Abstract
The disclosure relates to a road construction machine which is available in the form of a road paver or a feeder vehicle for a road paver, comprising at least one control station with at least one open side, wherein the control station comprises a control console for controlling and monitoring processes which can be carried out by means of the road construction machine, and a fresh air system with at least one fresh air opening, wherein the fresh air system is completely integrated in the control console. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to the use of a control console for fresh air generation and fresh air supply on a road construction machine.
Claims
1. A road construction machine formed as a road paver or a feeder vehicle for a road paver, comprising a control station with at least one open side, wherein the control station comprises a control console for controlling and monitoring processes which can be carried out by the road construction machine, and a fresh air system with at least one fresh air opening, wherein the fresh air system is completely integrated in the control console.
2. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the control console has a control panel with a user interface and a control panel support for the control panel, wherein the fresh air system is at least partially integrated in the control panel and/or at least partially in the control panel support.
3. The road construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the fresh air system is controllable by at least one operating unit integrated in the control panel and/or in the control panel support.
4. The road construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the control panel has at least one touch display which is configured to control the fresh air system.
5. The road construction machine according to claim 2, wherein at least one fresh air opening of the at least one fresh air opening is formed in the user interface and/or in a surface formed by the control panel support.
6. The road construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the control panel has a housing and the fresh air system has at least one fan mounted in the housing.
7. The road construction machine according to claim 6, wherein the housing forms, at least in sections, an air duct connecting the at least one fan to the at least one fresh air opening.
8. The road construction machine according to claim 7, wherein the fresh air system is configured for tempering fresh air conveyed within the air duct.
9. The road construction machine according to claim 7, wherein the air duct is formed by a pivotably mounted part of the housing.
10. The road construction machine according claim 2, wherein the fresh air system comprises at least one filter unit provided on a side of the control panel facing away from the user interface.
11. The road construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the control panel is removable from the control panel support without tools.
12. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein a fresh air opening of the at least one fresh air opening is formed with at least one adjustable lamella.
13. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the control console together with the fresh air system integrated therein is mounted on the control station so as to be movable.
14. The road construction machine according to claim 13, wherein the control console is height-adjustable, pivotable and/or rotatable.
15. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the control station is a driver's control station or an external control station.
16. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the control console is removable from the control station without tools.
17. The road construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the fresh air system provides a position-dependent, material-dependent, operator-presence-dependent and/or process-dependent, automatically adjustable fresh air supply capacity.
18. A method of supplying fresh air at an open control station of a road construction machine, the method comprising generating and supplying the fresh air by a control console installed at the control station.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0061] In the following, the present disclosure is explained in more detail with reference to Figures:
[0062] FIG. 1 shows a road construction machine in the form of a road paver;
[0063] FIG. 2 shows a road construction machine in the form of a feeder vehicle for a road paver;
[0064] FIG. 3A shows a control panel for a control station;
[0065] FIG. 3B shows a sectional view of the control panel shown in FIG. 3A;
[0066] FIG. 4A shows another control panel for a control station;
[0067] FIG. 4B shows a sectional view of the control panel shown in FIG. 4A;
[0068] FIG. 5A shows another control panel for a control station;
[0069] FIG. 5B shows a sectional view of the control panel shown in FIG. 5A;
[0070] FIG. 6 shows a control console together with control panel and control panel support in an isolated view;
[0071] FIG. 7A shows another control console with a control panel for an external control station;
[0072] FIG. 7B shows the control panel shown in FIG. 7A in a state removed from its holder; and
[0073] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a road paver from the top view.
[0074] Identical technical components are identified with the same reference signs throughout the Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0075] FIG. 1 shows a road construction machine 1 configured as a road paver 2 for producing a new paving layer 3. The road paver 2 produces the new paving layer 3 in the direction of travel R. For this purpose, the road paver 2 uses paving material 4, which is stored in a material hopper 5 formed on it. The paving material 4 stored in the material hopper 5 is transported by means of a longitudinal conveyor (not shown) against the direction of travel R to a paving screed 6, which is configured to compact the paving material 4 provided to it to form the new paving layer 3.
[0076] The paving screed 6 shown in FIG. 1 is configured as an extending screed. The paving screed 6 has a base screed 7 and lateral extending parts 8 for setting a desired paving width of the new paving layer 3.
[0077] The road paver 2 of FIG. 1 comprises a control station 9 for a driver F. The control station 9 is thus provided as a driver's control station 10. FIG. 1 shows that the driver's control station 10 is open to the side S and to the rear, that is, the atmospheric conditions, in particular the air quality, are present in the area surrounding the driver's control station 10 without any countermeasures being taken.
[0078] In FIG. 1, the driver F is seated on a pivotably configured seat console 11, by means of which he or she is pivoted out over a driver's operating platform 12 and positioned to the side of the driver's control station 10, so that he or she has a good view of the area next to the road paver 2. However, in this position pivoted beyond the driver's operating platform 12, the driver F is no longer seated behind a windshield 14 provided on the roof structure 13, so that he is more exposed to vapors and/or aerosols coming from the material hopper 5 as well as vapors and/or aerosols from the area of the paving screed 6.
[0079] On the driver's control station 10 of the road paver 2, a control console K with a control panel 15 is provided for the driver F. The control console K is attached to the structure of the driver's control station 10, in particular mounted on a console slide so that it can be moved transversely. The control panel 15 is configured for controlling and monitoring processes that can be carried out by means of the road paver 2. For example, the driver F can set the speed v of the road paver 2 in the direction of travel R on the control panel 15. Furthermore, the driver F can use the control panel 15 in particular to set the material hopper halves 16a, 16b, for example to pivot them inwards in order to move the installation material 4 stored in the material hopper 5 to the center of the longitudinal conveyor. In FIG. 1, however, the two material hopper halves 16a, 16b are adjusted completely outwards in order to be able to hold a maximum amount of installation material 4.
[0080] Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows another control station 17, which creates a workplace for a screed operator B on the outside of the paving screed 6 in order to control and monitor processes of the road paver 2, in particular the paving screed 6. This control station 17 created on the side shifting device 8a of the extending screed 8 is therefore an external control station 18.
[0081] In order to control and monitor the operation of the paving screed 6, including its extending screed 8, a further control console K with a control panel 19 is provided for the screed operator B at the external control station 18. As the screed operator B is located in the immediate vicinity of the paving material 4 processed by the extending screed 8, he or she is exposed to vapors and/or aerosols in this outdoor area.
[0082] Although the control stations 9, 17 on the road paver 2 shown in FIG. 1, which are open to the surroundings, are well ventilated, they are also reached by the vapors and/or aerosols generated during paving. As the control stations 9, 17 shown in FIG. 1 on the road paver 2 are standard on various road paver types, the problem of air quality for the driver F or screed operator B being impaired by vapors and/or aerosols exists for these control stations 9, 17 across all types.
[0083] FIG. 2 shows another road construction machine 20 configured in the form of a feeder vehicle 21 for a road paver 2. Such a feeder vehicle 21 is used in practice to supply a road paver 2 as shown in FIG. 1 with paving material 4. For this purpose, the feeder vehicle 21 travels in front of the road paver 2 in the direction of travel R and throws paving material 4 into the material hopper 5 of the road paver 2 following behind it by means of a conveyor 22 formed on the feeder vehicle 21.
[0084] The feeder vehicle 21 of FIG. 2 has a material hopper 23 for accommodating paving material 4. The material hopper 23 can have material hopper halves 24a, 24b that are adjustable transversely to the direction of travel R. The conveyor 22 extends as far as the material hopper 23 and can therefore transport the paving material 4 stored in it out of the same, against the direction of travel R in the direction of the following road paver 2 and transfer it to the latter.
[0085] According to FIG. 2, the feeder vehicle 21 has a control station 24, which is provided as a driver's control station 25. This driver's control station 25 is also open to the sides and to the rear, so that vapors and/or aerosols can reach the driver F via the open sides of the driver's control station 25 and from the conveyor 22 mounted at the rear. A control console K with a control panel 26 for controlling and monitoring the processes carried out by the feeder vehicle 21 is mounted on the driver's control station 25 for the driver F. In FIG. 2, the control panel 26 is positioned behind a windshield 27 of the feeder vehicle 21, however, it can also be brought into a position next to the driver's control station 25, i.e., pivoted beyond its driver's operating platform 28.
[0086] In FIGS. 1 and 2, it is shown by means of the schematically shown adjustment axes 29, 30 that the respective control consoles K, K on the respective driver's control stations 10, 25 can be adjusted in any direction. In particular, the respective control consoles K, K together with the control panels 15, 26 mounted thereon can also be twisted or rotated and pivoted about the respective adjustment axes so that the control panels 15, 26 can be brought into a desired position.
[0087] FIG. 3A shows a first variant of the control panel 15 of the road paver 2. The control panel 26 of the feeder vehicle 21 can be similarly configured. The control panel 15 of FIG. 3A has a user interface 31 with a plurality of operating units 32, by means of which the operation of the road paver 2 can be controlled. According to FIG. 3A, a touch display 33 is provided as an operating unit 32 on the control panel 15. It would be conceivable that the touch display 33 is part of a tablet computer mounted removably on the control panel 15.
[0088] The control panel 15 of FIG. 3A has a total of four operating panels 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d. Alternatively, the control panel 15 could also have only three of them, for example the operating panels 34a, 34b, 34d, that is, without the operating panel 34c formed with the touch display 33. Furthermore, the control panel 15 comprises a fresh air system 35 integrated therein with a plurality of fresh air openings 36 formed in the user interface 31. In FIG. 3A, the fresh air openings 36 are each formed as round air openings 37 and have at least one adjustable lamella 38. The lamellae 38 can be used to set a desired flow direction for the fresh air supply. In addition, the lamellae 38 can be used to close the round air openings 37.
[0089] FIG. 3A shows that a group 39 of three fresh air openings 36 are arranged next to each other in row R1 between the operating panels 34a, 34b. According to this arrangement, a further group 40 of fresh air openings 36 is formed between the operating panels 34c, 34d in the user interface 31. This essentially provides a fresh air supply across the entire width of the control panel 15. The driver F, positioned behind the control panel 15 in the direction of travel R, thus benefits directly at his workplace from an improved air quality enriched with fresh air.
[0090] In particular, the fresh air supply takes place independently of a position or set location of the control panel 15, 26 on the respective driver's control stations 10, 25, so that the fresh air supply is automatically present at the location of the control panel 15, 26.
[0091] The control panel 15 of FIG. 3A has a housing 41 in which an air duct 42 of the fresh air system 35 is integrated. The air duct 42 directs the fresh air to the fresh air openings 36 so that it can flow out there.
[0092] According to FIG. 3A, the fresh air openings 36 are evenly distributed over the user interface 31. This allows the driver F to set the fresh air supply to the two operating panels 34a, 34b by closing the group 40 of fresh air openings 36 or to set the fresh air supply to the two operating panels 34c, 34d by closing the group 39 of fresh air openings 36. The configuration shown in FIG. 3A thus allows the fresh air supply to be set either at the two operating panels 34a, 34b or at the two operating panels 34c, 34d.
[0093] FIG. 3A further shows a shelf A, which is formed between the operating panels 34a, 34d in the housing 41.
[0094] FIG. 3B shows a section A-A through the control panel 15 shown in FIG. 3A. According to FIG. 3B, the fresh air system 35 integrated in the control panel 15 has a fan 43, which is configured as a radial fan 44. The fresh air system 35 further comprises a filter unit 45 with filter elements 46a, 46b installed therein. The filter element 46a can be configured as a coarse particle filter. The filter element 46b positioned downstream can be a fine particle filter. Air is sucked in from the environment U of the control panel 15 through the filter unit 45 by means of the fan 43. By means of the filter unit 45, purified air, i.e., filtered fresh air L, can be sucked in axially by the radial fan 44 and blown radially into the air duct 42 in order to be discharged at the fresh air openings 36. An air duct 47 formed between the filter unit 45 and the fan 43 has a tapered cross-section towards the fan 43.
[0095] Furthermore, FIG. 3B shows that the control panel 15 is divided into a lower, horizontally formed section 48a and an upper section 48b, which is inclined relative to the horizontal section 48a and has the fresh air openings 36. As a result, the fresh air openings 36 are aligned such that the fresh air L flowing out of them can be directed frontally towards the driver F, with the result that the fresh air L flows directly from the fresh air openings 36 towards the driver F. This direct flow is indicated by the reference sign 49.
[0096] Furthermore, FIG. 3B shows a cooling/heating unit 60 in schematic view in order to bring the fresh air L transported in the air duct 42 to a desired temperature level.
[0097] FIG. 4A shows a variant of the control panel 15 in which the fresh air openings 36 are positioned between adjacent operating panels 34a, 34d or 34b, 34c via the user interface 31. In this way, it is achieved that the control panel 15 has an overall more compact arrangement of the operating panels 34a, 34b or 34c, 34d. Since the operating panels 34b, 34c each have displays D1, D2, the respective halves of the control panel 15 essentially take the form of a notebook or laptop and are therefore easy for the driver F to operate.
[0098] According to FIG. 4A, the fresh air system 35 has an air duct 42 integrated in the housing 41 of the control panel 15, which is formed between the operating panels 34a, 34b and the operating panels 34c, 34d. The fresh air openings 36 contained therein are arranged one behind the other in a row R2 along the length of the control panel 15.
[0099] FIG. 4B shows a sectional view of the control panel 15 shown in FIG. 4A in the sectional course B-B.
[0100] According to FIG. 4B, the fresh air openings 36 formed in the lower section 48a of the control panel 15 allow the driver F to be supplied with fresh air L in his/her immediate vicinity. Overall, this results in a fresh air output from the user interface 31 that is particularly close to the driver F, so that the air quality in his working area can be improved particularly well.
[0101] FIG. 5A shows the control panel 15 according to another variant. In this control panel 15, the fresh air openings 36 are positioned above the operating panels 34a-34d. The control panel 15 in FIG. 5A thus forms the fresh air system 35 in its upper section 48b. The housing 41 of the control panel 15 has a pivotable part 50, which forms the air duct 42 above the operating panels 34b, 34c. Alternatively, the part 50 of the housing 41 may be immovable, i.e., not pivotable.
[0102] The part 50 of the housing 41 shown in FIG. 5A is pivotably mounted about an axis 51 extending between the operating panels 34b, 34c. This allows the part 50 together with the fresh air openings 36 integrated therein to be erected towards the driver F such that the fresh air L flowing out of the fresh air openings 36 flows frontally in the direction of the driver F.
[0103] FIG. 5B shows the control panel 15 of FIG. 5A in section C-C. In this sectional view, a part 50 of the housing 41 is schematically shown folded up to provide the driver F with a better frontal supply of fresh air L from the fresh air openings 36. In this variant, the fresh air system 35 forms a pivoting module M integrated into the control panel 15. This pivoting module M allows fresh air L to flow out in a targeted manner in the direction of the driver F and on the other hand, the fresh air supply can overall be moved closer to the driver F. In addition, the pivoting module M can form a sun visor for the control panel 15 so that the settings displayed on it are easier to read.
[0104] FIG. 6 shows the control console K in an isolated view. The control console K can have a comparable structure. The control console K has a control panel support 60 for the control panel 15. Several fresh air openings 61 are formed in the control panel support 60 in order to supply the operator or driver with fresh air from below.
[0105] Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows that there are fresh air openings 61 on the control panel support 60 both on its front 62 facing the operator and on its sides 63. The side fresh air openings 61 can also be aligned towards the operator or driver by means of lamellae 64.
[0106] Instead of the control panel 15 shown in FIG. 6, which does not provide any fresh air openings, a control panel 15 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 with fresh air openings 36 could be used on the control panel support 60, resulting in a control console K in which fresh air openings 36, 61 are formed both in the control panel support 60 and in the control panel 15. Alternatively, the control panel support 60 shown in FIG. 6 could be configured without fresh air openings 61, wherein a control panel 15 provided with fresh air openings 36 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 can then be used. Instead of a control panel 15 with four operating panels as shown in FIG. 6, a control panel with fewer operating panels can also be attached to the control panel support 60.
