Ground-Side Detection for Article Transport Vehicle Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional article transport facilities struggle to detect and avoid interfering objects, particularly those that are hidden or movable, leading to potential collisions due to the placement of obstacle sensors on the vehicles rather than the ground, which limits their detection range and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a ground-side position detector to identify interfering objects along the travel path and an external managing device to issue deceleration commands to the article transport vehicle, allowing it to reduce speed before encountering hidden or movable obstacles, thereby enhancing detection and avoidance capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If obstacle sensors are provided to each article transport vehicle, then the vehicle can detect interfering objects, but the detection range is limited and hidden or movable objects cannot be detected in time
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is segmented into two parts: ground-side detectors that remain stationary and provide continuous monitoring, and vehicle-side sensors that move with the vehicle. This segmentation allows the ground-side detectors to cover fixed areas while the vehicle navigates, solving the limitation of vehicle-mounted sensors having restricted detection ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground-side detector acts as an intermediary between the fixed environment and the moving vehicle. It detects interfering objects in advance and communicates this information to the vehicle controller, enabling the vehicle to take preventive action before reaching hidden or movable objects that would otherwise be undetectable.
2Productivity
If the vehicle travels at normal speed, then productivity is maintained, but collision risk increases when interfering objects are not detected in time
Solution Approach 1:
The ground-side detector performs preliminary detection of interfering objects before the vehicle reaches them. By identifying hidden or movable objects in advance and communicating their positions to the vehicle controller, the system enables the vehicle to maintain normal speed while taking preliminary avoidance actions, thus preserving productivity without increasing collision risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback between ground-side detectors and the vehicle controller. The detectors provide real-time information about interfering objects, and the controller adjusts vehicle speed accordingly - maintaining normal speed when the path is clear and reducing speed when interfering objects are detected, thereby balancing productivity and safety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If articles are placed directly on the floor at the side of the travel path, then storage flexibility is improved, but detection of interfering objects becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The detection approach moves from a vehicle-centric perspective to a ground-based perspective. By placing detectors on the ground rather than on the moving vehicle, the system creates a stationary detection network that can monitor the entire travel path area, including regions where articles are stored on the floor. This dimensional change in detection positioning allows comprehensive monitoring without being obstructed by stored articles.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an article transport facility in which interference between an article transport vehicle and an interfering object is prevented. A position detector is provided on the ground side for detecting the position of an interfering object, and an external managing device issues a deceleration command to the article transport vehicle if the distance from the article transport vehicle to the interfering object becomes less than or equal to a predetermined low speed distance, based on position information for the interfering object and travel position information for the article transport vehicle. A vehicle side travel controller changes a target travel speed from a normal travel speed to a reduced travel speed which is lower, or less, than the normal travel speed while the target travel speed is set to the normal travel speed, if the deceleration command is issued from the external managing device.