Patent ID: 12246360

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments described here without departing from what is covered by the claims.

Mobile equipment includes machinery that is capable of moving on its own, whether by wheels, tracks, or rails. One of the most common types of mobile equipment is heavy duty machinery. Heavy duty machinery typically contains enclosed areas, which may house diesel engines, hydraulic lines, and other components essential for operation. Since mobile equipment and heavy-duty machinery are often operating in undeveloped areas, such as construction sites and oilfield leases, they are prone to becoming quite dirty, whether by accumulation of mud, soot, dust, grasses, sawdust, or other contaminants. Keeping the enclosed areas of heavy-duty equipment clean may be difficult, but may be essential to prolong the lifespan of the equipment and reduce the risks of fires.

Referring toFIGS.1-15, a wash system10for mobile equipment12is disclosed. The wash system10may have a manifold18, a plurality of pressure washer nozzles20, and a high-pressure washer fluid supply line22. The system10may form part of an apparatus11comprising mobile equipment12which may define an enclosed area14. The manifold18may be mounted in the enclosed area14of the mobile equipment. The plurality of pressure washer nozzles20may be connected to the manifold18and each may be directed to spray washer fluid32. The high-pressure supply line22may be connected to supply the manifold18. The high-pressure supply line22may comprise a washer fluid supply connector22B, such as a quick-connect fitting for connection to an external washer fluid supply26(a supply26that is not mounted to the mobile equipment and is external to the mobile equipment). The mobile equipment12may be motorized and able to move independently, for example, the mobile equipment12may comprise a loader or lifter. The enclosed area that is targeted for assembly of the system10may be one where one more of dirt, dust, and contaminants16may accumulate in during use of the mobile equipment12. High-pressure washer fluid may be supplied to the high-pressure supply line22, which may be mounted to mobile equipment12. The high-pressure supply line or lines22may comprise suitable materials, for example referring toFIG.11, the hose used in the example is a 6000 psi rated 12.7 mm diameter GH493-8 from Eaton™ serial number EN856 R12/100R12. Referring toFIGS.1-13, the high-pressure supply line or lines22may be connected to the manifold or manifolds18, such that high-pressure washer fluid is ejected from each set of plurality of pressure washer nozzles20to dislodge dirt, dust, and contaminants16that have accumulated in the enclosed area14during use of the mobile equipment12. One or more of the manifold18, plurality of pressure washer nozzles20, and high-pressure supply line22may comprise or be formed of metal. The enclosed area14may be accessible through removing one or more of guarding28, panels30, or seats (not shown). The enclosed areas selected for assembly may ones whose manual cleaning without use of system10may be otherwise time consuming, costly and inefficient.

Referring toFIGS.2-6and11, the manifold18may comprise suitable structure and parts. The manifold18may comprise a tube body18A, which may define threaded ends18B, an internal bore18C and nozzle mounting apertures18D. The threaded ends18B of the manifold18may connect to a high-pressure supply line22or a pipe cap23. The high-pressure supply line22may supply washer fluid to the internal bore18C of the manifold18. The threaded end20B of plurality of pressure washer nozzles20may connect to the nozzle mounting apertures18D of the manifold18. Apertures18D may be drilled out of a metal tube to form the manifold18. The nozzle mounting apertures18D of the manifold18may be a suitable size, for example 7/32 inches. The threaded ends18B and20B of the manifold18and the pressure washer nozzles20, respectively, may comprise Teflon or other sealing tape or adhesive on the threaded connections. The washer fluid may move through the internal bore18C of the manifold to the nozzle mounting apertures18D, allowing the washer fluid to be spray out of a spray end20A of the plurality of pressure washer nozzles20toward targeted areas within the enclosed areas14. The pressure washer nozzles20may be connected to or form part of an angled fitting21C, which may allow the washer fluid to be directed out of the spray end20A towards a selected portion of the enclosed area14. Other fittings21may be used to connect various lines22, nozzles21, and manifolds18together, in any configuration, for example in parallel or series or both orientations. The pressure washer nozzles20may comprise suitable dimensions and orientations, such as ¼″ male to female pipe sections angled at 0, 45, or 90 degrees. The nozzles may be suitable nozzles, including fixed and moving nozzles. Rotating nozzles/rotary nozzles are an example of a moving nozzle that uses centrifugal force to produce a strong impact and a spray pattern. Due to the reliability and effectiveness rotary turbo nozzles have been widely accepted in other fields. The nozzle rotates a powerful, zero degree spray pattern in a circular motion to break down tough dirt and grime.

