Selectively operable industrial truck

• US 5,938,710 A
• Filed: 04/03/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Consorzio Telerobot, FIAT OM Carrelli Elevatori SPA
• Original Assignee: Consorzio Telerobot, FIAT OM Carrelli Elevatori SPA
• Inventors: Lanza, Fabrizio, Bassino, Paolo, Livon, Guido, Masciangelo, Stefano, Garibotto, Giovanni, Ilic, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/832,212
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/28, 364/167.02, 364/528.37, 180/211, 180/411, 180/168, 180/169, 180/266, 180/291, 187/224, 187/222, 187/226, 187/234, 187/237, 187/231, 414/633, 414/274, 414/273, 414/632, 414/671, 414/635, 414/347, 414/417
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

An industrial truck, in particular a counterbalanced front-forklift truck, is provided which can be operated both manually and automatically and has a fork to handle pallets and loads located thereon. The forklift truck is equipped for automatic operation with a control system which can be brought into active connection with the vehicle drive system, the vehicle steering system, the vehicle braking system or the movement control system for the fork. The truck further includes a system for the input and storage of possible travel routes and a transport task, a system for the autonomous determination of the position of the vehicle in the room, a system for the control of the movement of the vehicle as a function of its position in the room and of the predefined transport task, a system for detection of the presence, the position, and the orientation of a pallet, a system for the control of the movement of the fork and/or of the vehicle as a function of the position, the orientation of the pallet, and the transport task, and a system for the deceleration of the vehicle in the presence of obstacles.

Claims

1. An industrial truck selectively operable between a manual mode and an automatic mode, comprising:

a movable fork for handling pallets with loads located thereon;

an automatic control system for automatic operation of the truck, wherein the automatic control system is configured to selectively engage at least one of a truck drive system, a truck steering system, a truck braking system and a movement control system for the fork;

means for the input and storage of travel routes and a transport task;

means for the autonomous determination of a position of the truck in a room;

means for control of the movement of the truck as a function of the position of the truck in the room and of the transport task;

means for detection of the presence, the position, and the orientation of a pallet;

means for control of the movement of at least one of the fork and the truck as a function of the position of the truck, the orientation of the pallet and the transport task; and

means for deceleration of the vehicle in the presence of obstacles.

2. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automatic control system is configured for automatic management of the movements of pallets which are stacked on top of each other in a plurality of levels.

3. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for autonomous determination of the position of the vehicle in the room includes an odometry system and an image processing system with at least one navigation camera.

4. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 3, wherein the navigation camera is located in an upper region of the industrial truck on a side of the truck opposite the fork.

5. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including at least one sensor connected to the automatic control system and configured to detect a pallet located on the fork.

6. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for detection of the presence, the position and the orientation of a pallet includes an image processing system with at least one camera attached to the side of the industrial truck adjacent the fork and configured to have a motion identical to that of the fork.

7. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including odometric sensors configured to provide at least one of a position of inclination, a horizontal displacement and a vertical displacement of the fork to the automatic control system.

8. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including a manual operating lever configured to control the inclination, horizontal movement and vertical movement of the fork in the manual mode.

9. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including at least one infrared sensor connected to the automatic control system and configured to determine the presence of the obstacles along a path of travel of the truck.

10. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including an actuator which is actuated at least one of directly and indirectly by the automatic control system to control the steering of the industrial truck in the automatic mode.

11. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including means for feeding an alternative speed signal to the automatic control system.

12. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including means for regulating the speed of the truck by the control system as a function of a curvature of the curves of a path of travel of the truck.

13. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, including means for automatically activating at least one of a negative brake and parking brake of the truck.

14. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automatic control system includes an input/output unit to allow a user to input commands into the automatic control system.

15. An industrial truck selectively operable between a manual mode and an automatic mode, comprising:

a movable fork mounted on the truck;

a first camera mounted on the truck and configured to move with the fork;

a second camera mounted on the truck;

an automatic control system mounted on the truck, wherein the first and second cameras are in electronic communication with the automatic control system.

16. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, including an ultrasound sensor mounted on the truck adjacent the fork and in electronic communication with the automatic control system.

17. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, including at least one infrared sensor mounted on a front of the truck and at least one other infrared sensor mounted on a rear of the truck, wherein the infrared sensors are in electronic communication with the automatic control system.

18. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, including a bumper mounted on a rear of the truck opposite the fork and in electronic communication with the automatic control system.

19. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, wherein the truck has a brake system and a steering system and the automatic control system is configured to reversibly engage and control the brake system and the steering system of the truck.

20. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, wherein the automatic control system includes a navigation/control module in electronic communication with a data exchange bus and an electronics unit, wherein the electronics unit is in electronic communication with a brake system and a steering system of the truck.

21. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 15, wherein the truck has a drive system and a fork movement control system and the automatic control system is configured to reversibly engage and control the truck drive system and the fork movement control system.

22. An industrial truck selectively operable between a manual mode and an automatic mode, comprising:

a movable fork mounted on the truck;

an automatic control system mounted on the truck;

a first camera mounted on the truck and configured to move with the fork, wherein the first camera is in electronic communication with the automatic control system;

a navigation camera mounted on the truck and in electronic communication with the automatic control system;

an ultrasound sensor mounted on the truck adjacent the fork and in electronic communication with the automatic control system;

at least one infrared sensor mounted on a front of the truck and at least one other infrared sensor mounted on a rear of the truck, wherein the infrared sensors are in electronic communication with the automatic control system,

wherein the automatic control system is configured to reversibly engage at least one of a truck drive system, a truck brake system, a fork movement control system and a truck steering system.

23. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 22, wherein the automatic control system includes:

an image processing system in electronic communication with a data exchange bus and wherein the first and navigation cameras are in electronic communication with the image processing system;

a computer in electronic communication with the data exchange bus;

an I/O unit in electronic communication with the computer;

a fork control module in electronic communication with the data exchange bus and an electronics unit, wherein the electronics unit is in electronic communication with a hydraulic control system for the fork;

a navigation/control module in electronic communication with the data exchange bus and the electronics unit, wherein the electronics unit is in electronic communication with a brake system and a steering system of the truck; and

an ultrasound sensor in electronic communication with the navigation/control module.