Goods storage equipment

Abstract

To provide an article storage facility that can enhance operation efficiency while suppressing installation costs.SOLUTION: Single type of articles are respectively held on a plurality of article holding bodies which is stored in a first storage and in a second storage that is lower in an automation level than the first storage, where the number of first storage parts of the first storage is more than or equal to a total of target kinds that are kinds of articles that are stored in the first storage, of all kinds of articles that are specified by order information and the number of second storage parts of the second storage is more than the number of the first storage parts. When receiving the order information, a control system executes a delivery process in which an article holding body holding an article specified by the order information is delivered from either of the first storage and the second storage by a conveying device and then is conveyed to a taking-out work part by a conveying device so that a priority is given to the first storage over the second storage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article storage facility for storing articles.

Background Art

[0002] An example of such an article storage facility is disclosed in the following Patent Document 1. In the following description of the background art, reference numerals in Patent Document 1 are cited in parentheses.

[0003] The article storage facility of Patent Document 1 comprises: a storage warehouse (4) configured to be capable of storing a plurality of article holders (18) each capable of holding a plurality of articles (20); an unloading work section (27) where an operation of unloading an article (20) from an article holder (18) is performed; and a conveying device (6) that conveys an article holder (18) between the storage warehouse (4) and the unloading work section (27).

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the article storage facility of Patent Document 1, the storage warehouse (4) comprises a plurality of storage shelves (10a to 10f), and a plurality of stacker cranes (12a to 12c) each controlled by a control system (8) to transfer an article holder (18) to and from a corresponding storage shelf. As described above, in the above article storage facility, the operation efficiency is improved by automating the loading and unloading operations of article holders (18) in the entire storage warehouse (4).

[0006] However, as mentioned above, the entire storage facility (4) is automated, which is disadvantageous in that it increases the cost of installing the goods storage equipment. Therefore, it is conceivable to reduce equipment costs by lowering the degree of automation in a part of the storage facility (4), such as having workers manually handle the loading and unloading of goods holders (18). However, with such a configuration, the operational efficiency of the goods storage equipment tends to deteriorate.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a storage facility that can increase operational efficiency while keeping installation costs low. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In light of the above, the characteristic configuration of the goods storage facility is: A first storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders, each capable of holding multiple articles, A second storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders and has a lower degree of automation compared to the first storage facility, A removal unit performs a removal operation, which is the operation of removing the ordered number of items of the ordered type from the item holder, with the type of item specified by the order information being the order type, and the number of items of the order type specified by the order information being the order number. A conveying device for transporting the article holder between the first storage unit and the retrieval work unit, and between the second storage unit and the retrieval work unit, An article storage facility comprising a control system that controls the first storage unit, the second storage unit, and the transport device based on the order information, Each of the multiple article holders holds a single type of article. The first storage unit comprises a plurality of first storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, The second storage unit comprises a plurality of second storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, Of all the types of articles that are subject to designation by the order information, the type of article stored in the first storage facility is designated as the target type. The number of the first storage compartments is equal to or greater than the total number of the target types. The number of the second storage compartments is greater than the number of the first storage compartments. The control system is The configuration is such that, upon receiving the order information, the item holder containing the item of the specified order type is taken out by the transport device from either the first or second storage unit and transported to the retrieval unit, with priority given to the first storage unit over the second storage unit, in order to perform a retrieval process.

[0009] With this configuration, during the retrieval process, items stored in the first storage facility are given priority for retrieval. This allows the first storage facility, which has a higher degree of automation than the second storage facility, to be operated preferentially. Therefore, the operational efficiency of the item storage facilities can be increased. Furthermore, this configuration allows for a lower degree of automation in the second storage facility compared to the first storage facility, as the frequency of retrieval of items is lower in the second storage facility. Additionally, the second storage facility has more second storage compartments than the first storage facility. This allows for maintaining the operational efficiency of the storage facility while keeping the overall level of automation low. Consequently, the installation costs of the storage facility can be kept low. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A diagram showing one floor of a building where the article storage facility according to the embodiment is installed. [Figure 2] Diagram showing another floor of the building where the article storage facility according to the embodiment is installed. [Figure 3] Control block diagram of an article storage facility according to an embodiment [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the first outbound processing and post-processing inbound processing. [Figure 5] This diagram shows an example of the first outbound processing, the second outbound processing, the post-processing inbound processing, and the empty container storage processing. [Figure 6]Flowchart illustrating an example of a first unloading process, a second unloading process, a post-operation warehousing process, and an empty holder storage process [Figure 7] Diagram illustrating an example of a new warehousing process [Figure 8] Diagram illustrating an example of a new warehousing process [[Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]]

[0011] Hereinafter, an article storage facility 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the article storage facility 100 includes a first storage 1, a second storage 2, an unloading work unit 3, and a conveying device 4.

[0012] In the present embodiment, the article storage facility 100 is installed in a building B composed of a plurality of floors. In the present embodiment, the first storage 1 is installed on the second floor of the building B. Further, the second storage 2 is installed on the third floor of the building B. That is, in the present embodiment, the first storage 1 and the second storage 2 are installed on different floors in the vertical direction. Further, in the present embodiment, the unloading work unit 3 is installed on the second floor of the building B. That is, in the present embodiment, the unloading work unit 3 is provided on the floor where the first storage 1 is installed.

[0013] Each of the first storage 1 and the second storage 2 is configured to be capable of storing a plurality of article holders 8 (see Fig. 4 and the like).

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, in the present embodiment, the first storage 1 includes a plurality of automated warehouses 11. Each of the plurality of automated warehouses 11 includes a pair of first storage shelves 12 each configured to be capable of storing a plurality of article holders 8, and a stacker crane 13 that moves along a traveling rail 13a to convey the article holders 8.

[0015] The pair of first storage shelves 12 are arranged to face each other across the traveling rail 13a. Each of the pair of first storage shelves 12 includes a plurality of first storage portions 12a. Each of the plurality of first storage portions 12a is configured to be capable of storing an article holder 8. The plurality of first storage portions 12a are arranged side by side along the traveling rail 13a, and are also arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0016] The stacker crane 13 receives the article holder 8 from the warehousing / delivery conveyor 14, and stores the article holder 8 in a predetermined first storage portion 12a. Further, the stacker crane 13 takes out the article holder 8 from the predetermined first storage portion 12a, and places the article holder 8 on the warehousing / delivery conveyor 14.

[0017] The warehousing / delivery conveyor 14 is configured to be capable of conveying the article holder 8 between a transfer position for the article holder 8 with the stacker crane 13 and a transfer position for the article holder 8 with the conveying device 4.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 4, each of the plurality of article holders 8 is configured to be capable of holding a plurality of articles 9. Each of the plurality of article holders 8 holds a single type of article 9. In the present embodiment, the article holder 8 is a pallet on which the plurality of articles 9 are placed. In Fig. 4, the alphabets marked on each of the plurality of articles 9 indicate the types of the articles 9, and the same applies to Fig. 5 and other figures hereinafter.

[0019] The article holder 8 is configured to be capable of holding up to a specified holding number of articles 9 predetermined for each type of article 9. In this example, the article holder 8 can hold up to 9 articles 9 of type "A", up to 12 articles 9 of type "B", and up to 4 articles 9 of type "C". In Fig. 4, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that there are no articles 9 other than those illustrated in the depth direction of the drawing, and the same applies to Fig. 5 and other figures hereinafter.

[0020] In the retrieval unit 3, the retrieval operation is performed, which involves retrieving the ordered number of items 9 of the ordered type from the item holder 8. Here, "order type" refers to the type of item 9 specified by the order information. And "order number" refers to the number of items 9 of the ordered type specified by the order information.

[0021] The first storage facility 1 may store all types of items 9 that are subject to the order information, or it may store some of the items 9 that are subject to the order information. Hereinafter, the types of items 9 that are stored in the first storage facility 1 from among all types of items 9 that are subject to the order information will be referred to as "target types".

[0022] In the first storage facility 1, the number of first storage compartments 12a is set to be equal to or greater than the total number of target types. At least one article holder 8 is stored in the first storage facility 1 for each target type. In other words, at least one first storage compartment 12a corresponds to each target type. In this embodiment, the number of first storage compartments 12a is set to be the same as the total number of target types. At least one article holder 8 is stored in the first storage facility 1 for each target type. In other words, each of the multiple first storage compartments 12a stores an article holder 8 such that the type of article 9 differs for each first storage compartment 12a. Thus, in this embodiment, one first storage compartment 12a corresponds to one target type.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the conveying device 4 is a device that conveys the article holder 8 between the first storage unit 1 and the retrieval work unit 3, and between the second storage unit 2 and the retrieval work unit 3. In this embodiment, the conveying device 4 includes a plurality of circular conveying carts 41, a first conveying cart 42, a first connecting conveyor 43, a pair of first lifting devices 44, a second conveying cart 45, a second connecting conveyor 46, a second lifting device 47, and a pair of third lifting devices 48.

[0024] Each of the multiple circular transport trolleys 41 is configured to travel along an annular circular rail 41a. Each of the multiple circular transport trolleys 41 is configured to transport the article holder 8. Each of the multiple circular transport trolleys 41 is configured to transfer the article holder 8 to and from the inbound / outbound conveyor 14.

[0025] The first transport trolley 42 is configured to be able to travel along a straight first rail 42a. The first transport trolley 42 is configured to be able to transport the article holder 8.

[0026] The first connecting conveyor 43 is a conveyor positioned to connect the circulating rail 41a and the first rail 42a. The first connecting conveyor 43 transports the article holder 8, which has been passed from the first transport trolley 42, toward the circulating rail 41a. The circulating transport trolley 41 receives the article holder 8 from the first connecting conveyor 43. In this embodiment, the first connecting conveyor 43 is formed in a straight line. The first connecting conveyor 43 is positioned perpendicular to the first rail 42a so as to connect to the central part of the first rail 42a in its extending direction.

[0027] Each of the pair of first lifting devices 44 is a device for transporting the article holder 8 vertically between different floors. In this embodiment, each of the pair of first lifting devices 44 is configured to move the article holder 8 up and down between the second floor (see Figure 1) and the third floor (see Figure 2) of building B.

[0028] Furthermore, each of the pair of first lifting devices 44 is positioned adjacent to the first rail 42a so that the article holder 8 can be transferred to and from the first transport trolley 42. In this embodiment, each of the pair of first lifting devices 44 transports the article holder 8 from the third floor to the second floor of building B. The article holder 8, transported from the third floor to the second floor of building B by the first lifting devices 44, is then transferred to the first transport trolley 42. Also in this embodiment, the pair of first lifting devices 44 are positioned adjacent to both ends of the first rail 42a.

[0029] The second transport trolley 45 is configured to be able to travel along a straight second rail 45a. The second transport trolley 45 is configured to be able to transport the article holder 8.

[0030] The second connecting conveyor 46 is a conveyor positioned to connect the circumferential rail 41a and the second rail 45a. The second connecting conveyor 46 transports the article holder 8, which has been passed from the second transport trolley 45, toward the circumferential rail 41a. The circumferential transport trolley 41 receives the article holder 8 from the second connecting conveyor 46. In this embodiment, the second connecting conveyor 46 is formed in a straight line. The second connecting conveyor 46 is positioned perpendicular to the second rail 45a so as to connect to the central part of the second rail 45a in its extending direction.

[0031] The second lifting device 47 is a device that transports the article holder 8 vertically between different floors. In this embodiment, the second lifting device 47 is configured to move the article holder 8 up and down between the second floor (see Figure 1) and the third floor (see Figure 2) of building B.

[0032] Furthermore, the second lifting device 47 is positioned adjacent to the second rail 45a so that the article holder 8 can be transferred between it and the second transport trolley 45. In this embodiment, the article holder 8 being transported by the second transport trolley 45 is passed to the second lifting device 47. The second lifting device 47 then transports the article holder 8 from the second floor to the third floor of building B. Also in this embodiment, the second lifting device 47 is positioned adjacent to one end of the second rail 45a.

[0033] Each of the pair of third lifting devices 48 is a device for transporting the article holder 8 vertically between different floors. In this embodiment, each of the pair of third lifting devices 48 is configured to move the article holder 8 up and down between the second floor (see Figure 1) and the first floor (not shown) of building B. In this embodiment, the loading and unloading of article holders 8 to and from the article storage facility 100 takes place on the first floor of building B.

[0034] Furthermore, each of the pair of third lifting devices 48 is positioned adjacent to the second rail 45a so that the article holder 8 can be transferred to and from the second transport trolley 45. In this embodiment, each of the pair of third lifting devices 48 transports the article holder 8 from the first floor to the second floor of building B. The article holder 8, transported from the first floor to the second floor of building B by the third lifting devices 48, is then transferred to the second transport trolley 45. In this embodiment, the pair of third lifting devices 48 are positioned adjacent to each other and adjacent to the other end of the second rail 45a.

[0035] In this embodiment, the extraction work unit 3 includes a first work unit 31, a second work unit 32, and a third work unit 33.

[0036] The first work unit 31 is designed to handle items 9 that are stacked in multiple layers in a relatively stable configuration. The first work unit 31 is equipped with multiple layer depalletizers 311.

[0037] Each of the multiple layered depalletizers 311 is configured to receive an item holder 8 from the circulating transport cart 41 and to perform an extraction operation to extract the ordered number of items 9 of the ordered type from the item holder 8. Each of the multiple layered depalletizers 311 is also configured to pass the item holder 8, from which the extraction operation has been completed, back to the circulating transport cart 41. Each of the multiple layered depalletizers 311 is configured to be able to extract one layer's worth of items 9 from the item holder 8 all at once.

[0038] In this embodiment, the articles 9 removed by the layered depalletizer 311 are passed to a first sorting conveyor 312 located adjacent to the layered depalletizer 311. The first sorting conveyor 312 transports the articles 9 removed by the layered depalletizer 311 to a sorting work area (not shown) located on the first floor of building B, where sorting work is performed.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a first empty holder storage section 313 is provided in an area adjacent to the downstream portion of the article holder 8 in the transport direction relative to the first work section 31 on the circular rail 41a. The first empty holder storage section 313 is configured to store the article holder 8 after the removal operation of the article holder 8 in the first work section 31 is completed and the article holder 8 is no longer holding the article 9.

[0040] The second work unit 32 handles items 9 that cannot be handled by the first work unit 31 (for example, when items 9 are stacked in multiple layers, and the number of items to be picked is less than the number of items 9 that make up one layer). The second work unit 32 is equipped with multiple first picking conveyors 321 and multiple picking robots 322. The number of first picking conveyors 321 and multiple picking robots 322 are provided in equal numbers so that one picking robot 322 corresponds to one first picking conveyor 321.

[0041] Each of the multiple first picking conveyors 321 receives an item holder 8 from a circular transport cart 41 and transports it to the corresponding picking robot 322. Each of the multiple picking robots 322 is configured to perform a picking operation, which involves picking the ordered number of items 9 of the ordered type from the item holder 8 transported by the corresponding first picking conveyor 321.

[0042] In this embodiment, the items 9 picked up by the picking robot 322 are passed to a second sorting conveyor 323 located adjacent to the picking robot 322. The second sorting conveyor 323 transports the items 9 picked up by the picking robot 322 to a sorting work area (not shown) located on the first floor of building B, where sorting work is performed.

[0043] Furthermore, each of the multiple first picking conveyors 321 is configured to transfer the item holder 8, which has been picked up by the corresponding picking robot 322, to the circulating transport cart 41.

[0044] In this embodiment, a second empty holder storage section 324 is provided in an area adjacent to the downstream portion of the article holder 8 in the transport direction relative to the second work section 32 on the circular rail 41a. The second empty holder storage section 324 is configured to store the article holder 8 after the removal operation of the article holder 8 in the second work section 32 is completed and the article holder 8 is no longer holding the article 9.

[0045] The third work section 33 handles items 9 that cannot be handled by the first work section 31 and the second work section 32 (for example, when multiple items 9 are loaded in an unstable manner, or when multiple items 9 are bundled together, etc.). The third work section 33 is equipped with multiple second picking conveyors 331. In the third work section 33, workers W who perform the picking operation are assigned to each of the multiple second picking conveyors 331.

[0046] Each of the multiple second picking conveyors 331 receives an item holder 8 from the circular transport cart 41 and transports it to the corresponding worker W. The worker W performs a picking operation, taking the ordered number of items 9 of the ordered type from the item holder 8 transported by the corresponding second picking conveyor 331.

[0047] In this embodiment, the item 9 picked up by worker W is passed to a third sorting conveyor 332 located adjacent to worker W. The third sorting conveyor 332 transports the item 9 picked up by worker W to a sorting work area (not shown) located on the first floor of building B where sorting work is performed.

[0048] Furthermore, each of the multiple second picking conveyors 331 is configured to transfer the item holder 8, which has been picked up by the corresponding worker W, to the circulating transport cart 41.

[0049] In this embodiment, a third empty holder storage section 333 is provided in an area adjacent to the downstream portion of the article holder 8 in the transport direction relative to the third work section 33 on the circular rail 41a. The third empty holder storage section 333 is configured to store the article holder 8 after the removal operation of the article holder 8 in the third work section 33 is completed and the article holder 8 is no longer holding the article 9.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the second storage unit 2 comprises a plurality of second storage shelves 21. Each of the plurality of second storage shelves 21 comprises a plurality of second storage compartments 21a. Each of the plurality of second storage compartments 21a is configured to accommodate an article holder 8.

[0051] In this embodiment, each of the multiple second storage shelves 21 includes a pair of fixed shelves 22 and a plurality of movable shelves 23.

[0052] In each of the pair of fixed shelves 22, multiple second storage compartments 21a are arranged in a certain direction when viewed vertically, and are also arranged along the vertical direction. In each of the multiple movable shelves 23, multiple second storage compartments 21a are arranged in the same direction as the arrangement of the second storage compartments 21a in the fixed shelves 22 when viewed vertically, and are also arranged along the vertical direction.

[0053] The pair of fixed shelves 22 are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction of alignment of their second storage sections 21a when viewed from above. The multiple movable shelves 23 are positioned between the pair of fixed shelves 22. The multiple movable shelves 23 are arranged in a line in a direction perpendicular to the direction of alignment of their second storage sections 21a when viewed from above. Each of the multiple movable shelves 23 is configured to be movable along the direction of alignment of the multiple movable shelves 23. By moving some or all of the multiple movable shelves 23, a travel passage A for a forklift F operated by an operator is formed between any adjacent pair of movable shelves 23, or between a fixed shelf 22 and a movable shelf 23 adjacent to that fixed shelf 22.

[0054] In this embodiment, the operator operates the control panel to move the predetermined mobile shelf 23 so that a desired travel path A is formed. Then, the worker operates a forklift F to transport the item holder 8 between a predetermined second storage section 21a and either one of the pair of first lifting devices 44 or the second lifting device 47. Thus, the second storage facility 2 is configured with a lower degree of automation compared to the first storage facility 1.

[0055] Here, the "degree of automation" of each storage facility is determined based on the number of automated transport devices (e.g., stacker cranes 13, etc.) that automatically transport the article holders 8 between the storage area and the transport device 4, and the installation status of such automated transport devices. The "degree of automation" of each storage facility may be, for example, the ratio of the transport distance by automated transport devices to the total transport distance of the article holders 8 in each storage facility, or the ratio of the number of automated transport devices to the storage capacity of each storage facility (e.g., the ratio of the number of automated transport devices to the number of storage areas in each storage facility, or the ratio of the number of automated transport devices to the volume of each storage facility), or simply the number of automated transport devices in each storage facility. In this embodiment, the first storage facility 1 is equipped with multiple stacker cranes 13 as automated transport devices. On the other hand, the second storage facility 2 is equipped with a forklift F operated by an operator, but is not equipped with automated transport devices such as stacker cranes. Therefore, if any of the above scales is used to measure the "degree of automation" of each storage facility, the degree of automation for storage facility 1 will be a positive number, and the degree of automation for storage facility 2 will be zero. Consequently, the degree of automation for storage facility 2 is lower than that of storage facility 1.

[0056] The number of second storage compartments 21a in the second storage unit 2 is greater than the number of first storage compartments 12a in the first storage unit 1. In this embodiment, the second storage unit 2 has a larger number of article holders 8 per unit volume compared to the first storage unit 1.

[0057] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the article storage facility 100 further comprises a third storage room 5. The third storage room 5 is configured to store a plurality of article holders 8. In this embodiment, the third storage room 5 is installed on the second floor of building B. In other words, in this embodiment, the third storage room 5 is located on the same floor as the first storage room 1.

[0058] The third storage unit 5 is equipped with multiple mounting sections 51. Each of the multiple mounting sections 51 is configured to allow multiple article holders 8 to be placed flat. In other words, each of the multiple mounting sections 51 is made up of the floor surface of building B.

[0059] In this embodiment, the loading and unloading of the article holder 8 into and out of the third storage facility 5 is performed manually by an operator using a forklift F or the like. Thus, the third storage facility 5 is configured with a lower degree of automation compared to the second storage facility 2.

[0060] In this embodiment, of the article holders 8 retrieved from the second storage 2, those holding some of the types of articles 9 specified by the order information are stored in the first storage 1, and the article holders 8 holding the remaining types of articles 9 are stored in the third storage 5. In other words, in this embodiment, the target types are some of the types of articles 9 specified by the order information.

[0061] As described above, the first storage unit 1 stores article holders 8 that hold articles 9 of a target type, such that at least one first storage unit 12a corresponds to one target type. In this embodiment, the number of articles 9 of a target type taken out per unit period is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value. The third storage unit 5 stores article holders 8 that hold articles 9 whose number of items taken out per unit period is less than the above standard value. Here, "number of items taken out per unit period" is the number of articles 9 taken out by the retrieval unit 3 per unit period. Thus, in this embodiment, article holders 8 that hold articles 9 with a relatively high retrieval frequency are stored in the first storage unit 1, and article holders 8 that hold articles 9 with a relatively low retrieval frequency are stored in the third storage unit 5.

[0062] As shown in Figure 3, the goods storage facility 100 includes a control system 10 that controls the first storage room 1, the second storage room 2, and the conveying device 4 based on order information.

[0063] In this embodiment, the control of the first storage facility 1 by the control system 10 includes controlling the operation of the stacker crane 13 and the inbound / outbound conveyor 14, and managing the number of article holders 8 stored in the first storage section 12a, as well as the types and numbers of articles 9 held in the article holders 8. The control of the second storage facility 2 by the control system 10 includes outputting work instructions (for example, display on a tablet terminal held by the worker) regarding the operation of the forklift F by the worker and the movement of the mobile shelves 23 by the worker, as well as managing the number of article holders 8 stored in the second storage section 21a, as well as the types and numbers of articles 9 held in the article holders 8. The control of the transport device 4 by the control system 10 includes controlling the operation of the circulating transport cart 41, the first transport cart 42, the first connecting conveyor 43, the first lifting device 44, the second transport cart 45, the second connecting conveyor 46, the second lifting device 47, and the third lifting device 48.

[0064] In this embodiment, the control system 10 also controls the retrieval work unit 3 based on order information. The control of the retrieval work unit 3 by the control system 10 includes controlling the operation of the layered depalletizer 311, the first aligning conveyor 312, the first picking conveyor 321, the picking robot 322, the second aligning conveyor 323, the second picking conveyor 331, and the third aligning conveyor 332.

[0065] The control system 10 is configured to perform a first outbound process, a second outbound process, and a post-work inbound process.

[0066] As shown in Figure 4, the first retrieval process is a process in which, when the control system 10 receives order information, the target holder 8T, which is an item holder 8 that holds the item 9 of the ordered type, is retrieved from the first storage warehouse 1 by the transport device 4 and transported to the retrieval work unit 3.

[0067] In the first retrieval process of this embodiment, the stacker crane 13 retrieves the target holder 8T from a predetermined first storage section 12a in the first storage rack 12 and places it on the inbound / outbound conveyor 14. The target holder 8T, which has been placed on the inbound / outbound conveyor 14 and transported in the retrieval direction, is received by the circulating transport trolley 41 and then transported to one of the first work section 31, second work section 32, or third work section 33 of the retrieval work section 3, depending on the condition of the multiple articles 9 held by the target holder 8T (see Figure 1).

[0068] As shown in Figure 4, the post-work storage process is a control mechanism that, after the removal operation on the target holder 8T in the removal work unit 3 is completed, if there are still items 9 remaining in the target holder 8T, causes the target holder 8T to be transported to the first storage unit 1 by the transport device 4.

[0069] In the post-work storage process of this embodiment, the target holder 8T with the item 9 remaining after the completion of the retrieval work is received by the circulating transport cart 41 and then transported toward the first storage warehouse 1. The target holder 8T transported to the first storage warehouse 1 by the circulating transport cart 41 is then placed on the in / out conveyor 14 and transported toward the storage direction, after which it is received by the stacker crane 13 and stored in a predetermined first storage section 12a on the first storage rack 12 (see Figure 1).

[0070] As shown in Figure 5, the second retrieval process is performed when the number of items 9 held in the target holder 8T to be retrieved in the first retrieval process is less than the order quantity, or when the target holder 8T is not present in the first storage 1, and the transport device 4 retrieves the target holder 8T from the second storage 2 and transports it to the retrieval work unit 3. Figure 5 shows an example of the second retrieval process, in which the number of items 9 (in this case, items 9 of type "B") held in the target holder 8T to be retrieved in the first retrieval process (in this case, 6) is less than the order quantity (in this case, 8), and the target holder 8T is retrieved from the second storage 2 and transported to the retrieval work unit 3.

[0071] In this manner, the control system 10 executes a first retrieval process to retrieve the target holder 8T from the first storage shed 1. If the number of articles 9 held in the target holder 8T retrieved in the first retrieval process is less than the number of items ordered, or if the target holder 8T is not present in the first storage shed 1, the control system 10 executes a second retrieval process to retrieve the target holder 8T from the second storage shed 2. In other words, when the control system 10 receives order information, it performs a "retrieval process" in which the article holder 8 (target holder 8T) holding the articles 9 of the ordered type is retrieved by the transport device 4 from either the first storage shed 1 or the second storage shed 2, prioritizing the first storage shed over the second storage shed 2, and transported to the retrieval work unit 3.

