ROAD PAVER WITH OPERATING UNIT

Abstract

A road paver includes a control system, a main operator control stand, a height-adjustable roof, a main drive, at least one lighting element and a paving screed. The road paver further comprises an operating unit, which is arranged outside the main operator control stand and has a plurality of operating elements, of which an operating element is operable to switch the control system on and/or off, an operating element is operable to lift and/or lower the roof an operating element is operable to start and/or stop the main drive, an operating element is operable to switch on and/or off at least one lighting element, and an operating element is operable to lift and/or lower the paving screed.

Claims

1. A road paver comprising: a control system; a main operator control stand; a height-adjustable roof; a main drive; at least one lighting element; a paving screed; and an operating unit which is arranged outside the main operator control stand and has a plurality of operating elements, wherein the operating elements include an operating element that is operable to switch the control system on and/or off, an operating element that is operable to lift and/or lower the roof, an operating element that is operable to start and/or stop the main drive, an operating element that is operable to switch on and/or off the at least one lighting element, and an operating element that is operable to lift and/or lower the paving screed.

2. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is detachably arranged on a portion of the road paver.

3. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is connected to the control system by means of a cable.

4. The road paver according to claim 3, wherein the cable comprises a detachable plug connection.

5. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is connected to the control system by means of a radio connection.

6. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is arranged on the paving screed.

7. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is arranged on a paving screed climb.

8. The road paver according to claim 1 further comprising a lockable cover which, when locked, prevents access to the operating unit.

9. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit comprises one or a plurality of display elements, each of which is operable to display information of one component which can be adjusted by means of one of the operating elements.

10. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is configured to go out after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following operation of the operating element to switch on and/or off the at least one lighting element.

11. The road paver according to claim 1 further comprising a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the roof, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises an automatically releasable and automatically lockable end position lock.

12. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to allow starting of the main drive even before the control system itself is fully set to an operating mode after power-up.

13. The road paver according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit comprises operating elements which are provided for controlling functions of the road paver in paving operation.

14. A method for operating a road paver including a control system, a main operator control stand, a height-adjustable roof, a main drive, at least one lighting element, a paving screed and an operating unit which has a plurality of operating elements, the method comprising: operating an operating element of the plurality of operating elements to switch the at least one lighting element on and/or off; operating an operating element of the plurality of operating elements to lift and/or lower the roof; operating an operating element of the plurality of operating elements to start and/or stop the main drive; operating an operating element of the plurality of operating elements to lift and/or lower the paving screed; and operating an operating element of the plurality of operating elements to switch the control system on and/or off.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the main drive is started before the control system is completely set to an operating mode after being switched on.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In the following, embodiments of the disclosure are described in more detail with reference to the Figures.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a road paver;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an operating unit;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a perspective representation of an operating unit;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of an operating unit arranged on the road paver;

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a lifting mechanism for roof adjustment with hydraulic cylinder with end position lock;

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a hydraulic cylinder with end position lock;

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an end position lock by means of an automatically movable bolt; and

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of an end position lock using a rotary snap lock.

[0041] Corresponding components are marked with the same reference numerals in the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a road paver 1 with a control system 3, a main operator control stand 5, a height-adjustable roof 7, a main drive 9, lighting elements 11 and a paving screed 13. The control system 3 and main drive 9 are shown here as being concealed under a chassis cover. The main drive 9 is typically a diesel engine. The paving screed 13 can have a fixed width or can have extension parts with which the paving screed width can be increased. A paving screed climb 19 is formed to the main operator control stand 5 with railing parts 15 and treads 17. An operating unit 21 is arranged on the paving screed 13 in the direct vicinity of the paving screed climb 19. In the same way, however, the operating unit 21 can also be provided directly on a railing part 15 or at another suitable location. The roof 7 is mounted so that it can be adjusted in height by means of a lifting mechanism 23.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an operating unit 21 with a plurality of operating elements 25, which in this example are an emergency stop key 25a, an ignition lock 25b to switch on the ignition, a start/stop button 25c for the main drive, in each case an operating element 25d to lift and lower the roof 7, in each case an operating element 25e to lift and lower the paving screed 13, and an operating element 25f for time-delayed switching off of a lighting element 11. Display elements 27 are provided in the form of light spots, for example in the colors red, green or yellow, which indicate a state of ignition, of the main drive 9, of a locking of the roof 7 or of a locking of the paving screed 13.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an operating unit 21 with the operating elements 25a-f and the display elements 27. In addition, operating elements 25g are provided which serve to control functions of the road paver 1 in paving mode, i.e., in particular functions relevant for the paving operation itself. Operating elements 25g for adjusting left and right extension elements of the paving screed 13 are shown here as an example. The operating unit 21 can be detachably attached to the road paver 1, for example by means of a magnet, or it can be permanently installed or be detachable only with tools. In this representation, four screws 29 illustrate a permanently installed variant. In all variants, the operating unit 21 can be connected to the control system 3 of the road paver 1, or to a bus system, by means of a cable connection 31 and/or radio connection 33, which is shown here symbolically, since the necessary antennas and components are usually concealed inside the operating unit 21. A detachable plug connection 35 may be arranged on the cable 31.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an operating unit 21 arranged on the road paver 1, for example on the paving screed 13 in the position shown in FIG. 1. The operating unit 21 is arranged in a recess 37, which can be closed by a pivotable cover 39. The cover 39 has a locking mechanism 41 in the form of a rotatable latch with which the closed cover 39 can be locked, for example with a key, by the locking mechanism 41 engaging in a recess 43. In this way, unauthorized access to the operating unit is prevented. The arrangement and structure of the operating elements 25 deviates from the representation in FIG. 3. Lifting and lowering of the roof 7 is provided, for example, with a rotary button as operating element 25d.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism 23 for roof adjustment with a hydraulic cylinder 45 with a built-in end position lock. The hydraulic cylinder 45 rotates the upper linkage part 47 against the base part 49 about an axis of rotation Z to fold the roof forward and downward. The end position lock in the hydraulic cylinder 45 can be mechanical, as described above, or by means of valve control, for example.

[0047] FIG. 6 shows the hydraulic cylinder 45 in a sectional view in a position of a hydraulic piston 51 moved to the left and a position of a hydraulic piston 51 moved to the right. Locking elements 53 establish the end position lock in each case.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an end position lock of the lifting mechanism 23 by an automatically movable bolt 55, which in the end positions engages with recesses 57 of a disc 59, which rotates with the upper linkage part 47 when the latter is moved by the hydraulic cylinder 45 (not visible in this representation).

[0049] FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of an end position lock by a rotary snap lock 61. Here, a bolt 63 of the upper, rotatable linkage part 47 engages in the snap lock 61 of the base part 49 in the respective end positions. The snap lock 61 corresponds in its mode of operation approximately to that of a door lock on a passenger car.

[0050] Based on the embodiments of a road paver 1 shown above, many variations of the same are possible. For example, the operating unit 21 can be mounted at any convenient location on the road paver 1, for example also on the side. The operating elements 25 may have other expedient functions in addition to those shown, and may have a corresponding form for this purpose, such as, for example, as touch pads or rotary switches. The delayed automatic switch-off of the lighting elements 11 may relate to any lighting element 11 for which this is expedient, for example lighting of the main operator control stand 5 or external lighting of the road paver 1.