METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOGNISING THE SETUP STATE OF A CRANE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for recognising a setup state of a crane in which a crane setup state input manually into the crane controller is compared with the actual current setup state, comprising the steps of determining the target position of at least one target crane element installed on the crane on the basis of a crane setup state stored in the crane controller and at least one crane sensor value, transmitting the one or more pieces of target position data to a mobile flying device, moving the flying device into a region in the immediate vicinity of the target position of the target crane element and detecting and identifying a current crane element located there using a detection means, and identifying the current crane element detected in the detection region and establishing whether the detected crane element corresponds to the target crane element.

Claims

1. A method for recognising a setup state of a crane in which the crane setup state input manually into a crane controller is compared with the actual current setup state, comprising the steps of: determining a target position of at least one target crane element installed on the crane via a crane setup state stored in the crane controller and at least one crane sensor value, transmitting the one or more pieces of target position data to a mobile flying device, moving the flying device into a region in an immediate vicinity of the target position of the target crane element and detecting and identifying a current crane element located there using a detection means, and identifying the current crane element detected in the detection region and establishing whether the detected crane element corresponds to the target crane element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an optical camera is used as the detection means.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more crane elements are equipped with an identification means, and in that the detected current crane element is identified by evaluating the identification information provided by the identification means.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein geometric data of the target crane element and/or position information for the identification means on the target crane element are additionally taken into account when determining the target position of the target crane element.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification means is an adhesive label applied to the crane element and/or an applied barcode and/or a transponder.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the crane is moved into a defined state prior to determining the target position.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target position is defined in a crane-related coordinate system and the crane-related coordinate system is linked to at least one additional coordinate system.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the steps of identifying the current crane element and/or establishing conformity between the target and current crane element are performed by the crane controller and/or a controller of a flying device and/or in a cloud-based manner.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the flying area of the flying device is restricted to a permissible, definable flying area, and the flying area is restricted to a pivot and/or rotation range of the crane plus a configurable distance addition.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the result of the establishing is visually or optically displayed to a crane operator.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the crane controller enables the crane operation when conformity between the target and current crane elements has been established.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the flying device is additionally used to check that a crane element is properly mounted on the crane structure by a visual detection range of an installation point being evaluated by image recognition and/or being transmitted to a display element, for manual evaluation.

13. A system consisting of a crane and at least one mobile flying device, wherein the crane controller and the controller of the flying device are configured to: determine a target position of at least one target crane element installed on the crane on the basis of a crane setup state stored in the crane controller and at least one crane sensor value, transmit the one or more pieces of target position data to a mobile flying device, move the flying device into a region in an immediate vicinity of the target position of the target crane element and detecting and identifying a current crane element located there using a detection means, and identify the current crane element detected in the detection region and establishing whether the detected crane element corresponds to the target crane element.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the crane comprises an integrated landing and charging station for the flying device.

15. The method according to claim 6, wherein the crane is moved into the state with the boom upright.

16. The method according to claim 7, wherein the geographical coordinates are ascertained by an integral positioning system of the flying device.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the display element is within a crane cab.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the integral positioning system is a GPS system.

Description

[0025] In the drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a visual description of the crane setup state for a first crane,

[0027] FIG. 2 is another visual description of the crane setup state for an alternative crane,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the key for explaining the installed crane elements in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a crawler crane suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention, and

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a crane element for explaining the optional checking of the proper installation point.

[0031] By means of the method according to the invention for recognising a setup state, the entire setup state including the boom combination can be established, as far as possible, on the mobile lattice boom crane or telescopic crane comprising a wheeled travel gear or crawler travel gear. The crane comprises a superstructure 37 and an undercarriage 36 (FIG. 4). The solution according to the invention establishes, inter alia, whether a lattice boom or telescopic boom has been correctly mounted in terms of the length and order of the crane elements. Likewise, the correct composition of the ballast can be established.

[0032] The setup state is an essential element of the overload protection on the crane. The setup state being correctly input is the basis for safely operating the crane. In the following, a rough overview of the crane elements 11 essential to the setup state is provided:

[0033] Boom 42

[0034] Luffer, optionally fixed fly jib 44

[0035] WA frames 43, 47

[0036] Derrick 41

[0037] Branch part in a parallel boom, or P boom for short, as shown in FIG. 2

[0038] Junction part

[0039] Ballast element 39, 40 (superstructure ballast, derrick ballast, suspended ballast, ballast

[0040] trailer, central ballast)

[0041] Reeving of the hoist cable 46

[0042] Hook block 48 (weights, load hook)

[0043] Bolt 50

[0044] Bolt locking device 51.

[0045] FIGS. 1 and 2 show setup state information for two cranes comprising different equipment. FIG. 1 shows a crane comprising a lattice boom 42 and a derrick boom 41. A luffing boom 44 is articulated to the lattice boom 42 for luffing. The jib of the luffing boom can be equipped in accordance with five different configurations. There are different configuration options for the structure of the jib of the luffing boom. Said figure shows the individual crane elements 49 for the boom system in the installed order. FIG. 3 lists the installed crane elements 49 with a short description. FIG. 4 schematically shows the crane with the setup information from FIG. 1.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows setup information for a similar crane which differs from the crane in FIG. 1 on account of having a parallel boom.

[0047] For carrying out the method, the installed crane elements 49, i.e. a lattice part or a ballast element, for example, are provided with identification means 60. This takes place when producing the relevant crane element 49. The sheet-metal sign that is already known from the prior art can be used as an example of an identification means 60 of this kind. This sign is fixed to an element of the lattice part 49 (see FIG. 5). The precise position of the identification means 60 on the crane element 49 is available to the crane controller. All the identification means 60 can be identified in a similar manner. Adhesive labels, transponders, barcodes, etc., can be used as alternatives to sheet-metal signs. It is not compulsory for all the crane elements 49 to be equipped with the same type of information means 60.

[0048] According to the invention, the crane operator inputs the setup state that they have provided into the crane controller 38 of the crane 100. Said controller transmits data and the setup state to a drone 200. The data transmission 61 can be wireless. The drone 200 can be parked on a kind of docking station 210. This may also be integrated in the crane 100. The drone 200 is continuously charged in the docking station 210 and will always be ready to use. It is possible for data to be transmitted from the drone 200 back to the crane 100. Furthermore, the drone 200 comprises a system for position recognition. This may take place in the manner of a GPS system or using a GPS system. The drone 200 also comprises at least one recognition system 220 for recognising the identification means 60. This may be an optical camera in the simplest case.

[0049] If the crane operator enters the “setup state recognition” mode, the crane 100 together with all of its crane elements 49 is then moved into a defined position. This defined position does not necessarily have to be a raised boom position, as shown in FIG. 1. Said position could as well be located with the boom upright and the stays tensioned, with the boom not yet having been raised. The controller 38 calculates the expected target positions of the respective identification means 60 from the input setup state, the angular positions of the crane elements 49 that are approached, and the geometric data of the identification means 60 in the relevant crane element 49, which are stored in the controller 38, and the geometric data of the various crane elements 49, at least for one position, and preferably for all the positions, of the crane elements 49.

[0050] An in particular crane-related coordinate system 62 may be used. This coordinate system 62 may be linked to other coordinate systems, such as GPS data.

[0051] The drone 200 then receives all the necessary data from the controller 38. The drone 200 then starts up and flies to all the positions at which it is expected to be possible to identify a crane element 49. By means of the setup state, the drone 200 also knows which crane element 49 is expected to be at the position. According to the example from FIG. 2, the drone 200 flies to the position P with a defined orientation (x.sub.1, y.sub.1, z.sub.1). At this point, the recognition system 220 has the visible detection range S. An identification means 60 is expected in this detection range S. If an identification means 60 cannot be recognised here, there is an error that is recorded in a memory 230 by the drone 200. If an identification means 60 is recognised here, this is read out and compared with the expected target value (crane element 49 according to input setup state). The result is recorded in the memory 230. The drone 200 then processes all the tasks P (x.sub.1, y.sub.1, z.sub.1) and subsequently returns to its docking station 210.

[0052] The reeving of the hoist cable 46 and the check of the loaded ballast plates 39, 40, as shown in FIG. 4, can be specially mentioned as crane elements 49 that determine the setup state. The results are transmitted to the controller 38 of the crane 100 and are further processed thereby. This processing could constitute information regarding whether the actual setup state corresponds to the expected setup state. If this is the case, the crane 100 is enabled for crane work.

[0053] It would also be conceivable for the crane operator to be able to influence or fully control the drone 200 by means of a remote control. Another possible object is to confirm the complete and correct mounting of the various crane elements 49. Selected and essential connection points can thus be checked for correct connection. This is carried out, for example, by means of image recognition and/or by transmitting the recorded image from the drone 200 into the crane cab to the crane operator. They can thus assess whether the bolt 50 (see FIG. 5), which connects two crane elements 49 in the form of lattice parts, is correctly inserted and whether the bolt locking device 51 is correctly attached. All the other essential mounting results can also be checked in this way.

[0054] An essential advantage of the method is the option for checking in the upright position. After the checking, the crane is immediately ready to use and a change to the setup state would be an essential influence on the workflow. Unintended, incorrect execution is associated with complexity and costs, and therefore this is as good as eliminated. It is also advantageous that the drone 200 operates at height. This reduces the risk of uninvolved crane elements 49 that are not connected to the crane 100 being detected. The safety of application is further increased.

[0055] It should also be mentioned that it is unimportant whether the essential calculation work is carried out in the controller 38 or by a computer in the drone 200. The drone 200 could thus also have a certain “level of intelligence”. Calculation by means of “cloud computing” would also be conceivable. If the identification means 60 are suitably configured, the identification can be performed even in difficult conditions. Difficult conditions may be darkness, fog, critical temperatures, precipitation or snowfall. Ice, snow or corrosion on the crane element 49 may likewise present difficulties, which can, however, be circumvented by suitably configuring the identification means, for example as a transponder.

[0056] The drone 200 itself has collision recognition. Furthermore, for safety reasons and for use at certain locations, e.g. airports, the flying area of the drone could be restricted. It would thus be conceivable for this to be restricted to the pivot and rotation range of the boom system of the crane 100 with a necessary distance addition. A LOG file could also be created by the drone 200. In this LOG file, all the confirmations could be recorded. The correct setup state of the crane would thus always be comprehensible. The crane operator receives confirmation or feedback regarding whether the crane 100 has been set up according to the specifications. In this case, the selected load table for overload protection corresponds to the setup state provided.