Industrial Vehicle Pivot Alignment in Narrow Putaway Aisles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous industrial vehicles face challenges in navigating narrow aisles during putaway operations due to the need for pivot maneuvers, which can damage racking and require excessive space, and existing systems lack effective clearance detection before performing these maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
The industrial vehicle uses sensors, such as cameras mounted on the load-bearing feature, to determine if a putaway location is empty before completing a pivot maneuver, ensuring the location is clear and adjusting the load-bearing feature to the correct height associated with the rack height, allowing the vehicle to utilize a portion of the location during the pivot without damaging the racking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the industrial vehicle performs a pivot maneuver to access a putaway location, then the vehicle can reach the location, but the vehicle may collide with racking or other obstacles in narrow aisles
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor performs clearance detection before the pivot maneuver is executed. The controller receives detection results in advance and determines whether to proceed with the pivot operation, preventing collisions before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor continuously monitors the putaway location for obstacles and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts the pivot maneuver based on real-time clearance information, enabling safe operation in narrow aisles.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle performs a pivot maneuver requiring excessive clearance, then the vehicle can complete the maneuver, but the aisle width required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the pivot maneuver parameters based on real-time sensor feedback about available clearance. The controller modifies the pivot radius and speed to match the actual aisle width, enabling safe operation in narrower spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (pivot radius, angular velocity, timing) based on detected clearance conditions. This allows the vehicle to perform pivot maneuvers in narrower aisles by adapting to the available space rather than requiring fixed minimum dimensions.
3Reliability
If the vehicle checks clearance before pivot maneuver, then collision risk is reduced, but the operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor performs clearance detection as a preliminary step before the pivot maneuver is initiated. This advance checking ensures safety is confirmed before committing to the maneuver, preventing collisions while maintaining efficient operation flow.
Solution Approach 2:
If the sensor detects sufficient clearance, the system rapidly proceeds with the pivot maneuver without additional delays. The preliminary check enables the vehicle to skip cautious progression and execute the maneuver efficiently when conditions are favorable.
Data Source
AI summary
A process for aligning an industrial vehicle for putaway operation comprises traveling to a position associated with a putaway location. A sensor mounted to the industrial vehicle determines whether the putaway location is empty, and if the putaway location is empty, the industrial vehicle completes a pivot maneuver such that a portion of the industrial vehicle is inside the putaway location while the pivot maneuver is in progress.