Method of Driving Plurality of Mine Vehicles in Mine, and Transport System

• US 20090118889A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Vauramo, Pekka, Heino, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 12/02 for vehicles operating in tandem
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 41/00 Methods of underground or surface mining E21C45/00 takes precedence; Layouts therefor for peat E21C49/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

A method of driving mine vehicles in a mine, and a transport system. A plurality of mine vehicles is arranged in succession and driven in convoy between working areas. A master vehicle in the convoy is driven manually, and slave vehicles follow the master, provided with no mechanical connection. In the working areas, the convoy is disassembled, since single vehicles are each driven separately. When assigned tasks in the working areas have been completed, the vehicles are reassembled into a convoy so as to be driven to a next working area.

Claims

1. :

A method of driving mine vehicles in a mine, the method comprising;

assembling mine vehicles into a convoy comprising a plurality of mine vehicles in succession with no mechanical connection therebetween;

driving each mine vehicle in the convoy by means of control means provided in each vehicle;

appointing one of the mine vehicles in the convoy as a master vehicle and the rest of the mine vehicles in the convoy as slave vehicles;

driving the master vehicle in the convoy manually, controlled by an operator,

controlling the slave vehicles in the convoy automatically on the basis of a route traveled by the master vehicles; and

monitoring the distance between two successive vehicles and adjusting the travelling speed of the vehicles in order to prevent collisions; and

driving the convoy between at least a first working area and a second working area in accordance with the following working cycle;

loading the vehicles with rock material,

assembling the mine vehicles in the first working area into a convoy and driving the convoy to the second working area,

disassembling the convoy in the second working area,

driving each single mine vehicle in the second working area separately in order to unload the rock material at an unloading site,

assembling the mine vehicles into a convoy after unloading,

driving the convoy to the first working area,

disassembling the convoy in the first working area,

driving in the first working area each single mine vehicle separately at a loading site in order to load rock material, and

driving the convoy between the loading site and the unloading site substantially continuously.

2. :

A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising

driving each mine vehicle manned in at least one working area at least when disassembling the convoy and/or when performing tasks and/or when reassembling the mine vehicles into a convoy.

3. :

A method as claimed in claim 1,

arranging the mine vehicles in the convoy in a random order in the convoy.

4. :

A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising

forming a convoy from a plurality of transport vehicles provided with a dump box for transporting rock material,

loading rock material to the dump box of the transport vehicles at the loading site residing in the second working area,

reversing, in the first working area, each transport vehicle one by one to the unloading site and dumping the rock material from the dump box, and

driving the convoy between the loading site and the unloading site substantially continuously.

5. :

A transport system for mines, comprising;

at least one convoy comprising a plurality of mine vehicles arranged in succession with no mechanical connection therebetween;

control means in each mine vehicle for driving the vehicles independently, controlled by an operator and by a control unit of the mine vehicle;

at least one control unit for the transport system; and

at least one data communications link between the control units,

wherein as a first vehicle in the convoy, a master vehicle is provided which is arranged to be driven manually, controlled by the operator,

wherein slave vehicles behind the master vehicle are arranged to follow a route taken by the master vehicle, automatically and controlled by the control unit,

wherein the transport system comprises at least a first working area and a second working area as well as a route therebetween,

wherein the mine vehicles are arranged to be driven in convoy substantially continuously between a loading site residing in the second working area and an unloading site residing in the first working area, and

wherein, in order to load and unload rock material to the convoy, each single mine vehicle is arranged to be driven in the working area separately, independently of the rest of the mine vehicles in the convoy.

6. :

A transport system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mine vehicles are arranged in a random order in the convoy.

7. :

A transport system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each mine vehicle comprises a control station for driving the vehicle manned, the master vehicle in the convoy is arranged to be driven manned, and the mine vehicles in the working area are arranged to be driven manned by the operator of the master vehicle.

8. :

A transport system for mines, comprising;

at least one convoy comprising a plurality of mine vehicles arranged in succession with no mechanical connection there between;

control means in each mine vehicle for driving the vehicles independently, controlled by an operator and by a control unit of the mine vehicle;

at least one control unit for the transport system; and

at least one data communications link between the control units,

wherein as a first vehicle in the convoy, a master vehicle is provided which is arranged to be driven manually, controlled by the operator,

wherein slave vehicles behind the master vehicle are arranged to follow a route taken by the master vehicle, automatically and controlled by the control unit,

wherein the transport system comprises at least a first working area and a second working area as well as a route therebetween,

wherein the mine vehicles are arranged to be driven in convoy substantially continuously between a loading site residing in the second working area and an unloading site residing in the first working area,

wherein in order to load and unload rock material to the convoy, each single mine vehicle is arranged to be driven in the working area separately, independently of the rest of the mine vehicles in the convoy,

wherein the convoy includes several transport vehicles provided with dump boxes and used as slave vehicles, and

wherein the master vehicle is without a dump box.