Article transport facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10274943-B2
Application number	US-201815891693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2018
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A control system for controlling transport devices includes a first server that has a first storage unit and a first instruction unit, and a second server that has a second storage unit and a second instruction unit. In a first state, the first storage unit transmits first transport information to the first instruction unit, the first instruction unit transmits second transport information to a target transport device, and instruction unit information is stored in common in the first instruction unit and the second instruction unit. If the first instruction unit stops operating normally in the first state, the control state is switched to a second state, and in the second state, the first storage unit transmits the first transport information to the second instruction unit, and the second instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device based on the instruction unit information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article transport facility comprising:
a control system that controls a plurality of transport devices, wherein each of the transport devices transports an article;
wherein:
the control system is mechanically separated from a management device, and the control system comprises a first server and a second server that transmit second transport information to the plurality of transport devices;
the second transport information is transmitted to the transport devices based on first transport information received from the management device;
the first server comprises a first storage unit and a first instruction unit;
the second server is mechanically separated from the first server and comprises a second storage unit and a second instruction unit;
the first storage unit is configured to:
receive the first transport information from the management device and store the first transport information, the first transport information indicating an article transport source and transport destination; and
transmit the first transport information to the first instruction unit and the second instruction unit;
the second storage unit is configured to:
receive the first transport information from the management device and store the first transport information and
transmit the first transport information to the first instruction unit and the second instruction unit, wherein, the first instruction unit is configured to:
select a target transport device from the plurality of transport devices based on the first transport information from the first storage unit or the second storage unit and device information, the device information indicating statuses of the plurality of transport devices, and transmit the second transport information to the target transport device;
wherein the second instruction unit is configured to:
select the target transport device based on the first transport information and the device information, and
transmit the second transport information to the target transport device;
the control system further comprising a control state, the control state including:
a first state that is based on the first transport information received by the first storage unit, the first instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device, and
a second state that is based on the first transport information received by the first storage unit, the second instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device;
wherein the control state is in the first state when the first storage unit and the first instruction unit are operating normally, and when the first instruction unit stops operating normally in the first state and the second instruction unit is operating normally, the control state is switched to the second state;
wherein in the first state:
the first storage unit transmits the first transport information to the first instruction unit, the first instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device based on the device information and the first transport information, and
the device information and the first transport information are transmitted to the second instruction unit, so that instruction unit information is commonly stored both in the first instruction unit and the second instruction unit; and
wherein in the second state:
the first storage unit transmits the first transport information to the second instruction unit, and the second instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device based on the instruction unit information.

2. The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein the control state of the control system further includes a third state based on the first transport information received by the second storage unit, the first instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device;
wherein when the first storage unit stops operating normally in the first state and the second storage unit is operating normally, the control state is switched to the third state;
wherein in the first state, the first transport information is transmitted to the second storage unit, so that storage unit information is stored in both the first storage unit and the second storage unit, and
wherein in the third state, the second storage unit transmits the first transport information to the first instruction unit based on the storage unit information, and the first instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device based on the device information and the first transport information.

3. The article transport facility according to claim 2 , wherein the control system performs first update processing in the first state;
wherein during the first update processing, communication between the second storage unit and the management device and the first storage unit is cut off, and the second storage unit is updated, and after the first update processing is complete, information is transmitted from the first storage unit to the second storage unit so that the storage unit information is stored in both the first storage unit and the second storage unit; and
wherein thereafter, an operation check processing is performed on the second storage unit and the second instruction unit by causing the second storage unit and the second instruction unit to operate in parallel with operation of the first storage unit and the first instruction unit.

4. The article transport facility according to claim 3 ,
wherein if no problem occurs in the operation check processing that follows the first update processing, the control system switches from the first state to the third state, and then performs second update processing, and during the second update processing, communication between the first storage unit and the management device and the second storage unit is cut off, and the first storage unit is updated, and after the second update processing is complete, information is transmitted from the second storage unit to the first storage unit so that the storage unit information is stored in both the first storage unit and the second storage unit; and
wherein thereafter, an operation check processing is performed on the first storage unit and the second instruction unit in parallel with operation of the second storage unit and the first instruction unit, and after the operation check processing is complete, the control state returns to the first state.

5. The article transport facility according to claim 2 , wherein the control state of the control system further includes a fourth state based on the first transport information received by the second storage unit, the second instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device;
wherein when the first storage unit and the first instruction unit both stop operating normally in the first state and the second storage unit and the second instruction unit are operating normally, the control state is switched to the fourth state; and
wherein, in the fourth state, the second storage unit transmits the first transport information to the second instruction unit based on the storage unit information, and the second instruction unit transmits the second transport information to the target transport device based on the instruction unit information.

6. The article transport facility according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transport devices are ceiling transport vehicles that transport articles by traveling along a traveling rail disposed in a vicinity of a ceiling, and the first transport information and the second transport information indicate a transport source and a transpor

Assignees

• Daifuku Kk

Inventors

• Takahara Masahiro
• Nishikawa Tomoaki
• Uemura Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/3214

  by means of a cart or a vehicle · CPC title

• B65G47/61

  for articles · CPC title

• B65G1/12 Primary

  with {separate} article supports or holders movable in a closed circuit to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {the articles being books, documents, forms or the like} · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title