Crane 3D workspace spatial techniques for crane operation in proximity of obstacles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10822208-B2
Application number	US-201815902111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method for controlling a crane component of a tower crane in proximity of obstacles at a worksite by defining a forbidden volume is disclosed. In the method a distance from the crane component to an outer surface of the forbidden volume is determined and a computing device limits movement of the crane component based on the distance from the crane component to the outer surface of the forbidden volume to avoid entering the forbidden volume with the crane component while the crane is in operation. The crane component is one or more of a boom and a hook block.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a crane component of a tower crane in proximity of obstacles at a worksite, the tower crane comprising a mast, a rotating bed coupled to the mast, a boom mounted on the rotating bed, and a hook block connected to the boom, the method executable by a computing device having a processor and memory, comprising:
saving, in the memory, coordinate data representing a coordinate system at the worksite having an origin at a base of an axis of rotation of the rotating bed and fixed relative to the mast, wherein the boom is rotatable on the axis of rotation;
saving, in the memory, obstacle data representing a forbidden volume in the coordinate system;
saving, in the memory, crane component data representing the location of the crane component; and
limiting movement of the crane component, by the computing device, to avoid the crane component entering the forbidden volume,
wherein the crane component to be controlled is the hook block;
wherein the crane component data includes hook block data represented by a hook block model in the coordinate system to model the hook block, the method further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, a hook block proximity vector using the coordinate data, the obstacle data and the crane component data, the hook block proximity vector representing a minimum distance between a point on the hook block model and the forbidden volume, and
limiting movement of the crane component comprises limiting movement of the hook block based on the hook block proximity vector and a threshold distance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the saving coordinate data comprises saving data representing the axis of rotation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the saving obstacle data comprises inputting data representing the forbidden volume.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the data representing the forbidden volume includes coordinates of at least two points of the forbidden volume.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the forbidden volume is a rectangular prism and the at least two coordinates comprise the front, top left corner of the forbidden volume and the front, top right corner of the forbidden volume.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the coordinates of the least two points of the forbidden volume are identified by positioning the hook block at the at least two points and recording the position of the hook block with a rated capacity limiter (RCL).

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the coordinates of the at least two points of the forbidden volume are identified by using the boom.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein using the boom to identify the at least two coordinates of the forbidden volume comprises:
aiming the boom in a first direction at a front face of the forbidden volume and determining a horizontal distance between the face and the axis of rotation to determine a first vector corresponding to the front face of the forbidden volume;
aiming the boom in a second direction at a front, top left corner of the forbidden volume and determining a second vector corresponding to the second direction of the boom;
intersecting the second vector and the plane to define a first coordinate of the obstacle data;
aiming the boom in a third direction at a front, top right corner of the forbidden volume and determining a third vector corresponding to the third direction of the boom; and
intersecting the third vector and the plane to define a second coordinate of the obstacle data.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein aiming the boom comprises at least one of aligning the boom using a video camera attached to the boom and aligning the boom using a laser pointer attached to the boom.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein limiting movement of the crane component comprises:
establishing the threshold distance as a slowdown threshold distance between the crane component and the forbidden volume; and
changing a crane function responsive to the computed minimum distance between the crane component and the forbidden volume being less than the slowdown threshold distance.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein changing the crane function comprises slowing down the movement of the crane component in at least one direction that moves the crane component closer to the forbidden volume.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein limiting movement of the crane component further comprises:
establishing the threshold distance as a shutdown threshold distance between the crane component and the forbidden volume; and
stopping the movement of the crane component in response to the computed minimum distance between the crane component and the forbidden volume being less than the shutdown threshold distance.

13. The method of claim 3 , wherein the data representing the forbidden volume comprises a building information model, and saving obstacle data comprises aligning the building information model in the coordinate system.

14. The method of claim 4 , wherein the forbidden volume is a prismatic shape and is formed based on the two coordinates.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the boom is a luffing jib and the hook block is suspended from a free end of the luffing jib.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the boom is a hammerhead jib and a trolley is coupled to and configured for movement along the hammerhead jib, wherein the hook block is suspended from and movable with the trolley.

17. A system for controlling a crane component of a tower crane in proximity of obstacles at a worksite, the tower crane comprising a mast, a rotating bed on the mast, a boom mounted on the rotating bed, and a hook block connected to the boom, the system comprising:
a crane control system configured to control operation of the crane component;
a processor in operable communication with the crane control system; and
memory in operable communication with the processor, the memory storing data comprising:
data representing a coordinate system having an origin at a base of an axis of rotation of the rotating bed and fixed relative to the mast;
data representing the crane component;
data representing a forbidden volume; and
computer executable instructions for execution by the processor, the computer executable instructions configured to calculate a minimum distance between the crane component and the forbidden volume based on the data representing the crane component and the data representing the forbidden volume, and to cause the crane control system to

control movement of the crane component based on the calculated minimum distance,
wherein the data representing the crane component includes hook block data represented by a hook block model in the coordinate system to model the hook block; and
wherein controlling movement of the crane component includes controlling movement of the hook block to avoid the hook block entering the forbidden volume.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to determine at least two coordinates of the forbidden volume.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the boom is used to determine the at least two coordinates.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a boom aiming system for aiming the boom at the at least two coordinates of the forbidden volume.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the boom aiming system comprises a system selected from the group consisting of a laser pointer and a video camera system.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein th

Assignees

• Manitowoc Crane Companies Llc

Inventors

• Schoonmaker Stephen J

Classifications

• B66C23/94 Primary

  for limiting slewing movements · CPC title

• B66C15/04

  for preventing collisions, e.g. between cranes or trolleys operating on the same track · CPC title

• B66C23/90

  Devices for indicating or limiting lifting moment · CPC title

• B66C23/88

  Safety gear (for cranes in general B66C15/00; for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/54) · CPC title

• B66C23/905

  electrical · CPC title