Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Inventory
Patent
1996-12-16
1998-07-14
Hajec, Donald T.
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Inventory
235375, 235454, 414459, 414460, 180167, 342457, 342458, G06F 1760, G06K 710, E04H 600, G01S 302
Patent
active
057808260
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container handling apparatus and management system for containers to be handled in a container yard.
2. Discussion of the Background
In a container yard, a large number of containers carried by trucks, vessels, and the like, are stocked. Each container bears a container identification code, which usually consists of alphanumeric characters. The identification codes and the stocking positions of the containers in the container yard are stored as inventory data in a computer of the main management room of the container yard.
For handling the containers scheduled to be carried in the container yard and those scheduled to be carried out from the container yard, a container handling work plan, including the identification codes and handling positions thereof, is prepared. According to the container handling work plan, instructions as to container handling work are given to the operator of a self-propelled container handling apparatus. The operator of the container handling apparatus perform container handling, after confirmation of the identification code of the container instructed. For example, the operator shifts a container unloaded from a truck to a stocking position in the container yard, loads a container at a stocking position in the container yard to a truck, shifts a container unloaded from a vessel to a stocking position in the container yard, or shifts a container stocked in the container yard to a container handling position of a handling apparatus for loading to a vessel. The above-described inventory data are updated upon reporting of completion of the container handling work from the operator of the container handling apparatus.
When plural containers are carried in the container yard by a vessel, the containers are once placed at random positions to shorten anchoring time of the vessel. The positions and the identification codes of the containers randomly placed are confirmed by a container yard worker. The randomly placed containers are then shifted to preset stocking positions by the container handling apparatus for martialing to enable efficient container delivery according to a truck delivery plan or the like.
When containers are carried out from the container yard by a vessel, martialing by the container handling apparatus is performed to arrange the containers in the order of loading to the vessel.
Since containers in the container yard are stacked, an upper container must be shifted to another place before a lower container is carried out in advance of the upper container. Such container shifting is usually achieved by the operator of the container handling apparatus in a container free shifting mode. To prevent the freely shifted upper container from being lost, the operator of the container handling apparatus must confirm the identification code and the stocking position of the upper container after the shifting.
When a container is carried in, and carried out from, the container yard via a gate by a truck or the like, its identity is confirmed based on the identification code by a worker at the gate.
Traditionally, the operator of the container handling apparatus and the worker of the container yard have confirmed container identification codes by visual inspection. That practice involves the possibility of erroneous reading of the container identification code. The erroneous reading of the container identification code affects the inventory data, which can result in the loss of the container in the huge container yard. If a container is lost, the positions and identification codes of a large number of containers must be re-confirmed, which requires vast labor and delays of the arrival of the containers at their destination. Also, the erroneous visual confirmation can lead to delivery of a wrong container to the destination.
When containers are carried in the container yard by a vessel, the positions and identification codes of the containers unloaded to random positions are visually confirmed by
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Ban Takayuki
Hamada Hideki
Hareyama Soichi
Serizawa Takao
Eisenberg Jacob
Hajec Donald T.
Toyo Umpanki Co., Ltd.
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