The present invention relates to a device for displaying the most appropriate instruction for picking so that a conveyor and a picking instruction display device are linked.
For picking a predetermined item from a warehouse in which a number of items are stored, a technique is known in which positions of the items in the warehouse are registered into a database and the position of the object item is searched and displayed, so that a picking instruction is given. Further, there is a technique for picking a number of items efficiently, in which the order of accesses to the items in a path is calculated and picking instructions are given sequentially. Furthermore, there is a technique in which, instead that a worker moves in the warehouse to perform picking, the item as the object or a shelf storing the item as the object therein is conveyed by an automatic conveyor to a place of a worker, so that picking is performed.
In a case where the picking instruction is given to the worker, there is a technique in which a shutter at a position at which the item as the picking object is stored is automatically opened and closed. Further, there is a technique of irradiating the position at which the object item is stored with a pointer. In addition, a technique is known in which a lamp of the shelf storing the predetermined item therein lights up towards the worker or when the worker comes closer to that shelf.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei8(1996)-91514
In a case where the automatic conveyor delivers items to the place of the worker one after another, the worker has to check the stored position and the name of each item that are displayed after the automatic conveyor is stopped and to take out the item as the object. Therefore, it takes time to understand the storage position, thus reducing picking efficiency. Further, there is a possibility that picking errors increase.
The present invention has been made for solving the above-described problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device that efficiently gives a picking instruction without an error by lighting up a frontage position of an item stored in a shelf by means of an indicator before a conveyor stops and changing the position of the indicator lighting up in conjunction with movement of the conveyor.
According to the packing display device of the present invention, a stored position of an item is found before a conveyor is stopped, and a position can be visually recognized easily because the display moves, and the position of the item can be found in advance. Those enable efficient picking.
Before embodiments are described, terms are defined as follows.
A position of a conveyor shows a position of the conveyor with respect to a floor surface and is given by (X, Y) coordinates. In this case, it indicates a position on a predetermined map. An item frontage position shows a frontage of an item stored in a shelf and is given by a column and a row of the shelf, for example. A display position shows a position of a display device provided on a gate including the display device, and indicates a horizontal position and a vertical position. A picking station is assumed to be stationary on the map. However, it does not need to be fixed. The conveyor is assumed to hold the shelf, and the position of the conveyor and that of the shelf on the map are identical.
The controller 201 has a data accumulation unit 300 holding information on items, shelves, and the conveyor, and stores a storage position of an item in a shelf and item information. The controller 201 also stores data of correspondence between a conveyor and a shelf conveyed thereby. The data has a data set in which one line represents one item, as shown in
A data reading unit 301 reads out information on a predetermined item, a shelf, a storage frontage position of the item in the shelf, a required number of the items, and the like from the data accumulation unit 300.
A data collation unit 302 extracts, from information on the item and shelf read out from the data reading unit 301 and position information of a conveyor received by a position receiving unit 304, a corresponding conveyor and performs check. When a conveyor has arrived at an expected arrival position that is predetermined, as shown in
A movement instructing unit 303 designs a conveyance path to a predetermined picking station as a destination for conveying a predetermined shelf to the picking station, and transmits the conveyance path as a movement instruction to the conveyor.
A position receiving unit 304 receives a position of a conveyor on a map which is notified from the conveyor. The position information indicating the notified conveyance path is a coordinate position on the map. The position receiving unit 304 may be a function provided in the picking station.
A movement instruction receiving unit 305 receives the movement instruction notified from the movement instructing unit 303 of the controller 201 and moves the conveyor in accordance with the received movement instruction.
The conveyor determines the position thereof on the map, a position notifying unit 306 notifies the controller of a current position of the conveyor. The position is represented by a coordinate on the map. The conveyor can determine the position thereof on the map with a marker provided on a floor surface or by checking surrounding circumstances with a camera mounted on the conveyor. Further, the conveyor may determine the position thereof by a wireless network. Furthermore, the conveyor may hold a moving track from a start, which is obtained by odometry, for example, and determine the position thereof from the moving track. In addition, for notification of arrival at the expected arrival position shown in
A data receiving unit 307 receives the item storage position in the corresponding shelf and the item information checked by the data collation unit 302.
An item position collation unit 308 compares the storage position of the item in the shelf received in the data receiving unit 307 and a shelf position of a position detection unit 310 with each other, and sets the item storage position in the shelf held by the conveyor that is moving.
A display device control unit 309 links the item storage position checked by the item position collation unit 308 and a position on the map of the conveyor and the shelf of the position detection unit. 310, and makes a display device corresponding to the item storage position in the shelf that is moving light up. In linking, a horizontal relative distance with respect to the gate is calculated from a reference position on the map of the picking station and a reference position of the conveyor. The reference positions are a position of the center of gravity of the gate provided in the picking station and that of the center of gravity of the conveyor, for example. In a case where the conveyor approaches from the left side of the gate, the reference position of the picking station may be located at the right end of the gate while the reference position of the conveyor is located on the right end of the conveyor. A horizontal distance of the frontage position at which the item is stored from the reference position of the shelf is calculated and is added to the calculated relative distance, so that a display device corresponding to the obtained position is made to light up. Further, the lighting display is changed in accordance with the position on the map of the movement of the shelf notified from the position detection unit 310. The picking station receives a notification that the conveyor and the shelf has stopped from the controller, and changes a manner of the lighting of a corresponding display device to blinking or the like.
The position detection unit 310 detects the position of the conveyor with the movement of the conveyor. The detection is achieved by measurement with a laser range finder, so that a detailed position of the conveyor and shelf is detected. The detection may be achieved by image detection using a camera or the like, or detection using laser. Further, the detection of the position on the map may be achieved by using the position of the conveyor that is determined by the conveyor itself and is notified by communication through a wireless network or the like. The detection may be achieved by using the position of the conveyor obtained by reading a marker attached onto a floor surface and notified. In addition, while a barcode or the like may be provided for check of shelves, the provided barcode may be read with a barcode reader, so that the shelves are checked.
When a conveyor has arrived at an expected arrival position specified in advance, the conveyor notifies the controller of the position on the map of the conveyor. The controller receiving the notification checks a corresponding conveyor. Further, the controller checks the conveyor and information on a shelf transported by the conveyor and a frontage position of an item stored in the shelf, for example, and notifies the picking station of the information on the conveyor, the item, and the like. The picking station checks the frontage position in the shelf at which the item is stored and the position on the map of the conveyor, and makes a corresponding display device light up. When the conveyor moves, the movement of the conveyor is detected and a change of the position with the movement of the conveyor is detected in the picking station, so that the display device that is made to light up is changed. There are repeated. When the conveyor has arrived at the arrival position, the conveyor determines the arrival thereof and notifies the controller of it, and the controller issues an arrival notification to the picking station. The picking station changes the lighting of the display device. Further, when picking of a predetermined item is terminated in the picking station, the picking station is notified of the termination of picking and turns off the display device. In this step, the termination of picking may be determined by automatic detection that the corresponding item picked from the shelf conveyed by the conveyor has been placed into a shipping box installed in the picking station by a weighing device or the like. Alternatively, a worker may issue a termination notification through a terminal or an event in which the worker presses a button or the like, when terminating picking. Alternatively, a system may determine the termination of picking from an image captured by a camera provided in the picking station.
In the first embodiment, the conveyor determines its own position on the map and notifies the controller of it. In the second embodiment, a form is described in which, in a case where the conveyor travels and arrives at the picking station in a predetermined order, the conveyor does not notify the controller of its own position.
In this manner, it is possible to achieve a picking display device without a notification of the conveyor's position from the conveyor.
In the first and second embodiments, forms been described in which the gate-type picking display device is provided in the picking station. In the third embodiment, a semitransparent panel is installed in the gate provided with display devices.
In this manner, a distance and a time period in which a notification of an item position is issued in advance can be made longer. Further, the use of the semitransparent panel enables the movement of the conveyor to be seen. Furthermore, because the semitransparent panel is arranged to separate the conveyor and a worker from each other, an effect of an accident of a fall of a shelf caused by a movement error of the conveyor can be reduced, this providing a sense of security to the worker psychologically.
In the third embodiment, the picking station is provided with the gate and the semitransparent panel. In the fourth embodiment, the picking station is provided with the semitransparent panel and a movable shutter, and is also provided with an indicator.
In this manner, it is possible to recognize the storage position of the item in advance and take the item from a corresponding frontage only. Therefore, picking errors can be reduced.
In the first embodiment, while the gate provided with the display devices is installed in the picking station, picking display is achieved by making a corresponding di splay device light up when a conveyor and a shelf approach thereto. In the fifth embodiment, display of a picking instruction is performed by projection on the shelf by means of a projector or the like.
In this manner, it is possible to display a predetermined item frontage position without installing a gate or the like, and to confirm the position prior to arrival of the conveyor.
In the fifth embodiment, the item frontage position is displayed by means of the projector or the like. In the sixth embodiment, a picking display device is described that also projects item information.
In this manner, it is possible to display item information such as the name of an item to be picked and the number of picked items, near the frontage of the item to be picked, so that movement of a sight line of a picking worker can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce misrecognition of the display such as the number of the picked items, and picking errors. Also, it is possible to reduce ease of tiredness of the worker.
In the first embodiment, when a conveyor conveying a shelf has arrived at a predetermined position with respect to the gate-type picking display device, a worker picks a corresponding item. In the seventh embodiment, when the conveyor has arrived at the predetermined position, the shelf conveyed by the conveyor is joined to the gate. This joining is achieved by providing an electromagnet in the gate. Further, a material such as rubber may be pasted onto the gate, so that the gate can be brought into close contact with the shelf. When picking is terminated, the joining of the gate and the conveyor is released in response to a picking termination notification. Thus, when the conveyor has stopped, a current is supplied to the electromagnet so that the shelf made of metal and the electromagnet provided in the gate are joined. This joining can be released by cutting the current in response to the picking termination.
In this manner, it is possible to prevent a worker's body from being caught between the shelf and the gate because of the movement of the conveyor by mistake during picking. Further, because the shelf is stabled, picking can be performed easily.
In the eighth embodiment, a bar having display devices that can move up and down is further provided in the gate-type picking display device described in the first embodiment.
When the shelf and the conveyor move away from the picking station, the bar 1102 moves to a predetermined position (below a sight line position of a worker), and all indicators are made to light up to indicate that entry of the worker is prohibited. Further, the display device may flash or display a message or the like, to indicate prohibition of the entry. In this manner, it is possible to make entry of the worker into a region where the shelf and the conveyor are moving difficult physically.
In the ninth embodiment, an example is described in which the height of the gate-type picking display device described in the first embodiment is reduced.
The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments in the above. However, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, but can be changed in various ways without departing from the sprit thereof.
Each of the components, functions, and processing units and the like can be achieved in form of hardware by being entirely or partially designed by an integrated circuit, for example, or in form of software by execution of a program achieving each function by a processor. The program achieving each function and information such as a table can be stored in a storage device such as a memory or a hard disk, or a storage medium such as an IC card or a DVD.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2013/071317 | 8/7/2013 | WO | 00 |