Bidirectional roller deck control for a self guided vehicle
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a powered conveyor of a self guided vehicle in coordination with a powered conveyor of a docking station, the vehicle and docking station conveyors each driven by an electric motor, the apparatus comprising:
- first and second radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving respective pulse control signals, the first and second radiant energy emitting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and directed generally outward from the vehicle;
third radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving a pulse control signal, the third radiant energy emitting means being mounted on the docking station and generally directed outward from the docking station;
first and second radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from the third radiant energy emitting means, the first and second radiant energy detecting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and directed generally outward from the vehicle;
third radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from one of the first and second radiant energy emitting means, the third radiant energy detecting means being mounted on the docking station and directed generally outward from the docking station;
vehicle control means for delivering pulse control signals to the first and second radiant energy emitting means, monitoring the first and second radiant energy detecting means for a preselected period of time, and controlling the direction of energization of the vehicle electric motor responsive to receiving an electrical signal from one of the first and second radiant energy detecting means;
docking station control means for delivering pulse control signals to the third radiant energy emitting means, monitoring the third radiant energy detecting means, and controlling the energization of the docking station electric motor responsive to receiving an electrical signal from the third radiant energy detecting means; and
load transfer means for loading onto the vehicle conveyor from the docking station conveyor at either side of the vehicle, and unloading from the vehicle conveyor onto the docking station conveyor at either side of the vehicle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A self guided vehicle has a roller deck controllably powered by an electric motor to accept and deliver loads on both the left and right side of the vehicle. An infrared communication system is employed to coordinate the overall transfer of these loads between the vehicle and a docking station. The communication system performs the multiple functions of locating the docking station relative to the left and right side of the vehicle, determining the direction the load is to be transferred, and controlling the direction of motor rotation to effect such a transfer.
40 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a powered conveyor of a self guided vehicle in coordination with a powered conveyor of a docking station, the vehicle and docking station conveyors each driven by an electric motor, the apparatus comprising:
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first and second radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving respective pulse control signals, the first and second radiant energy emitting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and directed generally outward from the vehicle; third radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving a pulse control signal, the third radiant energy emitting means being mounted on the docking station and generally directed outward from the docking station; first and second radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from the third radiant energy emitting means, the first and second radiant energy detecting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and directed generally outward from the vehicle; third radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from one of the first and second radiant energy emitting means, the third radiant energy detecting means being mounted on the docking station and directed generally outward from the docking station; vehicle control means for delivering pulse control signals to the first and second radiant energy emitting means, monitoring the first and second radiant energy detecting means for a preselected period of time, and controlling the direction of energization of the vehicle electric motor responsive to receiving an electrical signal from one of the first and second radiant energy detecting means; docking station control means for delivering pulse control signals to the third radiant energy emitting means, monitoring the third radiant energy detecting means, and controlling the energization of the docking station electric motor responsive to receiving an electrical signal from the third radiant energy detecting means; and load transfer means for loading onto the vehicle conveyor from the docking station conveyor at either side of the vehicle, and unloading from the vehicle conveyor onto the docking station conveyor at either side of the vehicle.
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2. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a powered conveyor of a self guided vehicle in coordination with a powered conveyor of a docking station, the vehicle and docking station conveyors each driven by an electric motor, the apparatus comprising:
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first and second radiant energy eimtting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving respective pulse control signals, the first and second radiant energy emitting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and generally directed outward from the vehicle; third radiant energy emitting means for producing pulsed radiant energy in response to receiving a pulse control signal, the third radiant energy emitting means being mounted on the docking station and generally directed outward from the loading end of the docking station; first and second radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from the third radiant energy emitting means, the first and second radiant energy detecting means being mounted on opposing sides of the vehicle and generally directed outward from the vehicle; third radiant energy detecting means for producing electrical signals responsive to receiving radiant energy from one of the first and second radiant energy emitting means, the third radiant energy detecting means being monnted on the docking station and generally directed outward from the loading end of the docking station; and vehicle control means for delivering pulse control signals to the first and second radiant energy emitting means, monitoring the first and second radiant energy detecting means for a preselected period of time, and controlling the direction of energization of the vehicle electric motor responsive to receiving an electrical signal from one of the first and second radiant energy detecting means; means for delivering an unload signal to cause the vehicle to deliver a load from the vehicle conveyor to the docking station conveyor and delivering a load signal to cause the conveyor of the vehicle to receive a load from the docking station conveyor; first load transfer means for energizing the vehicle electric motor in a first direction in response to receiving the elecrtrical signal from the first radiant energy detecting means and the unload signal; second load transfer means for energizing the vehicle electric motor in a second direction in response to receiving the electrical signal from the first radiant energy detecting means and the unload signal; third load transfer means for energizing the vehicle electric motor in the first direction in response to receiving the electrical signal from the second radiant energy detecting means and the load signal; and fourth load transfer means for energizing the vehicle electric motor in the second direction in response to receiving the electrical signal from the second radiant energy detecting means and the unload signal. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification