Method and apparatus for monitoring the proper operation of a device used in detecting buried magnets in a control system for materials handling vehicles

摘要

The operational fitness of a vehicle-mounted magnetic sensor (90) for detecting buried magnets which identify zones of operation of the vehicle can be tested from time to time by an electromagnet (92) installed in proximity to the sensor. The electromagnet is a small coil of wire mounted near the sensor, such as a Hall effect device, which when energized, generates a test magnetic field. The analog output (102) of the sensor is compared with preestablished values when the electromagnet is energized to verify the proper operation of the sensor; it is also compared with preestablished values when sensing buried magnets to confirm operation of the sensor, the strength of the buried magnet, and the alignment of the sensor with respect to the magnet. A threshold detector (97) senses the output of the sensor to indicate when a magnetic field is detected, and the peak analog output of the sensor is stored and compared to a reference after the sensor passes the magnet. The sensors are normally tested whenever the vehicle is initially powered up or after the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined time.