System, machine, control unit, computer program and method for protecting a cable and / or a hose
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- EPIROC ROCK DRILLS AB
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
Smart Images
Figure CN122249383A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The embodiments herein relate to a system, machine, control unit, and method for protecting cables and / or hoses and controlling the thrust acting on the cables and / or hoses located on a cable and / or hose reel included in a machine. Background Technology
[0002] When using cable or hose reels (especially with cable or hose arms), if there is excessive friction between the reel and the cable or hose outlet, the cable or hose may lift off the reel and / or be fed to the ground when being released.
[0003] Therefore, improvements are needed in the unwinding and / or winding control of cables and / or hoses. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In the process of developing the various embodiments described herein, problems were identified and will be discussed first.
[0005] When cables and / or hoses are lifted off the cable or hose reel, they may become entangled on the reel and / or rub against various parts located on or around the reel, which may in turn damage or destroy the cables and / or hoses.
[0006] The purpose of the embodiments described herein is to provide a mechanism for enhancing protection of cables and / or hoses during unwinding and / or winding. This purpose is achieved through the independent claims.
[0007] According to a first aspect, a cable and / or hose protection system is provided. The system includes:
[0008] Cable and / or hose reels, mounted on the frame structure;
[0009] Cables and / or hoses are arranged to be wound onto or unwound from cable and / or hose reels;
[0010] At least one cable and / or hose protection assembly, including a roller. The at least one cable and / or hose protection assembly is arranged to be fastened to the frame structure.
[0011] The cable and / or hose protection assembly is arranged such that the roller contacts a portion of the cable and / or hose located on the cable and / or hose reel, thereby causing the roller to provide thrust to the cable and / or hose.
[0012] By providing a cable and / or hose protection system as disclosed herein, an improved cable and / or hose protection system is provided, wherein the cable and / or hose are arranged to contact at least one roller of at least one cable and / or hose protection assembly, the at least one roller providing thrust acting on the cable and / or hose located on the cable and / or hose reel. In particular, it has been recognized that by providing thrust to the cable and / or hose when unwinding or winding the cable and / or hose from or around the cable and / or hose reel, the risk of the cable and / or hose lifting off the reel is reduced. Therefore, more robust and reliable cable and / or hose handling is achieved in a cost-effective manner because tangling and / or damage to the cable and / or hose (e.g., due to friction between the cable and / or hose and the reel or its exterior) can be avoided. As used herein, "thrust" applied to or acting on the cable and / or hose means that by providing thrust, the cable and / or hose is pushed inward onto the cable and / or hose reel, i.e., preventing the cable and / or hose from lifting off the reel. Therefore, by providing thrust to the cable and / or hose, the position of the cable and / or hose can be controlled. In other words, the cable and / or hose protection system controls the position of the cable and / or hose by providing thrust to the cable and / or hose. By providing thrust to the cable and / or hose located on the reel, the risk of cable and / or hose tangling and / or damage can be avoided. This is because, for example, it prevents the cable and / or hose from lifting off the reel. Furthermore, by providing thrust to the cable and / or hose, the cable and / or hose can be kept in the correct direction when unwinding.
[0013] According to some exemplary embodiments, the direction of the thrust is such that the cable and / or hose is prevented from tilting off the cable and / or hose reel.
[0014] According to some exemplary embodiments, the thrust is any one or more of the following: spring-controlled; hydraulically controlled; and electrically controlled. In some examples, a combination of two or more of the above may be used to control the thrust.
[0015] According to some exemplary embodiments, the thrust is adjustable.
[0016] According to some exemplary embodiments, the system further includes one or more sensors. These sensors are configured to provide sensor data associated with any one or more of the following: the amount of cable and / or hose currently wound on the cable and / or hose reel; the rotational speed of the cable and / or hose reel; the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly; and the value of the thrust currently provided by the rollers to the cable and / or hose. The sensor data may further be associated with cable and / or hose tension, the direction of movement of the machine on which cable and / or hose protection devices are included, the radial movement of the cable and / or hose 2, and / or the speed of movement of the machine on which the cable and / or hose protection system is included.
[0017] According to some exemplary embodiments, the thrust is adjusted based on sensor data.
[0018] According to some exemplary embodiments, the cable and / or hose protection assembly further includes at least one arm. A roller is fastened to a first end of the at least one arm.
[0019] According to some exemplary embodiments, the second end of the at least one arm is fastened to the frame structure, allowing the cable and / or hose protection assembly to move toward and / or away from the cable and / or hose reel.
[0020] According to a second aspect, a method is provided for controlling thrust acting on a cable and / or hose, executed by a control unit, the cable and / or hose being arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel mounted on a frame structure. The thrust is provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly arranged to be secured to the frame structure.
[0021] The control unit monitors sensor data obtained from one or more sensors. This sensor data is related to one or more characteristics associated with any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection components, cable and / or hose reels, and cables and / or hoses.
[0022] The control unit determines one or more parameters for controlling thrust based on one or more of these characteristics.
[0023] The control unit controls the thrust by applying one or more determined parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly.
[0024] According to some exemplary embodiments, controlling thrust includes any one of the following: increasing thrust; decreasing thrust; or releasing thrust.
[0025] According to some exemplary embodiments, controlling the thrust includes adjusting the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly.
[0026] According to some exemplary embodiments, determining the one or more parameters includes determining a current thrust value, comparing the current thrust value with a configured thrust value, and determining whether the current thrust value is within a threshold of the configured thrust value.
[0027] According to some exemplary embodiments, when it is determined that the current thrust value is not within a threshold of the configured thrust value, the one or more parameters are determined such that the thrust is increased, decreased, and / or released.
[0028] According to a third aspect, a control unit is provided, configured to control thrust acting on a cable and / or hose arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel mounted on a frame structure. The thrust is adapted to be provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly arranged to be fastened to the frame structure. The control unit is further configured to:
[0029] Monitoring is adapted to obtain sensor data from one or more sensors, wherein the sensor data is adapted to relate to one or more characteristics associated with any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly, cable and / or hose reel, and cable and / or hose.
[0030] Based on these one or more characteristics, one or more parameters are determined for controlling thrust; and
[0031] Thrust is controlled by applying one or more of the determined parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly.
[0032] According to the fourth aspect, a mining and / or construction machine including a cable and / or hose protection system is provided.
[0033] According to the fifth aspect, this document also provides a computer program including instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to perform the methods described above as performed by the control unit. Attached Figure Description
[0034] The invention will be further explained below by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which:
[0035] Figures 1a to 1b A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection system according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0036] Figures 2a to 2d A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection assembly according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0037] Figures 3a to 3b A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection assembly according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection assembly according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0039] Figures 5a to 5d A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection assembly according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0040] Figure 6 A flowchart depicting an embodiment of the method in the control unit is shown;
[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a machine according to various embodiments herein is shown;
[0042] Figures 8a to 8b A schematic block diagram illustrating various embodiments of the control unit is shown.
[0043] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and for clarity, the dimensions of some features may have been exaggerated. The same reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. Detailed Implementation
[0044] The purpose of the embodiments described herein is to provide a mechanism for enhancing protection of cables and / or hoses during unwinding and / or winding. This purpose is achieved through the independent claims.
[0045] The embodiments described herein offer the advantage of improved cable and / or hose handling. As mentioned above, this can be achieved by enabling the application of thrust to the cable and / or hose on the cable and / or hose reel, resulting in improved protection of the cable and / or hose, and for example, keeping the cable and / or hose pressed against the cable and / or hose reel. Furthermore, the embodiments described herein offer the advantage of reduced risk of cables and / or hoses warping above or outside the cable and / or hose reel or drum, thereby reducing cable and / or hose tangling, reducing the risk of cable and / or hose damage, and improving cable and / or hose management by keeping the cable and / or hose in the correct orientation during unwinding.
