Sensor trolley and corresponding container crane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11377329-B2
Application number	US-202016800388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

It is provided a sensor trolley for use in a container crane. The sensor trolley includes: a sensor arrangement being usable to determine a position of a target for landing or picking up a container; and the sensor trolley is configured to be movable along a horizontal trolley support of the container crane for the sensor arrangement to cover a plurality of vehicle lanes under the container crane.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor trolley for use in a container crane, the sensor trolley comprising:
a sensor arrangement being usable to determine a position of a target for landing or picking up a container; and
wherein the sensor trolley is configured to be movable along a horizontal trolley support of the container crane for the sensor arrangement to cover a plurality of vehicle lanes under the container crane;
wherein the sensor trolley further comprises a visual indicator for providing indications to vehicles in the vehicle lanes;
wherein the indications comprise an indication to what vehicle lane to use.

2. The sensor trolley according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a LIDAR, Light Detection and Ranging, system.

3. The sensor trolley according to claim 2 , wherein the LIDAR system comprises two LIDARs arranged cross-wise.

4. The sensor trolley according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a camera for identifying vehicles and/or containers.

5. The sensor trolley according to claim 4 , wherein the indications comprise an indication to one of the vehicles that said one vehicle can drive to a position for landing or picking up a container.

6. The sensor trolley according to claim 5 , further comprising an optical reference marker.

7. The sensor trolley according to claim 6 , wherein the optical reference marker comprises an active light source.

8. The sensor trolley according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a camera for identifying vehicles and/or containers.

9. The sensor trolley according to claim 1 , wherein the indications comprise an indication to one of the vehicles that said one vehicle can drive to a position for landing or picking up a container.

10. The sensor trolley according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical reference marker.

11. The sensor trolley according to claim 10 , wherein the optical reference marker comprises an active light source.

12. A container crane comprising:
a spreader configured to controllably attach to a container;
a container trolley to which the spreader is attached via cables, the container trolley being provided on an upper part of the container crane and being horizontally moveable along a first direction;
two horizontal trolley supports provided along the first direction between vertical structures of the container crane; and
a sensor trolley having a sensor arrangement that is usable to determine a position of a target for landing or picking up a container, the sensor trolley being configured to be movable along one of the horizontal trolley supports for the sensor arrangement to cover a plurality of vehicle lanes under the container crane, wherein the sensor trolley has a visual indicator for providing indications to vehicles in the vehicle lanes, wherein the sensor trolley is provided vertically lower than the container trolley;
wherein the indications comprise an indication to what vehicle lane to use.

13. The container crane according to claim 12 , comprising two sensor trolleys, respectively provided such that the sensor trolleys are movable along the two horizontal trolley supports.

14. The container crane according to claim 12 , wherein the horizontal supports are crossbeams.

15. The container crane according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a camera for identifying vehicles and/or containers.

16. The container crane according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a LIDAR, Light Detection and Ranging, system.

17. The container crane according to claim 16 , wherein the LIDAR system comprises two LIDARs arranged cross-wise.

18. The container crane according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor trolley further comprises an optical reference marker.

19. The container crane according to claim 18 , wherein the optical reference marker comprises an active light source.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Henriksson Björn
• Bryfors Uno

Classifications

• B66C13/16 Primary

  Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices (in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08) · CPC title

• B66C13/46 Primary

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

• B66C19/002

  Container cranes (B66C19/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66C11/04

  Underhung trolleys (power-operated hoists with driving motor and drum or barrel contained in a common housing B66D3/20) · CPC title

• B66C19/007

  for containers · CPC title