JP7546639B2 - Automated Warehouse System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automated warehouse system that can store and retrieve goods.

As a warehouse system that can efficiently store and retrieve a large number of items in a small space, an automated warehouse system that uses carts to transport items in a three-dimensionally configured automated warehouse is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a warehouse in which storage shelves that can store multiple items are arranged, running rails that can access the storage shelves are laid, and items are brought in and out using a transport cart that can move on the running rails. The transport cart in Patent Document 1 has a platform on the vehicle body that can be raised and lowered to support the items, and is configured to be self-propelled on the running rails using a rechargeable battery built into the vehicle body.

JP 2015-157683 A

Automated warehouses are required to be able to guide loads to more appropriate positions when placing the loads on the loading section of a transport cart or storing the loads in a storage section. In order to guide loads to appropriate positions, it is desirable to be able to control the operation of the transport cart according to the position of the load. However, the transport cart described in Patent Document 1 has issues that need to be improved in terms of controlling operation according to the position of the load.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an automated warehouse system that can control the operation of a transport cart depending on the position of the load.

In order to solve the above problem, an automated warehouse system according to one aspect of the present invention is an automated warehouse system capable of storing loads, and includes a transport cart capable of carrying loads and traveling in a first direction, a position sensor that detects the relative positional relationship between the load and the transport cart, and a control unit that controls the operation of the transport cart. The position sensor includes a first distance measuring device attached to one end of the transport cart in the first direction and measuring the distance to the object to be measured, and a second distance measuring device attached to the other end of the transport cart in the first direction and measuring the distance to the object to be measured.

According to this aspect, first and second distance measuring devices for measuring the distance to the measurement object can be provided at one end and the other end of the transport vehicle.

Another aspect of the present invention is also an automated warehouse system. This automated warehouse system is capable of storing loads, and includes a storage shelf section for storing loads, a transport cart having a placement section for placing loads and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor for detecting the relative positional relationship between the target load and the transport cart, and a control section for controlling the operation of the transport cart. The control section stops the transport cart at a position where the relative positional relationship in the first direction between the target load stored in the storage shelf section and the placement section becomes a predetermined relative positional relationship, and controls the operation of the transport cart so that the target load is retrieved by the transport cart.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is also an automated warehouse system. This automated warehouse system is capable of storing loads, and includes a storage shelf section for storing loads, a transport cart having a placement section for placing loads and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor for detecting the relative positional relationship between a target load placed on the placement section and another load that is adjacent to the position where the target load is stored in the storage shelf section and that has been stored before the target load, and a control section for controlling the operation of the transport cart. The control section stops the transport cart at a position where the positional relationship between the target load and the other load is a predetermined relative positional relationship, and controls the operation of the transport cart so that the target load is stored in the storage shelf section by the transport cart.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is also an automated warehouse system. This automated warehouse system is capable of storing loads, and includes a storage shelf section for storing loads, a transport cart having a placement section for placing loads and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor for detecting the relative positional relationship between the target load and the transport cart, and a control section for controlling the operation of the transport cart. The control section places the target load on the placement section at a position where the relative positional relationship between the target load and the placement section in the first direction is a predetermined relative positional relationship, and after placement, moves the transport cart to control the operation of the transport cart so as to store the target load in the storage shelf section.

In addition, any combination of the above components or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, etc. are also valid aspects of the present invention.

The present invention provides an automated warehouse system that can control the operation of a transport cart depending on the position of the load.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automated warehouse system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of rails in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a transport platform vehicle in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is a side view of the transport platform vehicle of FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is a front view showing the periphery of the transport platform vehicle shown in FIG. 4 . 5 is an enlarged front view showing the periphery of a position sensor of the transporting platform vehicle in FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of an intermediate cart in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 9 is a side view of the mid-bogie of FIG. 8 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a transport operation at the time of retrieval from the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transport operation at the time of retrieval from the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the transport vehicle when retrieving data from the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a transport operation at the time of warehousing in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transport operation during warehousing in the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1 . 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the transport vehicle when entering the automated warehouse system of FIG. 1. 13 is a schematic front view showing the relative positional relationship between the target load and the placement section of the automated warehouse system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 18 is a schematic front view showing the relative positional relationship between the end of the loading section of the automated warehouse system of FIG. 17 and the goods to be collected. FIG. A schematic front view showing the relative positional relationship between a load to be stored and another load that has already been stored in the automated warehouse system according to the third embodiment.

In recent years, as the need for higher density and higher speed in warehouses has increased, the inventor has considered automated warehouse systems that use transport vehicles and has come to the following realization.

When placing a load on the loading section of a transport cart, if the load is loaded in a position that is biased toward one end of the loading section, there is a concern that the load may fall off the loading section due to vibrations and impacts as the transport cart moves. If the load does fall, other carts may collide with the collapsed load and cause an impact on the load. There is also the problem that extra work is required to recover from the collapsed load. In order to reduce the possibility of the load falling, it is desirable to control the loading operation based on the condition of the target load.

To explain more specifically, in an automated warehouse system, it is conceivable that a load including an item and a pallet on which the item is placed is transported by a transport cart in a direction in which the load can move on its own along a specified path (hereinafter referred to as the first direction). For example, the transport cart may be configured to move underneath the target load, and the loading section of the transport cart may be raised to lift the load off the storage shelf section, and the load may be transported in that state.

If the target load is placed at a position other than the center of the loading section, it is possible that the load may protrude from the loading section and collapse due to vibrations caused by travel. For this reason, it is desirable for the transport cart to load the target load in the center of the loading section. For example, it is possible to load the target load on the loading section with the center of the load approximately coinciding with the center of the loading section in the first direction.

To efficiently store loads of different sizes, it is conceivable to mount large loads on large pallets with a large length dimension in the first direction (hereinafter referred to as the first dimension) and store small loads on small pallets with a small first dimension. In other words, by storing loads with a small first dimension together with loads with a larger first dimension, it is possible to improve the storage efficiency of the warehouse. Different transport carts may be used to transport loads with different first dimensions, but it is preferable to be able to transport the loads using a single transport cart, as this improves the utilization rate of the warehouse by eliminating the need to switch transport carts.

When loads having different first dimensions correspond to different loads, it is difficult to place the load in an appropriate position on the placement section with a configuration that detects only one end of the load. The inventors therefore came up with the idea of determining the placement position of the transport vehicle based on the size of the load. In other words, they found that the load can be placed in an appropriate position by placing the load on the placement section while detecting one end of the load in the first direction (hereinafter referred to as the first end) and the other end in the first direction (hereinafter referred to as the second end). They also found that the load can be placed in an even more appropriate position by determining the first dimension from the positions of the first end and the second end, and determining the placement position of the transport vehicle based on the first dimension.

To grasp the first dimension, the transport cart may be equipped with a position sensor that detects the relative positional relationship between the target load and the placement section. This position sensor may include a first distance measuring device attached to one end of the transport cart in the first direction and measuring the distance to the measurement target, and a second distance measuring device provided at the other end of the transport cart in the first direction and measuring the distance to the measurement target. The first distance measuring device can measure the distance to the first end, and the second distance measuring device can measure the distance to the second end.

The automated warehouse system may include a control unit for controlling the operation of the transport cart. The control unit can stop the transport cart at a position where the center of the target load in the first direction and the center of the placement unit are substantially aligned, and then control the operation of the transport cart so that the transport cart retrieves the target load. As an example, the control unit may control the transport cart to be stopped at a position where the first distance to the first end measured by the first distance measuring device and the second distance to the second end measured by the second distance measuring device are substantially equal, and the placement unit may be raised to lift and retrieve the target load. By controlling in this manner, it becomes possible to place the target load at an appropriate position on the placement unit.
The embodiment has been devised based on such considerations, and its specific configuration will be described below.

The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, comparative examples, and modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions are omitted as appropriate. The dimensions of the members in each drawing are enlarged or reduced as appropriate for ease of understanding. Some of the members that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted in each drawing.
Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component, and the components are not limited by these terms.

[First embodiment]
The configuration of the automated warehouse system 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automated warehouse system 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the automated warehouse system 10. The automated warehouse system 10 according to the first embodiment is a system including an automated warehouse capable of storing and retrieving a large number of loads 12. The following description will be based on the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. The X-axis direction corresponds to the horizontal left-right direction, the Y-axis direction corresponds to the horizontal front-rear direction, and the Z-axis direction corresponds to the vertical up-down direction. The Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction are each perpendicular to the X-axis direction. In particular, the row direction and the column direction, which will be described later, correspond to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. In the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the load 12 includes an item and a pallet on which the item is placed, and in this specification, when the center of the load 12 or the position of the load 12 is mentioned, it refers to the center of the load or the position of the load in a state in which the pallet is included. It should be noted that it is not essential that the pallet is included.

As shown in FIG. 2, the automated warehouse system 10 mainly includes a storage shelf section 20, a storage shelf section 30, a transport cart 14, an intermediate cart 16, a control section 18, a first rail 41, a second rail 42, and a third rail 43.

The storage shelf section 20 is a high-density storage space that can store a large number of items 12. The storage shelf section 30 is a temporary storage space that can temporarily store a number of items 12. The storage shelf section 20 and the storage shelf section 30 will be described later.

The first rail 41 is a pair of rails that extend in the column direction in the storage shelf section 20. The second rail 42 is a pair of rails that extend in the column direction in the storage shelf section 30. The third rail 43 is a pair of rails that extend in the row direction between the storage shelf section 20 and the storage shelf section 30. The first rail 41, the second rail 42, and the third rail 43 are collectively referred to as rail 44.

The transport cart 14 travels on the first rail 41 in the first direction, which is the row direction, and takes the load 12 in and out of the storage shelf section 20. The transport cart 14 travels on the second rail 42 in the first direction, and takes the load 12 in and out of the storage shelf section 30. The intermediate cart 16 travels on the third rail 43 in the row direction, and transports the transport cart 14 between the storage shelf section 20 and the storage shelf section 30. The intermediate cart 16 transports the transport cart 14 in an empty state or when it is loaded with the load 12. The transport cart 14, the intermediate cart 16, the first rail 41, the second rail 42, and the third rail 43 are collectively referred to as the intermediate transport mechanism 40. In other words, the intermediate transport mechanism 40 is a mechanism that transports the load 12 between the storage shelf section 20 and the storage shelf section 30.

In the automated warehouse system 10, as an example, when storing goods 12, the goods 12 are carried into the storage shelf section 30 by a forklift 50, which is an external transport device. The goods 12 carried into the storage shelf section 30 are transported by the intermediate transport mechanism 40 to a specified storage section of the storage shelf section 20 for storage. In the automated warehouse system 10, as an example, when removing goods 12 from the storage shelf section 20, the goods 12 to be removed are transported in advance by the intermediate transport mechanism 40 from a specified storage section of the storage shelf section 20 to the storage shelf section 30. The goods 12 transported to the storage shelf section 30 are removed by, for example, a forklift 50 for removal from the storage shelf section.

(rail)
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of the rails 44, and shows an example of the arrangement of the first rail 41, the second rail 42, and the third rail 43. The first rail 41 is provided in a storage section row that connects each storage section of the storage shelf section 20. The first rail 41 is provided in each stage so that the transport cart 14 runs in the first direction. The second rail 42 is provided in each storage section of the storage shelf section 30. The second rail 42 is provided in each stage so that the transport cart 14 runs in the first direction. The third rail 43 is provided in each stage so that the intermediate cart 16 runs in the row direction. The extension direction of the first rail 41 and the second rail 42 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the third rail 43.

(Transport cart)
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the transporting cart 14. Fig. 5 is a side view of the transporting cart 14. Fig. 5 shows a state in which the transporting cart 14 runs on the first rail 41 with the load 12 loaded thereon. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the periphery of the transporting cart 14 as seen from the front. Fig. 6 shows a state in which the transporting cart 14 runs with the load 12 loaded thereon. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the periphery of the position sensor 24 as seen from the front in an enlarged manner.

The transport cart 14 is a traveling cart that travels on the first rail 41 in a first direction for transport. The transport cart 14 is arranged on the first rail 41 or the second rail 42 of each stage. The transport cart 14 can enter the intermediate cart 16 and be transported when empty or carrying a load 12. The transport cart 14 mainly includes a vehicle body 14b, a placement section 14c, a lift mechanism 14d, four wheels 14e, and a position sensor 24.

The vehicle body 14b has an outline of a generally rectangular parallelepiped that is flat in the vertical direction. Inside the vehicle body 14b, a motor (not shown) that drives the wheels 14e, a battery (not shown) that drives the motor, and a control circuit (not shown) that controls them are mounted.
The placement portion 14c is a portion that lifts and holds the load 12.

The lift mechanism 14d is a mechanism for raising and lowering the placement section 14c. By raising the placement section 14c, the load 12 can be lifted from the storage section 21 or the storage section 31. The lift mechanism 14d can lower the placement section 14c to lower the load 12 into the storage section 21 or the storage section 31. In this example, the storage section 21 is provided on the first rail 41, and the storage section 31 is provided on the second rail 42, so in actual operation, the lift mechanism 14d lowers the load 12 onto the first rail 41 or the second rail 42, and lifts the load 12 from the first rail 41 or the second rail 42.

Figure 5 shows the state in which the loading section 14c has lifted the load 12 from the first rail 41. The wheels 14e are rotatably supported at the four corners of the vehicle body 14b. The transport cart 14 travels on the rails by rotating the four wheels 14e on the rails. As shown in Figure 5, the transport cart 14 can travel on the first rail 41 and the second rail 42 with the load 12 loaded on it. The travel operation of the transport cart 14 and the raising and lowering operation of the lift mechanism 14d are controlled by the control section 18.

(Placement section)
The mounting portion 14c is a generally plate-like portion that is thin in the vertical direction. There is no particular limitation on the planar shape of the mounting portion 14c. As an example, the mounting portion 14c has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view that includes a pair of opposite sides 14f spaced apart in the first direction and a pair of opposite sides 14g spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

(position sensor)
The position sensor 24 detects the relative positional relationship between the target load 12 and the transport cart 14. The position sensor 24 includes a first distance measuring device 24b and a second distance measuring device 24c that are spaced apart in the first direction. In particular, the first distance measuring device 24b is attached to one end side of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measures the distance to the measurement target. The second distance measuring device 24c is attached to the other end side of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measures the distance to the measurement target. The first distance measuring device 24b and the second distance measuring device 24c are collectively referred to as each distance measuring device.

The type of each distance measuring device is not particularly limited as long as it can measure the distance to the measurement object. In the first embodiment, each distance measuring device is a laser sensor that measures the distance to the measurement object using laser light 24e.

Each distance measuring device is arranged to measure the distance to the load 12 placed on the placement section 14c. In particular, the first distance measuring device 24b may be arranged to measure the distance L1 to the end 12e on one end side in the first direction of the load 12 placed on the placement section 14c. The second distance measuring device 24c may be arranged to measure the distance L2 to the end 12f on the other end side in the first direction of the load 12 placed on the placement section 14c. The first distance measuring device 24b may be configured to be capable of detecting the irradiation angle of the laser light 24e when the end 12e on one end side is detected. The second distance measuring device 24c may be configured to be capable of detecting the irradiation angle of the laser light 24e when the end 12f on the other end side is detected.

(aisle)
It is considered that the measurement range of each distance measuring device is limited by the placement portion 14c blocking the laser light 24e between each distance measuring device and the measurement object. Therefore, in the first embodiment, a passage 14h for passing the laser light 24e is provided in the placement portion 14c. The passage 14h may be provided, for example, penetrating the placement portion 14c in the vertical direction. The planar shape of the passage 14h is not particularly limited as long as the laser light 24e can pass through it. In the first embodiment, the passage 14h includes a pair of recesses 14j provided in a pair of opposite sides 14g arranged at a distance in the first direction. Each of the pair of recesses 14j has a shape recessed in the first direction from the pair of opposite sides 14g.

In order to store cargo at a high density, it is possible to reduce the interval between adjacent cargoes (hereinafter referred to as cargo interval). Reducing the cargo interval increases the possibility that a cargo 12 will collide with another cargo 12. It is preferable to reduce the possibility of such a collision. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the cargo interval is controlled to be within a predetermined range. In particular, the control unit 18 detects the cargo interval so that a cargo 12 does not approach another adjacent cargo 12 and the cargo interval does not become excessively small, and controls the operation of the transport cart 14 according to the detected cargo interval.

In order to detect the load intervals, a separate sensor may be provided in addition to each distance measuring device, but in the first embodiment, the load intervals are also detected by each distance measuring device. In particular, each distance measuring device is configured to be able to change the measurement direction. Specifically, each distance measuring device is provided so that the irradiation direction of the laser light 24e can be scanned in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction. The measurement direction of each distance measuring device changes according to the scanning of the laser light 24e. In the first embodiment, the inclination angle of this scanning direction with respect to the horizontal direction is set to 90°, and the laser light 24e is scanned in the vertical direction. Note that this inclination angle is not limited to 90°.

6 and 7, the load placed on the loading section 14c of the transport cart 14 and another load located away from the loading section 14c of the transport cart 14 in the first direction are represented as load 12(B). FIG. 7 shows how the first distance measuring device 24b detects the distance L3 to the end 12g of the load 12(B) when the transport cart 14 is traveling in the direction of arrow E with the load 12(A) loaded. When the load 12(B) is detected, the distance L3 to the end 12g can be obtained as the minimum value of the measured distance. The distance Dm between the load 12(A) and the load 12(B) can be obtained by calculation from the distances L1 and L3 and the irradiation angle of the laser light 24e when the distances L1 and L3 are detected.

Each distance measuring device configured in this manner can change the measurement direction to measure the distance to a measurement object, such as another load 12 (B), located away from the placement portion 14c in the first direction.

The control unit 18 is configured to be able to control the operation of the transport cart 14. In particular, the control unit 18 is configured to be able to control the movement direction, movement speed, and stop of movement of the transport cart 14 according to the distance from each distance measuring device to the measurement object away in the first direction. The control unit 18 causes the transport cart 14 to travel in the direction of the arrow E until the distance Dm between the load 12 (A) and another load 12 (B) becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value Dt. The control unit 18 stops the transport cart 14 when the distance Dm becomes equal to or less than the threshold value Dt. The threshold value Dt can be set according to the desired load interval. From the viewpoint of high-density storage, it is desirable that the threshold value Dt is small, and from the viewpoint of suppressing contact, it is desirable that the threshold value Dt is large. From these viewpoints, the threshold value Dt may be set preferably in the range of 20 mm to 300 mm, more preferably in the range of 30 mm to 200 mm, and most preferably in the range of 40 mm to 160 mm. In the first embodiment, the threshold value Dt is set in the range of 50 mm to 120 mm. The control of the control unit 18 and the operation of the automated warehouse system 10 will be described later.

(Middle bogie)
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of the intermediate cart 16. FIG. 9 is a side view of the intermediate cart 16. The intermediate cart 16 is a traveling cart that travels on the third rail 43 in the row direction to transport the load 12 in the row direction. The intermediate cart 16 is disposed on the third rail 43 of each stage. By providing the intermediate cart 16 on each stage, it is possible to operate each intermediate cart 16 independently and simultaneously, and it is possible to improve the transport efficiency between the storage shelf section 30 and the storage shelf section 20. The intermediate cart 16 mainly includes a car body 16b, a loading section 16c, and four wheels 16d. The car body 16b has a contour of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thin and flat in the vertical direction. Inside the car body 16b, a motor (not shown) that drives the wheels 16d, a battery (not shown) that drives the motor, and a control circuit (not shown) that controls them are mounted. The loading section 16c is a portion on which the transport cart 14 is loaded, and has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above, and a concave shape recessed downward from the upper surface of the vehicle body 16b when viewed from the side.

8 and 9, the size of the loading section 16c is set to the size of the transporting cart 14 plus a sufficient margin so that the transporting cart 14 can travel in the first direction (X-axis direction) in the figure without interfering with the circumferential surface of the loading section 16c. The four wheels 16d are rotatably supported at the four corners of the car body 16b. The intermediate cart 16 travels on the rails by rotating the four wheels 16d on the rails. The intermediate cart 16 can travel on the third rail 43 with the load 12 and the transporting cart 14 loaded on it. The traveling operation of the intermediate cart 16 is controlled by the control unit 18, which will be described later.

(Control Unit)
Next, the control unit 18 will be described. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the automated warehouse system 10 according to the first embodiment. Each block of the control unit 18 shown in FIG. 10 can be realized in hardware by elements and mechanical devices such as a computer CPU (Central Processing Unit) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and in software by a computer program, etc., but here, functional blocks realized by the cooperation of these are depicted. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art who have read this specification that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by combining hardware and software.

The control unit 18 is a control unit that mainly controls the operation of the intermediate cart 16 and the transport cart 14 in response to the detection results of the storage section load detection unit 54b, the storage section load detection unit 54c, the intermediate cart position detection unit 54d, and the transport cart position detection unit 54e. The control unit 18 mainly includes an operation result acquisition unit 18b, a first load detection result acquisition unit 18c, a second load detection result acquisition unit 18d, an intermediate cart position detection unit 18e, a transport cart position detection unit 18f, a display control unit 18g, a detection result acquisition unit 18m, a transport cart control unit 18j, and an intermediate cart control unit 18h.

The operation result acquisition unit 18b acquires the operation result from the operation unit 54k. The first load detection result acquisition unit 18c acquires the detection result from the storage unit load detection unit 54b. The second load detection result acquisition unit 18d acquires the detection result from the storage unit load detection unit 54c. The intermediate cart position detection unit 18e acquires the detection result from the intermediate cart position detection unit 54d. The transport cart position detection unit 18f acquires the detection result from the transport cart position detection unit 54e. The operation unit 54k, the storage unit load detection unit 54b, the storage unit load detection unit 54c, the intermediate cart position detection unit 54d and the transport cart position detection unit 54e will be described later.

The display control unit 18g controls the display unit 54m to display a predetermined image. The display unit 54m will be described later. The detection result acquisition unit 18m acquires the detection result from the position sensor 24. In particular, the detection result acquisition unit 18m acquires the measurement results of the distance to the measurement object from the first distance measuring device 24b and the second distance measuring device 24c. The transport cart control unit 18j controls the travel of the transport cart 14 and the lifting and lowering operation of the placement unit 14c. The intermediate cart control unit 18h controls the travel of the intermediate cart 16.

(Storage shelf section)
In particular, please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The configuration of the storage shelf section 20 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of accommodating and storing a plurality of loads 12. The storage shelf section 20 of the first embodiment includes a storage section array 23 having M (M is an integer of 2 or more) rows and N (N is an integer of 2 or more) columns of storage sections 21 arranged along a horizontal plane. In other words, M is the number of rows and N is the number of columns. Each of these storage sections 21 is configured to be able to store the loads 12. The storage sections 21 in each row are connected in the column direction to form a storage section row 22 extending in the column direction. The loads 12 can be transported in the storage section row 22 in the column direction.

The storage section columns 22 are connected in the row direction to form a storage section array 23. An entrance/exit section 22b is provided at the end of each storage section column 22 on the storage shelf section 30 side for loading and unloading the goods 12. The storage section arrays 23 are connected in layers in the vertical direction in K stages (K is an integer of 1 or more) to form the storage shelf section 20. In other words, K is the number of stages. In the first embodiment, the number of columns, rows, and stages of the storage shelf section 20 is, as an example, 5 columns, 6 rows, and 3 stages. In other words, the storage shelf section 20 is formed by stacking three stages of storage section columns 22, each of which has 5 columns of storage sections 21 connected together, and storage section arrays 23, each of which has 6 rows in the row direction.

(Storage shelf section)
The number of loads 12 that can be stored in the storage shelf section 30 may be smaller than the number of loads 12 that can be stored in the storage shelf section 20. There is no particular restriction on the structure of the storage shelf section 30 as long as it can temporarily store a plurality of loads 12. The storage shelf section 30 of the first embodiment includes a storage section array 33 having M rows of storage sections 31 arranged along a horizontal plane. Each storage section 31 is configured to receive and store loads 12 from the outside. Each storage section 31 is connected in the row direction to form the storage section array 33. The storage shelf section 30 is configured by stacking the storage section arrays 33 in layers in the vertical direction in K stages. The number of rows, columns, and stages of the storage section array 33 can be set arbitrarily. In other words, the number of columns of the storage sections 31 included in the storage section array 33 is not limited to one column. In the first embodiment, from the viewpoint of smooth operation, the number of rows of the storage section array 33 is six rows, which is the same as the number of rows of the storage section array 23, and the number of stages of the storage section array 33 is three stages, which is the same as the number of stages of the storage section array 23. In other words, the storage shelf section 30 is configured by stacking three storage section arrays 33, each of which has six storage sections 31 arranged in a row in the row direction.

The storage shelf sections 30 are arranged at a distance from each other in the row direction of the storage shelf sections 20. Between the storage shelf sections 30 and the storage shelf sections 20, there is a space through which the intermediate cart 16 can run. Each storage section 31 has an external entrance/exit section 31b and an internal entrance/exit section 31c. The external entrance/exit section 31b is a port for transferring goods to and from an external transport device for loading and unloading goods into and from the warehouse. The internal entrance/exit section 31c is a port for transferring goods to and from the intermediate transport mechanism 40. The external entrance/exit section 31b is provided, for example, on the opposite side of each storage section 31 from the storage shelf section 20. The internal entrance/exit section 31c is provided, for example, on the side closer to the storage shelf section 20 of each storage section 31, separately from the external entrance/exit section 31b.

(Work space)
As shown in FIG. 1, the automated warehouse system 10 is provided with a work space 58 in which an external transport device works. The work space 58 is a space provided on the opposite side of the storage shelf section 30 from the storage shelf section 20. The work space 58 may be provided adjacent to the storage shelf section 30 in the row direction. The work space 58 has a three-dimensional size that allows an external transport device such as a forklift 50 to carry the load 12 into and out of the storage shelf section 30. In other words, the work space 58 has an X-axis dimension, a Y-axis dimension, and a Z-axis dimension that allow the load 12 to be carried in and out. For example, the X-axis dimension of the work space 58 may be set larger than the X-axis dimension of the storage shelf section 30. By providing the work space 58, the load 12 can be carried in and out easily, improving work efficiency.

Next, other configurations of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the automated warehouse system 10 further includes an operation unit 54k, a display unit 54m, a storage unit load detection unit 54b, a storage unit load detection unit 54c, an intermediate cart position detection unit 54d, a transport cart position detection unit 54e, and a control panel 56. The control panel 56 is provided near the storage shelf unit 30 or the storage shelf unit 20 to accommodate the control unit 18, the operation unit 54k, and the display unit 54m.

The storage unit load detection unit 54b is a sensor mechanism that detects the presence or absence of load 12 in each storage unit 21 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 18. The storage unit load detection unit 54c is a sensor mechanism that detects the presence or absence of load 12 in each storage unit 31 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 18. The intermediate cart position detection unit 54d is a sensor mechanism that detects the position of the intermediate cart 16 on the third rail 43 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 18. The transport cart position detection unit 54e is a sensor mechanism that detects the position of the transport cart 14 on the first rail 41 and the second rail 42 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 18.

The operation unit 54k is an operation unit that accepts operations for controlling the automated warehouse system 10 and outputs the operation results to the control unit 18. The operation unit 54k accepts operations such as starting and stopping the automated warehouse system 10. The display unit 54m is a display unit that displays the operating status of the automated warehouse system 10 under the control of the control unit 18. The display unit 54m may display, for example, the operating status of each cart and the storage status of the loads 12 in the storage unit 21 and the storage unit 31. The operation unit 54k and the display unit 54m may be provided, for example, in front of the control panel 56.

Next, we will explain the operation of the automated warehouse system 10 configured in this way.

(Removal operation)
An example of the transport operation at the time of retrieval by the automated warehouse system 10 will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. This transport operation includes the operation of transporting the article 12 to be retrieved from the storage section 21 of the storage shelf section 20 to the storage section 31 of the storage shelf section 30. The article 12 transported to the storage section 31 is carried out by an external transport device. Figure 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the transport operation at the time of retrieval, and shows the process S60 related to this operation. Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram in a plan view showing an example of the transport operation at the time of retrieval by the automated warehouse system 10. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram in a front view showing the operation of the transport cart 14.

(Forward driving mode)
When the process S60 is started, the control unit 18 controls the transport vehicle 14 to a forward travel mode. In the forward travel mode, the control unit 18 causes the empty transport vehicle 14 to travel in a first direction toward the storage unit 21 from which the transport vehicle originates (step S61).

In the forward travel mode, the control unit 18 obtains the detection result from the position sensor 24 and determines whether the first distance measuring device 24b has detected the target load 12 (hereinafter referred to as load 12(A)) (step S62). In this step, the first distance measuring device 24b may irradiate the laser light 24e in a certain direction, but in the first embodiment, the laser light 24e is scanned in the vertical direction. In this case, the range in which the load 12(A) can be detected is expanded, and the load 12(A) that is far away can be detected early. Figure 13(a) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 travels in the direction of arrow E while scanning the laser light 24e.

If the first distance measuring device 24b does not detect the load 12 (A) (N in step S62), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S61, continues the forward travel mode, and causes the transport cart 14 to travel further in the first direction.

(positioning mode)
When the first distance measuring device 24b detects the load 12 (A) (Y in step S62), the control unit 18 switches the mode of the transport vehicle 14 to the positioning mode and controls it. In the positioning mode, the control unit 18 decelerates the transport vehicle 14 when the first distance measuring device 24b detects the load 12 (A). In the positioning mode, the control unit 18 causes the transport vehicle 14 to travel further in the first direction while decelerating (step S63). In this step, the control unit 18 causes the transport vehicle 14 to gradually move under the load 12 to be removed from the warehouse. FIG. 13(b) shows a state in which the transport vehicle 14 moves in the direction of the arrow E with the first distance measuring device 24b detecting the load 12 (A).

The control unit 18 obtains the detection result from the position sensor 24 and determines whether the second distance measuring device 24c has detected the target load 12 (A) (step S64). In this step, the second distance measuring device 24c scans the laser light 24e in the vertical direction. In this case, the load 12 (A) can be detected early.

If the second distance measuring device 24c does not detect the load 12 (A) (N in step S64), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S63 and causes the transport cart 14, which is in a decelerating state, to continue traveling in the first direction.

When the second distance measuring device 24c detects the load 12(A) (Y in step S64), the process may proceed to step S67, but the process S60 in the first embodiment includes steps S65 and S66. By including steps S65 and S66, it becomes possible to position the load 12(A) closer to the center of the loading section 14c. Below, an example including steps S65 and S66 will be described.

When the second distance measuring device 24c detects the target load 12 (A) after the first distance measuring device 24b detects the target load 12 (A), the control unit 18 further decelerates the transport cart 14. Specifically, when the second distance measuring device 24c detects the load 12 (A) (Y in step S64), the control unit 18 decelerates the transport cart 14 and runs it in the first direction (step S65). As a result of the two-stage deceleration in steps S63 and S65, the control unit 18 can stop the transport cart 14 at a speed that allows it to stop immediately, so when the control unit 18 performs stop control of the transport cart 14 as described below, it can stop the transport cart 14 at a location almost the same as the location where the stop control was performed. Note that if the transport cart 14 can be stopped at the spot when the stop control is performed, the deceleration in steps S63 and S65 does not necessarily have to be performed. FIG. 13(c) shows the state in which the second distance measuring device 24c detects the load 12(A) and the transport vehicle 14 moves in the direction of the arrow E.

The control unit 18 may obtain the detection result from the position sensor 24 and control the transport cart 14 to stop at a position where the distance L1 to the end 12e on one end side of the load 12(A) measured by the first distance measuring device 24b and the distance L2 to the end 12f on the other end side of the load 12(A) measured by the second distance measuring device 24c satisfy a predetermined condition. As an example, the control unit 18 controls the transport cart 14 to stop when the distances L1 and L2 to the target load 12(A) measured by the first and second distance measuring devices 24b and 24c respectively become approximately equal after the second distance measuring device 24c detects the target load 12(A).

After executing step S65, the control unit 18 obtains the detection result from the position sensor 24 and determines whether the distance L2 is equal to the distance L1 (step S66, see also FIG. 6).

If distance L2 is not equal to distance L1 (N in step S66), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S65 and causes the transport cart 14 to continue traveling in the first direction.

If distance L2 is equal to distance L1 (Y in step S66), the control unit 18 stops the transport cart 14 and lifts the load 12 (A) (step S67). Even after it is determined that these are equal, it is considered that the transport cart 14 will not suddenly stop, but will move only a short distance due to inertia or the like. For this reason, the travel distance due to this phenomenon may be added to distance L2 or distance L1 for the determination. Therefore, when distance L2 is equal to distance L1, this includes the case where distance L2 is equal to distance L1 in the distance obtained by adding the travel distance due to this phenomenon to distance L2 or distance L1.

In step S67, the control unit 18 causes the lift mechanism 14d to raise the placement unit 14c, thereby lifting the load 12(A) from the storage unit 21. FIG. 13(d) shows the state in which the stopped transport cart 14 has lifted the load 12(A) by the placement unit 14c. With this operation, the load 12(A) is placed on the placement unit 14c, and the load 12 becomes ready for transport.

(Reverse driving mode)
When the load 12(A) is placed on the placement section 14c, the control section 18 switches the transporting cart 14 to a reverse travel mode and controls it (step S68). In the reverse travel mode, the control section 18 moves the transporting cart 14 carrying the load 12 toward the entrance/exit section 22b (see FIG. 12(a)). At this time, as shown in FIG. 13(e), the transporting cart 14 travels in the first direction in the direction indicated by the arrow F, which is opposite to the arrow E.

(Cargo shift check driving mode)
When the load 12 is loaded and the vehicle travels forward or backward, the load 12 may shift from the placement section 14c, causing the load to shift. If the load shifts, the load may be damaged. In order to prevent the load from shifting, it is possible to set the travel speed of the transport vehicle 14 to a low speed, but in this case, the operating efficiency of the entire warehouse decreases. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the control unit 18 controls the transport vehicle 14 in a load shift confirmation travel mode. In the load shift confirmation travel mode, the control unit 18 controls the transport vehicle 14 to travel while checking the load shift. In other words, when the transport vehicle 14 is being returned, if the distance in the first direction between the center of the collected load 12 and the center of the placement section 14c is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit 18 controls the operation of the transport vehicle 14 to unload the load 12.

Specifically, in the load shift confirmation driving mode, the control unit 18 obtains the difference dL between the detected distances L1 and L2, and determines whether dL is equal to or less than the load shift threshold (step S69). Figure 13 (e) shows the state in which the transport vehicle 14 carrying the load 12 (A) travels in the direction of the arrow F in the load shift confirmation driving mode.

If the difference dL between the distance L1 and the distance L2 is not equal to or less than the threshold but exceeds the threshold (N in step S69), the control unit 18 stops the transport cart 14 (step S70). By stopping the transport cart 14 and taking action to correct the load shift before the load shift occurs, the possibility of the load shift can be reduced.

(Load shift recovery operation)
In the load shift recovery operation, the control unit 18 controls the transport cart 14 to stop, unload the load 12 (A), move the transport cart 14 to reduce the difference dL, and then lift the load again in that state.

After stopping the transport cart 14, the control unit 18 lowers the placement unit 14c and lowers the load 12(A) onto the first rail 41 (step S71).

When the target load 12 has been unloaded, the control unit 18 controls the operation of the transport cart 14 to move the transport cart 14 to a position in the first direction where the center of the target load 12 and the center of the loading section 14c are approximately aligned, and causes the transport cart 14 to retrieve the target load 12 again.

Specifically, after the load 12 (A) is unloaded, the control unit 18 moves the transport cart 14 in a direction in which the distance L1 becomes equal to the distance L2 (step S72). In other words, the control unit 18 moves the transport cart 14 in a direction in which the difference dL, which is the magnitude of the load shift, decreases. In this step, the control unit 18 may control the transport cart 14 to travel at a speed that allows it to stop immediately.

The control unit 18 determines whether the distance L2 is equal to the distance L1 (step S73).

If distance L2 is not equal to distance L1 (N in step S73), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S72 and moves the transport cart 14 further.

If distance L2 is equal to distance L1 (Y in step S73), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S67, raises the placement unit 14c using the lift mechanism 14d, lifts the load 12(A) from the storage unit 21, and moves the transport cart 14 toward the entrance/exit unit 22b.

If the difference dL between distance L1 and distance L2 is equal to or less than the threshold value (Y in step S69), the control unit 18 determines whether the transport cart 14 has arrived at the entrance/exit section 22b (step S74).

If the transport cart 14 has not arrived at the entrance/exit section 22b (N in step S74), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S78 and moves the transport cart 14 further.

When the transport cart 14 arrives at the entrance/exit section 22b (Y in step S74), the control unit 18 causes the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12 to enter the loading section 16c of the intermediate cart 16 from the entrance/exit section 22b (step S75, see FIG. 12(b)). In this step, the control unit 18 places the transport cart 14 on the intermediate cart 16.

The control unit 18 moves the intermediate cart 16, with the transport cart 14 loaded on the loading section 16c, to the row of the destination storage section 31 (step S76, see Figure 12 (c)).

When the intermediate cart 16 arrives at the destination, the control unit 18 causes the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12 (A) to exit the intermediate cart 16 and move it to the storage unit 31 at the destination (step S77, see FIG. 12(d)).

When the transport cart 14 moves to the storage section 31, the control section 18 lowers the placement section 14c of the transport cart 14 to lower the load 12(A) into the storage section 31 (step S78). This process S60 ends when the load 12(A) is lowered.

The load 12 transported to the storage section 31 is taken out from the external entrance/exit section 31b by the forklift 50 and loaded onto a truck or the like. After unloading the load 12, the transport vehicle 14 may wait at that position, for example.
The above-described process S60 is merely an example, and other steps may be added, some steps may be changed or deleted, or the order of steps may be changed.

(Storage operation)
Next, an example of the transport operation at the time of warehousing in the automated warehouse system 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 14 to 16. Fig. 14 is a flow chart showing an example of the transport operation at the time of warehousing, and shows a process S80 related to this operation. Fig. 15 is a plan view explanatory diagram showing an example of the transport operation at the time of warehousing in the automated warehouse system 10. Fig. 16 is a front view explanatory diagram showing the operation of the transport cart 14. The transport operation at the time of warehousing includes an operation of transporting the load 12 to be stored (hereinafter referred to as load 12(A)) from the storage section 31 of the storage shelf section 30 to the storage section 21 of the storage shelf section 20. The load 12(A) to be stored is carried into the storage section 31 by an external transport device before this transport operation.

When process S80 starts, the control unit 18 moves the intermediate cart 16 to the row of the storage unit 21, which is the destination, and causes the empty transport cart 14 to enter the loading unit 16c from the entrance/exit unit 22b (step S81). In this step, the control unit 18 places the transport cart 14 on the intermediate cart 16.

Next, the control unit 18 moves the intermediate cart 16, with the transport cart 14 loaded on the loading section 16c, to the row of the storage section 31 from which the transport is to be made (step S82).

After moving the intermediate cart 16 to the row of the storage section 31, the control unit 18 causes the transport cart 14 to enter underneath the target load 12 (A) in the storage section 31 from which it is being transported (step S83).

The control unit 18 raises the placement portion 14c of the transport cart 14 to lift the load 12(A) from the storage portion 31 (step S84). This operation places the load 12(A) on the placement portion 14c, and the load 12(A) becomes transportable. In this step, the control unit 18 may control the operation of the transport cart 14 in the positioning mode described above so that the distance L2 becomes equal to the distance L1.

After the load 12(A) is loaded onto the transport cart 14, the control unit 18 places the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) onto the loading section 16c of the intermediate cart 16 (step S85). Figure 15(a) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 enters the loading section 16c of the intermediate cart 16.

Once the transport cart 14 is loaded onto the intermediate cart 16, the control unit 18 moves the intermediate cart 16 carrying the transport cart 14 to the row of the storage unit 21 to which the transport cart 14 is to be transferred (step S86). Figure 15 (b) shows the state in which the intermediate cart 16 carrying the transport cart 14 moves to the row of the storage unit 21.

When the intermediate cart 16 arrives at the row of the storage section 21, the control section 18 causes the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) to travel in the first direction from the entrance/exit section 22b toward the storage section 21, which is the destination of the load (step S87). Figure 15(c) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) travels in the first direction.

(Collision Reduction Action)
When the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) is traveling, the automated warehouse system 10 operates to reduce the possibility of the load 12(A) colliding with another load 12 (hereinafter referred to as load 12(B)) or with other obstacles. As an example, this operation may include steps S87 to S91.

With the transport cart 14 traveling, the control unit 18 obtains the detection result from the position sensor 24, and the first distance measuring device 24b is positioned in the direction of travel in the first direction. It is determined whether or not the load 12 (B) has been detected (step S88). In this step, the first distance measuring device 24b scans the laser light 24e in the vertical direction. In this case, the range in which the load 12 (B) can be detected is expanded, and the load 12 (B) that is far away can be detected early. Figure 16 (a) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 travels in the direction of arrow E while scanning the laser light 24e.

In step S88, if the first distance measuring device 24b does not detect the load 12(B) (N in step S88), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S87, continues the forward travel mode, and causes the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) to travel further in the first direction. Figure 15(d) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12(A) travels in the first direction.

(Deceleration driving mode)
In step S88, when the first distance measuring device 24b detects the load 12 (B) (Y in step S88), the control unit 18 may control the transport vehicle 14 in a deceleration travel mode. In the deceleration travel mode, the control unit 18 decelerates the transport vehicle 14 and causes it to travel further in the first direction (step S89). Fig. 16(b) shows a state in which the transport vehicle 14 travels in the direction of the arrow E while decelerating. In this step, the control unit 18 may control the transport vehicle 14 to travel at a speed that allows it to stop immediately.

In the deceleration driving mode, the control unit 18 determines whether the distance Dm between the load 12(A) and the load 12(B) obtained from the detection result of the position sensor 24 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value Dt (step S90).

In step S90, if the distance Dm is greater than the predetermined threshold Dt and is not equal to or less than the threshold (N in step S90), the control unit 18 returns the process to the beginning of step S89 and causes the transport vehicle 14 to travel in the first direction in the deceleration travel mode. In step S89, the control unit 18 may control the transport vehicle 14 to decelerate as the distance Dm becomes smaller.

In step S90, if the distance Dm is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value Dt (Y in step S90), the control unit 18 stops the transport vehicle 14 (step S91). Figure 16 (c) shows the state in which the transport vehicle 14 has stopped in step S91.

As mentioned above, the predetermined threshold value Dt in step S90 can be set according to the desired load spacing between load 12(A) and load 12(B).

After the transport cart 14 has been stopped, the control unit 18 lowers the placement section 14c of the transport cart 14 to lower the load 12(A) into the storage section 21 (step S92). This process S80 ends when the load 12 has been lowered. FIG. 16(d) shows the state in which the transport cart 14 has lowered the load 12 in step S92. After lowering the load 12, the transport cart 14 may wait in that position, for example.

The above-mentioned process S80 is merely an example, and other steps may be added, some steps may be changed or deleted, or the order of steps may be changed.

Second Embodiment
In the first embodiment, when collecting the load 12, the transport vehicle 14 is stopped at a position where the placement portion 14c and the center of the target load 12 are approximately aligned. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the transport vehicle 14 is stopped at a position where the placement portion 14c and the edge of the target load 12 are approximately aligned.

This embodiment describes the relative position control between the placement section 14c and the target load 12 when the transport cart 14 retrieves the load 12.

Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a front view showing the relative positional relationship between the load 12 and the mounting portion 14c. Figure 17(a) shows a first relative positional relationship, and Figure 17(b) shows a second relative positional relationship. Note that Figure 17(a) shows a case where the load 12 is larger in size in the first direction than the mounting portion 14c, and Figure 17(b) shows a case where the load 12 is smaller in size in the first direction than the mounting portion 14c.

In these figures, line segment 12m indicates a bisector that divides the first direction range of load 12 into two equal parts, and line segment 14m indicates a bisector that divides the first direction range of loading section 14c into two equal parts. The center of target load 12 in the first direction is on line segment 12m, and the center of loading section 14c in the first direction is on line segment 14m. Line segment 12m and line segment 14m overlap in FIG. 17(a). That is, the first relative positional relationship shown in FIG. 17(a) is a positional relationship in which the centers of loading section 14c and target load 12 approximately coincide, and corresponds to the positional relationship in the first embodiment. On the other hand, in FIG. 17(b), line segment 12m and line segment 14m do not overlap, but loading section 14c and the right end of target load 12 coincide. That is, the second relative positional relationship shown in FIG. 17(b) is a positional relationship in which the end of the placement portion 14c and the target load 12 are substantially aligned, and corresponds to the positional relationship in the second embodiment (this embodiment).

When the load 12 is larger in size in the first direction than the placement portion 14c, as described in the first embodiment, it is preferable to collect the load 12 in a positional relationship in which the centers of the load 12 and the placement portion 14c are approximately aligned as shown in FIG. 17(a). This is because, as described above, the possibility of the load collapsing can be reduced.

On the other hand, in cases where the size of the load 12 in the first direction is smaller than the placement portion 14c, it is preferable that the relative positional relationship be such that the end 12e in the first direction of the target load 12 and the end 14n in the first direction of the placement portion 14c substantially coincide with each other, as shown in FIG. 17(b). The reason for this is explained below.

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the relative positional relationship between the end 14n of the loading section 14c and the load 12(A) to be collected and another load 12(B) in a front view. Figure 18(a) is a schematic diagram of the load 12(A) to be collected and the load 12(B) to be collected being stored without gaps in the first direction, the load 12(A) to be collected and the loading section 14c being collected in a positional relationship where the centers of the load 12(A) to be collected and the loading section 14c are approximately aligned. At this time, if the size of the load 12(A) to be collected in the first direction is smaller than the loading section 14c, as shown in Figure 18(c), the end 14n of the load 12(A) to be collected will interfere with the other load 12(B). If the end 14n in the first direction of the loading section 14c in this way protrudes from the load 12 to be collected in the first direction, the end 14n may interfere with the other load 12(B), as shown by the dashed circle F. In this state, if the loading section 14c is raised to pick up the load 12(A) to be collected, the end 14n may lift the end 12F of another load 12(B), possibly damaging the end 12F of the other load 12(B).

Figure 18(b) is a schematic diagram of the load 12(A) to be collected and another load 12(B) stored without gaps in the first direction, and the load 12(A) to be collected and the end of the loading section 14c are collected in a positional relationship where they are substantially aligned. As shown in the dashed circle G in Figure 18(b), if the load 12(A) to be collected and the end of the loading section 14c are collected in a positional relationship where they are substantially aligned, there will be no interference with the other load 12(B) at the end 14n as in Figure 18(a). In this way, when the load 12(A) to be collected is smaller in size in the first direction than the loading section 14c, and the load 12(A) to be collected and the other load 12(B) are stored without gaps, it is preferable to have the load 12(A) to be collected and the end of the loading section 14c substantially aligned, since this increases the possibility of the load collapsing, but does not interfere with the other load 12(B).

To prevent such interference, it is conceivable to set the distance between the loads to be large, but in this case, the number of loads that can be stored in a storage shelf section 20 of the same size will be reduced. Therefore, in order to increase the number of loads that can be stored in the storage shelf section 20, it is necessary to reduce the distance between the loads, and in this case, it is preferable to have a positional relationship in which the end 12e in the first direction of the target load 12 and the end 14n in the first direction of the placement section 14c are approximately aligned.

[Third embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the transport vehicle 14 is stopped when the distance Dm in the first direction between the load 12 (A) to be stored and the load 12 (B) already stored during storage of the load 12 becomes equal to or less than the threshold value Dt, but the threshold value Dt can be set to a different value as appropriate. In the present embodiment, a plurality of candidates for the threshold value Dt are stored, and one of the plurality of threshold value candidates is selected as the threshold value Dt depending on the circumstances.

Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a front view showing the relative positional relationship between the load 12 (A) to be stored and another load 12 (B) that has already been stored. In Figure 19, the illustration of parts other than the loading section 14c of the transport cart 14 is omitted.

As described in the second embodiment, in order to store more loads 12 on a storage shelf section 20 of the same length, it is preferable to reduce the distance between the target load 12 (A) and the other load 12 (B). In order to store the largest number of loads 12, the threshold value Dt is set to approximately 0. Then, when storing the target load 12 (A), the transport cart 14 stops when the distance Dm between the target load 12 (A) and the other load 12 (B) in the first direction becomes approximately 0, as shown in FIG. 19 (a). Therefore, the end 12e on one end side in the first direction of the target load 12 (A) and the end 12f on the other end side in the first direction of the other load 12 (B) are in a positional relationship that is approximately aligned, and the number of loads that can be stored can be maximized.

Note that, when storing loads without leaving any space between the target load 12(A) and another load 12(B) as shown in FIG. 19(a), it is preferable to store the target load 12(A) by placing the target load 12(A) on the loading section 14c in a positional relationship in which the end of the target load 12(A) and the loading section 14c are approximately aligned.

In particular, when the size of the target load 12(A) in the first direction is smaller than that of the placement portion 14c, it is possible to suppress interference between the target load 12(A) and another load 12(B) by positioning the ends of the target load 12(A) and the placement portion 14c so that they are substantially aligned. Conversely, when the target load 12(A) is larger in size in the first direction than the placement portion 14c, the above-mentioned interference does not occur, so it is preferable to position the target load 12(A) and the center of the placement portion 14c so that they are substantially aligned in order to suppress collapse of the load during storage.

On the other hand, if the distance between the target load 12(A) and the other load 12(B) is reduced as shown in FIG. 19(a), as described in the second embodiment, if the target load 12(A) is larger in size in the first direction than the loading section 14c, there is a risk that the end of the target load 12(A) will interfere with the other load 12(B) when the target load 12(A) is retrieved. In order to suppress this interference, it is possible to increase the distance between the target load 12(A) and the other load 12(B) in advance when storing the load. In this case, the threshold value Dt is set to a value greater than 0 (greater than Dm in FIG. 19(a)). Then, as shown in FIG. 19(b), the transport cart 14 stops with the target load 12(A) and the other load 12(B) at a certain distance in the first direction Dm. As a result, the end 12e on one end side in the first direction of the target load 12 (A) and the end 12f on the other end side in the first direction of the other load 12 (B) are positioned a predetermined distance apart, which makes it possible to avoid interference during collection.

When storing the target load 12(A) and another load 12(B) with a distance between them as shown in FIG. 19(b), it is preferable to store the target load 12(A) by placing the target load 12(A) on the loading section 14c in a positional relationship where the centers of the target load 12(A) and the loading section 14c are approximately aligned. Because there is a gap between the target load 12(A) and the other load 12(B), interference between the target load 12(A) and the other load 12(B) is unlikely to occur during storage. Therefore, it is better to have a positional relationship where the centers are approximately aligned to prevent the load from collapsing during storage.

As explained in the second and third embodiments, the preferred positional relationship between the target load 12(A) and the placement section 14c varies depending on the situation, whether the load is being collected or stored. Therefore, a plurality of positional relationships (for example, a positional relationship in which the centers of the loads in FIG. 17(a) are approximately aligned and a positional relationship in which the ends of the loads in FIG. 17(b) are approximately aligned) may be stored in advance in the control section (ROM), and one of the plurality of positional relationships may be selected according to the situation and set as the positional relationship for collection or storage.

For example, as described in the second and third embodiments, it is considered that the appropriate distance between loads varies depending on the size of the load 12 in the first direction. Therefore, the predetermined relative positional relationship between the target load 12 (A) and another load 12 (B) may be determined by the control unit (CPU) according to the size of the load 12 in the first direction.

When a large number of loads 12 are stored, it is desirable to reduce the distance between the loads and store them at a high density. When a small number of loads 12 are stored, it is desirable to increase the distance between the loads and increase the movement speed of the transport cart 14. For this reason, the predetermined relative positional relationship between the target load 12 (A) and another load 12 (B) may be determined by the control unit (CPU) according to the number of loads 12 stored in the storage shelf unit 20.

When the length of the storage shelf section 20 is long, it is desirable to increase the distance between the loads to increase the movement speed of the transport cart 14. When the length of the storage shelf section 20 is short, it is desirable to reduce the distance between the loads to store them at a high density. For this reason, the control section (CPU) may determine the predetermined relative positional relationship between the target load 12 (A) and another load 12 (B) according to the length of the storage shelf section 20.

The predetermined relative positional relationship between the placement section 14c and the target load 12 and the predetermined relative positional relationship between the load 12 (A) to be stored and another load 12 (B) that has already been stored (hereinafter referred to as these relative positional relationships) may be constant within the warehouse or may vary. This is because the storage space within the warehouse may be non-rectangular in shape. These relative positional relationships may be determined for each area within the warehouse, for each storage shelf section 20, for each storage section row 22, or for each other storage unit.

These relative positional relationships may be stored in a storage means (ROM), and the control unit 18 may acquire these relative positional relationships from the storage means. The control unit 18 may acquire these relative positional relationships from information presentation means such as barcodes or tags provided for each area, each storage shelf section 20, each storage section row 22, or for each other storage unit. The control unit 18 may acquire these relative positional relationships based on the imaging results of imaging means such as a camera.

These relative positional relationships may be determined according to user input, not by the control unit (CPU). This is because the user may want to narrow or widen the gap between the loads depending on the number of loads 12 stored and the type of load 12. When a user wants to narrow the gap between the loads and store a large number of loads, the user sets the positional relationship between the load and the placement unit to a positional relationship in which the ends of the loads and the placement unit approximately coincide (second relative positional relationship). Conversely, when the user wants to suppress interference between the loads by increasing the gap, the user sets the positional relationship between the load and the placement unit to a positional relationship in which the centers of the load and the placement unit approximately coincide. Note that when the load is larger in size in the first direction than the placement unit and interference does not occur in the first place, the load and placement unit may be automatically set to a positional relationship in which the centers of the load and the placement unit approximately coincide in order to suppress load collapse. In this case, when the load is smaller in size in the first direction than the placement unit, the user determines the relative positional relationship.

Although it was stated above that the user sets the relative positional relationship themselves, the designer may set the relative positional relationship in advance according to the user's wishes when designing the automated warehouse system.

Relative position control between the placement section 14c and the target load 12, and relative position control between the load 12 (A) to be stored and another load 12 (B) that has already been stored, can be performed by a variety of known control devices. As an example, these relative position controls may be performed by a control means (not shown) provided in the transport cart 14, a control means (not shown) provided in the automated warehouse system 10, or a control means (not shown) installed separately via a communication network. These control means can exchange information with each other and cooperate with each other to perform relative position control.

Next, we will explain the overview and features of the automated warehouse system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The automated warehouse system 10 according to the embodiment is an automated warehouse system capable of storing loads 12, and includes a transport cart 14 capable of carrying the load 12 and traveling in a first direction, a position sensor 24 for detecting the relative positional relationship between the load 12 and the transport cart 14, and a control unit 18 for controlling the operation of the transport cart 14. The position sensor 24 includes a first distance measuring device 24b attached to one end of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measuring the distance to the measurement target, and a second distance measuring device 24c attached to the other end of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measuring the distance to the measurement target. With this configuration, the first distance measuring device 24b and the second distance measuring device 24c can obtain the distance to the load 12 to be placed on the transport cart 14 and the distance to an obstacle in the traveling direction. By controlling the operation of the transport cart 14 according to the obtained distance, the transport cart 14 can be moved to a preferred position. Furthermore, by controlling in this manner, the distance to another adjacent load 12 can be adjusted to a preferred range.

The first distance measuring device 24b is provided so as to be able to measure the distance to one end of the load 12 placed on the transport cart 14 in the first direction, and the second distance measuring device 24c is provided so as to be able to measure the distance to the other end of the load 12 placed on the transport cart 14 in the first direction. In this case, since the distance to both ends of the loaded load 12 can be measured, the relative position of the load 12 can be obtained. The loading position of the load 12 can be adjusted according to the obtained relative position. Since the distance to both ends of the load 12 can be measured, each load 12 of different dimensions can be loaded in a preferred position on the transport cart 14. Since it is possible to detect a shift in the loading position of the load 12 during transport, the load 12 can be reloaded in a preferred position.

The first distance measuring device 24b is configured to be able to change the measurement direction and measure the distance to a measurement object located away from the transport cart 14 in the first direction. In this case, the first distance measuring device 24b can obtain the distance to the placed load 12 and the distance to an obstacle located away, so the number of sensors can be reduced compared to a configuration in which separate sensors are provided for each, and the automated warehouse system can be configured accordingly more simply.

The control unit 18 stops the movement of the transport cart 14 when the distance from the transport cart 14 to the object to be measured ahead in the direction of travel is equal to or less than a threshold value. In this case, the possibility of the transport cart 14 colliding with an obstacle, another load 12, etc. can be reduced.

The first distance measuring device 24b is a laser sensor that measures the distance to the object to be measured using laser light 24e, and a passage 14h for passing the laser light 24e may be provided on the placement section 14c on which the load 12 of the transport cart 14 is placed. In this case, interference by the placement section 14c on the optical path of the laser light can be reduced, and the measurable range of the first distance measuring device 24b can be expanded. In addition, when the measurable range is kept constant, it becomes possible to enlarge the placement section 14c.

The automated warehouse system 10 according to the embodiment is an automated warehouse system capable of storing loads 12, and includes a storage shelf section 20 for storing the loads 12, a transport cart 14 having a placement section 14c for placing the loads 12 and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor 24 for detecting the relative positional relationship between the load 12 and the transport cart 14, and a control section 18 for controlling the operation of the transport cart 14, and the control section 18 controls the operation of the transport cart 14 so that the transport cart 14 stops the transport cart 14 at a position where the relative positional relationship in the first direction between the load 12 stored in the storage shelf section 20 and the placement section 14c is a predetermined relative positional relationship, and retrieves the load 12. With this configuration, the load 12 can be retrieved at a position where the relative positional relationship is predetermined, and the load 12 can be retrieved at a preferred position on the placement section 14c.

The specified relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which the center of the target load 12 in the first direction and the center of the loading section 14c in the first direction approximately coincide with each other. In this case, the target load 12 can be collected in the center of the loading section 14c, thereby reducing the possibility of the load collapsing during travel.

The position sensor 24 includes a first distance measuring device attached to one end of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measuring the distance to the target load 12, and a second distance measuring device attached to the other end of the transport cart 14 in the first direction and measuring the distance to the target load 12. The control unit 18 may control the operation of the transport cart 14 so that, when retrieving the target load 12, (i) when the first distance measuring device detects the target load 12, the transport cart 14 is decelerated, (ii) when the second distance measuring device detects the target load 12 after the first distance measuring device detects the target load 12, the transport cart 14 is further decelerated, and (iii) when the distances to the target load 12 measured by the first and second distance measuring devices become approximately equal after the second distance measuring device detects the target load 12, the transport cart 14 is stopped. In this case, the transport cart 14 can be stopped at a more appropriate position than in a configuration in which the transport cart 14 is not decelerated.

The control unit 18 may control the operation of the transport cart 14 so that after collecting the target load 12, the transport cart 14 is returned with the target load 12 placed on the placement unit 14c. When returning the transport cart 14, if the distance in the first direction between the center of the collected target load 12 and the center of the placement unit 14c is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit 18 may control the operation of the transport cart 14 so that the target load 12 is unloaded, the transport cart 14 is moved to a position in the first direction where the center of the target load 12 and the center of the placement unit 14c approximately coincide with each other, and the target load 12 is again collected by the transport cart 14. In this case, when the position of the target load 12 is excessively shifted, the target load 12 is once unloaded and is then again placed in a preferred position on the placement unit 14c, thereby further reducing the possibility of load collapse.

The predetermined relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which the end 12e in the first direction of the target load 12(A) and the end 14n in the first direction of the loading section 14c are substantially aligned. In this case, compared to a configuration in which the end 14n protrudes from the target load 12(A), the possibility that the end 14n of the loading section 14c will interfere with another load 12(B) adjacent to the target load 12(A) can be reduced. This makes it easier to pick up the target load 12(A) as described in FIG. 18. Also, in this case, the distance between the target load 12(A) and the adjacent another load 12(B) can be reduced, allowing more loads 12 to be stored in the same size storage shelf section 20.

The automated warehouse system 10 according to the embodiment is an automated warehouse system capable of storing loads 12, and includes a storage shelf section 20 for storing the loads 12, a transport cart 14 having a placement section 14c on which the loads 12 are placed and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor 24 for detecting the relative positional relationship between a target load 12 (A) placed on the placement section 14c and another load 12 (B) that is adjacent to the position where the target load 12 is stored in the storage shelf section 20 and that was stored before the target load 12 (A), and a control section 18 for controlling the operation of the transport cart 14, and the control section 18 controls the operation of the transport cart 14 to stop the transport cart 14 at a position where the positional relationship between the target load 12 (A) and the other load 12 (B) is a predetermined relative positional relationship, and to store the target load 12 in the storage shelf section 20 by the transport cart 14. With this configuration, the target load 12(A) can be stored so that the positional relationship between the target load 12(A) and another load 12(B) is optimal.

The specified relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which an end portion on one end side in the first direction of the target load 12 (A) and an end portion on the other end side in the first direction of another load 12 (B) are substantially aligned. In this case, the distance between the target load 12 (A) and the other load 12 (B) can be reduced, making it possible to store more loads 12 on the storage shelf section 20 of the same length.

The predetermined relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which an end portion on one end side in the first direction of the target load 12 (A) and an end portion on the other end side in the first direction of the other load 12 (B) are separated by a predetermined distance. In this case, the distance between the target load 12 (A) and the other load 12 (B) can be increased to reduce the possibility of these loads coming into contact.

The automated warehouse system 10 according to the embodiment is an automated warehouse system capable of storing goods 12, and includes a storage shelf section 20 for storing the goods 12, a transport cart 14 having a placement section 14c for placing the goods 12 and capable of traveling in a first direction, a position sensor 24 for detecting the relative positional relationship between the target goods 12 (A) and the transport cart 14, and a control section 18 for controlling the operation of the transport cart 14. The control section 18 places the target goods 12 (A) on the placement section 14c at a position where the relative positional relationship between the target goods 12 (A) and the placement section 14c in the first direction is a predetermined relative positional relationship, and after placement, moves the transport cart 14 to control the operation of the transport cart 14 so that the target goods 12 (A) is stored in the storage shelf section 20. With this configuration, the target goods 12 (A) can be placed on the placement section 14c according to the desired positional relationship.

