A rod handling apparatus and a method for handling drill rods

Abstract

A rod handling apparatus (100) configured to automatically transfer a drill rod (10) between a first position within a drill rod storage (51) and a second position outside of the drill rod storage (51), the drill rod storage being configured to hold a plurality of horizontally oriented drill rods (10), the rod handling apparatus comprising: - a frame arrangement (101) configured to hold the drill rod storage, - a rod gripper assembly (120) movably mounted to the frame arrangement, configured to releasably grip a drill rod, the rod gripper assembly being movable relative to the frame arrangement along three directions (X, Y, Z) and being rotatable relative to the frame arrangement about a first and second rotational axis.

Description

[0001] A ROD HANDLING APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR HANDLING DRILL RODS

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for handling drill rods. The disclosure also relates to a method for handling drill rods. The disclosed apparatus and method may be used in connection with rock drilling.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] During rock drilling it is necessary when drilling deep holes to join a plurality of drill rods to form a drill string. During assembly, and disassembly, of the drill string, drill rods must be transferred between a drill rod storage and a drill rig. Transfer of the drill rods is most often performed manually and due to the substantial weight of each drill rod there is a severe risk of injury to workers.

[0006] Drilling is often performed underground, whereby due to the time and cost associated with forming a working space, the space is confined. Similarly, in surface applications there may also be limited space for the equipment to be positioned, due to geographic features, other equipment, etc. The limited space available means that there is limited space for drill rod storage and transfer equipment. With existing solutions, if the drill string length requirement is greater than the drill rod storage capacity then manual refilling of the drill rod storage will be necessary.

[0007] Another problem with existing drill rod storage solutions is that since drill rods are transferred in and out of the storage in order, uneven wear of the drill rods occurs. Uneven wear of the drill rods increases the risk of failure and can further lead to timely and costly repairs and replacement.

[0008] Yet another problem occurs during deep hole drilling, when the drill bit regularly needs to be replaced due to wear. This requires picking up all drill rods of the drill string, disassembling the drill string, and thereafter reassemble it to reach the bottom of the hole again. This is a time-consuming and heavy task. SUMMARY

[0009] A primary object of the present disclosure is to achieve an in at least some aspect improved drill rod handling apparatus and method for supplying drill rods. In particular, it is an object to achieve a drill rod handling apparatus which alleviates at least some of the drawbacks associated with prior art rod handling apparatus, such as the requirement for manual work, inflexibility to different space requirements, and / or operation leading to uneven wear of drill rods.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, at least the primary object is achieved by a rod handling apparatus according to claim 1. The rod handling apparatus is configured to automatically transfer a drill rod between a first position within a drill rod storage and a second position outside of the drill rod storage. The drill rod storage is configured to hold a plurality of drill rods. The rod handling apparatus comprises:

[0011] - a frame arrangement configured to hold the drill rod storage with the drill rods oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with a bottom plane of the drill rod storage, and

[0012] - a rod gripper assembly movably mounted to the frame arrangement, the rod gripper assembly being configured to releasably grip a drill rod.

[0013] The rod gripper assembly is movable relative to the frame arrangement along three directions comprising a first direction, a second direction and a third direction. The rod gripper assembly is further rotatable relative to the frame arrangement about a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis.

[0014] The bottom plane of the drill rod storage may be a horizontal or an essentially horizontal plane. The term “essentially in parallel with a bottom plane” may be understood as an orientation that does not deviate from the orientation of the bottom plane by more than + / - 5 degrees. A drill rod located within the drill rod storage may herein extend in parallel with a ground on which the drill rod storage is located. The frame arrangement may in some cases be adjustable to account for a sloping ground, in which case the orientation of the drill rods may differ from that of the ground on which the frame arrangement is provided.

[0015] By providing a rod gripper assembly movable relative to the frame arrangement along three directions, and further rotatable to the frame arrangement about at least two rotational axes, it is possible to pick and place / drop drill rods in a wide range of positions within the drill rod storage. The flexibility in picking and placing / dropping positions means that it may be possible to vary the order in which stored rods are picked and / or in which used rods are placed / dropped, and thereby achieve a more even wear of the drill rods. Furthermore, the flexibility in placing / dropping position makes is possible to vary the position and / or the orientation of the drill rod storage relative to the second position outside of the drill rod storage. The second position may be a position at which the drill rod can be handed to or picked from a rod handler, such as a rod handler of a drill unit provided on a drill rig, or a rod handler of a further rod handling apparatus, etc.

[0016] Optionally, the rod gripper assembly is configured to hold the drill rod oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane in the second position, and the rod gripper assembly is further configured to hold the drill rod oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane throughout the transfer between the first position and the second position. By maintaining the rod in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane, such as in an (essentially) horizontal orientation, it may be possible to work in spaces where there are restrictions in a vertical direction. Additionally, by maintaining the drill rod in a parallel or essentially parallel orientation, the load applied by the rod on the gripper during a transfer may be reduced, thus the gripper may be designed for lower load requirements. Additionally, by maintaining the drill rod in a parallel or essentially parallel orientation, less rotational axes are required, thus the rod handling apparatus may be designed to have only two rotational axes.

