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US 8,075,243 B2Granted
Automatic transport loading system and method
AssigneeJervis B. Webb Company
InventorsGerald Edward Chilson, Mark Marino, Christopher James Simon, Mark Andrew Stevenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for automatically loading and unloading a transport is disclosed. A first guidance system is used to travel near the transport and a second guidance system is used to travel on the transport.
Claims17
A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:
- engaging a load with the AGV;
- guiding the AGV with an inertial guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;
- sensing more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;
- guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said inertial guidance system after said step of sensing more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;
- guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary guidance system uses said locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said inertial guidance system as said inertial guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;
- depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position;
- and
- guiding the AGV with said inertial guidance system from said intended load position to a second position, after said step of depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position.
5 more elements
A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:
- engaging a load with the AGV;
- guiding the AGV with a primary laser guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;
- sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary laser guidance system;
- guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said primary laser guidance system after said step of sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary laser guidance system;
- guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary laser guidance system uses said locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said primary laser guidance system as said primary laser guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;
- depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position;
- and
- guiding the AGV with said primary laser guidance system from said intended load position to a second position.
5 more elements
A method for loading a transport having sides and a threshold with an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) comprising:
- engaging a load with the AGV;
- guiding the AGV with an optical guidance system to a first position near the threshold of the transport;
- sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;
- guiding the AGV past the threshold of the transport using said optical guidance system after said step of sensing at said first position more than one location of at least one of the sides of the transport using a secondary guidance system;
- guiding the AGV within the transport wherein said secondary guidance system uses the locations of said at least one of the sides of the transport to update said optical guidance system as said optical guidance system guides the AGV to an intended load position;
- depositing said load onto the transport at said intended load position;
- and
- guiding the AGV with said optical guidance system from said intended load position to a second position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.