A method of mining a seabed sediment deposit

Abstract

The application provides a seabed deposit mining method and relates to the technical field of ocean engineering. The seabed deposit mining method applies a multifunctional automatic deep-sea mining vehicle. The method comprises the following steps: placing the multifunctional automatic deep-sea mining vehicle in a mining area of a seabed deposit; collecting seabed deposit materials through a collecting mechanism; pushing the seabed deposit materials to a sieve plate and a transfer mechanism by a rake; removing the soil mixed in the seabed deposit materials through the sieve plate; transferring the seabed deposit materials to a crushing mechanism by the transfer mechanism; crushing, grinding and storing the seabed deposit materials in sequence by the crushing mechanism; and loading the seabed deposit materials into a bag by a loading mechanism. The multifunctional automatic deep-sea mining vehicle is used for mining operations of seabed deposits, realizes the collection, transfer, crushing and loading operations of materials (seabed deposit materials), greatly simplifies the mining operation and improves the mining efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine engineering technology, and more specifically to a method for mining seabed sediment deposits. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of marine exploration technology, numerous sediment deposits have been discovered on the seabed. These seabed sediment deposits are rich in various metallic minerals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, and possess extremely high development value. Seabed sediment deposits have also attracted the attention of many countries, especially coastal nations, who have successively invested significant human and material resources in developing seabed mining equipment to achieve efficient extraction of these deposits. Currently, the equipment used for seabed mining has low integration, requiring the coordination of multiple devices, making mining operations relatively cumbersome. Furthermore, the processes of collection, transportation, and loading require further improvement and optimization. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for mining seabed sediment deposits, which is used for mining operations of seabed sediment deposits and simplifies mining operations.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A method for mining seabed sediment deposits, using a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle, the multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle including a transport chassis, the transport chassis being arranged from front to back with a collection mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a crushing mechanism and a loading mechanism;

[0006] The transport chassis is equipped with tracks on both sides, which are driven by a drive mechanism;

[0007] The collection mechanism includes a support frame, a first telescopic cylinder, a support shaft, a rake claw, a first drive motor, and a sieve plate. The support frame is located at the front of the transport chassis, with the lower rear end of the support frame hinged to the lower front end of the transport chassis. One end of the first telescopic cylinder is hinged to the upper rear end of the support frame, and the other end is hinged to the upper front end of the transport chassis. The telescopic end of the first telescopic cylinder extends and retracts relative to the cylinder body end, thereby causing the support frame to swing relative to the transport chassis. The front end of the support frame is rotatably connected to the support shaft, and the rake claw is mounted on the support shaft. The first drive motor is mounted on the support frame, and the output shaft of the first drive motor is poweredly connected to the support shaft. The rotation of the output shaft of the first drive motor drives the support shaft to rotate, and the rotation of the support shaft drives the rake claw to rotate. The sieve plate is located at the front end of the transport chassis and is positioned behind the rake claw.

[0008] The transfer mechanism includes a transfer hopper, a transfer cylinder, a first transfer wheel, and a second drive motor. The two ends of the transfer hopper are respectively connected to the screen plate and the feed end of the transfer cylinder. The first transfer wheel is rotatably connected inside the transfer cylinder. The output shaft of the second drive motor is powered to the first transfer wheel. The output shaft of the second drive motor rotates to drive the first transfer wheel to rotate. The rotation of the first transfer wheel pushes the material at the feed end of the transfer cylinder to the discharge end of the transfer cylinder.

[0009] The crushing mechanism includes a crushing hopper, a crushing roller, a third drive motor, a grinding hopper, a grinding roller, a fourth drive motor, and a storage hopper. The inlet end of the crushing hopper is connected to the outlet end of a transfer cylinder. The crushing roller is rotatably connected inside the crushing hopper. The output shaft of the third drive motor is powered and connected to the crushing roller. The rotation of the output shaft of the third drive motor drives the crushing roller to rotate, thus crushing the material entering the crushing hopper. Simultaneously, the rotation of the crushing roller pushes the material at the inlet end of the crushing hopper to the outlet end of the crushing hopper. The inlet end of the grinding hopper is connected to the outlet end of the crushing hopper. The grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the grinding hopper. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered and connected to the grinding roller. The rotation of the output shaft of the fourth drive motor drives the grinding roller to rotate, thus grinding the material entering the grinding hopper. Simultaneously, the rotation of the grinding roller pushes the material at the inlet end of the grinding hopper to the outlet end of the grinding hopper. The inlet end of the storage hopper is connected to the outlet end of the grinding hopper.

[0010] The feeding mechanism includes a pumping device, a feed pipe, and a discharge pipe; the feed end of the pumping device is connected to the feed pipe, the feed pipe is connected to the discharge end of the grinding hopper, and the discharge end of the pumping device is connected to the discharge pipe.

[0011] The method includes the following steps:

[0012] Step 1: Place the multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle in the mining area of ​​the seabed sediment deposit;

[0013] Step 2: Collect seabed sediment minerals through the collection mechanism. The seabed sediment minerals are pushed to the screen plate and transfer mechanism by the rake claws. The mud mixed in the seabed sediment minerals is removed by the screen plate.

[0014] Step 3: The transfer mechanism transfers the seabed sediment to the crushing mechanism;

[0015] Step 4: The crushing mechanism sequentially crushes, grinds, and stores the seabed sediment.

[0016] Step 5: The loading mechanism loads the seabed sediment into the material bag.

[0017] Preferably, it also includes a bag assembly and a bagging mechanism;

[0018] The bag assembly includes several bags, adjacent bags are connected by a traction rope, each bag is provided with a filling nozzle, and the filling nozzles on adjacent bags are connected by a guide rope.

[0019] The bagging mechanism is located at the rear end of the transport chassis. The bagging mechanism includes an upper pressing block, a lower pressing block, and a second telescopic cylinder. The upper pressing block has a guide groove through which the filling nozzle and the guide rope can pass. The upper pressing block is mounted on the transport chassis, and the lower pressing block is located below it and slidably connected to the transport chassis. The cylinder body of the second telescopic cylinder is mounted on the transport chassis, and its telescopic end is connected to the lower pressing block. The telescopic end of the second telescopic cylinder extends and retracts relative to its cylinder body end to move the lower pressing block closer to or away from the upper pressing block. The bag and the traction rope can pass through the space between the upper and lower pressing blocks.

[0020] The material bag assembly moves under the action of external force. The material bag and the traction rope pass through the space between the upper and lower pressure blocks. The injection nozzle and the guide rope pass through the guide groove. When the injection nozzle is aligned with the end of the discharge pipe, the lower pressure block moves closer to the upper pressure block under the action of the second telescopic cylinder. The lower pressure block and the upper pressure block clamp and fix the material bag.

[0021] Preferably, the system also includes a controller. A metal block is provided on one side of the material bag near the injection nozzle, and a proximity switch is provided on one side of the end of the discharge pipe. The controller is connected to the proximity switch and the control terminal of the second telescopic cylinder via signal cables.

[0022] When the injection nozzle and the guide rope pass through the guide groove, the proximity switch senses the metal block and uploads a signal to the controller. The controller triggers the second telescopic cylinder to move. The second telescopic cylinder moves to move the lower pressure block closer to the upper pressure block, so that the lower pressure block and the upper pressure block clamp and fix the material bag.

[0023] Preferably, the end of the discharge pipe is provided with a retractable injection gun.

[0024] Preferably, the injection nozzle is provided with a one-way injection valve, through which the material can enter the material bag in one direction; the one-way injection valve is provided with a trigger switch, which, when triggered, allows the one-way injection valve to flow in both directions.

[0025] Preferably, it further includes a friction roller and a fifth drive motor. The two ends of the friction roller are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis. The output shaft of the fifth drive motor is poweredly connected to the friction roller. The material bag and the traction rope pass through the friction roller. The friction roller rolls in contact with the material bag and the traction rope. The output shaft of the fifth drive motor rotates to drive the friction roller to rotate. The rotation of the friction roller drives the material bag and the traction rope to move backward.

[0026] Preferably, it further includes a first bag roller, the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis, and the first bag roller is located in front of the friction roller, with the bag and the traction rope wound around the first bag roller.

[0027] Preferably, it also includes a mother ship, which is equipped with a unloading mechanism. The unloading mechanism includes an unloading frame, a second bag roller, a sixth drive motor, and an unloading nozzle. The unloading frame is mounted on the mother ship. The two ends of the second bag roller are rotatably connected to the unloading frame. The output shaft of the sixth drive motor is poweredly connected to the second bag roller. The output shaft of the sixth drive motor rotates to drive the second bag roller to rotate. The second bag roller rotates to wind the bag and the traction rope. The unloading nozzle is used to connect to the injection nozzle.

[0028] Preferably, the grinding hopper includes a primary grinding hopper, a secondary grinding hopper, and a transition cylinder; the grinding rollers include a primary grinding roller and a secondary grinding roller; the feed end of the primary grinding hopper is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper, the discharge end of the primary grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the secondary grinding hopper, the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the storage hopper, and the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper is also connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper via the transition cylinder; the primary grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the primary grinding hopper, the secondary grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the secondary grinding hopper, a second transfer wheel is rotatably connected inside the transition cylinder, and a filter screen is provided between the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper and the feed end of the storage hopper; the output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered to the primary grinding roller. The system includes a primary grinding roller and a secondary grinding roller. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor rotates to drive the primary grinding roller and the secondary grinding roller to rotate. The primary grinding roller rotates to grind the material entering the primary grinding hopper. At the same time, the primary grinding roller rotates to push the material at the feed end of the primary grinding hopper to the discharge end of the primary grinding hopper. The secondary grinding roller rotates to grind the material entering the secondary grinding hopper. At the same time, the secondary grinding roller rotates to push the material at the feed end of the secondary grinding hopper to the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper. The system also includes a seventh drive motor. The output shaft of the seventh drive motor is powered by a second transfer wheel. The output shaft of the seventh drive motor rotates to drive the second transfer wheel to rotate. The second transfer wheel rotates to push the material blocked by the filter screen at the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper.

