CRANE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED ACTUATION OF CRANE POSITIONERS

Abstract

A crane control system for actuating positioners of a crane is configured to receive target position data which describe a predefined target position of at least one positioner, in particular at least one crane superstructure positioner; receive clearance data which describe a user input for clearing a movement of the at least one positioner into the predefined target position; and output control data which describe control signals to be output to the at least one positioner in order to move the at least one positioner into the predefined target position.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A crane control system for actuating positioners of a crane, wherein the crane control system is configured to perform the following functions: receiving target position data which describe a predefined target position of at least one positioner, in particular at least one crane superstructure positioner; receiving clearance data which describe a user input for clearing a movement of the at least one positioner into the predefined target position; and outputting control data which describe control signals to be output to the at least one positioner in order to move the at least one positioner into the predefined target position.

12. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein the transport position of a crane jib defines a target position of at least one positioner.

13. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein a ready-for-operation position of a crane jib defines a target position of at least one positioner.

14. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein at least one user input via an operating device defines a target position of at least one positioner, wherein in particular a current position of at least one positioner defines a target position.

15. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein the crane control system enables: a user input for modifying the target position, wherein the modified position is in particular defined as the new target position; and/or a user input for interrupting the movement towards the target position, wherein in particular in order to resume the movement towards a target position, at least one positioner is moved into its position at the time of interruption.

16. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein the crane control system outputs the control data for as long as the user activates an operating device.

17. The crane control system according to claim 16, wherein the operating device is activated by the user in order to activate at least one additional positioner.

18. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein the crane control system updates a target position of at least one positioner, continuously or at time intervals, in particular taking into account sagging of the crane jib and/or the position of the load.

19. The crane control system according to claim 11, wherein the crane control system is configured to record the activation of at least one positioner, in particular an activation sequence for multiple positioners, over a time interval, in order to output control signals corresponding to the recording to the to the at least one positioner at a later time.

20. A crane, in particular a mobile crane, comprising a crane control system according to claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0025] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figure. The invention can comprise any of the features described here, individually and in any expedient combination. There is shown:

[0026] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a mobile crane comprising the crane control system in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a mobile crane 1 which comprises a crane control system 2 in accordance with the present invention. The crane control system 2 is connected on the one hand to a keypad 4A and a control stick 4B which together form a human-machine interface 4 of the mobile crane 1. The crane control system 2 is also connected to multiple positioners 3A, 3B, 3C of the mobile crane 1, wherein the block 3A represents a telescopic cylinder, the block 3B represents a luffing cylinder, and the block 3C represents the lifting mechanism of the mobile crane 1.

[0028] In a first aspect, the crane control system 2 enables the crane 1 to be automatically erected and dismantled. Once it has arrived at the site of deployment, the telescopic jib of the crane 1 can be moved from a transport position, in which it is supported on the crane undercarriage, to a ready-for-operation position exhibiting predefined values for the luffing angle, the pivoting angle and the telescopic length by the crane operator merely “pulling” on the control stick 4B. As soon as the control stick 4B is released by the crane operator, this installing movement of the crane jib ceases. The predefined values for the luffing angle, the pivoting angle and the telescopic length can for example be stored in a non-volatile memory of the crane control system 2, or can also be input beforehand by the crane operator via the keypad 4A. The installing movement can be defined such that the crane jib is firstly raised out of its bearing bracket on the crane undercarriage by activating the luffing cylinder 3B and moved into a predefined luffing angle. The crane control system 2 can then actuate a slewing mechanism (not indicated) of the crane superstructure, which moves the crane jib into a predefined pivoting angle. The crane control system can then activate the telescopic cylinder 3A and an associated locking head in such a way that the crane jib is telescopically extended to a predefined telescopic length. During all these positioning movements, the crane control systems 2 actuates the lifting mechanism 3C in such a way that the crane hook block is kept in a constant position relative to the jib head, wherein positioning movements of the telescopic cylinder 3A, the luffing cylinder 3B and the slewing mechanism (not shown in FIG. 1) can also be performed at least partially in parallel.

[0029] In order to dismantle the crane from any given position of the crane jib to a transport position in which it is supported on the crane undercarriage, it is in turn merely necessary for the crane operator to pull on the control stick 4B, such that the crane control system 2 actuates the respective positioners 3A, 3B and 3C in such a way that they assume the position values for the transport position which are stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0030] In accordance with another aspect, the crane control system enables a crane operator to initiate a recording mode by means of the keypad 4A, such that the positioner movements effected by the crane operator via the control stick 4B are recorded. At a later time, the crane operator can cause the crane control system 2 to repeat the previously recorded positioner movements—starting from a recorded starting point—in a playback mode which is for example initiated by an input on the keypad 4A. The crane operator is thus relieved of the task of specifically controlling recurring positioner movements.

[0031] In another aspect of the crane control system 2 in accordance with the invention, the crane operator can, via the keypad 4A, input a desired target lifting height of the load attached to the jib or also define a currently prevailing load lifting height as the target lifting height. While the crane operator then effects any given positioning movements of the telescopic cylinder 3A and the luffing cylinder 3B, the crane control system 2 constantly adjusts the crane hook block by automatically activating the lifting mechanism 3C such that the previously determined height of the load relative to the ground and/or crane undercarriage remains constant.