Forklift work assistance system

Abstract

To provide a forklift work assistance system capable of reducing power consumption of a battery of a forklift.SOLUTION: This forklift work assistance system comprises: a forklift 100; and an unmanned flying object 200. The forklift 100 includes a power generation unit 131 that generates power using renewable energy, a power conversion unit 132 that converts the power generated by the power generation unit 131 into charging power, a power transmission unit 133 configured such that the unmanned flying object 200 can be disposed, and a control unit. The unmanned flying object 200 includes a flying object control unit, and a flying object battery serving as a flight power source. The power conversion unit 132 supplies the charging power to the unmanned flying object 200 disposed in the power transmission unit 133, and charges the flying object battery under control of the control unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a forklift operation support system including a forklift and an unmanned aerial vehicle that supports the operation of the forklift. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of a conventional forklift operation support system is the system described in Patent Document 1. The system described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a forklift equipped with an on-board monitor and an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a camera. When the lifting of the forks is detected, the unmanned aerial vehicle flies away from the forklift and captures images of the situation around the forks with the camera. The captured images are displayed on the on-board monitor, allowing the forklift operator to check the situation around the forks from the on-board monitor.

[0003] In the system described in Patent Document 1, power is supplied to the unmanned aerial vehicle by a power supply device provided on the forklift. The power supply device is electrically connected to a battery that is the power source of the forklift, and receives power from the battery. For this reason, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the power consumption of the battery increases, which results in an increase in the number of times the battery needs to be charged, which may lead to battery deterioration. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-36102 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a forklift operation support system that is capable of reducing the power consumption of the battery of the forklift. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a forklift operation support system according to the present invention comprises: A forklift operation support system including a forklift and an unmanned aerial vehicle that supports the operation of the forklift, The forklift is A power generation division that generates electricity using renewable energy; a power conversion unit that converts the generated power of the power generation unit into a predetermined charging power; A power transmission unit connected to the power conversion unit and configured to be able to deploy the unmanned aerial vehicle; A control unit that controls the power conversion unit, The unmanned aerial vehicle is An aircraft control unit that controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft; An aircraft battery that serves as a power source for flight; The power conversion unit is characterized by supplying the charging power to the unmanned aerial vehicle placed in the power transmission unit under the control of the control unit, and charging the aerial vehicle battery.

[0007] According to this configuration, the aircraft battery is charged with electricity generated using renewable energy, which reduces the power consumption of the forklift battery. In addition, power generation using renewable energy generates almost no carbon dioxide (CO2), which helps prevent global warming.

[0008] In the forklift operation support system, The forklift includes a storage battery connected to the power conversion unit, The power conversion unit, under the control of the control unit, a battery charging operation of supplying the charging power to the battery and charging the battery; The power supply may be configured to perform a battery discharge operation to discharge the battery and supply the discharged power of the battery to the aircraft battery.

[0009] In the forklift operation support system, When the charge level of the aircraft battery becomes equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold during the flight of the unmanned aircraft, the aircraft control unit sends a charge preparation command to the control unit and returns the unmanned aircraft to the power transmission unit; The control unit that receives the charging preparation command can be configured to charge the aircraft battery after detecting that the unmanned aerial vehicle has returned to the power transmission unit.

[0010] In the forklift operation support system, The forklift is A loading device including a fork; A loading lever configured to be operable by an operator of the forklift; a loading control mechanism that operates the loading device in response to an operation of the loading lever, The loading control mechanism includes: When the loading lever is displaced from the neutral position, the loading device is operated, and when the loading lever returns to the neutral position, the operation of the loading device is stopped, The control unit is When the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on the power transmission unit and the charge level of the aerial vehicle battery is below a predetermined second threshold, the device can be configured to detect that the loading lever is in the neutral position and then charge the aerial vehicle battery.

[0011] In the forklift operation support system, The forklift is An accelerator configured to be operable by an operator of the forklift; a travel control mechanism for controlling a travel speed of the forklift in accordance with an operation amount of the accelerator, The control unit is When the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on the power transmission unit and the charge level of the aerial vehicle battery is below a predetermined second threshold, the aerial vehicle battery can be configured to be charged after detecting that the operation amount of the accelerator is zero.

[0012] In the forklift operation support system, The power generation unit may be configured to include at least one of a solar power generation device that generates the generated electric power and a wind power generation device that generates the generated electric power.

[0013] The forklift operation support system includes: A system including a plurality of the forklifts and one of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The aircraft control unit includes: Communicating with the control unit of the forklift to identify the forklift that is closest to the forklift; If the charge level of the aircraft battery falls below a predetermined threshold during flight, the unmanned aircraft can be configured to return to the power transmission unit of the forklift that is closest to it.

[0014] The forklift operation support system includes: The system includes one of the forklifts and a plurality of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The power transmission unit is configured to be able to deploy two or more of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The power conversion unit can be configured to charge the aircraft batteries of two or more of the unmanned air vehicles simultaneously under the control of the control unit. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a forklift operation support system capable of reducing the power consumption of the battery of the forklift. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a forklift operation support system according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a power generation mechanism of the forklift according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3]1A is a diagram showing an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a control mechanism of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flow diagram of the charging start determination process for a forklift in the first embodiment, where (A) is a diagram when the unmanned aerial vehicle is mainly performing loading and unloading work assistance, and (B) is a diagram when the unmanned aerial vehicle is mainly performing driving work assistance. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a forklift operation support system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a forklift operation support system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a forklift operation support system according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a forklift operation support system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] [First embodiment] 1 shows a forklift operation support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The forklift operation support system according to this embodiment includes a forklift 100 and an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 that supports the operation of the forklift 100.

[0019] The forklift 100 is a counterbalance type battery forklift, and includes a vehicle body 110, a loading device 120, and a power generation mechanism 130.

[0020] The vehicle body 110 includes a body frame 111, a pair of left and right front wheels 112A and rear wheels 112B, a driver's seat 113, a head guard 114, an accelerator 115A and a brake 115B, a handlebar 116, loading levers (tilt lever 117A and lift lever 117B), and a display unit 118.

[0021] The vehicle body frame 111 constitutes the skeleton of the vehicle body 110, and has front wheels 112A and rear wheels 112B provided at the bottom. A battery BT1, which is the power source of the forklift 100, and electric motors (in this embodiment, a traveling motor M1, a steering motor M2, and a loading motor M3) driven by the power of the battery BT1 are housed inside the vehicle body frame 111. In the forklift 100, the front wheels 112A are driving wheels driven by the traveling motor M1, and the rear wheels 112B are steering wheels steered by the steering motor M2.

[0022] Driver's seat 113 and head guard 114 are provided on the upper part of body frame 111. Driver's seat 113 is a seat for the operator, and head guard 114 is a protective frame for protecting the operator in driver's seat 113 from dropped baggage and the like. An accelerator 115A and a brake 115B are provided on the lower front part of driver's seat 113, and the accelerator 115A and the brake 115B are connected to front wheel 112A via a drive control mechanism including a drive motor M1.

[0023] Accelerator 115A is an accelerator pedal configured to be operable by being stepped on by an operator in driver's seat 113. When accelerator 115A is in an on state (pedal is depressed), it accelerates the traveling of vehicle body 110 according to the amount of pedal depression (accelerator opening), and when accelerator 115A is switched from the on state to an off state (pedal is not depressed), it generates weak regenerative braking to decelerate vehicle body 110.

[0024] Brake 115B is a brake pedal configured to be operable by being stepped on by an operator in driver's seat 113. When brake 115B is in an on state (pedal is stepped on), it generates regenerative braking stronger than that of accelerator 115A to decelerate vehicle body 110, but when brake 115B is in an off state (pedal is not stepped on), it does not generate regenerative braking.

[0025] The handlebar 116 is provided in front of the driver's seat 113. The handlebar 116 is connected to the rear wheels 112B via a steering control mechanism including a steering motor M2. By rotating the handlebar 116, the operator can change the direction of the rear wheels 112B according to the direction of rotation. A forward / reverse lever is provided below the handlebar 116 for switching the travel of the vehicle body 110 between forward and reverse. When the forward / reverse lever is tilted forward and the accelerator 115A is turned on, the vehicle body 110 moves forward, and when the forward / reverse lever is tilted backward and the accelerator 115A is turned on, the vehicle body 110 moves backward.

[0026] The loading levers (tilt lever 117A and lift lever 117B) are provided in front of the driver's seat 113. The loading levers are connected to the loading device 120 via a loading control mechanism including a loading motor M3 and a hydraulic device (not shown). The operator can operate the loading device 120 by operating the loading levers.

[0027] The display unit 118 is provided in front of the driver's seat 113 (for example, on the dashboard). The display unit 118 includes a display means configured to be visible to the operator, and an operation means configured to be operable by the operator. The display means is configured, for example, with a liquid crystal display, and displays a screen showing the remaining charge of the battery BT1, the traveling speed, etc., and a setting screen for performing various settings of the forklift 100. The operation means includes a plurality of operation buttons. The operator can perform various settings displayed on the setting screen by operating the plurality of operation buttons.

[0028] The loading / unloading device 120 includes a mast 121 , a lift bracket 122 , a fork 123 , a backrest 124 , a tilt cylinder 125 , and a lift cylinder 126 .

[0029] The mast 121 is provided at the front of the vehicle body 110, and is configured to raise and lower the forks 123. The mast 121 of this embodiment includes an outer mast and an inner mast. The outer mast includes a pair of left and right guide rails extending in the vertical direction, and a cross beam connecting the upper ends of the guide rails. The inner mast is provided inside the guide rails of the outer mast, and rises and falls along the guide rails of the outer mast.

[0030] The lift bracket 122 is configured to support the fork 123 and to move up and down along the mast 121. The lift bracket 122 of this embodiment is attached to one end of a lift chain and moves up and down along the inner mast while being suspended from the lift chain. The other end of the lift chain is attached to the lower part of the outer mast via a chain wheel provided on the upper part of the lift cylinder 126. The fork 123 is a pair of L-shaped arms on the left and right, and is provided on the front of the lift bracket 122. The backrest 124 is a frame for preventing the load loaded on the fork 123 from collapsing backward, and is provided on the upper part of the lift bracket 122. When the mast 121 (inner mast) moves up and down, the lift bracket 122, the fork 123, and the backrest 124 also move up and down.

[0031] The tilt cylinder 125 is a hydraulic cylinder for tilting the mast 121 in the forward and backward directions. In this embodiment, when the tilt lever 117A is tilted forward, the tilt cylinder 125 extends and the mast 121 tilts forward, and when the tilt lever 117A is tilted backward, the tilt cylinder 125 contracts and the mast 121 tilts backward. When the tilt lever 117A is returned to the neutral position (a position that does not tilt the mast 121 forward or backward), the tilting of the mast 121 stops.

[0032] The lift cylinder 126 is a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the mast 121. In this embodiment, when the lift lever 117B is tilted forward, the lift cylinder 126 contracts and the inner mast descends, and when the lift lever 117B is tilted backward, the lift cylinder 126 expands and the inner mast rises. When the lift lever 117B is returned to the neutral position (a position that does not tilt forward or backward), the raising and lowering of the inner mast stops.

[0033] 2, the power generation mechanism 130 includes a power generation unit 131, a power conversion unit 132, a power transmission unit 133, a storage battery BT2, a position detection unit 134, and a control unit 135. Note that, although the power generation mechanism 130 in this embodiment is provided in the head guard 114, the present invention is not limited to this. At least a portion of the configuration of the power generation mechanism 130 may be provided in a location other than the head guard 114 (for example, inside the body frame 111).

[0034] The power generation unit 131 is a solar power generation device configured to generate power using solar energy, which is a renewable energy. The solar power generation device includes a solar panel (solar cell) that generates power and outputs it to the power conversion unit 132 when sunlight is irradiated onto an irradiation surface. The power generation unit 131 may include an angle adjustment means for adjusting the angle of the irradiation surface with respect to the installation surface of the solar panel (the upper surface of the head guard 114 in this embodiment). When the angle adjustment means is included, it is preferable to adjust the angle of the irradiation surface so that the reflected light of the solar panel does not interfere with the loading and unloading work of the forklift 100.

[0035] The power conversion unit 132 is connected to the power generation unit 131, the power transmission unit 133, and the storage battery BT2. The power conversion unit 132 of this embodiment includes a pair of terminals T1, T1', a pair of terminals T2, T2', and a pair of terminals T3, T3'. The terminals T1, T1' are connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the power generation unit 131, the terminals T2, T2' are connected to the input terminals of the power transmission unit 133, and the terminals T3, T3 are connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the storage battery BT2.

[0036] The power conversion unit 132 performs a power conversion operation under the control of the control unit 135. The power conversion unit 132 of this embodiment performs the following first operation, second operation (storage battery charging operation), and third operation (storage battery discharging operation) as the power conversion operation. During the first operation, the power conversion unit 132 converts the DC generated power input to the terminals T1 and T1' into AC power (AC charging power) and outputs it from the terminals T2 and T2'. During the second operation, the power conversion unit 132 converts the DC generated power input to the terminals T1 and T1' into a predetermined DC power (DC charging power) and outputs it from the terminals T3 and T3'. During the third operation, the power conversion unit 132 converts the DC discharge power of the storage battery BT2 input to the terminals T3 and T3' into AC power (AC charging power) and outputs it from the terminals T2 and T2'. In this embodiment, the power conversion unit 132 is configured with a DC / AC inverter and a DC / DC converter because the power transmission unit 133 transmits AC power. Note that, when the power transmission unit 133 transmits DC power, the power conversion unit 132 can be configured with only a DC / DC converter.

[0037] The power transmission unit 133 is configured to be able to deploy the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and is configured to be able to supply power (wireless power in this embodiment) to the deployed unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The power transmission unit 133 in this embodiment includes a power transmission coil having one end connected to terminal T2 and the other end connected to terminal T2', and a coil case in which the power transmission coil is housed. The coil case is formed with a placement surface on which the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is placed. The power transmission unit 133 is also provided with a sensor for detecting that the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 has been deployed, and a detection signal from the sensor is output to the control unit 135.

[0038] The storage battery BT2 includes at least one secondary battery configured to be chargeable and dischargeable, and a battery management system that manages the charge amount of the secondary battery, etc. As the secondary battery, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery is used, but a secondary battery other than a lithium ion secondary battery may also be used.

[0039] The position detection unit 134 is a device that utilizes a satellite positioning system such as GPS, and is configured to be able to acquire position information of the forklift 100. The position information includes, for example, latitude information and longitude information. The position detection unit 134 outputs the acquired position information to the control unit 135. Note that if the forklift 100 is provided with a separate means for acquiring its own position, the position detection unit 134 may not be necessary.

[0040] The control unit 135 is configured to control the power conversion unit 132. The control unit 135 includes, for example, a processing unit that controls the first to third operations of the power conversion unit 132, and a storage unit configured with a memory or the like. The control unit 135 may be configured with, for example, a digital circuit using a microcontroller, a DSP, or the like, or may be configured with a circuit combining a digital circuit and an analog circuit. The control unit 135 can calculate the self-position of the forklift 100 based on the position information acquired by the position detection unit 134.

[0041] 3, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 includes a main body 210, rotors 220, legs 230, a work support unit 240, and a control mechanism 250. The unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is, for example, a drone.

[0042] The main body 210 includes a body that houses the flying object battery BT3, and multiple arms (four in this embodiment) that extend radially from the body. A rotor 220 is provided at the top of the tip of each arm, and a pair of legs 230 and a work support unit 240 that extend downward are provided at the bottom of the body.

[0043] The work support unit 240 is configured to support the loading and unloading work and / or traveling work of the forklift 100. The work support unit 240 of this embodiment includes an imaging device, and supports the loading and unloading work and / or traveling work of the forklift 100 by capturing video during flight using the imaging device and displaying the video on the display unit 118 of the forklift 100. The work support unit 240 of this embodiment may also include a projection device that projects a guidance image (for example, an arrow indicating the direction of travel) onto the road surface on which the forklift 100 travels.

[0044] The control mechanism 250 includes a position information acquisition unit 251, an aircraft driving unit 252, an aircraft control unit 253, an aircraft power receiving unit 254, an aircraft power conversion unit 255, and an aircraft battery BT3. In this embodiment, the aircraft power receiving unit 254 is provided at the lower end of the leg unit 230, and the other components of the control mechanism 250 are provided in the main body unit 210.

[0045] The position information acquisition unit 251 is a device that uses a satellite positioning system such as GPS, and is configured to be able to acquire position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The position information includes, for example, latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information. The position information acquisition unit 251 outputs the acquired position information to the aerial vehicle control unit 253.

[0046] The aircraft drive unit 252 is configured to rotate the rotors 220 under the control of the aircraft control unit 253. The aircraft drive unit 252 of this embodiment includes four electric motors for rotating the four rotors 220. For example, when the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are set to the same speed, the unmanned aircraft 200 hovers, and when the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are simultaneously increased to the same extent from that state, the unmanned aircraft 200 rises, and when the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are changed at different rates, the direction of travel of the unmanned aircraft 200 can be changed.

[0047] The flying object control unit 253 is configured to control the flying object driving unit 252 and the flying object power conversion unit 255. The flying object control unit 253 includes, for example, a processing unit that controls the flying object driving unit 252 and the flying object power conversion unit 255, and a storage unit configured with a memory or the like. The flying object control unit 253 may be configured with, for example, a digital circuit using a microcontroller, a DSP, or the like, or may be configured with a circuit combining a digital circuit and an analog circuit. In addition, the flying object control unit 253 can calculate the self-position of the unmanned flying object 200 based on the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 251.

[0048] The flying object power receiving unit 254 is configured to be able to receive power transmitted from the power transmitting unit 133. The flying object power receiving unit 254 of this embodiment includes a power receiving coil that enables power supply by an electromagnetic induction method between the power transmitting coil of the power transmitting unit 133. Note that the power supply between the power transmitting unit 133 and the flying object power receiving unit 254 is not limited to the electromagnetic induction method, and any power supply method can be adopted, and the configurations of the power transmitting unit 133 and the flying object power receiving unit 254 can be appropriately changed depending on the adopted power supply method.

[0049] The flying object power conversion unit 255 is connected to the flying object power receiving unit 254 and the flying object battery BT3, and performs power conversion operations under the control of the flying object control unit 253. The flying object power conversion unit 255 of this embodiment converts AC power (AC charging power) supplied from the flying object power receiving unit 254 into DC power and supplies it to the flying object battery BT3, thereby charging the flying object battery BT3. The flying object power conversion unit 255 is composed of, for example, a rectifier circuit and a DC / DC converter.

[0050] The flying object battery BT3 includes at least one secondary battery configured to be chargeable and dischargeable, and a battery management system that manages the charge amount of the secondary battery, etc. As the secondary battery, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery is used, but a secondary battery other than a lithium ion secondary battery may also be used. The battery management system transmits information regarding the charge amount of the secondary battery, i.e., the charge amount of the flying object battery BT3, to the flying object control unit 253.

[0051] Next, the charging control of the flying vehicle control unit 253 regarding charging of the flying vehicle battery BT3 and the charging control of the control unit 135 of the forklift 100 will be described.

[0052] During the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, the air vehicle control unit 253 checks the state of charge (SOC) of the air vehicle battery BT3 at a predetermined cycle. For example, the fully charged state of the air vehicle battery BT3 is set to 100%, and the completely discharged state of the air vehicle battery BT3 is set to 0%.

[0053] When the charge level of the flying object battery BT3 becomes equal to or less than a preset first threshold, the flying object control unit 253 transmits a charge preparation command to the control unit 135 and acquires position information of the forklift 100 (information related to the self-position of the forklift 100) from the control unit 135. The first threshold can be appropriately set or changed in the unmanned flying object 200. The flying object control unit 253 returns the unmanned flying object 200 to the power transmission unit 133 of the forklift 100 based on the position information of the unmanned flying object 200 and the position information of the forklift 100.

