Autonomous Yard Truck Trailer Docking and Hitching Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The trucking industry relies on manual processes for connecting and disconnecting trailers to trucks, which are inefficient and pose safety concerns, especially in autonomous trucking environments where automation is desirable.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods for automating the connection and disconnection of trailers to truck cabs, including automated hitching, door unlatching, trailer identification, navigation, safety mechanisms, and power connections, using robotic manipulators, sensors, and processors to facilitate autonomous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation of yard trucks and trailers is used, then operational flexibility and human judgment are maintained, but labor costs increase, safety risks arise from manual labor injuries, and operational efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The yard truck and trailer system performs autonomous operations including self-navigation, self-docking, self-landing-gear adjustment, and self-monitoring through integrated sensors and processors. The system serves itself by automatically detecting environmental conditions, making operational decisions, and executing maneuvers without human intervention, thereby eliminating manual labor while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous yard truck system integrates multiple functions into a single platform: navigation, docking control, landing gear operation, sensor data processing, communication with facilities, and safety monitoring. This multi-functional integration achieves high productivity while managing system complexity through unified control architecture.
2Reliability
If automated systems are introduced to replace manual labor, then labor costs decrease and safety improve, but system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary safety assessments by continuously monitoring environmental conditions through sensors before executing operations. Landing gear position, docking alignment, and surrounding obstacles are detected and verified in advance, ensuring safe operations while managing complexity through proactive risk mitigation rather than reactive measures.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous system incorporates continuous feedback loops where sensors monitor operational parameters and environmental conditions, processors analyze the data, and adjustments are made in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures safety while managing system complexity through closed-loop control that adapts to changing conditions dynamically.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive sensor systems and processors are deployed for autonomous operation, then operational precision and safety are improved, but cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple sensor types (cameras, LIDAR, ultrasonic sensors, GPS) and processing functions into an integrated autonomous operation platform. By combining these components into a unified system with shared processing architecture and common communication protocols, the patent achieves high measurement precision while managing overall system complexity through integration rather than proliferation of separate systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.