Vertical conveying device

Abstract

To provide a vertical conveying device that can relax restrictions on the installation of a carry-in / out member that automatically carries an object in and out between each floor surface of a plurality of floors and a lifting member.SOLUTION: A vertical conveying device 101 comprises: a main body 20 having an elevator shaft 21 extending in a vertical direction Z across a plurality of floors F1 and F2; a lifting member 30 provided on the main body 20 so as to raise and lower the elevator shaft 21 in the vertical direction Z and stop in front of an aisle space S1 on each floor surface of the plurality of floors F1 and F2; carry-in / out members 40 provided on each of the plurality of floors F1 and F2, a guide mechanism unit 50 that guides the carry-in / out members 40 to be movable between the aisle space S1 and an evacuation space S2 provided separately from the aisle space S1; and a transfer device 60 that transfers a transported object 10 between the carry-in / out members 40 and the lifting member 30 while the carry-in / out members 40 are in close proximity to the lifting member 30 in the aisle space S1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vertical conveying device for vertically conveying an object to be conveyed. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional vertical conveying device is disclosed in the following Patent Document 1. This vertical conveying device includes a lifting member, which is a carriage that moves up and down in a hoistway, and a dolly that can move between the storage space of the lifting member and an external floor. According to this vertical conveying device, an object to be conveyed is vertically conveyed between an upper floor and a lower floor by the lifting member moving up and down after the dolly carrying the object moves to the storage space of the lifting member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-153515 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In designing this type of vertical conveying device, in order to avoid direct intervention by workers in loading and unloading a cart loaded with an object to be conveyed into and out of the lifting member, it is required to install a loading / unloading member that can automatically load and unload the object between the floor side and the lifting member on the hoistway side. In this case, if the loading / unloading member is installed as a fixed object in the aisle space in front of the hoistway on the floor surface of each floor, a part of the aisle space will be occupied, which will hinder passage through the aisle space. For example, it will hinder not only the passage of people such as workers but also the passage of handcarts, and will also hinder the securing of space for handling goods. For this reason, if the loading / unloading member is installed as a fixed object in the aisle space in front of the hoistway, restrictions may be placed on the installation of the loading / unloading member.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a vertical conveying device that can relax the installation constraints of loading and unloading members that automatically transport objects between each floor surface of multiple floors and the lifting members. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is A vertical conveying device for vertically conveying an object, A main body having a hoistway extending vertically across multiple floors; a lifting member provided on the main body portion so as to have a first storage space capable of storing the transported object, and to be able to move up and down the elevator shaft and stop in front of an aisle space on each of the floor surfaces of the plurality of floors; a second storage space capable of storing the transported object, the second storage space being provided on each of the plurality of floors; a guide mechanism that movably guides the loading / unloading member between the passage space and a retreat space that is provided separately from the passage space; a transfer device that transfers the transported object between the loading / unloading member and the lifting / lowering member in a state in which the loading / unloading member is in close proximity to the lifting / lowering member in the passage space; A vertical conveying device comprising: is located. Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the vertical conveying device of the above aspect, the lifting member moves through a lift path extending vertically across multiple floors in the main body. The lifting member can be stopped in front of the aisle space on each floor surface of the multiple floors. The carry-in / out member is guided by the guide mechanism to be movable between the aisle space and the evacuation space on the floor surface. When the carry-in / out member is moved to the aisle space by the guide mechanism and is in close proximity to the lifting member, the transfer device transfers the transported object between the carry-in / out member and the lifting member. Therefore, the carry-in / out member, the guide mechanism, and the transfer device cooperate to automatically carry in and out the transported object between each floor surface of the multiple floors and the lifting member.

[0008] In addition, before and after the transfer of the transported object between the transport member and the lifting member, the transport member can be retreated to the retreat space by the guide mechanism. This makes it possible to prevent the passage space in front of the elevator of the main body on each floor surface of the multiple floors from being blocked by the transport member and obstructing passage other than for work related to the vertical transport of the transported object. As a result, the passage space is not constantly occupied by the transport member, and does not obstruct the passage of not only workers and other people, but also handcarts and the like, and it is possible to secure space for handling goods.

