US 11,806,895 B2
Concrete buildup detection
Cody D. Clifton, Oshkosh, WI (US); Bryan S. Datema, Oshkosh, WI (US); Zhenyi Wei, Oshkosh, WI (US); and Ted Tesmer, Oshkosh, WI (US)
Assigned to Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh, WI (US)
Filed by Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/167,272.
Application 17/167,272 is a continuation of application No. 16/555,348, filed on Aug. 29, 2019, granted, now 10,940,610.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/727,898, filed on Sep. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0162630 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B28C 5/42 (2006.01)
CPC B28C 5/422 (2013.01) [B28C 5/4217 (2013.01); B28C 5/4272 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A method for detecting concrete buildup in a concrete mixer, the method comprising:
providing, by a control system, a first input to a drum drive system of the concrete mixer to rotate a drum of the concrete mixer at a target speed while the drum is empty and clean;
acquiring, by the control system from a sensor, first operating data regarding operation of the drum drive system in response to the first input to determine a baseline operating characteristic of the drum drive system;
providing, by the control system, a second input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at the target speed following one or more uses of the concrete mixer and while the drum is empty;
acquiring, by the control system, second operating data regarding operation of the drum drive system in response to the second input to determine a current operating characteristic of the drum drive system;
acquiring, by the control system from a temperature sensor, temperature data regarding a temperature of at least one of a component of the drum drive system or a working fluid within the drum drive system;
refraining, by the control system, from providing the first input and the second input while the temperature does not satisfy a temperature threshold;
at least one of:
(i) providing, by the control system, a temperature notification in response to the temperature not satisfying the temperature threshold; or
(ii) providing, by the control system, a third input to the drum drive system to rotate the drum at a nominal speed in response to the temperature not satisfying the temperature threshold; and
providing, by the control system, a buildup notification indicating that there is a buildup of drum contents within the drum in response to a difference between the baseline operating characteristic and the current operating characteristic exceeding a threshold differential.