Crown Equipment Corporation

Timothy A Wellman

Dean E Winner

Anthony T Castaneda

Mark E Schumacher

Vernon W Siefring

James V Kraimer

Jay G Pollack

Ned E Dammeyer

James Francis Schloemer

William W McCroskey

Franz Pöschl

William W Mccroskey

Steven R Pulskamp

Adam M Ruppert

Philip W Swift

Lewis Henry Manci

Jonathan Ochenas

Martin Okroy

Matthew M Green

Jess D Gilland

Stefan Sauer

Jess Donnely

Stefan Hanneman

Aaron H Harshbarger

Kurt Dykema

Eric L Jensen

Paul C Duckworth

Todd A Zeilinger

Monty L Crabill

Nicholas D Thobe

Walter Conley, Iii

Jeffrey C Whitford

David K Tinnerman

Ronald L Ziegler

Michael P Kovach

John C Wilkinson, Jr

Monty Crabill

Eric Jensen

Paul Duckworth

Michael P Gallagher

Craig J Rekow

Harold A Stammen

Daniel C Magoto

Donald T Meiring

Joshua D Dickman

Jesse Wershing

Gregg E Hillman

Jeffry D Dues

James W Gaskell

Thomas W Heindel

Jonathan C Ochenas

Franz Poschl

An information system for an industrial vehicle comprises an electronic component on the industrial vehicle that is programmably configured to obtain data by communicating across a vehicle network bus of the industrial vehicle with at least one other component of the industrial vehicle. The information system also comprises memory that stores industrial vehicle information according to a mapping specified by a data object model. Moreover, a processor on the industrial vehicle is programmed to repeatedly perform a cyclically recurring operation that extracts at least a portion of the industrial vehicle information stored in the memory device as broadcast information, generates at least one broadcast message representing the extracted broadcast information, and transmits the generated at least one broadcast message on the vehicle network bus. Accordingly, the entire contents of the broadcast information are repeatedly transmitted across the vehicle network bus in a cyclically recurring manner.

Information system for industrial vehicles including cyclical recurring vehicle information message

A system that controls an industrial vehicle responsive to encountering working environment tags comprises a tag reader mounted on an industrial vehicle. Further, a tag is incorporated into a harness that is to be worn by an operator of the industrial vehicle. An information processing device on the industrial vehicle is communicably coupled to the tag reader and comprises a processor that is programmed to receive an identifier of the tag in the harness, access a predetermined action based upon the identifier of the detected tag, and communicate information across a vehicle network bus to an electronic component of the industrial vehicle to perform the predetermined action. The predetermined action automatically modifies a working state of the industrial vehicle to a first action when the harness worn by the operator is not clipped in, and a second action when the harness worn by the operator is clipped in.

Fleet management system

A system is provided that controls an industrial vehicle responsive to encountering working environment tags. The system comprises a transceiver and a tag reader mounted on the industrial vehicle. Also, the system comprises an information processing device communicably coupled to the transceiver and the tag reader. The information processing device comprises a processor in data communication with memory. In this regard, the processor is programmed to receive an identifier of a tag detected by the tag reader while the industrial vehicle is being operated within a work environment, and access electronically, a predetermined action based upon the identifier of the detected tag. The processor is further programmed to communicate information across a vehicle network bus to at least one electronic component of the industrial vehicle to perform the predetermined action, wherein the predetermined action automatically modifies a working state of the industrial vehicle.

A processing device having a graphical user interface includes a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator and a controller. In operation, computer code implements a set of widgets such that at least one widget is normally viewable on the touch screen display. The set of widgets are organized to include at least one home screen, such as a motion home screen that displays at least one travel related widget, a lift home screen that displays at least one lift related widget, etc. When a current operating state of a control module of the industrial vehicle indicates that a designated control is engaged, the controller causes the display to snap to the associated home screen position.

Processing device having a graphical user interface for industrial vehicle

Operation of a materials handling vehicle is monitored for impacts by generating an electrical impact signal indicative of a force measurement electronically read from a sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle, generating an electrical impulse signal indicative of a change of momentum of the materials handling vehicle, and outputting an electrical impact alarm signal when the electrical impact signal exceeds a selected force limit threshold and the electrical impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period.

Impact sensing usable with fleet management system

A materials handling vehicle comprises an operator compartment, a compartment tower, a multi-field scanning tool, and mechanisms that facilitate movement along a travel plane in a warehouse. The tool establishes a scan field, and, within scan field bounds, an occupancy detection field and an obstacle detection field. Tool scanning hardware is configured to generate the scan field from a point of origin that is elevated relative to the operator compartment and to expand the scan field such that it intersects the operator compartment and extends laterally beyond lateral edges of the operator compartment such that the occupancy detection field falls within the operator compartment, the obstacle detection field falls outside of the operator compartment, and the multi-field scanning tool is configured to indicate the presence of an occupant in the occupancy detection field and obstacles in the obstacle detection field.

Multi-field scanning tools in materials handling vehicles

A system collects information related to a lockout event that occurs on an industrial vehicle. A lockout condition associated with an industrial vehicle is detected by a processor executing on the industrial vehicle. Responsive thereto, the industrial vehicle operator is locked out so that the industrial vehicle cannot be driven from its locked location. A message is wirelessly communicated to a server application that indicates that the industrial vehicle has been locked. When the processor executing on the industrial vehicle receives a command to unlock the industrial vehicle, the industrial vehicle is unlocked and the identity is stored, of the person who unlocked the industrial vehicle.

Information system for industrial vehicles

A processing device having a graphical user interface includes a housing having a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator. Still further, a set of controls is arranged on a front face of the housing. The set of controls include hardware control equivalents to the gesture commands recognized by the touch screen of the display. This allows industrial vehicle operators to wear gloves or other attire fitting for the task at hand, without undue interference interacting with the graphical user interface. Also, redundant control, e.g., via gesture commands recognized by the touch screen of the display and corresponding controls in the user control section allow the vehicle operator to use which ever data input option is most convenient for convenience, workflow, etc.

A process of operating a materials handling vehicle based upon tasks comprises receiving an operator login of an operator and wirelessly transmitting an identification of the operator to a remote server based upon the received operator login. Further, an operation on the materials handling vehicle by the operator is monitored to derive operational information communicated across a materials handling vehicle network bus of the materials handling vehicle. The operational information is then wirelessly transmitted to the remote server. An instruction that is derived from blending a task related activity associated with the operator login and the operational information is wirelessly received from the server. A command, based on the received instruction, is communicated across the vehicle network bus to an electronic component on the materials handling vehicle. The electronic component executes an action that affects operation of the materials handing vehicle responsive to the command and the task related activity.

A method of monitoring operation of a vehicle detects an application of force to the vehicle and a change of momentum of the vehicle is calculated. If the change of momentum and the application of force are determined to occur within a predetermined time period of one another, an impact signal is generated.

A processing device having a graphical user interface includes a housing having a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator. Still further, a set of controls is arranged on a front face of the housing. The set of controls include hardware control equivalents to the gesture commands recognized by the touch screen of the display. This allows industrial vehicle operators to wear gloves or other attire fitting for the task at hand, without undue interference interacting with the graphical user interface. Also, redundant control, e.g., via gesture commands recognized by the touch screen of the display and corresponding controls in the user control section, allow the vehicle operator to use which ever data input option is most convenient for speed, convenience, workflow, etc.

A materials handling vehicle includes an operator platform from which an operator can drive the vehicle; a traction control system for advancing the vehicle across a floor surface; at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of an object located at a position proximate to the vehicle; and a controller communicably coupled to the at least one sensor and the traction control system. The controller is responsive to the output of the at least one sensor to stop or slow down the vehicle if an object is detected proximate to the vehicle and the vehicle is traveling in response to a remote travel request. However, the controller does not slow down or stop the vehicle if an object is proximate to the vehicle while the operator is driving the vehicle on the operator platform.

Systems and methods of remotely controlling a materials handling vehicle

Growing community of inventors

Coldwater, OH, United States of America

Timothy A Wellman