Travel Control Method For Self-Propelled Carriage

• US 20080110682A1
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Maruo, Masaru, Takekuma, Hideshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/20
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0216 Vehicle for transporting goods in a warehouse, factory or similar

Abstract

A travel control method for a self-propelled carriage having a travel control section for controlling steering-driving wheels. In the method, the steering-driving wheels are steered by a predetermined angle based on a direction change command, and in this state, the carriage is moved forward and backward for a predetermined distance to make the carriage depart from a base line. Then, the carriage is steered toward the base line to return to the base line. After that, the carriage is made to be able to travel along the base line.

Claims

1. A travel control method for a self-propelled carriage, which includes a base, steering/driving wheels steerably provided to the base, caster wheels provided to the base for stabilizing the carriage, and a travel control section for controlling the steering/driving wheels, and which is designed to shuttle back and forth along a base line, the travel control method comprising the steps of:

steering the steering/driving wheels at a predetermined angle during a stop or thereafter upon receiving a direction change command such as advance/stop/reverse or reverse/stop/advance;

causing the carriage to move forward or backward a predetermined distance while in the aforedescribed state, thereby causing the self-propelled carriage to depart from the baseline;

returning the steering to a previous sate and then steering the carriage toward the base line;

causing the carriage to move forward or backward a predetermined distance while in the aforedescribed state, thereby causing the self-propelled carriage to depart from the baseline; and

returning the steering to a previous state and allowing the self-propelled carriage to travel along the base line when the self-propelled carriage reaches the base line.