Wall surface working device

Abstract

To provide a wall surface working device capable of suitably supporting and operation a traveling body performing work with a simple mechanism, regarding work on a wall surface.SOLUTION: A wall surface working device 1 is configured to be provided with: a traveling body 2 configured to travel on a wall surface W, which is supported by a support operating cable 4 extending from the right and left sides and operating its position; a work apparatus 7 mounted on the traveling body 2 and carrying out work on the wall surface W; a feeding device 8 performing feeding / winding of the support operating cable 4; winding support parts 20 provided in upper right and left sides of the traveling body 2 on which the support operating cable 4 is wound to support a load of the traveling body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing operations such as inspection and painting on a wall surface.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when performing any operation (such as painting, assembling a machine, inspection, etc.) on the wall surface of a building, other structures, natural objects, etc., a scaffold along which a person can move back and forth is assembled on the wall surface, and a person climbs onto the scaffold to perform the operation. This is common practice.

[0003] In recent years, regarding such operations, it has been proposed to use a small flying device as an alternative and it is being put into practical use (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below). Such flying devices generally called drones are small, have high flight stability, are maneuverable, easy to operate, and are utilized in various fields. On the other hand, there is naturally a limit to the weight that can be carried. For example, when performing any operation on a wall surface, etc., if it is a simple inspection operation such as acquiring an image of the object, it can be carried out without much trouble. However, it is not suitable for operations that require the transportation of a certain weight of objects, such as painting a wall surface or assembling machines on a wall surface.

[0004] Therefore, the applicants of the present application have developed and proposed a technique of installing a traveling body equipped with a working device for performing operations such as painting on a wall surface together with a lifting support device having a support column and a lifting body, and supporting and operating the position of the traveling body by a support operation cable drawn out from the position of the lifting body (see Patent Document 3 below). The weight of the traveling body equipped with the working device is supported by the lifting support device via the support operation cable, and the movement of the traveling body is also operated by the up and down movement of the lifting body and the feeding and winding of the support operation cable. Therefore, it is not the case that the weight required for the operation cannot be supported due to the lack of flight ability of the traveling body. On the other hand, the traveling body is equipped with a propeller similar to the flight mechanism of a drone, and the traveling body can be pressed against the wall surface by this propeller, making it easier to perform various operations.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, in the wall surface working device as described above, the support operation cable is paid out from the position of the lifting body that moves up and down along the support column, and a winch for paying out and winding up the support operation cable is provided on the lifting body. This winch is a heavy device equipped with a drum around which a wire, which is the support operation cable, is wound, a motor for rotating the drum, and the like. Further, since the winch supports the traveling body via the support operation cable, the load thereof is also applied to the lifting body. Furthermore, the lifting body may be loaded with adsorption-related equipment and work-related equipment necessary for work using the traveling body. Therefore, the lifting support device that supports and lifts the lifting body while supporting these loads requires appropriate strength and output. That is, even though the work on the wall surface can be easily performed by using the wall surface working device, the lifting support device itself is a relatively large-scale device, and it was inevitable that corresponding costs and labor would be incurred for its installation. Therefore, a technology that can perform the work on the wall surface more simply and suitably has been demanded.

[0007] In view of such circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a wall surface working device that can preferably support and operate a traveling body for performing work with a simple mechanism with respect to work on a wall surface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present invention relates to a wall working device comprising a traveling body supported by support operation cables extending from left and right, position-operated, and configured to travel on a wall surface, a working device mounted on the traveling body for performing work on the wall surface, a feeding device for feeding and winding the support operation cables, and a winding support portion provided above the left and right of the traveling body, around which the support operation cables are wound to support the load of the traveling body.

[0009] In the wall working device of the present invention, the feeding device can be disposed below the left and right of the traveling body and relative to the winding support portion.

[0010] In the wall working device of the present invention, the feeding device can be installed so as not to move relative to the wall surface during the travel of the traveling body.

[0011] In the wall working device of the present invention, the traveling body can be provided with a propeller for generating a pressing force against the wall surface.

[0012] In the wall working device of the present invention, working-related devices used in relation to the work by the working device can be installed at locations other than the traveling body, and the working device and the working-related devices can be connected by a communication cable.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the wall working device of the present invention, with respect to work on a wall surface, an excellent effect can be achieved in suitably supporting and operating a traveling body for performing work with a simple mechanism.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] Figs. 1 to 3 show an example (first embodiment) of the form of the wall surface working device according to the implementation of the present invention. The wall surface working device 1 of this first embodiment is configured to include a traveling body 2 that is supported by a support operation cable 4 and travels along a wall surface W that is the work target, and a feeding device 8 that feeds and winds up the support operation cable 4. The support operation cable 4 is a wire rope that supports the traveling body 2, and the feeding device 8 is a winch that winds the support operation cable 4 around a drum and feeds and winds up the support operation cable 4 by rotating the drum by a motor. The traveling body 2 is supported at an appropriate position along the wall surface W in a form suspended by the support operation cables 4 extending from the left and right by a mechanism described later, and is configured to be operated to move along the wall surface W.