[0029] Preferably, the grinding hopper further includes a coarse grinding hopper, and the grinding roller further includes a coarse grinding roller; the feed end of the coarse grinding hopper is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper, and the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper; the coarse grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the coarse grinding hopper; the output shaft of the fourth drive motor is poweredly connected to the coarse grinding roller, and the output shaft of the fourth drive motor rotates to drive the coarse grinding roller to rotate, and the coarse grinding roller rotates to grind the material entering the coarse grinding hopper. At the same time, the coarse grinding roller rotates to push the material at the feed end of the coarse grinding hopper to the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper.

[0030] The beneficial technical effects of this invention are:

[0031] The present invention discloses a method for mining seabed sediment deposits, which utilizes a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle. This multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle integrates a collection mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a crushing mechanism, and a loading mechanism into one unit. It is used for mining operations of seabed sediment deposits, realizing the collection, transfer, crushing, and loading of materials (seabed sediment minerals). The mining operation only requires the mining vehicle to be equipped with an unloading mechanism on the mother ship at most to complete the mining operation, without the need for the cooperation of other devices, which greatly simplifies the mining operation and improves the mining efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a top view of the multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a rear view of the multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a side view of a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 for Figure 5 AA section view;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention after removing the upper shell and part of the cargo box.

[0039] Figure 8 This is a top view of the multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention after removing the upper shell and part of the hull shell;

[0040] Figure 9 for Figure 8 BB cross-sectional view;

[0041] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the bag assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 The material bags in the middle were not filled with material;

[0042] Figure 11 This is a perspective view of a single material bag in the material bag assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 The material bags in the middle have been filled;

[0043] Figure 12 The three-dimensional unloading mechanism of this invention is shown in the embodiment. Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 13 The three-dimensional unloading mechanism of this invention is shown in the embodiment. Figure 2 ;

[0045] Figure 14 This is a front view of the unloading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Certain embodiments of the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and some, but not all, of these embodiments will be shown. In fact, various embodiments of the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to enable the invention to meet applicable legal requirements.

[0047] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "inner," "outer," "upper," "lower," "front," and "rear," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0048] In this embodiment of the invention, a method for mining seabed sediment deposits is provided. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 1 to 14 As shown.

[0049] A method for mining seabed sediment deposits utilizes a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle. The multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle includes a transport chassis, and the transport chassis 1 is arranged from front to back with a collection mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a crushing mechanism, and a loading mechanism.

[0050] Tracks 11 are provided on both sides of the transport chassis 1. The tracks 11 are driven by a drive mechanism built into the transport chassis 1 to realize the movement of the transport chassis 1.

[0051] A housing 12 is installed above the transport chassis 1, and the transfer mechanism, crushing mechanism and loading mechanism are located inside the housing 12. A material gate 13 is provided at the rear of the housing 12, and opening the material gate 13 is used to convey the material bag 61 out of the housing 12.

[0052] The method includes the following steps:

[0053] Step 1: Place the multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle in the mining area of ​​the seabed sediment deposit;

[0054] Step 2: Collect seabed sediment (material) through the collection mechanism. The seabed sediment is pushed to the screen plate 26 and the transfer mechanism by the rake claw 24. The mud mixed in the seabed sediment is removed by the screen plate 26.

[0055] Step 3: The transfer mechanism transfers the seabed sediment to the crushing mechanism;

[0056] Step 4: The crushing mechanism sequentially crushes, grinds, and stores the seabed sediment.

[0057] Step 5: The loading mechanism loads the seabed sediment into the material bag.

[0058] The collection mechanism is used to collect materials (seabed sediment minerals). The collection mechanism includes a support frame 21, a first telescopic cylinder 22, a support shaft 23, a rake claw 24, a first drive motor 25, and a screen plate 26. The support frame 21 is located in front of the transport chassis 1. The lower rear end of the support frame 21 is hinged to the lower front end of the transport chassis 1. The first telescopic cylinder 22 is a hydraulic cylinder. One end of the first telescopic cylinder 22 is hinged to the upper rear end of the support frame 21, and the other end is hinged to the upper front end of the transport chassis 1. The telescopic end of the first telescopic cylinder 22 extends and retracts relative to the cylinder body end, causing the support frame 21 to swing relative to the transport chassis 1. The support frame 21 swings at different angles relative to the transport chassis 1, so that the rake claw 24 can adapt to the seabed terrain via the support frame 21. The front end of the support frame 21 is rotatably connected to the support shaft 23, and the rake claw 24 is mounted on the support shaft 23. A first drive motor 25, a hydraulic motor, is mounted on the support frame 21. The output shaft of the first drive motor 25 is connected to a pulley at one end of the support shaft 23 via a conveyor belt. The rotation of the output shaft of the first drive motor 25 drives the support shaft 23 to rotate, which in turn drives the rake claw 24 to rotate. The rake claw 24 pushes the seabed sediment and soil to the screen plate 26 and the transfer mechanism. The screen plate 26 is located at the front end of the transport chassis 1, behind the rake claw 24. The seabed sediment and soil are pushed by the rake claw 24 and move along the screen plate 26 towards the transfer mechanism under the inertia of the sediment and soil. The screen plate 26 has several screen holes, removing soil and other contaminants mixed in with the seabed sediment as it passes through it. The rear side of the screen plate 26 is lower than the front side to facilitate the sliding of the seabed sediment towards the transfer mechanism. A vibrating device is connected to the screen plate 26. The vibrating device drives the screen plate 26 to vibrate. The vibration of the screen plate 26 disperses the seabed sediment and soil, making it easier for the soil and other materials to be removed through the screen plate 26.

[0059] The transfer mechanism is used to transfer materials from the collection mechanism to the crushing mechanism. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer hopper 31, a transfer cylinder 32, a first transfer wheel 33, and a second drive motor. The two ends of the transfer hopper 31 are connected to the screen plate 26 and the feed end of the transfer cylinder 32, respectively. The first transfer wheel 33 is rotatably connected inside the transfer cylinder 32, and the blades of the first transfer wheel 33 are arranged in a spiral shape. The second drive motor is a hydraulic motor, and its output shaft is powered by the first transfer wheel 33. Rotation of the output shaft drives the first transfer wheel 33 to rotate, thus pushing the material at the feed end of the transfer cylinder 32 to the discharge end of the transfer cylinder 32.

[0060] The discharge end of the transfer hopper 31 is lower than the feed end, so that the seabed sediment can slide from the feed end to the discharge end of the transfer hopper 31. Figure 7 , Figure 8 The transfer hopper 31 is a cross-sectional view after a portion of the upper shell has been cut away. The transfer hopper 31 has a funnel-shaped structure, with a feed gate at the feed end and a discharge gate at the discharge end. The feed gate is used to open and close the feed end of the transfer hopper 31, and the discharge gate is used to open and close the discharge end. A water pump is also installed on the transport chassis 1. The water pump's inlet is connected to the transfer hopper 31 via an inlet pipe, and the water pump's outlet is connected to the outside via an outlet pipe. After a certain amount of seabed sediment is pushed into the transfer hopper 31 and allowed to stand for a set time, the water pump is started to discharge the excess seawater above the transfer hopper 31, thus minimizing the specific gravity of the seawater in the material bag 61.

[0061] The crushing mechanism is used to crush and grind materials sequentially and store them in the storage bin 45. The crushing mechanism includes a crushing bin 41, a crushing roller 42, a third drive motor, grinding bins (coarse grinding bin 430, primary grinding bin 431 and secondary grinding bin 432), grinding rollers (coarse grinding roller 440, primary grinding roller 441 and secondary grinding roller 442), a fourth drive motor and the storage bin 45.

[0062] Figure 7 , Figure 8 The crushing hopper 41 is a cross-sectional view after a portion of the upper shell has been cut off. The feed end of the crushing hopper 41 is connected to the discharge end of the transfer cylinder 32. The crushing roller 42 is rotatably connected inside the crushing hopper 41. The third drive motor is a hydraulic motor. The output shaft of the third drive motor is powered to the crushing roller 42. The output shaft of the third drive motor rotates to drive the crushing roller 42 to rotate. The crushing roller 42 rotates to crush the material entering the crushing hopper 41. At the same time, the crushing roller 42 rotates to push the material at the feed end of the crushing hopper 41 to the discharge end of the crushing hopper 41.

[0063] The feed end of the grinding hopper is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper 41. The grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the grinding hopper. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered to the grinding roller. The fourth drive motor is a hydraulic motor. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor rotates to drive the grinding roller to rotate. The grinding roller rotates to grind the material entering the grinding hopper. At the same time, the grinding roller rotates to push the material at the feed end of the grinding hopper to the discharge end of the grinding hopper. The feed end of the storage hopper 45 is connected to the discharge end of the grinding hopper.

[0064] Specifically, the grinding material bin includes a coarse grinding material bin 430, a primary grinding material bin 431, a secondary grinding material bin 432, and a transition material cylinder 433, and the grinding roller includes a coarse grinding roller 440, a primary grinding roller 441, and a secondary grinding roller 442.

