RO131989A2 - Energy-efficient modular system for clearing snow from roads and sidewalks - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrically-operated modular system used for clearing snow from roads and sidewalks, which comprises one or two endless tracks placed on top of one another, depending on the snow layer thickness, on which elements for taking the snow and for collecting it in its own dump body or trailer are mounted. According to the invention, the system comprises a vehicle (1), a fixing system (2), a hydraulic or electric orienting system (10), an endless track (4) or two endless tracks (4 and 4') fixed on an undercarriage (3), the endless track (4) being driven by an electric motor (7) supplied and controlled by an operator by means of a module (11) using, for clearing the snow in the lateral sides of the endless track (4), some snow-clearing elements (6) and plastic brushes (5), a guide (8), located in the end area of the endless track (4), withdrawing the snow-clearing elements (6), so that the snow stays in the lateral sides without blocking the endless track (4), where, in the end area of the endless track (4), a conveyor belt (19) may be mounted to take the snow and store it in the dump body (20) of the vehicle (1) or in the trailer thereof.

Description

MODULAR AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYSTEM FOR SNOWING THE ROADS AND PATHWAYS

The invention relates to a modular, energy-efficient system for cleaning roads and sidewalks of snow, made from a senile operated by an electric motor controlled by the operator or automated, snow removal elements located on the senile, plastic brush and which can support a second track, located above the first one, for situations in which the thickness of the snow exceeds the width of the first snow track, and which allows the snow to be collected in its own trailer or trailer.

Snow removal is done at present mainly with the help of snow blades and snow drills. There are also several systems that contain plastic brushes on a rotating drum with which the roads can be cleared. Sometimes even bulldozers are used that use their cups to remove snow from the roads.

A patent for complex snow removal is described in RU 2422583, dedicated to this operation, which takes the snow off the road and processes it to reduce its volume by using liquid antifreeze substances.

In US Pat. No. 6,665,886, a snow removal machine is described that uses a milling cutter to take snow off the road and store it in its own well. The milling machine has a system of plastic brushes for efficient cleaning of the road surface.

US3230645 presents a complex snow removal machine, consisting of a snow thrust blade and a drum with brushes to increase the efficiency of cleaning the road.

US20110099857 discloses a snow removal system adapted for a wheelchair, used to assist its movement.

In general, the presented solutions, as well as those already existing on the snow removal market, have several main disadvantages. Thus, all these machines are energy efficient, removing snow with high fuel consumption by transferring a large amount of kinetic energy to it. Moreover, all systems that use snow blades cannot be adapted for different situations, for different snow layer thicknesses, consuming about the same amount of fuel even when the snow layer is small. This is due to the snow pushing in front of the blade, which collects and is then pushed to the side of the blade. Snow drills consume significant amounts of energy through

26/11/2015 Snow throwing at a great distance, which implies kinetic energy transferred to it by combustion of fuel.

In addition, the solutions presented, as well as those currently used, cannot be adapted for sidewalks, especially for roads and highways. Using small snow drills to clear the sidewalks is not efficient, requiring a lot of time and energy. Sometimes it is not possible to intervene in this way due to the small distance available for snow throwing.

- As a result of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to create a system of snow removal on roads and sidewalks that are adaptable, energy efficient and easy to use with several types of vehicles.

One of the objects of the invention is to significantly reduce fuel consumption by reducing the energy transmitted to the snow during snow operations by means of an electric system for controlling and driving the snow track, adaptable according to the speed of the vehicle and the quantity. of snow deposited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modular snow removal system that allows the attachment of an additional track for the base track, for cleaning roads and sidewalks when the thickness of the snow exceeds the width of the base track. In this way, the fuel consumption for light snowfall is significantly reduced, but the applicability of the invention is maintained and for larger layers of snow.

Another object of the invention, besides the mentioned ones, is to realize a system of snow clearing of sidewalks, energy efficient and adapted for their small width and for the specific obstacles of the narrow spaces.

Another object of the invention is to ensure snow removal in the snow bin or in the trailer of the snowmobile by attaching a treadmill ordered and operated in a unitary manner with the snowmobile, increasing both the energy efficiency of the system and the efficiency of snow removal on the roads or sidewalks.