[0009] As described above, according to the above-mentioned aspect, a vertical conveying device can be provided that can relax the installation constraints of the loading / unloading members that automatically load and unload the transported objects between each floor surface of multiple floors and the lifting members. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vertical conveying device of the first embodiment, viewed obliquely from above. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a vertical conveying device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading / unloading member on the lower floor in FIG. 1 is in the evacuation space. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading / unloading member in FIG. 3 has moved from the evacuation space to the passage space; FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a perspective view showing a preparation stage before the article is transferred from the carry-in / out member to the lifting member in FIG. 4; [Figure 6] 6 is a perspective view showing a state after the transported article has been transferred from the carry-in / out member in FIG. 5 to the lifting member; [Figure 7] 7 is a perspective view showing a preparation stage before the carry-in / out member in FIG. 6 is moved from the passage space to the evacuation space. [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading / unloading member in FIG. 7 has moved from the passage space to the evacuation space. FIG. [Figure 9]1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading / unloading members on the upper floor in FIG. 1 move from the evacuation space to the passage space. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view showing a state after the loading / unloading member in FIG. 9 has moved from the evacuation space to the passage space. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective view showing a preparation stage before the article is transferred from the lifting member to the carry-in / out member in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 12 is a perspective view showing a state after the transported object has been transferred from the lifting member to the carry-in / out member in FIG. 11 . [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which the loading / unloading member in FIG. 12 is moved from the passage space to the evacuation space. FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is a perspective view showing a state after the loading / unloading member in FIG. 13 has moved from the passage space to the evacuation space. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a vertical conveying device according to a second embodiment, viewed obliquely from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the above aspects are described below.

[0012] In the vertical conveying device of the above aspect, it is preferable that the guide mechanism is configured by a hinge connecting the loading / unloading member to the main body so as to enable the loading / unloading member to rotate between the passage space and the evacuation space.

[0013] According to this vertical conveying device, the guide mechanism is constituted by a hinge that connects the loading / unloading member to the main body, thereby simplifying the structure of the guide mechanism and making it possible to keep the device costs low.

[0014] In the vertical conveying device of the above-mentioned aspect, it is preferable that the first storage space of the lifting member is open only toward the passage space when the lifting member is in a stop position in front of the passage space, and the second storage space of the loading / unloading member is open only toward the lifting member in the close proximity state, and when the lifting member is in the stop position and the loading / unloading member is arranged in the close proximity state to the passage space, the first storage space and the second storage space are connected so as to enable horizontal transfer of the transported object.

[0015] According to this vertical conveying device, when the lifting member is at a stop position and the loading / unloading member is disposed in the passage space in a state close to the lifting member, the first accommodation space of the lifting member and the second accommodation space of the loading / unloading member face each other and communicate with each other, so that the transported object can be smoothly transferred horizontally between the first accommodation space of the lifting member and the second accommodation space of the loading / unloading member.

[0016] The vertical conveying device of the above aspect preferably includes a locking mechanism for locking the loading / unloading member in the passage space.

[0017] According to this vertical conveying device, the locking mechanism can prevent the loading / unloading member from moving out of the passage space at a timing unintended by the worker.

[0018] The vertical conveying device of the above aspect includes a shutter that opens and closes the first accommodation space of the lifting member, when the lifting member is at the stop position and the loading / unloading member is in the passage space and the transported object is accommodated in either the first accommodation space or the second accommodation space, the shutter performs an opening operation to open the first accommodation space on condition that the loading / unloading member is locked in the passage space by the locking mechanism, It is preferable that the shutter performs a closing operation to close the first storage space on condition that the transported object has been transferred between the first storage space and the second storage space by the transfer device after the opening operation.

[0019] According to this vertical conveying device, when the loading / unloading member is locked in the passage space by the locking mechanism, the elevator path of the main body is blocked by the loading / unloading member from the passage space side. In this case, the opening operation of the shutter opens the first storage space of the elevator member. Therefore, even if the shutter opens the first storage space of the elevator member, the loading / unloading member can prevent the worker from entering the first storage space. In addition, after the transported object is transferred between the first storage space of the elevator member and the second storage space of the elevator member, the opening operation of the shutter closes the first storage space of the elevator member. Therefore, after the loading / unloading member is moved from the passage space to the evacuation space, the shutter can prevent the worker from entering the first storage space of the elevator member or the elevator path of the main body.

[0020] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the vertical conveying device according to the above-mentioned aspect will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the left-right direction, which is the width direction of the vertical conveying device, is indicated by arrow X, the front-rear direction, which is the depth direction of the vertical conveying device, is indicated by arrow Y, and the up-down direction, which is the height direction of the vertical conveying device, is indicated by arrow Z.

[0021] (Embodiment 1) 1. Overall structure of the vertical conveying device 101 1, a vertical conveying device 101 of the first embodiment is used to vertically convey an article 10 between multiple floors F1, F2 in various factories, logistics centers, etc. The main components of this vertical conveying device 101 include a main body 20, a lifting member 30, a carry-in / out member 40, a guide mechanism 50, a transfer device 60, a locking mechanism 70, and a shutter 80.

[0022] 2. Transported goods 10 As shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, the transported object 10 is a cart 10 that has a plurality of swivel wheels 10a and can be pushed by hand while carrying an object 11. Note that, instead of this, a part or a box other than the cart 10 may be the transported object 10. For example, the object itself, the cart 10 carrying the object, a box for placing the object, a box with the object inside, a box with the object inside and the box placed on the cart 10 with the object inside may be the transported object 10.

[0023] 3. Structure of the main body 20 As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 20 has a hoistway 21 that extends in the vertical direction Z across multiple floors F1 and F2 (two floors, a lower floor F1 and an upper floor F2, in FIG. 1). That is, the hoistway 21 is provided as a single hoistway space (upper and lower transport space) shared by the multiple floors F1 and F2. The hoistway 21 is partitioned by the frame members and housing of the main body 20, and opens at an opening 21a on the lower floor F1 and at an opening 21b on the upper floor F2. The number of floors is not limited to two, and for example, in FIG. 1, one or more additional floors may be added to the lower floor F1 and the upper floor F2.

[0024] 4. Structure of the lifting member 30 1, the lifting member 30 is a box-shaped member having a first storage space 31 capable of storing the transported object 10. The first storage space 31 is open only on the passage space S1 side when the lifting member 30 is at a stop position Q in front of the passage space S1. In other words, the lifting member 30 is open only on its front surface.

[0025] The lifting member 30 is shared by the multiple floors F1 and F2 and is provided in the main body 20 so as to be able to move up and down the elevator shaft 21 in the vertical direction Z and stop in front of the passage space S1 on each floor of the multiple floors F1 and F2. The lifting member 30 is connected to a traction cable 32 driven by a lifting drive unit 23 (see FIG. 2) of the main body 20. Therefore, the lifting member 30 is configured to rise as the lifting drive unit 23 winds up the traction cable 32 and to fall as the lifting drive unit 23 pays out the traction cable 32.

[0026] Each of the floors F1 and F2 is provided with an evacuation space S2 in addition to the aisle space S1. Here, the aisle space S1 is a passage space provided in front of the elevator shaft 21 of the main body 20 in the front-rear direction Y and extending in the left-right direction X. This aisle space S1 is used for work related to the transportation and handling of the transported object 10, and is used as a passage for workers to pass through except for the work. In contrast, the evacuation space S2 is an open space provided adjacent to the aisle space S1 on the side of the main body 20 in the left-right direction X. This evacuation space S2 is used as a space for temporarily evacuating the loading / unloading member 40, and is not used as a passage for workers to pass through at all times. In other words, the evacuation space S2 corresponds to a space outside the aisle different from the aisle space S1. In FIG. 1, the evacuation space S2 is hatched for convenience in order to clarify the evacuation space S2.

[0027] 5. Structure of the loading / unloading member 40 As shown in FIG. 1, the loading / unloading member 40 is a box-shaped member having a second storage space 41 capable of storing the transported object 10, similar to the lifting / lowering member 30. The loading / unloading member 40 is provided on each of the floors F1 and F2. The second storage space 41 is open only on the lifting / lowering member 30 side when the loading / unloading member 40 is in close proximity to the lifting / lowering member 30 in the passage space S1. In other words, the loading / unloading member 40 is open only on its front side. The loading / unloading member 40 has a plurality of swivel wheels 42.

[0028] 6. Structure of the guide mechanism 50 As shown in FIG. 1, the loading / unloading member 40 is connected to the main body 20 via the guide mechanism 50 on each of the multiple floors F1 and F2. The guide mechanism 50 serves to guide the loading / unloading member 40 between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2 so that the loading / unloading member 40 can move between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2. In this embodiment, the guide mechanism 50 is configured by two upper and lower hinges that connect the loading / unloading member 40 to the main body 20 so as to be rotatable along the floor surface between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2. Each hinge has a known structure used in door hinges, etc., and a detailed description thereof will be omitted, but generally, the hinge has a structure in which a first fixed member 51 fixed to the main body 20 side and a second fixed member 52 fixed to the loading / unloading member 40 side are rotatably connected to each other via a connecting pin (not shown).

[0029] The worker can move the loading / unloading member 40 between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2 by applying an external force to the loading / unloading member 40. For example, when the worker applies a pushing force or a pulling force toward the passage space S1 to the loading / unloading member 40 in the evacuation space S2, the loading / unloading member 40 rotates from the evacuation space S2 to the passage space S1 according to the guide function of the guide mechanism unit 50. When the worker applies a pushing force or a pulling force toward the evacuation space S2 to the loading / unloading member 40 in the passage space S1, the loading / unloading member 40 rotates from the passage space S1 to the evacuation space S2 according to the guide function of the guide mechanism unit 50. Note that a drive device may be provided to the loading / unloading member 40, and the loading / unloading member 40 may be moved between the evacuation space S2 and the passage space S1 by using the driving force of the drive device instead of the worker.

[0030] 7. Structure of the transfer device 60 The transfer device 60 shown in FIG. 1 is for transferring the transported object 10 between the transport-in / out member 40 and the lifting member 30 in a state where the transport-in / out member 40 is in close proximity to the lifting member 30 in the passage space S1. Although not particularly shown, in this embodiment, the transfer device 60 is built into the transport-in / out member 40 and is configured by a cylinder device of a known structure having a rod member that moves forward and backward. With the rod member engaged with the transported object 10, the transported object 10 can be transferred between the transport-in / out member 40 and the lifting member 30 by advancing so as to push out the transported object 10 or by retreating so as to pull the transported object 10. The transfer device 60 may be attached to the outer surface of the transport-in / out member 40. Also, the transfer device 60 may be provided on both the transport-in / out member 40 and the lifting member 30, or the transfer device 60 may be provided only on the lifting member 30, as necessary.

[0031] 8. Structure of the lock mechanism 70 1 is for locking the loading / unloading member 40 in the passage space S1. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 70 has a locked member 43 provided on the loading / unloading member 40, a locking member 22 provided on the main body 20, and a lock drive unit 71 (see FIG. 2) that drives the locking member 22. When the loading / unloading member 40 is in a proximity state close to the lifting / lowering member 30 in the passage space S1, the lock drive unit 71 operates so that the locking member 22 locks the locked member 43 or releases the locked state.

[0032] The lock drive unit 71 may be, for example, an electromagnetic lock structure that utilizes an electromagnetic force generated when a current is applied to a solenoid and an elastic biasing force of a spring member. When a current is applied to the solenoid, the locking member 22 moves by the electromagnetic force to engage the locked member 43 against the elastic biasing force of the spring member, thereby locking the load / unload member 40. On the other hand, when a current is not applied to the solenoid, the locking member 22 moves according to the elastic biasing force of the spring member to release the engagement of the locked member 43, thereby unlocking the load / unload member 40. Note that a lock structure other than the electromagnetic lock structure may be employed as necessary.

[0033] 9. Structure of Shutter 80 The shutter 80 shown in Fig. 1 has a function of opening and closing the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30. The shutter 80 may be provided exclusively for each of the floors F1, F2, or may be provided for both floors F1 and F2. The shutter 80 is guided in the vertical direction Z by a pair of left and right guide rails 81 fixed to the main body 20 so as to extend in the vertical direction Z. The shutter 80 slides in the vertical direction Z by a shutter drive unit 82 (see Fig. 2). As the shutter drive unit 82, various actuators such as an electric motor can be used.

[0034] The shutter 80 is configured to perform an opening operation to open the first storage space 31 when the lifting member 30 is at the stop position Q, the loading / unloading member 40 is at the use position P1 of the passage space S1, and an article 10 is stored in either the first storage space 31 or the second storage space 41, on the condition that the loading / unloading member 40 is locked at the use position P1 of the passage space S1 by the locking mechanism 70. The shutter 80 is also configured to perform a closing operation to close the first storage space 31, on the condition that the article 10 has been transferred between the first storage space 31 and the second storage space 41 by the transfer device 60 after the opening operation.

[0035] 10. System configuration of vertical conveying device 101 2, the vertical conveying device 101 includes a control device 1. The control device 1 is a processor configured using, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control device 1 outputs a control signal to at least one of the lifting / lowering drive unit 23, the transfer device 60, the lock drive unit 71, and the shutter drive unit 82 based on the detection signals of the operation switch 2, the conveyed object sensor 3, the lifting / lowering member sensor 4, and the carry-in / out member sensor 5.

[0036] The operation switch 2 is a switch operated by an operator when the transport of the transported object 10 starts. When the operation switch 2 is turned on by the operator, the transport of the transported object 10 starts. The operation switch 2 is provided on the main body 20 or a member arranged in the vicinity thereof on each of the multiple floors F1 and F2. The transported object sensor 3 is provided on each of the lifting member 30 and the loading / unloading member 40. The transported object sensor 3 can detect whether the transported object 10 is in the first storage space 31 or the second storage space 41. The lifting / unloading member sensor 4 is a sensor that detects the position of the lifting / unloading member 30. The lifting / unloading member sensor 4 can detect whether the lifting / unloading member 30 is in the stop position Q. The loading / unloading member sensor 5 is a sensor that detects the position of the loading / unloading member 40. The loading / unloading member sensor 5 can detect whether the loading / unloading member 40 is in the use position P1 or the retreat position P2. If necessary, switches and sensors other than the switch 2 and sensors 3, 4, and 5 may be added.

[0037] 11.Transportation work Next, the transport operation of the article 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 14. In this embodiment, as an example, only the case where the article 10 is transported from the lower floor F1 to the upper floor F2 will be described. The case where the article 10 is transported from the upper floor F2 to the lower floor F1 is similar, so the description thereof will be omitted.

[0038] 11-1. Work on the lower floor F1 As shown in FIG. 3, on the lower floor F1, the loading / unloading member 40 is disposed at the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2 before the transport of the transported object 10 starts. At this time, the loading / unloading member 40 is in an empty state with no transported object 10 accommodated in the second accommodation space 41. When the loading / unloading member 40 is disposed at the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2, the passage space S1 is not occupied by the loading / unloading member 40, so that workers and other users can freely pass through the passage space S1. Meanwhile, the lifting member 30 is disposed at the stop position Q, and the first accommodation space 31 is closed by the shutter 80 set to the closed position R1. As a result, the shutter 80 prevents workers from entering the elevator shaft 21 of the main body 20. Thereafter, when the transport of the transported object 10 starts, first, the article 11 is placed on the transported object 10, which is a cart having the swivel wheels 10a. Thereafter, the transported article 10 is pushed by hand into the second accommodation space 41 of the carry-in / out member 40 and accommodated therein.

[0039] 4, the worker applies a pushing force or a pulling force to the loading / unloading member 40 toward the passage space S1. As a result, the loading / unloading member 40 rotates from the retreat position P2 in the retreat space S2 to the use position P1 in the passage space S1 according to the guide function of the guide mechanism 50. At this time, the load that the loading / unloading member 40 receives from the worker is converted into a rotating motion of the loading / unloading member 40 by the guide mechanism 50. Therefore, the loading / unloading member 40 moves like a door member, with the guide mechanism 50 as the center of rotation.

[0040] Here, the use position P1 is a position where the loading / unloading member 40 faces the shutter 80 at the closed position R1. Therefore, at the use position P1, the loading / unloading member 40 is disposed to face the lifting / lowering member 30 at the stop position Q, across the shutter 80 at the closed position R1. In other words, the lifting / lowering member 30 and the loading / unloading member 40 are separated by the shutter 80.

[0041] Thereafter, the worker operates the operation switch 2 to turn it on. When the operation switch 2 is turned on, first, the lock drive unit 71 is actuated so that the lock member 22 locks the locked member 43. As a result, the loading / unloading member 40 is locked at the use position P1 facing the shutter 80 in the passage space S1.

[0042] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, on the condition that the lock drive unit 71 is operated (the loading / unloading member 40 is locked at the use position P1), the shutter drive unit 82 (see FIG. 2) is operated to open the shutter 80 from the closed position R1 (see FIG. 4) to the open position R2. At this time, the lifting member 30 is at the stop position Q, and the loading / unloading member 40 is at the use position P1 of the passage space S1, and the shutter 80 that partitioned the lifting member 30 and the loading / unloading member 40 is removed. In this state, the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30 and the second storage space 41 of the loading / unloading member 40 communicate with each other so that the transported article 10 can be transferred in the front-rear direction Y. In this state, the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30 is almost blocked by the loading / unloading member 40 that moves like a door member closing operation.

