DEVICE FOR LOADING CONCRETE MIXERS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for loading concrete mixers and cleaning the inlet hopper.

[0002] Concrete mixers, also called truck mixers, are transport vehicles with a rotating mixing drum used to transport fresh concrete to a construction site. The concrete mixers are filled at a mixing plant, with the concrete being poured via the mixing plant's collection hopper into the concrete mixer's inlet hopper. The truck mixer is then driven to a predetermined loading point on the mixing plant to position the inlet hopper below the collection hopper.

[0003] The inlet hopper must be cleaned with water immediately after loading to prevent the concrete that has deposited on the surface during loading from hardening. In the simplest case, the inlet hopper is cleaned by the concrete mixer driver manually rinsing and cleaning the inlet hopper with water after loading. However, this procedure is complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, manual cleaning carries a significant risk of accidents for the driver. Furthermore, cleaning the inlet hopper results in an undefined amount of water being added to the concrete that was previously poured into the concrete mixer drum. Another known solution is to provide a separate cleaning station equipped with spray nozzles in the mixing plant or in an adjacent area of ​​the mixing plant, to which the concrete mixer should be driven after loading.Ideally, such a cleaning station is arranged so that a waiting concrete mixer can be filled at the designated position while the concrete mixer is being cleaned. However, even in this example, a separate cleaning step is necessary. This requires the concrete mixer to be moved to the designated cleaning position before cleaning, which unnecessarily increases the cycle time of a loading and cleaning process. Furthermore, installing or retrofitting a cleaning station is space- and cost-intensive.

[0004] WO 2018 / 162348 A1 discloses a device for loading concrete mixers with fresh concrete.

[0005] Based on the disadvantages outlined above, the object of the present invention is to provide a reliable solution with which the cleaning of the surface of the inlet hopper of concrete mixers after loading can be carried out more efficiently.

[0006] The above object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 10 for loading concrete mixers and cleaning the inlet hopper, wherein preferred embodiments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0007] According to this, a device according to claim 1 is provided.

[0008] According to the invention, the concrete mixer enters the device for loading and is positioned in a loading position so that the inlet hopper of the concrete mixer is located directly below the collection hopper of the device. The drip protection device, which is still in the final position of the previous cleaning process and closes the collection hopper in the final position, is then moved into an open loading position. After the mixing drum has been loaded, the drip protection device pivots into the start position of the cleaning process, and cleaning of the inlet hopper begins. During the cleaning process, the drip protection device pivots over the inlet hopper and simultaneously keeps the collection hopper of the mixing plant closed.The pivoting movement of the drip guard device ensures that the water jet generated by the cleaning system hits the surface of the inlet funnel at varying angles, improving the cleaning of the inlet funnel surface compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, water consumption is reduced.

[0009] Furthermore, the water jet can be adjusted to minimize turbulence in the inlet hopper during cleaning, thus promoting improved drainage of the dirty water. Since the cleaning system is mounted directly on the drip tray, repositioning the concrete mixer is not necessary. As soon as the drip protection device has reached the end position of the cleaning process, the cleaning process is complete, and the filled concrete mixer leaves the device in a forward direction, allowing a subsequent concrete mixer to enter from behind for loading. This results in a drive-through concept, which leads to significant time savings, especially when several concrete mixers are filled in a synchronized manner.

[0010] It is particularly preferred that the more than one spray nozzle of the cleaning system are arranged forming a line on the underside of the drip catcher and that the more than one spray nozzle can be adjusted at an angle of up to 360° in order to adapt the spray angle to the shape of the inlet funnel.

[0011] According to the embodiment of the invention, the cleaning system therefore comprises at least two spray nozzles for flushing the inlet hopper with water. The spray nozzles can be arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the device, which corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the concrete mixer in the intended loading position. Furthermore, the nozzles can be individually fixed or adjustable, i.e., pivotable, which further increases the utilization rate of the cleaning water. Preferably, a piping system of the cleaning system supplies the spray nozzles with water.

[0012] The drip guard device has a mechanism driven by an adjustment unit and mounted on supports for pivoting the drip guard device and the cleaning system located thereon into an open loading position, into a closed cleaning position, or back and forth at a predetermined pivot angle. Particularly preferred is a design of the mechanism such that the drip guard is moved between the start position and the end position of the cleaning process as part of a pivoting movement.

[0013] It should be noted that a closed cleaning position is assumed when the drip protection device and the cleaning system attached to it are either in the start position or in the end position of the cleaning process or in between.

[0014] The adjustment unit is a swivel cylinder with travel limitation.

[0015] It is further preferred that the drip catcher and the collecting funnel are designed such that the outlet of the collecting funnel is sealed when the drip catcher is in the closed cleaning position. For example, the collecting funnel can therefore have a flexible rubber tube. The drip catcher can have rollers arranged such that the rubber tube is squeezed when the drip catcher is pivoted in to close the outlet, or is pushed to the side.

