CONCRETING SYSTEM WITH POSITIONING FOR INTERNAL VIBRATORS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for determining the position of a vibrating unit for concrete compaction that can be guided by an operator.

[0002] Freshly poured, still-flowing concrete must be compacted to release gas pockets from the concrete and even out gravel pockets. This increases the quality and strength of the concrete. Various technical regulations contain corresponding specifications for concrete compaction.

[0003] Mobile, i.e. portable, internal vibrators are often used for concrete compaction. Such internal vibrators have a vibrating unit for generating vibration or oscillation, which is introduced into the still-flowing concrete in order to compact the concrete. The vibrating unit can have, for example, an unbalance exciter and an electric motor driving the unbalance exciter, which are arranged in a common housing, e.g. a vibrator cylinder. Furthermore, an operating unit, e.g. a switch housing, a frequency converter or similar can be provided as part of the internal vibrator. The vibrating unit and the operating unit can be connected to one another by a robust protective and operating hose. The electrical cables for the drive in the vibrating unit are routed inside the protective and operating hose.An operator can guide the vibrating unit by gripping the protective and operating hose and immerse it in the concrete to be compacted at the desired locations.

[0004] Internal vibrators are also known in which the electric drive is located outside, rather than inside the vibrator head. In this case, the rotary motion of the electric drive is transmitted to the unbalance exciter in the vibrating unit via a flexible shaft. The flexible shaft can also be located inside the protective and operating hose.

[0005] The electric drive on a construction site can be powered by electricity from a public grid or from a dedicated construction site network. Using a frequency converter, the power drawn from the grid can be converted into a current suitable for the electric drive in terms of voltage, current type (alternating current), and frequency.

[0006] Recently, internal vibrators have also become known that draw their electrical energy from a battery (electrical energy storage device). The battery can be located, for example, in a backpack carrying system that can be worn on the back by an operator. In addition to the battery, the backpack carrying system can also contain a frequency converter for generating the current required for the electric drive, e.g., three-phase current. The backpack carrying system enables high mobility of the internal vibrator without the need for an electrical connection to a mains supply. An example of such a backpack carrying system is described in DE 10 2018 118 552 A1.

[0007] To comply with technical regulations, it may be necessary to precisely document the concreting process. To document the concrete compaction, it may be useful to record the quality and progress of the respective compaction process (degree of compaction), as well as the location of the compaction and the most precise position of the internal vibrator during the compaction process.

[0008] The subsequently published patent applications DE 10 2022 118 541 A1 and DE 10 2022 118 542 A1 describe concrete compaction devices used to measure the respective compaction progress during concrete compaction. However, the respective location of the concrete compaction is not taken into account.

[0009] CN 111 305 576 A discloses an internal vibrator with an operating hose, at one end of which is a housing with a control system and at the other end a vibrating unit. A 5G positioning module is provided in the housing to determine the position of the housing. Sensors are arranged in the operating hose and in the vibrating unit, and their values ​​can be evaluated to determine the working position of the vibrating unit.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the task of determining the location of a concrete compaction with the greatest possible and, in any case, sufficient accuracy. This should create the possibility of recording and documenting not only the quality of the respective compaction process but also the location of the concreting.

[0011] The object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 and by a method according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. Furthermore, a concrete compaction device is specified in which the device according to the invention is advantageously used.

[0012] A device is specified for determining the position of a vibrating unit for concrete compaction that can be guided by an operator, comprising a surface position determining device with a receiving device, wherein the surface position determining device is designed to determine the position of the receiving device in the plane; with an orientation determining device for determining an orientation of a working direction of the operator; and with a correction device for correcting the position of the receiving device with an offset in the direction of the orientation of the working direction and thus for determining the position of the vibrating unit in the plane.

[0013] The vibrating unit can be a so-called vibrator cylinder of an internal vibrator, with a housing that houses an unbalance exciter and an electric motor that drives the unbalance exciter. As explained above, the vibrating unit can be connected to a protective and operating hose to allow an operator to move the vibrating unit within the concrete to be compacted.

[0014] The surface positioning device serves to determine the position or localize the receiving device. The surface positioning device is thus capable of determining the location of the receiving device in the surface or in the plane, i.e., at least two-dimensionally.

[0015] In one variant, the receiving device can also perform transmitting functions, thus serving as a transmitting / receiving device. This allows, for example, data recorded during a concrete compaction process to be transmitted to external data networks, for example, for documentation purposes.

[0016] The receiver enables position determination within the area and can be worn by the operator. This can be done, for example, on an armband, on a belt, on a backpack, on a backpack carrying system, on a battery that powers the vibrating unit, on a handheld device held by the operator, on the protective and operating hose, or directly on or in the vibrator cylinder. Since the area positioning device is used to determine the position of the receiver, it is advisable to place the receiver close to the concrete compaction site, i.e., close to the vibrating unit.

[0017] A system with the highest possible accuracy should be used for positioning. In particular, the accuracy must be higher than that of a conventional GPS system, whose accuracy in the range of a few meters is usually insufficient. Rather, the area positioning system should use a positioning system that allows an accuracy of less than 1 m, especially less than 50 cm or less than 20 cm.

[0018] The orientation determination device should at least roughly determine the working or viewing direction of the operator, assuming that the operator is looking straight ahead in the direction of the vibrating unit and is not twisting their back. It can be assumed that the operator is wearing the receiver appropriately and is looking in the direction of the vibrating unit. This orientation should be used, as explained below, to more precisely detect the position of the vibrating unit, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the exact location of the vibrating unit from the precisely detected location of the receiver.

[0019] The orientation determination device thus serves to determine the user's spatial orientation. Suitable components can be used for this purpose, e.g., an electronic compass, a magnetometer, especially one with multiple degrees of freedom, or sensors for determining angular rates and angular accelerations.

[0020] The correction device is used to correct the position of the receiving device determined by the area position determination device using an offset, taking into account the orientation of the working direction determined by the orientation determination device. The offset represents a correction value in the direction of the orientation determined by the orientation determination device and thus the orientation of the operator. In this way, the offset takes into account that the vibrating unit is not arranged directly next to the receiving device in the plane, but some distance away. For example, the offset can correspond approximately to the arm length of an operator if the receiving device is carried on the operator. If the receiving device is carried in a backpack on the operator's back, the offset value can be slightly greater than the arm length to take the additional distance from the backpack into account.

[0021] By taking the offset and alignment into account, the position of the vibrating unit in the plane / surface, i.e., two-dimensionally, can be determined with high accuracy. The position of the vibrating unit in the plane essentially means "in plan view," i.e., two-dimensionally.

[0022] The receiving device of the area positioning device can be designed to be worn by the operator. As already explained above, the receiving device can be arranged in a housing that the operator can wear or that is worn by the operator, e.g., in the hand, on the belt, on the back, in a backpack, in a piece of clothing, etc.

[0023] The area positioning device can have at least one positioning system selected from the group consisting of RTK (Real Time Kinematic), DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), and UWB (Ultra-Wide Band). Such positioning systems enable very high horizontal accuracy within a few centimeters.

[0024] Bluetooth radio devices or optical systems, e.g. with image recognition, are also possible as tracking systems.

[0025] To increase accuracy, it is also possible to combine several positioning systems and use them to draw conclusions about the exact position of the receiving device.

[0026] The orientation determining device may comprise a device selected from the group consisting of a north finder, an electronic compass, a magnetometer, an angular accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

[0027] Here, too, it is possible to combine several devices to increase the accuracy of orientation determination. Accelerometers or gyros are often subject to slight drift during extended use or in combination with vibrations, which can be easily corrected, for example, in combination with a compass. Other combinations may also be useful.

[0028] A depth-determining device may be provided for determining the depth position of the vibrating unit. The depth can be measured, in particular, relative to the position of the receiving device, e.g., by measuring the distance to the receiving device. In particular, the z-coordinate of the distance can be determined to obtain a measure of the depth relative to the receiving device. Other measurement methods are also possible for determining the depth position of the vibrating unit.

[0029] In this way, in addition to the two-dimensional position detection in the surface or plane (surface position) described above, a third dimension (depth position) can also be determined. This allows the position of the vibrating unit to be determined three-dimensionally, allowing the location of the vibrating unit to be determined even in deep concrete components, such as walls.

[0030] The depth determination can thus be combined with the measuring system of the area positioning device. This allows the distance of the vibrating unit to the receiving device, such as the backpack carrying system, which may also house the battery, or to another position measuring device, to be determined.

[0031] The vibrating unit can be equipped with a transmitter or another transmitter / receiver, which can be used to measure the distance to the receiver of the area positioning device on the operator or on the backpack. The distance can be determined, for example, by evaluating the signal strength exchanged between the two units. As the vibrating unit is immersed deeper, the distance increases, causing the signal strength to decrease. This allows a conclusion to be drawn about the immersion depth.

[0032] The depth positioning device can, in particular, comprise a distance measuring device for measuring a distance between the vibrating unit and the receiving device of the area positioning device. The distance measuring device can thus measure the short distance between the transmitting / receiving device on the vibrating unit and the receiving device of the area positioning device. From this, the depth or the third dimension in the z-axis direction can be determined.

[0033] The distance measuring device can thus determine the distance based on the attenuation of a radio signal exchanged between the vibrating unit and the receiving device of the surface positioning device. Depending on the design, it is sufficient to provide a transmitting device on the vibrating unit that emits a radio signal, the strength of which is measured and evaluated by the receiving device of the surface positioning device or another suitable receiver at the operator's location in order to draw conclusions about the distance. In one variant, the distance measurement or determination of the depth, in particular the immersion depth into the concrete to be compacted, can also be carried out using barometric sensors.

[0034] A documentation device can be provided for documenting the three-dimensional position of the vibrating unit based on the surface position and the depth position of the vibrating unit. This allows the three-dimensional position of the vibrating unit to be documented over time. In particular, it can be recorded where and for how long the vibrating unit was located.

[0035] This allows documentation not only in terms of time, but also with a three-dimensional, i.e., spatial, allocation. This allows, for example, three-dimensional heat maps to be created for concrete components with greater depth extension, in order to capture compaction not only in plane but also in depth. In this context, the degree of compaction achieved at the respective compaction locations can also be documented.

[0036] For this purpose, the measured data can also be transmitted to a data transmission system, e.g. a mobile phone or a gateway, in order to be collected and evaluated at a central location.

[0037] In addition, the data can be used by assistance systems, as explained below.

[0038] A system is provided for guiding an operator during concrete compaction using a concrete compaction device, comprising a planning device for storing planning data, the planning data being used to define locations in a defined area at which concrete compaction is to take place using the concrete compaction device; and comprising a position-determining device for determining the respective current position of the concrete compaction device; and comprising a display device for displaying the respective location at which concrete compaction is to take place.

[0039] The system can act as an assistance system to support an operator during concrete compaction during a concreting process by providing the operator with information on the location where concrete compaction should be performed at any given time. The compaction locations can, in particular, be locations where the concrete compaction device is to be immersed in the concrete to be compacted.

[0040] In one variant, the operator can also be given a sequence of locations for concrete compaction. The planning data can also be used to define a sequence of locations in which concrete compaction is to take place, whereby the display device can be configured to display the location in the sequence of locations where concrete compaction is currently to take place.

[0041] This allows you to define locations where compaction is to take place, with at least one location being displayed where compaction is to take place.

[0042] The operator can then adhere to the specified sequence of compaction locations during the concreting process. This specified sequence can have the advantage of optimizing the route, allowing the concreting to be carried out in a time- and cost-effective manner. Alternatively, the operator can deviate from this and choose their own compaction sequence.

[0043] For example, in one variant, the operator can be shown a map-like representation of locations where compaction is to be performed, and then process these locations according to their own selection, thus achieving the desired compaction target. If locations are missed, this could be displayed as compaction gaps, e.g., in a "heat map." This allows the operator to identify which locations still need to be compacted.

[0044] It is therefore possible that, depending on the variant or operating mode of the operator, only one compaction location, several compaction locations (without a fixed order) or several compaction locations (with a fixed or suggested order) are displayed.

