TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, TRANSPORTATION METHOD, AND PROGRAM

Abstract

To realize a carrier system capable of preventing fall of objects stored in a shelf, and to realize a carrier method and a program.SOLUTION: A carrier system 1 according to one embodiment of the disclosure includes: a shelf 11 provided with guide rails 113 extending in a vertical direction; a mounting stand 121 which may engage with the guide rails 113; a lifting part 123 which moves up or down the mounting stand 121; engagement detection sensors 125 each of which detects engagement between the guide rail 113 and the mounting stand 121; and a safety control unit 127 which stops movement of the lifting part 123 when first conditions, including a state where the guide rails 113 and the mounting stand 121 are not engaged, are satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transport system, a transport method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a transport robot that transports an article placed on a cart. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6413899 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As a means for storing an article placed on a cart on a shelf, or a means for placing an article stored on a shelf on a cart, it is possible to provide a guide rail on the shelf and raise the platform along the guide rail. In this case, if the platform is raised while not engaged with the guide rail, there is a problem that the article may fall.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such problems, and provides a transport system, a transport method, and a program that can prevent items stored on shelves from falling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A conveying system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A shelf provided with a guide rail extending in a vertical direction; A mounting base engageable with the guide rail; A lifting unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table; an engagement detection sensor that detects engagement between the guide rail and the placement table; a safety control unit that stops the operation of the lift unit when a first condition is satisfied, the first condition including that the guide rail and the placement table are not engaged with each other; Equipped with.

[0007] A conveying method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: Detecting engagement between a guide rail extending in a vertical direction provided on a shelf and a placement table that can be engaged with the guide rail; When a first condition is satisfied, which includes the guide rail and the stage not being engaged with each other, the operation of a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the stage is stopped.

[0008] A program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: On the computer, A process of acquiring a detection result of a sensor that detects engagement between a guide rail extending in a vertical direction provided on a shelf and a mounting table that is engageable with the guide rail; When a first condition is satisfied, which includes the guide rail and the stage not being engaged with each other, a process is executed to stop the operation of a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the stage. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a transport system, a transport method, and a program that can prevent items stored on shelves from falling. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transport system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the shelf according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the transfer robot according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the transfer robot according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the transport robot according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 11 is a side view of the transfer robot according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the functions of a transport robot according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the transport robot according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the transport robot according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating the operation of a safety control unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the functions of a transport robot according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating the operation of a safety control unit according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of a transport robot according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, specific embodiments to which the present disclosure is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, the following description and drawings are appropriately simplified for clarity of explanation.

[0012] EMBODIMENT 1 Hereinafter, a transport system 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the transport system 1. The transport system 1 includes a shelf 11 and a transport robot 12. The transport robot 12 transports an item and stores it in the shelf 11. The transport robot 12 takes out the item from the shelf 11 and transports the taken-out item.

[0013] The shelf 11 stores articles (not shown). The articles may be, for example, returnable boxes. The shelf 11 includes a housing 111, a support member 112, and a guide rail 113. The support member 112 supports the articles stored on the shelf 11 (see FIG. 2).

[0014] The guide rail 113 engages with a groove 1211 provided in the mounting table 121 of the transport robot 12. The guide rail 113 extends in the vertical direction. The guide rail 113 may be a plate-like member provided parallel to the front surface of the shelf 11. The plate-like member protrudes inward from the housing 111. The guide rail 113 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the housing 111, or on either one of them.

[0015] The transport robot 12 includes a placement table 121, a moving unit 122, a lifting unit 123, an extendable arm 124, and an engagement detection sensor 125. The placement table 121 is a table on which an article can be placed, and is also called a top plate. The placement table 121 is provided with a groove 1211. The groove 1211 engages with a guide rail 113 of the shelf 11. The groove 1211 may be provided on both the right and left sides of the transport robot 12 in the traveling direction.

[0016] The transport robot 12 moves in the horizontal direction by a movable moving part 122. The lifting part 123 is provided on the moving part 122. The lifting part 123 raises and lowers the placement table 121. The extendable arm 124 extends and retracts in the horizontal direction. The extendable arm 124 takes out an article from the shelf 11 and places it on the placement table 121, and stores the article on the placement table 121 in the shelf 11.

[0017] The extendable arm 124 may be provided on the shelf 11 side. Also, an article may be transferred by a mechanism other than the extendable arm 124. Also, the transport robot 12 may be fixed to the periphery of the shelf 11. In this case, the transport robot 12 does not need to include the moving unit 122.

[0018] The engagement detection sensor 125 is provided in the groove 1211. The engagement detection sensor 125 detects that the guide rail 113 and the groove 1211 are engaged. When the guide rail 113 and the groove 1211 are engaged, the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 are engaged. The engagement detection sensor 125 is, for example, a photointerrupter or a photoreflector. In this case, the engagement detection sensor 125 includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. When the light from the light emitting unit is blocked by the guide rail 113, the engagement between the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 may be detected. When the light from the light emitting unit is reflected by the guide rail 113, the engagement between the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 may be detected. The engagement detection sensor 125 may be a sensor (for example, a contact sensor or a magnetic sensor) that detects a force received from the guide rail 113.

[0019] The transport system 1 may include a server (not shown) that controls the movement of the transport robot 12. The transport robot 12 may generate a transport route by itself and move autonomously. The transport system 1 may also include a system in which the processing is completed within the transport robot 12 without including a server.

[0020] A configuration example of the shelf 11 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. For clarity of explanation, a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system of xyz is shown. The z direction is the vertical direction.

[0021] The shelf 11 includes a housing 111 , a support member 112 , a guide rail 113 , and a partition plate 114 .

[0022] The housing 111 has a configuration in which a top plate provided on the z-axis positive side, a bottom plate provided on the z-axis negative side, a left side plate provided on the y-axis positive side, and a right side plate provided on the y-axis negative side are integrally formed. The back of the housing 111 may be closed by a back plate. The bottom plate may be formed thin so that the transfer robot 12 can enter the inside of the housing 111. Furthermore, the housing 111 does not have to have a bottom plate.

[0023] The support members 112 extend in the depth direction (x-axis direction) on the inner surface of the housing 111 and on a partition plate 114 described later, and are arranged side by side at equal intervals in the height direction (z-axis direction). The article 2 can be inserted and removed by sliding a protruding portion protruding outward in the width direction from the article 2 on a pair of adjacent and opposing support members 112. The support members 112 may support the bottom surface of the article 2. In this case, the article 2 does not need to have a protruding portion.

[0024] The guide rail 113 extends in the vertical direction (z-axis direction). The guide rail 113 may be a plate-like member parallel to the yz plane. The plate-like member is provided so as to rise approximately vertically from the inner surfaces of the side plates and the partition plate 114.

[0025] A gap is formed between the ground or bottom plate and the lower end of the guide rail 113 to allow the transport robot 12 to enter. The state in which the lifting section 123 of the transport robot 12 is retracted is shown by a dotted line. The distance between two adjacent and opposing guide rails 113 is greater than the width of the article 2. When the article 2 is taken in or out of the shelf 11, the guide rails 113 and the article 2 do not interfere with each other. A notch (insertion port) through which the protruding portion of the article 2 passes may be provided in the guide rail 113. In this case, the width of the article 2 may be greater than the distance between the guide rails 113.

[0026] The partition plate 114 is provided parallel to the right side plate and the left side plate of the housing 111, i.e., parallel to the xz plane, and extending from the front to the rear of the housing 111. The partition plates 114 are provided so that the distance between the right side plate and the left side plate of the housing 111 and the adjacent partition plates 114 and the distance between the partition plates 114 themselves are equal. In the example of FIG. 2, two partition plates 114 are provided, but the number of partition plates 114 is not limited in any way. Also, the partition plate 114 does not have to be provided.

[0027] Next, the transfer robot 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the transfer robot 12. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the transfer robot 12. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the transfer robot 12.

[0028] 3 and 4, the transport robot 12 includes a mounting table 121, a moving unit 122, a lifting unit 123, a telescopic arm 124, and an engagement detection sensor 125. Referring to FIG. 5, the transport robot 12 includes a control unit 126 and a safety control unit 127. The control unit 126 controls normal operations of the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the telescopic arm 124. The safety control unit 127 stops the operation of the lifting unit 123 (e.g., emergency stop) based on the detection result of the engagement detection sensor 125. The safety control unit 127 may further stop the operations of the moving unit 122 and the telescopic arm 124.

