Plastic Battery Tray for Underground Mining Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional steel battery trays for underground mining equipment are conductive, prone to corrosion, heavy, and require costly coatings, while fiberglass trays can retain battery acid, making them unsuitable for efficient and safe use in mining environments.

Innovation Solution

A battery tray and cover made entirely of plastic, including battery partitions with spacers, which are non-conductive, non-flammable, and non-corrosive, reducing weight and meeting Mine Safety and Health Administration requirements, and are designed to withstand mining debris.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If steel battery trays are used, then strength and protection from falling debris is improved, but weight increases and corrosion resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from falling debrisVSAvoidbattery tray weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from steel to plastic, fundamentally altering the density and weight characteristics while maintaining protective functionality through design modifications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses plastic as a composite material alternative to steel, achieving both weight reduction and corrosion resistance while maintaining structural integrity through the plastic material properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If steel battery trays are used, then strength is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to coating requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from falling debrisVSAvoidcoating process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the coating requirement from the manufacturing process by using plastic material that inherently provides the necessary protective properties without requiring additional coating layers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameter from steel to plastic, eliminating the need for protective coatings and simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Weight of stationary object

If fiberglass battery trays are used, then weight is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to acid retention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery tray weightVSAvoidacid retention resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from fiberglass to plastic, altering the surface properties to prevent acid retention while maintaining lightweight characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9634306B2Battery tray and cover for underground mining equipment

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 JOY GLOBAL UNDERGROUND MINING LLC

AI summary

A battery-powered mining machine comprising a battery tray and a plurality of batteries. The battery tray including at least one battery partition, the battery partition made entirely of plastic. The plurality of batteries in the battery tray to provide power to the mining machine, the plurality of batteries held in place by the battery partition.