Unmanned trackless order picking forklift system

• US 8,670,892 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences
• Original Assignee: National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey S
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEEKS, MARTIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/219,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 926 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/24, 701/25, 187/222
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals

Abstract

An unmanned trackless order picking forklift system includes a vehicle-driving system, a vehicle-position-adjusting system and a pallet-scanning system each of which is provided in a forklift truck and electrically connected with a CPU device. The vehicle-position-adjusting system is operated to detect a predetermined route so that the CPU device controls the vehicle-driving system to drive the forklift truck along the predetermined route from a first position to a second position. The pallet-scanning system is operated to scan a designated pallet along the predetermined route.

Claims

1. An unmanned trackless order picking forklift system comprising:

a CPU device provided in a forklift truck;

a vehicle-driving system provided in the forklift truck electrically connected with the CPU device to supply power to drive the forklift truck;

a vehicle-position-adjusting system provided in the forklift truck and electrically connected with the CPU device, with the vehicle-position-adjusting system detecting a predetermined route; and

a pallet-scanning system provided in the forklift truck and electrically connected with the CPU device to scan a designated pallet;

wherein the CPU device controls the vehicle-driving system to drive the forklift truck along the predetermined route detected by the vehicle-position-adjusting system from a first position to a second position and to further scan the designated pallet along the predetermined route, wherein the vehicle-position-adjusting system includes a first infrared detection unit detecting at least one turning point provided in the predetermined route by reflection of infrared beams.

2. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle-driving system includes a digital compass unit.

3. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1, wherein the pallet-scanning system includes a second infrared detection unit.

4. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1, wherein the forklift truck further includes a RFID system to identify articles of the designated pallet while scanning.

5. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1, wherein the forklift truck further includes a wireless transmission module electrically connected with the CPU device to communicate with a remote computer device.

6. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 5, wherein the wireless transmission module is selected from a Zigbee wireless transmission module.

7. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1, wherein the forklift truck further includes a lifting system for transporting the designated pallet on which to mount the pallet-scanning system.

17. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1 wherein the vehicle-position-adjusting system further comprises a second infrared detection unit provided in the forklift, with the second infrared detection unit detecting at least another turning point provided in the predetermined route opposite to the at least one turning point and by reflection of infrared beams.

19. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift system as defined in claim 1 wherein the vehicle-position-adjusting system includes a mounting member and the first infrared detection unit mounted thereon.

8. An unmanned trackless order picking forklift comprising:

a forklift truck;

a first infrared detection unit provided in the forklift truck, with the first infrared detection unit detecting a predetermined route, with the first infrared detection unit detecting at least one turning point provided in the predetermined route by reflection of infrared beams;

a fork carriage connected with the forklift truck; and

a second infrared detection unit provided on the fork carriage to scan a designated pallet;

wherein the forklift truck is driven along the predetermined route detected by the first infrared detection unit from a first position to a second position and to further scan the designated pallet along the predetermined route.

9. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8, wherein a vehicle-driving system includes a digital compass unit.

10. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8, wherein the first infrared detection unit is arranged at a front portion or a rear portion of the forklift truck.

11. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8, wherein the second infrared detection unit is mounted on a front portion of the forklift truck.

12. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8, wherein the forklift truck further includes a RFID system mounted on an end of the fork carriage to identify articles of the designated pallet.

13. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8, wherein the forklift truck further includes a wireless transmission module to communicate with a remote computer device.

14. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 13, wherein the wireless transmission module is selected from a Zigbee wireless transmission module.

15. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 9, wherein the forklift truck further includes a lifting system for transporting the designated pallet.

16. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8 further comprising a second infrared detection unit provided in the forklift, with the second infrared detection unit detecting at least another turning point provided in the predetermined route opposite to the at least one turning point and by reflection of infrared beams.

18. The unmanned trackless order picking forklift as defined in claim 8 wherein the vehicle-position-adjusting system includes a mounting member and the first infrared detection unit mounted thereon.