JP2022078740A - Picking system and conveyance method - Google Patents

Abstract

To flexibly convey an article box and a delivery box to a plurality of picking areas.SOLUTION: A picking system 100 comprises: a plurality of article box warehouses 110 which stores a plurality of article boxes 210 for storing different types of articles; an article box conveyance device 120 which conveys the delivered article boxes 210; a plurality of picking areas 199 for carrying-in the article boxes 210; a delivery box warehouse 130 for storing an associated delivery box 221 associated with an order; a delivery box conveyance device 140 for carrying the associated delivery box 221 selectively delivered from the delivery box warehouse 130 into the picking area 199; and a management device 150. The management device 150 includes an article box instruction output section 151 for outputting an article box instruction and an associated delivery box instruction output section 152 for outputting an associated delivery box instruction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a picking system for accommodating a plurality of types of articles in a delivery box from a plurality of article boxes for accommodating the same type of articles, and a box transport method in the picking system.

An operation called picking, in which an article is taken out from an article box containing the same type of article by an operator and a plurality of types of articles are accommodated in a delivery box for each delivery destination, is performed in the picking area. In order to allow workers to efficiently perform such picking work, the configuration and operation of a picking system that carries out goods boxes and delivery boxes from an automated warehouse and transports various boxes to the picking area by a transport device has been disclosed. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-76831

However, the conventional picking system is a system in which article boxes corresponding to a plurality of types of articles included in an order are conveyed one after another to an empty delivery box conveyed to the picking area by a conveyor. In such a picking system, since a plurality of article boxes are transported to a delivery box transported to one picking area, the arrival of the delivery box and the timing of leaving the article box from the automated warehouse do not match, and the worker does not match. It includes the problem that the picking efficiency is lowered, such as making the person wait.

In addition, there is a need for a conveyor that connects the picking area to the automated warehouse where all the goods boxes that may be picked in one delivery box are stored by a conveyor, which also includes the problem of increasing the conveyor equipment. ..

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and relates to a picking system capable of realizing efficient picking, and a box transport method in the picking system.

In order to achieve the above object, the picking system, which is one of the present inventions, automatically stores and automatically stores a plurality of article boxes containing a plurality of articles of the same type and each containing different types of articles. A plurality of goods box warehouses that can be loaded and unloaded, a goods box transport device that transports goods boxes that have been delivered from the goods box warehouse, and a plurality of goods boxes that are selectively carried in by the goods box transport device. A picking area, a delivery box warehouse that stores a tied delivery box containing at least one of the multiple items included in the order and can automatically enter and leave the warehouse, and a tied delivery box selectively delivered from the delivery box warehouse. A tied delivery box transport device for carrying a delivery box into the picking area and a management device for managing the flow between the goods box and the tied delivery box are provided, and the management device comprises goods delivered from the goods box warehouse. Outputs an article box instruction output unit that outputs an article box instruction to bring the box into one of the picking areas, and an attached delivery box instruction to take out the tied delivery box from the delivery box warehouse and bring it into the same picking area. It is equipped with a delivery box instruction output unit with a link.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, another box transport method of the present invention is an article box for accommodating a plurality of articles of the same type, and a plurality of articles accommodating different types of articles. A plurality of article box warehouses that can store boxes and automatically put in and take out, an article box transport device that transports article boxes that have been delivered from the article box warehouse, and an article box that is conveyed by the article box transport device are selectively selected. Select from multiple picking areas to be carried into the delivery box warehouse, a delivery box warehouse that can store and automatically receive and deliver a tied delivery box containing at least one of the multiple items included in the order, and the delivery box warehouse. It is a box transport method in a picking system including a tied delivery box transport device that carries a tied delivery box that has been delivered to the picking area into the picking area, and a management device that manages the flow between the article box and the tied delivery box. Then, the article box instruction output unit outputs an article box instruction to bring the article box discharged from the article box warehouse to any one of the picking areas, and the tied delivery box is discharged from the delivery box warehouse to carry out the same picking. The tied delivery box instruction output unit outputs the tied delivery box instruction to be carried into the area.

According to the present invention, even if the delivery box is tied with an order, the tied delivery box and the goods box can be flexibly transported to the picking area.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a picking system. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a picking system. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a picking system by omitting a part of the superstructure. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a picking system by omitting the third conveyor. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional unit of the management device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the picking system and the box transport method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments are intended to give an example for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. For example, the shape, structure, material, component, relative positional relationship, connection state, numerical value, mathematical formula, content of each stage in the method, order of each stage, etc. shown in the following embodiments are examples. May contain content not listed in. In addition, geometrical expressions such as parallel and orthogonal may be used, but these expressions do not indicate mathematical rigor and include substantially permissible errors and deviations. In addition, expressions such as simultaneous and identical also include a range that is substantially permissible.

Further, the drawings are schematic views in which emphasis, omission, or ratio adjustment is appropriately performed to explain the present invention, and are different from the actual shape, positional relationship, and ratio.

Further, in the following, a plurality of inventions may be comprehensively described as one embodiment. In addition, some of the contents described below are described as arbitrary components relating to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a picking system. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a picking system. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a picking system by omitting a part of the superstructure. In the drawing, a part of the article box 210 and the delivery box 220 is shown only on the negative side in the X-axis direction. As shown in the figure, in the picking system 100, the worker 230 takes out a predetermined number of articles from the article box 210, and in the picking area 199 for storing the articles in the delivery box 220, the article box 210, the delivery box 220, and the like. It is a system for transporting and carrying out to a predetermined place, and includes an article box warehouse 110, an article box transport device 120, a delivery box warehouse 130, and a delivery box transport device 140. In the case of the present embodiment, the picking system 100 includes an empty delivery box transfer device 160.

The article box 210 is a container in which a plurality of articles of the same type are stored. A plurality of article boxes 210 are stored in the article box warehouse 110, and different types of articles are housed in a part of the plurality of article boxes 210. In addition, some other article boxes 210 may contain articles of the same type. The articles housed in the article box 210 are so-called inventory articles. In FIG. 1, two diagonal lines intersecting the side surfaces of the box are attached to the article box 210. The size of the article box 210 is not particularly limited, and article boxes 210 of different sizes may coexist in the picking system. The goods are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include goods for sale to consumers, parts for assembling products, tools for assembly and processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and the like.

The delivery box 220 is a container in which the picking operator puts in the articles taken out from the article box 210 based on the order, and when the picking operation is completed in the picking system 100, the delivery box 220 is transported to a predetermined place. The order is picking information indicating the type, number, and the like of the articles to be stored in the predetermined delivery box 220, and is output from, for example, a higher-level computer 240 (see FIG. 5). In the case of the present embodiment, at least one of the plurality of articles included in the order is accommodated, and the delivery box 220 associated with the order is described as the associated delivery box 221, and the delivery is not associated with the order. Box 220 is described as an empty delivery box 222. In FIG. 1, three horizontal lines are attached to the side of the box to the tied delivery box 221 and three vertical lines are attached to the side of the box to the empty delivery box 222. The size of the delivery box 220 is not particularly limited, and delivery boxes 220 of different sizes may be mixed. Further, in the drawings, the delivery box 220 and the article box 210 are described in the same size, but this is not the case.

The picking area 199 is an area in which the worker 230 takes out a predetermined number of articles from the article box 210 and stores the articles in the delivery box 220. For example, a reading device (not shown) such as a bar code reader that reads information on goods, orders tied to the tied delivery box 221, and a display device (not shown) that indicates the type and number of goods to be picked by the worker 230. ), An input device (not shown) indicating that the picking work has been completed, a table on which the operator 230 is placed (not shown), and the like may be arranged in the picking area 199.

The article box warehouse 110 may store a plurality of article boxes 210 each containing different types of articles, automatically issue the article box 210 based on an order, and automatically store the article box 210. It is an automated warehouse that can be used. The type of the article box warehouse 110 is not particularly limited, but in the case of the present embodiment, the article box warehouse 110 includes the first rack 111, the first conveyor 112, the first transfer device 113, and the first. A vertical conveyor 114 and the like are provided.

The first rack 111 is a shelf for storing the article box 210. In the case of the present embodiment, the first rack 111 arranges the article boxes 210 in the first direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) in the horizontal plane and holds the shelf boards in a mounted shape in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figure). It has multiple stages. Further, the article box warehouse 110 includes two first racks 111 arranged side by side in parallel with the first transfer device 113 in the second direction (X-axis direction in the drawing) orthogonal to the first direction in the horizontal plane. .. The length of the first rack 111 in the first direction is not particularly limited. In the figure, a part of the first rack 111 in the longitudinal direction is omitted, and the first rack 111 is briefly described. Further, in the case of the present embodiment, the picking system 100 includes a plurality of goods box warehouses 110 of the same type. The number of goods box warehouses 110 included in the picking system 100 is not limited. Further, the type and size of the goods box warehouse 110 (the number of goods boxes 210 that can be stored) are not particularly limited, and the types and sizes of the plurality of goods box warehouses 110 may be different from each other. ..

The first transfer device 113 is an device capable of transferring the article box 210 held by the first rack 111 and the first conveyor 112 to another place of the first rack 111 and the first conveyor 112. The type of the first transfer device 113 is not particularly limited, and a stacker crane or the like can be exemplified. In the case of the present embodiment, the first transport device 113 includes rails laid at positions corresponding to each stage of the first rack 111, and article box carts arranged for each rail.

The rail extends along the first rack 111 to reach the first conveyor 112 in the first direction, and the article box carriage reciprocates along the rail while holding the article box 210. The article box trolley is provided with a first rack 111 and a transfer device capable of transferring the article box 210 between the first conveyor 112 and the article box trolley. The transfer device can transfer the article box 210 between the first rack 111 adjacent to both sides of the first transfer device 113 and the first conveyor 112.

The first conveyor 112 is arranged at a position corresponding to each stage of the pair of first racks 111. One first conveyor 112 conveys the article box 210 along the first direction, which is the extending direction of the one first rack 111, and transfers the article box 210 to the first vertical conveyor 114. The other first conveyor 112 conveys the article box 210 along the first direction which is the extending direction of the other first rack 111, and the article box 210 received from the first vertical conveyor 114 is transferred to the first conveyor 113. Hand over to. The type of the first conveyor 112 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a roller conveyor and a belt conveyor.

The first vertical conveyor 114 includes an elevating table that moves in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing), and conveys the article box 210 held by the elevating table in the vertical direction. In the case of the present embodiment, the article box warehouse 110 includes a pair of first vertical conveyors 114 corresponding to the pair of first conveyors 112 arranged in the second direction. On the other hand, the first vertical conveyor 114 vertically conveys the article box 210 transferred from the first conveyor 112 and carries it out to the article box transport device 120. The other first vertical conveyor 114 vertically conveys the article box 210 transferred from the article box conveying device 120, and carries it out to the first conveyor 112 of a predetermined stage.

The article box transport device 120 is an device that transports the article box 210 discharged from the article box warehouse 110 to the picking area 199. The type of the article box transport device 120 is not particularly limited, and may be a combination of a plurality of types of devices. In the case of the present embodiment, the article box transport device 120 includes a second conveyor 121, a third conveyor 122, a fourth conveyor 123 (see FIG. 3), a tracked carriage 124, and a second vertical conveyor 125. ing.

The second conveyor 121 is a conveyor that connects the first vertical conveyor 114 of the goods box warehouse 110 and the tracked carriage 124. In the case of the present embodiment, two second conveyors 121 are connected to the pair of first vertical conveyors 114, and one second conveyor 121 and the first vertical conveyor 114 are for delivery and the other. The second conveyor 121 and the first vertical conveyor 114 function for warehousing.

The tracked carriage 124 is a facility that circulates on an annular track to convey the article box 210 and transfers the article box 210 between the second conveyor 121 and the third conveyor 122 to be connected. The type of the tracked carriage 124 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a carriage that orbits at high speed by a linear motor, a so-called high-speed sorting conveyor and the like. In the case of the present embodiment, the tracked bogie 124 is provided with a stator on the track, the bogie is provided with a mover, and travels by a linear motor that moves the bogie by changing the magnetic force of the stator. Further, the transfer of the article box 210 is realized by the interaction between the transfer stator arranged on the track and the transfer mover provided on the bogie.

The third conveyor 122, the fourth conveyor 123, and the second vertical conveyor 125 convey the article box 210 received from the tracked carriage 124 to the picking area 199, and convey the article box 210 after picking to the tracked carriage 124. do. In the case of the present embodiment, the fourth conveyor 123 is positioned so that the article box 210 can be conveyed in a horizontal plane at a height where the operator 230 can work, and a part of the fourth conveyor 123 passes through the picking area 199. Has been done. The third conveyor 122 is arranged on the upper side of the fourth conveyor 123 at a position where the article box 210 can be conveyed in a horizontal plane at a height position that does not interfere with the operator 230. The second vertical conveyor 125 connects the third conveyor 122 and the fourth conveyor 123, and conveys both the article box 210 toward the picking area 199 and the article box 210 returning from the picking area 199.

In this way, by arranging a part of the fourth conveyor 123 in the picking area 199 and arranging the third conveyor 122, the tracked carriage 124, and the second conveyor 121 above the worker 230, in the picking area 199. It is possible to secure a space for the worker to pick, a passage for the worker 230 to enter and exit the picking area 199, and the like. Further, by arranging the transport devices three-dimensionally, the picking system 100 as a whole can be made compact.

The picking system 100 includes a third conveyor 122, a fourth conveyor 123, and a second vertical conveyor 125 in a number corresponding to the number of picking areas 199 (3 in the case of the present embodiment). The tracked carriage 124 can selectively transfer the article box 210 to the plurality of third conveyors 122. As a result, the article box transport device 120 can selectively carry the article box 210 into each picking area 199. Further, the picking system 100 includes a number of second conveyors 121 corresponding to the number of article box warehouses 110 (7 in the case of the present embodiment). The tracked carriage 124 is connected to the plurality of second conveyors 121, and the article box 210 can be transferred between the plurality of article box warehouses 110. As described above, the article box transport device 120 can carry the article box 210 from the arbitrarily selected article box warehouse 110 to the arbitrarily selected picking area 199.

The delivery box warehouse 130 is an automated warehouse that stores the tied delivery box 221 and can automatically put in and take out the tied delivery box 221. The type of the delivery box warehouse 130 is not particularly limited, but in the case of the present embodiment, the delivery box warehouse 130 is a facility capable of selectively delivering the tied delivery box 221 to a plurality of picking areas 199. , A second rack 131 and a second transfer device 133.

The second rack 131 is a shelf for storing the tied delivery box 221. In the case of the present embodiment, the second rack 131 arranges the tied delivery boxes 221 in the second direction (X-axis direction in the figure) in the horizontal plane and holds the shelf board in a mounted shape in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the figure). ) Has multiple stages. Further, the delivery box warehouse 130 includes two second racks 131 arranged side by side in parallel with the second transfer device 133 in the first direction (Y-axis direction in the drawing) in the horizontal plane. The length of the second rack 131 in the first direction is not particularly limited, but a length corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of picking areas 199 is preferable. The second rack 131 arranged on the picking area 199 side includes a third vertical conveyor 141 and a transfer unit 135 on which the tied delivery box 221 can be transferred. The transfer unit 135 is arranged at each stage of the second rack 131 along the third vertical conveyor 141. Further, the delivery box warehouse 130 has a number of transfer units 135 corresponding to the number of picking areas 199 (3 in the case of the present embodiment). The second transfer device 133 can selectively transfer the tied delivery box 221 to the plurality of transfer units 135. As a result, the delivery box warehouse 130 can selectively carry the tied delivery box 221 into each picking area 199.

The second transfer device 133 is an device capable of transferring the tied delivery box 221 held in the second rack 131 to another location of the first rack 111 and to the transfer unit 135. The type of the second transfer device 133 is not particularly limited, and a stacker crane or the like can be exemplified. In the case of the present embodiment, the second transfer device 133 is the same as the first transfer device 113, and the rails laid at the positions corresponding to the respective stages of the second rack 131 and the delivery arranged for each rail. It is equipped with a box trolley. The delivery box trolley is connected to each of the plurality of picking areas 199 via the transfer unit 135, and the transported tied delivery box 221 can be selectively carried out to any one of the picking areas 199. Further, the second transport device 133 is provided with two delivery box carts arranged in the extending direction of the second rack 131 at each stage of the second rack 131. The two delivery box carts in each stage are, for example, in charge of half the area of the second rack 131 in the extending direction.

The number of delivery box warehouses 130 included in the picking system 100 is not limited, and may be one or a plurality. Further, the type and size of the delivery box warehouse 130 (the number of storage boxes 221 that can be stored in the tied delivery box 221) are not particularly limited, and when there are a plurality of delivery box warehouses 130, the types and sizes of the delivery box warehouses 130 are mutually different. It doesn't matter if they are different.

The delivery box transport device 140 is a facility for carrying the tied delivery box 221 selectively delivered from the delivery box warehouse 130 into the picking area 199. The type of the delivery box transport device 140 is not particularly limited, and may be a combination of a plurality of types of devices. In the case of the present embodiment, the delivery box transfer device 140 includes a third vertical conveyor 141 and a fifth conveyor 142.

The third vertical conveyor 141 is provided with an elevating table that moves in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction in the drawing), and conveys the tied delivery box 221 held by the elevating table in the vertical direction. In the case of the present embodiment, the delivery box transfer device 140 includes a number of third vertical conveyors 141 corresponding to the number of transfer portions 135 of the delivery box warehouse 130 in the second direction. Each third vertical conveyor 141 vertically conveys the tied delivery box 221 transferred from the transfer unit 135 of each stage, and carries it out to the fifth conveyor 142.

The fifth conveyor 142 conveys the tied delivery box 221 received from the third vertical conveyor 141 to the picking area 199, and carries out the tied delivery box 221 that has been picked out of the picking area 199. In the case of the present embodiment, the fifth conveyor 142 is arranged parallel to a part of the fourth conveyor 123 in the horizontal plane and conveys the tied delivery box 221 to a position where the worker 230 can pick. Further, the fifth conveyor 142 conveys the tied delivery box 221 for which the picking work in one picking area 199 is completed to the lower side of the delivery box warehouse 130. The delivery box 220 passes under the delivery box warehouse 130 and is carried out of the picking system 100. In addition, the tied delivery box 221 in the middle of picking in which the picking work has not been completed in one picking area 199 may be returned to the delivery box warehouse 130.

The delivery box transfer device 140 includes a third vertical conveyor 141 and a fifth conveyor 142 in a number corresponding to the number of picking areas 199 (3 in the case of the present embodiment). Since the delivery box warehouse 130 is provided with a delivery box trolley capable of transporting the tied delivery box 221 to any of the transfer portions 135 in the second direction, the tied delivery box 221 is selectively selected for the third vertical conveyor 141. Can be reprinted. As a result, the delivery box warehouse 130 can selectively carry the tied delivery box 221 into each picking area 199.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a picking system by omitting the third conveyor. The empty delivery box transport device 160 is a facility for transporting an empty delivery box 222, which is a delivery box containing no goods, to the delivery box transport device 140. The type of the empty delivery box transfer device 160 is not particularly limited, but in the case of the present embodiment, a conveyor is adopted. The empty delivery box transfer device 160 is arranged between the third conveyor 122 and the fourth conveyor 123, and is connected to each of the plurality of third vertical conveyors 141 in a branched manner. As a result, the empty delivery box transport device 160 can carry the empty delivery box 222 into the plurality of picking areas 199 via the delivery box transport device 140.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional unit of the management device. The management device 150 is a device that manages the flow of the article box 210, the tied delivery box 221 and the empty delivery box 222 in the picking system 100, and is a processing unit realized by causing a processor to execute a program, and is an article box instruction. It includes an output unit 151 and a tied delivery box instruction output unit 152. In the case of the present embodiment, the management device 150 includes a progress grasping unit 153 and an area specifying unit 154.

The article box instruction output unit 151 is a processing unit that outputs an article box instruction for carrying the article box 210 delivered from the article box warehouse 110 to any one of the picking areas 199 based on the order. As a general rule, the goods box 210 is delivered from the goods box warehouse 110 in the order in which orders are output from the host computer 240. The article box instruction output unit 151 transfers the article box 210 delivered based on a predetermined order, for example, the order associated with the tied delivery box 221, for example, the first article box 210 to the article box transport device 120. Immediately before, immediately before being transferred to the tracked carriage 124, or while being transported by the tracked carriage 124, a picking area 199 for carrying in the article box 210 corresponding to the order is determined, and the article containing the information is determined. The box instruction is output to the article box transport device 120.

The tied delivery box instruction output unit 152 outputs a tied delivery box instruction to take out the tied delivery box 221 from the delivery box warehouse 130 and bring the goods box 210 included in the same order into the same picking area 199. It is a department.

