Location and position detection for a conveying apparatus

• US 10,691,134 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2016
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentanova CS GmbH
• Original Assignee: Eisenmann SE
• Inventors: Schulze, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Douglas A
• Application Number:
  US15/564,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20180113466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 701 28, 701 36, 701 49, 701300, 340902, 1984641
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 7/04 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling

Abstract

A conveying apparatus for conveying laden or unladen load carriers, having a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit, wherein each conveying unit can be displaced on ground-level rollers and the first and the second conveying units can be moved relative to one another and independently of one another. A device is provided for determining the position and the location of the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit, the device having a camera, which is arranged on the first conveying unit, and having a feature arranged on the second conveying unit, or a combination of features arranged on the second conveying unit, wherein the feature or the combination of features has an extent in the direction of travel and an extent perpendicular to the direction of travel, wherein the extents can be sensed by the camera. A conveying unit for a conveying apparatus is also provided.

Claims

1. A conveying unit for a conveying apparatus for conveying laden or unladen load carriers comprising:

a) a carrying side;

b) ground-level rollers disposed opposite the carrying side so that the conveying unit is displaceable along a direction of travel,

c) a camera for capturing an image of a feature provided on a surface or of a feature combination, wherein the feature or the feature combination has an extent in the direction of travel and an extent perpendicular to the direction of travel, and the extents are capturable by the camera,

wherein the conveying unit has a projection device for projecting the feature or the feature combination from the conveying unit onto the surface.

2. The conveying unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is set up to ascertain at least a distance of the conveying unit and an angle between the conveying unit and the extent of the feature in the direction of travel on the basis of the captured image.

3. A conveying apparatus for conveying laden or unladen load carriers comprising:

a) a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit, wherein each conveying unit is displaceable on ground-level rollers, and the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit are movable relative to one another and independently of one another along a respective direction of travel,

b) a device for determining the position and the location of the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit, having

i) a camera arranged at the first conveying unit,

ii) a feature arranged at the second conveying unit or a feature combination arranged at the second conveying unit, wherein the feature or the feature combination has an extent in the direction of travel and an extent perpendicular to the direction of travel, wherein the extents are capturable by the camera.

4. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the camera and the feature or the feature combination are arranged at the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit in a manner such that a camera axis is aligned with the feature or the feature combination, and the camera axis encloses an angle that is not equal to 90 with the extent in the direction of travel of the feature or of the feature combination.

5. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle is between 70°

and 20°

.

6. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle is 45°

±

15°

.

7. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feature or the feature combination is structural and/or placed by adhesive bonding and/or painted on.

8. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feature or the feature combination comprises cutouts, elevations or/and edges.

9. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cutouts comprise holes or/and grooves.

10. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feature or the feature combination at least partially consists of light.

11. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3 having a control apparatus which is set up to capture the length of the extents of the feature or of the feature combination for determining the position and the location of the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit.

12. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein determining the position and the location comprises determining the extents of the feature or of the feature combination in a camera image.

13. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control apparatus is set up to record a calibration value for the camera for determining the position and the location.

14. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control apparatus is set up to compare the length of the extent in the direction of travel and the length of the extent perpendicular to the direction of travel of the feature or of the feature combination to reference values.

15. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control apparatus is set up for determining the position of the two conveying units with respect to one another comprises determination of the distance of the two conveying units with respect to one another, a relative position of the two conveying units along a direction of conveyance or/and an angle of the conveying units.

16. The conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit each comprises a carrying side located opposite the ground rollers, the carrying unit of the first conveying unit and the carrying side of the second conveying unit being used to jointly carry a single laden or unladen load carrier.

17. A method of controlling conveying units in a conveying apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a feature or feature combination on a first conveying unit;

providing a camera on a second conveying unit;

angling the camera on the second conveying unit to capture the feature or feature combination on the second conveying unit;

setting a reference point based on an initial capturing of the feature or feature combination by the camera;

moving one or more of the first conveying unit or the second conveying unit; and

determining a distance between the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit, and an angle of travel between the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit, after movement has begun based on the reference point and continued capture of the feature or feature combination by the camera.