ASPHALT RECEIVING VEHICLE WITH GUIDANCE LIGHTS FOR SUPPLY TRUCKS

Abstract

An asphalt receiving vehicle includes a receiving hopper that is adapted to receive a load of asphalt paving material from a supply truck, and a conveyor that is adapted to convey the asphalt paving material received from the supply truck out of the receiving hopper. A plurality of guidance lights are mounted on the asphalt receiving vehicle so as to illuminate the roadway adjacent to the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a driver of the supply truck to properly maneuver the supply truck as the supply truck is backed into position adjacent the receiving hopper. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of guidance lights may also be used individually as directional signals.

Claims

1. An asphalt receiving vehicle comprising: (a) a receiving hopper that is adapted to receive a load of asphalt paving material from a supply truck; (b) a conveyor that is associated with the receiving hopper and is adapted to convey the asphalt paving material received from the supply truck out of the receiving hopper; (c) a plurality of guidance lights that are mounted so as to illuminate the roadway adjacent to the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a driver of the supply truck to properly maneuver the supply truck as the supply truck is backed into position adjacent the receiving hopper.

2. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of guidance lights are mounted on the receiving hopper and are directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent the receiving hopper.

3. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 2, wherein: (a) the receiving hopper comprises a right sidewall and a left sidewall that define the width of the receiving hopper; (b) the plurality of guidance lights comprises a right guidance light that is mounted on the right sidewall, and a left guidance light that is mounted on the left sidewall.

4. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 3 wherein: (a) the right sidewall has a top; (b) the right guidance light is mounted at or near the top of the right sidewall; (c) the left sidewall has a top; (d) the left guidance light is mounted at or near the top of the left sidewall.

5. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 4 wherein: (a) the right guidance light is directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising a right illumination guide that is projected on the roadway; (b) the left guidance light is directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising a left illumination guide that is projected on the roadway.

6. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 1 which includes a controller to which the plurality of guidance lights are operatively connected.

7. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 6 in which the controller comprises a control panel that includes an activation switch that is operatively connected to the controller and to the plurality of guidance lights, said activation switch being adapted to allow an operator of the asphalt receiving vehicle to turn on the plurality of guidance lights at the same time.

8. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 7 wherein the control panel includes a directional switch that allows an operator of the asphalt receiving vehicle to operate each of the plurality of guidance lights individually as directional signals to indicate when the asphalt receiving vehicle is making a turn on the roadway.

9. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 1: (a) wherein the plurality of guidance lights includes: (i) a right guidance light that is directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising a right illumination guide that is projected on the roadway; (ii) a left guidance light that is directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising a left illumination guide that is projected on the roadway; (b) which includes a controller to which the right guidance light and the left guidance light are operatively connected; (c) which includes an activation switch that is operatively connected to the controller and to the right guidance light and the left guidance light, said activation switch being adapted to allow an operator of the asphalt receiving vehicle to turn on the right guidance light and the left guidance light at the same time; (d) which includes a directional switch that allows an operator of the asphalt receiving vehicle to operate the right guidance light and the left guidance light individually as directional signals to indicate when the asphalt receiving vehicle is making a turn on the roadway.

10. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to cause the activated directional signal, either the right guidance light or the left guidance light, to intermittently blink.

11. The asphalt receiving vehicle of claim 9 wherein the activation switch and the directional switch are combined in a single switch device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a conventional material transfer vehicle of a type that may be configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a conventional material transfer vehicle of a type that may be configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention.

[0034] FIG. 3 is an end view of the receiving hopper of a material transfer vehicle similar to that shown in FIG. 1 that has been configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a top view of the receiving hopper shown in FIG. 3, illustrating the light pattern produced by a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the receiving hopper shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a side view of the receiving hopper shown in FIGS. 3 through 5.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a front view of a control panel comprising a controller for operating the material transfer vehicle that has been configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a side view of an asphalt paving machine that has been configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention.

[0040] FIG. 9 is an end view of the asphalt paving machine shown in FIG. 8.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a top view of the asphalt paving machine shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, illustrating the light pattern produced by a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] This description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional self-propelled material transfer vehicle that may be configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention. As shown therein, material transfer vehicle 10 includes a frame 12 that is supported on the roadway surface by front and rear ground-engaging drive assemblies including right front drive wheel 14 and right rear drive wheel 16. Material transfer vehicle 10 also includes a left front drive wheel (not shown but substantially similar to right front drive wheel 14) and a left rear drive wheel (not shown but substantially similar to right rear drive wheel 16). Each of the drive wheels is driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) that is supplied with fluid under pressure by one or more hydraulic pumps (also not shown). In the alternative, the frame of the vehicle may be supported on the roadway surface by ground-engaging drive assemblies comprising one or more left side track-drive assemblies (not shown), and one or more right side track-drive assemblies (also not shown), as is known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates.

[0044] Vehicle 10 includes receiving hopper 18, which is adapted to receive asphalt paving material from a supply truck (not shown). An auger (not shown) is mounted in receiving hopper 18 and is adapted to assist in conveying asphalt paving material from receiving hopper 18 into loading conveyor 20, which in turn conveys the asphalt paving material off of its output end 22 and into surge bin 24. The surge bin includes transverse auger 26 that is employed to mix the asphalt paving material in the surge bin in order to minimize segregation or separation of the aggregate portion of the asphalt paving material by size. Also located in the surge bin is surge conveyor 28, which is adapted to convey asphalt paving material upwardly out of the surge bin so that it may fall through chute 30 and onto input end 32 of discharge conveyor 34. Discharge conveyor 34 is mounted for vertical pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis at its input end that is perpendicular to the page of FIG. 1, as raised and lowered by a linear actuator (not shown). Discharge conveyor 34 is also adapted for side-to-side movement about a substantially vertical axis by operation of one or more additional actuators (also not shown). Asphalt paving material that falls through chute 30 onto discharge conveyor 34 is discharged through chute 36 at conveyor output end 38 into a receiving hopper of an asphalt paving machine (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0045] Hydraulic drive systems including hydraulic pumps and hydraulic motors are provided to drive the various augers and conveyors of material transfer vehicle 10. An engine (not shown) is located within engine compartment 40 adjacent to operator's station 42 and provides the motive force for the hydraulic pumps that drive the hydraulic motors for the drive wheels, the augers and the various conveyors and other components of the vehicle.

[0046] FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative conventional material transfer vehicle 50 that may be configured with a supply truck guidance lighting system according to the invention. As shown therein, material transfer vehicle 50 includes a frame that is supported on the roadway surface by front and rear ground-engaging drive assemblies comprising left front drive wheel 52 and left rear drive wheel 53. Material transfer vehicle 50 also includes right front drive wheel 54 and right rear drive wheel 55. Each of the drive wheels is driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) that is supplied with fluid under pressure by one or more hydraulic pumps (also not shown). In the alternative, the frame of the vehicle may be supported on the roadway surface by ground-engaging drive assemblies comprising one or more left side track-drive assemblies (not shown), and one or more right side track-drive assemblies (also not shown).

[0047] Vehicle 50 includes receiving hopper 56, which is adapted to receive asphalt paving material from a supply truck (not shown). Receiving hopper 56 is essentially identical to receiving hopper 18 of material transfer vehicle 10. Auger 58 in receiving hopper 56 is adapted to urge asphalt paving material into loading conveyor 60. Loading conveyor 60 is operatively attached to the receiving hopper and is adapted to convey asphalt paving material from receiving hopper 56 upwardly to its output end 62, from which it will fall through chute 64 onto the lower input end of a discharge conveyor (not shown, but substantially similar to discharge conveyor 34). Material transfer vehicle 50 also includes operator's station 66 from which all operating functions of the vehicle may be controlled via a control panel comprising controller 68.

[0048] Material transfer vehicle 50 includes various hydraulic pumps and hydraulic motors, which are provided to drive the various augers and conveyors. An engine (not shown, but located in engine compartment 70) provides the motive force for the hydraulic pumps that drive the hydraulic motors for the drive wheels, the augers and conveyors and other components of the vehicle.

[0049] Controller 68 includes or is associated with a memory or data storage component. It may also include a data input component such as a touch screen, a joy stick, a keyboard and/or a plurality of actuating buttons for receiving input from an operator of the material transfer vehicle. Controller 68 may include a data output component such as a display screen, a secondary storage device, a processor and other components for running an application. Various circuits, including but not limited to power supply circuitry and hydraulic circuitry, may be associated with and operatively connected to the controller. Numerous commercially available microprocessors can be configured to perform the functions of controller 68. It should be appreciated that the controller could readily be embodied in a general purpose computer or machine microprocessor capable of controlling numerous functions of material transfer vehicle 50.

[0050] FIGS. 3 through 7 illustrate an embodiment of the invention as applied to a material transfer vehicle. As shown therein, receiving hopper 80 of a material transfer vehicle (otherwise not shown) is substantially similar to receiving hopper 18 of material transfer vehicle 10 and to receiving hopper 56 of material transfer vehicle 50. Receiving hopper 80 is adapted to receive asphalt paving material from a supply truck (not shown). An auger (not shown, but substantially similar to auger 58) is mounted in receiving hopper 80 and is adapted to assist in conveying asphalt paving material from receiving hopper 80 into loading conveyor 82. A plurality of guidance lights are mounted so as to illuminate the roadway adjacent to the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 80, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 80.

[0051] Preferably, the plurality of guidance lights are mounted on receiving hopper 80 and are directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 80, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 80. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 6, receiving hopper 80 comprises right sidewall 84 and left sidewall 86 that define the width “W” of the receiving hopper. In this embodiment of the invention, right guidance light 88 is mounted on right sidewall 84, and left guidance light 89 is mounted on left sidewall 86. These lights are preferably mounted at or near the top of sidewalls 84 and 86 and are directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising left illumination guide 90.sub.L that is projected on the roadway and right illumination guide 90.sub.R that is projected on the roadway (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 80, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 80.

