Apparatus configured with a sensor

• US 9,540,217 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konecranes Global Corporation (Konecranes Terex Plc)
• Original Assignee: Konecranes Global Corporation (Konecranes Terex Plc)
• Inventors: Hrknen, Tuomo, Martinkallio, Tuomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/418,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150225209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.16, 340/521, 340/540, 340/669, 340/671, 340/672, 340/679, 340/683, 340/685
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B66D 1/28 Other constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An apparatus is configured with a set of operating instructions and a sensor for monitoring an environment of the apparatus. The environment of the apparatus is monitored for compliance with the set of operating instructions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring an apparatus with a set of operating instructions and at least one sensor for monitoring an environment of the apparatus;

monitoring, using the at least one sensor, the environment of the apparatus using at least two monitoring modes comprising a transportation mode of the apparatus and a deployed mode of the apparatus, wherein the transportation mode has a smaller power consumption than the deployed mode; and

determining, on the basis of characteristics of the environment obtained from the at least one sensor and using the at least two monitoring modes, compliance of the environment with the set of operating instructions of the apparatus.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring at least one characteristic of the environment and sending a result of the measurement to a maintenance centre.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises measuring a plurality of characteristics of the environment in at least two monitoring modes, and the modes comprise different measurements of the plurality of the characteristics.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises at least two modes, and a switch between the modes is determined on the basis of a power source used for the sensor.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises at least two modes, and wireless energy transfer is used to power one or more of the modes.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises at least two modes comprising a monitoring mode for transportation of the apparatus and a monitoring mode for a deployed apparatus, and the transportation mode comprises monitoring whether any limits of a measured characteristics are exceeded, and the deployed mode comprises monitoring whether any limits of a measured characteristic are exceeded and monitoring values of a measured characteristic within the limits.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operating instructions comprise at least one or a combination of items of a group comprising:

operating environment temperature, operating environment humidity and instructions of use.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises measuring one or more characteristics of the environment comprising:

temperature, humidity, corrosion and acceleration.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises measuring acceleration of the apparatus in order to detect external shocks to and collisions of the apparatus, acceleration being preferably measured in three dimensions measured in x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate axes.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises measuring corrosion for determining a corrosive effect of the environment on electrical devices of the apparatus.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a corrosion is measured by a crystal balance, preferably Quartz Crystal Microbalance, and the monitoring comprises:

measuring a change of a characteristic frequency of the crystal balance, wherein the measured change is less than 0.001% per day.

12. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 1.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is one from a group comprising:

a load handling equipment, a hoisting device, a crane, a bridge crane, a gantry crane, a tower crane, and a harbour crane.

16. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 2.

17. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 3.

18. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 4.

19. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 5.

20. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform a method according to claim 6.

14. An apparatus comprising sensors configured to provide data representing an effect of an operating environment of the apparatus on maintenance of the apparatus, the sensors including at least one of:

a corrosion sensor configured to provide data representing a corrosive effect of the environment on electrical devices of the apparatus, and an acceleration sensor configured to provide data of external shocks to and collisions of the apparatus, acceleration being preferably measured in three dimensions measured in x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate axes,

wherein the apparatus is configured to cause monitoring the environment of the apparatus by the sensors and using at least two monitoring modes comprising a transportation mode of the apparatus and a deployed mode of the apparatus, wherein the transportation mode has a smaller power consumption than the deployed mode, and determining, on the basis of characteristics of the environment obtained from the sensors using at least one of the monitoring modes, compliance of the environment with the set of operating instructions of the apparatus.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is one from a group comprising:

a load handling equipment, a hoisting device, a crane, a bridge crane, a gantry crane, a tower crane, and a harbour crane.