BOLSTER MONITORING FOR A THICK MATTER CONVEYING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention discloses, inter alia, a thick matter conveying system (10), comprising a thick matter pump (16) for conveying thick matter, a thick matter distributor boom (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, the thick matter distributor boom (18) having a boom arrangement (40) comprising at least two boom arms (41), a substructure (30) on which the thick matter distributor boom (18) and the thick matter pump (16) are arranged, the substructure (30) comprising a supporting structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) having at least one horizontally and/or vertically movable supporting leg (32), the supporting structure (31) having a stability region with a re-securing threshold and with an upper limit defined by a maximum stability parameter, and the at least one supporting leg (32) being able to be re-secured, a receiving unit (11) for receiving at least one item of operating information, a processing unit (12) for determining a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) depending on the at least one item of operating information received, and a control unit (13) for outputting a first control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) lies above the re-securing threshold, outputting of the first control signal suppressing re-securing of the at least one supporting leg (32).

Claims

1. A thick matter conveying system (10), comprising a thick matter pump (16) for conveying thick matter, a thick matter distributor boom (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, wherein the thick matter distributor boom (18) has a boom arrangement (40) comprising at least two boom arms (41), a substructure (30) on which the thick matter distributor boom (18) and the thick matter pump (16) are arranged, wherein the substructure (30) comprises a supporting structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) with at least one horizontally and/or vertically movable supporting leg (32), wherein the supporting structure (31) has a stability range with a re-securing threshold and with an upper limit defined by a maximum stability parameter, and wherein the at least one supporting leg (32) is able to be re-secured, a receiving unit (11) for receiving at least one item of operating information, a processing unit (12) for determining a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) depending on the at least one item of operating information received, and a control unit (13) outputting a first control signal if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) lies above the re-securing threshold, wherein the outputting of the first control signal suppresses re-securing of the at least one supporting leg (32).

2. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the control unit (13) outputs a second control signal if the determined stability parameter is below the re-securing threshold, wherein the output of the second control signal enables the re-securing of the at least one supporting leg (32).

3. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the control unit (13) outputs a third control signal if the determined stability parameter is above a switch-off threshold, wherein the output of the third control signal causes a setting of the correct operation of the thick matter distributor boom (18).

4. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the receiving unit (11) receives operating information indicative of a horizontal and/or vertical position of the at least one supporting leg, and wherein the processing unit (12) determines the re-securing threshold and/or the switch-off threshold as a function of the operating information indicative of the horizontal and/or vertical position of the at least one supporting leg.

5. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the at least one supporting leg (32) is able to be re-secured repeatedly, preferably a maximum of four times.

6. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 5, wherein the receiving unit (11) receives operating information indicative of an angle of inclination of the substructure (30), wherein the processing unit (12) determines a maximum permitted number of re-securing processes as a function of the received operating information indicative of the angle of inclination of the substructure (30), and wherein the control unit (13) outputs the first control signal if a number of re-securing processes carried out corresponds to the maximum permitted number.

7. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 6, wherein the processing unit (12) determines a maximum permitted number of four re-securing processes if the operating information indicative of the angle of inclination of the substructure (30) characterizes an angle of inclination with a value of a maximum of 1 (12) and/or wherein the processing unit determines a maximum permitted number of three re-securing processes if the operating information indicative of the angle of inclination of the substructure (30) characterizes an angle of inclination with a value of a maximum of 2 and/or wherein the processing unit (12) determines a maximum permitted number of two re-securing processes if the operating information indicative of the angle of inclination of the substructure (30) characterizes an angle of inclination with a value of a maximum of 2.5 and/or wherein the processing unit (12) determines a maximum permitted number of one re-securing process if the operating information indicative of the angle of inclination of the substructure (30) characterizes an angle of inclination with a value of a maximum of 3.

8. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the receiving unit (11) receives operating information which is indicative of one of the following properties: a joint torque of at least one of the boom arms (41), a cylinder force of at least one of the boom arms (41), an angle of inclination of at least one boom arm (41), an actuator force of at least one actuator of a boom arm (41), an operating speed of at least one actuator of a boom arm (41), a load weight on a load attachment point of the thick matter distributor boom (18), a rotational speed of a slewing gear (19), an angle of inclination of the substructure (30), a position of the at least one supporting leg (32), a horizontal leg force of the at least one supporting leg (32), and a vertical leg force of the at least one supporting leg (32).

9. The thick matter conveying system (10) of claim 1, wherein the receiving unit (11) further comprising: a sensor unit for detecting operating information, a communication interface for detecting operating information, or a user interface for detecting operating information.

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

11. A method (100) for operating a thick matter conveying system (10) comprising a thick matter pump (16) for conveying a thick matter, a thick matter distributor boom (18) for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, wherein the thick matter distributor boom (18) has a boom arrangement (40) comprising at least two boom arms (41), a substructure (30) on which the thick matter distributor boom (18) and the thick matter pump (16) are arranged, wherein the substructure (30) comprises a supporting structure (31) for supporting the substructure (30) with at least one horizontally and/or vertically movable supporting leg (32), wherein the supporting structure (31) has a stability range with a re-securing threshold and with an upper limit defined by a maximum stability parameter, and wherein the at least one supporting leg (32) can be re-secured, and comprising a receiving unit (11), a processing unit (12) and a control unit (13), wherein the method comprises the following steps: receiving (101), by the receiving unit (11), at least one item of operating information; determining (102), by the processing unit (12), a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) as a function of the at least one item of operating information received; and outputting (103), by the control unit (13), a first control signal for suppressing re-securing of the at least one supporting leg (32) if the determined stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system (10) is above the re-securing threshold.

12. The method (100) of claim 11, the method further comprising the step: outputting (104), by the control unit (13), a second control signal if the determined stability parameter is below the re-securing threshold, wherein the outputting of the second control signal enables the re-securing of the at least one supporting leg (32).

13. The method (100) of claim 11, the method further comprising the step: outputting (105), by the control unit (13), a third control signal if the determined stability parameter is above a switch-off threshold, wherein the output of the third control signal causes a setting of the correct operation of the thick matter boom (18).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The invention is described in more detail hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings on the basis of advantageous embodiments. In the drawings:

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a

[0059] thick matter conveying system according to the invention in a side view,

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a thick matter conveying system according to the invention in a plan view, and

[0061] FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] A thick matter conveying system 10, which comprises a thick matter pump 16 for conveying a thick matter and a thick matter distributor boom 18 for distributing the thick matter to be conveyed, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in each case, wherein the thick matter distributor boom 18 has a slewing gear 19 which can be rotated about a vertical axis and a boom arrangement 40 comprising boom arms 41. A conveyor pipe 17, which extends via the boom arrangement 40 and which is connected to the thick matter pump 16, is also shown.

[0063] Moreover, the thick matter conveying system 10 comprises a substructure 30 on which the thick matter distributor boom 18 and the thick matter pump 16 are arranged. The substructure 30 has a supporting structure 31 with four supporting legs 32 for supporting the substructure 30. The substructure 30 is shown by way of example arranged on a vehicle 33.

[0064] Moreover, a receiving unit 11, a processing unit 12 and a control unit 13 are provided. The receiving unit 11 is designed to receive at least one item of operating information. For example, to this end the receiving unit can have a sensor unit which in turn by way of example can have for each supporting leg 32 at least one sensor 113 which detects operating information which is indicative of the position of the respective supporting leg 32.

[0065] As a function of the at least one item of operating information received, i.e. for example the detected operating information which is indicative of the positions of the supporting legs 32, the processing unit 12 determines a stability parameter of the thick matter conveying system 10. The stability parameter thus determined is in a stability range within which a re-securing threshold is predetermined. Optionally a switch-off threshold can also be predetermined. Further optionally, the re-securing threshold and/or the switch-off threshold can also be determined as a function of the received operating information which is indicative of the horizontal and/or the vertical position of the at least one supporting leg.

[0066] If the processing unit 12 determines a stability parameter which is below the re-securing threshold, the control unit 13 outputs a first control signal. The first control signal causes a suppression of the re-securing of the at least one supporting leg 32 and, for example, all of the supporting legs 32 of the supporting structure 31. However, it is also conceivable that an individual re-securing threshold is considered for each of the supporting legs 32, for example as a function of the horizontal position of the respective supporting leg 32. By way of example, all of the supporting legs 32 of the supporting structure 31 can be repeatedly re-secured.

[0067] The thick matter conveying system 10 shown in FIG. 2 has four tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54. The tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54 are defined, in particular, by the positions of the supporting legs 32. The greater the distance of the line of action, which considers at least the weight force acting on the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system 10, from the tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54 of the footprint, the greater the stability thereof. The surface area defined by the tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54 describes the footprint. If the overall center of gravity of the thick matter conveying system 10 approaches the edge of the footprint, i.e. one of the tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54, for example with a particularly extensive horizontal deflection of the thick matter distributor boom 18 or when conveying a particularly heavy thick matter through the conveyor pipe 17 which extends via the boom arrangement 40, the stability of the thick matter conveying system 10 is reduced. If the line of action no longer runs within the footprint, the distance of the line of action from one of the tipping edges 51, 52, 53, 54 is less than zero and the stability of the thick matter conveying system is no longer provided.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method 100 for operating a thick matter conveying system 10.

[0069] In a method step 101 the receiving unit 11 receives at least one item of operating information. Similar to the example selected above, this operating information is intended to be indicative of the horizontal position of a supporting leg 32 and characterize, for example, the value and the direction of the horizontal distance of the footprint of the supporting leg 32 in the currently present operating state relative to a zero position in the retracted state.

[0070] As a function of this operating information and/or further operating information received in step 101, the processing unit 12 determines in step 102 a stability parameter of the substructure 30 and thus of the thick matter conveying system 10.

[0071] Then in step 103 the control unit 13 outputs a first control signal if the determined stability parameter is above the re-securing threshold of the stability range of the supporting structure 31. The output of the first control signal causes a suppression of the re-securing of the supporting leg 32.

[0072] Optionally in step 104 the control unit 13 can output a second control signal if the stability parameter determined in step 102 is below the re-securing threshold. The outputting of the second control signal enables the re-securing of the supporting leg 32.

[0073] Further optionally, in step 105 the control unit 13 can output a third control signal if the determined stability parameter is above a switch-off threshold of the stability range of the supporting structure 31. The output of the third control signal enables the re-securing of the supporting leg 32.

[0074] The embodiments of the present invention described in this specification and the optional features and properties respectively set forth in this regard are also intended to be understood as disclosed in all combinations with one another. In particular, the description of a feature encompassed by an embodiment-unless explicitly described differently-in the present case is not intended to be understood such that the feature is vital or essential for the function of the embodiment.