Granted Patent B2

US 8,684,854 · App. 13/285,318 · Granted Apr 1, 2014

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A flying rig system comprising:

a load guidance apparatus;

at least two first positioning devices operatively connected to the load guidance apparatus to control the areal position of the load guidance apparatus within an upper portion of a working space;

a second positioning device operatively connected to the load guidance apparatus to permit selective vertical positioning of a load suspended from the load guidance apparatus substantially beneath the upper portion of the working space.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is substantially planar.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second positioning device is operatively connected to the load guidance apparatus to selectively control a pitch orientation angle of the load.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second positioning device is operatively connected to the load guidance apparatus to selectively control a roll orientation angle of the load.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a third positioning device is operatively connected to the load guidance apparatus to selectively control a yaw orientation angle of the load.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first positioning devices is fixedly positioned during operation of the system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first positioning devices is movably positionable during operation of the system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the load guidance apparatus is configured to selectably facilitate a swinging motion of the load during operation of the system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the load guidance apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion independently rotatable with respect to each other about a common axis.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first portion is operatively connected to the first positioning devices.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion are operatively connected to the second positioning device.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion are operatively connected to the third positioning device.

13. A method for positioning and orienting a load within a working space comprising:

providing a load guidance apparatus;

connecting at least two first positioning devices to the load guidance apparatus to control the areal position of the load guidance apparatus within an upper portion of a working space;

connecting a second positioning device to the load guidance apparatus to permit selective vertical positioning of a load suspended from the load guidance apparatus beneath the upper portion of the working space.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein connecting the second positioning device to the load guidance apparatus permits selective control of a pitch orientation angle of the load.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein connecting the second positioning device to the load guidance apparatus permits selective control of a roll orientation angle of the load.

16. The method of claim 13 , further including connecting a third positioning device to the load guidance apparatus to permit selective control of a yaw orientation angle of the load.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the load guidance apparatus is configured to selectably facilitate a swinging motion of the load during operation of the system.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the upper portion is substantially planar.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the positioning devices is fixedly positioned during operation of the system.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the positioning devices is movably positionable during operation of the system.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the load guidance apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion independently rotatable with respect to each other about a common axis.

Assignments (11)