Rotary Mixer with Automated Control Functions

Abstract

A rotary mixer utilizes position control technology to determine the position of the rotary mixer on a work surface and a controller determines whether an intended path across a work surface will overlap with a previously pulverized, mixed and modified surface. The rotary mixer utilizes at least one fluid spray bar in the rotor chamber or mixing chamber that extends along the width of the rotor. The fluid spray bar includes a plurality of nozzles spaced apart along the fluid spray bar that may he individually controlled by a nozzle actuator. In the event such an overlap is occurring or will occur, to avoid the application of excess fluid to the already modified surface, the controller directs the nozzle actuator to either reduce or shut off flow through the nozzles that are in alignment with the already modified surface.

1 . A machine configured to pulverize and mix a work surface to produce a modified surface therefrom, the machine comprising:
 a frame;   a receiver for receiving a position signal, the receiver in communication with a controller for transmitting the position signal to the controller;   a rotor adjustably coupled to the frame;   a rotor chamber adjustably coupled to the frame and at least partially surrounding the rotor, the rotor chamber having an interior surface;   a fluid spray bar connected to the interior surface, the fluid spray bar extending along a width of the rotor and including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart along the fluid spray bar, the fluid spray bar in communication with a pump that is in communication with the controller, the nozzles being in communication with a nozzle actuator that is in communication with the controller, the nozzle actuator for controlling the nozzles in response to signals from the controller;   the controller configured to determine a position of the rotor based on the position signal, the controller further configured to determine which portions of the work surface have been previously pulverized and mixed to form the modified surface, the controller further configured to determine when a portion of the modified surface will be at least partially overlapped by the rotor and the controller further configured to send a fluid control signal to the nozzle actuator to modify a flow rate of fluid delivered by the nozzles that are in alignment with the modified surface that will be overlapped by the rotor.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to the nozzle actuator to close each nozzle that is in alignment with the modified surface that will be overlapped by the rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to the nozzle actuator to at least partially close each nozzle that is in alignment with the modified surface that will be overlapped by the rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to record at least one of a mixing depth of the rotor and a volume of fluid delivered through the fluid spray bar. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the frame is coupled to a set of front ground engaging elements and a set of rear ground engaging elements;
 a steering system including a front steering actuator for steering the front set of ground engaging elements and a rear steering actuator for steering the rear set of ground engaging elements, the front and rear steering actuators in communication with the controller; 
 the controller further configured to send signals to the front and rear steering actuators to steer the machine and avoid overlapping the modified surface. 
 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 5  wherein the controller is in communication with a memory, the memory includes a two dimensional map or three dimensional map of the work surface. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 6  wherein the frame is adjustably coupled to a front left ground engaging element by a front left leg actuator, the frame is adjustably coupled to a front right ground engaging element by a front right leg actuator, the frame is adjustably coupled to a rear left ground engaging element by a rear left leg actuator and the frame is adjustably coupled to a rear right ground engaging element by a rear right leg actuator;
 the rotor is adjustably coupled to the frame by a rotor depth actuator; 
 controller is further configured to send signals to the rotor depth actuator to control a depth of the rotor in response to the position signal; and 
 the controller is further configured to send signals to the front left leg actuator, the front right leg actuator, the rear left leg actuator and the rear right leg actuator to control a left to right attitude of the rotor in response to the position signal. 
 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein the controller is in communication with a memory, the memory includes a two dimensional or a three dimensional map of the work surface, and
 the controller further configured to determine a predetermined flowrate of fluid based on the position signal and the map of the work surface, and the controller further configured to send a fluid control signal to the nozzle actuator to modify a flow rate of fluid delivered by the nozzles in response to the position signal and the map of the work surface. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method for pulverizing a work surface into particles and mixing the particles with a fluid to produce a modified surface, the machine including a rotor having a width, the fluid dispensed through a spray bar disposed parallel to the rotor and having a plurality of nozzles spaced apart along the fluid spray bar, the method comprising:
 receiving a position signal at the machine;   determining a location of the machine;   determining a prior location of the machine and determining a location the modified surface;   determining if the rotor is at least partially disposed over the modified surface, and   if the rotor is not disposed over the modified surface, activating a pump and a nozzle actuator to open all of the nozzles and dispense a predetermined flowrate of fluid through all of the nozzles and onto the particles, and   if the rotor is at least partially disposed over the modified surface, determining which nozzles are in alignment with the modified surface, activating the nozzle actuator to at least partially close the nozzles that are in alignment with the modified surface and open the nozzles disposed over the work surface and activating the pump to dispense the predetermined flowrate of fluid through the nozzles the are disposed over the work surface and less than the predetermined flowrate of fluid through the nozzles that are disposed over the modified surface.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further including displaying a volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzles of the fluid spray bar. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further including storing a two dimensional or three dimensional map of the work surface in a memory, the map including varying predetermined flowrates of fluid to be dispensed,
 determining the predetermined flowrate of fluid from the position signal and the map of the work surface, and 
 activating the nozzle actuator and activating the pump to dispense the predetermined flowrate of fluid through the nozzles. 
 
     
     
         12 . A machine configured to pulverize and mix a work surface and produce a modified surface therefrom, the machine comprising:
 a frame;   a receiver for receiving a position signal, the receiver in communication with a controller for transmitting the position signal to the controller;   the frame is adjustably coupled to a front left ground engaging element by a front left leg actuator, the frame is adjustably coupled to a front right ground engaging element by a front right leg actuator, the frame is adjustably coupled to a rear left ground engaging element by a rear left leg actuator and the frame is adjustably coupled to a rear right ground engaging element by a rear right leg actuator;   the rotor is adjustably coupled to the frame by a rotor depth actuator;   controller is further configured to send signals to the rotor depth actuator to control a depth of the rotor in response to the position signal; and   the controller is further configured to send signals to the front left leg actuator, the front right leg actuator, the rear left leg actuator and the rear right leg actuator to control a left to right attitude of the rotor in response to the position signal.   
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 12  further including a rotor chamber coupled to the frame and at least partially surrounding the rotor, the rotor chamber having an interior surface;
 a fluid spray bar connected to the interior surface, the fluid spray bar extending along the width of the rotor and including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart along the length of the fluid spray bar, the fluid spray bar in communication with a pump that is in communication with the controller, the nozzles in communication with a nozzle actuator that is in communication with the controller, the nozzle actuator for controlling the nozzles in response to signals from the controller; 
 the controller further configured to determine when a portion of the modified surface will be at least partially overlapped by the rotor and the controller further configured to send a fluid control signal to the nozzle actuator to modify a flow rate of fluid delivered by the nozzles that are in alignment with the portion of the modified surface that will be overlapped by the rotor. 
 
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 13  wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to the nozzle actuator to close each nozzle that is in alignment with the modified surface. 
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 13  wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to the nozzle actuator to partially close each nozzle that is in alignment with the modified surface. 
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 13  wherein the controller is configured to record at least one of a mixing depth of the rotor and a volume of fluid delivered through the fluid spray bar. 
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 12  wherein the controller is in communication with a memory, the memory includes a two dimensional map of the surface. 
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 12  wherein the controller is in communication with a memory, the memory includes a three dimensional map of the surface. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 18  further including a steering system including a front steering actuator for steering the front left ground engaging element and front right ground engaging element, the steering system further including a rear steering actuator for steering the rear left ground engaging element and rear right ground engaging element, the front and rear steering actuators in communication with the controller;
 the controller configured to determine a position of the rotor based on the position signal, the controller further configured to determine which portions of the work surface have been previously pulverized and mixed to form the modified surface, the controller further configured to send signals to the front and rear steering actuators to steer the machine and avoid overlapping the modified surface. 
 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 12  wherein the rotor chamber includes three spray bars, each spray bar in communication with a pump, each pump in communication with the controller, each spray bar including a plurality of nozzles, the nozzles of each spray bar in communication with a nozzle actuator for selectively opening and closing the nozzles.