Picking cart, picking system and management device

Abstract

To perform sorting operations within a warehouse efficiently.SOLUTION: A picking cart 1 comprises: a weighing unit 10 for weighing a plurality of containers B in which commodities are housed; and determination means for determining, based on predetermined conditions, whether a change in a weighing value weighted by the weighing unit is due to movement of the commodities or movement of the containers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a picking cart, a picking system, and a management device. [Background technology]

[0002] Picking carts are known to assist in the sorting process of placing products loaded on the carts on shelves. When counting the products stored in the picking carts by weighing them, the process of removing the containers from the empty box containers is cumbersome. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-044021 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to efficiently perform sorting work in a warehouse. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the picking cart of the present invention comprises a weighing unit that weighs multiple containers that contain products, and a judgment means that, when a change in the weighing value measured by the weighing unit occurs, judges based on predetermined conditions whether the change is due to movement of the products or movement of the containers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a picking cart according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2](a) is a perspective view of the cart as seen from the front and left side, and (b) is a perspective view of the cart as seen from the back and right side, showing how food containers are placed on the cart. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the picking cart. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a state of shelves placed in a warehouse. [Figure 5] 10 is a first example of a screen displayed on a display unit of the cart. [Figure 6] 10 is a second example of a screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 7] (a) is a third example, and (b) is a fourth example of the screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 8] (a) is a fifth example, and (b) is a sixth example of the screen displayed on the display unit. [Figure 9] (a) is a seventh example, and (b) is an eighth example of the screen displayed on the display unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A picking cart, a picking system, and a management device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. ●Picking system overview A picking system is a system that assists in the sorting work, or so-called sowing work, of moving picking carts that carry and transport products within a warehouse that stores a wide variety of products from the carts to designated shelves within the warehouse. A warehouse is an example of a space where shelves are installed. A shelf is an example of a configuration in which products are partitioned and stored. In addition, a shelf is provided with multiple storage sections, and each storage section is linked to a different delivery destination. The picking system manages multiple picking carts and assigns information about the type and number of products to be placed in a storage section to the multiple picking carts. The picking system also communicates information indicating the products to be placed in each storage section, i.e., sorting work instructions, to workers.

[0008] ●Picking cart overview As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a picking cart 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "cart 1") is a device for transporting products. The cart 1 is a manually propelled cart that is propelled by an operator. In the following explanation, the transport direction of the cart 1 is defined as the +Y direction, the width direction of the cart 1 that is perpendicular to the transport direction is defined as the +X direction, and the vertical direction is defined as the +Z direction.

[0009] The cart 1 has multiple wheels 30 on its bottom surface, and is a device in the shape of a flat plate connected above the wheels 30. The multiple wheels 30 are arranged around the periphery of the bottom surface of the cart 1, support the cart 1, and rotate as the cart 1 moves. At the rear in the direction of travel, multiple work tables 52 supported by support columns 51 are arranged. The work tables 52 are loaded with a control unit 20 that controls the cart 1 and batteries that apply power to each functional unit.

[0010] The cart 1 has multiple weighing units 10 (10a, 10b) that weigh products and multiple containers that contain the products. In this embodiment, the two weighing units 10a, 10b are arranged side by side, one at the front and one at the back in the direction of travel. Note that the cart 1 according to this embodiment has two weighing units 10 arranged along the direction of travel, but multiple weighing units 10, for example, two, may be arranged along the width direction of the cart. Furthermore, the cart 1 may have multiple weighing units 10 arranged in the vertical direction. Different products can be placed on each of the two weighing units 10.

[0011] Identification information of each weighing unit 10 may be displayed on the cart 1 in a manner that is visible to the worker. Also, a barcode containing the identification information of the weighing unit 10 may be fixed to the cart 1.

[0012] The two weighing units 10 can weigh items independently. As shown in FIG. 1, the top surface of the weighing units 10 is flat, and a food container B is placed on each of them. The food container B is an example of a container in which products are stored. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a single weighing unit 10 can carry a plurality of food containers B stacked on top of each other. The food container B is, for example, a box-shaped member with an opening at the top, and the food container B contains the products to be stored in the storage unit S1 (see FIG. 4) in the warehouse. The weighing unit 10 weighs the products stored in the food container B together with the food container B.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, at the rear of the cart in the direction of travel, there are mainly provided a grip 101 that an operator holds when manually moving the cart 1, a printing mechanism 41 that issues labels to be affixed to food containers B, etc., a touch panel display 5, a scanner 61 that reads barcodes (see Figure 3), etc.

[0014] The printing mechanism 41 is held on the underside of the work table 110 and prints on labels pulled out from the label roll. The printed labels are discharged from the side of the cart 1. Note that in a configuration in which an ESL (Electric Shelf Label) is connected to an object to which the label is to be affixed, such as a food container B, the picking system 100 may not have the printing mechanism 41. In this case, the picking system 100 may perform a process to change the display content of the ESL instead of issuing a label.

[0015] The touch panel display 5 has a structure in which a display unit 5a and a touch panel 5b are stacked on top of each other, allowing data display and input on the same surface. The display unit 5a is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) and displays various data. When the operator touches the touch panel 5b, it detects the touched position and accepts input according to the detected position. The display unit 5a displays information about the product to be placed in the storage unit or the status of the cart 1 to the operator. The scanner 61 can read barcodes on products, shelves in the warehouse, box containers B, labels, etc. The scanner 61 may be a wireless handheld scanner or may include a fixed scanner fixed above the work table 110 and having a reading area covering a portion of the work table 110. The fixed scanner can read barcodes by holding down a label printed by the printing mechanism unit 41, for example. The scanner 61 may also include a scanner 61c disposed on the side of the picking cart 1 and reading a communication tag R attached to a shelf S (see FIG. 4) adjacent to the picking cart 1.

[0016] ●Block diagram FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cart 1. The cart 1 comprises a weighing unit 10, a control unit 20, a printing unit 40, an operation unit 50, and a reading unit 60. The weighing unit 10 comprises a load cell 11 and measures the weight of the product. The printing unit 40 has a printing mechanism 41. The printing mechanism 41 prints labels and ejects (issues) the printed labels. The operation unit 50 is realized by, for example, a touch panel 5b. The reading unit 60 comprises a scanner 61 and reads information such as barcodes.

[0017] The control unit 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a load cell control unit 22, a print control unit 23, an operation control unit 24, a display control unit 25, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 26, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 27, a reading control unit 28, and a communication processing unit 29. The CPU 21 is connected to each unit included in the control unit 20 via a bus. Note that part or all of the above-described configuration may be stored in a management device 2 connected to the picking cart 1 via a network NW, instead of being stored in the control unit 20 of the picking cart 1. The picking cart 1 and the management device 2 constitute a picking system 100. The picking system 100 may further include another terminal having the function of the above-described display device 5a. This terminal may be, for example, a wearable terminal worn by the operator.

[0018] The CPU 21 reads the control program stored in the ROM 26 and various information stored in the RAM 27, and controls each part based on the read control program and various information. The CPU 21 also stores necessary information in the RAM 27. The ROM 26 stores various information such as various programs executed by the CPU 21. The RAM 27 is a temporary storage area that stores information used by the CPU 21. The RAM 27 also serves as storage means for storing various files.

[0019] The CPU 21 also functions as an input control unit that acquires information input to the touch panel 5b via the operation control unit 24. The touch panel 5b is an example of an input unit.

[0020] The CPU 21 also functions as an output control unit that changes the display contents of the screen G1, etc., described below, that are displayed on the touch panel 5b. The output control unit is configured to output various information to be communicated to the operator, and instead of or in addition to the configuration of controlling the display device 5a to display information as described above, other methods such as sound may be used.

[0021] The print control unit 23 controls the print unit 40. The operation control unit 24 controls the touch panel 5b. The touch panel 5b instructs a desired operation by touching a predetermined portion of the screen G1 or the like displayed on the display unit 5a, which will be described below. The display control unit 25 controls the display unit 5a. The reading control unit 28 controls the scanner 61 provided in the reading unit 60.

[0022] The communication processing unit 29 is a functional unit that performs wireless communication with external devices. The communication processing unit 29 transmits and receives information to and from the management device 2, for example, via a network NW. The management device 2 is a higher-level device such as a server or a cloud computer. The communication processing unit 29 receives information such as identification information of the products to be loaded on the cart 1, positional information of the shelves and openings into which the products will be loaded, and the amount of products to be loaded. The communication processing unit 29 also receives the travel route planned for the cart 1. Furthermore, the communication processing unit 29 may transmit identification information of the worker input via the touch panel 5b to the management device 2. The functional units configured by the control unit 20 and the management device 2 will be described later.

[0023] ●Shelves inside the warehouse The state of the shelves S arranged side by side in the warehouse will be described in detail using Figure 4. Note that in Figure 4, the products on the shelves S are omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the shelf S has multiple storage sections S1 for storing products, with the frontages of the multiple sections being on the same plane and in the same direction, and the shelves S are divided into multiple rows and columns. Each storage section S1 stores a foldable container, known as an "oricon." The oricon is associated with a delivery destination store. The storage section S1 may penetrate the shelf S, with openings provided on both sides of the shelf S.

[0024] The shelf S has two rows (D1, D2) and eight columns (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8), and 16 storage compartments (S1). Each row and column may have separate compartments, or some compartments may have no partitions between adjacent compartments. Each storage compartment (S1) is equipped with a display (L) that notifies the operator of the location where the product should be placed and a shutter (H) that opens and closes. The shutters (H), for example, are normally closed, and only the shutter (H) located in the storage compartment (S1) to which the product should be placed is opened. When the shutter (H) opens, the opening of the container (for example, a container) placed in the storage compartment (S1) is opened, allowing the product to be placed in the container.

[0025] A communication tag R is affixed to the shelf S. The communication tag R is, for example, an RFID tag, and code information can be read by a scanner 61c on the side of the picking cart 1. The code information includes at least identification information of the shelf S. The identification information of the shelf S is linked to location information within the warehouse in a table stored in the management device 2 or the like. The code information may also include location information within the warehouse. In addition, a display code indicating the identification information of each container stored in the storage section S1 is affixed to each container.

[0026] When the picking cart 1 approaches a shelf S, the control unit 20 identifies the identification information of the nearby shelf S by having the communication tag R communicate with the scanner 61c. Furthermore, the management device 2 identifies the storage unit S1 to which the products from the picking cart 1 should be placed based on the sorting plan for the picking cart 1, and turns on the indicator L of the storage unit S1 or opens the shutter via an appropriate control unit of the shelf S. If there are multiple storage units S1 to which products should be placed on one shelf S, the indicators L corresponding to all storage units S1 to which products should be placed are turned on. Furthermore, one shutter is opened based on the sorting plan. When the placement of products into the storage unit S1 with the open shutter is completed, the shutter closes, and the shutter of another storage unit S1 to which products should be placed from the picking cart 1 is opened. The display L may be provided with an operator, such as a button, that receives an operation from the operator to indicate that the loading of the products has been completed.

[0027] ● Functional section The picking system 100 includes a control unit 20 of the picking cart 1 or a management device 2, which includes a computing device such as a CPU for executing information processing, and storage devices such as RAM and ROM. This provides software resources including at least a box weight information storage unit, a product information storage unit, a cart information storage unit, a sorting plan acquisition unit, a judgment unit, a selection acceptance unit, and a quantity recording unit. The control unit 20 or the management device 2 executes a computer program that controls the cart 1. The computer program can be provided by downloading via a network such as the Internet, or by recording it on various computer-readable recording media such as a CD-ROM. Some or all of the above-described functional units may be implemented by the control unit 20 or the management device 2. The management device 2 and the control unit 20 are each an example of control means.

[0028] The food container information storage unit is a functional unit that stores information about food containers as a food container weight master. As shown in the example of Figure 5, the food container weight master stores the food container identification number, food container name, and food container weight in association with each other.

[0029] The product information storage unit is a functional unit that stores at least product identification information and product attributes as a product master. As shown in the example of Fig. 6, the product attributes include, for example, the product's unit weight (described as "loose unit weight" in the figure). The product attributes may also include volume.

[0030] The product master stores the number of products that can be placed in one food container B, i.e., the number of food containers, in association with the product identification information. The number of food containers may be a fixed number regardless of the type of food container, or different numbers may be set depending on the type of food container. Furthermore, the product master stores the identification information of the food container in which the product is contained as the food container to be used, in association with the product identification information. In other words, the product master and food container weight master are linked by the information on the food container to be used.

[0031] The cart information storage unit is a storage unit that stores information about the picking carts 1. For example, the cart information storage unit stores the identification information of the picking carts 1, the type and number of products placed on the multiple weighing units 10 of each picking cart 1, and the type and number of food containers. The information in the cart information storage unit is rewritten as appropriate by the quantity recording unit. The type and number of products placed on each weighing unit 10 are displayed on the display 5a of the picking cart 1 that has that weighing unit 10.

[0032] The cart information storage unit may also store the identification information of the picking cart 1 in association with the maximum load capacity of the food container. The cart information storage unit may store information on the maximum load height, and calculate the maximum load capacity of the food container based on the height information of the food container stored in the food container weight master. The cart information storage unit may also store the maximum weighing capacity of the weighing unit 10, and calculate the maximum load capacity of the food container based on the unit weight of the food container. The maximum load height may be determined according to the height of the worker associated with the picking cart 1.

[0033] The sorting plan acquisition unit is a functional unit that acquires the type and number of products that the picking cart 1 should place into each storage section S1, i.e., the sorting plan. The sorting plan includes at least the identification information of the shelves S and storage sections S1, and the type and number of products to be placed, for example, during a certain work day or by the removal time. The sorting plan also includes the identification information of the picking cart 1 to which the products will be placed. In the sorting plan, when similar products are sorted into one store, the products may be allocated from multiple picking carts 1. For example, when 20 units of a certain product are placed into a container associated with a specific store, 11 units may be allocated from the first picking cart 1 and 9 units may be allocated from the second picking cart 1. Furthermore, the remaining 9 units may be allocated in a sorting plan for the first picking cart 1 at a different time. The sorting plan also includes the order of the shelves S to which the picking cart 1 will place the products. Such a sorting plan specifies the shelf S to which the worker with the picking cart 1 should go, and the type and number of products to be placed in the storage section S1. The sorting plan may be input by the worker via the management device 2, or may be received from another device via a network, etc.

[0034] The determination unit is a functional unit that estimates the number of products and the number of food containers placed on the weighing unit 10. The determination unit references the product master and food container weight master of the products linked to the weighing unit 10 and estimates the number of food containers B and the number of remaining products based on the weighing value of the weighing unit 10. The total unit weight of food containers B containing the number of products in the food container is calculated by adding the food container weight and the value obtained by multiplying the unit weight of the products by the number of food containers. After calculating the total unit weight, the determination unit divides the weighing value of the weighing unit 10 by the total unit weight to determine the number of food containers B containing products up to the number of products in the food container. Note that the food container weight may be calculated by multiplying the food container weight stored in the food container weight master by a predetermined percentage, for example, 105%, to take weight variation into account. Furthermore, the remainder of dividing the weighing value by the total unit weight can be divided by the unit weight of the products to calculate the remaining weight. Furthermore, if a fraction is contained in food container B, the remainder obtained by dividing the weighed value by the total unit weight is subtracted from the unit weight of food container B, and then divided by the unit weight of the product to calculate the fraction. Whether or not a fraction is contained in food container B may be set in advance or may be selected each time. Note that if the fraction cannot be divided exactly, the remainder obtained by dividing by the unit weight of the product may be ignored as a weighing error.

[0035] For example, when the weight value measured by the weighing unit 10 changes, the determination unit determines whether this is due to the movement of products or the movement of containers based on predetermined conditions. More specifically, when the weight value measured by the weighing unit 10 has decreased, the determination unit determines whether products have been removed from the weighing unit 10 or whether the container B has been removed based on predetermined conditions. Furthermore, when it is determined that products have been removed, the determination unit determines the number of products removed.

[0036] The determination unit determines that only the product has been removed if the weight loss value is smaller than the weight of the food container. Note that, to prevent miscalculation due to shaking of the weighing unit 10, calculation processing may not be performed if the weight loss value is less than a predetermined percentage of the product unit weight, for example, less than 75%. The determination unit may determine that food container B has been removed if the weight loss value is greater than the weight of food container B.

[0037] The judgment unit may also determine whether food container B has been removed, taking into account the fraction immediately before the weight loss. The judgment unit multiplies the fraction by the unit weight to calculate the weight of the fraction, and then subtracts the weight of the fraction from the weight loss value. If this value is smaller than the food container weight, it is determined that only the product has been removed. Note that the food container weight may be a value obtained by multiplying the food container weight stored in the food container weight master by a predetermined percentage, for example, 95%, taking into account weight variations. If the judgment unit determines that only the product has been removed, it will use the number of food containers removed as 0 for subsequent calculations.

[0038] The judgment unit determines that food container B has been removed if the value obtained by subtracting the fractional weight from the weight loss value is greater than the food container weight. The judgment unit also calculates the number of food containers removed by dividing the weight loss value by the total weight of the food containers and rounding up the result. The judgment unit also calculates the weight of the food container removed by multiplying the food container weight by the number of food containers. The judgment unit subtracts the weight of the food container removed from the weight loss value, divides it by the unit weight of the product, and rounds the quotient to calculate the number of products removed. With this configuration, the number of products and containers B removed from the weighing unit 10 can be accurately estimated based on the weight loss value.

[0039] As another example, the determination unit may determine whether or not container B has been removed based on the maximum number of items that an operator can remove at one time, i.e., the maximum number of items to be acquired. In this case, the product master stores the maximum number of items to be acquired. The maximum number of items to be acquired may be set for each item's identification information, or a table may be stored separately that associates the maximum number of items to be acquired with the product classification or product volume, etc., and the maximum number of items to be acquired may then be extracted based on the product classification or product volume, etc., stored in the product master. Furthermore, the maximum number of items to be acquired may differ for each operator, and may be extracted based on the operator's height or gender, in addition to the operator's identification information, for example. The maximum number of items to be acquired is set and stored by the operator or an appropriate administrator.

[0040] The determination unit refers to the product master of the product linked to the weighing unit 10 that has lost weight, and determines whether the product has been removed from the weighing unit 10 or whether the container B has been removed based on the unit weight of the product, the maximum number of items that can be acquired, and the weight loss value. More specifically, the determination unit calculates the maximum number of items that can be acquired by multiplying the unit weight of the product by the maximum number of items that can be acquired, and performs the determination process taking the maximum number of items that can be acquired into consideration.

[0041] For example, if the weight loss value is greater than the maximum obtainable number weight, the determination unit assumes that food container B has been removed, since it is unlikely that only products have been removed.

[0042] The determination unit makes a different determination depending on whether the food container weight or the maximum obtainable item weight is larger. If the food container weight is larger than the maximum obtainable item weight and the weight loss value is equal to or smaller than the maximum obtainable item weight, it is assumed that the product has been removed. On the other hand, if the maximum obtainable item weight is larger than the food container weight and the weight loss value is equal to or larger than the food container weight but smaller than the maximum obtainable item weight, it is not possible to determine whether the product or food container B has been removed. If the determination unit cannot determine whether the product or food container B has been removed from the weighing unit 10, it outputs a message to that effect. Information indicating that it cannot be determined is displayed on the display 5a of the picking cart 1. In this case, specifically, for example, a selection reception screen G7 is displayed via the touch panel 5b and a selection reception unit (described later) to receive a selection input from the operator regarding what has been removed.

[0043] The determination unit also detects that both the product and food container B have been removed. If the weight loss value is greater than the food container weight, the determination unit determines whether the product has been removed in addition to food container B based on the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the weight loss value. If the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the weight loss value is greater than the unit weight of the product, it determines that the product has been removed as well. Furthermore, by dividing the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the weight loss value by the unit weight of the product, it is possible to estimate the number of products removed separately from food container B.

[0044] With this configuration, even in a picking cart 1 where multiple food containers B are loaded on the weighing unit 10 for sorting work, the judgment unit can determine whether or not a food container B has been removed, and automatically perform the tare process for the food container B. This reduces the number of times confirmation messages are displayed, reducing the workload on the worker. Furthermore, the number of products loaded on the weighing unit 10 and the number of products placed in the storage unit S1 can be accurately estimated. In other words, sorting work can be carried out efficiently.

[0045] The determination unit may execute the above-described determination process when a code placed on a food container is read by the scanner 61 or the like, instead of when the weighing value of the weighing unit 10 decreases. The determination unit may also execute the determination process when a removal operation from the picking cart 1 is performed by the picking cart 1 or a camera placed in the warehouse. The determination unit may determine whether a product or food container B has been removed based on an image or video captured by the camera. The determination unit may also determine the number of products removed based on the image or video. The determination unit may determine that food container B has been removed by reading a barcode or two-dimensional barcode attached to the food container from the image or video, or may determine that food container B has been removed by detecting the shape of the food container using appropriate image recognition technology.

[0046] The determination unit may also detect the number of products by reading RFID tags attached to the products with an RFID reader of the picking cart 1. The determination unit may also detect the number of food containers by reading RFID tags placed on the food containers with an RFID reader on the picking cart 1. Furthermore, the determination unit may store the unit height of the food containers and estimate the number of food containers by acquiring the height of the stacked food containers with an appropriate object sensor or the like.

[0047] The selection receiving unit is a functional unit that receives a selection input of whether a product has been removed from the weighing unit 10 or a food container B has been removed. The selection receiving unit may be configured not to receive a selection input when the judgment unit can make a judgment, and to receive a selection input when the judgment unit cannot make a judgment. The selection receiving unit receives the selection, for example, via a selection receiving screen G7 (see FIG. 9(a)) described below. The selection receiving unit may also receive an input indicating that both a product and a food container B have been removed. With such a configuration, information from the worker can be appropriately reflected even in situations where it is difficult for the judgment unit to make a judgment.

[0048] The selection receiving unit may display a screen that prompts the user to input information about the removed product or food container instead of the selection receiving screen G7. The product or food container information may be input by, for example, reading a code attached to the product or food container.

[0049] The number recording unit stores the number of products placed on the weighing unit 10 and the number of food containers B in the cart information storage unit. The number recording unit stores the number of products or food containers placed on the weighing unit 10, as determined by the determination unit, in the cart information storage unit. The number recording unit also subtracts the number of products or containers placed on the weighing unit 10 according to the product or food container B removal information determined by the determination unit, and stores the result in the cart information storage unit. That is, when the determination unit determines that products have been removed, the number recording unit subtracts the number of products linked to the weighing unit 10, as stored in the cart information storage unit. When the determination unit determines that food containers B have been removed, the number recording unit subtracts the number of food containers B linked to the weighing unit 10, as stored in the cart information storage unit. A tare is performed based on the number of food containers B, and the number of products placed on the weighing unit 10 can be calculated.

[0050] Furthermore, the number recording unit may refer to the identification information of the products linked to the weighing units 10 in multiple weighing units 10 arranged on one picking cart 1, and determine whether the same product is linked to each of them. In this case, if there are weighing units 10 to which the same product is linked, the number recording unit calculates the total number of products or number of box containers placed on those weighing units 10. This configuration is highly convenient because when the same product is placed on multiple weighing units 10, the number of products can be counted accurately even if an operator takes out the weighing units 10 without distinguishing between them.

[0051] ●Screen example 5 is an example of the food container weight master management screen G1 displayed on the display 5a. As shown in the figure, the food container weight master management screen G1 displays a food container weight master that stores information about food containers, and food container identification information, food container names, and food container weights are displayed in association with each other. In addition, information registered in the food container weight master may be added, deleted, or changed by operating the food container weight master management screen G1.

