Concrete test piece molding robot and its operation method

Abstract

This invention provides a concrete specimen molding robot and its operating method, relating to the field of concrete specimen preparation. The molding robot includes a transport chassis, a shell, a conveying mechanism, a vibration mechanism, and a smoothing mechanism located within the shell. The transport chassis is movable, and the shell is fixed to the transport chassis, with a material inlet on the shell. The vibration mechanism is detachably fixed to a specimen mold and is used to compact the concrete within the mold during vibration. The conveying mechanism transfers the vibration mechanism from below the material inlet to the smoothing mechanism. The smoothing mechanism has a scraper; when the vibration mechanism moves below the scraper, the scraper abuts against the surface of the specimen mold, scraping away excess concrete from the mold surface during continuous conveying by the vibration mechanism. The concrete can be conveyed, vibrated, compacted, and the specimen surface smoothed simultaneously. It is highly mobile and avoids the drawbacks of existing fixed equipment, which requires a large floor space and significant site space requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of concrete specimen preparation technology, and in particular to a concrete specimen molding robot and its operation method. Background Technology

[0002] According to relevant standards, freshly mixed concrete is sampled and prepared into a specified shape for testing its mechanical or durability properties; these samples are called concrete specimens. The test results of concrete specimens are crucial for evaluating concrete quality, conducting project acceptance, and adjusting mix proportions. The preparation of standard concrete specimens is a fundamental step in ensuring the scientific validity and reliability of test data. Currently, there are two main technical approaches for specimen preparation:

[0003] The first type is the traditional manual preparation method, where the industry still largely relies on manual labor for processes such as sampling, transportation, molding, vibration, surface finishing, and marking. The second type is existing fixed automated equipment, which has led to the emergence of fixed-station, assembly-line automated molding equipment to replace manual labor.

[0004] The applicant has discovered that the prior art has at least the following technical problems: The main problems with manually preparing concrete components are as follows: First, it is labor-intensive and inefficient: the sampling point (mixing plant / pouring point) and the molding point (laboratory) are usually far apart, and the sample size is large each time. Manually carrying heavy objects and traveling long distances places a tremendous physical burden on the worker, making continuous, efficient operation 24 hours a day impossible. Second, standardization is difficult to guarantee: individual differences exist in manual operation, making it difficult to maintain high consistency in vibration compaction, leveling, and other processes, affecting the accuracy of subsequent mechanical or durability performance tests. Third, the workflow is fragmented: sampling, transportation, molding, and cleaning are independent processes, resulting in overall low efficiency.

[0005] Existing fixed automated equipment has inherent drawbacks such as poor adaptability to different scenarios: First, deployment is inflexible: the equipment occupies a large area and requires ample site space, making it difficult to modify and deploy in space-constrained existing mixing plants or complex construction sites. Second, sampling is inflexible: its fixed working points cannot adapt to the dynamic sampling needs that change with the pouring locations at the construction site, still requiring manual assistance in transporting concrete, thus failing to achieve full-process automation.

[0006] In summary, manual operation in concrete component fabrication suffers from high labor intensity, low standardization, and difficulties in personnel management. Existing fixed automated equipment suffers from poor adaptability to different scenarios, inflexible deployment, and inability to meet mobile sampling requirements due to its fixed layout. There is a lack of a robot in the current technology that can integrate concrete specimen molding and flexible movement. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a concrete specimen molding robot and its operating method, to solve the technical problems of existing fixed concrete specimen manufacturing equipment, which requires multiple workstations and processing devices in the site, resulting in large footprint and inflexible sampling. The various technical effects of the preferred technical solutions provided by this invention are detailed below.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: The concrete specimen molding robot provided by this invention includes a transport chassis, a shell, a conveying mechanism, a vibration mechanism, and a smoothing mechanism located within the shell, wherein: The transport chassis is movable, the housing is fixed to the transport chassis, and the housing is provided with a material inlet; The vibration mechanism is detachably fixed with a test mold, and the vibration mechanism is used to make the concrete reach a compacted state in the test mold during vibration. The vibration mechanism is located on the conveying mechanism, which is used to transfer the vibration mechanism from below the feed inlet to the location of the smoothing mechanism. The smoothing mechanism has a scraper. When the vibration mechanism moves to below the scraper, the scraper abuts against the surface of the test mold, and is used to scrape off excess concrete from the surface of the test mold when the vibration mechanism continuously conveys the material.

[0009] Preferably, the vibration mechanism includes a vibration frame, an elastic part, a vibration platform, and a locking buckle, wherein: The vibration frame is fixed to the conveying mechanism, and the upper and lower ends of the elastic part are respectively fixed to the vibration platform and the frame. The locking buckle locks all the test molds on the vibration platform.

[0010] Preferably, the concrete specimen molding robot further includes a waste drawer, which is slidably connected to the housing; A waste channel is formed on the frame, and the waste channel is located above the waste drawer. Excess concrete from the test mold can fall into the waste drawer through the waste channel.

[0011] Preferably, the concrete specimen molding robot further includes a waste tray, which is rotatably connected to the vibration mechanism. The waste tray has a lowered state and a horizontal state. In the lowered state, the waste tray is tilted or hangs down relative to the vibration mechanism. In the horizontal state, the waste tray is flush with the upper surface of the specimen mold to accommodate excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the specimen mold.

[0012] Preferably, the concrete specimen molding robot further includes a telescopic drive device, wherein: The fixed end of the telescopic drive device is hinged to the vibration mechanism, and the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device is hinged to the waste tray. When the telescopic drive device extends or retracts, it drives the waste tray to rotate, thereby switching the waste tray between the lowered state and the horizontal state.

[0013] Preferably, the smoothing mechanism further includes a smoothing frame, a rotation drive device located on the smoothing frame, and a rotating shaft, wherein: The rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the smoothing machine frame, and the rotation drive device is driven to drive all the rotating shafts to rotate around their own axis, so that the lower edge of the scraper can contact the upper surface of the test mold. The scraper is located on the rotating shaft, and the angle between the axis of the rotating shaft and the plane where the scraper is located can be adaptively adjusted under the action of the external force of the mold. The smoothing mechanism also includes a torsion spring, which is sleeved on the rotating shaft. The resistance arm of the torsion spring is fixed to the smoothing frame, and the power arm of the torsion spring is fixed to the scraper, providing a downward preload to the scraper.

[0014] Preferably, the smoothing mechanism further includes a connecting plate and a connecting rod, wherein: The connecting plate is rotatably connected to the end of the corresponding rotating shaft, and the two opposite ends of the connecting rod are rotatably connected to two adjacent connecting plates; The telescopic end of the rotation drive device is rotatably connected to the bottom of one of the connecting plates. When the rotation drive device extends or retracts, it can pull the connecting plate and the connecting rod to move, thereby driving all the rotating shafts to rotate synchronously.

[0015] Preferably, a forward-facing hinged cover is hinged to the housing, the forward-facing hinged cover is located on the discharge side of the housing, and the discharge side is disposed opposite to the inlet; The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a receiving hopper, which is located below the inlet, and the outline of the discharge port of the receiving hopper matches the outline of the upper opening of the specimen mold.

[0016] Preferably, the transport chassis includes a chassis body, wheels, a power module, and a host computer, wherein: The wheels are mounted on the chassis body and are used to drive the chassis body to move. The power module supplies power to the electrical equipment inside the chassis body or the housing. The host computer can control the movement of the chassis body, the vibration of the vibration mechanism, and the movement of the transmission mechanism. It also connects with a remote server through a wireless communication module to receive instructions or provide real-time status feedback.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for operating a concrete specimen molding robot, the method comprising: After receiving the instruction, the forming robot moves the transport chassis to the designated receiving location; The molding robot picks up concrete at the material receiving point; After receiving the concrete, the molding robot proceeds to the designated layout point; during the transportation process by the molding robot, the vibration mechanism is activated to vibrate and compact the concrete in the mold. After vibration is completed, the smoothing mechanism is activated, and the scraper smooths out the excess concrete on the surface of the test mold to ensure the flatness of the test specimen surface. After the molding robot arrives at the lofting point, the molding robot prompts the manual to remove the completed test piece; after removal, the manual replaces the test mold.

[0018] The concrete specimen molding robot and its operating method provided by this invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art: the transport chassis can carry all other components and can be transferred between different work locations; the conveying mechanism enables the movement of the vibration mechanism within the shell; through the cooperation of the vibration mechanism and the conveying mechanism, a new process of simultaneous movement and vibration is achieved; the scraper of the smoothing mechanism can scrape off excess concrete from the surface of the mold while the vibration mechanism is continuously conveying, ensuring the flatness of the concrete specimen. In this embodiment, the concrete specimen molding robot incorporates vibration and smoothing stations within the shell, enabling the vibration compaction of concrete and the smoothing of the specimen surface. The transport chassis allows for flexible movement of the entire robot, achieving a breakthrough from a fixed workstation to a mobile platform, enabling the equipment to be moved to different sampling points and avoiding the drawbacks of existing fixed equipment that require a large footprint and ample space. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a side view of the external structure of the concrete specimen molding robot; Figure 2 This is a front view of the external structure of the concrete specimen molding robot; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a concrete specimen molding robot; Figure 4This is a rear view of the concrete specimen molding robot; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a concrete specimen molding robot when it receives concrete. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal three-dimensional structure of a concrete specimen molding robot. Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a concrete specimen molding robot during vibration processing. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the concrete specimen molding robot when the scraper just comes into contact with the mold during the smoothing operation. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the concrete specimen molding robot during the smoothing operation, with the scraper smoothing the concrete surface of the specimen mold and the waste tray in a horizontal position. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the smoothing mechanism; Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the state when the task is completed; Figure 12 This is a diagram showing the state of the waste drawer when it is pulled out. Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of a concrete specimen molding robot.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Carrier chassis; 11. Chassis body; 12. Wheels; 13. Charging port and power switch; 14. Power module; 2. Housing; 21. Feed inlet; 22. Forward-opening cover; 23. Receiving hopper; 3. Conveying mechanism; 4. Vibration mechanism; 41. Vibrating frame; 42. Elastic part; 43. Vibrating platform; 44. Locking buckle; 45. Waste channel; 5. Smoothing mechanism; 51. Scraper; 52. Smoothing frame; 53. Rotary drive device 54. Rotating shaft; 55. Connecting plate; 56. Connecting rod; 57. Torsion spring; 6. Scrap drawer; 61. Drawer handle; 71. Scrap tray; 72. Telescopic drive device; 8. Trial mold; 90. 4G and WiFi communication antenna; 91. Disc navigation antenna; 92. Touch screen; 93. Command button; 94. LiDAR; 95. Base; 96. Rear emergency stop switch; 97. Side-opening door; 98. Side handle; 99. Front emergency stop switch. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "length," "width," "height," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," and "side," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] The existing technologies for manually preparing concrete components mainly suffer from the following problems: First, high labor intensity and low efficiency: Sampling points (mixing plant / pouring point) and molding points (laboratory) are usually far apart, and the amount of concrete sampled at one time is large. Manually carrying heavy objects and long-distance travel places a tremendous physical burden, making continuous and efficient operation 24 hours a day impossible. Second, difficulty in ensuring standardization: Individual differences exist in manual operation, making it difficult to maintain high consistency in vibration compaction, leveling, and other processes, affecting the accuracy of subsequent mechanical or durability performance tests. Third, fragmented workflow: Sampling, transportation, molding, and cleaning are independent processes, resulting in overall low efficiency. Existing fixed automated equipment has inherent defects in poor adaptability to different scenarios: First, inflexible deployment: The equipment occupies a large area and has high requirements for site space, making it difficult to modify and deploy in space-constrained existing mixing plants or complex construction sites. Second, inflexible sampling: Its fixed working points cannot adapt to the dynamic sampling needs that change with the pouring points at the construction site, still requiring manual assistance in transporting concrete, failing to achieve full-process automation.

