Article conveying system

Abstract

To be able to quickly and easily move in and out, store and take out articles even in a multi-leveled warehouse.SOLUTION: An article conveying system has multiple warehouses and multi-tiered storage shelves provided within each of the multiple warehouses and having multiple shed in a horizontal direction and multiple stages of shed in a vertical direction for storing articles. The system includes: a rail part provided in an article storage area corresponding to the horizontal width of the storage shelf and in a warehouse connection area between the article storage area and an article storage area of another adjacent warehouse; an article conveying device having a running part that can run along the rail part and an elevator for retrieving articles from the shed or storing articles in the shed; an information output part that outputs height information of the elevator located outside the article storage area; a determination part that determines the movement direction and position of the article conveying device; and a control part. When the determination part determines that the elevator is located at a predetermined position within the warehouse connection area, the control part controls the elevator in accordance with the height information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article handling system for a multi-building warehouse. [Background technology]

[0002] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the prior art. Factories, ports, and other locations have multiple multi-story warehouses 100A, 100B, where various types of goods W are transported and removed. Each warehouse has its own production line for different processes and handles goods of different types, shapes, and sizes. The warehouses also have loading / unloading buffer areas where goods are transferred between warehouses and between the outside and inside of the warehouse by trucks or other means. In these buffer areas, goods are moved to the next process or other location using trucks, dollies, or other vehicles. Each warehouse is equipped with multi-tiered storage shelves 101A, 101B, each consisting of multiple storage sections arranged horizontally and stacked vertically. A mobile stacker crane SC is installed within the warehouses 100A, 100B to store and remove goods W from each storage section 102.

[0003] That is, a multi-story warehouse is provided with a loading / unloading buffer area and at least one stacker crane SC dedicated to that warehouse, which receives and delivers goods from trucks, dollies T, etc., therein. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the stacker crane SC is configured with a transfer cart or transfer fork on which goods can be loaded, a lifting body on which the transfer cart or transfer fork can be mounted, a lifting device that raises and lowers the lifting body, and a traveling device that moves the transfer cart on the lifting body along the multiple storage shelves of the multi-story warehouse. The lifting body is supported by an upper frame and side frames attached to the traveling device and rises and lowers to store and retrieve goods. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5633134 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As mentioned above, within the multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B, stacker cranes SC that are adjusted to the height of each warehouse building move to store and retrieve goods, and the transfer of goods between warehouses and with the outside is done via the loading / unloading buffer area. For this reason, it is necessary to transfer goods between the stacker cranes SC and the carts T or trucks placed in the loading / unloading buffer area, which makes it difficult to transport goods quickly and requires the installation and effort of multiple transport facilities.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide an article transport system that can quickly and easily carry in and out, store and retrieve articles even in a multiple multi-story warehouse. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the item transportation system of the present invention has a plurality of warehouses each arranged at a predetermined interval, and a multi-tiered storage shelf provided inside each of the plurality of warehouses, the multi-tiered storage shelf having a plurality of horizontal storage sheds and a plurality of vertical tiers for storing items, the item transportation system having an item storage area corresponding to the horizontal width of the storage shelf and a warehouse connection area between the item storage area and the item storage area of ​​an adjacent another warehouse, a running unit capable of running along the rail unit, and a lifting body configured to be able to rise and fall and retrieve items from each of the plurality of storage sheds that make up the storage shelf or store items in the storage shed, an information output unit that outputs height information indicating the vertical height of the lifting body that is located outside the item storage area, a determination unit and a control unit that determine the movement direction and position of the item transportation system on the rail unit, and when the determination unit determines that the item transportation system has moved toward the adjacent other warehouse and is located at a predetermined position within the warehouse connection area, the control unit controls the lifting and lowering of the lifting body in accordance with the height information output from the information output unit.

[0008] In addition, in the item transport system of the present invention, when the determination unit determines that the item transport device has moved toward another adjacent warehouse and is located at a predetermined position within the warehouse connection area, the control unit may be configured to control the lifting body to descend if the vertical height of the lifting body indicated by the height information is equal to or greater than a predetermined height.

[0009] In addition, in the goods transport system according to the present invention, the predetermined height may be the vertical height of a beam located between a plurality of adjacent warehouses.

[0010] In addition, in the goods transporting system of the present invention, the determination unit makes a determination based on rotational information regarding the rotation direction of the running wheels of the running unit and counting information obtained by counting patterns arranged along the rail unit with a reading unit provided in the goods transporting device, and the information output unit may be based on a distance sensor or encoder that detects the vertical height position of the lifting body.

[0011] In addition, in the item transport system of the present invention, the determination unit may determine that the item transport device is located at the specified position based on contact between a switch provided on the item transport device and a member positioned at the specified position and operating the switch.

[0012] In addition, in the item transport system of the present invention, the determination unit may be configured to determine the rotation direction of a rotary encoder provided corresponding to a rotating member constituting the running part of the item transport device and count pulses corresponding to the rotation amount of the rotary encoder.

[0013] In addition, in the item transport system of the present invention, a reflector is provided in the warehouse, and the item transport device has a laser ranging unit that measures the distance between the item transport device and the reflector by emitting laser light of a predetermined wavelength and receiving the laser light reflected from the reflector, and the determination unit may determine whether the item transport device is located at the predetermined position based on the relative position between the distance obtained by the laser ranging unit and the predetermined position.

[0014] In addition, the item transport system of the present invention may have, in each of the warehouses, a laser emission unit that emits laser light onto a rail section within the warehouse, and a sensor unit that detects reflected light obtained when the laser light emitted from the laser emission unit is reflected by the item transport device or object on the rail section, and the control unit may be configured to control the movement of the item transport device or the object based on distance information obtained as a result of detection by the sensor unit.

[0015] In addition, in the item transport system of the present invention, the item transport device may include a first frame having a predetermined height and a second frame that can be raised and lowered within a predetermined range relative to the first frame, and the lifting body may be raised and lowered within a predetermined range relative to the second frame, and when the item is placed on the lifting body, it may rise as the second frame rises, allowing the lifting body to rise to a position higher than the height of the first frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly and easily carry in and out, store and retrieve articles even in a multi-story warehouse. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a main part of a stacker crane according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of the stacker crane according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a multi-story warehouse equipped with a stacker crane. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a multi-story warehouse equipped with a stacker crane. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 200. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 200. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a multi-story warehouse equipped with a stacker crane. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a multi-story warehouse equipped with a stacker crane. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a multi-story warehouse equipped with a stacker crane. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the prior art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In addition, in the drawings, identical or corresponding elements are appropriately designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships between elements may differ from those in reality. The drawings may also include portions with different dimensional relationships and ratios. Furthermore, a Cartesian coordinate system of X, Y, and Z axes is appropriately shown in the drawings, and directions are explained using this. In the space represented by the Cartesian coordinate system, the direction in which the X component increases is called the +X direction, and the direction in which the X component decreases is called the -X direction. Similarly, the Y and Z components are defined as the +Y direction, -Y direction, +Z direction, and -Z direction. Note that for convenience of explanation, the +Z direction is referred to as upward, the -Z direction is referred to as downward, and the Z axis direction may be referred to as the up-down direction.

[0019] [Embodiment] 1 and 2 are front views of the main parts of a stacker crane 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The stacker crane 1 is an example of an article transport device. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a lifting body 40 provided on the stacker crane 1 is lowered, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the lifting body 40 provided on the stacker crane 1 is raised. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. Note that FIG. 3 omits the illustration of a cab 2, which will be described later.

[0020] 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B in which a stacker crane 1 is installed. The multi-story warehouse 100A is a warehouse equipped with multi-tiered storage shelves 101A, and the multi-story warehouse 100B is a warehouse equipped with multi-tiered storage shelves 101B. The multi-tiered storage shelves 101A and the multi-tiered storage shelves 101B have multiple rows of storage units 102 for storing items in the X-axis direction and multiple tiers of storage units 102 in the Z-axis direction. The area where the storage shelves 101A and 101B are located is an example of an item storage area. Between the multi-story warehouse 100A and the multi-story warehouse 100B, a beam 103, which is an example of a structure, is provided at a height lower than the top ends of the multi-tiered storage shelves 101A and 101B where the storage units 102 are located. The area between the multi-story warehouse 100A and the multi-story warehouse 100B is an example of a warehouse connection area. In the multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B, two rails 104 are installed in parallel so that the stacker crane 1 can travel between both warehouses. In addition, an absolute type magnetic scale 105 is installed between the two parallel rails 104. The magnetic scale 105 is a scale that uses a magnetic pattern recorded at a predetermined pitch as a scale.

[0021] Stacker crane 1 is a floor-mounted, load-lifting stacker crane. Stacker crane 1 is installed, for example, in an area equipped with multiple storage shelves. Stacker crane 1 travels on rails 104 installed on the floor of the area in which stacker crane 1 travels, and an operator operates it to store and remove goods from the multiple storage shelves. Stacker crane 1 includes a cab 2, a hoisting device 3, frames 10a and 10b, fixed masts 20, movable masts 30a and 30b, and a lifting body 40.

[0022] The rectangular parallelepiped frames 10a and 10b each have two wheels 11 aligned in the Y-axis direction at their bottom. The wheels 11 are driven by a drive unit (not shown). The stacker crane 1 travels on rails 104 using the driven wheels 11. A fixed mast 20 is provided between the frames 10a and 10b. The frames 10a and 10b and the wheels 11 are an example of a travel unit.

[0023] The fixed mast 20, which is an example of a first frame, includes masts 20a, 20b, and a base 20c. The base 20c is parallel to the floor surface and connects the masts 20a, 20b at a predetermined interval. The base 20c includes lower sheaves 24a, 24b. The lower sheaves 24a, 24b are single sheaves. The lower sheave 24a is provided at the end of the base 20c on the -X direction side, on the side surface on the +Y direction side, and the lower sheave 24b is provided at the end of the base 20c on the +X direction side, on the side surface on the +Y direction side. The wire rope 4b is hung between the lower sheaves 24a, 24b.

[0024] The mast 20a is columnar and stands upright in the +Z direction from the -X end of the base 20c. The frame 10a is fixed to the -X side of the lower part. The mast 20a has multiple guide rollers 21a and 22a on the +X side. The guide rollers 21a and 22a, which are examples of first rollers, guide the movable mast 30a in the up and down direction. The guide rollers 21a are supported by a support portion 25a protruding from the mast 20a in the +X direction. Two guide rollers 21a are provided in pairs at a predetermined interval in the Z axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the Y axis direction. The guide rollers 21a limit the movement of the movable mast 30a in the X axis direction, which moves up and down relative to the mast 20a. The guide rollers 22a are provided at a predetermined interval in the Z axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the X axis direction. The guide rollers 22a limit the movement of the movable mast 30a in the Y axis direction. The mast 20a also has an upper sheave 23a. The upper sheave 23a is provided on the side surface on the −Y direction side at the top of the mast 20a. The wire rope 4a is wound around the upper sheave 23a.

