SENSING DEVICE, SENSING DEVICE SYSTEM, AND METHODS FOR MEASURING A CHARACTERISTIC OF A CONCRETE MIXTURE AND FOR PREDICTING A PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTIC OF A CONCRETE MIXTURE

• US 20190324012A1
• Filed: 07/03/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QuipIP, LLC
• Original Assignee: QuipIP, LLC
• Inventors: RADJY, Farrokh F.
• Granted Patent: US 11,237,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/00 Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete, cement

Abstract

A sensing device includes a concave side adapted to conform to a curvature of an outer side of a standard concrete test cylinder, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor. In one embodiment, the sensing device includes a capillary needle disposed on the concave side. The capillary needle comprises a humidity sensor. The sensing device is attached to the side of a concrete test cylinder, temperature and humidity measurements are obtained by the sensing device, and a prediction of maturity and strength of the concrete is generated based on the temperature and humidity measurements.

Claims

1. The system comprising:

a cylinder adapted to hold a mixture;

a ring that defines 360 degrees and encircles an outer side of the cylinder; and

a sensing device disposed on the outer side of the cylinder and attached to the ring, the sensing device comprising;

a housing having a cavity adapted to hold one or more sensor elements; and

a sensor element disposed in the cavity of the sensing device, the sensor element being adapted to obtain measurements of a selected physical parameter; and

a connector disposed on the housing, the connector having an opening adapted to receive the ring.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is adapted to hold concrete.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device further comprises:

a transmitter adapted to transmit the measurements to a second device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor element comprises one of:

a temperature sensor adapted to obtain temperature measurements; and

a humidity sensor adapted to obtain humidity measurements.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor element is removably disposed in the cavity of the sensing device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor element further comprises:

a transmitter adapted to transmit the measurements to a second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device further comprises a concave surface having a first shape that corresponds to a second shape of a convex surface of the cylinder.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the concave surface further comprises a plurality of holes adapted to allow heat to pass between an external environment of the system and the internal volume.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises one of a hole having a first length equal to a second length of a side of the housing, the hole being adapted to receive the ring, and a hook adapted to receive the ring.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is one of a 4×

8 inch cylinder and a 6×

12 inch cylinder.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a humidity sensor; and

a capillary needle;

wherein the humidity sensor connects via the capillary needle to moisture in the mixture.

12. The sensing device of claim 11, wherein the capillary needle penetrates a wall of the cylinder.

13. A measurement system comprising:

a ring that defines 360 degrees and is adapted to encircle an outer side of a cylinder; and

a sensing device adapted to be attached to the ring, the sensing device comprising;

a housing having a cavity adapted to hold one or more sensor elements; and

a sensor element disposed in the cavity of the sensing device, the sensor element being adapted to obtain measurements of a selected physical parameter; and

a connector disposed on the housing, the connector having an opening adapted to receive the ring.

14. The measurement system of claim 13, wherein ring is adapted to encircle an outer surface of one of a 4×

8 inch cylinder and a 6×

12 inch cylinder.

15. The measurement system of claim 13, wherein the housing includes a concave surface adapted to fit a convex surface of the cylinder.

16. The measurement system of claim 13, wherein the sensor element comprises one of:

a temperature sensor adapted to obtain temperature measurements; and

a humidity sensor adapted to obtain humidity measurements.

17. A communication system comprising:

a network;

a sensing device communicatively coupled to the network, the sensing device being attached to a cylinder that contains a concrete mixture, the sensing device being adapted to;

obtain temperature measurements and humidity measurements; and

;

transmit the temperature measurements and humidity measurements; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the network, the processor being adapted to;

receive the temperature measurements and humidity measurements; and

generate a prediction of a performance characteristic of the concrete mixture based on the temperature measurements and humidity measurements.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the sensing device comprises:

a concave side adapted to conform to a convex shape of a side of the cylinder; and

a temperature sensor adapted to obtain temperature measurements.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the sensing device further comprises a cavity;

wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in the cavity.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the sensing device further comprises:

a capillary needle disposed on the concave side and projecting outwardly from the concave side, the capillary needle comprising;

a humidity sensor adapted to obtain humidity measurements via the capillary needle in contact with concrete and the needle having a length substantially equal to a thickness of the side of the cylinder.