End of aisle control system

A method for establishing a maximum vehicle speed to be used in an end of aisle control system for an operator controlled materials handling vehicle comprising the steps of

• establishing auto-guided vehicle operating zones;
• locating position indicating devices in predetermined paths in the aisles for identifying the boundaries of each of said auto-guided zones;
• providing the vehicle with a plurality of position indicating device sensors located above said predetermined paths;
• establishing vehicle control functions in response to a transition of the vehicle from one zone to another, depending on the direction of travel of the vehicle, and
• establishing maximum speed limits for the vehicle within each of said zones based on said direction of travel within said zone.

A method of controlling the operating characteristics of an operator controlled materials handling vehicle in an aisle, the method comprising the steps of

• establishing an end aisle zone by reference to an end aisle position indicating device placed in the aisle,
• establishing the speed of the vehicle while in the end aisle zone,
• establishing a stopping distance for the vehicle at the speed established in the end aisle zone, and
• initiating the braking of the vehicle to a stop upon the vehicle reaching said stopping distance.

An end of aisle control apparatus for use on an operator controlled materials handling vehicle including

• means for sensing floor mounted magnets in each of a plurality of paths identifying predetermined vehicle operating zones,
• means for sensing and controlling the speed and direction of vehicle travel,
• means responsive to said magnet sensing means for controlling the maximum speed of the vehicle based on the sensed direction of vehicle travel in each of said operating zones, and
• means responsive to said magnet sensing means for controlling the slowing of the vehicle as it transits from a higher speed zone to a lower speed zone.

A method of controlling the operation of a operator controlled materials handling vehicle as it approaches an end of an aisle, the method comprising the steps of

• placing first and second position indicating devices in the aisle, the position indicating devices being spaced apart a first predetermined distance in the direction of movement of the vehicle,
• providing separate first and second position indicating device sensors on the vehicle for detecting the passage of the vehicle over the first and second position indicating devices, respectively,
• monitoring the distance the vehicle travels after passing at least one of the position indicating devices,
• limiting the speed of the vehicle a second predetermined distance in the direction of the vehicle travel toward the nearest aisle end after detecting the presence of at least one of said position indicating devices, and
• stopping the vehicle if the second position indicating device has not been detected within a predetermined distance after the detection of the first position indicating device.

A method of controlling the operation of a operator controlled materials handling vehicle as it approaches an end of an aisle, the method comprising the steps of

• placing at least one position indicating device in the aisle,
• providing at least one position indicating device sensor on the vehicle for detecting the passage of the vehicle over said position indicating device,
• monitoring the distance the vehicle travels after passing said position indicating device, and
• performing at least one vehicle control function in response to the vehicle travelling a predetermined distance in the direction of the vehicle travel toward the nearest aisle end after detecting the presence of said position indicating device, wherein said vehicle control function includes the step of slowing the vehicle to a predetermined maximum speed and further including the step of stopping the vehicle if its speed, after it has travelled a second predetermined distance from the detection of said position indicating device, is greater than a specified percentage of the speed of the vehicle when it first detected said position indicating device.

A method of controlling the operation of a operator controlled materials handling vehicle as it approaches an end of an aisle, the method comprising the steps of

• placing at least one position indicating device in the aisle,
• providing at least one position indicating device sensor on the vehicle for detecting the passage of the vehicle over said position indicating device,
• monitoring the distance the vehicle travels after passing said position indicating device, and
• performing at least one vehicle control function in response to the vehicle travelling a predetermined distance in the direction of the vehicle travel toward the nearest aisle end after detecting the presence of said position indicating device, and
• providing a second position indicating device and stopping the vehicle if said second position indicating device has not been detected within a predetermined distance after the detection of the first position indicating device.