AGV Laser Sensor Path Coating to Prevent False Safety Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driverless transport vehicle systems face challenges in reliably detecting persons while avoiding false triggers from objects, particularly in variable or dynamic environments, due to the inability of personal protection sensors to differentiate between people and objects.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a personal protection sensor with a transmitter and receiver, and objects along the transport path are coated or clad with materials that absorb or reflect detection radiation in a directional manner, preventing it from reaching the receiver and thus avoiding false triggers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the personal protection sensor monitors a large monitoring area to ensure safety, then person detection capability is improved, but false detection of objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the coating material's optical properties location-specific. Objects along the travel path are coated with materials that selectively absorb or reflect detection radiation based on their position and orientation, creating local variations in radiation interaction that differentiate objects from persons in the monitoring area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color changes by using coating materials with specific optical absorption and reflection characteristics. These coatings modify how objects interact with detection radiation, effectively changing their 'optical appearance' to the sensor, making them indistinguishable from background or non-threatening elements while persons remain detectable.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the monitoring area dimensions are reduced to avoid detecting objects, then false triggers are reduced, but person detection coverage is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of objects through specialized coating materials. By modifying the reflection and absorption characteristics of object surfaces, the system maintains a comprehensive monitoring area coverage while objects coated with specific materials do not generate false detection signals, thus preserving both coverage and reducing false triggers.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the monitoring area is temporarily switched off to pass objects, then false triggers are avoided, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of objects triggering false detection into a benefit by coating objects with materials that make them optically invisible to the detection radiation. This transformation allows the monitoring area to remain fully active and safe while objects pass through without causing false triggers, turning a potential safety risk into a reliable operating condition.
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 allows for reliable detection of persons without triggering unnecessary safety measures due to objects, even in dynamic environments, by making objects invisible to the personal protection sensor, thereby enhancing operational flexibility and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver configured to receive detection radiation generated by the transmitter and reflected from persons and objects located in a monitoring area detected by the detection radiation
Implementation Method 2
the objects carry a coating or cladding that absorbs detection radiation incident thereon
Implementation Method 3
reflects it in such a direction that it cannot reach the receiver
Data Source
AI summary
A transport system for transporting workpieces includes a plurality of objects disposed along a path of travel and a driverless transport vehicle having a workpiece holder and a personal protection sensor such as a laser scanner. The sensor has a transmitter for generating detection radiation and a receiver adapted to receive detection radiation generated by the transmitter and reflected from persons or objects located in a monitoring area that is monitored by the detection radiation. A control device steers the transport vehicle along the travel path so that it does not collide with the objects and triggers a safety measure if the personal protection sensor has detected a person in the monitoring area. The objects support a coating or cladding that absorbs detection radiation impinging thereon or reflects it in such a direction that it cannot reach the receiver. As a result, the objects become invisible to the personal protection sensor and cannot trigger any safety measures.