Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Construction or agricultural-type vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-16
2001-07-24
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Construction or agricultural-type vehicle
C701S050000, C701S213000, C701S124000, C702S101000, C702S102000, C177S001000, C177S136000, C177S141000, C340S438000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266594
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a body swing control apparatus for an industrial vehicle, which performs control to lock the axles swingably provided on the body of the industrial vehicle in accordance with the running state and/or the load state.
To stabilize an industrial vehicle like a forklIft while running, conventionally, the axle that supports the rear wheels is attached swingable to the body. When the forklift turns, the lateral force that is produced by the centrifugal force causes the body to tilt, which may result in lower running stability.
As a solution to this shortcoming, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 58-211903 discloses a scheme of locking the axle when the centrifugal force acting on a vehicle is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the centrifugal force detecting means that is provided on a forklift. The locking of the axle of this forklift suppresses any lower tilting of the body while turning and can thus allow the forklift to turn stably.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 58-167215 discloses a system which is equipped with means for detecting when the weight of a load on the fork becomes equal to or heavier than a predetermined weight and means for detecting when the fork rises to or above a predetermined height, and locks the axle when both detection means detect the mentioned statuses.
If the axle is left swingable when such a sensor fails, it becomes hard to secure the running stability when the vehicle makes a turn, or when the fork is heavily loaded and lifted up high. When a sensor fails, it is generally desirable to forcibly restrict the swinging of the axle to the safe side.
In the case where the axle is held locked at the time of failure of sensors, if the vehicle weight acts on the rear wheel side because of empty loads or the like while the forklift runs on a rough road, one of the drive wheels or the front wheels may be lifted up while the two rear wheels are in contact with the road. This leads to insufficient ground contact pressure of the drive wheels. In this case, the drive wheels probably slip and the forklift may not be able to move out in the worst case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a body swing control apparatus for industrial vehicles which can prevent, as much as possible, occurrence of troubles, such as slipping of drive wheels in the light load state and running state, even when some sensor fails.
It is another object of this invention to secure a range where an axle is held swingable as wide as possible when a sensor fails.
It is a different object of this invention to provide an apparatus capable of ensuring stable turning even when a tire angle sensor fails.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an apparatus capable of coping with a predictable unstable running state of a vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus capable of ensuring stable running of a vehicle by promptly locking an axle at the time the vehicle turns.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus which can allow an operator to easily grasp locking of an axle.
To achieve the foregoing objects, according to one aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus equipped with a lock mechanism for locking an axle, supported swingable up and down on a body of a runnable and loading industrial vehicle, for a purpose of ensuring stable running of the vehicle, which apparatus comprises a plurality of sensors for detecting at least one of a running state and a load state of the vehicle; control means for activating the lock mechanism when a determination value to be determined from detection values of at least two of the plurality of sensors satisfies a predetermined condition; and diagnosis means for diagnosing a failure of at least one sensor, whereby the lock mechanism is caused not to be activated when a determination value to be determined from the detection value of the sensor that has been diagnosed as failing by the diagnosis means takes a value within a normal detection range of that sensor, which is most likely to satisfy the predetermined condition.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus equipped with a lock mechanism for locking an axle, supported swingable up and down on a body of a runnable and loading industrial vehicle, for a purpose of ensuring stable running of the vehicle, which apparatus comprises tire angle detection means for detecting a tire angle of the industrial vehicle; steering angle detection means for detecting a steering angle of the industrial vehicle; vehicle speed detection means for detecting a running speed of the industrial vehicle; first detection means for providing a determination value based on the tire angle detected by the tire angle detection means and the running speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means, when the tire angle detection means is normal; second detection means for providing a determination value based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection means and the running speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means, when the tire angle detection means fails; and control means for activating the lock mechanism when the determination value provided by any of the first and second detection means satisfies a preset predetermined condition.
According to yet another aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus equipped with a lock mechanism for locking an axle, supported swingable up and down on a body of a runnable and loading industrial vehicle, for a purpose of ensuring stable running of the vehicle, which apparatus comprises detection means for detecting a running state of the vehicle; prediction means for predicting a centrifugal acceleration to be applied to the vehicle based on a result of detection by the detection means; determination means for determining if the centrifugal acceleration predicted by the prediction means becomes greater than a reference value, when the lock mechanism is locking the axle; and control means for outputting a centrifugal acceleration countermeasure signal based on determination by the determination means.
According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided an apparatus equipped with a lock mechanism for locking an axle, supported swingable up and down on a body of a runnable and loading industrial vehicle, when a running state of the vehicle satisfies a preset running condition, which apparatus comprises control means for outputting a display signal when the lock mechanism is activated; and display means for displaying the axle being locked, based on the display signal.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principals of the invention.
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Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Morgan & Finnegan L.L.P.
To Tuan
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