Case manufacturing device, case manufacturing and transport method

Abstract

To provide a case manufacturing device capable of manufacturing cases corresponding to respective articles while corresponding to time intervals, even when the articles are carried out from an automated warehouse at short time intervals.SOLUTION: A case manufacturing device comprises a case manufacturing part for manufacturing cases, and a controller for instructing manufacture of the cases to the case manufacturing part. The controller instructs the manufacture of the cases for storing a plurality of articles carried out from an automated warehouse, respectively to the case manufacturing part, based on carry-out order information that specifies carrying-out order from the automated warehouse, in regard to the plurality of articles carried into the automated warehouse.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a case manufacturing apparatus and a case manufacturing method. [Background technology]

[0002] The cardboard packaging used in the logistics industry involves preparing multiple standard cardboard sheets, packing them into boxes according to the items to be packed, and then shipping them. When packing a wide variety of items and multiple quantities of items, using pre-prepared standard cardboard sheets can result in wasted space around the items, reducing transportation efficiency and incurring costs for extra cushioning material. In addition, a space must be prepared in the packaging work area to store the cardboard sheets, which increases the footprint of the packaging work area.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a system that identifies the three-dimensional dimensions corresponding to each of one or more items, calculates the size of the required container (case) based on the identified three-dimensional dimensions, and automatically creates the case based on the results. It is suggested that this system calculates the size of the case for items being transported from inventory. Patent Document 1 refers to inventory as a warehouse, and discloses that items are transported from this warehouse to a packing plant by an automatic transport system such as a conveyor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6742241 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In an automated warehouse, after items are carried in, the order in which they will be carried out from the automated warehouse is specified, and the items are carried out in that order. In an automated warehouse that handles a wide variety of items and multiple quantities of items in large quantities in a short period of time, multiple items are carried out one after another from the automated warehouse at short time intervals, for example, every few seconds.

[0006] Based on the above, the present disclosure aims to provide a case manufacturing device that can manufacture cases to accommodate each item in accordance with the time intervals, even if the items are transported out of an automated warehouse at short time intervals. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The case manufacturing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises: The system includes a case manufacturing unit that manufactures cases, and a controller that instructs the case manufacturing unit to manufacture cases, and the controller instructs the case manufacturing unit to manufacture cases to accommodate the items that are to be transported from the automated warehouse based on removal order information that specifies the order in which the items are to be transported from the automated warehouse. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the case manufacturing device of the present disclosure, once the order in which items are to be carried out from the automated warehouse is identified, the manufacturing of cases to house the items can be started based on this carrying-out order command. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, since the manufacturing of cases can be started before the items are carried out from the automated warehouse, even if the items are carried out at short time intervals from the automated warehouse, it is possible to ensure time to manufacture cases to house each item corresponding to the time intervals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an on-demand packaging system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a controller of the on-demand packaging system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a time chart of the on-demand packaging system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the flow of articles and cases on a first conveying path and a second conveying path according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the flow of articles and cases on a first conveying path and a second conveying path according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 3A to 3C are diagrams showing the flow of articles and cases upstream and downstream of a packing ST according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 illustrates an on-demand packaging system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 illustrates an on-demand packaging system according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] [First embodiment: see Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6] The on-demand packaging system 1 is a system that produces cardboard boxes 12 of a size determined based on the three-dimensional dimensions of one item 22 or multiple items 22 that are collected for each order and transported from an automated warehouse 20, and places the one item 22 or multiple items 22 into the cardboard box 12 and transports it. The on-demand packaging system 1 shown in Figure 1 includes an automated warehouse 20 that compiles items transported from a storage warehouse (not shown) by order and delivers them to a packaging ST30, an on-demand box-making machine 10 as a case manufacturing device that manufactures and delivers cardboard boxes 12 as cases of a size determined based on the three-dimensional dimensional information DI of each of the items 22 corresponding to the orders compiled by the automated warehouse 20, and a packaging ST30 that places one item 22 or multiple items 22 compiled by order into the cardboard box 12 and packs them. The on-demand packaging system 1 also includes a third conveying path 300 that conveys the packed cardboard boxes 14 from the packaging ST30 to the unloading area SH. The on-demand packaging system 1 also includes a host controller 50 that transmits and receives information to and from each of the automated warehouse 20, the on-demand box making machine 10, and the packaging ST 30.

[0012] [On-demand box making machine 10: see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6] The on-demand box making machine 10 produces cardboard boxes 12 of different sizes for each order based on the order information OI, and conveys the cardboard boxes 12 to the first conveying path 100. The on-demand box making machine 10 comprises a case making section 11 that makes cardboard boxes 12 of different sizes for each order, an on-demand box making machine controller 13, a first conveying path 100 that conveys cardboard containers 101 containing cardboard boxes 12 that are discharged from the on-demand box making machine 10, and a merging device 500 that merges the cardboard containers 101 conveyed by the first conveying path 100 with a second conveying path 200.

[0013] The case manufacturing unit 11 manufactures corrugated cardboard boxes 12 of different sizes for each order based on the order information OI. Information about one item 22 or multiple items 22 included in one order is referred to as order information OI. In this embodiment, order J includes item 22a, order K includes items 22b and 22c, order L includes item 22f, and order M includes items 22d, 22e, and 22g.

[0014] Furthermore, three-dimensional dimension information DI is assigned to the item 22. The three-dimensional dimension information DI is made up of three pieces of dimension information of the item 22: width, depth, and height.

[0015] The on-demand box making machine controller 13 includes a case production control unit 13A that controls the case production unit 11, and a conveyance path control unit 13B that controls the first conveyance path 100 and the merging device 500.

[0016] First, the case manufacturing control unit 13A will be described. The case production control unit 13A receives order information OI, three-dimensional dimension information DI for each of the items 22 included in the order information OI, and removal sequence information SI that specifies the order in which the items 22 will be removed from the automated warehouse 20, all of which are transmitted from the upper controller 50. The case production control unit 13A also determines the size of the cardboard boxes 12 based on the three-dimensional dimension information DI for each of the items 22 included in the received order information OI, and generates case size information CI. Based on the carrying-out sequence information SI, the case production control unit 13A generates case production sequence information MI that specifies the order in which the cardboard boxes 12 are produced, which corresponds to the order in which the items 22 are carried out from the automated warehouse 20. Furthermore, the case production control unit 13A generates case production information CM based on the case production sequence information MI and case size information CI that corresponds to the case production sequence information MI.

[0017] The case production control unit 13A instructs the case production unit 11 to start producing the cardboard boxes 12 based on the case production information CM (case production step). The case manufacturing unit 11 manufactures cardboard boxes 12 of sizes based on the case size information CI in an order based on the case manufacturing sequence information MI. The manufactured cardboard boxes 12 are assigned identification information ID-3 by the case manufacturing control unit 13A. The identification information ID-3 of the cardboard boxes 12 is transmitted to the upper controller 50 by the case manufacturing control unit 13A.

[0018] The case production control unit 13A determines the size of the cardboard box 12 and may also determine arrangement information LI of the items 22 to be contained in the cardboard box 12. The arrangement information LI of the items 22 is transmitted to the upper controller 50 by the case production control unit 13A. The cardboard boxes 12 for which production has been completed are transported from the case production unit 11 to the first transport path 100, and are transported to the junction 202 by the first transport path 100. When the cardboard boxes 12 are transported from the case production unit 11 to the first transport path 100, they are placed in cardboard containers 101, and are transported along the first transport path 100 together with the cardboard containers 101.

[0019] The first conveying path 100 conveys to a junction 202 a cardboard box container 101 containing cardboard boxes 12 manufactured to a size determined based on the three-dimensional dimension information DI. The first conveying path 100 may be configured by a conveyor such as a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor, or may be a transport vehicle or the like that travels to transport the cardboard containers 101 containing the cardboard boxes 12. In this embodiment, the first conveying path 100 conveys the boxes to the junction 202 in the following order: cardboard box container 101a containing cardboard box 12a of a size manufactured to correspond to order J, cardboard box container 101b containing cardboard box 12b of a size manufactured to correspond to order K, cardboard box container 101c containing cardboard box 12c of a size manufactured to correspond to order L, and cardboard box container 101d containing cardboard box 12d of a size manufactured to correspond to order M.

[0020] The merging device 500 merges the cardboard box containers 101 containing the cardboard boxes 12 transported by the first transport path 100 into the merging section 202.

[0021] The conveyance path control unit 13B controls the first conveyance path 100 and the merging device 500. Specifically, the conveyance path control unit 13B causes the cardboard container 101 containing the cardboard boxes 12 to wait on the conveyance path of the first conveyance path 100 until it receives item conveyance start information SS from the upper controller 50. When the conveyance path control unit 13B receives the item conveyance start information SS from the upper controller 50, it starts conveying the cardboard container 101 waiting on the conveyance path of the first conveyance path 100 along the first conveyance path 100. Furthermore, after conveying the cardboard container 101 to the merging unit 202, the conveyance path control unit 13B causes the cardboard container 101 to merge with the merging unit 202 by the merging device 500 before or just before the item container 201 containing the items 22 corresponding to the order of the cardboard boxes 12 passes through the merging unit 202. Thereafter, the cardboard container 101 is conveyed by the second conveying path 200 to the packing ST30.

[0022] [Automated warehouse 20: see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6] The automated warehouse 20 stores the items 22 transported from the storage warehouse, and after all the items 22 included in an order have been stored, it unloads the items 22 for each order. A plurality of items are unloaded from the automated warehouse 20 one after another at short time intervals, for example, every few seconds. Specifically, the items are unloaded every 4 to 6 seconds. The automated warehouse 20 includes a plurality of storage sections 21 for storing items 22 transported from the storage warehouse, a transfer section (not shown) for transferring the transported items to a predetermined storage section 21, and an automated warehouse controller 23 for controlling the automated warehouse 20.

[0023] In this embodiment, the automated warehouse controller 23 receives the unloading order information SI from the host controller 50 and starts preparations for unloading the items 22. Furthermore, when the automated warehouse controller 23 receives the item transport start information SS from the host controller 50, it unloads the item container 201 containing the items 22 from the automated warehouse 20 and transports it to the packing ST30 via the second transport path 200.

[0024] [Second conveying path 200: see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6] The second conveying path 200 conveys the articles 22 that have been collected by order and carried out from the automated warehouse 20 to the packing ST30. The second transport path 200 may be configured by a conveyor such as a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor, or may be a transport vehicle or the like that travels to transport an article container 201 containing articles 22. In this embodiment, the second transport path 200 transports item containers 201 containing items 22 that have been grouped together and carried out by order. For example, item 22a included in order J is contained in item container 201a, items 22b and 22c included in order K are contained in item container 201b, item 22f included in order L is contained in item container 201c, and items 22d, 22e, and 22g included in order M are contained in item container 201d.

[0025] The second conveying path 200 includes, downstream of the junction 202, a first branch path 210 leading to the first packing ST30-1, a second branch path 220 leading to the second packing ST30-2, a third branch path 230 leading to the third packing ST30-3, and a fourth branch path 240 leading to the fourth packing ST30-4. Downstream of the junction 202, the cardboard containers 101 and the article containers 201 conveyed by the second conveying path 200 are conveyed to the packing ST30 via their respective branch paths.

[0026] [Packaging ST30: See Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6] A worker W is stationed in the packing ST30, and receives the cardboard boxes 12 placed in the cardboard container 101 and the items 22 contained in the item container 201, which are being transported by the second transport path 200. In the packing ST30, the worker W also places the items 22 into the cardboard box 12, and the packed cardboard box 14 is transported to the third transport path 300 toward the unloading area SH.

[0027] In the packing ST30, the order information OI sent from the upper controller 50, the cardboard box identification information ID-3, and the item 22 placement information LI are displayed on a monitor, for example, and the work information is displayed to the worker W. In this embodiment, the packing ST30 is made up of a first packing ST30-1, a second packing ST30-2, a third packing ST30-3, and a fourth packing ST30-4. A worker W is stationed at each packing ST30.

[0028] [Third conveying path 300: see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6] The third conveying path 300 is used for conveying the cardboard boxes 12 into which the articles 22 are placed by the workers W arranged in the packing ST30, and for conveying the packed cardboard boxes 14 to the carrying-out area SH. The third conveying path 300 may be configured by a conveyor such as a roller conveyor or a belt conveyor, or a conveying vehicle or the like may travel along the third conveying path 300 to convey the packaged cardboard boxes 14. In this embodiment, the third conveying path 300 includes a first branch path 310 connecting the first packaging ST30-1 to the collecting path 301, a second branch path 320 connecting the second packaging ST30-2 to the collecting path 301, a third branch path 330 connecting the third packaging ST30-3 to the collecting path 301, and a fourth branch path 340 connecting the fourth packaging ST30-4 to the collecting path 301.

[0029] Each branch path conveys the packed cardboard boxes 14 to the collecting path 301, and the collecting path 301 conveys the packed cardboard boxes 14 to the carrying-out area SH. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first branch path 310 conveys the packed cardboard boxes 14 corresponding to order J carried out from the first packaging ST30-1 to the collecting path 301. Thereafter, the collecting path 301 conveys the packed cardboard boxes 14 to the carrying-out area SH.

[0030] [Host controller 50: see Figures 2 and 3] The host controller 50 transmits the carry-out sequence information SI and the item transport start information SS to the automated warehouse controller 23. The host controller 50 also transmits the three-dimensional dimension information DI, order information OI, carry-out sequence information SI, and item transport start information SS for each of the items 22 to the on-demand box making machine controller 13. The host controller 50 also transmits the order information OI, cardboard box identification information ID-3, and placement information LI for the items 22 to the packing ST30.

[0031] [Regarding the control of the on-demand box making machine 10: see Figures 1, 2, and 3] The control of the on-demand box making machine 10 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The on-demand box making machine controller 13 of the on-demand box making machine 10 receives the carry-out sequence information SI from the host controller 50. That is, the host controller 50 transmits the carry-out sequence information SI to the on-demand box making machine controller 13 of the on-demand box making machine 10 and the automated warehouse controller 23 of the automated warehouse 20. In addition to the carry-out sequence information SI, the on-demand box making machine controller 13 also receives the order information OI transmitted from the host controller 50 and the three-dimensional dimension information DI of each of all of the items 22 included in the order information OI.

[0032] The case production control unit 13A of the on-demand box making machine controller 13 receives signals of the order information OI, the three-dimensional dimension information DI of each of the items 22 included in the order information OI, and the carrying-out sequence information SI sent from the upper controller 50. The case production control unit 13A determines the size of the cardboard boxes 12 based on the three-dimensional dimension information DI of each of the items 22 included in the order information OI, and generates case size information CI. Furthermore, based on the carry-out sequence information SI, the case production control unit 13A generates case production sequence information MI that specifies the order in which the cardboard boxes 12 are produced, which corresponds to the order in which the items 22 are carried out from the automated warehouse 20. Furthermore, the case production control unit 13A generates case production information CM based on the case production sequence information MI and case size information CI that corresponds to the case production sequence information MI.

[0033] The case production control unit 13A causes the case production unit 11 to start producing the cardboard boxes 12 based on the case production information CM. When the production of the cardboard boxes 12 by the case production unit 11 is completed, the cardboard boxes 12 are transported from the case production unit 11 to the first transport path 100. When the cardboard boxes 12 are transported from the case production unit 11 to the first transport path 100, they are placed in a cardboard box container 101. In this embodiment, the cardboard box 12a corresponding to order J is placed in the cardboard box container 101a.

[0034] The conveying path control unit 13B of the on-demand box making machine controller 13 keeps the cardboard container 101a waiting on the conveying path of the first conveying path 100 until it receives the item conveying start information SS from the upper controller 50. When the conveying path control unit 13B receives the item conveying start information SS from the upper controller 50, it starts conveying the cardboard container 101a waiting on the conveying path of the first conveying path 100 along the first conveying path 100. In addition, after transporting the cardboard container 101a to the junction 202, the conveying path control unit 13B causes the cardboard container 101 to merge with the junction 202 using the junction device 500 before or just before the item container 201a containing the item 22a corresponding to order J passes through the junction 202.

[0035] The host controller 50 transmits a signal of unloading order information SI to the automated warehouse controller 23, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, transmits item transport start information SS to the automated warehouse controller 23. Upon receiving the item transport start information SS, the automated warehouse controller 23 causes the items 22 to be unloaded from the automated warehouse 20 for each order. In this embodiment, the second conveying path 200 conveys an article container 201a containing articles 22a included in order J to the packing ST30. Before or just before the article container 201a corresponding to order J passes through the junction 202, the cardboard container 101a corresponding to order J joins with it from the junction 202. The cardboard container 101a is first conveyed to the first packing ST30-1, and then the article container 201a is conveyed to the first packing ST30-1.

[0036] The worker W placed in the first packing ST30-1 removes all of the items 22a included in Order J from the transported cardboard container 101a and item container 201a, places all of the items 22a included in Order J into cardboard boxes 12, and packs them. Having completed the packing work, the worker W carries the packed cardboard boxes 14 out to the first branch path 310. The third conveying path 300 transports the packed cardboard boxes 14 transported to the first branch path 310 to the unloading area SH.

[0037] [Effects of the first embodiment] <First effect> The on-demand box making machine 10 includes an on-demand box making machine controller 13 that instructs the case making unit 11 to make cardboard boxes 12 as cases, and the on-demand box making machine controller 13 instructs the case making unit 11 to make cardboard boxes 12 as cases to house each of the items 22 that will be carried out from the automated warehouse 20, based on carry-out sequence information SI that specifies the order in which the items 22 will be carried out from the automated warehouse 20. This allows the production of the cardboard boxes 12 to start before the items 22 are carried out from the automated warehouse 20, so even if the items 22 are carried out at short time intervals, it is possible to ensure time to make the cardboard boxes 12 that will house each of the items 22 at that time interval.

[0038] <Second effect> The on-demand box making machine 10 determines the size of the cardboard box 12 based on the three-dimensional dimensional information DI of each item 22, along with the carry-out sequence information SI. This allows cardboard box 12 of a size corresponding to the three-dimensional dimensional information DI of each item 22 to be manufactured.

[0039] <Third Effect> The on-demand box making machine 10 determines the size of the cardboard box 12 that will accommodate the item 22 or items 22 included in the order, based on the three-dimensional dimensional information DI of each of the item 22 or items 22 included in the order. This makes it possible to manufacture cardboard boxes 12 that can accommodate the items 22 included in the order.

[0040] [Second embodiment: see FIG. 7] Next, an on-demand packaging system 2 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the on-demand packaging system 1 according to the first embodiment, a cardboard container 101 containing cardboard boxes 12 carried out from an on-demand box-making machine 10 is conveyed along a first conveying path 100, and is merged with a second conveying path 200 by a merging device 500 at a merging section 202. The second conveying path 200 then branches off and connects to each packaging ST30. In the present disclosure, as in the on-demand packaging system 2, the first conveying path 100 that conveys the cardboard containers 101 containing the cardboard boxes 12 carried out from the on-demand box-making machine 10 can branch off and connect to each packing ST 30, so that the cardboard containers 101 containing the cardboard boxes 12 can be conveyed directly to the packing ST 30. In other words, in the second embodiment, each branching path of the second conveying path 200 and each branching path of the first conveying path 100 are parallel to each other. Since the on-demand packaging system 2 does not have the junction section 202, the junction device 500 in the first embodiment is not provided.

[0041] [First conveying path 100: see FIG. 7] The first conveying path 100 conveys the cardboard boxes 12 manufactured by the on-demand box making machine 10 in accordance with the order information OI to the packaging ST30.

[0042] The first conveying path 100 includes, on the upstream side of the packing ST30, a first branch path 110 leading to the first packing ST30-1, a second branch path 120 leading to the second packing ST30-2, a third branch path 130 leading to the third packing ST30-3, and a fourth branch path 140 leading to the fourth packing ST30-4. The cardboard boxes 12 conveyed by the first conveying path 100 are conveyed to the packing ST30 via the respective branch paths.

[0043] [Regarding the first conveying path 100 and the second conveying path 200: see FIG. 7] Here, T1 denotes the time until the cardboard box 12 removed from the on-demand box making machine 10 is transported to the packing ST30, and T2 denotes the time until the items 22 removed from the automated warehouse 20 are transported to the packing ST30. When the relationship between T1 and T2 is T1≦T2, the cardboard box 12 is transported to the packing ST30 before the items 22, or the items 22 and the cardboard box 12 are transported to the packing ST30 simultaneously. Due to this relationship between T1 and T2, the cardboard box 12 is transported to the packing ST30 first, allowing the packing setup to begin, or the items 22 and the cardboard box 12 are transported to the packing ST30 simultaneously, improving the work efficiency of the worker W. Furthermore, the transport path control section 13B controls the transport speed of the first transport path 100 so that the relationship between T1 and T2 satisfies T1≦T2.

[0044] [Third embodiment: see FIG. 8] Finally, an on-demand packaging system 3 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The on-demand packaging system 1 according to the first embodiment includes an automated warehouse 20. The present disclosure can also be provided with a random-size article manufacturing device 40 as an article manufacturing device, as in the on-demand packaging system 3, and the articles 22 conveyed from the random-size article manufacturing device 40 can be conveyed to the packaging ST 30 via the second conveying path 200. In other words, in the third embodiment, although the articles 22 conveyed via the second conveying path 200 share common characteristics, each article 22 is manufactured and conveyed in a different size.

[0045] [Regarding the on-demand box making machine 10 and the random size article manufacturing device 40: see FIG. 8] The on-demand box making machine 10 includes an on-demand box making machine controller 13. The random-size article manufacturing device 40, which outputs articles 22 at short time intervals, includes a random-size article manufacturing controller. A manufacturing schedule for the articles 22 is sent from a host controller 50 to the on-demand box making machine controller 13 and the random-size article manufacturing controller. The manufacturing schedule for the articles 22 includes three-dimensional dimensional information DI for each of the articles 22 to be produced. The on-demand box making machine controller 13 starts the production of the cardboard boxes 12 based on the received production schedule for the items 22. Such an on-demand packaging system 3 also achieves the <first effect>.

[0046] [Note] The case manufacturing apparatus according to the present disclosure can be understood as follows. [Appendix 1] The case manufacturing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises: a case manufacturing department (11) that manufactures cases (12); a controller (13) that instructs the case manufacturing unit (11) to manufacture the case; The controller (13) Based on the unloading order information (SI) that specifies the order in which the items (22) are unloaded from the automated warehouse (20), the case manufacturing unit (11) is instructed to manufacture the cases (12) that will contain the items (22) that are unloaded from the automated warehouse (20).

[0047] [Appendix 2] In Appendix 1, preferably, The controller (13) The size of the case (12) is identified based on the three-dimensional dimensional information (DI) of the item (22) carried out from the automated warehouse (20).

[0048] [Appendix 3] In Supplementary Note 1 or Supplementary Note 2, preferably The controller (13) Based on the three-dimensional dimensional information (DI) of each of the one or more items (22) included in the order, the size of the case (12) that will accommodate the one or more items (22) included in the order is determined.

[0049] [Appendix 4] In any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, preferably, a first conveying path (100) for conveying the cases (12) from the case manufacturing device (10) to a packing work location (30); The controller (13) Based on item transport start information (SS) that causes a second transport path (200) that transports a plurality of items (22) from the automated warehouse (20) to the packing work area (30) to start transporting the plurality of items (22), the first transport path (100) starts transporting the case (12).

[0050] [Appendix 5] In any one of Supplementary Notes 2 to 4, preferably, The time required for the case (12) to be conveyed from the case manufacturing device to the packing work location (30) by the first conveying path is defined as T1, When the time taken for the article (22) to be transported from the automated warehouse (20) to the packing work area (30) by the second transport path is T2, The controller (13) controls the transport speed of the first transport path (100) so that the relationship T1≦T2 holds.

[0051] [Appendix 6] In any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, preferably, The controller (13) The unloading order information (SI) is received from a host controller (50) that transmits the unloading order information (SI) to the automated warehouse (20) and transmits the unloading order information (SI) to the controller (13).

[0052] [Appendix 7] The case manufacturing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises: a case manufacturing department (11) that manufactures cases (12); a controller (13) that instructs the case manufacturing unit (11) to manufacture the case (12), The controller (13) Based on manufacturing information that specifies the order in which the articles are to be manufactured by the article manufacturing device (40), the manufacturing of the cases (12) that house the articles manufactured by the article manufacturing device (40) is started.

[0053] [Appendix 8] The case manufacturing method according to the present disclosure includes: The system includes a case manufacturing step that starts manufacturing cases (12) that contain the items (22) that are to be transported out of the automated warehouse (20) based on transport order information (SI) that specifies the order in which the items (22) are to be transported out of the automated warehouse (20).

[0054] In addition to the above, it is possible to select and discard the configurations given in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1,2,3 On-Demand Packaging System 10 On-demand box making machine 11 Case Manufacturing Department 12 cardboard boxes 13 On-demand box making machine controller 13A Case manufacturing control section 13B Conveyor path control section 20 Automated Warehouse 21 Storage unit 22 Goods 23 Automated warehouse controller 30 Packing ST 40 Random size article manufacturing device 50 Upper controller 100 First conveying path 101 Cardboard Container 200 Second conveying path 201 Goods container 202 Junction 210 First Junction 220 Second Fork 230 Third Junction 240 4th Junction 300 Third conveyor route 310 First Junction 320 Second Fork 330 Third Junction 340 Fourth Junction 500 Merging Device CS Case Transport Start Information DI 3D Dimensional Information ID-1 Identification of the item ID-2 Container Identification Information ID-3 Cardboard Identification Information J, K, L, M order LI placement information MI case manufacturing sequence information OI Order Information PF Packing work completed RF goods delivered SH Unloading Area SI Delivery order information SS Goods transport start information W Worker

Claims

1. a case manufacturing department that manufactures cases; a controller that instructs the case manufacturing unit to manufacture the case; a first conveying path that joins a second conveying path that conveys the articles stored in the cases from an automated warehouse where the articles are carried out to a packing work location, and that conveys the cases to the packing work location via the second conveying path; a merging device that merges the cases transported by the first transport path from the first transport path to the second transport path at a merging section where the first transport path merges with the second transport path, The controller instructing the case manufacturing unit to manufacture the cases that accommodate the items to be carried out from the automated warehouse based on carry-out order information that specifies the order in which the items will be carried out from the automated warehouse; The case manufacturing department The case for which manufacturing has been completed is carried out to the first conveying path; The controller The case is kept waiting on the first conveying path until conveyance of the article from the automated warehouse to the packing work area is started. Case manufacturing equipment.

2. The controller Identifying the size of the case based on three-dimensional dimensional information of the item to be carried out from the automated warehouse. The case manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The controller determining a size of the case that accommodates the one or more items included in the order based on three-dimensional dimensional information of each of the one or more items included in the order; The case manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. a first conveying path for conveying the cases from the case manufacturing apparatus to a packaging work location; The controller and starting the transport of the cases on the first transport path based on item transport start information that starts the transport of the plurality of items on a second transport path that transports the plurality of items from the automated warehouse to the packing work location. The case manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. a time period required for the case to be transported from the case manufacturing apparatus to the packing work location by the first transport path is defined as T1; When the time taken for the article to be transported from the automated warehouse to the packing work location by the second transport path is T2, the controller controls the conveying speed of the first conveying path so that the relationship T1≦T2 holds.

5. The case manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The controller transmitting the carrying-out sequence information to the automated warehouse and receiving the carrying-out sequence information from a host controller that transmits the carrying-out sequence information to the controller; The case manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. a case manufacturing department that manufactures cases; a controller that instructs the case manufacturing unit to manufacture the case; a first conveying path that joins a second conveying path that conveys the articles from an article manufacturing device that manufactures the articles to be housed in the cases to a packing work location, and that conveys the cases to the packing work location via the second conveying path; a merging device that merges the cases transported by the first transport path from the first transport path to the second transport path at a merging section where the first transport path merges with the second transport path, The controller starting the production of the cases that house the articles manufactured by the article manufacturing devices based on a production schedule that specifies the order in which the articles are manufactured by the article manufacturing devices; The case manufacturing department The case for which manufacturing has been completed is carried out to the first conveying path; The controller The case is kept waiting on the first conveying path until conveyance of the article from the article manufacturing apparatus to the packing work location is started. Case manufacturing equipment.

8. A case manufacturing department that manufactures cases; a controller that instructs the case manufacturing unit to manufacture the case; a first conveying path for conveying the cases from the case manufacturing section to a packaging work location, The first transport path is a second conveying path that conveys the articles from the automated warehouse through which the articles to be accommodated in the cases are carried out to the packing work location, and the second conveying path is connected in parallel to the packing work location; The controller instructing the case manufacturing unit to manufacture the cases that accommodate the items to be carried out from the automated warehouse based on carry-out order information that specifies the order in which the items will be carried out from the automated warehouse; The case manufacturing department The case for which manufacturing has been completed is carried out to the first conveying path; The controller The case is kept waiting on the first conveying path until conveyance of the article from the automated warehouse to the packing work area is started. Case manufacturing equipment.

9. a case manufacturing step of starting to manufacture cases for accommodating the items to be carried out from the automated warehouse based on carry-out sequence information that specifies the sequence in which the items will be carried out from the automated warehouse; a carrying-out step of carrying out the case onto a first conveying path that conveys the case toward a packing work location upon completion of the manufacturing of the case; a waiting step of causing the case to wait on the first conveying path until conveyance of the article from the automated warehouse to the packing work location via a second conveying path is started; a merging step of causing the case to merge from the first conveying path to the second conveying path at a merging section where the first conveying path merges with the second conveying path midway, just before the article passes through the merging section, Case manufacturing and transport methods.

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