JPH11322268A - Crane first-in cargo detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a crane first-in cargo detector, which is not affected by a suspended cargo, a crane tongue, or a freely placed carrying cargo, causes no deterioration in crane efficiency, and carries out detection with a short measurement distance and in a short measurement time. SOLUTION: A crane first-in cargo detector is provided with a freely extensible rod 21 installed in an arm 15 of a crane tongue 14 and a scan type distance detector 30 installed at the tip of the freely extensible rod 21. With scanning by the scan type distance detector 30, a distance to a measurement plane 33 formed by cutting a three-dimensional space 31, which is formed around a cargo 16 lowering target position and can include a maximum first-in cargo, in the horizontal direction at a minimum height for the first-cargo or at a height lower than this is measured. If the measured distance is shorter than a set distance for the corresponding point on the measurement plane 33, it is determined that a first-cargo 17 exists.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a pre-loaded crane which detects when there is already a pre-loaded cargo at an unloading position of a suspended load in an automatic crane system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automatic crane system having a steady rest function for managing a storage place of yards, transfer equipment, and trolleys by a computer inventory registration method, when a first-in-first-out load already exists at a dropping-off position of a suspended load, it is determined by a Must be detected beforehand to prevent collision, and therefore, various detection devices are employed.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example (contact type) of a conventional pre-load detection device and the configuration of related equipment. In FIG. 4, a crane club 11 is movably disposed above a crane body 10, and the crane club 11 is connected to a crane hook 13 via a wire 12.
Is suspended. The crane hook 13 suspends the crane tongue 14, and the distal ends of the arms 15 of the crane tongue 14 protrude inward and engage with the central hole of the suspended load (coil) 16 to be suspended. The load 16 is suspended. An extensible rod 21 is attached to one arm 15 of the crane tongue 14, and a contact-type detection end 23 is provided at a tip end thereof via a rotation mechanism 22.
Is attached. The detection end 23 is vertically adjusted by the telescopic rod 21, and is rotated by the rotation mechanism 22, for example, and mechanically comes into contact with the first incoming load 17, for example. By detecting the contact with, for example, a limit switch (not shown) or the like, the existence of the first load 17 is grasped.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing another example (optical distance measurement type) of a conventional pre-load detection device and the configuration of related equipment. In this detection device, an optical distance meter 24 is attached to the crane main body 10 or an optical distance meter 25 is attached to the crane club 11, and measures the distance to a target position where the suspended load is lowered. For example, if there is the first load 17, the measurement distances of the optical rangefinders 24 and 25 become shorter, so that the presence of the first load 17 is grasped.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing still another example (optical image processing type) of a prior-art first-arrival detection device and the configuration of related equipment. The projector 26 and the camera 27 are attached to the crane body 10 (or the crane club 11), and the reflector 28 is placed at a target position where the suspended load is to be unloaded. The floodlight 26 illuminates the target position, captures the image by the camera 27 and performs image processing, thereby measuring the reflection plate 28 or recognizing the shape of the first load 17 itself, thereby obtaining the first load. 17 is grasped.

[0006]

The conventional prior-load detection device (contact type) shown in FIG. 4 has the following problems. (1) Due to the presence of the rotating mechanism 22 and the need for strength at the time of contact, the mechanical mechanism becomes structurally large and requires a sufficient space between loads to be placed in the yard. Efficiency gets worse. (2) After the detection end 23 is rotated to the measurement position, the crane tongue 14 is lowered, and after confirming that there is no first load 17, the detection end 23 is rotated in the reverse direction. Evacuation is required, which reduces crane efficiency. (3) The detection area is a narrow range immediately below the suspended load of the crane tongs 14, and cannot cover the maximum possible load existing area of the load freely packed in the storage place.

[0007] The conventional pre-load detection device (optical distance measurement type) of FIG. 5 has the following problems. (1) The suspended load 16, the crane tongs 14, or the load placed in the vicinity becomes an obstacle, and the range in which the first load cannot be measured is large. In order to avoid this, crane efficiency drops when measuring with the crane tongs 14 rolled up,
Opening the space between storage places will reduce storage efficiency. (2) The measuring distance of the distance meter increases, and an expensive measuring instrument must be used, which leads to an increase in manufacturing cost.

The first-arrival detection device (optical image processing type) shown in FIG. 6 has the following problems. (1) Since the load at the storage place must be placed at the center of the reflection plate 28, the storage place becomes a fixed storage place.
Poor storage efficiency. (2) Even when the load is directly measured, the range in which the first load cannot be measured is large because a suspended load, a crane tongue, or a nearby load becomes an obstacle. In order to avoid this, the crane efficiency decreases when the measurement is performed with the crane tongs hoisted, and the storage efficiency decreases when the space between the storage loads is opened.

Further, a non-contact type shortest distance detector such as an ultrasonic wave is attached to the end of the telescopic rod 21 shown in FIG.
In the three-dimensional space formed around the target position where the maximum first load can exist, the scanning of the vertical plane is performed by a non-contact type shortest distance detector, and the direction orthogonal to the vertical plane (the crane The scanning in the traveling direction) may be performed by moving the crane tongs 14. However, in such a case, the crane tongs must travel from one end to the other end of the three-dimensional area, and the measurement time becomes longer.

[0010] From the above, it is possible to reduce the efficiency of the crane without being affected by the crane first-load detection device which solves the above-mentioned problems, namely, the suspended load, the crane tongs and the freely placed load. It has been desired to develop a crane first-load detection device that requires a short measurement distance and a short measurement time.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a crane preload detection apparatus which includes a telescopic rod attached to an arm of a crane tong, and a scanning type such as light mounted on a tip of the telescopic rod. Non-contact type distance detector and three-dimensional space formed around the target position where the suspended load is to be unloaded, where the maximum possible first load can exist, is cut horizontally at the minimum height or lower than the minimum first load. Distance is measured by a scanning non-contact distance detector while scanning, and if the measured distance is shorter than the set distance of the corresponding point on the measurement plane, And an arithmetic processing unit for determining that there is.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a crane first-in detecting device and related equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a crane club 11 disposed on an upper portion of a crane main body 10 suspends a crane hook 13 via a wire 12, and the crane hook 13 suspends a crane tong 14. The tips of both arms 15 of the tongue 14 project inward, and engage with the central hole of the suspended load (coil) 16 to suspend the suspended load 16. Crane tongs 14
A telescopic rod 21 is attached to one of the arms 15, and a scanning distance detector (for example, one using laser light) 30 is attached to the tip of the arm 15. Therefore, the vertical position of the scanning distance detector 30 is arbitrarily adjusted by the telescopic rod 21.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a scanning area of the scanning distance detector 30 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, there is a possible maximum 3
The measurement plane 33 obtained by cutting the dimension space 31 in the horizontal direction at the minimum height 32 or lower than the first loading is scanned two-dimensionally, and the measurement plane 33 is moved to each point (xi, yi). Find the distance.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the arithmetic processing portion of the crane first-load detection device of FIG. Here, in addition to the scanning distance detector 30, the travel sensor 35, the traverse sensor 36, the lowering sensor 37, and the rod sensor 3
8 are input to the arithmetic processing unit 40. The traveling sensor 35 is attached to the crane main body 10 and outputs, for example, a pulse signal for measuring the traveling position of the crane. The traverse sensor 36 is attached to the crane club 11 and outputs, for example, a pulse signal for measuring the traverse position of the crane. The lowering sensor 37 is attached to the crane club 11 and outputs, for example, a pulse signal for detecting a hanging position of the crane tongs 14. The rod sensor 38 is attached to the telescopic rod 21 and outputs, for example, a pulse signal for measuring the amount of expansion and contraction.

The arithmetic processing unit 40 includes these sensors 35 to 35
When each of the outputs 38 is input, the position of the scanning distance detector 30 is obtained based on the output. Then, a target position for further lowering the suspended load 16 is grasped from the position. At this time, the arithmetic processing unit 40 controls the scanning of the scanning distance detector 30 by the control signal,
The point (x) on the measurement plane is determined by the output of the scanning distance detector 30.
i, yi). In the storage device 41, the distance from the scanning distance detector 30 to each point (xi, yi) of the measurement plane 33 is calculated or measured and stored in advance (hereinafter, the stored value). Is called a set value).

