Item storage system

Abstract

To provide an item storage system that can suppress the decline in operational efficiency. [Solution] The article storage system 100 comprises an article storage device 1 and a central controller 110 that controls the operation of the article storage devices 1. Multiple article storage devices 1 are arranged side by side so that boxes B can be loaded and unloaded by a box transport unit 40 between adjacent article storage devices 1. One box B is transported sequentially from one article storage device 1 to another article storage device 1. The central controller 110 acquires the status of the article storage devices 1, and if an abnormality occurs in any of the article storage devices 1, it causes the article storage devices 1 located upstream and / or downstream in the transport direction of the box B to continue operating relative to the article storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article storage system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an article storage device including an article conveyance unit that conveys articles, a box conveyance unit that conveys a box for storing articles, and a storage mechanism that stores the articles conveyed by the article conveyance unit in the box conveyed by the box conveyance unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In an article storage system including a plurality of the above article storage devices, articles having different types, shapes, etc. may be stored in each article storage device. In this article storage system, when a plurality of article storage devices are arranged side by side and an article is stored in a box in one article storage device, the box is conveyed to the next article storage device, and the article is stored in the box in the said article storage device. Thus, in an article storage system in which a plurality of article storage devices operate in联动, if a malfunction (abnormality) occurs in one article storage device, the operations of all the other article storage devices stop. As a result, the operation rate of the article storage system may decrease.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention aims to provide an article storage system capable of suppressing a decrease in the operation rate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) An article storage system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an article storage device having an article transport unit for transporting articles, a box transport unit for transporting boxes for storing articles, and a storage mechanism for storing articles transported by the article transport unit into boxes, and a control device for controlling the operation of the article storage device, wherein the multiple article storage devices are arranged side by side so that boxes can be loaded and unloaded by the box transport unit between adjacent article storage devices, one box is transported sequentially from one article storage device to another, and the control device acquires the status of the article storage devices, and if an abnormality occurs in any of the article storage devices, it causes the article storage devices located upstream and / or downstream in the direction of box transport from the article storage device where the abnormality occurred to continue operating.

[0007] In an article storage system according to one aspect of the present invention, the control device acquires the status of the article storage devices, and if an abnormality occurs in any article storage device, it causes the article storage devices located upstream and / or downstream in the box transport direction relative to the article storage device where the abnormality occurred to continue operating. For example, in the article storage system, the article storage device downstream of the article storage device where the abnormality occurred continues to store articles and transport boxes. In the article storage system, the article storage device upstream of the article storage device where the abnormality occurred continues to store articles. As a result, in the article storage system, article storage devices other than the one where the abnormality occurred can continue to operate. Therefore, the article storage system can suppress a decrease in operating rate.

[0008] (2) In the article storage system described in (1) above, if the abnormality in the article storage device is resolved and the article storage device is restarted, the control device may operate the restarted article storage device at a faster speed than before the abnormality occurred for a predetermined period of time. In this configuration, even if an abnormality occurs in the article storage device and the operation of a part of the article storage system is temporarily stopped, the operating speed of the restarted article storage device (at least one of the box transport section and the storage mechanism) is increased after the abnormality is resolved, thereby suppressing a decrease in the operating rate.

[0009] (3) In the article storage system described in (1) or (2) above, the article storage device may be equipped with a leveling mechanism on the upstream or downstream side of the transport direction of the box transport section relative to the storage mechanism, which presses down and levels the articles stored in the boxes. In this configuration, articles stored in boxes transported from other article storage devices, or articles stored in boxes transported to other article storage devices, can be leveled by the leveling mechanism. This reduces the risk of articles overflowing and falling out of boxes when storing articles in boxes or transporting boxes, due to articles piling up inside the boxes in the article storage system.

[0010] (4) In the article storage system described in (3) above, the leveling mechanism may have an adjustment mechanism that allows adjustment of the position in which the articles are pressed down. In this configuration, the position in which the articles are pressed down can be adjusted in the leveling mechanism. This allows the leveling mechanism to press down and level the articles at an appropriate position within the box. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a decrease in operating rate can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the goods storage system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the goods storage system. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the article storage device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the article storage device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the item storage device, with the input conveyor viewed from the alignment conveyor side, in a state where the contact surface with the bags of the input conveyor has been momentarily removed. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a front view of the position of the bag as it falls from the conveyor belt, assuming that the contact surface between the conveyor belt and the bag is removed instantaneously. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a front view of the housing mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 8(b) are perspective views showing the configuration of the leveling mechanism 50. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a housing mechanism that holds a plurality of bags together. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a housing mechanism that transfers a plurality of bags to a box. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the article storage system.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an article storage system. As shown in FIG. 1, the article storage system 100 includes a plurality of article storage devices 1. The plurality of article storage devices 1 are arranged side by side in a row. In FIG. 1, five article storage devices 1 are illustrated, but the number of article storage devices 1 may be four or less or six or more.

[0015] In the article storage system 100, in each article storage device 1, different types of articles are stored in the box B. In the present embodiment, the article is a bag G in which the article is enclosed. The box B is, for example, cardboard. In the article storage system 100, for example, in one article storage device 1, the bag G of the product "A" is stored in the box B, and in another article storage device 1, the bag G of the product "B" is stored in the box B. Thereby, in the article storage system 100, a plurality of types of bags G are stored in the box B. In the article storage system 100, one box B is sequentially conveyed from one article storage device 1 to another article storage device 1. In the present embodiment, a form in which the box B is conveyed from the right side to the left side in the drawing will be described as an example in a plurality of article storage devices 1.

[0016] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the article storage system 100. As shown in Figure 2, the article storage system 100 includes a general controller (control device) 110. The general controller 110 controls the entire article storage system 100. The general controller 110 can be configured by a computer including a processor, a main storage unit, an auxiliary storage unit, a communication control unit, an input device, and an output device. The general controller 110 may be composed of one computer or multiple computers. When using multiple computers, these computers are connected via a communication network such as the Internet or an intranet, thereby constructing a logically single general system.

[0017] The general controller 110 is provided to be communicable with a plurality of article storage devices 1 by wire or wirelessly. The general controller 110 transmits production information indicating a production plan in the article storage system 100 to each of the plurality of article storage devices 1. The general controller 110 generates an operation signal for controlling the operation of the article storage device 1 based on the information transmitted from each of the plurality of article storage devices 1.

[0018] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the article storage device 1. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the article storage device 1. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the article storage device 1 includes an article conveyance unit 10, an article alignment unit 20, a storage mechanism 30, a box conveyance unit 40, a leveling mechanism 50, and a control unit 60.

[0019] The article storage device 1 conveys the bag G and stores the bag G in the box B. Upstream processes in the conveyance path of the bag G of the article storage device 1 are provided with a weighing device, a bag-making and packaging machine, etc. not shown in the figure. Only the bag G that has passed the weight, sealability, foreign matter inclusion inspection, etc. in the upstream process is supplied to the article storage device 1.

[0020] The item transport unit 10 receives bags G from the equipment in the upstream process and transports the bags G to the item alignment unit 20. The item transport unit 10 has an item introduction conveyor 11 and an item input conveyor 12. The item introduction conveyor 11 receives bags G that have passed inspections for weight, sealability, foreign matter contamination, etc., and guides the bags G to the input conveyor 12. The input conveyor 12 transports the bags G that have been transported from the item introduction conveyor 11 to the item alignment unit 20.

[0021] The conveying surface of the input conveyor 12 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. Specifically, when a bag G is transferred from the input conveyor 12 to the alignment conveyor 21 (described later) of the goods alignment section 20, the orientation of the bag G is inclined such that the part that lands on a bag G already placed on the alignment conveyor 21 is upward, and the part that lands directly on the alignment conveyor 21 is downward. As a result, the bag G lands on the alignment conveyor 21 before or simultaneously with any bag G already placed on it. Furthermore, since the frictional force between the alignment conveyor 21 and the bag G exceeds the frictional force between the bags G themselves, slippage between the bags G is prevented and disturbances in their orientation are suppressed.

[0022] A support conveyor 13 is provided at the lower end of the loading conveyor 12 in the direction of inclination to support the bags G, prevent them from falling out, and guide the bags G in the transport direction. The transport surface of the support conveyor 13 and the transport surface of the loading conveyor 12 are perpendicular to each other.

[0023] As the bag G moves along the upper side of the inclined surface of the loading conveyor 12, it receives a component of gravity along the inclined direction, causing it to slide downward towards the support conveyor 13 as it moves, and then move along the support conveyor 13. The loading surface of the support conveyor 13 moves along the direction of travel of the loading conveyor 12 so as not to obstruct the transport of the bag G. In this embodiment, when the bag G reaches the tip of the loading conveyor 12, the contact surface between the loading conveyor 12 and the bag G is instantly removed, thereby maintaining the dropping posture of the bag G in the same posture as when it was being transported.

[0024] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the item storage device 1, taken from the alignment conveyor 21 side, with the input conveyor 12 momentarily removed from contact with the bag G. Figure 6 is a front view of the position of the bag G as it falls from the input conveyor 12 when the contact surface between the input conveyor 12 and the bag G is momentarily removed.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when a bag G is transported downstream of the input conveyor 12 and a position sensor 15 detects that the leading edge of the bag G has reached the leading edge of the input conveyor 12, the leading roller R1 of the input conveyor 12 moves a distance D1 in the opposite direction X2 to the transport direction (first direction X1). At this time, the intermediate roller R2 of the input conveyor 12 also moves a distance D1 in the direction X2 in conjunction with it, thereby absorbing the slack in the conveyor belt when the leading roller R1 moves in the direction X2.

[0026] As the leading edge of the input conveyor 12 instantaneously moves upstream of the bag G, the bag G suddenly loses the resistance from the conveying surface of the input conveyor 12, but maintains its posture during transport due to inertia. As a result, the landing posture on the alignment conveyor 21 is more likely to maintain the posture it had when it left the input conveyor 12, and the disruption of its posture upon landing is suppressed.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the item alignment unit 20 aligns the bags G supplied from the item transport unit 10. The item alignment unit 20 includes an alignment conveyor 21 and an output conveyor 22. The alignment conveyor 21 receives each bag G and transports it a certain distance toward the output conveyor 22. In the item alignment unit 20, the bags G move a certain distance toward the output conveyor 22 from the point of impact. In the item alignment unit 20, a portion of the bag G that falls later lands on the alignment conveyor 21, while the remaining portion leans against the previously dropped bag G and tilts. As a result, the bags G on the alignment conveyor 21 form a row such that adjacent bags partially overlap each other.

[0028] In the item alignment section 20, after the last bag G in the line lands on the alignment conveyor 21, the alignment conveyor 21 and the discharge conveyor 22 start operating simultaneously, and the alignment conveyor 21 and the discharge conveyor 22 transport items in the same direction. In the item alignment section 20, the N bags G aligned in a line on the alignment conveyor 21 move to the discharge conveyor 22 as a single item group, and the item group already on the discharge conveyor 22 continues to move along the discharge conveyor 22.

[0029] The loading conveyor 12 of the item transport section 10 and the alignment conveyor 21 of the item alignment section 20 are arranged so that their respective transport directions are perpendicular to each other. The alignment conveyor 21 transports each bag G that it receives a certain distance toward the unloading conveyor 22, so that a portion of the bag G lands on the alignment conveyor 21, and the remaining portion leans against the previous bag G and tilts, so that adjacent bags overlap in a row. In the item alignment section 20, if a bag G falls in a horizontal position, the subsequent bag G will fall directly onto the top surface of the waiting bag G, which may cause it to bounce in a direction different from the intended position. To suppress this, in this embodiment, measures are taken to ensure that the bag is in a position suitable for landing on the alignment conveyor 21.

[0030] The storage mechanism 30 stores (transfers) multiple bags G aligned in the item alignment section 20 into box B. The storage mechanism 30 is a parallel link robot with three sets of links. The storage mechanism 30 lifts the group of items in bags G that have been transported on the discharge conveyor 22, moves horizontally, and heads towards the top of box B. When the storage mechanism 30 reaches the top of box B, it transfers the group of items into box B.

[0031] Figure 7 is a front view of the housing mechanism 30. As shown in Figure 7, the housing mechanism 30 comprises a base 32, three servo motors 33a, 33b, and 33c, parallel link arms 34a, 34b, and 34c, and a suction holder 38. The housing mechanism 30 is a robot composed of these components.

[0032] The base 32 is located above the discharge conveyor 22 or box B (see Figure 4). Below the base 32, three servo motors 33a, 33b, and 33c are held at equal intervals.

