Cable Stop-operated Patents (Class 212/118)
  • Patent number: 6272413
    Abstract: While a crawler body 110 is traveling, infrared sensors 144 and an elevational difference calculator 132 incorporated in a controller 130 detects the magnitude of a step present ahead of the crawler body 110. A safety speed calculator 134 calculates a safety speed based on the magnitude of the step detected and on the position of the platform 116 relative to the crawler body 110, which position is detected by various detectors 141˜143 and by a position calculator 133. A comparator 135 compares this safety speed with the traveling speed of the crawler body 110, and if the current speed of the crawler body 110 is greater than the safety speed, then the comparator 135 outputs a warning signal. Upon receiving this signal, a restrictor 136 controls a valve controller 131 to reduce the speed of the crawler body 110 such that the crawler body 110 can travel over the step safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Aichi Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Takahashi, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, Akihiko Ohira