Measuring jib length of a crane

• US 9,856,119 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wika Mobile Control GmbH & Co. KG (WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Hirschmann Automation & Control GmbH (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Tordy, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bythrow, Peter M
• Application Number:
  US14/386,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/905 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/02 for measuring length, width, or thickness G01B21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/84 for distance determination by phase measurement

Abstract

Method for determining the overall length (GL) of a jib (1, 4) of a crane in a wear-free manner, characterized in that a signal is coupled in at a first point (2, 5) of the jib (1, 4) and is coupled out at a second point (3, 6) of the jib (1, 4), the overall length (GL) being determined from the time required for the signal to go from the first point (2, 5) to the second point (3, 6).

Claims

1. A method of wear-free determination of an overall length of a jib of a crane, the method comprising the steps of:

feeding a signal into the jib at a first point on the jib;

detecting the signal at a second point on the jib; and

determining the overall length of the jib from the time required for the signal to pass from the first point to the second point.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signals are fed in or out detected at the end faces of the jib.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one signal is fed in or detected at a spacing from an end face of the jib, the method further comprising the step of:

determining the overall length by taking into consideration the spacing between the end and the infeed point.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the jib is a telescopic jib having a plurality of jib sections and the overall length is determined from the individual lengths of the jib sections.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the overall length is carried out before each use of the crane.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the overall length is carried out at a chronologically predetermined interval after each use of the crane.