[0033] The upper ends of the parallel link arms 34a, 34b, and 34c are connected to the output shafts of the servo motors 33a, 33b, and 33c, respectively, and their lower ends are connected to the suction holder 38. Each of the parallel link arms 34a, 34b, and 34c extends from the output shafts of the servo motors 33a, 33b, and 33c to the suction holder 38, respectively.

[0034] When the housing mechanism 30 is in operation, the amount and direction of rotation of the output shafts of each servo motor 33a, 33b, and 33c are controlled as appropriate, and the lower ends of each parallel link arm 34a, 34b, and 34c move horizontally and vertically, so that the suction holder 38 moves to any position in a certain three-dimensional space.

[0035] The suction holder 38 has a plurality of suction pads 38a at its lower part. Each suction pad 38a is connected to a suction tube 36 extending from a vacuum pump or vacuum blower (not shown), and the suction holder 38 switches between holding the bag G by suction and releasing it. By suctioning and releasing the group of articles with the suction pads 38a, the suction holder 38 can grasp and release the group of articles.

[0036] Specifically, the suction holder 38 grasps bags G1, G2, and G3 together on the discharge conveyor 22, and the parallel link arms 34a, 34b, and 34c lift the suction holder 38 and move it on a plane, releasing the suction from the suction holder 38 above box B. As a result, bags G1, G2, and G3 are released from the suction holder 38 and transferred into box B.

[0037] While the first group of items, bags G1, G2, and G3, are being transported, the next group of items, bags G4, G5, and G6, are already waiting on the alignment conveyor 21. Since a gap is maintained between the first and second groups of items along the transport direction, when the storage mechanism 30 transports the first group of items, it is prevented that the bags G4, G5, and G6 of the second group of items will be picked up by the suction holder 38.

[0038] The box transport section 40 transports the box B. The box transport section 40 is a belt conveyor. For example, three boxes B can be placed on the box transport section 40. When a bag G is placed in the box B by the storage mechanism 30, the box transport section 40 transports the box B. The box transport section 40 receives the box B from the box transport section 40 of the article storage device 1 located upstream in the transport direction of the box B in the article storage system 100. The box transport section 40 delivers the box B to the box transport section 40 of the article storage device 1 located downstream in the transport direction of the box B in the article storage system 100.

[0039] Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are perspective views showing the configuration of the leveling mechanism 50. The leveling mechanism 50 presses down on and levels the bags G contained in the box B. The leveling mechanism 50 is located either upstream or downstream of the box conveying section 40 in the conveying direction relative to the storage mechanism 30. In this embodiment, the leveling mechanism 50 is located upstream of the box conveying section 40 in the conveying direction relative to the storage mechanism 30.

[0040] The leveling mechanism 50 includes a drive unit 51, a movable part 52, a pressing part 53, and a mounting part 54. The drive unit 51 drives the movable part 52. The drive unit 51 is configured to include a drive source (motor, etc.). The movable part 52 is provided to be movable in the vertical direction by the drive of the drive unit 51. The pressing part 53 is the part that presses against (comes into contact with) the bag G. The pressing part 53 is provided at the tip (lower end) of the movable part 52. The mounting part 54 is a bracket for attaching the leveling mechanism 50 to the article storage device 1 (frame, etc.).

[0041] The drive unit 51, the movable part 52, and the pressing part 53 are provided as a single unit. The drive unit 51 (including the movable part 52 and the pressing part 53) is detachably mounted on the mounting part 54. The drive unit 51 can be mounted on the mounting part 54 in a different orientation. In Figure 8(a) and Figure 8(b), the drive unit 51 is mounted in a different orientation relative to the mounting part 54.

[0042] The drive unit 51 is mounted on the mounting portion 54 so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. The drive unit 51 is fixed to the mounting portion 54 by, for example, a fastener (bolt, etc.). By changing the orientation of the drive unit 51 relative to the mounting portion 54 and / or the position of the drive unit 51 on the mounting portion 54, the position in which the bag G is pressed down by the leveling mechanism 50 (position of the pressing portion 53) can be adjusted. The drive unit 51 and the mounting portion 54 constitute an adjustment mechanism that allows adjustment of the position in which the bag G is pressed down.

[0043] The control unit 60 controls the operation of the item storage device 1. The control unit 60 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ROM stores programs for controlling the item storage device 1. The control unit 60 can communicate with the main controller 110.

