EP3159474A1

EP3159474A1 - Arrangement in rock drilling rig

Info

Publication number: EP3159474A1
Application number: EP15190931.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pekka Anttonen; Jussi Puura; Valtteri VIRTANEN
Original assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction Oy
Current assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction Oy
Priority date: 2015-10-22
Filing date: 2015-10-22
Publication date: 2017-04-26
Also published as: CA2945334A1; AU2016247127A1

Abstract

The invention relates to control system of a rock drilling rig. The system comprises a distributed actuator system wherein several actuators are connected to a common power circuit and are being controlled by distributed actuator drivers. The system further comprises one or more data busses (DB) which are connected to actuator drivers (AD) and/or sensing devices (SD) of the system. At least one data bus is divided into two or more segments (DBS). The invention also relates to a rock drilling rig and method for controlling the same.

Description

Background of the invention

The invention relates to a control system of a rock drilling rig. The control system comprises at least one distributed actuator system provided with several actuators connected to a common power circuit and comprising several distributed actuator drivers for operating the actuators. The system comprises also one or more sensing devices for detecting operational effects of the actuators. The actuator drivers of the distributed actuator system and the sensing devices are connected to one or more data busses for enabling transmission of control and sensing data.
The invention further relates to a rock drilling rig and method of controlling a rock drilling rig.
The field of the invention is defined more specifically in the independent claims.
In rock drilling drill holes are drilled to rock material or soil by means of rock drilling machines arranged to rock drilling rigs. The drill holes may be drilled in mines, quarries and construction work sites and the drill holes may be blast holes, reinforcing holes or drill holes having any other purpose. The rock drilling rig is typically hydraulically operated and comprises several hydraulic actuators connected to a hydraulic system by means of feed lines and discharge lines. The rock drilling rig may comprise several hydraulic boom actuators and several hydraulic drilling actuators. In a conventional control system each of the hydraulic actuators are equipped with separate pressure and return lines, whereby number of hydraulic hoses is large. In order to decrease the number of hydraulic hoses a distributed actuator system is developed. However, it has been noted that present solutions relating to the control of the distributed actuator systems have some disadvantages which make them operationally vulnerable.

Brief description of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved control system of a rock drilling rig, a rock drilling rig and method of controlling a rock drilling rig.
The rock drilling rig according to the invention is characterized by the features disclosed in a first independent apparatus claim.
The rock drilling rig according to the invention is characterized by the features disclosed in a second independent apparatus claim.
The method according to the invention is characterized by the features disclosed in an independent method claim.
An idea of the disclosed solution is that the control system of a rock drilling rig comprises at least one distributed actuator system provided with several actuators connected to a common power circuit and comprising several distributed actuator drivers for operating the actuators. The control system further comprises one or more sensing devices for detecting operational effects of the actuators, in other words, detecting executions, actions and influences caused by the controlled actuators. The control system is also provided with at least one data bus, which is in communication with the actuator drivers of the distributed actuator system, or is communication with the at least one sensing device. A further alternative is that the at least one data bus serves as a communication path for the actuators drivers and the sensing devices. The mentioned at least one data bus of the control system is divided into at least two segments. The segments may be disconnected from each other, if needed.
An advantage of the disclosed solution is that by dividing the data bus into two or more segments reliability of the control system may be improved. In case one segment of the divided data bus fails, then the operation may be continued with one or more other segments which are still in working order. The disclosed solution decreases vulnerability of the control system since the entire control system is not paralyzed because of fault in one section or part of the data bus. This way, the distributed actuator system may have limited operational ability despite of detected failures in the system. Thus, the distributed actuator system may still allow moving the controlled machine elements of the rock drilling rig from difficult positions to better positions, such as to service positions, so that they are accessible for repair work. Further, the limited operational ability may allow machine elements of the rock drilling rig to be moved to a transport or basic position so that the rock drilling rig may be moved safely at narrow work sites. Thus, the disclosed control system may control one or more critical actuators despite of detected failures whereby the currently executed work phase may be finished and/or the rock drilling rig may be prepared for the repair work or transport.
According to an embodiment, one single sensing device is configured to detect execution of the several actuators controlled by the disclosed system. It is possible to detect movements of the boom by means of one single scanning or sensing device, for example. Alternatively, the control system comprises several sensing devices for detecting operation and operational effects of the dedicated actuators.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises one or more control units for controlling the operation of the actuators of the rock drilling rig. The control unit may communicate with the sensing devices and the actuator drivers by means of one or more data busses. The control unit may comprises one or more processor in order to calculate and process input sensing data and control data, such as control commands. The control unit may also execute one or more software products in the processor for controlling the operation of the actuators of the rock drilling rig. Alternatively, or in addition to, the control unit may comprise conventional manual control means for producing control commands for the actuators and indicating means for presenting the operational status and effects of the controlled actuator.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises one or more bus-repeaters arranged between the divided segments of the data bus. The bus-repeater is capable to separate one or more failed segments from the segments which are still operative. In other words, between at least two segments of the data bus is a bus-repeater enabling the segments to be decoupled from each other. When the one or more inoperative or damaged segments can be disconnected, the operation of the system may proceed further with the still operative one or more segments. The uncoupled damaged sections do not cause malfunctions for the other segments. Thanks to this, the whole control system is not paralyzed, but instead limited operation may be continued. The decoupling feature or step may be automatically operative.
According to an embodiment, the between the at least two segments of the data bus is a bus-repeater enabling the segments to be separated electrically from each other.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises at least one shared data bus, which is common to the actuator drivers and the sensing devices being connected to the distributed actuator system. Thus, the shared data bus is configured to transmit control data and sensing data. The control system may comprise one single shared data bus which is utilized by the actuator drivers and the sensing devices of the system. Thanks to the shared data bus number of electrical wires may be decreased.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises at least two separate data busses. Then, the control system may comprise one or more sensing busses and one or more driving busses, which sensing busses and driving busses are physically and operationally separate from each other. The sensing devices of the system may be connected to the sensing bus for transmitting sensing data, and the actuator drivers may be connected to the driving bus for enabling control data. Thanks to the separated sensing and the driving bus, operational reliability of the system may be further increased. In case the sensing bus fails, the actuators of the system may still be driven by transmitting control commands via the driving bus to the actuators. The driving of the actuators needs to be executed without feedback of the effects of the made movements. However, the arrangement still allows limited operability for the controlled system.
