JPS63288805A - Device for rearranging load - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To rearrange loads in a predetermined order in a short time to make it possible to supply them in the title device of a wavehouse by rotating two or more load tables endlessly so as to form a buffer, and connecting a load supply and discharge device in part of the buffer. CONSTITUTION:Loads sent from a sending conveyer 3 in no particular order are transferred to load tables 12 in a circulating buffer 10 one by one to be sent to a withdrawing conveyer 5. At this time, a conveyer 11 is run until a load of a desired number of order on the sending side reaches a transfer 20, and if a load of the desired number of order comes, the buffer 10 is stopped, where the load is discharged to the withdrawing conveyer 5 by the transfer 20. Then the buffer 10 is rotated until a load of the next order comes to be withdrawn. Other loads are withdrawn in a desired order similarly. By this constitution, loads can be withdrawn speedily in a desired order.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a device for rearranging a series of items in a random order into a desired order, and is particularly suitable as an unloading device for a warehouse.

[Conventional technology]

Automated warehouses are often used in distribution centers for various products. An automated warehouse consists of a three-dimensional storage shelf that has a large number of storage shelves, a stacker crane that runs along the three-dimensional storage shelf and transports loads between the storage shelf and the loading/unloading entrance, and a truck and the loading/unloading entrance. It consists of a conveyor, etc. that connects the (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-12801) To explain the case of unloading a load, the stacker crane takes out the load from the storage shelf based on a retrieval instruction and outputs the load to the unloading port. This load is transported by a conveyor or the like, and loaded onto a truck or the like by a forklift or the like.

When loading cargo onto a truck, it is necessary to consider the order in which the cargo will be unloaded from the truck. For example, in the case of a truck delivering dogs to multiple stores, first,
Deliver loads A, B, and C to store X, then deliver B, C, and D to store Y.
When delivering cargo, it is necessary to put the cargo for store X into the unloading port of the truck, and the cargo for store 7 at the other end.

That is, it is generally necessary to load in the reverse order of unloading. Furthermore, even when all cargo is transported to the same location, it may be necessary to load the cargo in consideration of the order of unloading from the viewpoint of the work and storage contents at the destination.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, it is necessary to consider the order of unloading when loading trucks. Automated warehouses deal with this by the following two methods.

(1) A plurality of loads that have been taken out from a three-dimensional storage shelf and transported by a conveyor or the like are stored, and a forklift driver takes out the loads in accordance with the loading order and loads them onto a truck. It takes an hour to complete 20, and there is a risk of making mistakes.
There is also.

(2) Match the order of unloading cargo by stacker crane with the order of loading onto trucks. According to item 20, it can be loaded reliably. However, it also requires a certain amount of time. Furthermore, control becomes complicated. This is even more noticeable in the heat of the year, as one truck's worth of cargo is unloaded from multiple storage shelves.

For example, when loading a person's cargo next to D's cargo, D
The cargo in Kl is in the multi-level storage shelf in Kl, and the cargo in A is in the multi-dimensional storage shelf in 2. In particular, if Kl is in Tsuchiura in the transport direction of the conveyor, the cargo of people from the entrance of K2 to the conveyor is It is necessary to wait until the shipment of D has passed. In addition, in general, a stacker crane does not perform only one type of loading/unloading operation, but also unloading/loading to other loading/unloading ports, so it may not be possible to unload the above-mentioned cargo while performing other operations. Late n, the delivery of A's cargo is increasingly late n,
It takes time.

An object of the present invention is to enable a plurality of loads to be supplied to a supplied part in a specific order, and to supply a plurality of loads in that specific order in a short time. There is a particular thing.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a device for rearranging grapes between a cargo supplying section such as an exit of a three-dimensional storage shelf and a cargo receiving section such as a loading area on a truck. This sorting device includes a buffer that carries a plurality of loads and rotates endlessly, a supply device that supplies the loads to the buffer, a payout device that receives the loads from a part of the buffer, and a loading platform for the buffer. It consists of a control device that circulates and stops, and delivers the loads in a predetermined order.

[For production]

Once the load is placed on the buffer, the buffer is circulated, and when the load to be discharged is located at the position of the dispensing device, it is discharged to the dispensing device. If the load is not to be discharged, the buffer is circulated and the load is not discharged.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIG. 1, a load 9 taken out from a stacker crane (not shown) of an automated warehouse 1 is loaded into input compilers +2a and 2b.
, 2c to the supply conveyor 3. The required number of loads 9 that have moved on the supply conveyor 3 are stored in the buffer lO. From the buffer 10, each delivery 07a, 7b, 7c is delivered to the delivery conveyor 5 in the required order.
Ru. and -n dispensing conveyors 6a, 6b, respectively;
It is supplied to the delivery lowers a, 7b, and 7c via 6c. A control device 8 consisting of a computer has a buffer 10. Each conveyor 2
．． 3, 5.6 and a stacker crane (not shown).

