3D CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONSTRUCTION MACHINES

• US 20080253834A1
• Filed: 04/05/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: POWER CURBERS, INC.
• Original Assignee: POWER CURBERS, INC.
• Inventors: COLVARD, John Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/84.05
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/006 by laser or ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/163 for marking-out the location of the markings; Guiding or steering devices for marking apparatus, e.g. sights
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

A construction system utilizing 3D control includes a fixed base station of known location; a self-propelled construction machine located in the general vicinity of the fixed base station; and a rotating mobile unit assembly mounted on the self-propelled construction machine and having a location-determination device arranged to rotate around an axis. The location-determination device is adapted to operate in conjunction with the fixed base station to determine geodetic information about the self-propelled construction machine.

Claims

1. A construction system utilizing 3D control, including:

a fixed base station of known location;

a self-propelled construction machine located in the general vicinity of the fixed base station; and

a mobile unit assembly mounted on the self-propelled construction machine and having a location-determination device arranged to translate in a generally horizontal plane, the location-determination device adapted to operate in conjunction with the fixed base station to determine geodetic information about the self-propelled construction machine.

2. The construction system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit assembly is a rotating mobile unit assembly and the location-determination device is arranged to rotate around an axis.

3. The construction system of claim 2, wherein the geodetic information includes the location of the self-propelled construction machine.

4. The construction system of claim 2, wherein the geodetic information includes the direction of the self-propelled construction machine.

5. The construction system of claim 2, wherein the geodetic information includes the orientation of the self-propelled construction machine.

6. The construction system of claim 2, further comprising a machine controller adapted to control one or more operational functions of the self-propelled construction machine based on the geodetic information.

7. The construction system of claim 2, wherein the location-determination device is a geodetic prism and the fixed base station is a total station.

8. A 3D controlled construction apparatus, including:

a self-propelled construction machine;

a mobile unit assembly mounted on the self-propelled construction machine and having a location-determination device arranged to translate in a generally horizontal plane, the location-determination device adapted to operate in conjunction with a fixed base station to determine geodetic information about the self-propelled construction machine; and

a machine controller adapted to control one or more operational functions of the self-propelled construction machine based on the geodetic information.

9. The 3D controlled construction apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mobile unit assembly is a rotating mobile unit assembly and the location-determination device is arranged to rotate around an axis.

10. The 3D controlled construction apparatus of claim 9, wherein the geodetic information includes the location of the self-propelled construction machine.

11. The 3D controlled construction apparatus of claim 9, wherein the geodetic information includes the direction of the self-propelled construction machine.

12. The 3D controlled construction apparatus of claim 9, wherein the geodetic information includes the orientation of the self-propelled construction machine.

13. -33. (canceled)

34. A 3D controlled paving apparatus, including:

a slip form paving machine;

a location-determination device supported by the slip form paving machine and arranged to translate in a generally horizontal plane, the location-determination device adapted to operate in conjunction with a fixed base station to determine geodetic information about the slip form paving machine; and

a machine controller adapted to control one or more operational functions of the slip form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

35. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 34, wherein the location-determination device is arranged to rotate around an axis.

36. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the location-determination device is a prism adapted to be tracked by the fixed base station using laser technology.

37. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the location-determination device is a GPS device.

38. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the machine controller is adapted to steer the slip-form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

39. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the machine controller is adapted to adjust the cross slope of the slip-form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

40. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the machine controller is adapted to adjust the long slope of the slip-form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

41. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the machine controller is adapted to determine a velocity of the slip-form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

42. The 3D controlled paving apparatus of claim 35, wherein the machine controller is adapted to determine a traveled distance of the slip-form paving machine based on the geodetic information.

43. (canceled)