[0044] The control unit 60 controls the operation of the article transport unit 10, article alignment unit 20, storage mechanism 30, box transport unit 40, and leveling mechanism 50. The control unit 60 controls each unit (each mechanism) based on production information transmitted from the master controller 110. The production information includes information for controlling the operating speed of the article storage device 1.

[0045] The control unit 60 stops the operation of the article storage device 1 if an abnormality occurs in any of the article transport unit 10, article alignment unit 20, storage mechanism 30, box transport unit 40, or leveling mechanism 50. An abnormality may be, for example, a malfunction in transporting bag G in the article transport unit 10, a malfunction in aligning bag G in the article alignment unit 20, a storage malfunction in the storage mechanism 30, a malfunction in transporting box B in the box transport unit 40, or a leveling malfunction in the leveling mechanism 50. When an abnormality occurs, the control unit 60 transmits an abnormality signal to the main controller 110 indicating that an abnormality has occurred (that the operation has stopped).

[0046] When the malfunction in the item storage device 1 is resolved and it becomes possible to restart it, the control unit 60 transmits an operation signal to the main controller 110 indicating that it is ready to restart. In response to transmitting the operation signal, the control unit 60 receives an operation signal from the main controller 110 and, based on the operation signal, restarts the operation of the item transport unit 10, the item alignment unit 20, the storage mechanism 30, the box transport unit 40, and the leveling mechanism 50.

[0047] Next, the operation of the item storage device 1 will be described. In this embodiment, the operation will be described assuming that bags G1, G2, and G3, which have passed inspection, are introduced into the item introduction conveyor 11 from the upstream side, and that they are sequentially supplied to the input conveyor 12.

[0048] The input conveyor 12 transports the bag G1 supplied from the item introduction conveyor 11 toward the alignment conveyor 21. When the leading edge of the bag G1 reaches the leading edge of the input conveyor 12, the leading edge of the input conveyor 12 instantaneously moves a distance D1 in the direction X2 opposite to the first direction X1, as shown in Figure 6. The bag G1 lands on the alignment conveyor 21 while maintaining the posture it had just before its contact surface with the input conveyor 12 was removed. When there are no preceding bags on the alignment conveyor 21, the bag G1 becomes the leading bag in the line on the alignment conveyor 21. For the sake of explanation, the bag G1 will be described as the leading bag in the line.

[0049] When the alignment conveyor 21 receives bag G1, it transports bag G1 a certain distance toward the discharge conveyor 22 and waits to receive the subsequent bag G2. Next, when the leading edge of bag G2 reaches the leading edge of the input conveyor 12, the contact surface with the input conveyor 12 is instantly removed, and it lands on the alignment conveyor 21 while maintaining that posture. The input conveyor 12 is inclined such that the part that lands on bag G1 already placed on the alignment conveyor 21 is above, and the part that lands directly on the alignment conveyor 21 is below. As a result, bag G2 falls while maintaining its inclined posture, with part of it landing on bag G1 and the rest landing on the alignment conveyor 21.

[0050] When the alignment conveyor 21 receives bag G2, it transports both bag G1 and bag G2 a certain distance toward the discharge conveyor 22 and waits to receive the subsequent bag G3. When the leading edge of bag G3 reaches the leading edge of the input conveyor 12, the contact surface with the input conveyor 12 is instantly removed, and bag G3 lands on the alignment conveyor 21 while maintaining its orientation. Part of bag G3 lands on bag G2, and the rest lands on the alignment conveyor 21. Figure 5 shows bag G3 immediately after the contact surface with the input conveyor 12 is instantly removed.

[0051] Bags G1, G2, and G3 on the alignment conveyor 21 form rows in which adjacent bags partially overlap each other. When a row of bags G1, G2, and G3 is completed, the alignment conveyor 21 transports that row as a single group of items toward the discharge conveyor 22. At this time, the discharge conveyor 22 also moves in the same direction, so the group of items on the alignment conveyor 21 moves onto the discharge conveyor 22. If there is a preceding group of items on the discharge conveyor 22, that group of items moves further downstream.

[0052] Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a storage mechanism 30 that holds multiple bags G together. Figure 10 is a schematic side view of a storage mechanism 30 that transfers multiple bags G to a box B. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the suction holder 38 of the storage mechanism 30 suctions multiple bags G of the group of items moving on the discharge conveyor 22, transfers them to box B, and places them inside box B. Box B is moved to the next position by the box transport unit 40 each time a group of items is dropped.

[0053] The item storage device 1 repeats the above operations to fill box B with the necessary bags G. In the item storage device 1, the alignment conveyor 21 of the item alignment unit 20 supplies the item group with multiple bags G aligned to the discharge conveyor 22, so the suction holder 38 of the storage mechanism 30 can transfer multiple bags G from the item group to box B all at once. As a result, even if bags G are continuously supplied from the item transport unit 10, the time it takes for the item alignment unit 20 to align the bags G gives the storage mechanism 30 some leeway, thus avoiding a situation where the storage mechanism 30 is overwhelmed with transporting bags G. In addition, in the item storage device 1, the item group with aligned bags G is temporarily stored on the alignment conveyor 21 and the discharge conveyor 22, thus avoiding a situation where the supply of item groups to the storage mechanism 30 cannot keep up.

[0054] Next, the operation of the article storage system 100 will be explained with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the article storage system 100. In the article storage system 100, as shown in Figure 1, multiple article storage devices 1 are arranged side by side so that boxes B can be loaded and unloaded by the box transport unit 40 between adjacent article storage devices 1. In the following explanation, as shown in Figure 11, multiple article storage devices 1 may be referred to as article storage device 1A, article storage device 1B, article storage device 1C, article storage device 1D, and article storage device 1D in order to distinguish them.

[0055] In the item storage system 100, the central controller 110 acquires the status of each of the multiple item storage devices 1. Specifically, when an abnormality occurs in an item storage device 1, the control unit 60 of each item storage device 1 transmits an abnormality signal to the central controller 110. When the central controller 110 receives the abnormality signal, it acquires the status that an abnormality has occurred in the item storage device 1 that transmitted the movement signal.

[0056] If an abnormality occurs in any of the item storage devices 1, the central controller 110 will continue the operation of the item storage devices 1 located upstream and / or downstream in the direction of bag G transport relative to the item storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred. The central controller 110 will also continue the operation of any of the item transport unit 10, item alignment unit 20, storage mechanism 30, box transport unit 40, and leveling mechanism 50.

[0057] For example, if an abnormality occurs in the item storage device 1C, the central controller 110 sends an operation signal to item storage devices 1A and 1B located upstream of item storage device 1C, instructing them to continue storing the bags G into the boxes B using the storage mechanism 30, and to stop the transport of boxes B by the box transport unit 40. Specifically, the central controller 110 generates and sends an operation signal to item storage devices 1A and 1B to continue operating the storage mechanism 30 until the storage of the bags G by the storage mechanism 30 is complete.

[0058] For example, if an abnormality occurs in the item storage device 1C, the central controller 110 sends a signal to item storage devices 1D and 1E, located downstream of item storage device 1C, to continue the storage mechanism 30 storing the bag G into the box B, and to continue the box transport unit 40 transporting the box B. Specifically, the central controller 110 generates and sends an operation signal to item storage devices 1D and 1E to continue the operation of the storage mechanism 30 until the storage of the bag G by the storage mechanism 30 is complete, and to transport the box B containing the bag G by the box transport unit 40. As a result, as shown in Figure 11, the box B is discharged from item storage device 1E and item storage device 1E.

[0059] When the malfunction in the item storage device 1 is resolved and the item storage device 1 is restarted, the central controller 110 will operate the restarted item storage device 1 at a faster speed than before the malfunction occurred for a predetermined period. When the central controller 110 receives an operation signal from the item storage device 1 that was malfunctioning, it generates an operation signal instructing a change in the operating speed of the item storage device 1. Specifically, based on the time the operation signal was received, the central controller 110 generates an operation signal to make the item storage device 1 operate faster than before the malfunction occurred so that production can be carried out in accordance with the production plan. The predetermined period is set based on the timing of restart, etc., to the period (time) until production can be carried out in accordance with the production plan (until delays are made up).

[0060] If abnormalities occur simultaneously (at the same time (period)) in multiple item storage devices 1, the central controller 110 will continue the operation of one of the item transport unit 10, item alignment unit 20, storage mechanism 30, box transport unit 40, and leveling mechanism 50 in the other item storage devices 1 (item storage devices 1 that are not experiencing abnormalities) based on the positional relationship between the item storage device 1 that has experienced an abnormality and the other item storage devices 1. The central controller 110 sets which part (mechanism) will continue to operate to achieve the optimal operating rate and generates an operation signal.

