Automatic cleaning device of mixer truck and mixer truck

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an automatic cleaning device for a mixer truck and the mixer truck. The device comprises a vehicle guiding module, cleaning equipment and a communication module, the vehicle guiding module is arranged in the automatic cleaning area and used for guiding the target mixer truck to stop at a target position of the automatic cleaning area according to the pose information of the target mixer truck; the cleaning equipment is used for detecting the cleanliness of a to-be-cleaned area of the target mixer truck and cleaning the to-be-cleaned area based on the cleanliness; and the communication module is used for realizing communication between the automatic cleaning device and the target mixer truck so as to display the cleaning progress of the target mixer truck in real time through a display screen of the target mixer truck. Through the device, the cleaning efficiency of the mixer truck can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of concrete mixer truck cleaning technology, and in particular to an automatic cleaning device for concrete mixer trucks and a concrete mixer truck. Background Technology

[0002] During concrete transportation, residual concrete easily adheres to the inner and outer walls of the mixing tank. If not cleaned promptly, this residue will gradually harden, reducing the tank's volume and decreasing mixing efficiency. Furthermore, the long-term accumulation of residual concrete not only exacerbates equipment wear and tear and increases energy consumption, but can also lead to mechanical jamming, blockages, and other malfunctions, shortening the vehicle's lifespan. Therefore, efficient and standardized cleaning of concrete mixer trucks is not only a fundamental means of improving project quality and production efficiency, but also a necessary measure to ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

[0003] In existing technologies, the commonly used method for cleaning mixing tanks is generally manual operation. The operator first needs to manually start the rotation control device of the mixing tank to make the mixing tank rotate forward or reverse at a slow speed, so as to concentrate the residual concrete material at the bottom of the tank or in a direction that is easy to discharge. Then, the operator usually needs to carry cleaning tools such as high-pressure water guns and water hoses, climb up the ladder on the side of the mixer truck to the operating platform on the top of the tank, open the tank opening, and carry out manual rinsing.

[0004] However, existing methods for cleaning agitated tanks are cumbersome, inefficient, and do not achieve high levels of cleanliness. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks and a mixer truck, which solves the problems of cumbersome operation, low efficiency and low cleanliness in the existing mixing tank cleaning methods.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an automatic cleaning device for a concrete mixer truck, comprising:

[0007] A vehicle guidance module is installed in the automatic cleaning area to guide the target mixer truck to park at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the position information of the target mixer truck.

[0008] A cleaning device is used to detect the cleanliness of the area to be cleaned of the target mixer truck, and to clean the area to be cleaned based on the cleanliness.

[0009] A communication module is used to enable communication between the automatic cleaning device and the target mixer truck, so as to display the cleaning progress of the target mixer truck in real time through the display screen of the target mixer truck.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the vehicle guidance module includes a first camera and a guidance device;

[0011] The first camera is used to acquire the pose information of the target mixer truck and send the pose information to the guiding device;

[0012] The guiding device determines the positional error between the target mixer truck and the cleaning device based on the pose information, and guides the target mixer truck to stop at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the positional error.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the first camera is specifically used to: acquire real-time video data of the target mixer truck, identify the position and orientation of the target mixer truck from the real-time video data using a target detection algorithm, and obtain the pose information.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the guiding device is specifically used to: obtain the hopper coordinates of the target mixer truck from the pose information, calculate the position error between the hopper coordinates and the preset nozzle center coordinates of the cleaning device; and when the position error is greater than a preset error threshold, guide the target mixer truck to adjust its direction until the target mixer truck stops at the target position.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the cleaning device includes a second camera and a cleaning nozzle;

[0016] The second camera is used to capture real-time images of the area to be cleaned on the target mixer truck; and to determine the cleanliness of the area to be cleaned based on the real-time images.

