An M-shaped automated container terminal loading and unloading system and method

Abstract

This invention discloses an M-shaped automated container terminal loading and unloading system, including quay cranes, a container yard, and rail-mounted gantry cranes. The quay cranes are located at the front edge of the terminal. The container yard is vertically located behind the rails of the quay cranes and contains multiple container zones. Each container zone contains at least one rail-mounted gantry crane. Every two container zones form a group, and the rail-mounted gantry cranes within the same group are arranged back-to-back. An external lane and an internal lane are sequentially located outside the rail on one side of the cantilever end of each rail-mounted gantry crane. This invention also discloses an M-shaped automated container terminal loading and unloading method. This invention improves the utilization rate of the container yard and increases the container stacking area. Simultaneously, the use of a single cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane reduces the volume and weight of the container yard equipment, thus reducing equipment investment. Furthermore, the external truck lane is located outside the rail of the cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane, avoiding safety hazards.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to automated container terminal technology, and more specifically, to an M-shaped automated container terminal loading and unloading system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Existing automated container terminal yard handling methods can be divided into end-loading and side-loading based on whether horizontal transport equipment enters the yard. In a typical end-loading method, horizontal transport equipment operates in the interaction area at the end of the yard. Although the horizontal transport equipment does not enter the container area, it helps to naturally separate the automated vehicle flow on the sea side from the external container trucks on the land side, facilitating the closed management of the automated yard and the organization of port traffic. However, it also has drawbacks such as fewer loading and unloading points in the yard, high energy consumption of yard equipment, and low overall operational efficiency.

[0003] Given the drawbacks of end-loading and unloading, some side-loading and unloading modes have emerged, such as... Figure 1 As shown, a U-shaped or P-shaped turning area for off-port trucks is set up at the sea-side end of the yard, enabling horizontal container transport vehicles from both inside and outside the port to directly enter the yard for loading and unloading. This mode can solve some of the drawbacks of the end-loading mode, but it also has the following problems:

[0004] 1. When external container trucks make "U" or "P" shaped turns at the end of the yard, they need to occupy multiple container stacking positions at the end of the yard, and the turning operation is somewhat difficult, especially the P-shaped turn, which requires the loss of a lot of container stacking positions at the sea side end of the container area, and the turning operation is difficult.

[0005] 2. The return lane of the U-shaped external container truck is set inside the track, which occupies the space of the container yard on the ground.

[0006] 3. The return lane of the U-shaped outer container truck is set inside the rail. There is a safety hazard when the rail-mounted gantry crane passes over the top of the outer container truck during operation. Specifically, the driver of the outer container truck cannot see the running position of the automated rail-mounted gantry crane due to the limited visibility of the container stacking height. It is necessary to install traffic lights at appropriate locations on the rail-mounted gantry crane to show the operating status of the automated rail-mounted gantry crane passing over the return lane at the current time, so as to ensure that the outer container truck avoids the gantry crane. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned deficiencies in the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automated container terminal loading and unloading system and method with an M-shaped layout, which improves yard utilization and increases the container stacking area. At the same time, the use of a single cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane can reduce the volume and weight of yard equipment and reduce equipment investment. Furthermore, the external truck lane is set outside the cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane rail to avoid safety hazards.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0009] The first aspect of the present invention provides an automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout, including quay cranes, yards and rail-mounted gantry cranes;

[0010] The quay crane is located at the front edge of the wharf;

[0011] The storage yard is located vertically behind the rails of the quay crane, and the storage yard contains multiple container areas;

[0012] At least one of the rail-mounted gantry cranes is provided in each of the aforementioned container areas;

[0013] Each pair of the box areas forms a group, and the rail-mounted cranes within the same group are arranged back to back;

[0014] The rail-mounted crane has an external lane and an internal lane arranged sequentially on one side of the cantilever end.

[0015] Preferably, the rail-mounted gantry crane is a single cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane.

[0016] Preferably, a fence is provided between the off-site lane and the on-site lane.

[0017] Preferably, the off-site lane is an off-site truck lane, with an off-site truck loading and unloading lane.

[0018] Preferably, the on-site lanes are automated guided lanes, and four automated guided lanes are arranged in a group of container areas. The two middle automated guided lanes are passage lanes, namely one entry passage lane and one exit passage lane; the two automated guided lanes on both sides are loading and unloading lanes.

[0019] Preferably, the area between the quay crane and the storage yard is set as an automated operation enclosed zone.

[0020] Preferably, an external truck exit lane is provided on the side rail of the cantilever end of the rail-mounted crane.

[0021] The second aspect of the present invention provides an automated container terminal loading and unloading method with an M-shaped layout, which uses the automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout provided in the first aspect of the present invention to perform container loading and unloading operations.

[0022] Preferably, the container loading and unloading operation specifically includes:

[0023] During unloading, containers on the ship are unloaded onto automated guided vehicles (AGVs) via the quay crane. After loading the containers, the AGVs, according to system instructions, enter the corresponding access road from the transverse road within the automated operation closed area, and then switch from the access road to a designated position on the loading / unloading road. The rail-mounted gantry crane then lifts the containers from the AGVs to a designated position within the yard. After the rail-mounted gantry crane removes the containers, the AGVs, according to system instructions, switch from the loading / unloading road to the exit road and drive in the opposite direction from the yard back onto the transverse road within the automated operation closed area, and then proceed to the next designated position.

[0024] For loading, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) enters the corresponding access road from the transverse road within the automated operation closed area according to system instructions, and then switches from the access road to a designated position on the loading / unloading road. The rail-mounted gantry crane then lifts the container from the yard onto the AGV. After loading the container, the AGV switches from the loading / unloading road to the exit road and drives in the opposite direction away from the yard, entering a designated position on the transverse road within the automated operation closed area. The quay crane then lifts the container onto the ship.

[0025] Upon entering the container area, the external container truck carrying the container passes through the gate onto the landside transverse road, then turns onto the external container truck loading / unloading lane from the landside transverse road. After stopping at the designated loading / unloading position, the rail-mounted gantry crane lifts the container from the external container truck to the designated location within the container yard. After the rail-mounted gantry crane lifts the container off, the external container truck travels along the external container truck loading / unloading lane to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end, and enters the external container truck exit lane. It then leaves the container area along the external container truck exit lane, enters the landside transverse road, and exits through the gate.

[0026] The container truck enters the landside transverse road through the gate, then turns onto the loading and unloading lane from the landside transverse road. After stopping at the designated loading and unloading position, the rail-mounted crane lifts the container from the yard onto the container truck. After loading the container, the container truck travels along the loading and unloading lane to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end, and enters the exit lane. It then leaves the container area along the exit lane, enters the landside transverse road, and exits through the gate.

[0027] This invention provides an automated container terminal loading and unloading system and method with an M-shaped layout. Compared to existing technologies that use double-cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes in the yard, with external trucks making U-shaped turns and return lanes located inside the rails, which occupy yard space, this invention uses a single-cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane in the yard. The return lane for external trucks is located at the non-cantilever end, and the two sets of container areas share the return lane. It also makes full use of the essential maintenance and fire-fighting passage between the non-cantilever ends, allowing more containers to be placed in the limited space of the port, increasing the stacking area. Compared to U-shaped and P-shaped turns, the external trucks occupy less stacking space at the yard end, have a larger turning radius, and turn more smoothly. Compared to using double-cantilever rail-mounted gantry cranes, the single-cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane reduces the size and weight of the yard loading and unloading equipment, lowering the equipment cost. In terms of safety, the return lane for external trucks is located outside the rails, which is safer than a U-shaped layout. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the existing side loading and unloading modes, (a) is P-type, and (b) is U-type;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the plan layout of the automated container terminal loading and unloading system of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a typical yard in the automated container terminal loading and unloading system of this invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the yard roads and typical traffic flow of the horizontal transport equipment in the automated container terminal loading and unloading system of this invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the yard roads and typical traffic flow of the off-site horizontal transport equipment in the automated container terminal loading and unloading system of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To better understand the above-mentioned technical solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] Combination Figure 1 As shown, the M-shaped automated container terminal loading and unloading system provided by the present invention includes a quay crane 2, a yard 3, and a rail-mounted gantry crane 4. The above is the prior art and will not be described in detail here. Unlike the prior art, in the present invention, the quay crane 2 is arranged at the front edge 1 of the quay for loading and unloading ship operations.

[0035] The container yard 3 is arranged vertically behind the rail of the quay crane 2, and multiple container areas are located within the container yard 3.

[0036] Each container area is equipped with at least one rail-mounted gantry crane 4. The rail-mounted gantry cranes 4 are arranged back-to-back between the container areas, with each pair of container areas forming a group.

[0037] The rail-mounted crane 4 has an external lane and an internal lane arranged sequentially on one side of the cantilever end.

[0038] The off-site lanes and on-site lanes are separated by fence 19 to prevent interference between them.

[0039] The off-site lane is the off-site truck lane, which is a non-automated operation area for off-site trucks 6 to drive and for container loading and unloading operations. An off-site truck loading and unloading lane 15 can be arranged.

[0040] The on-site lanes are the automated guided vehicle lanes, which are automated operation areas for the two-way travel of automated guided vehicles 5 for collection and distribution operations. A set of container areas can be equipped with four automated guided vehicle lanes. The two middle automated guided vehicle lanes are passageways, namely one entry passageway 17 and one exit passageway 20; the two automated guided vehicle lanes on both sides are loading and unloading lanes 16.

[0041] An external truck exit lane 18 is arranged outside the rail on one side of the cantilever end of the rail-mounted crane 4.

[0042] Rail-mounted gantry crane 4 is a single cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane used for container yard loading and unloading operations.

[0043] In this invention, the wharf adopts a layout of "planar spatial isolation + storage yard perpendicular to the shoreline + side loading and unloading". The area between the quay crane 2 and the storage yard 3 is set as an automated operation closed area, and the area between the storage yard 3 and the rear area is a non-automated operation area 11. A landside transverse road 12 is arranged.

[0044] External container trucks 6 enter the work area from the external container truck loading / unloading lane 15 on the cantilever end side of the rail-mounted crane 4, and turn at the end of the container area to exit the container area from the external container truck exit lane 18 on the non-cantilever end of the rail-mounted crane 4. The loading and unloading travel paths of external container trucks in the yard 3 of each group of container areas are "m" shaped. Automated guided vehicles 5 travel in both directions, entering the work area from the access lane 17 of the automated operation area at the cantilever end of the rail-mounted crane 4, and exiting from the exit lane 20 of the automated operation area at the cantilever end.

[0045] Combination Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the present invention also provides an automated container terminal loading and unloading method with an M-shaped layout, which uses the automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout of the present invention to perform container loading and unloading operations.

[0046] The aforementioned container loading and unloading operations specifically include:

[0047] Unloading operations

[0048] Containers from the ship are unloaded onto automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 5 via quay crane 1. After loading the container, the AGV 5 enters the corresponding access road 17 from the transverse road within the automated operation closed area 7 according to system instructions. Then, it switches from the access road 17 to the designated position on the loading / unloading road 16 and stops. The rail-mounted crane 4 lifts the container from the AGV 5 to the designated position within the yard 3. After the rail-mounted crane 4 lifts the container away, the AGV 5 switches from the loading / unloading road 16 to the exit road 20 according to system instructions and drives away from the yard 3 into the transverse road within the automated operation closed area 7, and then travels to the next designated position.

[0049] Loading operations

[0050] According to system instructions, the automated guided vehicle 5 enters the corresponding access road 17 from the transverse road in the automated operation closed area 7, and then switches from the access road 17 to the designated position of the loading and unloading road 16 to stop. The rail crane 4 lifts the container from the yard 3 onto the automated guided vehicle 5. After loading the container, the automated guided vehicle 5 switches from the loading and unloading road 16 to the exit road 20 and drives away from the yard 3 into the designated position of the transverse road in the automated operation closed area 7. The quay crane 1 then lifts the container onto the ship.

[0051] Box loading operation

[0052] The outer container truck 6 carries the container through the gate and enters the landside transverse road 12. Then, it turns from the landside transverse road 12 into the outer container truck loading and unloading road 15. After stopping at the designated loading and unloading position, the rail-mounted crane 4 lifts the container from the outer container truck 6 to the designated position in the yard 3. After the rail-mounted crane 4 lifts the container away, the outer container truck 6 travels along the outer container truck loading and unloading road 15 to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end to the outer container truck exit road 18, and leaves the container area along the outer container truck exit road 18, enters the landside transverse road 12, and exits the gate.

