Adaptive Safety Zone for Transport Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for operating means of transport equipped with transport devices do not effectively adapt safety zones based on the size and projection of objects being transported, leading to potential safety hazards during semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operations.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines or adapts the safety zone of a means of transport by using contactless measurements from a distance measuring device, specifically by segmenting the scanning area and evaluating the status of each segment as 'free' or 'occupied', thereby adjusting the safety zone to maintain minimum distances despite object projections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed safety zone is used for all objects, then the system is simple to operate, but safety is compromised when transporting large or irregularly shaped objects
Solution Approach 1:
The safety zone is made dynamic by continuously measuring the actual dimensions of the transported object with the distance measuring device and automatically adjusting the safety zone parameters accordingly. This allows the safety zone to adapt in real-time to different object sizes and shapes, ensuring appropriate safety distances are maintained without requiring manual intervention or complex predefined configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual or fixed mechanical approach to safety zone determination is replaced with an optical/electromagnetic measurement system (distance measuring device). This substitution enables automatic, precise measurement of object dimensions and dynamic calculation of safety zones, improving both safety and operational simplicity despite the added measurement capability.
2Reliability
If the safety zone is enlarged for all objects, then safety is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced transport efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The safety zone parameters are dynamically changed based on the measured dimensions of each transported object. Instead of using a conservative fixed safety zone for all objects, the system calculates the minimum necessary safety zone for each specific object, optimizing the balance between safety and transport efficiency. This allows smaller objects to be transported with smaller safety zones, maintaining productivity while ensuring adequate safety for larger objects.
3Reliability
If contactless measurement is used to determine safety zone, then safety is improved by adapting to object size, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically measuring object dimensions with the distance measuring device and autonomously determining the appropriate safety zone without requiring external intervention. The control unit processes the measurement data and adjusts the safety zone parameters automatically, reducing the need for complex manual configuration systems while achieving adaptive safety zone determination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances safety by dynamically adjusting the safety zone based on the size and projection of objects, ensuring that minimum safety distances are maintained, even when transporting large or irregularly shaped objects, thereby improving the reliability and safety of semi-autonomous and fully autonomous transport operations.
Implementation Method 1
the contactless measurement is carried out with a distance measuring device
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a conveying device (1), such as a truck or a forklift, which is equipped with a transport device (6) for transporting an object (2), includes the following steps: i) arranging an object (2) in an arrangement region (15) of the transport device (6); ii) contactless measurement (53) of the object (2) using a distance measurement apparatus (10); iii) determining a safety zone (30) at the conveying device (1) as a function of the measurement (53) according to step ii).