Wrist/arm/hand mounted device for remotely controlling a materials handling vehicle

• US 8,970,363 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Kraimer, James V., Pollack, Jay G., Wellman, Timothy A., Manci, Lewis H., Siefring, Vernon W., Schumacher, Mark E., Green, Matthew M., Castaneda, Anthony T.
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US13/011,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20110118903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07568 Steering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07581 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• 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: G05G 1/02 Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 : Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

A supplemental control system for a materials handling vehicle comprises a wearable control device, and a corresponding receiver on the materials handling vehicle. The wearable control device is donned by an operator interacting with the materials handling vehicle, and comprises a wireless transmitter to be worn on the wrist of the operator and a travel control communicably coupled to the wireless transmitter. Actuation of the travel control causes the wireless transmitter to transmit a first type signal designating a request to the vehicle. The receiver is supported by the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter.

Claims

1. A remote control device capable of wirelessly transmitting a travel request signal to a materials handling vehicle comprising:

a support structure adapted to be mounted on a wrist, hand, or arm of an operator;

a wireless transmitter associated with said support structure; and

control structure in communication with said wireless transmitter, said control structure adapted to be actuated by the operator so as to cause said wireless transmitter to generate a travel request signal to the materials handling vehicle, wherein said control structure is adapted to be double clicked by the operator at least under certain circumstances for the vehicle to implement the travel request signal from the remote control device to advance the materials handling vehicle; and

wherein the remote control device is for use with a vehicle that includes at least one sensor, the at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of an object located at a position either proximate to the vehicle or on a platform of the vehicle from which the vehicle may be operated, and wherein a controller on the vehicle is configured to decide not to implement a travel request in response to said travel request signal if the status from at least one sensor is indicative of the presence of an object.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein said control structure comprises a rigid mounting structure adapted to be mounted over at least one finger of the operator.

3. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein said support structure comprises a mounting strap adapted to be secured to the wrist or arm of the operator.

4. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein said wireless transmitter is releasably coupled to said control structure.

5. The remote control device of claim 4, further comprising a wire extending between said wireless transmitter and said control structure, said wire providing electrical communication between said control structure and said wireless transmitter.

6. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein said wireless transmitter is in wireless communication with said control structure.

7. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein said control structure is also adapted to be actuated by the operator so as to cause said wireless transmitter to generate a stop signal to stop the materials handling vehicle if the vehicle is moving under wireless remote control.

8. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein each click actuated by the operator results in said wireless transmitter sending a corresponding instance of said travel request signal, and wherein multiple instances of said travel request signal are required for the materials handling vehicle to implement the travel request signal under certain circumstances.

9. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein, if no vehicle-related activity has taken place for a predetermined amount of time, said control structure must be double clicked by the operator to cause the materials handling vehicle to implement the travel request signal.

10. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein, for the first wireless command requested after the operator has stepped off the materials vehicle, said control structure must be double clicked by the operator to cause the materials handling vehicle to implement the travel request signal.

11. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising a power pack for powering the remote control device.

12. A remote control device in combination with a materials handling vehicle, the combination comprising:

the remote control device comprising;

a support structure adapted to be mounted on a wrist, hand, or arm of an operator;

a wireless transmitter associated with said support structure; and

control structure in communication with said wireless transmitter, said control structure adapted to be actuated by the operator so as to cause said wireless transmitter to generate a travel request signal to the materials handling vehicle requesting the materials handling vehicle to advance in a first direction;

the materials handling vehicle comprising;

a receiver that receives said travel request signal from said wireless transmitter;

a controller that is communicably coupled to said receiver and to a traction control system of the materials handling vehicle, said controller being responsive to receipt of said travel request signal from said receiver and to evaluate at least one vehicle condition to decide whether to implement said travel request signal based upon the evaluation of said at least one vehicle condition and to cause said traction control system to advance said vehicle in the first direction if said controller decides to implement said travel request based upon the evaluation of said at least one vehicle condition; and

at least one sensor in communication with said controller, said at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of an object located at a position either proximate to said vehicle or on a platform of said vehicle from which said vehicle may be operated, wherein said at least one vehicle condition evaluated by said controller comprises a status of each sensor, and said controller is configured to decide not to implement said travel request if said status from at least one sensor is indicative of the presence of an object.

13. The remote control device of claim 12, further comprising a wire extending between said wireless transmitter and said control structure, said wire providing electrical communication between said control structure and said wireless transmitter.

14. The remote control device of claim 12, wherein said control structure comprises a mounting structure adapted to be mounted over at least one finger of the operator.

15. The remote control device of claim 14, wherein said support structure comprises a mounting strap adapted to be secured to the wrist or arm of the operator, and further comprising a wire extending between said wireless transmitter and said control structure, said wire providing electrical communication between said control structure and said wireless transmitter.

16. The remote control device of claim 12, wherein the materials handling vehicle is configured to travel in response to receiving a travel request signal for as long as the travel request signal is received.

17. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the materials handling vehicle is configured to stop when traveling in response to a travel request signal from the remote control device based upon a predetermined event comprising at least one of the vehicle exceeding a predetermined travel time period or the vehicle exceeding a predetermined travel distance.

18. A remote control device capable of wirelessly transmitting a travel request signal to a materials handling vehicle comprising:

a support structure adapted to be mounted on a wrist, hand, or arm of an operator;

a wireless transmitter associated with said support structure; and

control structure in communication with said wireless transmitter, said control structure adapted to be actuated by the operator to generate a travel request signal to the materials handling vehicle, wherein;

the materials handling vehicle implements a travel function if the control structure is double clicked by the operator and the materials handling vehicle is stopped;

the materials handling vehicle does not implement a travel function if the control structure is single clicked by the operator and the materials handling vehicle is stopped; and

the remote control device is for use with a vehicle that includes at least one sensor, the at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of an object located at a position either proximate to the vehicle or on a platform of the vehicle from which the vehicle may be operated, and a controller on the vehicle is configured to decide not to implement a travel request in response to said travel request signal if the status from at least one sensor is indicative of the presence of an object.

19. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein the materials handling vehicle is configured to travel in response to receiving a travel request signal for as long as the travel request signal is received.

20. The remote control device of claim 19, wherein the materials handling vehicle is configured to stop when traveling in response to a travel request signal from the remote control device based upon a predetermined event comprising at least one of the vehicle exceeding a predetermined travel time period or the vehicle exceeding a predetermined travel distance.

21. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein said control structure comprises a mounting structure adapted to be mounted over at least one finger of the operator.

22. The remote control device of claim 21, wherein said support structure comprises a mounting strap adapted to be secured to the wrist or arm of the operator, and further comprising a wire extending between said wireless transmitter and said control structure, said wire providing electrical communication between said control structure and said wireless transmitter.

23. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein said control structure must be double clicked by the operator to cause said wireless transmitter to generate said travel request signal.

24. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein each click actuated by the operator results in said wireless transmitter sending a corresponding instance of said travel request signal, and wherein multiple instances of said travel request signal are required for the materials handling vehicle to implement the travel request signal.