Building Material Transport Sensor for Moisture and Temperature Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing building material transport systems lack efficient and accessible sensors for detecting critical parameters like moisture content and temperature during the transport of partially cured materials, leading to challenges in ensuring proper curing and setting.

Innovation Solution

A building material device with a partial sensor located downstream of the material drum, designed for detecting intensive parameters such as moisture content and temperature, allowing for easy accessibility, low wear, and reliable detection, which is used in conjunction with a determining device for automatic feedback on dosing and mixing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the sensor is arranged on or in the building material drum, then the sensor can detect material parameters during mixing, but the sensor has poor accessibility, high wear, and difficult maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of intensive parameterVSAvoidaccessibility of sensor
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is segmented into two separate locations: the building material drum and the building material transport part. The partial sensor is placed on the transport part (discharge hopper, chute, or pump) rather than on the drum, allowing the drum to focus on mixing while the transport part handles detection. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the sensing function from the mixing function, improving accessibility while maintaining detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The building material transport part serves as an intermediary between the building material drum and the sensor. Instead of placing the sensor directly on the drum, the patent uses the transport part (hopper, chute, or pump) as a mediator to carry the sensor closer to the material flow while maintaining easy accessibility. This intermediary structure allows reliable detection without compromising sensor accessibility or increasing wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the sensor is arranged on or in the building material drum, then the sensor can detect material parameters during mixing, but the sensor experiences high wear and is difficult to maintain or replace

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliable detection of intensive parameterVSAvoidmaintenance and replacement of sensor
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the sensor placement to the transport part rather than the drum, the sensor is isolated from the high-wear mixing environment. The transport part components (hopper, chute, pump) experience less mechanical stress and material abrasion compared to the drum interior, thereby reducing sensor wear and facilitating easier maintenance and replacement while maintaining reliable detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor is extracted from the building material drum environment and relocated to the transport part. This extraction removes the sensor from the high-wear, difficult-to-access drum interior, placing it instead in a more accessible location with reduced mechanical stress and material contact, thereby improving maintainability while preserving detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If the sensor is arranged on or in the building material drum, then the sensor can detect material parameters, but the system requires more space and has complex structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of intensive parameterVSAvoidstructure of sensor arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor arrangement is merged with the existing building material transport part (discharge hopper, chute, or pump) rather than being a separate component. This integration combines the sensing function with the transport infrastructure already present in the system, reducing overall device complexity and space requirements while maintaining effective material parameter detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The building material transport part serves multiple functions: it transports material from the drum and simultaneously hosts the sensor for detection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sensor mounting structures, reducing system complexity and space requirements while maintaining reliable detection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate monitoring of material properties for improved curing and setting, facilitating easy maintenance and providing real-time feedback for optimal dosing and mixing, thus ensuring high-quality construction material delivery.

Implementation Method 1

at least the partial sensor arranged completely and/or directly on or in the building material transport part for the automatic detection of at least one intensive parameter of the building material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSensor detection:

Data Source

PatentEP4294996B1Building material apparatus and use of at least one part sensor
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 PUTZMEISTER ENG GMBH
  • EP4294996B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4294996B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a building material apparatus (1), the building material apparatus (1) comprising: - at least one building material transport part (2) which follows a building material drum (3), wherein the building material transport part (2) is designed to transport building material (BS) that is to be at least partially hardened, and - at least one part sensor (5), wherein at least the part sensor (5) is arranged and formed on and/or in the building material transport part (2) to record at least one intensive variable (IG) or at least one variable of the building material (BS) in the building material transport part (2) which variable corresponds to at least the intensive variable.