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US 10,683,634 B2Granted
Debris diverter for microtrenchers
AssigneeConeqtec Corp.
InventorsGary L. Cochran, William Andrew Cochran, David F. Voth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Arrangements for diverting and removing spoil created when a microtrench is being cut. The disclosed arrangements divert the debris and dust away from the microtrench during the cutting process. In optional embodiments, a spoil vacuum system is used to remove the dust particles during the debris diversion process. In further optional embodiments, a microtrench slot cleaning tool and slot vacuum system may be used. The microtrencher can be mounted on a skid-steer loader or a similar support vehicle.
Claims20
An arrangement, comprising:
- a. a housing configured to move at a height along an asphalt or concrete cutting surface in a forward direction of travel;
- b. a radial planar blade with grinding teeth rotatably mounted within the housing and arranged to cut a slot in the cutting surface as the housing is moved;
- c. the housing defining an exit opening aligned with the plane of the blade and arranged so that spoil created by the blade exits the housing through the exit opening;
- d. a plenum defining an entrance opening mounted in communication with the housing exit opening;
- e. the plenum defining an enclosed plenum passage extending between plenum sides, a roof and a floor;
- f. the plenum passage extending forward from the entrance opening, extending laterally relative to the entrance opening and terminating in an exit end,
- g. an end plate extending across the exit end of the plenum passage;
- and,
- h. a downward facing exit gap defined between a terminus of the plenum floor and the end plate, wherein the exit gap is laterally spaced away from the blade so that spoil travelling through the plenum passage is deposited through the exit gap laterally away from the slot.
6 more elements
An arrangement, comprising:
- a. a housing carried by a host machine vehicle along an asphalt or concrete cutting surface in a forward direction of travel;
- b. a radial planar blade with grinding teeth rotatably mounted within the housing and arranged to cut a slot in the cutting surface as the housing is moved;
- c. the housing defining an exit opening on a forward side of the housing, wherein the exit opening is substantially aligned with the plane of the blade and arranged so that spoil created by the blade exits the housing through the exit opening;
- d. a plenum defining an entrance opening mounted in communication with the housing exit opening;
- e. the plenum defining an enclosed plenum passage extending between plenum sides, a roof and a floor;
- f. the plenum passage extending forward from the entrance opening, extending laterally relative to the entrance opening and terminating in an exit end,
- g. an end plate extending across the exit end of the plenum passage;
- and,
- h. a downward facing exit gap defined between the plenum floor and the end plate, wherein the exit gap is laterally spaced away from the blade so that spoil travelling through the plenum passage is deposited through the exit gap laterally away from the slot.
6 more elements
An arrangement, comprising:
- a. a housing configured to move along an asphalt or concrete cutting surface in a forward direction of travel;
- b. a rotating cutting tool with grinding teeth rotatably mounted within the housing and arranged to cut the cutting surface as the housing is moved;
- c. the housing defining an exit opening arranged so that spoil created by the cutting tool exits the housing through the exit opening;
- d. a plenum defining an entrance opening mounted in communication with the housing exit opening;
- e. the plenum defining an enclosed plenum passage extending between plenum sides, a roof and a floor;
- f. the plenum passage extending forward and laterally from the entrance opening and terminating in a closed exit end;
- and,
- g. a downward facing exit gap defined between a terminus of the plenum floor and the exit end, wherein the gap is laterally spaced away from the blade so that spoil travelling through the plenum passage is deposited downward through the exit gap laterally away from the slot.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.