[0052] 6 is an example of a product master management screen G2 that displays the product master. The product master stores information about the product, such as the product code, JAN code, product name, manufacturer code, work location number, maximum number of items that can be acquired, bulk unit weight, used numbered container number, and number of containers. The used numbered container number is the container management number in which the product is stored, and is information linked to the container master.

[0053] FIG. 7(a) is an example of the work start screen G3. On the work start screen G3, the designation of the weighing unit 10 and information on the products to be placed on the weighing unit 10 are received via the scanner 61. That is, the products to be placed are set for each weighing unit 10. The product information may be obtained by reading a display code attached to the product itself, or by reading a display code attached to the box B containing the product. The display code attached to the product may be, for example, a JAN code, an EAN code, or a UPC. At this time, the identification information of the box may also be obtained. The same product may be set in some or all of the multiple weighing units 10.

[0054] FIG. 7(b) is an example of a screen G4 that displays the number of food containers B and the type and number of products read on the work start screen G3. Screen G4 displays the number of food containers B and the fractional part, as well as the total number of products placed on them, calculated by the determination unit based on the weighing values ​​of the weighing unit 10. In the example shown in the figure, 12 food containers are placed on each of the two weighing units 10, and the number of products placed loose is displayed as 123 on each. The total number of products is also displayed as 12,345.

[0055] If there is no discrepancy between the calculated result and the actual number, the worker selects the start button on screen G4. If there is a discrepancy between the calculated result, the worker inputs a quantity correction operation on screen G4. For example, when the worker selects the number of containers and fractional part display area G4a, a numeric keypad appears on the right side of screen G4, allowing numerical input. Once the number of containers and fractional part are input, the total number of items is automatically calculated and the display is updated. Note that the total number may also be recalculated in response to the operation of the recalculation button.

[0056] Alternatively, instead of the above-described process, the number of containers may be input by the operator first. In this case, the number of containers B is calculated by the determination unit after the input of the number of containers is received. If there is a difference between the manually input number and the detected number, the number of containers may be automatically corrected to the detected number, or a display may be displayed prompting the operator to correct the number to the detected number.

[0057] FIG. 8(a) is an example of a work start screen G5 that is displayed when the start button is selected on screen G4. This screen is displayed at the start of so-called sorting work, in which products from the picking cart 1 are placed into each storage section S1 according to the sorting plan. Area G5a displays the identification information of the shelf S that the picking cart 1 should arrive at most soon, extracted according to the sorting plan, in this case one shelf number. Area G5b displays the remaining number of products to be placed on that shelf S as the shelf remaining instruction number. Area G5c displays the remaining number of storage sections S1 into which products should be placed on that shelf S as the shelf remaining number. The shelf remaining instruction number and shelf remaining number are subtracted and displayed each time a task is completed.

[0058] Area G5d displays multiple pieces of identification information for shelves S that are assigned to the picking cart 1 and that the picking cart 1 should reach during the sorting work. Area G5d may display all of the identification information for the shelves S that the picking cart 1 should reach, or the display may be scrolled by selecting the left and right arrow buttons displayed in area G5d. A configuration in which the identification information for the shelf S that the picking cart 1 should reach is displayed eliminates the need for the worker to be confused about which shelf S to reach, making it easy and efficient to carry out the loading work. Furthermore, a configuration in which the identification information for all of the shelves S that the worker should reach by moving to the next location is displayed allows the worker to flexibly change the loading order depending on the work status of other picking carts 1, thereby avoiding congestion of picking carts 1 and enabling appropriate work that is in line with the actual situation. The identification information of the shelf S on which the work has been completed is deleted and is no longer displayed in the area G5d.

[0059] FIG. 8(b) is an example of the product input screen G6 that is displayed when the picking cart 1 reads the communication tag R of a shelf S included in the sorting plan. Area G6a displays the number of items to be input from the picking cart 1 to the shelf S for each weighing unit 10. Area G6b displays the number of items to be input at that time, calculated by subtracting the number of items already input from the number to be input, as the remaining number of items to be input for each weighing unit 10. Each time an item is removed from the weighing unit 10, the remaining number of items to be input is subtracted in accordance with the change in weight and redisplayed. When the remaining number of items to be input reaches 0, a confirm button is displayed on the product input screen G6, and the confirm button can be selected.

[0060] The work completion button G6c is a button that completes the work when the remaining number of instructions is not 0. With this configuration, even if the remaining number does not become 0 due to a weight error, the work can be completed by the worker's input. Instead of a configuration in which the work completion process is immediately performed when the work completion button G6c is selected, a confirmation message such as "The work will be completed. Are you sure?" may be displayed, and the work completion process may be performed by pressing the confirm button. Furthermore, the time when the work completion button G6c is pressed, the identification information of the product, or the identification information of the shelf S or the storage section S1 may be stored as history.

