Holding frame and construction robot with tool interface

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding frame (22) for receiving a tool (24) having a battery interface (58) for receiving a battery (60) such that the battery is removable, in particular without the use of a tool. The holding frame (22) has a holding portion (70) designed to be complementary to the battery interface (58). The holding frame (22) also has an attachment point (80) for attachment to a manipulator (18) of the construction robot (10). The invention also relates to a construction robot (10). The invention permits a particularly wide range of use of the construction robot (10) at low cost.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to performing construction tasks by means of a construction robot. In particular, the present invention relates to a construction robot having a manipulator on which a tool interface is located, and to a holding frame for a tool.

[0002] There is a high demand for low-cost living and working spaces. Currently, there are a lot of efforts to reduce the cost of building production through the widest possible use of automation, and further reduce the health risks of construction workers. For this purpose, the use of construction robots is increasing.

[0003] However, due to their complexity, construction robots have so far been very expensive to produce.

[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to be able to utilize construction robots to the greatest extent possible so as to be able to reduce time-related costs. The more flexible the construction robots are in use, in particular the sooner they can be used for different types of construction tasks, the sooner this goal can be achieved.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution which allows the greatest possible variety of construction tasks to be performed with the aid of one construction robot.

[0006] This object is firstly achieved by a holding frame for receiving a tool, which tool has a battery interface for receiving a battery, so that the battery is removable, in particular without using a tool, wherein the holding frame has a holding part, which is designed complementary to the battery interface, and wherein the holding frame has an attachment point for attaching to a manipulator of a construction robot.

[0007] The tool provided with the holding frame may in particular be a hand-held power tool which may be powered by a rechargeable battery.

[0008] The tool can thus be arranged on the holding frame, wherein the holding part engages into the battery interface, so that the tool can be easily fixed to the holding frame.

[0009] Different tools, in particular tools of different types, can thus be arranged securely on the same holding frame.

[0010] Here, the fact that different types of tools usually have the same battery interface can be used. This can be particularly suitable for battery-powered tools, such as battery-powered handheld power tools, such as hand drills (especially rock drills), nail guns, grinders, power saws, power chisels, etc.

[0011] Here, the battery interface can perform at least two functions: Firstly, the battery interface can be designed to securely hold the battery on the power tool.

[0012] Secondly, the battery interface can be configured to transmit operating energy. Here, the operating energy can be unidirectionally transmittable, in particular from the battery to the power tool. The operating energy can also be bidirectionally transmittable, for example for the purpose of recharging the battery by energy recovery. The battery interface can also have other additional functions. In particular, the battery interface can also be configured for signal transmission between the battery and the power tool. The signal transmission can also be unidirectional or bidirectional.

[0013] The battery interface can, for example, have a guide rail. The holding frame can have a bracket designed to complement the guide rail. The holding frame can then be pushed onto the guide rail together with its bracket. The battery interface and / or the holding frame can have a latching mechanism. The holding frame can then be latched onto the battery interface after having been pushed onto the guide rail. The latching mechanism can be designed to be releasable without the use of tools.

[0014] In one class of exemplary embodiments, the holding frame can have a support arm, which is located at a different point from the holding part, in order to additionally support the tool. The holding frame can be designed in particular to support the tool at a plurality of different points, in particular to hold the tool at a plurality of points. With the aid of such a multi-point support, torques occurring during operation of the tool can be better absorbed by the holding frame. If necessary, the torques can be better counteracted.

[0015] If the tool is designed as a handheld power tool, the tool usually has a connection part for a side handle. The support arms of the holding frame can then be positioned so that when the holding frame has been mounted on the battery interface, the support arms hold the tool at the connection part of the tool, for example engage around the connection part of the tool.

[0016] In order to avoid excessive loading of the manipulator, in particular to avoid damage to the manipulator, the holding frame can have at least one vibration damper. The vibration damper can have a foam material and / or an elastic or at least partially elastic material. The vibration damper can be configured to reduce vibrations transmitted from the power tool to the rest of the holding frame.

