U.S. patent application number 10/307462 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-05 for automatic warehouse.
This patent application is currently assigned to MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Matsumoto, Hisanori, Tai, Akito.
Application Number | 20030102277 10/307462 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19178877 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030102277 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tai, Akito ; et al. |
June 5, 2003 |
Automatic warehouse
Abstract
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic
warehouse in which an article housing portion is constructed by
installing a plurality of strut units parallel with one another,
the strut units each having a large number of shelf members
arranged in a vertical direction and extended between a pair of
strut bases arranged in a direction in which articles are housed,
the automatic warehouse housing articles each having projecting
portions such as hand gripping portions on its sides, wherein the
hand gripping portions of the article and the strut bases located
at the front and rear of the article are prevented from interfering
with each other and wherein the articles can be housed more
efficiently in the automatic warehouse without increasing the size
of a housing space for each article. One of the pair strut bases
21B is arranged closer to the other strut member 21B, located at
the loading and unloading side of the article 8. That is, the
former strut base is retreated so as not to interfere with the
projecting portions 8a provided on the sides of the article 8.
Further, a cylindrical member 21A is arranged between the pair of
strut bases 21B, 21B and has an insertion hole 21e through which an
adjuster bolt 21 is inserted. The pair of strut bases 21B, 21B and
the cylindrical member 21A is integrally formed.
Inventors: |
Tai, Akito;
(Kagamigahara-shi, JP) ; Matsumoto, Hisanori;
(Inuyama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG,WESTERMAN & HATTORI, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW
SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Kyoto-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
19178877 |
Appl. No.: |
10/307462 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/187 ;
211/193; 211/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 1/0435 20130101;
B65G 1/0428 20130101; B65G 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/187 ;
211/193; 211/207 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 4, 2001 |
JP |
2001-369496 |
Claims
1. An automatic warehouse in which an article housing portion is
constructed by installing a plurality of strut units parallel with
one another, the strut units each having a large number of shelf
members arranged in a vertical direction and extended between a
pair of struts arranged in a direction in which articles are loaded
and unloaded, the automatic warehouse housing articles each having
projecting portions on its sides, the automatic warehouse being
characterized in that one of said pair of struts, which is located
at the loading and unloading side of the article, is arranged
closer to the strut, which is located further from the loading and
unloading side of the article, and at a position at which the strut
located at the loading and unloading side of the article does not
interfere with the projecting portions on the sides of the
article.
2. An automatic warehouse according to claim 1, characterized in
that said pair of struts is integrally formed, and a through-hole
is formed between the pair of struts so that a member projecting
from a floor surface is inserted into the through-hole.
3. An automatic warehouse according to claim 1 or claim 2,
characterized in that a fitting groove is formed in each side of
each of said pair of struts so as to extend in a longitudinal
direction, and a fixture is engaged with each of the fitting
grooves so that said shelf members are mounted via the
fixtures.
4. An automatic warehouse according to claim 1 or claim 2,
characterized in that groove portions are formed in a bottom
surface of said article at opposite ends of the bottom surface
located at the loading and unloading side of the article, and at a
central position of the bottom surface located further from the
loading and unloading side of the article, and outermost edges of
each groove portion are arranged radially relative to its center so
as to form three vertexes of an equilateral triangle, and in that
positioning pins are projectingly disposed on each of said shelf
members and engaged with holes formed at those ends of the bottom
surface of the article which are located at the loading and
unloading side of the article, and a rotation preventing member is
provided at a tip portion of the shelf member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse used
in a clean room or the like, and more specifically, to a
configuration of a housing portion of the automatic warehouse.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Automatic warehouses have hitherto been known which are
provided with a stacker crane used to convey articles. In such an
automatic warehouse, a pair of racks is installed and provided with
housing shelves on which articles are housed and which are arranged
in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. Further, a rail
is laid between the racks so that the stacker crane can run on the
rail. The stacker crane has a carriage running along the rail and
provided with a mast extending vertically. Furthermore, a hoisting
table is provided which elevates and lowers along the mast. The
hoisting table is provided with a loading device that is extendable
in the horizontal direction to load articles on the housing
shelves. The rack is constructed by arranging a plurality of strut
units parallel with one another, the strut units each having a
large number of shelf members arranged in a vertical direction and
on one or both of the sides of each of a pair of struts arranged at
a front and rear positions (in a direction in which articles are
loaded and unloaded), respectively. The pair of struts is attached
to the front and rear ends of the shelf members. Further, the
housing shelf is composed of a pair of shelf members attached to
the adjacent strut units. The article is placed on the pair of
shelf members so as to extend over them.
[0003] In recent years, more and more articles have had projecting
portions such as hand gripping portions on their opposite sides.
Accordingly, the space between the strut units has been widened in
a lateral direction so as to correspond to these projecting
portions so that the projecting portions of such an article to be
housed will not interfere with struts located at the front and rear
of the article. This increases the size of a housing space for each
article to preclude articles from being housed efficiently.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to allow articles
to be more efficiently housed in an automatic warehouse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The problems to be solved by the present invention have been
described. Now, means for solving the problems will be described
below.
[0006] First, as set forth in claim 1, the present invention
provides an automatic warehouse in which an article housing portion
is constructed by installing a plurality of strut units parallel
with one another, the strut units each having a large number of
shelf members arranged in a vertical direction and extended between
a pair of struts arranged in a direction in which articles are
loaded and unloaded, the automatic warehouse housing articles each
having projecting portions on its sides, the automatic warehouse
being characterized in that one of the pair of struts, which is
located at the loading and unloading side of the article, is
arranged closer to the strut, which is located further from the
loading and unloading side of the article, and at a position at
which the strut located at the loading and unloading side of the
article does not interfere with the projecting portions on the
sides of the articles.
[0007] Further, as set forth in claim 2, the pair of struts is
integrally formed, and a through-hole is formed between the pair of
struts so that a member projecting from a floor surface is inserted
into the through-hole.
[0008] Furthermore, as set forth in claim 3, a fitting groove is
formed in each side of each of the pair of struts so as to extend
in a longitudinal direction, and a fixture is engaged with each of
the fitting grooves so that the shelf members are mounted via the
fixtures.
[0009] Moreover, as set forth in claim 4, groove portions are
formed in a bottom surface of the article at opposite ends of the
bottom surface located at the loading and unloading side of the
article, and at a central position of the bottom surface located
further from the loading and unloading side of the article, and
outermost edges of each groove portion are arranged radially
relative to its center so as to form three vertexes of an
equilateral triangle. Further, positioning pins are projectingly
disposed on each of the shelf members and engaged with holes formed
at those ends of the bottom surface of the article which are
located at the loading and unloading side of the article, and a
rotation preventing member is provided at a tip portion of the
shelf member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic warehouse of
the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the automatic
warehouse.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the automatic
warehouse.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a front view showing how a side wall unit is
installed so as to extend vertically, and FIG. 4B is a front view
showing how a strut member is connected to the side wall unit
installed so as to extend vertically.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing how strut members are
connected together.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing how a joint material is
attached to the strut member.
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing how an engaging unit
engages with a fitting groove in the strut member.
[0017] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the strut member.
[0018] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing how the engaging unit engages
with the fitting groove in the strut member.
[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing how a nut plate is
inserted into the joint material.
[0020] FIG. 11 is a front sectional view showing how the strut
member and the joint material are clamped together.
[0021] FIG. 12 is a front sectional view showing how the lower end
of the strut member is fixedly positioned on a floor surface.
[0022] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing how outer wall panels are
mounted on the strut member, wherein FIG. 13A shows that a mounting
operation has not been started yet, FIG. 13B shows that the
mounting operation is being performed, and FIG. 13C shows that the
mounting operation has been completed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to the drawings.
[0024] In the following description, for convenience, a description
will be given of the front and rear, and right and left positions
of each structure of an automatic warehouse 1 by defining the
direction of arrow F, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as frontward. This
also applies to the front and rear, and right and left positions of
each structure in the other drawings.
[0025] First, the automatic warehouse 1 will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0026] The automatic warehouse 1 is provided with a pair of a front
and rear housing portions 20, 20 having a large number of housing
shelves 25, 25, and an article conveying device 3.
[0027] Each of the housing portions 20, 20 is provided with a large
number of housing shelves 25, 25, . . . arranged in a lateral
direction and a vertical direction. The pair of housing portions
20, 20 is arranged inside a cabinet 2 opposite each other so as to
sandwich a rail 38 for a carriage 30, described later. A fan 9 used
to suck dust is installed below a horizontal plate 29 disposed at
the bottom of each of the housing portions 20.
[0028] The article conveying device 3 comprises a hoisting table 34
acting as a conveying member and a loading device 4 arranged on the
hoisting table 34. The article conveying device 3 receives an
article 8 through a delivery port (not shown in the drawings)
formed in the cabinet 2 and places it on the hoisting table 34
using the loading device 4, subsequently moves the hoisting table
34 to one of the housing shelf 25 which is empty, and then delivers
the article 8 to the housing shelf 25 using the loading device 4.
Alternatively, the article conveying device 3 may receive the
article 8 already housed on the housing shelf 25 and place it on
the hoisting table 34 using the loading device 4, subsequently move
the hoisting table 34 to the delivery port, and then deliver the
article 8 to the delivery port using the loading device 4.
[0029] A track composed of rails 38, 38 is laid between the housing
portions 20, 20. The carriage 30 is arranged on the rails 38, 38.
The carriage 30 is provided with running wheels 31, 31, . . .
arranged on the rails 38, 38.
[0030] The above arrangements enable the carriage 30 to run along
the rails 38, 38 while being supported by the rails 38, 38.
[0031] A mast 36 is installed on the carriage 30 via a turn table
35 so as to extend vertically, and is configured to be rotationally
driven together with the turn table 35. The hoisting table 34 is
attached to the mast 36 so as to be elevatingly driven in a
vertical direction. The loading device 4, which loads the article
8, is provided on the hoisting table 34.
[0032] The loading device 4 is configured to operate as a
extendable robot hand, and the loading device 4 is provide with a
fork 41 at its tip to support the article 8 by scooping up the
article 8 from below. A projection projects upward from the top
surface of the fork 41. On the other hand, a hole portion is formed
in the bottom surface of the article 8 so that the projection can
be inserted through this hole portion. Thus, the projection and the
hole portion can be engaged with each other to hold the article 8
so that it will not fall from the fork 41. The fork 41 holding the
article 8 is inserted between a lateral pair of shelf members 25L,
25R constituting the housing shelf 25. The article 8 is placed on
the shelf members 25L, 25R.
[0033] The shelf member 25L (or 25R) is molded by bending a
plate-like member by press working or the like, and a tip portion
25b is bent obliquely upward, and one side portion 25c is bent
vertically downward and is attached to a strut member 21.
[0034] Further, positioning pins 14, 14 are projectingly disposed
on the top surfaces of the shelf members 25L, 25R, respectively. On
the other hand, the article 8 placed on the housing shelf 25 is
provided with groove portions in its bottom surface at three
positions, i.e. on the opposite sides of the bottom surface located
at the insertion side of the fork 41, that is, located at the
loading and unloading side of the article 8, and in a central
portion of the bottom surface located further from the insertion
side of the fork 41, that is, located further from the loading and
unloading side of the article 8, the groove portions being arranged
radially relative to the center of the bottom surface. The tops of
the outermost edges of the groove portions form the three vertexes
of an equilateral triangle. The article 8 is placed on the housing
shelf 25 by engaging the grooves located on the opposite sides of
the bottom surface located at the loading and unloading side of the
article 8, with the positioning pins 14, 14 on the top surfaces of
the shelf members 25L, 25R, respectively. Further, at this time,
the tip portions 25b, 25b of the shelf members 25L, 25R are placed
so as to abut against the end of the article 8 located at the
loading and unloading side of the article 8. Accordingly, the tip
portions 25b, 25b of the shelf members 25L, 25R regulate rotation
of the article 8.
[0035] In this manner, the article 8 is positioned by the
positioning pins 14, 14 provided on the shelf members 25L, 25R,
respectively, and the bent tip portions 25b, 25b. This
configuration does not require a positioning pin that is engaged
with the groove portion formed in the bottom surface of the article
8 in its central portion located further from the loading and
unloading side of the article 8. This reduces the number of parts
required.
[0036] Further, with the present configuration, the fork 41 may be
used to insert the groove portions in the bottom surface of the
article 8 over the two positioning pins 14, 14 on the shelf members
25L, 25R, respectively. An inserting operation can be accomplished
more easily than in the case with three positioning pins.
Consequently, insertion errors are reduced to improve
reliability.
