Crown Equipment Corporation

James Francis Schloemer

George Robert Wetterer

Vernon W Siefring

Eric L Jensen

Monty L Crabill

Steven R Pulskamp

Timothy A Wellman

Anthony T Castaneda

Mark E Schumacher

William W Mccroskey

Lewis Henry Manci

Kent D Pilcher

Trisha M Luthman

Donald T Meiring

Vern I Woodruff, Iii

William W McCroskey

Matthew M Green

Matthew T Shinew

Eugene P Horvath

Christian Molnar

Paul C Duckworth

Brian M Lambert

Eugene G Bruns

James Caleb Meyer

Jesse Wershing

Gary J May

Josua Logito

Avishek Kumar

Audrey Hendon

Jeffry D Dues

Daniel Carl Magoto

Daniel C Magoto

Allen Thomas Trego

William C Jones

Michael Corbett

John Ivan Koeper

Ryan M Snodgrass

Sultan Masoud Karimi

Vern I Woodruff

George R Wetterer

William W Mccrosey

Timothy A Wellmann

A system includes a remote control device that is useable by an operator interacting with a materials handling vehicle. The remote control device includes a wireless communication system including a wireless transmitter and a rechargeable power source. The system further comprises: a receiver at the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter; a controller at the vehicle that is communicably coupled to the receiver, the controller being responsive to receipt of transmissions from the remote control device; and a charging station at the vehicle, the charging station for charging the rechargeable power source of the remote control device.

On-board charging station for a remote control device

A process for implementing a materials handling vehicle feature monitor includes receiving wirelessly, from a fleet of materials handling vehicles, electronic vehicle records. Each electronic vehicle record comprises travel-related data recorded by an associated materials handling vehicle and an operator identification of the corresponding operator of the vehicle. The vehicle records are parsed for each operator to extract dashboard data, which can include a travel distance that the materials handling vehicle has traveled. An expected travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time is established. For each operator, an electronic measurement of the expected travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time compared to the recorded travel distance under remote control to total travel distance for the predetermined period of time is generated. A graphical representation of the generated measurements is outputted to a dashboard.

Materials handling vehicle technology monitor

A materials handling vehicle technology monitor receives wirelessly, from a fleet of materials handling vehicles, electronic vehicle records. Each electronic vehicle record includes technology feature data recorded by a controller on an associated materials handling vehicle. Typically, the electronic vehicle record is generated in response to a corresponding technology feature on the materials handling vehicle being operated in a work environment. Moreover, each electronic vehicle record includes an operator identification of an operator of the materials handling vehicle at the time the technology feature data is recorded. The monitor also generates for each operator, an electronic measurement based upon a comparison of expected technology feature usage, e.g., a threshold, compared to the technology feature data in the received electronic vehicle records, which are associated with the corresponding operator. The process further comprises outputting to a dashboard, a graphical representation of the generated measurements.

A remote control device that is paired with a first vehicle, such that the remote control device wirelessly communicates with the first vehicle, is paired with a second vehicle via a pairing process. The pairing process is initiated by physically contacting a component of the remote control device with an element of the second vehicle. The pairing process also unpairs the remote control device from the first vehicle, such that the remote control device no longer wirelessly communicates with the first vehicle, and the remote control device wirelessly communicates with the second vehicle.

Pairing a remote control device to a vehicle

A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit; a load handling assembly coupled to the power unit; at least one obstacle detector mounted to the power unit; and a controller. The at least one obstacle detector detects object located along a path of travel of the power unit, and generate a distance signal upon detecting an object corresponding to a distance between the detected object and the power unit. The controller receives the distance signal and generates a corresponding vehicle stop or predetermined maximum allowable speed signal based on the distance signal, wherein if a sensed object is located within a speed zone associated with a predetermined maximum allowable travel speed comprising a fixed speed greater than zero (0) miles per hour, as determined by the distance signal, the vehicle speed is reduced to the predetermined maximum allowable vehicle speed.

