A pallet handling unmanned forklift

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an unmanned pallet handling forklift, comprising: a forklift body, a traveling structure located at the bottom of the forklift body within its projected area, a hydraulic cylinder assembly at the front end of the forklift body, and a control module inside the forklift body; a sensing and warning module, including a mounting frame and a navigation sensor mounted on the mounting frame, the mounting frame being mounted on the top of the forklift body; and a fork tooth module, including a mast and a pair of forks mounted on the mast, the mast being drivenly connected to the hydraulic cylinder assembly, and a recognition camera electrically connected to the control module on the side of the mast near the forks. This unmanned pallet handling forklift features a compact design, with the traveling structure mounted at the bottom of the forklift body without protruding, maximizing space utilization. The sensing and warning module enables precise positioning, effectively addressing complex environments and improving the efficiency and safety of pallet handling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of automated guided vehicle technology, and more particularly to an unmanned pallet handling forklift. Background Technology

[0002] Electric forklifts are forklifts that use batteries as their power source, driving a drive motor and a hydraulic system motor to achieve driving and loading / unloading operations. Compared to traditional internal combustion forklifts, the engine + fuel + transmission system is replaced by an electric motor + battery + electronic control system, and they are mostly used for indoor operations. Due to their lack of pollution and low noise, they are widely used in indoor operations and other industries with high environmental requirements.

[0003] Pallet handling is the most widely used method in the electric forklift transportation industry. In actual projects, there are often scenarios where various types of pallet trucks, such as field pallet trucks, cross pallet trucks, and nine-leg pallet trucks, are used in combination. Faced with the "chaotic" situation of pallets, most automated logistics equipment manufacturers on the market either require customers to modify pallets to adapt to the vehicle model in their solutions, or they force ordinary pallet trucks to hit the pallets, causing damage to the pallets, or they use counterbalanced unmanned forklifts with higher overall costs to be compatible with pallets. However, counterbalanced unmanned forklifts have long bodies and large turning radii, which leads to poor flexibility and make them unsuitable for narrow aisles and small spaces. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure proposes an unmanned pallet handling forklift.

[0005] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, an unmanned pallet handling forklift is provided, comprising: a forklift body, a walking structure disposed at the bottom of the forklift body, the walking structure being located within the projection coverage area of ​​the forklift body, a hydraulic cylinder assembly disposed at the front end of the forklift body, and a control module disposed inside the forklift body, the control module being electrically connected to the walking structure and the hydraulic cylinder assembly respectively; a perception and warning module, the perception and warning module comprising a mounting frame and a navigation sensor disposed on the mounting frame, the mounting frame being mounted on the top of the forklift body, the navigation sensor being electrically connected to the control module, the navigation sensor being used to collect environmental data and the position and pose data of the forklift body; and a fork tooth module, the fork tooth module comprising a mast and a pair of forks disposed on the mast, the mast being pulsatorically connected to the hydraulic cylinder assembly, and a recognition camera disposed on the side of the mast near the forks, the recognition camera being electrically connected to the control module.

[0006] Based on the above solution, the unmanned pallet handling forklift adopts a small-volume design, with the walking structure installed at the bottom of the forklift body and not protruding from the forklift body, making full use of space. The perception and alarm module can achieve accurate positioning, thereby effectively coping with complex environments and improving the efficiency and safety of pallet handling.

[0007] In some possible implementations, the walking structure includes a chassis and a drive wheel and a pair of driven wheels disposed in the chassis, the drive wheel and the pair of driven wheels being arranged in a triangular pattern, and the control module being used to control the orientation angle and steering direction of the drive wheel to adjust the position and posture of the forklift body.

[0008] Based on the above scheme, the drive wheels and driven wheels are arranged in a triangular pattern, which can shorten the turning radius, help reduce the size of the forklift body, and improve the adaptability of the unmanned pallet handling forklift to narrow aisles and small spaces.

