Crane cabin door system

JP7943887B2Active Publication Date: 2026-10-30MANITOWOC CRANE GROUP FRANCE
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024185706
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-11-14
Filing Date
2024-10-22
Publication Date
2026-10-30
Estimated Expiration
2044-10-22

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Abstract

To provide a door system that operates a crane cabin door in a method that is always convenience and optimized in an ergonomically manner.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a crane cabin door system for a mobile crane, the crane cabin door system comprising a door designed to close an access opening part of a crane cabin and guided between an open position and a close position by a guide mechanism, a door driving device designed to move the door between the open position and the close position, and a control unit connected to the door driving device and at least one control element and operating the door driving device according to a user input performed via at least one control element.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a door system for a crane cabin of a mobile crane. The present invention further relates to a mobile crane whose crane cabin is equipped with such a door system.

[0002] During crane operations, a mobile crane is normally operated by a crane operator from the crane cabin. Large mobile cranes are provided with a driver's seat arranged on the lower structure of the crane for driving operations, and also with a crane cabin dedicated to operations during crane work, while small mobile cranes such as so-called rough terrain cranes may be provided with only one work space for operating the crane for both driving operations and crane operations.

[0003] In recent crane designs, it is common for the crane cabin to be equipped with a sliding door that can be opened as wide as the crane operator desires or slid open, which is far less obstructive than the hinged swing doors often found in older crane designs.

[0004] In particular, when the crane cabin is arranged on the superstructure, to open and close the cabin door from the outside of the cabin, the crane operator must grasp and operate the cabin door from different positions depending on the rotational angular position of the crane superstructure. In addition, the door handle provided for this purpose is located at different positions depending on the open position of the door, and thus is not necessarily convenient for the crane operator to grasp, nor is it ergonomic.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback and provide a door system in which the crane cabin door is operated in a manner that is always convenient and ergonomically optimized.

[0006] This objective is achieved by the crane cabin door system according to patent claim 1 and the mobile crane according to patent claim 10.

[0007] For this purpose, the crane cabin door system according to the present invention A door designed to close the access opening of the crane cabin, which is guided between an open position and a closed position by a guide mechanism, A door drive device designed to move the door between the open position and the closed position, A control unit connected to the door drive device and at least one control element, which operates the door drive device in accordance with user input provided via the at least one control element. It is equipped with.

[0008] This door system, unlike conventional cabin doors, features an automatically moving cabin door that no longer needs to be opened or closed manually by the crane operator. Instead, opening and closing the door requires only simple user input via a control element. This eliminates the need for the crane operator to apply operating force from different positions, thus improving not only operational convenience and ergonomic advantages, but also, in some cases, the safety level when operating the crane's cabin door.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the guide mechanism and / or the door drive device is designed to fix the door in at least one intermediate position between the open position and the closed position, in particular a predetermined or arbitrary intermediate position, and to fix it in particular securely.

[0010] In other words, the door drive can be operated so that the cabin door can remain not only in its terminal positions, i.e., closed and open positions, but also in one or any number of intermediate positions. This is particularly advantageous when it is necessary to improve acoustic perception around the crane or to provide additional ventilation to the crane cabin. In this context, at least one predetermined locked position of the cabin door is conceivable, in which case the partially open cabin door effectively prevents a person from falling out of the cabin and similarly prevents objects from entering the cabin. It is also conceivable that the door may be actively fixed in its current position, for example by a locking mechanism or a braking mechanism, rather than being held by a guide mechanism and / or door drive, for example by internal frictional force. The door drive may comprise one or more electric motors that provide the necessary drive output to move the door. In this context, it is particularly conceivable that the door drive comprises one or more 12-volt or 24-volt DC motors that act on one or more swing arms coupled to the cabin door, and in particular rotate them.

[0011] The design according to the present invention can, in principle, be used for any type of cabin door, such as a swing door rotatably mounted on a crane cabin, or a substantially translationally guided sliding door. However, according to one embodiment, the guide mechanism can be embodied as an outwardly rotating door mechanism. Thus, the door moves between an open position and a closed position in the manner of an outwardly rotating door. The door moves primarily parallel to the range between the access opening and the associated cabin wall in order to open and close the access opening, while near the closed position, it moves primarily vertically in order to move in and out of the fitted portion of the crane cabin wall. This allows the cabin door to be sealed from the crane cabin, particularly compared to conventional sliding doors, and offers advantages in terms of exposure to contaminants and noise, drafts, and dust intrusion. For this purpose, the guide mechanism can be embodied, for example, as a coupling linkage or a four-bar linkage.

[0012] In another embodiment, the control unit may be connected via a CAN bus for the purpose of transmitting signals to the door drive and / or at least one control element. It is also possible for the control unit to be integrated into the crane control device of a mobile crane and, in particular, to represent the functions of the crane control device of a mobile crane.

[0013] In other words, the operation of the door system according to the present invention can be interpreted not only as an independent system, but also as something that can be integrated or incorporated into the existing signal transmission infrastructure of a mobile crane.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the control unit can actuate the door drive in response to at least one crane state variable and / or at least one environmental parameter, in particular in response to at least one sensor value, and in particular, this can take precedence over user input made via a control element. It is equally possible to make this semi-automatic operation of the door drive dependent on user input. For example, if one or more sensors detect an increased exposure to dust, the cabin door may be closed automatically. Nevertheless, if the crane operator wishes to open the cabin door at least partially, for example to better perceive the surrounding environment acoustically, the crane operator can reopen the cabin door by user input. In other cases, for example, if one or more sensors measure an increased exposure to a contaminant, the cabin door may be closed regardless of user input until the concentration of the contaminant returns to an acceptable level. Similarly, one or more different crane state variables may affect the operation of the cabin door. If the crane cabin can be tilted according to the boom luffing angle, it is conceivable that the cabin door cannot be fully opened until the crane cabin returns to a horizontal position. Similarly, the cabin door may only be fully opened after the lifting or access aids, such as running boards, have reached the position necessary for entry into or exit from the cabin.

[0015] Instead of preventing the cabin door from opening, the control unit may generate an audible and / or optical warning signal, emitted by a signal lamp or loudspeaker, depending on at least one state variable and / or at least one environmental parameter. Similarly, such an audible and / or optical warning signal may be generated before or while the door drive moves the cabin door between the open and closed positions.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the mobile crane may be equipped with one or more control elements, in particular, The driver's cab of a mobile crane. Inside and / or outside the crane cabin of a mobile crane, The substructure of a mobile crane, particularly the area for climbing into the crane cabin, and / or It may be positioned in the superstructure of a mobile crane, particularly in the area used for climbing into the crane cabin.

[0017] In addition to, or as an alternative to, the control elements can be integrated into, or provided in, a portable, wireless remote control device, particularly for mobile cranes.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a mobile crane equipped with a crane cabin door system according to any one of the embodiments described above. The door system can be installed in a crane cabin located particularly on the crane superstructure, but is equally suitable for a crane cabin located on the crane substructure.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may comprise all the features disclosed herein individually or in any convenient combination. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1]Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the door system according to the present invention, in which the cabin door is in the closed position. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the door system from Figure 1, with the cabin door in the first intermediate position. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the door system from Figure 1, with the cabin door in the second intermediate position. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the door system from Figure 1 with the cabin door in the open position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Figure 1 schematically shows a plan view of a crane cabin 2 equipped with a preferred embodiment of the door system according to the present invention. The front side, i.e., the side of the crane cabin facing the crane boom, is located on the left side in the illustrated representation. An access opening 1, through which a crane operator can enter and exit the crane cabin 2, is provided on the left side wall of the crane cabin 2, i.e., the lower side wall in the figure. A cabin door 5, connected to the crane cabin 2 via a guide mechanism designed as a connecting linkage or a four-bar linkage in the illustrated embodiment, is provided to close the access opening 1. As can be seen by looking at Figures 1 to 4 together, the door 5 is connected to the crane cabin 2 via two swing arms 3 and 4. The two swing arms 3 and 4 are connected at both ends to the door 5 and the crane cabin 2, respectively, via rotary bearings, and the axes of rotation of all rotary bearings extend parallel to each other. The first swing arm 3 extends downward to the access opening 1, while the second swing arm 4 is located in the upper region of the access opening 1 and can rotate about a vertical axis of rotation via an electric motor 6. The electric motor 6 may be a 12-volt DC motor or a 24-volt DC motor, and therefore power may be supplied directly via the crane's onboard power supply. The first swing arm 3 is not driven and therefore follows the movement of the second swing arm 4 and the door 5. In conventional nomenclature, the crane cabin 2 therefore represents the frame of the connecting link, while the door 5 forms a so-called joint.