[0017] Optionally, the first and second directions are directions within the bottom plane, such as horizontal or essentially horizontal directions. The first and second directions may be mutually perpendicular directions within a horizontal or essentially horizontal plane.

[0018] Optionally, the three directions are mutually perpendicular directions. The third direction may hence advantageously be a vertical or an essentially vertical direction. By making the directions mutually perpendicular, a robust apparatus which is relatively easy to control precisely and to calibrate is achieved.

[0019] Optionally, the rod handling apparatus further comprises a movable beam assembly via which the rod gripper assembly is movably mounted to the frame arrangement. By movably mounting the rod gripper assembly to the frame arrangement the range of the gripper is increased. Optionally, the frame arrangement comprises a pair of top beams extending along the second direction and being arranged at first and second ends of the frame arrangement, respectively, wherein the movable beam assembly comprises a first movable beam extending in the first direction, the first movable beam being movably attached to the pair of top beams to be linearly movable in the second direction relative to the pair of top beams. The first direction may herein advantageously be a direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of drill rods located within the drill rod storage. By movably attaching the first movable beam to a pair of top beams the first movable beam is supported at two ends, thus the maximum bending stress will be reduced when compared to a first movable beam supported at only one end. Thus, the movable beam may be designed for a lower maximum bending stress.

[0020] Optionally, the movable beam assembly further comprises a second movable beam extending along the third direction, wherein the second movable beam is movably attached to the first movable beam to be linearly movable in the first direction and in the third direction relative to the first movable beam. The third direction may herein advantageously be a vertical direction, and the first direction may advantageously be a direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of drill rods located within the drill rod storage.

[0021] Optionally, the rod gripper assembly is rotatably mounted to the second movable beam. Hereby, rotatability of the rod gripper assembly relative to the frame arrangement about at least one rotational axis can be achieved. The rod gripper assembly may advantageously be mounted to be rotatable about the two axes of rotation relative to the second movable beam, thereby achieving rotatability of the rod gripper assembly relative to the frame arrangement about the two axes of rotation.

[0022] Optionally, the frame arrangement and the movable beam assembly are configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette comprising the drill rod storage via an upper opening of the frame arrangement, such as via an upwardly facing opening in an upper end of the frame arrangement. By providing a frame arrangement and a movable beam assembly that enable use of a removable drill rod cassette, it may be possible to easily replace the drill rod storage when it is full, or empty, and more storage space, or more drill rods, is / are required. By providing means to easily replace the cassette it may be possible to work with drill strings having a length exceeding the capacity of a single drill rod storage. It is therefore possible to use a smaller drill rod storage which may be more adaptable to working areas where the space is restricted. Additionally, by providing access via an upwardly facing opening in the frame arrangement it may be possible to position a removal device anywhere around the periphery of the frame arrangement, thus allowing more flexibility when working in restricted spaces.

[0023] Optionally, the frame arrangement comprises an opening in at least one of the first and second ends configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette comprising the drill rod storage. By providing an opening in at least one of the first and second ends for insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette it may be possible to replace the drill rod storage without having to displace the cassette significantly in the vertical direction, as the cassette will not need to be lifted out over the frame arrangement. Thus, it may be possible to work in areas with limited vertical space. Additionally, since the removal device does not need to be purposed for significant vertical displacement it may be possible to replace the cassette using a device such as a forklift, a tractor, etc.

[0024] Optionally, the frame arrangement comprises an opening in each one of the first and second ends respectively, each opening configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette comprising the drill rod storage. By providing said openings at both ends a more flexible arrangement is achieved and it may be possible to replace the cassette in situations where one of the ends is inaccessible, such as in narrow drill cuddies or other restricted spaces.

[0025] Optionally, the first rotational axis extends in parallel with the third direction, and the second rotational axis extends in parallel with a drill rod held by the rod gripper assembly. Hence, an orientation of the second rotational axis may change when the rod gripper assembly is rotated about the first rotational axis. The orientation of the second rotational axis may be an orientation parallel or essentially parallel to the bottom plane, such as a horizontal or an essentially horizontal orientation. An orientation of the first rotational axis may herein be fixed with respect to the frame arrangement.

[0026] Optionally, the frame arrangement is arranged to hold the drill rod storage with the drill rods extending in the first direction. Optionally, the rod handling apparatus comprises at least one position sensor configured to detect a relative position of at least one movable member of the rod handling apparatus. The at least one movable member may herein be any one or more of the beams of the movable beam assembly, and / or the rod gripper assembly or parts thereof. This may enable verification of a position of the rod gripper assembly with respect to the frame arrangement.

[0027] Optionally, the rod gripper assembly is independently movable in the three directions relative to the frame arrangement. In other words, the rod gripper assembly may be linearly moved in any one of the three directions without being moved in any one of the remaining two directions.

[0028] Optionally, the rod gripper assembly comprises a first set of actuators by means of which the rod gripper assembly is independently movable along each one of the first, second and third directions. The rod gripper assembly may further comprise a second set of actuators by means of which the rod gripper assembly is independently rotatable about the first and second rotational axes, respectively. Each actuator may comprise a motor, such as an electric or hydraulic motor, or alternatively a linear or rotating cylinder.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a method for transferring a drill rod between a first position within a drill rod storage and a second position outside of the drill rod storage using the rod handling apparatus is provided. The method comprises:

[0030] - gripping the drill rod by the rod gripper assembly,

[0031] - translating the rod gripper assembly holding the drill rod in at least two directions of the first, second and third directions, the drill rod being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane,

[0032] - releasing the grip of the rod gripper assembly.

[0033] The method may be performed manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. Hence, the method may be computer-implemented. By using an automatic or semi-automatic method, the amount of manual work may be significantly reduced, such as in connection with changing drill bits, assembling the drill string, etc.

[0034] Optionally, the method further comprises rotating the rod gripper assembly holding the drill rod about at least one of the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis, the drill rod being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane. In particular, the method may comprise rotating the rod gripper assembly holding the drill rod about the second rotational axis.

[0035] According to a third aspect of the disclosure, an electronic control unit configured to control the rod handling apparatus according to the first aspect to perform the method according to the second aspect is provided.

[0036] Other embodiments, examples and advantages of the rod handling apparatus, method and electronic control unit will be presented and further explained in the detailed description and the appended drawings.

[0037] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure cited as examples.

[0039] In the drawings:

[0040] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0041] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0042] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0043] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0044] Fig. 5 is a top view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0045] Fig. 6 is a side view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,

[0046] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, and

[0047] Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings show diagrammatic, exemplifying embodiments of the present disclosure and are thus not necessarily drawn to scale. It shall be understood that the embodiments shown and described are exemplifying and not limiting. It shall also be noted that some details in the drawings may be exaggerated in order to better describe and illustrate the disclosure. Like reference characters refer to like elements throughout the description, unless expressed otherwise.

[0048] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0049] The rod handling apparatus according to the present disclosure is intended for use in connection with a drill rig used in rock drilling, both in overground and underground applications. In such applications, and in underground applications particularly, the available space is often limited.

[0050] Fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of a drill rig 200 and a rod handling apparatus 100 with a left-hand configuration arranged side by side between first and second side walls 1 , 2 of a drill cuddy, close to a front wall 3 of the drill cuddy. The drill rig 200 comprises a drill unit 210 that holds a drill string 230 arranged for drilling a hole in the first side wall 1. The drill rig 200 further comprises a rod handler 220 provided in connection with the drill unit 210. The rod handler 220 is configured to pick up a drill rod 10 from a rod gripper assembly 120 of the rod handling apparatus 100 and transfer it to the drill string 230, where it is used for drilling a hole. The drill unit 210 may during a drilling operation use several drill rods 10 that together form the drill string 230. The number of drill rods 10 needed depends on the depth of the drilled hole.

[0051] The rod handling apparatus 100 schematically illustrated in Fig. 1 is configured to automatically transfer the drill rod 10 between a first position within a drill rod storage 51 and a second position outside of the drill rod storage 51. The rod gripper assembly 120 is configured to releasably grip the drill rod 10 such that it may be transferred between the first position and the second position. In the shown embodiment, the second position is illustrated by the rod handler 220 of the drill unit 210. It is to be noted that other embodiments are possible, e.g., the second position could comprise a further rod handling apparatus, a further drill rod storage, or similar. The rod handling apparatus 100 is separate from the drill rig 200 comprising the drill unit 210, such that it may be repositioned relative to the drill rig 200 and the drill unit 210. In the disclosed schematic diagram, the rod handling apparatus 100 is arranged between the drill rig 200 and the second side wall 2, however it may be possible to position, and orient, the rod handling apparatus 100 around the drill unit 210 whilst still being able to transfer drill rods 10 between the two devices.

[0052] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, which may be used in a setup similar to the setup illustrated in Fig. 1. Reference is also made to Figs. 3-6, illustrating the rod handling apparatus 100 in different perspectives and configurations. The rod handling apparatus

[0053] 100 comprises a frame arrangement 101 configured to hold a drill rod storage 51. The drill rod storage 51 is configured to hold a plurality of drill rods 10, herein horizontally oriented drill rods 10. Each drill rod 10 extends along a first direction X within the drill rod storage 51 , the first direction X corresponding to a longitudinal direction. The frame arrangement

[0054] 101 is configured to hold the drill rod storage 51 with the drill rods 10 oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with a bottom plane P of the drill rod storage 51.

[0055] The rod gripper assembly 120 is movable relative to the frame arrangement 101 along three directions comprising the first direction X, a second direction Y and a third direction Z. The rod gripper assembly 120 is further rotatable relative to the frame arrangement 101 about a first rotational axis A1 and a second rotational axis A2.

[0056] The rod gripper assembly 120 may be configured to hold the drill rod 10 oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane P in the second position, such as in a horizontal or essentially horizontal orientation. The rod gripper assembly 120 may further be configured to hold the drill rod 10 oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane P throughout the transfer between the first position and the second position. Hence, the rod gripper assembly can pick up the drill rod 10 in a first orientation parallel to the bottom plane P and at a first vertical level and drop it off in a second orientation parallel with the bottom plane P and at a second vertical level. The bottom plane P may be a horizontal plane, or a plane that is offset from a horizontal plane by a small amount, such as by a few degrees. Whilst the shown embodiment comprises horizontally oriented drill rods 10, it is also possible that the drill rods deviate from the horizontal orientation / direction, such as if the ground on which the frame arrangement 101 is arranged is a sloping ground. During use of the rod handling apparatus 100, the bottom plane P as well as a drill rod 10 located within the drill rod storage 51 may herein extend in parallel with the ground on which the drill rod storage 51 is located. The frame arrangement 101 may in some cases be adjustable to account for a sloping ground, in which case the orientation of the drill rods 10 and the bottom plane P may differ from that of the ground on which the frame arrangement 101 is provided. In the illustrated example, the frame arrangement 101 comprises four adjustable feet 109 for adjusting a height of a respective corner of the frame arrangement 101. The orientation of the drill rods 10 within the drill rod storage 51 may thereby differ from a slope of the ground. In the shown embodiment, the frame arrangement 101 is configured with four adjustable feet 109, however the frame arrangement 101 could be configured to have any number of feet. All feet, or some of the feet, may be adjustable such that the frame arrangement 101 may be adjusted on sloped ground, or uneven terrain.

[0057] The plurality of drill rods 10 located within the drill rod storage 51 are further configured to be stacked in the second direction Y, transverse to the first direction X, and the third direction Z. The third direction Z is during use of the rod handling apparatus 100 a vertical direction, perpendicular to the first and second directions X, Y. In the shown embodiment, the three directions X, Y, Z are mutually perpendicular directions, and the bottom plane P is an XY plane.

[0058] The drill rod storage 51 comprises a drill rod cassette 50. The drill rod cassette 50 may be removable, and may have means for maintaining the position of stored drill rods 10 in the longitudinal first direction X, the transverse second direction Y, and / or the vertical third direction Z, such as rails, grooves, etc. In the shown embodiment, separating walls 52, indicated in Fig. 5, are provided between each two vertically extending stacks of drill rods 10 such that a plurality of compartments is formed, each compartment holding a stack of drill rods 10 arranged on top of one another. The distance between the separating walls 52 may be adjustable such that the compartments may be adapted for drill rods having different diameters. In the shown embodiment, the frame arrangement 101 comprises a pair of fixed top beams 102, 103. The rod handling apparatus 100 further comprises a movable beam assembly 150 via which the rod gripper assembly 120 is movably mounted to the top beams 102, 103 of the frame arrangement 101. The movable beam assembly 150 comprises a first movable beam 151 , and a second movable beam 152. The rod gripper assembly 120 is mounted to the second movable beam 152. The pair of top beams 102, 103 extend along the second direction Y and are arranged at first and second ends 104, 105 of the frame arrangement 101 , respectively.

[0059] The first movable beam 151 extends along the first direction X and is movably attached to the pair of top beams 102, 103 to be linearly movable in the second direction Y relative to the pair of top beams 102, 103. The first movable beam 151 may extend past the top beams 102, 103 in the first direction X such that an overhang may form on one, or both, of the sides of the pair of top beams 102, 103. The first movable beam 151 may be movable along the top beams 102, 103 by means of a first actuating system 110 comprising a respective first chain 102a, 103a mounted in a fixed relation to the top beams 102 as shown in Fig. 5, and cog wheels (not shown) arranged to engage with the respective chains 102a, 103a. The actuating system 110 herein further comprises a single first actuator 111 at one side of either of the sides of the movable beam 151. Alternatively, it may comprise an actuator on both sides of the movable beam 151 , such as on each one of the top beams 102, 103. The first actuator(s) 111 may comprise at least one motor, such as at least one electric motor or hydraulic motor, configured to drive the cog wheels along the top beams 102, 103. Instead of a chain, a rack or similar may be used.

[0060] The second movable beam 152 extends along the third direction Z and is movably mounted to the first movable beam 151 to be linearly movable in the first direction X relative to the first movable beam 151. The second movable beam 152 is shown as movably mounted to the first movable beam 151 via a movable cradle 153. The cradle 153 is movable along the first movable beam 151 via a second actuating system 112 comprising a second actuator 113 as shown in Fig. 4 and a second chain 114 (see Fig. 2), herein a movable chain driven by the second actuator 113. The second actuator 113 may comprise at least one motor, such as at least one electric motor or hydraulic motor.

[0061] The second movable beam 152 is herein further movable in the vertical third direction Z relative to the cradle 153, whereby the rod gripper assembly 120 is movable in the third direction Z relative to the frame arrangement 101 . A third actuating system is provided for this purpose, comprising a third actuator 116, a driven cog wheel (not shown) and a third chain (not shown) in the form of a fixed chain. The third actuator 116 may comprise at least one motor, such as at least one electric motor or hydraulic motor driving the cog wheel.

[0062] In other embodiments, the second movable beam 152 may be fixed with respect to the cradle 153, and the rod gripper assembly 120 may be linearly movable along the second movable beam 152 to achieve the vertical movement of the rod gripper assembly 120.

[0063] The second movable beam 152 is herein removably mounted to the cradle 153, such that the second movable beam 152 may be repositioned relative to the cradle 153. The second movable beam 152 may thereby be adjusted for different configurations. The cradle 153 may comprise a number of fixing positions, such as mounting holes, or the like, such that the second movable beam 152 may be repositioned in the horizontal first direction X and / or in the vertical third direction Z. In the illustrated examples, the second movable beam 152 is movably mounted to the cradle 153 in a right-hand configuration illustrated in Fig. 2, and in a left-hand configuration illustrated schematically in Fig. 1 and in more detail in Fig. 3. The right-hand and left-hand configurations are to be understood as seen from a perspective of the rod gripper assembly 120, with a first gripping jaw 121 corresponding to a “right hand”, and a second gripping jaw 122 corresponding to a “left hand”. Of course, it is alternatively possible to mount the second movable beam 152 to a middle of the cradle 153. However, the right-hand and left-hand configurations offer a better reach of the rod gripper assembly 120 and a larger flexibility.

[0064] The rod gripper assembly 120 is rotatably mounted to the second movable beam 152. The rod gripper assembly 120 is in the illustrated examples mounted close to a lower end of the second movable beam 152. In other embodiments, the rod gripper assembly 120 could be located anywhere along the second movable beam 152, for example at a midpoint thereof, as long as the distance between a top of the second movable beam 152 and the rod gripper assembly 120 is sufficient to allow the rod gripper assembly 120 to reach bottom-most drill rods 10 in the drill rod storage 51.

[0065] The rod gripper assembly 120 may be configured to grip the drill rod 10 using any known method, such as mechanical grabbing elements, vacuum grippers, magnetic grippers, etc., or a combination of known methods. In the illustrated examples, the rod gripper assembly 120 comprises a pair of mechanical gripping jaws 121 , 122. Mechanical gripping jaws allow a sliding movement of the gripping jaws 121 , 122 relative to the rod 10.

[0066] The frame arrangement 101 is configured to support the movable beam assembly 150 and to define a space for the drill rod storage 51 . In the shown embodiment, the frame arrangement 101 comprises a number of beams. In other embodiments, the frame arrangement 101 could comprise sheet elements, or a combination of beam and sheet elements. The beams may be fixed together using any known method, for example fasteners, welding, adhesive, etc. Alternatively, the frame arrangement 101 may be continuously formed.

[0067] The frame arrangement 101 comprises a floor 115 as indicated in Fig. 7. In other embodiments, the frame arrangement 101 may have no floor, such that the drill rod storage 51 is placed directly on the ground.

[0068] The frame arrangement 101 has an upper opening 108 provided at an upper end of the frame arrangement 101. The upper opening 108 is configured such that the rod gripper assembly 120 may access the rod storage 51 and rods 10 may be inserted / retrieved therethrough. Additionally, the upper opening 108 may be configured such that the drill rod cassette 50 may be inserted / retrieved therethrough.

[0069] The frame arrangement 101 has longitudinal openings 118 at both longitudinal sides thereof, parallel to an XZ plane. In an alternative embodiment, no openings are provided. The longitudinal openings 118 are centered on the sides of the frame arrangement 101 , however in an alternative embodiment these may be positioned anywhere along the length of the longitudinally facing sides. The longitudinal opening 118 may be present on one or both longitudinally facing sides. The longitudinal opening 118 should be sufficiently sized such that the rod gripper assembly 120 may access the drill rods 10 which, in the second direction Y, are located outermost in the drill rod storage 51. In other embodiments, where no such longitudinal openings are provided, the frame arrangement 101 may be sized relative to the drill rod storage 51 such that a gap is formed between the frame arrangement 101 and the drill rod storage 51 , whereby the rod gripper assembly 120 may access the longitudinally outermost rods 10 in the drill rod storage 51. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rod handling apparatus 100 illustrating directional movement of the rod gripper assembly 120 in the first direction X via movement of the cradle 153 relative to the first movable beam 151 , in the second direction Y via movement of the first movable beam 151 relative to the top beams 102, 103, and in the third direction Z via movement of the second movable beam 152 relative to the cradle 153. The rod gripper assembly 120 is herein illustrated in a relatively low position in which it has just picked up a rod 10 from a bottom of the drill rod storage 51. The rod handling apparatus 100 is in Fig. 3 illustrated in a left-hand configuration. In the left-hand configuration, the second movable beam 152 is mounted to a left end of the cradle 153 and the first movable beam 151 extends past the left-hand second end 105 with a larger overhang than it extends past the right-hand first end 104.

