Narrow-lane industrial truck, narrow-lane shelf system and method for operating such narrow-lane industrial truck
By designing switchable collision protection zones in narrow aisle industrial trucks, the problems of grouping area expansion and driver manual intervention in narrow aisle racking systems are solved, achieving more efficient and safer operation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-24
AI Technical Summary
In narrow aisle racking systems, existing collision protection systems for narrow aisle industrial trucks lead to increased marshalling area and driver manual intervention, impacting efficiency and safety.
Design a narrow-aisle industrial truck whose collision protection system can switch to a shorter secondary collision protection zone for movement within narrow aisles, and switch to a wider secondary collision protection zone when exiting narrow aisles to reduce free clearance and ensure safety.
By shortening the length of the collision protection zone, the free distance between the rack rows and obstacles is reduced, avoiding the expansion of the grouping area and manual intervention by the driver, thus improving operational efficiency and safety.
Smart Images
Figure CN121716634A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a narrow-aisle industrial truck comprising a vehicle body having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, wherein a plurality of wheels are assigned to the vehicle body and in a top view of the industrial truck an outline of the industrial truck is formed by the vehicle body and possibly the wheels, a front structure which is arranged longitudinally in front of the vehicle body, and a collision protection system having at least one detection unit which is designed to establish a first collision protection zone which extends longitudinally beyond the front structure and has a transverse extent which is at least equal to the outline of the industrial truck. Furthermore, the invention relates to a narrow-aisle racking system comprising at least one such narrow-aisle industrial truck and a narrow-aisle racking, and to a method for operating such a narrow-aisle industrial truck. BACKGROUND
[0002] Narrow-aisle racking systems are characterized in that only narrow aisles are available between adjacent racking rows, through which the industrial trucks can enter, so that vehicles cannot pass each other within these narrow aisles. Thus, initially only a single industrial truck can be operated in the respective narrow aisle due to the lack of evasion and avoidance options. On the other hand, the use of collision protection systems on suitable vehicles for the safe detection of other vehicles can permit several industrial trucks to be operated simultaneously in a narrow aisle, but they cannot travel along the length of such a narrow aisle on a section where another industrial truck is already present.
[0003] In particular, such collision protection systems are designed such that, for example by using suitable sensor units, they can detect the spatial approach of two industrial trucks to each other by establishing a so-called collision protection zone in which the presence of any foreign objects, and thus also of additional industrial trucks, is not permitted. If a driving situation occurs in which one of the industrial trucks breaks into the collision protection zone during movement, an automatic countermeasure can be initiated, such as a deceleration of the corresponding vehicle until a complete stop.
[0004] On the other hand, such industrial trucks used in narrow-aisle racking systems often have a long front structure, such as a pick-up platform, which extends from the respective vehicle body of such an industrial truck into the narrow aisle. In order to reliably design the safety mechanisms just described, the required collision protection zones must also be chosen to be sufficiently long such that they extend far enough on the respective front structure in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, so that timely braking is ensured when an obstacle or an oncoming vehicle is detected.
[0005] For example, due to the fact that this type of collision protection zone extends far into the marshalling area when such an industrial truck exits the narrow aisle, situations can occur in which an obstacle opposite the racking, such as a wall delimiting the movement area, can be detected by suitable detection units before the vehicle has completely left the narrow aisle.
[0006] To prevent this problem during the dispatching and operation of such narrow-aisle industrial trucks, previously it was necessary to either design the grouping area of the racks to be relatively large, which resulted in the loss of available storage space and thus reduced efficiency of the entire facility; or to adopt the method that drivers of the corresponding narrow-aisle industrial trucks had to deactivate their vehicle's collision protection system to leave the narrow aisle, which increased the workload of the drivers and brought the risk of operational errors.
[0007] Therefore, there is a need for an improved narrow-aisle industrial truck that can better manage the operating conditions described above, and that can avoid the expansion of the racking grouping area and the additional manual intervention with associated drawbacks in disabling the collision protection system during vehicle operation. Summary of the Invention
[0008] To achieve the objectives of the above-mentioned plan and overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, according to the present invention, a further development of the above-mentioned type of general-purpose narrow-aisle industrial truck is proposed, such that the collision protection system is configured to selectively establish a second collision protection zone by switching, which is shorter in length and wider in width than the first collision protection zone. Thus, when moving from a narrow aisle to a marshalling area, not only is the required free clearance between the rack row and opposing obstacles (such as, in particular, walls) reduced by shortening the second collision protection zone (compared to the first collision protection zone), but also by widening the second collision protection zone (compared to the first collision protection zone), it is ensured that in the event of an incorrect switching within the narrow aisle, the corresponding rack row itself can trigger the widened second collision protection zone, allowing appropriate countermeasures (in particular, stopping the industrial truck) to be initiated in such cases, thereby preventing dangerous situations.
[0009] As previously mentioned above, in the narrow-aisle industrial truck according to the invention, the front structure may be formed by a pickup platform, boom, or the like, or may include one such pickup platform, boom, or the like.
[0010] However, in principle, other types of front structures for corresponding industrial trucks are conceivable, such as simple height-adjustable loading and unloading devices.
[0011] Although there were no initial fundamental restrictions on the type and location of the detection unit for the collision protection system on industrial trucks, it may be particularly desirable to arrange the detection unit of the collision protection system on the front side of the vehicle body relative to its longitudinal direction, provided that the invention can adequately cover the two collision protection zones provided by the invention.
[0012] Furthermore, the collision protection system can be integrated with or operatively coupled to the central control unit of the industrial truck, enabling the reporting of potential intrusions into one of the collision protection zones to the central control unit, which then initiates countermeasures. It should also be noted that innovative narrow-aisle industrial trucks can be essentially manually controlled, or autonomously or semi-autonomously controlled, as the aforementioned innovative developments can be advantageously deployed in all of the aforementioned types of industrial trucks.
[0013] As previously suggested, industrial trucks can be additionally configured to initiate predetermined countermeasures, such as deceleration, specifically until complete stop, upon intrusion into the first or second collision protection zone; however, alternatively or additionally, other countermeasures may be conceived, such as issuing warnings to the driver operating the vehicle or those away from the vehicle location, or to the control station operator.
[0014] Furthermore, industrial trucks can be configured to automatically switch from a first collision protection zone to a second collision protection zone based on at least one predetermined condition, which may, for example, involve reaching a predetermined location within the operating environment, specifically corresponding to an exit from a narrow passage to a grouping area.
[0015] In this context, it should also be noted that the corresponding narrow-aisle industrial trucks may also include a position detection device designed to detect the truck's position within its operating environment. This position detection device can also be implemented in different ways, provided the corresponding design meets the operational objectives. For example, the position detection device could be a system of transponders arranged in the operating environment and corresponding receivers assigned to the vehicle, performing position detection via triangulation; or a signal unit arranged in the drivable ground of the operating environment; or environmental detection using corresponding optical sensors (such as laser scanners).
[0016] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a narrow aisle racking system comprising at least one narrow aisle industrial truck of the type just described, and narrow aisle racking, further comprising at least a pair of rack rows arranged parallel to each other at a certain row spacing, each rack row comprising a plurality of rack uprights, each rack upright having an upright spacing from each other, wherein a second collision protection zone for the industrial truck is at least as wide as the row spacing and at least as long as the maximum upright spacing. In particular, all upright spacings may have substantially the same dimensions; however, embodiments with variable upright spacing are also contemplated. Furthermore, other variations of the invention are contemplated, wherein the uprights of two rack rows are staggered relative to each other or otherwise arranged differently, such that, in order to determine the maximum upright spacing in the direction of extension of the reference narrow aisle of the particular racking system, it may also be necessary to take into account the uprights facing each other across the narrow aisle.
[0017] It should be understood that the first collision protection zone in the width direction is narrower than the row spacing, because only in this way is it possible to achieve movement operations in such a narrow aisle in the intended manner. However, in any case, the dimensions of the second collision protection zone described above ensure that if a switch to the second collision protection zone is unexpectedly made during routine movement operations in the narrow aisle, at least one rack upright will be present within the second collision protection zone, thereby intruding into it and signaling an unexpected malfunction.
[0018] In this paper, the spacing between shelving rows can be formed or defined by a distance greater than the spacing of the narrow aisles between pairs of opposing shelving uprights, although other embodiments of the shelving system are conceivable in principle, for example, where items placed on the shelving rows can extend further into the narrow aisles than the shelving uprights. In such cases, the widths of the first and second collision protection zones must be adjusted accordingly, such that, under maximum shelving occupancy, the first collision protection zone remains within the minimum remaining narrow aisle, while the second collision protection zone is intruded into according to the row spacing in all cases.
[0019] As previously suggested above, an innovative narrow aisle racking system can further include at least one aisle exit at one end of a rack row, substantially orthogonal to the narrow aisle extension and having a clustering area width in that direction. The drivable operating environment is thus particularly constrained by obstacles (especially walls) opposite the rack row, where the distance between the rack row and the obstacle is greater than the maximum upright spacing, and this area is referred to as the clustering area. The clustering area is thus the area in the warehouse located between one end of the rack and the wall opposite it, allowing industrial trucks to move between rack aisles and for goods to be transported in and out of rack aisles or racks.
[0020] Furthermore, in the system according to the invention, the industrial truck can be configured to switch from a first collision protection zone to a second collision protection zone when exiting a narrow aisle, particularly when transitioning to the aisle exit. This switch can be specifically based on data available from the industrial truck regarding its own position and map data of its operating environment, indicating an imminent exit from the narrow aisle. It is particularly important that the switch from the first protection zone to the second protection zone occurs only when the second protection zone no longer detects the corresponding last shelf upright of the corresponding rack row, as premature switching could lead to intrusion into the protection zone. Therefore, the specific location for the switch when exiting the narrow aisle must be carefully chosen.
[0021] In any case, the length of the second collision protection zone can be chosen such that it is less than the width of the grouping area.
[0022] Furthermore, the system according to the invention may also include a central warehouse management system wirelessly connected to at least one industrial truck, wherein switching to a second collision protection zone can also be performed via the warehouse management system based on available data regarding the current operating status of the respective industrial truck. It is also apparent here that the system described herein according to the invention may include multiple independent industrial trucks and, for example, only a single central warehouse management system that guides and ensures the coordinated operation of the industrial trucks. The specific number of industrial trucks used may also vary over time, particularly depending on the overall size of the warehouse system.
[0023] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for operating narrow-aisle industrial trucks of the type just described, specifically within the framework of a corresponding narrow-aisle racking system. This method includes the steps of establishing a first collision protection zone while moving within the narrow aisle and switching to a second collision protection zone upon leaving the narrow aisle. In this context, it should be noted that the additional features of the industrial truck vehicle or storage system introduced above as optional should also be understood as inventive procedural features; thus, for example, detecting the position of the industrial truck vehicle within the operating environment and automatically switching to the second collision protection zone due to predetermined conditions should also be protected within the framework of the corresponding procedure. Attached Figure Description
[0024] When combined with attachment Figure 1 Further advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration from the following description of embodiments thereof. Description of the accompanying drawings:
[0025] Figure 1 Schematic top view of an innovative narrow aisle racking system and narrow aisle industrial trucks. Detailed Implementation
[0026] Figure 1 The narrow aisle racking system according to the invention is now shown in a purely schematic top view, initially indicated by reference numeral 10, and showing only a pair of rack rows 12 arranged parallel to each other and a single narrow aisle industrial truck 100.
[0027] The rack rows 12 are configured such that each rack row includes a plurality of rack uprights 14, each rack upright having a uniform upright spacing X14 between them. Simultaneously, the rack rows 12 are spaced apart from each other by a row spacing X12, forming a narrow aisle 16 between them, in which the industrial truck 100, described further below, can move. In alternative variations of the inventive rack system 10, the spacing between the uprights in the extending direction of the narrow aisle 16 can also be variable, wherein, for the present invention, particularly for the definition of the second collision protection zone explained further below, the maximum spacing between the uprights in this extending direction is particularly relevant, and may also extend across the narrow aisle 16 or take into account the rack uprights 14 on either side thereof.
[0028] Furthermore, it can be seen that multiple pallets P are carried from the rack row 12. In the configuration shown here, the width of these multiple pallets about the narrow aisle 16 protrudes towards each other on the rack uprights 14, so that... Figure 1 In the illustration, they ultimately define the row spacing X12. However, if the pallet P does not protrude beyond these shelf uprights due to its design, the row spacing X12 can also be defined in other variations by the spacing of the shelf uprights 14 perpendicular to the narrow aisle 16.
[0029] In addition, Figure 1 As can be seen, a grouping area 18 is connected at the upper end of the narrow aisle 16 or the upper end of the rack row 12 shown in the depiction, and this grouping area is defined by a wall 20 opposite to the rack row 12. Thus, at the transition from the narrow aisle 16 to the grouping area 18, an aisle exit with a grouping area width G for the industrial truck 100 is formed, allowing the industrial truck to enter or exit the narrow aisle 12 at that point.
[0030] The industrial truck 100 now includes a body 102 having a longitudinal direction L and a lateral direction B, wherein, during movement within the narrow aisle 12, the longitudinal direction L of the body 102 of the industrial truck 100 is aligned with the extending direction of the narrow aisle 16. Furthermore, a number of wheels 104 are distributed on the body 102, thereby enabling… Figure 1 In the top view of the industrial truck 100 shown here, the outline of the industrial truck 100 is formed by the body 102 and the wheels 104 protruding from it.
[0031] Furthermore, the industrial truck 100 includes a front structure 106, such as a relatively extended pickup platform, which extends forward from the vehicle body 102 in the longitudinal direction L. A collision protection system 108, having at least one detection unit, is also mounted adjacent to the extension 106 on the front side of the vehicle body 102 in the longitudinal direction L. This collision protection system is designed to span two collision protection zones described below. The detection unit can be formed, for example, by a laser scanner known per se, which periodically sweeps across the detection area and is capable of detecting the presence and spacing of objects within the detection area.
[0032] It should be noted that the collision protection system 108 is also operatively connected to the central control unit 110 of the industrial truck 100, which is only schematically shown here, and which in turn is connected in a similar manner to the communication unit 112, which allows wireless communication with, for example, a central warehouse management system or the control center of a corresponding logistics facility. Furthermore, the industrial truck 100 includes a position detection device 114 adapted to detect the position of the industrial truck 100 within its operating environment and also provides data to the central control unit 110.
[0033] During normal operation of the industrial truck 100, the collision protection system 108 initially establishes a first collision protection zone F1, which has a length L1 and a width B1. This demonstrates that, for safety reasons, the length L1 should be chosen to be relatively large, while the width B1 should at least correspond to the width of the profile of the vehicle body 102 and the protruding wheel 104.
[0034] and, Figure 1 The illustration also shows that, as the industrial truck 100 further exits from the narrow passage 16, before it could potentially make a turning maneuver, the first collision protection zone F1 has already been intruded upon by the aforementioned wall 20. To prevent this and to keep the space requirements of the marshalling area 18 as small as possible, now, as the industrial truck 100 exits the narrow passage 12 (approximately... Figure 1 The moment depicted will be based on the known location and map data of the industrial truck 100, or, for example, on instructions from an external central warehouse management system, through the interaction between the control unit 110 and the collision protection system 108, switching to the second collision protection zone F2 (which also... Figure 1 (As shown in the image).
[0035] In this situation, a switch to the second collision protection zone F2 can be made in the area at the exit of the passage, because in the grouping area 18, oncoming vehicles can avoid each other, while in the narrow passage 16, vehicles cannot avoid each other. Therefore, a suitable collision avoidance system is necessary, which must be designed to accommodate oncoming narrow passage industrial trucks traveling at maximum speed and must detect these trucks in advance accordingly. Furthermore, the liftable front structure 106 of the oncoming narrow passage industrial truck must also be considered in terms of the length of the collision protection zone, because the oncoming narrow passage industrial truck can only be safely detected by the corresponding scanner at its non-liftable structure. Since oncoming vehicles can or even must avoid each other in the grouping area 18, a switch from the very long collision protection zone F1 of the narrow passage 16 to the shorter collision protection zone F2 is possible.
[0036] The collision protection zone F2 has a length L2 that is shorter than the first collision protection zone F1, but has an increased width B2, wherein the second length L2 is at least as large as the upright spacing X14, and the width B2 is greater than the row spacing X12. In this document, the term "shelf upright spacing X14" will be understood as the maximum free distance between adjacent shelf uprights 14 in the extension direction of the narrow aisle 16.
[0037] Furthermore, in this context, it is conceivable that in another variation of the inventive shelving system 10, the arrangement of opposing shelving rows 12 with respect to their shelving uprights 14 is staggered, or the corresponding spacing with respect to the shelving uprights 14 is different. Therefore, if applicable, the maximum free distance between two shelving uprights 14 will be reduced relative to the extending direction of the narrow aisle 16, because in such a case, the shelving uprights will be considered in terms of the spacing of the shelving uprights 14 opposite each other across the narrow aisle 16 along the extending direction of the narrow aisle 16. Figure 1 As shown, since the second protection zone F2 extends beyond the shelf outline on both sides, and detecting the shelf upright 14 on one side is sufficient to determine an intrusion into the second protection zone F2, in such a variation of the shelf system 10, the relative shelf uprights 14 from the two shelf rows 12 can also be used to determine the maximum upright spacing.
[0038] In any case, this enables, on the one hand, the exit from the narrow passage 12 in the area of the grouping area 18 without the second protection zone F2 being breached by the wall 20, and on the other hand, the increased width of the second protection zone F2 also ensures that if the second protection zone is accidentally switched to during normal movement within the narrow passage 16, the second protection zone F2 will be breached at least immediately on one side, and thus appropriate countermeasures can be taken before any kind of dangerous situation occurs.
Claims
1. A narrow-aisle industrial truck (100), comprising: The vehicle body (102) has a longitudinal direction (L) and a lateral direction (B). Multiple wheels (104) are distributed on the body (102), and in a top view of the industrial truck (100), the outline of the industrial truck (100) is formed by the body (102) and possibly the wheels (104); A front structure (106) is arranged in the longitudinal direction (L) in front of the vehicle body (102); and A collision protection system (108) having at least one detection unit is configured to establish a first collision protection zone (F1) that extends beyond the front structure (106) in the longitudinal direction (L) and has a range in the lateral direction (B) that is at least equal to the outline of the industrial truck (100). The collision protection system (108) is characterized in that it is further configured to selectively establish a second collision protection zone (F2) by switching, which is shorter in the longitudinal direction (L) and wider in the lateral direction (B) than the first collision protection zone (F1).
2. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (100) according to claim 1. in, The front structure (106) is formed by or includes a pickup platform or boom.
3. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The detection unit of the collision protection system (108) is arranged on the front side of the vehicle body (102) with reference to its longitudinal direction (L).
4. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The collision protection system (108) is integrated with or operatively connected to the central control unit (110) of the industrial truck (100).
5. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The industrial truck (100) is configured to initiate predetermined countermeasures, such as deceleration, and in particular, until it comes to a complete stop, when it enters the first collision protection zone (F1) or the second collision protection zone (F2).
6. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The industrial truck (100) is configured to automatically switch from the first collision protection zone (F1) to the second collision protection zone (F2) based on at least one predetermined condition.
7. The narrow-aisle industrial truck (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. It further includes a position detection device (114) adapted to detect the position of the industrial truck (100) within its operating environment.
8. A narrow aisle racking system (10) comprising at least one narrow aisle industrial truck (100) according to any one of the preceding claims and narrow aisle racking, the system comprising: At least one pair of parallel rack rows (12) are arranged with a row spacing (X12) between them, each rack row includes a plurality of rack uprights (14), each rack upright having an upright spacing (X14) between them and forming a narrow passage (16), wherein the second collision protection zone (F2) of the industrial truck (100) is at least as wide as the row spacing (X12) in the width direction (B) and at least as long as the maximum upright spacing (X14) in the length direction (L).
9. The narrow aisle shelving system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The row spacing (X12) is formed by the spacing between pairs of shelf uprights (14) opposite to the narrow aisle (16).
10. The narrow aisle shelving system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 9 further includes at least one aisle outlet located at one end of the shelving row (12), the at least one aisle outlet extending substantially orthogonally to the narrow aisle (16) and having a grouping area width (G) in that direction.
11. The narrow aisle shelving system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The operating environment is defined by obstacles (20) opposite to the row of shelves (12), particularly by walls, wherein the distance between the row of shelves (12) and the obstacles (20) is greater than the maximum column spacing (X14).
12. The narrow aisle racking system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein, The industrial truck (100) is configured to switch from the first collision protection zone (F1) to the second collision protection zone (F2) when exiting the narrow passage (16), and particularly when transitioning to the passage exit.
13. The narrow aisle racking system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein, The length (L2) of the second collision protection zone (F2) is less than the width (G) of the grouping area.
14. The narrow aisle racking system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 13, further comprising a central warehouse management system, the central warehouse management system being wirelessly data connected to the at least one industrial truck (100).
15. A method for operating a narrow aisle industrial truck (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, specifically within a narrow aisle racking system (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 14, comprising the steps of: During movement within the narrow passage (16), the first collision protection zone (F1) is established; and Upon exiting the narrow passage (16), switch to the second collision protection zone (F2).