AU2015325432B2

AU2015325432B2 - Mixer vehicle

Info

Publication number: AU2015325432B2
Application number: AU2015325432A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kazunori Tanaka
Original assignee: KYB Corp
Current assignee: KYB Corp
Priority date: 2014-10-02
Filing date: 2015-09-30
Publication date: 2017-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-30
Also published as: NZ724354A; AU2015325432A1; WO2016052590A1; JP2016068536A; JP6300697B2

Abstract

This mixer truck 100 has a mixer drum 2, and is provided with a drum opening 2A which is formed in the mixer drum 2, a hopper 16 which guides ready-mixed concrete to be loaded into the drum opening 2A, a temperature detector 25 which measures the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 in a contactless manner, and a support mechanism 40 which supports the temperature detector 25 so as to allow the temperature detector 25 to move from a retracted position outside of the hopper 16 through the inside of the hopper 16 to a measurement position facing the inside of the mixer drum 2.

Description

DESCRIPTION MIXER VEHICLE

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a mixer vehicle including a mixer drum capable of loading ready-mixed concrete.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] When ready-mixed concrete is transported by a mixer vehicle, if the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete largely changes, properties of the ready-mixed concrete change. Thus, during transportation of the ready-mixed concrete by the mixer vehicle, control of the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete is desirable.

[0003] JP2011-129014A discloses an ready-mixed concrete management system having a temperature measurement function of the ready-mixed concrete and using a wireless IC tag to which an ID number for information identification is given for each transportation lot from a kneading place to a casting place.

[0004] JP2011-129014A describes measurement of the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete using a non-contact type radiation thermometer (see the paragraph [0027]). The radiation thermometer measures an energy amount such as infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete and measures the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] In a mixer drum loading the ready-mixed concrete, a drum opening portion opened in one end thereof is provided. On the drum opening portion, a hopper for leading the input ready-mixed concrete is provided. On an inner side of the mixer drum, a blade agitating the ready-mixed concrete is provided.

[0006] In order to prevent the ready-mixed concrete input into the mixer drum from the hopper in the kneading place or the like from falling on the radiation thermometer, the radiation thermometer needs to be installed on an outer side of the hopper. If the radiation thermometer is installed on the outer side of the hopper, the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete being agitated in the mixer drum interfere with the blade or the like and are not led to the radiation thermometer in some cases, and there is a problem that accurate measurement of the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete is difficult.

[0007] The present invention has an object to prevent the ready-mixed concrete input into the mixer drum from falling on a temperature detector and to measure the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete agitated in the mixer drum accurately.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a mixer vehicle having a mixer drum includes: a drum opening portion formed by being opened in the mixer drum; a hopper configured to lead ready-mixed concrete input into the drum opening portion; a temperature detector configured to measure a temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum in a non-contact manner; and a support mechanism configured to movably support the temperature detector. The temperature detector moves from a retreat position outside the hopper to a measurement position inside the hopper by the support mechanism, the temperature detector facing an inner side of the mixer drum at the measurement position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] [Fig. 1A] Fig. 1A is a plan view of a mixer vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. IB] Fig. IB is a side view of the mixer vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating a part of the mixer vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating a part of the mixer vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating a part of the mixer vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below by referring to the attached drawings.

[0011] < First embodiment

By referring to Figs. 1A and IB, entire constitution of a mixer vehicle 100 will be described. The mixer vehicle 100 includes a cab 11, a mixer drum 2 provided rotatably on a vehicle body 1, and a driving device 4 for rotating/driving the mixer drum 2. The mixer vehicle 100 is a vehicle for loading and transporting ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2. In Fig. IB, the driving device 4 and the like are not shown.

[0012] The mixer drum 2 is a cylindrical container having a bottom rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 1 and has a drum opening portion 2A formed by being opened on a rear end thereof. The mixer drum 2 is mounted on the vehicle body 1 with inclination so that its rotating shaft O becomes higher from a front part to a rear part of the vehicle.

