EP3511288A1 - Method for controlling a minor function of an industrial truck by means of a macro program and corresponding industrial truck - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling an industrial truck (1) by means of a control device (6), which comprises a data processing device that can be programmed with a control program, and to an industrial truck (1) for carrying out the method. It is proposed that a program sequence with a sequence of control instructions (macro program) is stored in the data processing device for an individual small functionality of the industrial truck (1), and that the macro program is started with a simple control command to execute the small functionality.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling an industrial truck by means of a control device which comprises a data processing device which can be programmed with a control program, as well as an industrial truck for carrying out the method.

Industrial trucks are used, for example, for order picking, that is, for putting together goods in a warehouse. For this purpose, very often picking trucks are used as a form of material handling equipment. In this case, the picking truck is located on a load forks load carrier, such as a pallet or a wire mesh basket, moved through the aisles of a warehouse in which the goods to be picked or picked are stored. Depending on the order, the picker or executive removes the goods located on the shelf, places them on or in the load carrier of the picking truck and then has to drive to the next pickup location within the goods warehouse or the racking of the goods warehouse for the next goods. When the respective order for picking has been completed, the order picker moves to a goods delivery with the picking truck. The routes from one location to the next are in the great majority short to very short straight distances within a rack aisle or along a shelf in the warehouse. In the sum, however, due to the large number of required travel movements of the industrial truck, which must be made by the order picker, a considerable amount of time, since the order picker has to go to a control station of the picking truck to operate the corresponding drive switch and the vehicle in the driving movement control, and then back to the position for picking up the goods.

There are therefore known methods and trucks for semi-automated order picking. This semi-automated picking takes place in the Principle similar, only the order picker, the truck must at least on the straight routes along a shelf no longer lead itself, but the truck moves automatically, so that the order picker can leave the picking truck in the aisle aisle. The control of the truck while driving to the next receiving station can be done for example by a radio remote control, such as a wireless glove with a radio remote control function, or by controlling the truck via voice commands or by an optical recognition person.

For example, a solution with a wireless glove is known, which attracts the picking person and through which the control of the truck is made possible. It can be integrated as a command button in the glove individual functions such as "forward", "back", etc., which can be pressed by the picking person or the order picker. After picking up a particular product at a pickup location, thus after picking, for example, the "before" command key on the glove can be pressed by the order picker and the truck continues to move in the aisle as long as the order picker presses the command key on the glove holds. Due to the integration of the radio command transmitter in the glove, it does not have to be worn as a separate object by the order picker and does not disturb the latter in its freedom of movement.

A disadvantage of this prior art, however, is that the use of such a glove by a plurality of persons can lead to acceptance problems. Also every time an operation with the other hand must be done. The wireless gloves have the further disadvantage that they wear out through daily handling and thus need to be replaced regularly. This causes additional, ongoing costs.

In the case of the system described above, there is also the fundamental necessity for the employees carrying out the order picking to be trained and instructed in the system.

From the EP 2 533 119 A1 a device for radio remote control of a truck with a wireless glove is known, which can be used for picking.

In the EP 2 851 331 B1 a method for controlling a picking truck is described in which a visual recognition of persons by means of laser scanner. If the order picker exceeds a virtual threshold in the direction of travel, the vehicle automatically follows the order picker and follows it. If the order picker stops, the vehicle also stops.

In the case of industrial trucks in general and in automated industrial trucks in particular, there is an ever increasing demand on the part of the operator to be able to carry out an individual small functionality automatically if required. For example, it is desirable to allow small maneuvers such as temporary reset or ancestors of the truck by a few meters, without the operator has to take over the control of the truck completely. Such small-maneuvers are e.g. required if the truck has moved slightly beyond the target position.

The present invention is therefore based on the object, a method of the type mentioned and a truck for performing the method in such a way that an individual small functionality is possible without much control effort for the operator.

This object is procedurally achieved according to the invention that for a small individual functionality of the truck, a program sequence with a sequence of control instructions (macro program) is stored in the data processing device, and to execute the small functionality, the macro program is started and played with a simple control command ,

The term macro program or short macro is known from the software field. A macro in software development is a group of instructions that can be executed with one simple call (instead of single statements in several places in the program). Thereby, make macros Subroutines. Macros can be distinguished in system macros or own macros. The system macro is a macro that brings the machine or software you are using as a basis and can be executed as needed. The self-macro is a macro that can be individually recorded / compiled and then executed. Mixed forms of self and system macros can also occur.

