EXCHANGEABLE SWEEPING BRUSH DEVICE AND SWEEPER HAVING SUCH A SWEEPING BRUSH DEVICE

• US 20120124760A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Wahl, Joachim, Haberl, Bernd, Weller, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/02 Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirtE01H1/003, E01H1/005, E01H1/006 and E01H1/08 - E01H1/14 take precedence; loosening by means of gas jets or streams E01H1/0818, E01H1/0872; with brushes functioning under vacuum or combined with independent suction nozzles E01H1/0827; loosening by means of liquid streams E01H1/101; mechanical loosening instruments other than brushes E01H1/105; for railway tracks E01H8/00; brushes in general A46B; for floors or similar surfaces A47L11/22, A47L11/24
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/053 having vertical axes

Abstract

An exchangeable sweeping brush device for a carrier vehicle is provided. The device has at least one sweeping brush which is rotationally drivable about an almost vertically oriented axis of rotation of the brush and is held on a supporting frame, the supporting frame being detachably connectable to a supporting fork of the carrier vehicle, which is pivotable about a first horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The supporting frame comprises a first supporting assembly on which the at least one sweeping brush is rotatably mounted, and a second supporting assembly which is detachably connectable to the supporting fork, the first supporting assembly being connected to the second supporting assembly for pivotal movement about a second horizontal pivot axis and being detachably connectable to the carrier vehicle by at least one tension member. A sweeper having such a sweeping brush device is also proposed.

Claims

1. Exchangeable sweeping brush device for a carrier vehicle having:

at least one sweeping brush which is rotationally drivable about an almost vertically oriented axis of rotation of the brush and is held on a supporting frame, the supporting frame being detachably connectable to a supporting fork of the carrier vehicle, which is pivotable about a first horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

wherein the supporting frame comprises a first supporting assembly on which the at least one sweeping brush is mounted for rotation, and a second supporting assembly which is detachably connectable to the supporting fork, the first supporting assembly being connected to the second supporting assembly for pivotal movement about a second horizontal pivot axis and being detachably connectable to the carrier vehicle by at least one tension member.

2. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact pressure which the at least one sweeping brush exerts on a ground surface that is to be cleaned is adjustable.

3. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first supporting assembly is pivotable about the second horizontal pivot axis against a spring-elastic restoring force.

4. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the strength of the spring-elastic restoring force is adjustable.

5. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first supporting assembly comprises a tension member holder, which is connectable to the tension member at a distance from the second horizontal pivot axis, and which is coupled by a spring element to the second supporting assembly.

6. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the spring element is configured as a compression spring.

7. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the spring force of the compression spring is adjustable.

8. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pivotability of the first supporting assembly is limited.

9. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the second supporting assembly comprises a stop against which the first supporting assembly comes to bear when it reaches a maximum pivot angle.

10. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sweeping brush device comprises two sweeping brushes.

11. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the first supporting assembly comprises a first cross member, at each end of which a retaining arm, carrying a sweeping brush, is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical pivot axis.

12. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the first cross member is rigidly connected to two longitudinal members, which are mounted on the second supporting assembly for pivotal movement about the second horizontal pivot axis.

13. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the two longitudinal members are rigidly connected to each other by a second cross member, with the second horizontal pivot axis extending between the first cross member and the second cross member.

14. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the second cross member is rigidly connected to a tension member holder, the at least one tension member being connectable to the free end of the tension member holder projecting from the second cross member.

15. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the tension member holder is adapted to bear against a stop of the second supporting assembly after pivoting of the first supporting assembly through a maximum pivot angle.

16. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first supporting assembly is held on the second supporting assembly so as to swing about the second horizontal pivot axis.

17. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second supporting assembly comprises a transverse member, which is adapted to be placed on the free end regions of the supporting fork, and on which the first supporting assembly is mounted for pivotal movement about the second horizontal pivot axis.

18. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the transverse member comprises receptacles which each receive a free end region of a prong of the supporting fork.

19. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the transverse member forms a stop which limits the pivotability of the first supporting assembly.

20. Exchangeable sweeping brush device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the transverse member carries a spring holder which is coupled to the first supporting assembly by a spring element.

21. Sweeper having:

a chassis;

a supporting fork coupled to the chassis, the supporting fork being pivotable about a first horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; and

a sweeping brush device which is detachably connectable to the supporting fork and has at least one sweeping brush which is rotationally drivable about an almost vertically oriented axis of rotation of the brush and is held on a supporting frame, the supporting frame being detachably connectable to a supporting fork of the carrier vehicle, which is pivotable about a first horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

wherein the supporting frame comprises a first supporting assembly on which the at least one sweeping brush is mounted for rotation, and a second supporting assembly which is detachably connectable to the supporting fork, the first supporting assembly being connected to the second supporting assembly for pivotal movement about a second horizontal pivot axis and being detachably connectable to the carrier vehicle by at least one tension member; and

wherein at least one fastening element is held on the chassis for connecting the at least one tension member to the chassis.

22. Sweeper in accordance with claim 21, wherein a supporting part is held on the chassis for pivotal movement about the first horizontal pivot axis, and the supporting fork is mounted on the supporting part for pivotal movement about a third horizontal pivot axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.