[0013] On an inner side of the mixer drum 2, a pair of blades 6 and 7 protruding from its inner wall and extending spirally is provided. On an inner side of each of the blades 6 and 7 of the drum opening portion 2A, a cylindrical seal pipe 8 is provided. Above a rear side of the drum opening portion 2A, a hopper 16 connected to the seal pipe 8 is provided. Below the drum opening portion 2A, a flow guide 19 and a chute 18 are provided.

[0014] The driving device 4 rotates/drives the mixer drum 2 by a pressure of working fluid circulating with an engine 3 for running as a power source. The driving device 4 switches a rotating direction of the mixer drum 2 and adjusts a rotating speed of the mixer drum 2 in accordance with an instruction from a controller 10.

[0015] In a kneading place such as an ready-mixed concrete manufacturing plant or the like, the ready-mixed concrete is made by kneading concrete materials such as cement, aggregate, water and the like by a mixer machine. The ready-mixed concrete input into the hopper 16 by an input machine of the kneading place is led by the hopper 16 and the seal pipe 8 and input into the mixer drum 2 through the drum opening portion 2A.

[0016] The mixer vehicle 100 transports the ready-mixed concrete input into the mixer drum 2 in the kneading place to a casting place. During running of the mixer vehicle 100, in order to maintain a quality of the ready-mixed concrete, the mixer drum 2 is rotated forward. As a result, the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is fed by the rotating blades 6 and 7 from the drum opening portion 2A side of the mixer drum 2 toward a tip end portion 2B side (direction from the right side toward the left side in Figs. 1A and IB) so as to be agitated and kneaded, whereby solidification of the ready-mixed concrete is prevented.

[0017] When the mixer vehicle 100 arrives at the casting place, the ready-mixed concrete discharged from the mixer drum 2 is cast. At the discharge of the ready-mixed concrete, the mixer drum 2 is rotated backward. As a result, the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is fed by the rotating blades 6 and 7 from the front to the rear of the mixer drum 2 and is discharged through the drum opening portion 2A. The ready-mixed concrete discharged through the drum opening portion 2A is led by the flow guide 19 and the chute 18 to the casting place.

[0018] In the mixer vehicle 100, a hopper cover 35 for opening/closing the hopper 16 is provided. The hopper cover 35 is formed having a lid shape covering a hopper opening portion 16A opened in the hopper 16.

[0019] As illustrated in Fig. 2, the hopper cover 35 has its front end portion rotatably supported via a shaft 17. The shaft 17 is arranged so as to extend in a right-and-left direction of a vehicle along an opening end 16B on the front of the hopper 16. The hopper cover 35 opens/closes the hopper opening portion 16A by rotating in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle as indicated by an arrow D in Fig. 2 via the shaft 17.

[0020] At a portion above the front side of the hopper 16 in the vehicle body 1, an actuator 15 for opening/closing and driving the hopper cover 35 is provided. The actuator 15 includes an electric motor (not shown) and a decelerator (not shown) decelerating rotation of the electric motor and transmitting it to the shaft 17. The actuator 15 is operated by a switch operation by an operator and rotates the hopper cover 35 in an opening direction or a closing direction via the shaft 17.

[0021] When the hopper cover 35 is at a closed position as indicated by a solid line in Fig. 2, the hopper opening portion 16A is covered by the hopper cover 35. As a result, when the ready-mixed concrete is transported by the mixer vehicle 100, dusts and rainwater are prevented from entering into the mixer drum 2 from the hopper 16.

[0022] The hopper cover 35 moves to an open position indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 2 by rotating to the front from the closed position. The hopper cover 35 at the open position is arranged above the mixer drum 2.

As a result, when the ready-mixed concrete is input into the mixer drum 2, the hopper opening portion 16A is opened.

[0023] When the ready-mixed concrete is transported by the mixer vehicle 100 in a state in which an outside air temperature is high and a solar radiation amount is high as in the summer, a surface temperature of the mixer drum 2 increases, and the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 gradually rises by heat transfer from the mixer drum 2 in some cases. If the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete increases, the properties of the ready-mixed concrete change.

[0024] As a measure against that, the mixer vehicle 100 includes a sensor 25 serving as a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 and a temperature management device 20 (see Fig. 1A) for managing the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete on the basis of a detection signal from the sensor 25.

[0025] The temperature management device 20 displays temperature information of the ready-mixed concrete in accordance with operating hours and time of the mixer drum 2 and also transmits this information to a server computer (not shown) via a transmission/reception device (not shown) and an information line network such as the internet. The server computer records this information.

[0026] Subsequently, by refereeing to Fig. 2, constitution in which the sensor 25 is provided in the mixer vehicle 100 will be described.

[0027] As the sensor 25 for measuring the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in a non-contact manner, a radiation thermometer for measuring an energy amount of the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete is used. Instead of the radiation thermometer, a thermometer may be such that measures the temperature in accordance with a visible light radiated from the ready-mixed concrete.

[0028] The mixer vehicle 100 includes a support mechanism 40 capable of supporting the sensor 25 inside the hopper 16. The support mechanism 40 is switched between a retreat position at which the sensor 25 is provided outside the hopper 16 and a measurement position at which the sensor 25 is provided toward the tip end portion 2B inside the mixer drum 2. The support mechanism 40 can move the sensor 25 from the retreat position to the measurement position through the inside of the hopper 16.

[0029] In this embodiment, the support mechanism 40 includes the hopper cover 35 opening/closing the hopper 16 and a rod-shaped arm 41 supporting the sensor 25 on the hopper cover 35. The arm 41 has its base end fixed to a center part of the hopper cover 35, and the sensor 25 is mounted at a tip end of the arm 41.

[0030] When the hopper cover 35 is at the closed position covering the hopper opening portion 16A as indicated by the solid line in Fig. 2, the sensor 25 is supported at the measurement position. The sensor 25 at the measurement position faces the drum opening portion 2A from inside the hopper 16 via the hopper cover 35 and the arm 41. The sensor 25 at the measurement position is arranged along the rotating shaft O of the mixer drum 2 and is directed toward the tip end portion 2B of the mixer drum 2 from the center part of the drum opening portion 2A through a space inside the seal pipe 8 and the blades 6 and 7.

[0031] When the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete is measured, the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete are led to the sensor 25 through the space inside the blades 6 and 7 and the seal pipe 8. As a result, during transportation in which the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is agitated by the blades 6 and 7, the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete are led to the sensor 25 without interfering with the blades 6 and 7. Therefore, the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete can be measured by the sensor 25 with accuracy.

[0032] The sensor 25 at the measurement position is arranged toward the tip end portion 2B (center part of the mixer drum 2) of the mixer drum 2 from the vicinity of the rotating shaft O of the mixer drum 2. Thus, even if an amount of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is small, the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete agitated in the depth side of the mixer drum 2 are led to the sensor 25 without interfering with the blades 6 and 7. As a result, even if the amount of the ready-mixed concrete decreases, the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete can be measured by the sensor 25 with accuracy.

[0033] The measurement position of the sensor 25 is not limited to the inside of the hopper 16 but may also be inside the seal pipe 8 in the drumopening portion 2A or on the depth side from the seal pipe 8 (drum opening portion 2A) inside the mixer drum 2. Since the sensor 25 is brought closer to the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2, accuracy at which the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete is measured is improved.

[0034] When the ready-mixed concrete is input into the hopper 16 at the kneading place, the hopper cover 35 is opened. At this time, with rotation of the hopper cover 35 from the closed position to the open position, the sensor 25 rotates with the hopper cover 35 via the arm 41 and thus, the sensor 25 goes out of the hopper 16 and moves to the retreat position provided above the mixer drum 2. As a result, since the ready-mixed concrete input into the hopper 16 is prevented from falling on the sensor 25, malfunction of the sensor 25 is avoided.

[0035] The hopper cover 35 is not limited to the constitution of opening the hopper opening portion 16A by rotating around the shaft 17 but may be constituted to open the hopper opening portion 16A by being removed from the hopper opening portion 16A.

[0036] According to the first embodiment above, the following working effect is exerted.

[0037] The mixer vehicle 100 includes the sensor 25 for measuring the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 in a non-contact manner and the support mechanism 40 for movably supporting the sensor 25 from the retreat position provided outside the hopper 16 to the measurement position provided inside the hopper 16. The sensor 25 at the measurement position faces the inner side of the mixer drum 2. When the ready-mixed concrete is input into the mixer drum 2, the sensor 25 is moved by the support mechanism 40 to the retreat position outside the hopper 16. As a result, the ready-mixed concrete input into the mixer drum 2 is prevented from falling on the sensor 25. On the other hand, when the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is measured, the sensor 25 is moved by the support mechanism 40 from the retreat position to the measurement position facing the inner side of the mixer drum 2 through the inside of the hopper 16. As a result, since the infrared rays radiated from the ready-mixed concrete agitated in the mixer drum 2 are led to the sensor 25 without interfering with the blades 6, 7 and the like, the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete can be measured with accuracy.

[0038] Moreover, the sensor 25 at the measurement position is arranged toward the tip end portion 2B from the vicinity of the rotating shaft O of the mixer drum 2 so as to be directed to the inner sides of the blades 6 and 7. As a result, during transportation in which the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2 is agitated by the blades 6 and 7, since the infrared rays (light beams) radiated from the ready-mixed concrete are led to the sensor 25 through the space provided at the center part of the mixer drum 2, the temperature of the ready-mixed concrete can be measured by the sensor 25 with accuracy.

[0039] Moreover, the support mechanism 40 includes the hopper cover 35 rotatably supported by the vehicle body 1 and opening/closing the hopper 16 and the arm 41 supporting the sensor 25 on the hopper cover 35. Since the sensor 25 is supported by the hopper cover 35 via the arm 41, in conjunction with an operation by the hopper cover 35 of opening/closing the hopper opening portion 16A, the sensor 25 moves to the measurement position facing inside the mixer drum 2 and the retreat position provided outside the hopper 16. Since the sensor 25 moves in conjunction with the operation of opening/closing the hopper cover 35, a labor of moving the sensor 25 can be saved.

[0040] < Second embodiment

Subsequently, by referring to Fig. 3, a mixer vehicle 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following, points different from those in the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals are given to the same constitutions as those in the first embodiment, and description will be omitted.

[0041] The support mechanism 40 according to the first embodiment is constitution of fixing the sensor 25 to the hopper cover 35 via the arm 41. On the other hand, in a support mechanism 50 according to the second embodiment, the sensor 25 is rotatably supported within a predetermined range on the hopper cover 35 by an arm 51.

[0042] The support mechanism 50 includes the hopper cover 35 opening/closing the hopper 16 and the rod-shaped arm 51 supporting the sensor 25 on the hopper cover 35. The arm 51 has its base end rotatably supported by the hopper cover 35 via a pin 52 and the sensor 25 is mounted at a tip end of the arm 51. The pin 52 is provided at the center part of the hopper cover 35 and is arranged so as to extend in the right-and-left direction of the vehicle. The arm 51 is supported so as to rotate in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle around the pin 52.

[0043] On the hopper cover 35, a first stopper 53 and a second stopper 54 are mounted in front and rear of the pin 52. The arm 51 has its angle range rotationally moving around the pin 52 regulated by being brought into contact with the first stopper 53 or the second stopper 54.

[0044] The hopper cover 35 opens/closes the hopper opening portion 16A by rotating in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as indicated by an arrow E in the figure via the shaft 17. When the hopper cover 35 is at the closed position covering the hopper opening portion 16A as indicated by the solid line in Fig. 3, the arm 51 is in contact with the first stopper 53, and the sensor 25 is supported at the measurement position facing the inside of the mixer drum 2.

[0045] With rotation of the hopper cover 35 from the closed position to the open position, the sensor 25 rotates together with the hopper cover 35 via the arm 51. In the middle of the rotation of the hopper cover 35 as indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 3, the arm 51 is brought into contact with the first stopper 53. If the hopper cover 35 further rotates and gets closer to the open position, the arm 51 rotates around the pin 52 by the gravity and is separated from the first stopper 53 and is brought into contact with the second stopper 54. As a result, in a state in which the hopper cover 35 is at the open position provided above the rear side of the mixer drum 2 as indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 3, the arm 51 and the sensor 25 rotate in a direction to get closer to the hopper cover 35 and move to the retreat position. At the retreat position, the sensor 25 is provided so as not to protrude largely above the mixer drum 2.

[0046] According to the aforementioned second embodiment, the following working effects are exerted.

[0047] The arm 51 of the support mechanism 50 is connected to the hopper cover 35 rotatably within a predetermined range. Thus, with rotation of the hopper cover 35 in a direction to open the hopper opening portion 16A, the sensor 25 rotates with respect to the hopper cover 35 via the arm 51 and moves to the retreat position closer to the hopper cover 35. As a result, the sensor 25 at the retreat position has a height protruding above the mixer drum 2 suppressed and thus, damage caused by hitting of the input machine or the like provided in the kneading place can be prevented.

[0048] <Third embodiment

Subsequently, a mixer vehicle 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described by referring to Fig. 4. In the following, points different from those in the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals are given to the same constitutions as those in the first embodiment, and description will be omitted.

[0049] The mixer vehicle 300 according to the third embodiment does not include a hopper cover, and the hopper opening portion 16A of the hopper 16 is open at all times.

[0050] The mixer vehicle 300 includes a support mechanism 60 supporting the sensor 25 on the vehicle body 1 without using the hopper cover. The support mechanism 60 includes a rod-shaped arm 61 supporting the sensor 25 and an actuator 62 rotating the arm 61.

[0051] The actuator 62 is provided on a portion above the front side of the hopper 16 in the vehicle body 1. The arm 61 has its base end joined to a shaft 63 of the actuator 62, and the sensor 25 is mounted on a tip end of the arm 61. The shaft 63 of the actuator 62 rotatably supports the arm 61 on the vehicle body 1.

[0052] Not limited to the aforementioned constitution, it may be so constituted that the actuator 62 is mounted on the hopper 16 and the arm 61 is supported by the vehicle body 1 via the hopper 16.

[0053] The actuator 62 includes an electric motor (not shown) and a decelerator (not shown) for decelerating and transmitting rotation of the electric motor to the shaft 63.

[0054] The actuator 62 is operated by the switch operation by the operator and rotates the arm 61 and the sensor 25 as indicated by an arrow F in the figure via the shaft 63. The support mechanism 60 is switched between the retreat position at which the sensor 25 is provided outside the hopper 16 and the measurement position at which the sensor 25 is provided by being directed toward the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum 2.

[0055] The support mechanism 60 may be so constituted that an actuator for rotating the arm 61 is not provided but the arm 61 is rotated manually.

[0056] According to the aforementioned third embodiment, the following working effects are exerted.

[0057] The support mechanism 60 includes the arm 61 supporting the sensor 25 and rotatably supported by the vehicle body 1. Thus, even in a vehicle not including a hopper cover, the sensor 25 can be moved to the retreat position via the arm 61. As a result, since the ready-mixed concrete input into the hopper 16 is prevented from falling on the sensor 25, malfunction of the sensor 25 is avoided.

[0058] Embodiments of this invention were described above, but the above embodiments are merely examples of applications of this invention, and the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the specific constitutions of the above embodiments.

[0059] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No.2014-203637 filed with the Japan Patent Office on October 2, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated into this specification.

[0060] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

[0061] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims

1. A mixer vehicle including a mixer drum, comprising: a drum opening portion formed by being opened in the mixer drum; a hopper configured to lead ready-mixed concrete input into the drum opening portion; a temperature detector configured to measure a temperature of the ready-mixed concrete in the mixer drum in a non-contact manner; and a support mechanism configured to movably support the temperature detector, wherein the temperature detector moves from a retreat position outside the hopper to a measurement position inside the hopper by the support mechanism, the temperature detector facing an inner side of the mixer drum at the measurement position.

2. The mixer vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detector at the measurement position is arranged by being directed to a tip end portion of the mixer drum.

3. The mixer vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support mechanism includes: a hopper cover rotatably supported by a vehicle body, the hopper cover configured to open and close the hopper; and an arm configured to support the temperature detector on the hopper cover.

4. The mixer vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the arm is connected to the hopper cover rotatably in a predetermined range.

5. The mixer vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support mechanism includes an arm rotatably supported by a vehicle body, the arm being configured to support the temperature detector.