Scanner Unit Vertical Placement for AGV Width Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomously guided industrial trucks face challenges with stability, load distribution, driving characteristics, and tilt resistance, particularly when trying to navigate in tight spaces like logistics facilities with block storage, where a maximum width is restricted.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a vehicle body with support arms and scanner units positioned vertically above the support wheels, allowing optimal coverage of the surroundings without increasing the overall width of the truck. This arrangement enables the scanner units to operate within the vehicle contour, avoiding obstacles and ensuring comprehensive scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If scanner units are arranged outside the vehicle contour to achieve complete 360° monitoring coverage, then the scanning coverage is improved, but the overall width of the vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanner units are positioned vertically above the support wheels, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve scanning coverage that would otherwise require lateral placement. This dimensional transition allows the scanners to monitor surroundings including areas behind and beside the vehicle without increasing the vehicle's width, thereby resolving the contradiction between complete scanning coverage and compact vehicle dimensions.
2Weight of moving object
If support arms are used to achieve lighter and more compact design, then the vehicle weight and complexity are reduced, but the support arms create blind spots in the scanning region
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the scanner units vertically above the support wheels rather than laterally, the invention eliminates the blind spots created by support arms. The vertical placement allows the scanning regions to extend laterally without being blocked by the support arm structure, maintaining both the compact design benefits and complete scanning coverage.
3Measurement precision
If scanner units are positioned at vertical height of approximately 100 mm to recognize unladen pallets, then the detection capability is improved, but the integration becomes more difficult due to disruptive components
Solution Approach 1:
The scanner units are integrated into the support wheel assemblies, merging the scanning function with the existing structural components. This integration approach allows the scanners to be positioned at the optimal vertical height for pallet recognition while avoiding conflicts with other vehicle components, as the support wheel assembly provides a natural mounting location that accommodates both the wheel and scanner functions.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomously guided industrial truck comprising a vehicle body and a pair of support arms extending from the vehicle body. The vehicle body defines a longitudinal direction and a width direction of the industrial truck in sections in plan view of the industrial truck. Each of the support arms extending from the vehicle body has at least one load wheel. The industrial truck includes a pair of support wheels or drive wheels located underneath the vehicle body on a driving surface and opposite one another relative to the width direction. The industrial truck includes a pair of scanner units arranged vertically above the support wheels or drive wheels. The pair of scanning units defines a scanning plane with respective scanning regions each scanning unit of the pair of scanning units, and wherein the respective scanning units are symmetrically opposite one another within an outline of the vehicle body in the width direction of the industrial truck.