Systems, methods and apparatus for obtaining data relating to condition and performance of concrete mixtures

• US 9,429,559 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QuipIP, LLC
• Original Assignee: QuipIP, LLC
• Inventors: Radjy, Farrokh F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOLB, NATHANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/810,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20160018383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 7/02 Controlling the operation of the mixing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete or cement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A sensing device includes a shell comprising an elastomeric material, the shell including a first portion having a first end and a second portion having a second end. The shell may be egg-shaped. The first portion includes a conducting disc and a plate that includes a temperature sensor, a location sensor, and a micro-fiber composite sensor. The first portion also includes an antenna and a first electrode extending through a first hole in the first portion of the shell. The second portion includes a quantity of a metallic substance embedded on the inside surface of an end of the second portion, and a second electrode extending through a second hole in the second portion of the shell. The sensing device may be inserted into a concrete mixture, obtain measurements relating to the concrete mixture, and transmit data to a database.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a structure comprising a concrete mixture;

a plurality of measuring devices embedded at respective locations in the concrete mixture, each measuring device comprising;

a shell comprising an elastomeric material, the shell comprising a first portion having a first end and a second portion having a second end;

wherein the first portion includes;

a thermally and electrically conducting disc;

a plate attached to the disc, the plate comprising;

a temperature sensor adapted to generate a temperature measurement;

a location sensor adapted to generate location information;

a micro-fiber composite sensor adapted to generate a measure of deformation; and

an antenna adapted to transmit data representing at least one of the temperature measurement, the location information, and the measure of deformation; and

a first electrode attached to the disc, the electrode extending through a first hole in the first portion of the shell;

wherein the second portion includes;

a predetermined quantity of a selected metallic substance embedded on the inside surface of an end of the second portion; and

a second electrode connected to the metallic substance, the second electrode extending through a second hole in the second portion of the shell; and

a processor adapted to;

receive from each respective measuring device embedded in the concrete mixture data pertaining to the concrete mixture; and

determine one or more characteristics of the concrete mixture based on the data received.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the shell has an egg shape.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plate further comprises one of an impedance/conductivity sensor, a pH sensor, an accelerometer, an elevation sensor, an RFID device, a humidity sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected metallic substance comprises one of copper and brass.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermally and electrically conducting disc is disposed perpendicular to an axis of the sensing device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plate is perpendicular to the thermally and electrically conducting disc.

7. A method comprising:

inserting a plurality of sensing devices into a concrete mixture at a production facility;

receiving first data from the plurality of sensing devices while the plurality of sensing devices are in the concrete mixture at the production facility;

placing the concrete mixture and the plurality of sensing devices into a drum of a concrete mixing truck adapted to transport the concrete mixture to a construction site;

receiving, via an antenna disposed on the drum of the concrete mixing truck, second data from the plurality of sensing devices located in the concrete mixture while the concrete mixture spins in the drum, while the concrete mixing truck transports the concrete mixture to the construction site;

receiving third data from the plurality of sensing devices while the plurality of sensing devices are in the concrete mixture after the concrete mixture has been laid at the construction site;

storing the first, second and third data in a memory; and

generating a prediction of a characteristic of the concrete mixture based on the first, second and third data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of sensing devices comprises an egg-shaped shell comprising an elastomeric material, the egg-shaped shell comprising a first portion having a first end and a second portion having a second end;

wherein the first portion includes;

a thermally and electrically conducting disc;

a plate attached to the disc, the plate comprising;

a temperature sensor;

a location sensor; and

a micro-fiber composite (MFC) sensor adapted to generate a measure of deformation; and

an antenna; and

a first electrode attached to the disc, the electrode extending through a first hole in the first portion of the shell;

wherein the second portion includes;

a predetermined quantity of a selected metallic substance embedded on the inside surface of an end of the second portion; and

a second electrode connected to the metallic substance, the second electrode extending through a second hole in the second portion of the shell.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

causing the concrete mixture and the plurality of sensing devices to be transported on a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic includes one of concrete maturity, concrete strength, and slump.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving from the MFC sensor fourth data representing a deformation;

determining an estimate of a slump of the concrete mixture based on the fourth data; and

determining an estimate of a mixing energy of mixing concrete.

12. A method of managing a closed-loop production and delivery system, the method comprising:

receiving an order for a concrete mixture, the order defining a formulation that specifies a plurality of components of the product and a quantity of sensing devices;

in response to the order, producing the concrete mixture at a production facility based on the formulation;

inserting the specified quantity of sensing devices into the concrete mixture at the production facility;

receiving first data from the sensing devices while the sensing devices are in the concrete mixture at the production facility, second data from the sensing devices while the sensing devices are in the concrete mixture during transportation of the concrete mixture in a concrete mixing truck, and third data from the sensing devices while the sensing devices are in the concrete mixture after the concrete mixture has been laid at a construction site; and

determining a characteristic of the concrete mixture based on the first, second, and third data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each sensing devices includes an egg shaped sensing device that includes a temperature sensor and an antenna.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the characteristic includes one of concrete maturity, concrete strength and slump.

15. A communication system comprising:

a concrete mixing truck comprising a drum adapted to hold a concrete mixture;

at least one sensing device disposed inside the drum of the concrete mixing truck, the at least one sensing device being adapted to float within a concrete mixture inside the drum, to generate data relating to the concrete mixture, and to transmit a signal comprising the data;

an antenna device disposed on the drum, the antenna device comprising;

a receiver component adapted to receive the signal from the at least one device located in the concrete mixture inside the drum; and

a transmitter component adapted to retransmit the signal outside the drum; and

a communication device adapted to receive the signal retransmitted by the transmitter component of the antenna device and transmit the signal via a network to a second device.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the antenna device comprises a Bluetooth antenna device.