Load Fork Line Laser Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing power supply methods for line lasers in industrial truck load forks are complex and costly due to cable routing requirements, and battery-operated systems suffer from short battery life and frequent replacement or charging needs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a power storage device, control unit, and rangefinder within the load fork, where the power storage supplies the control unit and line laser, and the rangefinder measures distance to activate the line laser only when necessary, with the control unit comparing measured values to a setpoint to manage power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wired power supply is used for the line laser in the load fork, then continuous energy supply is ensured, but cable routing becomes complex and costly due to diverse movement options of the load fork
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply function from the wired cable system and relocates it to a battery unit integrated into the load fork. This removes the need for complex cable routing while maintaining continuous power supply to the line laser, directly resolving the contradiction between energy supply and device complexity.
2Device complexity
If battery is used to power the line laser in the load fork, then cable routing complexity is reduced, but battery life becomes short requiring frequent replacement or recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by controlling the line laser to operate only during specific phases of the forklift's work cycle (when the load is positioned and needs alignment). The laser is switched off during other phases, creating a periodic operation pattern that extends battery life while maintaining functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the line laser from continuous operation to intermittent operation based on detected work conditions. By monitoring the forklift's state and activating the laser only when positioning is required, the energy consumption is significantly reduced, thereby extending battery life.
3Measurement precision
If line laser is continuously activated to assist positioning, then positioning accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases reducing operational duration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback control by using sensors to detect the forklift's position and load status, then activating the line laser only when the feedback indicates that positioning assistance is needed. This closed-loop control ensures positioning accuracy is maintained when required while minimizing energy consumption by keeping the laser off when positioning is not needed.
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 reduces the need for complex cable routing, extends battery life by only activating the line laser when needed, and minimizes frequent charging, improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a line laser arranged in an interior of the load fork at its front end, which is set up to project a line pattern onto a third object lying in front of the front end
Implementation Method 2
the rangefinder is set up to measure a distance of the load fork to a surface on which the industrial truck can be moved
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Load fork (2), of a forklift truck and a method for operating a forklift truck and a line laser (4) configured to project a line pattern onto a third object located in front of the front end (6) in order to indicate a position of the load fork (2) relative to that third object.Here, an additional energy storage device (8), a control unit (10) and a distance meter (12) are provided inside the load fork (2), wherein the energy storage device (8) is configured to supply the control unit (10), the line laser (4) and the distance meter (12) with electrical energy at least temporarily, wherein the distance meter (12) is configured to measure the distance of the load fork (2) to a surface on which the industrial truck can move, and wherein the control unit (10) is configured to compare a measured distance value recorded by the distance meter (12) with a target distance value and to activate the line laser (4) if the recorded measured value is greater than or equal to the specified target distance value.