A TWO-SECTION QUARRY VEHICLE FOR ENHANCED OPERATION IN INCLINED SURFACES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is enclosed in the area of vehicles for operation in quarries. Such vehicles consist of heavy vehicles which have wheels or tracks, have more than one degree of freedom in their movement, being fully movable, and thereby not including rails.

Typically, these vehicles operate in quarries in conditions with high inclinations, when moving or when stopped.

PRIOR ART

The solutions known in the art of vehicles for operation in quarries, such as saw machines, drilling machines, dozers, excavators, handlers, loaders or scrapers, have a single body.

By moving in surfaces with high inclinations, particularly when going from a point of lower height to a point of higher height and vice-versa, or by being halted, these vehicles known in the art typically address an unbalance as regards the centre of gravity by having a very large mass, of the order of tens of thousands of kilograms.

Yet, this generic solution may not be enough to properly balance the vehicle and avoid unsteadiness, which may lead to the tipping of the vehicle, especially when the vehicle has movable or extendable sections, such as scrapers or arms, which further dislocate the centre of mass of the whole vehicle. In addition, some of these vehicles are articulated, usually to provide an additional degree of freedom as regards the movement of the vehicle, for instance providing rotation along an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of movement of the means which the vehicle has, such as tracks or wheels. Yet, this division into two sections is directed only to providing an additional degree of freedom, not allowing to address the issue of balancing the vehicle and avoiding unsteadiness.

The present solution innovatively overcomes such issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention a two-section quarry vehicle for enhanced operation in inclined surfaces which comprises:

- a first section and a second section, which are physically apart,

- mobility means suitable for moving the vehicle, and which are coupled to the first section,

- a movable coupling between the first section and the second section, the movable coupling being configured to vary the distance between the first section and the second section, by moving the second section away from the first section or by bringing the second section closer to the first section, the movable coupling being aligned with a plane that intersects the mobility means and defining a main direction of the vehicle,

- means for determining the inclination of the main direction as regards a plane perpendicular to the gravity vector, and

- control means configured to control the movable coupling and thereby adjust the distance between the first section and the second section, wherein the control means are further configured to, based on the determined inclination of the main direction, control the movable coupling and thereby adjust the distance between the first section and the second section. Such vehicle therefore provides for a readaptation of its centre of mass, such that to a potentially unbalanced situation it responds with an adjustment, in particular adjusting the distance between the first section and the second section such that the overall centre of mass is shifted and the vehicle balanced. Particularly, the control means are further configured to, based on the determined inclination of the main direction, control the movable coupling and thereby adjust the distance between the first section and the second section, thus promoting the balancing of the vehicle by shifting the centre of mass of the vehicle.

The control means may be based in electronic and computational means, an example comprising or consisting of an automaton.

In an embodiment, the controller is configured to adjust the distance between the first section and the second section in points in between extreme positions (closer and further away from one another) and being able to adjust the distance between the extreme positions, including predefined discrete points or a continuous set of points.

The first section and the second section are physically apart, and the distance between the two is variable and adjustable by the movable coupling. The movable coupling is aligned with a plane that intersects the mobility means and defining a main direction of the vehicle, as can be seen in Figures 1-3. The means for determining the inclination of the main direction as regards a plane perpendicular to the gravity vector allows to determine the inclination of a surface in which the vehicle is positioned or in which it is moving and, depending on the determined inclination, the control means are able to readjust the distance between the two sections and thereby adjust the centre of mass of the vehicle. The mass of the second section is of a magnitude as regards the mass of the remaining elements of the vehicle (such as the first section and the mobility means) that it is able to provide such readjustment of the centre of mass and balancing of the vehicle through the referred adjustment of the distance between the two sections.

The inclination of the main direction as regards a plane perpendicular to the gravity vector may consist of an angle or of another variable able to determine the inclination, such as a sine or a cosine of an angle.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - representation of an embodiment of a vehicle (1) according to the present invention. The vehicle has a first section (11) and a second section (12), and mobility means suitable for moving the vehicle (4) are coupled to the first section (11). The first section (11) and the second section (12) are coupled by a movable coupling (10) which is configured to vary the distance (d) between the first section and the second section. In the representation of Figure 1, the distance (d) is higher than a minimum distance (d) between the first section (11) and the section (12), and thus the second section is in a position which may be designated as extended. Furthermore, in the representation of Figure 1, the vehicle (1) has mobility means (4) which consist of tracks, in particular two tracks (second track is not visible in the figure). The vehicle (1) also has an arm (5), which is also extendable. In addition, the vehicle further comprises cutting means, in particular one cutting element (2) able to cut rock which consists of a saw, and also means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element along two directions (not visible), such means for displacing (3) being able to change the position of the cutting element (2) horizontally and vertically. Lastly, the vehicle is configured to operate according to the present invention, wherein the angle a is determined through the means for determining the inclination. Based on such inclination, the distance (d) may be adapted.

