Portable water tank assembly for a dust emitting construction machine

Abstract

A portable water tank assembly for a dust emitting construction machine, such as a machine for cutting concrete, stone, ceramic materials and the like may include a water container (1) and an electric pump (2) powered by a battery for pumping water from the container (1) through an outlet to the construction machine. To provide a portable water tank assembly which provides a long service life without changing battery, is easy to handle and carry and that is robust and reliable, the pump is a low pressure pump (2), of 0.1-1.5 bar, preferably of 0.3-1.2 bar, that is preferably submersible and placed inside the water container. The assembly has at least 5 liter capacity.

Claims

1. A portable water tank assembly for a dust emitting construction machine, the assembly comprising: a water container; an electric pump powered by a battery for pumping water from the container through an outlet to the construction machine; and a hood member operably coupled to the water container, the hood member comprising an electronic circuit board configured to control at least the voltage to the pump, wherein the pump is a low pressure centrifugal pump of 0.1-1.5 bar, and wherein the assembly has at least a 5 liter capacity.

2. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump is a submersible pump placed inside the water container.

3. The portable water tank assembly of claim 2, wherein the pump is a low pressure pump of 0.3-1.2 bar.

4. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the hood member further comprises a compartment housing a battery charger for charging the battery.

5. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the hood member further comprises a compartment housing a spare battery.

6. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the hood member includes a handle for carrying the water tank assembly.

7. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the water container comprises an upwards protruding flange to which the hood member is attached.

8. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit board includes a timer function for controlling battery discharge.

9. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit board includes a voltage monitor for maintaining the voltage above a predetermined level.

10. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the hood member comprises a power switch located on a handle for starting and stopping the pump.

11. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, further comprising a foot member attached to a bottom portion of the water container.

12. The portable water tank assembly of claim 11, wherein the water container has a bottom flange, around which the foot member is attached.

13. The portable water tank assembly of claim 12, wherein the bottom portion and the foot member define a recessed annular space for housing a hose, the hose connecting the water tank assembly to the construction machine.

14. The portable water tank assembly of claim 13, wherein the hose has a free end provided with a connector having an integrated stop valve.

15. The portable water tank assembly of claim 14, wherein the hood member has a holder for the free end of the hose.

16. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the low pressure pump is a non self priming pump.

17. The portable water tank assembly of claim 1, wherein the water container has a volume of between 10 and 17 liters.

18. A portable water tank assembly for a dust emitting construction machine, the assembly comprising: a water container; an electric pump powered by a battery for pumping water from the container through an outlet to the construction machine; and a compartment that houses the battery, wherein the pump is a low pressure centrifugal pump of 0.1-1.5 bar, and wherein the assembly has at least a 5 liter capacity.

19. The portable water tank assembly of claim 18, wherein the pump is a submersible pump placed inside the water container, and wherein the assembly further comprises a hood member operably coupled to the water container, the hood member comprising an electronic circuit board configured to control at least the voltage to the pump.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments and the appended drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable water tank assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention including a water container and a hood member having a side door shown in an open position to expose a battery package and a battery charger.

(3) FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the water tank assembly of FIG. 1, where a submersible pump is located in the water container.

(4) FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the water tank assembly of FIG. 1 but viewed from another direction and illustrating inter alia a two-part foot member to be attached to a bottom portion of the water container.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the water tank assembly of FIG. 1 but viewed from its rear end and showing among other things a water hose with free end provided with a connector placed in a holder for the hose.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(6) The portable water tank assembly illustrated in the drawings comprises a water container 1 and an electric pump for pumping water from the container through an outlet to a construction machine, not shown.

(7) In accordance with the present invention the pump is a low voltage submersible pump 2 that is placed inside the water container 1. A suitable pump is a 12 V centrifugal pump from the ECO series of Comet-Pumpen Systemtechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. Such a pump is insensitive to sand and similar particles, has a life of more than 300 h, is often cooled by the water, is of a compact design, has a low power consumption, can endure dry-running for 2 h, will give a pressure of 0.7 bar, and is simple to clean or exchange at service.

(8) Further, in accordance with the present invention, the portable water tank assembly comprises a moisture-proof hood member 3, which is attached to the water container 1 and includes a handle 4 for carrying the water tank assembly, and the hood member 3 has a first compartment 5 for a battery for delivering power to the pump 2 and a battery 6 located in the compartment 5.

(9) As shown in FIG. 1, the hood member 3 has a side door 7 that is hinged at the door bottom and shown in an open position to expose the battery 6 placed in the first compartment 5. To keep the side door 7 in position when closed, a snap-clip 32 is provided under the handle 4.

(10) The water container 1 has a lower substantially brick-shaped portion 8 for containing a main portion of the water in the container, and a converging top portion 9 extending upwards from the bottom portion. On a front side of the top portion 9 and close to the top thereof, a large area filler cap 10 is provided. The opening closed by the filler cap 10 is sufficiently large to permit the insertion of the pump 2 into and the mounting thereof within the lower portion 8 of the water container 1. The pump 2 is preferably standing on the bottom of the water container 1 and is fixed thereto by a screw, clips, rivets not shown, or possibly by glueing. The low pressure pump is a centrifugal pump (6) located in a position close to the bottom of the water container (1), inside or outside the water container.

(11) At its top end, the pump 2 has an outlet for pressurized water, and a short hose, not shown, has one end attached to the outlet. The other end of the short hose is connected to a two-piece nipple, not shown, extending through a side wall of the water container 1. On a top surface of the lower container portion 8 and preferably also on the rear side of the top portion 9, there is provided an upwards extending flange, not shown, for mounting the hood member 3, which preferably is made as a right-hand half and a left-hand half, to the water container 1, e.g. by screwing. The flange could either be solid with screw holes passing through or could have a thicker outer part around which the two halves of the hood member are clamped.

(12) In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the hood member 3 also has a second compartment 11 for a battery charger 12 and a third compartment 13 for a spare battery, not shown. The battery charger 12 and the spare battery are not electrically connected to battery 6. When the spare battery is to be charged, the battery charger 12 and the spare battery is taken out of the hood member 3, and then they are interconnected by a cable, not shown, and the battery charger 12 is connected by a power cord, not shown, to the distribution circuits of an electrical power source via a wall socket or extension cord, for example, not shown. Thereby, the work with the construction machine that receives water from the portable water tank assembly can continue without any risk of a short circuit during the charging of the spare battery.

(13) Further, the battery is a Li-ion battery package 6, preferably having a nominal voltage on the order of 18.5 V and a capacity of 1.6 Ah. For controlling the operation of the pump 2, an electronic circuit board is included in the water tank assembly. The circuit board is located in a fourth compartment, not shown, in the hood member 3. This fourth compartment is not available through the side door 7, but has a location protected from moisture on the opposite side of the hood member 3. The circuit board is connected to the battery 6, but may also have a connection for external power supply. The circuit board includes a voltage controller that controls the voltage to the pump 2, so that there will be a constant provision of 12 V to the pump 2. Further, the electronic circuit board includes a voltage monitor for protecting the battery package 6 by avoiding the voltage falling below a predetermined level, preferably 12 V for a Li-ion battery package having a nominal voltage on the order of 18.5 V. It is also recommendable that the circuit board includes a timer for avoiding discharging the battery package 6 by mistake. The timer starts automatically on starting the pump 2, and if the pump has not been switched off after a predetermined time, half an hour, for example, the timer switches off the pump. In the preferred embodiment, the water container 1 will have been used at that time, so that the container needs refilling. A power switch 17 is connected to the circuit board for turning on/off the power from the battery package 6 to the pump 2. The power switch 17 is provided in a wall entrance 18 in the handle 4 at a position not for from the filler cap 10. A light emitting diode 19 of a kind that blinks when the pump 2 is operating is also connected to the circuit board and is located the wall entrance 18 adjacent to the power switch 17. Preferably, the light from the diode 19 changes from green over yellow to red to indicate the electric charge status, i.e. the remaining charge in the battery package 6. A lead, not shown, from the circuit board to the pump 2, passes into the water container 1 at the very top of the container top portion 9.

(14) In the shown preferred embodiment, a foot member 20 is attached to a bottom portion of the water container 1. As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the water container 1 has a bottom flange 21, around which the foot member 20 is attached. Around its periphery, the bottom flange 21 is provided with a series of recesses 22. The foot member 20 includes an upper U-shaped member 23 and a foot bottom 24 provided with suitable bores for being attached to each other by means of screws, not shown, extending through the recesses of the container bottom flange 21. As shown in FIG. 3, the foot bottom 24 is in the shape of a grating to let water pass through if spilled out during refilling of the water container 1.

(15) The container bottom portion and the foot member 20 define a recessed annular space 25 for housing a coiled hose 26, which in an uncoiled state is intended to connect the water tank assembly to the construction machine. To assist in retaining the coiled hose 26 in the recessed annular space 25, about halfway along each longitudinal side of the water container 1 the U-shaped member 23 has an upward extending fin 27 and there is a corresponding recess 28 in the water container 1 in order to maintain the width of the recessed annular space 25 substantially constant to facilitate the intentional coiling and uncoiling of the hose 26. One end of the hose 26 is connected to the two-piece nipple, not shown, and the other end is free and provided with a connector 29 having an integrated stop valve. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at the rear end of the handle 4, the hood member 3 has a recessed holder 30 for the free end of the hose 26 with its connector 29. An upper edge of the foot member 20 is provided with a U-shaped recess 31 of a width that is slightly smaller than the external diameter of the hose 26, so that the hose when fully or partly uncoiled can be pinched therein.

(16) The water container 1 suitably has a volume of at most 17 liters, preferably on the order of 10 liters. With full tank, the portable water tank assembly of the invention should have a maximum weight of at most 20 kg, preferably on the order of 14 kg to be easy to handle for a user.

(17) Although only one preferred specific embodiment is described above and shown in the drawings, it is obvious that a worker skilled in the art easily will realize how to vary the inventive concept within the terms of the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(18) The portable water tank assembly of the present invention is intended to be connected via a hose to a dust emitting construction machine, such as a machine for cutting concrete, stone, ceramic materials and the like in order to bind the emitted dust with water. It is especially suitable where a connection to an ordinary mains power system is not readily available.