ROAD FINISHING MACHINE WITH TRANSVERSE PROFILE CONTROL

Abstract

A road finishing machine comprises a screed, which includes at least one compacting unit. The road finishing machine furthermore comprises a GNSS receiver, as well as a material conveyor. The road finishing machine furthermore comprises an electronic control system which comprises a memory and a data processor, wherein in the memory, digital construction data, in particular a nominal height profile of a road pavement to be finished, are stored. The control system is configured to automatically control, based on the construction data, an actuator mechanism provided on the road finishing machine, in particular a levelling cylinder and/or a transverse camber adjustment and/or a slope adjustment and/or a berm adjustment, in order to install laying material with the nominal height profile and thereby a defined transverse profile for the respective position coordinate point of the road finishing machine determined with the GNSS receiver.

Claims

1. A road finishing machine comprising: a screed including at least one compacting unit; a GNSS receiver; a material conveyor; an actuator mechanism including a levelling cylinder and/or a transverse camber adjustment and/or a slope adjustment and/or a berm adjustment; and an electronic control system which comprises a memory and a data processor, wherein in the memory, digital construction data, including a nominal height profile of a road pavement to be finished, are stored, and the control system is configured to automatically control, based on the construction data, the actuator mechanism to install laying material with the nominal height profile and thereby a defined transverse profile for a respective position of the road finishing machine determined with the GNSS receiver.

2. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to automatically control a steering system of the road finishing machine depending on the position.

3. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to automatically adjust a width of the screed depending on the position.

4. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the screed comprises a side slope sensor, and wherein the control system is configured to automatically control the actuator mechanism based on data received from the side slope sensor.

5. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor for measuring an actual height profile, wherein the control system is configured to calculate a deviation of the actual height profile from the nominal height profile, and to automatically control the actuator mechanism in response thereto.

6. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to automatically adjust the actuator mechanism in transition between two transverse profiles.

7. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to compare actuator settings required for installation of the nominal height profile with actuator setting limits of the actuator mechanism.

8. The road finishing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to compare adjustment speeds of actuators of the actuator mechanism required for installation of the nominal height profile with possible adjustment speeds.

9. A method for operating a road finishing machine, the method comprising: storing digital construction data, including a nominal height profile and a transverse profile of a road pavement to be finished defined therewith, in a memory of an electronic control system of the road finishing machine; installing a laying material by means of a screed of the road finishing machine, wherein a respective current position of the road finishing machine is determined by means of a GNSS receiver and, with reference to the nominal height profile, an actuator mechanism of the road finishing machine is automatically controlled.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a levelling cylinder and/or a transverse camber adjustment and/or a slope adjustment and/or a berm adjustment.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein a side slope of the screed and/or a screed part is determined by means of one or several side slope sensors.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein an actual height profile of the installed road pavement is determined by means of a sensor, and a difference between the actual height profile and the nominal height profile is calculated and the actuator mechanism is automatically controlled to minimize the difference.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the actuator mechanism is automatically adjusted in transition between two transverse profiles.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the digital construction data are transmitted from an external data processing equipment into the memory of the electronic control system by means of a radio or cable connection.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein, before a beginning of the installation, actuator settings required for the installation of the nominal height profile are compared with actuator setting limits of the actuator mechanism.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein, before a beginning of the installation, required adjustment speeds of actuators of the actuator mechanism are compared with possible adjustment speeds.

17. A road finishing machine comprising: a screed including at least one compacting unit; an actuator mechanism associated with the screed; a GNSS receiver; and an electronic control system including a memory and a data processor, wherein in the memory, digital construction data, including a nominal height profile of a road pavement to be finished, are stored, and the control system is configured to automatically control, based on the construction data, the actuator mechanism to install laying material with the nominal height profile and thereby a defined transverse profile for a respective position of the road finishing machine determined with the GNSS receiver.

18. The road finishing machine according to 17, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a levelling cylinder, a transverse camber adjustment, a slope adjustment, or a berm adjustment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In the following, exemplified embodiments of the disclosure are described more in detail with reference to the figures.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a road finishing machine;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of digital construction data;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine with a screed in a side slope;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine with a screed in a transverse camber position;

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine with a screed in a slope position;

[0031] FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine with a screed in a berm position; and

[0032] FIG. 7 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine with a screed with height-adjusted pull-out parts.

[0033] Corresponding components are always provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a road finishing machine 1 with a screed 3 with a tamper 5, a screed plate 7, and a pressing strip 9 for compacting laying material 11 which is placed in front of the screed 3 by means of a material conveyor 13. The screed 3 finishes a road pavement 15 with a predetermined transverse profile. In this side view, a levelling cylinder 17 can furthermore be seen which can be controlled, among other things, for adjusting a side slope of the screed 3. To this end, a control system 19, which comprises a memory 21 and a data processor 23, is connected in a suitable manner with the levelling cylinder 17 or a hydraulic control connected thereto. The road finishing machine 1 furthermore comprises a GNSS receiver 25 for determining the current position coordinate, wherein a distance of the actual receiving antenna 27 to the screed 3 can be considered to determine the actual position of the screed 3. As an alternative, the GNSS receiving antenna 27 can also be arranged on the screed 3. Moreover, two GNSS receiving antennae 27 can be used to exactly determine the position of the screed 3. An external data processing equipment 29 can exchange data with the control system 19 by means of a radio connection 31 or a cable connection 33. At least one axle of the road finishing machine 1 is equipped with a steering system 35 which can also be controllable by the control system 19.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of digital construction data 37 which in this example comprise a height profile 39 of a foundation 41 as well as a nominal height profile 43 of the road pavement 15 to be finished. The nominal height profile 43 is or defines the transverse profile and is here represented in the form of a transverse camber. The construction data 37 are each stored for position coordinate points 45 and represent, together with the height data, a three-dimensional data record. The transverse profile setting of the screed 3 is adjusted based on the construction data 37 for the respective position coordinate point 45 detected with the GNSS receiver 25. It will be appreciated that transitions between two types of profiles are suitably designed gradually, that means without abrupt changes. The foundation data 39 can be obtained, for example, by a surface scan. To this end, for example, a vehicle drives along the foundation, a surface scanner and a GNSS receiver being arranged at the vehicle and the height data 39 being stored with the respective position coordinate.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine 1 with the screed 3 in a side slope for finishing an oblique roadway surface, as it is used, for example, as a curve superelevation. In the variant represented here, the foundation 41 already has the desired side slope compared to the horizontal. Thus, the road finishing machine 1 is already driving in an inclined way on the foundation 41, wherein the screed 3 is, with its right-left axis, essentially perpendicular to the remaining road finishing machine 1. It is, however, equally possible to bring the screed 3 into a side slope relative to the chassis of the road finishing machine 1 and to the foundation, in case of a horizontal foundation 41, in order to finish a road pavement 15 with a side-sloped roadway surface on the horizontal foundation 41. The side slope of the complete screed 3 is here performed by the adjustment of the levelling cylinders 17. For all embodiments, the screed 3 can comprise a left screed half 47, a right screed half 49, as well as broadening and/or pull-out parts 51. To monitor the side slope, side slope sensors 53 can be arranged at the screed 3 or at the respective screed parts 47, 49, 51.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine 1 with the screed 3 in a transverse camber position. A left screed half 47 and a right screed half 49 are adjusted to a mutually inclined position by means of an actuator for the transverse camber adjustment 55. Here, a positive transverse camber is shown in which the outer ends of the screed 3 are inclined downwards. Equally, a negative transverse camber is possible wherein the outer ends face upwards. In this example, a screed 3 without pull-out parts 51 is shown, while the pull-out parts 51 could be provided.

[0038] Moreover, sensors 57 for measuring the actual height profile 59 of the installed road pavement 15 are shown. The measuring data are compared with the nominal height profile 43 by the control system 19, and the actuator or actuators is/are correspondingly readjusted for the transverse camber adjustment 55 to avoid deviations. With the actuators 55 for the transverse camber adjustment, the geometry of the screed 3 can be adjusted. In addition, by means of the levelling cylinders 17, the side slope of the whole screed 3 and the installation thickness of the road pavement 15 can be adjusted.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine 1 with the screed 3 in a slope position. Here, the pull-out parts 51 are inclined, in addition to the halves 47, 49 of the basic screed. The adjustments are performed with corresponding actuators for the slope adjustment 61. For example, rain drainages having a more distinct slope at the verges of a roadway can be finished.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine 1 with a screed 3 in a berm position. Here, sections 63 of the pull-out parts 51 can be brought into the shown angled position. These berm sections 63 permit, for example, the finishing of a duct for the water drainage at the lateral verge. The berm sections 63 are automatically controllable by the control system 19 by means of actuators for the berm adjustment 67 and can comprise further side slope sensors 53, so that both the side slope of the main surface 65 of the pull-out part and the side slope of the berm section 63 can be measured.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a rear view of a road finishing machine 1 with a screed 3 with pull-out parts 51 whose lower surfaces, comprising the main surface 65 and, if present, the berm section 63, are height adjustable. This can be done, for example, by hydraulic or electric drives and in addition to the slope adjustment.

[0042] Starting from above-shown embodiments of a road finishing machine 1 and a method for operating a road finishing machine 1, numerous variations thereof are conceivable. For example, transverse M- or W-profiles can be adjusted by combinations of the side slopes of this screed parts 47, 49, 51.