EP3597587B1 - Reach truck with a monitoring sensor and method for operating same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a reach truck with a monitoring sensor for monitoring the surroundings, as well as a method for operating a reach truck. Monitoring sensors are generally used on industrial trucks to avoid collisions with people and obstacles. In the case of environmental monitoring, the travel route of the industrial truck is monitored in particular. A 3D scanner can be used for this. A 3D scanner can work in very different technical ways, whereby laser scanners with a time-of-flight scanner and a phase scanner can be used as well as a projection scanner.

Out of DE 10 2008 027 701 a control method for an industrial truck with a sensor in the area of the load handling device has become known. A controller detects the relative position to a load to be picked up via this sensor. From the data, the control device calculates a correction value between the actual orientation of the load handling device and the target orientation of the load handling device for picking up the load. This ensures that a load is always approached at the correct angle. A laser scanner is provided as the sensor, which is arranged in the area between the forks of a load fork. The laser scanner moves with the load-carrying means in height and can also be height-adjustable relative to the load fork. Furthermore, the industrial truck is equipped with an environment sensor, which is arranged at a tip of a wheel arm and monitors the area in front of the industrial truck when traveling in the direction of the load fork.

An industrial truck that has been set up in the same way is off DE 10 2008 027 695 A1 known. Here, the laser scanner is attached below the load fork to to be able to monitor the position of the load fork when raising and lowering the load.

Out of U.S. 2016/075542 A1 a reach truck with a pantograph has become known. Sensors are adapted to the reach mast, which monitor the immediate environment for a load to be picked up, the picking up of the load being controlled automatically here. U.S. 2016/075542 A1 discloses a reach truck according to the preamble of independent claim 1 and a method according to the preamble of independent claim 14.

The object of the invention is to provide a reach truck and an operating method for such a truck, which is used e.g. which allows monitoring of the surroundings of the vehicle in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a reach truck with the features of claim 1 and an operating method according to claim 14. Advantageous configurations form the subject matter of the respective dependent claims.

The reach truck according to the invention is equipped with a monitoring sensor for monitoring the surroundings. Furthermore, the push mast has a push mast which is arranged to be movable between two wheel arms and has a height-adjustable load-carrying means. The reach truck according to the invention is characterized by the attachment of the monitoring sensor to the reach mast. It is attached in such a way that the monitoring sensor moves with the extension mast in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the monitoring sensor is attached to the extension mast at a predetermined height, regardless of the height of the load-carrying means. The monitoring sensor fitted according to the invention is aimed at an area that points away from the industrial truck and the reach mast. The reach mast moves in The longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the wheel arms, the monitoring sensor also moves in the same way without changing its height. By changing the position of the monitoring sensor, it is possible to reliably monitor the environment and in particular the travel route for the reach truck.

According to the invention, the monitoring sensor has at least one parameterizable monitoring field, the position and/or dimensions of which can be specified by parameters. The parameters indicate for the monitoring sensor what position the monitoring area has relative to the sensor and thus to the reach mast. In addition, the limitations of the monitoring field can also be specified using parameters. For example, it is possible to specify rectangular monitoring fields. Triangular or circular segments can also be specified as monitoring fields. The parameters generally allow boundaries for the surveillance field to be set in distance and angle relative to the surveillance sensor.

The parameters for determining the monitoring field are determined depending on the position of the extension mast in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The position-dependent determination of parameters for the monitoring field allows the position and dimensions of the monitoring field to be adapted to the position of the reach mast. Such an adjustment of the monitoring field also makes it possible to take the wheel arms into account and, for example, to monitor a monitoring field that is as large as possible, excluding the wheel arms.

In a preferred embodiment, a first set of parameters is provided for a fully retracted reach truck, the first set defining a first field of view extending away from the reach truck between the wheel arms. The fully retracted position is the position where the reach mast is farthest from the tips of the wheel arms. The reach mast then sits close to the drive part of the reach truck. The first monitoring field is preferably a rectangular monitoring field that largely fills the area between the wheel arms and extends beyond the wheel arms.