[0070] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus 100 in a left-hand configuration, illustrating first rotational movement R1 of the rod gripper assembly 120 around the first rotational axis A1 (see Fig. 2) and second rotational movement R2 of the rod gripper assembly 120 around the second rotational axis A2. The rod gripper assembly 120 is herein illustrated with the cradle 153 in an end position, far to the second end 105 of the frame arrangement 101.

[0071] Fig. 5 is a top view of the rod handling apparatus 100 in a right-hand configuration, illustrating the first rotation R1 about the first rotational axis A1 of the rod gripper assembly 120. A rotatable actuator 124, illustrated in Fig. 6, is herein provided for effecting the first rotational movement R1 about the first rotational axis A1 , although in other embodiments a linear actuator may be used. The range of the first rotational movement R1 may preferably be at least +\- 90 degrees, such as + / - 95 degrees, i.e. a total rotational range of 190 degrees.

[0072] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rod handling apparatus 100, illustrating the second rotation R2 about the second rotational axis A2 of the rod gripper assembly 120. A linear actuator 123 is provided for effecting the second rotational movement R2 about the second rotational axis A2. However, in other embodiments, a rotatable actuator may be used. The range of the second rotational movement R2 may preferably be at least 100 degrees, such as 110 degrees. Although not illustrated, the rod gripper assembly 120 may further be configured to be rotatable around a third rotational axis, so that an orientation of the drill rod 10 held by the rod gripper assembly 120 can be changed to a vertical orientation. However, although offering a greater flexibility, this is also associated with a larger complexity and will result in a bulkier arrangement. Due to the space restrictions in underground applications in particular, it may be advantageous to configure the rod gripper assembly 120 so that it is only rotatable about two rotational axes A1 , A2.

[0073] The pair of top beams 102, 103 may in the second direction Y extend past longitudinal sides of the frame arrangement 101 , such that an overhang may be formed on one, or both, of the longitudinal sides. Such an overhang may extend the reach of the rod gripper assembly 120. Additionally, an overhang of the top beams 102, 103 may facilitate rod cassette 50 insertion / retrieval via the upper end of the frame arrangement 101.

[0074] The pair of top beams 102, 103 may be fixed to the first and second ends 104, 105 by any known method, such as fasteners, welding etc. Preferably the pair of top beams 102, 103 may be removably fixed to the first and second ends 104, 105, such that the pair of top beams 102, 103 may be repositioned relative to the first and second ends 104, 105 such that the overhang at either end of the pair of top beams 102, 103 may be adjusted for different configurations, and to achieve parallelity between the pair of top beams 102, 103. Alternatively, the pair of top beams 102, 103 may be replaceable such that different length top beams 102, 103 may be used for different configurations.

[0075] First and second openings 106, 107 extending in parallel with a YZ plane may be formed by one of the top beams 102, 103 and the first and second ends 104, 105, respectively, said openings 106, 107 being sized such that the drill rod cassette 50 may be inserted and retrieved from the frame arrangement 101. In the embodiment shown, said openings 106, 107 is formed at each end 104, 105 of the frame arrangement 101 , however it is also possible to have an opening at only one of the ends thereof.

[0076] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a rod handling apparatus 100 illustrating insertion or retrieval of a drill rod cassette 50. In the embodiment shown, the drill rod cassette 50 is being inserted / retrieved from the second opening 107, however openings 108, 106 are also shown for insertion / retrieval of a drill rod cassette 50 via the upper end and via the first side 104, respectively. The drill rod cassette 50 can be inserted / retrieved by a horizontally directed X movement. It may also be necessary to lift the drill rod cassette 50 in the vertical third direction Z such that frictional forces may be reduced. The frame arrangement 101 may have a feature such as rollers, wheels, rails, or the like, such that the cassette 50 may slide easily in / out of the frame arrangement 101 , such that the direction of displacement is ensured, or such that insertion / retrieval does not require vertical displacement. Additionally, or alternatively, the cassette 50 may have a feature such as rollers, wheels, rails, or the like, such that the cassette 50 may slide easily in or out of the frame arrangement 101. Additionally, the cassette 50 may be removably attached to the frame arrangement 101 , by fasteners, clamps, locking shafts, or the like, such that the cassette may be at least temporarily fixed to the frame arrangement 101 after insertion, and as such the must be unattached before removal of the cassette 50. If wheels or similar are provided, locking members may be provided that lock the wheels and prevent the cassette from rolling out of the frame arrangement 101 once inserted.

[0077] When removing the cassette from one of the side openings, as in the embodiment shown, it may be possible to replace the cassette using a device such as a forklift, tractor, etc. The cassette 50 may have hooks, holes, grooves, etc. such that it may be attached to said removal device. The cassette 50 may have multiple different sets of attachment points such that it may be handled by different removal devices and attached at different locations. The cassette 50 is herein illustrated with transverse holes 52 and longitudinal holes 53 for lifting with a forklift, and the frame arrangement 101 is also provided with transverse holes 119.

[0078] The drill rod cassette 50 may also be removed via the upper opening 108. It may be possible to replace the cassette 50 using a device such as a crane, helicopter etc. The cassette 50 may have hooks or lifting eyes 54, such that the cassette 50 may be removably attached to the removal device. In the illustrated embodiment, the cassette 50 comprises four lifting eyes 54 provided in respective upper corners of the cassette 50.

[0079] Fig. 8 illustrates a method for transferring a drill rod 10 between a first position within a drill rod storage 51 and a second position outside of the drill rod storage 51 using the rod handling apparatus 100 illustrated herein. The method may be automatic or semiautomatic and comprises the following actions, that may be taken in any suitable order: Action 801 : gripping the drill rod 10 by the rod gripper assembly 120, either in the first position or in the second position.

[0080] Action 802: translating the rod gripper assembly 120 holding the drill rod 10 in at least two directions of the first X, second Y and third Z directions, the drill rod 10 being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane P, such as in a horizontal or essentially horizontal orientation, throughout the translational movement.

[0081] Action 803 (optional): rotating the rod gripper assembly 120 holding the drill rod 10 about at least one of the first rotational axis A1 and the second rotational axis A2, the drill rod 10 being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane P, such as a horizontal or essentially horizontal orientation, throughout the rotational movement.

[0082] Action 804: releasing the grip of the rod gripper assembly 120 when the second or first position is reached.

[0083] In an exemplary rod handling sequence moving the drill rod from a first position within the cassette 50 to the second position at which it is picked up by the rod handler 220, such as in the setup illustrated in Fig. 1 , the rod gripper assembly 120 grabs the drill rod 10 whereafter the second movable beam 152 is moved upward along the third direction Z until it reaches an upper end position, such as the position illustrated in Fig. 6. In the upper end position, the rod gripper assembly 120 is rotated around the second rotational axis A2 such that the drill rod 10 swings upward but remains in a horizontal orientation. The first movable beam 151 is thereafter moved along the top beams 102, 103 in the second direction Y to a suitable location. The cradle 153, carrying the second movable beam 153, is then moved in the first direction X until reaching a longitudinal end position, such as illustrated in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 7. The drill rod 10 is all along held in a horizontal orientation parallel with the first direction X. When the longitudinal end position has been reached, the rod gripper assembly 120 is rotated around the first rotational axis A1 , whereby the drill rod 10 is rotated in a horizontal plane around the first rotational axis A1. When the second position is located next to the rod handling apparatus 100 in the second direction Y, it may not be necessary to rotate the rod gripper assembly 120 about the first rotational axis A1 . In some cases, if the second position is close to the cassette 50, it may not even be necessary to rotate the rod gripper assembly 120 about the second rotational axis A2.

[0084] When several rods are to be picked from the drill rod storage 51 , a picking order may be selected in a very flexible manner. The rod gripper assembly 120 may grip a drill rod 10 from any accessible position within the drill rod storage 51 . A drill rod 10 is accessible and may be picked when it is not located directly under another drill rod and when no drill rods are located at the same or higher vertical level as the drill rod 10 to be picked in the negative Y direction. The rod gripper assembly 120 may either subsequently pick several drill rods from the same vertical stack, or it may pick one or more drill rods from a foremost vertical stack as seen in the second direction Y, then pick one or more drill rods from the vertical stack located just behind the foremost vertical stack in the second direction Y, and so on. Hence, the rod gripper assembly 120 can pick and leave drill rods 10 to / from different positions within the drill rod storage 51.

[0085] An electronic control unit 160 (schematically illustrated in Fig. 1) configured to control the rod handling apparatus 100 such that the above actions are carried out may further be provided. The electronic control unit 160 may be configured for controlling operation of the rod handling apparatus 100 in response to signals received from an external control unit (not shown), such as a control unit of the drill rig 200 or another remotely located control unit. The electronic control unit 160 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable digital signal processor or another programmable device. Thus, the control unit 160 comprises electronic circuits and connections (not shown) as well as processing circuitry (not shown) for communicating with different parts of the rod handling apparatus 100 as well as with the external control unit. For example, the control unit 160 may be configured for communicating with various sensors, devices, systems and control units of the rod handling apparatus 100 and of the drill unit 210. In the shown embodiment, the control unit 160 controls the actuators 111 , 113, 116 for linear movement of the rod gripper assembly 120 as well as the actuators 123, 124 for rotational movement of the rod gripper assembly 120. Certain positions of the rod gripper assembly 120 may be taught to the control unit 160 so that the rod gripper assembly 120 can be efficiently moved between predetermined positions. The electronic control unit 160 may comprise modules in either hardware or software, or partially in hardware or software, and communicate using known transmission buses such a CAN-bus and / or wireless communication capabilities. The processing circuitry may be a general-purpose processor or a specific processor. The control unit 160 may comprise a non-transitory memory for storing computer program code and data. Thus, the skilled person realizes that the electronic control unit 160 may be embodied by many different constructions. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A rod handling apparatus (100) configured to automatically transfer a drill rod (10) between a first position within a drill rod storage (51) and a second position outside of the drill rod storage (51), the drill rod storage (51) being configured to hold a plurality of drill rods (10), the rod handling apparatus (100) comprising:- a frame arrangement (101) configured to hold the drill rod storage (51) with the drill rods (10) oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with a bottom plane (P) of the drill rod storage (51),- a rod gripper assembly (120) movably mounted to the frame arrangement (101), the rod gripper assembly (120) being configured to releasably grip a drill rod (10), the rod gripper assembly (120) being movable relative to the frame arrangement (101) along three directions comprising a first direction (X), a second direction (Y) and a third direction (Z), wherein the rod gripper assembly (120) is further rotatable relative to the frame arrangement (101) about a first rotational axis (A1) and a second rotational axis (A2).

2. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rod gripper assembly (120) is configured to hold the drill rod (10) oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane in the second position, and wherein the rod gripper assembly (120) is further configured to hold the drill rod (10) oriented in parallel or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane throughout the transfer between the first position and the second position.

3. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second directions (X, Y) are directions within the bottom plane, such as horizontal or essentially horizontal directions.

4. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the three directions (X, Y, Z) are mutually perpendicular directions.

5. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a movable beam assembly (150) via which the rod gripper assembly (120) is movably mounted to the frame arrangement (101).

6. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the frame arrangement (101) comprises a pair of top beams (102, 103), the pair of top beams (102, 103) extending along the second direction (Y) and being arranged at first and second ends (104, 105) of the frame arrangement (101), respectively, and wherein the movable beam assembly (150) comprises a first movable beam (151) extending in the first direction (X), the first movable beam (151) being movably attached to the pair of top beams (102, 103) to be linearly movable in the second direction (Y) relative to the pair of top beams (102, 103).

7. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the movable beam assembly (150) further comprises a second movable beam (152) extending along the third direction (Z), wherein the second movable beam (152) is movably attached to the first movable beam (151) to be linearly movable in the first direction (X) and in the third direction (Z) relative to the first movable beam (151).

8. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rod gripper assembly (120) is rotatably mounted to the second movable beam (152).

9. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of claims 5-8, wherein the frame arrangement (101) and the movable beam assembly (150) are configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette (50) comprising the drill rod storage (51) via an upper opening (108) of the frame arrangement (101).

10. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame arrangement (101) comprises an opening (106, 107) in at least one of the first and second ends (104, 105) configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette (50) comprising the drill rod storage (51).11 . The rod handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the frame arrangement (101) comprises an opening (106, 107) in each one of the first and second ends (104, 105), respectively, each opening (106, 107) being configured to enable insertion and retrieval of a removable drill rod cassette (50) comprising the drill rod storage (51).

12. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first rotational axis (A1) extends in parallel with the third direction (Z), and wherein the second rotational axis (A2) extends in parallel with a drill rod (10) held by the rod gripper assembly (120).

13. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame arrangement (101) is arranged to hold the drill rod storage (51) with the drill rods (10) extending in the first direction (X).

14. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one position sensor configured to detect a relative position of at least one movable member of the rod handling apparatus (100).

15. The rod handling apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rod gripper assembly (120) is independently movable in the three directions (X, Y, Z) relative to the frame arrangement (101).

16. The rod handling apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a first set of actuators (111 , 113, 116) by means of which the rod gripper assembly (120) is independently movable along each one of the first, second and third directions (X, Y, Z).

17. A method for transferring a drill rod (10) between a first position within a drill rod storage (51) and a second position outside of the drill rod storage (51) using the rod handling apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising:- gripping the drill rod (10) by the rod gripper assembly (120),- translating the rod gripper assembly (120) holding the drill rod (10) in at least two directions of the first, second and third directions, the drill rod (10) being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane (P),- releasing the grip of the rod gripper assembly (120).

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:- rotating the rod gripper assembly (120) holding the drill rod (10) about at least one of the first rotational axis (A1) and the second rotational axis (A2), the drill rod (10)being held in an orientation parallel with or essentially in parallel with the bottom plane.

19. An electronic control unit (160) configured to control the rod handling apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1-16 to perform the method according to claim 17 or 18.

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