Shearer-Hydraulic Support Distance Sensing for Guard Plate Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interference between the cutting part of a shearer and the guard plate of a hydraulic support during coal mining poses a risk of damage and disrupts fully-mechanized mining operations due to the lack of timely retraction of the guard plate, leading to potential paralysis of the mining face.
Innovation Solution
An interference protection device using ultrasonic transducers and optical signals to calculate the distance between the shearer and the hydraulic support, controlling the guard plate's retraction via a single-chip microcomputer to prevent collisions, while also employing dust-proof enclosures to protect components from coal ash and dust.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the guard plate is not retracted in time, then the structure remains simple and reliable, but the cutting teeth collide with the guard plate causing damage and potential paralysis of the mining face
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the shearer's position using ultrasonic transducers and flash lamps before the cutting part reaches the guard plate. By calculating distance based on the time difference between optical signal reception and ultrasonic signal reception, the system triggers guard plate retraction in advance, preventing collision before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with a combination of optical detection (flash lamp and receiver) and ultrasonic detection. This substitution achieves precise distance measurement while simplifying the overall system structure and reducing mechanical complexity.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If dust-proof enclosures are added to protect components, then component lifespan is extended, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dust-proof housings made from transparent PC endurance board to enclose the ultrasonic transducers and flash lamps. These thin-film enclosures effectively protect the components from coal ash and dust while maintaining transparency for optical signal transmission and adding minimal structural complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple dust-proof cases are installed on the shearer, then protection against dust is improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple lightweight dust-proof cases made from PC endurance board distributed on the hauling part. These inexpensive, lightweight enclosures provide effective dust protection for the ultrasonic transducers and flash lamps without significantly increasing the overall weight of the moving shearer components.
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 solution effectively prevents interference by timely retraction of the guard plate, ensuring safe and efficient coal mining operations with low costs, high reliability, and extended component lifespan by protecting against dust ingress.
Implementation Method 1
a first ultrasonic transducer and a flash lamp are fixedly provided in each dust-proof case, and a second ultrasonic transducer, a receiver, and a data processing module are fixedly provided in the dust-proof housing
Implementation Method 2
The method obtains a distance from the shearer to the hydraulic support by calculation from a difference between time points at which a second ultrasonic transducer and a receiver on the hydraulic support respectively receive an ultrasonic signal and an optical signal
Implementation Method 3
a first ultrasonic transducer and a flash lamp are fixedly provided in each dust-proof case, and a second ultrasonic transducer, a receiver, and a data processing module are fixedly provided in the dust-proof housing
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an interference protection device and method for a hydraulic support and a cutting part of a shearer. The device includes: a plurality of dust-proof cases evenly and fixedly provided on a surface of one side of a hauling part of the shearer that faces away from a coal wall, and a dust-proof housing fixed on the hydraulic support. A first ultrasonic transducer and a flash lamp are fixedly provided in each dust-proof case, and a second ultrasonic transducer, a receiver, and a data processing module are fixedly provided in the dust-proof housing. The data processing module is electrically connected to the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver separately, the first ultrasonic transducers and the flash lamps are all electrically connected to an external single-chip microcomputer, and the data processing module is electrically connected to a hydraulic support control computer. The present invention obtains a distance from the shearer to the hydraulic support by calculation from a difference between time points at which the second ultrasonic transducer and the receiver on the hydraulic support respectively receive an ultrasonic signal and an optical signal, and thus timely controls a guard plate to retract, thereby achieving the advantages of low cost, high applicability and high reliability.