Patent Grant
11891766
This disclosure relates to broom implements for work vehicles, and more particularly to pick-up broom attachments for work vehicles having an internal compartment that supplies water for dust control and related actions for improved sweeping of dirt from worksites and outdoor environments.
Clean-up of dust and debris from roads and worksites can be a difficult and laborious task, but can be important for providing clean orderly appearances in certain outdoor locations. Various vehicles and attachable tools have been made to accomplish such outdoor cleaning. One effective attachment/implement tool that has been used to accomplish outdoor clean-up efficiently is referred to as a pick-up broom. This type of implement includes a housing at least partially surrounding a large rotating brush that is driven by a motor. Some pick up brooms further include a bucket into which material is swept. Other terms for similar products include: sweepers; collector brooms; utility brooms; and hopper brooms. These pick-up brooms and similar products have been designed to be used with skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, tele-handlers, wheel loaders, tractors, compact utility loaders, and similar equipment.
Pick-up brooms have often been used for clean-up tasks in environments with conditions that can complicate such clean-up. For example, many sites involve areas where significant quantities of dust can be generated by the rotary sweeping movement of the pick-up broom. Examples of tasks at such sites include road building and resurfacing, cleaning parking lots, construction site cleanup, and cleaning of streets and neighboring paved areas associated with landscaping jobs. In many cases, while pick-up brooms are generally effective, dust has been a significant problem. Dust can introduce an airborne mess and can reduce visibility of a vehicle operator and the surrounding area which can be dangerous. In some situations and environments, there must be compliance with government regulations related to airborne dust.
Some pick-up brooms have been designed to apply water beneath the housing of the broom or ahead of the broom's path during use to reduce dust. The dampness provided reduces the dust introduced into the air. This has been done by spraying water from water tanks strapped to vehicles themselves or water tanks secured to the top or the sides of the pick-up broom. While use of water is an effective feature, the tanks of water strapped or otherwise joined to the outer parts of the implements are somewhat problematic. For example, existing tanks tend to carry less water than desired, create issues with weight distribution of the implement, cause instability, reduce visibility of the vehicle operator, etc. Moreover, water tanks mounted to vehicles themselves, such as the roof of a skid steer loader, are cumbersome and are not easy to move from one loader to another.
Accordingly, there is a desire for an improved apparatus and/or related methods for pick-up broom attachments with improved dust control and that is more effective than past devices and overcomes past difficulties.
Embodiments described or otherwise contemplated herein substantially provide the advantages of improved pick-up broom attachments that enable enhanced clean-up capabilities including dust abatement, control, and versatility.
One embodiment relates to a pick-up broom attachment for use with a work vehicle that includes a hood assembly, a bucket portion, and a water spray bar. The hood assembly includes a housing having a front end, a pair of side members, and a top cover. The housing further defines an opening to an interior of the housing. The hood assembly also includes a rotatable brush of generally cylindrical profile mounted for rotation between the side members of the housing, primarily within the interior of the housing. The hood assembly additionally includes a drive motor coupled to the housing for rotating the rotatable brush. The bucket portion is in coupled engagement behind and with the hood assembly and includes a collection bin, an internal water tank, and a back panel. The collection bin is defined by a bottom bucket panel, a pair of side bucket panel members, and a rear bucket wall. The internal water tank is located in a cavity in the bucket portion located rearward of the rear bucket wall. The back panel is located rearward of the internal water tank and includes implement interface members for connecting with a work vehicle. The water spray bar is mounted to the front end of the housing of the hood assembly. The water spray bar connects to the internal water tank for delivering water in front of or below the hood assembly.
One embodiment relates to a pick-up broom attachment for use with a work vehicle including a hood assembly and a bucket portion. The hood assembly includes a housing cover defining a closed front, top and sides and an open bottom. The hood assembly also includes a rotatable brush mounted for rotation beneath the housing cover. The hood assembly also includes a drive motor coupled to the rotatable brush for providing a sweeping rotation. The bucket portion is in coupled engagement with the hood assembly and includes a collection bin, an internal water tank, and a back panel. The collection bin provides the front of the bucket portion including an angled rear bucket wall. The internal water tank is located in a cavity in the bucket portion located rearward of the angled rear bucket wall. The back panel is located rearward of the internal water tank and includes implement interface members for connecting with a work vehicle.
The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the subject matter hereof. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments.
Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:
While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed subject matter to particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.
Embodiments generally relate to pick-up brooms and related components and assemblies. Throughout this disclosure, the term “pick-up broom attachment”, “pick-up broom implement” or “pick-up broom” may be used interchangeably to generally refer to any of a variety of different types of sweepers, collector brooms, utility brooms, and hopper brooms, and use of these terms should be understood and interpreted to broadly encompass these types of apparatus.
In general, the pick-up broom attachment 100 described in this disclosure is designed for use with a work vehicle such as a skid steer loader. Embodiments disclosed herein will largely reference work vehicles of this type. However other vehicles such as compact track loaders, tele-handlers, wheel loaders, tractors, compact utility loaders, and similar equipment should be equally interpreted to be “work vehicles” for purposes of this disclosure and claims such that various work vehicles can be used with a pick-up broom attachment 100. A skid steer loader is one type of tremendously versatile work vehicle both in terms of its maneuverability and seemingly endless variety of attachments that can be coupled to its pair of loader arms that can be raised, lowered, and manipulated by the work vehicle operator.
The hood assembly 110 includes a housing 120 having a front end 122, a pair of side members 124, and a top cover 126. The front end 122, side member 124 and top cover 126 collectively provide a housing cover that provides a closed outer shell. The various features making up the housing cover each have a multi-faceted and multi-shaped profile. In various embodiments, these components can be generally made of high strength steel material. The front end 122 and top cover 126 can be seen as converging together in a curved fashion. The side members 124 are largely planar. The lower part of the front end 122 and forward part of the side member 124 is made up of a durable, flexible material 128 that is in contact with the surface to help contain flying dust, dirt, and debris. The housing 120 further defines an opening 130 in its bottom surface to an interior 132 of the housing 120.
The hood assembly 110 further includes a centrally-mounted rotatable brush 134 of a generally cylindrical profile that is mounted for rotation between the side members 124 of the housing 120. A cylindrical rotatable brush 134 is depicted in
The hood assembly 110 also includes a drive motor 136 coupled to the housing 120 for rotating the rotatable brush 134. The drive motor 136 can be a direct drive motor, for example, that is well-guarded by one of the side members 124 of the housing 120 and/or protective plates surrounding the drive motor 136. The opposite side member 124 includes a greasable bearing 138 to accommodate the sweeping rotation of rotatable brush 134. Accordingly, drive motor 122 is able to rotate the rotatable brush 134 such that dirt and debris located on the surface beneath the brush 134 are swept up and forced into the bucket portion 112 by its motion.
Bucket portion 112 is coupled to the hood assembly 110, where the bucket portion 112 is located behind the hood assembly 110. Specifically, the bucket portion 112 and the hood assembly 110 are coupled via pivotal coupling members 140 that allow pivotal motion between the two components. This pivotal arrangement allows the components to pivot apart from one another at their base for emptying the bucket portion 112 when full of debris.
Bucket portion 112 can be understood from
Bucket portion 112 further includes an internal water tank 160 located in a cavity 162 in the bucket portion 112 that is located rearward of the angled rear bucket wall 156. Specifically, behind the angled rear bucket wall 156, an elongate cavity 162 is present that extends from one side of the bucket portion 112 to the other side of the bucket portion 112. Accordingly, an internal water tank 160 is located within the elongate cavity 162 of the bucket portion 112.
Further, back interior side surface 168a is disposed at an angle of less than ninety degrees from the bottom interior surface 166a. Front interior surface 170a is made up of a first vertically oriented interior section 172a and a second angled interior section 174a. The first vertically oriented interior section 172a extends downwardly from top interior surface 164a in a generally perpendicular direction. The second angled interior section 174a angles rearwardly from the first vertically oriented interior section 172a. In some embodiments, the second angled interior section 174a parallels the angle of the rear bucket wall 156, and which forms an angle of more than ninety degrees with respect to the bottom interior surface 166a.
Internal water tank 160 can have a variety of shapes and sizes. In the particular embodiment shown in
Further, back side surface 168 is disposed at an angle of less than ninety degrees from the bottom surface 166. In some embodiments, buckets for brooms may instead provide a ninety degrees or greater angle for this feature, as needed for specific types of work vehicles. Front surface 170 is made up of a first vertically oriented section 172 and a second angled section 174. The first vertically oriented section 172 extends downwardly from top surface 164 in a generally perpendicular direction. The second angled section 174 angles rearwardly from the first vertically oriented section 172. In some embodiments, the second angled section 174 parallels the angle of the rear bucket wall 156, and which forms an angle of more than ninety degrees with respect to the bottom surface 166.
Also seen on the exterior of the internal water tank 160 in
In some embodiments, water tank 160 is adapted to provide a large volume for holding water without eliminating needed space at the lower part of the collection bin 150 of the bucket portion 112 for dirt and debris collection. Specifically, the internal water tank 160 can be shaped to include an angled front surface 170 to minimize interference with the collection bin 150. In some embodiments, the internal water tank 160 will be sized to hold up to 55 gallons of water. In some embodiments, the internal water tank 160 will be sized to hold between 50 and 60 gallons of water. In some embodiments, the internal water tank 160 will be sized to hold between 60 and 200 gallons of water. In some embodiments, as shown in
Although removed for visibility in
An aperture 176 provides an opening to the internal water tank 160 that is present in the top of the tank 160 at the end of a fill neck and can be covered by a removable cap (not shown). Accordingly, the aperture can provide an opening to the internal water tank 160 that can be accessed for filing from above the bucket portion 112. In some embodiments, the internal water tank 160 is made of a plastic material. In some embodiments the internal water tank 160 can be made of aluminum, stainless steel, or other material that can contain water. Also located on the bucket portion 112, above the internal water tank 160, are a water pump 179 and a pressure regulator 181 for supplying water to the water spray bar 114. The water pump 179 and pressure regulator 181 can be seen in the view provided in
Bucket portion 112 further includes a back panel 180 that is located rearward of the internal water tank 160. Back panel 180 includes implement interface members 182 for connecting with a work vehicle. In various embodiments, the angle of back panel 180 and the connection type offered by the implement interface members 182 are generally accepted interface configurations for attachment by the loader arms of a work vehicle. A wide variety of acceptable variations of vehicle coupling interface options are known and contemplated.
The back panel 180 of the bucket portion 112 is located at the end of the bucket portion 112 opposite the collection bin 150 and its opening. Back panel 180 provides the interface for coupling with the loader arms of a work vehicle. In general, the back panel 180 is angled at a similar orientation to the back side surface 168 of the internal water tank 160. The back panel 180 includes attachment receiving features, referred to implement interface members 182, for readily attaching to the work vehicle. Implement interface members 182 could vary in size and type in some embodiments depending upon the type of work vehicle intended for use with the pick-up broom attachment 100. Also located along the back panel 180 are a plurality of vertically-disposed, oval-shaped, fill line windows 184 through which the level of water in the internal water tank 160 can be visibly observed by an operator. Other types, shapes, and sizes of fill line windows 184 and/or related indicators of water level are possible in other embodiments as well.
In various embodiments, the internal water tank 160 is directly adjacent the implement interface members 182 on the back panel 180, such that weight from the internal water tank has a center of gravity located in close proximity to the implement interface members 182. In some embodiments, the interior water tank 160 has a height that does not exceed the height of the implement interface members. Some embodiments may include an internal water tank 160 taller than the implement interface members 182 but still be of low profile for visibility. In some embodiments, the internal water tank 160 is located below a cross-member spanning the width of the pick-up broom attachment 100. In the various embodiments contemplated, the potentially heavy internal water tank 160 is located near the implement interfaces 182, stability of the work vehicle is improved and a safer work vehicle and attachment is made possible.
Water spray bar 114 is also present in various embodiments of the pick-up attachment 100. In some embodiments, water spray bar 114 is mounted to the front end 122 of the housing 120 of the hood assembly 110. The water spray bar 114 connects to the internal water tank 160 for delivering water in front of or below the hood assembly 110. Various hoses and or flexible fluid connections can be utilized to facilitate this (one hose example is partially shown in
Overall the pick-up broom attachment 100 is amenable to numerous shapes, sizes, and modifications. In some embodiments, the pick-up broom attachment 100 is adapted to be a 60 inch width attachment. In other embodiments the pick-up broom attachment is adapted to be a 72 inch width attachment or, alternatively, a 84 inch width attachment. Other greater or lesser width attachments are contemplated as well.
Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.
Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.
Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.
For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/144,587 filed Feb. 2, 2021, which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
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