Systems and methods for automated loading and unloading at a dock station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142413-B2
Application number	US-201916259713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Jan 28, 2019
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

An autonomous dock station system having an automated material lift truck (AMT), a pallet conveyor, and a facility guidance system can automatically load and/or unload a trailer at a dock station. The autonomous dock station system can coordinate these components according to a workflow procedure. In some embodiments, the workflow procedure can begin with the pallet conveyor supplying a loaded pallet to a specified position. The AMT, initially guided by fixed guidance elements of the facility guidance system, can lift the pallet off the conveyor and transport it to a trailer entrance where the AMT switches from the facility guidance system to a trailer guidance system. The AMT can then carry the pallet to an unloading position, move the pallet to one side of the trailer as needed, unload the pallet and return to the pallet conveyor. The workflow procedure can repeat until the trailer is full.

First claim

We claim:

1. A dock station comprising:
a pallet conveyor configured to receive a pallet at a first pallet position remote from the dock station and move the pallet to a second pallet position proximate the dock station;
an automated material lift truck (AMT) including—
a drive system;
a fork configured to engage the pallet; and
one or more sensors;

one or more fixed guidance elements positioned at fixed locations at the dock station; and
a truck control system configured to—
cause the fork to engage the pallet at the second pallet position;
cause the drive system to move the AMT, based on interaction between the AMT and the one or more of the fixed guidance elements, from the second pallet position to a guidance switch position proximate an opening of a trailer parked at the dock station;
in response to the AMT reaching the guidance switch position, cause the drive system to move the AMT in a first direction to a truck unloading position inside the trailer, based on detection of one or more sidewalls of the trailer by the one or more sensors;
cause the fork to lower the pallet while the truck is at the truck unloading position; and
cause the drive system to move the AMT in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to disengage the fork from the pallet and exit the trailer.

2. The dock station of claim 1 :
wherein the one or more sensors are side sensors that are lateral facing, and wherein the AMT further includes one or more front sensors that are forward facing;
wherein the truck control system is further configured to used signals from the one or more front sensors to identify objects in an area forward of the AMT;
wherein, when the truck control system identifies an object corresponding to a specified action in a workflow procedure, the truck control system takes the specified action; and
wherein, when the truck control system identifies an object that does not correspond to a specified action in the workflow procedure, the truck control system is further configured to pause the workflow procedure and send an alert message.

3. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the AMT further includes a fork boom operably coupled to a body, and wherein the fork boom is configured to move the fork up, down, left and right relative to the body.

4. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the AMT further includes a fork boom configured to control movement of the fork, and wherein the truck control system is further configured to, prior to causing the fork to engage the pallet at the second pallet position:
cause the drive system to move the AMT, based on interaction between the AMT and the one or more fixed guidance elements, to an initial position relative to the second pallet position;
cause the fork boom to position the fork at a height for engaging the pallet; and
cause the drive system to move the AMT forward from the initial position to engage the fork with the pallet.

5. The dock station of claim 1 :
wherein the AMT further includes a body supported on a plurality of wheels, and at least one of the wheels is operably coupled to the drive system;
wherein the pallet conveyor includes a plurality of aligned sections separated by wheel channels therebetween; and
wherein the truck control system is further configured to, after causing the fork to engage the pallet at the second pallet position, cause the drive system to move the plurality of wheels through the wheel channels in the pallet conveyor.

6. The dock station of claim 1 :
wherein the AMT further includes—
a body supported on a plurality of wheels, and at least one of the wheels is operably coupled to the drive system, and
a fork boom configured to control movement of the fork;

wherein the pallet conveyor includes a plurality of aligned sections separated by wheel channels therebetween; and
wherein the truck control system is further configured to, after causing the fork to engage the pallet at the second pallet position—
cause the fork boom to raise the fork to a first height to lift the pallet off the pallet conveyor;
cause the drive system to move the plurality of wheels through the wheel channels in the pallet conveyor; and
cause the fork boom to lower the fork from the first height to a second height for travel.

7. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the truck control system is further configured to:
identify the truck unloading position by identifying one or more obstructions in the trailer;
identifying a pallet unloading position relative to the one or more obstructions; and
cause the fork to move laterally into alignment with the pallet unloading position.

8. The dock station of claim 7 :
wherein the AMT further includes one or more front sensors;
wherein the truck control system is further configured to receive signals from the one or more front sensors and, based at least in part on the signals, identify locations of the one or more obstructions in the trailer, wherein the location of one of the one or more obstructions is closer to the opening of the trailer than the locations of the other of the one or more obstructions; and
wherein the pallet unloading position is laterally adjacent to the location of the one of the one or more obstructions that is closest to the opening of the trailer.

9. The dock station of claim 7 :
wherein the AMT further includes—
a fork boom for controlling movement of the fork, and
one or more front sensors;

wherein the truck control system is further configured to receive signals from the one or more front sensors and, based at least in part on the signals, identify locations of the one or more obstructions in the trailer, wherein the location of one of the one or more obstructions is closer to the opening of the trailer than the locations of the other of the one or more obstructions; and
wherein identifying the pallet unloading position includes—
determining whether the identified obstruction that is closest to the opening of the trailer is on a first side of a trailer centerline or a second side of the trailer centerline;
when the identified obstruction is on the first side, causing the fork boom to position the fork and the pallet thereon to the second side; and
when the identified obstruction is on the second side, causing the fork boom to position the fork and the pallet thereon to the first side.

10. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the fixed guidance elements include one or more rails affixed to the dock station, wherein the interaction between the AMT and the one or more fixed guidance elements includes contact between a rail guide of the AMT and the one of the one or more rails.

11. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the fixed guidance elements include one or more electromagnetic (EM) devices that emit or respond to electromagnetic radiation, wherein the interaction between the AMT and the one or more fixed guidance elements includes sensing, via a sensor connected to the AMT, electromagnetic radiation associated with the EM devices.

12. The dock station of claim 1 wherein the fixed guidance elements include one or more visual indicators, wherein the interaction between the AMT and the one or more fixed guidance elements includes capturing, via a camera connected to the AMT, one or more images of the visual indicators.

13. The dock station of claim 1 :
wherein the dock station is a first dock station;
wherein the one or more fixed guidance elements include one or more inter-station fixed guidance elements positioned between the first dock station and a second dock station; and
wherein the truck control system is further configured to cause the drive system to follow the one

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Ab

Inventors

• Hoofard Richard K
• Day Daryl
• Whitley L Blake

Classifications

• G05D1/244

  using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means · CPC title

• G05D1/661

  Docking at a base station (delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667) · CPC title

• G05D2111/30

  Radio signals · CPC title

• G05D1/622

  Obstacle avoidance (predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision of road vehicles B60W30/08) · CPC title

• G05D1/646

  Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path · CPC title