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 mobile work machine 10; a charging facility 58 for charging a battery of the mobile work machine; and a controller 70 for managing an operation of the mobile work machine. The work system certifies a workload of the mobile work machine for each set time zone on the basis of a work plan for the mobile work machine and determines a charging guideline time as a guideline for charging the battery for each time zone, according to its workload. Since the charging guideline time is determined on the basis of the workload of the mobile work machine for each time zone, the work efficiency of the mobile work machine can be maintained at a high level.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 working system of the present invention comprises: It has a battery and moves and works by using the electric energy stored in the battery. A mobile work machine, a charging facility for charging the battery of the mobile work machine; A controller for managing the operation of the mobile work machine; A working system comprising: The controller determines the amount of work to be performed by the mobile work machine for each set time period based on a work plan for the mobile work machine. ,time The estimated charging time for the battery for each period of time The more work is done during the period, the shorter the time. The method is configured to determine Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the working system of the present invention, the estimated charging time is determined based on the amount of work performed by the mobile work machine for each time period, so it is possible to maintain high work efficiency of the mobile work machine. Note that the "amount of work" can also be thought of as the "working time."

[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] 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.

[0009] To explain in detail the determination of the estimated charging time, for example, the controller may typically determine a shorter estimated charging time for a time slot with a larger amount of work. Specifically, for example, the controller may be configured to set a reference amount of work as a standard of the amount of work in one time slot, and determine the time margin for work for each time slot by subtracting the recognized amount of work for each time slot from the reference amount of work, and determine the estimated charging time for each time slot based on the recognized margin for each time slot. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to set the amount of work for a time slot with the largest amount of work in one work period consisting of a plurality of consecutive time slots as the reference amount of work for that work period, and determine the estimated charging time for each time slot in that work period. Note that the "time slot" and "work period" may be appropriately set depending on the type of work, the capacity of the battery, and the like. Specifically, for example, the "time slot" may be set to a length of 30 minutes to 2 hours, and the "work period" may be set to a length of 12 hours to 48 hours.

[0010] The controller can also be configured to estimate a periodic required charging time, which is the charging time required for a work period consisting of a plurality of consecutive time slots, based on a work plan for the mobile work machine for that work period, and to determine an approximate charging time for each time slot in that work period based on the estimated periodic required charging time. Simply put, the periodic required charging time may be allocated to each time slot, and an approximate charging time for each time slot may be determined.

[0011] The operation system may be configured to allow charging beyond the estimated charging time when the non-working state in a certain time period exceeds the estimated charging time. By configuring in this way, it becomes possible to store as much electric energy as possible in the battery while there is still room. Also, in order to avoid the complication of starting and ending charging, it is desirable to configure the system so that charging is performed on the premise that the non-working state, in which no work is being performed, continues for a set period of time or more. [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] 13 is a flowchart of a period initial setting program executed in the logistics warehouse product transport system. [Diagram 5] 10 is a graph showing an estimated charging time for each time period determined by execution of a period initial setting program. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart of a charging execution program executed in the logistics warehouse product transport system. 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 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 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, but the method for doing so may be any method already known in the art, and the method adopted in the working system of the embodiment 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 the same number of charging ports 62 as the number of the transport robots 10, and the charging ports 62 are arranged in all the standby spaces 56. Therefore, the battery 26 can be charged regardless of which standby space 56 the transport robot 10 waits in.

[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. For the sake of convenience, in this transport system, one day, more specifically, from midnight to 12:00 p.m. is treated as one work period, and the work plan is created at the beginning of the work period, i.e., just before midnight.

[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] As will be described later, there may be a case where a transport robot 10 is being charged and cannot work. The management device 70 also transfers the work to be performed by the transport robot 10 being charged to another transport robot 10 that is able to work.