[0043] 6, after the shutter 80 is opened, the transfer device 60 is actuated to transfer the transported object 10. Specifically, the transfer device 60 advances so as to push out the transported object 10 while the rod member of the transfer device 60 is engaged with the transported object 10. As a result, the transported object 10 is pushed out from the second accommodation space 41 of the carry-in / out member 40 to the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting member 30 and transferred.

[0044] 7, on condition that the transported article 10 has entered the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30, the shutter drive unit 82 (see FIG. 2) is actuated to close the shutter 80 from the open position R2 (see FIG. 6) to the closed position R1. The transported article sensor 3 (see FIG. 2) detects that the transported article 10 has entered the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30. After the closing operation of the shutter 80, the lifting member 30 is automatically lifted from the lower floor F1 to the upper floor F2 by the lifting drive unit 23 (see FIG. 2).

[0045] Moreover, on the condition that the shutter 80 has been closed, the lock drive unit 71 is operated so that the lock member 22 releases the engagement of the locked member 43. This releases the lock of the loading / unloading member 40 at the use position P1 of the passage space S1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the loading / unloading member 40 can rotate from the use position P1 of the passage space S1 to the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2 with the guide mechanism unit 50 as the center of rotation. Then, the worker applies a load to the loading / unloading member 40 to rotate the loading / unloading member 40 to the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2. This allows the loading / unloading member 40 to move to the retreat position P2. As a result, the loading / unloading member 40 is released from occupancy of the passage space S1, and the worker and other users can pass through the passage space S1.

[0046] 11-2. Work on upper floor F2 As shown in Figure 9, on the upper floor F2, in preparation for transporting the transported item 10 from the lifting member 30, which has automatically risen from the lower floor F1, to the loading / unloading member 40, a worker applies a load to the loading / unloading member 40 to rotate the loading / unloading member 40 from the evacuation position P2 in the evacuation space S2 to the usage position P1 in the aisle space S1.

[0047] After that, the worker operates the operation switch 2 to turn it on. When the operation switch 2 is turned on, first, the lock drive unit 71 is actuated so that the lock member 22 locks the locked member 43. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10, the loading / unloading member 40 is locked at the use position P1 facing the shutter 80 in the passage space S1.

[0048] 11, on the condition that the lock driver 71 is operated (the load-unloading member 40 is locked at the use position P1), the shutter driver 82 (see FIG. 2) is operated to open the shutter 80 from the closed position R1 (see FIG. 10) to the open position R2. As a result, the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting member 30 and the second accommodation space 41 of the load-unloading member 40 communicate with each other so that the transported article 10 can be transferred in the front-rear direction Y.

[0049] 12, after the shutter 80 is opened, the transfer device 60 is actuated to transfer the transported object 10. Specifically, the rod member of the transfer device 60 engages with the transported object 10 and moves backward so as to pull the transported object 10. As a result, the transported object 10 is pulled and transferred from the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting member 30 to the second accommodation space 41 of the carry-in / out member 40.

[0050] 13, on the condition that the article 10 enters the second accommodation space 41 of the load-unload member 40, the shutter drive unit 82 (see FIG. 2) is actuated to close the shutter 80 from the open position R2 (see FIG. 12) to the closed position R1. The entry of the article 10 into the second accommodation space 41 of the load-unload member 40 is detected by the load sensor 3 (see FIG. 2).

[0051] Moreover, on the condition that the shutter 80 has been closed, the lock drive unit 71 is operated so that the lock member 22 releases the engagement of the locked member 43. This releases the lock of the loading / unloading member 40 at the use position P1 of the passage space S1. Therefore, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the loading / unloading member 40 can rotate from the use position P1 of the passage space S1 to the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2 with the guide mechanism unit 50 as the center of rotation. Then, the worker applies a load to the loading / unloading member 40 to rotate the loading / unloading member 40 to the retreat position P2 of the retreat space S2. This allows the loading / unloading member 40 to move to the retreat position P2. As a result, the loading / unloading member 40 is released from occupancy of the passage space S1, and the worker and other users can pass through the passage space S1. Furthermore, the worker can remove the article 11 from the transported goods 10 accommodated in the second accommodation space 41 of the carry-in / out member 40 in the retracted position P2.

