Construction machinery and methods for operating construction machinery

Abstract

This invention relates to an engineering machine, particularly a drilling device, comprising: a mast along which a tool is movably supported, wherein the tool is suspended by a rope, the rope being maneuverable by a rope winch for raising and lowering the tool, the rope winch being driven in a drive mode by an electric motor acting as a winch driver, wherein the electric motor is configured to operate in a recovery mode, in which the electric motor preferably generates electrical energy and outputs it to an energy storage device when the tool is lowered; and a controller configured to operate the electric motor according to a preset theoretical value such that the rope is tensioned not only in the drive mode of the electric motor but also in the recovery mode of the electric motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an engineering machinery as described in claim 1. This invention also relates to a method for operating engineering machinery as described in claim 8. Background Technology

[0002] Engineering machinery with masts has long been known, with tools movably supported along the mast and suspended from ropes used to raise and lower the tools.

[0003] In this type of engineering machinery, rope winches are typically driven by hydraulic motors, which are supplied with hydraulic fluid by hydraulic pumps. These hydraulic pumps are usually driven by internal combustion engines, especially diesel engines. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The objective of this invention is to provide an engineering machine and a method for operating the engineering machine, wherein the engineering machine and the method achieve particularly economical, environmentally friendly and reliable operation.

[0005] The task is solved on the one hand by engineering machinery having the features of claim 1, and on the other hand by a method having the features of claim 7. Preferred embodiments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

[0006] The engineering machinery according to the invention, particularly configured as a drilling device, comprises: a mast, a tool assembly movably supported along the mast, wherein the tool assembly is suspended from a rope, the rope being operable by means of a rope winch for raising and lowering the tool assembly, the rope winch being driven in a drive mode by an electric motor acting as a winch driver, wherein the electric motor is configured to operate in a recovery mode, in which the electric motor preferably generates and outputs electrical energy during the descent of the tool assembly; and a controller configured to operate the electric motor according to a preset theoretical value such that the rope is tensioned not only in the drive mode of the electric motor but also in the recovery mode of the electric motor.

[0007] A first aspect of the invention involves using an electric motor to drive a rope winch, which can operate not only in a drive mode but also in a recovery mode. Therefore, especially during the descent of the tool (which could be an underground engineering tool, a drill drive, a pile driver, or a vibrator), potential energy (or lagenergie) can be converted into electrical energy. This electrical energy can then be supplied to the energy storage device or power consumer of the engineering machinery. In this way, the machine's energy consumption can be reduced, which is both economical and environmentally friendly.

[0008] However, the present invention is not limited to the use of retractable electric motors in rope winches. Rather, according to another aspect of the invention, a controller is provided by which the electric motor operates not only in drive mode but especially in retrieval mode, thereby ensuring a preset rope tension. For example, at specific points in operation, such as when a tool suspended on the rope, like a drilling tool, is released into a borehole filled with fluid, it brakes upon contact with the fluid surface and then descends at a lower descent speed. For example, in such an operating state, the controller ensures that the electric motor, operating as a generator in retrieval mode, operates with lower motor resistance as the tool device descends further, i.e., with lower braking resistance when the retrieval power decreases, or, if necessary, with a certain pull-back torque (or pull-back moment), thereby ensuring the desired rope tension.

[0009] By pre-setting rope tension for each operating condition, it is ensured that no slack rope forms at the rope winch or reversing pulley. Otherwise, the rope may jump off the winch or reversing pulley, which could lead to increased rope wear, rope damage, or operational interruption due to maintenance of the construction machinery.

[0010] According to an improvement of the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the theoretical value for the electric motor is a preset rope tension. Therefore, the minimum rope tension can be directly set and preset via the controller. The controller can correspondingly control the power or resistance of the electric motor, especially in retraction mode.

[0011] A particularly advantageous feature is the inclusion of a force measuring device for measuring rope tension, connected to a controller for controlling (or open-loop control, open-loop regulation, i.e., Steuren) / regulating (or closed-loop control, closed-loop regulation, i.e., Regeln) the electric motor based on the measured rope tension. The tension at the rope can be directly determined using the force measuring device and then used by the controller to control the electric motor. Feedback from this measurement allows the controller to adjust the electric motor according to the rope tension.

[0012] In principle, the force measuring device can be constructed in any suitable manner. According to one embodiment of the invention, it is particularly suitable that the force measuring device has a force measuring pin at the reversing pulley of the rope or a force measuring tab at the winch support of the rope winch. Here, the force can be detected directly, for example, by a dynamometer or a dynamometer bar.

[0013] In principle, a uniform rope tension can be set for different operating conditions, especially for raising and lowering the tool. According to the improved version of the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the controller can change the preset rope tension. For this purpose, a corresponding input device can be provided for the operator, or automatic changes can be set according to a preset control program. In particular, the rope tension can be changed according to the operating mode. For example, when the tool is lowering, a different minimum rope tension can be set than when it is raising. The corresponding preset value can be retrieved from memory or input by the operator. The preset value for the rope tension can also be related to the selected and attached tool.

[0014] In principle, construction machinery can be constructed in any suitable manner, wherein the tool assembly is raised and lowered at the mast by means of ropes. The energy recovery components according to the invention are particularly economical, especially when the tool assembly is repeatedly raised and lowered along the mast. This is, for example, in pile drivers, vibrators, or trench milling machines. In cases where a trench wall grabber (Schlitzwandgreifer) is used (as is particularly relevant in underground engineering), it is suitable.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the engineering machinery is configured as a drilling device, with a rotary drilling drive adjustablely supported at the mast of the drilling device, the rotary drilling drive being movable along the mast via at least one actuating drive. The tool assembly here can particularly be a retractable square drill rod (or Kellystange) with a drilling tool. The inner rod of the square drill rod can be raised and lowered together with the drilling tool via a rope. The drilling tool here can be configured arbitrarily, particularly as an auger or, more preferably, as a drill bucket (or drill barrel, i.e., Bohreimer).

[0016] The present invention is particularly economical in the case of discontinuous drilling with frequent retraction of the drilling tool for its emptying.

[0017] Preferably, the mast can be constructed as a guide, particularly a telescopic guide. The guide has a linear guide along its front side, which, for example, serves as or is used as a working slide of a tool device, allows for vertical movement at the linear guide. In principle, the term mast should be understood generally in the sense of this invention, including cantilever.

[0018] The invention also includes a method for operating construction machinery, the construction machinery having a mast, along which a tool device is movably supported, wherein the tool device is suspended by a rope, the rope being operable by means of a rope winch for raising and lowering the tool device, the rope winch being driven by an electric motor as a winch driver in a drive mode, wherein the electric motor is configured to operate in a retraction mode, in which the electric motor preferably generates and outputs electrical energy during the descent of the tool device, wherein the electric motor is controlled by a controller according to a preset theoretical value such that the rope is tensioned not only in the drive mode of the electric motor but also in the retraction mode of the electric motor.

[0019] The method according to the invention can be performed, in particular, by the aforementioned engineering machinery. The advantages described above can be achieved using this method. The electric motor resistance in retrieval mode can be set and changed via a controller, thereby ensuring a preset minimum value for rope tension.

[0020] According to the present invention, a preferred variation of the method involves controlling the electric motor based on a preset rope tension as a theoretical value. This allows for the direct preset of the minimum rope tension.

[0021] According to the invention, an advantageous improvement lies in changing the preset rope tension via a controller. This can be done directly by the operator via an input device or automatically according to a preset control program based on specific operating parameters. For example, this allows for a preset rope tension different during lifting than during descent. The preset rope tension can also be changed depending on the tooling used.

[0022] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a especially favorable method of control is achieved by measuring the rope tension using a force measuring device connected to the controller, wherein the electric motor is controlled or adjusted based on the measured rope tension. This allows the actual rope tension at the rope location to be determined using the force measuring device. This actual rope tension is then compared to a preset theoretical rope tension. Based on the difference, the controller can manipulate the rope winch drive such that the actual rope tension is not less than the preset theoretical rope tension, which is preset as the minimum force required for the desired rope tension.

[0023] In principle, the controller can also be constructed such that the actual rope tension is adjusted to a given theoretical rope tension or to at least one theoretical range for said theoretical rope tension. Here, the maximum rope tension can also be defined as an upper limit in the controller. If the actual rope tension reaches the maximum rope tension, the electric motor of the rope winch is operated in this manner until the actual rope tension falls below the maximum rope tension value again. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The invention is further described below with reference to preferred embodiments schematically shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0025] in:

[0026] Figure 1 A side view of an engineering machine 10 having a load-bearing device 12 according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The only accompanying drawing shows a side view of an engineering machine 10 with a carrying device 12 according to the invention. The carrying device 12 includes a tracked walking device as a chassis 14, on which a superstructure 16 is rotatably supported. A controller 60 for the engineering machine 10 is located in an operating cabin in the superstructure 16. A mast 20 is adjustablely supported at the superstructure 16 via a hinge mechanism 18, and the mast has a substantially vertical position during operation.

[0028] According to the illustrated embodiment, the mast 20 can be configured as a guide 21 having a linear guide 24 at its front side. A working slide 38 with a rotary drill actuator 36 is vertically movably supported along the linear guide 24. Thus, the engineering machinery 10 can be implemented as a drilling device. The upper position of the rotary drill actuator 36 is shown in the figure, and the lower position is shown in dashed lines.

[0029] The rope 40 can be guided at the upper end of the mast 20, at the masthead 22, with a preferably retractable square drill rod 32, equipped with a drilling tool 34, serving as a tool device 30 at one end of the rope. The square drill rod 32 can be guided through a sleeve-shaped drive wheel of a rotary drill actuator 36 located at a working slide 38, so that torque can be transmitted from the rotary drill actuator 36 to the square drill rod 32 via a drive bar (not shown). A drilling tool 34 for creating a borehole in the ground is arranged at the lower end of the square drill rod 32. The drilling tool 34 can, in principle, be of any construction and, in particular, can be an auger or a drill bit.

[0030] The rope 40 is guided along the mast 20 from the square drill rod 32 via a reversing pulley 26 at the mast head 22 to the rope winch 46 in the superstructure 16. According to the invention, the rope winch 46 is driven by an electric motor 50, which can also operate in a recovery mode. The square drill rod 32 with the drilling tool 34 can be raised and lowered via the rope winch 46 using the rope 40. During descent, potential energy can be converted into electrical energy by the electric motor 50 and output to a storage device or an electrical consumer.

[0031] The working slide 38 with the rotary drilling drive 36 can be pulled upward via another adjusting rope 29 through the actuator 28 equipped with a winch at mast 20. The working slide 38 with the rotary drilling drive 36 can also be lowered by correspondingly driving the actuator 28 in the opposite direction. The actuator 28 can also be equipped with an electric motor (not shown), which can also operate in a retraction mode. The working slide 38 with the rotary drilling drive 36 can also be considered as part of the tool assembly 30.

[0032] In the illustrated embodiment, the force measuring device 62 is preferably located at the reversing pulley 26 at the masthead 22. The force measuring device 62 can be configured, for example, as a force measuring pin, through which the rope tension acting on the rope 40 can be detected. The force measuring device 62 is connected to a controller 60 at the superstructure 16.

[0033] At least one electric motor 50 for operating the rope winch 46, and preferably another electric motor for operating the actuator 28 configured as a winch, are controlled by a controller 60. Here, the control of the electric motor 50 is achieved by the controller 60 such that, according to a preset theoretical value for rope tension, the at least one electric motor 50 is controlled so that the rope 40 has a set minimum tension not only in the driving mode of the electric motor 50 but also in the retraction mode of the electric motor 50. In particular, the controller 60 can control and change the electric motor resistance of the at least one electric motor 50, wherein the retraction power of the electric motor 50 is changed accordingly. In general, the controller 60 is designed to ensure minimum tension on the rope 40, even if the retraction power of the electric motor 50 is reduced relative to the maximum possible value for at least a certain period of time. Sufficient rope tension ensures that a slack rope is not formed, for example, when the braking of the drilling tool 34 occurs during release into a fluid-filled borehole. This avoids the formation of slack rope, which carries the risk of rope 40 jumping out of the reversing pulley 26 or becoming disorderly entangled on the rope winch 46.

[0034] Energy-saving and therefore environmentally friendly and economical operation can be achieved through the engineering machinery 10 according to the invention and the related methods according to the invention, while ensuring safer operation.

Claims

1. An engineering machine, comprising: a mast (20) along which a tool device (30) is movably supported, wherein The tool device (30) is suspended from a rope (40), which can be manipulated by a rope winch (46) for raising and lowering the tool device (30), the rope winch being driven in drive mode by an electric motor (50) acting as a winch driver. The electric motor (50) is configured to operate in a recycling mode, in which the electric motor (50) generates and outputs electrical energy, and A controller (60) is configured to manipulate the electric motor resistance of the electric motor (50) according to a preset theoretical value such that the rope (40) is tensioned not only in the driving mode of the electric motor (50) but also in the retraction mode of the electric motor (50).

2. The engineering machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that, The theoretical value for the electric motor (50) is the preset rope tension.

3. The engineering machinery according to claim 2, characterized in that, A force measuring device (62) for measuring the rope tension is provided, and the force measuring device (62) is connected to the controller (60) for controlling / adjusting the electric motor (50) according to the measured rope tension.

4. The engineering machinery according to claim 3, characterized in that, The force measuring device (62) has a force measuring pin at the reversing pulley (26) of the rope (40) or a force measuring tab at the winch bracket of the rope winch (46).

5. The engineering machinery according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The controller (60) can change the preset rope tension.

6. The engineering machinery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The engineering machinery (10) is constructed as a drilling device, and a rotary drilling drive (36) is adjustablely supported at the mast (20) of the drilling device. The rotary drilling drive is movable along the mast (20) via at least one actuating drive (28).

7. The engineering machinery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The electric motor (50) generates and outputs electrical energy when the tool device (30) descends.

8. A method for operating construction machinery (10), said construction machinery having a mast (20), and a tooling device (30) movably supported along said mast, wherein, The tool device (30) is suspended from a rope (40), which can be manipulated by a rope winch (46) for raising and lowering the tool device (30). The rope winch is driven in drive mode by an electric motor (50) acting as a winch driver, wherein the electric motor (50) is configured to operate in retrieval mode, in which the electric motor (50) generates and outputs electrical energy. The controller (60) controls the electric motor resistance of the electric motor (50) according to a preset theoretical value, so that the rope (40) is tensioned not only in the driving mode of the electric motor (50) but also in the retraction mode of the electric motor (50).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The electric motor (50) is controlled based on a preset rope tension as a theoretical value.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The preset rope tension can be changed by the controller (60) or the operator.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The rope tension is measured by means of a force measuring device (62), wherein the force measuring device (62) is connected to the controller (60), wherein the electric motor (50) is controlled or adjusted according to the measured rope tension.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The engineering machinery (10) is the engineering machinery according to claim 1.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The electric motor (50) generates and outputs electrical energy when the tool device (30) descends.

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