EP3470363A1 - Method and system for controlling the unwinding or winding of a rope section on or off a rotating drum - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section onto or from a rotary drum (13), comprising the following steps:
a. Providing a cable (14) wound at least partly on a rotary drum (13), the cable (14) being guided from the rotary drum (13) along a defined path (17) to a break point (16), whereby beyond the break point ( 16) a tensile force acts on the rope (14);
b. Unwinding or winding the cable (14) while rotating the rotary drum (13) so as to move a defined cable section along the defined path (17);
c. Determining the length of the defined cable section in the region of the defined path (17);
d. Determining a to that in step b. performed rotation corresponding angular difference;
e. Control of the rotary drum (14) for further winding or unwinding in consideration of the steps c. and d. certain sizes.

As a result, a calibration can easily take place during the use of the rotary drum, so that the rotary drum can subsequently be controlled in an exact manner.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a system for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section on or from a rotary drum.

It is known in the art to use a rotary drum to pull a rope therefrom. Such rotary drums usually have a circular cylindrical winding surface on which the cable wound by rotation of the drum and stored so as to save space and can be handled again when needed. The unwinding is done by an opposite rotation of the rotary drum. Such rotary drums are used, for example, to fieren (unwind) and to bring (pull) a pull rope on which a designed for flying wind attack element is held. The catching and finning of the pull rope must be done in such applications with the highest possible precision. This is especially true when recovering the hawser in preparation for a landing of the windage element, in which the windage element is docked by catching to a landing device.

bestimmt werden, wobei α den jeweiligen Drehwinkel und r den "Radius des Wickelbildes" bezeichnet, also den Abstand zwischen der Drehachse der Drehtrommel und dem Punkt, an dem das Seil in die Wicklung übergeht. Es hat sich jedoch gezeigt, dass diese Art der Bestimmung des ab- bzw. aufgewickelten Seilabschnitts häufig nicht die gewünschte Genauigkeit liefert.In the prior art, it is common practice to determine the length of a rope section wound from the rotary drum or wound onto the rotary drum via the angle of rotation of the rotary drum during winding. Since the rope is wound on the rotary drum usually circular, the length L of the wound or unwound cable section using the formula L = $\alpha \frac{2\mathit{\pi r}}{360}$

are determined, where α denotes the respective angle of rotation and r the "radius of the winding image", ie the distance between the axis of rotation of the rotary drum and the point at which the cable passes into the winding. However, it has been shown that this type of determination of the unwound or wound cable section often does not provide the desired accuracy.

1. a. Bereitstellen eines zumindest teilweise auf eine Drehtrommel aufgewickelten Seils, wobei das Seil von der Drehtrommel entlang einer definierten Bahn bis zu einem Holepunkt geführt ist, wobei jenseits des Holepunkts eine Zugkraft auf das Seil wirkt;
2. b. Abwickeln oder Aufwickeln des Seils unter Durchführung einer Drehung der Drehtrommel, so dass ein definierter Seilabschnitt entlang der definierten Bahn bewegt wird;
3. c. Bestimmen der Länge des definierten Seilabschnitts im Bereich der definierten Bahn;
4. d. Bestimmen einer zu der in Schritt b. durchgeführten Drehung korrespondierenden Winkeldifferenz;
5. e. Steuerung der Drehtrommel zum weiteren Auf- bzw. Abwickeln unter Berücksichtigung der in den Schritten c. und d. bestimmten Größen.

Against this background, it is the object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section to or from a rotary drum, which provides greater accuracy. This object is achieved with the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are described in the subclaims. According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps:

1. a. Providing a rope wound at least partially on a rotary drum, the rope being guided by the rotary drum along a defined path to a break point, a pulling force acting on the rope beyond the break point;
2. b. Unwinding or winding the cable while rotating the rotary drum so that a defined cable section is moved along the defined path;
3. c. Determining the length of the defined cable section in the region of the defined path;
4. d. Determining a to that in step b. performed rotation corresponding angular difference;
5. e. Control of the rotary drum for further winding or unwinding, taking into account in the steps c. and d. certain sizes.

First, some terms used in the invention will be explained. The Holepunkt is in the context of the invention, a point at which the rope is limited so far in its mobility that the rope when acting on the other side of the Holepunkts pulling force between the rope exit position of the rotary drum (ie a point where the rope leaves the rotary drum) and the Holepunkt runs on the defined path, that is stretched between the drum and the Holepunkt. As a result, the rope is guided along the defined path, even if a tensile force acts on the rope, whose direction encloses an angle with the defined path. The Holepunkt may for example be a deflection, which is formed for example by a deflection roller. The defined path usually runs straight from the rope exit position of the rotary drum to the break point. It is also possible that the rope is deflected along the defined path, for example by rolling.

The invention is based on the recognition that the simple assignment of the angle of rotation to a unwound or wound cable length section known from the prior art often leads to erroneous results. This is due, inter alia, to the fact that the rope can stretch plastically and / or elastically during use and is thus subject to a change in length. A plastic stretch leads to a permanent extension of the rope. Such occurs, for example, in synthetic fiber ropes and in particular at the beginning of the period of use of such ropes. In addition, a load-dependent elastic change in length may occur, in which the rope extends with attacking tensile force and shortened again in a reversible manner with decreasing tensile force.

The changes in length mentioned can lead to a rotational angle of the rotary drum can not be unambiguously assigned to a disconnected or wound Zugseilabschnitt.

In the context of the invention, it was further recognized that the effective drum circumference of a winding pattern, which is produced by winding the cable on the rotary drum, may depend on which tensile force acts during winding. The effective drum circumference designates the length of a cable section which is unwound or wound up during a 360 ° revolution of the rotary drum. If the cable is stretched elastically due to strong tensile forces during winding, this can lead to a reduction of the effective drum circumference, especially in multi-layer winding, since the rope diameter decreases due to the elongation. Alternatively or additionally, the effective drum circumference can also be influenced by the type of winding or, for example, by winding faults.

Against this background, the present invention proposes to guide a rope from the rotary drum along a defined path to a break point so that the rope, when unwound between the rotary drum and the break point, runs along the defined path. This makes it possible in a simple manner, in the area of the defined path, to determine the length of a defined cable section wound off or wound by the rotation of the rotary drum and, at the same time, the associated angular difference. Thus, during the use of the rotary drum, a measurement can be carried out by the invention which can be taken into account directly in the further control of the rotary drum in order to improve the accuracy of the control. During use when unwinding or winding take place (especially traction-dependent) length changes of the rope be taken directly into account by the inventive method and it can be done during use calibration to control the rotary drum with increased accuracy.

In a preferred embodiment, the cable has a first mark and a second mark spaced from the first, the defined web having a sensor position. Preferably, in step b. unwind or rewind the rope so that the first marker passes the sensor position and the second marker passes or at least reaches the sensor position, the first marker and the second marker being detected as the sensor position passes or arrives. The length is preferred in step c. determined by the distance of the markers, wherein the angular difference between the angular position of the rotary drum upon detection of the first mark and the angular position of the rotary drum is determined upon detection of the second mark. In this embodiment, the invention thus proposes to use a rope with two spaced-apart markings. When winding or unwinding the cable by rotating the rotary drum, the markings can be guided past the sensor position in a defined manner, namely along the defined path, and detected there. At the same time, the angular difference between the detection of the first mark and the detection of the second mark by the rotary drum can be determined. This angular difference can then be set in relation to the distance of the two markings from one another and thus taken into account in the further control. Since the distance of the markings is known, a calibration can thus be carried out by the method according to the invention, so that a cable section is desired Can be length by a corresponding rotation of the rotary drum in an exact manner or wound up.

As a tensile force acts on the rope during unwinding or winding of the rope, the rope can, as explained above, be subject to a tensile force-dependent elastic elongation which influences the distance between the markings. As a result, an error may result in the above-explained calibration if the length of the defined cable section is determined by the distance of the markings. It can therefore be provided that the distance between the markings is corrected taking into account a rope elongation. For example, the distance between the markers can be remeasured, for example, in a state in which no tensile force acts on the rope. A plastic strain of the rope in the area between the markings can be determined in this way. For example, an elastic elongation of the rope can be estimated by how strong the tensile force acting on the rope is during the detection of the markings. It can be provided for this purpose a force sensor for measuring the tensile force acting on the rope, wherein from the tensile force an elastic rope elongation can be estimated.

In order to avoid the above-mentioned error, it can be provided according to the invention in an alternative embodiment that the cable has a marking, the defined path having a first sensor position and a second sensor position spaced from the first, wherein in step b. the rope is wound off or wound up in such a way that the marking passes the first sensor position and passes or at least reaches the second sensor position. The marking is preferably detected when passing or reaching the sensor positions, wherein the length in step c. through the distance the sensor positions (measured along the defined path) is determined and wherein the angular difference between the angular position of the rotary drum upon detection of the mark at the first sensor position and the angular position of the rotary drum is determined upon detection of the mark at the second sensor position. In this embodiment, therefore, two sensor positions are provided, wherein the rope does not necessarily have to have two markings, a single mark is sufficient to carry out the inventive method. The above measurement error can be avoided. However, it is more cost effective to use only one sensor position (and two markers) because then a sensor can be saved.

In an advantageous embodiment, the tensile force is exerted by a trained for flying and attached to the rope wind engagement element. Preferably, the wind engagement element is dockable out of the flight out, recovering the rope to a docking adapter, wherein the detection of the mark or the marks is preferably carried out during the hauling of the rope and wherein the wind engaging element taking into account in the steps c. and d. docked to certain sizes. A corresponding wind engagement element, which is designed for docking to a docking adapter, is for example from the WO 2005/100150 A1 known. By the method according to the invention a particularly accurate recovery of the pull rope is possible, so that the rope can be obtained in a simple manner exactly as far as it is necessary for docking of the windage element. The docking process can be significantly accelerated, also the risk of collision with the docking adapter is reduced or avoided.

The present invention furthermore relates to a system for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section onto or from a rotary drum, comprising a rotary drum with a cable which can be unwound or unwound from the rotary drum and with an angle sensor for detecting a cable Rotary angle of the rotary drum and for outputting an angle signal, characterized in that the system further comprises a Holepunkt, a length measuring device and a control unit, wherein the cable is guided by the rotary drum along a defined path to the Holepunkt, wherein the length measuring device is adapted to the length a determined by rotating the rotary drum along the defined path defined cable section to determine and output a length signal, the control unit for receiving the angle signal and the length signal and for controlling the rotary drum taking into account the length signal and the angle signal e is formed.

In one embodiment, the length measuring device comprises a sensor, wherein the cable has a first mark and a second mark spaced from the first, wherein the sensor for detecting the markings arranged in the region of the defined path and for outputting a first length signal upon detection of the first mark and is designed to output a second length signal upon detection of the second mark, wherein the control unit is designed to determine an angular difference based on the angle signal and the length signals.

In an alternative embodiment, the length measuring device comprises a first sensor and a second sensor spaced apart from the first, the cable having a marking, the first sensor for detecting the marking in the region the defined path is arranged and designed to emit a first length signal, wherein the second sensor for detecting the mark in the region of the defined path and formed to deliver a second length signal, wherein the control unit for determining an angular difference formed on the basis of the angle signal and the length signals is.

The system according to the invention can be further developed by further features which have already been described in connection with the method according to the invention. In particular, the system may be designed to carry out the method.

The detection of the markings by the sensor can be carried out, for example, in an optical, electromagnetic or mechanical manner. In an advantageous embodiment, the at least one marking is formed by a metallic element integrated in the cable, the sensor being designed as an inductive sensor.

The system may include a wind-engaging element connected to the rope for flying out. Preferably, the wind-engaging element can be docked out of the outbound flight while the rope is being retrieved to a docking adapter.

The distance between the first marking and the second marking may, for example, be between 1 m and 30 m, preferably between 2 m and 20 m, more preferably between 5 m and 15 m. It has been found that distances in this area, in particular in the use of the system for recovery (and landing and docking) of a windage element are advantageous because sufficient accuracy in the control of the rotary drum can be achieved.

In the event that the system has two sensors, they may have a distance (measured along the defined path) between 0.1 m and 5 m, preferably between 0.2 m and 3 m, more preferably between 1 m and 2 m ,

In addition to improving control accuracy, the marker (s) may be used according to the invention as indicators of how far the rope has already been hauled. For this purpose, it can be provided that the marking or the markings are arranged at a defined position of the rope. For example, the markers may be located near the end of the rope remote from the rotary drum so as to provide an indication when the rope is being retrieved that the rope has been almost completely hauled. When used with a wind-engaging element, the marker (s) may have a defined distance from an attachment point at which the cable is connected to the wind-engaging element. In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the marking or (in the case of two markings) the marking remote from the rotary drum has a distance from an attachment point at which the cable is connected to the wind-engaging element, which is between 5 m and 40 m, preferably between 10 m and 30 m and more preferably between 15 m and 25 m. The closer the markings are to the attachment point, the more accurate a subsequent docking operation on the docking adapter can take place after detection of the markings.

Furthermore, it may be provided that the distance between the marking remote from the rotary drum and the sensor position is at least 2 m, preferably at least 4 m, more preferably at least 5 m, when the wind engagement element docked to the docking adapter. The distance is measured along the rope. In this embodiment, it is ensured that the remote marking is already detected by the sensor when the wind-engaging element is picked up sufficiently before reaching the docking position. The wind engagement element can be obtained in this embodiment at high speed and decelerated by detecting the remote mark by the sensor, the above minimum distances allow the windage element can be safely braked before reaching the docking adapter.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform;

Figur 2:

eine alternative Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung in einer schematischen Darstellung.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2:

an alternative embodiment of the present invention in a schematic representation.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the system according to the invention for controlling a rotary drum in a schematic view. The system includes a trained as a winch 13 rotary drum. On the winch 13, a synthetic fiber rope 14 is partially wound up. The winch 13 has a drive 31, which drives the winch 13 to perform a winding movement. The drive is connected to a control unit 30 so that the control unit 30 can control the winch 13 in order to wind or unwind the cable 14. The system also includes an angle sensor 32 which is connected to the winch 13. The angle sensor detects the angular position the winch and is adapted to deliver a corresponding angle signal to the control unit 30.

From a rope exit position 15 of the winch 13 to a deflection roller 16, the cable is guided along a defined path 17. The deflection roller 16 forms a break point in the sense of the present invention. At the Zugseilwinde 13 opposite end of the rope 14, a wind engaging element 18 is attached. The wind engaging element 18 is under the action of wind, so that it exerts a pulling force on the cable 14. The wind engagement element 18 has a control pod 23, from which the cable 14 fans out into a plurality of control lines, which are connected to the wind engagement element 18. The control pod 23 is formed in a generally known manner to shorten or extend the control lines for controlling the windage element 18. The control pod 23 receives control commands from the control unit 30 via a wireless connection.

The cable 14 is provided with a first mark 20a and with a second mark 20b spaced from the first mark. The distance between the markers 20a, 20b is about 19 m. In the region of the defined path 17, a sensor 22 is arranged, which is connected to the control unit. By a corresponding unwinding or winding of the cable 14, the markings 20a, 20b can be guided past the sensor 22. The sensor 22 is designed to detect the passage of the markings 20a, 20b and to emit a length signal to the control unit when the markings are detected. 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 designed as an inductive sensor.

Starting from the in FIG. 1 the situation of the system when retrieving and docking the windage element 18 is explained below. To retrieve the Windangriffselements the rope 14 is wound by appropriate control of the drive 31. The marking 20a 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 interrogates the instantaneous angular position of the winch 13 via the angle sensor 32. If, after further retrieval of the cable 14, the second marking 20b passes the sensor, this emits a second length signal to the control unit 30, whereupon the control unit 30 via the angle sensor 32 again queries the instantaneous angular position of the winch 13. Based on the two queried angular positions, the control unit 30 then calculates an angular difference. This angular difference is then related to the known distance between the marks 20a, 20b to determine an "effective drum circumference". Upon further recovery of the rope 14 for docking the wind engaging element 18 to an in FIG. 1 not shown docking adapter, the determined "effective drum circumference" is taken into account. With the help of the system according to the invention can be done in this way docking with great accuracy.

The recovery can be done until the detection of the mark 20b by the sensor 22 at high speed. When the marker 20b is detected by the sensor 22, the windage element is still about 5 m away from its docking position. This distance is sufficient to "decelerate" the windage element to then securely dock it in consideration of the determined "effective drum circumference".

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the cable 14 has only one marker 20. In addition, two spaced-apart sensors 22a, 22b are arranged along the defined path 17, in contrast to the first embodiment. The sensors 22a, 22b are designed to detect the mark 20 and to output a length signal to the control unit 30. Unlike the first embodiment, the angular difference is determined by a query of the angular position upon detection of the mark 20 by the first sensor 22a and a subsequent query the angular position upon detection of the mark 20 by the second angle sensor 22b. To determine the effective drum circumference, the angular difference is then set in relation to the distance of the sensors 22a, 22b along the defined path 17. Incidentally, the operation of this embodiment corresponds to that of FIG. 1 ,

Claims (14)

Method for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section onto or from a rotary drum (13), comprising the following steps: a. Providing a cable (14) wound at least partly on a rotary drum (13), the cable (14) being guided from the rotary drum (13) along a defined path (17) to a break point (16), whereby beyond the break point ( 16) a tensile force acts on the rope (14); b. Unwinding or winding the cable (14) while rotating the rotary drum (13) so as to move a defined cable section along the defined path (17); c. Determining the length of the defined cable section in the region of the defined path (17); d. Determining a to that in step b. performed rotation corresponding angular difference; e. Control of the rotary drum (14) for further winding or unwinding in consideration of the steps c. and d. certain sizes. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable (14) has a first mark (20a) and a second mark (20b) spaced from the first, the defined web (17) having a sensor position, and wherein in step b. the cable (14) is unwound or wound so that the first mark (20a) passes the sensor position and the second mark (20b) passes or at least reaches the sensor position, the first mark (20a) and the second mark (20b) be detected when passing or reaching the sensor position, wherein the length in step c. is determined by the known distance of the markings (20a, 20b) and wherein the angular difference between the angular position of the rotary drum (13) upon detection of the first mark (20a) and the angular position of the rotary drum (13) upon detection of the second mark (20b) determined becomes. A method according to claim 2, wherein the known distance between the marks (20a, 20b) is corrected taking into account a rope elongation. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable (14) has a mark (20), the defined web (17) having a first sensor position and a second sensor position spaced from the first, wherein in step b. the cable (14) is wound off or wound in such a way that the marking (20) passes the first sensor position and passes or at least reaches the second sensor position, the marking (20) being detected when the sensor positions pass or being reached, the length in step c. is determined by the distance of the sensor positions and wherein the angular difference between the angular position of the rotary drum (13) upon detection of the mark (20) at the first sensor position and the angular position of the rotary drum (13) is determined upon detection of the mark at the second sensor position. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the tensile force is exerted by a wind-engaging element (18) which is designed to fly out on the cable (14). A method according to claim 5, wherein the wind engaging element (18) is out-flying while obtaining the Rope (14) is dockable to a docking adapter, wherein the detection of the marking (20) or the markings (20a, 20b) is preferably carried out during the retrieval of the cable (14) and wherein the wind engaging element (18) taking into account in the Steps c. and d. docked to certain sizes. System for controlling the winding or unwinding of a cable section onto or from a rotary drum (13), comprising a rotary drum (13) with a cable (14) which can be unwound or wound on the rotary drum (13) an angle sensor (32) for detecting a rotational angle of the rotary drum (13) and for outputting an angle signal, characterized in that the system further comprises a break point (16), a length measuring device and a control unit (30), the cable (14) of the rotary drum (13) along a defined path (17) to the Holepunkt (16) is guided, wherein the length measuring device is adapted to determine the length of a by rotation of the rotary drum (13) along the defined path (17) extending defined cable section and output a length signal, wherein the control unit (30) for receiving the angle signal and the length signal and for controlling the rotary drum (13) taking into account the length signal un d of the angle signal is formed. The system of claim 7, wherein the length measuring device comprises a sensor (22), the cable (14) having a first mark (20a) and a second mark (20b) spaced from the first, the sensor (22) for detecting the Markings (20a, 20b) in the area of a defined path (17) arranged and for outputting a first length signal upon detection of the first mark and for outputting a second length signal upon detection of the second mark (20a, 20b) is formed, wherein the control unit (30) for determining an angular difference based on the angle signal and the length signals is formed. The system of claim 7, wherein the length measuring device comprises a first sensor (22a) and a second sensor (22b) spaced from the first, the cable (14) having a mark (20), the first sensor (22a) for detecting the Marking (20) in the region of the defined path (17) is arranged and designed to deliver a first length signal, wherein the second sensor (22b) for detecting the mark in the region of the defined path (17) and formed to deliver a second length signal wherein the control unit (30) is designed to determine an angular difference based on the angle signal and the length signals. A system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising a wind engaging member (18) connected to the cable (14) and adapted to fly out, the wind engaging member (18) preferably flying out, recovering the cable (14) to a docking adapter is dockable. The system according to claim 10, wherein the distance between the first mark (20a) and the second mark (20b) is between 1 m and 30 m, preferably between 2 m and 20 m, more preferably between 5 m and 15 m, or in which the Distance between the sensors (22a, 22b) between 0.1 m and 5 m, preferably between 0.2 m and 3 m, more preferably between 1 m and 2 m. A system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the marker (20) or marker (20b) remote from the rotary drum (13) is spaced from an attachment point where the cable (14) is connected to the wind engaging element (18) , which is between 5 m and 40 m, preferably between 10 m and 30 m and more preferably between 15 m and 25 m. A system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the distance between the mark (20b) remote from the rotary drum (13) and the sensor (22) or the distance between the sensor position (22a, 13b) remote from the rotary drum (13) ) and the marking (20) is at least 2 m, preferably at least 4 m, more preferably at least 5 m, when the wind engaging element (18) is docked to the docking adapter. Use of the system according to one of claims 7 to 13 for docking a wind engaging element (18) to a docking adapter.

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