Sorting apparatus

Abstract

The sorting apparatus has a first conveyor that carries containers that contain articles, a sorting device that takes out target articles from the containers, a second conveyor that carries the taken-out target articles, and a work space. The work space is provided on the side opposite the second conveyor with the first conveyor interposed therebetween. The sorting device is disposed at a position that overlaps at least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyor in plan view and does not overlap the work space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to sorting equipment. Background Technology

[0002] For example, in logistics equipment equipped with automated warehouses, picking equipment is used to pick the requested items. As such picking equipment, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-40121 (Patent Document 1) discloses a picking equipment that can switch between automatic picking based on picking devices such as robotic arms and manual picking based on the operator's hands.

[0003] In the picking equipment of Patent Document 1, the first conveyor (picking conveyor 31) and the second conveyor (item collection conveyor 40) are separated by a working space (Patent Document 1). Figure 6 The space where the "operator S" stands is located on opposite sides. Therefore, the overall area occupied by the picking equipment increases, resulting in a larger size. In addition, when picking manually, the operator has to turn the item (item B) over each time they take it from the container (box C) on the first conveyor to transfer it to the second conveyor, which leaves room for improvement in terms of work efficiency.

[0004] Furthermore, the picking device (picking robot 50, specifically the pedestal section) is positioned so as not to overlap with either the first or second conveyor when viewed from above, which is also a reason for the overall large size of the picking equipment. Moreover, the picking device (picking robot 50, specifically the pedestal section) is positioned so that it does not overlap with either the first or second conveyor when viewed from above, which is also a reason for the large size of the picking equipment as a whole. Figure 1 The arm of the automatic picking system is positioned to overlap with the workspace when viewed from above. Therefore, if automatic picking stops due to a malfunction of the picking device, even if switching to manual picking, there is a possibility that the picking device may become an obstacle, preventing the operator from performing the picking operation smoothly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a picking device that can seamlessly switch to manual picking even when the picking device stops, where manual picking is highly efficient and the entire device is miniaturized.

[0006] The picking equipment of this application includes a first conveyor, a picking device, a second conveyor, and a working space. The first conveyor is arranged along a first transport direction to transport a container containing items. The picking device takes out an item that is to be picked from the container. The second conveyor is arranged with its end adjacent to the first conveyor along a second transport direction that intersects the first transport direction to transport the item taken out from the container in a direction away from the first conveyor. The working space is used by an operator to perform picking operations. The picking equipment is characterized in that the working space is located on the opposite side of the side where the second conveyor is arranged, separated from the first conveyor. The picking device is arranged in a position that overlaps with at least one of the first and second conveyors when viewed from above, but does not overlap with the working space.

[0007] According to this design, the picking device is positioned in a location that does not overlap with the workspace when viewed from above. Therefore, even if the picking device stops due to malfunction or other reasons, and the operation switches to manual picking, the picking device will not be an obstacle for the operator standing in the workspace. Thus, switching to manual picking can be done without problems in such situations. Furthermore, the workspace is positioned on the opposite side of the second conveyor, separated by the first conveyor. In other words, when viewed from the workspace, the first and second conveyors appear to be on the same side, allowing the operator to always work in the same direction, resulting in high efficiency for manual picking. Moreover, since the picking device is positioned in a location that overlaps with at least one of the first and second conveyors when viewed from above, a dedicated area for the picking device is not required, enabling miniaturization of the entire picking equipment.

[0008] Further features and advantages of the present application will become clearer from the following illustrative and non-limiting description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a top view of the picking device in the implementation method.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a side view of the picking equipment.

[0011] Figure 3 This is an illustration of the vertical positional relationship between the picking conveyor and the item collection conveyor.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the control unit.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a top view of the picking equipment.

