STABILITY MONITORING FUNCTION FOR A THICK MATTER CONVEYING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to, inter alia, a thick matter conveying system (10) comprising a thick matter pump (16) for conveying a thick matter; a thick matter distributing mast (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, said thick matter distributing mast (18) having a rotary mechanism (19) which can be rotated about a vertical axis and a mast assembly (40) comprising at least two mast arms (41); a substructure (30) on which the thick matter distributing mast (18) and the thick matter pump (16) are arranged, said substructure (30) comprising a support structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) by means of at least one horizontally and/or vertically movable support leg (32); a sensor unit (11) comprising a plurality of sensors (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) for detecting a respective piece of operating information, wherein the sensor unit (11) is at least designed to detect a first piece of operating information which indicates the position of the rotary mechanism (19), a second piece of operating information which indicates the position of at least one of the mast arms (41), a third piece of operating information which indicates the position of the support leg (32), and a fourth piece of operating information which indicates the inclination angle of the thick matter conveying system (10); and a processing unit (12) for determining a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) on the basis of the at least one detected piece of operating information.

Claims

1. A thick matter conveying system (10), having a thick matter pump (16) for conveying thick matter; a thick matter distributor mast (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, wherein the thick matter distributor mast (18) has a slewing gear (19) which is rotatable about a vertical axis, and a mast assembly (40) comprising at least two mast arms (41); a substructure (30) on which are disposed the thick matter distributor mast (18) and the thick matter pump (16), wherein the substructure (30) comprises a support structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) by way of at least one horizontally and vertically displaceable support leg (32); a sensor unit (11) having a plurality of sensors (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) for capturing respectively an item of operational information, wherein the sensor unit (11) captures at least a first item of operational information indicative of a position of the slewing gear (19), a second item of operational information indicative of a position of at least one of the mast arms (41), a third item of operational information indicative of a position of the support leg (32), and a fourth item of operational information indicative of an inclination angle of the thick matter conveying system (10); and a processing unit (12) which determines a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10), depending on the captured items of operational information.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the processing unit (12) calculates a current position of a mast assembly center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system (10), depending on the second captured item of operational information, and determines the stability parameter, depending on the calculated current position of the mast assembly center of gravity.

6. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 5, wherein the processing unit (12) calculates the current position of the mast assembly center of gravity depending on items of operational information indicative of positions of all mast arms (41) of the mast assembly (40).

7. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 6, wherein, if for a mast arm (41) an item of operational information indicative of a position of this mast arm (41) cannot be captured by the sensor unit (11), an item of operational information indicative of the position of this mast arm (41) representing a horizontal inclination of the respective mast arm (41) is taken into account when calculating the current position of the mast assembly center of gravity.

8. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 5, wherein the sensor unit (11) captures a further item of operational information indicative of a type of a thick matter to be conveyed, and wherein the processing unit (12) calculates the current position of the mast assembly center of gravity depending on the further captured item of operational information and/or to determines the stability parameter depending on the further captured item of operational information.

9. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the processing unit (12) calculates a current position of the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system (10) from the captured items of operational information, and determines the stability parameter depending on the calculated current position of the overall center of gravity.

10. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 9, wherein the processing unit (12) calculates the respective spacing of a line of action of at least one force acting on the thick matter conveying system from the tilting edges of the contact surface, and determines the stability parameter depending on the calculated spacing, wherein the at least one force acting on the thick matter conveying system (10) comprises a weight force of the thick matter conveying system (10) acting at the current position of the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system (10).

11. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein further comprising a control unit (13) for outputting a first control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is greater than a maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10), and for outputting a second control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10).

12. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 11, wherein the control unit (13) limits an operating range of the mast assembly (40) to a currently permissible operating range if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is greater than the maximum stability parameter.

13. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein at least two items of operational information of the same type are captured.

14. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (11) captures a further item of operational information indicative of an extension of the thick matter conveying system (10).

15. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (11) captures a further item of operational information indicative of a horizontal or vertical leg force of the support leg (32).

16. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein both the slewing gear (19) and a first mast arm (41) of the mast assembly (40) as well as respective two of the mast arms (41) are respectively connected to one another by way of an articulated joint, and wherein the position of a mast arm (41) is continuously detectable by determining the opening angle of the articulated joint at a proximal end of the mast arm (41).

17. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (11) captures a further item of operational information indicative of a joint torque of a mast arm (41).

18. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 17, wherein the processing unit (12) calculates a load torque based on captured items of operational information indicative of the joint torques of all mast arms (41), and determines the stability parameter depending on the calculated load torque.

19. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the processing unit (12) determines the stability parameter depending on an item of operational information indicative of a currently permissible theoretically maximum load torque.

20. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the thick matter pump (16) comprises a double-piston core pump and a switchable S-pipe having an end which is disposed on an outlet of the thick matter pump and is connectable to a conveying line (17) that extends across the mast assembly, and wherein the sensor unit (11) captures another item of operational information indicative of a pumping speed of the core pump, or a further item of operational information indicative of a switching speed of the S-pipe.

21. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the substructure (30) is disposed on a vehicle (33).

22. A method (100) for operating a thick matter conveying system (10) having a thick matter pump (16) for conveying a thick matter, a thick matter distributor mast (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, a substructure (30) on which are disposed the thick matter distributor mast (18) and the thick matter pump (16), a sensor unit (11) with a plurality of sensors (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) for capturing an item of operational information, respectively, and a processing unit (12), wherein the thick matter distributor mast (18) has a slewing gear (19) which is rotatable about a vertical axis and a mast assembly (40) comprising at least two mast arms (41), and the substructure (30) comprises a support structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) by way of at least one horizontally and vertically displaceable support leg (32), the method comprising the steps: capturing (101) a first item of operational information, indicative of a position of the slewing gear (19); capturing (102) a second item of operational information, indicative of a position of at least one of the mast arms (41); capturing (103) a third item of operational information, indicative of a position of the support leg (32); capturing (104) a fourth item of operational information, indicative of an inclination angle of the thick matter conveying system (10); and determining (106), by the processing unit (12), a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) depending on the captured items of operational information.

23. The method (100) of claim 22, the method further comprising the steps: outputting (107), by a control unit (13) of the thick matter conveying system (10), a first control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is greater than a maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10); and outputting (108), by the control unit (13), a second control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10).

24. The method (100) of claim 23, wherein the outputting (107) of the first control signal comprises: limiting (109) the operating range of the mast assembly (40) to a currently permissible operating range.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The invention will be explained in more detail hereunder with reference to the appended drawings by way of advantageous embodiments. In the figures:

[0084] FIG. 1a shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a thick matter conveying system according to the invention;

[0085] FIG. 1b shows a further schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a thick matter conveying system according to the invention; and

[0086] FIG. 2 shows a schematic flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0087] Shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b are various views of a thick matter conveying system 10. FIG. 1a represents a lateral view and FIG. 1b represents a rear view of a thick matter conveying system 10, wherein in FIG. 1b only a subset of the elements of the thick matter conveying system 10 is reproduced. The thick matter conveying system 10 comprises a thick matter pump 16 for conveying a thick matter, and a thick matter distributor mast 18 for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, wherein the thick matter distributor mast 18 has a slewing gear 19 which is rotatable about a vertical axis (shown in dotted lines) and a mast assembly 40 with mast arms 41. Further illustrated is also a conveying line 17 which extends across the mast assembly 40 and is connected to an end of an S-pipe of the thick matter pump 16 that is disposed on an outlet of the thick matter pump 16.

[0088] Further, the thick matter conveying system 10 comprises a substructure 30 on which are disposed the thick matter distributor mast 18 and the thick matter pump 16. The substructure 30 has a support structure 31 having four support legs 32 for supporting the substructure 30. The substructure 30 by way of example is shown as disposed on a vehicle 33.

[0089] Further provided are a sensor unit 11 and a processing unit 12. The sensor unit 11 is specified to capture first, second, third and fourth items of operational information. The optional capturing of additional items of operational information is likewise illustrated. To this end, the sensor unit 11 can access, for example by way of wired or wireless signal lines, the items of operational information captured by the sensors 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 respectively. FIG. 1b reproduces a possible arrangement of a plurality of sensors 111, 112, 113, 114, 115.

[0090] The angle sensor 111 is specified to capture the first item of operational information, indicative of a position of the slewing gear 19. The position to be captured is presently to be a relative rotation of the slewing gear 19 relative to the substructure 30.

[0091] The position sensor 112 is a sensor that captures the second item of operational information, the latter being representative of a position of a mast arm 41. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, the sensor 112 captures the position of the mast arm by way of the inclination angle of the mast arm to this end. The connection of the mast arm to the slewing gear 19 is configured as a fastening by means of an articulated joint at the proximal end of said mast arm. For the movement of the mast arm, the thick matter distributor mast 18 further comprises at least one suitable actuator which presently is configured as an actuating cylinder. Additionally illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1b are further position sensors 112 which record items of operational information representative of a position of the further mast arms. Accordingly, these are items of operational information which are of the same type as the second item of operational information.

[0092] The leg position sensor 113 is provided for capturing the third item of operational information, indicative of a position of one of the support legs 32. In the process, the horizontal spacing of the set-up surface of the respective support leg 32 in the current operating state in comparison to its zero position in the retracted state is ascertained by the sensor 113. While only one such leg position sensor 113 is illustrated in FIG. 1a, and only two such leg position sensors 113 are illustrated in FIG. 1b, the sensor unit 11 advantageously comprises a respective corresponding sensor for each of the support legs 32, so that a plurality of items of operation information of the same type as the third item of operational information are captured by the sensor unit 11.

[0093] The position sensor 114, which is configured as a spirit level (air level), captures the fourth item of operational information that characterizes an angle of inclination of the thick matter conveying system 10 in relation to the plumb direction.

[0094] The optional sensor 115 is configured as an optical sensor and specified for capturing an extension of the thick matter conveying system 10 as the fifth item of operational information. Presently, the extension by way of example is ascertained by way of the respective vertical spacings of the set-up surface of the support legs 32 in comparison to their zero position.

[0095] The sensor unit 11 can however also additionally have additional sensors to capture further items of operational information, for example, a user interface for capturing an item of operational information indicative of a type of a thick matter to be conveyed by means of user input or pressure sensors to capture a cylinder force of a mast arm 41 or a leg force of a support leg 32. As a result, the sensor unit 11 is then also to be understood as being set up for capturing the corresponding item of operational information.

[0096] The processing unit 12 is specified to determine a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10, depending on the captured items of operational information. The stability parameter characterizes the current stability of the support structure 31 and thus of the thick matter conveying system 10. This can also be done for a definable operating situation, for example before or during a thick matter conveying process. In the present example, the items of operational information taken into account here are the first, second, third, fourth and fifth item of operational information, as well as four further items of operational information (thus one for each mast arm 41) of the same type as the second item of operational information, and three further items of operational information (thus one for each support leg 32) of the same type as the third item of operational information, as described above. Provided to this end for the thick matter conveying system 10 is a corresponding design embodiment of the sensor unit 11 and of the processing unit 12 with hardware and/or software components necessary therefor. For example, the processing unit 12 can thus access data stored in a memory, which comprise items of information pertaining to the respective weight and/or to the respective spatial extent of all components of the thick matter conveying system 10. In the present example, the processing unit 12 determines the stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10 by way of a calculation of the current position of the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system 10.

[0097] Moreover in the present example, an optional control unit 13 of the thick matter conveying system 10 is additionally configured to actuate one or a plurality of components of the thick matter conveying system 10 by way of control signals, depending on the stability parameter determined by the processing unit 12. Accordingly, the control unit 13 is specified for outputting a first control signal if the stability parameter determined by the processing unit 12 is greater than a maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10. In this case, the control unit 13 then limits an operating range of the mast assembly 40 to a currently permissible operating range. Further, the control unit 13 is additionally specified to output a second control signal if the determined stability parameter is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter.

[0098] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method 100 according to the invention.

[0099] In the process steps 101, 102, 103 and 104 and in the optional process step 105, an item of operational information is respectively captured by the sensor unit 11 of the thick matter conveying system 10, for example by the sensors 111, 112, 113, 114 and 115 of the sensor unit 11. The steps 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 can be performed successively or else at least partially in parallel. In step 101, a first item of operational information is captured, indicative of a position of the slewing gear 19. In step 102, a second item of operational information is captured, indicative of a position of at least one of the mast arms 41. In step 103, a third item of operational information is captured, indicative of a position of the support leg 32. In step 104, a fourth item of operational information is captured, indicative of an inclination angle of the thick matter conveying system 10. In the optional step 105, a fifth item of operational information is captured, indicative of an extension of the thick matter conveying system 10.

[0100] Depending on the items of operational information captured in steps 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105, a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10 is determined in step 106 by the processing unit 12. To this end, the processing unit 12 by way of example calculates a current position of the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system 10 from the captured items of operational information, while taking into account the weight and the spatial expansion of all mast arms 41. Further, the mutual positions of the support legs 32, wind surfaces of the structural components, the weights of other components (e.g. of the substructure), as well as defined safety margins or limit values can also be taken into account here.

[0101] Optionally, this is followed by one of steps 107 and 108 here.

[0102] If the stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10 determined by the processing unit 12 is greater than a maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10, a control unit of the thick matter conveying system 10 outputs a first control signal in step 107. By means of such a control signal, the control unit actuates at least one component of the thick matter conveying system 10 and thus acts on an operating parameter of the component. This may comprise, for example, a further step 109 in the form of limiting the operating range of the mast assembly 40 to a currently permissible operating range.

[0103] In the opposite case, that is, in a determination of the stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10 by the processing unit 12 being less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10, the control unit can output a second control signal in a step 108. For example, the control unit can in this way actuate a thick matter pump 16 in that the pumping speed thereof of a core pump of the thick matter pump 16 and/or a switching speed of an S-pipe of the thick matter pump 16 is increased or reduced.

[0104] The embodiments of the present invention described in this specification and the optional features and properties listed respectively in this regard are also to be understood as being disclosed in all combinations with one another. In particular, the description of a feature comprised by an embodiment is presently also not to be understood in such a way that the feature is crucial or essential for the functioning of the embodimentunless explicitly stated to the contrary.