Automated warehouse and operating method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919869-B2
Application number	US-201514957695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A power supply and a controller are arranged at positions different from a stacker crane and deviated from an extended line of a travelling route, and are connected to the stacker crane via a cable. The moving mechanism, the travelling motor, the transfer mechanism and the lifting motor are each arranged at the same position as an one-side end portion of the mast or arranged on the other side from the end portion in the extending direction of the travelling route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated warehouse comprising:
a plurality of shelves on which articles are stored;
a first stacker crane that travels along a travelling route, to place the articles on and take the articles out of each of the plurality of shelves which are arranged in an extending direction and a vertical direction of the travelling route, the travelling route including a first side and a second side that is different from the first side;
a second stacker crane that is arranged on the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the first stacker crane, and travels along the travelling route, to place the articles on and take the articles out of the plurality of shelves;
a first power supply that supplies electric power to the first stacker crane;
a second power supply that supplies electric power to the second stacker crane;
a first controller that controls the first stacker crane; and
a second controller that controls the second stacker crane; wherein
the first power supply and the first controller are arranged at respective positions different from the first stacker crane and deviated from an extended line of the travelling route, are connected to the first stacker crane via a first cable, and are located adjacent to an end of the first side of the travelling route in the extending direction;
the second power supply and the second controller are arranged at respective positions different from the second stacker crane and deviated from the extended line of the travelling route, are connected to the second stacker crane via a second cable, and are located adjacent to an end of the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction;
the first stacker crane includes:
a first moving mechanism including a first driving wheel that moves by rolling along the travelling route;
a first travelling driver that drives the first driving wheel;
a first mast that is an only mast of the first stacker crane and is provided in the vertical direction above the first moving mechanism;
a first transfer mechanism including a first lift moveable along the first mast, and a first in-and-out mover arranged on the first lift and moveable toward and away from the plurality of shelves; and
a first lifting driver that drives the first lift;

the first mast includes a first end that faces the first side of the travelling route in the extending direction;
the first moving mechanism, the first travelling driver, the first transfer mechanism, and the first lifting driver are each arranged such that a portion of at least one of the first moving mechanism, the first travelling driver, the first transfer mechanism, and the first lifting driver is aligned with the first end of the first mast, or arranged such that the first moving mechanism, the first travelling driver, the first transfer mechanism, and the first lifting driver are located on the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the first end of the first mast;
the first driving wheel includes only one wheel, and the first driving wheel overlaps with the first mast when viewed from the vertical direction;
the second stacker crane includes:
a second moving mechanism including a second driving wheel that moves by rolling along the travelling route;
a second travelling driver that drives the second driving wheel;
a second mast that is provided in the vertical direction above the second moving mechanism;
a second transfer mechanism including a second lift movable along the second mast and including a second in-and-out mover arranged on the second lift and movable toward and away from the plurality of shelves; and
a second lifting driver that drives the second lift;

the second mast includes a first end and a second end, the second end of the second mast facing the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction; and
the second moving mechanism, the second travelling driver, the second transfer mechanism, and the second lifting driver are each arranged such that a portion of at least one of the second moving mechanism, the second travelling driver, the second transfer mechanism, and the second lifting driver is aligned with the second end of the second mast, or arranged such that the second moving mechanism, the second travelling driver, the second transfer mechanism, and the second lifting driver are located on the first side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the second end of the second mast.

2. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein the first moving mechanism, the first travelling driver, the first lifting driver, and the first cable are provided below a storage area in which the articles are stored on the plurality of shelves.

3. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein a shelf of the plurality of shelves that is arranged at the end of the first side of the travelling route is arranged at a position, on and out of which the articles are able to be placed and taken by the first stacker crane that stops at the end of the first side of the travelling route.

4. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein the first travelling driver and the first lifting driver project in a direction intersecting with the extending direction and the vertical direction of the travelling route.

5. The automated warehouse according to claim 4 , wherein, below a shelf of the plurality of shelves that is at a lowest level, the first travelling driver and the first lifting driver project to respective positions overlapping with a storage area in which the articles are stored on the plurality of shelves when viewed from the vertical direction.

6. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein
the first mast includes a second end that faces the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction;
the first driving wheel is arranged on the first side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the second end of the first mast;
the first moving mechanism includes:
a first guiding wheel that is arranged on the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the second end of the first mast and moves by rolling along the travelling route; and
a pair of first supports which support the first guiding wheel, are arranged on the second side of the travelling route in the extending direction with respect to the second end of the first mast, and are arranged with the travelling route located therebetween in a width direction intersecting with the extending direction and the vertical direction of the travelling route; and

a space into which the first lift is able to enter from the vertical direction is provided between the pair of first supports in the width direction.

7. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein a length of each of the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism in the extending direction of the travelling route is approximately one-half or less of a length of a shelf of the plurality of shelves in the extending direction of the travelling route.

8. The automated warehouse according to claim 1 , wherein, in a direction intersecting with the extending direction and the vertical direction of the travelling route, the first power supply and the first controller are located on a side of the travelling route that is opposite from a side of the travelling route where the second power supply and the second controller are located.

9. An operating method for an automated warehouse, the method comprising:
providing an automated warehouse comprising:
a plurality of shelves on which articles are stored;
a first stacker crane that travel

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Hiroshi

Classifications

• B65G1/0407 Primary

  using stacker cranes (constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06) · CPC title