Lifting device and conveying system

Abstract

Provided is a lifting device that enables loading of a pallet from a position below the loadable height on an automated guided vehicle or unloading of the pallet from the automated guided vehicle to a position below the loadable height. **Solution**: A lifting device for loading or unloading a pallet with respect to an automated guided vehicle, comprising a pair of first receivers each having a first receiving portion on an upper surface on which a lower end of the pallet is placed. The pair of first receivers are arranged such that the distance between the first receiving portions is wider than the left-right width of the automated guided vehicle and narrower than the left-right width of the pallet, and the distance between the support portions that support the first receiving portions is wider than the left-right width of the pallet. The pair of first receivers can receive a pallet in a floor-standing state carried therebetween onto the upper surface of the first receiving portion and raise it to the loadable height of the automated guided vehicle while maintaining the horizontal position of the pallet, or receive the pallet from the automated guided vehicle onto the upper surface of the first receiving portion and lower it to the floor-standing state while maintaining the horizontal position of the pallet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device and a conveying system.

Background Art

[0002] At sites such as factories and logistics warehouses, pallets are often used to transport objects. Although pallet-based transportation has been carried out using forklifts, etc., in recent years, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "autonomous transport vehicles") have been developed and put into practical use (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] At the site, the layout is frequently changed, and various devices are installed. Therefore, the passage for transportation is narrow, and the route is likely to be complicated. Since the above-mentioned autonomous transport vehicle is highly maneuverable and easy to introduce, it is suitable for transportation at such sites.

[0005] Specifically, transportation by forklift requires a qualified driver, and due to the large size of the vehicle, a wide passage space must be secured, which reduces the space for equipment deployment and various storage spaces accordingly. Also, during transportation by forklift, the driver is restricted, and the arrangement of extra personnel is required. On the other hand, if a conveyor line is installed for automation to reduce the number of personnel, the degree of freedom of future layout will be restricted. It can be said that autonomous transport vehicles are devices that solve such problems, enabling automation, reduction of personnel, and space savings.

[0006] In the automated guided vehicle of the above patent document, a mounting part for mounting a conveyed object is arranged on the upper side of the main body, and wheels are arranged on the lower side of the main body (see FIG. 1-2 of Patent Document 1, etc.), and it can dive under the conveyed object by itself and mount the conveyed object on the mounting part. In other words, for the above automated guided vehicle to mount the conveyed object by itself, the conveyed object must be at a mountable height (depending on the automated guided vehicle, the height of the mounting part or the height obtained by adding a margin to the height of the mounting part), and there must be a space where the automated guided vehicle can dive under the conveyed object.

[0007] However, in conveyance using a pallet, the pallet is often placed on the floor (floor placement), and it is not always at the mountable height of the automated guided vehicle. If an attempt is made to use an automated guided vehicle for the conveyance of a pallet below the mountable height, first, a pallet stand (having feet on the lower side and a table part on the upper side at the mountable height) needs to be prepared, and it is necessary to place the pallet on the pallet stand with a forklift. Although the automated guided vehicle is a device for automation, labor saving, and space saving, it is impossible to directly convey a pallet below the mountable height with the automated guided vehicle.

[0008] Thus, the above automated guided vehicle has a contradiction in that in conveyance using a pallet, it does not function as an automated guided vehicle without going through the process of lifting the pallet by a forklift.

[0009] The present invention is for solving at least one of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a lifting device and a conveyance system that enable loading of a pallet from a position below the mountable height onto an automated guided vehicle, or unloading from the automated guided vehicle to a position below the mountable height.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0010] This application includes a plurality of means for solving at least part of the above problems. For example, they are as follows. To solve the above problems, a lifting device according to one aspect of the present invention is a lifting device for loading or unloading a pallet on an automated guided vehicle, and includes a pair of first receivers having a first receiving portion on the upper surface on which the lower end of the pallet is placed. The distance between the first receiving portions of the pair is wider than the left-right width of the automated guided vehicle and narrower than the left-right width of the pallet, and the distance between the support portions that support the first receiving portions is set wider than the left-right width of the pallet. The pair of first receivers can receive a floor-standing pallet carried between them on the upper surface of the first receiving portion, maintain the horizontal of the pallet, and raise it to a loadable height of the automated guided vehicle, or receive the pallet from the automated guided vehicle on the upper surface of the first receiving portion, maintain the horizontal of the pallet, and lower it to the floor-standing state.

[0011] In the above lifting device, a pair of second receivers having a second receiving portion on the upper end on which the lower end of the pallet is placed are provided on the left and right. The pair of first receiving portions have a first avoiding portion penetrating in the vertical direction. The pair of second receiving portions can move closer to or away from each other. When the pair of first receiving portions rise while maintaining the horizontal of the pallet, the pair of second receiving portions move closer to each other directly below the pallet, and when the pair of first receiving portions descend, they can receive the pallet at the upper end. Alternatively, when the pair of first receiving portions rise and receive the pallet supported at the upper end, the pair of second receiving portions may move away from each other and leave directly below the pallet.

[0012] In the above lifting device, the second receiving portion may be constituted by a conveying means capable of sending the pallet in the conveying direction in which the upper end is orthogonal to the left-right direction and the vertical direction.

[0013] In the above lifting device, the second receiver may have a side guide portion for guiding the loading of the pallet at the inner end.

[0014] In the lifting device described above, the second receptor may have a side regulating portion at its inner end for regulating the loading of the pallet.

[0015] In the lifting device described above, the lifting device may be provided with a positioning portion for positioning the loading of the pallet on one or both of the front and the rear.

[0016] In order to solve the above problems, a transport system according to an aspect of the present invention includes the lifting device and a holding device that is arranged adjacent to the lifting device and holds a pallet.

[0017] In the transport system described above, a delivery device that is arranged adjacent to the holding device and performs delivery between the automated guided vehicle and the pallet may be provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lifting device and a transport system that enable loading of a pallet from a position below the loadable height on the automated guided vehicle or unloading of the pallet to a position below the loadable height from the automated guided vehicle.

[0019] Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the following embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

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MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, for common components in the following embodiments (including modification examples), the same reference numerals as those described above may be used, and the description may be omitted. In addition, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc. of components, etc., unless otherwise specified or it is considered not to be so in principle, those substantially similar or similar to the shape, position, etc. are included. In addition, terms such as attachment, connection, and fixation include both direct cases and cases where they are indirectly performed via other members.

[0022] <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 1, (a) is an example of a plan view, and (b) is an example of a front view (front view observed from the front). In the figure, X indicates the left-right direction (-X is the left side, +X is the right side), Y indicates the up-down direction (-Y is the lower side, +Y is the upper side), and Z indicates the front-back direction (-Z is the front side, +Z is the rear side) (the same applies to each figure below). Note that unless otherwise specified, the Y direction is the gravitational direction, the X direction is a direction orthogonal to the Y direction, and the Z direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction.

[0023] The lifting device 1 of this embodiment is a device for loading or unloading a pallet on an automated guided vehicle. The lifting device 1 is installed on a support surface such as the floor surface B. Note that the support surface on which the lifting device 1 is installed is not limited to the floor surface B, and may also be other running surfaces on which other automated guided vehicles run for transportation.

[0024] The pallet P is a commonly used one, and as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4(a), it has an upper end (upper surface) P1 on which an object is placed, a lower end (lower surface) P2 that contacts a support surface such as the floor surface B, and an insertion port P3 that penetrates the front and rear surfaces. The pallet P preferably has a relief hole (not shown) that communicates with the insertion port P3 and opens downward, so that a caster (see FIG. 5(b)) attached to the claw of a forklift inserted from the insertion port P3 can land. That is, the pallet P is preferably of a so-called single-sided use type. In the present application, the pallet P includes both an unloaded state (empty load state as shown in the figure) in which no object is loaded and a loaded state (loaded state with the object Q loaded as shown in FIG. 1).

[0025] The automated guided vehicle A is a device that travels on-site with a conveyance object loaded on an upper mounting portion A1 as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4(b). The automated guided vehicle A travels on a support surface such as the floor surface B by lower wheels A2. The mounting portion A1 has a mounting portion height H1 at a height separated from the floor surface B by a distance h. The loadable height H at which the automated guided vehicle A can load a conveyance object by itself is, depending on the automated guided vehicle, the mounting portion height H1 or a height H2 obtained by adding a margin to a height above the mounting portion height H1.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 1(a), the lifting device 1 includes a pair of first receivers 11 each having a first receiving portion 111 (the portion shown filled in) on which the lower end of the pallet P is placed. The pair of first receivers 11 are installed such that the distance (first distance) G1 between the first receiving portions 111 is wider than the left - right width of the automated guided vehicle A and narrower than the left - right width of the pallet P. The automated guided vehicle A can enter between them in the front - rear direction from the direction of the arrow shown (or the opposite direction) in the figure. The pair of first receivers 11 are preferably configured symmetrically with respect to the left - right center plane D along the YZ plane. The front - rear center plane E is a plane along the XY plane that bisects the first receiving portion 111 in the front - rear direction. The first receiving portion 111 is preferably configured symmetrically with respect to the front - rear center plane E. In the lifting device 1, the side closer to the left - right center plane D is defined as the inner side, and the opposite side is defined as the outer side.

[0027] The first receiving portion 111 has, as an example, an upper surface that is a horizontal plane parallel to the XZ plane and is composed of a plate - shaped member with a substantially uniform wall thickness. In other words, the lower surface of the first receiving portion 111 is also a horizontal plane as an example. The first receiving portion 111 is installed such that its lower surface is in contact with the floor surface B as an example. The first receiving portion 111 is configured to have a thin plate thickness so that its upper surface is at a position close to the floor surface B. The plate thickness of the first receiving portion 111 is 100 mm or less, preferably 80 mm or less, more preferably 60 mm or less, and still more preferably 40 mm or less. Also, from the viewpoint of ensuring the strength of the device and enabling sufficient support for the pallet P in the mounted state, the lower limit of the plate thickness of the first receiving portion 111 is preferably 3 mm, more preferably 5 mm, although it depends on the material.

[0028] The pallet P is placed on the lifting device 1 such that the lower ends of both the left and right ends rest on the upper surfaces of the left and right first receiving portions 111, and a portion directly below (not blocked by the floor surface B) exists between both ends. Since the upper surfaces of the first receiving portions 111 on which both ends are placed are close to the floor surface B, it can be said that this placement state of the pallet P approximates the state of being directly placed on the floor surface B. Also, since this placement state of the pallet P can be achieved by the same operation as the operation of directly placing the pallet P on the floor surface B with a hand truck, it can also be said that it is regarded as the same as directly placing it on the floor surface B in terms of the operation surface. From such a perspective, in the present application, this placement state of the pallet P is referred to as the "floor placement state". In other words, the floor placement state in the present application refers to a state in which the same operation as the operation of directly placing or lifting the pallet P on the floor surface B with a hand truck (floor placement operation) is possible and the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 is 100 mm or less from the floor surface B.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5(a), a person carrying in the pallet P can carry in the pallet P and place it in the illustrated floor placement state by the same operation as the floor placement operation of the hand truck C. The same applies to a person carrying out the pallet P.

[0030] Note that, as shown in Fig. 5(b), although the hand truck C has claws (forks) C1 similar to a forklift, different from the forks of a forklift, casters C2 are attached to the claws C1, and the casters C2 are used by touching down on a support surface such as the floor surface B. Due to such a structure, it is impossible for the hand truck C to directly load or unload the pallet P onto or from the automated guided vehicle A.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 1(a), the first receiving portion 111 is configured to have a wide front-to-rear width from the viewpoints of having a thin plate thickness and being able to sufficiently support the pallet P in the stacked state. The front-to-rear width of the first receiving portion 111 is, for example, 2 / 3 or more, preferably 3 / 4 or more, and more preferably substantially equal to the front-to-rear width of the pallet P, although it also depends on the size of the pallet.

[0032] The first receiving part 111 may be configured without a through part penetrating the wall thickness. As an example, it has a first avoiding part M penetrating the wall thickness vertically. The first receiving part 111 is configured in a U shape in plan view as shown in the figure as an example. In the illustrated example, the first receiving part 111 has a tip part extending in the front-rear direction and base end parts extending leftward (or rightward) from both ends of the tip part, and has a first avoiding part M which is a hollow part surrounded by the tip part and both base end parts. By configuring the first receiving part 111 in this way, the lifting device 1 can be easily configured without interfering with the first receiving part 111 even when the side plan interior 16 described later is provided.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1(b), the pair of first receivers 11 have support parts 112 that support the first receiving part 111. The first receiving part 111 is supported by the support parts 112 at both base end parts, and the first receivers 11 form an L shape that is symmetric with each other about the left-right center plane D. The pair of support parts 112 are installed at substantially the same interval with respect to the left-right center plane D, and the interval (second interval) G2 between them is larger than the first interval G1. The first receiver 11 may be formed by integrally forming the first receiving part 111 and the support part 112, or may be formed separately and fixedly connected.

[0034] The first receiver 11 is provided with a drive part (not shown), and the first receiving part 111 and the support part 112 can be integrally moved up and down by this drive part. The drive part may be any one that can drive the first receiving part 111 and the support part 112 up and down, and the configuration is not particularly limited.

[0035] The lifting device 1 may symmetrically include a pair of side guiding portions 16 on the left and right for guiding the loading and unloading of the pallet P by the hand lift C. As an example, the side guiding portions 16 are installed inside the support portion 112 on the floor surface B and within the first avoiding portion M in plan view, and are long in the front-rear direction. As an example, the height of the side guiding portions 16 is higher than the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 so as to be able to effectively guide, and lower than the height of the pallet P so as not to interfere with the large object Q. By including the side guiding portions 16, the lifting device 1 can guide the loading and unloading of the pallet P in such a manner that the left and right center planes of the pallet P coincide more with the left and right center plane D. Further, it is possible to prevent both ends of the pallet P from colliding with the support portion 112.

[0036] As an example, the lifting device 1 may include a rear guiding portion 17 for guiding the loading and unloading of the pallet P by the hand lift C. When loading the pallet P from the front, if it enters too far into the back (rear), there may be a front-rear imbalance, and there is a risk that the first receiver 11 cannot stably support the pallet P. The rear guiding portion 17 is for avoiding this, and is installed behind the first receiving portion 111. The rear guiding portion 17 is long in the left-right direction. As an example, the height of the rear guiding portion 17 is higher than the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 so as to be able to effectively guide, and lower than the height of the pallet P so as not to interfere with the large object Q. When loading the pallet P from the rear, the lifting device 1 includes a front guiding portion so as to be front-rear symmetric with respect to the illustrated rear guiding portion 17 and the front-rear center plane E.

[0037] The lifting device 1 may be provided with a protection part installed on the floor surface B for protecting the first receiving part 111. As an example, the lifting device 1 includes a pair of inner protection parts 151 installed symmetrically on the left and right, inside the left and right first receiving parts 111. When carrying in with a hand lift C, if the height of the claw C1 supporting the pallet P is not sufficient, the pallet P and the first receiving part 111 may collide and be damaged. The inner protection part 151 is for avoiding this, installed inside the first receiving part 111 to protect the tip part and prevent damage. The height of the inner protection part 151 is equal to or slightly higher than the upper surface of the first receiving part 111 and is 100 mm or less. The material of the inner protection part 151 is not particularly limited, but preferably at least the upper part has buffering properties, such as urethane rubber or the like.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 1(a), as an example, the lifting device 1 includes a pair of front protection parts 152 installed symmetrically in front of the left and right first receiving parts 111. The height of the front protection part 152 is equal to or slightly higher than the upper surface of the first receiving part 111 and is 100 mm or less. The material of the front protection part 152 is not particularly limited, but preferably at least the upper part has buffering properties, such as urethane rubber or the like. By providing the front protection part 152, the lifting device 1 can avoid the collision between the pallet P and the corner part and the base end part in front of the first receiving part 111 and prevent damage. When carrying in the pallet P from the rear, the lifting device 1 includes a rear protection part that is symmetric with respect to the front protection part 152 shown in the figure and the front-rear center plane E.

[0039] In addition, when the lifting device 1 is provided with a protection part whose height is slightly higher than the upper surface of the first receiving part 111, the lower ends of both ends of the pallet P will rest on the protection part instead of the upper surfaces of the left and right first receiving parts 111. However, this placement state of the pallet P is also a state where the same operation as the floor placement operation of the hand lift C is possible, and since the upper surface of the protection part is at a position 100 mm or less from the floor surface B, it can be said to be a floor placement state. In the present application, the floor placement state includes such a mode.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 1, and shows an example of a lifting operation that enables loading a pallet P in a floor-mounted state onto an automated guided vehicle. Note that the illustrated example is an example of the pallet P in an unloaded state, but a pallet in a loaded state can operate in the same manner (the same applies to the operations of each embodiment and modification below).

[0041] In FIG. 2(a), the first receiver 11 is in an initial state. In this example, the lower surface of the first receiving portion 111 is in contact with the floor surface B, and the upper surface is at a position equivalent to or slightly below the inner protection portion 151.

[0042] When the pallet P is carried in and placed on the floor, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2(b), the pair of first receivers 11 receive the pallet P in the floor-mounted state on the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 and lift the pallet P while maintaining it horizontally. Specifically, as an example, after the carrier places the pallet P in the floor-mounted state with the hand lift C and then exits and presses the completion button, the first receiving portion 111 receives the pallet P placed on its upper surface and lifts it while supporting it horizontally. When the lifting device 1 is provided with a protection portion whose upper surface is slightly higher than the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111, when the first receiving portion 111 rises and the upper surface reaches a position equivalent to or higher than the upper surface of the protection portion, the pallet P is received and lifted while being supported horizontally.

[0043] The first receiver 11 waits at that position after lifting the pallet P to the loadable height of the automated guided vehicle A. As shown in FIG. 2(c), since the pallet P is at the loadable height, the automated guided vehicle A enters, loads the pallet P, and becomes capable of transportation. In this way, the lifting device 1 enables loading the pallet P in the floor-mounted state onto the automated guided vehicle A.

[0044] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 1, and shows an example of a lowering operation that enables unloading the pallet P from the automated guided vehicle to the floor-mounted state.

[0045] When the automated guided vehicle A enters and waits for unloading, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3(a), the first receiving part 111 rises from the initial state to receive the pallet P from the automated guided vehicle A, and receives the pallet P on its upper surface when the upper surface reaches a height equal to or higher than the upper surface of the loading part of the automated guided vehicle A. The first receiving part 111 may rise to a height at which it can receive the pallet P, or may rise further above that.

[0046] When the automated guided vehicle A exits, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3(b), the first receiving body 11 lowers the first receiving part 111 and lowers it while maintaining the pallet P horizontally.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 3(c), the first receiving body 11 lowers the first receiving part 111 to the initial state and lowers the received pallet P to the floor placement state. In this way, the lifting device 1 enables the unloading of the pallet P from the automated guided vehicle A to the floor placement state. Since the pallet P is in the floor placement state, it can be carried out by the hand lift C.

[0048] As described above, the lifting device 1 can also make the pallet P substantially in the floor placement state when using the automated guided vehicle A. According to the lifting device 1, even in the conveyance using the pallet P, automation, man - power saving, and space saving can be achieved by using the automated guided vehicle A.

[0049] <Embodiment 2> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the conveyance system 9 according to Embodiment 2. Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrams showing an example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 2, Fig. 7 is a plan view, Fig. 8(a) is a front view, and Fig. 8(b) is a side view.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 6, the conveying system 9 is a system for short-distance conveyance of the pallet P to facilitate the use of the automated guided vehicle A, and includes a lifting device 1 and a holding device 2 disposed adjacent to the lifting device 1 and holding the pallet P. The holding device 2, also called a stocker, is installed such that the center in the left-right direction is on a substantially extended plane of the left-right center plane D of the lifting device 1. In the conveying system 9, it can also be said that the left-right center plane D is the left-right center plane of the entire system. In the illustrated example, the pallet P is conveyed in the front-rear direction within the conveying system 9 (the front-rear direction is the conveying direction).

