US 12,221,391 B2
Method for adapting an existing concrete products forming machine for forming infused concrete products
Richard T. Goode, Vancouver, WA (US); Jason Clark, Portland, OR (US); and Stacy Gildersleeve, Woodland, WA (US)
Assigned to Columbia Machine, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed by Columbia Machine, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/885,244.
Application 17/885,244 is a division of application No. 16/353,992, filed on Mar. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,591,268.
Prior Publication US 2022/0380266 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C04B 40/02 (2006.01); B28C 5/06 (2006.01); B28C 5/14 (2006.01); B28C 7/00 (2006.01); B28C 7/02 (2006.01); B28C 7/12 (2006.01); C04B 40/00 (2006.01); B28B 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC C04B 40/0231 (2013.01) [B28C 5/06 (2013.01); B28C 5/142 (2013.01); B28C 7/0007 (2013.01); B28C 7/024 (2013.01); B28C 7/12 (2013.01); C04B 40/0039 (2013.01); B28B 13/023 (2013.01); Y02P 40/18 (2015.11)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of retrofitting an existing apparatus for forming concrete products of a type having a mixing chamber and a mixer in communication with the mixing chamber for mixing concrete used to form the concrete products, wherein the apparatus comprises an existing component including the mixer located upstream of a product mold and adapted to deliver treated concrete to the product mold, the method comprising:
adapting the existing component to treat fresh concrete to be delivered to the product mold by a new component including a source of treated water with treated water infused with a concentration of carbon dioxide nanobubbles, wherein the step of adapting comprises adding to the existing component a water delivery system that is configured to direct the treated water into the fresh concrete, and wherein the water delivery system is provided with one or more liquid manifolds configured to dispense the treated water into the fresh concrete to form treated concrete,
wherein the new component further comprises a nanobubble generator operatively coupled to supply the water tank with treated water having a desired concentration of nanobubbles of carbon dioxide, and
wherein the nanobubble generator of the new component further comprises a nanobubble generator pump, a source of gas, a detector within the storage tank, and a nanobubble generator loop comprised of the pump and tank through which the treated water is flowed to add an additional concentration of nanobubbles of the gas to the treated water.