[0029] A groove 1211 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the side surface of the mounting table 121. The groove 1211 is provided so as to reach from the lower surface to the upper surface of the mounting table 121. The groove 1211 is engageable with the guide rail 113.

[0030] The moving unit 122 has a moving unit main body 1221, a pair of left and right driving wheels 1222 rotatably provided on the moving unit main body 1221, a pair of front and rear driven wheels 1223, and a pair of motors 1224 that rotate and drive each of the driving wheels 1222. Each motor 1224 rotates each of the driving wheels 1222 via a reducer or the like. Each motor 1224 rotates each of the driving wheels 1222 in response to a control signal from the control unit 126. Each motor 1224 can move the moving unit main body 1221 to an arbitrary position by rotating each of the driving wheels 1222 in response to a control signal from the control unit 126. Note that the above configuration of the moving unit 122 is an example, and is not limited thereto. For example, the number of driving wheels 1222 and driven wheels 1223 of the moving unit 122 may be arbitrary, and any configuration can be applied as long as it can move the moving unit main body 1221 to an arbitrary position.

[0031] The lifting / lowering unit 123 extends and retracts, thereby lifting and lowering the mounting table 121. The lifting / lowering unit 123 may be configured as a telescopic extension mechanism that extends and retracts in the vertical direction. The extendable arm 124 is attached to the mounting table 121. The extendable arm 124 includes an arm body 1241 and a driving device 1242. The driving device 1242 is attached to a guide rail mechanism (not shown) inside the mounting table 121, and moves the arm body 1241 in the horizontal direction. The driving device 1242 may further include a mechanism for rotating the arm body 1241 around an axis.

[0032] The engagement detection sensor 125 is provided in the groove 1211. The engagement detection sensor 125 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the mounting table 121. The engagement detection sensor 125 can detect that the groove 1211 and the guide rail 113 are engaged with each other. The transport robot 12 may further include a movement detection sensor that detects the movement of the moving part 122 and a height detection sensor that detects the height of the mounting table 121.

[0033] The control unit 126 controls normal operations of the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the telescopic arm 124. The control unit 126 controls the rotation of each drive wheel 1222 by sending a control signal to each motor 1224 of the moving unit 122, and can move the moving unit main body 1221 to any position. The control unit 126 can control the height position of the mounting table 121 by sending a control signal to the rotation device 1231 of the lifting unit 123. The control unit 126 can also control the horizontal position of the arm main body 1241 by sending a control signal to the drive device 1242 of the telescopic arm 124.

[0034] The control unit 126 may control the movement of the moving unit main body 1221 by performing well-known control such as feedback control and robust control based on rotation information of the driving wheels 1222 detected by a rotation sensor provided on the driving wheels 1222. The control unit 126 may control the operations of the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the extendable arm 124 based on information such as distance information detected by a distance sensor such as a camera or an ultrasonic sensor provided on the moving unit main body 1221, and map information of the moving environment.

[0035] The control unit 126 is configured as hardware centered around a microcomputer including a control program executed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1261 that performs control processing, arithmetic processing, etc., a memory 1262 consisting of a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which arithmetic programs, etc. are stored, and an interface unit (I / F) 1263 that inputs and outputs signals to and from the outside. The CPU 1261, the memory 1262, and the interface unit 1263 are connected to each other via a data bus, etc.

[0036] The safety control unit 127 acquires the detection result of the engagement detection sensor 125. The safety control unit 127 may further acquire the detection result of a sensor other than the engagement detection sensor 125. The safety control unit 127 stops the operation of the lifting unit 123 when a first condition is satisfied, including the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 not being engaged with each other.

[0037] The safety control unit 127 may include a processor, a memory, and the like, similar to the control unit 126. The safety control unit 127 may be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0038] The first condition may further include that the height of the mounting table 121 is equal to or greater than a predetermined height h1. When stopping the operation of the lift unit 123, the safety control unit 127 may stop the supply of power to the lift unit 123.

[0039] It should be noted that there are cases where it is not necessary to extend the lifting section 123 when engaging the guide rail 113 with the mounting table 121. For example, if the mounting table 121 is configured to be tiltable, the guide rail 113 can be engaged with the mounting table 121 by tilting the mounting table 121. Also, for example, if the guide rail 113 is provided on one side of the shelf 11, the transport robot 12 can move parallel to the front surface of the shelf 11 to engage the guide rail 113 with the mounting table 121. In such a case, the first condition does not need to include a condition regarding the height of the mounting table 121.

[0040] According to the first embodiment, when the guide rail and the mounting table are not engaged, the operation of the mounting table can be stopped. This can prevent the articles stored on the shelf from falling off. Also, it can prevent the transport robot from falling over.

[0041] EMBODIMENT 2 The second embodiment is a specific example of the first embodiment. Fig. 6 is a side view showing the configuration of a transport robot 12a according to the second embodiment. Comparing Fig. 4 with Fig. 6, a height detection sensor 128 is added to the transport robot 12a. The height detection sensor 128 measures the height of the mounting table 121. The height detection sensor 128 does not need to be able to measure the height of the mounting table 121 in millimeters or centimeters. It is sufficient for the height detection sensor 128 to be able to detect that the height of the mounting table 121 is equal to or greater than a predetermined height h1.

[0042] The height detection sensor 128 may measure the height of the mounting platform 121 by photographing the extending and retracting lifting unit 123. For example, if multiple cylinders included in the telescopic lifting unit 123 are colored in different colors, when a new cylinder of a new color appears, it can be measured that the height of the mounting platform 121 is equal to or greater than a predetermined height h1. If the lifting unit 123 is configured by winding multiple bands, each band includes multiple portions colored in different colors. When the length of the lifting unit 123 exceeds a predetermined length, a new portion having a different color may appear.

[0043] Furthermore, the height detection sensor 128 may be a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance between the lower surface of the mounting table 121 and the upper surface of the moving unit main body 1221. In this case, the height detection sensor 128 may be provided on the upper surface of the moving unit main body 1221 or on the lower surface of the mounting table 121. Furthermore, the height detection sensor 128 may measure the distance between the mounting table 121 and the ground. The height detection sensor 128 may be a magnetic detection mechanism.

[0044] 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the transfer robot 12a. The transfer robot 12a includes a moving unit 122, a lifting unit 123, an expandable arm 124, an engagement detection sensor 125, a control unit 126, a safety control unit 127, a height detection sensor 128, a power source 129, a relay 130, and a relay 131.

[0045] The control unit 126 supplies commands for controlling the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the extendable arm 124. The control unit 126 is also called a robot control device. The control unit 126 is, for example, a PC (Personal Computer).

[0046] The safety control unit 127 acquires the detection results of the engagement detection sensor 125 and the height detection sensor 128. The safety control unit 127 performs control to switch the states of the relays 130 and 131 based on the acquired detection results. The safety control unit 127 is also called a safety control device. The safety control unit 127 is realized by, for example, a PLC.

[0047] When the above-mentioned first condition is satisfied, the safety control unit 127 switches the relay 130 to an interrupted state. This stops the operation of the lift unit 123 and the telescopic arm 124. The first condition includes that the guide rail 113 and the platform 121 are not engaged with each other, and that the height of the platform 121 is equal to or greater than a predetermined height h1. The predetermined height h1 is set higher than the lower end of the guide rail 113. The predetermined height h1 is set appropriately depending on the risk of the article falling, etc.

[0048] If the first condition is not satisfied, the placement platform 121 is not raised along the guide rail 113. The safety control unit 127 stops the operation of the lifting unit 123, thereby reducing the risk of the article 2 dropping or the transport robot 12 tipping over.

[0049] Furthermore, if the first condition is not satisfied, there is a risk that the extended telescopic arm 124 may hit the user. The risk is particularly high when the mounting table 121 is elevated to about the eye height of the user. The safety control unit 127 stops the operation of the telescopic arm 124, thereby reducing the risk that the telescopic arm 124 will hit the user.

[0050] The safety control unit 127 further switches the relay 131 to an interrupted state when a second condition is satisfied, including that the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 are engaged with each other. This stops the operation of the moving unit 122. The safety control unit 127 may also stop the operation of the moving unit 122 when the first condition is satisfied.

