SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING BUILDING MATERIALS FROM A BASE STATION TO A CONSTRUCTION ROBOT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for the automated execution of construction work in the construction of new buildings or the renovation of older buildings.

[0002] EP 3 824 787 A1 relates to an autonomous cleaning vehicle and an associated docking station that provides energy and fluid. Specifically disclosed are an autonomously mobile robot with a drive unit, electronic control system, energy storage device and fluid reservoir, as well as a docking station with complementary coupling elements, fluid reservoir, control unit and positioning device.

[0003] Mobile construction robots can be used to automate many construction processes in the future. Such systems are already under development or in use. Examples include mobile robots for construction documentation and monitoring, marking and labeling, drilling, bricklaying, and applying paint and plaster. These systems are powered either by an integrated fuel tank or electrical energy storage elements. Furthermore, some of these systems have an additional storage container for the building materials to be processed (e.g., mortar, paint, or plaster). Currently, no system exists that automates the refilling of the energy carrier or the charging of electrical energy storage elements. Automated mixing and refilling of the required building materials, as well as the cleaning of conveying equipment and processing tools, are also not yet automated.

[0004] Currently, refueling is done manually, as is the electrical power supply, which requires connecting a charging cable or permanently carrying a trailing cable and drawing power from the grid. Mixing and refilling building materials, as well as cleaning the processing tools (actuators) and the internal storage, pumping, and conveying systems, are also tasks performed manually.

[0005] The manual execution of these tasks means that the associated construction robots—even those with a high degree of automation—cannot operate autonomously for extended periods. They can typically only work for a few hours before their energy or material supplies are depleted. The need for regular manual intervention precludes a fully autonomous system that can operate independently for extended periods (e.g., 24 hours) without requiring intervention.

[0006] Increasing the size of storage containers or electrical energy storage systems has the disadvantage that the systems become too expensive, too large, or too heavy for mobile use. Furthermore, the limiting factor is often the processing time of the freshly mixed building material, which is usually only a few hours at most.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide possibilities for the automation of the auxiliary processes of refilling energy storage devices or energy carriers, mixing building materials, replenishing building materials and cleaning the conveying systems and processing tools for mobile construction robots, so that a reduction of the manual interventions required and the ability of the systems to work autonomously for a longer period of time become possible.

[0008] According to the invention, this problem is solved with a system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be realized with features specified in dependent claims.

[0009] The task is solved by using a semi-stationary base station, which is approached at regular intervals or as needed by at least one mobile construction robot and performs the aforementioned processes automatically.

[0010] The at least one mobile construction robot, designed to perform construction work, has at least one drive unit for its movement, a fuel reservoir and / or an electrical energy storage element, at least one storage container for building materials, and at least one actuator designed to perform construction work. Furthermore, it has an electronic control system for the at least one drive unit and the at least one actuator, as well as detachable connection elements for a temporary connection to connection elements located on a multi-coupling of a semi-stationary base station. These connection elements on the construction robot and the base station are designed and arranged in a complementary manner.A drive unit can be powered by an internal combustion engine, which can run on gas or liquid fuel, in conjunction with a corresponding fuel reservoir located on the construction robot. Alternatively, it can consist of at least one electric motor and an electrical energy storage element, either alone or additionally. The drive unit enables the mobile movement of the respective construction robot and / or the operation of its actuator.

[0011] The base station includes a delivery unit designed to connect the connection elements of the construction robot and the base station via a multi-coupling mechanism. Furthermore, the base station contains at least one connection for fuel and / or electrical power, at least one storage container for building material with a capacity several times greater than that of the construction robot's storage container, a dosing and / or mixing unit for unmixed building material and at least one liquid, a pump, a fuel storage container and / or an electrical energy storage element, and an electronic control unit.

[0012] There may also be a connection for fresh water.

[0013] The base station can also include a collection tank for process or wastewater, which can be connected to a multi-coupling connector. This allows a construction robot to collect contaminated water from the base station during operation.