[0065] The feed end of the coarse grinding hopper 430 is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper 41, and the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper 430 is connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper 431. A coarse grinding roller 440 is rotatably connected inside the coarse grinding hopper 430, and the output shaft of the fourth drive motor I# is powered by the coarse grinding roller 440. The rotation of the output shaft of the fourth drive motor I# drives the coarse grinding roller 440 to rotate, which grinds the material entering the coarse grinding hopper 430. Simultaneously, the rotation of the coarse grinding roller 440 pushes the material at the feed end of the coarse grinding hopper 430 to the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper 430.

[0066] The feed end of the primary grinding hopper 431 is connected to the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper 430. The discharge end of the primary grinding hopper 431 is connected to the feed end of the secondary grinding hopper 432. The discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper 432 is connected to the feed end of the storage hopper 45. The discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper 432 is also connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper 431 via a transition cylinder 433. A primary grinding roller 441 is rotatably connected inside the primary grinding hopper 431. A secondary grinding roller 442 is rotatably connected inside the secondary grinding hopper 432. A second transfer roller 443 is rotatably connected inside the transition cylinder 433. A filter screen 46 is installed between the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper 432 and the feed end of the storage hopper 45.

[0067] The output shaft of the fourth drive motor II# is powered by the primary grinding roller 441, and the output shaft of the fourth drive motor III# is powered by the secondary grinding roller 442. The rotation of the output shaft of the fourth drive motor II# drives the primary grinding roller 441 to rotate, and the rotation of the output shaft of the fourth drive motor III# drives the secondary grinding roller 442 to rotate. The primary grinding roller 441 rotates to grind the material entering the primary grinding hopper 431. Simultaneously, the rotation of the primary grinding roller 441 pushes the material at the feed end of the primary grinding hopper 431 to the discharge end of the primary grinding hopper 431. The secondary grinding roller 442 rotates to grind the material entering the secondary grinding hopper 432. Simultaneously, the rotation of the secondary grinding roller 442 pushes the material at the feed end of the secondary grinding hopper 432 to the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper 432.

[0068] The seventh drive motor is a hydraulic motor. The output shaft of the seventh drive motor is powered by the second transfer wheel 443. The rotation of the output shaft of the seventh drive motor drives the second transfer wheel 443 to rotate. The rotation of the second transfer wheel 443 pushes the material blocked by the filter screen 46 at the discharge end of the secondary grinding bin 432 to the feed end of the primary grinding bin 431. In this way, larger pieces of material at the discharge end of the secondary grinding bin 432 are returned to the primary grinding bin 431 and then ground again in the secondary grinding bin 432 until the powder after grinding can pass through the filter screen 46.

[0069] The loading mechanism is used to load materials into the material bag 61. The loading mechanism includes a pumping device 51, a feed pipe 52, and a discharge pipe 53. The feed end of the pumping device 51 is connected to the feed pipe 52, which is connected to the discharge end of the grinding hopper 45. The discharge end of the pumping device 51 is connected to the discharge pipe 53. A retractable injection gun 54 is provided at the end of the discharge pipe 53. The injection gun 54 can extend or retract to insert into or withdraw from the injection nozzle 63. After the injection gun 54 extends into the injection nozzle 63, the pumping device 51 pumps the material from the grinding hopper 45 into the material bag 61.

[0070] The material bag assembly includes several material bags 61, which are connected to each other by a traction rope 62. Each material bag 61 is provided with a filling nozzle 63, and the filling nozzles 63 on adjacent material bags 61 are connected by a guide rope 64. The connection between the filling nozzles 63 by the guide rope 64 allows the guide rope 64 to dynamically cooperate with the guide groove 711, so that the neck of the filling nozzle 63 and the guide rope 64 are dynamically limited in the guide groove 711, allowing the filling nozzle 63 and the guide rope 64 to pass through the guide groove 711, maintaining the upward orientation of the filling nozzle 63, so that the filling gun 54 can be inserted into the filling nozzle 63 to inject material into the material bag 61.

[0071] The bagging mechanism assists the filling mechanism in loading materials into the bag 61. Located at the rear end of the transport chassis 1, the bagging mechanism includes an upper pressing block 71, a lower pressing block 72, and a second telescopic cylinder, wherein the second telescopic cylinder is a pneumatic cylinder. The upper pressing block 71 has a guide groove 711 through which the filling nozzle 63 and guide rope 64 can pass. The upper pressing block 71 is mounted on the transport chassis 1, and the lower pressing block 72 is located below it. The side end of the lower pressing block 72 is slidably connected to the side end of the rear end of the transport chassis 1. The cylinder body of the second telescopic cylinder is mounted on the transport chassis 1, and its telescopic end is connected to the lower pressing block 72. The telescopic end of the second telescopic cylinder extends and retracts relative to the cylinder body end to move the lower pressing block 72 closer to or further away from the upper pressing block 71. When the lower pressing block 72 moves away from the upper pressing block 71, the bag 61 and the traction rope 62 can pass through the space between the upper pressing block 71 and the lower pressing block 72.

[0072] The material bag assembly moves under external force. The material bag 61 and the traction rope 62 pass through the space between the upper pressure block 71 and the lower pressure block 72. The injection nozzle 63 and the guide rope 64 pass through the guide groove 711. When the injection nozzle 63 is aligned with the injection gun 54 at the end of the discharge pipe 53, the lower pressure block 72 moves closer to the upper pressure block 71 under the action of the second telescopic cylinder. The lower pressure block 72 and the upper pressure block 71 clamp and fix the material bag 61. The material bag 61 is fixed by the lower pressure block 72 and the upper pressure block 71, so that the injection gun 54 can extend into the injection nozzle 63 and maintain the cooperative posture of the injection gun 54 extending into the injection nozzle 63.

[0073] A metal block 65 is provided on one side of the material bag 61, near the injection nozzle 63. A proximity switch 55 is provided on one side of the end of the discharge pipe 53 (injection gun 54). A controller (such as a microcontroller) is connected to the proximity switch 55 and the control terminal of the second telescopic cylinder (such as a solenoid valve for controlling the air path switching of the cylinder) via signal cables. In this way, through the sensing and matching between the proximity switch 55 and the metal block 65, the clamping action of the lower pressure block 72 and the upper pressure block 71 is realized, thereby aligning the injection gun 54 with the injection nozzle 63. Specifically, when the injection nozzle 63 and guide rope 64 pass through the guide groove 711, the proximity switch 55 senses the metal block 65 and uploads a signal to the controller. The controller triggers the second telescopic cylinder to move. The second telescopic cylinder moves to move the lower pressure block 72 closer to the upper pressure block 71, so that the lower pressure block 72 and the upper pressure block 71 clamp and fix the material bag. In this way, the injection gun 54 is aligned with the injection nozzle 63 so that the injection gun 54 can be inserted into the injection nozzle 63 to fill the material bag 61 with material.

[0074] The injection nozzle 63 is equipped with a one-way injection valve, through which material can enter the material bag 61. The one-way injection valve is equipped with a trigger switch. After the material bag 61 is lifted to the mother ship, the trigger switch is triggered, and the one-way injection valve opens in both directions to facilitate the discharge of material from the material bag 61.

[0075] The two ends of the friction roller 56 are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis 1. The fifth drive motor is a hydraulic motor, and the output shaft of the fifth drive motor is powered to the friction roller 56. The material bag 61 and the traction rope 62 pass through the friction roller 56 and are in contact with the upper surface of the friction roller 56. The friction roller 56 rolls in contact with the material bag 61 and the traction rope 62. The output shaft of the fifth drive motor rotates to drive the friction roller 56 to rotate. The rotation of the friction roller 56 drives the material bag 61 and the traction rope 62 to move backward, thereby allowing the material bag 61 and the traction rope 62 to be conveyed out of the housing 12 through the material gate 13 at the rear of the housing 12.

[0076] The two ends of the first bag roller 57 are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis 1, and the first bag roller 57 is located in front of the friction roller 56. The bag 61 and the traction rope 62 are wound around the first bag roller 57. In this way, a roll of bag 61 and traction rope 62 is wound on the transport chassis 1 by the first bag roller 57. The bag 61 wound on the first bag roller 57 is not yet filled with material.

[0077] The mother ship is equipped with a unloading mechanism, which includes an unloading frame 71, a second bag roller 72, a sixth drive motor 73, and an unloading nozzle 74. The unloading frame 71 is mounted on the mother ship. Both ends of the second bag roller 72 are rotatably connected to the unloading frame 71. The sixth drive motor is a hydraulic motor, and its output shaft is connected to the second bag roller 72 via a conveyor belt. The rotation of the output shaft of the sixth drive motor 73 drives the second bag roller 72 to rotate, which in turn winds the bag 61 and the traction rope 62. One end of the unloading nozzle 74 is connected to the injection nozzle 63, and the other end is connected via a pipeline to the unloading pump on the mother ship. The first ends of the material bag 61 and the traction rope 62 are wound around the second material bag roller 72. The filling nozzle 63 on the material bag 61 is connected to the unloading nozzle 74 in sequence so that the material in the material bag 61 is unloaded through the unloading nozzle 74. The output shaft of the sixth drive motor 73 rotates and winds the unloaded material bag 61 and the traction rope 62. In addition, a support base 75 is movably connected to the unloading frame 71. One end of the second material bag roller 72 is rotatably connected to the support base 75, and one end of the second material bag roller 72 can be detached from the support base 75. This facilitates the disassembly of the rolled material bag 61 and the traction rope 62.

