Transport vehicle, connecting part, distance specifying method, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415711-B2
Application number	US-202318450387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 29, 2023
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A transport vehicle is provided, which is capable of adjusting a cargo loading position afterward even if a mobile shelf, a truck, or the like deviates from a predetermined position. The transport vehicle 1 includes: forks 16; a point group acquisition unit 22 that acquires a point group PG by horizontally irradiating a laser; and a distance specifying unit that specifies a distance in a left-right direction between the cargo loaded on the forks 16 and an object adjacent to a cargo loading position based on the acquired point group PG. The point group acquisition unit 22 is arranged at a position to be capable of irradiating the cargo loaded on the forks 16 and the cargo loading position with a laser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transport vehicle, comprising:
a cargo loading unit;
a point group acquisition unit that is arranged at a position to be capable of irradiating cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and a cargo loading position with a laser, and acquires a point group by horizontally irradiating the laser;
a distance specifying unit that specifies a distance in a left-right direction between the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and an object adjacent to the cargo loading position based on the acquired point group;
a backrest; and
a connecting part comprising:
a first end portion fixed to either a left or right end portion or an upper end of the backrest;
an intermediate portion extending obliquely behind the backrest from the first end portion in plan view; and
a second end portion continuing from the intermediate portion and supporting the point group acquisition unit.

2. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the transport vehicle is a forklift, and
the point group acquisition unit is provided in the backrest.

3. The transport vehicle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the connecting part is connected to the backrest and the point group acquisition unit, and arranges the point group acquisition unit obliquely behind either a left or right end portion of the backrest in plan view.

4. The transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the distance specifying unit further specifies a distance in a front-rear direction between the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and the object adjacent to the cargo loading position based on the acquired point group.

5. A distance specifying method for specifying a distance in a left-right direction between cargo loaded on a cargo loading unit of a transport vehicle and an object adjacent to a cargo loading position, wherein the transport vehicle comprises a backrest and a connecting part, the connecting portion includes a first end portion fixed to either a left or right end portion or an upper end of the backrest; an intermediate portion extending obliquely behind the backrest from the first end portion in plan view; and a second end portion continuing from the intermediate portion and supporting a LiDAR sensor, the distance specifying method comprising:
acquiring a point group by horizontally irradiating the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and the object adjacent to the cargo loading position with a laser emitted by the LiDAR sensor; and
specifying the distance in the left-right direction between the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and the object adjacent to the cargo loading position based on the acquired point group.

6. A distance specifying method for specifying a distance in a front-rear direction between cargo loaded on a cargo loading unit of a transport vehicle and an object adjacent to a cargo loading position, wherein the transport vehicle comprises a backrest and a connecting part, the connecting portion includes a first end portion fixed to either a left or right end portion or an upper end of the backrest; an intermediate portion extending obliquely behind the backrest from the first end portion in plan view; and a second end portion continuing from the intermediate portion and supporting a LiDAR sensor, the distance specifying method comprising:
acquiring a point group by horizontally irradiating the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and the object adjacent to the cargo loading position with a laser emitted by the LiDAR sensor; and
specifying the distance in the front-rear direction between the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and the object adjacent to the cargo loading position based on the acquired point group.

7. A non-transient computer-readable recording medium, recording a distance specifying program, for a computer of a transport vehicle which comprises:
a cargo loading unit;
a point group acquisition unit that is configured to be capable of horizontally irradiating cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and a cargo loading position with a laser, and acquires a point group;
a backrest;
a connecting part comprising:
a first end portion fixed to either a left or right end portion or an upper end of the backrest;
an intermediate portion extending obliquely behind the backrest from the first end portion in plan view; and
a second end portion continuing from the intermediate portion and supporting the point group acquisition unit; and

the computer,
to specify a distance between the cargo loaded on the cargo loading unit and an object adjacent to the cargo loading position based on the acquired point group.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Logisnext Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Tetsuro

Classifications

• B66F9/063

  Automatically guided · CPC title

• B66F9/24

  Electrical devices or systems · CPC title

• B66F9/07581

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B66F9/0755 Primary

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• B66F9/07504 Primary

  Accessories, e.g. for towing, charging, locking · CPC title