JPH082617A - Stacker crane - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a stacker crane which is used in an automatic high-rise warehouse, and can collect an empty pallet and supply a loaded pallet through relatively simple action without enlarging horizontal length being parallel to the longitudinal X-axis direction of a movable fork in a stacker crane for shortening the changing time of the loaded pallet. CONSTITUTION:Both a movable fork 33a for a loaded pallet which is located at either of upper or lower sides to a stacker crane 31 and supplys the loaded pallet 14a for storedly loading articles on a keeping shelf of each rack device and a movable fork 33b for an empty pallet which is located on the other side and collects the empty pallet 14b emptied by taking the articles out of the keeping shelf are arranged to form the stacker crane. The movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is arranged with such a vertical space as the empty pallet 14 may be received to the movable fork 33a for the loaded pallet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stacker crane which is applied to an automated three-dimensional warehouse such as a physical distribution system to carry in and out stored items.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an automated three-dimensional warehouse is provided with a so-called stacker crane, which is a loading and unloading device that travels between racks in which racks having a large number of storage shelves are opposed to each other and are juxtaposed. I am doing it. For example, in a distribution system or the like, a large variety of small amounts of each item are stored in a case and placed on a pallet, and the movable fork of the stacker crane divides each pallet into corresponding storage shelves in each rack. BACKGROUND ART Automatic storage warehouses are well known as storage means that can be stored and optionally taken out as needed.

Further, in this kind of automatic three-dimensional warehouse,
Recently, a movable fork of the stacker crane is used to insert a case in which each product or the like on a pallet to be stored by being inserted into one of the storage shelves of the rack is stored from the other side of the storage rack by hand or The method of taking out by an automatic picking device is often adopted.

Here, FIGS. 4 and 5 show a schematic structure of an automatic three-dimensional warehouse according to a conventional example that employs this type of picking system. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the automated solid warehouse, and FIG. 5 is a front view.

The automatic multi-story warehouse according to this conventional example has front and rear X
A plurality of pieces (here, two pieces) that are extended in the axial direction and are arranged side by side facing each other in the left-right Y-axis direction at predetermined intervals.
Each rack device 11 and one stacker crane 51 that travels on a travel rail 21 that is laid in parallel with the front-rear X-axis direction in the floor surface intermediate portion between the opposing rack devices 11. have.

Each of the two rack devices 1 facing each other
1 has a plurality of rows of storage shelves 12 adjacent to each other in the front-rear X-axis direction, which are individually sectioned, and the storage shelves 12 rows are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical Z-axis direction.
In this case, on the non-opposing sides of the storage shelves 12 in each stage, in this case, a platform 13 on which a worker walks for a manual picking operation is attached. As will be described later, the storage rack 12 has room for the movable forks so that the movable forks can be inserted and stored from above the pallet and can be picked up and removed from below.

In the case of a physical distribution system, for example, in the case of a physical distribution system, a pallet 14 having a case 15 accommodating a small number of various kinds of articles is stored and stored in each of the storage shelves 12. The case 15 taken out by the operator from the platform 13 side is appropriately carried out to the outside by a carry-out conveyor 16 provided on the platform 13.

Here, for convenience of description, the pallet 14 will be referred to as a real pallet 14a in which the case 15 is placed, and an empty pallet 14b in which the case 15 is completely removed. Shall be represented.

On the other hand, the stacker crane 51 traveling on the traveling rail 21 in the front-rear X-axis direction has a vertical Z-axis.
There is a carriage 52 that is controlled to move up and down for each storage rack 12 in each row in the axial direction. On the carriage 52,
In order to save space corresponding to the working distance, a two-stage mechanism is formed, and with respect to each of the storage shelves 12, left and right Y
The movable fork 53 is controlled to move forward and backward in the axial direction.

Therefore, in the automatic three-dimensional warehouse having the above structure, the movable fork 53 of the stacker crane 51 inserts the actual pallets 14a in which the cases 15 are loaded into the corresponding storage shelves 12 of each rack device 11 from one side. Case 1 on the actual pallet 14a
The products and the like stored in 5 are taken out together with the case 15 by the operator from the other side of each of the storage shelves 12, that is, the platform 13 side.