[0037] For a clean room in which the automatic house 1 is
installed, a non-contact feeding method is employed to perfectly
prevent the occurrence of dust. A feeder line holder 50 is
suspended from at least one of the horizontal plates 29, arranged
at the bottoms of the housing portions 20, and the feeder line
holder 50 holds a pair of feeder lines 51, 51 at its tip portion.
The feeder lines 51, 51 are arranged along the rails 38, 38, and
further, the carriage 30 is provided with a power receiving device
5 that obtains current from a magnetic field generated in the
feeder lines 51, 51.
[0038] The power receiving device 5 is provided with an E-shaped
core 52. The pair of feeder lines 51, 51 is inserted into the core
52 and arranged so as not to contact with the core 52. A pickup
coil 53 is wound around the core 52. Accordingly, the power
receiving device 5 obtains current on the basis of the nature that
the magnetic field generated in the feeder lines 51, 51 induces
electromotive force in the pickup coil 53 as a result of
electromagnetic induction.
[0039] Electric power obtained by the power receiving device 5 as
described above is used to drive a drive source for the carriage
30, a drive source for the hoisting table 34, and others provided
in the article conveying device 3.
[0040] Now, a description will be given of a method of assembling
the cabinet 2 according to the present invention.
[0041] In the cabinet 2, a frame is formed of the strut members 21,
21, . . . , the side wall unit 24, and joint materials 22, 22, . .
. that connect the strut members 21, 21 together and the strut
member 21 and the side wall unit 24 together. Thin-plate-like outer
wall panels 23 are mounted on the respective surface areas defined
by the strut members 21, 21 and the joint materials 22, 22. The
shelf members 25L, 25R are attached to the left and right sides of
the strut member 21, respectively, and to the inner side of the
side wall unit 24 and are arranged at predetermined intervals in a
height direction as shown in FIG. 4.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the strut member 21 comprises
strut bases 21B, 21B to which the shelf members 25L, 25R are
attached, respectively, and a cylindrical member 21A provided
between the strut bases 21B, 21B, the strut bases 21B, 21B and the
cylinder member 21A being molded integrally by extruding aluminum.
Fitting grooves 21a, 21a, 21a, 21a, 21b each appearing to be
T-shaped in a sectional view are formed at five locations, i.e. in
opposite sides of each of the strut bases 21B, 21B and the outer
side of one of the strut bases 21B which is orthogonal to the above
opposite sides. A lateral pair of engaging pieces 21c, 21c is
projectingly disposed on the outer sides of the other strut base
21B, respectively. The tips of the engaging pieces 21c, 21c are
bent so as to face each other, with a generally T-shaped engaging
groove 21d formed between the tips. The fitting grooves 21a, 21b
and the engaging groove 21c are formed along the longitudinal
direction of the strut member 21, and engaging units 11 are engaged
with the fitting grooves 21a, 21b, and the joint materials 22 are
assembled via the engaging units 11 as described later in
detail.
[0043] Further, a nut plate is engaged with the fitting groove 21a
at its predetermined position, and a fixing hole formed in the side
portion 25c of the shelf member 25L (or 25R) is then arranged at
the side of the nut plate. A fixing bolt 15 is then inserted
through the fixing hole sideward from the exterior. Then, the
fixing bolt 15 and the nut plate are clamped together. In this
manner, the side portion 25c of the shelf member 25L (or 25R) is
fitted in the two fitting grooves 21a, 21a, formed in one side of
the strut member 21, via the fixing bolts 15, 15 and the nut plate
(see FIG. 2). Thus, a large number of shelf members 25L, 25R, . . .
are attached to the respective sides of the strut member 21 at
predetermined intervals to form a strut unit in advance.
[0044] In the prior art, a strut unit is constructed by installing
a large number of shelf members on a pair of struts arranged at a
front and rear positions so that the shelf members are arranged in
the vertical direction. However, in this embodiment, one of the
pair of struts, which is located at the loading and unloading side
of the article 8, is arranged closer to the other strut, which is
located further from the loading and unloading side of the article
8. Further, both struts are molded integrally to construct the
strut member 21. Then, the strut unit is constructed by attaching a
large number of shelf members 25L, 25R to the strut member 21 so
that the shelf members are arranged in the vertical direction.
