WO1996007580A1

WO1996007580A1 - Apparatus capable of mounting and moving on object surface

Info

Publication number: WO1996007580A1
Application number: PCT/JP1995/001752
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fukashi Urakami
Original assignee: Uragami Fukashi
Priority date: 1994-09-06
Filing date: 1995-09-04
Publication date: 1996-03-14
Also published as: AU3354995A; JPH0872762A

Abstract

An apparatus capable of mounting and moving on an object surface without requiring a drive wheel nor a guide wheel, which is simple-structured, light-weight and low-cost and capable of continuous movements. The movable apparatus comprises a plurality of suction units each of which comprises: one or more than one first linear actuator capable of reciprocating in the front-to-rear moving directions; one or more than one second linear actuator mounted to the first linear actuator, the second linear actuator being capable of reciprocating in directions intersecting the plane of the object surface; one or more than one suction body mounted to the second linear actuator. The apparatus can control the position of a suction surface of the suction body to at least three positions; the most receded position at which the suction surface is most receded from an object surface toward the apparatus; the normal position at which the suction surface generally coincides with the object surface; and the most projected position at which the suction surface is projected beyond the object surface toward the inside of the object.

Description

Specification

Device that can be attached to an object surface and move along it

The present invention uses an adsorbent that can be adsorbed on the surface of an object such as a vacuum suction cup or a magnet, and a mounting tool such as a chuck that attaches to the surface of the object using protrusions and holes on the surface of the object, such as a hull, various tanks, and a building. The present invention relates to a device that can be attached to the surface of an object such as a wall or a rock wall of a large-sized structure, and that can be moved along the surface.

Back technology

The present inventor has already proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 51-79497 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,164 a device that adsorbs on a wall surface and travels along the wall surface. In the above device, an airframe running along a wall surface, a base slidably provided along a required number of guides arranged on the airframe, and> the base is slid. A moving cylinder device mounted on the airframe, and a suction cylinder device mounted on the base for bringing a wall suction body made of a vacuum suction device or a magnet suspended from the base into contact with the wall surface. The company did not provide a wall suction traveling device.

A conventional device that can be adsorbed on a wall surface and movable along the wall surface described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 51-97497 is described as follows. There is a base which is provided slidably along the guide, and further, a moving cylinder device for sliding the guide is provided on the body. " The device does not have any function to move the device or the body along the wall, but has a function to move along the wall (it has the function to travel along the wall by itself or by external force. (Aircraft) "was required separately. In other words, in the above-described apparatus, an airframe that can move by itself when the drive wheels are mounted, or an airplane that is mounted with guide wheels and can be moved by an external force such as a winch is indispensable.

The task to be solved by the present invention is to provide a simpler, more elaborate and less costly device that can be attached to and moved along the surface of an object. Is to do it.

In addition, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to use an attachment, such as a chuck or gripper, which can be attached to a projection or a hole existing on the surface of the object, in addition to the adsorbent, to `` attach to the object surface ''. And a device that can move along with it. "

Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above technical solution, the present invention has attempted to eliminate drive wheels or guide wheels which are indispensable in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus. In addition to the adsorbent, it is also possible to use attachments that can be attached to the object surface in a broad sense, such as chucks and grippers.

In the following description, an example will be described in which an adsorbent such as a vacuum suction cup is used as an attachment to the object surface. And can be replaced.

In the present invention, one or more first linear actuators capable of reciprocating back and forth in the transfer direction; and being reciprocated back and forth in the movement direction by the first linear actuator. One or more second linear actuators capable of reciprocating in a direction intersecting the object surface; and a direction intersecting the object surface by the second linear actuator. A device that is provided with a plurality of suction units composed of a single or a plurality of adsorbents reciprocally moved to and that can move along the surface of the object; and the adsorbing surface of the adsorbent and the surface of the object. Regarding relative position control relating to the distance from the object surface, the suction surface is separated from the object surface and the most retracted position where the suction surface is most drawn toward the device, and the suction surface is substantially at the same position as the object surface. Level S and the position control of the potato body so that the adsorption surface can be arbitrarily selected from at least three of the most extended positions beyond the surface of the object further inwardly of the surface of the object. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be attached to a surface of an object and that can move along the surface.

In addition, in the present invention, in addition to the above object, the function of the first activator for moving the device along the surface of the object is possessed by the first actuator. Providing a device attached to and movable along It is an object.

Furthermore, in the present invention, in addition to the above object, in controlling the speed at which the device moves along the surface of the object, the device is controlled so as to be able to move continuously without stopping. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be attached to a surface of an object and that can move along the surface.

In the means for achieving the above technical solution, the air for supplying compressed air to each air ejector for making each actuator and each vacuum suction S as an example of each adsorbent a negative pressure is provided. When the power supply is turned on and the power is turned on for each solenoid valve that controls the driving direction of each actuator and turns on and off the supply of compressed air to each air ejector, each vacuum suction cup is in the standard position. Then, each air ejector is activated and each vacuum sucker is ready to be adsorbed on the surface of the object. In addition, the device according to the present invention when the manual operation switch for raising or lowering the device a is not turned on at the time of air supply or heat supply and all solenoid valves are de-energized (hereinafter referred to as this device) This state is referred to as the standard state.

Next, when the main body g in the standard state is pressed against a wall as an example of the object surface, the main body allocation is vacuum-sucked to the wall. Then, when the manual operation switch is turned on, each magnetic valve of this device is automatically controlled by the action of the programmable controller. The configuration of the suction unit in each suction unit The operation of Murasaki is described below.

When the manually operated switch is turned on, the air ejector of the vacuum suction cup of the first set of suction units stops operating. Transfer to the most retracted position. Next, when the first linear actuator starts operating and moves up to the upper limit position g in the apparatus, the vacuum sucker starts operating the air ejector of the vacuum sucker, and at the same time, the vacuum sucker is activated by the second vacuum pump. When the suction surface of the vacuum suction cup comes into close contact with the wall surface during the movement, the gas inside the vacuum suction is exhausted and the sound is absorbed by the wall surface. As soon as it is confirmed by the vacuum switch that the vacuum suction has been adsorbed to the wall surface, the vacuum suction moves to the standard position g by the action of the second linear actuator. Also, it is confirmed by the vacuum switch that the vacuum suction has been adsorbed on the wall surface. Immediately after that, the vacuum sucker starts to move down to the lower limit position in the apparatus due to the action of the first linear actuator. The shilling body of the linear actuator starts ascending movement, that is, the apparatus connected to the cylinder body starts ascending movement.

In the case where this device is composed of two suction units, when the above-mentioned first linear actuator starts moving, immediately after that, another vacuum suction unit of another suction unit is immediately turned on. When the air ejector stops operating and the vacuum suction cup is separated from the wall, the vacuum suction cup moves to the most retracted position by the action of the second linear actuator. Next, when the first linear actuator starts operating and moves up to the upper limit position in the apparatus, the vacuum suction starts the air ejector of the vacuum suction and at the same time, the vacuum suction is started. The force that moves to the maximum extension position B by the action of the second linear actuator When the suction surface of the vacuum suction adheres to the wall surface during the movement, the gas inside the vacuum suction is exhausted and absorbed by the wall surface. I do. As soon as it is confirmed by the vacuum switch that the vacuum suction has been adsorbed on the wall surface, the vacuum suction moves to the standard position S by the action of the second linear actuator. As soon as it is confirmed by the vacuum switch that the vacuum suction has been adsorbed on the wall surface, the vacuum suction starts to move down to the lower limit position in the apparatus due to the action of the first linear actuator. At this time, since the vacuum suction cup has already been adsorbed on the wall surface, the cylinder body of the first linear actuator starts to move up, and consequently, the apparatus to which the cylinder body is connected moves up. Start.

In the case where the present apparatus is composed of two sets of suction units, when the first linear actuator of the suction unit described below starts moving, the first unit of the suction unit described above starts moving. If the linear actuator has not reached the lower limit position in the device and is still moving, the device can move up continuously without stopping temporarily.

Next, when the first linear actuator of the suction unit described later starts moving, the first linear actuator of the above-mentioned suction unit has reached the lower limit position in the apparatus. If the cylinder body of the first linear actuator of the suction unit, which will be described later, starts ascending while moving, the suction unit described above is immediately thereafter. The first linear reactor stops moving, and at the same time, the vacuum suction air ejector of the suction unit stops operating again, and the above-described operation of the suction unit described above will be resumed. Since it is repeated again, the description is omitted below.

As understood from the above description of the operation, even when the main unit B is composed of three or more sets of suction units, the adsorbent of at least one set of suction units is detached from the wall surface. It is possible to control this device so that each suction unit repeats a series of operations that move in the running direction, re-adsorb to the wall surface, and then move in the opposite direction to the running direction. In other words, it is possible to control this device so that all the adsorbents of the other adsorption units excluding one set of adsorption units having the adsorbents erected from the wall surface are adsorbed on the wall surface. In the device, the adsorbing power of a plurality of adsorbents can be utilized very effectively.

Specific examples of attachments to the surface of the object including the adsorber of this device include, in addition to vacuum suction, permanent magnets and adhesives equipped with electromagnets and jigs that forcibly detach from the wall. Various considerations can be made in consideration of the material and shape of the surface of the object such as the suction disk. For example, if there are many projections or holes on the surface of the object, a chuck that can arbitrarily grip the projections. A grip that can be inserted into the hole and arbitrarily grip the hole is attached. It is also possible to use it as a tool. It is also possible to use a drill that can be attached to the hole by drilling a deep hole in the surface of an object such as a rock wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the suction unit having the vacuum suction 51 in the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the suction moving operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIGS. 6-1 to 7-2.

FIG. 6-1 is a pneumatic circuit diagram showing a pneumatic circuit of a suction unit having a vacuum suction 51 in the apparatus S shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIGS. 7-1 to 7-2. FIG. 5 is a pneumatic circuit diagram showing a pneumatic circuit of a suction unit having a vacuum suction cup 52 in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIGS. 7-1 to 7-2.

FIG. 7-1 is a flowchart showing the suction moving operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 6-1 and 6-2. Figure 7-2 is a flowchart that follows the flowchart in Figure 7-1.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, according to the present invention? A preferred embodiment using a vacuum suction as an attachment to the surface of an object in the device configured as described above will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment in which the chuck / gripper is used as the attachment, the vacuum suction is simply replaced with the chuck / gripper, and will be easily described by the following embodiment. Since it can be imagined, it shall be omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the apparatus shown in the figure has four sets of suction units each having one vacuum suction S 51, 52, 53, 54 in the ascending direction of the apparatus (FIG. 1). 4 in parallel with (upward in 1). Since the elements constituting each of the four sets of suction units are common to the four sets of suction units and are completely the same, the components of the rightmost adsorption unit in FIG. 1 are the same. Will be described in detail. The suction unit includes a first linear actuator composed of two mouthless cylinders 2 that can reciprocate back and forth in the movement direction; and two pistons 2 of the rowless cylinder 2. One connecting plate 3 that connects between: The cylinder case 4 1 1 is fixed to the connecting plate 3 and the two piston rods 4 1 2 can reciprocate in the direction intersecting the object surface 0 1. A second linear actuator composed of a tandem cylinder 4; a vacuum suction 51 fixed to the distal end of a piston rod 41 through a spherical bearing 415; and two portless cylinders It consists of two H-shaped frames 11 1 that connect the upper and lower ends of the two cylinder cases 2 11 respectively.

For the tandem cylinder 4, a second biston rod 4 14 and a second cylinder case 4 13 are provided at the rear of the first air cylinder composed of the piston rod 4 12 and the cylinder case 4 1 1. Connects the second air cylinder, The stroke of the second air cylinder in the dem cylinder 4 is half that of the first air cylinder. The function of the second air cylinder in the illustrated tandem cylinder 4 is to enable the piston rod 412 of the first air cylinder to be arbitrarily set to three positions: the most extended position, the standard position, and the most retracted position. It has a function as a stopper. Note that FIG. 4 shows a state where the tandem cylinder 4 is in a standard position.

Explaining the details of the vacuum suction cup 51, the base S section 51 made of a rigid body such as aluminum is connected to the tip of the piston rod 4 12 via a spherical bearing 4 15 and the base section. The suction main body 5 12 made of a material having flexibility and a large coefficient of friction such as natural rubber is bonded to 5 11. In addition, an annular sponge rubber seal portion 5 13 is attached to the entire outer periphery of the suction cup main body 5 12, but the state of the sponge rubber seal portion 5 13 shown in FIG. Due to the pressure bonding to 1, the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the object surface 0 1 shrinks, indicating a state in which the suction cup main body 5 1 2 and the object surface 0 1 are strongly adhered. In the depressurizing space surrounded by the central depression of the suction main body 5 1 2 and the object surface 0 1, the air ejector (65 in Fig. 6-1), the suction hose 5 16 and the rotary piping joint 5 1 5 The suction holes 5 1 and 4 4 communicated with are opened.

In FIG. 3, it is shown that the vacuum suction cup 51 is in the standard position, the vacuum suction cup 52 is in the most retracted position, the vacuum suction cup 53 is in the most extended position, and the vacuum suction cup 54 is in the standard position. ing.

In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 7-2, two sets of suction units having a vacuum suction cup 51 and a vacuum suction cup 52 are connected by two upper and lower H-shaped frames 11 to form a set of books. It becomes an invented device (hereinafter referred to as the right device unit), and two sets of pot units having vacuum suction 53 and vacuum suction 54 are connected by two upper and lower H-shaped frames 12. The other two sets of the present invention are hereinafter referred to as a left unit, and the two sets of the present invention are shown connected to each other at the left and right ends of the H-shaped frames provided therein. I have.

Further, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, two sets of suction units each having a vacuum suction cup 51 and a vacuum suction cup 52 are connected to each other by a pair of upper and lower H-shaped frames 11 so that one set of right-hand units is provided. In another set of left-handed S-units, an installation unit and two sets of suction units having a vacuum suction cup 53 and a vacuum suction cup 54 are connected by upper and lower two H-shaped frames 12, A state in which the two sets of the present invention g are quickly connected up and down is shown. Next, the operation of the device as described above will be summarized and described. However, the operation of the left device unit is the same as the operation of the right device unit, and the description of the left device unit will be omitted. And

The operation procedure of the vacuum suction cups 51 and 54 and the vacuum suction cups 52 and 53 is so that the same operation is performed at the same timing when the moving direction of the device is straight. Is programmed in the programmable controller.

In Figs. 1 to 7-2, each of the factories 21, 41 F, 41 R, 22, 42 F, 42 R, and each vacuum pump 51, 52, 53, 5 Turn on the air source 61 that supplies compressed air to each air ejector 65 to make each a negative pressure, and control the driving direction of each actuator and supply compressed air to each air ejector. Turn on the power for each solenoid valve SV 11, SV 21, SV 31. SVU 1, SVD 1, SV 12, SV 22, SV 32, SVU 2, SVD 2 Each vacuum suction device is located at the standard position, and each air ejector is operated so that each vacuum suction device can be sucked to the object surface 01 at any time.

Note that when the air source is turned on and the power is turned on, the device for raising or lowering the device is not turned on and the solenoid valves are all de-energized. Is referred to as a standard state.

Next, when the device in the standard state is pressed against a wall as an example of the object surface, the device is vacuum-sucked to the wall. Subsequently, when the manual operation switch is turned on, the solenoid valves of this device are automatically controlled by the action of the programmable controller. However, the components of each suction unit of the right device unit are The operation will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6-1 and 6-2.

When the manually operated switch is turned on, the air ejector 65 of the suction unit 51 of the suction unit on the right side of the right device unit stops operating, so that the degree of vacuum of the vacuum unit 51 is reduced. When the vacuum switch 66 (VS 1) is turned off and turned off, the tandem The syringe 41 R constituting the cylinder contracts, and the vacuum suction cup 51 moves to the most retracted position. Next, the rodless cylinder 21 starts operating, moves up to the upper limit position in the device, and when the limit switch LSD1 operates, the air ejector 65 resumes operation and at the same time the cylinder 4 operates. As in the case of 1R, both the cylinder 41F constituting the tandem cylinder extends and the vacuum suction cup 51 moves to the S extension position, but in the middle of the movement, the suction surface of the vacuum suction 51 When pressed against 1, the gas inside the vacuum suction cup 51 is exhausted and adsorbed on the wall surface 01. As soon as the vacuum switch 66 (VS 1) confirms that the vacuum suction cup 51 has been adsorbed to the wall surface 01, the cylinder 41 F contracts and the vacuum suction cup 51 moves to the standard position. . As soon as the vacuum switch 66 (VS 1) confirms that the vacuum suction 51 has been adsorbed on the wall surface 01, the rodless cylinder 21 starts to move down to the lower limit position in the apparatus. However, at this time, since the vacuum suction 51 has already been suctioned to the wall surface 01, the cylinder body of the address cylinder 21 starts to move upward, that is, the cylinder body is connected. The device starts ascending movement.

In the case where the right device unit is composed of two sets of food and drink units as in the device of the embodiment, when the above-mentioned mouthless cylinder 21 starts moving, immediately after that, This time, the vacuum ejector 65 of another suction unit 52 stops operating, and when the vacuum sucker 52 is disengaged from the wall surface 01, the tandem cylinder is released.

It moves to the maximum retracted position g by the action of 42R and 42F. Next, when the dressing cylinder 22 starts operating and moves up to the upper limit position S in the main body B, the vacuum suction cup 52 starts operating the air ejector 65 of the vacuum suction cup 52 at the same time. The vacuum suction cup 52 moves to the maximum extension position by the action of the tandem cylinders 42 R and 42 F. However, if the suction surface of the vacuum suction cup 52 is pressed against the wall surface 01 during the movement, the vacuum suction cup 52 will not move. The gas inside 2 is exhausted and adsorbed on the wall surface 01. Then, as soon as the vacuum switch 66 (VS2) confirms that the vacuum suction 52 has been adsorbed to the wall surface 01, the vacuum suction is performed.

52 moves to the standard position S by the action of the tandem cylinder 42R.42F. As soon as it is confirmed by the vacuum switch 66 (VS 2) that the vacuum suction 52 has been adsorbed on the wall surface 01, the vacuum suction 52 is actuated by the loadless cylinder 22 to the right device. The descent movement starts to the lower limit position in the unit, but at this time, the vacuum suction 52 has already started. On the other hand, the cylinder body of the rodless cylinder 22 starts ascending movement because it is adsorbed on the wall surface 01, that is, the right unit to which the cylinder body is connected starts ascending movement.

In the case where the right-mounted S-unit is cited by two sets of suction units as in the apparatus of the embodiment, when the rodless cylinder 22 of the suction unit described later starts moving, If the above-mentioned suction unit mouth cylinder 21 has not reached the lower limit position in the right unit, and is still moving, the right unit unit is continuously stopped without stopping halfway. It is possible to move up.

Next, when the rodless cylinder 22 of the suction unit described later starts moving, the rodless cylinder 21 of the suction unit described above has not yet reached the lower limit position in the right device unit and is still moving. In the middle, when the cylinder body of the suction unit rodless cylinder 22 described later starts to move upward, immediately after that, the above-mentioned suction unit mouth cylinder 21 stops moving, and at the same time The operation of the air ejector 65 of the vacuum unit 51 of the suction unit 51 is stopped again, and the operation of the suction unit described above is repeated again.

If the movement of the left unit is stopped while the movement of the right unit is continued, the unit in which the two sets of the present invention are connected can move along a gentle curve. It becomes.

The operation of the device shown in FIG. 8 is the same as that of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 7-2, and will not be described. However, the device S shown in FIG. 8 is configured to have a small width dimension. It is suitable for purple cultivation on narrow walls.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention has been described above, various other embodiments of the device of the present invention can be considered in addition to the preferred embodiment according to the claims. Although the above description of the preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention has been made assuming that the device of the present invention is on a surface in the air, the device of the present invention can be applied underwater. be able to. As the air ejector in such a case, a water bomb-water drive ejector can be used.

In the present invention, the drive wheels or the guide wheels, which are indispensable in the conventional device, are eliminated, and a simple, lightweight, low-cost “attachment to the object surface and A device that can move along it. In addition, in the present invention, in addition to the adsorbent, a fixture such as a chuck or a gripper that can be attached to a projection or a hole existing on the surface of the object is used. Device ”can be provided.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. One or more first linear actuators that can reciprocate back and forth in the movement direction; and are reciprocated back and forth in the movement direction by the first linear actuator, and are themselves in contact with the object surface. One or more second linear actuators capable of reciprocating in an intersecting direction; and one or more adsorbents or the like reciprocated in a direction intersecting the object surface by the second linear actuator. A device which is attached to a surface of an object provided with a plurality of suction units and is movable along the surface of the object; the relative distance between the attachment such as the adsorbent and the surface of the object; With respect to the position S control, the most retracted position where the attachment is separated from the object surface and most retracted in the direction of the wake-up, and the attachment is And a mounting position such that the mounting position can be arbitrarily selected from at least three positions of at least the maximum extension position where the mounting position protrudes further inward of the object surface from the object surface. A device capable of being attached to and moving along the surface of an object.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function of the actuator for moving the device along the surface of the object is possessed by the first actuator. Equipment S that can be moved along.

3. The control of the speed at which the device g moves along the surface of the object is controlled such that the device g can move continuously without stopping temporarily. A device attached to and movable along a surface of the object as described.