[0078] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art should have a clear understanding of the multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle of the present invention. The multifunctional automated deep-sea mining vehicle of the present invention integrates a collection mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a crushing mechanism, and a loading mechanism into one unit, and is used for mining operations of seabed sediment deposits. The collection mechanism collects materials (seabed sediment minerals), the transfer mechanism transfers the materials from the collection mechanism to the crushing mechanism, the crushing mechanism crushes, grinds, and stores the materials sequentially, and the loading mechanism loads the materials into the material bag 61. The entire mining operation only requires the mining vehicle to be equipped with an unloading mechanism on the mother ship, without the need for the cooperation of other devices, greatly simplifying the mining operation and improving mining efficiency.

[0079] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits, characterized in that: The application of a multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle includes a transport chassis, which is arranged from front to back as a collection mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a crushing mechanism and a loading mechanism. The transport chassis is equipped with tracks on both sides, which are driven by a drive mechanism; The collection mechanism includes a support frame, a first telescopic cylinder, a support shaft, rake claws, a first drive motor, and a sieve plate. The support frame is located in front of the transport chassis, with the lower rear end of the support frame hinged to the lower front end of the transport chassis. One end of the first telescopic cylinder is hinged to the upper rear end of the support frame, and the other end is hinged to the upper front end of the transport chassis. The telescopic end of the first telescopic cylinder extends and retracts relative to the cylinder body end, thereby causing the support frame to swing relative to the transport chassis. The front end of the support frame is rotatably connected to the support shaft, and the rake claws are mounted on the support shaft. The first drive motor is mounted on the support frame, and the output shaft of the first drive motor is poweredly connected to the support shaft. The rotation of the output shaft of the first drive motor drives the support shaft to rotate, and the rotation of the support shaft drives the rake claws to rotate. The sieve plate is located at the front end of the transport chassis and is positioned behind the rake claws. The transfer mechanism includes a transfer hopper, a transfer cylinder, a first transfer wheel, and a second drive motor. The two ends of the transfer hopper are respectively connected to the screen plate and the feed end of the transfer cylinder. The first transfer wheel is rotatably connected inside the transfer cylinder. The output shaft of the second drive motor is powered to the first transfer wheel. The output shaft of the second drive motor rotates to drive the first transfer wheel to rotate. The rotation of the first transfer wheel pushes the material at the feed end of the transfer cylinder to the discharge end of the transfer cylinder. The crushing mechanism includes a crushing hopper, a crushing roller, a third drive motor, a grinding hopper, a grinding roller, a fourth drive motor, and a storage hopper. The inlet end of the crushing hopper is connected to the outlet end of a transfer cylinder. The crushing roller is rotatably connected inside the crushing hopper. The output shaft of the third drive motor is powered and connected to the crushing roller. The rotation of the output shaft of the third drive motor drives the crushing roller to rotate, thus crushing the material entering the crushing hopper. Simultaneously, the rotation of the crushing roller pushes the material at the inlet end of the crushing hopper to the outlet end of the crushing hopper. The inlet end of the grinding hopper is connected to the outlet end of the crushing hopper. The grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the grinding hopper. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered and connected to the grinding roller. The rotation of the output shaft of the fourth drive motor drives the grinding roller to rotate, thus grinding the material entering the grinding hopper. Simultaneously, the rotation of the grinding roller pushes the material at the inlet end of the grinding hopper to the outlet end of the grinding hopper. The inlet end of the storage hopper is connected to the outlet end of the grinding hopper. The loading mechanism includes a pumping device, a feed pipe, and a discharge pipe; the feed end of the pumping device is connected to the feed pipe, the feed pipe is connected to the discharge end of the storage silo, and the discharge end of the pumping device is connected to the discharge pipe. The method includes the following steps: Step 1: Place the multi-functional automated deep-sea mining vehicle in the mining area of ​​the seabed sediment deposit; Step 2: Collect seabed sediment minerals through the collection mechanism. The seabed sediment minerals are pushed to the screen plate and transfer mechanism by the rake claws. The mud mixed in the seabed sediment minerals is removed by the screen plate. Step 3: The transfer mechanism transfers the seabed sediment to the crushing mechanism; Step 4: The crushing mechanism sequentially crushes, grinds, and stores the seabed sediment. Step 5: The loading mechanism loads the seabed sediment into the material bag.

