Industrial vehicle safety system

• US 6,784,800 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signal Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Signal Tech LLC
• Inventors: Orzechowski, Jeffery R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/884,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/573.1, 340/680, 340/684, 340/685, 340/686.5, 340/686.6, 340/679, 701/50
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/141 using sound propagation, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 using light grids
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar

Abstract

A system for enhancing safe operation of industrial vehicles includes at least one of three sets of sensors for detecting pedestrians in zones and providing appropriate responses. Zone 1 includes a two to four foot region around a stationary vehicle which might include personnel who had recently been conversing with the vehicle'"'"'s operator. Zone 2 extends from 2 to 6 feet from the vehicle and personnel entering Zone 2 will cause the vehicle'"'"'s horn to sound to prevent their walking into the side of the vehicle. Zone 3 comprises hidden danger zones where personnel may enter a region where an industrial vehicle from outside the area and be unaware of the vehicle'"'"'s presence. Motion detectors associated with Zone 3 cause activation of an RF tag that reflects a radio signal transmitted by the vehicle. The sounding of the horn will notify both the pedestrian and the vehicle'"'"'s operator of the potential danger.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system for use with an industrial vehicle comprising

a) sensor means for detecting at least one person in a particular zone including a first zone proximate a lateral portion of the industrial vehicle and, wherein said sensor means comprises a sensor mounted on the industrial vehicle;

b) receiver means associated with said sensor means for producing a response to a detection of an object in said 1st zone proximate the industrial vehicle, said response consisting of disabling the industrial vehicle from moving when the vehicle'"'"'s movement is abated;

additional sensor means for detecting at least one person in a second zone adjacent and spaced from lateral side portions of said industrial vehicle; and

additional receiver means for initiation a warning signal responsive to said additional sensor means.

2. The vehicle safety system of claim 1 wherein said sensor means detects a direction of motion of the person entering said second zone and only activates said warning signal if the person is at risk to walk into the side of the industrial vehicle.

3. The vehicle safety system of claim 1 wherein said particular zone comprises a third zone including at least one obstructed area observed by a sensor positioned remotely from said vehicle for detecting a person entering said third zone in which the industrial vehicle is operating and sending a signal to the industrial vehicle.

4. The vehicle safety system of claim 3 wherein said sensor comprises a motion sensor which activates an RF tag associated with said motion sensor sending an RF signal to a transceiver on the industrial vehicle.

5. The vehicle safety system of claim 4 wherein said RF signal received by said transceiver on said industrial vehicle activates said response which includes initiating a warning signal using the industrial vehicle'"'"'s horn.

6. The vehicle safety system of claim 1 wherein said sensor means is selected from the group consisting of infrared, ultrasonic, radio frequency, laser, electromagnetic, microwave, Doppler shift, photoelectric and motion detection.

7. The vehicle safety system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor control panel mounted on the industrial vehicle, said sensor control panel having two end portions and including at least two sensors, one mounted in each of said end portions of said control panel.

8. The vehicle safety system of claim 7 wherein said end portions may be adjusted relative to a center portion to adjust the overall length of said sensor control panel to accommodate varying sizes of industrial vehicles.

9. The vehicle safety system of claim 7 wherein said sensor means has adjustable sensitivity, range and focus area.

10. The vehicle safety system of claim 9 wherein said sensor means may be adjusted by angularly tilting said sensor means within said sensor control panel.

11. A multiple-zone safety system for use with an industrial vehicle, said multiple-zone safety system including at least a first zone proximate a lateral portion of the industrial vehicle;

and at least one of

a a second zone adjacent side portions of the industrial vehicle;

b a third zone defined as at least one visually obstructed region within a region where the industrial vehicle operates;

said safety system including

i) a sensor means for each of said first, second and third zones included in said system;

ii) receiver means associated with all of said sensor means to provide a response appropriate to said sensor means for each of said first, second and third zones.

12. A process of establishing a multiple-zone safety system for an industrial vehicle comprising the steps of

a) sensing at least i) and one of ii) and iii), where

i) is a person in a first zone proximate a lateral portion of the industrial vehicle;

ii) is a person in a second zone adjacent and spaced from side portions of said vehicle; and

iii) is a person in a third zone which includes at least one visually obstructed region in which the industrial vehicle operates; and

b) producing a particular response to a sensing a person in said particular zone, said response producing step being selected from the group of steps consisting of disabling the industrial vehicle and initiating a warning signal.

13. The process of establishing a multiple-zone safety system of claim 12 wherein said step of initiating a warning signal comprises the step of actuating a horn on the industrial vehicle.

14. The process of establishing a multiple-zone safety system of claim 13 wherein said step of sounding a warning signal occurs only while the vehicle is in motion.

15. The process of establishing a multiple-zone safety system of claim 12 wherein said step of disabling the industrial vehicle occurs only while the vehicle is stationary.

16. A safety system for use with an industrial vehicle, said safety system including at least one of each of

a) a first zone proximate a lateral portion of the industrial vehicle;

b) a second zone adjacent and spaced from lateral side portions of the industrial vehicle;

c) a third zone defined as at least one visually obstructed region within a region where the industrial vehicle operates;

said safety system including

i) a sensor means for each of said zone included in said system;

ii) receiver means associated with all of said sensor means to provide a response appropriate to said sensor means for each of said first, second and third zones included in said system.