Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ARRANGEMENT FOR DATA TRANSMISSION IN MINE, AND CABLE REEL
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for data transmis-
sion in a mine or the like, the arrangement comprising: an mine information
system consisting of at least a control unit of the mine; a mining vehicle
infor-
mation system consisting of at least a control unit. of the mining vehicle; at
least
one supply cable that comprises at least one data transmission cable and is
arranged to transmit data between the information system of the mine and the
information system of the mining vehicle, and the first end of the supply
cable
is connected to the information system of the mine; a reel arranged in the min-
ing vehicle and having a drum rotatable around its centre axis for storing the
supply cable in the mining vehicle; means for connecting the second end of the
supply cable to the reel drum; and connecting means for connecting the data
transmission cable in the supply cable from the rotating drum to the
information
system of the mining vehicle.
[0002] The invention further relates to a cable reel for storing the
supply cable of a mining vehicle, the reel comprising: a drum, on the outer
sur-
face of which the supply cable can be wound; a first end and a second end of
the drum; a centre axis around which the drum is rotated; and connection
means for connecting at least one data transmission cable in the supply cable
to an information system external to the reel.
[0003] Both manned and unmanned mining vehicles are used in
mines. Bidirectional data transmission is required between the mining vehicle
and the control room of the mine so as to be able to give control commands to
the mining vehicle and so that mining vehicles can transmit information on
their
locations and the tasks they perform to the control room. The bidirectional
data
transmission between the information systems of the mining vehicle and mine
can take place by means of one data transmission cable. However, the limited
data transmission capacity of the data transmission cable then creates a prob-
lem. In addition, bidirectional data transmission in one cable requires
complex
devices to arrange.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and
improved arrangement for data transmission in a mine, and a cable reel.
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[0005] The arrangement of the invention is characterized in that the
supply cable has at least a first data transmission cable for transmitting
data
unidirectionally from the information system of the mine to the information
sys-
tem of the mining vehicle, and a second data transmission cable for unidirec-
tional data transmission from the information system of the mining vehicle to
the information system of the mine; that said connection means comprise a
first rotating connection element on the first end of the drum, and a second
rotating connection element on the second end of the drum; that the rotating
connection elements are arranged on the centre axis of the drum; that the ro-
tating connection element comprises a rotor and a stator, and the rotor is ar-
ranged to rotate with the drum around the centre axis and the stator is ar-
ranged non-rotatable; that the rotor of the first rotating connection element
is
connected to the first data transmission cable of the supply cable, and the
sta-
tor is connected to the information system of the mining vehicle; and that the
rotor of the second rotating connection element is connected to the second
data transmission cable of the supply cable, and the stator is connected to
the
information system of the mining vehicle.
[0006] The cable reel of the invention is characterized in that the
supply cable has a first data transmission cable for data transmission and a
second data transmission cable for data transmission; that the first end of
the
drum has a first rotating connection element; that the second end of the drum
has a second rotating connection element; that the rotating connection ele-
ments are arranged on the centre axis of the drum; that the rotating
connection
element comprises a rotor and a stator, with the rotor arranged to rotate with
the drum around the centre axis and the stator arranged non-rotatable; that
the
rotor of the first rotating connection element is connected to the first data
transmission cable of the supply cable, and the stator is connected to the in-
formation system of the mining vehicle; and that the rotor of the second rotat-
ing connection element is connected to the second data transmission cable of
the supply cable, and the stator is connected to the information system of the
mining vehicle.
[0007] The essential idea of the invention is that data transmission
between the information system of the mine and the information system of the
mining vehicle is arranged using two unidirectional data transmission cables.
Information is transmitted from the information system of the mine to the
infor-
mation system of the mining vehicle over the first cable, and data
transmission
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in the opposite direction takes place over the second cable. The data trans-
mission cables are arranged in the supply cable that can be stored on a reel
in
the mining vehicle. The reel has a rotatable drum on which the supply cable
can be wound. The first end of the drum has a first rotating connection
element
for connecting the first data transmission cable to the information system of
the
mining vehicle. Correspondingly, the second end of the drum has a second
rotating connection element for connecting the second data transmission cable
to the information system of the mining vehicle. The rotating connection ele-
ment comprises a rotor and a stator, with the rotor arranged to rotate with
the
drum and the stator arranged non-rotatable. Further, the rotor is connected to
one data transmission cable in the supply cable, and the stator is connected
to
the information system of the mining vehicle.
[0008] An advantage of the invention is that bidirectional data
transmission between the information system of the mining vehicle and the
information system of the mine can be implemented using two unidirectional
data transmission cables that can be arranged inside the supply cable. Be-
cause information is transmitted in the data transmission cable in one
direction
only, it is possible to transmit very large amounts of data without problems.
Further, when a reel equipped with the rotating connection elements of the in-
vention is used, the unidirectional data transmission cables can be connected
in a relatively simple manner to the information system of the mining vehicle.
[0009] An essential idea of an embodiment of the invention is to use
two optical fibre cables, a first optical fibre cable to transmit data from
the in-
formation system of the mine to the information system of the mining vehicle
and a second optical fibre cable for data transmission in the opposite
direction.
[0010] An essential idea of an embodiment of the invention is that
the rotating connection element is an optical cable connector.
[0011] An essential idea of an embodiment of the invention is that
the supply cable has more than two data transmission cables and that only two
data transmission cables at a time are connected to the information system.
Then the supply cable has extra data transmission cables in reserve. If one of
the used data transmission cables is damaged, the damaged cable can be re-
placed by connecting an inactive extra data transmission cable for use.
[0012] An essential idea of an embodiment of the invention is that
the supply cable comprises at least one electric supply cable. In such a case,
power transmission means are arranged to the reel drum to set up an electric
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connection between the electric supply cable and the electric system of the
mining vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0013] The invention is described in more detail in the attached
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement of the in-
vention in a mine,
Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a section
of a supply cable,
Figure 3 is a schematic top view of a cable reel of the invention, and
Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a rotating connection element.
[0014] In the figures, the invention is shown in a simplified manner
for the sake of clarity. Where possible, similar parts are marked with the
same
reference numbers in the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Figure 1 shows an arrangement of the invention. The mining
vehicle 1 can be a loading vehicle like the one shown in Figure 1, or it may
be
a rock drilling rig, transport vehicle or the like. The mining vehicle 1 can
be
electrically driven, in which case it is connected by a supply cable 2 to the
elec-
trical power network 3 of the mine. One end of the supply cable 2 can be con-
nected to a connection unit 4 arranged in the mine, and the other end of the
cable can 'be connected to a reel 5 in the mining vehicle 1. The reel 5 is ar-
ranged rotatable relative to its axis 6 so that a required amount of supply
cable
2 can be wound around the reel 5. The reel 5 can have power transmission
means, such as slip rings or the like, by means of which electric conductors
in
the supply cable 2 can be connected to the electric system 7 of the mining ve-
hicle 1 that conducts electric current on to a motor 8 and other electric
devices
in the mining vehicle 1. Means for afFecting the rotation of the reel 5 may be-
long to it or be arranged to it.
[0016] It should be mentioned that in this application, a mine refers
to both surface and underground mines, quarries and the like, as well as tun-
nels and other work sites.
[0017] The mining vehicle 1 may be manned or unmanned. An un-
manned mining vehicle may be arranged to run automatically in the mine by its
own navigation system, or alternatively there may be identifiers in the mine
and
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the mining vehicle 1 navigates in the mine by reading them. Further, an un-
manned mining vehicle 1 may be guided by remote control from a control room
9. In such a case, the mining vehicle 1 has one or more cameras 10 and
measuring devices 11 that transmit information to the control room 9. On the
basis of the received information, the operator can give control commands to
the mining vehicle. Two-way data transmission is then required between the
mining vehicle 1 and the control room 9. Two-way data transmission is also
required when using automatic mining vehicles, because unmanned mining
vehicles 1 should transmit information of their location and the tasks they
have
performed so that the mining vehicles 1 can be monitored. In addition, new
tasks and updates can be transmitted to the mining vehicles during operation.
