Abstract:
A brush for a mechanized sweeper of a paved surface includes a first portion of a tire. The first portion of the tire has a sidewall and tread generally perpendicular to the sidewall. An edge between the sidewall and the tread. The edge forms a circle around the outermost portion of the sidewall. The tread further has a plurality of first slits extending from the edge across the tread such that flaps are formed in the tread. When the portion of the tire is rotated, the portion of the tire is configured to brush the paved surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to mechanized sweepers. Particularly, sweepers used for sweeping paved areas, roads, paved motor vehicle parking lots, parking areas, parking structures and debris covered surfaces. More particularly, the invention relates to the brushes on the mechanized sweepers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various types of sweepers are used in sweeping paved surfaces. For example, truck mounted sweepers sweep highway and roadway surfaces. In general, pavement sweepers include a standard truck or specially designed chassis upon which the sweeper unit is mounted. Three basic categories of sweeper units are: re-circulating air sweeper, mechanical sweeper, and vacuum air sweepers. Generally, re-circulating air sweeper units include a motor driven fan, sweeping hood, a curved brush, and a debris separation hopper. The curb brush brings the debris into the path of the sweeping hood. The fan re-circulates airflow from the hopper through the sweeping hood and back into the hopper where dust, particles, and other debris are removed from the airflow by known separation techniques. 
         [0003]    Generally, mechanical sweeper units include a motor driven main pick-up brush, a curb brush, a conveyor/elevator and a containment hopper. The curb brush sweeps the debris into the path of a main pick-up brush which deposits the dust and debris onto the conveyor/elevator. The conveyor/elevator dumps the debris into the hopper. 
         [0004]    Vacuum air sweeper units include a motor driven fan, suction head, transfer brush, curb brush, and a debris separation hopper. The curb brush and transfer brush push debris into the path of the suction head. The fan creates airflow from the hopper to create vacuum suction at the suction head so that dust, dirt and debris are pulled into the separation hopper. 
         [0005]    Each general type of vehicle sweeper includes curb brushes located on one or both sides of the sweeping unit. These brushes sweep debris outside of the axel width of the sweeper into the path of the particular method which removes the debris from the surface. This allows an operator to drive close to a curb to remove debris near the curb without hitting the curb. Because the curb brushes also extend outside of the axel width of the vehicle, fewer passes may be completed to clear same sized areas. Moreover, by extending brushes outside of the vehicle additional hard to reach places, such as around light posts, may be more accessible. In most cases, these brushes rotate against the vehicle travel direction and are propelled by a motor drive. The brushes include some form of replaceable bristle or broom material such as a variety of plastic types, different grades of steel, or any combination of the two. The brushes are designed to wear as they are used and are one of the most common replaceable wear items on sweeper units. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An aspect of the invention provides a brush for a mechanized sweeper of a paved surface. The brush includes a first portion of a tire. The first portion of the tire has a sidewall and tread generally perpendicular to the sidewall. An edge between the sidewall and the tread. The edge forms a circle around the outermost portion of the sidewall. The tread further has a plurality of first slits extending from the edge across the tread such that flaps are formed in the tread. When the portion of the tire is rotated, the portion of the tire is configured to brush the paved surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a re-circulating air sweeper; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a view of a curb brush assembly of the sweeper of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a view of the tire brush of the curb brush assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an expanded view of the curb brush assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a view of another embodiment of the tire brush of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a view of the tire brush of  FIG. 5  mounted on the curb brush assembly; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of the curb brush assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Turning now to the drawing figures,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of a re-circulating air sweeper  10 . The sweeper  10  includes a cab  12 , a sweeper fan  14 , an auxiliary motor  16  that drives a fan  14 , a sweeping hood  18 , a curb brush  20  and a hopper  22 . The sweeper  10  is generally a specialized vehicle supported on four tires  26  and mounted on a standard utility truck chassis  11 . As the sweeper  10  moves down a road, debris and trash under the hood  18  passed through a conduit  28  to the hopper  22  for collection. The brushes  20  in front of the hood  18  rotate and push debris into the path of the hood  18 . The fan  14  blows air through one side of the hood  18  via a pressure hose or conduit (not shown), air is then returned to the hopper  22  through the conduit  28 . In this embodiment, the fan high pressure hose or conduit to the hood  18  is located on the passengers side and the return hose or conduit  28  is located on the driver&#39;s side of the vehicle  10 . Having the return  28  on the driver&#39;s side allows for a driver to better align the portion of the hood  18  under the return  28  with trash and debris that is moving under the driver and along the curbs. However, reversing the position of the fan  14  high pressure hose and the return conduit  28  such that the fan  14  high pressure hose is on the driver&#39;s side and the return  28  is on the passenger&#39;s side may also effectively remove debris and trash from the surface. 
         [0015]    The fan  14  is powered by the motor  16 . An intake  30  of the fan  14  pulls air from the hopper  22 , pushes the air through the high pressure hose and into a hood entry and passes the air through the hood  18  back through the return  28  into the hopper  22 . Within the hopper  22 , a filter filters the air prior to passing the air through the intake. In this manner, the air that enters the fan  14  is filtered from small debris which may have been picked up through the air if the intake was vented to atmosphere. The motor  16  is configured to power the re-circulating air sweeper system, but is not responsible for propulsion of the sweeper  10 . However, fluid reservoirs meant to supply both the motor  16  and the engine of the sweeper  10  may be shared between these two components. 
         [0016]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a view of the curb brush assembly  20  of the sweeper of  FIG. 1 . The curb brush assembly  20  includes a mounting bracket  32 , an arm  34 , a motor  36  and a tire brush  38 . The mounting bracket  32  is configured to attach the tire brush  38  to the sweeper  10 . The mounting bracket  32  is attached to the arm  34 . The arm  34  supports the motor  36  and the tire brush  38 . 
