US 12,637,338 B2 · Load position verification systems and methods

Abstract

A load position verification system for detecting a load on a pair of forks of a material handling vehicle. The system includes a first arm extending parallel with a first fork of the material handling vehicle and a second arm, opposite the first arm, extending parallel with a second fork of the material handling vehicle. In one example, the system includes one or more sensors, each sensor having a transmitter configured to transmit a beam and a receiver configured to receive the beam, positioned within the arms. In one example, the system may indicate that no load is on the forks when the receiver receives the beam from the transmitter. In another example, the system may indicate that a load is on the forks when the receiver does not receive the beam from the transmitter.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A load position verification system for a material handling vehicle, the material handling vehicle having a first fork and a second fork, the system comprising:

a first arm arranged between the first fork and the second fork and extending substantially parallel with the first fork of the material handling vehicle;
a second arm, opposite the first arm, arranged between the first fork and the second fork and extending substantially parallel with the second fork of the material handling vehicle;
one or more sensors positioned within the first arm and the second arm, including:
a transmitter to transmit a beam between the first arm and the second arm;
and
a receiver to receive the beam from the transmitter;
wherein the load position verification system indicates that no load is on the first fork and the second fork of the material handling vehicle when the receiver receives the beam from the transmitter;
and
wherein the load position verification system indicates that a load is on the first fork and the second fork of the material handling vehicle when the receiver does not receive the beam from the transmitter.

6 more elements

A method of verifying a position of a load on a material handling vehicle using a load position verification system, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first sensor in response to an interruption of a beam extending from the first sensor, the first sensor arranged on a first arm of the load position verification system, the first arm being arranged between a first fork and a second fork of the material handling vehicle, with the first arm being separate from and extending substantially parallel with the first fork of the material handling vehicle;
determining that a load is in a first load position on the material handling vehicle based on receipt of the first signal;
receiving a second signal from a second sensor in response to an interruption of a beam extending from the second sensor, the second sensor arranged on a second arm of the load position verification system, the second arm being arranged between the first fork and the second fork of the material handling vehicle, with the second arm being separate from and extending substantially parallel with a second fork of the material handling vehicle, the second sensor positioned sequentially after the first sensor;
determining that the load is in a second load position on the material handling vehicle based on receipt of the second signal;
and
instructing the material handling vehicle to stop advancing towards the load in response to determining that the load is in the second load position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Load position verification systems and methods

Life of this patent

Load position verification systems and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19