Systems, methods, and apparatuses for heating a screed of a paving machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Paving Products Inc.
InventorsNicholas A. OETKEN, Ryan NELSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Machines, systems, and methods for pre-heating a screed plate (including maintaining the pre-heated screed plate) of a paving machine can comprise a screed assembly including the screed plate; and a thermal cover removably coupleable to or over a bottom working surface of the screed plate. The thermal cover can be movable between a first position where the thermal cover does not cover any portion of the bottom working surface of the screed plate and a second position where the thermal cover covers at least a portion of the bottom working surface of the screed plate.
Claims20
A paving machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a traction system supporting the frame and configured to move the paving machine;
- an operator interface in an operator station supported by the frame;
- a screed assembly including:
- a screed heater,
- a screed plate, and
- a temperature sensor associated with the screed plate to sense a temperature of the screed plate,
- control circuitry configured to receive temperature signals from the temperature sensor and determine the temperature of the screed plate;
- and
- a thermal insulating cover removably coupleable over a bottom working surface of the screed plate,
- wherein the thermal insulating cover is fixedly coupled to the paving machine and movably coupled to the screed assembly so as to be movable between a first position where the thermal insulating cover does not cover any portion of the bottom working surface of the screed plate and a second position where the thermal insulating covers an entire area of the bottom working surface of the screed plate, and
- wherein in the second position where the thermal insulating cover covers the entire area of the bottom working surface of the screed plate, the paving machine is in a pre-paving state prior to entering a paving state to pave a road surface.
A method comprising:
- providing a paver including:
- a frame, and
- a traction system supporting the frame and configured to move the paver;
- providing a screed assembly including:
- a screed heater,
- a screed plate, and
- a temperature sensor associated with the screed plate to sense a temperature of the screed plate;
- and
- providing a thermal insulating cover to selectively cover and uncover a bottom working surface of the screed plate under condition that the paver is not performing a paving operation,
- wherein the thermal insulating cover is movable between a first position where the bottom working surface of the screed plate is uncovered by the thermal cover and a second position where the bottom working surface of the screed plate is covered by the thermal cover, and
- wherein the paver is in a pre-paving state prior to entering a paving state to pave a road surface under condition where the thermal insulating cover is in the second position where the thermal insulating cover covers the bottom working surface of the screed plate.
A system for pre-heating a screed plate of a paving machine comprising:
- a screed assembly including the screed plate;
- and
- a thermal cover removably coupleable over a bottom working surface of the screed plate,
- wherein the thermal cover is movable between a first position where the thermal cover does not cover any portion of the bottom working surface of the screed plate and a second position where the thermal cover covers at least a portion of the bottom working surface of the screed plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.