Method for drilling a bore channel in the ground by means of an earth drilling device and earth drilling device for drilling a bore channel in the ground

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for creating a bore channel in the ground by means of an earth drilling device, a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method, a computer-readable data carrier on which the computer program product is stored, and an earth drilling device for creating a bore channel in the ground.

[0002] It is known to use earth drilling devices to create boreholes or drill channels in the ground.

[0003] Obstacles in the area of the borehole to be created pose a problem. These obstacles can be hard rocks that cannot be broken up by the earth drilling equipment used, or water, gas, electricity, signal and / or other lines or channels.

[0004] For example, DE 10 2008 026 456 A1 discloses a drill head for an earth drilling device that includes a housing and a radar unit located within the housing. The radar unit generates electromagnetic waves that exit the housing. By receiving these waves after they have been reflected by an object, the distance, shape, size, and position of the object can be calculated. Automatic or manual avoidance of the obstacle(s) can be achieved by appropriately controlling a drive unit.

[0005] Even if automatic bypassing is possible using steerable devices, the challenge remains, especially for earth drilling devices that are not sufficiently steerable or essentially non-steerable, as to how to respond to an obstacle in the planned bore channel and its surroundings. It is known to perform an emergency shutdown if an obstacle is detected in the area of the planned or targeted bore channel.

[0006] Although such systems and methods achieve good results, it has been found in the context of the invention that in certain cases the automatic reversal of obstacles or the emergency shutdown of the auger device are designed too "conservatively." This can unnecessarily increase the time required to create the borehole.

[0007] US 2017 / 010388 A1 discloses an obstacle avoidance system for a horizontal drilling machine.

[0008] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method, a computer program product, a computer-readable data carrier and an earth drilling device with which a faster and / or optimized introduction of the bore channel in the ground can be made possible, which can represent a significant added value for the user of an earth drilling device.

[0009] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the respective subclaims and the description.

[0010] The core idea of the invention is to pursue an approach that initially appears counterintuitive: despite a possible "emergency shutdown," the user is enabled to decide whether the drilling of the bore channel should continue despite the "emergency shutdown." While in the prior art, the earth drilling device is "recovered" from the ground after an "emergency shutdown," according to the invention, a user can decide whether the planned bore channel should continue in the ground. For this purpose, the invention provides a safety query in the form of an acknowledgment that the "emergency shutdown" has been acknowledged by the user. However, by displaying obstacles in the area of the bore channel, the user is enabled to decide whether further drilling of the bore channel is possible despite the shutdown by the control system. A qualified input in the form of an acknowledgment of the "emergency shutdown" orA shutdown warning can be used to restart or continue drilling the bore channel. The user is provided with a decision-making aid in the form of a display of obstacles in the ground, which can enable the user to decide whether and / or how further drilling of the bore channel is possible.

[0011] The invention provides a method for creating a bore channel in the ground using an earth drilling device. The earth drilling device has a drill head that is moved to create the bore channel in the ground. The method comprises the steps: a) detecting obstacles in front of and / or next to the drill head; b) displaying a detected obstacle relative to the drill head; c) issuing a shutdown warning if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drill head is less than a first, in particular selectable, distance; d) stopping the penetration of the bore channel if a shutdown warning is issued; e) checking an acknowledgment for continued drilling of the bore channel if a shutdown warning has been issued and drilling of the bore channel has been stopped; and f) continuing drilling of the bore channel if the acknowledgment is successfully checked.

[0012] The term "soil" in the sense of the invention includes in particular any type of material, in particular earth, sand, rock, stone and mixtures thereof.

[0013] The term "bore channel" in the sense of this description includes existing or to be created, preferably at least partially horizontal, channels or boreholes, in particular earth channels including earth boreholes, rock boreholes or similar.

[0014] The term "earth drilling device" as used herein encompasses a (and thus any) device that can move, in particular, a drill string comprising rod sections in an existing or future channel, particularly in the ground, in order to create or widen a bore, particularly a horizontal bore (HD), or to pull pipelines or other long bodies into the ground. The earth drilling device can, in particular, be a HD device. An earth drilling device can be a device that drives a drill string and can, in particular, displace soil. The drill string can be inserted into the ground translationally and / or rotationally in the longitudinal axial direction of the drill string. The drill string can be moved in the ground by tensile or compressive loading and, if necessary, also rotationally or rotatingly.The earth drilling device can also be a "self-propelled earth drilling device." A self-propelled earth drilling device is usually a type of earth drilling device known as a ram drilling device or earth rocket. Such earth drilling devices work by displacing soil. Self-propelled earth drilling devices can drive a line or pipe into the ground by impact. The self-propelled earth drilling device typically has a drill bit designed as a chisel, which can be arranged in a housing and impacted at the end by a percussion piston. The drill bit can be longitudinally movable or fixed in the housing.

[0015] For the purposes of this description, the term "borehead" refers to a front element, relative to the direction of advance, which is the outward-facing or exposed end of the earth drilling device located in the ground, which comes into contact with the soil during drilling. The borehead forms the front section of the earth drilling device, which is the first to come into contact with the soil.

[0016] The term "obstacle detection" encompasses the possibility of detecting obstacles in the ground. The use of the plural of the term "obstacle" expresses the possibility of detecting multiple obstacles. It is, of course, also possible that none of the obstacles are detected or cannot be detected—especially if no obstacle(s) are present.

[0017] The term "obstacle" expresses the possibility of a detection occurring, which represents a response or a response signal to a detection signal. If an "obstacle" is detected, it is assumed that at the location where or for which a detection occurred, something may be present in the soil that could represent an obstacle to a borehole. The term "detection of an obstacle" encompasses the detection of an interface between the soil and a material different from the soil. The location of an interface between the soil and a material different from the soil can be detected. By progressively moving the drill head through the soil, locations of possible interfaces can be detected and combined into an "overall picture" of detected obstacles, which may also be just one obstacle, in the soil along the borehole.

[0018] In particular, "detecting obstacles" using electromagnetic waves can be achieved by the earth drilling device emitting electromagnetic waves that can be reflected in the ground. The reflected waves can be detected by the earth drilling device. It can be provided that the electromagnetic waves are radar waves. In this respect, detection can be carried out using a detection device that is arranged in particular on or in the drill head, particularly preferably a detection device designed as a radar unit. It can also be provided that more than one detection device is present. For example, two or more detection devices can be present on and / or in the drill head, which are arranged spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis of the drill head, have different detection ranges, and / or detect obstacles at different angles.

[0019] The term "displaying the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head" refers to a display in which the position of the detected obstacle relative to the drill head is shown to the user in such a way that the distance of the drill head from the detected obstacle is shown to the user in at least one spatial direction. For example, it is possible to display a view of the ground showing the drill head and the detected obstacle(s).

[0020] The term "issuing a shutdown warning" encompasses a notification that can be visual, audible, and / or haptic. The user can be informed that a shutdown warning is present via one of these sensory impressions. The term "shutdown warning" encompasses a warning that informs the user that a minimum distance from the obstacle is not being or cannot be maintained during the creation of the bore channel.

[0021] The invention can also provide added value for the user by freely selecting the value for the first distance, since previous considerations have always been based on a fixed minimum distance to the drill head and / or the drill channel. Within the scope of the invention, it was recognized that the first distance can be set as required. This requirement-based setting initially contradicts the previous understanding of safety, which envisaged a precise minimum distance, but paradoxically opens up increased safety for the user, since, for example, when creating a pilot hole, the diameter of an expansion hole to be drilled subsequent to the pilot hole can already be taken into account. In addition to the core idea of the invention, by means of a freely selectable distance, it can be determined during the pilot hole whether an expansion hole with an expansion head with a larger diameter than the drill head of the pilot hole will enter the area of obstacles.

[0022] By taking into account a freely selectable first distance, a faster introduction of the drill channel can be made, since the pilot hole can already be "corrected".

[0023] The term "initial distance" refers to a distance in the form of a length. The length of the initial distance can be preselected. The setting or preselection of the length can be done by an input from the user or a person from a selected group who is authorized to do so.

[0024] The output and / or display can take place at a control station and / or a drive unit controlling the earth drilling device. It can be provided that the output and / or display takes place on a device that can be carried by the user. It is possible for output and / or display to comprise the transmission of a signal that is communicated to a central unit and / or an element in a network. Receipt of the signal can be communicated by the central unit and / or the element in the network and / or can be retrieved by the central unit and / or the element in the network. The output and / or display can be uploaded to a cloud so that it can be viewed from any location.

[0025] The term "stopping the drilling of the bore channel" as used in the description includes stopping the drilling of the bore channel, for example by i) stopping the advance of the earth drilling device, ii) switching off the earth drilling device and / or iii) putting the earth drilling device into a standby mode in which the earth drilling device is still switched on but no advance takes place.

[0026] The term "acknowledgement" as used in this description includes a user input that can be used to determine that the user has responded to the displayed shutdown warning in such a way that they were required to acknowledge or approve of it. An "acknowledgement" can be a qualified input that cannot be accidental, careless, and / or unintentional. It can require user input that requires more than a single keystroke.

[0027] The continued drilling of the bore channel or the resumption of drilling of the bore channel can only take place if the confirmation has been successfully verified, so that a hurdle for the continued drilling of the bore channel can be reached and no unintentional restart of the earth drilling device after a shutdown warning is possible.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the term "pre-warning" encompasses the detection of obstacles in front of and / or next to the drill head, which determines that the distance between the detected obstacle and the drill head is less than a second distance. The value for the second distance or the length specification for the second distance can be set by the user or a group of persons authorized to do so. The purpose of issuing a pre-warning is to inform the user that the drill head may approach an obstacle in such a way that a critical condition may arise during the further creation of the drill channel; the user can be "pre-warned." Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that an official minimum distance from an obstacle can be specified, compliance with which must be taken into account.

[0029] Typically, the first distance can be selected larger than the second distance. However, it can also happen that the advance warning is based on a minimum distance of a drill channel at which a reaming hole still needs to be drilled. In this case, the first distance could be selected smaller than the second distance, which can determine the desired distance between the obstacle and the ("reamed") drill channel. By entering the distances, a high degree of flexibility can be ensured when creating the drill channel.

[0030] It may also be necessary to consider a third distance. For example, the first distance may indicate the necessary distance at which the drilling channel is technically possible (without contact or collision with obstacles); the second distance may refer to an official minimum distance between the drilling channel and the obstacle; and the third distance may correspond to a distance for advance warning.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head comprises a display of multiple views. In the sense of the description, multiple views can mean that the user can be shown the position of one or more detected obstacles relative to the drill head in multiple views, in particular views aligned or arranged at an angle to one another. In particular, there can be an angle between the views that can be substantially equal to or close to 90° in one spatial direction. The views can be an image in one direction of the ground, wherein both the drill head and the detected obstacle(s) can be displayed. A display of the drill head itself can also be omitted if, for example, the drill head is assumed to be central in a display or view. A schematic representation of one or more obstacles can be achieved.In a display, the drill head can be represented as a point or cross, particularly with an extension corresponding to the diameter of the drill head. The representation of one or more detected obstacles can, in particular, be a complete representation of the detected interfaces between the soil and a material other than the soil.

[0032] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the multiple views can include a side view, a top view, and / or a view along the longitudinal axis of the bore channel. In a pictorial representation, the scale or information corresponding to the scale can be present or displayed in the image or on the image.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head comprises a display of an at least two-dimensional extent of a detected obstacle, which can result in particular from the detected locations of interfaces between the ground and a material different from the ground being displayed two-dimensionally. This not only informs the user of the distance to an obstacle, but also the contours of possible obstacles, enabling the user to decide on an acknowledgment, for example because there was an error in the detection of the obstacle or because the user can decide what type of obstacle it might be. For example, by displaying an at least two-dimensional extent of a detected obstacle, a pipe or line can possibly be identified as such.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, acknowledgment occurs by means of an alphanumeric input, a key input, and / or actuation of one or more actuating elements. It is also possible to have acknowledgment performed via an external (e.g., mobile) device (e.g., by a supervisor) after the supervisor has received a shutdown warning, e.g., via a cloud service or SMS, etc. This makes it possible to determine the level of barrier to inadvertent acknowledgment. For example, the alphanumeric input required for acknowledgment may only be known to certain users or may only be made known to them, with the possibility of the alphanumeric input being passed on to third parties without logging and / or without this being traceable.It can be provided that different users or different user groups are assigned an alphanumeric input so that it can be logged which user or user group gave the acknowledgement in the form of the alphanumeric input. The same applies to a mechanical or electromagnetic key (e.g. a code card) which can be issued to a specific user or user group. The same can apply to the actuation of one or more actuating elements which, for example, have to be actuated in a specific sequence. When actuating several actuating elements, it can also be provided that the actuating elements have to be actuated at least partially simultaneously. The method of actuating several actuating elements can, in turn, only be communicated to a specific user or user group so that this too can be traced and / orIt can be logged which user or user group carried out the acknowledgment.

[0035] As explained above, the threshold for unintentional acknowledgment can be determined. In accordance with the above-mentioned exemplary acknowledgment, biometric input for acknowledgment may also be possible in addition to or as an alternative, whereby the biometric input may correspond to a key input. For example, it may be possible to recognize a fingerprint, a face, or an iris, whereby a corresponding reader or input device may be present. The key input and the biometric input can be considered an acknowledgment using a code that is in the user's possession.

[0036] It can be provided that, analogous to the exemplary alphanumeric input mentioned above, a pattern or a graphic stroke sequence can be entered alternatively or additionally, whereby the entry of a pattern or a graphic stroke sequence can correspond analogously to the entry of an alphanumeric input. The alphanumeric input and the entry of a pattern or a graphic stroke sequence can be viewed as an acknowledgment using a code that has been made known to one (aspect "knowledge").

[0037] Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for an image reader to present an image code to trigger an acknowledgment, which can be viewed analogously to entering a key. The image entry or the entry of an image code can also be viewed as an acknowledgment through the aspect of "possession."

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, a log is created indicating the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head and / or issuing a pre-warning and / or shutdown warning and / or acknowledgment. Since continuing or resuming the drilling of the bore channel after a shutdown warning is a critical process, it may be intended and desirable to create a log of the drilling channel creation, including any warnings and / or acknowledgment, so that any technical malfunctions can also be detected.

[0039] It may also be possible to save the log of a drill channel creation if no shutdown and / or advance warnings have occurred. For example, a table can be saved in which data on obstacles can be assigned to the length values of the drill channel. For example, the respective polar coordinates of obstacles can be assigned to a drill channel length.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the drill head can be moved back into the ground after a shutdown warning, and the protocol can be used to bypass at least one detected obstacle. This allows an at least partially automated design to be achieved by making the protocol data available to the user to move the drill head around the obstacle(s). In a particularly preferred embodiment, a largely automatic return movement and renewed advance of the drill head can be carried out.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, if the confirmation check fails, the auger is moved backward a certain distance out of the ground, and the auger is aligned depending on the detected obstacle(s). It can be provided that the backward movement is carried out in such a way that the auger head remains in the ground. The auger head can then be controlled in the ground to avoid the obstacle(s). The alignment can be performed, in particular, interactively.

[0042] It can also be planned to completely retract the drill head from the ground. This allows the drill head or the earth-moving device to be aligned on the carriage, and the resulting bore channel can be compared with the position of the detected obstacle(s).

[0043] Based on the information provided to the user regarding one or more obstacles in the ground along the bore channel, e.g., in the form of a log concerning the position of the drill head relative to obstacles during the "unsuccessful drilling of the bore channel," an improved alignment of the auger can be achieved, which can be accelerated even if drilling of the bore channel failed in a "first attempt." The auger can be aligned so that a potential hazard in the ground, in the form of the detected obstacle(s), lies outside the bore channel to be drilled. Drilling of the bore channel can be made possible in a "second attempt" by aligning the carriage accordingly.It may be provided that the user is provided with information on how to align the carriage in order to drill the borehole resulting from the carriage alignment at a sufficient distance from the obstacles previously detected in the ground.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the method is executed partially or entirely on a computer. It is possible for the user to only have to give the acknowledgement, refuse the acknowledgement, and / or perform a possible alignment of the gun carriage. It can also be provided that the gun carriage is aligned automatically based on the detected obstacles.

[0045] The invention also provides a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method described herein.

[0046] The invention also provides a computer-readable data carrier on which the prescribed computer program product is stored.

[0047] Since earth drilling devices have computers for controlling them, the method according to the present invention can be implemented by feeding a computer program into the computer of the earth drilling device as needed. For example, it is possible for an earth drilling device to be "upgraded" with the present invention, e.g., in the form of a computer program product executed on the computer of the earth drilling device and / or a computer-readable data carrier read by the computer of the earth drilling device to execute a corresponding program or method, thus providing added value to the user.

[0048] The invention also provides an earth drilling device for creating a bore channel in the ground, wherein the earth drilling device has a drill head that is moved to create the bore channel in the ground. The drill head has a device for detecting obstacles in front of and / or next to the drill head, wherein the earth drilling device is configured to display the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head. A shutdown warning is issued if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drill head is less than a first, in particular selectable, distance. The earth drilling device is further configured to stop the creation of the bore channel when a shutdown warning is issued. An input for an acknowledgment for resuming the creation of the bore channel is provided, wherein upon a successful verification of the acknowledgment, the earth drilling device is configured to resume the creation of the bore channel.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, a display device is provided which is designed to display the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head and comprises a display of several views.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, an alphanumeric input, a key input and / or an actuating element or several actuating elements are provided for the acknowledgment.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, a memory, in particular a non-volatile memory, is provided in which a log of the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drill head and / or the output of advance warning and / or shutdown warning is stored.

[0052] The invention is described with respect to several aspects relating to a method, a computer program product, a computer-readable data carrier, and an earth drilling device. The statements regarding the individual aspects complement one another, so that, in particular, the statements regarding the method are to be understood as statements regarding the description for the earth drilling device. The description of the method also describes or discloses device-related features or system-related features for the earth drilling device, and vice versa, so that the description of the earth drilling device also discloses actions within the meaning of the method or individual method steps of the method.

[0053] In the sense of the description, the term "have" encompasses both the meaning inherent in the term, that further elements can be provided in addition to the elements mentioned (non-exhaustive list), but also the meaning that the term "have" is used synonymously with "consist of" or "formed from".

[0054] The foregoing statements, as well as the following description of exemplary embodiments, do not constitute a waiver of specific embodiments or features.

[0055] The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0056] In the drawings shows: Fig. 1 an indicator for a user to select a first distance and a second distance; Fig. 2 a display for an operator during the drilling of a bore channel with three views comprising a side view, a view in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the earth drilling device (a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drill head) and a top view, wherein a shutdown warning has been issued; Fig. 3 a display for a user after the drilling of a drill channel as a representation for a protocol; and Fig 4A log display showing the views and warnings for the user for a specific position of the drill head in a created drill channel.

