A vibratory compactor is provided. The vibratory compactor may include a frame coupled to a compactor plate. The frame and compactor plate are configured to vibrate to compact soil. The vibratory compactor may also include a housing having an inner volume, the housing coupled to the frame by at least one isolator with the frame and the at least one load bearing member located within the inner volume. The housing may be coupled to an arm of an excavator. A gap may be formed between the housing and the frame, wherein the gap between the housing and the frame inhibits movement of the housing with respect to the frame through the housing contacting the frame when excess forces are applied to the housing in an up/down direction, a forward/backward direction, a side-to-side direction, or combinations thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

This invention relates generally to a compactor and more particularly to a vibratory compactor for use with excavator type vehicles.

State of the Art

Vibratory plate compactors are designed to compact loose material, such as soil, gravel, small aggregate, asphalt and so forth. Conventional plate compactors include a heavy plate on the bottom of the machine that moves up and down quickly. The combination of rapid impacts, plate weight and impact force the soil underneath to compact or pack together more tightly. These plate compactors can be powered by gas engines or by hydraulic motors. Plate compactors that operate with hydraulic fluid are typically used with excavators or back hoes as an attachment. However, these hydraulic plate compactors are limited in their capability because of the exposed motors, hoses and isolators. These conventional vibratory compactors cannot and should not have excess forces applied by the arm of the excavator or backhoe and are limited in their ability to operate with excess forces in directions of up and down, side to side or forward and backward, but rather these conventional vibratory compactors rest on the surface and the plate performs the compaction function with minimal forces being applied by the excavator or backhoe.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved vibratory compactor for use with excavator-type vehicles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment includes a vibratory compactor comprising: a frame coupled to a compactor plate, wherein the frame and compactor plate are configured to vibrate; a housing comprising an inner volume, the housing coupled to the frame by at least one isolator with the frame located within the inner volume of the housing, wherein the housing is configured to couple to an arm of an excavator; and a gap between the housing and the frame, wherein the gap between the housing and the frame sets a limit of a range of deflection of the at least one isolator by the housing contacting the frame when excess forces are applied to the housing in an up/down direction, a forward/backward direction, a side-to-side direction, or combinations thereof.

Another embodiment includes a method of use of a vibratory compactor comprising: coupling a vibratory compactor to an excavator, the vibratory compactor comprising: a frame coupled to a compactor plate; a housing comprising an inner volume, the housing coupled to the frame by at least one isolator with the frame located within the inner volume of the housing, wherein the housing is configured to couple to an arm of an excavator; and a gap between the housing and the frame; applying an excess force to the housing in an up/down direction, a forward/backward direction, a side-to-side direction, or combinations thereof; and inhibiting movement of the housing with respect to the frame through the housing contacting the frame in response to the compactor plate or frame being restricted while moving the vibratory compactor, the movement of the housing with respect to the frame being limited by a size of the gap between the housing and the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a vibratory compactor for use with an excavator type vehicle. An excavator type vehicle may be an excavator, a backhoe, a mini-excavator, or the like.

Referring toFIGS.1-8, an embodiment of a vibratory compactor10is shown. The compactor10comprises a frame20, a housing40, a compactor plate60and a vibration generation device70. The frame20comprises a first side member22spaced apart from a second side member24and a front member28spaced apart from a rear member27, wherein the side members22and24with the front member28and the rear member27are coupled together to form a rectilinear inner space32. The frame20may be coupled to the compactor plate60. The vibration generation device70may be coupled to the compactor plate60within the inner space32of the frame20. In embodiments, the vibration generation device70may be coupled directly to the compactor plate60.

The housing40may include a top member42, chamfered members45and46, a first side member47, a second side member49, a rear member50and a front member52coupled together to form the housing40with an open end providing access to an inner volume54. The opening and inner volume54are configured to receive the frame20within the inner volume54of the housing40. All of the holes for coupling components to each may be tapped holes and comprise threads. This allows for coupling of components together without the need of nuts. For example, and without limitation, the top member42of the housing40includes various amounts of threaded holes that are configured to allow various sized couplers (ears) to be coupled to or bolted to the top member42without the need for nuts.