In the truck sector, the use of macros is not yet known.

With the invention can now be the operator request to be able to automatically perform an individual small functionality if required, be met. For this purpose, an individual small functionality is deposited as a program sequence in the data processing device of the truck. If necessary, then this small functionality can be played similar to a software macro (e.g., MS-Excel). In the use of autonomous transport robots and automated or semi-automated forklift trucks, this small functionality can for the first time also be safeguarded by appropriate sensors present on the transport robot or truck, for example a laser scanner. Thus, these transport robots or automated or semi-automated trucks are ideally suited for the realization of this macro function.

The small functionality preferably comprises lifting and / or lowering movements of a load-receiving device of the industrial truck as well as steering and / or traveling movements of the industrial truck in a localized space. In this way, small maneuvers, such as a short resetting or ancestor of the truck by a few meters or a settling of a pallet and then moving on to a pallet length, in a comfortable way by the operator. be executed by a single control command, for example a keystroke.

1. a) Senken der Lastaufnahmeeinrichtung, so dass alle Paletten abgesetzt werden,
2. b) Vorfahren des Flurförderzeugs, so dass das Flurförderzeug genau um eine Palettenposition versetzt ist,
3. c) Anheben der Lastaufnahmeeinrichtung,
4. d) Vorfahren des Flurförderzeugs um eine individuelle Distanz,
5. e) Wiederholung der Schritte a) bis d) bis keine Palette mehr auf dem Flurförderzeug ist.

In a particularly expedient embodiment, the small functionality comprises a distance-generating settling and thus singulation of pallets. This is desirable, for example, if, after picking goods on the pallets, the pallets are to be processed after being set down or made ready for despatch. So are often wrapped goods for shipping with a packaging material become. If now several consecutively located on a load receiving pallets are simply stored together, the operator or the warehouse staff can not go around the individual pallets in order to wrap the goods can. Therefore, it is desired that the pallets are separated, so stored with a distance to each other. For this purpose, it is provided in this embodiment of the invention that the truck is driven with more than one pallet on the load receiving device, such as a fork, initially to a target position. Then the macro program is started with the sequence of the following control statements:

1. a) lowering the load-carrying device so that all pallets are set down,
2. b) ancestors of the truck, so that the truck is exactly offset by one pallet position,
3. c) lifting the load receiving device,
4. d) ancestors of the truck by an individual distance,
5. e) Repeat steps a) to d) until there is no more pallet on the truck.

As a result, it is achieved that the pallets are separated, that is offset with a distance to one another, whereby a processing of each individual pallet is made possible.

According to a development of the inventive idea, its current collision area is monitored by means of a monitoring device, in particular a sensor, for example a laser scanner, of the industrial truck, and the macro program is ended prematurely when the collision danger is detected. Thus, the truck behaves safely during the execution of the macro program in terms of personal and property safety. It can be decided automatically by means of an in-vehicle safety assessment by the vehicle control, whether a cancel the macro program for security is necessary.

The macro program can be mapped as graphic programming (block programming) as well as by recording combined travel and lifting movements. In this case, so are certain Movements demonstrated, for example, in a teach-in process, which then takes over the macro program.

Once recorded or programmed macro programs can also be combined according to another embodiment of the invention and assembled into new command chains.

The invention further relates to an industrial truck with a control device which comprises a data processing device which can be programmed with a control program.

In such a truck, the stated object is achieved in that in the data processing device a program sequence with a sequence of control instructions (macro program) is deposited, the macro-program can be started with a simple control command, so that a method according to one of Claims 1 to 5 is feasible.

The invention has a number of advantages:
In contrast to standardized vehicle behavior, the invention enables an individualization of the functionality of industrial trucks. Customers can independently adapt standard vehicles to additional requirements and thus increase productivity. From the manufacturer side of the truck, there is no need for customer-specific knowledge and development work. From the customer's point of view, the forklift trucks can thus achieve special functions and therefore productivity gains that a manufacturer of industrial trucks can only achieve with great development effort. This is economically not affordable for small quantities.

Figur 1

ein Flurförderzeug mit zwei Packstücken auf der Lastaufnahmeeinrichtung in der Draufsicht und

Figur 2

ein Flurförderzeug beim vereinzelten Ablegen der Packstücke in der Seitenansicht.

In addition, the inventive idea of macro-programming can be embedded in service tools. It is also possible to transfer the macro programs to entire fleets of industrial trucks. Likewise, a separate sale or distribution of macro programs for retrofitting of industrial trucks is conceivable. Further advantages and details of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the schematic figures. Show here

FIG. 1

an industrial truck with two packages on the load receiving device in plan view and

FIG. 2

a truck when occasionally storing the packages in the side view.

In the FIG. 1 is a designed as a picking 1 truck 1 with a designed as a load fork 2 lifting device 2 shown in plan view. On the fork 2 there are several pallets 3 arranged one behind the other. One or more packages 4 and 5 are located on the two pallets 3. The picking truck 1 has a control device 6 which comprises a data processing device programmable with a control program.

The picking 1 is designed as an automated or semi-automatic truck 1, which is provided with a monitoring device, not shown, with the monitoring of the environment takes place on obstacles or collision. The monitoring device of the industrial truck 1 can be designed as a laser scanner, with which a monitoring of the environment of the truck 1 takes place on obstacles and collision.

FIG. 2 shows the picking 1 FIG. 1 in two different positions in the side view. On the right side of the FIG. 2 the picking truck 1 is shown in the loaded state. The two packages 4 and 5 lie on the two pallets 3, which were received by the fork 2. Since the two pallets 3 with the packages 4 and 5 are to be made ready to ship, the two pallets 3 must be isolated, so with a distance from each other, placed on the ground. Then a warehouse employee can wrap around each of the packages 4 and 5 to wrap the individual packages 4 and 5.

1. a) Senken der Lastgabel 2, so dass alle Paletten 3 abgesetzt werden,
2. b) Vorfahren des Kommissionierflurförderzeug 1 bis es genau um eine Palettenposition versetzt ist,
3. c) Anheben der Lastgabel 2,
4. d) Vorfahren des Kommissionierflurförderzeug 1 um eine individuelle Distanz,
5. e) Wiederholung der Schritte a) bis d) bis keine Palette 3 mehr auf dem Kommissionierflurförderzeug 1 ist.

In order to enable an isolated settling of the two pallets 3, a macro program in the form of a program sequence with a sequence of control instructions is stored in the data processing device of the control device 6. The operator of the picking truck 1 can start the macro program with the sequence of the following control instructions by a simple control command, for example a push of a button or by pressing a button:

1. a) lowering the fork 2, so that all pallets 3 are sold,
2. b) ancestors of the picking truck 1 until it is exactly offset by one pallet position,
3. c) lifting the fork 2,
4. d) ancestors of the picking truck 1 by an individual distance,
5. e) repetition of steps a) to d) until there is no pallet 3 on the picking truck 1.

The result is on the left side of the FIG. 2 shown. The two pallets 3 and thus the packages 4 and 5 are isolated, so stored at a distance from each other on the floor. Thus, the warehouse staff can comfortably walk around each of the packages 4 and 5 and wrap each individually with packaging material.

During the execution of the control instructions which are lined up in the macro program, the current collision area of the industrial truck 1 is monitored by means of the monitoring device and the macro program is interrupted in the event of a risk of a collision with an obstacle. With the monitoring device of the truck 1 thus carried out in the execution of the macro-program lifting and / or lowering movements and / or steering and / or driving movements of the truck 1 are hedged.

Claims (6)

Method for controlling an industrial truck by means of a control device, which comprises a programmable with a control program data processing device, characterized in that for an individual small functionality of the truck (1) a program flow with a sequence of control instructions (macro program) is stored in the data processing device, and to run the small functionality the macro program is started with a simple control command. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the small functionality lifting and / or lowering movements of a load-receiving device (2) of the truck (1) and steering and / or driving movements of the truck (1) comprises in a limited space. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the small functionality comprises a distance-generating settling of pallets (3), wherein the truck (1) with more than one pallet (3) on the load-receiving device (2) is first moved to a target position and then starting the macro program with the sequence of the following control statements: a) lowering the load receiving device (2), so that all pallets (3) are discontinued, b) ancestors of the truck (1), so that the truck (1) is offset by exactly one pallet position, c) lifting the load receiving device (2), d) ancestors of the truck (1) by an individual distance, e) Repeat steps a) to d) until there is no more pallet (3) on the truck (1). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that by means of a monitoring device of the truck (1) its current Collision area is monitored and the macro program is terminated prematurely when detected collision. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a plurality of macro programs are combined into command chains. Industrial truck with a control device which comprises a programmable with a control program data processing device, characterized in that in the data processing means a program flow with a sequence of control instructions (macro program) is deposited, wherein the macro-program can be started with a simple control command, so a method according to one of claims 1 to 5 can be carried out.

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