DESC:PNEUMATIC ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention generally relates to commercial vehicles, and more particularly to a pneumatic assistance system for commercial vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

In heavy commercial vehicles like bus, trucks and the like, operations like removal and tightening of wheel nut, lifting of vehicle, filling pressurized air into wheel tyre, greasing of some components, cleaning of windshields, cabin, dusting etc. are performed manually using conventional mechanism or equipments such as a jack, tommy and spanner with the vehicle.

Further, for vehicle lifting and lowering purpose, the operator needs to go below the vehicle and operate on jack. Space under vehicle is not large making it unsafe to operate under vehicle. Also, time required to lift the vehicle is high which results into breakdown time losses. For greasing and tyre air filling operation, operator must take vehicle to nearby service station. It increases service cost and also increases time due to service delay, waiting time.

At the time of vehicle breakdown due to low air pressure in tyre or tyre puncture, operator is forced to drive on less pressure to get to nearby service station to fill air. It reduces tyre life and fuel economy.

Furthermore, special equipments that can be provided with the vehicles for the above operations are very expensive, hence cannot be made available for each and every driver/operator/owner. As there are no powered equipments given with standard vehicles, performing such operations using conventional mechanism is time consuming and requires a high amount of manual efforts which hamper the driver’s efficiency and most importantly his comfort as the driver is already tired from driving for long distance travels. Due to intensive amount of manual efforts required, the driver cannot do the above operations all alone. Hence, a co-driver is required for assistance which is usually difficult to find, and if available would further increase human dependency and the costs incurred.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a cost effective solution that overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:

An object of the present invention is to provide a cost effective and efficient solution which can perform operations like removal and tightening of wheel nut, lifting of vehicle, filling pressurized air into wheel tyre, greasing of some components, cleaning of windshields, cabin, dusting with reduced human efforts and without requiring a co-driver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

Accordingly, the present invention provides a pneumatic assistance system for commercial vehicle. The pneumatic assistance system is used as a pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism, a pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism, a tyre air filling and pressure checking gun mechanism, a greasing gun mechanism and an air-water cleaning and air dusting gun mechanism. The pneumatic assisted screw jack and the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanisms comprise common parts including a vane motor, a support bar, a reaction bar, a pulley-ratchet assembly and a directional control valve (DCV). The vane motor has four vanes welded on a shaft to rotate therewith and four stoppers with seals welded to a vane motor body. Each vane is configured with a spring thereon. The support bar is arranged for supporting the vane motor body thereon. The reaction bar has one end placed on the vane motor body and another end placed on an adjacent nut or any nearby part on a wheel to provide a reaction force on the vane motor while operation. The pulley-ratchet assembly is capable of being interchangeably connected to any one side of the shaft of the vane motor to provide unidirectional motion capability along with clockwise and anticlockwise rotation. The directional control valve (DCV) along with pneumatic connections is positioned to change air supply from an air outlet of air tanks of the commercial vehicle to an air inlet of the vane motor. The pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism additionally includes a mechanical screw jack, a belt and a toggle mechanism while the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism additionally includes a spanner.

For the tyre air filling gun, the greasing gun and the air-water cleaning and air dusting gun mechanisms, the pneumatic assistance system comprises an air gun, a pressure gauge and a push button valve. The air inlet port is connected at a lower hand side of the air gun. A metal tube is connected at an upper side of the air gun. The air inlet port has an air inlet valve installed therein. The metal tube has an auxiliary port (¼’ National pipe thread NPT port) and a water port with a water inlet valve that is connected to the metal tube from upper side in angular direction of 60 degrees. A pressure gauge connected to the air inlet port to display air pressure in a tyre. The pressure gauge has a regulator to regulate air pressure and to control air flow therethrough. A push button valve is connected to the air inlet port to supply air therethrough. Other parts such as a tyre air filling valve/ Schrader valve with a hose, a grease cylinder with a grease pipe with a nipple, a water container with a water inlet valve and a nozzle are attached to the air gun depending of the operation to be performed.

The pneumatic assistance system provides cost effective and efficient solution for removal and tightening of wheel nut, lifting of vehicle, filling pressurized air into tyre, greasing, cleaning and dusting with reduced human efforts and without requiring a co-driver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Other features as well as the advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description.

In the appended drawings:

Figure 1 shows a vane motor with four vanes mechanism– Jack operation, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a vane motor with four vanes mechanism–Nut runner operation, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a tyre air filling gun mechanism, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a greasing gun mechanism, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows an air-water cleaning gun mechanism, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows connection from air tanks for pneumatic assisted system, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 7 shows construction of a vane motor, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a pneumatic assistance system for commercial vehicles. The pneumatic assistance system provides a cost effective and efficient solution to perform operations like removal and tightening of wheel nut, lifting of vehicle, filling pressurized air into wheel tyre, greasing of some components, cleaning of windshields, cabin, dusting with reduced human efforts and without requiring a co-driver.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to figures 1 - 7, a pneumatic assistance system (200) for commercial vehicles, in accordance with the present invention is shown. Specifically, pneumatic assistance system (200) is designed and developed using compressed air available in commercial vehicle to make the vehicle free of co-driver and provide user friendly solutions. The pneumatic assistance system (200) is uses as a pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism (refer Fig. 1), a pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism (refer Fig. 2), a tyre air filling and pressure checking gun (refer Fig. 3), a greasing gun (refer Fig. 4) and an air-water cleaning and dusting gun (refer Fig. 5).

The pneumatic assisted screw jack and the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanisms are external system stored in a storage box at cabin or chassis and include specified mechanisms/accessories to perform respective functions with the help of air connection taken from the vehicle pneumatic lines through a self-locking quick fit connector whenever it is required. The pneumatic assisted screw jack and the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanisms are described herein below for a vane motor (30) as shown in figures 1, 2 and 7.

The pneumatic assisted screw jack and the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanisms comprise common parts such as a vane motor (30) with four stoppers (15), a support bar (40), a reaction bar (50), a pulley-ratchet assembly (not numbered) and a directional control valve (DCV) (60) along with pneumatic connections is positioned to change air supply from an air outlet (58) of air tanks (120) of the commercial vehicle to an air inlet (56) of the vane motor (30). The pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism additionally includes a mechanical screw jack (70), a belt (80) and a toggle mechanism (90) while the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism additionally includes a spanner (100). Figures 1, 2 and 6 show positions of these mechanisms in case of an operating condition.

In the vane motor (30) construction (refer Fig. 7), four vanes (5) are welded to a motor shaft (10) for example at 90 degree angle. Each vane (5) includes a seal (20) mounted thereon. Each alternate vane (5) includes a spring (not numbered) attached thereto. The spring undergoes compression when air enters the vane motor (30) through an air inlet (56) and undergoes expansion when high pressure air is exhausted through an air outlet (not shown). The spring upon expansion brings the vanes (5) back to their original positions. Four stoppers (15) with seals (20) are welded to a vane motor body (25). Bearings (not shown) are attached on side of the vane motor (30) to support the motor shaft (10). For safety of the vane motor (30), body (25) is supported by support bars (40) and bolted joint is made between side plate and vane motor body (25). Seals (20) are used to stop leakage between vanes (5) and vane motor body (25). In the pulley ratchet assembly, splines on the reaction bar (50) as well as on the bearing hub are welded for interlocking to rotate and get the reaction from the particular stopper (15). Rimmed pulley is made using mild steel material and ratchet assembly is placed inside the pulley. In an embodiment, the ratchet rotates in unidirectional. However, as per requirement it will provide clockwise or anticlockwise rotation in line with the shaft rotation, for that ratchet needs to engage accordingly on shaft.

Jack operation

Figure 1 shows entire mechanism mounted on a jack-vane support plate (75), only a jack screw of the mechanical screw jack (70) is raised or lowered by rotating the jack sleeve/nut (not numbered) with the help of belt (80).

During the vehicle lifting operation, air upon entering the vane motor (30) through the air inlet (56) exerts pressure on the motor shaft (10) which gets transferred onto the vanes (5) due to rotation of the shaft (10) that in turn causes the vanes (5) to rotate. The rotation of the vane (5) causes the belt (80) to rotate the jack sleeve to give torque to lift the vehicle. Also, the spring will contract. Further rotation of the vanes (5) is restricted by the stopper (15) thus the lifting of the vehicle is achieved with intermediate rotation of the shaft (10). Specifically, the stopper (15) is provided to restrict that particular rotation or stroke and after that one rotation the vane (5) goes to its initial position with the help of spring once air is exhausted. However, once the desired height is achieved within the available travel height of conventional screw jack retains that position and preventing the mechanism to rise any further.

During the vehicle lowering operation, the vane motor body (25) is flipped and the pulley ratchet assembly is attached on another side of the shaft (10) and same procedure is followed. Thereafter, the operator operates the directional control valve (DCV) (60). After one rotation of the vanes (5) to 40 degrees, with changes in the position of pneumatic circuit which means the supply connection changes to exhaust line through the directional control valve (DCV) (60), air from the vane motor (30) is exhausted out through the air outlet causing the spring to expand and rotate the vanes (5) back to their initial position with the help of the ratchet mechanism. The jack sleeve will not rotate. It will restrict its operation on in forward direction. For further strokes, operator activates the directional control valve (DCV) (60) and get forward stroke.

Nut-runner operation:

Refer Figure 2, the operator holds the vane motor (30) and performs nut tightening and loosening operation, only the reaction bar (50) position changes to another side for locking w.r.t change in rotation direction.

For nut removing operation, the pulley ratchet assembly is placed on the motor shaft (10). The reaction bar (50) is placed on vane motor body (25) bearing hub and another end will be placed on an adjacent nut on a wheel to get reaction while operation. The spanner (100) is attached on lock on the ratchet assembly. Air upon entering the vane motor (30) causes rotation of the vanes (5) that in turn causes rotation of the ratchet and thus of the spanner (100) attached thereto resulting in loosening and thus removal of the nut.

For the nut tightening operation, the vane motor body (25) is flipped, and the pulley ratchet assembly is attached on another side of the motor shaft (10). Thereafter, the operator operates the directional control valve (DCV) (60). After rotation of the vanes (5) to 40 degrees, the remaining air is to exhaust out the air from the vane motor (30) through the air outlet into atmosphere causing the spring to expand that in turn rotates the vanes (5) back to initial position thereof with the pulley ratchet assembly causing the spanner (100) to rotate and tighten the nut.

Now referring to figures 3, 4, and 5, each of the tyre air filling and pressure checking gun, the greasing gun and the air-water cleaning and dusting gun mechanisms include an air gun (140), a pressure gauge (150) with regulator, an air inlet port (125) connected at lower side of hand of the air gun (140), an air inlet valve (122) installed in the air inlet port (125) and a metal tube (130) connected at an upper side of the air gun (140). The metal tube (130) includes an auxiliary port (¼’ National pipe thread-NPT port) (135) and a water port (188) having a water inlet valve (185) connected to the metal tube (135) from upper side in angular direction of 60 degrees. Inlet connection is connected to an air inlet port (125) of the air gun (140) with a push button valve (160) and the pressure gauge (150) with regulator. The air pressure regulator (150) is attached at the air inlet port (125) to regulate the pressure. The air control valve (122) is attached at the pressure regulator. Other parts such as a tyre air filling valve/ schrader valve (170) with a hose (not numbered), a grease cylinder (180) with a grease pipe (175) with a nipple, a water container (190) with a water inlet valve (185) and a nozzle (not numbered) are attached to the air gun (140) depending of the operation to be performed.

Referring now to figure 3, the Schrader valve/ tyre air filling valve (170) with the hose at one end is attached at the auxiliary port (135) on the air gun (140) and at another end is connected to a wheel valve (not numbered) and air pressure is applied. It shows tyre pressure in pressure gauge (150) with regulator. If pressure is less than required, then the operator will open the push button valve (160). Air will pass through the air gun (140) through the Schrader valve (170) to fill the tyre. To check pressure in the tyre, the operator will stop air supply by closing the push button valve (160) and repeat the procedure till required air pressure is attained in the tyre.

Referring now to figure 4, the grease cylinder (180) is connected to the air gun (140) at the auxiliary port (135). The grease cylinder (180) is filled with grease and closed from one side by a cap (not numbered). The grease pipe (175) with the nipple is fitted at an outlet port (not numbered). During the greasing operation, the water port (188) is closed by the water inlet valve (185). The air inlet valve (122) is opened to pass air through the air gun (140) by regulating the air pressure using the regulator of the pressure gauge (150) to a pressure of 3 bars required to force a piston (not shown) in the grease cylinder (180) causing the grease to exit through the grease pipe (175) and then through the nipple. Once the greasing requirement is met, the operator stops air supply from the air inlet port (125) by closing the push button valve (160) and thereafter changes pneumatic circuit status by changing push button valve (160), causing the air from container to exit to the atmosphere.

Referring now to figure 5, the water container (190) is attached to the water port (188). The water port (188) having the water inlet valve (185) is connected to the metal tube (130) from upper side in angular direction with angle of around 60 degrees. The water container (190) is attached on the water inlet valve (130). The nozzle is attached at the auxiliary exit port (135).

During air water cleaning operation, the air control valve (122) is opened to pass air through there through into the air gun (140). The air pressure is regulated at 2 bar using the pressure regulator (150). Thereafter, the water port (188) is opened to start water supply causing mixing of water with compressed air from the air inlet port (125). Water and air atomizes at outlet of the metal tube (130) and inlet of nozzle. Due to reduced pressure at the nozzle, this air and water mixture force out from nozzle onto the vehicle.

Similarly, for air dusting operation, at first, the water port (188) is closed to stop water supply. Thereafter, the air control valve (122) is opened to pass air through there through into the air gun (140). The air pressure is regulated at 2 bar using the pressure regulator. The air from the air gun (140) passes through the nozzle and will give air jet for dust removing from the vehicle.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention. ,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:

1. A pneumatic assistance system (200) for commercial vehicle, the pneumatic assistance system (200) being used as a pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism, a pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism, a tyre air filling and pressure checking gun mechanism, a greasing gun mechanism and an air-water cleaning and air dusting gun mechanism,
wherein, for the pneumatic assisted screw jack and nut runner mechanisms, the pneumatic assistance system (200) comprises:
a vane motor (30) having four vanes (5) welded on a shaft (10) to rotate therewith, four stoppers (15) with seals (20) welded to a vane motor body (25) and a spring configured on each vane (5);
a support bar (40) arranged for supporting the vane motor body (25) thereon;
a reaction bar (50) having one end placed on the vane motor body (25) and another end placed on any one of an adjacent nut and any nearby part on a wheel (110) to provide a reaction force on the vane motor (30) while operation;
a pulley-ratchet assembly capable of being interchangeably connected to any one side of the shaft (5) of the vane motor (30) to provide unidirectional motion capability along with clockwise and anticlockwise rotation;
a directional control valve (DCV) (60) along with pneumatic connections positioned to change air supply from an air outlet (58) of air tanks (120) of the commercial vehicle to an air inlet (56) of the vane motor (30); and
further wherein, for the tyre air filling and pressure checking gun, the greasing gun and the air-water cleaning and air dusting gun mechanisms, the pneumatic assistance system (200) comprises:
an air gun (140) having an air inlet port (125) connected at a lower hand side thereof and a metal tube (130) connected at an upper side thereof, the air inlet port (125) having an air inlet valve (122) installed therein and the metal tube (130) having an auxiliary port (¼’ National pipe thread NPT port) (135) and a water port (188) having a water inlet valve (185) connected to the metal tube (130) from upper side in angular direction of 60 degrees;
a pressure gauge (150) connected to the air inlet port (130) to display air pressure in a tyre, the pressure gauge (150) having a regulator with an air control valve to regulate air pressure and to control air flow therethrough; and
a push button valve (160) connected to the air inlet port (130) to supply air therethrough.
wherein, the pneumatic assistance system (200) provides cost effective and efficient solution for removal and tightening of wheel nut, lifting of vehicle, filling pressurized air into tyre, greasing, cleaning and dusting with reduced human efforts and without requiring a co-driver.

2. The pneumatic assistance system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic assistance system (200), being the pneumatic assisted screw jack mechanism, further comprises:
a mechanical screw jack (70) having a jack sleeve attached thereto that rotates for any one of raising and lowering the mechanical screw jack (70) for any one of a vehicle lifting operation and a vehicle lowering operation;
a belt (80) positioned between the jack sleeve and the pulley-ratchet assembly to cause rotation of the jack sleeve in response to the rotation of the vanes (5); and
a toggle mechanism (90) mounted on a jack-vane support plate (75) between the mechanical screw jack (70) and the vane motor (30) to create the required belt tension,
wherein, during the vehicle lifting operation, air from vehicle air tank (120) upon entering the vane motor (30) through the air inlet (56) exerts pressure on the motor shaft (10) causing shaft rotation that in turn causes rotation of the vanes (5) and the belt (80), the belt (80) rotates the jack sleeve therewith to give torque to raise the mechanical screw jack (70) for lifting the vehicle and simultaneously contracting the spring and thereafter restricting further rotation of the vanes (5) by the stopper (15) to stop lifting the vehicle further upon raising to a required height, and
wherein, during the vehicle lowering operation, the vane motor body (25) is flipped, and the pulley ratchet assembly is attached on another side of the motor shaft (10), thereafter an operator operates the directional control valve (DCV) (60) and after rotation of the vane (5) to 40 degrees, the remaining air is to exhaust out from the vane motor (30) through an air outlet into atmosphere causing the spring to expand that in turn rotates the vanes (5) back to initial position thereof using the pulley ratchet assembly while preventing the rotation of the jack sleeve thereby lowering the vehicle.

