Ready-mixed concrete transport vehicle and ready-mixed concrete transport system

Abstract

To provide a ready-mixed concrete transport vehicle and a ready-mixed concrete transport system capable of transporting ready-mixed concrete more efficiently with limited manpower.SOLUTION: A ready-mixed concrete transport vehicle 1 can be detachably separated into a front towing vehicle 2 and a rear transporting device 3 having a drum 32 for storing ready-mixed concrete. The towing vehicle 2 is coupled to a transporting device 3f whose drum is filled with ready-mixed concrete produced at a concrete mixing plant, and transports it to a pouring site 1. At the pouring site 1, the towing vehicle 2 is detached from the transporting device 3f, and while the transporting device 3f performs pouring work, the towing vehicle 2 returns alone to the concrete mixing plant, couples with a second transporting device 3f, and transports ready-mixed concrete to the pouring site 1. At the pouring site 1, the towing vehicle 2 couples with the emptied first transporting device 3e and returns to the concrete mixing plant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fresh concrete transport vehicle and a fresh concrete transport system, and more particularly to a fresh concrete transport vehicle capable of separating a tractor vehicle from a transport device for loading fresh concrete, and a fresh concrete transport system using the transport vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] At the fresh concrete placement site such as a construction site, the fresh concrete transported from a fresh concrete plant is placed. Such fresh concrete is produced according to an order for a required amount of fresh concrete from the construction site and is transported to the placement site in accordance with the date and time when the fresh concrete is to be placed.

[0003] Fresh concrete has a time limit from when it is produced at a fresh concrete plant until placement is completed, and it is necessary to complete placement within a predetermined time. For this reason, as disclosed in the following patent documents, a fresh concrete shipping plan system has been proposed, such as determining the fresh concrete production start time in accordance with the placement start time.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Even in such a system, at the fresh concrete placement site, a scene where a plurality of agitator trucks line up and wait for the placement order was observed. Also, each of the waiting vehicles had a driver on board, and at the time of placement, the driver performed operations such as discharging the fresh concrete from the drum.

[0006] By the way, after 2024, upper limits on overtime work will be applied to industries such as transportation and construction, and overtime hours will be restricted to less than before the revision. In particular, since drivers are paid operation allowances according to the driving distance, when the operating hours of the vehicle decrease and the driving distance becomes shorter, the wage will also decrease accordingly. That is, there has arisen a problem that drivers of agitator trucks need to earn driving distances without being detained by waiting for the pouring order or the discharge operation of fresh concrete.

[0007] In addition, if the employer makes the driver work beyond the upper limit of overtime work, it will be subject to a fine. To ensure the same workload as before, it has been easily predicted that more drivers need to be hired, leading to an increase in labor costs.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a fresh concrete transport vehicle and a fresh concrete transport system that can transport fresh concrete more efficiently with limited manpower.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] One aspect of the fresh concrete transport vehicle of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows: A main body equipped with a storage drum for storing fresh concrete; Wheels that support the main body so as to be rollable downward; A drive device that outputs a driving force for rotationally driving the storage drum; A transport device having an operation unit for operating the adjustment of the drive output of the drive device; It is characterized by having a towing vehicle that is detachably connected to the transport device and towes the transport device.

[0010] According to this aspect, since the transport device and the towing vehicle can be separated, the transport device can be detached at the pouring site, and only the towing vehicle can be moved to other places. Thereby, the towing vehicle and its driver can be utilized efficiently. In addition, since the transport device is provided with a drive device, the drive of the storage drum can be maintained even after the towing vehicle is separated.

[0011] Also, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport vehicle according to the present invention is that the transport device has a drive wheel to which drive is transmitted from the drive device, and a driving force distribution unit that distributes the driving force of the driving device to the driving wheel, and the drive wheel is characterized in that it does not transmit driving force to the ground surface when the towing vehicle is connected to the transport device.

[0012] According to such an aspect, since the transport device is provided with drive wheels, it is possible to move the vehicle body even after the towing vehicle is separated. Also, when being towed by the towing vehicle, the drive wheels do not transmit driving force to the ground surface, so it does not interfere with towing.

[0013] Also, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention is a plurality of transport devices equipped with a storage drum for storing fresh concrete, a towing vehicle that is detachably connected to each of the transport devices and tows the transport devices, and a transport management device that manages the operation of the transport device and the towing vehicle based on the total amount of fresh concrete placed at the fresh concrete placement site, and the transport management device has an outside air temperature acquisition means for acquiring the outside air temperature, a placement time setting means for setting a placement time based on the acquired outside air temperature, a travel time calculation means for calculating the travel time from the base to the placement site, a fresh concrete placement amount calculation means for calculating the amount of fresh concrete transported by one transport device based on the travel time calculated by the travel time calculation means and the placement time set by the placement time setting means, a placement work time calculation means for calculating the placement work time by one transport device based on the amount of fresh concrete transported calculated by the fresh concrete placement amount calculation means, Pouring end time calculation means for calculating the pouring end time when the pouring operation of the transport device ends based on the moving time calculated by the moving time calculation means and the pouring time calculated by the pouring operation time calculation means; It is characterized by having generation start time calculation means for calculating the generation start time of the next fresh concrete so as to arrive at the pouring site at the pouring end time calculated by the pouring end time calculation means.

[0014] According to such a main aspect, when transporting fresh concrete to the pouring site in order, a plurality of transport devices can be operated so that the next transport device arrives at the time when the pouring of one transport device ends. Therefore, the pouring of fresh concrete can be carried out efficiently, and the generation of higher-quality concrete becomes possible.

[0015] Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention is The transport management device is characterized by having a destination selection unit for selecting the destination of the tractor vehicle whose connection with the transport device towed and transported at the fresh concrete pouring site has been released. According to such a main aspect, the tractor vehicle separated at the pouring site can, for example, connect to a transport device with an empty drum at another site and return to the concrete production plant, so that the operating rate can be further increased.

[0016] Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention is The transport management device further includes a position information storage unit for storing the position information of the fresh concrete pouring site, and the destination selection unit is characterized by selecting the destination of the tractor vehicle based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit.

[0017] According to such a main aspect, since the position information of the pouring site is stored, the destination of the tractor vehicle can be selected in advance, and the tractor vehicle can be operated more efficiently. Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention is The transportation management device further includes a destination information transmission unit that supplies the destination information of the destination selected by the destination selection unit to the towing vehicle. The towing vehicle further includes a destination information receiving unit that receives the supply of destination information from the transportation management device, and an output unit that outputs the destination information received by the destination information receiving unit.

[0018] According to such a main aspect, since the selected destination can be sequentially transmitted to the towing vehicle, the towing vehicle can be operated more efficiently.

[0019] Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transportation system of the present invention is the transportation device further includes a weight sensor that detects the amount of fresh concrete contained therein, and a weight information transmission unit that supplies the weight information detected by the weight sensor to the transportation management device. The transportation management device further includes a weight information receiving unit that receives the supply of weight information from the transportation device, and a fresh concrete amount calculation unit that calculates the remaining amount of fresh concrete remaining in the storage drum of the transportation device based on the weight information received by the weight information receiving unit.

[0020] According to such a main aspect, by knowing the amount of fresh concrete remaining in the storage drum, it becomes possible to more quickly and efficiently select the destination of the towing vehicle that retrieves the transportation device whose storage drum has become empty. Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transportation system of the present invention is the transportation management device In the order of transportation set by the order setting unit, the generation start time of the fresh concrete to be stored in the storage drums of the subsequent transportation devices after the second one is characterized by including a generation time calculation unit that calculates based on the remaining amount of fresh concrete of the immediately preceding transportation device calculated by the fresh concrete amount calculation unit.

[0021] According to such a main aspect, when transporting fresh concrete separately into a plurality of storage drums, the generation start time of the fresh concrete to be carried in by the next transport device can be calculated more accurately. Moreover, one aspect of the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention is the transport device includes a discharge path for discharging fresh concrete from within the storage drum in a desired direction, a discharge direction adjustment unit for adjusting the direction of the discharge path, a camera for projecting the direction of the discharge path, and further includes a communication unit that receives operation information for operating the discharge direction adjustment unit and transmits video information of the camera to the transport management device. The transport management device includes an operation unit into which operation information for operating the direction of the discharge path is input, and is characterized by including a management-side communication unit that transmits the operation information input by the operation unit to the transport device and receives video information of the camera from the transport device.

[0022] According to such a main aspect, since the discharge operation of fresh concrete can be remotely operated based on the camera video, the discharge operation of fresh concrete can be performed even when the towing vehicle is separated from the transport device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the fresh concrete transport vehicle and the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention, the operating rate of the driver can be further improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the fresh concrete transport vehicle and the fresh concrete transport system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the system configuration of the fresh concrete transport system 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the fresh concrete transport vehicle 1 for accommodating and transporting fresh concrete has a towing vehicle 2 and a transport device 3 detachably connected to the towing vehicle 2.

[0026] The fresh concrete transport system 10 is configured by being connected via a network Ne to a towing vehicle side terminal 201a, 202a to 20na provided on the towing vehicle 2, a transport device side terminal 201b, 202b to 20nb similarly provided on the transport device, and a server 20 provided in the fresh concrete plant.

[0027] The network Ne includes various wireless communication lines and Internet service provider base stations that connect them. Note that the network Ne only needs to be connectable at any time and does not necessarily have to be constantly connected. The tractor terminals 201a, 202a to 20na provided on the towing vehicle 2 are composed of, for example, general-purpose personal computers installed in the vehicle, as well as multifunctional portable terminals such as notebook PCs, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) 1c, mobile phones 1d, smartphones, and other tablet-type terminals. Such portable terminals may be carried by the driver. The carrier-side terminals 201b, 202b to 20nb have a computer installed on the carrier side, various sensors, communication devices, etc.

[0028] In addition, the server 20 includes a computer system, a communication unit that communicates with each tractor-side terminal and each carrier-side terminal, information about the placement site, terminals related to each tractor and each carrier, and a route search device such as a navigation system for predicting the route to the destination point of the tractor and the travel time, etc. The server 20 acquires various information about each tractor and each carrier of a plurality of fresh concrete transport vehicles, and various information about the placement site, determines the amount of fresh concrete to be transported to each placement site, the order in which the carriers are transported to the placement site, the distribution of the tractors, and the travel route from transporting the carrier filled with fresh concrete to the placement site until the empty carrier is recovered and returned. For example, an input device and an output device are installed in the fresh concrete mixing plant, various information is supplied from the input device to the server 20, and various information is supplied from the server 20 to the output device.

[0029] Figure 2 is an overall side view of the fresh concrete transport vehicle 1. The fresh concrete transport vehicle 1 includes a towing vehicle 2 arranged at the front end and a transport device 3 detachably connected to the rear part of the towing vehicle 2. The towing vehicle 2 includes a main body chassis 24, drive wheels 23 provided at the rear part of the main body chassis 24, steering wheels 22 provided at the front part, and a driver's seat 21 arranged according to the information of the steering wheels 22. At the rear part of the main body chassis 24, a coupler 25 for detachably attaching the transport device 3 is provided. Below the driver's seat 21, an engine for generating a driving force for driving the drive wheels 23 and a transmission for adjusting the driving force from the engine and transmitting it to the drive wheels 23 are provided. The driving force output from the transmission is connected by a power transmission shaft to a differential mechanism that distributes the power to the left and right drive wheels 23. The driver's seat 21 is equipped with a towing vehicle side terminal.

[0030] The transport device 3 has a loading platform chassis 31, driven wheels 311 and 312 arranged on the lower side of the rear part of the loading platform chassis 31, drive wheels 313 arranged on the lower side of the front part, a driving device 33 mounted on the front part of the loading platform chassis 31, and a storage drum 32 arranged behind the driving device 33. At the tip of the loading platform chassis 31, a kingpin 316 protruding downward is arranged. The kingpin 316 is detachably and rotatably connected to a coupler 25 provided at the rear end of the towing vehicle 2. Also, in front of the drive wheels 313, outriggers 314 are provided on the lower side of the loading platform chassis 31. The outriggers 314 have the function of pushing up the front part of the loading platform chassis 31 upward by extending the legs of the outriggers 314 and supporting the loading platform chassis 31 during the placing operation. Also, by further extending the legs of the outriggers 314, the kingpin 316 can be removed from the coupler 25.

[0031] The drive device 33 provided at the front part of the loading platform chassis 31 includes an engine, an output shaft 331 that transmits the driving force from the engine to the rotation of the storage drum 32, and a transmission that distributes or switches the driving force to a drive shaft 332 that transmits the driving force to the drive wheels 313. This transmission is an example of the driving force distribution unit of the technology of the present disclosure. Note that the driving force output from the engine is also used as the driving force for operating the hydraulic pump that drives the outriggers 314.

[0032] When the towing vehicle 2 and the transport device 3 are connected by the coupler 25 and the kingpin 316, the drive wheels 313 are in a floating state upward and do not contact the ground. Therefore, when the towing vehicle 2 is towing the transport device 3 and traveling, the drive wheels 313 do not interfere with the traveling or turning of the fresh concrete transport vehicle 1. When the connection between the coupler 25 and the kingpin 316 is disengaged and the towing vehicle 2 separates from the transport device 3, the drive wheels 313 are in a grounded state, and the drive of the drive wheels 313 enables the movement of the transport device 3.

[0033] The storage drum 32 stores fresh concrete inside. By rotating the storage drum 32, the fresh concrete inside is agitated. The storage drum 32 is rotatably supported on the loading platform chassis 31 and is supported such that the rotation axis faces upward toward the rear. Inside the storage drum 32, blades formed in a spiral shape centered on the rotation axis are provided along the inner wall. By these blades, the fresh concrete in the storage drum 32 is agitated by the rotation of the drum and is sequentially sent out toward the discharge port at the rear end.

[0034] Above the rear end discharge port of the storage drum 32, a popper 321 is provided and is used when pouring fresh concrete into the storage drum 32 or when pouring constituent materials such as cement, gravel, and water into the drum. Below the discharge port, a hopper-shaped scoop 322 for first receiving the discharged fresh concrete is provided. Below the scoop 322, a gutter-shaped chute 323 is provided. An example of the discharge path of the technology of the present disclosure is the chute 323. The scoop 322 first receives the discharged fresh concrete and guides it to the upper end of the chute 323. The chute 323 is supported by a support shaft 325 vertically supported by a shaft support portion 326. The lower end of the support shaft 325 is connected to a drive unit 324 provided on the vehicle chassis 31.

[0035] The drive unit 324 has a drive motor, and the output shaft of the drive motor is connected to the support shaft 325. The chute 323 swings by the rotational drive of the support shaft 325. The upper end of the support shaft 325 is connected to the upper end of the chute 323 that receives the discharged fresh concrete. By the rotation of the support shaft 325, the orientation of the lower end discharge port of the chute 323 is changed within a range of about 180 degrees. The chute 323 is set to be inclined from the upper end to the lower end, and the fresh concrete supplied to the upper end flows to the lower end by the chute 323 and is discharged from the lower end to a desired location. Usually, fresh concrete is poured from the lower end of the chute 323 into the hopper of the concrete pump truck. An example of the discharge direction adjustment part of the technology of the present disclosure is composed of the drive unit 324 and the support shaft 325.

[0036] Above the chute 323, a camera 35 is arranged. The camera 35, which is an imaging device, uses a wide-angle lens so that all images within the range where the chute 323 swings can be acquired. Thereby, by checking the images taken by the camera 35, the situation of the chute 323 can be grasped in the form of a moving image or a still image at any swinging position. Thereby, while looking at the images acquired by the camera 35, the adjustment of the swinging direction (discharging direction) of the chute 323 can be remotely controlled. An example of the camera of the technology of the present disclosure is the camera 35.

[0037] A water tank 34 is provided between the driving device 33 and the storage drum 32. After all the fresh concrete has been discharged, the chute 323 and the scoop 322 are washed with the water in this water tank 34. These washings can also be performed remotely while looking at the images acquired by the camera 35.

[0038] In addition, the transport device 3 is provided with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fresh concrete in the storage drum 32, a weight sensor for detecting the weight of the fresh concrete in the storage drum 32, and a connection sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the connection between the kingpin 316 and the coupler 25.

[0039] Next, each configuration of the server 20, the tractor vehicle terminals 201a, 202a to 20na, and the transport device side terminals 201b, 202b to 20nb will be described.

[0040] The server 20 includes a CPU 11 as a processing means, an input unit 12, a display unit 13, a communication unit 14 as a transmission and reception means, a RAM 15, a storage unit 16 as a storage means, an operation unit 17, and a route search unit 18, and each unit is connected by a bus 19. The CPU 11 expands a specified program from various application programs such as system programs stored in the storage unit 16 into a work area (not shown) in the RAM, executes various processes according to the program in response to the data input from the input unit 12, and stores the processing results in the work memory in the RAM 15.

[0041] The input unit 12 includes a keyboard (input means) equipped with kana / alphabetic-numeric input keys, cursor keys, various function keys, etc., and a mouse (designation means) which is a pointing device. The display unit 13 has a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), etc., and performs screen display of various display data according to the instruction of the display signal input from the CPU 11. An image acquired by the camera 35 is displayed on the display unit 13.

[0042] The communication unit 14 is connected to an external network by wireless communication and finally communicates with the towing vehicle side terminal and the transport device side terminal. The communication unit 14 is an example of the destination information transmission unit and the weight information reception unit of the technology of the present disclosure. Further, the communication unit 14 is an example of the management side communication unit which is the technology of the present disclosure.

[0043] As described above, the storage unit 16 stores various application programs such as system programs, and further stores transportation device information, towing vehicle information, site information, route search information, etc. The transportation device information stores, for each transportation device, the identification number assigned to each transportation device, the available volume (t) of fresh concrete in the storage drum, the internal temperature, the remaining amount of washing water (L), the current position information, the ON / OFF information of the drive device, the ON / OFF information of the operation unit, the ON / OFF information of the camera, the connection state information of the kingpin, the identification number of the connected towing vehicle, etc. The towing vehicle information stores, for each towing vehicle, the identification number assigned to each towing vehicle, the current traveling speed information, the current location information, the connection state information of the coupler, the destination information, the estimated arrival time information at the next destination. The casting site information stores, for each casting site, the identification information assigned to each site, the casting amount information, the casting start time information, the identification information of the transportation device to be dispatched, the construction status information, the estimated casting completion time information, etc. The route search information stores, for each towing vehicle, the identification number of the towing vehicle, the current position information, the position information of each set destination, specifically, the position information of the casting site to be dispatched and the estimated arrival time information at that site. The current position information of the towing vehicle is updated every time communication is performed, and the estimated arrival time information is also updated every time the road condition information such as traffic congestion is updated. The storage unit 16 is an example of the position information storage unit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0044] The operation unit 17 operates the orientation of the chute 323 and the discharge of the fresh concrete via the image of the camera 35. While looking at the image of the camera 35 projected on the display unit 13, an operator at the fresh concrete mixing plant (base) operates the orientation of the chute 323 so that the fresh concrete discharged from the chute 323 enters the hopper of the pump truck. Also, while observing the state of the fresh concrete being put into the hopper of the pump truck from the chute 323, operations such as adjusting the discharge amount of the fresh concrete by operating the rotation of the storage drum 32 are performed. The operation unit 17 is provided with, for example, an operation lever for switching the swinging direction of the chute 323 left and right, a switch for turning on / off the rotation of the storage drum 32, or a variable resistor knob for adjusting the rotation speed, etc. The operation unit 17 is an example of an operation unit into which operation information for operating the orientation of the discharge path, which is the technology of the present disclosure, is input.

[0045] The route search unit 18 has map data and a search program for searching for an optimal route (a route that can move in the shortest time or a route that can move the shortest distance) when moving between two points based on the map data. Also, when searching for a route, the road conditions at the time of search are considered and an optimal route is searched. For example, when the current position information of the towing vehicle 2 and the position information of the moving destination of the towing vehicle 2 are supplied, the estimated arrival time at the destination and the moving route to the destination are calculated and supplied to the CPU 11. Note that such a route search unit 18 may not be provided in the server 11, and a navigation device mounted on the towing vehicle 2 may be made to perform the same role.

[0046] The input unit 12, the display unit 13, and the operation unit 17 described above may be provided in the fresh concrete mixing plant, and the server 11 may be arranged at another location. In that case, the input unit 12, the display unit 13, the operation unit 17, and the server 11 are connected via the communication network Ne.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 5, the towing vehicle terminal 20na includes a CPU 4 as a processing means, a display unit 42, a notification unit 43, a communication unit 44 as a transmission / reception means, a RAM 45, a current position detection unit 46, and a connection detection unit 47, and each unit is connected by a bus 48. The CPU 4 expands a program designated from various application programs such as a system program stored in the RAM 45 into a work area (not shown) in the RAM, and according to the data supplied from the server 20, executes various processes according to the program, and stores the processing results in the work memory in the RAM 45.

[0048] The display unit 42 has a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), etc., and displays the information supplied from the server 20 after being converted into a display image by the CPU 4. For example, the route searched by the server 20, the estimated arrival time at the placement site, the connection state detected by the connection detection unit 47 (whether it is connected or not), the temperature in the storage drum 32, the remaining amount of fresh concrete in the storage drum 32 of the transportation device 3, when the transportation device 3 is not connected, the position information of the transportation device scheduled to be connected, the remaining amount and temperature of the fresh concrete, etc. are displayed. The display unit 42 is an example of an output unit that outputs the destination information received by the communication unit 44 of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0049] The notification unit 43 alerts the driver auditorily or visually, and has a speaker auditorily and a lamp, lighting, etc. visually. For example, when the temperature in the storage drum 32 of the towing transportation device 3 exceeds a predetermined value, the driver is notified to that effect by the notification unit 43. When using a visual means, the content of the notification may be displayed on the display unit 42. In this case, the display unit 42 functions as the notification unit 43.

[0050] The communication unit 44 is connected to an external network by wireless communication and finally communicates with the server 20 and the transportation device terminal 20nb.

[0051] The current position detection unit 46 receives radio waves from artificial satellites and identifies the current position of the towing vehicle 2 using a Navigation Satellite System. Examples of such satellite positioning systems include global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the Beidou satellite navigation system, GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, and GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), as well as regional navigation satellite systems (RNSS) such as the quasi-zenith satellite system and the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. Any of these satellite positioning systems may be used. The current position identified by such a satellite positioning system is displayed on the display unit 42 and supplied to the server 20 via the communication unit 44. The communication unit 44 is an example of the destination information receiving unit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0052] The connection detection unit 47 detects whether the kingpin 316 of the transport device 3 is connected to the coupler 25. The detection result is displayed on the display unit 42 and supplied to the server 20 via the communication unit 44.

[0053] Furthermore, the towing vehicle terminal 20na may share information with the in-vehicle navigation system (route search unit 49). In this case, the current position detected by the current position detection unit 46 can be obtained from the navigation system. Also, the destination position information supplied from the server 20 may be set as the destination of the navigation system, and the estimated arrival time and travel route from the navigation system may be obtained and the content thereof supplied to the server 20.

[0054] The transport device terminal 20nb includes a CPU 5 as a processing means, sensors 51, a camera 35, a communication unit 52 as a transmission / reception means, a RAM 53, a current position detection unit 54, a drive control unit 55, and a transport device side operation unit 56. Each unit is connected by a bus 57. The CPU 5 expands a specified program from various application programs such as system programs stored in the RAM 53 into a work area (not shown) in the RAM, and according to the data supplied from the server 20 and the sensor group 51, executes various processes according to the program, and stores the processing results in the work memory in the RAM 53.

[0055] The sensors 51 include a weight sensor for measuring the remaining amount of the fresh concrete described above, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the fresh concrete, an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the outside air temperature near the transport device, and a connection detection unit for detecting whether the kingpin 316 is connected to the coupler 25. These detection values are supplied to the server 20 and the tractor vehicle side terminal 20na. The sensors 51 are an example of the weight sensor for detecting the amount of fresh concrete, which is a technology of the present disclosure.

[0056] The communication unit 52 is connected to an external network by wireless communication and finally communicates with the server 20 and the tractor vehicle terminal 20na. By the communication unit 52, various detection values (remaining amount of fresh concrete, fresh concrete temperature, outside air temperature, presence or absence of coupler connection, etc.) detected by the sensors 51 are supplied to the server 20. The communication unit 52 is an example of the weight information transmission unit of the technology of the present disclosure and the communication unit for transmitting the video information of the camera to the transport management device.

[0057] The current position detection unit 54 receives radio waves from artificial satellites and identifies the current position of the towing vehicle 2 using a Navigation Satellite System. Examples of such satellite positioning systems include global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as the Beidou satellite navigation system, GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, and GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), as well as regional navigation satellite systems (RNSS) such as the quasi-zenith satellite system and the Indian regional navigation satellite system. Any of these satellite positioning systems may be used. The current position identified by such a satellite positioning system is supplied to the server 20 via the communication unit 52.

[0058] The drive control unit 55 operates the rotation direction of the drive motor M of the drive unit 324 that moves the direction of the chute 323 according to the supply data from the CPU 5. Also, the start and stop of the engine of the drive device 33 and the engine speed are operated according to the supply data from the CPU 5, and the switching of the output direction of the transmission in the drive device 33, that is, the switching of the output between the output shaft 331 and the drive shaft 332, is operated.

[0059] The operation unit on the transport device side 56 has an operation panel that operates the ON / OFF of the hydraulic pump with an ON / OFF switch and operates the extension and contraction of the legs of the outrigger 314, a fresh concrete operation panel equipped with an operation switch for manually adjusting the direction of the chute 323 and the discharge amount of fresh concrete by an operator, an operation panel for switching the driving force to the output shaft 331 and the drive wheels 313, and an operation panel for operating the driving and stopping of the drive wheels.

[0060] In the fresh concrete transportation system configured as described above, the flow of movement of the towing vehicle 2 and the transportation device 3 will be described based on the schematic diagram of FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the movement states of the towing vehicle 2 and the transportation device 3 when transporting fresh concrete to the placement site. At the concrete mixing plant, the generated fresh concrete is put into the transportation device 3e having an empty storage drum 32 (A in FIG. 6). The towing vehicle 2 is connected to the transportation device 3f filled with fresh concrete (B in FIG. 6). The towing vehicle 2 pulls and transports the transportation device 3f to the placement site 1 (C in FIG. 6). After arriving at the placement site 1, the towing vehicle 2 and the transportation device 3f are separated (D in FIG. 6).

[0061] The separated transportation device 3f performs the placement work at the placement site 1 (E in FIG. 6). Meanwhile, the transportation device 3e that has already completed the placement and whose storage drum 32 has become empty is connected to the towing vehicle 2 (F in FIG. 6), and the empty transportation device 3e is pulled and returned to the concrete mixing plant (G in FIG. 6). At the concrete mixing plant, the returned empty transportation device 3e and the towing vehicle 2 are separated (H in FIG. 6), and the fresh concrete to be transported to the next placement site is put into the empty transportation device 3e (A in FIG. 6). Also, if there is another placement site 2 nearby, the towing vehicle 2 that has transported the first transportation device 3f heads towards that site (I in FIG. 6), connects the empty transportation device 3e (I in FIG. 6), and returns to the concrete mixing plant.

[0062] Next, the processing of the server 20 will be described based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 7 to 8. When an operator inputs through the input unit 12, the CPU 11 acquires information on the placement site (step S101). The information input is position information such as the address of the placement site, the total amount of fresh concrete to be placed, the scheduled start time of placement, the construction status, the outside air temperature detected by the sensors 51 of the transportation device side terminals 201b, 202b~20nb, etc. When such information is input, the CPU 11 stores the information in each part of the storage unit 14 of the server 20 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0063] The CPU 11 calculates the travel time T1 from the mixing plant (base) that produces fresh concrete to the placement site (step S102). Step S102 is an example of the travel means calculation means of the technology of the present disclosure. Specifically, the CPU 11 supplies the position information of the placement site to the route search unit 18 and acquires the travel time to the placement site. The fresh concrete produced at the mixing plant (base) has a placement time determined based on the outside air temperature. The placement time means that since fresh concrete hardens over time, an optimal time range from production to placement is defined, and this is called the placement time. The hardening of fresh concrete becomes faster as the temperature rises. Thus, the placement time is set to 120 minutes when the outside air temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius and 90 minutes when the outside air temperature is 25 degrees Celsius or higher. In addition, the placement time may be set in more detail in a database taking into account conditions such as the amount and humidity of the fresh concrete, and the placement time can also be set in detail based on such a database. Such a database is stored in the storage unit 14.

[0064] Based on the air temperature acquired in step S101, the CPU 11 determines the placement time T0 of the fresh concrete to be produced from the database in the storage unit 14 (step S103). Step S103 is an example of the placement time setting means of the technology of the present disclosure. The CPU 11 sets the time Tw obtained by subtracting the travel time T1 calculated in step S102 from the placement time T0 determined in step S103 as the placement work time Tw (the time that can be spent on the placement work) at the site. Tw = T0 - T1 (step S104).

[0065] The sizes of the storage drums 32 mounted on the transport device 3 are prepared in multiple types. For example, there is a transport device 3 that can be loaded with 15 tons, 11 tons, 10 tons, and 8 tons of fresh concrete when fully filled. In these storage drums 32, the time Th from the fully filled state until all the fresh concrete is completely discharged is also stored in advance. The discharge times of the respective storage drums 32 are, for example, about 30 minutes for 15 tons, about 20 minutes for 11 tons... and so on. The CPU 11 compares the Tw obtained in step S104 with the discharge time Th of the storage drums 32 of each capacity, and determines whether there is a transport device 3 equipped with a storage drum 32 that satisfies the condition Th < Tw (step S105). If there is no such transport device 3 (step S105: N), the CPU 11 calculates the amount Sw of fresh concrete that can be placed within the placing work time Tw (step S106), and sets this as the amount Sw of fresh concrete loaded in the storage drum in one transport of fresh concrete. Step S106 is an example of the fresh concrete placing amount calculation means of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0066] In step S105, if there is a transport device 3 equipped with a storage drum 32 that satisfies the condition Th < Tw (step S105: Y), the CPU 11 selects a transport device 3 equipped with a storage drum 32 that satisfies the condition Th < Tw (step S107). Preferably, the CPU 11 selects a transport device 3 equipped with the storage drum 32 having the maximum capacity (that is, the storage drum 32 with the longest Th) among the storage drums 32 that satisfy the condition Th < Tw. For example, when Tw is 25 minutes, a transport device equipped with an 11 - ton storage drum is selected instead of an 8 - ton storage drum. If the answer in step S105 is No, the CPU 11 selects a transport device equipped with the smallest storage drum.

[0067] Next, the CPU 11 calculates the time t1 when the placement of the fresh concrete mounted on the transport device 3 to be transported first is completed (step S108). For example, when the answer in step S105 is No, the CPU 11 calculates it by adding Tw to the placement start time. Also, when the answer in step S105 is Yes, the CPU 11 calculates it by adding Th to the placement start time. Step S108 is an example of the placement end time calculation means of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0068] The CPU 11 calculates the fresh concrete generation start time t2 by back-calculating from the placement end time t1 calculated in step 108 (step S109). For example, when the answer in step S105 is No, the CPU 11 calculates the fresh concrete generation start time t2 by subtracting (Tw + T1 + Tc) from the placement end time t1 [Tc: fresh concrete generation time]. When the answer in step S105 is Yes, the CPU 11 calculates the fresh concrete generation start time t2 by subtracting (Th + T1 + Tc) from time t1 [Tc: fresh concrete generation time].

[0069] Thereafter, the generation of fresh concrete is started at the concrete mixing plant (base) (step S110). The generated fresh concrete is put into the storage drum 32 of the transport device 3 selected in step S103 (step S111). The amount of fresh concrete to be generated is the amount to fill the storage drum of one transport device to be transported. When there is a transport device 3 equipped with a storage drum 32 that satisfies the condition Th < Tw in step S105 (step S105: Y), it is the full filling amount of the storage drum 32. When there is no storage drum 32 that satisfies the condition Th < Tw in step S105 (step S105: N), it is the amount Sw of fresh concrete obtained in step S106.

[0070] Back-calculate the travel time T1 obtained in step S102 from the scheduled placing start time input in step S101, and depart from the base so as to arrive at the placing site at the scheduled placing start time (step S113). When raw concrete is put into the storage drum 32 of the transport device 3, the towing vehicle 2 is already connected. Alternatively, the towing vehicle 2 may be connected after the input.

[0071] After the raw concrete is input, the temperature of the raw concrete is monitored by a temperature sensor, and the CPU 11 determines whether the temperature has reached a predetermined value or more (step S115). This is because if the temperature reaches a predetermined value or more, the hardening of the raw concrete will start earlier. When the temperature reaches a predetermined value or more, the CPU 11 notifies the driver through the notification unit 43 that the temperature has reached the predetermined value (step S117). Such notification may be, for example, an instruction to increase the speed of the towing vehicle. By increasing the speed, the amount of air hitting the storage drum 32 increases, and the storage drum 32 can be cooled.

[0072] Also, in summer, if the determination in step S115 is Yes, the CPU 11 searches for a route with a lot of shade in the route search unit 18 and displays on the display unit 42 so as to change the course to the route with a lot of shade. Alternatively, in the route search unit 18, search for a shaded parking space near the placing site, and if the travel speed is increased and the vehicle arrives at the site earlier than the scheduled time, the transport device 3 may be instructed to wait in the searched shaded space, etc.

[0073] After arriving at the placing site, the hydraulic circuit is operated via the hydraulic operation panel of the transport device side operation unit 56, the legs of the outrigger 314 are extended, and the kingpin 316 is removed from the coupler 25 of the towing vehicle 2. As a result, the connection between the towing vehicle 2 and the transport device 3 is released (step S119). A signal indicating that the connection has been removed is supplied from the connection detection sensor (51) to the server 20. The CPU 11 acquires a signal indicating that the connection has been disconnected. The legs of the outrigger 314 are maintained in the extended state and support the transport device 3 during the placing operation. Also, by retracting the legs of the outrigger 314 and lifting the legs off the ground, the drive wheels 313 come into contact with the ground. As a result, the transport device 3 can be moved alone by the drive wheels 313. For example, when it is necessary to finely adjust the position with a ready-mix concrete pump truck, etc., the drive wheels 313 can be driven to perform the position adjustment. The operation of the drive wheels 313 may be performed by remote operation from the base as described later, or by an operator at the site via an operation panel for the drive wheels 313 provided on the transport device side operation unit 56.

[0074] On the base side, based on the determination (Yes) in step S119, remote operation is started (step S121). In the remote operation, the video acquired by the camera 35 is displayed on the display unit 13 in real time, and an operator at the base operates via the operation unit 17 while viewing the video on the display unit 13. The contents of the operation are the adjustment of the orientation of the chute 323 and the rotation speed of the storage drum 32. The adjustment of the orientation of the chute 323 is performed by adjusting the rotation of the motor M of the drive unit 324 of the drive control unit 55. The rotation speed of the storage drum 32 is adjusted by adjusting the rotation speed of the engine E of the drive device 33 via the drive control unit 55. If the rotation of the engine E increases, the rotation speed of the storage drum 32 increases. If the rotation of the storage drum 32 increases, the discharge amount of the ready-mix concrete increases, and if it decreases, the discharge amount decreases. Thus, by adjusting the rotation speed of the engine E, the discharge amount of the ready-mix concrete is adjusted.

[0075] By removing the towing vehicle 2 and moving the towing vehicle 2, the operator of the transport device 3 becomes absent, but the discharge operation of fresh concrete can be executed by remote control. During this time, the towing vehicle 2 can head to the next destination.

[0076] After the CPU 11 disconnects the connection between the towing vehicle 2 and the transport device 3 (step S119), the route search unit 18 searches for the moving route of the towing vehicle 2 to the next destination (step S123). This step S123 is an example of a destination selection unit. When there is one placement site, the next destination is the base. However, when there are multiple placement sites simultaneously, another placement site may be the next destination. Whether there is a transport device 3e having an already empty storage drum at another placement site can be obtained from the transport device information stored in the storage unit 16. In this case, the CPU 11 extracts the position information of the transport device that has completed placement and whose storage drum is empty (the detected value of the fresh concrete weight sensor is substantially zero) from the information of the transport devices stored in the storage unit 16, supplies the position information to the route search unit 18, and obtains the moving route. In this way, by connecting to another transport device 3e and returning to the base, the towing vehicle 2 can be operated more effectively.

[0077] The CPU 11 displays the route acquired in step S123 on the display unit 42 (step S125). The towing vehicle 2 finally returns to the base when the route to the base is displayed on the display unit 42.

[0078] The operation of generating fresh concrete mounted on the second transport device 3 is executed in parallel with the processes of the above steps S110 to S125. Since the placing end time t1 calculated in step S108 becomes the placing start time from the storage drum 32 of the second transport device 3, the CPU 11 sets the placing start time of the second transport device 3 to t1 (step S127). By subtracting (T1 + Tc) from this placing start time t1, the CPU 11 calculates the fresh concrete generation start time (step S129). Note that since the weight of the fresh concrete in the storage drum 32 is supplied from the weight sensor, the CPU 11 calculates the remaining amount of fresh concrete based on the supplied weight.

[0079] This process is an example of the fresh concrete amount calculation unit of the technology of the present disclosure. From the calculated remaining amount of fresh concrete, the placing end time can be accurately predicted. Therefore, the placing end time t1 of the storage drum 32 of the first transport device 3 may be appropriately corrected based on the detection value of the weight sensor that detects the remaining amount of fresh concrete. Depending on the situation at the placing site, the placing work may be prolonged. Therefore, the CPU 11 can calculate the rate at which the fresh concrete decreases based on the detection value of the weight sensor and more accurately predict the time when it finally becomes empty. The placing end time t1 may finally be determined based on the detection value of the weight sensor. Such a processing step is an example of the generation time calculation unit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0080] In this way, by aligning the time when the placement of the first storage drum is completed and the time when the placement of the subsequent (second) storage drum starts without any gaps, proper fresh concrete placement becomes possible, and the quality of the concrete building can be made better. If the storage drums after the second one arrive at the site earlier than the placement completion time, there is a risk that the hardening of the fresh concrete will start before the next placement begins. Also, if there is too much time between the time when the storage drum that arrives after the placement completion time and the start time of the placement from that storage drum, a layer will form between the first placed concrete and the next placed concrete, and the quality of the hardened concrete will deteriorate. By aligning the placement completion time and the placement start time, such inconveniences can be suppressed, and it becomes possible to obtain high-quality concrete.

[0081] The CPU 11 stores the calculated placement completion time (empty prediction time) of the first storage drum 32 in the storage unit 16 (step S131). According to this, when performing the process of transporting fresh concrete to another placement site, the empty transport device 3 can be made the target for searching for the next destination in step S123. The generation of the fresh concrete to be put into the second transport device 3 is started (step S132). The generated fresh concrete is put into the storage drum 32 of the second transport device 3 (step S133).

[0082] The CPU 11 determines whether the towing vehicle 2 that towed the first transport device 3 (the first one) has returned to the mixing plant (base) (step S134). This is determined by the CPU 11 obtaining the current position information of the first towing vehicle 2 and checking whether it is at the mixing plant (base) in light of the map information held by the route search unit 18. Alternatively, the CPU 11 may make a determination based on the elapsed time, such as whether the time required to return from the placement site has elapsed since the start of the placement.

[0083] When the first towing vehicle 2 has not returned, the CPU 11 selects another towing vehicle at the mixing plant (base) as the second towing vehicle for towing the second transport device 3 (step S135). When it has returned, the CPU 11 selects the first towing vehicle as the towing vehicle for towing the second transport device 3 (step S136). For the selection of the towing vehicle for towing the third and subsequent transport devices, the CPU 11 determines whether the towing vehicle that towed the previously towed transport device has returned to the base. If not, the CPU 11 selects another towing vehicle. In this way, by preferentially using the towing vehicle that towed the previously towed transport device as the towing vehicle, it becomes possible to effectively reuse the towing vehicle, use the towing vehicle for transportation to other sites, and effectively utilize it.

[0084] Depart from the base at a time when it is possible to arrive at the placing start time t1 set in step S127 (step S139). Note that since the total amount to be placed at one placing site and the moving time to placing site 1 are known, and the time until the storage drum of each transport device becomes empty can also be predicted, in step S109, it is also possible to predict the time when the second and subsequent transport devices become empty.

