Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated fiber cement board manufacturing device that is capable of autonomously the manufacturing process of fiber cement boards, enabling users to easily specify dimensions and shapes, thereby simplifying the user experience and enhancing accessibility

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Fiber cement board manufacturing is essential in the construction industry due to its unique blend of durability, versatility, and sustainability. These boards are made from a combination of cement, cellulose fibers, and silica, resulting in a product that is resistant to fire, moisture, and pests. This makes fiber cement boards ideal for both exterior and interior applications, such as cladding, flooring, and roofing, providing long-lasting solutions for builders and homeowners alike. Additionally, their aesthetic appeal allows for various finishes, enabling architects and designers to create visually stunning structures. The manufacturing process is also environmentally friendly, as it utilizes recycled materials and generates minimal waste. As the demand for sustainable building materials continues to rise, fiber cement boards offer a practical alternative to traditional options, contributing to energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of construction projects. Moreover, their low maintenance requirements and longevity further enhance their value in the market, making them a preferred choice for modern building practices. In summary, fiber cement board manufacturing meets the growing needs for durable, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing construction materials in today's rapidly evolving architectural landscape.

[0003] Traditional methods of fiber cement board manufacturing typically involve mixing cement, cellulose fibers, and additives, followed by processes such as sheet forming, pressing, and curing. While these methods have been effective for decades, they present several drawbacks. One significant issue is the labor-intensive nature of the production process, which lead to inconsistencies in product quality. Additionally, traditional methods often require significant water usage and energy consumption, impacting both costs and environmental sustainability. The manual handling of raw materials poses health risks to workers, particularly due to the presence of silica dust, which lead to respiratory problems. Furthermore, the curing process take considerable time, delaying production and increasing lead times for projects. Finally, traditional techniques may lack the flexibility to adapt to innovative designs or new material formulations, limiting the ability to meet evolving market demands. As the construction industry shifts towards more efficient and sustainable practices, these drawbacks highlight the need for advancements in manufacturing technologies that enhance both safety and product quality while reducing environmental impact.

[0004] US8317914B2 discloses about an invention that has a building material product comprising a cementitious binder, an aggregate and cellulose reinforcing fibers wherein the cellulose reinforcing fibers have been treated with cationic or nonionic oil. The resulting fiber when included in a fiber cement composite results in improved deflection of the composite at peak loading as well as improved impact strength while maintaining overall board strength.

[0005] Conventionally, many methods are available for manufacturing fiber cement board. However, the cited invention lacks in effectively mixing the materials into a uniform slurry, with continuous monitoring of viscosity to maintain optimal consistency for the manufacturing process, ensuring high-quality board formation.

[0006] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that is capable of facilitating customizable dispensing of the slurry in various shapes, allowing for flexibility in design and accommodating different user requirements, thereby expanding the range of applications for the product.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of automating the manufacturing process of fiber cement boards, enabling users to easily specify dimensions and shapes, thereby simplifying the user experience and enhancing accessibility.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of ensuring accurate measurement and dispensing of materials based on user-defined specifications, which promotes consistent product quality and reduces material waste during production.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of effectively mixing the materials into a uniform slurry, with continuous monitoring of viscosity to maintain optimal consistency for the manufacturing process, ensuring high-quality board formation.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of facilitating customizable dispensing of the slurry in various shapes, allowing for flexibility in design and accommodating different user requirements, thereby expanding the range of applications for the product.

[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a device that tracks the operational status of the device, providing timely alerts for material levels and product readiness, which enhances user awareness and optimizes workflow efficiency.

[0013] 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

[0014] The present invention relates to an automated fiber cement board manufacturing device that is capable of ensuring accurate measurement and dispensing of materials based on user-defined specifications, which promotes consistent product quality and reduces material waste during production.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an automated fiber cement board manufacturing device, comprising a housing with several chambers containing composite materials and a touch-enabled screen for user input on desired board dimensions. A microcontroller processes these inputs to determine the required material amounts, activating a motorized iris lid for dispensing into a cylindrical member. Inside this member, a motorized stirrer mixes the materials, while a viscosity sensor monitors the slurry consistency. Once the desired viscosity is reached, an electronically controlled valve dispenses the slurry onto a tray. A motorized slider aligns the valve according to user specifications. Peltier units cool the slurry to solidify it into a cement board. Additionally, weight and tactile sensors provide feedback for re-filling and hardness checks, and a battery powers the device's electronic components.

