Abstract
The invention relates to a road paver or a feeder with a machine frame, a travel carriage driven by a drive unit, and a material hopper arranged in the front in the operating direction on the road paver or the feeder, the material hopper comprising a hopper bottom and side walls extending in the operating direction, at least one approach guidance aid protruding beyond the hopper bottom and the side walls in the operating direction being arranged on the road paver or the feeder in the edge region of the material hopper transversely to the operating direction. The invention further relates to an approach guidance aid of such a road paver or feeder.
Claims
1. A road paver or feeder, having a machine frame, a travel carriage driven by a drive unit, and a material hopper arranged in the front on the road paver or feeder in the operating direction, which comprises a hopper bottom and side walls extending in the operating direction, wherein at least one approach guidance aid projecting over the hopper bottom and the side walls in the operating direction in a guidance position opposite the paving direction is arranged on the road paver or feeder in the edge region of the material hopper located outside transversely to the operating direction, the approach guidance aid being adjustable at least partially outward from the guidance position to an avoiding position in a non-destructive manner.
2. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid includes an in particular elastic guidance plate which projects beyond the side walls to the front in the operating direction and which is arranged to be pivotable about a vertical axis via a pivot joint.
3. The road paver or feeder according to claim 2, wherein in the guidance position, the guidance plate projects horizontally to the front in the operating direction to a maximum extent.
4. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein a return device is provided, which autonomously returns the approach guidance aid and in particular the guidance plate from an avoiding position to the guidance position.
5. The road paver or feeder according to claim 4, wherein the return device comprises at least one of the following features: it is configured in such a way that its return effect results from the effect of an elastic material of the approach guidance aid, in particular of the guidance plate; it includes a spring load, in particular a tension spring or pressure spring; it is driven by gravity, in particular including a spiral groove guidance; and it includes a releasable latch device with which the guidance plate is held in the guidance position up to a predetermined load limit.
6. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid is oriented parallel to the operating direction and vertical.
7. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid is arranged transversely to the operating direction offset inwardly from an outer edge of the machine, and in particular from the side wall.
8. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein a collision device is provided, in particular at least one buffer roller, with which the road paver or feeder can push a transport vehicle ahead of itself in the operating direction in the loading process, and in that the approach guidance aid is arranged offset outward from the collision device transversely to the operating direction.
9. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid includes a support plate, which is arranged parallel to the approach guidance aid, in particular to the guidance plate, and rests against it and is fastened thereto.
10. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid comprises a fastening device, via which the approach guidance aid is fastened to the machine frame and to the material hopper.
11. The road paver or feeder according to claim 10, wherein the fastening device comprises at least one holding arm, in particular two holding arms.
12. The road paver or feeder according to claim, wherein the holding arm is fastened to the support plate.
13. The road paver or feeder according to claim 12, wherein the holding arm and the support plate are arranged on opposite sides of the guidance plate and the guidance plate is fixed between the holding arm and the support plate.
14. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the hopper bottom of the material hopper is configured to be pivotable about a rotational axis extending transversely to the operating direction and the approach guidance aid is configured to follow the movement of the hopper bottom.
15. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid comprises a corner recess, in which an end of the hopper bottom located in the front in the operating direction is arranged, so that the approach guidance aid is arranged both vertically under the hopper bottom and in front of the hopper bottom in the operating direction, the approach guidance aid extending vertically upward beyond the hopper bottom in front of the hopper bottom in the operating direction.
16. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein the approach guidance aid comprises a visual marking arranged in the front in the operating direction.
17. The road paver or feeder according to claim 16, wherein the visual marking is configured to cover the entire front side of the approach guidance aid in the operating direction.
18. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein a sensor device is arranged on the approach guidance aid, which is configured in such a way that it generates a signal and transmits it to a control device when the approach guidance aid is moved from its guidance position to an avoiding position.
19. The road paver or feeder according to claim 1, wherein two approach guidance aids are provided, which are arranged spaced apart to one another transversely to the operating direction.
20. An approach guidance aid of a road paver or feeder according to claim 1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] Hereinafter, the invention is described in detail using the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. In the schematic figures:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a side view of a road paver;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a side view of a feeder;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a material hopper seen from the front and obliquely from above;
[0035] FIG. 4 is a side view of an approach guidance aid;
[0036] FIG. 5 is a side view of the other side of the approach guidance aid according to FIG. 4;
[0037] FIG. 6 is a plan view on the starting region of the hopper of a road paver or feeder;
[0038] FIG. 7A shows a detail of a return device having a spiral groove; and
[0039] FIG. 7B shows a detail of a return device having a pressure spring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The same or similar components are denoted with the same reference numerals throughout the figures. Repeating components are not necessarily denoted separately in each figure.
