IP Library Granted Patent US 12,617,656
Granted Patent B2
US 12,617,656 · App. 17/418,554 · Granted May 5, 2026

Crane control system and control method

Inventors: Junya Miyata (Oita, JP); Kouji Oka; Kinya Ichimura (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Mitsui E&S Co., Ltd.
B66C13/22B60W30/10B66C13/085B66C2700/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,617,656
App. No.
17/418,554
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a crane control system and control method for precisely and quickly positioning a crane at a target position. A control system that includes: a position acquisition unit that successively acquires a current position of a gantry crane; and a travel control unit that is connected to each of a pair of travel devices includes a target line that extends in an X direction in plan view and is bent in a Y direction in accordance with an inclination in the Y direction in a state where the traveling gantry crane is inclined, and the travel control unit carries out a control of making the gantry crane travel by adjusting respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices, based on a travel deviation ΔDt between the target line and the current position of the gantry crane acquired by the position acquisition unit.

Claims (62)

1 . A crane control system comprising:

a position acquisition unit that successively acquires a current position of a crane having a pair of travel devices that are arranged away from each other in a direction of extension of a girder member arranged in an upper portion of a structure and are attached to a lower end of the structure; and

a travel control unit that is connected to the position acquisition unit and each of the pair of travel devices, characterized in that

the position acquisition unit is installed in an upper portion of the structure, the current position acquired by the position acquisition unit indicates a predetermined position in an upper position of the structure in plan view,

the crane control system includes a target line that is bent in the direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of a straight target line in accordance with an inclination relative to a horizontal plane of a road surface on which the crane travels among inclinations of the crane in a case where the crane is made to travel based on the straight target line forming a straight line, using a height of a road surface on which the crane travels as a reference, extending in the direction of travel of the crane in plan view, and

the travel control unit carries out a control of making the crane travel by adjusting respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on a travel deviation between the target line and the current position acquired by the position acquisition unit using the target line as a target for the current position.

2 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the position acquisition unit includes:

a main position acquisition unit that successively acquires a main current position as the current position; and

an auxiliary position acquisition unit that successively acquires an auxiliary current position as the current position,

the target line includes:

a main target line; and

an auxiliary target line,

in a case where the main position acquisition unit has acquired the main current position, the travel control unit carries out the control of making the crane travel by adjusting the respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on a main travel deviation between the main target line and the main current position, and

in a case where the main position acquisition unit cannot acquire the main current position, the travel control unit carries out the control of making the crane travel by adjusting the respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on an auxiliary travel deviation between the auxiliary target line and the auxiliary current position acquired by the auxiliary position acquisition unit.

3 . The crane control system according to claim 2 , wherein

in plan view, a power collection device that is connected to an external power supply device for supplying electric power from outside to the crane is arranged in one end portion in the direction of extension of the crane, or a communication device that communicates with the crane is arranged at a side of the one end portion in the direction of extension of the crane,

the main current position is present in the one end portion, and

the auxiliary current position is present in an opposite end portion in the direction of extension.

4 . The crane control system according to claim 2 , wherein

in a case where the main position acquisition unit cannot acquire the main current position and the auxiliary position acquisition unit cannot acquire the auxiliary current position, the travel control unit carries out a control of stopping the pair of travel devices to stop the crane.

5 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case where the main travel deviation and the auxiliary travel deviation are different, the travel control unit determines an attitude of the crane in plan view.

6 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the target line has a plurality of target positions thereon and is composed of a polygonal line that is bent at a target position where the inclination of the crane changes before and after the target position as an inflection point among the target positions in plan view.

7 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the target line is a trace connecting a plurality of current positions obtained during travel in which any one crane of the crane and a different crane of the same type and the same model as those of the crane is made to travel based on a creation deviation between a straight target line that extends in the direction of travel and forms a straight line in plan view and a conversion position obtained by converting a current position acquired by the position acquisition unit into a position on a reference horizontal plane on which the straight target line is present.

8 . The crane control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the straight target line has a plurality of stopping positions at every predetermined distance thereon,

the target line is a trace connecting current positions for each of which the conversion position and the stopping position match among a plurality of current positions acquired during the travel.

