Pallet carry-in management system for storehouse

• US 5,475,604 A
• Filed: 07/21/1994
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amada Metrecs Co. Ltd. (Amada Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Amada Metrecs Co. Ltd. (Amada Company Limited)
• Inventors: Nagamatsu, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US08/278,094
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478, 364/562, 364/131, 364/138, 414/788.1, 414/788.9, 414/331
• US Class Current: 700/217
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records

Abstract

To store tall loads on a pallet (P) supported by the pallet retaining shelves (R) of a shelf frame (3), irrespective of a pitch dimension between the pallet supporting shelf crosspieces (13), the pallet carry-in management system includes: a pallet presence/absence state management section (57) for managing pallet presence or absence status of the respective pallet retaining shelves (R); a vertically continuous vacant shelf management section (59) for managing a position and the number of stages of the vacant pallet retaining shelves (R) on which no pallets are carried-in vertically continuously, on the basis of management information transmitted by the pallet presence/absence state management section; and a maximum allowable load height calculating section (61) for calculating an maximum allowable height of loads to be mounted on the vacant pallet retaining shelves (R), on the basis of the position and number of stages of the vacant pallet retaining shelf information transmitted by the vertically continuous vacant shelf management section, in order to carry-in the pallet, on which loads whose height extends to a plurality of stages of the pallet retaining shelves can be mounted, on a lowermost pallet retaining shelf of the vertically continuous vacant shelves, on the basis of the vertically continuous vacant shelf information given by the vertically continuous vacant pallet retaining shelf management section and the maximum allowable load height information given by the maximum allowable load height calculating section.

Claims

1. A pallet carry-in management system for a three-dimensional storehouse for carrying in/out pallets to and from a plurality of pallet retaining shelves supported at plural vertical stages by pallet supporting shelf crosspieces located on both sides of the shelves in a shelf frame, by use of at least one crane controlled by a computer, comprising:

a pallet presence/absence state management section for managing pallet presence or absence status of the respective pallet retaining shelves;

a vertically continuous vacant shelf management section for managing a position and a number of stages of vacant ones of said pallet retaining shelves which remain vertically continuously vacant, on the basis of management information transmitted by said pallet presence/absence state management section; and

a maximum allowable load height calculating section for calculating a maximum allowable height of loads to be mounted on the vacant pallet retaining shelves, on the basis of the position and number of stages of the vacant pallet retaining shelf information transmitted by said vertically continuous vacant shelf management section, in order to carry-in the pallet, on which loads whose height extends to a plurality of stages of the pallet retaining shelves can be mounted, on a lowermost pallet retaining shelf of the vertically continuous vacant shelves, on the basis of the vertically continuous vacant shelf information given by said vertically continuous vacant pallet retaining shelf management section and the maximum allowable load height information given by said maximum allowable load height calculating section.

2. The pallet carry-in management system of claim 1, wherein said pallet presence/absence state management section, said vertically continuous vacant shelf management section, and said maximum allowable load height calculating section are all incorporated in a cell computer for controlling a pallet carry stacker crane for carrying-in/out the pallets.