Automated warehouse
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DAIFUKU CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-05
Smart Images
Figure 2026126600000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an automated warehouse including a storage shelf capable of accommodating a plurality of articles, an endless travel path arranged along the travel direction along the front surface of the storage shelf, a first transfer unit and a second transfer unit that travel along the travel path to transfer articles, and a control device that controls the first transfer unit and the second transfer unit.
Background Art
[0002] An example of such an automated warehouse is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. In the following description of the background art, the reference numerals in Patent Document 1 are cited within parentheses.
[0003] In the automated warehouse (1) of Patent Document 1, in a first travel area (A1) set on one side in the travel direction in the travel path (R), a first transfer unit (C1) transfers articles. And in a second travel area (A2) set on the other side in the travel direction in the travel path (R), a second transfer unit (C2) transfers articles.
[0004] The first travel area (A1) and the second travel area (A2) are arranged so as to form overlapping areas (A13, A23) where a part of them overlaps each other. And relay shelves (T1, T2) are provided in accordance with the positions of the overlapping areas (A13, A23). The transfer of articles between the first transfer unit (C1) and the second transfer unit (C2) is performed via the relay shelves (T1, T2).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0005]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0006] In the automated warehouse (1) of Patent Document 1, the loading and unloading section (I,O) where goods are loaded and unloaded is located on the side of the first driving area (A1) in the direction of travel. Therefore, when loading goods into the storage shelves (H3) corresponding to the second driving area (A2), the first transport unit (C1) receives the goods from the loading and unloading section (I,O) and then transports them to the intermediate shelves (T1,T2). Then, the second transport unit (C2) transports the goods that have been transported to the intermediate shelves (T1,T2) by the first transport unit (C1) to the storage shelves (H3) corresponding to the second driving area (A2). Also, when unloading goods from the storage shelves (H3) corresponding to the second driving area (A2), the second transport unit (C2) transports the goods stored in the storage shelves (H3) to the intermediate shelves (T1,T2). Then, the first transport unit (C1) transports the items that have been transported to the intermediate shelves (T1, T2) by the second transport unit (C2) to the loading / unloading section (I, O).
[0007] Thus, in the automated warehouse (1) of Patent Document 1, the loading and unloading of items targeting the storage shelves (H3) in the second travel area (A2), which is far from the loading and unloading section (I,O), must always be done via intermediate shelves (T1,T2). Therefore, it was difficult to load and unload items efficiently.
[0008] Therefore, it is desirable to realize an automated warehouse that can efficiently handle the loading and unloading of goods, in a configuration that includes a first transport unit and a second transport unit that travel along an ended travel path. [Means for solving the problem]
[0009] In light of the above, the characteristic configuration of the automated warehouse is: A storage shelf capable of holding multiple items, A terminal travel path is arranged along the travel direction along the front of the storage shelf, A first transport unit and a second transport unit that transport the article by traveling along the aforementioned travel path, An automated warehouse comprising a control device for controlling the first transport unit and the second transport unit, A first storage / retrieval unit is positioned in line with the first end, which is one end of the travel path in the travel direction, and where the goods are stored and retrieved. The system further comprises a second storage / retrieval section, which is positioned in line with the second end of the aforementioned travel path in the aforementioned travel direction, and in which the goods are stored and retrieved, The control device is A storage area setting process that sets a storage shelf a first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the first loading / unloading section, and a second storage area located on the second end side of the first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the second loading / unloading section, A first retrieval process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the stored items, which are the items already placed in the storage shelves, to the first retrieval section for retrieval, A first re-entry process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched in the first dispatch process from the first in / out section for re-entry, A second retrieval process involves having the second transport unit perform the operation of transporting the received items to the second retrieval / retrieval section for retrieval, The system is configured to perform a control process that includes a second re-entry process, which causes the second transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched in the second dispatch process from the second in / out section for re-entry.
[0010] This configuration allows for the separate dispatch of items to a first and second receiving / dispatch unit, and also enables separate re-inbound operations between the first and second receiving / dispatch units. Furthermore, the operations for dispatching and re-inbound to the first receiving / dispatch unit and the operations for dispatching and re-inbound to the second receiving / dispatch unit can be divided and performed by the first and second transport units. Therefore, the receiving and dispatching of items can be performed efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0011] [Figure 1] Diagram showing an automated warehouse according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure showing the storage area setting process [Figure 3] Figure showing the operations of the first transfer unit 31 and the second transfer unit 32 in the first mode [Figure 4] Figure showing the operations of the first transfer unit 31 and the second transfer unit 32 in the second mode [Figure 5] Figure showing the area change process [Figure 6] Figure showing the rearrangement process [Figure 7] Figure showing the rearrangement process for the articles stored by the relay warehousing process [Figure 8] Figure showing the rearrangement process for the articles stored by the first warehousing process
Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention
[0012] Hereinafter, the automatic warehouse 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic warehouse 100 includes a storage shelf 1, a travel path 2, a first transfer unit 31, a second transfer unit 32, a first loading / unloading unit 4, a second loading / unloading unit 5, and a control device 10.
[0014] [[ID=3,4]] The storage shelf 1 includes a plurality of storage portions 11 each configured to be able to store an article W. That is, the storage shelf 1 is configured to be able to store a plurality of articles W. In the present embodiment, the article W is a support (for example, a pallet, a container, etc.) that supports a plurality of items.
[0015] The travel path 2 is a path with ends and is arranged along the travel direction T along the front surface of the storage shelf 1. The travel path 2 includes a first end portion 2a that is one end portion in the travel direction T and a second end portion 2b that is the other end portion in the travel direction T. In the present embodiment, the travel path 2 is a rail formed in a straight line along the travel direction T.
[0016] The first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 are configured to travel along the travel route 2 to transport the article W. In the present embodiment, each of the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 is a stacker crane.
[0017] In the present embodiment, a pair of storage shelves 1 are arranged on both sides sandwiching the travel route 2. And in each of the pair of storage shelves 1, a plurality of storage portions 11 are arranged side by side in each of the travel direction T and the vertical direction V (see FIG. 2). That is, in the present embodiment, each of the pair of storage shelves 1 is configured to be able to store a plurality of articles W along the travel direction T and to be able to store a plurality of articles W along the vertical direction V. The vertical direction V is a direction along the vertical direction.
[0018] In the following description, the side of the first end portion 2a of the travel route 2 in the travel direction T is referred to as the "first travel side T1", and the side of the second end portion 2b of the travel route 2 in the travel direction T is referred to as the "second travel side T2".
[0019] The first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 are configured to be able to travel along the travel route 2 so as not to interfere with each other. The first transport unit 31 is arranged on the first travel side T1 with respect to the second transport unit 32. The first transport unit 31 is configured to be able to transfer the article W to and from the first loading / unloading unit 4. The second transport unit 32 is configured to be able to transfer the article W to and from the second loading / unloading unit 5.
[0020] Each of the first loading / unloading unit 4 and the second loading / unloading unit 5 is configured to perform loading and unloading of the article W. The first loading / unloading unit 4 is arranged in accordance with the position of the first end portion 2a of the travel route 2. Therefore, when the first transport unit 31 is located at the first end portion 2a, the article W is transferred between the first transport unit 31 and the first loading / unloading unit 4. The second loading / unloading unit 5 is arranged in accordance with the position of the second end portion 2b of the travel route 2. Therefore, when the second transport unit 32 is located at the second end portion 2b, the article W is transferred between the second transport unit 32 and the second loading / unloading unit 5.
[0021] In this embodiment, the first storage unit 4 is equipped with a pair of first storage conveyors 41. Each of the pair of first storage conveyors 41 is positioned adjacent to a pair of storage shelves 1 on the first side T1 in the travel direction. In this embodiment, the pair of first storage conveyors 41 are configured to transport items W between a location where items W are transferred to and from the first transport unit 31 and a location where picking operations for items W are performed (not shown).
[0022] In this embodiment, the second storage unit 5 is equipped with a pair of second storage conveyors 51. Each of the pair of second storage conveyors 51 is positioned adjacent to the pair of storage shelves 1 on the second side T2 in the travel direction. In this embodiment, the pair of second storage conveyors 51 are configured to transport the items W between a location where the items W are transferred to and from the second transport unit 32 and a location where picking operations for the items W are performed (not shown).
[0023] The control device 10 is a device that controls the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32. The control device 10 is configured to execute control processing including storage area setting processing, first retrieval processing, first re-retrieval processing, second retrieval processing, and second re-retrieval processing. In this embodiment, the control processing of the control device 10 further includes relay area setting processing and relay retrieval processing.
[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the storage area setting process is the process of setting the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 to the storage shelf 1. The first storage area A1 is the area for storing items W that are scheduled to be shipped out from the first loading / unloading section 4. The second storage area A2 is the area for storing items W that are scheduled to be shipped out from the second loading / unloading section 5. The second storage area A2 is located on the side of the second end 2b (second side T2 in the direction of travel) than the first storage area A1. Whether an item W is scheduled to be shipped out from the first loading / unloading section 4 or from the second loading / unloading section 5 can be determined by, for example, storing scheduled shipping information for each type of item W in a predetermined storage device, and the control device 10 referring to this scheduled shipping information.
[0025] The relay area setting process is the process of setting relay area A3 to storage shelf 1. Relay area A3 is an area that stores at least one item W. In this embodiment, storage shelf 1 further comprises a plurality of relay storage units 12. The plurality of relay storage units 12 are arranged in line in the travel direction T. Each of the plurality of relay storage units 12 is configured to store an item W. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of relay storage units 12 is equipped with a guide mechanism that corrects the position of the item W so that the item W received from the first transport unit 31 or the second transport unit 32 is supported at a certain position. In this embodiment, in the relay area setting process, the control device 10 sets one of the plurality of relay storage units 12 to relay area A3.
[0026] In this embodiment, the control device 10 classifies items W into high-frequency items Wb, medium-frequency items Wc, and low-frequency items Wd in order from those with the highest frequency of retrieval, during the storage area setting process. Then, during the storage area setting process, the control device 10 sets up the first re-entry item area A1a, the first high-frequency item area A1b, and the first medium-frequency item area A1c within the first storage area A1, starting from the side of the first end 2a (first side T1 in the travel direction). The retrieval frequency of items W is the number of items W retrieved per unit time (for example, one day). The retrieval frequency of items W may be an actual value or a predicted value. For example, it is possible to configure the control device 10 to refer to information on the retrieval frequency for each item W or each type of item W, which is stored in advance in a predetermined storage device.
[0027] The first re-inventory area A1a is an area for storing the first re-inventory item W1a, which is an item W that has been re-invented by the first re-inventory process. In this embodiment, the first re-inventory item W1a is a support in which at least one item remains after the picking operation. The first high-frequency item area A1b is an area for storing high-frequency items Wb other than the first re-inventory item W1a stored in the first storage area A1. The first medium-frequency item area A1c is an area for storing medium-frequency items Wc other than the first re-inventory item W1a stored in the first storage area A1. Note that if all the storage compartments 11 in either the first high-frequency item area A1b or the first medium-frequency item area A1c contain items W with the corresponding outbound frequency for that area, the other of the first high-frequency item area A1b or the first medium-frequency item area A1c may also contain items W with the above outbound frequency.
[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 10 sets up the second re-in storage area A2a, the second high-frequency storage area A2b, and the second medium-frequency storage area A2c in the second storage area A2, in order from the side of the second end 2b (second side T2 in the travel direction).
[0029] The second re-inventory area A2a is an area for storing the second re-inventory item W2a, which is an item W that has been re-invented through the second re-inventory process. In this embodiment, the second re-inventory item W2a is a support in which at least one item remains after the picking operation. The second high-frequency item area A2b is an area for storing high-frequency items Wb other than the second re-inventory item W2a stored in the second storage area A2. The second medium-frequency item area A2c is an area for storing medium-frequency items Wc other than the second re-inventory item W2a stored in the second storage area A2. If all the storage compartments 11 in either the second high-frequency item area A2b or the second medium-frequency item area A2c contain items W with the corresponding outbound frequency for that area, the other of the second high-frequency item area A2b or the second medium-frequency item area A2c may also contain items W with the above outbound frequency.
[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 10 sets a low-frequency product area Ad between the first medium-frequency product area A1c and the second medium-frequency product area A2c during the storage area setting process. The low-frequency product area Ad is an area that accommodates both low-frequency products Wd that are scheduled to be shipped out from the first inbound / outbound section 4 and low-frequency products Wd that are scheduled to be shipped out from the second inbound / outbound section 5. In the example shown in Figure 2, the low-frequency product area Ad is set to cover the entire vertical direction V of the storage shelf 1. The relay area A3 is set at the bottom of the low-frequency product area Ad. Note that the low-frequency product area Ad may be set to cover only a portion of the vertical direction V of the storage shelf 1.
[0031] Figures 3 and 4 show the operation of the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 under the control processing of the control device 10. For the sake of explanation, in Figures 3 and 4, the first high-frequency product area A1b and the first medium-frequency product area A1c in the first storage area A1 are shown as a single unit, and the second high-frequency product area A2b and the second medium-frequency product area A2c in the second storage area A2 are also shown as a single unit. In Figures 3 and 4, white arrows indicate the operation of the first transport unit 31, and black arrows indicate the operation of the second transport unit 32. The same applies to Figures 7 and 8.
[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the first retrieval process is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the stored items Ws, which are items W already stored in the storage rack 1, to the first inbound / outbound section 4 for retrieval (see the white-filled arrows AW1 and AW2 in Figure 3). In this embodiment, the first retrieval process includes a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the stored items Ws from the first high-frequency item area A1b or the first medium-frequency item area A1c to the first inbound / outbound section 4 (see the white-filled arrow AW1 in Figure 3), and a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the stored items Ws from the first re-stored item area A1a to the first inbound / outbound section 4 (see the white-filled arrow AW2 in Figure 3).
[0033] In this embodiment, the items W transported to the first inbound / outbound conveyor 41 of the first inbound / outbound section 4 by the first outbound processing are transported by the first inbound / outbound conveyor 41 to the location where picking operations are performed. After the picking operations are performed, the items W are transported by the first inbound / outbound conveyor 41 to the location where the items W are exchanged with the first transport unit 31.
[0034] The first re-in processing is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the items W that were dispatched in the first dispatch processing from the first in / out section 4 for re-in (see the white arrow AW3 in Figure 3). In this embodiment, the first re-in processing is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the items W that were dispatched in the first dispatch processing and picked from the first in / out section 4 to the first re-in item area A1a.
[0035] The second retrieval process is a process in which the second transport unit 32 is instructed to transport the received goods Ws to the second inbound / outbound section 5 for retrieval (see black arrows AB1 and AB2 in Figure 3). In this embodiment, the second retrieval process includes the process of instructing the second transport unit 32 to transport the received goods Ws from the second high-frequency goods area A2b or the second medium-frequency goods area A2c to the second inbound / outbound section 5 (see black arrow AB1 in Figure 3), and the process of instructing the second transport unit 32 to transport the received goods Ws from the second re-inbound goods area A2a to the second inbound / outbound section 5 (see black arrow AB2 in Figure 3).
[0036] In this embodiment, the items W transported to the second inbound / outbound conveyor 51 of the second inbound / outbound section 5 by the second outbound processing are transported by the second inbound / outbound conveyor 51 to the location where picking operations are performed. After the picking operations are completed, the items W are transported by the second inbound / outbound conveyor 51 to the location where the items W are exchanged with the second transport unit 32.
[0037] The second re-in processing is a process in which the second transport unit 32 is instructed to transport the items W that were dispatched in the second dispatch processing from the second in / out section 5 for re-in (see the black arrow AB3 in Figure 3). In this embodiment, the second re-in processing is a process in which the second transport unit 32 is instructed to transport the items W that were dispatched in the second dispatch processing and picked from the second in / out section 5 to the second re-in item area A2a.
[0038] In this embodiment, the control device 10 is configured to switch between a first mode in which the relay receiving process is paused and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, the second shipping process, and the second re-receiving process are executed, and a second mode in which the second shipping process and the second re-receiving process are paused and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, and the relay receiving process are executed. Furthermore, the control processing of the control device 10 further includes the first receiving process and the second receiving process.
[0039] Figure 3 shows the operation of the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 in the first mode. Figure 4 shows the operation of the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 in the second mode.
[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the first receiving process is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the initial receiving item Wf, which is the item W that is first received into the storage rack 1, from the first receiving / discharging unit 4 to the first storage area A1 or the second storage area A2 in the first mode (see the white-filled arrows AW4 and AW5 in Figure 3). In this embodiment, the first receiving process includes, in the first mode, a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the initial receiving item Wf from the first receiving / discharging unit 4 to the first high-frequency item area A1b or the first medium-frequency item area A1c (see the white-filled arrow AW4 in Figure 3), and a process in which the first transport unit 31 is instructed to transport the initial receiving item Wf from the first receiving / discharging unit 4 to the second high-frequency item area A2b or the second medium-frequency item area A2c (see the white-filled arrow AW5 in Figure 3).
[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the second receiving process is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is made to transport the first incoming item Wf from the first receiving / shipping unit 4 to the first storage area A1 in the second mode (see the white arrow AW6 in Figure 4). In this embodiment, the second receiving process is a process in which the first transport unit 31 is made to transport the first incoming item Wf from the first receiving / shipping unit 4 to the first high-frequency item area A1b or the first medium-frequency item area A1c in the second mode.
[0042] The relay warehousing process involves having the first transport unit 31 transport the initial incoming item Wf from the first inbound / outbound section 4 to the relay area A3, and having the second transport unit 32 transport the initial incoming item Wf from the relay area A3 to the second storage area A2 (in this case, the second high-frequency item area A2b or the second medium-frequency item area A2c) (see the white arrows AW7 and black arrows AB4 in Figure 4).
[0043] Thus, in this embodiment, the first item Wf is stored only from the side of the first end 2a of the travel path 2 (the first side T1 in the travel direction).
[0044] In this embodiment, the control device 10 normally operates in the second mode, and switches to the first mode only during certain periods of time. Therefore, the load on the second transport unit 32 is lower than the load on the first transport unit 31.
[0045] In this embodiment, the control processing of the control device 10 further includes area change processing. As shown in Figure 5, the area change processing is a process that changes the size of the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 based on the storage rate of articles W in the first storage area A1 and the storage rate of articles W in the second storage area A2, and also changes the position of the relay area A3 to match the position between the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 in the travel direction T. In the area change processing, for example, the sizes of the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 are changed so that the storage rate of articles W in the first storage area A1 and the storage rate of articles W in the second storage area A2 are equal.