[0017] In addition, in this specification, the "wall surface" refers to the outer surface of a building or a wall as a partition, a wall that divides an outdoor area, the inner wall of a machine or equipment such as a furnace in a power plant, the cliff surface in a natural structure, and various other surfaces having a direction along a vertical surface. The "surface having a direction along a vertical surface" does not refer only to a plane that is strictly perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and may be a curved surface or may be inclined to some extent. Any planar structure that a human can sensuously recognize as a wall surface or a surface similar thereto can correspond to the "wall surface" in this specification.

[0018] The traveling body 2 is provided with wheels 2b as traveling parts at the four corners of a main body 2a formed by combining rod-shaped structural materials in a square shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the wheels 2b can be in contact with the wall surface W and travel on the wall surface W. Each wheel 2b is configured as a ball caster attached to the back side of the traveling body 2 (here, the side facing the wall surface W with respect to the traveling body 2 is referred to as the "back side", and the opposite side is referred to as the "front side"). Due to the rotation of the wheel 2b, the traveling body 2 can freely travel in any direction along the wall surface. Note that the "traveling" as used in this specification does not only refer to traveling by wheels, but generally means an operation of moving along a wall surface. That is, in the implementation of the present invention, when the traveling body travels along the wall surface, the mechanism for traveling is not limited to the wheels as shown here. Also, as specific configurations of the main body 2a and the traveling part (wheel) 2b, various forms other than those described here can be adopted as long as the work can be carried out without hindrance, as will be described later.

[0019] Also, on the front side of the traveling body 2, a propeller 2c is provided for generating a pressing force that presses the entire traveling body 2 toward the wall surface W. The propeller 2c is configured to blow air from the traveling body 2 to the front side by rotation, and by its reaction force, presses the entire traveling body 2 to the back side, thereby holding the traveling body 2 against the wall surface W.

[0020] Here, from the viewpoint of improving the responsiveness regarding the operation of the traveling body 2, it is particularly preferable to adopt a so-called variable pitch propeller as the propeller 2c. A variable pitch propeller is a propeller configured to be able to freely change the pitch, and can change the magnitude and direction of the thrust while keeping the rotation direction and rotation speed constant. That is, when the propeller 2c is a variable pitch propeller, the propeller 2c can variously change the magnitude of the pressing force against the wall surface W, can also make the pressing force zero while rotating in the same direction, and can further generate a negative pressing force (a force in the direction away from the wall surface W).

[0021] In the case of the first embodiment, the attachment positions of the two support operation cables 4 on the traveling body 2 are set at one location on the upper part of the main body 2a. In addition, the attachment positions of the support operation cables 4 on the traveling body 2 can be set at appropriate positions. For example, it is also possible to connect the tips of the left and right support operation cables 4 to the upper left and upper right of the main body 2a, respectively.

[0022] Furthermore, in the case of the first embodiment, the traveling body 2 is provided with a suction portion 5 for sucking onto the wall surface W. As the suction portion 5, for example, the same devices as those sold under names such as "vacuum gripper", "vacuum suction gripper", "vacuum suction pad", or "suction lifter", and devices using the same principles as these can be used. That is, the suction portion 5 is configured as a pneumatic suction device that sucks the air between the suction portion 5 and the wall surface W to generate negative pressure, and thereby holds the entire traveling body 2 to which the suction portion 5 is attached to the wall surface W. Alternatively, when the wall surface W as the work object is assumed to be a structure made of a magnetic material such as iron (for example, the furnace wall of a thermal power plant), the suction portion 5 may be configured as an electromagnetic suction device. That is, the suction portion 5 is provided with an electromagnet, and by energizing the electromagnet, it is attracted to the wall surface W, which is a magnetic material, by electromagnetic force. In addition, as long as it can be appropriately attracted to the wall surface W, for example, in the case of a type that is attracted to the wall surface W by electrostatic force, various devices with different mechanisms and principles can be adopted as the suction portion 5.

[0023] When the suction part 5 is an air-type suction device, a pump and a tube for sucking air are separately required. When the suction part 5 is an electromagnetic or electrostatic suction device, although it depends on the required suction force, a power supply device and a power cable for supplying power from the outside are separately required. In the wall working device 1 of the first embodiment, devices such as a pump and a power supply device used for the operation of the suction part 5 can be installed at a location different from the traveling body 2 (on the ground in the first embodiment) as the suction-related device 5a. Although not shown, a pedestal or the like for installing the cleaning-related device 7a may be appropriately provided. The same applies to other devices, such as the pay-out device 8. Also, the suction part 5 mounted on the traveling body 2 and the suction-related device 5a on the ground can be connected by a tube or a power cable as the connection cable 6. The connection cable 6 is a cable, a hose, a tube, or a bundle thereof that connects between the devices mounted on the traveling body 2 and the devices installed at other locations (such as on the ground).

[0024] Thus, in the first embodiment, the traveling body 2 is held against the wall surface W by both the pressing force of the propeller 2c and the suction force of the suction part 5. In practicing the wall working device of the present invention, depending on conditions such as the mounting weight of the devices on the traveling body, only either the propeller or the suction part may be provided on the traveling body.

[0025] Also, a working device 7 for performing work on the wall surface W is mounted on the traveling body 2. The specific configuration of the working device 7 varies according to the content of the work. For example, when painting the wall surface W, the working device 7 is a nozzle for spraying paint, etc. When inspecting the wall surface W, the working device 7 is a camera or other measuring device for acquiring an image of the wall surface W. When assembling some parts, devices, etc. to the wall surface W, the working device 7 is a tool, etc. The working device 7 is connected as the connection cable 6 with a power cable for power supply, a communication cable for exchanging data acquired by the working device 7 and operation signals input to the working device 7, a supply tube for supplying paint, etc., according to the configuration of the working device 7 and the content of the work.

[0026] In the working machine 7, in order to reduce the weight of the traveling body 2 or the like, the functions required for the intended work may be shared between the traveling body 2 and others. Here, among the devices required for the intended work, the devices mounted on the traveling body 2 are referred to as the working machine 7 for convenience, and the devices used in relation to the work by the working machine 7 are referred to as the work-related devices 7a. For example, the power supply device of the working machine 7, the communication cable when the working machine 7 is operated by wire, and the paint tank when the working machine 7 is a nozzle for painting correspond to the work-related devices 7a. The work-related devices 7a can be installed on the ground, for example, and the work-related devices 7a and the working machine 7 are connected by the connecting cable 6. Note that the installation position of the work-related devices 7a does not have to be on the ground, and for example, they can also be loaded on a cart that can move left and right according to the position of the traveling body 2. The same applies to the adsorption-related devices 5a described above.

[0027] As described above, the wall surface working device 1 of the first embodiment has a configuration in which the traveling body 2 equipped with the working machine 7 is supported by the support operation cable 4 fed out from the feeding device 8 and travels while being supported along the wall surface W, which is common to the technology described in the above Patent Document 3. However, in the first embodiment, different from the technology described in Patent Document 3, it does not have a configuration corresponding to the lifting support device and does not lift and lower the feeding device 8. Instead, the support operation cable 4 is wound around the winding support portion 20 provided on the wall surface W side, and the traveling body 2 is supported via the support operation cable 4 from the position of the winding support portion 20.

[0028] In the first embodiment, a pair of feeding devices 8 are installed at the ground height corresponding to the lower left and right of the traveling body 2 that travels along the wall surface W. A pair of winding support portions 20 are installed above the feeding device 8 at positions corresponding to the upper left and right of the traveling body 2 that travels along the wall surface W (for example, the roof when the wall surface W is a part of a building).

[0029] The winding support part 20 is configured to include, for example, a support 20a fixed to the wall surface W and a pulley 20b rotatably provided at the tip of the support 20a, and the support operation cable 4 is wound around the pulley 20b. The support 20a is a projecting beam that supports the pulley 20b and the load applied thereto. Although shown in a simplified manner in the figure, the support 20a has an appropriate structure for supporting the load of the traveling body 2 on the wall surface W by the pulley 20b, and supports the pulley 20b at a position spaced forward from the wall surface W by an appropriate distance (a distance at which the traveling body 2 can be suspended from the wall surface W at an appropriate distance).

[0030] The support operation cable 4 extends upward from a pair of payout devices 8 installed on the ground, turns downward at the pulley 20b of the winding support part 20, and the tip is attached to the traveling body 2. Thus, the traveling body 2 is supported with respect to the wall surface W in a form suspended by two support operation cables 4 from the left and right winding support parts 20.

[0031] The installation position of the winding support part 20 on the wall surface W needs to be above the traveling body 2 that travels on the wall surface W in order to wind the support operation cable 4 around the winding support part 20 and thereby support the load of the traveling body 2. On the other hand, in the example shown here, the payout device 8 is installed on the ground below the traveling body 2, but depending on the embodiment, the payout device 8 is not necessarily installed below the traveling body 2. For example, a form in which the payout device 8 is installed in the middle of the wall surface and the traveling body 2 is suspended downward therefrom via the winding support part 20 is also conceivable in theory.

[0032] Furthermore, in the present first embodiment, as a structure for winding the support operation cable 4, in addition to the winding support portion 20, a winding portion 21 is provided. The winding portion 21 in the present first embodiment is a pulley installed in front of the feeding position of the support operation cable 4 with respect to the feeding device 8 which is a winch (in FIG. 1, for the left and right feeding devices 8, it is the position inside in the left - right direction). The support operation cable 4 fed out from the feeding device 8 is once wound around this winding portion (pulley) 21 and then extends upward and is wound around the winding support portion 20. Thereby, the feeding angle of the support operation cable 4 from the feeding device 8 is adjusted, and the feeding and winding of the support operation cable 4 are performed smoothly. Incidentally, if the feeding and winding of the support operation cable 4 from the feeding device 8 can be executed without trouble even without the winding portion 21, the winding portion 21 may be omitted. Alternatively, depending on the specific state of the wall surface W, the position of the feeding device, etc., an appropriate number of winding portions may be provided at appropriate positions different from the position of the winding portion 21 shown here to adjust the position of the support operation cable 4.

[0033] Each of the above - mentioned devices constituting the wall - surface working device 1 is controlled by the control unit 10. The control unit 10 is a control device that monitors and controls the operations of the devices constituting the wall - surface working device 1. A control signal is input to devices such as the motor of the feeding device 8 that feeds and winds the support operation cable 4, the propeller 2c and the suction portion 5 mounted on the traveling body 2, the working device 7, the suction - related device 5a, and the working - related device 7a, and the on - off and operation control of these devices are performed.

[0034] In addition, an operation unit 11 is connected to the control unit 10. The operator of the wall surface working device 1 inputs an operation signal to the control unit 10 through the operation of the operation unit 11, and the control unit 10 controls each device according to this operation signal. Further, a display unit 12 such as a liquid crystal display may be connected to the control unit 10 as needed to display the operating status of each device (the position of the traveling body 2, the operating status of the suction unit 5 and the working device 7, the feeding status of the support operation cable 4 from the feeding device 8, etc.). Note that as the operation unit 11, for example, a commercially available product as a controller of a game machine or the like can be used, or a touch panel type display such as a smartphone or a tablet can be used. When the operation unit 11 is configured as a touch panel type display, the operation unit 11 can also serve as the display unit 12.

[0035] Next, the operation of the above-described first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0036] When using the wall surface working device 1, first, a winding support part 20 is installed above the upper left and right of the wall surface W to be worked. A feeding device 8 and a winding part 21 are installed below it, and the support operation cable 4 fed out from the feeding device 8 is first wound around the winding part 21, then extended upward and wound around the winding support part 20, and the traveling body 2 is attached to the tip (of course, this procedure is just an example, for example, the support operation cable 4 may be fed out from the feeding device 8 with the traveling body 2 attached to the support operation cable 4 and wound around the winding support part 20). While the necessary working device 7 is mounted on the traveling body 2, the working-related device 7a and the suction-related device 5a are installed on the ground side, and the suction unit 5 and the suction-related device 5a, and the working device 7 and the working-related device 7a are connected by a communication cable 6. In this state, the feeding device 8 is operated to wind up the support operation cable 4. The traveling body 2 is suspended from the winding support part 20 by the support operation cables 4 fed out from the left and right feeding devices 8 and rises.

[0037] Furthermore, the feeding device 8 feeds and winds the support operation cable 4, thereby operating the position of the traveling body 2. The height and position of the traveling body 2 in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the wall surface W are determined by the feeding amount of the support operation cable 4 from the left and right feeding devices 8. That is, the smaller the feeding amount of the support operation cable 4, the closer the traveling body 2 is supported at a height close to the winding support portion 20. If the feeding amount of the support operation cable 4 is large, the traveling body 2 is suspended downward with respect to the winding support portion 20. Also, when the traveling body 2 is supported by the tension of the left and right support operation cables 4, if the feeding amount of the support operation cable 4 from the left feeding device 8 is larger than the feeding amount from the right feeding device 8, the traveling body 2 is positioned closer to the right between the left and right winding support portions 20, 20. If the feeding amount of the support operation cable 4 from the left feeding device 8 is smaller than the feeding amount from the right feeding device 8, the traveling body 2 is positioned closer to the left between the left and right winding support portions 20, 20.

[0038] During the travel of the traveling body 2, the feeding device 8 does not move with respect to the wall surface W. Regarding the feeding device 8, it is installed at a fixed position with respect to the wall surface W and the winding support portion 20 attached thereto, and only the operation of feeding and winding the support operation cable 4 by the rotation of the drum is performed from that position toward the winding support portion 20.

[0039] When performing such an operation, the position of the traveling body 2 on the wall surface W can be easily grasped by, for example, the following calculation.

[0040] Let the distance between the left and right winding support portions 20, 20 be d (see FIG. 4). Let the distances from the left and right winding support portions 20 to the traveling body 2 be l 1 , l 2 respectively. Assuming the height of the pulley 20b of the winding support portion 20 provided on the left and right is h, the following equations hold for the coordinates (x, y) of the traveling body 2 on the wall surface W. x 2 +(h - y) 2 = l 1 2 ……(1) (d - x) 2 +(h - y) 2 = l 2 2 ……(2)

[0041] Distance l 1 , l 2 The distance l can be grasped through the payout length of the support operation cable 4 from each winding support portion 20, and the payout length of the support operation cable 4 can be grasped by an encoder (not shown) provided in each payout device 8. Therefore, by solving the above equations (1) and (2) as a system of simultaneous equations, the coordinates (x, y) of the traveling body 2 can be grasped. In FIG. 4, for simplicity of illustration and description, the traveling body 2 and the winding support portion 20 are shown as points, but since the actual traveling body 2 and winding support portion 20 have sizes, these may be appropriately considered in actual operation.

[0042] In the above calculation procedure, when representing the coordinates of the traveling body 2, the position of the origin is set to the height of the ground below the winding support portion 20 on the left side in the figure, but the position of the origin is not limited to this and may be set as appropriate.

[0043] While holding itself on the wall surface W by the operations of the propeller 2c and the suction portion 5, the traveling body 2 is operated in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the wall surface W by the support operation cable 4 as described above, and travels along the wall surface W. Then, various operations such as inspection and painting are performed on the wall surface W by the working device 7.

[0044] A series of operations such as the adjustment of the position of the traveling body 2 by the support operation cable 4 and various operations by the working device 7 can be executed by inputting an operation signal from the operation unit 11. Also, during the work, the operating status of various devices is displayed on the display unit 12. In addition to visually observing the traveling body 2, detailed operating status can also be grasped from the visual information displayed on the display unit 12. Among the above various operations, the operation unit 11 may be responsible for only a part of them. For example, the work by the working device 7 may be executed through another dedicated controller for the working device 7.

[0045] During the operation of the wall working device 1, when it is desired to move the traveling body 2 significantly on the wall surface, the pressing force by the propeller 2c or the adsorbing force by the adsorbing portion 5 may hinder the movement. In such a case, if the operation of the propeller 2c or the adsorbing portion 5 is turned off (or the output is reduced), and the feeding length of the support operation cable 4 is operated with the pressing force and the adsorbing force cut off (reduced), the traveling body 2 can be moved more smoothly and quickly. Here, if the propeller 2c is configured as a variable pitch propeller, without turning off the operation of the propeller 2c, the pressing force can be reduced or made zero while maintaining the rotation, so that the operation of the propeller 2c and the traveling body 2 can be executed with better responsiveness.

[0046] Also, on the wall surface W, there may be obstacles that hinder the travel of the traveling body 2, such as protrusions like pillars. In that case, if the propeller 2c is a variable pitch propeller, a negative pressing force can be generated to separate the traveling body 2 from the wall surface W, and it can be quickly moved without detouring around the obstacle.

[0047] When performing various operations on the wall surface W using such a wall working device 1, it is not necessary to construct a scaffold that allows people to come and go along the wall surface W. Instead, it is only necessary to install the winding support portion 20 on the wall surface W. Therefore, compared with the case of performing operations manually, the labor and time required for installing the scaffold can be significantly reduced. Also, when actually performing operations such as inspection and painting on the wall surface W, there is no need for the labor of people moving up, down, left, and right using a lift or a scaffold, and the amount of work can be reduced and the construction period can be shortened.

[0048] In addition, the wall surface working device 1 of the first embodiment can also perform work that requires supporting a certain amount of heavy objects against the wall surface W. For example, in the technologies using flying devices as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, since the weight of the work equipment that can be used depends on the carrying capacity of the flying device, in reality, only simple work such as acquiring an image of the wall surface W can be carried out, and it is not suitable for work using heavy equipment. In the case of the wall surface working device 1 of the first embodiment, most of the weight of the traveling body 2, the suction portion 5 mounted on the traveling body 2, and the work equipment 7 is supported not by the flying ability of the traveling body 2 or the holding force against the wall surface W, but by the tension of the support operation cable 4 attached to the traveling body 2. Therefore, a larger weight can be supported. Furthermore, for the suction-related equipment 5a used for the operation of the suction portion 5 and the work-related equipment 7a used for the work by the work equipment 7, they are appropriately installed at locations other than the traveling body 2 (in the case of the first embodiment, on the ground), and if they are connected by the communication cable 6 between them, the weight required for the operation of the suction portion 5 and the work by the work equipment 7 can be shared between the traveling body 2 and the ground, and while reducing the load on the traveling body 2, the suction portion 5 and the work equipment 7 can be operated. In this way, extensive work using equipment with a certain amount of weight can be carried out without difficulty.

[0049] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, it is not necessary to install a lifting support device as described in Patent Document 3. In the wall surface working device described in Patent Document 3, in order to support the traveling body by paying out a support operation cable from above the traveling body, a winch was loaded on the lifting support device and lifted up and down. However, in the first embodiment, instead of lifting the winch (paying-out device) 8 itself up and down, a winding and hanging support portion 20 is installed above the paying-out device 8, and the traveling body 2 is suspended from this position. As a result, a lifting support device for lifting and lowering the paying-out device 8 is made unnecessary. Also, in the first embodiment in particular, the paying-out device 8 is arranged at a position on the left and right of the traveling body 2 and below the winding and hanging support portion 20. When supporting the traveling body 2 with the support operation cable 4, it is necessary to extend the support operation cable 4 from above the traveling body 2 and suspend the traveling body 2. However, in the first embodiment, instead of arranging the paying-out device 8 at a high position and paying out the support operation cable 4 from there, a winding and hanging support portion 20 is installed above the traveling body 2, the support operation cable 4 is wound around here, and the traveling body 2 is suspended from here. By doing so, the trouble of lifting and installing the paying-out device 8 at a high position can be saved.

[0050] In the case of the wall surface working device described in Patent Document 3, it is necessary to support the weight of the traveling body, the working equipment mounted thereon, further the lifting body, the winch, the suction-related equipment, and the working-related equipment with a support column and lift them. Therefore, the support column having the required strength and the lifting mechanism become large-scale, and time and cost are incurred for their installation. In the wall surface working device 1 of the first embodiment, since the winch (paying-out device) 8, the suction-related equipment 5a, and the working-related equipment 7a are not lifted and lowered, it is sufficient to install a winding and hanging support portion 20 on the wall surface W having a strength capable of supporting the weight of the traveling body 2 and the working equipment 7, and the time and effort required for the installation of the lifting support device can be significantly reduced.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows another form (second embodiment) of the wall working device according to the implementation of the present invention. The wall working device 1 of this second embodiment is common with the above-described first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in terms of the basic configuration. However, in the case of this second embodiment, in addition to the support operation cable 4 that supports and operates the traveling body 2, two auxiliary cables 14 are connected to the traveling body 2. The auxiliary cables 14 are fed out from a feeding device 15 provided at the lower right and lower left positions in the wall working device 1 (separate from the feeding device 8 that is a winch for feeding out the support operation cable 4), and the tips are respectively connected to the lower right and lower left of the main body 2a of the traveling body 2. Incidentally, the position of the feeding device 15 for feeding out the auxiliary cables 14 is shown immediately inside the left and right feeding devices 8 in FIG. 5, but it may be appropriately installed at other positions.

[0052] The role of the auxiliary cable 14 in the wall working device 1 of this second embodiment is to suppress the movement of the traveling body 2 and stabilize the position by applying tension to the traveling body 2 from a direction different from that of the support operation cable 4. When the traveling body 2 is supported only by the support operation cable 4 extending from the left and right as in the above-described first embodiment (see FIG. 1), the traveling body 2 may move in a pendulum-like manner in the front-rear direction with respect to the wall surface W, which may interfere with the work. Therefore, as in this second embodiment, in addition to the support operation cable 4, the auxiliary cable 14 is connected to the traveling body 2, and if tension is applied from a direction different from that of the support operation cable 4 by the auxiliary cable 14, unnecessary movement of the traveling body 2 can be suppressed.

[0053] As the pay-out device 15 for paying out the auxiliary cable 14, for example, a tension device such as the linear body pay-out device described in Patent Document 4 above can be used. Such a tension device includes a reel for paying out and winding up the cable, and a motor for controlling the tension on the cable according to changes in the tension applied to the cable. While automatically paying out and winding up the cable, it is configured to always apply tension to the cable. With such a mechanism, while allowing the movement of a device such as a drone connected to the cable, it is possible to suppress the device when it makes a sudden maneuver. In addition, as long as the pay-out device 15 is a device that can apply an appropriate tension to the traveling body 2 moving on the wall surface via the auxiliary cable 14 and can suppress the movement while allowing the traveling of the traveling body 2, an appropriate device can be used.

