Conveying equipment

Abstract

In a transport system equipped with multiple transport vehicles that travel along a designated route to transport goods, there is a need for technology that can appropriately resolve deadlock situations while simultaneously guiding the transport vehicle that was causing the deadlock towards its destination. [Solution] A transport system comprising multiple transport vehicles and a control system, wherein the travel path includes a circular path, and when a deadlock occurs, the control system executes a first deadlock resolution process, which resolves the deadlock by changing the destination of some of the multiple transport vehicles that are causing the deadlock from their original destinations, treating each of the multiple transport vehicles that are causing the deadlock as a factor transport vehicle, and if the deadlock cannot be resolved by this process, it executes a second deadlock resolution process, which moves all the factor transport vehicles toward the circular path and makes them circle the circular path, and then moves each factor transport vehicle toward its original destination.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to conveying equipment.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-268769 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology related to conveying equipment. Hereinafter, the reference numerals shown in parentheses in the description of the background art are those of Patent Document 1.

[0003] The conveying equipment of Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of carrier vehicles (2) that travel along a travel route network (3) to convey articles, and a plurality of stations (S). The travel route network (3) is formed in a grid pattern by a combination of a plurality of movement routes (1), and thus includes a plurality of intersections (D1, D2). A plurality of evacuation locations (K) for the carrier vehicles (2) to retreat are provided in this travel route network (3) so as to correspond to the plurality of intersections (D1, D2). The evacuation location (K) is branched and connected to one of the plurality of movement routes (1) that merge at the intersection (D1, D2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the transport equipment described in Patent Document 1, if a so-called deadlock occurs when multiple transport vehicles attempting to pass through a single intersection obstruct each other's movement and stop, one of these transport vehicles is moved to a designated refuge area corresponding to the intersection. This allows the remaining transport vehicles to pass through the intersection sequentially, thus resolving the deadlock. However, it may be difficult to provide separate refuge areas corresponding to each intersection, or providing such refuge areas may increase the area required for the installation of the transport equipment. In such cases, it is necessary to resolve the deadlock by means other than those described above.

[0006] Therefore, in a transport system equipped with multiple transport vehicles that travel along a route to transport goods, there is a need for a technology that can appropriately resolve deadlock situations while guiding the transport vehicle that was causing the deadlock towards its destination. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The transport equipment relating to this disclosure is a transport equipment comprising a plurality of transport vehicles that travel along a travel path to transport goods, and a control system that controls the plurality of transport vehicles, Let the X-direction be a specific direction along the horizontal plane, and the Y-direction be the direction that intersects the X-direction when viewed from above and below. The aforementioned travel path includes a plurality of Y-direction paths which are paths along the Y direction, a plurality of X-direction paths which are paths along the X direction and each intersects at least one of the Y-direction paths, and a circular path which is composed of a pair of the X-direction paths and a pair of the Y-direction paths. The control system is If, along the aforementioned travel path, a deadlock occurs in which multiple transport vehicles moving toward their respective destinations obstruct each other's movement and stop, and if the deadlock cannot be resolved by executing a first deadlock resolution process, which resolves the deadlock by changing the destination of some of the multiple transport vehicles that are causing the deadlock from their original destination, then a second deadlock resolution process is executed, which moves all of the multiple transport vehicles toward the circular path and makes them circle the circular path, and then moves each of the multiple transport vehicles that are on the circular path toward their original destination.

[0008] With this configuration, even if the deadlock state is not resolved by the first deadlock resolution process, which involves changing the destination of some of the multiple factor transport vehicles, the deadlock state can be resolved with high reliability without requiring complex control processing on the transport vehicles. Furthermore, since each transport vehicle is moved from the circular path towards the destination point, the possibility of the deadlock state occurring again can be reduced. Thus, this configuration allows for the appropriate resolution of a deadlock while simultaneously directing the transport vehicle that was causing the deadlock towards its destination.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the conveying equipment will become clear from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which will be explained with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic plan view of the conveying equipment. [Figure 2] A schematic plan showing the transfer location and the area to be transferred. [Figure 3] Control block diagram [Figure 4] A schematic plan view showing a transport vehicle in a deadlock state. [Figure 5] A schematic plan view showing a transport vehicle in a deadlock state. [Figure 6]A schematic plan view showing a transport vehicle in a deadlock state. [Figure 7] A schematic plan view showing a transport vehicle traveling along a circular route. [Figure 8] Control flow diagram [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Below, an embodiment of the conveying equipment 1 will be described based on the drawings.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the transport equipment 1 comprises a plurality of transport vehicles 10 that travel along a travel path 2 to transport goods W, and a control system 100 that controls the plurality of transport vehicles 10. In this embodiment, a plurality of transfer target locations 6 are provided along the travel path 2. Each of the plurality of transport vehicles 10 travels along the travel path 2 to transport goods W to its respective transfer target location 6. In the following, a specific direction along the horizontal plane will be described as the X direction, and a direction intersecting the X direction in an up-down view will be described as the Y direction. In this example, one side in the X direction will be referred to as the first X direction side X1, and the opposite side as the second X direction side X2. Similarly, one side in the Y direction will be referred to as the first Y direction side Y1, and the opposite side as the second Y direction side Y2.

