JP2018080028A - Automated warehouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the transportation efficiency of two loads rested side by side on a shelf part of an automated warehouse.SOLUTION: An automated warehouse 1 comprises a rack 3, a stacker crane 5, and a controller 59. The rack 3 has a shelf 31. The stacker crane 5 has a transfer device. The transfer device can rest two loads on a first part 57c-1 and a second part 57c-2. The controller 59 causes the transfer device to execute a step of holding a first load A1 existing on a depth side of the shelf 31 on a near side part of the transfer device and holding a second load A2 existing on a near side of the shelf 31 on a depth side part of the transfer device, a step of moving the near side part of the transfer device to a near side of the shelf 31 and the depth side part to an outer side than a boundary line B of the shelf 31, and a step of resting the first load A1 on a near side of the shelf 31 by canceling the holding of the first load A1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse provided with a load carrying device capable of transferring and carrying a load placed on a shelf.

The automatic warehouse includes a rack having a plurality of shelves that can store luggage, and a luggage transport device such as a stacker crane that can transfer and transport the luggage placed on the shelves. Further, in a conventional automatic warehouse, one that can store two pieces of luggage in the front-rear direction of a shelf is known (see Patent Document 1).
In the above automatic warehouse, the shelf portion has a front side storage portion and a back side storage portion in the front-rear direction. The front side storage portion is disposed facing the travel path of the stacker crane. The slide fork transfers and transports the load placed in the front storage section.

Republished Patent 2012-1213269

  Therefore, in the conventional automatic warehouse, when two pieces of luggage are placed on the shelf in the front-rear direction, the slide fork is moved to the rear-side storage section after transporting the luggage placed on the front-side storage section. In order to carry out the loaded luggage, it was necessary to perform the following operations. That is, it has been necessary to execute an operation (carrying operation) of placing the load placed in the back side storage unit in the front side storage unit. As described above, in the conventional automatic warehouse, the efficiency of transporting two packages placed side by side in the front-rear direction of the shelf is poor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic warehouse having a load carrying device provided with a transfer device and a shelf portion on which two loads can be placed side by side in the front-rear direction, and two load items placed on the shelf portion. The purpose is to efficiently carry.

Hereinafter, a plurality of modes will be described as means for solving the problems. These aspects can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.
An automatic warehouse according to an aspect of the present invention includes a rack, a luggage transport device, and a controller. The rack has shelves on which two loads can be placed on the front side and the back side. The load carrying device has a transfer device. The transfer device is for transferring and transporting luggage, and it is divided into a front side portion reaching the back side of the shelf and a back side portion reaching the front side of the shelf when extending in the direction in which the shelf is arranged. One baggage can be held.

The controller causes the transfer device to execute the following steps.
A step of holding the first load placed on the back side of the shelf in the front side portion of the transfer device and holding the second load placed on the front side of the shelf in the back side portion of the transfer device.
A step of moving the near side portion of the transfer device to the near side of the shelf and the far side portion of the transfer device to the outside of the shelf.
A step of placing the first luggage on the near side of the shelf by releasing the holding of the first luggage.

  When the controller causes the transfer device to execute the above steps, the second load on the near side of the shelf is transferred to the back side portion of the transfer device for transportation, and at the same time the back side of the shelf Can be transferred from the back side of the shelf to the front side. As a result, it is not necessary to perform a moving operation for moving the first luggage from the back side of the shelf to the near side after the second baggage is conveyed, and the efficiency of carrying two pieces of luggage placed side by side on the shelf is eliminated. Will improve.

The transfer device may be a slide fork transfer device. In this case, the controller causes the slide fork transfer device to execute the following steps.
A step of lifting the first luggage placed on the back side of the shelf and the second luggage on the near side of the shelf.
A step of moving the first luggage to the near side of the shelf and the second luggage to the outside of the near side of the shelf.
A step of placing the first luggage on the near side of the shelf by lowering the first luggage and the second luggage.
Thereby, also in the load transport apparatus having the slide fork transfer apparatus, it is possible to improve the transport efficiency of two loads placed side by side in the front-rear direction of the shelf.

The controller may further cause the transfer device to execute the following steps.
A step of moving the back side portion of the transfer device to the front side of the shelf on which the first luggage is placed.
A step of holding the first load at the back side portion of the transfer device.
As a result, the first load originally on the back side of the shelf can be transferred to the transfer device for the next transport.

The automatic warehouse may further include a delivery station disposed on the opposite side of the rack with respect to the luggage transport device. In this case, the controller causes the transfer device to execute the following steps.
A step of moving the back side portion where the load of the transfer device is held to the load position of the load at the shipping station.
A step of placing the load held on the back side portion of the transfer device at the placement position of the unloading station by releasing the hold of the load on the back side portion of the transfer device.

  Accordingly, the load can be transferred to the unloading station arranged on the opposite side of the rack with respect to the load transport device without performing a change-over operation for moving the load to the back portion of the transfer device.

The controller may cause the transfer device to execute the following steps in a state where no luggage is placed on the back side of the shelf and the third luggage is placed on the near side of the shelf. .
A step of holding the fourth load at the back side of the transfer device.
◎ Step of moving the near side part of the transfer device to the near side of the shelf.
A step of holding the third load on the front side portion of the transfer device.
◎ Step of moving the near side part of the transfer device to the back side of the shelf.
A step of placing the third luggage on the back side of the shelf and placing the fourth luggage on the near side of the shelf by releasing the holding of the third luggage and the fourth luggage.

  As a result, even when there is a baggage on the front side of the shelf, the baggage on the front side is transferred to the back side, and the baggage shelf held on the transfer device (the back side portion) is on the front side. The two loads can be transferred to the shelf in one operation.

  In the automatic warehouse according to the present invention, two packages placed side by side in the front-rear direction of the shelf can be efficiently transported.

The top view of the automatic warehouse as one Embodiment of this invention. Side view of automatic warehouse. The top view of the stacker crane and shelf of an automatic warehouse. Sectional drawing of a slide fork. The figure which shows the control structure of a controller. Sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating the transfer operation | movement of a load (the 1). Sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating the transfer operation | movement of a load (the 2). Sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating the transfer operation | movement of a load (the 3). Sectional drawing of the slide fork and the delivery station for demonstrating the transfer operation | movement of the package to a delivery station. Sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating goods storage operation | movement (the 1). Sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating goods storage operation | movement (the 2).

1. First Embodiment (1) Entire Automatic Warehouse An automatic warehouse 1 as an embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The automatic warehouse 1 is a facility capable of storing, entering and leaving the luggage A. In this embodiment, the left-right direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the left-right direction of the automatic warehouse 1, and the up-down direction in FIG. 1 is the front-rear direction (a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction). FIG. 1 is a plan view of an automatic warehouse as one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the automatic warehouse.

  The automatic warehouse 1 has a rack 3. The rack 3 is a facility for storing the luggage A. The automatic warehouse 1 has a stacker crane 5 (an example of a luggage transport device). The stacker crane 5 is a device that transports the cargo A between the plurality of shelves 31, the storage station 7, and / or the storage station 9. In the example of the automatic warehouse 1 shown in FIG. 1, the rack 3 exists on the first direction side in the front-rear direction of FIG.

The cargo A is received on the right side in the left-right direction of the rack 3 of the automatic warehouse 1 in FIG. 1 and on the first direction side in FIG. 1 which is the same as the side where the rack 3 is disposed with respect to the stacker crane 5. A warehousing station 7 is arranged.
On the right side of the rack 3 in the left-right direction, on the side opposite to the side on which the rack 3 is disposed with respect to the stacker crane 5 (that is, the second direction side in FIG. 1), a delivery station 9 is disposed. Yes. The loading position of the cargo A at the unloading station 9 can be reached by the first portion 57c-1 (described later) on the first direction side of the third fork 57c when the slide fork 57 (described later) is extended in the second direction. It exists further in the second direction than the position.
The warehousing station 7 and the warehousing station 9 have conveyors for carrying the luggage A for warehousing and warehousing, respectively.

