U.S. patent application number 15/739998 was filed with the patent office on 2019-11-28 for apparatus for reinforcing ground with fiberous additives.
This patent application is currently assigned to KORDSA TEKNIK TEKSTIL ANONIM SIRKETI. The applicant listed for this patent is KORDSA TEKNIK TEKSTIL ANONIM SIRKETI. Invention is credited to Kagan AKTEPE, Saim OZ.
Application Number | 20190360166 15/739998 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58455630 |
Filed Date | 2019-11-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190360166 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
AKTEPE; Kagan ; et
al. |
November 28, 2019 |
APPARATUS FOR REINFORCING GROUND WITH FIBEROUS ADDITIVES
Abstract
An apparatus for supplying reinforcing additive to a ground by
being connected to a mobile vehicle including a chamber to store
the reinforcing additive, wherein the chamber includes an outlet to
let the stored additive reach the ground for reinforcement; a
connecting element to connect the apparatus to the vehicle; a cover
for adjusting the additive amount leaving the chamber through the
outlet by adjusting the opening of the outlet; a movement element
in connection with the cover and moving the cover to adjust the
opening of the outlet; a vibrating element provided on a surface of
the chamber, vibrating the surface when energized to direct the
additive towards the outlet; and a power source in connection with
the movement element and vibrating element, providing energy to
these elements to perform their operations according to the demand
of the related application.
Inventors: |
AKTEPE; Kagan; (Kocaeli,
TR) ; OZ; Saim; (Kocaeli, TR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KORDSA TEKNIK TEKSTIL ANONIM SIRKETI |
Izmit/Kocaeli |
|
TR |
|
|
Assignee: |
KORDSA TEKNIK TEKSTIL ANONIM
SIRKETI
Izmit/Kocaeli
TR
|
Family ID: |
58455630 |
Appl. No.: |
15/739998 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
February 20, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/TR2017/050066 |
371 Date: |
August 23, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 21/00 20130101;
E02D 3/005 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E02D 3/00 20060101
E02D003/00; E01C 21/00 20060101 E01C021/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus suitable for supplying a reinforcing additive to a
ground by being connected to a mobile vehicle, comprising: at least
one chamber storing the reinforcing additive wherein the at least
one chamber includes at least one outlet to let the stored
reinforcing additive reach the ground for reinforcement; at least
one connecting element to connect the apparatus to the mobile
vehicle; at least one cover configured for adjusting an amount of
the reinforcing additive leaving the chamber through the outlet by
adjusting an opening of the outlet, the cover having open positions
with variable widths for the outlet so as to let the reinforcing
additive leave the chamber, and a close position for preventing the
reinforcing additive from leaving the chamber; at least one
movement element in connection with the cover and configured for
moving the cover so as to adjust the opening of the outlet; at
least one vibrating element provided on at least one surface of the
chamber, wherein the vibrating element vibrates the surface when
energized in order to direct the reinforcing additive in the
chamber towards the outlet for letting a sufficient amount of the
reinforcing additive leave the chamber through the outlet to meet a
demand required for reinforcing the ground for a related
application and at least one power source in connection with the
movement element and vibrating element, wherein the power source
provides energy to the movement element and the vibrating element
to perform operations according to the demand of the related
application.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement element
is a piston.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating
element is provided on an outer surface of the chamber.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet is
provided on a base of the chamber.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus
further includes at least one inclined surface, wherein one end of
the at least one inclined surface is in connection with the outlet
and the vibrating element is provided on the at least one inclined
surface.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber of the
apparatus is in the form of a hopper.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least
one mixing system provided in the chamber for mixing the
reinforcing additive to let the reinforcing additive leave the
chamber homogenously through the outlet.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mixing system
comprises at least one shaft configured to rotate around its own
axis and the at least one shaft extends in the chamber in such a
way that it is parallel to a plane in which the outlet is present,
and at least one bar provided in the chamber in connection with the
shaft in such a way that one part of the at least one bar is
connected to the shaft and an other part of the at least one bar is
free in the chamber.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the shaft is
perpendicular to a movement direction of the apparatus.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mixing system
comprises a plurality of bars forming pairs in such a way that two
bars forming a pair are bilaterally connected to the shaft by
providing an angle therebetween.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the angle is an
obtuse angle.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the angle is
straight angle.
13. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising at least
one rotating element in connection with the shaft and ensuring the
rotation of the shaft.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein one end of the
shaft extends from the chamber outwardly and is connected to the
rotating element.
15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the rotating
element is in connection with the power source in order for being
energized to rotate the shaft.
16. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising at
least one supporting base in connection with the chamber, on which
the rotating element is provided.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least
one frame, wherein the chamber, the connecting element and the
movement element are connected to the at least one frame.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the supporting
base is also connected to the frame.
19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover is
connected to the chamber in such a way that the cover rotates
around an axis while moving between an open and a close
position.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the rotation axis
of the cover is provided such that in the open position, cover is
provided between the outlet and the vehicle.
21. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least
one sensor for sensing conditions and at least one control unit in
connection with the sensor and the movement element for
auto-adjusting of an opening depth of the cover with respect to the
conditions.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the national phase entry of
International Application No. PCT/TR2017/050066, filed on Feb. 20,
2017, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is related to an apparatus configured
for spreading fibrous additives to ground for reinforcement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] For bearing against much higher loads, ground should be
reinforced with some additives especially in civil engineering
field. For instance, in order to build much more safer high rise on
a ground or to increase the strength and durability of roads with
respect to heavily loaded vehicles, the related ground should be
strengthened with some additives. Furthermore, facility structures
in industry cover a large area of ground and thus, the heavy, rigid
mass of the structure and the movement and vibration created by the
heavy vehicles moving in the facility generate vertical loads
negatively affecting the ground. More clearly, if the ground does
not have proper strength characteristic, these vertical loads
cannot be borne by the ground and the structure cannot be supported
by the ground, which can result in the structure being damaged or
even being demolished. In order to avoid such problems, the ground
on which a construction process is carried out should be reinforced
with some kind of additives such as fibres. The main idea of the
reinforcement is to lower (eliminate as much as possible) the
amount of gaps present in 25 the ground, since these gaps loosen
the ground and decrease the strength of the ground. For that
reason, the ground is mixed with some additives (especially fibre
based additives) and in this manner these additives fill the gaps
that are present in the ground and cause decrease in the strength
of the ground.
[0004] In order to fill the gaps with additives, the additive is
spread onto the ground with an apparatus. An exemplary embodiment
of an apparatus/device, configured to spread an additive onto the
ground, is given in the published patent application no
WO2005124035A1. In this document, the developed device comprises a
sandy soil supply device carrying the sandy soil to the reinforced
earth preparing place; a fiber supply device for storing, therein,
a reel for the fibers twined in the sandy soil; an injection nozzle
jetting the fibers continuously delivered from the fiber supply
device by utilizing high-pressure water or compressed air; feed
rollers having the fibers wound therearound or holding the fibers
therebetween to forcibly feed out the fibers. The feed rollers are
installed between the fiber supply device and the injection nozzle
and interlocked with the fiber supply device to control the
rotation of the feed rollers. However, the device described in this
document is a complex device and can be costly for simple
applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In the present invention, an apparatus suitable for
supplying reinforcing additive to ground by being connected to a
mobile vehicle is disclosed, wherein the apparatus comprises at
least one chamber in which the reinforcing additive is stored and
which comprise at least one outlet in order to allow the stored
additive to reach to the ground for reinforcement; at least one
connecting element to connect the apparatus to the vehicle; at
least one cover configured for adjusting the additive amount
leaving the chamber through the outlet by adjusting the opening of
the outlet, the cover having open positions with variable widths
for the outlet so as to let the reinforcing additive leave the
chamber, and a close position for preventing the reinforcing
additive from leaving the chamber; at least one movement element in
connection with the cover and moving the cover so as to adjust the
opening of the outlet; at least one vibrating element provided on
at least one surface of the chamber, vibrating the surface when
energized in order to direct the reinforcing additive in the
chamber towards the outlet for letting the sufficient amount of the
additive leave the chamber through the outlet to meet the demand
required for reinforcing the ground for the related application;
and at least one power source in connection with the movement
element and vibrating element, providing energy to these elements
to perform their operations according to the demand of the related
application.
[0006] According to the apparatus developed by the present
invention, a reinforcing additive can be stored and homogenously
spread to ground by dosing according to demand, independently of
particle size and material property of the additive. Furthermore,
since the apparatus of the invention is able to be used mobile,
laying the reinforcing additive to the ground homogenously is able
to be ensured by means of dosing according to demand for spreading
reinforcing additive to ground. In addition, the use of vibrating
element and cover for dispensing and dosing of the additive allows
to spread and lay fibrous reinforcing additive to ground with a
mobile apparatus.
[0007] An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for
storing and homogenously spreading a reinforcing additive to ground
by dosing in accordance with the demand.
[0008] The other object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
for spreading reinforcing additive independently of particle size
and material property of the additive.
[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
which is not only mobile but also ensures dosing according to
demand for spreading reinforcing additive to the ground.
[0010] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mobile
apparatus for spreading fibrous reinforcing additive to the
ground.
[0011] The other object of the invention is to provide an apparatus
for spreading fibrous reinforcing additive to the ground by dosing
in accordance with the demand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1; is a side sectional view of the apparatus developed
by the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2; is a back sectional view of the apparatus developed
by the present invention.
[0014] All the parts illustrated in the drawings are individually
assigned a reference numeral and the corresponding terms of these
numbers are listed as follows: [0015] Vehicle (A) [0016] Chamber
(H) [0017] Inclined surface (H1) [0018] Outlet (H2) [0019] Cover
(K) [0020] Movement element (M) [0021] Vibrating element (D) [0022]
Mixing system (S) [0023] Shaft (S1) [0024] Bar (S2) [0025] Rotating
element (S3) [0026] Supporting base (S4) [0027] Frame (F) [0028]
Connecting element (B)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] For various civil engineering applications such as
construction of a building or a road, the main step to make the
construction durable and long-lasting is the reinforcement of the
ground, because the ground is the place where the foundation of the
construction is laid and therefore the place which bears the
construction. In order to manage this, various additives are
spread, laid and/or mixed with the ground to fill the gaps in the
ground. For this purpose, various apparatuses are used in the state
of the art. In order to perform the spreading and laying functions,
the apparatus should be mobile. However, since fibrous additives
can fly easily and have flocculation tendency, the mobile
apparatuses have drawbacks in using fibrous additives for
reinforcing ground. For that reason, by the present invention, an
apparatus eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks is developed,
which is able to be used mobile and which is also configured
especially for 25 fibrous reinforcing additives.
[0030] The apparatus of the present invention, exemplary view of
which is shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2, is suitable for supplying at
least one reinforcing additive (especially fibrous reinforcing
additive) to a ground for especially civil engineering applications
(such as construction of a road, construction of a building etc.)
by being connected to a mobile vehicle (A) and it comprises at
least one chamber (H) in which the reinforcing additive (preferably
fibrous) is stored and which comprises at least one outlet (H2) in
order to let the stored additive reach the ground for reinforcement
(during this, the additive can be spread to, laid on and/or mixed
with the ground depending on the demand), and at least one
connecting element (B) to connect the apparatus to the vehicle (A).
The apparatus further comprises at least one cover (K) configured
for adjusting the additive amount leaving the chamber (H) through
the outlet (H2) by adjusting the opening of the outlet (H2), the
cover (K) having open positions with variable widths for the outlet
(H2) so as to let the reinforcing additive leave the chamber (H),
and a close position for preventing the reinforcing additive from
leaving the chamber (H); at least one movement element (M)
(preferably in the form of a piston) in connection with the cover
(K) and moving the cover (K) so as to adjust the opening of the
outlet (H2); at least one vibrating element (D) provided on at
least one surface of the chamber (H) (preferably on the outer
surface of the chamber (H)), vibrating the surface when energized
in order to direct the reinforcing additive in the chamber (H)
towards the outlet (H2) for letting the sufficient amount of the
additive leave the chamber (H) through the outlet (H2) to meet the
demand required for reinforcing the ground for the related
application; and at least one power source (not shown in the
figures), such as a generator or a storage battery, in connection
with the movement element (M) and vibrating element (D), providing
energy to these elements to perform their operations according to
the demand of the related application. Preferably the apparatus
comprises at least one sensor (not shown in figures) for sensing
the ambience conditions (such as movement speed of the vehicle (A),
air conditions on the area where the application will take place
etc.) and at least one control unit in connection with the sensor
and the movement element (M). Therefore, besides manual control of
the movement element (M), automatic control of the movement element
(M) with respect to the conditions is also ensured and thus,
auto-adjustment of the opening depth of the cover (K) with respect
to the variable conditions can be ensured.
[0031] In the exemplary operation of the invention, the reinforcing
additive is stored in the chamber (H) of the apparatus and the
apparatus is connected to the vehicle (A) by means of the
connecting element (B). Then the apparatus is moved by movement of
the mobile vehicle (A) on the ground to be reinforced. By the
movement, the vibrating element (D) and the movement element (M)
are energized via the power source. By energizing the vibrating
element (D), the surface on which the vibrating element (D) is
provided starts to vibrate and thanks to this vibration, the
reinforcing additive is gradually directed towards the outlet (H2)
provided preferably on the base of the chamber (H). By energizing
the movement element (M), the cover (K) brought to the open
position upon sufficiently opening the outlet (H2) required for the
application by considering the conditions under which the
application will take place. By virtue of limiting the opening
width of the outlet (H2) with respect to the conditions such as
movement speed of the vehicle (A), air conditions on the area where
the application will take place etc., the reinforcing additive is
able to be supplied with sufficient amount and therefore, use of
the fibrous reinforcing additive with a mobile vehicle (A) is able
to be performed. Although the fibrous reinforcing additive can
easily fly, by decreasing or increasing the opening width of the
outlet (H2) with respect to the vehicle (A) speed, for instance,
with the help of the vibration, supply of the sufficient amount to
the ground is able to be ensured. Therefore, an apparatus which can
be used for reinforcing the ground with fibrous additives via a
mobile vehicle (A) is developed with the present invention.
[0032] Furthermore, homogenous spread of the additive is able to be
ensured thanks to the structure of the apparatus. Since the parts
of the apparatus are energized by means of a power source provided
on the apparatus, the apparatus is able to be operated with a
mobile vehicle (A). In addition, with the developed apparatus,
spreading fibrous reinforcing additive to the ground by dosing
according to demand can be ensured.
[0033] In a preferable embodiment of the invention, the apparatus
further comprises at least one inclined surface (H1), one end of
which is in connection with the outlet (H2) and on which the
vibrating element (D) is provided. Thanks to this inclined surface
(H1), the reinforced additive is directed to the outlet easily and
therefore the vibrating element (D) performs its function more
efficiently. Therefore, proper dosing of the reinforcing additive
to the ground is able to be ensured.
[0034] Yet another embodiment of the present invention, the chamber
(H) of the apparatus is in the form of a hopper, and the outlet
(H2) is provided on the base of the hopper shaped chamber (H).
Therefore, the reinforcing additive can be effectively directed to
the outlet (H2).
[0035] In another embodiment of the present invention, the
apparatus further comprises at least one mixing system (S) provided
in the chamber (H) for mixing the reinforcing additive so as to let
the additive leave the chamber (H) homogenously through the outlet
(H2). According to this embodiment, the mixing system (S)
preferably comprises at least one shaft (S1) which is able to
rotate around its own axis and which extends in the chamber (H) in
such a way that it is parallel to the plane in which the outlet is
present and preferably perpendicular to the movement direction of
the apparatus; and one or more bar(s) (S2) provided in the chamber
(H) in connection with the shaft (S1) in such a way that one part
(preferably end) of the bar(s) (S2) is/are connected to the shaft
(S1) and the other part (preferably end) of the bar(s) (S2) is/are
free in the chamber (H). In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.
2, the mixing system (S) comprises a plurality of bars (S2),
forming pairs in such a way that two bars (S2) forming a pair are
bilaterally connected to the shaft (S1) by providing an angle
(preferably wide angle, especially straight angle) therebetween.
The shaft (S1) of the mixing system (S) is able to rotate by means
of at least one rotating element (S3), comprised by the apparatus
of the present invention and in connection with the shaft (S1).
Preferably one end of the shaft (S1) extends from the chamber (H)
outwardly and is connected to the rotating element (S3). The
rotating element (S3) is preferably in connection with the power
source in order for being energized to rotate the shaft (S). The
apparatus of this embodiment further comprises at least one
supporting base (S4) which is in connection with the chamber, and
on which the rotating element (S3) is provided. Therefore, the load
of the rotating element (S3) is shared by the chamber (H) and the
supporting base (S4) and more durable apparatus can be obtained by
the present invention.
[0036] In the other preferable embodiment of the present invention,
the apparatus comprises at least one frame (F) to which the chamber
(H), the connecting element (B) and the movement element (M) are
connected. Therefore, a compact structure is obtained and mobility
of the apparatus is ensured easily and more reliably. In this
embodiment, preferably, the supporting base (S4) is also connected
to the frame (F).
[0037] Preferably, cover (K) of the apparatus provided by the
present invention is connected to the chamber (H) in such a way
that the cover (K) is able to rotate around an axis while moving
between open and closed positions. In this embodiment the rotation
axis of the cover (K) is provided such that in the open position,
cover (K) is provided between outlet (H2) and the vehicle (A). In
other words, the cover (K) rotates such that the air circulation
occurring due to the movement of the apparatus is prevented from
being directly in contact with the reinforcing additive leaving the
chamber (H) through the outlet (H2) while the cover (K) is in open
position. Therefore, not only proper dosing of the additive is able
to be ensured without being affected from the conditions under
which the application is to take place but also use of fibrous
reinforcing additives with mobile apparatus is ensured.
[0038] According to the apparatus developed by the present
invention, a reinforcing additive can be stored and homogenously
spread to ground by dosing according to demand independently of
particle size and material property of the additive. Furthermore,
since the apparatus of the invention is able to be used mobile,
laying the reinforcing additive to the ground homogenously is able
to be ensured by dosing according to demand for spreading
reinforcing additive to ground. In addition, the use of vibrating
element (D) and cover (K) for dispensing and dosing of the additive
allows to spread and lay fibrous reinforcing additive to ground
with a mobile apparatus.
* * * * *