METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE INTEGRITY OF A WIRE ROPE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A method and an apparatus monitor the integrity of a wire rope in a wire rope assembly, as well as a wire rope assembly containing such an apparatus. In this case, the wire rope is moved past a sensor device, and a sensor signal is generated with the aid of the sensor device. The sensor signal characterizes a magnetic interaction between the sensor device and the wire rope moving past the sensor device. A measure for the integrity of the wire rope is determined on the basis of the generated sensor signal. Accordingly, the movement of the wire rope is generated here in a normal operation of the wire rope assembly.

Claims

15. A method for monitoring an integrity of a wire rope in a wire rope assembly, which comprises the steps of: moving the wire rope past a sensor device; generating a sensor signal characterizing a magnetic interaction between the sensor device and the wire rope moving past the sensor device with an aid of the sensor device; and determining a measure for the integrity of the wire rope on a basis of the sensor signal generated, wherein a movement of the wire rope is generated in a normal operation of the wire rope assembly.

16. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises moving the wire rope past the sensor device in a curved manner.

17. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises detecting a position of the wire rope relative to the sensor device and the position detected forms a basis of a determination of the measure for the integrity of the wire rope.

18. The method according to claim 17, which further comprises assigning the sensor signal to the position detected of the wire rope relative to the sensor device and the measure for the integrity of the wire rope is determined on a basis of the assigning step.

19. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises making a prediction for a development of the integrity of the wire rope on a basis of the measure determined for the integrity of the wire rope.

20. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises checking whether the measure determined for the integrity of the wire rope satisfies a replacement criterion and a replacement signal is output on a basis of a result of the checking step.

21. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises determining the measure for the integrity of the wire rope with an aid of artificial intelligence.

22. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises providing the measure determined for the integrity of the wire rope in a network via an interface of the sensor device.

23. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises operating the wire rope assembly in dependence on the measure determined for the integrity of the wire rope.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein when the magnetic interaction between the wire rope and the sensor device is generated, moving at least one sensor unit of the sensor device relative to a stationary component of the wire rope assembly, the sensor device being configured to generate the sensor signal.

25. An apparatus for monitoring an integrity of a wire rope in a wire rope assembly, the apparatus comprising: a sensor device configured to generate a sensor signal being based on a magnetic interaction between said sensor device and the wire rope moving past said sensor device; and a stationary component of the wire rope assembly, in which said stationary component said sensor device is integrated.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said stationary component is a wire rope bearing.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said sensor device contains a plurality of sensor units for generating the sensor signal, said sensor units are disposed along a circumference of said wire rope bearing.

28. A wire rope assembly, comprising the apparatus according to claim 25.

29. The wire rope assembly according to claim 28, wherein wire rope assembly is a hoisting installation.

Description

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a first example of a wire rope assembly 10 comprising a wire rope 2 and an apparatus 1 for monitoring the integrity of the wire rope 2 in a side view. The apparatus 1 comprises sensor device 3 for generating a sensor signal based on a magnetic interaction between the sensor device 3 and the wire rope 2 of the wire rope assembly 10 moving past the sensor device 3, and control means 4 for determining a measure for the integrity of the wire rope 2 based on the sensor signal. In addition to the apparatus 1, the wire rope assembly 10 also has a rope drive 5 for moving the wire rope 2 in a normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10 and a plurality of wire rope bearings 6a, 6b, 6c, three in the example shown. Here, the wire rope 2 is stretched between the wire rope drive 5 and a first one of the wire rope bearings 6a and is guided by a second and a third one of the wire rope bearings 6b, 6c.

[0049] In the present example, the wire rope assembly 10 is designed as a cable car installation with a load 11 in the form of a cabin, which is supported by the wire rope 2 and is attached to the wire rope 2. In normal operation, the cabin can thus be moved by the rope drive 5 together with the wire rope 2.

[0050] In the present example, the wire rope bearings 6a, 6b and 6c are designed as sheaves over which the wire rope 2 runs at least in portions during normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10. The first wire rope bearing 6a is rotated substantially 90° relative to the second and third wire rope bearings 6b, 6c, so that its axis of rotation runs in the plane of the figure in the example shown. The wire rope 2 is designed as an endless rope that runs from the rope drive 5 to the first wire rope bearing 6a and back again. For this purpose, the rope drive 5 can have a further rope bearing driven by a motor, over which the wire rope 2 is guided (not shown). The returning portion of the wire rope 2, which runs substantially parallel to the outgoing portion, is not shown in FIG. 1 for reasons of clarity.

[0051] The wire rope bearings 6a, 6b and 6c are preferably stationary components of the wire rope assembly 10 that are not subject to substantially any translational movement during normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10. In other words, the wire rope bearings 6a, 6b and 6c are rotatably mounted, but are arranged or mounted so as to be substantially stationary.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor device 3 is preferably integrated into the third wire rope bearing 6c. In particular, the sensor device 3 is designed in the form of a wire rope bearing so that it can be used as a third wire rope bearing 6c. Since the wire rope 2 thus repeatedly runs past the sensor device 3 during normal operation, the integrity of the wire rope 2 can also be monitored during normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10. The provision of an additional, external checking device is not necessary, nor is the shutting down of the wire rope assembly 10 for maintenance purposes.

[0053] In addition to determining the integrity measure, the control device 4 is also designed to control the rope drive 5 and thus the movement of the rope 2 or the load 11 in the form of the cabin. In order to increase operational reliability, the control device 4 can be designed here to check whether the determined integrity measure satisfies a predetermined replacement criterion. If this is the case, i.e., if the determined integrity measure reaches or falls below a predetermined integrity threshold value, for example, the control device 4 can stop the operation of the wire rope assembly 10 until the wire rope 2 has been replaced or at least subjected to further maintenance and/or repaired.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a second example of a wire rope assembly 10 with a wire rope 2 and an apparatus 1 for monitoring the integrity of the wire rope 2 in a side view. Here, the wire rope assembly 10 is designed as a hoisting installation, which is designed for lifting a load 11 attached to the wire rope 2.

[0055] Analogously to the example shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 comprises a sensor device 3 for generating a sensor signal based on a magnetic interaction between the sensor device 3 and the wire rope 2 of the wire rope assembly 10 moved past the sensor device 3, and a control device 4 for determining a measure for the integrity of the wire rope 2 based on the sensor signal. In addition to the apparatus 1, the wire rope assembly 10 also has a rope drive 5 for moving the wire rope 2 in a normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10.

[0056] The sensor device 3 is integrated in a wire rope bearing 6 of the wire rope assembly 10. This allows the wire rope 2 to be guided past the sensor device 3 during normal operation of the wire rope assembly 10.

[0057] The hoisting installation shown in FIG. 2 can be a crane, for example. The wire rope bearing 6 with the sensor device 3 can also be part of a bearing system, for example, a pulley block or similar.

[0058] Here too, the control device 4 may be intended for controlling the rope drive 5 based on the determined integrity measure.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a sensor device 3 designed as a sheave 6 for monitoring a wire rope 2 of a wire rope assembly from a first viewing angle. The side face of the sheave 6 runs in the plane of the figure.

[0060] The sensor device 3 is designed to guide the wire rope 2 at least in portions along its circumference. For this purpose, the sensor device 3 has a groove 7 running along its circumference for at least partially receiving the wire rope 2. The bottom of the groove is shown as a dashed line in FIG. 2.

[0061] Because the sensor device 3 guides the wire rope 2 at least in portions with the aid of the groove 7, the wire rope 2 is guided past the sensor device 3 during normal operation of the wire rope assembly. In the process, the wire rope 2 is bent or curved in the portion in which it contacts the sensor device 3.

[0062] The sensor device 3 is designed to generate a sensor signal on the basis of a magnetic interaction between the sensor device 3 and the wire rope 2 moving past the sensor device 3, on the basis of which sensor signal a measure for the integrity of the wire rope 2 can be determined. For this purpose, the sensor device 3 may have a plurality of sensor units 8 arranged along its circumference, with the aid of which the sensor device 3 can, for example, perform magneto-inductive measurements on the wire rope 2.

[0063] In the example shown, the sensor units 8 each have, for this purpose, a means 8a for generating a magnetic field, for example in the form of a permanent magnet, and a stray field coil 8b. The means 8a for generating a magnetic field can be used to achieve saturation magnetization of the wire rope 2 in the region of the particular means 8a. The stray field coils 8b are expediently each arranged to detect the magnetic flux generated thereby through the cross section of the wire rope 2. If individual wires of the wires from which the wire rope 2 is wound or braided are damaged or even broken, the magnetic flux passing through the cross section drops. The electrical signals generated by the stray field coils 8b when detecting the magnetic flux can therefore be used as the basis for determining a measure for the integrity of the wire rope 2.

[0064] If necessary, the sensor units 8 can also be part of a position encoder of the sheave 6 or sensor device 3, which is designed to detect the orientation or position of the sheave 6 or sensor device 3. For this purpose, the sensor units 8 can, for example, have acceleration and/or speed sensors (not shown), with the aid of which an acceleration or speed of the sheave 6 or sensor device 3 can be determined. The orientation or position of the sheave 6 or sensor device 3 can then be derived from the detected acceleration or speed. For example, the number of revolutions performed by the sheave 6 or sensor device 3 can be counted in this way. This information corresponds to the position of the wire rope 2 relative to the sensor device 3, in particular of a portion of the wire rope 2. This makes it possible to assign the determined integrity measure to this portion of the wire rope 2 and, for example, to track the development or course of the integrity in this portion. If necessary, however, this information can also be taken into account when determining the integrity measure, for example, by including the number of bending cycles caused by the sheave 6 in the calculation of the integrity measure.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows the sensor device 3 in the form of a sheave 6 from FIG. 3 from a second viewing angle, which differs by 90° from the first viewing angle. The side surface of the sheave 6 is perpendicular to the plane of the figure. The wire rope is not shown in FIG. 4.

[0066] FIG. 4 clearly shows that the sensor units 8 are arranged in the region of the groove 7 of the sensor device 3, i.e., in a radially outer region of the sensor device 3. In this case, the sensor units 8 are embedded in the mutually opposing cheeks 9, which laterally delimit the groove 7, of the sheave 6 formed by the sensor device 3 in order to generate the magnetic field passing through the cross section of the wire rope accommodated by the groove 7.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows an example of a sensor device 3 designed as a sheave 6 with rotatably mounted sensor units 8. Analogously to the example shown in FIG. 3, the sensor device 3 is designed to guide a wire rope 2 at least in portions along its circumference. In this case, the wire rope is guided past the sensor device 3 in a normal operation of a corresponding wire rope assembly and is bent or curved in the portion in which it contacts the sensor device 3. The sensor device 3 is designed to generate a sensor signal based on a magnetic interaction between the sensor device 3 and the wire rope 2, based on which a measure for the integrity of the wire rope 2 can be determined.

[0068] A plurality of sensor units 8 arranged along the circumference of the sensor device 3 each have a means 8a for generating a magnetic field and a stray field coil 8b for detecting a magnetic flux, through the cross section of the wire rope 2, generated with the aid of the means 8a.

[0069] In contrast to the example shown in FIG. 3, the present sensor units 8 are each mounted so that they can rotate about a rotation axis R. The means 8a and stray field coils 8b can, for example, be mounted on correspondingly rotatable supports. As a result, the sensor units 8, in particular the means 8a for generating a magnetic field, can additionally be moved relative to the wire rope 2, in particular even when the sheave 6 is stationary. As a result, not only can a magnetic interaction which is characteristic of the integrity of the wire rope 2 due to a changing magnetic field, for example an inductance, be detected in the portion of the wire rope 2 located in the region of the sensor device 3 even when the sheave 6 is stationary, but advantageously also when the sheave 6 is rotating slowly. In particular, it can be ensured that a change in the magnetic flux in the wire rope 2 due to a relative rotation of the means 8a for generating a magnetic field about the axes of rotation R is large enough that a corresponding usable sensor signal can be generated with the stray field coils 8b.

[0070] The sensor units 8 can be actively or passively rotatable relative to the sensor device 3 or the sheave 6. The sensor units 8 can, for example, be mounted so that they can rotate freely, so that they rotate automatically due to gravity when the sensor device 3 rotates about the axis of rotation R rotating with the sensor device 3. For this purpose, it is also conceivable to mount the sensor units 8 so that they can rotate eccentrically about the axes of rotation R. Passive rotation has the advantage that it can be realized with low effort and in an energy-efficient manner.

[0071] Alternatively, the sensor units 8 can be actively rotated about the rotation axes R with the aid of a corresponding drive. This has the advantage over passive rotation that the speed of rotation of the sensor units 8 and thus, for example, the change in the magnetic flux in the wire rope 2 generated with the aid of the means 8a can be controlled. If necessary, this allows the magnetic interaction between the sensor device 3, in particular the sensor units 8, to be amplified in such a way that a low-noise signal can be generated.

[0072] FIG. 6 shows an example of a method 100 for monitoring a wire rope of a wire rope assembly.

[0073] In this case, the wire rope is moved past a sensor device in a method step S1, namely in a normal operation of the wire rope assembly. For this purpose, the sensor device can be integrated into a stationary component of the wire rope assembly, which is preferably designed to support or guide the wire rope, or even form this component.

[0074] In a second method step S2, the sensor device is used to generate a sensor signal that characterizes a magnetic interaction between the sensor device and the wire rope moving past the sensor device. For example, a magnetic flux through a cross section of the wire rope in the region of the sensor device can be detected and a corresponding signal, also said to be magneto-inductive, can be generated. Alternatively, for example, a change in a magnetic field penetrated by the wire rope can be detected and a corresponding signal, also said to be inductive, can be generated.

[0075] In a further method step S3, a measure for the integrity of the wire rope is determined, for example with the aid of a control device, on the basis of the sensor signal generated. This integrity measure can be used, for example, as the basis for controlling the wire rope assembly. Alternatively or additionally, maintenance work or repairs to the wire rope assembly, in particular the wire rope, can also be planned with the aid of the integrity measure, in particular a temporal development or history of the integrity measure preferably recorded for this purpose.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0076] 1 Apparatus [0077] 2 Wire rope [0078] 3 Sensor device [0079] 4 Control device [0080] 5 Rope drive [0081] 6, 6a-c Wire rope bearing [0082] 7 Groove [0083] Sensor unit [0084] 8a Means for generating a magnetic field [0085] 8b Stray field coil [0086] 9 Cheek [0087] 10 Wire rope assembly [0088] 11 Load [0089] 100 Method [0090] S1-S3 Method step [0091] R Axis of rotation cm. 1-14. (canceled)