This main objective as well as the presented purposes are achieved with the help of this invention, presented below and according to the claims, with the help of a controlled and electrically operated snow track module, equipped with retractable snow elements that facilitate both the snow storage in one side. of the road or sidewalk as well as its taking over by the treadmill and storage in the bin or trailer.

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The main advantages of the invention are:

- Removes snow effectively, regardless of the thickness of its layer,. - Low energy and fuel consumption by adapting to the thickness of the snow and to the speed »of moving the vehicle, by printing a minimum snow speed? removed

Constructive simplicity and increased reliability,

The presented solution allows easy and economical collection of snow removed from the road or sidewalk, with the help of a small treadmill, correlated with the speed of snow removal,

The invention includes a constructive variant that does not allow the accumulation or blocking of the machine with snow, thus requiring minimal interventions during operation,

- The snow clearing module allows the snow to be removed from the narrow spaces, without affecting the cars parked nearby or the buildings and shops being the only solution available on the profile market.

Other advantages of the invention as well as the manner of making it will clearly result from the following description of a constructive variant, preferred but not exclusive, illustrated by the following non-limiting figures.

Figure 1 shows a snow removal machine to which is attached the snow removal system consisting of the snow track, the snow removal elements, the brushes for cleaning the road or the sidewalk and the chassis for supporting, fixing and orienting the track, according to with the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the snow track, with the support chassis, its fixing and orientation system, the snow elements, the track drive and control system, the track guide wheels and the coupling with the upper snow module, as well as the guiding system of the elements for their retraction within the snow track in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the details of making the snow track that includes fixing the snow elements on the track, how the guide acts on these elements and the springs that bring the snow elements in the initial position according to the present invention.

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Figure 4 shows the details of the elements that make up the snow senile, how they are linked to each other and the components of the snow elements according to the present invention.

Figure 5 shows the snow track in a position inclined to the direction of movement of the vehicle by operating the guidance system, in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 shows the snow removal method for larger snow thicknesses, in which case a second one, added and ordered by the first snowfall, is added over the first snow shelf, by means of which the thicker snow is removed, according to the present invention. .

Figure 7 shows the snow pickup treadmill removed with the snow removal track and stored in its own bin or in the trailer of the snowmobile, in accordance with the present invention.

In connection with Figures 1-7, we have presented a modular system for clearing roads and sidewalks used for snow machines 1 to which they are coupled by means of a fixing and orientation system 2, and composed of a support chassis 3 of the track rail. snow removal 4 to which I added or added plastic brushes 5 to increase the snow cleaning efficiency. The snow shovel 4 has the components of the snow shovel 6 and is actuated by means of an electric motor 7. A particularly useful element for removing snow is made by the guide 8 which pulls the snow shovel 6 inside the track near the end of the track 4. In this way the snow is stored at the foot of track 4, without the additional kinetic energy consumed and without it being trapped between the elements 6 of snow. This system not only stores snow with minimal energy consumption, but also prevents snow blocking or accumulation in the snow track.

The chassis 3 supports the fixing wheels 9 of the track 4 and can be oriented by the hydraulic motors or pistons 11 for a better correlation of the snow removal with the speed of movement of the snow vehicle. This change in orientation decreases the kinetic energy transferred to the snow by significantly reducing fuel consumption. The optimal correlation between the speed of movement of the vehicle, the speed of rotation of the snow track 4 and its angle of inclination towards the direction of movement can lead to a maximum energy efficiency in which each amount of snow taken by an element 6 of snow does not be moved than in 2015 00911

11/26/2015 laterally, even if the vehicle is moving forward. The bearings 12 ensure an efficient coupling for the second module 4 'which can be placed over the first one if the thickness of the snow exceeds the width of the snow track 4. In this way the amount of fuel consumed is reduced by adding the second snow module 4 'only in case of big snow. Moreover, the second module can be operated by the motor 7 of the first module, reducing its production costs.

Figure 3 shows a preferred, but not exclusive, version of the snow removal elements 6 and how they are retracted to the right side of track 4. Thus, to maintain them perpendicular to track 4, support guides 13 are used. in which an area 14 of the clearing elements 6 is set.

When approaching the edge of the snow track 4, the guide 8 attaches the snow elements 6 to the ears 16 away from the track 4. They leave the snow on the edge of the track, without throwing it away, so with minimal energy and fuel consumption. For the return of the elements 6 in the normal position, perpendicular to the rail 4, the stainless steel springs 15 will pull the elements to the correct position, the fastening clips 14 coming in place in the guide 13. A preferred, but not exclusively, method of reducing friction in the system. For snow removal, it may use silicone rollers located along the guide 8, or silicone rollers on each hanging ear 16.

Figure 4 shows a constructive variant of each basic element 17 of the track

4. In this non-exclusive version, the retractable snow removal element 6 is located in the middle of the basic component 17, which is connected to other components by means of a classic track system, 18.

Figure 5 shows the way in which the angle of attack of the snow track 4 can be modified according to the operator's desire and the speed of the vehicle's movement 1 using the system of motors or hydraulic elements 10. By composing the two movements, of uniform rectilinear displacement of the vehicle 1 in the forward direction and of the uniform rectilinear movement of the track 4 in a direction perpendicular to the one of the displacement, the amount of fuel consumed by the snowmobile can be greatly reduced, the snow receiving energy only to be transferred from the road or sidewalk laterally, without moving forward from the initial position.

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In the situation where the thickness of the snow imposes it, it is mounted over the first snow shovel 4 a second, 4 ', as in figure 6. It has in the component 6' snow elements, like the first, but it has no own engine and neither brushes. Its actuation is achieved by means of the support and drive coupling 12. The coupling mode is not part of this invention, but the use of separate modules is very important for the energy efficiency of the invention. Thus, the movement of elements of reduced height 6, located on track 4, decreases the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle when the snow has small thicknesses. The use of the second 4 'track is done only when the thickness of the snow imposes it, but also with low fuel consumption and low manufacturing costs for the 4' track.

Another great advantage of this invention is shown in Figure 7, where the easy way to collect the snow removed with the track 4 is shown by means of a treadmill 19, located on the side of the snow vehicle 1, in the area of the snow removal removed by the track 4 This can be correlated with the help of module 11 so as to change the snow's rolling speed according to the speed of the track 4. Thus, a substantial fuel economy is achieved by changing the running speed of the strip 19 depending on the amount of snow removed. . Snow can be collected in its own well 20 or in a trailer attached to the snowmobile. This efficient and economical method is very useful also for clearing sidewalks, where the space where snow can be left is limited or non-existent.

Claims (5)

1. Modular and energy-efficient system for clearing roads and sidewalks comprising a vehicle 1, a fixing system 2 and orientation 10, a snow removal track 4 fixed on a chassis 3 and also having efficient cleaning brushes, characterized by its efficient removal and economically snow on roads and sidewalks by using a track 4 driven by an electric motor 7 which is powered and controlled by the operator through a module 11. 2. Modular and energy-efficient system for clearing roads and sidewalks according to claim 1, characterized in that the snow is removed by snow elements 6 located on a track 4 that prints snow away from the road or sidewalk at a minimum speed using the system. orientation 10, thus achieving a great energy and fuel economy. 3. Modular and energy-efficient system for clearing roads and sidewalks, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it does not allow the accumulation or blocking of snow between the snow elements 6 by retracting them inside the track 4 by means of the guide 8 and the ears. hanging 16. 4. Modular and energy-efficient system for clearing roads and sidewalks, according to claims 1-3, characterized in that it can be adapted according to the amount of snow, for smaller thicknesses using a single track 4 and for larger thicknesses of the snow is added over the first snow removal track 4 a second one, 4 ', which is fixed and is actuated by the first one and which similarly helps to remove the snow with 6' snow elements. 5. Modular and energy efficient system for clearing roads and sidewalks according to claims 1-4, characterized in that the snow removed from the road or sidewalk can be easily and energy efficiently taken over by a treadmill 19, operated by the same module 11 and which can adjust its snow climb speed according to track speed 4, storing it in the snow 20 of the snowmobile or in a trailer.