[0053] Box lifting operation

[0054] The outer container truck 6 enters the landside transverse road 12 through the gate, then turns from the landside transverse road 12 into the outer container truck loading and unloading road 15. After stopping at the designated loading and unloading position, the rail crane 4 lifts the container from the yard 3 onto the outer container truck 6. After the outer container truck 6 loads the container, it travels along the outer container truck loading and unloading road 15 to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end, and enters the outer container truck exit road 18. It then leaves the container area along the outer container truck exit road 18, enters the landside transverse road 12, and exits the gate.

[0055] Those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any variations or modifications to the above embodiments that are within the spirit and essence of the present invention will fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout, comprising quay cranes, a container yard, and rail-mounted gantry cranes, characterized in that: The quay crane is located at the front edge of the wharf; The storage yard is located vertically behind the rails of the quay crane, and the storage yard contains multiple container areas; At least one of the rail-mounted gantry cranes is provided in each of the aforementioned container areas; Each pair of the box areas forms a group, and the rail-mounted cranes within the same group are arranged back to back; The rail-mounted crane has an off-site lane and an on-site lane arranged sequentially on one side of the cantilever end of the rail. The off-site lane is a truck loading and unloading lane for external container trucks; The rail-mounted gantry crane has an external truck exit lane on one side of the rail without the cantilever end; The external container trucks enter the operation from the external container truck loading and unloading lane on one side of the cantilever end of the rail crane, and turn at the end of the container area to exit the container area from the external container truck exit lane on the non-cantilever end of the rail crane. The loading and unloading driving path of the external container trucks in the yard of each group of container areas is "m" shaped. The on-site lanes are automated guided lanes. Four automated guided lanes are arranged in every two groups of container areas. The two middle automated guided lanes are passageways, namely one entry passageway and one exit passageway; the two automated guided lanes on both sides are loading and unloading lanes. The automated guided vehicle travels in both directions, entering the work area from the access road of the automated operation area at the cantilever end of the rail-mounted gantry crane, and exiting from the exit road of the automated operation area at the cantilever end.

2. An automated container terminal handling system of the M-arrangement type according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rail-mounted gantry crane is a single cantilever rail-mounted gantry crane.

3. The automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fence is installed between the off-site lane and the on-site lane.

4. The automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The area between the quay crane and the storage yard is designated as an automated operation enclosed zone.

5. An automated container terminal loading and unloading method with an M-shaped layout, characterized in that: Container loading and unloading operations are performed using an automated container terminal loading and unloading system with an M-shaped layout as described in any one of claims 1-4. The container loading and unloading operations specifically include: During unloading, containers on the ship are unloaded onto automated guided vehicles (AGVs) via the quay crane. After loading the containers, the AGVs, according to system instructions, enter the corresponding access road from the transverse road within the automated operation closed area, and then switch from the access road to a designated position on the loading / unloading road. The rail-mounted gantry crane then lifts the containers from the AGVs to a designated position within the yard. After the rail-mounted gantry crane removes the containers, the AGVs, according to system instructions, switch from the loading / unloading road to the exit road and drive in the opposite direction from the yard back onto the transverse road within the automated operation closed area, and then proceed to the next designated position. For loading, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) enters the corresponding access road from the transverse road within the automated operation closed area according to system instructions, and then switches from the access road to a designated position on the loading / unloading road. The rail-mounted gantry crane then lifts the container from the yard onto the AGV. After loading the container, the AGV switches from the loading / unloading road to the exit road and drives in the opposite direction away from the yard, entering a designated position on the transverse road within the automated operation closed area. The quay crane then lifts the container onto the ship. Upon entering the container area, the external container truck carrying the container passes through the gate onto the landside transverse road, then turns onto the external container truck loading / unloading lane from the landside transverse road. After stopping at the designated loading / unloading position, the rail-mounted gantry crane lifts the container from the external container truck to the designated location within the container yard. After the rail-mounted gantry crane lifts the container off, the external container truck travels along the external container truck loading / unloading lane to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end, and enters the external container truck exit lane. It then leaves the container area along the external container truck exit lane, enters the landside transverse road, and exits through the gate. The container truck enters the landside transverse road through the gate, then turns onto the loading and unloading lane from the landside transverse road. After stopping at the designated loading and unloading position, the rail-mounted crane lifts the container from the yard onto the container truck. After loading the container, the container truck travels along the loading and unloading lane to the seaside end of the container area, turns around the end, and enters the exit lane. It then leaves the container area along the exit lane, enters the landside transverse road, and exits through the gate.

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