[0009] In some possible implementations, a safety edge is also provided at the bottom of the forklift body, the safety edge protruding laterally from the forklift body, a ranging sensor is provided on the safety edge, and the ranging sensor is electrically connected to the control module; the perception and warning module also includes an obstacle avoidance camera, the obstacle avoidance camera is mounted on the mounting bracket, and the obstacle avoidance camera is electrically connected to the control module.

[0010] Based on the above solution, the ranging sensor on the safety edge and the obstacle avoidance camera on the mounting frame together form a non-contact protection. The ranging sensor measures the distance between the side of the forklift body and the obstacle, and the obstacle avoidance camera recognizes the distance between the obstacle and the forklift body based on the image. The ranging sensor and the obstacle avoidance camera work together to achieve all-angle obstacle avoidance and improve the safety of unmanned pallet handling forklifts.

[0011] In some possible implementations, a touch sensor is provided at the end of the safety edge away from the forklift body, and the touch sensor is electrically connected to the control module; an emergency stop button is provided on the forklift body, and the emergency stop button is electrically connected to the control module.

[0012] Based on the above solution, the touch sensor on the safety edge and the emergency stop button on the forklift body together form a contact protection system. When the touch sensor comes into contact with an obstacle or the emergency stop button is triggered, the control module controls the walking structure to stop urgently, thereby improving the safety of the transportation process.

[0013] In some possible implementations, the sensing and warning module further includes a lighting assembly mounted on the mounting bracket, the lighting assembly including status indicator lights and side marker lights.

[0014] Based on the above solution, the status indicator light can intuitively reflect the working status of the unmanned pallet handling forklift, which is convenient for users to maintain and debug in a timely manner. The side marker light can reflect the size information of the unmanned pallet handling forklift, which is convenient for intelligent devices to identify and detect the unmanned pallet handling forklift.

[0015] In some possible implementations, the sensing and warning module further includes an interactive component and a dashcam, both of which are mounted on the mounting bracket. The interactive component includes a display and touch buttons.

[0016] Based on the above solution, the interactive component can display the status parameters of the unmanned pallet handling forklift in real time and obtain user commands, while the dashcam can record the operation data of the unmanned pallet handling forklift in real time. Based on the interactive component and the dashcam, users can accurately adjust the parameters of the unmanned pallet handling forklift.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the sensing and warning module further includes an antenna mounted on top of the display, and the interaction module further includes a wireless communication component electrically connected to the antenna.

[0018] Based on the above solution, the interaction module integrates wireless communication functionality, enabling it to wirelessly connect with external terminal devices. This gives the unmanned pallet handling forklift IoT management capabilities, which is helpful for managing pallet handling data.

[0019] In some possible implementations, a micro switch is provided on the cylinder assembly, and a position detection switch is provided at the end of the fork near the mast. Both the micro switch and the position detection switch are electrically connected to the control module.

[0020] Based on the above solution, the micro switch and the position detection switch can detect the material being picked up by the fork in real time. Combined with the recognition camera, it can ensure that the fork tines accurately pick up the material and improve the safety of the transportation process.

[0021] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0022] Other features and aspects of this disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments or prior art of this specification, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This diagram shows the overall structure of an unmanned pallet handling forklift according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2A structural diagram of a forklift body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A structural diagram of a sensing and warning module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A structural diagram of a fork module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] In the picture, 1. Forklift body; 1-1. Drive wheel; 1-2. Driven wheel; 1-3. Distance sensor; 1-4. Hydraulic cylinder; 1-5. Micro switch; 1-6. Safety contact edge; 1-7. Emergency stop button; 1-8. Chassis; 2. Sensing and warning module; 2-1. Interaction component; 2-2. Status indicator light; 2-3. Antenna; 2-4. Side marker light; 2-5. Obstacle avoidance camera; 2-6. Navigation sensor; 2-7. Driving recorder; 3. Fork tooth module; 3-1. Mast; 3-2. Recognition camera; 3-3. Position detection switch; 3-4. Fork tooth. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this specification, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0027] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or server that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0028] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0029] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0030] In this document, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the term "at least one" in this document means any combination of at least two of any one or more elements. For example, including at least one of A, B, and C can mean including any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C.