[0051] The holding device 2 may be any device that can hold the pallet P from the lifting device 1 or the pallet P to the lifting device 1, and its configuration is not particularly limited. As an example, the holding device 2 has an upper end constituted by a plurality of rollers 21, and the rollers 21 are freely rotatable about a central axis supported by a frame 22. As an example, the holding device 2 may be configured to include a motor and power transmission means (such as a belt and a pulley) together with the rollers 21, and be configured to be able to send out and introduce the pallet P in the conveying direction. The holding device 2 can also stock (store) a plurality of pallets P by making its overall length longer or arranging a plurality of units side by side. The holding device 2 is not limited to the straight-through conveyance type as shown in the illustrated example, and may be a curve conveyance type or an intersection type, and one or more of these can be combined to arbitrarily set and layout the position and number of the conveyance destination (or the conveyance source).

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, the lifting device 1 of this embodiment includes a pair of first receivers 11 having first receiving portions 111 on the left and right, and a pair of second receivers having second receiving portions 121 (the portions shown filled in) on which the lower ends of the pallets P are placed, on the left and right. The pair of second receivers 12 are preferably configured symmetrically with respect to the left-right center plane D. Similar to the first embodiment, the lifting device 1 of this embodiment may include part or all of a guide portion and a protection portion.

[0053] The first receptor 11 has the first avoidance portion M through which the first receiving portion 111 penetrates in the vertical direction. The first receptor 11 further has a second avoidance portion N through which the support portion 112 penetrates in the left - right direction as shown in FIG. 8(b). Other configurations of the first receptor 11 are the same as those in the first embodiment 1, and detailed description is omitted here.

[0054] The second receptor 12 is provided with a driving portion (not shown), and the driving portion can horizontally move the second receiving portion 121 left and right. The pair of second receptors 12 can synchronously move the pair of second receiving portions 121 so as to approach each other (approach movement) or move away from each other (separation movement). The driving portion may be any one that can drive the second receiving portion 121 in this way, and its configuration is not particularly limited.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8(b), the second avoidance portion N in the support portion 112 has a front - rear width larger than the front - rear width of the second receiving portion 121. By having the second avoidance portion N in the support portion 112, the second receiving portion 121 can move away to the outside of the support portion 112. Also, by having the second avoidance portion N in the support portion 112, the second receptor 12 can be provided with a driving portion for driving the second receiving portion 121 without interference with the support portion 112. The support portion 112 is configured in a U - shaped cross - section in side view as shown, for example. In the illustrated example, the support portion 112 has an upper end portion extending in the front - rear direction and vertical portions extending downward from both ends of the upper end portion, and has a second avoidance portion N which is a cavity portion surrounded by the upper end portion and both vertical portions.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 8(a), a pair of second receiving portions 121 are installed such that their upper ends are at the mountable height or slightly above, so as to support the pallet P at the mountable height of the automated guided vehicle A. The interval (third interval) G3 between the pair of second receiving portions 121 in the initial state is wider than the left-right width of the pallet P and can move closer to an interval (fourth interval) G4 that is narrower than the left-right width of the pallet P. When the pair of second receiving portions 121 are at the fourth interval G4, when the pair of first receiving portions 111 support the pallet P and descend from above, the pair of second receiving portions 121 directly below the pallet P can receive the pallet P at their upper ends. Note that the fourth interval G4 is wider than the left-right width of the automated guided vehicle A.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 7, when the pair of second receiving portions 121 are at the fourth interval G4, they are within the first avoidance portions M on the left and right in plan view. Therefore, they do not interfere with the first receiving portion 111 that moves up and down. The automated guided vehicle A can enter between the pair of second receiving portions 121 in the front-rear direction from the direction of the arrow shown in the figure (or the opposite direction).

[0058] The second receiving portion 121 is long in the front-rear direction, and although its front-rear width is shorter than the front-rear width of the first avoidance portion M, it is configured to be relatively wide from the perspective of effectively supporting the pallet P in the stacked state. The front-rear width of the second receiving portion 121 is, for example, 1 / 2 or more, preferably 2 / 3 or more of the front-rear width of the pallet P.

[0059] The second receiving portion 121 is, as an example, composed of a plate-shaped or block-shaped member. The second receiving portion 121 may be configured to be solid, may be configured to be hollow, or may be configured by bending or joining plate materials. The second receiving portion 121 may be composed of one member or may be configured by assembling a plurality of members.

[0060] The upper end of the second receiving part 121 that contacts the lower end of the pallet P may be configured as a flat plate, or may be configured as the upper surface of a block-shaped member. The upper end of the second receiving part 121 may be configured by a conveying means such as a conveyor (belt conveyor, chain conveyor, roller conveyor, etc.) capable of conveying the pallet P in the front-rear direction. Thereby, the sending and introduction to and from the holding device 2 can be performed more smoothly.

[0061] FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams showing an operation example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 2, and show an example of an operation of lifting a pallet P in a floor-standing state by the cooperation of the first receiver 11 and the second receiver 12.