(2) Rack The rack 3 is arranged along the traveling direction of the stacker crane 5 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1), and has a plurality of shelves 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of shelves 31 are arranged in a plurality of rows in a plurality of rows, that is, vertically and horizontally, facing the side where the stacker crane 5 is disposed. Each shelf 31 has a storage portion 33 that extends long in the front-rear direction.
As shown in FIG. 2, each of the storage portions 33 is composed of a pair of load bearing members 35, and a fork passage gap 37 that allows the slide fork (described later) to move in the vertical direction is provided therebetween.

  In one shelf 31, as shown in FIG. 1, two pieces of luggage A are placed in the front-rear direction (the back side of the shelf 31 (the first direction side in FIG. 1) and the near side (the second direction side in FIG. 1)). Can be stored side by side. The luggage A may be placed on a tray (not shown) or a pallet (not shown) and moved together with them, for example.

(3) Stacker crane The stacker crane 5 is movable in the left-right direction in FIGS. 1 and 2 along a guide rail 51 provided along the extending direction of the rack 3. The stacker crane 5 can transport the load A between the plurality of shelves 31, the storage station 7, and / or the storage station 9.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the stacker crane 5 is moved forward and backward by a traveling carriage 53, an elevator base 55 that is mounted on a mast provided on the traveling carriage 53 so as to be movable up and down, and an elevator mechanism (not shown). And a slide fork 57 (an example of a transfer device) that is slidable in the direction. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a stacker crane and shelves in an automatic warehouse.

  The elevator 55 can hold the load A using a slide fork 57. As shown in FIG. 4, the slide fork 57 includes first to third forks 57 a to 57 c having a predetermined stroke. By placing a load on the placement surface of the third fork 57 c, the shelf 31, The cargo A is transferred and transported between the warehousing station 7 and the warehousing station 9. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the slide fork.

  The first to third forks 57a to 57c are connected by a known telescopic structure. The telescopic structure includes, for example, a linear motion guide groove, a rack and a pinion, and a chain and a sprocket. The first fork 57 a is fixed to the lifting platform 55. The second fork 57b is connected to the first fork 57a so as to be extendable in the front-rear direction. The third fork 57c is connected to the second fork 57b so as to be extendable in the front-rear direction.

  In the present embodiment, of the third fork 57c, a half on the first direction side is defined as a first portion 57c-1 of the slide fork 57, and a half on the second direction side is defined as a second portion 57c-2. Further, in the present embodiment in which the slide fork 57 is used as the transfer device, “holding the load” refers to mounting the load A on the mounting surface of the third fork 57c. On the other hand, “releasing holding of the load” refers to moving the load A away from the placement surface of the third fork 57c.

  4 shows an example in which the first to third forks 57a to 57c extend in the second direction, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first to third forks 57a to 57c also extend in the first direction. Can do.

(4) Control Configuration The stacker crane 5 has a controller 59 having a control configuration as shown in FIG. The controller 59 can communicate with a control unit (not shown) that controls the entire automatic warehouse 1 and controls the stacker crane 5. The controller 59 is realized by a computer system such as a CPU and a memory. The controller 59 may be configured by a SoC (System on Chip) including a CPU, a memory, and the like.
The controller 59 may realize an operation of controlling each part of the stacker crane 5 by executing software stored in a storage device of the computer system in the computer system.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a control configuration of the controller.

