US 12,391,529 B2
Motion lockout for platform mover system
James J. Troy, Issaquah, WA (US); Katherine L. Varela, Seattle, WA (US); Charles M. Richards, Kent, WA (US); and Nicholas Gholdoian, Kirkland, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/537,658.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/172,865, filed on Apr. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0324688 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B66F 17/00 (2006.01); B66F 9/075 (2006.01); B66F 11/04 (2006.01)
CPC B66F 17/006 (2013.01) [B66F 9/07568 (2013.01); B66F 11/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system to move a platform relative to a target object, the system comprising:
a drive vehicle configured to attach to the platform at a pivot point and to move the platform relative to the target object;
one or more distance sensors to sense at least one distance between a leading edge of the platform and the target object;
one or more rotation angle sensors to measure a relative rotation angle at the pivot point between the drive vehicle and the platform; and
a processing circuit configured to determine directional movements of the platform and the drive vehicle relative to a center line that extends through a center of the leading edge and the pivot point, the processing circuit further configured to:
determine the at least one distance between the leading edge of the platform and the target object based on inputs from the one or more distance sensors;
based on dimensions of the platform, a position of the pivot point relative to the platform, the inputs from the one or more distance sensors, and inputs from the one or more rotation angle sensors, determine a plurality of heading angle limits relative to the center line in which the drive vehicle can safely move the platform relative to the target object while avoiding contact between the platform and the target object, the plurality of heading angle limits defining at least a first allowable zone and a second allowable zone opposing the first allowable zone;
allow the drive vehicle to move in a first direction with a first relative heading angle that is within one of the first and second allowable zones and move the platform without contacting the platform against the target object; and
prevent the drive vehicle from moving in a second direction with a second relative heading angle that is outside of the first and second allowable zones.