[0085] The CPU 11 determines whether the remaining amount of fresh concrete in the first transport device 3 has become zero (step S141). The remaining amount being zero means that the drum has become empty, so the inside of the chute 323, the scoop 322, and the storage drum 32 are washed with the water in the water tank 34. This washing operation is performed while observing the image of the camera 35. Alternatively, it may be configured to automatically spray washing water from the nozzle.

[0086] When the second transport device 3 arrives at the placement site, since the fresh concrete in the first transport device 3 becomes empty upon arrival, the connection between the towing vehicle 2 and the second transport device 3 is disconnected, and the towing vehicle 2 is connected to the first transport device 3. As a result, the towing vehicle 2 that has towed the second transport device 3 will tow the now-empty first transport vehicle 3 and return to the base (step S147). The second transport device 3 can drive the drive wheels 313 and move to the vicinity of the placing pump truck. Alternatively, after moving the first transport device 3 from the placement work position with a towing vehicle, the towing vehicle 2 can be connected to the second transport device 3 again, and the second transport device can be moved to the placement work position. Thereafter, steps S115 to S147 are repeatedly executed until the drum of the last transport device 3 becomes empty.

[0087] As described above, the server 20 functions as a transport management device. Also, as described above, the fresh concrete transport vehicle 1 is used as an agitator truck, but it can also be used as a mixer truck. In this case, at the concrete mixing plant, cement, aggregates (such as gravel, sand, etc.), water, etc. are put into the storage drum 32, and they are transported while being stirred and mixed by the rotating storage drum.

Explanation of Signs

[0088] 1 Fresh concrete transport vehicle 2 Towing vehicle 3 Transport device 3e Transport device (empty drum) 3f Transport device (fully filled drum) 32 Storage drum 33 Drive device 34 Water tank 323 Shoot 35 Camera 20 Server 201a~20na Towing vehicle side terminal 201b~20nb Transport device side terminal

Claims

1. A main body equipped with a storage drum for storing fresh concrete, Wheels that support the main body so that it can roll downward, A drive device that outputs a driving force for rotationally driving the storage drum, A transport device having an operation unit for operating the adjustment of the drive output of the drive device, A fresh concrete transport vehicle having a towing vehicle that is detachably connected to the transport device and towes the transport device.

2. The transport device has a drive wheel to which drive is transmitted from the drive device, A driving force distribution unit that distributes the driving force of the drive device to the drive wheels, The drive wheel does not transmit driving force to the ground contact surface when the towing vehicle is connected to the transport device. The fresh concrete transport vehicle according to claim 1.

3. A plurality of transport devices equipped with a storage drum for storing fresh concrete, A towing vehicle that is detachably connected to each of the transport devices and tows the transport devices, A transport management device for managing the operation of the transport device and the towing vehicle based on the total amount of fresh concrete placed at the fresh concrete placement site, The transport management device, An outside air temperature acquisition means for acquiring the outside air temperature, A placement time setting means for setting a placement time based on the acquired outside air temperature, A moving time calculation means for calculating the moving time from the base to the placement site, Based on the moving time calculated by the moving time calculation means and the placement time set by the placement time setting means, a fresh concrete placement amount calculation means for calculating the amount of fresh concrete transported by one transport device, Based on the amount of fresh concrete to be transported calculated by the fresh concrete placement amount calculation means, a placement work time calculation means for calculating the placement work time by one transport device, Based on the moving time calculated by the moving time calculation means and the placement time calculated by the placement work time calculation means, a placement end time calculation means for calculating the placement end time when the placement work of the transport device ends, A fresh concrete transport system having a generation start time calculation means for calculating the generation start time of the next fresh concrete so as to arrive at the placement site at the placement end time calculated by the placement end time calculation means.

4. The transport management device, The fresh concrete transport system according to claim 3, further comprising a moving destination selection unit for selecting a moving destination of the towing vehicle whose connection to the transport device towed and transported at the fresh concrete placement site has been released.

5. The transport management device, It further includes a position information storage unit that stores the position information of the fresh concrete placement site. The destination selection unit selects the destination of the towing vehicle based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit. The fresh concrete transportation system according to claim 4.

6. The transportation management device further includes a destination information transmission unit that supplies the destination information of the destination selected by the destination selection unit to the towing vehicle. The towing vehicle further includes a destination information receiving unit that receives the supply of the destination information from the transportation management device, and an output unit that outputs the destination information received by the destination information receiving unit. The fresh concrete transportation system according to claim 5.

7. The transportation device further includes a weight sensor that detects the amount of fresh concrete contained therein, and a weight information transmission unit that supplies the weight information detected by the weight sensor to the transportation management device. The transportation management device further includes a weight information receiving unit that receives the supply of the weight information from the transportation device, and a fresh concrete amount calculation unit that calculates the remaining amount of fresh concrete remaining in the storage drum of the transportation device based on the weight information received by the weight information receiving unit. The fresh concrete transportation system according to claim 3.

8. The transportation management device has a generation time calculation unit that calculates the start time of the generation of fresh concrete to be stored in the storage drums of the second and subsequent transportation devices in the order of transportation set by the order setting unit, based on the remaining amount of fresh concrete in the immediately preceding transportation device calculated by the fresh concrete amount calculation unit. The fresh concrete transportation system according to claim 7.

9. The transportation device has a discharge path for discharging fresh concrete from within the storage drum in a desired direction, a discharge direction adjustment unit that adjusts the direction of the discharge path, a camera that projects the direction of the discharge path, and a communication unit that receives operation information for operating the discharge direction adjustment unit and transmits the video information of the camera to the transportation management device. The transportation management device has an operation unit for inputting operation information for operating the direction of the discharge path, and a management side communication unit that transmits the operation information input by the operation unit to the transportation device and receives the video information of the camera from the transportation device. The fresh concrete transportation system according to claim 3.

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