The controller 59 can control the traveling / stopping of the traveling carriage 53. The controller 59 can control an elevating device 551 for elevating the elevating platform 55 along the mast.
The controller 59 expands and contracts the slide fork 57 in the front-rear direction (first direction or second direction). Various switches and sensors 591 are connected to the controller 59 so that the state of various devices of the stacker crane 5 can be grasped.

(5) Package Transfer Operation The package A transfer operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views of a shelf and a slide fork for explaining a load transfer operation.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6A, in the shelf 31, the first luggage A1 is placed on the first direction side portion 33a (back side) of the storage portion 33, and the second direction side. When the second load A2 is placed on the portion 33b (near side), an operation of transferring these loads from the shelf 31 to the slide fork 57 will be described.

In the example shown below, since the shelf 31 is disposed on the first direction side with respect to the stacker crane 5 as shown in FIG. 1, the side 33 a on the first direction side of the storage portion 33 is away from the stacker crane 5. And the portion 33b on the second direction side is present on the side close to the stacker crane 5. Accordingly, the portion 33 a on the first direction side of the storage portion 33 is defined as the back side of the shelf 31, and the portion 33 b on the second direction side is defined as the front side of the shelf 31.
In other words, the side close to the boundary line B between the shelf 31 and the stacker crane 5 is defined as “front side”, and the far side is defined as “back side”.

Further, when the first to third forks 57a to 57c extend in the first direction in which the shelf 31 exists, the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c is the portion 33a (back side) on the first direction side of the shelf 31. ) And the second portion 57c-2 reaches a position corresponding to the second direction side portion 33b (the near side) of the shelf 31. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first portion 57c-1 is defined as the “front side portion” of the third fork 57c, and the second portion 57c-2 is defined as the “back side portion” of the third fork 57c.
In other words, when the slide fork 57 is not extended, the portion of the third fork 57c on the side close to the boundary line B between the shelf 31 and the stacker crane 5 is defined as the “front side portion” and the portion on the far side Is defined as the “back part”.

  After the stacker crane 5 moves to the target shelf 31, at that position, the controller 59 raises and lowers the lifting platform 55 to the height of the target shelf 31, and the first to third forks 57 a with respect to the slide fork 57. Command to extend ~ 57c in the first direction. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6B, in the slide fork 57, in the fork passage gap 37, the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c is directly below the first load A1 (that is, the storage portion 33). The first direction side portion 33a) is extended until it reaches.

  Subsequently, the controller 59 raises the slide fork 57 until the load placement surface of the third fork 57c is higher than the upper surface of the load support member 35 while maintaining the extended state of the fork. As a result, each of the first luggage A1 and the second luggage A2 is placed and lifted on the first portion 57c-1 and the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c, so that (c) in FIG. ), The first load A1 is held in the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c, and the second load A2 is held in the second portion 57c-2.

  After holding the first load A1 and the second load A2 on the third fork 57c as described above, the controller 59 moves the third fork 57c above the shelf 31 as shown in FIG. The first to third forks 57a to 57c are stored until the first portion 57c-1 reaches the position corresponding to the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31. At this time, the second luggage A2 has moved beyond the shelf boundary B to the outside of the portion 33b of the shelf 31 on the second direction side.

Thereafter, the slide fork 57 is lowered until the placement surface of the third fork 57 c is lower than the upper surface of the load bearing member 35. Meanwhile, the first luggage A1 is placed away from the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c and placed on the second direction side portion 33b of the shelf 31, while the second luggage A2 is It is held by the second portion 57c-2 of the fork 57c (see (e) of FIG. 7).
That is, the second load A2 remains held by the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c for transport, while the first load A1 is removed from the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c. It is placed on the portion 33 b on the second direction side of the shelf 31.

  As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the stacker crane 5 conveys the load A while being held by the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. Therefore, as described above, the second load A2 is transferred to the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c for transport, and at the same time, the first load A1 is moved to the first direction side of the shelf 31. For example, the first load A1 placed on the back side (portion 33a) of the shelf 31 after the second load A2 is transported by being transferred from the portion 33a to the portion 33b on the second direction side. Need to be carried out (moved from the first direction side portion 33a of the shelf 31 to the second direction side portion 33b) to be held in the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. Disappear. As a result, it is possible to efficiently carry the two loads A1 and A2 placed side by side in the front-rear direction of the shelf 31.

