Fork Side Shift Control Using Distance Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the side shift operation of an industrial vehicle, excessive loads can be applied to the fork-side mechanism due to frictional forces and reaction forces when pallets collide or slide on the forks.
Innovation Solution
The industrial vehicle is equipped with a side shift mechanism, distance sensors on the forks, and a control unit that monitors the distance between the fork's side surface and the pallet's inner wall. The control unit stops the side shift operation when the detected distance varies from the initial value, preventing excessive loads on the fork-side mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the side shift mechanism is used to abut adjacent pallets into contact to eliminate gaps, then the utilization efficiency of cargo bed space is enhanced and cargo shaking is suppressed, but excessive load may be applied to the fork-side mechanism when the side shift amount becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the distance between the fork side surface and the pallet inner wall surface before completing the side shift operation. By detecting the initial distance value and monitoring changes during the side shift process, the system proactively identifies when the pallet has contacted the previously loaded pallet, allowing the side shift operation to be stopped at the optimal moment before excessive load is applied to the fork-side mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If automatic side shift operation is performed to eliminate gaps between pallets, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of pallet collision and excessive frictional force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the distance between the fork side surface and the pallet inner wall surface during the side shift operation. When the detected distance changes from the initial value, indicating that the pallet has contacted the previously loaded pallet, the system automatically stops the side shift operation. This feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention while preventing excessive frictional force and reaction force that would result from over-shifting.
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 solution effectively suppresses the application of excessive loads to the fork-side mechanism during side shift operations, enhancing the operational efficiency and reducing the risk of mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
a distance sensor provided on a side surface in the horizontal direction of at least one of the pair of forks and configured to detect a distance from the side surface to a detection object
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial vehicle includes a side shift mechanism, a distance sensor provided on a side surface of at least one of the pair of forks in the horizontal direction and configured to detect a distance from the side surface to a detection object; and a control unit configured to control a side shift operation by the side shift mechanism based on a detection result of the distance sensor. The control unit stores an initial value of a distance between a side surface of the fork and an inner wall surface when the side shift operation by the side shift mechanism is started, and stops the side shift operation by the side shift mechanism when the distance between the side surface of the fork and the inner wall surface has varied from the initial value during execution of the side shift operation by the side shift mechanism.