Asphalt finisher

Abstract

To provide an asphalt finisher that can suppress retention of paving materials in a hopper and efficiently convey the materials by means of a conveyor.SOLUTION: An asphalt finisher (100) includes a hopper (20) that receives paving materials, a conveyor (21) that conveys rearward the paving materials cast into the hopper (20), and an out-scraping part (40) that is disposed in the hopper (20) on the side of the conveyor (21) and sends the paving materials in the direction of the conveyor (21).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an asphalt finisher. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when paving an asphalt mixture layer on a road, etc., an asphalt finisher is used to spread a heated asphalt mixture (paving material) evenly on the construction surface. Specifically, the asphalt finisher transports the paving material fed into a hopper rearward using a conveyor (bar feeder), spreads the paving material supplied onto the construction surface with a screw (screw spreader), and then spreads it evenly with a screed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-156070 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there was a problem in that some of the asphalt mixture, which is the paving material, would remain in the hopper while being transported by the conveyor, where it would cool and harden. In particular, the hopper was located in front of the direction of travel of the asphalt finisher, and the front end of the hopper was exposed to the outside air and prone to hardening, making it necessary to periodically scrape out the paving material that had accumulated at the front end. This scraping work required workers to move close to the hopper and do it manually, which reduced the efficiency of the paving work.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide an asphalt finisher that can prevent paving material from accumulating in the hopper and efficiently transport it on a conveyor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the asphalt finisher of the present invention is characterized by comprising a hopper for receiving paving material, a conveyor for transporting the paving material put into the hopper rearward, and a scraping section arranged to the side of the conveyor within the hopper and sending the paving material in the direction of the conveyor.

[0007] In the asphalt finisher of the present invention, the scraping section sends out the paving material in the hopper in the direction of the conveyor, preventing the paving material from accumulating in the hopper and allowing it to be transported efficiently by the conveyor.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, the scraping unit is a belt conveyor provided on the bottom surface of the hopper.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the scraping unit is a scraper that slides a blade on the bottom surface of the hopper.

[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, the scraping unit is detachably attached to the inside of the hopper by the magnetic force of a magnet.

[0011] In one aspect of the present invention, the scraping portion is provided at a front end portion of the hopper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The present invention can provide an asphalt finisher that can prevent paving material from accumulating in a hopper and efficiently transport the paving material using a conveyor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an asphalt finisher 100 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the operation of scraping out paving material using a belt conveyor 40. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the structure of a belt conveyor 40. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of an asphalt finisher 100 according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the structure of a scraper 70. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in each drawing will be assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted where appropriate. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example configuration of an asphalt finisher 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the asphalt finisher 100 includes a tractor unit 10, a hopper 20, a screed 30, and a belt conveyor 40. The asphalt finisher 100 includes screws that laterally spread the paving material transported onto the construction surface, but these screws are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0015] The tractor unit 10 is the vehicle portion that drives the asphalt finisher 100, and is equipped with a hopper 20 at the front and a screw and screed 30 at the rear. The configuration of the tractor unit 10 is not limited, and it moves over the construction surface by driving drive wheels using a power source such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. The tractor unit 10 is also provided with a driver's seat for an operator, and a control device for controlling the operation of the hopper 20, screw, screed 30, and belt conveyor 40 may be arranged around the driver's seat.

[0016] Hopper 20 is a compartment that receives the paving material, which is an asphalt mixture, that has been poured into it. A conveyor 21 is provided inside hopper 20, with bottom plate sections 22 provided on both sides of conveyor 21 and wall sections 23 provided on the sides of bottom plate section 22. Therefore, conveyor 21, bottom plate section 22, and wall sections 23 form a space with a predetermined capacity, and the paving material poured into this space is temporarily stored inside hopper 20.

[0017] The conveyor 21 is a part that transports the paving material put into the hopper 20 to the construction surface at the rear. The conveyor 21 is located at a central position along the front-to-rear direction of the hopper 20, and is driven to rotate so as to transport the paving material from the front to the rear of the hopper 20. An opening (not shown) is provided at the rear end of the conveyor 21, and the transported paving material falls downward from the opening and is supplied to the construction surface. The specific configuration of the conveyor 21 is not limited, and a known hydraulic roller or the like can be used.