[0017] The cleaning nozzle is used to determine the cleaning method based on the cleanliness level, and to clean the area to be cleaned based on the cleaning method; wherein, the cleaning method includes tank reversal cleaning and nozzle flushing cleaning.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the second camera is specifically used for: performing image recognition on the real-time image to obtain the stain boundary and noise value of the target mixer truck; dividing the area according to the stain boundary to obtain the area to be cleaned; determining whether the target mixer truck needs to be cleaned based on the number and area of ​​the area to be cleaned; and, when it is determined that cleaning is required, determining the cleanliness based on the noise value of the area to be cleaned.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the area to be cleaned includes a mixing tank, and the cleaning nozzle is specifically used for:

[0020] Water is injected into the mixing tank. After the water injection stops, the mixing tank is controlled to start rotating in both forward and reverse directions to clean the inner cavity of the mixing tank by cleaning the tank in both forward and reverse directions. The water injection stops when the water injection time reaches a preset time or the water injection volume reaches a preset flow rate.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the cleaning nozzle controlling the mixing tank to start forward and reverse rotation specifically includes: sending a command to start the mixing tank cleaning to the target mixer truck via the communication module, so that the controller of the target mixer truck controls the forward and reverse rotation of the mixing tank.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the area to be cleaned includes a hopper and the outer wall of a mixing tank, and the cleaning nozzle is specifically used for:

[0023] Based on the cleanliness of the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, determine the spray nozzle flushing method to clean the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, and determine the flushing water pressure used during cleaning, and flush the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank based on the flushing water pressure.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the communication module is specifically used for:

[0025] The pose information is sent to the target mixer truck so that the real-time pose of the target mixer truck can be displayed on the screen.

[0026] During the cleaning process of the target mixer truck, a cleaning prompt is sent to the target mixer truck and displayed on the display screen;

[0027] Upon completion of cleaning, a cleaning completion notification message is sent to the target mixer truck to be displayed on the screen.

[0028] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a mixer truck, which includes a truck body, a hopper, and a mixing tank. The mixer truck can be automatically cleaned by the first aspect and / or various possible automatic cleaning devices for mixer trucks as described above.

[0029] The automatic cleaning device and truck for concrete mixer trucks provided in this application integrate a vehicle guidance module, cleaning equipment, and a communication module to achieve intelligent and efficient cleaning of the mixer truck. First, the vehicle guidance module, based on image recognition and pose perception technology, guides the mixer truck to accurately park at the designated position in the cleaning area, ensuring the cleaning nozzles are aligned with the mixing tank hopper, improving cleaning coverage and efficiency. Then, the cleaning equipment, combined with a visual detection algorithm, automatically identifies the cleanliness of the mixer truck's outer wall and hopper area, dynamically judges the distribution of stains, and precisely controls the cleaning water flow, achieving on-demand spraying and water conservation. Finally, the communication module interacts with the mixer truck's onboard display screen via wireless communication technology, providing real-time feedback on the vehicle's cleaning progress and status information, improving operational convenience and user experience. The overall device, based on multi-module collaboration, constructs a highly automated, low-manual-reliance, and controllable cleaning effect intelligent cleaning solution, significantly improving the safety, efficiency, and intelligent management level of mixer truck cleaning operations. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0032] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the automatic cleaning method for concrete mixer trucks provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 ;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 .

[0034] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0036] During concrete transportation, residual concrete easily adheres to the inner and outer walls of the mixing tank. If not cleaned promptly, this residue will gradually harden, reducing the tank's volume and decreasing mixing efficiency. Furthermore, the long-term accumulation of residual concrete not only exacerbates equipment wear and tear and increases energy consumption, but can also lead to mechanical jamming, blockages, and other malfunctions, shortening the vehicle's lifespan. Therefore, efficient and standardized cleaning of concrete mixer trucks is not only a fundamental means of improving project quality and production efficiency, but also a necessary measure to ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

[0037] In existing technologies, the commonly used method for cleaning mixing tanks is generally manual operation. The operator first needs to manually start the rotation control device of the mixing tank to make the mixing tank rotate forward or reverse at a slow speed, so as to concentrate the residual concrete material at the bottom of the tank or in a direction that is easy to discharge. Then, the operator usually needs to carry cleaning tools such as high-pressure water guns and water hoses, climb up the ladder on the side of the mixer truck to the operating platform on the top of the tank, open the tank opening, and carry out manual rinsing.

[0038] However, existing methods for cleaning mixing tanks require manual rinsing with water guns on the tank surface and hopper area, resulting in lengthy cleaning times, high water consumption, and low efficiency. Throughout the operation, workers must frequently get on and off the vehicle, carrying water hoses and equipment, posing safety hazards such as slipping and falls while working at heights. Therefore, this method is not only inefficient and risky, but also fails to meet the demands of high-frequency, high-standard cleaning operations.

[0039] To address the shortcomings of existing concrete mixer truck cleaning processes, which rely on manual operation, are inefficient, and pose safety hazards, an automated concrete mixer truck cleaning device is proposed. The core of this technology lies in utilizing cameras and image recognition algorithms deployed in the cleaning area to identify the position and posture of the mixer truck in real time. This information is then wirelessly transmitted to the central control screen of the mixer truck, guiding the driver to accurately align the cleaning nozzles and avoiding ineffective or repetitive cleaning due to misalignment. Simultaneously, the device controls water injection and the forward and reverse rotation of the mixing tank to clean the inner wall. Image processing technology is then used to detect stains on the outer wall and hopper, intelligently determining whether to continue cleaning based on the area and quantity of stains, thus achieving quantitative control over the degree of external cleanliness. The entire system integrates machine vision, edge control, wireless communication, and automated execution technologies, effectively reducing manual intervention, improving cleaning accuracy and efficiency, ensuring operational safety and consistency, and demonstrating significant automation and intelligent technological effects.

[0040] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic cleaning device for mixer trucks provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 See also Figures 1 to 3 The automatic cleaning device for the concrete mixer truck includes a vehicle guidance module 10, a cleaning device 20, and a communication module 30. The vehicle guidance module includes a first camera 101 and a guidance device 102. The cleaning device includes a second camera 201 and a cleaning nozzle 202. The communication module 30 is used to realize communication between the automatic cleaning device and the target concrete mixer truck so as to display the cleaning progress of the target concrete mixer truck in real time through the display screen of the target concrete mixer truck.

[0042] The vehicle guidance module 10 is located in the automatic cleaning area and is used to guide the target mixer truck to park at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the position information of the target mixer truck.

[0043] The first camera 101 is used to acquire the position and pose information of the target mixer truck and send the position and pose information to the guidance device 102. Then, the guidance device 102 determines the position error between the target mixer truck and the cleaning device based on the position and pose information, and guides the target mixer truck to stop at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the position error. At the same time, the communication module 30 sends the position and pose information to the target mixer truck to display the real-time position and pose of the target mixer truck on the display screen.

[0044] Understandably, the first camera enables high-precision alignment between the mixer truck and the cleaning nozzle; at the same time, the communication module sends the acquired position and posture information to the target mixer truck, and displays the real-time position and posture of the target mixer truck on the screen. This helps the driver of the target mixer truck to adjust the position and posture of the mixer truck in real time, reducing the need for manual command, ensuring that the nozzle is aligned with the hopper opening during the subsequent cleaning process, and improving operating efficiency and cleaning accuracy.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the first camera 101 first acquires real-time video data of the target mixer truck, and identifies the position and orientation of the target mixer truck from the real-time video data through a target detection algorithm to obtain pose information; then the guiding device 102 obtains the hopper coordinates of the target mixer truck from the pose information, and calculates the position error between the hopper coordinates and the preset nozzle center coordinates of the cleaning device 20; when the position error is greater than the preset error threshold, the target mixer truck is guided to adjust its direction until the target mixer truck stops at the target position.

[0046] It should be understood that the first camera first acquires real-time video data of the target mixer truck, and then extracts the position (x, y) and orientation (θ) of the mixer truck's hopper through a built-in target detection or pose recognition algorithm. This pose information is then sent to the guiding device, which compares the hopper coordinates of the mixer truck with the preset nozzle center coordinates of the cleaning device, calculates the actual error between the two coordinates (Δx, Δy, Δθ), and determines whether it exceeds a set threshold. If the positional error exceeds the preset error threshold, the driver can be prompted to adjust the mixer truck's direction via a buzzer / voice system / arrow light. Once the hopper coordinates of the mixer truck are precisely aligned with the preset nozzle center coordinates of the cleaning device, a "alignment complete" message is displayed, allowing the mixer truck to enter cleaning mode.

[0047] Understandably, this vehicle guidance method can significantly improve the parking accuracy of the mixer truck in the cleaning area, reduce manual intervention, avoid incomplete cleaning or water waste caused by nozzle misalignment, and improve the intelligence level and overall efficiency of the cleaning operation.

[0048] The cleaning device 20 is used to detect the cleanliness of the area to be cleaned on the target mixer truck and clean the area based on the cleanliness level. The second camera 201 is used to acquire real-time images of the area to be cleaned on the target mixer truck; the cleanliness level of the area to be cleaned is determined based on the real-time images; the cleaning nozzle 201 is used to determine the cleaning method based on the cleanliness level and clean the area based on the cleaning method.

[0049] The cleaning methods include forward and reverse rotation cleaning of the tank and spray nozzle flushing cleaning; the areas to be cleaned include the mixing tank, hopper and outer wall of the mixing tank.

[0050] Understandably, by setting up a second camera to capture real-time images of the areas to be cleaned on the mixer truck (including the mixing tank, hopper, and their outer walls), and using image processing algorithms to analyze information such as the area and density of stains, the cleanliness level can be intelligently determined. Then, based on the detection results, the cleaning method is automatically matched: when there is a lot of stains, a spray nozzle combined with forward and reverse rotation of the tank is used for deep cleaning; when there is less stains, a light spray is selected, effectively avoiding over-cleaning and resource waste. This achieves on-demand response and precise control of the cleaning process, not only improving the cleaning effect but also increasing water resource utilization efficiency.

[0051] In one possible method, water is injected into the mixing tank through the cleaning nozzle 201. After the water injection stops, the mixing tank is controlled to start rotating in both forward and reverse directions to clean the inner cavity of the mixing tank by cleaning the tank in both forward and reverse directions.

[0052] It should be noted that the water injection stop condition is: the water injection time reaches the preset time, or the water injection volume reaches the preset flow rate; the cleaning nozzle controls the mixing tank to start forward and reverse rotation, specifically by sending a command to start the mixing tank cleaning to the target mixing truck through the communication module, so that the controller of the target mixing truck controls the forward and reverse rotation of the mixing tank.

[0053] It is also important to note that before cleaning the mixing tank, a safety and operational condition assessment of the mixer truck's current status is necessary to ensure the stability and reliability of the cleaning operation. First, the onboard speed sensor determines if the mixer truck's speed is below a set threshold to confirm whether the vehicle is currently or about to come to a standstill, preventing accidental triggering of the cleaning process during vehicle movement. Second, the mixing tank speed sensor detects whether the tank is stationary (speed is 0), avoiding equipment damage or personnel danger during cleaning while the mixing is in operation. Finally, it checks whether the cleaning switch in the onboard control system has been manually or systematically activated, serving as the final authorization for initiating the cleaning process. These three status confirmations ensure that the cleaning process is only initiated under safe and controllable conditions.

[0054] Understandably, injecting water into the mixing tank via cleaning nozzles and initiating the cleaning process within the tank's interior after meeting preset water injection stop conditions effectively automates and precisely controls the cleaning process. Stopping water injection upon meeting any of the water injection stop conditions avoids resource waste or unstable cleaning caused by over-injection. Subsequently, a cleaning start command is sent to the mixer truck via a communication module. This command is received and executed by the mixer truck's controller, controlling the mixing tank to rotate forward and backward according to a set program. This causes the injected water to repeatedly flush the tank's inner wall, effectively removing residual concrete or impurities. This not only improves cleaning efficiency but also ensures controllability and consistency in the cleaning effect of the inner cavity through precise control of the water injection and rotation processes.

[0055] In another feasible approach, after the internal cleaning of the mixing tank is completed, the real-time image is image recognized by the second camera 201 to obtain the dirt boundary and noise value of the target mixer truck. The area is divided according to the dirt boundary to obtain the area to be cleaned. Then, based on the number and area of ​​the area to be cleaned, it is determined whether the target mixer truck needs to be cleaned. If it is determined that cleaning is required, the cleanliness is determined based on the noise value of the area to be cleaned. Finally, based on the cleanliness of the hopper, the nozzle flushing cleaning method to be used to clean the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank is determined, and the flushing water pressure used during cleaning is determined. The hopper is then flushed based on the flushing water pressure.

[0056] It should be understood that the image recognition process for real-time images is as follows: an image recognition algorithm, such as deep learning-based image segmentation (e.g., U-Net, Mask R-CNN) or traditional image processing based on edge detection (e.g., Canny + dilation erosion), is executed on the image to extract the boundaries of blemishes and noise values ​​in the image; then the blemish boundaries and noise areas are segmented into several areas to be cleaned (i.e., image blocks suspected of containing blemishes); then the area of ​​each area to be cleaned is calculated, and the number of all areas is counted to determine whether the target mixer truck needs to be cleaned. For example, if the total area of ​​blemishes exceeds 10% of the image area, or if the number of blemish areas exceeds 5, cleaning is required.

[0057] Furthermore, when determining that the target mixer truck needs cleaning, it is also necessary to analyze the noise level (i.e., the degree of pollution) of each area to be cleaned, and calculate the cleanliness level based on the noise level, for example, it can be set to three levels: high (heavy pollution), medium (moderate pollution), and low (light pollution). Finally, based on the cleanliness level of the area to be cleaned, determine the spray nozzle flushing mode to be used, such as full-coverage spraying, high-pressure focused flushing, or low-pressure sweeping. Based on the selected flushing mode, select the corresponding flushing water pressure parameters, and control the output pressure of the cleaning nozzles (e.g., high pressure > 1.0 MPa, medium pressure ~ 0.5 MPa, low pressure < 0.3 MPa) to perform corresponding water pressure flushing on the hopper area and the outer wall of the mixing tank.

[0058] Understandably, using image recognition technology to automatically identify and quantitatively analyze stains on the external areas of the mixer truck (especially the hopper) allows for intelligent judgment of whether cleaning is necessary based on the boundaries, area, and noise levels of the stains. Furthermore, it matches appropriate spray nozzles and water pressure according to the cleanliness level, achieving precise and efficient cleaning of critical areas such as the hopper. This method not only enhances the intelligence and adaptability of external cleaning, avoiding ineffective cleaning and resource waste, but also ensures that the cleaning intensity matches the degree of contamination, improving the consistency and reliability of the cleaning effect.

[0059] It should be noted that the mixing tank is relatively enclosed, equipped with high-pressure rotary nozzles or a full-coverage spray system, which can fully cover the inner wall of the tank during a single cleaning process. The rotation of the tank itself also helps to remove contaminants, so repeated inspection and cleaning are usually unnecessary. However, the hopper and outer wall, due to their open structure, are susceptible to external contamination and have multiple blind spots. Cleaning of these areas often involves using fixed-point nozzles or robotic arms in conjunction with water pressure. Even after the initial cleaning, concrete or dust residue may remain, requiring multiple inspections and repeated cleaning to ensure thorough cleaning. Therefore, after rinsing the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, image recognition using a second camera is necessary. If the number and area of ​​areas to be cleaned identified are less than the preset number and area, the rinsing process for the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank is complete; otherwise, repeated identification and rinsing are required.

[0060] It should also be noted that during the cleaning process of the target mixer truck, the communication module 30 sends a cleaning prompt to the target mixer truck to display the cleaning prompt on the screen; finally, when the cleaning is completed, it sends a cleaning completion prompt message to the target mixer truck to display the cleaning completion prompt message on the screen.

[0061] It should be understood that sending cleaning prompts to the target concrete mixer truck during the cleaning process enables dynamic visualization of the cleaning status on the onboard display, improving the driver's perception of the cleaning process and their operational cooperation. The real-time display of cleaning prompts effectively guides the driver to wait for or cooperate with the system's operation, avoiding misoperation or interruption of the cleaning process.

[0062] Once the concrete mixer truck meets the cleaning completion conditions—that is, the internal cleaning time of the mixing tank is completed and the stain detection of the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank confirms the end of the rinsing process—the driver can be notified via a text message on the display screen, such as: "Cleaning complete, please drive away."

[0063] The automatic concrete mixer truck cleaning device provided in this application integrates a vehicle guidance module, cleaning equipment, and a communication module to achieve intelligent and efficient cleaning of the mixer truck. First, the vehicle guidance module, based on image recognition and pose perception technology, guides the mixer truck to accurately park at the designated position in the cleaning area, ensuring the cleaning nozzles are aligned with the mixing tank hopper, improving cleaning coverage and efficiency. Then, the cleaning equipment, combined with a visual detection algorithm, automatically identifies the cleanliness of the mixer truck's outer wall and hopper area, dynamically judges the distribution of stains, and precisely controls the cleaning water flow, achieving on-demand spraying and water conservation. Finally, the communication module interacts with the mixer truck's onboard display screen via wireless communication technology, providing real-time feedback on the vehicle's cleaning progress and status information, improving operational convenience and user experience. The overall device, based on multi-module collaboration, constructs a highly automated, low-manual-reliance, and controllable cleaning effect intelligent cleaning solution, significantly improving the safety, efficiency, and intelligent management level of mixer truck cleaning operations.

[0064] This application provides a concrete mixer truck, which includes a truck body, a hopper, and a mixing tank. When cleaning is performed, the mixer truck can be automatically cleaned by the aforementioned automatic cleaning device.

[0065] It should be noted that the devices in the embodiments provided in this application are all common devices on the market. They can be selected according to the needs when used. The circuit connection relationship of each device is a simple series and parallel connection circuit, which can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art. It belongs to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0066] The various embodiments or implementation methods described in this specification are presented in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0067] It should be noted that the embodiments referred to in the specification, such as "one embodiment," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments," may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0068] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0069] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein, and is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic cleaning device for a concrete mixer truck, characterized in that, include: A vehicle guidance module is installed in the automatic cleaning area to guide the target mixer truck to park at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the position information of the target mixer truck. A cleaning device is used to detect the cleanliness of the area to be cleaned of the target mixer truck, and to clean the area to be cleaned based on the cleanliness. A communication module is used to enable communication between the automatic cleaning device and the target mixer truck, so as to display the cleaning progress of the target mixer truck in real time through the display screen of the target mixer truck.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle guidance module includes a first camera and guidance equipment; The first camera is used to acquire the pose information of the target mixer truck and send the pose information to the guiding device; The guiding device determines the positional error between the target mixer truck and the cleaning device based on the pose information, and guides the target mixer truck to stop at the target position in the automatic cleaning area based on the positional error.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first camera is specifically used to: acquire real-time video data of the target mixer truck, identify the position and orientation of the target mixer truck from the real-time video data through a target detection algorithm, and obtain the pose information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guiding device is specifically used to: obtain the hopper coordinates of the target mixer truck from the pose information, calculate the position error between the hopper coordinates and the preset nozzle center coordinates of the cleaning device; and when the position error is greater than a preset error threshold, guide the target mixer truck to adjust its direction until the target mixer truck stops at the target position.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment includes a second camera and a cleaning nozzle; The second camera is used to capture real-time images of the area to be cleaned on the target mixer truck; The cleanliness of the area to be cleaned is determined based on the real-time image. The cleaning nozzle is used to determine the cleaning method based on the cleanliness level, and to clean the area to be cleaned based on the cleaning method; wherein, the cleaning method includes tank reversal cleaning and nozzle flushing cleaning.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second camera is specifically used for: performing image recognition on the real-time image to obtain the stain boundary and noise value of the target mixer truck, and dividing the area according to the stain boundary to obtain the area to be cleaned; Based on the number and area of ​​the areas to be cleaned, it is determined whether the target mixer truck needs to be cleaned, and when it is determined that cleaning is required, the cleanliness level is determined based on the noise level of the areas to be cleaned.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The area to be cleaned includes a mixing tank, and the cleaning nozzle is specifically used for: Water is injected into the mixing tank. After the water injection stops, the mixing tank is controlled to start rotating in both forward and reverse directions to clean the inner cavity of the mixing tank by cleaning the tank in both forward and reverse directions. The water injection stops when the water injection time reaches a preset time or the water injection volume reaches a preset flow rate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control of the mixing tank by the cleaning nozzle specifically includes: sending a command to the target mixer truck to start cleaning the mixing tank via the communication module, so that the controller of the target mixer truck controls the forward and reverse rotation of the mixing tank.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The area to be cleaned includes the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, and the cleaning nozzle is specifically used for: Based on the cleanliness of the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, determine the spray nozzle flushing method to clean the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank, and determine the flushing water pressure used during cleaning, and flush the hopper and the outer wall of the mixing tank based on the flushing water pressure.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication module is specifically used for: The pose information is sent to the target mixer truck so that the real-time pose of the target mixer truck can be displayed on the screen. During the cleaning process of the target mixer truck, a cleaning prompt is sent to the target mixer truck and displayed on the display screen; Upon completion of cleaning, a cleaning completion notification message is sent to the target mixer truck to be displayed on the screen.

11. A mixer truck, the mixer truck comprising a vehicle body, a hopper, and a mixing tank, characterized in that, The mixer truck can be automatically cleaned by the mixer truck automatic cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1-10.

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