Graphical working range diagrams for displaying allowable and projected loads
AssigneeManitowoc Crane Companies, LLC
InventorsJohn F. Benton, John R. Rudy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A working range diagram for a crane includes a boom model representing a current boom length and current lift angle. The working range diagram also includes a plurality of zones based on limit radii corresponding to different predetermined load utilizations. Each zone of the one or more zones represents a radial distance. The working range diagram further includes a load model representing a current load radius positioned relative to the one or more zones. A crane control system may generate the working range diagram.
Claims14
A crane control system of a crane, the crane comprising a carrier and a superstructure rotatably mounted on the carrier, the superstructure comprising a telescoping boom configured for extension and retraction through a range of boom lengths, rotation through a plurality of slew angle ranges and rotation through a range of lift angles, the crane control system configured to generate a working range diagram for the crane, the crane control system comprising a memory configured to store program instructions and a processor configured to execute the program instructions to:
- store first and second predetermined load utilization values;
- determine a current load for lifting by the crane;
- determine a current boom length;
- determine a current lift angle of the boom;
- determine a current slew angle range within which the boom is positioned at a current slew angle;
- determine a first limit radius for the current slew angle range at which the first predetermined load utilization is reached with the current load, wherein the first limit radius is determined by calculating a first maximum allowed load based on the current load and the first predetermined load utilization, identifying the calculated first maximum allowed load in a stored load chart, identifying a first radius corresponding to the calculated first maximum allowed load in the stored load chart, and designating the first radius as the first limit radius;
- determine a second limit radius for the current slew angle range at which the second predetermined load utilization is reached with the current load, wherein the second limit radius is determined by calculating a second maximum allowed load based on the current load and the second predetermined load utilization, identifying the calculated second maximum allowed load in the stored load chart, identifying a second radius corresponding to the calculated second maximum allowed load in the stored load chart, and designating the second radius as the second limit radius;
- generate a working range diagram for the current slew angle range comprising:
- a boom model representing the current boom length and the current lift angle of the boom;
- a plurality of zones based on the first and second limit radii the plurality of zones including a first zone representing a radial distance from the crane to the first limit radius, a second zone representing the radial distance from the first limit radius to the second limit radius, and a third zone representing a radial distance extending beyond the second limit radius;
- and
- an indication of a current load radius.
A working range diagram for a crane, the crane comprising a carrier and a superstructure rotatably mounted on the carrier, the superstructure comprising a telescoping boom configured for extension and retraction through a range of boom lengths, rotation through a range of slew angles and rotation through a range of lift angles, the working range diagram comprising:
- a boom model representing a current boom length and a current lift angle of the boom;
- a plurality of zones based on limit radii corresponding to different predetermined load utilizations, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones represents a radial distance;
- and a load model representing a current load radius positioned relative to the one or more zones;
- wherein a first working range diagram includes a circular segment based on a boom length rotated through a range of lift angles, the plurality of zones are formed within the circular segment and the boom model is superimposed on the circular segment, and wherein a second working range diagram includes a plurality of load chart sector models each representing a range of slew angles, the plurality of zones are provided in each load chart sector model and the boom model is superimposed on a load chart sector model representing the slew angle range in which the telescoping boom is currently positioned, wherein the plurality of load chart sector models are movable relative to the boom model with movement of the telescoping boom through the range of slew angles.
A method of generating a working range diagram for a crane, the crane comprising a carrier and a superstructure rotatably mounted on the carrier, the superstructure comprising a telescoping boom configured for extension and retraction through a range of boom lengths, rotation through a plurality of slew angle ranges and rotation through a range of lift angles, the method comprising:
- storing information relating to detected or determined crane parameters, the crane parameters including one or more of a current boom length, a current lift angle, a current load, a current slew angle and a current load radius;
- selecting a load chart based on the current crane configuration and the current slew angle;
- retrieving a maximum allowed load from the load chart based on the current boom length and the current load radius;
- receiving one or more predetermined load utilizations;
- determining limit radii at the predetermined load utilizations within a plurality of slew angle ranges;
- generating a first working range diagram including a first boom model representing the current boom length and the current lift angle, a circular segment based on the current boom length rotated through a range of lift angles, a plurality of zones based on the limit radii corresponding to different predetermined load utilizations within the circular segment for a slew angle range in which the current slew angle is positioned, and a load model positioned relative to the plurality of zones, the load model representing the current load radius;
- and generating a second working range diagram including a plurality of load chart sector models each representing a different range of slew angles, each load chart sector model including the plurality of zones based on the limit radii corresponding to the predetermined load utilizations, a second boom model superimposed on a load chart sector model representing the slew angle range in which the current slew angle is positioned, wherein the plurality of load chart sector models are movable relative to the second boom model with movement of the telescoping boom through the range of slew angles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.