Method for the target path correction of a load carrier and load transport apparatus

Load transport apparatus according to 1 wherein the cable course influencing unit comprises at least one of the following components:

• a cable anchoring point,
• a cable deviating roller,
• a cable drum, and
• a cable passage eye.

Load transport apparatus, comprising

• a runway carrier having a horizontal runway,
• a lifting cable carrier supported by the horizontal runway for movement in a horizontal direction,
• a drive for moving the lifting cable carrier along the runway,
• a load carrier suspended on the lifting cable carrier by a length-variable lifting cable system, the lifting cable system including a plurality of cable members running between the lifting cable carrier and the load carrier,
• cable course influencing units associated with at least two of the cable members near the lifting cable carrier, each cable course influencing unit being movable on the lifting cable carrier in a substantially horizontal plane of movement,
• a sensing unit for sensing a variable approach movement status of the load carrier with respect to a target and generating signals indicative of the status of the approach of the load carrier to the target,
• a computer receiving the signals from the sensing unit and programmed to calculate therefrom the magnitude and direction of a substantially horizontal corrective force K to be applied to the load carrier for correcting the approach movement of the load carrier toward the target and producing control signals indicative of the corrective force K, and
• for each cable course influencing unit a power device supported on the lifting cable carrier, coupled to the respective cable course influencing units, and controlled in response to the control signals for displacing the respective cable course influencing unit relative to the lifting cable carrier substantially along the plane of movement so as to apply the corrective force K to the load carrier for correcting the approach movement of the load carrier toward the target in an end stage of the approach movement while the load carrier is moving both vertically and horizontally toward the target.

Load transport apparatus, comprising

• a runway carrier having a horizontal runway,
• a lifting cable carrier supported by the horizontal runway for movement in a horizontal direction,
• a drive for moving the lifting cable carrier along the runway,
• a load carrier suspended on the lifting cable carrier by a length-variable lifting cable system, the lifting cable system including a plurality of cable members running between the lifting cable carrier and the load carrier,
• a sensing unit for sensing the instantaneous approach movement status of the load carrier relative to a target position and producing signals indicative thereof;
• a computer receiving the signals produced by the sensing means for computing the instantaneous values of a plurality of variable state values, including
• the instantaneous value difference (Δh) of an actual position height coordinate (h) of the load carrier and a target position height coordinate of the load carrier,
• the instantaneous value difference (Δx) between at least one actual position horizontal coordinate (x) of the load carrier and an associated target position horizontal coordinate,
• the instantaneous value of a vertical approach velocity (vs) of the load carrier to the target position, and
• variation of the at least one actual position horizontal coordinate (x) relative to the associated target position horizontal coordinate,
• a computer for computing from the variable state values a necessary variation of the cable course of at least one of the cable members in order for a load carried by the load carrier to reach the target position in a substantially precise manner in the further course of the approach of the load carrier to the target position and for producing control signals,
• a cable course influencing unit disposed at or near the lifting cable carrier, the cable course influencing unit being in operative connection with a portion of the at least one cable member adjacent the lifting cable carrier and being adapted to displace said portion in a horizontal plane relative to the lifting cable carrier, and
• a power device controlled by the control signals for displacing the cable course influencing unit such as to change the cable course of the at least one cable member and thereby apply a corrective force K to the load carrier of a magnitude necessary for correcting the approach movement of the load carrier toward the target in an end stage of the approach movement while the load carrier is moving both vertically and horizontally toward the target.