Automated warehouse

Abstract

This automated warehouse comprises a rack structure and a transport cart that travels within the rack structure. The rack structure includes: a plurality of goods-bearing shelves disposed in a plurality of levels arranged in a vertical direction and disposed in a plurality of rows arranged in a width direction, for bearing goods; a plurality of travel rails disposed in a plurality of levels and in a plurality of rows, for allowing the transport cart to move in a depth direction of the rack structure; a walkway located below the travel rails on a prescribed level among the plurality of levels; a lifting rail for allowing the transport cart to move in the vertical direction; and a traverse passage located on the prescribed level where the walkway is located, for allowing the transport cart to move between adjacent travel rails.

Description

Automated Warehouse

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

[0002] As one type of automated warehouse, a storage and retrieval system including a mobile robot that picks and conveys articles (such as totes or containers) stored at a plurality of levels is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The mobile robot can move between a plurality of levels without requiring a lift or a vertical conveyor. The mobile robot is movable horizontally along a horizontal track of a rack structure. The mobile robot is also movable vertically along a vertical track of the rack structure.

[0003] Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2018-517646

[0004] In the above-described system, a plurality of workstations for picking products or the like from totes or containers are provided. A flat transit deck is provided between the rack structure and these workstations so that the mobile robot can travel in two horizontal directions. The flat transit deck mutually connects the rack structure and the plurality of workstations. The mobile robot is movable from the planar transit deck to at least two aisles of the rack structure.

[0005] In such a conventional system, an installation space for the flat transit deck is required separately from the installation space for the rack structure. Therefore, there is a limit to storage efficiency (for example, the number of stored articles per unit area) relative to the total installation area of the automated warehouse, and it has been difficult to improve the storage efficiency. In addition, in order for the mobile robot to move to another aisle in the rack structure, the mobile robot must once move to the flat transit deck outside the rack structure, making flexible movement between aisles in the rack structure difficult.

[0006] The present disclosure describes an automated warehouse capable of improving storage efficiency and improving the degree of freedom of movement of a transport carriage.

[0007] [1] An automated warehouse according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an automated warehouse comprising a rack structure and a transport trolley that travels within the rack structure, wherein the rack structure comprises a plurality of load-carrying shelves arranged in a plurality of rows in the vertical direction and a plurality of columns in the width direction for placing loads, a plurality of running rails arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of levels for the transport trolley to move in the depth direction of the rack structure, a walkway arranged below the running rails at a predetermined level among the plurality of levels, a lifting rail for the transport trolley to move in the vertical direction, and a traverse passage arranged at a predetermined level where the walkway is located for the transport trolley to move between adjacent running rails.

[0008] In the automated warehouse of [1], the rack structure has a transverse passage for transport carts to move between adjacent running rails on a predetermined level where walkways are located. This improves the freedom of movement of transport carts compared to the case where the transverse passage is provided separately outside the rack structure. Furthermore, in this automated warehouse, since the transverse passage is located on a predetermined level where walkways are located, the transverse passage can be installed using the extra height added for the walkway. Therefore, the increase in the height of the level on which the transverse passage is installed can be suppressed, and the decrease in storage efficiency in the vertical direction can be suppressed. In addition, on levels where transverse passages are not installed, luggage racks can be installed in the parts that overlap with the transverse passages. Therefore, compared to the case where transverse passages are provided outside the rack structure, the space without luggage racks (dead space) can be reduced, and storage efficiency can be improved. Thus, this automated warehouse improves storage efficiency and also improves the freedom of movement of transport carts.

[0009] [2] In the automated warehouse described in [1] above, the transport cart has driven wheels and running wheels, and the transverse passage has a ramp at the connection point between the running rail and the transverse passage to receive the driven wheels, and the ramp may overlap with the walkway in a plan view at a position above the walkway. In this case, the ramp receiving the driven wheels prevents the running wheels from falling into the gap formed between the running rail and the transverse passage. Also, the ramp overlaps with the walkway in a plan view at a position above the walkway. As a result, the gap between the transverse passage and the walkway is covered by the ramp, which can improve the safety of workers on the walkway, for example.

[0010] [3] In the automated warehouse described in [1] or [2] above, the transport cart has running wheels, the running wheels include a pair of drive wheels, the transport cart is capable of turning by rotating the pair of drive wheels in opposite directions, the traverse aisle has an intersection where it intersects with the running rail, and the intersection may have a flat surface for the transport cart to turn. In this case, the transport cart can turn on the flat surface at the intersection of the traverse aisle and the running rail. No separate, costly running mechanism is required for lateral movement. Even a relatively inexpensive swivel-type transport cart can move in two horizontal directions.

[0011] [4] In the automated warehouse described in [3] above, the traverse aisle may have a horizontal member for the transport cart to travel on and a guide member that protrudes upward in the vertical direction to guide the transport cart. In this case, the presence of the guide member can prevent the transport cart from falling off the traverse aisle even if its movement becomes unstable.

[0012] [5] In any one of the automated warehouses described in [1] to [4] above, storage shelves may be placed on shelves other than the designated shelves in a position that overlaps with the horizontal aisle in a plan view. In this case, while horizontal aisles are provided on the designated shelves, more storage shelves can be placed on shelves where horizontal aisles are not required. For example, a wider storage space can be secured in areas adjacent to the horizontal aisle in the vertical direction.

[0013] [6] In any one of the automated warehouses described in [1] to [5] above, the rack structure may be arranged on a predetermined level, adjacent to the transverse passage in the depth direction, and may have another transverse passage for transport carts to move between adjacent running rails. In this case, even if a transport cart cannot move back and forth in one transverse passage, it can move back and forth in the width direction by using the transverse passages as a pair for back and forth movement.

[0014] According to this disclosure, storage efficiency can be improved, and the freedom of movement of the transport trolley can be increased.

[0015] Figure 1 is a side view of an automated warehouse according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a plan view of a level on which a traverse aisle is arranged. Figure 3 is a side view of a transport trolley. Figure 4 is a detailed plan view of the traverse aisle in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the traverse aisle along line VV in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the traverse aisle along line VI-VI in Figure 4. Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connection between the pair of running rails and the traverse aisle in Figure 5. Figure 8 shows the state in which the transport trolley has moved from the running rails to the traverse aisle. Figure 9 shows the state in which the transport trolley has turned from the running rails to the traverse aisle. Figure 10 shows the transport trolley traversing the traverse aisle.

[0016] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted. In the drawings, for the sake of convenience of explanation, each configuration of the embodiment will be shown with appropriate changes in scale. Some drawings will also show the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. In the following description, this coordinate system will be referred to for ease of explanation. Hereinafter, one direction along the horizontal plane will be referred to as the X direction (depth direction), the direction perpendicular to the X direction and along the horizontal plane will be referred to as the Y direction (width direction), and the vertical direction will be referred to as the Z direction (up and down direction).

[0017] First, the overall configuration of the automated warehouse 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the automated warehouse 1 comprises a rack structure 2 having a plurality of rack units 3, and a transport trolley 30 that travels within the rack structure 2. The rack structure 2 is formed by connecting long steel members, etc., that extend in the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. The transport trolley 30 transports the goods T stored in the plurality of rack units 3. As shown in Figure 2, the automated warehouse 1 comprises a plurality of (three in this example) rack units 3. The plurality of rack units 3 are arranged in a plurality of rows (three in this example) in the Y direction. Each rack unit 3 has a pair of racks 4 that face each other in the Y direction and extend in the X direction. A horizontal travel space Sh is formed between these pairs of racks 4, on which the plurality of transport trolleys 30 travel. Each transport trolley 30 travels in the X direction, except when traveling in the traverse passage 7 which will be described later. In this specification, the depth direction and the width direction correspond to the longitudinal direction and the short direction of the rack unit 3 (rack structure 2) in a plan view, respectively. The longitudinal direction and the short direction of the rack unit 3 are the X direction and the Y direction in this embodiment, respectively.

[0018] Each of the racks 4 has multiple (12 in this example) luggage racks 5 (storage racks) arranged in the Z direction. The multiple luggage racks 5 form multiple levels. That is, the multiple luggage racks 5 are arranged in multiple levels. The multiple luggage racks 5 can hold or store luggage T.

[0019] The configuration of the rack structure 2 and rack unit 3 can be appropriately changed depending on the required storage capacity and volume of goods T, and the size of the available installation space. The automated warehouse 1 may be equipped with three or more rack units 3 (i.e., three or more pairs of racks 4) to store a larger amount of goods T. When a large number of rack units 3 are provided, these rack units 3 are arranged in the Y direction. In addition, transport trolleys 30 traveling in two adjacent horizontal travel spaces Sh in the Y direction may share racks and goods storage shelves placed between them. In the example shown in Figure 1, each rack unit 3 has 12 vertical levels, but the number of levels can also be appropriately changed and set.

[0020] The automated warehouse 1 is installed, for example, on the floor surface F inside a building. As shown in Figure 2, the automated warehouse 1 includes a plurality (for example, three) of picking stations 100 located outside the rack structure 2. As an example, three picking stations 100 are provided adjacent to one end of the rack structure 2 in the X direction. At each picking station 100, predetermined picking is performed by an operator or a picking robot (work robot), etc.

[0021] The automated warehouse 1 is equipped with a controller 101 that comprehensively controls the transport of goods T by each transport cart 30. The controller 101 can communicate with terminals (operation unit, operation panel, etc.) provided at all transport carts 30 and each picking station 100 via wired or wireless communication means. The controller 101 is a computer that includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0022] The automated warehouse 1 includes an receiving station (not shown). For example, the receiving station is located outside the rack structure 2 and in a different area from the picking station 100. In the automated warehouse 1, the goods T are, for example, containers (also called totes, etc.) that hold multiple goods. The goods T stored in the rack unit 3 via the receiving station are transported and released by the transport cart 30 in response to requests from each picking station 100, or under control by the controller 101. After picking at each picking station 100, the goods T are transported and stored by the transport cart 30, or (if the container is empty) are transported to the receiving station as empty containers.

[0023] Each transport cart 30 is an autonomous mobile robot. In the automated warehouse 1, each transport cart 30 can travel horizontally and vertically (up and down) independently within the rack unit 3. The functions of the transport carts 30 enable the storage, transport, sorting, and picking of goods T in the automated warehouse 1. Since the rack unit 3 and picking station 100 are modularized, they can be expanded (added) according to the required capacity. The number of transport carts 30 operating in the automated warehouse 1 can also be expanded (added) in the same way. The transport carts 30 are, for example, compatible with refrigerated and frozen environments, and can realize storage environments with multiple temperature zones such as ambient temperature, chilled, and frozen on each shelf of the rack unit 3.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rack structure 2 comprises a plurality of running rails 10 extending in the X direction and a plurality of lifting rails 20 extending vertically within the rack unit 3. Each unit constituting the plurality of running rails 10 is a pair of running rail members (running rails 10) spaced apart in the Y direction. The pair of running rails 10 is composed of a first horizontal beam member 42, which will be described later (see Figure 4). The pair of running rails 10 is arranged on each level of the rack unit 3. The pair of running rails 10 extend parallel to each other and spaced apart in the Y direction, corresponding to a pair of drive wheels 32 of the transport trolley 30, which will be described later. Within the rack unit 3, a horizontal running space Sh extends in the X direction, having the area between the pair of running rails 10 as its bottom surface and having a predetermined height (cross-sectional area) that allows the transport trolley 30 to pass through. Each transport trolley 30 travels horizontally in the X direction on the running rails 10.

[0025] The lifting rails 20 are provided, for example, at multiple locations in the X direction within the rack unit 3. The lifting rails 20 are composed of, for example, multiple sets (two sets in this embodiment) of lifting rail materials (lifting rails 20). In the example shown in Figure 1, two sets of lifting rails 20, one pair aligned in the Y direction, are aligned in the X direction. The lifting rails 20 are spaced, for example, a predetermined distance apart in the X direction. The lifting rails 20 extend in the Z direction so as to penetrate all the levels of the rack unit 3.

