Asphalt cooker

The asphalt cooker truck addresses the challenge of supplying gooey asphalt to narrow areas by incorporating a heating and stirring tank with a ribbed discharge port and a telescopic, rotatable chute system, ensuring efficient and precise asphalt distribution.

JP2025083033AActive Publication Date: 2025-05-30NIPPO CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023196684
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-11-20
Publication Date
2025-05-30
Estimated Expiration
2043-11-20

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional asphalt cooker trucks face difficulties in efficiently supplying a gooey asphalt mixture to narrow areas, such as the ends of paving locations, due to the need for additional devices or manual spreading.

Method used

The asphalt cooker features a stirring tank with heating and stirring capabilities, a ribbed discharge port, and a telescopic, rotatable chute system that allows for wide-range discharge and precise directional control of the asphalt mixture.

Benefits of technology

This configuration enables easy and efficient supply of the asphalt mixture to narrow areas, improving the laying process by allowing for wide-range coverage and precise targeting of the discharge.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide an asphalt cooker capable of easily supplying a goose asphalt mixture to a narrow region such as an end part of a paving place.SOLUTION: An asphalt cooker 3 is provided with a stirring tank 30 having a stirring blade 34 for stirring the goose-asphalt mixture, a heating device 36 for heating the stirring tank 30, a rib part 38 provided at an edge of a discharge port 32 formed in the stirring tank 30, and a chute 4 connected to the rib part 38 and guiding downward the goose-asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port 32, and the chute 4 is provided with a telescopic chute body 40 and a turning connection part 52 for turnably supporting the chute body 40, and the tip of the chute body 40 is moved in the width direction of the stirring tank 30 by the turning of the chute body 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an asphalt cooker.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a road paving machine, an asphalt cooker truck that transports a gooey asphalt mixture produced by an asphalt plant to a construction site while heating and stirring is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A chute for discharging the gooey asphalt mixture from a cooker mounted on a loading platform is provided at the rear of the asphalt cooker truck.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventionally, in order to spread the gooey asphalt mixture discharged rearward from the cooker over the paving area, it has been necessary to use a device having a screed described in Patent Document 1 or for an operator to spread the gooey asphalt mixture. For this reason, there has been a problem that it is difficult to supply the gooey asphalt mixture to a narrow area such as the end of the paving area. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an asphalt cooker that solves the above-described conventional problems and can easily supply a gooey asphalt mixture to a narrow area such as the end of a paving location.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] Aspects of the present invention include a stirring tank equipped with stirring blades for stirring a guss asphalt mixture, a heating device for heating the stirring tank, a rib portion provided at the edge of a discharge port formed in the stirring tank, and a chute connected to the rib portion for guiding the guss asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port downward. The chute includes a telescopic chute body and a rotational connection portion that rotatably supports the chute body. When the chute body rotates, the tip of the chute body moves in the width direction of the stirring tank. It is an asphalt cooker.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, by expanding, contracting, and rotating the chute provided at the discharge port of the stirring tank of the asphalt cooker, the guss asphalt mixture can be discharged from the chute over a wide range. Therefore, the guss asphalt mixture can be easily supplied to narrow areas such as the ends of the paving locations.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of an asphalt cooker 3 to which the present embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the asphalt cooker 3.

[0009] In each of FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 4 to 5 described later, an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis are shown. The X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are orthogonal to each other. The X-axis corresponds to the front-rear direction of the asphalt cooker 3, and the Y-axis corresponds to the width direction of the asphalt cooker 3. The Z-axis indicates the vertical direction perpendicular to the road surface RS and corresponds to the up-down direction of the asphalt cooker 3. In the following description, the positive direction of the X-axis is the front, the positive direction of the Y-axis is the left, and the positive direction of the Z-axis is the up.

[0010] The asphalt cooker vehicle 1 is a self-propelled vehicle in which the asphalt cooker 3 is mounted on the loading platform 21 of the truck 2.

[0011] The asphalt cooker 3 includes a tank 30 for storing the goo asphalt mixture. The tank 30 is an example of a stirring tank. The tank 30 has an inlet 31 for charging the goo asphalt mixture into the tank 30 and an outlet 32 for discharging the goo asphalt mixture from the tank 30.

[0012] Inside the tank 30, a plurality of stirring blades 34 and a drive shaft 33 extending in the vertical direction inside the tank 30 are provided, and the stirring blades 34 are connected to the drive shaft 33. By rotating the drive shaft 33, the stirring blades 34 stir the goo asphalt mixture in the tank 30. The bottom surface 37 of the tank for accommodating the goo asphalt mixture in the tank 30 is formed into a curved surface with a convex center. The height of the bottom surface 37 is substantially equal to the height at which the outlet 32 opens. In the present embodiment, two stirring blades 34 are arranged inside the tank 30, and each stirring blade 34 is arranged obliquely with respect to the drive shaft 33 so as to correspond to the curvature of the bottom surface 37. And the stirring blade 34 located below rotates through the vicinity of the bottom surface 37. For this reason, the entire goo asphalt mixture accommodated in the tank 30 is stirred by the stirring blades 34. Also, in a state where the outlet 32 is open, the rotation of the stirring blades 34 pushes the goo asphalt mixture toward the outlet 32.

[0013] On the upper part of the tank 30, a drive unit 35 for rotationally driving the drive shaft 33 is provided. The drive unit 35 rotates the drive shaft 33 by the driving force of a hydraulic motor 23 mounted on the truck 2. The truck 2 is equipped with a hydraulic device 22 that generates hydraulic pressure by the power of a diesel engine (not shown) mounted on the truck 2, and the hydraulic device 22 supplies hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic motor 23.

[0014] On the lower part of the tank 30, a heating device 36 for heating the goo asphalt mixture in the tank 30 is provided. The heating device 36 heats the goo asphalt mixture, for example, by burning fuel oil or fuel gas with a burner. By operating the stirring blades 34 and the heating device 36, the asphalt cooker truck 1 transports the goo asphalt mixture stored in the tank 30 while heating and stirring it, and supplies the goo asphalt mixture to the road surface RS to be paved.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge port 32 opens into the tank 30 on the rear side of the truck 2. The discharge port 32 opens at the center in the width direction of the tank 30. That is, the discharge port 32 is located substantially at the center in the Y-axis direction, which is the width direction of the vehicle body of the truck 2.

[0016] On the discharge port 32, a rib portion 38 protruding outside the tank 30 is provided. The rib portion 38 is a frame-shaped member that surrounds at least the left and right ends and the lower end of the discharge port 32, and is fixed to the outer shell of the tank 30, for example. The goo asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port 32 flows over the rib portion 38 and is sent to the chute 4.

[0017] The chute 4 is connected to the rib portion 38. The rib portion 38 and the chute 4 are fixed by bolting or welding. The chute 4 can be flipped upward. For example, while the work of paving the goo asphalt mixture is not being performed, such as when the truck 2 is running, the chute 4 is held in the flipped-up state as shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] Hereinafter, the configuration of the chute 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the chute 4, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the expansion and contraction of the chute body 40, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the upward bounce of the chute body 40. Note that FIG. 3 shows a state in which the chute 4 is removed from the rib portion 38.

[0019] The chute 4 includes a chute body 40 that guides the goose asphalt mixture toward the road surface RS, and a first connecting member 43, a second connecting member 44, and a third connecting member 45 that support the chute body 40.

[0020] The chute body 40, the first connecting member 43, the second connecting member 44, and the third connecting member 45 are each formed of, for example, a gutter-shaped member with an open top, having side walls and a bottom surface. In the chute 4, at the boundary between the first connecting member 43 and the second connecting member 44, their bottom surfaces and side walls are overlapped. The same applies to the boundary between the second connecting member 44 and the third connecting member 45, and the boundary between the third connecting member 45 and the chute body 40. By these members, the goose asphalt mixture discharged from the rib portion 38 is guided so as not to leak and flows down toward the road surface RS.

[0021] The front end of the first connecting member 43 is fixed to the rib portion 38 via a hinge 51, and the second connecting member 44 is connected to the rear end of the first connecting member 43. The hinge 51 supports the first connecting member 43 so that it can rotate upward as indicated by the arrow UP in FIG. 1 and can rotate downward as indicated by the arrow DN. That is, the chute 4 is connected to the tank 30 so as to be able to bounce up and drop.

[0022] The first connecting member 43 and the second connecting member 44 are fixed by bolting or welding. Therefore, when moving the chute 4, the first connecting member 43 and the second connecting member 44 move integrally.

[0023] A third connecting member 45 is connected to the rear end of the second connecting member 44. The second connecting member 44 and the third connecting member 45 are rotatably connected to each other by a rotational connection portion 52.