[0014] Figure 6This is an illustration of the vertical positional relationships between the picking conveyor and the item collection conveyor. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The implementation of the picking equipment is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following description will show a top view of the picking equipment. Figure 1 The left-right direction is set as the "X direction", and the up-down direction of the diagram is set as the "Y direction". Additionally, a side view representing the picking equipment will be... Figure 2 The vertical direction is defined as the "Z direction". In this embodiment, the Z direction is consistent with the actual vertical direction. The X, Y, and Z directions intersect each other (orthogonal in this example).

[0016] Picking equipment 1 is, for example, equipped with an automated warehouse 90 (see reference). Figure 4 This is a device used in logistics equipment for picking requested items. The picking device 1 of this embodiment takes one or more object items As from multiple items A of the same type contained in container C, and performs this process on multiple types of items A (object items As) to combine them for transfer to another container for item collection.

[0017] Container C is formed as a box with an opening Co at the top. Furthermore, container C is formed as a cuboid with side walls Cw surrounding it (square). The space divided by the side walls Cw forms the internal space of container C, which can accommodate item A. The automated warehouse 90 stores various containers C, each containing the same type of item A. One or more of these containers C are supplied to the picking device 1 of this embodiment. After the necessary item As is removed from the picking device 1, the container C is returned to the automated warehouse 90.

[0018] like Figure 1 As shown, the picking equipment 1 of this embodiment includes an outbound conveyor 10, a picking conveyor 20, an inbound conveyor 30, an item collection conveyor 40, a picking device 50, and a workspace 60. The picking conveyor 20 is arranged along the X direction. The outbound conveyor 10, the inbound conveyor 30, and the item collection conveyor 40 are on the same side relative to the picking conveyor 20. Figure 1 The conveyors (on their upper sides) are arranged parallel to each other along the Y direction. In this embodiment, the picking conveyor 20 corresponds to the "first conveyor", and the item collection conveyor 40 corresponds to the "second conveyor". In addition, the outbound conveyor 10 corresponds to the "third conveyor", and the inbound conveyor 30 corresponds to the "fourth conveyor". Furthermore, the X direction corresponds to the "first transport direction", and the Y direction corresponds to the "second transport direction".

[0019] Outbound conveyor 10 is supplied from automated warehouse 90 and transports container C containing item A. In this embodiment, outbound conveyor 10 has a first outbound conveyor 10A and a second outbound conveyor 10B connected in series. The upstream side of the first outbound conveyor 10A is connected to the automated warehouse 90, and the downstream end of the second outbound conveyor 10B is connected to the upstream end 20u of the picking conveyor 20. Outbound conveyor 10 transports the container C received from automated warehouse 90 along the Y direction to the picking conveyor 20. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the second outbound conveyor 10B is arranged parallel to the XY plane, and the first outbound conveyor 10A is arranged at an angle with its height increasing from the upstream side (automated warehouse 90 side). As the outbound conveyor 10, various known conveyors such as roller conveyors, belt conveyors, and slat conveyors can be used.

[0020] The picking conveyor 20 transports the container C containing item A, received from the outbound conveyor 10. The picking conveyor 20 transports the container C along the X direction. The central area of ​​the picking conveyor 20 in the X direction is the picking position P, where the item requested by the picking command is picked. The item requested by the picking command is the item A to be picked, referred to as "item As" in this embodiment. The downstream end 20d of the picking conveyor 20 is connected to the upstream end of the inbound conveyor 30. The picking conveyor 20 is arranged parallel to the XY plane. Various known conveyors, such as roller conveyors, belt conveyors, and slat conveyors, can be used as the picking conveyor 20.

[0021] The inbound conveyor 30 transports containers C or empty containers C that contain items A other than the target item As, or non-target items, received from the picking conveyor 20. In this embodiment, the inbound conveyor 30 includes a first inbound conveyor 30A and a second inbound conveyor 30B connected in series. The upstream end of the first inbound conveyor 30A is connected to the downstream end 20d of the picking conveyor 20, and the downstream end of the second inbound conveyor 30B is connected to the automated warehouse 90. The inbound conveyor 30 transports the picked containers C received from the picking conveyor 20 towards the automated warehouse 90 along the Y direction. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the first inbound conveyor 30A is arranged parallel to the XY plane, and the second inbound conveyor 30B is arranged at an angle with its downstream side (automated warehouse 90 side) raised. Various known conveyors, such as roller conveyors, belt conveyors, and slat conveyors, can be used as the inbound conveyor 30.

[0022] When viewed from above (viewed along the Z direction), the outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, and the inbound conveyor 30 are arranged in an angled U-shape ("ko" shape).

[0023] The item collection conveyor 40 transports the object item As taken from container C at the picking position P. In this embodiment, the item collection conveyor 40 transports the object item As individually while it is directly loaded. The item collection conveyor 40 is arranged along the Y direction adjacent to the picking conveyor 20 at its end (here, the upstream end). Thus, the item collection conveyor 40 moves each object item As in the direction of departure from the picking conveyor 20 (…). Figure 1 (Above side) Handling. The item collection conveyor 40 preferably has a built-in load sensor for purposes such as confirming whether all requested items As have been retrieved.

[0024] The number of item collection conveyors 40 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, multiple item collection conveyors 40 are provided. Specifically, three independent item collection conveyors 40 are provided: a first item collection conveyor 40A, a second item collection conveyor 40B, and a third item collection conveyor 40C. These three item collection conveyors 40A-40C are spaced apart along the X direction and arranged side by side. Furthermore, in the X direction, the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 are arranged in a manner that sandwiches the three item collection conveyors 40A-40C on both sides. In other words, at least a portion of the multiple item collection conveyors 40 are arranged in the inner area of ​​the U-shaped outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, and the inbound conveyor 30. By adopting such a configuration structure, efficient use of space can be achieved, and the picking equipment 1 can be miniaturized.

[0025] A separate container (item collection container) for collecting items is supplied downstream of the item collection conveyor 40. For each shipping destination, the item As is contained in the item collection container and shipped. In this embodiment, with multiple item collection conveyors 40 arranged in this way, the picking of shipping destination quantities corresponding to the number of item collection conveyors 40 can be performed simultaneously. This improves the overall picking efficiency.

[0026] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in the picking device 1 of this embodiment, the item collection conveyor 40 is positioned above the picking conveyor 20. Therefore, the height H1 of the transport surface 20a of the picking conveyor 20 is lower than the height H2 of the transport surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40. Furthermore, the transport surface 20a of the picking conveyor 20 is an imaginary plane that is in common contact with each roller when the picking conveyor 20 is a roller conveyor, and the surface of the belt or slat when it is a belt conveyor or slat conveyor. The same applies to the transport surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40.

[0027] The difference (hereinafter also referred to as "height difference between conveyors") ΔH between the height H2 of the transport surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40 and the height H1 of the transport surface 20a of the picking conveyor 20 is set based on the height H3 of the container C. That is, the height difference ΔH between conveyors is set based on the height H3 of the container C. Here, "height based on the height H3 of the container C" refers to the height determined with the height H3 of the container C as a reference, and also includes the concept of a height that is not the height H3 of the container C itself but is higher or lower than the height H3 of the container C by a predetermined amount. This "predetermined amount" can be appropriately set considering the construction of the picking equipment 1, the installation environment of the picking equipment 1, the controllability, the container C, the handling of the object item As, etc.

[0028] In this embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the height difference ΔH between the transport surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40 and the transport surface 20a of the picking conveyor 20 is set in conjunction with the height H3 of the container C. More specifically, the Z-direction (vertical direction) positions of the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40 are determined such that the height difference ΔH between the conveyors is equal to the height H3 of the container C (ΔH = H2 - H1 = H3).

[0029] In this mechanism, the height of the upper end of the container C placed on the picking conveyor 20 (=H1+H3) is equal to the height H2 of the conveying surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40. Therefore, during picking, the Z-direction (vertical direction) movement of the item As used to remove the object item As from the container C and place it on the item collection conveyor 40 is essentially only the upward movement over the side wall Cw of the container C (including a predetermined margin). That is, each object item As removed from the opening Co of the container C can be transferred onto the item collection conveyor 40 by only making approximately horizontal movement (specifically, horizontal movement and a small margin of vertical movement). As a result, the picking time for each object item As can be shortened, and the overall picking efficiency can be improved.

