JPS6197772A - Commodity transporting and processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decide easily that a to which processing request station carrier belongs in a processing station without applying sundry works to the carrier by causing a display equipped on other station to display the station, where the transportation request can be found, through a control part for controlling a transportation means. CONSTITUTION:When a linear motor controller 2 receives start and destination stations, it decides a travel pattern and specifies travel commands of control parts 3a-3d, 4 and 5, after which the controller 2 transmits the name of the received start station together with a display command to the control part 5 of the processing station PS. Receiving the command and the name of the start station, the control part 5 immediately displays them on the display D before the carrier arrives and previously notices an operator. Moreover the control part 5 displays the name, etc., on the display D after the arrival of the carrier.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an article conveyance processing system that conveys articles from one station to another by moving a conveyance carrier on a conveyance path, and particularly relates to an article conveyance processing system that conveys articles from one station to another by moving a conveyance carrier on a conveyance path. The present invention relates to an article conveyance processing system that allows it to be determined from which station the article is conveyed at other stations at which the article arrives.

The wave of development of office automation systems in recent years has been remarkable, and various systems have been introduced in various fields. One such office automation system is an article conveyance system. An article conveyance system is a system in which a conveyance path is provided in an office, a large number of stations are set on the conveyance path, and a conveyance carrier is moved between stations along the conveyance path to convey documents, cash, etc. A linear motor car or the like is used as the transport means. In such an article conveyance system, where the work of each station is determined in advance, each station is classified into a processing request station and a processing station according to the work, and there is a line between the processing request station and the processing station. The transport carrier is configured to move. For example, in a certain business office, each workplace is designated as an accounting processing requesting station, the workplace that performs accounting processing is designated as a processing station, and the slips to be processed from each workplace (i.e., accounting processing requesting station) are sent to the processing station using a transport carrier. In cases where such slips are processed for accounting, in financial stores and retail stores, each counter or sales floor is used as a processing request station, and the cash storage area is used as a processing station, and cash and slips are transferred from the processing request station at the counter or sales floor to a carrier. The product is then sent to a processing station, the processing station processes the sales, issues a receipt, etc., and returns this to the processing requesting station using a transport carrier.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional article conveyance processing system, in which processing request stations WS1, WS2, W
An example is shown in which S3 and WS4 are provided and a processing station PS is provided in a cash storage area, and FIG. 6(A) is a side view thereof, and FIG. 6(B) is a top view thereof.

Processing request stations WSI, WS2, WS3, WS4
A rail <m feed path) RL is installed between the processing station ps and the processing station ps, and the stator S1,
S2, S3, S4, -3 n.

SP is provided. The transport carriers CRI to CR4 that move on the rail RL have a storage section C that stores articles,
Wheels W1 and W2 that engage with the rail RL and a two-groove body are provided, and the two-groove body of the conveyance carriers CR1 to CR4 and the magnetic field generated by the stators S1 to SP of the rail RL are opposite to each other.
Conveyance carriers CRI to CR4 start due to O1 suction.

MTC is provided by a linear motor car that accelerates and stops.

On the other hand, each processing request station WSI to WS4 and processing station PS have the aforementioned stators S1 to S4, S
In addition to P, article outlet ports A1 to A4, P and transport carriers CRI to CR4 are lifted from rail RL, and rail R
The transport carriers CRI to CR4 are released from L and raised to the article take-out ports A1 to A4 and P, and the transport carriers CRI to CR4 are lowered from the article take-out ports A1 to A4 and P to the rail RL.
Lift mechanism L1 that returns R1 to CR4 to rail RL
~L4, LP is provided. Furthermore, the processing station PS is provided with a point-of-sales terminal (hereinafter referred to as a PO5 terminal) for cash processing.

For example, in order to issue a processing request from the processing request station WS4 and have the processing station PS process the slip, first the clerk at the sales floor must use the transport carrier CR4 at the station WS4.
For example, sales slips and cash are loaded in the storage unit C, and a transport request, which is a processing request, is instructed using a key or the like. As a result, the conveyance carrier CR4 is lowered to the rail RL by the lift mechanism L4 and returned, and the stator S4 is energized and departs toward the processing station PS. Thereafter, while being accelerated by the stator Sn of the acceleration station on the way, it returns to the processing station PS. reached and is stopped by reverse excitation of its stator SP. and arrived by lift mechanism LP)
The I transport carrier CR4 is raised to the article takeout port P, and the operator of the processing station PS moves the transport carrier C
Take out the sales slip and cash from storage section C of R4, and po'
Operate the POS terminal to process sales, collect cash, and issue receipts. And Ilt carrier CR4
Load the receipt in the storage section C, press the return key, return the transport carrier CR4 to the rail RL using the lift mechanism LP, and excite the stator SP to direct the transport carrier CR4 toward the processing request station WS4. Let me leave. The conveyance carrier CR4 is accelerated by the stator Sn of the acceleration station on the way and reaches the processing request station WS4, is stopped by the reverse excitation of the stator S49, is released from the rail RL by the lift mechanism L4, and returns to its home position at the article retrieval port. Returning to the lower part of A4, the sales floor clerk takes out the receipt from storage section C of transport carrier CR4 and hands it to the customer.
R4 is located at the home position except when it is moving, and is evacuated so as not to interfere with the movement of other carriers on the rail RL.

In such an article transport processing system, generally each processing request station WSI to WS4 and processing station PS
It is located far away from the processing request station W.
Since there are a plurality of SI to WS4, it is difficult to know from which processing requesting station the transport carrier arrived at the processing station PS.

On the other hand, at the processing station PS, when there is no content in the conveyance carrier that has arrived, there is an abnormality, or an abnormality occurs during sales processing, it is necessary to contact the processing requesting station and take necessary measures.

For this reason, conventionally, the processing requesting station name is written on the transport carrier, or a label with the processing requesting station name written thereon is attached so that the processing station name can be recognized by the processing station.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in this conventional method, it is necessary to write or attach a label to the corresponding processing request station each time on the transport carrier, which is time-consuming. There is a problem in that not only does it require rewriting or changing, but also time and effort is required when replacing the carrier.Furthermore, there is also the problem that the station name is difficult to see and may disappear over time.

[Means for solving problems]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an article transport processing system that allows a processing station to easily determine which processing requesting station the transport carrier is from without modifying the transport carrier.

For this reason, the present invention provides a conveyance means for conveying an article by moving the rear of the conveyor between a plurality of stations along one general path, and a conveyance carrier that transports the article from one station to another according to a conveyance request from one station. and a control unit that controls the transport means to move the transport means, and the control unit causes a display provided at the other station to display the station from which the transport request has been made. There is.

[Effect]

In the present invention, a display is provided at the station where the transport carrier arrives, and the control unit that controls the transport means displays the station at which a transport request has been made on the display, and the transport carrier that has arrived at the station departs from the station. I am trying to make it possible to identify the origin.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those shown in FIG. - A device that determines the destination upon receiving a transport request from WS4 and a return request from processing station ps, IO
11 is a processor that performs destination determination processing, etc.
is an interface, and each processing request station W
A memory 12 receives transport requests and return requests from S1 to WS4 and the processing station PS, and stores data and programs for destination determination processing by the processor 10, and also sends a transport carrier to each processing station PS. 2 is a linear motor controller that has a determined processing request station master rear (referred to as a determination area) 12a, and based on the determined destination from the system controller 1, each processing request station WSI to WS4 and an acceleration station, which will be described later, It gives start, acceleration, stop commands and lift up/down commands to the AS and processing station PS control units, and also receives status information from each control unit. 21 is a processor that detects the position and running state of the conveyance carrier;
22 is an interface that exchanges data and commands with each control unit; 22 is a memory that stores data and programs necessary for processing by the processor 20; and a running pattern storage area 22a and a running state storage area 22b. It has the following. In the travel pattern storage area 22a, travel modes of each station for transporting the transport carrier from each departure station to the destination station are stored as patterns.
"1" indicates the departure mode, "2" indicates the acceleration mode, and "3" indicates the stop mode. For example, the processing request station WS1-
Processing station PS (WSI is the departure station,
If PS is a stop station), station W
“1” (departure) in the SI column, “2” (acceleration) in the WS2-AS column on the way, and “3” (in the station PS column)
(stop) is stored. In addition, the running state storage area 22
b stores the status of the transport carrier at each station WS1 to PS, and is "1" when a transport carrier is detected on the rail at each station, and "0" when no transport carrier is detected.
is stored. T1 to T4 are transport request keys, which are provided at each processing request station WSI-WS4, and are pressed by the operator to instruct the system controller 1 to request transport.R is a return request key, which is provided at each processing station PS. D is a display, which is provided at the processing station PS and displays the station from which the transport request was made; AS is an acceleration station; , a stator Sn, and 3a to 3d are control units, which are provided at each processing request station wsi to WS4, and are respectively provided with lift mechanisms L1 to L1 to WS4.
4 is a control unit that controls L4 and stators S1 to S4 according to commands from the linear motor controller 2, and notifies the linear motor controller 2 of the status. 4 is a control unit that is provided at the acceleration station AS, and controls the stator Sn by controlling the linear motor controller 2. A controller 5 controls the linear motor controller 2 according to commands from the linear motor controller 2 and notifies the linear motor controller 2 of its status.The controller 5 is provided in the processing station PS, and controls the lift mechanism LP, stator SP, and display device respectively to the linear motor controller 2. The linear motor controller 2 is controlled according to commands from the linear motor controller 2, and its status is informed to the linear motor controller 2. In addition, these control units 3a to 3d14.5
is the starting command “1” from linear motor controller 2.
When is set, the departure mode is set and the lift mechanism L1
~ L4 and LP are lowered to return the transport carrier to the rail RL, stators S1 to S4 and sp are accelerated, the transport carrier is set to depart, and when the acceleration command "2" is set, it becomes acceleration mode and the stator When a sensor (not shown) installed at the entrance of the ) detects the lit carrier,
When the stator is accelerated and the conveyance carrier is accelerated, and the stop command "3" is set, it enters the stop mode.
A sensor (not shown) detects that the conveyance carrier has entered the stator, controls the stator to stop, and after stopping the conveyance carrier, lifts the t2M structure to raise the conveyance carrier from the rail RL to the article takeout port. When each station detects a conveyance carrier on the rail RL with a sensor (not shown) of the stator, the signal is "1", and when a sensor (not shown) of the lift mechanism detects that there is a conveyance carrier in the lift TA structure, the signal is "2". This is to notify the linear motor controller 2 of status data.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the display device of the processing station PS in the configuration of FIG. 1. In FIG. is provided, and the display is composed of a numeric display, which is configured to numerically display the name of the processing requesting station where the transport request was made. It is composed of lamps provided corresponding to the requesting stations WSI to WS4, and is configured to display by lighting the lamp corresponding to the processing requesting station that has received a transport request.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be explained using the conveyance process flow diagram in FIG. 3 and the return process flow diagram in FIG. 4.

