Goods lifting system

Abstract

To obtain, for example, a novel improved article lift-up / down system capable of further enhancing safety while acquiring required workability.SOLUTION: An article lift-up / down system comprises: a lift-up / down device that lifts up / down a placement part for placing an article between a first position where moving work of the article is performed between an inner side and an outer side of an upper side opening in a conveyance space by an operator, and a second position below the first position in the conveyance space; a movable member that is movable between an allowable position for allowing the moving work of the article by the operator, and a prohibition position for prohibiting the moving work; and a lift-up / down control part for controlling the lift-up / down device in such a manner that the placement part located above a third position between the first position and the second position does not descend lower than the third position, in a state where the movable member is at the allowable position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article lifting system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an article lifting device that is installed adjacent to a location where a worker moves articles (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The lifting device has an article placement section that moves up and down within a transport space. With the placement section positioned relatively high in the transport space, the worker moves articles inside an upper opening of the transport space, i.e., between the placement section and the outside of the upper opening. A wall is provided between the transport space and the work location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-197299 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The higher the wall separating the transfer space from the work area, the more difficult it is for a worker to fall into the transfer space. In other words, the higher the wall, the higher the safety of the worker.

[0005] On the other hand, the higher the wall, the more difficult it becomes for workers to move articles between the inside and outside of the upper opening of the transport space. In other words, the higher the wall, the lower the workability.

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved article lifting system that can improve safety while ensuring required workability, for example. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The goods lifting system of the present invention includes, for example, a lifting device that raises and lowers a placement section on which goods are placed within a transport space between a first position where a worker moves the goods between the inside and outside of an upper opening of the transport space and a second position below the first position, a movable member that is movable between an allowable position that allows the worker to move the goods and a prohibitive position that prohibits the worker from moving the goods, and a lifting control section that controls the lifting device so that the placement section, which is located above a third position between the first position and the second position, does not descend below the third position when the movable member is in the allowable position.

[0008] The article lifting system of the present invention also includes, for example, an elevator device that moves a loading section on which an article is placed up and down within a transport space between a first position where an operator moves the article between the inside and outside of an upper opening of the transport space and a second position below the first position, and a shutter that is movable between a closed position that closes the upper opening and an open position that opens the upper opening. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic side view (partial cross-sectional view) of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing an example of lifting and lowering of an article by a lifting device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exemplary schematic side view (partial cross-sectional view) of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, illustrating an example of horizontal movement of an article by a conveying device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of an article lifting system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for raising the placement unit from the second position to the first position in the article lifting system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the platform is positioned at a third position while rising from the second position to the first position when an article is being moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 6]6 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state subsequent to that of FIG. 5 in which the platform is in the middle of rising from the second position to the first position when an article is moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 7] 7 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing the state in which the platform is positioned at the first position after the state in FIG. 6 when an article is moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the platform is positioned higher than in FIG. 7 when an article is moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which all articles on the platform have been moved when the articles are moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for lowering the placement unit from the first position to the second position in the article lifting system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the platform is positioned at a third position while descending from the first position to the second position after an article has been moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 12] 12 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state subsequent to that shown in FIG. 11, in which the platform is in the middle of descending from the first position to the second position after an article has been moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 13] 13 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the platform is in the second position after the state in FIG. 12 when an article has been moved from the platform at the first position. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing the state in which the platform is positioned at the third position while rising from the second position to the first position when moving an article onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 15]15 is a side view of the article lifting system according to the first embodiment, showing the state in which the platform is positioned at the first position after the state in FIG. 14 when an article is moved onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 16] 16 is a side view of the article lifting system according to the first embodiment, showing the state in which an article is placed on the platform in the state shown in FIG. 15 after the article has been moved onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 17] 17 is a side view of the article lifting system according to the first embodiment, showing a state in which the platform is positioned lower than that shown in FIG. 16 when an article has been moved onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state in which an article has been moved onto the placement section at the first position and the placement section is positioned at the third position while descending from the first position to the second position. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a side view of the article lifting system of the first embodiment, showing a state after Figure 18, when the platform is in the middle of descending from the first position to the second position after an article has been moved onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 20] 20 is a side view of the article lifting system according to the first embodiment, showing the state in which the platform is in the second position after the state in FIG. 18 when an article has been moved onto the platform at the first position. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for temporarily stopping the placement unit during its descent when the height of the article exceeds the limit height in the article lifting system of the second embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a side view of the article lifting system of the second embodiment in a state where an article has been moved onto the mounting portion at the first position. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is a side view of the second embodiment of the article lifting system, showing a state in which an article is moved onto the placement section at the first position and the placement section is positioned at the fourth position while moving from the first position to the second position. [Figure 24]24 is a side view of the article lifting system according to the second embodiment, showing the state in which the platform is in the third position after the state in FIG. 23 when an article has been moved onto the platform in the first position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below. The configurations of the embodiments described below, as well as the actions and results (effects) obtained from the configurations, are merely examples. The present invention can also be realized by configurations other than those disclosed in the following embodiments. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain at least one of the various effects (including derivative effects) obtained by the following configurations.

[0011] The following exemplary embodiments include similar configurations, and each embodiment provides similar effects based on those similar configurations. Note that, in the following, similar components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0012] In this specification, ordinal numbers are given for the sake of convenience to distinguish positions, etc., and do not indicate priority or order, nor do they limit the number.

[0013] Each figure also includes arrows indicating directions. The X and Y directions are approximately horizontal. The Z direction is approximately vertical and points vertically upward. The X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to each other.

[0014] [First embodiment] [Configuration of goods lifting system] 1 and 2 are side views (partial cross-sectional views) of an article lifting system 1A(1) according to a first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the article lifting system 1 includes a vertical conveying path 11, a horizontal conveying path 12, a conveying device 13, a lifting device 100, and a conveying device 12a.

[0015] The item 30 is an object to be transported by the conveying device 13, the lifting device 100, and the conveying device 12a. The item 30 is transported while placed on a pallet 31. The pallet 31 can carry one or more items 30. The item 30 may have, for example, a box shape, and multiple items 30 may be placed in a stacked state on the pallet 31. The item 30 may be, for example, a box-shaped product package, but is not limited to this. The pallet 31 is also an object to be transported by the conveying device 13, the lifting device 100, and the conveying device 12a. The pallet 31 and the item 30 are examples of objects to be placed on the placement section 100a.

[0016] A lifting device 100 transports pallets 31 and articles 30 along the vertical conveying path 11. The lifting device 100 includes a placement unit 100a on which the pallets 31 and articles 30 are placed, a lifting mechanism 100b that raises and lowers the placement unit 100a, and a drive mechanism 101 (see FIG. 3) that moves the lifting mechanism 100b. The lifting mechanism 100b raises and lowers the placement unit 100a along the vertical conveying path 11 between a first position P1 on the upper side and a second position P2 below the first position P1. The lifting mechanism 100b is configured, for example, as a link mechanism whose lower end is fixed in the Z direction and expands and contracts in the Z direction, with the placement unit 100a provided at its upper end. However, the configurations of the placement unit 100a and the lifting mechanism 100b are not limited to this.

[0017] The vertical conveying path 11 is configured as a space extending in the Z direction surrounded by multiple side walls 11a. The vertical conveying path 11 is an example of a conveying space. As shown in FIG. 1, a worker W moves an item 30 between the inside and outside of an upper opening 11b of the vertical conveying path 11 with the placement unit 100a located at a first position P1 and the pallet 31 or item 30 exposed from the upper opening 11b of the vertical conveying path 11 or protruding upward from the upper edge 11b1 of the upper opening 11b. In the example of FIG. 1, the worker W moves the item 30 in the X direction or in the direction opposite to the X direction. The work of worker W moving items 30 from the inside to the outside of the upper opening 11b is the work of removing items 30 from the pallet 31 or from the items 30 (depalletizing), and the work of worker W moving items 30 from the outside to the inside of the upper opening 11b is the work of loading items 30 onto the pallet 31 or onto the items 30 (palletizing).

[0018] The worker W is positioned on the floor F of a work area Pw adjacent to the vertical conveying path 11. A portion of the side wall 11a is interposed between the vertical conveying path 11 and the work area Pw. The upper edge 11a1 of the side wall 11a forms a portion of the upper edge 11b1 of the upper opening 11b.

[0019] 2, the conveying device 13 can transport the pallet 31 and the article 30 between a position Pa1 in the vertical conveying path 11 and a position Pa21 spaced above the conveying device 12a. The conveying device 13 can also partially lift and lower to transport the pallet 31 and the article 30 between the position Pa21 and a position Pa22 to which the pallet 31 and the article 30 can be transported by the conveying device 12a. In other words, the conveying device 13 can transport the pallet 31 and the article 30 between the position Pa1 in the vertical conveying path 11 and the position Pa22 in the horizontal conveying path 12.

[0020] On the horizontal conveying path 12, the conveying device 12a conveys the pallets 31 and the articles 30. In this embodiment, the conveying device 12a conveys the pallets 31 and the articles 30, for example, in the X direction or the direction opposite to the X direction, but the conveying direction is not limited to this. Furthermore, the conveying device 12a is, for example, a conveyor such as a roller conveyor or a chain conveyor, but is not limited to these.

[0021] The vertical conveying path 11 is opened upward by the above-mentioned upper opening 11b. The vertical conveying path 11 is also opened laterally by the side opening 11c below the upper opening 11b. In the present embodiment, as an example, the side opening 11c opens the vertical conveying path 11 in the opposite direction of the Y direction, i.e., toward the horizontal conveying path 12. Pallets 31 and articles 30 conveyed by the conveying device 13 can move between the vertical conveying path 11 and the horizontal conveying path 12 through or below the side opening 11c. The upper opening 11b and the side opening 11c are through-holes or notches.

