Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5961040?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6,928,433
Timestamp: 2014-09-15 10:42:07
Document Index: 109366607

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.2', 'art.3', 'art.4', 'art.5', 'art.6', 'art.7', 'art.8']

Patent US5961040 - Material application system with programming security - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA material application system and a method of using a material application system which incorporate both an input mechanism for use by a programmer to program the material application system and a separate input mechanism, in the form of a switch module, for use by a driver of the vehicle in which the...http://www.google.com/patents/US5961040?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5961040 - Material application system with programming securityAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5961040 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/039,015Publication dateOct 5, 1999Filing dateMar 13, 1998Priority dateMar 13, 1998Fee statusLapsedPublication number039015, 09039015, US 5961040 A, US 5961040A, US-A-5961040, US5961040 A, US5961040AInventorsDuston D. Traylor, Patrick FuchsOriginal AssigneeDickey-John CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (12), Non-Patent Citations (8), Referenced by (6), Classifications (11), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMaterial application system with programming securityUS 5961040 AAbstract A material application system and a method of using a material application system which incorporate both an input mechanism for use by a programmer to program the material application system and a separate input mechanism, in the form of a switch module, for use by a driver of the vehicle in which the material application system is incorporated during material application. The method includes the steps of: (a) operatively coupling an input mechanism to a programmable controller; (b) while the input mechanism is operatively coupled to the programmable controller, using the input mechanism to program the programmable controller; (c) then operatively uncoupling the input mechanism from the programmable controller; (d) while the input mechanism is operatively uncoupled from the programmable controller, using the material application system to apply the material; and (e) while the input mechanism is operatively uncoupled from the programmable controller, while the switch module is operatively coupled to the programmable controller, and while the material application system is being used to apply the material, using the switch module to modify a material application rate.
What is claimed is: 1. A method of using a material application system adapted to be incorporated in a vehicle for applying material to a road, said material application system having a programmable controller, an input mechanism associated with said programmable controller, and a switch module associated with said programmable controller, said method comprising the steps of:(a) operatively coupling said input mechanism to said programmable controller; (b) while said input mechanism is operatively coupled to said programmable controller, using said input mechanism to input a parameter relating to a granular application rate into said programmable controller; (c) while said input mechanism is operatively coupled to said programmable controller, using said input mechanism to input a parameter relating to a liquid application rate into said programmable controller; (d) after said steps (b) and (c) , operatively uncoupling said input mechanism from said programmable controller; (e) while said input mechanism is operatively uncoupled from said programmable controller, using said material application system to apply granular material to a road; (f) while said input mechanism is operatively uncoupled from said programmable controller, while said switch module is operatively coupled to said programmable controller, and while said material application system is being used to apply granular material to a road, using said switch module to modify said granular application rate; and (g) while said input mechanism is operatively uncoupled from said programmable controller, while said switch module is operatively coupled to said programmable controller, and while said material application system is being used to apply granular material to a road, using said switch module to modify said liquid application rate. 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) comprises the step of attaching said input mechanism to said programmable controller via a cord.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a material application system for applying a material, such as salt, from a vehicle that is being driven to prevent the accumulation of snow on a road, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a material application system, and a method of using a material application system, which incorporate both an input mechanism for use by a programmer to program the material application system and a separate input mechanism, in the form of a switch module, for use by a driver of the vehicle in which the material application system is incorporated during material application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a material application system in accordance with the invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a material application system 10 that is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle, such as a truck, and which is used to apply a material, such as salt or sand for example, to a road during winter as the vehicle is being driven along the road to reduce or minimize hazardous driving conditions. The system could also be used for other purposes, such as for spraying agricultural materials (e.g. fertilizer) while the vehicle is being driven in a field, or for spraying weed killer onto weeds along the side of a road on which the vehicle is being driven.
OPERATION The operation of the system 10 is controlled by a computer program stored in the program memory 102 and executed by the microprocessor 104. Flowcharts of pertinent portions of the computer program are shown in FIGS. 4-6. A flowchart of a main program routine 200 is shown in FIG. 4. The main routine 200 is designed to begin operation when the power is turned on. Referring to FIG. 4, the main routine 200 begins operation at step 202, which determines whether the mode switch 94 is in its automatic position. If the mode switch 94 is in the automatic position, the program branches to step 204, where the operator is prompted to move the mode switch 94 to the off position.
Application of Materials--Vehicle Moving If the vehicle was moving as determined at step 208, the program branches to step 212, which determines whether the mode switch 94 is in its automatic position. If so, the program branches to step 214, where a number of conventional real-time control routines are performed to control, for example, the application of the granular and liquid materials in accordance with desired application rates using conventional feedback techniques.
Initial Programming--Vehicle Stopped The portion of the main routine 200 that relates to programming of the controller 12 is shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, eight programming options are shown, corresponding to steps 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, and 370. For each programming option selected by the programmer, a number of steps are performed.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS35100 *Apr 29, 1862 Improvement in windmillsUS4107784 *Dec 22, 1975Aug 15, 1978Bemmelen Henri M VanManagement control terminal method and apparatusUS4373668 *Jun 6, 1980Feb 15, 1983Forbes Donald RSpreader controlUS4803626 *Sep 15, 1987Feb 7, 1989Dickey-John CorporationUniversal controller for material distribution deviceUS4898333 *Aug 30, 1988Feb 6, 1990H.Y.O., Inc.Hydraulic system for use with snow-ice removal vehiclesUS5186396 *Jan 31, 1992Feb 16, 1993Wise James JApparatus for spreading granular and liquid materialsUS5318226 *Oct 14, 1992Jun 7, 1994H.Y.O., Inc.Deposition of snow-ice treatment material from a vehicle with controlled scatterUS5699261 *Feb 15, 1995Dec 16, 1997Tamrock OyControl arrangement for rock drilling equipmentUS5712782 *Apr 15, 1996Jan 27, 1998Claas KgaaMethod of optimizing utilization of a group of agricultural machineUS5786983 *Jan 16, 1996Jul 28, 1998Brother International CorporationInformation device with display and keyboard having corresponding sets of function keysUS5870686 *Aug 21, 1997Feb 9, 1999Ag-Chem Equipment Co., Inc.Intelligent Mobile product application control systemUS5889671 *Jun 17, 1997Mar 30, 1999Claas KgaaMobile on-board computer system with operation units for machines* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1"Control of the Future" ICS 2000 Dickey-john Corporation Manual, 4 pages, undated, prior art.2 *Control of the Future ICS 2000 Dickey john Corporation Manual, 4 pages, undated, prior art.3 *Dickey john ICS2000 Control System Features, 1 page, undated, prior art.4Dickey-john "ICS2000" Control System Features, 1 page, undated, prior art.5 *DjICS2000 Ice Control System Calibration and Programming Manual, Dickey john Corporation, 45 pages, undated, prior art.6DjICS2000 Ice Control System Calibration and Programming Manual, Dickey-john Corporation, 45 pages, undated, prior art.7 *DjICS2000 Ice Control System Operator s Manual, Dickey john Corporation, 11 pages, undated, prior art.8DjICS2000 Ice Control System Operator's Manual, Dickey-john Corporation, 11 pages, undated, prior art.* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6149071 *Jun 10, 1999Nov 21, 2000Global Metering Solutions, LlcFlow control system for spray applicationsUS6517281 *May 19, 2000Feb 11, 2003Highway Equipment CompanyAdjustable spinner for a particulate material spreaderUS6694195Feb 14, 2001Feb 17, 2004The Turo CompanyDiagnostic system for irrigation controllersUS6905077 *May 20, 2003Jun 14, 2005David Stanley HoyleAgricultural spreaderUS7045167 *Dec 1, 2000May 16, 2006J&K Development LlcSolid particulate material application deviceUS20140131485 *Nov 13, 2012May 15, 2014Cnh Canada, Ltd.Aircart With Integrated Fertilizer Blending* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification239/1, 239/7, 239/69, 239/677, 239/74International ClassificationE01C19/20, A01C17/00Cooperative ClassificationA01C17/008, E01C19/201European ClassificationA01C17/00F2, E01C19/20CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 2, 2003FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20031005Oct 6, 2003LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesApr 23, 2003REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJun 26, 1998ASAssignmentOwner name: DICKEY-JOHN CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION, IFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TRAYLOR, DUSTON D;FUCHS, PATRICK;REEL/FRAME:009280/0475Effective date: 19980310RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google