[0046] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the three relay storage units 12 are arranged on the storage shelf 1 at equal intervals in the travel direction T, starting from the end of the first side T1 and the end of the second side T2 in the travel direction of the storage shelf 1 (see also Figure 2). Therefore, through the area change process, one of the three relay storage units 12 is set as relay area A3, corresponding to its position between the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 in the travel direction T. The two relay storage units 12 that are not set as relay area A3 may be used in the same way as storage unit 11. In Figure 5, black circles indicate relay storage units 12 set as relay area A3, and white circles indicate the other relay storage units 12.
[0047] In this embodiment, when the control device 10 changes the size of the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 such that the position of the end of the first storage area A1 on the second side T2 in the travel direction (specifically, the position of the storage unit 11 on the second side T2 in the travel direction in the first storage area A1) is located on the second side T2 in the travel direction more than 2 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf 1 in the travel direction T (specifically, the number of storage units 11 arranged in the travel direction T in the storage shelf 1) from the position of the end of the first side T1 in the travel direction of the storage shelf 1 (specifically, the position of the storage unit 11 on the first side T1 in the travel direction in the storage shelf 1), the relay storage unit 12 on the second side T2 in the travel direction is set to relay area A3 (see the uppermost storage shelf 1 and the second storage shelf 1 from the top in Figure 5).
[0048] Furthermore, in the area change process, if the control device 10 changes the size of the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 such that the position of the end of the second side T2 in the travel direction of the first storage area A1 is the same as or more than 2 / 3 of the length of the travel direction T of the storage shelf 1 from the position of the end of the first side T1 in the travel direction of the storage shelf 1, and is located more than 1 / 3 of the length of the travel direction T of the storage shelf 1 in the travel direction of the second side T2 in the travel direction, the control device 10 sets the central relay storage section 12 to relay area A3 (see the third storage shelf 1 from the top and the fourth storage shelf 1 from the top in Figure 5).
[0049] Furthermore, in the area change process, if the control device 10 changes the size of the first storage area A1 and the second storage area A2 such that the position of the end of the first storage area A1 on the second side T2 in the travel direction is located at the same position as or more than 1 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf 1 in the travel direction T from the position of the end of the storage shelf 1 on the first side T1 in the travel direction, the control device 10 sets the relay storage section 12 on the first side T1 in the travel direction to the relay area A3 (see the lowest storage shelf 1 and the second storage shelf 1 from the bottom in Figure 5).
[0050] In addition, in the relay area setting process, similar to the area change process, it is preferable to set one of the three relay accommodation units 12 to relay area A3, in accordance with the position between the first accommodation area A1 and the second accommodation area A2 in the travel direction T, as described above.
[0051] In this embodiment, the control processing of the control device 10 further includes a rearrangement process. As shown in Figure 6, the rearrangement process is a process in which the second transport unit 32 moves the received items Ws in at least one of the second high-frequency item area A2b and the second medium-frequency item area A2c so that they are moved toward the second side T2 in the travel direction and closer to the second loading / unloading section 5. The rearrangement process is preferably performed when the load on the second transport unit 32 is relatively low, such as in the second mode.
[0052] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, if the received goods Ws subject to the rearrangement process are received through a relay receiving process, that is, received goods Ws transported to the second storage area A2 by the second transport unit 32, the second transport unit 32 directly moves the received goods Ws from the original position, the first position P1, to the destination position, the second position P2, during the rearrangement process. This is because, in the relay receiving process, the first transport unit 31 transports the goods W to the relay storage unit 12 in the relay area A3, and any positional errors of the goods W caused by the first transport unit 31 are corrected by the relay storage unit 12 when the goods W are stored in the second storage area A2.
[0053] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8, if the received goods Ws subject to the rearrangement process are those resulting from the first receiving process, that is, received goods Ws transported to the second storage area A2 by the first transport unit 31, then in the rearrangement process, the second transport unit 32 moves the received goods Ws from the first position P1 to the relay storage section 12 in the relay area A3, and then moves them to the second position P2. This is because, in the first receiving process, the goods W are stored in the second storage area A2 by the first transport unit 31, and therefore any positional errors of the goods W caused by the first transport unit 31 are not corrected at the start of the rearrangement process.
[0054] Furthermore, if an item W with an incompatible shipping frequency is stored in the second high-frequency item area A2b or the second medium-frequency item area A2c, the item W may be moved to the area where it should originally be stored during the rearrangement process.
[0055] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 were described as stacker cranes as an example. However, the embodiment is not limited to such a configuration, and the first transport unit 31 and the second transport unit 32 may each be transport vehicles that travel along the travel path 2 to transport goods W.
[0056] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration was described as in which three relay housing units 12 are arranged at equal intervals in the travel direction T, and one relay housing unit 12 is set as relay area A3 in the area change process. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, one of the multiple housing units 11 may be set as relay area A3. In this case, relay housing units 12 may not be provided. Also, relay area A3 may be set regardless of the position between the first housing area A1 and the second housing area A2 in the travel direction T.
[0057] (3) 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.
[0058] [Summary of this embodiment] The following section will provide an overview of the automated warehouse described above.
[0059] Automated warehouses are A storage shelf capable of holding multiple items, A terminal travel path is arranged along the travel direction along the front of the storage shelf, A first transport unit and a second transport unit that transport the article by traveling along the aforementioned travel path, An automated warehouse comprising a control device for controlling the first transport unit and the second transport unit, A first storage / retrieval unit is positioned in line with the first end, which is one end of the travel path in the travel direction, and where the goods are stored and retrieved. The system further comprises a second storage / retrieval section, which is positioned in line with the second end of the aforementioned travel path in the aforementioned travel direction, and in which the goods are stored and retrieved, The control device is A storage area setting process that sets a storage shelf a first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the first loading / unloading section, and a second storage area located on the second end side of the first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the second loading / unloading section, A first retrieval process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the stored items, which are the items already placed in the storage shelves, to the first retrieval section for retrieval, A first re-entry process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched in the first dispatch process from the first in / out section for re-entry, A second retrieval process involves having the second transport unit perform the operation of transporting the received items to the second retrieval / retrieval section for retrieval, The system is configured to execute a control process that includes a second re-entry process, which causes the second transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched in the second dispatch process from the second in / out section for re-entry.
[0060] This configuration allows for the separate dispatch of items to a first and second receiving / dispatch unit, and also enables the separate re-depositing of items after dispatch. Furthermore, the operations for dispatching and re-depositing items to the first receiving / dispatch unit and the operations for dispatching and re-depositing items to the second receiving / dispatch unit can be divided and performed by the first and second transport units. Therefore, the receiving and dispatching of items can be performed efficiently.
[0061] Here, the control process is: A relay area setting process that sets a relay area for accommodating at least one of the aforementioned articles on the storage shelf, Preferably, the system further includes a relay storage process in which the first transport unit is instructed to transport the initial storage item, which is the item being stored in the storage rack for the first time, from the first storage / deposit unit to the relay area, and the second transport unit is instructed to transport the initial storage item from the relay area to the second storage area.
[0062] With this configuration, in the relay transport process, both the first transport unit and the second transport unit transport the initial incoming items from the first inbound / outbound section to the second storage area, which is farther away. This reduces the load imbalance between them and improves the overall transport efficiency of the automated warehouse.
[0063] In the above configuration, the control device is configured to switch between a first mode in which the relay receiving process is suspended and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, the second shipping process, and the second re-receiving process are executed, and a second mode in which the second shipping process and the second re-receiving process are suspended and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, and the relay receiving process are executed. The aforementioned control process is In the first mode, a first receiving process is performed in which the first transport unit is instructed to transport the initial received items from the first receiving / discharging section to the first storage area or the second storage area, In the second mode, it is preferable to further include a second receiving process, in which the first transport unit is instructed to transport the initial received items from the first receiving / discharging section to the first storage area.
[0064] With this configuration, in the first mode in which a first outbound process and a first re-in process that operate the first transport unit and a second outbound process and a second re-in process that operate the second transport unit are executed, the relay inbound process that requires the transfer of goods between the first transport unit and the second transport unit is not performed, and the initial inbound goods are transported by the first transport unit, thereby enabling efficient inbound of initial inbound goods. Furthermore, in the second mode, when the second outbound and second re-inbound processes that operate the second transport unit are suspended, the transport of initial incoming items to the second storage area, which is far from the first inbound / outbound section, is performed by relay transport. This reduces the load imbalance between the first and second transport units, thereby improving the overall transport efficiency of the automated warehouse.
[0065] Furthermore, the control process is A relay area setting process that sets a relay area for accommodating at least one of the aforementioned articles on the storage shelf, Preferably, the system further includes an area modification process that changes the size of the first and second storage areas based on the storage rate of the articles in the first storage area and the storage rate of the articles in the second storage area, and also changes the position of the relay area to match the position between the first and second storage areas in the direction of travel.
[0066] This configuration allows for the appropriate setting of the first storage area, second storage area, and relay area depending on the condition of the items stored in the storage shelves. This makes it less likely for delays to occur in transporting items due to a lack of space in the first or second storage area, or for the transport distance between the first and second transport units to become excessively long during the relay transport process.
