Robot Automated Mining Drill Hole Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mining operations face challenges in accurately and efficiently charging drill holes with explosive material in complex mining environments, where drill holes are not always precisely located and may contain obstructions, leading to inefficiencies and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A robot system equipped with a camera system and tool assembly is used to navigate and position charging components within drill holes, employing visual servoing and automated/teleoperation modes to ensure precise placement of explosive material, overcoming obstructions and aligning with detected drill holes using 3D point cloud image data and a drilling map.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual charging operations are used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but accuracy and safety are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical charging operations with an automated robot system that uses camera-based visual servoing and 3D point cloud processing to achieve precise drill hole positioning and explosive material placement, eliminating human exposure to hazardous environments while improving accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital replica of the physical mining environment through 3D point cloud imaging and drilling maps, allowing the robot to navigate and charge drill holes with high precision by referencing this virtual model rather than relying on manual positioning
2Manufacturing precision
If automated robot operation is implemented, then charging accuracy is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system performs self-positioning and self-navigation by automatically processing 3D point cloud data from camera systems, detecting drill hole locations, and adjusting its own trajectory without requiring constant external control, thereby achieving high precision while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements visual servoing with real-time feedback loops where the camera system continuously monitors the robot's position relative to detected drill holes, and the control system automatically adjusts positioning to maintain charging accuracy throughout the operation
3Measurement precision
If visual servoing is used for positioning, then drill hole detection accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary scanning of the mining environment to create 3D point cloud data and drilling maps before charging operations begin, allowing the robot to quickly reference pre-processed spatial information during actual charging without time-consuming real-time processing
Solution Approach 2:
The visual servoing process is divided into distinct stages: initial environment scanning, drill hole detection, positioning calculation, and real-time adjustment. This segmentation allows computationally intensive processing to occur in advance while maintaining rapid response during critical charging operations
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a robot automated mining method. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot positioning a charging component for entry into a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot moving a charging component within a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot filling a drill hole with explosive material. In one embodiment, a method includes operating a robot within a mining environment.