Cable Handling Systems

Abstract

A cable handling system (1) for an electric mining or construction vehicle (2). The vehicle (2) includes a skid-steered tracked or wheeled body (2a) that is powered for operation by an electric motor. The vehicle is powered by an on-board battery and / or fuel cell or via an electric cable (3). The electric cable is wound onto and unwound from a cable reel (4) on the body. The system includes a cable guide assembly including an arm member (5) and a cable guide mechanism (6). A first end (5a) of the arm member is rotatably mounted to the rear of the body and can move horizontally around the rear of the body through an arc about the longitudinal axis of the body up to about 90 degrees in either direction. The cable guide mechanism is located at a second distal end (5b) of the arm member for receiving and guiding the electric cable being used towards the cable reel.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of cable handling systems in electrically powered mining or construction vehicles, and more particularly in such vehicles that are supplied with power via a trailing electric cable that is arranged to be wound onto and unwound from a cable reel on the vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] Typically, all of the mining and construction equipment fleets operate simultaneously in a work area to perform a shared work assignment, which requires each vehicle to perform a different work task at a different location.

[0003] To perform each work task, it is necessary to apply a machine suited to the specific task, such as a mining device for excavation work, which requires a certain amount of energy to perform the work task and to travel to the work site.

[0004] Energy for performing work and movement is typically provided by an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. A cable may be used to supply electrical energy to the drilling rig so that the drilling rig can operate on electric power.

[0005] The drawback is that if electrical energy is supplied to the drilling rig via a cable, the drilling rig must always be connected to the power grid and the cable, and for practical reasons, the length is limited, limiting the distance it can travel, making it difficult to move the rig. Furthermore, the cables used are often thick and stiff, making it difficult to avoid them when performing complex maneuvers with the drilling rig while adjusting its position or when reversing repeatedly over short distances. It is generally difficult to move the drilling rig without running over the cable, which can be severely damaged or cut if the rig runs over it. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cable handling system for an electric mining or construction vehicle. The vehicle includes a skid-steer tracked or wheeled vehicle body. The vehicle body is powered for operation directly or indirectly by an onboard electric motor, and is powered by an onboard battery and / or fuel cell, or via a trailing electric cable. The electric cable is configured to be wound onto and unwound from a cable reel on the vehicle body during operation, and is provided for connection to a remote power source. In a first aspect, this object is achieved by a system including a cable guide assembly including an arm member and a cable guide mechanism. In this system, a first end of the arm member is rotatably attached to the rear of the vehicle body and can move horizontally around the rear of the vehicle body through an arc centered in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body up to approximately 90 degrees in both directions. The cable guide mechanism is disposed at a second end of the arm member and is configured to receive and guide the electric cable used toward the cable reel.

[0007] This system allows the vehicle to move without traveling on the cable when performing complex maneuvers or when reversing short distances while adjusting its position. This allows the vehicle to operate over difficult terrain on a site. In the case of drilling rigs, it also allows the carrier and cable to be operated separately. The drilling rig can rotate / swing the carrier into position while the cable remains stationary. Because drilling rigs often need to be pointed at the desired excavation location, for example, when there are cliffs around the drilling rig and several locations need to be excavated close to each other, this system has the advantage of allowing the carrier to rotate in place while the cable remains stationary. Furthermore, an arm of appropriate length allows the vehicle operator to relatively freely operate the drilling rig, for example, reversing and turning, without risking the risk of traveling on the cable. Furthermore, by attaching a cable reel to the drilling rig, this function is not required on the site; only the availability of a power outlet is required. It also makes it easier to control and automate the cable reel attached to the vehicle. For example, the cable reel automatically retracts the cable when the vehicle is reversing.

[0008] In one embodiment, the arm member is free to move through an arc during operation of the vehicle.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cable guide assembly further comprises an arrangement for selectively locking the arm member at one or more positions along the arc.

[0010] In one embodiment, the arrangement for selectively locking the arm members comprises a locking pin and a locking plate with a corresponding hole.

