Crane

Abstract

A tower crane with a load lifting means mounted on a hoisting cable, driving devices for moving several crane elements and traversing the load lifting means, and a control device for controlling the driving devices such that the load lifting means moves along a traversing path between at least two target points. The control device has a traversing path determining module for determining a desired traversing path between the at least two target points and an automatic traversing control module for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path.

Claims

1. A crane comprising: a load lifting means; driving devices for moving the load lifting means through a traversing path defined by at least two target points and at least one intermediate point between two target points; and a control device for controlling the driving devices to move the load lifting means along the traversing path; wherein the control device includes processing to: determine the traversing path with a traversing path determining module; and in an automatic mode, automatically move the load lifting means along the determined traversing path using an automatic traversing control module; and wherein the traversing path determining module is connected to: a playback device for assistance with determining the traversing path and/or target and intermediate points of the traversing path by manually traversing the load lifting means along at least a portion of the traversing path; and an external master computer that has access to a building data model and provides target and intermediate points for the determination of the traversing path.

2. The crane of claim 1, wherein the building data model includes data concerning working range limitations and building contours of various construction phases; and wherein the external master computer cyclically or continuously provides updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or concerning the building contours of the various construction phases.

3. The crane of claim 2, wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to take into account the updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or building contours when determining the traversing path.

4. The crane of claim 3, wherein the load lifting means is mounted on a hoisting cable; and wherein the driving devices include several crane elements, one of the crane elements being the load lifting means.

5. The crane of claim 3, wherein the traversing path determining module includes a path control module for determining a continuous, mathematically defined path between two target points.

6. The crane of claim 3, wherein the traversing path determining module is also connected to a teach-in device for assistance with determining the traversing path by manually approaching one or more target and intermediate points.

7. The crane of claim 3, wherein the traversing path determining module is also connected to a teach-in device for storing one or more target and intermediate points of the traversing path approached by manual actuation of the driving devices; and wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to update stored target and intermediate points in response to receipt of target and intermediate points provided by the building data model.

8. The crane of claim 3 further comprising a sway damping device configured to detect sway of the load lifting means as it is moved through the traversing path; wherein, in the automatic mode, the automatic traversing control module takes into account detected sway from the sway damping device and the control device controls an actuation of the driving devices to dampen the sway of the load lifting means as it moves along the traversing path.

9. The crane of claim 8, wherein the sway damping device includes a detection device for detecting a deflection of the hoisting cable, and/or the load lifting means with respect to a vertical axis through a suspension point of the hoisting cable; wherein the automatic traversing control module actuates one or more of the driving devices based on the detected deflection and/or a diagonal pull signal of the detection device.

10. The crane of claim 8, wherein the sway damping device includes: a determination means for determining deformations and/or movements of structural components of the crane as a result of dynamic loads; and a control module configured to take into account the determined deformations and/or movements of the structural components, as determined by the determination means, as a result of dynamic loads influencing the actuation of the one or more driving devices.

11. The crane of claim 10, wherein the structural components of the crane comprise a tower and/or a boom; and wherein the determination means is configured to determine deformations and/or loads of the tower and/or the boom as a result of dynamic loads.

12. The crane of claim 10, wherein the structural components of the crane comprise drive train parts; and wherein the determination means is configured to determine deformations and/or movements of the drive train parts as a result of dynamic loads.

13. The crane of claim 10, wherein the determination means includes an estimating device for estimating the deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads based on digital data of a data model describing a crane structure.

14. The crane of claim 10, wherein the determination means includes a calculation unit for calculating structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components with reference to a stored calculation model, the stored calculation model based on control commands entered at a control stand.

15. The crane of claim 10, wherein the determination means includes a sensor system for detecting the deformations and/or movements of the structural components.

16. A crane comprising: a load lifting means; driving devices for moving the load lifting means through a traversing path defined by at least two target points and at least one intermediate point between two target points; and a control device for controlling the driving devices to move the load lifting means along the traversing path; wherein the control device includes processing to: determine the traversing path with a traversing path determining module connected to: a teach-in device for assistance with determining the traversing path by manually approaching one or more target and intermediate points; a playback device for assistance with determining the traversing path and/or target and intermediate points of the traversing path by manually traversing the load lifting means along at least a portion of the traversing path; and an external master computer that: has access to a building data model that includes data concerning working range limitations and building contours of various construction phases; provides target and intermediate points for the determination of the traversing path; and cyclically or continuously provides updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or concerning the building contours of the various construction phases; and in an automatic mode, automatically move the load lifting means along the determined traversing path using an automatic traversing control module; and wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to take into account the updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or building contours when determining the traversing path.

17. The crane of claim 16, wherein assistance with determining the traversing path is further provided by utilizing point-to-point control with an overlooping function; and wherein the point-to-point control with the overlooping function is configured to operate such that when the load lifting means reaches an overlooping area of a target/intermediate point, the load lifting means is directed to a next point just before reaching the point, wherein overlooping is begun when an axis of the load lifting means reaches a region defined by a sphere around the point.

18. The crane of claim 16, wherein the teach-in device is configured to store the one or more target and intermediate points of the traversing path approached by manual actuation of the driving devices; and wherein the traversing path determining module is further configured to update the target and intermediate points in response to receipt of target and intermediate points provided by the building data model.

19. The crane of claim 16, wherein: in an asynchronous mode, the point-to-point control with the overlooping function is configured to operate asynchronously, wherein overlooping is begun when a last axis of the load lifting means reaches the region defined by the sphere around the point; and in a synchronous mode, the point-to-point control with the overlooping function is configured to operate synchronously, wherein overlooping is begun when a leading axis of the load lifting means reaches the region defined by the sphere around the point.

20. The crane of claim 19, wherein the traversing path determining module includes a multipoint control module for determining each intermediate point.

21. The crane of claim 20, wherein the multipoint control module is configured to fix each of two or more intermediate points equidistantly from each other.

22. A crane comprising: a load lifting means; driving devices for moving the load lifting means through a traversing path defined by at least two target points and at least one intermediate point between two target points; a sway damping device configured to detect sway of the load lifting means as it is moved through the traversing path; and a control device for controlling the driving devices to move the load lifting means along the traversing path; wherein the control device includes processing to: determine the traversing path with a traversing path determining module; and in an automatic mode, automatically move the load lifting means along the determined traversing path using an automatic traversing control module; wherein the traversing path determining module is connected to: a playback device for assistance with determining the traversing path and/or target and intermediate points of the traversing path by manually traversing the load lifting means along at least a portion of the traversing path; and an external master computer that has access to a building data model and provides target and intermediate points for the determination of the traversing path; and wherein, in the automatic mode, the automatic traversing control module takes into account detected sway from the sway damping device and the control device controls an actuation of the driving devices to dampen the sway of the load lifting means as it moves along the traversing path

23. The crane of claim 22, wherein the building data model includes data concerning working range limitations and building contours of various construction phases; wherein the external master computer cyclically or continuously provides updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or concerning the building contours of the various construction phases; and wherein the traversing path determining module is configured to take into account the updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or building contours when determining the traversing path.

24. The crane of claim 22, wherein the control device comprises a position sensor system that is configured to detect the load lifting means relative to a fixed world coordinate system, and/or is configured to position the load lifting means relative to a fixed world coordinate system.

25. The crane of claim 23, wherein the sway damping device includes: a determination means for determining deformations and/or movements of structural components of the crane as a result of dynamic loads; and a control module configured to take into account the determined deformations and/or movements of the structural components, as determined by the determination means, as a result of dynamic loads influencing the actuation of the one or more driving devices; and wherein the determination means includes a sensor system for detecting the deformations and/or movements of the structural components.

26. The crane of claim 23, wherein the sway damping device includes a filter and/or observer device for influencing actuating variables of drive regulators; wherein the regulator actuating variables actuate the driving devices; wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured to receive, as a first set of input variables: the regulator actuating variables of the drive regulators; and at least one of: detected and/or estimated movements of crane elements; or deformations and/or movements of structural components; wherein the at least one detected and/or estimated movements of crane elements, or deformations and/or movements of structural components, occur as a result of dynamic loads; wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured to influence the regulator actuating variables based on dynamically induced movements of the crane elements; and wherein the regulator actuating variables are obtained for particular actuating variables and/or deformations of structural components.

27. The crane of claim 25, wherein the sensor system includes one or more of: an inclination sensor for detecting tower inclinations; an acceleration sensor for detecting tower velocities; a rotational speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of a boom; an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of a boom; a pitching movement sensor for detecting pitching movements of a boom; a cable speed sensor for detecting cable speeds of the hoisting cable; or a cable acceleration sensor for detecting cable accelerations of the hoisting cable.

28. The crane of claim 25, wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured as a Kalman filter.

29. The crane of claim 27, wherein the determination means includes: an estimating device for estimating the deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads based on digital data of a data model describing a crane structure; a calculation unit for calculating structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components with reference to a stored calculation model, the stored calculation model based on control commands entered at a control stand; and a sensor system for detecting the deformations and/or movements of the structural components; wherein the determination means is configured to output as output variables one or more of the estimated deformations and/or movements from the estimating device, the structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components from the calculation unit, and the deformations and/or movements of the structural components from the sensor system; combining: the first set of input variables; and those output variables of the determination means not already included in the first set of input variables to form a second set of input variables; wherein the filter and/or observer device is configured to receive the second set of input variables; wherein the second set of input variables characterize the dynamics of the structural components of the crane; and wherein the second set of input variables are implemented in the Kalman filter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0089] The accompanying Figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects described below.

[0090] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a tower crane whose load hook is to be traversed between two target points in the form of a concrete delivery station and a concreting field,

[0091] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of a PTP control module that determines the traversing path in the sense of a point-to-point control,

[0092] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of a multipoint control module that determines the traversing path in the sense of a multipoint control,

[0093] FIG. 4 shows the traversing path generated by a multipoint control, which is defined by a dense sequence of temporally equidistant points, and

[0094] FIGS. 5A-5B show two schematic diagrams to illustrate the mode of operation of a path control module that determines the traversing path as a continuous, mathematically calculated path of movement, wherein the sub diagram (FIG. 5A) shows a path control without over-looping and the sub diagram (FIG. 5B) shows a path control with over-looping,

[0095] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a control module that can be docked to the load hook or a component attached thereto in order to be able to finely adjust the load hook at a target point or to manually traverse the same along a desired path for a play-back or teach-in programming operation, and

[0096] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and 7E show a schematic representation of deformations and forms of oscillation of a tower crane under load and the damping or avoidance thereof by a diagonal pull regulation, wherein the partial view (FIG. 7A) shows a pitching deformation of the tower crane under load and a related diagonal pull of the hoisting cable, the partial views (FIG. 7B) and (FIG. 7C) show a transverse deformation of the tower crane in a perspective representation and a top view from above, and the partial views (FIG. 7D) and (FIG. 7E) show a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable associated with such transverse deformations.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0097] To facilitate an understanding of the principles and features of the various embodiments of the invention, various illustrative embodiments are explained below. Although exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0098] As used in the specification and the appended Claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to a component is intended also to include a composition of a plurality of components. References to a composition containing “a” constituent is intended to include other constituents in addition to the one named.

[0099] In describing exemplary embodiments, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

[0100] Ranges may be expressed as from “about” or “approximately” or “substantially” one value and/or to “about” or “approximately” or “substantially” another value. When such a range is expressed, other exemplary embodiments include from the one value and/or to the other value.

[0101] Similarly, as used herein, “substantially free” of something, or “substantially pure”, and like characterizations, can include both being “at least substantially free” of something, or “at least substantially pure”, and being “completely free” of something, or “completely pure”.

[0102] “Comprising” or “containing” or “including” is meant that at least the named compound, element, particle, or method step is present in the composition or article or method, but does not exclude the presence of other compounds, materials, particles, method steps, even if the other such compounds, material, particles, method steps have the same function as what is named.

[0103] The characteristics described as defining the various elements of the invention are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, if the characteristic is a material, the material includes many suitable materials that would perform the same or a similar function as the material(s) described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention. Such other materials not described herein can include, but are not limited to, for example, materials that are developed after the time of the development of the invention.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 1, the crane can be configured as a tower crane. The tower crane shown in FIG. 1 for example can include a tower 201 that carries a boom 202 that is balanced by a counter-boom 203 on which a counter weight 204 is provided. The boom 202 together with the counter-boom 203 can be rotated by a slewing gear about an upright axis of rotation 205, which can be coaxial to the tower axis. On the boom 202 a trolley 206 can be traversed by a trolley drive, wherein a hoisting cable 207 to which a load hook 208 is attached runs off from the trolley 206.

[0105] As is likewise shown in FIG. 1, the crane 2 can include an electronic control device 3 which for example can comprise a control computer arranged on the crane itself. The control device 3 can actuate various actuators, hydraulic circuits, electric motors, driving devices and other work units on the respective construction machine. In the illustrated crane, this can be a hoisting gear, a slewing gear, a trolley drive, a boom luffing drive, and the like.

[0106] The electronic control device 3 can communicate with a terminal 4 that can be arranged on the control stand or in the operator cabin and for example can have the form of a tablet with touchscreen and/or a joystick so that on the one hand various information can be indicated by the control computer 3 on the terminal 4 and vice versa control commands can be entered into the control device 3 via the terminal 4.

[0107] The control device 3 of the crane 1 can be configured to also actuate the driving devices of the hoisting gear, the trolley and the slewing gear when the load hook 208 and/or a component lifted thereon, such as a concrete bucket, is manually manipulated by a machine operator by means of a hand control module 65 with a handle 66, as this is shown in FIG. 6, i.e. is pushed or pulled in one direction and/or rotated or this is attempted to provide for a manual fine directing of the load hook and hence concrete bucket position for example during concreting work.

[0108] For this purpose, the crane 1 can include a detection device 60 that detects a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable 207 and/or deflections of the load hook 208 with respect to a vertical axis 61 that goes through the suspension point of the load hook 208, i.e. the trolley 206.

[0109] The determination means 62 of the detection device 60 provided for this purpose can operate optically, for example, in order to determine the deflection. A camera 63 or another imaging sensor system can be mounted on the trolley 206, which looks vertically downwards from the trolley 206 so that with non-deflected load hook 208 its image display lies in the center of the image provided by the camera 63. When the load hook 208 however is deflected with respect to the vertical axis 61, for example by manually pushing or pulling the load hook 208 or the concrete bucket, the image display of the load hook 208 moves out of the center of the camera image, which can be determined by an image evaluation device 64.

[0110] In dependence on the detected deflection with respect to the vertical axis 61, by taking account of the direction and magnitude of the deflection, the control device 3 can actuate the slewing gear drive and the trolley drive in order to again bring the trolley 206 more or less exactly over the load hook 208, i.e. the control device 3 actuates the driving devices of the crane 1 such that the diagonal pull or the detected deflection is compensated as far as possible. In this way, an intuitive easy directing and fine adjustment of the position of the load hook and a load lifted thereon can be achieved.

[0111] Alternatively, or in addition, the detection device 60 also can comprise the control module 65, which is of the mobile type and can be configured to be docked to the load hook 208 and/or a load lifted thereon. As shown in FIG. 6, a hand control module 65 can comprise a grab handle 66, which by means of suitable holding means 67 preferably can be releasably attached to the load lifting means 208 and/or a component articulated thereto, such as the concrete bucket. The holding means 67 for example can comprise magnetic holders, suction cups, detent holders, bayonet lock holders or the like.

[0112] Forces and/or torques and/or movements exerted on the grab handle 66 can be detected by the present invention. The grab handle 66 can comprise force and/or torque sensors 68. The sensor system associated with the grab handle 66 is advantageously configured such that the forces and/or torques and/or movements can be detected in terms of their direction of action and/or magnitude, cf. FIG. 6.

[0113] With reference to the manipulation forces and/or torques and/or movements exerted on the grab handle 66, which are detected by the detection device 60, the control device 3 can actuate the driving devices of the crane 1 such that the detected manual manipulations are converted into motoric crane positioning movements. Manual directing of the concrete bucket or load lifting means 208 can provide finetuning to the approach of target positions.

[0114] To be able to carry out automated crane lifts, for example to be able to automatically move to and fro between the concrete delivery station and the concreting area, the control device 3 comprises a traversing path determining module 300 for determining a desired traversing path between at least two target points and an automatic traversing control module 310 for automatically traversing the load lifting means along the determined traversing path by correspondingly actuating the driving device of the crane 200.

[0115] To provide for various operating modes, the traversing path determining module 300 can have various working modes and include corresponding modules, for example a PTP or point-to-point control module 301, a multipoint control module 302 and a path control module 303, cf. FIG. 1.

[0116] The PTP control module 301 can include an overlooping function. The PTP control with the overlooping function is configured to operate such that when the load lifting means reaches an overlooping area of a target point, the load lifting means is directed to a next target point just before reaching the target point, wherein overlooping is begun when an axis of the load lifting means reaches a region defined by a sphere around the target point, cf. FIG. 2.

[0117] In a development of the invention, the overlooping function of the PTP control module 301 can be configured to operate asynchronously, so that overlooping is started when the last drive axis or driving device to be actuated reaches the sphere around the point. Alternatively, the overlooping function also can be configured or controlled synchronously, so that overlooping is started as soon as the leading axis of movement or drive axis penetrates into the sphere around the programmed point.

[0118] The traversing path determining module 300 can also include a multipoint control module 302, cf. FIG. 3, which between two target points 500, 510 to be approached determines a plurality of intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504 such that the intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504 form a dense sequence of temporally equidistant points, cf. FIG. 4. Approaching such temporally equidistant intermediate points 501, 502, 503, 504, which are arranged in a dense sequence, requires approximately the same period of time so that a generally harmonic actuation of the driving devices and hence a harmonic traversal of the crane elements can be achieved.

[0119] The determination of the traversing path can be made with a path control module 303 that calculates a continuous, mathematically defined path of movement between target points, cf. FIGS. 5A-B. The path control module can comprise an interpolator that corresponds to a specified path function or subfunction (for example, in the form of a straight line, a circle or a polynomial) that determines intermediate values based upon the calculated three-dimensional curve. The path control module then provides the path function to the driving devices or their drive regulator. The interpolator can perform a linear interpolation and/or a circular interpolation and/or a spline interpolation and/or special interpolations (for example, Bezier or spiral interpolations). The interpolation can be executed with or without overlooping. FIG. 5A shows a path without overlooping, FIG. 5B a path with overlooping.

[0120] The programming or determination of the path routing or of the traversing path can be affected online or offline.

[0121] During online programming, determination of the desired traversing path can be performed by a teach-in device 320 where a desired target and intermediate points of the desired traversing path are approached by manual actuation of the control elements of the control device, and/or by actuation of a hand-held programming device where the teach-in device 320 stores the target and intermediate points.

[0122] An experienced crane operator using the control console can manually operate the crane 2 and/or the load hook 208 along a desired traversing path. Coordinates or intermediate points reached in this manner can be stored in the control device 3. If not manually, in the automatic mode, the control device 3 of the crane 2 can autonomously approach stored target and intermediate points.

[0123] Alternatively, or in addition to a teach-in device 320, the traversing path determining module 300 also can include a playback device 330 for determining the desired traversing path by manually traversing the load hook along the desired traversing path. While manually guiding the load hook 208 along the desired traversing path, which can be affected for example by means of the hand control module 65, cf. FIG. 6, coordinates or intermediate points are recorded so that the control device 3 of the crane 2 can exactly repeat the corresponding movements.

[0124] The automatic traversing control module 310 advantageously can consider specifications of a sway damping device 340, wherein the sway damping device 340 advantageously can utilize the signals of the aforementioned detection device 60 which detects the deflection of the load hook 208 with respect to the vertical axis 61.

[0125] As is furthermore shown in FIG. 1, the control device 3 can be connected to an external, separate master computer 400 that can have access to a building data model in the sense of a BIM model and can provide digital data from this building data model to the control device 3. In the way explained above, these digital data from the building data model can be used to provide target and intermediate points for the determination of the desired traversing path, which can dynamically consider building data in various phases and working range limitations.

[0126] The control device 3 of the crane 1 can be configured to also actuate the driving devices of the hoisting gear, the trolley and the slewing gear when the sway damping device 340 detects characteristics that evidence sway.

[0127] For this purpose, the crane 1 can use the detection device 60 which detects a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable 207 and/or deflections of the load hook 208 with respect to the vertical axis 61 that goes through the suspension point of the load hook 208, i.e. the trolley 206. The cable pull angle φ against the line of action of gravity, i.e. the vertical axis 61, can be detected, cf. FIG. 1.

[0128] In dependence on the detected deflection with respect to the vertical axis 61, by taking account of the direction and magnitude of the deflection, the control device 3 can actuate the slewing gear drive and the trolley drive by means of the sway damping device 340 in order to again bring the trolley 206 at least approximately directly over the load hook 208 and to compensate or reduce pendular movements or not even have them occur at all.

[0129] For this purpose, the sway damping device 340 also can comprise determination means 342 for determining dynamic deformations of structural components, wherein the control module 341 of the sway damping device 340, which influences the actuation of the driving device in a sway-damping way, is configured to consider the determined dynamic deformations of the structural components of the crane when influencing the actuation of the driving devices.

[0130] The determination means 342 can include an estimating device 343 for estimating the deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads based on digital data of a data model describing the crane structure.

[0131] The determination means 342 can include a calculation unit 348 for calculating structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components with reference to a stored calculation model, the stored calculation model based on control commands entered at a control stand.

[0132] Alternatively, or in addition, the sway damping device 340 also can comprise a suitable sensor system 344 by means of which such elastic deformations and movements of structural components under dynamic loads are detected. A sensor system 344 can comprise deformation sensors such as strain gauges on the steel construction of the crane, for example on the lattice trusses of the tower 201 or of the boom 202. Alternatively, or in addition, acceleration and/or speed sensors can be provided in order to detect particular movements of structural components such as pitching movements of the boom tip or rotatory dynamic effects on the boom 202. Alternatively, or in addition, inclination sensors or gyroscopes can also be provided for example on the tower 201 on its upper portion on which the boom is mounted, in order to detect the dynamics of the tower 201. Alternatively, or in addition, movement and/or acceleration sensors can also be associated with the drive trains in order to be able to detect the dynamics of the drive trains. For example, rotary encoders can be associated with the deflection pulleys of the trolley 206 for the hoisting cable and/or with deflection pulleys for a bracing cable of a luffing boom in order to be able to detect the actual cable speed at the relevant point.

[0133] The sway damping device 340 can comprise a filter device or an observer 345 which observes the crane reactions that are obtained with particular actuating variables of the drive regulators 347 and by taking account of predetermined regularities of a dynamic model of the crane, which can be designed differently in principle and can be obtained by analysis and simulation of the steel construction, influences the actuating variables of the regulator with reference to the observed crane reactions.

[0134] A filter or observer device 345 can be configured in the form of a so-called Kalman filter 346, to which as an input variable the actuating variables of the drive regulators 347 of the crane and the crane movements, the cable pull angle φ with respect to the vertical axis 62 and/or its temporal change or the angular velocity of the diagonal pull is supplied, and which correspondingly influences the actuating variables of the drive controllers 347 on the basis of these input variables with reference to Kalman equations, which model the dynamic system of the crane structure, for example its steel components and drive trains.

[0135] By means of diagonal pull regulation, deformations and forms of oscillation of the tower crane under load can be damped or avoided, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7E by way of example, wherein FIG. 7A initially schematically shows a pitching deformation of the tower crane under load as a result of a deflection of the tower 201 with the resulting lowering of the boom 202 and a related diagonal pull of the hoisting cable.

[0136] Furthermore, the partial views FIGS. 7B and 7B schematically show a transverse deformation of the tower crane in a perspective representation and in a top view from above with the occurring deformations of the tower 201 and the boom 202.

[0137] Finally, FIGS. 7D and 7E show a diagonal pull of the hoisting cable connected with such transverse deformations.

[0138] To counteract the corresponding oscillation dynamics, the sway damping device 340 can comprise a diagonal pull regulation. The position of the load hook 208 and its diagonal pull with respect to the vertical axis, i.e. the deflection of the hoisting cable 207 with respect to the vertical axis, is detected by means of the determination means 62 and supplied to the Kalman filter 346.

[0139] Advantageously, the position sensor system can be configured to detect the load or the load hook 308 relative to a fixed world coordinate system and/or the sway damping device 340 can be configured to position the load relative to a fixed world coordinate system.

[0140] Due to the load position detection a diagonal pull regulation can be realized, which eliminates or at least reduces a static deformation by the suspended load. To reduce an oscillation dynamic or to not have it occur at all, the sway damping device 340 can be configured to correct the slewing gear and the trolley traveling gear such that the cable always is perpendicular to the load as far as possible, even if the crane more and more inclines forward due to the increasing load moment.

[0141] For example, when lifting a load from the ground, the pitching movement of the crane as a result of its deformation under the load can be taken into account and the trolley traveling gear can be traced by taking account of the detected load position or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of the pitching deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load. The largest static deformation occurs at the point at which the load leaves the ground. Then, a diagonal pull regulation no longer is necessary. Alternatively or in addition, the slewing gear correspondingly can also be traced by taking account of the detected load position and/or be positioned by an anticipatory assessment of a transverse deformation such that with the resulting crane deformation the hoisting cable is positioned perpendicularly above the load.

[0142] Diagonal pull regulation can be activated by the operator, who thereby can use the crane as a manipulator. The operator then can reposition the load simply via pushing and/or pulling. Diagonal pull regulation attempts to follow the deflection that is caused by the operator.

[0143] Thus, in various exemplary embodiments, the present invention is a crane, in particular tower crane, with a load lifting means 208 mounted on a hoisting cable 207, driving devices for moving several crane elements and traversing the load lifting means 208, and a control device 3 for controlling the driving devices such that the load lifting means 208 moves along a traversing path between at least two target points 500, 510, characterized in that the control device 3 includes a traversing path determining module 300 for determining a desired traversing path between the at least two target points 500, 510, and an automatic traversing control module 310 for automatically traversing the load lifting means 208 along the determined traversing path.

[0144] The traversing path determining module 300 can include a point-to-point control module 301 for determining the traversing path between the target points 500, 510.

[0145] The point-to-point control module 301 can include an overlooping function and can be configured to operate asynchronously such that upon reaching an overlooping area of a target point without exactly approaching this target point a turn is made to the next target point, wherein overlooping is started when the last axis of movement reaches a sphere around the target point.

[0146] The point-to-point control module 301 can include an overlooping function and can be configured to operate synchronously such that upon reaching an overlooping area of a target point without exactly approaching this target point a turn is made to the next target point, wherein overlooping is started when the leading movement axis reaches a sphere around the target point.

[0147] The traversing path determining module 300 can include a multipoint control module 302 for determining a plurality of intermediate points 501, 502, 503 . . . between two target points 500, 510.

[0148] The multipoint control module 302 can be configured to fix the plurality of intermediate points equidistantly from each other.

[0149] The traversing path determining module 300 can include a path control module 303 for determining a continuous, mathematically defined path between two target points 500, 510.

[0150] The traversing path determining module 300 can be connected to a teach-in device 320 for determining the desired traversing path by manually approaching the desired target and intermediate points 500 . . . 510.

[0151] The traversing path determining module 300 can be connected to a playback device 330 for determining the desired traversing path and/or desired target and intermediate points 500 . . . 510 of the traversing path by manually traversing the load lifting means along the desired traversing path.

[0152] The traversing path determining module 300 can be connected to an external master computer 400 that has access to a building data model BIM and provides target and intermediate points 500 . . . 510 for the determination of the traversing path.

[0153] The traversing path determining module 300 can be configured to take account of working range limitations and determine the traversing path around working range limitations.

[0154] The master computer 400 can cyclically or continuously provide updated data concerning the working range limitations and/or concerning building contours of various construction phases, and the traversing path determining module can be configured to take account of the updated data concerning the working range limitation and/or building contours when determining the traversing path.

[0155] A sway damping device 340 can be provided, wherein the automatic traversing control module 310 takes account of specifications and/or a signal of the sway damping device 340 in the actuation of the driving devices and the determination of the traversing speeds and/or accelerations of the driving devices.

[0156] The sway damping device 340 can include a detection device 60 for detecting the deflection of the hoisting cable 207 and/or the load lifting means 208 with respect to a vertical 61 through a suspension point of the hoisting cable 207, wherein the automatic traversing control module 310 actuates the driving devices in dependence on a deflection and/or diagonal pull signal of the detection device 61.

[0157] The sway damping device 340 can include determination means 342 for determining deformations and/or movements of structural components of the crane as a result of dynamic loads, wherein the control module 341 of the sway damping device 340 can be configured to take account of the determined deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads when influencing the actuation of the driving devices.

[0158] The structural components comprise a tower 201 and/or a boom 202 and the determination means 342 can be configured to determine deformations and/or loads of the tower 201 and/or the boom 202 as a result of dynamic loads.

[0159] The structural components can comprise drive train parts such as slewing gear parts, trolley drive parts and the like, and the determination means 342 can be configured to determine deformations and/or movements of the drive train parts as a result of dynamic loads.

[0160] The determination means 342 can include an estimation device 343 for estimating the deformations and/or movements of the structural components as a result of dynamic loads on the basis of digital data of a data model describing the crane structure.

[0161] The determination means 342 can include a calculation unit 348 that calculates structural deformations and resulting movements of structural components with reference to a stored calculation model in dependence on control commands entered at the control stand.

[0162] The determination means 342 can include a sensor system 344 for detecting the deformations and/or dynamic parameters of the structural components.

[0163] The sensor system 344 can include an inclination and/or acceleration sensor for detecting tower inclinations and/or velocities, an rotational speed and/or acceleration sensor for detecting the rotational speed and/or acceleration of a boom and/or a pitching movement sensor for detecting pitching movements and/or accelerations of the boom, and/or a cable speed and/or acceleration sensor for detecting cable speeds and/or accelerations of the hoisting cable 207.

[0164] The sway damping device 340 can include a filter and/or observer device 345 for influencing the actuating variables of drive regulators 347 for actuating the driving devices, wherein the filter and/or observer device 345 can be configured to receive the actuating variables of the drive regulators 347 and the detected and/or estimated movements of crane elements and/or deformations and/or movements of structural components, which occur as a result of dynamic loads, as input variables, and influence the regulator actuating variables in dependence on the dynamic-induced movements of crane elements obtained for particular regulator actuating variables and/or deformations of structural components.

[0165] The filter and/or observer device 345 can be configured as a Kalman filter 346.

[0166] Detected and/or estimated and/or calculated and/or simulated functions that characterize the dynamics of the structural components of the crane can be implemented in the Kalman filter 346.

[0167] The control device 3 can comprise a position sensor system that can be configured to detect the load lifting means 208 relative to a fixed world coordinate system and/or can be configured to position the load lifting means 208 relative to a fixed world coordinate system.

[0168] Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structure and function. While the invention has been disclosed in several forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the following claims. Therefore, other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.