EP1799911B1 - Vibrating plate comprising a remote control that is integrated into the draw bar - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to vibrating plates according to the preambles of claims 1 and 3.

Vibratory plates for soil compaction are known in a variety of configurations. Common to the vibrating plates that they consist in principle of a lower mass and one of the lower mass via a spring device decoupled vibrational upper mass. The lower mass has a bottom contact plate acting on the ground and a vibration exciter device mounted thereon. An essential part of the upper mass is a drive motor, the appropriate. Way (mechanical, hydraulic) drives the vibration exciter device on the lower mass. Suitable vibrational exciters are e.g. known single and dual-wave exciters:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective view one of the DE 102 26 920 A1 known vibration plate with a drawbar control.

On a ground contact plate 1, a vibration exciter 2 is mounted, which is driven by a drive 3, z. As an internal combustion engine is driven. The ground contact plate 1 and the vibration exciter 2 form a lower mass, while the drive 3 is attributed together with a frame 4 and a cover 5 of an upper mass. The upper mass is of the lower mass with the help of interposed, in Fig. 1 Not shown spring means decoupled vibrationally.

On the cover 5 of the upper mass, a drawbar 6 is attached, which has a drawbar handle 7, which is completed by a tiller head 8 shown only schematically. At the tiller head 8 two control handles 9 are pivotally supported. With the help of the control handles 9 hydraulic valves are controllable, via which the phase position of rotating imbalances or unbalanced shafts in the vibration exciter 2 can be changed. As a result, the direction of a generated by the imbalances in the vibrator 2, resulting force vector in a known manner adjusted to achieve a forward and reverse drive of the vibrating plate.

Furthermore, the control handles 9 are made so massive that the operator can pull and pull on them to change the direction of the vibrating plate during operation.

A chassis 10 only serves to transport the vibrating plate and is in operation without function.

For large, steerable vibratory plates, it is possible for at least one of the unbalanced shafts to be axially split to drive different imbalance masses such that a yaw moment is generated about a vertical axis of the vibrating plate to permit steering of the plate. For smaller, lighter vibratory plates usually a drawbar is provided, with which the operator can guide the vibrating plate. In this case, the vibration exciter device not only generates the vibrations used for soil compaction, but also a force component in the forward or reverse direction. Accordingly, hand or control handles are provided on the drawbar, via which the operator can control the vibration exciter device in the desired manner to the desired. To reach the direction of travel. The steering and guiding the vibration plate takes over the operator by moving the end of the drawbar using the control handles or other hand movements.

Especially with larger, heavier vibration plates, it is now common to provide a remote control, with the help of which the operator can control the vibrating plate without being in close proximity. This is especially useful because heavy vibratory plates induce very strong vibrations in the ground that could damage a person standing directly next to it. In addition, the danger to the operator due to contact with the moving vibrating plate is lower due to the greater distance.

In practice, however, it has been found that the vibrating plates perform a staggering, stochastic movement due to the strong vibrations and sometimes random opposing forces through the soil to be compacted. So it is often difficult to let the vibrating plate go straight ahead over a longer distance. Likewise, in practice, it requires the highest concentration of operator when the vibrating plate along a curve should drive. Accordingly, the operator must always make steering corrections, which often does not bring the desired result due to the very indirect effect of his control commands. Unlike z. As with vibratory rollers, the operator just can not directly influence the propulsion or a corresponding steering device with vibrating plates. Rather, the operator can only influence the position of the unbalanced masses in the vibration exciter, in the hope that then arise corresponding centrifugal forces that pull the vibrating plate in the desired direction.

The remote control thus offers the operator only a very limited sensitivity. In particular, when the soil compacting work requires high precision, e.g. B. on a curb wall, the operator will strive to manually guide the vibrating plate over the drawbar. However, remote controllable vibrating plates usually have no or only a rudimentary trained drawbar, which makes it difficult due to often short lever manual guidance of the vibrating plate.

A solution to this problem could be that a hybrid control is provided in which a vibration plate is conventionally equipped with a drawbar control, in which the operator can manually guide the drawbar via control handles and control the vibration generator via the control handles. In addition, a known per se remote control is provided, which is used when the operator does not want to run the drawbar. A disadvantage of this hybrid control is that a very high construction effort has to be operated because, on the one hand, commanders must be present in duplicate (control handles on the end of the drawbar and controls on a transmitter of the remote control). Furthermore, the transmitter is a separate part of the controller, which should be housed when not in use on the vibrating plate so that it can not be lost.

In one manufactured by the applicant vibration plate with the type designation "Wacker DPU 7060" instead of a drawbar, a guide bracket is attached to the upper mass of the vibrating plate. Instead of operating elements, the guide bracket has a holder into which the transmission unit of a cable remote control can be inserted. The control of the vibration exciter takes place exclusively via the control elements of the cable remote control.

From the DE 199 13 074 A1 a soil compaction device is known in which at the end of a drawbar controls are mounted, which are movable relative to the drawbar. The respective position of the operating elements is detected by a sensor device which forwards a corresponding signal to a hydraulic control for a vibration exciter. In addition to the operating elements, a remote control device is provided with a transmitting unit and a receiving unit attached to the ground compacting device, wherein a signal is transmitted to the hydraulic control for the vibration exciter by the receiving unit.

In the US 2004/0022582 A1 a vibration plate with a radio remote control is shown. At the transmitting unit of the remote control, a joystick for inputting control commands is provided.

The invention has for its object to provide a vibrating plate, which is equally easy to handle in remote control mode as well as manual guidance in the drawbar operation for the operator, the manufacturing cost should not be significantly increased over known vibrating plates.

The object is achieved by vibrating plates according to claims 1 and 3. Advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a vibrating plate having a lower mass and an upper mass in a conventional manner has a drawbar device connected to the upper mass and / or the lower mass. Furthermore, a remote control device for controlling at least one forward or reverse drive by driving the vibration exciter means of the lower mass is provided with a movable independently of the rest of the vibrating plate transmitting unit. The transmitting unit is detachably attached to the drawbar device. At least one control handle is provided on the transmitting unit, which is suitable both for inputting control commands by the operator for the activation of the vibration exciter device and for gripping by the operator for manually guiding the vibration plate.

Accordingly, the transmitting unit can be released from the drawbar device when the operator desires a remote control operation. Is it on the other hand, in the case of precise compaction work required to manually guide the vibrating plate, the transmitting unit can be attached to the drawbar device. The operator then guides the vibrating plate exclusively via the control handles provided on the control unit. For this purpose, the operator can either generate control commands by actuating the control handles, with which the vibration exciter device can be adjusted in the desired manner, or by pulling and pressing the control handles manually with his physical force to influence the direction of travel of the vibration plate.

The term drawbar device is in this context representative of a drawbar in which a drawbar handle is connected to a pivot point with the vibration plate, or used for a guide bracket, which is held at two articulation points on the vibration plate as a rule. A guide bracket thus differs strictly from a drawbar. However, if only the term "drawbar" is used below for the sake of simplicity, it equally also includes a guide bar with two articulation points.

Advantageously, at least one control element can be provided on the transmission unit for inputting control commands by the operator for controlling the vibration exciter device. This corresponds to the classic structure of a transmitting unit.

In order to distinguish the terms, it is defined that a later used "handle" only serves to mechanically guide the vibrating plate, while a "control" exclusively for inputting control instructions for the vibration exciter, the drive o. Ä. serves. A control is due to its dimensions (dimensions, strength) not suitable to accommodate larger executives. If the operator were to attempt to mechanically guide the vibrating plate via a control element, damage to the control element would have to be expected.

The term "control handle" can be distinguished from the terms "control" and "handle" as follows: The control handle is suitable on the one hand for controlling the vibration plate by generating corresponding control signals and adjusting the vibration exciter. On the other hand, the control handle is mechanically stably designed so that the operator can pull and push on it to guide the vibrating plate, as is the case with a control lever of a classic drawbar control.

The term "guiding" in this context means the mechanical action of the operator by pulling or pushing. By contrast, "control" is to be understood as the generation of control signals for the vibration generator and the drive, which in turn generate forces which move the vibration plate forwards or backwards or move it around a vertical axis (yaw axis) for steering purposes.

In the solution according to claim 1, it is possible that at the drawbar no handle or a control must be provided. Rather, all controls are provided exclusively by the transmitting unit. In remote control mode, the control handle is used to generate appropriate control signals. In the drawbar operation with patch unit mounted on the drawbar, the control handle can also generate control commands. In addition, however, the operator can also correctively engage manually and in particular steer the vibrating plate by lateral forces.

In the variant specified in claim 3, a control for inputting control commands by the operator is provided on the transmitting unit, while the drawbar device carries at least one control handle for gripping by the operator for manually guiding the vibrating plate.

The control handle should also be movable relative to the drawbar device. If the transmitting unit is attached to the drawbar device, the control handle is coupled to the control of the transmitting unit such that at a certain relative position of the control handle actuation of the control element of the transmitting unit is effected to generate control commands for driving the vibration exciter device.

The operator has in this embodiment of the invention the ability to operate the vibrating plate in a conventional manner by remote control using the controls present on the transmitting unit. Alternatively, he can put the transmitting unit on the drawbar device. At the drawbar fixed control handles are provided, which in principle the above with reference to FIG. 1 may correspond to the described control actions. With the aid of, for example, a driver device, the movement of a control handle is transmitted to the control element of the transmitter unit assigned to it. This allows the operator in the drawbar operation the ability to operate the familiar, robust control handle in a known manner. However, while in the prior art in this way, for example, hydraulic valves have been controlled to control the vibration exciter, now the movement of the control handle or its relative position is used to actuate the associated control of the transmitting unit. This in turn then causes the control of the vibration exciter in a conventional manner. The arrangement thus simulates a classic drawbar control. The control handle itself also serves as a handle because it is robust enough to be pressed and pulled by the operator.

Thus, since ultimately only one way of control exists, namely on the transmitting unit of the remote control, which is also used by the control handle of the drawbar, can save considerable manufacturing costs.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control handle is held in a holder for receiving forces introduced by the operator into the control handle on the drawbar device. The holder should be designed such that only a small, required for operating the associated control part of the forces introduced by the operator actually acts on the control and / or the transmitting unit, while the other, usually larger part of the forces from the control handle directly on the Drawbar is transmitted without acting on the control and / or the transmitting unit. If, on the other hand, the entire force applied by the operator could act on the control element or the transmission unit, there would be a risk that these comparatively weakly dimensioned components would be destroyed. The holder ensures that even large forces of the operator are introduced as directly as possible into the drawbar, while only a change in the relative position (path change) of the control handle is transmitted to the transmitting unit and the control provided to it.

Preferably, the transmitting unit can be detachably integrated into the drawbar in order to protect it against damage from outside when not in use.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the drawbar on a connected to the upper mass and / or the lower mass drawbar and a subsequent to the drawbar spar tiller head. It is particularly advantageous if the transmitting unit can be fastened in a receptacle in the tiller head or forms part of the tiller head or even the entire tiller head. This means that initially only the drawbar is part of the vibration plate when the vibration plate is operated in remote control mode and accordingly the transmitting unit is removed from the vibrating plate. If, on the other hand, the operator fastens the transmitting unit to the drawbar spar, the transmitting unit assumes essential functions of a classic tiller head. In particular, the transmitting unit is then suitable to absorb forces applied by the operator for guiding the vibrating plate and to transmit mechanically via the drawbar to the rest of the vibrating plate, so that the operator can guide the vibrating plate very sensitively manually without having to use the actual remote control functions of the transmitting unit have to.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous if at least one handle is provided on the drawbar, for gripping by the operator for manually guiding the vibration plate. This construction is also known for vibratory plates, which conventionally have a drawbar control. By the invention, however, it is possible that the z. B. the tiller head forming transmitting unit with the help of or the controls alone, the control of the vibration exciter takes over while mechanical management of the operator alone on the handle on the drawbar are transmitted, even if the transmitting unit is placed on the drawbar.

