Applied to chasis of mobile asphalt plants

Abstract

An improvement to a chassis for mobile asphalt plants consists in modularizing the design of the chassis in order to reduce design time and storage costs by virtue of a standardization of the chassis. Thus, the solution fits asphalt plants of different sizes and reduces the physical space required to store items belonging to the structure of the chassis. The high level of standardization has been achieved by segmenting the main structure of the chassis into three regions which appropriately accommodate all of the systems for producing the asphalt mixture.

Claims

1. A chassis configured for use with mobile asphalt plants comprising: a pair of identical main structures, wherein each main structure is segmented into three regions comprising: a rear segment, wherein the rear segment further comprises: a plurality of towing axles with a beam located on the towing axles having a suspension system; and an extension beam; a center segment; and a front segment; a rear transition, wherein the rear transition joins the rear segment to the center segment; and a front transition, wherein the front transition joins the center segment to the front segment; wherein the rear segment contains a filtration system and a gas exhaust equipment, the center segment contains a mixing, drying/heating, gas exhaust duct and unloading systems and the front segment contains kingpin region.

2. The chassis configured for use with mobile asphalt plants of claim 1 wherein the front segment further comprises a dosing system in small and medium-sized plants.

3. The chassis configured for use with mobile asphalt plants of claim 2, wherein the beam of the towing axles has a fixed length and the extension beam has a length standardized according to the size of a plant, and the center segment is standardized according to the plant, and the front segment has a fixed length.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

(1) In order for the present utility model to be fully understood and carried out by any skilled person from this technical field, it will be described in a clear, concise and sufficient manner, based on the accompanying drawings which illustrate and support it, as listed below:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the chassis of mobile asphalt plant highlighting its two main structures.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the subdivision of the main structures of the chassis in three distinct regions joined by transition structures.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the arrangement applied to the chassis for implementation in large plants.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the arrangement applied to the chassis for implementation in small and medium-sized plants.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a side view of the joining sites between the subdivided segments of the plant chassis.

(7) FIG. 6 represents the subdivision into two segments of the region in which the filtration system and the exhaust equipment of the combustion gases and water vapor will be accommodated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present utility model discloses a solution for standardizing the chassis of mobile asphalt plants, the creation of a modularization of the chassis in three regions, in which all operating subsystems of the plant will be properly arranged. FIG. 1 shows the main frame of the vehicle chassis of an asphalt plant, which essentially consists of two identical main structures (1) (2). This main structure configures the region with greater mass and length of the chassis. That is, the gain in space and logistics will be more effective if we act directly on these two structures.

(9) In light of this fact, and as part of the solution that is the object of this specification, a concept has been developed that conferred the high level of standardization desired based on the segmentation of both main structures into three distinct regions (3) (5) (7). These three regions are separated by two transitions, also known as necks. The rear transition (4) joins the rear segment (3) to the center segment (5) of the plant and the front transition (6) connects the center segment (5) to the front segment (7). The union between the segments (8), (9), (10), (11) and (12) may be carried out by welding or through screws.

(10) Accordingly, the first step in the solution, in order to raise the level of standardization, was to identify which segments of the main chassis should accommodate the systems responsible for producing the hot mix asphalt. A study was carried out because the mobile equipment developed for manufacturing the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) should have the following elements: a king pin region for transporting the plant, a dosage system, a drying/heating system, a gas exhaust duct, a gas exhaust system, a filtration system, a mixing system and an unloading region for the final mix.

(11) FIG. 3 proposes and illustrates the process of modularizing the arrangement of the systems described, when applying the present solution to large mobile asphalt plants. The arrangement of the large mobile plant will contain in its rear segment posterior (3) the filtration system required for controlling emissions in an asphalt plant and the equipment responsible for the exhaustion of the combustion gases and water vapor. The center segment (5) accommodates the mixing system, the drying/heating system, the gas exhaust duct and the unloading of the mix. Lastly, the front segment (7) of large plants is comprised by the connecting device (king pin).

(12) Just as in the arrangement of large plants, FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the systems described applied to small and medium-sized plants. In these cases, the rear segment (3) comprises the filtration and gas exhaust system. The center segment (5) will also accommodate the same systems used in large plants comprising: the mixing system, the drying/heating system, the gas exhaust duct and the unloading of the mix. However, different to large plants, the front segment (7) of the small and medium-sized plants contain the dosage system and the king pin region. So a comparison of the two formats reveals only minor alterations in the rear region (3) and in the center segment (5) in the layouts of the chassis, which need to have their dimensions changed based on altering the size of the equipment.

(13) Thereafter, with a view to achieving the desired modularization, the rear region (3), in which the chassis frame is also installed, has been divided into two parts (13)(14), as noted in FIG. 6. In this segmentation, the beam on the towing axles (14) will be identical in any equipment manufactured, being used in small, medium and large-sized mobile plants. The need and the length of an extension beam (13) will depend exclusively on the increase in size of the equipment to be manufactured. In mobile plants with similar production rate, it is possible to standardize this extension beam (13) or the entire back segment (3) from the larger plant. So that the use of standardization of the extension beam (13), proposed above, is possible, it is necessary that the suspension system coupled to the towing axles of the vehicle chassis be fastened by screws.

(14) As described above, the front segment (7) of the chassis should necessarily accommodate the king pin for transporting the asphalt plant and, for small and medium-sized plants, should also house the dosage system. In large-sized plants, the dosage system is installed in an independent and exclusive mobility, and it may also participate in the segmentation and standardization process, seeking an even greater increment in standardization gains. The segment (7) should always be the same, without altering size or shape, regardless of the mobile asphalt plant manufactured.

(15) The center segment (5) of the chassis, as well as the beam on the towing axles (13), will be responsible for incrementing or reducing the final size of the equipment. Both the center segment (5) and the beam on the towing axles (13) will increase or decrease its final length by altering the size of the plant. For example, large equipment will require a larger drying system, so the center segment (5) should increase in relation to a small-sized plant. The same occurs for the beam on the towing axles (13) in relation to the filtration system. Accordingly, the center segment (5) responsible for accommodating the mixing system, the drying/heating system, the gas exhaust duct and the unloading system of the hot mix asphalt should change according to the size of the equipment. Since this region houses the greatest loadings present in the chassis structure, any attempt at segmentation with a view to modularization could structurally compromise the entire equipment. Nonetheless, in mobile plants with similar nominal production, it is possible to use the same segment from the larger plant.

(16) It is important to emphasize that the drawings and description do not have the weight of limiting the embodiments of the inventive concept now proposed, but rather to illustrate and render comprehensible the conceptual innovations disclosed in this utility model. Therefore, the descriptions and pictures should be interpreted illustratively as opposed to limitatively, as there may be other equivalent or similar ways of embodying the inventive concept now disclosed and that stray from the scope of protection delineated in the solution proposed.

(17) The present specification of a solution consists of a modularization applied to a chassis of mobile asphalt plants, endowed with novelty, inventive step, descriptive sufficiency [full disclosure], and industrial application and consequently complies with all the essential requirements for the grant of the privilege claimed.