[0054] As the pay-out device 15, for example, a general winch may be used, or it is also possible to configure the entire pay-out device 8 for paying out the support operation cable 4 and the pay-out device 15 for paying out the auxiliary cable 14 as a winch. However, at least for the pay-out device 8 for paying out the support operation cable 4, it is necessary to use a device such as a winch that supports the weight of the traveling body 2 by the support operation cable 4 and can freely operate the position of the support operation cable 4 through the pay-out and winding up of the support operation cable 4.

[0055] Still, when the auxiliary cable 14 is attached to the traveling body 2 in this way, it is also possible to incline the traveling body 2 to some extent by operating the payout length of the support operation cable 4. For example, considering a movement of slightly paying out the support operation cable 4 from the payout device 8 located on the left side in the figure, a movement of slightly winding up the support operation cable 4 to the payout device 8 located on the right side, or executing both, when the auxiliary cable 14 is not attached as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 1), the traveling body 2 will move slightly to the right side in the figure (at this time, depending on the content of the operation, it will also move slightly up and down). However, in the case of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, since the movement of the lower part of the traveling body 2 is restricted by the auxiliary cable 14 paid out from the payout device 15, when the above operation is performed on the payout device 8, the traveling body 2 will incline clockwise toward the wall surface W without changing its position. Depending on the content of the work performed using the traveling body 2, such an operation may be effective.

[0056] FIG. 6 shows yet another form (third embodiment) of the wall surface working device according to the implementation of the present invention. In the above second embodiment (see FIG. 5), a form in which the traveling body 2 is supported by a total of four cables including two auxiliary cables 14 added to the two support operation cables 4 was described. However, in the case of the wall surface working device 1 of the present third embodiment, the traveling body 2 is supported by a total of three cables including one auxiliary cable 14 added to the two support operation cables 4. The auxiliary cable 14 is paid out from a payout device 15 provided below, and its tip is connected to the lower part of the main body 2a of the traveling body 2. Thus, the number of the auxiliary cables 14 is not limited to two as in the second embodiment, and may be one as in the present third embodiment, or may be provided with three or more.

[0057] Also, in the case of this third embodiment, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, a pay-out device 15 for paying out the auxiliary cable 14 is configured to be able to travel left and right along the rail. By doing so, by adjusting the pay-out position of the auxiliary cable 14 according to the position of the traveling body 2, operations such as always making the direction of the tension applied to the traveling body 2 by the auxiliary cable 14 substantially vertically downward are possible. For example, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 6, the auxiliary cable 14 may be paid out from a pay-out device 15 fixed at an appropriate position. However, in that case, depending on the position of the traveling body 2, the tension applied to the traveling body 2 may be biased to either the left or the right, and it is conceivable that the operation by the support operation cable 4 may become somewhat difficult. If, as in the example shown by the solid line here, the pay-out position of the auxiliary cable 14 and the direction of the auxiliary cable 14 with respect to the traveling body 2 can be adjusted according to the position of the traveling body 2, good operability can be obtained with respect to the operation of the traveling body 2 via the support operation cable 4.

[0058] Further, in this third embodiment, the adsorption-related device 5a and the work-related device 7a are configured to be able to travel along the rail together with the pay-out device 15. By doing so, by moving these devices as the position of the traveling body 2 changes, the distance between these devices and the traveling body 2 can be kept short. Therefore, the connection cable 6 connecting the adsorption unit 5 and the work device 7 to the adsorption-related device 5a and the work-related device 7a can be made short, and the entanglement of the connection cable 6 accompanying the movement of the traveling body 2 can also be reduced. Incidentally, when the pay-out device 15, the adsorption-related device 5a, and the work-related device 7a are configured to be movable in this way, the configuration for movement may be designed as appropriate. For example, instead of or in addition to the above-described rail, these devices may be loaded on a trolley.

[0059] Incidentally, with respect to the traveling body 2, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, if the traveling body 2 is supported at two or more points by the support operation cable 4 and the auxiliary cable 14, the traveling body 2 can be preferably supported and its position can be operated. Further, if tension is applied in three or more different directions, the sway of the traveling body 2 can be preferably suppressed.

[0060] Figure 7 shows still another form (the fourth embodiment) of the wall working device according to the implementation of the present invention. In this fourth embodiment, instead of applying tension to the traveling body 2 by means of the auxiliary cable 14 and the pay-out device 15 as shown in the above second and third embodiments (see FIGS. 5 and 6), a weight 16 is suspended downward from the traveling body 2, and the traveling body 2 is pulled downward by the weight of the weight 16, thereby suppressing unnecessary movement of the traveling body 2.

[0061] In addition, when attaching the weight 16 to the traveling body 2, for example, the following methods can be considered, but the method of attaching the weight to the traveling body is not limited to these examples.

[0062] 1) A movable connection mechanism such as a bearing is provided at an appropriate position of the traveling body 2 (for example, on the frame at the lower part of the main body 2a), a rod-shaped component is attached so as to extend downward from the connection mechanism, and the weight 16 is connected to the tip of the rod-shaped component. The weight 16 moves on a circumference centered on the connection mechanism and having the length of the rod-shaped component as the radius.

[0063] 2) A rod-shaped component is fixed so as to extend downward from the main body 2a of the traveling body 2, and the weight 16 is connected to the tip of the rod-shaped component. The weight 16 is fixed at a certain position with respect to the traveling body 2.

[0064] 3) A cable is provided so as to extend downward from the main body 2a of the traveling body 2, and the weight 16 is suspended from the tip of the cable. The weight 16 moves so as to rotate on the circumference of the bottom surface of a cone having the base end of the cable as the apex.

[0065] In addition, the auxiliary cable 14 and the pay-out device 15 as shown in the above second and third embodiments (see FIGS. 5 and 6) may be used in combination with the weight 16. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a mechanism such as a pulley appropriately in the middle of the support operation cable 4 or the auxiliary cable 14 to adjust the direction of the tension applied to the traveling body 2. For example, a tension device as a pay-out device may be installed obliquely below the traveling body 2, and a pulley or an appropriate component similar thereto may be provided below the traveling body 2, and the auxiliary cable paid out from the tension device may be wound around the pulley (or a similar component) once and then the tip of the auxiliary cable may be attached to the lower part of the traveling body 2.

[0066] As described above, the wall working device 1 of each of the above embodiments is supported by the support operation ropes 4 extending from the left and right and its position is manipulated, and includes a traveling body 2 configured to be able to travel with respect to the wall surface W, a working device 7 mounted on the traveling body 2 for performing work on the wall surface W, a feeding device 8 for feeding and winding the support operation ropes 4, and a winding support portion 20 provided above the left and right of the traveling body 2 around which the support operation ropes 4 are wound to support the load of the traveling body 2. In this way, when performing work on the wall surface W, there is no need to construct a scaffold that allows people to move back and forth along the wall surface W, and a great deal of labor and time can be saved. Also, the amount of work can be reduced even when performing actual work such as inspection and painting on the wall surface W. Furthermore, an elevating support device for elevating the feeding device 8 can be made unnecessary.

[0067] In the wall working device 1 of this embodiment, the feeding device 8 is disposed below the left and right of the traveling body 2 and with respect to the winding support portion 20. In this way, when supporting the traveling body 2 with the support operation ropes 4, instead of disposing the feeding device 8 for feeding the support operation ropes 4 at a high position, by installing the winding support portion 20, the labor of lifting and installing the feeding device 8 at a high position can be saved.

[0068] In the wall working device 1 of each of the embodiments, the feeding device 8 is installed so as not to move with respect to the wall surface W while the traveling body 2 is traveling. In this way, the above-described operational effects can be achieved without providing a mechanism for moving the feeding device 8 in the wall working device 1.

[0069] Also, in the wall working device 1 of each of the embodiments, the traveling body 2 includes a propeller 2c that generates a pressing force against the wall surface W. In this way, the traveling body 2 can be held against the wall surface W by the pressing force.

[0070] In addition, in the wall surface working device 1 of each embodiment, a work-related device 7a used in relation to the work by the working device 7 is installed at a location other than the traveling body 2, and the working device 7 and the work-related device 7a are connected by a communication cable 6. By doing so, the weight required for the work by the working device 7 can be shared between the traveling body 2 and other locations, and the load applied to the traveling body 2 can be reduced.

[0071] Therefore, according to each of the above embodiments, regarding the work on the wall surface, the traveling body for performing the work can be preferably supported and operated by a simple mechanism.

[0072] Note that the wall surface working device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0073] 1 Wall surface working device 2 Traveling body 2c Propeller 5 Adsorbing part 6 Communication cable 7 Working device 7a Work-related device 8 Winch (pay-out device) 20 Winding support part W Wall surface

Claims

1. A traveling body supported by support operation cables extending from the left and right and having its position manipulated, and configured to travel on a wall surface; A working device mounted on the traveling body for performing work on the wall surface; A feeding device for feeding and winding the support operation cables; A winding support portion provided above the left and right of the traveling body, around which the support operation cables are wound to support the load of the traveling body A wall surface working device, characterized by comprising the above components.

2. The feeding device is arranged below the left and right of the traveling body and relative to the winding support portion The wall surface working device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The feeding device is installed so as not to move relative to the wall surface during the traveling of the traveling body The wall surface working device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. The traveling body is provided with a propeller for generating a pressing force against the wall surface The wall surface working device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

5. A working related device used in relation to the work by the working device is installed at a location other than the traveling body, and the working device and the working related device are connected by a communication cable The wall surface working device according to Claim 1, characterized by the above.

Images