Mining machine, management system of mining machine, and management method of mining machine

• US 10,800,406 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Awamori, Katsuki, Tanuki, Tomikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US14/760,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A mining machine includes a traveling device traveling a traveling path in a mine, a vehicle body supported by the traveling device, a non-contact sensor in a front section of the vehicle body which contactlessly detects an object in a detection area, and is arranged such that the traveling path in front of the vehicle body and an area beside the traveling path are included in the detection area, an obstacle detector detecting an obstacle in the traveling path in front of the vehicle body based on an output signal of the non-contact sensor, a distance detector a distance to a wall beside the traveling path based on an output signal of the non-contact sensor, and a traveling controller controlling the traveling device based on a detection result of at least one of the obstacle detection unit and the distance detection unit.

Claims

1. An unmanned mining machine comprising:

a traveling device configured to travel a traveling path in a mine;

a vehicle body supported by the traveling device;

a non-contact sensor provided in a front section of the vehicle body, configured to contactlessly detect an object within a detection area thereof including both a forward area in front of the vehicle body and a lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area, and arranged so that the detection area includes an area on the traveling path in front of the vehicle body and an area beside the traveling path when the traveling device travels;

an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle in the traveling path in front of the vehicle body based on an output signal of said non-contact sensor;

a distance detection unit configured to detect a distance to a wall beside the traveling path based on an output signal of said non-contact sensor; and

a traveling control unit configured to control the traveling device;

wherein

the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is a detection point indicating the presence of an object based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is the detection point indicating the presence of the object, the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is a plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, the distance detection unit determines that the object is the wall,

when the distance detection unit determines that the object is the wall, the distance detection unit detects the distance to the wall and outputs an instruction signal to adjust the traveling direction of the traveling device to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not come into contact with the wall,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is not the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, the obstacle detection unit determines whether or not the object is present in front of the vehicle body based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor,

when the obstacle detection unit determines that the object is present in front of the vehicle, the obstacle detection unit recognizes that the object is the obstacle and outputs an instruction signal to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not collide with the obstacle,

the traveling control unit controls the traveling device so that the distance to the wall is maintained constant based on the instruction signal from the distance detection unit, and

the traveling control unit controls the traveling device so as not to come into collision based on the instruction signal from the obstacle detection unit.

2. The mining machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motive power generation device configured to generate motive power, wherein

the traveling device is driven by motive power generated by the motive power generation device, and includes a brake device configured to stop traveling and a steering gear configured to adjust a traveling direction,

the obstacle detection unit causes the traveling control unit to output at least one of a power control signal for controlling the motive power generation device, a brake control signal for controlling the brake device and a steering control signal for controlling the steering gear so that the vehicle body does not collide with the obstacle based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor, and

the distance detection unit causes the traveling control unit to output a steering control signal for controlling the steering gear so that the vehicle body does not come into contact with the wall based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor.

3. The mining machine according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact sensor includes a first non-contact sensor and a second non-contact sensor provided adjacent to the first non-contact sensor across a center line of the vehicle body,

the first non-contact sensor and the second non-contact sensor face different directions,

the detection area includes a first detection area of the first non-contact sensor and a second detection area of the second non-contact sensor,

the first detection area and the second detection area respectively have a shape extending radially, which partially overlap in front of the vehicle body, in the plane substantially parallel to the surface of the traveling path, and

one edge of the first detection area and one edge of the second detection area extend laterally from the front section of the vehicle body, which are orthogonal to the center line of the vehicle body, and which are arranged on the same straight line, in the plane substantially parallel to the surface of the traveling path.

4. The mining machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

a detection area setting unit that sets the forward area in front of the vehicle body and the lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area, wherein

the first non-contact sensor faces a forward left direction,

the second non-contact sensor faces a forward right direction,

the lateral area includes a first lateral area set in the first detection area and a second lateral area set in the second detection area,

the detection area setting unit sets the first lateral area on the left side of the center line and the second lateral area on the right side of the center line,

an area located on the left side of the center line within the forward area overlaps with the first lateral area and does not overlap with the second lateral area,

an area located on the right side of the center line within the forward area does not overlap with the first lateral area and overlaps with the second lateral area,

a part of an area which is close to the vehicle body within the forward area overlaps with the first lateral area and the second lateral area, and

a part of an area which is far from the vehicle body within the forward area does not overlap with the first lateral area and the second lateral area.

5. The mining machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection area setting unit that sets the forward area in front of the vehicle body and the lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area,

wherein

the width of the forward area is equal to the width of the vehicle body,

the lateral area is smaller than the detection area and is at least partly set so as to protrude from the forward area in the lateral direction,

the forward area includes an area that overlaps with a part of the lateral area and an area that does not overlap with the lateral area,

the lateral area includes an area that overlaps with a part of the forward area and an area that does not overlap with the forward area,

the obstacle detection unit determines whether or not there is the obstacle in the forward area based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor, and

the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is the wall in the lateral area based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor.

6. The mining machine according to claim 5, wherein

the distance to the wall detected by the distance detection unit includes a distance to one said detection point closest to the vehicle body among the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object within the lateral area in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the traveling device.

7. The mining machine according to claim 1, wherein

the non-contact sensor is configured to contactlessly detect an object within the detection area of the non-contact sensor during the traveling device traveling, and

the traveling control unit is configured to control the traveling device based on at least one of detection results separately performed by the obstacle detection unit and the distance detection unit during the traveling device traveling.

8. The mining machine according to claim 1, wherein

an edge of the detection area of the non-contact sensor extends in one side direction from a center line of the vehicle body, and

another edge of the detection area of the non-contact sensor extends in another side direction from the center line of the vehicle body.

9. The mining machine according to claim 1, wherein

when the traveling control unit determines that degree of reliability of position data acquired from GPS is low and cannot cause the traveling device to correct the position of the vehicle body based on the position data during the dead-reckoning traveling, the traveling control unit causes the traveling device to correct the position of the vehicle body and continue the dead-reckoning traveling based on the distance to the wall.

10. A management system of an unmanned mining machine including a traveling device configured to travel a traveling path in a mine and a vehicle body supported by the traveling device, the management system of the mining machine comprising:

a non-contact sensor provided in a front section of the vehicle body, configured to contactlessly detect an object within a detection area thereof including both a forward area in front of the vehicle body and a lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area, and arranged so that the detection area includes an area on the traveling path in front of the vehicle body and an area beside the traveling path when the traveling device travels;

an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle in the traveling path in front of the vehicle body based on an output signal of said non-contact sensor;

a distance detection unit configured to detect a distance between a wall beside the traveling path and the vehicle body based on an output signal of said non-contact sensor; and

a traveling control unit configured to control the traveling device;

wherein

the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is a detection point indicating the presence of an object based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is the detection point indicating the presence of the object, the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is a plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, the distance detection unit determines that the object is the wall,

when the distance detection unit determines that the object is the wall, the distance detection unit detects the distance to the wall and outputs an instruction signal to adjust the traveling direction of the traveling device to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not come into contact with the wall,

when the distance detection unit determines that there is not the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, the obstacle detection unit determines whether or not the object is present in front of the vehicle body based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor,

when the obstacle detection unit determines that the object is present in front of the vehicle, the obstacle detection unit recognizes that the object is the obstacle and outputs an instruction signal to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not collide with the obstacle,

the traveling control unit controls the traveling device so that the distance to the wall is maintained constant based on the instruction signal from the distance detection unit, and

the traveling control unit controls the traveling device so as not to come into collision based on the instruction signal from the obstacle detection unit.

11. The management system of the mining machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a motive power generation device configured to generate motive power, wherein

the traveling device is driven by motive power generated by the motive power generation device, and includes a brake device configured to stop traveling and a steering gear configured to adjust a traveling direction,

the obstacle detection unit causes the traveling control unit to output at least one of a power control signal for controlling the motive power generation device, a brake control signal for controlling the brake device and a steering control signal for controlling the steering gear so that the vehicle body does not collide with the obstacle based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor, and

the distance detection unit causes the traveling control unit to output a steering control signal for controlling the steering gear so that the vehicle body does not come into contact with the wall based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor.

12. The management system of the mining machine according to claim 10, further comprising:

a detection area setting unit that sets the forward area in front of the vehicle body and the lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area,

wherein

the width of the forward area is equal to the width of the vehicle body,

the lateral area is smaller than the detection area and is at least partly set so as to protrude from the forward area in the lateral direction,

the forward area includes an area that overlaps with a part of the lateral area and an area that does not overlap with the lateral area,

the lateral area includes an area that overlaps with a part of the forward area and an area that does not overlap with the forward area,

the obstacle detection unit determines whether or not there is the obstacle in the forward area based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor, and

the distance detection unit determines whether or not there is the wall in the lateral area based on the output signal of the non-contact sensor.

13. The management system of the mining machine according to claim 12, further comprising:

a traveling condition data generation unit that generates traveling condition data indicating a traveling condition of the traveling device,

wherein the detection area setting unit curves the forward area along a target traveling route defined on the traveling path based on the traveling condition data generated by the traveling condition data generation unit when the target traveling route curves, and

when the obstacle is present on the traveling path and is not present in a traveling course of the traveling device, the obstacle is not arranged in the forward area and the obstacle detection unit does not output the instruction signal to stop the traveling device.

14. An unmanned management method of a mining machine including a traveling device configured to travel a traveling path in a mine and a vehicle body supported by the traveling device, the management method of the mining machine comprising:

causing the vehicle body to travel by the traveling device with a non-contact sensor provided in a front section of the vehicle body, configured to contactlessly detect an object within a detection area thereof including both a forward area in front of the vehicle body and a lateral area lateral to the forward area in the detection area, and arranged so that the detection area includes an area on the traveling path in front of the vehicle body and an area beside the traveling path;

determining by a distance detection unit whether or not there is a detection point indicating the presence of an object based on the output signal of said non-contact sensor,

when determining by the distance detection unit that there is the detection point indicating the presence of the object, determining by the distance detection unit whether or not there is a plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device,

when determining by the distance detection unit that there is the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, determining by the distance detection unit that the object is the wall,

when determining by the distance detection unit that the object is the wall, the distance detection unit detects the distance to the wall and outputs an instruction signal by the distance detection unit to adjust the traveling direction of the traveling device to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not come into contact with the wall,

controlling the traveling device so that the distance to the wall is maintained constant based on the instruction signal from the distance detection unit,

when determining by the distance detection unit that there is not the plurality of detection points which indicate the presence of the object and which are continuously arranged in the traveling direction of the traveling device, determining by an obstacle detection unit whether or not the object is present in front of the vehicle body based on the output signal of said non-contact sensor,

when determining by the obstacle detection unit that the object is present in front of the vehicle, the obstacle detection unit recognizes that the object is the obstacle and outputs an instruction signal by the obstacle detection unit to the traveling control unit so that the vehicle body does not collide with the obstacle, and

controlling the traveling device so as not to come into collision based on the instruction signal from the obstacle detection unit.