[0045] The position determining device can correspond to the device described above for determining the position of a vibrating unit that can be guided by an operator.

[0046] The defined area relevant for the planning device can be, for example, a surface with concrete to be compacted, e.g., within a formwork. In particular, the defined area can be the concrete surface into which the soil compaction device is to be immersed. The concrete surface can be recorded as a whole or divided into sub-areas, each of which can be considered a defined area.

[0047] Locations can be understood as the respective insertion points for the vibrator cylinder of an internal vibrator. In particular, the locations within a surface (e.g., the concrete surface) can be assigned coordinates of the optimal insertion points.

[0048] The order of locations corresponds to the order of the immersion points at which the vibrator cylinder is to be immersed one after the other into the concrete to be compacted and the concrete is thus to be compacted.

[0049] The display shows the operator where concrete compaction is currently required. This can be achieved, for example, by issuing appropriate instructions, such as moving the internal vibrator forward or sideways a specific distance. The operator can follow these instructions and easily insert the internal vibrator into the concrete at the location specified by the planning device. The operator can thus see on the display where the compaction is currently required.

[0050] The display device can include a screen on which the operator can directly see the location or receive appropriate instructions for reaching the location. For example, the display device can be a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or similar device. It is also possible to use VR (virtual reality) or AR (augmented reality) glasses. A head-up display is also possible.

[0051] The display device can be designed to display the position of the concrete compaction device and / or to display at least the location in the sequence of locations at which concrete compaction is to take place next. The operator can thus see on the display device the extent to which the positions of the internal vibrator and the penetration location deviate from one another. The operator can therefore easily reduce the deviation by moving the internal vibrator and compact at the intended location. It is possible to display not only the currently intended penetration location, but also the next or further penetration locations. The operator can thus also recognize the relevance of the planning data specified by the planning device.

[0052] The display device can be configured to display the location where concrete compaction is currently or next to take place, in relation to the current position of the concrete compaction device. The current position of the internal vibrator can be displayed in relation to the current and / or next compaction location.

[0053] A compaction coordinate specification device can be provided for generating planning data that can be stored in the planning device. The compaction coordinate specification device can be provided separately, e.g., in the form of a laptop or even remotely in a larger data network. It only needs to be connected to the planning device when required to transmit the (possibly externally) generated planning data. In addition to the immersion or compaction locations, the planning data can also include information on the respective compaction duration or the desired degree of compaction. The compaction duration or degree of compaction parameters provide an indication that the concrete has been sufficiently compacted at the corresponding location.

[0054] The display device thus provides the operator with a recommendation for a suitable movement measure to reduce the deviation between the insertion position or compaction position on the one hand and the position of the concrete compaction device (e.g., the vibrator cylinder). For example, the operator can relocate the internal vibrator or change the insertion point. The display device can provide instructions, such as arrows or distance information, indicating how the operator should move the internal vibrator.

[0055] A proximity detection device may be provided to detect a condition in which the deviation is less than a predetermined deviation limit and to generate a confirmation signal. The deviation limit defines a permissible deviation between the (theoretically) predetermined "ideal" insertion location and the actual insertion location where the vibrator is immersed in the concrete to be compacted. If the deviation limit is exceeded, a confirmation signal can be generated for the operator that the vibrator has been immersed in the correct position.

[0056] In addition to the data defining the locations where concrete compaction is to take place, the planning data can include additional data selected from the following group: duration of compaction at the location in question, intensity of compaction at the location in question, and number of vibrations of compaction at the location in question. This allows for detailed specifications regarding the degree of compaction at each location or penetration point. This can be particularly useful if the concrete part to be compacted has very different contours, requiring different degrees of compaction or intensity at different locations.

[0057] The described position-determining device can be advantageously used in a concrete compaction device. Accordingly, a concrete compaction device is provided, comprising an internal vibrator, the internal vibrator comprising: a vibrating unit for generating vibration for concrete compaction, an operating unit, and a protective and operating hose connecting the vibrating unit and the operating unit; and comprising the above-described device for determining the position of the vibrating unit of the internal vibrator.

[0058] The control unit can be a switch, e.g. in a switch housing, a frequency converter, a battery or e.g. a battery in a backpack carrying system.

[0059] A method according to claim 13 is provided for determining the position of a vibrating unit for concrete compaction which can be guided by an operator, comprising the steps Determining the position of a receiving device arranged on an operator in the plane; determining an orientation of a working direction of the operator; correcting the position of the receiving device with an offset in the direction of the orientation of the working direction and thus for determining the position of a vibrating unit in the plane; determining the position of the vibrating unit in depth, starting from the position of the vibrating unit in the plane or from the position of the receiving device in the plane.

[0060] These and other features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail below using examples with the aid of the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic plan view of a position determining device for determining the position of a vibrating unit for concrete compaction that can be guided by an operator; Fig. 2 the positioning device of Fig. 1in side view; Fig. 3 the positioning device of Fig. 1 in side view, but with an internal vibrator with longer protective and operating hose; Fig. 4 the integration of the positioning device into an assistance system; Fig. 5 a top view of an area to be concreted and a compaction process using the assistance system; and Fig. 6 a display device of the assistance system.

[0061] Fig. 1 shows a schematic top view of an operator 1 (the protective helmet of the operator 1 is clearly visible in the top view) who is operating an internal vibrator 2 for concrete compaction. The internal vibrator 2 is shown in Fig. 1Only one vibrating unit 3 is shown, which is often also referred to as a vibrating cylinder and contains an unbalance exciter (not shown) for generating the compaction vibrations, as well as an electric motor for driving the unbalance exciter. The structure of such an internal vibrator 2 is known and therefore need not be discussed further here.

[0062] The operator immerses the vibrating unit 3 into the concrete to be compacted and holds it in one location for a certain period of time. The operator then moves the vibrating unit 3 to another location to continue compaction at another location.

[0063] To determine the compaction progress, various methods have been developed that indicate or inform the operator how far compaction has progressed at the relevant location or whether sufficient compaction has been achieved (e.g., in the form of a degree of compaction). Examples include the subsequently published patent applications DE 10 2022 118 541 A1 and DE 10 2022 118 542 A1.

[0064] The internal vibrator 2 is equipped with a position determining device with the aid of which the position of the vibrating unit 3 can be determined with high accuracy in three-dimensional space, as will be explained later.

[0065] The electric motor located in the vibrating unit 3 is powered by an electrical energy storage device or battery (not shown), which is carried on the operator's back in a backpack 4. In addition to the battery, other components can also be arranged in the backpack 4, e.g., a frequency converter (not shown), with which the electrical current drawn from the battery can be adjusted in a manner suitable for the electric motor in the vibrating unit 3. In particular, the direct current drawn from the battery is converted into alternating current or three-phase current and adjusted in terms of frequency.

[0066] Furthermore, a receiver 5 serving as a receiving device is arranged in the backpack 4. The receiver 5 is designed such that its location can be determined with high or the highest possible accuracy. Suitable positioning methods can be used for this purpose, e.g., the RTK (Real Time Kinematics), DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), and / or UWB (Ultra-Wideband) methods.

[0067] In the Fig. 1 In the example shown, the position measurement is carried out according to the RTK method using the receiver 5 designed as an RTK receiver in conjunction with a fixed base station 6, which is located on the construction site near the work site.

[0068] With the RTK system, horizontal accuracies of 1 to 2 cm can be achieved. The coordinates of the points are calculated in real time after initialization. As with the DGPS system, the precise positions are determined relative to reference stations with fixed coordinates, in this case, for example, Base Station 6.

[0069] The positioning system together with the receiver 5 and - if present - the base station 6 form an area positioning device.

[0070] The exact position of the receiver 5 can be determined, for example, by coordinates x, y with respect to the base station 6.

[0071] Using the backpack 4, the operator 1 also carries an orientation determination device 7. The orientation determination device 7 can also be attached to the operator 1 at a different location. It serves to determine the orientation of the operator 1 relative to a fixed coordinate system, e.g., relative to magnetic north. The orientation of the operator 1 can be used to directly determine their working direction.

[0072] By Fig. 1 In the example shown, the measured orientation of operator 1 is marked A, which differs from an absolute orientation, e.g., north direction N, by the angle α. The working direction and the viewing direction of operator 1 are also linked to the orientation A.

[0073] The orientation determination device 7 may comprise an electronic compass module or a magnetometer with multiple degrees of freedom to detect the spatial orientation A of the operator 1.

[0074] The position of the internal vibrator, in particular of the vibrating unit 3, can be calculated with high accuracy using the position of the operator 1 detected by the receiver 5 and the positioning system, and the orientation A of the operator 1 detected by the orientation determination device 7. For this purpose, an offset O with the corresponding angle (e.g., α) is added to the position x, y, which was measured for the location of the receiver 5 on the backpack 4. The offset O can, for example, take into account the arm length of the operator, whereby an oblique arm position can also be taken into account. In addition, the distance of the receiver 5 from the arm of the operator 1 can be taken into account, which is Fig. 1shown example is located in backpack 4 and thus behind the arm of operator 1.

[0075] In this way, the two-dimensional position P2 in the plane or surface and thus the two-dimensional position of the vibrating unit 3 in the Fig. 1 shown top view with high accuracy.

[0076] In addition, the position determination device also detects the depth so that the three-dimensional position of the vibrating unit 3 can be determined. This is done using the Figures 2 and 3 explained.

[0077] The Figures 2 and 3show the operator 1 in a schematic side view, each with the internal vibrator 2. The internal vibrator 2 has the vibrating unit 3, which is held by a protective and operating hose 8. The protective and operating hose 8 connects the vibrating unit 3 to the battery in the backpack 4. Electrical cables run inside the protective and operating hose 8, via which the electric motor in the vibrating unit 3 can be supplied with electrical power. In addition, the protective and operating hose 8 is designed to be held by the operator 1 with his hands, as shown in the Figures 2 and 3 The protective and operating hoses 8 point in the Figures 2 and 3 a different length.

[0078] In order to determine the position of the vibrating unit 3 in depth, the position determining device has a further measuring system.

[0079] A depth position determination device is provided to determine the depth position of the vibrating unit 3. In particular, a depth coordinate is measured in relation to the receiver 5. This can be achieved, for example, by determining the distance between the vibrating unit 3 and the receiver 5. Fig. 2 this distance is D1, in Fig. 3 marked with D2. From the distance D1, D2 and the other coordinates or dimensions already explained above, a depth coordinate in the z-direction can be derived, which measures the relative height difference (depth) of the vibrating unit 3 to the receiver 5.

[0080] The detection of the depth and thus the third dimension of the position of the vibrating unit 3 allows the position to be detected three-dimensionally and thus with high accuracy even in the case of deep concrete parts, e.g. walls.

[0081] For this purpose, the distance between the vibrating unit 2 and the receiver 5 or to another transmitting / receiving device is measured. The additional transmitting / receiving device can be carried by the operator in a suitable manner and, for example, also accommodated in the backpack 4.

[0082] The determination of the distance between the internal vibrator and the receiver 5 and / or the further transmitting / receiving device (not shown) can be measured by evaluating the signal strength of a radio signal exchanged between the components.

[0083] As the vibrating unit 3 is immersed deeper into the concrete to be compacted, the distance D1, D2 increases, causing the signal strength to decrease. This allows a conclusion to be drawn about the immersion depth.

[0084] The position of the vibrating unit 3 thus determined can, for example, be sent to a mobile device or corresponding gateway and recorded there for the documentation of the concreting process.

[0085] The system makes it possible to fully document a concrete pour and to assign the determined compaction levels not only to a general location within the area, but also spatially. So-called heat maps can be created for documentation purposes, which can also be three-dimensional for deeper components.

[0086] In addition, the precise detection of the respective location of the vibrating unit 3 during the concreting process, in conjunction with the respective degree of compaction, provides a basis for assistance systems that can guide the operator 1. In particular, the operator 1 can be shown at which points the vibrating unit 3 of the internal vibrator 2 still needs to be immersed in order to ensure complete compaction of the concrete.

