Fail-safe stability monitoring for thick material delivery systems

Abstract

The invention relates in particular to a thick material conveying system (10) having a thick material pump (16) for conveying thick material, a thick material distribution mast (18) for distributing the thick material to be conveyed, the thick material distribution mast (18) having a swivel mechanism (19) rotatable about a vertical axis and a mast arrangement (40) comprising at least two mast arms (41), a lower structure (30) on which the thick material distribution mast (18) and the thick material pump (16) are arranged, the lower structure (30) comprising a support mechanism (31) for supporting the lower structure (30) by means of at least one support leg (32) movable horizontally and / or vertically, a sensor unit (11) having at least one sensor for acquiring operating information, and a processing unit (12) for determining a stability parameter of the thick material conveying system (10) from the acquired at least one operating information and for establishing an orderly operation of the sensors of the sensor unit (11) acquiring the at least one operating information. If the processing unit (12) does not establish an orderly operation of the sensors, the processing unit (12) is set to determine the stability parameter not from the acquired operating information but from an extreme value of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates particularly to a thick material conveying system and a method for operating the thick material conveying system, the thick material conveying system having a thick material pump, a thick material distribution mast, a lower structure, a sensor unit and a processing unit. Background Technology

[0002] Commonly used thick material conveying systems are known from existing technology. To monitor their stability, different operating parameters are observed, and when these parameters exceed critical values, the thick material conveying system can be controlled in a predetermined manner and method to respond accordingly, typically setting up the overall orderly operation of the thick material conveying system. This is problematic when observing the operating parameters required for stability monitoring is impossible or unreliably feasible, for example, when the sensors for the operating parameters to be acquired are faulty. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved viscous material conveying system and an improved method for operating the viscous material conveying system, in view of the above background.

[0004] The solution according to the invention lies in the features of the independent claim. Advantageous improvements are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0005] The present invention discloses a viscous material conveying system comprising: a viscous material pump for conveying viscous material; a viscous material distribution mast for distributing viscous material to be conveyed, the viscous material distribution mast having a rotating mechanism rotatable about a vertical axis and a mast assembly including at least two mast arms; a lower structure having the viscous material distribution mast and the viscous material pump mounted thereon, the lower structure including a support mechanism for supporting the lower structure by means of at least one leg movable horizontally and / or vertically; a sensor unit having at least one sensor for acquiring operational information; and a processing unit for determining stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system based on the acquired at least one operational information and for establishing orderly operation of the sensors of the sensor unit that acquire at least one operational information, wherein if the processing unit does not establish orderly operation of the sensors, the processing unit is configured to determine the stability parameters based on the extreme values ​​of the operational information to be acquired by the sensors, rather than based on the acquired operational information.

[0006] The viscous material conveying system according to the present invention is, for example, a vehicle-mounted concrete pump.

[0007] This invention relates to a particularly advantageous design for a viscous material conveying system, wherein, in order to determine stability, the operational information to be considered here is additionally determined and thus examined based on stability parameters to determine whether it also comes from sensors operating normally. If it is determined that the sensors acquiring the operational information are not actually operating in an orderly manner, then, for conservative estimation, the extreme value of the operational information actually acquired by the non-operating sensors is considered in the determination, excluding the acquired operational information. This extreme value indicates the position of the component where the processing unit will determine the maximum stability parameter and thus the minimum stability. Therefore, for components of the viscous material conveying system (whose characteristics should be characterized by operational information acquired by sensors not operating in an orderly manner), it is assumed that their impact on stability is minimized to the greatest extent. Thus, the extreme value should characterize the "worst-case" impact of the component on the stability of the viscous material conveying system.

[0008] This invention recognizes that by determining whether the sensors acquiring operational information are operating in perfect order, it is possible to avoid considering operational information provided by faulty sensors and thus considered unreliable when determining stability. Furthermore, the subsequent determination of the correlation between the stability parameters required in this case and the extreme values ​​of the aforementioned operational information to be observed achieves this: Nevertheless, a convincing and reliable determination of the stability of the viscous material conveying system as a whole can be made, thus ensuring the most efficient continued operation of the individual components of the viscous material conveying system. In this way, fail-safe stability monitoring can be achieved without the need for redundancy of components, especially complex sensing devices. For stability reasons, it is possible to avoid what would otherwise be a complete shutdown of the viscous material conveying system. Shutdown is generally undesirable because in this case, concrete must usually be pumped back into the pipeline, which often results in damage due to the rapid hardening of concrete. Furthermore, shutting down the concrete pump makes access to the concrete pouring site difficult. Moreover, the possibility of avoiding shutdown is particularly advantageous in such concrete pouring operations that must be completed as a single unit, for which additional concrete pumps must usually be kept in place to protect critical concrete materials. Therefore, efficient operation can be achieved without unnecessary interruptions. Therefore, the maintenance of sensors that cannot operate normally is not immediately necessary, but can be carried out within the usual inspection intervals, which significantly extends the potential service life of the viscous material conveying system.

[0009] The following section will first explain some concepts: Thick materials are a broader concept for media that are difficult to transport. Thick materials can be, for example, substances with coarse-grained components, substances with corrosive components, or the like. Thick materials can also be loose materials. In one embodiment, the thick material is fresh concrete. Fresh concrete may contain particles up to 30 mm in size, which bind together, form deposits in dead spaces, and are difficult to transport for these reasons. An exemplary thick material is one with a density of 800 kg / m³. 3 Up to 2300kg / m 3 Concrete with a density greater than 2300 kg / m³ 3 Heavy concrete with high density.

[0010] The pump for thick materials may include a core pump with two, for example, exactly two delivery cylinders. The pump then alternately switches from the first delivery cylinder to the second delivery cylinder and vice versa. An S-tube can periodically switch between the delivery cylinders. Additionally, an auxiliary cylinder may be provided to bridge each transition section.

