Control switch, control system and method for operating a crane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11208301-B2
Application number	US-201816614304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A control switch for operating a crane. The control switch includes a first interface designed to transfer signals between the control switch and a control unit of the crane. In order to combine, in particular, the robustness and operating reliability of the control switch desired in industrial use with increased functional scope in a cost-effective way, the control switch is provided with a second interface designed to transfer signals between a mobile terminal and the control switch in order to add functions of the mobile terminal to the functional scope of the control switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for operating a crane, said control system comprising:
a mobile device comprising a tablet computer or a smartphone;
a control switch for operating primary functions the crane including lifting and lowering of a load picking-up apparatus of the crane, wherein the control switch comprises:
(i) a first interface configured for transmitting signals between the control switch and a control unit of the crane; and
(ii) a second interface configured for transmitting signals between the mobile device and the control switch;

wherein the mobile device is connected to the control unit in a signal-transmitting manner during operability of the crane via the second interface, the control switch, and the first interface; and
wherein functions of the mobile device are operable to extend the functional scope of the control switch beyond the primary functions of the crane, the extended functional scope including at least one chosen from:
i) retrieving instructions stored in a database;
ii) interfacing with the Internet to display circuit diagrams, help pages, and replacement parts for the crane, and to provide ordering capability for the replacement parts; and
iii) adjustment of parameters including types of crane operation.

2. The control system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interface is configured for transmitting signals in a wired manner and the second interface is configured for transmitting signals wirelessly.

3. The control system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second interface is configured for transmitting signals between the mobile device and the control switch by near field communication (NFC).

4. The control system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interface is configured for transmitting signals between the control switch and the control unit by a serial bus system (CAN).

5. The control system of claim 1 , further in combination with a crane.

6. A method for operating a crane comprising a control system as claimed in claim 1 , said method comprising connecting a control switch that is connected to a control unit of the crane in a signal-transmitting manner to a mobile device in a signal-transmitting manner, wherein the functional scope of the control switch is extended by software-based functions of the mobile device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising reading out or adjusting current operating data or parameters of the crane by the mobile device.

8. The control system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second interface is configured for transmitting signals between the mobile device and the control switch by near field communication (NFC).

9. The control system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first interface is configured for transmitting signals between the control switch and the control unit by a serial bus system (CAN).

10. The control system of claim 9 , further in combination with a crane.

11. The control system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first interface is configured for transmitting signals between the control switch and the control unit by a serial bus system (CAN).

12. The control system of claim 2 , further in combination with a crane.

13. The control system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first interface is configured for transmitting signals between the control switch and the control unit by a serial bus system (CAN).

14. The control system of claim 3 , further in combination with a crane.

15. The control system of claim 4 , further in combination with a crane.

16. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is operable to control the primary functions the crane including lifting and lowering of the load picking-up apparatus.

Assignees

• Konecranes Global Corp

Inventors

• Krebs Wolfgang
• Lindenau Thomas
• Woidneck Frederick
• Woldt Marco
• Persico Giuliano
• Freitag Holger
• Elspass Stefan

Classifications

• B66C17/00

  Overhead travelling cranes comprising one or more substantially horizontal girders the ends of which are directly supported by wheels or rollers running on tracks carried by spaced supports · CPC title

• B66C13/44

  Electrical transmitters · CPC title

• G08C17/04

  using magnetically coupled devices · CPC title

• G08C19/00

  Electric signal transmission systems (G08C17/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66C13/40 Primary

  Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices (control in general G05) · CPC title