JP3701006B2 - Storage facilities - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a storage facility for transported goods (articles), and more particularly, a storage facility having a specific storage area for storing the transported goods and a transfer means such as a stacker crane or a forklift that moves in the storage area. About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in factories and distribution centers, in order to handle a wide variety of large quantities of articles (articles), it has been practiced to store and manage these articles in a specific location. As the storage facility for handling the transferred material in a concentrated manner, there are various automatic warehouses, and transfer means such as a stacker crane and a forklift are used in the automatic warehouse. In many cases, this storage facility is provided with multi-stage shelves in order to stack multiple stages so as to store a large amount of the transferred items. And, between these shelves, for example, an unmanned forklift moves to store the transported articles in the shelves and carry them out of the shelves. An unmanned forklift used as a transfer means in this type of storage facility includes, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, a side clamp portion 42 employed as an attachment for holding a transfer object 41, and a side clamp portion A mast portion 43 that supports 42 so as to be movable up and down, and a vehicle body 44 for moving the mast portion 43 are provided.
[0003]
The side clamp part 42 is configured to be able to grip the transferred object 41 when a pair of clamp arms 45 (only one of them is shown) approach and separate in the horizontal direction. The mast portion 43 raises and lowers the side clamp portion 42 suspended from the chain 47 by expanding and contracting the cylinder 49.
[0004]
By the way, the forklift 40 is held in a state in which the transfer object 41 protrudes below the clamp arms 45 because the side clamp portion 42 grips the transfer object 41 by the pair of clamp arms 45. Accordingly, in this forklift 40, the opening operation for separating the clamp arms 45 of the side clamp part 42 from each other needs to be performed after the transported material 41 contacts the mounting surface 50 in order to prevent the transported material 41 from being dropped and damaged. There is.
[0005]
For this reason, the forklift 40 described above places the light emitting part 52 and the light receiving part 53 of the photoelectric sensor 51 at the place where the transferred object 41 is placed (in FIG. 9, the lowermost floor part is shown). When the control unit (not shown) detects the grounding of the transferred object 41 by the photoelectric sensor 51, the descent of the transferred object 41 is stopped and then the opening operation is performed. By providing such a sensing structure at each storage location of the shelf, the accuracy and safety of work have been improved. In this conventional example, the descent of the transferred material 41 by the mast unit 43 is performed in accordance with the calculation speed of the control unit until the control unit detects the transferred material 41 by the photoelectric sensor 51 and stops the lowering of the transferred material 41. Therefore, the detection position of the transferred object 41 by the photoelectric sensor 51 is set to a predetermined height H from the placement surface 50 in advance.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional example, when there is an error in the stop position of the vehicle body 44 or the descent stop position of the mast portion 43, if the clamp portion 42 is opened, the transferred object 41 is moved with respect to the placement surface 50. There was a risk of falling. In addition, when there are a large number of placement places on which the transfer object 41 is placed, a large number of photoelectric sensors 51 are required accordingly, and there is a problem that the equipment cost is increased. In particular, when the transported object 41 is stacked in multiple stages, not only a multi-stage shelf is required, but also a photoelectric sensor 51 must be provided at the place where each shelf is placed, so the equipment cost as a storage facility is very high. There was a problem of becoming.
[0007]
In a multi-level shelf structure, the size of each shelf (upper and lower intervals and left and right intervals) must be set in advance to a size that allows the transfer of the maximum size to be taken in and out. Since a certain amount of space (a space necessary for the operation of loading and unloading the transported material) is required as the transported material, it is difficult to increase the transported material storage efficiency by installing the multistage shelf. Furthermore, since the storage facility once installed with the multi-stage shelf structure cannot easily change the layout of the multi-stage shelf, for example, when there is a change in the transported goods (change of article, size, etc.), the compatibility is poor. There was a problem that hindered the flexible use of storage space.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, enables stacking by transfer means, simplifies storage facilities without requiring a multi-stage shelf, and uses storage space flexibly. It is to provide a versatile storage facility that can be used.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a storage facility having at least a storage area for storing a transfer article and a transfer means for moving in the storage area, wherein the transfer means includes the transfer article. And a lifting / lowering transfer means having a holding means for holding the holding means and a lifting / lowering means for supporting the holding means so as to be lifted / lowered, and the transfer object held by the holding means is transferred to the lifting / lowering transfer means. It is characterized in that a detecting means capable of detecting the contact when touching a place is provided.
[0010]
Further, in the storage facility according to the present invention , the elevating means includes a suspension member for suspending the holding means, and the detection means is configured to detect a change in the relative position between the suspension member and the holding means. It is characterized by that.
[0011]
Here, the transfer means can be a stacker crane, an unmanned or manned forklift, or a sort that holds and lifts the transferred material from one conveyor, moves or changes direction, and then places it on the other conveyor and opens it. An apparatus etc. can be illustrated. And as a holding means, the various holding | grip apparatuses which can hold | grip a conveyed product are mentioned.
[0012]
The lifting means in the transfer means includes a mast member, a suspension member such as a chain, a wire and a belt, a disk member such as a sprocket, a gear and a pulley, and a telescopic member such as a cylinder using hydraulic pressure or pneumatic pressure. An appropriate structure in which the above and the like are appropriately combined may be employed. Furthermore, as the detecting means, various sensors and encoders including limit switches, pressure sensitive switches, photoelectric type, etc. can be adopted, and provided so that the position of the longitudinal end of the suspension member relative to the main body of the holding means or the lifting means can be detected. However, it may be provided so that an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of the suspension member with respect to the main body of the holding means or the lifting means can be detected.
[0013]
In general, in the lifting and lowering transfer means in the transfer means, when the telescopic member is extended with the transfer object held by the holding means in order to raise the transfer object, the transfer object and the holding means are suspended from the suspension member and transferred. When the object is lowered and brought into contact with the placement surface, the descending of the transferred object and the holding means stops, but only the suspension member continues to descend due to its own weight as the telescopic member is shortened.
[0014]
Then, the storage facility of the present invention is a transfer means in which a change in relative position between a predetermined position of the suspension member that continues to descend and a main body of the holding means or the lifting means after the transported object and the holding means stop descending. Is detected by the detection means, the lifting / lowering means can be stopped immediately at this stage, and a state where the lower part of the transferred object is reliably in contact with the placement surface is obtained.
[0015]
Further, in the storage facility having the transfer means configured as described above, since the transferred object can be placed accurately and smoothly (without dropping) on the mounting surface, a shelf or a large number of photoelectric sensors. It is possible to stack the transported materials without using the like (directly stacking the transported materials).
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a storage facility according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, the members and the like already described in FIG. 9 are simplified or omitted by giving the same reference numerals or equivalent reference numerals in the drawing.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1 , the storage facility 100 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of storage spaces 91, for example, rectangular, that can be stacked, and an unmanned stacker crane 10 that is a moving means between the storage spaces 91. Is provided with a storage area 90 having a movable space 92 and the like, and a control system (not shown).
[0018]
The stacker crane 10 is a known structure in which the wheel 94 (see FIG. 2) is configured to move on two rails 93 installed on the floor. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane 10 has a structure including a lifting / lowering transfer means 80 having a holding means 12 for holding a transfer object 41 and a lifting / lowering means 13 for supporting the holding means 12 so as to be lifted and lowered. The elevating type transfer means 80 is provided with a detection means 20 described later that can detect the contact when the transferred object 41 held by the holding means 12 comes into contact with the transfer location.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 2, the stacker crane 10 includes a side clamp portion 12 that is a holding means for holding the transfer object 41 and a mast portion 13 that is an elevating means that supports the side clamp portion 12 so as to be movable up and down. The lifting / lowering transfer device 80 which is the lifting / lowering transfer means and the vehicle body 14 which is the moving means for moving the mast portion 13 are provided. Then, the vehicle body 14 is self-propelled by automatic control, and the side clamp part 12 and the mast part 13 are cooperated to hold, move up and down, and open, thereby transferring the transferred object 41. The stacker crane 10 includes detection means 20 that detects a change in the position of the end of the chain 47 on the side clamp part 12 side and the relative position of the side clamp part 12.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, the detection means 20 protrudes in the horizontal direction from the bolt member 21 connected to the end of the chain 47 on the holding means 12 side and the lift bracket 12 </ b> A constituting the side clamp part 12. A stopper 22 that holds the end of the bolt member 21, an engaging portion 23 provided at the tip of the bolt member 22, and a limit fixed to the lift bracket 12A so that the lever 24 engages with the engaging portion 23 The switch 24 includes an urging member 26 provided between the stopper 22 and the engaging portion 23.
[0021]
The stopper 22 is plate-shaped and has an insertion hole 27 through which the bolt member 21 can be inserted in the thickness direction. The engaging portion 23 is fixed by sandwiching a large-diameter washer 29 between a pair of nuts 28 and 28 screwed into the bolt member 21. The urging member 26 is a compression spring and is in contact with the opening edge of the insertion hole 27 and the nut 28 via washers 30 and 31, respectively.
[0022]
This urging member 26 is compressed to the maximum in the state where the side clamp part 12 is separated from the mounting surface 50 regardless of the presence of the transfer object 41, in other words, in the state where the side clamp part 12 is suspended from the chain 47. Has been. At this time, the limit switch 25 is held at the position where the lever 24 is raised, and the switch is disconnected.
