Road finishing machine with compacting message display unit

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a road finishing machine comprising a paving screed for the production of a new road pavement layer of a paving material and a unit provided on the road finishing machine to generate a dynamic compacting specification field based on thermographic geosignals with regard to at least one temperature image that exists behind the paving screed of the road finishing machine for at least one surface section of the newly installed road pavement layer. An information indication unit provided on the road finishing machine is configured to display at last one compacting message that is at least partially based on the compacting specification field to an operator of at least one compacting vehicle that follows behind the road finishing machine for compacting of the newly installed road pavement layer.

Claims

1. A road finishing machine comprising: a paving screed to install a new road pavement layer of a paving material; a unit for generating a dynamic compacting specification field based on thermographic geosignals with regard to at least one temperature image that exists behind the paving screed of the road finishing machine for at least one surface section of the newly installed road pavement layer; and an information indication unit provided on a portion of the road finishing machine to display at least one compacting message at least partially on the basis of the compacting specification field to an operator of at least one compacting vehicle that follows behind the road finishing machine to compact the newly installed road pavement layer, wherein the information indication unit comprises a projection unit that is formed to project the at least one compacting message at least in sections onto the newly installed road pavement layer behind the paving screed, or the information unit comprises an uncoiling unit with at least one coiling element, wherein the uncoiling unit is formed to drag the at least one coiling element behind or next to the paving screed as an indicator with a varying length on behalf of the generated compacting specification field.

2. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein a value specification comprising a maximum and/or a minimum compacting temperature is deposited in the unit for generating the dynamic compacting specification field, wherein the unit for generating the dynamic compacting specification field is configured to determine a minimum distance and/or a maximum distance, based on a comparison of the value specification with the thermographic geosignals for the compacting specification field, that the at least one compacting vehicle should maintain behind the road finishing machine.

3. The road finishing machine according to claim 2 wherein the minimum distance and/or the maximum distance can be displayed on the information indication unit as a compacting message in a meter and/or foot format.

4. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the information indication unit comprises the projection unit.

5. The road finishing machine according to claim 4 wherein the projection unit comprises at least one laser that is formed to project at least one line and/or a reproduction of the compacting specification field as a compacting message onto the newly installed road pavement layer.

6. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the information indication unit comprises the uncoiling unit.

7. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the road finishing machine comprises a measurement unit that is configured to record a distance to the at least one following compacting vehicle and to take into account a comparison of the recorded distance with the compacting specification field for the generation of the at least one compacting message.

8. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the information indication unit comprises a signal lamp that is configured to send out a visual signal as a compacting message.

9. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the unit for generating the dynamic compacting specification field is configured to generate the dynamic compacting specification field such that the compacting specification field is divided into several temperature zones for different temperature images behind the paving screed.

10. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the information indication unit is fixed on a roof structure of the road finishing machine.

11. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the road finishing machine comprises a thermography module for generating the thermographic geosignals with regard to the at least one temperature image that exists behind the paving screed of the road finishing machine.

12. The road finishing machine according to claim 11 wherein the unit for generating the dynamic compacting specification field is disposed within a housing of the thermography module.

13. The road finishing machine according to claim 1 wherein the unit for generating the dynamic compacting specification field is configured to generate the compacting specification field such that the compacting specification field includes information that assigns to at least one point within the compacting specification field a favorable compacting time at which the at least one point has an optimal compacting temperature.

14. A method for installing a road pavement layer by means of a road finishing machine, the method comprising: displaying at least one compacting message by an information indication unit, which is provided on the road finishing machine, to an operator of at least one compacting vehicle that drives behind the road finishing machine to compact the road pavement layer installed by the road finishing machine; wherein the information indication unit comprises a projection unit that projects the at least one compacting message at least in sections onto the newly installed road pavement layer behind a paving screed of the road finishing machine, or the information unit comprises an uncoiling unit with at least one coiling element, wherein the uncoiling unit drags the at least one coiling element behind or next to the paving screed as an indicator with a varying length.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the at least one compacting message is displayed based on a compacting specification field that is generated using thermographic geosignals with regard to at least one temperature image that exists behind the paving screed of the road finishing machine for at least one surface section of the installed road pavement layer.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising determining a minimum distance and/or a maximum distance, based on a comparison of a value specification with the thermographic geosignals for the compacting specification field, that the at least one compacting vehicle should maintain behind the road finishing machine, wherein the value specification comprises a maximum and/or a minimum compacting temperature.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the information indication unit comprises the projection unit.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the information indication unit comprises the uncoiling unit, and the uncoiling unit drags the at least one coiling element behind or next to the paving screed with the varying length that is based on the generated compacting specification field.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein the information indication unit comprises a signal lamp that is configured to send out a visual signal as a compacting message.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the dynamic compacting specification field is generated such that the compacting specification field is divided into several temperature zones for different temperature images behind the paving screed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a paving train for the installation of a new road pavement layer;

(2) FIG. 2 is a road finishing machine according to the disclosure with a display unit to display at least one compacting message for the operator of a compacting vehicle that follows the road finishing machine;

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic display of a road finishing machine according to the disclosure from the rear with a display unit according to the embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a road finishing machine according to the disclosure as well as a compacting vehicle following such road finishing machine; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a further road finishing machine according to the disclosure and a compacting vehicle following such road finishing machine.

(6) Identical components are consistently marked with identical reference signs in the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) As required, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and that various and alternative forms may be employed. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a paving train 1. A material supply vehicle 2, a feeder 3, a road finishing machine 4 as well as a compacting vehicle 5 that drives behind the road finishing machine 4 are disposed in a row in the paving train 1.

(9) The material supply vehicle 2 fills paving material M into a receiving tray 6 of the feeder 3. The paving material M is conveyed via a conveyor device 7 of the feeders 3 into a material hopper 8 of the road finishing machine 4.

(10) The road finishing machine 4 comprises a paving screed 9 that is fixed relocatably on the road finishing machine 4. The paving material M is transported from the material hopper 8 of the road finishing machine 4 to the paving screed 9. The paving screed 9 is configured to install the paving material M into a new road pavement layer 10. Depending on the temperature distribution in the paving material M as well as depending on the temperature of the subsoil, the road pavement layer 10 has a location-specific temperature behind the paving screed 9.

(11) The compacting vehicle 5 that follows the road finishing machine 4 is a roller vehicle 11. The roller vehicle 11 drives over the newly installed road pavement layer 10 in order to compact such layer. According to FIG. 1, the roller vehicle 11 drives behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4 at a distance X. In this process, the roller vehicle 11 should not drive too closely behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4 because it would as a result enter the newly installed and still too hot road pavement 10 too early, which would potentially lead to material cracks in the road pavement layer 10. On the other hand, the roller vehicle 11 should not follow the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4 at a distance X that is too large because in that case the road pavement layer 10 would cool down too much before being compacted by the roller vehicle 11. Due to this, the roller vehicle 11 would no longer achieve the desired degree of compaction for the road pavement layer 10.

(12) In view of this, the distance X between the paving screed 9 and the compacting vehicle 5 has to be chosen in a way as to be able to avoid the aforementioned problems.

(13) The road finishing machine 4 according to the disclosure helps the operator of the following compacting vehicle 5 maintain the distance X to the paving screed of the road finishing machine in a way that an excellent compaction of the new road pavement layer 10 takes place without installation cracks and with a desired degree of compaction.

(14) The road finishing machine 4 according to the disclosure is illustrated in an enlarged perspective view in FIG. 2.

(15) In FIG. 2, the road finishing machine 4 has a crawler chassis 12. Instead of the crawler chassis 12, however, the road finishing machine 3 according to the disclosure could also comprise a wheel chassis. The road finishing machine 4 further comprises an operating stand 13 with an operating panel 14 that is formed as a control module by means of which the operator of the road finishing machine 4 can control a plurality of operating functions of the road finishing machine 4.

(16) The road finishing machine 4 further comprises a roof structure 15 with a roof 16 that is supported by vertical roof beams 17. A thermography module 19 is fixed on a crossbeam 18 that connects the rear vertical roof beams 17. The thermography module 19 has a housing 20 within which a plurality of electronic components is disposed in a protected way. In particular, there is an infrared camera 21 inside the housing 20. By means of the infrared camera 21, a schematically displayed temperature image 21 of a surface section 22 shown behind the paving screed 9 can be recorded. The infrared camera 21 is designed to record surface sections 22 of different sizes behind the paving screed 9 and/or a differently large temperature image 21 of the surface section 22 depending on the type of paving screed 9 used.

(17) The paving screed 9 shown in FIG. 2 is an extendable screed A with lateral extending units 23. The latter can be extended laterally for the installation of a large width for the road pavement layer 10. FIG. 2 further shows that respectively one screed operating module 24 is fixed on the respective extending units 23 of the paving screed 9. Operating functions of the paving screed 9 can be controlled by means of the screed operating module 24. In particular, the paving screed 9 can be leveled by means of the screed operating modules 24 in order to produce an even road pavement layer 10.

