Active Rotating Planetary Cutterhead Device for Composite Formations

Abstract

This invention relates to an active rotating planetary cutterhead device for complex formations, comprising a main drive frame; at least three cutterhead units rotatably supported on the main drive frame; the at least three cutterhead units include at least one central cutterhead and at least two edge cutterheads; and a main planetary transmission mechanism configured to drive the main drive frame to perform a composite planetary motion. This application provides cutterhead units on the main drive frame for mounting cutters and capable of independent driving, combining planetary motion with active rotation control of the cutters. By independently controlling the rotation of the cutterhead units, the composite velocity direction of the cutters relative to the rock mass can be actively adjusted to maximize its alignment with the ideal rolling direction of the cutters, thereby fundamentally solving the technical problem of severe sideslip that inevitably occurs during cutterhead excavation in irregular trajectories.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tunneling construction technology, and specifically to an active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite strata. Background Technology

[0002] When excavating triangular or other irregular cross sections in complex strata, if a roller cutter is used as the main rock-breaking tool, a key technical obstacle will be encountered: because the cutterhead needs to perform planetary motion to form an irregular envelope, the forward direction of the roller cutter installed on the cutterhead does not match its own plane of rotation, which will cause serious lateral slippage.

[0003] This side slip not only greatly reduces the rock-breaking efficiency of the roller cutter, but also leads to abnormal edge wear, cutter ring breakage, and a sharp reduction in tool life. This makes the use of roller cutters for irregular excavation in complex strata a serious challenge in terms of both economy and feasibility.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cutterhead device that can effectively suppress cutter slippage and enable the cutter to maintain high efficiency and durability in irregular excavation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations. By setting a daughter cutterhead that can rotate independently at high speed on the main frame of planetary motion and actively controlling the rotation speed of the daughter cutterhead, the device dynamically compensates for the speed deviation caused by planetary motion, so that the absolute motion direction of the cutter is as close as possible to its ideal rolling direction, thereby fundamentally suppressing sideslip.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations, comprising: Main driving framework; At least three sub-cutter head units are rotatably supported on the main drive frame; the at least three sub-cutter head units include at least one central sub-cutter head and at least two edge sub-cutter heads; A primary planetary transmission mechanism is configured to drive the primary drive frame to perform a compound planetary motion, the compound planetary motion including: driving the primary drive frame to rotate about a fixed first axis; driving the primary drive frame to rotate about its own central axis; wherein the rotation and rotation of the primary drive frame are coupled to each other through the primary planetary transmission mechanism. An active rotary drive system is used to independently drive each of the sub-blade units to rotate about its own axis; The rotational speed relationship between the main drive frame's rotation and its own rotation is configured such that the cutting trajectory envelope of the sub-cutter head unit forms a triangular cross-section. Furthermore, at least one of the three sub-cutterhead units is equipped with a roller cutter, and the active rotation drive system is configured to suppress lateral slippage of the roller cutter during the excavation process by controlling the rotation of the sub-cutterhead unit.

[0007] By adopting this technical solution, a sub-cutterhead unit for mounting rock-breaking tools and capable of independent driving is set on the main drive frame, and a roller cutter is installed on at least one of them. By combining planetary motion with the active rotation control of the roller cutter, the rotation of the sub-cutterhead unit can be independently controlled to actively adjust the direction of the composite velocity of the roller cutter relative to the rock mass, so that it is as consistent as possible with the ideal rolling direction of the roller cutter. In principle, this directly solves the technical problem of severe sideslip that inevitably occurs in the excavation of irregular trajectories by the roller cutter, enabling the roller cutter to be used efficiently and persistently in the triangular cross-section excavation of composite strata.

[0008] Furthermore, the rotation and self-rotation of the main drive frame maintain a preset proportional relationship, and the rotation and self-rotation are in opposite directions.

[0009] By adopting this technical solution, the rotation and self-rotation of the main drive frame are limited to a preset ratio and opposite directions, ensuring that the entire cutterhead system can form a precise and stable triangular cutting envelope, which is a prerequisite for realizing full-section irregular excavation.

[0010] Furthermore, the preset ratio is 2:1.

[0011] By adopting this technical solution and specifically limiting the ratio to 2:1, the optimal kinematic parameters for forming a triangular cross-section are provided.

[0012] Furthermore, the active rotary drive system includes multiple independent drivers disposed within the main drive frame, each driver independently driving one of the sub-blade units.

[0013] By adopting this technical solution, multiple independent drivers are used to drive the sub-cutter head units respectively, providing each sub-cutter head unit with an independent and controllable power source. This is the core execution guarantee for achieving precise and independent speed compensation and realizing the anti-slip function.

[0014] Furthermore, a hob is mounted on the central sub-cutting head, and the arrangement of the hob is designed to cut the area from the center of the cutting head device to one side of the triangular envelope.

[0015] By adopting this technical solution, the arrangement of the roller cutters on the central sub-cutting head is specifically designed to ensure complete coverage and effective cutting of the central area of ​​the triangular cross-section, thus solving the problem of rock breaking in the center of irregular excavation.

[0016] Furthermore, the cutting tools mounted on the sub-blade unit include one or more of a hob, a scraper, and a ripper.

[0017] By adopting this technical solution, it is possible to install a combination of various cutting tools such as roller cutters and scrapers on the sub-cutter head unit. This allows the device to not only efficiently process hard rock and suppress lateral slip through roller cutters, but also process soft rock or soil layers through scrapers, truly adapting to complex geological conditions with alternating soft and hard surfaces.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: A sub-cutterhead unit for mounting rock-breaking tools and capable of independent driving is set on the main drive frame, and a roller cutter is installed on at least one of them. By combining planetary motion with the active rotation control of the roller cutter, the rotation of the sub-cutterhead unit can be independently controlled to actively adjust the direction of the composite velocity of the roller cutter relative to the rock mass, so that it is as consistent as possible with the ideal rolling direction of the roller cutter. In principle, this directly solves the technical problem of severe side slippage that inevitably occurs in the excavation of irregular trajectories by the roller cutter, enabling the roller cutter to be used efficiently and persistently in the triangular cross-section excavation of composite strata. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations in this invention after installation; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations in this invention after installation. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cutting trajectory envelope of the active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the operational status changes of the active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations in this invention.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Main drive frame; 2. Center sub-cutter head; 3. Edge sub-cutter head; 4. Hob. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] Please see the appendix Figures 1-3This invention provides an active rotating planetary cutterhead device for complex strata, solving the problem of severe lateral slippage of the roller cutter 4 when excavating triangular or other irregular cross-sections due to the mismatch between the cutter's movement direction and the ideal rolling direction. To achieve this goal, the device adopts an innovative split-type collaborative drive architecture: a basic motion platform responsible for generating accurate triangular motion trajectories, combined with multiple working execution units equipped with roller cutters 4 and capable of independent high-speed rotation. By independently controlling the rotation of each working execution unit, the speed deviation caused by the basic motion is dynamically compensated, so that the roller cutter 4 can efficiently break rocks at any point on the irregular trajectory in a near-pure rolling manner.

[0023] The basic motion platform includes the main drive frame 1 and the planetary transmission system: The entire device is based on a robust main drive frame 1. This main drive frame 1 not only serves as the main structure but also as the carrier of a precision motion mechanism. At its core, a main planetary transmission mechanism is integrated. The input end of this mechanism is connected to the main drive system of the tunnel boring machine. When the tunnel boring machine provides power, the main planetary transmission mechanism generates a specific composite output motion, which is directly transmitted to the main drive frame 1, which is fixed to its outer shell.

[0024] This composite output motion is specifically manifested as follows: the main drive frame 1 revolves around a fixed axis that is offset from the shield centerline, while simultaneously rotating around its own central axis. The two satisfy a strict ratio of 2 revolutions to 1 rotation, and the directions of rotation are opposite. This kinematic relationship is rigidly guaranteed by the gear meshing inside the planetary transmission mechanism (for example, using a specific gear pair with a gear ratio of 3:2), providing the device with a stable and repeatable triangular motion envelope.

[0025] The preferred implementation of this compound output motion is a differential planetary gear system with a specific gear ratio, which is configured as follows: Fixed gear ring: A large-diameter internal gear ring that is rigidly fixed to the front shield of the tunnel boring machine or an independent static support structure by means of a mounting base. During the operation of the cutterhead, this gear ring remains absolutely stationary and does not participate in rotation. Its number of teeth is denoted as Z2.

