Crane device, crane device control method, and end device

Abstract

Provided are a crane device, a method for controlling the crane device, and a terminal device with which it is possible to enhance the safety of a hoisting operation by the crane device. The present invention comprises a hoisting device 110 that is capable of hoisting up and down a wire rope 140 on which a load is suspended, a drive unit 130 that drives the hoisting device 110, a swaying sensor 300 that detects swaying of the load, a manipulation unit 180 for manipulating the hoisting device 110, and a control unit 120 that controls the drive unit 130 on the basis of the manipulation performed by the manipulation unit 180 and the result of detection by the swaying sensor 300. The control unit 120 controls the drive unit 130 such that, if swaying is detected by the swaying sensor 300 after the start of a hoisting operation performed by the hoisting device 110, the hoisting operation is stopped until a prescribed time elapses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a crane device, a crane device control method, and an end device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in work sites such as factories and warehouses, crane devices have been used to lift suspended loads such as heavy objects. At work sites, for example, accidents and disasters (hereinafter referred to as accidents, etc.) caused by crane devices, such as the fall of suspended loads or stacked loads (hereinafter referred to as suspended loads, etc.) or pinching by suspended loads, etc., may occur. In order to prevent accidents, etc. caused by crane devices, for example, accident prevention devices that issue warnings have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, if the wire rope or hook is not firmly attached to the suspended load, etc., if the temporary stop immediately before ground cutting is neglected, there is a risk of the suspended load, etc. falling or being pinched by the suspended load, etc. Also, for example, in a state where there is no suspended load, etc. (hereinafter referred to as no load), when the hoisting operation is performed with a hook attached to the hook portion of the crane device, and a hook or the like gets caught on the stacked load during the hoisting operation, there is also a risk of the suspended load, etc. falling or the load collapsing. Therefore, it is required to improve the safety of the hoisting operation of the suspended load, etc. and the hoisting operation with no load.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an exemplary object is to provide a crane device, a crane device control method, and an end device that can improve the safety of the hoisting operation of the crane device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has the following configuration.

[0007] (1) A hoisting device capable of winding up and winding down a wire rope used to lift a load, A driving means for driving the aforementioned hoisting device, Ground-off detection means for detecting when the suspended load is lifted off the ground, An operating unit for operating the aforementioned hoisting device, A control means that controls the drive means based on the operation by the operating unit and the detection result of the ground clearance detection means, Equipped with, The control means controls the drive means to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed, when the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance after the hoisting operation by the hoisting device has started.

[0008] (2) A crane device control method for controlling the crane device described in (1) above, A hoisting step in which the hoisting operation by the hoisting device is started, A detection step of detecting ground cutting using the ground cutting detection means, In the detection step, if ground clearance is detected, a stopping step is performed to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed. A crane device control method in which the control means performs the following actions.

[0009] (3) An end device to be attached to the end of a wire rope for lifting a suspended load, It has an outer cylinder, a support part, and an elastic member, The outer cylinder portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The support portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow interior of the outer cylinder portion. The elastic member expands and contracts in response to the sliding of the support portion within the hollow interior of the outer cylinder, thereby generating a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion relative to the outer cylinder to a predetermined position. An end device wherein, when the end of the wire rope is fixed inside the hollow part of the support part, the support part slides together with the end of the wire rope inside the hollow part of the outer cylinder.

[0010] Further objects or other features of the present invention will be revealed by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a crane device, a crane device control method, and an end device that can improve the safety of the hoisting operation of the crane device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the main components of the crane device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] (a) Front view showing the wire end fixing part of the embodiment, (b) Cross-sectional view taken along arrow AA in (a) [Figure 3] (a) A schematic cross-sectional view of the wire end fixing part when no load is applied to the wire rope in the embodiment; (b) A schematic cross-sectional view showing the stroke; (c) A schematic diagram illustrating the stroke. [Figure 4] Block diagram of the crane device of the embodiment [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the crane device control method of the embodiment [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the crane device of the present embodiment is used at work sites such as factories, construction sites, container terminals, etc. The work site may also include warehouses such as a place for storing loads for a certain period of time and an intermediate warehouse for temporarily storing loads. An object lifted or lowered by the crane device is referred to as a suspended load or a load.

[0014] Also, the vertical direction in which the suspended load is lifted or lowered is also referred to as the lifting and lowering direction (z direction). When the hoisting device described later in this embodiment is applied to, for example, an overhead crane, the traveling direction (x direction) of the saddle of the overhead crane and the traveling direction of the boom of the overhead crane (hereinafter referred to as the traverse direction (y direction)) are directions substantially orthogonal to the lifting and lowering direction.

[0015] <Crane device> FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view showing the configuration of the main part of the crane device 100 of the present embodiment, and also shows the lifting and lowering direction. The crane device 100 is a device for lifting and transporting a suspended load (not shown) at a work site. The crane device 100 may be a crane device with various configurations such as an overhead crane.

[0016] The crane device 100 has a hoisting device 110, a control unit 120 which is a control means, a drive unit 130 which is a drive means, an operation unit 180, a wire end fixing unit 200, and a ground cut sensor 300. For lifting the suspended load, a wire rope 140, a hook unit 150, a pendant wire 160, and a shackle 170 are also used.

[0017] The hoisting device 110 has a hoisting drum 112. The hoisting drum 112 is a rotating body capable of winding up and unwinding (white arrows in the figure) a wire rope 140 for lifting a suspended load. The hoisting drum 112 is connected to a motor of the drive unit 130 and can rotate forward and backward as shown by the double arrows in the figure based on a control command from the control unit 120. One end (starting end, hereinafter also referred to as the tip 142) of the wire rope 140 is fixed to the hoisting drum 112.

[0018] The hoisting device 110 is raised when lifting a suspended load placed on the floor (not shown) of a work site. The hoisting device 110 is also lowered when the crane device 100 moves with the suspended load suspended from it and lowers the load onto the floor or the bed of a vehicle at a predetermined location. Furthermore, the hoisting device 110 is also raised when the crane device 100 has lowered the suspended load and there is no suspended load (hereinafter referred to as "empty load"), such as when moving the hacker 170 to a predetermined height or higher.

[0019] A hook unit 150 for attaching a lifting wire rope 160 is attached to the wire rope 140. The hook unit 150 has a hook portion 152 for attaching the lifting wire rope 160 and a sheave 154 for attaching the hook unit 150 to the wire rope 140. The wire rope 140 is wound around the sheave 154.

[0020] A hook 170 is movably attached to the lifting wire 160, for example, a pair of hooks 170a and 170b are attached facing each other. Alternatively, the lifting wire 160 and hook 170 may not be used, and the load may be directly attached to the hook portion 152.

[0021] The other end of the wire rope 140 (end, hereinafter also referred to as the rear end 144) is fixed to a fixed part 195, such as the ceiling of the work site or the clamp of an overhead crane, by a wire end fixing part 200.

[0022] The control unit 180 is, for example, a controller device operated by a worker (hereinafter referred to as the operator) who operates the crane device 100, and is used when operating the crane device 100. The control unit 180 is, for example, a wireless (e.g., telecon) or wired (e.g., pendant) controller device. Figure 1 shows a wireless type control unit 180.

[0023] The operating unit 180 has, for example, an up button 182 and a down button 184. When the up button 182 is pressed, the control unit 120 uses the hoisting drum 112 to wind up the wire rope 140 and move the hook unit 150 upward. The up button 182 is used, for example, when lifting (raising) a suspended load or when retracting an empty hook unit 150 upward. When the down button 184 is pressed, the control unit 120 uses the hoisting drum 112 to wind down the wire rope 140 and move the hook unit 150 downward. The down button 184 is used, for example, when lowering a suspended load or when lowering an empty hook unit 150.

[0024] In addition to the up button 182 and down button 184, the control unit 180 may have other buttons for horizontally moving the crane device 100 in directions such as east, west, north, south, left, right, forward, or backward. Furthermore, the control unit 180 may also have a start button for transmitting a signal to the control unit 120 to start controlling the crane device 100, an end button for transmitting a signal to the control unit 120 to end controlling the crane device 100, and a lock button to disable button operation. The control unit 180 may also be a known input means (not shown), such as a keyboard or mouse. Furthermore, the control unit 180 may control the target (in this case, the crane device 100) by voice recognition such as a microphone, or by an eye-tracking device. In addition, the crane device 100 may be equipped with a display unit (not shown) such as a display for showing the status of the crane device 100.

[0025] The control unit 120 controls various operations of the crane device 100. The control unit 120 includes, for example, a CPU, ROM, RAM, and a timer. The control unit 120 controls the crane device 100 by performing various calculations with the CPU while monitoring various timings using the timer, and using the RAM as a temporary work area according to various programs stored in the ROM.

[0026] The drive unit 130 has known driving means and transmission means (not shown), such as a motor, cylinder, clutch, and gears, for driving the hoisting drum 112. The drive unit 130 controls the start (hereinafter also referred to as "on") and stop (hereinafter also referred to as "off") of the motor drive according to the drive signal output from the control unit 120. Ideally, the drive unit 130 should stop driving without delay when a stop drive signal is transmitted from the control unit 120. In reality, the drive unit 130 requires time according to the characteristics (inertia) of the motor used to come to a complete stop after a stop drive signal is transmitted from the control unit 120. The wire end fixing unit 200 and the ground clearance sensor 300 will be described later.

[0027] <Wire end fixing part> The wire end fixing part 200, which is an end device, will be explained using Figure 2. Figure 2(a) is a front view showing the wire end fixing part 200 of this embodiment, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow AA in (a). Figure 2 also shows the extension direction of the wire rope 140. Here, the extension direction of the wire rope 140 is the direction in which the wire rope 140 extends or the direction along the wire rope 140, and can also be said to be the direction of movement in which the wire rope 140 moves due to the hoisting or unwinding operation of the hoisting drum 112.

[0028] The wire end fixing part 200 has a casing 210 which is an outer cylinder, a support part 220, a coil spring 230 which is an elastic member, and a hook part 250. The casing 210 has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The casing 210 has an elongated hole 212 and an inner wall 214. The elongated hole 212 is a hole through which the protruding part 310 of the ground-breaking sensor 300, which will be described later, passes, attached to the casing 210. The inner wall 214 forms a space (hollow interior) that houses the rear end 144 of the wire rope 140, the support part 220, and the coil spring 230. Note that the hollow interior of the casing 210 only needs to allow the rear end 144 of the wire rope 140, the support part 220, and the coil spring 230 to slide, and its shape is not limited to a roughly cylindrical shape.

[0029] The inner wall portion 214 has a stopper 216, which is a restricting portion, and a flange portion 218, which is an inner flange portion. The stopper 216 is provided in a part of the hollow interior of the casing 210 to restrict the sliding range of the support portion 220 in the extension direction. The stopper 216 abuts against the flange portion 224 of the support portion 220, which will be described later, so that when the coil spring 230 is compressed, the coil spring 230 does not get compressed any further. The stopper 216 has been described as a lower stopper that restricts the downward movement of the flange portion 224, which will be described later, but it is not limited to this. For example, the stopper only needs to restrict the sliding range of the support portion 220 in the extension direction, and it may also be an upper stopper that restricts the upward movement of the support portion 220.

[0030] The flange portion 218 protrudes inward into a part of the hollow interior of the casing 210. The flange portion 218 restricts the downward movement of the coil spring 230 when the coil spring 230 is compressed. The space formed by the inner wall portion 214 is large enough to accommodate at least the support portion 220, the coil spring 230, and the crimping portion 240, which will be described later. The hook portion 250 is an opening for fixing the wire end fixing portion 200 to the fixing portion 195 with a metal fitting or the like.

[0031] The support portion 220 has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow casing 210. The support portion 220 has an inner wall portion 222, an outer flange portion 224, and a fitting portion 226. The inner wall portion 222 forms a space (hollow interior) into which the wire rope 140 is inserted. The hollow interior of the support portion 220 does not need to be roughly cylindrical in shape, as long as the rear end 144 of the wire rope 140 can be inserted through it. The space formed by the inner wall portion 222 is at least large enough to accommodate the wire rope 140. The flange portion 224 protrudes outward from a part of the cylindrical outer surface of the support portion 220. The flange portion 224 has a diameter at least larger than the outer diameter of the coil spring 230, so that when the support portion 220 is inserted into the inner diameter of the coil spring 230, the coil spring 230 does not come out from the flange portion 224 side.

[0032] The support portion 220 is inserted into the inner diameter of the coil spring 230 from the side opposite to the side where the flange portion 224 is provided. This causes the coil spring 230 to abut against the flange portion 224. In this state, the rear end 144 of the wire rope 140 is inserted from the side opposite to the side where the flange portion 224 is provided into the space formed by the inner diameter of the coil spring 230 and the inner wall portion 222 of the support portion 220. That is, the wire rope 140 is inserted through the coil spring 230 and the support portion 220. When the end of the wire rope 140 is fixed inside the hollow interior of the support portion 220, the support portion 220 slides together with the end of the wire rope 140 inside the hollow interior of the casing 210. The coil spring 230 expands and contracts as the support portion 220 slides inside the hollow interior of the casing 210. As a result, the coil spring 230 generates a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion 220 relative to the casing 210 to a predetermined position (the home position, which will be described later).

[0033] The wire rope 140, which is inserted through the coil spring 230 and the support portion 220, has its rear end 144 pulled out from the flange portion 224 side and compressed by, for example, compression termination (also called locking) using a metal fitting such as an aluminum alloy. In this way, the rear end 144 of the wire rope 140 is terminated, forming a crimped portion 240. The crimped portion 240, support portion 220, coil spring 230, and wire rope 140, assembled in this way, are housed in the space within the inner wall portion 214 of the casing 210. As a result, the coil spring 230 is positioned inside the hollow interior of the casing 210 so as to be sandwiched between the flange portion 224 and the flange portion 218.

[0034] The outer diameter, center diameter, inner diameter, wire diameter per coil, pitch, degrees of freedom, etc. of the coil spring 230 may be determined according to the specifications of the crane device 100 and the weight of the cargo to be transported. Furthermore, the elastic member described above is not limited to the coil spring 230, but may be a leaf spring, air spring, tension spring, etc. The elastic member is a member that expands and contracts in conjunction with the movement of the other end of the wire rope 140 when one end of the wire rope 140 is fixed to the hoisting device 110 and the hoisting device 110 moves the other end of the wire rope 140 along its extension direction. In other words, the elastic member should be compressed when tension is applied to the wire rope 140 and return to its original state when the tension is removed. In addition, whether the flange portions of the casing 210 and support portion 220 protrude outward or inward is a design matter that differs depending on the shape of the parts.

[0035] The fitting portion 226 is a hole into which the fitting portion 314 of the protruding portion 310 of the ground-cutting sensor 300 fits. When the crimping portion 240, the support portion 220, and the coil spring 230 are housed in the space formed by the inner wall portion 214 of the casing 210, the support portion 220 is housed so that the elongated hole portion 212 of the casing 210 and the fitting portion 226 of the support portion 220 are oriented in the same direction. As a result, the protruding portion 310 of the ground-cutting sensor 300 fits into the fitting portion 226 of the support portion 220 via the elongated hole portion 212, and the protruding portion 310 can move in the extension direction in conjunction with the movement of the wire rope 140, in other words, the sliding of the support portion 220. The protruding portion 310 moves in conjunction with the movement of the wire rope 140, thereby performing its function as a ground-cutting sensor 300.

[0036] <Ground clearance sensor> The ground-breaking sensor 300, which is a ground-breaking detection means, is a sensor for detecting ground-breaking of the suspended load, and in this embodiment, for example, a limit switch and a detection dog are used. The ground-breaking sensor 300 is attached to the casing 210 of the wire end fixing part 200 and is positioned so that ground-breaking can be detected as the support part 220 moves along the extension direction of the wire rope 140.

[0037] The ground clearance sensor 300 has a protruding portion 310 and a switch portion 320. The protruding portion 310 has a contact portion 312 and a fitting portion 314. The contact portion 312 is positioned to contact the switch portion 320 when there is no load on the wire rope 140. When the contact portion 312 is in contact with the switch portion 320, the ground clearance sensor 300 outputs, for example, an ON signal to the control unit 120. When the contact portion 312 is separated from the switch portion 320, the ground clearance sensor 300 outputs, for example, an OFF signal to the control unit 120.

[0038] The mating portion 314 is fitted into the mating portion 226 of the support portion 220. This allows the protruding portion 310 to move in conjunction with the movement of the support portion 220. The contact portion 312 of the protruding portion 310 contacts the switch portion 320 when no load is suspended from or caught on the wire rope 140, and the ground clearance sensor 300 outputs an ON signal. Conversely, the contact portion 312 of the protruding portion 310 separates from the switch portion 320 when a load is suspended from or caught on the wire rope 140, and the ground clearance sensor 300 outputs an OFF signal.

[0039] Here, "ground lifting" refers to the moment when the suspended load is lifted off the ground (or the contact surface) and leaves the ground, or the situation immediately before or after that moment. In this embodiment, "detecting ground lifting" means detecting the situation immediately before or just before ground lifting. That is, it means detecting a situation where the suspended load is in contact with the ground, but is about to leave the ground or is very close to it, where the suspended load is in contact with the ground but the wire rope 140 is not slack and tension is present in the wire rope 140, or where part of the suspended load has left the ground but another part is still in contact with the ground. In other words, the ground lifting sensor 300 detects a situation where at least part of the suspended load is still in contact with the ground and is restrained by the ground and does not swing, but there is tension in the wire rope 140 and it is not slack.

[0040] When the wire rope 140 is slack, no load (tension) is applied to the wire rope 140 other than that due to its own weight. In this embodiment, this state is described as "no load applied." When the wire rope 140 is wound up by the hoisting drum 112 and its slack is eliminated, and just before and after the lifting of the suspended load from the ground, a sudden and large tension is applied to the wire rope 140. At that time, an external force is applied downward to the crimping portion 240 due to the action of the tension. When the crimping portion 240 is pulled downward, the support portion 220 also slides against the casing 210, and the protruding portion 310 also moves within the casing 210 along the elongated hole portion 212.

[0041] When no tension is applied to the wire rope 140 and the crimped portion 240 is maintained in the upper position, the contact portion 312 of the ground-breaking sensor 300 is in contact with the switch portion 320, and the ground-breaking sensor 300 outputs an ON signal. When the suspended load begins to break away from the ground and strong tension is applied to the wire rope 140, the crimped portion 240 and the support portion 220 move, the contact portion 312 separates from the switch portion 320, and the ground-breaking sensor 300 outputs an OFF signal. The control unit 120 can determine whether the suspended load has broken away from the ground based on the output signal from the ground-breaking sensor 300.

[0042] In this embodiment, the ground-breaking sensor 300 is positioned in the casing 210 of the wire end fixing section 200, allowing detection of ground-breaking of the suspended load according to the tension of the wire rope 140, but this is not limited to this configuration. The ground-breaking sensor 300 does not necessarily have to be positioned in the wire end fixing section 200; it is sufficient if the logic of the output signal is inverted according to movement along the extension direction of the wire rope 140. It is also possible to use a strain sensor that detects the tension of the wire rope 140 itself as the ground-breaking sensor. Furthermore, the ground-breaking sensor 300 does not necessarily have to be a limit switch; it may be an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter, a magnetic sensor, or other detection device.

[0043] Here, the ground clearance sensor 300 has the function of detecting the positional relationship between the casing 210 and the support part 220, and can therefore also be called a position detection unit. This position detection unit only needs to be provided on either the casing 210 or the support part 220 of the wire end fixing part 200 as a means for detecting the relative position between the casing 210 and the support part 220. Ground clearance detection can also be called positional relationship detection, and includes detection of relative position or sliding distance. For example, the ground clearance sensor 300 as a position detection unit detects whether the position of the support part 220 relative to the casing 210 is above or below a predetermined positional relationship. Alternatively, for example, the ground clearance sensor 300 as a position detection unit detects that the sliding distance of the support part 220 relative to the casing 210 has become above a predetermined distance.

[0044] <Regarding the stroke of a coil spring> Figure 3 illustrates the stroke of the coil spring 230. (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wire end fixing part 200 when no load is applied to the wire rope 140, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the stroke, and (c) is a schematic diagram illustrating the stroke. Note that some reference numerals and leader lines have been omitted in Figure 3(b) for clarity. Figure 3 also shows the extension direction of the wire rope 140. Here, the state in Figure 3(a) is when the weight of the wire rope 140 and hook unit 150, etc., is lifted by the coil spring 230, and a biasing force is generated when the coil spring 230 returns to its original position. The state in which the position of the support part 220 relative to the casing 210 is the predetermined position as shown in Figure 3(a) is also called the home position.

[0045] In Figure 3(b), S represents the stroke. Stroke S is the distance traveled by the support unit 220 (or wire rope 140) from the home position where no load is applied to the wire rope 140 until the flange portion 224 of the support unit 220 abuts against the stopper 216. Stroke S includes the length due to the ground clearance sensor 300 (hereinafter referred to as stroke Sa) and the length due to the inertia of the drive unit 130 (hereinafter referred to as stroke Sb) (S > Sa + Sb). In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(c), the sum of stroke Sa and stroke Sb is defined as stroke S0 (= Sa + Sb).

[0046] The stroke Sa measured by the ground clearance sensor 300 is the distance traveled when the protruding portion 310 is separated from the switch portion 320 when the ground clearance described above is detected; in other words, it is the distance traveled by the wire rope 140 when the ground clearance is detected.

[0047] On the other hand, the stroke Sb is provided to absorb the inertia of the drive unit 130. As described above, the drive unit 130 does not stop when the control unit 120 sends a stop drive signal to the drive unit 130, and it takes time for the drive unit 130 to come to a complete stop, depending on the characteristics of the motor used. In other words, the hoisting drum 112 continues its hoisting operation even after the control unit 120 outputs a stop drive signal. During this time, the wire rope 140 is wound up, causing the hook unit 150 to rise.

[0048] In this embodiment, the distance traveled by the winding up of the wire rope 140 is absorbed by the coil spring 230 of the wire end fixing part 200, in other words, the movement is limited to the range of stroke Sb, thereby preventing the hook unit 150 from rising. As a result, the hook unit 150 is not affected by the inertia of the drive unit 130 and can maintain the height at which the stop drive signal was output from the control unit 120 until the drive unit 130 stops. The stroke Sb can be designed based on the characteristics of the drive unit 130, the characteristics of the coil spring 230, etc.

[0049] <Block diagram of crane equipment> Figure 4 is a block diagram of the crane device 100 of this embodiment. The control unit 120 controls the crane device 100 in response to operations input from the operation unit 180. The control unit 120 also controls the crane device 100 based on the detection results of the ground clearance sensor 300. The control unit 120 stores information of the ground clearance stop flag, which will be described later, in the storage unit 190, and also accesses the storage unit 190 to read the ground clearance stop flag information stored in the storage unit 190. The control unit 120 controls the reset, start, stop, etc. of the timer 192, and uses the timer 192 to control various timings. The control unit 120 outputs a drive signal to the drive unit 130 and controls the start, acceleration / deceleration, stop, forward rotation, reverse rotation, etc. of the drive unit 130. If the storage unit 190 is the RAM described above and the timer 192 is the timer described above, the storage unit 190 and the timer 192 may be included in the control unit 120.

[0050] The operation unit 180 is operated by the operator and transmits the operated information (input information) to the control unit 120. The ground clearance sensor 300 transmits an ON signal or OFF signal to the control unit 120 according to the ground clearance detection result. The memory unit 190 is, for example, the RAM described above, and is capable of storing and reading information. The timer 192 is referenced by the control unit 120 when the control unit 120 controls the crane device 100. The drive unit 130 drives the hoisting drum 112 according to the drive signal output from the control unit 120.

[0051] <Control of the crane device of this embodiment> The control method for the crane device 100 of this embodiment will now be described. In this embodiment, if the crane device 100 detects ground clearance by the ground clearance sensor 300 after the hoisting operation has started, the hoisting operation is stopped and the operation by the control unit 180 is disabled. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the operation by the control unit 180 is enabled, and the hoisting operation can be resumed. Since the control unit 120 disables the operation by the control unit 180 for at least a predetermined time, even if the operator performs an inching operation or the like using the control unit 180, the hoisting drum 112 will not rotate. In other words, inching operations can also be prevented. The predetermined time may be determined according to the time required for the operator's verification work, which will be described later.

[0052] In this embodiment, operations by the control unit 180 within a predetermined time are disabled, but the system is not limited to this. For example, even within a predetermined time, pressing the lower button 184 of the control unit 180, i.e., the lowering operation, may not be disabled. This makes it possible, for example, to lower and loosen the wire rope 140 after detecting ground clearance and stopping the hoisting operation.

