Position reporting for road treatment elements

摘要

Systems and methods for reporting a position of an air-over-hydraulic road treatment element use pneumatically activated switches triggered by pilot air for moving the road treatment element. Switch activation electrical signals are used to determine whether the road treatment element is in an engaged configuration or a disengaged configuration. If the switch activation electrical signals indicate the engaged configuration, an engaged configuration electric signal can be maintained until the switch activation electrical signals indicate the disengaged configuration. Conversely, if the switch activation electrical signals indicate the disengaged configuration, a disengaged configuration electric signal can be maintained until the switch activation electrical signals indicate the engaged configuration. The engaged configuration electric signal can be maintained even after cessation of the switch activation electrical signals indicating the engaged configuration, and similarly the disengaged configuration electric signal can be maintained even after cessation of the switch activation electrical signals indicating the disengaged configuration.

主权项

1. A method for reporting a position of at least one air-over-hydraulic road treatment element, the method comprising:
receiving first and second switch activation electrical signals from at least one pair of pneumatically activated switches, wherein:
each pair of pneumatically activated switches is associated with a respective air-over-hydraulic road treatment element;within each pair of pneumatically activated switches:
a first one of the pneumatically activated switches is pneumatically coupled to a first pilot air source associated with movement of the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element toward an engaged configuration so as to generate a first switch activation electrical signal indicating movement of the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element toward the engaged configuration when air is received from the first pilot air source; anda second one of the pneumatically activated switches is pneumatically coupled to a second pilot air source associated with movement of the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element toward a disengaged configuration so as to generate a second switch activation electrical signal indicating movement of the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element toward the disengaged configuration when air is received from the second pilot air source;for each pair of pneumatically activated switches:
using the switch activation electrical signals to determine whether the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element is in an engaged configuration or a disengaged configuration;responsive only to the switch activation electrical signals indicating that the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element is in the engaged configuration:
initiating an engaged configuration electric signal; andmaintaining the engaged configuration electric signal until the switch activation electrical signals indicate that the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element is in the disengaged configuration;responsive only to the switch activation electrical signals indicating that the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element is in the disengaged configuration:
initiating a disengaged configuration electric signal; andmaintaining the disengaged configuration electric signal until the switch activation electrical signals indicate that the air-over-hydraulic road treatment element is in the engaged configuration;wherein the engaged configuration electric signal and the disengaged configuration electric signal are mutually exclusive.