Planer and Method for Producing Rumble Strips

Abstract

A road planer for road milling or road planning operations implements a control system for forming a plurality of rumble strips in a work surface. The control system may receive a plurality of variables from an operator interface related to the desired configuration for the rumble strips including a depth-of-depression variable, a length-of-depression variable, and a distance-between-depressions variable. The control system may also determine one or more parameters regarding the operational status of the road planer. The control system processes the variables and/or parameters to adjust a height adjustment mechanism of the road planer thereby engaging and disengaging a cutting rotor with the work surface to from the rumble strips.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent disclosure relates generally to a road planer for removing pavement or material from a roadway or similar work surface and, more particularly, to a control system and method for forming rumble strips on a work surface.

BACKGROUND

Road planers, also known as pavement profilers, road milling machines or cold planers, are machines designed for removing or milling material such as pavement, asphalt, or concrete from a work surface such as a roadway or similar surfaces. These machines typically have a plurality of tracks or, in some cases, wheels that support and horizontally transport the machine along the surface of the road to be planed, and have a rotatable cutter that is vertically adjustable with respect to the road surface. When the rotatable cutter is brought into contact with the work surface, picks or teeth-like cutting tools that are disposed about the cylindrical exterior of the rotatable cutter can impact and break apart the top layer of the surface for removal and allowing the surface to be repaved. The road planers can be operated to remove substantial distances of the roadway surface during the repaving operations in accordance with a depth-of-cut setting.

During the creation of a new roadway or work surface, it may be desirable to form rumble strips in certain locations that can alert vehicle drivers of oncoming hazards or that they may be drifting from their intended lane. Rumble strips are a series of adjacent, parallel depressions and rises disposed into the top of the road, often longitudinally arranged perpendicular to the direction of intended travel of vehicles over the work surface. When the wheels of a vehicle encounter the rumble strips, their shape and spacing create a tactile vibration and an audible rumbling to be transmitted through the vehicle thereby providing an alert or feedback to the vehicle driver.

One example of a system and method for forming rumble strips is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,821,063, (“the '063 patent”) assigned to Surface Preparation Technology Inc. of Pennsylvania. The '063 patent describes a cutting machine that can be attached to the front of a custom built vehicle or truck for being pushed along the roadway or work surface. The attachable cutting machine includes a rotatable drum that can be raised and lowered by a hydraulic arm with respect to the rest of the cutting machine to engage the drum into contact with the work surface. To attach the cutting machine to the truck, a tool mast that allows for further height adjustment can be included on the front of the truck. The present disclosure is directed to an improved system and method over this approach to forming rumble strips.

SUMMARY

The disclosure describes, in one aspect, a road planer for planning a work surface that has been specifically adapted to form a plurality of rumble strips into the work surface. The road planer includes a frame supported on a plurality of ground-engaging components by a height adjustment mechanism. The height adjustment mechanism is adapted to raise and lower the frame with respect to the ground-engaging components. A cutting rotor is rotatably mounted to the frame and includes a plurality of cutting tools. To provide power to road planer, a power source is included and is operatively associated with the cutting rotor for rotating the cutting rotor with respect to the frame and with at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging components for propelling the road planer. To control operation of the road planer, an electronic control unit including an operator interface is also included. The electronic control unit can be programmed with a control system adapted to receive, via the operator interface, a plurality of variables including a depth-of-depression variable, a length-of-depression variable, and a distance-between-depressions variable. The electronic control unit is further configured to operate the height adjustment mechanism in accordance with the plurality of variables.

In another aspect, the disclosure describes a method of forming rumble strips in a work surface with a road planer. According to the method, an operator can activate a rumble strip forming module in an electronic control unit associated with the road planer. A plurality of variables are received through an operator interface associated with the electronic control unit including a depth-of-depression variable; a length-of-depression variable; and a distance-between-depressions variable. Further according to the method, the electronic control unit rotates a cutting rotor rotatably mounted to a frame of the road planer and adjusts a height adjustment mechanism to raise and lower a frame of the road planer with respect to the work surface in accordance with the plurality of variables.

In yet another aspect of the disclosure, there is described a computer executable control system for forming rumble strips with a road planer. The control system includes a data structure adapted to receive a plurality of variables from an operator interface relating to the rumble strips. The plurality of variables may includes a depth-of-depression variable, a length-of-depression variable, and a distance-between-depressions variable. The control system further includes computer executable instructions for controlling a height adjustment mechanism on the road planer in accordance with the plurality of variables received in the data structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine, in particular, a road planer configured with a control system for forming a plurality of rumble strips in a work surface such as a roadway in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an operator's station of the road planer including various operator interfaces for controlling and operating the road planer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an electronic control unit operatively associated with the operator interface of FIG. 2 and with various components, controllers, and sensors on the road planer.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a cutting rotor of the road planer forming an embodiment of multiple rumble strips each having a curved shape.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a cutting rotor of the road planer forming an embodiment of multiple rumble strips each having a generally trapezoidal shape.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a possible electronic implementation of a control system for forming rumble strips in a work surface with a road planer according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like features, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a machine in the particular embodiment of a road planer 100, which may also be referred to in the alternative as a cold planer, road miller, or the like. As will be familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art, road planers are utilized in road repair and repaving operations to remove pavement or other materials from the top surface of a road, highway or similar work surface. The road planer 100 can include a frame 102 that is generally supported on a plurality of ground-engaging components 104 that are designed to contact and propel the road planer over the work surface 106. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the ground-engaging components are track assemblies that include horizontally arranged continuous tracks 108 or a closed belt disposed about spaced-apart rollers 109 or sprockets. When the rollers 109 are rotated, they move the continuous track 108 about in a loop so that the frame 102 of the cold planer is carried over the work surface 106. In other embodiments, though, the ground-engaging components can be wheels or another suitable ground propulsion device known in the art.

To provide power to the ground-engaging components 104, the road planer 100 can include a power source 110 disposed on the frame 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the power source 110 and other components that may ordinarily be hidden from view by panels or surfaces of the road planer 100 are indicated in dashed lines. The power source 110 may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel burning, compression ignition engine but in other embodiments other types of power sources can be utilized such as hybrid engines, gas burning engines, turbines, and the like. The power source 110 can generate rotary power harnessed and transmitted by a rotating drive shaft 112 extending from the power source. The rotating drive shaft 112 can be operatively associated with one or more of the ground-engaging components 104 through various additional shafts, gears, transmissions, differentials, and the like causing the ground-engaging component to move with respect to the work surface. As will be explained in further detail herein, the power source 110 can also be used to generate and supply power for the other components and systems associated with the road planer 100.

To remove a layer of pavement, asphalt, or other material from a road or similar work surface 106, the road planer 100 can include a power driven, cutting rotor 114 rotatably supported with respect to the frame 102. As indicated above, the cutting rotor 114 can be a drum-shaped, cylindrical structure having a plurality of picks or teeth-like cutting tools 116 disposed about its cylindrical surface. The cutting rotor 114 can further be accommodated in a housing 118 that depends from the frame 102 toward the work surface 106 and can be arranged so that its cylindrical shape and its axis of rotation 120 are traverse or perpendicular to the forward direction of travel 122 (indicated by arrow) of the road planer 100. The cutting tools 116 are adapted to penetrate into the work surface 106 and remove a portion of the material as the road planer 100 advances along the forward direction of travel 122 through a process sometimes referred to as milling or planning. In some embodiments, the cutting tools may be removable from the cutting rotor for replacement as they become worn or damaged. To rotate the cutting rotor 114 about its axis of rotation 120, the cutting rotor can be operatively coupled to the power source 110 through a mechanical arrangement including cooperating belts 124, pulleys 126 and a belt tensioner 128.

