Shipping and warehousing system

Abstract

To provide a cargo storing / delivering transport system which can reduce a member cost by simplifying a structure, and which is compatible with cargoes having a variety of shapes and sizes, and which can store and deliver the cargoes in a stable state by realizing smooth transport of the cargoes from a cargo transport conveyor to a stacker crane.SOLUTION: A cargo storing / delivering transport system comprises: a cargo transport conveyor which transports a cargo in a state in which the cargo does not overhang from a front end side edge; a stacker crane which runs in parallel with a cargo shelf base; and a cargo shelf lifting mechanism which is liftably mounted on the stacker crane, and moves the cargo received from the cargo transport conveyor to the cargo shelf base. The cargo shelf lifting mechanism comprises: a shelf lifting belt which drives in a crossing direction with respect to the cargo transport conveyor; and a cargo replacing belt which moves the cargo to the cargo shelf base. The cargo transport conveyor comprises a pusher which pushes a rear part of the cargo toward a travel direction of the shelf lifting belt to move the cargo to the shelf lifting belt in a downstream side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a warehousing and unloading transport system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a shipping / receiving / shipping transport system that automatically sorts and stores cargo such as cardboard boxes containing multiple items together or shrink-wrapped goods that are bundled together and packaged in film in an automated warehouse at a distribution center or factory, and then releases the goods as needed in response to requests from the delivery destination, etc.

[0003] Such a cargo loading and unloading transport system basically comprises a plurality of shelves arranged in multiple stages and rows, a stacker crane that runs parallel to the shelves and rises and falls to transport cargo onto and off the shelves, and a cargo transport conveyor that is located at the starting point of cargo loading and transports cargo into and out of the stacker crane, with a notch provided at the front edge of the cargo transport conveyor to allow the front end of cargo transported into the warehouse to overhang, and the stacker crane that enters from below the notch is provided with a towing conveyor that supports the bottom surface of the front end of the cargo while transporting the cargo into the lift of the stacker crane, allowing for smooth transfer of cargo from the conveyor to the crane when cargo is loaded into the warehouse (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-123277 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional warehousing and shipping systems, when loading cargo from the cargo transport conveyor onto the crane, it was not possible to transport cargo of all shapes and sizes, and there was a risk of the cargo being dropped, its transport position becoming unstable, or its shape being distorted, resulting in inadvertent damage to the cargo.

[0006] That is, in the conventional technology, when a load is taken into the forks of a crane, the front end of the load is made to overhang at a notch for crane entry provided in the load conveyor (a concave notch at the front edge of the load conveyor for overhanging the front edge of the load), making it easy to hand over the load. However, depending on the shape, size, or weight of the load, the center of gravity may shift toward the notch, causing the load to shift significantly in its transport position or fall off the conveyor.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the load is overhanging at the notch for crane entry, special components are required, such as inclined rollers that bias the load toward the notch midway through the transport, which makes the transport conveyor structure complicated and is cost-inefficient.

[0008] Furthermore, if the coefficient of contact friction of the load placed on the load conveyor is large or the load is structurally weak, a difference will occur between the fork traction conveyor and the load conveyor between the traction force applied to the front end of the load at the overhang and the static friction force at the rear end of the load remaining on the load conveyor, resulting in inadvertent tensile stress.

[0009] As a result, when transferring a load from the load conveyor to the forks, bias stress may be generated in the load, causing the load to break away from the middle or to deform its transport position, resulting in a loss of load shape in the transport position.

[0010] To provide a goods receiving / retrieving transport system which can reduce the cost of components by simplifying the structure, can accommodate goods of any shape and size, and can smoothly transfer goods from a transport conveyor to a stacker crane to receive and retrieve goods in a stable state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention provides (1) a goods loading / unloading transport system comprising a goods transport conveyor that transports goods without overhanging the front side edge, a stacker crane that runs parallel to the goods shelf platform, and a goods shelf-lifting mechanism that is mounted on the stacker crane so as to be able to rise and fall freely and that transfers goods received from the goods transport conveyor to the goods shelf platform, wherein the goods shelf-lifting mechanism comprises a shelf-lifting belt that contacts the bottom of the goods and drives in a direction crossing the goods transport conveyor, and a goods transfer belt that contacts the left and right sides of the goods and transfers the goods to the goods shelf platform in a state where either the front or rear end of the goods overhangs the edge of the goods shelf platform, and wherein the goods transport conveyor is equipped with a pusher that pushes the rear of the goods in the direction of travel of the shelf-lifting belt to transfer the goods to the shelf-lifting belt on the downstream side.

