Concrete supply system and concrete supply method

Abstract

To provide a concrete supply system and a concrete supply method that can accurately identify a height of concrete when identifying the amount of concrete stored in a hopper and can properly and automatically manage the amount of concrete stored in the hopper, while eliminating the need for constant monitoring and operation by operators.SOLUTION: In a concrete supply system 100, a concrete pumping unit 10 comprises a sensor 30 capable of continuously detecting a height of concrete C in a hopper 18, a controller 40 and a first communication unit 50, and a mixer truck 20 comprises a drum 21, a hydraulic motor 66 for rotating the drum 21, a hydraulic pump 64 for supplying hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor 66, an oil quantity regulator 70 for regulating the oil quantity of the hydraulic oil, and a second communication unit 80. The controller 40 calculates the supply amount of concrete on the basis of measurement data by the sensor 30 and controls the oil quantity regulator 70 on the basis of supply amount data transmitted from the first communication unit 50 to the second communication unit 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a concrete supply system and a concrete supply method.

Background Art

[0002] In concrete placement, concrete is supplied from a mixer truck to a hopper of a concrete pumping device that pumps the concrete, and the concrete is placed. This concrete pumping device includes various pumping devices such as a concrete pump truck, a stationary concrete pump not provided with moving means, and a concrete spraying machine used for the construction of mountain tunnels.

[0003] The chute provided at the rear of the mixer truck is positioned close to the hopper at the rear of the concrete pumping device, and the drum of the mixer truck is reversed, so that the concrete is discharged into the hopper. Here, a spiral blade is provided inside the drum, and rotation switching control is performed to rotate the drum forward during concrete agitation and reverse the drum during concrete discharge. The hopper is equipped with a piston-type or hydraulic piston pump, etc. The concrete stored in the hopper is pumped by the piston pump, and in the squeeze type, it is pumped by the negative pressure generated when the pumping tube is restored, and is supplied to the nozzle or the like provided in the concrete pumping device, so that the concrete placement is carried out.

[0004] When concrete is pumped using the concrete pumping equipment described above, the worker checks the amount of concrete stored in the hopper each time in accordance with changes in the amount and speed of concrete being pumped by the concrete pumping equipment, and controls the rotation of the drum to maintain the amount of concrete stored in the hopper at an appropriate level. In other words, if the amount of concrete stored in the hopper is too little, there is a risk of insufficient supply of concrete to the concrete pumping equipment, and if the amount of concrete stored in the hopper is too much, there is a risk of concrete overflowing from the hopper. Therefore, the rotation of the drum is controlled to resolve these issues. For this reason, when concrete is supplied from the mixer truck to the hopper of the concrete pumping equipment, a worker is required to constantly monitor the amount of concrete stored in the hopper and control the rotation speed of the drum.

[0005] Here, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose systems and concrete pump trucks that perform automatic concrete supply from a mixer truck to a concrete pump truck. The linked system between a concrete mixer truck and a concrete pump truck described in Patent Document 1 is a system that links the discharge operation system of the concrete mixer truck and the transfer operation system of the concrete pump truck, making it possible to simultaneously adjust the discharge amount and the transfer amount. This concrete pump truck is equipped with a sensor for detecting the amount of concrete in the hopper. On the other hand, the concrete pump truck described in Patent Document 2 includes an operating state detection means for detecting the operating state of the concrete pump, a requested supply amount calculation means for determining the requested supply amount of ready-mixed concrete into the hopper from the operating state of the concrete pump detected by the operating state detection means, and a transmitting means for transmitting an operation command to the ready-mixed concrete supply device in order to supply ready-mixed concrete from the ready-mixed concrete supply device to the hopper in the requested supply amount determined by the requested supply amount calculation means. Here, the operating state detection means is a sensor that detects the amount of ready-mixed concrete stored in the hopper. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-161561 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-206343 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] By applying the linked system described in Patent Document 1 and the concrete pump truck described in Patent Document 2, it is possible to eliminate the need for workers to constantly monitor the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. However, although both technologies measure the amount of concrete stored using sensors, there is no description of specific sensors. Furthermore, if the concrete pumping work environment is, for example, inside a tunnel, the concrete spraying work inside the tunnel is carried out in a high-concentration dust environment, and if it is carried out outdoors, it is carried out in high-temperature or low-temperature working environments. As a result, the burden on workers during the constant monitoring described above is extremely large.