[0057] Fig. 1 This diagram shows a user interface for an earth drilling device, in which a first distance (horizontal hatching) is selected for a shutdown warning and a second distance (vertical hatching) for an advance warning. The first distance is selected to be smaller than the second distance.

[0058] Fig. 2 Shows a view for a user creating the drill channel with three views: a side view, a view along the longitudinal axis of the drill bit (a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit), and a top view, with a shutdown warning issued. An obstruction has been detected. The detected obstruction is less than the length of the first distance from the drill bit, so a shutdown warning is issued and the drill bit advance is stopped.

[0059] Fig. 3 In the area marked with the A in a circle, shows the possibility of acknowledging in the form of a PIN entry in order to resume drilling operations and restart the earth drilling device.

[0060] Fig. 4Shows a view of a portion of a log recorded during the drilling of the borehole into the soil. The arrow marked B in a circle indicates the length or position of the drill bit in the borehole, and the views displayed to the user during the drilling of the drill bit are shown. The user can retrace the log saved for the creation of the borehole by moving the point in the borehole indicating the length or position of the drill bit along the vertical line (the actual drilled length of the created borehole).

Claims

1. Method for inserting a drilling channel in the soil by means of a ground drilling device, wherein the ground drilling device has a drilling head that is moved to insert the drilling channel in the soil and the method comprises the steps: a) detecting obstacles in front of and / or next to the drilling head; b) displaying the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head; c) issuing a shutdown warning if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drilling head is less than a first, in particular selectable, distance; d) stopping the insertion of the drilling channel when a shutdown warning is issued; e) checking a safety query in the form of an acknowledgement of the issued shutdown warning; and f) resuming the insertion of the drilling channel upon a successful checking of the acknowledgement.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein an alert is issued if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drilling head is less than a second distance, wherein the second distance is, in particular, greater than the first distance.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head comprises a display of a plurality of views.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head comprises a display of an at least two-dimensional extent of a detected obstacle.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the acknowledgement is made by means of an alphanumeric input, a key input, and / or an actuation of one or more actuation elements.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a log of the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head and / or issue of an alert and / or shutdown warning and / or acknowledgement is generated.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the drilling head is moved back in the soil after a shutdown warning, and the log is used to bypass at least one detected obstacle.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the method is performed on a computer.

9. Computer program product comprising commands which, when the program is run by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 7 with a ground drilling device for insertion a drilling channel in the soil.

10. A computer-readable data carrier on which the computer program product according to claim 9 is stored and that is readable by the computer of a ground drilling device in order to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

11. Ground drilling device for inserting a drilling channel in the soil, wherein the ground drilling device has a drilling head that is moved to insert the drilling channel in the soil and has equipment for detecting obstacles in front of and / or next to the drilling head, wherein the ground drilling device is designed to indicate the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head and to issue an alert and / or a shutdown warning, wherein the alert is issued if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drilling head is less than a first distance, and the shutdown warning is issued if the distance between the detected obstacle and the drilling head is less than a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance, and the ground drilling device is further designed to stop the insertion of the drilling channel when a shutdown warning is issued, wherein an input is provided as a safety query in the form of an acknowledgement of the issued shutdown warning, and if the acknowledgement is successfully checked, the ground drilling device is designed to resume insertion of the drilling channel.

12. Ground drilling device according to claim 11, wherein a display device is provided, which is designed to display the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head and comprises a display of a plurality of views.

13. Ground drilling device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein an alphanumeric input, a key input and / or one or more actuating elements are provided for the acknowledgement.

14. Ground drilling device according to one of claims 11 to 13, wherein a memory is available in which a log of the display of the position of a detected obstacle relative to the drilling head and / or the issue of an alert and / or shutdown warning is stored.

15. Ground drilling device according to claim 14, wherein a controller is available by means of which the drilling head is at least partially moved back and / or pushed forward in an alignment that allows it to bypass the at least one obstacle.