Road paver with operating module and process to activate an operating function

• US 9,676,394 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Vã¶Gele AG (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Joseph Vã¶Gele AG (Deere & Company)
• Inventors: Noll, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMANN, GARY S
• Application Number:
  US14/868,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20160090102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 404 8405, 404 841
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/414 Pavers
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/48 for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface , e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4853 Apparatus designed for railless operation, e.g. crawler-mounted, provided with portable trackway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2301/30 Cabin details
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/14 the means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact

Abstract

A road paver with at least one operating module to enter operating commands. The operating module comprises a plurality of buttons that can each be pressed in a contact-based way to enter the respective operating commands in order to activate relevant operating functions of the road paver. According to the disclosure, the road paver further comprises a sensor unit that is designed to detect a distance of an operator to the operating module, whereby this distance determines a space from the operating module to any body part of the operator. The sensor unit is connected to a control unit of the road paver that is configured to already activate at least one of the operating functions of the road paver by means of the output signal as soon as the operator undercuts a predetermined threshold distance in relation to the operating module.

Claims

1. A road paver comprising:

an operating module for entering operating commands, the operating module having a plurality of buttons that can each be used in a contact-related way to enter the respective operating commands in order to activate relevant operating functions of the road paver;

a sensor unit designed to detect a distance of an operator to the operating module, wherein the distance determines a space from the operating module to any body part of the operator; and

a control unit connected to the sensor unit and configured to activate at least one of the operating functions of the road paver as soon as the operator undercuts a predetermined threshold distance in relation to the operating module.

2. The road paver according to claim 1 wherein the operating module comprises a start/stop button that is designed for starting and/or stopping of a diesel engine of the road paver, and wherein the control unit is designed to generate a start signal to start the diesel engine as soon as the operator undercuts the predetermined threshold distance in relation to the operating module.

3. The road paver according to claim 1 wherein at least a first one of the operating functions presupposes a temporally preceding activation of at least a second operating function, whereby the activation of the second operating function occurs in a contactless way as the operator undercuts the threshold distance in relation to the operating module.

4. The road paver according to claim 1 wherein the sensor unit is installed in the operating module of the road paver.

5. The road paver according to claim 1 wherein the sensor unit has at least one sensor that is configured to detect the distance of the operator to the operating module.

6. The road paver according to claim 5 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor that is arranged, in relation to a first operating function, closer to a first button through which the first operating function can be activated than to a second button through which a second operating function can be activated.

7. The road paver according to claim 6 wherein the first sensor is integrated in the first button.

8. The road paver according to claim 5 wherein the at least one sensor comprises an infrared sensor, an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a radar sensor or an ultrasound sensor.

9. The road paver according to claim 1 wherein some of the operating commands presuppose a contact-based, temporally preceding pressing of another button in order to activate a respective operating function.

10. A process to activate at least one operating function of a road paver, the process comprising:

measuring a distance between an operating module of the road paver and an operator by a sensor unit of the road paver, whereby the distance determines a space from the operating module to any body part of the operator;

evaluating the measured distance by a control unit of the road paver in relation to a predetermined threshold distance; and

automatically activating at least one operating function of the road paver when the measured distance undercuts the predetermined threshold distance.

11. The process according to claim 10 wherein at least a first one of a plurality of operating functions of the road paver is activated if preceded by an activation of at least one second operating function, and wherein the at least one second operating function is activated in a contactless way as the operator undercuts the threshold distance in relation to the operating module.

12. The process according to claim 11 wherein the at least one second operating function, which is activated in a contactless way, comprises starting of a diesel engine of the road paver.

13. A road paver comprising:

an operating module for entering operating commands, the operating module having a plurality of buttons that can be used in a contact-related way to enter respective operating commands in order to activate relevant operating functions of the road paver;

a sensor unit designed to detect a distance of an operator to the operating module; and

a control unit associated with the sensor unit and configured to activate at least one of the operating functions of the road paver when the detected distance is less than a predetermined threshold distance.

14. The road paver according to claim 13 further comprising an engine, wherein the operating module comprises a start/stop button that is designed for starting and/or stopping of the engine, and wherein the control unit is designed to generate a start signal to start the engine when the detected distance is less than the predetermined threshold distance.

15. The road paver according to claim 13 wherein at least a first one of the operating functions presupposes a temporally preceding activation of at least a second operating function, and wherein the activation of the second operating function is designed to occur in a contactless way when the detected distance is less than the threshold distance.

16. The road paver according to claim 13 wherein the sensor unit is installed in the operating module of the road paver.

17. The road paver according to claim 13 wherein the sensor unit includes at least one sensor that is configured to detect the distance of the operator to the operating module.

18. The road paver according to claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor that is arranged, in relation to a first operating function, closer to a first button through which the first operating function can be activated than to a second button through which a second operating function can be activated.

19. The road paver according to claim 18 wherein the first sensor is integrated in the first button.

20. The road paver according to claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor comprises an infrared sensor, an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a radar sensor or an ultrasound sensor.