EP3754151B1

EP3754151B1 - Method for controlling a telescopic lifting device, and telescopic lifting device

Info

Publication number: EP3754151B1
Application number: EP20181243.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco FAHLBUSCH
Original assignee: Iveco Magirus AG
Current assignee: Iveco Magirus AG
Priority date: 2019-06-21
Filing date: 2020-06-19
Publication date: 2022-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2040-06-19
Also published as: EP3754151A1; IT201900009738A1; ES2919232T3

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102019000009738 filed on 21/06/2019 .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a method for controlling a telescopic lifting device for articulate turntable ladders or rescue vehicles as well as to a telescopic lifting device for performing such method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The telescopic lifting device comprises, as its general main components, a set of telescopically extendable elements which can be extended or retracted in a linear direction with respect to each other. In the case of a turntable ladder, these telescopically extendable elements are ladder elements to be extended or retracted the whole set is pivotally mounted to a base to be elevated, i.e. lifted by an angular movement, around a horizontal pivot axis, or to be declined, i. e. lowered, in the opposite direction.
As another component, a telescopic arm is attached to the free end of the set. It can be articulated with respect to the set and telescopically extended or retracted. At the free end of the arm, a rescue support element is mounted. This rescue support element can be a rescue cage or a rescue stretcher to accommodate persons to be rescued.
The telescopic arm represents a large advantage in many situations, because it extends the degrees of freedom along which the telescopic lifting device can be moved. For example, when positioned horizontally, the telescopic arm can be introduced in a linear direction into a window of a building.
Moreover, it allows rescue operations on a level lower than the ground level on which the base (or the vehicle on which the base is mounted) is situated. On the other hand, the control of a telescopic lifting device comprising many different components which can be moved relative to each other is more complicated and demanding.
For this reason, the control can be automatized to some extend by implementing an automatic transformation of a control command for moving the rescue support element into movements of components of the telescopic lifting device.
Accordingly, the user may input only control commands related directly to the position or the moving path of the rescue support element, while the individual movements of the components of the telescopic lifting device, including the set of telescopically extendable elements, the telescopic arm and the rescue support element, are calculated by a controller implemented into the telescopic lifting device. With other words, the human operator does not have to care about controlling individual drives for moving the components relative to each other but may concentrate on the position of the rescue support element.
EP 2865842 A1 discloses a method for controlling an articulated turntable ladder of a rescue vehicle, wherein a telescopic arm attached to the free end of the ladder set is maintained in a constant absolute inclination angle when elevating or declining the ladder set with respect to the base. This method dispenses the operator from controlling the inclination angle of the arm when he intends to elevate or decline the ladder set. In a different embodiment, a control command for moving the rescue support element along a horizontal straight line is transformed into movements of the different components of the telescopic lifting device automatically. For example, in a forward movement of the rescue support element away from the base, a corresponding control command input by a human operator is automatically transformed into different relative movements of the components of the telescopic lifting device to result in such a horizontal movement along a linear path.
These prior art examples represent simple implementations of transforming an input control command into a movement of the rescue support element which can be achieved by a combination of movements of components of the telescopic lifting device, which are calculated automatically. These examples are related either to keep one component in a constant angular position (like in EP2 865842 A1 : the telescopic arm), or to move the rescue support element along a desired path. However, there is a demand to implement a more sophisticated control method under the consideration of the present limitations of movements of the telescopic lifting device. For example, some movements of the individual components may be limited by the load limits of the telescopic lifting device.
Other examples of a telescopic lifting device are disclosed in EP 2022749 A1 and EP 2684836 A1 .
Moreover, a movement of the rescue support element might be achieved in different ways of moving the individual components relative to each other, while it is impossible for the controller of the telescopic lifting device which carries out the automatic transformation of the control command how to achieve the resulting movement, because of the absence of any priorities to be set, i. e. which component should be moved preferentially, while other components have to be calculated according to the
It is object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling a telescopic lifting device of the above kind, which further facilitates the operation of the telescopic lifting device based on a more sophisticated adaption of the present situation of use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved by a method and a telescopic lifting device according to the appended set of claims.
Accordingly, a movement of the arm can be prioritized over other individual movements of components of the telescopic lifting device. For example, an extraction/retraction movement of the arm may be prioritized over an extraction/retraction movement of the telescopically extendable elements of the set. In the same way, an articulation movement of the arm, i. e. an angular elevation/declination of the arm, may be prioritized over a corresponding articulation movement of the set with respect to the base. By the present invention, a human operator is dispensed from setting a priority which component of the telescopic lifting device may be moved preferentially to result in a desired movement of the rescue support element. Limits or different parameters defining a working condition may be pre-set and stored to be used in the calculation of the resulting movement, such as the horizontal and/or vertical distance between the rescue support element and the base, the elevation angle of the set, and its extension length.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element and the base is small and the elevation angle of the set is large, the arm is articulated downward and telescopically retracted. This corresponds to a movement of the rescue support element close to the base but in a certain elevation over the base, i. e. with an elevation angle of the set with respect to the base which exceeds a certain limit. In the same way as the elevation angle, the term "small horizontal distance" shall designate a value of the horizontal distance which is below a certain limit which can be predetermined and stored beforehand.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element and the base is small and the elevation angle of the set is low, the arm is articulated downward and telescopically extended. This might represent a rescue situation in which a rescue operation is carried out near the base (that is, below a certain distance limit) but in a very low vertical position (i.e. below a limit for the elevation angle), even below the ground level on which the base is located. In this case, the set as well as the arm may both be declined in a downward direction, while the additional telescopic extension of the arm positions the rescue support element even lower.
According to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element and the base is small and the elevation angle of the set is low, the arm is articulated downward and telescopically retracted. This represents a situation in which the rescue support element is lowered to be close to the ground to allow persons to enter or leave the rescue support element. In this case, the set can be positioned in a relatively low elevation angle but higher than the elevation angle as described above, i.e. in a rescue operation below ground level. For example, the set can be positioned horizontal or in an elevation range around the horizontal position. Preferably the arm is articulated downward to a maximum declination determined by a load acting on a set and/or an elevation angle of the set.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element and the base is small and a control command is input for retracting the elements of the set completely, the arm is articulated upward and telescopically retracted. This corresponds to a situation in which a transport position, i. e. a non-use position of the telescopic lifting device shall be taken.
More preferably, if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element and the base is large (exceeding a certain limit) and the elevation angle of the set is large (also exceeding a corresponding limit), the arm is moved into a horizontal position and telescopically extended. This corresponds to a situation in which the telescopic lifting device is close to its outreach limit, or if the rescue height shall be extended.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the vertical distance between the rescue support element and the base is large and the elevation angle of the set is large, the arm is articulated upward and telescopically extended. This corresponds to a position of the telescopic lifting device close to the maximum rescue height and/or a maximum possible overall extension length. In this case, the term "large" with respect to the elevation angle of the set may designate a value for the elevation angle which is larger than a predetermined value. The same is the case for the vertical distance between the rescue support element and the base. An articulation of the arm is prioritized over a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm depending on an elevation/declination speed of the set and/or an extension/retraction speed of the set. In this case, one of the possible movements of the arm along different degrees of freedom, i. e. an articulation on one hand and a telescopic movement on the other hand, is given priority over the respective other movement. For example, if the elevation/declination speed of the set higher than a predetermined value, an articulation of the arm has priority over its telescopic extension, because an articulation of the arm has to compensate an angular change of the set.
According to the present invention, a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm is prioritized over an articulation of the arm depending on an elevation/declination speed of the set and/or and extension/retraction speed of the set. For example, if the elevation/declination speed of the set is lower than its extension/retraction speed, a telescopic movement of the arm is prioritized over an articulation of the arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred example of one embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the enclosed drawings, as follows:

Figures 1 to 5 show respective schematic latera view of an embodiment of a telescopic lifting device in different positions according to the control method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a telescopic lifting device 10, which is a turntable ladder of a firefighting vehicle. The vehicle 12 is located on a horizontal plane 13, representing the ground. On top of the vehicle, a base 14 is mounted which carries a set 16 of telescopically extendable elements which can be extended or retracted in a linear direction with respect to each other. In the present example, these elements are ladder segments. The set 16 is pivotably mounted to the base 14 to be elevated around a horizontal pivot axis. A telescopic arm 18 is attached to the free end of the set, i. e. the end of the set 16 opposite to the end which is attached to the base 14. This telescopic arm 18 can be articulated with respect to the set 16 and telescopically extended and retracted. At the free end of the arm 18, a rescue support element 20 is mounted, which is a rescue cage in the present example.
Figure 1 further shows the vertical front wall 22 of a building, in front of which a rescue operation shall be carried out. In this rescue operation, the rescue support element 20 shall be positioned with respect to the wall 22 of the building. The operation space of the telescopic lifting device 10 is delimited in the lower vertical direction by the ground 13 and in one lateral direction by the wall 22 standing vertical to the ground 13.
The telescopic lifting device 10 can be controlled by a human controller at a control stand (not shown) located at or near the base 14. Another control stand can be located at the rescue support element 20, for example, inside a rescue cage. Control commands input by the human operator at the control stand, for example, by a joystick or any other input device are transformed into different movements of components of the telescopic lifting device 10, including movements of the set 16, the telescopic arm 18 and the rescue support element 20. This automatic transformation includes the calculation of individual control commands for drives the different components, including an elevation drive for elevating the set 16 with respect to the base 14 around its horizontal pivot axis, a linear drive for extending or retracting the telescopically extendable elements of the set 16, an articulation drive for articulating the telescopic arm 18 with respect to the set, and a pivot drive at the free end of the arm 18 for and articulation of the rescue support element 20 with respect to the arm 18, to compensate an articulation of the arm 18 with respect to the set 16, with the result that the rescue support element 20 is maintained in a constant angular position.
The control command for moving the rescue support element 20, which is input by the user, is a command related directly to an absolute movement of the rescue support element 20 within the working space. For example, such a control command for moving the rescue support element 20 may include a vertical movement, a horizontal movement, a lateral movement, etc. By the automatic transformation, this control command is transformed into individual movements of the components of the telescopic lifting device 10. For example, if the human operator inputs a control command for moving the rescue support element 20 vertically upward, this "UP" command is automatically transformed into a complex movement of the individual components of the telescopic lifting device 10. For example, the elevation of the set 16 with respect to the base 14 is increased. The set 16 is telescopically extended, and the angle between the telescopic arm 18 and the set 16 as well as the angle between the rescue support element 20 and the telescopic arm 18 is adapted accordingly.
A movement of the arm 18 includes an articulation of the arm 18 with respect to the set 16 and/or a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm 18. Such a movement, including an articulation movement as well as a telescopic movement, as described above, is controlled according to a working condition of the telescopic lifting device 10. This working condition includes at least one of the following parameters:

the horizontal distance between the rescue support element 20 and the base 14,
the vertical distance between the rescue support element 20 and the base 14,
the elevation angle of the set 16, and
the extension length of the set 16.

In the operation situation demonstrated in Figure 1, the horizontal distance between the rescue support element 20 and the base 14 is small, i.e. being beneath a certain threshold, while at the same time, the elevation angle of the set 16 is large, i. e. it exceeds a certain threshold.
In this case, the arm 18 is articulated downward and telescopically retracted. This means that in a situation which the rescue support element 20 is moved close enough to the base 14 in the horizontal direction, beneath a certain limit, and the elevation angle of the set 16 is large at the same time, an automatic preference is set to articulate the arm 18 downward and to retract it telescopically. In the present case, the arm 18 is articulated downward to a maximum declination which is determined by a load acting on the set 16 and/or an elevation angle of the set.
Figure 2 shows a different situation on rescuing persons from low heights, below the level of the ground 13. In this situation, the rescue support element 20 is moved such that the horizontal distance between the rescue support element 20 and the base 14 is still small, while the elevation angle of the set 16 is extremely low, i. e. below a certain limit. In this case, the preference of the movement of the arm 16 is set such that the arm 18 is articulated downward but telescopically extended.
Figure 3 shows a situation in which the rescue support element 20 is moved close to the base 14, even closer than in the situation in Figure 2, and the elevation angle of the set 16 is low, i.e. horizontal or in a relatively low range of the elevation angle somewhat higher than in Figure 2. In this position, the rescue support element 20 can be moved close to the ground 13 to allow persons to enter or leave the rescue support element 20. In this case, the preference of the movement of the arm 18 is set such that the arm 18 is articulated downward but telescopically retracted.
In another different situation, it might be intended to retract the elements of the set 16, to take a transport position. In this case, a control command is input by a human operator to retract the elements of the set 16 completely, and the arm 18 is articulated upward and telescopically retracted. Figure 4 shows a different situation in which the telescopic lifting device 10 is close to its outreach limit, such that the rescue support element 20 takes a maximum distance from the base 14 in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the elevation angle of the set 16 with respect to the base 14 is large. The arm 18 is moved into a horizontal position and telescopically extended, so that the maximum outreach in the horizontal direction is possible.
Figure 5 shows a situation different from Figure 4, in which the elevation angle of the set 16 is also high, but it is desired to move the rescue support element 20 towards its maximum rescue height, i. e. the vertical distance between the rescue support element 20 and the base 14 shall be large. In this situation, to maximize the overall length of the telescopic lifting device 10, the arm 18 is articulated upward and telescopically extended.
Generally speaking, the articulation movement of the arm 18 and its telescopic movement can be performed at the same time. However, according to the invention the articulation of the arm 18 may be prioritized over a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm 18, depending on an elevation/declination speed of the set 16 and/or an extension/retraction speed of the set 16. For example, if the elevation/declination speed of the set 16 is higher than the extraction/retraction speed of the set 16, the articulation movement of the arm 18 has priority, because the arm 18 has to compensate an angular change of the set 16. On the other hand, if the elevation/declination speed of the set 16 is lower than the extraction/retraction speed of the set 16, the telescopic movement of the arm 18 has priority over the articulation movement of the arm 18.
The present invention is also applicable to an embodiment of the telescopic lifting device 10 in which the rescue support element 20 is moved in a linear vertical direction according to a simple UP/DOWN input control command of the user, which is performed by combined movement of the components of the telescopic lifting device 10.
Throughout the whole description, any formulations like "a horizontal/vertical distance between any two components being small/large" shall designate that this distance shall be below/above a certain predetermined limit. In the same way, a formulation saying that an elevation angle of an element being small/large shall designate that this elevation angle is below/above a certain limit. Such limits can be set in advance before operating the telescopic lifting device 10.
It is clear from the above that modifications can be made to the described method and lifting device which do not extend beyond the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Method for controlling a telescopic lifting device (10),
the telescopic lifting device (10) comprising the following components:
- a set (16) of telescopically extendable elements to be extended or retracted in a linear direction with respect to each other, the set (16) being pivotally mounted to a base (14) to be elevated around a horizontal pivot axis,

- a telescopic arm (18) attached to the free end of the set (16) which can be articulated with respect to the set (16) and telescopically extended and retracted,

- and a rescue support element (20) mounted to the free end of the arm (18),

said method comprising the automatic transformation of a control command for moving the rescue support element (20) into movements of components of the telescopic lifting device, wherein the movement of the arm (18) includes an articulation of the arm (18) with respect to the set (16) and/or a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm (18),

wherein the movement of the arm (18) is controlled according to a working condition of the telescopic lifting device, said working condition comprising including at least one of the following parameters:
- the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14),

- the vertical distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14),

- the elevation angle of the set (16),

- the extension length of the set (16);

characterized in that an articulation of the arm (18) is prioritized over a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm (18) or vice versa depending on an elevation/declination speed of the set (16) and/or an extension/retraction speed of the set (16).
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is large, the arm (18) is articulated downward and telescopically retracted.
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is low, the arm (18) is articulated downward and telescopically extended.
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is low, the arm (18) is articulated downward and telescopically retracted.
Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the arm (18) is articulated downward to a maximum declination determined by a load acting on the set (16) and/or an elevation angle of the set (16).
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and a control command is input for retracting the elements of the set (16) completely, the arm (18) is articulated upward and telescopically retracted.
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is large and the elevation angle of the set (16) is large, the arm (18) is moved into a horizontal position and telescopically extended.
Method according to claim 1, wherein if the vertical distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is large and the elevation angle of the set (16) is high, the arm (18) is articulated upward and telescopically extended.
Telescopic lifting device (10), comprising the following components:
- a set (16) of telescopically extendable elements to be extended or retracted in a linear direction with respect to each other, the set (16) being pivotably mounted to a base (14) to be elevated around a horizontal pivot axis,

- a telescopic arm (18) attached to the free end of the set (16) which can be articulated with respect to the set (16) and telescopically extended and retracted,

- and a rescue support element (20) mounted to the free end of the arm (18),
the telescopic lifting device (10) further comprising a controller configured to transform a control command for moving the rescue support element (20) into movements of components of the telescopic lifting device, wherein the movement of the arm (18) includes an articulation of the arm (18) with respect to the set (16) and/or a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm (18),

wherein the controller is configured to move the arm (18) according to a working condition of the telescopic lifting device, said working condition comprising including at least one of the following parameters:
- the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14),

- the vertical distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14),

- the elevation angle of the set (16),

- the extension length of the set (16);

characterized in that the controller is configured to prioritize an articulation of the arm (18) over a telescopic extension or retraction of the arm (18) or vice versa depending on an elevation/declination speed of the set (16) and/or an extension/retraction speed of the set (16) .
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is large, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated downward and telescopically retracted.
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is low, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated downward and telescopically extended.
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and the elevation angle of the set (16) is low, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated downward and telescopically retracted.
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated downward to a maximum declination determined by a load acting on the set (16) and/or an elevation angle of the set (16).
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is small and a control command is input for retracting the elements of the set (16) completely, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated upward and telescopically retracted.
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the horizontal distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is large and the elevation angle of the set (16) is large, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) into a horizontal position and to extend it telescopically.
Telescopic lifting device (10) according to claim 9, wherein if the vertical distance between the rescue support element (20) and the base (14) is large and the elevation angle of the set (16) is high, the controller is configured to move the arm (18) to be articulated upward and telescopically extended.