[0024] Specifically, a part of the bottom surface 45a of the third connecting member 45 extends forward and overlaps with the bottom surface of the second connecting member 44. The rotational connection portion 52 is constituted by, for example, a thrust bearing, and connects the bottom surface of the second connecting member 44 and the bottom surface 45a so as to be rotatable about a rotation center P in the plane shown in FIG. 3. Thereby, the third connecting member 45 can be rotated in the Y direction with respect to the second connecting member 44.

[0025] A sliding portion 4a is provided at the boundary between the second connecting member 44 and the third connecting member 45. In the sliding portion 4a, the side wall of the tip of the second connecting member 44 is a tapered curved surface. The side wall of the third connecting member 45 is a curved surface that covers the tip of the second connecting member 44 from the outside in the sliding portion 4a. Thereby, even when the third connecting member 45 rotates relative to the second connecting member 44, the goose asphalt mixture can flow from the second connecting member 44 to the third connecting member 45 without leakage.

[0026] The chute body 40 is constituted by a chute base portion 41 having a gutter shape and a slider 42. In the present embodiment, the slider 42 is disposed so as to cover the outside of the chute base portion 41. The front end of the chute base portion 41 is fixed to the third connecting member 45. The slider 42 is slidably supported by the chute base portion 41. The slider 42 slides along the longitudinal direction of the chute base portion 41 and the slider 42, whereby the chute body 40 can be expanded and contracted.

[0027] In Fig. 4, the position of the slider 42 in the state where the chute body 40 is the shortest is indicated by a dashed line. Below the lower part of the chute base 41, a slide mechanism 55 for supporting the slider 42 and a chain 56 are arranged. One end of the chain 56 is fixed to the slider 42, and the other end is wound up by the slide mechanism 55. The slide mechanism 55 is biased in the direction of winding up the chain 56, and the slider 42 is suspended from above by the biasing force of the slide mechanism 55. When an operator pulls the slider 42 downward, the slider 42 moves in the direction of protruding from the tip of the chute body 40, and the chute body 40 extends in the direction of arrow LE in the figure. Also, when the operator moves the slider 42 upward, the chute body 40 is shortened in the direction of arrow SH in the figure. Since the chain 56 is wound up by the slide mechanism 55, the slider 42 holds the position where the operator has moved the slider 42. The chute base 41 may be provided with a locking mechanism for fixing the slider 42 at an arbitrary position or a specific position.

[0028] In this embodiment, in the state where the chute body 40 is the shortest, the tip 42a of the slider 42 protrudes below the tip 41a of the chute base 41, but this is an example. For example, in the state where the chute body 40 is the shortest, a configuration in which the tip 41a protrudes below the tip 42a may be adopted.

[0029] In the width direction of the chute 4, that is, in the Y-axis direction, the chute body 40 rotates about the rotation center P together with the third connecting member 45. Thereby, as shown by arrow R and arrow L in Fig. 3, the chute body 40 can change its orientation in the left-right direction.

[0030] Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the chute body 40 can be expanded and contracted by sliding the slider 42, as shown by arrow LE and arrow SH in Fig. 4. Thereby, the position of the tip 42a, which is the tip of the chute body 40, can be moved up and down.

[0031] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the chute main body 40 rotates about the hinge 51 together with the third connecting member 45 and the second connecting member 44. Thereby, as shown by the arrow UP in FIG. 5, the chute 4 can be flipped up and stored. When laying the goose asphalt mixture, the chute 4 can be lowered in the direction shown by the arrow DN to direct the goose asphalt mixture toward the road surface RS.

[0032] As described above, the asphalt cooker 3 to which the present invention is applied includes a tank 30 having stirring blades 34 for stirring the goose asphalt mixture. The asphalt cooker 3 includes a heating device 36 for heating the tank 30, a rib portion 38 provided at the edge of the discharge port 32 formed in the tank 30, and a chute 4 connected to the rib portion 38 for guiding the goose asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port 32 downward. The chute 4 includes a telescopic chute main body 40 and a pivotally connecting portion 52 that pivotally supports the chute main body 40. By the rotation of the chute main body 40, the tip 42a of the chute main body 40 moves in the width direction of the tank 30.

[0033] According to this configuration, the chute 4 for discharging the goose asphalt mixture can be expanded and contracted and rotated. Thereby, the position of the tip of the chute 4 can be widely moved, and in the operation of laying the goose asphalt mixture on the road surface RS, the goose asphalt mixture can be supplied over a wide range. For example, when laying a goose asphalt pavement on a road, the goose asphalt mixture can be easily supplied even to a narrow place such as the edge of the road. Since the asphalt cooker 3 heats and stirs the goose asphalt mixture in the tank 30, the goose asphalt mixture in a highly fluid state is discharged from the chute 4. Therefore, by supplying the goose asphalt mixture from the chute 4 over a wide range, a goose asphalt pavement can be quickly laid on a wide range of road surfaces RS.

[0034] In the asphalt cooker 3, the tank 30 is installed on the loading platform 21 of the truck 2, and the discharge port 32 opens at the center in the width direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the truck 2. According to this configuration, the goose asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port 32 located at the center in the width direction of the truck 2 can be supplied to a wide range by the chute 4. Therefore, the goose asphalt mixture can be easily paved on a wide range of road surfaces RS centered on the position of the truck 2.

[0035] In the asphalt cooker 3, by extending the chute body 40, the tip of the chute body 40 approaches the road surface RS to be paved. According to this configuration, by expanding and contracting the chute body 40, the height from the road surface RS to the tip 42a of the chute body 40 can be adjusted. Thereby, the workability when paving a highly fluid goose asphalt mixture can be improved.

[0036] The above embodiment shows a specific example to which the present invention is applied, and does not limit the form to which the invention is applied.

[0037] In the above embodiment, in the chute 4, the configuration in which the chute body 40 is connected to the rib portion 38 via the first connecting member 43, the second connecting member 44, and the third connecting member 45 has been described, but this is an example. The chute 4 only needs to have a hinge 51 that can bounce up the chute body 40 and a pivot connecting portion 52 that can pivot the chute body 40. That is, the chute body 40 only needs to be connected to the tank 30 via a member on which the hinge 51 and the pivot connecting portion 52 can be arranged, and its specific configuration is not limited.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the chute base 41, the slider 42, the first connecting member 43, the second connecting member 44, and the third connecting member 45 are all gutter-shaped members having a bottom surface and side walls. This is an example, and the cross-sectional shape of these members only needs to be able to transfer the goose asphalt mixture without leakage and can be arbitrarily changed.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the heating device 36 is exemplified as heating the goose asphalt mixture by a burner, but the heating device 36 may be an electric heater. The drive unit 35 may drive the drive shaft 33 by the power of an electric motor. In these cases, the truck 2 may be equipped with a power generation device that supplies power to the heating device 36 or a battery. The hydraulic device 22 is not limited to a configuration that generates hydraulic pressure by the power of the engine of the truck 2, and may be, for example, a device that generates hydraulic pressure by electricity. Further, the truck 2 may be an electric vehicle. The detailed configurations of the other asphalt cooker trucks 1 and asphalt cookers 3 can also be arbitrarily changed.

Explanation of Signs

[0040] 1 Asphalt cooker truck 2 Truck (self-propelled vehicle) 3 Asphalt cooker 4 Shoot 4a Sliding part 21 Loading platform 22 Hydraulic device 23 Hydraulic motor 30 Tank (stirring tank) 31 Inlet 32 Outlet 33 Drive shaft 34 Stirring blade 35 Drive unit 36 Heating device 38 Rib part 40 Shoot body 41 Shoot base 41a Tip 42 Slider 42a Tip 43 First connecting member 44 Second connecting member 45 Third connecting member 45a Bottom surface 51 Hinge 52 Rotating connection part 55 Slide mechanism 56 Chain P Rotation center RS Road surface

Claims

1. A stirring tank equipped with stirring blades for stirring a goose asphalt mixture, A heating device for heating the stirring tank, A rib portion provided at the edge of a discharge port formed in the stirring tank, A chute that is connected to the rib portion and guides the goose asphalt mixture discharged from the discharge port downward, and The chute includes a telescopic chute body, A rotation connection portion that rotatably supports the chute body, and By rotating the chute body, the tip of the chute body moves in the width direction of the stirring tank, An asphalt cooker.

2. The stirring tank is installed on the loading platform of a self-propelled vehicle, The discharge port opens at the center in the width direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle, The asphalt cooker according to claim 1.

3. The asphalt cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein by extending the chute body, the tip of the chute body approaches the road surface to be paved.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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