[0017] At least one electrical connection can be formed between the holding part and the attachment point. Thus, an electric current (e.g. for supplying operating energy of the tool or transmitting signals) can be transmitted unidirectionally or bidirectionally between the holding part and the attachment point, and thus between the tool mounted in the holding frame and the manipulator mounted on the holding part.

[0018] In order to be able to use as many different types of tools as possible with the holding frame (and therefore with a specific construction robot), the electrical connector is adapted to the electrical parameters of the tool and / or the electrical parameters of the construction robot. For this purpose, the holding frame can have a converter for converting at least one electrical parameter along the electrical connector. The converter can be, for example, a DC / DC converter, an AC / DC converter, a DC / AC converter, an amplifier, a limiter, an impedance converter, a signal code converter, etc. The converter can be remotely controllable and / or programmable. It is therefore conceivable that the user of the holding frame and / or the construction robot programs and / or remotely controls the converter based on the type of tool to be installed and / or installed.

[0019] In particular, if different tools are available which in each case have one of the at least two types of battery interface, it is conceivable to provide at least two different holding frames of the above-mentioned type, wherein the at least two different holding frames each have attachment points which are designed to complement in each case one of the other types of battery interface.

[0020] The scope of the present invention also covers a construction robot for performing construction tasks at a building construction site, at a civil engineering construction site and / or at a steel construction site, for example on a gas or oil platform, the construction robot comprising, in particular, a motorized mobile platform and comprising a manipulator, wherein the manipulator has a tool interface designed to complement the attachment points of a holding frame of the type described herein.

[0021] The tool can thus be mounted in the holding frame, in particular on the battery interface. The holding frame can in turn be mounted with its attachment points on the tool interface of the manipulator. The holding frame thus abstracts the type, shape and / or other specifications of the tool. Thus, a unified facility can be formed for attaching a system consisting of holding frame and tool to a construction robot. Thus, a large number of easily available and therefore inexpensive tools can be used with the construction robot.

[0022] For temporary storage of tools, the construction robot can have a storage magazine. At least one tool can be received in the storage magazine, in particular by means of a holding frame of the type described here.

[0023] A holding frame of the type described here can be mounted on a robot arm. The tool can be arranged on the holding frame, in particular via its battery interface.

[0024] It is conceivable that the tool is configured so that at least one tool function, such as motor power, rotation frequency and / or operating mode, can be controlled via a battery interface of the tool and / or wirelessly controlled. The construction robot can thus control the tool in order to, for example, use the tool to perform a construction task or at least a part of a construction task.

[0025] For this purpose, it is conceivable that the tool has a data interface. The data interface can be integrated into the battery interface. Alternatively or additionally, the data interface can also be radio-based. The tool can then be remotely controllable via the data interface.

[0026] For example, the data interface may be configured to transmit control commands, characteristic data, and / or status data.

[0027] For example, the operating mode and / or operating state of the tool can be controlled thereby. In particular, the tool can be turned on and / or off by remote control.

[0028] It is also conceivable that at least one operating power level, rotation direction, rotation frequency, torque or impact frequency can be set by remote control.

[0029] In the case of a tool with an impact function, it can be particularly advantageous if the impact function can be set by remote control. Thus, for example, for drilling a hole in concrete, the construction robot can start drilling with the impact function deactivated and can later enable the impact function in order to minimize the risk of undesired breakage of the drilled hole edge.

[0030] The tool may be configured to provide the characteristic data in a retrievable manner, in particular retrievable via a data interface, for example in the form of identifying at least one datum, a performance capability, such as a maximum available impact energy and / or a maximum available operating power.

[0031] It is also conceivable that the tool is configured to provide at least one operating state of the power tool in a retrievable manner, in particular retrievable via a data interface, such as at least one rotational speed, temperature, wear measurement of one of the components, etc.