When the worker removes the case 15 for each product or the like, and the products or the like on the actual pallet 14a are exhausted, the empty pallet 14b left in the corresponding storage rack 12 is recovered. , New real pallet 14
It is necessary to supply and replace a. This real pallet 1
When replacing 4a, the conventional stacker crane 51
In the case of, the operation is as follows.

That is, when the occurrence of the empty pallet 14b is announced or notified, the control operation unit first directs the stacker crane 51 toward the corresponding row position of the storage rack 12 where the empty pallet 14b is generated in the forward X direction. While traveling in the axial direction, the carriage 52 is also moved upward in the upward Z-axis direction toward the corresponding step position. The carriage 52 stores the empty pallet 14b in the storage shelf 12
When the movable fork 53 on the carriage 52 is moved forward in the Y-axis direction and is inserted below the corresponding empty pallet 14b, when
This is lifted by a required amount in the upward Z-axis direction to scoop and hold it. After that, the operation opposite to this is performed, and the empty pallet 14b is carried out to the payout station and collected.

Next, the stacker crane 51 is moved to the position of the supply station or the storage rack where the new real pallet 14a is prepared, and the real pallet 14a prepared here is also picked up and held. After that, by repeating the same operation as in the case of the payout, a new real pallet 14a is supplied and complemented in the empty storage rack 12.

That is, in the structure of the stacker crane 51 according to the above-mentioned conventional example, the collection of the empty pallets 14b and the supply of the new actual pallets 14a are performed by different working steps.

[0015]

As described above, in the case of the conventional stacker crane 51, the empty pallet 14b is used.
Therefore, it takes a lot of time to replace the empty pallet 14b with the real pallet 14a, because the collection of the pallet and the supply of the new real pallet 14a must be performed by different work processes. Moreover, during that time, the worker must inevitably interrupt the product collection work, which results in a significant reduction in work efficiency. Therefore, the empty pallet 14b and the actual pallet 1 here
There is a demand for a stacker crane 51 that can shorten the replacement time with 4a by a simple mechanical structure.

On the other hand, in order to improve the efficiency of the work of replacing the actual pallets 14a by the stacker crane 51, as shown in FIG. 6, the width of the carriage 52 in the front-rear X-axis direction is increased in the stacker crane 51. , Two movable forks 5 capable of selectively collecting the empty pallets 14b and supplying new real pallets 14a, respectively.
There is a device in which 3a and 53b are arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction parallel to the front-rear X-axis direction at a specific pitch interval P. According to this device, one of the movable forks 53a can collect the empty pallet 14b and the other movable fork 53b can supply the actual pallet 14a. In this case, however, when the actual pallet 14a is replaced. However, the following problems occur.

That is, in the case of the stacker crane 51 in which the two movable forks 53a and 53b are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction at a specific pitch interval P, one movable fork 5 is used.
After the collection of the empty pallets 14b from the corresponding storage rack 12 by 3a is completed, the stacker crane 51 itself is once moved in the horizontal direction parallel to the front-rear X-axis direction in correspondence with the specific pitch interval P. From the real pallet 14 to the corresponding storage rack 12 by the other movable fork 53b.
It is necessary to supply a. Because of this, these two
It is difficult to perform one operation at the same time, and the processing time becomes long, which is an undesirable disadvantage. together,
Generally, the stacker crane 51, which is relatively heavy,
It is difficult to move from a stopped state to a small amount each time, and it is easy to waste operating energy, and likewise, it requires a corresponding time.

In the stacker crane 51 improved as described above, the two movable forks 53a and 53b are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction parallel to the front-rear X-axis direction. The arrangement length of the movable forks 53a and 53b in the horizontal direction, and thus the width of the carriage 52, is larger than that in the case where the one movable fork 53 is used. As a result, for example, the actual pallet 14 to the storage shelf 12 located at the end of the rack device 11
In consideration of the replacement of a, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
There is also a disadvantage that the rack device 11 protrudes to the outside of the end portion, making it impossible to effectively utilize the space in the warehouse.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate such problems and drawbacks of the prior art, and it is relatively simple without increasing the horizontal length of the movable fork parallel to the front-rear X-axis direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stacker crane for an automated multi-story warehouse, which can collect empty pallets and supply actual pallets by operation, and can shorten the time for exchanging actual pallets.

