Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a mined material transport vehicle having the features of the preamble of claim <NUM>.

Patent Literature <NUM> describes a work machine used in a tunnel of a mine. The work machine includes a bucket for mining ore. The work machine transports the ore by moving along the tunnel in a state where the ore is held in the bucket.

Patent Literature <NUM> describes a mine mining system including a loading machine and a transport vehicle used in a mine tunnel. The loading machine stays at a mining site and mines ore. The transport vehicle transports the ore loaded from the loading machine to a dump site by traveling on a travel passage.

In order to improve excavation efficiency, transportation of a large amount of ore at one time is required. However, since the size of a transport vehicle is limited by the cross-sectional area of a tunnel, it is not possible to increase the size of the transport vehicle without consideration. In addition, it is necessary to store ore having various shapes with large and small sizes at a high filling rate.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mined material transport vehicle capable of improving excavation efficiency.

Above object is achieved by a mined material transport vehicle according to claim <NUM>. A mined material transport vehicle according to an aspect disclosed herein includes: a vehicle main body capable of moving forward and rearward; and a loading platform provided on the vehicle main body, wherein the loading platform comprises: a conveyor provided on the vehicle main body and having a conveying surface extending to be capable of conveying a mined material in in forward-rearward directions; a pair of movable flaps extending in the conveying direction, that is, along the conveying surface, on both sides of the conveying surface in a vehicle width direction, forming a storage space together with the conveying surface, and being rotatable about an axial line extending in the conveying direction; and a drive unit configured to rotate the movable flaps about the axial line.

According to the mined material transport vehicle of the above-described aspect, it is possible to improve excavation efficiency.

A mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is a vehicle that is capable of traveling in a tunnel of a mine in a state in which a mined material is stored.

As shown in <FIG>, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> includes a vehicle main body <NUM>, a loading platform <NUM>, and a mined material guide <NUM>.

The vehicle main body <NUM> is configured to be capable of moving forward and rearward in the tunnel of the mine in an extending direction of the tunnel, that is, be capable of traveling by shuttle. The vehicle main body <NUM> extends in the extension direction of the tunnel. The vehicle main body <NUM> includes a vehicle body front portion <NUM> and a vehicle body rear portion <NUM>. The vehicle body front portion <NUM> and the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in forward-rearward directions. In the following description, the vehicle body front portion <NUM> side in the forward-rearward directions is referred to as a forward direction (one side in the forward-rearward directions, and a right side in <FIG> and <FIG>), and the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> side is referred to as a rearward direction (the other side in the forward-rearward directions, and a left side in <FIG> and <FIG>). The horizontal direction orthogonal to the forward-rearward directions is referred to as a vehicle width direction.

The vehicle body front portion <NUM> has a pair of front wheels <NUM> arranged at a distance from each other in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body rear portion <NUM> has a pair of rear wheels <NUM> arranged at a distance from each other in the vehicle width direction.

The vehicle body front portion <NUM> and the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> are connected to each other in the forward-rearward directions by a connection portion <NUM> provided therebetween. The connection portion <NUM> connects the vehicle body front portion <NUM> and the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> to each other so as to be relatively rotatable to each other. That is, the vehicle body front portion <NUM> and the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> are configured so as to be capable of bending in the horizontal direction with the connection portion <NUM> serving as a joint. As a result, the vehicle main body <NUM> is a so-called articulated type.

The vehicle body rear portion <NUM> has a support bracket <NUM>. The support bracket <NUM> extends from a front portion and an upper portion of the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> so as to be inclined upward toward the front side. A pair of the support brackets <NUM> are provided at a distance from each other in the vehicle width direction. Each front end of the support brackets <NUM> is positioned in the vicinity of a front end of each front wheel <NUM> in the vehicle body front portion <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the loading platform <NUM> is provided on the vehicle main body <NUM>. The loading platform <NUM> includes an apron feeder <NUM> (conveyor), lateral guides <NUM>, a rear closing plate <NUM>, a front gate <NUM> (opening-closing unit), a rear gate <NUM> (opening-closing unit), lateral cylinders <NUM> (drive unit), front cylinders <NUM>, and rear cylinders <NUM>.

The apron feeder <NUM> is supported on the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> of the vehicle main body <NUM>. The apron feeder <NUM> is disposed on the vehicle main body <NUM> and extends across the forward-rearward directions. An upper surface of the apron feeder <NUM> is a conveying surface 30a. The conveying surface 30a extends in the forward-rearward directions. The conveying surface 30a of the present embodiment extends in a conveying direction C inclined with respect to the forward-rearward directions that extend in the horizontal direction. The conveying surface 30a is inclined so as to be high at a front side thereof and to be low at a rear side thereof. The conveying surface 30a is configured to be capable of conveying ore as the mined material in the conveying direction C. In the following description, a direction toward the forward side in the conveying direction C (a direction that has an ascending slope) is referred to as a conveying direction C forward side. A direction toward the rearward side in the conveying direction C (a direction that has a descending slope) is referred to as a conveying direction C rearward side.

The apron feeder <NUM> has a sprocket 32A, an idler 32B, a chain <NUM>, and an apron <NUM>.

The sprocket 32A is supported so as to be sandwiched between the front ends of the pair of support brackets <NUM>. The sprocket 32A is supported by the pair of support brackets <NUM> so as to be rotatable about an axial line extending in the vehicle width direction.

The idler 32B is supported at a rear portion of a vehicle body rear portion <NUM>. The idler 32B is supported by the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> so as to be rotatable about an axial line extending in the vehicle width direction. The idler 32B is positioned below and at a rear side of the sprocket 32A that is disposed at a front. The sprocket 32A and the idler 32B are spaced apart from each other in the conveying direction C.

The chain <NUM> is formed in an endless shape with the conveying direction C being a longitudinal direction. The chain <NUM> is wound, at both ends in the conveying direction C, around the sprocket 32A and the idler 32B, and thus, a rotation of the sprocket 32A is transmitted to the chain <NUM>.

The apron <NUM> is constituted by a large number of plates <NUM>. Each of the plates <NUM> has a rectangular plate shape with the vehicle width direction being a longitudinal direction. The apron <NUM> is formed in an endless shape similarly to the chain <NUM> by connecting the large number of plates <NUM> in a direction along a plate surface thereof. The apron <NUM> is provided so as to accommodate the chain <NUM>, the sprocket 32A, and the idler 32B inside of the apron <NUM> and to be wound around the sprocket 32A and the idler 32B similarly to the chain <NUM>. The apron <NUM> is fixed to the chain <NUM> over the entire circumference thereof. Thus, the apron <NUM> is driven along with the driving of the chain <NUM>.

An upper surface of the apron <NUM> is the above-described conveying surface 30a. By a positive rotation of the sprocket 32A, the conveying surface 30a conveys the mined material to the conveying direction C forward side. By a negative rotation of the sprocket 32A, the conveying surface 30a conveys the mined material to the conveying direction C rearward side. A plurality of rollers 30b that are capable of guiding each plate <NUM> in the conveying direction C via the chain <NUM> are provided in the inner side of the apron <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a pair of lateral guides <NUM> is provided on both sides of the conveying surface 30a in the vehicle width direction. The lateral guides <NUM> extend in the conveying direction C. The lateral guides <NUM> are provided so as to sandwich a space above the conveying surface 30a from both sides in the vehicle width direction. A storage space S capable of storing the mined material is defined by the pair of lateral guides <NUM> and the conveying surface 30a.

The lateral guides <NUM> include front fixed guides <NUM>, rear fixed guides <NUM>, movable flaps <NUM>, and flap guides <NUM>.

The front fixed guides <NUM> are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction in a front portion of the conveying surface 30a.

The front fixed guides <NUM> extend upward toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction. The front fixed guides <NUM> are fixed to the support brackets <NUM> via a support member (not shown).

The front fixed guides <NUM> are immovably fixed without changing their posture.

The front portions of the pair of front fixed guides <NUM> extend toward the front end so as to approach each other toward an inner side in the vehicle width direction, in planar view. The front ends of the pair of front fixed guides <NUM> are positioned on the rear side of the front end of the conveying surface 30a. That is, the conveying surface 30a protrudes in the conveying direction C forward side from the front fixed guides <NUM>.

The rear fixed guides <NUM> are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction in the rear portion of the conveying surface 30a.