[0012] The warehousing and unloading transport system according to the present invention is characterized by the following points (2) to (4). (2) The pusher, the shelving belt, and the load transfer belt are each synchronized and linked, and the shelving belt, the load transfer belt, and the pusher are configured to take in the load from the front and rear sides of the load into the load shelving mechanism. (3) The load conveying conveyor is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers, and the pusher is composed of a drive unit provided below the front end of the load conveying conveyor, a bracket connected to the drive unit at its base end and inserted through the adjacent gaps between the plurality of conveying rollers, with its tip end protruding above the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor and operating to move forward and backward in a state intersecting the rotational conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, and a load pressing plate that uses its tip end to push the rear end surface of the load toward the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor and advance. (4) The pusher is composed of a servo motor as the drive unit arranged so that the rotation direction of the rotating shaft is the cross-direction of the transport of the load transport conveyor, a pulley arranged at a fixed distance from the rotating shaft of the servo motor, a timing belt suspended endlessly between the servo motor and the pulley, and the load pressing plate connected to the tip of the bracket protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the system is composed of a load transport conveyor that transports loads without overhanging the front side edge, a stacker crane that runs parallel to the load shelf platform, and a load shelving mechanism that is mounted on the stacker crane so as to be able to rise and fall freely and that transfers loads received from the load transport conveyor to the load shelf platform, the load shelving mechanism being composed of a shelving belt that abuts the bottom of the load and is driven in a direction crossing the load transport conveyor, and a load transfer belt that abuts the left and right sides of the load and transfers the load to the load shelf platform in a state where either the front or rear end of the load overhangs the edge of the load shelf platform, and the load transport conveyor is configured with a pusher that pushes the rear of the load in the direction of travel of the shelving belt to transfer the load to the downstream shelving belt, so that the structure is simplified and parts costs are reduced, the system can accommodate loads of all shapes and sizes, and the system achieves smooth transfer of loads from the load transport conveyor to the stacker crane, allowing loads to be stored and removed in a stable state.

[0014] In other words, when the load is taken into the crane, it can be transferred stably from the load transfer conveyor to the stacker crane by the pusher without applying unnecessary bias stress to the load, thereby preventing the load from losing its shape.

[0015] Furthermore, when the pusher contacts the rear end of the article and pushes it out, the article's transport posture can be corrected to a correct posture with the front and rear surfaces of the article facing the direction of travel of the article transport conveyor, so that the article can be transferred to the shelf table in the correct posture using the article transfer belt, and multiple articles can be neatly arranged on the shelf table in a stocked state.

[0016] In this way, there is no need to provide a cutout in the load-transporting conveyor to place the load in an overhanging state, nor is there any need to interpose a special inclined roller.Furthermore, there is no need for a towing conveyor of a stacker crane to enter the cutout and pull in the load.This simplifies the overall structure of the transport system and reduces costs, and also prevents the load from falling from the conveyor as much as possible, thereby preventing the risk of unnecessary damage to the load.

[0017] Also, Book invention Other aspects of According to the above, the pusher, the shelving belt, and the load transfer belt are each synchronized and interlocked, and the load is taken into the load lifting mechanism from the front and rear sides by the shelving belt, the load transfer belt, and the pusher. Therefore, the push direction of the pusher and the direction of travel of the load transfer belt and the shelving belt are the same, and the pushing stress of the pusher contacting the rear end face of the load, the conveying stress of the shelving belt contacting the bottom face of the load, and the conveying stress of the load transfer belt contacting the left and right side faces of the load act approximately uniformly on the entire load, and there is an effect that the load can be transferred stably and smoothly from the load transport conveyor to the load lifting mechanism without inadvertently damaging the load when transferring the load.

[0018] Also, Book invention Other aspects ofAccording to the document, the load conveying conveyor is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers, and the pusher is composed of a drive unit provided below the front end of the load conveying conveyor, a bracket connected to the drive unit at its base end and inserted through the adjacent gaps between the plurality of conveying rollers, with its tip end protruding above the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor and operating to move back and forth in a state intersecting the rotational conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, and a load pressing plate that uses the tip end of the bracket to push the rear end surface of the load toward the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, thereby making it possible to save space by providing the pusher integrally with the load conveying conveyor without providing additional installation space for the pusher, and also making it possible to stabilize the advancement and retreat of the pusher in the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, and furthermore, because the pusher is configured differently from pneumatic or hydraulic types, it is easier to control the operation of the load conveyor, stacker crane, and pusher in a synchronized manner.

[0019] Also, Book invention Other aspects of According to the above, the pusher is composed of a servo motor as the drive unit arranged so that the rotation direction of the rotating shaft is the cross-direction of the transport of the load transport conveyor, a pulley arranged at a fixed distance from the rotating shaft of the servo motor, a timing belt suspended endlessly between the servo motor and the pulley, and the load pressing plate connected to the tip of the bracket protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt. Therefore, the pusher's extrusion amount and movement speed can be controlled by the movement amount and movement speed of the timing belt, and the pusher's extrusion control in synchronization with the load transport conveyor and the load shelving mechanism can be performed more precisely. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a warehousing and unloading transport system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a load transport conveyor according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a pusher according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic end view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a load transport conveyor to a stacker crane according to the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a load transport conveyor to a stacker crane according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a load transport conveyor to a stacker crane according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a load transport conveyor to a stacker crane according to the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a load transport conveyor to a stacker crane according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which a load is transferred from a stacker crane to a load shelf of a rack according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The gist of this invention is that it is a goods loading / unloading transport system comprising a goods transport conveyor that runs parallel to the shelf platform and transports goods without overhanging the front side edge, a stacker crane that can be raised and lowered and is provided opposite the shelf platform, and a goods shelf-lifting mechanism that is mounted on the stacker crane and transfers goods received from the goods transport conveyor to the shelf platform, wherein the goods shelf-lifting mechanism comprises a shelf-lifting belt that is laid in a direction intersecting the goods transport conveyor and runs toward the shelf platform, and a goods transfer belt that abuts against the left and right sides of the goods and transfers the goods to the shelf platform in a state where either the front or rear end of the goods overhangs the edge of the shelf platform, and wherein the goods transport conveyor is provided with a pusher that pushes the rear of the goods in the direction of travel of the shelf-lifting belt to transfer the goods to the shelf-lifting belt on the downstream side.

[0022] Another feature of the present invention is that the pusher, the shelving belt, and the load transfer belt are all synchronized and linked, and the shelving belt, the load transfer belt, and the pusher are configured to take in the load from the front and rear sides of the load into the load shelving mechanism.

[0023] The load conveying conveyor is also characterized in that it is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers, and the pusher is composed of a drive unit provided below the front end of the load conveying conveyor, a bracket connected to the drive unit at its base end and inserted through the adjacent gaps between the plurality of conveying rollers so that its tip protrudes above the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor and moves back and forth in a state intersecting the rotational conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, and a load pressing plate that uses its tip to push the rear end surface of the load toward the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor and advance.

[0024] The pusher is characterized by comprising a servo motor as the drive unit arranged so that the rotation direction of the rotating shaft is the cross-direction of the transport of the load transport conveyor, a pulley arranged at a fixed interval from the rotating shaft of the servo motor, a timing belt suspended endlessly between the servo motor and the pulley, and the load pressing plate connected to the tip of the bracket protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt.

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a goods loading / unloading transport system, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a goods transport conveyor, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a pusher, Figs. 4 to 8 are schematic end views showing the state of goods being transferred from the goods transport conveyor to a stacker crane, and Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view showing the state of goods being transferred from the stacker crane to a goods shelf platform.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the goods loading / unloading transport system A of this embodiment is generally composed of a goods transport conveyor 2 that transports goods M without overhanging (protruding out) from the front edge, a stacker crane 3 that runs parallel to the goods shelf platform 10, and a goods shelf lifting mechanism 4 that is mounted on the stacker crane 3 so as to be able to rise and fall freely and that transfers goods received from the goods transport conveyor 2 to the goods shelf platform 10.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 1, a rack 1 for placing and storing goods M is erected on the floor inside the warehouse, and a plurality of shelf stands 10 are formed at regular intervals in the vertical direction on the rack 1. That is, the rack 1 is configured so that the plurality of shelf stands 10 form a multi-tiered shelf by erecting loading plates 12 at regular intervals in the vertical direction on a support frame 11 assembled from a plurality of vertical and horizontal frame sections 11a, 11b.

[0028] The goods transport conveyor 2 is provided on the short side of the rack 1 in the longitudinal direction, and is configured as a storage station that delivers and transports goods M to the stacker crane 3 when goods M are stored on the shelf table 10.

[0029] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the load conveying conveyor 2 is a roller conveyor, which is the starting conveying component, and is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers 21 axially mounted at regular intervals between left and right frames 20, 20', and is provided with a drive unit below the conveying rollers 21 to rotate each of the conveying rollers 21, and is provided above the front end of the load conveying conveyor 2 with a pusher 7 that moves back and forth in the cross direction in sync with the conveyance.

[0030] In Fig. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes a goods receiving conveyor that is installed below and parallel to the goods transporting conveyor 2, and that receives goods M that have been removed from the rack 1 via the stacker crane 3 and transports them out of the warehouse. In other words, the goods transporting conveyor 2 and the goods receiving conveyor 8 are arranged one above the other to form a loading / unloading station for goods M. In Fig. 1, Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b), reference numeral 25 denotes a conveyor support frame that installs the conveyors 2 and 8 above and below.

[0031] A plurality of position sensors 22 are provided at regular intervals along the longitudinal direction of the load conveyor 2 on the left and right sides. As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), each position sensor 22 is provided on both sides of the load conveyor 2 protruding above the conveying surface in a side view, and is connected to a control unit so as to be able to detect the movement position of the load M being conveyed on the conveyor. The position sensors 22 control the load conveyor 2 to intermittently position the load M on the conveyor surface to the end pusher 7 position.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), guide rails 23, 23' are provided at both widthwise ends of the load conveying conveyor 2 to abut against both outer sides of the load M being conveyed and guide the transport posture of the load M.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), a load stopper 24 is erected at the front longitudinal edge of the load transport conveyor 2 to abut against the lower part of one side of the load M transported from the start end of the conveyor, receive the load M, and regulate it at the stopper position.

[0034] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the pusher 7 is configured to be able to move back and forth in the cross-transport direction of the load conveying conveyor 2 so as to abut against the rear end surface M1 of the load M on the load conveying conveyor 2, push the rear of the load M toward the load shelving mechanism 4, and transfer the load M onto the shelving belt 5 located downstream of it.

[0035] Although details will be described later, the pusher 7 is synchronized with the shelving belt 5 and the load transfer belt 6 of the load shelving mechanism 4 in the stacker crane 3 via the control unit.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the pusher 7 is composed of a drive unit 70 located below the multiple transport rollers 21 at the front end of the load transport conveyor 2, a bracket 71 connected to the drive unit 70 at its base end and inserted through the gaps between the multiple transport rollers 21, with its tip protruding upward at a position below the conveyor transport surface and moving back and forth in a state intersecting the rotational transport direction of the load transport conveyor 2, and a load pressing plate 72 which uses the tip of the bracket 71 to push the rear end surface of the load M toward the transport intersecting direction of the load transport conveyor 2 and advance.

[0037] Specifically, as shown in Figures 2(a) to 3(b), the pusher 7 is composed of a servo motor 700 as a drive unit 70 arranged below the load conveying conveyor 2 so that the rotation direction of the rotation shaft 700a is the cross-transport direction of the load conveying conveyor 2, a pulley 701 arranged at a fixed interval from the rotation shaft 700a of the servo motor 700, a timing belt 702 suspended endlessly between the servo motor 700 and the pulley 701, and a load pressing plate 72 connected to the tip of a bracket 71 protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt 702.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2(a) to 4(b), the bracket 71 is formed in an approximately Z-shape bent at a right angle in side view, with a vertical portion 71a extending vertically in the gap between adjacent conveying rollers 21, a horizontal portion 71b extending horizontally from the tip of the vertical portion 71a, and a protruding portion 71c extending vertically from the tip of the horizontal portion 71b and protruding above the conveying roller 21.

[0039] 3(a) and 3(b), a pair of such brackets 71 are provided at a fixed interval in the conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor 2, and a strip-shaped load pressing plate 72 is connected to a pair of protrusions 71c that protrude above the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor 2, and the load pressing plate 72 at the tip slides back and forth as the timing belt 702 rotates. The vertical part 71a and horizontal part 71b of the bracket 71 are located below the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor 2.

[0040] The bracket 71, which moves back and forth, is connected to a guide mechanism 73 that guides the load pressing plate 72 in the back and forth direction while maintaining a constant height. The guide mechanism 73 regulates the sliding of the bracket 71 when the bracket 71 is slid back and forth by the drive of the servo motor 700.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3(a) to 4(b), the guide mechanism 73 is composed of a guide body 74 attached to the middle of the vertical part 71a of the bracket 71, and a guide rail 75 that guides the guide body 74 in the cross-conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor 2.

[0042] The guide body 74 is composed of a guide plate 740a having a pair of bosses 740b, 740b' protruding from the lower part of the plate surface. The lower edge of the guide plate 740a corresponds to the cylindrical holes of the pair of bosses 740b, 740b'. did At this position, a notch is formed into which the guide rail 75 is inserted.

[0043] The guide rails 75 are installed at a fixed interval between the left and right frames 20, 20' below the conveying rollers 21 of the load conveying conveyor 2, and are composed of a pair of rod bodies 750, 750' onto which the bosses 740b, 740b' and guide plate 740a of the guide body 74 are fitted and slide.

[0044] The guide body 74 (guide plate 740a) is in contact with the upper surface of the timing belt 702 at one end. to That is, the bracket 71 is provided to protrude from the upper surface of the timing belt 702 via the guide body 74.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the stacker crane 3 is composed of a traveling device 31 that is laid along the longitudinal direction of the shelf platform 10 of the rack 1 and that travels along vertical traveling rails 30, 30' arranged above it, a lifting rail 32 that is erected on the traveling device 31, and a shelf-lifting mechanism 4 that is mounted so as to be able to rise and fall freely along the lifting rail 32 via a lifting device 33.

[0046] The goods shelf lifting mechanism 4 corresponds to the forks of the stacker crane 3 and is composed of a rotating conveyor 5 on the bottom surface and left and right side conveyors 6, 6' that rotate vertically as side walls on the left and right side edges of the rotating conveyor 5. In addition, in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), reference numeral 40 denotes a moving mechanism consisting of a bottom rack and a drive pinion that moves the goods shelf lifting mechanism 4 toward and away from the goods shelf platform 10 and goods transport conveyor 2 when goods M are delivered and transported.

[0047] Specifically, the load shelving mechanism 4 is composed of a load shelving belt 5 as a bottom rotating conveyor installed between the load transport conveyor 2 and the rack side to be lifted (Figure 4(a)), and load transfer belts 6, 6' as left and right side conveyors that abut against the left and right sides M2, M2' of the load M and function to transfer the load M to the load shelf table 10 with either the front or rear end of the load M overhanging the edge of the load shelf table 10.

[0048] The shelving belt 5 is configured so that its upper surface functions as a loading surface for loading the load M onto the stacker crane 3 when the belt is stopped, and also functions as a transport surface for moving and transporting the load M from the stacker crane 3 in the forward and backward directions when the belt is driven.

[0049] Specifically, the shelving belt 5 is driven to rotate vertically via a control unit and is composed of a pair of front and rear horizontal rollers 50, 50' arranged at a regular interval in the front-to-rear direction, and a rotating belt 51 suspended endlessly on the front and rear horizontal rollers 50, 50' and moving back and forth as the rollers 50, 50' are rotated, and the upper surface of the rotating belt 51 forms a contact surface that contacts the bottom surface of the load M.

[0050] The left and right load transfer belts 6, 6' are configured so that the conveying belt surfaces face each other on both sides of the shelving belt 5, and the left and right belts can be rotated so as to move towards and away from each other via a control unit.

[0051] The pair of left and right load transfer belts 6, 6' are each driven to rotate via a control unit. In Figures 4 and 5, reference numerals 60, 60', 61, 61' denote pairs of front and rear vertical rollers provided at regular intervals in the front-rear direction, and reference numerals 62, 62' denote rotating belts.

[0052] In this way, the pair of vertical load transfer belts 6, 6' can be moved closer to each other depending on the left and right distance between them according to the size of the load M. Specifically, the left and right roller shafts on which the belts are mounted can be moved closer to each other.

[0053] In other words, the pair of load transfer belts 6, 6' can move their opposing surfaces close to each other to clamp both sides of the load M, and these pair of conveyors function as opposing load clamping surfaces as well as load conveying surfaces that move and transport the load M in the forward and backward directions.

[0054] The following describes the procedure for transporting goods M to the shelf table by the goods loading / unloading transport system A. First, as shown in Figure 1, goods M are placed on the goods transport conveyor 2, which is laid out so as to proceed toward the outer edge of the rack 1.

[0055] Therefore, as the load transport conveyor 2 operates, the load M is transported toward the outer edge of the rack 1. At this time, as shown in Figures 1, 4(a) and 4(b), a stacker crane 3 that has traveled from the group of racks 1 is waiting at the side of the terminal end of the load transport conveyor 2.

