Automated guided vehicle with electronic guidance between non-continuous rail segments

摘要

An automated guided vehicle (AGV) 40 moves between two or more discontinuous rail segments 10, 12, 13, 14. When the vehicle leaves the guidance rail it is automatically guided to the start of one of the rails in accordance with instructions from a central controller, or that are stored in the AGV. The rails include transponders such as 66, 70, 72 which tell the AGV guidance system where the AGV is in relation to the rail. This enables the guidance system to determine where the AGV goes after leaving the rail, and to decelerate the AGV before it leaves the rail.