[0052] Control panel 94 (shown in FIG. 7) comprises a controller to which guidance lights 88 and 89 are operatively connected. This controller is substantially similar to controller 68 and is preferably adapted to control all of the operations of the material transfer vehicle, including the guidance lights. Control panel 94 includes activation switch 96 that is operatively connected to the controller and to guidance lights 88 and 89. Activation of switch 96 allows an operator of the material transfer vehicle to turn on the plurality of guidance lights at the same time.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, guidance lights 88 and 89 may also be operated individually as directional signals that an operator of the material transfer vehicle may use to indicate when the material transfer vehicle is making a turn on the roadway. Thus, an operator may operate a directional switch, such as by pushing toggle switch 98 to the right to activate right guidance light 88 as a right turn directional signal, or the operator may operate a directional switch, such as by pushing toggle switch 98 to the left to activate guidance light 89 as a left turn directional signal. Preferably, in this embodiment of the invention, the controller will cause the activated directional signal to intermittently blink in the same manner as the directional signals on an automobile. In other embodiments of the invention, activation switch 96 and toggle switch 98 may be combined in a single switch device (not shown) as is known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates.

[0054] FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate an embodiment of the invention as applied to an asphalt paving machine. As shown therein, asphalt paving machine 110 is a self-propelled vehicle that is driven by a wheeled drive system including left front wheel assembly 114 and left rear drive wheel 116. Asphalt paving machine 110 also includes a right front wheel assembly (not shown but substantially similar to left front wheel assembly 114) and a right rear drive wheel (not shown but substantially similar to left rear drive wheel 116). Each of the drive wheel assemblies is driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) that is supplied with fluid under pressure by one or more hydraulic pumps (also not shown). In the alternative, the frame of the asphalt paving machine may be supported on the roadway surface by ground-engaging drive assemblies comprising one or more left side track-drive assemblies (not shown), and one or more right side track-drive assemblies (also not shown), as is known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates. Receiving hopper 118 is located at the front end of the machine to receive asphalt paving material, and slat-type hopper conveyor 120 located below the receiving hopper transfers the asphalt paving material from the hopper to a distribution assembly comprising transverse distributing auger 122 that is mounted at the rear of the machine. The asphalt paving material is deposited onto and across the roadway or other surface to be paved by the distributing auger, and floating screed (not shown) located behind the distributing auger compacts the asphalt paving material to form an asphalt mat.

[0055] Asphalt paving machine 110 is operated by an operator in operator's station 142, from which all operating functions of the paving machine may be controlled via control panel 194 comprising a controller that is similar to the controller comprised by control panel 94 of the material transfer vehicle which is illustrated in part in FIGS. 3 through 7. A plurality of guidance lights are mounted so as to illuminate the roadway adjacent to the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 118, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 118.

[0056] Preferably, the plurality of guidance lights are mounted on receiving hopper 118 and are directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 118, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 118. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, receiving hopper 118 comprises right sidewall 184 and left sidewall 186 that define the width “W” of the receiving hopper. In this embodiment of the invention, right guidance light 188 is mounted on right sidewall 184, and left guidance light 189 is mounted on left sidewall 186. These lights are preferably mounted at or near the top of sidewalls 184 and 186 and are directed so as to illuminate the roadway extending away from the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern comprising left illumination guide 190.sub.L that is projected on the roadway and right illumination guide 190.sub.R that is projected on the roadway (as best shown in FIG. 10) to assist a supply truck driver to properly maneuver a supply truck as the truck is backed into position adjacent receiving hopper 118, in order to permit easy and efficient discharge of asphalt paving material into receiving hopper 118.

[0057] Control panel 194 comprises a controller to which guidance lights 188 and 189 are operatively connected. This controller is preferably adapted to control all of the operations of the asphalt paving machine, including the guidance lights. Thus, the control panel includes an activation switch (not shown but substantially similar to activation switch 96) that is operatively connected to the controller and to guidance lights 188 and 189. Activation of this switch allows an operator of the asphalt paving machine to turn on the plurality of guidance lights at the same time.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, guidance lights 188 and 189 may also be operated individually as directional signals that an operator of the asphalt paving machine may use to indicate when the asphalt paving machine is making a turn on the roadway. Thus, an operator may operate a directional switch, such as by pushing a toggle switch (not shown, but substantially similar to toggle switch 98) to the right to activate right guidance light 188 as a right turn directional signal, or the operator may operate a directional switch, such as by pushing the toggle switch to the left to activate guidance light 189 as a left turn directional signal. Preferably, in this embodiment of the invention, the controller will cause the activated directional signal to intermittently blink in the same manner as the directional signals on an automobile. In other embodiments of the invention, the activation switch and the toggle switch may be combined in a single switch device (not shown) as is known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates.

[0059] The invention thus provides an asphalt receiving vehicle which is equipped with guidance lights for guiding the driver of a supply truck into a suitable unloading position adjacent the receiving hopper of the asphalt receiving vehicle.

[0060] Although this description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodiment thereof, as well as the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the invention. The invention, as described herein, is susceptible to various modifications and adaptations, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates.