Marking device and marking system

Abstract

To provide a marking device and a marking system that can keep all four wheels on the ground while suppressing an increase in the number of parts and that is highly stable during driving.SOLUTION: A marking device 10 comprises a traveling unit 11 traveling in all horizontal directions, a position marker printing unit 12 drawing a position marker M on a construction site, and a control device 15. The traveling unit 11 has four Mecanum wheels 112, a drive motor 113 driving the Mecanum wheels 112, a front frame 111A and a rear frame 111Ba supporting the Mecanum wheels at both ends, and a connecting frame 111C connecting the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba. The connecting frame 111C is located at the center in the right-left direction and rotatably connects the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba around an orthogonal axis that is perpendicular to the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a marking device and a marking system, and more particularly to a marking device and a marking system capable of moving in all horizontal directions. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, construction sites have been introducing marking robots that automatically draw position markers (position reference lines, etc.) necessary for construction. Marking robots calculate a travel route based on the CAD (Computer Aided Design) data of the construction site and information on the marking positions that are input in advance, and can travel around the construction site and draw position markers at the marking positions. Therefore, workers can complete the marking work simply by setting and inputting the marking positions to the marking robot, making it possible to significantly reduce the labor required at construction sites.

[0003] Patent Document 1 also discloses a marking robot that can move in all horizontal directions. Specifically, the marking robot is equipped with a Mecanum Wheel (registered trademark) in which multiple barrel-shaped rollers called barrels are arranged at an angle of 45 degrees to the left and right, and can move forward, backward, left and right, and diagonally without changing the orientation of the marking robot. By adopting the Mecanum Wheel, the marking process can be efficiently performed while moving linearly between multiple position markers, thereby shortening the time required to perform the marking process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-139273 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the marking robot described in Patent Document 1, the Mecanum wheels were attached to the body frame via suspensions. Therefore, the four Mecanum wheels were always kept in a grounded state, and the marking robot could run in any horizontal direction. However, by providing a suspension for each Mecanum wheel, the number of parts increased and the center of gravity of the marking robot became higher, which led to problems such as a decrease in stability during running and a decrease in the positional accuracy of the position marker.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a marking device and marking system that maintains all four wheels in a grounded state while minimizing an increase in the number of parts, thereby providing high stability while driving. Another object of the present invention is to provide a marking device and a marking system that can improve the positional accuracy of a position marker. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problem is solved by the marking device of the present invention, which is a marking device that travels through a construction site and draws position markers related to construction, and which comprises a travelling means that travels in all horizontal directions by four rotating bodies that are driven to rotate independently of each other, a position marker drawing means that is mounted on the travelling means and draws the position markers on the construction site, and a control means that controls the position marker drawing means and the travelling means, wherein the travelling means has the four rotating bodies, a drive motor that drives each of the four rotating bodies independently of each other, a first rotating body support frame and a second rotating body support frame that extend parallel to each other in a planar view and support the rotating bodies at both left and right ends, and a connecting frame that connects the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame, and the connecting frame is located at the center in the left-right direction and connects the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame to each other rotatably around an orthogonal axis that is perpendicular to the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the marking device has a first rotating body support frame and a second rotating body support frame that extend parallel to each other in a plan view and support the rotating bodies at both ends, and a connecting frame that rotatably connects the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame to each other around an orthogonal axis perpendicular to the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame in a plan view. Therefore, even if any of the four rotating bodies runs over an obstacle or the like during the running of the marking device, the first rotating body support frame or the second rotating body support frame rotates around the orthogonal axis, so that all four rotating bodies can be kept in a grounded state without providing a suspension. In addition, compared to the case where the rotating bodies are attached to the frame via a suspension, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed, the center of gravity of the marking device can be lowered, and the stability during running can be improved. In addition, since the elastic member constituting the suspension does not adversely affect the positional accuracy of the position marker, it is possible to improve the marking accuracy.

[0009] In addition, the rotating body is rigidly connected to the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame without an elastic element or a damping element, and the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame are connected via a buffer member against rotational movement around the orthogonal axis. According to the above configuration, the rotor is directly and rigidly connected to the first rotor support frame and the second rotor support frame, and the first rotor support frame and the second rotor support frame are connected via a buffer member against the rotational movement around the rotation axis. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts, to lower the center of gravity of the marking device, and to realize a suspension function by the buffer member. Therefore, it is possible to improve stability during driving and marking accuracy.

[0010] The traveling means may preferably have a parallel frame extending parallel to at least one of the first rotor support frame and the second rotor support frame. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the rigidity of the entire frame is improved by the parallel frames, so that the position marker depicting means can be stably supported, and the marking accuracy can be improved.

[0011] In addition, at least one of the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame is connected to an outer frame portion that forms a storage space inside, and the outer frame portion stores at least a part of the control means inside the storage space. According to the above configuration, the outer frame portion can protect the precision components constituting the control means from external impacts, etc., thereby making it possible to improve the impact resistance and durability of the marking device.

[0012] In addition, the marking device has a secondary battery that supplies electrical energy to at least one of the traveling means, the position marker drawing means, and the control means, and at least one of the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame is connected to an outer frame portion that forms a storage space inside, and the outer frame portion stores at least a portion of the secondary battery inside the storage space. According to the above configuration, by storing the heavy secondary battery in the storage space of the outer frame, the center of gravity of the marking device can be lowered, thereby improving stability during driving and marking accuracy.

[0013] In addition, the position marker drawing means has an ejection unit that ejects marking ink and a horizontal drive unit that displaces the ejection unit horizontally, and the control means controls the horizontal drive unit so that when the marking device travels around the construction site, the ejection unit is positioned within a specified area that is inside the outer edge connecting the four rotating bodies in a plan view. According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent collisions and interferences between the discharge parts while the marking device is traveling, thereby improving safety and avoiding unnecessary trouble.

[0014] The marking system further comprises a marking device and a surveying device, the marking device comprising a design information memory unit which stores design information relating to the construction site, a position information acquisition unit which acquires position information of the marking device from the surveying device, a drawing position acquisition unit which acquires a drawing position of the position marker, and a travel route setting unit which sets a travel route at the construction site based on the design information and the drawing position, and the control means drives and controls the travel means based on the travel route and the position information, and drives and controls the position marker drawing means based on the position information and the drawing position. According to the above configuration, the marking system including the marking device and the surveying device can automatically mark position markers at the construction site, thereby reducing the labor required for marking work. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the marking device and marking system of the present invention, it is possible to maintain all four wheels in a grounded state while suppressing an increase in the number of parts, thereby improving stability during driving. Furthermore, according to the marking device and marking system of the present invention, it is possible to improve the positional accuracy of the position marker. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a marking system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the marking device as seen obliquely from the front. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the marking device as seen obliquely from behind. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation direction of a Mecanum wheel and the running direction of a marking device. [Diagram 5] 13 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the body frame with some of the components of the position marker printing unit removed. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a front view of the marking device when it has climbed up onto a step. [Figure 7]11 is a diagram for explaining a connection portion between the front frame and the main frame. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the flow of a marking process. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a top view of the marking device in motion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] A marking device 10 and a marking system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example for making the present invention easier to understand, and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and of course, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. The marking device 10 and the marking system 1 of the present invention are used to reduce the labor at a construction site by automating the marking work of printing a position marker M at the construction site.

[0018] In the following description, the direction in which the axles of the Mecanum wheels 112 disposed at the four corners of the marking device 10 extend is referred to as the "left-right direction." Additionally, the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction in a plan view is referred to as the "front-rear direction." Furthermore, the direction in which the obstacle detection sensor 14, described below, is located when viewed from the center of the marking device 10 in a plan view is referred to as the "forward" direction, and the opposite direction is referred to as the "rear." Additionally, the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and the front-rear direction is referred to as the "up-down direction."

[0019] <<Outline of Marking System 1>> First, an overview of the marking system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the marking system 1 mainly comprises a marking device 10, a total station 20 that measures the position of the marking device 10, and an operator terminal 30 that is communicatively connected to the marking device 10 and the total station 20. The marking device 10 is a self-propelled marking robot. Although details will be described later, the marking device 10 can move in all horizontal directions by using four Mecanum wheels 112 that rotate independently of each other. Therefore, the marking device 10 moves linearly between the drawing positions of multiple preset position markers M, and can draw multiple position markers M in a short time, thereby performing efficient marking processing. Here, the position marker M is a position marker having a geometric shape such as a straight line or a crosshair, and indicates a reference position for construction.

[0020] The total station 20 is an automatic tracking type surveying device that detects the prism 13 mounted on the marking device 10 and measures the position of the marking device 10 based on the detection results. The total station 20 can wirelessly communicate with the marking device 10 and the operator terminal 30 to transmit position information of the marking device 10 .

[0021] The operator terminal 30 is an information and communication terminal operated by a manager who manages the construction site, or a worker who is under the command and supervision of the manager. The operator terminal 30 accepts input of information necessary for setting the travel route of the marking device 10 (specifically, CAD data of the construction site and information related to the position marker M to be drawn on the construction site) and transmits it to the marking device 10. The operator terminal 30 is a notebook terminal, but is not limited to this. The operator terminal 30 may be a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a desktop terminal.

[0022] The marking device 10 can acquire current position information by communicating with the total station 20. Furthermore, when the marking device 10 acquires information related to the CAD data and the position marker M from the operator terminal 30, it specifies a marking position, and calculates and sets a travel route based on the marking position and the CAD data. When the marking process is started, the marking device 10 runs along the set travel route and draws a position marker M at the marking position, thereby executing the automatic marking process. During the marking process, the marking device 10 communicates with the total station 20 to obtain the latest position information, and can set an appropriate travel route and run.

[0023] As described above, the marking work is performed by the marking system 1, thereby realizing labor saving and unmanned operation at the construction site. In addition, as described later, the marking system 1 of the present invention includes a traveling unit 11 that keeps all four Mecanum wheels 112 in contact with the ground while suppressing an increase in the number of parts, thereby improving stability during traveling. The following describes the marking device 10, focusing on the traveling unit 11.

[0024] <<Marking device 10>> Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the appearance of the marking device 10. Specifically, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the marking device 10 seen obliquely from the front, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the marking device 10 seen obliquely from the rear. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the marking device 10 mainly comprises a traveling unit 11, a position marker printing unit 12, a prism 13, an obstacle detection sensor 14, a control device 15, a communication circuit 16, and a battery 17.

[0025] <Running unit 11> The traveling unit 11 can travel in all horizontal directions by using four Mecanum wheels 112 that rotate independently of each other. The traveling unit 11 is equipped with a position marker printing unit 12 (described later) and corresponds to a traveling means that travels on the construction site. The traveling unit 11 has, as its main components, a body frame 111, Mecanum wheels 112 arranged at the four corners of the body frame 111, and drive motors 113 that drive and rotate each of the Mecanum wheels 112.

[0026] The vehicle body frame 111 forms the framework of the marking device 10, and also serves as a housing that supports and houses the components that make up the marking device 10. The vehicle body frame 111 mainly comprises a front frame 111A, a main frame 111B, and a connecting frame 111C (see Figs. 2 and 5) that connects the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B.

[0027] The front frame 111A extends in the left-right direction and supports the Mecanum wheels 112 and the drive motor 113 at both ends. In detail, the front frame 111A is located at the front end of the marking device 10, supports the left and right Mecanum wheels 112 at both ends via the output shaft of the drive motor 113, and functions as a connecting shaft that connects the axles of the Mecanum wheels 112 on the same axis. The front frame 111A corresponds to a first rotating body support frame.

[0028] Here, the Mecanum wheels 112 will be explained. The Mecanum wheels 112 are disposed at the four corners of the marking device 10, and are rotated independently of each other by drive motors 113, which will be described later. This allows the marking device 10 to travel in all horizontal directions. The relationship between the rotation direction of the Mecanum wheels 112 and the travel direction of the marking device 10 will be explained below.

[0029] Figure 4 shows the relationship between the rotation direction of the Mecanum wheels 112 and the traveling direction of the marking device 10. As shown in Figure 4, when all four Mecanum wheels 112 are rotated forward, the marking device 10 travels forward. On the other hand, when all four Mecanum wheels 112 are rotated backward, the marking device 10 travels backward. In addition, by rotating the left front Mecanum wheel 112 and the right rear Mecanum wheel 112 backward and rotating the left rear Mecanum wheel 112 and the right front Mecanum wheel 112 forward, the marking device 10 travels leftward. On the other hand, by rotating the left front Mecanum wheel 112 and the right rear Mecanum wheel 112 forward and rotating the left rear Mecanum wheel 112 and the right front Mecanum wheel 112 backward, the marking device 10 travels rightward.

[0030] In addition, by rotating forward only the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the left rear and right front, the marking device 10 travels diagonally forward to the left. On the other hand, by rotating forward only the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the left front and right rear, the marking device 10 travels diagonally forward to the right. In addition, the marking device 10 rotates left on the spot by rotating the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the left front and left rear backward and rotating the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the right front and right rear forward. On the other hand, the marking device 10 rotates right on the spot by rotating the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the left front and left rear forward and rotating the Mecanum wheels 112 located at the right front and right rear backward.

[0031] In order for the marking device 10 to travel in various horizontal directions, the four Mecanum wheels 112 must be driven to rotate independently of each other while in contact with the floor of the construction site. For this reason, the vehicle frame 111 has a connecting frame 111C, and the rear frame 111Ba is rotatably connected to the front frame 111A. The frame structure of the traveling unit 11 will be described later with reference to Figures 5 to 7.

[0032] 2 and 3, the front frame 111A has a front plate 111Aa and a rear plate 111Ab that face each other in the front-rear direction. The front plate 111Aa and the rear plate 111Ab are plate-shaped bodies. A predetermined space is formed between the front plate 111Aa and the rear plate 111Ab, and a drive motor 113 is housed in the space. The drive motor 113 is a three-phase motor having a servo mechanism, but is not limited to this.

[0033] The front frame 111A has an insertion hole through which a connecting frame 111C (described later) is inserted, so that the front frame 111A can rotate about the connecting frame 111C relative to the main frame 111B.

[0034] The main frame 111B has a rear frame 111Ba located at the rear end of the marking device 10, left and right side frames 111Bb connected to the rear frame 111Ba, and a parallel frame 111Bc (see Figures 5 and 6) that faces the front frame 111A and extends parallel to the front frame 111A. The main frame 111B supports, above it, a position marker printing unit 12, a prism 13, and an obstacle detection sensor 14, which will be described later. The left and right side frames 111Bb and the parallel frame 111Bc form a rectangular parallelepiped storage space. In other words, the left and right side frames 111Bb and the parallel frame 111Bc form a storage section 111Bd (see FIG. 5), which stores a control device 15 and a battery 17, which will be described later. In this way, the main frame 111B functions as a housing that supports or houses the components of the marking device 10. The side frames 111Bb and the parallel frame 111Bc correspond to an outer frame section.

[0035] The rear frame 111Ba extends in the left-right direction in parallel to the front frame 111A in a plan view, and supports the Mecanum wheels 112 at both ends via the output shaft of the drive motor 113. In more detail, the main frame 111B is located at the rear end of the marking device 10, supports the left and right Mecanum wheels 112 at both ends via the output shaft of the drive motor 113, and functions as a connecting shaft that connects the axles of the left and right Mecanum wheels 112 on the same axis. The rear frame 111Ba corresponds to a second rotating body support frame.

[0036] The rear frame 111Ba has an upper plate 111Ba1 and a lower plate 111Ba2 that face each other in the vertical direction. The upper plate 111Ba1 and the lower plate 111Ba2 are plate-shaped bodies. A predetermined space is formed between the upper plate 111Ba1 and the lower plate 111Ba2, and the drive motor 113 is housed in the space.

[0037] The overhanging portion 111Be protrudes forward at the front end of the main frame 111B and covers the upper part of the front frame 111A. An obstacle detection sensor 14, which will be described later, is placed on the overhanging portion 111Be. By providing the overhanging portion 111Be on the main frame 111B, it becomes possible to support and fix the obstacle detection sensor 14 while ensuring a movable area of ​​a stage portion 123, which will be described later.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting frame 111C connects the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B. In detail, the connecting frame 111C is a shaft member located at the center in the left-right direction and extending in the front-rear direction, and its tip is inserted into the insertion hole of the front frame 111A. As a result, the connecting frame 111C connects the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba rotatably around the orthogonal axis AX that is perpendicular to the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba. By connecting the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba rotatably around the orthogonal axis AX, it is possible to maintain all four Mecanum wheels 112 in a grounded state even if a protrusion OB or the like is present at the construction site.

[0039] Figure 6 shows the state where the marking device 10 runs over a protrusion OB while traveling on a construction site. As shown in Figure 6, when the marking device 10 runs over a protrusion OB, the front frame 111A rotates around the connecting frame 111C, thereby maintaining the ground contact state of all four Mecanum wheels 112. Therefore, the traveling function in all horizontal directions, which is a feature of the traveling unit 11, is ensured.

