Patents Assigned to Crane Co.
  • Patent number: 7340373
    Abstract: A weight detecting apparatus for a crane includes a base machine comprising a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body; weights mounted on this base machine; ID (identification) tags which are installed on the respective weights and in which ID information on weight mounting conditions has been written; and an ID reader for reading the ID information. In this weight detecting apparatus weight detecting apparatus, the mounting conditions of the weights are detected by wireless communications between the ID reader and the ID tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20080015766
    Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system for a multi-wheeled vehicle includes both a paired function and an individual function. The paired function controls the wheels of the vehicle in unison. The individual function controls the wheels of the vehicle individually. A paired/individual logic circuit alternatively activates and deactivates the paired function and the individual function. A method for controlling the skid of a vehicle utilizing a paired function and a individual function is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: Hydro-Aire, Inc., subsidiary of Crane Co.
    Inventors: Harris Butler, Scott Brittian
  • Patent number: 7311213
    Abstract: A crane including a cabin provided on the left or right side, a boom raised and lowered around a pair of boom feet provided on the left and right sides of the base of the boom, and a gantry provided behind the boom. The boom foot on the side of the cabin is located in a position determined by the width of the crane and the width of the cabin. The center line of the boom is located on the opposite side of the center line of the gantry from the cabin so that the distance between the boom foot on the opposite side from the cabin and the center line of the gantry is greater than the distance between the boom foot on the side of the cabin and the center line of the gantry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiko Mizuta, Osamu Toudou
  • Patent number: 7298132
    Abstract: A Hall effect generator chip is mounted between adjacent ends of an annular, horseshoe spacer of nonmagnetic material. The generator is sensitive to the flux density (B field) tangential to its top and bottom surfaces. The spacer and generator are sandwiched between ferromagnetic rings, each having a small air gap overlying/underlying the generator. A circuit including the generator supplies an output linearly proportional to the current of an adjacent conductor with reduced hysteresis and small variability over a temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Crane Co.
    Inventors: Kevin Woolsey, L. Mark Marion, Steven Knudson
  • Publication number: 20070256999
    Abstract: A boom hoisting device comprising a mast having a pivotable front end portion connected to a front end portion of a boom through a guy line, a mast-side spreader provided at the front end portion of the mast, a frame-side spreader removably mounted to an upper rotating body and with a hoisting rope being stretched between and spread on both mast-side spreader and frame-side spreader, and a hoisting winch adapted to unwind and wind the hoisting rope to raise and lower the mast and the boom, the hoisting winch being mounted to the mast so that the mast and the hoisting winch are together removed from the upper rotating body by separation of a base end portion of the mast from the upper rotating body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kurotsu, Osamu Todo, Kazuyuki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7290671
    Abstract: A crane performs a self-assembling/disassembling operation using a hoisting winch, a hoisting rope, and a hanging hook, and includes a sheave device for guiding the hoisting rope on an upper portion of a lower boom. The sheave device includes a first sheave on a rear side of the lower boom and second and third sheaves on a front side of the lower boom. The second and third sheaves are arranged next to each other in the left-right direction, and the rope end is attached to the lower boom at a position near the top end of the lower boom. Accordingly, a lifting height in the self-assembling/disassembling operation is increased and the rope end can be attached/detached easily and safely from the front side of the lower boom when the lower boom is laid on the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kimura, Keisuke Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 7286901
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a vending system wherein a monitoring system verifies that a product ordered by a vending customer is actually delivered through a delivery area to the customer. If the product ordered is unavailable either because of an out of stock situation or a blockage of the delivery path for that product, the present invention allows the customer to request a refund or order a second product. Additionally, the present invention helps to prevent theft of product from the vending system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Crane Co.
    Inventors: David B. Whitten, William Edwin Booth, Paul Kevin Griner, Brian Lee Duncan
  • Publication number: 20070207663
    Abstract: At an inner circumference side of a lower ring and an upper ring, flange pars are formed respectively, and a ring-shaped clamp device is arranged at the inner circumference side, and separated at four points, into a front side, back side, left side, and right side, and divided into four divided clamps. At the separation points of front and back sides, the left and right divided clamps are rotatably connected with each other, and at the separation points of left and right sides, the front and back divided clamps are connected to cylinders respectively. By the extension/contraction operation, the front and back clamps move between joint and separation positions, and if the front and back clamps position at the joint points, predetermined spaces are formed between the divided clamps. Lock blocks to be inserted into the spaces for regulating return of the divided clamps to the separation positions are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Miyazaki, Mitsuo Kakeya
  • Publication number: 20070175849
    Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To provide a rotating frame of an upper rotating body such that total productivity can be improved, the cost can be reduced, and model change can be facilitated. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Many models having different lifting capacities are divided into a plurality of classes each including a plurality of models. A rotating frame 17 is determined on the basis of the model having the largest lifting capacity in each class. An upper rotating body is constructed using the rotating frame 17 as the base. In addition, each of winches 5 to 7 is mounted on the rotating frame by using a mounting structure standardized in the same class. On the other hand, left and right deck frames 18 and 19 are divided into sections on which different pieces of equipment are mounted, and the sections are separately attached to the rotating frame 17.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shozo Yokoyama, Tomohiko Murata, Kenji Onuki, Hirohito Sato, Kunio Wakamatsu, Shinji Goto, Yutaka Kobayashi, Eiji Miya
  • Publication number: 20070139985
    Abstract: A power controller is positioned within a current path between the line side and the load side of an electrical circuit. The power controller closes the current path in the presence of a control supply and opens the current path in the absence of the control supply. A power supply electrically connected to the current path provides the control supply. A sensor system receives power from the power supply, monitors the current in the current path and outputs a sensor signal indicative of a current condition within the current path. A logic controller also receives power from the power supply, receives the sensor signal and removes the control supply from the power controller when the sensor signal does not satisfy an established criteria. The sensor system may include one or both of an imbalance sensor for monitoring the current balance among two or more electrical lines and over-current sensors for monitoring current in individual lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: HYDRO-AIRE, INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF CRANE CO.
    Inventors: Ronald Bax, Rudy Rusali, Timothy King
  • Patent number: 7216774
    Abstract: The present invention provides a crane where a spreader retainer is disposed on a rear surface of an extreme end of the lowest boom portion used both for a tower boom and a normal boom, a distance between an upper spreader, which constitutes a boom raising/lowering apparatus, and a lower spreader at the maximum boom raise angle and the length of the lowest boom portion are set such that the upper spreader can be lowered to the position of the spreader retainer if the boom raising/lowering apparatus lays the boom on the ground, and a boom raising/lowering rope is then loosened for disassembly of either the tower or normal boom. Consequently, the upper spreader can be lowered to the position of the spreader retainer on the lowest boom portion when the boom is disassembled either for the tower crane or normal crane specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiko Mizuta, Osamu Toudou, Keisuke Fukumoto, Eiji Miya, Yasuhiko Murayama
  • Patent number: 7195126
    Abstract: In a self-traveling working machine such as a crane, a working attachment such as a boom is arranged to transversely extend below an operator's cabin in such a manner that part of the cabin overlaps the attachment, it being arranged that during crane operation, the cabin is moved widthwise outside the working machine to avoid interference with the boom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuya Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20070062741
    Abstract: A hydraulic-drive work vehicle includes a plurality of variable capacity hydraulic motors which are rotated by receiving pressure oil from a variable capacity hydraulic pump. Wheels provided at two or more axles are rotated due to torques of the hydraulic motors. The work vehicle is provided with a traveling stabilizer, the traveling stabilizer including a traveling-state detector for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, and a controller which receives a signal from the detector and varies a capacity of at least particular one of the plurality of hydraulic motors according to the traveling state of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro HANAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7191034
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a vending system wherein a monitoring system verifies that a product ordered by a vending customer is actually delivered through a delivery area to the customer. If the product ordered is unavailable either because of an out of stock situation or a blockage of the delivery path for that product, the present invention allows the customer to request a refund or order a second product. Additionally, the present invention helps to prevent theft of product from the vending system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Crane Co.
    Inventors: David Boyd Whitten, William Edwin Booth, Paul Kevin Griner, Brian Lee Duncan
  • Patent number: 7165691
    Abstract: In a counterweight attaching and detaching apparatus for a crane, the length of a suspension member is adjusted by an extendable member and links because the distance provided between the peak of a gantry and an upper surface of each of weights when the gantry is suspending the weight at a respective mounting position varies depending on the mounting position. In order to complement the adjustment of the length, different amounts of protrusion of rings from the upper surfaces of the weights are set so that the protrusion amount in the forefront weight is the largest and the protrusion amount in the rearmost weight is the smallest. This reduces the number of types of necessary links used in the suspension member to attach and detach the weights, and the number of operations of connecting and removing the links, and improves operation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7166061
    Abstract: According to a control device for a hydraulic winch, a regulator controls a motor capacity of a hydraulic motor having variable capacity functioning as a driving source of the hydraulic winch in response to a load pressure, a negative brake stops and retains the hydraulic motor at an automatic shutoff for prevention of overloading, and a controller sends signals to the regulator via a regulator-controlling valve at the automatic shutoff to set the motor capacity at a large value. Thus, the delay to recover the motor capacity at the time of returning from the automatic shutoff that is activated during winding-up of a load does not occur, and a control response is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Shimomura, Masaaki Ehara
  • Publication number: 20060259270
    Abstract: A weight detecting apparatus for a crane includes a base machine comprising a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body; weights mounted on this base machine; ID (identification) tags which are installed on the respective weights and in which ID information on weight mounting conditions has been written; and an ID reader for reading the ID information. In this weight detecting apparatus weight detecting apparatus, the mounting conditions of the weights are detected by wireless communications between the ID reader and the ID tags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20060216184
    Abstract: A construction machine includes a vertical separating/connecting device interposed between a lower traveling body and a swing bearing that supports an upper rotating body. The device includes an externally toothed ring member fixed to the swing bearing with a first attaching unit, a rotating unit that rotates the externally toothed ring member, an internally toothed ring member fixed to the lower traveling body with a second attaching unit positioned on an attachment pitch circle having the same diameter and center as an attachment pitch circle of the first attaching unit, and a fixing unit that fixes the externally toothed ring member or the internally toothed ring member. Internal teeth of the internally toothed ring member and external teeth of the externally toothed ring member are positioned so as to allow the movement of the external teeth or to engage with each other when the externally toothed ring member is rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro HANAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7086547
    Abstract: This invention provides with a travelling working machine comprising an upper rotating body with a rotating frame and winches, a pair of right and left boom support frames formed in the rotating frame, and axial portions of the winches mounted inside rear portions of the boom support frames, characterized in that the boom support frames have openings formed by being cut out along small-diameter portions of the winches than maximum-diameter portions thereof, thereby capable of providing with the travelling working machine having the rotating frame in such a manner that the strength of the frame can be enhanced and a load bearing force can be strengthened highly without enlarging a rear swing radius of the upper rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Hanamoto
  • Publication number: 20060151233
    Abstract: A steering apparatus provided in a wheeled working machine according to the present invention includes mechanical steering means for steering front wheels in accordance with the operation of operating means by connecting the operating means to a link member for changing the direction of the front wheels so as to transmit a steering force, full-hydraulic steering means, having steering cylinders for respectively changing directions of the front and rear wheels, for steering at least one of the front and rear wheels by introducing hydraulic oil to predetermined steering cylinders in accordance with the operation of the operating means and a selected mode, and switching means for switching the means so as to selectively actuate one of the mechanical steering means and the full-hydraulic steering means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Applicant: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kawashima, Taisuke Tsunoo