Vehicle treatment system with positional status detection mechanism
AssigneePDQ Manufacturing Inc.
InventorsDaniel Ervin Moldenhauer, Kimmo Antero Ukkola
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for detecting a positional status of a vehicle treatment device is provided. The vehicle treatment device is rotatable relative to a support structure. A plurality of proximity sensors are disposed on the support structure. A flag is rotationally fixed to the treatment device and is configured to activate at least one of the sensors during a predetermined movement to determine orientation. In response to a deviation, external force, or impact on the treatment device, the flag pivots or moves relative to the support structure and sensors in an unexpected manner, causing a deviation from an expected activation of the sensors according to the predetermined movement.
Claims23
A vehicle treatment system for detecting a positional status of a vehicle treatment device, the system comprising:
- a rotatable vehicle treatment device supported for rotation by a support structure and having an axis of rotation;
- a bracket including a flag attached thereto, the bracket rotationally fixed relative to the vehicle treatment device, wherein the bracket and flag rotate with the vehicle treatment device;
- wherein the bracket and flag are pivotable about a pivot axis of the bracket aligned transverse to the axis of rotation of the vehicle treatment device in response to a deviation of the treatment device from an expected position;
- and
- a plurality of sensors fixed relative to the support structure, wherein the bracket, flag, and treatment device are rotatable relative to the plurality of sensors;
- wherein the flag is detected by at least one sensor during predetermined movement of the vehicle treatment device;
- wherein the flag moves relative to the sensors during a deviation from an expected angular position of the predetermined movement by the vehicle treatment device, such that a different number of sensors detect the flag relative to an expected number of sensors for the predetermined movement.
A method of detecting a positional status of a vehicle treatment device of a vehicle treatment system, the method comprising:
- providing a rotatable vehicle treatment device, wherein the vehicle treatment device is rotatable relative to a support structure, wherein a bracket and flag rotate with the vehicle treatment device, and wherein a plurality of sensors are fixed relative to the support structure;
- detecting the flag by at least one of the sensors;
- providing an external force on the vehicle treatment device and pivoting the vehicle treatment device relative to at least one pivot axis of the vehicle treatment device;
- contacting the bracket with the vehicle treatment device in response to pivoting the vehicle treatment device, and thereby pivoting the bracket about a pivot axis of the bracket;
- moving the flag fixed to the bracket away from the sensors in response to pivoting the bracket about the pivot axis of the bracket;
- and
- detecting, by the sensors, that the flag has moved away from the sensors and detecting a deviation from a predetermined movement of the vehicle treatment device.
A vehicle treatment system for detecting a positional status of a vehicle treatment device, the system comprising:
- a rotatable vehicle treatment device supported for rotation by a support structure and having an axis of rotation;
- a flag that rotates with the vehicle treatment device;
- and
- a plurality of sensors fixed relative to the support structure, wherein the flag moves relative to the plurality of sensors and activates the sensors based on the rotational position of the flag relative to the sensors;
- wherein rotational speed, position, and orientation of the vehicle treatment device are determinable based on which sensors of the plurality of sensors are activated by the flag;
- wherein a deviation from a predetermined movement of the vehicle treatment device is detectable in response to an activation of sensors that deviates from an expected activation according to the predetermined movement of the vehicle treatment device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.