Construction machine, in particular a crane, and method for the control thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11119467-B2
Application number	US-201716091992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2017
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A construction machine, in particular in the form of a crane such as a revolving tower crane, having a control apparatus for controlling at least one piece of work equipment of the construction machine using a structure data model that includes digital information on a structure to be erected and/or to be worked. A method of controlling such a construction machine with the aid of digital data from such a structure data model. The construction machine has a data exchange module connectable to the master construction site computer for the exchange of digital data with a master construction site computer, with the data exchange module having reading and/or writing means for reading and/or writing access to the master construction site computer. The construction machine carries out at least individual work steps such as the traveling of a construction element in automated manner using digital data from the master construction site computer. A control module that can be positioned at the load suspension means and/or at the construction element to be traveled and that can be configured as a wearable, in particular in the form of gloves having integrated movement control sensors is provided for the fine positioning.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A construction machine having a construction machine control apparatus for controlling pieces of working equipment of the construction machine comprising:
a data communication device connected to a master construction site computer and configured to receive and process digital information from a structure data model to which the master construction site computer has access;
a control configuration module configured to influence at least one control function of the construction machine control apparatus in dependence on the received digital information from the structure data model;
a detection apparatus configured to automatically detect and/or identify:
the presence of a construction element of a structure to be erected and/or to be worked by the construction machine when the construction element is located in a pick-up region and/or working range of the construction machine; and
an actual state of the structure to be erected and/or to be worked by the construction machine;
wherein the detection apparatus comprises one or more of a camera, an imaging sensor and an RFID reader;

a construction phase determination module configured to automatically determine an actual construction phase by comparing the actual state of the structure with digital information from the structure data model;
a determinator configured to automatically determine, in dependence on digital information from the structure data model and the determined actual construction phase:
a next construction element of the structure to be erected and/or to be worked by the construction machine; and
an installed position of the next construction element;

wherein the control configuration module is further configured to display, at the construction machine or at a control station for the remote control of the construction machine, a representation of:
the actual state of the structure;
the next construction element; and
the installed position of the next construction element.

2. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a travel module for the automated traveling of the detected and/or identified construction element with reference to position coordinates of the detected and/or identified construction element provided by the master construction site computer.

3. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the data communication device is further configured to provide digital information relating to the working of the detected and/or identified construction element in dependence on the detected and/or identified construction element from the structure data model to the construction machine control apparatus; and
wherein the control configuration module is further configured to automatically carry out a working step relating to the detected and/or identified construction element on the basis of digital information provided by the structure data model.

4. The construction machine in accordance with claim 3 , wherein digital information from the structure data model comprise position data that indicate a destination of the detected and/or identified construction element and/or travel path data that indicate a travel path of the detected and/or identified construction element; and
wherein the control configuration module is further configured to raise and/or to travel the construction machine automatically in dependence on the position data and/or travel path data.

5. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a load suspension means for picking up the detected and/or identified construction element and having a coupling part that is automatic and/or actuable by external energy and that is automatically releasable and/or closable by the construction machine control apparatus.

6. The construction machine in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a rotational apparatus for rotating the load suspension means of the construction machine about an upright axis of rotation;
wherein the construction machine control apparatus is configured to actuate the rotational apparatus with reference to digital information from the master construction site computer.

7. The construction machine in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a travel control module that can be positioned at the load suspension means of the construction machine and/or at a construction element suspended thereon and to be traveled and has at least one operating element whose actuation axis coincides with a travel axis of the construction machine.

8. The construction machine in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the travel control module is integrated in a wearable configured to be worn by a machine operator of the construction machine.

9. The construction machine in accordance with claim 8 further comprising at least one operating element of the travel control module integrated in a glove configured to be worn by the machine operator when gripping the load suspension means of the construction machine and/or the construction element suspended thereon and to be traveled.

10. The construction machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the travel control module is configured for wireless communication with the construction machine control apparatus.

11. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the construction machine control apparatus is configured to automatically travel a suspended load from a load pick-up point to an installation point or place-down point using position data from the master construction site computer; and
wherein the position data comprise location coordinates in a three-dimensional coordinate system and an angle coordinate that indicates the orientation of the suspended load about an upright axis of rotation.

12. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control configuration module is configured to display a virtual representation of the actual state of the structure, the next construction element and the installed position of the next construction element.

13. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control configuration module is further configured to change a working range boundary function taken into account by the construction machine control apparatus in dependence on digital information from the structure data model.

14. The construction machine in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the control configuration module is further configured to automatically update and/or to automatically adapt cyclically or continuously the working range boundary function in dependence on construction progresses at the structure to be erected and/or to be worked while taking account of digital information from the structure data model.

15. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a collision determination module for comparing machine data of the construction machine that characterize an installation location and/or the working range of the construction machine with structure data from the structure data model that characterize contours and/or topographic structure surrounding contours of the structure to be erected and/or to be worked by the construction machine;
wherein the control configuration module is further configured to adapt a working range boundary function taken into account by the construction machine control apparatus in dependence on digital information from the structure data model on the basis of the comparison by the collision determination module.

16. The construction machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the data communicati

Assignees

• Liebherr Werk Biberach Gmbh

Inventors

• Stanger Norbert

Classifications

• E02F9/24

  Safety devices {, e.g. for preventing overload (E02F9/226 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B66C13/46

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

• B66C15/045

  electrical · CPC title

• B66C13/18 Primary

  Control systems or devices (exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40) · CPC title

• G05B2219/34205

  Modular construction, plug-in module, lsi module · CPC title