[0008] The present invention relates to a concrete supply system and method for supplying concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, and aims to provide a concrete supply system and method that eliminates the need for constant monitoring and operation by workers, while accurately determining the height of the concrete when determining the amount of concrete stored in the hopper, and appropriately and automatically managing the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the aforementioned objective, one embodiment of the concrete supply system according to the present invention is: A concrete supply system that supplies concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The concrete pumping device comprises a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, a control device, and a first communication unit. The mixer truck comprises a drum that agitates concrete and supplies it to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, an oil volume adjustment device that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid, and a second communication unit. The control device calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data from the sensor, and controls the oil volume adjustment device based on the supply amount data transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit.

[0010] According to this embodiment, the concrete pumping device is equipped with a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, thereby enabling high-precision measurement of the concrete height in the hopper without requiring constant monitoring or operation by workers. This allows for high-precision determination of the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. Therefore, even in work environments such as tunnels, the problem of workers bearing a heavy burden is eliminated because constant monitoring and operation by workers are not required. Furthermore, by continuously measuring the height of the concrete inside the hopper with a sensor capable of rapid detection, the height of the concrete inside the hopper can be measured with high accuracy even in the high-dust environment of the tunnel, thereby enabling the precise determination of the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. Laser rangefinders and ultrasonic rangefinders can be used as this sensor. However, measurements using probes are susceptible to dust, making high-precision height measurement difficult. Furthermore, the control unit calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the received measurement data regarding the height of the concrete in the hopper. By controlling the oil volume adjustment device that forms the hydraulic circuit based on the calculated supply amount, the amount of concrete stored in the hopper can be automatically and appropriately managed in response to the varying amounts and speeds of concrete pumped from the concrete pumping device. This appropriate automatic management of the concrete storage amount eliminates the need for workers to operate the drum rotation of the mixer truck.

[0011] Furthermore, other embodiments of the concrete supply system according to the present invention include: A concrete supply system that supplies concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The concrete pumping device includes a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, and a first communication unit. The mixer truck comprises a drum that agitates concrete and supplies it to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, an oil volume adjustment device that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid, a control device, and a second communication unit. The measurement data from the sensor is transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit, and the control device calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data received by the second communication unit, and controls the oil volume adjustment device based on the supply amount data.

[0012] According to this embodiment, both the control device and the oil volume adjustment device are equipped on the mixer truck, and the oil volume adjustment device is directly controlled based on the supply volume data calculated by the control device, thereby improving the controllability of the oil volume adjustment device.

[0013] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the concrete supply system according to the present invention, The oil volume adjustment device includes a flow control valve, The control device is characterized in that it performs control of the flow control valve.

[0014] According to this embodiment, the flow control valve included in the oil volume adjustment device interposed in the hydraulic circuit is controlled by the control device, thereby enabling high-precision increases or decreases in the rotational speed of the hydraulic motor that rotates the drum according to the height of the concrete stored in the hopper (amount of concrete stored), and allowing for appropriate automatic management of the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. Here, the flow control valve includes a relief control valve that releases a portion of the hydraulic fluid, and a variable control valve that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid according to the opening degree of the valve. Furthermore, the variable control valve may be equipped with an electromagnetic proportional valve amplifier that adjusts the opening degree of the valve.

[0015] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the concrete supply system according to the present invention, The control device is characterized by calculating the amount or rate of change of concrete stored in the hopper based on the measurement data received at any given time, and performing PID control of the oil volume adjustment device based on the calculated amount or rate of change.

[0016] According to this embodiment, the control device calculates the amount or rate of change of concrete stored in the hopper, and controls the oil volume adjustment device using PID (Proportional Integral Differential) control based on the calculation result. This eliminates problems such as the control amount not remaining constant due to hunting, and enables stable control based on future predictions. In PID control, the determination of the manipulated variables according to the current situation and past situation is performed by P control (proportional control) and I control (integral control), and the determination of the manipulated variables based on predictions of future situations is performed by D control (differential control).

[0017] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the concrete supply system according to the present invention, The sensor is characterized by being either a laser rangefinder or an ultrasonic rangefinder.

[0018] According to this aspect, since the sensor is either a laser distance meter or an ultrasonic distance meter, it is preferable that the height of the concrete in the hopper can be measured with high accuracy even in a high-dust environment inside a tunnel, for example.

[0019] Also, in another aspect of the concrete supply system according to the present invention, It is applied when spraying concrete in a mountain tunnel, Characterized in that automatic supply of concrete is executed from the mixer truck to the concrete pumping device.

[0020] According to this aspect, by being applied when spraying concrete in a mountain tunnel, for example, an operator of a mixer truck positions the mixer truck with respect to a concrete spraying machine, which is an example of a concrete pumping device, and operates the concrete supply system of this aspect. After that, the operator can return to the spraying concrete plant outside the pit, drive another mixer truck, and wait near the concrete spraying machine, enabling continuous supply of concrete to the concrete spraying machine using two mixer trucks to be realized by only one operator.

[0021] Also, one aspect of the concrete supply method according to the present invention is A concrete supply method in which concrete is supplied from a mixer truck to a hopper provided in a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The mixer truck includes a drum that stirs concrete and supplies the concrete to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, and an oil quantity adjustment device that adjusts the quantity of the hydraulic oil. Either the concrete pumping device or the mixer truck includes a control device, Step A of detecting continuously the height of the concrete in the hopper by a sensor capable of detecting it; The control device is characterized by having step B, which involves calculating the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data from the sensor, and supplying the concrete while controlling the oil volume adjustment device based on the calculated amount of concrete to be supplied.

[0022] According to this embodiment, in step A, the height of the concrete in the hopper can be detected with high precision by using a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, such as a laser rangefinder or ultrasonic rangefinder. This eliminates the need for constant monitoring and operation by workers, and thereby allows for the precise determination of the amount of concrete stored in the hopper. Furthermore, in step B, the control device calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the received measurement data regarding the height of the concrete in the hopper. By controlling the oil volume adjustment device that forms the hydraulic circuit based on the calculated supply amount, the amount of concrete stored in the hopper can be automatically and appropriately managed in response to the varying amounts and speeds of concrete sprayed from the concrete spraying machine. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the concrete supply system and concrete supply method of the present invention, the height of the concrete can be accurately determined when determining the amount of concrete stored in the hopper, while eliminating the need for constant monitoring and operation by workers, and the amount of concrete stored in the hopper can be appropriately and automatically managed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This is an overall configuration diagram of an example of a concrete supply system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram of a concrete supply system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a control device. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of a control device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] The concrete supply system and concrete supply method according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification and drawings, substantially identical components may be denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations.

[0026] [Concrete supply system and concrete supply method according to the embodiment] An example of a concrete supply system and concrete supply method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Here, Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an example of a concrete supply system according to the embodiment, and Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the concrete supply system according to the embodiment. In the following description, a concrete spraying machine will be used as the concrete pumping device, and concrete spraying work inside a tunnel will be described, but the concrete pumping device may be a concrete pump truck or a stationary concrete pump, and the working environment may be outdoors other than a tunnel.

[0027] The concrete supply system 100 is a system that supplies concrete from a mixer truck 20 to a hopper 18 equipped with a concrete spraying machine 10 (an example of a concrete pumping device) that sprays concrete onto the face K and sides W of a mountain tunnel T.

[0028] In the construction of the mountain tunnel T, the construction cycle consists of excavating a predetermined length, removing excavated material, applying primary concrete spraying to the sides W and face K of the constructed tunnel T, erecting support structures (not shown), and applying secondary concrete spraying. This construction cycle is repeated as the excavation progresses. In addition, there is a construction method in which rock bolts (not shown) are installed after the secondary concrete spraying as needed.

