WO2011006844A1

WO2011006844A1 - Agricultural/industrial machine provided with pressurized gas cleaning system.

Info

Publication number: WO2011006844A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/059881
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Magnaterra; Luca Urbani
Original assignee: Roberto Magnaterra; Luca Urbani
Priority date: 2009-07-14
Filing date: 2010-07-09
Publication date: 2011-01-20
Also published as: IT1398932B1; ITMC20100032A1

Abstract

The present industrial invention relates to an agricultural/industrial machine provided with cleaning system with pressurized gas, preferably air, which is used to eliminate dust particles (of any kind) from surfaces to be cleaned (such as glass surfaces, rear-view mirrors, cameras, etc.).

Description

Agricultural/industrial machine provided with pressurized gas cleaning system.

The present patent application for industrial invention relates to an agricultural/industrial machine provided with cleaning system with pressurized gas, preferably air.

The invention makes use of pneumatic circuits (or other pressurized fluids) applied in those fields in which the operators of machines or fixed installations operate said machines and/or installations from a cabin that moves with the machine, remains still with respect to the process that is being controlled, is close or far from the area where the operation that is being controlled is carried out.

Today, in order to ensure good visibility in the work area, all fixed and/or mobile installations, agricultural/industrial machines and earth moving machines that work in dusty environments need constant cleaning of the glass surfaces and mirrors that used to see the process that is being controlled. In order to maintain the aforementioned surfaces clean, systems are used to mechanically remove dust deposits (for example windscreen wipers) and make the work area visible. When using these systems, at least four serious inconveniences are encountered:

> First of all, not all the glass surfaces of the cabin, the mirrors and cameras can be reached by said mechanical devices. For this reason, the operation to be controlled or the maneuver to be made may be carried out in an area of the installation or machine with poor visibility for the operator because the glass or mirror (or camera) is not "served" by any cleaning device.

> Secondly, said mechanical cleaning systems of glasses (or transparent surfaces of non-glass material) are not designed to remove dusts

(or other more or less abrasive particles). For this reason, the glass (or the transparent surfaces of non-glass material), the mirror or camera may not be cleaned appropriately and may be damaged (for example scratched) by the particles dragged by the mechanical device if the latter is used in dry conditions. If it is used with water or other detergents, a paste is formed, making the operator's vision even more difficult (unless large quantities of liquid are used). Moreover, with the passing of time, even if the mechanical device cleans the surface, the device can be rapidly worn out because dust particles are abrasive.

> The third inconvenience consists in the fact that there may be very small surfaces that are difficult to reach. For this reason, the assembly of a mechanical cleaning system may be very difficult or not economically convenient. A typical example is mirrors or electronic systems such as cameras or video cameras (which are more and more often used and sometimes required by the legislation in order to increase safety).

> The fourth inconvenience is related to safety of operators, who are every now and then forced to clean both mirrors and glass surfaces of the cabin in order to maintain good visibility. Although this operation is often described in the machine's user and maintenance manuals and specific supports and handles are provided, in some machines or installations this operation requires operators to climb onto dangerous areas of the machines. A reduction (or elimination) of the frequency of these dangerous operations increases the operator's safety.

The purpose of the present invention is to devise an agricultural/industrial machine provided with cleaning system, which is not impaired by the aforementioned drawbacks.

This purpose has been achieved according to the present invention, with the characteristics illustrated in the attached independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims. The invention consists in devising a machine provided with a system that uses pressurized air to eliminate dust particles (of any kind) from the surfaces to be cleaned (such as glasses, rear-view mirrors, cameras, etc.). The system comprises adjustable nozzles that are positioned in such a way that the pressurized fluid is directed onto the surfaces to be cleaned. The position of said adjustable nozzles is such that the gas supplied by the nozzle reaches the surface to be cleaned with an alpha angle of a few degrees. In this way the dust particles are dragged away by the moving gas.

With this system dust particles are eliminated from the surface on which the nozzles are directed, thus remedying all the aforementioned inconveniences.

As it can be easily understood, the efficacy of the system depends on the type of dust, for example, excellent efficacy is achieved for volatile dust that tends to adhere less to surfaces, with practically complete elimination of dust deposits, whereas this is not possible for less volatile dust that intrinsically tends to adhere more to surfaces.

Although the system provided on the machine of the invention is sufficient to ensure satisfactory cleaning of all parts that must be kept clean, the same system can be installed on a machine together with traditional cleaning systems.

The system installed on board the machine of the invention provides for distribution of fluid through nozzles by means of valves that can be either electrically controlled valves or valves of other type.

The gas to be used, generally air, is produced by a compressor (normally mounted on agricultural/industrial machines) and stored in a tank.

Alternatively, the machine of the invention may comprise only the tank to be refilled from time to time with an external compressor.

For more clarity the description of the system of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which only have an illustrative, not limiting purpose, wherein:

- figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit of the system of the invention;

- figure 2 is an axonometric view of an agricultural machine (threshing machine) provided with the system of the invention;

- figure 3 is an axonometric view of a cabin of an agricultural/industrial machine;

- figures 3a and 3b are enlarged views of details from fig. 3; - A -

- figure 4 is an axonometric view of a rear-view mirror of the cabin of fig. 3.

Referring to figure 1 , the system of the present invention comprises:

- a compressor (C) provided with engine (M) (indifferently internal combustion, electric, hydraulic or pneumatic engine);

- a tank (S) to store compressed air produced by said compressor (C);

- a safety valve (V1 ) installed in said tank (S);

- a series of adjustable nozzles (U).

- a pipe (T) connecting said tank (S) to said series of adjustable nozzles (U).

The following parts are situated along said pipe (T) in sequential order:

- a tap (R) installed immediately downstream said tank (S) used to cut off the system in case of failure of one of its parts;

- a pressure controller (P) designed to inhibit the operation of the system if the pressure inside the tank (S) falls below a predefined value.

- a filter (F) installed immediately downstream the tank (S) that holds both the condensation particles that are possibly generated in the tank (S) and the impurities sucked by the compressor (C) during operation;

- a pressure control valve (V3);

- a pressure gauge (Ma);

- an electrovalve (V2) that enables supply of gas from the nozzles.

It must be noted that a higher number of electrovalves (V2) and adjustable nozzles (U) can be provided according to the number of nozzles (U) and number of surfaces to be cleaned.

One of the machines of the invention that can be provided with such a system is a threshing machine, as shown in fig. 2. Such a threshing machine constantly works in very dusty environments. In actual fact, operators must often interrupt their work to clean glass surfaces and rear-view mirrors, which play a crucial role in maneuvering during threshing, especially when working in small plots of land or in land with trees and other obstacles.

These machines are (normally) provided with a compressor that, through suitable pneumatic circuits, is used to actuate guide pulleys and other actuators. In such a case the machine of the invention already comprises a compressor (C) and a tank (S) that must be provided with an auxiliary output downstream of which a system such the one shown in fig. 2. is installed.

In the latter case it is important to provide for a pressure controller (P) as safety device, since by adjusting it two bars under the value set for the safety valve (V1 ) of the tank (S), being the power supply of the electrovalves

(V2) connected in series with the pressure controller (P), if the pressure inside the tank (S) drops excessively (due to frequent use of the cleaning system) the entire circuit is deactivated because the pressure controller inhibits the operation of the electrovalves (V2).

Only when the pressure inside the tank (S) has reached a higher value than the value set for the pressure controller (P), the pressure controller (P) will reactivate the correct operation of the electrovalve (V2).

This allows the machine for maintaining a constant performance, avoiding downtime due to the impossibility of making maneuvers that require the use of compressed air.

Referring to figs. 2 and 3, the agricultural/industrial machine of the invention comprises a cabin (1 ) with a large glass surface (1 a) and is provided with at least one rear-view mirror (2), two in this specific case, one on the right-hand side and one on the left-hand side.

Referring to fig. 3, said cabin (1 ) is provided on said glass surface (1 a) with two support frames (3) for corresponding series of adjustable nozzles (U).

Specifically, two curvilinear bars (3) are provided above and under the glass surface (1 a), which follow the direction of the glass surface (1 a) that is slightly convex.

In this way, all nozzles (U) of each single bar (3) are at the same distance from the glass surface (1 a) so that the cleaning action actuated by them is the same.

Referring to fig. 4, each rear-view mirror (2) is provided with an adjustable nozzle (U) for cleaning.

Although it is not shown in the enclosed figures, according to a preferred embodiment of the machine of the invention, said machine comprises an adjustable nozzle (U) designed to clean a camera mounted on the back of the machine.

Preferably, the machine of the invention is built with integrated cleaning system with compressed air, although it is possible to provide existing machines with parts sold as an assembly kit to convert the original machine into a machine as claimed in the present invention.

Claims

1 ) Agricultural/industrial machine provided with pressurized gas cleaning system, comprising:

- a tank (S) to store compressed gas;

- a series of adjustable nozzles (U).

- a pipe (T) connecting said tank (S) to said series of adjustable nozzles (U)

- means adapted to enable the emission of compressed gas from the nozzles.

2) Machine as claimed in the first claim, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a safety valve (V1 ) installed in said tank (S); 3) Machine as claimed in any one of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a tap (R) installed along said pipe (T) immediately downstream said tank (S);

4) Machine as claimed in any one of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises an electrovalve (V2) and a pressure controller (P) designed to inhibit the operation of the electrovalve (V2).

5) Machine as claimed in any one of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a filter (F) installed immediately downstream the tank (S) that holds impurities and condensation particles that are possibly generated in the tank (S).

6) Machine as claimed in any one of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a pressure control valve (V3).

7) Machine as claimed in any one of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a pressure gauge (Ma).

8) Machine as claimed in one or more of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas cleaning system comprises a compressor (C) provided with engine (M) and connected to said tank (S).

9) Machine as claimed in one or more of the above claims, characterized in that said pressurized gas is compressed air.