[0026] Planetary output gear: It meshes internally with the fixed gear ring mentioned above. The rotation center of this gear is parallel to but does not coincide with the rotation center of the fixed gear ring. The vertical distance between the two is the eccentricity e. The eccentricity e is a key geometric parameter that determines the specific shape of the final triangular cross section. The planetary output gear is rigidly connected to the main drive frame 1 in this invention through components such as the output shaft, eccentric sleeve or planet carrier. Its number of teeth is denoted as Z1.

[0027] Power input components: Power comes from the main drive motor of the tunnel boring machine, which drives the sun gear or planet carrier of the planetary gear system through the input shaft (the specific configuration can be a common differential planetary gear system such as the NW type).

[0028] To achieve triangular section cutting, a specific motion relationship needs to be satisfied: while the cutter head (main drive frame 1) revolves (or rotates) around a fixed axis twice, it also rotates in the opposite direction once around its central axis.

[0029] This kinematic relationship is guaranteed by gear parameters. When the gear ring is fixed, the ratio of the number of teeth of the gear ring Z2 to the number of teeth of the planetary output gear Z1 is 3:2 (i.e., Z2:Z1=3:2). For example, Z2=51 teeth, Z1=34 teeth, 51:34=3:2.

[0030] With this 3:2 gear ratio setting, when power is input, under the constraint of the fixed gear ring, the planetary output gear connected to the main drive frame 1 will accurately generate a compound motion of 2 revolutions and 1 rotation in opposite directions. This motion relationship is guaranteed by the mechanical meshing rigidity of the gears, which is stable and reliable.

[0031] The working execution unit includes a sub-tool head unit and an independent drive system: Instead of directly mounting the cutting tool on the main drive frame 1, which is undergoing complex planetary motion, multiple sub-cutter head units are set up. In this embodiment, three sub-cutter head units are preferably set up: one central sub-cutter head 2 and two edge sub-cutter heads 3. They are mounted on the main drive frame 1 by heavy-duty slewing bearings (such as crossed roller bearings), so that each sub-cutter head unit can rotate independently and freely relative to the main drive frame 1 about its own axis.

[0032] The power driving the sub-cutter head unit to rotate does not come from the aforementioned main planetary transmission mechanism, but from a completely independent active rotation drive system. This system includes multiple (usually corresponding to the number of sub-cutter head units) independent drives (such as hydraulic motors or electric motors) and matching reducers. These drive units are cleverly built into the protective cavity of the main drive frame 1. Each unit independently drives a sub-cutter head through the output shaft, which means that the rotation speed and direction of each sub-cutter head can be controlled individually and precisely.

[0033] In another preferred embodiment, the independent active rotary drive system includes an independent driver and a matching transmission connection structure, wherein the independent driver independently drives the center sub-cutting head 2, and the transmission connection structure connects the rotation shafts of the center sub-cutting head 2 and the edge sub-cutting head 3, thereby driving the center sub-cutting head 2 and the edge sub-cutting head 3 to rotate simultaneously through the independent driver.

[0034] Furthermore, the transmission connection structure can be a variable speed connection structure, and the speed ratio control of the center sub-cutting head 2 and the edge sub-cutting head 3 can be achieved by controlling the transmission ratio.

[0035] Installation of hob 4 and implementation of the active anti-sideslip mechanism: The roller cutter 4, as the main rock-breaking tool, is installed on the aforementioned sub-cutter head unit; the roller cutter 4 on the central sub-cutter head 2 is arranged to cover the area from the center to one side of the triangle, while the roller cutter 4 on the edge sub-cutter head 3 focuses on cutting the corner of the triangle.

[0036] For any cutter 4 installed on the cutterhead unit, its absolute velocity relative to the rock mass at the instant of excavation is composed of three parts: Speed ​​A: The speed generated by the rotational motion of the main drive frame 1, which drives the center of the sub-cutter head unit to translate.

[0037] Speed ​​B: The entanglement speed caused by the change in the center position of the sub-blade unit due to the rotation of the main drive frame 1.

[0038] Speed ​​C: Due to the active rotation drive system driving the sub-cutter head unit to rotate, the active rotation speed of the hob 4 is given. The direction of this speed is the ideal pure rolling direction of the hob 4.

[0039] On an uncontrolled conventional planetary cutterhead, due to the lack of an independent velocity C or its value being too small, the absolute velocity direction of the hob 4 (mainly composed of A and B) will deviate significantly from its ideal rolling direction, resulting in severe sliding friction, i.e., sideslip.

[0040] This invention, through an independent drive system, assigns a speed C (active rotation speed) to the sub-cutter head unit that is numerically much greater than speeds A and B. When the active rotation speed is sufficiently large, the absolute direction of motion of the roller cutter 4 will be mainly determined by this speed, thus maintaining a basic consistency with its ideal rolling direction. In this way, the interaction between the roller cutter 4 and the rock changes from being mainly harmful sliding scraping to being mainly efficient rolling extrusion, fundamentally suppressing side slippage and significantly improving the rock breaking efficiency and service life of the roller cutter 4.

[0041] To adapt to complex strata, scrapers or rippers can be installed on each sub-cutterhead unit as needed. For example, in soft rock sections, scrapers can play a major role; when encountering hard rock interlayers, the active anti-side slip roller cutter 4 undertakes the main rock breaking task.

[0042] Workflow: Please refer to the appendix Figure 4 When the tunnel boring machine advances, the main drive system drives the main drive frame 1 to start a strict 2:1 rotation-rotation composite planetary motion through the main planetary transmission mechanism, which defines the triangular spatial motion trajectory for all sub-cutterhead units.

[0043] The active rotation drive system starts simultaneously, driving each sub-cutter head unit (especially the sub-cutter head unit equipped with hob 4) to start rotating at high speed. The control system (if equipped) adjusts the speed of each sub-cutter head independently according to the algorithm.

[0044] The roller cutter 4, mounted on the sub-cutter head unit, has two motions: moving along a triangular trajectory and rolling at high speed. With the compensation of active rotation, the roller cutter 4 rolls and squeezes the rock in the triangular cross section in a near-pure rolling state, while auxiliary cutters such as scrapers process soft rock or remove slag.

[0045] As the tunnel boring machine continues to advance, the above process is repeated, thereby achieving continuous, efficient, and low-cutting-wear full-section excavation of triangular tunnel sections in alternating soft and hard strata.

[0046] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the present invention based on the above description. Therefore, certain details in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations, characterized in that, include: Main driving framework; At least three sub-cutter head units are rotatably supported on the main drive frame; The at least three sub-cutter head units include at least one central sub-cutter head and at least two edge sub-cutter heads; A primary planetary transmission mechanism is configured to drive the primary drive frame to perform a compound planetary motion, the compound planetary motion including: driving the primary drive frame to rotate about a fixed first axis; driving the primary drive frame to rotate about its own central axis; wherein the rotation and rotation of the primary drive frame are coupled to each other through the primary planetary transmission mechanism. An active rotary drive system is used to independently drive each of the sub-blade units to rotate about its own axis; The rotational speed relationship between the main drive frame's rotation and its own rotation is configured such that the cutting trajectory envelope of the sub-cutter head unit forms a triangular cross-section. Furthermore, at least one of the three sub-cutterhead units is equipped with a roller cutter, and the active rotation drive system is configured to suppress lateral slippage of the roller cutter during the excavation process by controlling the rotation of the sub-cutterhead unit.

2. The active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation and self-rotation of the main drive frame maintain a preset proportional relationship, and the rotation and self-rotation are in opposite directions.

3. The active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations according to claim 2, characterized in that: The preset ratio is 2:

1.

4. The active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active rotary drive system includes multiple independent drivers disposed inside the main drive frame, each driver independently driving one of the sub-blade units.

5. The active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central sub-cutter head is equipped with a hob, and the hob is arranged in a manner that enables it to cut the area from the center of the cutter head assembly to one side of the triangular envelope.

6. The active rotating planetary cutterhead device for composite formations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cutting tools installed on the sub-cutter head unit include one or more of the following: hobbing cutters, scrapers, and ripping cutters.

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