An electric winch device includes a required braking force estimation section which estimates a required braking force required to stop a free-falling object at a position at an allowable stopping height; a braking force determination section which determines, out of an operational braking force, each of a first braking force to be borne by a braking device and a second braking force to be borne by a braking force which is generated in an electric motor due to consumption of regenerative power; and a control section which causes the braking device to apply the first braking force to a winch drum. The braking force determination section determines the first braking force to be a braking force equal to or greater than the required braking force when, at a time of stopping of the free-falling object, the operational braking force is equal to or greater than the required braking force.

Disclosed is a winch control apparatus for a crane, which comprises: a first compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when a hoisting manipulation being input, based on a difference speed between a detected rotational speed and a target speed according to a manipulation amount of the hoisting manipulation, a first compensation torque value for enabling an electric motor to generate a reverse-rotation-preventing torque which is a torque in a hoisting direction and corresponding to the difference speed; and a second compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when the hoisting manipulation being input, based on a detected load value, a second compensation torque value for enabling the electric motor to generate a load bearing torque which is a torque in the hoisting direction and necessary for bearing a load of the load value.

Disclosed is a winch control apparatus for a crane, which comprises: a first compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when a hoisting manipulation being input, based on a difference speed between a detected rotational speed and a target speed according to a manipulation amount of the hoisting manipulation, a first compensation torque value for enabling an electric motor to generate a reverse-rotation-preventing torque which is a torque in a hoisting direction and corresponding to the difference speed; and a second compensation torque value calculation section which calculates, when the hoisting manipulation being input, based on a detected load value, a second compensation torque value for enabling the electric motor to generate a load bearing torque which is a torque in the hoisting direction and necessary for bearing a load of the load value.

A lifting device includes a motor designed as a three-phase asynchronous motor via which the lifting device can be driven to lift and lower a load, and includes a brake resistor via which a power output resulting from a motor generator operation that is carried out when lowering the load at a lowering speed can be converted into heat. The brake resistor is designed for a rated power which is less than the power resulting with a nominal load and a nominal speed. A method for operating a lifting device includes lowering a load at a lowering speed while taking into consideration at least one load capacity characteristic value of the brake resistor for the lowering speed, a threshold is set such that while lowering the load at the lowering speed corresponding to the threshold, the resulting power output is limited to the at least one load capacity characteristic value.

A lifting device includes a motor designed as a three-phase asynchronous motor via which the lifting device can be driven to lift and lower a load, and includes a brake resistor via which a power output resulting from a motor generator operation that is carried out when lowering the load at a lowering speed can be converted into heat. The brake resistor is designed for a rated power which is less than the power resulting with a nominal load and a nominal speed. A method for operating a lifting device includes lowering a load at a lowering speed while taking into consideration at least one load capacity characteristic value of the brake resistor for the lowering speed, a threshold is set such that while lowering the load at the lowering speed corresponding to the threshold, the resulting power output is limited to the at least one load capacity characteristic value.

An elevator cage is used in an energy storage and delivery system to move blocks between a lower elevation of a tower and a higher elevation of a tower to store energy and to move blocks between a higher elevation of the tower and a lower elevation of the tower under force of gravity to generate electricity. The elevator cage removably receives a block thereon and supports the block on at least three sides.

Provided is an electric winch device including: an electric motor; a winch drum; a brake; an operation lever; and a controller. The controller includes: a first torque derivation unit which derives a value of a first torque applied to the winch drum due to a load of an object; a second torque derivation unit which derives a value of a second torque generated in the winch drum by a drive torque of the electric motor; and a brake control unit which determines a timing for releasing a braking action on the winch drum after the operation lever has been operated, on the basis of a differential between the second torque value and the first torque value, and which causes the brake to release the braking action on the winch drum by transmitting, to the brake, a control signal instructing release of the braking action on the winch drum at the determined timing.

Provided is an electric winch device including: an electric motor; a winch drum; a brake; an operation lever; and a controller. The controller includes: a first torque derivation unit which derives a value of a first torque applied to the winch drum due to a load of an object; a second torque derivation unit which derives a value of a second torque generated in the winch drum by a drive torque of the electric motor; and a brake control unit which determines a timing for releasing a braking action on the winch drum after the operation lever has been operated, on the basis of a differential between the second torque value and the first torque value, and which causes the brake to release the braking action on the winch drum by transmitting, to the brake, a control signal instructing release of the braking action on the winch drum at the determined timing.

An electric winch device including an electric motor that rotates a winch drum in a hoisting direction, and generates regenerative electric power when a rotation of the winch drum in a lowering direction is transmitted to the electric motor, a transmission device that transmits the rotation between the electric motor and the winch drum, a power calculating section that calculates power of the target object by freefall, and a control section that controls an operation of the transmission device. When the power calculated by the power calculating section exceeds reference electric power, the control section causes the transmission device to change the transmission rate of the rotation to a transmission rate at which the regenerative electric power generated by the electric motor is equal to or smaller than the reference electric power.

An electric winch device including an electric motor that rotates a winch drum in a hoisting direction, and generates regenerative electric power when a rotation of the winch drum in a lowering direction is transmitted to the electric motor, a transmission device that transmits the rotation between the electric motor and the winch drum, a power calculating section that calculates power of the target object by freefall, and a control section that controls an operation of the transmission device. When the power calculated by the power calculating section exceeds reference electric power, the control section causes the transmission device to change the transmission rate of the rotation to a transmission rate at which the regenerative electric power generated by the electric motor is equal to or smaller than the reference electric power.