Automated warehouse

• US 9,487,355 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Samantha K
• Application Number:
  US13/704,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/04 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0421 with control for stacker crane operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors

Abstract

A vehicle system includes multiple vehicles which shuttle on linear paths; a reflecting member provided on one end-side of each path; a range finding device measuring, using a laser beam, a distance between a vehicle and the reflecting member; and a communications system including a stationary communications device provided on an other end-side of the traveling path for the traveling vehicle, and performing optical wireless communication; and a mobile communications device attached to the traveling vehicle and performing wireless communication with the stationary communications device.

Claims

1. An automated warehouse comprising:

a rack including a plurality of shelves;

a pair of rails provided on each of the plurality of shelves, such that a total number of rails is twice a total number of shelves;

a first vehicle that shuttles on a first path which is a linear path provided by a first one of the pairs of rails;

a second vehicle that shuttles on a second path which is parallel or parallel to and vertically spaced from the first path, and which is provided by a second one of the pairs of rails;

a first reflecting member located on a first end of the first path;

a first range finding device which measures, using a laser beam, a distance between the first reflecting member and a first end of the first vehicle that faces the first reflecting member, the first end of the first vehicle being defined in a direction of a first width perpendicular or perpendicular to the first path;

a first communications system including;

a first stationary communications device which is located on a second end of the first path, and which performs optical wireless communication; and

a first mobile communications device which is attached to a second end of the first vehicle that faces the first stationary communications device, the second end of the first vehicle being defined in the direction of the first width and configured to perform wireless communication with the first stationary communications device;

a second reflecting member located on a first end of the second path;

a second range finding device which measures, using a laser beam, a distance between the second reflecting member and a first end of the second vehicle that faces the second reflecting member, the first end of the second vehicle being defined in a direction of a second width that is perpendicular or perpendicular to the second path; and

a second communications system including;

a second stationary communications device which is located on a second end of the second path, and which performs optical wireless communication; and

a second mobile communications device which is attached to a second end of the second vehicle that faces the second stationary communications device, the second end of the second vehicle being defined in the direction of the second width and configured to perform wireless communication with the second stationary communications device;

wherein

the first vehicle is the only vehicle provided on the first path;

the second vehicle is the only vehicle provided on the second path;

the first vehicle and the second vehicle are each configured to transfer one or more articles;

the first vehicle and the second vehicle are disposed so that the direction of the first width and the direction of the second width are parallel or parallel to each other; and

the first mobile communications device and the second mobile communications are disposed on opposite sides of a virtual plane which joins a center of the first width and a center of the second width, and extends along the first path and the second path.

2. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein

the first communications system includes a first polarizing plate, and the first stationary communications device and the first mobile communications device perform communication using light in a first polarizing direction;

and

the second communications device includes a second polarizing plate, and the second stationary communications device and the second mobile communications device perform communication using light in a second polarizing direction which is different from the first polarizing direction.

3. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein

the first stationary communications device and the first mobile communications device perform communication on a first modulation frequency;

and

the second stationary communications device and the second mobile communications device perform communication on a second modulation frequency which is different from the first modulation frequency.

4. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third vehicle that travels on a third path and that performs wireless communication, using a third communications device; and

a fourth vehicle that travels on a fourth path and that performs wireless communication, using a fourth communications device;

wherein

the first mobile communications device performs communication on a first modulation frequency, using light in a first polarizing direction;

the second mobile communications device performs communication on a second modulation frequency, using light in a second polarizing direction;

the third communications device performs communication on the second modulation frequency, using light in the first polarizing direction; and

the fourth communications device performs communication on the first modulation frequency, using light in the second polarizing direction.

5. The automated warehouse according to claim 1, wherein the first stationary communications device and the second stationary communications device are provided on a same side of the first path and the second path.

6. A range finding method for an automated warehouse which includes a rack including a plurality of shelves, a first vehicle that shuttles on a first path which is a linear path, and a second vehicle that shuttles on a second path which is parallel or parallel to and vertically spaced from the first path, the range finding method comprising the steps of:

measuring, via a first range finding device using a laser beam, a distance between a first reflecting member which is provided on a first end of the first path and a first end of the first vehicle that faces the first reflecting member, the first end of the first vehicle being defined in a direction of a first width that is perpendicular or perpendicular to the first path;

performing optical wireless communication between a first stationary communications device which is provided on a second end of the first path and a first mobile communications device which is attached to a second end of the first vehicle that faces the first stationary communications device, the second end of the first vehicle being defined in the direction of the first width;

measuring, via a second range finding device using a laser beam, a distance between a second reflecting member which is provided on a first end of the second path and a first end of the second vehicle that faces the second reflecting member, the first end of the second vehicle being defined in a direction of a second width that is perpendicular or perpendicular to the second path; and

performing optical wireless communication between a second stationary communications device which is provided on a second end of the second path and a second mobile communications device which is attached to a second end of the second vehicle that faces the second stationary communications device, the second end of the second vehicle being defined in the direction of the second width and opposite to the first mobile communications device in the direction of the first width;

wherein

a pair of rails are provided on each of the plurality of shelves of the rack, such that a total number of rails is twice a total number of shelves;

the first path is provided by a first one of the pairs of rails, and the first vehicle is the only vehicle provided on the first path;

the second path is provided by a second one of the pairs of rails, and the second vehicle is the only vehicle provided on the second path; and

the first vehicle and the second vehicle are each configured to transfer one or more articles.