Automatic warehouse system

Abstract

To provide an automatic warehouse system capable of storing two roll materials in a state of being placed on one placing member, and selectively executing delivery in a state of placing one roll material on one placing member and delivery in a state of placing two roll materials.SOLUTION: The automated warehouse system 1 includes an automated warehouse 10, a rotary conveying device 20, a transfer device 30, and a controller 40. When the target roll material R is placed at the second position P2 far from the transfer device 30 in the extending direction of the axis C, the controller 40 controls the swivel transfer device 20 so as to carry the first target placing member 90 to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 after swiveling the first target placing member 90 by 180 degrees. After the transfer apparatus 30 is controlled to transfer the target roll R from the first target placement member 90 to the empty placement member 90, the pivot conveying apparatus 20 is controlled to pivot, by 180 degrees, the first target placement member 90 from which the target roll R has been taken out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to an automated warehouse system. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known an automated warehouse (rack device) that stores rolled materials, each of which has a product such as paper or steel plate wound around a shaft core. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an automated warehouse that includes an article storage shelf having a support member with a recess formed on the upper surface thereof for receiving the rolled material, the shaft core of which faces the front-rear direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-73011 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional automated warehouse described above, roll materials are stored one by one on a shelf, which requires a large storage space. To meet this demand, it is conceivable to store two roll materials on a loading member in the automated warehouse. However, with this configuration, it is also necessary to be able to remove only one roll material from the loading member on which the two roll materials are loaded.

[0005] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an automated warehouse system that can store two roll materials on one loading member, and can selectively ship or restock with one roll material on one loading member, or with two roll materials on one loading member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) An automated warehouse system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an automated warehouse capable of storing roll material, with products wound around a shaft core, in a state in which the roll material is placed on a placing member lined up in the extension direction of the shaft core; a swivel conveying device having a conveying section for conveying the placing member and a swivel section capable of rotating the placing member 180 degrees; a transfer device for transferring the roll material placed on the placing member conveyed by the conveying section; and a controller for controlling the conveyance of a target roll material based on a shipping request, wherein when the target roll material is one of two roll materials placed on the placing member lined up in the extension direction of the shaft core, the controller controls to supply a first target placing member, which is the target placing member on which the two roll materials are placed, from the automated warehouse to the swivel conveying device, and controls to supply the first target placing member, which is the target placing member on which the two roll materials are placed, in the conveying direction of the placing member, before or after the first target placing member. The automated warehouse controls the automated warehouse to supply an empty, unloaded loading member to a swivel conveying device, and when the target roll material is loaded at a first position that is closer to the transfer device in the direction of extension of the shaft, the swivel conveying device is controlled to transport the first target loading member to a transfer position of the transfer device, and the transfer device is controlled to transfer the target roll material from the first target loading member to an empty loading member.When the target roll material is loaded at a second position that is farther from the transfer device in the direction of extension of the shaft, the swivel conveying device is controlled to rotate the first target loading member 180 degrees and then transport it to the transfer position, and the transfer device is controlled to transfer the target roll material from the first target loading member to an empty loading member, and then the swivel conveying device is controlled to rotate the first target loading member 180 degrees from which the target roll material has been removed.

[0007] In an automated warehouse system with this configuration, two roll materials can be stored on one mounting member. Furthermore, even when two roll materials are stored on one mounting member, the swivel conveying device and the transfer device enable the roll materials to be shipped or restocked with one roll material on one mounting member. When roll materials are placed on the mounting members in a line along the axis, the transfer device cannot access the roll material placed in the second position far from the transfer device, and normally cannot transfer the roll material placed in the second position. However, in an automated warehouse system with this configuration, when the roll material to be transferred is placed in the second position, the mounting member can be rotated 180 degrees at the rotating section upstream of the transfer device, allowing the transfer device to transfer the roll material to be transferred. In other words, with this configuration, even if the roll materials are placed on the loading members in a line in the extension direction of the axis, it is possible to selectively ship or restock with one roll material placed on one loading member, or with two roll materials placed on one loading member.

[0008] (2) In the automated warehouse system of (1) above, when the controller determines that there are multiple second target placement members in the automated warehouse, which are placement members on which only one roll material is placed, the controller controls the automated warehouse to continuously supply two second target placement members from the automated warehouse to the swivel conveying device, and controls the swivel conveying device to convey the second target placement members to the transfer position. When the roll material is placed on one second target placement member at the second position and the roll material is placed on the other second target placement member at the first position or a central position between the first position and the second position, the controller controls the other second target placement member to transfer the roll material to the transfer position. When the roll material placed on the other second object placing member is transferred to a first position on one of the second object placing members, and the roll material is placed on the first position on one of the second object placing members and the roll material is placed on the other second object placing member at a central position, the swivel conveying device may be controlled to rotate both second object placing members by 180 degrees, and the swivel conveying device may be controlled to transport both second object placing members to the transfer position, and the roll material placed on the other second object placing member may be transferred to the first position on one of the second object placing members, and then the swivel conveying device may be controlled to rotate both second object placing members by 180 degrees.

[0009] In an automated warehouse system with this configuration, even if the automated warehouse stores multiple mounting members with only one roll material on them, by successively retrieving these mounting members, the swivel conveying device and the transfer device can place two roll materials on one mounting member, and then return this mounting member with the two roll materials to the automated warehouse, thereby increasing the number of roll materials that can be stored in the automated warehouse.

[0010] (3) In the automated storage system of (2) above, when the controller controls the automated storage system to continuously supply two second target placement members from the automated storage system to the slewing conveying device, the controller may control the automated storage system to select two second target placement members such that the weight difference between the roll materials placed on the two second target placement members is within a predetermined range. In this configuration, even when two roll materials are placed on one placement member, it is possible to prevent the load acting on the placement member from becoming an unbalanced load.

[0011] (4) In any one of the automated warehouse systems (1) to (3) above, the transfer device may have a first arm for supporting a large diameter roll having a predetermined amount or more of the product wound around its shaft core, and a second arm for supporting a small diameter roll having a smaller amount of the product wound around it than the large diameter roll. With this configuration, even when handling large diameter rolls and small diameter rolls, the roll material can be transferred with a simple configuration.

