Abstract
The disclosure relates to a blower means or apparatus for a road making machine which is present in the form of a road finishing machine or a charger vehicle for a road finishing machine. The blower means comprises a blower unit for creating an airflow, and an air discharge unit connected with the blower unit, which is designed to form an air barrier from the airflow created by means of the blower unit at a control station of the road making machine for an operator positioned therein. The blower means is designed as a modular attachment apparatus configured to be removably attached to the control station of the road making machine. The disclosure furthermore relates to the use of a blower means designed as a modular attachment apparatus at a road making machine.
Claims
1. A blower apparatus for a road making machine which is configured as a road finishing machine or a charger vehicle for a road finishing machine, wherein the blower apparatus comprises a blower unit for creating an airflow, and an air discharge unit connected with the blower unit, which is designed to form an air barrier from the airflow created by the blower unit at a control station of the road making machine for an operator positioned thereat, wherein the blower apparatus is at least partially designed as a modular attachment apparatus configured to be removably attached to the control station of the road making machine.
2. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower unit includes at least one centrifugal fan, comprises an inflow nozzle with a cross-section diminishing in a direction of flow, and/or includes a filter at a blower inlet formed thereat.
3. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower unit is connectable with a power supply source of the road making machine, and/or the blower apparatus includes at least one accumulator for an operation of the blower unit.
4. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower apparatus comprises an air directing unit which forms a housing for the blower unit.
5. The blower apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the air discharge unit and/or the air directing unit are/is made of plastic.
6. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge unit forms a housing for the blower unit.
7. The blower apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the air discharge unit is made of plastic.
8. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge unit comprises at least one exit nozzle designed as a flat nozzle for creating a linear exit flow as the air barrier, or the air discharge unit comprises at least one exit nozzle for creating a radial exit flow as the air barrier.
9. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge unit is mounted, for adapting an orientation of the air barrier created by the air discharge unit, to be rotatable relative to the blower unit.
10. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge unit has a telescopic design for varying an area of the air barrier created by the air discharge unit.
11. Blower Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower apparatus is configured for an installation and deinstallation without tools.
12. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one light source.
13. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower apparatus is controllable by an operator control panel of the road making machine.
14. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two power stages are activatable for operation of the blower unit directly at the blower apparatus.
15. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower apparatus is attachable to the control station of the road making machine such that air can be sucked off from an internal region of the control station.
16. A road making machine comprising at least one blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a) a blower apparatus of the at least one blower apparatus is fastened to a front frame of a roof construction of a control station of the road making machine, and the air discharge unit extends longitudinally with respect to the front frame at least in sections, b) a blower apparatus of the at least one blower apparatus is fastened to a swiveling console for a driver seat of the control station of the road making machine, and the air discharge unit extends, in a direction of travel of the road making machine, along the swiveling console at least in sections, and/or c) a blower apparatus of the at least one blower apparatus is fastened to a fall-out protection laterally of the driver seat of the control station of the road making machine, and the air discharge unit is designed for creating a radial airflow as an air barrier laterally of the driver seat.
17. A road making machine comprising the blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower apparatus is fastened to a front frame of a roof construction of a control station of the road making machine, to a swiveling console for a driver seat, to a seat console of the driver seat, or to a frame part of an external control station of the road making machine, and wherein the front frame, the swiveling console, the seat console, or the frame part forms the air discharge unit to which the blower unit is removably attached.
18. A method of using a blower apparatus configured as a modular attachment apparatus for removable attachment to a road making machine, the method comprising creating an air barrier with the blower apparatus by which fumes produced during operation of the road making machine are kept away from an operator positioned on a control station of the road making machine.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0061] Embodiments of the disclosure will be illustrated more in detail with reference to the following figures as examples. In the drawings:
[0062] FIG. 1 shows a road making machine configured as a road finishing machine without the blower means according to the disclosure;
[0063] FIG. 2 shows the road making machine configured as a road finishing machine of FIG. 1 with a blower means or apparatus according to the disclosure mounted thereat;
[0064] FIG. 3 shows the road making machine configured as a road finishing machine of FIG. 1 with a plurality of blower means according to the disclosure mounted thereat;
[0065] FIG. 4 shows a blower means according to the disclosure in an isolated representation;
[0066] FIG. 5 shows the blower means of FIG. 4 with an extended air discharge unit;
[0067] FIG. 6A shows a separately shown air discharge unit in the retracted position;
[0068] FIG. 6B shows the air discharge unit of FIG. 6A in an extended position;
[0069] FIG. 6C shows a cross-section through the air discharge unit of FIG. 6A;
[0070] FIG. 7 shows a blower unit of the blower means in an isolated representation;
[0071] FIG. 8 shows an air directing unit for the blower unit;
[0072] FIG. 9 shows an inflow nozzle of the blower means;
[0073] FIG. 10 shows a road making machine configured as a road finishing machine with a blower means for creating a radial airflow as an air barrier;
[0074] FIG. 11 shows the road making machine configured as a road finishing machine of FIG. 10 in a perspective representation without roof construction;
[0075] FIG. 12 shows the blower means employed at the road finishing machine of FIG. 10 in an isolated sectional representation; and
[0076] FIG. 13 shows a perspective representation of a road making machine configured as a charger vehicle.
[0077] Equal technical components are always provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0078] FIG. 1 shows a road making machine 1 which is present as a road finishing machine 2. The road finishing machine 2 has a material bunker 3 in which bituminous laying material can be stocked which is transported, by means of a longitudinal transport means not shown in FIG. 1, out of the material bunker 3, against the direction of travel R, to a neither shown screed towed by the road finishing machine 2 and is processed into a new road pavement by the same.
[0079] The road finishing machine 2 comprises a control platform 4 on which a driver seat 5 is positioned. In particular during a material transfer process in which laying material is transported into the material bunker 3, for example by means of a charger vehicle 6 (see FIG. 13) or by means of a truck, fumes rise from the material bunker 3 which can pass into the control platform 4. In an open state of the material bunker 3, fumes can reach the operator positioned on the driver seat 5 via the external sides of the control platform 4.
[0080] To keep these fumes away from the operator, according to FIG. 2, a blower means or apparatus 7 is arranged at the road finishing machine 2. The blower means 7 is configured as a separate attachment apparatus M and fastened to a front frame 8 of the control platform 4. According to FIG. 2, by means of the blower means 7, an air barrier 9 oriented transverse to the direction of travel R of the road finishing machine 2 is formed by means of an airflow exiting from the blower means 7 in a laminar manner. Thereby, the operator positioned on the driver seat 5 can be effectively shielded from fumes rising laterally of the road finishing machine 2, wherein the air barrier 9 created thereby simultaneously blows away the fumes reaching it transversely to the direction of travel R, i.e., away from the operator.
[0081] The blower means 7 shown in FIG. 2 is present as an autarkic modular attachment apparatus M for the road finishing machine 2. The blower means 7 can be easily fastened to the front frame 8 of the road finishing machine 2 and can, as is shown in FIG. 2, be oriented compactly along the front frame 8, so that the visibility conditions of the driver are not restricted.
[0082] Furthermore, FIG. 3 indicates that the blower means 7 is rotatable with respect to an axis A that extends substantially in the direction longitudinal of the front frame 8 (e.g., upright direction). It is thereby possible to adapt a direction of propagation of the air barrier 9 relative to the control platform 4.
[0083] FIG. 3 shows the road finishing machine 2 of FIG. 1 with two blower means 7 attached thereat. One of them is fastened to the front frame 8 according to FIG. 2. The other blower means 7 is mounted to a swiveling console 10 on which the driver seat 5 is mounted. The swiveling console 10 may be pivotally mounted to a chassis or frame of the road finishing machine 2 so that the swiveling console 10 and the driver seat 5 may pivot with respect to the chassis or frame about an upright or vertical axis. By means of this blower means 7, a substantially horizontal air barrier 11 can be created next to the driver seat 5 which covers fumes rising laterally of the road finishing machine 2 like a carpet.
[0084] The blower means 7, fastened to the swiveling console 10 with respect to an axis B which substantially extends in the direction of travel R, is rotatable to be able to adapt the direction of propagation of the air barrier 11 relative to the control platform 4. For example, the blower means 7 could be adjusted such that the air barrier 11 is directed obliquely to the top so that no airflow is directed against construction site personnel working laterally next to the road finishing machine 2.
[0085] According to the air barriers 9, 11 adjusted in FIG. 3, an effective air shielding of the driver seat 5 can be set up. The two air barriers 9, 11 form air walls positioned laterally of the control platform 4. In particular, the respective air barriers 9, 11 can shield fumes reaching them from the operator and conduct them away from the operator.
[0086] FIG. 4 shows the blower means 7 configured as attachment apparatus M in an isolated representation. As such a module, the blower means 7 can be employed at various construction machine types. The blower means 7 have an air discharge unit 12 of a tubular shape which is present as a flat nozzle corresponding to the length of which the air barriers 9, 11 can be created.
[0087] Furthermore, FIG. 4 schematically indicates that by means of a vacuum U resulting from the air barrier 9, 11 in a region 13 present on a side of the air discharge unit 12 facing away from the air barrier 9, 11, an atmosphere present in the region 13 can be sucked off. The air from the region 13, for example from the bottom region of the control platform 4, is included into the flow of the air barrier 9, 11 by the prevailing vacuum U. The linear airflow exiting from the air discharge unit 12 thus forms a suction effect in the region 13, so that atmosphere can be sucked off from it, i.e., also fumes optionally accumulated therein.
[0088] Furthermore, the air from the region 13 is also drawn into the airflow via the blower means 7 for creating the air barrier 9, 11 and can flow away from the control platform 4 together with it.
[0089] With respect to FIG. 3, it would thereby be possible to employ the blower means 7 which is fastened to the front frame 8 for sucking off an atmosphere from the region 13 lying behind it within the control platform 4. Equally, the blower means 7, which is fastened to the swiveling console 10 of the road finishing machine 2, could be employed to suck off atmosphere from the bottom region of the control platform 4. Thereby, the blower means 7 according to the disclosure can take care of an additional improvement of the air quality within the control platform 4 of the road finishing machine 2. The suction power by means of the blower means 7 can be adapted corresponding to a power of the blower means 7 for creating the air barriers 9, 11.
[0090] FIG. 5 shows the blower means 7 with the air discharge unit 12 mounted thereat in an extended position. According to FIG. 5, the air discharge unit 12 has a telescopic configuration. A length L of the air discharge unit 12 is thereby variable. It is thereby possible to adapt the length L of the air discharge unit 12 to a length of the front frame 8 or to a length of the swiveling console 10, respectively, to be employed at various road finishing machine and charger vehicle types, adapted to their constructive design.
[0091] FIG. 6A shows the air discharge unit 12 in an isolated representation. The air discharge unit 12 is in a retracted position in FIG. 6A in which an internal tube section 14 is inserted into an external tube section 15. Thereby, the air discharge unit 12 is altogether short and can also be perfectly fastened to frame parts with short lengths, for example to the rear frame 16 of the control platform 4 (see FIG. 3).
[0092] FIG. 6B shows the air discharge unit 12 in an extended position. In the extended position, the air discharge unit 12 has a maximal length L. With this length L, a particularly large air barrier 9, 11 could be created by means of the blower means 7.
[0093] The telescopic air discharge unit 12 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B can be employed at road making machines 1 of different sizes, in particular at a road finishing machine 2 of the compact class.
[0094] FIG. 6C shows the air discharge unit 12 in a cross-section. The air discharge unit 12 has, according to FIG. 6C, a substantially round cross-section. This cross-section could also have another geometry, for example square, oval, or the like. The air discharge unit 12 is composed of two shell parts 17a, 17b. The two shell parts 17a, 17b can be made of plastic. In an assembled state, the two shell parts 17a, 17b form an exit nozzle 19 in the form of a flat nozzle 18. From the exit nozzle 19, the air accelerated for forming the air barrier 9, 11 flows out in the linear direction.
[0095] FIG. 7 shows a blower unit 20. The blower unit 20 is present as a centrifugal fan. The blower unit 20 has a fan wheel 21 and an electric motor 22 as a drive for the fan wheel 21. By the fan wheel 21 being rotated, an axial suction flow or inlet flow 23 forms in the direction of the fan wheel 21. The axial suction flow 23 is converted into a radial airflow 24 by means of the fan wheel 21. The fan wheel 21 can be made of plastic.