[0053] In this way, when the crane device 100 is lifting a load, the operator can check the condition of the wire rope 140 and the hook 170 during a predetermined period when the lifting operation is stopped. Furthermore, the operator can check within the predetermined period whether the center of gravity of the load and the crane device 100 are aligned, and whether any foreign objects are caught between the load and the wire rope 140.

[0054] Furthermore, if the crane device 100 is lifting an empty load, it can notify the operator if the lifting equipment such as the rigging wire 160 or hook 170 has interfered with other loads that were not originally intended to be lifted. Since the lifting operation has stopped, the operator can detach the load that has become mistakenly caught on the rigging wire 160 or hook 170, and then lift the crane device 100 again with an empty load.

[0055] Furthermore, if the control unit 120 detects ground clearance using the ground clearance sensor 300 while the suspended load is being hoisted and temporarily stops the crane device 100, the ground clearance sensor 300 will continue to detect ground clearance even after a predetermined time has elapsed. In other words, the ground clearance sensor 300 will continue to output an off signal. As a result, the control unit 120 will temporarily stop the crane device 100 and maintain a state in which operation by the control unit 180 is disabled.

[0056] Therefore, in this embodiment, information indicating that the crane has stopped temporarily after detecting ground clearance by the ground clearance sensor 300 (hereinafter referred to as the ground clearance stop flag) is stored in the storage unit 190. If the ground clearance stop flag is set to, for example, 1 (FLG=1), the control unit 120 switches the operation by the operation unit 180 from disabled to enabled, even if ground clearance has been detected by the ground clearance sensor 300, and puts the crane device 100 into a state where hoisting operation is possible.

[0057] The stop flag after ground clearance is set to 0 (FLG=0) at the time the hoisting operation of the crane device 100 begins, meaning its initial value is 0. A stop flag after ground clearance being 0 (FLG=0) indicates that the crane device 100 has not detected ground clearance even once using the ground clearance sensor 300.

[0058] Furthermore, the crane device 100 may be equipped with a control unit 120 that stops the hoisting operation after detecting ground clearance from the start of the hoisting operation, and may also be equipped with notification means to alert the operator, for example, by sound, light, or vibration.

[0059] <Crane device control method according to this embodiment> Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the crane device control method of this embodiment. The crane device control method of this embodiment is a method for controlling the crane device 100 described above, and comprises a hoisting process, a detection process, and a stopping process. The hoisting process is the process of starting the hoisting operation by the hoisting device 110. The detection process is the process of detecting ground clearance using the ground clearance sensor 300. The stopping process is the process of stopping the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed when ground clearance is detected in the detection process.

[0060] In step 500 (hereinafter referred to as S), the control unit 120 initializes the stop flag after ground clearance (FLG=0) and stores it in the memory unit 190. In S502, the control unit 120 determines whether the operation unit 180 has been operated, specifically whether the up button 182 has been pressed. If the control unit 120 determines in S502 that the operation unit 180 has not been operated, it returns to S502; if it determines that the operation unit 180 has been operated, it proceeds to S504. In S504, the control unit 120 starts driving the drive unit 130 (motor ON) and starts the hoisting operation by the hoisting drum 112.

[0061] In S506, the control unit 120 determines whether or not ground clearance has been detected by the ground clearance sensor 300. If the control unit 120 determines in S506 that ground clearance has not been detected, it returns to processing S506. If the control unit 120 determines in S506 that ground clearance has been detected, it proceeds to processing S508. For example, ground clearance is detected when a load is being lifted, or when a load is unintentionally lifted during an empty hoisting operation. On the other hand, if an empty hoisting operation is performed and no unintentional snagging of the load occurs, ground clearance is not detected. If ground clearance is not detected, the hoisting operation continues.

[0062] In S508, the control unit 120 stops the drive of the drive unit 130 (motor OFF) and stops the hoisting operation by the hoisting drum 112. In S510, the control unit 120 determines whether the operation unit 180 has been released. Release of the operation unit 180 means that the operator has stopped operating it, for example, when the operator's finger is removed from the up button 182. In S510, if the control unit 120 determines that the operation unit 180 has not been released, it returns to S510. In S510, if the control unit 120 determines that the operation unit 180 has been released, it proceeds to S512. The control unit 120 also resets and starts the timer 192.

[0063] In S512, the control unit 120 refers to the timer 192 to determine whether a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed. If the control unit 120 determines in S512 that the predetermined time has not elapsed, it returns to S512; if it determines that the predetermined time has elapsed, it proceeds to S514. From the time the determination process in S510 results in Y until the determination process in S512 results in Y, the control unit 120 disables operations by the operation unit 180. On the other hand, once the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 120 accepts operations by the operation unit 180, in other words, enables them.

[0064] In S514, the control unit 120 sets the stop flag after ground clearance to 1 (FLG=1) and stores it in the memory unit 190. FLG=1 corresponds to information that the hoisting operation has stopped after ground clearance has been detected. Note that FLG=1 may be used as the initial value, and FLG=0 may be used as information that the hoisting operation has stopped after ground clearance has been detected, but this is not limited to this. It is sufficient for the control unit 120 to be able to determine that the cessation of the hoisting operation after the start of the hoisting operation is due to the detection of ground clearance.

[0065] In S516, the control unit 120 determines whether the operating unit 180 has been operated again (re-operated). If the control unit 120 determines in S516 that the operating unit 180 has not been re-operated, it returns to S516. If it determines that the operating unit 180 has been re-operated, it proceeds to S518. In S518, the control unit 120 determines whether ground clearance has been detected. If it determines that ground clearance has not been detected, it returns to S504. If it determines that ground clearance has been detected, it proceeds to S520. For example, when a load is being hoisted, the lifting of the load resumes after the operator's confirmation work is completed, so ground clearance is detected. On the other hand, if a load gets caught unintentionally while a hoisting operation is being performed with an empty load, the load is removed by the operator, so ground clearance is not detected.

[0066] In S520, the control unit 120 determines whether the stop flag after ground clearance is 1 (FLG=1). If it determines that the stop flag after ground clearance is 0, it returns to S504. If it determines that the stop flag after ground clearance is 1, it proceeds to S522. These processes are performed to prevent the hoisting operation from becoming impossible after ground clearance is detected, in cases where the control unit 120 is required to stop the drive of the drive unit 130 when ground clearance is detected. In S522, the control unit 120 restarts the drive of the drive unit 130 (motor ON) and resumes the hoisting operation by the hoisting drum 112. As a result, even when ground clearance is detected by the ground clearance sensor 300, the control unit 120 can temporarily stop the hoisting operation to perform a safety check and then continue the hoisting operation.

[0067] In S524, the control unit 120 determines whether the operating unit 180 has been released. If it determines that the operating unit 180 has not been released, it returns to S524. If it determines that the operating unit 180 has been released, it proceeds to S526. In S526, the control unit 120 stops the drive of the drive unit 130 (motor OFF), terminates the hoisting operation by the hoisting drum 112, and terminates control of the crane device 100.

[0068] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a crane device, a crane device control method, and an end device that can improve the safety of the hoisting operation of the crane device.

[0069] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its essence. Furthermore, the present invention includes the following aspects.

[0070] [Purpose 1] A hoisting device capable of winding up and winding down a wire rope used to lift a suspended load, A driving means for driving the aforementioned hoisting device, Ground-off detection means for detecting when the suspended load is lifted off the ground, An operating unit for operating the aforementioned hoisting device, A control means that controls the drive means based on the operation by the operating unit and the detection result of the ground clearance detection means, Equipped with, The control means controls the drive means to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed, when the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance after the hoisting operation by the hoisting device has started.

[0071] [Purpose 2] The control means may disable the operation by the operating unit until the predetermined time has elapsed after the start of the hoisting operation by the hoisting device and when the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance.

[0072] [Purpose 3] If the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance and the hoisting operation is stopped, the system is provided with a storage unit that stores information to that effect. The control means may, after the predetermined time has elapsed, access the storage unit and, if the information is stored in the storage unit, enable the operation by the operating unit, thereby enabling the hoisting operation by the operation of the operating unit.

[0073] [Purpose 4] One end of the wire rope is fixed to the hoisting device, and an elastic member may be provided that expands and contracts in conjunction with the movement of the other end of the wire rope along its extension direction due to the hoisting operation by the hoisting device.

[0074] [Purpose 5] The elastic member may be a coil spring.

[0075] [Purpose 6] The end device comprises an outer cylinder portion, a support portion, and the elastic member, The outer cylinder portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The support portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow interior of the outer cylinder portion. The elastic member expands and contracts in response to the sliding of the support portion within the hollow interior of the outer cylinder, thereby generating a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion relative to the outer cylinder to a predetermined position. When the end of the wire rope is fixed inside the hollow part of the support, the support may slide together with the end of the wire rope inside the hollow part of the outer cylinder.

[0076] [Purpose 7] The outer cylinder portion has an inner flange portion that protrudes inward from a part of its hollow interior. The support portion has an outer flange portion that protrudes outward from a part of the outer surface of its cylinder, The elastic member may be positioned inside the hollow outer cylinder portion so as to be sandwiched between the outer flange portion and the inner flange portion.

[0077] [Purpose 8] The outer cylinder portion may have a restricting portion in a part of its hollow interior for restricting the sliding range of the support portion.

[0078] [Purpose 9] The ground clearance detection means may be attached to the other end of the wire rope.

[0079] [Purpose 10] A crane device control method for controlling the crane device described above, A hoisting step in which the hoisting operation by the hoisting device is started, A detection step of detecting ground cutting using the ground cutting detection means, In the detection step, if ground clearance is detected, a stopping step is performed to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed. A crane device control method in which the control means performs the following actions.

[0080] [Purpose 11] An end device attached to the end of a wire rope used to lift a load, It has an outer cylinder, a support part, and an elastic member, The outer cylinder portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The support portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow interior of the outer cylinder portion. The elastic member expands and contracts in response to the sliding of the support portion within the hollow interior of the outer cylinder, thereby generating a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion relative to the outer cylinder to a predetermined position. An end device wherein, when the end of the wire rope is fixed inside the hollow part of the support part, the support part slides together with the end of the wire rope inside the hollow part of the outer cylinder.

