Rotary air screen for a work machine

• US 20020088208A1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Case Corporation (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Crabb, Richard J., Lukac, J. Bradley, Orsborn, Jesse H., Pikesh, Derryn W., Horejsi, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,514,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/289
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 51/026 of the automotive vehicle type, e.g. including driver accommodation A01B51/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0056 with rotational movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/26 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/12 Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2011/063 Cleaning F01P2011/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/255 for testing wheel alignment

Abstract

A rotary screen assembly rotatable about a rotational axis for filtering air entering an air inlet of a work machine, the screen assembly having an axially facing screen surface including an outer circumferential edge disposed around the rotational axis in radially spaced relation thereto, an elongate brush having bristles disposed along a longitudinal extent thereof in contact with the axially facing screen surface for brushing collected material and contaminants therefrom, the longitudinal extent or axis of the brush forming a chord of the outer circumferential edge spaced a distance from the rotational axis or being skewed relative to the rotational axis such that when the screen is rotated about the rotational axis in a predetermined direction a force is imparted to the collected material and contaminants by the bristles of the brush sufficient to move the collected material and contaminants radially outwardly past the circumferential edge. The screen surfaces are preferable substantially continuous and smooth and the axially facing screen surface is preferably flat and can include a plurality of screen panels removably disposed around a center hub through which the rotational axis extends, each of the screen panels including a peripheral frame defining an opening therethrough, and a screen fabric permanently attached to and preferably flush with the frame around the opening in covering relation thereto, allowing quickly and easily replacing the panels as they wear or are damaged.

Claims

1. In a rotary screen assembly rotatable about a rotational axis, the screen assembly having an axially facing screen surface including an outer circumferential edge disposed around the rotational axis in radially spaced relation thereto, an improvement comprising an elongate brush having a longitudinal axis and bristles disposed along the longitudinal axis in contact with the axially facing screen surface for brushing collected material and contaminants therefrom, the longitudinal axis extending as a chord to the outer circumferential edge spaced a distance from the rotational axis such that when the screen is rotated about the rotational axis in a predetermined direction a force is imparted to the collected material and contaminants by the bristles of the brush sufficient to move the collected material and contaminants radially outwardly past the circumferential edge.

2. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 1, the improvement further comprising a baffle disposed such that the air is not drawn in significant amounts through the screen surface in close proximity to the brush.

3. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 1, the screen further comprising a circumferential screen surface extending generally axially with respect to the rotational axis around the circumferential edge of the axially facing screen surface, the improvement further comprising a second brush positioned for brushing collected material and contaminants from the circumferential screen surface.

4. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 1, the improvement further comprising a rod extending across the axially facing screen surface supporting the brush.

5. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 1, the improvement further comprising the axially facing screen surface including a plurality of screen panels detachably mounted around the rotational axis.

6. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 5, the improvement further comprising each of the screen panels including a frame defining an opening therethrough, and a screen fabric permanently mounted to the frame around the opening in covering relation thereto, such that the frames and screen fabric of the screen panels form a substantially continuous smooth surface.

7. In the rotary screen assembly of claim 6, wherein the screen fabric has openings therethrough having an average size of from about 100 to about 900 microns.

8. A rotary screen assembly for filtering air flow into a work machine, comprising:

a screen structure supported for rotation about a rotational axis, the screen structure including an axially facing screen surface having a plurality of interstices therein for the passage of the air flow therethrough and an outer circumferential edge disposed around the rotational axis in radially spaced relation thereto;

an elongate brush having bristles disposed in contact with the axially facing screen surface for brushing collected material and contaminants therefrom, the brush having a longitudinal axis skewed relative to the rotational axis sufficiently such that when the screen is rotated about the rotational axis in a predetermined direction a force is imparted to the collected material and contaminants by the bristles of the brush in a direction for moving the collected material and contaminants radially outwardly along the brush past the circumferential edge of the surface.

9. The rotary screen assembly of claim 8, wherein the screen surface is at least generally vertical and the longitudinal axis is oriented at about a 45 degree angle to vertical.

10. The rotary screen of claim 8, wherein the screen surface comprises a plurality of screen panels removably disposed around a center hub through which the rotational axis extends, each of the screen panels including a peripheral frame defining an opening therethrough, and a screen fabric permanently attached to the frame around the opening in covering relation thereto, such that the panels form a substantially continuous surface around the center hub.

11. The rotary screen of claim 10, wherein the peripheral frame of each of the screen panels comprises a molded plastics structure and the screen fabric includes edge portions molded in the plastics structure forming a substantially flush surface.

12. The rotary screen of claim 11, wherein the peripheral frame of each of the screen panels comprises at least one support brace spanning the opening therethrough for supporting the screen fabric.

13. The rotary screen assembly of claim 8, further comprising a circumferential screen surface extending generally axially with respect to the rotational axis around the circumferential edge of the axially facing screen surface, and a second brush positioned for brushing collected material and contaminants from the circumferential screen surface.

14. The rotary screen assembly of claim 13, wherein the circumferential screen surface comprises a plurality of removable screen panels.

16. The rotary air screen of claim 15 wherein the screen panels each include a peripheral frame defining an opening therethrough, and a screen fabric permanently attached to the frame around the opening therethrough in covering relation to the opening and in flush relation with the peripheral frame.

17. The rotary air screen of claim 16, wherein the peripheral frame of each of the screen panels comprises a molded plastics material and the screen fabric includes edge portions molded in the plastics material, forming a substantially flush surface.

18. The rotary air screen of claim 15, further comprising an elongate brush having bristles disposed in contact with the axially facing screen surface for brushing collected material and contaminants therefrom, the brush having a longitudinal extent skewed relative to the rotational axis sufficiently such that when the screen is rotated about the rotational axis in a predetermined direction a force is imparted to the collected material and contaminants by the bristles of the brush in a direction for moving the collected material and contaminants radially outwardly along the brush past the circumferential edge of the surface.

19. The rotary air screen of claim 18, wherein the screen surface is at least generally vertical and the brush has a longitudinal axis oriented at about a 45 degree angle to vertical.

20. The rotary air screen of claim 15, further comprising a seal element extending circumferentially around the second circumferential rim, the seal element comprising at least one synthetic fluorine containing resin having a substantially lower coefficient of friction compared to the second circumferential rim.

21. The rotary air screen of claim 18, further comprising a baffle disposed such that air flow through the screen surface in close proximity to the brush is reduced.

22. The rotary air screen of claim 18, further comprising a second brush positioned for brushing material and contaminants from the circumferential screen surface.

23. The rotary air screen of claim 21, wherein the baffle is located externally of the air screen and the brush is mounted to the baffle.

25. The rotary air screen of claim 24, wherein the axially facing screen surface is substantially flat.

26. The rotary air screen of claim 24, wherein the screen surface includes openings therethrough having an average size of from about 100 to about 900 microns.

27. The rotary air screen of claim 24, wherein the screen surface includes openings therethrough having an average size of from about 125 to about 300 microns.

28. The rotary air screen of claim 24, wherein the screen surface comprises a stainless steel screen material.

29. The rotary air screen of claim 24, further comprising an elongate brush having bristles disposed in contact with the axially facing screen surface for brushing collected material and contaminants therefrom, the brush having a longitudinal extent skewed relative to the rotational axis sufficiently such that when the screen is rotated about the rotational axis in a predetermined direction a force is imparted to the collected material and contaminants by the bristles of the brush in a direction for moving the collected material and contaminants radially outwardly along the brush past the circumferential edge of the surface.

30. The rotary air screen of claim 29, wherein the screen surface is at least generally vertical and the brush has a longitudinal axis oriented at about a 45 degree angle to vertical.

31. The rotary air screen of claim 30, further comprising a baffle disposed such that air flow through the screen surface in close proximity to the brush is reduced or eliminated.

15. A rotary air screen for an air inlet of a work machine, comprising:

a center hub mountable to a rotatable member for rotation therewith about an axis of rotation extending through the hub;

a plurality of radial ribs extending radially outwardly from the center hub at angularly spaced locations therearound to a first outer circumferential rim at least generally coaxial with the hub and located radially outwardly therefrom, the hub, the radial ribs, and the first outer circumferential rim defining a plurality of axially facing openings;

a plurality of circumferential ribs extending generally axially from the first outer circumferential rim to a second outer circumferential rim axially spaced therefrom and at least generally coaxial therewith, the first and second circumferential rims and the circumferential ribs defining a plurality of circumferentially facing openings;

a plurality of screen panels removably mounted to the hub, the radial ribs, and the first outer circumferential rim in covering relation to the plurality of axially facing openings, respectively, defining a substantially continuous axially facing screen surface for the flow of air therethrough to the air inlet; and

a plurality of screen panels removably mounted to the first and second circumferential rims and the circumferential ribs in covering relation to the plurality of circumferentially facing openings, respectively, defining a radially facing circumferential screen surface for the flow of air therethrough to the air inlet.

24. A rotary air screen for an air inlet of a work machine, comprising:

a center hub mountable to a rotatable member for rotation therewith about an axis of rotation extending through the hub;

a plurality of radial ribs extending radially outwardly from the center hub at angularly spaced locations therearound to an outer circumferential rim at least generally coaxial with the hub and located radially outwardly therefrom, the hub, the radial ribs, and the outer circumferential rim forming a structure defining a plurality of axially facing openings; and

a plurality of screen panels removably mounted to the structure in covering relation to the plurality of axially facing openings, respectively, defining a substantially smooth, continuous axially facing screen surface for the flow of air therethrough to the air inlet.

32. A rotary air screen for an air inlet of a work machine, comprising:

at least one screen panel mounted for rotation in covering relation to the air inlet, the screen panel comprising a screen material having a plurality of openings therethrough for the flow of air therethrough to the air inlet, the openings having an average size of less than about 900 microns.

33. The rotary air screen of claim 32 wherein the openings have an average size of less than about 300 microns.