Construction machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a construction machine, in particular a ground compactor, comprising at least one system region (24) which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (D) relative to a machine frame (22), and at least one first electrical unit (78) on the rotatable system region (24), the at least one first electrical unit (78) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the at least one second electrical unit (80), which is supported outside the rotatable system region (24) relative to the machine frame (22), by means of a line connection (82), characterized in that the line connection (82) comprises a first line path (84), in which the first line path (84) comprises at least one sealing device (56), the sealing device (56) tightly seals the rotatable system area (24) relative to the non-rotating system area (42) supported by the machine frame (22).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a construction machine, such as a soil compacting machine, having a system region which is rotatably supported about a rotation axis on a machine frame. Background Art

[0002] Such a construction machine is known from DE 10 2016 121 724 A1. In such a construction machine designed as a soil compactor, energy is transmitted wirelessly by induction between an electrical energy consumer arranged in the soil processing roller and a power source arranged outside the soil processing roller. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a construction machine in which an electrically conductive connection in the region of the rotating system can be provided in a simple and reliable manner.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a construction machine, in particular a soil compactor, comprising at least one system area that can rotate relative to a frame about a rotation axis and at least one first electrical unit located on the rotatable system area, wherein the at least one first electrical unit is electrically conductively connected to at least one second electrical unit by means of a pipeline connection (Leitungsverbindung), and the second electrical unit is supported outside the rotatable system area relative to the frame.

[0005] The line connection comprises a first line path, wherein the first line path comprises at least one sealing device which tightly seals a rotatable system region relative to a non-rotating system region supported by the frame.

[0006] In order to transmit electrical energy or electrical signals between a rotatable system region of a ground working machine and a region outside the rotatable system region (i.e. a system region that does not rotate with the rotatable system region), the invention uses components that are usually located on the construction machine to perform other functions. At least one sealing device primarily ensures that the inner volume of the rotatable system region is sealed off to the outside, so that, for example, lubricant can be prevented from escaping and contaminants can be reliably prevented from entering this volume region.

[0007] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one sealing device may include a slide ring seal, wherein the slide ring seal includes a first slide ring made of an electrically conductive material and supported relative to a rotatable system region and a second slide ring made of an electrically conductive material and supported relative to a non-rotating system region, wherein the first slide ring and the second slide ring are supported relative to one another so as to be rotatable relative to one another in the direction of the rotation axis and around the rotation axis. For reasons of stability and durability, the slide rings are advantageously usually made of a metallic material, such as steel.

[0008] In order to ensure a defined positioning of the slip rings, it is recommended that the first slip ring is supported radially outwardly in a first axial direction relative to a rotatable system area by means of an annular first sealing element, and that the second slip ring is supported radially outwardly in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction relative to a non-rotatable system area by means of an annular second sealing element.

[0009] In order to be able to ensure a tight seal in the slide ring regions which are supported directly against one another, provision can be made for the first slide ring to have a first axial support region and for the second slide ring to have a second axial support region which is supported axially on the first axial support region.

[0010] For example, in order to minimize loads, each of the first and second axial support regions may comprise a substantially radially extending support surface.

[0011] The first slide ring and the second slide ring can be pressed into axial contact with each other by means of the first annular sealing element and the second annular sealing element with their first axial support region and second axial support region.

[0012] In order to establish the conductive connection, it is further proposed that the first slip ring is conductively connected to at least one first electrical unit by means of a first connecting line, and the second slip ring is conductively connected to at least one second electrical unit by means of a second connecting line. These connecting lines can be designed, for example, in the form of cables, conductor rails, etc.

[0013] For stable contact, the first connecting line can be conductively connected to the first slip ring by a material connection (preferably welding and / or clamping and / or screwing), and / or the second connecting line can be conductively connected to the second slip ring by a material connection (preferably welding and / or clamping and / or screwing).

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned purpose, regardless of the way in which the first pipeline path is provided, it is further proposed that the pipeline connection includes a second pipeline path, wherein the second pipeline path includes at least one bearing unit, which supports the rotating system area rotatably around the rotation axis relative to the non-rotating system area supported by the frame.

[0015] At least one bearing unit may include a rolling element bearing having a bearing outer ring made of an electrically conductive material, a bearing inner ring made of an electrically conductive material, and a plurality of rolling elements made of an electrically conductive material supported on the bearing outer ring and the bearing inner ring. For reasons of stability and durability, it is also advantageous if the individual components of such a bearing unit are made of a metallic material, such as steel.

[0016] For electrical contacting, at least one bearing unit can be electrically conductively connected to at least one first electrical unit by means of a third connecting line, and at least one bearing unit can be electrically conductively connected to at least one second electrical unit by means of a fourth connecting line.

[0017] In particular, if the second line path provides a ground connection for the construction machine or is to be connected to the construction machine, it is advantageous if the third connecting line comprises at least one electrically conductive, supporting structural element of the rotatable system region. The second line path can be provided at least partially by already existing components of the rotatable system region.

[0018] For this purpose, it can be provided that at least one bearing unit is supported radially and / or axially on at least one electrically conductive, supporting structural element.

[0019] For example, it can also be provided that the second line path comprises a roller drive motor, wherein the rotor region is rotatably supported relative to the stator region by means of one or more electrically conductive bearing units.

[0020] In order to dampen or reduce the transmission of vibrations between the rotatable system region and the machine frame, it is proposed that the non-rotating system region is supported on the machine frame by means of a plurality of elastic, electrically insulating suspension elements.

[0021] The at least one first electrical unit can comprise an electrical energy consumer, preferably a sensor and / or a transmitter unit. It can also be provided that the at least one second electrical unit comprises an electrical energy source, preferably a battery and / or a generator.

[0022] In particular, if the construction machine is designed as a soil compacting machine, for example a self-propelled soil compacting machine, the rotatable system region can include soil processing rollers.

[0023] By means of at least one sealing device, a volume containing an unbalanced device with at least one unbalanced mass which is rotatable about an unbalanced axis of rotation can be tightly sealed in the floor processing roller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings show:

[0025] Figure 1 is a side view of a construction machine designed as a self-propelled ground compactor;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A longitudinal section view of a floor processing roller of a construction machinery;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of detail III;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional cross-sectional view of a slide ring seal of a floor processing roller of a construction machinery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figure 1 A side view of a construction machine 10 designed as a self-propelled ground compactor is shown. The construction machine 10 comprises driven wheels 14 on a rear vehicle 12, the wheels 14 being driven by a drive assembly arranged on the rear vehicle 12, so that the ground processing machine 10 moves on a foundation 16 to be compacted. An operating station 18 is arranged on the rear vehicle 12, in which there is space for an operator to operate the ground processing machine 10.

[0030] The front vehicle 20 of the ground working machine 10 is connected in an articulated manner to the rear vehicle 12 for maneuvering the rear vehicle 12. On the front vehicle 20, which essentially provides a component of the frame 22 of the ground working machine 10, the ground working rollers 26 providing the rotatable system area 24 of the ground working machine 10 are arranged around the front vehicle 20. Figure 1 The roller is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation D which is orthogonal to the drawing plane.

[0031] In the design example shown, Figure 2 The floor processing roller 26 shown in longitudinal section is also driven to rotate and has a roller drive motor 32 for this purpose, which is connected to the roller cover 30 via a disk-shaped support element 28 (often also called a disk). The stator region of the roller drive motor 32 can be supported on the front vehicle 20 via a plurality of elastic suspension elements (not shown), while the rotor region of the roller drive motor 32 is connected to the support element 28.

[0032] The first bearing support element 36 is used to Figure 2 The first bearing support element 36 is fixed, for example by screws, to the other disc-shaped support element 34 in its end region visible on the right side of the figure, supporting the floor processing roller 26 and providing a supporting structural element for the floor processing roller 26. The second bearing support element 44, which provides one or part of the non-rotating system area 42, is supported on the first bearing support element 36 via two bearing units 38, 40, which are arranged at the bottom of the bearing support element 36. Figure 3The second bearing support element 44 can be supported on the front vehicle 20 by means of a plurality of elastic suspension elements, for example.

[0033] An unbalanced motor 46 is supported on the second bearing support element 44 and drives an unbalanced device 48 arranged inside the floor processing roller 26 for rotation about an unbalanced axis U corresponding to the roller rotation axis D in the illustrated design example. In the illustrated design example, the unbalanced device 48 comprises two unbalanced masses 50, 52 which are arranged at an axial distance from one another and have a center of gravity eccentric to the unbalanced rotation axis U. A volume 53 inside the floor processing roller 26 which essentially contains the unbalanced device 48 is enclosed between two disk-shaped support elements 34 by a cylindrical housing 54 which is connected to the two disk-shaped support elements 34, for example by welding and is therefore also constructed of a metal material and in particular Figure 2 The part visible on the right side of is also closed by the first bearing support element 36 .

[0034] In order to achieve a tight seal between the first bearing support element 36 and the second bearing support element 44, the first bearing support element 36 and the second bearing support element 44 are rotated relative to each other about the roller rotation axis D during the ground processing operation. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The sealing device 56 can be seen in detail in FIG. The sealing device 56 comprises a slide ring seal 58 with two axially consecutive slide rings 60, 62. The first slide ring 60 is tightly sealed relative to the rotatable system area 24, which mainly comprises the floor processing roller 26, for example, via a first sealing element 64 in the form of an O-ring. For this purpose, a sealing element support element 66 is fixed, for example, to the first bearing support element 36, and the first sealing element 64 is axially spaced relative to the roller rotation axis D. Figure 3 The first sealing element 64 is supported radially outward and axially to the left on the sealing element support element 66. Figure 3 The center is supported radially inwardly and axially to the right on a first slip ring 60 .

[0035] The second slide ring 62 is supported relative to the second bearing support element 44 via an O-ring-shaped second sealing element 67. Figure 3 The second bearing support element 44 is supported radially outward and to the right in the middle, and Figure 3 The center is supported radially inward and to the left on a second slip ring 62 .

[0036] The two slide rings 60, 62 axially support each other in the region of a first axial support region 68 of the first slide ring 60 and a second axial support region 70 of the second slide ring 62. Each of the two axial support regions 68, 70 can be provided, for example, by a substantially radially extending, annular support surface.

[0037] The two slide rings 60, 62, which are directly supported against each other in their axial support areas 68, 70, are axially preloaded against each other by the axial prestressing produced by means of the two sealing elements 64, 67, so that a tight seal is produced between the two slide rings 60, 62. Thus, the sealing device 56, which is designed as a slide ring seal 58, can reliably prevent the ingress of contaminants, in particular into the volume 53, and the outflow of lubricant from this volume area and from the area of ​​the two bearing units 38, 40.

[0038] Each of the two bearing units 38, 40 is designed as a rolling element bearing, which has an outer bearing ring 72, which is supported radially outward and axially relative to the second bearing support element 44, an inner bearing ring 74, which is supported radially inward and axially relative to the first bearing support element 36, and a plurality of rolling elements 76, such as balls, between which a plurality of rolling elements 76 (for example, balls) act or roll on them in the circumferential direction. Just like the two slide rings 60, 62, the bearing rings 72, 74 and the rolling elements 76 are constructed of a metal material (for example, steel) for reasons of stability and durability.

[0039] Figure 1 In principle, it is shown that at least one first electrical unit 78 is arranged in a ground processing roller 26 providing a rotatable system region 24 of the construction machine 10. The electrical unit 78 can, for example, include one or more sensors, such as acceleration sensors, in order to provide information about the movement state of the ground processing roller 26. The at least one first electrical unit 78 can alternatively or additionally include a transmitting / receiving unit which is designed to transmit and / or receive data in the form of electrical signals.

[0040] For example, at least one second electrical unit 80 is arranged on the rear vehicle 12 of the construction machine 10. The second electrical unit 80 can include, for example, an electrical power source. For example, the second electrical unit 80 can include a rechargeable battery of the construction machine 10, from which the first electrical unit 78 in the ground processing roller 26 is supplied with electrical energy via a schematically shown line connection 82. Alternatively or additionally, the second electrical unit 80 can include a transmitting / receiving unit, which is designed to transmit and / or receive data in the form of electrical signals.

[0041] For example, the arrangement can be such that the first electrical unit 78 in the floor processing roller 26 is supplied with electrical energy from the second electrical unit 80 via a line connection 82. Information provided by the first electrical unit 78, for example in the form of sensor signals, can be transmitted between the first electrical unit 78 and the second electrical unit 80 or another electrical unit provided for this purpose, for example by radio and / or wirelessly via induction or possibly also via a line connection 82.

[0042] In particular, in order to supply electrical energy from the second electrical unit 80 to the first electrical unit 78, the line connection 82 comprises in principle Figure 3 1 and 2. The first line path 84, 86 is shown in FIG. 1. The first line path 84 can be used, for example, to connect the first electrical unit 78 to the positive terminal of the second electrical unit 80 including a battery. The second line path 86 can be used to connect the first electrical unit 80 to the negative terminal of the second electrical unit 80 including a battery or to a ground connection of the frame 22 of the construction machine 10.

[0043] In order to guide the first line path 84 into the rotatable system area 24, i.e. the floor processing roller 26, it comprises a sealing device 56 which serves as a kind of rotary joint. The first slip ring 60 of the sealing device is electrically conductively connected to the first electrical unit 78 by means of a first connecting line 88 of the first line path 84, which is designed as a cable, for example. For this purpose, the first connecting line 88 can be electrically conductively fastened to the first slip ring 60, for example, by means of a clamping element 90. Alternatively or additionally, the first connecting line 88 can be electrically conductively connected to the first slip ring 60 by means of a threaded connection or by means of a material connection (e.g. welding).

[0044] The second connecting line 92 of the first line path 84, which is designed as a cable, for example, electrically conductively connects the second slip ring 62 to the positive pole of the second electrical unit 80, which includes a battery, for example. The second connecting line 92 can be electrically conductively fastened to the second slip ring 62 by means of a clamping element 94. Alternatively or additionally, the fixed electrically conductive connection between the second slip ring 62 and the second connecting line 92 can be realized by means of a screw connection or a material connection (for example welding).

[0045] Since the two slip rings 60, 62 are constructed from an electrically conductive metal material and are in direct contact with one another, an electric current can flow in the first line path 84 between the two electrical units 78, 80 via the two connecting lines 88, 92 and the two slip rings 60, 62 of the slip ring seal 58. Since the two slip rings 60, 62 are supported relative to the floor processing roller 26 or the frame 22 only via the sealing elements 64, 67 interacting therewith, they are not in direct contact with other components of the construction machine 10, which are electrically insulated relative to the rotatable system area 24 and the frame 22 by the sealing elements 64, 67, which are usually constructed from electrically insulating material. There is therefore no risk of a short circuit via the slip rings 60, 62.

[0046] The second line path 86 for producing the ground connection, for example, includes at least one of the two bearing units 38, 40 as a kind of rotary joint. Since the two bearing units 38, 40 are basically constructed with an electrically conductive metallic material and their bearing inner rings 74 are placed or supported on the first bearing support element 36 or are thus in electrically conductive contact therewith, the first bearing support element 36 as an electrically conductive support structural element of the floor processing roller 26 can form part of the third connecting line 96 of the second line path 86. Other components of the floor processing roller 26, such as the support elements 28, 34 and the housing 54, as support structural elements of the floor processing roller 26, can form part of the third connecting line 96. Therefore, the negative connection or ground connection of the first electrical unit 78 can be directly connected to such a support structural element of the floor processing roller 26 and thus be electrically conductively connected to the two bearing units 38, 40 via the third connecting line 96.

[0047] The fourth connecting line 98 of the second line path 86 comprises a second bearing support element 44, which supports the two outer bearing rings 72 of the bearing units 38, 40 and is constructed from a metallic material. As described above, the second bearing support element 44 is supported via elastic and usually electrically insulating suspension elements with the front vehicle 20 or the machine frame 22 of the construction machine 10, as is the roller drive motor 32 at the other axial end of the floor processing roller 26, for vibration decoupling. These suspension elements can be designed, for example, as rubber buffers or the like.

[0048] In order to bridge this electrically insulating suspension area, the second line path 86 comprises, for example, a cable as part of a fourth connecting line 98, which is electrically conductively connected on the one hand to the second bearing support element 44 and, for example, on the other hand to the front vehicle 20 and thus provides a connection of the second bearing support element 44 of the non-rotating system area 42 to the frame 22 of the construction machine 10. The frame 22, which is usually constructed of a metallic material, can basically provide a grounding area to which the negative pole of the second electrical unit 80 including the battery is connected.

[0049] The two line paths 84, 86 of the line connection 82 thus comprise the active system region with the seal 56 and the two bearing units 38, 44 as rotary joints for the electric current, which is essentially present in such a construction machine 10. Cost-intensive and error-prone wireless transmission systems can thus be omitted, in particular for feeding electrical energy into the rotatable system region 24. It should be emphasized again that the line connection 82 comprising the two line paths 84, 86 can also be used alternatively or additionally for transmitting data or general information from or to the first electrical unit 78.

[0050] In particular, as an alternative or in addition to the use of one or two bearing units 38, 40, the second line path 86 for producing an electrically conductive coupling to the grounding area of ​​the construction machine 10 can also include the roller drive motor 32. For example, the stator region of the roller drive motor 32 can be connected to the lead vehicle 22 and thus to the frame 22 of the construction machine 10 via a cable providing a component of the fourth line path 98, while the rotor region of the roller drive motor 32 forms a component of the third connecting line 96 coupled to its electrically conductive, supporting structural elements in the rotatable system area 24, i.e. the ground processing roller 26. Since the stator region of the roller drive motor 32 is also rotatably coupled to the rotor region of the roller drive motor 32 via one or more rolling element bearings, which are usually constructed from metal components, such a bearing unit present in the roller drive motor 32 can also be used as a rotary joint for the second line path 86.

Claims

1. A construction machine, in particular a soil compactor, comprising at least one system region (24) rotatable about a rotation axis (D) relative to a machine frame (22) and at least one first electrical unit (78) on the rotatable system region (24), wherein: At least one of the first electrical units (78) is electrically conductively connected to at least one second electrical unit (80) by means of a pipeline connection (82), wherein at least one of the second electrical units (80) is supported outside the rotatable system area (24) relative to the frame (22), characterized in that the pipeline connection (82) includes a first pipeline path (84), wherein the first pipeline path (84) includes at least one sealing device (56), which tightly seals the rotatable system area (24) relative to a non-rotating system area (42) supported by the frame (22).

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the sealing devices (56) comprises a slide ring seal (58), wherein the slide ring seal (58) comprises a first slide ring (60) and a second slide ring (62), wherein the first slide ring (60) is supported relative to the rotatable system area (24) and is made of an electrically conductive material, and the second slide ring (62) is supported relative to the non-rotating system area (42) and is made of an electrically conductive material, wherein the first slide ring (60) and the second slide ring (62) are supported relative to each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other around the rotation axis (D) in the direction of the rotation axis (D).

3. The construction machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first slip ring (62) is supported radially outward and along a first axial direction relative to the rotatable system area (24) by means of an annular first sealing element (64), and the second slip ring (62) is supported radially outward and along a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction relative to the non-rotating system area (42) by means of an annular second sealing element (67).

4. The construction machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The first slide ring (60) has a first axial support area (68), and the second slide ring (62) has a second axial support area (70) axially supported on the first axial support area (68).

5. The construction machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: Each of the first axial support region (68) and the second axial support region (70) comprises a substantially radially extending support surface.

6. The construction machine according to claim 3 and claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The first sliding ring (60) and the second sliding ring (62) are pressed into axial contact with each other by means of a first annular sealing element (64) and a second annular sealing element (67) with their first axial supporting area (68) and second axial supporting area (70).

7. The construction machine according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The first slip ring (60) is electrically conductively connected to at least one of the first electrical units (78) by means of a first connecting line (88), and the second slip ring (62) is electrically conductively connected to at least one of the second electrical units (80) by means of a second connecting line (92).

8. The construction machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first connecting pipeline (88) is conductively connected to the first slip ring (60) by material connection, preferably welding and / or clamping and / or threading, and / or the second connecting pipeline (92) is conductively connected to the second slip ring (62) by material connection, preferably welding and / or clamping and / or threading.

9. A construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 or according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that The line connection (82) comprises a second line path (86), wherein the second line path (86) comprises at least one bearing unit (38, 40) which supports a rotating system region (24) rotatably about the rotation axis (D) relative to a non-rotating system region (42) supported by a frame (22).

10. The construction machine according to claim 9, characterized in that: At least one of the bearing units (38, 40) comprises a rolling element bearing having a bearing outer ring (72) made of an electrically conductive material, a bearing inner ring (74) made of an electrically conductive material, and a plurality of rolling elements (76) made of an electrically conductive material and supported on the bearing outer ring (72) and the bearing inner ring (74).

11. The construction machine according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: At least one of the bearing units (38, 40) is electrically conductively connected to at least one of the first electrical units (78) by means of a third connecting line (96), and at least one of the bearing units (38, 40) is electrically conductively connected to at least one of the second electrical units (80) by means of a fourth connecting line (98).

12. The construction machine according to claim 11, characterized in that: The third connecting line (96) includes at least one electrically conductive, supporting structural element (36) of the rotatable system region (24).

13. The construction machine according to claim 12, characterized in that: At least one of the bearing units (38, 40) is supported radially and / or axially on at least one electrically conductive, supporting structural element (36).

14. The construction machine according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that: The second pipeline path (86) includes a roller drive motor (32).

15. The construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: A non-rotating system region (42) is supported on the machine frame (22) by means of a plurality of elastic, electrically insulating suspension elements.

16. The construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: At least one of said first electrical units (78) comprises an electrical energy consumer, preferably a sensor and / or a transmitter unit, and / or at least one of said second electrical units (80) comprises a power source, preferably a battery and / or a generator.

17. The construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that: The rotatable system area (24) comprises a floor processing roller (26).

18. The construction machine according to claim 17, characterized in that: A volume (53) containing an unbalance device (48) having at least one unbalanced mass (50, 52) rotatable about an unbalanced rotation axis (U) is tightly sealed in a floor processing roller (26) by at least one sealing device (56).

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