(18) FIG. 2 further shows in a schematic view that a unit 25 for generating a dynamic compacting specification field is disposed in the housing 20 of the thermography module 19. The unit 25 for generating a dynamic compacting specification field is configured to produce the compacting specification field based on thermographic geosignals that are created by the thermography module 19.

(19) FIG. 2 further shows in a schematic view that an information indication unit 26 is fixed on the vertical roof beam 17. However, the information indication unit 26 can also be fixed at another point of the roof structure or on the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4. The information indication unit 26 can as well be fixed within the housing 20 of the thermography unit 19. This is explained in greater detail in connection with FIGS. 3 to 5. By means of the information indication unit 26, compacting messages can be displayed to the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 shown in FIG. 1.

(20) A schematic rear view of the road finishing machine 4 according to the disclosure is displayed in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the information indication unit 26 on the left roof beam 17 is formed as a signal lamp 27. On the roof beam 17 on the right, the information indication unit 26 comprises a meter and/or foot display 28 to display the compacting specification as numerical data.

(21) In FIG. 3, the road finishing machine 4 comprises both the signal lamp 27 as well as the meter and/or foot display unit 28 whereby it would be possible to equip the road finishing machine 4 only with one of these information indication units 26.

(22) According to FIG. 3, the information indication units 26 are inward-facing from the roof beam 17 so that the operator of the road finishing machine 4 does not have a obstructed view when looking into the rear-view mirror 29 (see FIG. 2) of the road finishing machine 4. It would also be conceivable to fix at least one of the information indication units 26 on the crossbeam 18 of the roof structure 15.

(23) The signal lamp 27 comprises a first signal lamp 30 and a second signal lamp 31. The first signal lamp 30 can be configured to emit a red signal light when the compacting vehicle 5 following behind the road finishing machine 4 maintains a too short or a too long distance X behind the paving screed 9. This would tell the operator of the compaction vehicle 5 that he has to change his distance X to the paving screed 9 towed ahead in order to achieve an optimal compacting result in the road pavement layer 10.

(24) Where appropriate, the first signal lamp 30 could be configured to emit a persistent red light when the compacting vehicle 5 has come too close to the paving screed 9, i.e., when the distance X is too short. The operator of the compacting vehicle 5 would then realize immediately that he needs to slow down the compacting vehicle 5 in order to move further away from the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine. The first signal lamp 30 could otherwise be configured to emit an intermittently flashing red light to tell the following compacting vehicle that it drives too far away behind the paving screed 9. The operator of the compacting vehicle 5 would then have to accelerate the compacting vehicle 5 so that the distance X to the road finishing machine 4 driving ahead becomes shorter.

(25) The second signal lamp 31 can be configured to emit a green signal light when the compacting vehicle 5 drives behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4 at a desired distance X. Then, the compacting vehicle X is at such a distance from the road finishing machine 4 that it can achieve an optimal compacting result.

(26) The meter and/or foot display unit 28 shown in FIG. 3 is divided into a first display field 28A to display a maximum distance 32 and a second display field 28B to display a minimum distance 33. The first display field 28A shows the operator of the following compacting vehicle 5 by means of the maximum distance 32 at what maximum distance he should drive behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4. Should the operator drive his compacting vehicle 5 behind the paving screed at a distance that exceeds the maximum distance 32, the road pavement layer 10 would cool down too strongly because the compacting vehicle 5 would compact the asphalt of the road pavement layer 10 too late. In this process, a desired degree of compaction would not be achieved anymore.

(27) In the second display field 28B, the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 is shown based on the minimum distance 33 how closely he may drive behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4. If the operator undercut the minimum distance 33, he would drive the compacting vehicle 5 too closely behind the paving screed 9, i.e., enter the still too hot road pavement layer 10 too early, which could lead to material cracks in the road pavement.

(28) Depending on the installation material M used as well as depending on the temperature of the subsoil U, the information displayed by the information indication units 26 from FIG. 3 can vary. The information indication units 26 therefore emit dynamic compacting messages to the operator of the following compacting vehicle 5.

(29) It is also conceivable that both of the information indication units 26 shown in FIG. 3, i.e., the signal lamp 27 as well as the meter and/or foot display unit 28, are functionally connected to each other. In particular, the signal lamp 27 can be operated with regard to the determined minimum and/or maximum distance as well as with regard to the measured distance X.

(30) Furthermore, it would be possible for the meter and/or foot display unit 28 to display a numerical value with a plus sign and/or with a minus sign, whereby the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 is prompted by a numerical display with the plus sign to increase the distance X to the road finishing machine 4 driving ahead and/or that he is prompted by a numerical display with a minus sign to reduce the distance X to the road finishing machine 4 that is driving ahead.

(31) FIG. 3 further shows a measurement unit 38 that is configured to measure the distance X to the following compacting vehicle, preferably by means of an infrared sensor 39. Based on the distance X to the following compacting vehicle 5 measured by means of the measurement unit 38 as well as based on the maximum and/or minimum distance 32, 33, one of the display units 26 from FIG. 3 and/or another display unit 26 according to the embodiment can tell the roller driver whether he has to reduce or increase the distance X to the road finishing machine 4 that is driving ahead.

(32) FIG. 4 shows another embodiment variant of the road finishing machine 4 to display a compacting message to the following compacting vehicle 5. In FIG. 4, the information indication unit 26 is formed as a projection unit 34. The projection unit 34 comprises a laser 45 that is configured to project a first laser line 35 based on the compacting specification field of the unit 25 for generating a compacting specification field as well as a second laser line 36 onto the road pavement layer 10 between the road finishing machine 4 and the following compacting vehicle 5. The first laser line 35 indicates the minimum distance 33 that the compacting vehicle 5 should maintain behind the paving screed 9. Similarly, the second laser line 36 indicates the maximum distance 32 that the compacting vehicle 5 should maintain from the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4 as a maximum.

(33) In FIG. 4, the compacting vehicle 5 would have to join up to the road finishing machine 4 to compact the road pavement layer 10 between the first and the second laser line 35, 36. As explained before in connection with the information indication units 26 from FIG. 3, also the first as well as the second laser line 35, 36 can vary with regard to the cooling rate of the newly installed road pavement layer 10.

(34) Based on the laser lines 35, 36 projected onto the road pavement layer 10, the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 sees whether he moves his compacting vehicle 5 at a predefined distance behind the paving screed 9 of the road finishing machine 4. The first and the second laser line 35, 36 delimit a compacting window 37 on the road pavement layer 10 within which the compacting vehicle 5 should preferably move in order to compact the road pavement layer 10 in an optimal way.

(35) FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the road finishing machine 4 according to the disclosure. The road finishing machine 4 from FIG. 5 comprises an uncoiling unit 40 that is fixed laterally on the paving screed 9. The uncoiling unit 40 drags a first and a second coiling element 41, 42 on the road pavement layer 10 behind the paving screed 9. The length of the respective coiling elements 41, 42 can be varied by means of the coiling unit 40.

(36) The end of the first coiling element 41 tells the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 how close he may move towards the paving screed 9 as a maximum. Similarly, the end of the second coiling element 42 tells the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 the maximum distance he should maintain from the paving screed 9. The compacting window 37 is displayed between the respective ends of the first and the second coiling element 41, 42. Depending on the uncoiling length of the coiling elements 41, 42, the size of the compacting window 37 within which the compacting vehicle 5 should drive in order to obtain a desired degree of compaction for the road pavement layer 10 varies.

(37) In all embodiments of the disclosure, the information indication unit 26 is, regardless of its design, fixed directly on the road finishing machine 4 and configured to display visual compacting messages to the operator of the following compacting vehicle 5 based on which the operator of the compacting vehicle 5 knows at what distance he should drive the compacting vehicle 5 to the road finishing machine 4 that is driving ahead in order to obtain an optimal compacting result.

(38) As one skilled in the art would understand, the above described units, modules, machines and vehicles (e.g, unit 25, information indication unit 26, display unit 28, projection unit 34, uncoiling unit 40, measurement unit 38, control module, thermography module 19, operating module 24, etc.) may each include suitable hardware and/or software, such as one or more processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers and/or programmable digital signal processors) in communication with, or configured to communicate with, one or more storage devices or media including computer readable program instructions that are executable by the one or more processors so that the control unit, module, machine, or vehicle may perform particular algorithms represented by the functions and/or operations described herein. Each unit, module, machine and vehicle may also, or instead, include one or more application specific integrated circuits, programmable gate arrays or programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, or digital signal processors.

(39) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms according to the disclosure. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments according to the disclosure.