Structure for transport system

Abstract

To operate a center by a small number of personnel using unmanned conveyance vehicles in a small-to-medium-sized distribution center with an originally narrow floor area, using a one-story structure building at a reduced building cost.SOLUTION: In a distribution center where upper and lower levels are provided in order to operate a conveyance line, an automated warehouse and / or an unmanned conveyance vehicle using a part of space from the floor to the ceiling, there is at least one pillar structure provided with a pillar part fixed to the lower level, a beam part for fixing a floor part of the upper level part provided above the pillar part. The space formed between the floor of the lower level and the floor of the upper level by the structure has a height that allows conveyance by the unmanned conveyance vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure for a transport system, and more particularly to a structure for a transport system in which a conveyor line and / or a space for an unmanned transport vehicle is provided on an upper floor of a pillar structure while a space for an unmanned transport vehicle is provided on a lower floor of a building having a single-story structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In Japan, it has long been known that in logistics centers, especially those with medium to small floor space, in single-story buildings with ample vertical space, transport lines such as conveyors and sorters are constructed in a hierarchical, three-dimensional structure to effectively utilize the floor space, shortening the travel distance and time of transported goods and improving space utilization efficiency. In such cases, a method is often used in which multiple pillars are erected on both sides of the transport line on the lower floor and the transport line on the upper floor is fixed in place.

[0003] Meanwhile, Japan has recently seen a rapid expansion of transactions, especially e-commerce, and the corresponding expansion of logistics center operations. This, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has made logistics operations increasingly important. However, due to the severity of the work, logistics companies are having a hard time securing the necessary personnel. As a result, preparations are underway to transition from the traditional system based on transport lines and large numbers of staff to a system that can be operated with a small number of staff, based on unmanned transport vehicles such as Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and pickup at Goods to Person (GTP) stations.

[0004] Patent Document 1 proposes a picking facility in which conveyors are installed on both the lower floor and the upper floor, but it is assumed that the building structure will have multiple floors from the beginning of construction, and that the lower floor and upper floor will be supported by the building structure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-172378 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In these circumstances, even small to medium-sized logistics centers that use single-story buildings constructed to keep building costs down and have limited floor space need to operate with a small number of staff.

[0007] The present invention is intended to solve the problems described above, and has an object to provide a structure for a transport system that enables small to medium-sized logistics centers, which have a small floor area to begin with and use single-story buildings that keep building costs down, to operate the center with a small number of personnel while using unmanned transport vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In response to the above-mentioned issues, the inventors have devised a system that uses an automated guided vehicle and a GTP station to pick up high to medium frequency items while ensuring as much floor space as possible on the lower floors so that the automated guided vehicle can move on its own, and the upper floors have a conveying line fixed to a column structure that can be installed so that the floor section can be separated from the building structure at the time of construction, and that allows additional floors to be added at low cost even when expansion is required after operations have begun.

[0009] We came up with a system that combines shelves for handling small to medium-sized items with a digital picking system and a transport line on the upper floors. To achieve this, it was necessary to minimize the footprint of the columns that secure the transport line on the upper floors on the lower floors, and to ensure that the automated guided vehicles working below could move freely.

[0010] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the structure for a conveying system according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided in a logistics center with upper and lower floors in order to operate a conveying line and an automated warehouse and / or an unmanned guided vehicle by utilizing part of the space from the floor to the ceiling, and is characterized in that it comprises at least one column structure having a column portion fixed to the floor of the lower floor and a beam portion provided above the column portion and fixing the floor of the upper floor, and the space formed by the column structure between the floor of the lower floor and the floor of the upper floor has a height that allows conveying by an unmanned guided vehicle.

[0011] The conveying lines may be provided on upper and lower floors within a single-story building.

[0012] The present invention may be characterized in that, in a building having a multi-storey structure, the conveying lines are provided on upper and lower floors on floors where floor height can be ensured.

[0013] As a second aspect, in the first aspect, the beam portion may have a single beam and / or a plurality of beams.

[0014] The beam portion is side piece Hold, both side piece The present invention may be characterized by the provision of one or more beams in a support, T-shape, or X-shape.

[0015] As a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the column structure may have one or more charging stations for automated guided vehicles and / or waiting spaces for automated guided vehicles.

[0016] As a fourth aspect, in any of the first to third aspects, the column structure may be provided with a plate having a hole for fixing to the floor of the lower layer at the lower layer side end of the column, and the plate may be fastened and fixed to the floor of the lower layer by the hole. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to each aspect of the present invention, the upper floor is supported by a single-shaped H-steel pillar having a beam such as a cantilever, double-supporting, T-shaped, or X-shaped beam, and the lower floor has a floor space that can be fully utilized as a transportation system using an automated guided vehicle while minimizing the installation space of the pillar. Furthermore, by using a part of the pillar as a charging station for the automated guided vehicle, it can be effectively used as a buffer system for charging the automated guided vehicle and for allowing the automated guided vehicle to wait appropriately in the transportation line so that the target product can be picked up at the optimal timing at the GTP station. In addition, the lower floor is used as a picking system for high-frequency products with an automated warehouse with a high throughput function and an automated guided vehicle, and the upper floor is used as an automated warehouse with a high-capacity storage function and an automated guided vehicle, and the upper floor is used as a picking system for medium to low-frequency products with an automated warehouse with a high-capacity storage function, and the column structure is used as a space retention function for running the automated guided vehicle, which is very preferable because it can be effectively used to secure space for the automated guided vehicle on the lower floor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a lower floor of a logistics center according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an upper floor of a logistics center according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a logistics center combining a lower floor with an upper floor in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an upper floor of a logistics center in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a combined lower and upper floors of a logistics center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following, the scope necessary for the description to achieve the object of the present invention will be shown in a schematic manner, and the scope necessary for the description of the relevant part of the present invention will be mainly described, and the parts that are omitted will be described based on publicly known techniques. The present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the lower floors of a logistics center according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the upper floors of a logistics center according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the combination of the lower floors and the upper floors of a logistics center according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there are steel framed panels near the walls on both sides of the building. side piece The support pillars 10 with the support beams 20 are installed in 12 places. side piece Pillars 10 with supporting beams 30 are erected in nine locations, and pillar bases B supporting the pillars 10 of the pillar structure are installed in 21 locations on the concrete floor of the lower part G of the single-story building.

[0021] The upper floor here refers to the floor area on which the platforms (supported by the conveyor legs) on which the conveyors, work areas, etc. are partially installed are installed.

[0022] The support base B of the concrete floor of the lower floor G is a square or rectangular shape with a side length of 320 to 820 mm, for example, and is equipped with six anchor bolts (not shown).

[0023] A square or rectangular plate 50 with six holes, made of steel with a thickness of, for example, 9 to 16 mm and a side length of, for example, 300 to 800 mm when viewed in the plan direction, is welded or riveted to the floor side end of the support 10, and the support 10 is fastened to the concrete floor of the lower part G of the single-story building by the holes in the plate 50 and the six anchor bolts and nuts on the support base B (not shown).

[0024] In order to secure as much floor space as possible for the automated guided vehicle A to move around on its own, the side piece A support column 10 with a supporting beam 20 is installed on a concrete floor as close as possible to the wall of the building.

[0025] In the logistics center of the present invention, the floors are divided into a lower floor G and an upper floor U, and the logistics facilities are laid out on the same level. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower floor G is equipped with a number of shelves T, a space for the automated guided vehicle A to travel in, a waiting area P equipped with a charging station for the automated guided vehicle A, and a GTP station 1.

[0026] In the waiting area P, a charging station is provided below some of the pillars 10, and an electrode unit is attached to the charging station in order to charge the automatic guided vehicle A during standby. In addition, with regard to the standby charging equipment for the unmanned guided vehicle A, in addition to contact charging methods using electrodes, wireless non-contact charging methods have recently been put into practical use, and a wireless power transmission unit may be provided instead of the electrode unit.

[0027] GTP station 1 is used for work targeting products that require high to medium picking frequency. The products to be picked are stored in plastic shelves T with five to six drawers arranged vertically. Based on picking information from the logistics center's warehouse management system, the Warehouse Management System (WMS), the Warehouse Control System (WCS), which controls automated guided vehicles A and other material handling equipment, a large number of automated guided vehicles A are operated simultaneously.

[0028] Automated guided vehicle A enters the bottom of shelf T on which the product to be picked is stored, lifts shelf T, and drives toward GTP station 1 from which the product is to be picked, stopping in front of the worker waiting at GTP station 1. In addition, the shelves T are of a retractable type so that products do not fall off during transportation by the automated guided vehicle A.

[0029] The worker removes the product from the drawer of the delivered shelf T, performs the picking work, and places it in a returnable box O on the GTP transport line L1 waiting at the GTP station 1. Products carried down the vertical conveyor V from the upper floor U are also placed in response to a control command from the WCS, and the returnable box O is packed on the packing line L2 and transported to the shipping location (not shown) where it is prepared for shipment.

[0030] The automated guided vehicle A drives the shelf T, which has been picked, from the GTP station 1 toward the storage waiting space for the shelf T, lowers the shelf to the floor at the desired location, and returns to the waiting area P to wait. This operation is repeated.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the upper floor U is supported on the support base B of the lower floor G. side piece 12 points of the support pillar 10 with the support beam 20, side piece The floor surface is supported at nine points by pillars 10 equipped with support beams 30, and is made up of a total of six pieces: two lightweight floors 100, two lightweight floors 110, and two lightweight floors 120, and is used for operations targeting goods that are picked at a medium to low frequency.

[0032] The three conveyor lines L3 are side piece A support 10 with a beam 20 or both side piece It is fixed to a support 10 having a beam 30 .

[0033] The lightweight floors 100, 110, and 120 are used as footholds for the flow racks FR, shelves S, and workers.

[0034] The medium frequency items are arranged in a DPS system (digital picking system) consisting of multiple conveyor lines L3 and multiple flow racks FR installed longitudinally beside the corresponding lines, and the conveyor lines L3 of each conveyor line are connected to a connecting conveyor line L4 that can connect each conveyor line horizontally at the end. This connecting conveyor line L4 uses a vertical conveyor V (not shown) to convey the goods to the GTP station on the lower floor G as appropriate. Workers wait at each conveyor line and, upon receiving a control command from the WCS, pick the goods from the flow rack FR as appropriate and place them in the returnable box O flowing on the conveyor line L3 of each conveyor line. The returnable box O is conveyed from the connecting conveyor line L4 via the vertical conveyor V to the GTP station 1 on the lower floor G.

[0035] The remaining space on the upper floor U is used for storing low-frequency items, where products are stored on flat shelves S. In response to control commands from the WCS, workers use carts K to pick up the appropriate products and place them in returnable boxes O on the connecting transport line L4. Returnable boxes O are transported from the connecting transport line L4 via vertical conveyor V to GTP station 1 on the lower floor G.

[0036] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, the lower floor G is operated as a picking system for high frequency items using an automated guided vehicle A, and the upper floor U is a system that operates medium frequency items and low frequency items using a conveyor line and a DPS system, but in the second embodiment, the lower floor G is a combination where a picking system for high frequency items is handled by an automated warehouse 1000 with a high throughput function and an automated guided vehicle A, and the upper floor U is a combination where an automated warehouse 1100 with a high capacity storage function is handled by an automated guided vehicle A for medium to low frequency items. In the case of this second embodiment, the floor of the upper floor U is a one-sided floor to support a lightweight floor 200 dedicated to the automated guided vehicle as the floor of the running part of the automated guided vehicle A. side piece 20 and / or both side pieceA beam 30 is used, and the floor of the automated warehouse 1100 for medium to low frequency items has the same floor structure as the building. In this case, the role of the automated guided vehicle A is to transport products taken out from two types of automated warehouses on the upper floor U and the lower floor G to the GTP station. And, since the column structure is used as a space retention function for the automated guided vehicle A on the upper floor U to run, it can be effectively used to secure space for the automated guided vehicle A on the lower floor G, which is very preferable.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view of an upper floor of a logistics center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the upper floor U is placed on the support base B of the lower floor G. side piece It is composed of a lightweight floor 200 fixed to a support 10 equipped with a support beam 20. An automated warehouse 1100 with a high-capacity storage function corresponding to medium to low frequency items is installed on the floor of the building on the lower floor G, and an upper floor take-out port of the automated warehouse 1100 is provided adjacent to the lightweight floor 200 on the upper floor U.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a simplified perspective view of the combined lower and upper floors of a logistics center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, an automated warehouse 1000 with high throughput capabilities that can handle high-frequency items is installed on the floor of the building on the lower floor G, and the lower floor outlet of the automated warehouse 1000 is located in a position suitable for the transportation of items by an automated guided vehicle A that runs on the floor of the building on the lower floor G.

[0041] The upper floor take-out port of the automated warehouse 1100, which has a high-capacity storage function for handling medium to low frequency items, is installed in a position suitable for the transport of the transported goods by the automated guided vehicle A running on the light weight floor 200 of the upper floor U. The automated guided vehicle A transports the transported goods from the upper floor take-out port of the automated warehouse 1100 to the GTP station (not shown).

[0042] A minimum number of pillars 10 arranged at appropriate positions to support the lightweight floor 200 on the upper floor U ensures sufficient travel space for the automated guided vehicle A traveling on the floor of the building on the lower floor G. As a result, the automated guided vehicle A can achieve the purpose of transporting the goods from the lower floor G of the automated warehouse 1000 to the GTP station (not shown).

[0043] In the second embodiment, the upper floor U may be used not only by running the unmanned guided vehicle A on the lightweight floor 200, but also by combining the lightweight floor with a conveyor line as in the first embodiment (not shown).

[0044] The present invention is not limited to a logistics center in a single-story building, but may be provided with a transport line and a travel space for the automated guided vehicle A on a lower floor G and an upper floor U in a multi-story building where floor height can be secured. A travel space for the automated guided vehicle A may also be provided on the upper floor U, and the automated guided vehicle A may move between the lower floor G and the upper floor U. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the lower floor G is provided with a plurality of shelves T, a space for the automatic guided vehicle A to travel, a waiting area P equipped with a charging station for the automatic guided vehicle A, and a GTP station 1 for picking products with high to medium frequency. A support 10 with a beam is installed on a support base B on the concrete floor of the lower floor G, and the upper floor U is supported by the support 10 with a beam. In response to a control command from the WCS, products with a medium to low frequency of picking are picked using the conveyor line L3, and products with a low frequency of picking are picked using a cart K, and are conveyed to the GTP conveyor line L1 on the lower floor G via the connecting conveyor line L4 and the vertical conveyor V. In response to a control command from the WCS, the shelves T are conveyed to the GTP station 1 by the automatic guided vehicle A, and the products picked by the workers and the products from the upper floor U are packed on the packing line L2 and conveyed to the shipping location. In addition, the lower floor G is equipped with an automated warehouse 1000 with a high throughput function and an automated guided vehicle A for picking high frequency items, while the upper floor U is equipped with an automated warehouse 1100 with a high capacity storage function and an automated guided vehicle A for medium to low frequency items. In this case, the floor of the upper floor U is a one-sided floor to support the lightweight floor 200 dedicated to the automated guided vehicle as the running part of the automated guided vehicle A. side piece A beam 20 is used, and the floor of the automated warehouse 1100 for medium to low frequency items has the same floor structure as the building. In this case, the role of the automated guided vehicle A is to transport products taken out from two types of automated warehouses on the upper floor U and the lower floor G to the GTP station. And, since the column structure is used as a space retaining function for the automated guided vehicle A on the upper floor U to run, it can be effectively used to secure space for the automated guided vehicle on the lower floor G.

[0046] For the above reasons, the embodiments of the present invention have great applicability in various industries, including the logistics industry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] G…lower floor U: Upper floor A…Automated guided vehicle B…Support base K…Cart O…Returnable box P…Charging station / waiting area T…Shelf S…flat shelf V: Vertical conveyor FR…Flow rack L1…GTP transport line L2: Packaging line L3: Conveyor line L4: Interconnection transport line 1.GTP station 10…post 20... piece side piece holding beam 30…Both side piece holding beam 50…Plate 100, 110, 120, 200...Lightweight floor 1000…Automated warehouse for high frequency items 1100: Automated warehouse for medium to low frequency items

Claims

1. In a logistics center that has upper and lower floors to operate a transport line, an automated warehouse, and an automated guided vehicle by utilizing part of the space from floor to ceiling, The lower floor includes at least one column structure including a lower floor floor portion, a column portion fixed to the lower floor floor portion, and a beam portion provided above the column portion and fixing an upper floor floor portion related to the upper floor, On the lower floor, an automated warehouse or shelf for products with a high or high to medium picking frequency is installed on the floor of the lower floor, and the beam portion is made of a one-sided cantilever beam or a two-sided cantilever beam, so that a travel space in which the automatic guided vehicle can travel is formed under the free end of the one-sided cantilever beam or the two-sided cantilever beam, On the upper floor, a flow rack or shelf and a conveying line for products with a medium to low picking frequency are formed on the floor of the lower floor, or an automated warehouse for products with a medium to low picking frequency and a travel space in which the automated guided vehicle can travel to take the products in and out of the automated warehouse are formed; A structure for a transport system, characterized in that the space formed between the lower floor floor and the upper floor floor by the column structure has a height that allows transport by the unmanned transport vehicle.

2. 2. The structure for a transport system according to claim 1, wherein the beam portion has a single beam and / or a plurality of beams.

3. The structure for a transportation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the column structure has one or more charging stations for the automated guided vehicles and / or waiting spaces for the automated guided vehicles.

4. A structure for a transportation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the column structure has a plate having a hole for fixing to the lower floor floor at the end of the column on the lower floor side, and the plate is fastened and fixed to the lower floor floor by the hole.

5. 5. The structure for a transport system according to claim 4, wherein the plate is installed so as to be substantially flush with the lower floor.

Images