The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 21, 2005
Carl B Kieranen, Toivola, MI (US);
Charles a Hallstrom, Calumet, MI (US);
Glen R Simula, Hancock, MI (US);
Nils P Ruonavaara, Atlantic Mine, MI (US);
James D Waineo, Chassell, MI (US);
Carl B Kieranen, Toivola, MI (US);
Charles A Hallstrom, Calumet, MI (US);
Glen R Simula, Hancock, MI (US);
Nils P Ruonavaara, Atlantic Mine, MI (US);
James D Waineo, Chassell, MI (US);
Somero Enterprises, Inc., Jaffrey, NH (US);
Abstract
A contouring machine control system, contouring/smoothing method, and kit for enabling a contouring machine to automatically contour three-dimensional surfaces includes a contouring member, such as a screed or dirt grading blade, a target either attached to the contouring member or located at a remote location, a tracking device at the other of the contouring member or remote location that tracks the target and measures the position of the target in three dimensions, a proximity sensor adjacent one end of the contouring member to detect its height above a physical reference, and a controller/computer for controlling the height of the two ends of the contouring member. One of the ends is controlled as a function of a stored profile of the desired surface to be contoured and the target or tracking device position, while the second end is controlled as a function of the current height of the proximity sensor above the reference.