A crane counterweight rotation position automatic locking control method and system

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic locking control method and system for the rotational position of a crane counterweight, belonging to the field of crane safety technology. It includes: acquiring a set target rotational position of the counterweight and generating a rotation command; responding to the command by detecting the unlocking status of the locking pin, and automatically performing an unlocking operation if it is not unlocked; confirming that unlocking is complete, controlling the support to rotate towards the target position at a first speed; when the counterweight support rotates to the angular tolerance range corresponding to the target rotational position, controlling the locking pin to pop out; then continuing to rotate at a second speed less than the first speed until the locking pin is aligned with the target position hole within the tolerance range and fully slides in under the action of a return spring, completing automatic locking; if it is not unlocked, the support rotation is prohibited and an alarm is triggered; if it is not locked, lifting operations are prohibited and an alarm is triggered. This invention achieves automatic locking and safety interlocking of the counterweight's rotational position, reducing manual operation and human error, and significantly improving the safety and efficiency of crane operations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an automatic locking control method and system for the rotational position of a crane counterweight, belonging to the field of crane safety technology. Background Technology

[0002] Cranes are special equipment with extremely high safety requirements. During operation, it is essential to ensure that the actual load does not exceed the rated load; otherwise, it may cause major safety accidents such as crane overturning and structural damage. A counterweight (also known as a counterbalance) is installed on the crane's turntable to prevent the crane from overturning when lifting heavy loads. The crane's rated load is directly affected by the counterweight; generally, the greater the weight or torque of the counterweight, the greater the crane's rated load; conversely, the smaller the weight or torque, the smaller the rated load.

[0003] To improve the adaptability of cranes to different operating environments, rotary counterbalancers are widely used. A rotary counterbalancer mainly consists of a base, a left support, a right support, and counterweights. The left and right supports are mounted on either side of the base, and the counterweights are mounted on the left and right supports. By symmetrically rotating the left and right supports forward or backward, the counterweight torque is changed, thereby altering the crane's footprint and rated load. Typically, rotary counterbalancers have three operating positions: forward, center, and rear. When the counterbalancer rotates forward, the crane's footprint and rated load decrease; when the counterbalancer rotates backward, the crane's footprint and rated load increase.

[0004] When a crane is operating, if the rotational position of the counterweight changes unexpectedly, the crane's lifting capacity will change accordingly, potentially causing a safety accident. Therefore, locking pins are needed to lock the rotational position of the left / right counterweight supports. Typically, there are three position holes symmetrically placed on each side of the base: a front hole, a center hole, and a rear hole. Each of the left and right counterweight supports has a locking hole. When the left / right support rotates to a certain position, the locking hole on the support and the corresponding position hole on the base must align within the tolerance range. A locking pin must then be inserted simultaneously into both the locking hole on the support and the position hole on the base to lock the rotational position of the support.

[0005] In the prior art, the invention patent CN114604785B from Xuzhou Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., entitled "Balanced Weight Mechanism for Engineering Machinery, Engineering Machinery and Method for Displacement of Balanced Weight Mechanism," proposes that the change in the center of gravity position of the counterweight can be controlled and orderly by sequentially inserting and removing the first and second locking pins. This patent also mentions that the insertion and removal of the pins can be done manually or by electric or hydraulic drive. However, this prior art has the following shortcomings: Firstly, the patented invention does not include measures for detecting the locked / unlocked status of the position lock pin, alarming, or providing safety protection. Operators may forget to insert the lock pin before lifting heavy loads or forget to remove it before rotating the counterweight, making the operation highly dependent on the operator's skill level and safety awareness, thus posing an operational risk.

[0006] Secondly, although the patent states that the "insertion and removal pin" can be "controlled by electric or hydraulic drive," this description only addresses the energy transmission method of the insertion and removal pin, without proposing an automatic control strategy or the technical implementation of specific actuators. If the insertion and removal pin is manually inserted and removed, the operator needs to climb to the vicinity of the locking pin to perform the operation, which increases the labor intensity. If the insertion and removal pin operation is simply changed from "manual" to "electric or hydraulic drive" without the implementation of automatic control technology, although the labor intensity can be partially alleviated, the operator still needs to climb back and forth to observe the alignment of the position hole and the locking hole and manually judge the timing of the pin insertion and removal. Therefore, the overall labor intensity and operating efficiency will not be significantly improved due to the change in the drive method.

