Crane having a toolless removable battery and progressive function control

• US 9,120,651 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey H. Bailey
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey H. Bailey
• Inventors: Bailey, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US14/055,108
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 414/426, 414/428, 414/680, 414/682, 414/687, 4147441-7443, 180/65.1, 180/65.31, 180/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/54 using cranes for self-loading or self-unloading vehicles for transporting cranes B60P3/28, mobile or traveling cranes B66C
• 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 13/22 for electric drives transmitting control pulses B66C13/40; systems or devices of general application H02P
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/48 Manually-movable jib cranes for use in workshops
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/62 Constructional features or details of dredgers E02F
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/88 Safety gear for cranes in general B66C15/00; for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/90 Devices for indicating or limiting lifting moment
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/905 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/94 for limiting slewing movements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 11/00 Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting or manoeuvring the vehicle B60S9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/00 Safety devices, e.g. for limiting or indicating lifting force
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/00 Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes mobile or transportable lifts in, or associated with, buildings and specially adapted to be shifted from one part of a building or other structure to another part or to another building or structure B66B9/16; cranes B66C
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/06 movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks vehicle aspects B60 - B62; vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading or unloading B60P1/00; low-lift hand trucks for transporting goods B62B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07559 Stabilizing means
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07572 Propulsion arrangements

Abstract

A crane having progressive function control preferably includes the crane, an electronic control device, a load sensor, a boom angle sensor, a boom length sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The load sensor measures a load on the crane boom. The boom angle sensor measures an angle of the crane boom. The boom length sensor measures a length of the crane boom. The steering angle sensor measures an angle of the rear wheel. The load sensor, boom angle sensor, boom length sensor and steering angle sensor are read by the electronic control device. The electronic control device receives inputs from a drive joy stick, a boom angle joy stick and a boom extension joy stick. The electronic control device includes a drive reduction algorithm and a boom reduction algorithm. The algorithms are used to retard inputs from the drive joy stick, boom angle joy stick and boom extension joy stick.

Claims

1. A crane having progressive function control comprising:

a crane including a lengthwise structural member, a pair of front wheels, at least one rear wheel and a crane boom, the front wheels are retained on a front of the lengthwise structural member, the at least one rear wheel is retained at a rear of the lengthwise structural member;

an electronic control device including a drive reduction algorithm;

a load sensor, a boom angle sensor, a boom length sensor, and a steering angle sensor are connected to said electronic control device, said steering angle sensor determines an angle of the at least one rear wheel; and

a drive joy stick is connected to said electronic control device, said drive reduction algorithm receives input from said load sensor, said boom angle sensor, said boom length sensor and said steering angle sensor, said drive reduction algorithm provides a speed reduction factor, said speed reduction factor reduces a maximum travel of the crane, wherein a drive speed, acceleration or deceleration requested by said drive joy stick is retarded by said drive reduction algorithm, if the motion requested by said drive joy stick is greater than a maximum travel value.

2. The crane having progressive function control of claim 1, further comprising:

said pair of front wheels are driven by at least one hydraulic motor.

3. The crane having progressive function control of claim 2, further comprising:

an electrically operated motor valve is connected to said electronic control device, said electronic control device restricts fluid flow through said electrically operated motor valve if said maximum travel value is exceeded by the motion of said drive joy stick.

4. The crane having progressive function control of claim 1, further comprising:

a rear housing is attached to the rear of the lengthwise structural member.

5. The crane having progressive function control of claim 4, further comprising:

a boom mount extends from the rear housing, wherein the crane boom is pivotally retained in the boom mount.

6. The crane having progressive function control of claim 4, further comprising:

a control handle extends from a rear of the rear housing, wherein the control handle turns the at least one rear wheel, the control handle operates the motion of the crane boom, said drive joy stick is located on the control handle.

7. A crane having progressive function control comprising:

a crane including at least three wheels and a crane boom, the crane boom is pivotally retained on the crane;

an electronic control device including a boom reduction algorithm;

a load sensor, a boom angle sensor and a boom length sensor are connected to said electronic control device; and

a boom angle joy stick is connected to said electronic control device, said boom reduction algorithm receives input from said load sensor, said boom angle sensor and said boom length sensor, said boom reduction algorithm provides a boom reduction factor, said boom reduction factor reduces a maximum travel value of the crane, wherein a drive speed, acceleration or deceleration requested by said boom angle joy stick is retarded by said boom reduction algorithm, if the motion requested by said boom angle joy stick is greater than a maximum travel value.

8. The crane having progressive function control of claim 7, further comprising:

an electrically operated boom angle valve is connected to said electronic control device, said electronic control device restricts fluid flow through said electrically operated boom angle valve if said maximum travel value is exceeded by the motion of said boom angle joy stick.

9. The crane having progressive function control of claim 7, further comprising:

the at least three wheels include at least one rear wheel and two front wheels, the two front wheels are retained on a front of a lengthwise structural member, the at least one rear wheel is retained at a rear of the lengthwise structural member.

10. The crane having progressive function control of claim 9, further comprising:

a rear housing is attached to the rear of the lengthwise structural member.

11. The crane having progressive function control of claim 10, further comprising:

a boom mount extends from the rear housing, wherein the crane boom is pivotally retained in the boom mount.

12. The crane having progressive function control of claim 10, further comprising:

a control handle extends from a rear of the rear housing, wherein the control handle turns the at least one rear wheel, the control handle operates the motion of the crane boom, said boom angle joy stick is located on the control handle.

13. The crane having progressive function control of claim 11, further comprising:

a hydraulic lift cylinder having one end pivotally retained by the boom mount below the crane boom, an opposing end of the hydraulic lift cylinder is pivotally retained by the crane boom.

14. A crane having progressive function control comprising:

a crane including at least three wheels and a crane boom, the crane boom is pivotally retained on the crane;

an electronic control device including a boom reduction algorithm;

a load sensor, a boom angle sensor and a boom length sensor are connected to said electronic control device; and

a boom extension joy stick is connected to said electronic control device, said boom reduction algorithm receives input from said load sensor, said boom angle sensor and said boom length sensor, said boom reduction algorithm provides a boom reduction factor, said boom reduction factor reduces a maximum travel value of the crane, wherein a drive speed, acceleration or deceleration requested by said boom extension joy stick is retarded by said boom reduction algorithm, if the motion requested by said boom extension joy stick is greater than said maximum travel value.

15. The crane having progressive function control of claim 14, further comprising:

an electrically operated boom length valve is connected to said electronic control device, said electronic control device restricts fluid flow through said electrically operated boom length valve if said maximum travel value is exceed by the motion of said boom extension joy stick.

16. The crane having progressive function control of claim 14, further comprising:

the at least three wheels include at least one rear wheel and two front wheels, the two front wheels are retained on a front of a lengthwise structural member, the at least one rear wheel is retained at a rear of the lengthwise structural member.

17. The crane having progressive function control of claim 16, further comprising:

a rear housing is attached to the rear of the lengthwise structural member.

18. The crane having progressive function control of claim 17, further comprising:

a boom mount extends from the rear housing, wherein the crane boom is pivotally retained in the boom mount.

19. The crane having progressive function control of claim 17, further comprising:

a control handle extends from a rear of the rear housing, wherein the control handle turns the at least one rear wheel, the control handle operates the motion of said crane boom, said boom extension joy stick is located on the control handle.

20. The crane having progressive function control of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one boom extension cylinder changes a length of the crane boom.