[0025] Replacing manual labor with robots in concrete specimen molding offers several advantages. Firstly, it addresses the pain points of high labor intensity and the need for continuous, round-the-clock operation in manual molding. Every time a certain amount of concrete (usually by volume, cubic meters) is produced or poured at a concrete mixing plant or construction site, samples are taken for molding. When the daily production or pouring scale of concrete at a mixing plant or construction site is large, the daily workload for concrete specimen molding is enormous. Furthermore, concrete sampling locations are usually near the mixing plant or pouring location, while molding locations are typically in the laboratory, and the distance between sampling and molding points can be considerable. Therefore, over-reliance on manual concrete specimen molding often faces problems such as long sampling distances and large single sampling volumes, leading to frequent heavy lifting and long-distance travel for specimen handlers, resulting in extremely high physical strain and labor intensity. Secondly, the sampling and sample preparation stages in concrete specimen molding are highly repeatable, providing a good foundation for standardization. This characteristic makes concrete specimen preparation naturally suitable for replacement by robotic systems, thereby achieving the goals of cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and enhanced sample consistency and quality control.

[0026] In view of this, the present invention provides a concrete specimen molding robot and its operation method, which realizes a breakthrough from a fixed workstation to a mobile platform, enabling the equipment to move to different sampling points and avoiding the defects of existing fixed equipment that have a large footprint and high requirements for site space.

[0027] The following is combined with Figures 1-13 The technical solution provided by this invention will be described in more detail below.

[0028] Example 1 See Figures 1-12 As shown, the concrete specimen molding robot provided by the present invention includes a transport chassis 1, a shell 2, and a conveying mechanism 3, a vibration mechanism 4, and a smoothing mechanism 5 located within the shell 2. Specifically: the transport chassis 1 is movably mounted, and the shell 2 is fixed to the transport chassis 1, with an inlet 21 on the shell 2; a specimen mold 8 is fixed to the vibration mechanism 4, which is used to compact the concrete within the specimen mold 8 during vibration; the vibration mechanism 4 is mounted on the conveying mechanism 3, which is used to convey the vibration mechanism 4 from below the inlet 21 to the location of the smoothing mechanism 5; the smoothing mechanism 5 has a scraper 51, which abuts against the surface of the specimen mold 8 when the vibration mechanism 4 is conveyed to the surface, scraping away excess concrete from the surface of the specimen mold 8 during continuous conveying by the vibration mechanism 4.

[0029] See Figures 1-5The transport chassis 1 serves as the main body supporting the overall structure of the robot and provides mobility. Drive components and control components can be installed on it, enabling it to move autonomously or remotely between different locations. In this embodiment, the transport chassis 1 includes a chassis body 11 and wheels 12. The wheels 12 are mounted on the chassis body 11 and are used to drive the chassis body 11 to move.

[0030] The conveying mechanism 3 is used to move the vibration mechanism 4 inside the robot. The conveying mechanism 3 can be, for example, a conveyor belt, roller conveyor, or linear module. See also... Figure 12 In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 3 includes a conveying chain, which is driven by a motor. In this embodiment, the cooperation between the vibration mechanism 4 and the conveying mechanism 3 achieves a new process of vibration while moving (which can vibrate and compact the material during transportation).

[0031] See Figures 7-9 The smoothing mechanism 5 is used to smooth the surface of the concrete specimen. It removes excess concrete by contacting the surface of the mold 8 with the scraper 51 to ensure that the surface flatness of the specimen meets the standard requirements.

[0032] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the vibration mechanism 4 in this embodiment can fix multiple molds 8 to simultaneously produce multiple concrete specimens. The mold 8 is a container used to hold freshly mixed concrete and shape it into a specified size and shape. It is usually made of metal or plastic and is the core component for concrete specimen preparation.

[0033] In this embodiment, the transport chassis 1 carries all other components and can be moved between different work locations; the conveying mechanism 3 enables the vibration mechanism 4 to move within the housing 2; through the cooperation of the vibration mechanism 4 and the conveying mechanism 3, a work mode of moving and vibrating simultaneously is achieved; the scraper 51 of the smoothing mechanism 5 can scrape off excess concrete from the surface of the mold 8 during the continuous conveying process of the vibration mechanism 4, ensuring the flatness of the concrete sample. The concrete specimen molding robot of this embodiment integrates a vibration station and a smoothing station within the housing 2, enabling the vibration compaction of concrete and the smoothing of the specimen surface; the transport chassis 1 makes the entire robot flexible in movement, achieving a breakthrough from a fixed station to a mobile platform, allowing the equipment to be moved to different sampling points, avoiding the shortcomings of existing fixed equipment that require a large area and high site space.

[0034] As an optional implementation, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 7As shown, the vibration mechanism 4 includes a vibration frame 41, an elastic part 42, a vibration platform 43, and a locking buckle 44. The vibration frame 41 is fixed to the transmission mechanism 3. The upper and lower ends of the elastic part 42 are fixed to the vibration platform 43 and the vibration frame 41, respectively. The locking buckle 44 is used to lock all the test molds 8 onto the vibration platform 43.

[0035] See Figure 3 , Figure 4 The elastic part 42 is used to realize the relative movement of the vibration platform 43 with respect to the vibration frame 41, and effectively attenuate the transmission of vibration energy to the vibration frame 41 and the transmission mechanism 3, thereby playing the role of vibration isolation and vibration reduction. The elastic part 42 can take various forms, such as helical springs, rubber vibration dampers, air springs or composite material vibration damping pads, etc.

[0036] See Figure 3 , Figure 4 The vibration platform 43 can be made of thick steel plate or cast iron plate, and its surface can be treated with anti-slip treatment or equipped with positioning structures to assist in the placement of the test mold 8. The vibration platform 43 includes a DC vibration motor, a frequency regulator, and a programmable timer. The vibration motor is fixed below the vibration table. The programmable timer presets the vibration time according to the concrete mix proportion and automatically controls the start and stop of the vibration motor. The frequency regulator precisely controls the vibration frequency within the range of 50Hz±2Hz specified in the current national standard (GB / T 50081-2019, section 4.1.2; the amplitude specifications below are the same). The vibration motor can achieve stepless amplitude adjustment. The operator can adjust the amplitude according to the slump of the concrete and the aggregate particle size to stabilize it at 0.5mm±0.02mm to meet the compaction requirements under different working conditions. See also... Figure 3 , Figure 4 The locking buckle 44 is used to securely lock all the test molds 8 onto the vibration platform 43.

[0037] In this embodiment, the vibration platform 43 serves as the direct application of vibration, ensuring that the vibration can be transmitted evenly and effectively to the concrete in the mold 8. The locking buckle 44 ensures that the mold 8 remains firmly fixed during intense vibration, preventing accidental displacement or detachment of the mold 8. This not only ensures operational safety but also helps to obtain concrete specimens with high density and stable quality.

[0038] During vibration compaction or smoothing processes, if excess concrete is scraped off and scattered inside the robot, it will cause equipment contamination, affect normal operation, and increase the difficulty of cleaning and maintenance. Therefore, how to effectively collect the waste concrete scattered inside the shell 2 during vibration and smoothing becomes a problem that needs to be solved.

[0039] For the above issues, please refer to Figure 12As shown, the concrete specimen molding robot also includes a waste drawer 6, which is slidably connected to the housing 2; see [link / reference] Figure 3 A waste channel 45 is formed on the frame. The waste channel 45 is located above the waste drawer 6. Excess concrete overflowing from the test mold 8 can fall into the waste drawer 6 through the waste channel 45.

[0040] See Figure 3 and Figure 12 Waste drawer 6 is a pull-out container. Its main body is made of coated metal or high-strength plastic material. The area inside that comes into contact with concrete is equipped with a pad with a hydrophobic coating. Waste drawer 6 is used to collect and temporarily store excess concrete waste scraped or spilled from the surface of the test mold 8. Its structural dimensions and shape are adapted to the reserved space inside the shell 2 to ensure smooth pulling and stable installation.

[0041] See Figure 12 The waste drawer 6 is equipped with a drawer handle 61 at one end to facilitate the removal of the waste drawer 6 from the housing 2 for cleaning. The waste drawer 6 can be smoothly pulled out and pushed in in a horizontal or slightly inclined direction, which facilitates regular manual cleaning without the need for complex disassembly of the robot's main structure.

[0042] See Figure 3 Waste channel 45 is an opening, slot or guide structure provided on the vibrating frame 41 to guide excess concrete overflowing from the test mold 8 downwards and prevent it from accumulating or scattering on the frame.

[0043] When the scraper 51 of the smoothing mechanism 5 removes excess concrete from the surface of the test mold 8, some of the excess concrete falls directly into the waste drawer 6, which is slidably connected to the housing 2, through the waste channel 45 on the vibrating frame 41. This effectively prevents excess concrete from scattering inside the robot. The sliding connection of the waste drawer 6 facilitates the centralized collection and cleaning of waste.

[0044] During the concrete specimen molding process, when the vibration mechanism 4 vibrates and compacts the concrete in the mold 8 or the smoothing mechanism 5 smooths it, some concrete may overflow from the surface of the mold 8. If this excess concrete is not effectively collected and treated, it will scatter inside the robot or in the work area, causing equipment contamination, affecting the smoothness of subsequent operations, and increasing the burden of manual cleaning, thereby reducing the efficiency and cleanliness of automated molding operations.

[0045] For the above issues, please refer to Figures 3-9As shown, the concrete specimen molding robot of this embodiment also includes a waste tray 71, which is rotatably connected to the vibration mechanism 4. The waste tray 71 has a lowered state and a horizontal state: when it is in the lowered state, the waste tray 71 is tilted or hangs down relative to the vibration mechanism 4; when it is in the horizontal state, the waste tray 71 is flush with the upper surface of the mold 8 and is used to accommodate excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the mold 8.

