MATERIAL COLLECTION CONTAINER OF A SUCTION DREDGER WITH IMPROVED RESISTANCE TO NEGATIVE PRESSURE

Abstract

A material collection container extends in the longitudinal direction of a suction excavator and comprises a container wall which is closed at its two end faces by end walls. A lid is pivotably mounted on a lid shaft so that the material collection container is closed on the upper side and is open in an emptying position. The container has a seal extending between an upper edge and the lid in the closed position so that, in the closed position, the seal seals the container so that negative pressure can be generated in the container. The container wall has a plurality of side segment faces which extend in the longitudinal direction and transition into one another at stiffening edges. The folded upper edge is designed as a hollow profile. The seal is embedded in a groove on the side of the lid directed toward the upper edge.

Claims

1. A material collection container of a suction excavator, wherein the material collection container extends in the longitudinal direction of the suction excavator and has a rigidity which withstands a negative pressure corresponding to the operating negative pressure of the suction excavator, comprising: a container wall extending in the longitudinal direction and which is connected at its two end faces to end walls; a pivotable lid which, in a closed position, closes the material collection container on its upper side and opens it in an emptying position; a seal extending in the closed position between an upper edge of the material collection container and the lid in order to seal the material collection container so that a negative pressure can be generated in it; wherein the material collection container has a substantially U-shaped cross-section; the container wall has a plurality of side segment faces extending in the longitudinal direction and merging into one another at stiffening edges, wherein at least some adjacent side segment faces are at an angle to one another; the container wall has a folded upper edge which is designed as a hollow profile; the seal is embedded in a groove on the side of the lid directed toward the upper edge; the upper edge is formed by two edge surfaces which converge at an angle, wherein the width of the upper edge at the joint line of the converging edge surfaces is narrower than the width of the groove, wherein the upper edge enters the seal in the closed position of the lid.

2. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein at least a plurality of adjacent side segment faces, including the stiffening edges extending between them, are integrally formed.

3. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein the width of side segment faces which are not additionally reinforced is not greater than 150 times, preferably not greater than 100 times, their material thickness.

4. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein it has one or more floor segment surfaces (10).

5. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional reinforcing element is arranged on the outside of at least one of the side segment faces (09).

6. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the side segment faces, which is located on that side of the material collection container via which it can be tilted for emptying, has additional reinforcing elements.

7. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein the two converging edge surfaces of the upper edge enclose an angle of 20 to 90.

8. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge has an outer radius in the range of from 8 to 65 mm on the abutting line of the converging edge surfaces.

9. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the container wall is triangular or trapezoidal in cross section.

10. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge is formed by a folded portion of the container wall.

11. The material collection container according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the side segment faces (09) are defined by the following formula: $R_e=\sqrt{\frac{9*p^2}{256*{\left(1+x\right)}^2*t^4}*\left(b^4{x}^2+l^4-x{b}^2{l}^2\right)}$ wherein: R.sub.e=yield strength of the material P=rated negative pressure in N/mm.sup.2 x=ratio of segment length l to segment width b t=sheet thickness b=segment width l=segment length

12. A suction excavator comprising: a vehicle frame having a longitudinal direction; a tiltable material collection container (01) which is suspended in a tilt axis (18) extending parallel to the longitudinal direction; wherein the material collection container (01) is designed according to claim 1.

13. The suction excavator according to claim 12, wherein the material collection container furthermore has a suction connection on its rear end wall and a suction flow guide leading from the suction connection through a collection chamber to a filter unit, and in that the material collection container furthermore has a pivot bearing on its two end faces, which pivot bearing allows the material collection container to be suspended in the tilt axis.

