System for adjusting the pressure and temperature of a compacting member

• US 9,139,964 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Power Systems Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ries, Michael W., Downing, Bryan J., Low, Keng Y., Scharf, Jon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US14/107,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 404/77, 404/79, 404/84.05, 404/95, 404/122, 404/129, 180/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/231 with both elastically-deformable and rigid rolling elements, e.g. pneumatic-tyred compactor with selectively operative or inoperative steel-faced roll with auxiliary elastically-deformable rolling elements for working only restricted zones E01C19/27; rigid-roll rollers with conventional pneumatic-tyred tractors or traction-units E01C19/25, E01C19/26, E01C19/28
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/238 Wetting, cleaning or heating rolling elements, e.g. oiling, wiping, scraping
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/266 fitted to vehicles, road-construction or earth-moving machinery, e.g. auxiliary roll readily movable to operative position E01C19/268, E01C19/4806, E01C19/488, E01C19/52, E01C21/00, E01C23/065 take precedence; provided with means for facilitating transport; Means for transporting rollers; Arrangements or attachments for converting vehicles into rollers, e.g. rolling sleeves for wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/27 with elastically-deformable rolling elements, e.g. pneumatic tyres E01C19/231 takes precedence ; vibrating or impacting E01C19/28
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/29 Rolling apparatus adapted to apply a rolling pressure less than its weight, e.g. roller finishers travelling on formrail combined with spread-out, strike-off or smoothing means; Rolling elements with controlled penetration or a controlled path of movement in a vertical plane, e.g. controlled by the formrails, by guides ensuring a desired configuration of the rolled surface
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/00 Exhaust or silencing apparatus combined or associated with devices profiting by exhaust energy using kinetic or wave energy of exhaust gases in exhaust systems for charging F02B
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A compactor includes a frame, an engine coupled to the frame, an exhaust system coupled to the engine and configured to remove heated exhaust air from the engine, a compacting member rotatably coupled to the frame and configured to rotate in contact with a substrate of paving material, and an air system. The air system couples the exhaust system to the compacting member.

Claims

1. A compactor comprising:

a frame;

an engine coupled to the frame;

an exhaust system coupled to the engine and configured to remove a heated exhaust air from the engine;

a compacting member rotatably coupled to the frame and configured to rotate in contact with a substrate of paving material; and

an air system comprising;

a controller; and

a mixing valve;

wherein the air system couples the exhaust system to the compacting member and the heated exhaust air and an ambient air are proportionally introduced into the compacting member.

2. The compactor of claim 1, wherein the compacting member is a tire configured to receive air.

3. The compactor of claim 2, wherein the air system comprises an air compressor.

4. The compactor of claim 2, further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the compacting member and measuring the pressure of the compacting member.

5. The compactor of claim 4, further comprising a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, the air compressor, and the mixing valve;

wherein the controller receives the pressure of the compacting member from the pressure sensor, and

the controller actuates the air compressor and the mixing valve to pressurize the tire to a first pressure.

6. The compactor of claim 5, wherein the air system further comprises an intake configured to draw the ambient air.

7. The compactor of claim 6, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the compacting member and in communication with the controller;

wherein the controller receives the temperature of the compacting member from the temperature sensor, and

the controller actuates the air compressor and the mixing valve to adjust the temperature of the compacting member to a first temperature.

8. The compactor of claim 7, wherein the temperature of the compacting member is adjusted to the first temperature by the air system providing the heated exhaust air to the compacting member.

9. The compactor of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the compacting member is adjusted to the first temperature by the air system providing the ambient air to the compacting member.

10. A compactor comprising:

a frame;

an engine coupled to the frame;

an exhaust system coupled to the engine and configured to remove a heated exhaust air from the engine;

a tire rotatably coupled to the frame and configured to rotate in contact with a substrate of paving material;

an air system comprising a mixing valve and an air compressor, wherein the air system couples the exhaust system to the tire;

a pressure sensor coupled to the tire and configured to measure the pressure of the tire;

a temperature sensor coupled to the tire and configured to measure the temperature of the tire; and

a controller that proportionally introduces the heated exhaust air and an ambient air into the tire, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive the pressure of the tire from the pressure sensor;

receive the temperature of the tire from the temperature sensor;

actuate the mixing valve and the air compressor to adjust the pressure of the tire to a first pressure; and

actuate the mixing valve and the air compressor to adjust the temperature of the tire to a first temperature.

11. The compactor of claim 10, wherein the air system further comprises an intake configured to draw the ambient air.

12. The compactor of claim 11, wherein if the temperature of the tire is below the first temperature, the actuation of the mixing valve and the air compressor allows the heated exhaust air into the tire.

13. The compactor of claim 12, wherein if the temperature of the tire is above the first temperature and a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, the actuation of the mixing valve and the air compressor allows the ambient air into the tire.

14. The compactor of claim 13, wherein if the pressure is below the first pressure, the actuation of the mixing valve and the air compressor allows the heated exhaust air into the tire.

15. The compactor of claim 14, wherein the air system is configured to decouple the tire from the air system if the pressure of the tire fills below a second pressure.

16. A heating system for heating a compacting member of a compactor, comprising:

an air system comprising a mixing valve for delivering a heated exhaust air and an ambient air into a compacting member;

a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the compacting member;

a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of the compacting member; and

a controller in communication with the temperature sensor, pressure sensor, and air system, wherein the control proportionally introduces the heated exhaust air and the ambient air into the compacting member and is configured to;

control the pressure of the compacting member; and

control the temperature of the compacting member.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the pressure of the compacting member by actuating the mixing valve and an air compressor to allow heated exhaust air to the compacting member.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the pressure of the compacting member by actuating the mixing valve and an air compressor to allow an air in the compacting member to be released.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the pressure of the compacting member be selectively scaling off the compacting member from the air system when the pressure is below a minimum pressure.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller controls the temperature of the compacting member by actuating the mixing valve and the air compressor to allow the heated exhaust air to the compacting member.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller controls the temperature of the compacting member by actuating the mixing valve and the air compressor to allow an ambient air to the compacting member.