FI96304B - Modular system of push button controls for lifting crane - Google Patents

Description

96304

Modular button control system for crane

The invention relates to a crane button controller which transmits a control signal to a crane control apparatus and which button controller comprises a button part with a detachable electrical connection.

Crane controllers have traditionally been built pre-assembled for each crane. This means, for example, that the controllers of three cranes with similar machinery but 10 different control modes are each individually adapted to correspond to the machinery of the crane. Thus, the control messages of a normal contactor-controlled crane are output from the crane control pushbuttons in parallel directly via a cable connection to the crane control equipment.

If a similar crane is equipped with, for example, radio control, then the controller is traditionally manufactured "ready-made", i.e. it includes pushbuttons and a radio transmitter integrated in one control housing.

20 If a similar crane is equipped with infrared control, then traditionally the pushbuttons and the infrared transmitter are integrated with the housing in one piece.

Accordingly, similar to one construction, the integration of the signals used for the crane-side käsitte-25 mill. For example, a radio control receiver is built into one of its parallel inputs, from where the control signals are applied in parallel to the crane drives.

EP A 0 432 284 discloses a crane pressure controller formed by a button part and a module for transmitting a control signal to the crane, which is connected to it by a detachable connection. This controller is only wired to the crane at all times. It has a plug connection between the top and bottom of the pressure controller, on a cable, or between the top and cable of a button controller.

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A disadvantage in the known technique is the cumbersome change of control mode from one control mode to another. A further disadvantage of the prior art is the difficult accessibility of the uniform appearance and image of the controller, since the entire controller with all its devices is handled simultaneously. Achieving a uniform look and feel for the controllers is of course possible, but it is expensive.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art and, in addition, to achieve an easier and more cost-effective way for cranes to switch to another control method, which is useful, for example, in the renovation of cranes.

The invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The invention has the following advantages. The button part is similar regardless of the control mode, so that the uniform appearance and image of the controls are maintained regardless of the control mode.

The control mode of the crane can be easily changed when the operating conditions change, for example from cable control to wireless control.

The quantities to be manufactured of some parts of the button guide, such as the button part, increase, whereby, for example, the price of plastic pressing tools is lower per pressure guide and thus the entire button guide is also cheaper.

The requirement of customers or the requirement of several countries' safety regulations for a backup control method for radio control can be implemented more easily than with prior art controllers.

The invention will now be described in light of an application with reference to Figure 1, which shows a modular button control system according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a button controller 1 in signal-35 communication with the crane's electrical equipment 26, consisting of a press 3 96304 part 2 and at least one module 41, 42, 43, 44 which transmits or transmits control signals to the crane's electrical equipment * and directly modifies them. The modules can be connected by a detachable connection 27 to the same button part 2. The detachable connection 27 connects the modules and the button part to each other without large gaps and the connection can be secured by a self-locking mechanism. There must be a detachable electrical connection 9 between the button part 2 and the module for control signals. By detachable electrical connection is meant an easily detachable electrical connection, which is preferably a plug connector. The detachable electrical connections 9 of all modules 41 to 44 are compatible with the corresponding terminals of the button part 2. If necessary, the detachable connection 27 between the modules 41 to 44 and the part 2 of the button-15 can be provided with a seal 28 protecting the detachable electrical connection 9 from the effects of the environment. The control buttons 3 of the button part 2 are typically pushbuttons, control switches and indicator lamps. Correspondingly, on the hardware side of the crane's electrical system 20, the system for receiving control signals is also implemented with modules 18, 20, 21, 23 corresponding to the control mode, the modules of different control modes being easily exchangeable by the crane's electrical equipment 26.

A module 41 of a parallel communication cable 5 is connected to the button part 2. The control signals 6 given from the control buttons 3 are transmitted via a detachable electrical connection 9 to the module 41 and further via a cable 5 to the crane. The cable 5 is connected on the crane side to a parallel cable module 18 transmitting control signals, which transmits control signals 6 via a second detachable electrical connection 91 to the crane drives 25 in the crane control equipment 26. This second detachable electrical connection is also preferably a plug connection and may have a shield.

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When the control mode is changed to serial communication mode, a serial communication module 42 is connected to the button part 2. The serial communication module consists of a first signal converter 8, in this case a parallel / serial converter and 5 serial communication cable section 7. to the serial communication cable module 20, 10 from which control commands are transmitted to a second signal converter 19 (serial communication / parallel communication converter) and further via a second detachable electrical connection 91 in parallel traffic to the crane drives 25 in the control equipment 26.

15 When the control mode is changed to radio control, a radio control module 43 is connected to the button part 2. The radio control module 43 consists of a first signal converter 8 (parallel / serial converter) and a radio transmitter 12 with antennas 13. The control commands given from the control buttons 3 are connected to the detachable electrical connection 9. via a parallel-to-serial / serial converter and from there in serial form to the radio transmitter module 12 and from its antenna 13 as a radio signal 14 to the radio receiver 21 in the crane via the antenna 22. The control commands are converted to the parallel traffic 25 in the second signal converter 19 (serial traffic / parallel traffic module) and fed via the second detachable electrical interface 91 as parallel traffic to the crane drives 25 in the crane control equipment 26.

30 When the control mode is changed to IR control (infrared transmitter / receiver), an infrared control module 44 is connected to the button part 2. The infrared control module 44 consists of a first signal converter 8 (parallel / serial converter) and an IR transmitter 15. Control commands given via the control buttons 3 via electrical connection 9 5 96304 to the parallel / serial converter and from there in serial form to the IR transmitter 15. From there control commands. is sent as an IR signal 17 via a light source 16 to an IR receiver 23 with one or more IR sensors 24 5 in the hoist. The control commands are then converted to parallel mode in a second signal converter 19 (serial communication / parallel module) and fed via a second detachable parallel connection 91 as traffic for crane drives 10 25 in crane control equipment 26.

The signal converter 8 contained in the modules 42 to 44 can also be constructed as a separate module, which is connected to the crane via a detachable electrical connection, such as plug connectors to the signal transmitting serial connection 15, radio transmitter 12 or IR transmitter 15. Parallel communication cable module / parallel , since the signals from the control buttons 3 are already in parallel, but the module 41 nevertheless includes a compatible detachable electrical connection 9 (such as plug connectors) with the detachable electrical connection (piezo connectors) of the modules 42 to 44.

The housing type of the modules 41 to 44 and the button part 2 is preferably totally enclosed and the housing material 25 is preferably plastic.

Equipment which may be required in the guides, such as support ropes, grips and the like, is not shown as they do not fall within the scope of the invention.

A modular implementation as described above is also made on the side of the crane control equipment 26 in the crane. The button controllers 1 with modules 41 to 44 having different control modes can each be individually connected to the crane control equipment 26 via mutually compatible detachable connections. Likewise, the signal converters 19 can be connected to their receivers 20, 22 and 23 by a detachable electrical connection such as a plug connection.

Claims (8)

Crane pushbutton controller (1), which sends a control signal (6, 11, 14, 17) to the crane control apparatus 5 (26) and which pushbutton controller (1) comprises a pushbutton part (2) with a detachable electrical connection (27), characterized in that the detachable electrical connection (27) is connected between the button part (2) and the crane's electrical equipment (26) at least one detachable module (41, 42, 43, 44) transmitting or transmitting a control signal (6, 10 11, 14, 17) to the crane, each of which separately is attachable and detachable by said detachable electrical connection (27) to the same button part (2). Button controller according to Claim 1, characterized in that a cable (5, 10) is connected to the at least one module (41, 42) for transmitting the signal (6, 11) and is connected to the crane control device (26) at the crane-side end by a second detachable device. with electrical connection (91). Button controller according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the module (41, 42, 43, 44) which transmits or transmits the control signal (6, 11, 14, 17) transmits a parallel (6), serial (11), radio signal to the crane. (14) or IR light signal 25 (17). Button controller according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the module (41, 42, 43, 44) which transmits or transmits the control signal (6, 11, 14, 17) comprises a signal converter (30) between it and the button part (2). 8), such as parallel / serial converter. Button controller according to Claim 4, characterized in that the signal converter (8) is a separate unit between the button part (2) and the control signal transmitting or transmitting module (42 to 44), and which signal converter (8) is equipped with a detachable electric vibrator. (9) on the side of both the button part (2) and the part transmitting or transmitting the control signal (42 to 44). A button controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which transmits or transmits a control signal 5 (6, 11, 14, 17) to the crane control apparatus (26), characterized in that the control apparatus (26) comprises a module (18, 20, 21, 23) for transmitting or receiving a control signal (6, 11, 14, 17), which is connected to the crane control equipment (26) either directly or via a signal converter (19). 6 96304 Button controller according to Claim 6, characterized in that the connection (18, 20, 21, 23) of the module (18, 20, 21, 23) transmitting or receiving the control signal to the crane control equipment (26) is made by a second detachable electrical connection (91), such as a plug connection. 91) are thus similar in that any of said control signal transmitting or receiving modules (18, 20, 21, 23) can alternatively be connected to the second detachable electrical connection (91) of the control equipment (26) of one crane. 8 96304