IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,353,489
Granted Patent B1
US 9,353,489 · App. 14/339,681 · Granted May 31, 2016

Apparatus and method for asphalt control system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,353,489
App. No.
14/339,681
Granted
May 31, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system for controlling the production of an asphalt mix. The preferred system comprises a recycled asphalt pavement source, a recycled asphalt pavement sensor, a liquid asphalt cement source, a liquid asphalt cement meter, and a controller. The recycled asphalt pavement sensor communicates the amount of recycled liquid asphalt cement and the amount of RAP moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the controller, the liquid asphalt cement meter communicates the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source to the controller, and the controller controls the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and the amount of the liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source. A method comprising controlling the amount of recycled asphalt pavement and the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided to the asphalt mix substantially continuously and substantially in real time.

Claims (38)

1. A system for controlling the production of an asphalt mix, said system comprising:

a. a recycled asphalt pavement source, said recycled asphalt source being adapted to provide an amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the asphalt mix;

b. a recycled asphalt pavement sensor, said recycled asphalt pavement sensor being adapted to determine an amount of recycled liquid asphalt cement contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and an amount of recycled asphalt pavement (“RAP”) moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source;

c. a liquid asphalt cement source, said liquid asphalt cement source being adapted to provide an amount of liquid asphalt cement to the asphalt mix;

d. a liquid asphalt cement meter, said liquid asphalt cement meter being adapted to determine the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source;

e. a controller, said controller being adapted to communicate with the recycled asphalt pavement source, the recycled asphalt pavement sensor, the liquid asphalt cement source, and the liquid asphalt cement meter;

wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor communicates the amount of recycled liquid asphalt cement contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement and the amount of RAP moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the controller; and wherein the liquid asphalt cement meter communicates the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source to the controller; and

wherein the controller controls the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and the amount of the liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement source comprises a RAP bin.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement source comprises a RAP screen.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement source comprises a RAP scale.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor comprises a microwave sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor comprises a radioactive material-based sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the liquid asphalt cement source comprises a tank.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the liquid asphalt cement source comprises a pump.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor communicates the amount of recycled liquid asphalt cement contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement and the amount of RAP moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the controller substantially continuously and substantially in real time; and wherein the liquid asphalt cement meter communicates to the controller the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source substantially continuously and substantially in real time; and wherein the controller controls the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and the amount of the liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source substantially continuously and substantially in real time.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

e. an aggregate material source, said aggregate material source being adapted to provide an amount of aggregate material to the asphalt mix;

f. an aggregate material sensor, said aggregate material sensor being adapted to determine an amount of aggregate moisture contained in the amount of aggregate material provided by the aggregate material source;

wherein the aggregate material sensor communicates the amount of aggregate moisture contained in the amount of aggregate material to the controller; and wherein the controller controls the amount of the aggregate material provided by the aggregate material source.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregate material source comprises an aggregate bin.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregate material source comprises an aggregate screen.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregate material source comprises an aggregate scale.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregate material sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregate material sensor comprises a microwave sensor.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregate material sensor comprises a radioactive material-based sensor.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the aggregate material sensor communicates the amount of aggregate moisture contained in the amount of aggregate material to the controller substantially continuously and substantially in real time; and wherein the controller controls the amount of the aggregate material provided by the aggregate material source substantially continuously and substantially in real time.

20. A method for controlling the production of an asphalt mix, said method comprising:

a. providing a system for controlling the production of the asphalt mix, said system comprising:

(i) a recycled asphalt pavement source, said recycled asphalt source being adapted to provide an amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the asphalt mix;

(ii) a recycled asphalt pavement sensor, said recycled asphalt pavement sensor being adapted to determine an amount of liquid asphalt cement contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and an amount of recycled asphalt pavement (“RAP”) moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source;

(iii) a liquid asphalt cement source, said liquid asphalt cement source being adapted to provide an amount of liquid asphalt cement to the asphalt mix;

(iv) a liquid asphalt cement meter, said liquid asphalt cement meter being adapted to determine the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source;

(v) a controller, said controller being adapted to communicate with the recycled asphalt pavement source, the recycled asphalt pavement sensor, the liquid asphalt cement source, and the liquid asphalt cement meter;

 wherein the recycled asphalt pavement sensor communicates the amount of recycled liquid asphalt cement contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement and the amount of RAP moisture contained in the amount of recycled asphalt pavement to the controller; and wherein the liquid asphalt cement meter communicates the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source to the controller; and wherein the controller controls the amount of recycled asphalt pavement provided by the recycled asphalt pavement source and the amount of the liquid asphalt cement provided by the liquid asphalt cement source;

b. controlling the amount of recycled asphalt pavement and the amount of liquid asphalt cement provided to the asphalt mix substantially continuously and substantially in real time.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: ASTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.; ASTEC, INC.; ASTEC MOBILE SCREENS, INC.; BREAKER TECHNOLOGY, INC.; CARLSON PAVING PRODUCTS, INC.; JOHNSON CRUSHERS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; KOLBERG-PIONEER, INC.; POWER FLAME INCORPORATED; ROADTEC, INC.; TELSMITH, INC.; TERRASOURCE GLOBAL CORPORATION; CMI/CSI LLC; TABOR MACHINE COMPANY, LLC; ELGIN POWER AND SEPARATION SOLUTIONS, LLC; ELGIN SEPARATION SOLUTIONS INDUSTRIALS, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 071787/0859 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 062153/0169 Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ASTEC, INC.; ASTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.; ROADTEC, INC.; TELSMITH, INC.; CARLSON PAVING PRODUCTS, INC.; KOLBERG-PIONEER, INC.; BREAKER TECHNOLOGY, INC.; POWER FLAME INCORPORATED; ASTEC MOBILE SCREENS, INC.; JOHNSON CRUSHERS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; GEFCO, INC.
Reel/Frame 071787/0926 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2022
From: ASTEC, INC.; ASTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.; ROADTEC, INC.; TELSMITH, INC.; CARLSON PAVING PRODUCTS, INC.; KOLBERG-PIONEER, INC.; BREAKER TECHNOLOGY, INC.; POWER FLAME INCORPORATED; ASTEC MOBILE SCREENS, INC.; JOHNSON CRUSHERS INTERNATIONAL, INC.; GEFCO, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 062153/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2014
From: SWANSON, MALCOLM L.
To: ASTEC, INC.
Reel/Frame 033528/0850 →