JPH02147520A - Transfer method and transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a method and device for transferring a load between a vehicle that transports the load and the ground. Automated warehouses are increasingly being used in distribution centers and storage centers. To explain an example of unloading cargo from an automated warehouse to a truck, the cargo is transported from the automated warehouse to the exit via a conveyor and loaded onto the truck using a forklift driven by a driver. (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-1112
Publication No. 08) [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, forklifts are mainly used to transport loads between trucks and the ground.

Manual labor is required in highly automated warehouses.

A device for automatically carrying out the transfer may also be considered.

However, the heights of the truck beds are at least slightly different, and the parking positions (positions in the traveling direction and positions in the width direction of the truck) are also different. Therefore, it is necessary to three-dimensionally detect and match the positional relationship between the conveyor of the transfer device and the loading platform of the truck.

An object of the present invention is to ensure that cargo can be transferred between a vehicle and the ground.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above purpose consists of a step of moving the conveyor in the vertical direction to match the height after the vehicle has stopped, and a step of moving the conveyor in the width direction to match the widthwise position. This can be achieved by first performing one of these, then the other, and then moving the conveyor forward toward the vehicle and driving the conveyor.

[For production]

After aligning the height position of the conveyor with respect to the vehicle or the width direction position, the other is performed, so alignment in two directions can be ensured. Thereafter, the conveyor is advanced toward the vehicle and connected to the vehicle's loading platform, making positioning easy.

[Example] The present invention will be explained below with reference to an example shown in FIGS. 1 to 7.

This embodiment is a device for loading cargo delivered from an automated warehouse onto a truck (vehicle).

First, the structure of the track will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

In FIG. 6, the loading platform of a truck I is equipped with two rows of conveyors 2. The conveyor 2 is a flat conveyor, and the conveyance direction is the traveling direction of the truck. The conveyor 2 is driven by a power source on the ground side. Cargo A is carried in and out at the rear end of truck l.

Two sets of photoelectric detectors 4.5 are provided at the rear end of the conveyor 2 to detect the presence or absence of a load. 2 sets of photoelectric detectors4.
5 are installed at intervals along the conveyance direction of the conveyor 2. When the photoelectric detector 4 on the upstream side detects a load A conveyed from a conveyor of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention to be described later, the conveyor 2 is driven to receive the load A. When the photoelectric detector 4 on the upstream side stops detecting the load A while the photoelectric detector 5 on the downstream side is detecting the load A, the operation of the conveyor 2 is stopped. As a result, the load A moves forward one by one.

When the cargo is unloaded from the truck 1, the conveyor 2 is reversed.

If the transfer device of the present invention is not available, take it out from the truck l using a forklift.

A jack 7 is installed at the bottom of the rear end of the truck l.

In FIG. 7, at the center of the rear surface of the truck there is a glue deflector 10 for detecting the height of the track, and on the left and right of it there are glue deflectors 11 for detecting the position in the width direction of the track.
．． 12 are installed. These 10, 11, and 12 are for reflecting the light emitted from the photoelectric detector installed in the transfer device.

Next, the configuration of the transfer device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

20 is a delivery conveyor connected to the automated warehouse;
It is a column. The installation height of the conveyor 20 is above the maximum height position of the conveyor 2 of the target track l.

Each conveyor 20 transports one load A to the two rows of conveyors 31 of the transfer device 30.

The transfer device 30 includes a lid 35 installed at the bottom, a traversing device 40 that is raised and lowered by a lifter 35, a forwarding device 50 installed at the top of the traversing device 40, a conveyor 31 installed at the top of the forwarding device 40, etc. It consists of

The lifter 35 is a known one.

The frame 41 of the traversing device 40 rests via four rollers 43 in the recesses of two guide rails 42, 42 installed on the upper surface of the lifter 35. 2 on the top surface of the lifter 35
A book ceno 45 is fixed in a straight line to form a rack. A sprocket 46 meshing with the rack 45 is driven by a motor 47 installed on the frame 41 and a transmission means 48 .

The installation direction of the guide rail 42 and the rack 45 is the width direction of the track l.

The frame 51 of the advancing device 50 rests via four rollers 53 in the recesses of two guide rails 52 and 52 installed on the upper surface of the frame 41 of the traversing device 40. Two chinos 55 are linearly fixed to the upper surface of the frame 41 to form a rack. A sprocket 56 meshing with the rack 55 is driven by a motor 57 installed on the frame 51 and a transmission means 58. The installation direction of the guide rail 53 and the rack 55 is the running direction of the truck l.

The roller 53 that supports the frame 51 is a guide rail 52
It is installed on the rear end side (conveyor 20 side). A conveyor 31 is installed on the upper surface of the frame 51. conveyor 3
The front end of roller 1 projects further forward than the roller 53 on the front end side. 32 is a motor that drives the conveyor.

There are three photoelectric detectors 60 and 61 on the front end side of the frame 51.
．． 62 are installed. The photoelectric detector 60 in the center detects the reflection plate 10 and is used to adjust the height of the conveyor 31. The left and right photoelectric detectors 61 and 62 detect the reflection plates 11 and 12, and are used to align the conveyor 31 in the width direction.

A limit switch 65 for stopping the advancement of the advancement device 50 is installed at the front end of the frame 51. When the rod 66 of the limit switch 65 hits the rear end of the track l and retreats, the advancement of the advancement device 50 is stopped.