(2) First, as shown in FIG. 3A, when one of the transport request keys T1 to T4 of the processing request stations WSI to WS4 is pressed, a transport request is input to the interface 11. In response to this transport request, the processor 10 checks the determination area 12a of the memory 12 and checks whether the processing request station has already been determined for the processing station PS. If it has not been determined, it determines that the transport process is not in progress, and If it is, it is determined that the transport process is in progress, and the system waits until the transport and return are completed.

■ If the transport process is not in progress, the processor 10:
゛Instructs the linear motor controller 2 to set the processing requesting station where the transport request was made as the departure station and the processing station PS as the destination station, and enters the processing requesting station in the column of the destination processing station in the determination area 12a of the memory 12. Register your name.

■ In linear motor controller 2, processor 20
receives this and executes the process shown in FIG. 3(B). First,
Processor 20 determines a corresponding driving pattern. That is, the processor 20 indexes the travel pattern storage area 22a of the memo IJ 22 based on the departure station name and destination station name, extracts the corresponding travel pattern, and sends the travel pattern to each control unit 3a to 3d, 4.5 via the interface 21. The corresponding travel commands included in the pattern (departure,
Send acceleration, stop commands). For example, if the departure station is WS1 and the destination station is PS, the first travel pattern in the pattern storage area 22a is selected, the departure command "1" is sent to the control unit 3a, and the control units 3b to 3d14
Acceleration command “2” to control unit 5, stop command “3’” to control unit 5
is sent.

■ Each control unit 3a to 3d, 4.5 controls the given frame,
each station controls its own station's lift mechanism and stator according to the start, acceleration, and stop modes. For example, in the above example, the control unit 3a of the processing request station WS1 is set to the departure mode, first lowers the lift mechanism L1 to return the transport carrier CRI to the rail RL, and then accelerates the stator S1 (departure). Control the transport carrier CRI to the rail RL.
At the same time, the third motor controller 2 is notified of "1" indicating the completion of the start. Further, the control units 3b to 3d14 of the processing request stations WS2 to WS4 and the acceleration station AS on the way are set to acceleration mode, and when the carrier CRI enters each of the stators S2 to S4 and Sn, a sensor detects this. Then, the acceleration coils of the stators S2 to S4 and Sn are excited to accelerate the incoming transport carrier CRI, and the linear motor controller 2 is notified of "I" indicating the end of acceleration. Furthermore, the control unit 5 of the processing station PS is set to the stop mode, and when the conveyance carrier CRI enters the stator SP, the sensor detects this and excites the stop coil of the stator SP to stop the conveyance carrier CRI that has entered. This notifies the linear motor controller 2 of 1'', which is the end of the stop, and then raises the conveyance carrier CRI to the article takeout port P by the lift mechanism LP, and the linear motor controller 2 is informed that there is a conveyance carrier in the lift, that is, the rail. Notify "2" indicating that the RL has been released.

■ In the linear motor controller 2, the processor 20 receives the notified status information through the interface 21, stores it in the traveling status storage area 22b of the memory 22, confirms the position of the conveyance carrier, and transfers the status information from the processing station PS to the rail. When receiving "2" of RL release, it is determined that the transport is completed, and the contents of the running state storage area 22b are set to "0".
and prepares for the next run, and notifies the system controller 1 of the end of transport.

(2) Upon receiving the completion of transport, the system controller 1 retrieves the name of the processing requesting station that requested transport from the determination area 12a of the memory 12, and notifies the linear motor controller 2 of the name.

■ In the linear motor controller 2, the processor 20 sends the display command and the notified processing request station name to the control unit 5 of the processing station PS via the interface 21, and the control unit 5 receives the display command and the notified processing request station name. Displays the processing requesting station name.

In this way, when the progressive carrier CR1 reaches the processing station PS, the display shows that the carriers C, R1
Displays the name of the processing request station from which the process request originated.

This display command and the processing requesting station name are transmitted by notifying the system controller 1 from the linear motor controller 2 of the completion of the stop from the processing station PS described above, and thereby sending the processing requesting station name from the system controller 1 to the linear motor controller 2. The notification may be made before the operation of the lift mechanism LP is completed, and the display may be displayed before the IB transport carrier CRI reaches the article removal port P.

Next, the return process will be explained with reference to FIG.

(a) First, when the return request key R of the processing station PS is pressed, a return request is input to the interface 11. The processor 10 examines the contents of the determination area 12a of the memory 12, refers to each processing request station column of the processing station PS for which the return request was made, and obtains the name of the processing request station to which the transport carrier should be returned.

(bl) Next, the processor 10 1. Sets the processing station where the return request was made as the departure station, and sets the processing request station obtained from the contents of the determination area 12a as the destination station to the linear motor controller 2.
Instruct to.

(C) Further, the processor 10 receives a return completion notification from the linear motor controller 2 by completing the return in the next step (dl), and erases the processing requesting station name of the processing station in the determination area 12a.

(d) On the other hand, the linear motor controller 2 receives the destination station and the departure station, and controls the return of the transport carrier from the processing station to the processing requesting station in the same manner as in steps (2), (2), and (3) described above.

At this time, the control unit 5 resets the display contents of the display device upon completion of the start of the transport carrier CRI.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 5 is a conveyance processing flow diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3(B) shows the glue near motor controller 20I!
This shows a modification of the processing of J.

In this embodiment, when the linear motor controller 2 receives the departure and destination stations in step (3) described above, it determines a travel pattern in step (2) and instructs each control unit 3a to 3d, 4.5 to run a travel command. The received departure station name is sent to the control unit 5 of the processing station PS along with a display command. Upon receiving this command and the departure station name, the control unit 5 displays it on the display immediately, that is, before the arrival of the transport carrier CRI, and also gives a notice to the operator. Alternatively, the control unit 5 displays the arrival of the transport carrier CRI on the display. Later,
This is the same as steps ■, ■, and ■ described above.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, a linear motor car is used as the conveyance means, but the conveyance means is not limited to this, and any known conveyance means may be used. Also, although the system controller and the linear motor controller are separated, they may be integrated. It's okay,
Furthermore, both functions may be realized by one processor. Furthermore, there may be more than one processing station.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to examples, the present invention can be modified in various ways according to the gist of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a conveyance means for conveying an article by moving a conveyance carrier along a conveyance path between a plurality of stations, and a conveyance means that conveys an article by moving a conveyance carrier along a conveyance path between a plurality of stations. and a control section that controls the conveyance means to move the general carrier, and the control section causes a display provided at the other station to display the station where the conveyance request has been made. Since the departure station can be determined at the arrival station without modifying the transport carrier, the effort of modification is saved, and there is no need to take these into account when replacing etc., and the transport system You can simplify the time and effort required to do so. Furthermore, since the information is displayed on a display, it can be displayed at a position that is easy for the operator of the processing station to see, which also contributes to reducing the burden on the operator. Furthermore, since the control unit that receives the transport request uses the request station obtained based on the transport request, it can be realized easily and inexpensively, which is an excellent practical effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a display device in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a return process according to an embodiment of the configuration shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a conveyance process of another embodiment of the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional conveyance processing system. In the figure, wsi~WS4-processing request station, ps
-Processing tz station, 1- system controller (control unit), 2- linear motor controller (control unit)
, RL-rail (transport path), 31-S4, sp-stake, CRI-CR4-transport carrier, D-indicator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A transport means for transporting articles by moving a transport carrier along a transport path between a plurality of stations, and controlling the transport means to move the transport carrier to another station according to a transport request from one station. An article conveyance processing system comprising: a control section, the control section causing a display provided at the other station to display the station from which the conveyance request has been made.