[0014] Advantageously, each storage and receiving container can be equipped with at least one sensor to detect the respective fill level, each connected to the electronic control unit or the electronic control and regulation unit. This allows, in particular, the determination of when a construction robot needs to move to the base station for refilling and recharging, or when a base station needs to be refilled.

[0015] Particularly advantageous is the inclusion of a wirelessly operated transmitter and receiver unit on both the construction robot and the base station. This unit is designed to transmit instantaneous position coordinates for maneuvering the robot and / or information on current fill levels or the charge status of an electrical energy storage element. These units are connected to the electronic control unit and the electronic control and regulation unit. This allows instantaneous position coordinates to be determined and transmitted via satellite. However, the use of radar, lidar, or ultrasound-based systems is also possible, either alone or in addition. Transmitting fill levels or charge status ensures that sufficient water, building material, or electrical energy is available at the base station to guarantee safe refilling or recharging of the construction robot.Furthermore, preparatory measures can be taken before a construction robot docks at the base station. For example, a mixing process can be initiated, and the construction robot can then return to the base station for refilling later. This also enables optimized refilling and reloading, as a construction robot can return to a base station whenever at least one medium needs to be refilled or reloaded, thus avoiding unnecessary multiple trips. A base station can also send refill requests to a central logistics center when its supplies require it.

[0016] The base station may also contain a power converter and charge controller to influence the electrical power used to charge an electrical energy storage element.

[0017] Each electrical energy storage element may have a sensor designed to determine the current state of charge and connected to the respective transmitting and receiving unit and / or the electronic control unit or the electronic control and regulation unit.

[0018] The base station can be equipped with a device for cutting, milling, grinding, and / or drilling workpieces such as stones, tiles, insulation panels, roof tiles, or pieces of wood. The workpieces are transported to the base station by at least one mobile construction robot, placed or inserted at a defined location, processed by the appropriate device for cutting, milling, grinding, or drilling, and then picked up and installed by the mobile construction robot. This is particularly advantageous because it eliminates the need to integrate the necessary devices for processes that are not required for every workpiece into the mobile robot, thus reducing its weight and energy consumption.

[0019] The invention relates to a system that can be used for refilling energy carriers or charging electrical energy storage elements (accumulators) integrated into the construction robot, or for replenishing other liquid or gaseous energy carriers, as well as for mixing and refilling building materials (e.g., mortar, paint, screed, tile adhesive) or fresh water. The base station can be approached autonomously by the construction robot. The connection between the construction robot and the base station is made automatically using a multi-coupling via corresponding connection elements on the construction robot and the base station. Further functions that can be integrated into the base station include processing, refilling, or feeding workpieces or consumables, as well as rinsing and cleaning the construction robot and its attachments (actuators).

[0020] The invention provides a combination of at least one mobile construction robot with a semi-stationary base station capable of automating various auxiliary processes. Semi-stationary can be understood to mean that the base station does not need to have an integrated drive system (immobile), but can be quickly repositioned without significant setup effort (e.g., using a crane or forklift).

[0021] This invention enables mobile construction robot systems to operate autonomously for extended periods, i.e., without manual intervention. The required personnel is reduced to a minimum, thereby saving on labor costs and increasing the overall system's efficiency. Furthermore, automated mixing of building materials, for example, can achieve more consistent quality. Another advantage is that the construction robot can operate within a restricted safety zone, eliminating the need for regular human access.

[0022] The invention will be explained in more detail below by way of example.

[0023] This shows: Figure 1 shows a schematic example of a system according to the invention.

