Automated warehouse

Abstract

Provided is an automated warehouse comprising an accommodation shelf (3) and a first conveyance device (4). When a specific direction along a horizontal plane is defined as an X direction, a plurality of accommodation parts (2) are arranged in the X direction and a vertical direction. The automated warehouse further comprises a second conveyance device (5), an article station (6), and an intermediate conveyance device (10). The first conveyance device (4) comprises a traveling carriage (41), a transfer device (42), and a lifting device (43) that moves the transfer device (42) up and down. When a range in which a plurality of the accommodation parts (2) are arranged in the X direction is defined as an accommodation range (20), the intermediate conveyance device (10) is disposed to overlap at least a part of the accommodation range (20) when viewed in the vertical direction. The first conveyance device (4) conveys an article W between the intermediate conveyance device (10) and the accommodation part (2). The second conveyance device (5) conveys the article W between the article station (6) and the intermediate conveyance device (10).

Description

Automated Warehouse

[0007] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated warehouse.

[0002] For example, International Publication WO2021 / 190084 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology related to an automated warehouse. Hereinafter, the reference numerals shown in parentheses in the description of the background art are those of Patent Document 1.

[0003] The automated warehouse of Patent Document 1 includes a shelf (100) capable of storing articles, a first robot (200), a second robot (300), an article station (connection platform 400), and a temporary storage shelf (120). The temporary storage shelf (120) is provided at the lowermost stage of the shelf (100). The shelf (100) is arranged at a stage above the lowermost stage and includes a plurality of storage shelves (130) for storing articles. The first robot (200) is an automated guided vehicle, and when receiving an article from the article station, it transports the article to the designated temporary storage shelf (120). The second robot (300) is a transport device that travels along the front of the shelf (100), receives the article stored on the temporary storage shelf (120) by the first robot (200), and transfers the article to the designated storage shelf (130).

[0004] International Publication WO2021 / 190084

[0005] In the automated warehouse of Patent Document 1, the first robot (200) travels under the shelf (100) and transports articles to the temporary storage shelf (120). Therefore, the transport distance of the articles by the first robot (200) tends to be long, and there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of the transport efficiency of the articles. Also, in the above-mentioned automated warehouse, the respective passages are arranged so that the overlap between the passage of the first robot (200) and the passage of the second robot (300) is reduced, and there is also room for improvement from the viewpoint of suppressing the enlargement of the automated warehouse.

[0006] Therefore, an automated warehouse that can suppress the enlargement of the automated warehouse while improving the transport efficiency of articles is desired.

[0007] The automated warehouse according to this disclosure comprises: a storage rack having a plurality of storage compartments capable of storing articles; a first transport device that moves along the storage rack to transport the articles, wherein the plurality of storage compartments are arranged in the X direction and vertically, with the X direction being a specific direction along a horizontal plane; a second transport device for transporting the articles; an article station where at least one of supplying the articles to the second transport device and performing work on the articles transported by the second transport device is performed; and an intermediate transport device for transporting the articles between the first transport device and the second transport device, wherein the first transport device comprises a traveling trolley; a transfer device for holding and transferring the articles; and a lifting device mounted on the traveling trolley for raising and lowering the transfer device, wherein the intermediate transport device is positioned so as to overlap with the storage area in the vertical view, with the range in the X direction where the plurality of storage compartments on the storage rack are arranged as the storage area, and transports the articles along the X direction. The first conveying device conveys the article between the intermediate conveying device and the storage section, and the second conveying device conveys the article between the article station and the intermediate conveying device.

[0008] With this configuration, it is possible to transport items in the X direction by an intermediate transport device between the first and second transport devices. Therefore, compared to the case where items are transferred between the first and second transport devices without an intermediate transport device, the transport distance of items in at least one of the first and second transport devices can be reduced. Consequently, it is easier to improve the efficiency of transporting items between the item station and the storage shelves. Furthermore, with this configuration, the intermediate transport device is positioned so as to overlap with at least a portion of the storage area when viewed from above, making it easier to suppress the increase in size of the automated warehouse caused by the installation of the intermediate transport device. Thus, with this configuration, it is possible to improve the efficiency of transporting items while suppressing the increase in size of the automated warehouse.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the automated warehouse will become clear from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which will be illustrated with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Overall schematic diagram of the automated warehouse Side view of the first conveying device, second conveying device, intermediate conveying device, and storage shelves Control block diagram Overall schematic diagram of the automated warehouse in a different embodiment Side view of the first conveying device, second conveying device, intermediate conveying device, and storage shelves in a different embodiment Perspective view illustrating the operation of the goods transport vehicle in a different embodiment

[0011] The following describes an embodiment of an automated warehouse based on the drawings.

[0012] [First Embodiment] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the automated warehouse 1 comprises a storage rack 3 having a plurality of storage sections 2 capable of accommodating articles W, and a first conveying device 4 that moves along the storage rack 3 to transport articles W. The first conveying device 4 is configured to load and unload articles into and from the plurality of storage sections 2. The automated warehouse 1 further comprises a second conveying device 5 for transporting articles W, an article station 6 where at least one of supplying articles W to the second conveying device 5 or performing work on the articles W transported by the second conveying device 5 is performed, and an intermediate conveying device 10 for transporting articles W between the first conveying device 4 and the second conveying device 5. In this embodiment, work is performed on the articles W transported by the second conveying device 5 at the article station 6. In this example, the automated warehouse 1 comprises a plurality of storage racks 3, a plurality of first conveying devices 4, a plurality of second conveying devices 5, a plurality of article stations 6, and a plurality of intermediate conveying devices 10. Hereinafter, a specific direction along the horizontal plane will be described as the X direction. Furthermore, we will explain by defining one side in the X direction as the first X direction side X1, the other side in the X direction as the second X direction side X2, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction when viewed vertically as the Y direction.

[0013] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the automated warehouse 1 includes a pair of storage shelves 3 arranged separately on both sides in the Y direction relative to the first conveying device 4. Each of the pair of storage shelves 3 is arranged along the X direction. The first conveying device 4 is also arranged along the X direction. The first conveying device 4 is positioned between the pair of storage shelves 3 in the Y direction. Furthermore, the automated warehouse 1 includes a plurality of warehouse units 7, each comprising a storage shelf 3, a first conveying device 4, and an intermediate conveying device 10. Specifically, each warehouse unit 7 includes the pair of storage shelves 3 described above, a first conveying device 4 positioned between the pair of storage shelves 3 (here, between them in the Y direction), and an intermediate conveying device 10 corresponding to each of the pair of storage shelves 3. In this example, as shown in Figure 1, a plurality of warehouse units 7 are arranged in a line in the Y direction. In addition, an item station 6 is arranged spaced apart in the X direction from these warehouse units 7. Here, a plurality of item stations 6 are arranged in a line in the Y direction. In the illustrated example, the warehouse unit 7 is positioned on the second X side X2 in the X direction relative to the item station 6. Furthermore, a transport path 51 for the goods W, operated by the second transport device 5, is arranged between the goods station 6 and the warehouse unit 7 in the X direction.

[0014] The storage shelf 3 is equipped with a plurality of storage compartments 2 for storing articles W. The plurality of storage compartments 2 are arranged in the X direction and in the vertical direction. Article W is stored in each of the plurality of storage compartments 2. In the example in Figure 1, two articles W can be stored in one storage compartment 2 so as to be aligned in the Y direction. Thus, the storage shelf 3 is equipped with a so-called double-deep structure, but it may also be equipped with a multi-deep structure so that two or more articles W can be stored in one storage compartment 2 so as to be aligned in the Y direction, or it may be equipped with a structure so that one article W can be stored in one storage compartment 2. In this example, the storage shelf 3 is equipped with a plurality of shelves 21 along the X direction. The plurality of shelves 21 are arranged with space between them in the vertical direction. Each shelf 21 is configured so that multiple articles W can be placed on it in the X direction (and here, further in the depth direction (Y direction) of the storage shelf 3). Each of the multiple storage compartments 2 consists of a storage space for articles W between two shelves 21 arranged vertically, and a mounting surface (upper surface) of the shelf 21. This allows the multiple storage compartments 2 to be arranged in multiple tiers. In the example shown in Figure 1, the pair of storage shelves 3 are at least open to the side where the first transport device 4 is located (inward in the Y direction). Therefore, the first transport device 4 can load and unload articles W into and from each of the storage compartments 2 of the pair of storage shelves 3. Figure 1 shows the storage range 20, which is the range in the X direction where the multiple storage compartments 2 in the storage shelf 3 are arranged.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first transport device 4 comprises a traveling trolley 41, a transfer device 42 for holding and transferring articles W, and a lifting device 43 mounted on the traveling trolley 41 for raising and lowering the transfer device 42. The traveling trolley 41 is guided by rails laid on the floor and is configured to travel along the X direction. The first transport device 4 further comprises a plurality of masts 44 that run vertically. The plurality of masts 44 are erected on the upper surface of the traveling trolley 41. The lifting device 43 comprises a lifting platform 43a that is guided up and down by the masts 44. The transfer device 42 is supported from below by the lifting platform 43a. In this example, the transfer device 42 is a conveyor type device, but it may also be a fork type device. Articles W are transported while placed on the transfer device 42. Thus, in this example, the first transport device 4 is a stacker crane, but it is not limited to this. The first conveying device 4 may be a transport vehicle other than a stacker crane, having both lifting and transfer functions. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first conveying device 4 transports articles W between the intermediate conveying device 10 and the storage section 2. In this embodiment, the first conveying device 4 travels along the X direction and transports articles W between the intermediate conveying device 10, which is positioned on each of the pair of storage shelves 3, and the respective storage sections 2 (multiple storage sections 2) of the pair of storage shelves 3. In this example, the first conveying device 4 also loads and unloads articles W into and from the respective storage sections 2 of the pair of storage shelves 3.

[0016] In this embodiment, article W is a container for containing contents. Specifically, article W is a carton container, but it may also be a container such as an Oricon. The contents contained in article W include, but are not limited to, industrial goods including machine parts, food products including drinking water and frozen foods, and other daily necessities.

