JP-7856079-B2 - Goods handling equipment

Inventors

• 古長谷 徹
• 武内 啓

Assignees

• 株式会社ダイフク

Dates

Publication Date

20260511

Application Date

20231017

Claims (5)

1. A goods transport system in which multiple transport vehicles each travel across the floor to transport goods, The system includes a control system for controlling the transport vehicle, The control system is The system includes a first rest mode and a second rest mode as rest modes in which the multiple transport vehicles do not transport the articles. In the first pause mode, multiple transport vehicles are arranged in multiple rows, and passages are provided between adjacent rows of transport vehicles that the transport vehicles can pass through, and all of the transport vehicles in each row are arranged to be adjacent to at least one of the passages. In the second pause mode, the goods transport equipment is configured such that multiple transport vehicles are arranged in close proximity without the provision of passageways.
2. The control system is When the transport vehicle completes the transport of the items, the first pause mode is automatically selected. When instructed by a worker to perform maintenance on the aforementioned floor, the second pause mode is selected. The article transport equipment according to claim 1, wherein in the second pause mode, the arrangement area in which the multiple transport vehicles are densely arranged is changed in response to instructions from the operator.
3. The transport vehicle is equipped with an operable part that is operated by an operator, In the first pause mode, the transport vehicle is arranged such that the operated part is on the side closer to the passageway, as described in claim 1 or 2.
4. Let a specific direction along the floor be the Y direction, and a direction perpendicular to the Y direction along the floor be the X direction, and let one side of the Y direction be the first Y direction side, and let the other side of the Y direction be the second Y direction side. On the aforementioned floor, Multiple passage areas, each extending along the Y direction and arranged to align in the X direction, A supply area is provided which is located on the first side in the Y direction with respect to a plurality of the aforementioned passage areas, and which is equipped with a supply unit for supplying the articles to the transport vehicle, A connecting area that connects multiple passage areas and supply areas to each other, Set Multiple receiving units for receiving the articles from the transport vehicle are arranged along each of the multiple passage areas. The article transport equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in each of the first and second rest modes, at least a portion of the plurality of transport vehicles are configured to stop in the connection area.
5. The article transport equipment according to claim 4, wherein a charging position for charging the transport vehicle by a charger is set in the connection area.

Description

This invention relates to an article conveying system in which multiple transport vehicles convey articles. In recent years, automation of goods handling has been progressing in logistics warehouses and other goods handling facilities. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-128318 (Patent Document 1) describes a goods handling system in which goods (W) are transported by multiple transport vehicles (cage carts 2). Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-128318 Top view of the article conveying equipment according to the first embodimentFront view of the passageway area in Figure 1Figure 1: Control block diagram of the goods transport equipmentFigure 1 shows the first rest mode on the first floor of the floor.Figure 1 shows the first rest mode on the second floor of the floor.Figure 1 shows the second rest mode on the first floor of the floor.Figure 1 shows the second rest mode on the second floor of the floor.A diagram showing the first rest mode in the second embodiment.A diagram showing the second rest mode in the second embodiment.Front view of the passage area in the second embodiment [First Embodiment] In the following, the article conveying equipment according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a top view of an article conveying system 10 in which multiple transport vehicles 20 each travel on a floor E to transport articles W. The article conveying system 10 in this embodiment is an article sorting system that sorts articles W by having each of the multiple transport vehicles 20 transport articles W. In this embodiment, the article conveying system 10 comprises transport vehicles 20, a floor E, a supply unit 15 that supplies articles W to the transport vehicles 20, and multiple receiving units 31. Each of the multiple receiving units 31 is configured to receive articles W from the transport vehicles 20. In this embodiment, the work unit 16 transfers the goods W to the transport vehicle 20 at the supply unit 15. Here, "work unit" refers to, for example, a worker and/or a work device. The work unit 16 transfers the goods W from the supply and transport device 17, which transports the goods W from an automated warehouse (not shown), to the transport vehicle 20. Examples of the supply and transport device 17 include a belt conveyor, a crane, and an arm-type robot. Here, a specific direction along floor E is defined as the Y direction, and a direction perpendicular to the Y direction along floor E is defined as the X direction. Furthermore, one side of the Y direction is defined as the first Y direction side Y1, and the other side as the second Y direction side Y2. Similarly, one side of the X direction is defined as the first X direction side X1, and the other side as the second X direction side X2. The vertical direction is defined as the Z direction. Examples of floor E include running surfaces and floors in buildings, ships, and other facilities. In this embodiment, floor E is a running surface provided on a platform indoors. In this embodiment, the floor E is configured with a supply area E1 where the supply unit 15 is provided, and a passage area E3 extending along the Y direction. The supply area E1 is positioned on the first side Y1 in the Y direction relative to the passage area E3. Multiple passage areas E3 are arranged in a line along the X direction. Furthermore, the floor E is configured with a connection area E2 connecting the multiple passage areas E3 and the supply area E1. The supply area E1, connection area E2, and passage area E3 configured on the floor E may be physically partitioned areas of the floor E, or they may be virtual areas. In this embodiment, the boundary between the supply area E1 and the connection area E2 is a virtual boundary set on the floor E. Also, in this embodiment, both sides of the passage area E3 in the X direction are the outer edges of the floor E. In this embodiment, the connection area E2 is connected to the supply area E1 and the passage area E3 so that the transport vehicle 20 can travel on it. Here, the end of the passage area E3 on the first side Y1 in the Y direction is defined as the first end 51. The connection area E2 connects the first end 51 of the passage area E3 to the supply area E1. In this embodiment, multiple passage areas E3 are arranged in the X direction on the floor E, and the first end 51 of each of the multiple passage areas E3 is connected to one another via a connecting area E2. Furthermore, multiple receiving sections 31 are arranged along each of the multiple passage areas E3. The article transport equipment 10 also includes multiple supply sections 15. Additionally, multiple supply areas E1, each having a supply section 15, are arranged in the X direction on the floor E. Figure 2 is a front view of the passage area E3. In this embodiment, multiple receiving sections 31 are arranged along the Y direction on each side of the passage area E3 in the X direction. In this embodime