Robot automated mining
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorsJianjun Wang, Carlos Martinez, Carlos Morato, Biao Zhang, Thomas Fuhlbrigge, Will Eakins, Sang Choi, Daniel Lasko, Jan Nyqvist, Remus Boca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a robot automated mining method. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot positioning a charging component for entry into a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot moving a charging component within a drill hole. In one embodiment, a method includes a robot filling a drill hole with explosive material. In one embodiment, a method includes operating a robot within a mining environment.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- obtaining with a tool assembly of a robot a detonator package in a hollow end of a charging hose;
- positioning with the tool assembly the charging hose having the detonator package adjacent to an opening of a drill hole;
- moving with the tool assembly the charging hose having the detonator package along a length of the drill hole so that the detonator package and an end of the charging hose is disposed at a distal end of the drill hole;
- feeding explosive material into the charging hose to deposit the detonator package at the distal end of the drill hole and deposit explosive material along the length of the drill hole while removing the charging hose from the drill hole;
- wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining with the tool assembly the detonator package in the hollow end of the charging hose from a magazine supporting a plurality of detonator packages;
- and
- assembling, with the magazine, a plurality of primers onto a plurality of detonators.
A robot system comprising:
- a robot having a tool assembly and configured to interact with a magazine that supports a plurality of detonator packages, the magazine structured to assemble a plural of primers to a plurality of detonators to form a plurality of detonator packages, the tool assembly structured to capture at least one of the plurality of detonator packages;
- wherein the robot system is configured to operate in an automated mode of operation in which the robot with the tool assembly automatically performs a charging component positioning procedure for controlling a positioning of one or more charging component;
- and
- wherein the robot system is configured to operate in a teleoperation mode of operation in which the robot with the tool assembly performs the charging component positioning procedure for controlling the position of the one or more charging component based on one or more operator input.
A method comprising:
- operating a robot system in an automated mode during a defined portion of a mining operation, the robot system including a robot having a tool assembly, the robot configured to interact with a magazine that supports a plurality of detonator packages;
- operating the robot system in a tele-operation mode during another defined portion of the mining operation;
- assembling, with the magazine, a plural of primers to a plurality of detonators to form a plurality of detonator packages, and capturing, with the tool assembly, at least one of the plurality of detonator packages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.