[0061] 9(a) is an example of a selection acceptance screen G7 that is displayed when the weighing value of the weighing unit 10 decreases during sorting, i.e., when the product insertion screen G6 is displayed. The selection acceptance screen G7 may be displayed when the determination unit cannot determine whether a product or a food container B has been removed. That is, for example, the selection acceptance screen G7 is displayed when the maximum obtainable item weight is greater than the food container weight and the weight of a food container or more has decreased.

[0062] At least the Remove Food Container button and the Remove Product button are displayed on the selection reception screen G7. When the Remove Food Container button is selected, food container B is taken out and the remaining number of orders is not subtracted.

[0063] Furthermore, when the Remove Product button is selected, it is assumed that only the product has been removed, and the number of products according to the weight loss value is calculated and subtracted from the remaining number of instructions. Note that when the Remove Food Container button is selected, if the weight loss value is greater than the weight of the food container, it is assumed that the product has been removed along with the food container, and the number of products according to the value obtained by subtracting the weight of the food container from the weight loss value may be calculated and subtracted from the remaining number of instructions. Here, the selection receiving screen G7 may display a Remove Food Container and Product button to be selected when the food container and product have been removed.

[0064] FIG. 9(b) is a loading completion screen G8 that is displayed when all of the assortment plans assigned to the picking cart 1 are completed.

[0065] According to the picking cart according to the present embodiment, sorting work in a warehouse can be carried out efficiently.

[0066] ● Application to picking work In the above description, the picking cart 1 and the picking system 100 have been described as assisting in the sorting work of storing products from the cart to a predetermined shelf in a warehouse, known as sowing work, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to assist in the sorting work of storing products stored on shelves in a warehouse into the picking cart 1, known as picking work. The following explanation will focus on parts that are different from the explanation of the picking cart 1 in sowing work. Explanations of functional configurations that are similar to those of the picking cart 1 in sowing work will be omitted as appropriate.

[0067] In the case of picking work, at the start of work, for example, the weighing units 10 of the picking cart 1 are empty, or one empty food container B is placed on each weighing unit 10. Then, the worker places the products picked up from the shelves into the food containers B. Information about the products to be picked up, the position of the shelves, and the food containers B to be placed therein may be displayed as appropriate on the touch panel display 5 provided on the picking cart 1 or on a terminal held by the worker, such as a wearable terminal. When a food container B becomes full due to the worker's work, the worker places another empty food container B on top of the food container B and continues work.

[0068] In this operation, for example, when the weighing value by the weighing unit 10 indicates an increase, the determination unit determines whether a product has been placed on the weighing unit 10 or whether a food container B has been placed on the weighing unit 10 based on predetermined conditions. Furthermore, when it is determined that a product has been placed, the determination unit determines the number of products placed. When the increase value is smaller than the weight of the food container, the determination unit determines that only products have been placed. Furthermore, the determination unit may determine that food container B has been placed when the increase value is larger than the weight of food container B.

[0069] In this embodiment, the maximum number of items to be acquired is the number of items that an operator can place on the weighing unit 10 at one time. Note that the maximum number of items to be acquired in sowing work and the maximum number of items to be acquired in picking work may be the same, or may be different and stored in the product master.

[0070] The determination unit also references the product master of the product linked to the increased weighing unit 10, and determines whether the product has been placed on the weighing unit 10 or whether a container B has been placed on the weighing unit 10 based on the unit weight of the product, the maximum number of items that can be acquired, and the increase value. The determination unit calculates the maximum number of items that can be acquired by multiplying the unit weight of the product by the maximum number of items that can be acquired, and performs the determination process taking the maximum number of items that can be acquired into consideration.

[0071] For example, if the increase value is greater than the maximum obtainable quantity weight, the determination unit assumes that food container B has been placed, since it is unlikely that only products have been placed.

[0072] The determination unit makes a different determination depending on whether the food container weight or the maximum obtainable number weight is greater. If the food container weight is greater than the maximum obtainable number weight and the increase value is equal to or less than the maximum obtainable number weight, it is assumed that a product has been placed. On the other hand, if the maximum obtainable number weight is greater than the food container weight and the increase value is equal to or greater than the food container weight but less than the maximum obtainable number weight, it cannot determine whether a product or food container B has been placed. If the determination unit cannot determine whether a product or food container B has been placed from the weighing unit 10, it outputs a message to that effect. Information indicating that a determination cannot be made is displayed on the display 5a of the picking cart 1. In this case, specifically, for example, a selection reception screen is displayed via the touch panel 5b and the selection reception unit to receive a selection input from the operator regarding what has been placed.

[0073] The judgment unit also detects that both the product and food container B have been placed. If the increase value is greater than the food container weight, the judgment unit determines whether a product has been placed in addition to food container B based on the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the increase value. If the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the increase value is greater than the unit weight of the product, it is determined that the product has been removed as well. Furthermore, the number of products placed can be estimated by dividing the value obtained by subtracting the food container weight from the increase value by the unit weight of the product. With this configuration, the number of products placed can be accurately estimated even when a large number of products are placed in food container B.

[0074] Furthermore, the picking cart 1 may carry multiple empty food containers B. For example, it is conceivable that the picking cart 1 may be operated so that it moves around the warehouse or stops within the warehouse with multiple empty food containers B loaded on it in order to replenish other picking carts 1 with empty food containers B.

[0075] As described above, the picking cart according to this embodiment can efficiently carry out the sorting work of placing products stored on shelves in a warehouse into the picking cart.

[0076] ● Overview of implementation The present invention relates to a picking cart, a picking system, and a management device.

[0077] Picking carts are known to assist in the sorting process of storing products loaded on carts on shelves (see, for example, JP 2000-044021 A). When counting the products stored in a picking cart by weighing them, the process requires the cumbersome task of removing the containers from the empty box.

[0078] Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to efficiently perform sorting work in a warehouse.

[0079] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a picking cart according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a weighing unit that weighs a plurality of containers in which products are stored, and a judgment means that, when a change in the weighing value measured by the weighing unit occurs, judges based on predetermined conditions whether the change is due to movement of the products or movement of the containers.

[0080] The determination means may determine, when the weight value measured by the weighing unit decreases, whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit based on predetermined conditions.

[0081] The apparatus may further include a quantity recording means for storing the number of products and the number of containers placed on the weighing unit in a memory unit, and the quantity recording means may reduce the number of products stored in the memory unit when the judgment means determines that the products have been removed, and reduce the number of containers stored in the memory unit when the judgment means determines that the containers have been removed.

[0082] The device may further include a selection receiving means for receiving a selection input of whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit when the determination means is unable to determine whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit.

[0083] The determining means may detect that both the product and the container have been removed.

[0084] The device may also be configured to accept a setting for the maximum number of items of the product that can be removed from the weighing unit at one time, and the judgment means may determine whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit based on the maximum number of items that can be removed and the weight loss value of the weighing value.

[0085] The weighing unit may include a plurality of weighing units, and the product to be placed on each weighing unit may be set.

[0086] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a picking system according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a picking cart having a weighing unit that weighs a plurality of containers in which products are stored, and a judgment means that, when a change in the weighing value measured by the weighing unit occurs, judges whether the change is due to movement of the products or movement of the containers based on predetermined conditions.

[0087] In order to achieve the above object, a management device according to another aspect of the present invention is connected via a network to a picking cart that weighs multiple containers containing products using a weighing unit, and is equipped with a judgment means that, when a change in the weighing value measured by the weighing unit occurs, judges whether the change is due to a movement of the product or a movement of the container based on predetermined conditions.

[0088] The picking cart according to the present invention enables sorting work in a warehouse to be carried out efficiently. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 100 Picking System 1 picking cart 5a Display 5b Touch Panel 10 Measuring part 20 Control Unit 2 Management device B Banju S shelf

Claims

1. a weighing unit that weighs a plurality of containers containing products; a determining means for determining, when a change in the weight value measured by the measuring unit occurs, whether the change is due to movement of the product or the container, based on predetermined conditions; Equipped with Picking cart.

2. When the weight value measured by the measuring unit decreases, the determining means determines whether the product or the container has been removed from the measuring unit based on a predetermined condition. The picking cart according to claim 1.

3. a number recording means for storing the number of the products and the number of the containers placed on the weighing unit in a memory unit; The number recording means, when the determination means determines that the product has been removed, reduces the number of the product stored in the memory unit, and when the determination means determines that the container has been removed, reduces the number of the container stored in the memory unit. The picking cart according to claim 2.

4. The device further comprises a selection receiving means for receiving a selection input of whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit when the determination means cannot determine whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit. The picking cart according to claim 2.

5. The determination means detects that both the product and the container have been removed. The picking cart according to claim 2.

6. Accepting a setting of the maximum number of the commodities that can be taken out from the weighing unit at one time; The determination means determines whether the product or the container has been removed from the weighing unit based on the maximum number of items that can be obtained and the weight loss value of the weighed value. The picking cart according to claim 2.

7. The weighing unit includes a plurality of weighing units, and the product to be placed on each weighing unit is set. The picking cart according to claim 2.

8. a picking cart having a weighing unit that weighs a plurality of containers containing products; a determining means for determining, when a change in the weight value measured by the measuring unit occurs, whether the change is due to movement of the product or the container, based on predetermined conditions; Equipped with Picking system.

9. It is connected via a network to a picking cart that weighs multiple containers containing products using a weighing unit, a determining means for determining, when a change in the weight value measured by the measuring unit occurs, whether the change is due to movement of the product or the container, based on predetermined conditions; Equipped with Management device.

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