[0072] In the second retrieval process of this embodiment, the target holder 8T, which has been transported from a predetermined second storage section 21a in the second storage rack 21 to one of the pair of first lifting devices 44 by a forklift F operated by a worker, is transported by the first lifting device 44 from the third floor to the second floor of building B (see Figure 2). The target holder 8T, which has been transported to the second floor of building B by the first lifting device 44, is received by the first transport trolley 42 and transported toward the first connecting conveyor 43. The target holder 8T, which has been transported to the first connecting conveyor 43 by the first transport trolley 42, is transported toward the circulating rail 41a by the first connecting conveyor 43 and received by the circulating transport trolley 41. The object holder 8T received by the circular transport trolley 41 is transported to one of the first work section 31, second work section 32, or third work section 33 of the retrieval work section 3, depending on the condition of the multiple articles 9 held in the object holder 8T (see Figure 1).

[0073] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, in the second retrieval process, if there is a target holder 8T in the second storage 2 that holds fewer than the specified number of items 9, the control system 10 retrieves the target holder 8T using the transport device 4 and transports it to the retrieval work unit 3. In the example shown in Figure 5, there is a target holder 8T in the second storage 2 that holds fewer than the specified number of items 9 (in this case, 9 items of type "B"), so the target holder 8T is transported to the retrieval work unit 3.

[0074] In this embodiment, the control system 10 is configured to further perform an empty holder storage process. As shown in Figure 5, the empty holder storage process is a control that, after the removal operation for the target holder 8T in the removal operation unit 3 is completed, causes the target holder 8T to become an empty holder 8E, which is an article holder 8 that does not hold an article 9, to be transported by the transport device 4 to a predetermined empty holder storage unit 34. In this embodiment, the empty holder storage unit 34 includes a first empty holder storage unit 313, a second empty holder storage unit 324, and a third empty holder storage unit 333 (see Figure 1).

[0075] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the first outbound processing, second outbound processing, post-work inbound processing, and empty container storage processing by the control system 10.

[0076] As shown in Figure 6, first, the control system 10 receives order information including the order type and the number of orders (step #1).

[0077] When the control system 10 receives order information, it determines whether a target holder 8T, which is an item holder 8 that holds items 9 of the order type, exists in the first storage room 1 (step #2). Then, if the target holder 8T exists in the first storage room 1 (step #2: Yes), the control system 10 determines whether the number of items 9 held in the target holder 8T is equal to or greater than the order number (step #3).

[0078] If the number of items 9 held in the target holder 8T is equal to or greater than the ordered number (Step #3: Yes), the control system 10 has the transport device 4 take out the target holder 8T from the first storage unit 1 and transport it to the retrieval work unit 3 (Step #4).

[0079] On the other hand, if the target holder 8T is not present in the first storage 1 (step #2: No), or if the number of articles 9 held in the target holder 8T is less than the ordered number (step #3: No), the control system 10 determines whether there is a target holder 8T in the second storage 2 that holds fewer than the specified number of articles 9 (step #5).

[0080] If there is a target holder 8T in the second storage 2 that holds fewer than the specified number of items 9 (Step #5: Yes), the control system 10 will have the target holder 8T removed by the transport device 4 and transported to the retrieval work unit 3 (Step #6).

[0081] On the other hand, if there is no target holder 8T holding fewer than the specified number of items 9 in the second storage unit 2 (step #5: No), the control system 10 will have the target holder 8T holding the specified number of items 9 retrieved by the transport device 4 and transported to the retrieval work unit 3 (step #7).

[0082] The control system 10 controls the retrieval work unit 3 to perform a retrieval operation on the target holder 8T that has been transported to the retrieval work unit 3 (step #8). In this example, when the target holder 8T is transported to the first work unit 31 of the retrieval work unit 3, the control system 10 causes the stratified depalletizer 311 to perform the retrieval operation on the target holder 8T. Furthermore, when the target holder 8T is transported to the second work unit 32 of the retrieval work unit 3, the control system 10 causes the picking robot 322 to perform the retrieval operation on the target holder 8T.

[0083] After the removal operation on the target holder 8T in the removal operation unit 3 is completed, the control system 10 determines whether or not the article 9 remains in the target holder 8T (step #9).

[0084] After the removal operation on the target holder 8T in the removal work unit 3 is completed, if the article 9 remains in the target holder 8T (step #9: Yes), the control system 10 will transport the target holder 8T to the first storage unit 1 by the transport device 4 (step #10).

[0085] On the other hand, after the removal operation for the target holder 8T in the removal work unit 3 is completed, if there are no articles 9 remaining in the target holder 8T (step #9: No), the control system 10 will transport the target holder 8T, i.e., the empty holder 8E, to the empty holder storage unit 34 by the transport device 4 (step #11).

[0086] In this example, steps #1 and #4 above correspond to the first outbound process. Steps #2 to #3 and #5 to #7 above correspond to the second outbound process. Steps #9 to #10 above correspond to the post-process receiving process. Steps #9 and #11 above correspond to the empty container storage process.

[0087] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the article storage facility 100 further includes a receiving section 6 into which an article holder 8 holding at least one article 9 is received. The transport device 4 is configured to transport the article holder 8 between the first storage facility 1 and the receiving section 6, and between the second storage facility 2 and the receiving section 6. In this embodiment, a pair of third lifting devices 48 that transport the article holder 8 from the first floor of building B (not shown) where the article holder 8 is received into the article storage facility 100, to the second floor of building B (see Figure 1), function as the receiving section 6.

[0088] In this embodiment, the control system 10 is configured to further execute a new storage process in which the storage holder 8I, which is an article holder 8 received in the storage unit 6, is stored in either the first storage unit 1 or the second storage unit 2.

[0089] As shown in Figure 7, in the new receiving process, if the receiving holder 8I holds fewer than the specified number of items 9, and there are no items 9 of the same type as those held by the receiving holder 8I in the first storage warehouse 1, the receiving holder 8I is carried into the first storage warehouse 1 by the conveying device 4.

[0090] As shown in Figure 8, in the new receiving process, if the receiving holder 8I holds fewer than the specified number of items 9, and items 9 of the same type as those held in the receiving holder 8I exist in the first storage 1, or if the receiving holder 8I holds the specified number of items 9, the receiving holder 8I is moved to the second storage 2 by the conveying device 4. Figure 8 shows an example of the new receiving process, where the receiving holder 8I holds fewer than the specified number of items 9 (in this case, 4) (in this case, 3 items 9 of type "C"), and items 9 of the same type as those held in the receiving holder 8I exist in the first storage 1, the receiving holder 8I is moved to the second storage 2.

[0091] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the number of first storage units 12a is the same as the total number of target types was described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the number of first storage units may be the same as the sum of the adjustment numbers N (N is a natural number) for each of the target types. Here, the "adjustment number N (N is a natural number)" is a number determined for each target type, which increases as the prescribed holding number for the article holder 8 (the number of articles 9 that the article holder 8 can hold, predetermined for each type of article 9) decreases, and also increases as the number of items retrieved per unit period (the number of articles 9 retrieved by the retrieval work unit 3 per unit period) increases. For example, if the number of items retrieved per day for article 9 of type "A" is 100 and the prescribed holding number is 50, then 2 article holders 8 are needed per day, so it is preferable to set the adjustment number N for that article 9 to 2. Furthermore, for item 9 of type "B", if the daily outbound quantity is 200 units and the prescribed holding quantity is 20 units, then 10 item holders 8 are required per day. Therefore, it is preferable to set the adjustment number N for item 9 to 10. In order to make the adjustment number N a natural number, it is preferable to perform appropriate rounding.

[0092] (2) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the first storage facility 1 is installed on the second floor of building B and the second storage facility 2 is installed on the third floor of building B was described as an example. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and at least one of the first storage facility 1 and the second storage facility 2 may be installed on multiple floors. For example, in addition to the third floor of building B, the second storage facility 2 may be installed on the fourth floor and the fifth floor of building B, respectively.

[0093] (3) In the above embodiment, the article holder 8 was described as a pallet on which a plurality of articles 9 are placed. However, the article holder 8 is not limited to such a configuration, and may be a folding container, carton, or the like, which stores a plurality of articles 9.

[0094] (4) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the first storage unit 1 is equipped with a stacker crane 13 was described as an example. However, the first storage unit 1 is not limited to such a configuration, and may be equipped with a device other than the stacker crane 13 that can transfer the article holder 8 between any first storage unit 12a.

[0095] (5) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the second storage unit 2 is equipped with fixed shelves 22 and movable shelves 23 was described as an example. However, the second storage unit 2 is not limited to such a configuration, and may be equipped with only one of the fixed shelves 22 and movable shelves 23. Alternatively, the second storage unit 2 may be configured to allow the article holders 8 to be placed flat, similar to the third storage unit 5.

[0096] (6) In the above embodiment, the extraction work unit 3 was described as having a configuration that includes a first work unit 31, a second work unit 32, and a third work unit 33. However, the extraction work unit 3 is not limited to such a configuration, and may have a configuration that includes only one or two of the first work unit 31, the second work unit 32, and the third work unit 33.

[0097] (7) In the above embodiment, a configuration was described as an example in which, after the completion of the retrieval operation on the target holder 8T in the retrieval operation unit 3, if there are still articles 9 remaining in the target holder 8T, the post-operation receiving process is carried out by the conveying device 4 to the first storage 1. However, there are cases in which, after the completion of the retrieval operation on the target holder 8T in the retrieval operation unit 3, there are no articles 9 remaining in the target holder 8T, and the post-operation receiving process cannot be carried out. In such cases, the conveying device 4 may be used to retrieve an article holder 8 that holds the same type of article 9 as the target holder 8T from the second storage 2 and carry it to the first storage 1.

[0098] (8) The configurations disclosed in each of the embodiments described above can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. With regard to other configurations, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely illustrative in all respects. Therefore, various modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0099] [Summary of this embodiment] The following section provides an overview of the goods storage facilities described above.

[0100] The goods storage facilities are, A first storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders, each capable of holding multiple articles, A second storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders and has a lower degree of automation compared to the first storage facility, A removal unit performs a removal operation, which is the operation of removing the ordered number of items of the ordered type from the item holder, with the type of item specified by the order information being the order type, and the number of items of the order type specified by the order information being the order number. A conveying device for transporting the article holder between the first storage unit and the retrieval work unit, and between the second storage unit and the retrieval work unit, An article storage facility comprising a control system that controls the first storage unit, the second storage unit, and the transport device based on the order information, Each of the multiple article holders holds a single type of article. The first storage unit comprises a plurality of first storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, The second storage unit comprises a plurality of second storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, Of all the types of articles that are subject to designation by the order information, the type of article stored in the first storage facility is designated as the target type. The number of the first storage compartments is equal to or greater than the total number of the target types. The number of the second storage compartments is greater than the number of the first storage compartments. The control system is When the aforementioned order information is received, the system is configured to perform a retrieval process in which the article holder containing the article of the aforementioned order type is retrieved by the transport device from either the first or second storage unit and transported to the retrieval work unit, with the first storage unit having priority over the second storage unit.