[0040] Furthermore, the Mecanum wheel 112 is rigidly connected to the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba via the drive motor 113, without any suspension. To explain in detail, although the drive motor 113 is interposed between the Mecanum wheel 112 and the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba, no elastic element (e.g., a spring) or damping element (e.g., a damper) is interposed. This reduces the number of parts and downsizes the traveling unit 11 in the vertical direction.

[0041] 7, the front frame 111A depicted by a two-dot chain line and the main frame 111B depicted by a solid line (and a rear frame 111Ba constituting the main frame 111B) are connected via cushioning members 114. The cushioning members 114 are located on the left and right of the connecting frame 111C, and can cushion the rotational movement between the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B around the connecting frame 111C.

[0042] The cushioning member 114 has a cylindrical synthetic rubber 114a and a support member 114b that supports the synthetic rubber 114a. The lower end of the synthetic rubber 114a is fixed to the bottom of the rear plate 111Ab of the front frame 111A, and the upper end is fixed to the protruding portion 111Be of the main frame 111B by the support member 114b. Therefore, when the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B rotate around the connecting frame 111C, the synthetic rubber 114a expands and contracts up and down, cushioning the rotational movement between the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B. In other words, the cushioning member 114 having the synthetic rubber 114a functions as a suspension that reduces the influence of the protrusion OB and the like.

[0043] As described above, each Mecanum wheel 112 is rigidly connected to the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B via the drive motor 113 without using elastic elements or damping elements. Meanwhile, a buffer member 114 functioning as a suspension is provided between the front frame 111A and the main frame 111B, which makes it possible to accurately maintain the grounded state of the four Mecanum wheels 112. Also, compared to the case where elastic elements and damping elements are provided on each Mecanum wheel 112, it is possible to lower the center of gravity of the marking device 10 while suppressing the number of parts, thereby making it possible to increase the stability of the marking device 10 during running.

[0044] <Position marker printing unit 12> Next, a description will be given of the position marker printing unit 12. The position marker printing unit 12 is mounted on the traveling unit 11 and prints a position marker M at the construction site by an inkjet method. The position marker printing unit 12 corresponds to a position marker depicting means. As shown in FIG. 3, the position marker printing unit 12 mainly comprises an inkjet head 121 that ejects marking ink, and a horizontal drive section 122 that drives the inkjet head 121 in the horizontal direction.

[0045] The inkjet head 121 has an ejection port for ejecting the marking ink and an ink tank for storing the marking ink. The ejection port faces downward at the lower end of the inkjet head 121. Therefore, the position marker M is printed on the floor surface of the construction site. The inkjet head 121 can adopt a known structure. The inkjet head 121 corresponds to the ejection unit.

[0046] The horizontal drive unit 122 mainly comprises a stage unit 123, a first drive unit 124 for moving the stage unit 123 in the front-rear direction, and a second drive unit 125 for moving the inkjet head 121 in the left-right direction relative to the stage unit 123. By driving the inkjet head 121 horizontally, the ejection port for ejecting the marking ink is displaced inside the printing area R shown in FIG. 3. The printing area R has an area sufficiently larger than the dimensions of the position marker M to be drawn on the construction site. Therefore, the marking device 10 moves to the drawing position of the position marker M, stops traveling, and then prints the position marker M. This makes it possible to print the position marker M by the first drive motor 124c and the second drive motor 125c with high positioning accuracy.

[0047] The first driving unit 124 has a pair of first driving rails 124a, a first driving belt 124b, and a first driving motor 124c, and drives the stage unit 123 in the front-rear direction. To explain in detail, a rail groove provided on the lower surface of the stage unit 123 engages with the left and right first driving rails 124a fixed to the upper surface of the main frame 111B. Therefore, when the first driving motor 124c rotates, the first driving belt 124b wound around the output shaft of the first driving motor 124c rotates, and the stage unit 123 slides forward and backward while being guided by the first driving rails 124a. Accordingly, in accordance with the sliding movement of the stage unit 123, the inkjet head 121 attached to the stage unit 123 slides forward and backward.

[0048] The second drive unit 125 has a second drive rail 125a, a second drive belt 125b, and a second drive motor 125c, and drives the inkjet head 121 in the left-right direction. To explain in detail, the second drive rail 125a is engaged with a rail groove provided on the upper surface of the stage unit 123. Therefore, when the second drive motor 125c rotates, the second drive belt 125b wound around the output shaft of the second drive motor 125c rotates, and the second drive rail 125a slides left-right while being guided by the rail groove. Accordingly, the inkjet head 121 attached to the tip of the second drive rail 125a slides left-right.

[0049] <Prism 13> The prism 13 is a six-sided prism (omnidirectional prism) that is irradiated with the surveying light output by the total station 20 and emits reflected light toward the total station 20. The total station 20 calculates position information of the prism 13 based on the surveying light output toward the prism 13 and the reflected light emitted from the prism 13. The prism 13 is mounted on a stage unit 123. Therefore, the control device 15 described later can acquire the position information calculated by the total station 20 and calculate the position information (horizontal position) of the inkjet head 121. However, the position of the prism 13 is not limited to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The prism 13 may be fixed above the ejection port of the inkjet head 121. This allows the control device 15 to use the position information calculated by the total station 20 as the position information of the inkjet head 121 as it is.

[0050] <Obstacle detection sensor 14> The obstacle detection sensor 14 is a detection device that detects obstacles present around (particularly in front of) the marking device 10 and outputs information about the detected obstacles. The obstacle detection sensor 14 is a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor that detects obstacles using laser light, but is not limited to this. The obstacle detection sensor 14 may be a radar sensor that detects obstacles using electromagnetic waves, or an optical sensor that detects obstacles based on image information captured optically. The obstacle detection sensor 14 is disposed on a protruding portion 111Be that extends forward above the main frame 111B. Therefore, the presence of an obstacle can be detected early without being affected by the movement of the stage portion 123.

[0051] <Control device 15> The control device 15 is composed of a processor, a volatile memory, and a control circuit having a non-volatile memory. The control device 15 loads a program stored in the non-volatile memory into the volatile memory and executes it with the processor, thereby performing the marking process described below. In more detail, the control device 15 has a design information storage unit that stores design information (CAD data) of the construction site, a position information acquisition unit that acquires current position information of the marking device 10 from the total station 20, and an imaging position acquisition unit that acquires the imaging position of the position marker M. The control device 15 sets a travel route at the construction site based on the design information and the imaging position (travel route setting unit). The control device 15 also drives and controls the traveling unit 11 based on the travel route and position information, and travels toward the imaging position of the position marker M. The control device 15 also drives and controls the position marker printing unit 12 based on the position information and the imaging position of the position marker M, and prints the position marker M on the floor surface of the construction site. The control device 15 corresponds to a control means.

[0052] The control device 15 is stored in a storage section 111Bd (see FIG. 5) of the main frame 111B. By storing the control device 15 in the storage section 111Bd, precision components such as electronic components mounted on the control device 15 can be protected, and the durability of the marking device 10 can be improved.

[0053] <Communication Circuit 16> The communication circuit 16 is a communication device that is communicatively connected to the operator terminal 30 or the total station 20. Specifically, the communication circuit 16 wirelessly communicates with the total station 20 or the operator terminal 30 by wireless communication conforming to a communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi. However, the communication circuit 16 is not limited to this, and may wirelessly communicate by infrared. Furthermore, the communication circuit 16 may have a connector to which a communication cable can be connected, and may be communicatively connected to the operator terminal 30 by wired communication.

[0054] The communication circuit 16 is disposed below the main frame 111B and on the left side of the side frame 111Bb. By disposing the communication circuit 16 on the side opposite the inkjet head 121 in this manner, the center of gravity of the marking device 10 can be positioned near the center in the left-right direction. This makes it possible to maintain the Mecanum wheels 112 provided at the four corners of the marking device 10 in a good grounded state. Note that the inkjet head 121 may be disposed on the left side of the side frame 111Bb, and the communication circuit 16 on the right side of the side frame 111Bb.

[0055] <Battery 17> The battery 17 is a secondary battery that supplies the electric power energy required by the marking device 10. The battery 17 is a lithium ion battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. However, the battery 17 is not limited to this, and may be a lithium ion polymer battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, or a lead acid battery.

