MATERIAL-RECEIVING DEVICE FOR A SUCTION EXCAVATOR, AND SUCTION EXCAVATOR HAVING SAID MATERIAL-RECEIVING DEVICE

Abstract

A material-receiving device for a suction excavator has an articulated tube support and a suction tube. A first, proximal end of the articulated tube support is attachable to the suction excavator by a rotationally movable fastening mount. At a second distal end, the articulated tube support comprises a suction connecting piece connected to the suction tube. The articulated tube support comprises n3 links, between each of which a hinge joint with an associated drive is formed. All the hinge joints have the same degree of freedom, so that the links are pivotable in a common plane. A rotary joint is located between the last, distal hinge joint, on which the suction connecting piece is located, and the first hinge joint. The rotary joint has a different degree of freedom than the hinge joints, so that the link disposed subsequently to the rotary joint can be moved out of the plane.

Claims

1. A material-receiving device having an articulated tube support and a suction tube for a suction excavator, the articulated tube support having a rotationally movable fastening mount at a first, proximal end and a suction connecting piece connected to the suction tube at a second, distal end, and the articulated tube support having a number n3 of links-Q between each of which a hinge joint with an associated drive is formed, all the hinge joints-having the same degree of freedom, so that the links are pivotable in a common plane wherein the material-receiving device further comprises a rotary joint, which has a continuous receiving opening along its rotation axis having a cross section larger than the cross section of the suction tube, the rotary joint being disposed at a position between the last, distal hinge joint farthest away from the fastening mount and the first hinge joint closest to the rotationally movable fastening mount, the rotary joint having a different degree of freedom than the hinge joints so that the link disposed distally subsequently to the rotary joint can be moved out of the plane, the suction tube being guided through the receiving opening of the rotary joint, so that the rotary joint is disposed coaxially with the suction tube.

2. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein at the number of links is n>4.

3. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary joint is disposed between the two hinge joints farthest away from the proximal end of the articulated tube support.

4. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary joint has a fluidic or electric drive.

5. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the rotationally movable fastening mount is a further rotary joint or a pivot joint, it being possible to attach the fastening mount to the suction excavator.

6. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein a rotatable tube coupling is installed in the rotary joint.

7. The material-receiving device according to claim 6, wherein the suction tube, in the case of a rotatable tube coupling, consists of two parts, the first part of the suction tube being bendable and the second part of the suction tube being bendable and twistable.

8. The material-receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary joint comprises at least two tubes and one deflection roller for each tube.

9. The material-receiving device according to claim 8, wherein the deflection rollers, which interact in a counter-rotating manner, are coupled to one another via a spring element.

10. A suction excavator having a material-receiving device having an articulated tube support and a suction tube according to claim 1, further comprising a material-collecting container.

11. The suction excavator according to claim 10, wherein the suction tube is rotatably disposed on the material-collecting container of the suction excavator.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Further details, advantages and developments of the invention are apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, with reference to the drawing. Shown are:

[0032] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a material-receiving device according to the invention in the pivoted-out working position, which material-receiving device is attached to a suction excavator;

[0033] FIG. 2 a plan view of the material-receiving device according to FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 3 a cross section of a rotary joint of the material-receiving device; and

[0035] FIG. 4 a perspective view of the material-receiving device according to FIG. 1 in the pivoted-in transport position on the suction excavator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a material-receiving device according to the invention in a working position having an articulated tube support 01 and a suction tube 10 (for simplification only shown in FIG. 3), the material-receiving device being attached to a suction excavator 02. The material-receiving device is shown extended and ready for operation (working position). The articulated tube support 01 is mounted rotationally movably at a first, proximal end on the suction excavator 02 by means of a rotationally movable fastening mount 03. By means of the fastening mount 03, which has a rotation axis, the articulated tube support 01 is rotatable about the rotation axis, so that the articulated tube support 01 and a suction tube disposed thereon can be rotated from a rest position or transport position on the suction excavator 02 into a working position. At its second, distal end, the articulated tube support 01 has a suction connecting piece 04 to which the suction tube can be attached and which is used to remove and receive material.

[0037] In the example shown, the articulated tube support 01 consists of five links 05, between each of which a mechanical hinge joint 06 having a particular hydraulic drive 07 is disposed. The hinge joints 06 can be moved in a manner similar to a hinge. All the hinge joints 06 have the same degree of freedom, so that the links 05 are initially pivotable in a common plane.

[0038] According to the invention, the material-receiving device also comprises a rotary joint 08 integrated in the articulated tube support 01. In the embodiment shown, the rotary joint 08 is disposed between the last, distal hinge joint 09, which is farthest away from the rotationally movable fastening mount (03) of the suction excavator and on which the suction connecting piece 04 is located, and the penultimate hinge joint 11. Preferably, the rotary joint 08 is disposed directly on the penultimate joint 11 and can also form a structural unit therewith. The rotary joint 08 can rotate about a rotation axis and therefore has a different degree of freedom than the other joints 06, 09, 11. The rotation of the rotary joint 08 about the rotation axis at a different degree of freedom than the remaining hinge joints 06, 09, 11 allows a movement of the link 05 disposed subsequently to the rotary joint 08 out of the plane of the other joints. As a result, the range of motion of the articulated tube support 01 and thus the working area of the suction excavator 02 are extended by one degree of freedom and the removal of material from the side and below an obstacle, such as intersecting pipes, is made possible. Therefore, the material-receiving device also allows suction digging parallel to the direction of travel of the suction excavator 02.

[0039] The rotary joint 08 has a continuous receiving opening 12 having a cross section larger than the cross section of the suction tube, so that the suction tube runs through the rotary joint 08. The suction tube can be attached to a material-collecting container 14 of the suction excavator 02 by means of a flange 13, so that removed material can be transported into the material-collecting container 14 via the suction tube. The rotary joint 08 preferably has a hydraulic drive 20, but can also be operated by means of an electric drive, for example. For supplying the drives, the material-receiving device comprises supply lines 15 that are guided along the articulated tube support 01. The structure of the rotary joint 08 is explained in more detail in FIG. 3.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the material-receiving device according to FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that, by means of the rotary joint 08, the suction connecting piece 04 is pivotable from a first plane 16, in which the joints and links of the articulated tube support located between the rotary joint and the suction excavator are movable, into a second plane 17. In FIG. 2, the suction connecting piece 04 having the last, distal joint 09 and the link 05 located therebetween is pivoted by approximately 60, so that the suction connecting piece 04 is parallel to the direction of travel of the suction excavator 02 and can be moved, for example, in a trench A for receiving material.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotary joint 08 of the material-receiving device. The rotary joint 08 as a component of the articulated tube support 01 is designed such that when the rotary joint 08 rotates, the supply lines 15 and in particular hydraulic tubes 18 that connect the supply lines 15 via the rotary joint 08 are not kinked and do not become tangled with one another. The supply lines 15 run from the suction excavator 02 via the links 05 to the last, distal joint 09, which is positioned furthest away from the suction excavator. The rotary joint 08 comprises two hydraulic tubes 18, which in each case are connected at one end to a first connector 19 in a rotationally fixed manner. The first connector 19 is disposed on an outer ring 21 on the outer circumference of the rotary joint 08, the outer ring 21 of the rotary joint 08 not being rotatable. The second end of the two hydraulic tubes 18 is in each case connected to a second connector 22. The second connector 22 is disposed on an inner ring 23 of the rotary joint 01, which inner ring is rotatable. The rotating inner ring 23 rotates when the rotary joint 01 rotates, the rotation of the inner ring 23 occurring relative to the outer ring 21. So that the tubes do not become tangled, they are in each case wrapped around a deflection roller 24. The two deflection rollers 24 are disposed on the inner ring 23 so that they can move in a counter-rotating manner and are connected by means of a spring 25, so that possible length errors due to installation are compensated for. Accordingly, the rotary joint 08 according to FIG. 3 comprises two hydraulic tubes 18, two first connectors 19, two second connectors 22 and two deflection rollers 24, said components being disposed in a mirrored manner in one plane. Due to the counter-rotation, the deflection roller 24 of the first tube 18 moves the same distance in the same direction as the counter-rotating second deflection roller 24 having the second tube 18. In modified embodiments, a plurality of counter-rotating systems can be disposed one behind the other; in our case, e.g., there are four tubes in two systems. The inner radius of the rotary joint 08 forms the continuous receiving opening 12 for the suction tube 10. The suction tube 10 is twisted by means of the rotary joint 08, it being possible to avoid excessive twisting of the suction tube, for example, by restricting the rotation of the rotary joint 08 or by a two-part design with a rotary coupling of the suction tube. In FIG. 3, it is also clearly visible that the rotation axis of the rotary joint runs along the longitudinal axis of the suction tube 10. The rotary joint 08 is thus disposed coaxially and concentrically with the suction tube in the region of the receiving opening 12.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the material-receiving device according to FIG. 1 in the transport position on the suction excavator 02. In the transport position, the material-receiving device is disposed at the rear side of the suction excavator 02. In this position, the material-receiving device having the articulated tube support 01 is pivoted approximately at a right angle in the joints and thus wound up in a spiral shape, and the rotary joint 08 is rotated to such an extent that a collision of elements of the material-receiving device, in particular the suction connecting piece 04, with other components is avoided.