[0013] The travel path 2 includes a plurality of Y-direction paths 3 that are paths along the Y direction, a plurality of X-direction paths 4 that are paths along the X direction, each intersecting with at least one Y-direction path 3, and a circular path 5 composed of a pair of X-direction paths 4 and a pair of Y-direction paths 3. In this embodiment, the travel path 2 includes a grid-like path (grid-like path 18) formed by the intersection of the plurality of Y-direction paths 3 and the plurality of X-direction paths 4. Specifically, the plurality of Y-direction paths 3 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the X direction, and the plurality of X-direction paths 4 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. The grid-like path 18 is formed by the plurality of Y-direction paths 3 and the plurality of X-direction paths 4 arranged in this manner being orthogonal to each other in a vertical view. In this example, the grid-like path 18 formed as described above and the circular path 5 are arranged adjacent to each other. Here, the circular path 5 is located on the first Y-direction side Y1 with respect to the grid-like path 18 (dotted line in Figure 1).

[0014] In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 10 is configured to transfer the item W between the transfer target location 6 and the transfer target location 6 at the transfer position 7, which is defined as the transfer position 7 in the travel path 2. Here, the transport vehicle 10 is configured to be able to travel along both the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4. In this example, guide rails (not shown) are arranged along both the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4. The transport vehicle 10 travels along the travel path 2, guided by the guide rails.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, the carrier 10 includes a traveling device 13, a transfer device 14, and a control unit 12. The traveling device 13 includes a traveling motor (not shown) as a drive source and a plurality of wheels (not shown). By driving with the traveling motor, the carrier 10 can obtain a propulsive force to travel along the traveling route 2. Here, the plurality of wheels include wheels that roll on a guide rail along the X-direction route 4 and wheels that roll on a guide rail along the Y-direction route 3. The transfer device 14 is configured to support the article W and transfer the article W between the transfer target location 6. Here, the transfer device 14 is of a fork type, but it can also be of a conveyor type. Note that the carrier 10 is not limited to such a rail-mounted trolley, and may be an automated guided vehicle that autonomously travels along the traveling route 2. Further, the carrier 10 may be a ceiling carrier that suspends and supports the article W for transportation.

[0016] The control unit 12 is configured to control the traveling device 13 and the transfer device 14, and also to control each element other than these devices (for example, various sensors such as an obstacle sensor). Further, in the present embodiment, the conveying facility 1 further includes a control device H that controls the entire facility. And the control unit 12 is configured to be able to communicate with the control device H. The control unit 12 controls the traveling device 13 to make the carrier 10 travel toward a predetermined transfer target location 6. In the present embodiment, the control unit 12 controls the traveling device 13 and the transfer device 14 based on command information from the control device H. Note that the control unit 12 and the control device H include, for example, a processor such as a microcomputer, and peripheral circuits such as a memory. And each function is realized by the cooperation of these hardware and a program executed on a processor such as a computer.

[0017] In this embodiment, the transfer position 7 is set on the Y-direction path 3. Also, the transfer position 7 is not set on the circular path 5. To add an explanation, the carrier vehicle 10 (here, the transfer device 14) moves the article W along the X direction at the transfer position 7. Thereby, the carrier vehicle 10 can transfer the article W to the transfer target location 6. In this embodiment, a plurality of transfer positions 7 are set on the Y-direction path 3 so as to be adjacent to the corresponding transfer target locations 6. Also, the transfer position 7 is set on the Y-direction path 3 included in the grid-like path 18. And the transfer target location 6 is arranged in the region surrounded by the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4 in the grid-like path 18.