[0051] If the moving unit 122 is operated when the second condition is not satisfied, there is a risk of damaging the platform 121 or the lifting unit 123. There is also a risk of the article 2 falling from the shelf 11 or the platform 121. By stopping the operation of the moving unit 122, the risk of damaging the transport robot 12 and the risk of the article 2 falling can be reduced.

[0052] The power supply 129 supplies power to the moving part 122, the lifting part 123, and the extendable arm 124. The wiring 21 is a wiring for supplying power to the lifting part 123 and the extendable arm 124. The wiring 22 is a wiring for supplying power to the moving part 122.

[0053] A relay 130 (also referred to as relay 1) is provided on the wiring 21. The relay 130 is also referred to as a first cutoff unit. The relay 130 cuts off the supply of power source 129 to the lifting / lowering unit 123 and the telescopic arm 124. The relay 130 switches the connection state between the lifting / lowering unit 123 and the telescopic arm 124 and the power source 129 in response to a control signal from the safety control unit 127.

[0054] A relay 131 (also referred to as relay 2) is provided on the wiring 22. The relay 131 is also referred to as a second cutoff unit. The relay 131 cuts off the supply of the power source 129 to the moving unit 122. The relay 131 switches the connection state between the moving unit 122 and the power source 129 in response to a control signal from the safety control unit 127.

[0055] It should be noted that a driving source such as high pressure air or oil may be used instead of the power source 129. In this case, the first cutoff unit and the second cutoff unit are configured by valves or the like.

[0056] Next, an overview of the operation of the transport robot 12a will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Fig. 8 shows a state before the mounting table 121 engages with the guide rail 113. The moving part 122 moves so that the position of the groove 1211 in the x direction and the position of the guide rail 113 in the x direction approximately coincide with each other. The lifting and lowering part 123 raises the mounting table 121, and when the height of the mounting table 121 reaches the lower end of the guide rail 113, the mounting table 121 starts to engage with the guide rail 113. When the mounting table 121 engages with the guide rail 113, the safety control part 127 stops the operation of the moving part 122.

[0057] 9 shows a state in which the mounting table 121 has risen to the height of the article 2. Because the mounting table 121 is engaged with the guide rail 113, the safety control unit 127 does not stop the operation of the lifting unit 123 and the telescopic arm 124. The transport robot 12a places an object on the mounting table 121 using the telescopic arm 124. On the other hand, if the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 are not engaged with each other, the safety control unit 127 stops the operation of the lifting unit 123.

[0058] 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the safety control unit 127. The first column of Table 30 shows the detection results of the engagement detection sensor 125. The second column shows the detection results of the height detection sensor 128. The third column shows the connection state of relay 1 (relay 130). "ON" shows the connection state, and "OFF" shows the disconnection state. The fourth column shows the connection state of relay 2 (relay 131).

[0059] First, the state of relay 1 will be described. Referring to the fourth line, when the first condition is satisfied, that is, when mounting table 121 and guide rail 113 are not engaged and the height of mounting table 121 is equal to or greater than predetermined height h1, relay 1 is in the interrupted state. When the height of mounting table 121 reaches or exceeds predetermined height h1 without engaging with guide rail 113 due to an unintended lifting / lowering operation or engagement failure, the supply of power source 129 to lifting / lowering unit 123 is stopped. Then, lifting / lowering unit 123 enters a safety torque-off state.

[0060] Next, we will explain the state of relay 2. Referring to the second and third rows, when the second condition is satisfied, that is, when mounting base 121 and guide rail 113 are engaged, relay 2 is in the disconnected state. Referring to the fourth row, when the first condition is satisfied, relay 2 is also in the disconnected state.

[0061] If the movement unit 122 needs to be operated when engaging the guide rail 113 with the platform 121, the state of the relay 131 may be set to "ON" in the second row. In this case, the height of the platform 121 is low, and the risk of damaging the lift unit 123 or dropping the article is small. The predetermined height h1 is considered to be about 1 m, but may be appropriately set depending on risk factors such as the weight of the article.

[0062] A relay (also referred to as a third cut-off unit) that cuts off the supply of power source 129 to telescopic arm 124 may be provided separately from relay 131 that cuts off the supply of power source 129 to lifting unit 123. In this case, the relay is cut off when guide rail 113 and mounting table 121 are not engaged with each other and the height of mounting table 121 is equal to or higher than height h2 that is different from predetermined height h1. This makes it possible to differentiate the condition for stopping telescopic arm 124 from the condition for stopping lifting unit 123.

[0063] The second embodiment also has the same effects as the first embodiment. Moreover, the second embodiment can reduce the risk caused by the movement of the transport robot 12 engaged with the shelf 11. The second embodiment can reduce the risk caused by the transport robot 12 not engaged with the shelf 11 extending the extendable arm 124.

[0064] EMBODIMENT 3 The third embodiment is a modified example of the second embodiment. Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a transport robot 12b according to the third embodiment. Comparing Fig. 7 with Fig. 11, a movement detection sensor 132 is added to the transport robot 12b. The wires 21 and 22 are replaced with a wire 23. The relays 130 and 131 are replaced with a relay 133.

[0065] The movement detection sensor 132 detects the movement by the moving unit 122. The movement detection sensor 132 may be a speed monitoring sensor that monitors the speed of the moving unit 122. The speed may be monitored, for example, based on the rotation speed of the motor 1224. The movement detection sensor 132 may also be a sensor that measures the distance between the surrounding environment and the transfer robot 12. The movement by the moving unit 122 is detected according to a change in the measured distance.

[0066] The wiring 23 is for supplying power to the moving part 122, the lifting part 123, and the extendable arm 124.

[0067] A relay 133 is provided on the wiring 23. The relay 133 may be simply referred to as a relay. The relay 133 is also referred to as a fourth cutoff unit. The relay 133 cuts off the supply of the power source 129 to the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the telescopic arm 124. The relay 133 switches the connection state between the moving unit 122, the lifting unit 123, and the telescopic arm 124 and the power source 129 in response to a control signal from the safety control unit 127.

[0068] When a first condition is satisfied, the safety control unit 127 switches the relay 133 to an interrupted state. When a second condition is satisfied, the safety control unit 127 switches the relay 133 to an interrupted state. The second condition includes that the guide rail 113 and the mounting table 121 are engaged with each other, that the height of the mounting table 121 is equal to or greater than a predetermined height h1, and that the moving unit 122 is moving.

[0069] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the safety control section 127. The third column of Table 40 indicates the detection result of the movement detection sensor 132. "x" indicates don't care. "=0" indicates that the speed of the moving part 122 is 0, that is, the moving part 122 is not moving. ">0" indicates that the speed of the moving part 122 is not 0, that is, the moving part 122 is moving. The fourth column indicates the connection state of the relay 133.

[0070] Referring to the fourth line, if the first condition is met, the relay 133 is "OFF."

[0071] Referring to the fifth line, when the second condition is met, relay 133 is "OFF". When the second condition is met, relay 133 turns "OFF" and the speed of moving unit 122 becomes 0. Therefore, a transition is made from the state in the fifth line to the state in the third line. This transition is made from a state that may damage lifting unit 123, etc. to a safe state.

[0072] Referring to the second row, the moving part 122 can move with the mounting table 121 engaged with the guide rail 113. However, since the height of the mounting table 121 is less than the predetermined height h1, there is a low risk that the lifting part 123 or the like will be damaged or that the article will fall. The transport robot 12b can engage the guide rail 113 with the mounting table 121 while moving.

[0073] The transport robot 12b does not necessarily have to include the telescopic arm 124. In this case, risks other than the risk that the telescopic arm 124 will come into contact with the user (for example, the risk of dropping the article 2) can be reduced.

[0074] The third embodiment also has the same effects as the second embodiment. The number of interrupting parts used in the third embodiment is smaller than the number of interrupting parts used in the second embodiment.

[0075] The above-mentioned programs include instructions (or software codes) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions. The programs may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The programs may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable medium or a communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0076] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0077] For example, the engagement detection sensor 125, the height detection sensor 128, and the movement detection sensor 132 may be provided on the shelf 11. In this case, each sensor may transmit the detection result to the transfer robot 12 or a server.

[0078] The transport system according to the embodiment may also include a transport robot 12c in which the shelf 11 and the transport robot 12 are integrated. Fig. 13 is a side view showing the configuration of the transport robot 12c. The placement platform 121 may be rotatable around a vertical axis. In this case as well, it is possible to reduce the risk of dropping an article, the risk of damaging the lifting / lowering unit 123, the risk of the extendable arm 124 coming into contact with a user, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1. Transport system 11 Shelves 111 Cabinet 112 Support member 113 Guide rail 114 Partition 12, 12a, 12b, 12c Transport robot 121 Placement table 1211 Groove 122 Mobile Division 1221 Moving unit body 1222 Driving Wheel 1223 Driven wheels 1224 Motor 123 Lifting section 124 Telescopic Arm 1241 Arm body 1242 Drive unit 125 Engagement detection sensor 126 Control Unit 1261 CPU 1262 Memory 1263 Interface section 127 Safety Control Section 128 Height detection sensor 129 Power supply 130, 131, 133 Relays 132 Movement detection sensor Wiring 21, 22, 23 Tables 30, 40

Claims

1. A shelf provided with a guide rail extending in a vertical direction; A mounting base engageable with the guide rail; A lifting unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table; an engagement detection sensor that detects engagement between the guide rail and the placement table; a safety control unit that stops the operation of the lifting unit when a first condition is satisfied, the first condition including that the guide rail and the placement table are not engaged with each other and that the height of the placement table is equal to or higher than a predetermined height that is higher than a lower end of the guide rail; A transport system comprising:

2. the transport system includes a height detection sensor for detecting a height of the mounting table; The transport system according to claim 1 .

3. The mounting table is provided with a groove that engages with the guide rail, The engagement detection sensor is provided in the groove.

3. A transport system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The mounting table is provided with an extendable arm that extends and contracts in a horizontal direction, The safety control unit stops the operation of the telescopic arm when the first condition is satisfied.

3. A transport system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The lifting unit is provided on a movable moving unit, The safety control unit stops the operation of the moving unit when a second condition is satisfied, the second condition including the guide rail and the placement table being engaged with each other. The transport system according to claim 2 .

6. A first cut-off unit that cuts off the supply of a driving source to the lift unit; a second cut-off unit that cuts off the supply of a driving source to the moving unit; Equipped with The safety control unit sets the first cut-off unit to a cut-off state when stopping the operation of the lift unit, and sets the second cut-off unit to a cut-off state when stopping the operation of the moving unit. The transport system according to claim 5 .

7. The mounting table is provided with an extendable arm that extends and contracts in a horizontal direction, The first cut-off unit further cuts off the supply of the driving source to the telescopic arm. The transport system according to claim 6.

8. The mounting table is provided with an extendable arm that extends and contracts in a horizontal direction, the transport system includes a third cutoff unit that cuts off the supply of a drive source to the telescopic arm, The safety control unit brings the third blocking unit into a blocking state when the guide rail and the mounting table are not engaged and the height of the mounting table is equal to or higher than the height different from the predetermined height. The transport system according to claim 6.

9. The transport system includes: A movement detection sensor that detects movement by the moving unit; a fourth cut-off unit that cuts off the supply of a driving source to the moving unit and the lifting unit; and Equipped with the safety control unit brings the fourth cut-off unit into a cut-off state when the first condition is satisfied and when the second condition is satisfied; The second condition includes that the height of the mounting table is equal to or higher than the predetermined height, and that the moving unit is moving. The transport system according to claim 5 .

10. The mounting table is provided with an extendable arm that extends and contracts in a horizontal direction, The fourth cut-off unit further cuts off the supply of the driving source to the telescopic arm. The transport system according to claim 9.

11. Detecting engagement between a guide rail extending in a vertical direction provided on a shelf and a placement table that can be engaged with the guide rail; When a first condition is satisfied, the first condition including that the guide rail and the mounting table are not engaged and the height of the mounting table is equal to or higher than a predetermined height that is higher than a lower end of the guide rail, the operation of a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table is stopped. Transportation method.

12. On the computer, A process of acquiring a detection result of a sensor that detects engagement between a guide rail extending in a vertical direction provided on a shelf and a mounting table that is engageable with the guide rail; a process of stopping the operation of a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table when a first condition is satisfied, the first condition including that the guide rail and the mounting table are not engaged with each other and that the height of the mounting table is equal to or higher than a predetermined height that is higher than a lower end of the guide rail; A program that executes the following.

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