Control of vertical movement of hoisting rope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11208305-B2
Application number	US-201816499156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A device in connection with a hoisting rope of a hoisting device includes a main suspension element to suspend a sheave or wedge socket supporting the hoisting rope to a fastening structure of a body of the hoisting device and a detector for detecting an external vertical force acting on the hoisting rope.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for controlling the vertical movement of a hoisting rope in connection with a hoisting rope of a hoisting device comprising:
a main suspension element to suspend a sheave or wedge socket supporting the hoisting rope to a fastening structure of a hoisting device body;
a detector for detecting the distance between the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, or a change in the distance, wherein an external vertical force acting on the hoisting rope is detectable by the detector; and
a control unit configured to move the hoisting rope in a vertical direction based on the detected distance or the change in the distance.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an auxiliary suspension element attached in relation to the sheave or wedge socket in such a manner that the movement of the sheave or wedge socket is in each case transmitted to the auxiliary suspension element; and
at least one element flexible in at least a longitudinal direction thereof, arranged to extend between the auxiliary suspension element and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body and in a direct or indirect contact with the auxiliary suspension element and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body such that the spring force of the flexible element acts on both the auxiliary suspension element and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body,
wherein the flexible element is displaceable by applying an external vertical force on the hoisting rope, and wherein said external vertical force may be detected on the basis of the distance, or a change therein, between the sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the elastic constant of the flexible element is chosen such that an external vertical force of the magnitude of 5 N applied on the hoisting rope is sufficient to displace the flexible element in such a manner that the detection means detect a change in the distance between the sheave or wedge socket and the hoisting device body, caused by the change in length of the flexible element, but that an external vertical force of the magnitude of 100 N applied on the hoisting rope is not sufficient to displace the flexible element into an extreme position of the flexible element.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the flexible element comprises a spring.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary suspension element is arranged fixedly in relation to the main suspension element and on the opposite side of the main suspension element in relation to the suspendable sheave or wedge socket in such a manner that at least part of the auxiliary suspension element is arranged at a distance from the main suspension element.

6. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary suspension element is arranged movably in relation to the main suspension element and substantially immovably in relation to the suspendable sheave or wedge socket, and on the same side as the sheave of wedge socket in relation to the fastening structure of the hoisting device body.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detector detects an external vertical force applied on the hoisting rope, and
wherein said detector comprises at least one of a strain gauge, force sensor, distance sensor, pressure sensor, inductive distance sensor, ultrasonic sensor, capacitive sensor, magnetic inductive sensor, cable pull sensor, Hall sensor, optical distance sensor, sensor based on a conductor, laser measurement, and microswitch arrangement.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising
a hoisting mechanism for moving the hoisting rope,
wherein the control unit is adapted to control the hoisting mechanism to move the hoisting rope in the vertical direction in response to at least detecting an external vertical force applied on the hoisting rope.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
a remote controller, providing a user interface by means of which an operator is able to affect the remote controller in order to give control commands to the control unit,
wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the hoisting mechanism to move the hoisting rope in the vertical direction in response to simultaneous detection of an external vertical force applied on the hoisting rope and detection of a control command given by means of the user interface of the remote controller.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
determine a reference value for the distance between the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body in response to detecting a control command given with the user interface of the remote controller; and
control the hoisting rope to go up or down in response to the direction of the change of the distance between the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, compared to the reference value.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
determine a speed of movement of the hoisting rope in response to the magnitude of the change of the distance between the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, compared to the reference value.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
detect a manual lightening of the hoisting rope on the basis of the change of the distance between the sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, detected by the detection means, compared to a neutral position where no external force is acting on the hoisting rope; and
control the hoisting mechanism to lift the hoisting rope in response to the manual lightening of the hoisting rope.

13. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
detect manual pulling down of the hoisting rope on the basis of the changing of the distance between the sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, detected by the detection means, compared to a neutral position where no external force is acting on the hoisting rope; and
control the hoisting mechanism to lower the hoisting rope in response to the manual pulling of the hoisting rope.

14. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further adapted to:
detect a load on the hoisting rope in response to a dis-placement of the flexible element to a position where the suspendable sheave or wedge socket has settled to be entirely supported by the main suspension element, wherein a compressed position is detected on the basis of the distance, or a change therein, be-tween the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body; and
interrupt the control of the vertical movement of the hoisting rope, which is based on the distance, or a change therein, between the suspendable sheave or wedge socket and the fastening structure of the hoisting device body, in response to detecting that a load has been provided on the hoisting rope.

15. A method for controlling the vertical movement of a hoisting rope of a hoisting device, wherein the device in accordance with claim 1 has been arranged in connection with the sheave or wedge socket supporting the hoisting rope of the hoisting device, to detect an external vertical force directed on the hoisting rope of the hoisting device,

Assignees

• Konecranes Global Corp

Inventors

• Kerovuori Juhani
• Lähteenmäki Atte

Classifications

• G01L5/00

  Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• B66D1/46 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• B66D3/18

  Power-operated hoists · CPC title

• B66C13/18 Primary

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

• B66D1/40

  Control devices · CPC title