JPH03102004A - Automatic picking equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the unmanned operation and improve efficiency by taking out a load designated by a control means from the boxes in plural stages by using a transfer means in each row on a shelf, transferring the said load into a cutting-out part and sending out the load in the cutting-out part into a transfer means according to the instruction of the control means. CONSTITUTION:A box 1 in which loads 6 are accommodated in plural rows on multiple stages is sent onto a roller conveyor 3 from a line 2 for supplement. The pick-up device 10, lifter 12, and the conveyor 11 of a piece transferring device 8 transfer the loads 6 designated by a controller into the cutting-out parts 7A and 7B and stocked. Then, on the basis of the instruction of the controller, an automatic transfer vehicle 13 onto which boxes 14 are mounted is transferred to the cutting-out parts 7A and 7B. Then, on the basis of the instruction of the controller, the corresponding cutting-out parts 7A and 7B shift downward, and transfer the stocked loads into the box 14. With this constitution, the unmanned operation is permitted, and the efficiency can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to automatic picking equipment for picking designated loads for each user.

Conventional technology In conventional picking equipment, workers take out items from multiple tiers of boxes according to the information displayed on the display device installed on each tier. Picking work to put items into boxes and baskets is being carried out. Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with conventional picking equipment, the accuracy and efficiency of picking operations depend on the ability of the workers, so the rate of mistakes in picking operations and work efficiency are increasing day by day, and work planning is becoming more difficult. There was a problem in that the planning had to be adapted to the needs of workers with low ability, which inevitably led to a drop in work efficiency. In addition, there were problems such as unnecessary staffing because the workers had to do no work while the boxes and baskets for each user without picking work were being transported. The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide automatic picking equipment that makes picking work unmanned and improves work efficiency. Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a shelf that automatically supplies boxes in which different loads are stored in multiple stages and rows, and a conveying means that collects the loaded loads from this shelf. a transfer means for picking a specified load from a plurality of boxes for each row of the shelves and stocking it in a plurality of cut-out sections for each row of shelves; a drive means for outputting the stocked loads to the conveying means, outputting a signal specifying the load to be picked to each transfer means for each row of the shelves and a cut-out section for stocking the loads; The apparatus is equipped with a control means that outputs a timing signal for driving the cut-out section to each drive means for each drive means, and performs travel control to move the conveyance means to the cut-out section that outputs the load.

Operation According to the above structure, the transfer means of each row of the shelves transfers the load specified by the control means from the boxes that are automatically supplied in multiple stages to the cut-out section specified by the control means, and the drive means In response to a cutting-out section drive signal from the control means, the load stocked in a specified cutting-out section is outputted to a conveying means whose travel is controlled to this cutting-out section by the control means. EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the automatic picking equipment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transfer method of the automatic picking equipment. It consists of a three-stage actual line consisting of a roller conveyor 3 that automatically supplies boxes 1 containing goods 6 from a replenishment line 2, and a one-stage empty line consisting of a roller conveyor 5 that conveys empty boxes to an empty return line 4. A shelving facility is formed by connecting multiple rows (M rows) of shelves.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bead transfer device 8 picks up the load 6 from the boxes 1 supplied in the three-tier actual line of each shelf and transfers it to the two-tier cutting sections 7A and 7B. A pickup device 1i that can take in and out the vacuum arm 9 that holds the box 1 in the transport direction H of the box 1 and can move up and down in the vertical direction.
o, and a conveyor 11 which can be raised and lowered on the same center line as the pickup device 10 and which can rotate forward and reverse in the above-mentioned H direction is placed on the upper surface, and is stocked in the lid 12 and the two-stage cut-out portions 7A and 7B. A box 1 of an automatic guided vehicle (hereinafter abbreviated as STV) 13 moves the loaded cargo 6 under the cutout sections 7A and 7B, respectively.
4, for example, by tilting the cutting parts 7A and 7B, the upper cutting device [15A and the lower cutting device 15B]
(not shown) are provided in both cases. As shown in Fig. 1, a label 16 on which a barcode consisting of a user's name is printed is attached to the box 14 of the STV13, and the load 6 picked up for each user is stored on multiple shelves on this R14. It is aggregated by passing under the cutout parts 7A and 7B.

Figure 3 shows a control block diagram of the automatic picking equipment of the present invention. A barcode reader 17 that reads a barcode from the label 16 of the box 14 of the STV 13 is provided along the travel path of the STV 13 on the upstream side of the travel path from the shelf equipment.
N STV 13 moving along the shelving equipment and the pickup device 10
and conveyor 11, lifter 12, and upper and lower cutting equipment fi15
A, 15B, a controller 18 for the roller conveyors 3, 5, and a bead transfer controller 19 for controlling these devices.
) 8 is provided.

A block diagram of the control device 20 is shown in FIG.

When the control device 20 inputs the user code from the barcode reader 17, the control device 20 identifies the STV 13 that is transporting the box 14 to which the label 16 with the user code is attached.
STV number addition unit 21 adds S to the user code.
Prescribe data with TV number added. The STV number is added in order starting from 1, and returns to 1 when it reaches N.
Data consisting of the user code and STV number output from the TV number addition section 21 is input to the picking content search section 22. The picking content search unit 22 searches the list of items 6 to be picked for each user that is stored in advance in accordance with the user code, and searches the rows and stages of the shelving equipment to which the items 6 to be picked are supplied and the items 6. The quantity is searched and outputted to the control selection section 23 together with the STV number. The control selection unit 23 selects the STV No. corresponding to the input STV number. 1~STV NO. N control units 24-1 to 24-N output picking data consisting of input rows and stages of shelving equipment to be picked and quantities of loads 6. Signals are exchanged between one STv13 corresponding to each STV91 control unit 24 and the PTI8 of the M column. Below No. The operation of the STV control unit 24-N will be explained according to the flowchart in FIG. First, enter the picking data and it will be memorized (
Step J-1): The STV number N is added to the STV 13 that is passing in front of the barcode reader 17 by using, for example, a wireless signal.Step J-2>: The travel path point at the entrance of the shelf equipment Outputs the starting point address corresponding to and instructs the STV 13 to travel to the starting point address (step J-3), and then outputs the picked stage and quantity of load 4 searched from the picking data for each PTIS in column M. and outputs transfer data consisting of STV number N (step J-4).Next, control using subroutine SUB1 is performed for each PTI8. First, check whether transfer data exists in PTI8 (hereinafter referred to as PT I-1, the same applies hereinafter) of "0.1" (step J-5), and if it does not exist, proceed to the next PTI-2, If it exists, create data for subroutine SB1.That is, set the STV number to N, the PTI number to 1, and set the STV travel target address AD to 1, which corresponds to the address of PTI-1 (Step J-6).Step In the SUB1 of J-7, it is confirmed that a pickup completion signal indicating that the pickup of the load 6 according to the transfer data to the unloading section 7A or 7B has been completed has been input from the PTI 11 (step K-1). ), when the big-up completion signal is input, PTI- to STV-N.
Output the target address ADI to run in front of 1《
Step K-2), when it is confirmed that the address signal indicating the current position from the STV-N matches the target address of the PTI-1 (step K-3), a cutting signal is output to the PTI-1 and the STV-N Load the load 6 into the N box 14 (Step K-4), and confirm the input of the cutting completion signal from PTI-1 (Step K-5>, when confirming the completion of cutting from PTI-1) , P.T.
The same control is performed for PT I-2, and the same control is performed sequentially for PT I-M. In this way, in each STV control section 24,
An STV number is attached to the TV 13, and the vehicle is first driven to the starting address, and then the travel control is performed while checking the start-up status of each PTI8. Next, the operation of the bead transfer controller 19 of the PTI8 will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, each STVlill control section 24-1 of the control device 20
The transfer data input from 24 to 24-N are sequentially stored (step X-1), and the unused transfer data input first is searched (step x-2). Next, the cutout section 7 on the current top
A is used to check whether the load 6 is being stocked or not using the flag K1 indicating that the upper cutting section 7A is in use (Step X-3>
, if it is not in use, set flag K1 to 1 (step
-4), if the lower cutout part 7B is in use, check whether the lower cutout part 7B is in use with the lower cutout part 7B in use flag K2 (step X-5>, the lower cutout part 7B is in use). If not, set the flag K2 to 1 (step X-6), and if the lower cutout section 7B is also in use, bypass the next big-up routine. In the pick-up routine, it is first confirmed whether to carry out the pick-up of load 6 from line A, which is the first actual line, by checking whether the pick-up quantity LA of line A in the transfer data is 1 or more (step X-7) When the pickup from the A line is confirmed, a command to move to the A line pickup position is output to the pickup device 10 and the lifter 12 (steps X-8, X-9), the pickup device 10 and the lifter 12 When it is confirmed that the pick-up device 10 and lifter 12 have moved to the A-line position by the position signal (steps (Step X-12), the big-up quantity LA is TI! When the amount i is smaller than MA, that is, when the load 6 to be surprised up can be secured in box 1, the pickup device W
．． LA is output as a 10 heavy kick-up quantity (Step X-13). Then, the big up device 10 is box 1
Then, the loads 6 are picked up by the number LA and placed on the conveyor 11 of the lifter 12, and after completion, the pick-up device 10 outputs a pickup completion signal. After confirming the input of this pickup completion signal (step X-14), the remaining amount MA of box 1 is updated to (MA LA>) (step
115). In step It is necessary to transport the box 1 that has become empty to the empty line and pick up the missing load 6 from the next box 1. First, the pickup device 10 heavy pickup quantity is M
A is output and the big up device 10 outputs MA loads 6.
is transferred to the conveyor 11 (step X-16), and when the input of the pickup completion signal from the pickup device 10 is confirmed (step X-17), the empty box discharge routine is executed. In the empty box discharge routine, it is checked which of the upper and lower cutout sections 7A is to be used depending on whether the flag K1 is 1 (step 12 to output a command to move the upper cutout section 7A to the transfer position.Step X-1
9) Confirm that the lifter 12 has moved to the upper cutout portion 7A position according to the position signal of the lifter 12 <<Step X
-20), if K1 is not 1, outputs a movement command to the lifter 12 to the lower cutout part 7B position (step X-21).
), confirm that the lifter 12 has moved to the lower cutout portion 7B position (step X-22), step X-20
Alternatively, at X-22, when it is confirmed that the lifter 12 has moved to the cutting section 7, the conveyor 1 on the lifter 12
Step
-23), cutting section 7 using load 6 on conveyor 11
Next, a command to move the lifter 12 to the A line pickup position is output (step X-24), and when the movement of the lifter 12 to the A line is confirmed, the
-25), outputs an empty box discharge command signal to the roller conveyor control device 18. (Step X-26), then the roller conveyor control device 18 controls the roller conveyor 3 of the A line.
is driven to discharge the empty box onto the conveyor 11 of the lifter 12, move the box 1 fully loaded with the next load 6 to the picking position,
After completion, a discharge completion signal is output to the piece transfer controller 19. When the input of this ejection completion signal is confirmed (step Step X-29)
A drive signal is output to the conveyor 11 on the lifter 12 for a certain period of time in reverse order (Step X-30), and the empty boxes on the conveyor 11 are transferred to the empty line. Subsequently, a command to move the lifter 12 to the A-line pickup position is output (step X-31), and movement of the lifter 12 to the A-line position is confirmed (step X-32).