The progress grasping unit 153 is a processing unit for grasping the progress of each picking operation in the picking area 199. The method by which the progress grasping unit 153 grasps the progress is not particularly limited, and for example, the progress may be grasped based on the parental notice of the worker 230 working in the picking area 199. Further, even if the progress grasping unit 153 grasps the progress of the picking work by grasping the number of the delivery boxes 220 carried into the picking area 199 and the delivery boxes to be carried out per unit time by the delivery box transport device 140 by the sensor. It doesn't matter. In the case of the present embodiment, the progress grasping unit 153 grasps the progress based on the number of the article boxes 210 stored in the conveyor in front of the picking operator.

The area specifying unit 154 specifies a picking area 199 to carry in the article box 210 and the tied delivery box 221 based on the work progress in each picking area 199 grasped by the progress grasping unit 153. Further, the timing at which the area specifying unit 154 identifies the picking area 199 is after the article box 210 is delivered from the article box warehouse 110 and before the transfer to the article box transport device 120.

When the management device 150 includes the progress grasping unit 153 and the area specifying unit 154, the following processing is performed. When there are a plurality of picking areas 199 specified by the area specifying unit 154, the article box instruction output unit 151 determines one picking area 199 from the plurality of picking areas 199, and carries the article box 210 into the determined picking area 199. Output the goods box instruction to be made. If the order includes a plurality of types of article boxes 210, the article box instruction may include a plurality of types of article boxes 210. Further, the tied delivery box instruction output unit 152 outputs a tied delivery box instruction for carrying the tied delivery box 221 into the picking area 199 determined by the article box instruction output unit 151.

In the picking system 100 according to the above embodiment, the goods box 210 delivered from the goods box warehouse 110 based on the order is transferred to the goods box transport device 120 after the goods box 210 is delivered from the goods box warehouse 110. It is carried into the picking area 199 specified by the area specifying unit 154 before loading. The transportation of the article box 210 is executed based on the article box instruction output by the article box instruction output unit 151. On the other hand, the tied delivery box 221 is delivered from the delivery box warehouse 130 and carried into the specified picking area 199 based on the tied delivery box instruction output by the tied delivery box instruction output unit 152.

In the picking area 199 where the goods box 210 related to the order and the tied delivery box 221 are arranged, the worker takes out a predetermined number of goods from the goods box 210 and puts them in the tied delivery box 221. The article box 210 from which a predetermined number of articles have been taken out is returned to the article box 210 warehouse by the article box transport device 120. The tied delivery box 221 is discharged to the outside of the picking area 199 when the loading of a predetermined type and a predetermined number of articles is completed.

According to the picking system 100 according to the above embodiment, the article box 210 to be delivered from any of the plurality of article box warehouses 110 is placed in an arbitrary picking area 199 by using the article box transport device 120 based on the article box instruction. It can be carried in. Further, the tied delivery box 221 can be carried into an arbitrary picking area 199 from the delivery box warehouse 130 and the delivery box transfer device 140. Therefore, the tied delivery box 221 and the article box 210 can be carried into an arbitrary picking area 199 to execute the picking operation without being bound by the order of generation of orders. Thereby, for example, the tied delivery box 221 and the article box 210 can be carried into the picking area 199 where the work is progressing according to the progress of the picking work, and the picking efficiency can be improved. Specifically, for example, when a picking order for the delivery box 220 to be shipped the next day is generated and an urgent order for same-day shipping is generated, the picking process related to the urgent order is performed according to the arrival of the shipping truck. It is possible to change the processing order of orders without being bound by the order in which orders are generated, such as when it becomes necessary to do so.

Further, the tied delivery box 221 can be transported to an arbitrary picking area 199, and the article box 210 included in the order linked to the tied delivery box 221 can be transported to the picking area 199 regardless of the order. Therefore, the picking operation can be flexibly executed for the tied delivery box 221 that has been picked by another picking system 100 and has not been picked. Further, since such relay picking can be performed, it is not necessary to provide a conveyor or the like for transporting all kinds of article boxes 210 in one picking area 199, and it is possible to suppress the increase in the length of the conveyor equipment in the picking system 100. can.

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

For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the picking area 199 for carrying the article box 210 is determined and then the tied delivery box 221 is carried into the same picking area 199 according to this is described. After the 152 determines the picking area 199 for carrying the tied delivery box 221 and outputs the tied delivery box instruction, the article box instruction output unit 151 for carrying the article box 210 into the same picking area 199 accordingly. Can be output.

Further, the article box transport device 120 may arrange two annular tracks in the vertical direction and allow the tracked carriage 124 to travel on each track. In this case, the functions are separated as one of the upper and lower parts is a tracked trolley 124 for transporting the goods box 210 discharged from the goods box warehouse 110, and the other is a tracked trolley 124 for transporting the goods box 210 to be stored in the goods box warehouse 110. It doesn't matter. Further, in this case, the third conveyor 122 connected to the upper tracked carriage 124 and the third conveyor 122 connected to the lower tracked carriage 124 are provided, and the pair of third conveyors 122 is one second. They may be connected to the vertical conveyor 125 at different heights.

The delivery box warehouse 130 has been described as an automated warehouse for storing the tied delivery box 221. However, the delivery box warehouse 130 may store empty boxes that have not been tied, empty boxes that have only been tied, and the like. ..

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a picking system in which an article box and a delivery box are transported within the reach of an operator to pick articles.

100 Picking system 110 Goods box warehouse 111 1st rack 112 1st conveyor 113 1st transfer device 114 1st vertical conveyor 120 Goods box transfer device 121 2nd conveyor 122 3rd conveyor 123 4th conveyor 124 Tracked carriage 125 2nd vertical Conveyor 130 Delivery box Warehouse 131 Second rack 133 Second transfer device 135 Transfer unit 140 Delivery box transfer device 141 Third vertical conveyor 142 Fifth conveyor 150 Management device 151 Goods box instruction output unit 152 Linked delivery box instruction output unit 153 Progress Grasp part 154 Area identification part 160 Empty delivery box Transport device 199 Picking area 210 Goods box 220 Delivery box 221 Linked delivery box 222 Empty delivery box 230 Worker 240 Upper computer

Claims (5)

A plurality of goods box warehouses that store multiple goods boxes of the same type and can store different types of goods and automatically store and remove them.
An article box transport device for transporting an article box discharged from the article box warehouse,
A plurality of picking areas in which the article boxes transported by the article box transport device are selectively carried in, and
A delivery box warehouse that stores a tied delivery box containing at least one of the multiple items included in the order and can automatically enter and exit the delivery box.
A tied delivery box transport device that carries a tied delivery box selectively delivered from the delivery box warehouse to the picking area, and a tied delivery box transport device.
A management device for managing the flow between the goods box and the tied delivery box is provided.
The management device is
An article box instruction output unit that outputs an article box instruction for carrying an article box discharged from the article box warehouse to any of the picking areas, and an article box instruction output unit.
A picking system including a tied delivery box instruction output unit that outputs a tied delivery box instruction to take out a tied delivery box from the delivery box warehouse and bring it into the same picking area. The management device is
A progress grasping unit that grasps the progress of each work in the picking area,
An area identification unit that identifies the picking area for carrying in the goods box and the tied delivery box based on the grasped work progress after the goods box is discharged from the goods box warehouse and before being transferred to the goods box transport device. And, with
The article box instruction output unit is
One of the specified picking areas is decided, and the goods box instruction to bring the goods box into the decided picking area is output.
The linked delivery box instruction output unit is
The picking system according to claim 1, wherein a tied delivery box instruction for carrying a tied delivery box into a picking area determined by the article box instruction output unit is output. The picking system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an empty delivery box transport device for transporting an empty delivery box, which is a delivery box containing no goods, to the linked delivery box transport device. The delivery box warehouse
The picking system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a delivery box trolley that is connected to each of the plurality of picking areas and carries out the transported tied delivery box toward any of the picking areas. A plurality of goods box warehouses that store multiple goods boxes containing the same type of goods and can store multiple goods boxes containing different types of goods, and are delivered from the goods box warehouse. Containing an article box transport device for transporting an article box, a plurality of picking areas in which an article box transported by the article box transport device is selectively carried in, and at least one of a plurality of articles included in an order. A delivery box warehouse that can store tied delivery boxes and automatically put in and out, a tied delivery box transport device that carries the tied delivery boxes selectively delivered from the delivery box warehouse to the picking area, and the goods box. A box transport method in a picking system including a management device for managing the flow between the box and the tied delivery box.
The article box instruction output unit outputs an article box instruction for carrying the article box discharged from the article box warehouse into any of the picking areas.
A box transport method in which a tied delivery box instruction output unit outputs a tied delivery box instruction for delivering a tied delivery box from the delivery box warehouse and carrying it into the same picking area.

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