[0029] Figure 1 shows the situation after excavation and spoil removal have been completed, with concrete being sprayed in the X2 direction from the spraying nozzle 13 onto the face K, which is the spraying surface, and concrete being supplied in the X1 direction from the mixer truck 20 to the hopper 18.

[0030] The concrete spraying machine 10 has a spraying machine body 11 equipped with a crawler-type travel mechanism 15 and an outrigger mechanism 16, and a plurality of booms attached to the spraying machine body 11. In the illustrated example, the booms are a spraying nozzle boom 12A equipped with a spraying nozzle 13 at its tip and a man cage boom 12B equipped with a man cage 14 that can rotate. Here, the concrete spraying machine 10 may be equipped with two or more spraying nozzle booms 12A, or it may be equipped with an erector boom for assembling shoring, etc.

[0031] Behind the concrete spraying machine 10, there is a hopper 18 for storing concrete supplied from the mixer truck 20.

[0032] Although not shown in the diagram, the concrete spraying machine 10 is equipped with a transport pipe that communicates with the hopper 18 and a hydraulic piston pump that pumps concrete from the hopper 18. The concrete stored in the hopper 18 is supplied to the spraying nozzle 13 via the transport pipe by the drive of the pumping cylinder.

[0033] Meanwhile, the mixer truck 20 is equipped with a rotatable drum 21 on its rear platform that supplies concrete to the hopper 18 of the concrete spraying machine 10 while stirring the concrete. A discharge port 22 is provided at the rear end of the drum 21, and a chute 23 is provided to guide the concrete discharged from the discharge port 22 to the hopper 18.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, a hydraulic pump 64 is connected to the power take-off device 62 (PTO) of the engine 61 of the mixer truck 20 via a joint 63, and a hydraulic motor 66 is connected to the drum 21 via a reduction gear 24.

[0035] The hydraulic pump 64 and the hydraulic motor 66 are connected via closed-loop main circuits 65A and 65B (hydraulic circuits). The main circuit 65A, which supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor 66, includes an oil volume adjustment device 70, and the oil volume adjustment device 70 is electrically connected to a second communication unit 80.

[0036] The oil volume adjustment device 70 is a flow control valve that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid. The flow control valve includes a relief control valve that releases a portion of the hydraulic fluid, and a variable control valve that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid according to the valve opening. In addition, there is also a configuration in which the hydraulic pump 64 is variable and the actuator controls the discharge amount of the hydraulic pump 64 (rotational speed of the drum 21). In this configuration, the variable hydraulic pump 64 can be an example of an oil volume adjustment device. However, when the oil volume adjustment device 70 is a flow control valve as shown in the illustrated example, it is preferable because it only requires adding the flow control valve 70 in the middle of the hydraulic circuit, making it compatible with various types of mixer trucks.

[0037] In the hydraulic circuit shown in the illustration, a portion of the hydraulic fluid flowing from the main circuit 65A toward the hydraulic motor 66 in the Y1 direction is relieved to the sub-circuit 65C in the Y2 direction by the flow control valve 70.

[0038] Sub-circuit 65C is connected in the middle of the main circuit 65B, which returns hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic motor 66 to the hydraulic pump 64. The hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic motor 66 in the Y3 direction and the hydraulic fluid relieved by sub-circuit 65C merge into the main circuit 65B, and the merged hydraulic fluid flows through the main circuit 65B in the Y4 direction and is returned to the hydraulic pump 64.

[0039] Here, the amount of hydraulic fluid relief by the flow control valve 70 is set based on the amount of concrete supplied to the hopper 18, which is calculated by the control device 40, as will be explained in detail below.

[0040] The rotational speed of the drum 21 is increased or decreased in accordance with the increase or decrease in the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic motor 66, and this increase or decrease in rotational speed increases or decreases the supply speed (amount) of concrete to the hopper 18.

