Crawler crane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934138-B2
Application number	US-201816057678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2018
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a crawler crane comprising at least one camera system, wherein the camera system is adapted to detect data relating to the relative position of the crawler crane to a suspended ballast and/or to at least one travelable ballast wagon.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system of a crawler crane and ballast wagon, comprising:
the ballast wagon being self-propelled and detached from the crawler crane,
at least one camera system, wherein the at least one camera system is configured to detect data of a distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon along the ground, and
at least one control or regulator configured to initiate or end movement of the crawler crane and propel the ballast wagon to minimize a difference between a target distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon and the detected distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon.

2. The crawler crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera system is arranged in an upper region of a derrick boom of the crawler crane.

3. The crawler crane in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a respective at least one marker is arranged at one or more of the crawler crane, the suspended ballast, and the ballast wagon and is configured to generate at least one interval signal.

4. The crawler crane in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the at least one marker is configured to output light signals by means of which it can be identified.

5. The crawler crane in accordance with claim 3 , wherein two markers are arranged at one or more of the crawler crane, the suspended ballast, and the ballast wagon, with the two markers arranged at the crawler crane being arranged at a position defined with respect to an axis of rotation of the crawler crane.

6. The crawler crane in accordance with claim 5 , wherein spacing of the two markers is stored in the control/regulator and is compared with the data detected by the at least one camera system by the control/regulator to determine an error case.

7. A system comprising the crawler crane in accordance with claim 1 , and at least one additional ballast wagon.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the ballast wagon comprises at least one marker.

9. A method of operating a crawler crane,
the crawler crane comprising at least one camera system,
detecting data of a position of the crawler crane relative to self-propelled ballast wagon separate from the crawler crane,
determining a distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon using the camera system, and
moving the crawler crane and propelling the ballast wagon, the movement initiated or ended by a controller to minimize a difference between a target relative distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon along the ground and the determined relative distance between the crawler crane to the ballast wagon.

10. A method of operating a crawler crane:
the crawler crane comprising at least one camera system,
detecting a distance between the crawler crane and the self-propelled ballast wagon along the ground with the at least one camera system, wherein the ballast wagon is separate from the crawler crane, and
propelling the travelable ballast wagon on a basis of the detected distance between the crawler crane and the ballast wagon.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one camera system is arranged in a head piece of a derrick boom of the crawler crane.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein two markers are arranged at one or more of the crawler crane, the suspended ballast, and the ballast wagon, with the two markers being arranged at the crawler crane symmetrical to a crane axis of the crawler crane and at a position defined with respect to an axis of rotation of the crawler crane.

Assignees

• Liebherr Werk Ehingen

Inventors

• Bohnacker Roland

Classifications

• B66C13/46 Primary

  Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements · CPC title

• B66C23/76

  and movable to take account of variations of load or of variations of length of jib · CPC title

• B60R2300/8093

  for obstacle warning · CPC title

• B66C23/36

  mounted on road or rail vehicles; Manually-movable jib-cranes for use in workshops; Floating cranes (with pneumatic or hydraulic motors B66C23/54; vehicle or ship aspects B60 - B63) · CPC title

• B66C23/88

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