A self-maintaining crane system including a bridge, a trolley, a hoist, and sensors for use within a hostile environment, such as a wastewater treatment facility, is presented. The bridge is movable along a pair of runway rails within the hostile environment. The trolley is movable between the runway rails. The hoist with extendable-retractable cable is movable with the trolley. Bridge sensors separately determine whether the bridge has engaged a bridge home position and a bridge end position. The bridge is movable away from the bridge home position and back toward the bridge end position. Trolley sensors separately determine whether the trolley has engaged a trolley home position and a trolley end position. The trolley is movable away from the trolley home position and back toward the trolley end position. Hoist sensors separately determine whether the cable has engaged a hoist home position and a hoist end position. The cable is extendable away from the hoist home position and retractable toward the hoist end position. Sensors facilitate automated movement of bridge, trolley, and cable so as to minimize functional impairment of the crane system by the hostile environment.

An optical detection system for a crane having a counterweight assembly includes an image capture assembly having one or more image capture devices configured to capture an image of the counterweight assembly and an optical control system. The optical control system is configured to detect one or more objects in the captured image, the one or more objects selected from the counterweight assembly, a weight unit of the counterweight assembly, a stack of weight units of the counterweight assembly, and a marker on the counterweight assembly. The optical control system is also configured to analyze the one or more detected objects and determine a status of counterweight assembly based on the analysis of the one or more detected objects.

A crane includes a carrier, a superstructure coupled to the carrier, the superstructure including a boom, and an optical detection system having an image capture assembly including one or more image capture devices configured to capture an image of one or more of the carrier and the superstructure, and an optical control system. The optical control system is configured to detect one or more objects in the captured image, the one or more objects selected from: the carrier, the superstructure, and a marker, analyze the one or more detected objects, and determine a status of the boom based on the analysis of the one or more detected objects. The optical detection system and a method for determining the status of the boom are provided as well.

A human detection system 18 includes: a camera 19 that acquires detection image data Dd of a detection region D, the detection region D being a prescribed region including a portion of a crane 1; a deviation determination unit 21c in which image data of the crane 1 included in the detection image data Dd acquired by the camera 19 in a state of being disposed at a reference position is set as reference image data Sd of the detection region D, and in which the detection image data Dd of the detection region D acquired at an arbitrary time by the camera 19 is compared to the reference image data Sd to determine whether the position of the camera 19 has deviated from the reference position; and a reporting unit 21d that reports that the position of the camera 19 has deviated.

A self-maintaining crane system including a bridge, a trolley, a hoist, and sensors for use within a hostile environment, such as a wastewater treatment facility, is presented. The bridge is movable along a pair of runway rails within the hostile environment. The trolley is movable between the runway rails. The hoist with extendable-retractable cable is movable with the trolley. Bridge sensors separately determine whether the bridge has engaged a bridge home position and a bridge end position. The bridge is movable away from the bridge home position and back toward the bridge end position. Trolley sensors separately determine whether the trolley has engaged a trolley home position and a trolley end position. The trolley is movable away from the trolley home position and back toward the trolley end position. Hoist sensors separately determine whether the cable has engaged a hoist home position and a hoist end position. The cable is extendable away from the hoist home position and retractable toward the hoist end position. Sensors facilitate automated movement of bridge, trolley, and cable so as to minimize functional impairment of the crane system by the hostile environment.

A crane risk logic apparatus and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the crane risk logic apparatus, the crane risk logic apparatus is integral with a crane, such as a crawler crane or a tower crane, and located in communication with a load moment indicator. The crane risk logic apparatus receives crane data from the load moment indicator and determines lift cycle data therefrom. The crane risk logic apparatus determines an area of interest based on locationing data received from a global positioning system (GPS) unit incorporated therewith and receives weather data for this area of interest. The crane risk logic apparatus causes an alert notification at the crane to occur in response to presence of weather issues.

A crane vehicle achieves safe movement by reliably detecting an obstacle in a region which is a blind spot from the opposite side of the driver seat across a boom. The crane vehicle includes an obstacle sensor which is a transmission/reception antenna that transmits a detection wave and receives the detection wave reflected from the obstacle. A signal corresponding to the reflected wave received by the obstacle sensor is amplified and input to a controller, which calculates the position and the size of the obstacle on the basis of the signal. The controller generates an obstacle display image and displays the image on a display, the obstacle display image including a vehicle object that represents a crane vehicle and an obstacle object which is an object corresponding to the calculated size of the obstacle and which is disposed at a position corresponding to the calculated position of the obstacle.

A self-maintaining crane system including a bridge, a trolley, a hoist, and sensors for use within a hostile environment, such as a wastewater treatment facility, is presented. The bridge is movable along a pair of runway rails within the hostile environment. The trolley is movable between the runway rails. The hoist with extendable-retractable cable is movable with the trolley. Bridge sensors separately determine whether the bridge has engaged a bridge home position and a bridge end position. The bridge is movable away from the bridge home position and back toward the bridge end position. Trolley sensors separately determine whether the trolley has engaged a trolley home position and a trolley end position. The trolley is movable away from the trolley home position and back toward the trolley end position. Hoist sensors separately determine whether the cable has engaged a hoist home position and a hoist end position. The cable is extendable away from the hoist home position and retractable toward the hoist end position. Sensors facilitate automated movement of bridge, trolley, and cable so as to minimize functional impairment of the crane system by the hostile environment.

A lift detection and alert assembly for detecting lifting of a tow vehicle and for alerting a crane operator includes an alert module and a sensing module, which are mountable to a tow vehicle having a load engaged thereto. The alert module provides notification to an operator of a crane that is engaged to and operable upon the load. The sensing module detects vertical movement of the tow vehicle and signals the alert module thereof. The alert module notifies the operator of the crane in event the tow vehicle is being lifted in conjunction with the load to prevent damage to the tow vehicle and injury to a driver thereof. The present invention is anticipated for use with terminal tractors that are utilized to move shipping containers at cargo yards, warehouse facilities, and intermodal facilities.

A crane block mountable safety beacon device for increasing awareness of a crane block includes a housing that is mountable to a crane block. A set of bulbs that is coupled to the housing selectively emits light to indicate a position of the crane block to an operator of a crane utilizing the crane block and to persons proximate to the crane block.