Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120101693 | SYSTEM FOR LIMITING CONTACT BETWEEN A DIPPER AND A SHOVEL BOOM - A system for limiting contact between a dipper and dipper attachments and a boom and machinery desk of a shovel, the system defining dipper to boom relative position in terms of crowd amount or hoist length, the system defining the relative position boom limits in terms of a second order polynomial of crowd amount or hoist length. The system also includes a slow speed region of the crowd amount and the hoist length, where the speed is varied depending on the crowd amount or the hoist length. The system also includes a field-strengthening region, depending on the crowd amount or the hoist length, where the field weakening is removed. | 04-26-2012 |
20120263566 | SWING AUTOMATION FOR ROPE SHOVEL - A system and method for various levels of automation of a swing-to-hopper motion for a rope shovel. An operator controls a rope shovel during a dig operation to load a dipper with materials. A controller receives position data, either via operator input or sensor data, for the dipper and a hopper where the materials are to be dumped. The controller then calculates an ideal path for the dipper to travel to be positioned above the hopper to dump the contents of the dipper. In some embodiments, the controller outputs operator feedback to assist the operator in traveling along the ideal path to the hopper. In some embodiments, the controller restricts the dipper motion such that the operator is not able to deviate beyond certain limits of the ideal path. In some embodiments, the controller automatically controls the movement of the dipper to reach the hopper. | 10-18-2012 |
20130018638 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACTIVELY BIASING A LOADPINAANM Taylor; Wesley P.AACI GlendaleAAST WIAACO USAAGP Taylor; Wesley P. Glendale WI US - Systems and methods for actively biasing a loadpin. The systems include, for example, a power shovel positioning module, a loadpin bias module, and an active bias determination module. The power shovel positioning module is configured to determine the position of one or more components of an industrial machine. The loadpin bias module is configured to generate a signal associated with a vector quantity (e.g., having a magnitude and a direction) which can be used to describe the force applied to the loadpin in both an x-direction and a y-direction. The active bias determination module is configured to determine whether the industrial machine is in a proper state or condition to actively bias the loadpin, and determine loadpin bias values during the operation of the industrial machine when the industrial machine is in the proper condition for loadpin biasing. | 01-17-2013 |
20130110460 | DETERMINING DIPPER GEOMETRY | 05-02-2013 |
20130154624 | PERMANENT MAGNET INCLINOMETER FOR AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - Permanent magnet inclinometer for an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes a component movable with respect to the industrial machine that includes a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet. A circular magnetic sensor array senses a first magnetic flux associated with the first permanent magnet and a second magnetic flux associated with the second permanent magnet. The circular magnetic sensor array includes a first magnetic sensor that senses the first magnetic flux and a second magnetic sensor that senses the second magnetic flux. The controller receives a first flux signal related to the first magnetic flux and a second flux signal related to the second magnetic flux, analyzes the first flux signal to identify a first peak magnetic flux, and analyzes the second flux signal to identify a second peak magnetic flux. The controller then determines the inclination of the component of the industrial machine based on the first peak magnetic flux and the second peak magnetic flux. | 06-20-2013 |
20130197711 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING SADDLE BLOCK SHIMMING GAP OF AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - A method of controlling the operation of an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes a boom, a dipper handle attached to the boom, a saddle block pivotally mounted to the boom at a pivot point, and a computer having a controller. The method comprises processing, with the controller, data received from a saddle angle sensor, determining, with the controller, a saddle angle and a saddle angle gap using the data from the saddle angle sensor, determining, with the controller, a height of the dipper handle. The method further comprises determining, with the controller, a height of the saddle block, determining, with the controller, a saddle gap radius, and determining, with the controller, a saddle block shimming gap by comparing the saddle gap radius with the height of the handle. | 08-01-2013 |
20130261885 | OVERHEAD VIEW SYSTEM FOR A SHOVEL - Systems and methods for providing an overview-head view of an industrial machine, such as a shovel. One system includes at least one processor configured to receive data from at least one sensor installed on the shovel relating to the area around the shovel, identify a plurality of planes based on the data, determine if the plurality of planes are positioned in a predetermined configuration associated with a haul truck, and if the plurality of planes are positioned in the predetermined configuration, superimpose the plurality of planes on an overhead-view image of the shovel and the area. | 10-03-2013 |
20130261903 | COLLISION DETECTION AND MITIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SHOVEL - Systems and methods for detecting collisions. One system includes a processor configured to receive data from at least one sensor installed on a shovel, identify a plurality of planes based on the data, determine if the plurality of planes are positioned in a predetermined configuration associated with a haul truck to identify whether the plurality of planes represent a haul truck. The processor is further configured to receive a current position and a current direction of movement of a dipper of the shovel, and determine if a collision is possible between the dipper and the identified haul truck based on the plurality of planes, the current position, and the current direction of movement and without receiving any information from the haul truck. If a collision is possible, the processor is configured to alert an operator of the shovel and, optionally, augment movement of the dipper. | 10-03-2013 |