[0081] [Purpose 12] The outer cylinder portion has an inner flange portion that protrudes inward from a part of its hollow interior. The support portion has an outer flange portion that protrudes outward from a part of the outer surface of its cylinder, The elastic member may be positioned inside the hollow outer cylinder portion so as to be sandwiched between the outer flange portion and the inner flange portion.

[0082] [Purpose 13] Either the outer cylinder portion or the support portion may be provided with a position detection unit for detecting the positional relationship between the outer cylinder portion and the support portion.

[0083] [Purpose 14] The outer cylinder portion may have a restricting portion in a part of its hollow interior for restricting the sliding range of the support portion. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 100 Crane equipment 110 Hoisting equipment 112 Hoisting drum 120 Control unit 130 Drive unit 140 Wire rope 142 Tip 144 Rear end 150 Hook unit 152 Hook section 154 Sheave 160 Lifting wire 170 Hackers, 170a, 170b Hackers 180 Control panel 182 Up button 184 Down button 190 Memory section 192 Timer 195 Fixed part 200 Wire end fixing part 210 Casing 212 Slotted section 214 Inner wall section 216 Stopper 218 Flange section 220 Support part 222 Inner wall part 224 Flange section 226 Fitting section 240 Crimping part 250 Hook part 300 Ground clearance sensor 310 Protruding part 312 Contact portion 314 Fitting portion 320 Switch section

Claims

1. A hoisting device capable of winding up and winding down a wire rope used to lift a suspended load, A driving means for driving the aforementioned hoisting device, Ground-off detection means for detecting when the suspended load is lifted off the ground, An operating unit for operating the aforementioned hoisting device, A control means that controls the drive means based on the operation by the operating unit and the detection result of the ground clearance detection means, Equipped with, The control means controls the drive means to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed when the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance after the hoisting operation by the hoisting device has started, and disables operation by the operation unit until the predetermined time has elapsed. If the ground clearance detection means detects ground clearance and the hoisting operation is stopped, the system is provided with a storage unit that stores information to that effect. The control means accesses the storage unit after a predetermined time has elapsed, and if the information is stored in the storage unit, it enables the operation by the operating unit, thereby enabling the hoisting operation by the operation of the operating unit, in a crane device.

2. The crane device according to claim 1, wherein one end of the wire rope is fixed to the hoisting device, and the other end of the wire rope moves along its extension direction due to the hoisting operation by the hoisting device, and the crane device is equipped with an elastic member that expands and contracts in conjunction with that movement.

3. The crane device according to claim 2, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring.

4. The end device comprises an outer cylinder portion, a support portion, and the elastic member, The outer cylinder portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The support portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow interior of the outer cylinder portion. The elastic member expands and contracts in response to the sliding of the support portion within the hollow interior of the outer cylinder, thereby generating a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion relative to the outer cylinder to a predetermined position. The crane device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein when the end of the wire rope is fixed inside the hollow part of the support part, the support part slides together with the end of the wire rope inside the hollow part of the outer cylinder.

5. The outer cylinder portion has an inner flange portion that protrudes inward from a part of its hollow interior. The support portion has an outer flange portion that protrudes outward from a part of the outer surface of its cylinder, The crane device according to claim 4, wherein the elastic member is located inside the hollow of the outer cylinder and is positioned to be sandwiched between the outer flange and the inner flange.

6. The crane device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the outer cylinder portion has a restricting portion in a part of its hollow interior for restricting the sliding range of the support portion.

7. The crane device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the ground clearance detection means is attached to the other end of the wire rope.

8. A crane device control method for controlling a crane device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A hoisting step in which the hoisting operation by the hoisting device is started, A detection step of detecting ground cutting using the ground cutting detection means, In the detection step, if ground clearance is detected, a stopping step is performed to stop the hoisting operation until a predetermined time has elapsed. A crane device control method in which the control means performs the following actions.

9. An end device attached to the end of a wire rope used to lift a load, It has an outer cylinder, a support part, and an elastic member, The outer cylinder portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The support portion has a roughly cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and is slidably positioned inside the hollow interior of the outer cylinder portion. The elastic member expands and contracts in response to the sliding of the support portion within the hollow interior of the outer cylinder, thereby generating a biasing force that restores the position of the support portion relative to the outer cylinder to a predetermined position. An end device wherein, when the end of the wire rope is fixed inside the hollow part of the support part, the support part slides together with the end of the wire rope inside the hollow part of the outer cylinder.

10. The outer cylinder portion has an inner flange portion that protrudes inward from a part of its hollow interior. The support portion has an outer flange portion that protrudes outward from a part of the outer surface of its cylinder, The end device according to claim 9, wherein the elastic member is located inside the hollow of the outer cylinder portion and is positioned to be sandwiched between the outer flange portion and the inner flange portion.

11. The end device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein either the outer cylinder portion or the support portion is provided with a position detection unit for detecting the positional relationship between the outer cylinder portion and the support portion.

12. The end device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the outer cylinder portion has a restricting portion in a part of its hollow interior for restricting the sliding range of the support portion.

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