Referring toFIG.1, the apparatus11may comprise a washer fluid supply26, for example a washer fluid supply26external to the mobile equipment12. The apparatus11may comprise a pump24connected to supply washer fluid to the high-pressure supply line22. The pump24may supply the washer fluid to the high-pressure supply line22from the external washer fluid supply26through a washer fluid supply connector22B, such as a quick connect fitting. The system may be operated via the use of a valve (not shown). The washer fluid supply26may comprise water or air.

Referring toFIGS.13and14, the high-pressure supply line22may define a washer fluid supply connector22B, for example a quick-connect fitting. The washer fluid supply connector22B of the high-pressure supply line22may have an external mount, such as if the line22terminates outside of the mobile equipment12. Having the washer fluid supply connector22B accessible from an exterior of the mobile equipment12may allow for the high-pressure supply line22to be conveniently connected to and disconnected from an external washer fluid supply26. The washer fluid supply connector22B may be secured to the exterior of the mobile equipment, for example through the use of a hose clamp38, and may reduce the need to remove guarding28, panels30or seats to access the apparatus11. Operation of the wash system10may involve connecting the high-pressure supply line22to the washer fluid supply26located outside of the mobile equipment12, supplying the fluid to the high-pressure supply line22, and disconnecting the washer fluid supply connector22B of the high-pressure supply line22from the washer fluid supply26B.

Referring toFIGS.6,7,8,10-12, and15the high-pressure supply line22may be connected to supply water to the manifold18. The manifold18may be connected to supply washer fluid from the high-pressure supply line22to the plurality of pressure washer nozzles20, and to other lines22and manifolds18, whether in parallel or in series. The washer fluid may pass through a high-pressure filter (not shown) before entering the manifold18. The high-pressure supply line22may be connected to the manifold18at one or more of the threaded ends18B through the use of a pipe fitting21for example a ¾″ pipe to a joint industry council (JIC) connector. The pipe fitting21may connect to the threaded end18B of the manifold through the use of a threaded end21A, and to a high-pressure supply line22through the use of a barbed end21B. The pipe fittings21used may comprise a suitable structure, such as a 90-degree fitting21C. If the manifold18is at the end of a flow path through the equipment, then a pipe cap23is connected to the opposite threaded end18B of the manifold18. In other cases, one manifold18may feed other manifolds, for example in series, using fittings21and lines22between respective manifolds18. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of manifolds18(FIG.15), each manifold18having a plurality of pressure washer nozzles20, and each manifold18may be connected to the high-pressure supply line22. The mobile equipment12may define a plurality of enclosed areas14and each of the plurality of enclosed areas14may contain one or more of the plurality of manifolds18and respective plurality of pressure washer nozzles20.

Referring toFIGS.7-12and15, the system10may be installed in various enclosed areas14, for example areas14that may be difficult to access due to guarding28, panels30, and the structure of the mobile equipment12. Referring toFIG.7the system10is shown installed in an enclosed compartment adjacent a step12J up to a doghouse or cab12A of the mobile equipment, with the cab12A mounting various related components, such as controls12H and a seat (not shown). Referring toFIG.8the system10is shown installed in an engine compartment12D of the mobile equipment. Referring toFIG.9the system is illustrated as installed in a compartment in a doghouse or cab12A of the mobile equipment. Referring toFIGS.10and11the system10is illustrated as being installed in a compartment or area12C that is located below a seat of the mobile equipment, within a cab12A of the equipment. The spray32from the spray end20A of the pressure washer nozzles20may be used to dislodge dirt, dust, and contaminants16that have accumulated in the enclosed area14during use of the mobile equipment12, such as various accumulations that occur on the hydraulic lines12F for power use. the engine12G of the mobile equipment12, or on other areas.

