Wireless Remote-controlled Pavement Recycling Machine

• US 20070098496A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek IP, LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: David R. Hall
• Inventors: Wahlquist, David, Hall, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/94
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/10 Clay sepiolite C04B14/042; grog C04B18/025
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/40 Surface-active agents, dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/0075 for road construction
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/34 Natural resins, e.g. rosin C04B24/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/36 Bituminous materials, e.g. tar, pitch C04B24/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 26/26 Bituminous materials, e.g. tar, pitch C08L95/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0268 Heating up to sintering temperatures C04B41/0072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/288 adapted for monitoring characteristics of the material being compacted, e.g. indicating resonant frequency, measuring degree of compaction, by measuring values, detectable on the roller; using detected values to control operation of the roller, e.g. automatic adjustment of vibration responsive to such measurements
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/40 adapted to impart a smooth finish to the paving, e.g. tamping or vibrating finishers
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/488 with rollers for consolidating or finishing combined with tamping, vibrating, pressing or smoothing consolidation or finishing means E01C19/4886 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/065 Recycling in place or on the road, i.e. hot or cold reprocessing of paving in situ or on the traffic surface, with or without adding virgin material or lifting of salvaged material; Repairs or resurfacing involving at least partial reprocessing of the existing paving in situ mixing of hydraulic cement concrete E01C19/025; apparatus for in-plant recycling E01C19/1004, E01C19/1036
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0885 with vertical or steeply inclined rotary axis
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2301/10 Heated screeds

Abstract

A pavement recycling machine is disclosed in one aspect of the invention as including a motorized vehicle to travel along a paved surface and having a direction of travel. A bank of substantially vertically oriented mill heads is connected to the motorized vehicle to break up the paved surface to create loose aggregate. These mill heads have axes of rotation that are substantially perpendicular to the paved surface. A controller is provided to control various operational parameters of the pavement recycling machine. These operational parameters may include, for example, the rotational speed and vertical height of the mill heads. A remote control device communicates with the controller to enable remote adjustment or monitoring of the operational parameters.

Claims

1. A pavement recycling machine comprising:

a motorized vehicle to travel along a paved surface, the motorized vehicle having a direction of travel;

a bank of vertically oriented mill heads connected to the motorized vehicle to break up the paved surface to create loose aggregate, the mill heads having axes of rotation substantially perpendicular to the paved surface;

a controller to adjust various operational parameters of the pavement recycling machine, the operational parameters comprising at least one of the rotational speed and vertical height of the mill heads; and

a remote control device in communication with the controller to enable at least one of remote adjustment and monitoring of the operational parameters.

2. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, further comprising a translation mechanism to translate the bank relative to the motorized vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel.

3. The pavement recycling machine of claim 2, wherein the operational parameters further comprise the position of the bank relative to the motorized vehicle.

4. The pavement recycling machine of claim 2, further comprising an oscillation mechanism to oscillate the bank relative to the motorized vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel.

5. The pavement recycling machine of claim 4, wherein the operational parameters further comprise at least one of the oscillation position and frequency of the oscillation mechanism.

6. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of hollow teeth to follow the mill heads and inject a binder into the loose aggregate.

7. The pavement recycling machine of claim 6, wherein the operational parameters further comprise at least one of the vertical height of the hollow teeth, the temperature of the binder, and the flow rate of the binder.

8. The pavement recycling machine of claim 6, wherein the binder comprises foamed bitumen comprising a mixture of heated bitumen and water.

9. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, further comprising an application device to apply rejuvenation materials to the loose aggregate.

10. The pavement recycling machine of claim 9, wherein the operational parameters further comprise at least one of the temperature of the rejuvenation materials, the available supply of rejuvenation materials, and the flow rate of the rejuvenation materials.

11. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, further comprising a heater to heat the paved surface prior to breakup with the mill heads.

12. The pavement recycling machine of claim 11, wherein the operational parameters further comprise at least one of the temperature and the temperature gradient of the paved surface.

13. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, wherein the remote control device wirelessly communicates with the controller.

14. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, wherein the remote control device is selected from the group consisting of a wireless portable remote control and a remote base station

15. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, wherein the operational parameters further comprise at least one of the position, speed, and direction of travel of the pavement recycling machine.

16. The pavement recycling machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically adjust the operational parameters in response to feedback received from at least one sensor monitoring the operational parameters.

17. A method comprising:

breaking up a paved surface with a bank of substantially vertically oriented mill heads to create loose aggregate, the mill heads having axes of rotation substantially perpendicular to the paved surface; and

wirelessly controlling various operational parameters of the mill heads, the operational parameters comprising at least one of the rotational speed and the vertical height of the mill heads.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein breaking up further comprises breaking up the paved surface along a selected direction of travel.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein breaking up further comprises oscillating the mill heads in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein wirelessly controlling further comprises wirelessly controlling at least one of the oscillation position and frequency of the mill heads.