An example of the configuration of the buffer 110 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. On the upper surface of the endless conveyor 11, there are provided a large number of loading platforms on which loads can be placed. The conveyor 11 is rotatable in reverse. A supply conveyor 3 is connected to a part of this conveyor 11. The load 9 on the supply conveyor 3 is transferred to the transfer device 1
At step 5, it is placed on the loading platform 11 of the buffer 1o. Transfer equipment R1
5 is a device 17 for lifting and lowering a plate 16 that contacts the load 9;
and a device 18 for horizontally moving the device 17. The transfer device 18 is suspended from the ceiling. A delivery conveyor 5 is connected to a part of the conveyor 11. The cargo on the loading platform is delivered to the delivery conveyor 5 by being pushed by the In of the transfer device I. The transfer equipment BI is installed on the ground.

In other words, the transfer devices 15 and 20 are bulky.

The operation of such a configuration will be explained. When there is a warehouse delivery request, the control device 8 instructs the stacker crane to deliver the cargo for which the warehouse delivery request has been made. Therefore, the order of the loads on the delivery conveyor 3 is random.

The cargoes 9 on the delivery conveyor 3 are sequentially placed on the buffer 10 one by one. When the loading platform 12 of the buffer 10 is loaded, the loads 9 are delivered from the buffer 10 to the delivery conveyor 5 in the order requested by each delivery unit 07a, 7b, and 7c.

For example, if only the shipping lower a requests a load and the order of the loads is A, B, and C, the buffer 10 is rotated so that the load A is transferred to the position indicated by the transfer device. Then, it is stopped and the load is discharged using a transfer device. Next, the load B is stopped at the position of the transfer device. The same applies hereafter.

As a result, the cargo can be supplied to the shipping lower a in the order of A, B, and C.

Note that the control bag WL8 recognizes whether n types of loads are located at n positions on each conveyor 2, 3.5 using a well-known tracking technique. Similarly, the control device 8 also recognizes which type of load is located on the load platform 12 of number n of the buffer 10. Therefore, the control device 8 is capable of controlling the rotation of the buffer 10 and discharging the required loads in the required order.

When the load is being delivered from the buffer 10 to the delivery conveyor 5, there are two ways to receive the load from the conveyor 3.

Outgoing lower a requests cargo in the order of A, B, C,
When shipping lower b also requests loads in the order of A, B, and C, it will ship loads A, B, and C for shipping lower a, and then it will issue loads A, B, and C for shipping lower b. may be issued.

According to item 20, there will be idle time for work on the delivery lower b, so the following can be done. For example, A, A, B
, B, C, C, and are sorted by the conveyor 6a. Also, A, A.

B, C, B, C, etc. In this way, A, B.

The products are delivered in the order C, but it can be determined downstream which exit the products are for.

The buffer 10 in FIG. 4 is for small size. Four loading platforms are provided on a rotary table 31 that rotates forward and backward. At the bottom of each loading platform is a conveyor that rotates in forward and reverse directions. This conveyor ℃ is the actual loading platform.

Buffer 10 Conveyor for supplying two loads 3. buffer 1
The conveyor 5 for discharging the load from 0 may be a cart for transporting the load.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, shipped cargo can be rearranged in a predetermined order.

For example, since a stacker crane can perform unloading work without changing the order, the time required for unloading a - group of cargo can be significantly shortened.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment equipped with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a buffer according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a buffer according to another embodiment of the present invention. 1... Automatic warehouse, 3... Supply conveyor, 5... Discharge conveyor, 7a, 7b, 7c.
...Exit exit, 10...Buffer, 11
... Conveyor, 12 ... Loading platform, 15
．． 20...Transfer device, 31...Rotary table, η...Con75a

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A buffer that endlessly rotates a plurality of loading platforms on which loads are placed, a supply device that supplies loads to the loading platforms connected to a part of the buffer, and a loading device connected to a part of the buffer. A load sorting device comprising: a payout device that receives loads from the buffer; and a control device that circulates and stops the loading platform of the buffer to instruct the supply of loads to the payout device in a predetermined order.