Automatic transport loading system and method

• US 8,075,243 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jervis B Webb Company (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jervis B Webb Company (Daifuku Company Limited)
• Inventors: Chilson, Gerald Edward, Marino, Mark, Simon, Christopher James, Stevenson, Mark Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US12/100,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 414390-392, 414/399, 414/809, 701/26, 701/221
• US Class Current: 414/809
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/38 with automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/42 Fork lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/085 Multiple forks, i.e. more than one pair mounted on a single mast or with more than one mast
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/142 Movements of forks either individually or relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/146 Side shift, i.e. both forks move together sideways relative to fork support
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method and system for automatically loading and unloading a transport is disclosed. A first guidance system is used to travel near the transport and a second guidance system is used to travel on the transport.

Claims

1. A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:

engaging a load with the AGV;

guiding the AGV with an inertial guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;

sensing more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;

guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said inertial guidance system after said step of sensing more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;

guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary guidance system uses said locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said inertial guidance system as said inertial guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;

depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position; and

guiding the AGV with said inertial guidance system from said intended load position to a second position, after said step of depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said secondary guidance system includes at least one distance measuring sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the transport includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall and wherein said at least one distance measuring sensor determines the distance of the AGV to each sidewall.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said AGV uses the distance from each sidewall to determine the skew of the transport.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the transport includes sidewalls and wherein the AGV maintains a specified distance from one of the sidewalls as the AGV moves from said first position to said intended load position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said secondary guidance system is one of a laser guidance system, a sonic guidance system, an optical guidance system or a vision guidance system.

7. A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:

engaging a load with the AGV;

guiding the AGV with a primary laser guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;

sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary laser guidance system;

guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said primary laser guidance system after said step of sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary laser guidance system;

guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary laser guidance system uses said locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said primary laser guidance system as said primary laser guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;

depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position; and

guiding the AGV with said primary laser guidance system from said intended load position to a second position.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transport includes sidewalls and wherein the AGV maintains a specified distance from one of the sidewalls as the AGV moves from said first position to said intended load position.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said secondary guidance system includes at least one distance measuring sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the transport includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall and wherein said at least one distance measuring sensor determines the distance of the AGV to each sidewall.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said AGV uses the distance from each sidewall to determine the skew of the transport.

12. A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:

engaging a load with the AGV;

guiding the AGV with an optical guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;

sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;

guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said optical guidance system after said step of sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;

guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary guidance system uses the locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said optical guidance system as said optical guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;

depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position; and

guiding the AGV with said optical guidance system from said intended load position to a second position.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the transport includes sidewalls and wherein the AGV maintains a specified distance from one of the sidewalls as the AGV moves from said first position to said intended load position.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said secondary guidance system includes at least one distance measuring sensor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the transport includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall and wherein said at least one distance measuring sensor determines the distance of the AGV to each sidewall.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said AGV uses the distance from each sidewall to determine the skew of the transport.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said secondary guidance system is one of a laser guidance system, a sonic guidance system, an optical guidance system or a vision guidance system.