[0026] One of the two sets of lifting rails 20 may be dedicated to upward movement and the other to downward movement, or both sets of lifting rails 20 may be used for both upward and downward movement. A rectangular prism-shaped vertical travel space Sv having a predetermined cross-sectional area that allows the passage of the transport trolley 30 extends in the Z direction. Note that in Figure 1, part of the rack unit 3 is omitted from the illustration so that the two sets of lifting rails 20 can be easily recognized. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, one set of lifting rails 20 (that is, a pair of lifting rails 20 aligned in the Y direction) is provided independently of the other set of lifting rails 20.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the transport trolley 30 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a side view of the transport trolley 30. The transport trolley 30 can travel in any direction by forward and reverse rotation of the drive wheels 32, so there is no particular concept of front and rear. In the following explanation, the side on which the housing 35 and the information and communication unit 39 are provided will be referred to as the rear, and the opposite side will be referred to as the front. The transport trolley 30 includes a flat base portion 31 and a housing 35 provided on the base portion 31. A trolley controller (not shown) that controls the movement of the transport trolley 30 is provided inside the housing 35. The trolley controller communicates information with the controller 101 to cause the transport trolley 30 to transport the cargo T.

[0028] The transport trolley 30 includes a pair of drive wheels 32 mounted slightly rearward of the base portion 31 and, for example, two pairs of support wheels 33 mounted in front of the base portion 31. The pair of drive wheels 32 and the two pairs of support wheels 33 constitute the running wheels 81 that run on the running rail 10. The transport trolley 30 includes four guide rollers 34 located at the four corners of the base portion 31 and rotatable about a vertical axis. The transport trolley 30 further includes a pair of lower counter wheels 36 and a pair of lifting pinions 38 mounted coaxially with the drive shafts 32a of the drive wheels 32, and a pair of upper counter wheels 37 having an upper counter shaft 37a located above the drive shafts 32a. The drive shafts 32a of the drive wheels 32, the rotation axes of the support wheels 33, and the upper counter shafts 37a of the upper counter wheels 37 are parallel to each other and extend horizontally in the width direction of the base portion 31.

[0029] The drive wheels 32 are driven by a drive motor (not shown) and rotate in either forward or reverse direction. The left and right drive wheels 32 may be driven by a single common drive motor, or by two separate drive motors. On the other hand, the lifting pinion 38 is driven by the drive motor of the drive wheels 32 and rotates in either forward or reverse direction. The lower counter wheel 36 and the lifting pinion 38 are movable in the axial direction relative to the drive shaft 32a via splines or the like. The lifting pinion 38 rotates with the drive motor of the drive wheels 32, but its axial position is controlled by another motor (not shown). The lower counter wheel 36 also moves axially with the lifting pinion 38, but the lower counter wheel 36 is mounted to the drive shaft 32a via bearings and rotates freely independently of the rotation of the drive wheels 32 and the lifting pinion 38. The upper counter wheel 37 (upper counter shaft 37a) also has its axial position controlled by another motor (not shown), similar to the lower counter wheel 36. The lower counter wheel 36, the lifting pinion 38, and the upper counter wheel 37 move axially in synchronous motion. The mechanical interlocking of these components is achieved using known mechanical elements.

[0030] The transport trolley 30 has driven wheels 82 in addition to the running wheels 81. The driven wheels 82 are provided on the lower surface of the base portion 31 of the transport trolley 30. The driven wheels 82 are supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis parallel to the horizontal plane. The driven wheels 82 also have a pivot axis parallel to the vertical direction and are supported so as to be rotatable around this pivot axis. The driven wheels 82 are, for example, caster wheels. When the transport trolley 30 rotates, the rotation axis of the driven wheels 82 rotates around the pivot axis. The driven wheels 82 come into contact with the upper surface 7a of the traverse passage 7 when the transport trolley 30 is traveling on the traverse passage 7, which will be described later. The driven wheels 82 do not come into contact with the running rails 10 when the transport trolley 30 is traveling on a pair of running rails 10.

[0031] The driven wheel 82 is positioned at the front of the transport trolley 30. The driven wheel 82 is positioned in the center of the transport trolley 30 in the width direction. In this embodiment, there is one driven wheel 82, but the number of driven wheels 82 is not limited to one and may be two or more. The arrangement of the driven wheel 82 is not limited to the above configuration; for example, the driven wheel 82 may be positioned at the rear of the transport trolley 30.

[0032] The drive mechanism in the transport trolley 30 may be configured with a different known configuration than that described above.

[0033] A retaining frame 31a is provided in front of the base portion 31. In the transport trolley 30, both sides of the retaining frame 31a in the width direction are open so that the load T can pass through in the width direction of the transport trolley 30 (horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, i.e., left and right direction). This allows the load T to be transferred (moved) by sliding it between the retaining space of the retaining frame 31a and the pair of racks 4.

[0034] The transport trolley 30 travels in the X direction with a pair of drive wheels 32 and two pairs of support wheels 33 resting on the running surface (first guide surface 42a) of a pair of running rails 10. The four guide rollers 34 of the transport trolley 30 contact the guide surface (second guide surface 42b) of the running rails 10, thereby maintaining the correct position of the transport trolley 30 in the width direction.

[0035] Furthermore, when the transport trolley 30 travels along the upper surface 7a of the transverse passage 7 (described later), the pair of drive wheels 32 and driven wheels 82 come into contact with the upper surface 7a of the transverse passage 7. The transport trolley 30 can rotate by rotating the pair of drive wheels 32 in opposite directions. In this case, the pivot center C of the transport trolley 30 is the center of the drive shaft 32a of the pair of drive wheels 32 when viewed from above (see Figure 8). Also, in a plan view, the driven wheels 82 trace an arc-shaped trajectory centered on the pivot center C.

[0036] The configuration of the rack 4 of the rack unit 3 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the rack 4 has a plurality of column members 41, a plurality of first horizontal beam members 42, a plurality of second horizontal beam members 43, and a plurality of shelf members 44. The column members 41 are columnar members erected on the floor or foundation of the building where the automated warehouse 1 is installed. The column members 41 are made of materials such as steel, aluminum, or stainless steel. However, the column members 41 are not limited to the above materials and may be made of other materials. The plurality of column members 41 extend in the Z direction and are arranged with a predetermined interval D (opening dimension) between them. The predetermined interval D can be set to any length. The plurality of column members 41 have column members 41a arranged on the side of the horizontal travel space Sh in the Y direction, and column members 41b arranged on the opposite side from the horizontal travel space Sh. In adjacent rack units 3, the column members 41b installed on the adjacent side of each rack unit 3 are shared.

[0037] The first horizontal beam member 42 is a member that extends in the X direction at a position between the rack 4 and the horizontal travel space Sh. The first horizontal beam member 42 extends in the X direction along the arrangement direction of the column members 41a. Multiple first horizontal beam members 42 are arranged in the Z direction. The first horizontal beam members 42 are provided corresponding to each stage. The first horizontal beam member 42 is fixed to the column members 41a, for example, via a bracket 41c provided on the column members 41a (see Figure 6).

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, the first horizontal beam member 42 has a first guide surface 42a, a second guide surface 42b, and an upper surface 42c. The first horizontal beam member 42 is formed by bending a plate-shaped member made from a material such as steel, aluminum, or stainless steel by press working or the like. However, the first horizontal beam member 42 is not limited to the above materials and may be formed from other materials.

[0039] Of the pair of racks 4, one first horizontal beam member 42 and the other first horizontal beam member 42 constitute a pair of running rails 10, which will be described later. The first guide surface 42a constitutes a running surface on which the running wheels 81 of the transport trolley can roll. The first guide surface 42a is a surface perpendicular to the Z direction and parallel to the horizontal plane. The second guide surface 42b constitutes a surface on which the guide rollers 34 of the transport trolley 30 can roll. The second guide surface 42b is a surface perpendicular to the Y direction and parallel to the vertical plane. The upper surface 42c is on which one end of the shelf member 44 in the Y direction is placed. The upper surface 42c is inclined downward from one side (the side of the horizontal running space Sh) to the other side in the Y direction. Note that the first horizontal beam members 42 may have a shape different from that described above.

[0040] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the second horizontal beam member 43 is a member that extends in the X direction at the end of the rack unit 3 in the Y direction (at the rear of the luggage rack 5). The second horizontal beam member 43 extends in the X direction along the arrangement direction of the column members 41b. The second horizontal beam member 43 is arranged to face the first horizontal beam member 42 in the Y direction. Multiple second horizontal beam members 43 are arranged in the Z direction. The second horizontal beam members 43 are provided corresponding to each of the above-mentioned stages. The second horizontal beam member 43 is fixed to the column members 41b via brackets (not shown) provided on the column members 41b. The second horizontal beam member 43 is made of, for example, a pair of lip steel (see Figure 6). However, the second horizontal beam member 43 may have a shape different from lip steel. The second horizontal beam member 43 is made of, for example, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, etc. However, the second horizontal beam member 43 is not limited to the above material and shape and may be made of other materials.

[0041] The shelf members 44 are members for holding (placing) luggage T. Multiple shelf members 44 constitute a luggage rack 5. The shelf members 44 are stretched across the first horizontal beam member 42 and the second horizontal beam member 43. The shelf members 44 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the X direction. Luggage T is placed so as to straddle one shelf member 44 and the other shelf member 44 that are adjacent to each other in the X direction. The shelf members 44 are made of materials such as steel, aluminum, or stainless steel. However, the shelf members 44 are not limited to the above materials and may be made of other materials.

[0042] Next, the lifting rail 20 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the lifting rail 20 has a U-shaped cross-section that is open in the Y direction toward the horizontal travel space Sh. A gap is formed in the travel rail 10 so as to coincide with the position of the open part of the lifting rail 20. In other words, from a broad perspective, the travel rail 10 and the lifting rail 20 intersect at a right angle, but from a finer perspective, the travel rail 10 is interrupted at the intersection with the lifting rail 20. This gap allows the drive shaft 32a and the upper counter shaft 37a to pass through when the transport trolley 30 is raised and lowered.

[0043] The lifting rail 20 has a pair of inner surfaces facing each other in the X direction, each having a rack gear section extending in the Z direction (not shown). The rack gear section includes a linear gear that meshes with the lifting pinion 38. The position of the rack gear section corresponds to the position of the lifting pinion 38 when it has advanced in the width direction (Y direction) of the transport trolley 30. The lifting rail 20 also has a groove section adjacent to the rack gear section in the Y direction (not shown). The position of the groove section corresponds to the positions of the lower counter wheel 36 and upper counter wheel 37 when the rack gear section has advanced in the width direction (Y direction) of the transport trolley 30.

[0044] While traveling on the traveling rails 10, the transport carriage 30 can always grasp the position of the own carriage. A carriage controller of the transport carriage 30 sequentially acquires detection values from an encoder provided, for example, to a drive motor of a drive wheel 32, and grasps the position of the own carriage in the rack unit 3 (on the traveling rails 10) based on the acquired detection values. When the transport carriage 30 moves to another tier, for example, an upper tier, it stops at the position of the lifting rail 20. Then, the lifting pinion 38, the lower counter wheel 36, and the upper counter wheel 37 are advanced in the width direction of the transport carriage 30, and the drive wheels 32 and the like are retracted in the width direction of the transport carriage 30 by another motor or the like. The lifting pinion 38 meshes with the rack gear portion of the lifting rail 20, and the lower counter wheel 36 and the upper counter wheel 37 fit into the aforementioned grooves of the lifting rail 20. The drive wheels 32 retract to a position inward in the width direction relative to the first guide surface 42a of the traveling rail 10. In this state, the transport carriage 30 ascends along the lifting rail 20 by rotating the lifting pinion 38. When the transport carriage 30 moves to a lower tier, it descends along the lifting rail 20 by rotating the lifting pinion 38 in reverse.

[0045] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the automated warehouse 1 includes a traverse path 7 (traverse deck) for the transport carriage 30 to move between adjacent traveling rails 10. The traverse path 7 is a path for the transport carriage 30 to move in the Y direction between the traveling rails 10 provided on adjacent rack units 3. The traverse path 7 is disposed on the tier LV where the gallery 6 is arranged. The traverse path 7 is formed in a flat shape parallel to the horizontal plane and extends in the Y direction. The traverse path 7 extends to a position overlapping the racks 4 disposed on both sides of the automated warehouse 1 in the Y direction. The traverse path 7 is a flat path disposed so as to cross a plurality of traveling rails 10 aligned in the Y direction.

[0046] The transport trolley 30 can turn and travel horizontally on flat surfaces such as the traverse passage 7. For example, the left and right pair of drive wheels 32 can be driven independently, and the direction of the transport trolley 30 can be changed by rotating one of the drive wheels 32 in the forward direction and the other drive wheel 32 in the reverse direction. Furthermore, by creating a speed difference between the left and right drive wheels 32, the transport trolley 30 can also change direction while traveling.

[0047] As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the rack unit 3 is equipped with walkways 6 for workers to walk on. The walkways 6 are work platforms for workers to work safely, for example, during maintenance. The walkways 6 are located at predetermined levels LV. In this example, the walkways 6 are located every 6 levels. In this embodiment, the walkways 6 are provided at the 6th and 12th levels. The vertical spacing of the walkways 6 may be arbitrarily set, for example, within the reach of a worker on the walkway 6. However, the walkways 6 are not limited to this and may be located at any level. The walkways 6 extend in the X direction. The walkways 6 are located between a pair of racks 4 in the Y direction. In plan view, the walkways 6 overlap with the horizontal travel space Sh.

[0048] The walkway 6 is arranged below the traveling rails 10 (first horizontal beam members 42) on the floor LV. In the present embodiment, the walkway 6 has a portion overlapping with the pair of traveling rails 10 in a plan view. In the example of FIG. 4, both end portions of the walkway 6 in the Y direction are located directly below the pair of traveling rails 10 in the Z direction, and overlap with the pair of traveling rails 10 in a plan view. Note that the walkway 6 does not need to be located directly below the traveling rails 10 in a plan view, and does not need to overlap with the traveling rails 10 in a plan view. The walkway 6 only needs to be arranged at a position that does not interfere with the transport carriage 30 traveling on the traveling rails 10, and only needs to be located below the traveling rails 10 in a side view (when viewed from a horizontal direction orthogonal to the traveling direction). As described above, the phrase "arranged below the traveling rails" means that the walkway is arranged below the traveling rails in a side view, and is not necessarily limited to a configuration in which the walkway is arranged directly below the traveling rails. The walkway 6 is supported by a beam member 45 extending in the X direction via a beam member (not shown) extending in the Y direction (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The beam member 45 extends in the X direction along the arrangement direction of the pillar members 41b. The beam member 45 is arranged below the second horizontal beam member 43. However, the walkway 6 may be supported by a member other than the beam member 45. Both end portions of the walkway 6 in the Y direction overlap with the pair of traveling rails 10 respectively in a plan view (see FIG. 4). The walkway 6 is, for example, a grating having a plurality of through holes penetrating in the Z direction. Note that the walkway 6 does not need to be a grating, and may be a plate-shaped member that does not have a plurality of through holes.

[0049] The walkway 6 includes a walkway 6A located on one side of the traversing passage 7 in the X direction, and a walkway 6B located on the other side of the traversing passage 7. An end portion of the walkway 6A on the traversing passage 7 side in the X direction coincides with an end portion of the traveling rail 10 on the traversing passage 7 side (see FIG. 7). An end portion of the walkway 6B on the traversing passage 7 side in the X direction is located on the opposite side to the traversing passage 7 across the vertical traveling space Sv in the X direction. The walkway 6 is not provided in a region overlapping with the vertical traveling space Sv through which the transport carriage 30 traveling on the lifting rails 20 passes.

[0050] The height H1 of the step LV on which the walkway 6 is located is greater than the standard height H2 of the other steps. Here, the height H1 of the step LV includes the standard height H2 and the walkway installation height ΔH. The standard height H2 is the standard height between the running rails 10. The walkway installation height ΔH is the height for installing the walkway 6. The walkway installation height ΔH is, for example, the height between the running surface (first guide surface 42a) of the running rail 10 of the step LV and the lower surface of the beam member 45 that supports the walkway 6. The walkway installation height ΔH is a vertical margin added to the standard height H2.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, the upper surface 7a of the traverse passage 7 is set at the same height as the first guide surface 42a of the running rail 10. The upper surface 7a of the traverse passage 7 is higher than the walkway 6 located on step LV. The thickness of the traverse passage 7 is less than the walkway installation height ΔH. The traverse passage 7 is located within the range of the walkway installation height ΔH of the walkway 6. With this configuration, there is no need to further increase the height of the step on which the traverse passage 7 is installed, thus suppressing a decrease in storage efficiency in the vertical direction.

[0052] In other words, if the thickness of the traverse passage 7 is greater than the walkway installation height ΔH, it is necessary to further increase the height H1 of the steps LV. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the thickness of the traverse passage 7 is less than the walkway installation height ΔH, and the traverse passage 7 is provided within the range of the walkway installation height ΔH, so the traverse passage 7 can be installed without changing the height H1 of the steps LV or the standard height H2 of the other steps. Therefore, the decrease in storage efficiency in the vertical direction that occurs with the installation of the traverse passage 7 can be suppressed.

[0053] The traverse passage 7 is located inside the rack structure 2. The traverse passage 7 is located between adjacent column members 41 in the X direction. The traverse passage 7 is located within the range SP of the spacing D between the column members 41 in the X direction. In the example of Figure 4, the traverse passage 7 is located on one side of the lifting rail 20 in the X direction. The traverse passage 7 is located between the lifting rail 20 and the column members 41 adjacent to the lifting rail 20 in the X direction. The traverse passage 7 is located adjacent to the lifting rail 20. Hereafter, the side on which the traverse passage 7 is located relative to the lifting rail 20 in the X direction will be referred to as one side S1, and the side opposite to one side S1 will be referred to as the other side S2.

[0054] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the traverse passage 7 is supported by a beam member 45 extending in the X direction and a beam member 46 positioned at a height corresponding to the beam member 45 and extending in the Y direction. However, the traverse passage 7 may also be supported by other members other than the beam member 45 and beam member 46. On steps different from step LV, luggage racks 5 are positioned in a location that overlaps with the traverse passage 7 in a plan view. For example, within the range SP in the X direction, luggage racks 5 are positioned on steps different from the steps on which the traverse passage 7 is provided. Note that the luggage racks 5 do not necessarily have to be positioned in a location that overlaps with the traverse passage 7 in a plan view.

[0055] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the transverse passage 7 has a pair of transverse passages 7A and 7B aligned in the X direction. The pair of transverse passages 7A and 7B each extend in the Y direction. Transverse passage 7B is located on the other side S2 relative to transverse passage 7A. Transverse passage 7B is adjacent to transverse passage 7A in the X direction and is a separate transverse passage from transverse passage 7A. Multiple openings 7b (four in the example of Figure 2) are formed between the pair of transverse passages 7A and 7B. The multiple openings 7b are formed in positions that overlap with the rack 4 when viewed from the X direction. Below, the configuration of transverse passage 7A will be described first, followed by the configuration of transverse passage 7B.

[0056] The traverse passage 7A has multiple (three in the example of Figure 2) intersections 71, multiple (two in the example of Figure 2) traverse sections 72, a protruding section 73, and a guide section 74. The intersections 71 are the parts where the traverse passage 7 and the pair of running rails 10 of the rack unit 3 intersect. When viewed from the X direction, the intersections 71 overlap with the horizontal running space Sh of the traverse passage 7 and the rack unit 3. In the example of Figure 2, multiple intersections 71 are arranged in the Y direction. Each intersection 71 is formed at a position corresponding to the pair of running rails 10 of each rack unit 3. The intersections 71 have a planar section 71a for the transport trolley 30 to rotate. When viewed from the Z direction, the planar section 71a is large enough for the transport trolley 30 to rotate. Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the entire outer track Ra of the transport trolley 30, described later, overlaps with the planar section 71a. This prevents the driven wheels 82 from falling off the flat portion 71a when the transport trolley 30 rotates. Figure 8 shows the rotational trajectory R when the driven wheels 82 rotate 360 ​​degrees.

[0057] In the connection portion J between the intersection portion 71 and the pair of running rails 10, the intersection portion 71 is spaced apart from the pair of running rails 10 in the X direction. The connection portion J includes the boundary portion between the intersection portion 71 and the pair of running rails 10, and the boundary portion between the intersection portion 71 and the walkway 6. A gap G1 is formed between the intersection portion 71 and the pair of running rails 10 in the X direction. The intersection portion 71 is also spaced apart from the walkway 6 in the X direction. A gap G2 is formed between the intersection portion 71 and the walkway 6 in the X direction. In this embodiment, the widths of gaps G1 and G2 are the same in the X direction (see Figure 7). However, the widths of gaps G1 and G2 do not have to be the same.

[0058] The traverse section 72 is positioned between two adjacent intersection sections 71 in the Y direction. The traverse section 72 extends in the Y direction. Both ends of the traverse section 72 in the Y direction are connected to two adjacent intersection sections 71, respectively. The transport trolley 30 moves between the two adjacent intersection sections 71 by traveling along the traverse section 72 in the Y direction. The width of the traverse section 72 in the X direction is greater than the width of the transport trolley 30.

[0059] The protruding portion 73 extends outward in the Y direction from the outermost intersecting portion 71 located in the Y direction. The width of the protruding portion 73 in the X direction is greater than the width of the transport trolley 30.

[0060] The intersecting portion 71, the traversing portion 72, and the protruding portion 73 are composed of horizontal members 75. The horizontal members 75 are made of, for example, wood. As an example, the horizontal members 75 are made of plywood panels. The material of the horizontal members 75 is not limited to wood, and may be made of materials other than wood. The horizontal members 75 may be made of, for example, metal such as iron. The thickness of the horizontal members 75 is, for example, about 30 mm, but the thickness of the horizontal members 75 is not particularly limited and may be any thickness that can support the transport trolley 30.

[0061] The guide portion 74 is composed of a plurality of guide members 77 that protrude upward in the Z direction to guide the transport trolley 30. The plurality of guide members 77 are arranged on both sides in the X direction of the traverse portion 72 and the protruding portion 73, respectively. In addition, one guide member 77 is also arranged on one side in the Y direction at the intersection portion 71 of the traverse passage 7A and the connection portion between the intersection portions 71 of the traverse passage 7B. The plurality of guide members 77 are formed from a metal material such as iron. However, the material of the guide members 77 is not limited to metal and may be any other material.

[0062] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the traverse passage 7A has a slope 76 that protrudes in a plate-like manner from the intersection 71 toward one side S1 in the X direction. The slope 76 is cantilevered to one end S1 of the intersection 71 of the traverse passage 7A. The slope 76 is positioned at the connection point J between the pair of running rails 10 and the intersection 71. In a plan view, the slope 76 overlaps with the walkway 6 at a position above the walkway 6. The slope 76 is positioned to cover the upper part of the gap G2 between the walkway 6 and the intersection 71. This prevents, for example, workers on the walkway 6 from falling into the gap G2. As a result, the safety of workers on the walkway 6 can be improved.

[0063] The slope 76 is formed from a metal material such as iron. However, the material of the slope 76 is not limited to metal; it may be any other material. The thickness of the slope 76 is, for example, about 3 mm, but the thickness of the slope 76 is not particularly limited and can be any thickness that enables lift-up via the driven wheels 82 (described later).

