Electronic control system and collision avoidance system for an electric cart

• US 6,008,546 A
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Assembled Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Assembled Products Corporation
• Inventors: Sage, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/848,997
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 318/139, 318/580, 318/587, 340/901, 340/903, 340/435, 180/167, 180/168, 342/71, 367/904, 701/93, 701/301
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

An electronic control system including a collision avoidance system is for use on an electric cart, such as used for shopping, wherein the electronic control system includes a databus board for expanding user options on the electric cart. The collision avoidance system includes sensors which detect the presence of objects in the path of the moving cart and the system acts to stop the cart when the objects are detected. Additional user options of the electronic control system are an anti-theft system for deterring cart theft and vandalism and a voice module for playing recorded messages to the cart operator.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for expanding user functions on a motorized vehicle, said electronic control system comprising:

a user control panel for operating the vehicle;

a databus board having a plurality of connectors for selective engagement with user option function modules;

a motor controller;

at least one sensor for detecting an object in the pathway of the moving vehicle; and

a plurality of user option function modules engaged with the connectors, wherein said modules include at least;

a power supply module for supplying power to the electronic control system; and

a collision avoidance module for stopping the vehicle when an object is detected in the pathway of the moving vehicle.

2. The electronic control system of claim 1, further comprising an anti-theft system comprising:

a radio transmitter remote from the cart for sending signals to a radio receiver,

a radio receiver on the cart for receiving the signals from the transmitter when said cart enters within the range of the radio transmitter, and

an anti-theft module for stopping the motor of the cart when the radio receiver detects a signal from the radio transmitter.

3. The electronic control system of claim 1, wherein said user option function modules further include a voice module for storing a plurality of voice messages.

4. The electronic control system of claim 1, wherein said motorized vehicle is a cart which moves in at least a forward direction and a reverse direction, said cart having a front end and a rear end, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

a first sensor for detecting objects within a first distance from the front end of the cart, and

a second sensor for detecting objects within a second distance from the rear end of the cart, wherein the first sensor is selectively activated when the cart is moving in a forward direction and the second sensor is activated when the cart is moving in a reverse direction;

wherein to avoid collision with an object when the cart is moving in the forward direction, the first sensor is activated and upon detecting an object within the first distance from the front end of the cart, the first sensor signals the collision avoidance module which acts to stop the cart;

wherein to avoid collision with an object when the cart is moving in the reverse direction, the second sensor is activated and upon detecting an object within the second distance from the rear end of the cart, the second sensor signals the collision avoidance module which acts to stop the cart.

5. The electronic control system of claim 2, wherein said first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

6. The electronic control system of claim 4, wherein said user control panel further comprises a circuit board having a plurality of logic circuits including a forward circuit, a reverse circuit, a neutral circuit and an emergency stop circuit.

7. The electronic control system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of transmission lines interconnecting the user control panel, the databus board and the motor controller.

8. The electronic control system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of databus data lines interconnecting the connectors on the databus board.

9. The electronic control system of claim 8, wherein said power supply module further comprising circuitry for converting an approximate 12 volt direct current to an approximate five volt direct current.

10. The electronic control system of claim 9 wherein,

the circuit board of the user control panel further comprises:

a vehicle forward condition to move the cart in a forward direction and which is activated by said forward circuit on the circuit board of the user control panel,

a vehicle reverse condition to move the cart in a reverse direction and which is activated by said reverse circuit on the circuit board of the user control panel,

a vehicle neutral condition to stop the cart and which is activated by said neutral circuit or said emergency stop circuit on the circuit board of the user control panel.

11. The electronic control system of claim 10, wherein said user control panel further comprises an emergency stop button for activating said emergency stop circuit.

12. The electronic control system of claim 11, wherein said data transmission lines include:

(i) throttle line extending between the control panel and the motor controller;

(ii) emergency switch stop output line extending between the control panel and the motor controller;

(iii) reverse switch output line extending between the control panel and the motor controller;

(iv) forward switch output line extending between the control panel and the pulse width modulator;

(v) neutral switch output line extending between the control panel and the databus board;

(vi) horn line extending between the control panel and the databus board;

(vii) motor reverse command line extending between the control panel and the databus board;

(viii) motor forward command line extending between the control panel and the databus board;

(ix) throttle pot wiper line extending between the control panel and the databus board; and

(x) throttle pot low line extending between the control panel and the databus board;

wherein when the cart is not being commanded to move in the forward or reverse direction, the motor is shorted out by said motor controller and the cart assumes a stopped position.