[0011] The S-shaped tube is a movable tube segment that is used by the conveying cylinder to alternately connect to the outlet of the viscous material pump. The tube segment and the auxiliary cylinder can be components of a structural unit that is detachably connected to the viscous material pump. This simplifies the maintenance and cleaning of the viscous material pump.

[0012] The rotating mechanism can rotate about a vertical axis, such as the central axis of the rotating mechanism, for example, by 360 degrees. The rotating mechanism may include at least one actuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, electromechanical actuator, or a combination of multiple different types of actuators, which can be used to change the position of the rotating mechanism relative to the lower structure. For this purpose, the rotating mechanism typically includes a hydraulic motor and a pinion with a planetary gear transmission mechanism.

[0013] The mast assembly includes at least two mast arms, but may also include three, four, or five mast arms. Typically, the mast assembly includes three to seven mast arms. A first mast arm is connected to a swivel mechanism at its proximal end and to the proximal end of an adjacent mast arm at its distal end. One or more additional mast arms are arranged side-by-side and are each connected to the distal end of an adjacent mast arm at its proximal end. The distal end of the mast assembly corresponds here to the distal end of the last mast arm in the arrangement, which has no further connection at its distal end. The distal end of the last mast arm in the arrangement defines a possible load suspension point.

[0014] Here, the mast arms are interconnected by mast hinges such that the mast arms can move independently of the other mast arms, at least in one dimension. Each mast arm is equipped with a mast hinge at its proximal end.

[0015] The first mast arm is connected to the rotating mechanism via its mast hinge in such a way that when the rotating mechanism rotates about its vertical axis, the first mast arm (or the entire mast assembly in this embodiment) also rotates about that axis. For example, the mast arm is fastened to the rotating mechanism such that it can move independently of the rotating mechanism, for example, only in the vertical direction, and can rotate, for example, via its mast hinge. It is also conceivable that the mast arm has a telescopic function and can be extended or shortened telescopically and steplessly along its longitudinal axis. The mast arm can be adjusted, for example, such that at least the distal end of the mast arm can move in at least one of three spatial directions (x, y, and z directions).

[0016] Optionally or additionally, the mast arm is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. For example, the mast arm includes at least one actuator for its mast hinge, such as a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, electromechanical actuator, or a combination of multiple different types of actuators, which allows the mast arm to change its orientation relative to at least one other mast arm, particularly a mast arm connected at its proximal end. The actuator may, for example, be configured to pivot the mast arm about a horizontal axis extending, for example, through its mast arm joint, and / or translate the mast arm in one, two, or all spatial directions.

[0017] Optionally or additionally, the mast arm may have an additional actuator by means of which the mast arm can, for example, extend or retract or rotate telescopically.

[0018] The substructure is a frame, such as a chassis, on which a viscous material distribution mast and a viscous material pump are mounted. For example, the viscous material distribution mast and / or the viscous material pump are secured to the substructure. The substructure can be constructed as stationary, such as a platform, or as mobile (e.g., as a vehicle). By arranging the viscous material distribution mast and the viscous material pump on the substructure, the entire viscous material conveying system can be constructed particularly compactly as a single unit, and for example, in the form of a truck-mounted concrete pump.

[0019] The substructure includes a support mechanism for supporting the substructure, the support mechanism having at least one outrigger capable of horizontal and / or vertical movement. The outrigger in a viscous material conveying system is a component of the support mechanism, which is used to improve the stability of the viscous material conveying system. Here, the impact of the support mechanism on stability is particularly related to the individual arrangement and support of the outriggers. For this purpose, the outriggers can be supported on the ground using support plates. Typically, four outriggers are provided in the support mechanism.

[0020] The viscous material conveying system includes devices for implementing or controlling the method according to the invention. These devices particularly include sensor units and processing units, but may also include a control unit for the viscous material conveying system, and can be configured as separate hardware and / or software components or integrated in different combinations. The devices include, for example, at least one memory having program instructions of a computer program and at least one processor configured to implement the program instructions from at least one memory.

[0021] The sensor unit is configured to acquire at least one piece of operational information, particularly automatically and independently of user input. It is conceivable that the operational information is acquired repeatedly at preset time intervals. For example, the acquisition of operational information can be performed by measuring a measurement parameter characterizing that operational information. For this purpose, the sensor unit may include one or more sensors of the same or different types. Exemplary sensors are angle measurement sensors (e.g., for acquiring the position of a rotating mechanism), force and pressure sensors (e.g., for acquiring cylinder forces on mast hinges, forces acting on actuators of the mast arm, or leg forces of outriggers), position sensors for acquiring the orientation of the mast arm or the position of the outriggers (e.g., sensors from satellite-assisted positioning systems such as GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo), orientation sensors (e.g., levels or tilt sensors for acquiring the tilt angle of the mast arm), electrical sensors (e.g., inductive sensors), optical sensors (e.g., gratings, laser sensors, or 2D scanners), or acoustic sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors or vibration sensors). Operational information can also be acquired through the combined action of multiple sensors within the sensor unit.

[0022] Optionally or additionally, the sensor unit may also include one or more (e.g., wireless) communication devices, through which operational information acquired (e.g., externally) can be received at the sensor unit or preset.

[0023] The processing unit should be understood as being configured to determine stability parameters for the viscous material conveying system. This should be based on at least one, and in particular all, acquired operational information. For this purpose, the processing unit may, for example, access information acquired by the sensor unit. Determining the stability parameters should also be understood as including calculating the stability parameters while taking into account the pre-defined and assumed constant characteristics of the components of the viscous material conveying system, such as their mass or spatial extent.

