SYSTEM FOR MANAGING OPERATION OF AN INDUSTRIAL VEHICLE TO CARRY A FRAGILE LOAD

• US 20120239261A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul P. Mccabe, Steve Medwin
• Original Assignee: Paul P. Mccabe, Steve Medwin
• Inventors: Medwin, Steve, McCabe, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US13/487,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239261A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An industrial vehicle carries loads on which indicators have been placed. A method for controlling the industrial vehicle involves electronically reading a given indicator on a load being carried by the industrial vehicle to obtain a load identifier. Then, employing the load identifier to obtain data from a database, wherein that data indicates whether the load being carried requires delicate handling. In response to the data obtained from a database, restricting operation of the industrial vehicle to provide delicate handling of the load. Restricting the operation may include one or more of limiting a travel speed or acceleration of the industrial vehicle to less than a predefined level, and limiting a speed at which the load being carried is raised and lowered to less than a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an industrial vehicle that carries a plurality of loads on which indicators have been placed, said method comprising:

electronically reading a given indicator on a load being carried by the industrial vehicle to obtain a load identifier;

employing the load identifier to obtain data from a database wherein that data indicates whether the load being carried requires delicate handling; and

in response to data obtained from a database, restricting operation of the industrial vehicle to provide delicate handling of the load.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein when the given indicator designates that the load being carried requires delicate handling, the operation of the industrial vehicle is held to a slower speed than when the given indicator does not designate that the load being carried requires delicate handling.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein electronically reading an indicator on a load comprises operating a load sensor selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency identification tag reader, a bar code reader, and a device that utilizes a communication protocol defined by IEEE standard 1902.1.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each indicator uniquely identifies one of the plurality of loads.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the indicators designate whether each of the plurality of loads requires delicate handling.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein restricting operation comprises limiting a travel speed of the industrial vehicle to less than a predefined level.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein restricting operation comprises limiting a rate of travel acceleration of the industrial vehicle to less than a predefined level.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein restricting operation comprises limiting a speed at which the load being carried is raised and lowered to less than a predefined level.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising electrically detecting when the given load no longer is being carried by the industrial vehicle;

and terminating the restricting operation of the industrial vehicle.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein detecting when the given load no longer is being carried by the industrial vehicle comprises sensing a force applied to a component of the industrial vehicle.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein electronically reading the given indicator is performed in response to sensing a force applied to a component of the industrial vehicle.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein electronically reading the given indicator is performed in response to a command to move a component of the industrial vehicle.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising creating a computer implemented database that identifies indicators which are associated with loads that are fragile;

and wherein determining whether the load being carried requires delicate handling comprises querying the database and producing an indication whether the load being carried is fragile.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the database is contained in a computer that is located remotely from the industrial vehicle;

and further comprising producing information in response to electronically reading the given indicator, transmitting the information via a wireless communication link to the computer, using the information to query the database, and transmitting the indication from the computer to the industrial vehicle via the wireless communication link.

15. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the indicators are either radio frequency identification tags or bar codes.

16. A method for controlling an industrial vehicle that carries a plurality of loads on which indicators have been placed, said method comprising:

receiving a command to move a component of the industrial vehicle.

in response to receiving the command, electronically reading a given indicator on a load being carried by the industrial vehicle to obtain a load identifier;

employing the load identifier to determine whether the load being carried requires delicate handling, in which situation a delicate load indication is produced; and

in response to the delicate load indication, restricting operation of the industrial vehicle to provide delicate handling of the load.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein restricting operation of the industrial vehicle comprises operating the vehicle a slower speed than when the given indicator does not designate that the load being carried requires delicate handling.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein restricting operation of the industrial vehicle comprises limiting a travel speed of the industrial vehicle to less than a predefined level.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein restricting operation of the industrial vehicle comprises limiting a rate of travel acceleration of the industrial vehicle to less than a predefined level.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein restricting operation of the industrial vehicle comprises limiting a speed at which the load being carried is raised and lowered to less than a predefined level.

21. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein each indicator uniquely identifies one of the plurality of loads.

22. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the indicators designate whether each of the plurality of loads requires delicate handling.

23. The method as recited in claim 22 further comprising creating a computer implemented database that identifies indicators which are associated with loads that are fragile;

and wherein the delicate load indication is produced in response to querying the database with the given indicator read from a load.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the database is contained in a computer that is located remotely from the industrial vehicle;

and further comprising producing information in response to electronically reading the given indicator, transmitting the information via a wireless communication link to the computer, using the information to query the database, and transmitting the indication from the computer to the industrial vehicle via the wireless communication link.

25. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising electrically detecting when the given load no longer is being carried by the industrial vehicle;

and terminating the restricting operation of the industrial vehicle.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein detecting when the given load no longer is being carried by the industrial vehicle comprises sensing a force applied to a component of the industrial vehicle.