Figure 2 - representation of the embodiment of Figure 1, in which the angle a is higher than in the situation of Figure 1, as the surface is steeper. The inclination may take a positive or a negative value, the signal of the angle a of the situation of Figure 1 being opposite to the angle a of the situation of Figure 2. Figure 3 - representation of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, in which the distance (d) has been adjusted to a value which is lower than the distances of Figures 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The more general configurations of the present invention are described in the Summary of the invention. Such configurations are detailed below in accordance with other advantageous and/or preferred embodiments of implementation of the present invention.

In an embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the control means are configured to control the movable coupling (10) to move the second section (12) further away from the first section (11) the higher the determined inclination, the determined inclination thereby being directly proportional to the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12).

In another advantageous aspect of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the control means are configured to adjust the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12) to a minimum when the inclination is lower than a first predefined value, preferably when the module of the inclination is lower than a first predefined value.

In another advantageous aspect of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the control means are configured to adjust the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12) to a maximum when the inclination is higher than a second predefined value, preferably when the module of the inclination is higher than a second predefined value. In an inventive aspect of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the movable coupling (10) comprises a first elongated element which is hollow attached to the first section (11) and a second elongated element which is attached to the second section (12), the second elongated element moving within the first elongated element, which is hollow. The second elongated element is thereby slidable within the first elongated element, and providing an efficient embodiment of varying the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12).

In an embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the movable coupling (10) further comprises a hydraulic cylinder which is configured to provide the variation of the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12). It further provides an additional efficiency and easiness of operation in the adjustment of the distance (d) between the first section (11) and the second section (12), in particular when the second elongated element is slidable within the first elongated element.

In a further embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the first elongated element and the second elongated element have a substantially rectangular tubular shape, the cross-section of the second elongated element having an area which is lesser than the area of the cross-section of the first elongated element.

In an inventive aspect of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the it further comprises a power unit, the power unit being configured to power the vehicle (1) and being provided in the second section (12). It thereby provides that an element which is of high importance to the vehicle (1) - which preferably is powered by fuel, but may also be powered by another source, such as electrical means - and which has a substantial mass as regards the overall mass of the vehicle (1), is used to provide a required mass of the second section (12). Preferably, the power unit provides a power of 80-120 KVA, more preferably 100 KVA. In an embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, it further comprises a movable or extendable section, preferably an arm (5), the movable or extendable sections being coupled to the first section (11) and preferably being rotatable and/or extendable. Such movable or extendable section, such as scrapers or arms, which further dislocates the centre of mass of the whole vehicle (1), the adjustment of the present invention thereby being of even higher relevance to such embodiment.

In an embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, it further comprises cutting means for the cutting of rock, the cutting means comprising at least one cutting element (2) able to cut rock, such as a saw, and means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along at least one direction. The cutting element (2) is movable through the means for displacing (3), and thereby may also further dislocates the centre of mass of the whole vehicle (1), the adjustment of the present invention thereby being of even higher relevance to such embodiment. Preferably, the cutting element (2) consists of a chainsaw or a wire saw, the wire saw preferably consisting of a diamond wire saw. Preferably, the saw has a length of at least one meter. Preferably, the means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along at least one direction comprise means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along a first direction and/or means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. Such allows for the ability to reposition or extend the position of the cutting element (2). Preferably, the means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along a first direction provide for a maximum displacement of 1-5 m, preferably of 3 m, and the means for displacing (3) the at least one cutting element (2) along a second direction provide for a maximum displacement of 1-5 m, preferably of 2 m.

In a further embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the cutting means are coupled to an end of the arm (5) which is opposite to an end of the arm (5) which is coupled to the first section (11). In a further embodiment, the vehicle (1) of the present invention consists of a saw machine, a drilling machine, a dozer, an excavator, a handler, a loader or a scraper, any of which suitable to operate in a quarry.

In a further embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the control means are configured to operate automatically and/or to be remotely operated through a command console.

In a further embodiment of the vehicle (1) of the present invention, the mobility means (4) comprise at least four wheels, preferably four directional wheels, or at least two tracks. The wheels or tracks provide more than one degree of freedom in their movement, being fully movable, and thereby not including rails.

The vehicle (1) of the present invention has an overall weight of the range of the tens of thousands of kilograms, typically around 20.000 kg.

As will be clear to one skilled in the art, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described herein, and a number of changes are possible which remain within the scope of the present invention.

Of course, the preferred embodiments shown above are combinable, in the different possible forms, being herein avoided the repetition all such combinations.