Crawler Crane Camera Ballast Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crawler cranes face limitations in handling large ballast weights due to insufficiently strong connection elements, requiring additional drives for ballast wagons, and lack effective monitoring and control systems for precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
A crawler crane equipped with a camera system that detects the relative position of the crane to a suspended ballast or ballast wagon, allowing for manual or automated movement control without a rigid connection, using markers and a control/regulator to maintain positions within predefined limits, enabling the handling of higher ballast weights and multiple wagons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid connection element is used to connect the ballast wagon to the crawler crane, then the connection strength is sufficient for large ballast weights, but the device complexity increases and the ballast wagon cannot be moved independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rigid mechanical connection element between the crawler crane and ballast wagon, extracting the problematic component that limited ballast weight capacity. Instead of a physical connection, the system uses optical detection (camera) and control systems to maintain positional relationships, eliminating the strength limitation of mechanical connectors while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical connection system with an optical-mechanical control system. A camera detects positional data, and a control unit processes this information to guide the ballast wagon's movement, substituting direct mechanical coupling with sensor-based positioning and control, thereby enabling handling of larger ballast weights without requiring stronger mechanical connectors.
2Ease of operation
If the ballast wagon is equipped with its own drive to enable independent movement, then the ballast wagon can be moved independently, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera and control unit as intermediary components between the operator and the ballast wagon. Instead of equipping the wagon with its own drive mechanism, the system uses visual feedback from the camera and automated control to enable precise positioning and movement, achieving independent movement capability through a less complex control-based approach rather than mechanical propulsion.
3Measurement precision
If a camera system with control/regulator is used to detect and control the relative position, then the ballast wagon can be precisely positioned without rigid connection, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the camera continuously detects the relative position between the crawler crane and ballast wagon, and the control unit processes this information to adjust and maintain the desired positional relationship. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables precise positioning control without requiring complex mechanical connection systems, as the control system actively compensates for positional deviations.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a crawler crane comprising at least one camera system, wherein the camera system is adapted to detect data relating to the relative position of the crawler crane to a suspended ballast and/or to at least one travelable ballast wagon.