Inclination Detection Using Laser Range Finder and Marker Rods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for unmanned transfer vehicles to detect their inclination are costly and require significant effort for installation and maintenance, and are not flexible enough to adapt to changes in warehouse layouts, especially when transferring heavy or tall articles.
Innovation Solution
An inclination detection apparatus using a laser range finder and three marker rods with different inclinations, which allows for flexible detection of the vehicle's inclination without the need for pre-inputting positional information of retroreflectors, enabling the vehicle to adjust its route and maintain stability during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a general tiltmeter or gyro is integrated into the transfer vehicle for inclination detection, then measurement precision is improved, but cost and maintenance complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical inclination detection devices (tiltmeter, gyro) with an optical measurement system using a laser range finder. The laser range finder emits laser beams to illuminate retroreflectors on the vehicle body, and by calculating the positions of reflected light points in three-dimensional space, the system determines vehicle inclination without mechanical sensors, thereby reducing cost and maintenance while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces retroreflectors as intermediary objects mounted on the vehicle body at specific positions. These retroreflectors serve as mediators between the laser range finder and the vehicle body, enabling optical measurement of inclination through the positions of reflected light points, thus avoiding direct mechanical sensing
2Measurement precision
If positional information of retroreflectors is input in advance per each retroreflector, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability to layout changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to automatically acquire and calculate the three-dimensional positions of retroreflectors through the laser range finder during operation. Instead of requiring manual pre-input of retroreflector positions, the system self-determines positions by measuring the reflected light points and calculating their spatial coordinates, thereby adapting automatically to layout changes without manual reconfiguration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from static pre-input coordinates to dynamic three-dimensional positions calculated from laser range finder measurements. By using real-time spatial coordinates (x, y, z) of reflected light points relative to the vehicle body, the system can adapt to layout changes while maintaining measurement precision through continuous positional updating
3Ease of operation
If markers are installed on a floor surface for position recognition, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to breakage or stain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the position recognition function from floor-mounted markers and relocates it to retroreflectors mounted on the vehicle body itself. By removing the dependency on floor markers and using vehicle-mounted retroreflectors with the laser range finder, the system eliminates the reliability issues associated with floor marker breakage or staining while maintaining ease of operation through automatic position recognition
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
Enables efficient and flexible detection of vehicle inclination, reducing maintenance costs and allowing for dynamic route adjustments, ensuring stable transfer of articles even in changing warehouse layouts.
Implementation Method 1
measures distance to an object based on the time for the laser beam to light the object and return to the LRF as reflection light
Implementation Method 2
a laser range finder (LRF) fixed on an unmanned transfer vehicle... measures distance to an object based on the time for the laser beam to light the object and return to the LRF as reflection light
Implementation Method 3
Some type of LRF measures a distance based on the positions of a photoemitter and a photodetector by means of the triangulation principle
Data Source
AI summary
An inclination detection apparatus detects the inclination of a mobile body with three marker rods having different inclinations with respect to one another. The mobile body is provided with a laser range finder irradiating surrounding objects with a laser beam to light a point on each of the three marker rods as a reflection point from which the laser beam is reflected back. The inclination detection apparatus includes a processor and a storage device storing relative positional information of the three marker rods. The processor obtains positional information of reflection points, obtains relative positions of the reflection points on the three marker rods by determining points on the three marker rods corresponding to the obtained positional information based on the relative positional information of the three marker rods, and identifies an inclination plane including the obtained relative positions of the reflection points as the inclination of the mobile body.