The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 02, 1988
Filed:
Jun. 26, 1986
Grant C Melocik, Chardon, OH (US);
Joseph J Harding, Mentor, OH (US);
Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Mentor, OH (US);
Abstract
Collision detection systems are commonly provided on automatic guided industrial vehicles. Such systems should be as reliable as possible and can advantageously utilize a fault detection apparatus. The subject apparatus provides a plurality of radiant energy emitting devices and receiving devices positioned along a vehicle at locations sufficient that an obstacle in a respective path of the vehicle interrupts the reception of radiant energy by respective ones of the receiving devices. Interruptable devices controllably connect a power supply to a brake control circuit in response to continuous reception of radiant energy by the respective receiving devices, and disconnect the power supply from the brake control circuit in response to any of the receiving devices failing to continue to receive radiant energy from the respective emitting device. A vehicle control circuit controllably produces first and second energization signals in response to a predetermined condition of the vehicle, and first and second switches receive respective ones of the first and second energization signals and responsively controllably supply electrical power from the power supply to predetermined ones of the emitting devices and the receiving devices.