Cleaner device for an excavator bucket

Abstract

A cleaner device (10) for an excavator bucket, comprising a pair of arms defined by a first arm (20) and by a second arm (20') parallel and opposed to each other and comprised internally to a box-like body (13) of a bucket (12), with a first end rotatably constrained with respect to hooking means (21) of said bucket (12) which are different and separate with respect to pins or hooks (18) for connecting the bucket to an arm of an excavator and with a second end to which there is constrained a rod (22) transversely arranged between said two arms (20, 20'), the first arm (20) and the second arm (20') comprising mechanical pushing means for a constant and continuous contact of the rod (22) with an inner surface of the box-like body (13) during the movement internally to said box-like body (13) between a rest (or retracted) configuration and a maximum stroke configuration of said cleaner at a plate-like element (14) arranged in the lower part of the container body (13).

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a cleaner device for an excavator bucket.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention refers to a device for a bucket of an excavator and similar earthmoving machines used for earth excavation work, handling and transport of materials (earth, sand, gravel and the like) or for earth levelling operations and similar functions in the field of building constructions, constructions of roads or highways or the like, in mining and demolition, in agriculture or waste management and in further and multiple, as well as known, areas of use.

[0003] As is known, the bucket of an excavator is a fundamental component for such a type of machine and its characteristics are a function of the different needs of use of the bucket itself.

[0004] The characteristics of the buckets may vary with reference to the loading capacity (i.e. the material that can be lifted and transported), the shape and sizes (depending on the type of use to which they are intended - for example, narrow pit buckets for digging trenches or similar small channels or wide pit buckets for wider excavations or for transporting light materials), construction materials (the buckets can be made of different types of materials such as, for example, manganese steel for greater wear resistance or lighter metal materials to reduce the overall weight of the excavator to which the bucket is connected), the type of teeth the bucket is provided with (fixed, removable or interchangeable), the type of attachment to the excavator arm (for example, a quick-type attachment for quick and easy replacement of equipment), the maximum depth of excavation, versatility (i.e. the possibility of being able to use one type of bucket for multiple and different functions / operations without the need of modifications or replacements) and similar and known further characteristics.

[0005] The buckets, due to the type of operations carried out, tend to be filled with debris, mud or earth or other types of materials that accumulate in the bucket during its use and that are not completely discharged therefrom.

[0006] Cleaning the bucket is very important in order to guarantee optimal performance during excavation, loading / unloading, material handling and similar operations and, in addition, in order to be able to guarantee an optimal useful life of the bucket reducing the wear speed and maintenance / repair / replacement operations.

[0007] In order to clean the bucket, manual brushes or other similar types of equipment can be used, always for manual use.

[0008] However, this cleaning equipment has drawbacks related to the fact that it requires the presence of an operator and the need to keep the excavator stationary for safety reasons for the operator in charge of cleaning.

[0009] A further drawback of cleaning with manual equipment is represented by the fact that they involve long times, costs related to the need to employ an operator and do not guarantee repetitiveness over time in terms of cleaning quality.

[0010] To obviate these drawbacks, automatic cleaning apparatuses have been developed that can comprise, for example, rotating brushes mounted on the bucket and operated hydraulically or electrically, high-pressure and / or high-temperature water guns integrated into or separated from the bucket, washing systems defined by nozzles mounted on the bucket or compressed air cleaning systems defined by nozzles mounted on the bucket, magnetic cleaners functional to catch small metal debris accumulated on the surface of the bucket.

[0011] Some types of automatic bucket cleaners are also known by the term "bucket sieve" and are defined by an equipment that takes up the features of the bucket on which it is installed, with smaller sizes and with a body provided with openings functional to retain materials and debris larger than those of the materials withdrawn and desired during the excavation operations.

[0012] However, this equipment has drawbacks related to the fact that they do not allow cleaning the bucket from mud or other types of debris or dirt elements that are not retained by the "sieve".

[0013] A further drawback related to this type of cleaner is represented by the fact that some materials can get stuck in the openings of the cleaner creating clogging, damage the bucket, with the need for frequent maintenances that involves time expenditure as well as an increase in related costs.

[0014] Another known type of automatic bucket cleaner is defined by a container body included in the body of the bucket, rotatably coupled to the excavator arm to which the bucket is connected and operated by said excavator arm.

[0015] However, this solution also has some significant drawbacks related to the fact that the thrust exerted by the cleaner is linked to the arm of the excavator with said cleaner which, in its movement inside the bucket, does not reach beyond the end of the bucket itself.

[0016] A further drawback of such a bucket cleaner is represented by the need for additional energy required to the excavator arm for the movement of the cleaner, with such a drawback also involving the need for a different sizing of said arm and / or the operating mechanisms thereof.

[0017] A further drawback of this type of cleaner is represented by the fact that since it is a body housed inside the bucket with the same shape characteristics as the bucket, it results in a reduction in the load of accumulable material in the bucket itself.

[0018] A further drawback of traditional cleaners is represented by their "non-modularity" linked to the fact that the components of these cleaners are specific to a specific bucket and cannot be easily adapted to each type of bucket. A further drawback of such a type of cleaner is represented by the fact that the cleaner, being also configured as the container body of the bucket, can present the same cleaning problems as the bucket to which it is applied for the cleaning action.

[0019] The object of this invention is to obviate the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0020] More particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner for an excavator bucket easily adaptable to the different shapes and sizes of the buckets. A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner that is easy to install and remove without the need for long excavator downtimes.

[0021] A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner free from problems of clogging by materials and debris present in the bucket during the removal thereof.

[0022] A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner whose movement allows it to be pushed beyond the end of the bucket for an increase in cleaning efficiency.

[0023] A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner adapted not to reduce the loading capacity of the bucket itself.

[0024] A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner that does not require energy increases by the excavator arm.

[0025] A further object of the present invention is to provide a bucket cleaner that is simple and quick to maintain and / or repair.

[0026] A further object of the present invention is to make available to users a bucket cleaner able to guarantee a high durability over time and moreover such that it can be easily and economically realized.

[0027] These and other objects are achieved by the invention having the features referred to in claim 1.

[0028] According to the invention there is provided a cleaner device for an excavator bucket, comprising a pair of arms defined by a first arm and by a second arm parallel and opposed to each other and comprised internally to a box-like body of a bucket, with a first end rotatably constrained with respect to hooking means of said bucket which are different and separate with respect to pins or hooks for connecting the bucket to an arm of an excavator and with a second end to which there is constrained a rod transversely between said two arms, the first arm and the second arm comprising mechanical pushing means for a constant and continuous contact of the rod with an inner surface of the box-like body during the movement internally to said box-like body between a rest (or retracted) configuration and a maximum stroke configuration of said cleaner at a plate-like element arranged in the lower front of the container body.

[0029] Advantageous embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims.

[0030] The construction and functional characteristics of the cleaner device for an excavator bucket of the present invention can be better understood from the detailed description that follows, in which reference will be made to the attached drawing tables that illustrate a preferred and non-limiting embodiment hole and in which: figure 1 schematically illustrates an axonometric view of an excavator bucket provided with the cleaner device of the invention; figure 2 schematically illustrates a sectional view of a constituent element of the cleaner device; figure 3 schematically illustrates an axonometric view of an excavator bucket with the cleaner device illustrated in three different positions indicative of the movement of the cleaner itself.

[0031] With reference to the aforementioned figures, the cleaner device for an excavator bucket of the present invention, indicated overall with 10 in the aforementioned figures, is stabilized to a bucket 12 of known type which comprises a box-like body 13 shaped to define a container compartment (the box-like body 13, in technical terms, is defined as "bucket") and which constitutes the part of the bucket that comes into contact with the ground or with the material to be excavated and which is adapted to collect the same, a plate-like element 14 defining a "cutting edge" (or sharp edge) arranged in the lower front part of the container body 13 and constituting the part of the bucket that comes into direct contact with the material to be excavated, a pair of opposed and parallel shoulders or side plates 15 (in the figures a single shoulder is depicted for a complete and clear representation of the elements inside the bucket and described below) having a function of protection and structural reinforcement of the box-like body 13 as well as allowing to maintain the material inside the box-like body during excavation, a plurality of teeth 16 constrained to the plate-like element 14 and externally protruding with respect to the same with the function of digging into the material to be excavated, a mounting plate 17 arranged on the upper part of the box-like body 13 and functional to allow fixing pins or hooks 18 functional to the connection of the bucket to an arm of the excavator (not depicted).

[0032] The cleaner device comprises a pair of arms defined by a first arm 20 and by a second arm 20' parallel and opposed to each other and comprising a first end rotatably constrained with respect to hooking means 21 of the box-like body 13 (different and separate with respect to the pins or hook 18 for connecting the bucket to the arm of the excavator) and a second end (opposite to said first end) to which there is constrained a rod 22 transversely arranged between said two arms 20 and 20'.

[0033] A hydraulic motor 24 defined, preferably but not exclusively, by an orbital hydraulic motor is stabilized to the hooking means 21 of the first end of the first arm 20 and connected thereto for actuation as better described below.

[0034] The first arm 20 and the second arm 20' are of the telescopic type and each comprise, as schematically shown in figure 2, a first element 25 (in the preferred embodiment referred to in the figures this first element is defined by an elbow-shaped plate-like body) an end of which defines the first end of the first arm 20 that connects with respect to the box-like body 13 of the bucket and with the opposite end that connects with respect to a second element 26 defined by an internally hollow tubular body and in which a piston 28 is slidable and which comprises a piston-body 29 and a stem 30 fixed, with an end (opposite to the piston-body 29) to an end of the second element 26 constrained with respect to the first element 25.

[0035] The piston-body 29 is slidable coaxially and externally to the stem 30 (as indicated by the arrow "Y" in figure 2) which is fixed with respect to the second element 26. Externally and coaxially to the stem 30 there is arranged an elastic element 32 defined, for example, by a helical spring.

[0036] The piston-body 29 of the piston 28 comprises, on the opposite side with respect to the stem 30, an externally protruding appendage 34 according to an axial and functional direction so as to constitute a hooking support for the rod 22 transversely arranged between the two arms 20 and 20'.

[0037] The rod 22 transversely arranged between the arms 20 and 20' is developed over a length generally corresponding to the width of the box-like body 13 comprised between the parallel and opposed shoulders or side plates 15; said rod 22 is of the "skimming" type, i.e. it is arranged with a lower edge 22' in contact with the inner surface of the box-like body 13 of the bucket.

[0038] Said rod 22 comprises two or more castors or rollers 23, rotatably applied to said rod along its longitudinal development with the function of facilitating the movement of the rod inside the box-like body 13 (both in a cleaning phase and in a phase of return to the rest position as better detailed below), reducing, or even eliminating the friction between the rod 22 and the surface of the box-like body 13 of the bucket and with the further function of maintaining a minimum and constant distance between the surface of the box-like body 13 of the bucket and the rod 22.

[0039] The two or more castors 23 are made of low friction coefficient material such as, for example, nylon or Teflon or similarly known.

[0040] In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the rod 22 may comprise a plate hinged to said rod and functional to remain in contact with the surface of the box-like body 13 of the bucket during the movement of the cleaner in such a way as to eliminate gaps that may be generated during the skimming movement of the cleaner.

[0041] With reference to figure 3, three positions functional to a representation of the movement of the cleaner device of the invention are illustrated.

[0042] With reference to position "A", the cleaner device 10 is in a "rest" position or "position 0" with the rod 22 which is completely retracted inside the box-like body 13 at a rear part of the box-like body itself; in this position the cleaner device is stationary with the hydraulic motor 24 which is not operated.

[0043] In this position, the piston 28 of the first arm 20 and of the second arm 20' has the piston-body 29 substantially completely inserted inside the tubular body of the element 26 with the elastic element 32 which is compressed by the action of the piston-body 29 and which, at the same time, exerts a pushing action on said piston-body to keep the rod 22 in contact with the inner surface of the box-like body 13.

[0044] The position "B" illustrates an intermediate position reached by the cleaner device when it is operated by means of the hydraulic motor 24 which, by acting on the first element 25 of the first arm 20 to which it is connected, imposes a rotation of said first arm with respect to the hinge constraint with the hooking means 21 of said first arm with respect to the bucket; the rotational movement of the first arm 20, by means of the transversely arranged rod 22, is transmitted to the second arm 20', thereby causing a rotational movement of the cleaner device with respect to the hooking means 21 of the mentioned arms, as indicated by the arrow "J" in figure 3.

[0045] In this position, the piston 28 of the first arm 20 and of the second arm 20' has the piston-body 29 partially protruding from the tubular body of the element 26 with the rod 22 which, as a result of the action of the elastic element 32, is kept in contact with the inner surface of the box-like body 13.

[0046] The position "C" illustrates a final position (or end of stroke) reached by the cleaner device by effect of the movement imposed by the hydraulic motor 24, with the rod 22 substantially reaching the end of the bucket (i.e. at the plate-like element 14 defining a "cutting edge"); in this position the piston 28 of the first arm 20 and of the second arm 20' has the piston-body 29 completely protruding from the tubular body of the element 26 with the rod 22 which, by effect of the action of the elastic element 32, is always kept in contact with the inner surface of the box-like body 13.

[0047] As can be seen from the above, the advantages that the cleaner device for the bucket of an excavator achieves are evident.

[0048] The cleaner device for an excavator bucket of the present invention, by virtue of its simple structure, advantageously allows easy adaptability to the different shapes and sizes of the buckets as well as easy installation and removal without the need for long downtimes of the excavator.

[0049] A further advantage of the cleaner of the present invention is represented by the fact that the constructive characteristics of the same make it free from problems of clogging by the materials and debris present in the bucket during the removal thereof.

[0050] A further advantage of the present invention is represented by the fact that the cleaner device is contained in size and does not reduce the loading capacity of the bucket.

[0051] A further advantage of the present invention is represented by the fact that the cleaner is not connected to the bucket arm in order to be able to carry out its own movement and, therefore, no energy increases are required by the excavator arm.

[0052] A further advantage of the cleaner device of the invention is represented by the fact that the cleaner is provided with a movement that allows it to be pushed beyond the end of the bucket, always maintaining constant contact with the surface of the same, with an increase in cleaning efficiency compared to traditional cleaners.

[0053] Although the invention has been described above with particular regard to one embodiment thereof, given solely by way of non-limiting example, numerous modifications and variations will be apparent to any technician skilled in the art, in light of the above description. Therefore, this invention intends to welcome all modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and protective scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A cleaner device (10) for an excavator bucket, characterized in that it comprises a pair of arms defined by a first arm (20) and by a second arm (20') parallel and opposed to each other and comprised internally to a box-like body (13) of a bucket (12), with a first end rotatably constrained with respect to hooking means (21) of said bucket (12) which are different and separate with respect to pins or hooks (18) for connecting the bucket to an arm of an excavator and with a second end to which there is constrained a rod (22) transversely arranged between said two arms (20, 20'), the first arm (20) and the second arm (20') comprising mechanical pushing means for a constant and continuous contact of the rod (22) with an inner surface of the box-like body (13) during the movement internally to said box-like body (13) between a rest (or retracted) configuration and a maximum stroke configuration of said cleaner at a plate-like element (14) arranged in the lower front part of the container body (13).

2. The cleaner device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a hydraulic motor (24) stabilized to the hooking means (21) of the first end of the first arm (20) and connected to said arm at a first end from the same.

3. The cleaner device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first arm (20) and the second arm (20') are of telescopic type.

4. The cleaner device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first arm (20) and the second arm (20') each comprise a first element (25) an end of which defines the first end of the arm (20, 20') that connects with respect to the box-like body (13) of the bucket and with an opposite end that connects with respect to a second element (26) defined by an internally hollow tubular body in which a piston (28) is slidable and which comprises a piston-body (29) and a stem (30) fixed, with an end opposite to the piston-body (29) to an end of the second element (26) constrained with respect to the first element (25), said piston-body (29) being slidable coaxially and externally to the stem (30).

5. The cleaner device according to claim 4, characterized in that an elastic element (32) is arranged externally and coaxially to the stem (30) of the piston (28).

6. The cleaner device according to claim 3 to 5, characterized in that the piston-body (29) of the piston (28) comprises, on the opposite side with respect to the stem (30), an externally protruding appendage (34) according to an axial and functional direction so as to constitute a hooking support for the rod (22) transversely arranged between the two arms (20, 20').

7. The cleaner device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the rod (22) is developed over a length corresponding to the width of the box-like body (13) of the bucket comprised between parallel and opposed shoulders or side plates (15) of the bucket itself.

8. The cleaner device according to claims 7, characterized in that the rod (22) comprises two or more castors or rollers (23) rotatably applied to said rod along its longitudinal development and made of nylon or Teflon or the like.

9. The cleaner device according to claims 7, characterized in that the rod (22) comprises a plate hinged to said rod and functional to remain in contact with the surface of the box-like body (13) of the bucket during the movement of the cleaner.

10. The cleaner device according to claims 7, characterized in that the rod (22) is of the "infinity" type with a lower edge (22') always in contact with the inner surface of the box-like body (13) of the bucket when passing from a rest (or retracted) configuration with the hydraulic motor (24) stopped and in which the piston (28) of the first arm (20) and of the second arm (20') has the piston-body (29) completely inserted inside the tubular body of the element (26) with the elastic element (32) compressed by the action of said piston-body, to a maximum stroke configuration in which the piston (28) has the piston-body (29) completely come out of the tubular body of the element (26) with the rod 22 reaching the end of the bucket at the plate-like element (14) thereof.

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