Three-Level Industrial Truck Frame for 360° Scanner Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomously guided industrial trucks face limitations in spatial angular coverage and mechanical performance due to scanner units being positioned outside the vehicle frame, which restricts their use in logistics facilities with block storage and increases safety risks.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle frame is designed with three structural levels, allowing scanner units to be positioned within the frame outline, with a horizontally aligned scanning plane, and incorporating support rollers and drive wheels that do not obstruct the scanner's field of view, enabling a 360° panoramic view without dead zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If scanner units are located outside the frame geometry to ensure all-round visibility, then the field of view is improved, but the vehicle width increases and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional plan view arrangement to a three-dimensional vertical stacking arrangement. Scanner units are positioned at different heights (first, second, and third scanner units at different vertical levels), allowing all-round coverage without increasing vehicle width. This vertical dimensionality resolves the contradiction by maintaining compact vehicle dimensions while achieving complete 360° scanning coverage through multi-level positioning.
2Reliability
If scanner units are positioned at high locations to avoid obstruction, then visibility is improved, but the ability to scan low objects like empty pallets is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the scanning function into multiple segments by positioning scanner units at different vertical levels. The first scanner unit is located at a first height, the second scanner unit at a second height, and the third scanner unit at a third height. This segmentation allows each scanner to cover different vertical zones, with lower scanners detecting objects like empty pallets and higher scanners providing overviews, thereby resolving the contradiction between height and detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the vertical dimension to scanner positioning, the system achieves comprehensive coverage without relying solely on horizontal placement. The multi-level arrangement enables the scanners to detect objects at various heights, including low objects on the ground level, while maintaining an overview capability from higher positions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If support rollers are positioned at the outermost width to maximize stability, then vehicle stability is improved, but the field of view of scanner units is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the obstruction problem by moving the solution from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane. Instead of repositioning support rollers horizontally (which would compromise stability), the scanners are stacked vertically at different heights. This allows support rollers to maintain their outermost horizontal position for stability while scanners at different vertical levels achieve unobstructed views through the frame structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If industrial trucks are made narrower to fit block storage facilities, then adaptability is improved, but the positioning of scanner units becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies scanner positioning in narrow vehicles by utilizing the vertical dimension. Instead of attempting to position scanners at optimal horizontal locations in a narrow footprint, the system stacks scanners vertically at different heights. This approach maintains compact vehicle dimensions suitable for block storage facilities while achieving comprehensive scanning coverage through vertical arrangement.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The present invention relates to an autonomously guided industrial truck (10) comprising a vehicle frame (12) which, in a top view of the industrial truck (10), defines a vehicle outline in sections, a load part (14) guided vertically on the vehicle frame (12) for receiving a load, and at least one drive wheel (26) which is assigned to the vehicle frame (12) in order to stand upright on a driving surface below it. The vehicle frame (12) comprises three structural levels (E1, E2, E3) arranged vertically one above the other with different outlines, namely a lower structural level (E1) in which a base structure (22) is arranged, an upper structural level (E3) with a cover (36), and a middle structural level (E2) which includes a frame structure (38) for connecting the lower structural level (E1) and the upper structural level (E3).