Seat module for a mining vehicle

• US 8,985,263 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Joy Mm Delaware Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Peterson, Adam S., Anderson, Douglas F., Thomas, Terry M., Sutton, Darin M., Arnold, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US13/037,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20120224941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 180/317, 180/329, 296/65.07, 296/190.01, 414/508, 198/304
• US Class Current: 180/329
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4242 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42772 characterised by the triggering system
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/797 for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 13/025 Shuttle cars

Abstract

A mining shuttle car that trams on underground roadways includes a conveyor system and an operator'"'"'s compartment adjacent to the conveyor system. The operator'"'"'s compartment includes a rotatable seat and a control station. The operator'"'"'s seat module is coupled to one or more joysticks that control the car, and the operator'"'"'s seat module and the control station are mounted on a rotatable platform so as to be rotatable as a unit between a plurality of secured positions for operating the mining shuttle car. Forward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point in front of the seat, and rearward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point behind the seat. Forward and rearward movement of one of the joysticks steers the mining shuttle car in the same manner regardless of the rotational position of the rotational position of the seat.

Claims

1. A mining shuttle car comprising:

a loading end;

a discharge end;

a conveyor system extending between the loading end and the discharge end; and

a seat module positioned adjacent the conveyor system and including a rotatable seat, the seat being rotatable between a first secured position facing generally toward the loading end, a second secured position facing generally toward the discharge end, and at least one secured position between the first and second positions, wherein the seat is freely rotatable independent of the operation of the mining shuttle car, further comprising a joystick control coupled to the seat and rotatable therewith, the joystick control operable to steer the mining shuttle car, wherein forward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point in front of the seat, and rearward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point behind the seat, regardless of the rotational position of the seat.

2. The mining shuttle car of claim 1, further comprising foot controls coupled to the seat and rotatable therewith.

3. The mining shuttle car of claim 1, further comprising a foot control rotatable with the seat.

4. A method of operating a mining shuttle car having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the method comprising:

rotating a seat to any one of a plurality of secured positions;

selecting a tramming direction;

pushing a joystick control away from the seat to turn the mining shuttle car toward the first side regardless of seat position and tramming direction; and

pulling the joystick control toward the seat to turn-the mining shuttle car toward the second side regardless of seat position and tramming direction.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising operating a foot control to tram the shuttle car in the selected tramming direction, the foot control coupled to the seat for rotation therewith.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting a tramming direction with a switch mounted to the joystick control.

7. A mining shuttle car comprising:

a first side;

a second side opposite the first side;

a loading end;

a discharge end;

a conveyor system extending between the loading end and the discharge end; and

a seat module positioned adjacent the conveyor system and including a seat rotatable to any one of a plurality of secured positions, a joystick control coupled to the seat for rotation therewith, and a switch mounted to the joystick control to select a tramming direction, wherein pushing the joystick control away from the seat turns the mining shuttle car toward the first side regardless of seat position and tramming direction, and pulling the joystick control toward the seat turns the mining shuttle car toward the second side regardless of seat position and tramming direction.

8. The mining shuttle car of claim 7, further comprising a foot control to tram the mining shuttle car in the selected tramming direction, the foot control coupled to the seat for rotation therewith.

9. A mining shuttle car comprising:

a loading end;

a discharge end;

a conveyor system extending between the loading end and the discharge end; and

a seat module positioned adjacent the conveyor system and including a rotatable seat, the seat being rotatable between a first secured position facing generally toward the loading end, a second secured position facing generally toward the discharge end, and at least one secured position between the first and second positions, wherein the seat is freely rotatable independent of the operation of the mining shuttle car, further comprising a joystick control coupled to the seat and rotatable therewith, the joystick control operable to steer the mining shuttle car, wherein the seat module is disposed to one side of the mining shuttle car, and wherein pulling the joystick toward the seat while tramming steers the mining shuttle car such that the seat module is positioned to the inside of the resulting turn, and wherein pushing the joystick away from the seat while tramming steers the mining shuttle car such that the seat module is positioned to the outside of the resulting turn.

10. The mining shuttle car of claim 9, further comprising foot controls coupled to the seat and rotatable therewith.

11. The mining shuttle car of claim 9, further comprising a foot control rotatable with the seat.