Crawler Crane Counterweight Coupling for Synchronized Carriage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crawler crane counterweight carriages require manual control and are not synchronized with the crane's movements, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies due to unsynchronized relative movements.
Innovation Solution
A coupling unit with a connecting frame that allows for a vertical axis of rotation and multiple transverse axes, equipped with sensors to detect relative movements, enabling automated control of the counterweight carriage through the crane's controller, using standard heavy-duty transport vehicles adapted for precise synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual control is used for the counterweight carriage, then ease of operation is maintained, but synchronization with crane movements is lost leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the counterweight carriage control system with the crane controller, merging two previously separate control systems into one unified system. The crane controller now directly controls the counterweight carriage, eliminating manual intervention and ensuring synchronized movement between the crane and counterweight carriage, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensors detect the position and movement of the counterweight carriage, and this information is fed back to the crane controller. The crane controller uses this feedback information to automatically adjust and maintain synchronization between the crane movements and counterweight carriage movements, ensuring reliable operation.
2Productivity
If automated control is implemented for the counterweight carriage, then operational efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing crane controller multi-functional by enabling it to control both the crane operations and the counterweight carriage movements. Instead of adding a separate dedicated controller for the counterweight carriage, the system reuses the existing crane controller for dual purposes, thereby improving productivity while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the crane controller to automatically manage the counterweight carriage without requiring external manual intervention. The automated control system serves itself by using the crane's existing control infrastructure to also control the counterweight carriage, reducing the need for additional complex control systems while improving operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If the coupling unit is designed to absorb all transverse forces, then reliability is improved, but the counter jib becomes overly dimensioned and less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the force absorption function between two components: the coupling unit and the counterweight carriage. The coupling unit is designed to absorb only the necessary transverse forces during normal operation, while the counterweight carriage is equipped with its own stabilization systems. This segmentation allows the counter jib to be dimensioned more efficiently without compromising overall reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the counterweight carriage as an intermediary element between the coupling unit and the ground. The counterweight carriage provides additional stabilization and force distribution, acting as a mediator that reduces the burden on the coupling unit and counter jib. This allows the coupling unit to be designed with appropriate force absorption capabilities without requiring an oversized counter jib.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement and method of operating a crawler crane and a counterweight carriage for an additional counterweight, where the additional counterweight is connected to a superstructure of the crawler crane via a coupling unit. The coupling unit consists of a connecting frame and a coupling frame, where the connecting frame is fastened on the support device, and the coupling frame is fastened at one end to the superstructure and is fastened at the other rear end to the connecting frame. The connecting frame has a substantially vertical first axis of rotation.