B28C5/422

CONCRETE DRUM CONTROL, PROPERTY PREDICTION, AND MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

A concrete mixer vehicle includes a chassis, a cab, a drum system, and a control system. The drum system includes a mixer drum coupled to the chassis and a drum driver configured to rotate the mixer drum. The control system includes an operator interface disposed within the cab and one or more processing circuits. The operator interface includes a display and a joystick. The one or more processing circuits have programed instructions to control the display to provide a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface provides a graphical representation of the mixer drum, a settings button, a temperature output, a pressure output, a slump output regarding a slump of contents within the mixer drum, a speed output regarding a rotational speed of the mixer drum, a revolution counter regarding a number of revolutions of the mixer drum, and a mode indicator regarding an operational mode of the drum system.

ELECTRIC CONCRETE VEHICLE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

An electrified vehicle includes a chassis, a front axle, a rear axle, a vehicle component including at least one of a pump, a compressor, or an alternator, an energy storage device including a plurality of batteries, and an electromagnetic device coupled to both (a) at least one of the front axle or the rear axle and (b) the vehicle component. The electromagnetic device is powered by the energy storage device and configured to selectively provide a mechanical output to (i) the at least one of the front axle or the rear axle and (ii) the vehicle component.

PROACTIVE AI-DRIVEN CONCRETE-PRODUCTION SYSTEM
20250059101 · 2025-02-20 ·

Embodied within a realm of transformative innovation, a proactive AI-powered system emerges, seamlessly and autonomously managing the addition of chemical admixtures to control and adjust the composition of concrete during production and transport. The system comprises a concrete mixer tank, reservoirs for the chemical admixtures, a mechanism to dispense them as needed, sensors, and proactive AI-based control system, embodying the pinnacle of the proactive intelligent automation. Sensors track the concrete's properties and environmental conditions, and the proactive AI-based control system analyses the sensor data in real time to discern the precise type, quantity, and timing of chemical admixtures required to maintain the optimal properties of the concrete within the mixer tank, ensuring unwavering fidelity to the desired specifications. This autonomous AI-based system aims to produce concrete with minimal water addition, ensuring consistent concrete quality and reducing reliance on manual intervention.

MIXER DRUM DRIVE WITH VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT MOTOR

A drum drive system includes a control system configured to control a prime mover, a variable displacement pump mechanically coupled to the prime mover, and a variable displacement motor fluidly coupled to the variable displacement pump. The control system has programmed instructions to operate the prime mover, the variable displacement motor, and the variable displacement pump to drive a drum of the vehicle; acquire pressure data indicative of a pressure of a fluid flowing between the variable displacement pump and the variable displacement motor; and in response to the pressure of the fluid being below a threshold pressure and while maintaining a drum speed of the drum: increase a pump displacement of the variable displacement pump, reduce a speed of the prime mover, and reduce a motor displacement of the variable displacement motor.

Method to determine or monitor the amount or the distribution of additional material present in a flow of a flowable substance

A method includes the steps of (a) providing a flow of a flowable substance, the flow comprising bulk material and additional material; (b) determining the volume flow of the flow of the flowable substance at one or more detection points X along the flow of the flowable substance; (c) determining a signal caused by the additional material present in the flow of the flowable substance at one or more detection points Y along the flow of the flowable substance, the signal being proportional to the amount of the additional material present in the flow of the flowable substance passing the one or more detection points Y; and (d) converting the signal caused by the additional material present in the flow of the flowable substance into a signal per unit of volume of the flow of the flowable substance.

Probe and Method for Obtaining Rheological Property Value

The probe can include a base and a resistance member extending from the base and onto which a resistance pressure is imparted by a rheological substance when the resistance member is submerged and moved therein. Rheological properties can be obtained using values indicative of the resistance pressure both in a low speed range and in a high speed range.

Monitoring Discharge Pressure on Concrete Mix Load

Disclosed are method and system for treating concrete in mixing drums of delivery vehicles having automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring systems programmed to dose fluids into concrete based on the monitored rheology. The present invention takes into account a Revolution-To-Discharge value (RTD) which reflects drum rotations needed to move concrete towards and through the mixing drum opening from which concrete is discharged, and also takes into consideration a Volume-Per-Revolution-Upon-Discharge (VPRUD) value which reflects the relation between the rate of discharge and rheology (e.g., slump) of concrete upon discharge. The invention is especially useful for reclaiming concrete in the drum after delivery and can confirm rheology based upon peak (maximum) discharge pressure. The present inventors found surprisingly that discharge pressure readings are useful for recalibrating automated rheology monitoring systems as well as for reporting and/or treating the remainder concrete.

CONCRETE MIXER AND CONTROLS THEREFOR

A concrete mixing system includes a vehicle, a rotatable mixing drum coupled to the vehicle, an incline and/or slump sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to effect a change of rotational speed of the rotatable mixing drum in response to a signal from at least one of the sensors indicating an increased likelihood of spillage of concrete from the rotatable mixing drum.

Concrete drum control, property prediction, and monitoring systems and methods

A drum control system includes one or more processing circuits having programed instructions to control a drum assembly to rotate a drum at a first, unmixed speed to mix drum contents received by the drum where the drum contents including ingredients of a concrete mixture, acquire drum contents data indicative of a property of the drum contents from a mixture sensor and monitor the property of the drum contents as the drum rotates, acquire a target property for the drum contents upon delivery, determine a second, mixed speed based at least partially on the target property, and control the drum assembly to rotate the drum at the second, mixed speed in response to determining that the property of the drum contents indicates that the ingredients have been sufficiently mixed.

Batch Mode Soil Improvement
20170072375 · 2017-03-16 · ·

A mixing system for mixing ground or soil with an additive in a batch mode, the mixing system comprising: a moveable mixing device for mixing the ground with an additive, and moving mechanism, such as a moveable arm; a cargo body positioning area for receiving a cargo body; the cargo body positioning area and the moving mechanism being configured in position such that the mixing device can be positioned in the ground through an upper open side of the cargo body; the mixing system furthermore comprising information obtaining system for automated obtaining information regarding the load of the cargo body for allowing the mixing system to mix the ground with the additive, taking into account said information.