[0007] In addition, existing crane counterweight sliding control technologies include schemes that control hydraulic oil flow by detecting position signals to achieve deceleration and stopping, and technical schemes that control the extension and retraction of locking pins by detecting the tension status of the tensioning device. However, none of these involve automatic locking and status detection interlocking control of the counterweight rotation position. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic locking control method and system for the rotating position of a crane counterweight. By detecting the status of the locking pin and controlling safety, this invention solves the operational hazards of lifting loads without the pin being inserted and rotating the counterweight without the pin being removed.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is implemented using the following technical solution.

[0010] On one hand, the present invention provides an automatic locking control method for the rotational position of a crane counterweight, comprising the following steps: Obtain the target rotation position set by the operator and generate a rotation command based on that target rotation position; In response to the rotation command, the current unlocking state of the locking pin is detected. If the locking pin is not in the unlocking state, the control execution unit drives the locking pin to perform an unlocking operation until the unlocking state detection sensor outputs an unlocking completion signal. Based on the received unlocking completion signal, control the counterweight support to rotate towards the target rotation position at a preset first speed; when the counterweight support rotates to the angle tolerance range corresponding to the target rotation position, control the locking pin to perform a pop-out action; The counterweight support continues to rotate toward the target rotation position at a preset second speed until the locking pin is aligned with the target position hole within the tolerance range and slides completely into the target position hole under the action of the return spring. The locking detection sensor outputs a locking completion signal, and the counterweight support stops rotating. Among them: the first speed is greater than the second speed; If the locking pin is not fully unlocked, the rotation of the counterweight support will be prohibited and a first alarm signal will be output; if the locking pin is not fully locked, the crane's lifting operation will be prohibited and a second alarm signal will be output.

[0011] Furthermore, when performing the locking pin unlocking operation, if the unlocking resistance of the locking pin is detected to exceed a preset value, the bracket is controlled to rotate forward or backward within a preset rotation range to reduce the friction between the locking pin and the side wall of the position hole, thereby assisting in completing the unlocking operation.

[0012] Furthermore, the locking status of the locking pin is continuously monitored during crane operation. If the locking pin is detected to be unlocked by the unlocking status detection sensor, a third alarm signal is immediately output and the crane's lifting operation is restricted.

[0013] Furthermore, the target rotation position includes three positions: front, middle, and rear of the counterweight, and the position hole is set on the counterweight base corresponding to the target rotation position.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an automatic locking control system for the rotating position of a crane counterweight, comprising: The human-machine interface unit is used to receive the rotational position of the counterweight target and output system status information and alarm information. The sensing unit includes an angle detection module for detecting the rotation angle of the counterweight support, a locking detection module for detecting the locking state of the locking pin, and an unlocking detection module for detecting the unlocking state of the locking pin. The execution unit includes a support rotation drive module for driving the counterweight support to rotate, and a locking pin drive module for driving the locking pin insertion and removal action. The logic control unit is connected to the human-machine interaction unit, the sensing unit, and the execution unit respectively. Based on the rotation angle of the counterweight support and the state of the locking pin input by the sensing unit, it drives the execution unit to move to the rotation position of the counterweight target.

[0015] Furthermore, the locking pin drive module is a locking pin telescopic cylinder, which includes a cylinder body, a piston, a piston rod, and a return spring. The piston rod is fixedly connected to the locking pin; The reset spring is disposed in the rodless chamber of the cylinder and is used to drive the piston to move the locking pin in the extension direction when the rodless chamber is depressurized, so as to achieve automatic locking; The rod chamber of the locking pin telescopic cylinder is connected to the power source pipeline through a control valve. When the rod chamber is pressurized, it drives the piston to compress the return spring and cause the locking pin to retract, thereby achieving automatic unlocking.

[0016] Furthermore, the locking detection module is a locking detection sensor installed on the cylinder body of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin is fully extended, the locking detection sensor outputs a locking status signal. The unlocking detection module is an unlocking detection sensor installed on the cylinder body of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin is fully retracted, the unlocking detection sensor outputs an unlocking status signal.

[0017] Furthermore, the locking pin telescopic cylinder is any one of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

[0018] Furthermore, the return spring is any one of a metal helical spring, a gas spring, a hydraulic spring, or an electromagnetic spring.