[0031] Furthermore, to better illustrate this disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure can be practiced without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this disclosure. Electric forklifts are forklifts that use batteries as their power source, driving a drive motor and a hydraulic system motor to achieve driving and loading / unloading operations. Compared to traditional internal combustion forklifts, the engine + fuel + transmission system is replaced by an electric motor + battery + electronic control system, and they are mostly used for indoor operations. Due to their lack of pollution and low noise, they are widely used in indoor operations and other industries with high environmental requirements.

[0032] In the electric forklift transportation industry, pallet handling is the most widely used method. In actual projects, there are often scenarios where various types of pallet trucks, such as field pallet trucks, cross pallet trucks, and nine-leg pallet trucks, are used in combination. Faced with the "chaotic" situation of pallets, most automated logistics equipment manufacturers on the market either require customers to modify pallets to adapt to the vehicle model, or they force ordinary pallet trucks to hit the pallets, causing damage to the pallets, or they use counterbalanced unmanned forklifts with higher overall costs to be compatible with pallets. However, counterbalanced unmanned forklifts have long bodies and large turning radii, which leads to poor flexibility and make them unsuitable for narrow aisles and small spaces.

[0033] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure proposes an unmanned pallet handling forklift. This unmanned pallet handling forklift employs intelligent handling control, is compatible with pallet carriers of different shapes, and supports flexible handling in multiple planar scenarios such as line-side warehouses, temporary storage areas, and floor stacking warehouses. Furthermore, the unmanned pallet handling forklift has a smaller body, is more flexible in movement, supports handling in narrow aisles, and can cope with complex working environments.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 1-4The unmanned pallet handling forklift of this embodiment includes a forklift body 1, a sensing and alarm module 2, and a fork tooth module 3. The forklift body 1 has a walking structure. The sensing and alarm module 2 is installed on the top of the forklift body 1 and is used to acquire sensing data and provide feedback alarms. The fork tooth module 3 is installed at the front end of the forklift body 1 and is used to pick up pallet carriers.

[0035] In this embodiment, a traveling structure is provided at the bottom of the forklift body 1. The traveling structure has at least forward movement and turning functions. The traveling structure is located within the projected area of ​​the forklift body 1; that is, none of the components in the traveling structure protrude beyond the sides of the forklift body 1. This traveling structure helps reduce the width and volume of the forklift body 1, enabling it to move in narrow aisle environments. Furthermore, because the width of the traveling structure is limited, its turning radius is also reduced, which helps improve the maneuverability of the forklift body 1. It should be understood that this embodiment does not limit the specific structure of the traveling structure; any traveling structure with forward movement and turning functions can be applied to the forklift body 1 in this embodiment.

[0036] In some embodiments, the walking structure includes a chassis 1-8 and a drive wheel 1-1 and a pair of driven wheels 1-2 disposed in the chassis 1-8. The drive wheel 1-1 and the pair of driven wheels 1-2 are arranged in a triangular pattern, with the drive wheel 1-1 located in the middle and the pair of driven wheels 1-2 located on both sides. The drive wheel 1-1 is connected to a drive component (such as a motor assembly), which can drive the drive wheel 1-1 to rotate actively, thereby driving the forklift body 1 forward or backward. The drive wheel 1-1 can also adjust its orientation angle, thereby changing the forward direction of the forklift body 1.

[0037] In this embodiment, a battery and a control module are installed inside the forklift body 1. The control module is electrically connected to the walking structure. Specifically, the control module is electrically connected to the drive component that is driven by the drive wheel 1-1. The control module is used to control the orientation angle and steering direction of the drive wheel 1-1 to adjust the position and posture of the forklift body 1. Based on the above scheme, the drive wheel 1-1 and the driven wheel 1-2 are arranged in a triangular pattern, which can shorten the turning radius, help reduce the volume of the forklift body 1, and improve the adaptability of the unmanned pallet handling forklift to narrow aisles and small spaces.

