Automated warehouse and method for controlling automated warehouse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802760-B2
Application number	US-201515506289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

In an automated warehouse, if a controller receives an instruction to retreat a first carrier and if the first carrier is holding an article or if an article is housed in a housing shelf corresponding to an isolation region that is a retreat destination, the controller causes the first carrier to carry the article to a housing shelf to and from which a second carrier is able to transfer an article, then causes the first carrier to retreat, and then drives the second carrier within a range of a track except for the isolation region. When it is detected that one of first doors corresponding to the isolation region has been opened, the controller continues driving the second carrier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated warehouse comprising:
an outside panel that defines an internal space and includes a plurality of openable/closable doors that are able to open the internal space;
a plurality of carriers that each carry an article to a housing shelf in the internal space and travel on a single track; and
a controller that controls the plurality of carriers; wherein
if the controller receives an instruction to retreat one of the plurality of carriers holding an article or if an article is housed in a housing shelf corresponding to an isolation region that is a retreat destination, the controller causes the one of the plurality of carriers to carry the article to a housing shelf to and from which another of the plurality of carriers is able to transfer an article and then causes the one of the plurality of carriers to retreat;
after retreating the one of the plurality of carriers, the controller drives the another of the plurality of carriers within a range of the track except for the isolation region; and
when it is detected that one of the plurality of openable/closable doors corresponding to the isolation region has been opened, the controller continues to drive the another of the plurality of carriers.

2. The automated warehouse of claim 1 , wherein when it is detected that an unrelated one of the plurality of openable/closable doors not corresponding to the isolation region has been opened, the controller stops driving the another of the plurality of carriers.

3. The automated warehouse of claim 2 , further comprising:
a stopper detector that detects a stopper to regulate entry of the another of the plurality of carriers into the isolation region; and
a cage detector that detects a cage surrounding a portion of the isolation region; wherein
when the stopper detector detects the stopper and/or when the cage detector detects the cage, the controller starts to drive the another of the plurality of carriers and detects whether the unrelated one of the plurality of openable/closable doors has been opened.

4. The automated warehouse of claim 1 , wherein
the isolation region is a region including an edge of the internal space; and
the controller moves the one of the plurality of carriers toward the edge of the internal space based on the retreat instruction.

5. A method for controlling an automated warehouse, the automated warehouse including an outside panel that defines an internal space and includes a plurality of openable/closable doors that are able to open the internal space and a plurality of carriers that each carry an article to a housing shelf in the internal space and travel on a single track, the method comprising:
if an instruction to retreat one of the plurality of carriers holding an article is received or if an article is housed in a housing shelf corresponding to an isolation region that is a retreat destination, causing the one of the plurality of carriers to carry the article to a housing shelf to and from which another of the plurality of carriers is able to transfer an article and then causing the one of the plurality of carriers to retreat;
after retreating the one of the plurality of carriers, driving the another of the plurality of carriers within a range of the track except for the isolation region; and
when it is detected that one of the plurality of openable/closable doors corresponding to the isolation region has been opened, continuing to drive the another of the plurality of carriers.

6. The method for controlling the automated warehouse of claim 5 , further comprising when it is detected that an unrelated one of the plurality of openable/closable doors not corresponding to the isolation region has been opened, stopping driving the another of the plurality of carriers.

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Adachi Naruto
• Baba Nobuhiko

Classifications

• B65G1/065

  with self propelled cars · CPC title

• B65G1/137 Primary

  with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed · CPC title

• B65G1/10

  with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {(cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02)} · CPC title

• A47F3/0478

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title

• B65G1/0421

  with control for stacker crane operations · CPC title