Lifting support device and method of controlling operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953144-B2
Application number	US-202117528345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2021
Priority date	Apr 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A method of controlling operation of a linear actuator, including maintaining the linear actuator in equilibrium when supporting a first load, determining application of a second load on the linear actuator, and selectively actuating the linear actuator in response to application of the second load on the linear actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling operation of a linear actuator, said method comprising:
maintaining the linear actuator in equilibrium when supporting a first load;
determining application of a second load on the linear actuator; and
selectively actuating the linear actuator in response to application of the second load on the linear actuator by:
causing the linear actuator to extend when the second load applied to the linear actuator is a negative load; and
causing the linear actuator to retract when the second load applied to the linear actuator is a positive load; and

varying a rate of extension and retraction of the linear actuator proportionally as a function of the value of the second load.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein selectively actuating the linear actuator comprises actuating the linear actuator only when a difference between a value of the first load and a value of the second load is greater than a predetermined threshold.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:
determining angling of the linear actuator relative to a vector of gravity; and
adjusting a value of the first load based on the angling of the linear actuator.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising restricting actuation of the linear actuator when the angling of the linear actuator is greater than a maximum tilt angle.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising initiating a paused error state when a zero load is applied at an angle greater than the maximum tilt angle.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein selectively actuating the linear actuator comprises maintaining the linear actuator in equilibrium when the second load is applied at a rate greater than a predetermined threshold.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining application of the second load with a load cell device.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising extending the linear actuator to increase the height of an object coupled to the linear actuator relative to the ground when the second load is a negative load, and retracting the linear actuator to decrease the height of the object relative to the ground when the second load is a positive load.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein varying a rate of extension and retraction comprises extending and retracting the linear actuator at a faster rate as the value of the second load increases.

10. A computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for use in controlling operation of a linear actuator, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
maintain the linear actuator in equilibrium when supporting a first load;
determine application of a second load on the linear actuator; and
selectively actuate the linear actuator in response to application of the second load on the linear actuator by:
causing the linear actuator to extend when the second load applied to the linear actuator is a negative load; and
causing the linear actuator to retract when the second load applied to the linear actuator is a positive load; and

vary a rate of extension and retraction of the linear actuator proportionally as a function of the value of the second load.

11. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to actuate the linear actuator only when a difference between a value of the first load and a value of the second load is greater than a predetermined threshold.

12. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:
determine angling of the linear actuator relative to a vector of gravity; and
adjust a value of the first load based on the angling of the linear actuator.

13. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to restrict actuation of the linear actuator when the angling of the linear actuator is greater than a maximum tilt angle.

14. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to initiate a paused error state when a zero load is applied at an angle greater than the maximum tilt angle.

15. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to extend the linear actuator to increase the height of an object coupled to the linear actuator relative to the ground when the second load is a negative load, and retract the linear actuator to decrease the height of the object relative to the ground when the second load is a positive load.

16. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to maintain the linear actuator in equilibrium when the second load is applied at a rate greater than a predetermined threshold.

17. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to vary a rate of extension by extending and retracting the linear actuator at a faster rate as the value of the second load increases.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kerestes Jason

Classifications

• F16M11/28 Primary

  Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar · CPC title

• B66C1/0256

  Operating and control devices · CPC title

• B66C1/0275

  actuated by lifting action · CPC title

• B66F3/247

  pneumatically actuated (B66F3/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66F3/28

  telescopic · CPC title