Air Gap Boom Cover System And Method For Drying An Insulated Boom Section Of An Aerial Lift Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023366621-A1
Application number	US-202318315695-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2023
Priority date	May 12, 2022
Publication date	Nov 16, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for drying an exterior of an insulated boom section of an aerial lift device. The system includes at least one section of a boom cover which encapsulates the insulated boom section when the boom cover is disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section. The system also includes retainers to releasably retain the boom cover on the insulated boom section. The system further includes spacers to space the boom cover from the exterior of the insulated boom section by an air gap and an inlet to direct air through the air gap and over, along and around the insulated boom section exterior for drying the insulated boom section. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

First claim

1 . A system for drying an exterior of an electrically insulated boom section of an aerial lift device, the system comprising:
at least one boom cover adapted to be electrically insulating and disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section to encapsulate the insulated boom section within the at least one boom cover when the at least one boom cover is disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section; air gap spacers spaced apart and operatively coupled to an inner surface of the at least one boom cover to space the at least one boom cover from the exterior of the insulated boom section by an air gap when the at least one boom cover is disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section so that the air gap and an airflow passageway corresponding to the air gap completely surrounds the encapsulated insulated boom section; retaining elements operatively coupled to the at least one boom cover to releasably retain the at least one boom cover on the exterior of the insulated boom section when the at least one boom cover is disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section; first and second end covers adapted to be operatively coupled to corresponding opposite distal ends of the at least one boom cover when the at least one boom cover is mounted on the insulated boom section; an airflow inlet in fluid communication with the airflow passageway and adapted to receive air when the at least one boom cover is disposed over the exterior of the insulated boom section and to pass the air into the airflow passageway; and an airflow regulator regulating flow of the air from the airflow passageway when the at least one boom cover is mounted on the insulated boom section, wherein, in use, when the at least one boom cover is disposed, spaced, and retained on the insulated boom section, the air received by and flowing through the inlet is directed along the airflow passageway so as to flow over, along and around the exterior of the insulated boom section encapsulated within the at least one boom cover.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one boom cover has a geometry conforming to a geometry of the exterior of insulated boom section so that the at least one boom cover completely covers the insulated boom section when mounted thereon, and the air gap in the airflow passageway is consistent around and along the insulated boom section located within the at least one boom cover.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one boom cover is a single two piece boom cover, and wherein the single two piece boom cover is formed of a first half and a second half, and wherein each half is a unitary hollow half that is a mirror image of the other half, and wherein the two halves are connected to each other in an edge-to-edge relation through a hinged connection.

4 . The system of claim 3 further comprising a flexible hinge cover for the hinged connection to inhibit incursion of moisture into the boom cover and escape of the air from the boom cover through the hinged connection.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is located on the at least one boom cover or on the first or second end covers.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air received by the inlet is recycled air, exiting an interior of the insulated boom section after flowing through and drying the interior of the insulated boom section.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the spacers are located on an inner surface of the at least one boom cover in a spaced apart relationship along a length of, so as to extend in a spaced array end-to-end along, the at least one boom cover.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the spacers are rigid and formed integrally on the inner surface of the at least one boom cover.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the spacers each have a height ranging from 1.5 inches to three inches.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the airflow regulator includes at least one vent to control release of the air from the airflow passageway, and wherein the air reaches the vent after it has passed all along the insulated boom section located within the at least one boom cover.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the vent comprises holes on the first or second end covers.

12 . A method for drying an insulated boom section of an aerial lift device using the system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
disposing and spacing the at least one boom cover on and from the exterior of the insulated boom section so as to encapsulate the insulated boom section within the at least one boom cover; releasably retaining the at least one boom cover on the insulated boom section with the retaining elements; operatively coupling the first and second end covers to the corresponding outer distal ends of the at least one boom cover, respectively; and directing the air through the inlet, along the airflow passageway, and onto, along and around the exterior of the insulated boom section encapsulated within the at least one boom cover to dry the exterior of the insulated boom section.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising locating the inlet on the at least one boom cover.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of disposing further comprises disposing the at least one boom cover on the exterior of the insulated boom section when the insulated boom section is in a retracted or stowed position.

15 . The method of claim 12 further comprising sealing the hinged connection.

16 . The method of claim 12 further comprising releasing the air in the airflow passageway from the at least one boom cover, after the drying, while regulating release of the air to the ambient through the regulator.

Assignees

• Quanta Associates Lp

Inventors

• O’Connell Daniel Neil
• Jodoin Raymond Henry

Classifications

• F26B21/50

  Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried · CPC title

• F26B3/04 Primary

  the gas or vapour circulating over or surrounding the materials or objects to be dried (F26B3/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66F17/006

  for working platforms · CPC title

• B66F13/00

  Common constructional features or accessories · CPC title

• B66F11/044

  Working platforms suspended from booms · CPC title