[0032] For this purpose, it is advantageous if the data interface is designed to be bidirectional. Thus, for example, control commands can be transmitted from the construction robot to the tool and characteristic and / or status data can be transmitted from the tool to the construction robot. It is also conceivable that, alternatively or additionally, control commands and / or characteristic data and / or status data can also be transmitted in each case in the opposite direction.

[0033] The tool can have at least one protective device for protecting the user during manual use of the power tool. The protective device can be, for example, a start lock, in particular a restart lock, which prevents the motor from starting simply because a supply voltage is applied, in particular without additional actuation of an actuating element.

[0034] The construction robot can be designed to perform construction work at a building construction site and / or at a civil engineering construction site and / or in a particularly steel-based industrial facility, for example, on an oil platform. The construction robot can be configured to perform construction work on a ceiling, a wall and / or a floor. The construction robot can be designed to drill, cut, chisel, grind and / or set structural elements. The construction robot can have one or more tools. At least one tool can be mounted on the construction robot, particularly on a manipulator, by means of a holding frame. The tool can include a cutting tool, a grinding tool, and / or a setting tool. It is also conceivable that the tool is designed for marking. The tool can, for example, have a paint spray gun. Alternatively or additionally, the tool can also have a measuring tool, such as a rangefinder.

[0035] The construction robot may have a manipulator. The manipulator may be formed as a robot arm. The manipulator may also have a lifting device. The lifting device may increase the size of the total volume that the manipulator can reach. The manipulator may have at least three degrees of freedom. In particular, the manipulator may have at least six degrees of freedom.

[0036] The construction robot may also have a mobile platform. The mobile platform may include a wheeled chassis and / or a crawler chain chassis. The mobile platform may have at least two degrees of freedom. The construction robot may have a total of at least ten degrees of freedom. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the mobile platform is or includes a flying platform. For example, the construction robot may also be designed as a flying drone.

[0037] Further features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and from the claims, which show details essential to the invention. The features shown therein are not necessarily to be considered true to scale, but are presented in a manner that enables the special features according to the invention to be clearly visualized. In variants of the invention, the various features may be realized individually by themselves or collectively in any combination.

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the schematic drawings and explained in detail in the following description. In the attached picture:

[0039] Figure 1 A construction robot is shown;

[0040] Figure 2 A tool having a battery interface is shown;

[0041] Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of a tool received in a holding frame;

[0042] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery interface having a retaining portion received therein;

[0043] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a holding frame with electrical connections and a converter; and

[0044] Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a holding frame with a vibration damper, wherein a tool is received in the holding frame.

[0045] In the following description of the figures, the understanding of the invention is facilitated by the use of the same reference symbols in each case for identical or functionally corresponding elements.

[0046] Figure 1 A construction robot 10 is shown having a motorized chassis 12 designed as a crawler-chain chassis, having a control space 16 formed in a housing 14, and having a manipulator 18 arranged on top of the housing 14. The manipulator 18 includes a lifting device 17 for vertical movement and a multi-axis controllable arm 19.

[0047] An end effector 20 having a tool interface 21 is located at the free end of the arm 19 .

[0048] A tool 24 , in particular a rock drilling power tool having a dust removal device 26 , is detachably arranged on the tool interface 21 .

[0049] In order to detachably arrange the tool 24 on the tool interface 21, the tool is received in a holding frame 22. As will be discussed in more detail further below, the holding frame 22 is connected to the tool 24 via a battery interface of said tool.

[0050] The holding frame 22 is mounted on the tool interface 21. For this purpose, the tool interface 21 is configured for the detachable connection of the holding frame 22 and therefore also for the detachable connection of the tool 24.

[0051] The holding frame 22 has a support arm 25 , via which the holding frame 22 additionally supports the tool 24 .

[0052] The construction robot 10 is supplied with operating energy by an energy store 28, in particular in the form of rechargeable lithium-based accumulators. The construction robot can thus be used wirelessly.

[0053] The construction robot 10 also has a storage cassette 100. The storage cassette 100 has a plurality of storage spaces 102. Tools 24 can be placed in the free storage spaces 102 for storage and later reuse when needed. Additional elements, such as additional tools, can also be stored in the storage spaces 102 for later use, in particular for use with the construction robot 10. The tools received in the storage cassette 100 are preferably also equipped with a holding frame corresponding to the holding frame 22, so that the tools can also be mounted on the tool interface 21 via their respective holding frames.

[0054] The construction robot 10 preferably has a controller 36 disposed in the control space 16 within the housing 14. The controller 36 includes a memory module 38 and a microprocessor 40.

[0055] The controller 36 is provided with an executable program code 42. The program code 42 is retrievable and stored on the microprocessor 40 so as to be executable in the memory module 38. Via the communication interface 44, the controller 36 can contact a cloud-based computer system ( Figure 1 ), and can exchange data, such as data about the nature of the construction task to be performed, relevant location and / or situation data, and / or control commands.

[0056] The construction robot 10 is designed to perform construction tasks (e.g., drilling work in ceilings and walls) at a construction site, in particular at a building construction site, a civil engineering construction site, and / or a steel structure construction site (e.g., on an oil or gas production platform). In particular, the controller 36 can control the manipulator 18 so that construction work can be performed on ceilings and walls. An example of such a construction task can be, for example, drilling a borehole in a concrete ceiling using a tool 24 designed as a rock drilling power tool, in particular a borehole with a specific hole depth and / or a specific borehole diameter.

[0057] The construction robot 10 is configured to automatically remove the tool 24 arranged on the tool interface 21 and to mount a second tool on the tool interface 21. With the aid of its manipulator 18, the construction robot 10 can move the tool 24 to a free storage space 102 and then remove the holding frame 22 from the tool interface 21. A second tool can be picked up from one of the other storage spaces 102 and mounted on the tool interface 21 by its holding frame.

[0058] Figure 2 Tool 24 is shown. Tool 24 is a battery-powered rock drilling power tool. The tool can be received in the holding frame 22 (see Figure 1 ).

[0059] The tool 24 has a base 50 from which a tool accessory 52 projects at one end. The tool accessory 52 is designed to receive a drilling tool or a chiseling tool. The tool accessory can be driven by a motor located in the base 50 for rotation and / or impact action.

[0060] At the other end, the tool has a handle 54. Located on the handle 54 is an actuating element 56, which can be used to manually control the tool 24. In particular, the actuating element 56 can be used to start and stop the drilling operation or to adjust the rotation speed.

[0061] Furthermore, the tool 24 has a battery interface 58. The battery interface 58 is designed to receive a rechargeable battery, such as the battery 60. The battery interface is used, among other things, to secure the battery 60 to the tool 24, to transfer operating energy between the battery 60 and the tool 24, and to transfer signals between the battery and the tool, for example when the tool 24 is used manually.

[0062] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the battery 60 has been pushed approximately halfway into the battery interface 58. The battery interface 58 has a latch mechanism 62 which is only shown for illustration purposes. Figure 2 The latching structure is schematically indicated in FIG. The latching mechanism 62 is designed so that the battery 60, which has been completely pushed onto the battery interface 58, is subject to resistance, so that when the resistance generated by the latching mechanism 62 is overcome, the battery 60 can be removed from the battery interface 58. Therefore, the latching mechanism 62 allows installation and removal without the use of tools, and still allows the battery 60, which has been completely pushed onto the battery interface, to be placed on the tool 24 securely enough.

[0063] In order to enable the battery 60 to be mounted on the battery interface 58, the battery 60 has a battery attachment point 64 which is designed to complement the battery interface 58. The tool 24 can also be supplied with operating energy from the battery 60 via the battery interface 58.

[0064] The battery interface 58 is also configured to receive a control signal, by means of which at least one function of the tool 24 , for example the function of the above-mentioned actuating element 56 , can be controlled.

[0065] The tool 24 also has an additional handle 66 which is arranged on the basic body 50 in a holding region 68 in the vicinity of the tool accessory 52 .

[0066] The additional handle 66 may be detachable.

[0067] The support arm 25 of the holding frame 22 (both at Figure 168 and can at least partially surround the holding area when the tool 24 is received in the holding frame 22.

[0068] Figure 3 There is shown a schematic side view of a tool 24 received in a holding frame 22. In particular, it can be seen that the holding frame 22 encloses the tool 24 to a large extent.

[0069] The tool 24 is held at two points in the holding frame 22. In particular, the tool is held by its battery interface 58 and the holding portion 70 of the holding frame 22, and by its holding area 68, which at least partially engages around the support arm 25 of the holding frame 22 and is therefore additionally supported by the support arm of the holding frame. The support arm 25 is located at a different point in the holding frame 22 than the holding portion 70. The support arm is in particular located outside the center of gravity SP of the tool 24, so as to also be able to at least partially absorb, and for example counteract, any torque generated about said center of gravity SP when the tool 24 is in operation.

[0070] Figure 4 A section through the battery interface 58 is schematically shown, in which the holding section 70 of the holding frame 22 is received.

[0071] Battery interface 58 has lateral guides 74 .

[0072] The holding portion 70 is designed to be complementary to the battery interface 58, in particular to the guide rail 74. The holding portion 70 engages behind the guide rail 74 by means of the slide-in portion 76.

[0073] The tool 24 and the holding part 70 are thus connected to one another by a form fit.

[0074] Figure 5 A cross section of the holding frame 22 and a cross section of the tool interface 21 are schematically shown.

[0075] The electrical connector 78 electrically connects the retaining portion 70 with an attachment point 80 of the retaining frame 22 .

[0076] The attachment point 80 is designed to be complementary to the tool interface 21 so that the holding frame 22 can be mounted on the tool interface 21 at the attachment point 80. To simplify the illustration, Figure 5 A state is shown in which the holding frame 22 has not yet been mounted on the tool interface 21 .

[0077] The attachment point 80 and the tool interface 21 have electrical contacts 82, 84, by means of which the tool interface 21 can be connected to the electrical connection 78 and thus also to the holding part 70. Thus, ultimately, the tool 24 mounted on the holding frame 22 (see e.g. Figure 1 ) can be supplied with operating energy via a supply line 86, which is connected at one end to the contact 84 and at the other end to the construction robot 10 (see Figure 1 ) of an energy source, such as an energy storage 28 (see Figure 1 ).

[0078] When the tool 24 has been installed in the holding frame 22, the control signal for controlling the tool 24 can also be transmitted from the construction robot 10 (see FIG. 1 ) via the supply line 86. Figure 1 ) is transmitted to tool 24.

[0079] The converter 88 is integrated into the electrical connection 78 . In the exemplary embodiment, the converter 88 is a programmable DC / DC converter. The programming can be carried out by means of a suitable programming signal applied to the electrical contacts 82 .

[0080] Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, operating energy transmitted via contacts 82 in the form of a DC voltage of, for example, approximately 48 V may be adjusted to a DC voltage suitable for tool 24 , for example, approximately 22 V.

[0081] To be able to utilize different types of tools, converter 88 can be programmed for a number of different output voltages.

[0082] Figure 6 is a highly schematic illustration of an alternative holding frame 22. Unless described otherwise, the holding frame 22 corresponds to the embodiments of the holding frame 22 described above.

[0083] Likewise, a tool 24 is received in the holding frame 22 .

[0084] The holding frame 22 has a plurality of vibration dampers 90 , 92 , 94 .

[0085] The vibration dampers 90, 92, 94 each have one or more spring elements. These vibration dampers are designed (particularly arranged) so that vibrations originating from the tool 24 are transmitted to the holding frame 22 only after they have been damped and, possibly, from there to the construction robot 10 on which the holding frame 22 is mounted (see Figure 1 ).

[0086] The vibration dampers 90 , 92 , 94 may also dampen unwanted vibrations in the opposite direction.

[0087] In addition to the support arm 25 , the holding frame 22 also has a second support arm 96 , so that the tool 24 is held by the holding frame 22 at a total of three points.

[0088] The vibration damper 94 is integrated in the holding frame 22. Therefore, vibrations acting on the lower part 98 of the holding frame 22 are transmitted to the rest of the holding frame 22 only after having been damped. The lower part 98 is in turn fixedly connected to the tool 24 via the battery interface 58.

[0089] List of Reference Numerals

[0090] 10 Construction Robots

[0091] 12 Chassis

[0092] 14 Shell

[0093] 16 Widget Space

[0094] 17 Lifting device

[0095] 18 Robot

[0096] 19 arms

[0097] 20 End effector

[0098] 21 Tool Interface

[0099] 22 Holding frame

[0100] 24 Tools

[0101] 25 Support arm

[0102] 26Dust removal device

[0103] 28 Energy Storage

[0104] 36 Controllers

[0105] 38 memory modules

[0106] 40 microprocessors

[0107] 42Program code

[0108] 44 Communication interface

[0109] 50 base

[0110] 52 Tool Accessories

[0111] 54 handles

[0112] 56 Actuating element

[0113] 58 battery interface

[0114] 60 batteries

[0115] 62 Latch mechanism

[0116] 64 battery attachment points

[0117] 66 auxiliary handle

[0118] 68 holding area

[0119] 70 holding part

[0120] 74 rails

[0121] 76 Slide-in section

[0122] 78 electrical connectors

[0123] 80 attachment points

[0124] 82 contacts

[0125] 84 contacts

[0126] 86 Supply Line

[0127] 88 Converter

[0128] 90 Vibration Damper

[0129] 92 Vibration Damper

[0130] 94 Vibration Damper

[0131] 96 Support Arm

[0132] 98 parts

[0133] 100 Storage Boxes

[0134] 102 Storage Space

[0135] SP Center of Gravity

Claims

1. A holding frame (22) for receiving a tool (24), the tool having a battery interface (58) for receiving a battery (60), so that the battery is removable, in particular without using a tool, wherein: The holding frame (22) has a holding portion (70) which is designed complementarily to the battery interface (58), and wherein the holding frame (22) has an attachment point (80) for attaching to a manipulator (18) of a construction robot (10).

2. The holding frame according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The holding frame (22) has a support arm (25) located at a different point from the holding portion (70) to additionally support the tool (24).

3. A holding frame according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The holding frame (22) has at least one vibration damper (92, 94, 96).

4. A holding frame according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that At least one electrical connection (78) is formed between the retaining portion (70) and the attachment point (80).

5. A holding frame according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The holding frame (22) has a converter (88) for converting at least one electrical parameter along the electrical connection (78).

6. A construction robot (10) for performing construction tasks at a building construction site, at a civil engineering construction site and / or at a steel construction site, for example, on a gas or oil platform, the construction robot comprising, in particular, a motorized mobile platform (12) and a manipulator (18), wherein: The robot (18) has a tool interface (21) designed to complement an attachment point (80) of a holding frame (22) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

7. The construction robot according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The construction robot has a storage magazine (100) in which at least one tool (24) is received by means of a holding frame (22) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. The construction robot according to any one of the preceding two claims, characterized in that: A holding frame (22) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 is mounted on the robot (18), on which a tool (24) having a battery interface (58) is arranged.

9. The construction robot according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The tool (24) is configured such that at least one tool function, such as motor power, rotation frequency and / or operating mode, can be controlled via a battery interface (58) of the tool and / or wirelessly controlled.

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