[0022] To move the door 5 between the closed position shown in Figure 1 and the open position shown in Figure 4, the door drive device 6 acting on the second swing arm 4 is actuated by the control unit 8 via the signal line of the CAN bus 9. The control unit 8 likewise receives corresponding user inputs via the signal line of the CAN bus 9, and the control unit 8 is connected to the control element 7 for the purpose of signal transmission via the signal line of the CAN bus 9, and the control element 7 may be designed as a push button. As shown in Figure 1, when the control elements 7 are arranged both on the outer wall of the crane cabin 2 and inside the crane cabin 2, the crane operator can open and close the door 5 without gripping the door 5. While the door 5 and the handle fixed thereto assume different positions relative to the crane cabin 2 depending on the open position of the door 5, the control element 7 or the push button remains in a known position.

[0023] When moving the door 5 from the closed position shown in Figure 1 to the fully open position or the partially open position, the electric motor 6 is actuated via the control unit 8 by operating one of the control elements 7, and the electric motor 6 rotates the second swing arm 4 about its rotary bearing in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1. The first swing arm 3 follows the movement of the second swing arm 4 coupled via the door 5, and likewise moves about the rotary bearing in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1.

[0024] Figure 2 shows that the door 5 initially moves substantially perpendicularly relative to the extent of the door opening 1, that is, moves out of the fitted portion of the cabin wall, so to speak. The position of the door 5 shown in Figure 2 may sometimes be referred to as a first intermediate position at which the crane operator can easily acoustically perceive the surroundings of the mobile crane from inside the crane cabin.

[0025] In Figure 3, the door 5 is at a second intermediate position that is opened further than the intermediate position shown in Figure 2, which for example ensures that the crane cabin 2 is sufficiently ventilated.

[0026] As the door drive unit 6 is continuously operated, the door 5 eventually reaches the open position shown in Figure 4, in which the access opening 1 is opened wide enough to allow entry and exit to the crane cabin 2. To close the door 5 again from the open position, one of the control elements 7 is operated again, causing the door drive unit 6 to rotate the second swing arm 4 around the pivot bearing in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4. The first swing arm 3 follows this movement and rotates in the same direction around the pivot bearing.

[0027] In addition to the discrete positions of the cabin door 5 shown in Figures 1 to 4, the cabin door 5 can also be positioned in a so-called "non-stepwise" manner at any position, or, in particular, firmly fixed in any position using a brake mechanism (not shown). For this purpose, the door drive unit 6 can rotate the second swing arm 4 while a control element 7, designed as a push button, is pressed. When the push button is released, the door 5 remains in its current position or is firmly fixed in that position against unexpected movement. When the control element 7 is pressed again, the movement of the door 5 resumes.

Claims

1. A crane cabin door system for a mobile crane, A door (5) is designed to close the access opening (1) of the crane cabin (2) and is guided between an open position and a closed position by a guide mechanism (3, 4), A door drive device (6) designed to move the door (5) between the open position and the closed position, A control unit (8) is connected to the door drive device (6) and at least one control element (7), and operates the door drive device (6) according to user input provided via the at least one control element (7). Equipped with, The control unit (8) is The door drive unit (6) is activated and / or locked in accordance with at least one crane state variable, and / or at least one environmental parameter, which is a crane state other than the state of the door (5) or the state of the door drive unit (6). Before and / or during the movement of the door drive device (6), an audible and / or optical warning signal is emitted in accordance with at least one crane state variable, which is the state of the door (5) or a crane state other than the state of the door drive device (6), and / or at least one environmental parameter. A crane cabin door system that performs at least one of the following.

2. The crane cabin door system according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanisms (3, 4) and / or the door drive device (6) are designed to fix the door (5) in at least one intermediate position between the open position and the closed position, in particular a predetermined or arbitrary intermediate position, and to fix it in particular securely.

3. The crane cabin door system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guide mechanism (3, 4) is embodied as a door mechanism that rotates outward.

4. The crane cabin door system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (8) is connected via a CAN bus (9) to the door drive device (6) and / or the at least one control element (7) for the purpose of transmitting signals.

5. The crane cabin door system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (8) is integrated into the crane control device of the mobile crane and, in particular, represents the function of the crane control device of the mobile crane.

6. At least one control element (7) The operator's seat of the aforementioned mobile crane, Inside and / or outside the crane cabin (2) of the mobile crane, The lower structure of the mobile crane, in particular the area for rising into the crane cabin (2), and / or The crane cabin door system according to claim 1, which is positioned in the superstructure of the mobile crane, particularly in the area for ascending to the crane cabin (2).

7. The crane cabin door system according to claim 1, wherein the control element (7) is integrated into or provided in a portable, in particular wireless, remote control device of the mobile crane.

8. A mobile crane comprising the crane cabin door system described in claim 1.

Citation Information

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