Large manipulator

• US 8,281,811 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Putzmeister Engineering GmbH
• Original Assignee: Putzmeister Engineering GmbH
• Inventors: Rau, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US12/449,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20100139792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: 137/615, 137/556.3, 137/556, 137/553, 251/129.04, 141/387, 744/900.1, 340/12.51, 340/4.3
• US Class Current: 137/615
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/44 and applying frictional forces
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/063 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/08 for depositing loads in desired attitudes or positions
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/40 Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/44 Electrical transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/04 Devices for both conveying and distributing concrete pumps F04
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0436 on a mobile support, e.g. truck
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0463 with boom control mechanisms, e.g. to automate concrete distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8275 Indicator element rigidly carried by the movable element whose position is indicated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8807 Articulated or swinging flow conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm

Abstract

A large manipulator, especially a truck-mounted concrete pump, has a boom base that can be arranged on a frame so as to be pivoted about a substantially vertical axis of rotation. The large manipulator has a pendular element, that hangs down as an articulated boom and a control device for controlling the drive units of the axes of articulation and rotation of the articulated boom. The remote control has at least one inclination sensor which is housed in a housing that is detachably fastened on the pendular element. Two inclination sensors are housed in the housing and are bent at an angle of 90° with respect to each other and with respect to an axis that is parallel to the pendular element axis. The housing has a mark indicating the orientation of at least one of the inclination sensors inside the housing.

Claims

1. Large manipulator having a mast base that can be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation, via at least one drive unit, and is disposed on a frame, having an articulated mast composed of at least two mast arms, which mast arms can be pivoted, in limited manner, relative to the mast base or an adjacent mast arm, about horizontal articulation axes that are parallel to one another, in each instance, via another drive unit, in each instance, having a pendulum element that hangs down from a mast tip, having first and second setting elements disposed in a control device, and having a computer-assisted coordinate sensor that responds to output signals of the first and second setting elements, and activates the drive units of the articulation and rotation axes of the articulated mast in accordance with an adjustment path that is displayed via the first and second setting elements, relative to the current position of the mast tip, whereby the mast tip can follow the spatial movements of the pendulum element, and whereby the first and second setting elements have respective first and second inclination sensors disposed in a housing, said housing being releasably attached to the pendulum element, wherein the first and second inclination sensors are angled by an angle of 90°

relative to one another, about an axis parallel to the pendulum element axis, and wherein the housing has a marking that indicates the orientation of at least one of the first and second inclination sensors within the housing.

2. Large manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the articulated mast is configured as a concrete distributor mast, and wherein a concrete feed line is guided by way of the mast arms, which feed line opens, at its end, into an end hose that hangs down from the mast tip and forms the pendulum element.

3. Large manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inclination sensors are disposed on respective first and second accommodation parts that are angled at 90°

relative to one another, of a support plate embedded in the interior of the housing.

4. Large manipulator according to claim 3, wherein the support plate has another accommodation part that carries the evaluation electronics connected with the first and second inclination sensors.

5. Large manipulator according to claim 3, wherein the rigid support plate with its parts that are situated on the accommodation parts is embedded in the housing, which comprises an elastomer material.

6. Large manipulator according to claim 2, wherein belts are disposed on or formed onto two ends of the housing that face away from one another, with which belts the housing can be fixed in place on the end hose, in the manner of a sensor belt, so that the housing cannot be rotated or displaced.

7. Large manipulator according to claim 1, wherein the marking is configured as a line marking that is disposed on the housing surface and oriented in the extension direction of the articulated mast.

8. Large manipulator according to claim 6, having a feed amount regulator for a concrete pump that can be activated via at least one other setting element, wherein the additional setting element is situated in the housing disposed fixed in place on an end hose or on the sensor belt, and is connected with the concrete pump by way of a signal link, and on the input side, communicates, without contact, with an external activation organ.

9. Large manipulator according to claim 8, wherein the additional setting element has at least two setting inputs that correspond to a feed amount increase or decrease, which can be activated without contact, by way of a radio link.

10. Large manipulator according to claim 9, wherein the radio link comprises at least one RFID transponder as the triggering organ, as well as an RFID reader fixed in place on the pendulum element or end arm.

11. Large manipulator according to claim 10, wherein the at least one RFID transponder transmits an identity and base data packet to the remote control device, by way of the RFID reader, during every transmission process.

12. Large manipulator according to claim 9, wherein an RFID reader is assigned to each setting input.

13. Large manipulator according to claim 10, wherein the at least one RFID transponder is integrated into a work glove of an operator.

14. Large manipulator according to claim 6, further comprising a radio remote control device having multiple control units that communicate with a mast drive and/or a pump drive by way of a radio link, whereby the control units of the radio remote control device and the setting elements in the housing affixed to the pendulum element, or in the sensor belt, can optionally be activated by way of a switching element, from the radio remote control device.

15. Large manipulator according to claim 14, wherein the radio remote control device carries an RFID transponder, the content of which can be read and identified by way of an RFID reader disposed in the housing affixed to the pendulum element or to the sensor belt.

16. Large manipulator according to claim 14, wherein an RFID transponder is disposed in the housing affixed to the pendulum element or in the sensor belt, the content of which can be read and identified by way of an RFID reader disposed in the remote control device.

17. Large manipulator having a mast base that can be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation, via a drive unit, and is disposed on a frame, having an articulated mast composed of at least two mast arms, which mast arms can be pivoted, in limited manner, relative to the mast base or an adjacent mast arm, about horizontal articulation axes that are parallel to one another, in each instance, via another drive unit, in each instance, having a pendulum element that hangs down from a mast tip, having a setting element disposed on a remote control device, and having a computer-assisted coordinate sensor that responds to output signals of the setting element, and activates the drive units of the articulation and rotation axes of the articulated mast in accordance with an adjustment path that is displayed via the setting element, relative to the current position of the mast tip, whereby the mast tip can follow the spatial movements of the pendulum element, wherein the remote control device has a first three-dimensional inertial sensor that is fixed in place on the end hose as a setting element, and a second three-dimensional inertial sensor that is fixed in place on the frame as a reference element for determining the current frame-fixed pendulum element coordinates, and wherein the coordinate sensor responds to the output data issued by the two inertial sensors, forming control signals for the drive units of the axes of rotation and articulation.

18. Large manipulator according to claim 17, wherein the articulated mast is configured as a concrete distributor mast, and wherein a concrete feed line is guided by way of the mast arms, which feed line opens, at its end, into an end hose that hangs down from the mast tip and forms the pendulum element.

19. Large manipulator according to claim 17, wherein the inertial sensors comprise a number of gyroscope units and/or gravitation sensors that corresponds to the number of degrees of freedom.

20. Remote control device for fixation on an end hose of a concrete pump that has a concrete distributor mast having a housing and having first and second setting elements disposed in the housing, the first and second setting elements being configured as first and second inclination sensors, respectively, and evaluation electronics that respond to output signals of the first and second setting elements, wherein the first and second inclination sensors are angled at an angle of 90°

relative to one another, about a housing axis, and are disposed in the interior of the housing, and wherein the housing carries a marking that indicates the orientation of at least one of the inclination sensors within the housing.

21. Remote control device according to claim 20, wherein the first and second inclination sensors are respectively disposed on first and second accommodation parts that are angled at 90°

relative to one another, of a support plate embedded in the interior of the housing.

22. Remote control device according to claim 21, wherein the support plate has another accommodation part that carries the evaluation electronics, which is disposed between the first and second accommodation parts that respectively carry the first and second inclination sensors, and angled relative to the first and second accommodation parts.

23. Remote control device according to claim 21, wherein the support plate with its parts that are situated on the first and second accommodation parts is embedded in the housing, which comprises an elastomer material.

24. Remote control device according to claim 20, wherein belts are disposed on or formed onto two ends of the housing that face away from one another, with which belts the housing can be fixed in place on the end hose, in the manner of a sensor belt, so that the housing cannot be rotated or displaced.

25. Remote control device according to claim 20, wherein the marking is configured as a line marking that is disposed on the housing surface.

26. Remote control device according to claim 20, wherein an additional setting element is disposed in the housing, which, on the input side, communicates, without contact, with an external activation organ.

27. Remote control device according to claim 26, wherein the additional setting element has at least two setting inputs that correspond to a feed amount increase or decrease, which can be activated without contact, by way of a radio link.

28. Remote control device according to claim 27, wherein the radio link comprises at least one RFID transponder as the triggering organ, as well as an RFID reader fixed in place on the end arm.

29. Remote control device according to claim 28, wherein the at least one RFID transponder transmits an identity and base data packet, by way of the RFID reader, during every transmission process.

30. Remote control device according to claim 27, wherein an RFID reader is assigned to every setting input.

31. Remote control device according to claim 28, wherein the at least one RFID transponder is integrated into a work glove of an operator.

32. Remote control device for fixation on an end hose of a concrete pump that has a concrete distributor mast having a housing and having at least one setting element disposed in the housing, which responds to a deflection of the end hose, wherein the setting element is configured as a three-dimensional inertial sensor that is fixed in place on the end hose, and wherein a second three-dimensional inertial sensor that is fixed in place on a frame is provided as a reference element for determining the current frame-fixed end hose coordinates.

33. Remote control device according to claim 32, wherein the inertial sensors comprise a number of gyroscope units and/or gravitation sensors that corresponds to the number of degrees of freedom.

34. Remote control device for fixation on an end hose of a concrete pump that has a concrete distributor mast having a housing, having at least one setting element disposed in the housing, configured as an inclination sensor or as a three-dimensional inertial sensor, and evaluation electronics that respond to output signals of the setting element, whereby the housing, which is formed from an elastomer material, is provided with belts at two ends that face away from one another, with which belts the housing can be fixed in place on end hoses having different diameters, in the manner of a sensor belt, so as to prevent rotation and displacement.

35. Remote control device according to claim 34, wherein a marking is disposed on a housing surface of the housing.

36. Remote control device according to claim 34, wherein the belts have a closure for step-wise or step-free adjustment of the belt diameter.

37. Remote control device according to claim 36, wherein the closure is configured as nub/eye closures.

38. Remote control device according to claim 36, wherein the closure is configured as a hook-and-loop closure.