The vibratory compactor10may further comprise a plurality of isolators80. Each isolator80may be coupled between the frame20on one end and to a side member47or49of the housing40on the other end. A portion of each isolator80is within the inner space32and a portion of each isolator80extends beyond edges of the first side member22and the second side member24. The housing40may be coupled to the plurality of isolators80, wherein the housing40comprises couplers82removably coupled to a top member42of the housing40. The coupler82may be configured for coupling the vibratory compactor10to an excavator type vehicle (seeFIGS.9A-9C).

In embodiments, the vibration generation device70is a hydraulic vibration generation device. In these embodiments, the housing40may comprise apertures44configured for hydraulic hoses72to extend therethrough from the excavator type vehicle to the hydraulic vibration generation device70. In other embodiments, the housing40may comprise fittings configured for hydraulic hoses to extend between the excavator type vehicle and one side of the fittings and configured for hydraulic hoses72to extend between an opposed side of the fittings and the hydraulic vibration generation device70. The fittings may be located in the same place as the apertures44. For example, the fittings may be coupled within the apertures44.

In each of these embodiments, the apertures44are located toward a top of the housing40and not extending out of any of the sides of the housing40. For example, the apertures44may be located in one of the upper chamfered members45or46. The apertures located toward a top of the housing and not extending from the side, limits the opportunity for damage to the hoses or fittings. This is a distinction over prior art wherein prior art has hoses and fittings open to the environment and allows for damage to easily occur to the hoses and/or fittings. In embodiments of this invention, the fittings for hoses to the vibration generation device70are located within the inner space32of the frame20and the apertures44with or without fittings are located in an upper surface that limits damage that may occur during use. The configuration of the frame20and the housing40operate to protect the hoses72and fittings for operation of the vibration generation device70. Additionally, the top member42of the housing40may include handles43. The handles43operate to lift the housing40for coupling to the frame20and to lift the vibratory compactor10if needed. Further still, the hoses72may extend from the apertures44and through the handle opening41and serves as a further protection from damage to the hoses72during operation of the vibratory compactor10(seeFIG.1).

With additional reference to the isolators80, the plurality of isolators80isolate the vibration of the compactor plate60and frame20from the housing40. Additionally, the plurality of isolators80are oriented to allow forces to be applied to vibratory compactor10from operation of the excavator type vehicle in one or more directions comprising perpendicular to the compactor plate60and any angle to the compactor plate60. As shown, the isolators may be cylindrical in shape and more than one isolator may be coupled to the frame20and the housing40. The vibratory compactor10may further comprise a gap48between the housing40and the frame20and the housing40. For example and referring toFIGS.5and7, the gap48is formed between the first side member47of the housing40and the first side member22of the frame20; between the second side member49of the housing40and the second side member24of the frame20; between the rear member50of the housing40and the rear member27of the frame20; and between the front member52of the housing40and the front member28of the frame20. The gap48allows for movement between the housing and the frame and the isolators operate to dampen the movement of the housing40during vibration of the plate60and the frame20when the vibratory compactor10is operating.

Additionally, the vibratory compactor10may further comprise a range of deflection of the plurality of isolators80, wherein the range of deflection is defined by the distance of the gap48between the housing40and the frame20and the gap38between the housing40and the compactor plate60, wherein limits of the range of deflection are set by the housing40contacting the frame20as shown inFIGS.6and8. This may occur when excess forces are applied to the housing40in an up/down direction, a forward/backward direction, a side-to-side direction, or combinations thereof.

With further reference toFIGS.9A-9C, the method of use may include moving material112from a first location to a second location, moving material in the second location and compacting material in the second location. A typical example of this is back filling and leveling a ditch that has rocky material within it. For example, and without limitation, a first location may be a side of a ditch110to a second location within the ditch110with the vibratory compactor10as shown inFIG.9A; moving material within the ditch110with the vibratory compactor10as shown inFIG.9B; and compacting the material112within the ditch110as depicted inFIG.9C. In each instance the vibratory compactor10may utilize couplers90to couple to an arm92of an excavator type vehicle and operate to move or scrape material from a side of the ditch110into the ditch110, move material within the ditch110and compact the material within the ditch110. Conventional compactors do not have the ability to perform either of these functions because the hoses, fittings and motor are all exposed and subject to damage just by trying to compact within the ditch110and would definitely lack the ability to scrape material into the ditch.