Pallet detection systems and methods for a material handling vehicle

A pallet detection assembly for a material handling vehicle, the pallet detection assembly comprising:

• a body defining a cavity and including a proximity sensor housed at least partially within the cavity, wherein the proximity sensor includes a sensor surface;
• an actuation plate including a tab coupled thereto and extending in a direction toward the body;
• and
• an actuator including a cylinder coupled to the body and a plunger slidably received within the cylinder and coupled to the actuation plate, wherein the actuation plate is configured to non-pivotally displace relative to the body to transition the proximity sensor between an unblocked state where the sensor surface is unblocked by the tab and a blocked state where the sensor surface is at least partially blocked by the tab.

A material handling vehicle, comprising:

• a fork carriage including a first fork and a second fork laterally separated from the first fork;
• a first pallet detection assembly arranged adjacent to a laterally-outer edge of the first fork, wherein the first pallet detection assembly comprises:
• a first body defining a first cavity and including a first proximity sensor housed at least partially within the first cavity, wherein the first proximity sensor includes a first sensor surface;
• a first actuation plate including a first tab coupled thereto and extending in a direction toward the first body;
• and
• a first actuator including a first cylinder coupled to the first body and a first plunger slidably received within the first cylinder and coupled to the first actuation plate, wherein the first actuator is configured to movably couple the first actuation plate to the first body so that the first actuation plate is configured to non-pivotally displace relative to the first body to transition the first proximity sensor between a first unblocked state where the first sensor surface is unblocked by the first tab and a first blocked state where the first sensor surface is at least partially blocked by the first tab;
• and
• a second pallet detection assembly arranged adjacent to a laterally-outer edge of the second fork, wherein the second pallet detection assembly comprises:
• a second body defining a second cavity and including a second proximity sensor housed at least partially within the second cavity, wherein the second proximity sensor includes a second sensor surface;
• a second actuation plate including a second tab coupled thereto and extending in a direction toward the second body;
• and
• a second actuator including a second cylinder coupled to the second body and a second plunger slidably received within the second cylinder and coupled to the second actuation plate, wherein the second actuator is configured to movably couple the second actuation plate to the second body so that the second actuation plate is configured to non-pivotally displace relative to the second body to transition the second proximity sensor between a second unblocked state where the second sensor surface is unblocked by the second tab and a second blocked state where the second sensor surface is at least partially blocked by the second tab.