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, a hydraulic fluid pump, and a plurality of hydraulic fluid couplings for supplying hydraulic fluid to conduits attached thereto;
(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;
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, wherein each support arm is pivotally supported at its distal end within one of said slots and is at least partially retractable into said slots,and further wherein said front portion of the body includes a front center wall that extends upwardly away from a front end of the vehicle between said slots and said support arms, with at least a portion of said hydraulic fluid couplings located on said front center wall of the body.
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.
22 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A remotely-operable vehicle for cleaning material from beneath a structure, comprising:
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(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, a hydraulic fluid pump, and a plurality of hydraulic fluid couplings for supplying hydraulic fluid to conduits attached thereto; (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; 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, wherein each support arm is pivotally supported at its distal end within one of said slots and is at least partially retractable into said slots, and further wherein said front portion of the body includes a front center wall that extends upwardly away from a front end of the vehicle between said slots and said support arms, with at least a portion of said hydraulic fluid couplings located on said front center wall of the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19)
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17. A method of cleaning coal from beneath a conveyor belt in a coal mine, comprising the steps of:
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(a) remotely driving a remotely-operable vehicle beneath a conveyor belt having coal therebeneath, said vehicle having a body having a front portion and a rear portion, at least one support arm pivotally supported at its distal end by the body, a drive system for moving the vehicle having at least one drive motor, a hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid tank and a hydraulic fluid pump, 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 a pair of cleaning attachments removably attached to the vehicle at a proximal end the at least one support arm and configured to be manipulated remotely by a user using a remote control device; (b) remotely manipulating one of said cleaning attachments so as to dislodge coal from beneath the conveyor belt; and (c) remotely manipulating the other of said cleaning attachments to deposit said dislodged coal onto the conveyor belt. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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18. A remotely-operable vehicle adapted for use in cleaning within a mine environment, comprising:
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(a) body having a front portion and a rear portion; (b) at least one support arm pivotally supported at its distal end by said body; (c) a drive system for moving the vehicle having at least one drive motor; (d) a hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid tank, a hydraulic fluid pump, and a plurality of hydraulic actuators; (e) a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote control device for remotely operating the vehicle; and (f) a cleaning attachment attached to the vehicle at a proximal end of said at least one support arm and configured to be manipulated remotely by a user using a remote control device, said cleaning attachment comprising a grinder and a bucket, with said grinder located above and in front of said bucket and adapted to be transversely movable across at least a portion of the width of said bucket and pivotally movable away from said bucket, wherein said transverse and pivotal movement of the grinder can be independently and remotely controlled by an end user.
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Specification