Equipment for transporting a load

• US 5,192,903 A
• Filed: 06/30/1992
• Issued: 03/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Murata, Koichi, Kita, Hiroaki, Nakano, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US07/908,436
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 318/560-636, 180/160-169, 364/424.02, 364/424.06, 364/426.04, 367/96, 367/97, 367/909, 901/3, 901/9
• US Class Current: 318/587
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/34 for indicating the distance between vehicles or trains by the transmission of signals therebetween

Abstract

A load transport equipment having self-propelled trucks travelling on a predetermined route so as to transport a load by the truck, wherein an encoder is connected to a motor and the pulse number from the encoder is counted by a counter, the counted value being optically transmitted toward another self-propelled truck following the front self-propelled truck on the predetermined route, the following self-propelled truck receiving the counted value from the front self-propelled truck to obtain a difference between the received counted value and that of the following truck, so that the travel speed of the rear self-propelled truck is controlled on the basis of the difference so that the running speed is controlled in accordance with the distance between the trucks thereby preventing a rear-end collision.

Claims

1. Load transport equipment provided with a plurality of self-propelled trucks self-propelled along a predetermined route to transport a load, said self-propelled trucks each having, detecting means provided at the front of said self-propelled truck and for detecting the existence of an object within a predetermined region in front of said self-propelled truck,

receiving means provided on the front of said self-propelled truck for detecting a first signal emitted from the front of said self-propelled truck,

projecting means provided at the rear of said self-propelled truck for projecting a second signal toward a remote region far from said predetermined region at the rear of said self-propelled truck,

means for detecting a curved portion at said predetermined route, and

control means which, when said curve detecting means does not operate and both said object detecting means and receiving means do not operate, drives said self-propelled truck at high speed, when said receiving means only operates, drives said self-propelled truck at a first low speed, when said object detecting means operates, stops said self-propelled truck, when said curve detecting means operates and said receiving means does not operate, drives said self-propelled truck at a second low speed, and when said receiving means operates, stops said self-propelled truck.

2. Load transport equipment provided with self-propelled trucks self-propelled along a predetermined route including a curve to transport a load, which has a device to be detected, said device extending from a point disposed well before a first spot where the curve begins, said self-propelled truck having:

speed detecting means for detecting an actual speed of said truck;

curve detecting means for detecting said device;

control means which, when said curve detecting means detects that said self-propelled truck reaches said device, determines a second spot where said truck is to begin slowing down before said first spot is reached, said determination of said second spot being executed on the basis of an actual speed of said truck detected by said speed detecting means, said first spot being a spot where a prescribed speed is to be reached, said prescribed speed being a speed at which said truck is to be held while proceeding around the curve.

3. Load transport equipment according to claim 2, having means which, when said curve has first and second curved portions separated by a linear portion, accelerates at said linear portion said self-propelled truck which has passed said first curved portion at said predetermined speed and thereafter decelerates said self-propelled truck again to said predetermined speed when said self-propelled truck reaches said second curved portion.