[0062] In FIG. 9(a), the first receiver 11 and the second receiver 12 are in an initial state. In this example, the lower surface of the pair of first receiving parts 111 is in contact with the floor surface B, and the upper surface is at a position equivalent to or slightly below the inner protection part 151. The pair of second receiving parts 121 are in a separated state with a third interval G3. When the pallet P is carried in and placed on the floor, as indicated by the arrow, the pair of first receiving parts 111 receive the pallet P in the floor-standing state on the upper surface and rise while maintaining the horizontal of the pallet P.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 9(b), when the lower end of the pallet P rises above the mountable height, as indicated by the arrow, the pair of second receiving parts 121 approach each other.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 9(c), when the pair of second receiving parts 121 approach each other to a fourth interval G4, that is, directly below the pallet P, as indicated by the arrow, the pair of first receiving parts 111 descend.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 10(a), when the pair of first receiving parts 111 descend to a height where the lower end of the pallet P rests on the upper ends of the pair of second receiving parts 121, the second receiving parts 121 receive the pallet P. The pair of first receiving parts 111 further descend as indicated by the arrow.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 10(b), a pair of second receiving portions 121 receive and support the pallet P at the upper end, and a pair of first receiving portions 111 descend to the initial position. In this way, the lifting device 1 of this embodiment can raise the pallet P in the floor-standing state to the height at which it can be mounted on the automated guided vehicle A by the cooperation of the first receiving body 11 and the second receiving body 12. The automated guided vehicle A can enter and mount the pallet P when the pair of second receiving portions 121 support the pallet P. In this way, the lifting device 1 of this embodiment enables the loading of the pallet P in the floor-standing state onto the automated guided vehicle A.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 10(C), the pair of second receiving portions 121 can also deliver the pallet P to the holding device 2. When the upper end of the second receiving portion 121 is constituted by a conveying means such as a conveyor, the pallet P can be sent to the holding device 2 by this conveying means. When the second receiving body 12 does not have a sending means, it can be provided separately.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 10(D), when the loading onto the automated guided vehicle A or the delivery to the holding device 2 is completed, the pair of second receiving portions 121 separate and return to the initial state.

[0069] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an operation example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 2, and shows an example of an operation in which the first receiving body 11 and the second receiving body 12 cooperate to lower the pallet P to the floor-standing state.

[0070] As shown in Fig. 11(a), the pallet P supported by the pair of second receiving portions 121 can receive the pallet P with its lower end placed on the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 when the pair of first receiving portions 111 rise and the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 becomes higher than the upper end of the second receiving portion 121, as indicated by the arrow. The pallet P supported by the pair of second receiving portions 121 may be from the automated guided vehicle A or from the holding device 2.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 11(b), when the pair of first receiving parts 111 receive the pallet P, the pair of second receiving parts 121 are separated from each other so as not to obstruct the descent of the pallet P and return to the initial state.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 11(c), the pair of first receiving parts 111 descend and return to the initial state, and the pallet P is in the floor placement state. Thus, the lifting device 1 of this embodiment can lower the pallet P to the floor placement state in cooperation with the first receiving body 11 and the second receiving body 12. The lifting device 1 of this embodiment enables unloading of the pallet P from the automated guided vehicle A to the floor placement state in this way.

[0073] <Embodiment 3> Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the transport system 9 according to Embodiment 3. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the delivery device 3 according to Embodiment 3, which is (a) a plan view, (b) a front view, and (c) a side view. Figs. 14 and 15 are diagrams showing an example of the lifting device 1 according to Embodiment 3, Fig. 14 being a front view and Fig. 15 being a side view. In Fig. 14, for convenience of explanation, the right side shows the initial state and the left side shows the approaching state of the second receiving part 121. In each figure, some components are shown in perspective or in cross section (the same applies to each figure below).

[0074] As shown in Fig. 12, the transport system 9 is a system for short-distance transport of the pallet P to facilitate the use of the automated guided vehicle A, and includes a lifting device 1, a holding device 2, and a delivery device 3 that is arranged adjacent to the holding device 2 and performs the transfer of the automated guided vehicle A and the pallet P. The holding device 2 and the delivery device 3 are arranged such that the center in the left-right direction is on a substantially extended plane of the left-right center plane D of the lifting device 1. In the transport system 9, it can also be said that the left-right center plane D is the left-right center plane of the entire system. In the illustrated example, the pallet P is transported in the front-rear direction within the transport system 9 (the front-rear direction is the transport direction). The holding device 2 is the same as that in Embodiment 2 above, and a detailed description thereof is omitted here. Note that the transport system 9 of this embodiment may not include the holding device 2.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 13, the delivery device 3 includes a pair of delivery units 31 that are symmetric about the left and right and perform the delivery of the unmanned carrier vehicle A and the pallet P. The delivery unit 31 is constituted by, for example, a belt conveyor 311 and is driven by a motor 312. The belt conveyor 311 is installed such that the pallet P placed on the upper end (more specifically, the upper end of the belt) is at a height where it can be loaded onto the unmanned carrier vehicle A. The distance between the pair of delivery units 31 is wider than the left and right width of the unmanned carrier vehicle A, and the unmanned carrier vehicle A can enter between them. The delivery unit 31 may be constituted by a chain conveyor or the like.

[0076] The delivery device 3 may include a pair of guide units 32 that are symmetric about the left and right and guide the pallet P so that the left and right centers thereof coincide more with the left and right center plane D. The guide unit 32 is installed along the front-rear direction outside the delivery unit 31. The inner end portion of the guide unit 32 that functions as a guide is configured in a plate shape and is configured to be lower than the height of the pallet P so as not to interfere with the object Q.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 12, the transport system 9 of this embodiment includes the delivery device 3, so that not only the delivery of the pallet P in the vertical direction between the floor-standing state and the unmanned carrier vehicle A can be performed, but also the pallet P delivered between one unmanned carrier vehicle A can be delivered between the other unmanned carrier vehicle A.

[0078] The transport system 9 in the illustrated example can raise the pallet P in the floor-standing state in the front to a loadable height by the lifting device 1 and then load it onto the unmanned carrier vehicle A from the rear. Further, the pallet P from the unmanned carrier vehicle A in the rear can be lowered to the floor-standing state in the front. Thereby, the loading and unloading by the forklift C and the transport by the unmanned carrier vehicle A can be performed more smoothly without interference. In addition, a plurality of unmanned carrier vehicles A can be used while avoiding mutual collisions.

[0079] The transfer system 9 can temporarily store the pallet P for delivery by installing the holding device 2 between the lifting device 1 and the delivery device 3, and can adjust the timing of delivery. The transfer system 9 can thus perform the transfer using the automatic guided vehicle A with the pallet P in a floor-standing state according to the needs of the site.

[0080] The lifting device 1 of this embodiment can be configured in the same manner as in Embodiments 1 and 2. This will be described in more detail below. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the lifting device 1 includes a first receiver 11, a second receiver 12, and a frame 10 installed on the floor surface B and supporting a functional unit including the first receiver 11 and the second receiver 12.

[0081] The first receiver 11 includes a first receiving portion 111, a support portion 112 that supports the first receiving portion 111, a driving portion that moves the first receiving portion 111 and the support portion 112 integrally up and down, and a connecting portion 113 for connecting the support portion 112 to the driving portion. The driving portion includes a vertical movement mechanism 114 and a motor 115.

[0082] As an example, the first receiver 11 is installed such that the lower surface of the first receiving portion 111 contacts the floor surface B as described above, and in the initial state, the lower surface is in contact with the floor surface B. As shown in FIG. 14, when the lifting device 1 includes a protection portion, the first receiver 11 may be installed such that, as an example, the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 is equal to or slightly lower than the upper surface of the protection portion, and the lower surface has a slight gap from the floor surface B. The pallet P placed between the pair of first receivers 11 can be operated in the same manner as the floor-standing operation of the hand lift C, and since the upper surface of the first receiving portion 111 and the upper surface of the protection portion are at positions 100 mm or less from the floor surface B, such a state can also be said to be a floor-standing state.

[0083] For the first receiver 11, the support portion 112 is connected to the vertical movement mechanism 114 using the connecting portion 113. The vertical movement mechanism 114 includes a vertical guiding portion that engages with the connecting portion 113 and guides it up and down, and a transmission means (such as a sprocket and a chain, etc.) for transmitting the driving force of the motor 115, and the connecting portion 113 is connected to a chain or the like.

[0084] The second receptor 12 includes a second receiving portion 121 and a driving portion 122 that drives the second receiving portion 121.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 15, the second receiving portion 121 includes a main body 1210, a conveying means 1211 supported by the main body 1210, and a motor 1212 for driving the conveying means 1211. The conveying means 1211 is constituted by, for example, a chain and sprockets, and is supported by the main body 1210 so that the upper end is exposed. In this example, more specifically, the chain constitutes the upper end of the second receiving portion 121, and by driving the motor 1212, it serves to send the pallet P rearward and introduce it from the rear. The conveying means 1211 may be constituted by a belt and pulleys.

[0086] The driving portion 122 includes, for example, a cylinder 1221 (such as a power cylinder etc.) connected to the main body 1210 and a linear guide mechanism 1222 connected to the main body 1210. By driving the cylinder 1221 horizontally to the left and right while being guided by the linear guide mechanism 1222, the second receiving portion 121 can move closer and move away.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 14, in the lifting device 1, the lower part of the inner protection portion 151 is made of a base material, and the upper part that functions as a shock buffer is made of urethane rubber. In the drawing, the upper part of the inner protection portion 151 is shown hatched (the same applies to each figure below).

[0088] As shown in FIG. 14, as an example, the lifting device 1 is configured such that the inner side surface that functions as a guiding function of the side guiding portion 16 has an arc surface (the cross section is circular in the illustrated example). As an example, the side guiding portion 16 is configured such that the entrance side is closer to the outside than the exit side. The side guiding portion 16 may be provided at the corner of the first receiving portion 111 and the support portion 112 of the first receptor 11 as shown by the dashed line in the drawing.

[0089] <Modification Example 1 of the Lifting Device> FIG. 16 is a diagram showing Modification Example 1 of the lifting device 1, (a) a plan view, and (b) a front view. The lifting device 1 of this example is mainly different from the above-described Embodiments 1 to 3 in that the second receiver 12 has a lateral regulating portion (lateral guide portion inside) 123 at the inner end for regulating the loading of the pallet P. Hereinafter, the description will focus on the differences.

[0090] The pair of second receivers 12 have lateral regulating portions 123 so as to be symmetrical left and right. As shown in the figure, the pair of lateral regulating portions 123 are installed below the pair of second receiving portions 121, and the interval is wider than the left - right width of the pallet P. The lateral regulating portion 123 has, for example, a plate - like inner end.

[0091] In the lifting device 1 of this example, since the pair of second receivers 12 have the lateral regulating portions 123, the center plane of the loaded pallet P or the object Q can be guided to more closely coincide with the left - right center plane D. That is, the lateral regulating portion 123 serves as a lateral guide portion inside for guiding the loading of the pallet P. As a result, it is not necessary to provide the lateral guide portion 16 on the floor surface B.

[0092] As an example, the lateral regulating portion 123 is connected to the driving portion 122 using a connecting portion 124 and can be moved inward by the driving portion 122. By configuring the lateral regulating portion 123 of the lifting device 1 to be movable in this way, when the pallet P is loaded, the guiding interval can be adjusted according to the size of the pallet P or the object Q.

[0093] Also, by configuring the lateral regulating portion 123 of the lifting device 1 to be movable in this way, after the pallet P is loaded, the lateral regulating portions 123 move inward so as to sandwich the pallet P or the object Q as shown by the dashed line in the figure, and the center plane of the pallet P can be regulated to a specified position that coincides with the left - right center plane D. By having the movable lateral regulating portion 123, the lifting device 1 can flexibly respond to pallets P and objects Q of different sizes, and the pallet P can be delivered to the automated guided vehicle A in a more stable state.

[0094] <Modification Example 2 of the Lifting Device> FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a second modification of the lifting device 1, (a) a plan view, and (b) a front view. The lifting device 1 in this example is different from the first to third embodiments in that it is mainly provided with a positioning portion 18 for positioning the loading of the pallet P on one or both of the front and rear sides. Hereinafter, the description will focus on the differences.

[0095] The positioning portions 18 are provided in pairs symmetrically left and right. As an example, as shown in the figure, two pairs are provided on both the front and rear sides. The positioning portion 18 is configured as a movable stopper. As an example, the stopper portion 181 can protrude inward from the main body. The positioning portion 18 can move in the left - right direction as a whole. The distance between a pair of left - right positioning portions 18 is wider than the left - right width of the pallet P in the initial state and narrower than the left - right width of the pallet P after operation (during positioning).

[0096] By providing the positioning portion 18, the lifting device 1 can set the position in the conveying direction during the loading of the pallet P as a specified position. Also, by providing such a movable positioning portion 18, the lifting device 1 can be loaded and unloaded from either the front or the rear.

[0097] As described above, the embodiments and modifications according to the present invention have been explained, but these are only examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these. The present invention includes forms in which the above - described embodiments and their modifications are combined, and various other modifications. Various additions, changes, and partial deletions are possible without departing from the conceptual ideas and spirits of the present invention derived from the content defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0098] The present invention can be provided in various forms, not limited to the lifting device and the conveying system, such as a lifting method or a conveying method, and a control program for the lifting device or the conveying system.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0099] 1…Lifting device, 10…Frame, 11…First receptor, 111…First receiving part, 112…Support part, 12…Second receptor, 121…Second receiving part, 1211…Conveying means, 123…Lateral alignment part, 15…Protection part, 151…Inner protection part, 152…Front protection part, 16…Side plan inner part, 17…Rear plan inner part, 18…Positioning part, 2…Holding device, 21…Roller, 3…Delivery device, 31…Delivery part, 311…Conveyor, 9…Conveying system.

Claims

1. A lifting device for loading or unloading a pallet onto / from an automated guided vehicle, comprising a pair of first receivers, each having a first receiving portion on its upper surface for supporting the lower end of the pallet, wherein the pair of first receivers are arranged such that the distance between the first receiving portions is wider than the left-right width of the automated guided vehicle and narrower than the left-right width of the pallet, and the distance between the supporting portions for supporting the first receiving portions is wider than the left-right width of the pallet, and the pair of first receivers can receive a floor-placed pallet carried therebetween onto the upper surface of the first receiving portion and raise it to a loadable height of the automated guided vehicle while maintaining the horizontal state of the pallet, or receive the pallet from the automated guided vehicle onto the upper surface of the first receiving portion and lower it to the floor-placed state while maintaining the horizontal state of the pallet, further comprising a pair of second receivers, each having a second receiving portion on its upper end for supporting the lower end of the pallet, wherein the pair of first receiving portions have first avoidance portions penetrating in the vertical direction, the pair of second receiving portions can move closer to or away from each other, when the pair of first receiving portions rise while maintaining the horizontal state of the pallet, the pair of second receiving portions move closer to each other until directly below the pallet, and when the pair of first receiving portions descend, they can receive the pallet at the upper end, or when the pair of first receiving portions rise to receive the pallet supported at the upper end, the pair of second receiving portions can move away from each other and leave directly below the pallet. A lifting device characterized by the above.

2. The second receiving portion is constituted by a conveying means capable of conveying the pallet in a conveying direction in which the upper end is orthogonal to the left-right direction and the vertical direction. The lifting device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The second receiver has side guiding portions for guiding the loading of the pallet at its inner ends. The lifting device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. The second receiver has side regulating portions for regulating the loading of the pallet at its inner ends. The lifting device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

5. The lifting device is provided with positioning portions for positioning the loading of the pallet at one or both of the front and rear. The lifting device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

6. The lifting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, and a holding device arranged adjacent to the lifting device for holding the pallet. A conveying system characterized by the above.

7. It is provided with a transfer device that is arranged adjacent to the holding device and performs the transfer of the automated guided vehicle and the pallet. The conveying system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

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