Method and apparatus for retrofitting a pedestal crane

• US 9,938,119 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Power Design, Inc
• Original Assignee: Electronic Power Design, Inc
• Inventors: Rowden, Berry Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US14/444,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 700275
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/14 to load-engaging elements or motors associated therewith
• 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 23/16 with jibs supported by columns, e.g. towers having their lower end mounted for slewing movements
• 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 2700/08 Electrical assemblies or electrical control devices for cranes, winches, capstans or electrical hoists
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/08 for raising or lowering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/12 by short-circuit or resistive braking

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for retrofitting a pedestal crane, the method comprising removing an existing motor generator controller for a motor in the pedestal crane; and replacing the motor generator controller with a digital controller.

Claims

1. A method for retrofitting a pedestal crane, the method comprising:

identifying, in a crane auxiliary processor, an existing pedestal crane;

identifying in the crane auxiliary processor, an existing electrical component in the existing pedestal crane;

determining, in the crane auxiliary processor, a replacement electrical component for the existing pedestal crane;

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for removing the existing electrical component;

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present instructions for installing a plurality of replacement electrical components;

determining an electrical power interruption to a direct current hoist motor has occurred;

providing a brake assist current to a shunt field on the direct current hoist motor to produce a counter torque in the direct current hoist motor;

electrically connecting a variable resistance brake assist resistor in series with a dc power supply and the shunt field wherein a brake assist resistance value for the variable resistance brake assist resistor is controlled by a crane processor; and

varying on the crane processor the brake assist resistance value proportionately to a measured hoist hook speed to proportionately increase a brake assist value to proportionately provide counter torque with an increase in hoist hook speed.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

identifying in the crane auxiliary processor an existing motor generator controller for a motor inside of a crane housing in the pedestal crane;

identifying in the crane auxiliary processor existing wiring for the motor generator controller;

determining in the crane auxiliary processor a digital replacement controller for the existing motor generator controller;

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for removing an existing motor;

and

presenting on a crane auxiliary processor present instructions for replacing the motor generator controller with a digital controller.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for enclosing the digital replacement controller in a sealed equipment enclosure.

4. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for installing a first upper limit switch and a second upper limit switch on the pedestal crane, wherein the first upper limit switch contacts a boom before the second upper limit switch contacts the crane boom during upward travel of the crane boom.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for positioning an equipment enclosure inside of the crane housing to create additional space inside of a crane housing.

6. The method of claim 5, the method further comprising:

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for installing a manual push button for engaging a braking resistor during a power outage to produce counter torque on a hoist motor wired to a hoist motor junction box.

7. The system of claim 5, a computer program further comprising:

instructions to present operator instructions for installing a manual push button for engaging a braking resistor during a power outage to produce counter torque on a hoist motor wired to a hoist motor junction box.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for installing an accelerometer on a distal end of a crane boom; and

presenting on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for installing a braking resistor in a hoist motor junction box.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying in a crane auxiliary processor an existing motor generator controller for a motor inside of a crane housing in the pedestal crane further comprises:

receiving an image at the crane auxiliary processor; and

performing image recognition at the auxiliary crane processor to identify an existing motor generator controller.

10. The method of claim 1, presenting on the auxiliary controller present a schematic diagram of a plurality of electrical elements for the replacement electrical component;

accepting at the auxiliary controller, a user input indicating a selection of a selected element as one of the plurality of electrical elements; and

presenting on the auxiliary controller present a description of the selected element.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting at the auxiliary controller, a user input indicating a selection of a selected element as one of a plurality of electrical elements; and

presenting on the auxiliary controller present a description of the selected element.

12. A system for retrofitting a pedestal crane, the system comprising:

a crane auxiliary processor in data communication with a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a computer program embedded in the non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a computer, perform functions, the computer program further comprising;

instructions to identify an existing pedestal crane;

instructions to identify in the crane auxiliary processor, an existing electrical component in the existing pedestal crane;

instructions to determine a replacement electrical component for the existing pedestal crane;

instructions to present on the auxiliary processor operator instructions for removing the existing electrical component;

instructions to present operator instructions for installing replacement electrical components;

instructions to determines that an electrical power interruption to a direct current hoist motor has occurred;

instructions to provide a brake assist current to a shunt field on the direct current hoist motor to produce a counter torque in the direct current hoist motor;

instructions to electrically connect a variable resistance brake assist resistor in series with a dc power supply and the shunt field wherein a brake assist resistance value for the variable resistance brake assist resistor is controlled by the crane auxiliary processor; and

instructions to vary on the crane auxiliary processor, the brake assist resistance value proportionately to a measured hoist hook speed to proportionately increase a brake assist value to proportionately provide counter torque with an increase in hoist hook speed.

13. The system of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to identify an existing motor generator controller for a motor inside of a crane housing in the pedestal crane;

instructions to identify existing wiring for the motor generator controller;

instructions to determine a digital replacement controller for an existing motor generator controller;

instruction to present on the crane auxiliary processor, operator instructions for removing the existing motor;

and

instructions to present on a crane auxiliary processor operator instructions for replacing the motor generator controller with a digital controller.

14. The system of claim 13, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present on the crane auxiliary processor present, operator instructions for enclosing the digital replacement controller in a sealed equipment enclosure.

15. The system of claim 13, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present on the crane auxiliary processor present, instructions for installing a first upper limit switch and a second upper limit switch on the pedestal crane, wherein the first upper limit switch contacts a boom before the second upper limit switch contacts the crane boom during upward travel of the crane boom.

16. The system of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present on the crane auxiliary processor present, operator instructions for positioning an equipment enclosure inside of the crane housing to create additional space inside of a crane housing.

17. The system of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present operator instructions for installing an accelerometer on a distal end of a crane boom; and

instructions to present operator instructions for installing a braking resistor in a hoist motor junction box.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions to identify an existing pedestal crane further comprises:

receiving an image at the crane auxiliary processor; and

performing image recognition on the image to identify a pedestal crane.

19. The system of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present a schematic diagram of a plurality of electrical elements for the replacement electrical component;

instructions to accept a user input indicating a selection of a selected element as one of the plurality of electrical elements; and

instructions to present a description of the selected element.

20. The system of claim 12, the computer program further comprising:

instructions to present on the auxiliary controller a plurality of functions to be performed in retrofitting the pedestal crane;

accepting at the auxiliary controller, a user input indicating a selection of a selected function as one of the plurality of functions; and

instructions to present operator instructions on how to perform the selected function.