[0019] Furthermore, the bracket rotation drive module is a bracket rotation drive cylinder, which is connected to a hydraulic power source through a control valve group. The logic control unit drives the bracket to rotate forward or backward by controlling the opening and closing and flow direction of the control valve group.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are as follows: This invention combines an automatic locking pin insertion / removal actuator with a control strategy to achieve real-time detection and automatic judgment of the locking / unlocking status of the locking pin. This enables the system to automatically complete the entire process of unlocking, rotating, and locking without human observation or intervention, thereby effectively solving the problems of low work efficiency, high labor intensity, and safety hazards caused by operators forgetting to insert or remove the pin due to reliance on manual insertion / removal of the locking pin in the prior art.

[0021] This invention controls the locking pin to pop out when the counterweight support rotates to within a preset lead time from the target position, and continues to rotate at a second speed lower than the first speed of the rotation phase until the locking pin is aligned with the position hole within the tolerance range and then automatically slides in by the return spring. This eliminates the need for manual alignment of the locking pin after the support has completely stopped, as it automatically completes the insertion at the end of the rotation. This effectively solves the problem in the prior art where even with electric or hydraulic drive, manual observation of the hole alignment and judgment of the insertion and removal timing are still required, significantly reducing the difficulty of operation and improving work efficiency.

[0022] This invention also uses dual sensors to detect both the unlocked and locked states, enabling the system to automatically prevent the bracket from rotating when the locking pin is not unlocked and to automatically prevent lifting operations when the device is not locked. At the same time, it outputs corresponding alarm signals, thereby effectively avoiding safety accidents caused by human error and significantly improving the safety of crane operations. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of this embodiment; Figure 2 This is a system block diagram of this embodiment; Figure 3 This is a system composition diagram for this embodiment; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0024] It should be noted that: The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention and the specific features in the embodiments are detailed descriptions of the technical solution of the present invention, rather than limitations thereof. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0025] The term "and / or" simply describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. Example

[0026] like Figure 1 The embodiment shown provides an automatic locking control method for the rotational position of a crane counterweight, comprising the following steps: Step S1: Obtain the target rotation position The operator sets the target rotation position of the counterweight through the human-machine interface unit. The target rotation position includes three positions: front, middle and rear. The logic control unit obtains the target rotation position and generates a rotation command based on the target rotation position.

[0027] Step S2: Unlock In response to the rotation command, the logic control unit first determines the current unlocking state of the locking pin. If the locking pin is not in the unlocking state, the logic control unit controls the execution unit to drive the locking pin to perform an unlocking operation. Specifically, the locking pin telescopic cylinder is installed on the counterweight bracket. When the locking pin is in the locked state, it is fully inserted into the position hole, and the locking detection sensor outputs a locking state signal. When the logic control unit controls the power source and control valve to inject hydraulic oil into the rod chamber of the telescopic cylinder through the pipeline, the piston moves towards the rodless chamber under hydraulic pressure, causing the locking pin to retract and thus pull the locking pin out of the position hole, achieving the unlocking operation of the locking pin. At the same time, during this process, the return spring in the rodless chamber is compressed by the piston, and the air in the rodless chamber is discharged through the vent valve. At this time, the unlocking detection sensor outputs an unlocking completion signal and inputs this signal to the logic control unit. In addition, in practice, when the locking pin is in the locked state, if the axis deviation between the locking pin and the position hole is large, the locking pin will be squeezed by the side wall of the position hole, making it difficult to pull out due to excessive friction. To address this situation, while performing the locking pin unlocking action, the logic control unit will also automatically control the bracket to rotate forward or backward within a limited range according to the bracket's rotation angle, thereby reducing the unlocking resistance of the locking pin and completing the unlocking operation.

[0028] If the locking pin is not fully unlocked, the logic control unit will prevent the counterweight support from rotating and will output a first alarm signal through the human-machine interface unit.

[0029] Step S3: Rotate the counterweight support Based on the received unlocking completion signal, the logic control unit controls the counterweight support to rotate toward the target rotation position at a first speed.

[0030] Step S4: Pre-explode the locking pin When the counterweight support rotates to a position α° ahead of the target rotation position, the logic control unit automatically cuts off the power input to the rod chamber and connects the rod chamber pipeline to the return oil circuit, allowing the hydraulic oil in the rod chamber to return to the hydraulic oil tank through the return oil circuit. At this time, the rod chamber loses pressure, and the piston is no longer subjected to hydraulic pressure, but moves towards the rod chamber under the rebound force of the spring, thereby causing the locking pin to extend. After the locking pin hits the structure outside the position hole, it is blocked and cannot continue to eject.

[0031] Step S5: Locking in place The logic control unit controls the counterweight support to continue rotating towards the target position at a second speed, which is less than the first speed. The support continues to rotate towards the target position. After the locking pin is aligned with the target position hole within the tolerance range, the locking pin is fully ejected by the spring and inserted into the position hole, completing the automatic locking of the locking pin. After the locking status detection sensor outputs the locking completion signal, the counterweight support stops rotating.

[0032] If the locking pin is not fully engaged, the logic control unit will prohibit the crane from lifting operations and output a second alarm signal through the human-machine interface unit.

[0033] Additionally: During crane operation, the logic control unit continuously monitors the locking status of the locking pin. If the locking pin is detected to be unlocked by the unlocking status detection sensor, a third alarm signal is immediately output and the crane's lifting operation is restricted. Example

[0034] like Figures 2 to 3 As shown, based on the same inventive concept as Embodiment 1, this embodiment introduces an automatic locking system for the rotating position of a crane counterweight. The system includes: The human-machine interface unit includes a target position setting module, a status data display module, and an audible and visual alarm prompting module. The target position setting module is used to input the rotation position of the counterweight target set by the operator into the logic control unit. The status data display module is used to display the system information output by the logic control unit. The audible and visual alarm prompting module provides audible and visual prompts based on the alarm signals output by the logic control unit, including voice prompts, text prompts, or buzzer prompts.

[0035] The sensing unit includes a rotation angle detection module, a locking pin locking detection module, and a locking pin unlocking detection module; the rotation angle detection module is used to detect the rotation angle of the counterweight support; the locking detection module is used to detect the locking status of the locking pin; and the unlocking detection module is used to detect the unlocking status of the locking pin.

[0036] The sensing unit can be implemented based on the left / right counterweight rotation angle sensor, the left / right lock pin locking status detection sensor, and the left / right lock pin unlocking status detection sensor.

[0037] The logic control unit includes an automatic rotation control module, an automatic locking control module, an automatic unlocking control module, an abnormal state judgment module, and an action safety protection module. The automatic rotation control module, automatic locking control module, and automatic unlocking control module, based on input signals from the human-machine interface unit and the sensing unit, control the execution unit to achieve automatic rotation control of the support frame and automatic locking / unlocking control of the locking pin. The abnormal state judgment module, based on the status detection signal of the locking pin, determines whether there is an abnormal state such as rotating the support frame without unlocking or lifting operations without locking, and outputs an abnormal state alarm signal to the human-machine interface unit. The action safety protection module is used to limit dangerous actions of the crane, including: limiting the counterweight support frame from rotating forward or backward when the locking pin is not unlocked; and limiting the crane from lifting operations when the locking pin is not locked.

[0038] The logic control unit typically implements its functions using an on-board controller and its control software.

[0039] The execution unit includes a drive bracket front rotation module, a drive bracket rear rotation module, a drive lock stop pin locking module, and a drive lock stop pin unlocking module; this unit receives and executes action control commands from the logic control unit.

[0040] Among them, such as Figure 4 As shown, the locking pin drive module is a locking pin telescopic cylinder, which is mounted on the counterweight bracket 12. The locking pin telescopic cylinder includes a cylinder body 1, a piston 2, a piston rod 3, and a return spring 4. The piston rod 3 is fixedly connected to or driven by the locking pin 5. The return spring 4 is located in the rodless chamber 6 of the cylinder body 1 and is used to drive the piston 2 to move the locking pin 5 in the extension direction when the rodless chamber 6 is depressurized, so as to achieve automatic locking. The rod chamber 7 of the locking pin telescopic cylinder is connected to the power source pipeline 8 through a control valve and is used to drive the piston 2 to compress the return spring 4 and drive the locking pin 5 to retract when the rod chamber 7 is pressurized, so as to achieve automatic unlocking.

[0041] The locking detection module is a locking detection sensor 9 installed on the cylinder body 1 of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin 5 is fully extended, the locking detection sensor 9 outputs a locking status signal. The unlocking detection module is an unlocking detection sensor 10 installed on the cylinder body 1 of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin 5 is fully retracted, the unlocking detection sensor 10 outputs an unlocking status signal. At the same time, during this process, the return spring 4 in the rodless chamber 6 is compressed by the piston, and the air in the rodless chamber 6 is discharged through the vent valve 11.

[0042] The locking pin telescopic cylinder can be any of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder, and the return spring 4 can be any of a metal helical spring, a gas spring, a hydraulic spring, or an electromagnetic spring.

[0043] The front rotation module and the rear rotation module of the drive bracket are support rotation drive cylinders. The support rotation drive cylinders are connected to the hydraulic power source through the control valve group. The logic control unit drives the support to rotate forward or backward by controlling the opening and closing and flow direction of the control valve group.

[0044] The actuator is typically based on the support rotation drive cylinder, the locking pin telescopic cylinder and its corresponding control valve and power source to realize its functions.

[0045] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for automatically locking the rotational position of a crane counterweight, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Obtain the target rotation position set by the operator and generate a rotation command based on that target rotation position; In response to the rotation command, the current unlocking state of the locking pin is detected. If the locking pin is not in the unlocking state, the control execution unit drives the locking pin to perform an unlocking operation until the unlocking state detection sensor outputs an unlocking completion signal. Based on the received unlock completion signal, control the counterweight support to rotate towards the target rotation position at a preset first speed; When the counterweight support rotates to the angular tolerance range corresponding to the target rotation position, the control lock pin will pop out. The counterweight support continues to rotate toward the target rotation position at a preset second speed until the locking pin is aligned with the target position hole within the tolerance range and slides completely into the target position hole under the action of the return spring. The locking detection sensor outputs a locking completion signal, and the counterweight support stops rotating. Among them: the first speed is greater than the second speed; If the locking pin is not fully unlocked, the rotation of the counterweight support will be prohibited and a first alarm signal will be output; if the locking pin is not fully locked, the crane's lifting operation will be prohibited and a second alarm signal will be output.

2. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of the crane counterweight according to claim 1, characterized in that, When performing the locking pin unlocking operation, if the unlocking resistance of the locking pin is detected to exceed the preset value, the bracket is controlled to rotate forward or backward within the preset rotation range to reduce the friction between the locking pin and the side wall of the position hole, thereby assisting in completing the unlocking operation.

3. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of the crane counterweight according to claim 1, characterized in that, During crane operation, the locking status of the locking pin is continuously monitored. If the locking pin is detected to be unlocked by the unlocking status detection sensor, a third alarm signal is immediately output and the crane's lifting operation is restricted.

4. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of the crane counterweight according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target rotation position includes three positions: front, middle, and rear of the counterweight. The position hole is set on the counterweight base corresponding to the target rotation position.

5. An automatic locking control system for the rotational position of a crane counterweight, characterized in that, include: The human-machine interface unit is used to receive the rotational position of the counterweight target and output system status information and alarm information. The sensing unit includes an angle detection module for detecting the rotation angle of the counterweight support, a locking detection module for detecting the locking state of the locking pin, and an unlocking detection module for detecting the unlocking state of the locking pin. The execution unit includes a support rotation drive module for driving the counterweight support to rotate, and a locking pin drive module for driving the locking pin insertion and removal action. The logic control unit is connected to the human-machine interaction unit, the sensing unit, and the execution unit respectively. Based on the rotation angle of the counterweight support and the state of the locking pin input by the sensing unit, it drives the execution unit to move to the rotation position of the counterweight target.

6. The automatic locking control method for the rotating position of a crane counterweight according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking pin drive module is a locking pin telescopic cylinder, which includes a cylinder body, a piston, a piston rod, and a return spring. The piston rod is fixedly connected to the locking pin; The reset spring is disposed in the rodless chamber of the cylinder and is used to drive the piston to move the locking pin in the extension direction when the rodless chamber is depressurized, so as to achieve automatic locking; The rod chamber of the locking pin telescopic cylinder is connected to the power source pipeline through a control valve. When the rod chamber is pressurized, it drives the piston to compress the return spring and cause the locking pin to retract, thereby achieving automatic unlocking.

7. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of the crane counterweight according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking detection module is a locking detection sensor installed on the cylinder body of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin is fully extended, the locking detection sensor outputs a locking status signal. The unlocking detection module is an unlocking detection sensor installed on the cylinder body of the locking pin telescopic cylinder. When the locking pin is fully retracted, the unlocking detection sensor outputs an unlocking status signal.

8. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of a crane counterweight according to claim 6, characterized in that, The locking pin telescopic cylinder can be any one of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

9. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of a crane counterweight according to claim 6, characterized in that, The return spring is any one of a metal helical spring, a gas spring, a hydraulic spring, or an electromagnetic spring.

10. The automatic locking control method for the rotational position of the crane counterweight according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bracket rotation drive module is a bracket rotation drive cylinder. The bracket rotation drive cylinder is connected to a hydraulic power source through a control valve group. The logic control unit drives the bracket to rotate forward or backward by controlling the opening and closing and flow direction of the control valve group.

Images