[0064] The slope 76 has a horizontal section 76a and an inclined section 76b. The horizontal section 76a is formed in a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction as the Y direction in a plan view. As shown in Figure 7, the horizontal section 76a protrudes parallel to the horizontal plane from one end S1 in the X direction of the intersection section 71 of the traverse passage 7A. The upper surface of the horizontal section 76a is at the same height as, for example, the upper surface of the intersection section 71. However, the upper surface of the horizontal section 76a does not necessarily have to be at the same height, and a step may be formed between the intersection section 71 and the horizontal section 76a. The inclined section 76b protrudes from one end S1 in the X direction of the horizontal section 76a. The inclined section 76b is inclined such that its position in the Z direction (vertical direction) decreases as it moves away from the end S1 on one side of the horizontal section 76a. The tip of one end S1 of the inclined section 76b is located below the base end on the other side of the inclined section 76b.

[0065] The tip of one side S1 of the inclined portion 76b is spaced apart from the upper surface of the walkway 6 in the Z direction. However, the tip of the inclined portion 76b may be in contact with the walkway 6. In the example in Figure 5, for convenience, the tip of the inclined portion 76b is shown to be in contact with the walkway 6.

[0066] The inclined portion 76b is configured to be able to support the driven wheels 82 of the transport trolley 30 on its upper surface. The inclined portion 76b coincides, for example, with the center line L2 of the pair of running rails 10 in the Y direction (see Figure 9).

[0067] Here, the upper surface of the intersection 71 (upper surface 7a of the traverse passage 7) is designed to be at the same height as the upper surface of the running rail 10 (first guide surface 42a), but due to construction errors, deterioration over time, etc., it may be located slightly above the running surface of the running rail 10. In this case, if the traverse passage 7 does not have a slope 76, a step is formed in the gap G1 between the running rail 10 and the intersection 71, making it easy for the running wheels 81 (especially the support wheels 33) to fall into this gap G1. On the other hand, in this embodiment, when the transport trolley 30 passes through the connection section J, the driven wheels 82 come into contact with the slope 76, and the front of the transport trolley 30 is supported upward (lifted up). As a result, the support wheels 33 are supported by the driven wheels 82 even when passing through the gap G1, so that the support wheels 33 do not fall into the gap.

[0068] The traverse passage 7B differs from the traverse passage 7A in that its slope 76 does not overlap with the walkway 6. The slope 76 of the traverse passage 7B protrudes from the intersection 71 toward the side of the vertical travel space Sv (the other side S2). In plan view, the slope 76 of the traverse passage 7B does not overlap with the vertical travel space Sv. Also, the intersection 71 of the traverse passage 7B is connected to the intersection 71 of the traverse passage 7A in the X direction. The transport trolley 30 can move between the traverse passages 7A and 7B in the X direction at the intersection 71 of the traverse passages 7A and 7B. The other configurations of the traverse passage 7B are the same as those of the traverse passage 7A, so their explanation is omitted.

[0069] Next, with reference to Figures 8 to 10, the procedure for the transport trolley 30 to travel along the traverse passage 7 will be explained. As shown in Figure 8, first, the transport trolley 30 passes through the connection point J between the pair of running rails 10 and the traverse passage 7 and stops at the intersection 71. Specifically, the transport trolley 30 stops so that its pivot point C coincides with the intersection of the center line L1 of the traverse passage 7B in the X direction and the center line L2 between the pair of running rails 10. In Figure 8, the state of the transport trolley 30 before passing through the connection point J (i.e., the state in which the transport trolley 30 was traveling on the pair of running rails 10) is shown by a dashed line.

[0070] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 9, the transport cart 30 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise around the pivot center C by rotating a pair of drive wheels 32 in opposite directions. During this rotation, the driven wheels 82 of the transport cart 30 rotate along the pivot track R. Then, as shown in Figure 10, the transport cart 30 moves along the traverse section 72 of the traverse passage 7 in the Y direction. Through this procedure, the transport cart 30 moves between multiple intersections 71 aligned in the Y direction via the traverse section 72. In Figure 9, the state of the transport cart 30 immediately before rotation is shown by a dashed line.

[0071] In the example shown in Figure 9, the turning track R of the transport trolley 30 has a semicircular outer track Ra located outside the center line L2 in the Y direction, and a semicircular inner track Rb located inside the center line L2 in the Y direction. The outer track Ra is entirely superimposed on the planar portion 71a. On the other hand, the inner track Rb has a portion that does not overlap with the planar portion 71a (for example, a portion that overlaps with the opening formed on the other side S2 in the X direction of the traverse portion 72). Therefore, if the transport trolley 30 turns clockwise, the driven wheels 82 may fall into this portion. For this reason, in the example shown in Figure 9, the transport trolley 30 turns counterclockwise, not clockwise.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport trolley 30 moves in only one direction in the Y direction on the transverse passage 7A, and only in the other direction on the transverse passage 7B. Therefore, when the transport trolley 30 travels back and forth in the Y direction across multiple intersections 71, as shown by arrow M in Figure 10, the transport trolley 30 travels back and forth between the rack units 3 by, for example, using the transverse passage 7B as the outbound path and the transverse passage 7A as the return path. In this case, the transverse passages 7A and 7B form a pair for the transport trolley 30 to travel back and forth. Note that in Figure 10, the state of traveling on the transverse passage 7B, which is the outbound path, is shown by a solid line, and the state of traveling on the transverse passage 7A, which is the return path, is shown by a dashed line.

[0073] Furthermore, the transport trolley 30 does not necessarily have to move along the traverse passage 7A in only one direction; it may move along the traverse passage 7A in both directions in the Y-direction. Similarly, the transport trolley 30 may move along the traverse passage 7B in both directions in the Y-direction.

