Industrial Truck Sensor Layout for Rain-Resistant Obstacle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated industrial trucks face challenges in safe outdoor operation due to false triggering of safety stops caused by precipitation, which limits their speed and efficiency, as existing sensors struggle to differentiate between raindrops and obstacles.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of sensors at different heights with a computational-logical AND connection allows simultaneous detection of obstacles, reducing false triggers by requiring both sensors to confirm the presence of an object before triggering a safety stop, thereby maintaining vehicle speed and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensor evaluations are performed to filter precipitation false triggers, then reliability improves, but evaluation time increases and speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by arranging sensors at different heights (first sensor at height h1, second sensor at height h2). This spatial differentiation allows the system to distinguish precipitation from obstacles without requiring multiple temporal evaluations, thus maintaining high speed while improving reliability through geometric discrimination
2Reliability
If sensors are arranged at different heights with AND logic connection, then false triggers from precipitation are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into multiple independent sensors positioned at different vertical levels. Each sensor independently monitors its own scanning plane, and the AND logic combines their outputs. This segmentation approach reduces false triggers while keeping each sensor unit simple and modular
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a logical intermediary (AND operation) that mediates between the multiple sensor inputs and the final safety stop decision. This logical layer filters out precipitation false triggers by requiring simultaneous detection at multiple heights, adding minimal complexity while significantly improving reliability
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 significantly reduces the occurrence of false safety stops due to precipitation, allowing automated industrial trucks to operate safely and efficiently outdoors by ensuring that only simultaneous detection of relevant obstacles triggers a safety response.
Implementation Method 1
optical laser scanners for personal protection, which monitor the travel area in front of the automated vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an automated industrial truck (3) with an environmental monitoring device comprising at least two sensors (1, 2) arranged on the industrial truck (3), each designed to detect the environment of the industrial truck (3) and scanning in a scanning plane (4, 5), in particular line-scanning sensors, and a data processing device (6) designed to evaluate the sensor data. It is proposed that the sensors (1, 2) be arranged such that the scanning planes (4, 5) of the individual sensors (1, 2) are parallel to each other at different heights, and that the data processing device (6) be configured to combine and evaluate the sensor data of the individual sensors (1, 2) by means of an AND operation.