[0025] The mast 20b is columnar and stands upright in the +Z direction from the +X-direction end of the base 20c, with the frame 10a fixed to the +X-direction side of the lower part. The mast 20b has multiple guide rollers 21b and 22b on its -X-direction side. The guide rollers 21b and 22b are rollers that guide the movable mast 30b in the up and down direction. The guide rollers 21b are supported by a support portion 25b that protrudes from the mast 20b in the -X direction, and are arranged in pairs at a predetermined interval in the Z-axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the Y-axis direction. The guide rollers 21b limit the movement of the movable mast 30b in the X-axis direction, which moves up and down relative to the mast 20b. The guide rollers 22b are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Z-axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the X-axis direction. The guide rollers 22b limit the movement of the movable mast 30b in the Y-axis direction. The mast 20b also has an upper sheave 23b. The upper sheave 23b is provided on the side surface on the +Y direction side at the top of the mast 20b. The wire rope 4b is wound around the upper sheave 23b.

[0026] The cab 2 is provided on the side surface of the mast 20b on the +X direction side. The cab 2 is equipped with a control unit 200 and an operation panel (not shown) for controlling the travel of the stacker crane 1, the elevation of the lifting body 40, and the storage and retrieval of goods by the transfer machine 44 (described later). An operator operates the operation panel of the cab 2 to control the travel of the stacker crane 1, the elevation of the lifting body 40, and the storage and retrieval of goods by the transfer machine 44.

[0027] The hoisting device 3 is provided on the side surface of the mast 20a on the -X direction side. The hoisting device 3 is a device that winds and unwinds the wire ropes 4a and 4b, and is equipped with cylindrical hoist drums 3a and 3b and a drive unit 3c that rotates the hoist drums 3a and 3b. The drive unit 3c is equipped with a motor that rotates the hoist drums 3a and 3b, thereby rotating the hoist drums 3a and 3b. The hoist drum 3a winds and lets out the wire rope 4a, and the hoist drum 3b winds and lets out the wire rope 4b.

[0028] The movable mast 30a, an example of a first second frame, is columnar and located on the +X side of the mast 20a. The movable mast 30a moves up and down in the Z-axis direction, and when it reaches its lowest point, its upper end is lower than the upper end of the mast 20a. Note that the movable mast 30a may be configured so that when it reaches its lowest point, its upper end is at the same height as the upper end of the mast 20a. The movable mast 30a has upper sheaves 35a at the top of its +Y side and -Y side, and a lower sheave 36a at the bottom of its -Y side. The lower sheave 36a is a movable pulley and is supported by a support 37a protruding from the -Y side of the movable mast 30a. A wire rope 4a is attached to the lower sheave 36a, an example of a first mechanism. The movable mast 30a has recesses 31a and 32a along the Z-axis direction on its -Y and +Y side surfaces, a recess 33a on its -X side surface, and a recess 34a on its +X side surface. The recess 31a is a groove that fits the guide roller 21a and is provided along the Z-axis direction. The recess 32a is a groove that fits the guide roller 41a (described later) and is provided along the Z-axis direction. The recess 33a is a groove that fits the guide roller 22a and is provided along the Z-axis direction. The recess 34a is a groove that fits the guide roller 42a (described later) and is provided along the Z-axis direction. The upper sheave 35a is provided at the top of the movable mast 30a on its -Y and +Y side surfaces. The wire rope 5a is hung around the upper sheave 35a.

[0029] The movable mast 30b, an example of a second second frame, is columnar and located on the -X side of the mast 20b. The movable mast 30b moves up and down in the Z-axis direction, and when it reaches its lowest position, its upper end is lower than the upper end of the mast 20b. Note that the movable mast 30b may be configured so that when it reaches its lowest position, its upper end is at the same height as the upper end of the mast 20b. The movable mast 30b has upper sheaves 35b at the top of its +Y side and -Y side, and a lower sheave 36b at the bottom of its -Y side. The lower sheave 36b is a movable pulley and is supported by a support 37b protruding from the +Y side of the movable mast 30b. A wire rope 4b is attached to the lower sheave 36b, an example of a second mechanism. Furthermore, movable mast 30b has recesses 31b and 32b along the Z-axis direction on its -Y and +Y side surfaces, recess 33b on its +X side surface, and recess 34b on its -X side surface. Recess 31b is a groove that fits guide roller 21b and is provided along the Z-axis direction. Recess 32b is a groove that fits guide roller 41b (described later) and is provided along the Z-axis direction. Recess 33b is a groove that fits guide roller 22b and is provided along the Z-axis direction. Recess 34b is a groove that fits guide roller 42b (described later) and is provided along the Z-axis direction. Upper sheaves 35b are provided at the top of movable mast 30b on its -Y and +Y side surfaces. Wire rope 5b is hung around upper sheave 35b.

[0030] As is clear from Figure 3, the positions of the upper sheave 23a and lower sheave 36a, to which the wire rope 4a for raising and lowering the movable mast 30a relative to mast 20a is attached, and the positions of the upper sheave 23b and lower sheave 36b, to which the wire rope 4b for raising and lowering the movable mast 30b relative to mast 20b is attached, are configured to be point-symmetrical with respect to the center of the lifting body 40 when viewing the stacker crane 1 from above (+Z direction) so as to ensure weight balance when the movable masts 30a, 30b move up and down relative to the masts 20a, 20b.

