Method and arrangement for determining position of unmanned mining vehicles

• US 6,616,244 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sandvik Tamrock
• Original Assignee: Sandvik Tamrock
• Inventors: Häkkinen, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halford, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/241,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 299/1.05, 299/1.4, 299/1.5, 299/1.6, 299/1.8, 299/19, 299/30, 701/23, 701/28
• US Class Current: 299/1.05
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/24 Remote control specially adapted for machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/18 Special adaptations of signalling or alarm devices for mine lifts B66B; gas-sensitive devices per se G01N
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A method of determining the position of unmanned mining vehicles. According to the method, control marks are provided in the mine, for positioning mining vehicles in production use by means of a marking device, such as a paint sprayer (14), provided in a specific measuring vehicle (3). The invention also relates to a measuring vehicle that is unmanned and comprises a measuring device for measuring a mine and also a marking device for providing a mine gallery with control marks.

Claims

1. A method of determining the position of unmanned mining vehicles, the method comprising:

measuring excavated mine galleries by means of an unmanned measuring vehicle,

marking control marks in the mine galleries by means of a marking device in the measuring vehicle, and

using the control marks in controlling a mining vehicle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

painting the control marks on the walls/roof of the mine gallery by means of paint sprayers in the measuring vehicle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

using a positioning mark as the control mark.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

using readable location/identification information as the control mark.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, comprising:

reading the location information in connection with the control mark by means of a reading device in the mining vehicle and transmitting it to a control system of the device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

controlling the mining vehicles from a control room outside a mine section to be operated by using wireless data transmission between said control room and the unmanned mining vehicle,

emitting a light beam at least to both sides of the vehicle,

monitoring the position of the light beams in respect of control marks by means of one or more video cameras in the mining vehicle,

transmitting the picture of the mine to the control room in order to control the mining vehicles, and

driving on the basis of control information transmitted by the video camera, the rock drilling apparatus to a position where the light beams are positioned in a predetermined manner in respect of the control marks made by the measuring vehicle onto the mine gallery.

7. A measuring vehicle comprising:

a mobile base,

control devices for driving it unmanned in a mine from a control room arranged outside a mine section to be operated,

a data communication unit for transmitting control and measurement information between the control room and the vehicle,

at least one measuring device by which a mine gallery is measured, and

at least one marking device for marking control marks onto the mine gallery in order to control other mining vehicles and determine the position thereof.

8. A measuring vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring vehicle is provided with one or more paint sprayers for painting the control marks onto the mine gallery.

9. A measuring vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring vehicle comprises means for marking location/identification information in connection with the control mark.

10. A measuring vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring vehicle comprises means for marking a bar code in connection with the control mark.