Apparatus and method for measuring and controlling pendulum motion
OwnerLarry A. Voecksinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetically damped inclinometer has a shaft with attached pendulum that rotates. The rotation causes an index member to rotate past one or a set of magnets or electromagnets that are connected to the load. The magnet or electromagnet may be mounted directly the load or it may be in the form of an off center ring. Another embodiment uses a spring to bias two magnets apart. A cam is attached to the shaft such that, as the pendulum and shaft rotate, a roller connected with the load or spreader bar allows the spring to push the magnets farther apart. The damped inclinometers are used to determine and provide information to respond to the initial sway of a load prior to bringing the load to a stop.
Claims20
A method of using a damped inclinometer to measure and control pendulum motion of a load suspended from a carriage of a container crane of the type wherein the carriage is configured for horizontal movement along an axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a magnetically damped inclinometer comprising:
- a housing fixable to the load,
- a rotatable shaft extending from said housing,
- a pendulum fixedly mounted to said shaft,
- an index member formed of a ferromagnetic material and attached to said shaft,
- and a magnet attachable to the load,
- moving the carriage horizontally along the axis;
- measuring a pendulum swing of the load suspended from the carriage using the inclinometer to produce a feedback signal indicative of the pendulum swing angle of the load;
- performing a pendulum motion cancellation protocol in response to the feedback signal from the inclinometer,
- passing the index member past the magnet,
- and moving said index member from a first position to a second position, thereby increasing a gap between said index member and said magnet.
A method of using a damped inclinometer, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a damped inclinometer, including:
- a housing fixed to an object,
- a rotatable shaft extending from said housing,
- a pendulum fixedly mounted to said shaft,
- an index member formed of a ferromagnetic material and attached to said shaft,
- and a magnet attached to the object;
- moving a carriage horizontally along the axis;
- measuring a pendulum swing of a load suspended from the carriage using the inclinometer to produce a feedback signal indicative of the pendulum swing angle of the load;
- performing a pendulum motion cancellation protocol in response to the feedback signal from the inclinometer,
- passing the index member past the magnet,
- and moving the index member from a first position to a second position, thereby increasing a gap between the index member and the magnet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.