[0020]

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following constitution. A plurality of rows of storage shelves (12) are arranged in the front-rear X-axis direction, and the rows of storage shelves (12) are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical Z-axis direction and face each other in the left-right Y-axis direction at required intervals. It is arranged in an automated multi-storey warehouse having at least two rack devices (11), and can be moved in the front-rear X-axis direction between the rack devices (11) facing each other, with respect to the storage rack (12). Supply pallets for storage of goods, etc.
In a stacker crane (31) equipped with a movable fork (33) for discharging so as to be able to move forward and backward in the Y-axis direction, the storage rack (12) is positioned at either one of the upper and lower sides.
Movable fork (33a) for the real pallet for supplying the real pallet (14a) in which the articles and the like are stored, and an empty pallet (empty pallet which is located on the other side and takes out the articles and the like from the storage shelf (12) ( A stacker crane (31), characterized in that an empty pallet movable fork (33b) for collecting 14b) is provided.

The movable fork for the empty pallet (33
b) is arranged on the lower side with respect to the movable pallet fork (33a) for the real pallet at a vertical interval sufficient to sufficiently receive the empty pallet (14b). Stacker crane described in (3
1).

[0022]

In the stacker crane described above,
For example, when the movable fork for the real pallet is set on the upper side and the movable fork for the empty pallet is set on the lower side, first, the movable fork for the real pallet is first placed with the actual pallet being placed on the movable fork for the real pallet. And the movable pallet movable fork in the vertical Z-axis direction, and after moving the corresponding empty pallet to a position corresponding to the lower side of the storage shelf that stores the corresponding pallet, continue to move forward in the left-right Y-axis direction. As a result, the movable fork for the actual pallet is positioned in the space above the empty pallet, and the movable fork for the empty pallet is positioned below the empty pallet.

When the movable fork for the empty pallet is slightly raised in the upward Z-axis direction in the above state, the empty pallet is scooped up by the movable fork for the empty pallet, and thus the empty pallet is moved in this manner. By moving the movable fork for the empty pallet, which is picked up and held, in the left-right Y-axis direction, the movable fork for the empty pallet is returned to the stacker crane side, and thus the empty pallet can be collected by the stacker crane.

Next, with the empty pallets collected on the stacker crane as described above, this time, the movable fork for the actual pallet left in the upper space of the storage rack is moved to the lower Z direction.
It is possible to store a new real pallet placed on the real pallet movable fork on the storage rack by lowering the real pallet movable fork, and then move the real pallet movable fork to the left-right Y-axis direction. Move backward to and return to the stacker crane side.

That is, by the above operation, it is possible to collect an empty pallet from the corresponding storage rack and supply a new real pallet to the storage rack, and to collect the empty pallet and the real pallet. It is possible to carry out the operation of feeding the stacker crane without operating the stacker crane itself at all, simply by activating the movable fork for the real pallet and the movable fork for the empty pallet, and the time required for the operation can be reduced. Not only can it be shortened, but the space inside the warehouse can be effectively utilized.

In the stacker crane described above, the movable pallets for empty pallets are arranged on the lower side with respect to the movable forks for the actual pallet with a vertical interval for receiving the empty pallet. This is more effective because it is possible to reduce the ascending working distance of the movable fork for the empty pallet and the descending working distance of the movable fork for the actual pallet during the operations of collecting the empty pallet and storing the actual pallet.

As described above, in the stacker crane of the automatic three-dimensional warehouse according to the present invention, the two movable forks are arranged in the vertical Z-axis direction with respect to the stacker crane, and the empty pallet is paid out for one of the movable forks. Since the dedicated movable pallet is dedicated and the other movable fork is dedicated to the supply of the actual pallet, the empty pallet can be collected and the actual pallet can be supplied without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a stacker crane for an automatic multi-story warehouse according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view schematically showing a schematic structure of a stacker crane to which this embodiment is applied, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the stacker crane, and FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b).
[Fig. 3] is an operation explanatory view schematically sequentially showing the operation mode of the stacker crane.