[0067] In the above configuration, the side of the first end in the direction of travel is designated as the first travel direction side, and the side of the second end is designated as the second travel direction side. The storage rack comprises three intermediate storage units arranged at equal intervals in the direction of travel, starting from the first end and the second end of the storage rack in the direction of travel. In the area change process, the control device, If the sizes of the first and second storage areas are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the direction of travel is located more than 2 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the direction of travel from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the direction of travel, the relay storage section furthest to the second side in the direction of travel is set as the relay area, If the sizes of the first and second storage areas are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the direction of travel is equal to or greater than 2 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the direction of travel from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the direction of travel, and greater than 1 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the direction of travel on the second side in the direction of travel, the central relay storage section is set as the relay area, If the sizes of the first and second storage areas are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the travel direction is located equal to or greater than 1 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the travel direction from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the travel direction, it is preferable to set the relay storage section on the first side in the travel direction as the relay area.
[0068] This configuration allows for more appropriate configuration of the first storage area, second storage area, and transit area depending on the condition of the items stored in the storage shelves.
[0069] Furthermore, in the accommodation area setting process, the control device shall A first re-inventory area is set up within the aforementioned first storage area. A second re-inventory area is set up within the aforementioned second storage area. The aforementioned first re-stored goods area is an area for storing the first re-stored goods, which are the articles that have been re-stored by the aforementioned first re-stored goods process. The second re-stored goods area is preferably an area for storing the second re-stored goods, which are the articles that have been re-stored through the second re-stored goods processing.
[0070] With this configuration, the first re-stored goods area, which accommodates the first re-stored goods re-stored through the first re-stored goods process, can be appropriately set up within the first storage area, and the second re-stored goods area, which accommodates the second re-stored goods re-stored through the second re-stored goods process, can be appropriately set up within the second storage area.
[0071] In the above configuration, in the accommodation area setting process, the control device shall The aforementioned items are classified into high-frequency items, medium-frequency items, and low-frequency items, in order from those with the highest frequency of being issued. Within the first storage area, the first re-inventory area, the first high-frequency item area, and the first medium-frequency item area are set up in order from the first end side. Within the second storage area, the second re-inventory area, the second high-frequency item area, and the second medium-frequency item area are set up in order from the second end side. A low-frequency product area is set between the first medium-frequency product area and the second medium-frequency product area. The first high-frequency item area is an area for storing high-frequency items other than the first re-inventory items stored in the first storage area. The aforementioned first medium-frequency goods area is an area for storing medium-frequency goods other than the first re-inventory goods stored in the first storage area, The second high-frequency goods area is an area for storing high-frequency goods other than the second re-inventory goods stored in the second storage area. The second medium-frequency goods area is an area for storing medium-frequency goods other than the second re-inventory goods stored in the second storage area. The low-frequency goods area is preferably an area that accommodates both the low-frequency goods scheduled to be shipped out from the first inbound / outbound section and the low-frequency goods scheduled to be shipped out from the second inbound / outbound section.
[0072] This configuration allows frequently used items to be stored in a location close to the receiving and shipping area where they are shipped. Therefore, it is easier to improve the efficiency of receiving and shipping operations by the first and second transport units. [Industrial applicability]
[0073] The technology relating to this disclosure can be used in an automated warehouse comprising: a storage rack capable of accommodating multiple articles; an ended travel path arranged along the travel direction parallel to the front of the storage rack; a first transport unit and a second transport unit that travel along the travel path to transport articles; and a control device that controls the first transport unit and the second transport unit. [Explanation of symbols]
[0074] 100: Automated warehouse 1: Storage shelf 12: Relay area 2: Route 2a: First end 2b: Second end 31: First transport unit 32: Second transport unit 4: First Inbound / Outbound Section 5: Second Inbound / Outbound Section 10: Control device A1: First containment area A1a: First re-inventory area A1b: First high-frequency product area A1c: First medium-frequency product area A2: Second containment area A2a: Second re-inventory area A2b: Second High-Frequency Product Area A2c: Second medium-frequency product area Ad: Low-frequency product area A3: Relay area W:Goods Ws: Goods in stock Wf:First arrival item W1a: 1st restock product W2a: 2nd restock item Wb: High-frequency items Wc: Medium frequency product Wd: Low-frequency item T: Traveling direction T1: First side in the direction of travel T2: Second side in the direction of travel
Claims
1. A storage shelf capable of holding multiple items, A terminal travel path is arranged along the travel direction along the front of the storage shelf, A first transport unit and a second transport unit that transport the article by traveling along the aforementioned travel path, An automated warehouse comprising a control device for controlling the first transport unit and the second transport unit, A first storage / retrieval unit is positioned in line with the first end, which is one end of the travel path in the travel direction, and where the goods are stored and retrieved. The system further comprises a second storage / retrieval section, which is positioned in accordance with the location of the second end, which is the other end of the travel path in the travel direction, and where the goods are stored and retrieved. The control device is A storage area setting process that sets a storage shelf a first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the first loading / unloading section, and a second storage area located on the second end side of the first storage area for storing the items to be shipped out from the second loading / unloading section, A first retrieval process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the stored items, which are the items already placed in the storage shelves, to the first retrieval section for retrieval. A first re-entry process involves causing the first transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched in the first dispatch process from the first in / out section for re-entry, A second retrieval process involves causing the second transport unit to perform the operation of transporting the received items to the second retrieval / retrieval section for retrieval, An automated warehouse configured to perform control processing including a second re-in processing, which causes the second transport unit to transport the items that were dispatched by the second dispatch processing from the second in / out section for re-in storage.