[0023]
On the other hand, when the side clamp part 12 holding the transferred object 41 is lowered by the mast part 13 and the transferred object 41 comes into contact with the installation surface, the lowering of the transferred object 41 and the side clamp part 12 is stopped, as shown in FIG. In addition, only the chain 47 continues to descend due to its own weight. At this time, since the insertion hole 27 of the stopper 22 has an inner diameter that does not contact the chain 47, there is no possibility of hindering the lowering of the chain 47. Further, since the urging member 26 is provided between the stopper 22 and the bolt member 21, the chain 47 is surely lowered by the urging member 26. Thereby, the limit switch 25 rotates to the position where the lever 24 is lowered, and the switch is connected.
[0024]
Therefore, according to the stacker crane 10 described above, a change in relative position between the end position of the chain 47 that continues to descend and the side clamp section 12 is detected after the transported object 41 and the side clamp section 12 stop descending. Since it is detected by the limit switch 25 of the means 20, if the mast portion 13 is immediately stopped at this stage, a state in which the lower portion of the transfer object 41 is in contact with the placement surface 50 is obtained. In other words, according to the stacker crane 10, the transported object 41 can be accurately placed without fear of dropping the transported object 41 from the predetermined height with respect to the placing surface 50 as in the prior art.
[0025]
According to the storage facility 100 provided with such a stacker crane 10, there is no fear of dropping the transferred material 41 with respect to the placement surface 50. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Can be stacked. That is, when placing the upper transport object 41 on the upper surface (mounting surface) of the lower transport object 41, it can be placed while checking the contact between the transport objects. It can be loaded safely and accurately. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, a differently sized transported object 41 (with different sizes) is placed on a simple flat floor surface 50 (mounting surface) that does not have shelves or a large number of photoelectric sensors as in the prior art. Transported goods 41A, 41B, 41C) can be stacked appropriately.
[0026]
In the stacker crane 10 of the present embodiment, since the detecting means 20 urges the chain 47 by the urging member 26 as described above, the chain 47 remains after the transported object 41 and the side clamp portion 12 stop descending. The descent is surely continued, so that the detection means 20 can detect the contact of the transferred object 41 with the mounting surface 50 very reliably. In addition, since the limit switch 25 of the detecting means 20 is fixed to the lift bracket 12A, the stacker crane 10 is compared with, for example, the case where the limit switch 25 is fixed to the vehicle body 14, and the transferred object 41 and the side clamp portion. Limit switch 25 can directly detect twelve descending stops, and reaction delays are unlikely to occur.
[0027]
In the stacker crane 10 according to the present embodiment, a chain 47, a wire, a belt, and the like are employed as the suspension member, and a sprocket 48, a pulley, and the like are employed as the disk member.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the storage facility according to the present invention, since the transfer means can detect the contact of the transferred object with respect to the placement surface by the detecting means, the lifting means is stopped when placing the transferred object. Since the transported object can be opened and the transported object can be placed smoothly and accurately without fear of dropping the transported object from a predetermined height with respect to the mounting surface as in the prior art. They can be stacked very easily, and storage facilities can be simplified without the need for multi-level shelves. Therefore, according to the present invention, a highly versatile storage facility that can flexibly use the storage space can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing a first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a stacker crane applied to the first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of a main part of a stacker crane applied to the first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged view of a main part of the stacker crane applied to the first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a stacking state of transferred objects in the first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic enlarged view of a main part of the forklift applied to the first embodiment according to the present invention .
FIG.
FIG. 7 is an overall schematic view showing a conventional lifting transfer device.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Stacker crane
12 Side clamp (holding means)
13 Mast section (lifting means)
14 Car body (moving means)
16 arms
17 Lift bracket
18 Linear guide
20 Detection means
26 Biasing member
41 Transported goods
47 Chain (Suspension member)
48 Sprocket (disc member)
49 Cylinder (Expandable member)
80 Lifting means
90 Storage area
91 Storage space
92 Moving space
93 rails
100 storage facilities

Claims (1)

A storage facility having a storage area for storing a transfer object and a transfer means for moving the storage area, wherein the transfer means is capable of holding the transfer object and moving the holding means up and down. The holding means is a side clamp that grips a transfer object by moving a pair of clamp arms close to and away from each other in the horizontal direction, and the holding means is a side clamp. A detection means capable of detecting the contact when the transferred object held by the holding means comes into contact with the transfer location, and the elevating means includes a suspension member for suspending the holding means. And the detection means is configured to detect a change in relative position between the suspension member and the holding means, and the side after the detection means detects that the transferred object has contacted the transfer location. Clan Storage facility characterized in that it placed on the transfer location open to operate the transfer thereof to.

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