To bring the cutting rotor 114 into and out of contact with the work surface 106, the road planer 100 can include a height adjustment mechanism 130 adapted to vertically raise and lower the frame 102, including the cutting rotor rotatably supported thereon, with respect to the work surface. In particular, the ground-engaging components 104 can be connected to the frame 102 by vertically oriented, adjustable struts 132. The adjustable struts 132 can be actuated by hydraulically powered cylinders 134 or the like to extend and retract in a telescoping manner, thereby either bringing the frame 102 and ground-engaging components 104 closer together or moving the frame and the ground-engaging components apart. The adjustable struts 132 can thereby control the depth-of-cut into the work surface. Moreover, the adjustable struts 132 can be fully extended to completely disengage the cutting rotor 114 from the work surface 106 when the road planer 100 is traveling without being engaged in a milling operation. One possible advantage of using adjustable struts 132 to raise and lower the frame 102 with respect to the ground-engaging components 104 is that the weight of the road planer 100 can bear on the cutting rotor 114 to assist in the milling operation. Moreover, the housing 118 rotatably supporting the cutting rotor 114 can be rigidly fixed to the frame 102 of the road planer 100 so that the cutting rotor is buttressed against the work surface 106. Because the vertical height of the cutting rotor 114 does not change with respect to the frame 102, the planning or milling operations can be more precisely controlled through using only the adjustable struts 132.

In various embodiments, the adjustable struts 132 of the height adjustment mechanism 130 can be configured to operate in conjunction with each other for precision control of the vertical distance between the frame 102 and each of the ground-engaging components 104, and thus the work surface, or may work independently of each other. For example, by varying the extension and/or retraction of the adjustable struts disposed toward the rear of the road planer with respect to the struts at the front, or those with respect to one side, versus the other side based on sensor input, positioning measurements, and the like, the road planer can achieve grade control and cross-slope sensitivity.

To remove material as the cutting rotor 114 chips or mills it apart from the work surface 106 during milling operations, the road planer 100 can include a conveyor assembly including a pickup conveyor 136 and a discharge conveyor 138. One end of the pickup conveyor 136 can be disposed proximate to the interface between the work surface 106 and the cutting rotor 114 to receive the material and can extend forwardly through the road planer 100. The housing 118 accommodating the cutting rotor 114 can assist in guiding material to the pickup conveyor 136, which delivers it to the discharge conveyor 138 extending from the forward end of the road planer 100. The discharge conveyor 138 can thereby feed the material to a dump truck or the like traveling ahead of the road planer 100.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, to accommodate the various controls and instruments that enable an operator to drive and operate the road planer 100, and operator's station 140 can be disposed on the frame 102 in a location providing visibility for carrying out the milling operation. In particular, the operator's station 140 can include a steering wheel 142 for directing the road planer 100 laterally to one side or the other side and can include a forward-neutral-reverse lever 144 that directs travel in the corresponding directions or places the road planer in neutral. In addition, the operator's station 140 can include an operator interface 150 having various controls and/or input/output devices that allow the operator to interact with the electronic control unit and the control system of the road planer 100 including, for example, a display device 152, a keypad 154 or number pad, and various types of switches and/or buttons 156. The display device 152 can be a visual display for displaying information and images to the operator through, for example, an LCD screen or the like and may be configured with touch screen technology to receive input from the operator.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operator interface 150 can be operatively associated with a computerized or electronic controller, control module, or electronic control unit 160 included with the road planer that is adapted to monitor various operating parameters and to responsively regulate various functions and systems affecting the road planer. To perform the associated functions, the electronic control unit 160 may include a microprocessor 162, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other appropriate circuitry, and can include data and programming memory 164, which may be in the form of random access memory and/or more permanent forms of data storage. The microprocessor 162 may be capable of processing or performing any suitable computer-based functions, such as executing instructions, data processing, mathematical operations, and the like. In addition, the electronic control unit 160 can include software 166, including any suitable instruction sets, programs, applications, routines, libraries, databases and the like, for carrying out its functions. Although in FIG. 3, the electronic control unit 160 is illustrated as a single, discrete unit, in other embodiments, the unit and its functions may be distributed among a plurality of distinct and separate components. The electronic control unit 160 can electronically communicate with the operator interface 150 including the display device 152 and the keypad 154 by wires, cables, fiber optic connectors, electronic data buses, or by wireless transmission technologies such as RFID.

In addition, the electronic control unit 160 can send and receive information to and from various sensors and controls associated with the other components of the road planer. For example, the electronic control unit 160 can be in communication with the power source 110, that may be in the form of an internal combustion engine, for controlling operation including speed and torque output of the power source. The electronic control unit 160 can also be in communication with the cutting rotor 114 and its associated drive equipment to control activation, deactivation, and rotary speed of the cutter. The electronic control unit 160 can be in communication with the height adjustment mechanism 130 and can activate the adjustable struts to extend and retract thereby raising and lowering the road planer with respect to the work surface. Further, the electronic control unit 160 can communicate with one or more of the ground engaging components 104 for speed and/or direction control. In addition to transmitting control instructions to the foregoing components, it should be appreciated that the electronic control unit 160 can also receive information and data from these components via sensors and the like so that the electronic control unit is appraised about the operational status of the road planer.

As may be familiar to those of skill in the art, road planers of the foregoing type are typically configured to plane or mill the top surface of roadways and the electronic control unit 160 may be configured with software 166 in the form of a road planning module 168 adapted to receive a depth-of-cut variable from the operator. The electronic control unit thereafter operates the height adjustment mechanism 130 in accordance with the depth-of-cut variable to remove substantial distances of road surface, generally at a consistent depth-of-cut. In an embodiment, in addition to the aforementioned standard operation, the road planer can be specifically utilized to form a plurality of rumble strips into a work surface such as a road or highway that, when traveled over by a vehicle, provide an audible and tactile warning to the driver of an approaching hazard. Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated an embodiment of a plurality of horizontally spaced, parallel rumble strips 170 separated by intervening depressions 172 formed into a work surface 106 by the road planer. In particular, by repeatedly and sequentially raising and lowering the road planer with respect to the work surface 106, the cutting rotor 114 forms the cuts or depressions 172 so as to space apart the rumble strips 170 and can thereby provide customized shapes, dimensions, and patterns with a general purpose road planer.

For example, the illustrated embodiment of the rumble strips 170 and the associated depressions 172 can be characterized by various dimensions including, for example, a depth-of-depression dimension 174. The depth-of-depression dimension 174 reflects the depth the cutting rotor 114 penetrated into the work surface 106 when forming the depression 172 and is analogous to the vertical height of the rumble strip 170. In addition, the rumble strips 170 and the depressions 172 can be characterized by a length-of-depression dimension 176 that reflects the length of the cut or depression or, in another sense, how far the road planer traveled while the cutting rotor 114 engaged the work surface 106. The rumble strips 170 and intervening depressions 172 can also be characterized by a distance-between-depressions dimension 178 that reflects the spacing between strips and depressions. The distance-between-depression dimension 178 can be measured using any suitable location such as between the points of maximum depth of adjacent depressions. While the foregoing description of the pertinent dimensions has been made with respect to the depressions milled between the rumble strips, it will be appreciated that the dimensions can be readily made specific to the rumble strips themselves.

In addition to determining various dimensions of the rumble strips and the associated depressions, the road planer and the cutting rotor 114 can be controlled in a manner that determines the shape or profile of the strips and depressions. In particular, referring to FIG. 4, the depressions 172 can be formed to have a generally curve or rounded shape in accordance with a radius-of-depression dimension 180 and with the rumble strips 170 demonstrating a generally flattened top 182 corresponding to the top of the work surface 106. The curved shape of the depressions 172 can be obtained by maintaining the travel speed of the road planer in the forward direction while the adjustable struts are raised and lowered in a continuous manner so that the cutting rotor 114 gradually depends into and out of the work surface 106. However, in other embodiments, the road planer can be controlled to provide rumble strips and depressions having different shapes or profiles. For example, referring to FIG. 5, the rumble strips 190 and depressions 192 having a generally trapezoidal profile can be formed by initially lowering then maintaining the road planer in a manner to produce a fixed depth-of-depression dimension 174 as the road planer travels in the forward direction. The trapezoidal depressions 192 can also be characterized by a length-of-depression dimension 196 and a distance-between-depressions dimension 198.

To enable the road planer to form the described rumbled strips and depressions, the electronic control unit on the road planer can be programmed with a computer executable control strategy or plan, implemented as control system in the form of a programming module, procedure, or routine for automatically directing the road planer in the manner described herein. An embodiment of the control system 200 is illustrated as a flow chart in FIG. 6. The control system 200 can be initiated when the operator of the road planer implements an activation step 202 activating the programming module or the like for carrying out the rumble strip forming operation. The activation step 202 can be performed through the operator interface. The rumble strip forming operation may be distinct from the typical road planning operation of the road planer according to the road planning module 168, wherein the electronic control unit receives a depth-of-cut variable, adjusts the height adjustment mechanism accordingly, and maintains the height adjustment mechanism so the cutting rotor continuously engages the work surface to remove the top layer thereof.

To enable customizing the pattern, shape, and/or size of the rumble strips and depressions, the control system 200 can include a variable reception step 204 in which different variables, including dimensions, and other information related to the rumble strips are received into the program and may be stored in a data structure or as a data set for processing in accordance with the control system. Example of suitable variables that reflect the desired shapes and configurations of the rumble strips can include the depth-of-depression variable 210, the length-of-depression variable 212, and the distance-between-depressions variable 214 similar to the dimensions described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. The variables can be represented as numerical dimensions and values. Further, the control system 200 can, during the variable reception step 204, receive other information regarding the rumble strips, such as the number-of-strips or number-of-depressions variable 216 and a shape-of-depression or a profile-of-depression variable 218, for example, whether the depressions may have a curved profile or a trapezoidal profile.

In addition to receiving variables about the desired configuration and appearance of the rumble strip pattern, the control system 200 can determine other parameters about the current operational state of the road planer that may affect how the road planer carries out the rumble strip forming operation. For example, in a parameter determination step 220, the control system 200 can determine parameters such as such as travel speed 222 and cutting rotor diameter 224. The control system 200 can sense these parameters directly from the other systems and components associated with the road planer or, in some embodiments, limits governing the travel speed 222 during the rumble strip forming operation or the dimension of the cutting rotor diameter 224 may be preprogrammed into and retrieved from the memory associated with the electronic control unit. The parameters can be temporarily stored in a data structure or data set for later use.

Based on the variables received in the variable reception step 204 and the parameters received in the parameter determination step 220, the control system 200 can make a number of decisions and determinations for conducting the rumble strip forming operation to produce the rumble strips and depressions. For example, the depressions may be formed by a mill cut in which the road planer continuously advances with respect to the work surface as the cutting rotor engages it. However, in embodiments where the length-of-depression variable is sufficiently small and the desired contour or profile of the depression corresponds to a segment of the cutting rotor, the depression can be formed by stalling the forward advance of the planer and adjusting its height to depress the rotary cutter perpendicularly into the work surface. Such an operation may be referred to as a depression cut. In a cut decision step 230, the control system 200 can decide, based on the variables received in the reception step 204 and the parameters received in the parameter determination step 220, whether to form a mill cut or a depression cut. In other embodiments, the control system may be configured so that the operator of the road planer can decide between the mill cut mode and the depression cut mode through an appropriate input selection.

The variables and known parameters can be processed by various algorithms or subroutines to determine or calculate several other outputs in accordance with the control system. For example, if the control system 200 determines a mill cut is appropriate during the cut decision step 230, then a travel determination step 232 can calculate the length-of-depression variable 212 and the known travel speed 222 to determine how far the road planer should travel in the lowered position with the cutter engaging the work surface. Likewise, the travel determination step 232 can use the distance-between-depressions variable 214 to determine the forward travel distance of the road planer in the raised position and the cutter is disengaged with the work surface. Where the control system 200 receives information about a desired profile for the depression, or where such information is preprogrammed, the control system 200 can perform an adjustment rate determination step 234 using the depth-of-depression variable 210 and known parameters such a travel speed 222 and cutting rotor diameter 224 to calculate the rate at which the frame is lowered and raised. It can be appreciated the rate the frame is lowered and raised along with the travel speed affects the profile or radius of the depressions and thereby determines the shape of the rumble strips being formed.

Once the control system 200 makes the necessary decisions and determinations, in an operational step 236, the control system can lower and raise the frame of the road planer with respect to the work surface to engage and disengage the cutting rotor. The depressions are thereby milled into the work surface resulting in the spaced-apart rumble strips. To form a plurality of rumble strips, it will be appreciated that the operational step 236 can be performed multiple time to repeatedly lower and raise the frame with respect to the work surface. If the control system 200 received a number-of-depressions variable 216, a depressions-completed decision 238 can be made to assess whether to continue the rumble strip forming operation or, if the required number of strips and depression are complete, to proceed to a termination step 240.

In a further embodiment, if the control system 200 in FIG. 6 during the cut decision step 230 decides a depression cut is appropriate, the control system can perform the necessary determination and calculations for conducting this sub-operation. For example, based on the distance-between-depressions variable 214, the control system 200 can determine how far the road planer should travel between temporary stops to lower and raise the frame in a travel determination step 242. Further, because the length-of-depression variable 212 is determined by the cutting rotor diameter 224, the control system 200 can calculate or verify, during a height adjustment determination step 244, that the received depth-of-depression variable 210 will produced the desired rumble strip pattern. If not, in a further embodiment, the height adjustment determination step 244 can make further adjustments to those variables and parameters. After the control system 200 makes the necessary determinations, the control system performs an operation step 246 to lower and raise the frame of road planer while stationary with respect to the work surface and thereby mill the depressions. Additionally, if the control system 200 received a number-of-depressions variable 216, a depressions-complete decision 248 determines if the road planer has completed the required number of depressions. It can be appreciated that the depressions-complete decision 248 either proceeds to the termination step 240 or continues the rumble strip forming process.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is applicable to custom-forming rumble strips in a work surface with a standard road planer normally utilized for road planning and road milling operations where a depth-of-cut dimension sets and maintains the height adjustment mechanism. Referring to FIG. 3 and according to the disclosure, the electronic control unit 160 of the road planer can receive information and variables and make determinations on how to perform the rumble strip forming operation. For example, the electronic control unit 160 can receive variables related to the desired configuration or pattern of the rumble strips from an operator or other individual through the operator interface 150 operatively associated with the electronic control unit 160 by the touch screen enabled display device 152 and/or the keypad 154. Examples of the input variables can include depth-of-depression variable, a length-of-depression variable, and a distance-between-depressions variable. In addition, the electronic control unit 160 can acquire or determine different parameters about the operational state of the road planer that may affect the rumble strip forming operation, like travel speed, from sensors and like associated with various systems or subsystems of the road planer. Other parameters may be preprogrammed into the electronic control unit. The variables and operating parameters may be stored in a data structure for further processing.

Referring in part to FIG. 6, the electronic control unit can process the variables, parameters, and other information through various computer executable algorithms or routines to devise and implement a control strategy or control system 200 directing operation of the road planer during the rumble strip forming process. For example, during a travel determination step 232, the control system 200 can involve making determinations regarding the travel output of the road planer while the cutting rotor is engaged with or disengaged from the work surface. Additional determinations can be made, such as an adjustment rate determination step 234 wherein the rate at which the frame of the road planer is lowered and raise with respect to the work surface is calculated. The control system can conduct one or more operational steps 236 in which the electronic control unit executes the functions of the road planer in the appropriate manner including operation of the height adjustment mechanism to lower and raise the frame with respect to the work surface.

Accordingly, one possible advantage of the disclosure is that a plurality of rumble strips may be formed using a standard road planer, typically configured for road planning operation using a depth-of-cut variable, without the need for extraneous cutting attachments or specialized equipment. Another possible advantage is that a standard road planer can be used to form rumble strips and patterns in various desired or customized shapes, configurations, and dimensions. In a further embodiment, the input variables and parameters may be saved in memory associated with the electronic control unit for re-selection and reuse in the future.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed system and technique. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to certain features is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from the scope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of the term “at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (for example, “at least one of A and B”) is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A road planer for planning a work surface specially configured for forming a plurality of rumble strips, the road planer comprising:

a frame supported on a plurality of ground-engaging components by a height adjustment mechanism for raising and lowering the frame with respect to the plurality of ground-engaging components;

a cutting rotor rotatably mounted to the frame, the cutting rotor including a plurality of cutting tools;

a power source operatively associated with the cutting rotor for rotating the cutting rotor with respect to the frame and operatively associated with at least one of the plurality of ground-engaging components for propelling the road planer; and

an electronic control unit including an operator interface, the electronic control unit programmed with a control system adapted to receive via the operator interface a plurality of variables including a) a depth-of-depression variable; b) a length-of-depression variable; and c) a distance-between-depressions variable, the electronic control unit further configured to operate the height adjustment mechanism in accordance with the plurality of variables.

2. The road planer of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to receive a number-of-depressions variable.

3. The road planer of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to receive a profile-of-depression variable.

4. The road planer of claim 3, wherein the profile-of-depression variable causes the height adjustment mechanism to raise and lower the frame in accordance with one of a curved profile and a trapezoidal profile.

5. The road planer of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to determine one or more parameters regarding operational status of the road planer.

6. The road planer of claim 5, wherein the one or more parameters includes a travel speed of the road planer.

7. The road planer of claim 1, wherein the height adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of adjustable struts each operatively associated with one of the plurality of ground-engaging components.

8. The road planer of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of adjustable struts is adjustable independently of each other.

9. The road planer of claim 8, wherein the plurality of ground-engaging components are selected from the group consisting of track assemblies and wheels.

10. The road planer of claim 1, where in the electronic control unit is further configured with a road planning module adapted to receive a depth-of-cut variable, the electronic control unit further configured to operate the height adjustment mechanism in accordance with the depth-of-cut variable for planning the work surface.

11. A method of forming rumble strips in a work surface with a road planer, the method comprising:

loading a rumble strip forming module in an electronic control unit operatively associated with the road planer upon receiving an activation signal activating the rumble strip forming module;

receiving via an operator interface associated with the electronic control unit a plurality of variables including a) a depth-of-depression variable; b) a length-of-depression variable; and c) a distance-between-depressions variable;

rotating a cutting rotor rotatably mounted to a frame of the road planer; and

adjusting a height adjustment mechanism to raise and lower a frame of the road planer with respect to the work surface in accordance with the plurality of variables.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a number-of-depressions variable.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a profile-of-depression variable.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining one or more parameters about operational status of the road planer, the one or more parameters including a travel speed of the road planer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a milled cut mode whereby the road planer continuously travels during the step of adjusting the height adjustment mechanism.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a depression cut mode whereby the road planer temporally stops during the step of adjusting the height adjustment mechanism.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of:

activating a road planning module in the electronic control unit;

receiving a depth-of-cut variable via the operator interface; and

adjusting the height adjustment mechanism in accordance with the depth-of-cut variable.

18. A computer executable control system for forming rumble strips with a road planer, the control system comprising:

a data structure adapted to receive a plurality of variables from an operator interface relating to the rumble strips, the plurality of variables including a) a depth-of-depression variable; b) a length-of-depression variable; and c) a distance-between-depressions variable; and

computer executable instructions for controlling a height adjustment mechanism on the road planer in accordance with the plurality of variables received in the data structure.

19. The computer executable control system of claim 18, further comprising computer executable instructions for determining one or more parameters regarding operational status of the road planer, and a computer executable algorithm for processing the plurality of variables with the one or more parameters.

20. The computer executable control system of claim 19, wherein the computer executable algorithm determines a travel output of the road planer corresponding to at least one of the length-of-depression variable and the distance-between-depressions variable.