Drill head position determination system
AssigneeCaterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC
InventorsFernando R. GONZALEZ, Rex GLOVER, Stephen M. HANCOCK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drill head position determination system is disclosed. The drill head position determination system may include a mast, a drill head movably attached to the mast, and a drill drive assembly configured to move the drill head up and down along a length of the mast. The drill head may be configured to rotate a drill string. The drill drive assembly may include at least one sheave and a cable system wound about the at least one sheave. The drill head position determination system may further include a sheave sensor operatively coupled to the at least one sheave and configured to determine a position of the drill head based on a measured rotational position of the at least one sheave.
Claims20
A drill head position determination system, comprising:
- a mast;
- a drill head movably attached to the mast, the drill head configured to rotate a drill string;
- a drill drive assembly configured to move the drill head up and down along a length of the mast, the drill drive assembly including:
- at least one sheave;
- and
- a cable system wound about the at least one sheave;
- and
- a sheave sensor operatively coupled to the at least one sheave and configured to determine a position of the drill head based on a measured rotational position of the at least one sheave.
A drill head position determination system, comprising:
- a mast;
- a drill head movably attached to the mast, the drill head configured to rotate a drill string;
- a drill drive assembly configured to move the drill head up and down along a length of the mast, the drill drive assembly including:
- at least one sheave;
- and
- a cable system wound about the at least one sheave;
- a sheave sensor operatively coupled to the at least one sheave and configured to determine a position of the drill head based on a measured rotational position of the at least one sheave;
- and
- a plurality of proximity sensors each located at a different position on the mast and each configured to detect when the drill head is at a respective position on the mast.
A method for determining a position of a drill head, the method comprising:
- measuring a rotational position of a sheave using a sheave sensor;
- detecting a position of the drill head using at least one proximity sensor located at a position on the mast;
- and
- calibrating the sheave sensor based on a triggering of the at least one proximity sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.