Method and system for controlling the winding/unwinding of a rope portion onto/from a rotary drum

Abstract

A method and a system for controlling the winding/unwinding of a rope portion onto/from a rotary drum, comprises the step of making available a rope which is at least partially wound onto a rotary drum, wherein the rope is guided from the rotary drum along a defined path as far as a hauling point, wherein a traction force acts on the rope beyond the hauling point. The method comprises unwinding or winding the rope by executing a rotation of the rotary drum, such that a defined rope portion is moved along the defined path; and determining the length of the defined rope portion in the region of the defined path. The method comprises determining an angle difference corresponding to the rotation of the rotary drum; and controlling the rotary drum for further winding/unwinding taking into account the length and the angle difference. A calibration in the region of the defined path during the use of the rotary drum provides a control for the rotary drum.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the winding/unwinding of a rope portion onto/from a rotary drum, said method comprising the following steps: a. making available a rope which is at least partially wound onto a rotary drum, wherein the rope is guided from the rotary drum along a defined path as far as a hauling point, wherein a traction force acts on the rope beyond the hauling point; b. unwinding or winding the rope by executing a rotation of the rotary drum, such that a defined rope portion is moved along the defined path; c. determining the length of the defined rope portion in the region of the defined path; d. determining an angle difference corresponding to the rotation executed in step b.; e. controlling the rotary drum for further winding/unwinding taking into account the length and the angle difference determined in steps c. and d.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the rope has a first marking and a second marking spaced apart from the first marking to define a known spacing, wherein the defined path has a sensor position, and wherein in step b. the rope is unwound or wound up such that the first marking passes the sensor position and the second marking passes or at least reaches the sensor position, wherein the first marking and the second marking are detected as they pass or reach the sensor position, wherein the length in step c. is determined by the known spacing of the markings, and wherein the angle difference between a first angle position of the rotary drum upon detection of the first marking and a second angle position of the rotary drum upon detection of the second marking is determined.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, in which the known spacing between the markings is corrected taking into account a rope elongation.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the rope has one marking, wherein the defined path has a first sensor position and a second sensor position spaced apart from the first sensor position to define a spacing, wherein in step b. the rope is unwound or wound up such that the marking passes the first sensor position and passes or at least reaches the second sensor position, wherein the marking is detected as it passes or reaches the sensor positions, wherein the length in step c. is determined by the sensor spacing of the sensor positions, and wherein the angle difference between a first angle position of the rotary drum upon detection of the marking at the first sensor position and a second angle position of the rotary drum upon detection of the marking at the second sensor position is determined.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the traction force is exerted by a free-flying wind-attacked element secured to the rope.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising hauling in the rope and in which the wind-attacked element, from a free-flying state, is docked to a docking adapter during the step of hauling in the rope, wherein the detection of the marking or of the markings is carried out during the hauling-in of the rope, and wherein the wind-attacked element is docked taking into account the length and the angle difference determined in steps c. and d.

7. A system for controlling the winding/unwinding of a rope portion onto/from a rotary drum, said system comprising a rotary drum with a rope that can be wound onto/unwound from the rotary drum, and with an angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the rotary drum and for outputting an angle signal, characterized in that the system has a hauling point, a length-measuring device and a control unit, wherein the rope is guided from the rotary drum along a defined path to the hauling point, wherein the length-measuring device is configured to determine a length of a defined rope portion extending along the defined path upon rotation of the rotary drum and to output a length signal, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the angle signal and the length signal and also to control the rotary drum taking into account the length signal and the angle signal.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, in which the length-measuring device has a sensor, wherein the rope has a first marking and a second marking spaced apart from the first marking to define a marking spacing, wherein the sensor for detecting the markings is arranged in a region of the defined path and is configured to output a first length signal upon detection of the first marking and to output a second length signal upon detection of the second marking, wherein the control unit is configured to determine an angle difference based on the angle signal and the length signals.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, in which the length-measuring device has a first sensor and a second sensor spaced apart from the first sensor to define a sensor spacing, wherein the rope has one marking, wherein the first sensor for detecting the marking is arranged in the region of the defined path and is configured to output a first length signal, wherein the second sensor for detecting the marking is arranged in the region of the defined path and is configured to output a second length signal, wherein the control unit is configured to determine an angle difference based on the angle signal and the length signals.

10. The system as claimed in claim 7, which has a wind-attacked element connected to the rope and configured to fly freely in a free-flying, wherein the wind-attacked element, from the free-flying state, is docked to a docking adapter when the rope is hauled in.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, in which the marker spacing between the first marking and the second marking is between 1 m and 30 m, or in which the sensor spacing between the sensors is between 0.1 m and 5 m.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, in which the marking, or the marking lying remote from the rotary drum, is at a securing spacing from a securing point at which the rope is connected to the wind-attacked element, which securing spacing is between 5 m and 40 m.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, in which a first spacing between the marking lying remote from the rotary drum and the sensor, or a second spacing between the sensor position lying remote from the rotary drum and the marking, is at least 2 m, when the wind-attacked element is docked to the docking adapter.

14. Employing the system as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a wind-attacked element docked to a docking adapter.

15. The method as claimed in claim 2, in which the traction force is exerted by a free-flying wind-attacked element secured to the rope.

16. The method as claimed in claim 3, in which the traction force is exerted by a free-flying wind-attacked element secured to the rope.

17. The method as claimed in claim 4, in which the traction force is exerted by a free-flying wind-attacked element secured to the rope.

18. The system as claimed in claim 8, which has a wind-attacked element connected to the rope and configured to fly freely in a free-flying, wherein the wind-attacked element, from the free-flying state, is docked to a docking adapter when the rope is hauled in.

19. The system as claimed in claim 9, which has a wind-attacked element connected to the rope and configured to fly freely in a free-flying, wherein the wind-attacked element, from the free-flying state, is docked to a docking adapter when the rope is hauled in.

20. The system as claimed in claim 11, in which the marking, or the marking lying remote from the rotary drum, is at a securing spacing from a securing point at which the rope is connected to the wind-attacked element, which securing spacing is between 5 m and 40 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained by way of example below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment in a schematic view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of the system for controlling a rotary drum. The system comprises a rotary drum configured as a rope winch 13. A synthetic fiber rope 14 is wound partially onto the rope winch 13. The rope winch 13 has a drive 31, which drives the rope winch 13 to execute a winding movement. The drive is connected to a control apparatus 30, such that the control apparatus 30 can control the rope winch 13 to wind up or unwind the rope 14. The system moreover has an angle sensor 32, which is connected to the rope winch 13. The angle sensor detects the angle position of the rope winch and is configured to output a corresponding angle signal to the control apparatus 30.

(5) The rope is guided along a defined path 17 from a rope feed position 15 of the rope winch 13 as far as a deflection roller 16. The deflection roller 16 forms a hauling point within the meaning of the present invention. A wind-attacked element 18 is secured to the end of the rope 14 remote from the traction rope winch 13. The wind-attacked element 18 is influenced by wind, such that it exerts a traction force on the rope 14. The wind-attacked element 18 has a control pod 23 from which the rope 14 fans out in a plurality of control lines that are connected to the wind-attacked element 18. The control pod 23 is configured in a known manner to shorten or lengthen the control lines in order to control the wind-attacked element 18. The control pod 23 receives commands from the control unit 30 via a wireless connection.

(6) The rope 14 is provided with a first marking 20a and with a second marking 20b spaced apart from the first marking. The spacing between the markings 20a, 20b is approximately 19 m. A sensor 22 is arranged in the region of the defined path 17 and is connected to the control unit. By suitable unwinding or winding up of the rope 14, the markings 20a, 20b can be guided past the sensor 22. The sensor 22 is configured to detect the markings 20a, 20b as they pass it and to output a length signal to the control unit upon detection of the markings. For this purpose, the markings 20a, 20b are formed by metallic elements which are integrated in the synthetic fiber rope 14, wherein the sensor is configured as an inductive sensor.

(7) Proceeding from the situation shown in FIG. 1, the function of the system during the hauling in and docking of the wind-attacked element 18 is explained below. To haul in the wind-attacked element, the rope 14 is wound up by means of suitable actuation of the drive 31. The marking 20a then approaches the sensor 22. When the marking 20a passes the sensor, the sensor 22 outputs a first length signal to the control unit 30, whereupon the control unit 30 retrieves the instantaneous angle position of the rope winch 13 via the angle sensor 32. When the rope 14 is hauled in further and the second marking 20b passes the sensor, the latter outputs a second length signal to the control unit 30, whereupon the control unit 30 again retrieves the instantaneous angle position of the rope winch 13 via the angle sensor 32. On the basis of the two retrieved angle positions, the control unit 30 then calculates an angle difference. This angle difference is then compared to the known spacing between the markings 20a, 20b in order to ascertain an “effective drum circumference”. As the rope 14 is hauled in further in order to dock the wind-attacked element 18 to a docking adapter (not shown in FIG. 1), the ascertained “effective drum circumference” is taken into consideration. With the aid of the system, the docking can in this way take place with great precision.

(8) The rope can be hauled in at great speed until the marking 22b is detected by the sensor 22. When the marking 22b is detected by the sensor 22, the wind-attacked element is still approximately 5 m from its docking position. This distance is sufficient for “braking” the wind-attacked element, in order thereafter to dock it safely taking into account the determined “effective drum circumference”.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the rope 14 has only one marking 20. Moreover, in contrast to the first embodiment, two sensors 22a, 22b are arranged spaced apart from each other along the defined path 17. The sensors 22a, 22b are configured to detect the marking 20 and to output a length signal to the control unit 30. In contrast to the first embodiment, the angle difference is determined by retrieving the angle position upon detection of the marking 20 by the first sensor 22a and by subsequently retrieving the angle position upon detection of the marking 20 by the second angle sensor 22b. In order to determine the effective drum circumference, the angle difference is then compared to the spacing of the sensors 22a, 22b along the defined path 17. In other respects, the function of this embodiment corresponds to that of FIG. 1.