The various controls control element, control handle and handle, depending on the embodiment of the invention can be arbitrarily selected and combined. It is crucial that, on the one hand, a possibility for controlling the vibration plate in the remote control mode and, on the other hand, the options "controlling" and "guiding" in the drawbar operation are possible. Accordingly, the transmitting unit must be equipped with at least one control or a control handle. If the transmitting unit has only control elements, suitable control handles, but preferably handles, must be provided on the drawbar in order to enable mechanical guidance. If the transmitting unit carries a control handle, however, no additional handles must be provided on the drawbar.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter device is designed such that it generates a yaw moment about a vertical axis of the vibration plate to the vibrating plate to steer. Such a construction is known per se from powerful, remotely controllable vibrating plates.

It is particularly advantageous according to the invention that this vibration exciter device can be controlled by the transmitting unit for setting the yawing moment when the transmitting unit is separated from the rest of the vibrating plate. However, if the transmitting unit is attached to the drawbar, no yaw moment should be generated by the vibration exciter device. For then the steering of the vibrating plate is taken over exclusively by the operator, who manually guides the vibrating plate on the drawbar or the transmitting unit.

Advantageously, in the remote control device, a control command for steering the vibrating plate can be blocked when the transmitting unit is attached to the drawbar. In this way, the above embodiment can be realized very easily, in which in the drawbar operation no yaw moment to be generated by the vibration exciter device.

In a preferred embodiment, a fastening device is provided on the drawbar for attaching the transmitting unit to the drawbar such that any forces exerted by the operator on the transmitting unit are mechanically transferable to the drawbar. While at most a recess or a compartment for accommodating the transmitting unit was provided in previously known vibrating plates, now the transmitting unit with the drawbar can form a stable mechanical connection. Then the transmitting unit is able to transmit the forces acting on it by the operator without damage to the drawbar. Thus, the transmitting unit can also serve as a tiller head.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous if an electric charging device is provided, with an energy storage in the transmitting unit, z. As a battery, can be charged by a power supply from the vibrating plate when the transmitting unit is attached to the drawbar. Accordingly, the transmitting unit can be charged from the vibrating plate whenever no remote control operation is required. This would make it possible that the transmitting unit would not have to be charged again and again separately from the vibrating plate.

Advantageously, the signals in the remote control mode, when the transmitting unit is separated from the vibrating plate, from the transmitting unit via a cable route, an infrared path and / or a radio link to a provided on the vibrating plate receiver unit transferable.

If, however, the transmitting unit is fastened to the drawbar, it is advantageous to transmit the signals from the transmitting unit via a galvanic coupling, an optical interface or an infrared interface to the receiver unit provided on the vibrating plate. The galvanic coupling can z. B. be designed as a plug contact, so that the transmitting unit can be attached to the drawbar as a docking station. It is also possible to transmit the signals by radio (eg Bluetooth) even if the transmitting unit is attached to the drawbar

In a particularly advantageous further development of the invention, the drawbar spar between an operating position in which the operator z. B. in the drawbar operation on the drawbar handle forces to guide on the vibrating plate, and a remote control position in which the operator controls the vibrating plate only on the separated from the vibrating plate transmitting unit, pivotable. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the drawbar between the operating position and the remote control position can be changed. This allows the operator to reduce the drawbar rail, in particular, if he wants to work for a long time only in remote control mode. The drawbar handle is then no obstacle during operation. However, if the operator wants to work in the drawbar, it is helpful for him, when the drawbar with the extension unit then mounted at an ergonomically appropriate height. Furthermore, it is desirable to achieve an appropriate length for the drawbar in the drawbar operation, so that the operator does not have to apply an excessively large management forces due to the leverage.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer aus dem Stand der Technik bekannten Vibrationsplatte mit Deichselsteuerung;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vibrationsplatte im Deichselbetrieb;

Fig. 3

die Vibrationsplatte von Fig. 2 im Fernsteuerungsbetrieb; und

Fig. 4

einen Ausschnitt von einer anderen Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vibrationsplatte.