[0061] As described above, in the article storage system 100 according to this embodiment, the central controller 110 acquires the status of the article storage devices 1, and if an abnormality occurs in any of the article storage devices 1, it causes the article storage devices 1 located upstream and / or downstream in the transport direction of the box B to continue operating relative to the article storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred. For example, in the article storage system 100, the article storage device 1 downstream of the article storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred continues to store the bag G and transport the box B. In the article storage system 100, the article storage device 1 upstream of the article storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred continues to store the bag G. As a result, in the article storage system 100, article storage devices 1 other than the article storage device 1 where the abnormality occurred can continue to operate. Therefore, the article storage system 100 can suppress a decrease in operating rate.

[0062] In the article storage system 100 according to this embodiment, when an abnormality in the article storage device 1 is resolved and the article storage device 1 is restarted, the central controller 110 operates the restarted article storage device 1 at a faster speed than before the abnormality occurred for a predetermined period of time. With this configuration, even if an abnormality occurs in the article storage device 1 and the operation of a part of the article storage system 100 is temporarily stopped, the operating speed of the article storage device 1 (at least one of the box transport section and the storage mechanism) is increased after the abnormality is resolved, thereby suppressing a decrease in the operating rate.

[0063] In the article storage system 100 according to this embodiment, the article storage device 1 is equipped with a leveling mechanism 50 that presses down and levels the bags G stored in the box B on the upstream or downstream side of the transport direction of the box transport section 40 relative to the storage mechanism 30. With this configuration, the bags G stored in the box B that are brought in from another article storage device 1, or the bags G stored in the box B that are transported to another article storage device 1, can be leveled by the leveling mechanism. As a result, in the article storage system 100, the risk of bags G overflowing and falling out of the box B when storing bags G in the box B or when transporting the box B is reduced due to bags G piling up inside the box B.

[0064] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the form in which the article is a bag G was described as an example. However, the article may be something else. In the above embodiment, the form in which the box B is a cardboard box was described as an example. However, the box B may be a container or the like.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the configuration of the article transport unit 10 and the article alignment unit 20 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the storage mechanism 30 was described as a robot that adsorbs and holds the group of articles formed by the alignment conveyor 21. However, the storage mechanism 30 may have other configurations.

[0068] In the above embodiment, one example described is that when the malfunction in the item storage device 1 is resolved and the item storage device 1 is restarted, the central controller 110 operates the restarted item storage device 1 at a faster speed than before the malfunction occurred for a predetermined period. However, when the malfunction in the item storage device 1 is resolved and the item storage device 1 is restarted, the central controller 110 may also operate one or more other item storage devices 1 at a faster speed than before the malfunction occurred for a predetermined period. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E... Item storage device, 10... Item transport unit, 30... Storage mechanism, 40... Box transport unit, 50... Leveling mechanism, 100... Item storage system, 110... Main controller (control device), B... Box, G... Bag (item).

Claims

1. An article storage device having an article transport section for transporting articles, a box transport section for transporting boxes for storing the articles, and a storage mechanism for storing the articles transported by the article transport section into the boxes, The device comprises a control device for controlling the operation of the article storage device, Multiple article storage devices are arranged side by side so that boxes can be loaded and unloaded by the box transport unit between adjacent article storage devices. One box is sequentially transported from one of the article storage devices to another. The control device acquires the status of the article storage devices, and if an abnormality occurs in any of the article storage devices, it causes the article storage devices located upstream and / or downstream in the transport direction of the box to continue operating relative to the article storage device where the abnormality occurred.

2. The article storage system according to claim 1, wherein, when the abnormality of the article storage device is resolved and the article storage device is restarted, the control device operates the restarted article storage device at a faster speed than before the abnormality occurred for a predetermined period of time.

3. The article storage system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the article storage device is equipped with a leveling mechanism on the upstream or downstream side of the transport direction of the box transport section relative to the storage mechanism, for pressing down and leveling the articles stored in the box.

4. The article storage system according to claim 3, wherein the leveling mechanism has an adjustment mechanism that can adjust the position in which the article is pressed down.

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