Patents by Inventor Jeffrey A. Ley
Jeffrey A. Ley has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11555403Abstract: A longwall mining system including a longwall shearer having cutting drums. The cutting picks on the cutting drum are monitored for wear using imaging devices mounted to the longwall mining system. Methods for monitoring wear includes a controller receiving image data from an imaging device directed at a cutting drum of a shearer. The controller analyzes the image data to determine a wear level of a cutting pick on the cutting drum. The controller then determines the wear level exceeds a wear threshold and, in response, generates an alert indicating that the cutting pick is worn in response to determining that the wear level exceeds the wear threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLCInventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Patent number: 11434761Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by the cutter drum. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a target vibration threshold associated with a target material seam. The electronic controller is also configured to provide a visual output to an operator of the longwall mining system when the current vibration level exceeds the target vibration threshold, where the current vibration level exceeds the target vibration threshold when the cutter drum of the shearer cuts outside of the target material seam.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLCInventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Patent number: 11319809Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level associated with the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to, in response to the current vibration level exceeding the vibration threshold, adjust a cutting parameter for the cutter drum of the shearer. The electronic controller is also configured to control the cutter drum with the adjusted cutting parameter.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining IncInventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Patent number: 11180992Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by a cutter drum of the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to detect an impact event associated with the cutter drum of the shearer based on the comparison and generate an impact event indication associated with the impact event.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: JOY GLOBAL UNDERGROUND MINING LLCInventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Patent number: 11180993Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory. The electronic controller is configured to receive an impact event indication associated with an impact event of the cutter drum, the impact event indication based on vibration data collected by the sensor. The electronic controller is also configured to retrieve additional data associated with the impact event indication and link the additional data with the vibration data of the impact event indication. The electronic controller is also configured to create and store an impact event record including the vibration data and the additional data. The electronic controller is configured to, in response to receiving a maintenance request, export the impact event record for display.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: JOY GLOBAL UNDERGROUND MINING LLCInventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Publication number: 20210285327Abstract: A longwall mining system including a longwall shearer having cutting drums. The cutting picks on the cutting drum are monitored for wear using imaging devices mounted to the longwall mining system. Methods for monitoring wear includes a controller receiving image data from an imaging device directed at a cutting drum of a shearer. The controller analyzes the image data to determine a wear level of a cutting pick on the cutting drum. The controller then determines the wear level exceeds a wear threshold and, in response, generates an alert indicating that the cutting pick is worn in response to determining that the wear level exceeds the wear threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2021Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Publication number: 20210254464Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by the cutter drum. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a target vibration threshold associated with a target material seam. The electronic controller is also configured to provide a visual output to an operator of the longwall mining system when the current vibration level exceeds the target vibration threshold, where the current vibration level exceeds the target vibration threshold when the cutter drum of the shearer cuts outside of the target material seam.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2020Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Publication number: 20210254461Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level associated with the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to, in response to the current vibration level exceeding the vibration threshold, adjust a cutting parameter for the cutter drum of the shearer. The electronic controller is also configured to control the cutter drum with the adjusted cutting parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2020Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Publication number: 20210254463Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory. The electronic controller is configured to receive an impact event indication associated with an impact event of the cutter drum, the impact event indication based on vibration data collected by the sensor. The electronic controller is also configured to retrieve additional data associated with the impact event indication and link the additional data with the vibration data of the impact event indication. The electronic controller is also configured to create and store an impact event record including the vibration data and the additional data. The electronic controller is configured to, in response to receiving a maintenance request, export the impact event record for display.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2020Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Publication number: 20210254462Abstract: Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by a cutter drum of the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to detect an impact event associated with the cutter drum of the shearer based on the comparison and generate an impact event indication associated with the impact event.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2020Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Edward F. Niederriter, Jeffrey A. Ley
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Patent number: 9506343Abstract: A system and corresponding method of monitoring a longwall shearing mining machine in a longwall mining system, where the shearing mining machine includes a shearer having a cutter drum, the method includes obtaining, by a processor, desired pitch angle information, and receiving, by the processor, a pitch angle indicative of a current pitch position of the shearer. The method also includes determining, by the processor, whether the pitch angle is within a desired pitch angle range, and controlling, by the processor, a position of the cutter drum based on whether the pitch angle is within the desired pitch angle range. The desired pitch angle range is based on the desired pitch angle information.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Joy MM Delaware, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey A. Ley, Matthew Beilstein
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Patent number: 9476300Abstract: A system and corresponding method of monitoring a longwall shearing mining machine in a longwall mining system, where the shearing mining machine includes a shearer having a cutter drum, the method includes obtaining, by a processor, desired pitch angle information, and receiving, by the processor, a pitch angle indicative of a current pitch position of the shearer. The method also includes determining, by the processor, whether the pitch angle is within a desired pitch angle range, and controlling, by the processor, a position of the cutter drum based on whether the pitch angle is within the desired pitch angle range. The desired pitch angle range is based on the desired pitch angle information.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Joy MM Delaware, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey A. Ley, Matthew Beilstein
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Publication number: 20160061031Abstract: A system and corresponding method of monitoring a longwall shearing mining machine in a longwall mining system, where the shearing mining machine includes a shearer having a cutter drum, the method includes obtaining, by a processor, desired pitch angle information, and receiving, by the processor, a pitch angle indicative of a current pitch position of the shearer. The method also includes determining, by the processor, whether the pitch angle is within a desired pitch angle range, and controlling, by the processor, a position of the cutter drum based on whether the pitch angle is within the desired pitch angle range. The desired pitch angle range is based on the desired pitch angle information.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2014Publication date: March 3, 2016Inventors: Jeffrey A. Ley, Matthew Beilstein