Tether Tracking System for Mobile Machine Cable Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing high-voltage cables at construction or mining sites are inadequate in preventing damage from mobile equipment, as the cables are difficult to detect and their locations change, leading to potential collisions and disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A tether tracking system equipped with a spool, sensors, and a controller that determines a tether avoidance zone based on spool parameters and travel path data, allowing for precise management of the tether's dispensing and reeling to maintain its position and prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cable is elevated above the machine using a tall turret, then the cable is protected from damage at the machine location, but the machine's use is limited and collision with overhead obstructions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed, static turret structure with a dynamic spool system that can actively adjust cable dispensing and reeling operations based on machine movement, enabling the cable management system to adapt to varying operational conditions without requiring elevated cable positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical turret elevation system with an electronic control system that uses sensors to detect machine position and cable tension, automatically controlling cable dispensing and reeling to achieve protection without the mechanical constraints of a tall turret
2Ease of operation
If the cable lies across the ground during machine movement, then the machine has freedom of movement, but the cable is vulnerable to damage from other equipment and difficult to locate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system using sensors to continuously monitor machine position, cable tension, and cable location, automatically adjusting cable dispensing and reeling operations to maintain cable stability and predictability while preserving machine mobility freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary between the machine movement and cable management, coordinating spool operations to ensure the cable remains in a predictable location that avoids other equipment while maintaining machine freedom of movement
3Device complexity
If manual cable management is used without tracking systems, then the system is simple, but cable location is unpredictable and collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the cable management system to serve itself through automated sensor-based detection and control, where the system independently monitors its own state and adjusts cable dispensing and reeling operations without requiring complex external tracking infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single controller system that handles machine position detection, cable tension monitoring, cable location tracking, and spool control, achieving reliable cable protection through a unified system rather than separate complex subsystems
Data Source
AI summary
A tether tracking system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The tether tracking system may have a spool located on the mobile machine to selectively dispense and reel in a tether extending from the mobile machine to a stationary source as the mobile machine travels about a worksite. The tether tracking system may also have at least one sensor associated with the spool to generate a first signal indicative of a spool parameter, a locating system associated with the mobile machine to generate a second signal indicative of a location of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor and the locating system. The controller may be configured to determine a tether avoidance zone based on the first and second signals.