Trailer Navigation Alignment for Autonomous Material Handling Vehicles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Material handling vehicles (MHVs) face difficulties in navigating autonomously within trailers due to poor lighting, weak wireless communication, and unknown layouts, which hinder their ability to accurately align and maneuver within enclosed spaces like trailers, leading to potential operational failures.
Innovation Solution
A navigation alignment system comprising a housing with a navigation controller, lighting system, directional Wi-Fi communication, and adjustable rollers, which assists MHVs by providing alignment, lighting, and communication signals to help them navigate within trailers, enabling autonomous operation and improving infrastructure utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If MHVs navigate autonomously within trailers using standard sensors, then autonomous navigation capability is improved, but navigation accuracy deteriorates due to poor lighting, weak wireless communication, and unknown layouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary alignment system consisting of markers placed at the trailer entrance and a camera-mounted MHV. This intermediary system mediates between the MHV's autonomous navigation capabilities and the challenging trailer environment, enabling accurate alignment and navigation by providing visual reference points that work around the limitations of poor lighting and unknown layouts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-placing markers at the trailer entrance before the MHV enters. These markers are positioned in advance to create a visual alignment system that guides the MHV into the correct position, allowing the MHV to achieve accurate navigation without relying on real-time sensor feedback alone
2Productivity
If MHVs enter trailers for loading and unloading operations, then material handling productivity is improved, but navigation reliability deteriorates due to enclosed space constraints and infrastructure limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system with markers and camera acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the MHV's navigation system and the enclosed trailer environment. This intermediary provides reliable visual cues that maintain navigation reliability even in the constrained and infrastructure-limited trailer space
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the MHV to self-align and self-navigate into the trailer using the visual markers and camera feedback, without requiring external guidance or intervention. This self-service capability maintains reliability by making the navigation process autonomous and adaptable to the enclosed environment
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to navigation alignment systems and methods for assisting material handling vehicles (MHVs), specifically in the navigation of the MHVs maneuver into, out of, or within a navigation space.