[0096] FIG. 8 shows an air directing unit 25 in an isolated representation. The air directing unit 25 is present as a housing for the blower unit 20 shown in FIG. 7. The blower unit 20 can be installed in the air directing unit 25 such that the radial airflow 24 created by the blower unit 20 and shown in FIG. 7 is converted into an airflow 26 which is again axially formed by means of the air directing unit 25. The air directing unit 25 thus forms, together with the blower unit 20 accommodated therein, a unit to axially suck in air from the surroundings of the air directing unit 25 and to discharge the same again substantially perpendicular to the intake.
[0097] Just as the air discharge unit 12, the air directing unit 25 can also be made of plastic, in particular be composed of two shell parts 27a, 27b. The air directing unit 25 can even be made of transparent plastic.
[0098] Furthermore, FIG. 8 shows that the air directing unit 25 includes a tube section 40. The latter serves to fasten the air discharge unit 12. FIG. 8 shows above all that the tube section 40 forms fastening elevations 41 by means of which the air discharge unit 12 can be fastened in various orientations rotated with respect to axes A, B.
[0099] FIG. 9 shows an inflow nozzle 28. The inflow nozzle 28 is positioned, in the assembled state of the blower means 7, at the entry of the air directing unit 25 to optimize the suction flow 23 and minimize noise emission.
[0100] FIG. 10 shows the road finishing machine 2 with a further blower means or apparatus 29 configured as an attachment apparatus M which is attached to a fall-out protection of the control platform 4. The blower means 29 is designed to create a radial airflow as an air barrier 31 which propagates laterally of the control platform 4 in the radial direction. The blower means 29 can also be employed on both sides of the control platform 4.
[0101] FIG. 11 shows the road finishing machine 2 of FIG. 10 without roof construction. FIG. 11 shows that the blower means 29 fastened to the fall-out protection 30 is configured to suck off air directly from the control platform 4 and to distribute it radially for forming the air barrier 31 along the open side of the control platform. The blower unit 20 inserted in the blower means 29 can here suck off atmosphere from the control platform 4 laterally of the driver seat 5 in a particularly effective manner.
[0102] FIG. 12 shows the blower means 29 in a cross-section in an isolated representation. The blower means 29 comprises two plate-like shell parts 32a, 32b which, when assembled, result in an air discharge unit 32 which is simultaneously present as a housing for the blower unit 20. In an assembled state, the two shell parts 32a, 32b include an air space 33 in which the blower unit 20 is received. The axial inlet flow 23 created by means of the blower unit is redirected in the radial direction by means of the fan wheel 21 and accelerated to the outside to form, by means of the linear airflow created thereby, the air barrier 31.
[0103] FIG. 12 shows that the two housing halves 32a, 32b form an outlet opening 34 at the periphery. FIG. 12 furthermore shows that the housing half 32b forms an inflow nozzle 28 in the form of the inflow nozzle 28 of FIG. 9 at the entry of the blower unit 20. To create an effective air barrier 31, it is suited for the air space 33 formed between the shell parts 32a, 32b to become narrower from the blower unit 20 towards the outlet opening 34 whereby a sufficient nozzle effect results.
[0104] FIG. 13 shows a road making machine 1 configured as a charger vehicle 6. The charger vehicle 6 of FIG. 13 has a material bunker 35 which is configured to accommodate laying material 36. A control platform 37 of the charger vehicle 6 is substantially constructed as the control platform 4 of the road finishing machine 2. The blower means 7 can thereby be fastened, according to FIG. 3, at the front frame 38 and/or at the swiveling console 39 of the control platform 37. The swiveling console 39 may be pivotally mounted to a chassis or frame of the charger vehicle 6 so that the swiveling console 39 and associated driver seat may pivot with respect to the chassis or frame about an upright or vertical axis. The blower means 29 of FIG. 12 can be fastened at the fall-out protection 41 and/or at a rail 42 of the charger vehicle 6.
[0105] The described blower means 7, 29 each form autarkic attachment modules which can be fastened to the road finishing machine 2 and to the charger vehicle 6 to be operated thereat independent of other vehicle components. By them, air barriers 9, 11, 31 can be created on the control platform 4, 37 to shield the control platform 4, 37 from fumes produced by the hot laying material. Furthermore, the respective blower means 7, 29 can be employed for sucking off an atmosphere in the control platform 4, 37.
