JP6332143B2 - Picking equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes a storage area for storing a plurality of types of articles, a picking area in which an operation for taking out articles from the storage area is performed, a collection transporting section for transporting articles removed in the picking area, and the collection And an assortment area in which an assortment operation is performed in which an article conveyed by the article transporting unit is accommodated in a shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination, and specifies the type and quantity of the article to be sorted into the sorting destination. Based on the order information, the articles stored in the storage area are taken out in the picking area, and the types and the number of articles specified in the order information correspond to the sorting destination related to the order information in the assortment area. The present invention relates to a picking facility accommodated in the shipping container.

  A conventional example of such a picking facility is described in Japanese Patent No. 5187346 (Patent Document 1). In the picking facility of Patent Document 1, as described in Paragraph [0029] of Patent Document 1 and FIGS. 1 and 2, it is taken out by a worker in the picking area from a storage box stored in a storage line as a storage area. The collected articles are once put into a collection container. The collection container into which the articles are input is conveyed to a refill area as a packing area by a conveyance line as a collection conveyance unit. As described in paragraphs [0053] to [0055] of Patent Document 1, in the refill area, the refilling operation of refilling the articles stored in the collection container into a collection box as a shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination is performed. Done.

Japanese Patent No. 5187346

In the case of the picking facility of Patent Document 1, the collection container to which the article has been transferred becomes empty in the refill area, and the empty collection container is used again for the take-out operation in the picking area. Therefore, it takes time and effort to transport an empty collection container that occurs with the progress of the picking work to the picking area.
Further, in general, a large number of works for a plurality of orders are performed simultaneously in the picking-up work of articles in the picking area. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare a large number of collection containers in order to perform the removal work in the picking area without delay, and it is necessary to secure a space for storing a large number of collection containers.
As described above, in the conventional picking equipment, labor for processing the collection container is generated, and a space for storing the collection container is also required. There was room for improvement in terms of utilization efficiency.

  Therefore, there is a need for a picking facility that can store the types and number of articles specified in the order information in a shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information without interposing a collection container.

The characteristic configuration of the picking facility according to the present invention includes a storage area for storing a plurality of types of articles, a picking area for performing an operation of taking out articles from the storage area, and a collection for transporting articles taken out in the picking area. An article transport unit and an assortment area in which an assortment operation is performed in which an article transported by the collection transport unit is accommodated in a shipping container corresponding to the sort destination, and the article to be sorted into the sort destination based on the order information for designating the kind and quantity, said article being received in the receiving area is extracted in the picking area, the order article by the type and number specified by the order information in the load adjustment area In the picking equipment accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the information sorting destination,
The collection conveyance unit includes a placement conveyance device that conveys an article taken out in the picking area based on the order information in a state of being directly placed on a conveyance surface, and is commanded by a plurality of the order information. the article is conveyed in a state of being divided in the transport direction by the order information, and, in the middle transport path of the placement conveyor apparatus, for packaging an article designated by said order information by the order information Comprising a packaging device, configured to convey a packaged article packaged by the packaging device toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the packaging device;
The packaging device is configured to unfold the sheet-like soft packaging material along the transport surface and to wrap the article transported on the developed soft packaging material according to the order information,
The packaged article is stored in the shipping container by the packing operation performed in the packing area.
According to this characteristic configuration, the designated type and the designated number of articles taken out in the picking area based on the order information are directly placed on the transport surface of the placement transport device and are classified in the transport direction according to the order information. It is conveyed in the state where it was done. And, in the middle of the transport path of the mounting and transporting device, it is wrapped with a soft packaging material according to the order information by the packaging device and becomes a packaged packaged article (if the order specifies one article, one article Is a packaged package). The packaged articles in which the articles related to the order information are bundled are transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction by the collection transport section, and correspond to the sorting destination related to the order information by the assembling work in the assortment area. Housed in a shipping container.
As described above, according to this characteristic configuration, the picking facility that can store the types and the number of articles specified in the order information in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information without interposing the collection container. Can be obtained.

Here, the collection conveyance unit includes a loading device in the middle of a conveyance path that is downstream in the conveyance direction from a place where articles are input from the picking area, and the loading device includes the loading device described above. An article specified by one piece of order information being transported is stored in a specified area in which both the transport direction of the placement transport apparatus and the range in the transport width direction intersecting the transport direction in plan view are defined. It is preferable to be configured as described above.

  According to this configuration, the articles being transported by the placing and transporting apparatus are stored in the specified area according to the order information (consolidated when there are a plurality of articles). For example, the specified area is set to the specification of the packaging device. By appropriately setting according to this, the number of articles specified by one order information can be appropriately packaged by the packaging device, and the packaged articles can be appropriately generated.

  Further, the collection conveyance unit is provided with a region inspection unit on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packing device is provided and on the upstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packaging device is provided, The area inspection unit includes at least one sensor, and the article designated by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying apparatus in the state of being divided in the conveyance direction according to the order information is the specified area. A control device for controlling the operation of the product collection and transport unit based on the discrimination information of the area inspection unit. When the article specified by the one piece of order information is not within the specified area, it is preferable that the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit is stopped.

  According to this configuration, when an article specified by one order information does not fall within the specified area of the placement and conveyance device, the collection conveyance unit does not move until the article is conveyed to the packaging device. The conveyance operation can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the article designated by one order information from being conveyed to the packaging device while remaining in a state of protruding from the defined area defined by the placement and conveyance device. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the article specified by one order information from being improperly packaged by the packaging apparatus, for example, in a state where the article is projected out of the flexible packaging material.

Another characteristic configuration of the picking equipment according to the present invention includes a storage area for storing a plurality of types of articles, a picking area in which an operation for taking out the articles from the storage area is performed, and conveying the articles taken out in the picking area And a assortment area in which an assortment operation is performed in which an article conveyed by the collection and conveyance unit is accommodated in a shipping container corresponding to the assortment destination, and is classified into the assortment destination based on the order information to specify the type and quantity of the article to the article stored in the storing area is taken in the picking area, articles are the type and number specified by the order information in the load adjustment area In the picking equipment accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information,
The collection conveyance unit includes a placement conveyance device that conveys an article taken out in the picking area based on the order information in a state where the article is directly placed on a conveyance surface, and a place where the article is input from the picking area. The assortment device provided in the middle of the conveyance path on the downstream side in the conveyance direction and a plurality of articles commanded by the order information are conveyed in a state divided into the conveyance direction by the order information, and the front during transport path of the placing transport device, equipped with a wrapping device for packaging in flexible packaging the given article by the order information in the order information, the wrapping packaging article packaged by the packaging device configured to convey toward the conveying direction downstream side of the device, the current article transport unit, a downstream side in the transport direction than the portion where the load orientation device is provided and said packaging apparatus An area inspection unit is provided on the upstream side in the conveyance direction with respect to the provided location, and the assorting device is configured to place an article designated by one piece of order information conveyed by the above-described placement conveyance device. A range of both the conveyance direction of the conveyance device and the conveyance width direction intersecting the conveyance direction in plan view is configured to be included in a defined area, and the area inspection unit includes at least one sensor, The at least one sensor is used to determine whether or not an article designated by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying apparatus in a state of being classified in the conveyance direction by order information is within the specified area. The control device configured to discriminate based on the output signal and controls the operation of the collection conveyance unit is designated by one order information based on the discrimination information of the area inspection unit. If the article is not within the defined area is configured to stop the conveying operation of the current article transport unit, the packaging article, for the shipment by the load adjustment operation performed by the load adjustment area It is in the point accommodated in a container .
According to this characteristic configuration, the designated type and the designated number of articles taken out in the picking area based on the order information are directly placed on the transport surface of the placement transport device and are classified in the transport direction according to the order information. It is conveyed in the state where it was done. And, in the middle of the transport path of the mounting and transporting device, it is wrapped with a soft packaging material according to the order information by the packaging device and becomes a packaged packaged article (if the order specifies one article, one article Is a packaged package). The packaged articles in which the articles related to the order information are bundled are transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction by the collection transport section, and correspond to the sorting destination related to the order information by the assembling work in the assortment area. Housed in a shipping container.
As described above, according to this characteristic configuration, the picking facility that can store the types and the number of articles specified in the order information in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information without interposing the collection container. Can be obtained.
In addition, according to this configuration, the articles being transported by the placing and transporting device are stored in the specified area according to the order information (consolidated when there are a plurality of articles). By appropriately setting according to the specification, the number of articles specified by one order information can be appropriately packaged by the packaging device, and the packaged articles can be appropriately generated.
Further, according to this configuration, when the article specified by one order information is not within the specified area in the placement and conveyance device, the collection and conveyance until the article is conveyed to the packaging device. The conveyance operation of the part can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the article designated by one order information from being conveyed to the packaging device while remaining in a state of protruding from the defined area defined by the placement and conveyance device. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the article specified by one order information from being improperly packaged by the packaging apparatus, for example, in a state where the article is projected out of the flexible packaging material.

  In addition, the assorting device includes an upstream conveyance unit that conveys articles at a first conveyance speed as a part of the placement conveyance apparatus, and a first conveyance speed as another part of the placement conveyance apparatus. A downstream transport unit that transports articles at a second transport speed that is lower than the upstream transport unit and that is connected downstream of the upstream transport unit in a transport direction downstream of the collection transport unit. In the connecting direction of the upstream conveying unit and the downstream conveying unit, the assorting device is configured to transfer the article specified by one order information in the conveying direction of the placing conveying device for the specified area. It is preferable to be configured so as to fall within the prescribed range.

According to this configuration, using the difference in transport speed between the upstream transport unit and the downstream transport unit, which are a part of the mounting transport device, a plurality of items specified by one order information in the mounting transport device When the articles are scattered in the transport direction, the distance between the articles in the transport direction can be reduced by a distance corresponding to the speed difference. In addition, when the position in the transport direction of a single article specified by one order information is deviated from an appropriate position on the placement transport device, the position in the transport direction is determined according to the speed difference. It can be moved by distance.
Accordingly, by appropriately setting the conveyance speed difference between the upstream conveyance unit and the downstream conveyance unit, an article specified by one order information can be accommodated within a defined range in the conveyance direction of the defined area. .
In this way, by using a part of the loading and transporting device, a function of storing an article specified by one order information in a specified range in the transporting direction, which is a part of the function of the assortment device. realizable. Since part of the assortment function and part of the transport function can be realized by a part of one device, the equipment cost can be reduced compared to the case where the two functions are shared by separate devices. Can be suppressed.

Further , a container supply unit to which the empty shipping container is supplied, and a shipping transfer unit for transferring the shipping container from the container supply unit are provided in the assortment area, A control device is provided that includes a branch portion that branches into a plurality of branch transport portions downstream in the transport direction from the packaging device, and that controls the operation of the collection transport portion, and the control device designates the packaged article. Based on the order information, in order to transport the packaged article to the branch transport unit selected from among the plurality of branch transport units according to related information indicating the relationship between the plurality of order information, the collection transport unit in the collection transport unit It is preferable that the operation of the branch portion is controlled, and the packaged articles relating to a plurality of different sorting destinations are accommodated in one shipping container by the assembling operation.

According to this configuration, a packaged article having certain order information and a packaged article having other order information related to the order information are accommodated in the same shipping container. Therefore, for example, if the geographical relationship information of the sorting destination is adopted as the related information indicating the relation of the plurality of order information, the packaging items of the sorting destination in the same region will be accommodated in the same shipping container. The delivery efficiency of the shipping container can be improved. In addition, as related information indicating the relationship between a plurality of order information, for example, when the sorting destination indicates a person in charge, when the store information is set as the attribute information of the sorting destination, the store information is adopted as the related information. By doing so, a plurality of packaging articles of different persons in charge in the same store can be accommodated in the same shipping container.
Thus, according to this characteristic configuration, the delivery efficiency of the shipping container after being shipped from the picking facility can be improved.

  Further, the article is a food product or a product in which food is packaged, and the collection conveyance unit has a downstream side in the conveyance direction and a position upstream in the conveyance direction than the packaging device. On the side, a foreign matter inspection device for determining whether or not foreign matter is present in the defined area for the article specified by the one order information is provided, and a control device that controls the operation of the collection conveyance unit Based on the discrimination information of the foreign matter inspection apparatus, when foreign matter is present in the specified area for the article specified by one order information, the carrying operation of the picked up carrying portion is stopped. It is preferable to be configured.

According to this configuration, when a foreign object such as a metal is present in a specified area of the placement and transport apparatus by the foreign object inspection apparatus, an article specified by one order information corresponding to the specified area is a packaging device. The foreign matter can be detected before being conveyed. And when a foreign material is detected, since the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance part stops, the situation where the goods specified by one order information are packaged with a foreign material with a foreign material can be prevented.
Moreover, since the foreign matter can be detected before the foreign matter is transported to the packaging device together with the article designated by one order information, the foreign matter detected before being packaged in the packaging device can be removed, so the foreign matter is removed. It is possible to respond quickly after detecting a foreign object without taking time and effort.

Further, the storage area is provided in each of the storage shelves provided with a plurality of storage units for storing articles by type in a state in which the storage units are arranged in a row direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the shelf, and the storage area is viewed in the vertical direction. The articles stored in the storage unit in a row state in which a plurality of articles are arranged along the shelf front-rear direction are conveyed in the front direction of the shelf front-rear direction along the shelf front-rear direction to remove the articles from the storage unit. A first conveying device for carrying out the pieces individually,
The picking area is disposed on the front side of the storage shelf in the front-rear direction of the shelf and supports a product, a second drive unit that moves the second support portion in the alignment direction, And a second transport unit that transports the article supported by the second support unit in the forward direction, and receives the article from the second transport device and sends the article to the collection transport unit. A third transfer device for charging
A control device is provided that controls the operation of the first transport device, the second transport device, and the third transport device, and controls the operation of the collection transport unit,
The control device includes the first transport device and the third transport device to simultaneously support all of the products stored in the storage shelf among the products specified by the order information. Controlling the operation of the second transport device, and among the items specified by the one order information, the product supported by the third transport device is accompanied by the transport operation of the collection transport unit. When the operation of the third transport device is controlled so as to be supported by a transport section assigned to one piece of order information that is designated as a section that moves in the transport direction of the collection transport section. Is preferred.

According to this configuration, the plurality of types of articles stored in the storage shelf are unloaded one by one from the respective storage units for each type of article by the first transport device, and the third transport is performed via the second transport device. Supported by the device. In the third transport device, all the articles stored in the storage shelf among the articles specified by one order information are supported. The article thus supported by the third transport device is put into the transport section assigned to the one order information designating the article, and the transport section moves along the transport direction of the collection transport section. By doing so, the articles instructed by the order information are transported in a state of being sorted in the transport direction by order information. Therefore, the articles specified by the order information can be appropriately supplied to the packaging device according to the order information.
In this case, in addition to the third transport device corresponding to a certain storage shelf, for example, another third transport device corresponding to another storage shelf is provided as a transport device for putting articles into the collection transport unit, and When an article specified by one order information is distributed and stored in the plurality of storage shelves, the article specified by the one order information corresponds to the certain storage shelf. It is preferable that another third transport device corresponding to the third transport device and another storage shelf is put into the same transport section assigned to the one order information.
As described above, according to this feature configuration, an operation for taking out articles from the storage area in the picking area by order information is automatically performed by the transport device, and the articles instructed by the order information are classified in the transport direction by order information. It is conveyed in the state where it was done. And the article conveyed in the state classified into the conveyance direction according to the order information becomes a packaged article as described above, and is accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information in the assortment area.
Therefore, according to this characteristic configuration, the types and the number of articles specified in the order information can be accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information without intervening the conventionally used collection container. At the same time, it is possible to save labor in the picking area.

Overall plan view of picking equipment Perspective view of storage area and picking area The top view which showed the mode until the packaging article about one order was produced | generated The figure which shows the mode of the goods which move to a picking area and a collection conveyance part from a storage area Plan view of the loading device and area inspection unit View of the area inspection unit viewed from the direction along the transport direction Plan view of bifurcation and packing area Side view of the packing area Control block diagram Table showing multiple order information

Embodiments of a picking facility according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the picking facility includes a storage area A1 for storing a plurality of types of articles W, a picking area A2 in which an operation for taking out articles from the storage area A1 is performed, and an article taken out in the picking area A2. An assembling operation is performed in which a transport area A3 for transporting W and an article W transported in the transport area A3 are accommodated in a shipping container B corresponding to a sorting destination (a customer who is an orderer in this embodiment). Assortment area A4 is provided. In the picking facility of the present embodiment, a plurality of storage areas A1, a plurality of picking areas A2, and a single assortment area A4 are provided for a single transport area A3. Further, one picking area A2 is provided corresponding to one storage area A1, and the same number (three) of storage areas A1 and picking areas A2 are provided.
Each of the plurality of storage areas A1 is an example of the storage area of the present invention, and each of the plurality of picking areas A2 is an example of the picking area of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the storage area A1 is provided with an article storage shelf 2 having a plurality of storage units 1 for storing articles W, and the collection transport unit 3 for transporting the articles W is provided in the transport area A3. A foreign matter inspection device 4 such as an X-ray inspection device that detects foreign matters such as metal pieces mixed in the article W (frozen food) being transported by the collection transport unit 3; And a packaging device 5 that wraps the articles W being conveyed, and moves to the assortment area A4 in a state where the container conveyance conveyor 6 that conveys the shipping containers B and the shipping containers B are stacked. A cart 7 and the like are provided.

  The articles W handled in the picking facility include a plurality of types of articles W, and the article storage shelf 2 stores a plurality of types of articles W in the plurality of storage units 1 according to type. In this embodiment, the article W is a frozen food as a product on which various types of packaging such as a paper package, a polystyrene foam container, and a plastic bag are applied. Therefore, the picking equipment of this embodiment is installed in a low temperature environment in which the room temperature is adjusted, for example, between 0 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, and an operator who performs various operations such as assortment work in the picking equipment. P wears cold work clothes as a measure against cold.

  As will be described in detail later, the articles W are cut out and transported by the plurality of first transport devices 18 provided for each storage unit 1 in the product storage shelf 2 in the storage area A1, and the second transport device 19 and the third transport device 3 in the picking area A2. A control device H is provided for controlling the picking operation of the article W by the transport device 20 and the transport operation of the product collection transport unit 3 in the transport area A3 (see FIG. 9). The control device H is configured to control the operation of these devices based on a plurality of commanded order information.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in one order information, information on a customer ID indicating an ordered customer, information on an item ID indicating the type of the ordered item W, and the number of items W of each type ordered. Contains information. In addition, order numbers are assigned to a plurality of pieces of order information in the order in which the articles W are shipped. Further, the control device H stores a customer ID and information indicating the shipping destination of the article W of the customer in association with each other. Thus, each of the plurality of pieces of order information is information that designates the type of the article W and the number of articles W of each type.

In the picking facility, the articles W stored in the article storage shelf 2 are taken out based on the order information, and a plurality of articles W designated by one piece of order information are grouped together to collect and convey the unit. 3 is conveyed. The product collection transport unit 3 transports the articles W instructed by a plurality of order information in a state where the articles W are classified in the transport direction according to the order information.
A group of articles W designated by one piece of order information is packaged in the same bag by the packaging device 5 and becomes a packaged article Wr for one order. Depending on the number and type of articles W specified by one piece of order information, there are cases where two or more packaging articles Wr are packaged in different bags. Further, the articles W designated by two or more pieces of order information are not wrapped in the same bag. In addition, there may be a case where only one article W is specified by one piece of order information. In this case, when one article is constituted by only one article W and packaged, one order is provided. It becomes the packaging article Wr.

  The packaged article Wr packaged by the packaging device 5 in the middle of the conveyance path of the product collection conveyance unit 3 is further conveyed toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction, and branches into a plurality of branch conveyance units 31 as will be described later. The product is transported to the part 21t and is accommodated in the shipping container B from the downstream end of the branch transport unit 31 by the worker P who performs the assembling work in the assembling area A4. In the assembling operation, a plurality of packaging articles Wr related to the same or different customers are accommodated in one shipping container B. In this way, a plurality of shipping containers B in which a plurality of packaged articles Wr are accommodated are stacked on the cart 7 and shipped from the picking facility.

[Goods storage shelf]
Next, the article storage shelf 2 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the picking facility includes a first article storage shelf 8, a second article storage shelf 9, and a third article storage shelf 10 as the article storage shelf 2. The first article storage shelf 8, the second article storage shelf 9, and the third article storage shelf 10 are juxtaposed in the lateral width direction of the shelf.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first article storage shelf 8 is composed of six storage section rows 2 a arranged in the width direction of the shelf, and only one is provided. Although the detailed illustration is omitted in FIG. 2, the second article storage shelf 9 is composed of two storage section rows 2 a arranged in the shelf width direction, and three sets are arranged in parallel in the state of the shelf width direction. Yes. Similarly, the third article storage shelf 10 is composed of two storage section rows 2a arranged in the shelf width direction, and three sets are arranged side by side in a state of being arranged in the shelf width direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the six storage unit rows 2 a configuring the first article storage shelf 8 is configured by arranging a plurality of storage units 1 in the vertical direction only. The first article storage shelf 8 configured by arranging a plurality of storage section rows 2a configured in this manner in the width direction of the shelf (six rows) includes a plurality of storage sections 1 arranged in the vertical direction and the width direction of the shelf. I have.
Each of the two storage section rows 2a constituting the second article storage shelf 9 is configured in the same manner as the storage section row 2a constituting the first article storage shelf 8, and the second article storage shelf 9 is arranged in the vertical direction. Each of the storage section rows 2a constituting the third article storage shelf 10 is provided with only one storage section 1 and is provided with a plurality of storage sections 1 arranged in the shelf width direction. The third article storage shelf 10 configured by arranging a plurality of such storage unit rows 2a in the horizontal direction of the shelf includes a plurality of storage units 1 in a state of being arranged only in the horizontal direction of the shelf.
Each of the first article storage shelf 8 and the second article storage shelf 9 corresponds to a storage shelf of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, each of the plurality of storage units 1 provided in the first article storage shelf 8 includes a plurality of articles W along the shelf front-rear direction that intersects the shelf width direction when viewed in the vertical direction. The 1st support part 13 supported in the row state is provided. Although not shown in detail, each of the plurality of storage units 1 provided in the second article storage shelf 9 and the third article storage shelf 10 is also provided with a first support portion 13.

  The first article storage shelf 8, the second article storage shelf 9, and the third article storage shelf 10 all store articles W by type in the plurality of storage units 1, and each of the plurality of storage units 1 is first. A support unit 13 and a first transport device 18 to be described later are provided. Therefore, the 1st article storage shelf 8, the 2nd article storage shelf 9, and the 3rd article storage shelf 10 are the number of stages of the storage unit 1 arranged in the vertical direction (in the present embodiment, the first article storage shelf 8 has five stages, The second article storage shelf 9 is configured in five stages, and the third article storage shelf 10 is configured in one stage), and is configured in the same manner except for the number of columns.

Next, the article replenishing space S formed for replenishing the article W in the article storage shelf 2 will be described. The first article storage shelf 8, the second article storage shelf 9, and the third article storage shelf 10 are similarly formed with an article replenishing space S. Therefore, the first article storage shelf 8 will be described. The description of the second article storage shelf 9 and the third article storage shelf 10 is omitted.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first article storage shelf 8 is provided with a plurality of storage unit rows 2 a arranged in a row in the width direction of the shelf. Three sets of storage unit rows 2a are formed with the storage unit row 2a as a set. And the storage part row | line | column 2a adjacent to a shelf width direction is installed in the state which adjoined in the shelf width direction so that the operator P could not enter between the said adjacent storage part row | line | columns 2a when belonging to the same group. When the adjacent storage section rows 2a belong to different sets, they are installed in a state separated in the width direction of the shelf so that the operator P can enter between them.

  By arranging a plurality of storage unit rows 2a in such a form, in the storage unit row 2a (storage unit 1) in which another storage unit row 2a (storage unit 1) adjacent in the width direction of the shelf exists on both sides, The space S for replenishing articles is formed between one of the pair of storage section rows 2a (storage section 1) adjacent to both sides of the storage section row 2a (storage section 1). ing. Further, in the storage section row 2a (storage section 1) in which another storage section row 2a (storage section 1) adjacent in the horizontal direction of the shelf exists only on one side, there is another storage section row 2a (storage section 1). An article replenishing space S is formed on the other side that is not. The operator P is configured to enter the article replenishing space S and to replenish the article W from the shelf width direction with respect to the storage unit 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an operator P in the article replenishing space S is prevented from entering the space in which the second transfer device 19 is installed on the front side of the article replenishing space S. A fence 11 is provided. The fence 11 is arranged on the front side in the front-rear direction of the shelf from the row of articles W stored in the storage unit 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each of the storage units 1 is provided with a pair of spiral bodies 15 in a state of being arranged in the lateral width direction of the shelf, and the winding directions of the pair of spiral bodies 15 are opposite to each other. Yes. Then, by driving the first drive unit 16 (see FIG. 9), the spiral body 15 located on the right side is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front side in the front-rear direction of the shelf, and the spiral body 15 located on the left side is counteracted. It is configured to rotate clockwise.

[Conveyor]
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 and FIG. 9, as a transport device for transporting an article W in a picking facility, a first transport device 18 provided in the storage area A1 and a second transport device 19 provided in the picking area A2. And the 3rd conveying apparatus 20, the above-mentioned collection conveyance part 3 provided in conveyance area A3, and the above-mentioned container conveyance conveyor 6 provided in packing area A4 are provided.
In the control block of FIG. 9, the drive unit group provided corresponding to the first article storage shelf 8 is illustrated as a drive unit group 8a for the first article storage shelf. The drive unit group 9a for the article storage shelf and the drive unit group 10a for the third article storage shelf are also illustrated. In each drive unit group, in the drive unit group 8 a for the first article storage shelf 8, one first drive unit 16 provided in each of the plurality of storage units 1 of the first article storage shelf 8 is provided. Only one drive unit is illustrated, such as only illustrating.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the first transport device 18 is provided in each of the plurality of storage units 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the second transfer device 19 is arranged on the front side of the first article storage shelf 8 in the first storage area A1 and on the front side of the second article storage shelf 9 in the second storage area A1. It is provided and is not disposed on the front side of the third article storage shelf 10 in the third storage area.
As shown in FIG. 1, the third transport device 20 is disposed on the front side of the second transport device 19 in the first and second picking areas A2, and the third article storage is performed in the third picking area A2. It is disposed on the front side of the shelf 10.
The collection conveyance part 3 is arrange | positioned along the shelf width direction in the front side of the 3rd conveying apparatus 20 in conveyance area A3, as shown in FIGS. 1-3.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the container transport conveyor 6 loads the branch transport unit 31 and the worker P along the arrangement direction of the plurality of branch transport units 31 that are downstream of the collection transport unit 3. They are arranged with a space for performing the alignment work.

[First transfer device]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the first transport device 18 includes a first transport unit 14 that transports the articles W in a row in the forward direction in the longitudinal direction of the shelf and takes out the articles W one by one from the storage unit 1. I have.
The 1st conveyance part 14 rotates the helical body 15 formed helically centering | focusing on the rotating shaft center along a shelf front-back direction, and rotates the spiral body 15 around a rotating shaft center, and moves the articles | goods W of a row | line | column state to the front direction 1st drive part 16 (refer to Drawing 9). And the 1st drive part 16 is comprised so that the articles | goods W of a row | line | column state may be conveyed in the front direction of the shelf front-back direction by rotating the spiral body 15. FIG.

[Second transport device]
The second transport device 19 is disposed on the front side of the article storage shelf 2 and moves the second belt 29 as a second support part that supports the article W in the direction in which the storage parts 1 are arranged. The second drive unit 30 and the second transport unit 27 that transports the article W supported by the second belt 29 to the front side are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an upper / lower / left / right transport device 19 a is disposed as a second transport device 19 on the front side of the first article storage shelf 8. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the up / down / left / right transport device 19 a includes an elevating body 23 that moves in the up / down direction along the guide mast 22, and an up / down drive unit 24 that moves the elevating body 23 in the up / down direction (see FIG. 2). 9), a moving body 25 that moves on the elevating body 23 along the shelf width direction, and a left-right drive unit 26 (see FIG. 9) that moves the moving body 25 on the elevating body 23 along the shelf width direction. , And a second transport unit 27 supported by the moving body 25.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on the front side of the second article storage shelf 9, the second conveyance is performed separately on the front side of each of the pair of storage unit rows 2 a corresponding to each of the pair of storage unit rows 2 a. As the device 19, a pair of upper and lower conveying devices 19b are provided. The pair of upper and lower conveying devices 19b are arranged side by side in a state in which the horizontal width of the shelf is aligned, and each of the pair of upper and lower conveying devices 19b includes an elevating body 23 that moves in the vertical direction along the guide mast 22, and a guide mast 22. A lifting body 23 that moves up and down along the vertical direction, a vertical drive unit 24 (see FIG. 9) that moves the lifting body 23 along the vertical direction, and a second transport unit 27 supported by the lifting body 23. I have.

  The 2nd conveyance part 27 is comprised by the belt conveyor which moves the 2nd belt 29 to the longitudinal direction in the 2nd conveyor drive part 28 (refer FIG. 9). The second transport unit 27 can support the first allowable number of articles W in a state of being aligned in the longitudinal direction of the shelf on the second belt 29. Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the first allowable number is 3, and the second transport unit 27 is configured to have a length capable of supporting three articles W in a state of being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the shelf on the second belt 29. Yes. The second belt 29 corresponds to a second support portion that supports the article W. The second transport unit 27 transports the article W supported by the second belt 29 in the forward direction.

The second transport unit 27 in the up / down / left / right transport unit 19a is supported by the moving body 25, and the second transport unit 27 is also moved in the up-and-down direction by moving the elevating body 23 along the up-and-down direction by driving the up-and-down drive unit 24. The second transport unit 27 is also configured to move along the shelf width direction by moving the moving body 25 along the shelf width direction by driving the left and right drive unit 26.
The second transport unit 27 (second belt 29) provided in this way is disposed on the front side of the first article storage shelf 8. And the 2nd conveyance part 27 (2nd belt 29) is moved by the up-down drive part 24 and the left-right drive part 26 in the arrangement direction (up-down direction and shelf width direction) of the storage part 1 in the 1st article storage shelf 8. A second drive unit 30 is configured.

In addition, the pair of second conveyance units 27 in the vertical conveyance device 19b is supported by the elevating body 23, and the elevating body 23 moves in the vertical direction by driving the vertical drive unit 24. Is also configured to move in the vertical direction.
The pair of second transport units 27 (second belts 29) provided in this way is disposed on the front side of the second article storage shelf 9. The pair of second transport units 27 is configured to transport the articles W supported by the driving of the second conveyor drive unit 28 in the forward direction of the shelf front-rear direction. Then, the pair of up and down driving units 24 provided in the pair of second transport units 27 moves the second transport unit 27 (second belt 29) in the direction in which the storage units 1 are arranged in the second article storage shelf 9 (up and down). The second drive unit 30 is configured to move in the direction). The second drive unit 30 is configured to move the pair of second transport units 27 (second belts 29) independently in the vertical direction.

[Third transfer device]
As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the 3rd conveying apparatus 20 is provided with the some 3rd conveying part 32 arranged in a shelf width direction. The number of the third conveying devices 20 provided for the first article storage shelf 8 is larger than the number of the storage units 1 arranged in the shelf width direction in the first article storage shelf 8 (eight in this embodiment). 3rd conveyance part 32 is provided. Although the detailed illustration is omitted, the third transport device 20 provided for the second article storage shelf 9 and the third article storage shelf 10 has a shelf width in the second article storage shelf 9 and the third article storage shelf 10. The same number (three in the present embodiment) of the third transport units 32 as the number of storage units 1 arranged in the direction is provided (see FIG. 1).

The 3rd conveyance part 32 is comprised by the belt conveyor which moves the 3rd belt 34 to the longitudinal direction by the 3rd drive part 33 (refer FIG. 9). The third transport unit 32 can support the second allowable number of articles W in a state of being arranged on the third belt 34 in the longitudinal direction of the shelf. Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the second allowable number is 3, and the third conveying unit 32 is configured to have a length capable of supporting three articles W in a state of being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the shelf on the third belt 34. Yes.
The third belt 34 corresponds to a third support portion that supports the article W. That is, the third transport device 20 includes the third belt 34 in each of the plurality of third transport units 32. And the 3rd conveyance part 32 is comprised so that the articles | goods W currently supported by the 3rd belt 34 may be conveyed to the front (1st conveyance direction).

  The plurality of third belts 34 provided in the third transport device 20 for the first article storage shelf 8 are arranged in the shelf width direction (direction intersecting the shelf front-rear direction) on the front side of the up / down / left / right transport device 19a. Several are arranged side by side. The plurality of third belts 34 are transport destinations of the up / down / left / right transport device 19a. Although not shown in detail, similarly, the plurality of third belts 34 provided in the third transport device 20 corresponding to the second article storage shelf 9 correspond to each of the pair of second belts 29, A plurality of the second belts 29 are provided in a state of being separately provided on the front side of the pair of second belts 29. The pair of third belts 34 is a transport destination of the vertical transport device 19b. In addition, the plurality of third belts 34 provided in the third transport device 20 corresponding to the third transport device 20 are the same number of the third belts 34 as the plurality of storage units 1 of the third article storage shelf 10. A plurality of three article storage shelves 10 are arranged in a state of being present on the front side of each of the plurality of storage units 1.

[Collecting and conveying section]
As shown in FIG. 1, the product collection transport unit 3 includes a placement transport device 21 and a branch transport unit 31. The loading / conveying device 21 is arranged along the direction in which the plurality of storage areas A1 are arranged, and the three belts of the first conveyor 21A, the second conveyor 21B, and the third conveyor 21C are continuously arranged in the conveyance direction. Consists of a conveyor. The three belt conveyors of the placing and conveying device 21 convey the individual articles W taken out in the picking area A2 based on the order information in a state where they are directly placed on the belt as the conveying surface.

The most upstream first conveyor 21A has the article W in the conveyance section upstream in the conveyance direction with respect to the position where the assortment device 40 provided downstream from the position where the article W is introduced from the picking area A2. Transport. That is, the article W is thrown into the first conveyor 21A by the third transport device 20 in the picking area A2.
The second conveyor 21 </ b> B located in the middle conveys the article W in a conveyance section from a location where the assortment device 40 is located to a connection location between the supply conveyor 5 a included in the packaging device 5 and the placement conveyance device 21.
The third conveyor 21 </ b> C located on the most downstream side is a downstream end portion of the loading / conveying device 21 in which a plurality of branch portions 21 t are provided from a connection portion between the discharge conveyor 5 b and the loading / conveying device 21 provided in the packaging device 5. The packaged article Wr is transported until.

As shown in FIG. 1, the collection conveyance unit 3 includes a packaging device 5 in the conveyance path. As shown in FIG. 3, the packaging device 5 of the present embodiment is a sheet in which a single or a plurality of articles W to be packaged specified by one order information is installed on the side of the collection conveyance unit 3. Using a sheet-like vinyl 17 (an example of a soft wrapping material) fed out from the roll 12, packaging is performed by the following so-called reverse pillow method.
That is, the articles W to be packaged are fed into the supply conveyor 5a included in the packaging device 5 by the second conveyor 21B. The article W to be packaged is sent to the upper surface of the sheet-like vinyl 17 developed inside the apparatus, and the article W to be packaged is covered with the sheet-like vinyl 17 from both sides in the transport width direction, and above the article W to be packaged. The joint located along the conveying direction is sealed by heat welding. The substantially cylindrical sheet-like vinyl 17 is heat-sealed at both front and rear ends in the conveyance direction of the article W to be packaged, and is separated from the sheet roll 12 to generate a packaged article Wr. The generated packaging article Wr is discharged from the discharge conveyor 5b included in the packaging device 5 to the downstream side in the transport direction, and is further transported downstream by the third conveyor 21C.

  In order to package the article W by the packaging apparatus 5 as described above, it is necessary that the article W is located within a defined area defined by the specifications of the packaging apparatus 5. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the first conveyor 21A in which the articles W are input from the picking area A2 in the collection conveyance unit 3, the conveyance direction in the conveyance width direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the placement conveyance device 21 in plan view. The first conveyor 21A is configured by a so-called trough conveyor in which the central portion in the transport width direction is a transport surface having a lower height than both ends so that the position of the article W does not vary as much as possible.

  The first conveyor 21A is divided into a plurality of belt portions 38 by protrusions 37a formed at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the belt 37 forming the conveying surface. That is, the first conveyor 21 </ b> A of the collection conveyance unit 3 includes the belt portion 38 that supports the article W in a state of being aligned in the conveyance direction of the collection conveyance unit 3. The first conveyor 21 </ b> A of the product collection transport unit 3 moves the belt 37 in the longitudinal direction by the drive unit, thereby moving the articles W supported by the belt portions 38 of the belt 37 in the transport direction of the product collection transport unit 3. It is comprised so that it may convey along. Therefore, each belt portion 38 is a section that moves along the conveyance direction of the collection conveyance unit 3 in accordance with the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit 3 and is allocated to one order information that designates the article W. It is classified.

  In order to suppress variation in the position of the article W in the conveyance width direction, the collection conveyance unit 3 further conveys the article W designated by one piece of order information being conveyed in the conveyance direction of the placement conveyance device 21. In addition, there is provided a loading device 40 for accommodating both ranges in the conveyance width direction intersecting the conveyance direction in a plan view within a defined area Z defined.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the assortment device 40 places the article W on the front and rear assortment portions 40 a for accommodating the article W within a specified range in the conveyance direction of the placement and conveyance device 21. It is comprised by the width load alignment part 40b for accommodating in the regulation range in the conveyance width direction which cross | intersects the conveyance direction of the conveying apparatus 21 by planar view.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the front-rear load assortment unit 40 a is configured by a first conveyor 21 </ b> A and a second conveyor 21 </ b> B that are two conveyors having different conveyance speeds. The conveyance speed Vs of the second conveyor 21B on the downstream side is set to be lower than the conveyance speed Vf of the first conveyor 21A on the upstream side. Thus, when the article W designated by one order information conveyed by the first conveyor 21A is transferred to the second conveyor 21B on the downstream side, for example, when there are a plurality of articles, both conveyors 21A and 21B The distance in the transport direction between the articles W is shortened by a distance corresponding to the difference in transport speed (V1−V2). Further, when the article W is deviated forward from the center of the transport section in the transport direction with respect to the transport section assigned to one order information in the placement transport device 21, both conveyors 21 </ b> A and 21 </ b> B Only the distance corresponding to the difference (V1−V2) in the conveyance speed can be brought to the center of the conveyance section.
As described above, the load aligning device 40 includes the first conveyor 21A and the second conveyor 21B, which are two conveyors having different transport speeds, as the front and rear load aligning portions 40a. The second conveyor 21B corresponds to the upstream conveying section of the present invention that conveys articles at a first conveying speed as a part, and the second conveyor 21B is a second part that is lower than the first conveying speed as another part of the loading and conveying apparatus. This corresponds to the downstream conveying section of the present invention that conveys articles at the conveying speed.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the load aligning device 40 is provided with a pair of guide bodies 35 that are spaced apart from each other in the transport width direction as the width load aligning portion 40 b. The pair of guide bodies 35 are provided with a guide portion whose distance from each other becomes shorter toward the downstream side in the transport direction at least in a part of the transport direction. You may provide the part where the mutual separation distance is the same irrespective of the position in a conveyance direction in both or one of the conveyance direction upstream and downstream of the said guide part.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the product collection and transport unit 3 has a downstream side in the transport direction from the location where the assortment device 40 is provided and an upstream side in the transport direction from the location where the packaging device 5 is provided. An area inspection unit 50 is provided. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the region inspection unit 50 includes a height sensor D1, a length sensor D2, and a width sensor D3 as at least one sensor, and these sensors are not shown in FIG. Connected to the main unit. The area inspection unit 50 is connected to the control device H (see FIG. 9), and includes one order information that is transported by the second conveyor 21 </ b> B of the placement transport device 21 in a state of being sorted in the transport direction by order information. It is configured to determine whether or not the specified article W is within the defined area Z based on the output signals of the height sensor D1, the length sensor D2, and the width sensor D3 as at least one sensor. Yes. In the present embodiment, the defined region Z is a region formed of a rectangular parallelepiped virtual space in which the bottom surface of the outer shape matches the transport surface of the placement transport device 21.

