Automatic drum rotation control concrete transit mixer truck
View Patent ↗A concrete transit mixer truck includes a control system that automatically controls rotation of the mixer drum at a constant drum speed when the mixer truck is traveling. When sensed speed of the truck exceeds a threshold, the control system automatically causes a hydraulic system to rotate the drum at a constant speed, regardless of the truck engine speed.
1. A concrete transit mixer truck comprising:
a drum;
a hydraulic system for rotating the drum;
a vehicle motion sensor for providing a vehicle motion signal indicative of vehicle speed; and
a control system for controlling the hydraulic system, when the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold speed, to rotate the drum at a constant drum speed.
2. The truck of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle motion sensor senses rotation of a drive shaft of the truck.
3. The truck of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle motion sensor determines vehicle speed based upon GPS signals.
4. The truck of claim 1 , wherein the constant drum speed is less than about 2 rpm.
5. The truck of claim 4 , wherein the constant drum speed is about 1 rpm.
6. The truck of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a manual override input for producing a signal to cause the control system to allow a driver to control drum speed.
7. The truck of claim 1 , wherein the control system maintains rotation of the drum at a constant drum speed until either a manual override input or a discharge input is received.
8. The truck of claim 1 and further comprising:
a transmitter for transmitting information relating to rotation of the drum to a remote monitoring system.
9. A method of controlling concrete transit mixer truck, comprising the method:
sensing vehicle speed of the truck; and
controlling rotation of a mixer drum of the truck to rotate the drum at a constant drum speed when the sensed vehicle speed indicates that the truck is traveling.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein sensing vehicle speed comprises sensing rotation of a drive shaft of the truck.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein sensing vehicle speed comprises determining vehicle speed based upon GPS signals.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the constant drum speed is less than about 2 rpm.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the constant speed is about 1 rpm.
14. The method of claim 9 , and further comprising:
receiving a manual override input; and
allowing a driver to control drum speed manually.
15. The method of claim 9 , and further comprising:
maintaining rotation of the drum at the constant drum speed until either a manual override input or a discharge input is received.
16. The method of claim 9 and further comprising:
transmitting information relating to rotation of the drum to a remote monitoring system.
17. An automatic constant drum speed control for a concrete transit mixer truck, the control comprising:
means for determining when the truck is moving at greater than a threshold vehicle speed; and
means for controlling rotation of a mixer drum of the truck at a constant speed in response to a determination that the truck is moving at greater than the threshold vehicle speed.
18. The control of claim 17 , wherein the means for determining senses rotation of a drive shaft of the truck.
19. The control of claim 17 , wherein the means for determining uses GPS signals to determine vehicle speed.
20. The control of claim 17 , wherein the constant drum speed is less than about 2 rpm.
21. The control of claim 20 , wherein the constant drum speed is about 1 rpm.
22. The control of claim 17 , and further comprising:
a manual override input for producing a signal to cause the means for controlling to allow a driver to control drum speed manually.
23. The control of claim 17 , wherein the means for controlling maintains rotation of the drum at a constant drum speed until either a manual override input or a discharge input is received.
24. The control of claim 17 and further comprising:
a transmitter for transmitting information relating to rotation of the drum to a remote monitoring system.