Working System

Abstract

To improve the practicality of a work system configured so as to include a mobile work machine that moves and works by electric energy stored in a battery.SOLUTION: The work system includes: a plurality of mobile work machines 10; a charging facility 58 having charging ports 62 whose number is smaller than the number of mobile work machines to charge batteries of the mobile work machines; and a controller 70 for managing operations of the mobile work machines. The work system preferentially causes a mobile work machine having a battery with less remaining charge to charge the battery. Even if the charging facility has only a small number of charging ports, it is possible to efficiently charge a plurality of mobile work machines.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work system including a mobile work machine that moves and performs work using electric energy stored in a battery. [Background technology]

[0002] In the above-mentioned work system, for example, the mobile work machine has a battery and operates on electric energy stored in the battery. In such a work system, it is necessary to charge the battery, in other words, to charge the mobile work machine. In the following patent document, the charging of the service vehicle, which is the mobile work machine, is managed based on an operation plan, so that the movement of the vehicle to a charging facility and charging at the charging facility are performed smoothly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-2215 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is desirable to charge a mobile work machine while taking into consideration the work efficiency of the mobile work machine and the efficiency of the charging facility. From this perspective, there is still plenty of room for improvement in the charging of mobile work machines in a work system, and by implementing some kind of improvement, it is possible to improve the practicality of the work system. The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a work system that is highly practical. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a working system, comprising: The battery stores electric energy, and the robot moves and performs tasks. (b) a mobile work machine having a charging port and connected to the charging port, (c) a computer that controls the operation of the mobile work machine. A work system comprising: the number of the charging ports of the charging facility is less than the number of the mobile work machines; The controller determines a battery current that is a remaining amount of electrical energy stored in the battery. The mobile work machine having the battery with the lowest remaining charge is given priority for charging. Configured to match Along with, The mobile work machine is configured such that when a non-working state, in which no work is being performed, continues for a set time or more, charging is performed for a time equal to or less than the charging time set for the set time as one charge, and charging of the mobile work machine for a time longer than the set charging time is not performed even if the remaining battery charge of the battery of the mobile work machine has not reached a full charge amount. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the above-described work system of the present invention, even if the charging facility has only a small number of charging ports, it is possible to efficiently charge a plurality of mobile work machines.

[0007] The "mobile work machine" in the work system of the present invention is not particularly limited. More specifically, for example, it typically includes vehicles that move and transport objects, and vehicles that perform various tasks such as construction and inspection. It may also be a moving body that cannot be called a vehicle, such as a drone. The mobile work machine may be one that is driven and operated by a human, or one that is driven and operated automatically. In other words, it may be something like a robot. Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the place where the mobile work machine moves, and it may be indoors or outdoors.

[0008] A "charging port" of a charging facility means a part that is connected to a mobile work machine for charging, a place where the mobile work machine should be positioned for charging, etc. A charging facility may be equipped with one charger having multiple charging ports, or may be equipped with multiple chargers with one charging port.

[0009] Since the "controller" manages the operation of the mobile work machine, it is desirable that the controller has, for example, a communication device capable of communicating various information and instructions with a terminal possessed by the mobile work machine. The controller may also have a function of acquiring or creating a work plan for the mobile work machine. Specifically, the controller may have a computer as its main component.

[0010] The controller may be configured to determine, for example, from among the mobile work machines that are capable of being charged, which mobile work machine is to be charged based on the remaining battery charge of each mobile work machine, provided that at least one charging port is available.

[0011] From the viewpoint of efficient charging of a plurality of mobile work machines in a charging facility having only a few charging ports, it is desirable to prevent a large difference in the remaining battery charge of each mobile work machine. Therefore, it is desirable to configure the controller so that, for a mobile work machine in which a non-working state, in which no work is being performed, continues for a set time or more, charging is performed for a time equal to or less than the set charging time as one charge. More specifically, it is desirable to set the above set time as short as possible, so long as the start and end of charging are not complicated. Specifically, for example, the set time may be set to about 5 to 15 minutes. By charging each mobile work machine for such a short time, it is possible to reduce the difference in the remaining battery charge of each mobile work machine. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a transport robot as a mobile work machine provided in a product transport system within a logistics warehouse, which is a work system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a logistics warehouse in which a transport robot operates. [Diagram 3] 11 is a table showing a work plan for a transport robot. [Figure 4]5 is a flowchart of a charging instruction program and a charging execution program executed in the product transport system within the logistics warehouse. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, as a mode for carrying out the present invention, a working system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition to the following embodiment, the present invention can be carried out in various forms including those described in the above section on [Modes of the Invention], and various modifications and improvements made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. EXAMPLES

[0014] [A] Transport robot The working system of the embodiment is a product transport system in a logistics warehouse (hereinafter, sometimes abbreviated as "transport system") equipped with a plurality of transport robots as mobile work machines that transport products, and FIG. 1 shows the transport robot. The transport robot 10 has a short cylindrical base 12. The lower right side of the figure is the front, and the upper left side is the rear. Although not shown in the figure, the base 12 has a pair of drive wheels on the left and right and a pair of steering wheels on the front and rear. A pair of posts 14 on the left and right are erected on the base 12, and a table 16 that can be raised and lowered along the posts 14 is arranged between the pair of posts 14. A slide arm 18 that can move back and forth is arranged on the table 16. A clamp 24 having a clamp base 20 and a pair of gripping plates 22 is arranged at the front end of the slide arm 18. The clamp 24 is movable left and right, and the pair of gripping plates 22 are adapted to open and close left and right to grip a generally rectangular parallelepiped product or commodity (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "product, etc.") between them. The transport robot 10 is movable forward and backward, and is also capable of rotating on the spot.

[0015] The transport robot 10 has a battery 26 in the base 12 in order to operate electrically. That is, the transport robot 10 moves and works by the electric energy stored in the battery 26. In addition, the transport robot 10 has a camera 28 and a LiDAR 30 for recognizing the front on the upper part of the clamp 24 in order to move and work automatically, and a receiver 32 for receiving a signal from a beacon to be described later is disposed on the upper end of one of the pair of posts 14. Furthermore, an antenna 34 for communicating with a control device to be described later is installed on the upper end of the other of the pair of posts 14. The transport robot 10 automatically travels and works automatically, but any method already known may be adopted as the method, and the method adopted in this transport system will not be described here. The transport robot 10 has a control terminal 36 mainly composed of a computer in order to control itself.

[0016] [B] A logistics warehouse where transport robots are in operation As shown in Fig. 2, the logistics warehouse has multiple rows of shelves 50 lined up inside. In the following explanation, as shown in the upper right corner of the figure, the upper side of the figure will be called the north side, the lower side the south side, the left side the west side, and the right side the east side.

[0017] Specifically, within the warehouse are aisle α, which extends east-west on the northernmost side (in the diagram, the letter α is shown at both ends of the aisle; the same applies to the other aisles), aisle β, which extends east-west in the center from north to south, and two aisles extending east-west on the southernmost side, aisle γ and aisle δ. In addition, there are multiple aisles a-l that connect aisle α and aisle β and extend north-south, aisles m-p that are four aisles that connect aisle β and aisle γ and extend north-south, and aisle q-t that are four aisles that connect aisle β and aisle δ and extend north-south.

[0018] A plurality of shelves 50 are lined up on both sides of each of the aisles a to t. More specifically, 13 shelves are lined up from north to south on both sides of each of the aisles a to l, and 14 shelves are lined up from north to south on both sides of each of the aisles m to t. In other words, the shelves 50 sandwiched between adjacent ones of the aisles a to t are arranged back to back. Hereinafter, the rows of shelves 50 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "shelf rows") will be referred to as (a to t) W on the west side of the aisles and (a to t) E on the east side of the aisles in relation to the aisles a to t, and the shelves 50 in each row will be numbered 1 to 13 for the shelves (a to l) W and (a to l) E, and 1 to 14 for the shelves (m to t) W and (m to t) E, starting from the north side, as shown by the shelf 50 on the left side of the figure. Therefore, for example, the shelf 50 indicated by the star in the figure is indicated by the shelf number eW4. Also, as shown in the lower right corner of the figure, each shelf 50 has four levels and four storage spaces. Each level, i.e., each storage space, is numbered A to D from the top. Therefore, the storage space on the second level from the top of the shelf 50 indicated by the star in the figure and indicated by the shelf number eW4 will be indicated as eW4B. Each storage space stores one or more products of one or more types, one or more units.

[0019] A plurality of transfer robots 10 travel within the warehouse. In the figure, ten transfer robots 10 are shown, and they are numbered R1 to R10 as robot numbers.

[0020] The yard on the south side of the center in the east-west direction within the warehouse is a receiving / shipping yard 52, where receiving and shipping operations are performed for trucks 54 entering and leaving the warehouse. In receiving operations, one or more transport robots 10 receive products, etc. brought into the warehouse by trucks 54 one by one, transport the received products, etc. to a designated shelf 50, and store them on that shelf 50. In shipping operations, one or more transport robots 10 take out products, etc. stored on a designated shelf 50 one by one, transport them to a truck 54, and hand them over to the truck 54.

[0021] The receiving / shipping yard 52 is provided with standby spaces 56 for the transport robots 10. The number of standby spaces 56 is equal to the number of the transport robots 10, and each transport robot 10 waits in an available standby space 56. The receiving / shipping yard 52 is also provided with a charging facility 58. The charging facility 58 has one charger 60 and a plurality of charging ports 62. In this transport system, as shown in the figure, the charging facility 58 has only a number of charging ports 62 that is less than the number of the transport robots 10. Specifically, the charging facility 58 has only three charging ports 62, and the three charging ports 62 are provided for the three standby spaces 56 on the north side. When charging its own battery 26, the transport robot 10 needs to be located in one of the three standby spaces 56.

[0022] The above-mentioned beacons 64 are installed at each of the four corners of the ceiling of the warehouse. By receiving signals from these beacons 64, the transfer robot 10 is able to grasp its own position within the warehouse at any time.

[0023] The management of the work of the transport robot 10, the remaining charge of the battery 26 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "battery remaining charge"), and the charging of the battery 26 are performed by a control device 70 mainly composed of a computer and a communication device. Each transport robot 10 receives work instructions, etc. from the control device 70, and performs work, etc. according to the work instructions. In other words, the control device 70 is placed in a control building outside the warehouse, and functions as a controller that manages the operation of the transport robot 10.

[0024] [C] Functions of the control device The control device 70 has a work management function for managing the work of each transport robot 10 and a charge management function for managing the charging of the battery 26 of each transport robot 10.

[0025] i) Work management function The work performed by the transport robot 10 is the receiving and shipping work described above, and a list of products to be unloaded from the truck 54 or loaded onto the truck 54 is created for each truck 54 entering the receiving / shipping yard 52. The control device 70 allocates receiving / shipping work to each transport robot 10 based on the list of receiving / shipping products, and creates a work plan as shown in Fig. 3.

[0026] Based on the above work plan, when a truck 54 arrives at the warehouse, the control device 70 instructs each transport robot 10 to receive products, etc. from the truck 54 and store the received products, etc. in which storage space of which shelf 50, or to hand over the products, etc. stored in which storage space of which shelf 50 to the truck 54, in order to perform loading and unloading operations for the truck 54.

[0027] ii) Charging management function The control device 70 performs charging management so that the remaining battery power of each transport robot 10 does not run out. As described above, in this transport system, the charging facility 58 has only three charging ports 62 for the ten transport robots 10, and it is necessary to efficiently charge the ten transport robots 10 using the three charging ports 62.

[0028] The control device 70 constantly monitors the remaining battery power of each transport robot 10 based on information transmitted from each transport robot 10, and issues charging instructions to each transport robot 10 so that the remaining battery power of each transport robot 10 is relatively uniform. Specifically, the control device 70 executes a charging instruction program, the flow chart of which is shown in Fig. 4, at set intervals (e.g., every minute).

[0029] In the process according to the charging instruction program, first, in step 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as "S1", the same applies to the other steps), it is determined whether or not there is an available charging port 62, that is, whether or not one or more of the three charging ports 62 are not in use. If there is no available charging port 62, one execution of the program ends.

[0030] If the charging port 62 is available, in S2, it is determined based on the above-mentioned work plan whether or not there is a transport robot 10 that is scheduled to be in a non-working state for a set time or more. The set time is set to the minimum time (e.g., 5 to 15 minutes) that allows effective charging. If there is no transport robot 10 that is scheduled to be in a non-working state for the set time or more, one execution of the program is terminated.

[0031] If there is one or more transport robots 10 that are scheduled to remain in a non-working state for a set period of time or more, in S3, the remaining battery charge E BAT In step S4, the remaining battery power E BAT The transport robot 10 with the smallest remaining battery power is recognized as the robot with the smallest remaining battery power. Then, in S5, an instruction is issued to the robot with the smallest remaining battery power to move to the waiting space 56 with an available charging port 62 and charge the battery.

[0032] Meanwhile, in the transfer robot 10 connected to the charging port 62 in response to a charging instruction from the control device 70, the control terminal 36 repeatedly executes a charging execution program shown in the flowchart of Fig. 4 at short intervals (e.g., one second). In the process according to this charging execution program, first, in S11, a time counter t is counted up by a count-up value Δt corresponding to the execution interval of the program.

[0033] In the next step S12, the time counter t is counted up to a one-time charging time t , which is a one-time charging time set to a preset time (e.g., 5 to 15 minutes) or less. CHARGE It is judged whether the one-time charging time tCHARGE If the remaining battery charge E does not exceed the threshold, the remaining battery charge E is detected in step S13. BAT However, the full charge amount E FULL It is judged whether the one-time charging time t CHARGE and the one-time charging time t CHARGE Even if it does not exceed the full charge amount E FULL If the charging time t has been reached, the time counter t is reset in S14, and the charging is terminated in S15, and the execution of the program is terminated. CHARGE and the full charge amount E FULL If the battery charge time has not yet reached the predetermined time, the program ends its execution in order to continue charging.

[0034] In this transport system, the charge instruction program is executed by the control device 70, and the charge execution program is executed by the control terminal 36 of the transport robot 10 to be charged. Even if the charging facility 58 has fewer charging ports 62 than the number of transport robots 10, the remaining battery charge E BAT There won’t be a big difference in the [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10: Transport robot [mobile work machine] 26: Battery 36: Control terminal 50: Shelf 52: Receiving / shipping yard 54: Truck 56: Waiting space 58: Charging equipment 60: Charger 62: Charging port 70: Control device E BAT : Battery remaining capacity t CHARGE :One charge time

Claims

1. a plurality of mobile work machines each having a battery and capable of moving and performing work using electric energy stored in the battery; a charging facility having a charging port and for charging the battery of the mobile work machine connected to the charging port; A controller for managing the operation of the mobile work machine; A working system comprising: the number of the charging ports of the charging facility is less than the number of the mobile work machines; The controller: The mobile work machine having a battery with a smaller remaining battery amount, which is the remaining amount of electrical energy stored in the battery, is configured to give priority to charging the battery; This work system is configured to cause the mobile work machine, which is in a non-working state in which no work is being performed, to charge for a period of time equal to or less than a charging time set to the set time as one charge, and not to cause the mobile work machine to charge for longer than the set charging time even if the remaining battery charge of the battery of the mobile work machine has not reached a full charge amount.

2. The controller:

2. A work system as described in claim 1, configured to determine, from among the mobile work machines which can be charged, the mobile work machine to be charged based on the remaining battery charge of each mobile work machine, on the condition that at least one charging port is available.

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