Method for cleaning, clearing, and/or treating an elongate path

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning, clearing, and/or treating an elongate, particularly rectilinear paved path, especially a taxiway and/or take-off runway and/or landing runway of an airfield, said path being used in the longitudinal direction in successive, irregular intervals by starting or landing aircraft. In said method, cleaning or clearing movements in at least one segment of the path are carried out in cycles, at a defined operational width and at an oblique or right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the path, by two or more identical, successive cleaning or clearing runs and/or movements of at least one clearing apparatus.

1 . Method for cleaning, clearing and/or treating an elongate path, especially a straight solid way, especially a runway and/or a takeoff and/or a landing strip of a airport,
 which is frequently used by aircrafts taking off or landing in a longitudinal direction, in irregular time patterns,   whereby cleaning or clearing movements for at least one length segment of the runway are carried out with defined working width, in a sloping or vertical angle to the longitudinal direction of the runway and in cycles of two or more similar, successively following cleaning- or clearing trips and/or movements of at least one clearing tool/vehicle.   
   
   
       2 . Method of  claim 1 , whereby the cleaning or clearing movements are prosecuted by several cleaning or clearing movements, in each case parallel and in possibly around the working width at the side to the longitudinal direction of the runway transferred. 
   
   
       3 . Method of  claim 2 , where a cleaning- and/or clearing movement is followed by a back movement in an opposite direction (counterdirection) without cleaning or clearing, and after that a side transferred cleaning and/or clearing movement in the same (identical) direction to the preceding cleaning and/or clearing movement follows. 
   
   
       4 . Method of  claim 2 , where a cleaning- and/or clearing movement in one direction is followed by a side transferred cleaning and/or clearing movement in counterdirection and again another side transferred cleaning and or clearing movement in the same (identical) direction to the prepast clearing movement follows. 
   
   
       5 . Method of  claim 4 , where two or more cleaning and or clearing movements are carried out at the same time and/or time-transferred at different places (segments) along the longitudinal direction of the runway. 
   
   
       6 . Method of  claim 1 , whereby the runway is cleaned or cleared by means of at least one cleaning and/or clearing vehicle and/or machine, in particular by means of two, three or more cleaning and/or clearing vehicles and/or above the runway moved cleaning and or clearing devices, which operate over the runway at the same time and/or time transferred. 
   
   
       7 . Method of  claim 6 , where at least one cleaning and or clearing vehicle and or machine is positioned on the edge of the runway or in distance to the runway, while the runway is used by airplanes in longitudinal direction. 
   
   
       8 . Method of  claim 6 , where the runway or segments of the runway are cleaned until the runway is used in longitudinal direction (by aircraft), and the runway is cleaned again immediately (directly) after a use in longitudinal direction, e.g. in sloping (slanting) or vertical angle to the longitudinal direction of the runway. 
   
   
       9 . Method of  claim 8 , where at least one already passed segment of the runway, will be cleaned and/or cleared by one or several cleaning and/or clearing vehicles and/or devices, while other segments of the runway in longitudinal direction are still used by an airplane. 
   
   
       10 . Method of  claim 1 , whereby the cleaning and/or clearing vehicles are steered in defined way, by means of optical systems and/or by means of satellite-supported trace steering systems.