Forklift Speed Control Using Height and Distance Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial trucks with height-adjustable lifting masts face reduced goods handling performance due to unnecessary speed reduction when the lifting height exceeds a limit, leading to potential delays and reduced efficiency, especially when operating in tight spaces like high racks.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses lifting height detection and distance traveled sensors to determine the distance exceeded beyond the limit height, allowing the truck to operate at full speed within a safety distance without restrictions, triggering warnings or speed reductions only when leaving the safe area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driving speed is reduced when the lifting height exceeds a limit, then the collision risk is reduced, but the goods handling performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the safety measure application: speed reduction is only applied when the industrial truck is moving horizontally at elevated heights, not when vertically positioning the load or when below safe heights. This localized application maintains productivity while ensuring safety where actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the driving speed based on real-time conditions - combining lifting height detection with horizontal movement detection. The speed reduction is not static but dynamically applied only when both conditions (elevated height + horizontal movement) are met, optimizing both safety and productivity.
2Reliability
If the driving speed is reduced when the lifting height exceeds a limit, then the safety is improved, but the working speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Speed reduction is applied locally only to horizontal movement at elevated heights, not to vertical positioning or movement at safe heights. This ensures safety where needed while maintaining working speed during normal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines when to reduce speed based on real-time detection of both lifting height and horizontal movement status, rather than applying a static speed limit. This dynamic approach maintains working speed during safe operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the driving speed is reduced when the lifting height exceeds a limit, then the collision danger is reduced, but the transport performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety intervention is applied locally only when the truck is in the dangerous state (elevated height + horizontal movement), not during normal transport operations. This maintains transport performance while reducing collision danger in critical situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts speed based on the actual risk state, combining height detection with movement detection. This ensures transport performance is maintained during safe operations while collision danger is reduced when actually at risk.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for operating a forklift truck (1) with a load handling device (6) guided vertically on a lifting mast (8), with lifting height sensing devices for recording the lifting height of the load handling device (6), with a drive system and distance sensing devices for recording a distance traveled (11), wherein in a first step an exceedance of a limit lifting height is detected by the lifting height sensing devices, a distance (raktuell) to the location (9) of the first exceedance of the limit lifting height is determined for the duration of the exceedance of the limit lifting height by recording the distance traveled (11) by the distance sensing devices and using it to determine the distance (raktuell), and if a distance (raktuell) is greater than a safety distance (rmax) a warning signal and/or intervention in the drive system occurs.