Modular street sweeper
View Patent ↗A modular street sweeper includes a pair of side brooms to sweep debris laterally inwardly from opposing sides of the sweeper and a pickup mechanism to convey the swept debris from the ground to a collection hopper. The pickup mechanism includes a conveyor module in which a main broom at a rear of the sweeper sweeps the debris forwardly onto a rotating conveyor and a vacuum module in which a vacuum head spans laterally across the sweeper in proximity to the ground and communicates with a fan to direct the swept debris into the hopper. The vacuum pick up module is interchangeable with the conveyor pickup module so that a single sweeper investment can perform both a spring function of sand collection with the conveyor and a fall function of leaf collection with the vacuum head.
1. A vacuum pickup module arranged for use with a modular street sweeper comprising:
a frame supported on wheels for rolling movement in a forward working direction along the ground in a longitudinal direction of the frame;
a hopper supported on the frame;
a main broom supported for rotation about a horizontal axis extending laterally across the frame spaced rearwardly from the hopper and arranged for engaging the ground at a bottom side thereof;
the main broom being arranged to rotate forwardly at the bottom side;
at least one side broom supported on the frame for rotation about a respective upright axis, said at least one side broom being offset laterally to one side of the frame;
said at least one side broom being arranged to rotate laterally inwardly at a forward side thereof; and
a conveyor pickup module comprising a chute and a conveyor rotatable within the chute and being arranged to be supported between the main broom and the hopper so as to convey debris from the main broom to the hopper;
the vacuum pickup module being arranged to be interchangeable with the conveyor pickup module so as to be arranged to be supported on the frame, the vacuum pickup module comprising:
a vacuum head having an opening arranged to span laterally across the frame in proximity to the ground;
a fan having an inlet and an outlet;
an inlet duct arranged to communicate between the vacuum head and the inlet of the fan; and
an outlet duct arranged to communicate between the outlet of the fan and the hopper.
2. The module according to claim 1 wherein the opening of the vacuum head is arranged to overlap said at least one side broom in a lateral direction.
3. The module according to claim 1 wherein said at least one side broom comprises a pair of laterally opposed side brooms and the opening of the vacuum head is arranged to span laterally a width of a lateral space defined between the side brooms in overlapping configuration therewith.
4. The module according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum head is adjustable in height relative to the frame.
5. The module according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum head is adjustable in height relative to the fan supported on the frame, the vacuum head and the fan communicating with one another through a flexible duct.
6. The module according to claim 1 for a sweeper comprising a plurality of hydraulic lines receiving hydraulic fluid under pressure for driving rotation of the main broom and rotation of the conveyor, wherein the fan is arranged to be driven to rotate by connection to at least one of the hydraulic lines used to power rotation of the main broom or rotation of the conveyor.
7. The module according to claim 1 for a sweeper comprising a hopper supported on a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the hopper relative to the frame, wherein there is provided a crane arranged to be supported on the hopper from which at least one of the conveyor pickup module and the vacuum pickup module are arranged to be suspended for movement with the hopper relative to the frame.
8. The module according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an auxiliary hopper supported for rolling movement along the ground and arranged for towing connection to the frame and wherein the outlet duct is movable between a forward position in communication with the hopper on the frame and an auxiliary position in communication with the auxiliary hopper.
9. The module according to claim 1 wherein the fan comprises mulching blades arranged to reduce a particle size of material passing through the fan from the inlet to the outlet.
10. The module according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum pickup module is arranged to be supported on the frame rearwardly of the hopper and forwardly of the main broom.
11. A modular street sweeper comprising:
a frame supported on wheels for rolling movement in a forward working direction along the ground in a longitudinal direction of the frame;
a hopper supported on the frame;
at least one side broom supported on the frame for rotation about a respective upright axis, said at least one side broom being offset laterally to one side of the frame;
said at least one side broom being arranged to rotate laterally inwardly at a forward side thereof; and
a pickup mechanism arranged to convey debris from the ground to the hopper;
the pickup mechanism including:
a main broom supported for rotation about a horizontal axis extending laterally across the frame spaced rearwardly from the hopper and arranged for engaging the ground at a bottom side thereof;
the main broom being arranged to rotate forwardly at the bottom side;
a conveyor pickup module; and
a vacuum pickup module;
the conveyor pickup module and the vacuum pickup module being interchangeable with one another between a conveyor mode in which the conveyor pickup module is supported on the frame and a vacuum mode in which the vacuum pickup module is supported on the frame;
the conveyor pickup module comprising a chute and a conveyor rotatable within the chute and being arranged to be supported between the main broom and the hopper so as to convey debris from the main broom to the hopper; and
the vacuum pickup module comprising:
a vacuum head having an opening arranged to span laterally across the frame in proximity to the ground;
a fan having an inlet and an outlet;
an inlet duct arranged to communicate between the vacuum head and the inlet of the fan; and
an outlet duct arranged to communicate between the outlet of the fan and the hopper.
12. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein the opening of the vacuum head is arranged to overlap said at least one side broom in a lateral direction.
13. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein said at least one side broom comprises a pair of laterally opposed side brooms and the opening of the vacuum head is arranged to span laterally a width of a lateral space defined between the side brooms in overlapping configuration therewith.
14. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein the vacuum head is adjustable in height relative to the frame.
15. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein the vacuum head is adjustable in height relative to the fan supported on the frame, the vacuum head and the fan communicating with one another through a flexible duct.
16. The sweeper according to claim 11 further comprising a plurality of hydraulic lines arranged for receiving hydraulic fluid under pressure for driving rotation of the main broom and rotation of the conveyor in the conveyor mode, wherein the fan is arranged to be driven to rotate by connection to said plurality of hydraulic lines in the vacuum mode.
17. The sweeper according to claim 11 further comprising a lift mechanism arranged for raising and lowering the hopper relative to the frame, and a crane arranged to be supported on the hopper from which at least one of the conveyor pickup module and the vacuum pickup module are arranged to be suspended for movement with the hopper relative to the frame.
18. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein there is provided an auxiliary hopper supported for rolling movement along the ground and arranged for towing connection to the frame and wherein the outlet duct is movable between a forward position in communication with the hopper on the frame and an auxiliary position in communication with the auxiliary hopper.
19. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein the fan comprises mulching blades arranged to reduce a particle size of material passing through the fan from the inlet to the outlet.
20. The sweeper according to claim 11 wherein the vacuum pickup module is arranged to be supported on the frame rearwardly of the hopper and forwardly of the main broom.