Cable guide having a signaling instrument

• US 7,958,982 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Everett, Bryan James, Koch, Roger Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano; S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCARRY JR, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/149,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 191/12.R, 191/12.2 R, 191/12.2 A, 191/12.4, 191/12.C, 191/40, 191/41, 371/04
• US Class Current: 191/12.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/00 Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 9/02 laid directly in or on the ground, river-bed or sea-bottom; Coverings therefor, e.g. tile

Abstract

A cable guide for a mobile machine is disclosed. The cable guide includes a supporting body, a guide member, and an electronic signaling instrument. The supporting body is configured to engage a worksite. The guide member is mounted on the supporting body and is configured to direct the cable in a fixed travel path in response to movement by the mobile machine. The electronic signaling instrument is engaged with the guide member and is configured to transmit an electronic signal indicative of a location of the cable guide.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding a cable tethered from a mobile machine along a worksite via a plurality of cable guides, each cable guide including a supporting body, a guide member mounted on the supporting body, and an electronic signaling instrument associated with the guide member, the method comprising:

fixedly entrenching each supporting body in the worksite;

engaging the cable with the respective guide members;

directing the cable along a fixed travel path in the worksite with the cable guides and above a surface of the worksite between the cable guides in response to movement by the mobile machine; and

transmitting an electronic signal based on a location of at least one of the cable guides.

2. The method of claim 1, further including sensing the electronic signal by at least one vehicle located within the worksite.

3. The method of claim 2, further including converting the electronic signal to a warning signal as the at least one vehicle approaches the at least one cable guide.

4. The method of claim 3, further including activating the warning signal to avoid a traveling path of the at least one vehicle proximal to the at least one cable guide.

5. The method of claim 3, further including diminishing the warning signal as the at least one vehicle travels distally from the at least one cable guide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the cable along the fixed travel path further includes providing tension to the cable along the respective guide members.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining based on the electronic signal if the at least one vehicle is within a predetermined distance from any of the cable guides; and

producing a warning signal in the vehicle when the at least one vehicle is within the predetermined distance from any of the cable guides.

8. A mobile machine system, comprising:

a set of cables engaged with and tethered from a mobile machine;

a plurality of cable guides configured to guide the set of cables along a fixed travel path in a worksite and above a surface of the worksite between the cable guides during operation of the mobile machine, each cable guide comprising;

a supporting body fixedly entrenched in the worksite;

a guide member mounted on the supporting body, the guide member configured to direct the cable along the fixed travel path in response to movement by the mobile machine; and

an electronic signaling instrument connected to the guide member and configured to transmit an electronic signal based on a location of the cable guide; and

at least one vehicle configured to travel in and out of the worksite.

9. The mobile machine system of claim 8, wherein the mobile machine is an electric mining shovel and the set of cables is configured to deliver electric power to the shovel.

10. The mobile machine system of claim 8, wherein the electronic signal is sensed by the at least one vehicle within the worksite.

11. The mobile machine system of claim 10, wherein the electronic signal is converted to a warning signal as the at least one vehicle approaches at least one of the cable guides.

12. The mobile machine system of claim 11, wherein the warning signal is activated to avoid a traveling path of the at least one vehicle proximal to the at least one cable guide.

13. The mobile machine system of claim 11, wherein the warning signal diminishes as the at least one vehicle travels distally from the at least one cable guide.

14. The mobile machine system of claim 8, wherein the guide member includes at least one pulley rotatably mounted on top of the supporting body.

20. The mobile machine system of claim 8, wherein the at least one vehicle is configured to receive the electronic signal and produce a warning signal in response to the electronic signal when the at least one vehicle is within a predetermined distance from any of the cable guides.

15. A cable guidance system, comprising:

a set of cables engaged with and tethered from a mobile machine; and

a plurality of cable guides configured to guide the set of cables along a fixed travel path in a worksite and above a surface of the worksite between the cable guides during operation of the mobile machine, each cable guide comprising;

a supporting body fixedly entrenched in the worksite,

a guide member mounted on the supporting body, the guide member configured to direct the cable along the fixed travel path in response to movement by the mobile machine, and

an electronic signaling instrument connected to the guide member and configured to transmit an electronic signal that is detectable to determine a location of the cable guide.

16. The cable guidance system of claim 15, wherein the mobile machine is an electric mining shovel and the set of cables is configured to deliver electric power to the shovel.

17. The cable guidance system of claim 15, wherein the electronic signal is sensed by at least one vehicle configured to travel in and out of the worksite.

18. The cable guidance system of claim 15, wherein each supporting body is configured to be inserted into the ground to be fixedly entrenched in the worksite.

19. The cable guidance system of claim 15, wherein the electronic signal is detectable by at least one vehicle configured to travel in and out of the worksite and configured to produce a warning signal in response to the electronic signal when the at least one vehicle is within a predetermined distance from any of the cable guides.