MOBILE SURFACE DRYING APPARATUS

• US 20100024242A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jacob Friesen, John Friesen, Rob Brush
• Original Assignee: Jacob Friesen, John Friesen, Rob Brush
• Inventors: Friesen, Jacob, Brush, Rob, Friesen, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/406
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/14 for heating or drying foundation, paving, or materials thereon, e.g. paint E01C23/03 takes precedence; heating or drying devices incorporated in the paving E01C11/26; surface soil stabilisation by fusing, calcining or burning soil in situ E01C21/02; for street cleaning E01H1/08; melting snow or ice on surfacing E01H5/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/108 Removing liquids or semi- liquids, e.g. absorbing rain water, sucking-off mud in road washing machines E01H1/103; in snow melting E01H5/108; applying absorbing agents on oil or the like E01H1/001; constructional measures for draining roads E01C11/224
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 19/005 Self-contained mobile devices, e.g. for agricultural produce movable devices with radiation means F26B3/28; small self-contained devices for drying objects at rest F26B9/003
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/12 by suction

Abstract

A mobile surface drying apparatus includes a vacuum and blower assembly. The vacuum and blower assembly includes a vacuum head and a blower head. The vacuum head suctions moisture through an inlet of the vacuum and blower assembly, and the blower head communicates airflow through an outlet of the vacuum and blower assembly.

Claims

1. A mobile surface drying apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum and blower assembly having a vacuum head and a blower head, wherein said vacuum head suctions moisture through an inlet of said vacuum and blower assembly and said blower head communicates airflow through an outlet of said vacuum and blower assembly.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said vacuum and blower assembly includes a support bracket and a plurality of rollers connected to said support bracket.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said vacuum head and said blower head are mounted to said support bracket between a first portion of said plurality of rollers and a second portion of said plurality of rollers.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising a vacuum fan that powers said vacuum head and a blower fan that powers said blower head.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, comprising tubing that connects said vacuum head to an exhaust chute for expelling said moisture that is suctioned through said inlet.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, comprising tubing that connects said blower head to said blower fan, wherein said airflow is communicated from said blower fan, through said tubing and said blower head, and through said outlet.

7. A mobile surface drying apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle structure positioned to traverse along a surface;

a carriage integrated with said vehicle structure; and

a first vacuum and blower assembly mounted to one of said vehicle structure and said carriage, wherein said first vacuum and blower assembly simultaneously communicates airflow through an inlet and an outlet to extract moisture from said surface.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, comprising a drier assembly mounted to said carriage at an aft position from said first vacuum and blower assembly.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said drier assembly includes a blower assembly, a burner and a forced air platform.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said drier assembly includes a generator and an infrared heating platform.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said drier assembly includes an airflow system, a jet burner system and a forced air platform.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, comprising a second vacuum and blower assembly mounted at an aft position from said first vacuum and blower assembly.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, comprising a debris management system mounted to said vehicle structure.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, comprising a traction control system that is selectively engageable relative to said surface.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, comprising an internal combustion engine and a hydraulic system.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said surface is a roadway.

17. A method for removing moisture from a surface with a mobile surface drying apparatus having a vacuum and blower assembly, comprising the steps of:

a) suctioning the moisture from the surface with the vacuum and blower assembly; and

b) communicating an airflow onto the surface with the vacuum and blower assembly.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said step a) is performed simultaneously with said step b).

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile surface drying apparatus includes a drier assembly and includes the step of:

c) communicating a hot airflow onto the surface with the drier assembly.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising the step of:

c) engaging the vacuum and blower assembly relative to the surface.