A materials handling vehicle includes: a power unit including: a steered wheel, and a steering device for generating a steer control signal; a load handling assembly coupled to the power unit; a controller located on the power unit for receiving the steer control signal; and a sensing device on the power unit and coupled to the controller. The sensing device monitoring areas in front of and next to the vehicle. Based on sensing device data, the controller may modify at least one of the following vehicle parameters: a maximum allowable turning angle or a steered-wheel-to-steering-device ratio.
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
G01S 7/481 - Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
G01S 17/931 - Lidar systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G05D 1/222 - Remote-control arrangements operated by humans
G05D 1/223 - Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
G05D 1/224 - Output arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. displays, haptics or speakers
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
A work assist system is provided for an industrial vehicle. The work assist system includes a support structure having a portion including a predefined cross-sectional shape. The work assist system further includes a clamp member having coupling structure for removably coupling the clamp member to the support structure portion, and mounting structure that removably supports a work assist item that is usable by an operator located in an operator compartment of the vehicle.
A layover fixture for transitioning an industrial vehicle between an upright position and a laid-over position includes a frame (102) that supports the industrial vehicle in the laid-over position on a floor surface, wherein the frame defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. The fixture further includes a heal structure (120) that is coupled to the frame and includes a curved surface for gripping the floor surface while the layover fixture is being used to transition the industrial vehicle between the upright position and the laid-over position. An adjustment mechanism is associated with the heal structure, wherein the adjustment mechanism (124) is for adjusting a position of the heal structure relative to the frame in the longitudinal direction of the frame.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a position of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment includes determining a proximity of a vehicle to a proximate guidewire, determining a recent location of the vehicle, and determining a first dimension of a position of the vehicle based on a known location of a proximate guidewire. Some embodiments include engaging with the proximate guidewire, determining that only a subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors have line of sight to the vehicle, and receiving data from a first transceiver anchor and second transceiver anchor of the subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors. Some embodiments include determining a second dimension of the position of the vehicle based on the received data from the first transceiver anchor and the second transceiver anchor and determining the position of the vehicle from the first dimension and the second dimension.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G05D 1/617 - Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards
G05D 105/28 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
A layover fixture for transitioning an industrial vehicle between an upright position and a laid-over position includes a frame that supports the industrial vehicle in the laid-over position on a floor surface, wherein the frame defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. The fixture further includes a heal structure that is coupled to the frame and includes a curved surface for gripping the floor surface while the layover fixture is being used to transition the industrial vehicle between the upright position and the laid-over position. An adjustment mechanism is associated with the heal structure, wherein the adjustment mechanism is for adjusting a position of the heal structure relative to the frame in the longitudinal direction of the frame.
An industrial materials handling vehicle including a vehicle body supported by steer wheel and wheel assemblies, a bumper coupled to the body, and a sensor accommodating bumper mount mounted to the vehicle body and/or bumper, the body and the bumper cooperatively defining a steer wheel access opening. The sensor accommodating bumper mount comprises a bumper mount housing with complementary steer wheel access opening, a sensor assembly mount removably mounted to a body panel of the vehicle body and/or bumper mount housing, and a sensor assembly movably mounted to the sensor assembly mount. The sensor assembly and the sensor assembly mount are positioned above the steer wheel access opening and the complementary opening relative to a horizontal operating plane defined by the vehicle when the sensor assembly mount is mounted to the body panel and/or the bumper mount housing to provide unobstructed access to the steer wheel assembly through the steer wheel access opening and the complementary steer wheel access opening.
B60R 11/00 - Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
B60R 19/48 - Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds
Goods storage and retrieval systems and materials handling vehicles are provided. The goods storage and retrieval system includes a multilevel warehouse racking system; a materials handling vehicle comprising a mast assembly, a picking attachment, and vehicle-based cart engagement hardware; a mobile storage cart; and a transporter comprising transporter-based engagement hardware. The transporter-based engagement hardware enables the transporter to engage, transport, and disengage the mobile storage cart. The vehicle-based cart engagement hardware is coupled to the mast assembly to (i) engage and disengage the mobile storage cart and (ii) transport the mobile storage cart to multiple levels of the multilevel warehouse racking system. The mast assembly and the picking attachment are configured to access multiple levels of the multilevel warehouse racking system. The picking attachment is configured to transfer totes between the multilevel warehouse racking system and the mobile storage cart.
An industrial materials handling vehicle including a vehicle body supported by steer wheel and wheel assemblies, a bumper coupled to the body, and a sensor accommodating bumper mount mounted to the vehicle body and/or bumper, the body and the bumper cooperatively defining a steer wheel access opening. The sensor accommodating bumper mount comprises a bumper mount housing with complementary steer wheel access opening, a sensor assembly mount removably mounted to the bumper and/or bumper mount housing, and a sensor assembly mounted to the sensor assembly mount. The sensor assembly and mount at least partially obstruct the steer wheel access opening and complementary steer wheel access opening when the sensor assembly mount is mounted to the bumper and/or bumper mount housing, providing at least partial access to the steer wheel assembly through the steer wheel access opening and the complementary steer wheel access opening when the sensor assembly mount is unmounted.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
B66F 9/065 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks non-masted
An industrial materials handling vehicle including a vehicle body supported by steer wheel and wheel assemblies, a bumper coupled to the body, and a sensor accommodating bumper mount mounted to the vehicle body and/or bumper, the body and the bumper cooperatively defining a steer wheel access opening. The sensor accommodating bumper mount comprises a bumper mount housing with complementary steer wheel access opening, a sensor assembly mount removably mounted to a body panel of the vehicle body and/or bumper mount housing, and a sensor assembly movably mounted to the sensor assembly mount. The sensor assembly and the sensor assembly mount are positioned above the steer wheel access opening and the complementary opening relative to a horizontal operating plane defined by the vehicle when the sensor assembly mount is mounted to the body panel and/or the bumper mount housing to provide unobstructed access to the steer wheel assembly through the steer wheel access opening and the complementary steer wheel access opening.
A notification system for use in a materials handling vehicle includes a display and a processor. The display has a screen that displays a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a first panel displaying live vehicle data associated with a first vehicle function, wherein the first panel can be controlled to toggle between a prioritized state and a non-prioritized state, and a second panel displaying live vehicle data associated with a second vehicle function, wherein the second panel can be controlled to toggle between a prioritized state and a non-prioritized state. The processor is communicably coupled to the display to control the GUI. The processor is programmed to detect an event associated with the first panel or the second panel and to apply the prioritized state or the non-prioritized state to the first panel or the second panel based on the detecting of the associated event.
