DEBRIS LEVEL INDICATOR IN VACUUM LOADED MOBILE TANKS

• US 20110103901A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alamo Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Super Products Llc (Alamo Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leidolf, Thomas Harold, Hetcher, Jason David
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/60 using fluids, e.g. having direct contact between fluid and load for railway wagons B61D5/004
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A vacuum loader truck that includes a storage tank that can be loaded and unloaded with debris. The vacuum loader truck includes a debris level sensor that generates a sensing beam to detect the level of debris within the storage tank. The level of debris within the storage tank is determined by a control module and displayed. The debris level sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor that generates a sensing beam that is reflected off of the top surface of the debris within the storage tank. The control module determines the height of the debris within the storage tank based upon the time delay between the generation of the sensing signal and the reflected signal. The control system further includes a particle sensor to determine whether particles are entrained in the airflow from the storage tank. A pair of pressure sensors are located on opposite sides of an air filter to sense the differential pressure across the air filter. Based upon the signals from the debris level sensor, the pressure sensors and the particle sensor, the control module can control the operation of the vacuum loader truck.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the operation of a vacuum loader truck including a storage tank and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the storage tank, wherein the vacuum source operates to create a partial vacuum within the storage tank to draw material into the storage tank, the system comprising:

a debris level sensor mounted at a top end of the storage tank, wherein the debris level sensor generates a sensing beam to sense the level of debris in the storage tank; and

a control module connected to the debris level sensor to receive a signal from the sensor and determine the level of debris in the storage tank, wherein the control module indicates the level of debris in the storage tank.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the debris level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor positioned to direct a sensing beam toward the debris in the storage tank and detect a reflected beam from the debris.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the debris sensor is a radio wave sensor positioned to direct a sensing beam toward the debris in the storage tank and detect a reflected beam from the debris.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum source when the determined level of debris within the storage tank exceeds a threshold level.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the threshold level is stored within a memory location of the control module.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a debris level indicator in communication with the control module, wherein the control module indicates the level of debris in the storage tank on the indicator.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an air filter positioned between the vacuum source and the storage tank;

a first pressure sensor positioned between the air filter and the storage tank; and

a second pressure sensor positioned between the air filter and the vacuum source,

wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum source when the pressure difference between the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor and the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor exceeds a maximum value.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a particulate sensor positioned between the storage tank and the air filter and in communication with the control module, wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum source when the amount of sensed particles by the particulate sensor exceeds a threshold value.

9. A vacuum loader truck, comprising:

a vehicle chassis having a plurality of wheels;

a storage tank mounted to the vehicle chassis and having an open interior to receive a supply of debris through a debris opening;

a vacuum source in communication with the storage tank to create a partial vacuum within the storage tank to draw debris into the storage tank through the debris opening;

a debris level sensor mounted at a top end of the storage tank, wherein the debris level sensor generates a sensing beam to sense the level of debris in the storage tank; and

a control module connected to the debris level sensor to receive a signal from the sensor and determine the level of debris in the storage tank,

wherein the control module indicates the level of debris in the storage tank.

10. The vacuum loader truck of claim 9 wherein the debris level sensor is an ultrasonic sensor positioned to direct a sensing beam toward the debris in the storage tank and detect a reflected beam from the debris.

11. The vacuum loader truck of claim 9 wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum source when the determined level of debris within the storage tank exceeds a threshold level.

12. The vacuum loader truck of claim 11 wherein the threshold level is stored within a memory location of the control module.

13. The vacuum loader truck of claim 9 further comprising a debris level indicator in communication with the control module, wherein the control module indicates the level of debris in the storage tank on the indicator.

14. The vacuum loader truck of claim 9 further comprising:

an air filter positioned between the vacuum source and the storage tank;

a first pressure sensor positioned between the air filter and the storage tank; and

a second pressure sensor positioned between the air filter and the vacuum source,

wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum source when the pressure difference between the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor and the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor exceeds a maximum value.

15. The vacuum loader truck of claim 14 further comprising a particulate sensor positioned between the storage tank and the air filter and in communication with the control module, wherein the control module modifies operation of the vacuum source when the amount of sensed particles by the particulate sensor exceeds a threshold value.

16. A method of monitoring and controlling the operation of a vacuum loader truck including a storage tank and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the storage tank, wherein the vacuum source operates to create a partial vacuum within the storage tank to draw material into the storage tank, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning one or more sensors on the vacuum loader truck to sense operating conditions of the vacuum loader truck;

receiving the sensed operating conditions in a control module; and

modifying the operation of the vacuum loader truck based on the sensed operating conditions, wherein the operation of the vacuum loader truck is modified by the control module.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of the sensors is a debris level sensor, wherein the control module modifies the operation of the vacuum loader based upon the level of debris sensed within the storage tank.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the control module indicates the level of debris in the storage tank based upon the signal from the debris level sensor.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

positioning a first pressure sensor between an air filter and the storage tank;

positioning a second pressure sensor between the air filter and the vacuum source; and

modifying the operation of the vacuum source based upon the pressure difference between the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor and the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

positioning a particulate sensor between the storage tank and the air filter; and

modifying operation of the vacuum source when the amount of sensed particles by the particle sensor exceeds a threshold value.