초록 ▼

A hoisting device and, more particularly, an intelligent hoist ring that is capable of monitoring, recording and/or communicating the use of the hoist ring including monitoring, recording and/or communicating the loads on the hoist ring that can be used, inter alia, to determine condition of the hoi

A hoisting device and, more particularly, an intelligent hoist ring that is capable of monitoring, recording and/or communicating the use of the hoist ring including monitoring, recording and/or communicating the loads on the hoist ring that can be used, inter alia, to determine condition of the hoist ring and whether it can remain in active service and monitoring tightening loads independently of applied loads.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An intelligent hoist ring configured to monitor and/or detect an applied load, the hoist ring comprising: a ring body including a U-bar, the U-bar being configured to receive an associated applied load and direct the associated applied load to an associated object, the ring body extending between

1. An intelligent hoist ring configured to monitor and/or detect an applied load, the hoist ring comprising: a ring body including a U-bar, the U-bar being configured to receive an associated applied load and direct the associated applied load to an associated object, the ring body extending between a first body extent and a second body extent and having a central body opening extending between the first and second body extents, the first and second body extents defining a body thickness; a strain collar having a stem portion and a flange portion, the stem portion extending from a first stem extent to a second stem extent, the stem portion extending along a stem axis and having a radially outwardly facing outer stem surface and a radially inwardly facing stem bolt opening defining a radially inwardly facing stem surface, the radially inwardly facing stem bolt opening and the radially outwardly facing stem surface defining a stem wall and the stem wall extending about a stem axis, the first and second stem extents defining a stem length, the strain collar having a flange portion extending radially outwardly from the first stem extent, the flange portion having a flange surface facing toward the second stem extent that is generally transvers to the stem axis, the flange surface having at least one deformation pad to produce a controlled elastic deformation of the flange in at least one flange deformation zone, the controlled elastic deformation being in response to the associated applied load on the U-bar, the strain collar having a flange strain gauge in the at least one flange deformation zone configured to detect the associated applied load; the hoist ring further including a base washer having a first washer surface and a second washer surface, the base washer further including a washer bolt opening extending between the first and second washer surfaces, the base washer being configured to engage the second stem extent; the hoist ring further including a hoist ring bolt configured to extend through the stem and washer bolt openings and threadingly engage the associated object; the central body opening being shaped to receive the stem portion of the strain collar, the base washer capturing the ring body between the first washer surface and the flange surface of the strain collar. 2. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 1 further a position sensor for determining the bail angle of the U-bar. 3. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2 wherein the at least one deformation pad to produce the controlled elastic deformation of the flange in the flange deformation zone is at least three deformation pads, the at least one flange deformation zone being at least three deformation zones, the flange strain gauge being at least three flange strain gauges configured to detect the associated applied load and an angle of the applied load, the at least three at least three flange strain gauges forming at least part of the position sensor. 4. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 3 further including an accelerometer, the accelerometer forming at least part of the position sensor. 5. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2 further including an accelerometer, the accelerometer forming at least part of the position sensor. 6. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2 further including a bail angle sensor forming at least part of the position sensor. 7. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2 wherein the bail angle sensor includes a rotary angle sensor. 8. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2 further including a washer sensor to determine the position of the washer relative to the U-bar. 9. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 2, wherein the radially outwardly facing outer stem surface of the stem portion includes a conical surface portion, the conical surface portion extending inwardly toward the first stem extent, the conical surface portion extending inwardly at a stem angle and the stem angle being between 0 degrees and 5 degrees. 10. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 9, wherein the stem angle is between 1 degree and 3 degrees. 11. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 1 wherein the at least one deformation pad is a plurality of deformation pads equally spaced about the stem axis. 12. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 11 wherein the flange surface has an outer circumferential edge, that plurality of deformation pads being at least near the circumferential edge. 13. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 1 wherein the at least one deformation pad to produce the controlled elastic deformation of the flange in the flange deformation zone includes three deformation pads equally spaced about the stem axis, the at least one flange deformation zone including three deformation zones equally spaced about the stem axis and between the three deformation pads, the flange strain gauge including three flange strain gauges in the three deformation zones. 14. The intelligent hoist ring of claim 1 wherein the stem portion includes a load sensor arrangement having a strain opening and a stem strain gauge secured relative to the strain opening.