In a further preferred embodiment, a second set of parameters is provided for a fully advanced position of the reach mast. The second set of parameters defines a second surveillance field extending from the wheel arms away from the reach truck. The second monitoring field is in front of the wheel arms and preferably extends laterally beyond the width of the wheel arms, without enclosing them. The second monitoring field can also preferably be in the form of a rectangle, the width and length of which is defined by the second set of parameters.

In a further preferred embodiment, an additional area is defined, which extends away from the monitoring sensor, starting from the reach truck, and is delimited laterally by two boundary lines, both of which originate in the monitoring sensor and each run in front of a tip of one of the wheel arms, without the Additional area that includes wheel arms. The additional area forms approximately the shape of a circle segment, which originates in the monitoring sensor and expands in a triangular shape. The additional area is preferably monitored by the monitoring sensor in addition to the first monitoring area. In the case of additional monitoring with the additional area, it is irrelevant whether the combination of two monitored areas is monitored here or whether both monitored areas are monitored independently of one another and their results are only linked to one another in the evaluation.

In a preferred embodiment, the boundary lines for the additional area are determined according to the position of the extension mast between the fully pushed back and the fully pushed forward position. The boundary lines originate in the monitoring sensor for each position of the extension mast and each run in front of one of the tips of one of the wheel arms, without the additional area including the wheel arms. In this configuration of a position-dependent additional area, the additional area is enlarged as the extension mast is advanced, with its opening angle expanding the more the extension mast is advanced toward the tip of the wheel arms. The first monitoring field is preferably transferred to the second monitoring field by the additional area, which expands as a function of the position of the extension mast.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the monitoring field is determined as a function of speed. A predetermined maximum speed for the vehicle during the advance of the extension mast is defined for the speed-dependent monitoring. If the maximum speed is exceeded, the plan is to switch to a third monitoring field that also includes the wheel arms. If the speed falls below the maximum speed, it is preferred to switch back to the first monitoring field with or without an additional area. In the preferred switching to the third monitoring field, the wheel arms are also detected, so that they are recognized as an obstacle, although they belong to the vehicle. A driving control of the reach truck is provided, which receives the data from the monitoring sensor and evaluates it with regard to an obstacle. For example, if you switch to the third monitoring field, there is an obstacle. In a preferred development, the vehicle controller can reduce the driving speed and/or initiate a braking process if an obstacle occurs in its monitoring field. In this case, the reduction in the driving speed or the braking process is preferably dependent on the loading of the industrial truck.

The object according to the invention is also achieved by a method for operating a reach truck. The method according to the invention has the features of claim 14.

The method according to the invention is provided and intended for the operation of a reach truck with a monitoring sensor and a reach mast which can be moved between two wheel arms and has a height-adjustable load carrying means. The monitoring sensor is attached to the reach mast regardless of the height of the load carrying device. The method according to the invention is characterized by the step that the monitoring sensor is moved together with the reach mast in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The monitoring sensor can monitor the route by means of the joint method.

According to the invention, it is provided that the monitoring sensor has at least one parameterizable monitoring field, the position and/or dimensions of which can be specified by parameters. The method includes the step: determining the parameters for specifying the monitoring field, depending on the position of the reach mast in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. By moving the monitoring sensor together with the reach mast, the parameters for determining the monitoring field can be determined depending on the position of the reach mast.

In a preferred development, a first monitoring field is determined in such a way that the monitoring field extends away from the reach truck between the wheel arms. The width of the first surveillance field is no greater than the distance between the wheel arms.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, a second monitoring field is determined, which extends away from the reach truck in front of the wheel arms, the second monitoring field extending laterally beyond the width of the wheel arms, without including them.

In a further preferred embodiment, an additional area is provided which is monitored. The additional area extends from the monitoring sensor, delimited laterally by two boundary lines. The boundary lines originate in the monitoring sensor and run in front of a tip of one of the wheel arms, without including the wheel arms.

In a preferred embodiment, the first monitoring field is transferred to the second monitoring field by the additional area, which expands as a function of the position of the telescopic mast. The first and second monitoring fields preferably merge into one another continuously while the reach mast is advanced.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, this is also designed to monitor the speed of the industrial truck. This speed monitoring can be provided as an additional speed monitoring. For this task of the method, a predetermined maximum speed for the vehicle is defined during the advance of the telescopic mast. The speed of the vehicle is also measured, and if the maximum speed is exceeded, a switch is made to a third monitoring field in which the wheel arms are also recorded. When an obstacle occurs in the monitoring field, the driving speed is then preferably reduced and/or a braking process is initiated. This means that by switching on the third monitoring field due to exceeding the permissible Maximum speed reduces the driving speed and so the predetermined maximum speed for the vehicle is monitored. If the speed falls below the maximum again, the system preferably switches back to the first monitoring field with or without an additional area, so that the wheel arms are no longer detected in the monitoring area.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, if an obstacle occurs in the monitoring field, an evasive maneuver is initiated for the reach truck. The evasive maneuver serves to avoid a collision.

In a further preferred embodiment, when the load has been picked up, the load-carrying means is only lowered to such an extent that the monitoring sensor has a clear view of the space between the wheel arms and beyond. For example, while the unloaded load-carrying means can be completely lowered, the loaded load-carrying means would limit the view of the monitoring sensor when fully lowered. It is therefore planned to fasten it as low as possible on the reach mast and only lower the load carrying device so far that the monitoring sensor has a clear view.

Fig. 1

einen Schubmaststapler mit vorgeschobenem Schubmast und angehobenem Lasttragmittel,

Fig. 2

das Überwachungsfeld bei zurückgeschobenem Schubmast,

Fig. 3

das Überwachungsfeld bei maximal vorgeschobenem Schubmast,

Fig. 4

das Überwachungsfeld ohne Zusatzbereich und

Fig. 5

ein Flurförderzeug mit einem dritten Überwachungsbereich zur Geschwindigkeitskontrolle.

The present invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

1

a reach truck with an advanced reach mast and a raised load carrying device,

2

the monitoring field with the reach mast pushed back,

3

the monitoring field with the reach mast pushed forward as far as possible,

4

the monitoring field without additional area and

figure 5

an industrial truck with a third monitoring area for speed control.

1 shows a reach truck 10, the reach mast 12 is advanced. The extension mast 12 is held in a mast foot 14 which can be moved along the wheel arms 16 . The extension mast 12 also has a plurality of mast sections 18, 20, 22 which are arranged telescopically one within the other. The innermost mast section 18 can here be extended the highest. A load-carrying means 24 is attached in a height-adjustable manner along the inner mast section 18 . The load-carrying means 24 has two forks 26 with which a load can be picked up.

A monitoring sensor 28 is provided in a region of the push mast 12 close to the ground. This is a 2D laser scanner that has a parameterizable monitoring field. The monitoring sensor 28 is fastened to the extension mast 12 in such a way that it moves with the extension mast 12 along the wheel arms 16 . The monitoring sensor 28 does not change its position when the load-carrying means 24 is raised or when the mast sections 20 or 22 are extended. When the load is picked up (not shown), the load-carrying means 24 is only lowered far enough for the monitoring sensor 28 to still have a clear view of the space between the wheel arms 16 and beyond.

2 shows the reach truck 10 with its wheel arms 16 and its reach mast 12 in a schematic view from above. The monitoring sensor 28 is shown schematically as a point.

2 shows two monitoring fields for the monitoring sensor 28. A first monitoring field 30 extends perpendicularly between the wheel arms 16 away from the reach truck. This monitoring field 30 essentially detects objects and obstacles that are located directly in front of the vehicle when it is being moved forward with the reach mast. also in 2 The additional area 32, which is delimited by two boundary lines 34, can be seen. The boundary lines 34 are chosen in such a way that they originate in the monitoring sensor 28 and run in front of the wheel arms 16 . The additional area 32 covers a larger area in front of the reach truck without the wheel arms 16 getting into the monitoring field. The first monitoring field 30 and the additional area 32 are logically linked to one another in this case in such a way that an obstacle is detected if it occurs in the additional area 32 or in the first monitoring field 30 .

3 shows in a schematic view how 2 , the reach truck 10 with an advanced reach mast 12. The reach mast 12 is advanced so far that a rear wall 38 of the load carrying means is approximately flush with the free end of the wheel arms 16. This feed is at least required in order to be able to absorb a load completely with the load-carrying means 24 . Associated with the advanced position of the reach truck is a second monitoring field 36 which extends in front of the reach truck 10 and in front of the free ends of the wheel arms 16 . The second monitoring area 36 is essentially rectangular. Starting from 2 With increasing feed, the additional area 32 merges into the rectangular area 36, in that the opening angle of the boundary lines widens further.

4 12 shows the reach truck 10 with a partially extended reach mast 12 approximately halfway along the wheel arms 16. FIG. Here, the monitoring sensor 28 generates a monitoring area 40 which runs between the wheel arms 16 and is shaped as a rectangle. The monitoring area 40 is shown here without an additional area and therefore does not widen as the distance from the industrial truck increases.

figure 5 shows an embodiment of the industrial truck 10 in which the push mast 12 is also partially advanced between the wheel arms 16. Here, the monitoring sensor 28 has a third monitoring field 42 which, for example, can have dimensions similar to the second monitoring field 36 of the fully extended reach mast. The monitoring field 42 detects the protruding ends of the wheel arms 16, so that an obstacle is detected within the monitoring field 42. The obstacle is the two ends of the wheel arms 16. A switch is made to this monitoring field 42 when the driving speed v is greater than a maximum speed. Switching to third monitoring field 42 only takes place if driving speed v is greater than a predetermined maximum speed. Switching to the third monitoring field 42 introduces a second independent speed control for the reach truck during advance. In principle, for example, the vehicle controller monitors that the reach mast 12 is not being moved while the industrial truck is traveling at too high a speed. Independent of this check, a second and independent check can be introduced by triggering a speed reduction on the industrial truck with the third monitoring field 42 if the driving speed is too high.

Reference List

10

reach truck

12

reach mast

14

mast foot

16

wheel arms

18

mast section

20

mast section

22

mast section

24

load carrying device

26

forks

28

monitoring sensor

30

first surveillance field

32

additional area

34

boundary lines

36

second surveillance field

38

back panel

40

surveillance area

42

third surveillance field

Claims (25)

1. A reach truck (10) with a monitoring sensor (28) for monitoring the environment and with a retractable mast (12) that can be moved between two wheel arms (16) and that comprises a height-adjustable load-carrying means (24), wherein the monitoring sensor (28) is fastened to the retractable mast (12) in such a way that the monitoring sensor (28) moves with the retractable mast (12) in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the monitoring sensor (28) is fastened to the retractable mast (12) at a predetermined height regardless of the height of the load-carrying means (24), characterized in that the monitoring sensor (28) has at least one parameterizable monitoring field (30, 36, 42), the location and/or dimensions of which can be specified by means of parameters and the parameters of which for determining the monitoring field (30, 36, 42) are determined regardless of the position of the retractable mast (12) in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
2. The reach truck (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a first set of parameters is provided for a fully retracted retractable mast (12), wherein the first set defines a first monitoring field (30) that extends away from the reach truck (10) between the wheel arms (16).
3. The reach truck (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a second set of parameters is provided for a fully advanced retractable mast (12), wherein the second set defines a second monitoring field (36) that extends away from the reach truck (12) in front of the wheel arms (16).
4. The reach truck (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second monitoring field (36) extends laterally beyond the width of the wheel arms (16) without including same.
5. The reach truck (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an additional region (32) is defined which extends away from the reach truck (10) proceeding from the monitoring sensor (28) and which is laterally delimited by two delimitation lines (34) that both originate in the monitoring sensor (28) and each extend in front of a tip of one of the wheel arms (16) without including same.
6. The reach truck (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the additional region (32), in addition to the first monitoring region (30), is monitored by the monitoring sensor (28).
7. The reach truck (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the delimitation lines (34) for the additional region (32) are determined according to a position of the retractable mast (12) between the fully retracted and fully advanced position in such a way that the delimitation lines (34) originate in the monitoring sensor (28) in each case and each extend in front of one of the tips of one of the wheel arms (16) without including same.
8. The reach truck (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the first monitoring field (30) is transformed into the second monitoring field (36) by means of the additional region (32), which expands depending on the position of the retractable mast (12).
9. The reach truck (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a predetermined maximum speed is defined for the vehicle during advancement of the retractable mast (12) and, if the maximum speed is exceeded, a switch is made to a third monitoring field (42) in which the wheel arms (16) are also incorporated.
10. The reach truck (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, when the speed falls below the maximum speed, a switch is made back into the first monitoring field (30) with or without the additional region (32).
11. The reach truck (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a vehicle controller is provided which receives the data of the monitoring sensor (28) and evaluates said data with regard to an obstacle.
12. The reach truck (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the vehicle controller reduces the travel speed and/or initiates a braking procedure if an obstacle appears in the monitoring field.
13. The reach truck (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the vehicle controller initiates an evasion maneuver if an obstacle appears in the monitoring field.
14. A method for operating a reach truck with a monitoring sensor and a retractable mast that can be moved between two wheel arms and that comprises a height-adjustable load-carrying means, wherein the monitoring sensor is fastened to the retractable mast regardless of the height of the load-carrying means, wherein the method comprises the following method step: moving the monitoring sensor together with the retractable mast in the vehicle longitudinal direction, characterized in that the monitoring sensor (28) has at least one parameterizable monitoring field (30, 36, 42), the location and/or dimensions of which can be specified by means of parameters, wherein the method comprises the following method step: determining the parameters for specifying the monitoring field (30, 36, 42) depending on the position of the retractable mast (12) in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that a first monitoring field is determined which extends away from the reach truck between the wheel arms.
16. The method according to any one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that a second monitoring field is determined which extends away from the reach truck in front of the wheel arms, wherein the second monitoring field extends laterally beyond the width of the wheel arms without including same.
17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that an additional region is monitored which extends away from the reach truck proceeding from the monitoring sensor and is laterally delimited by two delimitation lines that both originate in the monitoring sensor and each extend in front of a tip of one of the wheel arms (16) without including same.
18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the additional region (32), in addition to the first monitoring region (30), is monitored by the monitoring sensor (28).
19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the delimitation lines (34) for the additional region (32) are determined according to a position of the retractable mast (12) between the fully retracted and fully advanced position in such a way that the delimitation lines (34) originate in the monitoring sensor (28) in each case and each extend in front of one of the tips of one of the wheel arms (16) without including same.
20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the first monitoring field (30) is transformed into the second monitoring field (36) by means of the additional region (32), which expands depending on the position of the retractable mast (12).
21. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a predetermined maximum speed is defined for the vehicle during advancement of the retractable mast (12) and the speed of the reach truck is measured, wherein, if the maximum speed is exceeded, a switch is made to a third monitoring field (42) in which the wheel arms (16) are also incorporated.
22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, when the speed falls below the maximum speed, a switch is made back into the first monitoring field (30) with or without the additional region (32).
23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the travel speed is reduced and/or a braking procedure is initiated if an obstacle appears in the monitoring field.
24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that an evasion maneuver is initiated if an obstacle appears in the monitoring field.
25. The method according to any one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the load-carrying means (24) is only lowered so far with a received load that the monitoring sensor (28) has an unobstructed view of the space between the wheel arms (16) and beyond.

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