AGV counterbalance fork truck
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- UQI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-07
AI Technical Summary
驾驶舱占据车身前部空间,需要配置方向盘、座椅、操作手柄等部件;为了满足驾驶室的人机工程学要求,动力系统和控制系统呈分散布置状态,这占用了有效载荷空间;该类型叉车依赖人工操作,自动化程度较低,存在操作失误的风险;市面上常规的AGV式平衡重式产品大多仍配备驾驶室,整体架构与传统平衡重式叉车并无二致,存在如下问题:
(一)本新型相较于传统结构彻底取消传统驾驶舱,采用全封闭模块化的封闭组件覆盖车体,节省了车身长度空间,显著缩短轴距,扩大了有效作业范围并降低能耗,还通过紧凑集成化的处理区布局,进一步缩小整车尺寸,提升空间利用率和作业灵活性。
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Figure CN224604627U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of logistics and transportation equipment technology, and in particular to an AGV counterbalance forklift. Background Technology
[0002] Traditional counterbalance forklifts are typically equipped with a cab, operated by a driver to perform cargo handling tasks. Their structural features are as follows: The cab occupies the front space of the vehicle and needs to accommodate components such as a steering wheel, seat, and control handles. To meet the ergonomic requirements of the cab, the power system and control system are distributed, which occupies the payload space. This type of forklift relies on manual operation, has a low degree of automation, and poses a risk of operational errors. Most conventional AGV-type counterbalance forklifts on the market still have a cab, and their overall structure is no different from that of traditional counterbalance forklifts, which presents the following problems: (a) Low overall vehicle operating efficiency: The cab occupies about 20%-30% of the vehicle length, which reduces the effective operating range of the forklift and increases the energy consumption of forklift operations.
[0003] (ii) Insufficient safety: The vehicle is large in size, resulting in larger blind spots during operation and a higher risk of accidents.
[0004] (iii) High maintenance costs: The dispersed internal structure makes maintenance time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring the disassembly of multiple parts, resulting in poor maintainability.
[0005] (iv) Limitations of automation: It is difficult to directly integrate AGV technology using traditional forklift architecture, and there are difficulties in intelligent upgrading. Utility Model Content
[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an AGV counterbalance forklift to solve one or more problems in the prior art.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: An AGV counterbalance forklift, the forklift comprising: The enclosure components, which are detachable from each other, form the outer shell of the AGV vehicle body; The processing area is located within the enclosed assembly and is divided by the frame within the enclosed assembly. It includes a balancing device area at the front end of the frame, a central control area and a power storage area at the middle of the frame, and an extended connection area and a drive operation area at the rear end of the frame. A functional component is configured for use in the processing area to perform corresponding job tasks according to different blocks of the processing area.
[0008] Furthermore, the functional components include a safety protection module and a steering control module, both of which are located in the equalization device area.
[0009] Furthermore, the functional components include a vehicle main control module and a forklift device, wherein the vehicle main control module is located in the central control area and the forklift device is located in the extended connection area.
[0010] Furthermore, the functional components include a drive module and an energy storage unit, with the drive module located in the drive operation area and the energy storage unit located in the power energy storage area.
[0011] Furthermore, the enclosure assembly includes a rear cover plate, an upper door, and a lower plate symmetrically arranged on both sides of the AGV body, a front panel and a collision compression plate disposed at the front end of the AGV body, a mast cover located at the rear end of the AGV body, and a roof located at the top of the AGV body.
[0012] Furthermore, the rear cover, the gantry cover, and the canopy together form the extended connection area and the drive operation area.
[0013] Furthermore, the upper door, the lower panel, and the ceiling enclose the central control area and the power storage area.
[0014] Furthermore, the front panel and the anti-collision compression plate together form the balancing device area.
[0015] Furthermore, the forklift also includes sensing components distributed among the functional components and the enclosure components. The sensing components include a first bottom obstacle avoidance radar, a multi-view camera, a fixed radar, and a multi-line lidar. The first bottom obstacle avoidance radar is disposed on the anti-collision compression plate and located at the bottom of the forklift. The multi-view camera and the fixed radar are both disposed on the steering control module and located at the front of the forklift. The multi-line lidar is disposed on the canopy and located at the top of the forklift.
[0016] Furthermore, the sensing components also include a depth camera, a positioning switch, a photoelectric switch, a second bottom obstacle avoidance radar, and a pull-wire encoder, all of which are disposed on the forklift device.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of this utility model are as follows: (i) Compared with the traditional structure, this new type completely eliminates the traditional driver's cab and adopts a fully enclosed modular closed component to cover the vehicle body, saving the length space of the vehicle body, significantly shortening the wheelbase, expanding the effective working range and reducing energy consumption. Furthermore, through the compact and integrated processing area layout, the overall vehicle size is further reduced, improving space utilization and operational flexibility.
[0018] (ii) The enclosed components adopt an independently detachable enclosure structure, combined with the highly modular functional components, so that maintenance does not require large-scale disassembly, which greatly reduces maintenance costs and time; at the same time, the anti-collision compression plate absorbs impact, the safety protection module serves as the last line of defense, and the all-round sensing components throughout the vehicle greatly reduce blind spots, enhance active obstacle avoidance and passive protection capabilities, and significantly improve safety.
[0019] (III) The high and low voltage main control units are centrally isolated in the central control area. The vehicle main control module integrates navigation decision-making and motion control, providing a core intelligent hub for AGV operation. The drive module adopts an integrated module of motor, reducer and drive wheel. The steering control module integrates precision transmission unit and large-size wheel set to ensure precise control and adaptability to complex terrain. The bottom of the energy storage unit optimizes the center of gravity and shortens the wiring harness. Through this highly centralized electronic control architecture and deep integration of power execution distribution, the limitations of traditional architecture in intelligent upgrades are completely overcome, laying a solid foundation for efficient and reliable automated operation. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the internal processing area distribution and an external enclosed component of an AGV counterbalanced forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 2 This diagram shows a schematic overall view of the functional component arrangement of an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structure of a safety protection module for an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the structure of a steering control module for an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the structure of the main control module of an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the structure of a forklift device for an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the structure of a drive module for an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates the structure of an energy storage unit for an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates the structure of the external enclosure component of an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] Figure 10 This diagram illustrates the arrangement of sensing components in an AGV counterbalance forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Enclosure component; 11. Rear cover; 12. Upper side door; 13. Lower layer panel; 14. Front panel; 15. Anti-collision compression plate; 16. Mast cover; 17. Roof; 2. Processing area; 21. Balancing device area; 22. Central control area; 23. Extension connection area; 24. Drive operation area; 25. Power storage area; 3. Functional components; 31. Safety protection module; 32. Steering control module; 33. Vehicle main control module; 34. Forklift device; 35. Drive module; 36. Energy storage unit; 4. Sensing components; 41. First bottom obstacle avoidance radar; 42. Multi-view camera; 43. Fixed radar; 44. Multi-line lidar; 45. Depth camera; 46. Position switch; 47. Photoelectric switch; 48. Second bottom obstacle avoidance radar; 49. Wire encoder. Detailed Implementation
[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description of an AGV counterbalanced forklift proposed by this utility model, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, will further illustrate its advantages and features. The advantages and features of this utility model will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, used only to facilitate and clearly illustrate the purpose of the embodiments of this utility model. Please refer to the accompanying drawings to make the objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only used to complement the content disclosed in the specification, for those skilled in the art to understand and read, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this utility model. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by this utility model, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this utility model.
[0032] Please see Figures 1 to 10 The AGV counterbalance forklift of this embodiment includes: The enclosed assembly 1, consisting of detachable components, forms the outer shell of the AGV body. While offering a stylish appearance, it also facilitates easier disassembly and maintenance. The entire vehicle adopts a fully enclosed exterior, with each part capable of independent operation and disassembly. Specifically, the enclosed assembly 1 includes a rear cover plate 11, an upper door 12, and a lower panel 13 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the AGV body; a front panel 14 and a collision-resistant compression plate 15 located at the front end of the AGV body; a mast cover 16 located at the rear end of the AGV body; and a roof 17 located on top of the AGV body. The rear cover plate 11 preferably houses an emergency stop switch, a display screen, and a mode switch, while the front panel 14 can integrate UI interactive lighting, solid-state LiDAR, and other electrical equipment. Furthermore, the collision-resistant compression plate 15 is designed to absorb impact forces, effectively protecting internal components in the event of a collision, while also possessing a certain degree of elastic recovery capability. The gantry cover 16 and the canopy 17 are preferably made of materials with corrosion resistance and wear resistance to provide shielding and protection, thereby meeting the needs of various working environments.
[0033] Furthermore, the AGV counterbalance forklift also includes a processing area 2 located within the enclosed assembly 1. The processing area 2 is divided by the frame within the enclosed assembly 1, with the core control components located at the front end of the AGV body and the external cover extended in an optimized manner. This further shortens the vehicle wheelbase, effectively reducing the vehicle length compared to traditional forklifts. Specifically, it includes a balancing device area 21 located at the front end of the frame to ensure overall vehicle balance, a central control area 22 located in the middle of the frame, and a power storage area 25. The central control area 22 is an isolation area for high and low voltage main control units, and the power storage area 25 is used as the arrangement of the power source. Preferably, in this embodiment, the central control area 22 is located above the power storage area 25 and is isolated from the rest of the processing area 2 to improve protection and maintainability. It also includes an extended connection area 23 located at the rear end of the frame and a drive operation area 24. The extended connection area 23 provides support and connection for the enclosed assembly 1 and sensing elements, and the drive operation area 24 is used to mount the forklift device 34 and set up the drive module 35.
[0034] Furthermore, the rear cover 11, the gantry cover 16, and the roof 17 enclose the extended connection area 23 and the drive operation area 24. The upper door 12, the lower panel 13, and the roof 17 enclose the central control area 22 and the power storage area 25. The front panel 14 and the anti-collision compression plate 15 enclose the equalization device area 21.
[0035] Furthermore, the AGV counterbalance forklift also includes a functional component 3, which is configured for the processing area 2 to perform corresponding work tasks according to different blocks of the processing area 2. This is mainly achieved by modularizing the functional component 3, so as to ensure that the functions are complete and highly integrated, while also ensuring convenient and quick maintenance. Specifically, the functional component 3 includes a safety protection module 31 and a steering control module 32. Both the safety protection module 31 and the steering control module 32 are located within the equalization device area 21. The safety protection module 31 serves as a passive mechanical safety protection, acting as the last line of defense for the entire vehicle's safety. It includes various execution methods such as physical collision avoidance and electronic sensing. When triggered, the entire vehicle will brake at the fastest speed to minimize losses. The steering control module 32 integrates a steering power unit, a slewing transmission unit, and large-size wheelsets. The design of the steering control module 32 emphasizes efficiency and stability. By optimizing the output performance of the steering power unit, it ensures flexible control of the vehicle under complex working conditions. The slewing transmission unit adopts a precision gear structure, effectively reducing energy loss and improving transmission efficiency. The large-size wheelsets enhance the forklift's adaptability to different terrain conditions and also have strong load-bearing capacity to meet the needs of heavy-duty operations.
[0036] Furthermore, the functional component 3 includes a vehicle main control module 33, which is located in the central control area 22 and integrates upper-level navigation decisions, mid-level motion control, and other information transmission and processing units to provide information control for the entire vehicle. The functional component 3 also includes a forklift device 34, which is located in the extended connection area 23, integrating the forklift device 34 and the AGV body into a single AGV counterbalance forklift in this embodiment.
[0037] Furthermore, the functional component 3 includes a drive module 35, which is located in the drive operation area 24. This drive module 35 is an integrated module comprising a power motor, a reducer, and drive wheels, enabling more precise control and achieving weight reduction. The functional component 3 also includes an energy storage unit 36, located in the power energy storage area 25. This energy storage unit 36 is a power battery that provides energy to the entire vehicle. By being positioned at the bottom of the AGV body, it optimizes the structural center of gravity while reducing the length of related wiring harnesses.
[0038] Furthermore, the forklift also includes a sensing component 4 distributed between the functional component 3 and the enclosed component 1. The sensing component 4 includes a first bottom obstacle avoidance radar 41, a multi-view camera 42, a fixed radar 43, and a multi-line lidar 44. The first bottom obstacle avoidance radar 41 is mounted on the anti-collision compression plate 15 and located at the bottom of the forklift. The multi-view camera 42 and the fixed radar 43 are both mounted on the steering control module 32 and located at the front of the forklift. The multi-line lidar 44 is mounted on the canopy 17 and located at the top of the forklift. The first bottom obstacle avoidance radar 41, by scanning the bottom area of the forklift in real time, can accurately identify potential obstacles such as protrusions, depressions, or foreign objects on the ground, and promptly trigger the obstacle avoidance mechanism to ensure driving safety. The multi-view camera 42 has a wide-angle field of view and depth perception capabilities, and can acquire images and perform 3D modeling of the goods and working environment in front, providing visual basis for goods picking positioning and path planning. The fixed radar 43 can stably detect the distance and relative speed of objects within a certain range in front of the forklift, complementing the data from the multi-view camera 42 to improve the accuracy of environmental perception. The multi-line lidar 44 constructs a high-precision point cloud map of the surrounding environment through 360° rotation scanning, enabling real-time tracking of dynamic obstacles and accurate modeling of static scenes. Combined with data fusion processing from other sensing elements, this allows the forklift to have the ability to navigate autonomously, avoid obstacles intelligently, and stop precisely in complex operating scenarios.
[0039] Furthermore, the sensing component 4 also includes a depth camera 45, a positioning switch 46, a photoelectric switch 47, a second bottom obstacle avoidance radar 48, and a wire encoder 49, all disposed on the forklift device 34. The depth camera 45 captures the three-dimensional contour and surface texture information of the goods, accurately identifying the size, shape, and stacking status of the goods, assisting the forklift in adaptive adjustments when picking up goods of different specifications. The positioning switch 46 triggers a signal when the forklift device 34 moves to a preset position, ensuring that the forks can accurately insert into the pallet fork holes, avoiding unstable goods picking due to positioning deviations. The photoelectric switch 47 detects whether there is goods on the forks, and can provide real-time status information to the control system when the goods are placed in place or removed, realizing automated monitoring of the goods loading and unloading process. The second bottom obstacle avoidance radar 48 is installed on the bottom of the forklift device 34, scanning the area below and near the forks to effectively identify small obstacles or uneven ground conditions, preventing damage to the device or tipping of goods due to bottom obstacles during the picking process. The cable encoder 49 is connected to the lifting mechanism of the forklift device 34. It accurately calculates the lifting height of the forks by measuring the extension and retraction length of the cable in real time, providing position feedback for the precise stacking and retrieval of goods, and ensuring that the goods can be accurately stopped at the target height when stacked in multiple layers.
[0040] The collaborative work of the sensing component 4 enables comprehensive perception of the working environment and forklift process from different dimensions, further improving the reliability and intelligence level of the AGV counterbalance forklift in automated operations.
[0041] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0042] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An AGV counterbalance forklift, characterized in that: The forklift includes: The enclosure components, which are detachable from each other, form the outer shell of the AGV vehicle body; The processing area is located within the enclosed assembly and is divided by the frame within the enclosed assembly. It includes a balancing device area at the front end of the frame, a central control area and a power storage area at the middle of the frame, and an extended connection area and a drive operation area at the rear end of the frame. A functional component, configured for use in the processing area, for performing corresponding job tasks according to different blocks of the processing area.
2. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The functional components include a safety protection module and a steering control module, both of which are located in the balance device area.
3. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The functional components include a vehicle main control module and a forklift device. The vehicle main control module is located in the central control area, and the forklift device is located in the extended connection area.
4. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The functional components include a drive module and an energy storage unit. The drive module is located in the drive operation area, and the energy storage unit is located in the power energy storage area.
5. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The enclosure includes a rear cover, an upper door, and a lower panel symmetrically arranged on both sides of the AGV body, a front panel and a collision compression plate located at the front of the AGV body, a mast cover located at the rear of the AGV body, and a roof located on the top of the AGV body.
6. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The rear cover, the gantry cover, and the roof enclose the extended connection area and the drive operation area.
7. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The upper door, the lower panel, and the ceiling enclose the central control area and the power storage area.
8. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The front panel and the anti-collision compression plate enclose the balancing device area.
9. The AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The forklift also includes sensing components distributed among the functional components and the enclosure components. The sensing components include a first bottom obstacle avoidance radar, a multi-view camera, a fixed radar, and a multi-line lidar. The first bottom obstacle avoidance radar is disposed on the anti-collision compression plate and located at the bottom of the forklift. The multi-view camera and the fixed radar are both disposed on the steering control module and located at the front of the forklift. The multi-line lidar is disposed on the roof and located at the top of the forklift.
10. An AGV counterbalance forklift as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The sensing components also include a depth camera, a positioning switch, a photoelectric switch, a second bottom obstacle avoidance radar, and a pull-wire encoder, all of which are installed on the forklift device.