Guidance conductor for driverless vehicle

Claim 1

A control system for a driverless vehicle which is guided along a track way by detecting an induction field comprising: a guidance conductor arranged substantially throughout and within said track way to form a closed circuit, said track way including a main portion wherein portions of said guidance conductor are arranged in parallel with each other in a predetermined spaced relationship and a loop portion wherein only one portion of said conductor is laid; energizing means connected to said guidance conductor for feeding a high frequency current to generate said induction field around said guidance conductor; a pair of detectors, each said detector being disposed respectively on a side of said driverless vehicle corresponding to a respective edge of said track way, said detectors being arranged to have said predetermined space therebetween for selectively detecting the induction field generated by the conductor portion, if any, laid along the corresponding edge of the track way; and selection circuit means for selecting one of said conductor portions in accordance with a selected route of said track way along which said vehicle is guided; wherein each said detector comprises a first detection coil disposed parallel to the plane of said track way and perpendicular to said guidance conductor; and a second detection coil disposed substantially in a vertical plane including said guidance conductor and inclined to the horizontal plane of said track way.