HK1237755B - Methode for the control of a floor conveyor during order picking - Google Patents

Description

Method for controlling ground transportation vehicles when picking up goods

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a ground vehicle when picking up a load. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a ground vehicle when picking up a load, if the ground vehicle has at least one environmental sensor for detecting the relative position of an operator in the environment of the ground vehicle.

Background Art

In ground transportation vehicles, especially warehouse equipment used for retrieval, pure accompanying vehicles are known, in which the operator walks alongside the vehicle, such as a forklift. Furthermore, vehicles are also known that have a driver's seat for a passenger. During the actual retrieval, this driver's seat can be easily abandoned in order to receive the goods and, for example, place them on a pallet of a load carrier.

Optical environment sensors for such ground vehicles are known, which detect the environment of the ground vehicle. This can be, for example, a two-dimensional laser scanner (2-D laser scanner) or a three-dimensional laser scanner (3-D laser scanner), or an optical sensor that detects distances, such as a time-of-flight camera. These environment sensors detect obstacles, roadways, the position of pallets in the environment, and, in particular, the position of the ground vehicle relative to the cargo rack in the case of a ground vehicle that is picking up goods. For example, a laser scanner can be used for this purpose, which measures the environment perpendicular to the mirror's axis of rotation.

Furthermore, it is known to facilitate the work of removing goods by remotely controlling the movement of storage equipment or floor vehicles, for example by pressing a button on a remote control. As long as this signal is given, the floor vehicle continues to move. Here, the floor vehicle automatically reacts to the changing distance from the loading platform using the optical surrounding sensors described above and automatically avoids obstacles during movement. The floor vehicle automatically maintains its trajectory in the aisles of the loading platform.

A disadvantage is that the ground vehicle is positioned precisely in this way, for example, by the operator using a remote control. If the operator, for example, releases the forward button on the remote control, the forward movement of the ground vehicle is interrupted. This forces the operator to focus solely on achieving a favorable positioning, or the smallest possible distance, between the pickup location and the storage point on the ground vehicle. Since only the operator has to handle this control, the operator must fully concentrate on this task when traveling forward to the next pickup location. Consequently, the operator holds the control in one hand, and this hand cannot be free, for example, to receive the next load. When positioning a forklift truck with a long cargo carrier for two pallets, for example, the operator must specifically navigate to the loading position for the front pallet or the rear pallet, respectively.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for controlling a ground transport vehicle when picking up goods, which method avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and with which method easier operation and a more efficient goods flow can be achieved.

This object is achieved by a method for controlling a ground vehicle during pickup, having the features of the invention. Advantageous developments of the invention are given in the description.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in the following way: in a method for controlling a ground transport vehicle during the retrieval of goods, the ground transport vehicle is moved by a control device as the position of the operator changes, if the ground transport vehicle has at least one environmental sensor, and the environmental sensor is used to detect the relative position of the operator in the environment of the ground transport vehicle, wherein, when the operator stops, the ground transport vehicle stops at a freely selectable, pre-set distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is the distance between a reference point of the load-receiving device of the ground transport vehicle and the position of the operator.

The control device implements a continuous control algorithm and controls the driving mechanism of the truck in such a way that the operator's position and the truck's position are continuously and/or progressively adapted relative to one another. This advantageously results in improved ergonomics, as the operator no longer has to worry about controlling the truck's stopping position. This allows for optimal adaptation of the retrieval process. The driver can freely and individually input the distance in advance based on their preferences. This distance relates to the reference point of the load-receiving device, which can, for example, mean the center of the pallet position or the front edge of the vehicle or load carrier serving as the load-receiving device. For the operator, this results in a short or desired distance between the goods to be picked up and the storage location on the truck. In particular, the operator can advantageously choose a stopping point that is advantageous to them when driving to the next location of the goods to be picked up, where they can exit the truck, for example, equipped with a driver's cab, and have already picked up the goods, while allowing the truck to independently move to the desired, optimal position relative to the operator.

The control device is capable of stopping the industrial vehicle at a freely selectable, predefined distance in the transverse direction of the vehicle between a reference point of the load-carrying device of the industrial vehicle and the position of the operator.

This also allows the lateral distance to the operator to be optimized, wherein the operator, for example, stands in front of the shelf, takes the goods, and when turning around and putting them on the floor transport, the floor transport is located at the desired, optimized lateral distance.

The distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or the distance in the transverse direction of the vehicle can be adjusted by an operator via a slide control.

This setting is intuitive and can be provided, for example, on the ground vehicle. It is also conceivable to integrate such a sliding controller into a remote control.

A target path can be input with a maximum deviation from the stopping position, in which no readjustment is carried out after the ground vehicle has reached the target path.

Thus, a certain tolerance range can be determined within which no readjustment is performed. This makes it possible to quickly stop the ground vehicle.

Advantageously, the floor transport can transport two or more pallets one after the other in the longitudinal direction on the load-carrying device and can select the spacing for the individual pallets, in particular by means of a key switch.

In particular in the case of a delivery vehicle having a long load carrier which transports two pallets in succession, a simple and rapid changeover between depositing positions on the first or second pallet can thereby be achieved.

In a development of the method, the ground vehicle is a traction vehicle for a railway train, and the spacing for the individual railway train trailers can be selected.

The ground vehicle can have a driver's console, and the method can be initiated as soon as the control device detects leaving the driver's console via a driver recognition sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Further advantages and details of the present invention are explained in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the schematic drawings. The drawings show a truck 1 next to a cargo carrier 2 having a plurality of pallets 3 and goods 4 located on each of these pallets. The truck is a forklift 5 with a long loading arm 6, on which a first pallet 7 and a second pallet 8 can be transported during pickup. The diagram shows the situation when the truck 1 is stopped. During this stop, the control unit, in accordance with the method, stops the truck at a longitudinal distance d relative to the center of the second pallet 8 relative to an operator 9. When the operator 9 receives the goods and turns the truck 1, he or she is at the desired distance from the first pallet 7, which serves as the storage location. A switch (not shown) allows selection between the distance d between the first pallet 7 and the matching distance between the second pallet 8.

Claims (7)

1. A method for controlling a ground transport vehicle (1) during pickup, the method wherein the ground transport vehicle (1) has at least one environmental sensor for detecting the relative position of an operator (9) in the environment of the ground transport vehicle (1), Its features are, The ground transport vehicle (1) is moved by the control device as the position of the operator (9) changes, wherein when the operator (9) stops, the ground transport vehicle stops at a freely selectable distance (d) set in advance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the distance being the distance between the reference point of the load receiving device of the ground transport vehicle (1) and the position of the operator (9). 2. The method according to claim 1, Its features are, The control device stops the ground transport vehicle (1) at a freely selectable, pre-set spacing in the lateral direction of the vehicle, the spacing being the distance between the reference point of the load receiving device of the ground transport vehicle (1) and the position of the operator (9). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The spacing (d) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or the spacing in the lateral direction of the vehicle are adjusted by the operator (9) via a sliding controller. 4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, It is possible to input a target channel with the maximum deviation of the stop position, in which no readjustment is performed after the ground transport vehicle (1) arrives at the target channel. 5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The ground transport vehicle (1) is capable of transporting two or more pallets (7, 8) in succession in the longitudinal direction on the load receiving device, and is capable of selecting the spacing for each pallet (7, 8), especially by means of a key switch. 6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The ground transport vehicle (1) is a traction vehicle for line trains and can select the spacing for trailers of each line train. 7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The ground transport vehicle (1) has a driver's cab, and the method is initiated whenever the control device detects that the driver has left the driver's cab via a driver identification sensor.