One operator system for painting curved road striping patterns

• US 6,206,610 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William V. Neuling
• Original Assignee: William V. Neuling
• Inventors: Neuling, William V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US09/375,483
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 404/94, 404/75, 404/84.05, 404/84.2, 404/84.8, 345/8, 359/630
• US Class Current: 404/84.05
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0625 open
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/005 Combinations with at least three axles and comprising two or more articulated parts articulated buses B62D47/025
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/02 comprising a uniaxle tractor unit and a uniaxle trailer unit see B60B11/00 - B60B11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 59/04 driven from propulsion unit on trailer
• 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: E01C 23/20 for forming markings in situ
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/22 by spraying E01C23/206 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile vehicle mounted highway striping system is provided for single operator driving and controlling of the stripe painting operation. Tracking control systems are provided for striping about curved vehicle paths. Automated tracking systems correct tracking errors with the only interactivity of the operator being the steering function of aligning the vehicle path with a designated striping pattern path. A video monitor comparing the striping vehicle position relative to a designated striping path is worn as a headpiece by the driver. Thus, a semi-transparent video tracking pattern displays lateral positioning of a stripe being painted by the moving vehicle as the driver keeps eyes directed upon the roadway. Automatic tracking around curves is provided. The painting vehicle is steered to follow a designated path position on the video monitor.

Claims

1. A one-operator driver-striper vehicular stripe painting system for painting curved stripes along a roadway being striped for precisely tracking a paint striping path on said roadway having a designated striping pattern curve, comprising in combination:

a striper vehicle carrying a paint striping device comprising a striping gun laterally positionable with the roadway being striped,

a pointer carried in front of the vehicle for alignment with the designated striping pattern curve by the operator-driver steering the vehicle, and

tracking alignment means effected interactively as the operator steers the vehicle to keep the pointer in alignment with the designated striping pattern curve, comprising in combination;

a video monitor device visible to the operator while driving for indicating alignment of the pointer with the designated striping pattern,

tracking position control means responsive to a tracking algorithm coordinated with characteristics of the striper vehicle and location of the striping device for effecting lateral movement of said striping gun to correct tracking errors, and

automatically adjustable tracking error correction means responsive to said tracking position control means for positioning the paint striping gun carried by the striper vehicle precisely in register with the designated striping pattern when striping curved paths.

2. The stripe painting system of claim 1 wherein the striping pattern curve is positioned ahead of the vehicle position on said roadway being striped and said video monitor further comprises:

a steering control monitor displaying a pattern generated by the video camera carried by the vehicle for exhibiting a pattern visible to the operator while driving the vehicle that relatively positions said designated striping pattern with the vehicle position.

3. The stripe painting system of claim 1, wherein said video monitor device further comprises:

a driver'"'"'s video monitor headpiece, worn by the operator while driving, including means for displaying a video image semi-transparently on a video screen through which the roadway is visible, said video image configuring said alignment of the striper vehicle with the designated striping pattern.

4. The stripe painting system of claim 3 further comprising brightness and contrast control means on said video monitor device for adjusting monitor visibility of the operator relative to existing roadway brightness conditions.

5. The stripe painting system of claim 4 wherein said brightness and contrast control means further comprises variably selectable eye-shade filter means superimposed over the video screen.

6. The stripe painting system of claim 1 wherein said paint striping vehicle comprises an un-articulated vehicle.

7. An one-operator driver-striper vehicular stripe painting system for painting curved stripes precisely tracking a designated striping pattern curve, comprising in combination:

tracking alignment means effected interactively as the operator steers along the designated striping pattern curve, comprising a video monitor device visible to the operator while driving for indicating alignment of a striper vehicle with the designated striping pattern,

automatically adjustable tracking error correction means for positioning a paint striping device carried by the striper vehicle precisely in register with the designated striping pattern when steering about and striping curved paths, said automatically adjustable tracking error correction means further comprising a striper vehicle articulated about a pivot axis, and

respective striping control instruments extending from the striper vehicle at equally spaced positions fore and aft of the pivot axis.

8. The method of painting stripes upon a receptive roadway surface from a motorized striper vehicle under control of a single driver-painter, comprising the steps of:

said driver following a first paint stripe pattern on said roadway surface with a tracking mechanism pointer carried by said motorized striper vehicle to identify the position of the first paint stripe when moving along a predetermined curved striping path on the surface,

thereafter superimposing a second paint stripe with a painting device carried by said motorized striper vehicle in precise registration upon the first paint stripe pattern in the same pass of the motorized striper vehicle along said path by relatively moving the painting device laterally with respect to the position of the first paint stripe identified by the tracking mechanism pointer automatically in a manner compensating for errors in tracking imposed by the path of the motorized striping vehicle around the curves by lateral movement of the painting device responsive to a tracking algorithm coordinated with characteristics of the striper vehicle and location of the painting device on the vehicle.

9. Apparatus for painting stripes upon a receptive surface under control of a single person driving a motorized striper vehicle following a curved paint striping path extending ahead of said vehicle, comprising in combination:

tracking alignment pointer means carried by said vehicle for following said curved paint striping path when said vehicle moves forward on the receptive surface with said person steering the vehicle to position said pointer for painting stripes in registration with the curved paint striping path,

a painting device carried by said vehicle movable laterally with respect to movement of the vehicle along the paint striping path, and

automatic tracking error compensation means activated as the vehicle encounters curves in said paint striping path responsive to a tracking algorithm identifying the turning characteristics of the striper vehicle and positioning of said painting device thereon to move said painting device to a lateral position precisely registering a stripe being painted by said painting device upon said paint striping path.