Delivery vehicle for material handling system

A delivery vehicle for delivering items to a plurality of sort locations, wherein the delivery vehicle comprises:

• a transfer mechanism configured to load an item onto a generally horizontal surface or to discharge an item from the horizontal surface;
• a plurality of wheels configured to cooperate with a track to drive the vehicle vertically;
• a motor operable to drive the plurality of wheels;
• a sensing assembly for sensing an item when the item is conveyed onto or discharged from the vehicle, wherein the sensing assembly comprises:
• an emitter for emitting a beam toward the surface, wherein the emitter is positioned below the surface so that the beam is projected transverse the horizontal surface;
• and
• a plurality of detectors for detecting the beam;
• wherein one of the emitter and the plurality of detectors is adjacent a discharge end of the surface and below the discharge end of the surface and wherein the emitter and plurality of detectors cooperate to form a detection plane that is transverse a plane defined by the horizontal surface;
• wherein the emitter or the plurality of detectors are positioned so that an object intersecting the detection plane affects the beam received by the detectors;
• and
• a controller for controlling operation of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the transfer mechanism in response to signals from the sensing assembly.

A vehicle for conveying objects along a conveying path in a material handling system, comprising:

• a pair of shafts comprising a first shaft and a second shaft extending in a direction transverse to an object transfer direction;
• a conveyor belt supported by the pair of shafts, the conveyor belt defining an object support surface;
• an electric motor for driving at least one of the shafts and causing movement of the conveyor belt and any object disposed on the object support surface following movement of the vehicle along the conveying path to an object transfer location;
• and
• a sensing arrangement for sensing an intersection between an object and a detection plane transverse to a plane defined by the object support surface, the sensing arrangement including:
• a plurality of photodetector elements disposed in a linear array;
• a light source;
• and
• a lens system dimensioned and arranged to receive optical energy from the light source and to collimate the received optical energy into a line aligned with the plurality of photodetector elements,
• wherein optical energy of the line is received by each photodetector element of the plurality of photodetector elements unless an amount of optical energy above a sensitivity threshold is absorbed, reflected or refracted by an object disposed on the object support surface;
• wherein the electric motor is controlled in response to signals received from the sensing arrangement.