20140025265 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR CONTROLLING A MOVEMENT OF A DIPPER - Systems, methods, and devices for controlling an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes, for example, a dipper, a boom, a hoist motor, a crowd motor, one or more operator control devices, and a controller. The control devices are configured to be manually controllable by an operator of the industrial machine. The controller receives an output signal associated with a desired movement of the dipper, receives a signal associated with a hoist motor characteristic, and receives a signal associated with a crowd motor characteristic. The controller determines a present position of the dipper with respect to a boom profile, determines a first future position of the dipper with respect to the boom profile and based on the output signal from the operator control devices, and automatically controls a movement of the dipper with respect to the boom profile when the first future position of the dipper approximately corresponds to a boom profile limit. | 01-23-2014 |
20140218601 | ENCLOSURE FOR AN OPTICAL DEVICE - An enclosure for an optical device generally includes a housing defining an opening, a transparent element coupled to the opening, a cover coupled to the housing for movement relative thereto between an opened position and a closed position, an actuator operable to move the cover relative to the transparent element between the opened position and the closed position, and a power supply electrically coupled to the actuator. The actuator maintains the opened position when it receives power from the power supply, and returns the cover to the closed position in response to a loss of power. | 08-07-2014 |
20140316665 | COLLISION DETECTION AND MITIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SHOVEL - Systems and methods for detecting collisions. One system includes a processor configured to receive data from at least one sensor installed on a shovel, identify a plurality of planes based on the data, determine if the plurality of planes are positioned in a predetermined configuration associated with a haul truck to identify whether the plurality of planes represent a haul truck. The processor is further configured to receive a current position and a current direction of movement of a dipper of the shovel, and determine if a collision is possible between the dipper and the identified haul truck based on the plurality of planes, the current position, and the current direction of movement and without receiving any information from the haul truck. If a collision is possible, the processor is configured to alert an operator of the shovel and, optionally, augment movement of the dipper. | 10-23-2014 |
20140365082 | SWING AUTOMATION FOR ROPE SHOVEL - A system and method for various levels of automation of a swing-to-hopper motion for a rope shovel. An operator controls a rope shovel during a dig operation to load a dipper with materials. A controller receives position data, either via operator input or sensor data, for the dipper and a hopper where the materials are to be dumped. The controller then calculates an ideal path for the dipper to travel to be positioned above the hopper to dump the contents of the dipper. In some embodiments, the controller outputs operator feedback to assist the operator in traveling along the ideal path to the hopper. In some embodiments, the controller restricts the dipper motion such that the operator is not able to deviate beyond certain limits of the ideal path. In some embodiments, the controller automatically controls the movement of the dipper to reach the hopper. | 12-11-2014 |
20150019087 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VECTOR DRIVE CONTROL FOR A MINING MACHINE - Controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes a dipper, a crowd motor, and a hoist motor. The control includes determining a torque associated with the crowd motor and a torque associated with the hoist motor and determining a dig force vector for the dipper based on the torque associated with the crowd motor and the torque associated with the hoist motor. The dig force vector includes a dig force angle and a dig force magnitude. The method also includes determining a value for the dig force angle of the dig force vector, and controlling, using a processor, the dig force magnitude based on the determined value for the dig force angle. The dig force magnitude is controlled by controlling at least one of the torque associated with the crowd motor and the torque associated with the hoist motor. | 01-15-2015 |
20150035518 | PERMANENT MAGNET INCLINOMETER FOR AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE - Permanent magnet inclinometer for an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes a component that includes a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet. A circular magnetic sensor array senses a first magnetic flux associated with the first permanent magnet and a second magnetic flux associated with the second permanent magnet. The sensor array includes a first magnetic sensor that senses the first magnetic flux and a second magnetic sensor that senses the second magnetic flux. The controller receives a first flux signal related to the first magnetic flux and a second flux signal related to the second magnetic flux, analyzes the first flux signal to identify a first peak magnetic flux, and analyzes the second flux signal to identify a second peak magnetic flux. The controller then determines the inclination of the component based on the first peak magnetic flux and the second peak magnetic flux. | 02-05-2015 |