[0045] Some articles 8 have hand gripping portions 8a, 8a
projecting from their opposite sides. With the present
configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, when the article 8 having the
hand gripping portions 8a, 8a is housed, the hand gripping portions
8a, 8a and the strut members 21, 21 are prevented from interfering
with each other. Thus, the article 8 can be housed more efficiently
without widening the lateral space between the strut members 21,
21. Further, the strut unit of the present configuration can be
conveyed more easily than the conventional strut unit, in which a
large number of concave housing shelves project from the strut.
Therefore, the strut unit of the present configuration allows the
article to be conveyed more efficiently.
[0046] Furthermore, the strut unit of the present configuration is
extended vertically in an outer peripheral portion of the area in
which the cabinet 2 is to be installed. This allows workers to
perform operations more easily. Further, the adjacent strut members
21, 21 can be easily assembled together via the joint members
22.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 9, the engaging unit 11 appears generally
like a key in a plan view. A T-shaped engaging portion 11b is
projected from a square main body 11a, and a fitting hole 11c is
formed in the center of the main body 11a. An edge 11d of the
fitting hole 11c in one side of the main body 11a is chamfered so
as to be tapered. This allows a fixing bolt 13 to be inserted
easily into the fitting hole 11e from above with the main body 11a
located so that the above mentioned side of it faces upward.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 6, 10 and 11, the joint material 22 is
formed, by extruding aluminum or the like, to have a hollow portion
extending in the longitudinal direction. The top and bottom
surfaces of the joint material 22 are connected together by a pair
of vertical planes 22b, 22b, and the vertical planes 22b, 22b are
connected together by a reinforcing member 22a. A general "H" shape
is formed by the vertical planes 22b, 22b and a horizontal plane
22c of the reinforcing member 22a. Step portions 22d, 22d are each
formed in the lower part of the corresponding one of the vertical
surfaces 22b, 22b so as to project outward. Further, the
longitudinal opposite sides of the joint material 22 are bored from
above so that through-holes 22e, 22f are formed in the top surface
of the joint material 22 and in the horizontal plane 22c, located
immediately below the top surface.
[0049] Furthermore, insertion grooves 22g, 22g are formed in the
top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the joint material 22 so
as to extend in the longitudinal direction. The insertion grooves
22g, 22g are arranged at one side end of the joint material 22 in
its latitudinal direction. The through-holes 22e, 22f are arranged
slightly closer to the other side relative to the center.
[0050] Now, a description will be given of a method of assembling
these members together.
[0051] First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the side wall unit 24 is
installed in the planned installation area for the cabinet 2 so as
to extend vertically. The side wall unit 24 is fixedly positioned
on the floor surface using a foot adjuster 6. Then, as shown in
FIG. 4B, the strut member 21 to which the shelf members 25L, 25R, .
. . are attached is installed at the side of the side wall unit 24
so as to extend vertically. As shown in FIG. 5, a support member 26
is attached to the lower end of the strut member 21 so as to extend
inward. The foot adjusters 6, 6 are attached to the bottom surface
of the support member 26 and the bottom surface of the strut member
21, respectively.
[0052] Then, the joint materials 22, 22, . . . are sequentially
attached to the strut member 21, extended vertically without being
fixed to the floor surface.
[0053] The joint material 22 is attached as follows:
[0054] As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, first, the engaging unit 11
is inserted into the fitting groove 21a so that the engaging unit
extends in the vertical direction. Then, the engaging unit 11 is
rotated through 90.degree. so as to extend in the horizontal
direction. Subsequently, the engaging portion 11b of the engaging
unit 11 is engaged with the fitting groove 21a with its surface
with the fitting hole 11c with the chamfered edge 11d facing
upward.
[0055] Next, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the opposite sides of the
nut plate 12 as a clamped unit, are engaged with the step portions
22d, 22d of the reinforcing member 22a from one side the joint
member 22. The nut plate 12 is then pushed inward. Then, the main
body 11a of the engaging unit 11a is inserted into an insertion
space formed between the horizontal plane 22c and the nut plate 12
housed between the step portions 22d, 22d.