[0056] The battery 17 is disposed so as to be accessible from the rear of the marking device 10. The battery 17 is also stored in a storage section 111Bd of the main frame 111B. By storing the heavy battery 17 in the storage section 111Bd, the center of gravity of the marking device 10 can be lowered, and the stability of the marking device 10 during travel can be improved.

[0057] <<Flow of marking process>> Next, the flow of the marking process will be described. Fig. 8 shows the flow of the marking process executed by the control device 15 of the marking device 10. As shown in Fig. 8, first, the control device 15 acquires information about the marking position (step S10). In detail, the control device 15 acquires information about the depiction position of the position marker M inputted through the operator terminal 30 through the communication circuit 16.

[0058] Next, the control device 15 sets a travel route based on the design information (CAD data) of the construction site and the information on the marking positions acquired in step S10 (step S11). Here, the control device 15 sets a travel route that travels so as to connect a plurality of position markers M. Specifically, a travel route that has the shortest travel distance may be set, or a travel route that travels between the position markers M according to a preset order may be set.

[0059] Next, the control device 15 acquires current position information of the marking device 10 (step S12). In detail, the control device 15 acquires position information of the prism 13 output by the total station 20, and calculates position information of the inkjet head 121 based on this. However, without being limited thereto, the control device 15 may acquire position information of the prism 13 output by the total station 20 and use it as the position information of the inkjet head 121 as it is.

[0060] Next, the control device 15 moves to the marking start position based on the travel route determined in step S11 and the current position information (step S13). During travel, the horizontal drive unit 122 is controlled so that the inkjet head 121 is located within an area inside an outer edge OL (see FIG. 9) connecting the four Mecanum wheels 112. In detail, the horizontal drive unit 122 is controlled so that the inkjet head 121 is located to the left of an outer edge OL connecting the right end of the front right Mecanum wheel 112 and the right end of the rear right Mecanum wheel 112. This makes it possible to avoid a problem of the inkjet head 121 colliding with materials, tools, etc. temporarily placed at the construction site.

[0061] Next, the control device 15 outputs a position marker M to the marking position (step S14). In detail, the control device 15 controls the horizontal drive unit 122 to slide the inkjet head 121 and ejects the marking ink to print the position marker M on the floor surface of the construction site.

[0062] Next, the control device 15 judges whether or not the output of all the position markers M has been completed (step S15). If it is judged that the output of all the position markers M has not been completed (step S15: No), the process returns to step S12 and the current position of the marking device 10 is acquired again. On the other hand, if it is determined that the output of all the position markers M has been completed (step S15: Yes), the control device 15 ends the marking process.

[0063] The control device 15 executes the above-mentioned marking process, and the marking system 1 renders the position marker M at the reference position of the construction site. This makes it possible to reduce the labor and manpower required at the construction site.

[0064] The above describes the marking device 10 and the marking system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. However, the above-described embodiment is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In the above embodiment, the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba are connected via the buffer member 114 made of synthetic rubber 114a, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the four Mecanum wheels 112 can follow the unevenness of the floor surface of the construction site and maintain a ground contact state, the buffer member 114 may be an elastic element such as a spring. The buffer member 114 may also be a damping element such as a viscous fluid.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the storage section 111Bd constituted by the side frames 111Bb and the parallel frames 111Bc is described as being connected to the rear frame 111Ba, but this is not limited thereto. The storage section 111Bd may be connected to the front frame 111A. Even in this case, the front frame 111A and the rear frame 111Ba are connected to be rotatable about the connecting frame 111C, so that the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the front frame 111A is described as being composed of the front plate 111Aa and the rear plate 111Ab, which are plate-like bodies, but is not limited to this. The front frame 111A only needs to support the left and right Mecanum wheels 112 so that they can rotate independently and to connect their axles on the same axis, and the structure of the front frame 111A is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment. The same applies to the main frame 111B including the rear frame 111Ba. The vehicle body frame 111 may be a metal frame or a resin frame.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the marking device 10 is described as having four Mecanum wheels 112, but is not limited to this. As long as it can travel in all horizontal directions, the marking device 10 may be equipped with an Omniwheel (registered trademark) instead of the Mecanum wheels 112.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the position marker printing unit 12 is described as printing the position marker M by an inkjet method, but is not limited to this. The position marker printing unit 12 may be configured to have a so-called "ink point" fixed to its tip, and the tip of the ink point may be brought into contact with the floor surface to draw the position marker M on the floor surface at the construction site.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the position marker printing unit 12 has been described as moving the inkjet head 121 in the horizontal direction, but is not limited thereto. The position marker printing unit 12 may be able to move the inkjet head 121 in the vertical direction. In this case, the position marker printing unit 12 includes a height detection sensor that detects the height from the floor surface, and the inkjet head 121 is controlled to move up and down based on the output of the height detection sensor. This makes it possible to accurately depict the position marker M even if the floor surface at the construction site is uneven.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the position marker M is depicted using ink, but the present invention is not limited to this. A laser-type position marker printing unit 12 may be used to depict the position marker M by irradiating a laser beam onto the floor surface.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the marking system 1 is described as being composed of the marking device 10, the total station 20, and the operator terminal 30, but is not limited to this. The marking system 1 may be composed of the marking device 10 and the total station 20. In this case, design information of the construction site and information regarding the position marker M are directly input to the marking device 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Marking system 10 Marking device 11. Travel unit (travel means) 111 Body frame 111A Front frame (first rotor support frame) 111Aa Front plate 111Ab rear plate 111B Mainframe 111Ba Rear frame (second rotor support frame) 111Ba1 Top plate 111Ba2 Bottom plate 111Bb Side frame (outer frame) 111Bc Parallel frame (outer frame) 111Bd Storage area 111Be protruding part 111C Joint Frame 112 Mecanum Wheel 113 Drive motor 114 Cushioning material 114a Synthetic rubber 114b Support member 12 Position marker printing unit (position marker drawing means) 121 Inkjet head (ejection part) 122 Horizontal drive unit 123 Stage Section 124 First Drive Unit 124a First Drive Rail 124b First drive belt 124c First drive motor 125 Second Drive Unit 125a Second Drive Rail 125b Second drive belt 125c second drive motor 13 Prism 14 Obstacle detection sensor 15 Control device (control means) 16 Communication Circuits 17 Battery (secondary battery) 20 Total Station 30 Operator terminal M Position marker R Print area OB protrusion OL Outer edge

Claims

1. A marking device that travels through a construction site and draws position markers related to construction, A traveling means that travels in all directions in the horizontal direction by four rotating bodies that are rotationally driven independently of each other; a position marker drawing means mounted on the traveling means for drawing the position marker on the construction site; a control means for controlling the position marker depicting means and the traveling means, The traveling means is Four of the rotating bodies; a drive motor that drives each of the four rotating bodies independently of one another; a first rotor support frame and a second rotor support frame extending parallel to each other in a plan view and supporting the rotor at both left and right ends; a connecting frame that connects the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame, A marking device characterized in that the connecting frame is located at the center in the left-right direction and rotatably connects the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame to each other around an orthogonal axis perpendicular to the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame.

2. The rotating body is rigidly connected to the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame without an elastic element or a damping element, The marking device according to claim 1, wherein the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame are connected via a buffer member against the rotational movement about the orthogonal axis.

3. 2. The marking device according to claim 1, wherein the traveling means has a parallel frame extending parallel to at least one of the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame.

4. At least one of the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame is coupled to an outer frame portion that forms a storage space therein, The marking device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame accommodates at least a part of the control means inside the accommodation space.

5. The marking device has a secondary battery that supplies electric power energy to at least one of the traveling means, the position marker drawing means, and the control means, At least one of the first rotating body support frame and the second rotating body support frame is coupled to an outer frame portion that forms a storage space therein, The marking device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer frame accommodates at least a portion of the secondary battery inside the accommodation space.

6. the position marker drawing means includes a discharge unit that discharges ink and a horizontal drive unit that displaces the discharge unit in a horizontal direction; The marking device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the horizontal drive unit so that the discharge unit is positioned within a predetermined area inside the outer edge connecting the four rotating bodies in a plan view when the marking device travels around the construction site.

7. A marking system comprising the marking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a surveying device, The marking device is A design information storage unit that stores design information regarding the construction site; a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the marking device from the surveying device; a rendering position acquisition unit that acquires a rendering position of the position marker; a travel route setting unit that sets a travel route in the construction site based on the design information and the depiction position, The control means Drive control of the traveling means based on the travel route and the position information; A marking system comprising: a position marker drawing means that drives and controls the position marker drawing means based on the position information and the drawing position.

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