DETECTION SYSTEM FOR FRONT OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

The present invention is a detection system for the front of a vehicle with front lift arms for lifting and lowering a bin where one or more sensors are used to detect the presence of an object or person and control means to receive and process sensor input to control the operation of the lifting arms. When the presence of the object or person is detected, the movement of the lifting arms are stopped and or an alarm is sounded.

Claims

1. A detection system for the front of a vehicle with front lift arms for lifting and lowering a bin and including two sensors that are spaced apart and positioned on a front of the vehicle to detect a presence of an object or person; control means to receive and process sensor input to control the operation of the lifting arms wherein when the presence of the object or person is detected the movement of the lifting arms is stopped, wherein the detection system defines a first zone covering a space through which the bin moves between a raised and a lowered position, wherein the movement of the lifting arms is stopped when a person or object is detected within the first zone.

2. A detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection system defines a second zone, the second zone being the space surrounding the first zone.

3. A detection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein an alarm is activated when the presence of the object or person is detected in the second zone.

4. A detection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein an alarm is activated when the presence of the object or person is detected in the first zone or when the object or person is detected moving in the second zone.

5. A detection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movement of the lifting arms is stopped when a person or object is detected moving within the second zone.

6. A detection system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the alarm includes an audible alarm.

7. A detection system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the alarm includes a warning light.

8. A detection system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the warning light is a flashing light.

9. A detection system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two sensors are spaced apart and positioned to provide a wide uninterrupted view of the space of the first zone and the second zone.

10. A detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means includes a programmable logic controller and or a processor to process the sensor input.

11. A detection system as claimed in claim 1, further including actuation means to actuate the movement of the lifting arms in response to operational signals from the control means.

12. A detection system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the actuation means includes one or more hydraulic pistons operationally associated with each of the lift arms.

13. A vehicle with front lift arms for lifting and lowering a bin, the vehicle including a detection system as claimed in claim 1.

14. A waste collection vehicle with front lift arms for lifting and lowering a bin, the waste collection vehicle including: a detection system having: two sensors that are spaced apart and positioned on a front of the vehicle to detect the presence of an object or person; and control means to receive and process sensor input to control the operation of the lift arms, wherein the detection system defines a first zone covering a space through which the bin moves between a raised and a lowered position, wherein a movement of the lifting arms is stopped when the person or object is detected within the first zone.

15. A waste collection vehicle including: front lift arms for lifting and lowering a bin; and a detection system having two sensors that are spaced apart and positioned on a front of the vehicle to detect a presence of an object or person, and control means to receive and process sensor input from the two sensors to control the operation of the lifting arms, wherein the detection system defines a first zone covering a space through which the bin moves between a raised and a lowered position, wherein in use, when the lifting arms are moving and when the presence of the object or person is detected within the first zone by the two sensors, the two sensors provide sensor input to the control means, and wherein the control means processes the sensor input and stops the movement of the lifting arms.

16. A waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the detection system defines a second zone, the second zone being a space surrounding the first zone.

17. A waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein an audible alarm or warning light is activated when the presence of the object or person is detected in the second zone.

18. A waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein an audible alarm or warning light is activated when the presence of the object or person is detected in the first zone or when the object or person is detected moving in the second zone.

19. A waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the movement of the lifting arms is stopped when a person or object is detected moving within the second zone.

20. A detection system or waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two sensors are positioned near headlights or indicator lights at the front of the vehicle.

21. A detection system or waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two sensors are located above front headlights of the vehicle.

22. A detection system or waste collection vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two sensors are located between 1 m and 1.5 m above a ground surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In order that the present invention can be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

[0039] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle with proximity and movement sensors near the side of the front of the vehicle;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle with the detection sensors, and

[0041] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the operation of the detection system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0042] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a waste collection vehicle 10 that has lifting arms 11 with two tines 12. The waste collection vehicle 10 has a hopper 13 behind the cab 14 where the driver sits, drives and operates the vehicle 10. On either side of the front of the vehicle 10 are a set of sensors 16. Each set of sensors includes a proximity sensor and a motion sensor. In another embodiment (not shown), there is an inclinometer sensor mounted on one or both of the lifting arms 11 or the tines 12.