[0056] Then, a fixing hole 12c formed in the center of the nut
plate 12 is aligned with the insertion holes 22e, 22f substantially
in a line, the insertion holes 22e, 22f being formed in the top
surface of the joint material 22 and in the horizontal plane. Then,
the fixing bolt 13 as a clamp is inserted through the insertion
holes 22e, 22f to connect the lower end of the fixing bolt 13 to
the fitting hole 11c in the engaging unit 11 and to the fixing hole
12c in the nut plate 12. More specifically, the fitting hole 11c in
the engaging unit 11 is located slightly closer to the strut member
21 than the insertion holes 22e, 22f. In this state, the fixing
bolt 13 is screwed into the fixing hole 12c in the nut plate 12.
Then, the engaging unit 11 is guided by the edge 11d of the fitting
hole 11c and moved away from the strut member 21. That is, the
engaging portion 11b of the engaging unit 11 pulls the fitting
groove 21a in the strut member 21, and the engaging unit 11 is
fixed to the strut member 21, and the joint material 22 is fixed to
the strut member 21.
[0057] Similarly, the other side of the joint material 22 is
attached via a fitting groove formed in the side wall unit 24. The
strut member 21 and the side wall unit 24 are connected together by
thus interposing the joint materials 22, 22, . . . between the
strut member 21 and the side wall unit 24 at predetermined
intervals in the vertical direction. Subsequently, the foot
adjusters 6, 6 are fixed to the floor surface, the foot adjusters
6, 6 being attached to the bottom surface of the strut member 21
and to the bottom surface of the support member 26.
[0058] An insertion hole 21e in the cylindrical member 21A of the
strut member 21 is molded so that an adjuster bolt 61 of the foot
adjuster 6 can be inserted into the hole 21e. That is, as shown in
FIG. 12, the adjuster bolt 61 is fixedly inserted into the
insertion hole 21e, in which a nut member has been fixedly fitted.
Further, an adjuster bolt foot lock fixture 62 is fixed to the
floor surface via a fixing bolt 63 already buried into the concrete
floor surface to fixedly position the strut member 21.
[0059] The automatic warehouse 1 of this embodiment is constructed
on the concrete floor surface. However, it may be constructed on a
grating floor surface on which a large number of openings are
formed, or the like. In this case, the fixing bolt 63 is secured to
the grating.
[0060] Similarly, a new strut member 21 is mounted at the side of
the above strut member 21 via the joint materials 22, 22, . . . and
is fixedly positioned on the floor surface. Then, as shown in FIG.
5, the strut members 21, 21, . . . are sequentially installed
parallel with one another. Finally, the side wall unit 24 is
mounted at the side of the outermost strut member 21 to construct
the frame of the cabinet 2.
[0061] Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the flexible thin-panel-like outer
wall panels 23 are mounted on the respective surface areas defined
by the strut members 21, 21 and the joint materials 22, 22 and are
each fitted via presser members 18, 18 and a groove engaging member
19.
[0062] The presser member 18 and the groove engaging member 19 are
substantially as long as the single outer wall panel 23 and are
formed to appear as shown in FIG. 13A, in a plan view. The presser
member 18 is shaped generally like the character "F" rotated
through 90.degree., and has an engaging portion 18a that engages
with the engaging piece 21c on the outer side of the strut member
21, a press lock portion 18b projecting parallel with the engaging
portion 18a, and a locked portion 18c projecting in a direction
orthogonal to the direction of the engaging portion 18a. The tip of
the engaging portion 18a is bent toward the press lock portion 18b
and formed like a hook. The groove engaging member 19 has locking
portions 19a, 19a on its right and left, respectively, so as to
appear generally like the character "U" rotated through 90.degree..
The groove engaging member 19 is configured so as to be elastically
deformed.
[0063] Now, description will be given of a method of mounting the
outer wall panel 23 using the presser members 18, 18 and the groove
engaging member 19.
[0064] First, the lower end of the outer wall panel 23 is inserted
into the insertion groove 22g (see FIG. 10), formed in the top
surface of the lower joint material 22. Then, the upper end of the
outer wall panel 23 is inserted into the insertion groove 22g in
the upper joint material 22 while being flexed.
[0065] Then, as shown in FIG. 13B, the engaging portions 18a, 18a
of the presser members 18, 18 are engaged with the pair of engaging
pieces 21c, 21c, respectively, on the outer side of the strut
member 21. The press lock portion 18b of one of the presser members
18 is used to press a side end of the outer wall panel 23 in this
surface area. The press lock portion 18b of the other presser
member 18 is used to press a side end of the outer wall panel 23 in
the adjacent surface area.