[0031] The lifting body 40 carries items to be stored in or removed from the multi-tiered storage shelves 101A, 101B. The lifting body 40 moves up and down in the Z-axis direction, and when it reaches its lowest position, its upper end is lower than the upper end of the mast 20a. The lifting body 40 may also be configured so that when it reaches its lowest position, its upper end is flush with the upper ends of the movable masts 30a, 30b. The lifting body 40 includes guide rollers 41a, 41b, 42a, and 42b, fixed portions 43a and 43b, a transfer device 44, and a bottom portion 46. The transfer device 44 is provided on the +Z direction side of the bottom portion 46. The transfer device 44 has a double-stroke mechanism, and the placement portion 44a, on which an item is placed, extends and contracts in the Y-axis direction. The guide rollers 41a and 42a guide the lifting body 40 in the vertical direction. The guide rollers 41a are supported by support parts 45a that protrude in the -X direction from the side surface facing the -X direction, and are arranged in pairs at a predetermined interval in the Z axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the Y axis direction. The guide rollers 41a limit the movement in the X axis direction of the lifting body 40, which moves up and down relative to the movable mast 30a. The guide rollers 42a are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Z axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the X axis direction. The guide rollers 42a limit the movement in the Y axis direction of the lifting body 40, which moves up and down relative to the movable mast 30a.

[0032] The guide rollers 41b and 42b guide the lifting body 40 in the vertical direction. The guide roller 41b is supported by a support portion 45b that protrudes in the +X direction from the side surface facing the +X direction. A pair of guide rollers 41b are provided at a predetermined interval in the Z-axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the Y-axis direction. The guide rollers 41b limit the movement of the lifting body 40 in the X-axis direction, which moves up and down relative to the movable mast 30b. The guide rollers 42b are provided at a predetermined interval in the Z-axis direction so that their rotation axes are aligned along the X-axis direction. The guide rollers 42b limit the movement of the lifting body 40 in the Y-axis direction, which moves up and down relative to the movable mast 30b. The fixed portion 43a protrudes in the -X direction from the side surface facing the -X direction at the bottom of the lifting body 40, and one end of the wire rope 5a is fixed to the fixed portion 43b. The fixed portion 43b protrudes in the +X direction from the side surface facing the +X direction at the bottom of the lifting body 40, and one end of the wire rope 5b is fixed to the fixed portion 43b.

[0033] One end of the wire rope 4a is fixed to the hoist drum 3a, and the other end is fixed to the upper part of the mast 20a. The wire rope 4a is used to raise and lower the movable mast 30a. The wire rope 4a is looped around the upper sheave 23a and the lower sheave 36a. When the wire rope 4a is wound around the hoist drum 3a, the lower sheave 36a, which is a movable pulley, is pulled up, and the movable mast 30a, which has the lower sheave 36a, is raised. When the wire rope 4a is unwound by the hoist drum 3a, the lower sheave 36a is pulled down, and the movable mast 30a, which has the lower sheave 36a, is lowered.

[0034] One end of the wire rope 4b is fixed to the hoist drum 3b, and the other end is fixed to the upper part of the mast 20b. The wire rope 4b is used to raise and lower the movable mast 30b. The wire rope 4b is looped around the upper sheave 23b and the lower sheave 36b. When the wire rope 4b is wound around the hoist drum 3b, the lower sheave 36b, which is a movable pulley, is pulled up, and the movable mast 30b, which has the lower sheave 36b, is raised. When the wire rope 4b is unwound by the hoist drum 3b, the lower sheave 36b is pulled down, and the movable mast 30b, which has the lower sheave 36b, is lowered.

[0035] One end of the wire rope 5a is fixed to the fixed part 43a, is looped around the upper sheave 35a, and the other end is fixed to the base part 20c. When the movable mast 30a rises, the fixed part 43a is pulled up by the wire rope 5a, causing the lifting body 40 to rise. When the movable mast 30a descends, the fixed part 43a is pulled down by the wire rope 5a, causing the lifting body 40 to descend.

[0036] One end of the wire rope 5b is fixed to the fixed part 43b, is looped around the upper sheave 35b, and is fixed to the base part 20c at the other end. When the movable mast 30b rises, the fixed part 43b is pulled up by the wire rope 5b, causing the lifting body 40 to rise. When the movable mast 30b descends, the fixed part 43b suspended by the wire rope 5b descends, causing the lifting body 40 to descend. Note that in the present invention, the wire ropes 5a, 5b may be replaced with chains, and the upper sheaves 35a, 35b may be replaced with sprockets.

[0037] 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 200. The control unit 200 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203, and an interface 204. The ROM 202 is made up of a non-volatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores programs to be executed by the CPU 201. The RAM 203 is made up of a semiconductor memory or the like, and stores information used when the CPU 201 executes the programs.

[0038] The interface 204 outputs signals to control the motor of the drive unit 3c and the motor 301 for driving the wheels 11 in response to instructions from the CPU 201. The interface 204 also acquires information output by the distance sensor 61 and information output by the encoder 62. The distance sensor 61 is, for example, a laser displacement sensor and is provided on the lifting body 40. The distance sensor 61, which is an example of an information output unit, measures the distance from the lifting body 40 to the floor and outputs information indicating the measured distance to the control unit 200. This measured distance is an example of height information indicating the vertical height of the lifting body 40. The encoder 62, which is an example of a reading unit, is disposed on the base 20c and reads the scale magnetically recorded on the magnetic scale 105. The encoder 62 detects the position on the magnetic scale 105 from the read scale and outputs information indicating the detected position to the control unit 200.