         [0017]    The mounting bracket  32  is configured to attach the tire brush  38  to the sweeper. The tire brush  38  is further supported by the arm  34 , which positions the tire brush  38  away from the sweeper. The purpose of the tire brush  38  is to push debris into the path of the hood. By extending the tire brush  38  out on the arm  34 , the effective lateral range of the sweeper for picking up debris is increased. The arm  34  and the angle of the arm  34  relative to the sweeper controls the distance from the sweeper the tire brush  38  extends. 
         [0018]    The angle of the arm  34  relative to the sweeper is controlled by the mounting bracket  32 . In addition to the lateral distance from the sweeper, the angle also controls the forward distance from the hood of the sweeper. The forward distance from the hood of the sweeper may be important based upon the size and weight of the debris swept under the hood. As the debris is caught by the tire brush  38 , the tire brush rotates the debris toward the sweeper hood. 
         [0019]    As well as sweeping the debris toward the hood, the tire brush  38  also dislodges any debris that might otherwise be attached to the paved area. For example, dried drinks may provide a sticky surface upon which a cup may rest. The tire brush  38  may free the cup from the surface so that the cup may be picked up by the hood. In addition, the brush  38  may free debris from places such as grates and drains which would not be properly sucked up because the air in the hood would flow through the grate and drain instead of the hood and hopper. Thus, as well as pushing debris toward the hood, the tire brush  38  also frees debris for the hood to properly clear the debris from the paved surface. 
         [0020]    The motor  36  rotates the tire brush  38  around the central axis of the motor  36 . The motor  36  provides the torque required for rotating the tire brush  38 . The speed of rotation is controlled so that the tire brush  38  does not propel debris outward past the reach of the hood. However, the speed needs to be high enough so that there is adequate relative motion between the forward motion of the sweeper and the rotation of the tire brush  38 . 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a view of the tire brush  38  of the curb brush assembly of  FIG. 2 . The tire brush  38  is made of a used tire. The tire brush  38  is shaped by removing a sidewall of the used tire and cutting slits from the side of the tire where the sidewall was removed to an inside sidewall  46 . That is, the slits run from one open tire edge  40  to a closed tire edge  42  across the tread region  44  of the used tire. The inside sidewall  46  has a circular opening defined by the inside lip  48  of the tire. The used tire is configured to attach to a curb brush assembly through the circular opening. The inside lip  48  and the sidewall  46  provide structural support for the tread, which form brush thistles  50  between adjacent slits in the tread. The tire may be cut by a sharpened edge, a form of laser energy, chemical, high pressure fluid, or other means able to perforate and separate a portion of tire from another portion of the tire. 
         [0022]    The brush thistles  50  are formed so that as the tire brush  38  rotates, the thistles are allowed to move individually. Thus, as the thistles spin, adjacent thistles may both brush similar areas but separately impact the debris. This increases the effectiveness of the brush  38 . 
         [0023]    The use of old tires is advantageous for multiple reasons. Old tires are difficult to dispose, so finding an additional use for the tires is environmentally friendly. Moreover, using tires may also allow tires that are worn while serving as tires on the sweeper to be reused as tire brushes later. This may minimize costs associated with replacing a part that must be replaced regularly. More over, the tires are stiff enough to effectively sweep the surface, but are also flexible enough to contour to surfaces without stressing the brush thistles out of the preferred shape. 
         [0024]    Turning now to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is an expanded view of the curb brush assembly  20  of  FIG. 2 . The curb brush assembly  20  includes a top plate  52  and a lower plate  54  which together attach the tire brush  38  to the arm  34 . The top plate  52  and the bottom plate  54  are connected by connectors extended through holes  56 . The two plates  52  and  54  are pressed against each other. The holes  56  on the upper and lower plate  52  and  54  are aligned and connectors, such as bolts, cotter pins, etc. may be used to keep the tire brush  38  attached to the arm  34 . 
         [0025]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a view of another embodiment of the tire brush of  FIG. 3 . A tire brush  60  is made from an old tire. The tire is cut such that a single tire may produce a pair of tire brushes  60 . The tire is cut from one edge  62  between the tread  66  and a removed sidewall to the other edge  64  between the tread  66  and an upper sidewall  67 . However, instead of simply forming slits in the tread  66 , a second cut along the edges  62  and  64  separates the opposing sidewalls from each other. Flaps  68  are formed on each sidewall alternating between the removed sidewall and the upper sidewall  67 . The pattern in  FIG. 5  allows for two tire brushes  60  from each tire. Other patterns, such as ones where the slits are not perpendicular to the edges  62  and  64 , or patterns where the slits are not parallel to each other, may also be used to vary the wear on the tire brush  60 . 
         [0026]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is a view of the tire brush  60  of  FIG. 5  mounted on the curb brush assembly  20 . Each of the different patterns for tire brushes  60  may be mounted to the curb brush assembly similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 . The operation of the differing patterns on the tire brushes  60  are similar to the operation described above with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]    Turning now to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is another embodiment of the curb brush assembly  20  of  FIG. 2 . The assembly  20  includes an outer tire brush  60  which is the same as the tire brush of  FIG. 5 . The curb brush assembly  20  further includes an inner tire brush  70  concentrically mounted inside the outer tire brush  60 . The inner tire brush  70  may be made from a smaller tire, or may be made from a tire the same size as the outer tire. If the tire is the same size, then the sidewall  67  of the inner tire brush  60  is cut radially in two places. The piece of the sidewall  67  and any flaps attached to that portion of the sidewall  67  may be discarded. The remaining portion of the sidewall  67  may be coiled together and attached such that the radius of the inner tire brush  70  is smaller. 
         [0028]    As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the claims below.