In the apparatus configuration shown in FIG. 1, the stacker crane 31 according to the present embodiment corresponds to the stacker crane 51 according to the conventional example described above in this case, and similarly, the stacker cranes 31 are arranged to face each other. Each rack device 1 installed
It is applied during one interval and is controlled so that it can travel on the traveling rail 21 in the front-rear X-axis direction.

That is, the front and rear X on the traveling rail 21.
The stacker crane 31, which is controlled so as to be capable of traveling in the axial direction, is on the base body 32, and the upper and lower carriages are controlled to move up and down for each storage rack 12 in each row in the vertical Z-axis direction. 32a and 32b are arranged vertically, and in the case of the present embodiment, on the upper carriage 32a arranged above, the actual pallet 14a on which articles and the like are stored is stored on the storage rack of the rack device 11. 12
A movable fork 33a for an actual pallet to be supplied inside is mounted, and a lower carriage 32 arranged below is mounted.
On b, a movable pallet movable fork 33b for taking out articles and the like and recovering the empty pallet 14b from the storage rack 12 is mounted.

Regarding the upper carriage 32a and the lower carriage 32b, and by extension, the movable fork 33a for the actual pallet and the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet, the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is different from the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet. But the empty pallet 14
They are spaced at a sufficient vertical distance that they can fully receive b.

The movable fork 33 for the actual pallet is also used.
a and the movable pallet fork 33b for empty pallets are, as described above, two in order to save space corresponding to the working distance.
It is formed into a step mechanism.

Next, the empty pallets 14b are collected from the storage shelves 12 using the stacker crane 31 according to this embodiment, and new real pallets 14a are placed on the storage shelves 12.
The storage operation of is briefly described.

In the stacker crane 31 having the above construction, when the case 15 stored in the pallet 14 stored in the specific storage rack 12 of the rack device 11 is taken out to generate an empty pallet 14b, the illustration is shown. A storage rack 12 in which a corresponding new real pallet 14a prepared in advance is scooped up and held by a real movable pallet movable fork 33a from the omitted supply station or storage rack, and then the corresponding empty pallet 14b is stored. The stacker crane 31 is moved in the front-back X direction to the position.

In the state where the real pallet 14a is placed on the real pallet movable fork 33a as described above, first, the upper real pallet movable fork 33a and the lower empty pallet movable fork 33a are first. 33b
Are moved upward in the Z-axis direction to move the empty pallet movable fork 33b to a position corresponding to the lower side of the corresponding storage rack 12, and then these movable forks 33a, 33b are continuously moved in the left-right Y-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the movable fork 33a for the real pallet on the upper side is moved into the space above the empty pallet 14b, that is, all of the case 15 is taken out to move into the space. Above the empty pallet 14b,
The movable forks 33b for empty pallets on the lower side are respectively moved to positions below the empty pallets 14b.

Then, in the above state, the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is slightly moved upward in the Z-axis direction to move the empty pallet 14b to the empty pallet 14b as shown in FIG. 3 (b). It will be scooped up by the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet, and subsequently,
By moving the movable pallet movable fork 33b, which holds the empty pallet 14b by picking it up, in the left-right Y-axis direction, the movable pallet movable fork 33b is moved backward.
b is returned to the stacker crane 31 side, and the empty pallet 14b is once collected on the stacker crane 31.

Next, with the empty pallets 14b collected on the stacker crane 31 as described above, the actual movable pallet movable fork 33a left in the space above the storage rack 12 is lowered in the downward Z-axis direction. By operating it, the new real pallet 14a placed on the real pallet movable fork 33a can be stored on the storage rack 12, and after the above operation is completed, the real pallet movable fork 33a can be moved. The fork 33a is moved backward in the left-right Y-axis direction and returned to the stacker crane 31 side.

In this case, regarding the operation of each part, even if the movable fork 33a for the actual pallet is set on the lower side and the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is set on the upper side, their vertical relational positions are taken into consideration. It is almost the same.

That is, by the above operation, the collection of the empty pallets 14b from the corresponding storage shelves 12 onto the stacker crane 31 and the storage of the new actual pallets 14a on the storage shelves 12 can be performed. After that, the stacker crane 31 may be moved to a payout station (not shown), the same operation may be performed, and the empty pallet 14b may be carried out to the payout station and collected.

Regarding the operation of the stacker crane 31 for collecting the empty pallet 14b and storing the actual pallet 14a, the movable fork 33a for the actual pallet is simply used without operating the stacker crane 31 itself. And movable fork 33b for empty pallet
Forward movement (moving to a fixed position) and raising and retracting movement of the empty pallet movable fork 33b (empty pallet 14b).
Of the actual pallet 14a) and the operation of lowering and retracting the movable movable fork 33a for the actual pallet (storing the actual pallet 14a) can be easily performed, and any trouble may occur during the operation. Since this does not occur, there is an advantage that the time required for the operation can be shortened. On the other hand, since the first and second carriages 32a and 32b are not greatly separated in the lateral direction, Even if the empty pallets 14b are collected on the storage shelves 12 located at the ends and the actual pallets 14a are stored, the corresponding parts do not protrude outside the frame, and as a result, the space in the warehouse is effectively used. It can be utilized.

On the other hand, the vertical gap between the movable fork 33a for the real pallet and the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is large enough for the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet to sufficiently receive the empty pallet 14b. Therefore, it can be carried out by requiring a small space, and the movable fork 33b for the empty pallet is simply processed by processing the lightweight empty pallet 14b in which the case is not stored. Therefore, the simplification is possible.

Furthermore, the movable fork 3 for the empty pallet
For a slight lifting operation of 3b, by simultaneously raising the movable pallet movable fork 33a, it is not necessary to raise the empty pallet movable fork 33b independently. The raising means can be made common, and the mechanism structure can be easily simplified.

[0044]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It has a plurality of rack devices in which a plurality of rows of storage shelves are arranged in the front-rear X-axis direction, and the storage rack rows are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical Z-axis direction. Arranged so as to face each other at a required interval in the Y-axis direction, and supply a storage pallet for storing articles and the like,
In an automated multi-story warehouse in which a stacker crane is provided in which a movable fork to be discharged can be moved forward and backward in the Y-axis direction, and the stacker crane can travel in the front-rear X-axis direction between each rack device, A movable fork for a real pallet that is located in either one of the upper and lower sides and supplies the real pallet that stores the goods in the storage shelf, and an empty pallet that is located in the other side and emptied of the goods etc. from the storage shelf Since a movable fork for empty pallets is installed to collect the empty pallets, the operation of collecting empty pallets and storing actual pallets can be performed very easily and in a short time, although the device has a simple structure that does not increase in size. It has the excellent feature that it can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view schematically showing a schematic configuration of a stacker crane according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the stacker crane according to the embodiment.

3A and 3B are operation explanatory diagrams respectively sequentially showing an operation mode of a movable fork in the stacker crane according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a conventional automatic three-dimensional warehouse.

5 is a front view of the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing a schematic configuration of an automatic three-dimensional warehouse according to an improved example of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Rack Device 12 Storage Shelf 14 Pallet 14a Real Pallet 14b Empty Pallet 15 Case for Storage of Items 31 Stacker Crane 32 Base Body 32a Upper Carriage 32b Lower Carriage 33 Movable Fork 33a Real Pallet Movable Fork 33b Empty Pallet Movable Fork

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of rows of storage shelves (12) are arranged in the front-rear X-axis direction, and the rows of storage shelves (12) are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical Z-axis direction and in the left-right Y-axis direction. Is installed in an automated multi-storey warehouse having at least two rack devices (11) facing each other at required intervals, and the rack devices (11) are allowed to travel in the front-rear X-axis direction, and the storage rack ( 12), a stacker crane (3) equipped with a movable fork (33) that supplies and discharges a pallet for storing articles and the like so as to be able to move forward and backward in the Y-axis direction.
In 1), a movable real fork (33a) for an actual pallet that is located in either one of the upper and lower sides and supplies the actual pallet (14a) in which the articles and the like are stored in the storage rack (12), and the other is located in the other A stacker crane (31), characterized in that a movable fork (33b) for an empty pallet is arranged to take out articles and the like from the storage shelf (12) and collect an empty empty pallet (14b). 2. A movable fork (33) for the empty pallet.
b) is arranged on the lower side with respect to the movable fork (33a) for the actual pallet with a vertical interval sufficient to receive the empty pallet (14b) sufficiently. A stacker crane (31) according to item 1.