[0046] The waste tray 71 is a container structure with a certain volume, and its material can be made of wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant and easy-to-clean materials. In this embodiment, the waste tray 71 is used to collect and temporarily store excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the mold 8 to prevent it from scattering.

[0047] Preferably, in this embodiment, the inner surfaces of both the waste tray 71 and the waste drawer 6 are covered with pads made of a material with low surface energy, wear resistance, scratch resistance, and hydrophobic properties. Utilizing its excellent non-stick and self-cleaning properties, the concrete waste that falls into the tray is easy to clean, requiring only simple wiping or light tapping to remove, thus reducing the difficulty of manual cleaning and maintenance.

[0048] See Figures 7-9 As shown, the waste tray 71 has two main operating states: a lowered state and a horizontal state. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in the lowered state, the waste tray 71 is tilted downwards at a certain angle or hangs down completely to facilitate emptying the waste or to provide operating space when overflow collection is not required. This state ensures that the waste tray 71 does not obstruct the normal operation of other mechanisms and reduces the extension length of the housing 2, making the structure more compact.

[0049] See Figure 9 As shown, in the horizontal position, the waste tray 71 rotates to a position approximately flush with the top edge of the mold 8, forming a collection area extending from the surface of the mold 8. In this state, the waste tray 71 can effectively catch and contain excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the mold 8, preventing it from splashing or scattering into the robot's interior or the surrounding environment. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, excess concrete overflow may occur when the test mold 8 is vibrating in the vibration mechanism 4, or when it is being smoothed by the smoothing mechanism 5.

[0050] Through the above technical solution, during the concrete specimen molding process, when the vibration mechanism 4 vibrates and compacts the concrete in the mold 8 or the smoothing mechanism 5 scrapes it, the waste tray 71 can be switched to a horizontal state, flush with the upper surface of the mold 8, thereby effectively collecting the excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the mold 8, preventing it from scattering into the robot's interior or work area, significantly reducing the need for manual cleaning, maintaining equipment cleanliness, and improving the efficiency of automated operation and environmental cleanliness.

[0051] This embodiment provides a method for switching the waste tray 71 between a downward position and a horizontal position. See also Figures 7-9 As shown, the concrete specimen molding robot also includes a telescopic drive device 72, wherein: the fixed end of the telescopic drive device 72 is hinged to the vibration mechanism 4, and the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device 72 is hinged to the waste tray 71; when the telescopic drive device 72 extends or retracts, it drives the waste tray 71 to rotate, thereby realizing the switching between the lowering state and the horizontal state. The telescopic drive device 72 can be an electric push rod.

[0052] When the telescopic drive device 72 extends, it drives the waste tray 71 to rotate. Specifically, when the telescopic drive device 72 extends, it pushes the waste tray 71 upward, gradually rotating it from an inclined or drooping downward state to a horizontal state, flush with the upper surface of the mold 8, thus preparing it to receive excess concrete overflowing from the mold 8. Figure 9 As shown. Conversely, when the telescopic drive device 72 retracts, it pulls the waste tray 71 downwards or inwards, causing the waste tray 71 to rotate smoothly from a horizontal state to a lowered state, facilitating the automatic dumping or discharge of the collected excess concrete for subsequent cleaning.

[0053] Combination Figures 7-9 During the concrete specimen molding process, when the vibration mechanism 4 is activated to compact the concrete, the telescopic drive device 72 can drive the waste tray 71 to rotate to a horizontal position, ensuring that excess concrete overflowing from the mold 8 can be effectively collected, preventing concrete from scattering and contaminating the equipment and working environment. When it is necessary to clean up the waste, the telescopic drive device 72 can drive the waste tray 71 to rotate to a lowered position, allowing the waste to be automatically dumped, significantly improving the efficiency and automation of waste cleaning.

[0054] The telescopic drive device 72 and the waste tray 71 can be installed on the vibrating frame 41. Under the action of the conveying mechanism 3, the two move synchronously with the vibrating frame 41.

[0055] The above structure works in conjunction with components such as the transport chassis 1, the conveying mechanism 3, the vibration mechanism 4, and the smoothing mechanism 5, significantly improving the automation level of the entire concrete specimen molding process, reducing manual operation, thereby improving production efficiency and specimen molding quality, and helping to keep the work area clean.

[0056] During the concrete specimen molding process, the scraper 51 of the smoothing mechanism 5 needs to effectively scrape off excess concrete from the surface of the mold 8 to ensure the flatness of the specimen surface. However, in actual operation, due to slight height differences or unevenness on the surface of the mold 8 or concrete, it is difficult to achieve precise and uniform scraping of the surface of the mold 8 using existing technology. This can easily lead to incomplete scraping or wear on the mold 8, thereby affecting the molding quality and accuracy of the concrete specimen.

[0057] To address the aforementioned problems, this embodiment provides a specific implementation method for the smoothing mechanism 5: See Figure 3 , Figures 7-10 The smoothing mechanism 5 also includes a smoothing frame 52, a rotation drive device 53 located on the smoothing frame 52, and a rotating shaft 54. The rotating shaft 54 ​​is rotatably connected to the smoothing frame 52, and the rotation drive device 53 is driven by all rotating shafts 54 to drive all rotating shafts 54 to rotate around their own axes, thereby allowing the lower edge of the scraper 51 to contact the upper surface of the mold 8. The scraper 51 is mounted on the rotating shaft 54, and the angle between the axis of the rotating shaft 54 ​​and the plane containing the scraper 51 can be adaptively adjusted under the action of external force on the mold 8. The smoothing mechanism 5 also includes a torsion spring 57, which is sleeved on the rotating shaft 54. Its resistance arm is fixed to the smoothing frame 52, and its power arm is fixed to the scraper 51, providing a downward preload to the scraper 51.

[0058] See Figures 7-10 The scraper 51 of the smoothing mechanism 5 is not a simple fixed structure, but is driven by a rotating drive device 53 to rotate the shaft 54, so that the lower edge of the scraper 51 can accurately contact the upper surface of the mold 8. The adaptive adjustment mechanism between the scraper 51 and the shaft 54 ​​allows the scraper 51 to automatically adjust its contact angle with the surface of the mold 8 when subjected to external force from the mold 8, thereby effectively dealing with minor unevenness of the mold 8 or the concrete surface.

[0059] See Figure 3 The torsion spring 57 provides a stable downward preload to the scraper 51, ensuring that the scraper 51 always contacts the surface of the mold 8 with appropriate pressure, which not only ensures the thorough removal of excess concrete, but also avoids excessive wear on the mold 8.

[0060] See Figures 7-10 In this embodiment, the smoothing mechanism 5 can adaptively smooth the surface: when the concrete-filled mold 8 moves with the conveying mechanism 3 and passes the scraper 51, the scraper 51, under the action of the torsion spring 57, closely adheres to the upper edge of the mold 8 and scrapes off excess concrete from the surface of the mold 8, thereby achieving automatic smoothing.

[0061] See Figures 7-10 In this embodiment, the smoothing mechanism 5 has an anti-jamming protection function: when there are coarse aggregates with large particle sizes on the surface of the test mold 8, the aggregates push up the scraper 51, overcoming the elastic force of the torsion spring 57 and causing the scraper 51 to rotate upward. After the aggregates pass through, the elastic force of the torsion spring 57 causes the scraper 51 to automatically reset and continue the smoothing operation. This structure effectively avoids equipment damage or motor overload caused by aggregate jamming in traditional rigid smoothing methods.

[0062] See Figures 7-10The smoothing mechanism 5 includes multiple rotating shafts 54 and corresponding scrapers 51. Ensuring that these rotating shafts 54 rotate synchronously to achieve uniform smoothing of the concrete surface of the test mold 8 is a technical problem that needs to be solved. If the rotating shafts 54 rotate asynchronously, the smoothing effect will be inconsistent, affecting the flatness of the specimen.

[0063] For the above issues, please refer to Figures 7-10 The smoothing mechanism 5 also includes a connecting plate 55 and a connecting rod 56, wherein: the connecting plate 55 is rotatably connected to the end of the corresponding rotating shaft 54, and the two ends of the connecting rod 56 are rotatably connected to two adjacent connecting plates 55; the telescopic end of the rotation drive device 53 is rotatably connected to the bottom of one of the connecting plates 55, and when the rotation drive device 53 telescopically extends, it can pull the connecting plate 55 and the connecting rod 56 to move, thereby driving all rotating shafts 54 to rotate synchronously.

[0064] See Figure 10 The rotary drive device 53 can be a linear actuator or a cylinder, with its extension end generating linear motion. By rotatably connecting its extension end to the bottom of one of the connecting plates 55, the linear push-pull force of the rotary drive device 53 drives the connecting plate 55 to rotate. When the rotary drive device 53 extends or retracts, it pulls the connecting plate 55 and the connecting rod 56, thereby driving all the rotating shafts 54 to rotate synchronously, so as to adjust the position of the lower edge of the scraper 51 and ensure that the lower edge of all the scrapers 51 can contact the surface of the mold 8.

[0065] See Figures 7-10 In this embodiment, the smoothing mechanism 5 is a linkage mechanism composed of connecting plates 55 and connecting rods 56. The telescopic end of the rotation drive device 53 is rotatably connected to the bottom of one of the connecting plates 55. When the rotation drive device 53 extends or retracts, the linear motion it generates is converted into rotational motion through the connecting plate 55 and transmitted to each adjacent connecting plate 55 via the connecting rods 56. Since each connecting plate 55 is rotatably connected to the end of the corresponding rotating shaft 54, all rotating shafts 54 can be driven to rotate synchronously. The above-mentioned linkage mechanism realizes the synchronous rotation of multiple rotating shafts 54, ensuring that all scrapers 51 in the smoothing mechanism 5 can maintain a consistent posture and movement trajectory during the smoothing process, thereby uniformly and efficiently scraping away excess concrete on the surface of the mold 8, significantly improving the surface flatness and molding quality of the concrete specimen.

[0066] As an optional implementation, see Figure 2 A forward-opening cover 22 is hinged to the housing 2, and the forward-opening cover 22 is located on the discharge side of the housing 2, which is opposite to the inlet 21; after the molding operation is completed, see Figure 12 Users can open the front-facing cover 22 to remove the concrete specimen and replace it with a new mold 8.

[0067] See Figure 1The housing 2 has a side-opening door hinged to it, and a side handle is fixed to the side-opening door. The user can open the side-opening door through the side handle to adjust or repair the internal electrical components.

[0068] See Figure 5 The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a receiving hopper 23, located below the inlet 21, with its discharge opening profile matching the upper profile of the mold 8. The receiving hopper 23 guides externally input concrete into the mold 8, effectively controlling the concrete's feeding path, preventing overflow during feeding, and ensuring precise placement of the concrete into the mold 8. The receiving hopper 23 can be fixedly installed inside the housing 2 to accommodate different sizes of molds 8 or different feeding methods. Depending on the type of specimen to be produced (e.g., 100mm / 150mm cube compressive strength specimens, flexural strength specimens, frost resistance specimens, and restricted expansion specimens), receiving hoppers 23 with different volumes and diameters can be replaced.