[0041] An ultrasonic distance meter 30 (an example of a sensor) is installed above the hopper 18 of the concrete spraying machine 10. The height of the concrete C is measured in real time by ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic distance meter 30 in the Z1 direction and reflected from the surface of the concrete C stored in the hopper 18. For example, when pumping concrete outdoors, a laser distance meter may be used instead of the ultrasonic distance meter.

[0042] The concrete spraying machine 10 is further equipped with a control device 40. Measurement data transmitted from the ultrasonic distance meter 30 is transmitted in the Z2 direction to the first communication unit 50 which constitutes the control device 40, and the control device 40 stores the measurement data as it is transmitted. Here, the ultrasonic distance meter 30 and the control device 40 may be electrically connected by wire, in addition to the wireless communication shown in the illustrated example.

[0043] The control device 40 calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper 18 based on the received measurement data, and transmits the supply amount data from the first communication unit 50 to the second communication unit 80 of the mixer truck 20 in the Z3 direction.

[0044] In the mixer truck 20, the oil volume adjustment device 70 is controlled based on the supply volume data received by the second communication unit 80 to adjust the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic motor 66.

[0045] In the concrete supply system 100, the concrete spraying machine 10 is equipped with an ultrasonic distance meter that detects the height of the concrete C in the hopper 18. This allows for high-precision measurement of the height of the concrete C in the hopper 18 even in the high-dust environment of the mountain tunnel T, thereby enabling high-precision determination of the amount of concrete stored in the hopper 18.

[0046] Here, the illustrated example shows a configuration in which the concrete spraying machine 10 is equipped with a control device 40, but for example, the mixer truck 20 may be equipped with the control device. In this configuration, measurement data from the ultrasonic distance meter 30 is transmitted to the second communication unit 80 via the first communication unit 50, the control device receives the measurement data via the second communication unit 80, calculates the supply amount based on the received measurement data, and transmits the supply amount data to the oil amount adjustment device 70 to adjust the amount of hydraulic fluid.

[0047] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 40 will be described with reference to Figure 3, and an example of the functional configuration of the control device 40 will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the control device 40 is composed of information processing devices such as a personal computer (PC) or a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0049] The information processing devices constituting the control device 40 include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41, main memory 42, auxiliary storage 43, input / output interface 44, and communication interface 45, all interconnected by a connection bus 46. The main memory 42 and auxiliary storage 43 are recording media readable by a computer. Note that each of the above components may be provided individually, or some components may be omitted.

[0050] The CPU 41 is also called an MPU (Microprocessor) or processor, and it may be a single processor or a multiprocessor. The CPU 41 is a central processing unit that controls the entire control unit 40, which consists of a computer. For example, the CPU 41 expands a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 43 into an executable format in the working area of ​​the main memory device 42, and controls peripheral devices through the execution of the program, thereby providing a function that matches a predetermined purpose.

[0051] The main memory 42 stores computer programs executed by the CPU 41 and data processed by the CPU 41. The main memory 42 includes, for example, flash memory, RAM (Random Access Memory), and ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage device 43 stores various programs and various data on a recording medium that can be read and written freely, and is also called an external storage device. The auxiliary storage device 43 stores, for example, the OS (Operating System), various programs, various tables, etc. The OS includes, for example, a communication interface program that exchanges data with external devices connected via the communication IF 45. External devices connected to the control device 40 include the ultrasonic distance meter 30 and the second communication unit 80 connected to the oil volume adjustment device 70.

[0052] The auxiliary storage device 43 is used, for example, as a storage area that assists the main memory 42, and stores computer programs executed by the CPU 41, data processed by the CPU 41, etc. The auxiliary storage device 43 is a silicon disk containing non-volatile semiconductor memory (flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM)), a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive, etc. Examples of auxiliary storage devices 43 include drives for removable recording media such as CD drives, DVD drives, and BD drives, and examples of removable recording media include CDs, DVDs, BDs, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, SD (Secure Digital) memory cards, etc.

[0053] The input / output IF44 is an interface for inputting and outputting data between the control device 40 and the connected devices. For example, keyboards, pointing devices such as touch panels and mice, and input devices such as microphones are connected to the input / output IF44. The control device 40 receives operation instructions from the operator operating the input device via the input / output IF44.

[0054] Furthermore, the input / output IF44 can be connected to display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and electroluminescent (EL) panels, as well as output devices such as printers and speakers.

[0055] The communication IF45 is the interface between the control device 40 and the network to which it is connected. The communication IF45 receives measurement data from the ultrasonic rangefinder 30 via various networks such as the internet, wireless networks such as mobile phone networks, dedicated networks such as VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), LANs (Local Area Networks), Bluetooth (registered trademark), and infrared communication, and similarly transmits the supply amount data calculated by the control device 40 to the second communication unit 80 via the network.

[0056] Furthermore, the communication IF45 may also be an LPWA wireless communication module. Major LPWA communication methods (communication protocols) include Sigfox, LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network), and NB-IoT. Here, LoRaWAN is a communication method that uses the 920MHz ISM band and employs LoRa modulation, enabling long-distance communication even with low power output of 13dBm or less. As mentioned above, among the various communication protocols, it is preferable to apply private LoRa, which does not require a license, allows for the installation of a private base station in a tunnel (an example of a construction site) even in mountainous areas where cellular communication waves are difficult to reach, and enables the construction of a low-cost communication system.

[0057] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 40 provides various functions of at least the first communication unit 402, calculation unit 404, control unit 406, and storage unit 408 by executing a program by the CPU 41. Here, at least a portion of the above processing functions may be provided by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. Similarly, at least a portion of the above processing functions may be provided by a dedicated LSI (large scale integration) such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), numerical arithmetic processor, image processing processor, or other digital circuits.

[0058] In the first communication unit 402, measurement data regarding the height of the concrete C inside the hopper 18, transmitted from the ultrasonic rangefinder 30, is received as it occurs and stored in the storage unit 408 as it occurs.

[0059] The storage unit 408 stores a database of concrete storage amounts corresponding to the height of concrete C in the hopper 18. Furthermore, the storage unit 408 stores standard values ​​for the concrete storage amount in the hopper 18, which are set by the construction manager or the like. Here, the storage amount corresponding to the height of concrete C can be determined by referring to the database or by calculating it in the calculation unit 404.

[0060] If the amount of concrete sprayed by the concrete spraying machine 10 is constant, the amount of concrete supplied from the mixer truck 20 can also be controlled to be constant, thereby stably maintaining the amount of concrete C stored in the hopper 18 at or near its standard value. On the other hand, if the amount of concrete sprayed by the concrete spraying machine 10 changes each time, the rate at which the amount of concrete C stored in the hopper 18 decreases will change, and therefore the rate at which concrete is supplied from the mixer truck 20 must also be changed in accordance with the rate at which the amount of stored concrete decreases.

[0061] Therefore, the calculation unit 404 calculates the amount or rate of change of concrete C stored in the hopper 18 by referring to the measurement data that is stored in the storage unit 408 as needed.

[0062] The control unit 406 transmits supply amount data for PID control of the oil volume adjustment device 70 as a control signal to the second communication unit 80, based on the amount or rate of change of concrete C stored in the hopper 18, which has been calculated by the calculation unit 404. The oil volume adjustment device 70 adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic motor 66 based on the received supply amount data (control signal), and the rotation speed of the drum 21 is adjusted. By adjusting the rotation speed of the drum 21, for example, the amount of concrete C supplied to the hopper 18 and the amount discharged from the hopper 18 to the spray nozzle 13 are automatically managed to match or nearly match, and the amount of concrete C stored in the hopper 18 is stably maintained at a constant amount around the reference value.

[0063] According to the concrete supply system 100, the control device 40 calculates the amount of concrete C to be supplied to the hopper 18 based on the received measurement data regarding the height of the concrete C in the hopper 18, and controls the oil volume adjustment device 70 that forms hydraulic circuits 65A and 65B based on the calculated supply amount. This allows for the automatic and appropriate management of the amount of concrete C stored in the hopper 18 in response to the varying amounts and speeds of concrete sprayed from the concrete spraying machine 10.

[0064] The concrete supply method according to this embodiment comprises the following steps A and B.

[0065] In step A, the height of the concrete C inside the hopper 18 is detected by an ultrasonic distance meter 30.

[0066] In process B, the control device 40 calculates the amount of concrete C to be supplied to the hopper 18 based on the measurement data from the ultrasonic distance meter 30, and supplies the concrete C to the hopper 18 while controlling the oil volume adjustment device 70 based on the calculated supply amount.

[0067] Furthermore, other embodiments may be used in which other components are combined with the configurations listed in the above embodiments, and the present invention is not limited in any way to the configurations shown herein. In this regard, modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and can be appropriately determined according to the application form. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 10: Concrete spraying machine (concrete pumping device) 11: Spray machine body 12A: Spray nozzle boom 12B: Man Cage Boom 13: Spray nozzle 14: Man Cage 15: Running mechanism 16: Outrigger mechanism 18: Hoppa 20: Mixer truck 21: Drums 22:Discharge port 23: Shoot 24: Reducer 30: Ultrasonic distance meter (sensor) 40: Control device 50: 1st Communications Department 61: Engine 62: Power takeoff device (PTO) 63: Joint 64: Hydraulic pump 65A, 65B: Main circuit (hydraulic circuit) 65C: Sub-circuit (hydraulic circuit) 66: Hydraulic motor 70: Oil volume adjustment device (flow control valve) 80: Second Communications Department 100: Concrete supply system 402: 1st Communications Department 404: Calculation Department 406: Control Unit 408: Storage Unit T: Tunnel (mountain tunnel) K: Post W: Side C: Concrete

Claims

1. A concrete supply system that supplies concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The concrete pumping device comprises a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, a control device, and a first communication unit. The mixer truck comprises a drum that agitates concrete and supplies it to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, an oil volume adjustment device that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid, and a second communication unit. The control device calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data from the sensor, and controls the oil volume adjustment device based on the supply amount data transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit. The concrete supply system is characterized in that the control device calculates the amount or rate of change of concrete stored in the hopper based on the measurement data received at any given time, and controls the oil volume adjustment device using PID control based on the calculated amount or rate of change.

2. A concrete supply system that supplies concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The concrete pumping device includes a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height of the concrete in the hopper, and a first communication unit. The mixer truck comprises a drum that agitates concrete and supplies it to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, an oil volume adjustment device that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid, a control device, and a second communication unit. The measurement data from the sensor is transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit, and the control device calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data received by the second communication unit, and controls the oil volume adjustment device based on the supply amount data. The concrete supply system is characterized in that the control device calculates the amount or rate of change of concrete stored in the hopper based on the measurement data received at any given time, and controls the oil volume adjustment device using PID control based on the calculated amount or rate of change.

3. The oil volume adjustment device includes a flow control valve, The concrete supply system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device performs control of the flow control valve.

4. The concrete supply system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor is either a laser rangefinder or an ultrasonic rangefinder.

5. It is applied when constructing sprayed concrete in mountain tunnels. The concrete supply system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it performs automatic supply of concrete from the mixer truck to the concrete pumping device.

6. A concrete supply method comprising supplying concrete from a mixer truck to a hopper equipped with a concrete pumping device that pumps concrete, The mixer truck comprises a drum that agitates the concrete and supplies it to the hopper, a hydraulic motor that rotates the drum, a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor via a hydraulic circuit, and an oil volume adjustment device that adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid, and either the concrete pumping device or the mixer truck is equipped with a control device. Step A involves detecting the height of the concrete inside the hopper using a sensor capable of continuously detecting the height, The control device has a B step, in which it calculates the amount of concrete to be supplied to the hopper based on the measurement data from the sensor, and supplies the concrete while controlling the oil volume adjustment device based on the calculated supply amount. In step B, the control device calculates the amount or rate of change of concrete stored in the hopper based on the measurement data received from time to time, and controls the oil volume adjustment device using PID control based on the calculated amount or rate of change, in a concrete supply method.

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