US 11,401,666 B2Granted

Raised pavement markers removal system and method

OwnerFred Russellinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A raised pavement markers removal vehicle system and method for the removal of raised pavement markers from a roadway. As the vehicle is driven along a roadway, a grinder unit alongside the forward portion of the vehicle grinds away the raised pavement markers to be removed. A sensing unit senses the relative lateral positions of the grinder unit and the upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed. A controller receives position information from the sensing unit and sends appropriate commands to an alignment adjuster to match the lateral position of the grinder unit to the lateral position of the upcoming pavement markers to be removed. After removal by grinding, the debris from the removed raised pavement markers is swept from the roadway into a sweeper-hopper unit for transport to a suitable unloading place. A warning board mounted at the rear of the sweeper-hopper unit provides a visual warning to other users of the road.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A raised pavement markers removal vehicle system for installation on a vehicle having a forward-rearward orientation, for removal of raised pavement markers from a roadway, the raised pavement markers removal vehicle system comprising:

(i) a sweeper-hopper unit having a debris hopper adapted to hold removal debris, a sweep-under broom adapted to sweep removal debris from alongside vehicle to underneath vehicle, a debris-collection broom adapted to sweep removal debris from underneath vehicle into said debris hopper, and a debris unloader adapted to empty removal debris from said debris hopper;
(ii) a warning board mounted at a rear of said sweeper-hopper unit, adapted to provide a visual warning to other users of the roadway;
(iii) a grinder unit mounted alongside a forward portion of the vehicle, having a rotary grinder adapted to grinding away raised pavement markers, replaceable skids adapted to provide sliding contact with the roadway, a debris guide shield adapted to prevent debris from exiting at a dangerous velocity and to guide debris into a controlled location, and grinder-positioning markings adapted to provide a representation of a lateral position of said rotary grinder;
(iv) an alignment adjuster mounted between the vehicle and said grinder unit, adapted to adjust the lateral position of said rotary grinder in real time during operation;
(v) a sensing unit mounted near said grinder unit, adapted to sense a lateral position of said grinder unit and to sense a lateral position of upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed, in real time during use;
and
(vi) a controller adapted to receive and analyze lateral-position information from said sensing unit and to send appropriate commands to said alignment adjuster to move said grinder unit into the lateral position of upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed, in real time during use.

4 more elements

A raised pavement markers removal vehicle method comprising:

(i) providing a raised pavement markers removal vehicle system comprising:
(a) a sweeper-hopper unit having a debris hopper adapted to hold removal debris, a sweep-under broom adapted to sweep removal debris from alongside vehicle to underneath vehicle, a debris-collection broom adapted to sweep removal debris from underneath vehicle into said debris hopper, and a debris unloader adapted to empty removal debris from said debris hopper;
(b) a warning board mounted at a rear of said sweeper-hopper unit, adapted to provide a visual warning to other users of a roadway;
(c) a grinder unit mounted alongside a forward portion of the vehicle, having a rotary grinder adapted to grinding away raised pavement markers, replaceable skids adapted to provide sliding contact with the roadway, a debris guide shield adapted to prevent debris from exiting at a dangerous velocity and to guide debris into a controlled location, and grinder-positioning markings adapted to provide a representation of a lateral position of said rotary grinder;
(d) an alignment adjuster mounted between the vehicle and said grinder unit, adapted to adjust the lateral position of said rotary grinder in real time during operation;
(e) a sensing unit mounted near said grinder unit, adapted to sense a lateral position of said grinder unit and to sense a lateral position of upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed, in real time during use;
and
(f) a controller adapted to receive and analyze lateral-position information from said sensing unit and to send appropriate commands to said alignment adjuster to move said grinder unit into the lateral position of upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed, in real time during use;
(ii) operating said raised pavement markers removal vehicle along the roadway having raised pavement markers to be removed;
(iii) locating upcoming raised pavement markers to be removed;
(iv) adjusting the lateral position of said grinder unit;
(v) removing raised pavement markers to be removed;
and (vi) sweeping debris from removed markers into said sweeper-hopper unit for further handling.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/716,403Filed 16 Dec 2019
Published: US 2021/0180273 A117 Jun 2021
Granted: 2 Aug 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

E01H 1/045
Taking- up the sweepings, e.g. for collecting, for loading: the loading means being a rotating brush with horizontal axis
B60Q 9/00
Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of
E01C 23/0885
Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums: with vertical or steeply inclined rotary axis
E01C 23/127
With power-driven tools, e.g. oscillated hammer apparatus: rotary, e.g. rotary hammers