The rear fixed guides <NUM> are disposed in the conveying direction C rearward side of the front fixed guides <NUM> at a distance from the front fixed guides <NUM>. The rear fixed guides <NUM> extend upward while extending toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The rear fixed guides <NUM> are fixed to the vehicle body rear portion <NUM> via a support member (not shown). The rear fixed guides <NUM> are immovably fixed without changing their posture, similar to the front fixed guides <NUM>.

A pair of movable flaps <NUM> is provided on both sides in the width direction of the conveying surface 30a so as to be positioned between the front fixed guides <NUM> and the rear fixed guides <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, each movable flap <NUM> includes an inclined plate <NUM> and a rising plate <NUM>.

The inclined plate <NUM> constitutes a lower portion of the movable flap <NUM>. The inclined plate <NUM> has a flat plate shape extending obliquely upward from a lower end toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The inclined plate <NUM> extends in the conveying direction C. An upper end of the inclined plate <NUM> extends parallel to the conveying direction C.

A rising portion has a flat plate shape extending upward from an upper end of the inclined plate <NUM> so as to rise upward. The rising portion has a shape in which a size of a rising from the upper end of the inclined plate <NUM> increases toward the conveying direction C rearward side.

A lower end of the movable flap <NUM>, that is, the lower end of the inclined plate <NUM> is provided so as to be rotatable about a lateral axial line O1 extending in the conveying direction C on both sides in the vehicle width direction. In the present embodiment, the lower ends of the movable flaps <NUM> are each supported to the corresponding front fixed guide <NUM> and the corresponding rear fixed guide <NUM> so as to be rotatable about the corresponding lateral axial line O1 by being each supported by a shaft (not shown) provided at the corresponding lower ends of the front fixed guide <NUM> and the rear fixed guide <NUM>. That is, each movable flap <NUM> extends from the lateral axial line O1 toward the outside in the radial direction of the lateral axial line O1.

Each movable flap <NUM> is rotatable about the lateral axial line O1 between a first position and a second position.

As shown in <FIG>, the first position is a position at which the rising portion of the movable flap <NUM> extends in a vertical direction. The first position is a position where the front end of the movable flap <NUM> is continuous with the rear end of the front fixed guide <NUM> and the rear end of the movable flap <NUM> is continuous with the front end of the rear fixed guide <NUM>. Inner surfaces of the movable flap <NUM> at the first position, the front fixed guide <NUM>, and the rear fixed guide <NUM> form a guide surface that is continuous over the conveying direction C.

As shown in <FIG>, the second position is a position in which the movable flap <NUM> is rotated about the lateral axial line O1 toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction from the first position. The second position is a position in which the front end of the movable flap <NUM> is positioned at the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the rear end of the front fixed guide <NUM>, and the rear end of the movable flap <NUM> is positioned at the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front end of the rear fixed guide <NUM>. By the movable flap <NUM> transitioning from the first position to the second position, the inner surface of the movable flap <NUM> becomes discontinuous with the inner surface of the front fixed guide <NUM> and the inner surface of the rear fixed guide <NUM>.

The flap guides <NUM> are members that cover, from both sides in the conveying direction C, a rotation range of the movable flaps <NUM> that rotate between the first position and the second position. The rotation range has a fan shape when viewed from the conveying direction C.

The flap guide <NUM> is provided on each of the front fixed guide <NUM> and the rear fixed guide <NUM> on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The flap guide <NUM> fixed to the front fixed guide <NUM> is provided so as to protrude to the outer side in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the front fixed guide <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. The flap guide <NUM> protrudes so as to overlap with a movable range of the flap guide <NUM> when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

That is, the flap guide <NUM> has a fan shape that covers the rotation range from the conveying direction C.