[0018] A mining vehicle 1 can have an information system that
comprises a control unit 12. The mine further has a control unit 13 that may
be
part of the information system of the mine. There may be two-way data trans-
mission between the control units 12 and 13, based on the utilization of two
data transmission cables arranged for one-way data transmission. The data
transmission cables may be optical fibre cables arranged in the supply cable.
Each optical fibre cable in the supply cable 2 is arranged to transmit data in
one direction only. The first optical fibre cable is then arranged to transmit
data
from the control unit 13 of the mine to the control unit 12 in the mining
vehicle,
and the second optical fibre cable is arranged to transmit data in the
opposite
direction. Because the optical fibre cable is used in one-way data
transmission
only, it may have a high data transmission capacity. The control unit 13 of
the
mine may be connected to the connection unit 4, to which the supply cable 2
can be connected.
[0019] Figure 2 shows in cross-section a section of a supply cable
2. The supply cable 2 may comprise a protective cover 14 inside which an
electric supply cable 15 and a first optical fibre cable 16 and a second
optical
fibre cable 17 may be arranged. If necessary, the supply cable 2 may comprise
extra optical fibre cables 18 and 19 that may be taken into use if the used
opti-
cal fibre cable 16 or 17 is damaged. The space between the protective cover
14 and the cables 15 to 19 can be filled with a suitable protective or
isolation
material.
[0020] Figure 3 is a top view of the reel 5 of the invention. Figure 3
is simplified for the sake of clarity. The reel 5 may comprise a drum 20 that
is
turnable relative to the centre axis 21. The drum 20 may comprise a
cylindrical
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mantle or it may comprise one or more other surfaces around which the supply
cable 2 can be wound and respectively unwound by turning the drum 20. The
opposite ends of the drum 20 may have end flanges 22. The reel 5 may further
comprise a rotating device 23 that rotates the drum 20 by means of transmis-
sion elements 24 in direction A. When the mining vehicle 1 moves in direction
B, the reel 5 may release the supply cable 2 or store it. The drum 20 may be
mounted by bearings 25 on the mining vehicle 1. The first end of the supply
cable 2 may be connected to the connection unit 4 and the second end may be
connected to the drum 20. Inside the drum 20, the various cables 15 to 17 in
the supply cable 2 can be separated and led to the ends of the drum 20. At the
second end of the supply cable 5, the electric supply cable 15 is connected by
means of power transmission means 26 to the electric system 7 of the mining
vehicle 1. The power transmission unit 26 may comprise a slip ring or the like
to enable electric supply from a rotating drum 20 to the electric system 7.
Fur-
ther, the first optical fibre cable 16 can be led to a first rotating
connection ele-
ment 27 at the first end of the drum 20, and correspondingly the second
optical
fibre cable 17 can be led to a second rotating connection element 28 at the
second end of the drum 20. By means of the rotating connection elements 27
and 28, the optical fibre cables 16 and 17 rotating with the drum 20 can be
connected to the non-rotating data transmission cables 29 and 30 or the like
that are in the mining vehicle 1 and are part of the information system of the
mining vehicle. It is also possible to form one or more connecting cables and
parts inside the drum 20 between the second end of the supply cable 2 and
the rotating connection element 27, 28: Correspondingly, in connection with
the drum 20, there may be one or more conductor elements between the sec-
ond end of the supply cable and the power transmission means 26.
[0021] Figure 4 illustrates a rotating connection element 27. The ro-
tating connection element 27 may comprise a rotor 31 arranged to rotate in
direction A around the axis 21 together with the drum 20. Further, the connec-
tion element 27 may comprise a stator 32 fastened non-rotatably relative to
the
body 33 of the mining vehicle 1. The optical light cable 29 leading to the con-
trol unit 12 of the mining vehicle 1 can be connected to the stator 32 and the
optical light cable 16 on the drum 20 can be connected to the rotor 31. The
rotating connection elements 27, 28 are arranged coaxial to the drum 20.
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[0022] It should be noted that it is also possible to use any other
data transmission cable intended for one-way data transmission instead of an
optical fibre cable.
[0023] Further, in some cases the cable reel of the invention can
also be used with data transmission cables adapted for two-way data trans-
mission.
[0024] The drawings and the related description are only intended
to illustrate the idea of the invention. The invention may vary in detail
within the
scope of the claims.
