Cable Bolt Seal Member with Radial Ribs for Mine Water Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable bolts in mine roof installations often allow water to flow out of boreholes, causing poor working conditions and slowing mine production, as existing methods do not effectively seal the entire length of the bolt within the borehole.
Innovation Solution
A cable bolt design featuring a seal member with radially extending ribs and a sealing material injected into the gaps between strands, which compresses to form a seal within the borehole, combined with a barrel and wedge assembly and stiffener to prevent water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cable bolts are used to reach higher layers of strata, then anchorage strength is improved, but water infiltration into boreholes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple segments: seal members positioned at different locations along the cable bolt (upper seal member near the head, lower seal member deeper in the borehole), and sealing material injected into gaps between cable strands. This segmented approach creates multiple barriers to water infiltration while maintaining the cable's anchorage function at depth.
Solution Approach 2:
Seal members made of elastomeric material act as intermediaries between the cable bolt system and the borehole wall, creating a physical barrier that prevents water from reaching the cable. The sealing material in the gaps between strands serves as another intermediary layer, blocking water pathways without affecting the cable's structural integrity or anchorage capability.
2Reliability
If seal members with radially extending ribs are used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is constructed as a flexible elastomeric structure with radially extending ribs that can deform to conform to the borehole wall irregularities. This flexibility allows the seal to effectively block water pathways without requiring complex rigid mechanical components, maintaining relatively simple construction while achieving reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is designed to be compressible and dynamically adaptable to the borehole environment. When installed, the seal member compresses between the cable bolt and the borehole wall, with the radially extending ribs deforming to fill gaps and create an effective seal. This dynamic adaptation allows effective sealing without complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sealing material is injected into gaps between strands, then water protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing material is injected into the gaps between cable strands during the cable bolt manufacturing process, before installation in the borehole. This preliminary sealing action ensures that the cable arrives at the mine site with pre-filled gaps, preventing water infiltration without requiring additional field operations. The manufacturing process is enhanced but installation is simplified.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively seals the lower portion of the cable bolt within the borehole, preventing water from reaching mine openings and travel ways, thus improving working conditions and production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The seal member is configured to compress when inserted into a borehole and form a seal between the seal member and the borehole
Implementation Method 2
sealing material positioned in the plurality of gaps for a portion of a length of the cable
Data Source
AI summary
A cable bolt comprises a cable having an elongate body with a first end and a second end, a barrel and wedge assembly attached to the cable at a position adjacent to the first end of the cable, and a seal member having a body defining a passageway that receives a portion of the elongate body of the cable. The body of the seal member includes at least one rib extending radially outward from the body of the seal member.