[0087] An example of such an assistance system is explained below.

[0088] Fig. 4 shows the operator 1 with the internal vibrator 2. In addition, it is shown by way of example that in the backpack 4, next to the receiver 5, a battery 10 serving as an electrical energy storage device and a frequency converter 11 for supplying energy to the electric motor in the internal vibrator 2 are arranged.

[0089] Furthermore, an assistance system 12 is provided to guide the operator 1 during concrete compaction. The assistance system 12 can have one or more components that serve, in particular, to plan the position and sequence of the compaction locations, to determine the current position of the vibrating unit 3, and to display the current compaction location at which the operator 1 should position the vibrating unit 3.

[0090] As part of the assistance system, a display 13 is provided on which the operator 1 is shown where he or she should move the vibrating unit 3 of the internal vibrator 2 in order to be able to position and immerse the vibrating unit 3 at a location (immersion location) specified by the assistance system 12.

[0091] For this purpose, the assistance system 12 makes it possible to create planning data in advance, specifying the locations on a concrete surface where the still-flowing concrete should be compacted. At the same time, the sequence of compaction locations can be determined.

[0092] Fig. 5 shows a top view of an example of the concreting of a surface, e.g. a hall floor.

[0093] A defined area 14 is stored in the assistance system 12, which can correspond to the entire area of ​​the hall floor to be concreted or only to a partial area of ​​the hall floor.

[0094] The defined area 14 is subdivided into compaction locations 15, where compaction is to be performed using the internal vibrator 2. In the example shown, the compaction locations 15 are numbered 1, 2, 3, ..., 9. The other areas of the defined area 14 can also be defined as compaction locations 15 in this way.

[0095] In the Fig. 5 In the example shown, the defined area 14 is divided by a grid structure and defined into the compaction locations 15. Of course, the compaction locations 15 can also be placed or sorted differently.

[0096] The specification of the defined area 14 and the compaction locations 15 can be performed externally, i.e., outside of the internal vibrator 2. In particular, this work can also be performed via a network or using a laptop. The specification of the compaction locations 15 can be performed by an expert who has more in-depth knowledge of concrete compaction than operator 1. Operator 1 therefore only needs to query the compaction locations 15 one after the other.

[0097] In order to document the specification made by an expert or to automatically develop a suitable specification of the compaction locations 15 and their sequence, a compaction coordinate specification device can also be provided, which forms a planning system with which the planning data can be developed in advance.

[0098] For orientation, the operator 1 can be provided with appropriate information via the display 13 as to where the next compaction location 15 can currently be found and where the operator 1 should accordingly immerse the vibrating unit 3.

[0099] Fig. 6shows, by way of example, a smartphone serving as display 13, on which the operator 1 is shown, with the aid of an arrow and a distance indication (here: 80 cm), in which direction and to what extent he still has to move the vibrating unit 3 before the vibrating unit 3 has reached the specified position and can immerse himself in the concrete to be compacted.

[0100] Display 13 is shown only as an example. In particular, display 13 does not have to be installed on a smartphone or tablet. One variant, for example, allows display 13 to be integrated into AR (augmented reality) glasses, thus directly showing the operator the compaction locations 15 that they should process one after the other. When visualizing the optimal compaction points with the help of AR glasses, the compaction points can be displayed to the operator directly on the concrete surface to be compacted.

[0101] The densification locations 15 can therefore be understood as optimal densification points that are predetermined by the planning system.

[0102] During operation, the assistance system 12 accesses the respective planning data and compares it with the current position of the operator 1 or the internal vibrator 2. The vibrating unit 3 can be taken into account with particular precision.

[0103] When the operator 1 is in the optimal position or sufficiently close, he receives appropriate feedback, e.g. via the display 13, and can immerse the internal vibrator 2.

[0104] When the compaction process is complete, if the assistance system 12 is configured accordingly, the operator 1 can receive feedback that sufficient compaction has been achieved. This feedback can be provided tactilely, e.g., by a jolt in the protective and operating hose 8. Alternatively or additionally, acoustic and / or optical signals can also be generated to indicate to the operator 1 that sufficient compaction has been achieved.

