Movable Panel Ejector for Refuse Vehicle Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional refuse vehicles with differing hopper and storage volumes face challenges in efficiently compacting and ejecting refuse, often requiring dump body configurations that limit their stability and carrying capacity, especially when hopper and storage volumes have different widths.
Innovation Solution
A refuse vehicle design featuring a multi-piece ejector assembly with a movable panel and wall that rotates to compact refuse from the hopper volume into the storage volume, allowing for full ejection and maintaining stability, even when hopper and storage volumes have different widths, and accommodating side-loading collection assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional dump body configurations are used with differing hopper and storage chamber widths, then the refuse vehicle can accommodate varying volume configurations, but the stability and carrying capacity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ejector assembly incorporates a movable panel that rotates about a horizontal axis, transitioning between positions to adapt the internal volume configuration. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain stability across different operating conditions while accommodating varying refuse volumes without compromising vehicle stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector assembly is divided into multiple components including a movable panel, wall, and coupling mechanism. This segmentation allows independent movement and adjustment of specific components to optimize both adaptability to different volume configurations and overall vehicle stability during operation.
2Quantity of substance
If a movable panel ejector assembly is used to fully eject refuse from the storage volume, then the carrying capacity is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable panel serves multiple functions: it acts as a closure for the storage volume, a compaction tool for dense packing refuse, and an ejection mechanism to discharge refuse from the storage chamber. This multi-functionality increases carrying capacity while minimizing the need for separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector assembly merges the compaction and ejection functions into a single integrated mechanism. The movable panel is coupled to both the hopper and storage volumes, allowing one component to perform multiple operations that would traditionally require separate systems, thus increasing capacity without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Productivity
If the panel is made rotatable to enable full ejection, then the compaction efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A coupling mechanism serves as an intermediary between the movable panel and the rotation actuation system. This intermediary component absorbs manufacturing tolerances and misalignments, allowing the panel to rotate smoothly between positions without requiring extremely tight manufacturing precision on the panel itself, while still achieving efficient compaction and ejection.
Data Source
AI summary
A refuse vehicle includes a chassis, a cab supported on the chassis, and a body assembly supported on the chassis and arranged behind the cab. The body assembly includes a body, a hopper volume, a storage volume, a wall arranged between the hopper volume and the storage volume. The wall defines an opening that provides access between the hopper volume and the storage volume. The body assembly further includes a panel coupled to the wall so that the panel is movable between an open position where opening is uncovered and a closed position where the opening is covered by the panel.