[0024] The orderly operation of a component is understood to be as follows: as is the case in principle and conventionally set for the component in the field, and designed for this component under typically existing conditions. For example, in the orderly operation of a component, a specific energy supply is set for the component.

[0025] It is proposed that the processing unit is configured to determine the orderly operation of the sensors that acquire at least one piece of operational information. Here, the processing unit should verify whether orderly operation of the sensors exists. Measures for determining orderly operation are known to those skilled in the art. For example, the processing unit may use multiple criteria to exclude orderly operation for this purpose. Therefore, the sensors may include two measurement systems that compare their acquired values ​​to obtain operational information. Optionally or additionally, the processing unit may also perform a reliability check, wherein the processing unit determines whether the operational information acquired by the sensors is physically meaningful. The processing unit may also, for example, verify the energy supply of the sensors and exclude orderly operation in the event of uncommon deviations. Similarly, it is conceivable that operational information is acquired directly and sequentially, and the processing unit excludes orderly operation when the deviation of the measured value exceeds a preset maximum permissible deviation, the measured value indicating the separately acquired operational information.

[0026] It is generally accepted that the greater the distance between the line of action of all forces acting on a viscous material conveying system and the overturning edge of the supporting surface, the higher the stability of the viscous material conveying system. However, reliable conclusions about stability can already be drawn based on at least considering the line of action of gravity acting on the viscous material conveying system. The more actual forces considered in the line of action, the more accurately this conclusion can be drawn. Therefore, the stability of a viscous material conveying system can be particularly advantageously characterized by a stability parameter representing the distance between the line of action and the overturning edge of the supporting surface. This stability parameter lies within a predetermined or dynamically determined stability region where the distance between the line of action and each overturning edge is greater than or equal to zero, preferably with a safety margin also considered. The stability of the viscous material conveying system is given within this stability region. The upper limit of the stability region is defined by a maximum stability parameter. A maximum stability parameter exists when the distance between the line of action and one of the overturning edges is zero. Correspondingly, the distance between the line of action and at least one of the overturning edges decreases as the stability parameter increases. Above the upper limit, the distance is less than zero and no longer provides stability for the viscous material conveying system. It is conceivable that, for example, taking into account the constant assumed characteristics of the components of the viscous material conveying system under consideration, a stability region can be pre-defined or determined for each operating condition of the viscous material conveying system. For example, for this purpose, a support surface can be pre-defined or determined for each possible arrangement of the support mechanism, for example, by pre-defining or determining the support of the outriggers.

[0027] The distance between the line of action and one of the flipped edges, and the orientation of the line of action, are respectively related to at least the gravity of the viscous material conveying system and can be calculated, for example, by the processing unit. The orientation of the line of action may have vertical and horizontal directional components and depends on the values ​​of one or more acting directions and / or additional forces. For example, the one or more forces to be considered here may be preset or selectable by the user (e.g., by means of a suitable user interface). If, for example, only the gravity of the viscous material conveying system is considered, the line of action corresponds to a vertical line extending through the total center of gravity. The orientation of the line of action is then the same as the orientation of the vertical line. If the orientation of the line of action additionally depends on a force having a horizontal component, such as a wind force acting laterally on the viscous material conveying system, then the orientation of the line of action also includes at least one horizontal component, and its orientation differs from that of the vertical line. It is conceivable that the orientation of the line of action depends on one or more additional forces in this way, such that the processing unit can preferably adapt the orientation only when one or more specific conditions occur, such as the prevailing wind force in the operation of the viscous material conveying system, stepwise, for example, in preset directions with preset values. It can also be imagined that the orientation of the line of action depends on the direction and / or value of one or more, preferably all, of the force information acquired by the sensor unit and indicating the force's operation.

[0028] The operating information indicates and represents one of several possible characteristics and operating parameters of the components of the viscous material conveying system. Therefore, it should be possible to assign operating information to the components. This characteristic or operating parameter can be characterized, for example, by measuring parameters. Here, this could be a characteristic or operating parameter that becomes apparent before or after the start of conveying.

[0029] Instead of acquiring operational information, extreme values ​​of the operational information acquired by the sensors should be considered when determining stability parameters, if necessary. These extreme values ​​should be understood as hypothetical operational information acquired by the sensor at a location associated with its component, where the processing unit determines the maximum stability parameter and thereby the minimum stability. Extreme values ​​can be either minimum or maximum values. The extreme values ​​of the operational information may additionally depend on one or more other operational information. For example, multiple extreme values ​​may exist for the operational information, where the extreme value to be considered depends particularly on the instantaneous values ​​of other operational information. Such extreme values ​​may be stored, for example, in the processing unit for each sensor in the sensor unit.

[0030] In one embodiment, the viscous material conveying system includes a communication interface and / or a first user interface, wherein the communication interface and the user interface are respectively configured to acquire extreme values ​​or extreme value ranges of operating information to be acquired by sensors.

[0031] Such a communication interface may include one or more (e.g., wireless) communication devices through which extreme values ​​acquired externally and input by a user to a user terminal device are received from the viscous material conveying system in a manner known to those skilled in the art. A range of extreme values ​​can also be specified. In this case, the processing unit can select extreme values ​​from the acquired range to determine stability parameters, for example, by means of a preset selection rule. For example, when multiple possible extreme values ​​exist for the operational information to be acquired, the processing unit can therefore select extreme values ​​specifically based on one or more other operational information.

[0032] If a user interface is provided for acquiring extreme values ​​of operational information to be acquired by a sensor, the user interface can be constructed as at least one button, keypad, keyboard, mouse, display unit (e.g., monitor), microphone, touch-sensitive display unit (e.g., touchscreen), camera, and / or touch-sensitive surface (e.g., touchpad). For example, extreme values ​​can be acquired by obtaining user input at the user interface.

[0033] This represents an alternative approach in which the processing unit can gain access to the extreme values ​​that it needs to consider when necessary.

[0034] Furthermore, the viscous material conveying system may have at least one second user interface for publishing instantaneous values ​​of operating information to be acquired by sensors, wherein the communication interface or the first user interface is configured to acquire instantaneous values ​​of operating information to be acquired by sensors, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine stability parameters based on the instantaneous values ​​of operating information to be acquired by sensors.

[0035] Instantaneous values ​​should be understood as operational information acquired by the sensor at the point in time during measurement, assuming orderly operation. These instantaneous values ​​may correspond, for example, to a momentarily existing measured value or range, indicated by user information to be acquired by the sensor. For instance, the instantaneous value of the operational information to be acquired by the sensor can be queried via the sensor's second user interface.

[0036] With the aid of a second user interface, the user should have the ability to access, for example, read instantaneous values ​​independently of the sensor. Accordingly, the second user interface can be implemented as a display. For example, a viscous material conveying system has one or more second user interfaces in the form of scales arranged on the components, each scale representing an instantaneous value. The user can then read the instantaneous value. The instantaneous value can then be accessed by the processing unit, for example, via a communication interface or a first user interface through appropriate user input. The processing unit then considers this instantaneous value when determining stability.

[0037] This can be done, for example, in the form that if the processing unit does not establish the orderly operation of the sensor, then when the instantaneous value is less than the maximum extreme value or greater than the minimum extreme value, the stability parameter is determined based on the instantaneous value rather than the extreme value.

[0038] For example, the sensor unit includes at least one position sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the position of one of the mast arms.

[0039] This may involve absolute position, i.e., location and / or orientation, or it may also involve the relative position of the mast arm. Position, for example, can be obtained by means of a tilt sensor, in the form of the mast arm's tilt angle relative to the vertical direction. The relative position can be characterized by the position of the mast arm compared to another mast arm connected to its proximal end. In the case of a first mast arm connected to a rotating mechanism, this can be the relative position to the vertical axis of the rotating mechanism. Because the dimensions of the mast arm and the positions of the mast arm or rotating mechanism to be associated are known, the position of the mast arm can already be definitively determined by obtaining the relative position, such as the tilt angle.

[0040] Preferably, the first mast arms of the rotating mechanism and the mast assembly are interconnected via hinge joints, and the two mast arms are interconnected via hinge joints, wherein the position of the mast arms can be continuously detected, particularly by determining the opening angle of the mast arms. For example, the opening angle can be determined by comparing the tilt angles of the mast arms connected via the hinge joints. Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to limit the operating range of the mast assembly to the currently permissible opening angle by means of the pivotability of the mast arms. It is also conceivable that all hinge joints have hinge axes parallel to each other. Moreover, the hinge joints can each have a maximum opening angle of 120 degrees, preferably 150 degrees and particularly preferably 180 degrees. However, opening angles between 180 and 235 degrees, up to 270 degrees, or up to 360 degrees are also considered.

[0041] This is a particularly simple and functional implementation of the connection between mast arms or between a mast arm and a rotating mechanism, in which a large range of motion is maintained for dispensing viscous materials. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor unit can obtain the mast arm position particularly easily by deriving the corresponding tilt angle. This avoids the need for complex and extensive sensing devices for obtaining the mast arm position.

[0042] Preferably, the sensor unit includes at least one leg position sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the position of the outrigger.

[0043] The outrigger design allows for a particularly simple increase in the support surface and the stability region with respect to at least one overturning edge. Therefore, the position of at least one outrigger is particularly persuasive in determining stability parameters. Specifically, the directions of the horizontal distance of the support surface relative to the zero position in the retracted state and the horizontal distance of the outrigger relative to that zero position in each current operating state are derived. Furthermore, the vertical distance can also be derived and considered. It is also conceivable that the leg position sensor be implemented as a GPS sensor.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the sensor unit includes at least one angle sensor for acquiring operating information for indicating the position of the rotating mechanism.

[0045] This characteristic is considered for incorporating the asymmetric orientation of the support mechanism or its operation on inclined ground, and thus the asymmetry of the support surface, into the determination of stability parameters.

[0046] Preferably, the sensor unit includes at least one orientation sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the tilt angle of the viscous material conveying system.

[0047] The tilt angle should be the angle of the viscous material conveying system relative to the vertical direction. Here, a maximum permissible tilt angle can be preset for the viscous material conveying system. If the viscous material conveying system operates at an angle on an inclined plane, then at least the direction of the line of action of gravity acting on the viscous material conveying system can be changed, and therefore the distance between the line of action and the tipping edge can also change. Therefore, including the tilt angle of the viscous material conveying system is particularly persuasive when determining stability parameters.

[0048] Advantageously, the sensor unit includes at least one distance sensor for acquiring operating information indicating the extension stroke of the viscous material conveying system.

[0049] When the thick material conveying system is supported by its support mechanism, such as the outriggers of the support mechanism, there will be an extension stroke. Furthermore, the observed extension stroke can be further characterized, for example, by its height. This can be defined, for example, by the magnitude of the vertical distance of the support surface of the outrigger relative to, for example, a preset zero position. Optionally or additionally, the vertical distance of other components of the thick material conveying system, such as the substructure, is also considered. The extension stroke can also be determined by exceeding a preset threshold of the acquired vertical leg force. If the thick material conveying system is constructed as a truck-mounted concrete pump, the extension stroke can also be characterized by measuring the spring travel of the axle. The existence of the extension stroke has an impact on the orientation of the overall center of gravity and therefore on the stability of the thick material conveying system. First, by acquiring the extension stroke, it can be ensured that the mass portion of the thick material conveying system under observation is not elastically loaded on the ground and cannot be considered as a counterweight if necessary. Therefore, considering the extension stroke allows for a more accurate determination of stability parameters.