[0041] FIGS. 1 and 2 show generic road construction machines, specifically a road paver 1 (FIG. 1) and a feeder 9 (FIG. 2). The road construction machines 1, 9 comprise an operator platform 2 and a machine frame 3. Furthermore, they comprise a travel carriage 6 driven by a drive unit 4, which usually comprises a diesel combustion engine, with which travel carriage the road construction machines 1, 9 move ahead in the operating direction a during working operation. The road paver 1 comprises a paving screed 7 on its rear end with which it can distribute, even and compress paving material transversal to the operating direction a. In contrast, the feeder 9 does not comprise a screed 7 but a feeding conveyor 10 with which it can transfer paving material to a road paver 1. The road paver 1 as well as the feeder 9 comprise a material hopper 5 for paving material. The feeder 9 can transfer paving material from its material hopper 5 to the material hopper 5 of the road paver 1 via the feeding conveyor 10. Furthermore, the road paver 1 as well as the feeder 9 can be supplied with paving material from a transport vehicle, which is not shown, for example a truck. The road construction machines 1, 9 comprise buffer rollers 8 arranged in the front in the operating direction a for this kind of loading. With these buffer rollers 8, they push a transport vehicle in front of them during the loading process while paving material is transferred from the transport vehicle into the material hopper 5. While paving a base layer by the road paver 1, a plurality of loadings of paving material have to be transferred from transport vehicles to the road paver 1 and/or the feeder 9.
[0042] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view obliquely from above and in the front in the operating direction a on the material hopper 5 of the road construction machines 1, 9. The material hopper 5 comprises a hopper bottom 12 and side walls 14. The side walls 14 of the material hopper 5 can be pivoted during the working operation to enable a loading of the hopper and/or to influence the size of the loading platform. On the side of the material hopper 5 located in the back in the operating direction a, a conveyor screw 11 is located which transfers paving material from the material hopper 5 onto a scraper belt 13 from which the paving material is transported opposite to the operating direction a through the road construction machine 1, 9 and is brought either to a screed 7 or a feeding conveyor 10. On the side of the material hopper 5 in the front in the operating direction a, an elastic retaining element 15 is located which prevents paving material from falling out of the material hopper 5 towards the operating direction a. The side of the material hopper 5 arranged in the front in the working or paving direction a is also referred to as filling side or docking side. At the filling side or docking side of the material hopper 5, buffer rollers 8 are located which are assigned to the collision device 28. Furthermore, at this place, two approach guidance aids 16 spaced apart from one another transversal to the operating direction a, which project over the material hopper 5 in the operating direction a. The two approach guidance aids 16 arranged between the inner walls of the side walls 14 are located next to the collision device 28 transversal to the operating direction a and enclose this device, and therefore also the approach zone for the transport vehicle. Here, the two approach guidance aids 16 are in the guidance position and project in the paving direction a with a distance A at maximum in the horizontal plane from the material hopper 5 and in particular also from the buffer rollers 8. Both approach guidance aids 16 can be adjusted from the guidance position shown in FIG. 3 in each case outward and thus away from the material hopper 5 or the approach zone to a turn-out position or a turn-out region in horizontal direction in case of a collision, as illustrated in Fig. by the arrows P1 (for the left approach guidance aid 16) and P2 (for the right approach guidance aid 16).
[0043] The two approach guidance aids 16 are configured identically. FIGS. 4 and 5 show one of the two approach guidance aids 16 in each case in side view, in FIG. 4 outward transversal to the operating direction and in FIG. 5 seen toward the center of the machine transversal to the operating direction. The approach guidance aid 16 includes an elastic guidance plate 17 and is fastened to the machine frame 3 of the road paver 1 or of the feeder 9 via the fastening device 18. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the fastening device 18 includes two holding arms 19 which for their part are fastened to the machine frame 3 of the road paver 1 or feeder 9. Furthermore, the holding arms 19 are fastened to the support plate 20 of the approach guidance aid with fastening means 21 (FIG. 4). The fastening means 21 completely penetrate the guidance plate 17 from the holding arms 19 to the support plate 20 and the support plate 20 as well. The fastening means 21 are mostly threaded bolts onto which nuts are screwed with washers on the side of the support plate 20. The guidance plate 17 is fixed between the holding arms 19 and the support plate 20. The holding arms 19 thus rest on one side of the guidance plate 17 while the support plate 20 rests on the opposite side of the guidance plate 17 against said plate. The support plate 20 is made of a solid, inflexible material and thereby supports the guidance plate 17 in such a way that the guidance plate 17 is held in its position. The approach guidance aid 16, and in particular the guidance plate 17 and the support plate 20 are aligned vertically and in the operating direction a. In other words, the greatest extension of the approach guidance aid 16 is in a vertical plane which is oriented in the operating direction a.
