Remote Vehicle Blasting Survey and Detonator Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Blasting operations face challenges such as personnel safety risks, potential errors in explosive charging and connection, and the need for real-time monitoring of blasting processes, which existing protocols struggle to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

Employing remotely controlled vehicles (RCVs) to survey, mark, and control blasting sites, reduce personnel presence, ensure accurate data collection, and manage explosive delivery and detonator connections, while providing real-time monitoring and fault detection capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If personnel are deployed to manually charge boreholes and connect detonators, then the blasting operation can be performed, but personnel safety is compromised and human error may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblasting operation reliabilityVSAvoidpersonnel safety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses automated vehicles to perform charging and connection tasks independently without human intervention. The vehicle autonomously navigates to boreholes, charges explosives, and connects detonators using automated mechanisms, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for personnel to be present in hazardous areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations by personnel are replaced with automated mechanical systems. The patent employs automated charging mechanisms and connection devices mounted on remote-controlled or autonomous vehicles, substituting human physical actions with machine-based operations to eliminate safety risks while maintaining operational reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If manual protocols are used for blasting preparation and execution, then the process can be completed, but errors may occur in charging and connection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblasting process efficiencyVSAvoidcharging and connection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates sensors and detection devices that provide real-time feedback on the charging and connection processes. The vehicle's onboard systems monitor whether boreholes are correctly charged and detonators properly connected, allowing for immediate detection and correction of errors, thereby improving both accuracy and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The automated vehicle performs verification of charging and connection operations independently. Through onboard sensors and automated inspection mechanisms, the system self-verifies that each borehole is correctly charged and each detonator is properly connected, eliminating reliance on manual checking and reducing human error.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If more personnel are present to monitor blasting operations, then safety can be improved, but the risk of exposure to injury or death increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation safetyVSAvoidpersonnel exposure to hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts personnel from the hazardous blasting environment entirely. By using remote-controlled and autonomous vehicles to perform all charging, connection, and monitoring tasks, the patent removes human beings from areas where explosives are handled and detonated, eliminating exposure to injury or death while maintaining operational safety through automated systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated vehicle acts as an intermediary between operators and the hazardous blasting environment. Remote operators control the vehicle from safe locations, and the vehicle itself serves as a mediator that can withstand or tolerate the hazardous conditions, protecting human operators from direct exposure to explosives and blast zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If real-time monitoring of blasting processes is implemented, then procedural improvements can be developed, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time blasting dataVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated vehicle serves multiple functions: it charges boreholes, connects detonators, navigates autonomously, and performs real-time monitoring all in one system. By integrating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional platform, the patent reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized systems for each task while still capturing comprehensive real-time blasting data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10359265B2Use of a remotely controlled vehicle in a blasting operation

Publication Date: 2019.07.23 DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD

AI summary

A blasting system including a plurality of detonators located in respective boreholes, which is implemented through the use of a remotely controlled vehicle used for survey purposes and for locating geographical positions of the boreholes.