[0101] With this configuration, during the retrieval process, items stored in the first storage facility are given priority for retrieval. This allows the first storage facility, which has a higher degree of automation than the second storage facility, to be operated preferentially. Therefore, the operational efficiency of the item storage facilities can be increased. Furthermore, with this configuration, the degree of automation in the second storage facility is lower than in the first storage facility because the frequency of retrieval of items is lower, and the number of second storage compartments in the second storage facility is greater than the number of first storage compartments in the first storage facility. As a result, the overall degree of automation of the item storage facility can be kept low while maintaining the operational efficiency of the item storage facility. Consequently, the installation costs of the item storage facility can be kept low.

[0102] Here, a third storage facility with a lower degree of automation compared to the second storage facility is further provided. The number of items retrieved by the retrieval unit per unit period is defined as the number of items retrieved per unit period. The number of items of the aforementioned target type taken out during the aforementioned unit period is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value. The first storage unit stores the article holders that hold the articles of the target type such that at least one of the first storage compartments corresponds to one of the target type. Preferably, the third storage unit stores the article holder that holds the articles whose number of retrieved items per unit period is less than the standard value.

[0103] This configuration ensures that space is always available in the first storage area for storing item holders for all target item types whose retrieval rate per unit period exceeds a certain threshold. This increases the proportion of items of the order type specified by the order information that are retrieved from the first storage area, which has a relatively high degree of automation, and transported to the retrieval area. Consequently, the operational efficiency of the item storage equipment can be improved.

[0104] Furthermore, it is preferable that the number of the first storage compartments be the same as the total number of the target types.

[0105] This configuration allows for the storage of one item holder for each type of item in the first storage facility. This minimizes the size of the first storage facility while maintaining the operational efficiency of the item storage equipment.

[0106] Furthermore, the article holder is capable of holding up to a predetermined number of articles for each type of article. The number of items retrieved by the retrieval unit per unit period is defined as the number of items retrieved per unit period. An adjustment number N (where N is a natural number) is defined for each type of target, which increases as the specified number of retained items decreases and as the number of items extracted per unit period increases. Preferably, the number of the first storage compartments is the same as the sum of the adjustment numbers N for each of the target types.

[0107] This configuration allows for the storage of an appropriate quantity of each type of item in the first storage facility. This reduces the frequency of situations where the number of items stored in the first storage facility falls short of the ordered quantity. [Industrial applicability]

[0108] The technology disclosed herein can be used in article storage facilities for storing articles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 100: Goods storage equipment 1: 1st storage 12a: First storage compartment 2:Second storage 21a: Second storage compartment 3: Retrieval work section 4: Conveying device 8: Article holder 9: Goods 10: Control System

Claims

1. A first storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders, each capable of holding multiple articles, A second storage facility is configured to store multiple article holders and has a lower degree of automation compared to the first storage facility, A removal unit performs a removal operation, which is the operation of removing the ordered number of items of the ordered type from the item holder, with the type of item specified by the order information being the order type, and the number of items of the order type specified by the order information being the order number. A conveying device for transporting the article holder between the first storage unit and the retrieval work unit, and between the second storage unit and the retrieval work unit, An article storage facility comprising a control system that controls the first storage unit, the second storage unit, and the transport device based on the order information, Each of the multiple article holders holds a single type of article. The first storage unit comprises a plurality of first storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, The second storage unit comprises a plurality of second storage compartments, each configured to accommodate the article holder, Of all the types of articles that are subject to designation by the order information, the type of article stored in the first storage facility is designated as the target type. The number of the first storage compartments is equal to or greater than the total number of the target types. The number of the second storage compartments is greater than the number of the first storage compartments. The control system is Article storage equipment configured such that, upon receiving the aforementioned order information, the article holder containing the article of the aforementioned order type is retrieved by the transport device from either the first or second storage unit and transported to the retrieval work unit, with the first storage unit having priority over the second storage unit.

2. Furthermore, a third storage facility with a lower degree of automation compared to the second storage facility is provided. The number of items retrieved by the retrieval unit per unit period is defined as the number of items retrieved per unit period. The number of items of the aforementioned target type taken out during the aforementioned unit period is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value. The first storage unit stores the article holders that hold the articles of the target type such that at least one of the target type's first storage compartments corresponds to each target type. The article storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the third storage unit stores the article holder that holds the articles whose number of items retrieved per unit period is less than the reference value.

3. The article storage equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of the first storage compartments is the same as the total number of the types of items to be stored.

4. The article holder is capable of holding up to a predetermined number of articles for each type of article. The number of items retrieved by the retrieval unit per unit period is defined as the number of items retrieved per unit period. An adjustment number N (where N is a natural number) is defined for each type of target, which increases as the specified number of retained items decreases and as the number of items extracted per unit period increases. The article storage equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of the first storage compartments is the same as the sum of the adjustment numbers N for each of the target types.

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