An apparatus for load stabilization on a pallet jack includes one or more steerable wheels, a stabilizer member, and an A-Frame, where the A-Frame encloses a plurality of components for mechanically coupling the one or more steerable wheels to the stabilizer member. The stabilizer member is extendable out of at least one side of the pallet jack based at least on an angle of rotation of the one or more steerable wheels. A method for load stabilization on a pallet jack includes receiving a steering angle for one or more steerable wheels of a pallet jack from an angular position sensor. The method includes activating an electric motor for extending a stabilizer member of the pallet jack, where a distance of extension of the stabilizer member is based on the steering angle for one or more steerable wheels of the pallet jack

A system for controlling an industrial truck with a drive portion including a traction drive portion, a steering portion, and a load portion, comprises a portable transmitting unit configured to be positioned away from the industrial truck. The system further comprises at least three transmitting and receiving units positioned in a predetermined spatial arrangement with respect to one another on the drive portion. An evaluation unit is provided that is configured to determine a position of the portable transmitting and receiving unit relative to the industrial truck by measuring signal propagation times. The industrial truck further comprises a control unit configured to send a control command for traction drive and/or steering if the relative position of the portable transmitting and receiving unit is located within a predetermined spatial region relative to the industrial truck.

Provided are systems and methods for monitoring the position of a handle of a material handling vehicle comprising a handle, a first sensor positioned along the material handling vehicle, a second sensor positioned along the handle, and a controller configured to retrieve first positional information from the first sensor, retrieve second positional information from the second sensor, and compare the first positional information with the second positional information. The controller can adjust the operation of at least one of a lift motor and a drive motor of the material handling vehicle based on the comparison of the first positional information with the second positional information.

A method for steering the wheel assemblies of a gantry crane, including the steps of beginning the steering of at least one wheel assembly in the desired direction; and setting the angular position of a moveable pointer indicating a theoretical position of the wheel assembly which is consistent with said desired direction. The following steps are also included: setting an increment value of the moveable pointer in a direction consistent with respect to the steering movement of the wheel assembly; calculating the angular difference between the angular position of the moveable pointer and the current position of the wheel assembly; andincreasing the increment value of the moveable pointer if the difference shows a decrease, or decreasing the increment value of the moveable pointer if the difference shows an increase.

A materials handling vehicle comprises an obstacle scanning tool and steering mechanism, materials handling hardware, vehicle drive mechanism, and user interface that facilitate movement of the materials handling vehicle and materials handled along a travel path. The tool establishes a scan field, a filter field, and a performance field, and is configured to indicate the presence of obstacles in the filter field and the performance field. The tool executes logic to establish the performance field in response to an input performance level, scan for obstacles in the filter field and the performance field, execute obstacle avoidance for obstacles detected in the filter field, and execute a performance level reduction inquiry for obstacles detected in the performance field wherein outcomes of the inquiry comprise reduction of the performance level when a performance level reduction is available and execution of obstacle avoidance when a performance level reduction is not available.

A forklift apparatus includes: an error prediction unit configured to predict a first positional error which is a positional error after picking-up between a standard position of a fork and a central position of a pallet on the fork after the pallet is picked up and a first angle error which is an angle error after picking-up with respect to the fork in the pallet; a travel route correction unit configured to correct a travel route from a picking-up position of the pallet to a stacking position of the pallet to offset the first positional error and the first angle error when the pallet is stacked; and a conveyance travel control unit configured to perform travel control such that the pallet is conveyed along the corrected travel route.

A steer-by-wire control system adapted for use with a material handling vehicle such as a forklift includes a controller programmed to receive input indicative of a desired direction of travel of the material handling vehicle and to control an actuator coupled with the steered wheels of the material handling vehicle to change the direction of travel of the vehicle and synchronize the direction of travel with a position of a steering wheel of the material handling vehicle.

The present invention discloses a liquid-cooled integrative power system for electric forklift and a control method thereof. It includes an integrated transmission gearbox, an integrated motor controller, an oil pump and a vehicle controller. The integrated transmission gearbox includes a drive motor transmission mechanism and an oil pump motor transmission mechanism. The integrated motor controller includes a control unit for a drive motor and a control unit for an oil pump motor. The integrated transmission gearbox, the integrated motor controller, the drive motor, the oil pump motor, the oil pump and the vehicle controller are completely integrated and mounted to form the liquid-cooled integrative power system for electric forklift. The vehicle controller comprehensively controls the integrative power system.

A materials handling vehicle includes a power unit, a load handling assembly and a positioning assistance system that provides assistance to an operator that is driving the vehicle. The assistance provided by the positioning assistance system includes at least one of an audible, tactile, or visual cue to indicate at least one of: a distance from the vehicle to a boundary object; or a heading of the vehicle with respect to the boundary object.

A forklift-type automated guided vehicle includes a body and a control circuit unit received in the body, both a first fork arm and a second fork arm parallel to each other and formed on a front end of the body to forklift cargo, each of the first fork arm, the second fork arm and a bottom end of the body including at least one two-wheel differential driving assembly rotatably connected to the first and second fork arms, and the body, respectively, and electrically connected to the control circuit unit. The two-wheel differential driving assembly includes a left driving wheel and a right driving wheel formed opposite to each other which can be independently driven to realize differential rotation. The present disclosure not only can forklift cargo with a small turning radius, but also can realize left-to-right sideways movements and an in-place rotation and a U-turn movement.