Patent ID: 8801325
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: E01C

Abstract:
1. An asphalt roadway repair apparatus, comprising: a heater configured to heat a roadway repair site to a selected temperature and a selected hardness, the heater interconnected to a roadway machine configured to position the heater proximate to the roadway repair site; at least one heater temperature sensor disposed proximate to or on the heater; at least one material hardness sensor disposed proximate to or on the heater and configured to measure subsurface hardness; at least one heater orientation sensor disposed at least one of adjacent to or on the heater to identify an orientation of the heater with respect to a surface of the roadway; a power unit in communication with the heater and adapted to provide energy to the heater; and a controller in communication with the power unit and adapted to receive control measurement inputs comprising a heater temperature measurement input from the heater temperature sensor, a heater orientation input from the at least one heater orientation sensor and a repair site material subsurface hardness measurement input from the at least one material hardness sensor; wherein the controller automatically controls the heater orientation to maintain a heater orientation with respect to the surface of the roadway; wherein the controller automatically controls the energy level of the power unit based on at least the subsurface hardness measurements received from the at least one material hardness sensor.