Crane

Abstract

Provided is a crane equipped with a device capable of efficiently acquiring video of the surroundings with few blind spots. A crane (1) comprises: a counterweight (32); and an upper structure (31) behind which the counterweight (32) is disposed. The transport posture width (W1) of a subject-to transportation configuration (5) including the upper structure (31) is smaller than the width of the counterweight (32). The crane further comprises at least two lateral cameras (61, 62) that image the left-right direction from the upper structure (31). The two lateral cameras (61, 62) are respectively arranged at a first position (P1a) on the left side and a first position (P1b) on the right side, the positions being outside the range of the transport posture width (W1). The two lateral cameras (61, 62) can be rearranged at a second position (P2a) on the left side and a second position (P2b) on the right side, respectively.

Description

crane

[0001] The present invention relates to a crane.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a crane equipped with a plurality of cameras that capture images of the area around the vehicle body. The crane requires a large number of cameras to reduce blind spots.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-189749

[0004] Cranes have a variety of characteristics, such as cranes equipped with narrow counterweights and cranes equipped with wide counterweights. Cranes equipped with wide counterweights are prone to having unique blind spots when capturing images of the surroundings. The inventors investigated whether it might be possible to efficiently capture images of the surroundings by positioning cameras according to the characteristics of the crane.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a crane equipped with a device that can more efficiently acquire images of the surrounding area with fewer blind spots.

[0006] The crane according to the present invention comprises a counterweight and an upper structure with the counterweight disposed at the rear, and the transport posture width of the transported configuration including the upper structure is smaller than the width of the counterweight; and the crane comprises at least two side cameras that take images in the left and right directions from the upper structure, and the two side cameras are respectively disposed at a first position on the left side and a first position on the right side outside the range of the transport posture width.

[0007] According to the present invention, in a crane in which the width of the counterweight is greater than the width of the transported configuration including the upper structure in the transport position, it is possible to obtain the effect of efficiently capturing images of the surroundings with few blind spots using two side cameras.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a crane according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a perimeter monitoring device mounted on the crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a transported configuration of a crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a front view showing a transported configuration of a crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a transported configuration of a crane according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating blind spots as seen from the front side in the first embodiment and a comparative example. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating blind spots as seen from the front side in the first embodiment and a comparative example. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating blind spots as seen from above in the first embodiment and a comparative example. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating blind spots as seen from above in the first embodiment and a comparative example. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overhead image synthesized from images of multiple cameras including two side cameras. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting a first position when the overhang amounts of the counterweight are different. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a crane according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a transported configuration of a crane according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a crane according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a transported configuration of a crane according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a crane according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a front view showing a crane according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a transport configuration of a crane according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Figures 1A to 1C are a perspective view, a front view, and a plan view showing a crane according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a perimeter monitoring device mounted on the crane according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figures 3A to 3C are a perspective view, a front view, and a plan view showing the transport configuration of the crane according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Some components described below are not shown in Figure 1.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1A to 1C, crane 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a self-propelled crawler crane and includes a travelable lower track body 2 and an upper rotating body 3 that is rotatable relative to the lower track body 2. The upper rotating body 3 includes an upper structure 31 and a counterweight 32 disposed at the rear of the upper structure 31. Although some parts are omitted in the figures, crane 1 further includes a boom 4 (see Figure 1C) and mast that are attached to the upper rotating body 3 so as to be able to be raised and lowered, a hoisting device suspended by the boom 4, and a wire rope configured to be reeled in and out of a winch 313. The boom 4 is not shown in the figures except in Figure 1C.

[0012] The lower traveling body 2 includes a traveling body 21 such as a crawler, a frame 22 that supports the traveling body 21, and a rotating part 23 that rotatably supports the upper rotating body 3. When the front surface of the upper rotating body 3 faces the straight direction of the traveling body 21, the width of the traveling body 21 is wider than the width of the upper rotating body 3.

[0013] The upper structure 31 includes machine rooms 311a, 311b, a cab 312, a winch 313, a boom support section 314 that rotatably supports the boom, a mast support section (not shown) that rotatably supports the mast, a weight mounting section (not shown) on which the counterweight 32 is mounted, and a catwalk 315 that serves as a foothold for workers to walk on.

[0014] The crane 1 is disassembled into multiple transportable structures, transported by trailer or the like, and assembled on site. As shown in FIG. 3 , one transportable structure 5 includes an upper structure 31, a frame 22 of the undercarriage 2, and a swivel section 23. When the upper structure 31 included in the transportable structure 5 is in the transport position, the catwalk 315 is folded or removed. The transportable structure 5 has a width W1 in the transport position that is smaller than the width of the counterweight 32. The transport position width W1 refers to the width of the structure during transport. Specifically, the transport position width W1 refers to the width of each of the multiple transportable structures disassembled from one another during transport. The width refers to the maximum dimension along the width direction of the transport when the structure is loaded onto a transport vehicle such as a trailer. The orientation of the transportable structure relative to the transport vehicle is defined as the orientation described in the instruction manual or the like. Unless otherwise specified, the width is defined as the maximum dimension in the short direction in a plan view.

[0015] In this embodiment, the transported structure 5 is designed to have a transport posture width W1 of, for example, 3 m, which is close to the maximum width (e.g., "maximum width - 0.1 m" to maximum width) stipulated by regulations regarding transport when loaded onto a trailer or the like and traveling on public roads. In this way, the design of the transport posture width W1 of a crane's transported structure is generally constrained by regulations regarding transport when loaded onto a trailer or the like and traveling on public roads. In other words, the transport posture width W1 is, at its maximum, the same as the width stipulated by law regarding transport when loaded onto a trailer or the like and traveling on public roads. The transport posture width W1 of the transported structure 5 does not need to be close to the above-mentioned maximum width and may be any length, but is a length that is set in advance in the instruction manual or the like depending on the model.

[0016] The width W1 of the transported structure 5 in the transport posture corresponds to the length in the left-right direction from the left end of the left machine room 311a to the right end of the right machine room 311b. Alternatively, the width W1 of the transported structure 5 in the transport posture corresponds to the length in the left-right direction from the left end of the left machine room 311a to the right end of the cab 312. Alternatively, the width W1 of the transported structure 5 in the transport posture corresponds to the length in the left-right direction of the frame 22 of the undercarriage 2. The length in the left-right direction refers to the length of the left-right component. For example, if the positions of the left and right ends are misaligned in the front-to-back or up-down direction, the length refers to the length of the left-to-right component of the line connecting the left and right ends, rather than the length of the line connecting the left and right ends.

[0017] <Periphery monitoring device> As shown in Fig. 2, the crane 1 is equipped with a periphery monitoring device for monitoring the periphery of the machine body. The periphery monitoring device includes a plurality of cameras 6 that capture images of the periphery of the machine body, a processing device 7 that takes in images from the plurality of cameras 6 and generates images for periphery monitoring, and a display 8 that outputs the images for periphery monitoring generated by the processing device 7. The display 8 may be provided in the cab 312, or in a control room separate from the crane 1, or may be a portable tablet terminal or the like.

[0018] The multiple cameras 6 include a pair of left and right side cameras 61, 62. The multiple cameras 6 may further include a rear camera 63 that captures images rearward and a front camera 64 that captures images forward. The rear camera 63 is located, for example, at the center rear end of the upper part of the counterweight 32. The front camera 64 is located in front of the upper structure 31. The front camera 64 is mounted on the outer frame of the front glass of the cab 312. More specifically, the front camera 64 is located above the cab 312, closer to the center of the upper structure 31 when viewed from the front. As shown in FIG. 10( a ), the lower part of the cab 312 protrudes further forward than the upper part. In other words, the front glass of the cab 312 is positioned further forward as it approaches the bottom. Therefore, the front camera 64 is located rearward of the foremost part of the cab 312. As a result, the front camera 64 does not affect the overall longitudinal dimension of the upper structure 31. The front camera 64 may be provided further forward than the foremost portion of the cab 312. The front camera 64 may be provided protruding further forward than the foremost portion of the cab 312. When the front camera 64 protrudes further forward than the foremost portion of the cab 312, the front camera can photograph the lower front side without being obstructed by the lower part of the cab 312 that protrudes forward. As long as the front camera 64 protrudes further forward than at least the glass portion of the cab 312, the front camera 64 can easily photograph the lower front side of the upper structure 31. The terms "front, back, left, right" and "front, back, left, and right" refer to the front, back, left, and right sides when the direction in which the lowered boom extends is considered to be forward.

[0019] The processing device 7 synthesizes an overhead image of the crane 1 and its surroundings viewed from above from the images of the multiple cameras 6, and uses the overhead image as an image for monitoring the surroundings. The processing device 7 may be configured to generate a monitoring image from the images of the multiple cameras 6, in which images of the front, back, left and right of the crane 1 are displayed in multiple sections.

[0020] <Arrangement of Side Cameras> The side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the upper structure 31. More specifically, the side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the left and right machine rooms 311a, 311b via brackets 611, 621 (corresponding to support structures, see FIGS. 1C and 3C ). The brackets 611, 621 are attached to the tops of the machine rooms 311a, 311b, and the side cameras 61, 62 are fixed to the brackets 611, 621.

[0021] The side cameras 61, 62 can be positioned at a first position P1a on the left side and a first position P1b on the right side, respectively, outside the range of the transport posture width W1 of the upper structure 31 (i.e., outside the range of the transport posture width W1 in the left-right direction).

[0022] According to this configuration, when monitoring the periphery of the crane 1 while it is operating, the above-described arrangement allows the side cameras 61, 62 to capture images with fewer blind spots to the left and right of the crane 1. In particular, by reducing the blind spots to the left and right of the counterweight 32, the side cameras 61, 62 can capture more efficient images of the surrounding area. Patent Document 1 does not mention the idea of ​​arranging cameras with consideration for the transport posture width W1. Therefore, it can be assumed that the transport posture width in Patent Document 1 includes the area where the cameras are located. In other words, with this configuration, the camera installation position is ultimately limited to the transport posture width, and the camera's blind spot becomes larger if the counterweight is wider than the transport posture width.

[0023] The side cameras 61, 62 can be further relocated to a second position P2a on the left side and a second position P2b on the right side, both of which are within the transport posture width W1. More specifically, the side cameras 61, 62 can be relocated without being separated from the brackets 611, 621, which serve as support structures. That is, the side cameras 61, 62 can be relocated from the first positions P1a, P1b to the second positions P2a, P2b without being separated from the upper structure 31. By placing the side cameras 61, 62 at the second positions P2a, P2b, such as during transportation of the crane 1, the width of the transported structure 5, including the upper structure 31, can be kept within the transport posture width W1, excluding the side cameras 61, 62, while the side cameras 61, 62 remain supported by the upper structure 31. Therefore, the side cameras 61, 62 do not get in the way during transportation. Furthermore, if the transport posture width W1 of the portion excluding the side cameras 61, 62 is close to the maximum width stipulated by transport regulations, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the maximum width is exceeded by the side cameras 61, 62. Furthermore, since the side cameras 61, 62 are repositioned without being separated from the brackets 611, 621 that are the support structures, there is no need to remove the side cameras 61, 62 when changing from the crane operation posture to the transport posture, which reduces the number of work steps.

[0024] 1C and 3C , the brackets 611 and 621 have, in part, rotatable hinges a1 and a2 and locking structures b1 and b2 that lock the rotational positions via the hinges a1 and a2. The rotation of the brackets 611 and 621 via the hinges a1 and a2 and the locking by the locking structures b1 and b2 allow the side cameras 61 and 62 to be repositioned between first positions P1a and P1b and second positions P2a and P2b, respectively. The hinges a1 and a2 in the first embodiment are configured to be rotatable about a vertical axis.

[0025] When in the first positions P1a and P1b, the centers of the angles of view of the side cameras 61 and 62 are supported by brackets 611 and 621 so as to face 90 degrees left and 90 degrees right from the center line A0 in the fore-and-aft direction in a plan view (see Figure 1C).

[0026] <Detailed Arrangement of the First Positions P1a, P1b in the Forward-Backward Direction> As shown in FIG. 1C , in a plan view, the first positions P1a, P1b are set to overlap a reference band H1 that passes through the turning center O1 of the upper structure 31 and extends in the left-right direction. The reference band H1 refers to a linearly extending band having a predetermined width, and the width (length in the forward-backward direction) of the band is defined as 10 cm. According to this definition, when the front end of the reference band H1 overlaps the turning center O1, the first positions P1a, P1b are set to be furthest rearward when the rear end of the reference band H1 overlaps the turning center O1, and the first positions P1a, P1b are set to be furthest forward when the rear end of the reference band H1 overlaps the turning center O1. The reason for providing a margin of error in the position as described above is that there is a design error, and an error of about 10 cm does not result in a large difference in effect.

[0027] According to this setting, when the upper structure 31 turns, the left and right images of the upper structure 31 taken by the left and right side cameras 61, 62 become symmetrical with respect to the turning center O1. Therefore, when these images are used to synthesize an overhead image, the synthesis of the overhead image becomes easy, and the portions of the images from the side cameras 61, 62 that are stretched in the overhead image become symmetrical in the front-to-back direction, making it possible to obtain a natural overhead image.

[0028] <Detailed Lateral Arrangement of First Positions P1a, P1b> As shown in FIG. 1B , the first positions P1a, P1b are preferably set in the left-right direction of the upper structure 31 so that they are closer to the left and right ends q2a, q2b of the counterweight 32 than the left and right ends q1a, q1b of the transport posture width W1. This further reduces the blind spot (blind spot E4, described below) around the crane 1 caused by the counterweight 32. Furthermore, when the first positions P1a, P1b are positioned outward of the left and right ends q2a, q2b of the counterweight 32 in the left-right direction of the upper structure 31, they are preferably set to be within 20 cm of the left and right ends q2a, q2b. Furthermore, the first positions P1a, P1b are preferably set to overlap the running body 21 (more specifically, the crawler tracks) in a plan view. Such a setting can further reduce the blind spots (blind spots E2 described later) on the left and right outside of the running object 21.

[0029] 1A and 1B, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located above the engine rooms 311a and 311b. Furthermore, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located below the top surface of the cab 312. In other words, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located at approximately the same height. By positioning the cameras at similar heights so that they are located at approximately the same height, distortion of the image can be reduced when the images from these cameras are combined.

[0030] According to this setting, blind spots around the crane 1 can be further reduced in the images obtained by the side cameras 61, 62.

[0031] <Comparison of Blind Spots in Images> Figures 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating blind spots as viewed from the front in the first embodiment and the comparative example. Figures 4C and 4D are diagrams illustrating blind spots as viewed from above in the first embodiment and the comparative example. The comparative example corresponds to a configuration in which the left and right side cameras 61, 62 are located at the left and right ends of the range of the transport posture width W1 of the upper structure 31. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, in the areas near the left and right outer sides of the running body 21 of the undercarriage 2, the blind spot E2 in the configuration of the first embodiment is smaller than the blind spot E1 in the comparative example. Note that the blind spot in the fore-and-aft direction of the running body 21 is also smaller in the configuration of the first embodiment than in the comparative example. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4C and 4D, the blind spot E4 in the configuration of the first embodiment is smaller than the blind spot E3 in the comparative example to the left and right rear of the counterweight 32. 4C and 4D, the hatched areas D1-D3 indicate the areas photographed by the left and right side cameras 61, 62 and the rear camera 63, and the shaded areas indicate the blind spots E3, E4. The blind spots E2 on the left and right outer sides of the vehicle 21 may be called side blind spots E2, and the blind spots E4 on the left and right rear sides of the counterweight 32 may be called rear blind spots E4.

[0032] <Bird's-eye view image> Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a bird's-eye view image synthesized from images from multiple cameras, including two side cameras. By synthesizing images from the left and right side cameras 61, 62 with images from the front camera 64 and rear camera 63, the processing device 7 can generate the bird's-eye view image shown in Figure 5. In the bird's-eye view image, an image of the crane 1 is positioned in the center, and images from the cameras 61 to 64, some of which are stretched and some of which are contracted in a predetermined pattern, are positioned around it. This bird's-eye view image allows the worker to accurately grasp the situation around the crane 1. In this embodiment, the bird's-eye view image can be generated using images from a small number of cameras 61 to 64, and the blind spot area E in the bird's-eye view image is reduced.

[0033] <When the counterweight overhang amounts are different on the left and right sides> Figure 6 shows an example of setting the first positions P1a and P1b when the counterweight overhang amounts are different. Note that different counterweight overhang amounts mean that, when viewed from the front of the upper structure 31, the length of the counterweight from the center of rotation O1 to the left end of the counterweight (the overhang amount on the left side of the counterweight) is different from the length from the center of rotation O1 to the right end of the counterweight (the overhang amount on the right side of the counterweight). In this example, when viewed from the front of the upper structure 31, the distance L1 from the center of rotation O1 to the left end of the counterweight 32 is longer than the distance L2 from the center of rotation O1 to the right end of the counterweight 32.

[0034] In this configuration, it is preferable that the left (first side) first position P1a be located closer to the center than the left end of the counterweight 32, and the right (second side) first position P1b be located further outward than the right end of the counterweight 32. This arrangement provides the effect of achieving a good balance between reducing blind spots (blind spots to the side of the counterweight 32) in the images from the left and right side cameras 61, 62, and generating a less awkward bird's-eye view image by making the left and right images symmetrical with respect to the center of rotation O1. When the lengths of the distances L1 and L2 are reversed, the arrangement of the first positions P1a and P1b can be reversed from the left to right.

[0035] The crane 1 of the first embodiment has been described above. However, the crane 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment. For example, the crane 1 of the first embodiment has two side cameras 61, 62, one on each side, that capture images of the lateral side among the multiple cameras 6 that capture images of the surrounding area. However, the number of side cameras that capture images of the lateral side is not limited, and may be four. Furthermore, the rear camera 63 and the front camera 64 may be omitted, and the images from the side cameras 61, 62 may be displayed in a state close to the original image rather than being used to create an overhead image. Furthermore, the first embodiment has been described as a configuration in which the position of the side cameras 61, 62 can be changed between first positions P1a, P1b and second positions P2a, P2b by rotating the brackets 611, 621. However, various configurations that allow for change of position, such as a sliding mechanism, a link mechanism, or a mechanism that combines sliding and rotating, are applicable. In addition to the embodiment in which the position can be changed without being separated from the support structure, the side camera 61 or its bracket may be configured to be attachable and detachable at two locations on the upper structure 31, and the position of the side camera 61 may be changed by removing and moving the side camera 61 or its bracket from one of the two locations to the other. When the side camera 61 is removed and relocated, the second position after the relocation where the side cameras 61, 62 are attached may be located on a component other than the transported structure 5, more specifically, on a component other than the upper rotating body 3 (e.g., the running body 21). In this case, the transported structure 5 itself can be transported with the camera removed. The configuration for the side camera 61 described in this paragraph can also be applied to the other side camera 62.

[0036] 7A and 7B are perspective views showing a crane according to a second embodiment of the present invention and a perspective view showing its transport configuration. The crane 1A of the second embodiment differs in the support structure for the side cameras 61 and 62 and the vertical arrangement of the first positions P1Aa and P1Ab, but the other elements are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. The different configurations will be described in detail below.

[0037] The side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the upper structure 31. More specifically, the side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the left and right machine rooms 311a, 311b via brackets 611A, 621A. The brackets 611A, 621A are attached to the tops of the machine rooms 311a, 311b, and the side cameras 61, 62 are fixed to the brackets 611A, 621A.

[0038] The side cameras 61, 62 can be positioned at a first position P1Aa on the left side and a first position P1Ab on the right side, respectively, outside the range of the transport posture width W1 of the upper structure 31.

[0039] According to this configuration, when monitoring the surroundings while the crane 1A is operating, the above arrangement makes it possible to reduce the blind spots of the side cameras 61, 62 on the left and right sides of the crane 1A. In particular, by reducing the blind spots on the left and right sides of the counterweight 32 (see Figures 4C and 4D), it becomes possible to efficiently acquire images of the surroundings.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7B , the side cameras 61 and 62 can be positioned at a second position P2Aa on the left side and a second position P2Ab on the right side within the transport posture width W1. More specifically, the side cameras 61 and 62 are configured to allow the above-described repositioning without being separated from the brackets 611A and 621A, which serve as support structures. That is, the side cameras 61 and 62 can be repositioned from the first position P1Aa and P1Ab to the second position P2Aa and P2Ab without being separated from the upper structure 31. By positioning the side cameras 61 and 62 at the second position P2Aa and P2Ab, for example, during transportation of the crane 1A, the width of the transported structure 5A, including the upper structure 31, can be kept within the transport posture width W1, excluding the side cameras 61 and 62, while still supporting the side cameras 61 and 62. Therefore, the side cameras 61 and 62 do not get in the way during transportation. Furthermore, if the transport posture width W1 of the portion excluding the side cameras 61, 62 is close to the maximum width set by regulations regarding transport, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the maximum width is exceeded by the side cameras 61, 62.

[0041] The brackets 611A, 621A include support columns c11, c12, arm portions d11, d12, hinges a11, a12 that rotatably connect the arm portions d11, d12 to the support columns c11, c12, and locking structures b11, b12 that lock the rotational positions via the hinges a11, a12. The support columns c11, c12 are fixed to the upper structure 31, and the side cameras 61, 62 are attached to the arm portions d11, d12. The rotation of the arm portions d11, d12 via the hinges a11, a12 and the locking by the locking structures b11, b12 enable the side cameras 61, 62 to be repositioned between first positions P1Aa, P1Ab and second positions P2Aa, P2Ab. The hinges a11 and a12 in the first embodiment are configured to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The arms d11 and d12 are rotatable from a state in which their longitudinal directions face the up-down direction to a state in which their longitudinal directions face the left-right direction.

[0042] When the arm sections d11 and d12 are open in the left-right direction and the lateral cameras 61 and 62 are in the first positions P1Aa and P1Ab, the orientation of the lateral cameras 61 and 62 may be determined so that the centers of the angles of view of the lateral cameras 61 and 62 face 90 degrees to the left and 90 degrees to the right from the center line A0 in the fore-and-aft direction in a planar view.

[0043] The crane 1A of the second embodiment also achieves the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the crane 1A of the second embodiment makes it easy to set the first positions P1Aa and P1Ab at high positions. Therefore, when the side cameras 61 and 62 are in use, the side cameras 61 and 62 are positioned above the workers walking on the catwalk 315, preventing them from interfering with the workers' movements. Furthermore, the side cameras 61 and 62 can capture images to the left and right from a high position, thereby reducing blind spots to the sides of the traveling body 21. The arm sections d11 and d12 can be rotated from a position in which their longitudinal directions face the up-down direction to a position in which their longitudinal directions face the left-right direction in various configurations, such as a configuration in which the arms rotate about a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction, a configuration in which the arms rotate once so that their longitudinal directions extend forward and then rotate in multiple stages so that their longitudinal directions face the left-right direction, or a configuration that allows rotation in any direction, such as a universal joint.

[0044] 8A and 8B are perspective views showing a crane according to a third embodiment of the present invention and a perspective view showing its transport configuration. A crane 1B according to the third embodiment differs mainly in the support structure for side cameras 61 and 62, with the other elements being substantially similar to those of the first embodiment. The following describes the different configurations in detail.

[0045] The side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the upper structure 31. More specifically, the side cameras 61, 62 are supported by the left and right machine rooms 311a, 311b via brackets 611B, 621B. The brackets 611B, 621B are attached to the tops of the machine rooms 311a, 311b, and the side cameras 61, 62 are fixed to the brackets 611B, 621B.

[0046] The side cameras 61, 62 can be positioned at a first position P1a on the left side and a first position P1b on the right side, respectively, outside the range of the transport posture width W1 of the upper structure 31.

[0047] According to this configuration, when monitoring the surroundings while the crane 1B is operating, the above arrangement makes it possible to reduce the blind spots of the side cameras 61, 62 on the left and right sides of the crane 1B. In particular, reducing the blind spots on the left and right sides of the counterweight 32 makes it possible to efficiently obtain images of the surroundings.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8B , the side cameras 61 and 62 can be repositioned between a second position P2Ba on the left side and a second position P2Bb on the right side, both of which are within the transport posture width W1. More specifically, the side cameras 61 and 62 are configured to be repositioned without being separated from the brackets 611B and 621B, which are supporting structures (i.e., without being separated from the upper structure 31). By placing the side cameras 61 and 62 at the second positions P2Ba and P2Bb, such as during transportation of the crane 1B, the width of the transported structure 5B, including the upper structure 31, can be kept within the transport posture width W1 excluding the side cameras 61 and 62 while still supporting the side cameras 61 and 62. Therefore, the side cameras 61 and 62 do not get in the way during transportation. Furthermore, if the transport posture width excluding the side cameras 61 and 62 is close to the maximum width defined by transportation regulations, the side cameras 61 and 62 can be prevented from exceeding the maximum width.

[0049] The brackets 611B, 621B have slide mechanisms a21, a22 and locking structures b21, b22 that lock the slide positions of the slide mechanisms a21, a22. The brackets 611B, 621B slide left and right via the slide mechanisms a21, a22, and when they slide outward in the left and right direction, the brackets 611B, 621B are locked, thereby fixing the side cameras 61, 62 at first positions P1a, P1b. The brackets 611B, 621B slide left and right via the slide mechanisms a21, a22, and when they slide inward in the left and right direction, the brackets 611B, 621B are locked, thereby fixing the side cameras 61, 62 at second positions P2Ba, P2Bb.

[0050] The crane 1B of the third embodiment also provides the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0051] 9A and 9B are a perspective view and a front view showing a crane according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 10A and 10B are a perspective view and a front view showing a transport configuration of a crane according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. A crane 1C according to the fourth embodiment differs in the support structure for the side cameras 61 and 62 and the vertical arrangement of the first positions P1Ca and P1Cb, but the other elements are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. The following describes the different configurations in detail.

[0052] The side cameras 61, 62 are supported on the upper structure 31. More specifically, a handrail f31 is provided near the upper left end of the left machine room 311a, and a handrail f32 is provided near the upper right end of the right machine room 311b. Portions of the handrails f31, f32 are configured to be slid upward (raised and lowered) relative to supports g31, g32 fixed to the machine rooms 311a, 311b, and to be locked in the slid position. That is, the handrails f31, f32 are provided above the upper structure 31, and their heights can be adjusted between a first height and a second height. The second height is lower than the first height. This reduces the height required for transportation. The side cameras 61, 62 are attached to the handrails f31, f32 via brackets 611C, 621C. The handrails f31, f32 are configured to be raised and lowered together with the side cameras 61, 62. This allows for the configuration for changing the vertical position of the side cameras 61, 62 and the configuration for switching the handrails f31, f32 between the use position and the non-use position to be reused. Furthermore, the side cameras 61, 62 can be slid upward (raised and lowered) by raising and lowering portions of the handrails f31, f32. However, the side cameras may be raised and lowered independently of portions of the handrails f31, f32. Furthermore, the entire handrails f31, f32 may be folded inward in the left-right direction. In this case, the height during transportation can be further reduced.

[0053] 9A to 10B, the assembly worker's movements regarding the repositioning of the side cameras 61, 62 when the crane 1C switches from the transport posture to a working posture capable of lifting a load will be described. First, the assembly worker stands on the machine rooms 311a, 311b of the crane 1C in the transport posture. At this time, the handrails f31, f32 are switched to the use position. At this time, the brackets 611C, 621C of the side cameras 61, 62, which are positioned at the second position P2Ca on the left side and the second position P2Cb on the right side within the transport posture width W1, are fixed on the side camera 61, 62 side (i.e., one side) to the handrails f31, f32. Specifically, one side of the brackets 611C, 621C is fixed to the handrails f31, f32 by a fixing pin. The assembly worker, standing on the machine rooms 311a, 311b, removes the fixing pins and then rotates the brackets 611C, 621C to change the positions of the side cameras 61, 62 to the first left position P1Ca and the first right position P1Cb, respectively. Then, the side cameras 61, 62 are fixed to the first left position P1Ca and the first right position P1Cb using the locking mechanisms on the other side of the brackets 611C, 621C (i.e., the handrails f31, f32 side). The locking mechanism may be a fixing pin or various other mechanisms such as a lock bolt. The assembly worker performs the reverse procedure when changing from the working position to the transport position.

[0054] The side cameras 61, 62 can be positioned at a first position P1Ca on the left side and a first position P1Cb on the right side, respectively, outside the range of the transport posture width W1 of the upper structure 31.

[0055] According to this configuration, when monitoring the surroundings while the crane 1C is operating, the above arrangement makes it possible to reduce the blind spots of the side cameras 61, 62 on the left and right sides of the crane 1C. In particular, reducing the blind spots on the left and right sides of the counterweight 32 makes it possible to efficiently obtain images of the surroundings.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10B , the side cameras 61 and 62 can be positioned at a second position P2Ca on the left side and a second position P2Cb on the right side within the transport posture width W1. More specifically, the side cameras 61 and 62 are configured to be repositionable without being separated from the support structures, the brackets 611C and 621C, and the handrails f31 and f32 (i.e., without being separated from the upper structure 31). Furthermore, the side cameras 61 and 62 can be positioned at the second positions P2Ca and P2Cb with the handrails f31 and f32 set to the second height. By positioning the side cameras 61 and 62 at the second positions P2Ca and P2Cb, such as during transportation of the crane 1C, the width of the transported structure 5C, including the upper structure 31, can be kept within the transport posture width W1, excluding the side cameras 61 and 62, while still supporting the side cameras 61 and 62. Therefore, the side cameras 61 and 62 do not get in the way during transportation. Furthermore, if the transport posture width W1 of the portion excluding the side cameras 61, 62 is close to the maximum width set by regulations regarding transport, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the maximum width is exceeded by the side cameras 61, 62.

[0057] As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located above the engine rooms 311a and 311b. Furthermore, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located below the upper surfaces of the handrails f31 and f32. Furthermore, the front camera 64 is located at a height closer to the upper surface of the cab 312 than the upper surfaces of the engine rooms 311a and 311b. Furthermore, the rear camera 63 is located at a height closer to the height of the front camera 64 than the upper surfaces of the engine rooms 311a and 311b. In other words, the front camera 64, the rear camera 63, and the side cameras 61 and 62 are located at approximately the same height. By positioning the cameras at similar heights so that they are located at approximately the same height, distortion of the image can be reduced when the images from these cameras are combined.

[0058] The brackets 611C, 621C include rotatable hinges a31, a32 and locking structures b31, b32 that lock the rotational positions of the brackets 611C, 621C via the hinges a31, a32. The side cameras 61, 62 can be repositioned between first positions P1Ca, P1Cb and second positions P2Ca, P2Cb by rotating the brackets 611C, 621C via the hinges a31, a32, locking the brackets with the locking structures b31, b32, and raising and lowering the handrails f31, f32. The hinges a31, a32 of the fourth embodiment are configured to be rotatable about a vertical axis. The brackets 611C, 621C are not limited to the above structure as long as they can move in a lateral direction. For example, the structures of the second and third embodiments may be applied.

[0059] When in the first positions P1Ca and P1Cb, the center of the angle of view of the side cameras 61 and 62 is supported by the brackets 611C and 621C so as to face 90 degrees left and 90 degrees right from the center line A0 in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view.

[0060] The crane 1C of the fourth embodiment also achieves the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, with the crane 1C of the fourth embodiment, the first positions P1Ca and P1Cb can be easily set at high positions by raising and lowering the handrails f31 and f32. Therefore, when the side cameras 61 and 62 are in use, they are positioned above the workers walking on the catwalk 315, preventing them from interfering with their movements. Furthermore, since the side cameras 61 and 62 can capture images to the left and right from a high position, blind spots to the sides of the traveling body 21 can be reduced, for example. Furthermore, because the height of the side cameras 61 and 62 can be changed by raising and lowering the handrails f31 and f32, the structure for changing the positions of the side cameras 61 and 62 can be simplified. This prevents the height of the crane from significantly deviating from the height of the upper structure 31 during transportation, thereby reducing the height of the transported structure 5.

[0061] The above describes various embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, a crawler crane is shown as an example of a crane according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other mobile cranes such as wheel cranes, truck cranes, rough terrain cranes, and all-terrain cranes may also be used. In addition, the crane according to the present invention may be various mobile cranes and various non-mobile cranes as long as the crane has a counterweight and an upper structure and has a transportable configuration including the upper structure. In addition, the details shown in the embodiments may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0062] The present invention can be used in a crane.

[0063] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Crane 2 Undercarriage 3 Upper swivel body 6 Camera 21 Traveling body 22 Frame 23 Swivel section 31 Upper structure 32 Counterweight q2a, q2b Left and right ends 61, 62 Side camera 63 Rear camera 64 Front camera 311a, 311b Machine room 312 Cab 313 Winch 314 Boom support section 315 Catwalk 611, 621, 611A, 621A, 611B, 621B, 611C, 621C Bracket W1 Transport posture width q1a, q1b Left and right ends a1, a2, a11, a12, a31, a32 Hinge b1, b2, b11, b12, b21, b22, b31, b32 Locking structure c11, c12 Support post d11, d12 Arm part f31, f32 Handrail g31, g32 Support post P1a, P1b, P1Aa, P1Ab, P1Ca, P1Cb, 1st position P2a, P2b, P2Aa, P2Ab, P2Ba, P2Bb, P2Ca, P2Cb 2nd position E, E1, E2 Blind spot

Claims

1. A crane comprising a counterweight and an upper structure with the counterweight disposed rearward, wherein the transport position width of a transported configuration including the upper structure is smaller than the width of the counterweight, and comprising at least two side cameras for taking pictures in the left and right directions from the upper structure, wherein the two side cameras are disposed at a first left position and a first right position, respectively, outside the range of the transport position width, and the two side cameras are repositionable to a second left position different from the first left position and the first right position, and a second right position, respectively.

2. The crane of claim 1, wherein the second left and right positions are located within the transport orientation width of the transported configuration.

3. The crane according to claim 2, wherein the two side cameras are repositionable from the first position to the second position without being separated from the upper structure.

4. A crane as described in claim 3, wherein the upper structure is provided with a handrail above the upper structure, the height of which can be changed between a first height and a second height lower than the first height, and the side camera is supported by the handrail and can be positioned at the second position with the handrail at the second height.

5. The crane according to claim 4, wherein the handrail is configured to be able to be raised and lowered together with the side camera.

6. The crane according to claim 1, wherein the first left and right positions are closer to the left and right ends of the counterweight, respectively, in the left and right direction of the upper structure than to the left and right ends of the transport posture width.

7. A crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein when one side in the left-right direction is referred to as the first side and the other side, in a plan view, the distance from a center line passing through the center of rotation of the upper structure and extending in the fore-aft direction to the first side end of the counterweight is longer than the distance from the center line to the second side end of the counterweight, in the left-right direction of the upper structure, the first position of the first side is located closer to the center line than the first side end of the counterweight, and in the left-right direction of the upper structure, the first position of the second side is located outward from the second side end of the counterweight.

8. A crane according to claim 1, wherein, in a plan view, the two lateral cameras at the first positions on the left and right overlap a reference band-shaped area that passes through the rotation center of the upper structure and extends in the left-right direction.

9. A crane as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: one or more cameras for photographing the surroundings of the upper structure and the counterweight; and a processing device for synthesizing an overhead image of the crane based on images from the two side cameras and the one or more cameras.

Images