Goods transport equipment

Abstract

To reduce an impact of an article dropped from a conveyance vehicle and to save a space.SOLUTION: An article conveyance facility includes: a conveyance vehicle 1 that travels on a traveling surface Fa to convey an article G; and an article receiving device 2 that receives the article G from the conveyance vehicle 1. The conveyance vehicle 1 includes: a support surface 11f that supports the article G from below; and a dropping mechanism 12 that drops the article G on the support surface 11f. The article receiving device 2 includes a receiving surface 20f that receives the article G dropped by the conveyance vehicle 1. The receiving surface 20f is arranged at a higher position than the traveling surface Fa.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article transport facility comprising a running floor, a transport vehicle that travels on a running surface formed on the running floor to transport articles, and an article receiving device that receives the articles from the transport vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent No. 4413982 (Patent Document 1) discloses equipment for transporting and sorting articles. In the following description of the background art, the reference numerals in parentheses refer to those in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The facility disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a transfer means (110) that places articles on a support surface of a tray (111) and transports them, and a take-out section (140) that stores articles dropped from the transfer means (110). The articles dropped from the transfer means (110) are received by the receiving surface of the take-out section (140) and stored in the take-out section (140), and are then taken out from the take-out section (140) by a pick-up operation.

[0004] In the equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1, the receiving surface of the take-out section (140) is disposed below the support surface of the tray (111). A chute (120) inclined downward toward the take-out section (140) is disposed between the support surface of the tray (111) and the receiving surface of the take-out section (140). Articles dropped from the transfer means (110) are transported from the support surface of the tray (111) to the receiving surface of the take-out section (140) via the chute (120). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4413982 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the equipment of Patent Document 1, the chute (120) has the function of guiding articles from the support surface of the tray (111) to the receiving surface of the take-out section (140) and also the function of cushioning the impact of articles dropped from the transfer means (110). However, in order to provide a chute (120) that slopes downward to the receiving surface of the take-out section (140), it is necessary to ensure a large horizontal distance from the transfer means (110) to the take-out section (140) unless the angle of inclination of the chute (120) is increased, which results in an increase in the size of the equipment.

[0007] In view of the above situation, it is desirable to realize a technology that can reduce the impact of items dropped from a transport vehicle and also save space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An article transport facility comprising: a traveling floor; a transport vehicle that travels on a traveling surface formed on the traveling floor to transport an article; and an article receiving device that receives the article from the transport vehicle, the transport vehicle includes a support surface that supports the item from below, and a dropping mechanism that drops the item on the support surface; the article receiving device includes a receiving surface for receiving the article dropped by the transport vehicle, The receiving surface is disposed at a position higher than the running surface. 、 a sloped surface independent of the support surface and the receiving surface, the sloped surface being located lower than the support surface and higher than the receiving surface; The receiving surface is configured to receive the item dropped by the transport vehicle via the inclined surface. .

[0009] This configuration makes it easy to shorten the vertical distance between the support surface of the transport vehicle and the receiving surface of the item receiving device. By shortening this vertical distance, it is possible to reduce the impact of items when they are dropped from the transport vehicle onto the receiving surface of the item receiving device without increasing the horizontal space. In this way, this configuration can reduce the impact of items dropped from the transport vehicle and also save space.

[0010] Further features and advantages of the techniques according to the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] Plan view showing the first and second floor running floors of the goods transport equipment [Figure 2] II-II cross section in Figure 1 [Figure 3] A diagram showing the dropping of items [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an article receiving device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an article receiving device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an article receiving device according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The article transport facility includes a traveling floor, a transport vehicle that travels on a traveling surface formed on the traveling floor to transport articles, and an article receiving device that receives articles from the transport vehicle. Below, an embodiment of the article transport facility will be described using an example of an article transport facility that includes a multi-level traveling floor.

[0013] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of an article transport facility according to the present disclosure will be described.

[0014] [Outline of goods transport equipment] First, an overview of the article conveying facility will be described with reference to Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the article conveying facility 100 includes multiple traveling floors F arranged vertically, and transport vehicles 1 that travel on traveling surfaces Fa formed on each of the multiple traveling floors F. On the traveling floors F on each level, multiple transport vehicles 1 travel on the traveling surfaces Fa.

[0015] In the example shown in Fig. 1, the article conveying facility 100 has two levels of traveling floors F. Fig. 1 shows a first level traveling floor F and a second level traveling floor F. However, the article conveying facility 100 is not limited to this configuration, and may have three or more levels of traveling floors F.

[0016] The article conveying equipment 100 includes a conveying passage Fr, which is a passage along which the conveying vehicle 1 travels to convey the article G. The conveying passage Fr is configured as part of the travel floor F. In this embodiment, the travel floor F on each floor includes a conveying passage Fr and a travel field Ff. The conveying passage Fr is a single passage extending between the work area WA and the sorting area SA, which will be described later. The conveying vehicle 1 travels along the conveying passage Fr when transporting the article G from the work area WA to the sorting area SA. The travel field Ff is a flat portion of the travel floor F. The conveying vehicle 1 is able to travel freely within the travel field Ff. In this embodiment, the conveying passage Fr and the travel field Ff partially overlap. In particular, the travel field Ff is provided between the work area WA and the sorting area SA, and the conveying passage Fr is provided to cross the travel field Ff between the work area WA and the sorting area SA.

[0017] Hereinafter, directions are defined based on the conveying passage Fr. Specifically, the direction along the conveying passage Fr is referred to as the "passage direction X," and the direction perpendicular to the passage direction X when viewed from the top and bottom is referred to as the "passage width direction Y." One side of the passage width direction Y is referred to as the "passage width direction first side Y1," and the other side of the passage width direction Y is referred to as the "passage width direction second side Y2."

[0018] The transport vehicle 1 is configured to travel straight and also to change direction by turning on the spot around a vertical axis. By performing straight travel and turning, the transport vehicle 1 can freely travel on the travel field Ff on both the first-floor travel floor F and the second-floor travel floor F.

[0019] The item conveying equipment 100 includes a pair of lifters L that raise and lower the transport vehicle 1 across multiple levels (two levels in this example) of running floor F, an item supply section Pg to which items G are supplied, a work area WA in which the items G supplied from the item supply section Pg are handed over to the transport vehicle 1, a sorting area SA in which sorting work on the items G is performed, and an empty container recovery device B that recovers empty containers C generated by the sorting work in the sorting area SA.

[0020] In this embodiment, both the work area WA and the sorting area SA are provided at the same level as the first-floor travel floor F. On the second-floor travel floor F, neither the work area WA nor the sorting area SA is provided.

[0021] The work area WA is arranged adjacent to both the conveying path Fr and the item supply unit Pg. In this embodiment, the item supply unit Pg supplies the items G to the work area WA while they are contained in a supply container Cp. In the work area WA, the items G contained in the supply container Cp are removed and handed over to a transport vehicle 1 waiting on the conveying path Fr. The items G may be handed over to the transport vehicle 1 while they are contained in a container C separate from the supply container Cp, or they may be handed over as is without being placed in a container C. In this embodiment, the above work in the work area WA is performed by a worker W. However, the above work may be performed by a robot instead of the worker W, or by both the worker W and the robot.

[0022] The transport vehicle 1 is configured to transport an item G or a container C containing an item G. In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 transports the item G or the container C containing the item G received in the work area WA to the sorting area SA.

[0023] The sorting area SA is located adjacent to the conveying path Fr in the path width direction Y, at a location separate from the work area WA. In the sorting area SA, sorting work is performed on the items G transported by the transport vehicle 1. The sorting work is performed based on predetermined order information. For example, the order information includes various information such as customer information, shipping destination information, and item type information.

[0024] In this embodiment, when the transport vehicle 1 transports items G contained in containers C to the sorting area SA, a removal operation is performed in the sorting area SA to remove the items G from the containers C transported by the transport vehicle 1. In other words, the sorting operation includes a removal operation to remove the items G from the containers C transported by the transport vehicle 1. This removal operation separates the containers C from the items G, resulting in empty containers C. When the transport vehicle 1 transports items G (items G that are not contained in containers C) to the sorting area SA, a receiving operation is performed in the sorting area SA to receive the items G transported by the transport vehicle 1.

[0025] The empty container recovery device B is configured to recover empty containers C generated by the above-mentioned removal operation. A recovery path Rb, which is a path along which the empty containers C are transported by the empty container recovery device B, extends to a position adjacent to the work area WA. In this example, the recovery path Rb extends to the inside of the work area WA. The empty containers C recovered by the empty container recovery device B are transported along the recovery path Rb to the work area WA and used for work in the work area WA. The empty container recovery device B is configured using, for example, a conveyor. The empty container recovery device B configured using a conveyor extends along the recovery path Rb. In this embodiment, the sorting work (including the above-mentioned removal work) in the sorting area SA is performed by a worker W. However, the sorting work may be performed by a robot instead of the worker W, or the sorting work may be performed by both the worker W and the robot.

[0026] After delivering the item G to the sorting area SA, the transport vehicle 1 gets on the lifter L and heads to another floor's travel floor F (the second floor travel floor F in this example). The transport vehicle 1 then travels along the second floor travel floor F, gets on another lifter L, and returns to the travel floor F (the first floor travel floor F in this example) on which the above-mentioned work area WA and sorting area SA are located. The returning transport vehicle 1 receives the item G in the work area WA, and transports the item G to the sorting area SA, in the same manner as above.

[0027] [Detailed configuration of the sorting area] As described above, the sorting area SA is an area where the sorting work of the articles G is carried out, and is provided adjacent to the conveying path Fr in the path width direction Y.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the article conveying equipment 100 is equipped with an article receiving device 2 that receives articles G from the transport vehicle 1. The article receiving device 2 is arranged in the sorting area SA. In this embodiment, multiple article receiving devices 2 are arranged in the sorting area SA. Each of the multiple article receiving devices 2 transports the articles G or containers C received from the transport vehicle 1 to the work location of a worker W (or robot) working in the sorting area SA. This allows multiple work locations within the sorting area SA to be distributed and arranged in numbers equal to the number of article receiving devices 2. This makes it easier to perform sorting work at each work location, contributing to overall improved work efficiency.

[0029] In this embodiment, a plurality of article receiving devices 2 are lined up along the passage direction X. This allows as many article receiving devices 2 as possible to be arranged in the area of ​​the sorting area SA in the passage direction X along the conveying passage Fr. This makes it possible to improve the sorting work capacity of the sorting area SA as a whole.

[0030] In this embodiment, each of the multiple article receiving devices 2 is configured to transport articles G or containers C along the aisle width direction Y. Therefore, the sorting area SA can be prevented from expanding in the aisle direction X compared to when the transport direction of the article receiving device 2 is set along the aisle direction X or is set to be inclined toward the aisle direction X (having a component in the aisle direction X). In this example, each article receiving device 2 is equipped with a transport mechanism 20, which transports the articles G or containers C along the aisle width direction Y.

[0031] In this embodiment, a plurality of article receiving devices 2 are arranged on both sides of the conveying passage Fr in the sorting area SA. That is, a plurality of article receiving devices 2 are arranged on both sides Y1 in the passage width direction and on both sides Y2 in the passage width direction with respect to the conveying passage Fr. This allows sorting work to be performed on both sides of the conveying passage Fr, thereby improving the sorting work capacity of the sorting area SA as a whole.

[0032] As described above, the empty container recovery device B is configured to recover empty containers C generated by the removal work performed as part of the sorting work. This removal work involves removing items G from containers C transported by the transport vehicle 1. The empty containers C are transported to the work area WA along the recovery route Rb.

[0033] In this embodiment, the collection path Rb extends in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the articles G or containers C by the article receiving devices 2 when viewed in the vertical direction, and is arranged so as to overlap with the article receiving devices 2. In this example, the collection path Rb extends in a direction perpendicular to each article receiving device 2 extending in the aisle width direction Y when viewed in the vertical direction, i.e., along the aisle direction X.

[0034] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the collection path Rb is disposed at a different height from the conveying path Fr. More specifically, the collection path Rb is disposed at a higher position than the conveying path Fr. When work in the sorting area SA is performed by a worker W, the height at which the collection path Rb is disposed is preferably around the chest height of a worker W of average height. This makes it easy for the worker W to place an empty container C on the collection path Rb. A position adjustment mechanism may be provided to adjust the position of the collection path Rb relative to the worker W.

[0035] As described above, the multiple item receiving devices 2 are arranged on the first side Y1 and the second side Y2 of the conveying path Fr in the path width direction. In this embodiment, the recovery path Rb is configured as a single path that is arranged to overlap all of the item receiving devices 2 (or most of the multiple item receiving devices 2) in a vertical view. With the above configuration, empty containers C generated during sorting operations at the item receiving devices 2 arranged on both sides of the conveying path Fr can be recovered and transported to the work area WA via the single recovery path Rb. In this embodiment, the recovery path Rb includes a first section Rb1 arranged on the first side Y1 of the conveying path Fr in the path width direction, a second section Rb2 arranged on the second side Y2 of the conveying path Fr in the path width direction, and a connecting section Rbc connecting the first section Rb1 and the second section Rb2. The first section Rb1 overlaps with the multiple item receiving devices 2 on the first side Y1 of the conveying path Fr in a vertical view. The second section Rb2 overlaps with the plurality of article receiving devices 2 on the second side Y2 in the passage width direction of the conveying passage Fr when viewed in the vertical direction. The connection section Rbc overlaps with the conveying passage Fr when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0036] As described above, in the sorting area SA, a receiving operation is performed to receive the items G transported by the transport vehicle 1, and a removal operation is performed to remove the items G from the containers C transported by the transport vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the items G removed from the containers C by the removal operation and the items G received by the receiving operation are collected according to order information and transported to a location where the next process is performed.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the sorting area SA is provided with collection containers Cc that contain one or more items G collected according to order information through sorting work, and an output conveyor 8 that carries the collection containers Cc out of the sorting area SA. In the illustrated example, the sorting area SA is provided with a mounting table 9 on which the collection containers Cc are placed, and a worker W (or a robot) places the necessary items G in the collection container Cc placed on the mounting table 9 and moves the collection container Cc from the mounting table 9 to the output conveyor 8. The collection container Cc is then carried out of the sorting area SA by the output conveyor 8, and is transported, for example, to a location where the next process is performed. Note that the mounting table 9 and output conveyor 8 are omitted from FIG. 1 to avoid cluttering the drawing.

[0038] [Detailed configuration of transport vehicle and article receiving device] As described above, the transport vehicle 1 transports the item G or the container C containing the item G to the item receiving device 2. The item receiving device 2 receives the item G or the container C containing the item G transported by the transport vehicle 1. The detailed configurations of the transport vehicle 1 and the item receiving device 2 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Note that, below, the item G or the container C containing the item G may be simply referred to as "item G".

[0039] The transport vehicle 1 travels on the running surface Fa of the transport passage Fr to transport the article G. The transport vehicle 1 includes a support surface 11f that supports the article G from below, and a dropping mechanism 12 that drops the article G on the support surface 11f. In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 includes a carriage body 10 and a support base 11 connected to the carriage body 10. In this embodiment, the surface on which the wheels provided on the carriage body 10 roll is the running surface Fa. The support surface 11f is formed by the upper surface of the support base 11. The dropping mechanism 12 is mounted on the carriage body 10. In this embodiment, the dropping mechanism 12 is configured to drop the article G toward the outside of the passage width direction Y relative to the transport vehicle 1.

[0040] 3, the dropping mechanism 12 is a mechanism that drops an item G on the support surface 11f into the item receiving device 2. In this specification, "dropping" means moving the item G downward by using the weight of the item G. For example, dropping includes sliding or rolling the item G down an inclined surface, or dropping the item G vertically or diagonally.

[0041] In this embodiment, the dropping mechanism 12 is configured to tilt the support surface 11f in a direction in which, when dropping an article G on the support surface 11f, the support surface 11f is lowered toward the receiving surface 20f (described later) of the article receiving device 2. In this example, the dropping mechanism 12 is configured to tilt the support base 11, thereby tilting the support surface 11f, which is its upper surface.

[0042] In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 is configured to be able to drop an article G onto an article receiving device 2 arranged on either the first side Y1 in the passage width direction or the second side Y2 in the passage width direction with respect to the transport path Fr. When dropping an article G onto an article receiving device 2 arranged on the first side Y1 in the passage width direction with respect to the transport path Fr, the dropping mechanism 12 tilts the support surface 11f so that the end of the support surface 11f on the first side Y1 in the passage width direction is lower than the end on the second side Y2 in the passage width direction. On the other hand, when dropping an article G onto an article receiving device 2 arranged on the second side Y2 in the passage width direction with respect to the transport path Fr, the dropping mechanism 12 tilts the support surface 11f so that the end of the support surface 11f on the second side Y2 in the passage width direction is lower than the end on the first side Y1 in the passage width direction. The dropping mechanism 12 may be configured to tilt the support surface 11f using known means, such as a motor or a cylinder.

[0043] 2, the article receiving device 2 has a receiving surface 20f that receives the article G dropped by the transport vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the receiving surface 20f is arranged horizontally, which makes it easier to stabilize the posture of the article G received by the receiving surface 20f.

[0044] When the transport vehicle 1 is positioned to drop an item G onto the item receiving device 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "drop preparation state"), the support surface 11f is positioned higher than the receiving surface 20f. The entire support surface 11f is positioned higher than the receiving surface 20f, regardless of the inclination. As a result, the item G dropped from the support surface 11f is received by the receiving surface 20f, which is positioned lower than the support surface 11f.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the transport vehicle 1 is in a drop preparation state, a guide unit 3 that guides the dropped item G is provided between the support surface 11f of the transport vehicle 1 and the receiving surface 20f of the item receiving device 2 in the aisle width direction Y. The guide unit 3 is provided between the support surface 11f and the receiving surface 20f in the vertical direction. The guide unit 3 has an inclined surface 30f that slopes downward from the support surface 11f side toward the receiving surface 20f side in the aisle width direction Y. This allows the item G dropped from the support surface 11f to be properly guided toward the receiving surface 20f located below it. Note that the item G dropped from the support surface 11f is not necessarily guided by the guide unit 3. The item G may also be dropped directly from the support surface 11f onto the receiving surface 20f. In the event that the dropping position of the item G is shifted and it is not possible to drop the item G directly onto the receiving surface 20f, the item G dropped from the support surface 11f is dropped onto the receiving surface 20f while being guided by the inclined surface 30f of the guide section 3.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 is equipped with a conveying mechanism 20 that conveys the article G received by the receiving surface 20f. In this example, the conveying mechanism 20 is a conveyor 20c, and the receiving surface 20f is the conveying surface of the conveyor 20c. The conveyor 20c that constitutes the conveying mechanism 20 can be a well-known conveyor such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor. When the conveyor 20c is configured using a belt conveyor, the upper surface of the belt becomes the receiving surface 20f. When the conveyor 20c is configured using a roller conveyor, an imaginary surface that continuously connects the upper ends of multiple rollers becomes the receiving surface 20f.

[0047] In this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 includes a storage section 21 that stores articles G transported by the transport mechanism 20. The storage section 21 is arranged adjacent to the transport mechanism 20. In this example, the storage section 21 is arranged adjacent to the outer side of the transport mechanism 20 in the aisle width direction Y. A sorting operation is performed on the articles G stored in the storage section 21. In this example, around the storage section 21, there are arranged collection containers Cc that collect the articles G removed from the containers C during the sorting operation, a placement table 9 on which the collection containers Cc are placed, an output conveyor 8 that transports the collection containers Cc, and an empty container recovery device B that recovers empty containers C generated during the sorting operation.

[0048] Here, if the transport vehicle 1 is configured to drop the item G, the item G is likely to be subjected to an impact when dropped. In a configuration in which the item G is moved downward using its own weight, it is inevitable that a certain degree of impact will occur. However, the item transport equipment 100 according to the present disclosure makes it possible to mitigate the impact that occurs to the item G when the item G is dropped.

[0049] 3, the receiving surface 20f of the article receiving device 2 is positioned higher than the running surface Fa of the conveying passage Fr. This makes it easier to shorten the vertical distance between the support surface 11f of the transport vehicle 1 and the receiving surface 20f of the article receiving device 2. By shortening this vertical distance, it becomes possible to mitigate the impact of the article G when it is dropped from the transport vehicle 1 onto the receiving surface 20f of the article receiving device 2, without increasing the horizontal space.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, when the transport vehicle 1 is in a drop preparation state, the guide unit 3 is provided between the support surface 11f of the transport vehicle 1 and the receiving surface 20f of the article receiving device 2 in the aisle width direction Y. The guide unit 3 is provided between the support surface 11f and the receiving surface 20f in the vertical direction, and includes an inclined surface 30f that slopes downward from the support surface 11f side toward the receiving surface 20f side in the aisle width direction Y. As a result, in cases where the drop position of the article G dropped from the support surface 11f is shifted and direct dropping onto the receiving surface 20f is not possible, the article G dropped from the support surface 11f is guided by the inclined surface 30f of the guide unit 3 and is dropped onto the receiving surface 20f. Therefore, the guide unit 3 can also mitigate the impact of the article G when it is dropped from the transport vehicle 1.

[0051] In this embodiment, the receiving surface 20f has a drop area 20fa that serves as a reference for the drop position of the item G. The item G dropped from the transport vehicle 1 is ideally dropped into the drop area 20fa. In this embodiment, the drop area 20fa is set to an area including the end of the receiving surface 20f on the inner side (the conveying path Fr side) in the passage width direction Y. At least the drop area 20fa on the receiving surface 20f is positioned higher than the running surface Fa. The portion of the receiving surface 20f other than the drop area 20fa does not need to be positioned higher than the running surface Fa. However, in this example, the receiving surface 20f is positioned horizontally, and therefore the entire receiving surface 20f, including the drop area 20fa, is positioned higher than the running surface Fa. As a result, even if the item G is dropped at a position shifted from the drop area 20fa, the dropped portion is higher than the running surface Fa, and therefore the impact on the item G when dropped can be appropriately alleviated.

[0052] According to the item conveying equipment 100 described above, the vertical distance between the support surface 11f of the transport vehicle 1 and the receiving surface 20f of the item receiving device 2 can be shortened, making it possible to reduce the impact of the item G when it is dropped from the transport vehicle 1 onto the receiving surface 20f of the item receiving device 2 without increasing the horizontal space.

[0053] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the article conveying equipment 100 will be described with reference to Figure 4. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment. Points that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 includes a regulating device 22 provided at a downstream end of the conveyance path of the articles G by the conveyor 20c or at a predetermined position upstream of the downstream end. In this example, the regulating device 22 is provided at the downstream end of the conveyance path of the articles G by the conveyor 20c, i.e., at the outer end of the conveyor 20c in the passage width direction Y (opposite the conveyance path Fr). The regulating device 22 is configured to regulate the movement of the articles G by the conveyor 20c. This allows the articles G to be stored at the downstream end of the conveyance path of the conveyor 20c. Therefore, the conveyor 20c can also be used as a buffer for the articles G (a place to store multiple articles G for sorting work, etc.). Furthermore, because the regulating device 22 regulates the movement of the articles G, it is not necessary to stop the operation of the conveyor 20c to store the articles G on the conveyor 20c, which avoids complicated control of the conveyor 20c.

[0055] In this embodiment, the regulating device 22 includes a regulating body 220 disposed at a position overlapping with the movement trajectory of the article G when the article G is conveyed by the conveyor 20c. This allows the movement of the article G conveyed by the conveyor 20c to be appropriately regulated.

[0056] The regulating device 22 may be configured to include a drive unit (not shown) that drives the regulating body 220 and to be able to switch the position of the regulating body 220 between a position that overlaps with the movement trajectory of the article G and a position that does not overlap with the movement trajectory. Alternatively, the regulating device 22 may not be equipped with such a drive unit. In this case, the regulating body 220 is fixedly disposed at a position that overlaps with the movement trajectory of the article G.

[0057] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the article conveying equipment 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment. Points that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0058] 5, in this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 includes a feeding device 23 provided at the downstream end of the conveying path of the article G by the conveyor 20c. In this example, the feeding device 23 is provided adjacent to the conveyor 20c on the outer side in the passage width direction Y (opposite the conveying path Fr).

[0059] In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 drops only the items G, excluding the containers C, to the item receiving device 2 equipped with the input device 23. To further explain, when the transport vehicle 1 receives an item G that is not contained in a container C in the work area WA (see Figure 1), the item receiving device 2 equipped with the input device 23 can be selected as the destination for the item G.

[0060] In this embodiment, the input device 23 is configured to store at least one item G transported by the conveyor 20c and to input the stored item G into the input section 24 located below the receiving surface 20f. In this example, the input section 24 is provided with an output conveyor 8 and a collection container Cc placed on the output conveyor 8. The item G input into the input section 24 by the input device 23 is automatically stored in the collection container Cc placed on the output conveyor 8. In this case, before the item G is input, the output conveyor 8 is stopped, and the collection container Cc is stopped on the output conveyor 8. Then, for example, after one or more items G based on order information are stored in the collection container Cc by one or more inputs of items G, the output conveyor 8 is activated to transport the collection container Cc.

[0061] In this embodiment, the feeding device 23 includes a movable support unit 230 that supports the article G transported by the conveyor 20c. The movable support unit 230 includes a plurality of supports 230a (which may be a single support) and a drive unit (not shown) that drives the plurality of supports 230a. The drive unit is configured to switch the plurality of supports 230a between a support state in which the article G is supported and a release state in which the support of the article G is released. When the article G is stored in the feeding device 23 (a state in which the article G is supported by the plurality of supports 230a), the plurality of supports 230a are switched to the release state at an appropriate timing, whereby the article G is fed into the feeding section 24. The switching between the support state and the release state may be performed automatically by the feeding device 23 or manually by the operator W.

[0062] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the article conveying equipment 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment. Points that are not particularly described are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 includes a lifting mechanism 25 (an example of a conveying mechanism 20) that receives an article G dropped from the conveying vehicle 1 and raises and lowers the article G. The lifting mechanism 25 includes a lifting platform 25a having a receiving surface 20f. The lifting mechanism 25 is configured to raise and lower the lifting platform 25a between an elevated position and a lower position set below the elevated position. When the lifting platform 25a is in the elevated position (see FIG. 6(a)), the receiving surface 20f is positioned above the running surface Fa of the conveying passage Fr. In this state, the lifting mechanism 25 receives the article G dropped from the conveying vehicle 1 using the receiving surface 20f.

[0064] In this embodiment, the article receiving device 2 includes a pusher 26 that pushes the article G placed on the lifting platform 25a in the horizontal direction. The lifting mechanism 25 lowers the lifting platform 25a to a lower position with the article G placed on the lifting platform 25a (see FIG. 6(b)). Then, with the lifting platform 25a positioned in the lower position, the pusher 26 pushes the article G (in the illustrated example, a container C containing the article G) placed on the lifting platform 25a in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 6(c)). For example, the pusher 26 pushes the article G on the lifting platform 25a in the direction in which the discharge conveyor 8 is disposed. As a result, the article G falls off the lifting platform 25a and is placed on the discharge conveyor 8. The article G is then transported by the discharge conveyor 8 to its next destination.

[0065] In this embodiment, a configuration has been described in which a container C containing items G is pushed by the pusher 26. However, it is also possible for items G that are not contained in a container C to be pushed directly by the pusher 26. In this case, for example, a collection container Cc may be disposed at the destination where the pusher 26 pushes the items. In such a configuration, the lifting mechanism 25 and the pusher 26 cooperate to place one or more items G based on the order information into the collection container Cc. In this case, the collection container Cc may further be placed on the carry-out conveyor 8. In this case, the items G contained in the collection container Cc can be transported directly to the next destination by the carry-out conveyor 8.

[0066] Other Embodiments Next, other embodiments of the article transport facility will be described.

[0067] (1) In the above embodiment, an example in which the transport mechanism 20 is a conveyor 20c has been described. However, without being limited to this example, the transport mechanism 20 may be, for example, an unmanned transport vehicle. In this case, for example, a transport vehicle having a similar configuration may be used as the transport mechanism 20, separate from the transport vehicle 1 that travels along the transport path Fr to transport the item G. That is, the transport vehicle 1 on the transport path Fr may be configured to drop the item G onto another transport vehicle serving as the transport mechanism 20. In this case, the path along which the other transport vehicle serving as the transport mechanism 20 travels is set at a position lower than the transport path Fr. The support surface of the other transport vehicle serving as the transport mechanism 20 corresponds to the "receiving surface," and this support surface is positioned higher than the running surface Fa of the transport path Fr.

[0068] (2) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the article receiving device 2 is provided with a conveying mechanism 20 that conveys the article G received by the receiving surface 20f. However, without being limited to this example, the article receiving device 2 does not have to be provided with such a conveying mechanism 20. In this case, the article receiving device 2 may be provided with a platform or the like on which the receiving surface 20f is formed.

[0069] (3) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the receiving surface 20f of the article receiving device 2 is arranged horizontally. However, without being limited to such an example, a part or all of the receiving surface 20f may be arranged to be inclined relative to the horizontal.

[0070] (4) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the dropping mechanism 12 is configured to tilt the support surface 11f so that the receiving surface 20f side of the article receiving device 2 is lower when dropping an item G on the support surface 11f. However, without being limited to such an example, the dropping mechanism 12 can have various configurations for dropping the item G on the support surface 11f. For example, the dropping mechanism 12 may be configured to include a pusher and to push the item G on the support surface 11f with the pusher to drop it from the support surface 11f. Alternatively, the dropping mechanism 12 may be configured to include a gripping mechanism and to grip and lift the item G on the support surface 11f with the gripping mechanism, and to release the grip outside the support surface 11f to drop the item G from the support surface 11f.

[0071] (5) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the guide unit 3 includes an inclined surface 30f that slopes downward from the support surface 11f side toward the receiving surface 20f side in the aisle width direction Y. However, without being limited to this example, the guide unit 3 may be configured using, for example, a roller. The roller is configured to rotate around an axis along the aisle direction X. Even with this configuration, the guide unit 3 can appropriately guide the item G dropped from the transport vehicle 1 to the receiving surface 20f of the item receiving device 2.

[0072] (6) The configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments may be combined with configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as no contradictions arise. Regarding other configurations, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are merely examples in all respects. Therefore, various modifications may be made as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0073] [Summary of the above embodiment] The above-described article transport facility will now be described.

[0074] An article transport facility comprising: a traveling floor; a transport vehicle that travels on a traveling surface formed on the traveling floor to transport an article; and an article receiving device that receives the article from the transport vehicle, the transport vehicle includes a support surface that supports the item from below, and a dropping mechanism that drops the item on the support surface; the article receiving device includes a receiving surface for receiving the article dropped by the transport vehicle, The receiving surface is disposed at a position higher than the running surface.

[0075] This configuration makes it easy to shorten the vertical distance between the support surface of the transport vehicle and the receiving surface of the item receiving device. By shortening this vertical distance, it is possible to reduce the impact of items when they are dropped from the transport vehicle onto the receiving surface of the item receiving device without increasing the horizontal space. In this way, this configuration can reduce the impact of items dropped from the transport vehicle and also save space.

[0076] The article receiving device preferably includes a transport mechanism for transporting the article received by the receiving surface.

[0077] According to this configuration, an item dropped by the transport vehicle and received by the receiving surface can be further transported to another location.

[0078] the transport mechanism is a conveyor; the receiving surface is a conveying surface of the conveyor; the article receiving device includes a regulating device provided at a downstream end of the path of transport of the article by the conveyor or at a predetermined position upstream of the downstream end; Preferably, the restricting device is configured to restrict movement of the article by the conveyor.

[0079] This configuration allows items to be stored at the downstream end of the conveyor's transport path or along the transport path, allowing the conveyor to be used as an item buffer (a place to store multiple items for sorting, etc.).

[0080] the transport mechanism is a conveyor; the article receiving device includes a throwing device provided at a downstream end of a path along which the article is transported by the conveyor; Preferably, the feeding device is configured to store at least one of the items transported by the conveyor and to feed the stored item into a feeding section located below the receiving surface.

[0081] According to this configuration, at least one article conveyed by the conveyor can be input into the input section at any timing by the input device.

[0082] Preferably, the receiving surface is arranged horizontally.

[0083] According to this configuration, it is easy to stabilize the posture of the article received by the receiving surface.

[0084] Preferably, the dropping mechanism is configured to tilt the support surface in a direction in which the receiving surface side is lower when dropping the item on the support surface.

[0085] According to this configuration, an item can be dropped from the support surface to the receiving surface with a relatively simple structure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] The technology disclosed herein can be used in an item transport facility that includes a running floor, a transport vehicle that travels on a running surface formed on the running floor to transport items, and an item receiving device that receives the items from the transport vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 100: Goods transport equipment 1: Transport vehicle 11f: Support surface 12:Drop mechanism 2: Item receiving device 20:Transport mechanism 20c: Conveyor 20f: Receiving surface 22: Regulating device 23: Feeding device 24: Insertion section F: Traveling floor Fa: Running surface G:Goods

Claims

1. An article transport facility comprising: a traveling floor; a transport vehicle that travels on a traveling surface formed on the traveling floor to transport an article; and an article receiving device that receives the article from the transport vehicle, the transport vehicle includes a support surface that supports the item from below, and a dropping mechanism that drops the item on the support surface; the article receiving device includes a receiving surface for receiving the article dropped by the transport vehicle, The receiving surface is disposed at a position higher than the running surface, a sloped surface independent of the support surface and the receiving surface, the sloped surface being located lower than the support surface and higher than the receiving surface; The receiving surface is configured to receive the item dropped by the transport vehicle via the inclined surface.

2. The dropping mechanism is configured to tilt the support surface in a direction in which the receiving surface side is lower when dropping the item on the support surface, 2. The article transport facility according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the inclined surface is an angle between the angle of the support surface in an inclined position when the article is dropped and the angle of the receiving surface.

3. The dropping mechanism is configured to tilt the support surface in a direction in which the receiving surface side is lower when dropping the item on the support surface, an end of the inclined surface closer to the transport vehicle overlaps with the support surface, which is in an inclined position when the item is dropped, in a vertical view; The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the inclined surface farther from the transport vehicle overlaps with the receiving surface when viewed in the up-down direction.

4. The article receiving device includes a conveying mechanism that conveys the article received by the receiving surface, the transport mechanism is a conveyor; a guide unit that guides the item dropped from the transport vehicle is fixedly installed on the traveling floor, the receiving surface is a conveying surface of the conveyor; The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined surface is an upper surface of the guide portion.

5. The article transport equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving surface is disposed horizontally.

6. The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein the article receiving device includes a transport mechanism that transports the article received by the receiving surface.

7. the transport mechanism is a conveyor; the receiving surface is a conveying surface of the conveyor; the article receiving device includes a regulating device provided at a downstream end of the path of transport of the article by the conveyor or at a predetermined position upstream of the downstream end; The article transport facility of claim 6 , wherein the restricting device is configured to restrict movement of the article by the conveyor.

8. the transport mechanism is a conveyor; the article receiving device includes a throwing device provided at a downstream end of a path along which the article is transported by the conveyor; The item transport equipment according to claim 6, wherein the input device is configured to store at least one of the items transported by the conveyor and to input the stored item into an input section located below the receiving surface.

9. The article transport facility according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the dropping mechanism is configured to tilt the support surface in a direction in which the receiving surface side is lower when dropping the article on the support surface.

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