Patent Publication Number: US-11649602-B2

Title: Vibratory compactor

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[S] 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/989,373, filed on Aug. 10, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/691,240, filed on Nov. 21, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,738,434, issued Aug. 11, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated entirely herein by reference. 
    
    
     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 lose 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 forces 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 the exposed hoses and further are not true vibratory compactors but have cyclic up and down motions wherein the amplitude of the up and down motion and the weight of the plate combine for the compaction. Often, these vibratory compactors cannot and should not sustain extra forces applied by the arm of the excavator or backhoe, but rather rest on the surface and the plate performs the function. 
     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 compactor plate; a frame coupled to the compactor plate, wherein the frame comprises: a first side member spaced apart from a second side member; a plurality of mounting brackets coupled between the first side member and the second side member; and an inner space bound by the first side member, the second side member, and the compactor plate; a vibration generation device coupled to the compactor plate within the inner space of the frame; a plurality of isolators, each isolator coupled to one mounting bracket of the plurality of mounting brackets, wherein a portion of each isolator is within the inner space and a portion extends beyond edges of the first side member and the second side member; and a housing coupled to the plurality of isolators thereby coupling the housing to the frame with the frame within an inner volume of the housing, wherein the housing comprises couplers removably coupled to a top surface of the housing, the coupler configured for coupling the vibratory compactor to an excavator type vehicle. 
     Another embodiment includes a method of using a vibratory compactor, the method comprising: coupling the vibratory compactor to an excavator, the vibratory compactor comprising: a compactor plate; a frame coupled to the compactor plate, wherein the frame comprises: a first side member spaced apart from a second side member; a plurality of mounting brackets coupled between the first side member and the second side member; and an inner space bound by the first side member, the second side member, and the compactor plate; a vibration generation device coupled to the compactor plate within the inner space of the frame; a plurality of isolators, each isolator coupled to one mounting bracket of the plurality of mounting brackets, wherein a portion of each isolator is within the inner space and a portion extends beyond edges of the first side member and the second side member; and a housing coupled to the plurality of isolators thereby coupling the housing to the frame with the frame within an inner volume of the housing, wherein the housing comprises couplers removably coupled to a top surface of the housing, the coupler configured for coupling the vibratory compactor to an excavator type vehicle; operating the vibration generation device to vibrate the compactor plate and the frame; applying force to the compactor plate from the excavator type vehicle in response to the excavator type vehicle applying force to the housing; and compacting material contacted by the compactor plate. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, and: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a partially exploded perspective view of a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  3    is a side view with a side member of a housing removed from a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  4    is a front view with a front member of a housing removed from a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  5    is another perspective view of a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a vibratory compactor with the housing removed in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a fully exploded perspective view of a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  8 A  is a side view of a ditch with a vibratory compactor moving material from a side of the ditch into the ditch in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  8 B  is a side view of a ditch with a vibratory compactor moving material within the ditch in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG.  8 C  is a side view of a ditch with a vibratory compactor compacting material within the ditch in accordance with an embodiment; and 
         FIG.  9    is flow chart of a method of using a vibratory compactor in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     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 to  FIGS.  1 - 7   , an embodiment of a vibratory compactor  10  is shown. The compactor  10  comprises a frame  20 , a housing  40 , a compactor plate  60  and a vibration generation device  70 . The frame  20  comprises a first side member  22  spaced apart from a second side member  24 . The frame  20  may further comprise a plurality of mounting brackets  26  coupled between the first side member  22  and the second side member  24 , such as, but not limited to, a front mounting bracket  27 , a rear mounting bracket  28 , and a top mounting bracket  30 , wherein the front and rear mounting brackets  27  and  28  are coupled between the first and second side members  22  and  24  and parallel to each other. The top mounting bracket  30  may be coupled between the first and second side members  22  and  24  and perpendicular to the front and rear mounting brackets  27  and  28 . It will be understood that various amounts of mounting brackets  26  and orientations of coupling the mounting brackets  26  between the first side member  22  and the second side member  24  may be utilized. Further, it will be understood that the number of mounting brackets  26  utilized may correspond with the size of the vibratory compactor  10 . The frame  20  may further comprise an inner space  32  bound by the first side member  22 , the second side member  24 , and the compactor plate  60 . The vibration generation device  70  may be coupled to the compactor plate  60  within the inner space  32  of the frame  20 . In embodiments, the vibration generation device  70  may be coupled directly to the compactor plate  60 . The compactor plate  60  may include apertures wherein a larger compactor plate may be coupled to a bottom of the compactor plate  60 . 
     The housing  40  may include a top member  42 , chamfered members  45  and  46 , a first side member  47 , a second side member  48 , a rear member  50  and a front member  52  coupled together to form the housing  40  with an open end providing access to an inner volume  54 . The opening and inner volume  54  are configured to receive the frame  20  within the inner volume  54  of the housing  40 . 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 member  42  of the housing  40  includes various amounts of threaded holes that are configured to allow various sized couplers (ears) to be coupled to bolted to the top member  42  without the need for nuts. While threads are shown on the holes of the top member  42 , it will be understood that all holes for coupling may comprise threads. 
     The vibratory compactor  10  may further comprise a plurality of isolators  80 . Each isolator  80  may be coupled to one mounting bracket of the plurality of mounting brackets  26 . A portion of each isolator  80  is within the inner space and a portion of each isolator  80  extends beyond edges of the first side member  22  and the second side member  24 . The housing  40  may be coupled to the plurality of isolators  80 , wherein the housing  40  comprises couplers  90  removably coupled to a top member  42  of the housing  40 . The coupler  90  may be configured for coupling the vibratory compactor  10  to an excavator type vehicle. 
     In embodiments, the first side member  22  of the frame  20  may comprise an aperture  23  providing access to the inner space  32 . The second side member  24  of the frame  20  may comprise an aperture  25  providing access to the inner space  32 . Additionally, in some embodiments, the first side member  22 , the second side member  24  and two of the plurality of mounting brackets  26  are coupled to the compactor plate  60  forming a dust/debris seal  34  to inhibit dust/debris from entering the inner space  32 . 
     In embodiments, the vibration generation device  70  is a hydraulic vibration generation device. In these embodiments, the housing  40  may comprise apertures  44  configured for hydraulic hoses to extend therethrough from the excavator type vehicle to the hydraulic vibration generation device  70 . In other embodiments, the housing  40  may comprise fittings configured for hydraulic hoses to extend between the excavator type vehicle and one side of the fittings and configured for hydraulic hoses to extend between an opposed side of the fittings and the hydraulic vibration generation device  70 . The fittings may be located in the same place as the apertures  44 . For example, the fittings may be coupled within the apertures  44 . 
     In each of these embodiments, the apertures  44  are located toward a top of the housing  40  and not extending out of any of the sides of the housing  40 . For example, the apertures  44  may be located in one of the upper chamfered members  45  or  46 . 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 device  70  are located within the inner space  32  of the frame  20  and the apertures  44  with or without fittings are located in an upper surface that limits damage that may occur during use. The configuration of the frame  20  and the housing  40  operate to protect the hoses and fittings for operation of the vibration generation device  70 . 
     With additional reference to the isolators  80 , the plurality of isolators  80  isolate the vibration of the compactor plate  60  and frame  20  from the housing  40 . Additionally, the plurality of isolators  80  are oriented to allow forces to be applied to vibratory compactor  10  from operation of the excavator type vehicle in one or more directions comprising perpendicular to the compactor plate  60  and any angle to the compactor plate  60 . The vibratory compactor  10  may further comprise a gap  48  between the housing  40  and the frame  20  and the housing  40  and the compactor plate  60 , the gap  40  formed by the isolators  80 . 
     The vibratory compactor  10  may further comprise a range of deflection of the plurality of isolators  80 , wherein the range of deflection is defined by the distance of the gap  48  between the housing  40  and the frame  20  and the housing  40  and the compactor plate  60 , wherein limits of the range of deflection are set by the housing  40  contacting the frame  20  and/or the compactor plate  60 . 
     It will be understood that while one size of a vibratory compactor  10  is depicted in the drawings figure, the vibratory compactor may be made in any number of various sizes depending on the type of job and the size of excavator type vehicle may be using the vibratory compactor  10 . In some embodiments, particularly as the size of the vibratory compactor increases, the gap  48  may be of a size that the vibratory compactor  10  may comprise a spacer between the frame  20  and the housing  40 . The spacer may be formed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (“UHMW”) or other type of material with comparable material attributes to UHMW. Typically, the spacer is located between the frame  20  and the first and second side members  47  and  48  of the housing  40 . The spacer may operate as an additional debris seal. 
     Referring further to the drawings,  FIG.  9    depicts a method  100  of using vibratory compactor. The method  100  may comprise coupling the vibratory compactor to an excavator (Step  101 ), wherein the vibratory compactor comprises the components as described above; operating the vibration generation device to vibrate the compactor plate and the frame (Step  102 ); applying force to the compactor plate from the excavator type vehicle in response to the excavator type vehicle applying force to the housing (Step  103 ); and compacting material contacted by the compactor plate (Step  104 ). 
     The method  100  may further comprise isolating vibration of the compactor plate and the frame from the housing. Additionally, the Step  102  of operating the vibration generation device may comprise flowing hydraulic fluid through the vibration generation device. 
     With further reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 8 C , the method of use may include moving material  112  from a first location to a second location, moving material in the second location and compacting material in the second location. For example and without limitation, a first location may be a side of a ditch  110  to a second location within the ditch  110  with the vibratory compactor  10  as shown in  FIG.  8 A ; moving material within the ditch  110  with the vibratory compactor  10  as shown in  FIG.  8 B ; and compacting the material  112  within the ditch  110  as depicted in  FIG.  8 C . In each instance the vibratory compactor  10  may utilize couplers  90  to couple to an arm  92  of an excavator type vehicle and operate to move or scrape material from a side of the ditch  110  into the ditch  110 , move material within the ditch  110  and compact the material within the ditch  110 . 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 ditch  110  and would definitely lack the ability to scrape material into the ditch. 
     The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.