[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 an automated fiber cement board manufacturing 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 an automated fiber cement board manufacturing device that is capable of facilitating customizable dispensing of the slurry in various shapes, allowing for flexibility in design and accommodating different user requirements, thereby expanding the range of applications for the product.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of an automated fiber cement board manufacturing device is illustrated, comprising a housing 101, configured with plurality of chambers 102, touch enabled screen 103 is arranged on the housing 101, a motorized iris lid 104 configured with the chamber, a cylindrical hollow member 105 installed underneath the chamber, a motorized stirrer 106 installed within the member 105, an electronically controlled valve 107 arranged beneath the member 105, a motorized slider 108 configured between the member 105 and side wall of the housing 101, a tray 109 configured on base of the housing 101, and a speaker 110 mounted on the housing 101.

[0023] The proposed device comprises of a housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface. The housing 101 that is developed a protective exterior of the device and the components associated with the device are mounted in and over the housing 101. The housing 101 is preferably cuboidal in shape and made up of stainless steel that offers a corrosion resistant, strength and durability to the device and is easy to maintain.

[0024] The housing 101 is configured with plurality of chambers 102, each stored with various composite materials such as cement, cellulose fibers, silica dust and water and initially the user is required to access a touch enabled screen 103 is arranged on the housing 101 to give input commands regarding a shape of fiber cement board a user desires to manufacture.

[0025] The touch enabled screen 103 mapped herein consists of multiple tiny electrically active wires. When user touch the options illustrated over the screen 103, the wires are pressed together and circuit is completed. Which results in flow of voltages across the circuit. That voltage flow is detected by a microcontroller linked with the screen 103 in form of electric signals. Further the signals are processed by the microcontroller to determine the user’s input regarding a shape of fiber cement board a user desires to manufacture.

[0026] Based on the command, the microcontroller actuates an amount of the composite materials to be utilized for manufacturing the board of the user-defined dimensions. Each chambers 102 features a motorized iris lid 104 and based on the evaluation done by the microcontroller, the microcontroller actuates the lids to be opened for dispensing the determined amount of the composite materials in a cylindrical hollow member 105 installed underneath the chamber from side wall of the housing 101.

[0027] The motorized iris lid 104s comprises of a ring in bottom configured with multiple slots along periphery, multiple number of blades and blade actuating ring on the top. The blades are pivotally jointed with blade actuating ring and the base plate are hooked over the blade. The blade actuating ring is rotated clock and antilock wise by a DC motor embedded in ball actuating ring which results in opening of the lid to dispense composite materials in the cylindrical hollow member 105.

[0028] Post dispension, the microcontroller actuates a motorized stirrer 106 to mix the dispensed composite materials to produce the slurry. The motorized stirrer 106 consists of a motor and a stirring blade which is directly coupled to the shaft of the motor is order to rotate the blade. The stirring blade is designed in such a way which on rotating produce swirl motion in member 105, fir obtaining a slurry.

[0029] A viscosity sensor is installed within the member 105 to monitor viscosity of the slurry. The viscosity sensor disclosed herein consist of a step motor and an object directly coupled with the shaft of the motor. The microcontroller linked with the viscosity meter determines the viscosity of the slurry by means of torque applied by the motor to rotate the object within the mixture, as torque increases with increase in the viscosity of the slurry and as soon the monitored viscosity matched with a threshold viscosity, the microcontroller actuates an electronically controlled valve 107 arranged beneath the member 105 to dispense the slurry in a pipe lined with the container and transfer over a tray 109 configured on base of the housing 101.

[0030] Post dispension of the slurry on the tray 109, the microcontroller actuates a motorized slider 108 configured between the member 105 and side wall of the housing 101 for translating and aligning the valve 107 in accordance with user-specified shape. The motorized slider 108 consists of a sliding rail and multiple rollers which on actuation rolls over the rail in order to translate the valve 107 and rollers for aligning the valve 107 in accordance with user-specified shape and post successful dispensing of the slurry over the tray 109, the microcontroller actuates plurality of Peltier units configured with a conduit arranged around the tray 109 and filled with a liquid coolant.

[0031] The Peltier unit employed herein is based on the Peltier effect that stated that the cooling of one junction and the heating of the other when electric current is maintained in a circuit of material consisting of two dissimilar conductors. The Peltier effect related to production or absorption of heat at the junction of two metals on the passage of a current. Herein the Peltier unit generates the cooling effect for cooling the coolant to solidify the slurry to obtain a solid cement board.

[0032] A tactile sensor positioned on the tray 109 for detecting hardness of the manufactured board. The tactile sensor employed herein is composed of an elastic body, ferrous probe, TMR (tunnel magneto resistive) element, and a permanent magnet. When the elastic body embedded with ferrous probe touches the board under the certain size of force, deformation is produced in elastic body. Correspondingly, the ferrous probe is forced forward to be displaced and as a result the background magnetic field is distorted. The distorted magnetic field was detected by TMR elements and transmitted to the microcontroller in form of electrical signal. After processing the received signal, the microcontroller determine the hardness of the board and as soon as the detected hardness matches a threshold value, the microcontroller activates a speaker mounted on the housing 101 to produce alerts to notify the user to collect the board from the housing 101 via an opening crafted on the housing 101.

[0033] A weight sensor is embedded within the chamber for detecting weight of the composite materials. The weight sensor consists of a piezoelectric measuring coils which measures the strain generated due to weight of the composite materials and converts the measured strain into electrical pulse. Further the microcontroller processes the electric pulse in order to detect the magnitude of intensity of the pulse in order to detect the weight of the composite materials stored in one of the chambers 102 and as soon as the detected weight recedes a threshold value, the microcontroller sends an alert on a computing unit for notifying the user to re-fill the chamber.

[0034] The computing unit is wirelessly linked with a microcontroller via a communication module which includes but not limited to Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) module, Bluetooth module, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) module. The communication module employed herein acts as an intermediate between various electronic components, wherein the module is used to establish the communication between the users’s computing unit and the microcontroller. The customized Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) module is designed for establishing a wireless connection between computing unit and the microcontroller. This module is able to receive serial data from radiation monitoring devices such as microcontroller and transmit the data as text SMS to the computing unit for notifying the user to refill the chambers 102.

[0035] A battery is associated with the device to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein. The battery is comprised of a pair of electrode named as a cathode and an anode. The battery use a chemical reaction of oxidation/reduction to do work on charge and produce a voltage between their anode and cathode and thus produces electrical energy that is used to do work in the device.

[0036] The present invention works well in the following manner where housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface and initially the user is required to access touch enabled screen 103 to give input commands regarding a shape of fiber cement board a user desires to manufacture. Based on the command, the microcontroller actuates an amount of the composite materials to be utilized for manufacturing the board of the user-defined dimensions and actuates the lids opened for dispensing the determined amount of the composite materials in the cylindrical hollow member 105 which are mixed by the stirrer 106 to prepare the slurry that is further dispensed on the tray 109 by the valve 107. Thereafter the motorized slider 108 translating and aligning the valve 107 in accordance with user-specified shape for dispension and post successful dispensing of the slurry over the tray 109, the microcontroller actuates plurality of Peltier units configured with a conduit arranged around the tray 109 and filled with a liquid coolant.

[0037] 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) An automated fiber cement board manufacturing device, comprising:

i) a housing 101 developed to be positioned on a ground surface, and configured with plurality of chambers 102, each stored with various composite materials, wherein a touch enabled screen 103 is arranged on said housing 101 for enabling a user to give input commands regarding a shape of fiber cement board a user desires to manufacture;
ii) a microcontroller linked with said screen 103 that processes said input commands and determines an amount of said composite materials to be utilized for manufacturing said board of said user-defined dimensions, and accordingly actuates a motorized iris lid 104 configured with said chamber to open for dispensing said determined amount of said composite materials in a cylindrical hollow member 105 installed underneath said chamber from side wall of said housing 101;
iii) a motorized stirrer 106 installed within said member 105 and actuated by said microcontroller to mix said dispensed composite materials to produce said slurry, wherein a viscosity sensor is installed within said member 105 to monitor viscosity of said slurry and as soon said monitored viscosity matched with a threshold viscosity, said microcontroller actuates an electronically controlled valve 107 arranged beneath said member 105 to dispense said slurry in a pipe lined with said container and transfer over a tray 109 configured on base of said housing 101; and
iv) a motorized slider 108 configured between said member 105 and side wall of said housing 101 for translating and aligning said valve 107 in accordance with user-specified shape, wherein post successful dispensing of said slurry over said tray 109, said microcontroller actuates plurality of Peltier units configured with a conduit arranged around said tray 109 and filled with a liquid coolant for cooling said coolant to solidify said slurry to obtain a solid cement board.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said composite materials includes cement, cellulose fibers, silica dust and water.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a weight sensor is embedded within said chamber for detecting weight of said composite materials, and as soon as said detected weight recedes a threshold value, said microcontroller sends an alert on a computing unit for notifying said user to re-fill said chamber.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tactile sensor positioned on said tray 109 for detecting hardness of said manufactured board, and as soon as said detected hardness matches a threshold value, said microcontroller activates a speaker mounted on said housing 101 to produce alerts to notify said user to collect said board from said housing 101 via an opening crafted on said housing 101.

5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery is associated with said device for powering up electrical and electronically operated components associated with said device.