VENTILATION SYSTEM FOR COLD PLANER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to cold planer machines, and more particularly to a ventilation system for a cold planer machine.

BACKGROUND

A machine, such as a cold planer, is typically employed to break up or remove a surface from a paved area. The cold planer typically includes a milling system to perform milling operations on the surface of the paved area. The surface of the paved area breaks due to rotation of the milling drum against the surface. During such breaking up of the surface, dust particles and fumes are produced and a ventilation system is typically employed to remove the dust particles. The ventilation system draws and transports the dust particles and fumes in the vicinity of the milling system to a conveying system. The ventilation system utilizes one or more fans positioned over the conveying system. Since the ventilation system is positioned over the conveying system, and since the ventilation system occupies large space, visibility of an operator on the cold planer is adversely affected. Further, since the ventilation system employs moving parts, e.g., the one or more fans, there exists a likelihood of damage to the moving parts from the dust particles.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a ventilation system for a cold planer having a milling drum and a conveyor system are provided. The ventilation system includes an inlet pipe located above the conveyor system. The inlet pipe being adapted to receive dust and fumes generated by the milling drum. The ventilation system also includes an intermediate pipe having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the intermediate pipe being connected to the inlet pipe. The intermediate pipe includes an annular chamber and a number of nozzles. The annular chamber is adapted to receive pressurized air from a compressor of the cold planer. The number of nozzles fluidly connected to the annular chamber. The ventilation system includes an outlet pipe fluidly connected to the second end of the intermediate pipe such that the number of nozzles directs the pressurized air from the compressor towards the outlet pipe to create vacuum at the outlet pipe for ventilating dust and fumes from the inlet pipe.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cold planer including a ventilation system, according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a portion of the cold planer of FIG. 1 having the ventilation system, according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ventilation system, according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ventilation system, according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein, are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary cold planer 10. The “cold planer” 10 may be defined as any machine used to break and remove layers of hardened material from an existing road surface. The cold planer 10, also interchangeably referred to as “the cold planer machine 10,” or “the machine 10,” includes one or more ground engaging units 12 for propelling the machine 10 along a road surface 14. The ground engaging units 12 of the machine 10 are connected to a frame 16 of the machine 10 by hydraulic legs 18. Although the ground engaging units 12 of the machine 10 are shown to include tracks, the ground engaging units 12 may alternatively include a set of wheels.

The frame 16 may support an operator cabin 20 having a steering Wheel 22. Although in the present example the operator cabin 20 is shown to include the steering wheel 22 in FIG. 1, the operator cabin 20 may also include a joystick, buttons or levers may be implemented. The frame 16 may also support a power source, such as an engine 24 and a compressor 25. The engine 24 may be configured to electrically, mechanically, hydraulically, and/or pneumatically power various units of the machine 10 such as, the ground engaging units 12 to propel the machine 10 on the road surface 14. The compressor 25 may be integrated with the engine 24 or but not limited to an externally powered gas compressor. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by driving a hydraulic pump (not illustrated) with an output of the engine 24, the hydraulic pump in turn supplies high-pressure hydraulic fluid to individual motors (not illustrated) associated with the ground engaging units 12.

The machine 10 also includes a milling system 26 configured to carry out milling process by breaking and removing layers of hardened material from the road surface 14. The milling system 26 is supported on the frame 16 between the ground engaging units 12, as shown. The milling system 26 includes a milling drum 28, and one or more of cutting tools 30 disposed circumferentially around the milling drum 28. The milling drum 28 of the milling system 26 rotates, upon receiving power from the engine 24 to carry-out milling process along a direction of travel of the machine 10. In addition, the hydraulic legs 18 acts as elongated telescopic actuators configured to raise and lower the milling system 26 relative to the ground engaging units 12 so as to control a depth of cut during the milling process of the road surface 14.

The machine 10 also includes a material conveyor system 32, also referred as the conveyor system 32, to collect material, such as excavated asphalt produced during breaking and removal of the road surface 14, by the milling system 26, The conveyor system 32 also transports the collected material to a. discharge location, such as a body 34 of a transport vehicle 36, which may be, for instance, an on-highway haul truck, an off-highway articulated or non-articulated truck, or any other type of transport vehicle. Specifically, the conveyor system 32 includes a primary conveyor 38 and a secondary conveyor 40 positioned adjacent to the primary conveyor 38.

The breaking of the layers of the road surface 14 during the milling process produces material in the form of debris. The debris may be in the form of dust due to breaking of the road surface 14. The debris may also include fumes produced due to the heat generated due to friction between the cutting tools 30 of the milling drum 28 and the road surface 14 during the milling process. As the milling drum 28 rotates towards the primary conveyor 38, the material gets collected at a charge end 42 of the primary conveyor 38. As the material moves over the primary conveyor 38, it exits at a discharge end 44 opposite to the charge end 42 of the primary conveyor 38. The material from the discharge end 44 may strike against a weldment 46 as shown. The weldment 46 is located at a charge end 48 of the secondary conveyor 40. The secondary conveyor 40 includes a housing 50. The housing 50 helps to collect and prevent spreading of the material received from the primary conveyor 38.

Specifically, the material from the primary conveyor 38 is transported to the secondary conveyor 40, which further transports the material to the discharge location. In various embodiments, the secondary conveyor 40 may be movable relative to the primary conveyor 38 in a vertical direction and/or a horizontal direction so as to adjust the secondary conveyor 40 with respect to the discharge location. Further, the milling process also produces dust and fumes on account of breaking of the layers of the road surface 14. In particular, large quantities of dust may be produced at the milling drum 28 and can be controlled by integrating a ventilation system 52 into the machine 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the ventilation system 52 is supported on the frame 16 of the machine 10. The ventilation system 52 also referred to as “air ventilation system,” is configured to provide ventilation for byproducts of the milling process, such as dust and fumes The ventilation system 52 includes an inlet pipe 54 and at least two inlet extensions 56. The inlet pipe 54 includes a first end 55 and a second end 57. The first end 55 of the inlet pipe 54 is connected to the inlet extensions 56. The inlet pipe 54 may be an elongated steel fabricated pipe extending from the ventilation system 52. The inlet pipe 54 and the inlet extensions 56 may each have openings (not shown) through which dust and fumes are drawn into the ventilation system 52, Specifically, the openings of the inlet pipe 54 may be positioned proximate to the milling drum 28. In one example, the inlet pipe 54 (as shown in FIG. 1) is placed directly above the primary conveyor 38 (referring to FIG. 1), with the inlet extensions 56 oriented to the sides of the primary conveyor 38. In one embodiment, the inlet extensions 56 may be gravitationally lower than the inlet pipe 54, extending downward to the lateral sides of the primary conveyor 38. Further, the inlet extensions 56 may extend to a point at which the inlet extensions 56 are likely to draw in a desired amount of dust and fumes, but unlikely to draw in larger fragments of milled material, In particular, the inlet pipe 54 and the inlet extensions 56 may be placed downstream of the milling drum 32.

The inlet pipe 54 has an inner diameter “D1” and an outer diameter “D2”. The ventilation system 52 includes an intermediate pipe 58 having a first end 60 and a second end 62 opposite to the first end 60. The first end 60 of the intermediate pipe 58 is connected to the second end 57 of the inlet pipe 54 and is coaxially aligned with the inlet pipe 54 along a central axis A-A′. The intermediate pipe 58 has an inner diameter “D3” and an outer diameter “D4”. In an example, the inner diameter “D3” of the intermediate pipe 58 is equal to the inner diameter “D1” of the inlet pipe 54. In other examples, the inner diameters “D3” of the intermediate pipe 58 may be greater than or less than the inner diameter “D1” of the inlet pipe 54. Further, the outer diameter “D4” of the intermediate pipe 58 is greater that the outer diameter “D2” of the inlet pipe 54 as shown.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the ventilation system 52 and FIG. 4 illustrates a sectional view of the ventilation system 52 along a line 4-4 in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the intermediate pipe 58 includes an annular chamber 64 with an inner diameter “D5” and an outer diameter “D6.” A center of the annular chamber 64 may be on the central axis A-A′. The inner diameter “D5” of the annular chamber 64 is greater that the inner diameter “D3” of the intermediate pipe 58 and the outer diameter “D6” of the annular chamber 64 smaller than the outer diameter “D4” of the intermediate pipe 58. In the present example, the annular chamber 64 has a rectangular cross-section having a first radial side wall 68 proximal to the first end 60 of the intermediate pipe 58 and a second radial side wall 70 distal to the first end 60 of the intermediate pipe 58. Alternately, the annular chamber 64 may have different geometric shapes such as, circular, triangular, square etc.

The ventilation system 52 further includes an intake pipe 72 having a first end 74 (shown in FIG. 1) connected to the compressor 25 of the machine 10 and a second end 78 connected to the intermediate pipe 58, In an example, the second end 78 of the intake pipe 72 is connected to the intermediate pipe 58 along a radial direction which further extends till the annular chamber 64. Alternately, there may be more than one intake pipes 72 that may be connected to the intermediate pipe 58 along varying directions The annular chamber 64 is configured to receive pressurized air (indicated by “A” in FIG. 4) from the compressor 25 of the machine 10. The intermediate pipe 58 also includes a number of nozzles 80 that are uniformly spaced along the circumference of the intermediate pipe 58. In the present disclosure, the number of nozzles 80 may be in even or odd order of numbers. The nozzles 80 having an inlet 81 at the second radial side wall 70 of the annular chamber 64 and an outlet 83 at the inner diameter “D3” of the intermediate pipe 58. Further, the nozzles 80 are angled/converging towards the central axis A-A′ since the inner diameter “D5” of the annular chamber 64 is greater than the inner diameter “D3” of the intermediate pipe 58.

The ventilation system 52 includes an outlet pipe 82 that extends from the second end 62 of the intermediate pipe 58. In addition, the inlet pipe 54 and the intermediate pipe 58 are fluidly connected to the outlet pipe 82. The outlet pipe 82 has an inner diameter “D7” and an outer diameter “D8”. In the present example, the inner diameter “D7” is equal to the inner diameter “D1” of the inlet pipe 54 and the outer diameter “D8” is smaller that the outer diameter “D4” of the intermediate pipe 58. The annular chamber 64 of the intermediate pipe 58 is fluidly connected to the outlet pipe 82 such that the pressurized air is directed towards the outlet pipe 82 by the nozzles 80. The pressurized air from the intermediate pipe 58 enters the inlet 81 of the nozzles 80 at high pressure and exits as a high velocity air (indicated by “B” shown in FIG. 4) from the outlet 83 of the nozzles into the outlet pipe 82. The high velocity of the air into the outlet pipe 82 may result in a high flow of air within the outlet pipe 82. This may further result in creating a vacuum within the inlet pipe 54 and at the first end 60 of the intermediate pipe 58.

When the machine 10 is carrying out milling process over the road surface 14, the ventilation system 52 may be employed to collect the dust and fumes produced at the milling drum 28 of the milling system 26. The initial pressure within the inlet pipe 54, the intermediate pipe 58 and the outlet pipe 82 is, “P1”. The ventilation system 52 receives pressurized air from the compressor 25 through the intake pipe 72. The pressurized air gets filled inside the annular chamber 64 of the intermediate pipe 58. The pressurized air then exits from the annular chamber 64, through the number of nozzles 80 to the outlet pipe 82. The velocity of the air that exits the number of nozzles 80 is very high within a volume of the outlet pipe 82 by a phenomenon known as “throttling”. The pressure “P1” within a volume of the outlet pipe 82 changes to pressure “P2” that is higher than the initial pressure “P1”, but the pressure within the volume of the inlet pipe 54 and the intermediate pipe 58 remains “P1”. This results in a difference of pressures within different regions of the ventilation system 52. The differences in pressures “P1” and “P2” within the ventilation system 52 creates a vacuum effect at the inlet pipe 54. Consequently, the dust and fumes produced at the milling drum 28 are drawn in (indicated by “C” shown in FIG. 4) and are routed to the secondary conveyor 40 within the housing 50.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The disclosed ventilation system 52 of the present embodiment may be used to remove the dust and fumes produced during the milling process by the cold planer 10 on the road surface 14. The ventilation system 52 creates vacuum by means of pressurized air at the inlet pipe 54. Specifically, the number of nozzles 80 directs the pressurized air from the compressor 25 towards the outlet pipe 82 to create vacuum at the outlet pipe 82 for ventilating dust and fumes from the inlet pipe 54. By using pressurized air and the nozzles 80 to create vacuum the present disclosure eliminates the use of fan for removing dust and fumes. Further, the embodiment eliminates the use of fan thereby consuming lesser space, thereby improving the durability and reliability of the ventilation system 52 of the machine 10, This also helps to improve the visibility of the operator while operating the machine 10. Further, the present disclosure provides the ventilation system 52 which is smaller in size easy to install and energy efficient.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.

VENTILATION SYSTEM FOR COLD PLANER

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CPC

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