JP5003041B2 - Product sorting system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a merchandise sorting system, and is particularly suitable for a merchandise sorting system including a sorting device that transports a plurality of types of merchandise input from a merchandise input side to the merchandise sorting side and supplies them to a sorting chute.

  As a conventional automatic sorting and conveying apparatus, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-000721 (Patent Document 1). The automatic sorting and conveying apparatus includes a plurality of inspection means for picking and inspecting products on a first transport line, and a product that is provided for each of the inspection means and that is inspected by the inspection means. A sorter to be loaded into the sorter, gate means provided in the sorter for selectively feeding products from the sorter to the second transfer line, the number of inspections for each product of each inspection means, and each gate means After the inspection of all the products in the input batch is finished, the number of inspections and the number of the inspections are already increased until the number of inspections and the number of products passing are the same for all the sorters for the same product. And a control means for closing the gate means having the same number of goods passing. With such a configuration, it has been proposed that various products can be inspected continuously and efficiently in a short time and transported and sorted.

JP 05-000721 A

  However, in such a conventional automatic sorting and conveying apparatus, only the input quantity is confirmed on the product input side, and the confirmation of the quantity of the product sorted on the sorting side is not taken into consideration, so that the product is erroneously sorted. In such a case, there is a risk of erroneous shipment, and the shipping operation on the sorting side may not be performed efficiently.

It is an object of the present invention to be able to continuously sort a plurality of types of products according to shipping destinations, and to prevent easy erroneous shipment and shipping work with an inexpensive configuration using an input result sensor, a count sensor and a display lamp. It is to provide a product sorting system that can improve the efficiency of the product.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention sorts products into a sort chute installed in a plurality of rows for each shipping destination on the product sorter side, and a plurality of types of products thrown from a place for each product on the product launch side. The presence or absence of products that are installed in the sorting device according to the sorting device that is transported to the sorting side and sorted and supplied to the sorting chute according to the shipping destination, and the input location for each product to the sorting device A loading record sensor that detects the number of products supplied to each of the sorting chutes by being installed at each inlet side of the sorting chute, and a corresponding one of the sorting chutes. Display lamps for displaying the status of the products supplied to each of the sorting chutes, and a bar code attached to the products put into the sorting device A reader unit that reads product information, a control unit that outputs product information read by the reader unit to a management terminal and outputs sorting information transmitted from the management terminal to a display unit, and sorting information output from the control unit A picking terminal having a display unit for displaying and sorting information including shipment quantity information assigned to the sorting chute, and connected to the loading result sensor, the count sensor, the display lamp, and the picking terminal. A product sorting system including the management terminal, wherein the management terminal supplies the product put into the sorting device based on the sorting information and the product existence data detected by the feed record sensor The sorting chute to be determined is determined, and the product is supplied to the sorting chute based on the determination result. Controls the the partition dividing device, by comparing the items of data to which the shipment number information assigned to the sorting chute and detected by the counting sensor, the sorting in the case where the said items and the shipments are matched Control to turn on the display lamp corresponding to the chute, and control to turn on the display lamp corresponding to the sorting chute in a color different from the case when the number of commodities is larger than the shipment quantity. It is.

A more preferable specific configuration example of the present invention is as follows.
(1) A control panel connected to the management terminal is provided, and the sorting device, the input result sensor, the count sensor, and the display lamp are connected to the management terminal via the control panel.
(2) After the completion of one shipment operation , the management terminal determines whether the one-time product has been supplied to each sorting chute, and if not, displays a display lamp corresponding to the sorting chute. It must be controlled to light up in a different color .

According to the present invention, it is possible to continuously sort a plurality of types of products according to shipping destinations, and at the same time, it is possible to easily prevent mis-shipments and to carry out shipping operations with an inexpensive configuration using an input result sensor, a count sensor, and a display lamp. It is possible to provide a product sorting system capable of improving the efficiency.

  Hereinafter, a product sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the configuration and functions of the product sorting system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a product sorting system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram of the product sorting system of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a sorting side portion of the product sorting system of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the sorting system of the present embodiment.

  The product sorting system 20 includes a delivery conveyor 1, a sorting device 2, a sorting chute 3, a picking terminal 5, a control panel 10, an input result sensor 6, a count sensor 4, a display lamp 9, and a management terminal 7. .

  The delivery conveyor 1 is composed of a plurality of rows of conveyors installed on the product sorting side of the sorting device 2. The goods taken out from the automatic warehouse are put into each delivery conveyor 1 for each type. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the product A is input to the first delivery conveyor 1, and the product B is input to the second delivery conveyor 1.

  The sorting device 2 conveys a plurality of types of products A and B, which are input from the input location for each product on the product input side, to the product sorting side, and supplies the products to the sorting chute 3 for each shipping destination. The sorting apparatus 2 is configured so that a large number of the sorting apparatuses 2 are continuously and independently installed on a loop-shaped conveyance line and circulate.

  The sorting chute 3 is installed in a plurality of rows for each shipping destination on the product sorting side. Each sorting chute 3 is placed until a plurality of types of products A and B are supplied and stored in the shipping box 8.

  The picking terminal 5 is composed of a plurality of terminals installed corresponding to the delivery conveyors 1 and connected to the management terminal 7 so as to be able to transmit and receive. Accordingly, the picking terminal 5 is installed in accordance with the type of product to be introduced, and the management terminal 7 can manage each picking terminal 5 in accordance with the type of product to be introduced. .

  The picking terminal 5 includes a reader unit 5a, a control unit 5b, and a display unit 5c. The reader unit 5 a reads the product information of the barcode attached to the product that is put into the sorting device 2. The control unit 5b outputs the sorting information transmitted from the management terminal 7 and the product information read by the reader unit 5a to the display unit 5b, and outputs the product information read by the reader unit 5a to the management terminal 7. The display unit 5c displays the sorting information and product information output from the control unit 5b on the display screen.

  The control panel 10 is connected to the management terminal 7 so as to be able to transmit and receive, and is connected to the sorting device 2 and the display lamp 9 so as to be controllable based on command information from the management terminal 7. The detected data is connected to the management terminal 7 so that it can be transmitted.

  The input record sensor 6 is installed corresponding to each input place for each product to the sorting device 2 and detects the presence or absence of the product input to the sorting device 2. The detected product presence data is transmitted to the management terminal 7 through the control panel 10. In this way, the management terminal 7 can manage the product presence data detected by the introduction record sensor 6 in association with the type of product and the sorting device 2 into which the product has been introduced.

  The count sensor 4 is installed on each inlet side of the sorting chute 3 and detects the number of products supplied to each of the sorting chute 3. Data on the number of detected products is transmitted to the management terminal 7 through the control panel 10. Thereby, the management terminal 7 can manage the data on the number of products detected by the count sensor 4 in association with the type of product and the sorting chute 3 to which the product is supplied.

  The display lamps 9 are installed corresponding to each of the sorting chutes 3 and display the status of the products supplied to each of the sorting chutes 3. The display lamp 9 is composed of, for example, a three-color lamp.

  The management terminal 7 is configured to include a storage device that holds sorting information, which is information necessary for input and sorting of products to be shipped, and an arithmetic device, and is connected to the picking terminal 5 and the control panel 10 so as to be able to transmit and receive. Yes. This sorting information includes basic information such as shipping time, shipping destination, shipping product, number of shipments, shipping information assigned to the sorting chute 3, correspondence information between the outgoing line 1 and the picking terminal 5, and the picking terminal 5 And correspondence information between the loading record sensor 6, correspondence information between the count sensor 4 and the sorting chute 3, and correspondence information between the sorting chute 3 and the display lamp 9.

  Next, the operation of the product sorting system 20 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the sorting system of this embodiment.

  The management terminal 7 transmits the sorting information of the corresponding product to each of the picking terminals 5 in a state where the products taken out from the automatic warehouse are put into each delivery conveyor 1 for each type (step S11). Note that the sorting information for one day is divided into sorting information for each work unit, and after each shipping operation is completed, sorting information for the next task is transmitted.

  When each picking terminal 5 receives the sorting information for the first shipping operation, the picking terminal 5 displays the received sorting information on the display unit 5c (step S12). When the picker that puts the product into the sorting device 2 from each delivery conveyor 1 puts the product into the sorting device 2 according to the sorting information of the display unit 5c, the reader unit 5a sends the product information of the barcode stuck to the product. Let me read. The picking terminal 5 displays the product information on the display unit 5c and transmits the product information to the management terminal 7 (step S13). The picker can inspect the input product by looking at the product information displayed on the display unit 5c.

  Upon receiving the product information, the management terminal 7 determines whether the product is a product corresponding to the delivery conveyor 1 and then stores the product information in the storage device (step S14). When it is determined that the product is not a product corresponding to the delivery conveyor 1, a warning is displayed on the display unit 5c. As a result, the picker can immediately drop the product from the sorting device 2 and prevent erroneous shipment.

  The control panel 10 always detects the presence / absence of the product in the sorting device 2 by the input record sensor 6 installed corresponding to the input place for each product, and detects each input record when the sorting device 2 having the input product is detected. Data indicating that there is a product corresponding to the sensor 6 is transmitted to the management terminal 7 (step S15).

  When the management terminal 7 receives the product presence data, the management terminal 7 stores it in the storage device in association with the sorting device 2 into which the product type and the product are input (step S16).

  Then, the management terminal 7 sorts the sorting device based on the possessed sorting information (same as the sorting information for the first shipment work transmitted to the picking terminal 5) and the data with the product detected by the loading result sensor 6. 2 determines the sorting chute 3 that supplies the product put in 2 and transmits the determination result to the control panel 10 (step S21).

  Based on the determination result, the control panel 10 controls the sorting device 2 to supply the product to the sorting chute 2 (step S22). Therefore, the management terminal 7 controls the sorting device 2 via the control panel 10. The management terminal 7 may have all the functions of the control panel 10 and the control panel 10 may be omitted.

  Then, the control panel 10 is installed on the entrance side of the sorting chute 3 to detect the number of products supplied to the sorting chute 3 by the count sensor 4, and transmits the data of the number of products to the management terminal 7 (step). S23).

  The management terminal 7 compares the shipment quantity information allocated to the sorting chute 3 with the data of the number of products detected by the count sensor 4, and transmits the comparison result to the control panel 10 (step S24).

  The control panel 10 controls the display lamp 9 corresponding to the sorting chute 3 to turn on in green, for example, in the case of the comparison result in which the shipment quantity information and the product quantity match (step S25). As a result, it is possible to start the operation of putting the products of the sorting chute 3 whose display lamp 9 is lit into the shipping box 8 and to improve the efficiency of the shipping operation.

  In the case of a comparison result in which the number of products is larger than the shipment quantity information, it is preferable to control the display lamp 9 corresponding to the sorting chute 3 to be lit in red, for example. As a result, the operator can easily recognize the erroneous shipment.

  Then, the management terminal 7 determines whether one shipping operation is completed (step S26). This determination is performed by comparing the sorting information for the first shipment operation with the data with the product detected by the loading result sensor 6. Here, when one shipment operation is completed, the process returns to step S11, and the second shipment operation is performed in the same manner. When one shipment operation is completed, it is determined whether or not a single product has been supplied to each sorting chute 3, and if not supplied, a display lamp 9 corresponding to the sorting chute 3 is displayed, for example. It is preferable to control to light up in orange. As a result, the operator can easily recognize the erroneous shipment.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to continuously sort a plurality of types of products according to shipping destinations, and to prevent erroneous shipments and reduce shipping operations with an inexpensive configuration using an input record sensor, a count sensor, and an indicator light. The object is to provide a product sorting system capable of improving efficiency.

It is a top view which shows one Example of the goods sorting system of this invention. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a product sorting system according to the present embodiment. It is an enlarged view of the sorting side part of the goods sorting system of a present Example. It is a block diagram of the sorting system of a present Example. It is a flowchart figure of the sorting system of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Delivery conveyor, 2 ... Sorting device, 3 ... Sorting chute, 4 ... Count sensor, 5 ... Picking terminal, 5a ... Leader part, 5b ... Control part, 5c ... Display part, 6 ... Input performance sensor, 7 ... Management Terminal, 8 ... shipping box, 9 ... completion lamp, 10 ... control panel, 20 ... merchandise sorting system.

Claims (3)

Sorting chutes installed in multiple rows by shipping destination on the product sorting side,
A sorting device that transports a plurality of types of products that are input from the input location for each product on the product input side to the product classification side, and supplies them to the sorting chute according to the shipping destination; and
An input record sensor that detects whether or not there is a product that is installed corresponding to each input location for each product to the sorting device and is input to the sorting device;
A count sensor installed on each entrance side of the sorting chute to detect the number of products supplied to each sorting chute;
A display lamp that is installed corresponding to each of the sorting chutes and displays the status of products supplied to each of the sorting chutes;
A reader unit that reads product information of a barcode attached to a product put into the sorting device, and outputs the product information read by the reader unit to a management terminal and also displays sorting information transmitted from the management terminal A picking terminal comprising: a control unit that outputs to the display unit; and a display unit that displays the sorting information output from the control unit;
A product sorting system having sorting information including shipment number information assigned to the sorting chute, and comprising the input terminal, the count sensor, the display lamp, and the management terminal connected to the picking terminal Because
The management terminal
The sorting chute for supplying the merchandise input to the sorting device is determined based on the sorting information and the data on the merchandise detected by the loading record sensor, and the merchandise is added to the sorting chute based on the determination result. Controlling the sorting device to supply,
Light the display lamp by comparing the items of data detected by the counting sensor and shipping number information assigned to the sorting chute, corresponding to the sorting chute when the said items and the shipments are matched The display lamp corresponding to the sorting chute is controlled to light up in a color different from that in the case where the number matches the number of products, and the number of the products is larger than the number of shipments. Sorting system.   The control panel according to claim 1, further comprising a control panel connected to the management terminal, wherein the sorting device, the input result sensor, the count sensor, and the display lamp are connected to the management terminal via the control panel. Product sorting system. 2. The management terminal according to claim 1, wherein after the completion of one shipment operation , the management terminal determines whether or not the one-time product has been supplied to each sorting chute, and if not, displays corresponding to the sorting chute. A product sorting system for controlling a lamp to be lit in a different color .

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