Station for dispensing liquid colorant for wet concrete
First Claim
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1. A method for providing a batch of liquid colorant, comprising:
- providing a color station that makes batches of liquid colorant;
receiving an order from a customer for a batch of liquid colorant;
placing the order in a database at the color station;
detecting the customer approaching the color station to receive the batch of liquid colorant where the customer is detected by a proximity detection process of the color station;
processing the batch of the liquid colorant at the color station after detecting the customer; and
delivering the batch of liquid colorant to a concrete truck of the customer at the color station where the batch was processed.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for the advanced batching of liquid colorant for dispensing into loads of wet concrete are described. A color station makes the batches of liquid colorant at the direction of a central authority. The color station includes numerous different liquid colorants that are combined to form a specific color of liquid colorant. The color station is in contact with the central authority and receives and transmits information and data to and from the central authority. Proximity detection is used to initiate the processing of the batches of liquid colorant.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for providing a batch of liquid colorant, comprising:
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providing a color station that makes batches of liquid colorant; receiving an order from a customer for a batch of liquid colorant; placing the order in a database at the color station; detecting the customer approaching the color station to receive the batch of liquid colorant where the customer is detected by a proximity detection process of the color station; processing the batch of the liquid colorant at the color station after detecting the customer; and delivering the batch of liquid colorant to a concrete truck of the customer at the color station where the batch was processed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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8. A method for providing a batch of liquid colorant, comprising:
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providing a color station that makes batches of liquid colorant; receiving an order from a customer for a batch of liquid colorant; detecting a concrete truck of the customer approaching the color station to receive the batch of liquid colorant wherein the customer is detected by a proximity detection process of color station; processing the batch of the liquid colorant at the color station after detecting the concrete truck; and delivering the batch of liquid colorant to the concrete truck of the customer at the color station where the batch was processed, wherein the color station detects the approaching concrete truck, and then the color station begins to process the order of the batch of liquid colorant for the concrete truck such that the color batch will ready for the concrete truck or nearly ready for the concrete truck when the concrete truck arrives at the color station.
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14. A method for receiving order information and delivering a batch of liquid colorant, comprising:
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providing a color station; providing a central authority system that operates the color station remote in location to the central authority; receiving order information from a customer for a batch of liquid colorant at the central authority system; placing the order information into a central database as a pending order; providing the customer with an order number corresponding to the order information; communicating the order to a local database at the color station; initiating processing of the batch of liquid colorant at the color station after receiving contact from the customer and detecting a concrete truck of the customer approaching the color station by a proximity detection process of the color station; delivering the batch of liquid colorant to the concrete truck of the customer at the color station where the batch of liquid colorant was processed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for providing a batch of liquid colorant, comprising:
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providing a color station operated by a central authority, wherein the color station prepares batches of liquid colorant; receiving an order from a customer for a batch of liquid colorant at the central authority; communicating the order to the color station; detecting an approaching concrete truck by a proximity detection process of the color station and processing the batch of the liquid colorant at the color station such that the batch of liquid colorant will be ready or will be nearly ready for the concrete truck when the concrete truck arrives at the color station; maintaining a database of customer order information and liquid colorant supply information; and pumping the batch of liquid colorant into a customer'"'"'s concrete truck at the color station where the batch of liquid colorant was processed. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification