System and method for controlling an asphalt repair apparatus
AssigneeHeatwurx, Inc.
InventorsStephen Douglas Garland, Edmond Joseph Limoge, William Petrow, John Edward Cronin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for controlling an asphalt repair apparatus. An additional aspect of the present invention is to provide a system that may position a heater repair element adjacent a targeted asphalt surface, acquire and analyze surface and heater sensing data, and control heater output to prepare the targeted asphalt surface for repair. Further, the system may be configured to control an asphalt repair apparatus to satisfy user-defined asphalt repair requirements.
Claims20
An asphalt roadway repair apparatus, comprising:
- a heater configured to heat a roadway repair site to a selected temperature and a selected hardness, the heater interconnected to a roadway machine configured to position the heater proximate to the roadway repair site;
- at least one heater temperature sensor disposed proximate to or on the heater;
- at least one material hardness sensor disposed proximate to or on the heater;
- a power unit in communication with the heater and adapted to provide energy to the heater;
- a controller in communication with the power unit and adapted to receive control measurement inputs comprising a heater temperature measurement input from the heater temperature sensor and a repair site material hardness measurement input from the material hardness sensor;
- and
- wherein the controller determines the energy level of the power unit based on the control inputs.
A method for repair of a roadway surface, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a heater proximate to a roadway repair site;
- measuring a repair site temperature and a repair site hardness;
- determining a power level for the heater based on at least one of the repair site temperature and the repair site hardness;
- activating the heater at the determined power level wherein heat from the heater is imparted to the repair site;
- heating the repair site until at least one of a selectable repair site temperature and repair site hardness is achieved;
- providing an asphalt material and a conditioner;
- conditioning an area surrounding the repair site by beveling an edge of the repair site to a predetermined angle;
- inserting the asphalt material and the conditioner into the repair site;
- and
- compacting the asphalt material and the conditioner into the repair site.
An asphalt roadway repair system, comprising:
- a heater configured to heat an asphalt repair site of a roadway surface to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined hardness, the heater adapted to interconnect to an appartus configured to position the heater in a preferred orientation substantially parallel to the asphalt repair site;
- at least one heater temperature sensor disposed proximate to the heater;
- at least one material hardness sensor disposed proximate to the heater;
- a power unit in communication with the heater and configured to provide a power level to the heater;
- a controller in communication with the power unit and adapted to receive control measurement inputs comprising a heater temperature measurement input from the heater temperature sensor and a repair site material hardness measurement input from the material hardness sensor;
- wherein the controller determines the power level of the power unit based on the control inputs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.