According to an embodiment, the driving bus is configured to transmit control data from a control unit to the distributed actuator drivers. In addition to, the driving bus may transmit data, such as status or condition monitoring data, from the controlled actuator drivers to the control unit by means of the driving bus. Thus, the data communication in the driving bus may be one-way communication or both-way communication.
According to an embodiment, the actuator driver is configured to operate the actuator of the system by receiving control data via the driving bus and by transforming the received digital bus data into analog control data for executing control of the actuator. In case the actuator is a pressure fluid operated device, such as a hydraulic motor or cylinder, being connected to one or more pressure ducts or ports of a pressure fluid circuit, then the actuator driver receives digital bus data, and based on that, executes opening and closing of a control valve arranged in connection with the actuator. The control valve may comprise an electrical turning or moving device arranged to move a control element, such as a control slide, of the control valve. The actuator driver and the control valve may be combined to form one unity, or alternatively, the actuator driver may be located at a distance from the control valve. In case the actuator is an electrical device, then the actuator driver is an electrical control element arranged to control feeding of electrical power from the electrical power circuit to the actuator by means of switches, for example.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises at least two separate data busses. Then the control system may comprise one or more sensing busses and one or more driving busses. Furthermore, the sensing bus may be divided into at least two sensing segments, whereby the sensing bus comprises a first sensing segment and a second sensing segment. The second sensing segment is configured to communicate with a control unit of the control system via the first sensing segment. Thus, the second sensing segment is operationally dependent on the first sensing segment. Between the first sensing segment and the second sensing segment is a sensing bus-repeater or first bus-repeater, which allows decoupling of the second sensing segment from the first sensing segment in response to detected electric or other fault in the second sensing segment. After the executed decoupling of the failed segment, operation may be continued with the first sensing segment. Then, the failed second sensing segment does not disturb the operation of the first sensing segment. Typically the first sensing segment is located physically closer to the control unit compared to location of the second sensing segment. The number of sensing segments of the sensing bus may be three, four or even larger. Thanks to use of the segmentation and the bus-repeaters, defected parts of the system may be isolated so that they do not paralyze the entire sensing bus arrangement.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises at least two separate data busses. Then, the control system may comprise one or more sensing busses and one or more driving busses. Furthermore, the driving bus may be divided into at least two driving segments, whereby the driving bus comprises a first driving segment and a second driving segment. The second driving segment is configured to communicate with a control unit of the control system via the first driving segment. Thus, the second driving segment is operationally dependent on the first driving segment. Between the first driving segment and the second driving segment is a driving bus-repeater or second bus-repeater, which allows decoupling of the second driving segment in response to detected electric or other fault in the second driving segment. After the executed decoupling of the failed segment, operation may be continued with the first driving segment. Typically the first driving segment is located physically closer to the control unit compared to location of the second driving segment. The number of driving segments of the driving bus may be three, four or even larger. Thanks to use of the segmentation and the bus-repeaters, defected parts of the system may be isolated so that they do not paralyze the entire driving bus arrangement.
According to an embodiment, the at least one data bus or fieldbus of the control system is a CAN-bus (Controlled-Area-Network -bus). Different communication protocols and standards of the CAN -bus based data bus or field bus, such as CANOpen, may be utilized.
According to an embodiment, the at least one data bus or fieldbus of the control system is an Ethernet -based bus. Different communication protocols and standards of the Ethernet -bus based data bus or field bus may be utilized.
According to an embodiment, the distributed actuator system comprises two or more actuator segments, and each of the actuator segments comprises one or more actuators. Furthermore, the control system comprises one or more segmentation elements for separating one or more actuator segments from the common power circuit. Then, driving power may be directed selectively to desired actuator segments. The control system may be arranged to monitor and detect operational condition of the actuator segments, and based on that information, one or more failed actuator segments may be decoupled from the power circuit, so that operation can be continued with other actuator segments, which are still in working order. Thus, in case the distributed actuator system is a hydraulic system and a pressure medium hose of one segment gets broken, then the segment with the broken hose may be decoupled from the hydraulic system by means of the segmentation element or segmentation block. The segmentation element may be remote controlled under manual control commands, or it may be controlled automatically under control of the control unit of the control system. One more possibility is that the segmentation element is self-controlled and makes the uncoupling without any external control. In case the distributed actuator system is electrically operated, then the segmentation element may disconnect the failed actuator segment electrically from the common electrical power circuit.
According to an embodiment, the actuators of the distributed actuator system are pressure fluid operated actuators connected to a common rail pressure fluid circuit. The actuators may be hydraulic or pneumatic motors or cylinders, for example. The distributed actuator drivers for operating the pressure fluid actuators are valve drivers which are arranged to move control elements of control valves connected to pressure ducts or ports. The valve drivers may transform control data or signals received via the drive bus into practical control data for providing opening, closing and adjustment measures of the control valve. A general advantage of the utilized common rail pressure fluid circuit is that number of pressure channels or hoses is substantially lower compared to conventional hydraulic circuits. Since fewer hoses are needed the structure may be simpler and less expensive. Furthermore, fewer hoses may also mean better visibility and lower weight.
According to an embodiment, the distributed actuator system comprises electrically driven actuators which are connected to an electric circuit serving as the common power circuit. In this case the actuator drivers are electrical control devices configured to control electrical motors or linear actuators.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises one or more control units. At least one control unit may be configured to monitor operational condition of the segments of the at least one data bus. The control unit may generate operational condition data for diagnosing the data bus which may be the sensing bus or the driving bus. The control unit may be provided with a diagnosing program, which is executable in a processor of the control unit. The operational condition data may be utilized for determining position and severity of the detected fail. The control unit may indicate by means of a display device the position of the fail, for example. Thereby, the diagnosing feature may facilitate repair work. It is also possible that the control unit monitors operation of the actuators drivers and/or the sensing devices and indicates detected faults of the components connected to the data busses.
According to an embodiment, the control system comprises one or more control units and the power circuit of the distributed actuator system comprises two or more actuator segments being separable from the common power circuit. At least one control unit may be configured to monitor operational condition of one or more actuator segments. The control unit may generate operational condition data for diagnosing the actuator segments. The operational condition data may be utilized for determining position and severity of the detected fail in the power circuit.
According to an embodiment, the control system is a boom control system configured to control operation of one or more drilling booms of the rock drilling rig. The boom comprises several hydraulic boom actuators, which are connected to a common rail hydraulic circuit. The boom actuators are controlled by actuator drivers and results of actuators are sensed by one or more sensing devices. The actuator drivers and the sensing devices are connected to one or more data busses. The data bus comprises two or more separable segments. Then, if one segment becomes inoperable and is uncoupled, the other segments remain usable.
According to an embodiment, the control system is a boom control system configured to control operation of one or more booms of the rock drilling rig. A first end of the boom is connected to a carrier of the rock drilling rig and an opposite second end of the boom is provided with a drilling unit comprising a rock drilling machine. The boom further comprises at least two boom parts, joints between the boom parts, several boom actuators for moving the boom parts and at least one boom sensing device for sensing positions of the boom parts. The mentioned boom actuators are connected to the distributed actuator system. The at least one data bus of the system is in communication with actuator drivers of the boom actuators of the distributed actuator system, and is further in communication with the at least one boom sensing device. The boom comprises at least one lifting actuator and at least one swing actuator which are located at a portion of the first end of the boom. Further, at least the actuator drivers of the lifting actuator and the swing actuator are connected to a bus segment which is disconnectable from the rest of the data bus in order to allow controlling the lifting actuator and the swing actuator despite of the other boom actuators. Thanks to this embodiment, actuators locating at the first end section of the boom, and thereby executing largest movements for the boom, may be controlled despite of fails in other sections. This way the boom may be moved from a difficult position into service or transport position. In other words, the lifting actuator and the swing actuator generate the largest movement for the boom, wherefore at least their operation is guaranteed by the disclosed solution. In addition to, a boom extension or zoom actuator may also be one critical actuator of the boom arrangement.
According to an embodiment, the control system is a boom control system in accordance with the previous embodiment and further comprises features, which are disclosed below. The boom actuators are hydraulic actuators connected to a common rail hydraulic system. Further, at least the lifting actuator and the swing actuator are part of an actuator segment separable from the rest of the common rail hydraulic system by means of a segmentation element. Thus, the lifting actuator and the swing actuator may be powered selectively despite of the rest of boom actuators. In other words, hydraulic pressure fluid may be conveyed to the lifting actuator and the swing actuator from the common rail circuit and no hydraulic power is fed to one or more separated segments and their actuators. If a hose breaks at the second end portion of the boom, corresponding actuator segment may be uncoupled from the hydraulic system and operation may be continued with the actuators, which are still connected to the system.
The embodiments and features disclosed above may be implemented in the disclosed control system and apparatus as well as in the disclosed method. Thereby, the embodiments above, and dependent apparatus claims, comprise suitable additional features, which may be used as additional steps and procedures for amending also the independent method claim of this patent application.
The above disclosed embodiments can be combined in order to form suitable solutions provided with necessary features.

Brief description of the figures

Some embodiments are described in more detail in the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing a rock drilling rig for underground work sites and arranged to implement the disclosed control arrangement,
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing some basic features describing a control system which is in accordance with the disclosed solution,
Figure 3 is a schematic view of a part of a control system comprising one shared data bus and several hydraulic actuator drivers for controlling hydraulic actuators,
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a control system comprising two separate data busses and a power circuit provided with separable actuator segments,
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing some control steps for controlling the distributed actuator system and decoupling one or more segments of a data bus in response to detected fail in the data buss, and
Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing some control steps for controlling the distributed actuator system and decoupling one or more actuator segments of a common power circuit in response to detected fail in the common power circuit.

For the sake of clarity, the figures show some embodiments of the disclosed solution in a simplified manner. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

Detailed description of some embodiments

Figure 1 shows a rock drilling rig 1 intended for horizontal underground drilling HD and may be used for drilling horizontal blast holes when developing new rock spaces. Alternatively, or in addition to, the rock drilling rig may be used for vertical underground drilling VD such as drilling production blast holes or holes for reinforcing elements, such as rock bolts.
The rock drilling rig 1 comprises a movable carrier 2, one or more drilling booms 3 and drilling units 4 arranged to the booms 3. The drilling unit 4 comprises a feed beam 5 on which a rock drilling machine 6 may be moved by means of a feed device 7. Further, the drilling unit 4 comprises a drilling tool 8 with which impact pulses given by an impact device 9 of the rock drilling machine 6 are transmitted to the rock to be drilled. The rock drilling machine 6 further comprises a rotating device 11 for turning the drilling tool 8 around its longitudinal axis during the drilling. In addition to, the rock drilling machine 6 may comprise an axial bearing and a power extractor, which both are arranged to influence to axial position of the drilling tool 8. The mentioned feed device 7, impact device 9, rotating device 11, axial bearing and power extractor may all be hydraulic actuators of the drilling unit 4 whereby they are be connected to a hydraulic system. Alternatively one or more of the mentioned actuators or devices may be operated pneumatically or electrically.
The drilling boom 3 may comprise two or more boom parts 3a, 3b connected to each other by means of a joint J1. A first end of the boom 3 may be connected to the carrier 2 by means of horizontal joint J2 allowing lifting L the boom 3 by means of lifting device, such as a lifting cylinder. The first end of the boom 3 may also comprise a vertical joint allowing the boom to be moved side wards i.e. to execute swing S movement by means of a swing device, such as a swing cylinder. At least the first boom part 3a may be extendable E by means of a zoom cylinder, for example. At the second end of the boom 3 may be a third joint J3 allowing tilting movement for the rock drilling unit 4, and a roll over joint RO allowing turning the drilling unit 4 around axis of the roll over joint by means of roll over device 12. For the shake of clarity, only one boom actuator 13 in addition to the roll over device 12, in this case a cylinder is shown in Figure 1. The devices and boom actuators intended for moving the boom 3 and boom parts 3a, 3b may be hydraulic actuators, which are connected to the hydraulic system of the rock drilling rig. Alternatively one or more of the mentioned actuators or devices may be operated pneumatically or electrically.
The actuators of the boom 3 and the drilling unit 4 are distributed and one or more common hydraulic power circuits may be shared with several boom and drilling actuators. Thus, the actuators may be connected to a hydraulic common rail system. The distributed actuators are controlled by means of distributed actuator drivers on the basis of control data transmitted from a control unit CU by means of a data bus. On the carrier 2 may be one or more hydraulic pumps 14 serving as a power source for the power circuit.
The boom 3 may be provided with one or more sensing devices SD for detecting the movements caused by the boom actuators 13. Also the actuators of the rock drilling unit 4 and their operational effects may be monitored by means of sensing devices. Sensing data may be transmitted from the sensing devices to one or more control unit CU by means of a data bus. However, in some solutions and control systems there is no necessity to provide the system with conventional sensing devices but instead a so called direct control - principle may then be implemented.
The control unit or device CU is arranged to control actuators of the rock drilling rig 1. The on-board control device CU may be a computer, processing device or a corresponding device, and it may comprise a user interface with a display device as well as control means for giving commands and information to the control unit. The control device CU may be a computer equipped with appropriate software. Alternatively, the control unit CU may comprise manual control means and may be configured to generate control signals to be transmitted via the data bus to actuator drivers. The term control unit may thereby be interpreted widely.
The features disclosed in connection with Figure 1 may alternatively be implemented in a rock drilling rig intended for surface rock drilling.