These and other features of the invention will be explained with reference to the figures by way of example. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic perspective view of a known from the prior art vibration plate with drawbar control;

Fig. 2

a schematic perspective view of a vibrating plate according to the invention in the drawbar operation;

Fig. 3

the vibration plate of Fig. 2 in the remote control mode; and

Fig. 4

a section of another embodiment of the vibrating plate according to the invention.

The Fig. 2 to 4 each show a vibrating plate according to the invention for soil compaction, which in many parts an identical structure to that already above with reference to Fig. 1 described, known from the prior art vibration plate. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for identical components. The arrangement of lower mass - consisting of a ground contact plate 1 and a vibration exciter 2 - and upper mass - with a drive 3, a frame 4 and a cover 5 - and arranged between the upper mass and lower mass spring means for vibrational decoupling of the upper mass of the lower mass correspond to the According to the vibration plate according to the invention Fig. 2 to 4 the structure of the known from the prior art vibrating plate Fig. 1 , Therefore, to the above description Fig. 1 Referenced to avoid repetition.

To Fig. 2 is attached to the upper mass, namely on the cover 5 a drawbar 15. The drawbar 15 has a substantially rod-shaped drawbar 16, at the end of a transmitting unit 17 is releasably attached. The transmitting unit 17 therefore forms a tiller head of the drawbar 15.

Instead of the drawbar 15, a guide bracket may be provided, which is connected instead of at one of two articulation points with the upper mass. The following description of a vibrating plate with drawbar according to the invention can thus be readily transferred to a vibrating plate with guide bracket. Thus, the invention also vibration plates affected, which are equipped with a guide bracket to which a transmitting unit is releasably attached. The guide bracket and the drawbar thus differ only by the number of their attachment points on the upper mass.

The transmitting unit 17 is how Fig. 3 shows, detachable from the drawbar 16 and thus can be moved separately from the rest of the vibrating plate. When the transmitting unit 17 is detached from the drawbar member 16 ( Fig. 3 ), it allows control of the vibrating plate in the remote control mode. If the transmitting unit 17, however, is placed on the drawbar 16, the control of the vibrating plate is carried out in drawbar operation.

The transmitting unit 17 has a housing 18 which carries one or more control handles 19. The control handles 19 can be actuated by the operator and are used to specify control commands, which are ultimately led to the vibration exciter 2 or to the drive 3 and there cause corresponding, known control measures for controlling the vibration plate.

The control handles 19 can z. B. lever whose pivotal or relative position in relation to the housing 18 is variable. By means of suitable transducers (Hall sensors, potentiometers, etc.), the relative positions or position changes are detected and converted into electrical signals. Of course, other controls, such. As buttons, switches, sliders, etc. attached to the housing 18 of the transmitting unit 17.

When the transmitting unit 17 in the remote control operation according to Fig. 3 is separated from the rest of the vibrating plate, the predetermined control signals wirelessly via an infrared or radio link or wire via a connecting cable to a receiver, not shown, usually provided on the upper mass of the vibrating plate receiver, which converts the signals into corresponding control signals for the vibrator 2 or the drive 3 converts.

By way of example, an infrared eye 20 is arranged on the upper side of the upper mass, with which infrared signals can be received by the transmitting unit 17 in a known manner.

In the remote control mode according to Fig. 3 All control signals are transmitted by remote control from the transmitting unit 17. The operator does not touch the vibrating plate itself but can stand a few feet away from it. Of course, the vibrating plate should be steerable, ie, with be equipped with a vibration exciter, which allows steerability by generating a yawing moment about the vertical axis of the vibrating plate.

Since the drawbar 15 is inoperable in the remote control mode and can not be reached by the operator, it is inventively provided that the drawbar 16 is either folded up in a rest position or shortened in length. For this purpose, the drawbar 16 could be configured similar to a telescopic rod. Of course, an embodiment is possible in which the drawbar handle 16 is both foldable and shortened to reduce it so that it no longer represents an obstacle in remote control operation, while he unfolds in the drawbar operation and optionally extendable.

In various soil compaction work, z. As in a precise edge compaction on a curb, it is often desirable for the operator not to perform the vibrating plate exclusively on the remote control, but also manually by their own force. For this it is advantageous for him, if he can stand directly on the machine and no longer has to operate the vibration plate via the transmitting unit 17 as a remote control.

Accordingly, it is as in Fig. 2 shown, possible to put the transmitting unit 17 on the end of the drawbar 16. Of course, the drawbar 16 should then stand for the drawbar operation in an operating position with sufficient length, as in Fig. 2 shown.

The transmitting unit 17 can be locked on the drawbar 16 in a mechanically robust manner with the aid of a fastening device, not shown.

As before, the operator can then give via the control handles 19 control commands for the vibration generator 2 with respect to a forward and reverse drive. The steerability, however, should not be possible in the now performed drawbar operation to preclude a surprising rotation of the vibrating plate and an associated endangerment of the operator. Of course, but in another embodiment The invention also causes a rotation or steering of the vibrating plate by means of the control handles 19, if this is practical in practice.

The control signals generated with the control handles 19 are in the drawbar operation via a suitable interface, for. B. via a galvanic coupling (plug contacts, similar to a laptop on a docking station), an optical interface, an infrared interface or a short-range radio interface (Bluetooth) transmitted to the receiver on the vibrating plate. The vibrating plate-side part of the interface can be arranged in the interior of the drawbar 16, but also in other areas of the upper mass to protect it from external influences.

As the Fig. 2 and 3 show, the control handles 19 are very large and robust. They are similar in design to the control handles 9 by way of example Fig. 1 and are therefore also suitable to absorb mechanical forces. The operator can therefore pull and pull on the control handles 19 to affect the direction of travel of the vibrating plate and to guide the vibrating plate in this way more precisely than is usually possible with remote-controlled vibrating plates.

The control handles 19 may be made of metal, but also of high-strength plastic, so that they do not have excessive weight despite their dimensions, which could be unpleasant for the operator especially in remote control operation, in which the transmitter unit 17 is to be borne by the operator.

In order to improve the management options for the operator, additional handles may be provided on the drawbar spar 16 or on the housing 18 of the transmitting unit 17. These handles, not shown, then serve only for holding and guiding the operator, but not for prescribing control signals.

The operator thus has the option of switching between drawbar and remote control operation at any time. For this purpose, he only has to attach or disconnect the transmitting unit 17 to the drawbar 16.

Fig. 4 schematically shows a section of another embodiment of the invention, in which a transmitting unit 21 is provided, which may be smaller in size and has a lower mechanical stability than that in the Fig. 2 and 3 shown transmitting unit 17. The transmitting unit 21 carries one or more controls 22, the z. B. by lever, slide or button can be formed.

In contrast to the control handles 19 of the transmitting unit 17, the controls 22 are smaller and dimensioned with lower mechanical strength. They are suitable only for inputting control signals, but not for powerful gripping by the operator to manually guide the vibrating plate during the process.

So that the operator has the opportunity to change the direction of travel of the vibrating plate in the drawbar operation and to steer the device, 16 control handles 23 are mounted on the drawbar.

The control handles 23 are similar to the control handles 19 Fig. 2 or 9 off Fig. 1 , They are attached to the end of the drawbar 16 in a bracket not shown in detail and made robust, so that the operator can pull and press them with any force. In addition, the control handles 23 are movable relative to the drawbar 16, ie in particular pivotable about the axis with which they are held on the drawbar 16.

At the control handles 23 serving as a driver device fingers 24 are provided which pivot with a pivoting of the control handles 23 with. The fingers 24 are arranged at locations at which controls 22 of the transmitting unit 21 are arranged when the transmitting unit 21 is attached to the front of the drawbar 16. The fingers 24 simulate the fingers of the operator and, with appropriate pivoting of the control handles 23, actuate the associated control elements 22 on the transmission unit 21, so that the vibration generator 2 is then adjusted in the desired manner.

