Forklift operation assist system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9715236-B2
Application number	US-201615227574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A forklift operation assist system includes a forklift truck having a load-handling device with a lifting portion, a small unmanned aerial vehicle that is mountable on the forklift truck and has an image capture device, and a display device that presents images captured by the image capture device. The forklift truck includes a vehicle controller that is electrically connected to the display device. The small unmanned aerial vehicle includes an aircraft controller that communicates with the vehicle controller. The small unmanned aerial vehicle takes off the forklift truck when a lifting operation of the lifting portion is detected. The display device presents the images captured by the image capture device while the aerial vehicle is flying.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A forklift operation assist system comprising:
a forklift truck having a load-handling device with a lifting portion;
a small unmanned aerial vehicle that is mountable on the forklift truck and has an image capture device; and
a display device that presents images captured by the image capture device,
wherein the forklift truck includes a vehicle controller that is electrically connected to the display device, and
the small unmanned aerial vehicle includes an aircraft controller that communicates with the vehicle controller, and
wherein the small unmanned aerial vehicle takes off the forklift truck when a lifting operation of the lifting portion is detected, and
the display device presents the images captured by the image capture device while the aerial vehicle is flying.

2. The forklift operation assist system according to claim 1 , wherein when a lifted height of the lifting portion exceeds a predetermined first threshold, the small unmanned aerial vehicle takes off the forklift truck.

3. The forklift operation assist system according to claim 1 , wherein
when it is determined that the forklift is in a load-handling operation to place or take out a load into or from a shelf with a lifted height of the lifting portion located higher than a predetermined second threshold, the small unmanned aerial vehicle moves to a position which enables capturing of images that include the shelf and the lifting portion in one frame of image.

4. The forklift operation assist system according to claim 3 , wherein
when it is detected that the lifted height of the lifting portion that is located higher than the second threshold has become equal to or lower than the second threshold, the small unmanned aerial vehicle returns to the forklift truck.

5. The forklift operation assist system according to claim 1 , wherein
an overhead guard of the forklift truck is provided with an aircraft mounting portion on which the small unmanned aerial vehicle is mountable,
the aircraft mounting portion has a power supply unit that supplies electric power to the small unmanned aerial vehicle, and
the small unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight mechanism that is driven by an electric motor, a power storage unit, and a power receiving unit that receives electric power from the power supply unit.

Assignees

• Toyota Jidoshokki Kk

Inventors

• Fujimori Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B64U80/86

  Land vehicles · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B66F9/0755

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title