9 . The crane control system according to claim 8 , wherein

the structure straddles a storage lane in which a plurality of containers are stored, in the direction of extension,

the straight target line is a line that extends straight in a longitudinal direction of the storage lane,

the stopping position is set for each bay that is an arrangement position for a container in the longitudinal direction of the storage lane.

10 . The crane control system according to claim 8 , wherein

the target line has a plurality of target positions thereon, and

the target positions are positions each shifted to front or back in the direction of travel in accordance with an inclination in the direction of travel and shifted to right or left in the direction of extension in accordance with an inclination in the direction of extension among inclinations of the crane during travel relative to the stopping position in plan view.

11 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , comprising:

a target region that extends from the target line to both sides in the direction of extension with a predetermined width, wherein

the travel control is a control using a second target line instead of the target line,

the control unit carries out a control of setting the second target line for a path different from a path that follows the target line from a control starting point to a control ending point in the travel control within a range covered by the target region.

12 . The crane control system according to claim 1 , comprising:

a parameter acquisition unit that acquires a parameter that changes depending on an inclination in the direction of extension of the crane;

a correction unit that is connected to the parameter acquisition unit and the position acquisition unit; and

a reference value obtained when the current position matches a correction position arranged on the target line, wherein

in a case where the current position matches the correction position, the correction unit carries out a correction control on the target line based on a correction deviation between the parameter acquired by the parameter acquisition unit and the reference value.

13 . A crane control method including:

successively acquiring a current position of a crane having a pair of travel devices that are arranged away from each other in a direction of extension of a girder member arranged in an upper portion of a structure and are attached to a lower end of the structure, the current position of the crane being based on a position acquisition unit installed in the upper portion of the structure, the current position of the crane indicates a predetermined position in the upper portion of the structure in plan view; and

making the crane travel by adjusting respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on the acquired current position, characterized in that

the crane control method comprises:

setting a target line that is bent in the direction orthogonal to the direction of extension of a straight target line in accordance with an inclination relative to a horizontal plane of a road surface on which the crane travels among inclinations of the crane in a case where the crane is made to travel based on the straight target line forming a straight line, using a height of a road surface on which the crane travels as a reference, extending in the direction of travel of the crane in plan view, before the travel of the crane; and

making the crane travel by adjusting respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on a travel deviation between the set target line and the acquired current position during travel of the crane using the target line as a target for the current position.

14 . The crane control method according to claim 13 , comprising:

making any one of the crane or a different crane of the same type and the same model as those of the crane travel based on a creation deviation between a straight target line that extends in the direction of travel and forms a straight line in plan view and a conversion position obtained by converting the acquired current position into a position on a reference horizontal plane on which the straight target line is present, and storing a plurality of the current positions acquired during the travel; and

creating the target line from a trace connecting the stored plurality of current positions.

15 . The crane control method according to claim 13 , comprising:

successively acquiring a main current position and an auxiliary current position as the current positions;

setting a main target line and an auxiliary target line as the target lines;

in a case where the main current position has been acquired during travel of the crane, making the crane travel by adjusting respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on a main travel deviation between the set main target line and the acquired main current position, while in a case where the main current position cannot be acquired, making the crane travel by adjusting the respective travel speeds of the pair of travel devices based on an auxiliary travel deviation between the set auxiliary target line and the acquired auxiliary current position.

16 . The crane control method according to claim 15 , comprising:

making any one of the crane or a different crane of the same type and the same model as those of the crane travel based on a creation deviation between a straight target line that extends in the direction of travel and forms a straight line in plan view and a conversion position obtained by converting the acquired main current position into a position on a reference horizontal plane on which the straight target line is present, and storing a plurality of the main current positions acquired during the travel; and

creating the target line from a trace connecting the stored plurality of main current positions, creating the auxiliary target line duplicated from the created main target line, and arranging the main target line on one end portion side in the direction of extension of the crane and the auxiliary target line on an opposite end portion side in the direction of extension of the crane in plan view.

Assignments (1)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 31, 2024
From: MITSUI E&S MACHINERY CO., LTD.; MITSUI E&S CO., LTD.
To: MITSUI E&S CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066384/0537 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-247465 · Dec 28, 2018 · national
JP 2019-141500 · Jul 31, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220073320A1 · Mar 10, 2022
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