Auxiliary lighting method and system for forklift

Abstract

According to the auxiliary lighting method and system of the forklift, before the forklift is started, the light of the environment where the forklift is located and whether a human body gets close to the forklift are monitored, and when the light meets the set condition and the human body gets close to the forklift, an auxiliary lamp on the forklift is controlled to be turned on to achieve auxiliary lighting; after the auxiliary lamp is turned on, whether the forklift is turned on or not is detected, and the time for turning off the auxiliary lamp is controlled according to whether the forklift is turned on or not. The auxiliary lighting lamp can be automatically controlled to be turned on or turned off in an environment with insufficient light, a lighting view is provided for a driver, and potential safety accidents are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of forklifts, and in particular to an auxiliary lighting method and system for forklifts. Background Technology

[0002] Forklifts are industrial material handling vehicles, a variety of wheeled vehicles capable of loading, unloading, stacking, and short-distance transport of palletized goods. Currently, before starting a forklift, the vehicle is in a locked position, and the driver must first climb into the cab to perform the necessary starting operations. If the vehicle is in a dark or poorly lit environment, the driver needs additional lighting to easily locate and safely enter the cab, preventing falls and injuries; and to avoid accidental activation of other switches on the dashboard due to insufficient light during the starting process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art and to propose an auxiliary lighting method and system for forklifts that can automatically control the auxiliary lighting to turn on or off in environments with insufficient light, providing the driver with a clear field of vision and avoiding potential safety hazards.

[0004] The present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A method for auxiliary lighting of a forklift involves monitoring the ambient light and the presence of a human body near the forklift before it is started. When the light meets a set condition and a human body is near the forklift, the auxiliary lights on the forklift are turned on to provide auxiliary lighting. After the auxiliary lights are turned on, the method detects whether the forklift has started and controls the timing of turning off the auxiliary lights based on whether the forklift has started.

[0006] Furthermore, the luminous flux of the environment in which the forklift is located is monitored. If the luminous flux is less than or equal to a set threshold, the light meets the set conditions; if the luminous flux is greater than the set threshold, the light does not meet the set conditions.

[0007] Furthermore, infrared thermal imaging sensors, passive infrared sensors, or microwave sensors are used to detect whether a human body is approaching the forklift.

[0008] Furthermore, when a person is carrying a smart key or identification card, the system can detect the smart key or identification card to determine if a person is approaching the forklift.

[0009] Furthermore, when the lighting conditions meet the set requirements and a person approaches the forklift, the voice recognition function is activated, and the auxiliary lights on the forklift are turned on or off according to the recognized voice command.

[0010] Furthermore, after the auxiliary light is turned on, if the forklift starts, the control immediately turns off the auxiliary light; if the forklift does not start, the auxiliary light is turned off after a set delay.

[0011] Furthermore, the auxiliary light is installed at the top, side, or bottom of the cab of the forklift; or the auxiliary light is installed at the top, side, or bottom of the exterior of the cab of the forklift.

[0012] An auxiliary lighting system for a forklift, including

[0013] The first detection unit is used to monitor the light in the environment where the forklift is located;

[0014] The second detection unit is used to monitor whether a human body is approaching the forklift;

[0015] Auxiliary lights, installed on forklifts to provide auxiliary lighting;

[0016] A switching unit, connected to the auxiliary light, to turn the auxiliary light on or off;

[0017] The controller is connected to the first detection unit, the second detection unit, and the switch unit to control the switch unit to turn on the auxiliary light to provide auxiliary lighting when the ambient light of the forklift meets the set conditions and a person approaches the forklift; and to detect whether the forklift has started after the auxiliary light is turned on, and to control the timing of turning off the auxiliary light based on whether the forklift has started.

[0018] The power supply unit is used to provide power to the first detection unit, the second detection unit, the auxiliary lamp, the switch unit, and the controller.

[0019] Furthermore, the controller is the forklift's overall vehicle controller, the power supply unit is the forklift's power supply unit, and the switching unit uses a relay.

[0020] Furthermore, the switching unit is a wireless control switch, and the controller communicates with the forklift's vehicle controller through the wireless control switch.

[0021] As can be seen from the above description of the present invention, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. In this invention, before the forklift is started, the ambient light and whether anyone is approaching are monitored. When the light meets the set conditions and a person is approaching, the auxiliary lights are turned on to provide auxiliary lighting, providing the driver with a clear field of vision, making it easier for the driver to find the cab and enter the cab safely, preventing the driver from falling and getting injured by stepping on the wrong step; and during the start-up operation, the safety hazards caused by accidental contact with other switches on the instrument panel due to insufficient light are avoided; after the auxiliary lights are turned on, the timing of turning off the auxiliary lights is controlled according to whether the forklift is started, so as to avoid wasting electrical energy.

[0023] 2. In this invention, ambient light sensors such as photoresistors are used to detect the luminous flux of the environment to determine whether the light meets the set conditions. One or more combinations of infrared thermal imaging sensors, passive infrared sensors, microwave sensors, RFID sensors, or NFC sensors are used to detect whether a human body is approaching the forklift. This multi-sensor fusion technology and intelligent control logic realize real-time monitoring and response to the environment around the forklift. The redundant design of multiple sensor combinations used for human body detection not only has higher recognition accuracy but also higher reliability, improving the safety and convenience of forklift operation.

[0024] 3. In this invention, a voice recognition function can also be added. When the light meets the set conditions and a person approaches the forklift, the auxiliary lights on the forklift can be turned on or off according to the recognized voice command, which is more user-friendly and intelligent.

[0025] 4. In this invention, after the auxiliary light is turned on, if the forklift starts, the control immediately turns off the auxiliary light; if the forklift does not start, the auxiliary light is turned off after a set delay time. Different timing for turning off the auxiliary light is set according to different situations.

[0026] 5. In this invention, the auxiliary lighting system can be implemented using the forklift's own vehicle controller and power supply, or it can be set up as an independent system and introduce wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, so that the two circuits of the system can operate independently, making optional installation more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 The system of the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 3 The system of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the auxiliary light in this invention;

[0031] in:

[0032] 10. First detection unit; 20. Second detection unit; 30. Auxiliary light; 40. Switch unit; 50. Controller; 60. Power supply unit; 70. Forklift; 71. Key switch.

[0033] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will be further described below through specific embodiments.

[0035] See Figure 1 A method for auxiliary lighting of a forklift involves monitoring the ambient light and the presence of a person near the forklift before it is started (i.e., when the forklift 70 is off). When the light meets a set condition and a person is near the forklift 70, the auxiliary light 30 on the forklift 70 is turned on to provide auxiliary lighting, which helps the driver enter the cab and perform the start-up operation. After the auxiliary light 30 is turned on, the method detects whether the forklift 70 has started and controls the timing of turning off the auxiliary light 30 based on whether the forklift 70 has started.

[0036] When the forklift 70 is in the off state, the ambient light level is monitored in real time. The set conditions are used to determine whether the environment around the forklift 70 is completely dark; if the environment is dark, auxiliary lighting is required. Specifically, the luminous flux of the environment around the forklift 70 is monitored. If the luminous flux is less than or equal to a set threshold, the light level meets the set conditions, meaning the environment is dark; if the luminous flux is greater than the set threshold, the light level does not meet the set conditions. In practical applications, a photoresistor can be used as a sensor to detect the luminous flux (lumen value) of the surrounding environment. For example, when the luminous flux value is less than 50, the environment is considered completely dark.

[0037] Even when the forklift 70 is off, it continuously monitors for human presence. Alternatively, when the forklift 70 is off and the light conditions meet set criteria, it activates the human presence monitoring feature. Specifically, sensors are installed on the forklift 70 to detect human presence.

[0038] In this invention, the sensors used to detect whether a human body is near the forklift 70 include infrared thermal imaging sensors, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, and motion detection sensors. Infrared thermal imaging sensors use infrared thermal imaging technology to detect the thermal characteristics of a human body, distinguishing it from other objects based on the temperature difference between the human body and other items. Passive infrared (PIR) sensors passively absorb the infrared heat energy emitted by a human body, identifying the human body by detecting changes in heat energy as it moves. Microwave motion sensors utilize the characteristics of microwaves to sense the presence and movement of a human body.

[0039] In practical applications, the presence of a person can also be aided by detecting items carried by the driver. For example, RFID or NFC sensors can be used. When a person is carrying a smart key or identification card, the presence of a person near the forklift can be determined by detecting the smart key or identification card, which is equipped with an RFID or NFC tag.

[0040] In this invention, the sensor for detecting the proximity of a human body can be one or more of the above-mentioned infrared thermal imaging sensor, passive infrared (PIR) sensor, motion detection sensor, RFID sensor, or NFC sensor. The redundancy design of multiple combinations, such as the combination of an infrared imaging sensor and a microwave sensor, not only improves the recognition accuracy but also the reliability.

[0041] The auxiliary light 30 can be an integral part of the forklift 70's own lighting system, with lights around the cab selected as auxiliary lights 30; or the auxiliary light 30 can be an additional lighting unit installed near the forklift 70's cab for better auxiliary lighting, allowing the driver to easily locate the cab steps and enter the cab to perform relevant starting operations. The auxiliary light 30 can be installed on the top, side, or bottom of the cab; or it can be installed on the top, side, or bottom of the exterior of the forklift 70's cab. For example, see... Figure 4 The auxiliary light 30 is installed on the top of the cab and can emit light into the cab and onto the steps at the cab entrance.

[0042] In the method of this invention, the forklift 70 may also be equipped with a voice recognition function module, and several voice commands are preset, including commands to turn the auxiliary light 30 on or off. When the light meets the preset conditions and a person approaches the forklift 70, the voice recognition function is activated, and the auxiliary light 30 on the forklift 70 is turned on or off according to the recognized voice command, and voice feedback can be provided. For example, if the voice command "turn on the light" is recognized, the auxiliary light 30 is turned on and voice feedback is given, such as "the auxiliary light 30 is on".

[0043] In this invention, the switching off of the auxiliary light 30 is linked to whether the forklift 70 is started. Specifically, the auxiliary light 30 is set to turn off immediately after the forklift 70 starts. If the forklift 70 is not started after the auxiliary light 30 is turned on, it is set to turn off after a set delay of a predetermined time. The set time can be set according to requirements, such as a delay of 5 seconds or 10 seconds, to avoid unnecessary energy waste. In practical applications, the state of the key switch 71 of the forklift 70 can be used to determine whether the forklift 70 is started. When the key switch 71 is closed, the forklift 70 starts; when the key switch 71 is open, the forklift 70 stops.

[0044] Based on this, the present invention also proposes an auxiliary lighting system for a forklift, which performs the aforementioned auxiliary lighting method for a forklift. The system includes a first detection unit 10, a second detection unit 20, an auxiliary light 30, a switch unit 40, a controller 50, and a power supply unit 60. The first detection unit 10 is used to monitor the ambient light of the forklift 70, and can employ the aforementioned photoresistor or other similar ambient light sensors. The second detection unit 20 is used to detect whether a human body is approaching the forklift 70, and can employ an infrared thermal imaging sensor, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, or a motion detection sensor, etc. Using infrared heat Imaging sensors distinguish humans from other objects based on thermal characteristics, offering high efficiency and accuracy; passive infrared (PIR) sensors are used... It requires an additional infrared radiation source and does not emit any energy itself; instead, the detector directly detects the infrared radiation emitted by the human body. External radiation can detect moving human bodies relatively well. ; Motion detection sensors are used to detect human movement and measure speed. High sensitivity. An auxiliary light 30 is mounted on the forklift 70 to provide auxiliary lighting. A switch unit 40 is connected to the auxiliary light 30 to turn the auxiliary light 30 on or off.

[0045] The controller 50 is connected to the first detection unit 10, the second detection unit 20, and the switch unit 40. The controller 50 is used to determine whether the ambient light of the forklift 70 meets the set conditions and whether a person is approaching the forklift 70. When the set conditions are met and a person is approaching, the controller 50 controls the switch unit 40 to turn on the auxiliary light 30 to provide auxiliary lighting. After the auxiliary light 30 is turned on, the controller detects whether the forklift 70 has started. If the forklift 70 has started, the controller controls the switch unit 40 to turn off the auxiliary light 30.

[0046] The system of the present invention, see [link to previous document]. Figure 2 The controller 50 can be the same as the forklift 70's overall controller, and the power supply unit 60 is the same as the forklift 70's power supply unit 60. That is, the first detection unit 10, the second detection unit 20, the switch unit 40, and the auxiliary lights 30 are powered by the forklift 70's own power supply, which is suitable for lead-acid electric forklift models, etc. The switch unit 40 uses a relay.

[0047] In another embodiment, the controller 50 may be an independent microcontroller, the switching unit 40 may be a wireless control switch, and the power supply unit 60 may be a separate power supply, i.e., not using the power supply of the forklift 70 itself. The controller 50 communicates with the vehicle controller of the forklift 70 via the wireless control switch to receive the status information of the key switch 71 of the forklift 70. The wireless control switch and the vehicle controller communicate using Bluetooth technology or other wireless communication technologies.

[0048] The system of the present invention, with Figure 1 For example, its working principle is as follows:

[0049] When the forklift is in the off state, the auxiliary light 30 is also in the off state. The first detection unit 10 detects the ambient light of the forklift 70 in real time. When the detected luminous flux is greater than the set value, the auxiliary light 30 is kept off. When the detected luminous flux is less than the set value, the second detection unit 20 detects whether a human body is approaching the forklift 70. When a human body is approaching, the controller 50 controls the auxiliary light 30 to turn on. When no human body is approaching, the auxiliary light 30 is kept off.

[0050] After the auxiliary light 30 is turned on, the controller 50 obtains the status of the key switch 71 and determines whether the forklift 70 has started based on the status of the key switch 71. If the forklift 70 has started, the controller switch unit 40 is activated to turn off the auxiliary light 30. If the forklift 70 has not started, the auxiliary light 30 is turned off after a set time period.

[0051] In this invention, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used only to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The use of terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" to indicate orientation or positional relationships is based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing the invention, not to indicate or imply that the device referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0053] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the design concept of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any non-substantial modifications made to the present invention using this concept shall be considered as infringing upon the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An auxiliary lighting method for a forklift, characterized in that, Before the forklift is started, the ambient light and whether a person is near the forklift are monitored. When the light meets the set conditions and a person is near the forklift, the auxiliary lights on the forklift are turned on to provide auxiliary lighting. After the auxiliary lights are turned on, the system detects whether the forklift is started and controls the timing of turning off the auxiliary lights based on whether the forklift is started.

2. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The light flux of the environment where the forklift is located is monitored. If the light flux is less than or equal to a set threshold, the light meets the set conditions. If the light flux is greater than the set threshold, the light does not meet the set conditions.

3. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Infrared thermal imaging sensors, passive infrared sensors, or microwave sensors are used to detect whether a human body is approaching the forklift.

4. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When a person is carrying a smart key or identification card, the system detects the smart key or identification card to determine if a person is approaching the forklift.

5. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When the lighting conditions meet the set requirements and a person approaches the forklift, the voice recognition function is activated, and the auxiliary lights on the forklift are turned on or off according to the recognized voice command.

6. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When the auxiliary light is turned on, if the forklift starts, the control immediately turns off the auxiliary light; if the forklift does not start, the auxiliary light is turned off after a set delay.

7. The auxiliary lighting method for a forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary light is installed at the top, side, or bottom of the cab of the forklift; or the auxiliary light is installed at the top, side, or bottom of the exterior of the cab of the forklift.

8. An auxiliary lighting system for a forklift, characterized in that: include The first detection unit is used to monitor the light in the environment where the forklift is located; The second detection unit is used to monitor whether a human body is approaching the forklift; Auxiliary lights, installed on forklifts to provide auxiliary lighting; A switching unit, connected to the auxiliary light, to turn the auxiliary light on or off; The controller is connected to the first detection unit, the second detection unit, and the switch unit to control the switch unit to turn on the auxiliary light to provide auxiliary lighting when the ambient light of the forklift meets the set conditions and a person approaches the forklift; and to detect whether the forklift has started after the auxiliary light is turned on, and to control the timing of turning off the auxiliary light based on whether the forklift has started. The power supply unit is used to provide power to the first detection unit, the second detection unit, the auxiliary lamp, the switch unit, and the controller.

9. The auxiliary lighting system for a forklift as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The controller is the vehicle controller of the forklift, the power supply unit is the power supply unit of the forklift, and the switching unit adopts a relay.

10. The auxiliary lighting system for a forklift as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The switch unit is a wireless control switch, and the controller communicates with the forklift's vehicle controller through the wireless control switch.

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