Interactive unlocking and locking device for manual portal crane and automatic horizontal transportation equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides an interactive unlocking and locking device for a manual portal crane and automatic horizontal transportation equipment. The problem that unlocking and locking are low in efficiency and unsafe is solved. Comprising a tension sensor which contacts with a steel wire rope and is used for detecting tension of the steel wire rope; the state monitoring module is arranged on the manual door machine and used for monitoring state information of the manual door machine and the automatic horizontal transportation equipment; the unlocking and locking control module comprises a driving motor controller, an unlocking and locking motor and a lock head, the lock head is fixed on the lifting appliance through movable connection and is responsible for locking the box body grabbed by the lifting appliance, one end of the lock head is connected with the unlocking and locking motor, the unlocking and locking motor can drive the lock head to unlock and lock, and the driving motor controller controls the unlocking and locking motor to work; and the lifting appliance automatic control module is used for controlling the lifting appliance to work, and the lifting appliance automatic control module receives information fed back by the tension sensor, the state monitoring module and the driving motor controller, generates unlocking and locking signals and transmits the unlocking and locking signals to the driving motor controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated terminal transportation, specifically to a device for the interactive unlocking and locking of a manual gantry crane and an automated horizontal transport equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In modern port operations, automated horizontal transport equipment is gradually replacing manual operation, becoming an important tool for improving efficiency and reducing costs. Automated equipment is widely used in transportation tasks, and with the development of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and 5G technologies, it is increasingly equipped with automatic navigation, dynamic path planning, and automatic obstacle avoidance functions. However, when these devices collaborate with large lifting equipment such as gantry cranes, unlocking operations still rely on manual labor, resulting in low efficiency, inflexible path planning, and frequent need for manual intervention in case of anomalies. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the defects of the prior art and provide a manual gantry crane and an automated horizontal transport equipment interaction unlocking and locking device to solve the problems of inefficient and unsafe unlocking and locking.

[0004] This utility model provides an interactive unlocking and locking device for a manual gantry crane and an automated horizontal transport device, including a lifting device connected to the manual gantry crane via a steel wire rope. The device further includes:

[0005] A tension sensor, which is in contact with the wire rope, is used to detect the tension of the wire rope;

[0006] A status monitoring module, which is installed on the manual gantry crane, is used to monitor the status information of the manual gantry crane and the automated horizontal transport equipment;

[0007] The unlocking and locking control module includes a drive motor controller, an unlocking and locking motor, and a lock head. The lock head is fixed to the lifting device via a movable connection and is responsible for locking the box gripped by the lifting device. One end of the lock head is connected to the unlocking and locking motor, which can drive the lock head to unlock and lock. The drive motor controller controls the unlocking and locking motor to work.

[0008] The automatic control module for lifting devices is used to control the lifting devices to perform operations. The automatic control module receives information from the tension sensor, the status monitoring module and the drive motor controller, generates an interlock signal and transmits it to the drive motor controller.

[0009] The main advantages of this utility model are as follows:

[0010] Efficiency Improvement. Traditional solutions often rely on manual intervention, causing transport equipment to wait when entering and exiting gates, thus reducing the efficiency of automated port operations. This invention, through an automatic unlocking control mechanism, enables seamless connection, significantly reducing equipment waiting time and thereby improving the overall efficiency of automated port operations.

[0011] Enhanced safety. Existing technologies often require manual intervention in abnormal situations, which can easily lead to equipment damage or safety accidents. By introducing an automatic anomaly handling mechanism, this invention can quickly detect faults, such as automatically adjusting the device status by monitoring abnormal tension or lock head status deviations, effectively reducing safety risks during equipment operation and ensuring operational safety.

[0012] Modular design. Existing systems are often designed as a single unit, making flexible expansion difficult. In contrast, this invention adopts a modular design, allowing each functional module to be upgraded and maintained independently, thus improving the system's scalability and ease of maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an interactive unlocking and locking device for a manual gantry crane and an automated horizontal transport equipment according to this utility model.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a status monitoring module according to the present invention.

[0015] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings of this utility model are as follows: 1: manual door operator; 2: automatic control module for the lifting device; 3: tension sensor; 4: status monitoring module; 5: anomaly handling module; 6: drive motor controller; 7: unlocking and locking motor; 8: lock head; 9: door operator central controller. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. To better illustrate the following embodiments, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0017] This application provides an embodiment, such as Figure 1 A manual gantry crane 1 and an automated horizontal transport device for interactive unlocking and locking includes a lifting device, which is connected to the manual gantry crane 1 via a steel wire rope. The device further includes:

[0018] Tension sensor 3, which is in contact with the wire rope, is used to detect the tension of the wire rope;

[0019] Status monitoring module 4, which is installed on manual gantry crane 1, is used to monitor the status information of manual gantry crane 1 and automated horizontal transport equipment;

[0020] The unlocking and locking control module includes a drive motor controller 6, an unlocking and locking motor 7, and a lock head 8. The lock head 8 is fixed to the lifting device via a movable connection and is responsible for locking the box gripped by the lifting device. One end of the lock head 8 is connected to the unlocking and locking motor 7, which can drive the lock head 8 to unlock and lock. The drive motor controller 6 controls the unlocking and locking motor 7 to work.

[0021] The automatic control module 2 for lifting equipment is used to control the lifting equipment to perform operations. The automatic control module 2 for lifting equipment receives information from the tension sensor 3, the status monitoring module 4 and the drive motor controller 6, generates an unlocking / locking signal and transmits it to the drive motor controller 6.

[0022] In existing unlocking mechanisms, unlocking operations are mostly manually controlled, which is inefficient, complex, and poses potential safety hazards. For example, operators need to monitor in real time and manually send instructions. When multiple people are monitoring, the risk of operational errors increases. Incorrect operation may lead to premature entry into the next operation, increasing the risk of accidents. In this embodiment, the unlocking and locking operations are achieved by integrating factors such as the tension sensor 3, the operating status of the lifting device, the operating status of the automated horizontal transport equipment, and the surrounding environment. The tension sensor 3 is an instrument used to measure the tension value of the rolled material during the tension control process. Its working principle is based on Hooke's Law, that is, an elastic body will deform after being subjected to force, and this deformation is proportional to the applied force. There are various measurement methods for the tension sensor 3. In this embodiment, all wire ropes should be tested. In this field, the weight of the boxes grasped by the manual gantry crane 1 is relatively large, so multiple wire ropes supporting the lifting device are needed to share the load, and the horizontality of the lifting device must also be ensured. Typically, four steel wire ropes are used to connect the lifting device. All four steel wire ropes need to be subjected to tensile tests, and the real-time measured tensile values ​​are fed back to the lifting device automatic control module 2.

[0023] In the status monitoring module 4, such as Figure 2The main function is monitoring. Installed on the manual gantry crane 1, it collects all information within the operating area. First, it monitors the automated horizontal transport equipment, which typically operates autonomously. Therefore, the status monitoring module 4 collects information such as its position, speed, and model. This information is fed back to the automatic spreader control module 2, enabling accurate docking between the manual gantry crane 1 and the automated horizontal transport equipment. Second, it collects information about the spreader, including the position of the gantry crane 1's trolley, and the position and height of the spreader. It also collects information about the surrounding environment, such as obstacles, temperature, and humidity. The information collected by the status monitoring module 4 is then stored in the automatic spreader control module 2.

[0024] The locking / unlocking control module in this embodiment includes a drive motor controller 6, a locking / unlocking motor 7, and a lock head 8. When the automated horizontal transport equipment travels to the work area, the automatic control module 2 controls the spreader to move above the automated horizontal transport equipment and accurately docks the spreader with the container on the automated horizontal transport equipment. This docking process requires the assistance of a tension sensor 3. The state of the spreader and the container is determined by the tension value of the wire rope measured by the tension sensor 3. For example, when grabbing the container, the tension value will increase and eventually maintain a stable value; when the tension value gradually decreases, it indicates that the container is being lowered; when the tension value is a fixed small value, the spreader is in an empty spreader state; when the tension value is 0, the spreader is grabbing the container.

[0025] In some embodiments, the status monitoring module 4 includes a camera unit, which is used to acquire real-time images of the operating range of the manual gantry crane 1.

[0026] At the aforementioned location where the tensile force was measured, the spreader and the container undergo a process of lifting, suspending, and lowering. To ensure the spreader's stability before the container is lifted, locking components are installed at the four corners of the spreader. When these locking components are in the locked state, the spreader and the container are firmly connected, allowing for safe lifting of the container for operation. During container lowering, after the spreader places the container on the automated horizontal transport equipment, it needs to detach from the container. Therefore, the locking components must be unlocked before the spreader is lifted, allowing the automated horizontal transport equipment to move to the work area. Unlocking and locking are essential steps in the entire container lifting and lowering process. This embodiment employs an automatic unlocking and automatic locking solution, reducing human intervention in this process.

[0027] Specifically, the unlocking and locking motor 7 is controlled by the drive motor controller 6, which drives the lock head 8 to rotate, thereby realizing the unlocking and locking operations.

[0028] In some embodiments, the lock head 8 is further equipped with a sensing unit, which is used to confirm the state of the lock head 8, including unlocked, locked, and abnormal states. After the lock head 8 completes an operation, to ensure the correct state after the operation, it is reconfirmed by the sensing unit to avoid incorrect state of the lock head 8 due to a malfunction of the unlocking / locking control module, which could lead to misjudgments in subsequent operations. For example, if the lock head 8 is stuck, the unlocking / locking motor 7 has completed the unlocking operation, but the lock head 8 is still in the locked state, and the next action of the lifting device is lifting, it could cause the container to be grabbed again or other dangerous actions to occur. With the sensing unit on the lock head 8, the state of the lock head 8 can be further verified to avoid such events.

[0029] The automatic control module 2 for the lifting device mentioned in this embodiment is used to control the lifting device during operation. It receives information from the tension sensor 3, the status monitoring module 4, and the drive motor controller 6, generates an unlocking / locking signal, and transmits it to the drive motor controller 6. This automatic control module 2 is the core part of the device, responsible for acquiring information, processing it, and outputting operation commands to the drive motor controller 6.

[0030] In some embodiments, the system further includes an anomaly handling module 5, which includes an anomaly handling unit. The anomaly handling module 5 receives anomaly information detected by the automatic control module 2 for unlocking or locking, and the anomaly handling unit processes the anomaly and then feeds it back to the automatic control module 2.

[0031] Specifically, the anomaly handling module 5 includes an alarm unit, which generates alarm information and can promptly notify the person in charge to handle the fault.

[0032] Specifically, the anomaly handling module 5 includes an anomaly detection unit, which is connected to the automatic control module 2 of the lifting device. The anomaly detection unit receives the information from the tension sensor 3 obtained by the automatic control module 2 of the lifting device, and can also be used to determine the unbalanced tension of the wire rope.

[0033] In some embodiments, the device further includes a comparison module. This comparison module has preset standard parameters and is connected to the automatic control module 2 of the lifting device. It acquires information from the automatic control module 2 and compares it with the standard parameters. The comparison module first sets standard parameters for normal operation, such as the specific tensile force values, images, and other parameters of the lifting device in various states. During operation, the comparison module compares the real-time parameters with the standard parameters for normal operation. If the deviation exceeds a certain range, it can be considered an operational anomaly.

[0034] In some embodiments, the device further includes a gantry crane central controller 9, which interacts with the automatic control module 2 for the lifting device and the automated horizontal transport equipment to control the position of the lifting device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the device further includes a communication module for controlling information transmission within the device. For example, a 5G private network can be used for transmission, ensuring accurate operation with low latency.

[0036] In some embodiments, the device further includes a digital twin system connected to the automatic control module 2 for acquiring real-time information and generating a digital twin. Through the digital twin system, the specific operations of the device can be remotely viewed and controlled, further improving automated management.

[0037] This application also provides an embodiment, specifically including:

[0038] The vehicle management system sends information about vehicles that have arrived at the gantry crane's operating area and are ready to operate to the gantry crane terminal and the automatic control module 2 for the lifting equipment.

[0039] The gantry crane operator grasps the box according to the prompts, ensuring accurate positioning. Tension sensor 3 monitors the tension of the wire rope, and the automatic control module determines whether to send an unlocking command based on real-time data.

[0040] The gantry crane operator performs container grabbing operations on the ship or automated horizontal transport equipment according to the terminal prompts. The grabbing process is completed manually by the operator to ensure accurate positioning of the container.

[0041] Tension sensor 3 detects the tension value T of the four wire ropes in real time and transmits the data to the automatic control module 2 of the spreading device. A reference tension threshold G is set, which is the tension value in the empty spreading device state. The automatic control module 2 determines the unlocking and locking operations based on the change in T.

[0042] When T is much greater than G, it indicates that the spreader is in the container state.

[0043] When T gradually decreases and becomes less than G, and remains so for more than 2 seconds, the system determines that the box placement is complete and sends an unlocking command to the unlocking drive motor.

[0044] When T equals G, it indicates an empty spreader state, and the central control module does not send the lock head 8 operation signal.

[0045] When T is less than 0 and remains so for more than 2 seconds, the system determines that the gantry crane is performing the box-grabbing action and has completed the alignment, and sends a locking command to the unlocking drive motor.

[0046] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the technical solution of this utility model, and are not intended to limit the specific implementation of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the claims of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A manual gantry crane and an automated horizontal transport device for interactive unlocking and locking, comprising a lifting device, wherein the lifting device is connected to the manual gantry crane via a steel wire rope, characterized in that, The device further includes: A tension sensor, which is in contact with the wire rope, is used to detect the tension of the wire rope; A status monitoring module, which is installed on the manual gantry crane, is used to monitor the status information of the manual gantry crane and the automated horizontal transport equipment; The unlocking and locking control module includes a drive motor controller, an unlocking and locking motor, and a lock head. The lock head is fixed to the lifting device via a movable connection and is responsible for locking the box gripped by the lifting device. One end of the lock head is connected to the unlocking and locking motor, which can drive the lock head to unlock and lock. The drive motor controller controls the unlocking and locking motor to work. The automatic control module for lifting devices is used to control the lifting devices to perform operations. The automatic control module receives information from the tension sensor, the status monitoring module and the drive motor controller, generates an interlock signal and transmits it to the drive motor controller.

2. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes an anomaly handling module, which includes an anomaly handling unit. The anomaly handling module receives unlocking or locking anomaly information detected by the automatic control module of the spreader, and the anomaly handling unit processes the anomaly and feeds it back to the automatic control module of the spreader.

3. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and unlocking device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The anomaly handling module includes an alarm unit, which generates alarm information.

4. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and unlocking device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The anomaly handling module includes an anomaly detection unit, which is connected to the automatic control module of the lifting device and receives the tension sensor information obtained by the automatic control module of the lifting device.

5. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lock head is equipped with a sensing unit, which is used to confirm the lock head status, including unlocked, locked, and abnormal.

6. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The status monitoring module includes a camera unit, which is used to acquire real-time images of the manual gantry crane's operating range.

7. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a comparison module, which has preset standard parameters. The comparison module is connected to the automatic control module of the spreader to obtain information from the automatic control module of the spreader and compare it with the standard parameters.

8. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a gantry crane central controller, which interacts with the automatic control module for the spreader and the automated horizontal transport equipment to control the position of the spreader.

9. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and unlocking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a communication module, which is used to control information transmission within the device.

10. The manual gantry crane and automated horizontal transport equipment interactive unlocking and locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a digital twin system, which is connected to the automatic control module of the spreader to acquire real-time information and generate a digital twin system.

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