Defogging device of unmanned forklift laser navigation head and control method

Abstract

The invention provides an unmanned forklift laser navigation head demisting device and a control method, the unmanned forklift laser navigation head demisting device comprises a heating device and a laser navigation head, the unmanned forklift laser navigation head demisting device further comprises an air guide mechanism, the air guide mechanism comprises an upper cover, a lower cover and an air storage cavity, the upper cover and the lower cover are connected, the air storage cavity is arranged between the upper cover and the lower cover, and an annular air outlet is formed in the position, right facing the laser navigation head, of the air storage cavity; and an air inlet of the air storage cavity is connected with a hot air outlet of the heating device. According to the air guide mechanism, the air storage cavity is formed in the air guide mechanism, hot air is gathered in the air storage cavity, and hot air diffusion is avoided; in addition, the two side walls of the air outlet of the air guide mechanism are obliquely arranged, so that the air outlet direction of the air outlet faces the laser navigation head in the center and is converged, and the demisting effect is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned forklifts, and in particular to a demisting device and a control method for a laser navigation head of an unmanned forklift. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the logistics industry and the accelerated advancement of intelligent transformation, unmanned forklifts, as core equipment for intelligent warehousing, are gradually becoming an indispensable part of the modern logistics system. Currently, they are mainly used in scenarios where manual labor is not suitable, such as dangerous, polluted, and high- and low-temperature storage.

[0003] Unmanned forklifts, also known as automated guided forklifts, are autonomous intelligent handling equipment that uses technologies such as laser navigation, visual recognition, or magnetic stripe guidance to achieve autonomous positioning, path planning, and obstacle avoidance, completing cargo handling tasks without human intervention.

[0004] Unmanned forklifts operating in cold storage primarily use laser navigation technology for autonomous operation. Because laser navigation systems are significantly affected by ambient temperature, when unmanned forklifts are leaving the warehouse, the large temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cold storage causes moisture in the air to liquefy on the outer glass of the laser navigation head, forming fog and water droplets that adhere to the surface. This affects the laser navigation head's ability to determine received and transmitted position information, leading to the risk of navigation errors or obstacle avoidance failures. Consequently, the unmanned forklifts are forced to wait at the cold storage entrance until the laser navigation system recovers before continuing operations, severely impacting operational efficiency.

[0005] Currently, the laser navigation head's outer glass is demisted by adding anti-fog coatings and heating devices. A common and cost-effective method is hot air demisting, which uses a fan to blow hot air generated by a PTC heater toward the laser navigation head's outer glass to achieve the demisting effect. However, due to the high diffusivity and low temperature of hot air in cold storage environments, the demisting effect on the laser navigation head's outer glass surface is poor, which still affects the safety of unmanned forklift operations. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a defogging device and control method for an unmanned forklift laser navigation head, thereby improving the defogging effect on the outer glass surface of the laser navigation head without affecting the driving and operating safety of the unmanned forklift.

[0007] The specific technical solutions are as follows: A demisting device for an unmanned forklift laser navigation head includes a heating device and a laser navigation head, and also includes an air guide mechanism. The air guide mechanism includes a connected upper cover and a lower cover, and an air storage chamber arranged between the upper cover and the lower cover. The air storage chamber is provided with an annular air outlet facing the laser navigation head; the air inlet of the air storage chamber is connected to the hot air outlet of the heating device.

[0008] In a further solution, the upper cover includes an upper cover cap and an upper cover bottom connected together, the upper cover cap is a hemispherical structure, the bottom edge of the upper cover cap is connected to the upper cover bottom to form an air storage cavity, and a through hole is coaxially opened at the center of the upper cover cap and the upper cover bottom.

[0009] In a further solution, an air guide port communicating with the air storage cavity is provided on the bottom of the upper cover, and a mounting hole is provided on the outer side of the bottom of the upper cover.

[0010] According to a further solution, the lower cover includes a lower cover bottom, and a through lower cover tube is installed at the center of the lower cover bottom; the top end of the lower cover tube passes through the upper cover and forms a ring-shaped air outlet with the top edge of the upper cover; an air duct connected to the air inlet on the air storage chamber is installed on the lower cover bottom.

[0011] In a further solution, both side walls of the air outlet are inclined, wherein the outer wall of the air outlet is the upper cover, and the angle between it and the horizontal line is a; the inner wall of the air outlet is the lower cover tube, and the angle between it and the horizontal line is b, and a<b.

[0012] Preferably, a mounting cavity for accommodating the laser navigation head is formed in the middle of the air outlet, and the laser navigation head is fixed in the mounting cavity by a support frame.

[0013] In a further solution, the air guide mechanism is installed on the vehicle mounting plate on the forklift through an adjustment mechanism; the adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment bracket, one end of the adjustment bracket is fixed on the vehicle mounting plate, and the other end passes through the air guide mechanism and is threadedly fixed with a locking member.

[0014] In a further solution, the heating device includes a fan and a PTC heater, one port of the PTC heater is connected to the air outlet of the fan, and the other port is connected to the air inlet of the air storage chamber through an air duct.

[0015] A second object of the present invention is to provide a control method for a demisting device of a laser navigation head of an unmanned forklift, comprising a fan mounted on the forklift, a PTC heater, an air guide mechanism, and a laser navigation head, wherein the air guide mechanism includes an air storage chamber disposed between an upper cover and a lower cover, the air storage chamber having an annular air outlet directly opposite the laser navigation head; the air inlet of the air storage chamber is connected to the hot air outlet of the PTC heater; The control method includes the following steps: S1: When the unmanned forklift leaves the warehouse, when it is detected that the unmanned forklift has reached the internal station P11 of the low-temperature warehouse door, the relay connected to the power supply end of the fan and PTC heater is energized; the fan and PTC heater start working; S2. The fan transfers the hot air heated by the PTC heater into the air guide mechanism. The hot air gathers in the air storage cavity and then blows the hot air to the laser navigation head through the annular air outlet. S3: The unmanned forklift drives to the cold storage door and opens it. The unmanned forklift then drives to station P12 outside the cold storage door and closes it. S4. After the unmanned forklift continues to travel for t1 time, the relay opens the contacts, the fan and PTC heater are powered off and stopped, and no hot air is blown out of the air guide mechanism.

[0016] The air guide mechanism of the present invention forms an air storage cavity therein, which gathers hot air in the air storage cavity and avoids the hot air from spreading.

[0017] The air outlet of the air guide mechanism in the present invention is configured as an annular structure with a relatively small opening, so that the hot air has a certain pressure. When the laser navigation head is placed in the mounting cavity located at the center of the air outlet, the high-pressure hot air discharged through the air outlet contacts the outer periphery of the laser navigation head in all directions.

[0018] The two side walls of the air outlet in the air guide mechanism of the present invention are both inclined, wherein the angle between the outer wall and the horizontal line is a, the angle between the inner wall and the horizontal line is b, and a<b, so that the air outlet direction of the air outlet is converged toward the laser navigation head at the center, thereby improving the demisting effect.

[0019] The installation height of the air guide mechanism in this application can be adjusted along with the height of the laser navigation head, and has universal applicability and adjustability.

[0020] Therefore, the air guide mechanism provided in the present invention avoids the problem of ambient temperature difference causing moisture in the air to liquefy on the outer cover glass of the laser navigation head, forming fog and water droplets adhering to its surface, affecting the operation of the laser navigation head, thereby improving the safety of forklift operation.

[0021] The control method of the present invention controls the operation or shutdown of the fan and PTC heater by turning on and off the relay, realizing the joint operation of the station in place, the opening and closing of the defogger, and the opening and closing of the warehouse door, thereby enabling the unmanned vehicle to smoothly enter and exit the warehouse without stopping, and enhancing the smoothness of the unmanned vehicle's outbound operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the air guide mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3A bottom view of the air guide mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the air guide mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper cover of the present invention; Figure 6 A bottom view of the upper cover of the present invention; Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the lower cover in the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the present invention on a forklift; In the figure: 10 vehicle mounting plate, 20 fan, 21 PTC heater, 22 air duct, 30 laser navigation head, 40 air guide mechanism, 41 adjustment bracket, 42 locking piece, 43 upper cover, 431 upper cover cap, 432 upper cover bottom, 433 mounting hole, 434 air guide port, 435 air storage cavity, 44 lower cover, 441 lower cover bottom, 442 lower cover cylinder, 45 air guide port, 46 mounting cavity, 47 air outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Example 1: See also Figure 1-8 This embodiment provides a defogger device for an unmanned forklift laser navigation head, including a heating device and a laser navigation head 30, and also includes an air guide mechanism 40. The air guide mechanism 40 includes a connected upper cover 43 and a lower cover 44, and an air storage chamber 435 arranged between the upper cover 43 and the lower cover 44. The air storage chamber 435 is provided with an annular air outlet 47 facing the laser navigation head 30; the air inlet of the air storage chamber 435 is connected to the hot air outlet of the heating device.

[0025] The hot air generated by the heating device is introduced into the air guide mechanism, where it is collected in the air storage chamber 435 and then blown in all directions around the periphery of the laser navigation head through the annular air outlet 47. This prevents the hot air from spreading and, in turn, prevents moisture in the air from liquefying on the laser navigation head's cover glass due to ambient temperature differences, forming fog and water droplets that adhere to the surface and affect the laser navigation head's operation, thereby improving forklift operation safety.

[0026] like Figure 5 、 6As shown, the upper cover 43 includes an upper cover cap 431 and an upper cover bottom 432 connected together. The upper cover cap 431 is a hemispherical structure. The bottom edge of the upper cover cap is connected to the upper cover bottom 432 to form an air storage chamber 435. A through hole is coaxially opened at the center of the upper cover cap 431 and the upper cover bottom 432.

[0027] The upper cover bottom 432 is provided with an air guide port 434 connected to the air storage cavity 435 , and the other end of the air guide port 434 is connected to the hot air outlet of the heating device to pass the hot air into the air storage cavity; a mounting hole 433 is provided on the outer side of the upper cover bottom 432 .

[0028] In this embodiment, the upper cap 431 is a hemispherical structure, and the upper cover bottom 432 is a circular flat bottom plate, wherein the bottom edge of the upper cap is sealed and fixedly connected to the middle of the upper cover bottom 432, so that a cavity is formed inside after the two are connected (such as Figure 5 The air guide 434 is located on the inner side and communicates with the air storage cavity 435. The mounting hole 433 is located on the connecting platform outside the upper cover bottom 432 for mounting the adjustment bracket 41.

[0029] like Figure 7 As shown, the lower cover 44 includes a lower cover bottom 441, and a through lower cover tube 442 is installed at the center of the lower cover bottom 441; the top end of the lower cover tube 442 passes through the upper cover 43 and forms a ring-shaped air outlet 47 with the top edge of the upper cover 43; the lower cover bottom 441 is provided with an air duct 45 connected to the air inlet of the air storage cavity 435. The air duct 45 is connected to the hot air outlet of the PTC heater 21 through the air duct 22, so as to introduce the hot air into the air storage cavity 435. That is, the lower cover bottom 441 is sealed and bonded to the upper cover bottom 432, wherein the outlet of the air duct 45 is coaxially arranged with the air duct 434 and is in communication with each other; the air storage cavity 435 (as shown in FIG. 4 ) is enclosed by the upper cover bottom 432, the upper cover cap 431 and the lower cover tube 442. Figure 3 、 4 As shown in FIG, the top ends of the upper cover cap 431 and the lower cover tube 442 form an air outlet 47 for discharging hot air. The air outlet 47 is annular and has a small opening.

[0030] Specifically, both side walls of the air outlet 47 are inclined, wherein the outer wall of the air outlet 47 is the upper cover cap 431 of the upper cover 43, and the angle between it and the horizontal line is a; the inner wall of the air outlet 47 is the lower cover tube 442, and the angle between it and the horizontal line is b, and a<b, so that the air outlet direction of the air outlet is toward the laser navigation head at the center and converges, thereby improving the defogger effect.

[0031] In this embodiment, the middle of the air outlet 47 forms a mounting cavity 46 for accommodating the laser navigation head 30. The laser navigation head 30 is fixed in the mounting cavity 46 by a support frame (eg, Figure 1 、 2Specifically, the support frame can be mounted on the inner wall of the lower cover tube 442 , thereby fixing the laser navigation head 30 in the mounting cavity 46 .

[0032] In this embodiment, a vehicle mounting plate 10 (such as Figure 8 As shown), the heating device and the air guide mechanism 40 are both installed on the vehicle mounting plate 10. The air guide mechanism 40 is installed on the vehicle mounting plate 10 on the forklift through an adjustment mechanism. The height of the air guide mechanism 40 can be adjusted according to actual conditions, so that the detection of the laser navigation head 30 is more accurate and has a wider range. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment bracket 41. One end of the adjustment bracket 41 is fixed to the vehicle mounting plate 10, and the other end passes through the air guide mechanism 40 and is threadedly fixed with a locking member 42. Specifically, the locking member 42 is a locking nut, and the top of the adjustment bracket 41 is provided with an external thread that matches the locking nut. That is, locking nuts are used at both ends of the mounting hole 433 of the air guide mechanism 40 to be threadedly connected to the adjustment bracket 41. The locking directions of the two locking nuts are opposite, so that the air guide mechanism 40 is fixed to the adjustment bracket 41. The height of the air guide mechanism 40 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the locking nut.

[0033] In this embodiment, the heating device includes a fan 20 and a PTC heater 21. One port of the PTC heater 21 is connected to the fan's air outlet, and the other port is connected to the air inlet of the air storage chamber 435 via an air duct 22. When the PTC heater 21 is operating, the fan 20 directs hot air into the air storage chamber 435, where it is gathered and then blown out through the air outlet 47.

[0034] When the fan and PTC heater are operating, hot air is directed through the air duct 22 into the air guide duct 45, and then into the air storage chamber 435. The hot air then gathers in the air storage chamber 435, preventing it from spreading. Finally, it is discharged toward the center through the annular air outlet 47. Because the air outlet is a narrow annular opening, the hot air has a certain air pressure. The laser navigation head 30 is located in the installation cavity 46 at the center of the air outlet, so its periphery can receive high-pressure hot air in all directions. This prevents moisture in the air from liquefying on the outer glass of the laser navigation head due to ambient temperature differences, forming fog and water droplets adhering to its surface, affecting the operation of the laser navigation head, thereby improving the safety of forklift operations.

[0035] Example 2: This embodiment provides a control method for a demisting device of a laser navigation head of an unmanned forklift, comprising a fan 20, a PTC heater 21, an air guide mechanism 40, and a laser navigation head 30 mounted on the forklift. The air guide mechanism 40 includes an air storage chamber 435 disposed between an upper cover 43 and a lower cover 44. The air storage chamber 435 has an annular air outlet 47 disposed directly opposite the laser navigation head 30. The air inlet of the air storage chamber 435 is connected to the hot air outlet of the PTC heater. The control method includes the following steps: S1: When the unmanned forklift leaves the warehouse, when it is detected that the unmanned forklift has reached the internal station P11 of the low-temperature warehouse door, the relay connected to the power supply end of the fan and PTC heater is energized; the fan 20 and PTC heater 21 start working; S2. The fan transfers the hot air heated by the PTC heater into the air guide mechanism. The hot air gathers in the air storage chamber 435 and then blows the hot air to the laser navigation head through the annular air outlet 47. S3: The unmanned forklift drives to the cold storage door and opens it. The unmanned forklift then drives to station P12 outside the cold storage door and closes it. S4. After the unmanned forklift continues to travel for t1 time, the relay opens the contacts, the fan 20 and the PTC heater 21 are powered off and stopped, and the air guide mechanism no longer blows out hot air.

[0036] Specifically, the motor of the fan 20 and the PTC heating wire in the PTC heater 21 are connected in series to the contact end of the relay, and the coil of the relay is electrically connected to the controller on the unmanned forklift. When the controller receives the forklift's driving position detected by the laser navigation system, when it arrives at the station P11, the relay coil is controlled to be energized, its contacts are connected, and the fan 20 and PTC heater 21 are powered on and work.

[0037] In this embodiment, stations P11 and P12 are located inside and outside the cold storage door. Their distance from the door can be determined based on the speed, length, and turning radius of the unmanned forklifts at the site. For example, a distance of 3 meters is designed to prevent fogging on the outer glass of the laser navigation head when the unmanned forklift exits the cold storage door. In this embodiment, t1 can be set to 2 seconds.

[0038] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply the existence of any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the element.

[0039] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A demisting device for a laser navigation head of an unmanned forklift, comprising a heating device and a laser navigation head (30), characterized in that: The invention also includes an air guide mechanism (40), wherein the air guide mechanism (40) includes an upper cover (43) and a lower cover (44) connected to each other, and an air storage chamber (435) provided between the upper cover (43) and the lower cover (44), wherein the air storage chamber (435) is provided with an annular air outlet (47) facing the laser navigation head (30); and the air inlet of the air storage chamber (435) is connected to the hot air outlet of the heating device.

2. The demisting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper cover (43) comprises an upper cover cap (431) and an upper cover bottom (432) connected together. The upper cover cap (431) is a hemispherical structure. The bottom edge of the upper cover cap is connected to the upper cover bottom (432) to form an air storage cavity (435). A through hole is coaxially opened at the center of the upper cover cap (431) and the upper cover bottom (432).

3. The demisting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: An air guide port (434) communicating with the air storage cavity (435) is provided on the upper cover bottom (432), and a mounting hole (433) is provided on the outer side of the upper cover bottom (432).

4. The demisting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower cover (44) includes a lower cover bottom (441), and a through lower cover cylinder (442) is installed at the center of the lower cover bottom (441); the top end of the lower cover cylinder (442) passes through the upper cover (43) and forms a ring-shaped air outlet (47) with the top edge of the upper cover (43); and an air guide pipe (45) is installed on the lower cover bottom (441) and is connected to the air inlet of the air storage cavity (435).

5. The demisting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both side walls of the air outlet (47) are inclined, wherein the outer side wall of the air outlet (47) is the upper cover (43), and the angle between the upper side wall and the horizontal line is a; the inner side wall of the air outlet (47) is the lower cover tube (442), and the angle between the lower side wall and the horizontal line is b, and a<b.

6. The demisting device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A mounting cavity (46) for accommodating the laser navigation head (30) is formed in the middle of the air outlet (47), and the laser navigation head (30) is fixed in the mounting cavity (46) via a support frame.

7. The demisting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air guide mechanism (40) is mounted on a vehicle mounting plate (10) on a forklift through an adjustment mechanism; the adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment bracket (41), one end of the adjustment bracket (41) is fixed to the vehicle mounting plate (10), and the other end passes through the air guide mechanism (40) and is screwed and fixed with a locking member (42).

8. The demisting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating device comprises a fan (20) and a PTC heater (21); one port of the PTC heater (21) is connected to the air outlet of the fan, and the other port is connected to the air inlet of the air storage chamber (435) via an air duct (22).

9. A control method for a demisting device of a laser navigation head of an unmanned forklift, comprising a fan (20), a PTC heater (21), an air guide mechanism (40), and a laser navigation head (30) installed on the forklift, characterized in that: The air guide mechanism (40) includes an air storage chamber (435) provided between an upper cover (43) and a lower cover (44), and an annular air outlet (47) is provided in the air storage chamber (435) facing the laser navigation head (30); the air inlet of the air storage chamber (435) is connected to the hot air outlet of the PTC heater; The control method includes the following steps: S1, when the unmanned forklift leaves the warehouse, when it is detected that the unmanned forklift has reached the internal station P11 of the low-temperature warehouse door, the relay connected to the power supply end of the fan and the PTC heater is energized; the fan (20) and the PTC heater (21) start working; S2, the fan transmits the hot air heated by the PTC heater into the air guide mechanism, the hot air is gathered in the air storage cavity (435), and then blows the hot air to the laser navigation head through the annular air outlet (47); S3: The unmanned forklift drives to the cold storage door and opens it. The unmanned forklift then drives to station P12 outside the cold storage door and closes it. S4. After the unmanned forklift continues to travel for t1 time, the relay disconnects the contacts, the fan (20) and the PTC heater (21) are powered off and stopped, and the air guide mechanism no longer blows out hot air.

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