[0056] Specifically, when the load M is placed in front of the pusher 7 in the load receiving configuration at the front end of the load conveyor 2, the load shelving mechanism 4 positions the belt surface of the shelving belt 5 at a height that is flush with the conveying surface of the load conveyor 2, and operates the shelving belt 5 and the load transfer belts 6, 6' on the left and right sides close to the load conveyor 2, as shown in Figures 4(a) to 6. As a result, the conveying surface of the load conveyor 2 and the belt surface of the shelving belt 5 become a substantially continuous surface.

[0057] Next, the load M, which is not overhanging at the end of the load conveying conveyor 2, is pushed toward the stacker crane 3 by a pusher 7 which changes from a load receiving form to a load pushing form from the conveyor side edge of the load conveying conveyor 2, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0058] As shown in Figure 8, the load M pushed by the pusher 7 is taken into and moved into the load shelving mechanism 4, which is a fork mounted on the stacker crane 3. As the pusher 7 starts to push out the load M, the shelving belt 5 and load transfer belts 6, 6' of the load shelving mechanism 4 start to transport the load.

[0059] Specifically, the pushing action of the pusher 7 is an accelerated motion that gradually accelerates until it abuts against the rear end surface M1 of the load M on the load conveying conveyor 2 and the front end of the load M protrudes from the front edge of the load conveying conveyor 2, and is controlled so that when the bottom surface of the front end of the load M protruding from the front edge of the load conveying conveyor 2 abuts against the shelving belt 5 and load transfer belts 6, 6' of the load shelving mechanism 4, it reaches a constant maximum speed and performs linear motion at approximately the same constant speed as the conveying operating speed of the shelving belt 5 and load transfer belts 6, 6'.

[0060] By this operation control, the extrusion speed of the pusher 7, which is traveling in the same direction, and the conveying speed of the shelving belt 5 and the load transfer belts 6, 6' become the same, so the extrusion stress applied from the rear end surface M1 by the pusher 7 around the load M becomes approximately the same as the conveying stress applied from the front end by the shelving belt 5 and the load transfer belts 6, 6'.

[0061] That is, the pusher 7, the shelving belt 5, and the load transfer belts 6, 6' work together to apply a balanced movement stress to the front and rear sides of the load M without applying an inadvertent stress load to the load M, and the load M is stably moved from the end of the load transfer conveyor 2 to the load shelving mechanism 4. As a result, there is no risk of the load M being damaged, such as losing its shape.

[0062] More specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bottom surface M3 of the front end of the load M protruding from the front edge of the load transport conveyor 2 abuts against the shelving belt 5 of the load shelving mechanism 4, and at the same time, the load transfer belts 6, 6' move closer to the center of the shelving belt 5, forming a load clamping configuration in which the left and right side surfaces M2, M2' of the front end of the load M are clamped.

[0063] As the load transfer belts 6, 6' approach each other, they contact both side surfaces M2, M2' of the front end of the load M, clamping the load M from both sides while transporting it in the direction of entry, and as shown in Figure 7, they work together with the pusher 7 to take the front end of the load M into the load shelving mechanism 4.

[0064] During such loading, the load pressing plate 72 of the pusher 7 comes into face contact with the rear end surface M1 of the load M, and the load transfer belts 6, 6' come into face contact with both side surfaces M2, M2' of the load M, thereby enabling the load M to be loaded onto the load shelf lifting mechanism 4 with its conveying posture corrected to the correct posture.

[0065] Furthermore, as the front end of the load M is taken into the rear of the load shelving mechanism 4, the bottom surface M3 of the front end of the load M comes into secure contact with the shelving belt 5, and the conveying stress of the shelving belt 5 is transmitted from the bottom of the front end of the load M to the load M.

[0066] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pusher 7, the shelving belt 5, and the load transfer belts 6, 6' cooperate to take in the entire load M to the back side of the load shelving mechanism 4.

[0067] Finally, after the entire load M has been transferred onto the shelving belt 5 of the load shelving mechanism 4, the shelving belt 5 and the load transfer belts 6, 6' come to a stop, and the pusher 7, as shown in Figure 5, moves the load pressing plate 72 from the advanced position to the retracted position (above the left frame 20 of the load transport conveyor 2 facing the discharge side) to receive the newly transported load M, thereby changing from the load pushing form to the load receiving form.

[0068] In this way, the process of taking in cargo M into the cargo shelving mechanism 4 basically consists of a first step in which the pusher 7 and the cargo transfer belts 6, 6' work together to apply stresses to the front and rear ends of cargo M while positioning it in the correct position and taking the front end of cargo M into the cargo shelving mechanism 4; a second step in which the pusher 7, the cargo transfer belts 6, 6' and the shelving belt 5 work together to apply stresses to the front and rear ends of cargo M while taking the entire cargo M into the cargo shelving mechanism 4; and a third step in which, after the entire cargo M has been taken into 4, the shelving belt 5 and the cargo transfer belts 6, 6' stop and the pusher 7 returns from the advanced position to the retracted position.

[0069] The load M transferred from the load transport conveyor 2 onto the load shelving mechanism 4 is placed on the shelving belt 5, which is a bottom conveyor as a fork, and is transported in the direction of the shelf table, and is also conveyed in the direction of the rack by the load transfer belts 6, 6', which form both side walls, while being held by these belts 6, 6' so that the load M is correctly placed on the shelving belt 5.

[0070] Then, as the load M is transported in the direction of the rack, it is finally delivered from the stacker crane 3 to the rack 1 as shown in FIG.

[0071] That is, when the stacker crane 3 moves to a position facing the side edge of the shelf platform 10 of the rack 1 and the shelf lifting mechanism 4 faces along the side edge of the shelf platform 10, the shelf lifting belt 5 on the bottom of the shelf lifting mechanism 4 and the load transfer belts 6, 6' on both side walls work together to transfer the load M onto the shelf platform 10 as shown in Figure 9.

[0072] At this time, the operation of the shelf-lifting mechanism 4 is controlled so that the position of the load M on the rack 1 (load shelf platform 10) is such that the rear edge of the load M slightly overhangs the shelf edge. This is because when the load M transferred to the load shelf platform 10 of the rack 1 is removed again by the stacker crane 3, this overhanging rear edge of the load is clamped and transported by the bottom surface M3 and both side walls M2, M2' of the load shelf-lifting mechanism 4, respectively, by the corresponding belts 5, 6, 6'.

[0073] In the embodiment of the present invention, the important configuration in pushing the load M onto the load shelving mechanism 4 by the pusher 7 is the structure of the load shelving mechanism 4 that receives the pushed load M.

[0074] That is, the conveyor belt of the load shelving mechanism 4 is divided into a bottom belt and a belt on both side walls, and the belt on the bottom is a load shelving belt 5, and the belts on both side walls that can be moved close to each other are load transfer belts 6.

[0075] By using a belt with this configuration, even if the pushed-out load M is pushed out in a slightly deformed position, it is reliably transferred onto the shelving belt 5, and the load transfer belts 6, 6' on both sides correct its position in the direction of travel. At the same time, when the load M enters, the load transfer belts 6, 6' on the side walls create a wide gap between them, making it easier for the load M to enter, and once the load M has entered, the load transfer belts 6, 6' are in close proximity to each other, reliably clamping both sides of the load M, making it possible to transfer the load M in the direction of the rack in the correct position.

[0076] As has been explained above, according to the present invention, a load conveyor that transports loads without overhanging the front side edge, a stacker crane that runs parallel to the load shelf platform, and a load shelving mechanism that is mounted on the stacker crane so as to be able to rise and fall freely and that transfers loads received from the load conveyor to the load shelf platform, the load shelving mechanism being composed of a shelving belt that abuts the bottom of the load and is driven in a direction crossing the load conveyor, and a load transfer belt that abuts the left and right sides of the load and transfers the load to the load shelf platform in a state where either the front or rear end of the load overhangs the edge of the load shelf platform, and the load conveyor is configured to be equipped with a pusher that pushes the rear of the load in the direction of travel of the shelving belt to transfer the load to the downstream shelving belt, so that the structure is simplified and parts costs can be reduced, loads of all shapes and sizes can be accommodated, and loads can be smoothly transferred from the load conveyor to the stacker crane, allowing loads to be stored and removed in a stable state.

[0077] In other words, when the load is taken into the crane, it can be transferred stably from the load transfer conveyor to the stacker crane by the pusher without applying unnecessary bias stress to the load, thereby preventing the load from losing its shape.

[0078] Furthermore, when the pusher contacts the rear end of the article and pushes it out, the article's transport posture can be corrected to a correct posture with the front and rear surfaces of the article facing the direction of travel of the article transport conveyor, so that the article can be transferred to the shelf table in the correct posture using the article transfer belt, and multiple articles can be neatly arranged on the shelf table in a stocked state.

[0079] Furthermore, the pusher, the shelving belt, and the load transfer belt are all synchronized and interlocked, and the load is taken into the load lifting mechanism from the front and rear sides by the shelving belt, the load transfer belt, and the pusher. Therefore, the direction in which the pusher pushes the load and the direction in which the load transfer belt and the shelving belt move are the same, and the pushing stress of the pusher contacting the rear end face of the load, the conveying stress of the shelving belt contacting the bottom face of the load, and the conveying stress of the load transfer belt contacting the left and right sides of the load act approximately uniformly on the entire load, which has the effect of enabling stable and smooth transfer of loads from the load transport conveyor to the load lifting mechanism without inadvertently damaging the load when transferring the load.

[0080] In addition, the load conveying conveyor is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers, and the pusher is composed of a drive unit located below the front end of the load conveying conveyor, a bracket connected to the drive unit at its base end and inserted through the adjacent gaps between the plurality of conveying rollers, with its tip protruding above the conveying surface of the load conveying conveyor, and moving back and forth in a state intersecting the rotational conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, and a load pressing plate that uses the tip of the bracket to push the rear end surface of the load in the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor, thereby saving space by providing the pusher integrally with the load conveying conveyor without requiring additional installation space for the pusher, and the forward and backward movement of the pusher in the intersecting conveying direction of the load conveying conveyor can be stabilized, and further, because the pusher is configured differently from the pneumatic and hydraulic types, it is easier to control the operation of the load conveyor, stacker crane, and pusher in a synchronized manner.

[0081] Furthermore, the pusher is composed of a servo motor as the drive unit, which is positioned so that the rotation direction of the rotating shaft is the cross-direction of the transport of the load transport conveyor, a pulley arranged at a fixed distance from the rotating shaft of the servo motor, a timing belt suspended endlessly between the servo motor and the pulley, and the load pressing plate connected to the tip of the bracket protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt. This makes it possible to control the amount of push-out and the speed of movement of the timing belt, which has the effect of enabling more precise push-out control of the pusher in synchronization with the load transport conveyor and the load shelving mechanism.

[0082] In other words, there is no need to provide a cutout in the load-transporting conveyor to cause the load to overhang, nor is there any need to use special inclined rollers, and furthermore, there is no need for a stacker crane's traction conveyor to enter the cutout and pull in the load, which simplifies the overall structure of the transport system and reduces costs, and has the effect of preventing the load from falling from the conveyor as much as possible and preventing the risk of unnecessary damage to the load. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] A. Shipping and receiving system 1 rack 10 Luggage rack stand 2. Load conveyor 3 Stacker Crane 4 Shelf lifting mechanism 5 Shelf Belt 6 Load transfer belt 7 Pusher 8 Receiving conveyor

Claims

1. The system is comprised of a load transport conveyor that transports loads, a stacker crane that travels parallel to the load shelf, and a load shelving mechanism that is mounted on the stacker crane so as to be able to rise and fall freely and that transfers loads received from the load transport conveyor to the load shelf, The shelf lifting mechanism is a shelf-lifting belt that contacts the bottom surface of the load and drives in a direction crossing the load-transporting conveyor; and a load transfer belt that contacts the left and right side surfaces of the load and transfers the load to the load shelf in a state where either the front or rear end of the load overhangs the edge of the load shelf. The load conveyor is The shelving unit is configured to include a pusher that pushes the rear of the load toward the moving direction of the shelving belt to transfer the load to the downstream shelving belt, The pusher, the shelving belt, and the cargo transfer belt are all synchronized with each other, and the shelving belt, the cargo transfer belt, and the pusher are used to take in cargo from the front and rear sides of the cargo into the cargo shelving mechanism.

2. The load conveyor is composed of a plurality of conveying rollers, The load-receiving and unreceiving conveying system of claim 1, characterized in that the pusher is composed of a drive unit provided below the front end of the load-receiving conveyor, a bracket connected to the drive unit at its base end and inserted through the adjacent gaps between the plurality of conveying rollers, with its tip end protruding above the conveying surface of the load-receiving conveyor and operating to move forward and backward in a state intersecting the rotational conveying direction of the load-receiving conveyor, and a load-receiving pressure plate that uses the tip end of the bracket to push the rear end surface of the load toward the intersecting conveying direction of the load-receiving conveyor and advance.

3. 3. The goods loading / unloading conveying system according to claim 2, characterized in that the pusher is composed of a servo motor as the drive unit arranged so that the rotation direction of the rotation axis is the cross-transport direction of the goods transport conveyor, a pulley arranged at a fixed interval from the rotation axis of the servo motor, a timing belt suspended endlessly between the servo motor and the pulley, and the goods pressing plate connected to the tip of the bracket protruding from the upper surface of the timing belt.

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