[0017] The second transport device 5 transports the goods W between the goods station 6 and the intermediate transport device 10. In this embodiment, the second transport device 5 is equipped with an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 that holds and transports the goods W. Here, the second transport device 5 is equipped with a plurality of AGVs 8. The plurality of AGVs 8 travel along the transport path 51 described above to transport the goods W. The AGVs 8 are described as trackless trolleys, but they may also be tracked trolleys. In addition, each of the plurality of AGVs 8 transports the goods W between the goods station 6 and the intermediate transport device 10 provided in each of the plurality of warehouse units 7. In this example, the goods station 6 is configured to perform work on the goods W transported by the AGVs 8 (specifically, picking work by worker P). Therefore, when the AGVs 8 transport goods W to the goods station 6, worker P performs picking work on the goods W (work such as taking out items from the goods W or putting new items into the goods W). The automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 then transports the items W after the picking process from the item station 6. In this example, the AGV 8 is equipped with a transport mechanism 81 that supports and transfers items from below. Here, the transport mechanism 81 is a conveyor, but it is not limited to this. The second transport device 5 may also be equipped with means of transporting items W other than the AGV 8 (such as a conveyor or drone).

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the intermediate transport device 10 is positioned so as to overlap with the storage area 20 when viewed from above, and transports the articles W along the X direction. In this embodiment, the intermediate transport device 10 is equipped with a shuttle transport vehicle 14 that travels back and forth along the X direction. The travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14 is positioned so as to overlap with the storage area 20 when viewed from above, and the shuttle transport vehicle 14 is configured to transfer articles W to and from the first transport device 4 at a predetermined position within the travelable range. Here, "overlap" is not limited to a state in which the whole of one and the whole of the other overlap, but includes both a state in which the whole of one overlaps with a part of the other, and a state in which a part of one overlaps with a part of the other.

[0019] More specifically, the intermediate transport device 10 is located in each of the multiple storage shelves 3. In this example, one intermediate transport device 10 is located in each pair of storage shelves 3. The travel path 15 for the shuttle transport vehicle 14 is located at the bottom of each storage shelf 3. Therefore, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 travels along the bottom of the storage shelves 3. The multiple storage units 2 are located on levels above the travel path 15 for the shuttle transport vehicle 14. The travel path 15 is arranged along the X direction and overlaps with the entire storage area 20 when viewed from above. That is, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 can travel back and forth across the entire area that overlaps with the entire storage area 20 when viewed from above. In this example, rails are laid along the travel path 15 to guide the movement of the shuttle transport vehicle 14. Note that the travel path 15 for the shuttle transport vehicle 14 may also be configured to overlap with a part of the storage area 20 when viewed from above. For example, in Figure 2, items W may also be stored in the area of ​​the storage shelf 3 that overlaps with the transfer section 9 (described later) in a vertical view, thereby configuring the travel path 15 to overlap with a part of the storage range 20 in a vertical view. In the example in Figure 1, for clarity, the storage section 2 of one of the two warehouse units 7 is shown with a dashed line, and the travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14 (dashed line) that overlaps with the storage section 2 in a vertical view is omitted. In the other of the two warehouse units 7, the storage section 2 is omitted, and the travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14 (solid line) of the intermediate transport device 10 is shown with a dashed line.

[0020] In this embodiment, the intermediate transport device 10 further includes a transfer section 9. The transfer section 9 is used for transferring articles W between the automated guided vehicle 8 and the shuttle transport vehicle 14. The transfer section 9 is adjacent to the first side X1 in the X direction with respect to the travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14. In the illustrated example, the transfer section 9 is arranged both inside (here, the end region on the first side X1 in the X direction) and outside the storage rack 3. The transfer section 9 transfers articles W between the shuttle transport vehicle 14 and the second transport device 5. In this example, the transfer section 9 is a conveyor on which articles W are placed and transported, but it may also be a support platform on which articles are placed. The transfer section 9 is provided corresponding to each of the multiple storage racks 3. In this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle 8 holds and transports articles W between the article station 6 and the shuttle transport vehicle 14. More specifically, the automated guided vehicle 8 travels along the transport route 51 to transport the goods W between the goods station 6 and the handover unit 9.

[0021] The shuttle transport vehicle 14 is equipped with a transfer mechanism 14a for holding and transferring articles W. In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 14a performs a transfer operation with respect to the first transport device 4 (here, the stacker crane) by moving the articles W along the Y direction. The transfer mechanism 14a also performs a transfer operation with respect to the transfer section 9 by moving the articles W along the X direction. Examples of such a transfer mechanism 14a include a combination of a Y-direction conveyor (roller conveyor) that moves articles W in the Y direction and an X-direction conveyor that moves articles W in the X direction. Examples of the X-direction conveyor include a belt conveyor using a vertically movable narrow belt arranged between multiple rollers in a roller conveyor. The belt conveyor is preferably configured to be vertically movable between above and below the conveying surface of the multiple rollers.

[0022] In this embodiment, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 can stop at any position along the travel path 15 and transfer the articles W to the first transport device 4. Here, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 can transfer the articles to the first transport device 4 at positions corresponding to each of the multiple storage compartments 2 arranged in the X direction on each level (positions directly below each of the multiple storage compartments 2).