[0039] In the control unit 200, the CPU 201 reads and executes a program from the ROM 202, thereby realizing a function of changing the height of the lifting body 40 at a predetermined position on the rail 104. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing the functions realized in the control unit 200 by the CPU 201 executing the program. The acquisition unit 201A acquires distance information measured by the distance sensor 61 and position information detected by the encoder 62 via the interface 204. The determination unit 201B determines whether the lifting body 40 is in a position where it will not collide with the beam 103 in the vertical direction, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 201A from the distance sensor 61. The determination unit 201B also determines whether the stacker crane 1 is positioned at a preset setting position P1 or setting position P2, based on the position information detected by the encoder 62. The setting position P1 is a position at a predetermined distance from the beam 103 in the -X direction, where the lifting body 40 does not come into contact with the beam 103. Furthermore, set position P2 is a position at a predetermined distance from beam 103 in the +X direction, and is a position where lifting body 40 does not come into contact with beam 103. Based on the determination result of determination unit 201B, drive unit 201C controls the motor of drive unit 3c to control the vertical position of lifting body 40. Based on the determination result of determination unit 201B, drive unit 201C also controls motor 301 to control the travel of stacker crane 1.

[0040] Next, an example of the operation of the stacker crane 1 will be described. For example, when an article W is to be removed from the top storage bay 102 in the multi-story warehouse 100A, the operator operates the control panel of the cab 2 to raise the lifting body 40. When the operator operates to raise the lifting body 40, the control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction based on information obtained from the encoder 62. If the determined position is on the -X direction side of a preset set position P1, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c so that the hoist drum 3a reels in the wire rope 4a and the hoist drum 3b reels in the wire rope 4b. When the wire ropes 4a and 4b are reeled in by the hoist drums 3a and 3b, the lower sheaves 36a and 36b are raised, and the movable masts 30a and 30b are raised. When the movable masts 30a, 30b rise, the upper sheaves 35a, 35b rise, and the fixed parts 43a, 43b are pulled up by the wire ropes 5a, 5b, causing the lifting body 40 to rise. When the movable masts 30a, 30b and the lifting body 40 rise, their upper ends are higher than the upper ends of the masts 20a, 20b. As the lifting body 40 rises, it is possible to retrieve and store articles in the storage shed 102, which is located at a high position.

[0041] The operator operates the control panel to drive the stacker crane 1 to the location of the storage shed 102, and uses the transfer machine 44 to take the item W stored in the storage shed 102 onto the lifting body 40. Because the ceiling of the multi-story warehouse 100A is located at a position higher than the beams 103, the lifting body 40 can be raised to a position higher than the height of the beams 103, and the item W can be taken out of the storage shed 102.

[0042] Next, an example of the operation when an article W taken out from the hangar 102 is moved by the stacker crane 1 from the multi-story warehouse 100A to the multi-story warehouse 100B will be described. When the operator moves the stacker crane 1, which has taken in the article W on the lifting body 40 as shown in FIG. 4, from the multi-story warehouse 100A to the multi-story warehouse 100B, he operates the operation panel of the cab 2 to move the stacker crane 1 in the +X direction. When this operation is performed, the control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction based on information obtained from the encoder 62. When the determined position is on the -X direction side of the preset set position P1, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to travel the stacker crane 1 in the +X direction.

[0043] The control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 based on information obtained from the encoder 62 while causing the stacker crane 1 to travel in the +X direction. If the determined position is a preset position P1, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40 based on information obtained from the distance sensor 61. If the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to stop the stacker crane 1. Next, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c so that the hoist drum 3a rewinds the wire rope 4a and the hoist drum 3b rewinds the wire rope 4b. When the drive unit 3c rewinds the wire ropes 4a and 4b, the lower sheaves 36a and 36b are pulled down, and the movable masts 30a and 30b are lowered. When the movable masts 30a, 30b descend, the upper sheaves 35a, 35b descend, and the fixed parts 43a, 43b are pulled down by the wire ropes 5a, 5b, causing the lifting body 40 to descend to a predetermined height position where it does not come into contact with the beam 103.

[0044] While lowering the lifting body 40, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40 based on information obtained from the distance sensor 61. If the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 does not come into contact with the beam 103, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to cause the stacker crane 1 to travel in the +X direction. When the lifting body 40 is in the lowered state, the upper end of the stacker crane 1 is lower than the lower end of the beam 103. Therefore, the stacker crane 1 does not come into contact with the beam 103, and travels under the beam 103 with the lifting body 40 in the lowered state as shown in FIG. 5, and can move to the multi-story warehouse 100B. Note that when the vertical position of the lifting body 40 at the set position P1 is at a position where it does not come into contact with the beam 103, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to continue traveling in the +X direction without stopping.

[0045] The control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction based on information obtained from the encoder 62 while causing the stacker crane 1 to travel in the +X direction. When the stacker crane 1 moves into the multi-story warehouse 100B, the operator operates to raise the lifting body 40 in accordance with the vertical position of the storage shed 102 storing the item W. When this operation is performed, the control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction based on information obtained from the encoder 62. If the determined position is within a range from a preset set position P1 to a set position P2, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c so that the lifting body 40 does not rise. If the determined position is the preset set position P2 or is located on the +X side of the set position P2, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c so that the lifting body 40 performs a lifting operation or a traveling operation in accordance with the operator's operation to stop at the target storage shed 102. Because the lifting body 40 of the stacker crane 1 rises at a position where it does not come into contact with the beam 103, it is possible to take out and store items in the multi-tiered storage warehouse 102 located at a high position. Furthermore, the stacker crane 1 may change its speed when traveling in an area where the multi-tiered storage shelves 101A, 101B are located and when traveling outside the area where the storage shelves 101A, 101B are located or between the multi-tiered warehouses 100A and 100B. Specifically, the traveling speed outside the storage shelf area or between warehouses may be set to be faster than the traveling speed in the storage shelf area.

[0046] Even when moving stacker crane 1 from the +X direction side of set position P2 to the -X direction in response to an operation by the operator, control unit 200 determines the position of stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction based on information acquired from encoder 62. When the determined position is on the +X direction side of preset set position P2, control unit 200 controls motor 301 in response to an operation by the operator, and causes stacker crane 1 to travel in the -X direction.

[0047] The control unit 200 determines the position of the stacker crane 1 based on information obtained from the encoder 62 while causing the stacker crane 1 to travel in the -X direction. If the determined position is a preset set position P2, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40 based on information obtained from the distance sensor 61. If the determined vertical position is a position where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to stop the stacker crane 1. Next, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c so that the hoist drum 3a rewinds the wire rope 4a and the hoist drum 3b rewinds the wire rope 4b. When the drive unit 3c rewinds the wire ropes 4a and 4b, the lower sheaves 36a and 36b are pulled down, and the movable masts 30a and 30b are lowered. When the movable masts 30a, 30b are lowered, the upper sheaves 35a, 35b are lowered, so that the fixed parts 43a, 43b are pulled down by the wire ropes 5a, 5b, and the lifting body 40 is lowered.

[0048] While lowering the lifting body 40, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40 based on information obtained from the distance sensor 61. If the determined vertical position is a position where the lifting body 40 does not come into contact with the beam 103, the control unit 200 controls the motor 301 to cause the stacker crane 1 to travel in the -X direction. Even when the stacker crane 1 is traveled in the -X direction, the upper end of the stacker crane 1 is lower than the lower end of the beam 103, so the stacker crane 1 can move to the multi-story warehouse 100A without coming into contact with the beam 103.

[0049] [Variations] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, the above-described embodiments may be modified as follows to implement the present invention. The above-described embodiments and the following modifications may be combined with each other. The present invention also includes configurations in which the components of the above-described embodiments and modifications are appropriately combined. Furthermore, further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible.

[0050] In the present invention, the amount of lift of the lifting body 40 is not limited to the amount of lift in the embodiment, and the lifting body 40 may be raised and lowered with a longer stroke than in the embodiment by combining a fixed pulley and a movable pulley, or by combining a cylinder and multiple of the aforementioned lifting parts.

[0051] In the present invention, the lifting body 40 and the movable masts 30a, 30b only need to be positioned above the rails when they are at their lowest point so as not to collide with the lowest part of the structure of the multi-story warehouses 100A, 100B. In this case, for example, the upper ends of the lifting body 40 and the movable masts 30a, 30b may be higher than the upper ends of the masts 20a, 20b when they are at their lowest point.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the operator operates the control panel of the cab 2 to cause the stacker crane 1 to travel, the movable masts 30a, 30b to rise and fall, the lifting body 40 to rise and fall, and goods to be stored and removed by the transfer machine 44, but the stacker crane 1 may also be driven automatically by a control device connected to the stacker crane 1 wirelessly or by wire, which controls the stacker crane 1 to perform the following operations: cause the stacker crane 1 to travel, the movable masts 30a, 30b to rise and fall, the lifting body 40 to rise and fall, and goods to be stored and removed by the transfer machine 44.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the setting positions P1 and P2 are identified by the magnetic scale 105 and the encoder 62, but the configuration for identifying the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction is not limited to the configuration in the embodiment. For example, the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction may be identified using a limit switch and a striker. When a limit switch and a striker are used, the limit switch is disposed on the base 20c. Furthermore, the striker is disposed at the setting positions P1 and P2.

[0054] When a limit switch and a striker are used to identify the position of stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction, the operator performs a position initialization operation, for example, at a position on the -X side of set position P1 in multi-story warehouse 100A. When this operation is performed, control unit 200 sets the position of stacker crane 1 to the position of the first area, which is on the -X side of set position P1.

[0055] If the limit switch is activated while the stacker crane 1 is traveling in the +X direction from the first area, the control unit 200 sets the position of the stacker crane 1 to the second area between set positions P1 and P2. After setting the position of the stacker crane 1 to the second area, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40. If the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 lowers the lifting body 40 so that it does not contact the beam 103, as in the embodiment.

[0056] If the limit switch is activated while the stacker crane 1 is traveling in the +X direction from the second area, the control unit 200 sets the position of the stacker crane 1 to the third area, which is on the +X direction side of the set position P2. When the stacker crane 1 is located in the third area, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c in response to the operation of the operator to raise and lower the lifting body 40.

[0057] In addition, in the present invention, a proximity sensor and a dog may be used instead of the combination of a limit switch and a striker to identify the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction. When a proximity sensor and a dog are used, the proximity sensor is disposed on the base 20c. The dog is also disposed at set positions P1 and P2.

