Impact sensing usable with fleet management system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of detecting impacts on a materials handling vehicle comprising:
- generating an electrical impact signal indicative of a g-force measurement electronically read from a sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle;
generating an electrical impulse signal based on a gross vehicle weight of the materials handling vehicle and an electrical acceleration signal indicative of the acceleration of the materials handling vehicle; and
outputting an electrical impact alarm signal when the electrical impact signal exceeds a selected g-force limit threshold value and the electrical impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of monitoring operation of a vehicle detects an application of force to the vehicle and a change of momentum of the vehicle is calculated. If the change of momentum and the application of force are determined to occur within a predetermined time period of one another, an impact signal is generated.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting impacts on a materials handling vehicle comprising:
-
generating an electrical impact signal indicative of a g-force measurement electronically read from a sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle; generating an electrical impulse signal based on a gross vehicle weight of the materials handling vehicle and an electrical acceleration signal indicative of the acceleration of the materials handling vehicle; and outputting an electrical impact alarm signal when the electrical impact signal exceeds a selected g-force limit threshold value and the electrical impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An impact-detection system for a materials handling vehicle, comprising:
-
an impact-sensing accelerometer that outputs am electrical g-force measurement; a speed sensor that measures a vehicle speed of the materials handling vehicle; and a processing device communicatively coupled to the speed sensor, the processing device programmed to; generate an impulse signal based on a gross vehicle weight of the materials handling vehicle and a measure of acceleration of the materials handling vehicle that is derived from vehicle speed measurements; output an impact alarm signal when the electrical g-force measurement exceeds a selected g-force limit threshold value and the impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period; and implement a lockout of the materials handling vehicle by disabling at least some functions of the materials handling vehicle responsive to the output of the impact alarm signal.
-
-
16. A method of eliminating nuisance impact alarms on a materials handling vehicle comprising:
-
generating, by an impact sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle, an electronic signal representative of g-forces applied to the materials handling vehicle; generating, by a processor on the materials handling vehicle, an impulse signal based on a gross vehicle weight of the materials handling vehicle and a measure of acceleration of the materials handling vehicle; outputting, by the processor, an impact alarm signal when the electronic signal representative of g-forces applied to the materials handling vehicle exceeds a selected g-force limit threshold value and the impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period; and implementing a lockout of the materials handling vehicle by disabling at least some functions of the materials handling vehicle responsive to outputting the impact alarm signal.
-
Specification