[0011] In one embodiment, the locking pin is provided with a link that is strong enough that when the locking pin is used to lock the arm member, it releases under a predetermined force, allowing the arm member to move freely through the arc.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cable guide mechanism comprises a number of rollers for guiding the electrical cable being used towards the cable reel.

[0013] In one embodiment, the rollers are configured to guide the electrical cable used while ensuring that the allowable bend radius of the electrical cable is maintained at all positions of the arm member along the arc.

[0014] In one embodiment, the length of the arm member is from a mounting point at the center of the rear of the vehicle body to a cable guide mechanism at the second tip, and the electrical cable used is positioned a predetermined distance from the vehicle body, the vehicle tracks or wheels, or other part of the vehicle.

[0015] In one embodiment, the arm member is connected to an actuator that can be controllably moved through an arc during operation of the vehicle.

[0016] In one embodiment, the actuator arrangement comprises one or more hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric actuators. Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a motorized mining device having a cable guide assembly. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the mining device of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of the mining equipment of FIG. 1 when the arm member of the cable guide assembly is guiding the electrical cable to the right of the vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of the mining rig of FIG. 1 when the arm member of the cable guide assembly is guiding the electrical cable to the left of the vehicle. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a locking mechanism for selectively locking the arm members in one or more positions. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an actuator configuration that assists in positioning the arm member. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of the mining device of FIG. 1 with the carrier attached. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Below, a cable handling system 1 in an electric mining vehicle or construction vehicle 2 (hereinafter referred to as electric mining vehicle / construction vehicle 2) will be described in detail using a mining rig as an example. Drilling rigs are used for several purposes, such as exploration drilling aimed at identifying the location and quality of minerals, and production drilling used in the mining and / or construction production cycle.

[0019] In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate the same or corresponding elements throughout the several views. These drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, an electric mining / construction vehicle 2 includes a vehicle body 2a with skid-steered tracks or wheels 8. Tracks 8 are shown in FIG. 1. Wheeled or tracked vehicles in which both wheels are simultaneously and mechanically locked and the left wheel can be driven independently of the right wheel are called skid-steered vehicles. Such vehicles turn using differential steering. With differential steering, pairs of wheels or tracks are operated at different speeds, causing the wheels or tracks to slide or drag on the ground, thereby turning the machine. Skid steering allows the vehicle 2 to essentially turn in place.

[0021] 7 is a schematic diagram showing the complete mining rig of FIG. 1 with the carrier attached, the carrier being omitted from FIG. 1 to better illustrate the relevant features of the present disclosure.

[0022] The vehicle 2 obtains power for operation directly or indirectly from an electric motor (not shown) mounted on the vehicle body 2a. In this case, "directly" means that the electric motor is connected to a mechanical transmission. It also means that the wheels or tracks are directly operated through a means that an electric motor operates a hydraulic pump to pressurize hydraulic fluid, which is then used to operate the tracks or wheels via one or more hydraulic motors.

[0023] The electric motor is powered by an on-board battery and / or a fuel cell (not shown) or via a hanging electric cable 3. The hanging electric cable 3 is configured to be wound onto and unwound from a cable reel 4 on the vehicle body 2a while the vehicle 2 is in operation. The cable reel 4 is preferably automated to some extent, so that when the vehicle 2 moves backward, the tension in the electric cable 3 decreases and the cable reel 4 automatically winds the electric cable 3. Conversely, when the vehicle 2 moves forward, the tension in the electric cable 3 increases and the electric cable 3 is unwound from the cable reel 4. A vehicle operator may be able to manually wind or unwind the cable using an appropriate man-machine interface (MMI).

[0024] For example, as shown in Figure 2, when unwinding a hanging electric cable 3, it is preferable to be able to "drag" the electric cable 3. In other words, the torque of the cable reel 4 should be low when moving forward, so that the electric cable 3 comes out on its own without applying tension that would cause the electric cable to move around on the ground.

[0025] The cable reel 4 should be large enough to randomly wind the electrical cable 3 or should have a configuration (not shown) for arranging the electrical cable 3 in an orderly manner on the cable reel 4 when wound.

