape, positional relationship, and ratio.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the picking system from the outside. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the picking system from the operating region side of the transfer device. In these figures, the description of the columnar member extending in the vertical direction is omitted. In addition, the description of the article 201 housed in the luggage 200 may be omitted.

As shown in these figures, the picking system 100 stores luggage 200 in which a plurality of types of goods are housed for each type, and automatically picks goods 201 matching the order information from these luggage 200. The system includes a rack 101, a transfer device 102, a supply unit 103, a chute 104, a picking robot 105, and a receiving unit 106.

The luggage 200 is a box in which articles 201 of the same type are stored. Specifically, for example, the luggage 200 is a box in which a plurality of small box-shaped articles 201 such as household medicines are stored. In the case of the present embodiment, the upper surface of the luggage 200 is open so that the stored article 201 can be taken out. Although the luggage 200 is described as having the same shape in the drawing, the size and shape of the luggage 200 may differ depending on the type of the article 201 to be accommodated.

The rack 101 moves the holding portion 111, which is a portion capable of holding the luggage 200, in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figure) and in the horizontal axis direction (X-axis direction in the figure) which is an arbitrary axis orthogonal to the vertical direction. It is a facility that is held side by side. The rack 101 can load and unload the luggage 200 from any side in the direction orthogonal to the rack surface (plane parallel to the XZ plane in the figure) on which the holding portion 111 is arranged (Y-axis direction in the figure). It is possible. In the case of the present embodiment, the holding portion 111 is realized as a long plate-shaped shelf plate.

Although the rack 101 is shown only on one side of the transport device 102 for the sake of explanation, the rack 101 may be arranged so as to face each other on both sides of the transport device 102. Further, the picking system 100 may include a plurality of pairs of racks 101.

The transport device 102 is a device that transports the transfer device 121 capable of transferring the luggage 200 to and from the holding portion 111 of the rack 101 along the rack 101. In the case of the present embodiment, the transport device 102 is a so-called stacker crane, and is capable of traveling along the rack 101 in which the luggage 200 is stored and transporting the transfer device 121 to an arbitrary position of the rack 101. It is a running device equipped with a trolley, a lift, a mast, and the like.

The transfer device 121 is a device that is attached to the lift of the transport device 102 and can transfer and hold the luggage 200 to and from the rack 101. The type of the transfer device 121 is not particularly limited. For example, the transfer device 121 is provided with a fork to lift and transfer the luggage 200, or the luggage 200 is pushed out by engaging a claw on the front side or the back side of the luggage 200. Examples thereof include those that are pulled in and transferred, those that sandwich the side of the luggage 200 and transfer the luggage 200, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the supply unit.

As shown in the figure, the supply unit 103 is arranged in the rack surface, which is the surface on which the plurality of holding units 111 of the rack 101 are arranged, and the luggage 200 containing the picked article 201 is transferred. The place. In the case of this embodiment, a part of the shelf board forming the holding portion 111 of the rack 101 is the supply portion 103. That is, there is no structural difference between the supply unit 103 and the holding unit 111.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the chute in a partially perspective state.

The chute 104 is a member that is arranged in the vicinity of the side of the supply unit 103 in the rack surface, and the article 201 taken out from the luggage 200 transferred to the supply unit 103 is thrown in in a dropped state. In the case of the present embodiment, the chute 104 is provided with a cushioning portion 141 in the fall path of the article 201 for relaxing the impact of the article when it is dropped into the container 161 arranged in the receiving portion 106, and the inserted article 201 is provided. The article 201 is guided so that the article 201 is received in a low impact state and falls more slowly than a free fall.

The material and structure of the cushioning portion 141 are not particularly limited, and at least one of a sponge and rubber that softens the impact of the article 201 colliding with the article 201 by its own deformation can be exemplified. Further, in the present embodiment, the chute 104 is provided with cushioning portions 141 made of plate-shaped rubber arranged in an inclined state alternately in the vertical direction. As a result, the impact of the article 201 thrown into the chute 104 is softened by the buffer portion 141, and the article 201 is dropped diagonally along the buffer portion 141 to suppress the falling speed of the article 201 and fall into the container 161. It softens the impact of the moment.

The picking robot 105 is a robot that is arranged in the rack surface and takes out the article 201 from the luggage 200 arranged in the supply unit 103 and throws the article into the chute 104. The type of the picking robot 105 is not particularly limited, and an articulated robot, a parallel link robot, or the like can be adopted. In the case of the present embodiment, the picking robot 105 is a robot having no joints. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the picking robot 105 includes a picking hand 151, an elevating rail 152, a horizontal rail 153, and a vertical rail 154.

The picking robot 105 moves in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction in the figure), the horizontal drive unit that moves the picking hand 151 up and down, the horizontal drive unit that moves the picking hand 151 in the horizontal axis direction (X-axis direction in the figure). Although it is provided with a vertical drive unit for driving, the illustration is omitted.

The picking hand 151 is a member capable of directly holding the article 201. In the case of the present embodiment, one or more suction nozzles (signs omitted) are provided, and the article 201 can be held by vacuum suction. Specifically, the picking hand 151 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via a tube (not shown), and the article 201 is arranged so as to close the open end of the suction nozzle by creating a vacuum inside the suction nozzle. Holds. Further, the held article 201 can be released by releasing the vacuum in the suction nozzle or by actively introducing air into the suction nozzle.

The elevating rail 152 is a rail that guides the picking hand 151 in the vertical direction. In the case of the present embodiment, the elevating rail 152 extends in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing), and the picking hand 151 is attached to the lower end portion. Further, the picking hand 151 is moved up and down by moving the elevating rail 152 in the vertical direction with respect to the horizontal rail 153.

The horizontal rail 153 is a rail that guides the picking hand 151 in the horizontal axis direction (X-axis direction in the drawing). In the case of the present embodiment, the horizontal rail 153 guides the picking hand 151 in the horizontal axis direction by guiding the elevating rail 152 to which the picking hand 151 is attached in the horizontal axis direction. The lateral rail 153 extends above the chute 104 and above the supply section 103. In the case of the present embodiment, since the supply units 103 are provided on both sides of the chute 104, the horizontal rail 153 extends from one supply unit 103 beyond the chute 104 to the other supply unit 103. There is.

The vertical rail 154 is a rail that guides the picking hand 151 in the vertical axis direction (Y-axis direction in the drawing) intersecting the horizontal axis direction in the horizontal plane (XY plane in the drawing). In the case of the present embodiment, the vertical rail 154 guides the picking hand 151 in the vertical direction via the elevating rail 152 and the horizontal rail 153 by guiding the horizontal rail 153 in the vertical direction. The vertical rail 154 has a length at least equal to the length in the vertical axis direction of the luggage 200, and is arranged on the outer side of the supply unit 103 in the horizontal axis direction. Further, the pair of vertical rails 154 are arranged at both ends of the horizontal rail 153, and the horizontal rails 153 move along the pair of vertical rails 154 so that the horizontal rails 153 move in parallel without shaking. It has become something that can be done.

As described above, by adopting the picking robot 105 having no joints, the article 201 can be conveyed from the supply unit 103 to the chute 104 without protruding from the rack 101, so that the picking system 100 is made compact. be able to. Further, the picking robot 105 can be arranged in the vicinity of the worker 300.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the vicinity of the receiving unit.

As shown in the figure, the receiving unit 106 is arranged below the chute 104 and holds a container 161 for accommodating the article 201 charged into the chute 104. In the case of the present embodiment, the picking system 100 includes a moving means 107 for moving the container 161 held by the receiving unit 106 at least in the rack surface, and the container 161 is sequentially arranged in the receiving unit 106. It has become.

In the case of the present embodiment, the moving means 107 is a device capable of circulating and moving a plurality of containers 161 in the rack surface. Specifically, for example, the moving means 107 includes two conveyors in the vertical direction capable of moving the containers 161 in opposite directions in the horizontal axis direction (X-axis direction in the drawing), and the containers 161 are placed between these conveyors. Elevating devices capable of raising and lowering the container 161 for delivery are provided at both ends of the conveyor.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the picking system 100 tilts the upper surface opening of the container 161 so as to face the opposite side of the operating region of the transport device 102 in the moving path of the moving means 107 (not shown). ) Is further provided. In the case of the present embodiment, the tilting means can tilt the container 161 after pulling out the container 161 on the moving means 107. The tilting means is provided below the receiving unit 106, and the container 161 containing the dropped article 201 is moved to the tilting means by the moving means 107 and tilted by the tilting means so that the worker 300 can easily operate the article 201. It is possible to take out.

Further, the moving means 107 may move the tilted container 161 in a tilted state in a part of the moving path.

Next, the operation of the picking system 100 will be described.

First, based on the order information transmitted from the host controller or the like, the transport device 102 transfers the package 200 containing the corresponding type of goods 201 from the holding unit 111 of the rack 101 to the supply unit 103. In the case of the present embodiment, the two packages 200 are transferred to the supply unit 103 on one side of the chute 104. The luggage 200 to be transferred to the supply unit 103 may contain articles 201 of the same type, or may contain articles 201 of different types.

Next, the picking robot 105 lowers the picking hand 151 from the load 200 arranged in the supply unit 103 and brings the suction nozzle provided at the tip into contact with the surface of the article 201 to suck and hold the article 201, and the load 200 After raising the article 201 to a position where it does not interfere with the chute 104, the article 201 is conveyed above the chute 104.

The picking robot 105 that has conveyed the article 201 to the upper part of the chute 104 releases the holding of the article 201 without lowering the article 201 and throws the article 201 into the chute 104. The loaded article 201 falls based on its own weight and is housed in a container 161 arranged directly below the chute 104. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of charging the article 201 in the supply unit 103 into the container 161.

Further, since the chute 104 is provided with the cushioning portion 141, the article 201 is gently moved into the container 161 in order to slow down the falling speed of the article 201 to be put into the container 161 while suppressing the impact on the dropped article 201. It becomes possible to put it in.

On the other hand, while the picking robot 105 is charging the article 201 into the container 161, the transfer device 102 can transfer the new load 200 from the other holding unit 111 of the rack 101 to the other supply unit 103. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of the picking system 100.

Next, when the article 201 corresponding to the order information is stored in the container 161, the moving means 107 operates, the container 161 moves, and the empty container 161 is arranged in the receiving unit 106.

The container 161 that has moved below the receiving unit 106 is tilted automatically by the tilting means or by the operation of the operator 300. The worker 300 accommodates the article 201 from the tilted container 161 in a cardboard box or the like.

As described above, according to the picking system 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to automatically pick a desired type and a desired number of articles 201 from the luggage 200 while the entire system is compact. Further, since the worker 300 who works in the vicinity of the picking system 100 only needs to pack the article 201 in the container 161 into a cardboard box or the like, the burden on the worker 300 can be reduced and human error can be avoided. It becomes.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, another embodiment realized by arbitrarily combining the components described in the present specification and excluding some of the components may be the embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the present invention also includes modifications obtained by making various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the gist of the present invention, that is, the meaning indicated by the wording described in the claims, with respect to the above-described embodiment. Is done.

For example, the position where the worker 300 takes out the article 201 from the container 161 is not limited to the position below the receiving unit 106. Further, the container 161 may be a container that can be pulled out without tilting.

Further, although the supply unit 103 is arranged on both sides of the chute 104 and the number of luggage 200 that can be arranged in the supply unit 103 is two, the supply unit 103 has at least one luggage 200 arranged on the side of the chute 104. Any part that can be done is sufficient.

Further, although the case where the buffer portion 141 is provided on the chute 104 has been described, an impact mitigation member that suppresses the impact of the article 201 falling on the container 161 may be arranged. Further, the chute 104 describes a rectangular tubular frame that surrounds the height of the supply unit 103 to the upper end of the container 161. However, the chute 104 is a space in which the article 201 falls in the vertical direction. There may be. Specifically, if there is an opening for loading the article 201, the opening becomes the chute 104.

Further, the picking robot 105 may fix the horizontal rail 153 and move the vertical rail 154 with respect to the fixed horizontal rail 153. In this case, the horizontal rails 153 may be paired and the vertical rails 154 may be arranged in a bridge shape on the pair of horizontal rails 153.

Further, a part of the picking robot 105 may protrude from the rack 101. For example, a part of the locus in which the picking robot 105 operates may protrude from the rack 101, or a mechanical portion such as a rail or a joint may constantly protrude from the rack 101.

Further, the moving means 107 may be a conveyor or the like that not only circulates and moves the plurality of containers 161 in the rack surface but also circulates the containers 161 over the rack surface in the horizontal plane. As a result, the container 161 in which the article 201 is charged can be moved to the operator side.

The present invention can be used for picking work in which a desired type of article is taken out of a baggage and collected.

100 Picking system 101 Rack 102 Transfer device 103 Supply unit 104 Shoot 105 Picking robot 106 Receiving unit 107 Transportation means 111 Holding unit 121 Transfer device 141 Buffering unit 151 Picking hand 152 Lifting rail 153 Horizontal rail 154 Vertical rail 161 Container 200 Luggage 201 300 workers

Claims (5)

A rack having holding portions for holding luggage arranged side by side in the vertical direction and in the horizontal axis direction, which is an arbitrary axis orthogonal to the vertical direction.
A transfer device for transporting a transfer device for transferring a load between the rack and the holding portion of the rack, and a transfer device for transporting the load along the rack.
A supply unit that is arranged in the rack surface, which is a surface on which the plurality of holding units of the rack are arranged, and to which a load containing an article to be picked is transferred.
A chute, which is arranged in the vicinity of the side of the supply unit in the rack surface, and a chute in which an article picked from a load transferred to the supply unit is thrown in in a dropped state.
A picking robot that is arranged in the rack surface and takes out an article from a load arranged in the supply unit and puts the article into the chute.
A receiving unit located below the chute and in which a container for accommodating the articles placed in the chute is placed.
A picking system equipped with. The picking robot
With a picking hand that can hold the article,
An elevating rail that guides the picking hand in the vertical direction,
A horizontal rail that guides the picking hand in the horizontal axis direction,
A vertical rail that guides the picking hand in the vertical direction intersecting the horizontal axis direction in the horizontal plane, and
The picking system according to claim 1. The picking system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a moving means for moving the container held in the receiving unit at least within the rack surface. The picking system according to claim 3, further comprising a tilting means that tilts the upper surface opening of the container so as to face the opposite side of the operating region of the transport device in the moving path of the moving means. The picking system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chute is provided with a cushioning portion in the falling path of the article to relax the impact of the article when it falls into the container.

Images