[0052] According to the above-mentioned first embodiment, the following advantageous effects can be obtained.

[0053] In the vertical conveying device 101 of the first embodiment, the lifting member 30 moves through the lifting path 21 extending in the vertical direction Z across the multiple floors F1 and F2 in the main body 20. The lifting member 30 can be stopped in front of the passage space S1 of each of the multiple floors F1 and F2. The carrying-in / out member 40 is guided by the guide mechanism unit 50 so as to be movable between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2. When the carrying-in / out member 40 moves to the passage space S1 by the guide mechanism unit 50 and is in a state close to the lifting member 30, the transfer device 60 transfers the transported object 10 between the carrying-in / out member 40 and the lifting member 30. Therefore, the carrying-in / out member 40, the guide mechanism unit 50, and the transfer device 60 cooperate to automatically carry in and out the transported object 10 between the floor surface of each of the multiple floors F1 and F2 and the lifting member 30.

[0054] In addition, before and after the transfer of the transported object 10 between the transport member 40 and the lifting member 30, the transport member 40 can be retreated to the retreat space by the guide mechanism unit 50. This prevents the passage space S1 in front of the elevator 21 of the main body unit 20 on each floor surface of the multiple floors F1 and F2 from being blocked by the transport member 40 and becoming an obstacle to passage other than the work related to the vertical transport of the transported object 10. As a result, the passage space S1 is not constantly occupied by the transport member 40, and does not obstruct the passage of not only people such as workers but also handcarts and the like, and it is possible to secure a space for handling goods. In addition, since the retreat space S2 is an open space adjacent to the passage space S1, it is possible to minimize the walking load of workers who move the transport member 40.

[0055] As described above, according to embodiment 1, a vertical conveying device 101 can be provided that can relax installation constraints on the loading / unloading members 40 that automatically load and unload the transported item 10 between the floor surfaces of each of the multiple floors F1, F2 and the lifting members 30.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the vertical conveying device 101 having the above-mentioned configuration, as the installation constraints of the loading / unloading members 40 are relaxed, the installation constraints of the elevator shaft 21 in the main body 20 can also be relaxed.

[0057] Furthermore, according to the vertical conveying device 101 having the above-described configuration, by configuring the guide mechanism 50 using a hinge that connects the loading / unloading member 40 to the main body 20, the structure of the guide mechanism 50 can be simplified, and the device costs can be kept low.

[0058] Furthermore, according to the vertical conveying device 101 configured as described above, when the lifting and lowering members 30 are at the stop position Q and the loading and unloading members 40 are arranged in the passage space S1 in a state close to the lifting and lowering members 30, the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting and lowering members 30 and the second accommodation space 41 of the loading and unloading members 40 face each other and communicate with each other. Therefore, the transported object 10 can be smoothly transferred in the front-rear direction Y between the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting and lowering members 30 and the second accommodation space 41 of the loading and unloading members 40.

[0059] Furthermore, according to the vertical conveying device 101 having the above-described configuration, the locking mechanism 70 can prevent the loading / unloading member 40 from moving out of the passage space S1 at a timing unintended by the operator.

[0060] Moreover, according to the vertical conveying device 101 having the above-mentioned configuration, when the loading / unloading member 40 is locked by the locking mechanism 70 at the use position P1 of the passage space S1, the elevator 21 of the main body 20 is blocked by the loading / unloading member 40 from the passage space S1 side. In this case, the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting / lowering member 30 is opened by the opening operation of the shutter 80. Therefore, even if the shutter 80 opens the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting / lowering member 30, the loading / unloading member 40 can prevent the worker from entering the first accommodation space 31. Moreover, after the transported object 10 is transferred between the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting / lowering member 30 and the second accommodation space 41 of the lifting / unloading member 40, the first accommodation space 31 of the lifting / unloading member 30 is closed by the opening operation of the shutter 80. Therefore, after the loading / unloading member 40 has been moved from the use position P1 in the passage space S1 to the evacuation position P2 in the evacuation space S2, the shutter 80 can prevent workers from entering the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30 or the elevator shaft 21 of the main body 20.

[0061] Next, other embodiments related to the above-mentioned embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. In the other embodiments, the same elements as those in embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and the description of the same elements will be omitted.

[0062] (Embodiment 2) In the vertical conveying device 102 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the structure of the guide mechanism 50A that guides the loading / unloading member 40 between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2 is different from that of the guide mechanism 50 of the first embodiment. The guide mechanism 50A is composed of a pair of rails that serve as tracks for the left and right free wheels 42 of the loading / unloading member 40. The pair of rails are provided parallel to each other so as to extend from the passage space S1 to the evacuation space S2 on each floor surface of the multiple floors F1 and F2. Therefore, when the loading / unloading member 40 receives a load from a worker, it is guided between the passage space S1 and the evacuation space S2 according to the pair of rails that constitute the guide mechanism 50A. Note that a drive device may be provided to the loading / unloading member 40, and the loading / unloading member 40 may be moved using the drive force of the drive device instead of the worker.

[0063] The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0064] According to the vertical conveying device 102 of embodiment 2, it is possible to guide the loading / unloading member 40 between the aisle space S1 and the evacuation space S2 by utilizing a pair of rails (guide mechanism unit 50A) provided on the floor surfaces of each of the multiple floors F1 and F2.

[0065] In addition, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0066] In a modification particularly related to the vertical conveying device 102 having the above configuration, the guide mechanism 50A may be omitted, and the carry-in / out member 40 may be configured as an unmanned guided vehicle that automatically travels in the mapped area.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various applications and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following embodiments can be embodied by applying the above-described embodiment.

[0068] In the above embodiment, an example was given of the use of a locking mechanism 70 that automatically locks the loading / unloading member 40 at the use position P1 in the passage space S1, but instead, a structure can be adopted that allows an operator to manually lock the loading / unloading member 40.

[0069] In the above embodiment, an example was given of using a shutter 80 that automatically opens and closes the first storage space 31 of the lifting member 30, but instead, a structure can be adopted that allows an operator to manually open and close the shutter 80. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... cart (transported object), 20... main body, 21... elevator, 30... lifting member, 31... first storage space, 40... loading / unloading member, 41... second storage space, 50, 50A... guide mechanism, 60... transfer device, 70... locking mechanism, 80... shutter, 101, 102... vertical transport device, F1... lower floor, F2... upper floor, F1, F2... multiple floors, Q... stop position, S1... aisle space, S2... evacuation space, Y... front-to-rear direction (horizontal direction), Z... up-down direction

Claims

1. A vertical conveying device for vertically conveying an object, A main body having a hoistway extending vertically across multiple floors; a lifting member provided on the main body portion, the lifting member having a first storage space capable of storing the object, and capable of moving up and down the elevator shaft and stopping in front of an aisle space on each of the floor surfaces of the plurality of floors; a loading / unloading member provided on each of the plurality of floors, the loading / unloading member having a second storage space capable of storing the transported object; a guide mechanism that movably guides the loading / unloading member between the passage space and a retreat space that is provided separately from the passage space; a transfer device that transfers the transported object between the loading / unloading member and the lifting / lowering member in a state in which the loading / unloading member is in close proximity to the lifting / lowering member in the passage space; A vertical conveying device comprising:

2. 2. The vertical conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism is configured by a hinge that connects the loading / unloading member to the main body so as to enable the loading / unloading member to rotate between the passage space and the evacuation space.

3. 3. The vertical conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the first storage space of the lifting member is open only toward the passage space when the lifting member is in a stop position in front of the passage space, and the second storage space of the loading / unloading member is open only toward the lifting member in the proximity state, and when the lifting member is in the stop position and the loading / unloading member is disposed in the proximity state to the passage space, the first storage space and the second storage space are connected so as to enable horizontal transfer of the transported object.

4. The vertical conveying device according to claim 3 , further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the loading / unloading member in the passage space.

5. a shutter for opening and closing the first accommodation space of the lifting member, when the lifting member is at the stop position and the loading / unloading member is in the passage space and the transported object is accommodated in either the first accommodation space or the second accommodation space, the shutter performs an opening operation to open the first accommodation space on condition that the loading / unloading member is locked in the passage space by the locking mechanism, The vertical conveying device of claim 4, wherein the shutter performs a closing operation to close the first storage space on the condition that the transported object has been transferred between the first storage space and the second storage space by the transfer device after the opening operation.

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