When the movement of the lifter 12 to the A line position is confirmed, the insufficient quantity (LA
1 MA) is output (step
LA-MA))) (step X-35). T.A.
indicates the total amount of cargo 6 in box 1. After completing the A-line surprise in steps X-7 to X-35 above, proceed to
line, the third stage C line is picked up (steps -40), outputs a movement command to the lifter 12 to the confirmed cutting-out section 7 transfer position (steps X-41, X-42), and confirms the movement of the lifter 12 to the cutting-out section 7 (step X-43). , X-
44>, a drive signal is outputted to cause the conveyor 11 of the lifter 12 to rotate forward for a certain period of time (step X-45), and the load 6 on the conveyor 11 is transferred to the confirmed cutting section 7. When the transfer to the cutting section 7 is completed, a big-up completion signal is output to the STV control section of the STV number of the transfer data (step X-46), and then the stocked load 6 is output to the upper cutting section 7A. S to do
After confirming that the cutout signal to TV13 has been input,
Step X-47), outputs a cutting signal to the upper cutting device 15A (step flag K1 is reset (step
O), Output a cutting completion signal to the control unit 24 of the output STV 13 (Step 52), lower cutout f
Step X-53) to output a cutting signal to i15B;
The flag K2 is reset (step
55), outputs a cutting completion signal to the control unit 24 of the STV 13 that outputs the load 6 (step The specified load 6 was transferred and stocked from the 3-stage actual line to the 2-stage cutting sections 7A and 7B according to the transfer data, and the specified load 6 was stocked in each cutting section 7A and 7B according to the cutting signal. Output each IH6 to STV 13, and return empty box 1 to the empty line. With the above configuration, a predetermined load 6 is automatically supplied to the shelving equipment, and the PTI 8 of each row of the shelving equipment allows S
Big up load 6 to be collected on TV 13, S TV
13 and moves the STV 13 to each PTI 8, the load 6 for each user is picked by the STV 13. By performing automatic picking work for each user in this way, it is possible to unmanned the picking work. This makes it possible to prevent human errors, improve work efficiency, facilitate work planning, and enable continuous operation day and night. In addition, by making the cutout section 7 into two stages, even after the load 6 is stocked in the cutout section 7 of one stage, the next transfer data can be used to perform the biking operation to the other stage. P
TI8's work waiting time can be significantly reduced and work efficiency can be greatly improved. Although the shelving equipment uses roller conveyors 3.5, it is also possible to use fluidized shelves or shelves using belt conveyors. Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the load designated by the control means is outputted to the conveyance means by the transfer means and the drive means, thereby making it possible to unmanned the picking operation. In addition to eliminating mistakes, continuous operation day and night is also possible, increasing work efficiency. Furthermore, by having multiple cut-out sections, even after the specified cargo has been stocked in one cut-out section, the picking operation can be continued to the other tier, which reduces the waiting time for the transfer means and allows the work to be completed. Efficiency can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of automatic picking equipment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transfer method, Fig. 3 is a control block diagram, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transfer method. The figure is a block diagram of the control device, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the control device, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the piece transfer controller. 1...Box, 6...Load, 7...Cutting part,
8... Piece transfer device, 13... Automatic transport vehicle, 19
. . . Piece transfer controller, 20 . . . Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shelf that automatically supplies boxes with different items stored in multiple stages and multiple rows, and a conveyance means that collects the items picked from the shelf, and each row of the shelf is equipped with A transfer means that picks a specified load and stocks it in a plurality of cut-out sections for each row of shelves, and a drive means that drives the cut-out section and outputs the load stocked in the cut-out section to the transport means. output a signal specifying a load to be picked to each transfer means for each row of the shelves and a cut-out section for stocking the load, and output a timing signal for driving the cut-out section to each drive means for each row of the shelves. automatic picking equipment, comprising: a control means for controlling travel to move the conveyance means to a cutting section for outputting a load;