[0024] The mobile construction robot 1 automatically approaches the base station 2 and connects to it via a multi-coupling to the delivery unit 10. The multi-coupling can be used for the exchange of energy, building materials, fresh and wastewater, and, if necessary, also for the transmission of data and information (e.g., fill levels, charge status) and has corresponding connection elements. The base station 2 contains a storage container 3 for the unmixed building material. This can be dry building materials, such as dry mortar, or liquid building materials, such as paint. Alternatively, instead of an integrated storage container 3, the building material can also be stored in an external container and fed to the construction robot 1 via a separate conveying system connected to the base station (not shown). The building material is dosed and mixed by a dosing and mixing unit 4.Dosing can be achieved, for example, via a rotary valve, a screw conveyor, or a dosing pump. A mixer can be used for mixing. If additional water is required for mixing, it is supplied via a water connection 6. Alternatively, a water tank can be integrated into the base station (not shown). The mixed building material is then conveyed by a pump 5, via the multi-coupling and the corresponding connection elements, to the integrated storage container 11 for a single building material in the construction robot 1.

[0025] The base station 2 is supplied with electrical energy via an electrical power connection 7. This energy is transferred by a power converter and charge controller 8, via the multi-coupling and corresponding connection elements, to the integrated accumulator, which serves as the electrical energy storage element 12 of the construction robot 1. The entire process (mixing, dosing, pumping, charge control, etc.) is controlled and monitored by an electronic control unit 9. A gaseous or liquid fuel can also be supplied to the construction robot 1 via a fuel storage tank (not shown).

[0026] Additionally, the construction robot 1 can be supplied with fresh water via water connection 6 and the multi-coupling, which it can use, for example, for integrated cleaning (not shown). The resulting wastewater is routed via the multi-coupling and the corresponding connection elements to the base station 2 and stored in an integrated wastewater tank (not shown) or discharged via a separate wastewater connection (e.g., to an external wastewater tank).

[0027] The integration of further components for the automation of further auxiliary processes - e.g. for measuring and marking workpieces (e.g. tiles, stones, etc.) - is possible in principle.

Claims

1. A system for automatically carrying out construction work in new buildings or renovating older buildings, comprising at least one autonomous mobile construction robot (1) configured to carry out construction work and equipped with at least one drive unit for its movement, a fuel reservoir and / or an electrical energy storage element (12), at least one storage vessel (11) for building material and at least one actuator configured to carry out construction work, an electronic control system for the at least one drive unit, and removable connection elements which can make a temporary connection to connection elements provided on a multiple coupling of a semi-stationary base station (2), and the connection elements on the construction robot (1) and on the base station (2) are configured and arranged to complement each other, a feed unit (10), configured to connect the connection elements of the construction robot (1) and the base station (2) to the multiple coupling, being provided on the base station (2), at least one connection (7) for fuel and / or electrical energy, at least one storage vessel (3) in the base station (2) for building material with a capacity several times greater than the capacity of the storage vessel (11) of the construction robot (1), a fuel reservoir and / or an electrical energy storage element, and an electronic control and regulation unit (9), characterised in that a dosing and / or mixing unit (4) for unmixed building material and at least one liquid, as well as a pump (5), are provided.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterised in that a receptacle for service or waste water is provided in the base station (2) and is connected to a connection element of the multiple coupling.

3. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one sensor connected to the electronic control unit or the electronic control and regulation unit (9) to detect the respective fill level is provided in each of the storage vessel and receptacle.

4. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a rotary valve, a cross conveyor screw or a metering pump is part of a mixing unit.

5. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a wirelessly operable transmitting and receiving unit is provided on the construction robot (1) and the base station (2), which is configured to transmit current position coordinates to manoeuvre the construction robot (1) and / or information on current fill levels or the charge status of an electrical energy storage element (12), and are connected to the electronic control unit and the electronic control and regulation unit.

6. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a power converter and charge controller (8) is provided on the base station (2) to influence the electrical power charging of an electrical energy storage element (12).

7. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sensor is provided on a respective electrical energy storage element (12), which is configured to determine the current charge status and is connected to the respective transmitting and receiving unit and / or the electronic control unit or the electronic control and regulation unit.

8. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a connection for fresh water (6) is provided on the base station (2).