The operator engages in this process the control handles 23 in the usual manner, for example in the upper area. If he pivots one of the control handles 23 forward, the corresponding control element 22 is actuated via the associated finger 24. Of course, the driving device can also be designed such that pulling a control handle 23 to the rear, in the direction of the operator, is also transmitted to an associated control 22.

In a variant, not shown, the control element 22 is formed by a lever (joystick). Again, the driver device may be configured such that the movement of the control handle 23 is transmitted directly to the lever and changes its position in the desired manner.

The control handles 23 are thus not coupled directly to the vibration exciter 2, as for example in the prior art Fig. 1 the case is. The control handles 23 are not directly used for adjusting hydraulic valves or for activating actuators. Rather, their position or movement is transmitted in a relatively simple manner to the controls (controls) of the transmitting unit 21, from where then the corresponding control signals are issued. Of course, further variants are conceivable in which, for example, the transmitting unit 21 is not arranged in front of the control handles 23, but spatially therebetween.

The holder of the control handles 23 should be designed such that no high forces in the controls 22 or the transmitting unit 21 can be initiated. Therefore, the holder with appropriate stops (also spring-loaded) equip so that a significant portion of the forces introduced by the operator is introduced directly into the drawbar 16 without being passed through the transmitting unit 21. Furthermore, friction elements can be provided in the holder in order to be able to carry out the pivoting of the control handles 23 ergonomically against a corresponding frictional resistance.

Also, the transmitting unit 21 can be removed from the drawbar member 16 to switch to the remote control mode. Therefore, in the lower part of the picture Fig. 4 the transmitting unit 21 also in the remote control mode - separated from the rest of the vibrating plate - shown.

In remote control operation, the control handles 23 serve only as handles, since they - because of the lack of interposition of the transmitting unit 21 - can perform any control functions in the sense above definition and are only to be used by the operator to guide.

In the drawbar operation - with attached transmitting unit 21 - the control signals are transmitted from the transmitting unit 21 via a suitable interface to the vibrating plate, as described above in connection with the transmitting unit 17 in the vibrating plate of Fig. 2 already described.

In or on the transmitting units 17 and 21, in addition to the components already described, other known per se assemblies are provided, such. B. an energy storage (battery). The battery can be charged in a particularly advantageous manner whenever the transmitting unit 17, 21 is placed on the drawbar handle 16. Then energy can be transferred from the rest of the vibrating plate to the transmitting unit to charge the battery. Furthermore, the transmitting units 17 and 21 may be equipped with a belt for improving the wearing comfort and other buttons and switches, as is the case with conventionally constructed remote controls for vibration plates.

The vibrating plate according to the invention is shown only schematically in the figures. Of course, it is easily possible that the drawbar handle 16 is pivoted further to the rear, in the direction of the operator, to allow him a comfortable guiding the vibrating plate.

Claims (19)

1. Vibrating plate for ground compaction, having

   - a lower mass comprising a ground contact plate (1) and an oscillation-exciting device (2);

   - an upper mass coupled to the lower mass via a spring device and comprising a drive (3);

   - a drawbar device (15) connected to the upper mass and/or the lower mass; and having

   - a remote control device for controlling at least forwards travel or rearwards travel by controlling the oscillation-exciting device (2), having a transmitting unit (17) which can be moved independently of the rest of the vibrating plate;

   - wherein the transmitting unit (17) is releasably attached to the drawbar device (15);
   characterised in that

   - at least one control handle (19) is provided on the transmitting unit (17) and is suitable both for the input of control commands by the operator in order to control the oscillation-exciting device (2) and also for gripping by the operator in order to guide the vibrating plate manually;

   - the transmitting unit (17) can be released from the drawbar device (5) when the operator desires to use the remote control; and that

   - the transmitting unit (17) can be attached to the drawbar device (15) when the vibrating plate is to be guided manually.
2. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, in addition, at least one control element (22) is provided on the transmitting unit (17) for the input of control commands by the operator in order to control the oscillation-exciting device (2).
3. Vibrating plate for ground compaction, having

   - a lower mass comprising a ground contact plate (1) and an oscillation-exciting device (2);

   - an upper mass coupled to the lower mass via a spring device and comprising a drive (3);

   - a drawbar device (15) connected to the upper mass and/or the lower mass; and having

   - a remote control device for controlling at least forwards travel or rearwards travel by controlling the oscillation-exciting device (2), having a transmitting unit (21) which can be moved independently of the rest of the vibrating plate;
   wherein

   - at least one control element (22) is provided on the transmitting unit (21) for the input of control commands by the operator in order to control the oscillation-exciting device (2);

   - at least one control handle (23) is provided on the drawbar device (15) for gripping by the operator in order to guide the vibrating plate manually; and wherein

   - the control handle (23) can be moved relative to the drawbar device (15);
   characterised in that

   - the transmitting unit (21) can be releasably attached to the drawbar device (15); and that

   - when the transmitting unit (21) is attached to the drawbar device the control handle (23) is coupled to the control element (22) of the transmitting unit (21) in such a way that, when the control handle (23) is in a specific relative position, actuation of the control element (22) of the transmitting unit (21) is effected in order to produce control commands for controlling the oscillation-exciting device (2).
4. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that a carrier device (24) is provided to transfer a movement of the control handle (23) to the control element (22).
5. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the control handle (23) is held in a holder for absorbing forces introduced into the control handle (23) by the operator, in such a way that only a small part of the forces required to actuate the control element (22) acts upon the control element (22) and/or the transmitting unit (21), while a larger part of the forces is transferred from the control handle (23) to the drawbar device (15) without acting upon the control element (22) and/or the transmitting unit (21).
6. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the transmitting unit (17; 21) can be releasably integrated into the drawbar device (15).
7. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the drawbar device has a drawbar (15) with a drawbar spar (16) connected to the upper mass and/or the lower mass and with a drawbar head adjoining the drawbar spar (16).
8. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the transmitting unit (17; 21) can be attached in a receiver in the drawbar head.
9. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the transmitting unit (17; 21) forms part of the drawbar head or the whole drawbar head.
10. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that at least one handle (23) is provided on the drawbar device (15) for gripping by the operator in order to guide the vibrating plate manually.
11. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the oscillation-exciting device (2) is formed in such a way that by means thereof a yawing moment can be produced about a vertical axis of the vibrating plate in order to steer the vibrating plate.
12. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that

    - the oscillation-exciting device (2) can be controlled by the transmitting unit (17; 21) in order to adjust the yawing moment when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is separated from the rest of the vibrating plate, and that

    - no yawing moment can be produced by the oscillation-exciting device (2) when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is attached to the drawbar device (15).
13. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that in the remote control device a control command for steering the vibrating plate can be blocked when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is attached to the drawbar device (15).
14. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that an attachment device is provided to attach the transmitting unit (17; 21) to the drawbar device (15) in such a way that any forces exerted by the operator on the transmitting unit (17; 21) can be mechanically transferred to the drawbar device (15).
15. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that an electric charging device is provided for charging an energy store in the transmitting unit (17; 21) by supplying current from the vibrating plate when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is attached to the drawbar device (15).
16. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is separated from the vibrating plate the signals can be transferred from the transmitting unit (17; 21) via a cable, an infrared path and/or a radio path to a receiver unit provided on the vibrating plate.
17. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, characterised in that when the transmitting unit (17; 21) is attached to the drawbar device (15) the signals can be transferred from the transmitting unit (17; 21) via a galvanic coupling, an optical interface, an infrared interface or a short-range radio interface to a receiver unit provided on the vibrating plate.
18. Vibrating plate as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that the galvanic coupling is formed as a plug contact.
19. Vibrating plate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, characterised in that the drawbar spar (16) of the drawbar device (15) can be pivoted between an operating position, in which the operator exerts guiding forces via the drawbar spar (16) onto the vibrating plate, and a remote control position in which the operator controls the vibrating plate only via the transmitting unit (17; 21) separated from the vibrating plate, and/or that the length of the drawbar spar (16) can be changed between the operating position and the remote control position.

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