Patent US5762447A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5762447A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus of continuously measuring heat quantity need to melt snow lying on road and prevent freezing of road
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1997-01-06
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Granted: 1998-06-09
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Expires: 2017-01-06
Abstract
Abstract In order to provide an integral whole unit for continuously measuring the quantity of heat needed to melt snow lying on a road, and prevent freezing of the road; and for controlling a supply of heat to the road for melting the snow lying on the road and for preventing the freezing of the road, it uses a road-simulated device. The road-simulated device is put outdoors while it is snowing, and it is heated and kept at a temperature of -0° C., thus keeping the road-simulated surface free of snows, and preventing the freezing of the road-simulated surface. In this condition the thermal energy required to keep the simulated road surface unfrozen is determined, and every control variable is determined on the basis of this so determined thermal energy.
Inventors
- 👤 Kunio Hachiki
- 👤 Junichi Yamazaki
- 👤 Tadayuki Yamada
- 👤 Satoshi Yasumoto
- 👤 Masaaki Hagiwara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:26
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01C; E01C11/00; E01C11/24; E01C11/245
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of preventing freezing of a road surface which comprises the steps of: a) disposing a thermal quantity measuring device outdoors in ambient conditions, which device comprises: a road-simulating plane; electric heaters and temperature sensors embedded in said road-simulating-plane, respectively at upper, intermediate and lower levels; a further temperature sensor adapted to detect atmospheric temperature; means for detecting falling of snow and for detecting snow lying on the road-simulating plane, and means for determining the water content of the snow on said plane by melting the snow; b) supplying sufficient electric power to said electric heaters to keep said road-simulating plane unfrozen at -0° C. under said ambient conditions; c) from the amount of said supplied electric power, determining a quantity of heat needed to prevent freezing of the road-simulating plane, which is equal to the quantity of heat needed to keep the road-simulating plane at -0° C.; d) disposing a road conditioning installation in operative association with a road under said ambient conditions; and e) controlling said road conditioning installation, relative to said quantity of heat determined in step c), to supply thermal energy to a surface of said road sufficient to keep the road in an unfrozen condition.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of preventing freezing of a road surface which comprises the steps of: a) disposing a thermal quantity measuring device outdoors in ambient conditions, which device comprises: a road-simulating plane; electric heaters and temperature sensors embedded in said road-simulating-plane, respectively at upper, intermediate and lower levels; a further temperature sensor adapted to detect atmospheric temperature; means for detecting falling of snow and for detecting snow lying on the road-simulating plane, and means for determining the water content of the snow on said plane by melting the snow; b) supplying sufficient electric power to said electric heaters to keep said road-simulating plane unfrozen at -0° C. under said ambient conditions; c) from the amount of said supplied electric power, determining a quantity of heat needed to prevent freezing of the road-simulating plane, which is equal to the quantity of heat needed to keep the road-simulating plane at -0° C.; d) disposing a road conditioning installation in operative association with a road under said ambient conditions; and e) controlling said road conditioning installation, relative to said quantity of heat determined in step c), to supply thermal energy to a surface of said road sufficient to keep the road in an unfrozen condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4305681A
Cited
JPS63274838A
Cited
US5062736A
Cited
JPH02173536A
Cited
JPH0551911A
Cited
JPH0551910A
Cited
JPH0565702A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-08 | 2001-12-08 | 2002-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-08 | 2005-12-08 | 2006-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-08 | 2009-12-08 | 2010-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |