Handling system for containers

• US 8,996,159 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konecranes Global Corporation (Konecranes Terex Plc)
• Original Assignee: Terex MHPS GmbH (Konecranes Oyj)
• Inventors: Franzen, Hermann, Wieschemann, Armin, Moutsokapas, Jannis
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US13/884,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20130236279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/229
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6418 the load-transporting element being a container or similar
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 63/004 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/02 Loading or unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A handling system for containers includes an automated zone in which floor-bound, rubber-tired and driverless container transport vehicles are used which transport containers between container bridges and a container storage facility. A non-automated zone is provided in which floor-bound, rubber-tired and manned container transport vehicles are used, the container transport vehicles being optionally operable in a driverless or manned mode and thus being optionally transportable in the automated zone or the non-automated zone. A corresponding container transport vehicle which can be connected to an auxiliary device for control in the manned mode is characterized in that the auxiliary device comprises a driver'"'"'s cab that is equipped with a control system for steering, motion control and braking in the manned mode, the container transport vehicle having a detachable fastening possibility for the driver'"'"'s cab at the front face of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for handling containers comprising:

a plurality of driverless container transport vehicles and a plurality of manned container transport vehicles for ground-travelling, wherein said driverless and said manned container transport vehicles include rubber tires and travel on the ground, wherein said driverless and said manned container transport vehicles transport containers between container bridges and a container store,

said system further comprising at least one manual area wherein only said manned container transport vehicles are operated and at least one automated area wherein only said driverless container transport vehicles are operated, wherein each of the container transport vehicles can be selectively operated in a driverless or manual mode and will travel in the designated automated area or in the manual area based on the selection, and wherein the automated area and the manual area are in separate locations from each other.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the automated area is protected against access by people.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein a security checkpoint is disposed to prevent drivers with container transport vehicles from driving into the automated area from the manual area.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein between the automated area and the manual area a security checkpoint is disposed to prevent drivers in manned container transport vehicles from driving into the automated area from the manual area.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein a container transport means for loading and unloading the container transport vehicles is provided in each automated area and manual area;

wherein said container transport means load and unload containers in the region proximate to the container bridges, the container store, or both.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein each container transport means can be operated in a driverless or manned manner as selected.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein in the region of the container bridges and/or of the container store, the containers can be picked up and put down automatically by the container transport vehicles.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein the container transport vehicles are AGVs and wherein the AGVs may be operated manually by an auxiliary device.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary device includes a driver'"'"'s cabin said driver'"'"'s cabin including a control system for steering, movement control and braking the AGV in a manual mode operation.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the auxiliary device can be actuated via a security circuit.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the driver'"'"'s cabin is releasably attached to the front end face of the ground-travelling container transport vehicle.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the control system includes an interface to be connected to a vehicle control of the AGV and to manually control the AGV and wherein the control system is designed to intervene and override the control of the AGV after activation.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the automated area and the manual area each comprises container transport means to load and unload the containers on the container transport vehicles in the region proximate the container bridges, the container store, or both.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein each container transport means can be selectively operated in a driverless or manned mode.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the containers are loaded and unloaded automatically by the container transport vehicles in the region proximate to the container bridges, the container store, or both.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the container transport vehicles are AGVs and wherein the AGVs must operated manually by an auxiliary device.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the auxiliary device includes a driver'"'"'s cabin said driver'"'"'s cabin including a control system for steering, movement control and braking the AGV in a manual mode.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the auxiliary device can be actuated via a security circuit.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the driver'"'"'s cabin is releasably attached to the front end face of the container transport vehicle.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein the control system includes an interface to be connected to a vehicle control of the AGV and to manually control the AGV and wherein the control system is designed to intervene and override the control of the AGV after activation.

21. A container transport vehicle which can be selectively operated in a driverless or manual mode, wherein said container transport vehicle comprises rubber tires and travels on the ground;

wherein the container transport vehicle is fitted with a control system for driverless operation and is operatively connected with at least one of;

a travel drive, steering, or braking system, wherein said control system further includes means for inputting and storing possible travel routes and a transport task;

means for automatically determining the vehicle position in space;

means for controlling the movement of the container transport vehicle in dependence upon its position in space and upon the preset transport task; and

means for braking the container transport vehicle in the presence of obstacles; and

wherein the container transport vehicle can be connected to an auxiliary device for manual control during manned operation,

said auxiliary device includes a driver'"'"'s cabin and said driver'"'"'s cabin includes a control system for steering, movement control and braking in said manual mode, and wherein the container transport vehicle has a releasable attachment means for the driver'"'"'s cabin on the front end face.

22. Container transport vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein the container transport vehicle includes an interface for coupling of the control system of said driver'"'"'s cabin for manned operation to a vehicle control.