Crane Parallel Winch Control for Constant Load Height

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cranes face challenges in maintaining the constant height of a suspended load during horizontal transfer due to variations in operation speed requirements based on factors like derricking body angle, derricking winch speed, and engine rotation, especially when operating with low-skilled operators.

Innovation Solution

A crane control method and system that includes a controller with a derricking operation unit, correction operation unit, and nonvolatile storage, allowing for parallel winch control and speed correction processes to adjust the hoisting winch speed based on detected angles and specified correction values, using registered data for different derricking body sections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If pre-adjusted control parameters are used for horizontal transfer, then the control process is simple, but the crane cannot maintain constant height of the suspended load in various work situations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol process simplicityVSAvoidload height consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control parameters for the hoisting winch are made dynamic rather than fixed. The system automatically adjusts the hoisting winch operation speed based on the detected derricking body angle and derricking winch operation speed, ensuring constant load height maintenance across varying work situations while keeping the operator interface simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by detecting the derricking body angle and derricking winch operation speed, then using this information to automatically adjust the hoisting winch speed. This closed-loop control ensures the suspended load maintains constant height during horizontal transfer operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the hoisting winch speed is fixed, then the control system is simple, but it cannot adapt to variations in derricking body angle and derricking winch speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidspeed adaptation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hoisting winch speed is transformed from a fixed parameter to a dynamic parameter that automatically adapts to varying derricking body angles and derricking winch speeds. The control unit calculates the appropriate hoisting winch speed based on detected conditions, enabling the system to handle diverse horizontal transfer scenarios without increasing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If pre-adjusted control parameters are used, then setup is easy, but the parameters cannot be optimized for different work situations and crane types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter setup easeVSAvoidwork situation adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the derricking body angle and derricking winch operation speed before controlling the hoisting winch. This preliminary information gathering enables the control unit to calculate optimized parameters in real-time, adapting to different work situations and crane types without requiring manual reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4464641B1Crane control method and crane
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 KOBELCO CONSTR MASCH CO LTD
  • EP4464641B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4464641B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4464641B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A storage stores at least one piece of registered correction data including a plurality of registered values associated with a plurality of section angle ranges. A controller 8 executes parallel winch control of causing a derricking winch 160 and a hoisting winch 163 to operate (S1, S4 to S12). The controller 8 specifies a reference target value corresponding to a derricking angle, from the plurality of registered values (S5, S6). In a correction period corresponding to a point of time at which a correction operation is detected, the controller 8 corrects the reference target value used for deriving an operation speed of the hoisting winch 163 in the parallel winch control, in accordance with a specified value specified by the correction operation (S8). The controller 8 updates data of the reference target value corresponding to the correction period to data corrected with the specified value (S8).