# US 11,027,951 B2 · Lifting device and method for starting up the hoisting gear of such a lifting device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,951 B2 - Document ID: US11027951B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/531,936 - Filed: 2019-08-05 - Published: 2020-01-16 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-09 - Assignees: Liebherr-Components Biberach GmbH - Applicants: Liebherr-Components Biberach GmbH - Inventors: Stefan Fuehrle; Harald Wanner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027951B2 ## CPC - B66D 1/46: electric - B66D 1/505: {electrical} - B66C 13/16: Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices (in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08) - B66C 13/18: Control systems or devices (exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40) - B66D 5/30: electrical - B66C 13/22: for electric drives (transmitting control pulses B66C13/40; systems or devices of general application H02P) - B66D: CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS (winding or unwinding ropes or cables for feeding or storage purposes B65H; rope or cable winding or unwinding mechanisms for lifts B66B) - B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a lifting device for example in the form of a crane such as a tower crane, with a hoisting gear comprising a hoisting cable which runs off from a drum that can be driven by a hoisting gear drive, and a hoisting gear brake for holding the hoisting cable in a braked position. The invention furthermore relates to a method for starting up the hoisting gear of such a lifting device from the braked position in which the hoisting gear brake holds a hoisting load, wherein a starting torque is built up by a hoisting gear drive against the closed hoisting gear brake, and the hoisting gear brake is released upon or after reaching the starting torque. According to the invention it is proposed that when the hoisting gear brake is closed, the current hoisting load is detected by means of a load detection device and the starting torque is adjusted by the hoisting gear controller with reference to the detected current hoisting load such that the hoisting force provided by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the detected, current hoisting load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for starting up a hoisting gear from a braked position in which a hoisting gear brake holds a hoisting load, wherein a starting torque is built up by a hoisting gear drive against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed, wherein the hoisting gear brake is released upon or after reaching the starting torque, wherein a current hoisting load is detected by a load detection device when the hoisting gear brake is closed, and wherein the starting torque is adjusted by a hoisting gear controller with reference to the current hoisting load such that a hoisting force provided by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the current hoisting load, wherein the current hoisting load comprises the sum of an attached net load weight, a load hook weight, and a cable weight of an unwound hoisting cable length pulling on the hoisting gear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the current hoisting load is detected by a force measurement axis reeved into a hoisting cable with which a load detector of the load detection device is associated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting torque is calculated as a fraction of a nominal motor torque of the hoisting gear drive and wherein a starting value for a frequency converter actuating the hoisting gear drive is calculated from the calculated fraction of the nominal motor torque. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting torque is built up by initializing a speed sensor against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting torque is variably adjusted in dependence on a detected unwound hoisting cable length of a hoisting cable and/or an accompanying number of winding layers of the hoisting cable on a hoisting gear drum. ### Claim 6 A lifting device comprising: a hoisting gear comprising a hoisting cable runnable from a hoisting gear drum drivable by a hoisting gear drive; a hoisting gear brake and a hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear drive is actuatable by the hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear controller comprises a start-up control stage for starting up the hoisting gear from a braked position, wherein a starting torque at the hoisting gear drive is buildable by the startup control stage when the hoisting gear brake is closed; and a load detection device, wherein a current hoisting load when the hoisting gear brake is closed is detectable by the load detection device, wherein the start-up control stage comprises a starting torque adjuster, wherein the starting torque is variably adjustable in dependence on a detected current hoisting load such that a hoisting force providable by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the detected current hoisting load, wherein the load detection device comprises a force measurement axis reeved into the hoisting cable with which a load detector is associated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lifting device according to claim 6, wherein the force measurement axis comprises a cable deflection pulley having an articulation point shiftably mounted and monitorable by the load detector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The lifting device according to claim 6, wherein the hoisting gear controller comprises frequency converter, wherein the hoisting gear drive is actuatable by the frequency converter, wherein the starting torque as a fraction of a nominal motor torque of the hoisting gear drive is calculatable by the starting torque adjuster, and wherein a starting value for the frequency converter from a calculated fraction of the nominal motor torque is calculatable by the starting torque adjuster. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The lifting device according to claim 6, wherein the starting torque adjuster comprises a lever arm determiner, wherein a lever arm of the hoisting cable with respect to the hoisting gear drum is determinable via the lever arm determiner, wherein the starting torque in dependence on a determined lever arm is determinable by the lever arm determiner, and wherein the lever arm is calculatable by the lever arm determiner from an unwound hoisting cable length and/or a detected number of winding layers on the hoisting gear drum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The lifting device according to claim 6, wherein the lifting device comprises a crane, a tower crane, or a telescopic crane. ### Claim 11 A method for starting up a hoisting gear from a braked position in which a hoisting gear brake holds a hoisting load, wherein a starting torque is built up by a hoisting gear drive against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed, wherein the hoisting gear brake is released upon or after reaching the starting torque, wherein a current hoisting load is detected by a load detection device when the hoisting gear brake is closed, and wherein the starting torque is adjusted by a hoisting gear controller with reference to the current hoisting load such that a hoisting force provided by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the current hoisting load, wherein the current hoisting load is detected by a force measurement axis reeved into a hoisting cable with which a load detector of the load detection device is associated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the starting torque is calculated as a fraction of a nominal motor torque of the hoisting gear drive, and wherein a starting value for a frequency converter actuating the hoisting gear drive is calculated from the calculated fraction of the nominal motor torque. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the starting torque is built up by initializing a speed sensor against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the starting torque is variably adjusted in dependence on a detected unwound hoisting cable length of a hoisting cable and/or an accompanying number of winding layers of the hoisting cable on a hoisting gear drum. ### Claim 15 A method for starting up a hoisting gear from a braked position in which a hoisting gear brake holds a hoisting load, wherein a starting torque is built up by a hoisting gear drive against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed, wherein the hoisting gear brake is released upon or after reaching the starting torque, wherein a current hoisting load is detected by a load detection device when the hoisting gear brake is closed, and wherein the starting torque is adjusted by a hoisting gear controller with reference to the current hoisting load such that a hoisting force provided by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the current hoisting load, wherein the starting torque is variably adjusted in dependence on a detected unwound hoisting cable length of a hoisting cable and/or an accompanying number of winding layers of the hoisting cable on a hoisting gear drum. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the starting torque is calculated as a fraction of a nominal motor torque of the hoisting gear drive, and wherein a starting value for a frequency converter actuating the hoisting gear drive is calculated from the calculated fraction of the nominal motor torque. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the starting torque is built up by initializing a speed sensor against the hoisting gear brake when the hoisting gear brake is closed. ### Claim 18 A lifting device comprising: a hoisting gear comprising a hoisting cable runnable from a hoisting gear drum drivable by a hoisting gear drive; a hoisting gear brake and a hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear drive is actuatable by the hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear controller comprises a start-up control stage for starting up the hoisting gear from a braked position, wherein a starting torque at the hoisting gear drive is buildable by the startup control stage when the hoisting gear brake is closed; and a load detection device, wherein a current hoisting load when the hoisting gear brake is closed is detectable by the load detection device, wherein the start-up control stage comprises a starting torque adjuster, wherein the starting torque is variably adjustable in dependence on a detected current hoisting load such that a hoisting force providable by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the detected current hoisting load, wherein the hoisting gear controller comprises a frequency converter, wherein the hoisting gear drive is actuatable by the frequency converter, wherein the starting torque as a fraction of a nominal motor torque of the hoisting gear drive is calculatable by the starting torque adjuster, and wherein a starting value for the frequency converter from a calculated fraction of the nominal motor torque is calculatable by the starting torque adjuster. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The lifting device according to claim 18, wherein the starting torque adjuster comprises a lever arm determiner, wherein a lever arm of the hoisting cable with respect to the hoisting gear drum is determinable via the lever arm determiner, wherein the starting torque in dependence on a determined lever arm is determinable by the lever arm determiner, and wherein the lever arm is calculatable by the lever arm determiner from an unwound hoisting cable length and/or a detected number of winding layers on the hoisting gear drum. ### Claim 20 A lifting device comprising: a hoisting gear comprising a hoisting cable runnable from a hoisting gear drum drivable by a hoisting gear drive; a hoisting gear brake and a hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear drive is actuatable by the hoisting gear controller, wherein the hoisting gear controller comprises a start-up control stage for starting up the hoisting gear from a braked position, wherein a starting torque at the hoisting gear drive is buildable by the startup control stage when the hoisting gear brake is closed; and a load detection device, wherein a current hoisting load when the hoisting gear brake is closed is detectable by the load detection device, wherein the start-up control stage comprises a starting torque adjuster, wherein the starting torque is variably adjustable in dependence on a detected current hoisting load such that a hoisting force providable by the starting torque of the hoisting gear corresponds to the detected current hoisting load, wherein the starting torque adjuster comprises a lever arm determiner, wherein a lever arm of the hoisting cable with respect to the hoisting gear drum is determinable via the lever arm determiner, wherein the starting torque in dependence on a determined lever arm is determinable by the lever arm determiner, and wherein the lever arm is calculatable by the lever arm determiner from an unwound hoisting cable length and/or a detected number of winding layers on the hoisting gear drum.