Collision avoidance system for track-guided vehicles
First Claim
1. A system for avoiding collisions of track-guided vehicles on a track, the system comprising:
- a plurality of track-guided vehicles having a front and a back;
a plurality of sensors, affixed to the front of each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles, said plurality of sensors being placed and focused to illuminate a predetermined area in front of said track-guided vehicle;
a strip of identifying reflective element disposed on the back of each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles;
said strip being disposed at a predetermined height;
a plurality of highly reflective non-diffusing strips each mounted on an inner face of said track wherever said track curves; and
an actuator for each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles, said actuator able to decelerate said track-guided vehicle, said actuator triggered when any of the plurality of sensors mounted on the respective track-guided vehicle detect an identified reflection from another track-guided vehicle.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system to allow track-guided vehicles to avoid collisions with one another in straight track and curved track situations utilizing vehicle mounted devices and without the need for additional active traffic control devices. The system includes track-guided vehicles equipped with a plurality of selective sensors on the front and identifying reflective elements on the rear. Reflective strips mounted on the inner face of curved track allow the selective sensors to detect targets around curves. Retroreflective sensors coupled with corner cube reflective material are a preferred set of sensor and target implementations. The placement of the sensors and reflective elements is specified such that a calibrated system limits the range of the system and is easily maintained.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A system for avoiding collisions of track-guided vehicles on a track, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of track-guided vehicles having a front and a back;
a plurality of sensors, affixed to the front of each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles, said plurality of sensors being placed and focused to illuminate a predetermined area in front of said track-guided vehicle;
a strip of identifying reflective element disposed on the back of each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles;
said strip being disposed at a predetermined height;
a plurality of highly reflective non-diffusing strips each mounted on an inner face of said track wherever said track curves; and
an actuator for each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles, said actuator able to decelerate said track-guided vehicle, said actuator triggered when any of the plurality of sensors mounted on the respective track-guided vehicle detect an identified reflection from another track-guided vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for avoiding collisions of track-guided vehicles on a track, the method comprising:
-
placing a plurality of track-guided vehicles having a front and a back on the track;
affixing a plurality of sensors to the front of each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles, said plurality of sensors being placed and focused to illuminate a predetermined area in front of said track-guided vehicle;
mounting one of a plurality of strips of identifying reflective element to each of said plurality of track-guided vehicles;
said strip being disposed at a predetermined height;
mounting a plurality of highly reflective non-diffusing strips on an inner face of said track wherever said track curves; and
decelerating said track-guided vehicle through an actuator, when any of the plurality of selective sensors mounted on the track-guided vehicle detect an identified reflection from another track-guided vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification