| CPC B66F 17/006 (2013.01) [B66F 9/0655 (2013.01); B66F 9/20 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A safety control unit for controlling a lifting arm of a lifting arm machine, the safety control unit comprising:
a safety control unit housing;
a sensor input configured to receive a first signal indicative of a toppling moment of the lifting arm about the lifting arm machine and a second signal indicative of the toppling moment of the lifting arm about the lifting arm machine, wherein the first and second signals are independent of each other;
a first processor provided within the safety control unit housing and configured:
to receive the first signal;
to determine a first toppling moment based on the first signal; and
to output the first toppling moment; and
a second processor independent of the first processor and provided within the safety control unit housing, wherein the first processor and the second processor provide independent processing channels for the first signal and the second signal, the second processor configured:
to receive the second signal;
to determine a second toppling moment based on the second signal;
to receive the first toppling moment from the first processor; and
to cross-check that first toppling moment and the second toppling moment are within a predetermined range of each other,
wherein the safety control unit is configured:
to determine whether the first toppling moment and the second toppling moment exceed a predetermined threshold; and
to output a toppling safety command signal if the safety control unit determines the predetermined threshold or the predetermined range is exceeded.
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