Scanning obstacle detection apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting obstacles in the path of a work vehicle upon which said apparatus is mounted comprising:
- transducer means for producing radiant energy having a central axis of propagation, receiving reflected produced radiant energy, and controllably producing an obstacle detected signal in response to receiving said reflected produced radiant energy;
rotatable reflector means for controllably projecting said produced radiant energy radially outwardly from said work vehicle and receiving said reflected produced radiant energy along substantially the same path, said rotatable reflector means including a central axis of rotation and an optical reflector member rotatably disposed along said axis of rotation;
encoder means for controllably producing an enable signal in response to said optical reflector member being rotatably positioned at any one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions about said axis of rotation; and
zone control logic means for receiving said obstacle detected signal and said enable signal and producing a vehicle control signal only in response to the simultaneous presence of said enable signal and said obstacle detected signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting obstacles in the path of a work vehicle, in which a transducer produces radiant energy, receives radiant energy reflected from an obstacle and produces an obstacle detected signal in response to receiving the reflected radiant energy. A rotatable reflector projects the radiant energy produced by the transducer radially outwardly from the work vehicle and directs the reflected radiant energy back to the transducer. An encoder produces an enable signal in response to predetermined positions of the rotatable reflector and is located along the same axis of rotation as the optical reflector. Zone control logic receives the obstacle detected signal and the enable signal and produces a vehicle control signal if both signals are present.
78 Citations
23 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting obstacles in the path of a work vehicle upon which said apparatus is mounted comprising:
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transducer means for producing radiant energy having a central axis of propagation, receiving reflected produced radiant energy, and controllably producing an obstacle detected signal in response to receiving said reflected produced radiant energy; rotatable reflector means for controllably projecting said produced radiant energy radially outwardly from said work vehicle and receiving said reflected produced radiant energy along substantially the same path, said rotatable reflector means including a central axis of rotation and an optical reflector member rotatably disposed along said axis of rotation; encoder means for controllably producing an enable signal in response to said optical reflector member being rotatably positioned at any one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions about said axis of rotation; and zone control logic means for receiving said obstacle detected signal and said enable signal and producing a vehicle control signal only in response to the simultaneous presence of said enable signal and said obstacle detected signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A work vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame having first and second spaced apart sides;
a radiant energy transducer having a transmitting portion adapted to produce radiant energy having a central axis of propagation, and a receiving portion adapted to receive reflected produced radiant energy and responsively produce an obstacle detected signal, said transducer being mounted on said vehicle frame; a reflector having a central axis of rotation and being rotatably connected to said vehicle frame at a position sufficient to intercept said radiant energy produced by said transducer transmitting portion; an encoder having a rotatable optically coded member disposed between a light source and a light receiver, said encoder being connected to said vehicle frame and being adapted to produce an enable signal in response to predetermined positions of said rotatable member; a motor having a rotary shaft connected to said reflector and said optically coded member, said motor being connected to said vehicle frame; and zone control logic means for receiving said obstacle detected signal and said enable signal and producing a vehicle control signal only in response to the simultaneous presence of said enable signal and said obstacle detected signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- a vehicle frame having first and second spaced apart sides;
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20. A work vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle frame having first and second spaced apart sides;
a radiant energy transducer having a transmitting portion adapted to produce radiant energy having a central axis of propagation, and a receiving portion adapted to receive reflected produced radiant energy and responsively produce an obstacle detected signal, said transducer being mounted on said vehicle frame; a reflector having a central axis of rotation and being rotatably connected to said vehicle frame at a position sufficient to intercept said radiant energy produced by said transducer transmitting portion, said rotatable reflector being mounted at a predetermined angle from said axis of rotation; a motor having a rotary shaft connected to said reflector, said motor being connected to said vehicle frame and being adapted to controllably rotate said rotatable reflector about said central axis of rotation; an encoder having a rotatable optically coded member disposed between a light source and a light receiver, said optically coded member having optically transmissive and opaque portions arranged in a predetermined alternating pattern and being connected to said rotary shaft in a predetermined relationship to said rotatable reflector means, said encoder being connected to said vehicle frame and being adapted to produce an enable signal in response to said optically transmissive portions of said optically coded member being positioned intermediate said light source and light receiver; and zone control logic means for receiving said obstacle detected signal and said enable signal and producing a vehicle control signal only in response to the simultaneous presence of said enable signal and said obstacle detected signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- a vehicle frame having first and second spaced apart sides;
Specification