This patent application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, patent application Ser. No. 15/247,096, filed Aug. 25, 2016, titled: Vacuum Unit and Truck with Air and Water, having the same inventors and assignee, which is a non-provisional patent application of, and claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/209,791 filed Aug. 25, 2015, having the same inventors. The contents of these priority patent applications are incorporated herein by reference. If there are any conflicts or inconsistencies between this patent application and the priority provisional patent application, however, this patent application governs herein.

Various embodiments of this invention relate to vacuum units and vacuum trucks that pick up or excavate material, certain components of such units and trucks, and apparatuses that include nozzles, including air and water nozzles. Particular embodiments deliver air, water, or both, for example, that breaks up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system.

Various vacuum units and systems have been developed and used for picking up various types of material. In specific applications, for example, vacuum units have been used for excavation, for example, where removal of the excavated material was difficult to accomplish by other methods or where the excavation had to take place where damage to equipment, such as buried equipment, was a significant risk if alternative methods of excavation were used. Further, relatively large vacuum units have been mounted on a truck, and vacuum trucks have been driven to sites where excavation has been needed or where material needed to be picked up. For example, vacuum trucks have been used to excavate around buried utilities such as pipelines buried in the ground, where shutting down the pipeline would be a significant detriment, where excavation with other means, such as a back hoe, would have a greater risk of damaging the buried utility or pipeline, impose a safety risk to workers, or a combination thereof.

Still further, water has been used to break up material (e.g., earth) at an excavation site where the material is being picked up by a vacuum unit or system. Water systems have been mounted on vacuum trucks for this purpose, and have included, among other things, a water tank, water pump, water conduit that extends to the excavation site, and a water nozzle that is hand guided at the excavation site by an operator. Vacuum trucks with water systems have been referred to as hydrovac trucks, for example. Even further, air has been used to excavate material as a replacement for excavation water. Further still, excavation systems that used water often resulted in the material becoming overly wet (e.g., mud) which has made the material poorly suited to use immediately to backfill the excavation site when the work that required the excavation was completed. On the other hand, excavation systems that used air often created excessive dust and were not as effective as water at excavating certain types of material. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for vacuum units and vacuum trucks that overcome these and other deficiencies of the prior art.

Even further still, various components of vacuum trucks have been powered by an internal combustion engine mounted on the truck (e.g., that also drives the truck) but it has been difficult to transfer power from the engine to the various components that need the power. In many instances, different components had to be located on the truck where those components could get power from the engine rather than at a more convenient location, for example, relative to other components on the truck. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for power transfer systems on vacuum trucks, and trucks with such power transfer systems, where the power transfer systems overcome these and other deficiencies of prior vacuum trucks and prior power transfer systems used on vacuum trucks. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist, for example, for power transfer systems on vacuum trucks, and trucks with such power transfer systems, where the power transfer systems power a vacuum system, a compressed air system, a boom, one or more auxiliary systems, a water system, or a combination thereof.

Moreover, vacuum trucks have been used where the engine powered the vacuum system and the speed of the engine has been varied or adjusted to control suction pressure within the vacuum system. Where the engine has been used to power other systems or components of the vacuum truck, however, changing the engine speed has changed the speed, power, or both available to these other systems or components of the vacuum truck. This has made it difficult to control the suction pressure and other systems or components (e.g., independently) to optimize all systems and components of the vacuum truck. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist, for example, for power transfer systems on vacuum trucks, and trucks with such power transfer systems, where the power transfer systems provides for adjustment of the vacuum system (e.g., blower speed) without changing the engine speed or that provide for changes in engine speed without changing the suction pressure.

Additionally, vacuum units have been equipped with a suction relief valve that opens to relieve the vacuum. For example, an operator of a vacuum truck has been provided control of a suction relief valve that the operator can open quickly to relieve most or all of the vacuum in the event the vacuum is having a deleterious effect. Prior art suction relief valves on vacuum units, however, have been either fully open or fully closed and were not suitable to make fine adjustments to suction pressure, for instance, to avoid a deleterious effect, for example, without disrupting excavation of the material. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for suction relief valves for vacuum units and trucks and for vacuum units and vacuum trucks that overcome these and other deficiencies of the prior art, for instance, that provide the operator with more control of the suction pressure.

Furthermore, vacuum trucks have been built with the boom mounted approximately in the center of the vacuum truck relative to the left side and right side of the truck. Further, the reach of a vacuum truck has been limited by the length of the boom. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for vacuum trucks that allow the truck to be used to excavate farther from the center of the truck, for example, without increasing the length of the boom, for instance, while providing appropriate structural support for the boom. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for vacuum trucks that overcome these and other deficiencies of the prior art.

Further still, vacuum trucks have been manufactured with various debris tanks that hold the material once the material has been excavated. These debris tanks have been dumped in a number of ways to empty the debris tank. In some embodiments, debris tanks have been tipped to empty the material and in some embodiments debris tanks have been equipped with a sweep system or blade that moves the material (e.g., mud) within the tank. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,547,964, and 6,607,666 (both Rajewski) and U.S. Patent Publication 201310149089 (Harms JR). Such systems, however, have been, among other things, complex, expensive, high maintenance, and time consuming. Needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for vacuum trucks and debris tanks for vacuum trucks that overcome these and other deficiencies of the prior art. Even further, needs and potential for benefit or improvement exist for vacuum bucks that have debris tanks that are capable of emptying the material without: tipping, use of an internal sweep, or use of an internal blade; that are structurally suited for the loads imposed (e.g., to support other components such as the boom, to withstand the vacuum, etc.); that utilize available space on the truck efficiently; that are relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture; that are easy to maintain; that utilize structural components efficiently; and/or that provide for efficient and convenient transfer of the excavated material back into the excavation site when the work that required the excavation has been completed.

Room for improvement exists over the prior art in these and other areas that may be apparent to a person of skill in the art having studied this document.

This invention provides, among other things, vacuum units, systems, and trucks for picking up material, for example, for excavation, for instance. Further, various embodiments are or include, for example, an apparatus that includes a nozzle, for example, an air and water nozzle. Various embodiments can be used, for example, where removal of excavated material is difficult to accomplish by other methods or where the excavation must take place where damage to equipment, such as buried utilities or pipelines, is a significant risk if alternative methods of excavation are used. Certain embodiments are well suited to use in urban environments, for example, where access to the excavation site is limited.

Various embodiments (e.g., hydrovac trucks) use water and air to break up material at an excavation site where the material is being picked up by a vacuum unit or system. Further still, some embodiments allow the operator to control the amount of water and air that are being used, for example, with a nozzle that controls the flow of water and air. Even further, a number of embodiments avoid the material becoming overly wet, avoid creating excessive dust, or both, and combine various benefits of excavation with water and excavation with air. Other embodiments may include other features, acts, or limitations, for example, as described herein.

In a number of embodiments, improvements to vacuum units, vacuum trucks, and methods provide equipment that is more reliable, that lasts longer, that is more adaptable, that can be used in conditions that are more extreme, that handles abuse well, that works better, that is easier to use, that is easier to maintain, that is less expensive to manufacture, that has a lower lifecycle cost, that offers more options for use, or a combination thereof, for example, in comparison with certain alternatives.

Various specific embodiments include, for example, various apparatuses that include a nozzle, for example, an air and water nozzle. In a number of embodiments, for instance, the nozzle includes a first tube, a second tube, a first exit orifice, for example, extending to a first space inside the first tube, and (e.g., at least one) second exit orifice, for instance, extending to a second space inside the second tube. In some embodiments, for example, the first tube is concentric with the second tube, the second space is between the first tube and the second tube, or both. Further, in some embodiments, the apparatus includes a vacuum system. For instance, in certain embodiments, the vacuum system includes a tank, for example, that holds material that has been picked up by the vacuum system. Further, in particular embodiments, the vacuum system includes a blower, for instance, that draws air out of the tank, for example, to create vacuum. Still further, in some embodiments, the vacuum system includes a vacuum conduit, for example, that extends from the tank to a site where the material is picked up by the vacuum system. Even further, in various embodiments, the air and water nozzle is used to break up the material at the site where the material is picked up by the vacuum system.

In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a water system, for instance, that delivers water to the air and water nozzle. Further, various embodiments include a compressed air system, for example, that delivers compressed air to the air and water nozzle. Further still, in a number of embodiments, the air and water nozzle is configured to be hand guided by an operator. In particular embodiments, for example, the air and water nozzle is configured so that the operator (e.g., while hand guiding the air and water nozzle) can select between delivering compressed air (e.g., only) from the air and water nozzle, delivering water (e.g., only) from the air and water nozzle, and delivering both compressed air and water from the air and water nozzle, for example.

Further, some specific embodiments include an apparatus that includes a nozzle that includes a first tube and a second tube and the first tube is inside the second tube. Still further, certain (e.g., of these) embodiments include a first exit orifice, for example, extending to a first space inside the first tube, (e.g., at least one) second exit orifice, for instance, extending to a second space inside the second tube, or both. Even further, in particular embodiments, the second space is between the first tube and the second tube. Further still, in some (e.g., of these) embodiments, the apparatus further includes a vacuum system. In certain embodiments, for instance, the vacuum system includes a tank (e.g., that holds material that has been picked up by the vacuum system), a blower (e.g., that draws air out of the tank to create vacuum), and a vacuum conduit (e.g., that extends from the tank, for instance, to a site where the material is picked up by the vacuum system). In various embodiments, the nozzle is used to break up the material, for example, at the site where the material is picked up by the vacuum system. Even further still, in some embodiments, the apparatus includes a compressed air system, for example, that delivers compressed air to the nozzle, a water system, for instance, that delivers water to the nozzle, or both. Moreover, in particular embodiments, the nozzle is configured so that the operator can select (e.g., at the nozzle) between delivering compressed air (e.g., only) from the nozzle, delivering water (e.g., only) from the nozzle, delivering both compressed air and water from the nozzle, or a combination thereof, as examples. Further, in various embodiments, the nozzle is configured to be hand guided by an operator, for example, to break up the material.

Even further specific embodiments include various vacuum units, for example, for excavating material. In some embodiments, for instance, the vacuum unit includes a vacuum system, a compressed air system, a water system, and an air and water nozzle, for example, configured to be hand guided by an operator of the vacuum unit while excavating the material. Further, in a number of embodiments, the air and water nozzle includes a body, for example, that is hand held by the operator, for instance, while excavating the material. Still further, in various embodiments, the air and water nozzle includes an air passageway through the body. In various embodiments, for example, compressed air passes through the air passageway when being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. Further still, various embodiments include (e.g., at least one) air exit orifice, for example, from the air passageway through the body. In a number of embodiments, for instance, the compressed air passes through the at least one air exit orifice from the air passageway when the compressed air is being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. Even further, various embodiments include a water passageway, for example, through the body. In a number of embodiments, for instance, excavation water from the water system passes through the water passageway when the excavation water is being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. Even further still, various embodiments include at least one water exit orifice, for example, from the water passageway through the body. In a number of embodiments, for instance, the excavation water passes through the at least one water exit orifice from the water passageway when the excavation water is being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system.

Moreover, in some embodiments, the air and water nozzle further includes an air valve. In some embodiments, for example, the compressed air passes through the air valve, for instance, when the compressed air is being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. Further, in some embodiments, the air and water nozzle includes a water valve. For instance, in some embodiments, the excavation water passes through the water valve, for example, when the excavation water is being used to break up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. Still further, certain embodiments include an air control, for example, configured to be operated by the operator, for instance, while hand guiding the air and water nozzle and while breaking up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. In particular embodiments, for instance, the air control opens and closes the air valve. Even further, in some embodiments, the air and water nozzle includes a water control, for example, configured to be operated by the operator, for instance, while hand guiding the air and water nozzle and while breaking up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system. In particular embodiments, for example, the water control opens and closes the water valve. Even further still, in certain embodiments, the air and water nozzle is configured so that the operator (e.g., while hand guiding the air and water nozzle at the excavation site, while breaking up the material that is picked up by the vacuum system, or both): can continuously adjust flow rate of the compressed air with the air control, can continuously adjust flow rate of the excavation water with the water control, or both. In addition, various other embodiments of the invention are also described herein, and other benefits of certain embodiments may be apparent to a person of skill in this area of technology.