[0018] The bottom plate portions 22 are plate-shaped portions provided on both sides of the conveyor 21 and constituting the bottom surface of the hopper 20. The angle of inclination of the bottom plate portion 22 toward the conveyor 21 can be changed by a hopper cylinder (not shown). As an example, when paving material is fed into the hopper 20, the bottom plate portion 22 forms a horizontal surface similar to the conveyor 21. When the paving material in the hopper 20 is moved toward the conveyor 21, the wall portion 23 side of the bottom plate portion 22 is raised to form an inclined surface where the conveyor 21 side is lowered.

[0019] The wall portion 23 is a plate-like portion erected on the outer side along the front-rear direction of the bottom plate portion 22. The wall portion 23 is preferably formed integrally with the bottom plate portion 22, and when the inclination angle of the bottom plate portion 22 is changed by the hopper cylinder, the wall portion 23 also moves together with the inclination of the bottom plate portion 22.

[0020] The screed 30 is a part that spreads and levels the paving material supplied onto the construction surface. The screed 30 extends in the width direction of the asphalt finisher 100 on the construction surface, and spreads and levels the paving material spread on the construction surface by the screws to a uniform height. The specific configuration of the screed 30 is not limited, and it may be extendable and retractable in the width direction.

[0021] Belt conveyor 40 is disposed to the side of conveyor 21 within hopper 20 and is the part that sends out the paving material in the direction of conveyor 21, and corresponds to the scraping section in the present invention. Electricity is supplied to belt conveyor 40 from a power source (not shown), and its drive is controlled by a controller (not shown), so that the paving material piled up on belt conveyor 40 is transported in the direction of conveyor 21. The power source and controller may be mounted in the driver's seat of tractor unit 10.

[0022] The position where the belt conveyor 40 is provided is not limited, but it is preferably disposed near the front end of the bottom plate portion 22. Furthermore, it is preferable that the belt conveyor 40 is configured as a separate body from the bottom plate portion 22 and is detachably held on the bottom plate portion 22. The mounting structure of the belt conveyor 40 on the bottom plate portion 22 is not limited, but it is also possible to provide a magnet at a position facing the bottom plate portion 22 and mount the belt conveyor 40 on the bottom plate portion 22 by magnetic force.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the scraping operation of paving material using a belt conveyor 40. In the example shown in FIG. 2, an operator controls the drive of the belt conveyor 40 by adjusting the power supply from the power source 60 using a controller 50 from the side of the asphalt finisher 100. While the figure shows an example in which the controller 50 is connected to one belt conveyor 40 and controls its drive individually, multiple belt conveyors 40 may be connected to the controller 50 and controlled collectively. In addition, the hopper 20 has a hopper cylinder that raises the wall portion 23 side of the bottom plate portion 22, so that the bottom plate portion 22 is tilted toward the conveyor 21. As a result, the paving material present on the bottom plate portion 22 moves toward the conveyor 21 due to the tilt of the bottom plate portion 22.

[0024] When an operator uses the controller 50 to rotate the belt conveyor 40 in the direction of the conveyor 21, the paving material piled up on the belt conveyor 40 is transported in the direction of the conveyor 21 due to friction with the belt conveyor 40. As a result, the paving material is subjected to not only gravity due to the inclination of the bottom plate portion 22 but also frictional force from the belt conveyor 40, allowing it to move more smoothly in the direction of the conveyor 21. This prevents the paving material from accumulating in the hopper 20, and allows the paving material to be efficiently transported from the conveyor 21 through the opening to the construction surface.

[0025] 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the structure of belt conveyor 40. Belt conveyor 40 has a housing 41, a drive roller 42, a rotating roller 43, and a belt 44. Inside housing 41, a motor unit that drives and rotates drive roller 42 and a control circuit (not shown) are housed. Wiring (not shown) is connected to the control circuit and motor unit for supplying power and control signals from the outside.

[0026] The housing 41 constitutes the outer shape of the belt conveyor 40 and is a part that holds each part. The specific shape of the housing 41 is not limited, but in the example shown in FIG. 3, a substantially rectangular frame is used. The housing 41 rotatably supports a plurality of drive rollers 42 and a plurality of rotating rollers 43. While FIG. 3 shows a frame as the housing 41, a box-shaped housing with a bottom plate and a storage section on the side that contacts the bottom plate 22 may also be used. The housing 41 preferably has an attachment structure for attaching it to the bottom plate 22; for example, a magnet may be provided at a position opposite the bottom surface of the housing 41, and the housing 41 may be attached to the bottom plate 22 by magnetic force.

[0027] The drive roller 42 is a cylindrical part rotatably supported on the housing 41, and is driven to rotate based on power and control signals supplied from the controller 50. A belt 44 is attached to the drive roller 42 with a predetermined tension, and the rotation of the drive roller 42 is transmitted via the belt 44 when the drive roller 42 is driven to rotate. The configuration of the drive roller 42 is not limited, and the drive roller 42 may be driven to rotate by an electric motor using a speed change mechanism such as a gear or pulley, or may be directly driven to rotate by housing an in-wheel motor or the like inside the drive roller 42. While FIG. 3 shows an example in which the drive rollers 42 are provided at both ends of the housing 41 in the longitudinal direction, the drive roller 42 may be provided only at one end, or some or all of the rotation rollers 43 may be replaced with the drive roller 42.

[0028] Rotating roller 43 is a cylindrical part rotatably supported on housing 41, and rotates so as not to interfere with the operation of attached belt 44, while supporting belt 44 from the backside. Although Fig. 3 shows an example in which multiple rotating rollers 43 are provided between two drive rollers 42, the number and positions of rotating rollers 43 are not limited.

[0029] The belt 44 is a circular part with a predetermined width and length, and is attached to the drive roller 42 and the rotating roller 43, and rotates in accordance with the rotational movement of the drive roller 42. There are no restrictions on the material that can be used for the belt 44, but it is preferable to use rubber, resin, or the like in order to properly transmit the rotational movement of the drive roller 42. It is also preferable to use a material that does not react with the asphalt mixture so that the paving material does not stick.

[0030] When an operator rotates the belt conveyor 40 using the controller 50, the drive roller 42 is driven to rotate within the housing 41, and the belt 44 and the rotating roller 43 are also rotated. A force is applied to the paving material in contact with the belt 44 due to friction with the belt 44, and the paving material piled up on the belt conveyor 40 is transported in the direction of rotation of the belt 44.

[0031] As described above, in the asphalt finisher 100 of this embodiment, the belt conveyor 40 sends out the paving material in the hopper 20 in the direction of the conveyor 21, thereby preventing the paving material from accumulating in the hopper 20 and allowing it to be transported efficiently by the conveyor 21.

[0032] In addition, since the belt conveyor 40 is removably attached to the bottom plate portion 22 inside the hopper 20 using the magnetic force of a magnet, cleaning and maintenance work inside the hopper 20 and the belt conveyor 40 can be easily carried out after the paving material spreading process is completed.

[0033] Furthermore, since the belt conveyor 40 is provided at the front end of the hopper 20, the paving material can be transported efficiently from areas where the paving material is prone to sticking toward the conveyor 21, thereby preventing the paving material from sticking.

[0034] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Description of content that overlaps with the first embodiment will be omitted. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an example configuration of an asphalt finisher 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example structure of a scraper 70. As shown in Figure 4, the asphalt finisher 100 includes a tractor unit 10, a hopper 20, a screed 30, and a scraper 70. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the scraper 70 includes a main body unit 71, a slider unit 72, and a blade 73.

[0035] The scraper 70 is a part that slides a blade 73 on the bottom plate portion 22 of the hopper 20, and corresponds to the scraping portion in the present invention. Electricity is supplied to the scraper 70 from a power source (not shown), and the drive is controlled by a controller (not shown), causing the blade 73 to slide on the bottom plate portion 22 and scrape off the accumulated paving material. The power source and controller may be mounted in the driver's seat of the tractor portion 10.

[0036] The position where the scraper 70 is provided is not limited, but it is preferably disposed near the front end of the bottom plate portion 22. Furthermore, it is preferable that the scraper 70 is configured separately from the bottom plate portion 22 and is held detachably on the bottom plate portion 22. The structure for attaching the scraper 70 to the bottom plate portion 22 is not limited, but it is also possible to provide a magnet at a position facing the bottom plate portion 22 and attach the scraper 70 to the bottom plate portion 22 by magnetic force.

[0037] The main body 71 constitutes the outer shape of the scraper 70 and holds the various components. There are no specific limitations on the shape of the main body 71, but in the example shown in Fig. 5, it is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The main body 71 is provided with a slider 72 along its longitudinal direction, and a blade 73 is attached to the slider 72.

[0038] The slider portion 72 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 71 and drives the blade 73 by sliding it in the longitudinal direction. The specific configuration of the slider portion 72 is not limited, but a known belt conveying device using an electric motor and a belt can be used.

[0039] The blade 73 is a generally plate-shaped portion arranged along the width direction of the bottom plate portion 22, one end of which is attached to the slider portion 72, and is a portion that slides in the front-to-rear direction of the bottom plate portion 22 as the slider portion 72 moves. The blade 73 and the bottom plate portion 22 may be in contact with each other, or a small gap may be provided between them.

[0040] When an operator operates the scraper 70 using the controller 50, the slider portion 72 slides along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 71, and the blade 73 attached to the slider portion 72 slides back and forth on the bottom plate portion 22. The paving material piled up on the bottom plate portion 22 is scraped off by the blade 73, moves in the direction of the conveyor 21 according to the inclination of the bottom plate portion 22, and is transported by the conveyor 21 to the opening at the rear.

[0041] 4 and 5 show an example in which the scraper 70 uses the slider portion 72 to slide the blade 73 in parallel to the front-to-rear direction, but the direction in which the blade 73 slides is not limited and may be the width direction or an oblique direction. Also, one end of the blade 73 may be rotatably supported by the main body portion 71, so that the movable range of the blade 73 is fan-shaped and the blade 73 may move back and forth around the one end as the center of rotation.

[0042] As described above, in the asphalt finisher 100 of this embodiment, the scraper 70 scrapes off the paving material in the hopper 20 and sends it out in the direction of the conveyor 21, thereby preventing the paving material from accumulating in the hopper 20 and allowing it to be efficiently transported by the conveyor 21.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 100...Asphalt finisher 10...Tractor section 20...Hopper 21...Conveyor 22…Bottom plate part 23...Wall part 30...Screed 40...Conveyor belt 41...Case 42...Drive roller 43...Rotating roller 44...Belt 50...Controller 60…Power supply 70…Scraper 71...Main body 72...Slider section 73...Blade

Claims

1. a hopper for receiving paving material; a conveyor that conveys the paving material put into the hopper rearward; a scraping unit that sends out the paving material in the direction of the conveyor; the hopper has a bottom plate portion and a wall portion whose inclination angle toward the conveyor direction is changeable, An asphalt finisher characterized in that the scraping section is arranged on the side of the conveyor in the bottom plate section or the wall section.

2. The asphalt finisher according to claim 1, An asphalt finisher characterized in that the scraping section is a belt conveyor.

3. The asphalt finisher according to claim 1, An asphalt finisher characterized in that the scraping unit is a scraper that slides a blade.

4. The asphalt finisher according to claim 1, An asphalt finisher characterized in that the scraping unit is detachably attached to the inside of the hopper by the magnetic force of a magnet.

5. An asphalt finisher according to any one of claims 1 to 4, An asphalt finisher characterized in that the scraping section is provided at the front end of the hopper.

Images