[0044] As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, the approach guidance aid 16, in particular the guidance plate 17, is arranged both in front of the hopper bottom 12 and the machine frame 3 in the operating direction a, and also at least partially vertically under the hopper bottom 12. In other words, the approach guidance aid 16 engages around the hopper bottom 12 from the front in the operating direction a to vertically downward. Overall, the approach guidance aid 16 thus extends vertically downward in front of the hopper bottom 12 and the machine frame 3 in the operating direction a and upward beyond the hopper bottom 12 while it extends into a region vertically under the hopper bottom. To enable this form of the approach guidance aid 16, it comprises, in particular the guidance plate 17, a corner recess 25 which is adapted to the course of the hopper bottom 12 and of the machine frame 3. In particular, the approach guidance aid 16 is arranged on the road paver 1 or feeder 9 in such a way that the hopper bottom 12 is located in the corner recess 25 or is received by the corner recess 25. This configuration enables a particularly great dimension of the approach guidance aid 16 which therefore can be seen particularly well by the driver of the transport vehicle.
[0045] On the side or edge of the approach guidance aid 16 located in front in the operating direction a, a visual marking 22 is located which extends over the entire side of the approach guidance aid 16 or the guidance plate 17 located in front in the operating direction a in the vertical direction. The visual marking 22 is configured striped, with alternating signal colors, for example red and white, so that it visually impacts the driver of the transport vehicle. The visual marking 22 is the component of the road paver 1 or feeder 9 projecting farthest to the front in the operating direction a and thus has a central role in approaching the transport vehicle to the filling or docking side of the material hopper 5. For this reason, a particularly good visibility is ensured by the signal colors.
[0046] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the two approach guidance aids 16 enclose the collision device 28 with the buffer rollers 8 thereof and thus the approach zone for the transport vehicle. However, the approach guidance aids 16 are not arranged as an extension of the outer edge of the machine 26 which is predetermined by the side walls 14 of the material hopper 5, for example. In contrast, the approach guidance aids 16 are arranged offset with respect to the outer edge of the machine 26 and also to the side walls 14 of the material hopper 5 to the center of the machine by the distance b. The distance b therefore denotes the distance between an outer edge of the machine 26 in operating direction a or of an imaginary extension of the outer edge of the machine 26 in the operating direction a and the guidance aid position 27 also extended to the front in the operating direction a in which position the approach guidance aid 16 is mounted on the road paver 1 or feeder 9. In FIG. 3, various adjustment movements on the material hopper 5 or on elements thereof are indicated as well. Thus, the hopper bottom 12 and the side walls 14 can, for example, be adjusted in the adjustment direction c transversal to the operating direction a. The components of the material hopper 5 arranged on the left and on the right when seen from the center of the machine can be moved toward one another to reduce the overall volume of the material hopper 5. In contrast, the side walls 14 and the hopper bottom 12 can be moved away from the center of the machine in the adjustment direction c, so that the overall volume of the material hopper 5 is increased. Additionally, the hopper bottom 12 can be pivoted about a pivot axis S in such a way that the parts of the hopper bottom located in the front in the operating direction a are lifted vertically upward. Paving material located on the hopper bottom 12 is thereby poured, respectively dumped into the conveyor screw 11 and transported onto the scraper belt 13. In order to indicate the respective positions of the material hopper 5 to the driver of the transport vehicle, it is possible to fasten the approach guidance aids 16, for example on the hopper bottom 12, in such a way that they follow the respective movement of the hopper bottom 12 as an adjustment movement in the adjustment direction c or as a pivoting movement about the pivot axis S. In this way, it is clear with one look on the approach guidance aid 16 in which position the material hopper 5 is in. Usually, the transferring procedure takes place when the material hopper 5 is extended at maximum transversal to the operating direction a in the adjustment direction c and the hopper bottom 12 is in the horizontal position. If said position is displayed by the approach guidance aids 16, the driver of the transport vehicle can start the transfer procedure. In the shown exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, however, the approach guidance aid 16 is fastened on the machine frame 3 and is thus stationary relative to the machine frame 3, so that, for example, the hopper bottom 12 and the other parts of the material hopper 5 can move independently of the approach guidance aids 16. The approach guidance aids 16 are thus always arranged at the same place and, independent of the position of the material hopper 5, ensure a reliable positioning of the transport vehicle in front of the material hopper 5 in the approach zone.
[0047] FIGS. 4 and 5 indicate a sensor device 23 which detects if the approach guidance aid 16 is moved from its guidance position to a turn-out position laterally outward and away from the material hopper. This takes place each time a transport vehicle collides with the approach guidance aid 16. Due to the forces acting on the approach guidance aid and/or the change of position from the guidance position, the sensor device detects a collision and notifies the control device (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The control device 24 in turn processes the signal of the sensor device 23 and displays this either to the driver of the road paver 1 or feeder 9 and to the driver of the transport vehicle. The signal is transmitted by the control device 24 to a receiver or a display device in the transport vehicle via a wireless data connection for the display for the driver of the transport vehicle. In this way, the driver of the transport vehicle is notified about the collision with the approach guidance aid 16 and can reposition the transport vehicle correspondingly.
[0048] FIG. 6 further illustrates a basic idea of the invention. It can be seen from the significantly simplified plan view of FIG. 6 on the hopper region of the road paver or feeder of FIGS. 1 and 2 located in the front in the paving direction a, that the approach guidance aids 16 in the guidance position (solid lines) project from the material hopper 5 at maximum in the horizontal direction in the direction of the paving direction A. The approach zone for a transport vehicle is located between the two approach guidance aids. From the guidance position, the approach guidance aids 16, in particular the guidance plate 17 thereof, can be adjusted outwardly, i.e. away from the approach zone when colliding with a transport vehicle. For the variant on the left in FIG. 6, the guidance plate 17 pivots about a vertical pivot axis R to a turn-out position (dotted line) of a turn-out region which can, for example be greater than 60° based on the guidance position. To that end, the guidance plate is hinged on the remaining vehicle via a pivot joint 29 within the holding arm 19 (not shown). Here, the guidance plate 17 can thus per se be made of a rigid, bend-proof material. Alternatively thereto, it is provided for the variant on the right in FIG. 6 that it is bent from the guidance position to the turn-out position (dotted illustrated) in case of a collision. To that end, the guidance plate 17 here is at least partially made of an elastic material, for example a rubber material.
[0049] It is provided for both variants that these automatically return to their guidance position as soon as the collision is eliminated and thus the force effect caused thereby on the guidance plates 17 is omitted. For the right variant, this takes place simply due to the return tension built up in the elastic material. For the left variant, however, an additional return device 30 is provided the function of which is to move the guidance plate 17 from the turn-out position back to the guidance position. Examples for essential elements of such a return device 30 are illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 7A and 7B.
[0050] FIG. 7A shows a detail of a machine-side spiral groove 32, for example as an axle part of the pivot joint 29, with a spiral axis extending in the vertical direction. The guidance plate 17 (only indicated) extends in the spiral groove 32 with its joint part. Here, the joint 29 is configured in such a way that the guidance plate 17 in the guidance position thereof assumes the lowest point thereof in the vertical direction in the spiral groove 32. If the guidance plate 17 is pushed from the guidance position to a turn-out position, it is at the same time offset in the vertical direction along the spiral groove 32 upward and thereby gains potential energy which subsequently can be used for returning purposes.
[0051] According to FIG. 7B, the return device 30 can for example also include a tension spring 33 (or even a pressure spring) which can be arranged in such a way, for example between a guidance plate 17 and a further part, for example a holding arm 19 or another part stationary with respect to the hopper walls or the machine frame.
[0052] FIG. 6 further illustrates a back-pivot stop 31 for the guidance plate 17. The stop represents a pivoting limit for the guidance plate 17 and prevents in particular that the guidance plate 17 pivots beyond the guidance position from a turn-out position located outside relative to the material hopper.
[0053] Overall, a precise aid for positioning the transport vehicle in the approach zone of the road paver or feeder is provided by the approach guidance aid 16 according to the invention and the described embodiments thereof, whereby the workflow in loading the road paver 1 or feeder 9 is facilitated and at the same time damage or destruction of the side walls 14 of the material hopper 5 is reliably prevented.
