CLEANING VEHICLE, VEHICLE SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A remotely-operable vehicle for cleaning material from beneath a structure, comprising:
- (a) body having a front portion and a rear portion;
(b) a pair of support arms, each support arm pivotally supported at its distal end within the body;
(c) a drive system for moving the vehicle having at least one drive motor;
(d) a hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid tank and a hydraulic fluid pump;
(e) a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote control device;
(f) a processor which generates signals for operating the drive system and the hydraulic system in response to received control signals; and
(d) at least one cleaning attachment, removably attached to the vehicle at a proximal end of each support arm, wherein said at least one cleaning attachment is configured to be manipulated remotely by a user using a remote control device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remotely-operable vehicle for cleaning material from beneath a structure. The vehicle includes a body having a front portion and a rear portion, a pair of support arms pivotally supported within the body, a drive system for moving the vehicle, a hydraulic system, a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote control device, a processor which generates signals for operating the drive system and the hydraulic system in response to received control signals, and at least one cleaning attachment removably attached to the vehicle at a proximal end of each support arm. A vehicle system as well as a method of cleaning coal from beneath a conveyor belt in a coal mine are also provided.
43 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A remotely-operable vehicle for cleaning material from beneath a structure, comprising:
-
(a) body having a front portion and a rear portion; (b) a pair of support arms, each support arm pivotally supported at its distal end within the body; (c) a drive system for moving the vehicle having at least one drive motor; (d) a hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid tank and a hydraulic fluid pump; (e) a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote control device; (f) a processor which generates signals for operating the drive system and the hydraulic system in response to received control signals; and (d) at least one cleaning attachment, removably attached to the vehicle at a proximal end of each support arm, wherein said at least one cleaning attachment is configured to be manipulated remotely by a user using a remote control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 20)
-
-
13. A remotely-operable vehicle system for cleaning material from beneath a structure, comprising:
-
(a) a remotely-operable vehicle having; a body having a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion of the body includes a pair of support arm receiving slots, each of said slots extending rearwardly from the front end of the body to a distal end wall of the front portion of the body; a pair of support arms, each support arm pivotally supported at its distal end within one of said slots, and further wherein said support arms are at least partially retractable into said slots; a pair of hydraulic actuators associated with each of the support arms, each pair including upper and lower actuators, wherein the upper actuators are configured for effecting pivotal movement of a cleaning attachment affixed to proximal ends of the support arms, and the lower actuators are configured for raising and lowering the support arms; a pair of separately drivable drive tracks operatively mounted to said body, each having an associated drive motor; a hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid tank, a hydraulic fluid pump, and a plurality of control valves, wherein said hydraulic fluid pump is in fluid communication with the tank and control valves, and supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid from the tank to said control vales for distribution to said drive motors and said actuators; a processor which generates signals for operating the drive system and the hydraulic system in response to control signals which the vehicle receives from a remote control device; at least one cleaning attachment removably attached to the vehicle at a proximal end of each support arm, wherein said at least one cleaning attachment is configured to be manipulated remotely by a user using a remote control device; and (b) a remote control device configured to allow a user to transmit control signals from the remote control device to the vehicle for controllably driving the vehicle as well as controllably manipulating said cleaning attachment. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification