Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular concrete waste recycling device that is capable of grinding and segregating a concrete waste into different sizes and mixing the grinded concrete waste of user-specified dimension with water to form a concrete mixture and further shaping the mixture for casting concrete bricks in a precise and automated manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The recycling of concrete waste has become an important process in modern construction and waste management, as discarded concrete materials contribute to environmental pollution and waste accumulation. Traditional methods of dealing with concrete waste often involve either disposal in landfills or costly and inefficient manual processing. The need for an efficient, automated solution to process and recycle concrete waste has led to the development of various methods and devices aimed at improving the recycling process, reducing labor costs, and ensuring high-quality recycled products.

[0003] Existing concrete recycling devices typically focus on crushing and grinding concrete materials, but lack an efficient means for segregating different particle sizes and mixing them with water to create usable concrete mixtures. Furthermore, most traditional systems do not offer automated solutions for shaping the mixture into standardized forms, such as concrete bricks, leading to inconsistencies in product quality. There is a growing demand for a device that not only processes concrete waste but also sorts, mixes, and molds the recycled material with precision to create high-quality, reusable concrete bricks in an efficient, automated manner.

[0004] CN214436974U discloses a concrete waste recycling device, which comprises a separation tank, wherein one end of the separation tank is opened, the open end of the separation tank is detachably connected with a cover plate, a water inlet is formed in the cover plate, a filter plate is fixedly arranged in the separation tank, filter holes are formed in the filter plate, a discharge hole is formed in the side wall of the separation tank, the separation tank is rotatably connected with a sealing door, and the sealing door can rotatably seal the discharge hole; be provided with the push pedal in the separation tank, the discharge gate is close to or keeps away from along the filter surface slip to the push pedal, has set firmly the push rod on the push pedal, and the push rod other end stretches out the separation tank. This application has the effect of carrying out recycle with the concrete waste material.

[0005] CN216727452U discloses a concrete waste recycling device, including collection box and broken extrusion roller set, be equipped with broken chamber in the collection box, broken extrusion roller set rotates and locates in the broken chamber, the lower part is equipped with the screening chamber in the collection box, be equipped with two sets of water conservancy diversion passageways between broken chamber and the screening chamber, it is two sets of all be equipped with the shutoff subassembly in the water conservancy diversion passageway, be equipped with two sets of screening box with a net in the screening chamber, it is two sets of screening box with a net is located the below of two sets of water conservancy diversion passageways respectively, it moves the subassembly to be equipped with the sieve in the screening chamber, the sieve moves the subassembly and is connected with two sets of screening box with a net. The utility model relates to a concrete waste recycling technical field specifically is a concrete waste recycling recycles device that provides, screens after smashing the bold concrete piece through elder generation, acquires recoverable coarse sand.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices have been developed to process concrete waste, with most focusing on crushing and grinding the material into smaller pieces. However, these devices often lack the capability to efficiently segregate the waste based on size, leading to inconsistent results and further processing challenges. Additionally, the existing device typically requires manual intervention for tasks such as mixing, molding and shaping the recycled concrete material into usable forms, making them labor-intensive and inefficient. Furthermore, many conventional systems do not integrate modern technologies such as automated sizing, mixing or humidity control for optimal curing which affect the final product's quality.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that not only crushes and grinds concrete wastes, but also incorporates an automated means for segregating the waste into various sizes and mixing the waste with water in a controlled manner along with precisely shaping the mixture into concrete bricks. This developed device needs to reduce manual labor and produce high-quality, standardized concrete products efficiently.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that grinds and segregates a concrete waste into different sizes and mixing the grinded concrete waste of user-specified dimension with water to form a concrete mixture and further shaping the mixture for casting concrete bricks in a precise and automated manner.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that monitors and maintains the moisture level of the casted material, ensuring proper curing conditions for optimal strength and durability.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a device that transfers the casted material to a controlled environment to maintain appropriate humidity level for curing.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to a modular concrete waste recycling device that processes concrete waste by grinding and segregating the waste into different particle sizes, mixing the waste with water to form the concrete mixture based on user-specified dimensions and automatically shaping the mixture for the precise casting of concrete bricks.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a modular concrete waste recycling device, comprises of a housing developed to be positioned on a ground surface and arranged with a hopper accessed by a user for dumping a concrete waste inside the housing, a chamber arranged inside the housing for accommodating the dumped the concrete waste, a pair of jawed clippers are integrated underneath the hopper to crush the dumped waste, a rotatory shredder installed at base of the chamber for further grinding the crushed waste, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit installed inside the housing to determine dimensions of the crushed concrete waste, a motorized gripper installed inside the housing and integrated with a bucket for loading the grinded waste into a cylindrical structure arranged inside the housing, plurality of sieves arranged inside the structure at different lengths with pores size of the sieves arranged in a descending manner for storing different sized concrete waste in a segregated manner, multiple sections are integrated inside the structure each separated by means of the sieves for storing different sized concrete waste.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed device further comprises of an electronically controlled spout integrated on each section of the structure to dispense an appropriate quantity of different sized concrete waste into a mixing member arranged inside the housing, a motorized shaft suspended from ceiling of the mixing member to rotate for grinding the dispensed waste and followed by dispensing of an appropriate amount of water in the mixing member in order to form a concrete mixture, a platform arranged inside the housing underneath the member and integrated with multiple molding units by means of multiple motorized sliding units to translate the molding units underneath the mixing member, a motorized slit integrated underneath the member to dispense a portion of the concrete mixture on the molding units in view of casting concrete bricks, each of the molding units are integrated with an extendable pusher to extend for applying a force on the casted concrete bricks and a water reservoir arranged inside the box and integrated with an electronically controlled humidifier to maintain an optimum humidity inside the box as monitored by a humidity sensor integrated inside the box.

[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a modular concrete waste recycling device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0019] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0020] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0021] The present invention relates to a modular concrete waste recycling device that is capable of grinding and segregating a concrete waste into different sizes and mixing the grinded concrete waste of user-specified dimension with water to form a concrete mixture and further shaping the mixture for casting concrete bricks in a precise and automated manner.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of a modular concrete waste recycling device is illustrated, comprising a housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface and arranged with a hopper 102, a chamber 103 arranged inside the housing 101, a pair of jawed clippers 104 integrated underneath the hopper 102, a rotatory shredder 105 installed at base of the chamber 103, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 106 installed inside the housing 101, a motorized gripper 107 installed inside the housing 101 and integrated with a bucket, plurality of sieves 109 arranged inside the structure 108, an electronically controlled spout integrated with the structure 108, a mixing member 110 arranged inside the housing 101, a motorized shaft 111 suspended from ceiling of the mixing member 110, a platform 112 arranged inside the housing 101 integrated with multiple molding units 113 by means of multiple motorized sliding units, an extendable pusher 115 integrated with each of the molding units 113 and a water reservoir 116 arranged inside the box 114.

[0023] The proposed device herein comprises of a housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface, wherein the housing 101 is arranged with a hopper 102 that is accessed by a user for dumping a concrete waste inside the housing 101. The body is made up of but not limited to durable and corrosion-resistant materials such as steel, aluminum, and high-strength composites to ensure structural integrity and longevity under harsh industrial conditions. The housing 101 is designed to withstand mechanical stresses, impacts from dumped concrete waste and exposure to environmental factors like moisture and dust.

[0024] A chamber 103 is arranged inside the housing 101 for accommodating the dumped the concrete waste. A pair of jawed clippers 104 are integrated underneath the hopper 102 that are actuated by an inbuilt microcontroller associated with the device to crush the dumped waste while being dumped into the chamber 103. The clippers 104 are powered by a DC (direct current) motor that is actuated by the microcontroller by providing required electric current to the motor. The motor comprises of a coil that converts the received electric current into mechanical force by generating magnetic field, thus the mechanical force provides the required power to the clippers 104 for crushing the dumped waste inside the chamber 103.