G06F 3/04842 - Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements
G07C 5/08 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time
A notification system for use in a materials handling vehicle includes a display and a processor. The display has a screen that displays a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a first panel displaying live vehicle data associated with a first vehicle function, wherein the first panel can be controlled to toggle between a prioritized state and a non-prioritized state, and a second panel displaying live vehicle data associated with a second vehicle function, wherein the second panel can be controlled to toggle between a prioritized state and anon-prioritized state. The processor is communicably coupled to the display to control the GUI. The processor is programmed to detect an event associated with the first panel or the second panel and to apply the prioritized state or the non-prioritized state to the first panel or the second panel based on the detecting of the associated event.
B60K 35/28 - Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics informationOutput arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
B60K 35/29 - Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
B60K 35/81 - Arrangements for controlling instruments for controlling displays
G06F 3/04817 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance using icons
A process is provided for securing access to a materials handling vehicle. The process is carried out by coupling a tablet to a materials handling vehicle via a wired connection for communication via an open standard. The process also includes receiving a first device identification of the tablet over the wired connection via the first open standard, and storing the first device identification in memory. Also, the process includes wirelessly detecting a second device identification of the tablet. The process yet further includes communicably coupling the tablet to the materials handling vehicle via a wireless connection for communication via a second open standard where the second device identification matches the first device identification stored in the first memory.
B60R 16/023 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G06F 3/0488 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
H04W 4/40 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
H04W 12/03 - Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
H04W 80/06 - Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless
A process for modifying operation of a materials handling vehicle is carried out by receiving from a tablet, an electrical signal representing an instruction to modify an operating condition of the materials handling vehicle. The instruction is communicated by the tablet via an open standard communication protocol. The process also includes converting the instruction received via the open standard communication protocol to a modification command. The modification command can be used to modify an electrical component of the materials handling vehicle according to a parameter extracted from the instruction. The process also includes transmitting the modification command to the electrical component of the materials handling vehicle via a vehicle network of the materials handling vehicle. The electrical component receives the modification command and transforms an operating state of the associated electrical component so as to cause an overall modification of the operation of the materials handling vehicle.
B60R 16/023 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G06F 3/0488 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
H04W 4/40 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
H04W 12/03 - Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
H04W 80/06 - Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless
A goods-to-man warehousing system comprises a multilevel racking system, a plurality of mobile storage units, a storage unit transporter, a pick-place vehicle, a mobile storage unit transfer node, and a warehouse management computing hub. The multilevel racking system comprises a vertically and horizontally distributed array of storage bays. One or more of the mobile storage units are positioned in respective ones of the storage bays of the multilevel racking system. The pick-place vehicle comprises pick-place hardware that enables the pick-place vehicle to transfer mobile storage units between a plurality of different, vertically displaced storage bays of the multilevel racking system and the mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system. The storage unit transporter comprises storage unit engagement hardware that enables the storage unit transporter to transport mobile storage units to or from the mobile storage unit transfer node of the goods-to-man warehousing system.
B65G 1/137 - Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
22.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE POSITION CALIBRATION USING RACK LEG IDENTIFICATION
A materials handling vehicle includes a camera, an odometry module to generate odometry data, a processor, and a drive mechanism. The camera captures images of an identifier for a racking system aisle and at least a rack leg portion positioned in the aisle. The processor uses the identifier to generate information indicative of an initial rack leg position and rack leg spacing in the aisle, generate an initial vehicle position using the initial rack leg position, generate a vehicle odometry-based position in the aisle using odometry data and the initial vehicle position, detect a subsequent rack leg using a captured image, correlate the detected subsequent rack leg with an expected vehicle position using rack leg spacing, generate an odometry error signal based on a difference between the expected vehicle position and the vehicle odometry-based position, and update the vehicle odometry-based position using the odometry error signal.
B66F 9/00 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
G01C 22/00 - Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers or using pedometers
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
G05D 1/244 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means
G05D 1/245 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using dead reckoning
G05D 1/46 - Control of position or course in three dimensions
Processes and systems for calibrating a distance and range measurement device coupled to an industrial vehicle are disclosed. The calibration requires no physical movement of the distance and range measurement device. Instead, actual measurements from the device are used with nominal detection zones and nominal measurements to create modified detection zones to detect objects within the modified detection zones.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit with a traction motor controller coupled to a traction motor that drives at least one steered wheel of the materials handling vehicle, and a feature assistance system comprising a remote-control receiver pairs with a wireless remote-control device. An information linking device of the vehicle wirelessly communicates to a remote server computer. A controller on the vehicle runs program code to receive a command from the remote-control receiver to implement a remote-controlled travel function responsive to the remote-control receiver communicating with the paired remote-control device, communicate a command to the traction motor controller to cause the vehicle to automatically advance responsive to the command, generate a vehicle record including vehicle travel-related data associated with the remote-controlled travel function, and transmit the generated vehicle record, by the information linking device, to the remote server to log use of the remote-controlled travel function.
G07C 5/12 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time in graphical form
G05D 1/223 - Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
G05D 1/644 - Optimisation of travel parameters, e.g. of energy consumption, journey time or distance
G05D 1/692 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
G06Q 10/0639 - Performance analysis of employeesPerformance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
G07C 5/00 - Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
G07C 5/08 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time
Embodiments provided herein include a materials handling vehicle that includes a vehicle transceiver for detecting a location of the vehicle, a vehicle sensor for detecting an orientation of the vehicle and a vehicle computing device. Some embodiments include logic that causes the system to determine, from the location and the orientation, that the vehicle is approaching a restriction zone with an entrance edge and an exit edge and provide a distance to the restriction zone and a policy of the restriction zone. The vehicle determines a characteristic of the vehicle that affects compliance with the policy, where the vehicle computing device determines a first adjustment to current operation of the vehicle to comply with the policy. The vehicle computing device determines, based on the policy and the first adjustment, a distance to begin the first adjustment to comply with the policy at the entrance edge of the restriction zone.
