Microprocessor-controlled hoist system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A load handling hoist system comprising:
- load handling means for raising and lowering a load;
microprocessor means for generating command signals controlling the raising and lowering of a load by said load handling means in accord with a program which controls operation of the load handling means;
operator controlled means for entering instructing data into said microprocessor means to produce said command signals in accord with said program whereby the hoist system is correspondingly controlled by said microprocessor means to raise and lower a load;
sensor means for generating periodic output signals indicative of increments of raising and lowering movements of the load handling means;
said microprocessor means being programmed to identify vertical load travel limits under instruction data from said operator controlled means and to output command data when those limits are reached during subsequent operation so as to terminate load travel in correspondence with such limits; and
said operator controlled means entering creep command data into said microprocessor means under control of an operator and said microprocessor means being programmed to generate time-separated load lowering command signals in response to said creep command data and said output signals from said sensor means.
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Abstract
Load position limits and incremental lowering of a load are controlled by a microprocessor forming an interface between an operator'"'"'s control station and the hoist. Other hoist status conditions such as underspeed and overspeed of the hoist motor are detected by the microprocessor based upon hoist speed during the position limit setting cycle. Still other hoist status data such a motor overheating, number of power-up cycles, number of under and overspeed shut-downs, number of power failures, etc. are input to the microprocessor and all such data as up-dated are entered into a non-volatile memory which, when extracted, permits maintenance scheduling.
78 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A load handling hoist system comprising:
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load handling means for raising and lowering a load; microprocessor means for generating command signals controlling the raising and lowering of a load by said load handling means in accord with a program which controls operation of the load handling means; operator controlled means for entering instructing data into said microprocessor means to produce said command signals in accord with said program whereby the hoist system is correspondingly controlled by said microprocessor means to raise and lower a load; sensor means for generating periodic output signals indicative of increments of raising and lowering movements of the load handling means; said microprocessor means being programmed to identify vertical load travel limits under instruction data from said operator controlled means and to output command data when those limits are reached during subsequent operation so as to terminate load travel in correspondence with such limits; and said operator controlled means entering creep command data into said microprocessor means under control of an operator and said microprocessor means being programmed to generate time-separated load lowering command signals in response to said creep command data and said output signals from said sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. In a load handling hoist system, the combination of:
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a reversible electric motor and actuating means for electrically connecting the motor for operation in relatively opposite directions of rotation; load handling means driven by said motor for raising and lowering a load dependent upon the direction of rotation of said motor; brake means for automatically braking said load handling means when said motor is not actuated; an operator'"'"'s control station including motor control means for operating said hoist through control of said actuating means, and brake release control means for effecting release of said brake means when said motor is not energized whereby to allow a load to self-lower; sensor means associated with said motor for producing an output signal in response to each predetermined small incremental angular rotation of the motor; and microprocessor means having said sensor means output signal as an input and interfacing said control station and its control means with said actuating means and said brake whereby said brake means is automatically actuated when said actuating means is not activated, said brake means is released when said actuating means is activated and for stepwise releasing said brake means under control of said sensor means and in response to command from said brake control means under control of said sensor means and in response to command from said brake release control means. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a load handling hoist system,
microprocessor means for controlling raising, lowering and stationary holding of a load; -
means, including operator controlled means, for generating operation instruction command data; means for entering said operation instruction command data into said microprocessor means so that the microprocessor means controls raising, lowering and stationary holding of the load in response thereto; means for generating load position data; means for entering said load position data into said microprocessor means; sensor means for generating periodic output signals indicative of increments of raising and lowering movements of a load; said microprocessor means being programmed to identify vertical load travel limits under instruction data from said operator controlled means and to output command data when those limits are reached during subsequent operation so as to terminate load travel in correspondence with such limits; and said operator controlled means entering creep command data into said microprocessor means under control of an operator, and said microprocessor means being programmed to generate time-separated load lowering command signals in response to said creep command data and said output signals from said sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. In a hoist system as defined in 9 comprising:
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a motor start winding and a motor speed winding; and said raising and lowering hoist operations include commands for controlling said motor start winding. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. In a load-handling hoist system,
a hoist including prime mover means for raising and lowering a load and brake means for holding a load stationary; -
an operator'"'"'s station including control means for generating instruction data to effect hoist operation; and microprocessor means interfacing said operator'"'"'s station with said hoist and responsive to said instruction data for controlling raising and lowering of the hoist, for establishing upper and lower position limits of the hoist and for intermittently releasing said brake means to allow a load to self-lower in small incremental steps toward and to a final position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a load-handling hoist system,
a hoist including a prime mover, a flexible load-suspending member adapted to be payed in and out by the prime mover, brake means for holding the flexible member stationary when the prime mover is not activated, and an operator'"'"'s pendant connected to the hoist and including a first button depressable to a first position, a second button depressable to first and second positions, and a third button depressable to first and second positions, a "creep" switch actuated by said first button in said first position thereof, an "up" switch actuated by said second button in both positions thereof, a "fast" switch actuated by said second button in said second position thereof, a "down" switch actuated by said third button in both positions thereof, and a "fast" switch actuated by said third button in said second position thereof, a counting switch for providing an output signal in response to each predetermined increment of movement of said flexible member, an "up" relay for causing the prime mover to pay in the flexible member, a "down" relay for causing the prime mover to pay out the flexible member, and a "creep" relay for causing said brake means to disengage, microprocessor means connected between said switches and said relays, said microprocessor means being programmed (A) to establish upper and lower position limits respectively in response to (1) depression of said first button to its first position with said second button depressed to its second position and (2) depression of said first button to its first position with said third button depressed to its second position, (B) to actuate said "up" relay in response to depression of said second button to either of its positions, (C) to actuate said "down" relay in response to depression of said third switch to either of its positions, and (D) to delay activation of said prime mover whenever either of said second and third buttons is released.
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24. In a load-handling hoist system which includes a microprocessor for controlling the hoist system and an operator'"'"'s pendant for providing instructions to the microprocessor,
said microprocessor having four input ports which are accessed by the operator'"'"'s pendant, and means controlled by the operator'"'"'s pendant for providing input signals to a first two of said ports during positive half cycles of line AC and for providing input signals to the other two ports during negative half cycles of line AC, the microprocessor being programmed to set position limits for the hoist system in response to signals at said first two of said ports and one of the other two of said ports, to incrementally lower a load in response to input signals only at one of said first two ports, to raise and lower a load in response to input signals only at one and the other respectively of said other two ports.
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25. A load handling hoist system comprising:
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load handling means for raising and lowering a load and including an electric motor and a brake which is normally actuated; electrically actuated control means for energizing said motor in either one of a selected relatively opposite directions of rotation and for operating said brake to release it whereby a load may be raised and lowered through indefinite distances in operating modes and may be lowered in incremental steps in a creep mode; operator controlled means for controlling said electrically actuated means to raise and lower a load in the operating modes and to lower the load in the creep mode, said operator controlled means including microprocessor means having a plurality of inputs from which different command signals are generated which operate said electrically actuated control means to effect said operating modes and said creep mode, and a plurality of manually operated control means connected to said inputs of the microprocessor means for selecting which of said different command signals will be generated; sensor means for generating periodic output signals indicative of increments of raising and lowering movements of the load handling means; said microprocessor means being programmed to identify vertical load travel limits under instruction data from said operator controlled means and to output command data when those limits are reached during subsequent operation so as to terminate load travel in correspondence with such limits; and said operator controlled means entering creep command data into said microprocessor means under control of an operator and said microprocessor means being programmed to generate time-separated load lowering command signals in response to said creep command data and said output signals from said sensor means.
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26. In a load-handling hoist system, the combination of a hoist having a reversible electric motor and a normally actuated brake;
- an operator'"'"'s station including three control switch means for respectively generating hoist up signals, hoist down signals and incremental hoist lowering signals; and
microprocessor means interfaced between said control switch means and said hoist for converting said hoist up signals into commands to operate said motor in one direction of operation while releasing said brake, to convert said hoist down signals into commands to operate said motor in the opposite direction of rotation while releasing said brake, to convert said incremental lowering signals into intermittent commands to release said brake, and to convert a combination of said incremental lowering signals and one of the hoist up and hoist down signals into an internal command to set load limit positions. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
- an operator'"'"'s station including three control switch means for respectively generating hoist up signals, hoist down signals and incremental hoist lowering signals; and
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29. In a load-handling hoist system, the combination of a hoist having a reversible electric motor and brake means for normally holding a load stationary when the motor is not energized;
- an operator'"'"'s station comprising a pendant having individual control means for respectively commanding said motor to raise a load, for commanding said motor to lower a load, and for initiating a sequence of brake means release operations to lower a load in incremental steps; and
microprocessor means responsive to operation of said individual control means for effecting energization of said motor to raise a load, for effecting energization of said motor to lower a load, and for effecting intermittent release of said brake means to lower a load in said incremental steps. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
- an operator'"'"'s station comprising a pendant having individual control means for respectively commanding said motor to raise a load, for commanding said motor to lower a load, and for initiating a sequence of brake means release operations to lower a load in incremental steps; and
Specification