[0016] Further preferably, the device comprises a control unit that is signal-connected to the adjustment unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pivoting movements of the drip protection device during the cleaning process according to a fixed, manual, or recipe-dependent automatic preselection of the number of pivoting movements (forward and backward). Furthermore, the control unit is configured to move the drip protection device from the cleaning position to the loading position for loading the concrete mixer and, after the concrete mixer has been loaded, to move it back from the loading position to the cleaning position.

[0017] Preferably, the control unit is designed to initiate the movement of the drip protection device and the cleaning system during the cleaning process in an automated manner and depending on the degree of contamination.

[0018] Alternatively, the movement of the anti-drip device and the cleaning system can be initiated semi-automatically. The movement is activated with the aid of an assistance system for detecting the correct positioning of the concrete mixer or a safety system for monitoring the working area around the concrete mixer, and in response to a start command from a driver.

[0019] In another embodiment, it can be provided that the control unit is designed to carry out the cleaning process depending on the position of the drip catcher or time-dependently.

[0020] However, the control unit can be configured so that the cleaning process of the inlet hopper is initiated upstream, i.e. before the actual loading process.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the control unit is designed to take into account the amount of cleaning water during upstream concrete production.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cleaning system is designed so that the cleaning process is carried out using static water pressure without the use of additional water pumps. In particular, due to the positioning of the cleaning system directly above the inlet funnel and the cleaning taking place immediately after filling, the water pressure provided by the public water network, which can be between 4 and 10 bar, for example, is sufficient.

[0023] Furthermore, the device can include visual and / or acoustic assistance systems for correctly positioning the concrete mixer at the loading position. Position sensors or camera systems for object detection are used, each possibly with coupled traffic lights for visual support. For example, a visual or acoustic assistance system can signal the end of the cleaning process so that the driver knows when to leave the device.

[0024] In addition to the device, the present invention also relates to a

[0025] Method according to claim 10 for

[0026] Loading of concrete mixers with a device according to one of claims 1 to 9, according to which the following method steps are provided according to the invention: At the beginning of the first step, the truck mixer is positioned at the loading point of the mixing plant, wherein the inlet hopper is positioned directly below the drip catcher and the collecting hopper (positioning).

[0027] Once the truck mixer is positioned, the drip tray swings into the open loading position to start the concrete discharge from the mixing plant's collection hopper via the truck mixer's inlet hopper into the mixing drum.

[0028] Preferably, when moving from the closed cleaning position to the open loading position, the drip tray pivots forwards under the outlet of the collecting hopper in the direction of the mixing drum of the truck mixer (loading) with respect to the parking position of the concrete mixer.

[0029] After the mixing drum is loaded, i.e., after the concrete has been discharged, the drip catcher pivots under the collecting hopper. The partially flexible pipe of the collecting hopper is pushed sideways by rollers mounted on the drip catcher, thereby compressing it so tightly that the partially flexible pipe of the collecting hopper is closed and further concrete discharge is prevented (pivoting in). In the next step, the cleaning process is started manually or automatically at the end of a loading process. In the latter case, a corresponding preselection is made on the control system.

[0030] During cleaning, the drip catcher is pivoted back and forth over the inlet hopper using the adjustment unit in a predefined number of pivoting movements. The drip catcher first moves backward over the inlet hopper relative to the position of the truck mixer (cleaning).

[0031] Once the cleaning process is completed, the truck mixer leaves the loading point of the mixing plant in the final step so that a subsequent truck mixer can enter the station (exit).

[0032] In another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the position of the truck mixer is checked before starting the cleaning process by means of an inductive sensor or a swivel lever switch provided on the drip tray.

[0033] It could also be provided that the cleaning process is started depending on the position of the drip catcher or time-dependent.

[0034] The swivel speed at which the drip catcher is to be swiveled during cleaning can be adjusted manually via the control system.

[0035] Nevertheless, the control system can be designed to adjust the swivel speed depending on the concrete recipe (i.e. the consistency of the not yet hardened concrete) and / or the number of concrete mixers still to be filled or waiting.

[0036] Furthermore, it would be conceivable for the control system to be designed to monitor the amount of water required for cleaning during concrete production, whereby the total water consumption can be reduced to only the amount of water required for cleaning the inlet hopper.

[0037] Further details and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. The figures show: Fig. 1: a side view of the loading area of ​​a device according to the invention, in which the drip protection device and the cleaning system are in the open loading position; Fig.2: the same view with drip protection device and cleaning system in the start position of the cleaning process; Fig. 3: the same view with anti-drip device and cleaning system in the final position of the cleaning process; Fig. 4: a view of the loading area from the rear, with drip protection device and cleaning system in closed cleaning position; Fig. 5: a top view of the spray nozzles attached to the cleaning system, excluding the drip guard and the collection funnel; and Fig. 6: a side view of the spray nozzles, excluding the anti-drip device and the collecting funnel.

[0038] The method according to the invention for loading concrete mixers is carried out on a variant of the device 100. From the illustrations according to the Fig. 1 to 4The loading area of ​​the device 100 according to the invention is shown with a concrete mixer 200 parked at the loading point. The device 100 comprises a collecting hopper 110 in the form of a vertically extending and flexible rubber pipe, the outlet of which ends not far above the inlet hopper 210 of the concrete mixer 200.

[0039] Furthermore, the device 100 comprises a drip protection device 120, which has a drip catcher 121 in the form of a plate covering the outlet of the collecting funnel 110 and a mechanism 122 for pivoting the drip catcher 121 between a Fig. 1 shown open loading position, in which the outlet of the collecting hopper 110 is released, and one in the Fig. 2 and 3shown closed cleaning position, in which the drip catcher 121 closes the outlet of the collecting funnel 110. To pivot the drip catcher 121, the mechanism 122 is coupled to an adjustment unit 125, which, like the mechanism 122, is flanged to supports 101. Based on this, the drip protection device 120 can therefore, for example, pivot into a specific position or back and forth at a predetermined pivot angle. Flanging the device 100 represents a simple and quick way of attaching the device 100 to the mixing system. Alternatively, the device 100 can also be welded to the mixing system. The mechanism 122 of the device 100 attached to the mixing system is adjusted such that the drip catcher 121 is moved precisely between the start position and the end position of the cleaning process during a pivoting movement.

[0040] Furthermore, a centering bracket 126 is provided on the drip protection device 120, wherein the opening of the bracket is aligned with the center axis of the collecting hopper below the collecting hopper in the open loading position.

[0041] Furthermore, a cleaning system 130 with several spray nozzles 131 for flushing the inlet hopper 210 of the concrete mixer 200 is arranged on the drip protection device 120. The spray nozzles 131 are located on the underside of the drip catcher 121 and are arranged and aligned such that all areas of the inlet hopper 210 are sufficiently flushed with water. A piping system 132 supplies the spray nozzles 131 with the necessary flushing water. The water pressure provided by the public water network (e.g., 4 to 10 bar) is sufficient to adequately flush the inlet hopper 210 immediately after filling. The arrangement of the spray nozzles 131 and the orientation of their individually adjustable spray direction therefore favor a cleaning system that does not require additional water pumps.

[0042] Fig. 4shows the concrete mixer 200 positioned in the device 100 from the rear. The drip protection device 120 has been moved into the start position of a cleaning cycle, so that the drip protection device 120 and the cleaning system 130 are in the closed cleaning position. Rollers 123 are arranged on the top side of the drip catcher 121. When pivoted into the cleaning position, these rollers squeeze the rubber tube of the collecting hopper 110 so tightly that no more material can flow out of the collecting hopper 110. Furthermore, the symmetrical arrangement of the spray nozzles 131 with respect to the center axis of the positioned concrete mixer 200 is shown.

[0043] A possible arrangement of the spray nozzles 131 is shown in the illustration according to Fig. 5with the drip protection device and the collecting funnel hidden. In this illustration, the spray nozzles 131 of the cleaning system 130 are arranged in a line on the underside of the drip catcher 121. The openings of the spray nozzles 131 can each be rotated by up to 360° and independently of one another in order to adapt the spray angle to the shape of the inlet funnel 210.

[0044] Furthermore, the Fig. 6 It is apparent that the spray nozzles 131 can be aligned at different angles to each other around the pipeline serving as the axis in order to adjust the respective spray directions.

[0045] The loading and cleaning of the concrete mixer 200 using the illustrated embodiment is carried out in a sequence according to the invention such that the Figures 1 to 4The concrete mixer 200 shown is first driven forward to the loading point of the mixing plant. As soon as the inlet hopper 210 is located below the collecting hopper 110, the drip catcher 121 pivots from the final position of the last cleaning process, in which the drip catcher 121 is still located, away from under the collecting hopper 110 and releases, as shown in Fig. 1 the outlet opening of the collecting funnel 110 is free.

[0046] The device 100 is controlled from the control room or manually by the driver. It must be ensured that no one is on the cleaning platform of the concrete mixer 200. The concrete is fed from the collection hopper 110 of the device 100 via the inlet hopper 210 of the truck mixer 200 into the mixing drum. When the concrete mixing plant's control system then signals "Mixer empty," the drip catcher 121 pivots under the collection hopper 110 and closes the outlet opening of the collection hopper 110. The rubber tube of the collection hopper 110 is pushed sideways by the rollers 123 mounted on the drip catcher 121 and squeezed so tightly that no more material can flow out.

