Article Transport Facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022017249-A1
Application number	US-201917293606-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	Nov 14, 2018
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A transfer device and a control device for controlling the transfer device are provided. The control device is configured to execute setting control to set a storing position, in a container, of each of a plurality of articles to be stored in the container, storage control to control the transfer device so as to store each of the articles at the storing position, and replacement control to replace one of a first holding portion and a second holding portion attached to the attachment portion with the other one. The setting control is control to set the storing position in accordance with an order of transferring the plurality of articles so as to sequentially place the articles from a reference position that is set at a position adjacent to a side wall portion.

First claim

1 . An article transport facility comprising:
a transfer device that performs a transfer operation to hold an article and store the article in a container; and a control device that controls the transfer device, wherein: the container has a placement portion for placing an article thereon, and a side wall portion erected around the placement portion, the article to be stored in the container includes a first orientation and a second orientation in which an area in contact with the placement portion is smaller than that in the first orientation when the article is placed on the placement portion, and an article to be stored in the first orientation in the container is a first article and an article to be stored in the second orientation in the container is a second article, the transfer device comprises: a first holding portion for holding the first article; a second holding portion for holding the second article; an attachment portion to which one of the first holding portion and the second holding portion is selectively attached; and a moving portion for moving the first holding portion or the second holding portion that is attached to the attachment portion, the control device is configured to execute setting control to set a storing position, in the container, of each of a plurality of articles to be stored in the container, storage control to control the transfer device so as to store each of the plurality of articles at the storing position, and replacement control to replace one of the first holding portion and the second holding portion that is attached to the attachment portion with the other one, the setting control is a control to set the storing position in accordance with an order of transferring the plurality of articles so as to sequentially place the articles from a reference position that is set at a position adjacent to the side wall portion, and the control device executes the storage control for all second articles, of a plurality of articles to be stored in one container, then executes the replacement control to replace the second holding portion attached to the attachment portion with the first holding portion, and thereafter executes the storage control for all first articles.

2 . The article transport facility according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first transport device for transporting a first container; and a second transport device for transporting a second container that is the container, wherein the first transport device performs a first transport operation to transport the first container located at a first position from the first position, and transport another first container to the first position, the second transport device performs a second transport operation to transport the second container located at a second position from the second position, and transport another second container to the second position, the transfer device performs, as the transfer operation, an operation to hold an article in the first container located at the first position, move the article to the second container located at the second position, and store the article in the second container, and the control device executes the replacement control in parallel with the first transport operation or the second transport operation.

3 . The article transport facility according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first article and the second article are stored in different first containers, and wherein the control device executes the replacement control to replace the second holding portion with the first holding portion in parallel with the first transport operation, and executes the replacement control to replace the first holding portion with the second holding portion in parallel with the second transport operation.

4 . The article transport facility according to claim 1 ,
wherein the placement portion has a rectangular shape, and the side wall portion is provided along each of four sides of the placement portion, and wherein the setting control is control to set the reference position at one corner portion of the placement portion, and set the storing position so as to sequentially place articles along a reference direction that is a direction parallel to one of the four sides of the placement portion.

5 . The article transport facility according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second holding portion is configured to perform an orientation-change operation to hold an article in the first orientation and change an orientation of the article from the first orientation to the second orientation.

6 . The article transport facility according to claim 2 ,
wherein the placement portion has a rectangular shape, and the side wall portion is provided along each of four sides of the placement portion, and wherein the setting control is control to set the reference position at one corner portion of the placement portion, and set the storing position so as to sequentially place articles along a reference direction that is a direction parallel to one of the four sides of the placement portion.

7 . The article transport facility according to claim 3 ,
wherein the placement portion has a rectangular shape, and the side wall portion is provided along each of four sides of the placement portion, and wherein the setting control is control to set the reference position at one corner portion of the placement portion, and set the storing position so as to sequentially place articles along a reference direction that is a direction parallel to one of the four sides of the placement portion.

8 . The article transport facility according to claim 2 ,
wherein the second holding portion is configured to perform an orientation-change operation to hold an article in the first orientation and change an orientation of the article from the first orientation to the second orientation.

9 . The article transport facility according to claim 3 ,
wherein the second holding portion is configured to perform an orientation-change operation to hold an article in the first orientation and change an orientation of the article from the first orientation to the second orientation.

10 . The article transport facility according to claim 4 ,
wherein the second holding portion is configured to perform an orientation-change operation to hold an article in the first orientation and change an orientation of the article from the first orientation to the second orientation.

Assignees

• Daifuku Kk

Inventors

• Morikubo Mitsuo
• Tai Yoshikazu
• Iwai Masami
• Minoo Atsushi

Classifications

• B65B5/08

  Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles · CPC title

• B65B5/105

  by grippers (B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65G57/04

  by suction or magnetic devices · CPC title

• B65G60/00

  Simultaneously or alternatively stacking and de-stacking of articles · CPC title

• B65G59/04 Primary

  by suction or magnetic devices · CPC title