US 12,012,856 B2
Rock bolt assembly comprising a sensor assembly
Osvaldo Vallati, Heatherbrae (AU)
Assigned to SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION TOOLS AB, Sandviken (SE); and SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, Milton (AU)
Appl. No. 17/786,689
Filed by SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION TOOLS AB, Sandviken (SE); and SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALIA (PRODUCTION/SUPPLY) PTY LTD, Milton (AU)
PCT Filed Dec. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/086991
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/123140, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19218824 (EP), filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0023293 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. E21F 17/18 (2006.01); E21D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC E21D 21/0093 (2013.01) [E21D 21/0033 (2013.01); E21F 17/185 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rock bolt assembly comprising:
a sensor assembly; and
a rock bolt, the rock bolt including a central rod, a split tube fitted around the central rod, a wedge anchor assembly fitted to the central rod, a rock plate having a hole, a nut for attachment to an outer end of the central rod, and a washer for use with the nut, the sensor assembly including a distance sensor, a bracket arranged for attaching the distance sensor to an outer portion of the split tube, an elongate spacing member configured to be fitted around the split tube between the washer and the rock plate to keep the nut and the rock plate spaced apart, wherein the spacing member includes an opening extending along at least a portion of a length of the spacing member, wherein the opening is sized large enough to allow movement of the bracket along a portion of the length of the spacing member with the distance sensor attached to the outer portion of the split tube by the bracket.