Obstacle detection apparatus

• US 4,722,410 A
• Filed: 06/26/1986
• Issued: 02/02/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Industrial Incorporated Mentor Ohio
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Industrial Inc (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harding, Joseph J., Melocik, Grant C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US06/878,902
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/169, 180/275, 188/171, 303/20, 303/92
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/02 Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects B60R19/56 takes precedence; initiating brake action by contact of bumper with an external object B60T7/22; for rail vehicles B61F19/04; safety equipment for cycles B62J27/00; integral with waterborne vessels or specially adapted therefor B63B59/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

Collision detection systems are commonly provided on automatic guided industrial vehicles. Such systems should be as reliable as possible and can advantageously utilize a fault detection apparatus. The subject apparatus provides a plurality of radiant energy emitting devices and receiving devices positioned along a vehicle at locations sufficient that an obstacle in a respective path of the vehicle interrupts the reception of radiant energy by respective ones of the receiving devices. Interruptable devices controllably connect a power supply to a brake control circuit in response to continuous reception of radiant energy by the respective receiving devices, and disconnect the power supply from the brake control circuit in response to any of the receiving devices failing to continue to receive radiant energy from the respective emitting device. A vehicle control circuit controllably produces first and second energization signals in response to a predetermined condition of the vehicle, and first and second switches receive respective ones of the first and second energization signals and responsively controllably supply electrical power from the power supply to predetermined ones of the emitting devices and the receiving devices.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting failure of an obstacle sensing device associated with a vehicle, said vehicle having a power supply and a vehicle brake and brake control circuit, comprising:

a plurality of radiant energy emitting devices each associated with a respective radiant energy receiving device;

a vehicle control means for controllably producing first and second energization signals in response to a predetermined condition of said vehicle;

first and second switch means for receiving respective ones of said first and second energization signals, and responsively controllably supplying electrical power from said power supply to predetermined ones of said radiant energy emitting and receiving devices;

first and second solenoid coils each serially connected to respective first and second sets of radiant energy receiving devices, said first and second sets of radiant energy receiving devices being mutually exclusive;

first and second electrical contact sets serially connected between said power supply and said brake control circuit, each of said first and second electrical contact sets being responsive to a respective one of said first and second solenoid coils; and

logic mean for controllably producing a fault signal in response to failure of at least one of said radiant energy emitting devices, said radiant energy receiving devices, said first and second solenoid coils, and said first and secnd electrical contact sets.

2. Apparatus for sensing an obstacle in the path of a vehicle, said vehicle having a power supply, a vehicle control circuit, and a vehicle brake and brake control circuit, comprising:

a plurality of radiant energy emitting means for controllably producing radiant energy;

a plurality of radiant enerty receiving means for receiving said radiant energy, each of said radiant energy receiving means being optically responsive to a predetermined one of said radiant energy emitting means, and wherein eahc optically responsive set of said radiant energy emitting means and a radiant energy receiving means is positioned along said vehicle at a location sufficient that an obstacle in a respective path of said vehicle interrupts the reception of said radiant energy by said respective responsive radiant energy receiving means;

first and second interruptible means for controllably connecting said power supply to said brake control circuit in response to each of said radiant energy receiving means continuing to receive sasid radiant energy from said respective radiant energy emitting means and disconnecting said power supply from said brake control circuit in response to any of said radiant energy receiving means failing to continue to receive said radiant energy from said respective radiant energy emitting means, wherein said first interruptible means includes a first solenoid coil serially connected with a first set of said plurality of radiant energy receiving means and a first electrical contact set serially connected between said power supply and said brake control circuit, and said second interruptible means includes a second solenoid coil serially connected with a second set of said plurality of radiant energy receiving means and a second electrical contact set serially connected between said power supply and said brake control circuit, said first and second sets of radiant energy receiving electrical contact sets being responsive to a respective one of said first and second solenoid coils; and

logic means for controllably producing a fault signal in response to failure of at least one of said radiant energy emitting means, said radiant energy receiving means, and said first and second interruptible means, wherein said logic means includes a logic gate having a first input terminal connected to one of said first ad second electrical contacts sets, a second input terminal connected to the other of said first and second electrical contact sets, and an output terminal connected to said vehicle control circuit.

3. Apparatus for detecting failure of an obstacle sensing device associated with a vehicle, said vehicle having a power supply and a vehicle brake and brake control circuit, comprising:

a plurality of radiant energy emitting devices each associated with a respective radiant energy receiving device;

a vehicle control means for controllably producing first and second energization signals in response to a predetermined condition of said vehicle;

first and second switch means for receiving respective ones or said frist and second energization signals, and responsively controllably supplying electrical power from said power supply to predetermined ones of said radiant energy emitting and receiving devices;

first and second solenoid coils each serially connected to respective first and second sets of radiant energy receiving devices, said first and second sets of radiant energy receiving devices being mutually exclusive;

first and second electrical contact sets serially connected between said power supply and said brake control circuit, each of said frist and second electrical contact sets being responsive to a respective one of said first and second solenoid coils; and

logic means for controllably producing a fault signal in response to a failure of at least one of said radiant energy emitting devices, said radiant energy receiving devices, said first and second solenoid coils, and said first and second electrical contact sets, wherein said logic means includes a logic gate having a first input terminal connected to one of said first and second electrical contact sets, a second input terminal connected to the other of said first and second electrical contact sets, and an output terminal connected to said vehicle control means.