[0022] The article lifting system 1 also includes a movable shutter 130 that opens and closes the upper opening 11b. The shutter 130 can move along rails 11d provided on the sidewall 11a between an open position Po (see FIG. 1) that opens the upper opening 11b and a closed position Pc (see FIG. 2) that closes the upper opening 11b. The shutter 130 positioned in the closed position Pc can prevent the fingers of the worker W from entering the vertical conveying path 11 through the upper opening 11b, and can therefore prevent the fingers from being pinched between the placement section 100a or an object placed on the placement section 100a and the sidewall 11a.

[0023] When the shutter 130 is in the open position Po, as shown in FIG. 1, the worker W is not restricted, i.e., allowed, from moving the item 30, by the shutter 130. On the other hand, when the shutter 130 is in the closed position Pc, the worker W is prohibited from moving the item 30 by the shutter 130. The shutter 130 is an example of a movable member. The open position Po is an example of a permitted position, and the closed position Pc is an example of a prohibited position. The prohibited position may also be referred to as a restricted position where movement is restricted.

[0024] In this embodiment, as an example, the shutter 130 has multiple slats 130a. Each slat 130a has a long, narrow plate shape extending in the X direction. Two rails 11d spaced apart in the X direction slidably support the X-direction and opposite X-direction ends of the multiple slats 130a of the shutter 130. The multiple slats 130a are aligned along the rails 11d. Adjacent slats 130a are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the X direction. This configuration allows the shutter 130 to slide along the curved rail 11d. Each slat 130a is made of a relatively hard and rigid material, such as an iron-based material or an aluminum-based material. Therefore, even if a worker W accidentally puts his / her hand on the slats 130a while the shutter 130 is in the closed position Pc, the slats 130a will not be punctured or deformed, preventing the worker W from falling into the vertical conveying path 11.

[0025] Furthermore, some of the slats 130a or at least some of the slats 130a may include transparent portions, or may be made of pipes or mesh arranged with gaps between them. In these cases, when the shutter 130 is in the closed position Pc, the worker W or the like can visually check the state of the vertical conveying path 11 and the state of the pallets 31 and articles 30 on the placement section 100a from outside the shutter 130.

[0026] The shutter 130 may be a manual shutter that is opened and closed manually by the worker W, or may be an electric shutter that is opened and closed in response to an operation input from the operating unit 105. Furthermore, the article lifting system 1 may include a biasing member that biases the shutter 130 to close or open. In this case, the biasing member may be, for example, a coil spring, a weighted wire, a rubber tube, or the like, but is not limited to these.

[0027] 1, when the shutter 130 is in the open position Po where the upper opening 11b is open, it is positioned between the vertical conveying path 11 and the horizontal conveying path 12 and is configured to cover at least a portion of the side opening 11c. This makes it possible to prevent the item 30 or the worker W from moving further toward the horizontal conveying path 12, even if the item 30 or the worker W accidentally falls into the vertical conveying path 11 while the shutter 130 is in the open position Po.

[0028] [Lifting device] 3 is a block diagram of the lifting device 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the lifting device 100 includes a computer, and has an arithmetic processing unit 110, a main memory unit 121, and an auxiliary memory unit 122.

[0029] The arithmetic processing unit 110 is, for example, a processor (circuit). The main memory unit 121 is, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or a read only memory (ROM), and the auxiliary memory unit 122 is, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The arithmetic processing unit 110 reads and executes a program (application) stored in the ROM of the main memory unit 121 or the auxiliary memory unit 122. The processor operates in accordance with the program to function as a lift control unit 111, an output control unit 112, a lift position detection unit 113, an open / close detection unit 114, an operation detection unit 115, and a lock control unit 116. In this case, the program includes program modules corresponding to the lift control unit 111, the output control unit 112, the lift position detection unit 113, the open / close detection unit 114, the operation detection unit 115, and the lock control unit 116, respectively.

[0030] The program may be provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The recording medium may also be referred to as a program product. The program may also be stored in the memory of a computer connected to a communications network and installed on the computer by being downloaded via the network. The program may also be pre-installed in a ROM or the like.

[0031] Furthermore, when at least a part of the computer is configured by hardware, the computer may include, for example, an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).

[0032] The ROM of the main memory 121 or the auxiliary memory 122 stores information used in the calculation processes performed by the lift control unit 111, the output control unit 112, the lift position detection unit 113, the open / close detection unit 114, the operation detection unit 115, and the lock control unit 116. The information used in the calculation processes may also be written in a program.

[0033] Furthermore, the processing unit 110 is electrically connected to the drive mechanism 101, the output unit 102, the lift position sensor 103, the open / close sensor 104, the operation unit 105, and the lock mechanism 106.

[0034] The lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 so that the mounting unit 100a moves up and down and stops at a predetermined position. The drive mechanism 101 includes, for example, a motor, a speed reducing mechanism, and a rotary-to-linear motion conversion mechanism.

[0035] The output control unit 112 controls the output unit 102 to perform a predetermined display output or audio output. The output unit 102 is, for example, a display, a lamp, a speaker, or the like.

[0036] The lifting position detection unit 113 detects the position of the placement unit 100a in the Z direction based on the detection signal of the lifting position sensor 103. The lifting position sensor 103 is, for example, a photoelectric sensor array 103a as shown in FIG. 2. The photoelectric sensor array 103a has, for example, multiple transmissive photoelectric sensors, which output multiple parallel detection beams aligned at predetermined intervals in the Y direction at the same position in the Z direction and traveling in the X direction. The photoelectric sensor array 103a can detect objects in a predetermined area intersecting the Z direction at a predetermined position in the Z direction, and is also referred to as an area sensor. In this case, the lifting position detection unit 113 obtains, based on the detection signal from the lifting position sensor 103, a change between a state in which light is blocked and a state in which it is not blocked by the placement unit 100a, the article 30, the pallet 31, etc., and obtains the positions of the placement unit 100a, the article 30, the pallet 31, etc. in the Z direction based on the change.

[0037] The open / close detection unit 114 detects the open position Po or the closed position Pc of the shutter 130 based on the detection signal of the open / close sensor 104. The lifting device 100 includes, as the open / close sensor 104, for example, a sensor that detects the open position Po and a sensor that detects the closed position Pc. The open / close sensor 104 is, for example, a switch whose conduction state changes depending on the position of the shutter 130. In this case, the open / close detection unit 114 detects the open position Po or the closed position Pc of the shutter 130 based on the change in the conduction state by the open / close sensor 104, i.e., the change in the detection signal.

[0038] The operation detection unit 115 detects an operation input by the worker W to the operation unit 105. The operation unit 105 is, for example, an operation button, an operation switch, a touch panel, a keyboard, etc. The operation detection unit 115 detects an electrical signal corresponding to the operation of the operation unit 105 and a change in the electrical signal.

[0039] The lock control unit 116 controls the operation of the lock mechanism 106. The lock mechanism 106 switches between a locked state in which the shutter 130 is locked at the closed position Pc and an unlocked state in which the shutter 130 is unlocked at the closed position Pc. The lock mechanism 106 is provided, for example, on the edge of the upper opening 11b and includes a motor, a speed reduction mechanism, a movable claw, etc., and is configured to switch between a state in which the movable claw engages with an engaging portion provided on the shutter 130 (locked state) and a state in which the engagement is released (unlocked state). When the placement unit 100a is positioned below the third positions P31 to P34 shown in FIGS. 5, 12, 14, and 19, the lock control unit 116 controls the lock mechanism 106 so that the shutter 130 is closed and locked at the closed position Pc. Note that the open / close detection unit 114 may detect the locked state of the lock mechanism 106 as the closed position Pc.

[0040] [Control procedure for raising and lowering the placement unit (1) Raising before depalletizing] Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for lifting the mounting section 100a from the second position P2 (see Fig. 5) to the first position P11 (see Fig. 7). Figs. 5 to 9 are side views of the article lifting system 1A(1) at each stage in Fig. 4.

[0041] First, as shown in FIG. 4, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 to lift the placement unit 100a from the second position P2 (see FIG. 5) in response to an operation input on the operation unit 105 or a command from a higher-level device or an external device (S11).

[0042] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the lifting control unit 111 determines whether the placement unit 100a has reached a predetermined third position P31 (see FIG. 5) based on the detection result of the lifting position detection unit 113 (S12). If the placement unit 100a has reached the third position P31 (Yes in S12), the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 so that the placement unit 100a stops at the third position P31 (S13). The third position P31 is a position between the first positions P11, P12 (see FIGS. 7 to 9) and the second position P2, i.e., a position above the second position P2 and below the first positions P11, P12. Specifically, the third position P31 is a position where the upper end of the placed object is below the shutter 130, which is positioned at the closed position Pc, with a gap therebetween. In this case, by setting the gap as small as possible, the third position P31 can be set at a higher position, which has the effect of making it easier to avoid damage if the item 30 or worker W falls into the vertical conveying path 11, or reducing the extent of damage.

[0043] If the answer is No in S12, the process returns to S11. Therefore, by steps S11 to S13, the placement section 100a reaches the third position P31 from the second position P2.

[0044] The third position P31 when the receiver 100a is raised is a position where the upper ends of the receiver 100a and the pallet 31 or article 30 placed on the receiver 100a substantially overlap the optical path of the detection light of the photoelectric sensor array 103a. During the raising operation, as shown in FIG. 5, when the upper ends substantially overlap the optical path of the photoelectric sensor array 103a, the detection light of the photoelectric sensor array 103a changes from a fully transmitting state to a partially occluded state. The elevation position detector 113 detects that the receiver 100a has reached the third position P31 when a predetermined number of detection light beams change from a fully transmitting state to a predetermined occluded state. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 14, the third positions P31 and P33 of the receiver 100a during the raising operation differ depending on the loading state of the articles 30 on the receiver 100a.

[0045] As described above, when the receiver 100a is positioned below the third position P31, the shutter 130 is locked at the closed position Pc by the locking mechanism 106, i.e., in a locked state, as shown in FIG. 5 . If the shutter 130 were to open when the receiver 100a and the pallets 31 and articles 30 on the receiver 100a were positioned lower, and the articles 30 or the worker W fell into the vertical conveying path 11, the drop from the upper edge 11b1 of the upper opening 11b would be greater, making them more susceptible to damage. In this regard, in the present embodiment, when the receiver 100a is positioned below the third position P31, the shutter 130 is locked at the closed position Pc, which has the effect of preventing, for example, the articles 30 or the worker W from falling.

[0046] In addition, the lock control unit 116 may release the lock by the lock mechanism 106 when the placement unit 100a reaches the third position P31, or may release the lock in response to a predetermined operation input by the worker W in S15.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the placement unit 100a reaches the third position P31, the output control unit 112 controls the output unit 102 to execute a predetermined output (S14). In the example of FIG. 5, the output unit 102 is configured as a lamp, and the lamp lights up or flashes when the placement unit 100a is located at the third position P31. The output control unit 112 may also control a speaker, buzzer, or the like separately provided as the output unit 102 to output a predetermined sound. The output content of the output unit 102 may also be a display or sound indicating that a pallet 31 or an article 30 is waiting at the third position P31. The display output and sound output of the output unit 102 make it easier for the worker W to understand the current status and the next operation or task to be performed.

[0048] In the example of FIG. 4, when the display output or audio output of S14 is performed, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is assumed that the worker W moves the shutter 130 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po manually or by operating the operation unit 105, and that the worker W performs a predetermined operation input to the operation unit 105, such as pressing a push button. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, when the operation detection unit 115 detects the predetermined operation input to the operation unit 105 (Yes in S15) and the open / close detection unit 114 detects that the shutter 130 has been positioned at the open position Po (Yes in S16), the output control unit 112 controls the output unit 102 to stop the output of S14 (S17). If the result in S15 is No, S15 is executed again, and if the result in S16 is No, S16 is executed again. The predetermined operation input to the operation unit 105 by the worker W in S15 may be an operation input for confirmation by the worker W.

[0049] After S17, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 to lift the placement unit 100a to the first position P11 (see FIG. 7), for example, in response to an operation input from the operator W on the operation unit 105 (S18).

[0050] First positions P11, P12 (see FIGS. 7 to 9) are positions of the placement unit 100a when the worker W is moving the articles 30 between the inside and outside of the upper opening 11b. The first position P11 shown in FIG. 7 is the position of the placement unit 100a when the worker W is lowering the second tier of articles 30 on the pallet 31. The first position P12 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is the position of the placement unit 100a when the worker W is lowering the first tier of articles 30 on the pallet 31. FIG. 8 shows the state after the second tier of articles 30 have been lowered and before one cross-section of the articles 30 has been lowered, and FIG. 9 shows the state after one cross-section of the articles 30 has been lowered.

[0051] 4, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 of the lifting device 100 so that the placement unit 100a stops temporarily at the third position P31 when the placement unit 100a is raised from the second position P2 to the first positions P11 and P12. This allows the worker W to lift the placement unit 100a, the pallet 31, and the article 30 to the first positions P11 and P12 exposed or protruding upward from the upper opening 11b after confirming or ensuring safety, specifically, while preventing fingers or the like from entering the vertical conveyance path 11 through the upper opening 11b. Therefore, compared to when the loading section 100a, pallet 31, and item 30 automatically rise to the first positions P11 and P12 without stopping at the third position P31, it is possible to more reliably prevent fingers, etc. from getting caught between the loading section 100a, pallet 31, and item 30 and the side wall 11a, thereby achieving the effect of further improving safety.

[0052] [Control procedure for raising and lowering the placement unit (2) Lowering after depalletizing] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the control procedure when the placement unit 100a is lowered from the first position P1 to the second position P2. Figs. 9, 11 to 13 are side views of the article lifting system 1A(1) at several stages in Fig. 10 when the article is lowered after depalletizing.

[0053] First, as shown in FIG. 10, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 to lower the placement unit 100a from the first position P12 (see FIG. 9) in response to an operation input on the operation unit 105 or a command from a higher-level device or an external device (S21).

[0054] 10, the lifting control unit 111 determines (S22) whether the placement unit 100a has reached a predetermined third position P32 (see FIG. 11) based on the detection result of the lifting position detection unit 113. If the placement unit 100a has reached the third position P32 (Yes in S22), the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 so that the placement unit 100a stops at the third position P32 (S23).

[0055] If the answer is No in S22, the process returns to S21. Therefore, through S21 to S23, the placement section 100a reaches the third position P32 from the first position P12.

[0056] The third position P32 when the receiver 100a is lowered is also a position where the upper ends of the receiver 100a and the pallet 31 or article 30 placed on the receiver 100a substantially overlap the optical path of the detection light of the photoelectric sensor array 103a. During lowering, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the detection light of the photoelectric sensor array 103a changes from a partial blocking state to a fully transmitting state when the upper ends substantially overlap the optical path of the photoelectric sensor array 103a. The elevation position detector 113 detects that the receiver 100a has reached the third position P32 when, for example, a predetermined number of detection light beams change from a partial blocking state to a fully transmitting state. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 18, the third positions P32 and P34 of the receiver 100a during raising vary depending on the loading state of the articles 30 on the receiver 100a.

[0057] 10, when the receiver 100a reaches the third position P32, the output control unit 112 controls the output unit 102 to execute a predetermined output (S24). In this case, a lamp lights up or flashes while the receiver 100a is positioned at the third position P32. The output control unit 112 may also control a speaker, buzzer, or the like provided separately as the output unit 102 to output a predetermined sound. In this case, the output content of the output unit 102 may be a visual or audio message indicating that the pallet 31 or the article 30 is waiting at the third position P32, which is below and spaced from the closed position Pc (see FIG. 12) of the shutter 130.

[0058] 10, when the display output or audio output of S24 is performed, for example, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is assumed that the worker W moves the shutter 130 from the open position Po to the closed position Pc manually or by operating the operation unit 105, locks it at the closed position Pc, and performs a predetermined operation input, such as pressing a push button, on the operation unit 105. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, when the operation detection unit 115 detects the predetermined operation input on the operation unit 105 (Yes in S25) and the open / close detection unit 114 detects that the shutter 130 is located at the closed position Pc and locked at the closed position Pc (Yes in S26), the output control unit 112 controls the output unit 102 to stop the output of S24 (S27). If the answer is No in S25, S25 is executed again, and if the answer is No in S26, S26 is executed again. The predetermined operation input to the operating unit 105 by the worker W in S25 may be an operation input for confirmation by the worker W. The lock control unit 116 may control the locking mechanism 106 to enable locking when the mounting unit 100a reaches the third position P32, and may further control the locking mechanism 106 to lock the shutter 130 at the closed position Pc in response to the predetermined operation input by the worker W in S25, or may control the locking mechanism 106 to lock the shutter 130 at the closed position Pc when the open / close detection unit 114 detects that the shutter 130 is located at the closed position Pc.

[0059] After S27, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 to lower the placement unit 100a to the second position P2 (see FIG. 13), for example, automatically or in response to an operation input from the operation unit 105 by the worker W (S28). During the lowering of the placement unit 100a to the second position P2, the pallet 31 is placed on the conveying device 13 and becomes ready to be conveyed by the conveying device 13 toward the horizontal conveying path 12.

[0060] 10, in S26, the lift control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 of the lifting device 100 so that the shutter 130 (movable member) does not move below the third position P32 when the shutter 130 (movable member) is in the open position Po (permissible position). Therefore, for example, even if an article 30 or worker W falls from the upper opening 11b into the horizontal conveying path 12, the placement unit 100a, the pallet 31, and the article 30 are positioned higher than when the placement unit 100a is positioned at the lower second position P2, and the drop from the upper edge 11b1 of the upper opening 11b can be reduced, thereby providing the effect of preventing injury to the fallen article 30 or worker W.

[0061] 10, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 of the lifting device 100 so that the placement unit 100a temporarily stops at the third position P32 when it descends from the first position P12 to the second position P2. As a result, for example, after confirming or ensuring the safety of the worker W, specifically, for example, in a state where fingers or the like do not enter the vertical conveying path 11 from the upper opening 11b, the placement unit 100a, the pallet 31, and the article 30 can be lowered into the vertical conveying path 11 from the first positions P11 and P12 exposed or protruding upward from the upper opening 11b. Therefore, compared to a case where the loading section 100a, the pallet 31, and the item 30 automatically descend to the second position P2 without stopping at the third position P32, it is possible to more reliably prevent fingers, etc. from being pinched between the loading section 100a, the pallet 31, the item 30 and the side wall 11a, thereby achieving the effect of further improving safety.

[0062] [Control procedure for raising and lowering the placement unit (3) Raising and lowering during palletizing] 14 to 20 are side views of the article lifting system 1A(1) at several stages in the case of palletizing.

[0063] 14 and 15 are side views of the article lifting system 1 showing the stages when the placement unit 100a is raised according to the procedure of FIG. 4 before palletizing. FIG. 14 shows the state of S14 in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 14, when no article 30 is placed on the pallet 31, the upper end of the object on the placement unit 100a is the upper end of the pallet 31. Also, FIG. 15 shows the state of S18 in FIG. 4 after FIG. 14.

[0064] Figures 15 to 17 are side views of the article lifting system 1 when the placement unit 100a is at first positions P14, P15 during palletizing. The first position P14 shown in Figures 15 and 16 is the position of the placement unit 100a when the first layer of articles 30 is being stacked on the pallet 31. Figure 15 shows the state before the first layer of articles 30 is stacked, and Figure 16 shows the state after the first layer of articles 30 has been stacked. Furthermore, Figure 17 shows the state after the second layer of articles 30 has been stacked on top of the first layer of articles 30.

[0065] Figures 18 to 20 are side views of the article lifting system 1, showing the stages when the placement unit 100a descends after palletizing according to the procedure in Figure 10. Figure 18 shows the state of S24 in Figure 10. Figure 19 shows the state of S27 in Figure 10 after Figure 18, and Figure 20 shows the state of S28 in Figure 10 after Figure 19.

[0066] In the case of palletizing, when the placement unit 100a is raised and lowered, the same effects can be obtained by the same control as in the case of depalletizing.

[0067] [Second embodiment] Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for lowering the placement unit 100a in the article lifting system 1B(1) of this embodiment from a first position P16 (see Fig. 22) to a second position. Figs. 22 to 24 are side views of the article lifting system 1B(1) at each stage in Fig. 21.

[0068] 21, the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 to lower the placement unit 100a from the first position P16 (see FIG. 22) in response to an operation input on the operation unit 105 or a command from a higher-level device or an external device (S31). As a result, the placement unit 100a lowers from the first position P16.

[0069] Next, as shown in FIG. 21, the lifting control unit 111 determines, based on the detection result of the lifting position detection unit 113 when the loading unit 100a is positioned at the first position P16, whether the predicted height Hp of the items to be loaded on the loading unit 100a by the operation of loading the next item 30 (palletizing), i.e., the pallet 31 and the item 30, exceeds the limit height Hth (S32).

[0070] In S32, as shown in FIG. 22, the predicted height Hp can be calculated, for example, from the following equation (1). Hp = D1 + Ha - Th - Dd (1) Here, D1 is the distance from the distance sensor 103b to the upper edge 11b1 of the upper opening 11b, Ha is the height of two stacked layers of articles 30, Th is the thickness of the placement section 100a, and Dd is the distance from the distance sensor 103b to the placement section 100a. The height of two stacked layers of articles 30 is used because, as of FIG. 22, the articles 30 are protruding from the upper edge 11b1 by one layer, and it is assumed that another layer of articles 30 will be added in the next palletizing. The distance sensor 103b is an example of a lift position sensor 103, and is, for example, a non-contact laser displacement meter, but is not limited to this.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 21, if the calculated height Hp exceeds the predetermined limit height Hth in S32 (Yes in S32), the lifting control unit 111 controls the drive mechanism 101 of the lifting device 100 so that the receiver 100a temporarily stops at the fourth position P4 (S33). The fourth position P4 is a position lower than the first position P16. Furthermore, the output control unit 112 may control the output unit 102 to execute a predetermined output when the receiver 100a reaches the fourth position P4 (S34). Note that if the result in S32 is No, S33 and S34 are not executed. Furthermore, the temporary stopping of the receiver 100a at the fourth position P4 in S33 and the execution of the predetermined output by the output unit 102 in S34 may be performed for a predetermined time (e.g., several seconds).

[0072] 21, for example, by temporarily stopping the placement unit 100a and the object placed thereon or by the output unit 102 executing a predetermined output, the worker W can recognize that the predicted height Hp will exceed the limit height Hth, and can prevent the height of the object from exceeding the limit height Hth. The limit height Hth can be set to, for example, a height that does not interfere with the upper edge of the side opening 11c or the shutter 130.

[0073] Then, after S34 or if the result of S32 is No, the lifting control unit 111 executes the processing from S22 onwards in Fig. 10. Fig. 24 shows a state in which the placement unit 100a is located at the third position P35 in S22 of Fig. 10. Here, as shown in Figs. 23 and 24, the fourth position P4 is a position between the first position P16 and the third position P35. This allows the procedure of Fig. 21 to be executed at a relatively higher position where the worker W can more easily see the placement unit 100a without any particular hindrance to the control from S22 onwards in Fig. 10.

[0074] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the specifications of each configuration, shape, and the like (structure, type, direction, model, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be appropriately modified and implemented.

[0075] For example, the movable member is not limited to a shutter, and may be a movable bar, door, or the like. The movable member may also switch between allowing and disallowing entry of a worker into the work area. In this case, the movable member is configured to be movable between an allowable position that allows entry of a worker into the work area and a prohibitive position that prohibits entry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1, 1A, 1B...Item lifting system 11...Vertical conveyor 11a…Side wall 11a1…upper edge 11b…Upper opening 11b1…upper edge 11c...Side opening 11d…Rail 12...Horizontal conveyor path 12a...Transportation device 13...Transportation device 30…Articles (placed items) 31...Pallet (placement) 100...Lifting device 100a...Placement section 100b...Lifting mechanism 101...Drive mechanism 102...Output section 103...Lift position sensor 103a...Photoelectric sensor array 103b...Distance sensor 104...Open / close sensor 105...Operation unit 106...locking mechanism 110...arithmetic processing unit 111...Lift control section 112...Output control unit 113...Lift position detection unit 114...Open / close detector 115...Operation detection unit 116...Lock control unit 121...Main memory section 122…Auxiliary storage unit 130...Shutter (movable part) 130a...Slat D1...Distance Dd...distance F…Floor Ha…height Hp...height P1,P11~P16…first position P2…Second position P31~P35…Third position P4…Fourth position Pa1,Pa21,Pa22…Position Pc…Closed position (prohibited position) Po: Open position (allowable position) Pw: Work location Th…Thickness W...Worker X…direction Y...direction Z…direction

Claims

1. a lifting device that lifts and lowers a placement section on which an article is placed within the transport space between a first position where an operator moves the article between the inside and outside of an upper opening of the transport space, and a second position below the first position; a movable member that is movable between an allowable position that allows the worker to move the item and a prohibition position that prohibits the worker from moving the item; a lifting control unit that controls the lifting device so that the placement unit, which is located above a third position between the first position and the second position, does not move below the third position when the movable member is in the permitted position; and Equipped with The lifting control unit controls the lifting device so that the placement unit stops at the third position when descending from the first position or when ascending from the second position.

2. an output unit that outputs audio or display; an output control unit that controls an output by the output unit; Equipped with 2. The article lifting system of claim 1, wherein the output control unit controls the output unit to perform a predetermined output when the placement unit stops at the third position during descent from the first position or ascent from the second position.

3. an operation detection unit that detects a predetermined operation on the operation unit by the operator, 2. The article lifting system of claim 1, wherein the lifting control unit controls the lifting device so that the placement unit is lowered from the third position to the second position when the placement unit is lowered and stopped at the third position, the movable member is in the prohibited position, and the operation detection unit detects the specified operation.

4. an operation detection unit that detects a predetermined operation on the operation unit by the operator, 2. The article lifting system of claim 1, wherein the lifting control unit controls the lifting device so that the placement unit rises from the third position to the first position when the placement unit rises and stops at the third position, the movable member is in the permissible position, and the operation detection unit detects the specified operation.

5. a lifting device that lifts and lowers a placement section on which an article is placed within the transport space between a first position where an operator moves the article between the inside and outside of an upper opening of the transport space, and a second position below the first position; a movable member that is movable between an allowable position that allows the worker to move the item and a prohibition position that prohibits the worker from moving the item; a lifting control unit that controls the lifting device so that the placement unit, which is located above a third position between the first position and the second position, does not move below the third position when the movable member is in the permitted position; and Equipped with The lifting control unit controls the lifting device to stop at a fourth position between the first position and the second position when the predicted height of the object to be placed on the placement section by the operation of placing the next item on the placement section exceeds a limit height.

6. an output unit that outputs audio or display; an output control unit that controls an output by the output unit; Equipped with The item lifting system of claim 5, wherein the output control unit controls the output unit to perform a predetermined output when the predicted height of the object to be placed on the placement unit by the operation of placing the next item on the placement unit exceeds a limited height.

7. a lifting device that lifts and lowers a placement section on which an article is placed within the transport space between a first position where an operator moves the article between the inside and outside of an upper opening of the transport space, and a second position below the first position; a movable member that is movable between an allowable position that allows the worker to move the item and a prohibition position that prohibits the worker from moving the item; a lifting control unit that controls the lifting device so that the placement unit, which is located above a third position between the first position and the second position, does not move below the third position when the movable member is in the permitted position; and Equipped with An article lifting system, wherein the movable member closes the upper opening in the prohibited position and opens the upper opening in the permissible position, and in the permissible position is positioned below the upper opening so as to cover the side of the transport space.

8. The article lifting system of claim 7, wherein the third position is a position where an object placed on the placement section or the upper end of the placement section is spaced downward and away from the movable member that closes the upper opening in the prohibited position.

9. a locking mechanism that switches between a locked state in which the movable member is locked at the prohibition position and an unlocked state in which the movable member is released from the prohibition position; a lock control unit that controls the operation of the lock mechanism; Equipped with 8. The article lifting system according to claim 1, wherein the lock control unit controls the lock mechanism to be in the locked state when the placement unit is located below the third position.

10. The article lifting system according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the movable member closes the upper opening in the prohibiting position and opens the upper opening in the allowing position.

11. The article lifting system of claim 10, wherein the third position is a position where an object placed on the placement section or the upper end of the placement section is spaced downward and away from the movable member that closes the upper opening in the prohibited position.

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