Figure 2 shows some basic features of a control system. These features have already been disclosed above in this patent application.
Figure 3 discloses a control system comprising hydraulic actuators A1 and A2 which are connected to a common hydraulic circuit CHC. For the shake of clarity, only two hydraulic actuators are presented. The common hydraulic circuit CHC comprises a feed duct or supply line 15 for conveying pressurized hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump 14 or source to the hydraulic actuators A1, A2, and a discharge duct or return line 16 for conveying hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuators A1, A2 to a tank 17. The actuators are controlled by means of control valves 18, which open and close connections from the fluid lines 15, 16 of the common hydraulic circuit CHC to ports of the actuators A1, A2. The control valves 18 are controlled by means of valve drivers VD connected to a data bus DB. The valve driver VD may comprise a valve actuator 19 for moving a control slide or corresponding control element of the control valve 18. The valve actuator 19 is controlled on the basis of control signals received by means of a receiver or control device 20 of the valve driver VD. The control device 20 may receive digital data bus signal send by a control unit CU of the control system, and may transform the digital control data into analog control data for executing control of valve actuator 19. Operational effects of the actuators A1, A2 may be sensed or monitored by means of sensing devices SD, which may be suitable sensors or measuring devices. In the disclosed solution the data transmission is executed by means of one single data bus DB. Thereby, the sensing devices SD and the valve drivers VD are connected to the same data bus DB. Further, the shared data bus DB is divided into two data bus segments DBS. Between the segments DBS is a bus repeater BR enabling the segments to be electrically, or in any other way, decoupled from each other. Thus, it is possible to disconnect the arrangement on the right side of Figure 3, and to continue the operation with the arrangement on the left side. The actuator A1 may be more critical actuator than the other actuator A2, and may also locate closer to a carrier of the rock drilling rig.
Figure 4 discloses a control system wherein a distributed actuator system is provided with two or more actuator segments AS1, AS2 both of them comprising one or more actuators. A first actuator segment AS1 may comprise several boom actuators BA1 - BA3, which are located at a boom area of a rock drilling rig. The second actuator segment AS2 may comprise drilling actuators DA1 - DA5, which are located at a drilling unit area of the rock drilling rig. The boom actuators BA1 - BA3 and the drilling actuators DA1 - DA5 are connected to a common power circuit CPC, which comprises at least one power source PS. The common power circuit CPC may be hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical. The common power circuit CPC is provided with a segmentation element SE for separating feeding of power to the second actuator segment AS2 when fail has occurred in the second segment. The first actuator segment AS1 may comprise the following boom actuators: a boom lifting actuator BA1, a boom swing actuator BA2 and a boom extension actuator BA3. These boom actuators BA1 - BA3 are located close to a carrier area and have thereby greatest influence to position of the boom. The second actuator segment AS2 may comprise the following actuators: A tilting actuator of a drilling unit DA1, a roll over actuator of the drilling unit DA2, an impact device DA3, a rotating device DA4 and a feed device DA5. In addition to, the second actuator segment AS2 may comprise an axial bearing device, a power extractor device and one or more drilling tool handling devices.
In Figure 4 there are two separate data busses. A first data bus DB1 is connected to actuator drivers AD1 - AD3 of the boom actuators BA1 - BA3 and to the actuator drivers AD4 - AD8 of the drilling actuators DA1 - DA5. The first data bus DB1 dedicated for the actuator drives AD1 - AD8 is divided into two driving segments DBS1 and DBS2. Correspondingly, a second data bus DB2 comprising sensing devices SD1 - SD3 of the boom actuators BA1 - BA3 and sensing devices SD4 - SD 8 of the drilling actuators DA1 - DA8, is divided into two sensing segments DBS3 and DBS4. Between the driving segments DBS1 and DBS2 is bus repeater BR, and correspondingly between the sensing segments DBS3 and DBS4 is also a bus repeater BR. Thus, the segments DBS2 and DBS4 may be uncoupled from the control system if needed. It may be possible to substitute the bus repeater BR with any other suitable type of uncoupling device or element.
In case there are additional less critical boom actuators on the boom area, they may be arranged to the second actuator segment AS2 and may be connected to the data bus segments DBS2, DBS4.
Figure 5 discloses some control steps for controlling the distributed actuator system and decoupling one or more segments of a data bus in response to detected fail in the data bus. The features and steps are discussed already more detailed above in this patent application.
Figure 6 discloses some control steps for controlling the distributed actuator system and decoupling one or more actuator segments of a common power circuit in response to detected fail in the common power circuit. The features and steps are discussed already more detailed above in this patent application.
Let it be mentioned that the solution and features disclosed in this patent application may also be applied for other type of rock drilling rigs as disclosed in Figure 1. Thus, the rock drilling rig may alternatively be a surface drilling machine for drilling vertical drill holes to rock or soil, for example.
The drawings and the related description are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its details, the invention may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