[0028] ii) Charging management function The control device 70 manages the charging of each transport robot 10 so as to maintain high work efficiency of each transport robot 10. Simply put, the charging of each transport robot 10 is managed so that the charging time is shorter in time periods with a greater amount of work, and conversely, the charging time is longer in time periods with a smaller amount of work. Incidentally, in this transport system, one day, which is one work period, is divided into one-hour intervals to set time periods. In addition, the control device 70 constantly keeps track of the remaining battery power of each transport robot 10 by information transmitted from each transport robot 10.

[0029] In order to manage the charging of each transport robot 10, the control device 70 executes a period initial setting program, the flow chart of which is shown in FIG. 4, for each transport robot 10 at the beginning of one work period, that is, immediately before midnight.

[0030] In the process according to the period initial setting program, first, in step 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as "S1"; the same applies to the other steps), the time zone counter H is counted up, and in S2, the work amount W of the transport robot 10 in the time zone indicated by the counter H is calculated. H is certified based on the above-mentioned work plan. Incidentally, H indicates the time slot from 0:00 to 1:00, 2 the time slot from 1:00 to 2:00, ..., 24 the time slot from 11:00 to 12:00. S2 is repeated until it is determined in S3 that the time slot counter H has reached 24, and the amount of work per time slot W for each time slot H in a day is calculated. H The amount of work per time slot W for all time slots H in a day is certified. HWhen the certification is made, the time zone counter H is reset in S4. Note that hereinafter, the time zone may be referred to as time zone H.

[0031] In the next step S5, the workload W for each time period H in a day is calculated. H Based on this, the total work for one day, W, is the total work for the period, W TOTAL is recognized, and in S6, the total work volume for that period W TOTAL Based on this, the required charging time C is the amount of charging time required per day. TOTAL Specifically, the amount of electricity consumed in one task, E, is estimated as the amount of electricity consumed per task, E W is set, and the amount of electricity consumed per operation E W Total work volume for the period W TOTAL This is the chargeable amount of electricity per unit time E PH By dividing the period by the required charging time C TOTAL Then, in the next step S7, the certified work volume per time slot W H Based on this, the workload W of the time period H with the largest workload W is the maximum workload W MAX It is certified as such, that is, as a standard amount of work.

[0032] Maximum work volume per time period W MAX After the determination, in S8, the time slot counter H is counted up again, and the processes of S9 to S12 are repeated until it is determined in S13 that the time slot counter H has reached 24. More specifically, in S9, the maximum work amount W MAX From each time period H, the work volume W H By subtracting H, the margin for work in each time period H is calculated as M H is determined, and in S10, the total margin (i.e., the maximum work volume per time slot W MAX Multiplying this by 24 gives the total work volume W TOTAL (minus M) H As a ratio, the margin ratio for each time period R HIn S11, the period required charging time C TOTAL The margin ratio for each time period R H is multiplied, and the estimated charging time for each time period H is calculated as the estimated charging time for each time period C. H is determined, and in S12, the estimated charging time C for each time period from the start of the work period to the time period H is determined. H The cumulative estimated charging time for each time period is calculated as ΣC H is determined.

[0033] Estimated cumulative charging time for each time period HΣC H After this is determined, in S14, the time zone counter H is reset, and the execution of the period initial setting program is terminated.

[0034] By executing the period initial setting program, the estimated charging time for each time period C is set as shown in the graph in Figure 5. H In the graph of FIG. 5, the horizontal axis indicates the time period H, and the vertical axis indicates the amount of work per time period W. H and estimated charging time for each time period C H By the way, the amount of work per time period W H is represented as a black bar in the time dimension, and the estimated charging time for each time period C H is the amount of work per time period W H The weights are stacked on top of each other and are represented as shaded bars.

[0035] In the graph, time slot 8 has the maximum amount of work per time slot W MAX On the other hand, the time period 23 is the time period H where the work volume per time period W H is 0, that is, the time period H is a time period in which no work is performed. As can be seen from the graph, the larger the amount of work W in the time period H, the shorter the estimated charging time for each time period C H Conversely, the smaller the workload W in the time slot H, the shorter the estimated charging time C H As a result, the work efficiency of the transfer robot 10 can be maintained high.

[0036] In each transport robot 10, from the time when it is connected to the charging port 62 and charging is started, the control terminal 36 calculates the cumulative estimated charging time for each time period ΣC H Based on this, the charging execution program shown in the flowchart in Fig. 6 is repeatedly executed at short intervals (e.g., 1 second). In order to avoid cumbersome start and end of charging, charging is started on the premise that a non-work state, in which no work is being performed, continues for a set time (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes) or more.

[0037] In the process according to the charging execution program, in S21, the remaining battery capacity E BAT is the full charge amount E FULL It is judged whether the remaining battery charge E BAT is the full charge amount E FULL If the charging time has not yet reached the cumulative actual charging time ΣC REAL is updated by the execution pitch Δt of the program.

[0038] In the next step S23, it is determined whether or not an instruction to perform a task has been sent from the control device 70 to the transport robot 10. If there is no instruction to perform a task, charging is continued in step S24. If there is an instruction to perform a task, the cumulative actual charging time ΣC REAL is the estimated cumulative charging time for each time period ΣC H It is judged whether the estimated cumulative charging time for each time period ΣC H If the cumulative actual charging time ΣC has been reached, the execution of the instructed work is permitted in S26, and charging is terminated in S27. REAL is the estimated cumulative charging time for each time period ΣC H If the remaining battery charge E has not been reached, a message indicating that the charge is insufficient is transmitted to the control device 70 in S28, and charging is continued in S24. Incidentally, upon receiving the message indicating that the charge is insufficient, the control device 70 transfers the task to another transport robot 10 that can perform the task. BAT is the full charge amount EFULL If it is determined that the charging time has reached this value, charging is terminated in S27.

[0039] By executing this charging execution program, each transport robot 10 is sufficiently charged while maintaining high work efficiency. H In other words, if the cumulative actual charging time exceeds ΣC REAL is the estimated cumulative charging time for each time period ΣC H If the time limit for charging exceeds the limit, charging is permitted during the excess time, so that it is possible to store as much electric energy as possible in the battery 26 while there is still time to do so. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 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 H: Time period (1-24) W: Work load W H : Work volume per time period W TOTAL :Total work volume during the period W MAX : Maximum amount of work per time period [standard amount of work] C: Charging time C TOTAL :Period required charging time C H : Estimated charging time for each time period ΣC H : Estimated cumulative charging time for each time period ΣC REAL :Actual cumulative charging time E:Amount of electricity E W : Electricity consumption per operation E PH : Chargeable amount of electricity per unit time M: Time margin M H : Margin for each time period R: Margin ratio R H : Percentage of spare time per time slot

Claims

1. a mobile work machine having a battery and moving and performing work using electric energy stored in the battery; a charging facility for charging the battery of the mobile work machine; A controller for managing the operation of the mobile work machine; A working system comprising: The work system is configured such that the controller certifies the amount of work done by the mobile work machine for each set time period based on a work plan for the mobile work machine, and determines the estimated charging time, which serves as a guideline for charging the battery for each time period, to be shorter for time periods with a greater amount of certified work.

2. 2. The work system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set a standard workload that serves as a benchmark for the workload in a time period, to determine a time margin for work for each time period by subtracting the certified workload for each time period from the standard workload, and to determine an estimated charging time for each time period based on the certified margin for each time period.

3. The work system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the amount of work in a time period with the greatest amount of work in a single work period consisting of a plurality of consecutive time periods as a reference amount of work for that work period, and to determine an estimated charging time for each time period in that work period.

4. 4. The work system according to claim 1, wherein the work system is configured to perform charging on the assumption that a non-work state, in which no work is being performed, continues for a set period of time or more.

5. 5. The work system according to claim 1, wherein, when a period of time during a certain time period during which the non-work state is continued exceeds the estimated charging time, charging beyond the estimated charging time is permitted.

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