[0074] In the automated warehouse 1 according to this embodiment, the rack structure 2 has a traverse passage 7 for transport trolleys 30 to move between adjacent running rails 10 on a predetermined level LV where a walkway 6 is located. This improves the freedom of movement of the transport trolleys 30 compared to the case where the traverse passage 7 is separately provided outside the rack structure 2. Furthermore, in this automated warehouse, since the traverse passage 7 is located on the level LV where the walkway 6 is located, the traverse passage 7 can be installed using the walkway installation height ΔH provided for the installation of the walkway 6. Therefore, an increase in the height H1 of the level LV can be suppressed, and a decrease in storage efficiency in the vertical direction can be suppressed. In addition, on levels where the traverse passage 7 is not installed, luggage racks 5 can be installed in the portion that overlaps with the traverse passage 7. Therefore, compared to the case where the traverse passage 7 is provided outside the rack structure 2, the space without luggage racks 5 (dead space) can be reduced, and storage efficiency can be improved. Thus, this automated warehouse 1 improves storage efficiency and also improves the freedom of movement of the transport trolleys 30.

[0075] Furthermore, since the traverse passage 7 is located within the rack structure 2, the structural members that make up the rack structure 2 can also be used as structural members for the traverse passage 7. For example, in this embodiment, the column members 41 of the rack structure 2 are also used as structural members for the traverse passage 7. This makes it possible to suppress the additional material costs that would occur if the traverse passage 7 were provided separately outside the rack structure 2.

[0076] The traverse passage 7 has a ramp 76 that receives the driven wheels 82 of the transport trolley 30. In this configuration, the ramp 76 receiving the driven wheels 82 prevents the wheels from falling into the gap G1 formed between the running rail 10 and the traverse passage 7. Furthermore, the ramp 76 overlaps with the walkway 6 in a plan view at a position above the walkway 6. As a result, the gap G2 between the traverse passage 7 and the walkway 6 is covered by the ramp 76, which improves the safety of workers on the walkway 6, for example, during maintenance.

[0077] The intersection 71 of the traverse passage 7 has a flat section 71a for the transport trolley 30 to rotate. In this configuration, the transport trolley 30 can rotate on the flat section 71a. In this case, a separate, costly travel mechanism for lateral movement is unnecessary. Even a relatively inexpensive swivel-type transport trolley 30 can move in two horizontal directions.

[0078] The traverse passage 7 has guide members 77 that protrude upward in the vertical direction to guide the transport trolley 30. This prevents the transport trolley 30 from falling from the traverse passage 7 even if its movement becomes unstable.

[0079] On levels other than the designated level LV, luggage racks 5 are positioned in a location that overlaps with the lateral passage 7 in a plan view. This allows for the placement of more luggage racks 5 on levels where the lateral passage 7 is not needed, while still providing the lateral passage 7 on the designated level LV. For example, a wider storage space can be secured in areas adjacent to the lateral passage 7 in the vertical direction. As a result, the number of luggage items T that can be stored can be increased.

[0080] The rack structure has a traverse passage 7B separate from the traverse passage 7A. This allows the transport trolley 30 to move back and forth in the Y direction even if it cannot move back and forth using only one traverse passage 7A, by using traverse passages 7A and 7B as a pair for reciprocation.

[0081] While embodiments and modifications have been described above, one aspect of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the transverse passage 7 was provided within the range of the walkway installation height ΔH, but the installation area of ​​the transverse passage 7 may be outside the range of the walkway installation height ΔH. Even in that case, at least the overlapping portion can suppress the decrease in storage efficiency in the vertical direction. In the above embodiment, the intersection portion 71 had a planar portion for the transport cart 30 to turn, but it is not limited to this form. For example, if the transport cart 30 has a separate travel mechanism for lateral travel and can move in two mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, turning to move the transverse passage 7 in the Y direction is unnecessary. In this case, the transport cart 30 can move the transverse passage 7 in the Y direction even if there is no planar portion 71a. Also, in the above embodiment, the transverse passage 7 had a slope 76, but it does not have to. Also, the transverse passage 7 had a transverse passage 7B separate from the transverse passage 7A, but it does not have to.

[0083] 1...Automated warehouse, 2...Rack structure, 5...Luggage rack, 6, 6A, 6B...Walkway, 7, 7A, 7B...Traverse passage, 10...Running rail, 20...Lifting rail, 30...Transport trolley, 32...Driven wheel, 71...Intersection, 71a...Plane section, 75...Horizontal member, 76...Slope, 77...Guide member, 81...Running wheel, 82...Driven wheel, J...Connection section, LV...Determined level, SP...Range, T...Luggage.

Claims

1. An automated warehouse comprising a rack structure and a transport trolley that travels within the rack structure, wherein the rack structure comprises: a plurality of load-carrying shelves arranged in a plurality of vertical rows and a plurality of horizontal rows for placing loads; a plurality of running rails arranged in the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns for the transport trolley to move in the depth direction of the rack structure; a walkway located below the running rails at a predetermined level among the plurality of levels; a lifting rail for the transport trolley to move vertically; and a traverse passage located at the predetermined level where the walkway is located for the transport trolley to move between adjacent running rails.

2. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the transport trolley has driven wheels and running wheels, the transverse passage has a ramp for receiving the driven wheels at the connection point between the running rail and the transverse passage, and the ramp overlaps with the walkway in a plan view at a position above the walkway.

3. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transport trolley has running wheels, the running wheels include a pair of drive wheels, the transport trolley is capable of turning by rotating the pair of drive wheels in opposite directions to each other, the traverse passage has an intersection portion that intersects with the running rail, and the intersection portion has a flat portion for the transport trolley to turn.

4. The automated warehouse according to claim 3, wherein the transverse passage comprises a horizontal member for the transport trolley to travel on, and a guide member projecting upward in the vertical direction to guide the transport trolley.

5. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, among the plurality of levels, the luggage racks are arranged in positions that overlap with the traverse passage in a plan view, on levels other than the predetermined level.

6. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rack structure is arranged on the predetermined level and is adjacent to the transverse passage in the depth direction, and has another transverse passage for transport trolleys to move between adjacent travel rails.

Images