Sensor configuration for a materials handling vehicle

A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit, a load handling assembly, at least one first obstacle detector, and at least one second obstacle detector. The at least one first obstacle detector is mounted at a first location on the power unit to detect an object located along a path of travel of the power unit beyond a non-detect zone of the at least one first obstacle detector. The at least one second obstacle detector is mounted at a second location on the power unit, spaced from the first location in a first direction, and is capable of detecting an object in the non-detect zone of the at least one first obstacle detector.

A materials handling vehicle implements a steer maneuver to hug an object. A controller on the vehicle receives sensor data from at least one sensing device and detects that a selected object is in an environment proximate the vehicle using the received sensor data. The controller performs a steer maneuver by causing the vehicle to steer such that the vehicle is substantially maintained at a desired distance from the selected object as the vehicle travels on a desired heading.

Steer maneuvers for materials handling vehicles

A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame; wheels supported on the frame; a traction motor coupled to one of the wheels to effect rotation of the one wheel; a speed control element operable by an operator to define a speed control signal corresponding to a desired speed of the traction motor; a system associated with a steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel; and control apparatus coupled to the speed control element to receive the speed control signal, and coupled to the traction motor to generate a drive signal to the traction motor in response to the speed control signal to control the operation of the traction motor. The control apparatus may determine an acceleration value for the traction motor based on at least one of an angular position of the steerable wheel, a speed of the traction motor and a current position of the speed control element as defined by the speed control signal.

Materials handling vehicle having a control apparatus for determining an acceleration value

A finger-mounted remote control device capable of wirelessly transmitting a travel request signal to a materials handling vehicle. The finger-mounted remote control device includes a rigid mounting structure adapted to be mounted over at least one finger of an operator's hand; a mounting strap coupled to said rigid mounting structure for securing said rigid mounting structure to the at least one finger; a wireless transmitter/power pack unit coupled to said rigid mounting structure; and control structure coupled to said mounting structure and comprising a switch adapted to be actuated by an operator's thumb so as to cause said wireless transmitter/power pack unit to generate a travel request signal to the materials handling vehicle.

Finger-mounted apparatus for remotely controlling a materials handling vehicle

A materials handling vehicle automatically implements steer maneuvers when objects enter one or more zones proximate the vehicle, wherein the zones are monitored by a controller associated with the vehicle. The controller tracks objects in the zones via sensor data obtained from at least one obstacle sensor located on the vehicle and via dead reckoning. The objects are tracked by the controller until they are no longer in an environment proximate the vehicle. Different zones result in different steer maneuvers being implemented by the controller.

Object tracking and steer maneuvers for materials handling vehicles

A materials handling vehicle automatically applies a steer correction maneuver if an object is detected in a steer bumper zone in front of the vehicle. A controller detects whether an object is in front of the materials handling vehicle and automatically determines whether a steer correction maneuver should be to the right or left of the traveling direction of the materials handling vehicle. The materials handling vehicle automatically steer corrects the vehicle, e.g., at a determined steer angle that is opposite the direction to the detected position of the object, and accumulates the distance traveled by vehicle while steer correction is being performed. The vehicle then automatically counter steers the vehicle, e.g., by a determined steer amount, in the opposite direction as the steer correction for a percentage of accumulated steer distance traveled. After performing the counter steer maneuver, the vehicle may, for example, resume a substantially straight heading.

Steer correction for a remotely operated materials handling vehicle

A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame comprising an operator's compartment; wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel; a steer-by-wire system associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about a first axis; and a control apparatus. The steer-by-wire system comprises a control handle capable of being moved by an operator to generate a steer control signal, a selection switch capable of generating one of a first select signal and a second select signal, and a steer motor coupled to the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis. The control apparatus may be coupled to the control handle to receive the steer control signal, coupled to the selection switch to receive the one select signal, and coupled to the steer motor to generate a first drive signal to the steer motor to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis. The control apparatus may convert the steer control signal to a corresponding desired angular position for the steerable wheel using one of first and second steerable-wheel-to-control-handle-position ratios, wherein the one ratio is selected based on the one select signal.

Materials handling vehicle with a module capable of changing a steerable wheel to control handle position ratio

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New Bremen, OH, United States of America

James Francis Schloemer