A lane mode control system of a forklift truck and a narrow-lane forklift truck

Abstract

This invention provides a forklift aisle mode control system and a narrow aisle forklift, including an aisle rack, an aisle, a forklift, a QR code image, a QR code scanner, a controller, guide rails, and guide wheel assemblies. This invention uses a QR code scanner to read the QR code and obtain signals to determine whether to enter aisle mode, and the controller issues corresponding commands. This control method is simple to implement, economical, and the QR code is easy to affix, replace, and adjust. The guide wheel assembly structure with adjustable height is highly adaptable and can accommodate guide rails of different heights.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of forklift technology, specifically to a lane mode control system for forklifts and a narrow lane forklift. Background Technology

[0002] Forklifts are industrial handling vehicles, referring to various wheeled handling vehicles used for loading, unloading, stacking, and short-distance transportation of palletized goods. With the development of industrialization and intelligentization, more and more companies tend to use forklifts with automatic navigation functions to replace manual labor for handling goods. Using automatic navigation forklifts can reduce labor costs and eliminate human error, while also ensuring continuous and efficient operation and improving factory output. In the current field of narrow aisle forklifts, magnetic navigation mode is becoming increasingly common. The aisle mode of a forklift refers to the forklift entering the aisle in a narrow aisle, with the drive wheels returning to the center position and holding it there. At this time, the steering wheel is locked, and the vehicle can only move forward or backward in a straight line.

[0003] In existing technologies, the conventional approach to achieve automatic switching of aisle modes is to install a card reader on the forklift chassis and drill holes in the aisle floor to install a card with parameters. When the card reader reads the card, it sends a command to the vehicle to switch to aisle mode. The existing automatic aisle mode switching solution using card readers and cards is costly, and the cards need to be installed by drilling holes in the ground, which is difficult to install and causes some damage to the warehouse floor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a lane mode control system for forklifts and a narrow lane forklift to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A lane pattern control system for a forklift, comprising:

[0007] A QR code image is posted on the inside of the entrance to the aisle shelf to provide directional information for the aisle.

[0008] A QR code scanner, which is fixed inside the forklift, is used to read the QR code information of the QR code image and send it to the controller;

[0009] The controller is electrically connected to the QR code scanner and the forklift control system. It is used to receive QR code information sent by the QR code scanner and, after receiving the QR code information, send a control command to the forklift control system to switch it to aisle mode.

[0010] Guide rails, two of which are relatively parallel, are set on the ground at the bottom of the tunnel;

[0011] Guide wheel assemblies, which are height-adjustable and mounted on both sides of the bottom of the forklift, abut against the inside of the guide rail.

[0012] Preferably, QR code images are affixed to the inner sides of both the entrance and exit of the aisle rack. The QR code image on the inner side of the entrance indicates entry into the aisle, and the QR code image on the inner side of the exit indicates exit from the aisle. After receiving the entry information, the controller controls the forklift control system to switch to aisle mode, and after receiving the exit information, it controls the forklift control system to de-enter aisle mode.

[0013] Preferably, the QR code image inside the entrance of the aisle rack includes aisle length information. The controller and the distance sensor are electrically connected. The controller calculates the length of the forklift entering the aisle mode based on the distance sensor. When the length of the forklift entering the aisle mode reaches the aisle length indicated by the QR code image, the controller controls the forklift control system to deactivate the aisle mode.

[0014] Preferably, the guide wheel assembly consists of a connecting frame, a connecting rod, a bearing, a guide wheel, and a locking screw. The connecting frame is horizontally fixed to the side of the forklift. The connecting frame is provided with a longitudinal mounting hole and a locking groove. The mounting hole communicates with the outside through the locking groove. The upper end of the connecting rod is installed in the mounting hole, and the lower end is fixed with a bearing. The locking screw passes through the locking groove to fix the connecting rod in the mounting hole. The guide wheel is sleeved on the bearing.

[0015] Preferably, the height of the guide rail is 40mm-100mm.

[0016] The present invention also provides a narrow aisle forklift, the narrow aisle forklift including a forklift body and an aisle mode control system, the aisle mode control system being installed on the forklift body, the aisle mode control system being the aisle mode control system of the forklift as described in any one of claims 1-5.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] This invention uses a QR code scanner to read the QR code and obtain the signal to determine whether to enter the tunnel mode, and the controller issues corresponding instructions. This control method is simple to implement, economical, and the QR code is easy to affix, replace, and adjust. The guide wheel assembly structure with adjustable height is highly adaptable and can adapt to guide rails of different heights. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the guide wheel assembly in this invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the guide wheel assembly in this invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the position and structure of the guide rail and guide wheel assembly in this invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Aisle rack, 11. Aisle, 2. Forklift, 3. QR code image, 4. QR code scanner, 5. Controller, 6. Guide rail, 7. Guide wheel assembly, 701. Connecting frame, 702. Connecting rod, 703. Bearing, 704. Guide wheel, 705. Locking screw, 71. Mounting hole, 72. Locking groove, 8. Distance sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Example 1:

[0026] Please see Figures 1 to 4 The present invention provides a technical solution:

[0027] A forklift aisle mode control system includes an aisle rack 1, an aisle 11, a forklift 2, a QR code image 3, a QR code scanner 4, a controller 5, a guide rail 6, and a guide wheel assembly 7, wherein:

[0028] Lane 11 refers to the space between two lane shelves 1. In this embodiment, the QR code image 3 is used to provide directional information for lane 11. QR code images 3 are affixed to the inner side of the entrance and the inner side of the exit of the lane shelf 1. The QR code information on the inner side of the entrance of the lane shelf 1 indicates entering the lane, and the QR code information on the inner side of the exit indicates leaving the lane.

[0029] The QR code scanner 4 is fixed inside the forklift 2 and is used to read the QR code information of the QR code image 3 and send it to the controller 5. The controller 5 is installed on the forklift and is electrically connected to the QR code scanner 4 and the forklift control system. The controller 5 is used to receive the QR code information sent by the QR code scanner 4 and, after receiving the QR code information, send control commands to the forklift control system to control the movement of the forklift 2.

[0030] Since the aisle racks 1 on both sides of aisle 11 have QR codes for entering and leaving the aisle, the controller 5 controls the forklift control system to switch to aisle mode after receiving the aisle entry information, and controls the forklift control system to de-aisle mode after receiving the aisle exit information.

[0031] Controller 5 controls the steering of the forklift through the forklift control system, which is a known and publicly available technology. Controller 5 is an on-board controller based on an STM32 chip, with embedded existing control algorithms. The forklift control system includes a driver, a steering motor, a drive gear, and a driven gear. The driver and steering motor are electrically connected. The steering motor is a DC servo motor. The driver is a DC servo driver used to drive the steering motor. A drive gear is fixed on the rotating shaft of the steering motor. The driven gear is mounted on the steering shaft of the forklift 2. The drive gear and driven gear are meshed. The driver and controller 5 are electrically connected. After the controller sends a control signal to the driver, the driver drives the steering motor to rotate, which in turn drives the drive gear to rotate. When the drive gear rotates, it drives the driven gear to rotate, thus rotating the steering shaft and controlling the direction of the vehicle. The so-called aisle mode means that the forklift control system controls the direction of the forklift 2 to be fixed, and the forklift 2 can only move forward and backward along the direction of aisle 11.

[0032] Two parallel guide rails 6 are provided on the ground at the bottom of the aisle 11. When the forklift 2 moves, it moves between the two guide rails 6. The guide wheel assembly 7 is installed on both sides of the bottom of the forklift 2. The guide wheel assembly 7 abuts against the inside of the guide rail 6 and can rotate. When the forklift 2 moves, it rotates along the guide rail 6. While not hindering the movement of the forklift 2, it guides and limits the movement direction of the forklift 2 and prevents the forklift 2 from deviating when moving in the aisle 11.

[0033] The guide wheel assembly 7 consists of a connecting frame 701, a connecting rod 702, a bearing 703, a guide wheel 704, and a locking screw 705. The connecting frame 701 is horizontally fixed to the side of the forklift 2. The connecting frame 701 is provided with a longitudinal mounting hole 71 and a locking groove 72. The mounting hole 71 communicates with the outside through the locking groove 72. The upper end of the connecting rod 702 is installed in the mounting hole 71, and the lower end is fixed with a bearing 703. The locking screw 705 passes through the locking groove 72 to fix the connecting rod 702 in the mounting hole. The rod 705 and the connecting bracket 701 are connected by threads. When the locking screw 705 is tightened, the gap in the locking groove 72 becomes smaller, which can lock the connecting rod 702 into the mounting hole 71. When the locking screw 705 is loosened, the gap in the locking groove 72 becomes larger, and the connecting rod 702 can move freely up and down in the mounting hole 71, thereby adjusting the height of the guide wheel 704 off the ground, so that it can adapt to guide rails of different heights and has strong adaptability. The guide wheel 704 is sleeved on the bearing 703, and the guide wheel 704 can rotate around the bearing 703.

[0034] The height of the guide rail 6 is 40mm-100mm. In this embodiment, a low-height guide rail 6 with a height of 40mm is preferred. This results in lower raw material costs for the guide rail 6 and higher utilization for the aisle rack 1. This is because the commonly used pallet fork hole height is 120mm and the fork cross-section height is 40mm. With a low-height guide rail 6, the goods on the first layer of the rack can be placed directly on the ground. The height difference between the fork hole and the low-height guide rail 6 is 80mm, which is sufficient for the forks to pick up the pallet. However, if a 100mm high guide rail 6 is used, it is necessary to add a beam at the bottom of the rack, which reduces the rack utilization and increases the manufacturing cost of the beam.

[0035] Example 2:

[0036] The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that in this example, a QR code image 3 is only set inside the entrance of the aisle rack 1. The QR code image 3 includes information such as the instruction information for entering the aisle and the aisle length information. A distance sensor 8 is set on the forklift 2. The distance sensor 8 is an IMU motion sensor of model IAM-20680. The controller 5 and the distance sensor 8 are electrically connected.

[0037] Similar to Example 1, after the QR code scanner 4 scans the QR code image 3 set inside the entrance of the aisle rack 1, it sends the aisle entry instruction information and aisle length information represented by the QR code to the controller 5. Upon receiving the aisle entry instruction information, the controller sends a control command to the forklift control system to control the forklift 2 to enter the aisle mode.

[0038] At the same time, the controller 5 activates the distance sensor 8 to calculate the length of the forklift 2 entering the aisle mode. When the length of the forklift entering the aisle mode reaches the aisle length indicated by the QR code image, the controller 5 controls the forklift control system to deactivate the aisle mode.

[0039] The present invention also provides a narrow aisle forklift, the narrow aisle forklift including a forklift body and an aisle mode control system, the aisle mode control system being installed on the forklift body, the aisle mode control system being the aisle mode control system of the forklift as described in any one of claims 1-5.

[0040] The working principle of this invention is as follows: After the forklift 2 enters the aisle 11, the QR code scanner 4 on the side of the forklift 2 scans the QR code image 3 on the inside of the aisle rack 1 at the entrance of the aisle 11 and sends the scanned QR code information to the controller 5. The controller 5 sends a control command to the forklift control system to control the forklift 2 to enter the aisle mode.

[0041] When leaving aisle 11, controller 5 determines that it has left aisle 11 by using the information on the QR code image 3 on the inside of aisle rack 1 at the exit of aisle 11 or the information measured by distance sensor 8. Controller 5 then sends a control command to the forklift control system to control forklift 2 to deactivate aisle mode.

[0042] When it is necessary to adjust the height of the guide wheel assembly 7, the locking screw 705 is loosened, the gap of the locking groove 72 is enlarged, and the connecting rod 702 is allowed to move freely up and down in the mounting hole 71 to adjust the height of the guide wheel 704 off the ground, thereby adapting it to guide rails of different heights.

[0043] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lane mode control system for a forklift, characterized in that, include: A QR code image is posted on the inside of the entrance to the aisle shelf to provide directional information for the aisle. A QR code scanner, which is fixed inside the forklift, is used to read the QR code information of the QR code image and send it to the controller; The controller is electrically connected to the QR code scanner and the forklift control system. It is used to receive QR code information sent by the QR code scanner and, after receiving the QR code information, send a control command to the forklift control system to switch it to aisle mode. Guide rails, two of which are relatively parallel, are set on the ground at the bottom of the tunnel; Guide wheel assemblies, which are height-adjustable and mounted on both sides of the bottom of the forklift, abutting against the inside of the guide rail; QR code images are affixed to the inside of the entrance and the inside of the exit of the aisle rack. The QR code image inside the entrance of the aisle rack indicates entry into the aisle, and the QR code image inside the exit indicates exit from the aisle. After receiving the entry into the aisle information, the controller controls the forklift control system to switch to aisle mode. After receiving the exit from the aisle information, the controller controls the forklift control system to de-aisle mode. The QR code image inside the entrance of the aisle rack includes aisle length information. The controller is electrically connected to the sensor. The controller calculates the length of the forklift entering the aisle mode based on the distance sensor. When the length of the forklift entering the aisle mode reaches the aisle length indicated by the QR code image, the controller controls the forklift control system to deactivate the aisle mode.

2. The lane mode control system for a forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide wheel assembly consists of a connecting frame, a connecting rod, a bearing, a guide wheel, and a locking screw. The connecting frame is horizontally fixed to the side of the forklift. The connecting frame is provided with a longitudinal mounting hole and a locking groove. The mounting hole communicates with the outside through the locking groove. The upper end of the connecting rod is installed in the mounting hole, and the lower end is fixed with a bearing. The locking screw passes through the locking groove to fix the connecting rod in the mounting hole. The guide wheel is sleeved on the bearing.

3. The lane mode control system for a forklift according to claim 2, characterized in that: The height of the guide rail is 40mm-100mm.

4. A narrow aisle forklift, characterized in that: The narrow aisle forklift includes a forklift body and an aisle mode control system. The aisle mode control system is installed on the forklift body, and the aisle mode control system adopts the aisle mode control system of the forklift as described in any one of claims 1-3.

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