METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AVOIDING COLLISIONS IN CRANES

• US 20190308852A1
• Filed: 06/27/2017
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: HEIMANN, Thomas, BALS, MARCEL, ROTTMANN, AXEL
• Granted Patent: US 11,167,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 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 Class Codes: B66C 13/18 Control systems or devices exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 15/045 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/007 for containers

Abstract

In a method for preventing a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, a height profile of the obstacle is captured along a trajectory of movement of the load by at least two sensors for distance measurement. Signals of the sensors are transmitted via at least two communication channels to a controller having at least two operating systems. At least one of the operating systems has a safety program in a secure area. The obstacle is identified along the trajectory via the height profile. The controller includes a secure communications interface for transmitting signals from the controller to a crane control.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method for avoiding a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, comprising:

acquiring a height profile of the obstacle along a trajectory of movement of the load by a plurality sensors for distance measurement;

sending signals of the sensors via at least two communication channels to a controller with at least two operating systems, of which at least one of the at least two operating systems includes a safety program in a secure region; and

identifying the obstacle along the trajectory on the basis of the height profile.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing the height profile in the secure region.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising sending a secure stop signal to a crane control by the safety program, when the obstacle is acquired within a first clearance from the load in a direction of movement of the load.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising adapting a size of the first clearance to a speed of the load.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising sensing a secure brake signal to a crane control by the safety program when the obstacle is acquired within a second clearance from the load in a direction of movement of the load.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising adapting a size of the second clearance to a speed of the load.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising adapting the trajectory to the height profile.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

acquiring a position of the load by at least one of the sensors;

comparing the position of the load with a known position; and

checking, when the position of the load differs from the known position, a functionality of the at least one of the sensors for distance measurement and/or of a measuring system, with which the known position has been determined.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising determining a range of visibility by at least one of the sensors.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein at least two computing units are used as controller.

35. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

measuring distances along lines which intersect at at least one point of intersection by least two of the sensors; and

using the measured values at the at least one point of intersection for validating a secure measured value.

47. A computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer program, when loaded into a controller and executed by the controller, causes the controller to perform a method as set forth in claim 25.

48. A computer-readable medium, having stored thereon a computer program with instructions that, when executed by a controller, causes the controller to perform a method for avoiding a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, as set forth in claim 25.

36. A system for avoiding a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for distance measurement, said sensors being configured to acquire a height profile along a trajectory of movement of the load;

a controller including at least two operating systems, of which at least one of the operating systems includes a safety program in a secure region;

at least two communication channels for transmitting signals of the sensors to the controller; and

a secure communication interface configured to transmit signals from the controller to a crane control.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured as a 2D laser scanner.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured as a 3D laser scanner.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein two of the sensors measure distances along lines which form at least one right angle.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one sensor is configured as a multibeam laser.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the operating systems is real-time-capable.

42. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured for arrangement on a trolley of the crane.

43. The system of claim 36, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured for arrangement on a container spreader of the crane.

44. The system of claim 36, wherein the controller comprises at least two computing units.

45. The system of claim 36, wherein at least two of the sensors measure distances along lines which intersect at at least one point of intersection, and wherein the measured values at the at least one point of intersection are used for validating a secure measured value.

46. A crane, comprising a system for avoiding a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, said system comprising a plurality of sensors for distance measurement, said sensors being configured to acquire a height profile along a trajectory of movement of the load, a controller including at least two operating systems, of which at least one of the operating systems includes a safety program in a secure region, at least two communication channels for transmitting signals of the sensors to the controller, and a secure communication interface configured to transmit signals from the controller to a crane control.