[0025] The microcontroller actuates a rotary shredder 105 installed at base of the chamber 103 for further grinding the crushed waste. The rotary shredder 105 operates on the principle of mechanical shearing and grinding, facilitated by its key components, including a motor-driven rotor, cutting blades and a stationary cutting assembly. The rotor is powered by an electric motor which rotates at high speed, carrying sharp blades that engage with the material. The stationary cutting assembly creates a shearing action as the rotating blades force the waste against the blade. This dual-action crushes, slices and grinds the waste into smaller particles.

[0026] An artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 106 is installed inside the housing 101 to determine dimensions of the crushed concrete waste. The imaging unit 106 comprises of an image capturing arrangement including a set of lenses that captures multiple images of the surroundings, and the captured images are stored within a memory of the imaging unit 106 in form of an optical data. The imaging unit 106 also comprises of a processor that is integrated with artificial intelligence protocols, such that the processor processes the optical data and extracts the required data from the captured images. The extracted data is further converted into digital pulses and bits and are further transmitted to the microcontroller. The microcontroller processes the received data and determines dimensions of the crushed concrete waste.

[0027] On determining the dimensions of the crushed concrete waste, the microcontroller actuates a motorized gripper 107 installed inside the housing 101 and integrated with a bucket for loading the grinded waste into a cylindrical structure 108 arranged inside the housing 101. The motorized gripper 107 consists of a DC that drives the movement of the gripper’s 107 arms that is connected to a mechanical linkage that translates the rotational movement of the motor into controlled motion of the gripper’s 107 arms. The motor's operation is controlled by the microcontroller, which sends signals to the motor to initiate movement, adjust speed, and ensure precise positioning of the bucket to pick up the grinded waste and deposit the grinded into the cylindrical structure 108.

[0028] Plurality of sieves 109 are arranged inside the structure 108 at different lengths with pores size of the sieves 109 arranged in a descending manner for storing different sized concrete waste in a segregated manner. Multiple sections are integrated inside the structure 108, each separated by means of the sieves 109 for storing different sized concrete waste to be utilized.

[0029] The microcontroller then actuates an electronically controlled spout integrated on each section of the structure 108 to dispense an appropriate quantity of different sized concrete waste into a mixing member 110 arranged inside the housing 101. The electronically controlled spout operates primarily using a solenoid valve as its key component. The solenoid valve consists of a coil and a movable plunger. When the microcontroller sends an electric current to the coil, it generates a magnetic field that pulls the plunger, opening the spout to allow material flow. When the current is stopped, the plunger returns to its default position, closing the spout and halting the flow. This on/off actuation allows precise dispensing of the required quantity of different sized concrete waste into the mixing member 110.

[0030] A motorized shaft 111 is suspended from ceiling of the mixing member 110 that is actuated by the microcontroller to rotate for grinding the dispensed waste. The motorized shaft 111 consists of a rotor, a stator and a commutator. When the microcontroller sends an electric current to the motor, it flows through the motor's windings, generating a magnetic field that causes the rotor to rotate. This rotational motion is directly transferred to the attached shaft 111, enabling it to spin. The shaft 111, equipped with blades at its end, grinds the waste material efficiently. The speed and duration of the motor's rotation are controlled by the microcontroller, ensuring precise and consistent grinding of the waste material and followed by dispensing of an appropriate amount of water in the mixing member 110 in order to form a concrete mixture.

[0031] A platform 112 is arranged inside the housing 101 underneath the member 110 and integrated with multiple molding units 113 by means of multiple motorized sliding units that are actuated by the microcontroller to translate the molding units 113 underneath the mixing member 110. The sliding unit include sliding rack and rail, such that the molding units 113 are mounted over the racks that are electronically operated by the microcontroller for moving over the rails. The sliding unit is powered by a DC (direct current) motor that is actuated by the microcontroller by providing required electric current to the motor. The motor comprises of a coil that converts the received electric current into mechanical force by generating magnetic field, thus the mechanical force provides the required power to the rack to provide sliding movement to the molding units 113 underneath the mixing member 110.

[0032] The microcontroller then actuates a motorized slit integrated underneath the member 110 to dispense a portion of the concrete mixture on the molding units 113 in view of casting concrete bricks. The motorized slit consists of an electric motor and a lead screw. When the microcontroller sends a signal, the motor drives the lead screw, which translates rotational motion into linear motion, causing the slit to open or close. This precise movement allows the motorized slit to dispense an exact portion of the concrete mixture onto the molding units 113. The microcontroller regulates the motor's operation, ensuring accurate timing and quantity of the mixture dispensed for consistent brick casting.

[0033] A non-contact moisture sensor is arranged inside the housing 101 for monitoring moisture level of the casted concrete brick. The non-contact moisture sensor operates on the principle of measuring the dielectric constant of a material to determine its moisture content. The sensor typically consists of a pair of electrodes that generate an electromagnetic field. When the sensor is in proximity to the surface of the concrete brick, the electromagnetic field interacts with the material. Moisture in the material affects the dielectric constant, causing a change in the capacitance of the sensor. The contactless nature of the sensor means it can assess moisture levels without direct physical contact with the material. The microcontroller, upon activation, instructs the sensor to emit the electromagnetic field, and then it analyzes the variations in capacitance to determine the presence and level of moisture on the concrete brick.

[0034] If the monitored moisture level recedes a threshold moisture level, then the microcontroller actuates a motorized ball and socket joint integrated in between the molding unit 113 and platform 112 to turn upside down. The ball and socket joint provides a 360-degree rotation to the molding unit 113 for aiding the molding unit 113 to turn at a desired angle. The ball and socket joint is a coupling consisting of a ball joint securely locked within a socket joint, where the ball joint is able to move in a 360-degree rotation within the socket thus, providing the required rotational motion to the molding unit 113 The ball and socket joint is powered by a DC (direct current) motor that is actuated by the microcontroller thus turning the molding unit 113 upside down for transferring the casted brick in a humidity controlled box 114 arranged inside the housing 101 to allow the concrete bricks to get prepared in an appropriate manner.

[0035] Each of the molding units 113 are integrated with an extendable pusher 115 that is actuated by the microcontroller to extend for applying a force on the casted concrete bricks. The pusher 115 used herein is a telescopic pusher that consists of pusher head and multiple telescopic links such that the pusher head is attached on the end of the link. The microcontroller actuates the pusher 115 such that the extension of the link leads to the extension of the pusher head and similarly for the retraction of the link leads to retraction of the pusher head. Thus, the extension and retraction of link results in extending and retracting of the pusher 115 aiding in applying force on the casted concrete bricks to ensure precise removal of the casted concrete bricks from the molding units 113.

[0036] A humidity sensor is integrated inside the box 114 to detect humidity inside the box 114. The humidity sensor used herein is preferably a capacitive humidity sensor that operates based on the principle of measuring changes in capacitance as the humidity level in the air varies. The sensor consists of two electrodes with a humidity-sensitive dielectric material placed between them. As the ambient humidity increases, the dielectric material absorbs water vapor, causing its electrical properties to change, particularly its dielectric constant. This change in the dielectric constant alters the capacitance between the electrodes. The sensor measures this variation in capacitance and converts it into an electrical signal, which is then processed by the microcontroller to monitor and control the humidity levels inside the box 114.

[0037] A water reservoir 116 is arranged inside the box 114 and integrated with an electronically controlled humidifier that is actuated by the microcontroller to maintain an optimum humidity inside the box 114. The humidifier consists of a fan and a wick filter, wherein the fan draws in air from the surrounding environment, passing it over a wet wick or filter that is saturated with water from the reservoir 116. As the air moves across the damp surface, it absorbs moisture through evaporation. The fan then blows this humidified air into the environment, increasing the humidity. The microcontroller regulates the fan's operation based on feedback from the humidity sensor, ensuring that the appropriate amount of moisture is added to maintain the desired humidity level inside the box 114.

[0038] The device is associated with a battery for providing the required power to the electronically and electrically operated components including the microcontroller, electrically powered sensors, motorized components and alike of the device. The battery within the device is preferably a lithium-ion-battery which is a rechargeable battery and recharges by deriving the required power from an external power source. The derived power is further stored in form of chemical energy within the battery, which when required by the components of the device derive the required energy in the form of electric current for ensuring smooth and proper functioning of the device.

[0039] The present invention works best in the following manner, where the concrete waste as disclosed is fed into the hopper 102 where the waste is crushed by jawed clippers 104 actuated by the inbuilt microcontroller. After crushing, the waste is further ground by the rotary shredder 105 at the base of the chamber 103, which breaks the material into finer particles. The imaging unit 106 monitors and analyzes the dimensions of the crushed waste. This data is then used by the microcontroller to control the motorized gripper 107, which loads the ground material into the cylindrical structure 108 designed to segregate the waste based on size. Inside this structure 108 multiple sieves 109 of varying pore sizes sort the material into different sections. Each section has the electronically controlled spout that dispenses an appropriate quantity of segregated concrete waste into the mixing member 110 equipped with the motorized shaft 111 that grinds the dispensed waste further and adds water to form a homogeneous concrete mixture. The concrete mixture is then dispensed onto molding units 113 via the motorized slit. To shape the concrete into bricks, the molding units 113 are equipped with extendable pusher 115 that apply force to eject the formed bricks once the concrete has set. The non-contact moisture sensor continuously monitors the moisture levels of the casted bricks. If the moisture drops below the required level, then the microcontroller activates the motorized ball and socket joint and transferring the bricks into the humidity-controlled box 114 where the curing process continues under optimal conditions.

[0040] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) A modular concrete waste recycling device, comprising:

i) a housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface, wherein said housing 101 is arranged with a hopper 102 that is accessed by a user for dumping a concrete waste inside said housing 101;

ii) a chamber 103 arranged inside said housing 101 for accommodating said dumped said concrete waste, wherein a pair of jawed clippers 104 are integrated underneath said hopper 102 that are actuated by an inbuilt microcontroller to crush said dumped waste while being dumped into said chamber 103, followed by actuation of a rotatory shredder 105 installed at base of said chamber 103 for further grinding said crushed waste;

iii) an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 106 installed inside said housing 101 and integrated with a processor for capturing and processing multiple images of inside of said housing 101, respectively to determine dimensions of said crushed concrete waste, in accordance to which said microcontroller actuates a motorized gripper 107 installed inside said housing 101 and integrated with a bucket for loading said grinded waste into a cylindrical structure 108 arranged inside said housing 101;

iv) plurality of sieves 109 arranged inside said structure 108 at different lengths with pores size of said sieves 109 arranged in a descending manner for storing different sized concrete waste in a segregated manner, wherein multiple sections are integrated inside said structure 108, each separated by means of said sieves 109 for storing different sized concrete waste;

v) an electronically controlled spout integrated on each section of said structure 108 that is actuated by said microcontroller to dispense an appropriate quantity of different sized concrete waste into a mixing member 110 arranged inside said housing 101, wherein a motorized shaft 111 is suspended from ceiling of said mixing member 110 that is actuated by said microcontroller to rotate for grinding said dispensed waste, followed by dispensing of an appropriate amount of water in said mixing member 110 in order to form a concrete mixture;

vi) a platform 112 arranged inside said housing 101, underneath said member 110 and integrated with multiple molding units 113 by means of multiple motorized sliding units that are actuated by said microcontroller to translate said molding units 113 underneath said mixing member 110, followed by actuation of a motorized slit integrated underneath said member 110 to dispense a portion of said concrete mixture on said molding units 113 in view of casting concrete bricks; and

vii) a non-contact moisture sensor arranged inside said housing 101 for monitoring moisture level of said casted concrete brick and in case said monitored moisture level recedes a threshold moisture level, said microcontroller actuates a motorized ball and socket joint integrated in between said molding unit 113 and platform 112 to turn upside down for transferring said casted brick in a humidity controlled box 114 arranged inside said housing 101 to allow said concrete bricks to get prepared in an appropriate manner.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said molding units 113 are integrated with an extendable pusher 115 that is actuated by said microcontroller to extend for applying a force on said casted concrete bricks.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a water reservoir 116 is arranged inside said box 114 and integrated with an electronically controlled humidifier that is actuated by said microcontroller to maintain an optimum humidity inside said box 114 as monitored by a humidity sensor integrated inside said box 114.