[0038] In some embodiments, the control module includes a processor and a power supply circuit electrically connected to the processor. The power supply circuit is connected to a battery and includes an input protection circuit, a voltage conversion circuit, and a linear regulator connected in sequence. The input protection circuit includes a reverse polarity protection diode and a resettable fuse. The voltage conversion circuit includes multiple step-down circuits with different output voltages. The linear regulator regulates the output signal of the voltage conversion circuit before sending it to each functional module. A Zener diode (TVS diode) is installed on the connection line between the linear regulator and the functional module to suppress surge voltage, thereby protecting the functional modules.

[0039] In a further embodiment, the control module also includes a CAN communication unit for connecting to the battery. The CAN communication unit includes a CAN control chip and a CAN transceiver. The CAN control chip is connected to both the processor and the CAN transceiver. By using the CAN control chip, control accuracy can be improved. This embodiment does not limit the number of CAN communication lines; that is, the CAN communication unit can include one CAN communication line, or two or more CAN communication lines. For each CAN communication line, a terminating resistor is connected in series with the CAN interface, and a DIP switch is provided to adjust the connection state of the terminating resistor. A digital isolation chip is provided between the CAN interface and the control circuit board to achieve electrical isolation.

[0040] In a further embodiment, the control module also includes a serial communication unit, which comprises an RS232 transceiver and an RS485 transceiver. Both the RS232 and RS485 transceivers are connected to the processor. The serial communication unit is used to connect to external serial devices (sensors, cameras, I / O expansion modules, LiDAR, etc.), and the communication baud rate can be configured via software. By setting different serial communication transceivers, the compatibility of the control module with sensing components can be improved.

[0041] In a further embodiment, the control module also includes a switch circuit, which comprises an Ethernet control chip and a network transformer. The Ethernet control chip is connected to both the processor and the network transformer. The network transformer is connected to at least one network port interface, meaning it is connected in series between the Ethernet controller and the network port interface. The network port interface includes a WAN interface and a LAN interface, and is an RJ45 interface. Based on the above scheme, by setting up the Ethernet control chip and the network transformer, onboard data exchange functionality can be achieved, allowing the control module to connect to multiple network communication interface devices, which helps reduce the difficulty of maintenance, debugging, and function updates.

[0042] This embodiment does not limit the specific type of processor in the control module; that is, the processor can be implemented based on the x86 architecture or the RISC-V architecture. In some specific implementations, the control module is implemented based on an ARM processor. Using an ARM processor can balance computing power and power consumption, reducing heat generation while improving the overall computing power of the control module, so as to handle large amounts of sensor data and large amounts of image data.

[0043] In this embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder assembly 1-4 is provided at the front end of the forklift body 1. The control module is electrically connected to the hydraulic cylinder assembly 1-4. The hydraulic cylinder assembly 1-4 is used to connect to the fork tooth module 3. The control module controls the extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 1-4 to control the lifting and lowering movement of the fork tooth module 3. That is, the fork tooth module 3 has independent power drive and can achieve vertical movement. The fork tooth module 3 includes a mast 3-1 and a pair of fork teeth 3-4 disposed on the mast 3-1. The mast 3-1 is convexly connected to the hydraulic cylinder assembly 1-4. The fork teeth 3-4 can be fixedly mounted on the mast 3-1 or movably mounted on the mast 3-1. For example, the fork teeth 3-4 can be movably mounted on the mast 3-1 through a transmission assembly. The fork teeth 3-4 can move horizontally to adjust the distance between the fork teeth 3-4.

[0044] In some embodiments, a recognition camera 3-2 is also provided on the side of the mast 3-1 near the fork tines 3-4. The recognition camera 3-2 is electrically connected to the control module. The function of the recognition camera 3-2 is to take pictures of the pallet carrier to be transported and send the image data to the control module. The control module identifies the type of pallet carrier (such as a zigzag pallet, a z-zag pallet, a chuanzi pallet, etc.) and the position of the pallet carrier, and then controls the forklift body 1 to adjust its posture to ensure that the fork tines 3-4 can accurately pick up the pallet carrier. In this embodiment, by setting the recognition camera 3-2, pallet identification and accurate positioning can be achieved, thereby efficiently transporting various types of pallets and avoiding damage to the pallet or fork tines 3-4 during the transport process.