[0012] (5) In any one of the automated warehouse systems (1) to (4) above, the controller may control the transfer device to change the lifting amount of the roll material based on the diameter size of the roll material. When lifting one of the roll materials lined up in the extension direction of the shaft core, the adjacent roll materials may rub against each other, causing damage to the roll material. In this configuration, the lifting amount is changed according to the diameter size of the roll material, thereby preventing the roll materials from rubbing against each other.

[0013] (6) In any one of the automated warehouse systems described in (1) to (5) above, the swivel conveying device may be controlled to convey the source and destination mounting members of the roll material to be transferred by the transfer device so that the source and destination mounting members are aligned at the transfer position. In this configuration, transferring the mounting members in an aligned state shortens the transfer time and reduces the time spent lifting the roll material, thereby suppressing damage or dents.

[0014] (7) In any one of the automated warehouse systems (1) to (6) above, the transfer device may include an arm configured to support the roll material from below and capable of advancing and retreating along the extension direction of the shaft core, and a first optical sensor having a detection optical axis located a predetermined distance toward the transfer device from the center of the mounting member in the extension direction of the shaft core, and the controller may stop the advancement of the arm when the first optical sensor detects the roll material or the arm. With this configuration, it is possible to detect that the roll material placed at the first position is protruding toward the transfer device, so that when the roll material is placed at the second position, the roll material can be prevented from coming into contact with itself. Furthermore, if the roll material placed at the first position is not protruding toward the transfer device, the movement of the arm can be appropriately controlled when the roll material is placed at the second position, so that the roll material can be prevented from coming into contact with itself.

[0015] (8) In any one of the automated storage systems (1) to (6) above, the system may further include an arm configured to support rolled material from below and capable of advancing and retreating along the direction of extension of the shaft, and a second optical sensor having a detection optical axis located a predetermined distance toward the transfer device from the end of the loading member on the transfer device side in the direction of extension of the shaft, and the controller may confirm that the second optical sensor does not detect rolled material before advancing the arm. With this configuration, when a rolled material is loaded at the second position and a new rolled material is loaded at the first position, the rolled materials can be prevented from coming into contact with each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, two rolls of material can be stored on one loading member, and shipping or restocking can be selectively performed with one roll of material on one loading member, or with two rolls of material on one loading member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of an automated warehouse system 1 according to one embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 2(A) shows a state where a roll material is placed at a second position on the pallet, Figure 2(B) shows a state where two roll materials are placed on the pallet, and Figure 2(C) shows a state where a roll material is placed at the center position on the pallet. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the transfer device as seen from the X direction. [Figure 4] 4(A) and 4(B) are side views showing the relationship between the roll material at the transfer position and the detection optical axes of the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an automated warehouse system according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 6(A) and 6(B) are diagrams showing the winding direction of the roll material in the processing device in the next process. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing pattern for a pallet on which two roll materials are placed when the pallet is re-stored in the automated warehouse or transported to the next process. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a processing pattern for a pallet on which two roll materials are placed when the pallet is re-stored in the automated warehouse or transported to the next process. [Figure 9] 9(A) to 9(C) are diagrams showing the operation of the transfer device when transferring a roll material. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing pattern for two pallets on which one roll material is placed when the pallets are re-stored in the automated warehouse or transported to the next process. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a processing pattern for two pallets on which one roll material is placed when the pallets are re-stored in the automated warehouse or transported to the next process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An automated warehouse system 1 according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. In this embodiment, for ease of explanation, the X direction may be described, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction in a plan view may be described as the Y direction, and the vertical direction may be described as the Z direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the automated warehouse system 1 includes an automated warehouse 10, a swivel conveying device 20, a transfer device 30, and a controller 40. The automated warehouse system 1 is a system that removes roll material R from the automated warehouse 10, supplies the roll material R to a processing device 5 (see FIG. 6) for the next process, or receives the roll material R into the automated warehouse 10. The roll material R is a cylindrical object with a product RP wound around an axis C. Examples of the product RP include paper, steel plate, copper plate, aluminum plate, metal coil, electric wire (cable), fiber, thread, etc. The portion that becomes the axis C may be provided with a core material or may be hollow.

[0020] The automated warehouse 10 stores roll materials R placed on a pallet (mounting member) 90. As shown in FIG. 2(B), the pallet 90 of this embodiment is a member capable of placing two roll materials R, R in the extension direction of the axis C. Here, the arrangement direction of the two roll materials R, R on the pallet 90 is referred to as the main direction D of the pallet 90. In the automated warehouse system 1, the pallet 90 is transported in a state where the main direction D of the pallet 90 is placed (arranged) along the Y direction shown in FIG.

[0021] The pallet 90 is formed with a pair of roll support portions 91, 91, which support the product RP portion of the roll material R from below. The pair of roll support portions 91, 91 are arranged with a gap in the Y direction. The portion of the pair of roll support portions 91, 91 that supports the roll material R is formed in a V-shape or an M-shape when viewed from the extension direction of the axis C of the roll material R. There are two types of pallets 90. Specifically, there are pallets 90 for large diameter rolls that are provided with a pair of roll support portions 91, 91 for supporting large diameter rolls having a predetermined amount or more of the product RP wound around the axis C, and pallets 90 for small diameter rolls that are provided with a pair of roll support portions 91, 91 for supporting small diameter rolls having a smaller amount of product RP wound around the axis C than the large diameter rolls. The gap between the pair of roll support portions 91, 91 for the large diameter rolls is wider than the gap between the pair of roll support portions 91, 91 for the small diameter rolls.

[0022] 2(A) on the pallet 90 is the position on the pallet 90 farthest from the transfer device 30 in the main direction D of the pallet 90 when the roll material R is transported to the transfer position TP in front of the transfer device 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The transfer position TP is a position where the roll material R can be transferred by the transfer device 30. More specifically, the transfer position TP is made up of the second direction changing section 28 and a portion of the upstream side of the third conveying section 23, and is a location for aligning the source pallet 90, which serves as the transfer source (transfer source) and the destination pallet 90, which serves as the transfer destination (transfer destination), which will be described later, when the roll material R is transferred by the transfer device 30.

[0023] Hereinafter, the position at the transfer position TP that is farther from the transfer device 30 in the main direction D of the pallet 90 will be referred to as the second position P2, and the position at the transfer position TP that is closer to the transfer device 30 in the main direction D of the pallet 90 will be referred to as the first position P1. Also, the position at the center of the pallet 90 in the main direction D of the pallet 90 will be referred to as the central position P3. With the pallet 90, there are cases where roll materials R, R are placed and arranged at the first position P1 and the second position P2, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2(B), cases where roll material R is placed at the second position P2, as shown in FIG. 2(A), cases where roll material R is placed at the first position P1 (not shown), and cases where roll material R is centered and arranged at the central position P3, as shown in FIG. 2(C).

[0024] The automated warehouse 10 has racks 11, a stacker crane 12, an outgoing conveyor 13, and an incoming conveyor 14. The operation of the automated warehouse 10 is controlled by a controller 40.

[0025] The rack 11 stores pallets 90 without roll material R placed thereon (empty pallets) or pallets 90 with roll material R placed thereon (loaded pallets). Hereinafter, when simply referring to a pallet 90, this includes both empty pallets and loaded pallets. The rack 11 has multiple storage sections 11A arranged in the X and Z directions. The storage sections 11A are flat plate members that support the pallets 90 from below.

[0026] The stacker crane 12 mainly comprises a running section 12A, a mast 12B, a lifting section 12C, and a transfer section 12D. The running section 12A moves on rails 15 extending in the X direction while supporting the mast 12B, the lifting section 12C, and the transfer section 12D. The running section 12A is driven by a drive section (not shown). The mast 12B is a columnar member that stands upright from the running section 12A and extends in the Z direction. The lifting section 12C is provided so as to be movable up and down along the extension direction of the mast 12B. The lifting section 12C is driven by a drive section (not shown). The transfer section 12D is provided on the lifting section 12C. The transfer section 12D is provided so as to be extendable in the Y direction. The transfer section 12D transfers the pallet 90 to the rack 11, the outgoing conveyor 13, or the incoming conveyor 14 by extending and contracting.

[0027] The outgoing conveyor 13 is a conveyor used when the pallet 90 is to be unloaded from the automated warehouse 10. The outgoing conveyor 13 is a belt conveyor, roller conveyor, or chain conveyor that transports the pallet 90 horizontally. The outgoing conveyor 13 transfers the pallet 90 received from the stacker crane 12 to the first transport section 21 of the swivel transport device 20. The incoming conveyor 14 is a conveyor used when the pallet 90 is to be loaded into the automated warehouse 10. The incoming conveyor 14 is a belt conveyor or roller conveyor that transports the pallet 90 horizontally. The incoming conveyor 14 transfers the pallet 90 received from the fourth transport section 24 of the swivel transport device 20 to the stacker crane 12.

[0028] The swivel conveying device 20 conveys a pallet 90 that has been removed from the automated warehouse 10 to the automated warehouse 10 or a processing device 5 for the next process via a transfer position TP of the transfer device 30. The swivel conveying device 20 includes a first conveying section (conveying section) 21, a second conveying section (conveying section) 22, a third conveying section (conveying section) 23, a fourth conveying section (conveying section) 24, a first turning section (turning section) 25, a second turning section (turning section) 26, a first direction changing section 27, a second direction changing section 28, and a next process conveying device 29. The operation of the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled by a controller 40.

[0029] The first conveying unit 21 is a belt conveyor or roller conveyor that conveys the pallet 90 in the horizontal direction (X direction). The first conveying unit 21 conveys the pallet 90 from the automated warehouse 10 to the first turning unit 25. The first turning unit 25 turns the pallet 90 180 degrees. The first turning unit 25 has a drive unit that turns a support unit that supports the pallet 90 from below by 180 degrees. The first turning unit 25 is disposed between the first conveying unit 21 and the first direction changing unit 27. That is, the first turning unit 25 can hand over the pallet 90 received from the first conveying unit 21 to the first direction changing unit 27 in a state where the pallet 90 has been turned 180 degrees.

[0030] The first direction changing section 27 switches between conveying the pallet 90 in the X direction and conveying the pallet 90 in the Y direction. The first direction changing section 27 pulls the pallet 90 received from the first turning section 25 in the X direction, and then sends the pallet 90 in the Y direction to hand it over to the second conveying section 22. The second conveying section 22 is a belt conveyor or roller conveyor that conveys the pallet 90 in the horizontal direction (Y direction). The second conveying section 22 conveys the pallet 90 from the first direction changing section 27 to the second direction changing section 28.

[0031] The second direction changing section 28 switches between conveying the pallet 90 in the X direction and conveying the pallet 90 in the Y direction. The second direction changing section 28 pulls the pallet 90 received from the second conveying section 22 in the Y direction, and then sends the pallet 90 out in the X direction to hand it over to the third conveying section 23. The third conveying section 23 is a belt conveyor or roller conveyor that conveys the pallet 90 in the horizontal direction (X direction). The third conveying section 23 conveys the pallet 90 from the second direction changing section 28 to the second turning section 26.

[0032] The second turning unit 26 turns the pallet 90 by 180 degrees. The second turning unit 26 has a drive unit that turns a support unit that supports the pallet 90 from below by 180 degrees. The second turning unit 26 is disposed between the third conveying unit 23 and the fourth conveying unit 24. That is, the second turning unit 26 can deliver the pallet 90 received from the third conveying unit 23 to the fourth conveying unit 24 in a state where the pallet 90 has been turned by 180 degrees. The fourth conveying unit 24 is a belt conveyor or roller conveyor that transports the pallet 90 in the horizontal direction (X direction). The fourth conveying unit 24 transports the pallet 90 from the second turning unit 26 to the automated warehouse 10.

[0033] The next process transport device 29 transports the pallet 90 to, for example, a transfer location for the transport vehicle 7 that transfers the roll material R to the processing device 5 (see FIG. 6) for the next process. The next process transport device 29 receives the pallet 90 from the fourth transport section 24. The next process transport device 29 includes, for example, a lift device that transports the pallet 90 vertically, a horizontal transport device that transports the pallet 90 horizontally, and the like.

[0034] 1 and 3, the transfer device 30 transfers the roll material R placed on a pallet 90 transported by the swivel transport device 20. The transfer device 30 transfers the roll material R placed on one pallet 90 to another pallet 90, and moves the placement position (first position P1 or central position P3) of the roll material R within one pallet 90. The operation of the transfer device 30 is controlled by a controller 40. The transfer device 30 includes a main body 31, a lifting unit 32, a first arm 33, a second arm 34, a first optical sensor 35, and a second optical sensor 36.

[0035] The main body 31 is provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the main body 31 is provided so as to be movable in the X direction (the conveying direction of the pallet 90 by the swivel conveying device 20) along the swivel conveying device 20, and is also provided so as to be movable in the Y direction relative to the pallet 90 positioned at the transfer position TP (movable forward and backward along the extending direction of the axis C of the roll material R placed on the pallet 90). The main body 31 is movable in the X and Y directions by a slide mechanism driven by a movement drive unit (not shown). The main body 31 supports the lifting unit 32 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The lifting unit 32 is provided so as to be movable up and down relative to the main body 31. The lifting unit 32 is driven by a lifting drive unit (not shown). The lifting unit 32 supports a first arm 33 and a second arm 34.

[0036] The first arm 33 is provided on the lifting section 32. The first arm 33 supports a large diameter roll having a predetermined amount or more of product RP wound around its axis C. The first arm 33 is composed of a pair of arm members 33A, 33A. The pair of arm members 33A, 33A are arranged at a predetermined interval in the X direction. The pair of arm members 33A, 33A support the roll material R from below. One of the pair of arm members 33A, 33A also serves as one of the pair of arm members 34A, 34A that constitute the second arm 34.

[0037] The second arm 34 is provided on the lifting section 32. The second arm 34 supports a small diameter roll having a smaller amount of product RP wound thereon than a large diameter roll. The second arm 34 is composed of a pair of arm members 34A, 34A. The pair of arm members 34A, 34A are arranged at a predetermined interval in the X direction. The pair of arm members 34A, 34A support the roll material R from below. One of the pair of arm members 34A, 34A also serves as one of the pair of arm members 33A, 33A that constitute the first arm 33.

[0038] 3 and 4, the first optical sensor 35 is a sensor that detects an object such as the roll material R, the first arm 33, or the second arm 34. The first optical sensor 35 has a detection optical axis OA1 that is located a predetermined amount (e.g., 10 mm to 30 mm) closer to the transfer device 30 than the center of the pallet 90 in the extension direction of the axis C when the pallet 90 is positioned at the transfer position TP. In other words, the detection optical axis OA1 of the first optical sensor 35 is located a predetermined amount closer to the transfer device 30 than the end of the roll material R placed at the second position P2 of the pallet 90 positioned at the transfer position TP, which is closer to the transfer device 30. The detection result of the roll material R by the first optical sensor 35 is acquired by the controller 40.

[0039] Similar to the first optical sensor 35, the second optical sensor 36 is a sensor that detects objects such as the roll material R, the first arm 33, or the second arm 34. The second optical sensor 36 has a detection optical axis OA2 that is located a predetermined amount (e.g., 0 mm to 30 mm) closer to the transfer device 30 than the end of the pallet 90 located at the transfer position TP that is on the transfer device 30 side in the extension direction of the axis C. In other words, the detection optical axis OA2 of the second optical sensor 36 is located a predetermined amount closer to the transfer device 30 than the end of the roll material R placed at the first position P1 that is on the transfer device 30 side at the transfer position TP. The detection result of the roll material R by the second optical sensor 36 is acquired by the controller 40.

[0040] The controller 40 controls the transportation of the target roll material R based on the shipping request. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10, the slewing conveying device 20, and the transfer device 30. The controller 40 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The controller 40 can execute various functions, for example, by loading a program stored in the ROM onto the RAM and executing it on the CPU. The shipping request may be received from a higher-level controller 9 (see FIG. 5), or may be generated by the controller 40.

[0041] The controller 40 manages the state of the roll material R managed in the automated warehouse 10. Examples of the state of the roll material R include what type of pallet 90 (a pallet for large diameter rolls or a pallet for small diameter rolls) the roll material R is placed on, which position on the pallet 90 (first position P1, second position, central position P3) the roll material R is placed on, which roll material R the roll material R is placed on the same pallet 90 as the roll material R, the winding direction of the roll material R, the wound amount or weight of the roll material R (which may be the weight calculated from the wound amount, or the wound amount calculated from the weight), etc.

[0042] Here, the winding direction of the roll material R will be described. The winding direction of the roll material R when it is handed over from a transport vehicle 7 such as an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) to the processing device 5 varies depending on the type of processing device 5 in the next process. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), when the roll material R and the processing device 5 are viewed from the direction of extension of the axis C so that the processing device 5 is positioned to the left of the roll material R, there are two types of winding: a type A in which the product RP is unwound (pulled out) from the top of the roll material R, as shown in FIG. 6(A), and a type B in which the product RP is pulled out from the bottom of the roll material R, as shown in FIG. 6(B). When the transport vehicle 7 delivers the roll material R to a processing device 5 of type A, it delivers the roll material R wound counterclockwise. When the transport vehicle 7 delivers the roll material R to a processing device 5 of type B, it delivers the roll material R wound rightward (clockwise). That is, the winding direction of the roll material R differs when the roll material R is transferred to a processing device 5 of type A and when the roll material R is transferred to a processing device 5 of type B. The controller 40 takes into consideration the winding direction in the processing device 5 in the next process, and supplies the pallet 90 on which the roll material R is placed from the turning conveying device 20 to the next process conveying device 29.

[0043] The controller 40 of this embodiment controls the transport of the roll material R that is the subject of a shipping request (hereinafter referred to as the "target roll material R"). When the target roll material R is one of two roll materials R, R placed on a pallet 90 lined up in the extension direction of the axis C (a state in which the roll materials R, R are arranged adjacent to each other in the extension direction of the axis C when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis C), the controller 40 controls the pallet 90 (hereinafter referred to as the "first target pallet 90") that is the target pallet 90 on which the two roll materials R, R are placed to be supplied from the automated warehouse 10 to the turning conveying device 20, and also controls the automated warehouse 10 to supply an empty pallet 90 on which no roll material R is placed to the turning conveying device 20 before or after the first target pallet (first target mounting member) 90 in the conveying direction of the pallets 90. The two roll materials R placed on the first target pallet 90 are stored in the automated warehouse 10 so that their winding directions are aligned with each other.

[0044] The empty pallets 90 may be supplied to the first conveyor 21 not only from the automated warehouse 10 but also from another empty pallet 90 supply device.

[0045] When the target roll material R is placed at a first position P1 that is closer to the transfer device 30 in the extension direction of the axis C, the controller 40 controls the turning and conveying device 20 to convey the first target pallet 90 to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and also controls the turning and conveying device 20 so that the first target pallet 90 and the empty pallet 90 stop side by side at the transfer position TP. The controller 40 controls the transfer device 30 to transfer the target roll material R from the first target pallet 90 to the empty pallet 90.

[0046] When the target roll material R is placed at a second position P2, which is farther from the transfer device 30 in the extension direction of the axis C, the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled to rotate the first target pallet 90 by 180 degrees and then transport it to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the transfer device 30 is controlled to transfer the target roll material R from the first target pallet 90 to an empty pallet 90, and then the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled to rotate the first target pallet 90 from which the target roll material R has been removed by 180 degrees.

[0047] Furthermore, when the controller 40 of this embodiment determines that there are multiple pallets 90 (hereinafter referred to as "second target pallets 90") on which only one roll material R is placed within the automated warehouse 10, the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 to sequentially remove two second target pallets (second target placement members) 90 from the automated warehouse 10, and controls the swivel conveying device 20 to stop the two second target pallets 90 side by side at the transfer position TP. The controller 40 controls the swivel conveying device 20 to transport the second target pallets 90 to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30.

[0048] The controller 40 monitors the position of the second target pallet 90 on the rack 11 in the automated warehouse 10 by monitoring the status of shipping requests sent from the upper controller 9, the processing status of the shipping requests, etc. The timing at which the controller 40 sequentially removes two second target pallets 90 from the automated warehouse 10 does not have to be immediately upon determining that there are two (plural) second target pallets 90. For example, the controller 40 may remove two second target pallets 90 after confirming the presence of a predetermined number of second target pallets 90. The controller 40 may remove two second target pallets 90 at a time when there are fewer removal requests to the processing device 5, or when the number of empty pallets 90 has decreased to a predetermined number.

[0049] Here, if roll material R is placed at the second position P2 on one second target pallet 90 and roll material R is placed at the first position P1 on the other second target pallet 90 or at a central position P3 between the first position P1 and the second position P2, the roll material R placed on the other pallet 90 is transferred to the first position P1 on one second target pallet 90. In addition, when roll material R is placed on one second target pallet 90 at a first position P1 and roll material R is placed on the other second target pallet 90 at a central position P3, the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled to rotate both second target pallets 90, 90 by 180 degrees, and the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled to transport both second target pallets 90, 90 to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the roll material R placed on the other second target pallet 90 is transferred to the first position P1 of one of the second target pallets 90, and then the swivel conveying device 20 is controlled to rotate both second target pallets 90, 90 by 180 degrees.

[0050] When the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 to sequentially remove two second target pallets 90 from the automated warehouse 10, the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 to select two second target pallets 90 such that the weight difference between the roll materials R placed on the two second target pallets 90 falls within a predetermined range. The weight difference between the roll materials R is, for example, 0 kg to 100 kg. This reduces the uneven load that occurs when the roll materials R placed on the two second target pallets 90 are combined onto one of the pallets 90. The controller 40 also controls the swivel conveying device 20 to convey the source pallet 90 and destination pallet 90 of the roll material R by the transfer device 30 side by side to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30.

[0051] The controller 40 controls the transfer device 30 to change the lifting amount of the roll material R based on the diameter size of the roll material R. When the first optical sensor 35 detects the roll material R, the first arm 33, or the second arm 34, the controller 40 stops the advancement of the first arm 33 and the second arm 34. Furthermore, before advancing the first arm 33 and the second arm 34, the controller 40 confirms that the second optical sensor 36 does not detect the roll material R. The operation of the first arm 33 and the second arm 34 when transferring the roll material R placed on the pallet 90 will be described in detail later.

[0052] Next, we will explain the operation of the automated warehouse system 1. First, we will explain the case where a pallet 90 (first target pallet 90) on which two roll materials R, R are arranged along the extension direction of the axis C is removed and restocked as a pallet 90 on which one roll material R is placed, or supplied to the processing device 5 for the next process. In this case, as shown in Figure 7, there are two operation patterns (pattern 1 and pattern 2).

[0053] Pattern 1: As shown in Figure 8, this is an operation pattern in which a first target pallet 90 and an empty pallet 90 are paired and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 without being rotated in the first turning section 25, and the roll material R placed at the first position P1 of the first target pallet 90 is transferred to the central position P3 of the empty pallet 90 in the transfer device 30.

[0054] Pattern 2: This is an operation pattern in which a first target pallet 90 and an empty pallet 90 are paired and removed from the automated warehouse 10, the first target pallet 90 is rotated in the first turning section 25 and transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the roll material R placed at the first position P1 of the first target pallet 90 is transferred to the central position P3 of the empty pallet 90 in the transfer device 30.

[0055] Here, the operation of the transfer device 30 when removing the roll material R placed at the first position P1 from the pallet 90, which has roll material R placed at both the first position P1 and the second position P2, will be described in detail. When the roll material R placed at the first position P1 of the first target pallet 90 located at the transfer position TP is a large-diameter roll, the main body 31 moves in the X direction so that the center of the pair of arm members 33A, 33A of the first arm 33 coincides with the axis C of the roll material R. Next, as shown in FIG. 9(A), the main body 31 begins to move in the negative Y direction along the axis C of the roll material R. As shown in FIG. 9(B), the main body 31 stops moving when the first arm 33 is detected by the first optical sensor 35. Next, as shown in FIG. 9(C), the first arm 33 moves upward. As a result, the pair of arm members 33A, 33A support the roll material R from below during the upward movement, lifting it upward.

[0056] The amount of upward movement of the first arm 33 is predetermined based on the diameter of the roll material R. That is, the amount of lift of the roll material R by the first arm 33 is predetermined depending on the diameter. The relationship between the diameter of the roll material R and the amount of upward movement is stored in a memory unit (not shown). For example, in the case of a large-diameter roll, the relationship between the diameter of the roll material R and the amount of upward movement is divided into four categories (ranks). These categories are set so that the smaller the diameter of the roll material R, the greater the amount of upward movement. Because the distance between the pair of arm members 33A, 33A is fixed, the lift distance from when the pair of arm members 33A, 33A start to rise until they support the roll material R from below varies depending on the diameter of the roll material R. However, by changing the lift distance of the pair of arm members 33A, 33A according to the above four categories (ranks), the amount of lift from when the pair of arm members 33A, 33A support the roll material R from below can be roughly uniform.

[0057] When the roll material R placed at the first position P1 of the first target pallet 90 located at the transfer position TP is a small-diameter roll, the main body 31 moves in the X direction so that the center of the pair of arm members 34A, 34A of the second arm 34 coincides with the axis C of the roll material R. Next, as shown in FIG. 9(A), the main body 31 begins to move in the negative Y direction along the axis C of the roll material R, and stops moving when the first arm 33 is detected by the first optical sensor 35 as shown in FIG. 9(B). Next, as shown in FIG. 9(C), the first arm 33 moves upward. As a result, the pair of arm members 34A, 34A support the roll material R from below during the upward movement, lifting it upward.

[0058] As with the first arm 33, the amount of upward movement of the second arm 34 is predetermined based on the diameter of the roll material R. For example, in the case of a small-diameter roll, the relationship between the diameter of the roll material R and the amount of upward movement is divided into two categories (ranks). These categories are set so that the smaller the diameter of the roll material R, the greater the amount of upward movement. As a result, even in the case of transfer using the second arm 34, the lift distance from when the pair of arm members 34A, 34A start to rise until they support the roll material R from below varies depending on the diameter of the roll material R. However, by changing the lift distance of the pair of arm members 34A, 34A in accordance with the two categories (ranks), the amount of lift from when the pair of arm members 34A, 34A support the roll material R from below can be roughly uniform.

[0059] Next, a case will be described in which a pallet 90 carrying one roll material R placed at the first position P1 or the second position P2 along the extension direction of the axis C is taken out and restocked as a pallet 90 carrying one roll material R placed at the central position P3 or supplied to the processing device 5 for the next process. In this case, there are two operation patterns (pattern 3 and pattern 4) as shown in FIG. 7.

[0060] Pattern 3: This is an operation pattern in which a pallet 90 with one roll material R placed at the first position P1 and an empty pallet 90 are paired and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 without rotating them at the first turning section 25, and the roll material R placed on the pallet 90 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the central position P3 of the empty pallet 90.

[0061] Pattern 4: This is an operation pattern in which a pallet 90 with one roll material R placed at the second position P2 and an empty pallet 90 are paired and removed from the automated warehouse 10, the pallet 90 with one roll material R placed at the second position P2 is rotated at the first turning section 25 and transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the roll material R placed on the pallet 90 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the central position P3 of the empty pallet 90.

[0062] Note that detailed explanation of the operation of the turning conveyance device 20 when executing Pattern 3 and Pattern 4 will be omitted.

[0063] Furthermore, instead of transferring the roll material R onto an empty pallet 90 as in patterns 3 and 4, the roll material R may be repositioned within the original pallet 90. In this case, it is not necessary to transport a pallet 90 on which one roll material R is placed and an empty pallet 90 as a pair to the transfer position P. However, as in patterns 3 and 4, by transporting a pallet 90 on which one roll material R is placed and an empty pallet 90 as a pair to the transfer position P and transferring the roll material R from the pallet 90 on which one roll material R is placed onto the empty pallet 90, the same operation as in the other transfer patterns can be achieved.

[0064] The controller 40 controls the turning conveying device 20 so as to transport the pallet 90 on which the roll material R has been transferred in the above patterns 1 to 4 to the processing device 5 or the automated warehouse 10. The controller 40 can supply the roll material R to the processing device 5 or the automated warehouse 10 while keeping the winding direction of the roll material R constant by combining whether or not the first turning unit 25 and the second turning unit 26 are turning.

[0065] Next, we will explain the case where two second target pallets 90, which are pallets 90 each having only one roll material R loaded thereon, are successively removed from the warehouse and restocked as pallets 90 each having two roll materials R loaded thereon. In this case, as shown in Figure 10, there are four operation patterns (patterns 11 to 14).

[0066] Pattern 11: This is an operation pattern in which a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2 and a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the first position P1 are paired in this order (or in the reverse order) and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 without rotating them in the first turning section 25, and the roll material R from the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the first position P1 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the first position P1 of the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2.

[0067] Pattern 12: This is an operation pattern in which a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the first position P1 and a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2 are paired in this order (or in the reverse order) and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are rotated in the first turning section 25 and transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the roll material R from the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the first position P1 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the first position P1 of the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2.

[0068] Pattern 13: This is an operation pattern in which a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the first position P1 and a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the central position P3 are paired in this order (or in the reverse order) and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are rotated in the first turning section 25 and transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30, and the roll material R from the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the central position P3 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the first position P1 of the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2.

[0069] Pattern 14: As shown in Figure 11, this is an operation pattern in which a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2 and a second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the central position P3 are paired in this order (or in the reverse order) and removed from the automated warehouse 10, and both pallets 90, 90 are transported to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 without rotating them in the first turning section 25, and the roll material R from the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the central position P3 at the transfer position TP is transferred to the first position P1 of the second target pallet 90 with roll material R placed at the second position P2.

[0070] Here, the operation of the transfer device 30 when transferring the roll material R placed at the second position P2 to the first position P1 of the pallet 90 will be described in detail. Here, the case where a small diameter roll is placed at the first position P1 will be described as an example. When the roll material R is present at the second position P2, the main body 31 moves in the X direction so that the center of the pair of arm members 33A, 33A of the first arm 33 coincides with the axis C of the roll material R placed at the second position P2. Next, when the first optical sensor 35 detects the roll material R, the main body 31 is prohibited from moving. Next, when the main body 31 confirms that the first optical sensor 35 and the second optical sensor 36 have not detected the roll material R, it starts moving in the negative Y direction along the axis C of the roll material R.

[0071] Next, the main body 31 stops moving when the first arm 33 is detected by the first optical sensor 35 and the roll material R is no longer detected by the second optical sensor 36. Note that the stopping of the movement of the first arm 33 does not necessarily require that the roll material R is not detected by the second optical sensor 36. Next, the first arm 33 moves downward. This allows the pair of arm members 33A, 33A of the pallet 90 to support the roll material R. In other words, the placement of the roll material R at the first position P1 of the pallet 90 is completed.

[0072] The controller 40 controls the turning conveying device 20 so as to transport the pallet 90 on which the roll material R has been transferred (the pallet 90 on which two roll materials R, R have been placed) to the processing device 5 or the automated warehouse 10 in the above patterns 11 to 14. The controller 40 can supply the roll material R to the processing device 5 or the automated warehouse 10 with the winding direction of the roll material R kept constant by combining the presence or absence of rotation by the first turning unit 25 and the second turning unit 26. This allows the roll material R to be stored in the automated warehouse 10 with the winding directions aligned with each other.

[0073] The following describes the effects of the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment. In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, two roll materials R, R can be stored on one pallet 90. Furthermore, in the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, even when two roll materials R, R are stored on one pallet 90 in the automated warehouse 10, the swivel conveying device 20 and the transfer device 30 make it possible to ship or restock one roll material R on one pallet 90.

[0074] When roll materials R are arranged in the direction of the axis C (Y direction) and placed on the pallet 90, the first arm 33 and the second arm 34 of the transfer device 30 cannot access the roll material R placed at the second position P2, which is far from the transfer device 30 in the Y direction, and normally, the roll material R placed at the second position P2 cannot be transferred. In the automated warehouse system 1 of this embodiment, when the roll material R to be transferred is placed at the second position P2, the pallet 90 can be rotated 180 degrees by the first turning section 25, which is upstream of the transfer device 30 (transfer position TP). As a result, the roll material R to be transferred is transported to the transfer position TP while placed at the first position P1 of the pallet 90. As a result, the transfer device 30 can transfer the roll material R to be transferred. In other words, according to the above embodiment, even when roll materials R, R are placed on a pallet 90 lined up in the direction of the axis C, it is possible to selectively ship or restock one pallet 90 with one roll material R placed on it, or ship or restock two roll materials R, R placed on it.

[0075] Furthermore, in the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the pallet 90 is rotated 180 degrees before transfer, and then rotated 180 degrees after transfer, thereby making it easier to manage the winding direction of the roll material R stored in the automated warehouse 10 by keeping it constant.

[0076] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, even if multiple pallets 90 with only one roll material R placed on them are stored in the automated warehouse 10, by successively retrieving such pallets 90, the turning conveying device 20 and the transfer device 30 can be used to place two roll materials R, R on one pallet 90. Then, the pallet 90 with the two roll materials R, R placed on it can be returned to the automated warehouse 10. This allows the number of roll materials R stored in the automated warehouse 10 to be increased.

[0077] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, when the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 so that two second target pallets 90 are successively supplied from the automated warehouse 10 to the slewing conveyor 20, the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 to select two second target pallets 90, 90 such that the weight difference between the roll materials R, R placed on the two second target pallets 90, 90 is within a predetermined range. This makes it possible to prevent the load acting on the pallet 90 from becoming an unbalanced load, even when two roll materials R, R are placed on one pallet 90.

[0078] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the transfer device 30 has a first arm 33 for supporting a large diameter roll having a predetermined amount or more of product wound around its axis C, and a second arm 34 for supporting a small diameter roll having a smaller amount of product RP wound around it than the large diameter roll. This makes it possible to handle both large diameter rolls and small diameter rolls with a simple configuration, without requiring a complex arm configuration.

[0079] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the controller 40 controls the transfer device 30 to change the lifting amount of the roll material R based on the diameter size of the roll material R. When lifting one of the roll materials R aligned along the axis C, the adjacent roll materials R may rub against each other, damaging the roll material R. As described in the above embodiment, when the transfer device 30 of this embodiment transfers the roll materials R so that they are aligned along the axis C, the roll materials R are spaced apart. However, on the second target pallet 90 delivered from the automated warehouse 10, the roll materials R may be displaced during transport or manually aligned by an operator, resulting in the roll materials R coming into contact with each other. In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, even in such a case, the lifting amount is changed according to the diameter size of the roll material R, thereby preventing friction between the roll materials R. Note that such control of the lifting amount may be performed only when removing the roll material R at the first position P1 from a state in which two roll materials R are aligned along the axis C.

[0080] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the transfer device 30 is provided so as to be movable along the direction in which the roll material R is transported by the swivel transport device 20, and the controller 40 controls the swivel transport device 20 so that the source pallet 90 and the destination pallet 90 for the roll material R are transported by the transfer device 30 in a lined-up state to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30. This shortens the transfer time by transferring the pallets 90, 90 in a lined-up state, and reduces the time spent lifting the roll material R, thereby preventing damage or dents.

[0081] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, when the first optical sensor 35 detects the roll material R, the first arm 33, or the second arm 34, the controller 40 stops the advancement of the first arm 33 and the second arm 34. This makes it possible to prevent the roll materials R, R from coming into contact with each other, or the first arm 33 or the second arm 34 from coming into contact with the roll material R.

[0082] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the controller 40 confirms that the second optical sensor 36 does not detect the roll material R before advancing the first arm 33 and the second arm 34. This prevents the roll materials R, R from coming into contact with each other when a new roll material R is placed at the first position P1 while a roll material R is placed at the second position P2.

[0083] Although one embodiment has been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0084] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment, the transport and rotation from the automated warehouse 10 to the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 (outbound route), and the transport and rotation from the transfer position TP of the transfer device 30 to the automated warehouse 10 or the processing device 5 for the next process (return route) are performed by the turning transport device 20 configured as shown in Fig. 1, but all or part of at least one of the outbound route and the return route may be replaced with an AGV or an AGV with a turning function. When these AGVs are used, not only may a configuration be provided with separate AGVs for the outbound route and the return route, but also a configuration may be provided with an AGV that is used for both the outbound route and the return route.

[0085] In the above-described embodiment and modified example, the automated warehouse system 1 has been described as having two arms, a first arm 33 for large diameter rolls and a second arm 34 for small diameter rolls, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the distance between the pair of arm members that support the roll material R from below may be variable according to the diameter size of the roll material R to be transferred.

[0086] In the above-described embodiment and modified example, the automated warehouse system 1 is described with an example in which large diameter rolls are divided into four categories based on diameter size and small diameter rolls are divided into two categories based on diameter size, and the lifting amount of the roll material R by the first arm 33 or the second arm 34 is set for each category, but this is not limiting. For example, the lifting amount of the roll material R by the first arm 33 or the second arm 34 may be set based on the diameter size of the roll material R or a value calculated in proportion to the sum of the diameter size of the roll material R and a predetermined value. In this case, the difference in lifting amount due to diameter size can be further reduced.

[0087] In the above-described embodiment and modified example of the automated warehouse system 1, an example has been described in which the source pallet 90 and the destination pallet 90 are adjacent to each other in the conveying direction and can be stopped at the transfer position TP (the movement range of the main body 31), but this is not limiting. The source pallet 90 and the destination pallet 90 do not have to be adjacent to each other in the conveying direction (a pallet 90 other than the source pallet and the destination pallet may be sandwiched between them). Note that either the source pallet 90 or the destination pallet 90 may be at the front or rear in the conveying direction.

[0088] In the above-described embodiment and the above-described modified example, the automated warehouse system 1 has been described with an example in which the first optical sensor 35 and the second optical sensor 36 are configured to detect the roll material R placed on the pallet 90 located at the transfer position TP, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the turning conveying device 20, a sensor having a function similar to that of the first optical sensor 35 (the function of detecting protrusion from a predetermined position) may be disposed upstream of the transfer position TP. Note that in the turning conveying device 20, a sensor having a function similar to that of the first optical sensor 35 (the function of detecting protrusion from a predetermined position) may be disposed downstream of the transfer position TP. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the first optical sensor 35 and the second optical sensor 36 are disposed has been described, but only one of the first optical sensor 35 and the second optical sensor 36 may be disposed.

[0089] In the automated warehouse system 1 of the above embodiment and the above modified example, when the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 so that two second target pallets 90 are successively removed from the automated warehouse 10, the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse to select two second target pallets 90, 90 such that the weight difference between the roll materials R, R placed on the two second target pallets 90, 90 is within a predetermined range. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the controller 40 controls the automated warehouse 10 so that two second target pallets 90 are successively removed from the automated warehouse 10, the controller 40 may control the automated warehouse 10 so that large diameter rolls or small diameter rolls are successively removed, or may control the automated warehouse 10 so that large diameter rolls or inner diameter rolls are divided into weight ranges and roll materials R of the same division are successively removed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...automated warehouse system, 10...automated warehouse, 20...swivel conveying device, 21...first conveying section (conveying section), 22...second conveying section (conveying section), 23...third conveying section (conveying section), 24...fourth conveying section (conveying section), 25...first swivel section (swivel section), 26...second swivel section (swivel section), 30...transfer device, 31...main body section, 32...lifting section, 33...first arm, 33A, 33A...arm member, 34...second arm, 34A, 34A...arm member, 35...first optical sensor , 36...second optical sensor, 40...controller, 90...pallet (loading member), first target pallet (first target loading member), second target pallet (second target loading member), source pallet (loading member to be transferred from), destination pallet (loading member to be transferred to), 91...roll support part, C...axis center, D...main direction, P1...first position, P2...second position, P3...central position, R...roll material, target roll material, RP...product, TP...transfer position.

Claims

1. an automated warehouse capable of storing roll materials, each having a product wound around a core, in a state in which the roll materials are arranged in the extending direction of the core and placed on a placing member; a rotating conveying device having a conveying section that conveys the mounting member and a rotating section that can rotate the mounting member by 180 degrees; a transfer device that transfers the roll material placed on the placement member that is transported by the transport unit; a controller that controls the transport of the target roll material based on a shipping request, The controller When the target roll material is one of two roll materials placed on the placement member in a state of being lined up in the extending direction of the shaft core, the automatic warehouse controls a first target placement member, which is the target placement member on which the two roll materials are placed, to be supplied from the automatic warehouse to the turning and conveying device, and also controls the automatic warehouse to supply an empty placement member on which no roll material is placed to the turning and conveying device before or after the first target placement member in the conveying direction of the placement member, When the target roll material is placed at a first position that is closer to the transfer device in the extending direction of the axis, the turning transport device is controlled to transport the first target placement member to a transfer position of the transfer device, and the transfer device is controlled to transfer the target roll material from the first target placement member to the empty placement member, When the target roll material is placed at a second position farther from the transfer device in the direction of extension of the axis, the automatic warehouse system controls the swivel transport device to rotate the first target loading member 180 degrees and then transport it to the transfer position, and controls the transfer device to transfer the target roll material from the first target loading member to the empty loading member, and then controls the swivel transport device to rotate the first target loading member 180 degrees from which the target roll material has been removed.

2. The controller When it is determined that there are a plurality of second target placement members, which are placement members on which only one roll material is placed, in the automated warehouse, controlling the automated warehouse to continuously supply two second target placement members from the automated warehouse to the turning and conveying device, and controlling the turning and conveying device to convey the second target placement members to the transfer position; When the roll material is placed on one of the second object placement members at the second position and the roll material is placed on the other of the second object placement members at the first position or a central position between the first position and the second position, the roll material placed on the other of the second object placement members is transferred to the first position of the one of the second object placement members, 2. The automated warehouse system of claim 1, wherein when the roll material is placed on one of the second target placing members at the first position and the roll material is placed on the other of the second target placing members at the central position, the swivel conveying device is controlled to rotate both of the second target placing members 180 degrees and to transport both of the second target placing members to the transfer position, and the swivel conveying device is controlled to transfer the roll material placed on the other of the second target placing members to the first position of one of the second target placing members, and then to rotate both of the second target placing members 180 degrees.

3. The automated warehouse system described in claim 2, wherein when the controller controls the automated warehouse to continuously supply two second target placement members from the automated warehouse to the rotating conveying device, the controller controls the automated warehouse to select two second target placement members such that the weight difference between the roll materials placed on the two second target placement members is within a predetermined range.

4. The transfer device is a first arm for supporting a large diameter roll having a predetermined amount or more of the product wound around the shaft; a second arm for supporting a small diameter roll having a smaller amount of the product wound thereon than the large diameter roll; The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

5. The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller controls the transfer device to change the lifting amount of the roll material based on the diameter size of the roll material.

6. the transfer device is provided so as to be movable along a conveying direction of the roll material by the turning conveying device, The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller controls the swivel conveying device to convey the source and destination loading members of the roll material so that the source and destination loading members of the roll material are aligned at the transfer position.

7. The transfer device is an arm that is formed to be able to support the roll material from below and that is able to advance and retreat along the extending direction of the shaft core; a first optical sensor having a detection optical axis located a predetermined distance from the center of the placement member toward the transfer device in the extending direction of the axis; The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller stops the advancement of the arm when the first optical sensor detects the roll material or the arm.

8. The transfer device is an arm that is formed to be able to support the roll material from below and that is able to advance and retreat along the extending direction of the shaft core; a second optical sensor having a detection optical axis located a predetermined distance from the end of the placement member on the transfer device side in the extension direction of the axis, The automated warehouse system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller confirms that the second optical sensor does not detect the roll material before advancing the arm.

Images