[0047] The drip catcher 121 can be controlled in various ways, for example, by actively enabling the cleaning process at the control unit in the control room or at an on-site control unit in the plant area. After the swiveling-in process, the inlet hopper 210 is cleaned using the preset spray nozzles 131 of the cleaning system 130. The amount of water required for cleaning is continuously taken into account and monitored by the control unit with regard to concrete production. As soon as the cleaning system 130 has reached the final cleaning position, the concrete mixer 200 is authorized to continue driving. For example, a traffic light can turn green to signal this.

[0048] All in all, the present invention represents an excellent addition to the known generic devices for loading concrete mixers with regard to concrete production, loading time, workplace safety, water consumption and other aspects. List of reference symbols

[0049] 100Device 101Support 110Collection funnel 120Drip protection device 121Drip catcher 122Mechanics 123Rollers 125Adjustment unit 126Centering bracket 130Cleaning system 131Spray nozzle 132Pipe system 200Concrete mixer 210Inlet funnel

Claims

1. Device (100) for loading concrete mixers with fresh concrete, wherein the device (100) comprises a collection hopper (110) for discharging concrete into a feed hopper (210) of a concrete mixer, wherein the device (100) further comprises an anti-drip device (120) in order to catch any concrete that continues to run out of the collection hopper (110) after loading is complete, and wherein the anti-drip device (120) comprises a drip catcher (121) and a cleaning system (130) comprising more than one spray nozzle (131) for flushing the feed hopper (210) with water, wherein the cleaning system (130) is directly attached to the drip catcher (121), characterised in that the anti-drip device (120) comprises a mechanism (122) that is driven by an adjustment unit (125) and is attached to supports (101) in order to pivot the anti-drip device (120) and the cleaning system (130) back and forth into an open loading position, into a closed cleaning position, or by a predetermined pivot angle, wherein the adjustment unit (125) is a pivot cylinder with travel limitation.

2. Device (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the more than one spray nozzle (131) of the cleaning system (130) is arranged on the underside of the drip catcher (121) to form a line and the more than one spray nozzle (131) is adjustable by an angle of up to 360° in order to adjust the spray angle to the shape of the feed hopper (210).

3. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the drip catcher (121) and the collection hopper (110) are designed such that outlet of the collection hopper (110) is sealed closed in the closed cleaning position of the drip catcher (121).

4. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the device (100) comprises a control unit in signal connection with the adjustment unit (125), wherein the control unit is designed to control the pivoting movements of the anti-drip device (120) during the cleaning process in accordance with a fixed, manual or formulation-dependent automatic preselection of the number of pivoting movements (back and forth).

5. Device (100) according to claim 4, characterised in that the control unit is designed to initiate the movement of the anti-drip device (120) and the cleaning system (130) during the cleaning process in an automated manner and on the basis of the degree of soiling.

6. Device (100) according to any of claims 4 or 5, characterised in that the control unit is designed to perform the cleaning process on the basis of the position of the drip catcher (121) or in a time-dependent manner.

7. Device (100) according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the control unit is designed to perform the cleaning process of the feed hopper (210) in advance.

8. Device (100) according to any of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the control unit is designed to take into account the quantity of cleaning water in the preceding concrete production.

9. Device (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cleaning process is carried out at static water pressure without the use of additional water pumps.

10. Method for loading concrete mixers using a device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: positioning the truck mixer (200) at the loading point of the mixing system, wherein the feed hopper (210) is positioned directly below the drip catcher (121) and the collection hopper (110); pivoting the drip catcher (121) away in order to start discharging concrete from the collection hopper (110) of the mixing system into the mixing drum via the feed hopper (210) of the truck mixer (200); pivoting the drip catcher (121) in under the collection hopper (110) after the concrete has been discharged, wherein the partially flexible pipe of the collection hopper (110) is pushed to the side and compressed by the rollers (123) mounted on the drip catcher (121) to such an extent that the partially flexible pipe of the collection hopper (110) is closed and the concrete stops being discharged; starting the cleaning process, wherein the drip catcher (121) is pivoted back and forth above the feed hopper (210) by means of the adjustment unit (125) in accordance with a set number of pivoting movements, wherein the drip catcher (121) is first pivoted backward away from the feed hopper in relation to the position of the truck mixer (200); having the truck mixer (200) leave the loading point of the mixing system after the cleaning process, wherein the pivoting speed at which the drip catcher (121) is to be pivoted during the cleaning can be set manually or wherein the controller is designed to set the pivoting speed at which the drip catcher is to be pivoted during the cleaning on the basis of the concrete formulation and / or the number of concrete mixers still to be filled.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the position of the truck mixer (200) is checked before the start of the cleaning process by means of an inductive sensor or a pivot lever switch provided on the drip catcher.