Vehicle for cargo handling

• US 8,514,055 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US12/682,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.7, 340/10.1, 340/5.6, 340/426, 307/10.4, 307/10.3, 701/22, 701/200, 701/123
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/42 Fork lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2079 Control of mechanical transmission for hydrostatic transmission or hydraulic torque converter E02F9/2253
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A vehicle for cargo handling is equipped with a storage unit for storing a password, a password input unit, and a control unit for controlling selection of a normal operating mode with no restrictions on travel capability or cargo handling capability, an emergency operating mode where at least the travel capability of the vehicle is restricted, and a travel prohibited mode where neither the normal operating mode nor the emergency operating mode is selected. The control unit determines whether password entry is required when the vehicle is powered on and controls selection of the normal operating mode when password entry is required or when a correct password is entered, the emergency operating mode when emergency operation is indicated, or the travel prohibited mode when the normal and emergency operating modes are not selected within a predetermined specific amount of time or within a specific number of times of operation.

Claims

1. A cargo-handling vehicle which is operated by more than one operator and equipped with a cargo-handling device such as a forklift, the vehicle comprising:

a memory unit which stores, in advance, two passwords for a normal operating mode and an emergency operating mode;

a password entry unit for entering a password after a key switch for starting a power source is turned ON; and

a control unit which selects an operation mode of the vehicle according to a signal from the password entry unit,

wherein the control unit includes, as operation modes of the vehicle;

a normal operating mode with no restrictions on travel capability of the vehicle and cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device;

an emergency operating mode where the travelling capability of the vehicle and the cargo-handling capability of the cargo-handling device are restricted; and

a travel prohibited mode where at least the travelling capability of the vehicle is prohibited,

wherein the control unit selects an operation mode of the vehicle so that;

the normal operating mode is selected when a normal mode password stored in the memory unit matches a password entered from the password entry unit in accordance with a request issued when the key switch is turned ON;

the emergency operating mode is selected when the password entered from the password entry unit matches an emergency mode password stored in the memory unit; and

the travel prohibited mode is selected when neither the normal operating mode nor the emergency operating mode is selected at least one of within a predetermined specific amount of time and within a specific number of times of entry operation of the password.

2. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the emergency mode password is

visibly displayed in a display or at a predetermined place on the vehicle.

3. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.

4. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a warning unit which is connected with the control unit and gives a warning when selecting the emergency operating mode that about the restrictions on the traveling capability and the cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device.

5. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the password entry unit includes a touch panel that is provided integrally with a display unit of the vehicle, and the emergency mode indicating unit includes an emergency mode indicating area provided in the touch panel, and

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the emergency operating mode when the emergency mode indication area of the touch panel is touched.

6. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising:

a warning unit which is connected with the control unit and gives a warning when selecting the emergency operating mode that about the restrictions on the traveling capability and the cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device.

7. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.

8. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the emergency mode indicating unit includes a switch installed in the vehicle for turning on and off the emergency operating mode, and

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the emergency operation mode according to a signal from the switch for indicating the emergency operating mode.

9. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning unit which is connected with the control unit and gives a warning when selecting the emergency operating mode that about the restrictions on the traveling capability and the cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device.

10. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.

11. A cargo-handling vehicle which is operated by more than one operator and equipped with a cargo-handling device such as a forklift, the vehicle comprising:

a memory unit which stores, in advance, two passwords for a normal operating mode and an emergency mode;

a password requirement switching device which switches between a password-necessary state and a password-unnecessary state;

a password entry unit for entering a password after a key switch for starting a power source is turned ON; and

a control unit which selects an operation mode of the vehicle according to a state of the password requirement switching device and a signal from the password entry unit;

wherein the control unit includes, as operation modes of the vehicle;

a normal operating mode with no restrictions on travel capability of the vehicle and cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device;

an emergency operating mode where the travelling capability of the vehicle and the cargo-handling capability of the cargo-handling device are restricted; and

a travel prohibited mode where at least the travelling capability of the vehicle is prohibited,

wherein the control unit determines the state of the password requirement switching device when the key switch is turned ON and selects an operation mode of the vehicle in accordance with the determined state of the password requirement switching device so that;

in a case of the password-necessary state, the normal operating mode is selected when a normal mode password stored in the memory unit matches a password entered from the password entry unit in accordance with a request issued;

the emergency operating mode is selected when the password entered from the password entry unit matches an emergency mode password stored in the memory unit; and

the travel prohibited mode is selected when neither the normal operating mode nor the emergency operating mode is selected within a predetermined specific amount of time or within a specific number of times of entry operation of the password; and

in a case of the password-unnecessary state, the normal operation mode is selected at any time.

12. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the emergency mode password is

visibly displayed in a display or at a predetermined place on the vehicle or a common password known to the operators.

13. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising:

a warning unit which is connected with the control unit and gives a warning when selecting the emergency operating mode that about the restrictions on the traveling capability and the cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device.

14. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.

15. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the password entry unit includes a touch panel that is provided integrally with a display unit of the vehicle, and the emergency mode indicating unit includes an emergency mode indicating area provided in the touch panel, and

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the emergency operating mode when the emergency mode indication area of the touch panel is touched.

16. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 15,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.

17. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the emergency mode indicating unit includes a switch installed in the vehicle for turning on and off the emergency operating mode, and

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the emergency operation mode according to a signal from the switch for indicating the emergency operating mode.

18. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

a warning unit which is connected with the control unit and gives a warning when selecting the emergency operating mode that about the restrictions on the traveling capability and the cargo handling capability of the cargo-handling device.

19. The cargo-handling vehicle according to claim 11,

wherein the operation mode selection unit selects the normal operating mode without requiring the password entry when the vehicle is powered on again within a predetermined time after stopping the normal operating mode which has started with the password entry.