[0018] In this embodiment, the circular path 5 is configured to intersect all the Y-direction paths 3 included in the travel path 2. In this example, the circular path 5 is formed by two X-direction paths 4 arranged in the Y direction and two Y-direction paths 3 that are the most separated in the X direction among the plurality of Y-direction paths 3. And the two X-direction paths 4 forming the circular path 5 are the two X-direction paths 4 arranged on the most Y-direction first side Y1 among the plurality of X-direction paths 4. Note that, between the two X-direction paths 4 forming the circular path 5, for example, no region where the transfer target location 6 can be arranged is formed. In this example, with respect to the two Y-direction paths 3 that form the circular path 5 and are the most separated in the X direction, the remaining Y-direction paths 3 arranged inside in the X direction are connected so as to intersect the circular path 5 respectively. In the circular path 5, the traveling direction of the carrier vehicle 10 is set in one direction (the white arrow in FIG. 1).

[0019] In this example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport equipment 1 is equipped with a storage rack 9. The storage rack 9 is equipped with multiple storage compartments, which serve as transfer target locations 6. Each storage compartment can accommodate one item W. These storage compartments (transfer target locations 6) are arranged in the X and Y directions. The storage rack 9 is located on the grid-like path 18 side (second side in the Y direction, Y2) relative to the circular path 5 in the travel path 2. The storage compartments are located in the area of ​​the grid-like path 18 enclosed by the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4. One side of the storage compartment in the X direction is an entrance / exit for loading and unloading items W. Each storage compartment is arranged so that its entrance / exit faces the Y-direction path 3 side (transfer position 7 side). In the example in Figures 1 and 2, multiple storage compartment groups are arranged, with groups of three storage compartments (transfer target locations 6) arranged in the Y direction forming a storage compartment group. These storage compartment groups are arranged in groups of two or four in the X direction. The transport vehicle 10 then transfers the items W to two storage compartments of the storage shelf 9, which are aligned in the shelf depth direction (X direction), at the transfer position 7. In this example, the storage shelf 9 has a so-called double-deep structure, and the transfer device 14 of the transport vehicle 10 is configured to transfer items W to two storage compartments aligned in the X direction. In this example, the guide rails that guide the transport vehicle 10 are supported by the pillars and rails that make up the storage compartments. Alternatively, a chute may be provided instead of multiple storage compartments. In this case, the transfer target location 6 becomes the chute. In this case, the transport vehicle 10 can be configured to load the items W into the chute at the transfer position 7.

[0020] In the example shown in Figure 1, the transport equipment 1 is equipped with an loading / unloading section 8 for loading and unloading goods W between the inside and outside of the equipment. Here, the loading / unloading section 8 is a conveyor. Multiple loading / unloading sections 8 are arranged to correspond to the ends of the first Y1 side in the Y direction of each of the multiple Y-direction paths 3. The multiple loading / unloading sections 8 are also arranged on the first Y1 side in the Y direction with respect to the grid-like path 18, with the circular path 5 in between. The transport vehicle 10 can transfer goods W to the transfer target location 6 (storage section) as well as to each loading / unloading section 8. Note that Figure 1 shows only some of the multiple goods W stored in the storage section. In Figures 4 to 7, the description of the goods W stored in the storage section is omitted.

[0021] In this embodiment, each of the multiple transport vehicles 10 can be mainly classified into: a transport vehicle 10 that has received goods W from the loading / unloading section 8 and is moving toward a predetermined transfer target location 6 (loading transport vehicle 10a); a transport vehicle 10 that has received goods W from a predetermined transfer target location 6 and is moving toward the loading / unloading section 8 (loading transport vehicle 10b); a transport vehicle 10 that has received goods W from a predetermined transfer target location 6 and is moving toward another transfer target location 6 (shelf transport vehicle 10c); and a transport vehicle 10 that is moving without transporting goods W (empty transport vehicle 10d).

[0022] In this embodiment, the control system 100 includes the control device H and control unit 12 described above. In this example, the control device H comprises a determination unit 15, a calculation unit 16, and a storage unit 17. The storage unit 17 stores information about the multiple transport vehicles 10 (for example, the model of each transport vehicle 10), map information showing the travel route 2, and information showing the location of each storage unit (transfer target location 6). The storage unit 17 also stores information about the status of each storage unit (whether or not an item W is stored in it). The information regarding the status of the storage unit is updated each time an item is transferred by the transport vehicle 10.

[0023] The control device H controls each of the multiple transport vehicles 10 to transport the goods W. Specifically, the control device H transmits command information to the control unit 12 of each transport vehicle 10. Each transport vehicle 10 travels along the travel path 2 and transports the goods W according to the command information. The command information includes at least the destination of the transport vehicle 10, the transfer operation to be performed at the destination (receiving and handing over the goods W, etc.), and information about the route to the destination.

