Power management system for street sweeper
First Claim
1. A street sweeper comprising:
- a variable speed engine for transporting the street sweeper;
an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information;
a hydraulic pump operatively coupled to the engine;
a sweeping mechanism powered by the hydraulic pump and including a main pickup brush and a debris conveyer;
a vacuum system including a vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump, said vacuum system for creating an airflow within the street sweeper;
an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power management system for a surface maintenance machine, such as a street sweeper is disclosed. The system includes a variable speed engine for transporting the surface maintenance machine, a hydraulic pump powered by the engine, a vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump, an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine, an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor, and a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed. A method of managing engine power from a single-engine street sweeper is also disclosed.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A street sweeper comprising:
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a variable speed engine for transporting the street sweeper;
an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information;
a hydraulic pump operatively coupled to the engine;
a sweeping mechanism powered by the hydraulic pump and including a main pickup brush and a debris conveyer;
a vacuum system including a vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump, said vacuum system for creating an airflow within the street sweeper;
an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A power management system for a street sweeper comprising:
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a variable speed engine for transporting the street sweeper and for powering sweeping components of the street sweeper, said engine being operable within either an idle speed range and a full speed range;
an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information;
a hydraulic pump powered by the engine;
a vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump;
an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A street sweeper comprising:
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a vehicle;
an engine for transporting the vehicle and for powering a sweeping mechanism and a vacuum system;
an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information;
a hydraulic pump operatively coupled to the engine;
a hydraulic vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump;
a main cylindrical pickup broom coupled to the vehicle;
a debris conveyer for transporting debris from the pickup broom to a debris collection hopper;
a gutter broom operatively coupled to the vehicle;
an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of managing engine power from a single-engine street sweeper, said street sweeper including a variable speed engine for transporting the street sweeper, a sweeping mechanism powered by the engine and including a main pickup brush and a debris conveyer, a vacuum system including a hydraulic vacuum fan motor, an air filter in communication with the vacuum system for collecting debris, an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information, a hydraulic pump coupled to the engine, an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor, and a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) operating the engine at a first selected engine speed;
(b) communicating engine speed information from the engine speed sensor to the control unit;
(c) selecting a proportional valve setting from among a group of predetermined valve settings;
(d) communicating a signal from the control unit to the proportional valve, said signal associated with the proportional valve setting selected in step (c);
(e) adjusting the proportional valve in response to the signal communicated in step (d); and
(f) repeating steps (a) through (e) with the engine operating at a second engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A power management system for a surface maintenance machine, said system comprising:
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a variable speed engine for transporting the surface maintenance machine, said engine operating within one of an idle speed range, an intermediate speed range, and a full speed range;
a hydraulic pump powered by the engine;
a vacuum system including a hydraulic vacuum fan motor powered by the hydraulic pump;
an engine speed sensor coupled to the engine for providing engine speed information;
an electric proportional valve coupled between the hydraulic pump and the vacuum fan motor, said valve for selectively restricting a flow rate to the vacuum fan motor; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the engine speed sensor and the proportional valve, said control unit receiving the engine speed information from the engine speed sensor and communicating a predetermined signal to the proportional valve to control the flow rate to the vacuum fan motor as a function of engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification