Abstract
A road paver for paving paving material in a paving direction (a) is provided comprising a machine frame, a driver's platform, a drive motor, a chassis with at least a left travel unit and a right travel unit, a material container arranged at the front of the road paver in the paving direction (a) for receiving paving material, the material container comprising a left container half and a right container half, which each have a container floor, a rising container sidewall and a rising container rear wall, and a longitudinal conveying device configured to transport paving material from the material container to a paving screed arranged at the rear of the road paver in the paving direction.
Claims
1. A road paver for paving paving material in a paving direction (a), comprising: a machine frame; a driver's platform; a drive motor; a chassis with at least a left travel unit and a right travel unit; a material container arranged at the front of the road paver in the paving direction (a) for receiving paving material, the material container comprising a left container half and a right container half, which respectively comprise a container floor, a rising container sidewall and a rising container rear wall; and a longitudinal conveying device configured to transport paving material from the material container to a paving screed arranged at the rear of the road paver in the paving direction (a), wherein the container halves can be moved out of the filling position in order to move paving material onto the longitudinal conveying device, wherein at least one container half comprises a viewing indentation, which extends from the container rear wall forward in the paving direction to the container floor in such a way that the ground is visible through the viewing indentation for an operator on the driver's platform, wherein at least one travel unit of the chassis is arranged beneath the material container and that the viewing indentation runs between the driver's platform and the part of the travel unit arranged under the material container in such a way that at least a part of the side edge of the travel unit is visible through the viewing indentation for the operator on the driver's platform, wherein the viewing indentation extends in such a way that a front side end of the travel unit is visible through the viewing indentation for the operator on the driver's platform, and wherein the viewing indentation is delimited vis--vis a material area of the material container in the paving direction (a) by a ceiling, transversely to the paving direction (a) toward the middle of the machine by an inner sidewall and away from the middle of the machine by an outer side wall or is configured in the shape of a tetrahedron.
2. The paver according to claim 1, wherein an orientation device is provided on at least one travel unit of the chassis and in that the viewing indentation is configured in such a way that the orientation device is visible through the viewing indentation for the operator on the driver's platform.
3. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the viewing indentation is configured so that its height decreases toward the front in the paving direction (a).
4. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the viewing indentation is configured so that its width or lateral extension decreases toward the front in the paving direction (a).
5. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling, the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall are configured to have a longitudinal extension in a vertical direction and in the paving direction (a) and are configured as flat panels.
6. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling and/or the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to be inclined in relation to the horizontal plane at an angle in the range of 30 to 60.
7. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to have an inclination in relation to the paving direction (a) between 5 and 45.
8. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the container halves are configured so as to be pivotable upward about a pivot axis running in the paving direction (a) in order to move paving material onto the longitudinal conveying device and in that the outer sidewall is configured so as to slope toward the middle of the material container in the swung-up position.
9. The paver according to claim 6, wherein a cover is provided, which at least partially covers an empty space in the material container between the outer sidewall and the container sidewall so that paving material cannot get into this empty space.
10. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the viewing indentation is configured to be open transversely to the paving direction (a) toward the outside of the road paver.
11. The paver according to claim 1, wherein an outer housing of the road paver at least partially comprises a recess toward the middle of the machine between the driver's platform and the container half so that, in conjunction with the viewing indentation, a continuous viewing channel from the driver's platform is provided.
12. The paver according to claim 1, wherein a viewing indentation is configured in each of the respective container halves.
13. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling and/or the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to be inclined in relation to the horizontal plane at an angle in the range of 40 to 50.
14. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling and/or the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to be inclined in relation to the horizontal plane at an angle of 45.
15. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to have an inclination in relation to the paving direction (a) between 10 and 40.
16. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to have an inclination in relation to the paving direction (a) between 15 and 35.
17. The paver according to claim 1, wherein the inner sidewall and/or the outer sidewall are configured so as to have an inclination in relation to the paving direction (a) between 20 and 30.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The present invention is described below in greater detail with the help of the embodiments shown in the figures, which show schematically:
(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of the road paver;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the road paver from the rear right and below;
(4) FIG. 3 is the view through the viewing indentation from the driver's platform of the road paver;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the material container of a road paver from the front left and above;
(6) FIG. 5 is a front view of the material container of a road paver;
(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a viewing indentation from the rear;
(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a viewing indentation from the side;
(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a viewing indentation from above;
(10) FIG. 9 is a front view of the material container of a road paver with the container halves in a swung-up position;
(11) FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the section A shown in FIG. 9;
(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the material container of a road paver according to a further embodiment from the front left and above;
(13) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a road paver from the rear right and below;
(14) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the material container of a road paver according to a further embodiment from the front left and above;
(15) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the material container of a road paver according to a further embodiment from the front left and above; and
(16) FIG. 15 is an oblique side view of the road paver shown in FIG. 14 from the rear right.
(17) Identical elements or elements with identical functions are designated with the same reference numbers. Elements visible in different figures are not necessarily separately designated with a reference number in each figure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(18) FIG. 1 shows a road paver 1 with a machine frame 3, a driver's platform 2, a drive motor 4, e.g., a diesel combustion motor, and a material container 5 arranged at the front in the paving direction a. The road paver 1 further comprises a chassis 6, whose left travel unit 9 is depicted in FIG. 1. Besides the crawler track shown, the road paver can alternatively comprise wheels. During a working operation, the material container 5 of the road paver 1 is filled with paving material by a truck driving in front of the road paver 1, said truck most often being pushed by the road paver 1 by means of push rollers 8. From the material container 5, the paving material is transported opposite the paving direction a to the rear of the road paver 1, where the paving screed 7 is located. The paving material is spread transversely to the paving direction a over the entire paving width and subsequently smoothed and compacted by the paving screed 7. The operation of the road paver 1 occurs here from a driver's platform 2 of the road paver 1. For this purpose, at least one operating device 2a, e.g., in the form of an operating panel or an operating console, is conventionally provided on the driver's platform. During a paving operation, the operator stands or sits on the driver's platform 2 behind the operating device 2a when viewed in the paving direction.
(19) As shown, in particular, in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the example of the right container half 16 of the material container 5, the material container 5 protrudes with its container halves 16 far beyond the rest of the outer housing 30 of the road paver 1 in a direction transverse to the paving direction a, in particular when in the filling position. The driver's platform 2 of the road paver 1 has an operating platform 11, on which the operator of the road paver 1 can move around during operation. With its protruding container halves 15, 16, the material container blocks, in particular in the filling position, the view of the ground under the material container 5 as well as the view of the portion of the right travel unit 10 arranged in this area and, in particular, the side edge 28 of the latter. All descriptions regarding the right container half 16 and the right travel unit 10 also apply in a symmetrical fashion to the left container half 15 of the material container 5 and the left travel unit 9.
(20) In order to improve the viewing conditions for the operator of the road paver 1, a viewing indentation 18 is provided in the material container 5 according to the present invention. The viewing indentation 18 allows the operator on the driver's platform 2 to view the ground under the material container 5 or the right travel unit 10. In the example shown, the viewing indentation 18 is formed in the container rear wall 14 and the container floor 12. It is delimited, in particular, by an inner sidewall 20, a ceiling 19 and an outer sidewall 21. The inner sidewall 20 delimits the viewing indentation 18 toward the middle of the machine, while the outer sidewall 21 delimits the viewing indentation 18 on the opposite side toward the outer side of the machine.
(21) The ceiling delimits the viewing indentation 18 in the paving direction a to the front and upwards.
(22) The viewing indentation 18 is thus formed by a recess in the material container 5 through which the operator on the driver's platform 2 can look. With the help of the dotted line in FIG. 2 illustratively depicting the line of sight 31 of the operator, it is not hard to recognize that that latter can view both the ground under the material container 5 as well as the portion of the right travel unit 10 arranged in this area, in particular the side edge 28 or front end 29 of the latter, through the viewing indentation 18. An orientation device 17, e.g., a pendulum, arranged on the right travel unit 10 can also be viewed by the operator through the viewing indentation 18. The viewing indentation 18 or the ceiling 19, inner sidewall 20 and outer sidewall 21 delimiting the viewing indentation are aligned along the line of sight 31 of the operator, in particular along the line of sight 31 starting at the driver's platform 2 and continuing through to the front end 29 or side edge 28 of the right travel unit 10 and/or to an orientation device 17 arranged on the right travel unit 10 or in the area of the latter. Preferably, the viewing indentation 18 in the container half 16 extends transversely to the paving direction a at least up until the side edge 28 of the travel unit 9, 10. In the present example, the operator on the driver's platform can see along the line of sight, in particular the front point of contact K of the travel unit 10 with the ground or the ground area directly adjacent to it as a part of the front quarter of the horizontal extension of the travel unit 10 in the paving direction. In particular, the front point of contact K is a part of the front quarter as well as of the front fifth of the longitudinal extension of the travel unit 10. This also applies to the other figures. Moreover, the viewing indentation 18 preferably extends over at least a fifth of the entire extension and of the longitudinal extension, respectively of the material container in the paving direction a. The starting point for the line of sight 31 in the paving direction a is the point M, which corresponds to the eye level of a male operator of average height in a standing or (when possible) in a slightly lower sitting position on the driver's platform behind the operating device 2a in the paving direction. Reference is made to the preceding statements with respect to specific vertical distances. The point M has a vertical height H from the floor of the driver's platform and a horizontal distance R in the paving direction a to the operating device 2a. With respect to specific measurement values and ranges regarding these variables, reference is made to the preceding statements.
(23) In addition, the outer housing 30 of the road paver 1 can be provided with a recess so that a viewing channel exists in the outer housing 30. This viewing channel can be configured so as to be aligned with the viewing channel 18, in particular, when the container half in question is in the filling position (the position in which it is swung down and/or extended laterally as far as it will go) depicted in the figures so that an operator can view, in particular, the areas relevant for steering the road paver 1 beneath the material container 5 (in particular, a portion of the outer side area of the travel unit, the adjacent ground area and, if provided, at least the lower area of the orientation device) from the driver's platform 2 or operating platform 11 through this viewing channel. This way, the operator constantly has an eye on the alignment of the road paver 1, i.e., if it is moving along a ground marking, from the driver's platform 2 or operating platform 11 and can thus follow a determined path particularly closely, even when the container halves are in the filling position. The viewing indentation 18 thus ensures that the container halves do not affect the view of the driver adversely in terms of the navigation of the paver, i.e., do not block his or her view of the areas named above.
(24) The structure of the material container 5 with the elements forming the viewing indentation 18 is visible, in particular, in the FIGS. 4 and 5, which depict the interior of the container. The material container 5 comprises a right container half 16 and a left container half 15, which are configured so as to be symmetrical in relation to each other and which both have a viewing indentation 18. Both container halves 15, 16 comprise a container floor 12, a container sidewall 13 and a container rear wall 14, the container sidewall 13 and container rear wall 14 rising vertically and the container floor 12 being configured to be essentially horizontal. Arranged between the container halves 15, 16 is a longitudinal conveying device 22, which is configured, e.g., as a scraper belt and which transports paving material from the material container 5 through the so-called tunnel to the rear of the road paver 1, where the latter is distributed transversely to the paving direction a and smoothed and compacted by the paving screed 7. The material container 5 is further completed by a rear wall 27 on the side of the frame. Together with the container rear walls 14 of the container halves 15, 16, the rear wall 27 delimits the material area 26 of the material container 5.
(25) As can also be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 and, in particular, FIG. 2, the ceiling 19, the inner sidewall 20 and the outer sidewall 21which are configured in the present embodiment as panels, i.e., as flat, plane construction elements, e.g., metal sheetsform a recess or protrusion into the material area 26 of the material container 5. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, in particular, the container rear wall 14 and the container floor 12 are provided with a recess that forms the viewing indentation 18. The ceiling 19, the inner sidewall 20 and the outer sidewall 21 close off the material area 26 of the material container 5 downward and rearward in relation to the paving direction a. In order to prevent paving material from remaining on the elements forming the viewing indentation 18, the ceiling 19, inner sidewall 20 and outer sidewall 21 are configured so as to slope or slant toward the container floor 12, as described below.
(26) The corresponding angles and exact geometrical shape of the viewing indentations 18 can be seen, in particular, in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. These respectively depict perspective views of the surfaces and edges forming the viewing indentation 18. FIG. 6 shows the viewing indentation 18 from a perspective from behind the material container 5 looking in the paving direction a. FIG. 7 shows a side view of the viewing indentation 18, the paving direction a in FIG. 7 being oriented toward the right. FIG. 8, in turn, shows a top view of the viewing indentation 18 from above with the paving direction a oriented toward the upper edge of the figure. As one can see from these figures, the viewing indentation 18 has, in particular, a lower width 32, which defines the maximum extension of the viewing indentation 18 transversely to the paving direction a. Moreover, the viewing indentation 18 has an upper width 33, which corresponds to the width of the ceiling 19, and a height 34, which defines the maximum vertical extension of the viewing indentation 18. The maximum extension of the viewing indentation 18 in the paving direction a is designated as its length 35. The lower width 32 lies in a range, e.g., between 30 cm and 60 cm; the upper width 33 lies in a range, e.g., between 15 cm and 30 cm. The height 34 lies in a range, e.g., between 20 cm and 40 cm and the length 35 lies in a range, e.g., between 30 cm and 60 cm. The ceiling 19 comprises an angle in relation to the horizontal plane, while the inner sidewall 20 and the outer sidewall 21 comprise an angle in relation to the horizontal plane, as already described above. As a consequence of the inclination of the ceiling 19 and sidewalls 20, 21 in relation to the horizontal plane, no paving material remains on the ceiling 19 or sidewalls 20, 21 so that the material container can be completely emptied. The sidewalls 20, 21 form an angle with the paving direction a, i.e., with a vertical plane extending in the paving direction a. As a result of this angle and the slant of the ceiling 19 in relation to the horizontal plane, the height of the viewing indentation decreases towards the front in relation to the paving direction a. The described angles are chosen, firstly, so as to avoid that paving material remains in the container after emptying and, secondly, so as to be aligned with the perspective line of sight of the operator from the driver's platform 2 to the ground under the material container or to the side edge 28 or the front end 29 of the travel unit 9, 10 and/or the orientation device 17. Thus, on the whole, a wedge-shaped viewing indentation 18 is created with respect to the adjacent rear wall and floor wall of the container. The viewing indentation 18 here corresponds to a slanted prism with a trapezoid-shaped surface area, the trapezoid-shaped surface area being configured to be, in particular, isosceles. The shape of the viewing indentation 18 is achieved by means of the corresponding ceiling 19, inner wall 20 and outer sidewall 21.
(27) FIGS. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of the present invention in which the container halves 15, 16 are configured so as to be pivotable in an upward direction for the purpose of emptying the material container 5. Specifically, the left container half 15 and the right container half 15 are both configured to be upwardly pivotable about a pivot axis that is parallel to the paving direction a by means of a left container joint 23 and a right container joint 24, respectively. FIG. 9 shows the material container 5 with the container halves 15, 16 pivoted upward. In the position shown, the paving material is poured from the material container 5 and in particular from the material area 26 toward the middle of the machine onto the longitudinal conveying device 22. It is important here that in particular no paving material remains on the outer sidewall 21. FIG. 10 shows an enlargement of the section A depicted in FIG. 9. It is in particular visible in FIG. 10 that the outer sidewall 21 in the maximum raised position of the container halves 15, 16 forms an angle with the horizontal plane. The outer sidewall 21 in this position is configured to slope toward the longitudinal conveying device 22 so that paving material lying on the outer sidewall 21 slides down the latter and falls on the longitudinal conveying device 22.
(28) According to the embodiment of the present invention according to FIG. 11, in order to prevent largely adhesive paving material from remaining on the outer wall 21, a cover 25 is provided, which covers the empty space between the outer sidewall 21, the container floor 12, the container rear wall 14 and the container sidewall 13. The cover 25 is, e.g., configured as a metal sheet cover that extends from the ceiling 19 or outer sidewall 21 to the container sidewall 13 and that is also connected to the container rear wall 14 and the container floor 12 in a material-tight manner, e.g., by means of a welded connection. The cover 25 is in particular configured to have the same inclination as the ceiling 19, i.e., it runs parallel to the ceiling 19, and sits flush with the latter. As a result of the cover 25, paving material cannot penetrate between the outer sidewall 21 and the container sidewall 13 so that no paving material can remain in this area when the material container 5 is emptied.
(29) A further embodiment according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. It differs from the previous embodiments in that the viewing indentation 18 is configured to be open toward the outside of the road paver 1, i.e., transversely to the paving direction a. The viewing indentation 18 is thus formed by recesses in the container floor 12, in the container sidewall 13 and in the container rear wall 14. It is delimited by an inner sidewall 20 and a ceiling 19. The lower, rear portion of the container halves 15, 16 slant forward in relation to the paving direction a so that a viewing indentation that is open to the outside is created, which extends at least from the outer side edge 28 of the travel units 9, 10 to the edge of the material container 5 running transversely to the paving direction a. The ceiling 19 according to this embodiment is configured analogously to the cover 25 of the preceding embodiment and extends in a similar fashion between the container rear wall 14, the container floor 12 and the container sidewall 13. This prevents paving material from getting stuck behind the viewing indentation 18 of the material container 5 while simultaneously creating an especially good field of vision in relation to the travel unit for the steering of the road paver 1 by the operator.
(30) Finally, FIGS. 14 and 15 show a further particularly preferred variant of the viewing indentation 18, here in the shape of a tetrahedron. The respective side surfaces of the tetrahedron are formed by an inner sidewall 20, on one side, and an outer sidewall 21, on the other. The other surfaces result from the horizontal extension of the container floor 12 and the vertical extension of the container rear wall 14 beyond the viewing indentation 18. This variant has the great advantage that it is particularly easy to achieve, as merely two additional metal sheets need to be mounted in the container. Moreover, it has been shown that material deposits practically do not occur with this shape of viewing indentation 18.
(31) While the present invention has been illustrated by description of various embodiments and while those embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of Applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The present invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of Applicants' invention.
