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Sneak water detection for concrete delivery vehicles

  • US 9,466,203 B2
  • Filed: 10/11/2013
  • Issued: 10/11/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A process for detecting fluid addition into concrete contained within a delivery vehicle mixing drum, comprising:

  • (A) monitoring changes in a rheology property of a concrete mix contained within a delivery vehicle mixing drum on a continuous basis by means of a computer processor unit (hereinafter “

    CPU”

    );

    (B) detecting when a change in monitored rheology property of said concrete mix exceeds a predetermined minimum rheology change value which has been inputted into or made accessible to said CPU;

    (C) determining, for each detected rheology change beyond said predetermined minimum rheology change value, whether such rheology change beyond said predetermined minimum rheology change value is due to fluid addition not added using pump, valve, or flow meter monitored by said CPU (hereinafter “

    sneak fluid”

    ) and is sustained beyond a predetermined minimum period of time, a predetermined minimum number of drum rotations, or both (hereinafter “

    sneak fluid condition”

    ); and

    (D) reporting the occurrence of a sneak fluid condition as determined in (C) or otherwise preventing or restricting further fluid additions by at least one of the following modalities;

    (i) initiating an audible alarm, a visual alarm, or both;

    (ii) providing an indication of the amount of the sneak fluid added into the mixing drum;

    (iii) providing an indication of total fluid amounts including said sneak fluid added into the mixing drum; and

    /or (iv) preventing or limiting further fluid additions using valve, flow meter, or fluid tanks on said delivery vehicle into the mixing drum.

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