A batten-charger for a battery system is provided. The battery system may be adapted to provide power to a vehicle. The battery charger may comprise; a housing; a charger connector adapted to be connected with a mating connector of the battery system; memory storing executable instructions; and a processor in communication with the memory. The processor when executing the executable instructions may: determine that identification information from the battery system is received by the processor via the charger connector. After the identification information from the battery system is received, the processor may generate first information indicating that the battery charger is connecting with the battery system.
A system includes a remote control device that is useable by an operator interacting with a materials handling vehicle. The remote control device includes a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter and a rechargeable power source. The system further comprises: a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle, the charging station for charging the rechargeable power source of the remote control device.
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
B60L 53/65 - Monitoring or controlling charging stations involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
B60L 53/66 - Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
B60L 53/68 - Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
B60L 58/12 - Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles for monitoring or controlling batteries responding to state of charge [SoC]
H02J 7/00 - Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
H02J 13/00 - Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the networkCircuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
H04W 4/40 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
H04W 76/11 - Allocation or use of connection identifiers
H04W 76/20 - Manipulation of established connections
H04W 76/36 - Selective release of ongoing connections for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections
32.
UTILIZING A PLURALITY OF POSITION SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE THE POSITION OF MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES WITHIN A COVERED ENVIRONMENT
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a position of a vehicle in a covered environment. The method may include monitoring the position of the vehicle in a free range area of the covered environment using a first data weighting that primarily favors data received from the plurality of transceiver anchors, and determining the position of the materials handling vehicle via a second data weighting. The second data weighting may include determining a first dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle based primarily on data generated by the one or more vehicle sensors, receiving data from a subset of transceiver anchors of the plurality of transceiver anchors, and determining a second dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle primarily based on the received data via the vehicle transceiver.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G05D 1/247 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
G05D 105/28 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
G05D 107/70 - Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a two-dimensional position of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment includes determining a position of a vehicle in a free range area of a covered environment, determining that the materials handling vehicle is entering an aisle in the covered environment, and in response to determining that the materials handling vehicle is entering the aisle, automatically enabling a second position system of the materials handling vehicle to determine a first dimension of the position using a vehicle sensor and determine a second dimension of the position using the vehicle transceiver receiving communications from a subset of transceiver anchors of the plurality of transceiver anchors. Some embodiments include utilizing the second position system to determine the position of the materials handling vehicle from the first dimension and the second dimension.
G05D 1/244 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means
G05D 1/245 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using dead reckoning
G05D 1/247 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
G05D 1/82 - Limited authority control, e.g. enforcing a flight envelope
G05D 105/28 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
G05D 107/70 - Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories
Embodiments provided herein include a method that includes creating a temporal-based restriction zone for a covered environment that defines an area within which a materials handling vehicle must comply with a policy, defining the policy, and defining a first time that the policy applies. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation of the materials handling vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the temporal-based restriction zone, and determining whether a current time corresponds with the first time the policy applies. Some embodiments include, in response to determining that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the temporal-based restriction zone at the first time the policy applies, sending to the materials handling vehicle, data related to the policy, which causes the materials handling vehicle to adjust operation to comply with the policy when the materials handling vehicle enters the temporal-based restriction zone.
Embodiments provided include a method that includes determining a location of a restriction zone, where the restriction zone includes a first edge and a second edge, providing a user option to independently define a first policy for a materials handling vehicle when crossing into the restriction zone via the first edge and a second policy for the materials handling vehicle when crossing into the restriction zone via the second edge, and receiving user input defining the first policy and the second policy. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation from the materials handling vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the restriction zone via the first edge or the second edge, and communicating first policy data related to the first policy to the materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments include in response to determining communicating second policy data related to the second policy to the materials handling vehicle.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for providing a zone. One embodiment includes a materials handling vehicle in a covered environment that includes a vehicle transceiver for detecting a location of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment, a vehicle sensor for detecting an orientation of the materials handling vehicle and a vehicle computing device. The system may include a remotely located computing device that includes a processor and a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to determine that the materials handling vehicle is approaching a restriction zone and provide to the materials handling vehicle a distance to the restriction zone and a policy of the restriction zone, where the system determines, based on the policy and the first adjustment, a distance to begin the first adjustment to comply with the policy at the entrance edge of the restriction zone.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for utilizing shaped detection fields. One embodiment of method includes receiving data from a materials handling vehicle in a covered environment, determining, from the data, a vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, and determining, based on the vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, a shaped detection field. Some embodiments include implementing the shaped detection field for the materials handling vehicle, detecting an object that encroaches on the shaped detection field, and sending information to the materials handling vehicle to alter operation of the materials handling vehicle to move the materials handling vehicle such that the object is out of the shaped detection field.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for orienting a materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments of a system may include a materials handling vehicle that includes a single ultra wide band (UWB) antenna and at least one vehicle sensor and a computing device. The computing device may cause the system to receive data related to a first plurality of locations of the materials handling vehicle, determined via the UWB antenna, determine, from the data, a first initial orientation of the materials handling vehicle, and receive vehicle sensor data from the at least one vehicle sensor on the materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments may be configured to determine an updated vehicle orientation and an updated vehicle location, based on the data and the vehicle sensor data and provide a user interface that includes a depiction of the materials handling vehicle in the updated vehicle orientation and the updated vehicle location.
A system includes a remote control device that is useable by an operator interacting with a materials handling vehicle. The remote control device includes a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter and a rechargeable power source. The system further comprises: a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle, the charging station for charging the rechargeable power source of the remote control device.
Embodiments include a method that includes determining a location of a restriction zone, where the restriction zone includes a first edge and a second edge, providing an option to define a first policy for a materials handling vehicle when crossing into the restriction zone via the first edge and a second policy when crossing into the restriction zone via the second edge, and receiving user input defining the first policy and the second policy. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation from the materials handling vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the restriction zone via the first edge or the second edge, and communicating first policy data related to the first policy to the materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments include in response to determining communicating second policy data related to the second policy to the materials handling vehicle.