The specified relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which the center of the target load 12(A) in the first direction and the center of the loading section 14c in the first direction approximately coincide with each other. In this case, a load 12(A) that is large in size in the first direction can be stored in a position close to another load 12(B) that has already been stored. This reduces the possibility of the large load 12(A) collapsing.

The specified relative positional relationship may be a positional relationship in which the end of the target load 12 in the first direction and the end of the loading section 14c in the first direction approximately coincide with each other. In this case, the load 12 (A) that is smaller in size in the first direction can be stored in a position close to another load 12 (B) that has already been stored.

The device may further include a determination means for determining a predetermined relative positional relationship from among a plurality of relative positional relationships. In this case, the desired positional relationship can be determined by the determination means. For example, the determination means may be provided in the control unit 18.

The above-mentioned determination means may be configured to determine a predetermined relative positional relationship according to any one of the size of the load 12 in the first direction, the number of loads 12 stored in the storage shelf section 20, and the length of the storage shelf section 20. In this case, the loads 12 can be stored with an appropriate distance defined by any one of the size of the loads 12, the number of loads 12 stored, and the length of the storage shelf section 20. Also, when the number of loads 12 stored is large, the distance between each load 12 can be reduced to store the loads at a high density, and when the number of loads 12 is small, the distance between each load 12 can be increased to increase the movement speed of the transport cart 14. Also, when the length of the storage shelf section 20 is long, the distance between each load 12 can be increased to increase the movement speed of the transport cart 14, and when the length of the storage shelf section 20 is short, the distance between each load 12 can be reduced to store the loads at a high density.

The above-mentioned determination means may be configured to determine a predetermined relative positional relationship in response to a user's input. In this case, each load 12 can be stored at an appropriate distance determined by the user's judgment. Therefore, the relative positional relationship can be changed depending on the operating status of the automated warehouse system 10.

The present invention has been described above based on several embodiments. Each of these embodiments is an example, and it will be 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 that such modifications and changes are also within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions and drawings in this specification should be treated as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Below, the modified examples are explained. In the drawings and explanations of the modified examples, the same components and members as those in each embodiment are given the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with those in each embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the explanation will focus on the configurations that differ from those in each embodiment.

(First Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the control unit 18 stops the transport cart 14 at a position where the distances L1 and L2 are equal in steps S65 to S67 in the positioning mode, but this is not limited to this. The stop position of the transport cart 14 may be determined by another algorithm depending on the distances L1 and L2. For example, the center position of the load 12(A) in the first direction may be obtained based on the distances L1 and L2, and the stop position of the transport cart 14 may be determined so that the obtained center position approximately coincides with the center position of the placement unit 14c in the first direction.

(Second Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the control unit 18 determines the stop position of the transporting cart 14 according to the distances L1 and L2 in steps S65 to S67 in the positioning mode, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the control unit 18 may determine the stop position of the transporting cart 14 according to the irradiation angle of each laser beam 24e when detecting the end portion 12e on one end side and the end portion 12f on the other end side. For example, the control unit 18 may control the transporting cart 14 to stop at a position where the irradiation angle of each laser beam 24e satisfies a predetermined condition. This predetermined condition may be set to the irradiation angle of each laser beam 24e when detecting the end portion 12e on one end side and the end portion 12f on the other end side when the target load 12 (A) is in a desired relative position with respect to the transporting cart 14.

(Third Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example was described in which the intermediate cart 16 does not have a lifting mechanism, but this is not limited to this. For example, the intermediate cart may be a stacker crane having a lifting mechanism. In this case, the goods 12 can be transported in the row direction and raised and lowered in the vertical direction. By providing a stacker crane, the goods 12 can be transported between the storage section 31 of any stage of the storage shelf section 30 and the storage section 21 of another stage of the storage shelf section 20.

(Fourth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the transport cart 14 carrying the load 12 enters and leaves the intermediate cart 16 to load and unload the load 12 from the intermediate cart 16, but the present invention is not limited to this. The intermediate cart may be equipped with a known transfer mechanism such as a movable arm, and the load may be loaded and unloaded from the transport cart 14 by this transfer mechanism.

(Fifth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example in which the load 12 includes the pallet 12p has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is not essential that the load includes a pallet, and the automated warehouse system may handle loads that do not include a pallet.

(Sixth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example in which the forklift 50 is used to take in and out the goods from the storage shelf section has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the goods may be taken in and out from the storage shelf section by a different type of transfer device, such as a transfer device equipped with a crane.

(Seventh Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the intermediate cart 16 moves only in the row direction and does not move in the up-down direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a lifting device that lifts and lowers the intermediate cart 16 in the up-down direction may be provided to allow the intermediate cart 16 to move between each stage.

(Eighth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the transport cart 14 is driven by power from an on-board battery, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, power may be supplied to the transport cart 14 from a power supply mechanism such as a power supply line provided on the shelf side. In this case, since the transport cart 14 is driven by the supplied power, it does not matter whether or not it is equipped with a battery.

(Ninth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example in which the transport cart 14 is provided in each row of each tier has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is not essential that the transport cart 14 is provided in each row of each tier, and it is not necessary that the transport cart 14 is provided in each tier.

(Tenth Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the number of stages of the storage shelf section 30 matches the number of stages of the storage shelf section 20, but this is not limiting. It is not essential that the number of stages of the storage shelf section 30 matches the number of stages of the storage shelf section 20. For example, by providing a lifting device that raises and lowers the intermediate cart 16 in the vertical direction, the storage shelf section 30 can be configured with a number of stages different from the number of stages of the storage shelf section 20.

(Eleventh Modification)
In the description of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the transport cart 14 is equipped with a running mechanism such as wheels and is configured to be self-propelled, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shelf side may be equipped with a conveying mechanism using a belt, chain, or the like, and the transport cart may be conveyed in the first direction by this conveying mechanism. In this case, the transport cart may or may not be equipped with a running mechanism.

Each of these modified examples has a configuration similar to that of the automated warehouse system 10 of the first embodiment, and thus provides the same effects as the automated warehouse system 10 described above.

In the drawings used for explanation, cross sections of some components are hatched to clarify the relationships between the components, but this hatching does not limit the materials or qualities of these components.

10: Automated warehouse system, 12: Load, 14: Transport cart, 16: Intermediate cart, 18: Control unit, 20: Storage shelf unit, 22: Storage row, 24: Position sensor, 30: Storage shelf unit, 41: First rail, 42: Second rail, 43: Third rail, 44: Rail, 50: Forklift, 56: Control panel, 58: Work space.

Claims (8)

A shelf portion provided along a row direction, a column direction, and a stage direction and capable of storing a plurality of articles;
a loading/unloading section for loading/unloading goods;
A transport vehicle that transports goods between the shelf unit and the loading/unloading unit;
a sensor provided on the transporting cart for non-contact detection of a first distance from one side of the transporting cart in the row direction to a first end of the load to be collected on the one side, and a second distance from the other side of the transporting cart in the row direction to a second end of the load to be collected on the other side;
A control unit that controls the operation of the transport vehicle using the detection result of the sensor;
Equipped with
The control unit controls the operation of the transport cart so that the transport cart stops at a position where the first distance and the second distance are approximately equal, and then the transport cart retrieves the cargo to be retrieved onto the transport cart. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors include a first position sensor capable of detecting the load in the direction of travel of the transport cart, and a second position sensor capable of detecting the load in the direction opposite to the direction of travel. The automated warehouse system according to claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured to be capable of detecting an object located at a higher position than the sensor. 3. The automated warehouse system according to claim 2 , wherein the detection angle range of the sensor has an angular spread large enough to detect a load placed on the transport cart. The automated warehouse system according to claim 4, wherein the transport cart can detect both ends of the load by the sensor both when it is under the load placed on the shelf and when it is lifting up the load. the first position sensor is a first distance measuring device provided at one end side of the transporting carriage in the traveling direction, and the second position sensor is a second distance measuring device provided at the other end side of the transporting carriage in the traveling direction,
The first position sensor and the second position sensor each measure a distance to a load to be collected;
When collecting the load to be collected, the control unit
(i) decelerating the transport vehicle when the first distance measuring device detects the load to be collected;
(ii) when the second distance measuring device detects the load to be collected after the first distance measuring device detects the load to be collected, further decelerating the transport vehicle;
(iii) The automated warehouse system of claim 2, wherein the operation of the transport cart is controlled so as to stop the transport cart when the distances to the load to be collected measured by the first and second distance measuring devices become equal after the second distance measuring device detects the load to be collected. 3. The automated warehouse system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit detects a position of the load based on a detection result of the sensor, and controls the transport cart to stop traveling when a distance from the transport cart to the load position is equal to or less than a threshold value according to the detected load position. The shelf portion has a plurality of storage portions arranged in a row,
the transport vehicle has the sensor for detecting an article placed in the storage unit while moving along an aisle that is continuous in a row direction and is provided under the plurality of storage units;
The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 , further comprising a moving means for transporting the articles in the row direction and lifting them up and down.

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