2. The method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes bag components and bagging mechanisms; The bag assembly includes several bags, adjacent bags are connected by a traction rope, each bag is provided with a filling nozzle, and the filling nozzles on adjacent bags are connected by a guide rope. The bagging mechanism is located at the rear end of the transport chassis. The bagging mechanism includes an upper pressing block, a lower pressing block, and a second telescopic cylinder. The upper pressing block has a guide groove through which the filling nozzle and the guide rope can pass. The upper pressing block is mounted on the transport chassis, and the lower pressing block is located below it and slidably connected to the transport chassis. The cylinder body of the second telescopic cylinder is mounted on the transport chassis, and its telescopic end is connected to the lower pressing block. The telescopic end of the second telescopic cylinder extends and retracts relative to its cylinder body end to move the lower pressing block closer to or away from the upper pressing block. The bag and the traction rope can pass through the space between the upper and lower pressing blocks. The material bag assembly moves under the action of external force. The material bag and the traction rope pass through the space between the upper and lower pressure blocks. The injection nozzle and the guide rope pass through the guide groove. When the injection nozzle is aligned with the end of the discharge pipe, the lower pressure block moves closer to the upper pressure block under the action of the second telescopic cylinder. The lower pressure block and the upper pressure block clamp and fix the material bag.

3. The method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a controller. A metal block is provided on one side of the material bag near the injection nozzle, and a proximity switch is provided on one side of the end of the discharge pipe. The controller is connected to the proximity switch and the control terminal of the second telescopic cylinder via signal cables. When the injection nozzle and the guide rope pass through the guide groove, the proximity switch senses the metal block and uploads a signal to the controller. The controller triggers the second telescopic cylinder to move. The second telescopic cylinder moves to move the lower pressure block closer to the upper pressure block, so that the lower pressure block and the upper pressure block clamp and fix the material bag.

4. The method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end of the discharge pipe is equipped with a retractable injection gun.

5. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 2, characterized in that: The injection nozzle is equipped with a one-way injection valve, through which the material can flow into the material bag; the one-way injection valve is equipped with a trigger switch, which, when triggered, allows the one-way injection valve to flow in both directions.

6. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a friction roller and a fifth drive motor. The two ends of the friction roller are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis. The output shaft of the fifth drive motor is powered to the friction roller. The material bag and the traction rope pass through the friction roller. The friction roller rolls in contact with the material bag and the traction rope. The output shaft of the fifth drive motor rotates to drive the friction roller to rotate. The rotation of the friction roller drives the material bag and the traction rope to move backward.

7. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a first bag roller, the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the rear end of the transport chassis, and the first bag roller is located in front of the friction roller, with the bag and the traction rope wound around the first bag roller.

8. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a mother ship, which is equipped with a unloading mechanism. The unloading mechanism includes an unloading frame, a second bag roller, a sixth drive motor, and an unloading nozzle. The unloading frame is mounted on the mother ship. The two ends of the second bag roller are rotatably connected to the unloading frame. The output shaft of the sixth drive motor is powered to the second bag roller. The output shaft of the sixth drive motor rotates to drive the second bag roller to rotate. The second bag roller rotates to wind the bag and the traction rope. The unloading nozzle is used to connect to the injection nozzle.

9. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grinding hopper includes a primary grinding hopper, a secondary grinding hopper, and a transition cylinder. The grinding rollers include a primary grinding roller and a secondary grinding roller. The feed end of the primary grinding hopper is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper, the discharge end of the primary grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the secondary grinding hopper, the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the storage hopper, and the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper is also connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper via the transition cylinder. The primary grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the primary grinding hopper, the secondary grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the secondary grinding hopper, and a second transfer roller is rotatably connected inside the transition cylinder. A filter screen is provided between the discharge end of the secondary grinding hopper and the feed end of the storage hopper. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered to connect the primary grinding roller and the secondary grinding roller. The system includes a first-stage grinding roller and a second-stage grinding roller. The first-stage grinding roller grinds the material entering the first-stage grinding hopper and pushes the material from the feed end to the discharge end of the first-stage grinding hopper. The second-stage grinding roller grinds the material entering the second-stage grinding hopper and pushes the material from the feed end to the discharge end of the second-stage grinding hopper. The system also includes a seventh drive motor, whose output shaft is powered by a second transfer wheel. The seventh drive motor's output shaft rotates to drive the second transfer wheel to rotate, pushing the material blocked by the filter screen at the discharge end of the second-stage grinding hopper back to the feed end of the first-stage grinding hopper.

10. A method for mining seabed sediment deposits according to claim 9, characterized in that: The grinding hopper also includes a coarse grinding hopper, and the grinding roller also includes a coarse grinding roller; the feed end of the coarse grinding hopper is connected to the discharge end of the crushing hopper, and the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper is connected to the feed end of the primary grinding hopper; the coarse grinding roller is rotatably connected inside the coarse grinding hopper; the output shaft of the fourth drive motor is powered to the coarse grinding roller, and the output shaft of the fourth drive motor rotates to drive the coarse grinding roller to rotate, and the coarse grinding roller rotates to grind the material entering the coarse grinding hopper. At the same time, the coarse grinding roller rotates to push the material at the feed end of the coarse grinding hopper to the discharge end of the coarse grinding hopper.

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