Street Sweeper Brush Arm Linkage for Shock Damping and Suction Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current street sweepers face challenges in maintaining constant brush pressure on the ground, absorbing shocks from obstacles, and efficiency of the suction system, with limited space for tall drivers and significant pressure losses during waste collection.
Innovation Solution
The sweeper is equipped with mechanisms allowing horizontal and vertical movement of brush-holder arms using linear actuators and springs to absorb shocks and maintain constant pressure, and a suction turbine arrangement that reduces pressure losses, featuring a deformable parallelogram mechanism for vertical movement and a coaxial filter-turbine configuration for improved suction efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the brush-holder arms use rigid connection to the frame, then the control of brush position is precise, but the shock absorption capability is poor leading to frequent blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The brush-holder arm mechanism is transformed from a rigid static connection to a dynamic system with multiple degrees of freedom. The arm can pivot horizontally about a vertical axis and vertically about horizontal axes, allowing it to adapt dynamically to terrain variations and absorb shocks from obstacles while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush-holder arm is divided into multiple segments connected by pivots and joints. This segmentation allows different parts of the mechanism to move independently - the horizontal pivot allows lateral adjustment while vertical pivots allow height adjustment, enabling shock absorption without compromising position control.
2Ease of operation
If the cabin size is increased to accommodate tall drivers, then the driver comfort is improved, but the overall vehicle dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cabin space is optimized by redistributing vertical space. The brush-holder arm mechanism uses vertical pivots and deformable parallelograms that allow the brushes to be raised and lowered, creating vertical clearance that can be utilized for driver headroom without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint of the vehicle.
3Productivity
If the suction system uses traditional configuration, then the system is simple, but significant pressure losses occur during waste collection
Solution Approach 1:
A coaxial filter arrangement is introduced as an intermediary component between the suction inlet and the waste collection system. The filter is positioned concentrically with the suction flow path, minimizing flow disruption and pressure losses while effectively separating waste particles from the air stream.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables effective control of brush position and shock absorption, maintaining constant pressure and improving suction efficiency, accommodating taller drivers and enhancing operational stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
In case of the presence of an external lateral force acting on the brush and pushing it towards the interior of the sweeper, the first spring allows a pivoting of the brush-holder arm towards the frame, without pivoting of the first auxiliary arm
Implementation Method 2
The waste is brought by the brushes to a central suction mouth, whence they are sucked by the action of a turbine to a container incorporated in the sweeper
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to street sweeper. According to a first aspect of the invention, different mechanisms are disclosed for controlling the movement of the brush-holder arms in a horizontal plane, while also damping side and front impacts. According to a second aspect, a sweeper is disclosed, in which the movement of the brush-holder arms (3) in a vertical plane is imparted by a set of four profile members, arranged in two pairs which each forms a deformable parallelogram, wherein the deformation of the parallelogram is actuated by a jack (25) and the own weight of the sweeping arm. The jack is configured to remain below the upper profile members (11) of the two pairs when the brush-holder arm is raised to its maximum height. According to a third aspect, the suction turbine (103) is arranged in such a way that load losses are reduced during the operation of the sweeper.