[0046] Figure 1a and Figure 1bA cable and / or hose protection system 1 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is depicted from two perspectives. The cable and / or hose protection system 1 includes a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, a cable and / or hose reel 2, a frame structure 3, and a cable and / or hose 2a. The cable and / or hose reel 2 is mounted on the frame structure 3. The cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is arranged to be fastened to the frame structure 3. The cable and / or hose protection assembly includes a roller 4a. The cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is arranged such that when the roller 4a contacts a portion of the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2, the roller 4a provides a thrust to the cable and / or hose 2a. This thrust can be provided or applied to the cable and / or hose 2a by pushing the roller 4a against the cable and / or hose 2a. The cable and / or hose protection system 1 may include more than one cable and / or hose protection assembly 4. The cable and / or hose protection system 1 protects the cable and / or hose 2a by preventing the cable and / or hose 2a from tilting up from the cable and / or hose reel 2.
[0047] Figure 2a and Figure 2b A schematic diagram of a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, presented from two angles, illustrating examples according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes an arm 4b. Here, a roller 4a is fastened to a first end 4b' of the arm 4b. The roller 4a contacts a cable and / or hose 2a located on a cable and / or hose reel 2. Thus, thrust is provided to the cable and / or hose 2a. Figure 2a and Figure 2b The shape of roller 4a depicted is for illustrative purposes only and can be formed in any appropriate manner.
[0048] Figure 2c A schematic diagram depicts an example of a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes two arms 4b. Here, a roller 4a is fastened to the first end 4b' of the two arms 4b. The roller 4a contacts a cable and / or hose 2a located on a cable and / or hose reel 2. Thus, thrust is provided to the cable and / or hose 2a. Figure 2c The shape of roller 4a depicted is for illustrative purposes only and can be formed in any suitable manner.
[0049] Figure 2dA schematic diagram depicts an example of a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes an arm 4b and two rollers 4a. Here, the first roller 4a is fastened to one side of a first end 4b' of the arm 4b, and the second roller 4a is fastened to a second side (e.g., the opposite side) of the first end 4b' of the arm 4b. The rollers 4a contact the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2. Thus, thrust is provided to the cable and / or hose 2a. Figure 2d The shape of roller 4a depicted is for illustrative purposes only and can be formed in any suitable manner.
[0050] The examples above, featuring one or two corresponding arms and rollers as described above, are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include any number of arms 4b and rollers 4a.
[0051] Figure 3a A schematic diagram depicts an example of a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 according to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3a A cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is shown, fastened to a frame structure 3. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes an arm 4b and a roller 4a. The second end 4b'' of the arm 4b is fastened to the frame structure 3. Here, the second end 4b'' of the arm 4b can, for example, be fastened to a first crossbeam member 4c of the cable and / or hose protection assembly. The first crossbeam member 4c can, for example, be fastened between the two sides of the frame structure 3, and thus span across the cable and / or hose reel 2 mounted on the frame structure 3. As mentioned above, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include more than one arm 4b, and in such examples, the second end 4b'' of more than one arm 4b can be fastened to the first crossbeam member 4c.
[0052] Figure 3b A schematic diagram depicts an example of a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 according to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3b A cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is shown, fastened to a frame structure 3. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes an arm 4b and a roller 4a. The second end 4b'' of the arm 4b is fastened to the frame structure 3. Here, the second end 4b'' of the arm 4b may, for example, be fastened to one side of the frame structure 3. As mentioned above, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include more than one arm 4b, and in such examples, the second end 4b'' of more than one arm 4b may be fastened to the frame structure 3.
[0053] The thrust can be adjustable. For example, the thrust can be adjusted by orienting the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 toward or away from the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2. This is in Figure 4 The thrust can be adjusted by changing the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4. As mentioned above, the second end 4b'' of arm 4b can be fastened to the frame structure 3 or the first crossbeam member 4c. The cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 can rotate about an axis at the connection point where the second end 4b'' of arm 4b is fastened to the frame structure or the first crossbeam member 4c. The thrust can be increased by rotating the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 to move it toward the cable and / or hose 2a. Correspondingly, the thrust can be decreased by rotating the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 to move it away from the cable and / or hose 2a.
[0054] The thrust can be, for example, spring-controlled, hydraulically controlled, and / or electrically controlled. Therefore, the cable and / or hose protection assembly may include one or more springs 4d, one or more linear actuators 4e, and / or one or more rotary actuators 4f, as described below. Figures 5a to 5d This will be further explained in the text.
[0055] Figure 5a A cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is shown, fastened to a frame structure 3, wherein the thrust is spring-controlled. The spring 4d may, for example, be fastened to a crossbeam member 4c. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes a second crossbeam member 4c'. A first portion 4d' of the spring 4d may abut against the second crossbeam member 4c', and a second portion 4d'' of the spring 4d may abut against the frame structure 3. Moving the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 away from the cable and / or hose 2a loads the spring, thus providing a thrust toward the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2. In this example, one or more springs 4d comprise a single spring 4d. In other examples, the spring 4d may comprise more than one spring.
[0056] Figures 5b to 5cA cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is shown, fastened to a frame structure 3, wherein the thrust is controlled by a linear actuator. The linear actuator 4e may, for example, be fastened at one end to an arm 4b and at the other end to a first beam member 4c or the frame structure 3. The position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly can be changed, for example, moved toward or away from the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2, by adjusting the length of the linear actuator 4e. Thus, the thrust can be adjusted. In this example, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 includes one linear actuator 4e. In some examples, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include more than one linear actuator 4e. The linear actuator 4e may, for example, include a hydraulic actuator 4e and / or an electric actuator 4e.
[0057] Figure 5d A cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 is shown, fastened to a frame structure 3, wherein thrust is controlled by a rotary actuator 4f. The rotary actuator 4f can be connected to a first crossbeam member 4c, such that the rotary actuator 4f provides a rotational torque to the first crossbeam member 4c. This rotational torque causes the first crossbeam member 4c to rotate, and thus also causes the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 to rotate. In this way, thrust can be provided toward the cable and / or hose 2a. Depending on the direction of the rotational torque, the thrust can be increased or decreased. A rotational torque direction that moves the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 toward the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2 will increase the thrust, while a rotational torque direction that moves the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 away from the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2 will decrease the thrust. In some examples, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include more than one rotary actuator 4f. The rotary actuator 4f may include, for example, a hydraulic actuator 4f and / or an electric actuator 4f.
[0058] As mentioned above, the cable and / or protection assembly 4 may include more than one actuator. In such examples, the more than one actuator may include any combination of linear actuators, rotary actuators, and / or electric actuators.
[0059] As mentioned above, the thrust can be adjustable. Therefore, the thrust can be increased, decreased, or released. The amount of thrust can be adjusted, for example, based on one or more characteristics. Such characteristics may include, for example, the amount of cable and / or hose 2a currently on the cable and / or hose reel 2, the rotational speed of the cable and / or hose reel 2, the position of the cable and / or hose reel 2, the thrust currently supplied to the cable and / or hose 2 on the cable and / or hose reel 2 (e.g., thrust value), the radial movement of the cable and / or hose 2, the cable and / or hose tension (e.g., tension value), the direction of movement of the machine on which cable and / or hose protection devices are included, and / or the speed of movement of the machine on which cable and / or hose protection systems are included. Any one or more of these characteristics can be used as a basis for determining the thrust to be applied. The characteristics can be obtained, for example, as sensor data from one or more sensors 5. The one or more sensors 5 may include any one or more of the following: tension sensor, torque sensor, thrust sensor, speed sensor, flow sensor, pressure sensor, direction of movement sensor, and camera.
[0060] Figure 6 An example embodiment of a method for controlling a thrust acting on a cable and / or hose 2a, executed by a control unit 10, is shown, wherein the cable and / or hose 2a is arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel 2 mounted on or from a frame structure 3. The thrust is provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 arranged to be secured to the frame structure 3. The cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 may include any or a combination of the cable and / or hose protection assemblies described above according to any of the embodiments. The method includes actions that may be performed in any suitable order. Optional actions are described in... Figure 6 The text is represented by a dashed box.
[0061] Action 601
[0062] In some embodiments, the control unit 10 obtains sensor data from one or more sensors 5. The sensor data relates to one or more characteristics associated with one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, the cable and / or hose reel 2, and the cable and / or hose 2a.
[0063] One or more sensors 11 may include any one or more of the following: tension sensor, torque sensor, thrust sensor, speed sensor, flow sensor, pressure sensor, movement direction sensor, and camera.
[0064] The tension sensor can, for example, provide sensor data related to the tension of the cable and / or hose 2a.
[0065] The torque sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the rotational torque provided by the cable and / or hose reel 2. Alternatively or additionally, the torque sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the torque of the motor or actuator used to drive the cable and / or hose reel 2 and / or the torque of an electric or hydraulic motor (e.g., actuator 4f) used to control the thrust provided by the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4. The torque sensor may be able to provide sensor data relating to one or more types of torque-related sensor data (as explained above). Therefore, one or more sensors 5 may include one or more torque sensors, wherein each torque sensor provides one or more types of torque-related sensor data.
[0066] The thrust sensor can, for example, provide sensor data related to the thrust provided to the cable and / or hose 2a by the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4.
[0067] The speed sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the speed (e.g., rotational speed) of the cable and / or hose reel 2. Alternatively or additionally, the speed sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the speed (e.g., rotational speed) of the actuators 4e and / or 4f. Alternatively or additionally, the speed sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the speed of the cable and / or hose 2a as it unwinds from and / or is wound onto the cable and / or hose reel 2. Alternatively or additionally, the speed sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the movement speed of the machine on which the cable and / or hose protection system 1 is included. The speed sensor may be able to provide sensor data relating to one or more types of speed-related sensor data (as explained above). Therefore, one or more sensors 5 may include one or more speed sensors, wherein each speed sensor provides one or more types of speed-related sensor data.
[0068] The flow sensor may provide, for example, sensor data relating to the flow rate of oil in hydraulic systems such as: hydraulic systems for controlling the thrust provided by the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, such as hydraulic pumps and / or hydraulic motors (e.g., actuators 4e and / or 4f); and / or hydraulic systems for driving the cable and / or hose reel 2, such as hydraulic pumps and / or hydraulic motors. The flow sensor may be able to provide sensor data relating to one or more types of flow-related sensor data (as explained above). Therefore, one or more sensors 5 may include one or more flow sensors, each providing one or more types of flow-related sensor data.
[0069] The pressure sensor may, for example, provide sensor data relating to the pressure of oil in hydraulic systems such as: hydraulic systems for controlling thrust provided by cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, such as hydraulic pumps and / or hydraulic motors (e.g., actuators 4e and / or 4f); and / or hydraulic systems for controlling thrust provided by cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, such as hydraulic pumps and / or hydraulic motors. The pressure sensor may be able to provide sensor data relating to one or more types of pressure-related sensor data (as explained above). Therefore, one or more sensors 5 may include one or more flow sensors, each flow sensor providing one or more types of flow-related sensor data.
[0070] The camera can, for example, provide data relating to the radial movement of the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2.
[0071] The movement direction sensor can, for example, provide sensor data relating to the movement direction of a machine on which a cable and / or hose protection system 1 is included.
[0072] Action 602
[0073] Control unit 10 monitors sensor data obtained from one or more sensors 5. This sensor data is related to one or more characteristics associated with any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, the cable and / or hose reel 2, and the cable and / or hose 2a. These characteristics may include, for example: the amount of cable and / or hose 2a currently on the cable and / or hose reel 2, the rotational speed of the cable and / or hose reel 2, the position of the cable and / or hose reel 2, the thrust (e.g., thrust value) currently supplied to the cable and / or hose 2 on the cable and / or hose reel 2, the radial movement of the cable and / or hose 2, the cable and / or hose tension, the direction of movement of the machine on which the cable and / or hose protection device is located, and / or the speed of movement of the machine on which the cable and / or hose protection system is located.
[0074] One or more sensors 5 may be wirelessly connected to control unit 10, or one or more sensors 11 may be wired to control unit 11. In some examples, a combination of wired and wirelessly connected sensors 11 may be present to control unit 10. Examples of wireless connections may include (but are not limited to) Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular connections (such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, LTE, and / or 5G cellular connections).
[0075] Action 603
[0076] The control unit 10 determines one or more parameters for controlling thrust (such as the thrust provided by the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 to the cable and / or hose 2a) based on the one or more characteristics.
[0077] The one or more parameters may include, for example, parameters related to the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4; and / or parameters related to the linear actuator 4e and / or rotary actuator 4f used to control the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4.
[0078] Depending on the location of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, the thrust on the cable and / or hose 2a can be increased or decreased. Therefore, by changing the location of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4a, the thrust applied to the cable and / or hose 2a can be adjusted or adapted, thereby allowing the thrust supplied to or applied to the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2 to be adjusted (e.g., controlled).
[0079] As mentioned above, the thrust can be adjusted by changing the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4. This can be achieved, for example, by adjusting parameters associated with the linear actuator 4e and / or the rotary actuator 4f. These parameters may include, for example, the speed of the linear actuator 4e and / or the rotary actuator 4f, the oil flow rate and oil pressure of the linear actuator 4e and / or the rotary actuator 4f, the direction of movement of the linear actuator 4e and / or the rotary actuator 4f, and / or the direction of the rotational torque provided by the rotary actuator 4f. Therefore, by determining one or more of these parameters, the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 can be adapted, thereby causing the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a to be adapted (e.g., controlled).
[0080] By combining parameters related to the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 and parameters related to the linear actuator 4e and / or rotary actuator 4f, enhanced control of the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a can be achieved compared to using only one of the parameters. This is because by adapting both the thrust and the parameters related to the linear actuator 4e and / or rotary actuator 4f, the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a can be controlled more precisely.
[0081] In some embodiments, the control unit 10 determines the one or more parameters by determining the current thrust value. The control unit 10 may compare the current thrust value with a configured thrust value. The control unit 10 may then determine whether the current thrust value is within a threshold of the configured thrust value.
[0082] Within a threshold range for the configured thrust value, for example, this could mean that the current thrust value is above a lower threshold and below an upper threshold. The lower and upper thresholds can be configured in control unit 10. Control unit 10 can be configured with more than one configured thrust value. The threshold can be a relative threshold, such as a percentage above and / or below the configured value. Alternatively, the threshold can be an absolute value. The configured thrust value to be used can be selected by control unit 10 and / or the operator (e.g., depending on the cable and / or hose 2a, such as the size, stiffness, flexibility, and / or strength of the cable and / or hose 2a).
[0083] When it is determined that the current thrust value is not within the threshold of the configured thrust value, the control unit 10 may determine that one or more parameters cause the thrust of the cable and / or hose 2a to be increased, decreased and / or released.
[0084] For example, when the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a located on the cable and / or hose reel 2 is too low (e.g., the current thrust value is below a lower threshold), one or more parameters can be determined to increase the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a. As another example, when the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a is too high (e.g., the current thrust value is above an upper threshold), one or more parameters can be determined to decrease and / or release the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a. Releasing the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a can, for example, mean that no thrust is applied to the cable and / or hose 2a. This could be, for example, when the thrust value is configured to be zero (i.e., no thrust is to be supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a by the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4). This allows the control unit 10 to control the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a because by applying one or more parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 can provide thrust to the cable and / or hose 2a according to the applied one or more parameters.
[0085] Action 604
[0086] The control unit 10 controls the thrust by applying one or more determined parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4.
[0087] In some embodiments, controlling the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a may include any of the following: increasing the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a, decreasing the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a, or releasing the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a. As mentioned above, when the current thrust is too low (e.g., when the current thrust is below a lower threshold), the control unit 10 may increase the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a. Correspondingly, when the current thrust is too high (e.g., when the current thrust is above an upper threshold), the control unit 10 may decrease the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a. Furthermore, also as mentioned above, the control unit 10 may, for example, release the thrust supplied to the cable and / or hose 2a when the thrust value is configured to be zero.
[0088] Figure 7 A schematic diagram depicts an example of a mining and / or construction machine 20 according to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 7 In this document, mining and / or construction machine 20 is depicted as a drilling rig. This should not be considered a limitation of scope, but rather as an example of mining and / or construction machine 20. Mining and / or construction machine 20 can be any other type of mining and / or construction machine 20. Mining and / or construction machine 20 includes a cable and / or hose protection system 1 according to examples of various embodiments herein. Cable and / or hose protection system 1 includes a cable and / or hose reel 2, a cable and / or hose 2a, and a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4. In this example, cable and / or hose protection system 1 includes two cable and / or hose protection assemblies 4. The cable and / or hose reel 2 is mounted on a frame structure 3, which is mounted on machine 20. Mining and / or construction machine 20 in this example further includes a control unit 10 and one or more sensors 5. One or more sensors 5 may be configured to provide sensor data to control unit 10. In other examples, mining and / or construction machine 20 does not include control unit 10 and / or one or more sensors 5.
[0089] Figure 8a An example configuration of a control unit 10 configured to control thrust acting on a cable and / or hose 2a is disclosed, the cable and / or hose 2a being arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel 2 mounted on a frame structure 3. The thrust is adapted to be provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 arranged to be secured to the frame structure 3. The control unit 10 includes a memory 860 operable to store instructions and processing circuitry 850 operable to execute instructions.
[0090] The control unit 10 may include input and output interfaces 800 configured to communicate with, for example, one or more sensors 5.
[0091] Figure 8b The processing circuitry for the control unit 10 is also disclosed (e.g., Figure 8a An example configuration of the processing circuit 850 disclosed herein. The processing circuit may include a determining unit 810, a monitoring unit 820, a control unit 830, and an obtaining unit 840 configured to perform the methods described above.
[0092] The embodiments described herein can be understood through Figure 8a The processing circuitry 850 in the control unit 10 depicted herein is implemented together with corresponding computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the various embodiments herein. The processing circuitry 850 may include one or more processors and one or more memory units. The memory unit may be memory 860. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for example, in the form of a data carrier carrying the computer program code for performing the various embodiments herein when loaded into the control unit 10. Such a carrier may be in the form of a CD-ROM, a USB flash drive, and / or an over-the-air (OTA) carrier. However, other data carriers (e.g., memory sticks) are also feasible. The computer program code may also be provided as plain program code on a server and downloaded to the control unit 10.
[0093] The memory 860 of the control unit 10 may further include one or more memory units. The memory 860 is configured to store instructions executable by the processing circuitry 850. The memory 860 is arranged to store, for example, information, messages, indications, configurations, parameters, sensor data, characteristics, thresholds, thrust values, rotational torque, measurement results, positions, positioning, and applications used to implement the methods described herein when executed in the control unit 10.
[0094] The control unit 10 and / or processing circuit 850 are configured to control the thrust acting on the cable and / or hose 2a, which is arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel 2 mounted on the frame structure 3. This thrust is adapted to be provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly 4 arranged to be secured to the frame structure 3.
[0095] The control unit 10 and / or processing circuitry 850 monitor sensor data adapted to be obtained from one or more sensors 5. This sensor data is adapted to be related to one or more characteristics associated with any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4, the cable and / or hose reel 2, and the cable and / or hose 2a.
[0096] The control unit 10 and / or processing circuit 850 determine one or more parameters for controlling thrust based on the one or more characteristics.
[0097] The control unit 10 and / or processing circuit 850 control the thrust by applying one or more determined parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly 4.
[0098] In some embodiments, the computer program 870 includes instructions that, when executed by the processing circuit 850 (e.g., at least one processor of the processing circuit 850), cause the processing circuit 850 of the control unit 10 to perform the aforementioned actions.
[0099] In some embodiments, the corresponding carrier 880 includes a corresponding computer program 870, wherein the carrier 880 is one of electronic signals, optical signals, electromagnetic signals, magnetic signals, electrical signals, radio signals, microwave signals, or computer-readable storage media.
[0100] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that each unit in the control unit 10 described above can refer to a combination of analog and digital circuitry, and / or one or more processors configured with software and / or firmware (e.g., stored in the control unit 10 and executed by one or more corresponding processors (e.g., the processors described above)). One or more of these processors, along with other digital hardware, may be included in a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, which may be individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC).
[0101] It will be understood that the foregoing description and accompanying drawings represent non-limiting examples of the methods and apparatus taught herein. Thus, the apparatuses and techniques taught herein are not limited to the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Rather, the embodiments herein are limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A cable and / or hose protection system (1), said system (1) comprising: Cable and / or hose reels (2) are mounted on the frame structure (3); Cables and / or hoses (2a) are arranged to be wound onto or unwound from the cable and / or hose reel (2); At least one cable and / or hose protection assembly (4), including a roller (4a), is arranged to be fastened to the frame structure (3). The cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) is arranged such that the roller (4a) contacts a portion of the cable and / or hose (2a) located on the cable and / or hose reel (2), thereby causing the roller (4a) to provide thrust to the cable and / or hose (2a).
2. The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The direction of the thrust prevents the cable and / or hose (2a) from lifting off the cable and / or hose reel (2).
3. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The thrust is any one or more of the following: Spring controlled; Hydraulically controlled; and Electrically controlled.
4. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The thrust is adjustable.
5. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The system (1) further includes one or more sensors (5), wherein the one or more sensors are configured to provide sensor data associated with any one or more of the following: The amount of cable and / or hose (2a) currently wound on the cable and / or hose reel (2); The rotational speed of the cable and / or hose reel (2); The location of the cable protection assembly (4); The value of the thrust currently supplied by the roller (4a) to the cable and / or hose (2a).
6. The system (1) according to claim 5, wherein, The thrust is adjusted based on the sensor data.
7. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) further includes at least one arm (4b), wherein the roller is fastened to a first end (4b') of the at least one arm (4b).
8. The system (1) according to claim 7, wherein, The second end (4b'') of at least one arm (4b) is fastened to the frame structure (3) so that the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) can move toward and / or away from the cable and / or hose reel (2).
9. A method, executed by a control unit (10), for controlling a thrust acting on a cable and / or hose (2a), the cable and / or hose (2a) being arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel (2) mounted on a frame structure (3), wherein the thrust is provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) arranged to be fastened to the frame structure (3), wherein the cable and / or hose (2a), the cable and / or hose reel (2), the frame structure (3), and the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) are included in the cable and / or hose protection system according to claim 1, the method comprising: Monitoring (602) sensor data obtained from one or more sensors (5), wherein the sensor data is associated with one or more characteristics of any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4), the cable and / or hose reel (2) and the cable and / or hose (2a); Based on the one or more characteristics, determine (603) one or more parameters for controlling the thrust; as well as The thrust (604) is controlled by applying the determined one or more parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4).
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The thrust controlled by (604) includes any one of the following: Increase the thrust; Reduce the thrust; and Release the thrust.
11. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein, Controlling the thrust (604) includes adjusting the position of the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4).
12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein, Determining (603) one or more parameters includes determining a current thrust value, comparing the current thrust value with a configured thrust value, and determining whether the current thrust value is within a threshold of the configured thrust value.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, When it is determined that the current thrust value is not within the threshold of the configured thrust value, one or more parameters are determined such that the thrust is increased, decreased, and / or released.
14. A computer program (870) comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit (850), cause the processing circuit (850) to perform the action according to any one of claims 9 to 13.
15. A control unit (10) configured to control a thrust acting on a cable and / or hose (2a), the cable and / or hose (2a) being arranged to be wound onto or unwound from a cable and / or hose reel (2) mounted on a frame structure (3), wherein the thrust is adapted to be provided by a cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) arranged to be fastened to the frame structure (3), wherein the cable and / or hose (2a), the cable and / or hose reel (2), the frame structure (3) and the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4) are adapted to be included in the cable and / or hose protection system according to claim 1, the control unit (10) being further configured to: Monitoring is adapted to obtain sensor data from one or more sensors (5), wherein the sensor data is adapted to be related to one or more characteristics associated with any one or more of the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4), the cable and / or hose reel (2) and the cable and / or hose (2a); One or more parameters for controlling the thrust are determined based on the one or more characteristics; as well as The thrust is controlled by applying the determined one or more parameters to the cable and / or hose protection assembly (4).
16. The control unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein, The control unit (10) is further configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 10 to 13.
17. A mining and / or construction machine (20) comprising a cable and / or hose protection system (1) according to claim 1.
18. The mining and / or construction machinery (20) according to claim 17, wherein, The mining and / or construction machine (20) further includes a control unit (10) according to claim 15 and one or more sensors (5) configured to provide sensor data to the control unit (10).