US 12,221,392 B2
Apparatus for gas entrainment via nano-bubbles into concrete upstream from a product mold
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. 17/885,263.
Application 17/885,263 is a division of application No. 16/353,992, filed on Mar. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,591,268.
Prior Publication US 2022/0380267 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. An apparatus for delivering a wet concrete mix to a product mold, the apparatus comprising:
a mixing chamber;
a hopper configured to retain a fresh concrete mix and deliver the fresh concrete mix to the mixing chamber;
a source of treated water, the treated water having a concentration of nanobubbles of a gas at least 25% more than a natural concentration of nanobubbles of the gas within a natural state of the water;
a nanobubble generator operatively coupled to the source of treated water to actively create the concentration of nanobubbles of the gas within the source, the nanobubble generator including a nanobubble generator pump, a source of gas, a storage tank, 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;
a water transport coupling the source of treated water with the mixing chamber;
a valve interposed within the water transport for selectively releasing the treated water into the mixing chamber; and
a mixer in communication with the mixing chamber for mixing the treated water with the fresh concrete mix to yield an infused wet concrete.