# US 11,192,130 B2 · Thermoplastic extrusion markings

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,192,130 B2
- Document ID: US11192130B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/112,693
- Filed: 2020-12-04
- Published: 2021-06-10
- Granted: 2021-12-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-12-06
- Assignees: Waterblasting, LLC
- Applicants: Waterblasting, LLC
- Inventors: James Crocker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11192130B2

## CPC

- B05B 12/08: responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material {to be} discharged, of ambient medium or of target {; responsive to condition of spray devices or of supply means, e.g. pipes, pumps or their drive means}
- B29B 13/022: {Melting the material to be shaped}
- B05B 13/005: {mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers}
- E01C 23/22: by spraying {(E01C23/206 takes precedence)}
- G01B 21/08: for measuring thickness
- G01D 5/12: using electric or magnetic means (G01D5/06 takes precedence)
- G01F 23/292: Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet}
- G01F 23/296: Acoustic waves
- G05B 19/4155: characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program
- B05B 12/081: {responsive to the weight of a reservoir or container for liquid or other fluent material; responsive to level or volume of liquid or other fluent material in a reservoir or container}
- B05B 12/126: {responsive to target velocity, e.g. to relative velocity between spray apparatus and target (B05B9/06 takes precedence)}
- G05B 2219/49056: Control of flow of fluid or temperature as function of speed for uniform coating
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H)
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

A thermoplastic extrusion vehicle for continuous processing of thermoplastic material used for applying lines and stripes to a roadway. Heated oil from a burner is directed to a common reservoir having a section for oil distributed to the extremities of the vehicle and a main section for heating of melting kettles; the common reservoir having a divider wall capable of maintaining two different temperatures within the reservoir. A programmable logic controller displays and records the mil thickness of lines that is calculated according to the volume of material consumed at the rate of application based upon the speed of the vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for measuring applied line thickness by a thermoplastic extrusion vehicle comprising:
a melter reservoir secured to the vehicle having an inlet and an outlet;
a sensor for detecting a level of thermoplastic material in said melter;
a computer having a microprocessor coupled to said sensor configured to calculate an amount of thermoplastic material in said melter based upon the level detected;
a counter positioned at said inlet to said melter configured to count bags of raw thermoplastic material added to said melter and said microprocessor configured to receive a bag count from said counter to calculate an amount of thermoplastic material added to said melter;
a magnetic collar attached to a drive shaft of the vehicle and coupled to said microprocessor, said magnetic collar configured to calculate a distance traveled by the vehicle;
a pump for transferring liquid thermoplastic material, said pump coupled to said computer; and
at least one gun having a predetermined spray width attached to said pump;
wherein said system for measuring applied line thickness and said computer are configured to derive a mil thickness of the line applied by calculating any change in the thermoplastic material amount in said melter, with adjustment made to the amount of thermoplastic material added, and the distance the vehicle traveled while said at least one gun having said predetermined spray width provides a mil thickness of the line applied.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to control said pump to obtain a target mil thickness from said at least one gun.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 1 wherein said computer is configured to control a vehicle speed to obtain a target mil thickness.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 1 including a liquid level tube placed adjacent to said melter reservoir, said liquid level tube allowing surface measurement by said sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 4 wherein said liquid level tube includes an oil jacket to maintain thermoplastic material within said liquid level tube at the same temperature as the thermoplastic material in said melter reservoir.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a laser.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system for measuring applied line thickness according to claim 1 wherein said sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.