Adjustable Push Roller Mechanism for Paver Truck Docking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pushing devices for road finishers and feeder vehicles are inadequate for trucks with varying rear tipping body overhangs, leading to difficulties in maintaining a predetermined distance during material transfer, which increases the risk of collision.

Innovation Solution

A modular pushing device with adjustable second push rollers that can be positioned in front of the first rollers, allowing for docking with trucks having long dump body overhangs, and a pivoting mechanism to maintain a constant distance during material transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional pushing devices with fixed push rollers are used, then trucks with short dump body overhangs can be pushed at a predetermined distance, but trucks with long dump body overhangs cannot be properly docked or pushed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with different truck typesVSAvoidpushing device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The push rollers are made movable relative to the pushing device frame through a telescopic mechanism with guide rails and locking elements. This allows the push rollers to be dynamically repositioned along the direction of travel to match different truck configurations, enabling both short and long overhang trucks to be properly docked and pushed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The pushing device is divided into a fixed frame and a movable push roller assembly that can be independently adjusted. The telescopic mechanism segments the adjustment function from the main structure, allowing the push rollers to be positioned at different locations without redesigning the entire pushing device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the truck driver manually regulates the distance during material transfer, then trucks with long dump body overhangs can be pushed, but the risk of collision increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistance regulationVSAvoidcollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The telescopic mechanism with adjustable locking positions enables the pushing device to self-adjust to different truck configurations. The operator can select from predetermined locking positions that correspond to different dump body overhang lengths, eliminating the need for manual distance regulation by the truck driver and reducing collision risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3690141B1Paver or feeder vehicle with pushing device for a material handover process
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 JOSEPH VOEGELE AG
  • EP3690141B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3690141B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3690141B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A road paver (1) for producing a paving layer (2) from a paving material (3) or a feeder vehicle (11) for supplying the road paver (1) with a paving material (3) to be laid, wherein the road paver (1) or the feeder vehicle (11) comprises a material hopper (4, 12) for receiving the paving material (3), which, viewed in the direction of travel (F), is arranged at the front of a chassis (5) of the road paver (1) or feeder vehicle (11), and a pusher device (10', 14') which, viewed in the direction of travel (F), is attached to the chassis (5) in front of the material hopper (4, 12) in such a way that push rollers mounted on the pusher device (10', 14') can engage with the rear wheels (17) of a truck (15) when the truck (15) has loaded the paving material (3) into the material hopper (4, 12) of the road paver (1). or of the feeder vehicle (11), wherein the push rollers have a pair of first push rollers (19'),which, viewed along the direction of travel (F) relative to a crossbeam (20') of the thrust device (10', 14'), can be stored in at least one first position (P1') in which the first thrust rollers (19') are fixed in a receptacle (24) of the crossbeam (20'), wherein the thrust device (10', 14') comprises a further pair of second thrust rollers (25') which, viewed in the horizontal projection plane, can optionally be positioned in front of the first thrust rollers (19').