Video monitoring system for a spreader hopper

• US 10,307,780 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meyer Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Meyer Products LLC
• Inventors: Orazem, Louis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aghevli, Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/617,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20180353986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/004 comprising sensors for monitoring the delivery, e.g. by displaying the sensed value or generating an alarm B05B12/08 takes precedence; registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus in general G07C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/25 using moving elements, e.g. rotating blades
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/2055 Details not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/007 Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly may be used with a video monitoring system. The operator within a vehicle passenger compartment may manually view a display screen to see video images within the hopper to visually assess the amount of frozen precipitation treatment material within the hopper in real time.

Claims

1. A frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system comprising:

a spreader assembly comprising;

A) a hopper that;

(1) is designed to be supported to an associated vehicle; and

, (2) is designed to hold a solid material that treats frozen precipitation;

B) a spinner mechanism that;

(1) is designed to be supported to the associated vehicle;

(2) comprises a spinner plate; and

, (3) is operable to rotate the spinner plate to spread the solid material onto an associated ground surface that requires treatment for frozen precipitation; and

,

C) an auger mechanism that;

(1) is designed to be supported to the associated vehicle;

(2) comprises an auger; and

, (3) is operable to rotate the auger to transfer the solid material from the hopper to the spinner plate; and

,

an aftermarket video monitoring system comprising;

A) a video camera that;

(1) is supported to the hopper;

(2) oriented and operable to provide video images of the solid material within the hopper; and

, (3) provides indicia that, when used with the video images, indicates the amount of solid material within the hopper;

B) a display screen that;

(1) is designed to be viewed by an associated operator positioned within a passenger compartment of the associated vehicle; and

, (2) displays the video images of the solid material within the hopper; and

,

C) a wireless transmitter that;

(1) is supported to the associated vehicle; and

, (2) wirelessly transmits the video images from the camera to the display screen.

2. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the video monitoring system is only operable to display the video images when it receives an electric signal indicating that the spreader assembly is “

ON.”

3. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the hopper comprises at least one inner wall that;

(1) contacts the solid material; and

, (2) forms an acute angle with a generally horizontal plane; and

,

the video camera is oriented;

(1) with a view looking down along the inner wall; and

, (2) at an angle corresponding to the acute angle in order to align the indicia with respect to the wall and the solid material within the hopper.

4. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the video camera is powered by the spreader assembly.

5. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the video camera is powered by the associated vehicle.

6. A frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system comprising:

a spreader assembly comprising;

A) a hopper that;

(1) is designed to be supported to an associated vehicle; and

, (2) is designed to hold a material that treats frozen precipitation; and

,

B) a spreading mechanism that;

(1) is designed to be supported to the associated vehicle; and

, (2) is designed to be operable to spread the material within the hopper onto an associated ground surface that requires treatment for frozen precipitation; and

,

a video monitoring system comprising;

A) a video camera that is oriented and operable to provide video images of the material within the hopper;

B) a display screen that;

(1) is designed to be viewed by an associated operator positioned within a passenger compartment of the associated vehicle; and

, (2) displays the video images of the material within the hopper; and

,

C) a transmitter that;

(1) is supported to the associated vehicle; and

, (2) transmits the video images from the video camera to the display screen.

7. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the video monitoring system is only operable to display the video images when it receives an electric signal indicating that the spreader assembly is “

ON.”

8. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the display screen is part of an electronic controller used to control the spreader assembly.

9. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the display screen is original equipment on the associated vehicle.

10. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the display screen is mountable within the passenger compartment of the associated vehicle.

11. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 further comprising:

indicia that, when used with the video images, indicates the amount of material within the hopper; and

,

wherein the indicia comprises visible markings positioned on an inner surface of the hopper.

12. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 further comprising:

indicia that, when used with the video images, indicates the amount of material within the hopper; and

,

wherein the indicia are provided by the video camera.

13. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the video camera is powered by the spreader assembly.

14. The frozen precipitation treatment system in the form of a spreader assembly with a video monitoring system of claim 6 wherein:

the video camera is powered by the associated vehicle.

15. A method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system comprising the steps of:

1. providing a spreader assembly comprising;

A) a hopper that;

(1) is supported to a vehicle; and

, (2) is designed to hold a material that treats frozen precipitation; and

,

B) a spreading mechanism that;

(1) is supported to the vehicle; and

, (2) is designed to be operable to spread the material within the hopper onto a ground surface that requires treatment for frozen precipitation;

2. providing a video monitoring system comprising;

A) a video camera that is oriented and operable to provide video images of the material within the hopper;

B) a display screen that;

(1) is designed to be viewed by an associated operator positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle; and

, (2) displays the video images of the material within the hopper; and

,

C) a transmitter that;

(1) is supported to the vehicle; and

, (2) transmits the video images from the video camera to the display screen;

3. operating the spreader assembly and the video monitoring system; and

,

4. manually viewing the display screen in real time to assess the amount of material within the hopper.

16. The method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system of claim 15 wherein step 3 comprises the step of:

only operating the video monitoring system when the video monitoring system receives an electric signal indicating that the spreader assembly is “

ON.”

17. The method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system of claim 15 wherein:

step 1 comprises the step of;

providing indicia in the form of markings positioned on an inner surface of the hopper; and

step 4 comprises the step of;

combining the video images with the indicia to assess the amount of material within the hopper.

18. The method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system of claim 15 wherein:

step 2 comprises the step of;

providing the video camera with indicia; and

step 4 comprises the step of;

combining the video images with the indicia to assess the amount of material within the hopper.

19. The method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

powering the video camera with the spreader assembly.

20. The method of operating a frozen precipitation treatment system of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

powering the video camera with the associated vehicle.