Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-07
2001-10-30
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S229000, C700S225000, C700S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311102
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a physical distribution/transportation system using an autonomous pallet vehicle and an integrated physical distribution system including the physical distribution/transportation system, a sales system, a manufacturing system and a material supply system.
There has been proposed a shuttle highway system as a transportation system using autonomous pallet vehicles (“The Shuttle Highway System” Proceeding Of The Second World Congress on Intelligent Transport System Vol. Vpp 2203-2212, 1995). In the shuttle highway system, there are arranged a plurality of interchanges, which are connected to each other via dedicated transportation lines, on which a dedicated autonomous pallet vehicle travels. Gateways from and to the interchanges are respectively connected to ordinary roads. A vehicle from an ordinary road enters the interchange from the gateway thereto and is loaded onto a pallet vehicle at the interchange. The pallet vehicle is utilized between that interchange and a destination interchange, and the pallet vehicle travels at high speed along the transportation line. At the destination interchange, the vehicle is unloaded from the pallet vehicle and is returned to an ordinary road from the gateway from the interchange and the vehicle travels to a destination on the ordinary road. In such a system, since the high-speed pallet vehicle is utilized between the interchanges, an advantage of reduced movement time in moving by a vehicle is obtained.
The above-described system for transporting vehicles is effective in transportation of vehicles. Although such a high speed transportation system has been requested not only in the field of vehicle transportation but also in the field of physical distribution systems for delivering cargoes, it is difficult to apply the shuttle system as it is to a physical distribution system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel physical distribution/transportation system utilizing an autonomous pallet vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel integrated physical distribution system including the fields of sales, manufacturing and physical distribution/transportation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a physical distribution/transportation system comprising a plurality of nodes for collecting cargoes delivered from shipment parties and cargoes to be delivered to delivery destinations; a dedicated traveling line for connecting the plurality of nodes; pallet vehicles which travel between the plurality of nodes along the dedicated traveling line; and a travel controlling system for controlling operation of the pallet vehicles between the plurality of nodes, the travel controlling system controlling operation of the pallet vehicles based on transporting party information and transported destination information regarding the delivery cargoes.
According to the physical distribution/transportation system of the invention, since the cargoes delivered from shipment parties and the cargoes to be delivered to delivery destinations are collected at the nodes and transported between the plurality of nodes by the pallet vehicles which travel under control of the travel controlling system, the physical distribution/transportation system centering on operation of the pallet vehicles can be constructed. Accordingly, high-speed and accurate transportation of cargoes is made feasible by managing the operation of the pallet vehicles with the result that transportation time of cargoes can be reduced.
Further, the invention is characterized in that the plurality of nodes are respectively arranged so as to correspond to predetermined areas, and when a cargo is delivered from a shipment party of a first specific are to a delivery destination of a second specific area, the cargo is transported from the shipment party to a first specific node corresponding to the first specific area by an ordinary vehicle, transported by the pallet vehicle between the first specific node and a second specific node corresponding to the second specific area, and delivered by the ordinary vehicle from the second specific node to the delivery destination.
According to the physical distribution/transportation system of the invention, the cargo delivered from the shipment party is collected at the first specific node near the shipment party by the ordinary vehicle, and is transported by the pallet vehicle between the first specific node and the second specific node near the delivery destination. Further, the cargo is further delivered by the ordinary vehicle between the second specific node and the delivery destination. Accordingly, highly efficient transportation is made feasible by a combination of the pallet vehicle which travels on the dedicated traveling line and the ordinary vehicle.
Further, the invention is characterized in that the node is connected with a dedicated traveling line for the pallet vehicle and an ordinary traveling line for the ordinary vehicle, and the dedicated traveling line is arranged on one side of the node, while the ordinary traveling line is arranged on the other side of the node opposed to the one side.
According to the physical distribution/transportation system of the invention, since the dedicated traveling line is arranged on one side of the node and the ordinary traveling line is arranged on the other side of the node so as to be nearly parallel to the dedicated traveling line and move in a direction opposite to that of the dedicated traveling line, the pallet vehicle and the ordinary vehicle move smoothly at the node.
Further, the invention is characterized in that the pallet vehicle comprises a loading apparatus for loading and securing a cargo, and a traveling device for autonomously conveying the pallet via a vehicle control system along the dedicated traveling line. The pallet vehicle is controlled to travel on the basis of information on the cargoes to be transported.
According to the physical distribution/transportation system of the invention, the pallet vehicle is loaded with the cargo to be secured thereto by the loading apparatus and autonomously travels via the traveling device on the basis of information on the cargoes to be transported, and accordingly the cargoes are delivered to desired nodes by the pallet vehicle with reliability.
Further, the invention is characterized in that the specific node comprises a first unloading dock for unloading cargoes transported by the pallet vehicles, a first loading dock for loading cargoes onto the pallet vehicles, a second unloading dock for loading cargoes transported by the ordinary vehicles, a second loading dock for loading cargoes onto the ordinary vehicles, a first transfer apparatus for transferring cargoes unloaded at the first unloading dock to the second loading dock, and a second transfer apparatus for transferring cargoes unloaded at the second unloading dock to the first loading dock. The first unloading dock, the first transfer apparatus and the second loading dock are arranged on a side of one end of the specific node in a direction perpendicular to the dedicated traveling line and the ordinary traveling line, and the second unloading dock, the second transfer apparatus and the first loading dock are arranged on a side of the other end of the specific node in the direction perpendicular to the dedicated traveling line and the ordinary traveling line.
According to the physical distribution/transportation system of the invention, since the first unloading dock for the pallet vehicles and the second loading dock for the ordinary vehicles are arranged on the side of the one end portion of the node, and the second unloading dock for the ordinary vehicles and the first loading dock for the pallet vehicles are arranged on the side of the other end portion of the node, cargoes delivered from the shipment parties and cargoes to be delivered to delivery destinations are smoothly transferred at the node with the result that these cargoes are prevented from being mixed.
Further, the
Butler Michael E.
Ellis Christopher P.
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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