[0058] When a proximity sensor and a dog are used to identify the position of stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction, the operator performs a position initialization operation, for example, at a position on the -X side of set position P1 in multi-story warehouse 100A. When this operation is performed, control unit 200 sets the position of stacker crane 1 to the position of the first area, which is on the -X side of set position P1.

[0059] If the proximity sensor detects a dog while the stacker crane 1 is traveling in the +X direction from the first area, the control unit 200 sets the position of the stacker crane 1 to the second area between set positions P1 and P2. After setting the position of the stacker crane 1 to the second area, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40. If the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 lowers the lifting body 40 so that it does not contact the beam 103, as in the embodiment.

[0060] If the proximity sensor detects a dog while the stacker crane 1 is traveling in the +X direction from the second area, the control unit 200 sets the position of the stacker crane 1 to the third area, which is on the +X direction side of the set position P2. When the stacker crane 1 is located in the third area, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c in response to the operation of the operator to raise and lower the lifting body 40.

[0061] Furthermore, in the present invention, a rotary encoder may be provided on the rotating shaft of motor 301 for driving wheel 11, and the rotary encoder, which rotates in conjunction with wheel 11, may count the number of pulses detected. The position of stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction may be determined based on the detected number of pulses and the distance traveled per count. In other words, the position may be determined either by providing an encoder on rail 104 or by providing an encoder on the rotating wheel 11. When an encoder is used to position stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction, the operator may perform a position initialization operation at, for example, preset position P0, which is located on the -X side of preset position P1 in multi-story warehouse 100A. When this operation is performed, control unit 200 sets the X-axis coordinate of stacker crane 1 to the origin.

[0062] When the stacker crane 1 is moved from the set position P0, the control unit 200 determines the direction and amount of movement of the stacker crane 1 based on the detection results of the encoder, and determines the coordinate of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction. For example, when the stacker crane 1 moves in the +X direction, the control unit 200 adds to the coordinate in the X-axis direction, and when the stacker crane 1 moves in the -X direction, the control unit 200 subtracts from the coordinate in the X-axis direction.

[0063] When the coordinate in the X-axis direction of the stacker crane 1 becomes the coordinate of the set position P1 while traveling in the +X direction from the set position P0, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40. When the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 lowers the lifting body 40 so that it does not contact the beam 103, as in the embodiment.

[0064] In addition, when the coordinate of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction becomes the coordinate of the set position P2 while traveling in the +X direction from the set position P2, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c in accordance with the operator's operation to raise and lower the lifting body 40.

[0065] 8, a laser rangefinder 63 may be provided on the base 20c, a reflector 106 may be installed in the multi-story warehouse 100A, and the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction may be identified based on the detection result of the laser rangefinder. The laser rangefinder 63, which is an example of a laser distance measuring unit, emits laser light toward the reflector 106 as shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 8, receives the laser light reflected by the reflector 106, and measures the distance from the stacker crane 1 to the reflector 106.

[0066] When the laser rangefinder 63 and the reflector 106 are used to determine the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction, the control unit 200 stores in advance the distance from the reflector 106 to the set position P1 and the distance from the reflector 106 to the set position P2.

[0067] When the distance measured by the laser rangefinder 63 while traveling from the -X direction side of the set position P1 in the +X direction is the distance from the reflector 106 to the set position P1, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40. When the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 lowers the lifting body 40 so that the lifting body 40 does not contact the beam 103, as in the embodiment.

[0068] When the distance measured by the laser rangefinder 63 while traveling from the -X direction to the +X direction becomes the distance from the reflector 106 to the set position P2, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c in accordance with the operator's operation to raise and lower the lifting body 40.

[0069] 9, in the present invention, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors 107A and 107B each having a laser emission unit that emits laser light of a predetermined wavelength and a sensor unit that detects light reflected by an object onto which the laser light is irradiated may be installed in the multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B, and the position of the stacker crane 1 in the X-axis direction may be identified based on the detection results of the LiDAR sensors. Note that although two LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B are provided here, the number of sensors is not particularly limited, and the number is determined appropriately depending on the installation positions of the LiDAR sensors and the detection range.

[0070] In a stacker crane 1 that moves between multiple warehouses to store and retrieve goods as in the present invention, when the stacker crane 1 is storing or retrieving goods in one warehouse, the stacker crane 1 is not positioned or operating in other warehouses, so it is conceivable that workers may enter and work in such warehouses where the stacker crane 1 is not operating. However, if the stacker crane 1 operates in one warehouse and then moves into a warehouse where it has not been operating until then, there is a possibility that the stacker crane 1 and the worker may encounter or collide, resulting in an accident. In such a case, as in this configuration, LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B detect the presence or absence of a moving object on rails 104 in each warehouse (for example, LiDAR sensor 107A detects stacker crane 1 in warehouse 100A, and LiDAR sensor 107B detects a worker in warehouse 100B). If both sensors detect a moving object, they can notify one or both of the workers in warehouses 100A and 100B and the operator of stacker crane 1, or take measures such as controlling movement (for example, prohibiting stacker crane 1 from moving into warehouse 100B, or informing the worker to leave warehouse 100B). LiDAR sensor 107A is installed on the ceiling of warehouse 100A, and LiDAR sensor 107B is installed on the ceiling of warehouse 100A. LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B are connected to relay device 108 and output the measured position information of stacker crane 1 to relay device 108. The relay device 108 transmits the position information of the stacker crane 1 acquired from the LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B to the control unit 200, for example, by wireless communication.

