Patent ID: 8380396

Claim:
A travel control method for a self-propelled carriage, which includes a base, steering/driving wheels steerably provided to the base, caster wheels provided to the base for stabilizing the carriage, and a travel control section for controlling the steering/driving wheels, and which is designed to shuttle back and forth along a base line in generally opposite directions, the travel control method comprising the steps of: causing the carriage to move in a first direction along the base line; stopping the carriage; steering the steering/driving wheels and carriage at a first predetermined angle while the carriage is stopped; causing the carriage to begin its return by moving a first predetermined distance in a second direction that is greater than 90 degrees but less than a full 180 degrees from the first direction while the steering/driving wheels and carriage remain at the first predetermined angle, thereby causing the self-propelled carriage to depart from the base line; steering the steering/driving wheels and carriage at a second predetermined angle so as to direct the carriage back toward the base line; causing the carriage to move a second predetermined distance while the steering/driving wheels and carriage remain at the second predetermined angle so that the carriage is steered toward the base line, thereby causing the self-propelled carriage to return to the base line; and steering the steering/driving wheels so a to direct the carriage in its return along the base line while moving in a direction generally opposite the first direction.