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US 11,254,547 B2Granted
Work area monitoring system for lifting machines
AssigneeTulsa Winch, Inc.
InventorsShane Strahl, Tony Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a hoist drive mechanism that elevates and lowers a load hook from a boom and a detector that provides obstacle location and identification information. A processor receives the obstacle location and identification information from the detector and provides obstacle avoidance data in response thereto.
Claims11
A system for avoidance of obstacles by a crane when moving a load, the system comprising:
- a detector that provides obstacle location information based upon data obtained by at least one sensor that scans for a shape and position of an obstacle itself;
- a processor that receives the obstacle location and identification information from the detector and determines obstacle avoidance data in response thereto;
- a rotational drive mechanism that rotates a boom of the crane relative to a base of the crane on a support surface;
- a hoist drive mechanism that elevates and lowers a load from the boom;
- a rotational drive mechanism controller that receives control signals from the processor based on the obstacle avoidance data to control rotation of the boom when the obstacle location and identification information is determined by the processor to indicate an obstacle within a redetermined horizontal distance of the load;
- and
- a hoist drive mechanism controller that receives control signals from the processor based on the obstacle avoidance data to control elevation of the load when the obstacle location and identification information is determined by the processor to indicate the obstacle is within a predetermined vertical distance of the load.
4 more elements
A method of avoiding contact between a load being moved by a crane and obstacles potentially in the path of the load, the method comprising:
- providing a detector that provides obstacle location information from scanning the obstacle itself;
- providing a processor that receives the obstacle location and identification information from the detector and determines obstacle avoidance data in response thereto;
- providing a rotational drive mechanism that rotates a boom of the crane relative to a base of the crane on a support surface;
- providing a hoist drive mechanism that elevates and lowers a load from the boom;
- and
- providing a rotational drive mechanism controller that receives control signals from the processor based on the obstacle avoidance data to control rotation of the boom when the obstacle location and identification information is determined by the processor to indicate an obstacle within a first predetermined distance of the load;
- wherein the hoist drive mechanism controller receives control signals from the processor based on the obstacle avoidance data to control elevation of the load when the obstacle location and identification information is determined by the processor to indicate the obstacle is within a second predetermined distance of the load.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.