[0105] The direction and distance to the next compaction location 15 are then displayed to the operator 1 via the display 13.

[0106] During concreting, the display 13 can thus document whether sufficient compaction has been achieved at all planned points (compaction locations 15) or in sufficient proximity to them. If the display 13 is part of a mobile device, e.g., a smartphone or tablet, the data can be sent to another network 16. However, the network 16 is not a mandatory component of the assistance system 12.

[0107] One variant allows a certain time period to begin running once the operator has compacted a particular spot. After a specified time period has elapsed, the operator is notified that the concrete is beginning to harden at that spot and compaction is no longer possible.

[0108] Another development allows the operator to be prompted to recompact the area within this time period if the compaction was insufficient. This allows the concrete to be compacted before it hardens.

Claims

1. Apparatus for determining the position of a vibration unit (3) for concrete compaction which can be guided by an operator (1), comprising: - a surface position determination device having a receiving device (5), wherein the surface position determination device is designed to determine the position of the receiving device (5) in the plane; - an orientation determination device (7) for determining an orientation (A) of a working direction of the operator (1); and - a correction device for correcting the position of the receiving device (5) with an offset (O) in the direction of the orientation (A) of the working direction and thus for determining the position (P2) of the vibration unit (3) in the plane; characterised in that - the receiving device (5) of the surface position determination device is designed such that it is carried by the operator (1).

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface position determination device has at least one positioning system selected from the group of RTK (Real Time Kinematic), DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), UWB (Ultra-wideband), Bluetooth radio devices, optical systems with image recognition.

3. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the orientation determination device has a device (7) selected from the group of a north seeker, electronic compass, magnetometer, rotational acceleration measurement device, gyroscope, inertial measurement unit (IMU).

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a depth position determination device for determining the position of the vibration unit (3) in terms of depth.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the depth position determination device has a distance measurement device for measuring a distance between the vibration unit (3) and the receiving device (5) of the surface position determination device.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the distance measurement device determines the distance on the basis of an attenuation of a radio signal which is exchanged between the vibration unit (3) and the receiving device (5) of the surface position determination device.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6, 7, wherein a documentation apparatus is provided for documenting a three-dimensional position (P3) of the vibration unit (3) on the basis of the surface position and the depth position of the vibration unit (3).

8. Assistance system for guiding an operator (1) during concrete compaction with a concrete compaction apparatus (2), comprising - a planning apparatus for storing planning data, wherein the planning data are used to define locations (15) in a defined region (14), at which concrete compaction is to be performed with the concrete compaction apparatus; - an apparatus, used as a position determination apparatus, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for determining the respectively current position of the concrete compaction apparatus (2); and comprising - a display device (13) for displaying at least the respective location (15), at which concrete compaction is currently to be performed.

9. Assistance system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the display device (13) is designed to display the position of the concrete compaction apparatus (2) and / or to display at least the respective location (15) in the order of locations, at which concrete compaction is to be performed next.

10. Assistance system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the display device (13) is designed to display the location (15), at which concrete compaction is to be performed currently or next, in relation to the current position of the concrete compaction apparatus (2).

11. Assistance system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein a compaction coordinate specification apparatus is provided for generating planning data which can be stored in the planning apparatus.

12. Concrete compaction apparatus, comprising - an internal vibrator, wherein the internal vibrator has: + a vibration unit for generating a vibration for concrete compaction; + an operating unit; and + a protective and operating hose connecting the vibration unit and the operating unit; and comprising - an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 for determining the position of the vibration unit of the internal vibrator.

13. Method for determining the position of an operator-guidable vibration unit for concrete compaction using an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising the steps of - determining the position of a receiving device, which is arranged on an operator, in the plane; - determining an orientation of a working direction of the operator; - correcting the position of the receiving device with an offset in a direction of the orientation of the working direction and thus for determining the position of a vibration unit in the plane; - determining the position of the vibration unit in terms of depth, starting from the position of the vibration unit in the plane or from the position of the receiving device in the plane.