[0069] As an optional implementation, see Figures 1-12 As shown, the transport chassis 1 in this embodiment includes a chassis body 11, wheels 12, a power module 14, and a host computer. The wheels 12 are mounted on the chassis body 11 and are used to drive the chassis body 11 to move. The power module 14 supplies power to the electrical equipment in the chassis body 11 and the housing 2. The host computer is used to control the movement of the chassis body 11, the vibration of the vibration mechanism 4, and the movement of the transmission mechanism 3. It also interfaces with a remote server through a wireless communication module to receive instructions or provide real-time status feedback.

[0070] See Figure 4 The chassis body 11 is equipped with a charging port and a power switch 13. The transport chassis 1 can be selected according to the preset application scenario. For example, tracked wheels can be used on muddy roads in complex construction sites, while other wheel types can be used in flat mixing plants.

[0071] The transport chassis 1 adopts a customized robot chassis, integrating a chassis control system, power module, wireless communication module, and navigation system (including a host computer). The host computer serves as the core control unit, precisely coordinating the movement of the chassis body 11, the vibration of the vibration mechanism 4, and the movement of the transmission mechanism 3 to achieve automated operation. Through the wireless communication module, it interfaces with a remote server, enabling the robot to receive remote commands and provide real-time status feedback, achieving remote monitoring, scheduling, and management. This effectively reduces the need for manual intervention and improves the intelligence and safety of the operation. The transport chassis 1 and its wheels 12 allow the robot to move freely in complex construction sites, replacing manual handling and significantly improving the flexibility and efficiency of the forming operation. The power module 14 ensures the energy supply required for the robot's long-term stable operation, reducing downtime due to insufficient power.

[0072] Example 2 See Figures 1-13 This embodiment provides a method for operating a concrete specimen molding robot. Based on the aforementioned concrete specimen molding robot, the operating method includes: after receiving an instruction, the molding robot moves its transport chassis 1 to a designated receiving location; the molding robot receives concrete at the receiving location; after receiving the concrete, the molding robot proceeds to a designated layout point; during the transportation process, the vibration mechanism 4 is activated to vibrate and compact the concrete in the mold 8; after vibration, the smoothing mechanism 5 is activated, and the scraper 51 smooths the excess concrete on the surface of the mold 8 to ensure the flatness of the specimen surface; after the molding robot arrives at the layout point, the molding robot prompts the operator to remove the completed specimen; after removal, the operator replaces the mold 8.

[0073] Correspondingly, see Figures 1-3 The housing 2 is equipped with a 4G and WiFi communication antenna 90, a disc-shaped navigation antenna 91, a touch screen 92, a command button 93, a laser radar 94, a base 95, a rear emergency stop switch 96, a side lift-up door 97, a side handle 98, and a front emergency stop switch 99.

[0074] Specifically, the workflow of this invention is as follows: Step 1: After receiving the instruction (which is automatically issued by the mixing plant production management system, or can be issued manually using a computer or mobile phone), the on-board host computer parses the instruction and plans the path, controlling the transport chassis 1 to drive the shell 2 to move autonomously to the designated material receiving location. Step 2: Collect concrete from the concrete mixer truck at the receiving point; Step 3: After receiving the material, manually press the button to confirm the receipt, and the robot will automatically proceed to the designated layout point. Step four: During the robot's transport process, the vibration mechanism 4 is activated to vibrate and compact the concrete in the mold 8. Step 5: After vibration is complete, the smoothing mechanism 5 is activated to complete the standardized smoothing of the specimen surface; Step six: During steps four and five, concrete residue will be generated. The residue above the mold 8 is collected through the waste tray 71, and the residue at the bottom of the mold 8 is collected through the waste drawer 6. The residue is then cleaned manually. The cleaning process is simple and convenient, which can greatly reduce the amount of concrete residue on the test specimens and extend the maintenance cycle of the equipment.

[0075] Step 7: After the robot arrives at the sampling point, the robot sends a status reminder that the sample preparation is complete, prompting the manual removal of the completed specimen; Step 8: After removing the empty test mold 8, manually replace it with the empty test mold 8, press the body button to return to the charging position or execute the next task, and repeat the process from Step 1 to Step 7.

[0076] This embodiment effectively overcomes the problems of high labor intensity of manual operation and poor adaptability caused by the inability of fixed equipment to move for sampling by simultaneously performing vibration compaction and smoothing processes during the transportation of the molding robot. Specifically, since the vibration mechanism 4 is activated during transportation, the concrete is vibrated and compacted in the mold 8, thus completing the compaction process while in motion; after vibration, the smoothing mechanism 5 is immediately activated, and the scraper 51 removes excess concrete and ensures a smooth surface, eliminating the errors of manual smoothing. This integrated operation method eliminates the need for fixed workstations in concrete specimen preparation, allowing for dynamic adjustment according to the pouring point, and realizing fully automated mobile operation from sampling to molding, significantly improving preparation efficiency and the consistency of specimen quality.

[0077] The specific features, structures, or characteristics described in this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0078] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0079] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A concrete test specimen molding robot characterized by, It includes a transport chassis (1), a housing (2), a conveying mechanism (3) located within the housing (2), a vibration mechanism (4), and a smoothing mechanism (5), wherein: The transport chassis (1) is movable, and the housing (2) is fixed on the transport chassis (1). The housing (2) is provided with a feed inlet (21). The test mold (8) is detachably fixed on the vibration mechanism (4). The vibration mechanism (4) is used to make the concrete reach a compacted state in the test mold (8) during vibration. The vibration mechanism (4) is located on the conveying mechanism (3), which is used to transfer the vibration mechanism (4) from below the feed inlet (21) to the position of the smoothing mechanism (5). The smoothing mechanism (5) has a scraper (51). When the vibration mechanism (4) moves to below the scraper (51), the scraper (51) abuts against the surface of the test mold (8) to scrape off excess concrete from the surface of the test mold (8) when the vibration mechanism (4) continues to convey, so that the upper surface of the concrete is smooth.

2. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 1, wherein, The vibration mechanism (4) includes a vibration frame (41), an elastic part (42), a vibration platform (43), and a locking buckle (44), wherein: The vibration frame (41) is fixed on the transmission mechanism (3), and the upper and lower ends of the elastic part (42) are fixed to the vibration platform (43) and the frame, respectively. The locking buckle (44) locks all the test molds (8) on the vibration platform (43).

3. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 2, wherein, The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a waste drawer (6), which is slidably connected to the housing (2); A waste channel (45) is formed on the frame, the waste channel (45) is located above the waste drawer (6), and some of the excess concrete of the test mold (8) can fall into the waste drawer (6) through the waste channel (45).

4. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 1, wherein, The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a waste tray (71), which is rotatably connected to the vibration mechanism (4). The waste tray (71) has a lowered state and a horizontal state. When it is in the lowered state, the waste tray (71) is tilted or hangs down relative to the vibration mechanism (4). When it is in the horizontal state, the waste tray (71) is flush with the upper surface of the mold (8) to accommodate excess concrete overflowing from the surface of the mold (8).

5. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 4, wherein, The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a telescopic drive device (72), wherein: The fixed end of the telescopic drive device (72) is hinged to the vibration mechanism (4), and the telescopic end of the telescopic drive device (72) is hinged to the waste tray (71). When the telescopic drive device (72) extends or retracts, it drives the waste tray (71) to rotate, thereby switching the waste tray (71) between the lowered state and the horizontal state.

6. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 1, wherein, The smoothing mechanism (5) further includes a smoothing frame (52), a rotation drive device (53) located on the smoothing frame (52), and a rotating shaft (54), wherein: The rotating shaft (54) is rotatably connected to the smoothing frame (52), and the rotating drive device (53) is driven connected to all the rotating shafts (54) to drive all the rotating shafts (54) to rotate around their own axis, so that the lower edge of the scraper (51) can contact the upper surface of the test mold (8). The scraper (51) is located on the rotating shaft (54), and the angle between the axis of the rotating shaft (54) and the plane where the scraper (51) is located can be adaptively adjusted under the action of the external force of the test mold (8). The smoothing mechanism (5) also includes a torsion spring (57), which is sleeved on the rotating shaft (54). The resistance arm of the torsion spring (57) is fixed on the smoothing frame (52), and the power arm of the torsion spring (57) is fixed on the scraper (51) to provide a downward preload to the scraper (51).

7. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 6, wherein, The smoothing mechanism (5) further includes a connecting plate (55) and a connecting rod (56), wherein: The connecting plate (55) is rotatably connected to the end of the corresponding rotating shaft (54), and the two ends of the connecting rod (56) are rotatably connected to the two adjacent connecting plates (55). The telescopic end of the rotation drive device (53) is rotatably connected to the bottom of one of the connecting plates (55). When the rotation drive device (53) extends or retracts, it can pull the connecting plate (55) and the connecting rod (56) to move, thereby driving all the rotating shafts (54) to rotate synchronously.

8. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 1, wherein, A forward-facing hinged cover (22) is hinged to the housing (2). The forward-facing hinged cover (22) is located on the discharge side of the housing (2). The discharge side is opposite to the inlet (21). The concrete specimen molding robot also includes a receiving hopper (23), which can be located below the inlet (21), and the outline of the discharge port of the receiving hopper (23) matches the outline of the upper opening of the mold (8).

9. The concrete test specimen forming robot of claim 1, wherein, The transport chassis (1) includes a chassis body (11), wheels (12), a power module, and a host computer, wherein: The wheels (12) are mounted on the chassis body (11) and are used to drive the chassis body (11) to move. The power module supplies power to the electrical equipment inside the chassis body (11) or the housing (2); The host computer can control the movement of the chassis body (11), the vibration mechanism (4) to vibrate, and the transmission mechanism (3) to move. It can also connect with a remote server through a wireless communication module to receive instructions or provide real-time status feedback.

10. A concrete test piece molding robot operation method characterized by, Based on the concrete specimen molding robot according to any one of claims 1-9, the operation method includes: After receiving the instruction, the forming robot moves the carrier chassis (1) to the designated receiving location; The molding robot picks up concrete at the receiving point; After receiving the concrete, the molding robot proceeds to the designated layout point; during the transportation process of the molding robot, the vibration mechanism (4) is activated to vibrate and compact the concrete in the mold (8); After vibration is completed, the smoothing mechanism (5) is started, and the scraper (51) smooths the excess concrete on the surface of the test mold (8) to ensure the flatness of the test specimen surface; After the molding robot arrives at the lofting point, the molding robot prompts the manual to remove the completed test piece; after removal, the manual replaces the test mold (8).

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