Concrete buildup detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11806895-B2
Application number	US-202117167272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2021
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A concrete mixer system includes a control system configured to provide a first input to a drum drive system to rotate a drum of a concrete mixer at a target speed while the drum is empty and clean, acquire operating data regarding an operating characteristic of the drum drive system to determine a baseline operating characteristic of the drum drive system in response to the first input, provide a second input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at the target speed following one or more uses of the concrete mixer and while the drum is empty, acquire the operating data to determine a current operating characteristic of the drum drive system in response to the second input, and provide a buildup notification indicating that there is a buildup of drum contents within the drum in response to a difference between the baseline operating characteristic and the current operating characteristic exceeding a threshold differential.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A concrete mixer system comprising:
a control system including one or more processors and one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
store a baseline pressure of a working fluid and a temperature threshold for the working fluid;
provide a first input to a drum drive system to rotate a drum of a concrete mixer at a first speed, wherein the drum drive system includes a fluid pump driven by an engine to provide the working fluid to a fluid motor fluidly coupled to the fluid pump to rotate the drum;
acquire temperature data from a temperature sensor indicative of a current temperature of the working fluid as the drum rotates at the first speed;
provide a second input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at a second speed greater than the first speed in response to the current temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature threshold;
acquire pressure data from a pressure sensor indicative of a current pressure of the working fluid as the drum rotates at the second speed; and
provide a buildup notification indicating that there is a buildup of drum contents within the drum in response to a difference between the baseline pressure and the current pressure exceeding a threshold differential.

2. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to continue to provide the first input such that the drum drive system continues to rotate the drum at the first speed in response to the current temperature being less than the temperature threshold.

3. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide a temperature notification in response to the current temperature being less than the temperature threshold.

4. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to perform a buildup detection test, wherein the first input and the second input are part of the buildup detection test, wherein the control system is configured to perform a calibration test including a third input and a fourth input, and wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
provide the third input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at the first speed;
acquire the temperature data from the temperature sensor indicative of the current temperature of the working fluid as the drum rotates at the first speed;
provide the fourth input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at the second speed in response to the current temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature threshold; and
acquire the pressure data from the pressure sensor indicative of the baseline pressure of the working fluid as the drum rotates at the second speed.

5. The concrete mixer system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to at least one of:
(i) continue to provide the third input such that the drum drive system continues to rotate the drum at the first speed in response to the current temperature being less than the temperature threshold; or
(ii) provide a temperature notification in response to the current temperature being less than the temperature threshold.

6. The concrete mixer system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
provide the third input and the fourth input of the calibration test to the drum drive system when the drum is clean and empty; and
provide the first input and the second input to the drum drive system following one or more uses of the drum and when the drum is empty.

7. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , further comprising a display device, wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide the buildup notification on the display device indicating the buildup of the drum contents within the drum.

8. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide the buildup notification to a remote server indicating the buildup of the drum contents within the drum.

9. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , further comprising the concrete mixer, the concrete mixer including the drum and the drum drive system.

10. The concrete mixer system of claim 9 , wherein the concrete mixer is a concrete mixer truck or a stand-alone concrete mixer.

11. The concrete mixer system of claim 9 , wherein the control system is positioned locally on the concrete mixer.

12. The concrete mixer system of claim 9 , wherein the control system is positioned remote from the concrete mixer.

13. The concrete mixer system of claim 9 , wherein the control system includes a first component positioned locally on the concrete mixer and a second component positioned remote from the concrete mixer.

14. The concrete mixer system of claim 1 , further comprising the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is positionable to facilitate monitoring the current temperature of the working fluid, and wherein the pressure sensor is positionable to facilitate monitoring the current pressure of the working fluid.

15. A method for detecting concrete buildup in a concrete mixer, the method comprising:
providing, by a control system, a first input to a drum drive system of the concrete mixer to rotate a drum of the concrete mixer at a target speed while the drum is empty and clean;
acquiring, by the control system from a sensor, first operating data regarding operation of the drum drive system in response to the first input to determine a baseline operating characteristic of the drum drive system;
providing, by the control system, a second input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at the target speed following one or more uses of the concrete mixer and while the drum is empty;
acquiring, by the control system, second operating data regarding operation of the drum drive system in response to the second input to determine a current operating characteristic of the drum drive system;
acquiring, by the control system from a temperature sensor, temperature data regarding a temperature of at least one of a component of the drum drive system or a working fluid within the drum drive system;
refraining, by the control system, from providing the first input and the second input while the temperature does not satisfy a temperature threshold;
at least one of:
(i) providing, by the control system, a temperature notification in response to the temperature not satisfying the temperature threshold; or
(ii) providing, by the control system, a third input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at a nominal speed in response to the temperature not satisfying the temperature threshold; and

providing, by the control system, a buildup notification indicating that there is a buildup of drum contents within the drum in response to a difference between the baseline ope

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Clifton Cody D
• Datema Bryan S
• Wei Zhenyi
• Tesmer Ted

Classifications

• B28C5/422 Primary

  Controlling or measuring devices (B28C5/4227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28C5/4217

  Drives in combination with drum mountings; Drives directly coupled to the axis of rotating drums · CPC title

• B28C5/4272

  with rotating drum rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis, e.g. comprising tilting or raising means for the drum (B28C5/4279 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28C7/026

  by measuring data of the driving system, e.g. rotational speed, torque, consumed power · CPC title

• B01F29/60

  rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis, e.g. drum mixers · CPC title