Imminent icing condition enunciator

• US 6,166,657 A
• Filed: 07/06/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CVG Management Corporation (Commercial Vehicle Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Commercial Vehicle Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Mann, Wayne L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/110,769
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/962, 340/580, 340/583, 340/581, 244/134 F, 244/134 C, 244/134 R, 239/676, 239/7
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/02 Vehicle fittings for scattering or dispensing material in front of its wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/025 related to the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/026 the material being in gas form
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/04 the material being granular, e.g. sand combined control of sanding apparatus and brakes of rail vehicles B61H
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/083 dispensing being effected by liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/086 dispensing being effected by gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/82 Ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/00 Indexing codes relating to the type of sensors based on the principle of their operation
• 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: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Abstract

An imminent icing condition detector employs an infrared sensor with a focusing element to receive ambient infrared energy from a surface, particularly a road surface, and the output of the sensor is processed to provide an indication of the likelihood of icing conditions and to accordingly control a traction control substance deployment system, such as a truck that dispenses a de-icing, anti-icing, or traction substance, such as sand, salt, or other material or mixture of materials in solid granular, liquid, or mixed form.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the dispensing of a traction substance onto a surface, comprising:

an infrared sensor for determining the temperature of a surface;

a traction enhancing substance deployment system; and

a controller in data communication with the infrared sensor and the traction enhancing substance deployment system, the controller determining in accordance with a signal from the infrared sensor whether icing conditions are likely and selectively controlling traction enhancing substance deployment system in accordance with the determination,

wherein the infrared sensor includes an extraneous radiation shield in shielding arrangement with said infrared sensing means, said shield comprising a terraced structure projecting outwardly from said sensing means for reflecting extraneous infrared radiation outwardly away from said infrared sensing means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a salt.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a combination of a salt and a pre-wetting solution.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a solid substance or a liquid substance.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses an anti-icing substance or a de-icing substance.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a combination of substances.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the infrared sensor passively detects ambient infrared emissions from the surface.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further includes an ambient air temperature sensor and in which the ambient air temperature as well as the surface temperature are considered in determining whether icing conditions are likely.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the controller determines from the first mentioned signal and from a second signal in accordance with pre-defined rules the presence of likely icing conditions.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 in which the apparatus includes an ambient air temperature sensor and in which the first mentioned signal is a signal from the infrared sensor and the second signal is a signal from the ambient air temperature sensor, and the controller determines the presence of likely icing conditions in accordance with pre-defined rules based upon the signal from the ambient air sensor and the infrared sensor.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the signal is a digital signal.

12. An apparatus for controlling the dispensing of a traction substance onto a surface, comprising:

an infrared sensor for determining the temperature of a surface;

a traction enhancing substance deployment system;

a controller in data communication with the infrared sensor and the traction enhancing substance deployment system, the controller determining in accordance with a signal from the infrared sensor whether icing conditions are likely and selectively controlling traction enhancing substance deployment system in accordance with the determination;

a contamination sensor for detecting obstruction of the infrared sensing means by contamination; and

an amplifier for providing increased amplification of a signal from said sensing means in response to detection of an increase in obstruction by the contamination sensor.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses sand.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a salt.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a combination of salt and a pre-wetting solution.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a solid substance.

17. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a liquid substance.

18. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a de-icing substance.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses an anti-icing substance.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said traction enhancing substance deployment system dispenses a combination of substances.

21. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the infrared sensor measures a surface temperature, the surface temperature being a factor in determining whether icing conditions are present.

22. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the infrared sensor detects ambient infrared emissions from the surface.

23. An apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising an ambient air temperature sensor and in which the ambient air temperature as well as the surface temperature are considered in determining whether icing conditions are present.

24. A method of controlling the dispensing of a traction substance onto a surface to enhance vehicle traction, comprising:

measuring while traveling over the surface in a vehicle the ambient infrared radiation being radiated from the surface;

determining from the infrared radiation being radiated from the surface whether icing conditions are likely;

selectively dispensing a traction control substance onto the surface if icing conditions are likely;

detecting contamination obstructing the infrared sensor; and

providing increased amplification of a signal from the infrared sensor in response to detection of an increase in contamination obstructing the infrared sensor.

25. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing sand.

26. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a salt.

27. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a salt and a pre-wetting solution.

28. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a solid substance.

29. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a liquid substance.

30. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a de-icing substance.

31. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing an anti-icing substance.

32. The method of claim 24 in which selectively dispensing a traction control substance includes selectively dispensing a combination of substances.

33. The method of claim 24 further comprising evaluating the infrared radiation in accordance with predetermined rules to determine whether icing conditions are likely.

34. The method of claim 24 further comprising sensing an ambient air temperature.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising evaluating the ambient air temperature and the infrared radiation in accordance with predetermined rules to determine whether icing conditions are likely.