Conveyance system and vertical conveyance machine

Abstract

To provide a conveyance system capable of efficiently performing conveyance across a plurality of floors.SOLUTION: A conveyance system 1 includes: a vertical conveyance machine 10 that conveys a work piece W between a plurality of floors; a first AGV that conveys a work piece on each floor; and a second AGV that rides on the vertical conveyance machine 10 to convey a work piece across the respective floors. The first AGV conveys a work piece, conveyed from another floor by the second AGV, to a predetermined storage space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport system that combines a vertical transport machine and an automated guided vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, automated guided vehicles that can travel autonomously have been developed, and are now being used in logistics warehouses and the like. Patent Document 1 discloses an automated driving system for automated guided vehicles that tow and transport carts loaded with cargo in warehouses. In the automated driving system described in Patent Document 1, when a request for transport from one shelf to another is made, a management server determines the driving route, and the automated guided vehicle travels according to instructions from the management server.

[0003] The automated driving system described in Patent Document 1 describes the transportation of cargo within a floor, but does not consider transportation across multiple floors. Although not in the field of logistics, Patent Document 2 describes an automated transport system that transports materials and equipment at construction sites using an autonomously traveling automated transport vehicle. In Patent Document 2, the autonomous transport vehicle carrying the materials and equipment is placed on a construction elevator or construction lift and taken to the destination floor, thereby transporting the materials and equipment to a destination on a different floor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-45454 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-123079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the field of logistics, there is a demand for efficient transportation of large amounts of cargo (hereinafter also referred to as "work"), and it is desirable for automated guided vehicles to be able to operate at all times. In view of the above background, the present invention aims to provide a transport system that allows automated guided vehicles to operate for long periods of time. In view of the above background, the present invention also aims to provide a transport system that can efficiently transport goods across multiple floors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The conveying system of the present invention comprises a vertical conveying machine that transports work between multiple floors, a first unmanned transport vehicle that transports work on each floor, and a second unmanned transport vehicle that rides on the vertical conveying machine and transports work across floors, and the first unmanned transport vehicle transports the work that the second unmanned transport vehicle has transported from another floor to a designated storage space.

[0007] The conveyance system of the present invention includes a vertical conveyance machine including a frame-like frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and an elevator mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveyance machine to transport workpieces across each floor, the automated guided vehicle having a power receiving unit on its underside and a power supply unit on the floor of the carriage of the vertical conveyance machine for supplying power to the automated guided vehicle. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can be charged inside the carriage while transporting workpieces, thereby extending the operating time of the automated guided vehicle.

[0008] An automated guided vehicle is a vehicle that can travel automatically without human operation. In this specification, automated guided vehicles include both AGVs (automatic guide vehicles) that are guided by inductors such as magnetic tapes, and AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) that can travel autonomously without inductors.

[0009] In the transport system of the present invention, the floor of the carriage may include a bottom plate and a support member disposed below the bottom plate to support the load within the carriage, the support member being disposed to have a predetermined gap between it and the power supply unit. The support member is made of metal, but by providing a predetermined gap between the support member and the power supply unit, the support member can be prevented from affecting charging. This allows the height of the power supply unit relative to the floor to be low. Preferably, the power supply unit may be fitted seamlessly into the floor. This allows the automated guided vehicle to travel freely within the carriage. The predetermined gap varies depending on the size of the power supply head and the battery voltage, but is preferably 8 mm or more, and more preferably 10 mm or more.

[0010] The transport system of the present invention may include a marker attached to the floor adjacent to the power supply unit to indicate the position of the power supply unit, and the automated guided vehicle may detect the marker and align itself with the power supply unit based on the detection result. This configuration allows the automated guided vehicle to be aligned and properly charged. The marker may be an RFID tag, a magnetic marker, a color sensor, a QR code (registered trademark), or the like.

[0011] A conveying system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to transport workpieces across each floor, wherein the automated guided vehicle detects workpieces in a waiting space and loads the workpieces into the vertical conveying machine in order from the front, and when it detects a workpiece in an interrupting space, it loads the workpiece in the interrupting space into the vertical conveying machine before the workpiece in the waiting space. This configuration also makes it possible to handle cases where there is work that needs to be transported with priority.

[0012] In another aspect of the present invention, the conveying system includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and an elevator mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the vertical conveying machine to convey workpieces across floors, the vertical conveying machine having a door at an entrance and exit through which the automated guided vehicle enters and exits, the automated guided vehicle stops in front of the vertical conveying machine when it exits the vertical conveying machine until the door closes, and the vertical conveying machine stops in front of the vertical conveying machine and then opens the door when the automated guided vehicle enters the vertical conveying machine. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle will not leave the vertical conveying machine with the door open, thereby reducing the risk of a person accidentally getting on the vertical conveying machine.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a conveyance system including a vertical conveyor including a vertically extending frame, a carriage capable of moving up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage; and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveyor and transports workpieces across floors, the carriage of the vertical conveyor equipped with a turntable. This configuration allows the direction in which the automated guided vehicle can easily move to match the direction of transport. For example, when an automated guided vehicle tows a workpiece for transport, the automated guided vehicle leads the workpiece, making it difficult for the vehicle to exit in the same direction as it entered. By changing the direction using the turntable, the workpiece can be towed in the same direction as it entered.

[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a conveying system includes a vertical conveyor including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveyor and transports workpieces across each floor, the vertical conveyor including a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at an upper end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, the guide pin engaging with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the upper end of the frame. With this configuration, the carriage can be accurately positioned when it stops at the upper end, and the automated guided vehicle can smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, the conveying system includes a vertical conveyor including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveyor and transports workpieces across each floor, the vertical conveyor including a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at a lower end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, the guide pin engaging with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the lower end of the frame. With this configuration, the carriage can be accurately positioned when it stops at the lower end, and the automated guided vehicle can smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, a conveying system includes a vertical conveyor including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveyor and transports workpieces across each floor, the vertical conveyor including a guide pin that is provided on a side of the carriage and moves horizontally, and a receiving portion that is provided on the frame and engages with the guide pin, and when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the guide pin moves toward the frame to engage with the receiving portion. This configuration enables accurate positioning of the carriage, allowing the automated guided vehicle to smoothly enter and exit the carriage.

[0017] A conveying system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to transport workpieces across each floor, wherein the vertical conveying machine has a crossing plate stored in the bottom of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the crossing plate slides outward from the frame to span between the carriage and the predetermined floor. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can travel on the crossing plate connecting the floor and the carriage.

[0018] A conveying system according to another aspect of the present invention includes a vertical conveying machine including a frame-like frame extending in a vertical direction, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and an automated guided vehicle that rides on the carriage of the vertical conveying machine to transport workpieces across each floor, wherein the vertical conveying machine has a crossing board rotatably attached to an entrance of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the crossing board is tilted toward the floor so as to span between the carriage and the predetermined floor. With this configuration, the automated guided vehicle can travel on the crossing board connecting the floor and the carriage.

[0019] The vertical conveying device of the present invention is a vertical conveying device comprising a frame-shaped frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the carriage, and is equipped with a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at the upper end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, and is configured so that the guide pin engages with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the upper end of the frame.

[0020] Another aspect of the vertical conveying device of the present invention is a vertical conveying device comprising a frame-shaped frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and comprising a guide pin provided on the carriage and a receiving portion provided at the lower end of the frame that engages with the guide pin, and configured so that the guide pin engages with the receiving portion when the carriage reaches the lower end of the frame.

[0021] Another aspect of the vertical conveying device of the present invention is a vertical conveying device comprising a frame-shaped frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and is equipped with a guide pin that is provided on the side of the carriage and moves horizontally, and a receiving portion that is provided on the frame and engages with the guide pin, and is configured so that when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the guide pin is moved toward the frame to engage the guide pin with the receiving portion.

[0022] Another aspect of the vertical conveying device of the present invention is a vertical conveying device comprising a frame-shaped frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, wherein the vertical conveying device has a crossing board stored in the bottom of the carriage, and when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the crossing board slides outward from the frame to span between the carriage and the floor of the predetermined floor.

[0023] Another aspect of the vertical conveying device of the present invention is a vertical conveying device comprising a frame-shaped frame extending vertically, a carriage that can move up and down within the frame, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the carriage, and is configured so that when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the bridge board is rotatably attached to the entrance and exit of the carriage, and so that the bridge board is tilted toward the floor to span between the carriage and the floor of the predetermined floor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, the operating time of the automatic guided vehicle can be extended, and workpieces can be transported efficiently using the vertical transport machine and the automatic guided vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the floor where the work is carried out. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the workpiece loading floor. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of a vertical conveyor. [Figure 5] (a) is a diagram showing the configuration of an AGV, and (b) is a diagram showing the AGV in a state of lifting a workpiece. [Figure 6] 1A is a plan view of the bottom plate of the carriage, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the bottom plate of the carriage. [Figure 7] (a) A view from the side of the carriage when it has stopped at the top end. (b) A view from the entrance / exit of the carriage when it has stopped at the top end. [Figure 8] (a) A view from the side of the carriage when it has stopped at the bottom. (b) A view from the entrance / exit of the carriage when it has stopped at the bottom. [Figure 9] 1A is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a sliding bridge plate, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating the movement of the bridge plate from a stored state to a used state. [Figure 10] 1A is a diagram showing the configuration of a rotating gangway plate, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the movement of the gangway plate from a stored state to a used state. [Figure 11] 1A is a diagram showing an example of a vertical conveyor having a configuration for improving stopping accuracy at intermediate floors, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a state in which a guide pin is extended. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a drive mechanism for a guide pin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The transport system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description is merely an example of a preferred embodiment and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0027] (Overall composition) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conveying system 1 according to this embodiment. The conveying system 1 according to this embodiment is a conveying system 1 that conveys workpieces W across floors. In FIG. 1, the floor where the workpieces W are conveyed onto the vertical conveying machine 10 is referred to as the "incoming floor," and the floor where the workpieces W are conveyed out of the vertical conveying machine 10 is referred to as the "outgoing floor." The workpieces W are conveyed from the incoming floor to the outgoing floor and stored in a storage space on the outgoing floor (see FIG. 3). The workpieces W conveyed by the conveying system 1 are, for example, carts or cargo, but are not limited to these. In FIG. 1, a cart is shown as the workpieces W. The carts are equipped with casters, but when conveying the workpieces using the conveying system 1, stoppers may be applied to the casters to prevent them from moving.

[0028] The conveyance system 1 includes a vertical conveyance machine 10 that conveys the workpiece W in the vertical direction between the loading floor and the unloading floor, and an AGV 30 that carries and conveys the workpiece W. The conveyance system 1 of this embodiment uses an AGV (automatic guide vehicle) as an unmanned guided vehicle, but the unmanned guided vehicle is not limited to an AGV, and for example, an AMR (autonomous mobile robot) can also be used.

[0029] 2 is a plan view showing the loading floor for the work W. The loading floor is provided with a waiting space 40 and an interruption space 41. The waiting space 40 is a space for placing the work W to be carried out from the loading floor, and when the transport system 1 detects the work W placed in the waiting space 40, it transports the work W to the unloading floor.

[0030] As a method for detecting the workpieces W placed in the waiting space 40, for example, an RFID tag may be attached to the workpieces W to detect the workpieces W in the waiting space 40, or the waiting space 40 may be photographed with a camera and the photographed image may be analyzed to detect the workpieces W. When multiple workpieces W are placed in the waiting space 40, the workpieces W are transported in order starting from the workpieces W closest to the vertical conveyor 10.

[0031] The interruption space 41 is a space where a workpiece W is placed that is to be delivered in priority over the workpiece W placed in the waiting space 40. When the conveyance system 1 detects the workpiece W placed in the interruption space 41, it loads the workpiece W onto the vertical conveyor 10 before the workpiece W in the waiting space 40 and transports it to the delivery floor. In FIG. 2, an example is given in which the interruption space 41 is provided to the right of the vertical conveyor 10 as viewed from the waiting space 40, but the location of the interruption space 41 is not limited. For example, the interruption space 41 may be provided in a position adjacent to the waiting space 40.

[0032] Magnetic tape 50 is attached to the floor from the vertical conveyor 10 to the waiting space 40 and the interruption space 41. The magnetic tape 50 is a tape for guiding the AGV 30 to the destination, and it sets the travel route of the AGV 30.

[0033] 3 is a plan view showing the delivery floor for the work W. On the delivery floor, a storage space 43 for the work W is provided. The storage space 43 is a space for storing the work W that has been delivered.

[0034] In the conveyance system 1 of this embodiment, the AGV 30 has the role of transporting the workpiece W within the output floor, the role of loading the workpiece W at the head of the waiting space 40 or the workpiece W in the interruption space 41 onto the vertical conveyor 10 and transporting it to the input floor, and the role of transporting the workpiece W within the input floor to the storage space 43 and packing it deep within the storage space 43. In this embodiment, one AGV 30 performs these roles, but multiple AGVs 30 may share these roles.

[0035] The AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10 may be linked by a control center (not shown), or may be linked by communication between the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10.

[0036] (vertical conveyor) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the appearance of the vertical conveyor 10. The vertical conveyor 10 has a frame 11 that extends vertically. The frame 11 of the vertical conveyor 10 is installed so as to penetrate the floor between the loading floor and the unloading floor. The vertical conveyor 10 has a carrier that moves up and down inside the frame 11. The carrier is a box-shaped basket that transports workpieces W between the loading floor and the unloading floor. The side of the carrier is open on the side facing the entrance / exit 12, and has a fence on the side not facing the entrance / exit 12. The carrier moves up and down within the frame 11 by a lifting mechanism 15.

[0037] The frame 11 has two entrances 12 formed at the bottom and top of the frame 11 for the AGV 30 to enter and exit the carrier. In this embodiment, an example is given in which the workpiece W is transported from a lower floor to an upper floor as shown in FIG. 1 , so the lower entrance 12 corresponds to the loading floor and the upper entrance 12 corresponds to the unloading floor. In a mode in which the workpiece W is loaded on an upper floor and unloaded on a lower floor, the upper entrance 12 corresponds to the loading floor and the lower entrance 12 corresponds to the unloading floor. Also, although an example with two entrances 12 is given here, there may be three or more entrances 12 if there are multiple loading floors and multiple unloading floors.

[0038] In this embodiment, the entrances and exits 12 of the vertical conveyor 10 are provided on the same side. This type is called a "C-type." There is also a type in which the two entrances and exits 12 are provided on opposite sides, which is called a "Z-type." While FIG. 1 shows a C-type vertical conveyor 10 as an example, the vertical conveyor 10 used in the conveying system 1 of the present invention can also be applied to a Z-type.

[0039] A shutter-type door 13 is provided at the entrance / exit 12 of the vertical conveyor 10. When the door 13 is open, it is housed in an upper case 14. The door 13 is closed except when the AGV 30 is entering or exiting, to prevent a person from accidentally getting on the carrier or from entering the frame 11 when there is no carrier. Note that, although an example of a shutter-type door that opens and closes vertically has been given as an example of the door 13, the door 13 is not limited to the shutter type. The door 13 may be a type that opens and closes horizontally, or may be an outward-opening or double-door type that opens toward the floor.

[0040] (AGV) Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of the AGV 30. Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing the AGV 30 in a state where it is lifting a workpiece W. The AGV 30 has a main body 31 that is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped that is long from front to back. In Fig. 5(a), the left side will be described as the front and the right side as the rear.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 5(b), the AGV 30 has two bars 32 extending in the front-to-rear direction on its top surface. Fig. 5(a) shows the two bars 32 in a lowered state, and Fig. 5(b) shows the two bars 32 in a raised state. Note that Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an AGV 30 having two bars 32 that lift the workpiece W, but the configuration for lifting the workpiece W is not limited to two bars 32; for example, a single plate that can move up and down may be provided on the top surface of the AGV.

[0042] The AGV 30 gets under the workpiece W and lifts the workpiece W from the ground by raising the bar 32 as shown in FIG. 5(b). The AGV 30 transports the workpiece W in a lifted state. The weight of the workpiece W that the AGV 30 can lift is, for example, 300 to 500 kg.

[0043] The AGV 30 has two drive wheels 33, one on the left and one on the right, in the center in the longitudinal direction (only one is visible in the figure), and two swivel casters at the front and two at the rear. The number of swivel casters is not limited; for example, there may be one at the front and one at the rear. The AGV 30 also has a wireless LAN communication unit 34 at the front and an optical communication unit 35 on its side. Both the wireless LAN communication unit 34 and the optical communication unit 35 have the function of communicating with the vertical conveyor 10. The AGV 30 basically communicates with the vertical conveyor 10 using the wireless LAN communication unit 34, but when inside the carrier, it also uses the optical communication unit 35 to communicate with the vertical conveyor 10.

[0044] The AGV 30 has a power receiving head for wireless charging in the center of its bottom surface. The AGV 30 can be charged by placing the power receiving head close to and facing the wireless charging power supply unit.

[0045] Next, we will explain the mechanism for charging the AGV 30. The AGV 30 is charged contactlessly by placing the power supply head 17 of the charging device opposite the power receiving head provided in the center of the bottom surface of the AGV 30. In this embodiment, the AGV 30 is charged inside the carriage of the vertical conveyor 10.

[0046] Fig. 6(a) is a plan view of the bottom plate 16 of the carriage, and Fig. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the bottom plate 16 of the carriage. As shown in Fig. 6(b), the power supply head 17 for charging the AGV is embedded in the bottom plate 16 so as to be flush with the bottom plate 16 (i.e., the surfaces of the bottom plate 16 and the power supply head 17 are at the same height). An RFID 18 used for positioning the AGV 30 is embedded near the power supply head 17.

[0047] Normally, a metal beam 19 is provided below bottom plate 16 to support the load of workpiece W placed on the carrier, but in this embodiment, a space is formed without this beam 19. Power supply head 17 is placed in this space on a support plate 20 attached to bottom plate 16. A predetermined gap (for example, 10 mm or more) is provided between power supply head 17 and metal beam 19. This is to prevent the electric field lines output from power supply head 17 from being affected by the metal.

[0048] Normally, the power supply head 17 of the charging device is disposed so as to protrude from the mounting surface, but in the conveyance system 1 of this embodiment, since the power supply head 17 is mounted on the bottom plate 16 on which the AGV 30 travels, this measure is taken to mount the power supply head 17 without a step between the power supply head 17 and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier. Note that in this embodiment, an example is described in which the power supply head 17 is mounted flush with the bottom plate 16, but if the travel path of the AGV 30 within the carrier is predetermined and the power supply head 17 is mounted in a position that does not interfere with the path, the power supply head 17 may protrude above the bottom plate 16. However, because the power supply head 17 needs to face the power receiving unit on the underside of the main body 31 of the AGV 30, it goes without saying that the height of the power supply head 17 is lower than the height of the underside of the main body 31.

[0049] In the vertical conveying machine 10 of this embodiment, by providing the power supply head 17 on the bottom plate 16 of the carrier, wireless charging can be performed when the AGV 30 enters the carrier to transport the workpiece W, so that the AGV 30 can be driven continuously without having to take additional time just for charging.

[0050] (Regarding carriage stopping accuracy) To allow the AGV 30 to enter and exit the carrier of the vertical conveyor 10, it is necessary to minimize the gap between the carrier's bottom plate 16 and the floor, as well as the step between the carrier and the floor. For example, some gaps and steps are acceptable when a person loads workpieces W onto the carrier or when a conveyor transports the workpieces W in and out. However, for the AGV 30, gaps and steps may cause the AGV 30 to get caught. Therefore, the vertical conveyor 10 must stop precisely at a predetermined position. Furthermore, it is undesirable for the stopping position of the carrier to move up and down due to weight changes caused by the loading and unloading of workpieces W in the carrier. Improving this stopping accuracy is an issue that arose in a new conveyance system 1 that links the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10. The conveyance system 1 of this embodiment has the following configuration to improve the stopping accuracy of the carrier.

[0051] Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the state when the carriage 21 has stopped at the upper end. Figure 7(a) is a diagram of the carriage 21 as seen from the side, and Figure 7(b) is a diagram of the carriage 21 as seen from the entrance / exit 12. As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), four positioning guide pins 22 are provided on the carriage 21. The guide pins 22 are pins that extend upward and are tapered at their tips.

[0052] A receiving portion 23 that receives the guide pin 22 is provided at the upper end position of the vertical conveyor 10. The receiving portion 23 has a cylindrical shape into which the guide pin 22 fits, and its inner surface is formed of resin. When the carrier 21 stops at the upper end, the guide pin 22 engages with the receiving portion 23, thereby accurately determining the horizontal position of the carrier 21. In addition, when the carrier 21 reaches the upper end, the suspending rope that suspends the carrier 21 is further tightened to press the carrier 21 against the upper end. The type of suspending rope is not limited, and may be, for example, a chain, a rope, a wire, etc.

[0053] This allows the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 to be firmly engaged, and the vertical position can be accurately determined. By tightening the sling rope, the carrier 21 will not drop even when the workpiece W is carried into the carrier 21, so the floor and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 can be kept at the same height.

[0054] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the state when the carriage 21 has stopped at the bottom end. FIG. 8(a) is a diagram of the carriage 21 as viewed from the side, and FIG. 8(b) is a diagram of the carriage 21 as viewed from the entrance / exit 12. As shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), the vertical conveyor 10 is installed in a pit 24 dug below the floor surface. In FIG. 8, the depth of the pit 24 is h, and the vertical conveyor 10 is installed at a position a distance h below the floor surface. As shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), four positioning guide pins 22 are provided below the carriage 21. The guide pins 22 are pins that extend downward and are tapered at their tips.

[0055] A receiving portion 23 that receives the guide pin 22 is provided at the lower end of the vertical conveyor 10. The receiving portion 23 has a cylindrical shape into which the guide pin 22 fits, and its inner surface is made of resin. When the carrier 21 stops at the lower end, the guide pin 22 engages with the receiving portion 23, allowing the carrier 21 to be accurately positioned horizontally. Furthermore, when the carrier 21 reaches the lower end, the suspending rope suspending the carrier 21 is loosened, allowing the carrier 21 to settle into the pit 24 under its own weight. This firmly engages the guide pin 22 with the receiving portion 23, allowing the vertical position to be accurately determined. Furthermore, since the suspending rope is loosened, the carrier 21 does not rise even when the workpiece W on the carrier 21 is transported, and the floor and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier 21 can be kept at the same height.

[0056] (Safety System) The conveyance system 1 of this embodiment is a system in which an AGV 30 that conveys a workpiece W is transported by a vertical conveyance machine 10, enabling transport between upper and lower floors. The vertical conveyance machine 10 transports the AGV 30 or the workpiece W, but is not intended for people to ride on. The conveyance system 1 of this embodiment has various safety systems to prevent people from entering the vertical conveyance machine 10.

[0057] First, we will describe the control of the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10. As mentioned above, to ensure safety, the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10 is kept closed except when the AGV 30 is entering or exiting. When there is no workpiece W to be transported, the AGV 30 is placed inside the carrier, and the door 13 of the carrier is kept closed.

[0058] The opening and closing control of the door of the vertical conveyor 10 is linked to the movement of the AGV 30. Specifically, when the AGV 30 leaves the carrier to go to the outgoing floor or the incoming floor to transport the workpiece W, the AGV 30 stops in front of the vertical conveyor 10 until the door 13 closes. The AGV 30 stops in a temporary stopping space 42 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in front of the vertical conveyor 10 until the door 13 closes. Similarly, when the AGV 30 enters the carrier, the AGV 30 stops in the temporary stopping space 42 in front of the vertical conveyor 10 before the door 13 of the vertical conveyor 10 is opened.

[0059] This prevents the door 13 from being left open while the AGV 30 goes to retrieve or place the workpiece W, thereby reducing the risk of a person accidentally getting on the carrier. It is preferable that the AGV 30 not start moving until the door 13 is completely closed, but the AGV 30 may start moving when the door 13 is more than half closed and it is essentially impossible for a person to enter the carrier.

[0060] Furthermore, the vertical conveyor 10 is equipped with a sensor that detects people around the vertical conveyor 10, and is configured not to open the door 13 when the sensor detects a person. This prevents the door 13 from opening when a person is nearby, preventing people from accidentally entering the carrier.

[0061] In addition, the vertical conveyor 10 is equipped with a sensor that detects a person inside the carrier, and when the sensor detects a person, the carrier will not move. With this configuration, if a person accidentally enters the carrier, safety can be ensured by not moving the carrier.

[0062] (Variation) Although the transport system of the present invention has been described in detail above by way of an embodiment, the transport system of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The conveyance system may be provided with a turntable within the carrier. By providing a turntable, the direction of the AGV 30 entering the carrier can be changed. In this embodiment, the AGV 30 lifts and conveys the workpiece W, so it can move forward, backward, left, or right. However, in the case of an AGV 30 towing the workpiece W, for example, the AGV 30 will lead the workpiece W. However, in cases where the direction entering the carrier and the direction leaving the carrier are the same, as in the C-type vertical conveyance device 10 described in this embodiment, it is difficult to tow the workpiece W that was towed in and out. In such cases, by changing the direction using the turntable, the AGV 30 can tow the workpiece W out of the carrier.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, a configuration for improving the stopping position accuracy has been described in which the guide pin 22 and the receiving portion 23 are engaged (FIGS. 7 and 8). However, instead of or in addition to the above configuration, a bridge plate may be used that connects the bottom plate 16 of the carrier to the floor of the stopping floor to allow the AGV 30 to enter and exit smoothly.

[0064] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a sliding crossing plate 25. As shown in FIG. 9(a), a storage section 26 for the crossing plate 25 is provided under the bottom plate 16 of the carrier, and when workpieces W are not being loaded or unloaded, the crossing plate 25 is stored in the storage section 26. FIG. 9(b) is a diagram illustrating the movement of the crossing plate 25 from the stored state to the used state. When the carrier stops at the loading or unloading floor and workpieces W are being loaded or unloaded, the crossing plate 25 is slid as shown in FIG. 9(b), and the bottom plate 16 of the carrier and the floor are connected by the crossing plate 25. This allows the AGV 30 to move in and out smoothly.

[0065] FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing the configuration of a rotating crossing plate 27. The crossing plate 27 is attached to the bottom plate 16 near the entrance / exit of the carriage 16. The crossing plate 27 is rotatably attached by a fixing part 28, and can be rotated from a state in which it faces upward as shown in FIG. 10(b) (this is called the "storage state") to a state in which it is laid down on the floor surface (this is called the "use state"). In the storage state, the crossing plate 27 only needs to be facing upward to the extent that it does not interfere with the up and down movement of the carriage.

[0066] The rotation of the crossing plate 27 is controlled by a control unit (not shown), and the crossing plate 27 is in a stored state when the carriage moves up and down, and is tilted toward the floor surface when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor to be in a used state. In the used state, the crossing plate 27 is placed between the bottom plate 16 of the carriage and the floor surface. With this configuration, when the carriage stops at a predetermined floor, the crossing plate 27 allows the AGV 30 to smoothly enter and exit.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the carriage stops at the upper and lower ends of the vertical conveyor 10, but it is also possible to configure a conveying system 1 equipped with a vertical conveyor 10 in which the carriage stops at an intermediate floor other than the upper and lower ends. However, in the case of intermediate floors, the method of the above-described embodiment cannot be used to improve stopping position accuracy. Here, a configuration for improving stopping accuracy on intermediate floors will be described.

[0068] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical conveyor 10 equipped with a configuration for improving stopping accuracy at intermediate floors. A guide pin 22 extending horizontally and its drive mechanism are provided on the top of the carriage 21, and a receiving portion 23 for the guide pin 22 is provided on the frame 11 side.

[0069] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a drive mechanism for the guide pin 22. A male thread 62 is formed on the movable part 60 of the guide pin, and a female thread is formed on the block 63. With this configuration, when the movable part 60 of the guide pin is rotated by the drive mechanism 61, the movable part 60 of the guide pin is driven in the direction of the arrow. By changing the direction of rotation, the movable part 60 of the guide pin can be extended toward the frame 11 or returned to its original position.

[0070] FIG. 11(a) shows a state in which the guide pin 22 is retracted and the carriage 21 is movable. When the carriage 21 stops at an intermediate floor, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the guide pin 22 provided on the carriage 21 is extended, thereby engaging the guide pin 22 with the receiving portion 23. This allows the carriage 21 to be positioned horizontally and vertically, reducing the gap between the carriage 21 and the floor and the step between the bottom plate 16 of the carriage 21 and the floor. Furthermore, even if the load on the carriage 21 changes when workpieces W are transported out of or into the carriage 21, the vertical position of the carriage 21 is fixed, so no step occurs between the bottom plate 16 of the carriage 21 and the floor.

[0071] 11 shows an example in which the guide pin 22 is provided on the carriage 21 and the receiving portion 23 is provided on the frame 11, but it is also possible to provide the guide pin 22 on the frame 11 and the receiving portion 23 on the carriage 21. However, if there are multiple intermediate floors, it is more cost-effective to provide the guide pin 22 with a drive mechanism on the carriage 21.

[0072] In the above embodiment, an example has been given in which the AGV 30 is charged by a non-contact wireless charging method, but a contact charging method may also be used to charge the AGV 30. When a contact charging method is used, the power supply unit provided on the carriage and the power receiving unit of the AGV 30 must be in proper contact with each other, so vertical positioning is important.

[0073] The drive wheels 33 of the AGV 30 described in this embodiment are biased toward the floor by springs to improve grip with the floor when transporting the workpiece W. Therefore, when the AGV 30 is not holding the workpiece W, the drive wheels 33 are pushed toward the floor by the front and rear casters, causing the AGV 30 to tilt slightly forward or backward like a seesaw, with the drive wheels 33 as the fulcrum. In this state, whether the AGV 30 will tilt forward or backward is uncertain, which makes it difficult to determine the positioning of the power receiving unit located at the bottom of the vehicle body and the power supply unit located on the bottom plate.

[0074] In order to contact-type charge the AGV 30 of this embodiment, regardless of whether or not there is a workpiece W, a predetermined load is applied to the swivel caster at the front or rear of the AGV 30. This causes the AGV 30 to tilt so that the side on which the load is applied is downward, making it possible to maintain a constant height for the power receiving part of the AGV 30 from the floor. Here, the load applied to the swivel caster is, for example, about 10 kg.

[0075] In the transport system 1 of this embodiment, the AGV 30 lifts and transports the workpiece W, so there is a risk that the workpiece W may tip over in the event of an earthquake. Therefore, the transport system 1 may be equipped with a receiving unit that receives an earthquake detection signal from an earthquake detection sensor. When this receiving unit receives an earthquake detection signal, the AGV 30 immediately stops and lowers the workpiece W to the floor. This stabilizes the workpiece W, reducing the risk of the workpiece W tipping over due to an earthquake. Note that in the case of an AGV that does not lift the workpiece, such as an AGV that tows and transports the workpiece W, the AGV immediately stops when it receives an earthquake detection signal.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the conveying system 1 in which the AGV 30 and the vertical conveyor 10 are linked together has been described, but the configuration of the vertical conveyor 10 in the above description can also be applied to a vertical conveyor unit that is not linked to the AGV 30. Specifically, the scope of the present invention includes a vertical conveyor having a guide pin and receiving part configuration that improves stopping position accuracy, and a bridge plate configuration that spans between the carrier and the floor surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1. Transport system 10 Vertical conveyor 11 frames 12 Entrance / exit 13 Door 14 cases 15 Lifting mechanism 16 Bottom plate 17 Power Supply Head 18 RFID 19 timber 20 Support plate 21 Transporter 22 Guide pin 23 Receiving part 24 Pit 25 Gangplank 26 Storage area 27 Gangplank 28 Fixed part 29 Lifting rope 30 AGV 31 Main Unit 32 Bar 33 Drive wheels 40 Waiting space 41 Interrupt Space 42 Stop Space 43 Storage Space 50 Magnetic Tape 60 Guide pin moving part 61 Drive mechanism 62 Male thread 63 blocks W Basket Cart (Work)

Claims

1. a vertical conveyor that conveys workpieces between multiple floors; a first automated guided vehicle that lifts and transports the workpiece on each floor; A second automated guided vehicle that rides on the vertical conveyor and lifts and conveys the workpiece across floors; Equipped with A transport system in which the first automated guided vehicle transports the workpiece transported by the second automated guided vehicle from another floor to a predetermined storage space.

2. the vertical conveyor has a door at an entrance through which the automated guided vehicle enters and exits; when the second automated guided vehicle leaves the vertical conveyor, it stops in front of the vertical conveyor until the door is closed; The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical transport machine stops in front of the vertical transport machine when the second automated guided vehicle enters the vertical transport machine, and then opens the door.

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