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
B60K 31/00 - Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G01C 21/20 - Instruments for performing navigational calculations
Embodiments provided include a method that includes creating a first restriction zone for a covered environment, where the first restriction zone defines an area within which a vehicle must comply with a first policy, defining the first policy, and defining a second policy for the first restriction zone. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation of the vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the vehicle is approaching the first restriction zone, and in response to determining that the vehicle is approaching the first restriction zone, determining whether the first policy applies to the vehicle and, in response to determining that the first policy applies to the vehicle, sending the vehicle the first policy, which causes the vehicle to adjust current operation to comply with the first policy when the vehicle enters the first restriction zone.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a position of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment includes determining a proximity of a vehicle to a proximate guidewire, determining a recent location of the vehicle, and determining a first dimension of a position of the vehicle based on a known location of a proximate guidewire. Some embodiments include engaging with the proximate guidewire, determining that only a subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors have line of sight to the vehicle, and receiving data from a first transceiver anchor and second transceiver anchor of the subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors. Some embodiments include determining a second dimension of the position of the vehicle based on the received data from the first transceiver anchor and the second transceiver anchor and determining the position of the vehicle from the first dimension and the second dimension.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G06T 7/70 - Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras
H04W 4/029 - Location-based management or tracking services
43.
UTILIZING A PLURALITY OF POSITION SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE THE POSITION OF MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES WITHIN A COVERED ENVIRONMENT
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a position of a vehicle in a covered environment. The method may include monitoring the position of the vehicle in a free range area of the covered environment using a first data weighting that primarily favors data received from the plurality of transceiver anchors, and determining the position of the materials handling vehicle via a second data weighting. The second data weighting may include determining a first dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle based primarily on data generated by the one or more vehicle sensors, receiving data from a subset of transceiver anchors of the plurality of transceiver anchors, and determining a second dimension of the position of the materials handling vehicle primarily based on the received data via the vehicle transceiver.
G01S 5/10 - Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
G05D 1/243 - Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals
G05D 1/69 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a two-dimensional position of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment includes determining a position of a vehicle in a free range area of a covered environment, determining that the materials handling vehicle is entering an aisle in the covered environment, and in response to determining that the materials handling vehicle is entering the aisle, automatically enabling a second position system of the materials handling vehicle to determine a first dimension of the position using a vehicle sensor and determine a second dimension of the position using the vehicle transceiver receiving communications from a subset of transceiver anchors of the plurality of transceiver anchors. Some embodiments include utilizing the second position system to determine the position of the materials handling vehicle from the first dimension and the second dimension.
G01S 5/10 - Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
G05D 1/243 - Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals
G05D 1/69 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for determining a position of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment includes determining a proximity of a vehicle to a proximate guidewire, determining a recent location of the vehicle, and determining a first dimension of a position of the vehicle based on a known location of a proximate guidewire. Some embodiments include engaging with the proximate guidewire, determining that only a subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors have line of sight to the vehicle, and receiving data from a first transceiver anchor and second transceiver anchor of the subset of the plurality of transceiver anchors. Some embodiments include determining a second dimension of the position of the vehicle based on the received data from the first transceiver anchor and the second transceiver anchor and determining the position of the vehicle from the first dimension and the second dimension.
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G05D 1/617 - Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards
G05D 105/28 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
Embodiments provided include a method that includes creating a first restriction zone for a covered environment, where the first restriction zone defines an area within which a vehicle must comply with a first policy, defining the first policy, and defining a second policy for the first restriction zone. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation of the vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the vehicle is approaching the first restriction zone, and in response to determining that the vehicle is approaching the first restriction zone, determining whether the first policy applies to the vehicle and, in response to determining that the first policy applies to the vehicle, sending the vehicle the first policy, which causes the vehicle to adjust current operation to comply with the first policy when the vehicle enters the first restriction zone.
G05D 1/225 - Remote-control arrangements operated by off-board computers
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
Embodiments provided herein include a method that includes creating a restriction zone policy for a plurality of covered environments that defines a first rule with a restriction range on a hypothetical materials handling vehicle that is located in a restriction zone in at least one of the plurality of covered environments, creating a first restriction zone for a first covered environment that includes defining a first location in the first covered environment of the first restriction zone, and associating the restriction zone policy with the first restriction zone, which includes defining a first value within the restriction range for the first rule. Some embodiments include applying the restriction zone and the restriction zone policy to the location in the first covered environment.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for location-based field shaping. One embodiment of a system includes a materials handling vehicle and a computing device that are configured to receive location data via at least one of the plurality of transceiver anchors, receive sensor data from at least one sensor related to the characteristic of operation of the materials handling vehicle, and determine a first location of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment. Some embodiments may be configured to determine a vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, determine a shaped detection field for the materials handling vehicle from the vector of movement, and detect an object that encroaches on the shaped detection field. Some embodiments may be configured to send information to the materials handling vehicle to alter operation of the materials handling vehicle to reduce a likelihood of collision with the object.
B66F 9/065 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks non-masted
G05D 1/222 - Remote-control arrangements operated by humans
G05D 1/244 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means
G05D 1/245 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using dead reckoning
G05D 101/00 - Details of software or hardware architectures used for the control of position
G05D 105/28 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for transportation of freight
G05D 107/70 - Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for providing a zone. One embodiment includes a materials handling vehicle in a covered environment that includes a vehicle transceiver for detecting a location of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment, a vehicle sensor for detecting an orientation of the materials handling vehicle and a vehicle computing device. The system may include a remotely located computing device that includes a processor and a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to determine that the materials handling vehicle is approaching a restriction zone and provide to the materials handling vehicle a distance to the restriction zone and a policy of the restriction zone, where the system determines, based on the policy and the first adjustment, a distance to begin the first adjustment to comply with the policy at the entrance edge of the restriction zone.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for providing entry edges. One embodiment of a method includes creating a first policy that is available for applying to a potential restriction zone in a first covered environment and a second covered environment, defining a rule for the first policy, and creating a zone category for the first policy. Some embodiments include creating a first restriction zone for the first covered environment, determining whether the zone category matches the zone category for the first policy, and in response to determining that the zone category matches the zone category for the first policy, applying the first policy to the first restriction zone. In some embodiments, in response to determining that a materials handling vehicle is approaching the first restriction zone, the method includes applying the first policy.
H04W 4/02 - Services making use of location information
G05D 1/693 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions between vehicles
H04L 9/06 - Arrangements for secret or secure communicationsNetwork security protocols the encryption apparatus using shift registers or memories for blockwise coding, e.g. D.E.S. systems
51.
PROVIDING A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE WITH TEMPORAL ZONES
Embodiments provided herein include a method that includes creating a temporal-based restriction zone for a covered environment that defines an area within which a materials handling vehicle must comply with a policy, defining the policy, and defining a first time that the policy applies. Some embodiments include determining a location and an orientation of the materials handling vehicle, determining from the location and the orientation, that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the temporal-based restriction zone, and determining whether a current time corresponds with the first time the policy applies. Some embodiments include, in response to determining that the materials handling vehicle is approaching the temporal-based restriction zone at the first time the policy applies, sending to the materials handling vehicle, data related to the policy, which causes the materials handling vehicle to adjust operation to comply with the policy when the materials handling vehicle enters the temporal-based restriction zone.
G05D 1/24 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
Embodiments provided herein include a method that includes creating a restriction zone policy for a plurality of covered environments that defines a first rule with a restriction range on a hypothetical materials handling vehicle that is located in a restriction zone in at least one of the plurality of covered environments, creating a first restriction zone for a first covered environment that includes defining a first location in the first covered environment of the first restriction zone, and associating the restriction zone policy with the first restriction zone, which includes defining a first value within the restriction range for the first rule. Some embodiments include applying the restriction zone and the restriction zone policy to the location in the first covered environment.
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for location-based field shaping. One embodiment of a system includes a materials handling vehicle and a computing device that are configured to receive location data via at least one of the plurality of transceiver anchors, receive sensor data from at least one sensor related to the characteristic of operation of the materials handling vehicle, and determine a first location of the materials handling vehicle in the covered environment. Some embodiments may be configured to determine a vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, determine a shaped detection field for the materials handling vehicle from the vector of movement, and detect an object that encroaches on the shaped detection field. Some embodiments may be configured to send information to the materials handling vehicle to alter operation of the materials handling vehicle to reduce a likelihood of collision with the object.
G05D 1/244 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means
G05D 1/247 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for utilizing shaped detection fields. One embodiment of method includes receiving data from a materials handling vehicle in a covered environment, determining, from the data, a vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, and determining, based on the vector of movement of the materials handling vehicle, a shaped detection field. Some embodiments include implementing the shaped detection field for the materials handling vehicle, detecting an object that encroaches on the shaped detection field, and sending information to the materials handling vehicle to alter operation of the materials handling vehicle to move the materials handling vehicle such that the object is out of the shaped detection field.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/50 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
G08B 5/36 - Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied using electric transmissionVisible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied using electromagnetic transmission using visible light sources
G08B 6/00 - Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
G08B 21/02 - Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
Embodiments provided herein include systems and methods for orienting a materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments of a system may include a materials handling vehicle that includes a single ultra wide band (UWB) antenna and at least one vehicle sensor and a computing device. The computing device may cause the system to receive data related to a first plurality of locations of the materials handling vehicle, determined via the UWB antenna, determine, from the data, a first initial orientation of the materials handling vehicle, and receive vehicle sensor data from the at least one vehicle sensor on the materials handling vehicle. Some embodiments may be configured to determine an updated vehicle orientation and an updated vehicle location, based on the data and the vehicle sensor data and provide a user interface that includes a depiction of the materials handling vehicle in the updated vehicle orientation and the updated vehicle location.
G01S 5/10 - Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
G05D 13/62 - Control of linear speedControl of angular speedControl of acceleration or deceleration, e.g. of a prime mover characterised by the use of electric means, e.g. use of a tachometric dynamo, use of a transducer converting an electric value into a displacement
G05D 1/243 - Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals
G05D 1/69 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the battery receiving space includes opposing pairs of battery guide pins, each opposing pair arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and each opposing pair includes a latching pin and a guiding pin; the removable battery assembly includes a battery locking mechanism; the battery locking mechanism includes spring-loaded locking pins that are spring-biased in extended positions and are movable from the extended positions to respective retracted positions; the latching pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins includes a recess forming a battery latch that is positioned to receive a leading portion of one of the spring-loaded locking pins in the extended position.
B60K 1/04 - Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
B60L 50/64 - Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
B60L 53/80 - Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
H01M 50/249 - MountingsSecondary casings or framesRacks, modules or packsSuspension devicesShock absorbersTransport or carrying devicesHolders specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains
An industrial materials handling vehicle including a vehicle body supported by steer wheel and wheel assemblies, a bumper coupled to the body, and a sensor accommodating bumper mount mounted to the vehicle body and/or bumper, the body and the bumper cooperatively defining a steer wheel access opening. The sensor accommodating bumper mount comprises a bumper mount housing with complementary steer wheel access opening, a sensor assembly mount removably mounted to the bumper and/or bumper mount housing, and a sensor assembly mounted to the sensor assembly mount. The sensor assembly and mount at least partially obstruct the steer wheel access opening and complementary steer wheel access opening when the sensor assembly mount is mounted to the bumper and/or bumper mount housing, providing at least partial access to the steer wheel assembly through the steer wheel access opening and the complementary steer wheel access opening when the sensor assembly mount is unmounted.
According to the embodiments described herein, system and methods for determining relative pose of materials handling vehicles in an industrial environment may include utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna array systems respective mounted on the materials handling vehicles to send mutually received information to determine the relative pose between the vehicles, determining one or more fields of each materials handling vehicle, and determining one or more overlapping fields between the materials handling vehicles based on the determined one or more fields and the relative pose. A vehicle control may be implemented based on the determined relative pose and the overlapping fields as a field enforcement, such as a control action to avoid collision between the vehicles.
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G01C 21/20 - Instruments for performing navigational calculations
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G01S 5/10 - Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements
G05D 1/226 - Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
G05D 1/24 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation
G05D 1/243 - Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals
G05D 1/69 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
G05D 1/692 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
G05D 1/693 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions between vehicles
G05D 105/80 - Specific applications of the controlled vehicles for information gathering, e.g. for academic research
G05D 107/70 - Industrial sites, e.g. warehouses or factories
G07C 5/08 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time
A battery system for an industrial vehicle, the industrial vehicle including a frame having a vehicle contour defined by front, back, left, and right bounds of the frame, the left and right bounds at least partially defined by opposed outermost left and right portions of respective left and right sides of a battery compartment. The battery system includes a battery, and a counterweight assembly, wherein at least a portion is positioned underneath the battery. The battery system further includes a first sensor assembly positioned underneath the battery at one of the left or right side of the battery compartment. The first sensor assembly is completely located within the front, back, left, and right bounds of the frame so as to not increase the vehicle contour. The first sensor assembly includes a sensing device that monitors an area adjacent to the corresponding left or right side of the vehicle.
B60L 50/60 - Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells using power supplied by batteries
H01M 50/249 - MountingsSecondary casings or framesRacks, modules or packsSuspension devicesShock absorbersTransport or carrying devicesHolders specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains
A battery system for an industrial vehicle, the industrial vehicle including a frame having a vehicle contour defined by front, back, left, and right bounds of the frame, the left and right bounds at least partially defined by opposed outermost left and right portions of respective left and right sides of a battery compartment. The battery system includes a battery, and a counterweight assembly, wherein at least a portion is positioned underneath the battery. The battery system further includes a first sensor assembly positioned underneath the battery at one of the left or right side of the battery compartment. The first sensor assembly is completely located within the front, back, left, and right bounds of the frame so as to not increase the vehicle contour. The first sensor assembly includes a sensing device that monitors an area adjacent to the corresponding left or right side of the vehicle.
B60L 50/64 - Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
B60K 1/04 - Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
B60L 50/60 - Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells using power supplied by batteries
B60L 53/80 - Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
H01M 50/249 - MountingsSecondary casings or framesRacks, modules or packsSuspension devicesShock absorbersTransport or carrying devicesHolders specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains
H01M 50/258 - Modular batteriesCasings provided with means for assembling
H01M 50/284 - MountingsSecondary casings or framesRacks, modules or packsSuspension devicesShock absorbersTransport or carrying devicesHolders with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
B66F 17/00 - Safety devices, e.g. for limiting or indicating lifting force
A control system includes a display configured for mounting on a materials handling vehicle. The display is operative to output a first widget that displays indicia identifying a set of performance tuning profiles, and a second widget that displays indicia associated with a throttle control. A processor in data communication with the display is operatively programmed such that upon receipt of a first electronic message indicating that an operator of the materials handling vehicle selected a specific performance tuning profile from the first widget, and/or upon receipt of a second electronic message indicating that the operator interacted with the second widget to adjust the throttle control, the processor communicates at least one command across a vehicle network of the materials handling vehicle to modify a parameter associated with a vehicle controller, within limits defined by the selected electronic performance tuning profile and throttle control.
G05B 19/4155 - Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
An electronic message indicates that a materials handling vehicle is approaching an access-controlled travel path. The materials handling vehicle has a travel system that includes a normal travel mode, a limp travel mode, and a restricted travel mode. An electronic permission request is generated to enter the access-controlled travel path. Additionally, an electronic command is issued to set the travel system to the limp travel mode as the materials handling vehicle engages an entry threshold of the access-controlled travel path. A transceiver receives an electronic permission response that includes a determination of whether the access-controlled travel path is in an open state or a closed state. An electronic command then sets the travel system to the restricted travel mode when the access-controlled travel path is in the closed state, and the normal travel mode when the access-controlled travel path is in the open state.
A system is provided comprising: a materials handling vehicle; a wearable remote control device comprising: a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter; and a rechargeable power source; a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of the transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle. The charging station may charge the rechargeable power source of the wearable remote control device. The charging station may comprise a visual indicator.
G08B 5/38 - Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied using electric transmissionVisible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied using electromagnetic transmission using visible light sources using flashing light
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
An industrial truck including a drive frame, a load frame liftable with respect to the drive frame, a drive frame cover at least partly covering the drive frame, and a load frame cover at least partly covering the load frame. The drive frame cover includes a curved portion overlapping a load frame cover. The curved portion includes a curvature aligned with a curved movement path of the load frame cover with respect to the drive frame cover. A cover system including a first cover provided for at least partly covering a first part of an industrial truck, and a second cover provided for at least partly covering a second part of the industrial truck and movable with respect to the first part. The first cover includes a curved portion overlapping the second cover. The curved portion includes a curvature aligned with a curved movement path of the second cover.
B62B 5/00 - Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
B62B 3/06 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carriedLoad handling equipment for simply clearing the load from the ground, e.g. low-lift trucks
A process for automating control of an industrial vehicle based on location comprises scanning an environment, by using an optical scanner affixed to the industrial vehicle. A marker defined by a series of tags is identified by recursively receiving a reflection of the optical scanner; determining if the reflection is indicative of an optical tag; and concatenating the indication of an optical tag to the marker. Once the marker is identified, the marker is transformed into an environmental condition and a status of the vehicle is determined, where the status correlates to the environmental condition. Further, an automated control is applied on the industrial vehicle based on the environmental condition and the status of the industrial vehicle.
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06Q 10/087 - Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
70.
ORDER PICKER MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE WITH IMPROVED DOWNWARD VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING ELEVATED
A materials handling vehicle including a mast assembly supported on a power unit. The mast assembly includes plural telescoping sections defined by pairs of laterally spaced rails. An operator compartment is supported on the mast assembly for vertical movement, and a dash is located forward of the operator compartment and includes a substantially horizontal support surface for packages. At least one control device is associated with the dash for operation by an operator standing on the operator compartment. A transparent window defines a portion of the horizontal support surface and provides the operator with a view of a floor surface when the operator compartment is in an elevated position such that the operator does not need to move his head outside the perimeter of the vehicle when looking down. When the mast assembly is in a collapsed position the mast assembly is no higher than the horizontal support surface.
A mobile processing device is paired to industrial equipment by reading indicia associated with industrial equipment, and by extracting from the indicia, an electronic identifier of the industrial equipment. An authorization request is communicated to a remote server for authorization to operate the industrial equipment, where the authorization request includes the electronic identifier of the industrial equipment and an identifier of the operator desiring to operate the industrial equipment. Responsive to the authorization request, an access response is received from the remote server. Responsive to the access response granting access to the operator to use the industrial equipment, the process extracts pairing information and utilizes the extracted pairing information to pair the mobile processing device with a short range transceiver of the industrial equipment. Upon successful pairing of the mobile processing device and the industrial equipment, the industrial equipment is enabled for normal operation.
B66F 11/04 - Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations
G06F 1/16 - Constructional details or arrangements
A process for enabling an industrial vehicle comprises an industrial vehicle determining whether the industrial vehicle includes a lanyard that is associated to the industrial vehicle. The industrial vehicle receives login credentials from an operator. If the lanyard transitions from an unsecured state to a secured state, then the industrial vehicle is enabled.
A62B 35/00 - Safety belts or body harnessesSimilar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion
B60R 25/00 - Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles
B66F 17/00 - Safety devices, e.g. for limiting or indicating lifting force
G06F 1/16 - Constructional details or arrangements
G06F 21/35 - User authentication involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards communicating wirelessly
B60P 1/00 - Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading
A45F 5/00 - Holders or carriers for hand articlesHolders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
B66F 11/04 - Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations
75.
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LANYARD AND INDUSTRIAL VEHICLE
A process for enabling an industrial vehicle comprises an industrial vehicle determining whether the industrial vehicle includes a lanyard that is associated to the industrial vehicle. The industrial vehicle receives login credentials from an operator. If the lanyard transitions from an unsecured state to a secured state, then the industrial vehicle is enabled.
A pneumatic tool includes a body portion, an inlet port for delivering air to the body portion, a first handle, and a second handle. The second handle includes an exhaust port for discharging air from the body portion.
B23B 45/04 - Hand-held or like portable drilling machines, e.g. drill gunsEquipment therefor driven by fluid-pressure or pneumatic power
B25B 21/02 - Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening toolsAttachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose with means for imparting impact to screwdriver blade or nut socket
B25F 5/02 - Construction of casings, bodies or handles
Processes and systems using the processes for configuring a sensor mounted to a vehicle are disclosed. The process starts by determining an orientation of the sensor by collecting a scan from the sensor, determining a field of view of the sensor based on the scan, and deriving an orientation of the sensor on the vehicle relative to the vehicle based on the field of view. After the orientation (including a position on the vehicle) of the sensor is derived, a configuration for the sensor is determined based on the orientation of the sensor with respect to the vehicle and independent of any other sensors that may be present on the vehicle. Then, the sensor is configured based on the orientation of the sensor relative to the vehicle.
Processes and systems using the processes for configuring a sensor mounted to a vehicle are disclosed. The process starts by determining an orientation of the sensor by collecting a scan from the sensor, determining a field of view of the sensor based on the scan, and deriving an orientation of the sensor on the vehicle relative to the vehicle based on the field of view. After the orientation (including a position on the vehicle) of the sensor is derived, a configuration for the sensor is determined based on the orientation of the sensor with respect to the vehicle and independent of any other sensors that may be present on the vehicle. Then, the sensor is configured based on the orientation of the sensor relative to the vehicle.
A process uses electronic badges to convey a condition associated with an environment to an industrial vehicle. The process comprises identifying a condition in a limited, defined environment and associating the identified condition with a badge ID. The process also comprises programming an electronic badge based upon the identified condition and positioning the electronic badge within a work area of industrial vehicles. Still further, the process comprises receiving, by a processor on an industrial vehicle, information from the electronic badge including at least one of the associated badge ID and the identified condition. The information is received via a badge communicator that communicates with electronic badges that are within a predetermined range of the industrial vehicle via a first wireless communication link. The process also determines the condition from the information from the electronic badge, and controls the industrial vehicle to take a predetermined action based upon the determined condition.
H04W 4/029 - Location-based management or tracking services
H04W 4/30 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
H04W 4/44 - Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
A tool for calibrating a sensor is provided. The tool includes an elongate rail structure including a first end and a second end, wherein a direction of elongation of the rail structure is defined in a lateral direction between the first and second ends. A first plate element extends from the rail structure at least partially in a first direction that is transverse to the lateral direction, and a second plate element extends from the rail structure at least partially in the first direction and is spaced apart from the first plate element in the lateral direction. An alignment member extends from the rail structure at least partially in the first direction, the alignment member being located between the first and second plate elements.
B60L 1/00 - Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles
B60L 15/20 - Methods, circuits or devices for controlling the propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles, e.g. their traction-motor speed, to achieve a desired performanceAdaptation of control equipment on electrically-propelled vehicles for remote actuation from a stationary place, from alternative parts of the vehicle or from alternative vehicles of the same vehicle train for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
G07C 5/00 - Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
84.
ADAPTIVE ACCELERATION FOR SEMI-AUTOMATED DRIVING OPERATION OF A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE
A method for operating a materials handling vehicle in a semi-automated driving operation is provided comprising: monitoring, by a controller, a first vehicle drive parameter corresponding to a first direction of travel of the vehicle during a first manual operation of the vehicle by an operator and concurrently monitoring, by the controller, a second vehicle drive parameter corresponding to a second direction different from the first direction of travel during the first manual operation of the vehicle by an operator. The controller receives, after the first manual operation of the vehicle, a request to implement a first semi-automated driving operation. Based on the first and second monitored vehicle drive parameters during the first manual operation, the controller controls implementation of the first semi-automated driving operation.
B60L 50/50 - Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
B66F 9/00 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
G01R 31/36 - Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
H02J 7/00 - Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
86.
MATERIALS HANDLING AND OTHER VEHICLES WITH FUNCTIONAL RESPONSES TO RUNTIME CALCULATION
11 to calculate a succession ( 0CC, 1CC, 2CC2RRC11, and (iv) implement a remaining runtime calculation such that the vehicle control hardware is programmed to respond functionally to a runtime calculation R. The battery-powered materials handling vehicle (100) is programmed to implement a forward-looking remaining runtime calculation R of the onboard battery assembly (30), and respond functionally to the runtime calculation R to create a technical operational effect in the materials handling vehicle (100).
B66F 9/00 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
B60L 50/50 - Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
G01R 31/36 - Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
H02J 7/00 - Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space define an axis; the removable battery assembly comprises a battery-side connector assembly and a vehicle-side connector assembly, each configured to electrically couple the removable battery assembly and an electrical system of the materials handling vehicle; the battery-side and vehicle-side connector assemblies each comprises a connector housing and an electrical coupler; the respective electrical coupler of each connector assembly are configured to couple together electrically; the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly or the vehicle-side connector assembly is an omnidirectional biasing coupler, wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises an omnidirectional biasing element which secures the omnidirectional biasing coupler against the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler.
B62B 5/00 - Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
B62B 3/02 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable, or convertible
B62B 3/06 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carriedLoad handling equipment for simply clearing the load from the ground, e.g. low-lift trucks
90.
OMNIDIRECTIONAL BIASING ELEMENTS FOR A BATTERY COUPLING IN A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE, AND MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES INCORPORATING THE SAME
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space define an axis; the removable battery assembly comprises a battery-side connector assembly and a vehicle-side connector assembly, each configured to electrically couple the removable battery assembly and an electrical system of the materials handling vehicle; the battery-side and vehicle-side connector assemblies each comprises a connector housing and an electrical coupler; the respective electrical coupler of each connector assembly are configured to couple together electrically; the electrical coupler of the battery-side connector assembly or the vehicle-side connector assembly is an omnidirectional biasing coupler, wherein the omnidirectional biasing coupler comprises an omnidirectional biasing element which secures the omnidirectional biasing coupler against the respective connector housing of the omnidirectional biasing coupler.
According to the embodiments described herein, system and methods for determining relative pose of materials handling vehicles in an industrial environment may include utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna array systems respective mounted on the materials handling vehicles to send mutually received information to determine the relative pose between the vehicles, determining one or more fields of each materials handling vehicle, and determining one or more overlapping fields between the materials handling vehicles based on the determined one or more fields and the relative pose. A vehicle control may be implemented based on the determined relative pose and the overlapping fields as a field enforcement, such as a control action to avoid collision between the vehicles.
G05D 1/242 - Means based on the reflection of waves generated by the vehicle
B66F 9/06 - Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G01S 5/10 - Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements
G05D 1/00 - Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
G05D 1/24 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation
G05D 1/243 - Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals
G05D 1/247 - Arrangements for determining position or orientation using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons
A spacer assembly and method for using same to fix a first component to a second component are provided. The method includes positioning the first and second spacer segments between the first and second components, the first and second spacer segments each including an inner face, an opposite outer face, and an exterior surface extending along a longitudinal axis between the inner face and the outer face. The exterior surfaces of the first and second spacer segments are coaxially aligned and secured by a securing device such that the inner faces of the first and second spacer segments define supplementary non-perpendicular angles relative to the longitudinal axis and the outer faces of the first and second spacer segments are parallel to one another. The securing device and the first and second spacer segments are removed after the first component is mechanically coupled to the second component.
B23K 37/00 - Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass
B23K 37/04 - Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass for holding or positioning work
93.
MODIFY VEHICLE PARAMETER BASED ON VEHICLE POSITION INFORMATION
A materials handling vehicle includes: a power unit including: a steered wheel, and a steering device for generating a steer control signal; a load handling assembly coupled to the power unit; a controller located on the power unit for receiving the steer control signal; and a sensing device on the power unit and coupled to the controller. The sensing device monitoring areas in front of and next to the vehicle. Based on sensing device data, the controller may modify at least one of the following vehicle parameters: a maximum allowable turning angle or a steered-wheel-to-steering-device ratio.
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
G01S 7/481 - Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
G01S 17/931 - Lidar systems, specially adapted for specific applications for anti-collision purposes of land vehicles
G05D 1/222 - Remote-control arrangements operated by humans
G05D 1/223 - Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
G06V 20/58 - Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestriansRecognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
A boom assembly including an upper boom portion, a base mount, and an adapter coupling the base mount to the upper boom portion, in which the adapter is configured to (i) maintain the boom assembly in a normal operating position when the upper boom portion is subjected to one or more external forces causing one or more internal forces in the adapter below a yield force threshold of the adapter; and (ii) yield when the upper boom portion is subjected to one or more external forces causing one or more internal forces in the adapter equal to or in excess of the yield force threshold of the adapter. Also provided is a materials handling vehicle including a boom assembly.
A boom assembly including an upper boom portion, a base mount, and an adapter coupling the base mount to the upper boom portion, in which the adapter is configured to (i) maintain the boom assembly in a normal operating position when the upper boom portion is subjected to one or more external forces causing one or more internal forces in the adapter below a yield force threshold of the adapter; and (ii) yield when the upper boom portion is subjected to one or more external forces causing one or more internal forces in the adapter equal to or in excess of the yield force threshold of the adapter. Also provided is a materials handling vehicle including a boom assembly.
A boom assembly is provided comprising: an upper boom portion, a base mount, and an adapter coupling the base mount to the upper boom portion. The upper boom portion may be aligned with the base mount when the boom assembly is in a normal operating position. Further provided is an integrity monitoring system comprising at least one sensor associated with the boom assembly.
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly includes lateral battery faces, each including a longitudinal guide structure; the battery receiving space includes opposing guide blocks, each arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and each including a securement portion and a replaceable portion; the replaceable portion of each guide block including a friction-inducing surface and a guiding surface; each friction-inducing surface facing an opposing one of the lateral battery faces; and each guiding surface facing an opposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure, with the removable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.
A process for implementing a materials handling vehicle feature monitor includes receiving wirelessly, from a fleet of materials handling vehicles, electronic vehicle records. Each electronic vehicle record comprises travel-related data recorded by an associated materials handling vehicle and an operator identification of the corresponding operator of the vehicle. The vehicle records are parsed for each operator to extract dashboard data, which can include a travel distance that the materials handling vehicle has traveled. An expected travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time is established. For each operator, an electronic measurement of the expected travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time compared to the recorded travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time is generated. A graphical representation of the generated measurements is outputted to a dashboard.
G07C 5/12 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time in graphical form
G05D 1/223 - Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
G05D 1/644 - Optimisation of travel parameters, e.g. of energy consumption, journey time or distance
G05D 1/692 - Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
G06Q 10/0639 - Performance analysis of employeesPerformance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
G07C 5/00 - Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
G07C 5/08 - Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle, or waiting time
100.
CALCULATING MISSED MESSAGES EXPECTED TO BE RECEIVED BY A CENTRAL DEVICE FROM A PERIPHERAL DEVICE
A method is provided for wireless communication between a wireless remote control device comprising a peripheral device and a controller on a materials handling vehicle comprising a central device. The method may comprise: polling via a plurality of connection event requests, by the central device, communicated with the peripheral device with which the central device is paired, the peripheral device comprising one or more activatable switches. Based on the status of one or more activatable switches, the peripheral device sending reply messages to at least a portion of the plurality of connection requests in accordance with at least one communication operating mode of the peripheral device, wherein each reply message is indicative of the status of the one or more activatable switches. Calculating, by the central device, a number of missed messages.
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