  Thereafter, the controller 59 stores the first to third forks 57a to 57c in the slide fork 57 as shown in FIG. 7F (to minimize the extension length of the slide fork 57). Command. Thereafter, the stacker crane 5 is moved in a state where the second load A2 is held by the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c, and the second load A2 is moved to the designated place (the unloading station 9 or another shelf). 31).

  For the first luggage A1 transferred to the second direction portion 33b of the shelf 31, for example, (i) the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c is replaced with the second direction portion of the shelf 31. It moves below the first load A1 placed on 33b (see (a) of FIG. 8), and (ii) raises the slide fork 57 to move the first load A1 to the second portion 57c-2. By placing and holding (see (b) of FIG. 8), the first load A1 is held on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c without changing the first load A1. Can be placed.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the first to third forks 57a to 57c are accommodated, and the first load A1 is held in the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. The stacker crane 5 is moved to transport the first luggage A1 to a designated location.

  When the first luggage A1 transferred to the second direction portion 33b of the shelf 31 is held on the third fork 57c, the first load A1 is held on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. However, the first load A1 may be held at an arbitrary position on the placement surface of the third fork 57c according to the target transfer location of the first load A1.

(6) Luggage Transfer Operation to Baggage Exiting Station Using FIG. 9, when the slide fork 57 is extended in the second direction, the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c is further moved from the position that can be reached. An operation of transferring the load A to the unloading station 9 where the load position of the load A exists on the two directions will be described. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the slide fork and the unloading station for explaining the operation of transferring the load to the unloading station. In the following description, an operation for transferring the second luggage A2 held in the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c to the delivery station 9 will be described. The first load A1 transferred to the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31 can also be transferred to the delivery station 9 in the same manner as the second load A2.

  Specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 9A, the stacker crane 5 and the lifting platform 55 transporting the second load A2 move to the arrangement position of the left-right exit station 9, At the position, the controller 59 adjusts the height of the slide fork 57 so that the placement surface of the third fork 57c is higher than the placement surface of the cargo at the delivery station 9.

  Subsequently, the controller 59 extends the first to third forks 57a to 57c in the second direction (the delivery station 9 side), and places the second portion 57c-2 (the second luggage A2 on the third fork 57c). Is moved above the loading position of the load A at the delivery station 9.

  Next, the controller 59 keeps the fork extended until the load placing surface of the third fork 57c is lower than the load placing surface of the unloading station 9 while maintaining the extended state of the fork. Lower. Meanwhile, the second load A2 placed on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c is placed at the placement position of the load A at the delivery station 9, as shown in FIG. Is done.

  In this way, the stacker crane 5 holds the load A on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c that is closer to the unloading station 9 (can reach the loading position of the unloading station 9). As a result, the carrying station 9 disposed on the opposite side of the rack 3 to the stacker crane 5 can be operated without performing the moving operation of moving the load A to the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. Luggage A can be transferred. As a result, the required stroke length of the slide fork 57 when transferring the load A to the unloading station 9 is reduced, and the change operation of the load A is omitted, and one load A from the shelf 31 to the unloading station 9 is reduced. The transfer time of the package A can be shortened, and the efficiency of carrying the package A can be improved.

  After the second load A2 is transferred to the unloading station 9, the stacker crane 5 stores the first to third forks 57a to 57c as shown in FIG. The conveyance and transfer of the first luggage A1) are started.

(7) Cargo warehousing operation The goods A warehousing operation of the luggage A into the shelf 31 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG.10 and FIG.11 is sectional drawing of the shelf and slide fork for demonstrating the goods warehousing operation | movement.
In the following, when the third load A3 is placed on the second direction side portion 33b of the shelf 31 and the load is not placed on the first direction side portion 33a, it is transported by the stacker crane 5. A warehousing operation for transferring the third luggage A3 and the fourth luggage A4 to the shelf 31 together with the fourth luggage A4 that has been performed will be described.

  First, the stacker crane 5 has moved to the position where the fourth load A4 is present (for example, the warehousing station 7 or another shelf 31), and the above-described “(5) Load transfer operation” has been described. Similarly, the fourth load A4 is transferred to the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c. Then, as shown to (a) of FIG. 10, the stacker crane 5 conveys the 4th load A4 to the position of the shelf 31 which wants to store.

  Subsequently, after the controller 59 raises and lowers the lifting platform 55 to the target height of the shelf 31, as shown in FIG. 10B, the first portion 57 c-1 of the third fork 57 c is the third portion 57 c-1. The first to third forks 57a to 57c are extended in the first direction until reaching below the load A3 (the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31). At this time, as shown in FIG. 10B, the fourth load A4 placed on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c is on the second direction side with respect to the boundary line B of the shelf 31. (That is, outside the shelf 31).

Next, as shown in FIG. 10C, the controller 59 raises the slide fork 57 while maintaining the above-mentioned extended state, and the third load is placed on the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c. Transfer A3. At this stage, the third fork 57c holds both the third luggage A3 and the fourth luggage A4.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11D, above the shelf 31, the first to third forks 57a to 57c are further extended in the first direction, and the first portion 57c-1 of the third fork 57c is placed on the shelf. 31 is made to reach the position corresponding to the first direction side portion 33a, and the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c is made to reach the position corresponding to the second direction side portion 33b of the shelf 31.

The controller 59 lowers the slide fork 57 until the mounting surface of the third fork 57c is lower than the upper surface of the load bearing member 35 while maintaining the extended state shown in FIG. Meanwhile, the third luggage A3 and the fourth luggage A4 are simultaneously loaded on the first direction side portion 33a and the second direction side portion 33b of the shelf 31, respectively, as shown in FIG. Placed.
By transferring the two loads A3 and A4 as described above, the load A (third load A3) in the second direction portion 33b of the shelf 31 is transferred to the first direction portion 33a. Loading and transferring the load A (fourth load A4) placed on the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c to the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31 are performed simultaneously. In a single operation, two pieces of luggage can be placed (stocked) on the shelf 31 at the same time.

  Thereafter, the controller 59 instructs the slide fork 57 to store the first to third forks 57a to 57c as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the other package A is delivered or received as necessary.

2. Features of the embodiment The features of the above embodiment are as follows.
The automatic warehouse 1 (an example of an automatic warehouse) includes a rack 3 (an example of a rack), a stacker crane 5 (an example of a luggage transport device), and a controller 59 (an example of a controller). The rack 3 includes a shelf 31 (a shelf of the shelf) on which two pieces of luggage A can be placed on a second direction portion 33b (an example of the front side of the shelf) and a first direction portion 33a (an example of the rear side of the shelf). Example). The stacker crane 5 has a slide fork 57 (an example of a transfer device). The slide fork 57 transfers and conveys the luggage A (an example of the luggage), and when it extends in the first direction (an example of the direction in which the shelf is arranged), a portion 33a on the first direction side of the shelf 31 is provided. Two pieces are held in the first portion 57c-1 (an example of the near side portion) that reaches the second portion and the second portion 57c-2 (an example of the back portion) that reaches the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31 Is possible.

The controller 59 causes the slide fork 57 to execute the following steps.
The first load A1 (an example of the first load) placed on the first direction portion 33a of the shelf 31 is held by the first portion 57c-1 of the slide fork 57, and the second direction side of the shelf 31. Holding the second load A2 (an example of the second load) placed on the portion 33b of the second portion 57c-2 of the slide fork 57.
The first part 57c-1 of the slide fork 57 is moved to the position of the part 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31, and the second part 57c-2 of the slide fork 57 is moved outside the boundary line B of the shelf 31. Step to make.
A step of placing the first luggage A1 on the portion 33b on the second direction side of the shelf 31 by releasing the holding of the first luggage A1.

  When the controller 59 causes the slide fork 57 to execute the above steps, the second load A2 on the near side of the shelf 31 is transferred to the second portion 57c-2 of the slide fork 57 for transport. At the same time, the first luggage A1 on the back side of the shelf 31 can be transferred from the back side of the shelf 31 to the front side. As a result, it is not necessary to perform a moving operation for moving the first luggage A1 from the back side of the shelf 31 to the front side after the second luggage A2 is conveyed, and the two loads placed side by side on the shelf 31 are removed. The conveyance efficiency of the load A is improved.

3. Other Embodiments Although a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, a plurality of embodiments and modifications described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.
(A) The rack 3 may exist on the second direction side with respect to the stacker crane 5 (guide rail 51), and the unloading station 9 may exist on the first direction side. In this case, the first direction side of the shelf 31 is “front side”, the second direction side of the shelf 31 is “back side”, and the second portion 57c-2 of the third fork 57c is “front side portion”. The first portion 57c-1 is defined as the “back side portion”, and the load A can be transferred between the rack 3 (shelf 31) and the delivery station 9 in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. .

(B) The rack 3 may exist on both the first direction side and the second direction side in the front-rear direction across the stacker crane 5 (guide rail 51).
In this case, the transfer operation of the load A described in the first embodiment is performed only for the transfer of the load A between the output station 9 and the rack 3 on the side opposite to the side on which the output station 9 exists. As for the transfer of the load A with the rack 3 existing on the same side as the unloading station 9, a conventional transfer operation of the load A for transferring the load A one by one may be executed.

(C) The shape, configuration, and number of automatic warehouses are not limited to those in the first embodiment.
(D) In the first embodiment, the load carrying device is a stacker crane, but the load carrying device may be a traveling carriage in which the mounting table does not move up and down.

(E) The transfer device provided in the stacker crane 5 may be a transfer device other than the slide fork 57. For example, the stacker crane 5 may include a rear hook transfer device provided with hooks at the center of the transfer device and at both ends thereof (first and second direction sides in the front-rear direction) instead of the slide fork 57. Good.
In the above rear hook transfer device, for example, when transferring two loads A placed on the shelf 31 shown in FIG. 1 or the like, the load on the front side (second direction side portion 33b) of the shelf 31 is stored. A is hooked on the central hook, and at the same time, the back-side (first direction side portion 33a) load A is hooked on the first direction hook, and the two loads A are held by the rear hook transfer device. The hooks on the first direction side are released from the load A at the timing when the first direction side portion of the transfer device reaches the near side of the shelf 31 (ie, the load A on the first direction side). Release the hold).

As a result, the load A (the load A placed on the front side of the shelf 31) that has been hooked on the second direction side of the transfer device is transported by the rear hook transfer device that exists outside the shelf 31. On the other hand, the load A that has been hooked on the first direction side (the load A that has been placed on the back side) is released from the transfer device and is on the near side of the shelf 31 (on the second direction side). The movement is stopped at part 33b). That is, the load A placed on the front side of the shelf 31 is transferred to the transport carriage, and at the same time, the load A placed on the back side of the shelf 31 is moved to the front side of the shelf 31 (on the second direction side). Part 33b).
As described above, even if the rear hook transfer device is used, the same transfer operation of the load A as described in the first embodiment can be realized.

