TO THE INTERIOR OF THE LIFTING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments herein relate to lifting technologies for lifting objects. In particular, the embodiments herein relate to a lifting device for lifting an object connected to a suspendable casing of the lifting device.

BACKGROUND

Lifting technologies for lifting of objects are used in many different environments, such as transporting environments, health care environments, manufacturing environments and the like. In many environments, it may be suitable to use a known lifting arrangement that is suspendable in a beam or the like and which is easy to operate by means of a handle at a lower portion of the lifting arrangement. A disadvantage with the known lifting arrangement may be that it is time consuming and costly to install the lifting arrangement at a site, i.e. where objects are desired to be lifted.

The know type of lifting arrangement has the following general composition. The lifting arrangement comprises a suspendable lifting unit, which is connected to an electrical power supply for serving the lifting arrangement with enough power to lift relatively heavy objects. The need for the electrical an electrical power supply makes installation of the lifting arrangement dependent on access to an electrical power supply. Some known lifting arrangements are connected to a pneumatic supply for delivering power to lift objects. As a result, the locations at which the known lifting arrangement may be installed are severely limited, i.e. the lifting arrangement may only be installed where there is an available an electrical power supply or a pneumatic supply.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, the present inventors have realized that there is a need for a lifting arrangement that is easy to move from one location to another, i.e. a lifting arrangement that is more flexible in terms of mobility and simplicity of installation.

An object may thus be how to provide a more flexible and mobile lifting device which overcomes, or at least alleviates, the abovementioned disadvantage.

This object, and other objects, may be achieved by the lifting device as set forth in the appended independent claim. Particular features of the lifting device are defined by the dependent claims. According to an aspect, there is thus provided a lifting device for lifting an object. The lifting device comprises a casing arranged to be displaced when the lifting device is operated to lift of the object, a string mounted within the casing and extending out of the casing, and a maneuverer member, such as a handle. The maneuverer member is connected to the casing and arranged to provide sensing signalling representative of a direction of the movement of the casing when the lifting device is operated.

The casing is suspendable by means of the string and the lifting device is arranged to adjust a length of the string extending out of the casing to achieve a movement of the casing.

Moreover, the casing comprises a control unit arranged to control, based on the sensing signalling, the length of the string extending out of the casing, and an electric motor arranged to be controlled by the control unit to cause the movement of the casing. The lifting device is arranged to adjust the length of the string extending out of the casing by that the electric motor is arranged to wind-up or un-wind the string.

Furthermore, the lifting device comprises a battery arranged to power the electric motor. The battery is further arranged to accompany the casing when displaced.

The casing has an opening. The casing is arranged to hold the battery to obscure the opening when the battery is releasably mounted in the casing. In this manner, when the battery 160 is released from the casing 120, the opening 310 provides access to the string 130 and any parts inside the interior of the casing 120 that may cooperate with the string 130 or that are in the vicinity of the string 130. Thanks to the opening, an easy way of accessing the string is provided. Advantageously, the opening may be used for untangling the string in case of lifting failure due to tangled string.

Thanks to that the battery is arranged to power the electric motor, the lifting device is simple to install, e.g. due that no external power source needed, no wiring to an electric outlet is required or the like. Once the string of the lifting device is secured above a location where an object to be lifted is located, or will be located, the lifting device is ready for operation, e.g. by an operator or user desiring to lift the object.

Another effect of that the battery is arranged to power the electric motor and to accompany the casing when displaced is though that weight of the casing is increased. The present inventors have thus realized that advantages like simple installation and high mobility overturns a possible disadvantage of increased weight which may decrease lifting capacity, i.e. a maximum weight of an object that the lifting device is capable of lifting.

In some embodiments, the battery is arranged to power the control unit. In these embodiments, the battery is used for powering both the electric motor and the control unit. An advantage may be that material cost of the lifting device may be less than if separate batteries are used. However, it may also be that the lifting device is provided with a further battery, i.e. separate and different from the aforementioned battery. The further battery is arranged to power the control unit. In this manner, the control unit is be able to indicate that the battery for powering of the electric motor may need to be re-charged, even when that battery is completely empty, or at least discharged to an extent that the control unit is not operational.

In some embodiments, the casing at least partly encloses the battery. In this embodiment, the battery is integrated into the lifting device. Hence, the battery is protected by the casing that also encloses amongst other the control unit and the electric motor.

In some embodiments, the battery is releasably mounted at the casing. This means that the battery is removable from the lifting device. In this manner, the battery may easily be replaced when discharged. Hence, if the battery is discharged, it may be replaced with another fully charged battery. Hence, continued operation of the lifting device may be achieved after only a short down time for the exchange of the discharged battery.

In some embodiments, the maneuverer member is detachably connectable to the object. With these embodiments, an operator of the lifting device may intuitively lift the object by use of the lifting device as if the operator would lift the object in real-life, with a gripping device, i.e. without lifting assistance from the lifting device.

In some embodiments, the maneuverer member is connected to an interior of the casing using at least a lever arm rotatably connected to the interior of the casing. The lever arm is provided with a first position sensor, wherein a second position sensor is fixedly attached to the interior of the casing. The control unit is arranged to control the electric motor based on the sensing signalling represented by a difference between a first sensing signal from the first position sensor and a second sensing signal from the second position sensor. The first and second sensing signals are caused by that the maneuverer member is operated to displace the casing. The difference between the first and second sensing signals may indicate a desired direction for the movement of the casing

The lever arm may be part of a joint for transferring the operator's control movements that are intended to inform the lifting device about the operator's intention, i.e. lifting, lowering or keeping steady. The lever arm and the first and second sensors may consequently transfer the control movements to the sensor unit connected to the control unit by means of the sensing signalling. The control movements may indicate a direction of movement that the operator desires to move the object, e.g. heighten or lower a position of the object. In this context, it may be noted that the term "lifting" may include heightening or lowering the position of the object.

In some embodiments, the casing comprises a winding cylinder arranged wind the string onto the winding cylinder to adjust the length of the string extending out of the casing in this manner, the winding cylinder achieves the movement of the casing.

Furthermore, in these embodiments, the casing comprises a detection element arranged detect load or no load on the string by being arranged to perform a movement due to that the string abuts the detection element during load and by being arranged to drive the movement during load and by being arranged refrain from performing the movement due to that the string relaxes and fails to drive the movement during no load.

In these embodiments, it may further be preferred that the control unit is arranged to receive a load signal indicative of load or no load. In response that the load signal indicates no load, the control unit may be arranged to prevent the movement for lifting the object. The movement may e.g. be prevented by that the control unit terminates powering of the electric motor, or at least controls the electric motor to stop winding the string.

In some examples, the detection element comprises a detection cylinder and the movement is a rotational movement. Rotation or non-rotation of the detection cylinder is then an indication of load or no load, respectively.

In some examples, the detection element comprises a detection lever arm that is spring biased towards a first position. The detection lever arm is arranged to assume the first position during no load and wherein the detection lever arm is arranged to assume a second position against bias of the detection lever arm during load. The movement is a translational movement.

Typically, the detection element is either the detection cylinder or the detection lever arm. However, the detection element may be realized by comprising a detection cylinder that is supported by a detection lever arm. Accordingly, it is contemplated that a combination of the detection cylinder and the detection lever arm may be realized without undue burden.

In some embodiments, the lifting device has a lifting capacity 300 N or less. Typically, the lifting capacity is dependent on the power of the electric motor. In turn, the power of the electric motor sets requirements on the battery to drive it. A more powerful battery is able to power an electric motor with a greater lifting capacity than a less powerful battery. However, with known batteries increased power also comes with increased weight. Therefore, in order to achieve desired mobility and flexibility with known batteries, it is expected that the lifting device has a lifting capacity of 300 N or less. A lifting capacity of 300 N normally corresponds to that the lifting device is able to lift an object having a mass of 30 kg.

However, some batteries may be able to achieve a lifting capacity above 300 N.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various aspects of embodiments disclosed herein, including particular features and advantages thereof, will be readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described in the following.

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplifying lifting device according to the embodiments herein.

Figure 2 and Figure 3 are perspective views illustrating more detailed examples of the lifting device according to the embodiments herein.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating further examples of the lifting device according to the embodiments herein.

Figure 5 another plan view illustrating still further examples of the lifting device according to the embodiments herein.

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the detection element according to the embodiments herein.

Figure 7 and Figure 8 are plan views illustrating another example of the detection element according to the embodiments herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description, similar reference numerals have been used to denote similar features, such as modules, parts, items, elements, units or the like, when applicable.

Figure 1 depicts an exemplifying lifting device 100 for lifting an object 110. The lifting device 100 comprises a casing 120 arranged to be displaced when the lifting device 100 is operated to lift of the object 110. The casing 120 may be a jacket, a housing or the like. The casing 120 may for example be made of plastic, metal or the like.

Furthermore, the lifting device 100 comprises a string 130 mounted within the casing 120 and extending out of the casing 120. The string 130 may comprise a wire, a line, a rope, a band, a chain, a belt or the like. The casing 120 is suspendable by means of the string 130. This may mean that the string 130 is secured in the interior of the casing 120. Further, this may mean that the casing, and/or a part (or parts) included in the casing 120, and/or parts connected to (or connected to the interior or connected to parts within the casing) the casing 120 may be suspendable by means of the string 130.

The casing 120 may be suspended in an anchor point 180, such as a beam, a rail, a hook in a ceiling or the like. The anchor point 180 may thus be any point that is considered appropriate while considering the weight of the object 110 to be lifted by use of the lifting device 100. As an example, a distal end of the string 130 is attachable to the anchor point 180 towards which or away from which the object 110 may be lifted.

The lifting device 100 is arranged to adjust a length of the string 130 extending out of the casing 120 to achieve a movement of the casing 120. A direction of the movement or displacement may typically be vertically upwards or vertically downwards due to that the lifting device 100 is suspended using the string 130.

Moreover, the lifting device 100 comprises a maneuverer member 170, connected to the casing 120 and arranged to provide sensing signalling representative of a direction of the movement of the casing 120 when the lifting device 100 is operated. The maneuverer member 170 may have an elongated shape. In order to operate the lifting device 100, an operator may typically displace the maneuverer member 170 in the direction of a desired movement of the object 110.

In some examples, the maneuverer member 170 may be a handle that is biased towards a middle position. Accordingly, the handle may be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the handle in order to the operator to indicate to the lifting device 100 how the operator wishes to displace the object 110.

As shown in Figure 1, the maneuverer member 170 may be provided with a gripping unit 172, such as a hook, a pneumatic gripping unit, a hydraulic gripping unit, pincers or the like.

In some other examples, the maneuverer member 170 may be a key panel comprising a first key for upwards displacement of the object 110 and a second key for downwards displacement of the object 110.

Furthermore, the casing 120 comprises a control unit 140 arranged to control, based on the sensing signalling, the length of the string 130 extending out of the casing 120. The control unit 140 may be a microprocessor, a processor, a control logic circuit or the like.

Additionally, the casing 120 comprises an electric motor 150 arranged to be controlled by the control unit 140 to cause the movement of the casing 120. The lifting device 100 is arranged to adjust the length of the string 130 extending out of the casing 120 by that the electric motor 150 is arranged to wind-up or un-wind the string 130. The electric motor 150 may be a brushless direct current (BLDC) electric motor, preferably with a brake. Sometimes BLDC motors are referred to as electronically commutated (EC) motors. However, many other types of electric motors, such as Altering Current (AC)-motors, Direct Current (DC)-motors, step motors and servo motors, may be used as deemed suitable depending on the application.

Moreover, the lifting device 100 comprises a battery 160 arranged to power the electric motor 150. The battery 160 is arranged to accompany the casing 120 when displaced.

As a consequence, the lifting device 100 is simple to install. That is to say, installation of the lifting device 100 merely requires that the string 130 of the lifting device 100 is secured above a location where the object 110 to be lifted is located or will be located.

In some embodiments, the battery 160 is arranged to power the control unit 140, typically in addition to that the battery 160 is arranged to power the electric motorl50. It is also possible that the control unit 140 is power by a further battery (not shown) that is separate from the batter 160. This means that there may be two batteries, one battery that is arranged to power the control unit 160 and one other battery that is arranged to power the electric motor 150.

In some embodiments, the casing 120 encloses the battery 160, i.e. the battery 160 is built into the casing 120. The battery 160 is thus integrated with the casing 120 and not easy to change.

In some embodiments, the battery 160 is releasably mounted at the casing 120. In this embodiment, the battery 160 may be enclosed by a jacket or the like. The battery 160 and the jacket are then for example capable of being snapped onto the casing 120. In one example, the casing 120 comprises a slot into which the battery 160 is slidable for easy mounting.

The casing 120 may be said to comprise the battery 160 both when the battery 160 is integrated with the casing 120 and when the battery 160 is releasably mounted at the casing 120.

With reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3, there is illustrated a further embodiment relating to embodiments in which the battery 160 is releasably mounted at the casing 120. In Figure 2 the battery 160 is releasably mounted at the casing 120 and in Figure 3 the battery 160 is not shown since it is demounted from the casing 120. In this further embodiment, the casing 120 has an opening 310, shown in Figure 3. The opening 310 is arranged in the casing 120 such as to allow access to the interior of the casing 120. In particular, access to the string 130 is provided by means of the opening 310. The casing 120 is arranged to hold the battery 160 to obscure the opening 310 when the battery 160 is releasably mounted in the casing 120. Oppositely, when the battery 160 is released from the casing 120, the opening 310 provides access to the string 130 and any parts inside the interior of the casing 120 that may cooperate with the string 130 or that are in the vicinity of the string 130.

Figure 2 and Figure 3 further show that the casing 120 may be provided with a through-hole 122 through which the string 130 extends from the interior of the casing 120 towards e.g. the anchor point 180.

In some embodiments, the maneuverer member 170 is detachably connectable to the object 110. Alternatively or additionally, the object 110 may be connectable to the casing 120 in order to allow the object 110 to be displaced, or lifted, as the casing 120 moves upon operation of the lifting device 100.

Turning to Figure 4 and Figure 5, a further embodiment of the lifting device 100 is illustrated. The Figure shows a mechanism for transferring control movements, provided by the operator, to one or more sensor units, such as position sensors 420, 430, electrically connected to the control unitMO.

In this further embodiment, the maneuverer member 170 is connected to an interior of the casing 120 using at least a lever arm 410 rotatably connected to the interior of the casing 120. The lever arm 410 is provided with a first position sensor 420, and a second position sensor 430 is fixedly attached to the interior of the casing 120. The first and second position sensors 420, 430 may be hall sensors, accelerometers, inductive sensors, potentiometers or the like. The control unit 140 is arranged to control the electric motor 150 based on the sensing signalling represented by a difference between a first sensing signal from the first position sensor 420 and a second sensing signal from the second position sensor 430. The first and second sensing signals are caused by that the maneuverer member 170 is operated to displace the casing 120.

The difference between the first and second sensing signals indicates a desired direction for the displacement of the casing 120, e.g. the direction of movement of the object 110, such as upwards or downwards.

Additionally, the lever arm 410 may be rotatably connected to a further lever arm 411. The further lever arm 411 may be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the maneuverer member 170, such as the direction of movement, i.e. typically a vertical direction. In this context, said at least a lever arm 410 may be referred to as a first lever arm 410 and the further lever arm 411 may be referred to as a second lever arm 411. Thanks to displacement of the second lever arm 411, the first lever arm 410 may rotate and thus cause the difference between the first and second sensing signals to change.

Figure 5 further illustrates that the lifting device 100 may be provided with a reduction gear 510, such as a planetary reductions drive, a gear train reduction gear, a belt driven reduction gear, a chain reduction drive or the like. Figure 6 illustrates another exemplifying lifting device 100 according to the embodiments herein. The exemplifying lifting device 100 of Figure 6 is configured for detecting load or no load based on whether the string 130 is relaxed or not.

Flence, in this example, the casing 120 comprises a winding cylinder 620 arranged wind the string 130 onto the winding cylinder to adjust the length of the string 130 extending out of the casing 120. A proximal end of the string 130, or an interior end of the string 130, is typically securely fastened at the winding cylinder 620.

Moreover, the casing 120 comprises a detection element 630 arranged detect load or no load on the string 130 by being arranged to perform a movement due to that the string 130 abuts the detection element 630 and by being arranged to drive the movement during load and by being arranged refrain from performing the movement due to that the string 130 relaxes and fails to drive the movement during no load. According to various examples, the detection element 630 may be a spring biased detection lever arm 632, a detection cylinder 631 or the like.

As shown in Figure 6, the detection element 630 may comprise a detection cylinder 631, the movement is a rotational movement.

As shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8, the detection element 630 may comprise a detection lever arm 632, which may be spring biased towards a first position. The first position is illustrated in Figure 7. The detection lever arm 632 is then further arranged to assume the first position during no load. As illustrated in Figure 8, the detection lever arm 632 is further arranged to assume a second position against bias of the detection lever arm 632 during load. In this example, the movement is a translational movement. The biasing may be realized by means of any suitable mechanical biasing element (not shown), such as a spring, a blade, a hydraulic suspension device or the like.

In the context of Figure 6, the movement refers to the movement of the detection element 630. Notably, for example in the context of Figure 1, movement refers to the movement of the casing 120. Therefore, it may be suitable to use the term "first movement" to refer to the movement of the casing 120 and to use the term "second movement" to refer to the movement of the detection element 630. In this manner, the movements of the casing 120 and the detection element 630 may be distinguished from one another.

In some embodiments, the lifting device 100 has a lifting capacity 300 N or less. Expressed differently, the lifting device 100 is only capable of lifting object having a weight represented by 30 kg or less.

As used herein, the terms "first", "second", "third" etc. may have been used merely to distinguish features, apparatuses, elements, units, or the like from one another unless otherwise evident from the context.

As used herein, the term "set of" may refer to one or more of something. E.g. a set of devices may refer to one or more devices, a set of parameters may refer to one or more parameters or the like according to the embodiments herein.

As used herein, the expression "in some embodiments" has been used to indicate that the features of the embodiment described may be combined with any other embodiment disclosed herein.