  The height sensor D1 is a light emitting / receiving optical sensor installed so that the optical axis of the detection light projected from the light projector toward the light receiver is in a posture along the conveyance width direction, and the height of the optical axis is , Approximately the same as the upper end height of the defined region Z. Therefore, when an article W having a height equal to or higher than the specified height is conveyed by the second conveyor 21B and passes through the installation location of the height sensor D1, the article W is detected as an article W having an over height.

  Similarly, the length sensor D2 is a light projecting / receiving optical sensor installed so that the optical axis of the detection light projected from the light projector toward the light receiver is in a posture along the conveyance width direction. The height is located slightly above the lower end height of the defined region Z (the height of the transport surface of the second conveyor 21B of the placement transport device 21). Therefore, among the articles W classified by order information, the article located at the most downstream (hereinafter referred to as the most downstream article. In FIG. 5, the article W schematically shown by a triangle passing through the installation location of the height sensor D1). When the downstream end of the transport direction reaches the installation location of the length sensor D2 after being transported by the second conveyor 21B, the one specified by one order information transported in a state of being sorted in the transport direction by order information. Detected as the downstream end of the bundled articles W in the transport direction. The area inspection unit 50 has passed a monitoring time of one order determined from the conveyance speed Vs of the second conveyor 21B and the length of the specified area Z in the conveyance direction after the downstream end in the conveyance direction of the most downstream article is detected. The detection state of the length sensor D2 at the reference time is the non-detection state (first condition), and the downstream end in the conveyance direction of the article W is first detected after the reference time from the reference time. If both the elapsed time until the time is longer than the appropriate interval period (second condition) are satisfied, the bundle of articles W specified by one order information is transported in the specified region Z It is judged that it is within the range. The appropriate interval period is preferably determined based on the transport speed Vs of the second conveyor 21 </ b> B and the supply pitch for the packaging device 5.

  The area inspection unit 50 determines the length of the defined area Z along the conveyance width direction based on the output signal of the width sensor D3. As shown in FIG. 6, the width sensor D3 is a reflection type distance sensor, and is viewed in a direction along the transport direction with a distance in the transport width direction by a length in the transport width direction of the defined region Z. Thus, a pair of attachments are attached to the horizontal portion of the gate-shaped bracket in such a posture that the optical axis of the distance measuring light is perpendicular to the conveyance surface at a position substantially coincident with the width direction end of the defined region Z. By monitoring the distance measurement information of the width sensor D3 while operating the second conveyor 21B, it is possible to detect that the length does not fall within the length along the conveyance width direction of the specified region Z. That is, when the second conveyor 21B is operating and the distance measurement information of the width sensor D3 changes to a side shorter than the length to the conveyance surface, the area inspection unit 50 moves from the specified area Z in the conveyance lateral width direction. Assuming that the protruding article W exists, it is determined that the article W is not within the specified region Z.

Then, based on the discrimination information of the area inspection unit 50, the control device H performs the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit 3 when the article W specified by one order information does not fall within the specified area Z. It is configured to stop.
As a result, the article W designated by one order information is prevented from being improperly packaged by the packaging device 5, for example, the article W is packaged in a state where it jumps out from the sheet-like vinyl 17. it can.

  As described above, in the first conveyor 21A of the loading / conveying device 21, the article W designated by one order information is supported by one belt portion 38, that is, divided into the conveying direction according to the order information. The article W designated by one order information is the article W stored in the first article storage shelf 8, the article W stored in the second article storage shelf 9, In some cases, all of the articles W stored in the third article storage shelf 10 may be included, or only the articles W stored in the first article storage shelf 8 may be designated. In any case, the article W specified in the order information is sent to the order information in the first conveyor 21A by the third transport device 20 in the article storage shelf 2 storing the article W specified in the order. Is applied to one belt portion 38 assigned to the.

  In order to appropriately put the article W designated in the order into one belt portion 38 assigned to the order information, the control device H is configured to select one of the articles W designated by the order information. The operation of the first transport device 18 and the second transport device 19 in the product storage shelf 2 is controlled so that the third transport device 20 can simultaneously support all the products W stored in the product storage shelf 2. In addition, among the articles W designated by one order information, the articles W supported by the third conveyance device 20 (including a plurality of third conveyance units) are used for the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit 3. In order to support the belt W in one belt portion 38 that is a section that moves along the transport direction of the collection transport section 3 and that is assigned to one piece of order information that designates the article W. Of the transfer device 20 To control the motion.

  In this case, as an aspect in which the plurality of third transport units 32 included in the third transport device 20 support the article W specified by one order information, for example, it is specified by one order information. It is conceivable that the articles W are distributed and supported by the plurality of third transport units 32, or the articles W specified by one order information are aggregated and supported by as few third transport units 32 as possible. It is done. In the former case, it is also conceivable to allow one third transport unit 32 to support an article W related to two or more pieces of order information.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the collection transport unit 3 has one order on the downstream side in the transport direction from the location where the assortment device 40 is provided and on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the packaging device 5. A foreign substance inspection device 4 is provided for determining whether or not a foreign substance exists in the defined area Z for the article W designated by the information. In the present embodiment, an X-ray inspection apparatus that automatically determines the presence or absence of a metal piece or the like is employed as the foreign object inspection apparatus 4.

When the foreign object inspection apparatus 4 determines that there is a metal piece or the like as a foreign object in the specified area Z for the article W (frozen food) specified by one order information, the determination information is sent to the control apparatus H. It is connected to the control apparatus H so that it can output (refer FIG. 9). Based on the discrimination information of the foreign substance inspection apparatus 4, the control device H stops the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit 3 when there is a foreign substance in the defined area Z for the article W specified by one order information. Let
Thereby, the situation where the article W (frozen food) specified by one order information is packaged by the packaging device 5 together with the foreign matter can be prevented by detecting the foreign matter before being transported to the packaging device 5. . And since the foreign material detected in the state before packaging in the packaging apparatus 5 can be removed, the response | compatibility after foreign material detection can be performed rapidly, without taking time and effort in removing a foreign material.

  Next, the branch conveyance part 31 with which the mounting conveyance apparatus 21 of the collection conveyance part 3 is provided is demonstrated. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the third conveyor 21 </ b> C that transports the packaged article Wr packed by the packaging device 5 includes a branch portion 21 t that branches into a plurality of branch transport portions 31. That is, the product collection transport unit 3 includes the branching portion 21t on the downstream side in the transport direction from the packaging device 5. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the branch portion 21t includes a lateral feed device that can be raised and lowered from above and below the transfer surface of the third conveyor 21C. As shown by white arrows, the articles W can be laterally fed in the conveyance width direction of the third conveyor 21C.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the branch conveyance units 31 is configured by arranging a plurality of belt conveyors (five in the illustration of FIGS. 7 and 8) along a straight conveyance direction. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the packaged article Wr branched at the branching portion 21t from the loading / conveying device 21 by this configuration is prepended downstream in the conveying direction in the conveying path of each branch conveying portion 31. Supported in state.

[Container Conveyor]
A container transport conveyor 6 is provided in the assortment area A4 where the assembling operation is performed. The upstream end of the container transport conveyor 6 in the transport direction is a container supply unit 6t to which an empty shipping container B is supplied. That is, the container transport conveyor 6 corresponds to a shipping transport unit of the present invention that transports a shipping container from a container supply unit. In this embodiment, since the goods W are frozen food, the container B with a cold storage function is used for the shipping container B from the necessity of the cold storage during delivery after shipment. The shipping container B is a returnable container that is collected after shipping.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the shipping container B contains a packaging article Wr packed in vinyl. Based on the order information specifying the packaging article Wr, the control device H conveys the packaging article Wr to the branch conveyance unit selected from the plurality of branch conveyance units 31 according to the related information indicating the association of the plurality of order information. Therefore, the operation of the branching portion 21t in the product collection transport unit 3 is controlled. As a result, the packaged articles Wr related to different order information that are mutually related are branched at the same branch point 37t and lined up in the same branch conveyance unit 31. Therefore, the worker P can store the related packaging article Wr in the same shipping container B. Thus, in the present embodiment, the packaging articles Wr related to a plurality of different sorting destinations are accommodated in one shipping container B by the assembling operation.

  As related information indicating the relationship between a plurality of pieces of order information, for example, geographical relationship information of a customer who is a sorting destination of the present embodiment can be considered. If the geographical relationship information between the sorting destinations can be grasped, the packaging articles Wr of the sorting destination in the same region are accommodated in the same shipping container B. For this reason, it becomes possible to accommodate as many packaging articles Wr as possible in the shipping container B, and the delivery efficiency of the shipping container B can be improved. By the way, as related information indicating the relationship between a plurality of order information, for example, when the sorting destination indicates the person in charge of the sales office, when the store information of the sales office is set as the attribute information of the sorting destination, the store By adopting the information as related information, a plurality of packaging articles Wr of different persons in charge at the same store can be accommodated in the same shipping container B.

  The shipping container B in which the packaging article Wr is accommodated and closed by the operator P's assembling work is transported to the downstream end of the container transport conveyor 6 and stacked on the shipping cart 7. Since the shipping cart 7 is supplied in a stacked state, as shown in FIG. 8, a hoist type spreading device 39 is provided at the loading work location. Thereby, the worker P can easily perform the loading operation of the shipping container B onto the shipping cart 7.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, the designated type and the designated number of articles W taken out in the picking area A2 based on the order information are directly placed on the carrying surface of the carrying device 21 and It is transported in a state of being sorted in the transport direction by order information. Then, in the middle of the conveyance path of the loading and conveying device 21, the packaging device 5 wraps the sheet-like vinyl 17 which is a soft packaging material according to the order information to form a packaged packaged item Wr (a single item is designated as an order). If it is to be done, one article becomes a packaged article). The packaged articles Wr in which the articles W related to the order information are bundled are transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction by the collection transport unit 3, and are sorted according to the order information by the assembling work in the assortment area A4. It accommodates in the container B for shipping corresponding previously.
As described above, in the picking facility according to the present embodiment, the collection container is interposed in the shipping container B corresponding to the sorting destination according to the order information for the type and number of articles W specified in the order information. Can be accommodated.

[Another embodiment]
As mentioned above, although the invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments of the invention, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated.

(1) In the above embodiment, the article handled by the picking facility is exemplified by frozen food, but the article is not limited to this. For example, the article may be a normal food that has not been frozen or a product in which the normal food is packaged, or may be a food that is not a drug, accessory, or miscellaneous goods.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the operation of taking out an article from the article storage shelf in the storage area to the picking area and the operation of putting the taken out article into the collection conveyance unit are the first conveyance device, the second conveyance device, and the third. Although the equipment that automatically performs using the transfer device has been illustrated, the worker may perform all or part of these operations. Moreover, you may change suitably the specific structure of a 1st conveying apparatus, a 2nd conveying apparatus, and a 3rd conveying apparatus.
(3) In the above embodiment, the shipping container is an example of a cold container, but it may be a normal container that is not a cold container such as a folding container.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the facility in which the worker performs the assembling work is illustrated, but all or part of these work may be automatically performed using a robot.
(5) In the said embodiment, although what mounted the conveyance apparatus by the trough conveyor was illustrated, as a mounting conveyance apparatus, the conveyor (conveyor type / roller type) with a flat conveyance surface may be sufficient. Moreover, the conveyance surface of the loading / conveying apparatus may not include a protrusion for dividing the conveyance surface.
(6) In the above embodiment, when there are many ends of articles specified in one order, the order is divided into a plurality of child orders, and each one of the plurality of child orders related to the same sorting destination May be treated as Further, when an article designated by one order is divided and transported over a plurality of sections of the placement and transport apparatus, it can be said that the articles are transported in a state of being sorted in the transport direction by order information.
(7) In the above embodiment, the reverse pillow type packaging device 5 using the sheet-like vinyl 17 which is a soft packaging material is exemplified as the packaging device. However, as the packaging device, the sheet-like vinyl is used as the flexible packaging material. Other wrapping methods such as a normal pillow method and a four-sided seal method using, and a soft wrapping material may be paper or a rubber sheet. In the case of paper, the packaging device may be of a type that is put into a cardboard box (decorative box) or of a type that is put into a paper bag. Moreover, the packaging apparatus of the system which shrink-wraps a cardboard tray may be sufficient.
(8) In the above-described embodiment, the picking facility that allows the packaging items related to a plurality of different sorting destinations to be accommodated in one shipping container by the assembling operation is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. The shipping container may be a picking facility that accommodates only packaging items of the same sorting destination.
(9) In the above embodiment, the prescribed area is exemplified by a virtual outer shape having a rectangular parallelepiped space, but the shape and size of the prescribed area may be appropriately set according to the packaging method and specifications of the packaging device, For example, the virtual outer shape may be a cylindrical space.
(10) In the above embodiment, the assortment device has been illustrated as having two conveyance devices with different speed differences in order to suppress the diffusion of the articles in the conveyance direction. Elevating or swinging stopper that temporarily regulates is provided in one transport device, and the diffusion of articles in the transport direction is suppressed by the cooperation of the transport action by the one transport device and the restricting action by the stopper. You may comprise.
(11) In the above embodiment, the assortment device has exemplified that which suppresses the diffusion of articles in both the conveyance direction and the conveyance width direction. However, depending on the method of the packaging device, the assortment device may be only in the conveyance direction or You may suppress the spreading | diffusion of the articles | goods only in a conveyance width direction.
(12) In the above-described embodiment, the region inspection unit provided with the sensor for separately monitoring the protrusion of the article in each of the height direction, the length direction, and the width direction of the specified region is exemplified as the at least one sensor. The area inspection unit includes a single or a plurality of cameras as at least one sensor, and monitors the protrusion of articles in the height direction, the length direction, and the width direction of the specified area based on images captured by the cameras. It may be an area inspection unit.
(13) In the above embodiment, when the article specified by one order information is not within the specified area, the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit is exemplified, but instead, If it is not within the specified area, the article designated by the one order information may be branched to a reject conveyance unit that separates from the collection conveyance unit.
(14) In the above embodiment, the foreign substance inspection apparatus is an X-ray inspection apparatus that detects metal or the like as a foreign substance. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the foreign substance inspection apparatus can be a foreign object such as a pest. Various inspection devices such as an infrared inspection device for detection can be applied.
(15) In the above embodiment, the case where the conveyance operation of the collection conveyance unit is stopped when there is a foreign object in the specified area for the article specified by one piece of order information is exemplified. If there is a foreign substance in the specified area, the article designated by the one order information may be branched to a reject conveyance unit that separates the article from the collection conveyance unit.

A1 Storage area A2 Picking area A4 Assortment area W Article Wr Packaging article B Shipping container P Worker Z Specified area D1, D2, D3 Sensor 2 Storage shelf 3 Collection transport unit 4 Foreign matter inspection device 5 Packaging device 17 Soft packaging material 18 1st conveyance apparatus 19 2nd conveyance apparatus 20 3rd conveyance apparatus 21 Loading conveyance apparatus 21A Upstream conveyance part 21B Downstream conveyance part 24 Vertical drive part (2nd drive part)
26 Left and right drive unit (second drive unit)
27 2nd conveyance part 29 2nd support part 30 2nd drive part 40 Unloading device 50 Area | region inspection part

Claims (8)

A storage area for storing multiple types of articles;
A picking area where an operation for taking out articles from the storage area is performed;
A collection transport unit for transporting articles taken out in the picking area;
An assortment area in which an assortment operation for accommodating the articles conveyed in the collection conveyance unit in a shipping container corresponding to a sorting destination is provided,
Based on order information specifying the type and quantity of articles to be sorted to the sorting destination, the articles stored in the storage area are taken out in the picking area, and the types and number of articles specified in the order information are obtained. The picking equipment accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information in the assortment area,
The collection conveyance unit includes a placement conveyance device that conveys an article taken out in the picking area based on the order information in a state of being directly placed on a conveyance surface, and is commanded by a plurality of the order information. the article is conveyed in a state of being divided in the transport direction by the order information, and, in the middle transport path of the placement conveyor apparatus, for packaging an article designated by said order information by the order information Comprising a packaging device, configured to convey a packaged article packaged by the packaging device toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the packaging device;
The packaging device is configured to unfold the sheet-like soft packaging material along the transport surface and to wrap the article transported on the developed soft packaging material according to the order information,
The picking facility in which the packaged article is accommodated in the shipping container by the assembling operation performed in the assembling area. The collection conveyance unit includes a loading device in the middle of a conveyance path on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from a place where articles are input from the picking area,
The assorting device is configured to transfer an article specified by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying device in the conveying width direction intersecting the conveying direction in a conveying direction and a plan view of the placing and conveying device. The picking equipment according to claim 1, wherein both ranges are configured to fall within a defined area. The collection conveyance unit is provided with an area inspection unit on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packing device is provided and on the upstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packaging device is provided,
The area inspection unit includes at least one sensor, and the article designated by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying apparatus in the state of being divided in the conveyance direction according to the order information is the specified area. Configured to discriminate whether or not it falls within the output signal of the at least one sensor,
The control device that controls the operation of the collection conveyance unit, based on the determination information of the area inspection unit, if the article specified by one piece of order information is not within the specified area, The picking equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the picking equipment is configured to stop the transport operation of the product transport unit. A storage area for storing multiple types of articles;
A picking area where an operation for taking out articles from the storage area is performed;
A collection transport unit for transporting articles taken out in the picking area;
An assortment area in which an assortment operation for accommodating the articles conveyed in the collection conveyance unit in a shipping container corresponding to a sorting destination is provided,
Based on order information specifying the type and quantity of articles to be sorted to the sorting destination, the articles stored in the storage area are taken out in the picking area, and the types and number of articles specified in the order information are obtained. The picking equipment accommodated in the shipping container corresponding to the sorting destination related to the order information in the assortment area,
The collection conveyance unit includes a placement conveyance device that conveys an article taken out in the picking area based on the order information in a state where the article is directly placed on a conveyance surface, and a place where the article is input from the picking area. The assortment device provided in the middle of the conveyance path on the downstream side in the conveyance direction and a plurality of articles commanded by the order information are conveyed in a state divided into the conveyance direction by the order information, and the front during transport path of the placing transport device, equipped with a wrapping device for packaging in flexible packaging the given article by the order information in the order information, the wrapping packaging article packaged by the packaging device It is configured to transport toward the downstream side in the transport direction from the device,
The collection conveyance unit is provided with an area inspection unit on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packing device is provided and on the upstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the packaging device is provided,
The assorting device is configured to transfer an article specified by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying device in the conveying width direction intersecting the conveying direction in a conveying direction and a plan view of the placing and conveying device. It is configured so that both ranges fall within the prescribed area,
The area inspection unit includes at least one sensor, and the article designated by one piece of order information conveyed by the placing and conveying apparatus in the state of being divided in the conveyance direction according to the order information is the specified area. Configured to discriminate whether or not it falls within the output signal of the at least one sensor,
The control device that controls the operation of the collection conveyance unit, based on the determination information of the area inspection unit, if the article specified by one piece of order information is not within the specified area, Configured to stop the transport operation of the product transport section,
The picking facility in which the packaged article is accommodated in the shipping container by the assembling operation performed in the assembling area. The assorting device includes an upstream-side transport unit that transports articles at a first transport speed as a part of the placement transport apparatus, and a lower speed than the first transport speed as another part of the placement transport apparatus. A downstream transport unit that transports articles at the second transport speed and is connected so that the transport direction is continuous downstream of the upstream transport unit in the transport direction of the collection transport unit, and
The unloading device defines an article specified by one order information at a connection point between the upstream transport unit and the downstream transport unit in the transport direction of the placement transport device for the specified region. The picking equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the picking equipment is configured to fall within a range. The article is a food product or a product packaged with food,
For the article designated by the one order information, in the collection conveyance unit, on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the location where the assortment device is provided and on the upstream side in the conveyance direction from the packaging device A foreign matter inspection device for determining whether foreign matter is present in the prescribed area of
The control device that controls the operation of the collection conveyance unit, based on the discrimination information of the foreign matter inspection device, when there is a foreign matter in the specified region for the article specified by one order information, The picking equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the picking equipment is configured to stop the transport operation of the collection transport section. In the assortment area, a container supply unit to which the empty shipping container is supplied, and a shipping transfer unit for transferring the shipping container from the container supply unit are provided,
The product collection transport unit includes a branch unit that branches into a plurality of branch transport units on the downstream side in the transport direction from the packaging device,
A control device for controlling the operation of the collection conveyance unit is provided;
The control device is configured to place the packaged article on the branch conveyance unit selected from among the plurality of branch conveyance units according to related information indicating a relationship between the plurality of order information based on order information specifying the packaged article. In order to convey, control the operation of the branching unit in the collection conveying unit,
The picking equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the packaging articles according to a plurality of different sorting destinations are accommodated in one shipping container by the assembling operation. The storage area is provided with a plurality of storage shelves arranged in a line-up direction intersecting the shelf front-rear direction and storing the articles by type, and the storage area is provided in each of the storage units and viewed in the vertical direction. Articles stored in the storage unit in a row state in which a plurality of articles are arranged along the shelf front-rear direction are conveyed in the front direction of the shelf front-rear direction along the shelf front-rear direction, and the articles are one by one from the storage unit. A first conveying device to carry out,
The picking area is disposed on the front side of the storage shelf in the front-rear direction of the shelf and supports a product, a second drive unit that moves the second support portion in the alignment direction, And a second transport unit that transports the article supported by the second support unit in the forward direction, and receives the article from the second transport device and sends the article to the collection transport unit. A third transfer device for charging
A control device is provided that controls the operation of the first transport device, the second transport device, and the third transport device, and controls the operation of the collection transport unit,
The control device includes the first transport device and the third transport device to simultaneously support all of the products stored in the storage shelf among the products specified by the order information. Controlling the operation of the second transport device, and among the items specified by the one order information, the product supported by the third transport device is accompanied by the transport operation of the collection transport unit. The operation of the third transport device is controlled so that the product moves along the transport direction of the collection transport unit and is supported by the transport segment assigned to the specified order information. The picking equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .

Images