[0107] The control panel support 60 shown in FIG. 6 is coupled to a console guide or slide (not shown) installed transversely on the control station 9 such that the control console K together with the control panel support 60 and the control panel 15 is mounted on the control station 9 so that it can be moved transversely. Furthermore, the control console K can be pivotably and/or rotatably mounted.
[0108] FIG. 7A shows the control console K together with the control panel 19, which is positioned on the paver 2 of FIG. 1 at the external control station 18 of the paving screed 6, in isolated view. The control panel 19 of FIG. 7A, which is positioned outdoors as shown, has two operating panels 52a, 52b. In the two operating panels 52a, 52b there are respective operating units 53 for controlling and monitoring the operation of the paving screed 6. In the upper operating panel 52a, two fresh air openings 54 are shown schematically in the upper corners in order to supply the screed operator B with fresh air L. These fresh air openings 54 are also part of a fresh air system 35 integrated in the control panel 15.
[0109] As an alternative to the illustration in FIG. 7A, the fresh air openings 54 could also be positioned between the operating panels 52a, 52b.
[0110] Furthermore, FIG. 7A shows that the control panel 15 has a handle 55 by means of which the control panel 15 can be released from a control panel support 60, that is, removed from a holder 56 of the control panel support 60, as shown in FIG. 7B. The screed operator B can thus remove the control panel 26 from the holder 56 without tools and carry it with him, for example to move it to another position on the paving screed 6.
[0111] FIG. 8 shows the paver 2 in a schematic top view. FIG. 8 shows that the control panel 15 of the driver's control station 10 can be pivoted to the left and right beyond the driver's operating platform 12 when the driver F is positioned on the seat console 11 next to the driver's control station 10. In these zones next to the driver's operating platform 12, the driver F is increasingly exposed to vapors D and/or aerosols from the hopper 5. The control panel 15 according to the disclosure, in particular the fresh air system 35 integrated therein, can be configured to automatically set an increased fresh air generation and supply in these zones.
[0112] Furthermore, FIG. 8 shows that the screed operator B can take the control panel 26 removed from the external control station 18 to different areas. For example, the screed operator B can stand in the center of a walkway 57 of the paving screed 6 with the control panel 26. The screed operator B could just as well move with the control panel 26 in his hand to the auger chamber 58, in which a cross-distributing auger 59 spreads out the paving material 4 in front of the paving screed 6. In these areas, in which the screed operator B can be positioned with the removed control panel 26, vapors D and/or aerosols can also develop to an extreme degree. Therefore, by detecting that the control panel 26 is located in these zones, the fresh air generation and supply can be automatically increased by means of the control panel 26.
[0113] The increased fresh air generation and supply described in connection with FIG. 8 is based, for example, on a position detection system P, P integrated in the control panel 15, 26, by means of which the position of the control panel 15, 26 in the area of the road paver 2 can be detected and the fresh air generation and supply can be automatically increased or reduced in this respect.
[0114] As one skilled in the art would understand, the above-mentioned detection unit(s) (e.g., distance measurement unit and/or GPS data-based sensor system), the position detection system P, P, as well an any other control, controller, control system, control station, control console, control panel, user interface, operating unit, touch display, unit, machine, apparatus, element, sensor, device, component, system, subsystem, arrangement, or the like described herein may individually, collectively, or in any combination comprise appropriate circuitry, such as one or more appropriately programmed processors (e.g. one or more microprocessors including central processing units (CPU)) and associated memory, which may include stored operating system software and/or application software executable by the processor(s) for controlling operation thereof and/or for performing the particular algorithms represented by the various functions and/or operations described herein, including interaction and/or cooperation between any such detection units, position detection systems, control, controller, control system, control station, control console, control panel, user interface, operating unit, touch display, unit, machine, apparatus, element, sensor, device, component, system, subsystem, arrangement, or the like. One or more of such processors, as well as other circuitry and/or hardware, may be included in a single ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry), or several processors and various circuitry and/or hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a SoC (System-on-a-Chip).