A photoelectric detector 34 is installed at the front end of the conveyor 31 to detect the presence or absence of the load A on the conveyor 31.

A protective wall 6 is provided between the transfer device 30 and the running path of the truck 1.
8 and a buffer 69 are installed.

In FIG. 4, the control device 70 includes an operation panel 71 installed near the transfer device 30, photoelectric detectors 60, 61, 62, .
34, by the signal of the limit switch 65, the lifter 3
5, the motor 47 of the traverse device 40, the motor 57 of the advance device 50, and the motor 32 of the conveyor 31, the control device 70 executes the flowchart of FIG.

The operation of such a configuration will be explained. When the truck is moved backward and stopped in front of the transfer device 30, the jack 7 is lowered to fix the height of the conveyor 2.

After that, the transfer device 3 receives the load A from the conveyor 20.
0 operation is commanded using the operation panel 71.

In FIG. 5, first, the lifter 35 is lowered, and when the photoelectric detector 60 detects the reflection plate 10, the lowering is stopped.

(Step SL, S3.S7) Next, it is detected whether the two left and right photoelectric detectors 61.62 are detecting the two reflection plates 11.12. If only one detector is detecting, the motor 47 is driven to move the frame 41 toward the detector that is not detecting. Both detectors 61
．． 62 is stopped by detecting both reflectors 11.12. (Step S9.SLl, 513) The length of the reflection FFjlo in the width direction is longer than the length of the reflection plate 11.12.

Next, the motor 57 is used to advance the advancement device 50 until the limit switch 65 is activated. This allows the conveyor 31 to be located near the conveyor 2. (Step S15.S17.519) If the two limit switches 65 do not operate even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from this stop, the truck I has stopped diagonally, so further operation may be stopped. .

Next, in response to a start command from the operation panel 71, the motor 32 of the conveyor 31 is operated to transport the load A toward the truck 1. After the photoelectric detector 34 detects the passage of the load A, the operation of the conveyor 31 is stopped. (Step S21
．． S23.52 The advancement device 50 is then retracted and operated toward the initial position of the traverse device 40 and lifter 35. (Steps S27.S29.530) Once the transfer device 30 returns to the initial position, the second load is transferred in the same manner as described above.

As described above, the heights are matched by lowering the truck from a position higher than the loading platform, and then the positions in the width direction are matched.
Next, the conveyor is moved forward, and then the conveyor is used to transfer the cargo. Therefore, it is possible to transfer the cargo no matter where the truck stops.

Further, since the alignment procedure is performed as described above, automatic alignment can be performed reliably and easily.

If the conveyor 20 is located below the conveyor 2 of the truck, the position is adjusted by raising the lifter.

Furthermore, the photoelectric detector and limit switch for position detection can be replaced with other detectors if necessary.

This transfer device can be operated as described above to align the conveyor 31 with the bed of a truck, and then operate the conveyor 31 after receiving the load from the truck, so that it can also be used for carrying out the load from the truck.

If the height positions of the conveyor 2 and the conveyor 20 of the truck l are almost the same, first drive the traversing device 40 to align the positions in the width direction, and then use the lifter 35 to align the positions in the height direction. You can also do this. The following operations are similar to those in the previous embodiment.

If the heights of conveyor 2 and conveyor 20 are substantially the same, no lifter is necessary.

The conveyor 70 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is a belt conveyor, which is endlessly connected to pulleys 71, 72, 73, 74, and 71 in sequence. Boo J72.73 is installed on the slide frame 76.
move with The slide frame 76 is the frame 41
Slide the frame 77 fixed to the top of the. The pulleys 71 and 74 are fixed to a fixed frame 76. Cargo A
When transferring, the conveyor 70 is driven and the drive device (not shown) of the slide frame 76 is operated to move the front end of the conveyor 70 forward.

[Advantageous Effects of the Invention 1] According to the present invention, the conveyor can be connected to the truck no matter where the truck stops. Further, the alignment can be automatically, reliably, and easily performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a left side view of the transfer device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a book FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 6 is a side view of the truck, FIG. 7 is a rear view of the truck, and FIG. 8 is a diagram of the control device according to an embodiment of the invention. It is a side view of the transfer device of another Example. 1 -------One track, 2.20.31------
-Conveyor, 32.47.57--Motor, 3
0--1111 transfer device, 35--lifter, 4
0-----1 traverse device, 42.52--Guide rail, 60, 61.62--1---Photoelectric detector,
65-1---Limit switch, 70------
Belt conveyor diagram 44

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The step of vertically moving the conveyor that conveys the load to match the height of the conveyor with the height of the vehicle loading platform; and the step of moving the conveyor in the width direction of the vehicle to adjust the height of the conveyor in the width direction. a step of aligning the position, and one of the two steps described above is performed first,
Next, after performing the other step, the conveyor is moved forward toward the vehicle, and the conveyor is driven. 2. An advancing device that moves the conveyor in a direction parallel to the transport direction of the load; a traversing device that moves the conveyor in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the advancing device; and a lifter that moves the advancing device in a vertical direction. and first, second, and third detectors provided on the front end side of the advancement device, the first detector detecting the height position of the object, and the second detector detecting the height position of the object. The third detector detects the position of the object in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the third detector detects the position of the object in a direction parallel to the transport direction. Either one of the two steps of driving the lifter until the first detector is activated and driving the traverse device until the second detector is activated is performed first. , then the other step, and then
A transfer device comprising: a control device that drives the advancing device and drives the conveyor until the third detector is activated.