The flap guide <NUM> fixed to the rear fixed guide <NUM> is provided so as to protrude to the outer side in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the rear fixed guide <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The flap guide <NUM> also protrudes so as to overlap with the movable range of the flap guide <NUM> when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The flap guide <NUM> may be configured to come into sliding contact with the end portion of the movable flap <NUM> in the conveying direction C when the movable flap <NUM> rotates.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the rear closing plate <NUM> covers the lower portion of the rear end of the storage space S from the conveying direction C rearward side. Both ends of the rear closing plate <NUM> in the vehicle width direction are connected to lower portions of rear ends of the pair of rear fixed guides <NUM> over the vertical direction. A lower end of the rear closing plate <NUM> is provided so as to face the conveying surface 30a from above. The rear closing plate <NUM> is inclined so as to extend toward the rear side while extending upward. An upper end of the rear closing plate <NUM> is positioned lower than upper ends of the rear fixed guides <NUM>. As a result, the upper end of the rear closing plate <NUM> and the rear ends of the rear fixed guides <NUM> form an introduction opening through which the mined material is introduced into the storage space S.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the rear gate <NUM> is provided at the introduction opening of the mined material, which is an opening on the conveying direction C rearward side in the storage space S. The rear gate <NUM> has a rear opening-closing plate <NUM> that closes the introduction opening from the conveying direction C rearward side. A lower end of the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> is in contact with the upper end of the rear closing plate <NUM> over the vehicle width direction and has a plate shape in which both ends in the vehicle width direction are connected to the rear ends of the pair of rear fixed guides <NUM>.

A pair of ribs 72a projecting rearward and extending in the vertical direction are provided on a surface of the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> facing rearward at a distance from each other in the vehicle width direction. A bracket 72b is provided on a rear end-upper surface of the vehicle body rear portion <NUM>. A rear end of the rib 72a is rotatable about a rear axial line O3 extending in the vehicle width direction with respect to the bracket 72b. As a result, the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> integrally fixed to the rib 72a is rotatable rearward and downward from a closing position at which the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> closes the introduction opening. A position at which the introduction opening is opened by the rotation of the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> from the closing position is defined as an opening position.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the front gate <NUM> is provided at an opening of the storage space S on the conveying direction C forward side. The front gate <NUM> has a pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM>. The pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM> are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction. Each of the pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM> has a plate shape extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveying surface 30a. Each of the pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM> is connected to the front end of the front fixed guide <NUM> so as to be rotatable about a front axial line O2 orthogonal to the conveying surface 30a.

The pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM> is rotatable between a closing position and an opening position. The closing position is a position at which the pair of opening-closing plates extends toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction from a first rotation axial line and closes the storage space S from the conveying direction C forward side. The opening position is a position at which the pair of opening-closing plates rotates from the closing position toward the front side to open the storage space S to the conveying direction C forward side.

That is, similarly to the rear opening-closing plates <NUM>, the front opening-closing plates <NUM> are provided so as to be rotatable between an opening position at which the storage space S is opened and a closed position at which the storage space S is closed.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, two lateral cylinders <NUM> are each provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction so as to be separated from each other in the conveying direction C. The lower end of each lateral cylinder <NUM> is connected to the vehicle rear portion, and the upper end of each lateral cylinder <NUM> is connected to the outer surface of the inclined plate <NUM> in each movable flap. The lateral cylinder <NUM> is configured to expand and contract by supplying and discharging operating oil to and from the inside thereof. By the expansion and contraction of the lateral cylinder <NUM>, the movable flap <NUM> is rotationally driven about the lateral axial line O1 between the first position and the second position.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, a pair of front cylinders <NUM> are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the front portion of the loading platform <NUM>. The rear end of the front cylinder <NUM> is connected to the outer surface of the front fixed guide <NUM>, and the front end of the front cylinder <NUM> is connected to the front surface of the front opening-closing plate <NUM> via a bracket 71a. The front cylinder <NUM> is configured to expand and contract by operating oil in the same manner as the lateral cylinder <NUM>. By the expansion and contraction of the lateral cylinder <NUM>, the pair of front opening-closing plates <NUM> is rotationally driven between the opening position and the closing position.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, a pair of rear cylinders <NUM> are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the rear portion of the loading platform <NUM>. A lower end of each rear cylinder <NUM> is connected to the vehicle body rear portion <NUM>. The upper end of the cylinder is connected to a link connecting the rib 72a and the bracket 72b. Each rear cylinder <NUM> is configured to expand and contract by operating oil in the same manner as the front cylinders <NUM> and the lateral cylinders <NUM>. By the expansion and contraction of the rear cylinders <NUM>, the rear opening-closing plate <NUM> is rotationally driven between the opening position and the closing position.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the mined material guide <NUM> is provided at the front end of the vehicle body front portion <NUM> of the vehicle main body <NUM>. The mined material guide <NUM> guides forward the mined material, which falls from the end portion of the conveying surface 30a of the conveying direction C forward side. The mined material guide <NUM> includes a support portion <NUM>, a lateral plate <NUM>, and vertical plates <NUM>.

The support portion <NUM> extends upward from the front portion and the upper portion of the vehicle body front portion <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the support portion <NUM> extends so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction toward the forward side while extending upward.

The lateral plate <NUM> is fixed on an upper end of the support portion <NUM>. The lateral plate <NUM> has a rectangular plate shape with the vehicle width direction being a longitudinal direction. A plate surface of the lateral plate <NUM> facing upward serves as a guide surface. The guide surface extends along a front end of the apron feeder <NUM> in planar view. The guide surface is positioned below an end portion of the conveying surface 30a on the conveying direction C forward side in planar view. The guide surface extends so as to be inclined downward toward the front side. Here, a height of the front end of the guide surface of the lateral plate <NUM> is positioned above a lower edge of the introduction opening of the rear end in the loading platform <NUM>. The front end of the guide surface of the lateral plate <NUM> is positioned at a front of the front end of the vehicle body front portion <NUM>.

A pair of vertical plate portions <NUM> is provided so as to rise upward from the end portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the lateral plate <NUM>.

Next, a drive system of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. The mined material transport vehicle <NUM> includes, as a drive system, a battery device <NUM>, a travel inverter <NUM>, a travel motor <NUM>, a pump inverter <NUM>, a pump motor <NUM>, a hydraulic pump <NUM>, a hydraulic valve <NUM>, and a feeder hydraulic motor <NUM>, which are provided in the vehicle main body <NUM>.

The battery device <NUM> has a large number of batteries. The mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is operated by electric power from the batteries. The battery device <NUM> is provided with a battery control unit that controls a supply destination of the electric power of the batteries.

The travel inverter <NUM> converts the direct-current electric power supplied from the battery device <NUM> into alternating-current electric power. The travel motor <NUM> is rotationally driven by the alternating-current electric power supplied from the travel inverter <NUM>. The front wheels <NUM> and the rear wheels <NUM> are rotationally driven by the rotation of the travel motor <NUM>, so that the vehicle main body <NUM> moves forward and rearward. The travel inverter <NUM> is controlled by a control unit (not shown), so that the vehicle main body <NUM> moves forward or rearward.

The pump inverter <NUM> converts the direct-current electric power supplied from the battery device <NUM> into alternating-current electric power. The pump motor <NUM> is rotationally driven by the alternating-current electric power from the pump inverter <NUM>. The hydraulic pump <NUM> is rotationally driven by the rotation of the pump motor <NUM> to apply pressure to operating oil supplied from an oil tank (not shown) and discharge the operating oil. The hydraulic valve <NUM> is controlled by a control unit (not shown) to appropriately distribute the operating oil supplied from the hydraulic pump <NUM> to the lateral cylinder <NUM>, the rear cylinder <NUM>, the front cylinder <NUM>, the feeder hydraulic motor <NUM>, and the steering cylinder <NUM>. The feeder hydraulic motor <NUM> is rotationally driven by the operating oil. The sprocket 32A of the apron feeder <NUM> is driven to perform a positive rotation or a negative rotation by the rotation of the feeder hydraulic motor <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> having the above-described configuration is used in a mine M that mines ore by a block caving method. When the ore <NUM> is mined by the block caving method, a footprint <NUM> as a tunnel is formed below an ore deposit <NUM> (ore body) of the mine M. The footprint <NUM> is a stratum that serves as a production level. Holes are formed upward at an undercut level that is a stratum above the production level, and a lower portion of an ore body <NUM> is blasted (undercut) through the holes. As a result, the ore body <NUM> naturally collapses due to its own weight, and the ore <NUM> as a mined material falls onto a draw bell of the footprint <NUM>. An area where the ore <NUM> falls becomes a mining site <NUM>. As the ore <NUM> is mined at the mining site <NUM>, the natural collapse of the ore body <NUM> spreads up to an upper portion of the ore body <NUM>. Accordingly, the ore <NUM> can be continuously mined.

As shown in <FIG>, the footprint <NUM> is formed with a plurality of drifts <NUM> extending at intervals from each other and a plurality of crosscuts <NUM> extending at intervals from each other so as to cross the drifts <NUM>. Further, an outer peripheral passage <NUM> connecting the drifts <NUM> as the footprint <NUM> is formed at an end portion of the plurality of drifts <NUM>. The end portion of each of the drifts <NUM> is branched into two branches and connected to the outer peripheral passage <NUM>.

A mining site <NUM> of ore is formed in each of the crosscuts <NUM>. The mining site <NUM> is formed by performing the above-described undercut in the entire region of the undercut level, which is a stratum above the crosscut <NUM> positioned at the production level.

The outer peripheral passage <NUM> is provided with a dump site <NUM> for discharging mined ore (mined material).

For example, as one operation, as illustrated in <FIG>, mining and transportation of ore are carried out by one loading vehicle <NUM> and one mined material transport vehicle <NUM>. The footprint <NUM> in <FIG> is a so-called herringbone type. In <FIG> and the following <FIG>, a movement trajectory of the loading vehicle <NUM> is indicated by a solid line, and a movement trajectory of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is indicated by a broken line.

Mining of the ore is carried out by the loading vehicle <NUM> (load haul dump machine). The loading vehicle <NUM> has a bucket at a front portion thereof, enters the crosscut <NUM>, and scoops up the ore by the bucket. Then, the loading vehicle <NUM> moves from the crosscut <NUM> onto the drift <NUM> by swinging while moving backward from the mining site <NUM>. Accordingly, on the drift <NUM> of the herringbone type footprint <NUM>, the loading vehicle <NUM> is in a posture in which the bucket whose equipped direction indicates a forward direction is directed toward the outer peripheral passage <NUM> side having the dump site <NUM>.

At this time, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> stands by in front of the loading vehicle <NUM> on the drift <NUM>. The mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is positioned on the drift <NUM> in a posture in which a front side in a traveling direction faces the dump site <NUM> side and a rear side in the traveling direction faces the loading vehicle <NUM> side.

In this state, when the rear gate <NUM> of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is opened, the ore is loaded by the loading vehicle <NUM> into the storage space S from the rear of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> through the introduction opening. Since the conveying surface 30a partitioning the storage space S from below is inclined so as to be positioned lower toward the rearward side, it is possible to easily load the ore by the loading vehicles <NUM>.

The ore introduced into the storage space S directly falls onto the conveying surface 30a, or falls onto the conveying surface 30a by being guided downward and to the inner side in the vehicle width direction by the lateral guides <NUM>.

When the sprocket 32A of the apron feeder <NUM> of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> performs a positive rotation, the ore located on the conveying surface 30a is conveyed in the conveying direction C forward side by the conveying surface 30a. As a result, a space into which the ore is newly loaded is formed in the rear portion of the conveying surface 30a. Since the front gate <NUM> closes the storage space S from the front side, the ore does not spill from the front end of the conveying surface 30a.

The movable flaps <NUM> of the lateral guides <NUM> are rotated by the lateral cylinders <NUM>, so that it is possible to drop the ore staying on the inner surface of the lateral guides <NUM> to the conveying surface 30a. Thus, it is possible to smoothly convey the ore introduced into the storage space S to the conveying direction C forward side. In addition, there are various shapes of ore. Therefore, even in a case where a large lump of ore is introduced, or even in a case where, in the storage space S, ore is caught without falling on the conveying surface 30a, it is possible to promote the falling of the ore on the conveying surface 30a by vibrating the ore by the rotation of the movable flaps <NUM>.

Further, since the flap guides <NUM> that cover the rotation range of the movable flaps <NUM> are provided on both sides of the movable flaps <NUM> in the conveying direction C, a large gap that allows the storage space S to communicate with the outside is not formed between the movable flaps <NUM> and the front fixed guides <NUM> and between the movable flaps <NUM> and the rear fixed guides <NUM>. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the fall of ore from the above gap.

Since a space is formed in the rear portion of the storage space S, it is possible to carry out loading of ore by the loading vehicle <NUM> a plurality of times. In addition, it is possible to increase the filling rate of ore in the storage space S, and it is possible to efficiently perform mining and transport of ore.

After ore is sufficiently filled in the storage space S, the rear gate <NUM> is closed. Thus, it is possible to prevent the ore from spilling out from the rear side of the storage space S. In this state, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> moves forward in the drift <NUM> and moves to the dump site <NUM> on the outer peripheral passage <NUM>. At the dump site <NUM>, the front gate <NUM> is opened and the sprocket 32A performs a positive rotation to cause the ore on the conveying surface 30a to fall from the front end of the apron feeder <NUM>. The fallen ore is guided to the front side by the guide surface of the mined material guide <NUM> and falls onto the dump site <NUM>. In this case as well, by rotating the movable flaps <NUM>, it is possible to smoothly discharge ore from the storage space S. After the discharge of ore is completed, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> moves backward to the loading position by the loading vehicle <NUM>. Then, the loading of ore by the loading vehicle <NUM> is performed again.

Here, if an operation is performed in which mining of ore and transportation of ore to the dump site <NUM> are performed only by the loading vehicle <NUM>, particularly when the travel distance to the dump site <NUM> is long, productivity significantly reduces. In the present embodiment, since the loading vehicle <NUM> is dedicated to mining and loading to the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> and the transport of the mined material to the dump site <NUM> is performed by the mined material transport vehicle <NUM>, it is possible to improve productivity.

In addition, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> can store ore at a high filling rate by the conveying surface 30a and the movable flaps <NUM>. Therefore, it is possible to transport a large amount of ore to the dump site <NUM> at one time in spite of being subjected to the restrictions on the cross-sectional shape of the tunnel. As a result, productivity can be further improved.

Instead of the above-described operation, for example, as shown in <FIG>, an operation may be performed in which the loading vehicle <NUM> travels on the drift <NUM> toward the dump site <NUM> in a state in which the loading vehicle <NUM> stores ore in the bucket without being dedicated to the mining and loading of ore and ore is loaded into the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> on the way.

In addition, for example, as shown in <FIG>, an operation may be performed in which, after the loading vehicle <NUM> dedicated to mining ore loads ore on the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> (the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> on the right side in <FIG>), the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> travels to some extent, and then the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> transfers the ore to the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM> (the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> on the left side in <FIG>). The second mined material transport vehicle <NUM> transports and discharges the transferred ore to the dump site <NUM>.

In this case, the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is in a posture facing the dump site <NUM> side similar to the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM>. When the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> arrives at the rear side of the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM>, the rear gate <NUM> of the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is opened, and the front gate <NUM> of the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is opened.

In this state, when ore is discharged from the front end of the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM>, the ore falls from the front end of the conveying surface 30a and is guided forward via the mined material guide <NUM>. At this time, since the guide surface of the mined material guide <NUM> is positioned higher than the lower edge of the rear gate <NUM>, ore is introduced into the storage space S of the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM> via the guide surface.

Since the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> is inclined so that the front side of the conveying surface 30a becomes high, and has the mined material guide <NUM>, it is possible to smoothly transfer ore between the mined material transport vehicles <NUM>.

Further, for example, as shown in <FIG>, an operation may be performed in which the loading vehicle <NUM> travels toward the dump site <NUM> in a state in which ore is stored in the bucket, and then the ore is transported to the dump site <NUM> via the first mined material transport vehicle <NUM> and the second mined material transport vehicle <NUM>.

In addition, for example, the operation illustrated in <FIG> may be performed. In this operation, as an example, the loading vehicle <NUM> and the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> on the drift <NUM> are disposed on an opposite side to the dump site <NUM> to face forward. That is, unlike the herringbone type illustrated in <FIG>, the footprint <NUM> of <FIG> is an El Teniente type. Therefore, a direction of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> on the drift <NUM> may be opposite to that in <FIG>.

After mining ore from the mining site <NUM>, the loading vehicle <NUM> moves backward onto the drift <NUM>. At this time, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> stands by on the front side of the loading vehicle <NUM> (the side opposite to the dump site <NUM>). After the loading vehicle <NUM> loads ore on the mined material transport vehicle <NUM>, the loading vehicle <NUM> mines ore again, moves toward the dump site <NUM> by moving backward, and retreats on another branch passage different from a branch passage leading to the dump site <NUM> in the drift <NUM>. During this time, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> moves backward on the drift <NUM>, passes through the branch passage leading to the dump site <NUM>, and moves to the dump site <NUM>. After discharging ore at the dump site <NUM>, the mined material transport vehicle <NUM> moves forward on the drift <NUM> to the original standby location. The loading vehicle <NUM> then goes back to the drift <NUM>, moves backward, moves to the dump site <NUM> and discharges the ore. That is, the loading vehicle <NUM> dumps the ore from the front side by moving forward to the dump site after passing through the dump site once. After the dumping, the loading vehicle <NUM> moves forward to the mining site <NUM>.

Depending on the crossing aspect of the drifts <NUM> and the crosscuts <NUM> and the location of the dump site <NUM>, it is possible to carry out mining and transportation of ore smoothly by performing the above operation.

In addition, the loading vehicle <NUM> may be accessed by moving forward with respect to the dump site by turning at a branch road serving as a retreat place of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM>. Thus, it is possible to dump ore at the dump site from the front side of the mined material transport vehicle <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, an example in which the apron feeder <NUM> is used in the loading platform <NUM> has been described, but a belt conveyor having a belt and a roller may be used instead of the apron feeder <NUM>. In other words, another conveyor having a conveying surface formed by a configuration of an endless shape may be used instead of the apron feeder <NUM>.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, a pair of lower guides <NUM> may be provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the conveying surface 30a so as to rise upward from the conveying surface 30a. In this case, the lower ends of the lateral guides <NUM> are positioned in the vicinity of the upper ends of the lower guides <NUM>. This also makes it possible to prevent ore from coming off from the conveying surface 30a due to the lower guide <NUM>, so that the ore on the conveying surface 30a can be smoothly conveyed to the conveying direction C forward side.

Further, for example, without providing the rear closing plate <NUM>, the entire end portion of the storage space S on the conveying direction C rearward side may be opened and closed by the rear gate <NUM>. By reversely rotating the sprocket 32A to convey the ore on the conveying surface 30a to the conveying direction C rearward side, it is possible to discharge ore from the rear portion of the storage space S as well.

Further, for example, a sensor for detecting the volume or weight of ore in the storage space S may be provided, and the movable flaps <NUM> may be rotated when a value detected by the sensor exceeds a predetermined value.

In the embodiment, an example in which the conveying surface 30a is inclined has been described; however, the conveying surface 30a only has to extend in the forward-rearward directions, and thus may extend, for example, parallel to a horizontal surface.

Claim 1:
A mined material transport vehicle (<NUM>), comprising:
a vehicle main body (<NUM>) capable of moving forward and rearward; and
a loading platform (<NUM>) provided on the vehicle main body (<NUM>),
wherein the loading platform (<NUM>) comprises:
a conveyor (<NUM>) provided on the vehicle main body (<NUM>) and having a conveying surface (30a) capable of conveying a mined material in a conveying direction (C) extending in forward-rearward directions of the vehicle main body (<NUM>);
a pair of movable flaps (<NUM>) extending in the conveying direction (C) on both sides of the conveying surface (30a) in a vehicle width direction, forming a storage space (S) together with the conveying surface (30a), and being rotatable about an axial line (O1) extending in the conveying direction (C) between a first and a second position;
a drive unit (<NUM>) configured to rotate the movable flaps (<NUM>) about the axial line (O1);
wherein the loading platform (<NUM>) further comprises front fixed guides (<NUM>) provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction in a front portion of the conveying surface (30a), the front fixed guides (<NUM>) extend upward toward an outer side in the vehicle width direction, and
a front end of the movable flaps (<NUM>) is positioned at an outer side in the vehicle width direction of a rear end of the front fixed guides (<NUM>) in the second position when the movable flaps (<NUM>) are rotated about the axial line (O1) toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction
characterized in that
the front portions of the pair of front fixed guides (<NUM>) extend toward the front end so as to approach each other toward an inner side in the vehicle width direction, in planar view, and
the first position is a position where the front end of the movable flap (<NUM>) is continuous with the rear end of the front fixed guide (<NUM>).