Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090095560 | SUSPENDED FLOORBOARD - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame; a set of wheels supported on the frame to allow the materials handling vehicle to move across a floor surface; a rider compartment located within the frame for receiving an operator; and an operator support assembly. The operator support assembly comprises a suspended floorboard upon which the operator may stand when located within the rider compartment and an energy absorbing structure coupled to the frame and the suspended floorboard for absorbing and dissipating at least a portion of energy resulting from disturbances encountered by the vehicle as it moves across the floor surface prior to the energy portion reaching the operator standing on the suspended floorboard, the energy absorbing structure including a damping element for effecting a dampening function. | 04-16-2009 |
20090194358 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE WITH A MODULE CAPABLE OF CHANGING A STEERABLE WHEEL TO CONTROL HANDLE POSITION RATIO - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame comprising an operator's compartment; wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel; a steer-by-wire system associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about a first axis; and a control apparatus. The steer-by-wire system comprises a control handle capable of being moved by an operator to generate a steer control signal, a selection switch capable of generating one of a first select signal and a second select signal, and a steer motor coupled to the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis. The control apparatus may be coupled to the control handle to receive the steer control signal, coupled to the selection switch to receive the one select signal, and coupled to the steer motor to generate a first drive signal to the steer motor to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis. The control apparatus may convert the steer control signal to a corresponding desired angular position for the steerable wheel using one of first and second steerable-wheel-to-control-handle-position ratios, wherein the one ratio is selected based on the one select signal. | 08-06-2009 |
20090194363 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE HAVING A STEER SYSTEM INCLUDING A TACTILE FEEDBACK DEVICE - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame comprising an operator's compartment; wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel; a steer-by-wire system and control apparatus. The steer-by-wire system is associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about a first axis. | 08-06-2009 |
20100145551 | APPARATUS FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE - A finger-mounted remote control device capable of wirelessly transmitting a travel request signal to a materials handling vehicle. The finger-mounted remote control device includes a rigid mounting structure adapted to be mounted over at least one finger of an operator's hand; a mounting strap coupled to said rigid mounting structure for securing said rigid mounting structure to the at least one finger; a wireless transmitter/power pack unit coupled to said rigid mounting structure; and control structure coupled to said mounting structure and comprising a switch adapted to be actuated by an operator's thumb so as to cause said wireless transmitter/power pack unit to generate a travel request signal to the materials handling vehicle. | 06-10-2010 |
20110046813 | STEER CORRECTION FOR A REMOTELY OPERATED MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE - A materials handling vehicle automatically applies a steer correction maneuver if an object is detected in a steer bumper zone in front of the vehicle. A controller detects whether an object is in front of the materials handling vehicle and automatically determines whether a steer correction maneuver should be to the right or left of the traveling direction of the materials handling vehicle. The materials handling vehicle automatically steer corrects the vehicle, e.g., at a determined steer angle that is opposite the direction to the detected position of the object, and accumulates the distance traveled by vehicle while steer correction is being performed. The vehicle then automatically counter steers the vehicle, e.g., by a determined steer amount, in the opposite direction as the steer correction for a percentage of accumulated steer distance traveled. After performing the counter steer maneuver, the vehicle may, for example, resume a substantially straight heading. | 02-24-2011 |
20110166721 | OBJECT TRACKING AND STEER MANEUVERS FOR MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES - A materials handling vehicle automatically implements steer maneuvers when objects enter one or more zones proximate the vehicle, wherein the zones are monitored by a controller associated with the vehicle. The controller tracks objects in the zones via sensor data obtained from at least one obstacle sensor located on the vehicle and via dead reckoning. The objects are tracked by the controller until they are no longer in an environment proximate the vehicle. Different zones result in different steer maneuvers being implemented by the controller. | 07-07-2011 |
20130197720 | WEARABLE WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE FOR USE WITH A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE - A supplemental control system for a materials handling vehicle includes a wearable wireless remote control device that is donned by an operator interacting with the materials handling vehicle and includes a docking area, a detachably mountable communications device, and a travel control. The communications device temporarily docks to the docking area during use of the supplemental remote control system to control movement of the materials handling vehicle and includes a wireless transmitter. The travel control is communicably coupled to the wireless transmitter, wherein actuation of the travel control causes the wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit a travel request as a first type signal requesting the materials handling vehicle to move across a floor surface in a first direction. | 08-01-2013 |
20130197760 | SENSOR CONFIGURATION FOR A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE - A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit, a load handling assembly, at least one first obstacle detector, and at least one second obstacle detector. The at least one first obstacle detector is mounted at a first location on the power unit to detect an object located along a path of travel of the power unit beyond a non-detect zone of the at least one first obstacle detector. The at least one second obstacle detector is mounted at a second location on the power unit, spaced from the first location in a first direction, and is capable of detecting an object in the non-detect zone of the at least one first obstacle detector. | 08-01-2013 |
20140195121 | STEER MANEUVERS FOR MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES - A materials handling vehicle implements a steer maneuver to hug an object. A controller on the vehicle receives sensor data from at least one sensing device and detects that a selected object is in an environment proximate the vehicle using the received sensor data. The controller performs a steer maneuver by causing the vehicle to steer such that the vehicle is substantially maintained at a desired distance from the selected object as the vehicle travels on a desired heading. | 07-10-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090194357 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE HAVING A STEER SYSTEM INCLUDING A TACTILE FEEDBACK DEVICE - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising a frame comprising an operator's compartment, wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel, and a steer-by-wire system associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel. The vehicle further comprises a control apparatus. | 08-06-2009 |
20090198416 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE HAVING A CONTROL APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ACCELERATION VALUE - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame; wheels supported on the frame; a traction motor coupled to one of the wheels to effect rotation of the one wheel; a speed control element operable by an operator to define a speed control signal corresponding to a desired speed of the traction motor; a system associated with a steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel; and control apparatus coupled to the speed control element to receive the speed control signal, and coupled to the traction motor to generate a drive signal to the traction motor in response to the speed control signal to control the operation of the traction motor. The control apparatus may determine an acceleration value for the traction motor based on at least one of an angular position of the steerable wheel, a speed of the traction motor and a current position of the speed control element as defined by the speed control signal. | 08-06-2009 |
20130184960 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE HAVING A CONTROL APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ACCELERATION VALUE - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame; wheels supported on the frame; a traction motor coupled to one of the wheels to effect rotation of the one wheel; a speed control element operable by an operator to define a speed control signal corresponding to a desired speed of the traction motor; a system associated with a steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel; and control apparatus coupled to the speed control element to receive the speed control signal, and coupled to the traction motor to generate a drive signal to the traction motor in response to the speed control signal to control the operation of the traction motor. The control apparatus may determine an acceleration value for the traction motor based on at least one of an angular position of the steerable wheel, a speed of the traction motor and a current position of the speed control element as defined by the speed control signal. | 07-18-2013 |
20140209406 | MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE HAVING A CONTROL APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ACCELERATION VALUE - A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame; wheels supported on the frame; a traction motor coupled to one of the wheels to effect rotation of the one wheel; a speed control element operable by an operator to define a speed control signal corresponding to a desired speed of the traction motor; a system associated with a steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel; and control apparatus coupled to the speed control element to receive the speed control signal, and coupled to the traction motor to generate a drive signal to the traction motor in response to the speed control signal to control the operation of the traction motor. The control apparatus may determine an acceleration value for the traction motor based on at least one of an angular position of the steerable wheel, a speed of the traction motor and a current position of the speed control element as defined by the speed control signal. | 07-31-2014 |