JP2007254086A - Position detection device for twin spreader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device accurately detecting a position of a container in handling work of the container using a twin spreader. <P>SOLUTION: In each of the two spreaders constituting the twin spreader, first non-contact type sensors are downwardly installed on four corners and second non-contact type sensors are downwardly installed on both ends on a central line in a longitudinal direction respectively, and those non-contact type sensors are constituted by three one-dimensional laser sensors assembled in a fan shape. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a position detection device that detects the position of a target container when a twin spreader is lowered in a container crane used in a container yard such as a wharf.

  In recent years, containers have been actively transported for the rationalization of logistics, and in container yards provided at wharves etc., containers are frequently transshipped using large cranes. .

  The general structure of this container crane is shown in FIGS. 6 shows a front view of the container crane, and FIG. 7 shows a side view.

  The crane main body 50 has a gate-shaped (bridge-shaped) shape including two leg portions 51 and a girder 52 passed over them. On the girder 52, a trolley 58 having a drive device 57 that winds or unwinds a spreader 54 coupled to the container 53 with a wire 56 via a head block 55 is placed in a state movable in the X direction. Yes.

  The container 53 is handled by the crane body having such a structure as follows.

  The operator of the crane body 50 moves the crane body 50 (Y direction) and traverses the trolley 58 (X direction) to move the spreader 54 to an appropriate position, and then moves the crane body 50 relative to the container 53 to be lifted. The driver 57 is operated while visually confirming the position, and the spreader 54 is lowered toward the container 53 placed on the chassis 59. After the spreader 54 has sufficiently approached the container 53, the spreader 54 is wound down at a very low speed to be landed and coupled onto the container 53, and the wire 56 is wound up by the driving device 57.

  However, in the handling operation of the container 53 by the container crane 50, it is difficult for the driver to accurately grasp the positional relationship between the spreader 54 and the container 53 by visual observation. Therefore, it takes time to align the spreader 54. There is a problem that it collides with the container 53 when the spreader 54 is lowered.

  Therefore, conventionally, an ultrasonic sensor or a laser sensor is attached downward on the bottom surface of the spreader 54, and a warning is given to the driver based on the detection signal, or a method for controlling the lowering speed of the spreader 54 has been taken. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

Recently, in order to further increase the efficiency of container transshipment, a twin spreader configured by connecting two spreaders in parallel has been used. However, in this twin spreader, it becomes more difficult for the driver to accurately grasp the positional relationship with the container, and it is influenced by that while one of the spreaders is aligned with the container. Since the position of the other spreader is displaced, there remains a problem that even if the conventional invention described in Patent Document 1 is applied, it is not possible to sufficiently improve work efficiency and prevent a collision accident. .
JP 2004-75355 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and performs an efficient and safe container transshipment operation by accurately detecting the position of the container in a container handling operation using a twin spreader. An object of the present invention is to provide a position detection device for a twin spreader.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a twin spreader of a container crane in which two spreaders are connected in parallel, and a first non-contact type sensor provided downward at each of the four corners of the spreader. A second non-contact sensor provided downward on both ends on the longitudinal center line of each of the spreaders, the first non-contact sensor and the second non-contact sensor; Is a twin-spreader position detection device comprising at least three one-dimensional laser sensors assembled in a fan shape.

  According to the invention configured as described above, the twin spreader detects the position in the traverse direction with respect to the container by the first non-contact type sensor, and detects the position in the traveling direction by the second non-contact type sensor. It can be carried out.

  Here, the traversing direction means a direction in which the trolley travels in a large portal crane, and the traveling direction means a direction perpendicular to the traversing direction.

  In addition, it is desirable that one of the one-dimensional laser sensors is installed vertically downward.

  In the present invention, the first non-contact sensor at each of the four corners of the two spreaders constituting the container-spreading twin spreader, the second non-contact sensor at both ends on the longitudinal center line, The twin spreader and the container are aligned on the basis of the detection signals of the non-contact sensors.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to improve the efficiency and safety of the container handling operation using the container crane, and to prevent the twin spreader and the container from colliding with each other.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The structure of the twin spreader in which the position detection device according to the present invention is installed is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a top view of the twin spreader, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

  The twin spreader 1 has a structure in which two spreaders capable of handling one 40 ft type container or two 20 ft type containers are connected in parallel by two extendable cylinders 2. Each spreader includes a rectangular parallelepiped main body frame 3, a pair of telescopic beams 4 extending and contracting in opposite directions from both longitudinal ends of the main body frame 3, and a cross attached to the distal ends of the respective telescopic beams 4. It consists of a beam 5. Twist locks 6 for fixing the container are provided on the bottom surfaces of both ends of the cross beam 5.

  Each spreader is fixed to a head block 9 having four pulleys 7 on the upper part, and wires 8 for moving the head block 9 up, down, left and right are wound around the individual pulleys 7. .

  In addition, about the structure of the crane main body except said twin spreader 1 and the head block 9, it is the same as the conventional one (refer FIG.6 and FIG.7).

  The position detection device according to the present invention includes a first non-contact type sensor 20 (hereinafter referred to as “first sensor”) installed on both side surfaces of the cross beam 5 downward, and an outer side of the central portion of the cross beam 5. It is comprised from the 2nd non-contact-type sensor 21 (henceforth "2nd sensor") installed in the side facing downward.

  The structure of these non-contact sensors 20, 21 is shown in FIG. 3A shows a side view of the non-contact sensor, and FIG. 3B shows a front view.

  The non-contact sensors 20, 21 are formed by assembling three one-dimensional laser sensors 30, 31, 32 of the same specification in a fan shape. Specifically, with reference to the optical axis 30a of the one-dimensional laser sensor 30 arranged at the center, the one-dimensional laser sensors of the front part 31 and the rear part 32 arranged on both sides thereof have optical axes 31a, 32a respectively. Inclined and fixed so as to form predetermined angles (swing angles) θ1 and θ2 on the opposite side.

  From the viewpoint of accurately detecting the position of the container to be handled, the central one-dimensional laser sensor 30 is installed such that its optical axis 30a is vertically downward, and the one-dimensional laser sensors 31 and 32 on both sides are swung. It is desirable that the angles θ1 and θ2 be equal (for example, 30 degrees).

  As shown in the front view of FIG. 4, the non-contact sensor 20 has a cross beam so that the plane formed by the three optical axes 30 a, 31 a, and 32 a is substantially parallel to the transverse direction (X direction) of the twin spreader 1. 5 is installed.

  Further, as shown in the side view of FIG. 5, the second sensor 21 is installed on the cross beam 5 so that the plane formed by the optical axis is substantially parallel to the traveling direction (Y direction) of the twin spreader 1. .

  These non-contact sensors 20 and 21 are connected to a control device (not shown) in which the control logic shown in Tables 1 and 2 is set. In these tables, the laser optical axes shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are marked with symbols a to t, and when the object is detected at a long distance by each laser optical axis, “0”, at medium distance The case of detection is represented by “1”, and the case of detection at a short distance is represented by “2”. When not used as an input of the control device, “−” is given.

  In addition, about said long distance, medium distance, and short distance, a suitable value can be set according to the performance of a container crane, the attachment position of the non-contact-type sensors 20 and 21, respectively.

  A container positioning method using a twin spreader having such a structure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, Tables 1 and 2.

  First, the twin spreader 1 is unwound toward the containers A ′ and B ′. At this time, the optical axis b, the optical axis e, the optical axis h, the optical axis k, the optical axis p, or the optical axis s, which are the six optical axes directed vertically downward, detected the object at a short distance. In this case, the lowering speed is decelerated assuming that the containers A ′ and B ′ are approached.

  In the transverse direction (X direction), the optical axis b and the optical axis e out of the six optical axes emitted from the two first sensors 20 at both ends of the cross beam 5 are distant, and the optical axis c and the optical axis. Positioning with the container A ′ placed on the chassis 10 is performed in such a manner that d detects each of the intermediate distances.

  At this time, if any of the optical axis a, the optical axis f, the optical axis g, and the optical axis l detects the object at a short distance, the driver may collide with the containers adjacent to the left and right. A warning is issued or the operation is forcibly stopped.

  Next, the cylinder 2 is expanded and contracted so that the optical axis h and the optical axis k detect a long distance, and the optical axis i and the optical axis j detect a medium distance, respectively, so that alignment with the container B 'is performed.

  Regarding the traveling direction (Y direction), among the six optical axes from the second sensor 21 at both ends in the traveling direction, the optical axis p and the optical axis s are long distances, and the optical axis q and the optical axis r are medium distances. The twin spreader 1 is moved so as to detect them, or the telescopic beam 4 is adjusted to align the containers A ′ and B ′.

  At this time, if the optical axis o or the optical axis t detects the object at a short distance, the driver is warned or the operation is forcibly determined that there is a possibility of colliding with adjacent containers in front and rear. To stop.

  As described above, the twin spreader 1 can be easily aligned with the container 11.

It is a top view of the twin spreader which attached the position detection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a side view of the twin spreader which attached the position detection apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of a non-contact-type sensor, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. It is a front view of the twin spreader at the time of handling of a container. It is a side view of the twin spreader at the time of handling of a container. It is a front view of a container crane. It is a side view of a container crane.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Twin spreader 2 Cylinder 3 Main body frame 4 Telescopic beam 5 Cross beam 6 Twist lock 7 Pulley 8 Wire 9 Head block 10 Chassis 11 Container 20 1st non-contact type sensor 21 2nd non-contact type sensor 30 It arrange | positions in the center part The one-dimensional laser sensor 30a is disposed at the center of the optical axis 31 of the one-dimensional laser sensor. The one-dimensional laser sensor 31a is disposed at the front. The optical axis 32 of the one-dimensional laser sensor is disposed at the front. One-dimensional laser sensor 32a Optical axis of one-dimensional laser sensor arranged at the rear

Claims (2)

In a twin spreader of a container crane in which two spreaders are connected in parallel, a first non-contact sensor provided downward at four corners of each of the spreaders and a longitudinal center line of each of the spreaders The first non-contact sensor and the second non-contact sensor are fan-shaped with at least three one-dimensional laser sensors. A position detector for a twin spreader, characterized by being assembled. One of the one-dimensional laser sensors is installed vertically downward, and the twin spreader position detecting device is characterized in that:

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