Boom assembly for an excavation vehicle and method thereof

Abstract

A boom assembly for an excavation vehicle includes a bracket configured to couple to a turret that is rotatably mounted to a debris body. Three or more telescoping support members. A first support member of the three or more telescoping support members is pivotably coupled to the bracket, a second support member of the three or more telescoping support members supports a shoe at a distal end, and a third support member of the three or more telescoping support members is disposed at least partially between the first support member and the second support member. The boom assembly also includes a single actuator. One end of the actuator is coupled to the first support member and the other end of the actuator is coupled to the second support member. The actuator is configured to extend and retract the second support member relative to the first support member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boom assembly for supporting a vacuum hose on an excavation vehicle, the boom assembly comprising:
 a mounting bracket configured to attach to a debris body;   at least three telescoping support members arranged in a nested configuration, including an outermost support member, at least one middle support member, and an innermost support member, wherein:
 the outermost support member is pivotably coupled to the mounting bracket, and the at least one middle support member is telescopically disposed between the outermost support member and the innermost support member; 
   a hose support mechanism coupled to the at least one middle support member and configured to provide intermediate support to a vacuum hose; and   an extension actuator coupled to the outermost support member and fixedly coupled to the innermost support member,   wherein the extension actuator bypasses the at least one middle support member and is configured to indirectly drive telescopic movement of the at least one middle support member through engagement with the innermost support member.   
     
     
         2 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least three telescoping support members has a hollow rectangular cross-section configured to provide structural rigidity while enabling nested telescoping movement. 
     
     
         3 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one middle support member includes an elongated track defined in a wall thereof of the at least one middle support member, and wherein the innermost support member includes a pin extending outwardly therefrom and slidably received within the elongated track. 
     
     
         4 . The boom assembly of  claim 3 , wherein a length of the elongated track determines a maximum relative displacement between the innermost support member and the at least one middle support member during telescoping movement. 
     
     
         5 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hose support mechanism comprises a plurality of rollers arranged in a curved array and configured to maintain contact with the vacuum hose during telescoping movement of the at least one middle support member. 
     
     
         6 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the boom assembly is configured to provide an extension reach of at least 7 feet, with a collapsed length of approximately 15 feet and an extended length of approximately 22 feet. 
     
     
         7 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 guide blocks disposed at each of the at least three telescoping support members, the guide blocks being configured to guide telescoping movement and reduce friction between nested support members.   
     
     
         8 . The boom assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the extension actuator is positioned laterally offset from the telescoping support members and configured to be disposed between the vacuum hose and the telescoping support members when the vacuum hose is mounted side-by-side with the boom assembly. 
     
     
         9 . An excavation system comprising:
 a debris collection body;   an air mover configured to create suction within the debris collection body;   a turret rotatably mounted to a top surface of the debris collection body;   a multi-section vacuum hose; including:
 a flexible first section coupled to the turret and extending therefrom, 
 a substantially rigid intermediate section, and 
 a flexible distal section terminating in a forward end; 
   a telescoping boom assembly mounted to the turret, the boom assembly comprising:
 a first telescoping member pivotably mounted to the turret, 
 a second telescoping member slidably nested within the first telescoping member, 
 a third telescoping member slidably nested within the second telescoping member, 
 a roller-equipped shoe fixed to a distal end of the third telescoping member and supporting the flexible distal section of the vacuum hose, and 
 a roller-equipped intermediate support fixed to the second telescoping member and supporting the flexible distal section of the vacuum hose at a location between the shoe and the substantially rigid intermediate section; and 
   a single-stage hydraulic actuator extending between and coupled to the first and third telescoping members at fixed positions, wherein actuation of the hydraulic actuator extends and retracts the third telescoping member while indirectly driving corresponding movement of the second telescoping member.   
     
     
         10 . The excavation system of  claim 9 , wherein in both a fully extended configuration and a fully retracted configuration of the boom assembly, a proximal end of the third telescoping member remains disposed within the first telescoping member. 
     
     
         11 . The excavation system of  claim 9 , further comprising a pivot actuator coupled between the turret and the first telescoping member and configured to pivot the boom assembly to raise and lower the vacuum hose relative to the debris collection body. 
     
     
         12 . The excavation system of  claim 9 , wherein the roller-equipped shoe comprises a curved array of rollers defining a bend radius for the vacuum hose and at least one hoop configured to maintain the vacuum hose in contact with the rollers. 
     
     
         13 . The excavation system of  claim 9 , wherein the substantially rigid intermediate section of the vacuum hose is fixedly coupled to the first telescoping member. 
     
     
         14 . The excavation system of  claim 9 , wherein the single-stage hydraulic actuator includes:
 a barrel supported on the first telescoping member at two spaced-apart support locations of the first telescoping member, and   an extensible rod extending from the barrel and coupled to the third telescoping member at a fixed mount of the third telescoping member.   
     
     
         15 . A method of extending reach of a vacuum excavation system, the method comprising:
 providing an excavation vehicle having a debris body, a turret rotatably mounted on the debris body, and a vacuum hose supported by a boom assembly comprising at least three nested telescoping support members including an outermost member pivotably coupled to the turret, an innermost member, and at least one middle member disposed between the outermost and innermost members;   activating a single hydraulic cylinder coupled between the outermost member and the innermost member to extend the innermost member in a distal direction along a longitudinal axis;   during said extending, sliding the at least one middle member in the distal direction through indirect drive engagement with the innermost member, wherein the indirect drive engagement comprises a pin coupled to the innermost member sliding within an elongated track defined in the at least one middle member;   supporting the vacuum hose at multiple locations such that the vacuum hose maintains a substantially parallel orientation relative to the longitudinal axis during extension; and   maintaining the vacuum hose in a side-by-side relationship with the telescoping support members throughout the extending movement.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 after extending the boom assembly, retracting the single hydraulic cylinder to retract the innermost member in a proximal direction, wherein the pin slides within the elongated track to indirectly drive retraction of the at least one middle member in the proximal direction.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating the turret to rotate the boom assembly and the vacuum hose around the debris body while maintaining the side-by-side relationship.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 activating a pivot actuator to pivot the outermost member relative to the turret, thereby raising or lowering the vacuum hose while maintaining the substantially constant orientation of the vacuum hose relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the vacuum hose is supported at each of the at least three telescoping support members throughout the extending movement to prevent sagging and debris accumulation within the vacuum hose. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the roller support on the at least one middle member rolls relative to the vacuum hose during the extending movement.