Vibratory compactor and method of using same

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a surface contacting member attached to said chassis;
• a linear oscillator including at least one electromagnetic force generator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contacting member;
• and
• said linear oscillator is a first linear oscillator;
• and
• a second linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contacting member.

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a surface contacting member attached to said chassis;
• a linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contacting member;
• said linear oscillator including at least one electromagnetic force generator;
• an electronic control module in control communication with said linear oscillator;
• a sensor in communication with said electronic control module and producing a sensor signal;
• and
• said electronic control module includes an oscillator control algorithm that includes said sensor signal.

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a surface contacting member attached to said chassis;
• a linear oscillator including at least one electromagnetic force generator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contacting member;
• and
• said linear oscillator includes a housing, a movable mass, an electromagnetic actuator operably coupled to said movable mass, and at least one spring operably positioned between said housing and said movable mass.

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a surface contacting member attached to said chassis;
• a linear oscillator including at least one electromagnetic force generator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contacting member;
• and
• an electronic control module in control communication with said linear oscillator;
• a sensor in communication with said electronic control module and producing a sensor signal;
• with electronic control module includes an oscillator control algorithm that includes said sensor signal;
• said linear oscillator has a plurality of orientations with respect to said surface contacting member;
• and
• said surface contacting member includes a roller.

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a first roller rotatably attached to said chassis;
• a second roller rotatably attached to said chassis;
• a first linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said first roller;
• a second linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said second roller;
• and
• an electronic control module mounted on said chassis in control communication with at least one of said first linear oscillator and said second linear oscillator, and including an oscillator, and including an oscillator control algorithm.

A compactor comprising:

• a chassis;
• a first roller rotatably attached to said chassis;
• a second roller rotatably attached to said chassis;
• a first linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said first roller;
• a second linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said second roller;
• an electronic control module in control communication with said first linear oscillator and said second linear oscillator;
• at least one sensor in communication with said electronic control module and producing a sensor signal;
• and
• said electronic control module includes an oscillator control algorithm that includes said sensor signal.

A method of compacting a stratum, comprising the steps of:

• vibrating a surface contact member of a compactor;
• said vibrating step includes a step of actuating a linear oscillator;
• said actuating step includes a step of energizing at least one electromagnet operably coupled to vibrate said surface contact member;
• and
• reducing vibration of said surface contacting member at least in part by actuating a first linear oscillator out of phase with a second linear oscillator.

A method of compacting a stratum, comprising the steps of:

• vibrating a surface contact member of a compactor:
• said vibrating step includes a step of actuating a linear oscillator;
• said actuating step includes a step of energizing at least one electromagnet operably coupled to vibrate said surface contact member;
• and
• said vibrating step is performed at a plurality of superimposed frequencies at least in part by actuating a first linear oscillator at a first frequency, phase and amplitude, and actuating a second linear oscillator at a second frequency, phase and amplitude.

A method of compacting a stratum, comprising the steps of:

• vibrating a surface contact member of a compactor;
• said vibrating step includes a step of actuating a linear oscillator operably coupled to vibrate said surface contact member;
• and
• said actuating step includes a step of energizing at least one electromagnet;
• said vibrating step is performed at a plurality of superimposed frequencies at least in part by actuating a first linear oscillator at a first frequency, phase and amplitude, and actuating a second linear oscillator at a second frequency, phase and amplitude;
• controlling actuation of said linear actuator with an electronic control module;
• sensing a condition;
• and
• said controlling step includes a step of determining at least one of vibration frequency, vibration phase and vibration amplitude based at least in part on the sensed condition.