[0066] In this regard, a spacer may be interposed between the press
lock portion 18b of the presser member 18 and the side end of the
outer wall panel 23. In this case, the outer wall panel 23 may be
fixed via this spacer.
[0067] Then, as shown in FIG. 13C, the groove engaging portion 19
is inserted between and engaged with the locked portions 18c, 18c
of the presser members 18, 18, which engage with the pair of locked
pieces 21c, 21c, respectively.
[0068] In this case, the width of the groove engaging member 19 is
slightly wider than the size of the space between the presser
members 18, 18. Thus, when inserted between the locked portions
18c, 18c, the groove engaging member 19 is elastically deformed to
urge the locked portions 18c, 18c laterally outward. Further, the
locking portions 19a, 19a are each formed to have a smaller space
at its tip than at its root. This allows the locking portion 19a,
19a can be inserted more easily between the locked portions 18c,
18c.
[0069] After the locking portions 19a, 19a have been engaged with
the locked portions 18c, 18c, the elastic groove engaging member 19
urges the presser members 18, 18, located at the respective sides
of the groove engaging member 19. Consequently, the presser members
18, 18 are not removed easily from the engaging pieces 21c, 21c. In
this manner, the outer wall panel 23 can be mounted easily on the
surface area defined by the strut members 21, 21 and the joint
materials 22, 22, without using any special tools.
[0070] On the other hand, the outer wall panel 23 is removed easily
by catching the upper or lower end of the groove engaging member 19
with the finger, the groove engaging member 19 being engaged
between the presser members 18, 18. Then, the opposite sides of the
outer wall panel 23 may be held, and the upper and lower ends of
the outer wall panel 23 may be pulled out of the insertion grooves
22g, 22g in the joint material 22. In this manner, removal
operations can be performed easily. If for example, the loading
device 4 fails, the operator can remove the corresponding outer
wall panel 23 and directly take out the article 8, placed on the
housing shelf 25, from the exterior of the automatic warehouse
1.
[0071] Owing to the above configuration, the present invention has
the following effects.
[0072] First, as set forth in claim 1, the present invention
provides an automatic warehouse in which an article housing portion
is constructed by installing a plurality of strut units parallel
with one another, the strut units each having a large number of
shelf members arranged in a vertical direction and extended between
a pair of struts arranged in a direction in which articles are
loaded and unloaded, the automatic warehouse housing articles each
having projecting portions on its sides, wherein one of the pair of
struts, which is located at the loading and unloading side of the
article, is arranged closer to the strut, which is located further
from the loading and unloading side of the article, and at a
position at which the strut located at the loading and unloading
side of the article does not interfere with the projecting portions
on the sides of the article.
[0073] This eliminates the need to widen the space between the
strut units to allow the articles to be housed more
efficiently.
[0074] As set forth in claim 2, the pair of struts is integrally
formed, and a through-hole is formed between the pair of struts so
that a member projecting from a floor surface is inserted into the
through-hole.
[0075] This enables the struts to he attached to the floor surface
and eliminates the need to form a separate insertion hole in a
projecting member. Therefore, the number of parts required is
reduced to reduce costs.
[0076] Further, as set forth in claim 3, a fitting groove is formed
in each side of each of the pair of struts so as to extend in a
longitudinal direction, and a fixture is engaged with each of the
fitting grooves so that the shelf members are mounted via the
fixtures.
[0077] Consequently, the shelf member can be fixed to an arbitrary
height along the fitting groove, thus improving operability.
[0078] Furthermore, as set forth in claim 4, groove portions are
formed in a bottom surface of the article at opposite ends of the
bottom surface located at the loading and unloading side of the
article, and at a central position of the bottom surface located
further from the loading and unloading side of the article, and
outermost edges of each groove portion are arranged radially
relative to its center so as to form three vertexes of an
equilateral triangle.
[0079] Moreover, and positioning pins are projectingly disposed on
each of the shelf members and engaged with holes formed at those
ends of the bottom surface of the article which are located at the
loading and unloading side of the article, and a rotation
preventing member is provided at a tip portion of the shelf
member.
[0080] Therefore, the article can be positioned on the shelf member
and prevented from rotating without using a positioning pin engaged
with the positioning groove portion located in the center of the
bottom surface of the article and further from the loading and
unloading side of the article.
* * * * *