13. The electronic control system of claim 12, wherein the user control panel further comprises:

a forward indicator light which is illuminated when the vehicle forward condition is activated, and

a reverse indicator light which is illuminated when the vehicle reverse condition is activated.

14. The electronic control system of claim 13, wherein the circuit board of the power supply module further comprises circuitry for detecting when a charge on the battery falls below a selected level and stopping the cart when the charge is below the selected level.

15. The electronic control system of claim 14, further comprising an anti-theft system comprising:

a radio transmitter remote from the cart for sending signals to a radio receiver,

a radio receiver on the cart for receiving the signals from the transmitter when said cart enters within the range of the radio transmitter, and

an anti-theft module for stopping the motor of the cart when the radio receiver detects a signal from the radio transmitter.

16. The electronic control system of claim 15, wherein said user option function modules further include a voice module for storing a plurality of voice messages.

17. A driver assisted avoidance system for use on a motorized vehicle which moves in at least a forward direction and a reverse direction, wherein the system comprises:

a first sensor for detecting an object within a first distance from a front of the vehicle;

a second sensor for detecting an object within a second distance from a rear of the vehicle; and

a means for activating the first and second sensor to detect an object and for stopping the vehicle when the first or the second sensor detects an object;

wherein the first sensor is selectively activated when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction and the second sensor is selectively activated when the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first sensor is not activated when the cart is moving in the reverse direction and the second sensor is not activated when the cart is moving in the forward direction.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second sensors comprise ultrasonic sensors.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for stopping the cart is a collision avoidance module comprising a circuit board.

21. The driver assisted avoidance system of claim 17, wherein the motorized vehicle is an electric cart having a motor and a control system for controlling the motor which includes a databus board for interfacing with at least one user option function module,

wherein said means for activating and stopping is a user option function module which comprises a collision avoidance module;

wherein when the first sensor detects an object, the first sensor signals the collision avoidance module that an object has been detected within a first distance of the front of the cart and said module engages the control system to stop the cart;

wherein when the second sensor detects an object, the first sensor signals the collision avoidance module that an object has been detected within a second distance from the rear of the cart and said module engages the control system to stop the cart.

22. The driver assisted avoidance system of claim 21, wherein said first sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor and the second sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

23. The driver assisted avoidance system of claim 22, wherein said collision avoidance module comprises a circuit board.

24. The driver assisted avoidance system of claim 23, wherein the first sensor is not activated to detect an object when the cart is moving in the reverse direction and the second sensor is not activated to detect an object when the cart is moving in the forward direction.

25. An electronic control system for expanding user functions on a motorized vehicle, said electronic control system comprising:

a user control panel for operating the vehicle;

a databus board having a plurality of connectors for selective engagement with user option function modules;

a motor controller;

at least one sensor for detecting an object in the pathway of the moving vehicle; and

a plurality of user option function modules engaged with the connectors, wherein said modules include at least;

a power supply module for supplying power to the electronic control system; and

a collision avoidance module for stopping the vehicle when an object is detected in the pathway of the moving vehicle;

wherein said user control panel further comprises a circuit board having a plurality of logic circuits including a forward circuit, a reverse circuit, a neutral circuit and an emergency stop circuit; and

wherein said control panel further comprises an emergency stop button for activating said emergency stop circuit.

26. The electronic control system of claim 25, wherein said motorized vehicle is a cart which moves in at least a forward direction and a reverse direction, said cart having a front end and a rear end, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

a first sensor for detecting objects within a first distance from the front end of the cart; and

a second sensor for detecting objects within a second distance from the rear end of the cart, wherein the first sensor is selectively activated when the cart is moving in a forward direction and the second sensor is selectively activated when the cart is moving in a reverse direction;

wherein to avoid collision with an object when the cart is moving in the forward direction, the first sensor is activated and upon detecting an object within the first distance from the front end of the cart, the first sensor signals the collision avoidance module which acts to stop the cart; and

wherein to avoid collision with an object when the cart is moving in the reverse direction, the second sensor is activated and upon detecting an object within the second distance from the rear end of the cart, the second sensor signals the collision avoidance module which acts to stop the cart.

27. The electronic control system of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of transmission lines interconnecting the user control panel, the databus board and the motor controller.

28. The electronic control system of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of databus data lines interconnecting the connectors on the databus board.

29. The electronic control system of claim 28, wherein said power supply module further comprises circuitry for converting an approximate 12 volt direct current to an approximate five volt direct current.