[0071] Instead of being installed in the multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B, the LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B may be installed on the −X and +X sides of the stacker crane 1, as shown in FIG. 10 . In this modification, for a moving object on the rail 104, the LiDAR sensor 107A irradiates a laser beam toward the −X side of the stacker crane 1 to detect the presence or absence of a moving object on the −X side of the stacker crane 1. The LiDAR sensor 107B irradiates a laser beam toward the +X side of the stacker crane 1 to detect the presence or absence of a moving object on the +X side of the stacker crane 1. In this case, an alert or movement control may be performed based on the detection results, similar to when the LiDAR sensors 107A and 107B are installed on the ceilings of the multi-story warehouses 100A and 100B. Furthermore, when the LiDAR sensor on the traveling direction side of the stacker crane 1 detects a moving object in the traveling direction, an alert may be issued to the moving object, or control such as stopping the moving object may be performed. According to this configuration, there is no need to provide a relay device 108 or a device for wireless communication, and the movement of the stacker crane 1 can be controlled and notified with a simple configuration.

[0072] When the position indicated by the position information sent from the relay device 108 while traveling from the -X direction side of the set position P1 in the +X direction is set position P1, the control unit 200 determines the vertical position of the lifting body 40. When the determined vertical position is at a height where the lifting body 40 contacts the beam 103, the control unit 200 lowers the lifting body 40 so that the lifting body 40 does not contact the beam 103, as in the embodiment.

[0073] When the position indicated by the position information sent from the relay device 108 while traveling from the -X direction to the +X direction becomes the set position P2, the control unit 200 controls the drive unit 3c in accordance with the operator's operation to raise and lower the lifting body 40.

[0074] In the embodiment described above, the number of storage sections is the same for storage shelf 101A and storage shelf 101B, but the number of sections may be different. Also, in the present invention, multiple storage shelves may be provided in the second area as well. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 stacker crane 2 Driver's cab 3 Hoisting device 10a, 10b frames 20 Fixed Mast 30a, 30b mobile mast 40 Lifting body 61 Distance Sensor 62 Encoder 105 Magnetic Scale 200 control section

Claims

1. A plurality of warehouses each arranged at a predetermined interval; An article transport system having a storage facility for storing articles provided inside each of the plurality of warehouses, the storage facility having a plurality of horizontal storage bays and a plurality of vertical storage tiers, a rail portion provided in an item storage area corresponding to the horizontal width of the storage shelf and in a warehouse connection area between the item storage area and the item storage area of ​​another adjacent warehouse; an article transport device having a running section that can run along the rail section and an elevator that is configured to be able to rise and fall and that takes out articles from each of the plurality of storage compartments that make up the storage shelf or stores articles in the storage compartment; an information output unit that outputs height information indicating the vertical height of the lift body located outside the item storage area; a determination unit that determines a moving direction and a position of the article transport device on the rail portion; a control unit; When the determination unit determines that the item transport device has moved toward another adjacent warehouse and is located at a predetermined position within the warehouse connection area, the control unit controls the elevation of the lifting body in accordance with height information output from the information output unit. Goods handling system.

2. When the determination unit determines that the item transport device has moved toward another adjacent warehouse and is located at a predetermined position within the warehouse connection area, the control unit controls the lifting body to descend if the vertical height of the lifting body indicated by the height information is equal to or greater than a predetermined height. The article handling system of claim 1 .

3. The predetermined height is the vertical height of the beams located between the adjacent warehouses.

3. The article handling system of claim 2.

4. The determination unit makes a determination based on rotation information regarding the rotation direction of the running wheels of the running unit and count information obtained by counting patterns arranged along the rail unit with a reading unit provided in the article transport device, and the information output unit is based on a distance sensor or an encoder that detects the vertical height position of the lifting body. The article handling system of claim 1 .

5. The determination unit determines that the item transport device is located at the predetermined position based on contact between a switch provided on the item transport device and a member that is disposed at the predetermined position and operates the switch. The article handling system of claim 1 .

6. The determination unit determines the rotation direction of a rotary encoder provided in correspondence with a rotating member constituting the traveling unit of the article transport device by counting pulses corresponding to the rotation amount of the rotary encoder. The article handling system of claim 1 .

7. A reflector is provided in the warehouse, The article transport device has a laser distance measuring unit that measures the distance between the article transport device and the reflector by emitting a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength and receiving the laser beam reflected from the reflector, and the determination unit determines whether the article transport device is located at the predetermined position based on the relative position between the distance obtained by the laser distance measuring unit and the predetermined position. The article handling system of claim 1 .

8. Each of the warehouses has a laser emission unit that emits laser light onto a rail section in the warehouse, and a sensor unit that detects reflected light obtained when the laser light emitted from the laser emission unit is reflected by the item transport device or an object on the rail section, The control unit controls the movement of the item transport device or the object based on distance information obtained as a result of detection by the sensor unit. The article handling system of claim 1 .

9. The article transport device is a first frame having a predetermined height; a second frame that can be raised and lowered within a predetermined range relative to the first frame; Equipped with the lifting body is capable of lifting and lowering within a predetermined range relative to the second frame, and the article is placed on the lifting body; The lifting body rises in association with the rise of the second frame, and thus the lifting body can be raised to a position higher than the height of the first frame. The article handling system of claim 1 .

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