Vehicle assisted working device, cleaning system and method

Abstract

A vehicle assisted working device for cleaning streets and similar surfaces includes at least one brush for detachment of the extraneous material from the surface, element for providing an underpressure for a suction of the detached material into the air flow from the surface, units for separating the detached material from the air flow and for providing an overpressure and return of the separated air to the surface. At least one brush is arranged to rotate counter-wise to the intended direction of movement of the working device, so that the element are ordered in such a way that when the working device is intended to move over a spot to be cleaned, it treats the spot in the following order: suction of the extraneous materials, at least one brush and mechanism for return of the separated air to the surface. Also disclosed are a system and method for cleaning.

1 . A vehicle assisted working device for cleaning streets and similar surfaces from extraneous materials, such as sands, wherein the working device comprises
 at least one brush for detachment of said extraneous material from said surface,   means for providing an underpressure for suction of the detached material into the air flow from said surface,   means for separating said detached material from said air flow and   means for providing an overpressure and return of the separated air to the surface,   
       characterized in that
 said at least one said brush is arranged to rotate counter-wise to the intended direction of movement of the working device, and 
 said means are arranged in such an order that when the working device is intended to move over a spot to be cleaned, the means treat the spot in the following order: means, for the suction of the extraneous materials, said at least one counter-rotating brush and means for return of the separated air to the surface. 
 
     
     
         2 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein said working device is a separate module/implement to be attached/detached to/from the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein said means for separating comprises a blower for providing said underpressure and/or overpressure. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the means for return ( 6 ) of the separated air comprises a nozzle with a contracted cross-section for increasing air flow velocity for providing an air-knife. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 4 , wherein the air to be returned is directed to the surface and has a movement component in the intended movement direction of the working device. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the flow provided by the underpressure and air suction with the extraneous material is arranged to be transported in a channel directed to cross over at least one said brush. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a lip sleeve in front of the brush, the lip sleeve being arranged to sweep the ground surface and the brush is arranged to sweep the lip sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the means for separating comprises a cyclone and/or another type of an elutriator. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the means for separating and the vessel are located to the back of the treatment area of the surface in respect of the intended direction of movement. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the working device is designed to be located at the front of the assisting vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 1 , wherein the working device has a fixed part, which is substantially supported by the hosting vehicle, and a floating part, which is at least partly supported to ground surface and is arranged to move vertically in respect to fixed part in order to follow the form of the ground surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle assisted working device of  claim 11 , wherein the floating part comprises at least the brush and the air knife. 
     
     
         13 . A system for cleaning streets and similar surfaces from extraneous materials, such as sands, characterized in that the system comprises a vehicle and a working device of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . Method of cleaning surfaces with a vehicle-assisted working device, comprising method steps for
 sucking air in aligned direction of the brush rotation,   brushing with a rotatable brush said surface in a counter direction of the movement of the hosting vehicle,   directing pressurized air towards the surface to be cleaned for detachment of debris,   leading sucked air with the detached debris into the separating unit,   separating, in the separating unit a debris fraction from the air,   circulating back the cleaned air fraction to the circulation as return air for providing the pressurized air,   
       wherein a spot of a surface is treated in the order: sucking, brushing and directing pressurized air. 
     
     
         15 . A method of  claim 14 , wherein material detached by the pressurized air from the surface is led to the brushing and led further to the suction.