Detecting sump depth of a miner

• US 9,435,201 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Joy Mm Delaware Incorporated (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Paterson, Alastair J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kreck, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, MICHAEL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US14/970,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20160102551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 299/1.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 25/06 Machines slitting solely by one or more cutting rods or cutting drums which rotate, move through the seam, and may or may not reciprocate
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/08 Guiding the machine
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/12 along a conveyor for the cut material
• 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: E21C 41/16 Methods of underground mining winning machines therefor E21C25/00 - E21C39/00; Layouts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/18 Special adaptations of signalling or alarm devices for mine lifts B66B; gas-sensitive devices per se G01N

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a mining machine. One system includes a controller, a stationary object, and a radar device. The radar device transmits radio waves toward the stationary object and detects reflections of the radio waves. The controller obtains timing information regarding the radio waves and the reflections. Based on the timing information, the controller is configured to determine a first distance between the radar device and the stationary object before sumping the mining machine into material and a second distance between the radar device and the stationary object after sumping the mining machine into the material. The controller is also configured to determine a sump depth of the mining machine based on the first distance and the second distance, compare the determined sump depth to a predetermined sump depth, and perform at least one automatic action when the determined sump depth does not satisfy the predetermined sump depth.

Claims

1. A system for operating a mining machine, the system comprising:

at least one controller configured to

obtain first reflection data from at least one radar device,

determine, based on the first reflection data, a first distance between a point of reference and a stationary object before sumping the mining machine into material,

obtain second reflection data from the at least one radar device,

determine, based on the second reflection data, a second distance between a point of reference and the stationary object after sumping the mining machine into the material,

determine a sump depth of the mining machine based on the first distance and the second distance, and

perform at least one automatic action when the determined sump depth does not satisfy at least one predetermined sump depth.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stationary object includes an anti-stealth device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the anti-stealth device includes a corner cube reflector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the stationary object includes a bolt.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the stationary object includes a bolt positioned between 6 meters and 1 meters to a rear of the mining machine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the stationary object includes a roadway rib.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the stationary object includes haulage equipment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to filter the reflection data to identify at least one reflection received by the at least one radar device having an angle within a predetermined range of angles.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to filter the reflection data to identify at least one reflection received by the at least one radar device having a signal strength greater than a predetermined threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mining machine includes a continuous miner and the at least one radar device includes two radar devices mounted to a rear of the continuous miner.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic action includes issuing a warning to an operator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic action includes sumping the mining machine further into the material.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic action includes retracting the mining machine from the material.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automatic action includes stopping a cutting drum of the mining machine.

15. A method of operating a continuous miner comprising:

determining a first distance to a stationary object based on data from at least one radar device;

after sumping the continuous miner into material being mined, determining a second distance to the stationary object based on data from the at least one radar device;

determining, with at least one controller, a sump depth of the continuous miner based on the first distance and the second distance; and

when the determined sump depth does not satisfy a predetermined sump depth, modifying operation of the continuous miner.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the first distance to the stationary object includes determining a distance to a bolt.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the first distance to the stationary object includes determining a distance to a roadway rib.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein modifying the operation of the continuous miner includes automatically sumping the continuous miner further into the material.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein modifying the operation of the continuous miner includes automatically retracting the continuous miner from the material.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein modifying the operation of the continuous miner includes automatically stopping a cutting drum of the continuous miner.