EP1746064B1 - Crane, in particular mobile crane or crawler crane - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a crane, preferably a caterpillar or vehicle crane according to the preamble of claim 1.

Mobile cranes and crawler cranes are known in different sizes and setup states. In order to select the right crane with the crane for the particular task to be performed and the correct ballast weight for a specific application of a crane, and to plan the upcoming deployment, it is already known to use a deployment planner. Such a crane deployment planner is a computer program for planning, simulating and documenting crane operations on a PC. Once an order has been received, it is planned in detail via the dispatch planner. This pre-planned and documented planning is then processed during the mission.

It is also known to equip a crane with a crane monitoring device (eg load torque limitation, overload limitation, working area limitation, power limitation) for monitoring the operating state of the crane. Such a crane monitoring device consists essentially of one or more computing systems and at least one display unit. In the computer system recorded via sensors arranged on the crane sensor signals, such as recorded angles, lengths or weights are read. The crane monitoring device then determines, based on stored comparison values, whether the crane is overloaded or is used in the permitted working area. However, the known crane monitoring device is designed only one channel and can fail.

From the EP-A-0 768 588 already a crane with a deployment planner is known. The US 2005/098520 A1 describes a mobile crane in which a deployment planner includes a display unit that is switchable between two modes of operation. The first operating mode concerns the planning of the crane operation. The second operating mode relates to crane monitoring.

Object of the present invention is to improve the safety of crane monitoring and also to increase the ease of use for the crane operator.

According to the invention this object is achieved by the combination of the features of claim 1. Accordingly, a crane according to the invention, preferably a caterpillar or vehicle crane, initially has a crane monitoring device for monitoring the operating state of the crane, which consists of one or more computer systems and at least one display unit. According to the invention, there is additionally an operational planner, which consists of one or more computer systems and at least one own monitor output. This deployment planner works on the one hand as a device for planning the crane operation and on the other hand as a redundant crane monitoring unit in addition to the crane monitoring device. In the present case, therefore, the deployment scheduler stationarily used has been included as a component in the crane. As a result, the crane driver immediately has the job scheduler available on site, which means that he can plan the appropriate crane application in detail.

According to the present invention, the deployment planner is not only used here as a device for planning the use of the crane. Rather, it is used as a redundant crane monitoring unit, in that here corresponding sensor values, which were recorded by the sensors arranged distributed in the crane, are fed in. These form input values for data stored in the dispatch planner Calculation programs with the aid of which the current operating data and limit values of the crane are recalculated. As a result, a diverse and thus independent parallel monitoring instrument is created, which means that the crane according to the invention has a multi-channel independent monitoring.

Particular embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent claims to the main claim.

Accordingly, it is particularly advantageous if both the crane monitoring device and the resource planner each have their own display units. These are then verifiable at the same time without the need to switch screen content for a crane operator.

The display unit of the dispatch planner can advantageously be switched at any time between the display of the device for planning the crane operation and the crane monitoring unit, the current crane position is taken .. The crane operator is usually operate the display unit in the mode in which he is here before using the crane Check the planning of the crane operation. When using the crane, he can then switch the display unit to the mode of the redundant crane monitoring, so that he can monitor in parallel here the display of the crane monitoring device and the display of the redundant crane monitoring unit.

Advantageously, the crane has at least one comparison unit which compares the crane operating values determined independently of one another in the service planner on the one hand and in the crane monitoring device and generates an error message (eg optical and / or acoustic warning signal) when an impermissible deviation occurs and / or thus influences the crane control in that the crane is kept in a safe state or enters a safe state (safety shutdown).

The dispatch planner and the crane monitor may mutually exchange data and intermediate results, e.g. for further calculation, display and monitoring.

The deployment planner can advantageously as a device for planning the crane use a load capacity program for calculating the load, a configuration selection program for selecting crane configurations (such as boom length, ballast, support base, range of rotation, ballast radius, additional equipment), a ballast determination program to determine the depending on the crane type depending to be used minimum and maximum derrick ballast, a planning program for simulating the planned crane operation (ie changing operating parameters such as angle of boom and accessories, boom length, ballast, Berrickballast, Derrickballastradius), a Stützkraftberechnungs program to determine the forces occurring at the supports, a track crushing program to determine the Contain the caterpillars occurring soil pressures and anti-collision device for collision avoidance of several working in combination cranes.

The dispatch planner may execute the essential programs described above as a redundant crane monitoring unit based on data stored in its memory for the current crane setting values set and the current crane sensor values recorded by various sensors.

• Die Abmessungen des Kranes (z. B. Abstützbasis, Auslegerlänge, ...) sind annähernd oder exakt maßstäblich.
• Die beweglichen Bauteile der Kranes, wie z.B. Drehbühne, Ausleger, Wippspitze, bewegen sich in der Grafik im Modus Kranüberwachungseinheit aufgrund der Informationen von den Sensoren, im Modus Einsatzplaner aufgrund der Eingaben von der Bedieneinheit annähernd wie in der Realität.
• Die graphische Darstellung kann wie im Einsatzplaner auf dem PC durch Zoomen vergrößert bzw. verkleinert werden, oder durch Verschieben des Bildausschnittes variiert werden. Weiter kann durch Einzeichnen von Gebäuden oder sonstigen Hindernissen eine Baustelle dargestellt werden oder es kann die zuvor im Modus Einsatzplaner dargestellte Baustellendarstellung übernommen werden. Auch können durch Herausmessen Längen- und Abstandsinformationen zwischen angezeigten Dingen im Arbeitsraum des Kranes gewonnen werden.

Particularly advantageous is the current state of the crane can be displayed on an output monitor. In the graphical representation of the crane monitoring device or the redundant crane monitoring unit there are 2- or 3-dimensional views. There are the following features:

• The dimensions of the crane (eg support base, boom length, ...) are approximate or exact to scale.
• The mobile components of the crane, such as revolving platform, boom, luffing tip, move in the graph in the crane monitoring unit mode based on the information from the sensors, in scheduling mode, based on input from the control panel, almost as in reality.
• The graphical representation can be enlarged or reduced by zooming as in the scheduler on the PC, or varied by moving the image section. Furthermore, a construction site can be displayed by drawing in buildings or other obstacles, or the construction site display previously displayed in the operation planner mode can be adopted. Also can be obtained by measuring length and distance information between things displayed in the working space of the crane.

In the graphic display, the load can also be displayed as a function of the radius. In the graphical display in scheduling mode for derrick cranes, the radius and the respective derrick ballast radius or also the load capacity and the respective derrick ballast radius can be displayed.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

The single figure shows schematically the interconnection of the mission planner on the one hand and the crane monitoring device on the other.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, a crane, for example a crawler crane or a vehicle crane, has a crane monitoring device 10 which, on the one hand, consists of a computer unit 12 and a monitor 14. In this crane monitoring device 10 sensor signals S, such as angle, length, weights, etc., which are recorded by sensors 16 on the crane, read. On the basis of these measured values, the permissible working range and load limit values of the crane (not shown in detail here) are monitored on the basis of values stored in the memory, such as crane-specific load tables as a function of set-up condition and shearing.

Parallel to the previously installed in the crane crane monitoring device 10 here a deployment planner 18 is provided, which also has its own monitor 20 and a Calculator 21 has two functions. The first function is indicated by the reference numeral 22 and relates to the function known per se as a dispatch planner. Here are all scheduler functions, which could already be calculated centrally by a scheduler on a PC. The operation is done for example via a mouse 26 or a keyboard (eg touch screen) of the monitor 20 (not shown here). This function is completely independent of the second function, namely the redundant crane monitoring 24. In the case of redundant crane monitoring, sensor values S are read into the computer unit 21 by the sensors 16 arranged on the crane. Furthermore, corresponding setting values E are given from the crane monitoring device 10 to the redundant crane monitor 24, these setting values, for example the operating mode, the shearing or other set values of the crane, relating to. This is data that the crane operator has set on the crane monitor or that are supplied via sensors (eg: ballast equipment, support base, boom configuration). In addition, additional data and intermediate results can be exchanged between the scheduler and crane monitoring.

In the redundant crane monitoring 24, the current setting values and the current crane sensor values are evaluated and the current operating parameters and monitoring limits are calculated in parallel and independently of the crane monitoring device with the aid of load values and geometry files stored in the deployment scheduler 18.

These calculation results include, in particular, the maximum payload and, for example, the current projection and the entire current geometry and center of gravity determination / kinematics.

The calculation results independently obtained by the dispatch planner 18 on the one hand and the crane monitoring device 10 on the other hand are compared at least in one computer and if the deviation of the respective results is impermissible, an error signal is output which is displayed directly in the Crane control can be further processed eg prevention of dangerous movements and additionally triggering an alarm.

Advantageously, all the usual graphical representations of the dispatch planner on the PC can be displayed on the monitor 20 of the dispatch planner 18, wherein the data and graphics images can be displayed for the respective current crane state, since all current sensor values and other data are provided to the dispatch planner 18 become. This means that when the crane moves, the graphics of the dispatcher monitor 20 move according to the current crane position. Here, for example, graphic images can be displayed in different views. In the case of a crawler crane, the crawler pressing can also be represented dynamically here, while in the case of a crane with supports, the respectively occurring supporting forces can be displayed.

Claims (7)

1. A crane, preferably a crawler or mobile crane, having a crane monitoring device (10) for monitoring the operating condition of the crane, comprising at least one calculation unit (12) and at least one control and display unit (14)
   characterised in that
   an operations planner (18) comprising substantially at least one further calculation unit and having a separate monitor output is additionally provided and works, on the one hand, as an apparatus (22) for planning the crane operation and, on the other hand, as a redundant crane monitoring unit in addition to the crane monitoring device (24).
2. A crane in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that both the crane monitoring device (10) and the operations planner (18) have their own control and display units.
3. A crane in accordance with either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the control and display unit (20) of the operations planner (18) can be switched between the display of the apparatus for planning the crane operation (22) and the crane monitoring unit (24).
4. A crane in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one comparator unit compares the crane operation values determined independently from one another in the operations planner (18), on the one hand, and in the crane monitoring device (10) and, on the occurrence of an inadmissible deviation, generates an error message; and/or influences the crane control such that the crane is maintained in a safe condition or moves to a safe condition.
5. A crane in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operations planner (18) as an apparatus (22) for planning the operation of the crane includes a load capacity program, a configuration selection program, a ballast determination program, a planning program for simulating the planned operation of the crane, a supporting force calculation program, a crawler contact pressure program and an anti-collision device.
6. A crane in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operations planner (18) as a redundant crane monitoring unit (24) calculates then current values to be monitored such as the maximum permitted load capacity, the maximum possible working range or other values based on limit value tables stored in its memory and geometrical data for the set then current crane setting values and the then current crane sensor values received from various sensors.
7. A crane in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the then current crane condition can be graphically represented to scale via the operations planner (18) on a monitor (20) in the crane for different set-up variants.

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