2. The aforementioned control process is: A relay area setting process that sets a relay area for accommodating at least one of the aforementioned articles in the storage shelf, The automated warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: a relay storage processing which causes the first transport unit to transport the initial storage item, which is the item being stored in the storage rack for the first time, from the first storage unit to the relay area, and causes the second transport unit to transport the initial storage item from the relay area to the second storage area.
3. The control device is configured to be switchable between a first mode in which the relay receiving process is suspended and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, the second shipping process, and the second re-receiving process are executed, and a second mode in which the second shipping process and the second re-receiving process are suspended and the first shipping process, the first re-receiving process, and the relay receiving process are executed. The aforementioned control process is: In the first mode, a first receiving process is performed in which the first transport unit is instructed to transport the initial received items from the first receiving / discharging section to the first storage area or the second storage area, The automated warehouse according to claim 2, further comprising, in the second mode, a second receiving process in which the first transport unit is instructed to transport the initial received items from the first receiving / discharging section to the first storage area.
4. The aforementioned control process is: A relay area setting process that sets a relay area for accommodating at least one of the aforementioned articles in the storage shelf, The automated warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising: an area change process that changes the size of the first storage area and the second storage area based on the storage rate of the articles in the first storage area and the storage rate of the articles in the second storage area, and changes the position of the relay area in accordance with the position between the first storage area and the second storage area in the direction of travel.
5. In the aforementioned direction of travel, the side of the first end is designated as the first side of the travel direction, and the side of the second end is designated as the second side of the travel direction. The storage rack comprises three intermediate storage units arranged at equal intervals in the direction of travel, starting from the first end and the second end of the storage rack in the direction of travel. In the area change process, the control device, If the sizes of the first and second storage areas are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the travel direction is located more than 2 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the travel direction from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the travel direction, the relay storage section furthest to the second side in the travel direction is set as the relay area, If the sizes of the first and second storage areas are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the direction of travel is equal to or greater than 2 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the direction of travel from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the direction of travel, and greater than 1 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the direction of travel on the second side in the direction of travel, the central relay storage section is set as the relay area, The automated warehouse according to claim 4, wherein when the sizes of the first storage area and the second storage area are changed such that the position of the end of the first storage area on the second side in the travel direction is located equal to or more than 1 / 3 of the length of the storage shelf in the travel direction from the position of the end of the storage shelf on the first side in the travel direction, the relay storage section furthest to the first side in the travel direction is set as the relay area.
6. In the aforementioned accommodation area setting process, the control device shall A first re-inventory area is set up within the aforementioned first storage area. A second re-entry area is set up within the aforementioned second storage area. The aforementioned first re-stored goods area is an area for storing the first re-stored goods, which are the articles that have been re-stored by the aforementioned first re-stored goods process. The automated warehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second re-stored goods area is an area for storing the second re-stored goods, which are the articles that have been re-stored by the second re-stored goods processing.
7. In the aforementioned accommodation area setting process, the control device shall The aforementioned items are classified into high-frequency items, medium-frequency items, and low-frequency items, in order from those with the highest frequency of being issued. Within the first storage area, the first re-inventory area, the first high-frequency item area, and the first medium-frequency item area are set up in order from the first end side. Within the second storage area, the second re-inventory area, the second high-frequency item area, and the second medium-frequency item area are set up in order from the second end side. A low-frequency product area is set between the first medium-frequency product area and the second medium-frequency product area. The first high-frequency item area is an area for storing high-frequency items other than the first re-inventory items stored in the first storage area. The first medium-frequency goods area is an area for storing medium-frequency goods other than the first re-inventory goods stored in the first storage area. The second high-frequency goods area is an area for storing high-frequency goods other than the second re-inventory goods stored in the second storage area. The second medium-frequency goods area is an area for storing medium-frequency goods other than the second re-inventory goods stored in the second storage area. The automated warehouse according to claim 6, wherein the low-frequency goods area is an area for accommodating both the low-frequency goods scheduled to be shipped out from the first inbound / outbound section and the low-frequency goods scheduled to be shipped out from the second inbound / outbound section.