Systems and methods of remotely controlling a materials handling vehicle

• Main Authors: KRAIMER JAMES V, POLLACK JAY G, WELLMAN TIMOTHY A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.07.2015
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDEDFOR ELSEWHERE; CHECKING-DEVICES; CONTROLLING; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; HAULING; HOISTING; HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCEDIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD; LIFTING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; REGULATING; SIGNALLING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILARSIGNALS; TRANSPORTING; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS

A supplemental control system for a materials handling vehicle comprises a wearable control device, and a corresponding receiver on the materials handling vehicle. The wearable control device is donned by an operator interacting with the materials handling vehicle, and comprises a wireless transmitter and a travel control communicably coupled to the wireless transmitter. Actuation of the travel control causes the wireless transmitter to transmit a first type signal designating a request to advance the vehicle in a first direction. The receiver is supported by the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter. A traction control of the vehicle is responsive to a receipt of the first type signal by the receiver to cause the vehicle to advance.