[0045] In a further embodiment, a microswitch 1-5 is also provided on the hydraulic cylinder 1-4 assembly. The function of the microswitch 1-5 is to detect the micro-motion signal when the fork tines 3-4 pick up the pallet carrier, and to determine whether the pallet has been correctly picked up based on the micro-motion signal. Preferably, a microswitch 1-5 is also provided on the forklift body 1. The microswitch 1-5 on the forklift body 1 and the microswitch 1-5 on the hydraulic cylinder 1-4 assembly work together to ensure accurate identification of the fork tines 3-4 picking up the pallet carrier. In addition, a position detection switch 3-3 is also provided at the end of the fork tines 3-4 near the mast 3-1. Both the microswitch 1-5 and the position detection switch 3-3 are electrically connected to the control module. Based on the above scheme, the microswitch 1-5 and the position detection switch 3-3 can detect the material picking up status in real time. Combined with the recognition camera 3-2, it can ensure that the fork tines 3-4 accurately pick up the material, improving the safety of the transportation process.

[0046] In this embodiment, the perception and warning module 2 includes a mounting bracket and a navigation sensor 2-6 mounted on the bracket. The mounting bracket is installed on the top of the forklift body 1. The navigation sensor 2-6 is electrically connected to the control module and is used to collect environmental data and the position and pose data of the forklift body 1. By raising the height of the navigation sensor 2-6 through the mounting bracket, the blind spots of the navigation sensor 2-6 can be reduced, allowing the navigation sensor 2-6 to acquire more and more accurate perception data. This embodiment does not limit the specific type of the navigation sensor 2-6; the navigation sensor 2-6 can be a single sensor or a perception device integrating multiple sensors. In some possible implementations, the navigation sensor 2-6 includes a lidar and an inertial sensor.

[0047] Based on the above solution, the unmanned pallet handling forklift disclosed herein adopts a small-volume design. The walking structure is installed at the bottom of the forklift body 1 and does not protrude from the forklift body 1, making full use of space. The sensing and alarm module 2 can achieve accurate positioning, which can adapt to different types of pallets and effectively cope with complex environments, improving the efficiency and safety of pallet handling.

[0048] In some embodiments, the pallet-handling unmanned forklift has a non-contact protection function, which is implemented based on non-contact measurement components on the forklift body 1 and / or the sensing and warning module 2. Specifically, a safety edge 1-6 is also provided at the bottom of the forklift body 1, protruding laterally from the forklift body 1. A ranging sensor 1-3 is provided on the safety edge 1-6, and the ranging sensor 1-3 is electrically connected to the control module. In some possible embodiments, the ranging sensor 1-3 is located at the side edge of the forklift body 1. Based on this location, the ranging sensor 1-3 can acquire obstacle distance information in two dimensions, which helps to reduce the number of ranging sensors 1-3, thereby reducing costs. In addition, the sensing and warning module 2 also includes an obstacle avoidance camera 2-5, which is mounted on a mounting bracket and is electrically connected to the control module.

[0049] Based on the above scheme, the ranging sensor 1-3 on the safety contact edge 1-6 and the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 on the mounting bracket together form a non-contact protection. The ranging sensor 1-3 measures the distance between the side of the forklift body 1 and the obstacle, and the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 recognizes the distance between the obstacle and the forklift body 1 based on the image. The ranging sensor 1-3 and the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 work together to achieve all-angle obstacle avoidance and improve the safety of unmanned forklift pallet handling.

[0050] It should be understood that the aforementioned navigation sensor 2-6 can also work in conjunction with the ranging sensor 1-3 and the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 to achieve more precise non-contact protection control. In some possible implementations, the navigation sensor 2-6 and the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 are integrated, or the obstacle avoidance camera 2-5 is integrated into the navigation sensor 2-6.

