FR2776684A1 - SCANNING DEVICE FOR ROAD VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sweeping device for a road vehicle of the automotive or towed sweeper type. The sweeping device according to the invention comprises at least two brushes (1, 2) adjustable in the vertical plane and mounted under the chassis of the vehicle, the first being placed at the rear in the direction of travel of the vehicle, near the suction means, and the second ahead of the previous one. The rear brush (1) is fixed in position after adjustment and the front brush (2) is movable in the horizontal plane, the brushes (1, 2) being articulated with one another by a parallelogram structure. Application: urban road network.

Description

* 1 2776684

  SCANNING DEVICE FOR ROAD VEHICLE

  The present invention relates to a scanning device for a road vehicle, of the automotive or towed sweeper type. It also concerns

  vehicles fitted with such a device.

  Urban or industrial automobile sweepers of known type have on the front or on the side two brushes with rotary brushes, adjustable around a passing vertical axis. Each brush is connected to the front part of the vehicle by means of a support formed by two arms articulated around a vertical axis. A suction nozzle is placed under the vehicle chassis, set back from the brushes, and communicates with a receiving tank.

  This solution has several drawbacks.

  By their movement, the brushes bring the waste and dirt towards the center of the vehicle, so that they can be sucked by the nozzle then

sent into the tank.

  Therefore, the covering of the roadway by the brushes is imperfect. Dirt can pass between the nozzle and the brushes and thus cannot be vacuumed. In addition, the brushes cannot be moved outside the vehicle and

the area covered is therefore limited.

  Finally, in the event of impact or if one of the brushes hits an obstacle, on the

  road or side, the device may be damaged or distorted.

  Various solutions have been proposed to remedy these drawbacks. and allow the search for waste far beyond the size of the vehicle,

  without risk to equipment or people.

  One of the proposed solutions consists in mounting a scanning device

2 2776684

  additional at the front of the vehicle, called the third broom. This is in most cases completely independent of the double scanning device placed near the waste suction means. Its function is to bring the waste which is too far away from the double brush.

  This solution is not fully satisfactory.

  The third broom moves in the horizontal plane, from left to right. The means used to control it, whether mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic, must be separate from those

  to control the double brush.

  This constraint significantly reduces the ease and comfort of using

The whole.

  In addition, the amplitude of movement of the third broom is a source of additional cost, and also of danger for passers-by who risk being struck by the mechanical elements of the structure. These mechanical elements being exposed to shocks, the assembly is weakened, hence a maintenance cost

most important.

  The use of this type of device results in a significant increase in the length of the vehicle, which does not go in the desired direction, which is precisely to minimize the grip of the machines

on the road.

  The weight of this third brush is relatively high. Door mounting

  overhang on the front of the vehicle results in displacement

  of the center of gravity which unbalances the whole.

  Finally, this construction generates a significant additional manufacturing cost, with regard to control and drive means, systematics, and

of the materials used.

  Another solution is to use a rotary broom mounted at the end

3 2776684

  an articulated boom, located at the front of the road vehicle. The boom moving in the lateral plane, on either side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, it is thus possible in theory to cover a larger surface than that

  strictly corresponding to the sweeper's footprint.

  This assembly also makes it possible to separate the additional brush from the drive mechanism. The broom being held resiliently, it offers

  less resistance to possible shocks.

  Such an arrangement is described in patent EP 641,894.

  This solution is also not fully satisfactory. Indeed, it does not make it possible to modify the setting of the brush or brushes as a function of the configuration of the channel or of other parameters which may affect the efficiency of the sweeping operation. Furthermore, the coverage is imperfect: by the amplitude of its movement, the broom will not be able to retain all the waste, including one

part will therefore not be vacuumed.

  The present invention proposes to remedy these drawbacks by providing a sweeping device for road vehicle allowing precise adjustment of the inclination, the spacing and the height of each of the brushes, so as to cover an area exceeding the size of the vehicle while avoiding the consequences resulting from frontal or lateral impacts and

  ensuring optimal waste suction.

  This object is achieved by combining in a scanning device a first brush fixed in position after adjustment and a second mobile brush

  connected to the first by a parallelogram structure.

  The device according to the invention is characterized by the specific arrangement

  brushes at the front of said vehicle.

  Advantageously, the device may comprise two identical sets of two brushes, arranged symmetrically on either side of

The longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

4 2776684

  The invention is described below using a non-limiting example of embodiment, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a three-quarter view in elevation of a device according to I ' invention comprising two sets of two brushes, - Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1, the mobile brushes being in the unfolded position, - Figure 3 shows the device of Figure 2, the mobile brushes being folded With reference to the appended figures, and more particularly FIG. 1, the scanning device according to the present invention comprises two sets of brushes (1, 2) and (1 ′, 2 ′), mounted under the chassis of the vehicle, the first brush of each assembly being placed at the rear in the direction of movement of the vehicle, near the suction means, and the

second upstream from the previous one.

  In use, the assembly is permanently mounted under the chassis of a

  road vehicle, in the immediate vicinity of the suction means.

  The brushes are mounted on a structure comprising means of adjustment in the three directions, so that each brush can be oriented as required forward or on the sides, and in height. The aim of the forward adjustment is to position the plate of the brush relative to the ground and is in principle carried out once and for all, by means of ball joints (4) acting on the vertical axis (3) of the brushes. . A

  parallelogram adjusts the tilt forward.

  The height adjustment is carried out conventionally by means of a

cylinder and a joint.

  The lateral adjustment allows, if necessary, to sweep a portion of the road

2776684

  exterior which would not be exactly in the same plane as the whole

  of the track, for example an inclined gutter.

  The rear brushes (1, 1 ') are arranged near the suction means (not shown) and are connected together by two lateral bars (8, 9), the lower bar (8) being fixed and the upper bar ( 9) being provided for adjusting the inclination of the brushes (1, 1 ') by means of,

  for example, ball joints has not reversed.

  In use, these two brushes are fixed in position, after initial adjustment

  of their inclination as explained above.

  The brushes (2, 2 ') located on the front of the device are movable in the horizontal plane.

  Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the operation of the brushes.

  As indicated above, the device as shown in the figures comprises four brushes, but is in fact composed of two sets

  identical, perfectly symmetrical around the central axis of the device.

  The operating mode of the device will be described with reference to one of these sets, but it must be understood that the explanations given

  apply to the other together.

  Each broom advantageously consists of a fixed rotating brush

  on a vertical axis (13), substantially perpendicular to the ground.

  The first brush (10) is positioned at the rear of the device, in the

  direction of movement of the vehicle and near the suction means.

  The brush (10) is connected by an articulation (18) to a parallelogram (19) cooperating with two arms (17 ', 17 ") making it possible to adjust the inclination

side of the brushes.

  The assembly formed by the arms (17, 17 ') is, as the case may be, directly connected

6 2776684

  to the means for fixing the device to the chassis of the vehicle, when the device comprises only one right or left sweeping assembly, or to the corresponding articulation on the brush situated opposite, when the device comprises two symmetrical assemblies on either side 'other of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

  The second brush (20) is positioned in front of the brush (10).

  A cylinder (15) also makes it possible to adjust the lateral inclination of the brush

before.

  A transverse arm (26) is mounted at one of its ends on the axis (23) of the brush drive motor (20). The other end of said arm is connected to a parallelogram (27), which cooperates with the cylinder (14) of the rear brush (10). The parallelogram (27) makes it possible to adjust the height difference between the front and rear brushes, depending for example

  their respective degree of wear or the condition of the road.

  Thanks to the presence of the two points of articulation (28, 29), it is thus possible

  act on the lateral positioning of the brush (20).

  By actuating the parallelogram (27) so as to move it away from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the brush (20) is pushed outwards, which makes it possible to sweep a surface situated outside the corresponding zone

  the vehicle's hold on the road. This is illustrated in Figure 2.

  Thanks to the articulation (28) connecting the parallelogram (27) and the arm (26), the movement of the brush (20) remains substantially parallel to that of the vehicle. Conversely, by acting on the jack (14) so as to bring it closer to the central axis of the vehicle, the brush (20) is folded inwards, while

  keeping a movement parallel to that of the vehicle.