The arithmetic processing unit 40 includes a scanning distance detector 30
Is compared with the set value of the point corresponding to the output to determine the presence or absence of the first arrival 17. For example, when there is the first load 17, the upper part of the first load 17 protrudes from the measurement plane 33, so that the measured value is smaller than the set value. The arithmetic processing unit 40 compares the two values, and determines that there is the first arrival 17 when the measured value is smaller than the set value. When such a judgment is made, the collision with the first load 17 is avoided, for example, by changing the unloading position of the suspended load 16 to another location. Also, when there is no first arrival 17, the measured value is a distance longer than the set value. The arithmetic processing unit 40 compares the two values, and determines that there is no first arrival 17 when the measured value is longer than the set value.
When such a determination is made, the suspended load 16 is lowered to the target position.

This embodiment has the following advantages because it is configured as described above. (1) Since the scanning distance detector 30 is attached to the tip of the retractable rod 21 attached to the arm 15 of the crane tongue 14, the measurement is performed without being affected by the suspended load 16 or the crane tongue 14. it can. (Advantageous for the optical distance meter system and the image processing system for measuring from the crane main body and the crane club) (2) Since the measurement range can be set to be narrow and optimal, the influence of a load placed freely can be avoided. (Advantageous for the optical distance meter system and image processing system for measuring from the crane body / crane club, and the contact system) (3) The tip of the extendable rod 21 may be slightly protruded from the suspended size of the suspended load 16. Therefore, it is possible to extend the rod 21 in advance, measure the presence / absence of the first load 16 when the traveling is completed, and if there is no travel, start the hanging down of the suspended load 16 and simultaneously reduce the rod 21. For this reason, the efficiency of the crane can be prevented from lowering. (Advantageous for contact type)

(4) By scanning the measurement area by the scanning type distance detector 30, it is possible to measure the maximum possible load existing area of the load freely packed in the storage place. (Advantageous for the optical distance meter system, image processing system, and contact system for measuring from the crane body / club) (5) The vertical position can be adjusted by the telescopic rod 21 and the distance to the minimum height of the first load is adjusted. Since the measurement may be performed, the measurement distance of the scanning distance detector 30 may be short, a low-cost measuring device can be used, and the manufacturing cost is low. (Advantageous to the optical distance meter system that measures from the crane body and crane club) Since it suffices, the measurement time is short. (Advantageous compared to the method of detecting the first-arrival load by attaching a non-contact type shortest distance detector such as an ultrasonic wave to the tip of the retractable rod on the crane tongue arm)

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the telescopic rod is attached to the arm of the crane tong, and the scanning non-contact type distance detector is attached to the tip of the telescopic rod, so that the scanning type is provided. The non-contact distance detector cuts the three-dimensional space formed around the target position for unloading the suspended load, where the maximum first load can exist, at the minimum height of the first load or lower. The distance measurement for the measurement plane formed is performed while scanning, and when the measurement distance is shorter than the set distance of the corresponding point on the measurement plane, it is determined that there is a first arrival, so as described above. Unaffected by suspended loads, crane tongs and freely placed loads, does not reduce the efficiency of the crane, requires a short measuring distance, and requires a short measuring time.
The effect is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a configuration of a crane first-in detecting device and related equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a scanning area of the scanning distance detector of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an arithmetic processing portion of the crane first-in-place detection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example (contact type) of a conventional pre-load detection device and the configuration of related equipment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing another example (optical distance measurement type) of a conventional pre-load detection device and the configuration of related equipment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of still another example (optical image processing type) of a conventional first-arrival detection device and related equipment.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Haruo Odaka 1-2-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Kokan Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toyohiro Yaemoto 1-2-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Kokan Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kaoru Hogaki Fukuyama Kyodo Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A telescopic rod mounted on an arm of a crane tong, a scanning non-contact type distance detector mounted on a tip of the telescopic rod, and formed around a target position for unloading a suspended load. The distance measurement for a measurement plane formed by horizontally cutting a three-dimensional space in which a maximum first-load can exist at the minimum height or a lower height of the first-load is performed by the non-contact distance detector. And a processing unit for judging that there is a first arrival when the measurement distance is shorter than a set distance of a corresponding point on the measurement plane. Detection device.