[0051] In a further embodiment, the pallet-handling unmanned forklift also has a contact protection function, which is implemented based on contact controls on the forklift body 1. Specifically, a touch sensor is provided at the end of the safety contact edge 1-6 away from the forklift body 1, and the touch sensor is electrically connected to the control module; an emergency stop button 1-7 is provided on the forklift body 1, and the emergency stop button 1-7 is electrically connected to the control module.

[0052] Based on the above scheme, the touch sensors on the safety contact edges 1-6 and the emergency stop buttons 1-7 on the forklift body 1 together form a contact protection system. When the touch sensors come into contact with an obstacle or the emergency stop buttons 1-7 are triggered, the control module controls the walking structure to stop urgently, thereby improving the safety of the transportation process.

[0053] In some embodiments, the sensing and warning module 2 further includes a lighting component mounted on a mounting bracket. The lighting component includes a status indicator light 2-2 and a side marker light 2-4. This embodiment does not limit the specific type or number of the status indicator lights 2-2. In some possible implementations, the status indicator lights 2-2 are set as tri-color lights; in other possible implementations, the status indicator lights 2-2 are formed by a combination of multiple indicator lights. Based on the above scheme, the status indicator lights 2-2 can intuitively reflect the working status of the pallet-handling unmanned forklift, facilitating timely maintenance and debugging by the user. The side marker lights 2-4 can reflect the size information of the pallet-handling unmanned forklift, facilitating intelligent devices to identify and detect the pallet-handling unmanned forklift.

[0054] In some embodiments, the sensing and warning module 2 further includes an interaction component 2-1 and a dashcam 2-7, both mounted on a mounting bracket. The interaction component 2-1 includes a display and touch buttons. In some preferred embodiments, the display and touch button functions can be integrated. Specifically, the display is a touchscreen, and the touchscreen has the function of touch buttons.

[0055] Based on the above solution, the interactive component 2-1 can display the status parameters of the unmanned pallet handling forklift in real time and obtain user commands, and the driving recorder 2-7 can record the operation process data of the unmanned pallet handling forklift in real time. Based on the interactive component 2-1 and the driving recorder 2-7, users can accurately adjust the parameters of the unmanned pallet handling forklift.

[0056] In some embodiments, the unmanned pallet-handling forklift can also connect to external terminal devices or servers. Specifically, the perception and alarm module 2 further includes an antenna 2-3 mounted on the top of the display, and the interaction module further includes a wireless communication component electrically connected to the antenna 2-3. In some specific embodiments, the wireless communication component has client and hotspot functions. Based on the wireless communication component, the interaction module can connect to a network and also act as a hotspot device. Based on the above scheme, the interaction module integrates wireless communication functionality, enabling wireless communication connection with external terminal devices, thus equipping the unmanned pallet-handling forklift with IoT management capabilities, which facilitates the management of pallet handling data.

[0057] This disclosure also provides a pallet handling control method, applied to a pallet handling unmanned forklift described in the above embodiments, the method comprising: Step S101: In response to the handling task, control the unmanned pallet handling forklift to move to the target location.

[0058] In this embodiment, the target location is the position of the pallet carrier to be transported, which can be directly extracted based on the information of the transport task. This embodiment does not limit the specific method of controlling the unmanned pallet transport forklift to move to the target location. In some cases, the unmanned pallet transport forklift can cruise along a preset route.

[0059] In other scenarios, if no pre-set route is available, the automated pallet-handling forklift can employ the shortest route traversal method. Specifically, the information for the handling task includes an environmental map and the target location's coordinates on the environmental map (i.e., target coordinates). The control module determines the current position of the automated pallet-handling forklift based on navigation sensors and converts the current position into coordinates on the environmental map (i.e., current coordinates). By performing vector calculations between the current coordinates and the target coordinates, the direction of travel can be obtained. Based on this direction of travel, a movement route is planned, and the automated pallet-handling forklift is controlled to move along the planned route until it reaches the vicinity of the target location.