In addition, the stacker crane 5 may include a side clamp type transfer device in which clamps that hold the load A from the side surface are provided on the first direction side and the second direction side of the transfer device.
In the above-described side clamp type transfer device, for example, when transferring the two loads A placed on the shelf 31 shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the front side of the shelf 31 (the second direction side portion 33b). ) Is held by the clamp on the second direction side, and the transfer device is moved in the second direction while holding the load A on the back side (the first direction side portion 33a) with the clamp on the first direction side. When the first direction side portion of the transfer device reaches the front side of the shelf 31, the clamp of the load A by the clamp on the first direction side is released (that is, the load A on the first direction side is held). Cancel).

Thereby, the load A clamped on the second direction side of the transfer device (the load A placed on the near side) is transferred to the transfer device while being held by the clamp, The luggage A clamped on the first direction side (the luggage A placed on the back side) is released from the transfer device and placed on the front side of the shelf 31 (the second direction side portion 33b). Is done.
As described above, even when the side clamp type transfer device is used, the transfer operation of the load A similar to that described in the first embodiment can be realized.

  The present invention can be widely applied to an automatic warehouse equipped with a load carrying device having a slide fork transfer device capable of transferring and carrying a load placed on a shelf.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic warehouse 3 Rack 31 Shelf 33 Storage part 33a Shelf's first direction side portion 33b Shelf's second direction side portion 35 Luggage support member 37 Fork passage gap 5 Stacker crane 51 Guide rail 53 Traveling carriage 55 Lifting platform 551 Lifting Device 57 Slide fork 57a 1st fork 57b 2nd fork 57c 3rd fork 57c-1 1st part 57c-2 of 3rd fork 2nd part 571 of 3rd fork Transfer device 59 Controller 591 Sensor 7 Warehousing station 9 Unloading station A Luggage A1 First Luggage A2 Second Luggage A3 Third Luggage A4 Fourth Luggage B Borderline

Claims (5)

A rack having shelves on which two loads can be placed on the front side and the back side;
The load is transferred and transported, and there are two front side portions that reach the back side of the shelf and the back side portion that reaches the front side of the shelf when the shelf extends in the direction in which the shelf is arranged. A load carrying device having a transfer device capable of holding the load;
With respect to the transfer device, the first load placed on the back side of the shelf is held by the front side portion of the transfer device, and the second load on the front side of the shelf is Holding in the back side portion of the transfer device; and moving the near side portion of the transfer device to the near side of the shelf and moving the back side portion of the transfer device to the outside of the shelf. And a step of placing the first luggage on the near side of the shelf by releasing the holding of the first luggage,
Automatic warehouse equipped with. The transfer device is a slide fork transfer device,
The controller, for the slide fork transfer device,
Lifting the first luggage placed on the back side of the shelf and the second luggage on the near side of the shelf;
Moving the first luggage to the near side of the shelf and moving the second luggage to the near side outside of the shelf;
Placing the first luggage on the near side of the shelf by lowering the first luggage and the second luggage;
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein: The controller, with respect to the transfer device,
Moving the back side portion of the transfer device to the near side of the shelf on which the first load is placed;
Holding the first load at the back portion of the transfer device;
The automatic warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the automatic warehouse is executed. The load carrying device further comprises a delivery station arranged on the opposite side of the rack,
The controller, with respect to the transfer device,
Moving the back side portion of the transfer device on which the load is held to the load position of the load at the shipping station;
Placing the baggage held in the back side portion of the transfer device at the placement position of the unloading station by releasing the hold of the baggage in the back side portion of the transfer device; and ,
The automatic warehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein With no luggage placed on the back side of the shelf and a third luggage placed on the front side of the shelf,
The controller, with respect to the transfer device,
Holding a fourth load at the back portion of the transfer device;
Moving the near side portion of the transfer device to the near side of the shelf;
Holding the third load at the front portion of the transfer device;
Moving the front side portion of the transfer device to the back side of the shelf;
By releasing the holding of the third luggage and the fourth luggage, the third luggage is placed on the back side of the shelf, and the fourth luggage is placed on the near side of the shelf. Steps,
The automatic warehouse according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

Images