[0050] Optionally, the sensor unit includes at least one leg force sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the horizontal or vertical leg force of the outriggers. Additionally, the sensor unit may include at least one sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the load torque of one, more, or all mast booms.

[0051] Horizontal or vertical leg force should be understood as the horizontal or vertical force acting on the outriggers. For example, the load moment of a mast arm is indicated by its hinge moment. The hinge moment of a mast arm is the moment acting on its mast hinges. This represents a moment that depends particularly on the total weight of the mast assembly, wind load, the weight of the viscous material to be conveyed, or also on the weight corresponding to the peak mast load acting at the distal end of the first mast arm of the mast assembly. The hinge moment can be inferred, for example, by measuring the cylinder force or cylinder pressure acting on the actuators of the mast arm in combination with one or more other measurements (e.g., the measurement of the corresponding hinge angle). For example, the hinge moment of the mast arm can be calculated using a transfer function from the hinge angles and cylinder forces of the mast hinges of each mast arm. These characteristics allow for the reliable determination of stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system. This, in turn, enables the drawing of reliable conclusions regarding the stability of the viscous material conveying system.

[0052] Additionally, the processing unit can be configured to calculate the load torque based on acquired operating information indicating the articulation torque of all mast arms, and to determine stability parameters based on the calculated load torque. In this way, the processing unit can, for example, determine the stability parameters in real time with particular accuracy, taking into account cylinder pressure and the tilt angle of the corresponding mast arms. Nevertheless, the sensor unit must be configured to acquire operating information indicating the cylinder force and tilt angle of all mast arms, and, for example, include multiple sensors suitable for this purpose.

[0053] In addition, the sensor unit may include a cylinder pressure sensor and / or a cylinder force sensor on the bottom side and / or the rod side of the A-type cylinder of the mast assembly.

[0054] The A-type cylinder should be understood as the actuator of the first mast arm, wherein the pressure chamber used to extend the cylinder is called the bottom side and the opposite pressure chamber used to retract the cylinder is called the rod side. Operating information indicating the cylinder forces of one, more, or all mast arms can be acquired particularly easily using one or more such sensors. This enables the calculation of the load torque, by which stability parameters can be determined particularly easily.

[0055] Other exemplary operational information indications include: the weight of all mast arms with filled and / or unfilled delivery lines, the position of the center of gravity of all mast arms, the weight of the additional load, the position of the additional weight suspension point, the wind force acting on the mast arms, the position of the wind-side center of gravity of all mast arms, the weight of the substructure, the position of the center of gravity of the substructure, and the position of the support surface of the outriggers in the retracted and / or extended states.

[0056] Preferably, the viscous material conveying system includes a control unit. If a determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system is greater than the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system, the control unit outputs a first control signal; and if the determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system, the control unit outputs a second control signal. Optionally or additionally, the control unit may be configured to output another control signal, for example, when the distance is below a preset minimum distance between the determined stability parameter and the maximum stability parameter.

[0057] The control unit includes corresponding devices for outputting control signals, such as wired or wireless signal output terminals. By outputting control signals in the described manner and method, the control unit can manipulate at least one component of the viscous material conveying system and act on the operating parameters of the component. It is conceivable that the output of a second control signal causes the continuation of orderly operation, while the output of the first control signal causes the setting of orderly operation of the viscous material conveying system. The output of additional control signals may, for example, cause the operation of one or more components of the viscous material conveying system to proceed at a reduced speed relative to orderly operation.

[0058] For example, the control unit can be configured to limit the operating range of the mast device to the currently permissible operating range if the established stability parameter of the thick material conveying system is greater than the maximum stability parameter. To this end, the control unit includes corresponding components.

[0059] Limiting the operating range of one or more components of a viscous material conveying system should be understood as restricting the operating parameters of the corresponding components and causing the component to operate according to the restricted operating parameters. Therefore, the corresponding operating parameters can be limited to the range of motion or the intensity of motion of the component that is still permissible according to determined stability parameters. In particular, operation of the component outside the permissible operating range is prohibited. Here, the limited range of motion or intensity of motion is less than the maximum range of motion and the maximum intensity of motion that are set in principle for the component in orderly operation. For example, the control unit can determine the current permissible upper limit of the operating range of the mast assembly and cause the viscous material conveying system to operate such that the mast assembly deviates only below the determined upper limit. Accordingly, for example, the opening angle or actuation force of the mast arm of the mast assembly can be prevented from exceeding the corresponding determined limits. For this purpose, the corresponding actuator can, for example, receive a control signal suitable for this, which is output by the control unit. For example, the control unit can therefore limit the deflection of the mast arm by means of the actuator. Furthermore, limiting the operating range of the mast assembly should also be understood as additionally or optionally limiting the rotation angle range of the rotating mechanism.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for operating a viscous material conveying system is disclosed. The viscous material conveying system comprises: a viscous material pump for conveying viscous material; a viscous material distribution mast for distributing viscous material to be conveyed, the viscous material distribution mast having a rotating mechanism rotatable about a vertical axis and a mast assembly including at least two mast arms; a lower structure on which the viscous material distribution mast and the viscous material pump are provided, the lower structure including a support mechanism for supporting the lower structure by means of at least one leg capable of horizontal and / or vertical movement; a sensor unit having at least one sensor for acquiring operating information; and a processing unit for determining stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system based on the acquired at least one operating information and for establishing orderly operation of the sensors of the sensor unit that acquire at least one operating information. If the processing unit does not establish orderly operation of the sensors, the stability parameters are determined by the processing unit based on the extreme values ​​of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors, not based on the acquired operating information; otherwise, the stability parameters are determined by the processing unit based on the acquired operating information.

[0061] In one embodiment, the method further includes the following steps: if the determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system is greater than the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system, then the control unit of the viscous material conveying system outputs a first control signal; and if the determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system, then the control unit outputs a second control signal.

[0062] Additionally, outputting the first control signal may include limiting the operating range of the mast assembly to the currently permissible operating range.

[0063] To illustrate further advantageous improvements to this method, refer to the aforementioned improvements to the viscous material conveying system.

[0064] The present invention also includes a computer program having program instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to implement and / or control the method according to the invention. The computer program according to the invention is stored, for example, on a computer-readable data carrier.

[0065] The above-described embodiments and design schemes are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention in any way.

[0066] The invention will now be described in more detail by way of advantageous embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0067] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the viscous material conveying system according to the present invention is shown in a side view.

[0068] Figure 2 The following view shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the viscous material conveying system according to the present invention.

[0069] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the viscous material conveying system according to the present invention is shown in top view, and

[0070] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0071] exist Figure 1 The diagram shows a thick material conveying system 10, which includes a thick material pump 16 for conveying thick material and a thick material distribution mast 18 for distributing the thick material to be conveyed. The thick material distribution mast 18 has a rotating mechanism 19 capable of rotating about a vertical axis (shown in dashed lines) and a mast assembly 40 with a mast arm 41. A conveying conduit 17 extending from the mast assembly 40 is also shown, which connects to the end of the S-shaped tube of the thick material pump 16 arranged at the output end of the thick material pump 16.

[0072] Furthermore, the thick material conveying system 10 includes a lower structure 30 on which a thick material distribution mast 18 and a thick material pump 16 are mounted. The lower structure 30 has a support mechanism 31 with four legs 32 for supporting the lower structure 30. The lower structure 30 is exemplarily presented as being arranged on a vehicle 33.

[0073] In addition, a sensor unit 11 and a processing unit 12 are provided. The sensor unit 11 is configured to acquire operational information using at least one sensor. For this purpose, the sensor unit can access the operational information acquired by one or more sensors via wired or wireless signal lines.

[0074] The processing unit 12 is, in principle, configured to determine stability parameters of the dense material conveying system 10 based on at least one acquired operational information. Furthermore, the processing unit is also additionally configured to determine the orderly operation of the sensors of the sensor unit 11 that acquire at least one operational information. For this purpose, a corresponding design is provided for the sensor unit 11 and the processing unit 12, which has the necessary hardware and / or software components for this purpose, for the dense material conveying system 10. Thus, the processing unit 12 can, for example, check for sufficient energy supply to the sensors of the sensor unit, or access data stored in memory, such as data stored by the sensors of the sensor unit 11, which includes information about the orderly operation of the sensors. In this example, in the event of insufficient energy supply or unusual statistical deviations in the operational information acquired by the sensors, the processing unit 12 excludes the orderly operation of the sensors. Additionally, the processing unit 12 performs a reliability check.

[0075] If the processing unit 12 does not establish the orderly operation of the sensors, it determines the stability parameter based on the extreme values ​​of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors, rather than on the already acquired operating information. Here, the extreme values ​​correspond to operating information acquired by the sensors when the component associated with the operating information to be acquired is located in a position where the processing unit 12 determines the maximum stability parameter and thus the minimum stability. For this purpose, the processing unit 12 stores the extreme values ​​for each sensor in the sensor unit 11 in its memory. However, it is also conceivable that the extreme values ​​can be acquired via the communication interface of the dense material conveying system 10 by a mobile user device or through user input, for example, in the form of a user dialogue, on a user interface configured as a touchscreen in the dense material conveying system 10. Here, the user can also, for example, invoke extreme values ​​provided externally, such as online, using a mobile user terminal device, making the extreme values ​​accessible to the processing unit 12 via the communication interface or user interface.

[0076] Optionally or additionally, the extreme value range of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors of the sensor unit 11 can be obtained through a communication interface or a user interface. In this case, the processing unit 12 has a preset selection rule to select extreme values ​​from the acquired extreme value range for determining the stability parameter.

[0077] For example, the operating information of the cylinder force on the bottom side of the A-type cylinder of the mast device 40 has a lower first extreme value and a higher second extreme value, wherein one of the two extreme values ​​is selected based on the operating information indicating the wind speed. Therefore, when the wind speed is higher than a preset threshold, the first extreme value and lower than the second extreme value can be selected. In another example, it should be assumed that the processing unit 12 determines the non-orderly operation of the angle measurement sensor used to obtain the operating information for indicating the position of the rotating mechanism (19). As an extreme value, it can be preset that for the position of the rotating mechanism (19), each possible rotation between 0° and 360° is used to determine the stability parameter. However, alternatively or additionally, the range of extreme values, which is the basis for determining the stability parameter, can also be obtained, for example, by means of user input on a suitable user interface. Thus, the user can input, for example, that only one extreme value range should be considered for the possible positions of the rotating mechanism 19 between 0° and 180°.

[0078] Optionally, the viscous material conveying system 10 has an additional user interface in the form of scales arranged on the legs 32. These scales are respectively associated with sensors of the sensor unit 11 that acquire operating information for indicating the leg force of the legs 32 and output instantaneous values ​​of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors. It can be proposed that the user reads the instantaneous values, for example, when using the viscous material conveying system in an edge position, and that the processing unit 12 can also access the instantaneous values ​​through the first user interface, i.e., the touch screen. It is then conceivable that the processing unit 12 additionally determines stability parameters based on the instantaneous values ​​of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors. For example, the processing unit 12 can then access not only extreme values ​​but also instantaneous values ​​when it determines that the orderly operation of the sensors is insufficient, and determine stability parameters, for example, based on the difference between the extreme values ​​and the instantaneous values.

[0079] Furthermore, the processing unit 12 can access data including information about the corresponding mass and / or the corresponding spatial distribution of all components of the viscous material conveying system 10. For example, the processing unit 12 can determine the stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system 10 by calculating the instantaneous orientation of the total center of gravity of the viscous material conveying system 10. For this purpose, the processing unit 12 can calculate, at least considering the distance between the line of action of the gravity acting on the total center of gravity of the viscous material conveying system and the overturning edge of the supporting surface, and determine the stability parameters in relation to the calculated distance.

[0080] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Views of the viscous material conveying system 10 are shown, one being a rear view. Figure 2 And one is a top view ( Figure 3 Besides already being Figure 1In addition to the components described herein, different exemplary sensors of sensor unit 11 are additionally presented in an exemplary arrangement therein.

[0081] Angle sensor 111 is configured to acquire operational information indicating the position of rotating mechanism 19. The position to be acquired here should be the relative rotation of rotating mechanism 19 relative to the lower structure 30.

[0082] Position sensor 112 is a sensor that acquires operational information indicating the position of the mast arm 41 associated with it. In the illustrated embodiment, sensor 112 determines the position of the mast arm 41 based on its tilt angle. Each position sensor 112 acquires operational information indicating the position of the mast arm 41. The same type of operational information is involved here.

[0083] Leg position sensors 113 are configured to acquire operational information indicating the position of each outrigger 32. Here, not only the horizontal distance of the support surface of the corresponding outrigger 32 in the current operating state relative to its zero position in the retracted state is obtained, but also the vertical distance. For example, in... Figure 2 One is shown in Figure 3 Two such leg position sensors 113 are shown; however, the sensor unit 11 appropriately includes at least one corresponding sensor for each of the legs 32, so that multiple types of the same operating information can be obtained by the sensor unit 11.

[0084] An orientation sensor 114, configured as a tilt sensor, acquires operational information that characterizes the tilt angle of the viscous material conveying system 10 relative to the vertical direction.

[0085] Sensor 115 is configured as an optical sensor and is set to acquire operational information indicating the lifting of the viscous material conveying system 10. The lifting is determined, for example, based on the corresponding vertical distance of the support surface of the outrigger 32 relative to its zero position.

[0086] exist Figure 3The viscous material conveying system 10 shown has four overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54. The overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54 are specifically defined by the position of the support leg 32. The greater the distance between the line of action of gravity acting on the total center of gravity of the viscous material conveying system 10 and the overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54 of the supporting surface, the higher its stability. The surface surrounded by the overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54 describes the supporting surface. If the total center of gravity is close to the edge of the supporting surface, i.e., one of the overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54, for example, when the horizontal offset of the viscous material distribution mast 18 is particularly large or when conveying particularly heavy viscous materials through the conveying conduit 17 extending via the mast assembly 40, the stability of the viscous material conveying system 10 decreases. If the line of action no longer extends within the supporting surface, then the distance between the line of action and one of the overturning edges 51, 52, 53, and 54 is less than zero and no longer provides stability to the viscous material conveying system.

[0087] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method 100 according to the present invention is shown. In step 101, sensors of sensor unit 11 acquire operational information of the bulk material conveying system 10. For this purpose, sensors measure measurement parameters characterizing the operational information to be acquired, such as the tilt angle of mast arm 41. Accordingly, sensors are associated with mast arm 41. Optionally, additional operational information may be acquired by sensors of sensor unit 11 in steps 111 and 121. For example, in steps 111 and 121, the tilt angles of two additional mast arms 41 are measured.

[0088] In step 102, processing unit 12 determines whether the sensors of sensor unit 11 that acquired operating information in step 101 are operating in an orderly manner. In the above example, this checks the orderly operation of the sensor that acquires the tilt angle. To do this, processing unit 12 may, for example, check the energy supply of the sensor and determine whether the energy supply is sufficient. Similarly, processing unit 12 may perform the same steps for the corresponding sensors acquired in steps 111 and 121 in steps 112 and 122.

[0089] If the orderly operation of the sensors acquired in step 101 is not established by the processing unit 12 in step 102, then the processing unit 12 determines the stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system 10 in step 104 based on the extreme values ​​of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors, rather than based on the already acquired operating information. In the selected example of measuring the tilt angle of the mast arm 41 in step 101, the processing unit 12 then considers, for example, hypothetical operating information indicating the tilt angle of the configured mast arm 41 from 0 degrees, i.e., the horizontal position of the mast arm 41, because this hypothetical operating information corresponds to operating information in which the processing unit 12 determines the maximum stability parameter and thus the minimum stability. For this purpose, the processing unit 12 stores the extreme values ​​for each sensor of the sensor unit 11 in memory. Optionally, if the orderly operation of the corresponding sensors is not established in steps 112 and 122, it can be done accordingly in step 104.

[0090] Furthermore, in step 103, processing unit 12 determines stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system 10 based on the operating information obtained in step 101 and, if necessary, in steps 111 and 112. This is done, for example, by calculating the current orientation of the total center of gravity of the viscous material conveying system 10 based on the obtained operating information, taking into account the mass and spatial extension of all mast arms 41.

[0091] Optionally, one of steps 105 and 106 may then be performed.

[0092] If the stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system 10 determined by the processing unit 12 is greater than the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system 10, a first control signal is output by the control unit of the viscous material conveying system 10 in step 105. By means of this control signal, the control unit controls at least one component of the viscous material conveying system 10 and thus affects the operating parameters of that component. This may, for example, include a further step 107 in which the operating range of the viscous material dispensing mast 18 is limited to a currently permissible operating range.

[0093] Conversely, when the processing unit 12 determines that the stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system 10 is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system 10, the control unit can output a second control signal in step 106. For example, the control unit can operate the viscous material pump 16 in such a way as to increase or decrease the pumping frequency of the core pump 15 and / or the switching frequency of the S-tube 24.

[0094] The embodiments of the invention described in this specification and the optional features and characteristics listed therein should also be understood to be disclosed in all combinations thereof. In particular, the description of features included in an embodiment (unless expressly stated otherwise) should not be construed here as indispensable or essential to the functionality of that embodiment.

Claims

1. A viscous material conveying system (10), comprising: Thick material pump (16) for conveying thick materials. A thick material distribution mast (18) for distributing thick materials to be conveyed, wherein, The thick material distribution mast (18) has a rotating mechanism (19) that can rotate about a vertical axis and a mast assembly (40) including at least two mast arms (41). The lower structure (30) is provided with the thick material distribution mast (18) and the thick material pump (16), wherein the lower structure (30) includes a support mechanism (31) for supporting the lower structure (30) by means of at least one outrigger (32) that can move horizontally and / or vertically. The sensor unit (11) has at least one sensor for acquiring operational information, which indicates one of a plurality of feasible characteristics and operational parameters of the components of the viscous material conveying system and represents that characteristic or operational parameter. The processing unit (12) is configured to determine the stability parameter of the thick material conveying system (10) based on at least one of the acquired operating information, and to establish the orderly operation of the sensors of the sensor unit (11) that acquire at least one of the operating information. If the processing unit (12) does not acquire the orderly operation of the sensors, the processing unit (12) is configured to determine the stability parameter based on the extreme value of the operating information to be acquired by the sensors, rather than based on the acquired operating information. Otherwise, the processing unit (12) is configured to determine the stability parameter based on the acquired operating information.

2. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to claim 1 further comprises: Communication interface, and / or First user interface. in, The communication interface and the first user interface are each configured to acquire extreme values ​​or extreme value ranges of the operational information to be acquired by the sensor.

3. The dense material conveying system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the dense material conveying system has at least one second user interface, the second user interface being used to publish instantaneous values ​​of operating information to be acquired by the sensor, wherein, The communication interface or the first user interface is configured to acquire the instantaneous value of the operating information to be acquired by the sensor, and wherein the processing unit (12) is configured to determine the stability parameter based on the instantaneous value of the operating information to be acquired by the sensor, the instantaneous value representing the operating information, and the sensor acquires the operating information at the measurement time point when the sensor is operating in an orderly manner.

4. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one position sensor for acquiring operational information that indicates the position of a mast arm (41).

5. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The rotating mechanism (19) and the first mast arm of the mast assembly (40) are connected to each other via hinge joints, and the two mast arms (41) are connected to each other via hinge joints.

6. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to claim 5, wherein, By determining the opening angle of the hinge joint, the position of a mast arm (41) can be continuously detected at the proximal end of a mast arm (41).

7. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one leg position sensor for acquiring operating information, which indicates the position of the outrigger (32).

8. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one angle sensor for acquiring operating information, which is used to indicate the position of the rotating mechanism (19).

9. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one orientation sensor for acquiring operating information, which is used to indicate the tilt angle of the thick material conveying system (10).

10. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one distance sensor for acquiring operating information, which is used to indicate the lifting of the thick material conveying system (10).

11. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one leg force sensor for acquiring operating information, which indicates the horizontal or vertical leg force of the outrigger (32).

12. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sensor unit (11) includes at least one sensor for acquiring operational information indicating the load torque of one, more or all mast arms (41).

13. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to claim 12, wherein, The sensor unit (11) has a cylinder pressure sensor and / or cylinder force sensor on the bottom or rod side of the type A cylinder of the mast assembly (40).

14. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the viscous material conveying system further comprising a control unit, wherein if a determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system (10) is greater than the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system (10), the control unit is configured to output a first control signal, and if a determined stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system (10) is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the viscous material conveying system (10), the control unit is configured to output a second control signal.

15. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to claim 14, wherein, The control unit is further configured to limit the operating range of the mast device (40) to the currently allowed operating range if a determined stability parameter of the thick material conveying system (10) is greater than the maximum stability parameter.

16. The viscous material conveying system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The lower structure (30) is arranged on the vehicle (33).

17. A method for operating a thick material conveying system (10), the thick material conveying system comprising: a thick material pump (16) for conveying thick material; and a thick material distribution mast (18) for distributing the thick material to be conveyed, wherein, The thick material distribution mast (18) has a rotating mechanism (19) capable of rotating about a vertical axis and a mast assembly (40) including at least two mast arms (41); a lower structure (30) on which the thick material distribution mast (18) and the thick material pump (16) are provided, wherein the lower structure (30) includes a support mechanism (31) for supporting the lower structure (30) by means of at least one outrigger (32) capable of horizontal and / or vertical movement; a sensor unit having at least one sensor for acquiring operating information indicating and representing one of a plurality of feasible characteristics and operating parameters of the components of the thick material conveying system; and a processing unit (12); the method includes the following steps: Obtain at least one piece of runtime information; The processing unit (12) establishes the orderly operation of the sensor unit (11) for acquiring at least one of the operating information; If the orderly operation of the sensors is not obtained, the processing unit (12) determines the stability parameters of the viscous material conveying system (10) based on the extreme values ​​of the operating information to be obtained by the sensors, without relying on the already acquired operating information; and Otherwise, the stability parameter is determined by the processing unit (12) based on the acquired operating information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the following steps: If the determined stability parameter of the dense material conveying system (10) is greater than the maximum stability parameter of the dense material conveying system (10), then the control unit of the dense material conveying system (10) outputs a first control signal; and If the determined stability parameter of the thick material conveying system (10) is less than or equal to the maximum stability parameter of the thick material conveying system (10), then the control unit outputs a second control signal.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The output of the first control signal includes limiting the operating range of the mast device (40) to the currently allowed operating range.

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