DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A DRILLING ACCESSORY EQUIPPED WITH AN ANGLE MEASUREMENT DEVICE

Abstract

The control device is configured to remotely control a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of a carrier machine, the control device including a control casing and an angle measurement device comprising a rotary member movably mounted in rotation on the control casing about an axis of rotation, the rotary member being equipped with a sighting device and the angle measurement device being configured to measure a predetermined angle (α) between a reference angular position of the rotary member and a selected angular position of the rotary member wherein the sighting device points towards a sighting point selected by an operator.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a control device configured to remotely control a drilling accessory and equipped with an angle measurement device capable of measuring the orientation of a support arm of a carrier machine relative to a coal face.

BACKGROUND

During the exploitation of a quarry, it is known to carry out drilling and mining steps. These drilling and mining steps consist in particular in drilling drill holes in a rock following a firing plan and to perform explosives firing using explosives disposed in the drill holes so as to fractionate the rock into blocks of materials.

The overall quality of the exploitation essentially depends on the positioning of the drill holes. The choice of the mesh of the drill holes is given by the techniques of exploitation and the nature of the ground, while the quality of the realization depends on the drilling material and its use (and particularly on the positioning of the drilling accessories).

Particularly, the drilled holes must be as rectilinear as possible so that the energy developed by the firing is correctly distributed and gives the expected effects. The drill holes are generally slightly inclined relative to the vertical to facilitate the extraction of materials during the firing. Each drill hole is characterized by its diameter, its depth and its inclination. The diameter and the depth to reach are given by the volume of the rock to be extracted and the capacity of fragmentation of the used explosive. The inclination of each drill hole is given by the exploitation constraints of the quarry. Thus, an operator must maneuver his carrier machine and position the drilling accessory equipping the latter precisely to ensure a compliance with the desired firing plan.

In order to facilitate this task, it is common to use an inclination angle indicator capable of indicating inclination angles x, y of the drilling accessory. The inclination angles x, y are generally measured by an inclinometer placed in the drilling accessory and allowing to measure the inclination angles of the drilling accessory relative to the vertical and respectively in a first vertical plane perpendicular to the extension plane of the support arm of the carrier machine and in a second vertical plane parallel to the extension plane of the support arm. In the case where the support arm of the carrier machine is not perpendicular to the coal face, the inclination angles x, y measured by the inclinometer do not correspond to the apparent inclination angles x′, y′ of the drilling accessory relative to the coal face. In order to determine the apparent inclination angles x′, y′ of the drilling accessory relative to the coal face, it is necessary to know the angle α between the extension plane of the support arm and the perpendicular to the coal face. A trigonometric correction can then be applied such as:

sin(x)=sin(y)*sin(α)+sin(x)*cos(α)

sin(y)=sin(y)*cos(α)+sin(x)*sin(α)

The measurement of the angle α is traditionally done by an angle measurement device installed in the operator cab of the carrier machine. This angle measurement device is generally welded or bolted to the structure of the carrier machine, which is not always in accordance with the regulations in force. Indeed, the approval of the carrier machines can be questioned when the structure of the cab is modified.

Furthermore, the modifications, and in particular the addition of elements in the cab, can be difficult because the space is limited and there is not necessarily a passage for signal transmission and power cables connecting the cab and the drilling accessory.

In addition, in order to measure the angle α, the operator located in the cab of the carrier machine sights a sighting point far away so as the axis formed by this sighting point and the measurement device is perpendicular to the coal face. Yet, the positioning of the measurement device can be problematic if it is in the operator field of vision, even when he does not use it.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention aims at overcoming all or part of these disadvantages.

The technical problem underlying the invention therefore consists in providing an angle measurement device for a carrier machine which does not alter the operator field of vision and which is not likely to alter or to weaken the structure of the carrier machine, while being easily implantable in the cab of the carrier machine.

To this end, the present invention concerns a control device which is portable and which is configured to remotely control a drilling accessory mounted on a carrier machine, the control device including a control casing and an angle measurement device comprising a rotary member movably mounted in rotation on the control casing about an axis of rotation, the rotary member being equipped with a sighting device and the angle measurement device being configured to measure a predetermined angle between a reference angular position of the rotary member and a selected angular position of the rotary member wherein the sighting device points towards a sighting point selected by an operator.

Such a configuration of the control device allows, when an operator is installed in the cab of a carrier machine wants to position a drilling accessory, to easily determine the angle between the extension plane of the support arm of the carrier machine and the perpendicular to the coal face by orienting the sighting device towards a selected sighting point so that the sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to the coal face.

The control device according to the present invention thus allows to reassemble the control function of the drilling accessory and the measurement function of the required predetermined angle, without requiring modification of the cab of the carrier machine and without hindering the operator field of vision. Particularly, the angle measurement device according to the present invention is not likely to question the approval of the carrier machine.

The control device can further have one or more of the following characteristics, considered alone or in combination.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle measurement device is disposed on an upper face of the control casing.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle measurement device is configured so that the sighting device points in a reference direction substantially perpendicular to a front edge of the upper face of the control casing when the rotary member is in the reference angular position.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle measurement device is configured so that the sighting device points in a reference direction substantially perpendicular to the front face of the control casing when the rotary member is in the reference angular position.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the axis of rotation of the rotary member is substantially perpendicular to the upper face of the control casing.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle measurement device is configured so that the axis of rotation of the rotary member is substantially vertical when the control casing is positioned on a horizontal support.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the sighting device is configured to define a sighting direction.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the sighting device includes a sighting marker provided on the rotary member.

According an embodiment of the invention, the sighting marker is formed by a sighting marking provided on the rotary member and/or a protuberance formed on the rotary member.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the protuberance extends substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation of the rotary member.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the front face of the control casing is substantially flat.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the front face of the control casing forms an acute angle relative to the upper face of the control casing.

Advantageously, the front face of the control casing is intended to be positioned substantially perpendicular to the extension plane of the support arm.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the sighting point is selected so that, when the rotary member is in the selected angular position, a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the predetermined angle measured by the angle measurement device corresponds to an angle between the extension plane of the support arm and a direction substantially perpendicular to the coal face.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the control device includes a display device, such as a display screen, disposed on the control casing.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the control device is configured to control by radio frequency the drilling accessory.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the control device is configured to remotely control a drilling mast mounted on the support arm of the carrier machine.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the control casing includes a control panel for controlling the drilling accessory. Advantageously, the control panel includes at least one control button and/or at least one lever or control handle.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the rotary member is integrated in the control panel.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the angle measurement device is a potentiometer, a rotary sight or any other rotary element integrated in the control device and allowing to measure an angle between a reference of the control device and the rotary element.

The present invention further concerns a drilling apparatus comprising a carrier machine, a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of the carrier machine, and a control device according to the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the control device is configured to determine the angle between the extension plane of the support arm and a direction substantially perpendicular to the coal face.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the carrier machine is equipped with an operator cab.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the carrier machine is equipped with caterpillar tracks.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the carrier machine is of the excavator type.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the drilling apparatus includes a measurement system configured to measure a first inclination angle of the drilling accessory relative to a vertical direction and a second inclination angle of the drilling accessory relative to a vertical direction, the first inclination angle being measured in a first vertical plane parallel to the extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and a direction of extension of the drilling accessory, and the second inclination angle being measured in a second vertical plane perpendicular to the extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and the direction of extension of the drilling accessory.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the measurement system includes at least one inclinometer, for example placed in the drilling accessory.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the drilling apparatus includes a processing unit configured to determine the first and second corrected inclination angles of the drilling accessory from the first and second inclination angles measured by the measurement system and the predetermined angle measured by the angle measurement device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the display device is configured to display the corrected inclination angles determined by the processing unit. Thus, the operator can visualize, directly on the control device, the corrected inclination angles of the drilling accessory relative to the coal face, and this without any additional element to be installed in the cab of the carrier machine to carry out this function.

The present invention also concerns a method for positioning a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of a carrier machine, the positioning method including the following steps:

• • supplying a control device according to the present invention,
  • positioning the control device in the operator cab of the carrier machine,
  • angular displacing the rotary member so that the sighting device points towards a selected sighting point so that a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face, and
  • measuring the predetermined angle between the reference angular position of the rotary member and the selected angular position of the rotary member.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the latter further comprises a step of determining an angle between the extension plane of the support arm of the carrier machine and a direction substantially perpendicular to the coal face.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the latter further comprises a step of measuring a first inclination angle and a second inclination angle of the drilling accessory relative to the vertical direction, the first inclination angle being measured in a first vertical plane parallel to the extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and a direction of extension of the drilling accessory, and the second inclination angle being measured in a second vertical plane perpendicular to the extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and the direction of extension of the drilling accessory.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the latter further comprises a step of determining first and second corrected inclination angles of the drilling accessory from the first and second measured inclination angles and the predetermined measured angle.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the latter further comprises a step of displaying the first and second corrected inclination angles on the display device of the control device.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the latter comprises a step of positioning the drilling accessory by taking into account the first and second corrected inclination angles.

According to an implementation mode of the positioning method, the step of positioning the control device in the operator cab of the carrier machine comprises the positioning of the control device on a substantially horizontal support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Anyway, the invention will be better understood using the description that follows with reference to the appended schematic drawings representing, as a non-limiting example, an embodiment of this controlling system.

FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of a drilling apparatus according to the invention showing a support arm of the drilling apparatus according to an orientation which is not perpendicular relative to a coal face.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a control device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side and front schematic views of the drilling apparatus of FIG. 1 showing a support arm of the drilling apparatus according to an orientation perpendicular to a coal face and showing respectively the drilling accessory inclined according to a first inclination angle and according to a second inclination angle.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are top schematic views of the drilling apparatus according to the invention in two different operating positions relative to the coal face.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are front schematic views of the drilling apparatus according to the invention respectively in the two operating positions represented in FIGS. 5 and 6 and respectively showing the drilling accessory according to two different orientations relative to the vertical.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side schematic views of the drilling apparatus according to the invention respectively in the two operating positions represented in FIGS. 5 and 6 and respectively showing the drilling accessory according to two different orientations relative to the vertical.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 10 represent a drilling apparatus 2 comprising a carrier machine 3, of the excavator type, equipped with an operator cab 4 and a support arm 5. The carrier machine 3 can for example include tracks 6.

The drilling apparatus 2 further comprises a drilling accessory 7 mounted on the support arm 5 of the carrier machine 3, and a control device 8 which is advantageously portable and which is configured to remotely control the drilling accessory 7, for example by radio frequency. The drilling accessory 7 is advantageously a drilling mast extending according to a direction of extension De.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, the control device 8 includes a control casing 9 intended to be positioned in the operator cab 4. The control casing 9 comprises a front face 11 which is substantially flat and which is intended to be positioned substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the support arm 5, that is to say substantially perpendicular to an extension plane Pe of the support arm 5. According to a variant of the invention, the front face 11 could be domed or be formed by a plurality of sections of different inclinations.

The control casing 9 further includes an upper face 12 equipped with a display device 13, such as a display screen, and a control panel 14 serving for controlling the drilling accessory 7. The control panel 14 can for example include at least one control button and/or at least one control lever, also named control joystick.

The control device 8 further includes an angle measurement device 15 comprising a rotary member 16 disposed on the upper face 12 of the control casing 9. The rotary member 16 can for example be positioned on or outside the control panel 14. The rotary member 16 is movably mounted in rotation relative to the control casing 9 about an axis of rotation A which is perpendicular to the upper face 12 of the control casing 9 and which is substantially vertical when the control casing 9 is positioned on a horizontal support.

The rotary member 16 is equipped with a sighting device 18 configured to indicate a sighting direction Dv. Advantageously, the sighting device 18 includes a sighting mark provided on the rotary member 16, the sighting mark can for example be formed by a sighting marker provided on the rotary member 16, such as an arrow, a line, a drawing, and/or a protuberance formed on the rotary member 16.

The angle measurement device 15 is more particularly configured so that the sighting device 18 points in a reference direction Dr substantially perpendicular to the front face 11 and/or to a front edge 19 of the upper face 12, when the rotary member 16 is in a reference angular position.

Furthermore, the angle measurement device 15 is configured to measure a predetermined angle α between the reference angular position of the rotary member 16 and a selected angular position of the rotary member 16 in which the sighting device 18 points towards a sighting point 21 selected by an operator.

Advantageously, the sighting point 21 is selected so that, when the rotary member 16 is in the selected angular position, the sighting direction Dv indicated by the sighting device 18 is substantially perpendicular to a coal face 22. Thus, the predetermined angle α measured by the angle measurement device 15 corresponds more particularly to an angle between the extension plane Pe of the support arm 5 and a direction perpendicular to the coal face 22.

The drilling apparatus 2 further includes a measurement system 23 configured to measure a first inclination angle x of the drilling accessory 7 relative to a vertical direction V and a second inclination angle y of the drilling accessory 7 relative to the vertical direction V, the first inclination angle x being measured in a first vertical plane parallel to the extension plane Pe of the support arm 5 and between the vertical direction V and the direction of extension De of the drilling accessory 7, and the second inclination angle y being measured in a second vertical plane perpendicular to the extension plane Pe of the support arm 5 and between the vertical direction V and the direction of extension De of the drilling accessory 7. The measurement system 23 can in particular include at least one inclinometer, for example placed in the drilling accessory.

The drilling apparatus 2 also includes a processing unit 24 configured to determine first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ of the drilling accessory 7 from the first and second inclination angles x, y measured by the measurement system 23 and the predetermined angle α measured by the angle measurement device 15. The processing unit 24 can for example be disposed in the control device 8 or in the operator cab 4 of the carrier machine 3. The processing unit 24 could also be disposed in the drilling accessory 7 or on the carrier machine 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the extension plane Pe of the support arm 5 is perpendicular to the coal face 22, the predetermined angle α is zero, and the first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ are then respectively equal to the first and second inclination angles x, y. On the contrary, when the predetermined angle α is not zero, then the first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ are respectively different from the first and second inclination angles x, y.

Advantageously, the display device 13 is configured to display the corrected inclination angles x′, y′ determined by the processing unit 24. Thus, the operator can visualize, directly on the control device 8, the corrected inclination angles x′, y′ of the drilling accessory 7 relative to the coal face 22, and this without any additional element having to be installed in the operator cab 4 of the carrier machine 3 to carry out this function.

A method for drilling a coal face using a drilling apparatus according to the present invention will now be described. Such a drilling method includes the following steps:

• • positioning, by an operator installed in the operator cab 4 of the carrier machine, the control device 8 on a horizontal support or on his knees so that the upper face of the control casing 9 is substantially horizontal,
  • angular displacing the rotary member so that the sighting device 18 points towards a selected sighting point 21 so that the sighting direction Dv indicated by the sighting device 18 is substantially perpendicular to the coal face 22,
  • measuring by the angle measurement device the value of the predetermined angle α,
  • determining the angle between the extension plane Pe of the support arm 5 of the carrier machine 3 and a direction substantially perpendicular to the coal face 22,
  • determining the first and second inclination angles x, y by the measurement system 23,
  • determining the first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ by the processing unit 24, displaying the first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ on the display device,
  • positioning the drilling accessory 7 by the operator by taking into account the first and second corrected inclination angles x′, y′ displayed on the display device,
  • drilling a drill hole using the drilling accessory,
  • repeating the preceding steps so as to drill a plurality of drill holes according to a predetermined firing plan.

As goes without saying, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this control device, described above as an example, on the contrary, it encompasses all the variants.

Claims

1. A control device which is portable and which is configured to remotely control a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of a carrier machine, the control device including a control casing and an angle measurement device comprising a rotary member movably mounted in rotation on the control casing about an axis of rotation, the rotary member being equipped with a sighting device and the angle measurement device being configured to measure a predetermined angle between a reference angular position of the rotary member and a selected angular position of the rotary member in which the sighting device points towards a sighting point selected by an operator.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the angle measurement device is disposed on an upper face of the control casing.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the angle measurement device is configured so that the sighting device points in a reference direction substantially perpendicular to a front edge of the upper face of the control casing when the rotary member is in the reference angular position.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the angle measurement device is configured so that the axis of rotation of the rotary member is substantially vertical when the control casing is positioned on a horizontal support.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the sighting device includes a sighting mark provided on the rotary member.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the sighting point is selected so that when the rotary member is in the selected angular position, a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face.

7. The control device according to claim 1, which includes a display device disposed on the control casing.

8. The control device according to claim 1, which is configured to control by radio frequency the drilling accessory.

9. A drilling apparatus comprising a carrier machine, a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of the carrier machine, and a control device according to claim 1.

10. The drilling apparatus according to claim 9, which includes a measurement system configured to measure a first inclination angle of the drilling accessory relative to a vertical direction and a second inclination angle of the drilling accessory relative to the vertical direction, the first inclination angle being measured in a first vertical plane parallel to an extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and a direction of extension of the drilling accessory, and the second inclination angle being measured in a second vertical plane perpendicular to the extension plane of the support arm and between the vertical direction and the direction of extension of the drilling accessory.

11. The drilling apparatus of claim 10, which includes a processing unit configured to determine first and second corrected inclination angles of the drilling accessory from the first and second inclination angles measured by the measurement system and the predetermined angle measured by the angle measurement device.

12. A method for positioning a drilling accessory mounted on a support arm of a carrier machine, the positioning method including the following steps: supplying a control device according to claim 1,positioning the control device in the operator cab of the carrier machine,angular displacing the rotary member so that the sighting device points towards a sighting point selected so that a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face, andmeasuring the predetermined angle between the reference angular position of the rotary member and the selected angular position of the rotary member.

13. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the angle measurement device is configured so that the axis of rotation of the rotary member is substantially vertical when the control casing is positioned on a horizontal support.

14. The control device according to claim 13, wherein the sighting device includes a sighting mark provided on the rotary member.

15. The control device according to claim 14, wherein the sighting point is selected so that when the rotary member is in the selected angular position, a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face.

16. The control device according to claim 15, which includes a display device disposed on the control casing.

17. The control device according to claim 16, which is configured to control by radio frequency the drilling accessory.

18. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the angle measurement device is configured so that the axis of rotation of the rotary member is substantially vertical when the control casing is positioned on a horizontal support.

19. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the sighting device includes a sighting mark provided on the rotary member.

20. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the sighting point is selected so that when the rotary member is in the selected angular position, a sighting direction indicated by the sighting device is substantially perpendicular to a coal face.