Floor Conveyor

• US 20180016126A1
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Material Handling Manufacturing Sweden AB (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Material Handling Manufacturing Sweden AB (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Valfridsson, Gran, Rogers, Terence
• Granted Patent: US 10,611,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07568 Steering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07581 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S

Abstract

Systems and methods for a floor conveyor include a control unit and a sensor device, the control unit operable to control the travel functions of the floor conveyor, the sensor device arranged to be able to provide the control unit with sensor data, the sensor device arranged such that it can detect objects in a plane, the plane extending along the a first side of the floor conveyor, the plane comprises a stop section, the floor conveyor arranged such that if an object is detected in the stop section the floor conveyor is stopped by control of the travel function from the control unit upon receipt by it of a sensor data indicating the object being positioned in the stop section, the stop section also extending along a section of a second side of the floor conveyor, the second side being essentially perpendicular to the first side.

Claims

1. A floor conveyor comprising:

a control unit and a sensor device, wherein the control unit is operable to control travel functions of the floor conveyor, wherein the sensor device is arranged to be able to provide the control unit with sensor data, wherein the sensor device is arranged such that it can detect objects in a plane, wherein the plane is extending along a first side of the floor conveyor, wherein the plane comprises a stop section, wherein the floor conveyor is arranged such that if an object is detected in the stop section the floor conveyor is stopped by control of the travel function from the control unit upon receipt of the sensor data indicating the object being positioned in the stop section, and the stop section is also extending along a section of a second side of the floor conveyor, wherein the second side is essentially perpendicular to the first side.

2. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the stop section further has an extension that can alter between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the first configuration the stop section has a side that has an angled side to a central symmetry line of the floor conveyor such that the stop section is a wedge shape with a narrowing width away from the floor conveyor in a perpendicular direction to the central symmetry line, wherein the second configuration is a shape with a constant width perpendicular to the symmetry line of the floor conveyor.

3. The floor conveyor of claim 2, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration can be present at the same time, wherein one of the first and the second configuration is present on a first side of the central symmetry line and the other of the first and the second configuration is present on the other side of the central symmetry line.

4. The floor conveyor of claim 3, wherein the first configuration and the second configuration can alter sides of the central symmetry line during operation, the first configuration applied on a side of the floor conveyor where a predetermined object is present.

5. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the plane comprises a further section adjacent and outside the first configuration of the stop section and when an object is detected inside the further section, the floor conveyor is configured to steer away from the object.

6. The floor conveyor of claim 5, wherein the plane comprises a second further section adjacent and outside a first further section and when an object is detected inside the second further section the floor conveyor is configured to keep a constant distance to this object.

7. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is mounted at an angle α

with regard to a horizontal plane, wherein the plane is extending at an angle α

when compared with the horizontal plane.

8. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is mounted at a predetermined distance from the surface on which the floor conveyor is supported, wherein the predetermined distance is allows for the sensor device to detect objects on the first side and a section of the second side, and objects on a section of a third side of the floor conveyor.

9. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the first side is positioned opposite a load carrier on the floor conveyor, perpendicular to a central symmetry line of the floor conveyor.

10. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is mounted in a central position on a longitudinal symmetry line of the floor conveyor.

11. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is a laser sensor.

12. The floor conveyor of claim 1, wherein the stop section further has an extension along a section of a third side of the floor conveyor, wherein the third side is essentially perpendicular to the first side.

13. A method for operating a floor conveyor, the floor conveyor comprising:

a control unit and a sensor device, wherein the control unit is operable to control travel functions of the floor conveyor, wherein the sensor device is arranged to be able to provide the control unit with sensor data, wherein the sensor device is arranged such that it can detect objects in a plane, wherein the plane is extending along a first side of the floor conveyor, wherein the plane comprises a stop section, wherein the floor conveyor is arranged such that if an object is detected in the stop section the floor conveyor is stopped by control of the travel function from the control unit upon receipt of the sensor data indicating the object being positioned in the stop section, and the stop section is also extending along a section of a second side of the floor conveyor, wherein the second side is essentially perpendicular to the first side; and

the method comprising the steps of;

applying a detection plane from a sensor device,

applying a section of the detection plane as a stop section in which if an object detected the floor conveyor will be stopped, and

applying a first configuration of the stop section comprising a wedge shape on one side of the central symmetry line of the floor conveyor.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising at least one of the steps of:

applying a second configuration of the stop section with a shape on the other side with a constant width to the central symmetry line,

applying a further section outside the first configuration, in which if an object is detected in this section the floor conveyor will steer away from this object, and

applying a further constant distance section outside the further section in which if an object is detected the floor conveyor will keep a constant distance to the detected object.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the control unit of the floor conveyor executing the program, and the program performing the method.