[0024] In this example, the control device H manages the position of each transport vehicle 10 by dividing the travel path 2 (grid-shaped path 18, circular path 5) into multiple zones. As shown by the dashed lines in Figure 1, these zones include intersection zones where the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4 intersect, and adjacent zones adjacent to the intersection zones. Each of the Y-direction path 3 and the X-direction path 4 is divided into multiple intersection zones and adjacent zones. The control device H manages each zone (intersection zone and adjacent zone) so that only one transport vehicle 10 can enter at a time (i.e., only one transport vehicle 10 can exist in each zone). In the example in Figure 2, multiple transfer positions 7 are set in one adjacent zone on the Y-direction path 3. As for the destinations of the transport vehicles 10 as described above, in addition to the transfer positions 7 set within the adjacent zones, adjacent zones and intersection zones where no transfer positions 7 are set are also included. In the example shown in Figure 1, the adjacent zones include a zone set between two intersection zones aligned in the X or Y direction, a zone corresponding to the loading / unloading section 8, and a zone adjacent to multiple storage sections (transfer target locations 6) that is also a dead end. In this example, each zone is equipped with a detectable section (one-dimensional code, two-dimensional code, etc.) that can be detected by the transport vehicle 10.

[0025] The calculation unit 16 of the control device H, once the final destination of the transport vehicle 10 (for example, a predetermined transfer position 7) is set, sets the route that the transport vehicle 10 should travel from its current position (the zone in which the transport vehicle 10 is located) to the final destination. The calculation unit 16 extracts multiple candidate routes from the current position to the final destination and calculates the cost of each candidate route. Preferably, the cost calculation is based on, for example, the cost set for a link that is a route portion connecting two intersections (nodes) (link cost), or the cost set for the operation of the traveling device 13 to move between the rail along the Y-direction route 3 and the rail along the X-direction route 4 (for example, the wheel switching operation). The control device H then selects the route with the lowest cost among the multiple candidate routes as the set route (route to the destination) and controls the transport vehicle 10 to travel along the set route. The method by which the control device H selects the optimal set route can be changed as appropriate.

[0026] In this embodiment, if a deadlock occurs in the travel path 2 when multiple transport vehicles 10 moving toward their respective destinations obstruct each other's movement and stop, the control system 100 executes a first deadlock resolution process, which resolves the deadlock by changing the destination of some of the multiple transport vehicles 11 that are causing the deadlock, treating each of the multiple transport vehicles 10 that are causing the deadlock as a factor transport vehicle 11, and changing the destination of some of the factor transport vehicles 11 from their original destination. If this process fails to resolve the deadlock, the control system 100 executes a second deadlock resolution process, which moves all factor transport vehicles 11 toward the circular path 5 and makes them circle the circular path 5, and then moves each of the factor transport vehicles 11 on the circular path 5 toward their original destination.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the control system 100, in the first deadlock resolution process (S02-S06), sequentially selects one factor transport vehicle 11 from all factor transport vehicles 11 as the target transport vehicle 11a, and determines whether the deadlock state is resolved by changing the destination of the target transport vehicle 11a from the original destination to another destination. The control system 100 then moves the target transport vehicle 11a, which it has determined that the deadlock state has been resolved, toward the other destination. In this example, as shown in Figure 8, the control device H (determination unit 15) determines whether a deadlock has occurred in the travel path 2 (here, the grid-shaped path 18) (S01). If the control device H determines that a deadlock has occurred (S01: Yes), it executes a sequential selection process (S02). Here, in the sequential selection process, the determination unit 15 sequentially selects one factor transport vehicle 11 from all factor transport vehicles 11 as the target transport vehicle 11a. Here, among the multiple factor transport vehicles 11, priority is set in the order listed above: empty transport vehicle 10d, receiving transport vehicle 10a, inter-shelf transport vehicle 10c, and outbound transport vehicle 10b. The determination unit 15 selects the target transport vehicle 11a according to the above priority. For example, if there is no empty transport vehicle 10d as a factor transport vehicle 11, but there is a receiving transport vehicle 10a, the determination unit 15 selects the receiving transport vehicle 10a as the target transport vehicle 11a. Furthermore, the control device H can appropriately change the above priority according to the zone in which each factor transport vehicle 11 is located. For example, the priority of the factor transport vehicle 11 to be selected as the target transport vehicle 11a can be set in the order listed above: intersection zone, zone other than intersections and cul-de-sacs, and cul-de-sac zone. Here, "cul-de-sac zone" refers to a zone that is a dead end in the grid-like path 18. In addition to the above, if a charging station for charging the transport vehicle 10 is located along the travel route 2, the transport vehicle 10 moving towards the charging station may also be considered, and the transport vehicle 10 in motion may also be considered to avoid a deadlock situation.

[0028] Next, the control device H executes a destination change process (S03) to determine whether the deadlock is resolved. Specifically, the determination unit 15 determines whether the deadlock is resolved by changing the destination of the empty transport vehicle 10d from the original destination to another destination. Specifically, the determination unit 15 determines whether the deadlock is resolved when at least some of the zones in the set route beyond the current zone are changed for the selected target transport vehicle 11a. Here, the original destination is the final destination of the transport vehicle 10 (for example, a predetermined transfer position 7). Then, in the destination change process, by changing some of the zones in the set route, the original destination and the set route from the changed zone onward are canceled. As a result, the destination of the target transport vehicle 11a is set to the changed zone instead of the original destination. In this example, the control device H changes the destination of the target transport vehicle 11a from the original destination to a zone adjacent to the current position zone, or to a zone adjacent across an intersection zone.

[0029] If the control device H determines that the deadlock state can be resolved by the destination change process (S04: Yes), it executes the resolution movement process (S05). In the resolution movement process, the control device H makes the target transport vehicle 11a travel toward the changed destination. After that, the control device H executes the first restart process (S06) to make each factor transport vehicle 11 travel toward the original destination. In the example in Figure 4, an empty transport vehicle 10d, an incoming transport vehicle 10a, and an outgoing transport vehicle 10b are positioned as factor transport vehicles 11, separated by an intersection. At the intersection, each factor transport vehicle 11 is in a deadlock state, stopping and obstructing each other's movement. In the illustrated example, the empty transport vehicle 10d is positioned in a dead-end zone. Therefore, in the sequential selection process, the control device H would normally select the empty transport vehicle 10d as the target transport vehicle 11a, but instead selects the incoming transport vehicle 10a as the target transport vehicle 11a. Furthermore, in the destination change process, the control device H changes the destination of the target transport vehicle 11a (inbound transport vehicle 10a) from the original destination (dead-end zone) to the adjacent zone (dashed circle) set on the X-direction route 4. Then, in the resolution movement process, the control device H makes the target transport vehicle 11a travel toward the changed zone (the adjacent zone mentioned above). In the first restart process, the control device H makes the outbound transport vehicle 10b travel toward the predetermined loading / unloading section 8, which is the original destination, and also makes the empty transport vehicle 10d travel toward the predetermined storage section, which is the original destination. Note that the dashed arrows in Figure 4 show the paths that each factor transport vehicle 11 travels toward its original destination. Also, the solid arrows in Figure 4 show the path that the target transport vehicle 11a travels toward the changed destination. The same applies to Figure 5.

[0030] In the example shown in Figure 5, multiple factor transport vehicles 11 are stopped on a path (Y-direction path 3 and X-direction path 4) surrounding multiple transfer target locations 6 (storage units), obstructing each other's movement and resulting in a deadlock. Here, in the sequential selection process, the control device H selects one of the multiple empty transport vehicles 10d (factor transport vehicles 11) as the target transport vehicle 11a. Then, in the destination change process, the control device H changes the destination of the target transport vehicle 11a (empty transport vehicle 10d) to a dead-end zone. In the illustrated example, multiple candidate locations are listed for the changed destination of the empty transport vehicle 10d (indicated by dashed circles). When there are multiple candidate locations for the changed destination, the control device H determines whether the deadlock will be resolved at each candidate location. Furthermore, if the deadlock situation is resolved at multiple candidate locations, it is preferable to set one of the multiple candidate locations as the new destination, depending on factors such as the distance to the original destination of the target transport vehicle 11a and the position of the transport vehicles 10 other than the factor transport vehicle 11. After the resolution and movement process is executed, the control device H executes the first restart process and causes all factor transport vehicles 11 to travel toward their respective original destinations. In addition, if, during the first deadlock resolution process, there is a transport vehicle 10 that is waiting (stopped) on the travel path 2 without transporting the item W, and that transport vehicle 10 is obstructing the movement of the factor transport vehicle 11, the control device H may appropriately move that transport vehicle 10 to, for example, a dead-end zone where no other transport vehicles 10 are present.

[0031] In this embodiment, if the control device H determines that the deadlock state cannot be resolved for the selected target transport vehicle 11a, it selects the next highest priority transport vehicle 10 as the target transport vehicle 11a. The determination unit 15 then determines whether or not the deadlock state can be resolved for the newly selected target transport vehicle 11a. The control device H performs the same determination for all factor transport vehicles 11. If the result is that the deadlock state cannot be resolved (S04: No), the control device H executes the second deadlock resolution process (S07-S09). Here, the conditions under which the control device H (determination unit 15) determines that the deadlock cannot be resolved for each factor transport vehicle 11 include not only the case where the deadlock state is maintained even by the destination change process, but also, for example, the case where the deadlock state is resolved but the period until the first restart process is executed is longer than the set period, or the case where, even if the deadlock state is resolved once, it is expected that a transport vehicle 10 other than the factor transport vehicle 11 will cause a deadlock state again.

[0032] In the second deadlock resolution process, the control system 100 prioritizes moving the factor transport vehicles 11 that are furthest from the circular route 5 to their respective initial destinations, among the multiple factor transport vehicles 11 on the circular route 5, toward their initial destinations. In this example, as shown in Figure 8, the control device H executes the circular route movement process (S07), the departure order determination process (S08), and the second restart process (S09) in the order described, as the second deadlock resolution process.

[0033] In the circular path movement process, the control device H moves multiple factor transport vehicles 11 in order of proximity to the circular path 5, and also causes these factor transport vehicles 11 to travel in a circular path 5. In this example, the control device H causes each factor transport vehicle 11 to travel toward the circular path 5 in order of the shortest path distance from the position of the factor transport vehicle 11 that is stopped due to a deadlock state. Note that the order in which each factor transport vehicle 11 travel toward the circular path 5 may be determined not only by the shortest path distance as described above, but also by considering the number of intersections included in the shortest path, etc.

[0034] In the example shown in Figure 6, multiple transport vehicles 10 are stopped on a path (Y-direction path 3 and X-direction path 4) surrounding multiple transfer target locations 6 (storage units), obstructing each other's movement. Additionally, at two intersections located on the second side Y2 of the Y-direction, among the multiple (four in this case) intersections included in the said path, multiple transport vehicles 10 are stopped, obstructing each other's movement. Here, the control device H considers the multiple transport vehicles 10 present on the path surrounding the multiple transfer target locations 6 as factor transport vehicles 11 and moves these factor transport vehicles 11 to the circular path 5. In the illustrated example, the six factor transport vehicles 11 are classified into three incoming transport vehicles 10a, one outgoing transport vehicle 10b, and two empty transport vehicles 10d. In the example shown in Figure 7, these six factor transport vehicles 11 are moving in a circular path 5.

[0035] In the departure order determination process, the control device H determines the departure order of multiple factor transport vehicles 11 heading from the circular route 5 to their initial destinations based on the distance from the circular route 5 to the initial destination of each factor transport vehicle 11. Here, the determination unit 15 determines the departure order of each factor transport vehicle 11 based on the shortest path from the circular route 5 to its initial destination. The calculation unit 16 extracts the shortest path from among multiple paths connecting the initial destination zone and any zone on the circular route 5 for each factor transport vehicle 11 and sets it as the shortest path. Therefore, as shown by the arrows extending along the Y-direction path 3 in Figure 7, the shortest path is the shortest path from among multiple paths connecting any of the multiple intersection zones on the side closer to the grid-like path 18 on the circular route 5 to the initial destination zone. As described above, the calculation unit 16 sets the path with the lowest cost among multiple candidate paths as the shortest path for each factor transport vehicle 11. The control device H then determines the departure order so that the transport vehicle 11, which has the shortest path from the circular route 5 to its initial destination, departs first. Alternatively, the control device H may determine the departure order so that the transport vehicle 10, whose initial destination is a dead-end zone, departs preferentially.

[0036] In the second restart process, the control device H moves each factor transport vehicle 11 to its initial destination in the order determined in the departure order determination process. Here, if there are multiple factor transport vehicles 11 whose initial destination is the same zone, the control device H may, for example, prioritize moving the factor transport vehicle 11 that stops at one of the multiple transfer positions 7 located in the zone, on the side furthest from the circular path 5. Furthermore, for the outbound transport vehicle 10b whose initial destination is the loading / unloading section 8, the control device H moves it to the loading / unloading section 8 at its initial destination from the circular path 5 (in this case, the X-direction path 4 furthest from the grid-like path 18) as appropriate, regardless of the determined departure order. The control device H may also further modify the departure order determined in the departure order determination process in the second restart process, depending on the status of other transport vehicles 10 moving along the grid-like path 18.

