Nested Mine Roof Supports for Transport Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mine roof support containers are inefficiently transported due to their large size and low weight, leading to high transportation costs as they occupy more volume than weight, limiting the number that can be transported on a vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A set of nested containers with progressively smaller cross-sectional dimensions allows for efficient stacking and transportation, with each container fitting inside the next larger one without binding, enabling more efficient use of vehicle capacity and reducing transportation costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If containers are made with large size to provide sufficient support volume, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but transportation efficiency deteriorates due to high volume occupying space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by designing containers with progressively smaller cross-sectional dimensions that can be inserted one within another. This allows multiple large-volume containers to be transported in a compact nested configuration, reducing the total space occupied during transportation while maintaining the full load-bearing capacity when deployed at the mine site
2Weight of moving object
If containers are made hollow to reduce weight, then ease of handling is improved, but transportation cost increases due to inefficient capacity utilization
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting multiple hollow containers within each other, the patent reduces the overall volume occupied during transportation. This allows the transportation vehicle to carry more containers per trip, improving capacity utilization and transportation efficiency despite the containers being hollow and lightweight
3Productivity
If container size is reduced to improve transportation efficiency, then transportation cost decreases, but load-bearing capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by using nesting to compress multiple containers of adequate size into a smaller transportable form factor. Each individual container maintains sufficient load-bearing capacity, and when nested, they occupy reduced space, thus achieving both transportation efficiency and structural adequacy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs progressive reduction in cross-sectional dimensions across multiple containers, creating a dimensional hierarchy that enables nesting. This dimensional approach allows containers to be compacted in the radial direction while maintaining their longitudinal load-bearing structure
Data Source
AI summary
This invention is directed to a mine roof support set including a plurality of nested containers. Each container in the set has a progressively smaller cross-sectional dimension to allow the containers to be nested one within the other. The plurality of containers can be nested during transportation of the mine roof support set to a mine site. The containers can be separated at the mine site and filled with a load-bearing material. The containers filled with the load-bearing material are placed with their longitudinal axis between a mine roof and a mine floor.