[0060] During the movement of the unmanned pallet handling forklift, if an obstacle is detected on the planned route, the obstacle's location and size information are recorded. Based on the obstacle's location and size information, the planned route is corrected so that the planned route deviates from the obstacle.

[0061] Step S102: Acquire image data of the target pallet through the recognition camera, and adjust the pose of the pallet handling unmanned forklift based on the image data so that the pallet handling unmanned forklift is facing the target pallet.

[0062] In this embodiment, the control module integrates a lightweight image recognition model. The lightweight image recognition model is obtained by lightweighting the model generated based on the YOLO algorithm framework. The lightweight image recognition model can identify pallet features in the image and detect and judge the following conditions: whether the pallet image is symmetrical and whether the pallet image contains insertion port features. Based on the recognition results of the lightweight image recognition model, the control module controls the movement and rotation of the pallet handling unmanned forklift in real time until the pallet handling unmanned forklift is facing the target pallet. At this time, the target pallet image obtained by the recognition camera is a symmetrical image and the pallet image contains insertion port features.

[0063] Step S103: Acquire image data of the target pallet through the recognition camera, and adjust the pose of the fork teeth based on the image data so that the fork teeth are aligned with the target pallet.

[0064] In the previous step, when the pallet handling unmanned forklift is facing the target pallet, the image of the target pallet acquired by the recognition camera contains the insertion port feature. In order to ensure the safety of pallet handling, the fork teeth should be aligned with the insertion port. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the position information of the insertion port of the target pallet (such as height or spacing) based on the image data, and adjust the position of the fork teeth based on the position information of the insertion port.

[0065] Step S104: Control the unmanned forklift to pick up the target pallet.

[0066] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A pallet handling unmanned forklift, characterized in that, include: The forklift body has a traveling structure at its bottom, which is located within the projection coverage area of ​​the forklift body. A hydraulic cylinder assembly is located at the front end of the forklift body. A control module is located inside the forklift body, and the control module is electrically connected to the traveling structure and the hydraulic cylinder assembly. The sensing and warning module includes a mounting bracket and a navigation sensor mounted on the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is installed on the top of the forklift body. The navigation sensor is electrically connected to the control module and is used to collect environmental data and the position and pose data of the forklift body. The fork tooth module includes a gantry and a pair of fork teeth mounted on the gantry. The gantry is connected to the hydraulic cylinder assembly. A recognition camera is also mounted on the side of the gantry near the fork teeth. The recognition camera is electrically connected to the control module.

2. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking structure includes a chassis and a drive wheel and a pair of driven wheels disposed in the chassis. The drive wheel and the pair of driven wheels are arranged in a triangular pattern. The control module is used to control the orientation angle and steering direction of the drive wheel to adjust the position and posture of the forklift body.

3. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the forklift body is also provided with a safety contact edge, which protrudes laterally from the forklift body. A distance measuring sensor is provided on the safety contact edge, and the distance measuring sensor is electrically connected to the control module. The perception and warning module also includes an obstacle avoidance camera, which is mounted on the mounting bracket and electrically connected to the control module.

4. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 3, characterized in that, A touch sensor is provided at the end of the safety contact edge away from the forklift body, and the touch sensor is electrically connected to the control module; An emergency stop button is installed on the forklift body, and the emergency stop button is electrically connected to the control module.

5. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing and warning module also includes a lighting component, which is mounted on the mounting bracket and includes a status indicator light and a marker light.

6. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The perception and warning module also includes an interactive component and a dashcam. Both the interactive component and the dashcam are mounted on the mounting bracket. The interactive component includes a display and touch buttons.

7. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sensing and warning module also includes an antenna mounted on the top of the display, and the interaction module also includes a wireless communication component electrically connected to the antenna.

8. The unmanned pallet handling forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder assembly is equipped with a micro switch, and the end of the fork near the mast is equipped with a position detection switch. Both the micro switch and the position detection switch are electrically connected to the control module.

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