Safety forks for industrial vehicles and industrial vehicles

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of fork hardware design of industrial vehicle, concretely relates to the structural improvement of the collision interference of fork, the utility model is realized through the following scheme: the safe fork suitable for industrial vehicle contains fork leg, the fork leg contains the body and the collision body arranged in the body front end end position, the body and the collision body are connected through the elastic connecting device, still contain the visual acquisition device for obtaining real -time video picture and used for installing on the collision body, the utility model discloses the purpose is to provide the safe fork suitable for industrial vehicle and industrial vehicle, the fork avoids the operator to rely on naked eye and experience judgment and advances the position of the picture of high precision of the position of advancing the fork of real -time acquisition, improves the operation precision, and protects the fork, improves the service life of fork.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of hardware design forks for industrial vehicles, specifically to structural improvements in preventing collision interference of the forks. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial vehicles generally refer to wheeled transport and lifting equipment used for material handling, stacking, traction, or loading and unloading operations within designated areas such as ports, warehouses, workshops, and construction sites. They differ from commercial transport vehicles that travel on public roads and primarily serve industrial and commercial processes such as manufacturing and logistics warehousing, making them indispensable key equipment in modern production and logistics systems.

[0003] Forks are the paired L-shaped load-bearing devices installed at the front end of most lifting industrial vehicles, such as forklifts. They are the core lifting device that comes into direct contact with the load during material handling operations, and their design and performance directly affect the safety and efficiency of the operation.

[0004] For example, Chinese patent document with application number CN202110512698.5 discloses a forklift that includes a vehicle body and forks mounted on the vehicle body. The forks can be used to pick up and move goods by an operator controlling the movement of the vehicle.

[0005] Forks not only pick up the goods directly but also the pallets they interact with. The goods are placed on top of the pallets, which have slots for the forks to enter. However, this type of fork has two technical drawbacks: First, the movement and entry of the forks often rely on the driver's visual observation and experience. In today's trend towards miniaturized and lightweight logistics designs, pallets, pallet slots, and aisles are becoming increasingly smaller, and inaccurate fork control can lead to collisions and safety hazards. Second, as a frequently used component, frequent collisions can cause damage or even destruction to the forks. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a safe fork for industrial vehicles and industrial vehicles in general. This fork eliminates the need for operators to rely on visual observation and experience to judge the fork entry position, providing a real-time, highly accurate image of the fork entry position, improving operational precision, protecting the forks, and extending their service life.

[0007] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a safety fork for industrial vehicles, comprising fork legs, each fork leg comprising a body and a collision body disposed at the front end of the body, the body and the collision body being connected by an elastic connecting device, and further comprising a visual acquisition device mounted on the collision body for acquiring real-time video images.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, the collider is provided with an observation port, and the visual acquisition device is arranged on the surface of the lower bottom surface of the collider.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elastic connecting device includes a guide shaft and a spring sleeved on the guide shaft. One end of the guide shaft is mounted on the body, and the other end passes through the collision body. One end of the spring abuts against the body, and the other end abuts against the collision body.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, the side of the colliding body closest to the main body is provided with a limiting plate for contacting the main body.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, it also includes a distance acquisition device mounted on the fork leg and used to measure the distance between the fork leg and the cargo.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, the distance acquisition device is a laser rangefinder.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, there are two forks; there are two distance acquisition devices, which are installed on the sides of the two forks on opposite sides.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, the visual acquisition device is a 3D visual camera.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, the fork leg is equipped with a pressure sensing device for detecting whether a collision exists.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressure sensing device includes a sensing body mounted on the main body, a sensing head connected to the sensing body, and a connecting head mounted on the impact body, wherein the connecting head abuts against the sensing head.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of this invention, a buzzer is also installed on the fork leg, and the buzzer is configured to sound an alarm when the pressure sensor detects a collision.

[0018] An industrial vehicle includes a main frame, on which a traveling device is provided, and on which the aforementioned safety forks suitable for industrial vehicles are mounted.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the main frame is provided with a lifting drive device and a horizontal connecting plate that is lifted and lowered under the drive of the lifting drive device, and the horizontal connecting plate is provided with a lateral shifter for driving the fork legs to move laterally.

[0020] In summary, this utility model has the following beneficial effects: 1. Through the visual acquisition device, the operator can accurately see the video feed at the front of the forks in the background, which makes it easier for the operator to accurately control the forks.

[0021] 2. When the collision object comes into contact with the goods and gets close to the main body, the spring absorbs and buffers part of the collision energy, thereby protecting the main body and extending the service life of the entire fork.

[0022] 3. The distance measurement device can measure the distance between the device and the pallet or goods in front, further improving safety.

[0023] 4. The distance acquisition device is located on the inner side of the fork, which is beneficial to the service life of the distance acquisition device.

[0024] 5. The visual path of the vision acquisition device is through the observation port, without obstruction, to avoid collision between the vision acquisition device and the ground during the lifting and lowering of the forks.

[0025] 6. The limiting plate will contact the front of the main body to prevent the collision object from moving backward excessively.

[0026] 7. When the pressure value read by the pressure sensor exceeds the preset threshold, the buzzer will sound an alarm, further enhancing safety.

[0027] 8. The industrial vehicle is equipped with a vehicle control system, which communicates with the vision acquisition device and the distance acquisition device. The system uses the video signals and distance signals from both devices to control the lifting, lateral movement, fork advance and retraction of the forks, thereby improving the level of automation. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Example 1; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the fork leg structure of Example 1; Figure 3 It is a bottom view of the connection between the main body and the collider.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Fork leg, 11. Body, 12. Collision body, 121. Observation port, 2. Visual acquisition device, 13. Back plate, 3. Distance acquisition device, 4. Pressure sensing device, 41. Sensing body, 42. Sensing head, 43. Connecting head, 5. Elastic connecting device, 6. Limiting plate, 71. Horizontal connecting plate, lateral shifter, 72. Lifting drive device. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive step, but as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present utility model, they are protected by patent law.

[0032] The following description provides examples and does not limit the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims. Changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the described elements without departing from the scope of this specification. Various processes or components may be appropriately omitted, substituted, or added to the examples. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Furthermore, features described with respect to some examples may be combined into other examples.

[0033] Example 1, applicable to safety forks of industrial vehicles, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the device includes two fork legs 1, both of which are connected to a back panel 13. Each fork leg 1 has the same structure, including a body 11 and a collision element 12. The collision element 12 is located at the front end of the body 11, i.e., close to the goods and away from the back panel 13. A distance acquisition device, such as an ultrasonic rangefinder or an infrared rangefinder, is installed on the inner side of each fork leg 1, i.e., on opposite sides. This embodiment uses a laser rangefinder, which has the advantages of high accuracy and high speed, and can measure the distance between the laser rangefinder and the pallet or goods in front. The placement of the device also benefits the lifespan of the distance acquisition device 3, avoiding collisions with the surrounding environment when placed on the outside, and avoiding collisions with the goods when placed on the top.

[0034] An observation port 121 is provided at the front end of the collision body 12, and a vision acquisition device 2 is provided on the lower surface of the collision body 12. The vision acquisition device 2 can be a camera; in this embodiment, a 3D vision camera is used. This type of product can generate the target's position coordinates in the background system based on the captured image, making it easier for the operator to observe accurately. The visual path of the vision acquisition device 2 passes through the observation port 121 without obstruction, which allows the vision acquisition device 2 to be positioned slightly higher, avoiding collision between the vision acquisition device 2 and the ground during the lifting and lowering of the forks.

[0035] Therefore, through the vision acquisition device 2, the operator can accurately view the video feed at the front of the forks in the background, facilitating precise control of the forks. The data acquisition, transmission, and display functions of the vision acquisition device 2 are existing technologies and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0036] The distance acquisition device 3 further acquires the distance values ​​to the goods in front, further increasing the accuracy and safety of control and observation.

[0037] like Figure 3The diagram shows a bottom-up view of the connection point between the body 11 and the collision body 12. The body 11 and the collision body 12 are connected by an elastic connecting device 5. The number and position of the elastic connecting devices 5 can be set according to the specific fork model and size. In this embodiment, two sets with identical structures are provided on each fork leg 1. Each set of elastic connecting devices 5 includes a guide shaft, which is fixedly connected to the body 11 and movably connected to the collision body 12. For example... Figure 3 In the middle, its front end passes through a connecting plate of the collision body 12. The spring is sleeved on the outer ring of the guide shaft, with one end abutting against the body 11 and the other end abutting against the collision body 12, so that when the collision body 12 comes into contact with the goods approaching the body 11, the spring absorbs and buffers part of the collision energy, thereby protecting the body 11 and improving the service life of the entire fork.

[0038] As the collision continues, the limiting plate 6 connected to the rear end of the collision body 12 will come into contact with the front of the main body 11, thus achieving the function of collision limiting and preventing the collision body 12 from moving backward excessively.

[0039] When a collision occurs, the collision signal is sensed by the pressure sensing device 4, which can employ different types of pressure sensors available in the prior art. In this example, the sensing body 41 is fixedly mounted on the body 11, with a sensing head 42 at its front end, while a connector 43 is mounted on the colliding body 12. During a collision, the connector 43 will contact the sensing head 42, and the sensing head 42 will read the pressure value.

[0040] This embodiment also includes a buzzer. When the pressure value read by the sensor 42 is greater than a preset threshold, the buzzer will sound an alarm.

[0041] On the other hand, such as Figure 1 As shown, this utility model also provides an industrial vehicle, which includes a main frame on which drive wheels, traveling wheels, a steering wheel, and other traveling devices (not shown in the figure) are mounted. The lifting drive device 72 can be a driving component such as a hydraulic cylinder, which drives the cross plate 71 to rise and fall. The back plate 13 is driven to move laterally on the cross plate 71 by a side shifter. The side shifter can be implemented using an electric push rod or a cylinder, as is available in the prior art.

[0042] Example 2, based on Example 1, adds intelligent control. A vehicle control system is installed on the industrial vehicle, which is communicatively connected to the vision acquisition device 2 and the distance acquisition device 3. The lifting, lateral movement, fork advance and retraction of the fork 1 are controlled through the video signals and distance signals of the two devices.

[0043] The area shown in the upper left corner of the diagram (dashed box) is the battery pack, which includes the BMS (Battery Management System) and the battery array, which consists of multiple lithium batteries connected in series. The specific number can be chosen according to the specific circuit specifications; this case does not impose any restrictions. The BMS is connected in parallel with the battery array. The BMS includes a control module and an 8-pin connector. The former is represented by a solid box labeled "BMS" in the diagram, and the latter is the connector marked "EGFHACDB". The "Battery+" and "Battery-" terminals shown in the diagram are the output interfaces of the entire battery pack, the positive and negative terminals, used to supply power to the electrical appliances required by the aerial work platform.

[0044] This design incorporates short-circuit protection for the battery pack; specifically, a short-circuit fuse is installed. Figure 1 The fuse in the diagram, Fuse2, has a fusing current of 10A. One end of the short-circuit fuse needs to be connected to the battery pack, and the other end needs to be connected to the BMS via a device. In the diagram, the ECU and PCU are the devices, and the BMS includes an 8-pin connector. The left side of the short-circuit fuse is connected to the positive terminal of the battery pack through the E interface of the 8-pin connector, the right side is connected to the ECU and PCU, and finally, it is connected to the BMS control module through the G interface of the 8-pin connector.

[0045] With this connection method, when the battery pack is short-circuited, its current will exceed the rated current, that is, exceed 10A. At this time, the short-circuit fuse will blow, thus protecting the battery pack.

[0046] In this case, there is also a shunt protection mechanism for the electrical safety of the battery pack during charging, implemented through a shunt. Battery charging involves the charging module supplying current to the battery pack. The charging module is the part in the lower left corner of the diagram that connects to the plug (the "+" and "-" terminals), and it is connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack. The BMS itself can detect the charging current in real time. When the charging current does not exceed a threshold, charging proceeds normally. When the charging current exceeds a preset threshold, the BMS controls the shunt to connect to the charging circuit. Figure 1 As shown, the shunt is connected to and controlled by the BMS. After the shunt is connected to the circuit, its right end is connected to the charging module, and its left end is connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack. It consumes a portion of the current in the charging circuit, reducing the current pressure on the battery pack during charging and protecting the battery pack.

[0047] For the battery pack's electrical protection during operation, specifically during discharge, this design includes a third layer of protection implemented via relays. However, in actual use, when a circuit fault occurs, the BMS fails to activate, rendering it unable to effectively control the entire circuit and its electronic components. Specifically, when the BMS cannot effectively control the circuit... Figure 1 The G-interface of the 8-pin connector will receive no current. A relay consists of a coil and a switching section. Figure 1 In the diagram, the two squares marking the main negative relay and the main positive relay represent the relay coil section. The coil section is connected to the BMS and can detect the absence of current at the G interface. In existing technologies, the battery pack includes a self-activation circuit; however, in this embodiment, the self-activation circuit is connected to the G interface. Therefore, by detecting whether there is current input at the G interface, the coil section is essentially detecting whether there is current input to the self-activation circuit. When there is no current input to the self-activation circuit, the BMS fails to activate, and the relay's switching section disconnects the circuit. The switching section is... Figure 1 The switch marked in the middle is the main / negative relay switch. One end of it is connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack via a shunt, and the other end is connected to the negative output interface. When the relay switch is turned off, the battery pack is disconnected from the negative output interface, thus disconnecting the entire battery pack from the negative output interface. Figure 1 The circuits on the right side are disconnected to prevent the battery pack from continuing to supply power to the circuit in the event of a circuit failure, thus avoiding damage to the electronic components in the circuit.

[0048] On the other hand, this utility model also provides an aerial work platform, such as... Figure 2 As shown, it comprises three main components: a base carriage 1, a lifting device 2, and a platform 3. The base carriage 1 includes a body 11 and a door 12, with the door 12 hinged to the body 11. A handle controller 43 is mounted on the platform 3 for easy operation by workers at height. Its electrical connection is... Figure 1 The PCU in the system is also equipped with an emergency stop switch. For example... Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a top-down view. Many electronic components are mounted on the two doors 12, allowing for easy inspection and repair by simply flipping down the door 12. This provides ample space for maintenance personnel, avoiding the need to crawl into the vehicle body 11. The battery pack 41 is located in... Figure 3 The main controller 42, hydraulic control system 44, and drive control system 46 are installed in the left-hand door of the vehicle, while those in the right-hand door are installed in the right-hand door. The main controller 42 is... Figure 1 The ECU in the middle is connected to the power management system and the handle controller 43. Meanwhile, the main controller 42 acts as the control center, controlling the drive control system 46 and the hydraulic control system 44; the former controls the vehicle's movement, and the latter controls the lifting device 2. The drive control system 46 is installed on the back of the right door.

Claims

1. A safety fork for industrial vehicles, comprising fork legs (1), characterized in that: The fork leg (1) includes a body (11) and a collision body (12) arranged at the front end of the body (11). The body (11) and the collision body (12) are connected by an elastic connecting device (5). It also includes a visual acquisition device (2) installed on the collision body (12) for acquiring real-time video images.

2. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collision body (12) is provided with an observation port (121), and the visual acquisition device (2) is arranged on the surface of the bottom surface of the collision body (12).

3. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic connecting device (5) includes a guide shaft and a spring sleeved on the guide shaft. One end of the guide shaft is mounted on the body (11), and the other end passes through the collision body (12). One end of the spring abuts against the body (11), and the other end abuts against the collision body (12).

4. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that: The collision body (12) has a limiting plate (6) on the side near the body (11) for contacting the body (11).

5. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a distance acquisition device (3) installed on the fork leg (1) and used to measure the distance between the distance and the cargo.

6. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that: The distance acquisition device (3) is a laser rangefinder.

7. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are two fork legs (1); there are two distance acquisition devices (3), which are installed on the side of the two fork legs on opposite sides.

8. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The visual acquisition device (2) is a 3D visual camera.

9. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fork leg (1) is equipped with a pressure sensor (4) for detecting whether there is a collision.

10. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 9, characterized in that: The pressure sensing device (4) includes a sensing body (41) mounted on a body (11), a sensing head (42) connected to the sensing body (41), and a connector (43) mounted on the impact body (12), the connector (43) abutting against the sensing head (42).

11. The safety fork for industrial vehicles according to claim 10, characterized in that: A buzzer is also installed on the fork (1), and the buzzer is configured to sound an alarm when the pressure sensing device (4) senses a collision.

12. An industrial vehicle, comprising a main frame, wherein a traveling device is provided on the main frame, characterized in that: The main frame is equipped with safety forks suitable for industrial vehicles as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. The industrial vehicle according to claim 12, characterized in that: The main frame is provided with a lifting drive device (72) and a horizontal connecting plate (71) that is lifted and lowered under the drive of the lifting drive device (72). The horizontal connecting plate (71) is provided with a lateral shifter for driving the fork leg (1) to move laterally.

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