Multi-position load detection systems and methods
AssigneeThe Raymond Corporation
InventorsAdam W. Standard, Erik C. Tracy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting a load on at least one fork of a material handling vehicle. The systems and methods can comprise a housing; at least one sensor positioned within the housing; a sensor arm pivotally coupled to the housing; at least one sensor flag integral with or coupled to the inside of the sensor arm; and wherein when the sensor arm pivots inward toward the housing the at least on sensor flag triggers the at least one sensor to identify at least a first load position and a second load position.
Claims14
A system for detecting a position of a load on at least one fork of a material handling vehicle, the system comprising:
- a housing;
- a sensor positioned within the housing;
- a sensor arm pivotally coupled to the housing;
- and
- a sensor flag extending from an inside of the sensor arm and extending away from the inside of the sensor arm for an activation distance, the sensor flag comprising a neck portion extending from a first end at the inside of the sensor arm and a head portion extending from a second end of the neck portion opposite the first end, the head portion being wider along the activation distance length than the neck portion.
A method in a data processing system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory comprising instructions executed by the at least one processor to implement a load detection system in a material handling vehicle, the method including the steps of:
- receiving a first signal from a first sensor on the material handling vehicle responsive to a first sensor flag triggering the first sensor in accordance with a first activation distance;
- determining that a load is in a first position on forks of the material handling vehicle based on the first signal;
- indicating to at least one of an operator or a warehouse management system that the load is in the first position on the forks;
- receiving a second signal from a second sensor on the material handling vehicle after the first signal responsive to a second sensor flag triggering the second sensor in accordance with a second activation distance, the second activation distance greater than the first activation distance;
- determining that the load is in a second position on the forks of the material handling vehicle based on the second signal;
- and
- indicating to the at least one of the operator or the warehouse management system that the load is in the second position on the forks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.