[0054] The control unit 135, which has received the charge preparation command, determines whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is placed at the power transmission unit 133, and if the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is placed at the power transmission unit 133, controls the power conversion unit 132 to output AC charging power to the power transmission unit 133. Note that when the power generation unit 131 is capable of generating power, the control unit 135 generates AC charging power based on the power generated by the power generation unit 131, and when the power generation unit 131 is unable to generate power (for example, at night or when it is cloudy), the control unit 135 generates AC charging power based on the discharge power of the storage battery BT2.

[0055] The AC charging power output to the power transmission unit 133 is transmitted to the aircraft power receiving unit 254, converted to DC power by the aircraft power conversion unit 255, and supplied to the aircraft battery BT3. This charges the aircraft battery BT3.

[0056] Although the above describes the charging control of the control unit 135 when a charging preparation command is received, the control unit 135 may also perform charging control when a charging preparation command is not received. Fig. 4(A) shows a flow diagram of the charging start determination process when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 mainly performs loading and unloading work support, and Fig. 4(B) shows a flow diagram of the charging start determination process when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 mainly performs driving work support.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4 (A), when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is mainly performing loading and unloading work support, the control unit 135, which has started the charging start determination process, makes a first determination as to whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is positioned at the power transmission unit 133 (S101).

[0058] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is placed on the power transmission unit 133 (YES in S101), the control unit 135 acquires information on the charge level of the air vehicle battery BT3 from the air vehicle control unit 253, and performs a second determination as to whether the charge level of the air vehicle battery BT3 is equal to or lower than a second threshold set in advance (S102). The second threshold can be set or changed as appropriate in the forklift 100.

[0059] When the charge amount of the flying object battery BT3 is equal to or less than the second threshold value (YES in S102), the control unit 135 acquires information on the operation amount of each of the tilt lever 117A and the lift lever 117B from the sensors provided on the loading levers (tilt lever 117A and lift lever 117B), and performs a third judgment of whether the loading levers are in the neutral position (S103). When the loading levers are in the neutral position (YES in S103), the control unit 135 starts charging the flying object battery BT3. In this way, by starting charging the flying object battery BT3 when the loading levers are in the neutral position, the flying object battery BT3 can be charged when the forklift 100 is not performing loading work (when the unmanned flying object 200 does not need to support loading work). Note that when the forklift 100 is performing loading work (however, YES in S101 and S102), the operator can start charging the flying object battery BT3 by returning the loading levers to the neutral position once.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4B, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 mainly performs driving operation support, the control unit 135 performs a determination of S103' as the third determination instead of the determination of S103. The control unit 135 acquires information about the operation amount (accelerator opening) of the axle 115A from an accelerator sensor provided on the axle 115A, and performs a third determination of whether the operation amount of the axle 115A is zero (S103'). If the operation amount of the axle 115A is zero (YES in S103'), the control unit 135 starts charging the aircraft battery BT3. In this way, by starting charging the aircraft battery BT3 when the operation amount of the axle 115A is zero, the aircraft battery BT3 can be charged when the forklift 100 is not driving (when the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 does not need to perform driving operation support). When the forklift 100 is traveling (YES in S101 and S102), the operator can start charging the aircraft battery BT3 by setting the operation amount of the accelerator 115A to zero.

[0061] In Fig. 4(A) and Fig. 4(B), the order of the first to third determinations may be interchanged, or they may be performed simultaneously. Whether the control unit 135 executes the charging start determination process shown in Fig. 4(A) or the charging start determination process shown in Fig. 4(B) can be appropriately set or changed on the display unit 118 of the forklift 100, for example.

[0062] In conclusion, according to the forklift operation support system of the first embodiment, the flying object battery BT3 is charged using power generated using solar energy, which is a renewable energy, and therefore it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery BT1, which is the power source of the forklift 100. Furthermore, power generation using solar energy generates almost no carbon dioxide (CO2), which also helps prevent global warming.

[0063] [Second embodiment] FIG. 5 shows a forklift operation support system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] The forklift operation support system according to this embodiment includes N forklifts 100 (100-1 to 100-N) (where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2) and one unmanned aerial vehicle 200 that supports the operations of the N forklifts 100. The forklifts 100 and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 have the same configuration as in the first embodiment, but the aerial vehicle control unit 253 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 executes processing to identify the forklift 100 that is closest.

[0065] When the charge level of the aircraft battery BT3 falls below a predetermined first threshold, the aircraft control unit 253 acquires position information of each forklift 100 (information regarding the own position of each forklift 100) from the N forklifts 100, identifies the forklift 100 that is closest to the unmanned aircraft 200, sends a charging preparation command to the control unit 135 of the identified forklift 100, and returns the unmanned aircraft 200 to the power transmission unit 133 of the identified forklift 100.

[0066] The control unit 135 that has received the charge preparation command controls the power conversion unit 132 to output AC charging power to the power transmission unit 133, as in the first embodiment. The AC charging power output to the power transmission unit 133 is transmitted to the flying object power receiving unit 254, converted to DC power by the flying object power conversion unit 255, and supplied to the flying object battery BT3. This charges the flying object battery BT3.

[0067] The forklift operation support system according to the second embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment, and further allows one unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to support the operation of N forklifts 100 .

[0068] [Third embodiment] FIG. 6 shows a forklift operation support system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] The forklift operation support system according to this embodiment includes one forklift 100 and N (N is an integer of 2 or more) unmanned aerial vehicles 200 (200-1 to 200-N) that support the operation of the forklift 100.

[0070] The power transmission unit 133 of the forklift 100 is configured to have a size that allows the placement of N unmanned aerial vehicles 200. Other configurations of the forklift 100 and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0071] The forklift operation support system according to the third embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment, and furthermore, the forklift 100 can charge the aircraft battery BT3 of N unmanned air vehicles 200 (200-1 to 200-N) simultaneously.

[0072] Although the embodiment of the forklift operation support system according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0073] [Variations] A forklift operation support system according to a modified example is shown in Fig. 7. The forklift operation support system according to the modified example includes a forklift 100' and an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 that supports the operation of the forklift 100'. The unmanned aerial vehicle 200 has the same configuration as in the first embodiment.

[0074] The forklift 100' has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, except that it includes a power generating unit 131' instead of the power generating unit 131. The power generating unit 131' is a wind power generating device configured to generate electricity by utilizing wind energy. The power generating unit 131' includes a wind turbine and a generator, and rotates the wind turbine by utilizing wind energy (air resistance during traveling), and transmits the rotational motion of the wind turbine to the generator to generate power.

[0075] The windmill of the power generation unit 131' is composed of a plurality of plate-shaped blades, and the angle of the blades is configured to be variable according to the traveling state of the forklift 100'. For example, it is preferable to adjust the angle of the blades so that the air resistance is small when the forklift 100' is traveling at a constant speed and accelerating, while adjusting the angle of the blades so that the air resistance is large when the forklift 100' is decelerating. For example, the control unit 135 may obtain information on the operation amount of the accelerator 115A and the operation amount of the brake 115B from an accelerator sensor provided on the accelerator 115A and a brake sensor provided on the brake 115B, and adjust the angle of the blades of the windmill of the power generation unit 131'. In this modification, the power generation unit 131' is provided on the head guard 114, but the installation location of the power generation unit 131' can be changed. In this modification, the power generation unit 131' is provided instead of the power generation unit 131, but both the power generation unit 131 and the power generation unit 131' may be provided.

[0076] According to the forklift operation support system of the modified example, the flying object battery BT3 is charged with power generated using wind energy, which is a renewable energy source, thereby reducing the power consumption of the battery BT1, which is the power source of the forklift 100. In addition, power generation using wind energy generates almost no carbon dioxide (CO2), which helps prevent global warming.

[0077] [Other variations] The forklift operation support system of the present invention is a forklift operation support system including a forklift and an unmanned aerial vehicle that supports forklift operation, wherein the forklift is equipped with a power generation unit that generates electricity using renewable energy, a power conversion unit that converts the generated power of the power generation unit into a predetermined charging power, a power transmission unit connected to the power conversion unit and configured to allow the unmanned aerial vehicle to be deployed, and a control unit that controls the power conversion unit, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with an aerial vehicle control unit that controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and an aerial vehicle battery that serves as a power source for flight, and the power conversion unit supplies charging power to the unmanned aerial vehicle deployed on the power transmission unit under the control of the control unit, and the configuration can be modified as appropriate as long as it charges the aerial vehicle battery.

[0078] For example, in each of the above embodiments, the storage battery BT2 may be removed.

[0079] In each of the above embodiments and modified examples, a counterbalance type battery forklift has been used as an example, but the forklift of the present invention may be a different type (e.g., a reach type) of battery forklift, an engine forklift other than a battery forklift, or a hybrid forklift equipped with a battery and an engine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 100, 100' forklift 110 Vehicle body 111 Body frame 112A front wheel 112B rear wheel 113 Driver's seat 114 Head Guard 115A Accelerator 115B Brake 116 Handle 117A Tilt Lever 117B Lift lever 118 Display section 120 Cargo handling equipment 121 Mast 122 Lift bracket 123 Fork 124 Backrest 125 Tilt Cylinder 126 Lift cylinder 130 Power Generation Mechanism 200 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 210 Main body 220 Rotor 230 Legs 240 Work Support Department 250 Control Mechanism

Claims

1. A forklift operation support system including a forklift and an unmanned aerial vehicle that supports the operation of the forklift, The forklift is A power generation division that generates electricity using renewable energy; a power conversion unit that converts the generated power of the power generation unit into a predetermined charging power; A power transmission unit connected to the power conversion unit and configured to be able to deploy the unmanned aerial vehicle; A control unit that controls the power conversion unit, The unmanned aerial vehicle is An aircraft control unit that controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft; An aircraft battery that serves as a power source for flight; The power conversion unit, under the control of the control unit, supplies the charging power to the unmanned aerial vehicle arranged in the power transmission unit, and charges the aerial vehicle battery. A forklift operation support system comprising:

2. The forklift includes a storage battery connected to the power conversion unit, The power conversion unit, under the control of the control unit, a battery charging operation of supplying the charging power to the battery and charging the battery; and performing a battery discharging operation to discharge the storage battery and supply the discharged power of the storage battery to the aircraft battery.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

3. When the charge level of the aircraft battery becomes equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold during the flight of the unmanned aircraft, the aircraft control unit transmits a charge preparation command to the control unit and returns the unmanned aircraft to the power transmission unit; The control unit that receives the charge preparation command detects that the unmanned aerial vehicle has returned to the power transmission unit and then charges the aerial vehicle battery.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

4. The forklift is A loading device including a fork; A loading lever configured to be operable by an operator of the forklift; a loading control mechanism that operates the loading device in response to an operation of the loading lever, The loading control mechanism includes: When the loading lever is displaced from the neutral position, the loading device is operated, and when the loading lever returns to the neutral position, the operation of the loading device is stopped, The control unit is When the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on the power transmission unit and the charge level of the aerial vehicle battery is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold, the unmanned aerial vehicle battery is charged after detecting that the loading lever is in the neutral position.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

5. The forklift is An accelerator configured to be operable by an operator of the forklift; a travel control mechanism for controlling a travel speed of the forklift in accordance with an operation amount of the accelerator, The control unit is When the unmanned aerial vehicle is disposed on the power transmission unit and the charge amount of the aerial vehicle battery is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold, the operation amount of the accelerator is detected to be zero, and then the aerial vehicle battery is charged.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

6. The power generation unit includes at least one of a solar power generation device that generates the generated power and a wind power generation device that generates the generated power.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

7. A system including a plurality of the forklifts and one of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The aircraft control unit includes: Communicating with the control unit of the forklift to identify the forklift that is closest to the forklift; When the charge level of the battery of the unmanned aerial vehicle falls below a predetermined threshold during flight, the unmanned aerial vehicle is returned to the power transmission unit of the forklift that is located closest to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

8. The system includes one of the forklifts and a plurality of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The power transmission unit is configured to be able to deploy two or more of the unmanned aerial vehicles, The power conversion unit charges the aircraft batteries of the two or more unmanned aircraft simultaneously under the control of the control unit.

2. The forklift operation support system according to claim 1 .

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