3. The pneumatic assistance system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic assistance system (200) being the pneumatic assisted nut runner mechanism further comprises a spanner (100) attached on a lock on the pulley ratchet assembly to hold and twist a wheel nut / a bolt for any one of a nut tightening operation and a nut loosening operation,
wherein, during the nut removal operation, air from vehicle air tank (120) upon entering the vane motor (30) through the air inlet (56) exerts pressure on the motor shaft (10) causing shaft rotation that in turn causes rotation of the vanes (5) that in turn causes rotation of the ratchet of the pulley ratchet assembly and thus of the spanner (100) attached thereto resulting in loosening and thus removal of the nut, and
wherein, during the nut tightening operation, the vane motor body (25) is flipped, and the pulley ratchet assembly is attached on another side of the motor shaft (10), thereafter the operator operates the directional control valve (DCV) (60) and after rotation of the vanes (5) to 40 degrees, the remaining air is to exhaust out the air from the vane motor (30) through the air outlet into atmosphere causing the spring to expand that in turn rotates the vanes (5) back to initial position thereof with the pulley ratchet assembly causing the spanner (100) to rotate and tighten the nut.

4. The pneumatic assistance system (200) as claim in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic assistance system (200) being the tyre air filling and pressure checking gun mechanism further comprises a tyre air filling valve (170) having one end attached to the air gun (140) and another end connected to a wheel valve, the tyre air filling valve (170) being a Schrader valve (170) having a hose (165) at one end attached at the auxiliary port (135) on the air gun (140),
wherein, for tyre air filling and pressure checking operation, the operator stops the air supply by closing the push button valve (160) to check pressure in the tyre, if the tyre pressure displayed on the pressure gauge (150) is less than required, the operator opens the push button valve (160) causing the air to pass through the air gun (140) through the Schrader valve (170) to fill the tyre till the required air pressure is attained therein.

5. The pneumatic assistance system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic assistance system (200) being the greasing gun mechanism further comprises a grease cylinder (180) connected to the air gun (140) at the auxiliary port (135), the grease cylinder (180) having one side being closed by a cap, the grease cylinder (180) having a grease pipe (175) with a nipple fitted at an outlet port thereof,
wherein, for the greasing operation, the grease cylinder (180) is filled with grease, the water port (188) is closed by the water inlet valve (185), the air inlet valve is opened to pass air through the air gun (140) by regulating the air pressure using the pressure gauge (150) with regulator to a pressure of 3 bars required to force the piston in the grease cylinder (180) causing the grease to exit through the grease pipe (175) and then through the nipple, once the greasing requirement is met, the operator stops air supply from the air inlet port (125) by closing the push button valve (160) and thereafter changes pneumatic circuit status by changing the push button valve (160), causing the air from container to exit to the atmosphere.

6. The pneumatic assistance system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pneumatic assistance system (200) being the air-water cleaning and air dusting gun mechanism further comprises a water container (190) attached to the water port (188) having the water inlet valve (185) being connected to the metal tube (130) from upper side in angular direction of 60 degrees, the water inlet valve (185) having a nozzle attached at the auxiliary exit port (135),
wherein, for air water cleaning operation, the air control valve (122) is opened to pass compressed air from the air inlet port (125) into the air gun (140) with the air pressure being regulated at 2 bar using the pressure regulator (150), and thereafter the water port (188) is opened to start water supply there through causing mixing of water with compressed air, water and air atomizes at an outlet of the metal tube (135) and at an inlet of the nozzle, the reduced pressure at the nozzle forces out the atomized air and water mixture from the nozzle onto the vehicle thereby cleaning the vehicle, and
wherein, for air dusting operation, at first, the water port (188) is closed to stop water supply, thereafter, the air control valve (122) is opened to pass compressed air from the air inlet into the air gun (140) with the air pressure being regulated at 2 bar using the pressure regulator (150), the air in the form of air jet passes out from the air gun (150) through the nozzle onto the vehicle thereby removing the dust from the vehicle.

Dated this 30th day of May, 2018

Madhavi Vajirakar
Agent for the Applicant
(IN/PA-2337)