[0026] An electrical cable 3 is provided for connection to a remote power source (not shown). As mentioned above, an advantage of having the cable reel 4 attached to the vehicle body 2a is that the electric mining / construction vehicle 2 may be operated entirely on electric power for extended periods of time, provided that it is within range of a suitable power outlet. Thus, if the vehicle 2 is to be used for extended periods without sufficient energy in the battery and / or fuel cell, the vehicle 2 can be connected to the power grid.

[0027] An electrical cable 3 suitable for the above-mentioned purposes is typically very thick, heavy, and stiff. The electrical cable 3 may be designed for a nominal voltage of 1000 V, or may be designed for other voltages supplied as an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) supply, for example in the range of 400-5000 V or more. Although the electrical cable 3 is described here as a single electrical cable, it is also possible to use two or more electrical cables.

[0028] The term "mining vehicle or construction vehicle (mining vehicle / construction vehicle)" in this disclosure may include production, exploration, and construction drilling equipment.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the cable handling system 1 includes a cable guide assembly 5, 6 including an arm member 5 and a cable guide mechanism 6.

[0030] The first end 5a of the arm member 5 is rotatably attached to the rear of the vehicle body 2a and can move horizontally up to about 90 degrees in both directions around the rear of the vehicle body 2a through an arc centered on the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body 2a. The arm member 5 is preferably provided at a high position at the rear of the vehicle body 2a.

[0031] The cable guide mechanism 6 is disposed at the second tip 5b of the arm member 5, and is configured to receive the electric cable 3 to be used and guide it toward the cable reel 4.

[0032] The arm member 5 is suitably positioned so that it can move freely through an arc during operation of the vehicle 2 .

[0033] However, as shown in Figure 5, the cable guide assembly may include a locking mechanism 7 for selectively locking the arm member 5 at one or more positions along the arc. In most applications, a locking mechanism 7 for locking the arm member 5 at at least three positions along the arc should be sufficient. Preferably, one of the positions is where the electric cable 3 is located on the outside of the left side of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 4, to ensure good visibility to the driver using the rearview mirror or to a rearview camera when the driver's cabin is on the left side of the vehicle.

[0034] One of the positions may also be a position where the electrical cable 3 is located on the outside of the right side of the vehicle as shown in Figure 3, especially when the driver's cabin is located on the right side of the vehicle.

[0035] Another of these positions may be a transport mode position in which the arm members 5 are properly positioned to maintain dimensional constraints of the associated transport vehicle or simply to keep the arm members 5 safe and out of harm's way when operating the vehicle on battery and / or fuel cell power.

[0036] As further shown in FIG. 5 , a locking mechanism 7 for selectively locking the arm member 5 may include a locking pin 7a and a corresponding locking plate 7b with a hole. The locking pin 7a may include a link 7a1 strong enough to release under a predetermined force when the locking pin 7a is used to lock the arm member 5, allowing the arm member 5 to move freely through the arc. This may prevent damage or breakage to the arm member 5 if the arm member 5 gets caught on a surrounding object. The exemplary locking mechanism 7 in FIG. 5 includes the locking pin 7a and a corresponding locking plate 7b with a hole. However, other locking mechanisms may be employed, such as a chain that can connect to the arm member 5 from the opposite side to maintain the position of the arm member 5 and lock the position of the arm member 5.

[0037] The cable guide mechanism 6 may comprise several rollers 6 a or just one roller 6 a for guiding the electric cable 3 to be used towards the cable reel 4 .

[0038] The rollers 6a are configured to guide the electric cable 3 being used while ensuring that the allowable bending radius of the electric cable 3 is maintained at all positions of the arm member 5 along the arc. The frictional force of the rollers guiding the electric cable 3 should be kept as low as possible. To achieve these objectives, the diameter of the rollers 6a of the cable guide mechanism 6 should be very large, minimizing friction to avoid sharp bends in the cable and ensuring that the electric cable 3 is evenly wound around the cable reel 4.

[0039] The length of the arm member 5, from its attachment at the rear of the body 2a, i.e. at the first end 5a, to the cable guide mechanism 6 at the second end 5b, should be such that the electrical cable 3 used is positioned a predetermined distance from the body 2a, the tracks / wheels 8 of the vehicle 2, or other parts of the vehicle 2. This length of the arm member 5 allows the driver to maneuver the vehicle 2 relatively freely, for example, by reversing or turning the vehicle 2 without risking running over the electrical cable 3.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, the arm member 5 may be connected to an actuator arrangement 9 that can be controllably moved through an arc during operation of the vehicle 2. Thus, a vehicle operator may use a suitable man-machine interface (MMI) to manually position the arm member 5 along the arc. The actuator arrangement 9 may comprise one or more hydraulic actuators 9, pneumatic actuators 9, or electric actuators 9.

[0041] While the present invention has been described in detail and illustrated with reference to the drawings, these are illustrative or exemplary, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. For example, in another embodiment, a hose reel (not shown) may be disposed on the vehicle 2 using the same guide arm member 5 as the cable reel 4, but with its own set of guide rollers in the cable guide mechanism 6. The hose and such hose reel may thus be used to supply liquid or gas to the vehicle 2, e.g., in the case of mining equipment, to supply liquid or gas to the mining equipment for excavation operations. Similarly, the arm member 5 and guide mechanism 6 disclosed herein may be used with only the hose reel disposed on the vehicle 2, without the cable reel 4.

Claims

1. A cable handling system (1) for an electric mining or construction vehicle (2), comprising: The vehicle (2) includes a skid-steered tracked or wheeled (8) chassis (2a), the chassis (2a) being powered for operation directly or indirectly by an on-board electric motor and configured to be powered by a trailing electric cable (3) or by an on-board battery and / or fuel cell; the electric cable (3) is configured to be wound onto and unwound from a cable reel (4) on the vehicle body (2a) during operation of the vehicle (2), and is provided for connection to a remote power source; The cable handling system (1) comprises a cable guide assembly (5, 6) including an arm member (5) and a cable guide mechanism (6), a first end (5a) of the arm member (5) is rotatably attached to the rear of the vehicle body (2a), and the first end (5a) of the arm member (5) can move horizontally around the rear of the vehicle body (2a) through an arc centered on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body (2a) up to 90 degrees in both directions; the cable guide mechanism (6) is disposed at the second tip (5b) of the arm member (5) and is configured to receive the electric cable (3) being used and guide it toward the cable reel (4); The cable guide assembly further comprises a locking mechanism for selectively locking the arm member at one or more positions along the arc.

2. 2. A cable handling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm member (5) is free to move through the arc during movement of the vehicle (2).

3. 2. The cable handling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking mechanism (7) for selectively locking the arm member (5) comprises a locking pin (7a) and a corresponding slotted locking plate (7b).

4. 4. The cable handling system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the locking pin (7a) is provided with a link (7a1) of such strength that when the locking pin (7a) is used to lock the arm member (5), it is released upon application of a predetermined force, allowing the arm member (5) to move freely through the arc.

5. 2. A cable handling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable guide mechanism (6) comprises a plurality of rollers (6a) for guiding the electric cable (3) to be used towards the cable reel (4).

6. 6. A cable handling system (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the rollers (6a) are configured to guide the electric cable (3) when used while ensuring that the allowable bending radius of the electric cable (3) is maintained at all positions of the arm member (5) along the arc.

7. 2. The cable handling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the arm member (5) is from an attachment point at the rear of the vehicle body (2a) to the cable guide mechanism (6) at the second tip (5b), and the electric cable (3) used is positioned at a predetermined distance from the vehicle body (2a), the tracks or wheels (8) of the vehicle (2), or other parts of the vehicle (2).

8. 2. A cable handling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm member (5) is connected to an actuator arrangement (9) that can be controllably moved through the arc during operation of the vehicle (2).

9. 9. A cable handling system (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the actuator arrangement (9) comprises one or more hydraulic actuators (9), pneumatic actuators (9) or electric actuators (9).

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