[0030] The picking device 50 removes the object item As from the item A contained in the container C at the picking position P and transfers it to the item collection conveyor 40. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the picking device 50 of this embodiment includes a holding part 51 capable of holding the object item As, a lifting mechanism 52 for moving the holding part 51 in the Z direction (vertical direction), and a moving mechanism 53 for moving the holding part 51 in the XY plane. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 53 includes a first moving mechanism 54 for moving the holding part 51 in the X direction and a second moving mechanism 55 for moving the holding part 51 in the Y direction. That is, the picking device 50 includes a holding part 51, a lifting mechanism 52, a first moving mechanism 54, and a second moving mechanism 55.

[0031] The holding part 51 is configured to hold the object article As. In this embodiment, the holding part 51 has an adsorption nozzle, which can hold the object article As by vacuum adsorption, and can release the holding of the object article As by opening it to the atmosphere. The lifting mechanism 52 has a lifting main body part 52A to which the holding part 51 is fixed. The lifting main body part 52A is supported by a second sliding member 55B relative to the second moving mechanism 55 in a state that allows it to slide in the Z direction (vertical direction).

[0032] The first moving mechanism 54 has a first guide rail 54A arranged in the X direction and a first sliding member 54B that slides freely along the first guide rail 54A. Furthermore, the first guide rail 54A is fixed relative to the mounting surface or ceiling surface by means of a support member, a suspension member, etc., but... Figure 2 The terminology is omitted. A second guide rail 55A of the second moving mechanism 55 is fixed to the first sliding member 54B. The second moving mechanism 55 has a second guide rail 55A arranged along the Y direction and a second sliding member 55B that slides freely along the second guide rail 55A. The lifting mechanism 52 (lifting main body 52A) is supported in a sliding state by the second sliding member 55B.

[0033] The first slider 54B slides along the first guide rail 54A, thereby moving the holding part 51 in the X direction via the second moving mechanism 55 and the lifting mechanism 52. The second slider 55B slides along the second guide rail 55A, thereby moving the holding part 51 in the Y direction via the lifting mechanism 52. The lifting main body 52A slides relative to the second slider 55B in the Z direction (vertical direction), thereby raising and lowering the holding part 51 fixed to its lower end. In this way, the picking device 50 enables the holding part 51 to move freely in three dimensions, and through its cooperative operation with the holding function of the object item As based on the holding part 51, it can automatically transfer the object item As (automatic picking).

[0034] In addition, such as Figure 2As shown, a camera 58 is attached to the picking device 50. The camera 58 is positioned downwards above the picking position P so as to be able to photograph the container C at the picking position P from above.

[0035] The picking device 50 is positioned, when viewed from above, to overlap with at least one of the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40. Furthermore, "overlapping when viewed from above" means that at least a portion of one component overlaps with at least a portion of the other component when viewed from above. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the picking device 50 is positioned above the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40, overlapping both of them when viewed from above. More specifically, the picking device 50 is configured such that the first moving mechanism 54 overlaps with the item collection conveyor 40 when viewed from above, and the second moving mechanism 55 overlaps with at least the picking conveyor 20 when viewed from above.

[0036] Furthermore, the second moving mechanism 55 is configured to overlap with the item collection conveyor 40 when viewed from above, based on the position of the first slider 54B in the X direction. Additionally, the lifting mechanism 52 is configured to overlap with the picking conveyor 20 when viewed from above, based on the position of the second slider 55B in the Y direction.

[0037] In this way, the picking device 50 is positioned above the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40, overlapping them when viewed from above, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated installation area for the picking device 50. Furthermore, in conjunction with the compact configuration of the outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, the inbound conveyor 30, and the item collection conveyor 40, the overall picking equipment 1 is effectively miniaturized.

[0038] The workspace 60 is a space for operator W to perform picking operations. The picking device 1 of this embodiment includes the workspace 60, thereby enabling manual picking by operator W's hands, in addition to automatic picking based on the picking device 50 (see [reference]). Figure 5 In this embodiment, a work platform 61 is provided in the work space 60 for the operator W to stand on and perform work. The work platform 61 preferably has a lifting function that can be adjusted in height.

[0039] The workspace 60 is located on the opposite side of the side where the outbound conveyor 10, inbound conveyor 30, and item collection conveyor 40 are located, separated by the picking conveyor 20. Figure 5(The lower side). Furthermore, the workspace 60 is positioned on the opposite side from the side where the picking device 50 is located, separated from the picking conveyor 20. Thus, in this embodiment, the picking device 50 and the workspace 60 are separated on both sides of the picking conveyor 20, and do not overlap when viewed from above. With this configuration, even if the picking device 50 stops due to a malfunction, switching from automatic to manual picking, the picking device 50 will not become an obstacle for the operator W working in the workspace 60. Therefore, manual picking can be performed smoothly.

[0040] The picking equipment 1 includes a control unit 70 for controlling the various parts of the picking equipment 1. The control unit 70 may be, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer or server computer equipped with a central processing unit and storage devices such as a hard disk. Figure 4 As shown, in the control unit 70, the shelf controller 71, the conveyor controller 72, and the picking controller 73 are interconnected and can communicate with each other.

[0041] The rack controller 71 is configured to control the operation of the automated warehouse 90. Typically, the automated warehouse 90 is equipped with a transport vehicle with a transfer device. The rack controller 71 manages the outbound processing of containers C from the automated warehouse 90 and the inbound processing of containers C into the automated warehouse 90 by controlling the travel of the transport vehicle and the transfer operation of the transfer device.

[0042] The conveyor controller 72 is configured to control the operation of the outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, the inbound conveyor 30, and the item collection conveyor 40. Typically, the outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, the inbound conveyor 30, and the item collection conveyor 40 are equipped with drive motors for moving the transported items (here, containers C) along their respective transport directions. By controlling the rotational movements of these drive motors, the conveyor controller 72 can manage the handling of containers C returning to the automated warehouse 90 after being dispatched, and the handling of items As retrieved at the picking position P before being shipped out.

[0043] The picking controller 73 is configured to control the operation of the picking device 50. As described above, the picking device 50 includes a lifting mechanism 52, a first moving mechanism 54, and a second moving mechanism 55. Typically, it includes drive motors for sliding the lifting main body 52A in the Z direction, sliding the first sliding member 54B in the X direction, and sliding the second sliding member 55B in the Y direction. By controlling the rotational movements of these drive motors, the picking controller 73 can manage the automated picking process based on the picking device 50.

[0044] Furthermore, the picking controller 73 is configured to identify the position, posture, etc. of the object As within the container C by performing image processing on the image captured by the camera 58. Based on this identification result, the picking controller 73 performs control so that automatic picking based on the picking device 50 is performed appropriately.

[0045] [Other Implementation Methods]

[0046] (1) In the above embodiment, the outbound conveyor 10, the picking conveyor 20, and the inbound conveyor 30 are arranged in a U-shape with angles when viewed from above. However, the structure is not limited to this; the positional relationship between the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 relative to the picking conveyor 20 when viewed from above can be appropriately changed. For example, at least one of the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 can be connected at an obtuse or acute angle relative to the picking conveyor 20. In this case, the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 can also be arranged to intersect when viewed from above.

[0047] (2) In the above embodiment, the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 are described as an example of a structure in which the picking conveyor 20 is arranged on the same side as the side where the item collection conveyor 40 is arranged. However, this structure is not limited to this; the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 may also be arranged on the opposite side of the picking conveyor 20 from the side where the item collection conveyor 40 is arranged. In this case, the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 may also be arranged in the X direction (first transport direction) to sandwich the workspace 60 between them. Alternatively, the outbound conveyor 10 and the inbound conveyor 30 may also be arranged in a straight line with the picking conveyor 20.

[0048] (3) In the above embodiments, the structure with only one picking conveyor 20 is described as an example. However, it is not limited to such a structure. Multiple independent picking conveyors 20 can also be arranged side by side with a certain gap between them along the Y direction.

[0049] (4) The above embodiment is described using a structure with three independent item collection conveyors 40 as an example. However, it is not limited to this structure. For example, the number of item collection conveyors 40 can be two or more. Alternatively, it can be a structure with only one item collection conveyor 40.

[0050] (5) In the above embodiment, the structure in which three item collection conveyors 40 are arranged in parallel with each other has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to such a structure. Multiple item collection conveyors 40 may also be arranged in a radial or intersecting manner when viewed from above in their respective extending directions.

[0051] (6) In the above embodiment, the structure of the holding part 51 of the picking device 50 having an adsorption nozzle and being able to hold the object item As by vacuum adsorption has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to this structure, and the holding part 51 may also be configured to have a robotic hand, gripper, or the like that which can hold the object item As.

[0052] (7) In the above embodiment, the structure of the picking device 50 including a holding part 51, a lifting mechanism 52 for moving the holding part 51 in the Z direction, a first moving mechanism 54 for moving the holding part 51 in the X direction, and a second moving mechanism 55 for moving the holding part 51 in the Y direction has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to such a structure, and the picking device 50 may also be composed of a multi-joint robotic arm or the like.

[0053] (8) In the above-described embodiments, for example, Figure 6 As shown, the item collection conveyor 40 may also have a stop 45 at its end on the picking conveyor 20 side. The stop 45 protrudes upwards compared to the conveying surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40. By having such a stop 45, even if the object item As has a shape that is easy to roll, such as a ball, it is possible to prevent the object item As being transferred onto the item collection conveyor 40 from rolling off towards the picking conveyor 20 side. In such a mechanism, preferably, the positional relationship between the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40 is determined by taking into account both the height H3 of the container C and the height H4 of the stop 45. Figure 6 In the example, the difference ΔH between the height H2 of the transport surface 40a of the item collection conveyor 40 and the height H1 of the transport surface 20a of the picking conveyor 20 is set in accordance with the value of subtracting the height H4 of the stop member 45 from the height H3 of the container C. More specifically, the Z-direction (vertical direction) positions of the picking conveyor 20 and the item collection conveyor 40 are determined in such a way that the height difference ΔH between the conveyors is equal to the difference between the height H3 of the container C and the height H4 of the stop member 45 (ΔH = H2 - H1 = H3 - H4).

[0054] (9) In the above embodiment, the structure in which the item collection conveyor 40 is arranged above the picking conveyor 20 has been described as an example. However, the structure is not limited to this; for example, the item collection conveyor 40 and the picking conveyor 20 may be arranged at the same height. Alternatively, the picking conveyor 20 may be arranged above the item collection conveyor 40.

[0055] (10) In the above embodiments, it is mainly envisioned that the picking equipment 1 is generally configured to perform automatic picking based on the picking device 50, and to perform manual picking based on the operator W's hand only when the picking device 50 stops due to malfunction or other reasons. However, it is not limited to such a structure, and the picking equipment 1 may also be configured to be able to actively switch between an automatic mode for automatic picking and a manual mode for manual picking.

[0056] (11) The structures disclosed in the above embodiments (including the above embodiments and other embodiments; the same applies below) can also be combined and applied with the structures disclosed in other embodiments, as long as they do not create contradictions. Regarding other structures, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are also illustrative in all respects and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of this application.

[0057] [Summary of Implementation Methods]

[0058] In summary, the picking equipment of this application is suitable to have the following structures.

[0059] A picking device includes a first conveyor, a picking device, a second conveyor, and a workspace. The first conveyor is arranged along a first transport direction to transport a container containing items. The picking device removes an item from the container as the item to be picked. The second conveyor is arranged with its end adjacent to the first conveyor along a second transport direction intersecting the first transport direction to transport the item removed from the container in a direction away from the first conveyor. The workspace is used by an operator to perform picking operations. The picking device is characterized in that the workspace is located on the opposite side of the side where the second conveyor is located, separated from the first conveyor. The picking device is located at a position that overlaps with at least one of the first and second conveyors but does not overlap with the workspace when viewed from above.

[0060] According to this design, the picking device is positioned in a location that does not overlap with the workspace when viewed from above. Therefore, even if the picking device stops due to malfunction or other reasons, and the operation switches to manual picking, the picking device will not be an obstacle for the operator standing in the workspace. Thus, switching to manual picking can be done without problems in such situations. Furthermore, the workspace is positioned on the opposite side of the second conveyor, separated by the first conveyor. In other words, when viewed from the workspace, the first and second conveyors appear to be on the same side, allowing the operator to always work in the same direction, resulting in high efficiency for manual picking. Moreover, since the picking device is positioned in a location that overlaps with at least one of the first and second conveyors when viewed from above, a dedicated area for the picking device is not required, enabling miniaturization of the entire picking equipment.

[0061] As a preferred option, the system comprises multiple of the aforementioned second conveyors arranged in parallel.

[0062] According to this scheme, items being taken from containers can be transported in a categorized manner for each of the multiple second conveyors. This improves the overall picking efficiency of the picking equipment.

[0063] As an alternative, preferably, a third conveyor and a fourth conveyor are also provided, with the third conveyor at the upstream end of the first conveyor and the fourth conveyor at the downstream end of the first conveyor, and the third and fourth conveyors are configured to sandwich the second conveyor between them along the first transport direction.

[0064] According to this scheme, the first, second, third, and fourth conveyors can be compactly configured as a whole. This enables the miniaturization of the picking equipment.

[0065] As an alternative, it is preferable that the height of the transport surface of the first conveyor is lower than the height of the transport surface of the second conveyor.

[0066] According to this scheme, the vertical travel distance of the object being picked up by the picking device to transfer it to the second conveyor in order to retrieve the object from the container on the first conveyor can be minimized. As a result, picking efficiency can be improved.

[0067] As an alternative, preferably, the difference between the height of the transport surface of the second conveyor and the height of the transport surface of the first conveyor is set based on the height of the container.

[0068] According to this scheme, for example, the transport surface of the second conveyor can be positioned near the upper end of the container on the first conveyor, and the transport surface of the second conveyor can be positioned at an appropriate height that matches the height of the container on the first conveyor. Therefore, the vertical movement of the object item when the picking device removes the object item from the container and loads it onto the second conveyor can be close to the upward movement required to cross the side wall of the container. That is, the vertical movement of the object item can be minimized. Thus, for example, each object item removed from the container can then be transferred onto the second conveyor via horizontal movement and slight vertical movement. This further improves picking efficiency.

[0069] As an alternative, the aforementioned picking device preferably includes a holding part, a first moving mechanism, and a second moving mechanism. The holding part is capable of holding the aforementioned object item. The first moving mechanism moves the holding part along the aforementioned first transport direction, and the second moving mechanism moves the holding part along the aforementioned second transport direction. The first moving mechanism is configured above the aforementioned second conveyor so that it overlaps with the aforementioned second conveyor when viewed from above.

[0070] According to this design, with the object item held in the holding section, the object item can be moved freely along the first and second transport directions, enabling appropriate automated picking based on the picking device. Furthermore, the first moving mechanism constituting the picking device is configured to overlap with the second conveyor when viewed from above, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated area for the picking device, or minimizing the need for such an area even if required. This allows for the miniaturization of the picking equipment.

[0071] The picking equipment in this application only needs to be able to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned effects.

[0072] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0073] 1. Picking equipment

[0074] 10 Outbound Conveyor (3rd Conveyor)

[0075] 20. Select conveyor (Conveyor 1)

[0076] 20a transport surface

[0077] 20u upstream end

[0078] 20d downstream end

[0079] 30 Inbound Conveyor (4th Conveyor)

[0080] 40 Item Collection Teleporter (Second Teleporter)

[0081] 40a conveying surface

[0082] 45 stop

[0083] 50 picking devices

[0084] 51 Maintenance Department

[0085] 52 Lifting Mechanism

[0086] 53 mobile agencies

[0087] 54 First moving mechanism

[0088] 55. Second moving mechanism

[0089] 60 workspace

[0090] C container

[0091] Co opening

[0092] Item A

[0093] As an object item

[0094] W operator

[0095] The height of the conveying surface of the first conveyor of H1

[0096] The height of the conveying surface of the second conveyor of H2

[0097] Height of container H3

[0098] The height of H4 stopper

[0099] ΔH is the height difference between the conveyors.

Claims

1. A picking device, The aforementioned picking equipment includes a first conveyor, a picking device, a second conveyor, and a working space. The aforementioned first conveyor is configured along the first transport direction to transport containers containing items. The second conveyor is positioned with its end adjacent to the first conveyor along a second transport direction that intersects the first transport direction, and transports the object to be removed from the container in the direction of departure from the first conveyor. The aforementioned workspace is used by workers to perform picking operations. The aforementioned picking device removes the object item to be picked from the aforementioned container and moves the object item at least along the aforementioned second transport direction and places it on the aforementioned second conveyor. The aforementioned picking equipment is characterized in that, The aforementioned picking device includes a holding section, a first moving mechanism, and a second moving mechanism. The aforementioned retaining part is capable of retaining the aforementioned object / item. The aforementioned first moving mechanism moves the aforementioned holding part along the aforementioned first transport direction. The aforementioned second moving mechanism causes the aforementioned holding part to move along the aforementioned second transport direction. The aforementioned workspace is located on the opposite side from the side where the aforementioned second conveyor is located, separated by the aforementioned first conveyor. The aforementioned picking device is positioned, when viewed from above, to overlap with at least one of the aforementioned first conveyor and the aforementioned second conveyor, but not with the aforementioned work space. The aforementioned first moving mechanism is configured on the side opposite to the side where the aforementioned first conveyor is located.

2. The picking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It has multiple of the aforementioned second conveyors arranged in parallel.

3. The picking device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also has a third and a fourth teleporter. The aforementioned third conveyor is connected to the upstream end of the aforementioned first conveyor. The aforementioned fourth conveyor is connected to the downstream end of the aforementioned first conveyor. The aforementioned third and fourth conveyors are configured to sandwich the aforementioned second conveyor between them in a direction along the aforementioned first transport direction.

4. The picking device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The height of the transport surface of the first conveyor is lower than the height of the transport surface of the second conveyor.

5. The picking device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The difference between the height of the transport surface of the second conveyor and the height of the transport surface of the first conveyor is set based on the height of the container.

6. The picking device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned first moving mechanism is configured above the aforementioned second conveyor so that it overlaps with the aforementioned second conveyor when viewed from above.

7. The picking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple of the aforementioned second conveyors are arranged side-by-side along the aforementioned first transport direction. The aforementioned picking device also moves the aforementioned object item along the aforementioned first transport direction to one of the aforementioned second conveyors.

8. The picking device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned end of the second conveyor is configured to be adjacent to the side of the first conveyor. The aforementioned work space is arranged so as to be adjacent to the side of the aforementioned first conveyor, which is opposite to the side of the aforementioned second conveyor that is located across the aforementioned first conveyor.

9. The picking device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned second conveyor and the aforementioned work space are configured opposite each other, separated by the aforementioned first conveyor.

10. The picking device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The aforementioned third and fourth conveyors are arranged along the aforementioned second transport direction and are arranged on the same side as the aforementioned second conveyor relative to the aforementioned first conveyor.

11. The picking device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The height difference between the transport surface of the second conveyor and the transport surface of the first conveyor is set to be equal to the height of the container.

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