[0037] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a plurality of transfer target locations 6 (storage areas) are arranged along the X and Y directions, and each transfer target location 6 is configured to allow loading and unloading of items W to and from the transport vehicle 10 on a transfer position 7 set on the Y direction path 3. However, the invention is not limited to this. For example, the plurality of transfer target locations 6 can be further arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. In this case, the travel path 2 (Y direction path 3, X direction path 4) can also be arranged in multiple stages to correspond to each of the multiple stages of transfer target locations 6. Naturally, each transfer target location 6 may also be configured to allow loading and unloading of items W to and from the transport vehicle 10 on the X direction path 4.

[0038] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which no transfer position 7 is set in the circumferential path 5 was described as an example, but the embodiment is not limited to this. Transfer position 7 may also be set in the circumferential path 5. For example, transfer position 7 can be set in the X-direction path 4 on the side closer to the grid-like path 18 in the circumferential path 5. In this case, it is preferable that the storage section adjacent to the X-direction path 4 is configured to allow the transfer of articles W in the Y direction.

[0039] (3) In the above embodiments, an example was described in which the circular path 5 is configured to intersect with all Y-direction paths 3 included in the travel path 2, but it is not limited to this. The circular path 5 may be configured to intersect with some of all Y-direction paths 3 included in the travel path 2, for example. For example, the circular path 5 may be configured to intersect only with the Y-direction path 3 that is furthest away in the X direction, and not with any other Y-direction paths 3 that are located further inward in the X direction.

[0040] (4) In the above embodiment, the control system 100 was described as having a configuration in which, in the second deadlock resolution process, the factor transport vehicles 11 on the circular route 5 are prioritized to move towards their respective initial destinations, starting with those that are farther away from the circular route 5. However, the system is not limited to this configuration. The control system 100 may also prioritize moving the factor transport vehicles 11 that are closer to their respective initial destinations, starting with those that are closer from the circular route 5.

[0041] (5) In the above embodiment, the control system 100 was described as having a configuration in which it moves one target transport vehicle 11a that it has determined has been freed from the deadlock to another destination in the first deadlock resolution process, but it is not limited to this. The control system 100 can also have a configuration in which it moves multiple target transport vehicles 11a that it has determined have been freed from the deadlock to another destination, thereby resolving the deadlock.

[0042] (6) The configurations disclosed in each of the embodiments described above can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. With regard to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0043] [Summary of the above embodiments] The following is a summary of the conveying equipment described above.

[0044] The transport equipment relating to this disclosure is a transport equipment comprising a plurality of transport vehicles that travel along a travel path to transport goods, and a control system that controls the plurality of transport vehicles, Let the X-direction be a specific direction along the horizontal plane, and the Y-direction be the direction that intersects the X-direction when viewed from above and below. The aforementioned travel path includes a plurality of Y-direction paths which are paths along the Y direction, a plurality of X-direction paths which are paths along the X direction and each intersects at least one of the Y-direction paths, and a circular path which is composed of a pair of the X-direction paths and a pair of the Y-direction paths. The control system is If, along the aforementioned travel path, a deadlock occurs in which multiple transport vehicles moving toward their respective destinations obstruct each other's movement and stop, and if the deadlock cannot be resolved by executing a first deadlock resolution process, which resolves the deadlock by changing the destination of some of the multiple transport vehicles that are causing the deadlock from their original destination, then a second deadlock resolution process is executed, which moves all of the multiple transport vehicles toward the circular path and makes them circle the circular path, and then moves each of the multiple transport vehicles that are on the circular path toward their original destination.

[0045] With this configuration, even if the deadlock state is not resolved by the first deadlock resolution process, which involves changing the destination of some of the multiple factor transport vehicles, the deadlock state can be resolved with high reliability without requiring complex control processing on the transport vehicles. Furthermore, since each transport vehicle is moved from the circular path towards the destination point, the possibility of the deadlock state occurring again can be reduced. Thus, this configuration allows for the appropriate resolution of a deadlock while simultaneously directing the transport vehicle that was causing the deadlock towards its destination.

[0046] Here, multiple transfer target locations are provided along the aforementioned travel path, The position corresponding to each of the aforementioned transfer target locations in the aforementioned travel path is defined as the transfer position. The transport vehicle is configured to transfer the article between the transfer location and the transfer target location at the transfer position. Preferably, the aforementioned transfer position is not set in the aforementioned circular path.

[0047] With this configuration, since there are no transport vehicles whose destination is the circular route, the possibility of transport vehicles stopping on the circular route can be reduced. Therefore, multiple factor transport vehicles that are causing a deadlock situation can more easily travel around the circular route, and the possibility of a deadlock situation occurring on the circular route can be reduced.

[0048] Furthermore, the transfer position is set along the Y-direction path, Preferably, the circular path is configured to intersect with all of the Y-direction paths included in the travel path.

[0049] With this configuration, since the circular path intersects with all Y-direction paths, in the second deadlock resolution process, multiple factor transport vehicles circulating the circular path can more easily proceed to their respective initial destinations. Furthermore, the possibility of another deadlock occurring on the path from the circular path to the initial destination of each factor transport vehicle can be reduced.

[0050] Furthermore, in the second deadlock resolution process, the control system preferably prioritizes moving the factor transport vehicles that are furthest from the circular route to their respective initial destinations, among the multiple factor transport vehicles on the circular route, toward the initial destinations.

[0051] This configuration makes it easier to increase the likelihood of properly moving each factor transport vehicle from its circular route to its initial destination. Furthermore, it reduces the possibility of a deadlock recurring due to the movement of these factor transport vehicles.

[0052] Furthermore, in the first deadlock resolution process, the control system From all of the aforementioned factor transport vehicles, one of the aforementioned factor transport vehicles is sequentially selected as the target transport vehicle, and the destination of the target transport vehicle is changed from the original destination to another destination, and it is determined whether or not the deadlock state is resolved. It is preferable to move the target transport vehicle, which has been determined to have resolved the deadlock condition, toward the other destination.

[0053] This configuration allows for minimizing the number of transport vehicles that need to be moved to a destination other than the original destination in order to resolve a deadlock, and also increases the likelihood that the deadlock will be resolved by the first deadlock resolution process.

[0054] The conveying equipment relating to this disclosure only needs to be able to achieve at least one of the effects described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1: Conveying equipment 2: Route 3: Y-direction path 4: X-direction path 5: Loop Route 6: Sections to be reprinted 7:Transfer position 10: Transport vehicle 11: Vehicle for transporting the vehicle 11a: Target transport vehicle 100: Control System

Claims

1. A transport system comprising: a plurality of transport vehicles that travel along a travel path to transport goods; and a control system that controls the plurality of transport vehicles, Let the X-direction be a specific direction along the horizontal plane, and the Y-direction be the direction that intersects the X-direction when viewed from above and below. The aforementioned travel path includes a plurality of Y-direction paths which are paths along the Y direction, a plurality of X-direction paths which are paths along the X direction and each intersects at least one of the Y-direction paths, and a circular path which is composed of a pair of the X-direction paths and a pair of the Y-direction paths. The control system is In the aforementioned travel path, if a deadlock occurs where multiple transport vehicles moving toward their respective destinations obstruct each other's movement and stop, the first deadlock resolution process, which resolves the deadlock by changing the destination of some of the multiple transport vehicles that are causing the deadlock from their original destination, is performed, and if the deadlock cannot be resolved by this process, the second deadlock resolution process is performed, which moves all of the multiple transport vehicles toward the circular path and makes them circle the circular path, and then moves each of the multiple transport vehicles that are on the circular path toward their original destination.

2. Multiple transfer target locations are provided along the aforementioned travel route. The position corresponding to each of the aforementioned transfer target locations in the aforementioned travel path is defined as the transfer position. The transport vehicle is configured to transfer the article between the transfer location and the transfer target location at the transfer position. The transport equipment according to claim 1, wherein the transfer position is not set in the aforementioned circular path.

3. The transfer position is set in the Y-direction path, The conveying equipment according to claim 2, wherein the circular path is configured to intersect with all of the Y-direction paths included in the travel path.

4. The transport equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control system, in the second deadlock resolution process, prioritizes moving the multiple factor transport vehicles on the circular path toward the initial destination, starting with the factor transport vehicle that is furthest from the circular path toward the initial destination.

5. In the first deadlock resolution process, the control system From all of the aforementioned factor transport vehicles, one of the aforementioned factor transport vehicles is sequentially selected as the target transport vehicle, and the destination of the target transport vehicle is changed from the original destination to a different destination, and it is determined whether or not the deadlock state is resolved. The transport equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the target transport vehicle, which has been determined to have resolved the deadlock condition, is moved toward the other destination.

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