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the automated warehouse 1 is equipped with a control system 100 that controls the entire facility. The control system 100 also includes a control device H that controls the first transport device 4, the second transport device 5, and the intermediate transport device 10, and a higher-level controller C that controls the entire facility and communicates with the control device H. The higher-level controller C and the control device H each include, for example, a processor such as a microcomputer, peripheral circuits such as memory, etc. The functions are realized through the cooperation of this hardware and programs executed on the processor such as a computer. The higher-level controller C stores, for example, the type of goods W stored in each storage shelf 3 (type of stored item), the number of goods W, the usage status of each storage unit 2, information on goods W being entered into or exited from the automated warehouse 1 (type, number, etc.), and work information performed at the goods station 6. The higher-level controller C also transmits command information to the control device H based on this stored information.

[0024] The control device H comprises a processing unit 101 and a storage unit 102. The processing unit 101 determines the transport route 51 between the item station 6 and the storage unit 2 for the item W to be transported, based on commands from the higher-level controller C. Based on the determined transport route 51, it controls the second transport device 5 (automated guided vehicle 8), the intermediate transport device 10, and the first transport device 4. The determined transport route 51 is stored in the storage unit 102. The storage unit 102 has pre-stored information on all the routes along which the item W will be transported. The control device H also acquires operational information regarding the operation and processing of the first transport device 4, the second transport device 5, and the intermediate transport device 10 from each device and transmits the operational information to the higher-level controller C.

[0025] When transporting goods W from the goods station 6 to a designated storage unit 2, the control device H drives the automated guided vehicle 8, carrying the goods W, toward the transfer unit 9 of the warehouse unit 7 where the destination storage unit 2 is located. In this example, the transfer unit 9 includes a handover unit 9b that hands over the goods W to the shuttle transport vehicle 14 and stores them in the storage racks 3, and a receiving unit 9a that receives the goods W from the shuttle transport vehicle 14. The handover unit 9b is located on one side of a pair of storage racks 3, and the receiving unit 9a is located on the other side. Here, the control device H drives the automated guided vehicle 8, carrying the goods W, toward the transfer unit 9b of the warehouse unit 7. Subsequently, the control device H transfers the goods W from the automated guided vehicle 8 to the transfer unit 9b.

[0026] The control device H controls the transfer unit 9b and the shuttle transport vehicle 14 to transfer the article W from the transfer unit 9b to the shuttle transport vehicle 14 corresponding to the transfer unit 9b. Here, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 receives the article W from the transfer unit 9b at a position adjacent to the transfer unit 9b on the second side X2 in the X direction. Next, the control device H moves the lowest shuttle transport vehicle 14 to a position corresponding to the designated storage unit 2 (a position directly below the designated storage unit 2). It also moves the first transport device 4 (stacker crane) to a position corresponding to the designated storage unit 2 (a position directly in front of the designated storage unit 2). Here, the first transport device 4 moves the transfer device 42 to the position of the transfer mechanism 14a of the lowest shuttle transport vehicle 14. After that, the article W on the shuttle transport vehicle 14 is transferred to the transfer device 42 of the first transport device 4. The first transport device 4 moves the transfer device 42 to the designated storage unit 2 and transfers the article W to the storage unit 2.

[0027] Furthermore, when transporting an item W from a predetermined storage unit 2 to a designated item station 6, the control device H moves the shuttle transport vehicle 14 corresponding to the receiving unit 9a to a position corresponding to the storage unit 2 (a position directly below the predetermined storage unit 2). The control device H also moves the first transport device 4 to a position corresponding to the storage unit (a position directly in front of the predetermined storage unit 2). Here, the first transport device 4 raises and lowers the transfer device 42 to receive the item W from the storage unit 2. After that, the first transport device 4 moves the transfer device 42 supporting the item W to the position of the transfer mechanism 14a of the lowest shuttle transport vehicle 14. After the item W is transferred from the first transport device 4 to the shuttle transport vehicle 14, the control device H moves the shuttle transport vehicle 14 to a position adjacent to the receiving unit 9a (a position at the end of the first side X1 in the X direction of the travel path 15). Then, when the item W is transferred from the shuttle transport vehicle 14 to the receiving unit 9a, the control device H controls the transfer of the item W from the receiving unit 9a to the automated guided vehicle 8. The control device H first moves an empty automated guided vehicle 8, which does not have any item W loaded on it, toward the receiving unit 9a. After that, the control device H moves the automated guided vehicle 8 that has received the item W to the designated item station 6.

[0028] Here, the transport path 51 on which multiple automated guided vehicles 8 transport goods comprises multiple travel paths on which the automated guided vehicles 8 travel. In the illustrated example, the transport path 51 comprises a pair of transfer paths 51a along the Y direction (a transfer path 51a on the goods station 6 side and a transfer path 51a on the storage shelf 3 side), a plurality of (in this case, three) connecting paths 51b along the X direction that connect the pair of transfer paths 51a, and a plurality of Y-direction paths 51c along the Y direction that connect the plurality of connecting paths 51b. The pair of transfer paths 51a are arranged separately in the X direction. The transfer path 51a on the goods station 6 side is arranged along the goods station 6. The transfer path 51a on the storage shelf 3 side is arranged along a plurality of transfer sections 9 (a handover section 9b and a receiving section 9a). The plurality of connecting paths 51b are arranged spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. In the illustrated example, of the three connection paths 51b, the central connection path 51b in the Y direction (central connection path) is located between the two handover sections 9b belonging to adjacent warehouse units 7 in the Y direction. The remaining two connection paths 51b (outer connection paths) are located on the outside in the Y direction (away from the warehouse unit 7) relative to the two receiving sections 9a belonging to adjacent warehouse units 7. In this case, the two receiving sections 9a in adjacent warehouse units 7 are located on the inside in the Y direction relative to the two handover sections 9b. Multiple Y-direction paths 51c are arranged to connect the outer connection path and the central connection path.

[0029] In this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 travels toward the second side X2 in the X direction to deliver the item W to the receiving unit 9a, and then travels toward the Y direction to receive another item W from the handover unit 9b. In this example, the AGV 8 travels toward the second side X2 in the X direction from the item station 6. In the illustrated example, the AGV 8, having departed from the item station 6, travels along the central connecting path to the handover path 51a on the storage shelf 3 side. After that, the AGV 8 moves toward the Y direction and stops just before the receiving unit 9a belonging to the destination warehouse unit 7 (target warehouse unit) (a position adjacent to the first side X1 in the X direction relative to the receiving unit 9a). When the AGV 8 moves toward the Y direction, it may travel in a straight line along the Y direction, or, for example, it may travel in the Y direction while the overall travel path is curved. When the AGV 8 transfers the loaded item W to the receiving unit 9a, it travels along the Y direction and stops just before the handover unit 9b belonging to the target warehouse unit. The automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 receives another item W from the handover section 9b, travels along the external connection path located on the target warehouse unit side, and moves to the handover path 51a on the item station 6 side. After that, the AGV 8 returns to the item station 6. The AGV 8 may also travel along the Y-direction path 51c.

[0030] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the automated warehouse will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Below, the differences between the transport vehicle of this embodiment and the first embodiment will be described. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used as in the first embodiment, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the intermediate transport device 10 includes a transport conveyor 12 that transports articles W along the X direction. The transport conveyor 12 is positioned so as to overlap with the storage area 20 when viewed from above. The automated guided vehicle 8 transports articles W between the article station 6 and the transport conveyor 12. In this example, the transport conveyor 12 is positioned so as to overlap with the entire storage area 20 when viewed from above. The transport conveyor 12 is provided corresponding to each of the multiple storage shelves 3. In this embodiment, the transport conveyor 12 is provided at the bottom of the storage shelves 3. Thus, in the second embodiment, the transport conveyor 12 is provided instead of the shuttle transport vehicle 14. In this example, the transport conveyor 12 is a roller conveyor, but is not limited to this. The transport conveyor 12 may be, for example, a chain conveyor. Furthermore, as described in the first embodiment above, the conveying conveyor 12 may be arranged so as to overlap with a part of the storage range 20 when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the intermediate transport device 10 corresponding to one of the pair of storage shelves 3 is equipped with an inbound transport conveyor 12a, which is a transport conveyor 12 for loading articles W into the storage shelf 3. The intermediate transport device 10 corresponding to the other of the pair of storage shelves 3 is equipped with an outbound transport conveyor 12b, which is a transport conveyor 12 for unloading articles W from the storage shelf 3. The end of the inbound transport conveyor 12a on the first side X1 in the X direction is a receiving section 9a for receiving articles W from the automated guided vehicle 8. The end of the outbound transport conveyor 12b on the first side X1 in the X direction is a handover section 9b for handing over articles W to the automated guided vehicle 8. The inbound transport conveyor 12a transports the articles W received from the automated guided vehicle 8 at the receiving section 9a to a position corresponding to the destination storage section 2 (a position directly below the destination storage section 2). Subsequently, the item W is handed over to the first conveying device 4 (in this case, a stacker crane). When the outbound conveying conveyor 12b receives the item W from the first conveying device 4 at a position corresponding to the storage unit 2 of the source of transport (directly below the storage unit 2 of the source of transport), it transports the item W to the handover unit 9b and hands it over to the automated guided vehicle 8. In this way, the conveying conveyors 12 (inbound conveying conveyor 12a, outbound conveying conveyor 12b) and the first conveying device 4 are able to transfer the item W to and from the first conveying device 4 at any position in the X direction. The first conveying device 4 can be equipped with, for example, a conveyor-type fork as a transfer device 42, thereby enabling the transfer of the item W to and from the conveying surface of the conveying conveyor 12. Alternatively, a mechanism for transferring the item W to the first conveying device 4 (for example, a lifting mechanism that can raise the item W from the conveying surface of the conveying conveyor 12) can be placed on the side of the conveying conveyor 12. Furthermore, the conveying conveyor 12 and the first conveying device 4 can also be configured to transfer items W at a predetermined position in the X direction of the conveying conveyor 12 (for example, the end region or central region in the X direction).

[0033] In this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 travels toward the second side X2 in the X direction to deliver the item W to the receiving unit 9a, and then travels toward the outgoing conveyor belt 12b from the receiving conveyor belt 12a in the Y direction to receive another item W from the handover unit 9b. After departing from the item station 6, the AGV 8 travels along the central connection path (the central path in the Y direction of the three connection paths 51b) and arrives at the receiving unit 9a belonging to the destination warehouse unit 7 (target warehouse unit). Thereupon, the AGV 8 delivers the item W to the receiving unit 9a, which is also the end of the first side X1 in the X direction of the receiving conveyor belt 12a. Subsequently, the AGV 8 moves toward the item station 6 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 may travel toward the second side X2 in the X direction to deliver the item W to the receiving section 9a, then travel in the Y direction from the receiving conveyor 12a toward the outbound conveyor 12b, and then travel toward the first side X1 in the X direction to receive another item W from the handover section 9b. Specifically, after the AGV 8 delivers the item W to the receiving section 9a, it continues to travel beneath the receiving conveyor 12a toward the second side X2 in the X direction. After that, the AGV 8 travels in the Y direction, enters beneath the outbound conveyor 12b, and then travels toward the first side X1 in the X direction to receive another item from the handover section 9b. It is preferable that the AGV 8 is equipped with a support mechanism 83 that supports the item W from below, instead of the transport mechanism 81. In the example shown in Figure 6, the support mechanism 83 includes a plurality of plate-shaped members 84 along the X direction and the vertical direction. These plate-shaped members 84 are arranged side by side in the Y direction with gaps between them. In this example, it is preferable that the receiving section 9a and the handover section 9b are separate conveyors from the transport conveyor 12. In the illustrated example, each of the receiving section 9a and the handover section 9b includes an inclined conveyor that slopes downward as it approaches the first side X1 in the X direction. The inclined conveyor includes a plurality of narrow belts arranged with gaps in the Y direction. These plurality of narrow belts are positioned between the plurality of plate-shaped members 84 of the support mechanism 83 in a vertical view when transferring articles W between the automated guided vehicle 8 and the support mechanism 8. The lower ends of these narrow belts are positioned below the upper ends of the plurality of plate-shaped members 84 (the transport surface of the articles W).

[0035] When the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 8 travels from the first side X1 in the X direction to the second side X2 in the X direction and reaches the receiving section 9a, the articles W placed on the multiple plate-shaped members 84 ride up onto the inclined conveyor of the receiving section 9a. Similarly, when the AGV 8 travels from the second side X2 in the X direction to the first side X1 in the X direction and reaches the handover section 9b, the articles W are transferred from the inclined conveyor of the handover section 9b onto the multiple plate-shaped members 84 of the support mechanism 83. With this configuration, the AGV 8 can transfer articles between the receiving section 9 and the handover section 9 without stopping.

[0036] [Other Embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which picking operations are performed on items W transported by the automated guided vehicle 8 was described as an example, but the system is not limited to this. The item station 6 may be configured to, for example, supply and retrieve items W to and from the automated guided vehicle 8. Thus, the configuration of the item station 6 can be appropriately changed according to the purpose, such as receiving and retrieving items W to and from storage shelves 3, picking operations on items W, sorting operations on items W, etc.

[0037] (2) In the first and second embodiments described above, the first conveying device 4 is positioned between a pair of storage shelves 3 in the Y direction and is configured to load and unload articles W into and out of the storage sections 2 of each storage shelf 3. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration. The same number of first conveying devices 4 as the number of storage shelves 3 can be provided, and one first conveying device 4 can be assigned to each storage shelf 3. Furthermore, if the first conveying device 4 is a conveying device other than a stacker crane (for example, a transport vehicle with a lifting function), it can be configured to move back and forth between multiple storage shelves 3 and load and unload articles W into and out of the storage sections 2 of these storage shelves 3.

[0038] (3) In the first embodiment described above, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 was described as being able to stop at any position in the travel path 15 and transfer the article W to the first transport device 4, but it is not limited to this. The shuttle transport vehicle 14 may be configured to stop at a specific position in the travel path 15 and transfer the article W to the first transport device 4. For example, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 may be configured to transfer the article to the first transport device 4 with the transfer position being the central part of the travel path 15 in the X direction.

[0039] (4) In the first embodiment described above, the intermediate transport device 10 was described as having a configuration that includes a transfer section 9, but it is not limited to this. The intermediate transport device 10 may be configured without a transfer section 9. For example, the shuttle transport vehicle 14 may be configured to directly transfer the items W between itself and the automated transport vehicle 8.

[0040] (5) In the first embodiment described above, the transfer unit 9 was described as being arranged adjacent to the end of the first side X1 in the X direction of the travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14 in the X direction, but the system is not limited to this configuration. The transfer unit 9 may be arranged adjacent in the Y direction to the end of the first side X1 in the X direction of the travel path 15 of the shuttle transport vehicle 14. In this case, the transfer mechanism 14a of the shuttle transport vehicle 14 moves the article W in the Y direction to transfer the article between itself and the transfer unit 9.

[0041] (6) In the second embodiment described above, the intermediate transport device 10 was described as having a transport conveyor 12 that transports articles along the X direction, but it is not limited to this. The intermediate transport device 10 may also be configured to include a shuttle transport vehicle 14 in addition to the transport conveyor 12. For example, a combination of the transport conveyor 12 and the shuttle transport vehicle 14 may be provided in multiple warehouse units 7.

[0042] (7) 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.

[0043] [Summary of the above embodiment] The following is a summary of the automated warehouse described above.

[0044] An automated warehouse according to the present disclosure includes a storage shelf having a plurality of storage units capable of storing articles, and a first conveying device that moves along the storage shelf and conveys the articles. The automated warehouse is such that, with a specific direction along the horizontal plane being the X direction, the plurality of storage units are arranged in the X direction and the vertical direction. The automated warehouse further includes a second conveying device, an article station at which at least one of the supply of the articles to the second conveying device and the operation on the articles conveyed by the second conveying device is performed, and an intermediate conveying device that conveys the articles between the first conveying device and the second conveying device. The first conveying device includes a traveling carriage, a transfer device that holds and transfers the articles, and a lifting device that is mounted on the traveling carriage and raises and lowers the transfer device. With the range in the X direction in which the plurality of storage units in the storage shelf are arranged being the storage range, the intermediate conveying device is arranged so as to overlap the storage range in the vertical direction view and conveys the articles along the X direction. The first conveying device conveys the articles between the intermediate conveying device and the storage unit. The second conveying device conveys the articles between the article station and the intermediate conveying device.

[0045] According to this configuration, it becomes possible to convey the articles in the X direction by the intermediate conveying device during the transfer of the articles between the first conveying device and the second conveying device. Therefore, compared with the case where the articles are transferred between the first conveying device and the second conveying device without passing through the intermediate conveying device, the conveying distance of the articles in at least one of the first conveying device and the second conveying device can be reduced. Thus, it is easy to improve the conveying efficiency of the articles between the article station and the storage shelf. Further, according to this configuration, since the intermediate conveying device is arranged so as to overlap at least a part of the storage range in the vertical direction view, it is easy to suppress the enlargement of the automated warehouse due to the provision of the intermediate conveying device. As described above, according to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the automated warehouse while improving the conveying efficiency of the articles.

[0046] Here, the intermediate transfer device includes a transfer conveyor that transfers the article along the X direction. The transfer conveyor is arranged so as to overlap the storage range in a vertical view. The second transfer device includes an automated guided vehicle that holds and transfers the article. It is preferable that the automated guided vehicle transfers the article between the article station and the transfer conveyor.

[0047] According to this configuration, by providing a transfer conveyor so as to overlap the storage range in a vertical view, a plurality of articles being taken in and out of the storage shelf can be efficiently transferred, and an increase in the size of the automated warehouse due to the provision of the transfer conveyor can be suppressed. Further, by using an automated guided vehicle as a means for transferring the article between the article station and the transfer conveyor, it is easier to keep the space between the article station and the storage shelf small compared to the case of using another transfer means such as a conveyor. Also, it is easier to increase the degree of freedom in the layout for installing the article station and the storage shelf in the automated warehouse.

[0048] Also, the intermediate transfer device includes a shuttle transfer vehicle that reciprocates along the X direction. The travel path of the shuttle transfer vehicle is arranged so as to overlap the storage range in a vertical view. It is preferable that the shuttle transfer vehicle is configured to transfer the article to and from the first transfer device at a preset position within the travelable range.

[0049] According to this configuration, since the shuttle transfer vehicle transfers the article to and from the first transfer device at a preset position within the travelable range, it is easy to keep the moving distance of the first transfer device that moves to transfer the article to the shuttle transfer vehicle small.

[0050] Also, the second transfer device includes an automated guided vehicle that holds and transfers the article between the article station and the shuttle transfer vehicle. The intermediate transfer device includes a delivery unit. It is preferable that the delivery unit is used for transferring the article between the automated guided vehicle and the shuttle transfer vehicle.

[0051] With this configuration, since goods are transferred between the automated guided vehicle (AGV) and the shuttle transport vehicle via the transfer unit, the possibility of the AGV waiting to receive or transfer goods from the shuttle transport vehicle, or the shuttle transport vehicle waiting to receive or transfer goods from the AGV, can be reduced. Therefore, the efficiency of goods transport can be improved.

[0052] Furthermore, the warehouse comprises a plurality of warehouse units each equipped with the storage shelves, the first transport device, and the intermediate transport device, the second transport device comprising a plurality of automated guided vehicles for holding and transporting the articles, and each of the plurality of automated guided vehicles transporting the articles between the article station and the intermediate transport device provided in each of the plurality of warehouse units.

[0053] In this configuration, multiple automated guided vehicles (AGVs) transport goods to intermediate transport devices provided in each of the multiple warehouse units. Therefore, in a configuration with multiple warehouse units, the efficiency of goods transport can be increased. Furthermore, by using AGVs, the space between the goods station and these warehouse units can be kept smaller compared to using other transport means such as conveyors, and consequently, the size of the automated warehouse can be suppressed. In addition, the degree of freedom in the layout of goods stations and multiple warehouse units in the automated warehouse can be increased.

[0054] Furthermore, the first conveying device is provided with a pair of storage shelves arranged on both sides of the Y direction relative to the first conveying device, the intermediate conveying device corresponding to one of the pair of storage shelves is provided with a storage conveying conveyor which is a conveying conveyor for storing the articles in the storage shelf, the intermediate conveying device corresponding to the other of the pair of storage shelves is provided with a storage conveying conveyor which is a conveying conveyor for discharging the articles from the storage shelf, the end of the storage conveying conveyor on the first side in the X direction is a receiving section for receiving the articles from the automated guided vehicle, and the end of the storage conveying conveyor on the first side in the X direction is a handover section for handing over the articles to the automated guided vehicle. Preferably, the automated guided vehicle travels toward the second side in the X direction to deliver the item to the receiving section, and then travels toward the Y direction from the receiving conveyor side toward the outbound conveyor side to receive another item from the delivery section.

[0055] According to this configuration, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) can hand over the goods it is currently transporting to the receiving unit, and then receive and transport other goods from the handover unit. This improves the efficiency of goods transport by the AGV, and consequently, improves the overall efficiency of goods transport in the automated warehouse.

[0056] The automated warehouse relating to this disclosure only needs to achieve at least one of the effects described above.

[0057] 1: Automated warehouse 2: Storage section 3: Storage shelves 4: First conveying device 5: Second conveying device 6: Item station 7: Warehouse unit 8: Automated guided vehicle 9: Delivery section 9a: Receiving section 9b: Delivery section 10: Intermediate conveying device 12: Conveyor 12a: Conveyor for receiving goods 12b: Conveyor for shipping goods 14: Shuttle transport vehicle 15: Travel path 20: Storage area 41: Traveling trolley 42: Transfer device 43: Lifting device 100: Shelf X1: First side in the X direction X2: Second side in the X direction

Claims

1. An automated warehouse comprising: a storage rack having a plurality of storage compartments capable of accommodating articles; a first transport device that moves along the storage rack to transport the articles, wherein the plurality of storage compartments are arranged in the X direction and vertically, with the X direction being a specific direction along a horizontal plane; a second transport device for transporting the articles; an article station where at least one of supplying the articles to the second transport device and performing work on the articles transported by the second transport device is performed; and an intermediate transport device for transporting the articles between the first transport device and the second transport device, wherein the first transport device comprises a traveling trolley; a transfer device for holding and transferring the articles; and a lifting device mounted on the traveling trolley for raising and lowering the transfer device, wherein the intermediate transport device is positioned so as to overlap with the storage area in the vertical view, with the X direction in which the plurality of storage compartments on the storage rack are arranged as the storage area, and transports the articles along the X direction. An automated warehouse comprising: a first conveying device that conveys the articles between the intermediate conveying device and the storage section; and a second conveying device that conveys the articles between the article station and the intermediate conveying device.

2. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate transport device comprises a transport conveyor for transporting the articles along the X direction, the transport conveyor is arranged to overlap with the storage area in a vertical view, the second transport device comprises an automated guided vehicle for holding and transporting the articles, and the automated guided vehicle transports the articles between the article station and the transport conveyor.

3. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate transport device comprises a shuttle transport vehicle that travels back and forth along the X direction, the travel path of the shuttle transport vehicle is arranged to overlap with the storage area when viewed in the vertical direction, and the shuttle transport vehicle is configured to transfer the articles to and from the first transport device at a predetermined position within the travelable area.

4. The automated warehouse according to claim 3, wherein the second transport device comprises an automated guided vehicle that holds and transports the articles between the article station and the shuttle transport vehicle, the intermediate transport device comprises a transfer unit, and the transfer unit is used for transferring the articles between the automated guided vehicle and the shuttle transport vehicle.

5. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of warehouse units each equipped with the storage shelves, the first transport device, and the intermediate transport device, wherein the second transport device comprises a plurality of automated guided vehicles for holding and transporting the articles, and each of the plurality of automated guided vehicles transports the articles between the article station and the intermediate transport device provided in each of the plurality of warehouse units.

6. With respect to the first transport device, a pair of storage shelves are provided, arranged on both sides of the Y direction relative to the first transport device, with respect to one of the pair of storage shelves being the first X direction side, the other X direction being the second X direction side, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction in an up-and-down view being the Y direction, the intermediate transport device corresponding to one of the pair of storage shelves is provided with a storage conveyor, which is the transport conveyor for storing the articles in the storage shelf, the intermediate transport device corresponding to the other of the pair of storage shelves is provided with a storage conveyor, which is the transport conveyor for discharging the articles from the storage shelf, the end of the storage conveyor on the first X direction side is a receiving section for receiving the articles from the automated guided vehicle, and the end of the storage conveyor on the first X direction side is a handover section for handing over the articles to the automated guided vehicle. The automated warehouse according to claim 2, wherein the automated guided vehicle travels toward the second side in the X direction to deliver the item to the receiving section, and then travels toward the Y direction from the receiving conveyor side toward the outbound conveyor side to receive another item from the delivery section.

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