[0043] With particular reference to FIG. 2, the area or space that would be covered by a bin (not shown) forms a first zone 18. The area or space surrounding the perimeter of the first zone 18 forms a second zone 20. The second zone 20 has a width of approximately one meter. The dimensions of the first zone 18 are preferably the length and width of the bin.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram 100 of the operation of the detection system. At 110 a bin is raised. At 112 the bin is emptied. At 114 the bin is starting to lower. AT 116 detection of moving objects or persons in the second zone 20 takes place. At 118 it is determined whether the second zone 20 is clear of moving objects or persons. If at 118 it is determined that the second zone 20 is not clear of moving objects or persons, the flow chart continues along 120 to 122. At 122 an audible alarm sounds and movement of the bin is stopped. If at 118 it is determined that the second zone 20 is clear of moving objects or persons, the flow chart continues along 124 to 128.

[0045] At 126 detection of moving or stationary objects or persons in the first zone 18 takes place. At 128 it is determined whether the first zone 18 is clear of moving or stationary objects or persons. If at 128 it is determined that the first zone 18 is not clear of moving or stationary objects or persons, the flow chart continues along 130 to 122. As mentioned above, at 122 an audible alarm sounds and movement of the bin is stopped. If at 128 it is determined that the first zone 18 is clear of moving or stationary objects or persons, the flow chart continues along 132 to 134.

[0046] At 134 the bin continues to lower until it reaches its original lowered position. After the bin has reached its original lowered position, the flow chart continues from 134 to 136. At 136 the detection system resets.

[0047] If the alarm sounds and movement of the bin is stopped at 122, the flow chart continues to 138. At 138 the flow chart returns to 118 unless the driver initiates a manual override. If the driver initiates a manual override, the flow chart continues to 134. It will be appreciated that the flow chart will continue to loop from 138 through 118 or 128 to 138 until it is determined that the first zone 18 is clear of moving or stationary objects or persons and that it is determined that the second zone 20 is clear of moving objects or persons, or until the driver initiates the manual override.

[0048] In use with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the tines 12 are positioned within side pockets of a bin (not shown) and the bin is raised when the lifting arm 11 is raised. The bin is maintained at a substantially horizontal orientation so that waste is not spilled from the bin. The bin is raised and proceeds in a substantially arc path as it passes over the top of the cabin 14. At a predetermined position, the bin is tilted and the waste is emptied into the hopper 13. The waste is subsequently compacted and stored for later disposal. After the bin is emptied of its waste, it is returned to a substantially horizontal orientation and follows the arc path for return to its original position on the ground.

[0049] While the bin is being lowered, it is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation. The sensors 16 serve to detect the movement of an object or person in front of the vehicle and optionally the presence of a person or object in front of the vehicle. The spacing of the sensors 16 from each other provides the widest and uninhibited view of the area or space immediately in front of the vehicle. The sensor input is processed by a processor or programmable logic controller (PLC) into two distinct zones, the first zone 18 and the second zone 20.

[0050] The programming in the processor of the control means, defines the first zone 18 and the second zone 20 and what sensor input is used with respect to monitoring the first zone 18 and the second zone 20. In the preferred embodiment, input from the motion sensors of the sensors 16 is used to monitor the detection of movement of a person or object in the second zone 20. The proximity sensors and motion sensors of the sensors 16 provide input used for the monitoring of the detection of the presence or movement of an object or person in the first zone 18.

[0051] After the bin has emptied its waste into the hopper 13 of the waste collection vehicle 10, the bin is lowered from the raised position over the top of the cabin 14. As the bin is lowered, the control means takes notice of any sensor input whether it be the detection of the presence or the movement of an object or person. If an object or a person(s) is detected in the first zone 18 or movement of an object or person(s) are detected in the second zone 20, the lowering of the bin stops. If the sensors 16 detect an object or a person, there is also an audible alarm alerting the driver and others to the possibility of a problem. There maybe also flashing lights and other warning signals initiated when a person or object is detected by the sensors 16. The lowering of the bin will not resume until the sensors 16 no longer detect the presence or movement of an objection or person and/or the driver initiates a manual override. When the bin is lowered to the ground, the detection system is automatically reset in preparation for the lowering of the next bin.

[0052] In another embodiment an audible alarm or warning lights may be activated where the presence of an object or person or the movement of an object or person is detected in Zone A but without stopping the lowering of the arms.

Advantages

[0053] An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the detection system includes preventing accidentally placing a bin on an object or causing injury to a person. The detection system of the preferred embodiment has the advantage that it can be retro-fitted to existing waste collection vehicles, thereby increasing the safety to all those around the waste collection vehicle.

Variations

[0054] It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

[0055] Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word comprise and variations of that word such as comprises and comprising, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.