Industrial Truck Load Fork Height Control via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial trucks require complex control and increased energy consumption due to lengthy lifting and lowering operations, which hinder efficient handling capacity.
Innovation Solution
An industrial truck with a load fork adjustable between entry and free lift heights, featuring a simplified control element with separate lift and lower buttons, and a sensor-activated switching cam for precise height control, allowing for quick and energy-efficient movement between these heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional lifting and lowering operations are used with continuous button pressing, then the load fork can be moved between heights, but the lifting and lowering times are lengthy and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control element is pre-configured with stored positions (entry height and free lift height) for the load fork. When activated, the lifting device automatically moves the fork to the predetermined position without requiring continuous operator input, thus reducing operation time and improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects the position of the load fork and provides feedback to the control element. When the fork reaches the stored position, the sensor triggers automatic stopping of the lifting device, ensuring precise positioning and eliminating the need for continuous manual control, thereby reducing time loss
2Productivity
If conventional lifting and lowering operations are used with continuous button pressing, then the load fork can be moved between heights, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control element automatically executes the lifting or lowering operation to a predetermined position upon single activation, eliminating the need for continuous button pressing. This reduces the duration of pump operation and hydraulic fluid flow, thereby decreasing energy consumption while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor detects when the load fork reaches the stored position and automatically stops the lifting device. This prevents unnecessary continued operation of the hydraulic pump and motor, reducing energy waste and improving overall energy efficiency
3Ease of operation
If the driver uses sense of proportion to control lifting heights, then the load fork can be positioned, but unnecessarily large movements occur between entry and free lift heights
Solution Approach 1:
The control element stores the precise positions for entry height and free lift height in advance. The lifting device automatically stops at these predetermined positions, eliminating the need for the driver to estimate heights and preventing excessive movement of the load fork, thus reducing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides precise feedback on the load fork position, enabling automatic stopping at the exact stored positions. This eliminates the need for driver estimation and ensures minimal movement between positions, improving ease of operation and reducing time loss
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Industrial truck (10), in particular a low-lift truck, with a load fork (18) which is adjustable between an entry height and a free lift height via a lifting device, wherein an entry height and a free lift height are each adjustable and an operating element is provided, when actuated the lifting device adjusts the load fork (18) to the free lift position or to the entry height, wherein the load fork (18) is arranged on a height-adjustable load frame (22) which is mounted on a drive frame (20), wherein a sensor (28) detects the relative movement between these and at least one switching cam (30) is arranged between the drive frame (20) and the load frame (22), upon sensing of which a first signal to end the lifting or lowering process is generated in a lifting or lowering process and in the absence of sensing of the at least one switching cam (30) in a lowering or lifting process a second signal to end the lifting or lowering process is generated.The lowering process is generated.