14. The suction excavator according to claim 12, wherein the lid closes the entire material collection container on its upper side in the closed position, and in that, in the closed position, the seal extends between the upper edge of the material collection container and the lid in order to seal the entire material collection container so that a negative pressure can be generated in it.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further details, advantages and developments of the present invention are apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the drawing. Shown are:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a first overall view of a material collection container according to the invention;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a detail from the view of the material collection container according to FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a second perspective overall view of the material collection container;

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the container wall of the material collection container at an early stage of the dimensioning;

[0046] FIG. 5 is a simplified sectional view of the container wall in the region of its upper edge;

[0047] FIG. 6 is a simplified sectional view of the material collection container in the region of a seal;

[0048] FIG. 7 is a side view of the material collection container;

[0049] FIG. 8 is a perspective overall view of the material collection container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] FIG. 1 is a first perspective overall view of a material collection container 01 according to the invention. In the embodiment shown, the material collection container is closed and has a lid 06 which is designed in this case as one piece. Embodiments with multipart lids are also possible. The material collection container has at least one collection chamber 23 (FIG. 6) into which material to be received is sucked. Furthermore, a tilt axis 18 extends longitudinally through the material collection container, in which tilt axis the material collection container 01 can be suspended on the chassis of a suction excavator (not shown). Furthermore, the material collection container 01 comprises a suction connection 16 on an end wall. A pivot bearing 22 is also arranged on each of the end walls, wherein the tilt axis 18 extends through these pivot bearings 22.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the material collection container (cutout A), the details of which are explained below in connection with FIG. 6.

[0052] FIG. 3 is a second perspective overall view of the material collection container 01. In the embodiment shown, the material collection container 01 is closed. In the longitudinal direction of the chassis (not shown) of the suction excavator, the tilt axis 18 extends longitudinally through the material collection container, about which tilt axis the material collection container 01 can be tilted for emptying when the lid is open.

[0053] The material collection container 01 has a container wall 02 comprising a plurality of side segment faces 09 which each transition into the stiffening edges 04. The stiffening edges 04 extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the material collection container. In this embodiment, the container wall 02 comprises eight segment surfaces 09 on each side and additionally a floor segment surface 10. The adjacent side segment faces 09 are oriented at an angle to one another, wherein the container wall bends inward at each stiffening edge, in the upper region of the container wall by approximately 10-20 and at the transition to the floor segment surface by approximately 90. In other words, directly adjacent side segment faces include an angle in the range of 90 to <180. Using the above-mentioned FEM calculation, the stiffening edges are positioned during the design process so that they increase the overall rigidity of the material collection container compared to a container wall without stiffening edges.

[0054] The side segment faces 09 preferably have a width not greater than 150 times their material thickness. If a material thickness of, for example, 4 mm is selected, the width of the side segment face is 40 cm.

[0055] For a further increase in the rigidity of the container wall, in the embodiment shown, a plurality of reinforcing elements 11 are arranged as cross members on the outside of the floor segment surface 10 and in the longitudinal direction, which can be designed as a hollow profile. Such reinforcing elements can, if required, also be attached to individual side segment faces and/or the end faces, preferably on the outside thereof.

[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the end walls 03 also have segment surfaces and stiffening edges. The end walls are substantially perpendicular to the side segment faces 09 of the container wall 02. This increases the rigidity of the entire material collection container.

[0057] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container wall 02, including an upper edge 08 of the material collection container 01 in an early dimensioning phase. For example, by using FEM simulations (see above), the cross section of the container and the position of the stiffening edges can be gradually optimized until the desired compressive strength is reached.

[0058] The side segment face, which is arranged on the tilting side of the material collection container, should form a surface that is as large and straight as possible, so that the suction material can slide out of the container more easily and with less resistance in an emptying position.

[0059] The side segment faces 09 can be bent from a sheet metal piece at the stiffening edge 04 or have a multipart design so that they are connected to one another at the stiffening edges 04, preferably by welding. Depending on the dimensions and the manufacturing process, the stiffening edges are thus formed as folded edges/crimps in the material of the container wall or as welded or folded seams between the side segment faces.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the material collection container 01 in the region of the upper edge 08. The upper edge 08 forms at least the upper edge of the collection chamber 23, but in modified embodiments may also comprise the upper edge of the entire material collection container 01. The upper edge 08 thus extends at the upper end of the side walls of at least the collection chamber 23. The upper edge 08 has two edge surfaces 13 which taper at an angle to one another and enclose an angle . This angle is preferably 20 to 160, particularly preferably 45 to 90, so that the edge surfaces 13 have a greater or lesser inclination relative to the horizontal. The two edge surfaces 13 are inclined toward one another at an angle and form a triangular or roof-shaped, preferably hollow, cross section. Alternatively, the cross section of the upper edge 08 can also be selected to be trapezoidal. For stability reasons, the edge is also preferably designed as a hollow profile.

[0061] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the material collection container 01 in a closed position in which the lid 06 rests on the upper edge 08. The lid 06 is preferably designed as a substantially flat plate. Alternatively, the lid 06 can be designed in two or more parts or have elevations and/or depressions. A groove 12 extends on the underside of the lid 06, into which groove a seal 07 with a rectangular cross section is embedded in a form-fitting manner. The groove 12 can additionally have a continuous or sectionally narrowing on its open side in order to prevent the seal 07 from falling out. The upper edge 08 extends below the groove 12 and enters the seal 07 in the closed position.

[0062] In the closed position, the position of the lid 06 is selected such that the upper edge 08 presses into the seal 07, for example, about to of the thickness of the seal 07.

[0063] FIG. 7 is a side view of the material collection container 01, wherein the lid 06 is in its closed position. The lid 06 closes the material collection container 01 in such a way that the upper edge 08 presses into the seal 07 (FIG. 6). The one or more side segment faces 09, which are arranged on the tilting side of the material collection container 01, form a surface which is large in comparison to the opposite side segment faces and which is free of obstacles on its inside, so that the suction material can slide out of the container easily and with low resistance in the emptying position, i.e., when the material collection container is tilted. On the outside of said large side segment face 09, a plurality of reinforcing elements 11 extending transversely to the longitudinal extension of the segment surface are arranged, which support the side segment face at a plurality of points. Said reinforcing elements 11 can simultaneously form the mount for the tilt axis 18 and for the pivot bearings 22 positioned at the end face.

[0064] Further reinforcing elements 11 are arranged on the outside of the floor segment surface 10, which elements are shaped as transverse and longitudinal ribs, wherein the reinforcing elements 11 extending in the longitudinal direction are preferably designed as a hollow profile.

[0065] In the embodiment shown, the material collection container 01 has, for example, a height of approximately 1.8 m (when the lid is closed) and a width of approximately 1.9 m to 2.4 m (at the widest point). The length of the container is in the range of 3.5 m to 4 m. Of course, other dimensions are possible, adapted to the suction excavator to be equipped.

[0066] FIG. 8 is again an overall view of the material collection container, approximately from the same perspective as FIG. 1. In the view shown here, the material collection container 01 is open, wherein the lid is not shown for the sake of simplicity. The container wall 02 is composed on each longitudinal side of eight side segment faces 09 and on the underside of the floor segment surface 10. In this embodiment, the adjacent side segment faces 09 each enclose an angle in the range of 70 to <180. The container wall preferably has a material thickness of 4 mm, the width of the individual side segment faces 09 is approximately 35 cm on the side facing away from the tilt axis 18 between successive stiffening edges.

[0067] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the end walls 03 also have side segment faces 09 and stiffening edges. The end walls 03 are substantially perpendicular to the side segment faces 09 of the container wall 02. As already described above, this increases the rigidity of the entire material collection container. The material thickness and the width of the segments installed on the end faces correspond to those at the side of the container facing away from the tilt axis.

[0068] It can furthermore be seen from FIG. 8 that further chambers are provided in the material collection container next to the collection chamber 23, in which chambers, for example, filter units and the fan unit are accommodated.