  In normal use, the device adopts the position shown in FIG. 2. The brush (20) is spread apart and protrudes from the chassis of the vehicle towards

7 2776684

  outside. The position initially defined is kept on.

  If two symmetrical assemblies are mounted under the chassis, the swept area will be particularly wide, since it will cover the trapezoidal area formed by the four brushes (10, 10 ', 20, 20'). The device according to the invention provides means for the automatic folding of the movable brush (20) under the chassis of the vehicle, for example in case

  impact causing contact between the front brush and the rear brush.

  In such a situation, it is indeed very important to prevent the consequences of an impact which can be very damaging for the

  brushes and the whole structure.

  Advantageously, said means may comprise a gas compass (30), associated with the axis (23) of the brush drive motor (20), and the other end of which is connected to the articulation (18) at proximity to the axis of

  rotation (13) of the rear brush (10).

  In normal operation, the brushes (10, 20) are rotated in the direction A - B, that is to say from the outside to the inside. In the event of accidental contact between the front and rear brushes, for example following an impact, the rotation of the brushes causes a fall-back movement and this eliminates any risk of shock which could damage or distort the

device.

  The compass (30) operates under a very low control pressure, so that in the event of an impact, the front brush (20) pushes the jack (14) on the arm (26) by folding against the other brush. Due to the direction of rotation of the brushes, this kinematics then causes the reopening of the

  cylinder (14) and the corresponding withdrawal of the brush (20) under the chassis.

  Once the obstacle has been absorbed, the brush (20) can be redeployed from the driving position outwards by simply acting on the cylinder.

(14).

  In conclusion, the scanning device according to the present invention

8 2776684

  brings many advantages, due to the characteristic layout

brooms that compose it.

  It has fewer moving parts, which reduces the risk of impact and limits wear. Its manufacturing cost is extremely low and it requires practically no maintenance. It offers all the advantages of drawn brooms

without their drawbacks.

  The scanning surface is much larger than in conventional devices. Finally, the device is light and does not obstruct

  vehicle performance and safety.

  The invention is not limited to the embodiment and operation described above. In particular, the cylinders and the compasses may be replaced by equivalent means, for example springs, without

  that we go beyond the scope of the invention.

9 2776684

Claims (9)

  1. Scanning device for road vehicle, comprising at least two brushes (1, 2) adjustable in the vertical plane and mounted under the chassis of the vehicle, the first being placed at the rear in the direction of movement of the vehicle, proximity of the suction means, and the second in front of the previous one, characterized in that the rear brush (1) is fixed in position after adjustment and the front brush (2) is movable in the horizontal plane, and in that the brushes (1, 2) are hinged together by a parallelogram structure. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two identical sets, respectively (1, 2) and (1 ', 2'), of two brushes, arranged symmetrically on either side of the axis longitudinal of the vehicle.   3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that   each broom (1, 2) consists of a rotating brush fixed on an axis   vertical (3), substantially perpendicular to the ground.   4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the rear brush (10) is connected by an articulation (18) to a parallelogram (19) cooperating with two arms (17 ', 17 ") which make it possible to adjust The lateral inclination of the brushes.   5. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the front brush (20) is arranged on a structure composed of a transverse arm (26) mounted at one of its ends on the axis (23) of the motor d drive of the brush (20) and of a parallelogram (27) articulated on the other end of said arm and cooperating with the jack (14) connected to the brush rear (10).   6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises means for the automatic folding of the movable brush (20) under the chassis of the vehicle in the event of accidental contact between the front brush and the rear brush. tlo 2776684 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said folding means comprise a gas compass (30), associated with the axis (23) of the brush drive motor (20), and the other of which end is connected to the joint (18) near the axis of rotation (13) of the rear brush (10). 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the gas compass (30) operates under a very low control pressure, so that in the event of impact, the front brush (20) pushes the jack (14) ) on the arm (26) by folding back against the other brush, this movement then causing the reopening of the jack (14) and the corresponding withdrawal of the brush (20) under the chassis.   9. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the front brush   (20) can be redeployed to the outside by means of the jack (14).