Referring toFIGS.6-12and15, the apparatus11may be installed within the enclosed area14of the mobile equipment12via suitable methods. Prior to supplying the high-pressure supply line22with washer fluid, the manifold18and plurality of pressure washer nozzles20may be installed within the enclosed area14. The tube body18A of the manifold18may be attached to the enclosed area14of the mobile equipment12via a suitable fashion, such as by using tube clamps36, for example through the use of bolts39, welds40, traditional threaded metal fasteners, flexible fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and others. In one case, the manifold18or other parts of the system may be installed using magnets instead of or in support of other permanent mounting techniques, for one or more of a variety of purposes, for example to facilitate installation, to allow a user more flexibility in placement of or re-positioning of the nozzles, or to avoid or reduce the amount of physical modification of the structure required to install the system and/or clamping parts, as any such modification, for example by welding, cutting, or drilling, may otherwise potentially compromise the strength or structural integrity of the structure. In one example of a magnet connection, a base part of a tube clamp36may comprise a magnet that directly or indirectly mounts to a metal part of or secured to the surrounding structure of the enclosed area. A tube clamp36may define a passage36A, which may be sized or selected to allow the tube body18A to pass through and be gripped and held within the tube clamp36once secured. A length of the tube body18A of the manifold18may be selected to fit the size of the enclosed area14. Suitable hose sizes may be used, for example, ¾″ inch piping may be used at 12″ or 24″ or other lengths. A plurality of tube clamps36may be used when the length of the tube body18A of the manifold18requires multiple tube clamps36to be properly secured to the mobile equipment12. The apparatus11may comprise or be formed of a suitable material, for example various metals, polymer plastics, nylon and/or other types of non-metal components.

Referring to Tables 1 and 2 below, a desired fluid pressure may be set by varying various structural characteristics of apparatus11. Fluid pressure may be measured in pounds per square inch (PSI), and may be varied by changing the gallons per minute (GPM) of the pump, the size of the nozzle orifice of the spray end20A of the pressure washer nozzle20.

TABLE 1Quantity of Nozzles/Pressure in psi:2345SizeNozzlesNozzlesNozzlesNozzles4 GPM24000180010007002.522001000600—31900750——41000———5 GPM2—2800160010002.540001600900600327001300600—41500650——51000———6 GPM2—4400225016002.5—220013009003400019001000650424001000550—51400650——61000450——

TABLE 2NozzleOrificeHole500600700800100015002000250030003500SizesizePSIPSIPSIPSIPSIPSIPSIPSIPSIPSI.034″/GALLONS.71.77.84.891.01.21.41.61.71.90.86 mmPER2.5.042″/MINUTE.91.01.01.11.31.61.82.02.22.31.07 mm3.0.043″/1.11.21.31.41.51.82.12.42.62.81.09 mm3.5.048″/1.31.41.51.61.82.22.52.83.13.31.22 mm4.0.052″/1.41.61.71.82.02.52.83.23.53.71.32 mm4.5.055″/1.61.71.92.02.32.83.23.63.94.21.40 mm5.0.057″/1.81.92.12.22.53.13.54.04.34.71.45 mm5.5.060″/1.92.12.32.52.83.43.94.34.85.11.52 mm6.0.062″/2.12.32.52.73.03.74.24.75.25.61.57 mm6.5.064″/2.32.52.72.93.34.04.65.15.66.11.63 mm7.0.067″/2.52.72.93.13.54.34.95.56.16.51.70 mmPounds Per Square Inch = PSI

In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite articles “a” and “an” before a claim feature do not exclude more than one of the feature being present. Each one of the individual features described here may be used in one or more embodiments and is not, by virtue only of being described here, to be construed as essential to all embodiments as defined by the claims.