A crane hook rotation-limiting device includes a mounting base and a plunger extending through a hole formed in the mounting base so as to be movable with respect to the mounting base. A spring first bearing portion is connected to the plunger so as to be movable with the plunger. A spring second bearing portion is positioned opposite the spring first bearing portion so as to be fixed with respect to the plunger during movement of the plunger. A spring member extends between the spring first bearing portion and the spring second bearing portion. A pair of crane hook rotation-limiting devices as described herein may be mounted to a crane hook assembly to control rotation of the crane hook during movement of the hook when the hook supports a sling spreader or a sling spreader and a die (or other item of tooling).

Load lifting systems include a load lifting structure configured with at least two attach points defining at least one axis between two attach points of the at least two attach points, a flexible suspension member suspended from the load lifting structure at the at least two attach points, and a carriage configured to have a load suspended therefrom having at least one guide element arranged along the at least one axis and configured to move relative to and along the suspension member along the at least one axis such that the carriage follows a curved path having a continuously varying radius of curvature based on the at least two attach points.

Load lifting systems include a load lifting structure configured with at least two attach points defining at least one axis between two attach points of the at least two attach points, a flexible suspension member suspended from the load lifting structure at the at least two attach points, and a carriage configured to have a load suspended therefrom having at least one guide element arranged along the at least one axis and configured to move relative to and along the suspension member along the at least one axis such that the carriage follows a curved path having a continuously varying radius of curvature based on the at least two attach points.

A multi-axis gantry system comprising a multi-axis gantry apparatus and vacuum system, and method for repositioning is disclosed. The multi-axis gantry system comprises a frame. The frame includes a plurality of curved base members, a first rail, a second rail, a bridge slidably moveable along the first rail and the second rail, a carriage including an end effector, and a first plurality of pucks and a second plurality of pucks. The vacuum system comprises a vacuum controller, a first vacuum source and a second vacuum source. Each of the first and second vacuum sources is in fluid communication with one or more pucks of the first and second pluralities of pucks. The frame is reconfigurable from a first configuration mountable on a first work surface to a second configuration mountable on a second work surface that may be different from the first work surface.

Disclosed are various embodiments for stabilizing a hoisted object. A hoisted object such as a litter can have a tendency spin while being retrieved on a lift line. A device may be connected to the hoisted object to reduce a spin or other angular velocity of the hoisted object. The device may monitor stability of the hoisted object and determine that the hoisted object is unstable. The device may be configured to rotate at least one flywheel to apply torque to an enclosure of the device.

The present invention provides a linear quadratic regulator (LQR)-based anti-sway control method for a hoisting system, comprising the following steps: obtaining a target position of a trolley, and obtaining a planned real-time path of the trolley according to the maximum velocity v.sub.m and maximum acceleration a.sub.m of the trolley; establishing a dynamic model of the hoisting system according to a Lagrange's equation, for the Lagrange's equation, the trolley displacement x, the spreader sway angle θ, and the rope length l of the hoisting system being selected as generalized coordinate directions; observing lumped disturbance d using an extended state observer, and compensating for same in a controller, the lumped disturbance d comprising the dynamic model error and external disturbance to the hoisting system; tracking the planned real-time path of the trolley by a Q matrix and an R matrix using a linear quadratic regulator controller. The LQR-based anti-sway control method for a hoisting system provided by the present invention can make the hoisting system operate more smoothly, reduce sway during operation, and quickly eliminate sway when in place while observing the lumped disturbance using an extended state observer.

A rope swinging safety system that aims to eliminate the safety risks caused by a rope swinging process in rope cranes, automatically calculates the amount of swinging depending on the angle of the rope or the diameter of the safe working area, allows parameter adjustment manually or by a remote controller, prevents erroneous adjustments, prevents lifting process when a determined swinging limit is reached so that it can be adapted to different situations easily, and is capable of electronically transmitting to the remote controller, a device and a remote controller consist of the system.

The resonant frequency ωx(n) of horizontal shaking of a suspended load W suspended from the distal end of a telescopic boom 9 via wire ropes 14.Math.16 is calculated on the basis of the suspension length Lm(n).Math.Ls(n) of the wire ropes 14.Math.16; the characteristic frequency ωy(n) in the raising and lowering direction of the telescopic boom 9 is calculated; and, in accordance with an operation for raising and lowering the telescopic boom 9, the filtering control signal Cd(n) of an actuator is generated in which a frequency component in a discretionary frequency range is attenuated at a discretionary ratio with reference to the resonant frequency ωx(n) of the suspended load W, and in which a frequency component in a discretionary frequency range is attenuated at a discretionary ratio with reference to the characteristic frequency ωy(n) in the raising and lowering direction of the telescopic boom 9.

A method, computer system, and a computer program product for payload stabilization is provided. The present invention may include, in response to receiving at least one sensor data associated with a suspended payload, detecting an unstable movement in the suspended payload during a transport of the suspended payload. The present invention may also include implementing at least one sail coupled to the suspended payload to stabilize the detected unstable movement of the suspended payload.

An overhead transport vehicle includes a gripping unit to grip an article, an suspension unit by which the gripping unit is suspended, a drive unit that reels up the suspension unit to thereby raise the gripping unit, a detection unit to detect swing of the gripping unit, and a controller that controls the drive unit to reel up the suspension unit and store the gripping unit into the transport vehicle body. In reel-up control to reel up the suspension unit, when swing of the gripping unit exceeds a predetermined width, the controller stops reeling up the suspension unit, maintains the gripping unit at a standby position lower than a storage position, and then, reels up the suspension unit when the swing of the gripping unit becomes equal to or less than the predetermined width.