A control system of a rock drilling rig (1), the system comprising:
at least one distributed actuator system provided with several actuators (A) connected to a common power circuit and comprising several distributed actuator drivers (AD) for operating the actuators;

at least one sensing device (SD) for detecting operational effects of the actuators;

at least one data bus (DB), which is in communication with at least one of the following: the actuator drivers (AD) of the distributed actuator system, the at least one sensing device (SD);

and wherein the mentioned at least one data bus (DB) is divided into at least two segments (DBS).
The control system according to claim 1, wherein
between the at least two segments (DBS) of the data bus (DB) is a bus-repeater (BR) enabling the segments to be decoupled from each other.
The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the control system comprises one single data bus (DB) which is shared with the actuator drivers (AD) and the sensing devices (SD), whereby the data bus (DB) is configured to transmit control data and sensing data.
The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the control system comprises at least one sensing bus (DB2) and at least one driving bus (DB1), which are separate from each other; and
the sensing devices (SD) are connected to the sensing bus (DB2) for transmitting sensing data and the actuator drivers (AD) are connected to the driving bus (DB1) for enabling control data.
The control system according to claim 4, wherein
the sensing bus (DB2) is divided into at least two sensing segments (DBS3, DBS4), whereby the sensing bus (DB2) comprises a first sensing segment (DBS3) and a second sensing segment (DBS4);
the second sensing segment (DBS4) is configured to communicate with at least one control unit (CU) of the control system via the first sensing segment (DBS3); and
between the first sensing segment (DBS3) and the second sensing segment (DBS4) is a first bus-repeater (BR) allowing decoupling of the second sensing segment (DBS4) in response to detected fault in the second sensing segment (DBS4) and allowing continued operation with the first sensing segment (DBS3).
The control system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein
the driving bus (DB1) is divided into at least two driving segments (DBS1, DBS2), whereby the driving bus (DB) comprises a first driving segment (DBS1) and a second driving segment (DBS2);
the second driving segment (DBS2) is configured to communicate with at least one control unit (CU) of the control system via the first driving segment (DBS1); and
between the first driving segment (DBS1) and the second driving segment (DBS2) is a second bus-repeater (BR) allowing decoupling of the second driving segment (DBS2) in response to detected fault in the second driving segment (DBS2) and allowing continued operation with the first driving segment (DBS1).
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein
the at least one data bus (DB) of the control system is a CAN-bus (Controlled-Area-Network -bus).
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein
the at least one data bus (DB) of the control system is an Ethernet - based bus.
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, wherein
the at least one distributed actuator system comprises at least two actuator segments (AS1, AS2), wherein each of the actuator segments comprises at least one actuator; and
the control system comprises at least one segmentation element (SE) for separating at least one actuator segment (AS) from the common power circuit, thereby allowing driving power to be selectively directed to the actuator segments (AS).
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, wherein
the actuators (A1, A2) of the distributed actuator system are pressure fluid operated actuators connected to a common rail pressure fluid circuit (CHC) and the distributed actuator drivers for operating the pressure fluid actuators are valve drivers (VD).
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein
the control system comprises at least one control unit (CU);
the control unit (CU) is configured to monitor operational condition of the segments of the at least one data bus (DB) and is configured to generate operational condition data for diagnosing the data bus (DB).
The control system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, wherein
the control system is a boom control system configured to control operation of a boom (3) of the rock drilling rig (1), wherein a first end of the boom (3) is connected to a carrier (2) of the rock drilling rig (1) and a second end of the boom (3) is provided with a drilling unit (4) comprising a rock drilling machine (6);
the boom (3) comprises at least two boom parts (3a, 3b), joints (J) between the boom parts, several boom actuators (BA) for moving the boom and the boom parts and at least one boom sensing device (SD) for sensing positions of the boom parts;
the boom actuators (BA) are connected to the distributed actuator system;
the at least one data bus (DB) is in communication with actuator drivers (AD) of the boom actuators (BA) of the distributed actuator system, and is further in communication with the at least one boom sensing device (SD);
the boom (3) comprises at least one lifting actuator (BA1) and at least one swing actuator (BA2) which are located at a portion of the first end of the boom (3); and
at least the actuator drivers (AD1, AD2) of the lifting actuator (BA1) and the swing actuator (BA2) are connected to a bus segment (DBS1) which is disconnectable from the rest of the data bus (DB) in order to allow controlling the lifting actuator (BA1) and the swing actuator (BA2) despite of the other boom actuators.
The control system according to claim 12, wherein
the boom actuators (BA) are hydraulic actuators connected to a common rail hydraulic system (CHC); and
at least the lifting actuator (BA1) and the swing actuator (BA2) are part of an actuator segment (AS1) separable from the rest of the common rail hydraulic system (CHC) by means of an segmentation element (SE), thereby allowing selectively powering the lifting actuator (BA1) and the swing actuator (BA2) despite of the rest of boom actuators.
A rock drilling rig, comprising:
a movable carrier (2);

at least one boom (3), wherein a first end of the boom is connected to the carrier (2) and a second end of the boom is provided with a drilling unit (4) comprising a rock drilling machine (6);

several boom actuators (BA) for moving the boom (3);

and a control system comprising:
at least one control unit (CU);

at least one distributed actuator system provided with several actuators connected to a common power circuit and comprising several distributed actuator drivers (AD) for operating the actuators;

at least one sensing device (SD) for detecting operational effects of the actuators;

at least one data bus (DB) by means of which the control unit (CU) is in communication with at least one of the following: the actuator drivers (AD) of the distributed actuator system, the at least one sensing device (SD);

and wherein the control system is in accordance with claim 1.
A method of controlling a rock drilling rig, the method comprising:
controlling at least one distributed actuator system provided with several actuators by connecting selectively the actuators to a common power circuit by means of actuator drivers (AD) of the distributed actuator system;

detecting operational effects of the actuators of the distributed actuator system by means of at least one sensing device (SD);

transmitting sensing data from the at least one sensing device (SD) to at least one control unit (CU) by means of at least one data bus (DB);

generating control commands in the at least one control unit (CU) and transmitting the control commands to the actuator drivers (AD) by means of the at least one data bus (DB);

and wherein the method further comprises;

providing the at least one data bus (DB) with at least two segments (DBS), which are functionally separable from each other; and

detecting operational condition of the at least one data bus (DB) and decoupling at least one segment (DBS) in response to the detected fail in one or more other segments.